[00:00:06]
EVERY AUDIO IS OUR AUDIO ONE. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. IF EVERYONE CAN TAKE THEIR SEATS, PLEASE, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED THIS MORNING. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. MORNING. MERRY CHRISTMAS. ALL RIGHT. WELCOME TO THIS MEETING OF WALLER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT.
TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17TH, 2025. AS IS OUR CUSTOM, BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR AGENDA, WE ASK IF YOU ARE ABLE TO PLEASE STAND JOIN COMMISSIONER AMSLER AND THE INVOCATION FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGES LED BY COMMISSIONER BECKENDORFF. IF IT PLEASES YOU, JOIN ME IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL. FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. STATE FLAG.
HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND WITH THAT, WE WILL BEGIN WITH NUMBER ONE, APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED. AGENDA IS APPROVED.
[PUBLIC COMMENT]
NEXT, WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. WE ASK THAT COMMENTS BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES. I WILL KEEP TIME UP HERE IN THE FRONT. SPEAKER. NO. WHEN THEY HAVE ONE MINUTE REMAINING.LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL SIGNED UP THIS MORNING AND THAT WOULD BE LARRY PARK. IS THIS THING WORKING? LOUD AND CLEAR. GOOD. I HOPE EVERYBODY ON VIDEO CAN SEE IT TOO. MY NAME IS LARRY PARK. I'M FROM TEXAS. I'M HERE TO TO ATTEND THE LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR. I'VE BEEN ABSENT. I HAD OPEN HEART SURGERY. I WASN'T ABLE TO COME, BUT I FELT COMPELLED TO COME THIS MORNING. AS YOU ALL KNOW, I AM NOT A GREAT PROPONENT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I FEEL LIKE IT IS SOMETHING THAT THE TAXPAYERS DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM CONTRIBUTING TO. BUT ACCORDING TO THE BUDGET, THE LAST THREE YEARS IT'S BEEN CONTRIBUTED ALMOST $750,000. I'VE TALKED TO VINCE YOCHUM. HE DOESN'T PULL A SALARY. LAST TIME I CHECKED, THERE WAS A TWO. THERE WAS ONLY TWO OTHER EMPLOYEES AND THEY RENT HALF OF THE USDA BUILDING.
I'M LOOKING FOR TRANSPARENCY. YOU ALL KNOW THIS. THIS IS NOT MY FIRST TIME UP HERE. I'VE ASKED FOR AN AUDIT FOR THIS. IT'S A PUBLIC, PRIVATE ENTERPRISE. I'VE ASKED FOR AUDIT FROM THE AUDITOR. I'VE HAVE WRITTEN STUFF. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE TAXPAYERS KNOW, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'VE HAD A TAX INCREASE. WHY? THIS MONEY IS IMPORTANT.
WHERE IS IT GOING? YOU SAY? WELL, IT HELPS. IT HELPS DEVELOP THE COUNTY. WE'VE GOT RECORD GROWTH IN THIS COUNTY. WE'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF HOUSES, AND WE'VE GOT A WAREHOUSE DISTRICT THAT RIVALS THE WATERFRONT DOWN IN HOUSTON. AND YET WE HAVE A TAX INCREASE. I JUST DON'T SEE THAT THAT $400,000 A YEAR CONTRIBUTION, WHEN IN 2023 IT WAS 150. I UNDERSTAND THE 400 FOR 26. BUT I ALSO KNOW BACK IN 2000 THIS BUDGET WAS 85,000. I THINK I'M PRETTY SURE WHAT IS COMPELLING THIS DRIVING NEED FOR MORE MONEY. I MEAN, THE ROI RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THERE. THIS COURT CONTINUES TO GIVE THIS THIS THIS CONTRACT. I MEAN, THIS MAN GETS A CONTRACT. I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S A SINGLE SOURCE VENDOR OR NOT. I MEAN, I'D LIKE TO LOOK INTO THIS MYSELF, BUT I CAN'T SEE IT. SO I JUST I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE THE PERPETUAL CARE AND THE PERPETUAL INCREASES IN THIS. WHERE IS THE EXPENSES? WHY IS IT NEEDED? MY GOD, WE GOT MORE WAREHOUSES, LIKE I SAID, IN THE WATERFRONT IN HOUSTON. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I. I JUST WISH THAT I MEAN, IN THE LAST, IF YOU COUNT FOR YOU, IT'S GOING TO BE $1.1 MILLION. WHERE DID THE MONEY GO? I'D JUST LIKE AN AUDIT AND TRANSPARENCY, IF THAT'S NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR. AND ON THAT NOTE, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY
[00:05:03]
NEW YEAR. MERRY CHRISTMAS. ALL RIGHT. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING? OKAY. GOING ONCE TWICE. ALL RIGHT. THAT WILL CONCLUDE PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. AND THAT[CONSENT AGENDA]
WILL MOVE US TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED. AN AGENDA IS APPROVED. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, BEFORE WE GET TO NUMBER 33, I DO HAVE I AM GOING TO MOVE UP ONE ITEM. SINCE WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO HAS MADE A TRIP HERE TODAY TO TALK TO US.[COUNTY JUDGE]
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE UP NUMBER 41. I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND ON 41. THIS IS A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM ON A POSSIBLE DONATION TO FORT BEND SENIOR MEALS ON WHEELS. I KNOW DENNIS SAMPSON IS HERE TODAY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FORT BEND COUNTY MEALS ON WHEELS. THE REASON I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA TODAY, I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED AT A PAST COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING JUST RECENTLY ABOUT SOME OF THE FUNDING CUTS THAT HAVE COME DOWN FROM THE FEDS, AND SPECIFICALLY MEALS ON WHEELS HAS TAKEN QUITE A HIT, WHICH CORRESPONDS TO WALLER COUNTY RESIDENTS TAKING A HIT. I BELIEVE THE THE CUT AS FAR AS THE FORT BEND COUNTY MEALS ON WHEELS TOTAL BUDGETS. IT'S IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THE WALLER COUNTY PORTION IS ABOUT $70,000. SO AND OF COURSE, THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT ANYTHING ELSE CHANGING, THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY HAVE TO CUT SERVICES, THEY MAY HAVE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MEALS AVAILABLE TO OUR SENIORS. SO I TOOK THE STEPS OF STARTING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COUNTY AUDITOR. AND FORTUNATELY, BEING TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE CAN IDENTIFY FUNDS THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE, WHETHER THEY'RE FROM CONTINGENCY OR OTHERWISE, THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD TO UTILIZE THIS YEAR. AND I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAKE USE OF THOSE FUNDS AND HELP. MEALS ON WHEELS CONTINUE TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST, AND THAT IS TO TAKE CARE OF SOME OF OUR SENIORS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY NOT ONLY HAVE MEALS ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY THERE THAT SEES THEM, TALKS TO THEM, MAKE SURE THEY'RE OKAY, THAT THEY'RE DOING WELL. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO RIGHT NOW, DENNIS, IF YOU COULD COME UP, MAYBE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND JUST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AND, AND WHY WE HAD TO PUT THIS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, JUDGE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS DOUG SIMPSON. I AM THE EXECUTIVE. NO, YOU'RE FINE.THAT'S FINE. THAT'S MY BROTHER'S NAME. SO I'VE BEEN CALLED THAT BEFORE. NO PROBLEM.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TODAY. AND LOVELY NEW COURTHOUSE. GREAT JOB ON THAT. I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE JUDGE FOR LOOKING TO THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO HELP US OFFSET THOSE FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS THAT WE HAD FOR OUR TOTAL BUDGET. IT AMOUNTED TO ABOUT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 8 AND $900,000. SO IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT FORCED US TO DO IS LOOK AT HOW WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER ON WHAT WE DO, WHILE BEING ABLE TO SUSTAIN OURSELVES. SO WE HAD TO, UNFORTUNATELY, MAKE THE DECISION TO GO FROM EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, GOING FROM SEVEN DAYS DELIVERY DOWN TO FIVE, SEVEN MEALS TO FIVE MEALS. SO WE'RE HAVING TO CUT OUT THE WEEKEND MEALS, AND THAT WAS NOT AN EASY DECISION TO MAKE. BUT WITH THINGS LIKE THIS, COMMUNITY SUPPORT HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL. SINCE WE MADE THAT DECISION. WE PUT THE PRESS RELEASE OUT IN LATE OCTOBER. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF A LOT OF POSITIVE FROM THE CORPORATE SIDE, FROM INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS, AND MY HOPE IS THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT SOON THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO FIVE. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT AT SEVEN. SO THAT'S MY GOAL. AND CERTAINLY THINGS LIKE THIS WILL WILL HELP US BE ABLE TO DO THAT. YOUR ACTION TODAY PROTECTS SENIORS. YOU TALK ABOUT A VULNERABLE CLASS OF PEOPLE. THESE ARE HOMEBOUND SENIORS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO FOR A LOT OF THESE SENIORS, THE ONLY PERSON THAT THEY SEE ON A DAILY BASIS IS THE MEALS ON WHEELS DELIVERY PERSON. THANK YOU FOR BEING A LONG TERM PARTNER OF OURS. WE WERE ASKED BY H.G. IN 1990, I BELIEVE IT WAS TO HELP SERVE WALLER COUNTY. SO OVER THE LAST 35 YEARS, WE'VE BEEN PARTNERS, AND YOU'VE STOOD WITH US AS WE'VE STOOD WITH YOUR SENIORS. TODAY, WE'RE SERVING ALMOST 200
[00:10:01]
SENIORS IN WALLER COUNTY. SO FAR THIS YEAR, WE'VE DELIVERED MORE THAN 37,000 MEALS IN THE COUNTY. WALLER COUNTY ALONE WILL INVEST OVER $350,000 IN OUR PROGRAMING IN WALLER COUNTY.BETWEEN OUR MEALS ON WHEELS HOME DELIVERY AND OUR SENIOR CENTER IN BROOKSHIRE, AND AS THE JUDGE SAID, EACH MEAL IT REPRESENTS MORE THAN JUST FOOD. IT REPRESENTS THAT HUMAN CONTACT THAT WE GIVE OUR SENIORS. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU. I KNOW IN 2026, OUR NORMAL AMOUNT THAT YOU GIVE US HAS BEEN INCREASED. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THINGS LIKE THAT WILL HELP US KEEP GOING HERE IN WALLER COUNTY. AND MY GOAL I'VE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH JUDGE DUHON, IS TO EXPAND WHAT WE DO IN WALLER COUNTY. I WANT TO SEE US DO MORE. I'VE ALWAYS SINCE I STARTED AT MEALS ON WHEELS, I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE US EXPAND. IF WE'RE SOMEWHERE, I WANT US TO BE THERE. RIGHT. MY GOAL IS TO MAYBE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A SENIOR CENTER HERE IN HEMPSTEAD. WE HAVE THE SMALL ONE IN BROOKSHIRE. WHY DON'T WE HAVE ONE IN HEMPSTEAD? SO WE'VE INITIAL HAD TALKS ON THAT AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL KEEP THAT MOMENTUM GOING AS WE GO INTO 2026 SO THAT WE CAN EXPAND WHAT WE'RE DOING. I DON'T WANT TO CONTRACT. I WANT TO FIND MORE. I KNOW THERE'S MORE SENIORS OUT THERE WHO NEED OUR HELP. SO MY THAT IS MY GOAL. WE'RE PROUD TO SERVE WALLER COUNTY AND GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO PARTNER WITH US. SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE JUDGE FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO SENIORS WHO RESIDE IN WALLER COUNTY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME OR THANK YOU FOR THAT. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE THANK? I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU AS WELL. MISS CARTER, PROBABLY ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, ASKED ME IF I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN ACTUALLY DELIVERING. WELL, YOU ARE CORRECT. JUST THE JOY IN WHICH IT BRINGS OUR SENIORS TO BE ABLE TO SEE SOMEONE THERE.
SOMETIMES THAT'S THE ONLY PERSON THEY MAY SEE THROUGHOUT THAT DAY. AND HAVING THAT CONVERSATION. BROOKE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE A PROPOSAL PROBABLY ON THE NEXT AGENDA AT THE START OF THE YEAR. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TWO SEPARATE AGREEMENTS FOR USING CF FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO FUND MEALS ON WHEELS. ADDITIONALLY, FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, ANOTHER AGREEMENT I WOULD DEFER TO LEGAL ON THAT. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, I DID PULL UP THE MOST RECENT AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE FOR MEALS ON WHEELS, AND I BELIEVE IT EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR. SO I CAN TALK TO LAUREN TO SEE HOW WE WOULD CRAFT THE NEXT AGREEMENT WITH THE ORGANIZATION, TO SEE IF WE CAN KIND OF DO ALMOST LIKE A SPECIFIC, I DON'T WANT TO SAY CARVE OUT, BUT CLAUSE IN THERE SPECIFIC TO THE SETH FUNDING. BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, TALKING TO HER, IT SHOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE, BUT I WILL LET YOU KNOW. SO YOU'RE WANTING TO USE THE MONEY TO USE A PORTION OF IT TO. I THINK IT WAS LIKE GIVE THEM AN ADDITIONAL 5000 FOR LIKE THE NEXT THREE YEARS. I BELIEVE THAT WAS CORRECT. USING USING, I GUESS. AND THAT'S ANOTHER LEGAL QUESTION. UNLESS ONE OF YOU ON THE DAIS KNOWS ARE THE AGREEMENTS TYPICALLY ANNUAL AGREEMENTS, OR HAVE YOU ALL DONE LONGER AGREEMENTS TYPICALLY? WELL, DO WE HAVE AN MOU EVERY YEAR? IT WAS LIKE TWO TO 2 TO 3 YEARS. IT'S EVERY FEW YEARS. YEAH. EVERY 2 OR 3 YEARS OKAY. I'LL, I'LL CONFIRM WITH LEGAL BECAUSE I KNOW THIS LAST ONE I WANT TO SAY WAS FOR JANUARY 1ST OF THIS YEAR THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. SO I'LL SPEAK WITH LAUREN. IF WE DO DO ANNUAL ONES, WE CAN MAYBE DO COMPLETELY SEPARATE ONE SPECIFIC TO THE CF. MY UNDERSTANDING FROM HER IS THAT THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A PREFERENCE, SO I'LL SEE WHAT WOULD WORK BEST FOR THE COUNTY AND MEALS ON WHEELS ON THAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SIMPSON. HOW MANY MEALS DID YOU SAY YOU DELIVERED THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR? WHAT WAS THE NUMBER? OR HERE IN WALLER COUNTY, IT'S OVER 37,000 MEALS. THAT INCLUDES OUR HOME DELIVERY, WHICH IS THE MAJORITY OF IT, AND THE SMALL SENIOR CENTER WE HAVE IN BROOKSHIRE. WHAT'S THE PROPOSAL TO INCREASE? WELL, I TALKED TO ALLEN AND MIKE, AND I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND BRIDGE THE GAP. SO ALLEN, DO WE HAVE $70,000 AVAILABLE? WE WE THE AMAZON BILL WAS NOT AS MUCH AS WE BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR AND THERE WERE SAVINGS THERE. SO IT'S IT'S NOT HAVE TO COME OUT OF CONTINGENCY. COMING OUT OF ANOTHER LINE ITEM WHERE OUR BUDGET WAS 500, WE ONLY HAD TO PAY 375 THIS YEAR. SO OKAY. SO SAVINGS THERE. GREAT. SO I
[00:15:03]
PROPOSE WE DO 70,000. I'LL MAKE I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT AND WHAT WE'LL DO. WE CAN APPROVE THIS. AND THIS WILL DONATION WILL COME OUT OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO FIRST THING NEXT YEAR, WE NEED TO DO AN ADDENDUM TO OUR CURRENT MOU OR OR AN ADDITIONAL MOU, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, TO RATIFY. AND WE'LL DO WE'LL DO THAT AT THE FIRST MEETING IN 26. OKAY. BUT THAT WAY WE CAN GET YOU THE MONEY FOR THIS NEXT CYCLE SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, HELP YOU GUYS. BECAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL NEED ALL THE HELP. AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THIS TO ANYONE OUT THERE WHO'S WATCHING, WHO BELIEVES IN MEALS ON WHEELS AND THEIR MISSION AND WANTS TO SUPPORT. AND THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR, Y'ALL. Y'ALL DEFINITELY TAKE DONATIONS. THEY CAN GO ONLINE. THEY CAN MAKE A, YOU KNOW, A CONTRIBUTION, TAX DEDUCTIBLE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND SUPPORT YOU GUYS AND TRY TO HELP MAKE UP THAT SHORTFALL. ABSOLUTELY FOR SENIORS. ORG. AND ANOTHER THING THAT HELPS US TREMENDOUSLY ARE VOLUNTEERS I WOULD SAY I MEAN THAT'S VOLUNTEERS, VOLUNTEERS. AND ESPECIALLY FOR WALLER COUNTY, AS IT'S MORE RURAL, IT'S HARDER FOR US TO FIND VOLUNTEERS. SO ANYTHING ANYTIME WE CAN GET A VOLUNTEER AND WE'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE HOURS, YOU KNOW, ONE DAY A WEEK OR IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS, MAYBE YOU CAN GET A GROUP TOGETHER AND YOU GO, YOU KNOW, YOUR TURNS MAYBE ONCE A MONTH. SO, I MEAN, THERE'S MANY WAYS WE CAN STRUCTURE IT. AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE THAT HELPS US. YOU KNOW, THAT'S WE'RE NOT USING OUR VEHICLES, WE'RE NOT USING OUR MAINTENANCE AND GAS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS. SO IT'S A IT IS A REALLY BIG WIN FOR US WHEN WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS. AND LIKE YOU SAID, JUST THAT INTERACTION THAT THOSE VOLUNTEERS HAVE WITH OUR SENIORS IS AMAZING. AND YOU WILL BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE SENIORS FOR SURE. I THINK I THINK IT'S PRETTY FUNNY THE FIRST TIME AFTER AFTER LEARNING ABOUT THE SHORTFALL, AND I ORIGINALLY HAD GONE TO THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE SEVERAL WEEKS AGO THAT AFTERNOON ON MY WAY HOME, AND I LIVE BACK IN LEGENDARY OAKS, AND THERE'S AUSTIN BRANCH ROAD, WHICH KIND OF JUST GOES OUT TO THE RIVER, OUT VERY MANY PEOPLE, AND THERE'S A MEALS AND WHEELS VEHICLE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. AND THEN AND THEN JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, AGAIN, AFTER TALKING TO ALLEN AND AND PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA, THERE'S ANOTHER MEALS ON WHEELS VEHICLE THAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY CAR AS I WAS COMING BACK TO THE COURTHOUSE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE STALKING ME OR MAYBE WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE PLANTING A SEED. MAYBE YOU NEEDED A SANDWICH. YEAH, RIGHT. BUT IT DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, I TOOK THAT AS A SIGN THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HELP YOU GUYS. SO ANYWAY, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO TO HELP. AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN KEEP YOU ALL ON YOUR FEET.AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S ABOUT THE SENIORS AND ESPECIALLY THAT THAT THEY'RE SO VULNERABLE. AND I THINK ABOUT SENIORS. IS THERE VERY SELF TRY TO BE AS SELF-SUFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE. VERY QUIET. THEY DON'T MAKE A LOT OF NOISE AND DEMANDS. SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP OUR SENIORS IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED ON OUR PART. AND I DO LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU, BECAUSE I DO THINK EXPANDING THE SERVICES FOR SENIORS IN WALLER COUNTY IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WE AS WE BUILD OUT OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT AND WE START TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY CENTERS AND DIFFERENT LOCATIONS DOING SOME PROGRAMING FOR SENIORS, RIGHT? WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD WE WOULD LOVE TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT. I THINK I CAN GET SOME HELP WITH THE VOLUNTEERS. COULD YOU GIVE ME A CARD? I SURE WILL. DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY YEARLY FUNDRAISERS? WE DO. WE HAVE A WE HAVE ONE IN THE CINCO DE MAYO. THEN WE WILL TYPICALLY HAVE A GOLF TOURNAMENT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A FALL EVENT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUDGE AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT IS MAYBE I WANT TO DO SOMETHING UP HERE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT WILL BE IN, YOU KNOW, SUGAR LAND, MISSOURI CITY, IN THAT AREA IN FORT BEND COUNTY. I WANT TO BRING SOMETHING UP HERE. I WANT TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I THINK ONCE WE DO THAT, ONCE WE, YOU KNOW, ARE SEEN MORE. AND I WANT AN OFFICE UP HERE, I WANT TO HAVE A FULL TIME EMPLOYEE THAT DOES NOTHING BUT WALLER COUNTY. THAT'S KIND OF MY GOAL. AND SO WE WERE TALKING, YOU KNOW, JUST THROWING AROUND SOME IDEAS ABOUT MAYBE WE DO A FUNDRAISER HERE SPECIFICALLY FOR WALLER COUNTY SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS SPECIFIC AND EVERYTHING THAT WOULD BE RAISED HERE, OBVIOUSLY WOULD STAY IN WALLER COUNTY THAT WE CAN DO FOR THE PROGRAMING HERE. WELL, I MEAN, IN MY PERFECT WORLD, YOU YOU'D HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FROM YOUR FUNDRAISERS WHERE YOU DIDN'T NEED THE SUPPORT FROM THE COUNTIES AND CITIES THAT WAY. IT'S THE IT'S COMMUNITY DRIVEN.
RIGHT. THAT'S EVEN THAT'S THE BEST. THAT'S THAT'S THAT THAT WOULD BE THE PERFECT SITUATION.
RIGHT. BUT NO. AND TYPICALLY ISN'T Y'ALL'S MATRIX KIND OF YOUR ASK IS USUALLY A DOLLAR PER CAPITA. OR AM I JUST THINKING THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS IN THE PAST WHERE WHATEVER OUR POPULATION WAS, WE KIND OF BASICALLY SAID A DOLLAR PER PER RESIDENT. YEAH, I'M I'M NOT SURE I'M THINKING OF SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT, BUT IT MAY HAVE BEEN BEFORE MY
[00:20:03]
TIME, MAYBE A FORMULA LIKE THAT. I KNOW THIS LAST BUDGET CYCLE WE DID INCREASE OUR FUNDING AND IT MAY. I CAN'T RECALL IF IT WAS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE OUT OF 411. BUT THAT WAS THE MATRIX. BUT AND ALSO I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY. AND I KNOW IT WAS VERY SHORT NOTICE. YES. GET YOU HERE. AND IN FACT, SPEAKING OF FUNDRAISERS, YOU KNOW, I HAVE THE THE FORTUNE OF BEING INVOLVED WITH WALLER COUNTY CHARITIES. AND WE RECENTLY HAD OUR GOLF TOURNAMENT AT LEGENDARY OAKS THAT WENT VERY WELL. SO ALSO, BEFORE YOU LEAVE HERE TODAY, IF YOU IF YOU HAVE TO GO, I UNDERSTAND. I'LL GET IT TO YOU. BUT I ALSO HAVE A CHECK FOR YOU FROM WALLER COUNTY CHARITIES FOR $5,000. THAT'S AMAZING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO I'M GOING TO WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU GUYS THE FIRST GLIMPSE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE THAT'S GOING TO COME OUT. YOU KNOW, BASED ON WHAT I'M HEARING TODAY, THE SUPPORT HERE, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND LET YOU KNOW AHEAD OF TIME THAT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT AT SEVEN.THAT'S AWESOME. WE ARE NOT. WE HAVE I'VE IT'S GOING TO BE OFFICIAL THIS AFTERNOON. AND I'VE GOT MY BOARD MEETING IS THIS AFTERNOON. AND WE'RE GOING TO GET THE PRESS RELEASE OUT.
BUT YOU KNOW BASED ON SUPPORT AND IT'S JUST ABOUT GETTING THE WORD OUT. YOU KNOW, WHO DOESN'T WANT TO SUPPORT YOUR GRANDMOTHER, YOUR GRANDFATHER, YOUR YOUR AUNTS OR UNCLES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT NEED HELP? SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT AT SEVEN. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS FOR SIX MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR IT AND SEE HOW IT GOES. IF WE'RE STILL MOVING ALONG, WE'RE JUST GOING TO KEEP IT AT SEVEN FOREVER. THAT'S MY GOAL. SO WE STARTED AT SEVEN.
JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND AT COVID. SO EVERYBODY GOT SEVEN MEALS.
TECHNICALLY WE'RE ONLY REQUIRED TO DO FIVE, BUT WE NEVER BACKED OFF OF THAT SEVEN POST COVID BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO TO DO THAT FINANCIALLY. SO YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY WITH ALL OF THE CUTS TAKING US BACK TO 2018 LEVELS FROM HJK IN THE FEDERAL FUNDS, THAT'S WHERE WE HAD TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING. BUT BASED ON COMMUNITY, BASED ON YOUR SUPPORT OUT THERE, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND STEP OUT ON FAITH, AND WE'RE GOING TO, FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2026, CONTINUE AT SEVEN. SO A LITTLE YES, YES. SO A LITTLE CAN YOU GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION SO I CAN SECOND. YES SIR. DO WE NEED A LINE ITEM OR DO WE. OKAY I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MAKE AN ADDITIONAL DONATION FOR SENIORS. MEALS ON WHEELS FOR $7,000.
SECOND. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS FOR OUR GUEST? ALRIGHT. HEARING NONE THEN. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. YOU BET. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. NOW WITH THAT WE ARE GOING TO JUMP BACK TO LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP 33 AND 34 TOGETHER. MOTION. SECOND I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND ON 33 AND 30 430. THERE HE IS. 33. LOOKS PRETTY ROUTINE, I WOULD IMAGINE. YES, SIR. GOOD MORNING JUDGE COMMISSIONERS.
AND 34 IS IS PRETTY ROUTINE AS WELL OKAY. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. DISCUSSION.
ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED. AND ONE ABSTAIN.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MERRY CHRISTMAS. ALL RIGHT. 35 IS GOING TO BE WITHDRAWN. THAT ONE
[GRANT MANAGER]
IS NOT QUITE READY AT THIS POINT IN TIME. LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO 36 MOTION. LET'S DO 36 AND 37 TOGETHER. MOTION I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND ON 3637. GOOD MORNING BROOKE.MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. I DIDN'T SAY THIS EARLIER, BUT YOUR ASSISTANT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'RE TRYING TO BE FESTIVE FOR THE HOLIDAYS. SOME SOME BACKGROUND CONTEXT FOR THESE 236 IS THE MOTOR VEHICLE CRIME PREVENTION AUTHORITY IN THE COUNTY ARE GOING TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT PENDING OBVIOUSLY Y'ALL'S APPROVAL FOR THE MOST RECENT GRANT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE AGENCY, THE REASON THAT WE NEED TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT IS BECAUSE THESE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS REQUIRE PERMITS FROM THE STATE. THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT DELAYS GETTING THOSE PERMITS. SO THE MOTOR VEHICLE CRIME PREVENTION AUTHORITY ACROSS THE BOARD, FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE GRANTEES WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR ISSUES AS THE COUNTY, THEY'RE JUST EXTENDING THE CONTRACTS.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS BACK IN 2019, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SUBMITTED A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE OFFICER DOWN MEMORIAL PAGE PROGRAM. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE $1,000 GRANT FUNDS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED HAVE NOT BEEN SPENT TO DATE. WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AND SPEND THOSE
[00:25:06]
GRANT MONIES. SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO AN ADDENDUM TO THE GRANT APPLICATION, BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL GRANT APPLICATION WAS FOR A MEMORIAL, THIS FOR MEMORIAL THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PIVOT FROM A LITTLE BIT, SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE ONE IN THE EXISTING SHERIFF'S OFFICE SUITE.NOW WE WANT TO DO A MEMORIAL BOULDER IN FRONT OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. SO WE JUST WANT TO AMEND THE GRANT APPLICATION TO KEEP THINGS ABOVE BOARD. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR BROOKE? OKAY. HEARING NONE THEN. ALL IN FAVOR OF 3637, RAISE YOUR HAND.
[PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR]
ALL OPPOSED? THANK YOU. HAPPY HOLIDAYS. ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO TO 38 MOTION. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. 38 IS JUST A REGULAR AWARD RECOMMENDATION. THIS IS A ROAD AND BRIDGE PROJECT FOR THE MORTON ROAD OVERLAY. THERE WERE THREE RESPONSES IN 40. CONSTRUCTION WAS THE LOW BID MEETING SPECIFICATIONS. HOW MANY BIDS? THREE. THAT'S GOOD. SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MOVE THIS PROJECT ALONG RATHER QUICKLY. I'LL BE SENDING OUT THE REQUEST FOR THE BONDS TODAY TO 4D. SO I KNOW IT'S THE HOLIDAY SEASON, BUT I'VE ALREADY CONFIRMED WITH THEM THAT THEY'RE GOING TO TRY AND PUSH THAT THROUGH THEIR SECURITY COMPANY QUICKLY. SO MOBILITY. YEAH. THIS IS IT'S KIND OF PHASE ONE. THE WE'VE GOT SEVERAL OF THE CROSSOVER PIPES THAT HAVE CAVED IN WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE BOTTOM OF THE PIPE FROM THE TOP OF THE ROAD, YOU KNOW, AND THAT ROAD, WE'VE IDENTIFIED 29 PIPELINES AND A MILE AND A HALF. SO THERE'S NO WAY THAT ROAD IS GOING TO MAKE IT THE THREE AND A HALF TO FOUR YEARS. AND SO THE ROAD OBVIOUSLY STILL HAS TO OPERATE.SO THIS IS A BAND AID. AND EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO BE WELL AT LEAST ASPHALT. WE'LL BE ABLE TO RECLAIM THAT ASPHALT. I'M THE CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION GOES IN FOR OTHER PROJECTS. SO OKAY. SO I'LL GO COLLAPSED. WELL THEY THE OLD CONCRETE CULVERTS I MEAN THERE'S PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE COLLAPSED AND YOU CAN SEE DOWN THROUGH THE ROAD TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CULVERT, VERY SHALLOW. YEAH, YEAH. YES, SIR. SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF PIPE REPLACEMENTS, A DITCH CLEANOUTS TO KIND OF HOLD US OVER UNTIL WE CAN ACQUIRE RIGHT OF WAY AND, AND MOVE. THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC IS PROBABLY 50 TO 60,000 CARS A WEEK. AND IT'S JUST IT'S GOING DOWN FAST, FASTER THAN WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THE, THE FULL CONCRETE BOULEVARD.
THAT'S A REAL DANGER ANYWAY. OH, SURE IT IS. IT IS ALMOST AN EMERGENCY. AND ONE THING TO NOTE, COMMISSIONERS, IS OUR ENGINEERING ESTIMATE WAS WITHIN THAT 2%, ABOUT 2%. SO YEAH, OUR PROGRAM MANAGER DESIGN ENGINEER HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF ESTIMATING THAT. SO PRETTY GOOD POSITION. ALL RIGHT OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR
[TREASURER]
RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. LET'S MOVE TO 39 MOTION. SECOND I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, MADAM TREASURER, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD MORNING. I'M FINE. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. IS THIS BASICALLY JUST EVERYTHING FOR THE 26? YES. THESE ARE THE NEW RATES FOR 2026 FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS. VERY GOOD. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL[AUDITOR]
OPPOSED? 39 CARRIES. LET'S GO TO 40. MOTION. SECOND. MOTION. AND SECOND ON 40. WELL, ALAN, WHAT DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR US? SO CHANGES OR. NO. NO CHANGES. I'D LIKE TO KEEP THE THE AMOUNT THAT WE'VE GOT COMMITTED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, FOR THE PRECINCT BUILDINGS AT 22.5 MILLION. AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE KEEP THE RAINY DAY FUND AT FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS. OKAY. REALLY? NO CHANGES, NO CHANGES. BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO ASK FOR SIX MONTHS. I FIGURED YOU WERE GOING TO ASK FOR SIX MONTHS. WE COULD DO IT, BUT NO REASON TO TIE THAT UP YET. I KNOW THEY'D LOVE TO HAVE A YEAR IF THEY COULD. I THINK WE'RE STARTING TO GET, LIKE, MAJOR MONEY IF WE GO UP. YEAH, YEAH. IS THAT 33 MILLION NOW? SO IT'S ABOUT $7.5 MILLION A MONTH. SO THAT WOULD THAT WOULD TIE UP. THAT WOULD TAKE AWAY THE MONEY WE'VE GOT SAVED UP FOR THE PRESEASON, IF YOU ALL CHOOSE TO USE IT THAT WAY, I'LL TELL YOU THAT'S A GREAT THING TO HAVE, BECAUSE I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY JUDGES AND COMMISSIONERS THAT I'VE TALKED TO THAT HAVE SIX WEEKS THAT HAVE. YEAH. AND I MEAN, TO ME, THAT'S ALMOST BORDERLINE IRRESPONSIBLE BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A DISASTER, HARDLY MAKE PAYROLL WITH THAT. SO DEPENDS ON HOW THE SIZE OF THE COUNTY. SO WITH WITH THE COMMITMENT WITH THE COMMITTED FUND BALANCE[00:30:01]
FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND THEN THE RAINY DAY FUND, WHAT DOES THAT LEAVE IN TERMS OF UNCOMMITTED RESERVE? IT'S ABOUT 4 MILLION, 4.7 MILLION, ABOUT HALF A MONTH. SO I MEAN THAT'S THAT'S I MEAN, YOU COULD YOU COULD EASILY ADD SOME MORE MONEY TO COMMIT. AND I MAY ASK YOU ALL TO DO THAT. AND NEXT YEAR, WHEN WE GET THE FINAL 2025 RESULTS IN, YOU COULD MOVE SOME OF THAT MONEY INTO COMMITTED. BUT RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO REASON TO. YEAH.YEAH. THOSE I MEAN WELL YOU KNOW AGAIN WITH THE GROWTH AND THE PRECINCT TWO AND PRECINCT THREE BUILDINGS, I MEAN AT LEAST IT'S GOOD WE FIND OURSELVES IN THIS POSITION. I MEAN, YOU LOOK, YOU KNOW, THIS COURTHOUSE IS GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT, BUT WE PAID CASH FOR BASICALLY A THIRD OF THE COST OF THIS COURTHOUSE. SO THAT WAY WE DIDN'T HAVE TO FINANCE THE COST. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO DO IF THEY TRY TO CAP US AT 1%. SOME OF THIS MONEY MAY GO AWAY. WE MIGHT HAVE TO USE SOME OF IT, BUT JUST FUN STUFF. SO I'M HOPING THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE. RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. SO I GUESS WE REALLY ARE.
WE DO STILL APPROVE THE. YES OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE THEN. ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED. THANK YOU. 40
[DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES]
CARRIES. THANK YOU. ALAN. LET'S MOVE TO 42 MOTION. SECOND I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND ON 42.GOOD MORNING DANNY. GOOD MORNING COURT COMMISSIONERS. I'M HERE THIS MORNING TO ASSIST DISTRICT CLERK LIZ PIRKLE WITH SOME FURNITURE PURCHASING FOR HER FOUR SQUAD TRAILER. DIDN'T QUITE HAVE THIS COVERED IN THE ORIGINAL. SOFT COST ON THIS PROJECT. COULDN'T REALLY ANTICIPATE IT, BUT I SEE WHY SHE NEEDS IT. SO THIS PRICE OF $47,966 IS FOR CUBICLES. EIGHT CUBICLES TO GO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FOUR QUAD. THESE ARE A BIT MORE UNUSUAL CUBICLES. THEY HAVE WALLS. THEY HAVE SLIDING DOORS. SHE CAN LOCK THEM BASED ON THE KIND OF I'LL LET HER SPEAK TO THAT, BUT THE KIND OF THINGS SHE HAS TO DO PROTECT FILES THAT ARE SENSITIVE. SHE NEEDS TO BE TO LOCK UP HER OFFICES. SO BUT THE THE THING THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN WAS THE SUPPLIER OF THE FURNITURE FAILED TO GIVE US PRICING FOR FOR MORE DESKS THAT SHE NEEDS IN HER OTHER OFFICES. AND A DINING TABLE AND 12 CHAIRS FOR THE BREAK ROOM. AND THEN, I THINK SOME VARIOUS CHAIRS FOR THE LOBBY AND SO FORTH. SO THE ACTUAL FINAL COST OF THIS IS $63,703. SO IT'S A BIT MORE THAN WE HAD IN YOUR PACKET. SO WE NEED TO KNOW IS THIS GOING TO BE FOR THIS COMING OUT OF NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET THEN. RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT I DON'T BECAUSE IT WON'T BE DELIVERED RIGHT. GIVE ME AN EXTRA HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS. WELL WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT CAPITAL OUTLAY WHERE WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, ALMOST UNDESIGNATED CAPITAL OUTLAY JUST TO HAVE IN THERE FOR THINGS LIKE THIS. SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND BEFORE I TOUCH CONTINGENCY. SO EARLY IN THE YEAR, DID YOU GET ANY OTHER BIDS ON THIS AT THIS CASE I DIDN'T THIS KIND OF CAME UP QUICKLY. WE HAVE USED OFFICE MAKERS BEFORE. THIS IS HAN FURNITURE, WHICH I OFFICE MAKERS DID BID ON THIS BUILDING, RIGHT? THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE A CONTEMPORARY LOOK THAT WE LIKED. IN FACT, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING CONTEMPORARY. HAN FURNITURE TENDS TO BE MORE MODERN. EXCUSE ME. TRADITIONAL FOR THIS BUILDING. I USE THE WRONG WORD THERE. WE WANTED MORE TRADITIONAL FOR THIS BUILDING, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TRADITIONAL. SO HAN TENDS TO BE CONTEMPORARY? NO, NO. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH SHOEMAKER'S THIS OTHER GROUP OFFICE MAKERS IS. BUT, YOU KNOW, SINCE IT'S IT'S NOT GOING TO COME OUT OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WE'RE ALREADY AT THE END OF THE YEAR. I WOULD LIKE IT'S ALMOST $70,000. AND I MEAN, I THINK WE NEED TO GO AT LEAST GET 1 OR 2 OTHER PRICES JUST TO JUST TO KEEP THEM HONEST. OKAY. WHEN IS THE OCCUPANCY SCHEDULED? I COULD MOVE HER IN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. JUDGE CHENEY IS NO LONGER USING THE THE THE FOUR QUAD AS A TEMPORARY COURT. YES.
SO. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SECURE THE THINGS YOU NEED TO SECURE IF YOU OPEN? WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FURNITURE TO MOVE IN. YEAH. THAT'S THAT'S WE'RE STILL IN TWO SEPARATE LOCATIONS, HALF OF MY OFFICE. I MEAN, IF IT WAS 10,000, IT WOULD BE ONE THING, BUT 70,000 FOR FOR FURNITURE AND THE MODULAR BUILDINGS, IT'S JUST A LOT OF FURNITURE. JUST NOT TO GET AT LEAST ONE OTHER QUOTE. I'VE JUST GOT. WELL, SHE HAS WAITED. I KNOW, I KNOW, AND I HATE THAT
[00:35:08]
SHE'S SHE'S VERY LONG TIME AND HAS BEEN EXTREMELY PATIENT. I WANT TO I WANT HER TO GET INTO HER OFFICE AND USE IT THE WAY IT WAS INTENDED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, I MEAN. IT, I'M READY TO APPROVE THIS. MY OFFICE HAS BEEN DIVIDED FOR FIVE YEARS AND WE NEED TO GET ALL IN ONE LOCATION. ME TOO. AND I THINK WHAT PROCUREMENT WISE IS LESS THAN 100,000. OKAY, SO AND I WOULD HOPE THAT OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR DEPARTMENT AND NOT NEED TO BE MICROMANAGED AND WORK WITH DANNY THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. SO IS THAT THOUGH DANNY IS BRINGING US THIS INFORMATION? IF I AM CORRECT, MR. DANNY, SIR, YOU ARE ASKING FOR US TO APPROVE THIS? YES, I YEAH, IT'D BE NICE TO GET HER MOVED AND GET THIS TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO DO YOUR JOB. YES, OF COURSE I'LL BE ABLE TO GET IN ONE LOCATION TOGETHER. OKAY.OH, AND I'M TOTALLY SYMPATHETIC. I KNOW THIS HAS WAITED PROBABLY MORE PATIENTLY THAN THAN ANYBODY ELSE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. MY THING IS, AGAIN, JUST YOU'RE LOOKING AT 70 TO $80,000.
I THINK YOU GOT TO GET AT LEAST ONE OTHER BID. BUT I, I DON'T DISAGREE. SHE SHE NEEDS IT. SHE DESERVES IT AND SHE NEEDS IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONE OTHER BID TO. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET BID? IT'S GOING TO BE THE END OF JANUARY AT BEST. I'M ABOUT TO LEAVE FOR THREE WEEKS THEN. AND THEN HOW? HOW LONG? WAIT AFTER THAT BEFORE IT FURNITURE CAN TAKE 6 TO 8 WEEKS. TO GET AFTER APRIL. TO ORDER, YOU CAN OPEN. HAVE WE EVER GOTTEN HAVE WE EVER DONE ANY BUSINESS WITH THIS? YES. OH, WE WE DO USE OFFICE MAKERS FOR ONE OFF FURNITURE AND ALL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. THE SHERIFF HAS USED THEM FOR A FEW THINGS.
WE'VE USED THIS COMPANY BEFORE. THEY'RE THEY'RE A LOCAL KATY FURNITURE COMPANY. YEAH. THERE WON'T BE ANY MORE ADD ONS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GET US OVER 100,000. BEFORE THE. FOR THE END OF ALL OF 2026. YOU CAN'T GET ANY MORE FURNITURE FOR THAT OFFICE, BECAUSE THEN IT WOULD BE NO, NOT JUST FROM THEM, FROM ANYBODY. I'M NOT IN SUPPORTING ANYTHING THAT WOULDN'T GO OUT FOR BIDS. NO, YOU CAN'T SPLIT FURNITURE UP TWO WAYS. AND TO STAY UNDER THE $100,000 MARK. NO WE CAN'T. I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO DO THAT. IT THERE ALSO IS IF THEY'RE UNDER A COOPERATIVE. I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS, SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO LOOK IT UP. I'VE BEEN SEARCHING REAL QUICK. I CAN'T FIND IF THEY'RE UNDER A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT OR NOT. IF THEY ARE UNDER A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT, WE ARE ABLE TO SPEND MORE THAN $100,000 THRESHOLD. HOWEVER, IT WOULD HAVE TO COME TO COURT AND ENSURE THAT WE ARE UTILIZING THAT COOPERATIVE, THAT THEY'RE UNDER A CO-OP. I'D BE FINE WITH THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO. BUT THROUGH THAT PROCUREMENT OFFICE OR PROCESS KIND OF PRE QUALIFIES THEM. CORRECT. THE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT'S STATED HERE WERE IN COMPLIANCE. CORRECT. AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS SOME DESIGN TO THIS AS WELL.
IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT AND MAYBE NOT DIFFICULT, BUT THERE WOULD BE SOME ADDED DELAY IN RECEIVING HER FURNITURE IF WE WERE TO ACQUIRE ANOTHER ADDITIONAL QUOTE. RIGHT NOW. I CAN ASSIST WITH THAT. IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT YOU GUYS WANT TO TAKE. HOWEVER, THERE WILL BE DELAY IN THE PROCESS. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF MOVING THIS FORWARD, BUT I THINK OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND I HOPE THIS IS FOR ANY DEPARTMENT THAT IS LISTENING BECAUSE I THINK, LIKE US TODAY, SOME OF US ARE IN FAVOR OF US MOVING FORWARD. I THINK SOME OF US WOULD BE EVEN MORE IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD, KNOWING THAT THERE WAS MORE INFORMATION ATTACHED TO IT. AND SO WE HAVE THIS GOOD THING CALLED THE AGENDA BRIEFING MEETING. AND IF DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP OR GOING TO BE ON THE AGENDA. I THINK THAT IT'S PIVOTAL FOR THEM TO BE THERE AND BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION AND DIALOG. SO SOME OF THESE THINGS COULD BE POSSIBLY WORKED OUT BEFORE THIS MEETING, AND THEN BE ABLE TO HELP YOU ALL WITH SOME OF THE BACKUP INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO SECURE ALL THE VOTES AND WHAT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO PUT YOUR DEPARTMENT IN THE BEST PREDICAMENT GOING FORWARD. THAT'S JUST MY $0.02. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. WE FIND OUT THAT
[00:40:04]
THEY'RE IN A CO-OP. I'D BE OKAY WITH IT. FIRST MEETING OF JANUARY 7TH. OF THE YEAR. OKAY.YEAH. LET'S JUST I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF 42, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED, SAY 3 TO 1 WITH ONE ABSTENTION. JUDGE APPROVED.
JUDGE, DO YOU NEED TO AMEND THE VOTE OR AMEND THE AMOUNT? OH, NO. WHAT WAS THE AMENDMENT? 63,703.97 OKAY. SO LET'S BACK UP. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO AMEND 42 FOR THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF $63,703.97. THE MOTION TO AMEND HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO AMEND HEARING. NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED 31. ARE YOU ABSTAINING? ARE YOU? AND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON 42, AS AMENDED. ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED, 81, WITH ONE ABSTENTION. ALL RIGHT.
[MISCELLANEOUS]
OKAY, 42 CARRIES. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO 43 MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND ON 43. THIS IS. THIS IS RELATED TO THE PROPERTY THAT'S BEING HELD IN TRUST BY THE COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR THE HOSPITAL. DO WE KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE BIT. YEAH. YEAH. SO THERE ARE THREE PARCELS THAT WE BECAME AWARE OF THAT ARE DONATED TO BUILD A WALLER COUNTY HOSPITAL ON. AND THOSE WERE DONATED TO BE HELD IN TRUST BY THE COMMISSIONERS THAT NEVER CAME TO FRUITION. AND SO NOW THESE PARCELS ARE KIND OF SITTING THERE AND THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A USE FOR THAT INITIAL DONATION. SO THIS WOULD BE TO FILE A PETITION TO REFORM THE TRUST SO WE CAN COMPLY WITH THE DONOR'S INTENTIONS AND MEET THE COMMISSIONERS COURT'S OBLIGATIONS AS TRUSTEES OF THE PROPERTY. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS WAS DONE IN LIKE THE EARLY 1950S. IT'S YEAH, IT'S REALLY OLD. AND SO, I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, I THINK THE GOAL IN DOING THIS IS TO POSSIBLY GET US REMOVED AS TRUSTEES. WE DON'T HAVE LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY AS FAR AS THIS PROPERTY. THAT WILL BE ONE OPTION WE LOOK AT. YES. AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THE COURT AS IT DEVELOPS. BUT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO FILE THE PETITION. OKAY. VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 43 HEARING? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 43 CARRIES. LET'S GO TO 44. MOTION. SECOND. MOTION. AND SECOND TO APPROVE OFFICIAL BODY FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS. DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. OPPOSED? WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO? WE HAVE NOTHING FOR EXECUTIVE. WOW. EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT. OH HO HO. ALL RIGHT, SO 46, 45 THROUGH 49. WELL, ACTUALLY, I THINK WE WILL ALL BE WITH JOHN.MOVE. WE ADJOURN SECOND MOTION AND SECOND TO ADJOURN DISCUSSION. JUDGE, I WILL SAY ONE THING. I KNOW WE'VE GOT THE HOLIDAYS COMING UP. AND SO IF YOU'VE GOT BUSINESS IN ANY OF THE COUNTY BUILDINGS, CHECK THE CALENDAR BEFORE YOU COME UP HERE, BECAUSE I KNOW RIGHT AROUND CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S, THEY'RE YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE VACATION DAYS.
SO BEFORE YOU DRIVE UP HERE, CHECK FACEBOOK OR THE CALENDARS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OFFICE THAT YOU NEED TO COME TO IS OPEN. YEAH. WITH JUST SO PEOPLE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE WILL HAVE SOME CLOSURES, ESPECIALLY WITH CHRISTMAS BEING ON A THURSDAY. WE'RE CLOSED CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY. I THINK THE SAME THING FOR NEW YEAR'S. I KNOW THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING TO. AND WE HAVE SOME FLOATING HOLIDAYS, AND SO I'VE APPROVED THOSE FRIDAYS ON EACH ONE OF THOSE AS WELL. SO COUNTY WILL BE CLOSED FROM CHRISTMAS EVE, BASICALLY WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND THEN WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK. SO YOU CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
LIKE COMMISSIONER BECKENDORF SAID, JUST CALL IF YOU'VE GOT TO COME UP. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE WANTING TO PAY THEIR TAXES, SO JUST TRY TO PLAN AHEAD IF YOU CAN. I BELIEVE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. MISS MIDKIFF SAID SHE WAS TRYING. SHE WANTED TO TRY TO BE OPEN ON ON THE 30 ON THE 31ST FIRST. YEAH. SO THAT SHOULD HELP SOME FOLKS AS WELL WHO WANT TO TRY TO GET IT IN JUST UNDER THE DEADLINE, BUT TRY TO PLAN AHEAD. IT WOULD BE A GOOD
[00:45:05]
THING. SO AT LEAST YOU GET TO WAIT TO PAY YOUR TAXES UNDER A ROOF AND NOT OUTSIDE IN THE COLD AND RAIN. SO I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT. NOT A PEEP. SO THAT'S A GOOD THING. OKAY, WELL, I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A VERY SAFE AND WONDERFUL MERRY CHRISTMAS. I HOPE YOU ALL GET TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. AND THIS WILL CONCLUDE WALLER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT TIME. THANK YOU ALL. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.