[*A portion of this meeting is without audio*]
[PUBLIC COMMENT]
[00:00:58]
THE CLASSROOM. JOHN AMSLER WAS THE ONLY ONE ON THIS COURT WHEN I STARTED, AND NOW WE'RE HAVING A NEW COURT. AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, I THANK YOU, JUDGE DOEJOHN, ESPECIALLY, FOR ALWAYS BEING RESPONSIVE WHEN I ASK QUESTIONS, ALWAYS BEING AVAILABLE, BECAUSE I ALWAYS HAD QUESTIONS AND EVERYONE ELSE TOO, WAS VERY COOPERATIVE WITH THE PRESS. ANYWAY, I ALSO WORK ELECTIONS AND OUR ELECTION OFFICE IS EXCELLENT. I'M NOT CRITICIZING THE ELECTION OFFICE, AND THEY DO THE BEST THEY CAN WITH WHAT'S AVAILABLE, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ISSUES. I'M GOING TO GIVE EACH OF YOU. I'M ACTUALLY TRYING TO HELP THE ELECTION OFFICE. THERE'S BEEN TALK OF A POSSIBLE ORDINANCE IN REGARDS TO POLL WORKERS. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT TO ENCOURAGE THAT. THIS. IS A RESULT OF ELECTION DAY. THE LAST ELECTION, ELECTION DAY.
HOW MANY WORKERS DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR THE ELECTION? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THE SECOND SHEET SHOWS WHEN THEY'RE FIRST GIVEN IN DECEMBER. Y'ALL ARE GIVEN A LIST. AND THE ELECTION OFFICE IS GIVEN A LIST OF WORKERS FOR EACH PARTY. IT'S A PRIMARY. IT'S A PARTY ELECTION. SO THERE WAS SOME ISSUES ON ELECTION DAY. THEY GAVE YOU THAT LIST IN DECEMBER.
THE LAST PAPER IS THE LIST. AND A LOT OF THOSE WHEN THEY WERE CALLED BEFORE THE ELECTION, DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. SO WE HAD PEOPLE ON THAT LIST. THE ONE ON THE BOTTOM THAT WERE NOT REGISTERED, THEY WERE IN SUSPENSE. THERE WERE NO SHOWS, THOSE THAT SOME THAT DID SHOW UP LEFT EARLY. THIS WAS A BIG ISSUE ON ELECTION DAY, AND I'M PARTICULARLY GOING TO CONCENTRATE ON MY POLL, WHICH IS WALLER CIVIC. DANTE GOT ME STARTED ON THAT 11 YEARS AGO, AND THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH ARE EXCELLENT. OUR POLL HAS ALWAYS BEEN COMPLIMENTED. WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM. HOWEVER, JUST SO YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE 30 ABOUT 30S LEFT. OH, OKAY. WELL, THERE WERE PROBLEMS BECAUSE TWO LADIES WERE RETIRED. THEY WERE REMOVED AND. BUT CHRISTIE ALLOWED THEM TO WORK NOVEMBER BECAUSE THEY'RE GOOD. AND SHE KNEW THEY WERE EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE MARKED AS RETIRED. YOU CAN SEE THAT ON WALLER CIVIC. THEY WORKED EARLY VOTING FOR THE PRIMARY, BUT NOT ELECTION DAY. OTHERS WERE CHOSEN IN THEIR PLACE. WORKERS CAME. THERE WERE TOTALLY UNTRAINED. A STUDENT AND A SOMEBODY THAT WAS MARKED AS JUDGE THAT HAD NO TRAINING.
I AM NOT THE PRECINCT CHAIR, SO I WAS REPLACED, WHICH IS FINE BECAUSE I DIDN'T RUN FOR PRECINCT CHAIR ANYWAY, SO IT WAS VERY HECTIC. NO ONE UNDERSTANDS YOU. CURBSIDE VOTING TWO HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE WITH THEM. SO YOU HAD A PROVISIONAL AT THE SAME TIME.
YOU HAD LINES, YOU HAD A MACHINE BREAK DOWN AND IT HAS TO HAVE A SPOILED BALLOT ALL OF THIS SAME TIME. AT SOME PRECINCTS, THERE WAS ONE PERSON. AT SOME PRECINCTS, THERE WAS JUST TWO PEOPLE. SO ANYWAY, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF AN ORDINANCE TO HAVE SOME
[00:05:03]
QUALIFICATIONS, SOME RULES FOR BEING A POLL WORKER AND NOT JUST RANDOM PEOPLE PUT ON A LIST. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. AND I THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT ON THE LIST IS ROSS MCCALL. MORNING, JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK A FEW MINUTES ON TOMORROW IS AUTISM AWARENESS DAY. AND SO APRIL 2ND, JUST WANTED TO SPEAK A FEW WORDS ON WHAT THAT IS. SO AS YOU KNOW AUTISM IS A SPECTRUM. SO IT RANGES FROM HIGH FUNCTIONING TO LOW FUNCTIONING. MY BRAND OF AUTISM IS LEVEL ONE HIGH FUNCTIONING, WHICH IS CONSIDERED THE MODEST LEVEL, BUT IT MANIFESTS IN DIFFERENT WAYS. AND SO ALL LEVELS OF AUTISM MANIFEST IN DIFFERENT WAYS. FOR US, IT'S A STRUGGLE WITH, EXCUSE ME, HIDDEN DISABILITIES. AND TYPICALLY IT'S DISGUISED AS DISOBEDIENCE. SO THERE'S SOME METHODS AND, AND PROCEDURES THAT WE USE FOR OUR KIDS TO, TO ADDRESS THAT. TYPICALLY FOR HIGH FUNCTIONING PEOPLE, THEY CAN MANAGE DAILY LIFE, BUT THEY STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN CONVERSATIONS, STRUGGLE WITH SOCIAL CUES, BODY LANGUAGE, SARCASM, BUT THEY DO WELL WITH ROUTINES. AND I'M SORRY, I'M EMOTIONAL. IT'S IT'S A BIG PART OF MY HEART. THANK YOU. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS CAUSE AND EFFECT. THEY HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH UNDERSTANDING CAUSES AND EFFECTS. SO CORPORAL PUNISHMENT DOESN'T WORK. WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH TRAINING TO. USE SCENARIOS, USE STORIES TO EXPLAIN SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS AND RESPONSES. THEY CAN BE SENSITIVE TO LIGHT, SOUNDS, SMELLS, AND ARE OVERWHELMED AND BUSY ENVIRONMENTS. SOME OF THE STRENGTHS ARE ATTENTION TO DETAIL, STRONG MEMORY, LOGICAL THINKING. A LOT OF THE STUFF ENGINEERS ARE GOOD AT. SO IN THE ENGINEERING FIELD, WE HAVE A LOT OF HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISTIC PEOPLE AND THEY'RE VERY SUCCESSFUL. WHAT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR IS YOUR FLEXIBILITY IN THE WORKPLACE.NOT EVERY COMMISSIONER'S COURT OFFERS FLEXIBILITY TO THEIR EMPLOYEES. WE GET A LOT OF JUDGMENT AS PARENTS. WE GET A LOT OF CONDEMNATION. WE GET A WHOLE LOT OF JUDGMENT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SPANKING OUR KIDS. WE'RE NOT PUTTING THEM IN THE CORNERS. WE'RE NOT DISCIPLINING THEM CORRECTLY, CORRECTLY. BUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING SCENARIOS AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR KIDS IS VERY IMPORTANT IN LEVEL ONE AUTISM. AND SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONERS, FOR AFFORDING ME FLEXIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY. AND ON BEHALF OF THE OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT STRUGGLE WITH THIS SAME NEED. THANK YOU. BECAUSE NOT EVERY COMMISSIONER'S COURT DOES THAT. THAT BEING SAID, HOW CAN YOU AS A COMMUNITY HELP THOSE THAT ARE STRUGGLING IN THIS SENSE, BEING PRESENT, PRESENT IN TIMES OF AWKWARDNESS? SO NOT JUST WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES, BUT BEING THERE. NOT THAT YOU CAN SOLVE EVERY ISSUE, BUT BE THERE FOR THEM. BE THERE IN YOUR CHURCH COMMUNITY'S, BE THERE IN YOUR CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AND NOT AVOID IT. DON'T TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS, BUT BE PRESENT. SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THIS COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. ALL RIGHT. WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING. SO EVERYONE THAT WE HAD SIGNED UP, I WOULD LIKE TO, BUT I WAS RUNNING A LITTLE LATE THIS MORNING. BUT FIRST, YOU KNOW, I TO GOD AND TO THE COMMISSIONER, THE JUDGE AND ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS. LIFE BRINGS CHANGES, YOU KNOW, WILL WE GET TO CHANGE, CHANGE, START AND. AS I GO INTO THIS NEXT YEAR, I JUST WANT TO SAY I HOPE WE CAN HAVE SOME UNITY, SOME UNDERSTANDING, AND REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE GO THROUGH.
THE CONSTABLE'S ARE THE OLDEST LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, OLDER THAN THE SHERIFF,
[00:10:09]
OLDER THAN THE TEXAS RANGERS, OLDER THAN DPS. CONSTABLE'S BEEN HERE FOR YEARS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO AWAY. THERE WAS MANY TIMES AS LEGISLATION THEY TRIED TO DO AWAY WITH THE CONSTABLE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO AWAY BECAUSE OF THIS. THE OLDEST LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. WE'RE NOT JUST CIVIL PAPER SERVERS. WE WRITE TICKETS. WE CAN MAKE ARRESTS.WE CAN DO INVESTIGATION. WE CAN DO MORE THAN THE SHERIFF CAN. WE DO MORE THAN THE SHERIFF? BUT WE DON'T. WE DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES. WE DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES. I READ A NOTE THAT THE JUDGE PUT OUT THAT WE ARE THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. IT'S OFFICIALLY KNOWN NOW. AND THE SECOND IN THE NATION. I'VE BEEN SINGING THAT TONE SINCE I CAME HERE. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO DO BUSINESS LIKE WE'VE DONE IN THE 60S. WE HAVE TO COME UP TO THE 21ST CENTURY. WE ARE GETTING A MORE AND MORE PEOPLE COMING HERE. MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE EXPECTING. WE MOVED INTO AN AREA THAT WE WAS DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT AND WAS DROPPED ON US. THOSE PEOPLE THAT'S IN THAT COMMUNITY SUFFERING AND HAVE A PILOT PROGRAM. I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THAT. A PILOT PROGRAM FOR OVERTIME OVERTIME HAVE FAILED IN MANY, MANY SITUATIONS, MANY SITUATIONS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF IT. THERE WAS NOTHING THAT CAME OUT OF IT. GO AND DO THE HISTORY OF ALL THE CITIES THAT HAD OVERTIME.
LOOK AT HOUSTON NOW. LOOK HOW MUCH IN DEBT THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE OF OVERTIME AND DIFFERENT THINGS THEY WASTE MONEY ON. WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY HERE AND WE NEED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OVER TAXPAYERS MONEY. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS? I SEE ONE THING. WELL, FIRST I JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY EASTER. I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS FUN WITH FAMILY. AND JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY, GOOD FRIDAY IS THIS FRIDAY AND COUNTY OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE VICE?
[CONSENT AGENDA]
ALL RIGHT. THAT WILL CONCLUDE PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THAT WILL NOW MOVE US TO THE CONSENT AGENDA MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? CONSENT AGENDA IS[PROCLAMATION]
APPROVED. AND THAT WILL NOW MOVE US TO NUMBER 33. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND ON 33.THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING APRIL AS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH IN WALLER COUNTY. AND I BELIEVE THIS IS GOING TO BE PRESENTED BY HILDA MARTINEZ WITH FOLKS. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE. LIKE YOU GUYS DO EVERY YEAR. SO GOOD MORNING, WALLER COUNTY. MY NAME IS HILDA MARTINEZ. I WORK AT FOCUSING FAMILIES, WHERE WE WORK WITH SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND STALKING. WE ARE HERE TODAY WITH THE WALLER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT TO PROCLAIM APRIL AS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH. BUT WHY DO WE FOCUS ON SUCH A DARK AND SCARY CRIME? WELL, TEXAS HAS SOME OF THE HIGHEST NUMBERS OF REPORTED SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN THE US.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE LATEST DATA FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS ALONE. TEXAS HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF REPORTED RAPE CASES, WITH 15,097 REPORTED. AN ESTIMATED 6.3 MILLION TEXANS HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME FORM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THEIR LIFETIME. 2 IN 5 WOMEN AND 1 IN 5 MEN IN TEXAS HAVE BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED. ONE OUT OF TEN SURVIVORS REPORTS THE CRIME TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. ABOUT 70% TO 80% OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS ARE COMMITTED BY A PERPETRATOR KNOWN TO THE VICTIM, 40% OF SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18. ONLY ABOUT 1 IN 5 SEX CRIMES RESULTS IN A CONVICTION. SO WHAT ARE FIVE WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP PREVENT SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY? NUMBER ONE, WE CAN EDUCATE OURSELVES AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DYNAMICS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND RECOGNIZE THAT IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE.
NUMBER TWO, TALK ABOUT IT. UNFORTUNATELY, ALMOST EVERYONE KNOWS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY SEXUAL VIOLENCE, WHETHER THEY THEMSELVES ARE SURVIVORS OR THEY KNOW SOMEONE
[00:15:01]
WHO IS A SURVIVOR. NUMBER THREE PRACTICE CONSENT. CONSENT IS AN ACTIVE AGREEMENT FOR A SPECIFIC ACT OR ACTIVITY AND CAN BE CHANGED AT ANY TIME. NUMBER FOUR, BE AN ACTIVE BYSTANDER.INTERVENE WHEN YOU SEE OR YOU HEAR BEHAVIOR OR COMMENTS THAT SUPPORT SEXUAL VIOLENCE. SPEAK UP, INTERVENE AND OFFER SUPPORT AND NUMBER FIVE, SUPPORT EFFORTS TO PREVENT SEXUAL VIOLENCE. DONATE, VOLUNTEER, PARTICIPATE, OR JOIN IN THE MOVEMENT BY LEARNING ABOUT LEGISLATION THAT SUPPORTS SURVIVORS AND LETTING YOUR REPRESENTATIVES KNOW THAT YOU SUPPORT THE CAUSE. I ATTACHED A LIST. ON THE VERY BACK OF THAT PACKET THAT YOU GUYS HAVE. SO FOR APRIL 7TH, WE WEAR TEAL. THAT'S A TUESDAY, APRIL 7TH, AND THROUGHOUT THE MONTH TO SHOW SUPPORT AND RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND HOW TO PREVENT IT AND THEN WEAR DENIM. ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL THE 29TH. DENIM DAY IS A WORLDWIDE PROTEST AGAINST VICTIM BLAMING MYTHS SURROUNDING SEXUAL VIOLENCE. PARTICIPANTS WEAR JEANS TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH SURVIVORS AND PROTESTS. IN 1999, ITALIAN SUPREME COURT RULING THAT OVERTURNED A RAPE CONVICTION BECAUSE THE VICTIM WORE TIGHT JEANS. SO THOSE ARE JUST A FEW WAYS THAT YOU GUYS CAN PARTICIPATE IN OUR SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH, AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON OUR PAGE ON FACEBOOK, AND I'LL POST THE DATES ON THERE. AND I DO LIKE A WEEKLY, WEEKLY ACTIVITIES THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN. IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO, WE DO REALLY APPRECIATE YOU HAVING US HERE AGAIN LIKE YOU DO EVERY YEAR. I KNOW WE DO TWICE A MONTH. WE ALSO DO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN OCTOBER AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MISS MARTINEZ. MISS MARQUEZ, DID YOU WANT TO READ THE PROCLAMATION OR DO YOU AGREE? OH, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M GOING TO LET YOU READ IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO THIS IS A PROCLAMATION FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH, APRIL 2026.
WHEREAS SEXUAL ASSAULT A VIOLENT AND DEVASTATING CRIME AFFECTS MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN OF ALL RACES, AGES AND ECONOMIC SITUATIONS. AND WHEREAS THE CONSEQUENCES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ARE OFTEN SEVERE AND LONG LASTING, AND THE RISK OF DEVELOPING POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, DEPRESSION AND MANY OTHER PSYCHOLOGICAL OR PHYSICAL AILMENTS INCREASES DRAMATICALLY FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. AND WHEREAS EACH YEAR FOCUSING FAMILIES AND MANY OTHER RAPE CRISIS CENTERS ACROSS THE STATE DESIGNATE THE MONTH OF APRIL FOR AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE AWARENESS AND BUILD UPON THE NETWORK OF SUPPORT THAT HAS BEEN MOBILIZED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. AND WHEREAS FOCUSING FAMILIES PROVIDES TRAINING TO RAPE CRISIS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, AS WELL AS TO VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF OF FOCUSING FAMILIES AND TO COMMUNITY GROUPS. OUTREACH IS ALSO PROVIDED TO SCHOOLS AND INFORMATION ON TOPICAL ISSUES RELATED TO SEXUAL ASSAULT. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT I. TRADE UNION COUNTY JUDGE ON BEHALF OF COMMISSIONERS COURT OF WALLER COUNTY, DO HEREBY DECLARE APRIL 2026 AS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH AND ASK ALL RESIDENTS OF WALLER COUNTY TO INCREASE THEIR AWARENESS AND WORK TO PREVENT SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND ACROSS THE GREAT STATE. TOGETHER, UNITED. IN THIS EFFORT, WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THIS IS SIGNED THIS DAY OF APRIL 2026, WALLER COUNTY PROCLAMATION. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR ANY COMMENTS FROM ANYONE? OKAY, I'D JUST LIKE TO CONTINUE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THE SERVICE IN WHICH YOU ALL PROVIDE. IT'S A THANKLESS JOB AND SERVICE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE OBVIOUSLY CONTINUE TO NEED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING THE VOICE. THANK YOU. I WILL ECHO THAT. THANK YOU. AND YOU KNOW, YOUR WHOLE ORGANIZATION, STAFF KIM, ALL THE VOLUNTEERS THAT WORK TIRELESSLY TO BASICALLY STAND IN THE GAP AND FILL THIS ROLE. AND, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING FAMILIES, IT'S JUST ONE OF A REALLY A VERY FEW HANDFUL OF NONPROFITS THAT THE COUNTY ACTIVELY SUPPORTS, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS PROCLAMATION, BUT ALSO FINANCIALLY SO THAT WE HAVE THESE SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY. UNFORTUNATELY, I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO, BUT WE DO. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING, ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO ON A DAILY BASIS TO HELP ADDRESS THESE IMPACTS AND AND HELP THE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. YOU VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU AND THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, LIKE THE JUDGE SAID, YOU KNOW, I WISH WE
[00:20:03]
DIDN'T HAVE A NEED FOR, FOR, FOR THOSE SERVICES. BUT THE REALITY IS, IS THAT WE DO. AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DON'T THINK I COULD DO WHAT YOU GUYS DO BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE CARING, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO BE EXTREMELY STRONG BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE INTERACTING WITH THESE PEOPLE AT PROBABLY THE LOWEST POINT. THEY'RE AFRAID THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST UNDERREPORTED CRIMES BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE EMBARRASSED OR UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES. AND SO YOU GUYS REALLY ARE THEIR GUARDIAN ANGEL WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE NOBODY ELSE TO TURN TO. AND SO THANK YOU GUYS, ALL OF ALL OF YOUR TEAM, YOUR, YOUR VOLUNTEERS, YOUR SUPPORTERS. AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, YOU NEED TO SAY SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR KIDDOS WHO ARE MOST INNOCENT AND VULNERABLE OF OUR POPULATION. SO IF, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SUSPECT SOMETHING, TELL A TEACHER, TELL A COUNSELOR, TELL, TELL A LAW ENFORCEMENT, TELL ANYBODY.BECAUSE IF YOU TRUST YOUR GUT. AND THE LAST THING WE WANT IS THAT TO CONTINUE TO, TO, TO PUT SOMEBODY THROUGH THAT. SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. THANK YOU. I SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THAT ORGANIZATION FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I'M VERY WELL ACQUAINTED WITH WHAT YOU DO. YOU DO IT WELL. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE RECORD? OKAY. HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THEN. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, THE PROCLAMATION IS APPROVED. MISS MARTINEZ, IF YOU HAVE ANYONE ELSE WITH YOU, WITH FOCUSING FAMILIES, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP WITH THEIR. YES, PLEASE. THANK YOU. MR. AND. THANK YOU.
OKAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT. WE ARE GOING TO WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST WITH US TODAY, SO
[MISCELLANEOUS (Part 1 of 2)]
I'M GOING TO MOVE AN AGENDA ITEM UP. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE 46 UP AT THIS TIME BEFORE WE HAVE THE MOTION. IT'S UP ON. SO WE HAVE WITH US TODAY DOCTOR CLARENCE TALLEY, LET ME GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND ON ON WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. SO AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE BUILDING OUT THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE COURTHOUSE AND FOR OUR COUNTY COURT AT LAW NUMBER TWO. SO THAT'S DIRECTLY BELOW HERE. AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SINCE WE'VE OPENED THE COURTHOUSE, WE'VE HAD JUST REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK. IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, TO GO DOWN TO THE SECOND FLOOR WHERE THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS PUT A LOT OF PICTURES AND ARTIFACTS, ALMOST LIKE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE PART OF THE WALLER COUNTY MUSEUM FOR PEOPLE TO WALK THROUGH. AND THIS HAS BEEN AN EFFORT THAT HAS KIND OF BEEN SPEARHEADED BY ELTON MATHIS, OUR COUNTY COURT AT LAW JUDGE FOR COURT NUMBER TWO. WE DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE ALSO NICE TO HAVE ARTWORK, YOU KNOW, SOME ARTWORK TO DISPLAY IN THE COURTHOUSE TOO, AS WELL, AS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY ARTWORK THAT HAS HAS SOME KIND OF CONNECTION OR TIE TO WALLER COUNTY AS WELL. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT FOLKS. AND DOCTOR TALLEY IS NOT ONLY A PROFESSOR, BUT ALSO IS AN ARTIST AND HAS REALLY DONE SOME AMAZING WORK. AND THERE WAS ONE PIECE IN PARTICULAR THAT I LOVED OF HIS. AND SO WE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT MAYBE DISPLAYING THIS PIECE HERE IN THE COURTHOUSE, AND HE HAS GENEROUSLY DECIDED THAT HE IS GOING TO DONATE THIS PIECE. SO WHAT WE HAVE TODAY IS A RESOLUTION BASICALLY[00:25:07]
RECOGNIZING DOCTOR TALLEY AS A NOTED ARTIST AND PROFESSOR AT PRAIRIE VIEW A&M, AND BASICALLY ACCEPTING THIS DONATION. IT'S AN ARTWORK CALLED WALLER COUNTY, A FASCINATING COUNTY PUBLIC DISPLAY HERE IN THE COURTHOUSE. SO AT THIS TIME, DOCTOR TALLEY, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM, I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT YOURSELF AND MAYBE TALK ABOUT YOUR THE WORK OF ART WE'RE GOING TO GET TO. EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GET TO SEE TODAY. GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING. MORNING. I WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE THIS MORNING. I THIS IS MY FIRST TIME IN COMMISSIONERS COURT AND MY FIRST TIME IN THIS FACILITY AT THIS LEVEL, WHICH IS THE FOURTH FLOOR. AND THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY. AS I WATCHED IT GO UP, I KEPT SAYING TO MYSELF THAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED A SPECIAL WORK OF ART FROM A SPECIAL KIND OF GUY, PICTURES AND WHAT HAVE YOU. AND I SAID, WELL, WHAT, WHAT WILL I DO? AND I DID THIS PIECE, I HAVE IT, I DIDN'T BRING IT UP WITH ME. I'M GOING TO GO BACK AND GET IT. BUT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS WAS A KIND OF PREMONITION AND SOMETHING THAT GOD WOULD HAVE DONE, BECAUSE AS I WALKED INTO THE COURTHOUSE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, I SAW THERE ON THE FLOOR WHAT THIS ARTWORK IS ALL ABOUT. AND I SAID, NO, IT HAS TO GO HERE. AND SO I CONTACTED BROTHER MATHIS, JUDGE MATHIS, AND ASKED HIM ABOUT TRYING TO DONATE IT TO THE CITY AND TO THE COUNTY. AND SO I'M, I'M HIGHLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. I HAVE A HABIT OF SAYING IF YOU DON'T HAVE A TALLY, YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY ARTWORK. BUT NOW THAT YOU ALL ARE GETTING A TALLY, YOU HAVE SOME SERIOUS ARTWORK. LET ME GET IT. IT IS A. MIXED MEDIA WORK, HIGHLY CONTEMPORARY.CONSISTING OF THESE WHICH CELEBRATE AND DENOTE THE COUNTY ITSELF. LET ME TURN IT AROUND SO YOU ALL CAN SEE I DO. I DO ALL KIND OF WORK. I'M A REALIST AS WELL, BUT THIS IS ENTITLED WALLER COUNTY, A FASCINATING COUNTY. AND I SAID, WHAT BETTER PLACE FOR THIS PIECE TO BE IN? AND RIGHT HERE IN THE COURTHOUSE, AS I SAID, WHEN I CAME IN FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME AND SAW THE MAP ON THE FLOOR, I KNEW EXACTLY WHERE THIS PIECE SHOULD GO. SO I CONTACTED JUDGE MATHIS AND HE TOLD ME WHAT TO DO AND HOW HE WAS GOING TO PUT ME ON THE AGENDA FOR APRIL THE 1ST, WHICH IS MY WIFE'S BIRTHDAY. AND I WAS HOPING THAT YOU ALL WOULD NOT KEEP ME HERE TILL 1230 OR SO. SO I'D LIKE TO PRESENT THIS TO THE COUNTY WITH THE HOPE THAT YOU WILL ACCEPT IT AND DISPLAY IT PROUDLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROSITY. AND THAT'S REALLY WHEN I SAW THE PICTURE OF THIS PIECE. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST UNIQUE. AND I HAVE TO SAY, I I'M A LITTLE PARTIAL TO THE BEADS BEING THAT MY FAMILY'S FROM LOUISIANA. AND IN FACT, I JUST GOT BACK FROM MARDI GRAS A FEW WEEKS AGO. BUT I LOVE THE PIECE AND I THINK IT'S JUST VERY UNIQUE. AND IT SHOWS JUST A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT WALLER COUNTY AND JUST HOW DIVERSITY AND EVERYTHING ELSE. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COURT BEFORE WE ACCEPT THIS DONATION? I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY I LIKE TO SEE THE COURT HAVING PURVIEW INSIDE OF IT. AND OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS SAY THAT PURVIEW PRODUCES PRODUCTIVE PEOPLE. DOCTOR TALLEY, HAVE YOU GOTTEN A CHANCE TO, I GUESS, SEE ME OVER THE PAST 13 YEARS? AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL ONE YOUR ART PIECE, BUT ALSO THE MANNER IN WHICH WE RECEIVING OUR ART FROM SPEAKS VOLUMES OF WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU MEAN TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN ADD THE ARTWORK THAT ALSO SHOWS THE THE DIFFERENT NUANCES OF THE COUNTY AND THE DIFFERENT PARTS, THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND
[00:30:01]
THE, THE CREATIVENESS THAT YOU PUT INTO IT THAT ACTUALLY REFLECTS THE MAP IN WHICH WE HAVE DOWNSTAIRS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND FOR YOUR DONATION AND FOR YOUR LOVE AND PASSION BEHIND THE ART. ABSOLUTELY. NO. THANK YOU. NOW THAT WE HAVE A TALLY, WE ARE ON THE MAP. BUT YEAH, I MEAN, MY ARTISTIC ABILITY STALLED AT FOUR, SO I CAN DEFINITELY APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK AND THAT YOU PUT INTO IT. AND JUST WE'RE HONORED THAT YOU'LL YOU'LL ALLOW US TO DISPLAY IT FOR YOU. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING PEOPLE COME THROUGH THE COURTHOUSE. AND NOW WHEN THEY SEE THAT PIECE AND THEY LOOK AT IT, I CAN GO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A TALLY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THEN. ALL IN FAVOR OF 46. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.ALL OPPOSED? THE DONATION IS ACCEPTED. DOCTOR KELLY, LET'S GO AHEAD, IF YOU DON'T MIND. WE HAVE COME UP WITH. OF COURSE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU AND. SORRY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. GLAD TO. COUNTY ENGINEER. SO BOTH. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A
[COUNTY ENGINEER]
MOTION ON 34. ROSS, IS THERE ANY BACKGROUND ON THIS? IT'S JUST JUST A SERVICES AGREEMENT.MOBILITY? YES, SIR. JUST ENGINEERING SERVICES DESIGN AGREEMENT FOR MAYOR ROAD PRECINCT TWO. SO. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ONE. ABSTENTION. ZERO ONE. ABSTAIN. THANK YOU. ROSS. ALL
[COMMISSIONER, PRECINCT 3 ]
RIGHT. WE GOT A COUPLE OF ITEMS ON HERE FROM THE COMMISSIONER. PRECINCT THREE. I GUESS WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE THOSE UP TOGETHER. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND, ON 35 AND 36.COMMISSIONER, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? SO FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK BROOKE AND LAUREN AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR HELPING ME PUT TOGETHER IN THE COMMITTEE. SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THE GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM SETH. AND BY THE WAY, WE'RE ABOUT TO GET ANOTHER GRANT FROM SETH, SO WE'LL BE FIGURING OUT SOME PROGRAMS AND THINGS TO DO. BUT BROUGHT TO THE COURT, I THINK EARLIER THIS YEAR OR THE LAST MEETING OF LAST YEAR, SOME INITIATIVES THAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO USE THIS GRANT FUNDING FOR. AND ONE OF THEM WAS THE WALLER COUNTY SENIOR CITIZEN HEALTH AND WELLNESS INITIATIVE PROGRAM AND POLICY, IN WHICH WE KNOW WE CREATED THIS SEASON, CITIZENS THAT HAVE EVENTS AND THINGS AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER. SO THIS IS JUST ALLOCATING $4,000 FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO PROGRAMS IN WHICH THIS SEASON CITIZENS WILL HAVE. SO THEY'RE BASICALLY SUBMIT APPLICATION SAYING WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE FUNDS, AND THEN WE RELEASE THE FUNDS TO THEM. AND I THINK, BROOKE, FOR IRONING OUT THE POLICY AND LAW FOR FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. SO THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE A FORMAL POLICY AND PROCESS TO COME BEFORE COURT.
[00:35:04]
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS TODAY. AND I GUESS, JUDGE, DO YOU. WELL, WE TOOK A VOTE. SO I GO TO 36 AS WELL. 36 AS YOU ALL MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE. JUDGE, I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE FOR US TO JUST TAKE UP 35 BECAUSE WE HAVE MISS PAGE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON. 36 SO THEN WE'RE SEPARATE THE. OKAY. YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND MOTION TO AMEND. OKAY, SO I HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND JUST TO TAKE UP 35. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. SO NOW WE'RE JUST ON 35. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 35? IS THAT WHENEVER THEY START HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS, WE CAN TRY AND GET THEM OUT TO COUNTY WIDE STANCE. FIRST YEARS TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO INTERACT WITH OTHER SEASONS.AND. SO. ON. THANK YOU. EVERYBODY AWARE WHEN THOSE PROGRAMS ARE SO THEY CAN BE UPDATED. GOTCHA. YEAH. AND I APPRECIATE IT, COMMISSIONER, AS WELL. YOU KNOW, I DOING DOING MORE PROGRAMING FOR SENIOR CITIZENS. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE, WE DO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM. BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN I SEE, YOU KNOW, OTHER COUNTIES LIKE HARRIS COUNTY HAS A VERY ROBUST SENIOR CITIZENS PROGRAM. AND I THINK IT'S GOOD, ESPECIALLY AS WE, YOU KNOW, ESTABLISH OUR OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. AND WE HAVE FACILITIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. HAVING SOME PROGRAMING FOR SENIOR CITIZENS IS A REALLY GOOD THING. GIVES THEM SOME SOMEWHERE TO GO AND SOMETHING TO DO KEEPS THEM BUSY. IT'S ABOUT KEEPING THE MIND ACTIVE. AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT THING. AND I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST BABY STEP IN THAT DIRECTION. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 35. ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
ALL OPPOSED? 35 CARRIES. OKAY. LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP THE MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND ON 36. MISS MARTIN, DO YOU WANT TO ARE YOU READY TO GIVE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT? GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE DEWAN. COMMISSIONERS, I DON'T KNOW IF THE SHERIFF'S HERE, BUT IF HE IS, I WOULD SAY TO HIM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING FOR US. HE HAS HE AND HIS PEOPLE HAVE STEPPED UP IMMENSELY. SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER JONES, FOR LOBBYING THE COURT FOR $75,000 FOR MORE PATROLS IN CENTARA. WE THINK THIS IS A GREAT IDEA, AND HERE'S WHY. HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE SHOOTING IN CENTARA ON MARCH 13TH? THERE HAVE BEEN INDIVIDUALS MUGGING PEOPLE FOR CELL PHONES, SHOES, SCOOTERS, ROBBING FROM CARS, STEALING CARS, BEING PORCH PIRATES, SELLING DRUGS INCLUDING FENTANYL, GETTING INTO FIGHTS CONSTANTLY, ETC. YOU GET THE PICTURE. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR BEAUTIFUL CENTARA HAS BECOME A HAVEN FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO BEHAVE IN ILLEGAL WAYS, AS EVIDENCED BY THESE ACTIVITIES AND THE RECENT SHOOTING, ACCORDING TO GOOGLE. AND I HEARD YOU GUYS SAY THIS EARLIER, WALLER COUNTY IS THE SECOND FASTEST GROWING COUNTY IN THE NATION. THAT JUST BLOWS MY MIND.
NATION. THAT'S CRAZY. SO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH CENTARA? WHY ALL THE PROBLEMS? WHAT SEEMS TO HAVE WHAT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING IS CENTARA IS BEING BUILT HASTILY. THE FIRST PHASE WAS DONE WELL WITH SOLID BUYERS, GOOD BUILDERS AND ESTHETICALLY PLEASING HOMES. BUT AS THE INTEREST RATES ROSE AND LESS FAMILIES COULD AFFORD TO BUY HOMES, THEY STARTED SELLING HOMES TO INVESTORS. SOME OF THE INVESTORS BOUGHT 1 OR 2 HOMES, WHILE OTHERS BOUGHT BLOCKS OF TEN HOUSES. ONE INVESTOR ALLEGEDLY BOUGHT 45 HOUSES. THOSE INVESTORS IMMEDIATELY PUT THE HOUSES UP FOR RENT, AND MANY OF THEM ARE. SECTION EIGHT APPROVED THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY CONSISTENTLY TRACES BACK TO SECTION EIGHT HOMES. WE NEED YOUR HELP. I KNOW CENTARA IS YOUR FIRST BIG DEVELOPMENT IN WALLER COUNTY. CONSIDERING. AND THIS IS ACCORDING TO GOOGLE, 24 SUBDIVISIONS ARE BEING BUILT IN WALLER COUNTY RIGHT NOW. IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT WE LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES OF CENTARA. IF ALL 24 SUBDIVISIONS GET FILLED WITH SECTION EIGHT RENTALS, THE COUNTY IS GOING TO HAVE A BIG PROBLEM ON THEIR HANDS. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO CORRECT WHAT IS GOING ON, BUT A COUPLE OF IDEAS ARE SLOW DOWN THE GROWTH UNTIL DEMAND CATCHES UP
[00:40:04]
WITH SUPPLY, ESTABLISH STRICT CURFEWS, MANDATE THAT POA'S AND HOA'S HAVE STRINGENT EVICTION RULES FOR DISTURBING THE PEACE THAT ARE EASY TO FOLLOW AND ENFORCE. ESTABLISH RENTAL CAPS IN COMMUNITIES. AND OF COURSE, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS ALLOCATE MORE MONEY TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MAKE SURE THEY GO DOWN ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SENTARA COMMISSIONERS. WE'VE GOT A MESS ON OUR HANDS. OUR BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY IS NO LONGER SAFE TO LIVE IN. WE NEED YOUR HELP. SORRY. WE NEED YOUR HELP CLEANING IT UP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR ATTENTION, AND FOR THE EXTRA 75,000 OR MORE. WILL GLADLY TAKE MORE BECAUSE WE NEED IT FOR PATROLS.THANK YOU. SURE. CAN YOU GIVE SOME BACKGROUND? SO. AS YOU ALL KNOW, SUNTORY IS MY FAVORITE SUBDIVISION. IN WHICH I ASSUMED 2023 OR 24. ALSO, THE COUNTY WE HAVE, I THINK, ACKNOWLEDGED THAT SUNTORY BEING OUR FIRST SUBDIVISION, WE WENT THROUGH GROWING PAINS THROUGH DEVELOPER AGREEMENT. I'D LIKE TO SAY NOW WE HAVE A A GOOD YOUNG MAN THAT SITS TO THE RIGHT OF US, ROBERT PACHUCAS, WHO HELPS US WITH THOSE DEVELOPER AGREEMENTS AND AND ALL OF OUR DEVELOPER AGREEMENTS GOING FORWARD. WE HAVE NO BUILT TO RENT. WE LIMIT THE RENTAL CAPACITY. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT IT PUTS A STRAIN ON OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT. SO WE HAVE ASKED FOR OFFICER AGREEMENTS AND OUR OTHER DEVELOPMENTS. ONCE THEY HIT A CERTAIN THRESHOLD. AS FAR AS HOMES ON THE GROUND, THEN THEY HAVE TO THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, PARTNERING WITH OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE ON THAT AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, I THINK WE HAVE IT TO WHERE YOU HAVE TO PARTNER WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR COUNTY, WHICH GIVES THE THE DEVELOPER THE OPPORTUNITY TO NEGOTIATE THAT WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. FOR THE LAST PROBABLY A COUPLE YEARS, I THINK THE SHERIFF HAS HAD SOME TOWN HALLS, AND I'VE BEEN A PART OF SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS. BUT AS YOU KNOW, OUR DEVELOPER AGREEMENT IS BASICALLY THE STRONGEST POINT IN WHICH WE CAN CONTROL. AFTER THAT, THE SUBDIVISION IS BUILT AND DEVELOPED, AND THEN THE CITIZENS DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A SAY EITHER. UNTIL THAT DEVELOPMENT HITS ABOUT 75 TO 80%. AND THEN THAT'S WHEN YOU GOT YOUR HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION THAT IS ACTUALLY ACTIVELY RAN BY THE CITIZENS IN THAT AREA. SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'VE BEEN GETTING BEAT UP A LOT DOWN THERE. AND AT FIRST I FELT LIKE, HEY, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M NEW WITH YOU ALL TOO. BUT THEN I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT IS SOMETHING IN WHICH I COULD NECESSARILY BE ABLE TO CONTROL AS A COURT? WHAT, WHAT DO WE CONTROL? WE COULD CONTINUE. AND I MUST SAY THIS. BRIAN STATHAM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP DOWN IN CENTER TO WHERE SENTARA HAS AN OFFICER AGREEMENT ON THE HARRIS COUNTY SIDE, BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER THING I MUST SAY THAT SUBDIVISION IS DIVIDED WITHIN TWO COUNTIES IN WHICH CITIZENS DON'T KNOW THE NECESSARILY DIFFERENCE, OR CARE TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE OF YOU LIVING IN A SUBDIVISION THAT IS SPLIT BETWEEN THE COUNTY LINE, BECAUSE THEY PLAY AT THE SAME RECREATIONAL PLACES, THEY SWIM AT THE SAME PLACES, THEY HAVE THE SAME. AMENITIES. THANK YOU THERE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO INTERACT. AND SO AT FIRST, VERY EARLY ON, I'M LIKE, HEY, SHERIFF, WE HAVE ISSUES DOWN HERE, I NEED HELP. HE'S LIKE, I CAN SHOW YOU OUR LOCK DOWN THERE. IT IS NOT ON THE WALLER COUNTY SIDE. IT IS ON THE HARRIS COUNTY SIDE. BUT THAT CRIME GOES ACROSS COUNTY LINE. AND SO I'M LIKE, HEY, WHAT COULD I NECESSARILY DO? SO ME AND BRIAN HAS BUILT A, A WORKING RELATIONSHIP TO WHERE WE MEET, WE TALK, WE DISCUSS, THEY HAVE A DEPUTY'S AGREEMENT WITH WITH HARRIS COUNTY. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT A TASK FORCE
[00:45:05]
GOING DOWN THERE. AND THEN I WAS LIKE, WE HAVE. LAW ENFORCEMENT IS A HARD JOB THAT I THINK YOU COULD JUST SAY, HEY, COMP TIME BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, WHAT BENEFIT DOES THAT DO TO OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT? I JUST SAID, HEY, YOU WORK ADDITIONAL HOURS, YOU BUILD THOSE HOURS UP.SO I THINK IT WAS A CONVERSATION ME AND THE SHERIFF HAD HAD ABOUT, HEY, HOW COULD WE COME UP WITH A PAID OVERTIME PROGRAM TO ALLOW FOR OFFICERS ONCE THEY HIT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIMES, THEY FEEL ENTICED TO COME IN ON THEIR DAYS OFF FOR ADDITIONAL PATROLLING, WHICH THAT ADDITIONAL PATROLLING, OF COURSE, WOULD BE ACROSS THE COUNTY. BUT WE WANTED TO FOCUS MORE ON THE HIGH VOLUME AREAS, WHICH ALLOW YOU TO BRING LAW ENFORCEMENT IN, TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH OUR HIGH VOLUME AREAS OR OVER POPULATED AREAS. AND SO I LIKE TO SAY, JUST LIKE HOW WE JUST TOOK UP 35 AND I THINK ALL OF US SAY THIS, WE HAVE THESE AMAZING IDEAS THAT WE COME UP WITH, BUT WE'RE NOT THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY GO AND FORM THE POLICY IN WHICH TO CREATE THAT.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ROBERT. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A STEP BACK IN A MINUTE TO ADDRESS THE THE, THE CONSTABLE'S STATEMENTS. SO ONE, THIS WOULD BE MANAGED BY THE SHERIFF HIMSELF. SO HE WOULD BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE COMP TIME OR OVERTIME. AND WAS THAT THAT LOOK LIKE WE TALKED YESTERDAY. HE DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE A THING OF HEY, AN OFFICER WORK AN ADDITIONAL TWO HOURS DOING A REPORT AND NOW THEY GET PAID OVERTIME AFTER THAT 86 AND WE AGREED NO, THAT SHOULD BE COMP TIME AND HOW THAT IS MANAGED. BUT WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE. I THINK THAT I UNDERSTAND THE CONSTABLE'S STATEMENTS FROM A PLACE OF THE CONSTABLE'S DO WANT MORE AND WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE, AND I THINK I'VE BEEN A COMPONENT OF COURT OF SAYING THAT EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE GOING FORWARD. AS FAR AS HOW DO WE JUGGLE THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE? I THINK IN THE PAST, OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS, THE CONSTABLE'S MAY NOT HAVE RECEIVED EVERYTHING IN WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE OR FEEL AS THOUGH, BUT WE HAVE GAVE THEM DASHBOARD CAMERAS, BODY CAMERAS. WE ALSO HAVE GIVEN THEM MORE CARS. I THINK THERE'S MORE THAT WE COULD DO, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE GOING FORWARD. BUT I ALSO THINK IN THE POSITION IN WHICH I SIT IN THAT PEOPLE DON'T CARE WHO PATROL THEIR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY WANT TO FEEL SAFE. AND I THINK THE COURT HAS SHOWED OR TAKEN A STANCE THAT, HEY, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO THE FULLEST CAPACITY IN WHICH WE CAN. AND EVEN THOUGH THAT IT'S AN ONGOING STORY OF THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, THIS IS NOT NO SLIGHT TO THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE. BY ME ASKING FOR THIS MONEY TO GO TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. BUT THE COURT RIGHT NOW KNOW THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS GOING IN. I DON'T THINK THE COURT HAS MADE OR COMMITTED FULLY TO THE DIRECTION IN WHICH WE SEE OUR CONSTABLES GOING IN. AND SO I THINK FOR ME, DOING THIS, IT'S NOT FOR AN ABUSE TO TO PAY OVERTIME OR MISMANAGEMENT OF FUNDS. I THINK WE HAVE ONE OF THE STRONGEST COURTS WHEN IT COMES TO OUR FUNDING AND WHERE OUR RESOURCES GO, AND WE TRY TO ALLOCATE THOSE THINGS TO THE THINGS THAT ARE IN NEED. WE ALLOCATE MOST OF OUR RESOURCES TO THE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS WELL AS ENGINEERING, WHICH IS THE THE OFFICES THAT I THINK THAT PEOPLE SEEM TO CARE ABOUT THE MOST AND, AND SEE IMMEDIATE RETURN. AND SO THIS POLICY IN WHICH ROBERT JONES, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, HIS STAFF HAS HELPED COME UP WITH IS FOR PAID OVERTIME FOR OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO COME IN ON A DAY OFF AFTER ALREADY WORKING THEIR HOURS TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH HIGH VOLUME AREAS. I CENTER TO TO MAKE A COMMUNITY FEEL MORE SAFE. THAT IS ALL I CAN CONTROL OR I THINK THAT THE COURT CAN CONTROL. AND SO THAT IS WHY I ASKED FOR THIS TO BE ON THE AGENDA. I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE A PILOT PROGRAM, AND I THINK THAT IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT THE COURT WOULD PROBABLY
[00:50:03]
WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO OVER TIME AND TO, TO GIVE MORE FUNDING TO ALLOW THIS TO BE EXPANDED. BUT JUST TODAY, TRYING TO SOLVE AN IMMEDIATE NEED IN WHICH WE DO. IS THIS A PERFECT SOLUTION? SOLVES EVERYTHING? NO, BUT I THINK IT SHOWS THE THE CITIZENS OF WALLER COUNTY, ESPECIALLY SOME OF OUR NEW RESIDENTS, THAT, HEY, WE ARE TAKING LAW ENFORCEMENT SERIOUSLY, YOUR SAFETY SERIOUSLY, YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICE. AND WE HEAR YOU. WE'RE LISTENING TO YOU. SO THAT'S WHY I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA, HOPEFULLY TO GET SUPPORT AND APPROVAL. AND I THINK, BOBBY, YOU PROBABLY HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY. YES, COMMISSIONER, I APPRECIATE IT AND VERY WELL SAID. JUST WANTED TO LAY OUT FOR THE RECORD WHAT EXACTLY IS BEING PROPOSED HERE. SO JOAN ALLEN, MIKE AND I DID MEET. WE'VE BEEN IN PRETTY CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER JONES. SO WHAT WE WOULD BE RECOMMENDING HERE FOR THE COURT TO APPROVE IS AN INCREASE IN STANDARD HOURS FROM 80 TO 86. AFTER 86 HOURS, OVERTIME CAN BE INCURRED. COMP TIME WOULD STILL BE ALLOWED WITH THE COURT SO SO CHOOSES, BUT OVER TIME WOULD BE RECOMMENDED AS AN OPTION. OVER TIME, WE'RE RECOMMENDING WILL BE INCURRED BY PATROL DEPUTIES AND JAILERS IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THIS WOULD BE FOR SERGEANTS AND BELOW ONLY, AND IT WOULD BE ONLY FOR PATROL DEPUTIES AND JAILERS. WE DO RECOMMEND THAT IT BE A PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, BUT WE DO REQUEST THAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT BE INCREASED TO $100,000 TO ACCOUNT FOR BENEFITS. SOCIAL SECURITY, RETIREMENT, HEALTH INSURANCE, ETC. AFTER THE OVERTIME FUNDS ARE EXPENDED, THAT'S SENT TO THE COURT TO DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. SO IT IS IT'D BE A HARD, HARD CAP FOR THE FISCAL YEAR. AND THEN THE BUDGET COMMITTEE WILL EXAMINE THIS THROUGHOUT THE THE YEAR AND DETERMINE IF THIS PILOT PROGRAM WILL BE EXTENDED INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND AT WHAT AMOUNT, AND IF THERE'D BE ANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE. AND WE DO ASK THAT THIS BE IMPLEMENTED FOR THE FIRST PAY PERIOD IN MAY. JUST TO BE CLEAR, I THINK FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS GOING TO BE FUNDED WITH THE EXISTING PAYROLL BUDGET. YES. I'M SORRY, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT, YES, THIS WILL BE PAID FOR OUT OF SALARY SAVINGS FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. SO I ALSO WANT TO SAY, I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT IS GREAT BECAUSE THE FIRST THING THAT WE DO FOR ANYTHING I LOVE ALLEN. WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING TO COME FROM? AND SO I THINK COMMISSIONER BECKENDORFF TALKED ABOUT THAT TOO. AND SO I JUST ONCE AGAIN WANT TO COMMEND THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY TO ME, IT WAS A PRESSING ISSUE. BUT TO THEM AS WELL, THEY CAME TOGETHER AND WORKED TOGETHER AND FOUND A WAY. I LIKE TO THINK THAT WE TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION BASE ORIENTED, NOT JUST A HARD NO. AND SO USUALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF FISCAL YEAR, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUDGET, WE DON'T USUALLY CHANGE OUR BUDGET AND WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON TO BE ABLE TO FIND THOSE COST SAVINGS. SO THANK EVERYONE FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO THE STAFF AND EVERYTHING. YOU KNOW, I WILL GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THIS. YOU KNOW, THE THE WHOLE COMP TIME VERSUS OVERTIME THING IS SOMETHING WE HAVE GONE BACK AND FORTH ON MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE I'VE BEEN BEEN JUDGED. WE, WE, WE HAD COMP TIME SYSTEM FOR A WHILE OR WE WERE ON OVERTIME AND THEN WENT TO COMP AND THEN WENT BACK AND WE, WE TRIED IT ALL. EVEN WITH COMP TIME. WE FOUND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME EMPLOYEES THAT WERE AMASSING HUGE BALANCES ON THEIR COMP TIME. AND THEN WE HAD TO REDUCE THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS A LIABILITY ON THE BOOKS. SO WHEN AN EMPLOYEE LEAVES SERVICE AND THEY HAVE ACCRUED COMP TIME, YOU HAVE TO COMPENSATE THEM FOR THAT ACCRUED COMP. SO WE, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, WE ATTACKED THAT PROBLEM. AND THEN, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW WHAT WE HERE'S WHAT WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME AREAS OF COUNTY GOVERNANCE. AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE JAIL WHERE. AND I'LL JUST USE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE. YOU HAVE HIGH TURNOVER WITH JAIL STAFF BY THE NATURE. IT'S THE NATURE OF THE BEAST.YOU GET YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY COME IN, THEY WORK IN THE JAIL, BUT AS SOON AS THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET INTO AN ACADEMY OR WHAT HAVE YOU, THEY, THEY LEAVE OR THEY GET, YOU KNOW, TAKE A BETTER PAYING JOB. IT HAPPENS. YOU KNOW, THE JAIL IS NOT THE MOST GLAMOROUS PLACE TO WORK, I CAN ASSURE YOU. AND SO AS A RESULT, YOU FREQUENTLY HAVE STAFFING SHORTAGES AND YOU GOT TO GET PEOPLE TO COVER EXTRA SHIFTS. AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET PEOPLE TO COME
[00:55:04]
IN AND COVER AN EXTRA SHIFT IF THEY'RE JUST GETTING COMP TIME AND THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY YOU'VE GOT INFLATION AND ESCALATION AND PEOPLE COMP TIME IS GREAT, BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY PAY THE BILLS. SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WORKING ON THIS. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S AND SO THE JAIL IS ONE EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, HAVING A AREA WHERE IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WE NEED, WE GOT TO GET SOME EXTRA PATROLS DOWN HERE. HOW DO WE DO THAT QUICKLY AND GET, YOU KNOW, FOLKS TO, TO VOLUNTEER TO DO EXTRA PATROLS, YOU KNOW, BEYOND WHAT OUR STAFFING IS AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW. SO THIS IS, AGAIN, IT'S A PILOT PROGRAM. IT'S SPECIFICALLY AIMED AT A CERTAIN SEGMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT WE NEED. FILL THOSE VOIDS AND WE'LL GIVE IT A TRY BECAUSE WE, WE DID THE WHOLE COMP THING. THEN WE WENT TO OVERTIME. AND IT'S, IT'S NOT ONE OF THOSE DEALS WHERE ONE SIZE FITS ALL WHERE YOU CAN JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, IT WORKS FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY BECAUSE IT'S JUST DIFFERENT WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, STAFFING THE JAIL IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN KEEPING THIS COURTHOUSE STAFFED. FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE STANDPOINT, IT'S A DIFFERENT BEAST. SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WORKING TO TRY TO CRAFT SOMETHING THAT AND WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES. SO I APPRECIATE IT. AND AGAIN, IT'S BEING DONE WITH SALARY SAVINGS WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET ITSELF. AND WE'LL SEE SEE HOW THIS WORKS OUT. I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, WANT TO COMMEND COMMISSIONER AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR WORKING ON THIS.AND ROBERT, YOU KNOW, I LIVE ABOUT A MILE FROM CENTER, AND I'VE SEEN THE CHANGE OVER THE LAST 4 TO 5 YEARS. YOU KNOW, 99% OF THE PEOPLE THAT MOVE INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE GOOD, HARDWORKING, HONEST PEOPLE. BUT YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE HAVE SOME STUFF THAT'S UNDESIRABLE THAT THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS NOW BECAUSE BEFORE IT GETS COMPLETELY OUT OF HAND, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT JOBS THAT GOVERNMENT HAS IS, IS PUBLIC SAFETY. AND IF WE CAN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT OUR KIDS WALKING DOWN THE STREET, THAT'S JUST NOT GOOD FOR ANYBODY. AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES ARE, YES, THAT SOME OF THAT SECTION EIGHT HOUSING IS IN HARRIS COUNTY. CRIME DOESN'T STOP AT THE COUNTY LINE AND INVISIBLE COUNTY LINE. IT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED, HAS TO BE ADDRESSED. NOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO FIX ITSELF. WE CAN'T PRETEND IT'S GOING TO GET BETTER. AND JUDGE IS CORRECT. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT GOING BACK AND FORTH OVER TIME. WHAT'S OUR LIMIT ON COMP TIME AT 120 HOURS, LIKE 120 HOURS OR SOMETHING? 42, 42, 42, 40. SO ONCE YOU HIT THAT 240 HOURS, YOU YOU HAVE TO GO HOME AND TAKE A DAY OFF. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT WANT TO WORK AND VACATION TIME DOESN'T PAY THE BILLS. SO WE HAVE A DEPUTY, AN OFFICER AND A VEHICLE THAT ARE SITTING THERE. WE WANT THEM TO WORK, BUT THE POLICY WON'T ALLOW IT. AND SO WHAT MAKES THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND SOMETIMES ROAD AND BRIDGE IS THEY'RE NOT A 9 TO 5 DEPARTMENT. YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T CLOCK IN AT 9:00 AND GO HOME AT 5:00. IT'S 24 SEVEN. CRIME DOESN'T FOLLOW NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS.
AND SO THIS IS A WAY TO, WITHOUT GOING IN HIRING AN EXTRA 10 OR 20 DEPUTIES WITH MORE CARS AND, AND MORE, MORE PERSONNEL. THIS IS A WAY TO TRY AND ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM QUICKLY WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE. AND AGAIN, WE'RE FIXING TO START. WE'VE HAD A FEW, BUT WE'RE FIXING TO REALLY START TO DIVE INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. AND SO WE CAN'T JUST PIVOT WHENEVER WE WANT MID, MID BUDGET. SO IF THIS WORKS WELL, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EXPAND. AND ALSO WANT TO THANK ALAN AND JOAN FOR BECAUSE IT IT'S, IT'S EASIER TO HAVE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL, OBVIOUSLY, BUT, BUT WE'RE LEARNING THAT, THAT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS WHAT WORKS BEST IN REALITY. AND SO BEING ABLE TO, TO BE FLEXIBLE AND DO WHAT WE THINK IS NECESSARY TO AT LEAST ADDRESS THIS, THIS, THIS CRIME ISSUE, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S NOT GOING TO GET BETTER, I KNOW THE, THE LADY THAT SPOKE AT PUBLIC COMMENT, SHE HAS SOME GREAT IDEAS. UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SET A CURFEW UNLESS IT'S A, I THINK, A DECLARED EMERGENCY. WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY OVER H O S. I AM CURIOUS TO KNOW. I MEAN, HOW DID HARRIS COUNTY GET A DEPUTY AGREEMENT THAT THEY WON'T TALK TO WALLER COUNTY? BECAUSE WE HAVE PROBABLY THREE QUARTERS OF THAT DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COUNTY, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. OKAY.
NO, I MEAN, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR, BUT NO, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. IT DOES HAVE TO BE MANAGED DIRECTLY BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, IF IT'S
[01:00:02]
NOT MANAGED CORRECTLY, IT CAN GET OUT OF HAND REALLY QUICKLY, I THINK. AND I THINK THAT'S TRUE WHETHER WHETHER YOU'RE ON COMP TIME OR OVERTIME PASS, THERE HAS TO BE OVERSIGHT. IT HAS TO BE MANAGED. EITHER ONE CAN GET OUT OF CONTROL. AND SO THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I'M LOOKING TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, TO SEE TO IT THAT THIS IS MANAGED EFFECTIVELY AND TO ADDRESS THE THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE DOING THIS FOR. SO AND SPEAK TO THAT, IF I MAY, WE DO HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE THAT WE USE FOR THE COMPENSATORY TIME, AND WE INTEND TO DO THAT. IT'S A THREE TIERED PROCESS. SO I CAN AFFIRM 100% FOR THE COMMITTEE THAT IT WILL BE A MONITORED PROGRAM. AND IT'S NOT JUST FREE OVERTIME FOR ANYBODY TO HAVE. SO IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I CAN ANSWER THEM RIGHT NOW FOR THE COMMITTEE. BUT I FEEL LIKE Y'ALL HAVE COVERED EVERYTHING. WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS, ONCE IT'S INITIATED, IS MAYBE INITIALLY, MAYBE ONCE A MONTH TO COME BACK AND, AND GIVE US A REPORT ON HOW I INTERNALLY INTEND TO DO THAT. BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, OF COURSE WE WILL DO THAT.IT'S ONE OF MY MONITORING COMPONENTS THAT I WANT TO LOOK AT HOW IT'S PLAYING OUT. AND I WILL SAY THIS TO THE COURT, THE FACT THAT WE ARE USING THE MONEY THAT WAS ALREADY BUDGETED TO US, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT DECISION TO REDEPLOY THAT INSTEAD OF IT JUST BEING A SALARY SAVINGS. AND THIS IS A STANDARD PROCESS THAT A LOT OF AGENCIES WHERE THEY HAVE WHAT THEY CALL HOTSPOT POLICING OR TARGETED POLICING OR ROUNDUPS THAT AFFECT THE JAIL. SO I JUST I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY AND, AND THE DECISION THAT Y'ALL ARE MAKING TODAY IF Y'ALL MAKE THAT BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, THIS, THIS PROBABLY ISN'T GOING TO BE A ONE OFF. AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THIS IN POTENTIALLY OTHER COMMUNITIES. AND I THINK IF WE GET A HANDLE ON IT NOW, THAT SETS US UP BETTER. I AM CURIOUS BECAUSE I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT, YOU CALL HARRIS COUNTY, UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING REALLY BAD, YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANY HELP FROM HARRIS COUNTY. AND IF YOU DO IT, IT'S GOING TO BE AN HOUR. CERTAINLY. ARE WE WORKING WITH HARRIS COUNTY? HAVE WE HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS TO WE DO WE WE HAVE STRONG CONVERSATIONS, PARTICULARLY WITH THE CONTRACT TEAM CALLS FOR SERVICE. IF THEY HAVE A CONCENTRATION IN TOWN, IT'S HARDER, AS HE KNOWS, WHEN YOU'RE IN THOSE OUTER BOUNDARIES TO HAVE REGULAR SATURATION, THEY HIT YOU FOR A CALL FOR SERVICE, BUT THEY DON'T STAY IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN YOUR OUTER BOUNDARIES. SO THERE'S A LOT OF OFFLINE CONVERSATIONS WE COULD START WORKING ON IN COLLABORATION. WE COULD WORK ON WITH THE COMMISSIONER AND WITH THE AGENCY AND TRY TO DEVELOP SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE CAN REACH OUT TO THAT COMMISSIONER AS WELL AND SEE.
YES, SIR. GET HER. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. AND BACK TO THE RENTAL STUFF. YOU KNOW, WE WE TRY AS MUCH AS WE CAN. I BELIEVE THERE'S ABOUT A 200 HOME SECTION IN THERE THAT IS RENTAL. IT'S IN THE HARRIS COUNTY SIDE. BUT THERE IS NO AUTHORITY THAT SAYS THAT I CAN'T GO BY TWO HOUSES IN THERE AND RENT THEM OUT. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK ON THE FEDERAL SIDE ABOUT BASICALLY PUTTING INTO LEGISLATION WHERE THESE BIG HEDGE FUNDS AND CORPORATE COMPANIES CAN'T GO IN AND BUY TEN AND 20 HOUSES. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S COME DOWN YET OR HOW THAT'S EVEN GOING TO LOOK. I'M HOPING THAT IS BECAUSE THAT WILL HOPEFULLY PREVENT SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. WELL, I DID COME FROM 35 PLUS YEARS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN HIGH COMMAND. AND THEN MY LAST BIT OF THAT TIME WAS WITH IN HARRIS COUNTY, DEALING WITH THOSE TYPES OF THINGS IN THE CRIME ANALYSIS UNIT, HITTING HOT SPOTS, DEALING WITH ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT SECTION EIGHT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE PROBLEM IN ITSELF. THERE'S SOME LOVELY PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN SECTION EIGHT HOUSING. IT'S LEASING, IT'S TRANSIENT. IT'S THE RENTING. IT IS THERE'S NO OWNERSHIP. YEAH. THEY HAVE NO PRIDE OR SEE THE FOCUS IN THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. NO, I WANT TO SAY IT WAS ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL. THERE WAS LEGISLATION. IT PASSED. IT PASSED IN THE SENATE.
IT HASN'T IT HASN'T HIT THE HOUSE FLOOR YET. BUT IT DID PASS. I'M SURE THEY'LL PASS THAT LIKE THAT BECAUSE THEY GET ALONG SO WELL UP THERE. BUT NO, THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND EXCITED TO HEAR THE THE PROGRESS. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT? YOU'VE BEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT. KENDRICK. YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. RIGHT. SO WE TALK ABOUT A BAND AID APPROACH. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW. IT'S A BAND AID APPROACH. YOU KNOW, WE JUST I THINK. BUT EVERY BUDGET YEAR, I THINK, SHERIFF, THE LAST TIME WAS 15 PEOPLE. WE GAVE HIM 1553. I THINK WE GOT SOME PART TIME AND WE CAN'T DO MUCH WITH PART TIMES. YOU KNOW, IT'S A BAND AID APPROACH. YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE WE GOT TO FIND THE MONEY GUYS, WE GOT TO QUIT DOING THIS BAND AID APPROACH. YEAR AFTER YEAR, I SEE THE SHERIFF COME ASKING FOR SOMETHING EXTRA IN THE BUDGET, YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR
[01:05:04]
AFTER YEAR, YOU KNOW? AND HEY, WE'VE BEEN CRYING. WE'VE BEEN CRYING TOO. WE HAVEN'T GOT MUCH AT ALL, BUT WE STILL BEEN BEATING THE PAYMENT. WE'VE BEEN AT THE LAKE HOUSE. LAKE HOUSE HAS OPENED THE DOOR, GAVE US A PLACE WHERE WE CAN COME AND BE COMFORTABLE AND AND WORK IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE BUILD A RELATIONSHIP OUT THERE. THE COURT APPROVED. BUT I'M NOT I'M NOT DENYING THAT. KENDRICK. THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM. THAT'S NOT THE POINT RIGHT NOW. WE HAD ANOTHER PLACE IN PRAIRIEVIEW THAT WE NEVER GOT APPROVED FOR, YOU KNOW, AND I FOUGHT AND FOUGHT AND FOUGHT TRYING TO GET IT APPROVED. D A S OFFICE. YOU WASN'T A D A AT THAT TIME, BUT THE DA'S OFFICE HAD IT. WE WE GOT NOTHING. WE GOT NOTHING.EVERY YEAR THAT I COME ASKING FOR SOMETHING FROM YOU GUYS, WE GOT NOTHING. IT'S A TRAGEDY RIGHT NOW. AND I'M TELLING YOU, YOU CANNOT BUILD SAFETY WITH STRAWS. THAT'S WHAT THEY DID WITH MOSES. WE CANNOT BUILD SAFETY WITH STRAWS. WE GOT TO HAVE RESOURCES. WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON THIS BUILDING. WE FOUND MONEY TO BUILD THIS BUILDING BECAUSE PEOPLE WAS UNSAFE AND WE FELT IT WAS UNSAFE. WE FIND MONEY TO FIX ROADS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BECAUSE I LISTENED TO THE LAST ENGINEER. JUST LET ME FINISH, PLEASE. I LISTENED TO THE LAST ENGINEER BEGGING TO GET MORE MONEY AND STUFF. HE DIDN'T GET IT. ROSS GOT IT. HE DIDN'T GET IT SOMEWHERE. WE HAVE A LOT OF DISPARITY HERE. YOU GOING IN A ROUTE THAT IS NOT BENEFICIAL TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY, TO THE PEOPLE ASKING FOR SAFETY. WE ALREADY SAID THAT THE COST OF ANY OF THAT, I'D SAY SOMEWHERE WE CAN'T KEEP PUTTING A BAND AID APPROACH. YES, SIR.
WHEN SHERIFF GLENN SMITH HERE, ALL THE MONEY THAT WE GAVE HIM, THINK ABOUT THE BAND AID APPROACH, GUYS. YOU ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT YOUR CONSERVATIVE. I'M MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN ANY OF YOU ALL. I'VE TAKEN EVERYTHING I'VE GOTTEN AND MADE IT WORK. YOU'RE GOING DOWN THE ROUTE. THAT'S NOT BENEFICIAL, KENDRICK. YOU'RE ALREADY DOWN THE ROUTE. THAT'S NOT BENEFICIAL. THAT'S FINE. I THINK THE, THE THE CONSTITUENTS COMMISSIONER AND YOU HAVEN'T FOUGHT FOR ME ONE TIME. PLEASE KEEP DOING THIS. PLEASE DON'T DON'T GO THAT WAY ON ME.
KENDRICK. I CAN PULL EMAILS AFTER EMAILS THAT CHIEF BEEN DOING AND YOU HAVEN'T DONE NOTHING. DON'T GO THERE. Y'ALL CAN'T. Y'ALL CAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION OUTSIDE. PLEASE DON'T DON'T DO THAT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR THOSE CONSTITUENTS, THE SAME CONSTITUENTS IN WHICH YOU SERVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION, YOU KNOW, A BAND AID APPROACH. YOU WASTED $75,000. THAT COULD BE ONE DEPUTY. YEAH, I THINK SO. YOU'RE SEEING THEM.
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. I'VE BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. I'VE BEEN WATCHING WHAT'S GOING ON. JUST, YOU KNOW. YES, MA'AM. REAL QUICK ONE. WHEN DOES YOUR FISCAL YEAR END? BECAUSE IF THEY'RE STARTING THIS IN MAY, DOES IT IN AUGUST OR DOES IT IN AT THE END OF THE YEAR? OUR FISCAL YEAR IS A NORMAL CALENDAR YEAR. OKAY, PERFECT. THANK YOU. JUDGE, CAN YOU MAKE THE AMENDMENT TO $200,000? YES. THANK YOU. MOTION TO AMEND. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, TO AMEND CHANGE THE AMOUNT TO 100,000. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT? HEARING? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? ANY DISCUSSION ON 36, AS AMENDED. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 36 CARRIES, AS AMENDED. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON. LET'S TAKE UP NUMBER. WHEN WILL THIS GO INTO EFFECT TO THE NEXT PAY PERIOD? THE FIRST PAY PERIOD IN MAY. COMMISSIONER. OKAY. THANK YOU.
[FIRE MARSHAL]
NUMBER 37. MOTION. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, MARSHALL. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS.GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS OUR CODE RED SYSTEM. SINCE WE'VE HAD FROM AROUND 2005, IT ALLOWS THE COUNTY DURING EMERGENCIES TO NOTIFY RESIDENTS OF PERTINENT INFORMATION. YOU REMEMBER WE USED IT DURING THE ICE STORM JUST TO NOTIFY RESIDENTS OF THE PROGRESS AT THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER. AS THE AMOUNT CHANGED MUCH, THE AMOUNT HAS CHANGED BY ABOUT $2,000, AND I THINK IT'S POPULATION BASED. I SEE THAT'S WHERE THE CHANGE IS. WE CAN TAKE OFF THE TAX TOO, WHICH I'M SURE ALLEN WILL DO THIS TIME. STUFF LIKE THAT. YES, SIR. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GEO LOCATE CERTAIN AREAS. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEND YOU A TEXT, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEND YOU AN EMAIL. AND WE CAN ALSO DO A VOICE PROMPT WHICH YOU WHICH I THINK THE LAST TIME WE'VE DONE IT WAS DURING THE ICE STORM. I KNOW WE HAVE A STATE WIDE TESTING PROGRAM WHICH IS GOING TO BE ON THE SECOND. SO WHAT WE'LL DO A
[01:10:02]
TEST THEN THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS TO ACTUALLY TO THE COMMUNITY IS THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO SIGN UP, RIGHT? SO WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR TEST ON THE SECOND. SO IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE MESSAGE, MAKE SURE YOU GO TO OUR COUNTY WEBSITE UNDER EMERGENCY ALERTS. AND THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO ENROLL INTO THE SYSTEM. SO IN A SENSE, IT'S A VOLUNTEER SYSTEM. WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING ALL THAT OUT THERE VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. YES. YEAH. AND THE NEAT THING ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE HAD A FIRE AT ONE OF THE LITTLE CHEMICAL PLACES DOWN THE SOUTH END, AND THEY CAN GO IN AND SEND OUT AN ALERT TO CERTAIN, A CERTAIN RADIUS TO SAY, HEY, SHELTER IN PLACE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, OR EVACUATE. SO INSTEAD OF SENDING IT TO COUNTY WIDE AND GETTING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, UPSET OR IN A PANIC, YOU CAN FOCUS JUST ON THAT ZIP CODE OR YOU CAN DO COUNTYWIDE, LIKE WHEN WE ISSUED A BURN BAN, WE'LL SEND OUT A RELEASE. SO IT'S, IT'S VERY EASY TO SIGN UP FOR AND IT'S A GREAT TOOL FOR, TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAD A MISSING CHILD IN OAK HOLLOW AREA, RIGHT? WELL, IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE A BROOKS RELATED ISSUE. SO WE CAN GEO LOCATE THAT AREA TO THE OAK HOLLOW SUBDIVISION. AND EVEN WE CAN VIA TEXT. WE CAN SEND PICTURES AS WELL. YEAH. YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD CODE RED FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW. AND I WILL SAY IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD, IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM TO HAVE, WHETHER IT'S A SPECIFIC AREA OR THE WHOLE COUNTY GETS INFORMATION OUT. I FREQUENTLY SEE, ESPECIALLY BURN BANS, PEOPLE SAYING HOW THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR PHONE WENT OFF, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WEARING A BURN BAN AND IT GETS THE WORD OUT FAST. SO WHEN TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, HAVING A. YOU GOT TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS. AND I THINK HAVING CODE RED, I MEAN, YOU LOOK, YOU KNOW, NOT THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, FLASH FLOODS THAT ARE LIFE ENDANGERING, THAT WE CAN HAVE FLOODING. BUT YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED DOWN IN SOUTH TEXAS AND SO FORTH. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, CODE RED SYSTEM CAN DEFINITELY POSSIBLY SAVE. I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN TIMES WE'VE HAD TORNADOES, YOU KNOW, THAT WE KNOW ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE TORNADO WATCH OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING'S ON THE GROUND MOVING TOWARDS A CERTAIN VICINITY, WE CAN GET THE WORDS OUT TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE IN THE PATH TO SHELTER IN PLACE. IT'S A DIRECT ALERT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO SEE IT ON FACEBOOK OR YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE COUNTY WEBSITE. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY THAT'S NOT MORE THAN TWO STEPS AWAY FROM THIS AT ANY POINT IN THEIR DAY. AND SO IT GOES STRAIGHT TO THEM WHETHER NO MATTER WHAT THEY'RE DOING. SO IT'S, IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.ADDITIONALLY, CODE RED, JUST SO THE COMMUNITY IS WHERE IT SERVES AS A PLATFORM, WHICH IS CALLED IPOS, THAT'S NATIONWIDE ALERT SYSTEM. SO IN THE EVENT THAT WE DID HAVE TO NOTIFY EVERYBODY, EVEN IF THEY WEREN'T SIGNED UP, IT'S A PLATFORM FOR IPOS, WHICH IS SYSTEM THAT WE COULD USE IN AN EMERGENCY. LOOK AT IPOS IS LIKE YOUR AMBER ALERTS THAT YOU GET HOPEFULLY NOT AT 430 IN THE MORNING, BUT IN THE EVENT THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO THAT FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T REGISTERED, WE COULD VISIT OUR PLATFORM FOR POSITIVE. YEAH. OKAY. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MARTHA? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE THEN, ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
[PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR]
ALL OPPOSED? 37 CARRIES. THANK YOU. MARK. ALL RIGHT. NEXT IS GOING TO BE OUR PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR. AND SHE HAS SEVERAL ITEMS. SO UNLESS ANYBODY THINKS OTHERWISE LET'S TAKE UP 38 THROUGH 42. OKAY. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, ON THOSE ITEM NUMBERS, JUST WALK US THROUGH. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE COMMISSIONERS. THE FIRST AGENDA 38 IS WHAT YOU SEE YEARLY. IT'S OUR AUDIT SERVICES. THIS IS FOR GOING TO AUDIT SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025. ALLEN'S FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR RIGHT 39 IS AN AMENDMENT TO AN AGREEMENT. THIS IS REGARDING OUR COURTHOUSE RECORDING SYSTEM CURRENTLY. RIGHT NOW IN THE PAST, THERE'S BEEN TWO SEPARATE AGREEMENTS WITH GRANICUS. ONE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY APPROVED FOR THE SOFTWARE LICENSE, AND THEN THESE ARE FOR THE SERVICES. LAUREN AND I WORKED ON COMBINING THESE INTO ONE AGREEMENT. SO THERE'S NOT TWO THAT COMES BACK TO YOU. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT IS. ITEM NUMBER 40 IS A THIS IS A MULTIFUNCTION PRINTER LEASE FOR OUR NEW ASSOCIATE JUDGE HUFFMAN. ITEM 41 IS A REQUEST TO AWARD THE TERM CONTRACT FOR MOWING SERVICES FOR THE RIGHT OF WAYS FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE. THERE WERE THREE RESPONSES, AND WE'RE REQUESTING TO AWARD TO THE LOW BIDDER, WHICH IS H J, M CONSTRUCTION LLC. AND ITEM 42 IS ALSO A TERM CONTRACT FOR HERBICIDE SERVICES WITH OUR ROAD AND BRIDGE DEPARTMENT. AND THERE WERE TWO SUBMITTALS AND WE'RE REQUESTING TO AWARD TO THE LOW BIDDER EVM SOLUTIONS.[01:15:04]
OKAY. VERY GOOD. ALL THE BOEING.COM BOEING CONTRACT. IS THAT THE SAME COMPANY WE USED LAST YEAR? NO, SIR. HAVE WE EVER USED THEM BEFORE? I SHOULD MAKE SURE IT WASN'T THE SAME COMPANY THAT MOWED DOWN ALL THE MAILBOXES A FEW YEARS AGO. NO. THIS IS. YOU HAVE NOT UTILIZED THEM BEFORE. THEIR H.J.M CONSTRUCTION. THEY'RE OUT OF MONTGOMERY, TEXAS. AND HOW MANY MOWINGS PER YEAR ARE WE CONTRACTING FOR? I THINK TWO, I THINK I THINK IT'S 303 CONTRACT IF WE NEED THEM. THAT'S THE NICE THING. YOU KNOW, SOME YEARS WE DON'T NEED THEM BECAUSE IT'S DRY, BUT THE WAY IT'S PRICED IS BY ACREAGE. VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ANY OF THOSE ITEMS TO AVOID THE MAILBOXES, PLEASE MAKE SURE THEY. ALL. ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 38 THROUGH 42 ARE[TREASURER]
APPROVED. ALL RIGHT, LET'S TAKE UP 43 AND 44. JOAN IS NOT HERE TODAY, BUT I'M SURE HE'S ALREADY VETTED. I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, ON 4344, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. OPPOSED? 4344. ALL RIGHT. TO DANNY, LET'S TAKE UP 45. SECOND.[DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES ]
I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, DANNY. YES, SIR. THIS IS ON THE THIS IS THE SHERIFF'S MAINTENANCE GARAGE. THIS IS THE LAST MAJOR PAY APP. WE ARE IN GREAT SHAPE. WE'RE AT 98% BY THE TIME YOU GET THE NEXT PAY APP, WHICH WILL BE JUST CLEANING UP THE LAST THINGS AND.RETAINAGE WILL BE OPERATIONAL. SO WE'RE. LIFTS ARE IN THE. ALL THE HOSE REELS ARE GOING IN.
THIS IS A CLASS A FACILITY. SO PAINTING COME ON BY IT. IT'S LOOKING REALLY GOOD. CHARGE MARSHALL IS VERY HAPPY AGAIN. HE'LL BE WORKING ON CARS WITHIN THE NEXT 3 OR 4 WEEKS. AWESOME.
GLAD TO SEE IT. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 45? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 45 CARRIES, 46. WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN. LET'S GO
[MISCELLANEOUS (Part 2 of 2)]
TO 47. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. LET'S TALK ABOUT IT. AND THEN SO FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, TIM JUNEK, WHO I BELIEVE HE WAS THE CHAIR OF THE WALLER COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD, HAS SUBMITTED HIS RESIGNATION. SO NOW WE'RE BEING ASKED TO NOMINATE SOMEBODY TO BASICALLY REPLACE TIM ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE WALLER COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT. AS YOU KNOW, OUR TAX ASSESSOR, CAROLYN SCHMIDTKE, WHO IS HERE TODAY, SHE IS AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER, WHICH MEANS SHE IS ON THE BOARD, BUT SHE DOES NOT VOTE. SHE HAS EXPRESSED TO ME HER WILLINGNESS TO SERVE AS A VOTING MEMBER. IF WE NOMINATE HER, AND I BELIEVE YOU CHECKED INTO AS FAR AS YOU CAN SERVE IN THAT POSITION, CAN YOU NOT, SIR? YES. OKAY. SO I, I WOULD MAKE THE MOTION TO NOMINATE CAROLYN FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE WALLER COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT AS AN ACTUAL VOTING. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CAROLYN. CAROLYN, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT I MEAN, PLEASE TELL US YOUR RESUME, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO TO TAKE THIS POSITION, GIVEN THE, THE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE, THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT IS IT'S A HOT BUTTON TOPIC. OKAY? A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE ARE UPSET ABOUT THEIR APPRAISALS. A LOT OF TIMES THAT THAT IRE GETS DIRECTED AT THE COUNTY. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T I DON'T DO THE APPRAISALS. AND I, YOU KNOW, WE'VE EVEN HAD COMMISSIONER AMSLER SERVED ON THE BOARD FOR A WHILE. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT THE BOARD HAS A LOT OF A TON OF DISCRETION. IT'S I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PARTICULARLY TRUE NOW. BUT YOU'VE BEEN SERVING AS AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER. SO JUST TELL US, YOU KNOW, WHY YOU'RE WILLING TO STEP UP WHAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS DO OVERSEE THE OPERATIONS OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT. WE OVERSEE THEIR BUDGET. AND AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK OF THEM NEEDING NEW BUILDING, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT AND USING THE COUNTY'S MONEY TO THE BEST OF ITS ABILITY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT BEING ABUSED. SO THIS BOARD OF DIRECTORS OVERSEES THAT.[01:20:01]
WHENEVER I FIRST BECAME TAX ASSESSOR AND SERVE ON THAT BOARD, AS MANDATED BY THE STATE, I, I TOOK IT AS IT'S AN HONOR TO BE THERE. AND I VOICED MY OPINION AND. BUT I'M NOT A VOTING MEMBER. SO WHENEVER THIS OPPORTUNITY CAME UP, I TALKED TO JUDGE DEWAN ABOUT IT AND SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A VOTING MEMBER. SO MY OPINION THEN IS TAKEN FOR THAT. OKAY.WELL, I AND I, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, I THANK YOU FOR ONE, FOR BEING WILLING TO STEP UP.
AND TWO, I, I THINK FROM AN ACCOUNTABILITY STANDPOINT. NOW YOU HAVE SOMEBODY ON THE BOARD WHO ACTUALLY HAS A VOTE, WHO IS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, AND THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY TO VOTERS IN THAT. SO I THINK THAT IS A GOOD THING. AND, YOU KNOW, WALLER COUNTY IS THE BIGGEST CUSTOMER OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT. OUR TAX BASE IS THE LARGEST ONE. SO WE YOU KNOW, WE PROVIDE MORE FUNDING TO THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT THAN ANY OTHER TAXING ENTITY. SO I THINK HAVING YOU IN THAT POSITION, YOU WILL ALSO BE SURE THAT THE DOLLARS THAT ARE SPENT, YOU KNOW, ARE DONE. SO IN A PRUDENT MANNER, ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO THE FACT THAT A LOT OF IT COMES FROM VERY MUCH SO. AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE RELATIONSHIP THAT THE TAX OFFICE HAS WITH THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, WE HAVE A VERY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO OFFICES. LEGAL. I'D LIKE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT. I'M NOT SAYING IT CAN'T BE DONE, BUT JUST TO. YEAH. AND AND I THINK YOU WOULD BE GREAT AT IT. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OPTICS OF THAT ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE ENTITY. THAT'S THEIR BIGGEST CUSTOMER ALSO.
VOTING AGAIN. NOT SAYING THAT. I JUST THINK THE OPTICS MIGHT, MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT.
BUT IN TALKING TO SOME FOLKS, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS, IS NOW THAT TIM HAS RESIGNED, I GUESS WE NOMINATE A MEMBER AND THEN THE BOARD APPROVES YOU. THAT'S CORRECT. AND THIS IS JUST BASICALLY AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL TIM'S NORMAL TERM WOULD COME UP. AND THEN WE WOULD. AND THEN THE, THE THE CORRECT BOARD WOULD VOTE. YES. NOT. YES. IT WOULDN'T GO BACK IN FRONT OF THE. IT WILL BECAUSE TIM STILL HAS A YEAR LEFT ON HIS TERM. HE'S RESIGNING EARLY, KIND OF LIKE WITH JUDGE CHENEY SHE'LL BE TEMPORARY. AND THEN ONCE THAT TERM, THAT POSITION WILL START THE PROCESS ALL OVER WHERE EVERY DIFFERENT ENTITY WILL NOMINATE A PERSON AND THEN WE'LL VOTE IS THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT, KAREN, AREN'T YOU AWARE THAT THIS IS THAT THERE ARE OTHER COUNTIES WHERE THE TAX ASSESSOR IS A VOTING? YES, YES. THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE IS NOTHING PERSONAL AT ALL ABOUT IT. IT'S JUST THE THE FACT THAT WE AS COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE FREQUENTLY SAY WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR APPRAISALS. YOU KNOW, WE SET THE TAX RATE, BUT THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT SETS THE THE VALUES. I THINK IT MAY EVEN THOUGH PRACTICAL, EVEN THOUGH I HEAR WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE APPRAISALS. YOU'RE REALLY ABOUT THAT, I THINK. AND THAT'S WHAT COMMISSIONERS ARE ALLUDING TO, IS THAT THE APPEARANCE OF US BEING ABLE TO HAVE CONTROL OVER THE APPRAISALS, JUST THE APPEARANCE OF IT, GIVES ME CONCERN. SO. THAT'S TWO DIFFERENT WORDS, SIR. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THAT THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS CORRECT. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FREQUENTLY CITE WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THEIR TAXES IS THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT SETS YOUR RATES. I MEAN, SET YOUR VALUES. WE JUST SET THE TAX RATE. SO IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU AT ALL. NO, I UNDERSTAND ANYBODY SITTING THERE WITH THE SAME SITUATION.
SO IT'S MORE THE PROCESS THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT. THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT BOARDS. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE THE ONES THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT I UNDERSTAND. AND AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? THE APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARDS ARE THE ONES THAT YOU TAKE YOUR PROTEST TO AND YOU DISCUSS YOUR VALUES. I UNDERSTAND AND JUDGE YOUR POINT. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAMPSHIRE WAS THERE, SIR. I THINK, AGAIN, IT'S MORE THE OPTICS WHERE YOU HAVE THE TAX COLLECTOR SITTING ON THE APPRAISAL BOARD. IT'S JUST MORE OF AN OPTICS THING FOR ME. BUT I MEAN, IS THIS SOMETHING? CAN WE. WELL, KEEP IN MIND SHE IS
[01:25:05]
EX OFFICIO. AS OF RIGHT NOW. SHE'S ALREADY SHE DOESN'T SHE JUST DOESN'T VOTE. RIGHT, SO I INVITE. CRITICISM. RIGHT? IS THIS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO CAN WE CAN WE WAIT TILL LEGAL LOOKS AT IT? ARE WE UP AGAINST A. ARE WE UP AGAINST A DEADLINE? I THINK THERE IS A DEADLINE. I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS. IT WAS EVERY TAXING ENTITY GOT TO NOMINATE SOMEBODY. IS THAT. I'M SORRY. SO EACH TAXING ENTITY IS GOING TO NOMINATE SOMEBODY AND THEN THE. NO THEY'RE NOT. EVERY JURISDICTION HAS THAT. I BELIEVE IT'S FIVE. I THINK IT'S THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR MAYBE YOUR CITY. I THINK SO OTHER THAN THE COUNTY, I THINK YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE THE NEXT FOUR BIGGEST CUSTOMERS. BUT. YEAH, I THINK SO. SO EACH ONE OF THEM WILL NOMINATE ONE WILL NOMINATE ONE. AND OUT OF THOSE FIVE PEOPLE, I GUESS THE BOARD WILL THEN SELECT ONE TO SERVE OUT THE REMAINDER OF. I WOULD THINK UNLESS THEY ALREADY HAVE SOMEONE ON THE BOARD, SOME OF THEM ALREADY HAVE A PERSON. I DON'T THINK THEY CAN HAVE MORE THAN ONE PERSON AT A TIME.CORRECT. WELL, I MEAN, WE VOTE ON WHEN WE GET THE LIST. WE WE CAST OUR VOTES. SOMETIMES WE CAN PUT ALL OF THEM BEHIND ONE PERSON. BUT YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE WE CAN SPLIT OUT. I DON'T THINK LIKE, I DON'T THINK HEMPSTEAD ISD HAS A PERSON WITH A SCHOOL DISTRICT ON THE BOARD. THEY MIGHT HAVE SOMEBODY THAT THEY NOMINATED OR VOTED FOR, BUT I DON'T THINK THE OTHER ENTITIES HAVE AN EMPLOYEE ON THE BOARD. IT'S 45 DAYS, BY THE WAY. I MEAN, IF WE IF WE PUSH THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING, ARE WE STILL OKAY? IT'S DATED MARCH 10TH, SO WE SHOULD. YEAH. SO 45 DAYS FROM MARCH 10TH, WE SHOULD BE GOOD. SHOULD BE OKAY. WHERE. YEAH, 30 DAYS WOULD BE NEXT FRIDAY. YEAH. OKAY. SO WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL PUSH THIS TO THE 15TH AND THAT SHOULD BE WITHIN THE 45 DAYS. YEAH. AND THEN YEAH, MAYBE IN THE MEANTIME, WE CAN FIGURE OUT DOES EACH ENTITY NOMINATE A PERSON AND THEN THE BOARD CHOOSES. WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESS IS. LIKE I SAID, I BELIEVE ONCE HIS TERM COMES BACK UP, THERE PROBABLY BE 2 OR 3 OTHERS THAT ROLL OFF AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN. I THINK ACTUALLY YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE MORE BOARD MEMBERS. YES, I THINK FOUR MORE THAT ARE FIXING TO BE ADDED. OH, THERE'S GOING TO GROW. THE BOARD HAS TO DO WITH THE POPULATION OF THE COUNTY. YEAH. WE'RE NOT GETTING SMALLER. YEAH. OKAY. SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL TABLE THIS AND WE'LL JUST TO MAKE SURE LEGAL, MAKE SURE THERE'S AND I HONESTLY, I DON'T WE WENT THROUGH THIS BEFORE WHEN WE NOMINATED COMMISSIONER AMSLER. SO I DON'T SEE THERE BEING AN IMPEDIMENT ON THAT FRONT, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL LET THEM. OKAY. CHECK INTO IT AND MAKE SURE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. MOTION TO TABLE. SO MOVED SECOND. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND TO TABLE. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 47 WILL BE TABLED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK A COUPLE WEEKS. HEY, LET'S TAKE UP NUMBER 48. MOTION. CAN WE DO A COUPLE OF THEM? I'M GOING TO SAY 48 AND 49. THEY'VE GOT LIKE THREE OF THEM BEFORE WE GET MOTION SECOND SORRY. WE HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND ON 48. THIS IS JUST WITH THE FUNDING WE PROVIDE TO THE FORT BEND CHILDREN'S ADVOCATE ADVOCACY CENTER. THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THEY DO PLAY A ROLE. IT HAS TO DO, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN CASES INVOLVING CHILDREN. JUDGE MATHIS, I'VE TALKED TO HIM.
HE'S HE'S TOLD ME AND JUDGE CHANEY AS WELL. THEY THEY DO HAVE A ROLE THAT THEY DO PLAY.
WE DON'T PROVIDE THEM WITH A TON OF OF FUNDING, BUT THEY DO. THEY DO THE INTERVIEWS WITH THEY DO WITH CHILD VICTIMS. IT HAS TO BE DONE A VERY CERTAIN WAY, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
SO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 48? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
ALL OPPOSED? LET'S GO TO 49. MOTION. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND ON 49. ANY DISCUSSION? THIS IS OUR ANNUAL PAYMENTS ON THE AMAZON. 381 DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY LAST YEAR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T MEET THEIR INVENTORY NUMBERS, BUT I GUESS THEY DID THIS YEAR. YEAH. WELL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN WE WHEN WE PAY THIS, THAT MEANS THEY PAID MORE. OH, YEAH. I MEAN, WHEN PEOPLE SEE THIS, IT'S NOT JUST A HEY, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. THAT MEANS THEY HIT A CERTAIN GOAL AND THEY PAID MORE IN TAXES. AND THIS IS JUST A SMALL. AND IT'S A. AND I BELIEVE AGAIN, THIS IS A STAIR STEPPED UP. RIGHT DEAL. AND BECAUSE THE PAYMENT AMOUNT IS LOWER
[01:30:05]
TYPICALLY THAN IT HAS BEEN IN YEARS PAST UP TO OBVIOUSLY IT IS STEPPING DOWN. IT'S UP TO IT'S BEEN UP TO 500,000 BEFORE. SO THAT'S GOOD. BUT YEAH, WE COLLECT WAY MORE IN REVENUE ON THAT THAN WE DO. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION 49 HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 49 CARRIES. LET'S GO TO NUMBER 50. MOTION. SECOND I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND, ON 50. JUST SOME BACKGROUND FOR FOLKS. THIS IS WHEN YOU'RE THIS IS THE PROPERTY WHEN YOU DRIVE INTO THE JUSTICE CENTER AND YOU TURN ON SHERIFF GLENN SMITH DRIVE.THIS IS ALL OF THAT LAND. NOT NOT RIGHT THERE ON BUSINESS. 290, BUT JUST BEHIND IT, ALL OF THAT LAND ALL THE WAY, BASICALLY TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. IT'S 20 ACRES, TEN, TEN ACRES, I THINK, DANNY SAID. I THINK IT'S 50. I THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE 12 OR 15. I THINK IT'S A 15 TRACK. WE'VE BEEN IN NEGOTIATIONS FOR SOME TIME WITH THE OWNER OF THAT PROPERTY, MR. HERNANDEZ. AND WE HAVE AGREED ON A PRICE WE. AND JUST SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE THIS SALES PRICE IS HIGHER THAN WHAT THE PROPERTY IS APPRAISED FOR ON CATS, ON THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS THING. BUT WE HAD AN APPRAISAL. AND THIS NUMBER IS LESS THAN WHAT THE APPRAISAL CAME BACK. RIGHT. SO AND I DO APPRECIATE MR. HERNANDEZ FOR WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND UNDERSTANDING. WE ARE TRYING TO BE AS PRUDENT AS WE CAN THIS THIS PURCHASE. I THINK ALLEN WOULD AGREE WITH ME. THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT PURCHASE FOR THE COUNTY. AND BECAUSE WHAT IT DOES NOW, WE'VE GOT ALL THE PROPERTY HEADING INTO THE JUSTICE CENTER. AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE STILL HAVE OTHER BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNED FOR OUR FUTURE BUILDINGS JUVENILE PROBATION, ADULT PROBATION. YOU KNOW, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. POTENTIAL. ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING FOR A LOT OF OTHER FUNCTIONS, ENGINEERING POTENTIALLY. ANYWAY, THIS WILL ENABLE THIS WILL REALLY GIVE US A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY IN WHERE WE CAN PUT THOSE BUILDINGS. AND ESPECIALLY IT'S NICE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IT'LL BASICALLY, OTHER THAN THIS COURTHOUSE, IT'LL MAKE IT TO WHERE YOU'LL, YOU'LL HAVE KIND OF A ONE STOP SHOP WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF THE COUNTY STUFF. SO THIS, THIS PROPERTY WILL PAY DIVIDENDS FOR US DOWN THE ROAD. THIS WAS ALSO, I BELIEVE, A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS WELL. YES. OH YEAH. OH YEAH. THIS HAS BEEN YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THE SHOUT OUT.
YOU KNOW. SO ANYWAY, APPRECIATE YOU MR. HERNANDEZ. HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS CLOSED QUICKLY AND WE CAN START MAKING SOME PLANS. SO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 50. ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 50 CARRIES. AERIAL. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT? WE DO NOT NEED 51 OR 54, BUT WE WOULD NEED 52, 53 AND 55. SO 51 AND 54. JOHN. SO WE NEED 52. SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP 52 MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 52 CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT,
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
IT IS 10:36 A.M. WE WILL ADJOURN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THOSE THAT WON'T BE HERE WHEN WE GET BACK. I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A VERY SAFE AND HAPPY EASTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JUDGE. THANK YOU. MR.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.