[CALL TO ORDER]
          [00:00:03]
          RIGHT. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO THIS MEETING OF WALLER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15TH, 2026 TAX DAY. IF YOU HAVEN'T FILED YOUR TAXES OR AN EXTENSION, DON'T FORGET. AT THIS TIME, WE ASK IF YOU ARE ABLE TO PLEASE STAND AND JOIN COMMISSIONER AMSLER IN AN INVOCATION FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGES LED BY COMMISSIONER BECKETT. 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. 
          PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR NATION'S LIFE. 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. OUR CLASS ON THE FAMOUS LINE I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE, UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT. WE WILL BEGIN OUR MEETING NOW WITH NUMBER ONE, APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. 
          [PUBLIC COMMENT]
ALL OPPOSED? AGENDA IS APPROVED. NEXT, WE WILL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE ASK THAT PUBLIC COMMENTS BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES. I WILL KEEP TIME HERE AT THE FRONT. I WILL ALSO LET THE SPEAKER KNOW WHEN THEY HAVE ONE MINUTE REMAINING. AT THIS TIME, WE'VE GOT ONE INDIVIDUAL SIGNED UP AND THAT IS DOCTOR MADDOX. GOOD MORNING NEIGHBORS. SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR GIVING YOUR TIME. I NOTICED I'M HERE BECAUSE I DID SEE SOMEONE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ELECTIONS. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THIS WAS THE BEST ELECTION OF MY TEAM, SO I. I LIKE IT WAS GREAT. ONE OF THE REASONS IT'S BEEN GREAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN. IF SOMEONE COMES TO YOU AND THEY SAY, WELL, THE PEOPLE WERE YOUNG, THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING. I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN RUN THE ELECTION. I PROMISE YOU, THOSE PEOPLE WERE WERE THOSE PEOPLE WERE THE PROBLEM. RIGHT? AND SO WE HAVE GOTTEN RID OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO MISTREAT THE VOTERS AND MISTREAT THE OTHER ELECTION WORKERS. SO THOSE PEOPLE ARE UNHAPPY. BUT THE FACT THAT WE DIMINISH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO JUST REALLY AREN'T SUITED TO WORK IN THE POLLS HAS BEEN GREAT. AND IT WAS A GREAT ELECTION. SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY. WE HAVE SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO BE INVOLVED. I KNOW PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THEIR 90S AND 80S AND 70S, BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO MAKE THAT EFFORT TO GET THE YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED. RIGHT? SO THEY WERE INVOLVED IN OF COURSE, THEY DIDN'T KNOW EVERYTHING BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T BORN KNOWING HOW TO BE COWORKERS. SO THIS WAS A LOT OF THEIR FIRST TIME. AND I THOUGHT THEY DID AN EXEMPLARY JOB. THEY REALLY DID. I WAS SO PLEASED WITH THAT. AND THE OTHER THING THAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID THEY WANT TO BRING TO THE BOARD IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A LITTLE ACCOUNTABILITY. THE ELECTIONS MAY GET A LITTLE ENERGETIC, A LITTLE HEATED. SO I AM PROBABLY GOING TO BRING SOME ACCOUNTABILITY TO THINGS, RIGHT? SO WE GET THIS THING IN THE MAIL, STUFF LIKE THIS. RETURN TO SENDER, YOU KNOW, FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO US, AND IT USES THE WORD EFF OFF AND STUFF LIKE THAT. RIGHT? SO REGARDING ACCOUNTABILITY, ALL MATTER, OTHERWISE MALLEABLE BY LAW UPON THE ENVELOPE OR OUTSIDE OF THE WRAPPER, WHICH AND ALL POSTCARDS COME WITH ANY DELINEATIONS, EPITHETS, TERMS OF LANGUAGE, OF AN INDECENT OR OBSCENE CHARACTER ARE WRITTEN OR PRINTED OR OTHERWISE IMPRESSED OR PARENT ARE NON MARITAL MATTER AND SHALL NOT BE CONVEYED IN THE MAILS, NOR DELIVERED FROM ANY POST OFFICE BY ANY LETTER CARRIER AND SHALL BE WITHDRAWN FROM EMAILS. SO YOUR STUFF IS GOING TO COME BACK TO YOU. WHOEVER KNOWINGLY DEPOSITS MAIL FOR MAIL OR DELIVERY, ANYTHING DECLARING DECLARED NON-MALLEABLE MATTER AND KNOWINGLY TAKES THE SAME FROM THE MAILS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CIRCULATING OR DISPOSING OR AIDING IN THE CIRCULATION AND DISPOSITION OF THE SAME SHALL BE FILED. FIND YOU HAVE YOU HAVE 30S JUST FINE UNDER THIS TITLE OR IMPRISONED FOR NOT MORE THAN FIVE YEARS OR BOTH. 
          SO I'VE BEEN PRETTY LENIENT WHEN PEOPLE BREAK THE LAW, EVEN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO 
          [00:05:01]
SHOW UP AT THE POLLS WITH GUNS WHO WERE NOT ASKED BY THE JUDGE TO BE THERE. I HAVE NOT HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. BUT FOR THIS ELECTION, PEOPLE ARE TENSE WHEN THEY HAVE TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. SO DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. YOU HAVE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS LIKE CHRISTIE EASING YOUR ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR. YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN HER OFFICE, AND YOU HAVE ME ASKING YOU'D BE HAPPY WITH HER. THANK YOU. YOU ALL RIGHT? WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING. IS ANYONE HERE LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ONCE? ALL RIGHT. THAT WILL CONCLUDE PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THAT WILL 
          [CONSENT AGENDA]
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 
          [PROCLAMATION (Part 1 of 2)]
OPPOSED? CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED. OKAY. THAT WILL NOW MOVE US TO NUMBER 41. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, THIS IS GOING TO BE TO APPROVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING APRIL AS CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH IN WALLER COUNTY. WE HAVE SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS HERE TODAY ON THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO. 
          WE HAVE COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES. CASA CASA ADVOCATES ARE HERE TODAY. FAMILY TIES IS HERE WITH US. WALLER COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARD IS ALSO WITH US AS WELL. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD. WE HAD SEVERAL REQUESTS FOR A PROCLAMATION. SO WHAT WE DID IS TRIED TO GO AHEAD AND COMBINE THESE INTO ONE PROCLAMATION. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ THE PROCLAMATION. AND THEN ANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS, IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE, A REPRESENTATIVE HERE WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS AT THE PODIUM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. WHEREAS THIS IS A PROCLAMATION. CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH, APRIL 2026. WHEREAS, EVERY CHILD DESERVES TO GROW UP IN A SAFE, LOVING, PERMANENT HOME WHERE HIS OR HER PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL NEEDS ARE FULLY MET, THEREBY GIVING THE CHILD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALIZE HIS OR HER FULL POTENTIAL. WHEREAS, PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IS A COMMUNITY EPIDEMIC THAT DEPENDS UPON THE EDUCATION AND INVOLVEMENT OF CITIZENS FROM EVERY SECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY. WHEREAS, IN 2025, 51,979 CHILDREN IN TEXAS, INCLUDING 30 IN WALLER COUNTY, WERE CONFIRMED AS VICTIMS OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT. WHEREAS 28,190 OR 54% OF THOSE CHILDREN IN TEXAS WERE UNDER THE AGE OF SIX YEARS OLD. WHEREAS IN 2025 THERE WERE 124 CHILD ABUSE RELATED FATALITIES IN TEXAS. WHEN EVEN ONE CHILD'S DEATH IS TOO MANY. 
          WHEREAS IN 2025, 25,478 CHILDREN IN TEXAS, INCLUDING 25 IN WALLER COUNTY, WERE IN THE CARE AND CUSTODY OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES BECAUSE OF EVIDENCE OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT. AND. WHEREAS, A CHILD'S JOURNEY IN THE CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM CAN BE TRAUMATIC AND OVERWHELMING AS THAT CHILD HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM HIS OR HER HOME AND PLACED WITH STRANGERS, OFTEN IN A DIFFERENT COUNTY AWAY FROM HIS OR HER SCHOOL FRIEND'S PLACE OF WORSHIP AND THE ONLY LIFE THEY HAVE EVER KNOWN. WHEREAS THE IMPACT OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT HAS LONG TERM PERSONAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COSTS, THEREFORE HURTING TEXAS'S FUTURE. WHEREAS, COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES, CASA ADVOCATES ARE ASSIGNED BY THE COURT TO SPEAK UP FOR A CHILD'S BEST INTEREST AND BE A VOICE FOR THAT CHILD IN THE COURTS. WHEREAS, FAMILY TIES PROVIDES INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY COUNSELING ASSISTANCE WITH CRIME VICTIMS AND VICTIMS IMPACT STATEMENTS, AS WELL AS FLEXIBLE FUNDING ASSISTANCE. 
          FAMILY TIES ALSO HOLDS A SUMMER LEADERSHIP CAMP FOR GRADE SCHOOL KIDS, ALL OF WHICH ARE AT NO COST TO THE SURVIVORS. WHEREAS, THE WALLER COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARD SERVES CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE BY RAISING COMMUNITY AWARENESS, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL ITEMS THROUGH RAINBOW ROOMS AND FUNDING NEEDS NOT COVERED BY STATE RESOURCES. THE WALLER COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARD ALSO CONDUCTS LOCAL NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, PROMOTES CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION, AND ADVOCATES FOR RESOURCES TO STRENGTHEN SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. WHEREAS, CASA FOR KIDS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES FAMILY TIES. WALLER COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARD. CHILD ADVOCACY CENTERS, FOSTER PARENTS, TEACHERS AND OTHERS WORK TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW UP IN A SAFE, LOVING, PERMANENT HOME. THEREFORE, WE PROCLAIM APRIL AS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS MONTH IN WALLER COUNTY AND COMMEND ALL 
          [00:10:03]
ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING CASA. FOR KIDS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS, CASA VOLUNTEER ADVOCATES, FAMILY TIES, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES STAFF, AND WALLER COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARD FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION TO PREVENTING ABUSE AND MITIGATING THE DEVASTATING EFFECT OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT BY SERVING CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED. WE FURTHER CALL UPON ALL CITIZENS, COMMUNITY AGENCIES, FAITH GROUPS, SCHOOLS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND BUSINESSES TO INCREASE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN EFFORTS TO SUPPORT FAMILIES AND PREVENT CHILD ABUSE, THEREBY STRENGTHENING OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. ON THIS, THE 15TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026. SO THAT'S THE PROCLAMATION. FIRST OFF, I WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, THE STAFF MEMBERS, THE BOARD MEMBERS, EVERYONE THAT IS HERE TODAY THAT PLAYS A PART IN DEALING WITH THIS EPIDEMIC AND THIS PROBLEM. AND AGAIN, IT'S BEEN STATED BEFORE, WE WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE THESE ORGANIZATIONS, BUT I AM THANKFUL TO GOD THAT WE HAVE YOU ALL TO STAND IN THAT GAP, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LOVE, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THINGS AND ALL INSTANCES, THERE ARE CRACKS, THERE ARE GAPS, AND WE OFTEN FALL SHORT. AND I APPRECIATE THESE GROUPS FOR BEING THERE TO ADVOCATE, TO ADVOCATE FOR THE KIDS, TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE KIDS, TO MAKE SURE THEIR NEEDS ARE MET AND SO FORTH. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING THAT. WE APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH. SO JUST FIRST, I WOULD LIKE, IF WE CAN, A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS. BEFORE I ASK THE REPRESENTATIVES TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS, IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR STATEMENTS WE'RE DOING THE NO. 
          YOU KNOW WHAT YOU SAID, JUDGE. THANK YOU. WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE THESE ISSUES. BUT WE DO. I MEAN, IT'S NOT JUST WALLER COUNTY, IT'S IT'S ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S SAD BECAUSE OUR CHILDREN ARE THE MOST INNOCENT AMONG US. THEY DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY DID WRONG. THEY JUST KNOW SOMETHING'S HAPPENED TO THEM. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS STEP IN AND YOU YOU'RE KIND OF LIKE THEIR GUARDIAN ANGEL WHEN NOBODY ELSE IS LOOKING, LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR BEST INTEREST. AND LIKE THE JUDGE SAID, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT'S NOT GREAT AT EVERYTHING. SOMETIMES I THINK WE'RE NOT GOOD AT MUCH OF ANYTHING. BUT AND THAT'S WHERE WHERE THEY JUST NEED A LOVING PERSON THERE IN THEIR CORNER FIGHTING FOR THEM. AND OFTEN WE FIND THAT THESE THESE ARE IN CYCLES, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WHO'S ABUSED AS THEY GROW OLDER DOES THE SAME. AND SO IT'S ABOUT BREAKING THAT CYCLE, BUT GIVING THAT YOUNG PERSON THE BEST CHANCE TO, TO MOVE FORWARD AND, AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR LIFE. SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. GOD BLESS YOU. AND YEAH, I SERVED ON THE BOARD FOR CASA FOR A FEW YEARS. AND WHAT PROMPTED ME TO DO THAT WAS I ATTENDED A FAMILY COURT IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY ONE TIME, AND THE THINGS THAT I SAW THERE PROBABLY TEN YEARS AGO STILL HAVE AN EFFECT ON ME TODAY BECAUSE IT MADE ME REALIZE THAT. THESE CHILDREN IN THOSE SITUATIONS ARE CAPTIVE. THEY CAN'T SPEAK OUT. THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR SITUATION. AND BY THE TIME THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, 20 YEARS OLD, THEY THINK IT WAS ALL THEIR FAULT. AND SO THEN IT BECOMES A PROBLEM FOR THEM AND SOCIETY AS WELL. SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU WHO HELPED TO WATCH OUT FOR CHILDREN IN THEIR WELFARE AND TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM. IT'S A VERY SOLEMN THING. BUT WHEN I THINK OF MY OWN CHILDREN AND ESPECIALLY MY GRANDCHILDREN, AND THE THOUGHT OF THEM BEING IN THAT SITUATION JUST OVERWHELMS ME. SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SERVICE. 
          THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, GUYS? OKAY. WHY DON'T WE START WITH CASA? I WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS. TELL US, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU ALL DO. DO ME A FAVOR, CAN YOU? YEAH. THERE YOU GO. GET THAT POINTED. THANK YOU. 
          GOOD MORNING. I'M ANDY WRIGHT. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT CASA PERKINS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. WE SERVE AUSTIN, COLORADO, WALLER AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES. IF I COULD TAKE A MOMENT AND HAVE MY ADVOCATES, BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF STAND, IF Y'ALL CAN STAND FOR US. AND THEN I'D ALSO LIKE TO INVITE DSPS MEMBERS IF YOU'RE HERE TO STAND FAMILY TIES AS WELL. IF 
          [00:15:05]
YOU GUYS COULD STAND, I KNOW Y'ALL WILL GET BACK TO THAT TOO. SO I TWICE AND THEN THE CHILD WELFARE BOARD. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING ELSE I WAS GOING TO SAY, ALLEN, YOU NEED TO BE SAYING. THAT IT REALLY TAKES IS A COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY IS THE COMMUNITY THAT SPEAK UP FOR THE CHILDREN. SO FAMILY TIES IS GOING TO COME SPEAK, I'M SURE, AS WELL AS THE CHILD WELFARE BOARD MAYBE. SO I'M JUST GOING TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT CASA DOES AND BRAG ON OUR ORGANIZATION JUST A LITTLE BIT. SO IN FRONT OF YOU, I GAVE YOU A LITTLE HANDOUT ON WHAT OUR ADVOCATES HAVE DONE JUST THIS YEAR. SO JUST THIS YEAR ALONE, OUR ADVOCATES PUT IN ALMOST 2000 HOURS WITH THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM. WE HAVE 54 CHILDREN THAT WE WORKED WITH THIS PAST YEAR. SO 2000 HOURS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF ONE DEDICATED PERSON, ONE DEDICATED STAFF MEMBER 24 HOURS A DAY, EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR. THAT'S A VERY LARGE LIST. WHEN THE CHILDREN COME INTO CARE, THEY THEY HAVE CAUGHT WHATEVER COUNTY THAT THEY WERE REMOVED FROM, BUT THEN THEY MOVE ALL OVER THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO ANOTHER BIG APPLAUSE FOR OUR ADVOCATES WHO ARE THE HANDS AND FEET OF OUR MISSION. AND THEY PUT IN OVER 20,000 MILES ALONE JUST THIS YEAR, VISITING THE CHILDREN WHEREVER THEY WERE LOCATED. AND THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF DRIVING FROM TEXAS TO CALIFORNIA SEVEN TIMES. THAT'S MASSIVE. AND THEN CONTACTS. SO AS AN ADVOCATE, THEY GET TO KNOW THE CHILDREN, THEY GET TO KNOW THE PLACEMENT, THEY GET TO KNOW THE TEACHERS. 
          THEY'RE DOCTORS. AND IN TOTAL, OVER 1700 CONTACTS WERE MADE. AND TO MAKE SURE THE CHILDREN'S VOICES WERE HEARD, NO GAPS WERE LEFT AND THEY WERE TRULY TAKEN CARE OF WHILE THEY WERE WALKING THE LIFE OF THIS CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR ADVOCATE, STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS WHO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING US TO SERVE OUR COUNTY AND FOR THE SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE OFFERED US FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS. 
          JUNE WILL BE OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOU. ALL RIGHT. FAMILY TIES. WHAT DO YOU HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE TO COME UP REAL QUICK. GOOD MORNING HEATHER. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS HEATHER SCOTT LANGSTON, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER AND ALSO LICENSED THERAPIST AND SUPERVISOR WITH FAMILY TIES. WE ACTUALLY ARE SHARING A PRESENTATION TODAY. SO I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS TIME JUST IN CASE OUR PARTNERS HAVE TO LEAVE, TO LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATION THAT HAPPENED. I KNOW THERE WAS A REQUEST MADE AND I DIDN'T SEE ANY BACK AND FORTH. IT WAS ALL JUST VERY POSITIVE. AND THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING US. AND I KNOW THAT TOGETHER WE ARE BETTER PARTNERS. WE CAN SERVE THE COMMUNITY BETTER, AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL WHEN WE SEE THESE COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERS COME TOGETHER. I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO WORK EVEN MORE DEEPLY WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS. SO WE ALL DO A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, AND TOGETHER WE CAN REALLY PROVIDE AMAZING SERVICES. I KNOW SHE SHARED WITH YOU SOME STATISTICS AND I CAN SUPPORT THOSE STATISTICS. AND THE TRUTH IS, IS THOSE ARE ONLY THE ONES WE KNOW ABOUT. AND THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT WE FIND IN SERVING VICTIMS IS THAT THEY'RE TYPICALLY SO MANY MORE THAN JUST WHAT YOU THAN WHAT IS LISTED AND WHAT'S DOCUMENTED. SO I'M GOING TO, I WANT TO SET ASIDE THE TIME FOR OTHER PARTNERS TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THE INFORMATION, SINCE WE'LL BE SHARING LATER. THANK YOU TO THE COURT. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU ALL. AND DO WE HAVE SOMEONE WITH THE CHILD WELFARE BOARD THAT WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY A FEW WORDS? GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CANDACE RAMOS. I AM WITH CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES. I'M FAITH BASED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. 
          AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING US TO RECOGNIZE THIS DAY, NOT JUST THAT IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO SUPPORT THE VILLAGE THAT IS DOING THE WORK. SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT IS HERE AND WE ALWAYS NEED THE SUPPORT. IT WAS 124 CHILDREN WHO FELL VICTIM, WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IN 2025, AND 30 OF THOSE VICTIMS WERE FROM WALTON COUNTY. 
          SO IT TAKES US TO WORK TOGETHER AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF WHAT CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES IS DOING, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE REPRESENTATIVES HERE WHO ARE 
          [00:20:02]
PARTNERING WITH US. WE'RE HERE TO THANK GOD FOR THE ONES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE AND TO CONTINUE TO HELP THE FAMILIES THAT ARE AT RISK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CANDACE ADAMS. I'M THE VICE CHAIR OF THE WALLER COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARD, AND WE WERE HUMBLED AND HONORED TO RECEIVE RECOGNITION FROM CANDACE RAMOS RECOMMENDATION. JUST YESTERDAY EVENING AT OUR AT OUR MEETING, WE WERE GIVEN A A CERTIFICATE FOR THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE WITH WITH THE BOARD. 
          AND IF I COULD JUST READ THAT OUT LOUD, IT READS. THE CERTIFICATE IS PROUDLY PRESENTED ON APRIL 20TH, 2026 FOR VOLUNTEERING EXCELLENCE TO THE WALLER COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARD, HEMPSTEAD, TEXAS AND RECOGNITION OF YOUR SERVICE. WE EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE FOR YOUR TIRELESS WORK IMPROVING THE LIVES OF VULNERABLE TEXANS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND COMPASSION THAT WAS ISSUED BY THE AUDREY O'NEILL, THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES. SO OUR BOARD WAS HONORED TO RECEIVE THAT RECOGNITION. CANDACE HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL PARTNER AND A SUPPORTER TO US, AND WE THANK YOU ALL FOR RECOGNIZING TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING UP AND TELLING EVERYONE ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATIONS. AND AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF THE COURT AND ALL THE FOLKS IN WALLER COUNTY, THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO AT THIS TIME. 
          WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE VOTE ON THE PROCLAMATION. AND THEN WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL EACH ORGANIZATION UP ONE AT A TIME, AND WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE WITH THE COMMISSIONERS COURT RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF THE DAIS. AND THEN I THINK IT'D BE KIND OF COOL TO TAKE A PICTURE ALL TOGETHER AS A GROUP, SINCE WE ARE DOING THIS AS A AS A VILLAGE. RIGHT? SO AFTER WE ALL TAKE THE INDIVIDUAL PICTURES, THEN WE'LL HAVE EVERYBODY COME UP AND THE COMMISSIONERS, WILL WE EVEN MOVE PEOPLE UP HERE TO THE TOP? AND WE'LL TAKE A GROUP PICTURE AS WELL. SO WITH THAT, WHY DON'T WE START WITH CASA. 
          IF Y'ALL WANT TO COME FORWARD, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET A PICTURE. HERE WE GO. THANK YOU. 
          THANK. HOW ABOUT A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR. OKAY. NEXT ONE. WE HAVE FAMILY TIES. COME ON UP. 
          123. ALL RIGHT. HOW ABOUT AMOUNT OF APPLAUSE FOR. AWESOME. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. CHILD WELFARE BOARD. COME ON UP. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE. THE SHORT VERSION IN FRONT. 
          [00:25:01]
OKAY. I'M BACK THERE. JUST A LITTLE BIT THIS WAY. SPELLED OUT A LITTLE BIT O U. OKAY, ONE MORE THING. PERFECT. ALL SET UP HERE. BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR. ALL THE EVENTS TO COME BACK. 
          YOU CAN ALSO FILL IN AT THE TOP AS WELL. CATHOLIC COMMISSIONER, GO UP TOP. HAVE THE COMMISSIONERS GO UP TOP. OKAY. FILL IN ON THE SIDES UP HERE AS WELL. IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE. SO FILL IN BETWEEN THE. YEAH. YOU GET TO SEE BEHIND THE CURTAIN. SO Y'ALL COME ON THIS SIDE. MAKE IT A BALANCE. ALL RIGHT. EVERYBODY. READY 123. WE HAVE A COUPLE PHONES SO STAY STILL. ONE TWO TO. HANG ON, HANG ON. LET'S GRAB TWO. OKAY. YEAH, SURE. OKAY. YOU GOT EVERYONE. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. OKAY, SO THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST TO HAVE MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS ALL TOGETHER. THAT WAS AWESOME. SO WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE UP. IN FACT, FAMILY TIES IS HERE FOR A PRESENTATION. SO WE'RE GOING TO 
          [MISCELLANEOUS (Part 1 of 2)]
MOVE UP NUMBER 64 AND NUMBER 65. SO HEATHER, DID YOU WANT TO COME BACK UP AND GIVE US A SHORT PRESENTATION? THAT WOULD BE GREAT. ALL RIGHT. I NEED TO ASK ABOUT THE WAY THEY'RE GOING TO ALL INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE BROUGHT AN ARMY, BUT THIS IS OUR DIRECT SERVICE STAFF. AND THEN ALSO A COUPLE OF OUR SUPPORT STAFF THAT DO THE FINANCIAL MEANS. SO I WANTED EVERYONE TO HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DOING THE WORK THAT WE DO. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU GUYS ACTUALLY GET TO WITNESS. YES, THIS IS JUST LIKE WITH THE OTHER LADIES. THIS IS THE PASSION OF OUR GROUP. SO I'M GOING TO HAVE EVERYBODY GIVE THEIR NAME AND LET'S SEE WHAT THEIR POSITION IS. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON AND HAVE LIMITED TIME. SO MY NAME IS JANE AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF CLIENT SUPPORT SERVICES. I WORK WITH UNITED WAY TO MANAGE THE FINANCIAL GREAT THAT WE HAVE THAT DOES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE IN NEED. I'M ALSO A COUNSELOR AND THEIR. 
          I WORK WITH OPERATIONS AND. I'M BRIAN HARVEY. I'M IN CHARGE. HELLO, I'M CATHERINE JONES, I'M THE CHILDREN'S VIOLENCE PREVENTION SPECIALIST AND I'M ALSO AN INTAKE SPECIALIST. HI, I'M LINDSAY CAMPBELL AND I DO COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION. HELLO, I'M TERI CAMPBELL AND I'M DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION. HI, I'M MEGAN SARACINI. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF VICTIM SERVICES AND I'M ALSO A LICENSED THERAPIST. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS AL-SAFADI AND SAYS I'M THE OFFICE HOTLINE SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR. HELLO EVERYONE. 
          [00:30:01]
I'M CAITLIN JACKSON AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF SEXUAL ASSAULT PROGRAMS AND ADVOCACY. HELLO, I'M KELLY AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF CLIENT SUPPORT SERVICES AND EDUCATION. SO MY NAME IS ROSE AND I'M WITH I'M THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND MARKETING. WE ACTUALLY HAVE 22 STAFF. THIS IS THE BULK OF OUR OUR FORCE, BUT WE HAVE A TON OF SUPPORT STAFF THAT ALSO ASSIST US. I TELL THEM, THANK YOU ALL THE TIME, BUT I'D LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF COUNTY IS SERVED WITH THE UTMOST INTEGRITY AND RESPECT AND LOVE AND EMPATHY. SO IF YOU GUYS DON'T MIND GIVING THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT. ROSE ROSE IS OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND I ACTUALLY SHARED THAT. BUT SHE'S ALSO BEEN WITH ME ALMOST 13, 15 YEARS. AND SHE'S, SHE'S RIGHT IN MY LEFT HAND AND SOMETIMES MY HEAD. SO SHE'S GOING TO KEEP ME ON TRACK. WE RECENTLY CELEBRATED OUR 19TH ANNIVERSARY, AND SO WE'VE BEEN SERVING WALLER AND NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY FOR 19 YEARS. ABOUT 50 OVER 50 IS OUR SERVICES. OUR VISION IS REALLY JUST TO EMPOWER CHILDREN, INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. OUR GOAL IS REALLY TO BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST AN INDIVIDUAL THAT'S HARMED. CHILD IS HARMED. IT'S A SYSTEM. 
          IT'S THE ENTIRE FAMILY SYSTEM AND EVEN THEIR EXTENDED SYSTEM. AND I DID HEAR ABOUT SCHOOL AND ALL OF THESE THINGS INTERACT WITH THAT. AND THAT IS OUR GOAL. WE KNOW THAT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES GO THROUGH REALLY TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES, AND OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE HOPE THROUGH HEALING. AND WE HEAR ABOUT A LOT OF THE NEGATIVE STUFF THAT HAPPENS, AND YOU HEAR ALL THE REALLY HORRIBLE STORIES THAT THESE CHILDREN ARE GOING THROUGH. BUT REALLY, WE WANT TO FOCUS ON WHAT THE AFTER STORY IS FOR THEM. OUR CORE VALUES ARE RESPECT, INTEGRITY, VISION, AND EMPATHY. THIS IS PUSHED THROUGHOUT AND I SAY PUSH. THIS IS ACTUALLY EMULATED THROUGHOUT OUR AGENCY AND EVERYTHING WE DO. THIS IS OUR FAMILY TIES. IT STARTED OUT AS JUST A GRAPH WITH ROUND CIRCLES AROUND A GOAL AND IT TURNED INTO A FLOWER. AND SO WE DECIDED THAT AS WE ADDED SERVICES THAT WE WOULD CALL IT OUR FAMILY TIES FLOWER. IF YOU LOOK AT THE FLOWER, YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE. WE'RE GOING TO DO A QUICK MOVEMENT THROUGH THOSE. BUT IF YOU SEE, THEY ALL INTERACT, THEY ALL INTERCONNECT BECAUSE TYPICALLY FAMILIES THAT COME TO US NEED WAY MORE THAN JUST ONE SERVICE. AND THE GOAL OF ALL OF THAT IS OUR GOAL, WHICH IS PROVIDING HOPE THROUGH HEALING AND PROVIDING THAT MISSION. THESE ARE 2025 STATISTICS. I AM NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH EVERY STATISTIC WITH YOU. YOU CAN READ IT, YOU PROVIDED IT. I WANT YOU GUYS TO JUST TAKE A SECOND TO TAKE A LOOK IF YOU HAVEN'T. WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL AND HONORED THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS WORK THAT WE DO. AND I DID SHARE WITH YOU, IT'S ALMOST 5050 BETWEEN OUR ACCOUNTING SERVICES, OUR PROGRAMS, AS YOU HEAR, WE'RE VICTIM SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE CRISIS COUNSELING, ADVOCACY AND ACCOUNTING. AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, IT'S NOT JUST PLEADING FOR SOMETHING OR TRYING TO GIVE THEM A SERVICE THEY NEED. IT'S ACTUALLY SHOWING UP TO THE HOSPITAL WHEN THEY COME IN. IT'S SITTING THERE THROUGH THE EXAMS AND SUPPORTING THEM. IT'S PROVIDING THEM WITH THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS AND MAKING SURE THAT IF THEY NEED THAT SUPPORT THROUGH THE SYSTEM, WHETHER IT'S HOSPITAL OR COURT ACCOMPANIMENTS, WE PROVIDE THAT ACCOMPANIMENT BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS THEIR JOB WHILE OUR COUNTY HAS THEIR JOB, THE COURTS HAVE THEIR JOB, LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS THEIR JOB. AND THIS PART IS OUR JOB. OUR PRIMARY PREVENTION PROGRAM. WE INCLUDE IT BECAUSE WE ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT HAVE FUNDING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE FUNDING CUTS THAT CAME THROUGH IN THIS AREA, WE ARE NEVER GOING TO NOT DO CRIME PREVENTION. AND YOU SEE IT THROUGH OUR TEAM LEADERSHIP CAMP. THAT IS AT NO COST TO YOU TO BUILD LEADERSHIP. THESE ARE SOME OF THE PICTURES OF WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO BE IN THE SCHOOLS WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS KIND OF QUASHED THAT FOR PROGRAMS LIKE OURS TO COME INTO THE SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'LL GET IT REENACTED AT SOME POINT. BUT YOU SEE THE POWER THAT THOSE KIDS HOLD, AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE STRIVING FOR. IN ADDITION, I MENTIONED OUR TEAM LEADERSHIP CAMP. THIS IS JUST SOME OF OUR CAMPS THAT WE DO. AND IF YOU NOTICE, THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITIES THAT ARE CHARACTER BUILDING, SOCIAL BUILDING, ALSO SERVICE PROJECT, THEY DO A SERVICE PROJECT EVERY YEAR. WE STARTED TO SEE THAT KIND OF GO AWAY IN THE COMMUNITY WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. SO WE REALLY WANT TO BUILD THAT IN BECAUSE WE NEED THEM TO BE SITTING IN THE SEATS THAT YOU'RE SITTING IN IN A DECADE, CLIENT SERVICE 
          [00:35:03]
SUPPORT. WE SHARED ABOUT THAT. WE FLEXIBLE FUNDING GRANTS AND ONE IS THROUGH THE UNITED WAY AND WE DO IT IS DESIGNATED ALSO PARTIALLY WALLER, PARTIALLY HARRIS COUNTY. SO WE DO ADVOCATE FOR FUNDS FOR WALLER COUNTY FOR THAT. IT IS APPROXIMATELY $150,000 THAT GOES DIRECTLY BACK IN TO WALLER COUNTY. RESIDENTS HERE, VICTIMS FOR LODGING SUPPORT. WE FIXED A FIRE BECAUSE SOMEBODY GOT THEIR TIRES SLASHED. WE FIXED A TIRE SO THEY COULD GO TO WORK. 
          THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, MEDICATION. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY HARD TO COVER EVERYTHING HERE, BUT IT REALLY JUST SUPPORTS THEM SO THAT THEY CAN GET BACK INTO SOME TYPE OF NORMALCY IN THEIR LIFE AND START TO OVERCOME. AND, YOU KNOW, THE MUELLER HOUSE IS A 12 BED, 12 BATH FACILITY. AND CURRENTLY WE ARE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE ONE ROOM LEFT. AND SO I'M SUPER PROUD OF THIS PROJECT. IT'S A ONE THEY CAN STAY FOR UP TO ONE YEAR. WE DID HAVE A JUNIOR THAT CAME IN THAT WAS ALLOWED TO STAY TWO YEARS. AND SO BECAUSE WE WANTED HIM TO FINISH SCHOOL, AND THE GOAL IS HONESTLY, IF HE KEEPS GOING THE WAY HE'S GOING, WE MAY HAVE TO SUPPORT HIM A FEW EXTRA MONTHS BEYOND HIS GRADUATION BECAUSE WE WANT THEM ON THEIR FEET WHEN THEY LEAVE. WE'RE NOT CATTLE HERDING HERE, AND I KNOW IN THE COUNTRY WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. WE DO NOT HAVE IMPROVED. WE ARE TREATING EACH CLIENT INDIVIDUALLY. I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO WALTER SMITH, AS I DO EVERY TIME HE PLAYED A ROLE IN OUR CIVIL ENGINEERING FOR THAT, AND THAT WAS A HUGE ASSET FOR US. OUR YOUTH DROP-IN CENTER IS ALSO IN ADDITION TO PART OF OUR TRANSITIONAL PROGRAMS, WHICH IS NOT PART OF THE MUELLER HOUSE, BUT IT DOES INCLUDE OUR HOUSE RESIDENTS. BUT IT'S A PLACE FOR 14 AND UP TO COME TO OUR FACILITY IF THEY'RE IN TROUBLE. AND I DID HAVE A PARENT SAY, SO YOU'RE GIVING MY CHILD A PLACE TO RUN AWAY TO. AND I SAID, YES, BECAUSE I CAN WORK WITH THAT. 
          IF THEY RUN AWAY, YES, RUN AWAY TO US BECAUSE THEN WE CAN WORK WITH THE FAMILY. SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES THERE. BUT THERE IS WAY MORE THAN THAT. AND YOU'LL START TO SEE SOME ADDITIONS TO THAT DEPENDING ON FUNDING, PROBABLY DOING SOME TUTORING AND AFTER SCHOOL SUPPORT AS THEY'RE SHOWING UP. SO WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. OUR SEXUAL ASSAULT ADVOCACY PROGRAM, KAYLA ASSURED. WITH THAT, SHE'S OUR DIRECTOR OF THAT. SHE ATTENDS THE SARC FOR WALLER COUNTY, AND WE'RE AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE WALLER COUNTY SART. AND THAT PROCESS, WE ALSO DO COURT ACCOMPANIMENT, SORRY, HOSPITAL ACCOMPANIMENTS ALL THE WAY UP TO 90. BUT YOU GUYS KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A HOSPITAL HERE. SO WALLER COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE OFTEN OUR CLIENTS. WE ALSO SERVE TOMBALL, CA. WE ALSO HAVE RESIDENTS FROM WALLER COUNTY THAT ARE GOING TO THAT HOSPITAL FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AND OTHER ABUSE EXAMS. AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT MENTION THAT WE HAVE AN ON SITE EVIDENCE COLLECTION EXAM AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ABILITY TO DO INTERVIEWS ON SITE IN WALLER. WE HAVEN'T HAD AS MANY PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AS WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT, BUT WE ARE WE ARE KIND OF CONTINUING TO BUILD THAT WITHIN THE COUNTY. 
          IT NOT ONLY IS BETTER FOR A VICTIM IF THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND THEY CAN HAVE EXAMS LOCAL, BUT IT'S ALSO BETTER FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PULLED OFF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. SO WE HOPE THAT WE'LL GET YOU GUYS TO ENCOURAGE US TO ENCOURAGE LAW ENFORCEMENTS TO WORK WITH US A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT SO WE DON'T LOSE THAT OPPORTUNITY. OUR NEW PROJECT, WE DO EXPECT IN THE NEXT 2 TO 3 YEARS TO HAVE ERECTED A SEXUAL ASSAULT CENTER ON OUR CAMPUS IN WALLER. WE ARE IN THE CITY OF WALLER, AND SO IT WILL BE STAND ALONE, SEPARATE FROM OUR AGENCY TO ALLOW FOR PRIVACY. AND IT'S OUR HOPE, THEN, THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO HAVE A CAC. SO WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR WALLER COUNTY TO SUPPORT US IN THAT SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SERVICES LOCAL, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO PARCEL OUT FAR AWAY. I DO WANT TO ADDRESS THAT. THE ONE THE MAIN REASON THAT WE'RE DOING THAT IS BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THEY GO TO THE OTHER CENTERS, WHETHER IT'S THE TEXAS OR THE HOUSTON ADVOCACY CENTER, FORT BEND COUNTY, WHICH I KNOW WE CONTRACT WITH, OR SCOTTY'S HOUSE, THEY DO THE EXAMS. BUT THEN WE GET THEM 2 OR 3, 2 OR 3 YEARS LATER AND THEY STARTED TO SELF HARM, OR THEY'RE GETTING IN JUVENILE TROUBLE BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTING OUT BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THOSE FEELINGS. SO WE REALLY WANT TO ELIMINATE THAT SO THAT OUR KIM CAN TAKE CARE OF OUR COUNTY'S PEOPLE, OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD RESILIENCY PROGRAM AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM. THIS IS A HUGE BLESSING FOR OUR COUNTY. 
          WE RECEIVED A IT'S IN ENHANCES OUR PLAY THERAPY AND OUR ART THERAPY PROGRAMS AND ALSO OUR CBT. BUT THE BIG THING IT BROUGHT TO US IS NEUROFEEDBACK. WE HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS OF OUR 
          [00:40:06]
THERAPEUTIC SERVICES HERE. CAN YOU GUYS STAND IF YOU'RE ON MY EARLY CHILDHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM? THESE LADIES ARE ALL PART OF OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM. AND THEY PROVIDE THERAPEUTIC SERVICES SUPPORT. AND ONE OF THE GOALS OF NEUROFEEDBACK. I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT NOW, BUT THE GOAL IS TO CUT PROCESSING TIME. AND FOR CHILDREN, THEY'RE EXTRA RESILIENT IF YOU PROVIDE THEM THE RIGHT TOOLS. BUT IT CAN CUT THEIR PROCESSING TIME IN HALF. 
          AND IT ALSO IS ALSO IF A CHILD IS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM, THEN THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM. SO ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE TYING INTO SYSTEMS. COME BACK TO THAT. WE REALLY WANT GO BACK TO THE FIRST ONE. I KNOW Y'ALL PROBABLY TOOK A PICTURE, THIS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PICTURES BECAUSE IT MAKES ME SAD, BUT OUR SLIDES BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT, WHAT OUR KIDS FEEL LIKE WHEN THEY COME THROUGH TO US. AND WE DON'T WANT THIS, BUT INSTEAD WE WANT THIS. AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT WALLER COUNTY WANTS AS WELL. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT. I KIND OF EXPLAINED THAT, BUT THIS IS KIND OF THE IDEA OF WHAT OUR NEUROFEEDBACK DOES. IT MEASURES BRAINWAVES AND IT GIVES US INFORMATION AND IT'S NONINVASIVE. IT DOESN'T HARM ANYTHING. IT DOESN'T TAKE ANYTHING OUT OF THE BRAIN EXCEPT FOR THE BRAINWAVES. BUT IT CAN HELP US TO LEARN TO TAKE EXCESSIVE BRAINWAVES IN ONE AREA AND TRAIN THEM DOWN, OR TRAIN UP AREAS OF THE BRAIN THAT ARE STRUGGLING, LIKE FOR DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, PTSD, AND A PLETHORA OF OTHER THINGS. BUT THESE ARE SPECIFIC TO VICTIM SERVICES. BENEFITS ARE HUGE. IT DECREASES STRESS AND ANXIETY INCREASES FOCUS AND ATTENTION, DECISION MAKING SKILLS AND EMOTIONAL REGULATION, WHICH A LOT OF OUR KIDS STRUGGLE WITH IF THEY'VE BEEN VICTIMS, AND THE PROTOCOLS TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC DISORDERS. SO WHEN WE IDENTIFY A DISORDER, THEN WE CAN START TO ACTUALLY CREATE A PROTOCOL INDIVIDUALLY FOR EACH PERSON. AND THEN OUR GOOD KARMA SHOP WE JUST OPENED IN THE CITY OF WALLER ON FIELD STORE, A THRIFT AND UPSCALE GIFTS AND UPSCALE THRIFT SHOP WITH A GOOD KARMA. WE HOPE YOU'LL COME VISIT US. WE USE THESE FUNDS FOR CATHARTIC. WE'RE ALSO BUILDING AN ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR VICTIM SERVICES THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH HARRIS COUNTY. WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN MAYBE WORK WITH WALLER COUNTY AS WELL, AND ALSO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHAT'S IT CALLED? WORKFORCE. I APOLOGIZE, OLD TIMERS COMING IN. SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENGAGE WITH OUR CLIENTS, WITH THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ALSO MATCH OUR FEDERAL GRANTS. AND BINGO, I WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT BINGO EVERY MONDAY NIGHT, EXCEPT FOR WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE IT ON THE HOLIDAY. THIS IS THE TEXAS LOTTERY BOARD. WE EXPERIENCE LIKE EVERY OTHER PROGRAM IN THE NATION, UP TO A 40% CUT ON OUR FOCUS. AND SO WE'RE WE, I WANT TO I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO LET GO OF ANY MORE OF MY STAFF. I LET GO OF TO MY STAFF THIS YEAR. WE CAN'T WALLER COUNTY, HARRIS COUNTY, WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT. 
          SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE PROGRAMS. WE'LL MOVE THROUGH THESE QUICKLY, DO HOLIDAY BASKETS EVERY YEAR FOR THANKSGIVING AND AND CHRISTMAS AND GIFTS AS WELL. AND WE WORK WITH TOYS FOR TOTS AND SEVERAL OTHER PROGRAMS. WE ALSO HAVE A BLANKET DRIVE. OUR BLANKETS ARE OBLITERATED WITHIN THE FIRST, LIKE 2.5 HOURS OF THAT BLANKET DRIVE. AND YOU THINK, OH MAN, THAT MANY PEOPLE NEED BLANKETS. I AM SAD TO SAY THAT, YES, THEY'RE COLD AND WE'RE NOT PRIVILEGED TO HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE A HOUSE THAT'S SAFE AND DRY. LET'S SEE. 
          KEEP GOING. OUR TURTLE ROCK. THANK YOU FOR THE KIM FOR APPROVING OUR MAP. WE JUST HELD IT. WE RAISED. HOW MUCH DO WE. CONSTRUCTED OVER? IT'S A LITTLE OVER $17,000. AND SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT. AND WE DO HAVE CASINO NIGHT COMING UP SEPTEMBER 12TH. I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE COMMISSIONERS REPORTED THAT. I THINK THAT IT SHOWS THAT YOU GUYS ARE PART OF US. AND I THINK THAT EVEN IF YOU DISABLE, I JUST REALLY WANT YOUR PRESENCE THERE BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT WE'RE SERVING THIS COMMUNITY AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S HELPING CYPRESS AND UP TO DATE. OH, SORRY. SEE, SHE'S GOT MY RIGHT, LEFT AND MY HEAD. SO IF YOU WANT TO BE A SUPPORTER OF OURS, WHICH YOU ALREADY ARE, AND WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE INVESTED IN FAMILY TIES, WE JUST HOPE THAT IF YOU WANT TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER, WE ACTUALLY ARE GETTING READY TO START OUR SEXUAL ASSAULT TRAININGS FOR THE EVENT. SO IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN THAT, PLEASE CONTACT ACTUALLY CONTACT KAYLA OR ROSE. AND WE REALLY COULDN'T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT YOUR ASSISTANCE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING US. OUR 
          [00:45:08]
JOB IS EASY. Y'ALL'S JOB ISN'T EASY. BUT LIKE I SAID, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE OUTCOME FOR THAT IS HUGE. THE STORY I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU. WE HAD A YOUNG LADY WHO WAS RECENTLY SEXUALLY ASSAULTED. SHE WAS JUST BARELY A YOUNG ADULT. THE SYSTEM FAILED HER, UNFORTUNATELY, AND BUT SHE IS RESILIENT. SHE WENT THROUGH COUNSELING, SHE WENT THROUGH SUPPORT SERVICES, AND SHE BUILT A PROGRAM FOR US AND CAME TO THE COUNSELOR'S AND SAID, I WANT TO DO THIS. IT'S A PROGRAM WE'RE GOING TO BE PUSHING THROUGH IN THE SUMMER. IT'S CALLED MORE THAN WORDS. YOU'LL BE GETTING AN INVITATION TO THE END OF IT. IT'S WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME THROUGH DIFFERENT THERAPEUTIC, CATHARTIC MEANS AND PRESENT SOMETHING PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL, WHETHER IT'S POETRY OR WHATEVER, AND THEN PRESENT IT TO THE NIGHT IF THEY CHOOSE OR DISPLAY THEIR ARTWORK. SO WE'LL BE HAVING TWO SESSIONS, ABOUT ONE IN JULY AND ONE IN AUGUST. BUT WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO MY COUNSELORS, THEY WERE SO OVERWORKED. RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE LIKE, OH NO. AND I SAID, GUYS, THIS IS FULL CIRCLE. THIS IS WHAT HEALING LOOKS LIKE. AND SO THEY ALL EMBRACED IT. AND THEY ARE VERY ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS A SUCCESS AND SUPPORTING THAT CLIENT. SO I JUST APPRECIATE ONCE AGAIN, ALL THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE FOR US. AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN EITHER ASK ME LATER. I KNOW YOUR TIME IS SHORT HERE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HEATHER. IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO GET INVOLVED, WHERE DO THEY GO TO? IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO GET INVOLVED, WHETHER IT'S FINANCIALLY VOLUNTEER, WHO DO THEY JUST CONTACT YOU GUYS THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR YES, YOU WILL SEE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR DONATING OR VOLUNTEERING AND WHO, WHO, WHO TO CONTACT. BUT THAT WILL BE PERFECT. AND YOU CAN ALSO BE A MEMBER OF OUR FACEBOOK. SO IF YOU'LL CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK, YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING OR MOST EVERYTHING. AND THEN THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE GETTING IN CONTACT WITH A COUPLE OF YOU. AND SO IF YOU IF WE CAN GET A BETTER CONTACT FOR A COUPLE OF YOU, THAT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE INCLUDING EVERYBODY IN OUR EFFORTS AND MAKE SURE THAT YOUR PRECINCTS ARE REPRESENTED. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND ACCOUNTING POTENTIALLY IN THE FUTURE. WELL, AGAIN, HEATHER, AND TO EVERYONE, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOU DO ON A DAILY BASIS. THERE'S JUST THERE'S NO WORDS. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH WORDS TO EXPRESS THEIR APPRECIATION THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING. AND NOT JUST IN WALLER COUNTY, BUT IN HARRIS COUNTY AND AUSTIN COUNTY AND BEYOND THAT, SOME OF THOSE I KNOW YOU DIDN'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS UP THERE VERY LONG, BUT SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS WERE VERY DISHEARTENING TO SAY THE LEAST. I MEAN, I THINK THERE WAS A HOMICIDE STATISTIC. YEAH, THERE IT IS, 723 CASES. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WITH THE HOMICIDES AS WELL IS THAT WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT THE HOMICIDES THAT ENDED IN MURDER, EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF OUR HOMICIDES HAVE DECREASED, THE ONES THAT HAVE ENDED IN MURDER ARE WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. MURDERS HAVE INCREASED. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN'T IGNORE. AND SO I DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THAT. AND THEN TO ME, THE CHILD ABUSE NUMBERS WERE STAGGERING. AND EARLY ON 27 YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED IN THIS MOVEMENT, CHILDREN WERE SEEN AS A SECONDARY VICTIM. THEY WERE NOT SEEN AS A PRIORITY BECAUSE WE WERE WE'RE JUST BAND AIDING IN. THE MOVEMENTS WERE NEW. BUT NOW WE KNOW THAT THE IMPACT FROM ACES AND OTHER STUDIES, BUT ESPECIALLY THAT IS JUST THE BIGGEST LONG TERM STUDY THAT CHILDREN ARE SO EMPHATICALLY IMPACTED BY VIOLENCE. WE KNOW IT'S CYCLICAL AND IT MOVES THROUGH FAMILIES FOR GENERATIONS AND GENERATIONS, AND OUR GOAL IS TO STOP THAT. 
          AND WE HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY THROUGH THE YEARS TO CONTINUE THAT. WE KNOW IT'S NEVER GOING TO PROBABLY END, BUT WE WOULD SURE LOVE IF IT WOULD. AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ALLOWING US TO DO THIS WORK. AND I DO APPRECIATE MY STAFF BECAUSE THEY WORK REALLY HARD FOR THIS COUNTY. THEY WORK HARD FOR HARRIS COUNTY AS WELL, AND I FEEL LIKE THEY WORK HARD FOR ME. AND SO THANKS GUYS. AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL. I WILL SAY THIS, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A THERE WAS A BIBLE QUOTE I ACTUALLY CAME ACROSS RECENTLY THAT MADE ME THINK OF YOU GUYS. AND IT WAS PSALM 91, CHAPTER 91, VERSES ONE THROUGH FOUR. LORD, I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD PROTECT MY CHILDREN FROM THE EVIL ONE, HIDING THEM IN YOUR SHELTER AND COVERING THEM WITH YOUR WINGS. 
          Y'ALL ARE GOD'S SHELTER. Y'ALL ARE GOD'S WINGS. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. YOU DO GOD'S WORK. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. AND YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD THAT WE SUPPORT YOU ALL IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I DID TELL MY STAFF THAT WE SELL OUR SOUL TO 
          [00:50:04]
THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO THERE'S LIMITS ON HOW WE CAN SHARE THAT, THAT I TOLD THEM I SEE OUR LIFE AND WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE CONDUCT OURSELVES AND HOW WE WORK WITH THEM. AND SO WE ARE GRATEFUL. AND I DO FEEL LIKE WE ARE TRYING TO DO OUR VERY BEST TO PROVIDE THOSE THINGS. I STILL FEEL LIKE IT'S HARD TO NOT FALL SHORT, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN HELPING US GET WHERE WE CAN BE. AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE ABLE TO USE OUR SERVICES. I THINK THAT WE HAVE SEEN SUCH AN AMAZING OUTCOME FOR MANY THAT ARE WILLING TO ENGAGE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP. LET'S SEE. I THINK THE NEXT ITEM LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP NUMBER 65. OH YEAH, NUMBER 65. SECOND I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND ON 65. THIS IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO FAMILY TIES AND THE AMOUNT OF $20,000. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? THAT MOTION CARRIES. AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP 66 WHILE WE'RE AT IT. 
          SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, THIS IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO CASA, ALSO SUPPORTED IN OUR COUNTY BUDGET. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. 
          ALL OPPOSED. AND THEN WE'LL GET WE'LL GET TO. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE WITH BOURBON COUNTY MEALS ON WHEELS. WE'LL GET THAT TO LATER IN THE MEETING. AGAIN, THANK ALL OF YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. APPRECIATE YOU ALL SO MUCH. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. ALL RIGHT, WITH 
          [PROCLAMATION (Part 2 of 2)]
THAT, WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO NUMBER 42. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING APRIL 12TH TO 18TH AS PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I SERVE AS A BOARD MEMBER ON THE GULF COAST. 911 DISTRICT THAT BASICALLY COVERS WALLER COUNTY, A NUMBER OF COUNTIES IN THE HOUSTON REGION. OUR DISPATCH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TWO POINTS OF DISPATCH IN WALLER COUNTY, ONE IN BROOKSHIRE AND ONE AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THIS IS BASICALLY A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING ALL THE WORK THAT THESE FOLKS DO TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. IT'S A SHORT PROCLAMATION. I'M GOING TO READ IT REAL QUICK. WHEREAS EMERGENCIES THAT REQUIRE FIRE, POLICE, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE CAN OCCUR ANYTIME. AND WHEREAS WHEN THESE EMERGENCIES OCCUR, THE PUBLIC WILL OFTEN DIAL 911 FOR ASSISTANCE. AND WHEREAS THE 17 TELECOMMUNICATORS EMPLOYED BY WALLER COUNTY ANSWER THOSE CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE AND SERVE AS THE FIRST AND MOST CRITICAL CONTACT FOR OUR CITIZENS, OUR CITIZENS HAVE WITH EMERGENCY SERVICES. AND WHEREAS, THE SAFETY OF POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND PARAMEDICS THAT SERVE OUR CITIZENS IS DEPENDENT ON THE QUALITY AND ACCURACY OF INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THE CITIZENS WHO USE THE 911 SYSTEM. AND WHEREAS, EACH PUBLIC PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATOR HAS EXHIBITED COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING AND PROFESSIONALISM DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR JOB IN THE PAST YEAR, AND WHEREAS ON OCTOBER 9TH, 1991, THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES PROCLAIMED THE SECOND WEEK OF APRIL AS NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK. NOW FOR THAT, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE WALLER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT PROCLAIMS THE WEEK OF APRIL 12TH THROUGH 18TH, 2026 AS PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK IN HONOR OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE DILIGENCE AND PROFESSIONALISM KEEP OUR COUNTY AND CITIZENS SAFE TO PASS THIS 15TH DAY OF APRIL 2026. AGAIN, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVER GET TO SEE OUR DISPATCHERS. THEY HIDE THEM AWAY IN A CAVE AT THE WALLER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. IT LITERALLY IS KIND OF IT REALLY IS. IT'S REAL DARK, SO THEY CAN SEE ALL THERE. THEY HAVE. YOU SHOULD SEE THE JUST A CONSOLE. THEY HAVE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DIFFERENT COMPUTER SCREENS. 
          IT AMAZES ME THE JOB THEY DO, WHICH IS BASICALLY KEEPING TRACK OF MULTIPLE AGENCIES, MULTIPLE EVENTS, ALL GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME. AND THEY DO SO PROFESSIONALLY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY. AND THEY ALWAYS MAKE SURE THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY DO IT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE GET THE HELP THEY NEED THAT ARE FOLKS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT OR EMS OR FIREFIGHTERS GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE, THAT THEIR SAFETY IS, YOU KNOW, TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS WELL. THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB AND THEY'RE THERE 24 SEVEN. THEY'RE ALWAYS ON THE JOB MAKING SURE THAT EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE THERE, GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE WHEN THEY'RE NEEDED. SO I APPRECIATE 
          [00:55:04]
THEM. AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT. AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO DO THIS PROCLAMATION. NOW, YOU KNOW, AND AND YOU'RE RIGHT. BECAUSE WHEN YOU SEE IT, YOU DON'T KNOW THEY'RE DISPATCHERS. THEY DON'T HAVE A FANCY UNIFORM AND A BADGE. AND SO BUT THEY'RE FANTASTIC. THEY'RE THERE. THAT THAT CALMING VOICE ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU NEED THEM AND GETTING TO KNOW OUR DISPATCHERS. AND OVER THE YEARS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, BIG CRAZY EVENTS GOING ON, THE FACT THAT THEY CAN REMAIN CALM IN THAT MOMENT OF CHAOS IS JUST IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. THERE'S NO WAY I COULD DO IT. BUT THEY'RE THEY'RE CALM. THEY, THEY, THEY'RE TRAINED AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE EXPERTS AT WHAT THEY DO. 
          AND SO THEY ARE THE UNSUNG, UNSUNG HEROES BEHIND THE SCENES. SO WE THANK ALL OF THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE. ABSOLUTELY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, ANGELA? THANK YOU. THE SHERIFF ASKED ME TO THANK THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS AND APOLOGIZE FOR HIS LACK OF PRESENCE TODAY. HE WAS CALLED AWAY. WE DO HAVE TWO PEOPLE FROM DISPATCH THAT ARE REPRESENTING THAT AREA AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A PHOTO WITH THE COMMISSIONERS, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. OKAY. YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. YES, SIR. WHY DON'T WE HAVE THEM COME UP AND LET THEM BE RECOGNIZED? HOW ABOUT A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF OUR TELECOMMUNICATIONS? LET ME GET THIS PROCLAMATION. 
          LET ME GO AHEAD. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE DAIS? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE PROCLAMATION? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, LET ME GET THIS THING SIGNED, AND WE'RE GOING TO COME UP AND TAKE A PICTURE. THANK YOU. JUDGE. 
          THANK YOU. AND WHAT DO YOU WANT? THE MICROPHONE. I'D LIKE TO KNOW. A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION. 
          OKAY. WE NEED THAT FOR. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THAT TAKES CARE OF OUR 
          [COUNTY JUDGE]
PROCLAMATIONS. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO NUMBER 43. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND ON 43, THIS IS AN EXTENSION OF THE CONTRACT, THE DELINQUENT TAX COLLECTION CONTRACT WITH PERDUE, BRANDON FIELDER, COLLINS AND MOTT. I KNOW WE HAVE OTILIA GONZALEZ HERE TODAY. HI, OTILIA. 
          HOW ARE YOU? GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU AND REQUEST A RENEWAL OF OUR DELINQUENT TAX CONTRACT. WE APPRECIATE YOUR BUSINESS AS WE WORK HARD EVERY DAY TO KEEP IT AND TO DO A GOOD JOB FOR YOU AND FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY COLLECTING THEIR DELINQUENT TAXES. THE TERM WE'RE REQUESTING IN THIS CONTRACT IS FIVE YEARS. I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO RESPECTFULLY REMIND YOU THAT OUR ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS HAVE A 30 DAY OUT PROVISION. SO IF YOU'RE EVER NOT PLEASED FOR ANY REASON, WE ONLY ASK FOR 30 DAYS NOTICE AND WE'LL GO. SO IT KEEPS US ON OUR TOES, KEEPS US HONEST AND WORKING HARD FOR YOUR BUSINESS EVERY DAY. WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND I WILL SAY, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU COME IN I THINK QUARTERLY DON'T YOU? AND GIVE US TAX COLLECTION REPORTS OR TWO TIMES A YEAR AND YOU KNOW EVERY TIME I MEAN I THINK I THINK Y'ALL GOT BROUGHT ON BOARD RIGHT BEFORE I BECAME COUNTY JUDGE. BUT LOOKING AT EVERYTHING HISTORICALLY AND THE 
          [01:00:02]
TAX COLLECTION PRIOR TO THAT AND WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE SINCE YOU'VE COME IN, Y'ALL DO A GREAT JOB. I KNOW Y'ALL EMPLOY EVERY RESOURCE YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE. YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO KNOW HOW AI HAS PROBABLY AFFECTED TAX COLLECTION. I IMAGINE THAT THAT'S PROBABLY CHANGING SOME THINGS AS WELL. BUT BUT YEAH, I THINK Y'ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AND I'M HAPPY TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DON'T YOU DON'T COST THE COUNTY ANYTHING DO YOU? THAT'S CORRECT. 
          ALL OF OUR COLLECTION SERVICES ARE AT NO COST TO THE COUNTY. SO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DELINQUENT ARE HAVING TO PAY THE COST OF RECOVERY OF THE MONEY. THAT'S CORRECT. WE COVER ALL OF THAT DOWN TO THE POSTAGE, THE PHONE CALLS, THE DATABASE SERVICES. ALL OF THAT IS WE ABSORB THAT. THAT EITHER GETS PAID BY THE TAX, BY THE TAXPAYER WHEN THEY EVENTUALLY DO GET CAUGHT UP, OR UNFORTUNATELY, IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T GET CAUGHT UP AND THEN THEIR PROPERTY GOES INTO FORECLOSURE, STILL GET PAID WHEN THAT PROPERTY GETS SOLD AND THAT GETS TAKEN OUT OF THOSE PROCEEDS, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. AND THEY ALSO NOT ONLY THE TAXES, BUT THEY COLLECT ALL OF OUR, YOU KNOW, FOR THE GPS, YOU KNOW, TICKETS AND FINES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE NOT HEARD A SINGLE COMPLAINT FROM THE GPS OR, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS OF THE TAX OFFICE. AND I THINK Y'ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. SO WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. ARE YOU ASKING FOR FIVE YEARS? THIS WAS A IT'S A SORT OF A LONG TERM RENEWAL. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME CHANGES IN THE COURT. IT'S TO GET EVERYTHING IN ORDER SO THAT THE NEXT COURT DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE FOR A VERY LONG TIME. IT'S ALSO HAS THE THE RECOMMENDATION AND SUPPORT OF MADAM TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR. 
          WELL, AGAIN, COMMISSIONER, AT ANY POINT IT'S A 30 DAY WE CAN CALL AND SAY, GIVE THEM 30 DAYS NOTICE TOMORROW AND IT'S OVER. BUT THOSE TWO CANCEL EACH OTHER OUT. YOU KNOW, IT JUST SAYS WE DON'T HAVE TO RENEW IT EVERY YEAR. BUT WE CAN WE CAN CANCEL IT AT ANY POINT FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS UNLESS WE'RE NOT HAPPY, IN WHICH CASE, AT ANY POINT WE CAN GIVE 30 DAY NOTICE AND WE'RE OUT. YEAH. SO I'M OKAY WITH THAT ONE. SATISFIED WITH THAT ANSWER? YES. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? KAATELIA. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD THEN. ALL IN FAVOR? HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? CONTRACT IS 
          [TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR]
APPROVED. AND THEN WE HAVE I KNOW, THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM. WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A PUBLIC TAX RESALE. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. I'M HERE TO OFFER INFORMATION ON THAT AS WELL. WE ARE SCHEDULING A SHERIFF'S SALE FOR JUNE, WHICH IS THE FIRST TIME SALE OF THE PROPERTY. SO WE THESE ARE PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE TO FILE A TAX SUIT ON. AND THEN WE OFFER FOR SALE AT THE SHERIFF'S SALE. HOWEVER, IF THEY DON'T SELL THAT FIRST TIME, THEY GET STRUCK OFF TO THE ENTITY THAT REQUESTED THE ORDER OF SALE, WHICH. THE LIST OF PROPOSED PROPERTIES ARE STRUCK OFF TO THE COUNTY. SO FOR THE FOR THE. THEY'RE IN THE NAME OF THE COUNTY. BUT FOR THE USE AND BENEFIT OF ALL THE ENTITIES, THE PROPOSED LIST IN FRONT OF YOU ARE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN STRUCK OFF OF THE TAX ROLL. YOU CAN SEE THE DATA, THE TAX DEED. THAT'S HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN OFF THE TAX ROLL. SO OFFER THESE AT A BIG PUBLIC TAX RESALE WHERE PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS CAN REGISTER, GET THEIR CERTIFICATE OF NO DELINQUENT TAXES, SHOWING THAT THEY DON'T OWE TAXES TO THE COUNTY AND THEN BID AND THE PROPERTY WILL GO TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. OKAY, SO IT LOOKS LIKE OKAY, SO YOU'VE GOT TEN PROPERTIES. YES, THAT'S CORRECT. AND THERE ARE MAPS THAT ACCOMPANY THEM, EXCEPT FOR THE VERY LAST ITEM, WHICH IS AN UNDIVIDED INTEREST SINCE THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT DIDN'T HAVE THAT PARCEL NUMBER ON THE MAP, WE DIDN'T WANT TO MISLEAD ANYONE. SO I WOULD LET THE PUBLIC KNOW ANY QUESTIONS. 
          OUR PHONE NUMBER IS THERE. OUR EMAIL. WE'RE ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO HELP PEOPLE IDENTIFY WHERE THE PROPERTY IS OR IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WHEN THEY'RE STRUCK OFF. DOES THAT CANCEL ANY OTHER CLAIMS TO THE PROPERTY, MORTGAGE COMPANIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT? YEAH. SO WE TOOK THE TAX JUDGMENT AND ANY LIENHOLDERS THAT HAD A RECORDED LIEN ARE IN THE JUDGMENT. ONCE THE PROPERTY IS SOLD TO THE NEXT BUYER, THOSE LIEN CLAIMS WILL BE WIPED AWAY. 
          BUT ANY TIME ANYBODY CAN COME AND PAY THEIR TAXES AND WE WON'T SELL IT, THAT DOESN'T CONVEY THE TITLE. YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT TO GO SQUARE THAT AWAY. SO WHEN A PROPERTY GETS STRUCK OFF, IT GOES TO SALE. AND LET'S SAY NOBODY COMES UP. THERE'S A MINIMUM AMOUNT, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. IF NOBODY COMES UP AND BIDS THAT, THEN IT'S STRUCK OFF. AND IF IT'S OUR TAX 
          [01:05:05]
SALE, THEN THAT'S WHEN IT BECOMES ONE OF OUR TRUST PROPERTIES. THAT'S CORRECT. AND WE BASICALLY NOW OWN THAT HAVE OWN THAT THAT PROPERTY IN TRUST. AND THEN TYPICALLY SOMEBODY THEN LATER MIGHT SHOW UP AND SAYS, OH, I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, AND AS LONG AS THEY PAY THE AMOUNT THAT'S DUE, NOT JUST US, BUT WITH ALL THE TAXING ENTITIES, THEN THEY CAN ACQUIRE THAT PROPERTY JUST BY ENGAGING THE COUNTY. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT WOULD BE A PRIVATE TAX RESALE. IT'S CALLED PRIVATE, BUT IT'S A VERY PUBLIC WILL COME AND PUT THE ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA WITH THE BID ANALYSIS. THIS IS THE PARALLEL. THIS IS A PUBLIC TAX RESALE. THESE PROPERTIES. NO ONE HAS COME TO MAKE A BID ON. SO THE MINIMUM BIDS ARE DROPPED TO LOWER THAN THE ORIGINAL SALE. TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CONSIDER AND COME AND BUY. OH, SO THIS IS THIS THIS IS THE SECOND GO FOR THESE PROPERTIES. YES, SIR. OKAY, I UNDERSTAND. ALL RIGHT. 
          I'M JUST CURIOUS. I MEAN, I KNOW AT LEAST EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COMMISSIONERS COURT, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON TO SEE THE LOTS IN DEERWOOD. HOW BIG IS HOW MANY ACRES TOTAL IS DEERWOOD? THERE'S THOUSANDS OF LOTS IN THERE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. YEAH. I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN SEEING THEM FOR TEN PLUS YEARS AND I JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW MANY LOTS ARE STILL OUT THERE. THERE'S THERE A LOT IN DEERWOOD EAST IN PARTICULAR DOESN'T HAVE THE ROADS BUILT AND A SIGNIFICANT PART OF IT. AND YOU'LL FIND SOMEBODY MIGHT BUY A LOT OUT THERE AND PUT UP A TENT AND LIVE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW? SO I ALMOST WISH THAT WE COULD JUST NOT RESELL THEM SO THAT WE DON'T TEMP SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND TRY TO OCCUPY THEM AND THEN CAUSE PROBLEMS. BUT I GUESS THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE. WELL, WE'VE SEEN WHERE PEOPLE WILL BUY MULTIPLE LOTS TOGETHER AND COMBINE THEM BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH. YEAH, THERE'S SOME ISSUES OUT THERE. ALL RIGHT. 
          ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS FOR AMELIA. LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET THE MOTION ON NUMBER 44. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 44 CARRIES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL 
          [COUNTY ENGINEER]
RIGHT, 45 AND 46 ARE GOING TO BE WITHDRAWN. I DON'T THINK THOSE ARE READY AT THIS TIME. 
          [LIBRARY]
SO WE'LL PROBABLY SEE THOSE AT A LATER TIME. LET'S MOVE TO 47. SECOND MOTION AND SECOND ON 47. 
          THANK YOU TO WYATT RESOURCES. THIS IS A DONATION OF $250 TO THE WALLER COUNTY LIBRARY AND BROOKSHIER AND PATTERSON. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. 
          [GRANT MANAGER]
ALL OPPOSED? 47 CARRIES. NUMBER 48. BEFORE WE HAVE THE MOTION, I THINK WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT. 
          LET ME LOOK AT THIS. AN AMENDMENT IS NEEDED. SO THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE AND OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS REQUESTED ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT UNDER THIS GRANT APPLICATION, THE REVISED LANGUAGE IS PROVIDED BELOW. OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO READ OUT THIS IS THE REVISED LANGUAGE DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION TO AUTHORIZE COUNTY GRANT MANAGER TO SUBMIT A GRANT APPLICATION TO A NOTE A KNOWAK O N E OK1 OAK IN THE AMOUNT OF $38,517.55 FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE EQUIPMENT FOR THE WALLER COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. THAT IS THE LINE ITEM. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. SO THIS IS A GRANT APPLICATION THROUGH A PRIVATE OIL AND GAS OPERATING COMPANY. THEY HAVE GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC TO BASICALLY GET EQUIPMENT FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. DEAN REACHED OUT TO BRIAN AND THEN ME REGARDING SOME EQUIPMENT NEEDS THAT THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE AND OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAVE. AND SO THE BACKGROUND THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE SETS FORTH THE EQUIPMENT REQUEST. IT IS RANKED ACCORDING TO PRIORITY BECAUSE ONE OAK ADVISED THAT IN THE EVENT THAT THEY CANNOT FUND THE ENTIRE GRANT APPLICATION, THEY WILL DO PARTIAL AWARDS. AND THEY ASKED US TO RENT THE EQUIPMENT. ANY QUESTIONS? WHEN WHEN DO THEY MAKE THEIR DECISION? SO THE WAY THAT THE COMPANY OPERATES IS GRANTS ARE TIERED. SO IT DEPENDS. THE THE LEVEL OF VETTING DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH GRANT AWARDS ARE SEEKING, BECAUSE THIS IS A GRANT REQUEST IN EXCESS OF 25,000, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO THE COMPANY'S FOUNDATION BOARD. SO THEY WILL BE MEETING IN JULY. OH, OKAY. AND I DO WANT TO NOTE 
          [01:10:01]
WITH EQUIPMENT IN PARTICULAR, OBVIOUSLY PRICE FLUCTUATES PRETTY DRASTICALLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE. WE DO HAVE A QUOTE FROM MOTOROLA FOR THE REQUESTED EQUIPMENT, BUT JUST KNOW IN THE EVENT THE QUOTE EXPIRES AND WE NEED TO OBTAIN A NEW ONE AND THE PRICE CHANGES. WHEN I COME BACK TO YOU ALL FOR APPROVAL OF THE GRANT AWARD, THERE MAY NEED TO BE A DISCUSSION REGARDING LOCAL MATCH TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE RUN. UNDERSTOOD. JUST CURIOUS, HOW DID WE FIND THIS GRANT? DEAN FOUND IT. YEAH, I ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO US WITH THE PIPELINE COMING THROUGH THE COUNTY. THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE THE AGENCY TO RESPOND TO INVESTIGATE THESE TYPE OF EVENTS. SO THEY REACHED OUT TO US. OKAY, WELL THAT'S GREAT. GOOD. HUGE CONSEDINE. HE OBVIOUSLY HAS GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIPS IN THE AREA AND LEVERAGES THOSE QUITE FREQUENTLY TO ACCESS PRIVATE FOUNDATION GRANTS. OKAY, THAT'S THAT'S GREAT. I WAS JUST CURIOUS. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION FROM THE DAIS? THE AMOUNT THE AMOUNT WAS $38,517.55. AND SO JUST FROM A TIMELINE PERSPECTIVE, LIKE I MENTIONED, THE FOUNDATION BOARD WILL MEET IN JULY. SO DEPENDING ON THE TURNAROUND FROM THEM, I SUSPECT COMING TO Y'ALL IN LATE SUMMER, EARLY FALL, FINGERS CROSSED. IF WE GET A GRANT AWARD FOR APPROVAL. GREAT. OKAY. VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR OF 48. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 48 CARRIES. THANK YOU. BROOKE. 
          ALL RIGHT, JAMIE, YOU'VE BEEN BUSY. ALL RIGHT. SO JUST A QUESTION. CAN WE CAN WE GO 
          [PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR]
AHEAD AND TAKE 49 THROUGH 57 AS ONE GROUP? OKAY. LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND ON 49 THROUGH 57. SO, JAMIE, WHY DON'T YOU JUST WALK US THROUGH IT? SO I'LL DISCUSS EACH ONE. YOU MAY STOP ME AT ANY POINT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BECAUSE SOMETIMES I TEND TO TALK TOO QUICKLY. 49 AND 50 ARE KIND OF JOINED TOGETHER. 49 IS YOU COURT MEMBERS APPROVED BACK IN DECEMBER FOR OFFICE FURNITURE FOR THE DISTRICT CLERK'S OFFICE. 
          THE VENDOR WAS WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH WITH LIZ ON THAT. AND I BELIEVE THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY, THEY HAD COME BACK AND SAID THEY ARE UNABLE TO FULFILL THE ORDER. 
          KIND OF CAUGHT US BY SURPRISE. SO THEREFORE WE PRETTY MUCH STARTED FROM SCRATCH. AND HERE WE ARE NOW FOR ITEM 50. WE'RE REQUESTING TO AWARD THE FURNITURE TO OFFICE DEPOT. I BELIEVE LIZ IS VERY COMFORTABLE WITH IT AND HOPING TO MOVE FORWARD. STILL, FURNITURE TAKES ABOUT 6 TO 8 WEEKS, MAYBE BEFORE INSTALLATION, BUT WE'RE THERE AND SHE'S FIT RIGHT NOW. 
          SHE DOES HAVE FURNITURE CURRENTLY. SHE'S NOT JUST SITTING THERE IN HER OFFICE DOING NOTHING. SHE HAS FURNITURE, SO WE'RE OKAY. LIZ, ARE YOU CURSED? I SAY THAT WITH ALL THE LOVE IN THE WORLD. I MEAN, IT'S LIKE I AM TRYING. IT'S LIKE, I SO WANT YOU TO HAVE YOUR YOUR OFFICE ALL DONE AND COMPLETE MY. SO. IS IT THE SAME PROCUREMENT IN 50 TO REPLACE 49 IN TERMS OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE BEING PURCHASED? I MEAN, IS IT APPLES AND APPLES? IT IS APPLES TO APPLES. SO WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN COST BECAUSE THE FIRST ONE COULDN'T FULFILL IT. GREAT QUESTION. SO IT ACTUALLY HAS INCREASED JUST A TAD BIT. THE OVERAGE IS $1,634.07. OKAY. AND THIS WAS I DID REACH OUT TO MULTIPLE VENDORS AND ACQUIRE THAT. IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME BECAUSE IT IS HARD SOMETIMES TO GET APPLES TO APPLES. RIGHT. 
          THE DESIGN OF. I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THE ORIGINAL COMPANY HAD AN OBLIGATION TO SUPPLY IT. 
          THAT'S WHAT IT IS. OKAY. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. YEAH, YEAH, WE WERE TOLD THEY WERE COMING BACK. YEAH, YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. ITEM 51 IS AN AGREEMENT FOR A FORENSIC SOFTWARE PLATFORM. 
          THIS IS FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THIS ALLOWS THEM TO UNLOCK AND EXTRACT DATA FROM ELECTRONIC DEVICES FOR INVESTIGATIVE PROCESSES. 52 IS AN AGREEMENT WITH JLL. THIS IS FOR APPRAISAL SERVICES. THIS IS FOR THE PRIMARY PARCEL THAT'S LOCATED IN BROOKSHIRE STELLA ROAD AND STORK NECK ROAD. HOPEFULLY I SAID THAT PROPERLY. THE. THERE YOU GO. NUMBER ITEM 
          [01:15:08]
53 IS AN AGREEMENT FOR ARBITRAGE REBATE SERVICES WITH THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE. FOR THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE 54 IS. REQUEST TO AWARD THE RECONSTRUCTION OF PINNOCK ROAD. I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE COMPETITION ON THIS. WE RECEIVED SIX RESPONSES AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNT CAME UNDER BUDGET. THE BUDGET WAS 9.4 MILLION. ITEM 55 IS AN AGREEMENT WITH AXON FOR TASERS. 
          TASER BUNDLES FOR CONSTABLE PRECINCT THREE, AND THE REMAINDER IS FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I HAVE IT BROKEN DOWN THERE. SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS MOSTLY THE HARDWARE AND ACCESSORIES FOR THEIR TASERS. ITEM 56 IS OFFICE FURNITURE FOR THE NEW FIRE MARSHAL'S LOCATION TO BE LOCATED AT USD 200 IN BROOKSHIRE, AND I BELIEVE MOVE IN DATE IS IN MAY, JUNE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SURE. OKAY. IS THAT THAT PROJECT'S COMING ALONG, MARSHALL. SO HOPEFULLY THE FURNITURE WILL BE THERE. ACTUALLY, IT'LL PROBABLY BE READY PRIOR TO THEIR MOVE IN DATE, MOST LIKELY. AND ITEM 57 IS AN AGREEMENT WITH LEMONS AUCTIONEERS FOR A ONLINE AUCTION SERVICES FOR SURPLUS PROPERTY. THIS MOSTLY HAS TO DEAL WITH THE OLD HOSPITAL, BUT WE WILL ALSO HAVE VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THAT AS WELL. FOR SURPLUS THAT I'M WORKING ON WITH DANNY FACILITIES. SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE. NO COST TO THE COUNTY. THIS WILL BE REVENUE, BUT DON'T GET YOUR HOPES UP. IT PROBABLY WON'T BE THAT MUCH. YEAH, WHAT WE'RE SELLING IS NOT WORTH. YEAH. I TOOK JAMIE OVER TO THE HOSPITAL AND SHE WAS LIKE, OH MY GOD. 
          THERE'S JUST ROOMS THAT ARE STACKED WITH OLD FURNITURE. LIKE SOME OF IT IS PROBABLY SOME OF IT NOW PROBABLY ACTUALLY MIGHT HAVE VALUE AS AN ANTIQUE ITEM. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT. I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN PROBABLY PROPERLY PRESERVED OR, YOU KNOW, ETC. 
          BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH GETTING THAT BUILDING DEMOED AND WE GOT TO GET RID OF EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THERE. AND IT'S JUST A LOT. IT IS A LOT. I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING DECADES OF STUFF THAT HAD NO PURPOSE LEFT A LOT OF CRITTERS LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME. YES. WE NEVER KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND. I GUESS ONCE, ONCE THE AUCTIONEER STARTS DIGGING INTO THOSE ROOMS. ALL RIGHT. MOVING FORWARD. WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COURT ON ANY OF THE ITEMS? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE THEN ALL IN FAVOR OF 49 THROUGH 57. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. JAMIE. ALL 
          [DIRECTOR OF POLICY & ADMINISTRATION]
RIGHT. THAT BRINGS US TO 58, WHICH IS GOING TO BE UNDER OUR DIRECTOR OF POLICY ADMINISTRATION, A DISCUSSION ON HEALTHY COUNTY INITIATIVES. ROBERT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, THIS I JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS UP TO TO BRING MORE AWARENESS TO THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES. WE'RE NOT HAVING GREAT PARTICIPATION IN OUR HEALTHY COUNTY PROGRAM. I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT 8 OR 9 PRETTY ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS. OUT OF 450 EMPLOYEES. THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN EMPLOYEES WHO ARE TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES. AND OUR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS. LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR IN MY TENURE WITH WALLER COUNTY, WHERE THE BUDGET COMMITTEE ACTUALLY HAD TO PASS ON SOME COSTS TO THE TO THE EMPLOYEES THROUGH THE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS. SO WHAT I'M PRESSING FOR IS FOR MORE PARTICIPATION IN THE HEALTHY COUNTY PROGRAM, IF WE CAN GET MORE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE, WE HAVE HEALTHY EMPLOYEES. HEALTHIER EMPLOYEES LEAD TO LOWER PREMIUM INCREASES. AND THAT COULD OBVIOUSLY BE GOOD FOR YOUR POCKETBOOK. ALSO, THERE'S PROGRAMS AND APPS THAT WE USE. THERE'S A WAS A WELL ON TARGET APP THAT WILL TRACK YOUR STEPS. IF YOU DO ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT THAT YOU NEED, THERE ARE PRIZES INVOLVED AND YOU CAN GET UP TO $200 A MONTH THROUGH THAT OR $200 A YEAR THROUGH THAT. AND THEN THE WELL ON TARGET, WELL ON TARGET, ON TARGET. IF YOU DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO DO THROUGH THAT AND GET ALL THE POINTS YOU NEED, THE EMPLOYEES CAN GET EIGHT HOURS OF PTO GIVEN TO THEM, AS WELL AS $75. AND JONES OFFICE DOES PROVIDE PRIZES FOR PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATE. AND. AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS PROGRAMS THROUGH BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD 
          [01:20:03]
CONNECTED WITH YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE. WE PUSH OUT AN EMAIL AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS. ALSO, IF YOU JUST IF YOU WEAR A TRACKER EVERY DAY FOR EMPLOYEES, AND IF YOU JUST CONNECT THAT TRACKER ONLINE TO YOUR BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD ACCOUNT, YOU CAN GET POINTS THERE TO REDEEM FOR, SORRY CARDS FOR DIFFERENT DOLLAR AMOUNTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO FOR DOING NOTHING JUST FOR WEARING YOUR TRACKER EVERY DAY, YOU CAN GET POINTS AND REDEEM FOR GIFT CARDS THERE. PART OF IT IS YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GO GET YOUR TEETH CLEANED ONCE A YEAR, GO, GO GET YOUR ANNUAL PHYSICAL ONCE A YEAR. YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS INCENTIVIZES YOU TO, TO BE A LITTLE HEALTHIER AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND MAKE SURE THAT, THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE WHERE YOU NEED TO BE. SO WE'RE ASKING FOR MORE PARTICIPATION. THIS AGAIN, DOES, DOES PLAY A ROLE IN, IN WHAT THE TAX SEES AS FAR AS, AS OUR PREMIUMS GO. AND WE DON'T EVER WANT TO, TO PASS THOSE COSTS ALONG TO THE TO THE EMPLOYEES. 
          BUT WE DO NEED THE EMPLOYEES TO, TO, TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THEIR HEALTH. WELL, AND THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD POINT RIGHT THERE, ISN'T IT? I MEAN, WE HAVE SEEN HEALTH CARE, HEALTH INSURANCE GO UP YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT. AND THE COUNTY HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD ABOUT ABSORBING A LOT OF THOSE INCREASES. BUT THAT'S YOU KNOW THAT'S ON THE TAXPAYER. SO WE NEED IT NEEDS TO BE A PARTNERSHIP. AND EMPLOYEES HOPEFULLY NEED TO TAKE SOME INITIATIVE AND PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROGRAMS TO HELP KEEP THOSE COSTS DOWN. ABSOLUTELY. THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO POTENTIALLY PASS THEM ON TO THE EMPLOYEES IS DEFINITELY WOULD HELP FOR ME IF YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO ABSORBING AN INCREASE, IF I KNOW WE HAVE A HIGHER PARTICIPATION RATE ON HEALTH ACCOUNTING, WE HAD TO PASS SOME OF THE COSTS ON TO THE EMPLOYEES LAST YEAR, AND THAT WAS JUST A NECESSITY AFTER AFTER MANY YEARS OF ABSORBING THOSE, ABSORBING THOSE COSTS. 
          SO YEAH, AND THERE IS A LOT OF OUR EMPLOYEES MIGHT BE DOING EVERYTHING. THEY JUST HAVE TO SIGN UP FOR THE PROGRAM. YEAH. YOU GET A FREE FITBIT IF YOU'RE ALREADY GOING TO THE DENTIST ONCE A YEAR AND GETTING YOUR PHYSICAL, YOU HAVE TO DOCUMENT IT. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS DOCUMENT IT, BUT YOU GET A FITBIT THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. IT'S FREE. YOU GET A SCALE THROUGH THE PROGRAM THAT'S FREE. YOU GET A FOOD SCALE. THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS YOU CAN GET TO, TO, TO LIVE A GOOD, HEALTHY, ACTIVE LIFESTYLE OR AT LEAST TRACK YOUR HEALTHY, ACTIVE LIFESTYLE. A LOT OF, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF YOU DO ALREADY. I MEAN, LIKE GOING TO GET YOUR TEETH CLEANED. I HOPE MOST PEOPLE GET THE TEETH CLEANED, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU SHOULD DO TWICE A YEAR. SO IF YOU'RE DOING IT ALREADY, WHY NOT GET A GIFT CARD IN THE PROCESS? YEAH, THAT WAS THAT WAS ALL I HAD. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I KNOW A LOT OF OUR EMPLOYEES DO WATCH THE MEETINGS. HOPEFULLY THEY WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. LET'S GO TO NUMBER 59 MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND ROBERT. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE LIKES OF CANAL AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. THIS WAS SPURRED TO DUE TO THREE OF OUR MOBILITY PROJECTS CLAY ROAD, BARTLETT ROAD AND MORTON ROAD. WE DIDN'T HAVE THE ATTENTION NEEDED FOR THOSE THREE ROADS. 
          WE APPROACHED THE DEVELOPER ABOUT POSSIBLY GETTING DETENTION THROUGH THEIR LAND. 
          THEY HAVE VERY GRACIOUSLY WORKED WITH US ON THIS, AND SO IT'S A PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE GOING TO ESSENTIALLY BE BUYING INTO THE DETENTION THROUGH THE LIKES OF KANE ISLAND DEVELOPMENTS, THE WE'RE PAYING FOR ABOUT 8%, A LITTLE OVER 8% OF THE COST FOR THE DETENTION. 
          THESE COSTS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN IF WE HAD TO GO OUT AND BUY DETENTION PONDS, DESIGN DETENTION PONDS, AND CONSTRUCT THE DETENTION PONDS ON OUR OWN. THE TOTAL COST FOR EVERYTHING CAME OUT TO ABOUT $3.4 MILLION. WALLER COUNTY IS TAKING ON THE COST FOR THE MORTON ROAD OUTFALL, WHICH IS $1.5 MILLION. AND THE WAY THAT THE COUNTY IS GOING TO BE PAYING FOR THIS IS THROUGH WAIVING THE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR CLAY ROAD, BARTLETT ROAD AND MORTON ROAD. 
          THAT THAT EQUALS. THAT. THAT ESSENTIALLY EQUALS THE COST OF THE 3 MILLION THAT'S THAT'S OWED BY US. I THINK ONE OF THE BENEFITS, TOO, IS THAT WE DON'T WE WON'T HAVE TO MAINTAIN ANYTHING YET. CORRECT. I MEAN, IT'LL BE PART OF THEIR MAINTENANCE TO DO. IT'LL BE A LONG TERM SAVINGS. IT'LL BE A VERY BIG LONG TERM SAVINGS FOR THE COUNTY. SO THERE'S, YOU 
          [01:25:01]
KNOW, WE WE BUY INTO THIS AND IT'S THE ONE TIME COST. AND THEN THEN WE'RE AND WE'RE DONE. 
          SO I DO WANT TO THANK JOHN TYLER AND GRADY RANDALL AS WELL AS ROSS AND HIS TEAM. THEY'VE WORKED VERY, VERY HARD ON THIS. WE'VE BEEN MEETING QUITE A BIT. AND CONNOR YOUNG FROM PERRY HOLMES IS HERE AND HIS TEAM HAS BEEN VERY EXCELLENT AND GREAT TO WORK WITH. YEAH. AND AND I WANT TO ADD, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY. I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY HOURS WE'VE SET IN MEETING ROOMS AND GOING BACK AND FORTH. AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE OF THESE BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING AT WE'RE DOING ALL THOSE ROADS. WHERE DO YOU PUT A DETENTION POND? AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO PUT A DETENTION POND ON THE CORNER OF A MAJOR INTERSECTION BECAUSE THAT'S THAT WOULD BE PRIME RETAIL OR POTENTIAL SALES TAX OR, OR INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES, YOU KNOW, INCREASED TAX REVENUE. AND SO, AND AGAIN, LONG TERM, WE DON'T HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT. AND SO IT'S, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE OF THESE BECAUSE THEY ARE OVERALL LONG TERM BENEFIT. AND SO BUT NO, THANK YOU TO ALL THE TEAM MEMBERS AND ROBERT AND CONNOR. IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD. LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING IT. AND YEAH, WE SPENT A LOT OF HOURS GOING BACK AND FORTH. SO I'M GLAD WE WERE LITERALLY WORKING ON THIS IN COURT THIS MORNING, MAKING SURE WE HAD ALL THE DETAILS FINALIZED. SO WE DO HAVE A FINAL AGREEMENT. IT IS READY FOR COURT ACTION. SO BESIDES VOLUME IN THE POND, I'M ASSUMING THIS ALSO INCLUDES WHATEVER ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR UPSIZING THE CONVEYANCE FROM THE ROAD TO THE POND, RIGHT? YES. OKAY. WELL VERY GOOD. 
          THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE WORK AND EFFORTS ON THAT. AND IT'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES THAT MOST PEOPLE WILL NEVER SEE. SO. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 59? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 59 CARRIES. LET'S GO TO 60. MOTION. SECOND. MOTION AND SECOND ON 60. ROBERT. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS A MINOR ADJUSTMENT OR MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE LAWSUIT. DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. THEY'RE ADDING 30 ACRES OF LAND TO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. AND SO I THOUGHT IT WAS BEST JUST TO HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF COURT. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE BIG THAT'S WHAT THE THE REASON FOR ADDING 30 ACRES TO THE DEVELOPMENT. OKAY. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 60 CARRIES, 61. MOTION. MOTION AND SECOND. ROBERT. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE REGIONAL DETENTION DETENTION FACILITY FOR THE ACREAGE. WE BOUGHT THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM PROPERTY. 
          WE'RE GOING TO BE CONTRACTED THROUGH BROOKSHIRE KATY DRAINAGE DISTRICT FOR THAT WORK. 
          SO THIS WE'RE GOING TO BE USING THE THE GRANT MONEY FROM THE STATE TO PAY FOR THIS. SO IT'S CAPPED AT $5.1 MILLION. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE LEFT OVER. THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR EQUIPMENT IS GOING TO BE DICTATED BY FEMA AND LABOR THROUGH THE BCD SCHEDULE. ALL OF THAT IS ATTACHED IN THE BACKUP. SO THIS WILL BE WE WILL START WORK ON THIS PRETTY MUCH IMMEDIATELY. THERE'S A KICKOFF MEETING SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY MORNING AT BCD OFFICES. GO AHEAD. THIS SHOULD. THIS WILL COVER OBVIOUSLY ALL THE DESIGN. IT WILL COVER ALL THIS. IT'S NOT GOING TO COVER THE END ATTENTION BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF ACRES THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE EXCAVATED OVER SEVERAL YEARS. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S AWARE OF THAT. 
          THIS ISN'T THE 5 MILLION, IS IT, FOR THE DESIGN AND 600 ACRES OF DETENTION. I'M SORRY. YES. 
          START VERY CLEAR ON THAT. WE WILL USE THIS AS TO TAKE US AS FAR AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, BUT THIS WILL NOT COVER ALL THE COSTS OF THE THE LAND. BUT WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF IDEAS TO GET CREATIVE ON HOW WE CAN. BASICALLY, IT'S A LAND BANK TO BE USED AS, AS. SO DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS WILL PAY FOR THE INCREASE IN POND SIZE AS THEY DEVELOP. IS THAT WHAT WILL HAPPEN? NO, I DON'T WANT TO SELL DRAINAGE CREDITS BECAUSE THAT DEFEATS THE PURPOSE. SO BUT BASICALLY, IF IF A DEVELOPER NEEDS ADDITIONAL BILL, THEY CAN GET THE FILL FROM US. 
          WE GET A FREE WHOLE, THEY GET DIRT, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO OFFSET. OR YOU'LL SEE A DEVELOPER COME IN AND HAVE ZERO DETENTION AND BUY IT FROM US, BECAUSE THE WHOLE PURPOSE IS TO INCREASE OVERALL DETENTION, NOT NOT JUST SWAP IT. SO HOW MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL LAND THAT WE PURCHASED IS COMMITTED IN THIS AGREEMENT? THAT'S STILL TO BE DETERMINED. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT I THINK VARIOUS PEOPLE WANT TO DO WITH THE LAND. WE DO WANT TO PROVIDE REGIONAL DETENTION SITE, BUT WE DO WANT TO HAVE ACTIVE PARK SPACE IN THAT AS WELL. WE DO WANT TO UTILIZE THE 600 ACRES IS UNDER CONSERVATION. SO THE NORTHERN. BUT AT A CONSERVATION, THAT 
          [01:30:06]
MEANS WE STILL COULD MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO IT TO MAKE IT CORRECT. WE'VE MET SEVERAL TIMES AND WE'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE MEETINGS SET UP. ACTUALLY, WE'RE GOING TO MEET WITH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO WITH IT. BUT YES, THERE'S A THERE'S A LOT MORE POTENTIAL THAN I THINK WE INITIALLY THOUGHT, RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO BE MEETING WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS NEXT MONTH TO DISCUSS THAT NORTHERN 600 ACRES THAT HAS TO BE UNDER A CONSERVATION EASEMENT. WE ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING AT WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT. THE SOUTHERN 800 ACRES PART OF IT WILL BE DETENTION. WE WANT TO MAKE IT ACTIVE DETENTION WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY UTILIZE THE WATER FEATURES, BUT ALSO ACTIVE PARK SPACE, PASSIVE PARK SPACE. SO THE WHOLE THE WHOLE TRACT OF LAND WON'T BE DETENTION. AND THE AREAS THAT ARE DETENTION WHERE WE'VE MADE IT VERY CLEAR TO BCD THAT WE WANT IT TO BE MORE LIKE THE JOHN PAUL JONES LANDING AREA IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND LESS LIKE A HOLE IN THE GROUND. SO THIS $5 MILLION OBVIOUSLY WON'T GET US THERE. BUT THIS IS A GOOD START AND WE CAN ALWAYS WE ARE LOOKING FOR WHAT WE NEED. HOW MUCH CONTROL DO WE HAVE OVER HOW IT DEVELOPS? WE HAVE FULL, FULL AUTHORITY TO DO. WE DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT ANYTHING THAT THEY DESIGN AND THEY THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT BCD. YES, SIR. OKAY. SO WE CAN WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE SOME INPUT AS TO HOW. OH YEAH, WE WE'VE MADE IT VERY CLEAR, COMMISSIONER, THAT THIS IS OUR PROPERTY AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT WHAT THEY DESIGN. WE DO HAVE CERTAIN MILESTONES THAT WERE THEY WILL THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE US UPDATES? WILL WE WE'LL BE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT THE COUNTY IS GETTING A PRODUCT THAT THE COUNTY WANTS. BCD IS SIMPLY THE CONTRACTED AUTHORITY TO DO THE WORK. BUT THIS IS A COUNTY, A COUNTY PROJECT ON COUNTY PROPERTY AND WILL. IT WILL REMAIN COUNTY PROPERTY AND WILL, AT THE END OF THE DAY BE THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY 100%. AND I THINK ONCE WE GET A BETTER IDEA, IT'S SOMETHING WE'LL OBVIOUSLY BRING BACK TO COURT FOR LIKE A WORKSHOP AND, AND SOME PRESENTATIONS TO GET EVERYBODY'S INPUT ON IT. BUT I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE HUGE. IT'S GOING TO TIE A LOT OF THEIR BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE, THE, THE EASEMENTS AND CHANNELS ON THE PRIVATE PROPERTY SIDE VERSUS WE HAVE THE, ON THE ROADS. AND SO THIS IS REALLY GOING TO TIE A LOT OF STUFF TOGETHER AND BE A HUGE BENEFIT LONG TERM. FOR THAT AREA. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE. YEP. THERE'S, THERE'S BUDDY OVER THERE FROM FROM BCD AND BUDDY. AM I SAYING ANYTHING DIFFERENT? NO. THERE WE GO. GET EVERYTHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. I'VE BEATEN BUDDY DOWN PRETTY BAD. SO I THINK I THINK HE'S HE'S HE'S GOOD. HE'S HAPPY. HE'S SMILING. SO I THINK WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT. WE'RE GOOD. READY TO GET THIS PROJECT STARTED. THAT'S GREAT. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. DISCUSSIONS ON 61. ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE THEN. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 61 CARRIES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO AHEAD AND 
          [DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES]
TAKE UP 62 AND 63 TOGETHER. I HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND ON BOTH OF THOSE. DANNY. YES. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS AND COURT JUDGE. I HAVE GOOD NEWS. WE HAVE A PROJECT THAT IS FINISHED. THE MODULAR PROJECT IS COMPLETE. WE ARE FINISHED WITH PUNCH LISTS AT THIS POINT. 
          ANY ISSUES WE HAVE FALL UNDER THE WARRANTY. THERE'S A PROGRAM FOR HANDLING THAT KIND OF STUFF, LIKE DOING A PUNCH LIST, BUT IT'S UNDER THE WARRANTY PROGRAM. SO PAY APP NUMBER 24 IS A MORE OR LESS A FINAL PAYMENT TO THE CONTRACTOR. PAY UP. 25 IS RETAINAGE BACK TO VENDORS AND THERE'LL BE A PAYOUT NUMBER 26 NEXT MONTH. AND THAT WILL BE A CREDIT BACK TO THE COUNTY OF SOMEWHERE AROUND $100,000. AND OVERALL, IN TERMS OF HOW DID WE DO BUDGET WISE OVERALL IN THE PROJECT? WELL, WE CAME UNDER BUDGET. I MEAN, YEAH, WE WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T SPEND THE ENTIRE AMOUNT. SO IT'LL BE ABOUT $100,000 COMING BACK. VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON 62 OR 63. ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE THEN ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? THOSE ITEMS CARRY. ALL RIGHT. THAT WILL NOW MOVE US DOWN TO 67. SECOND, I 
          [MISCELLANEOUS (Part 2 of 2)]
HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, THIS IS ON OUR COMMITMENT TO FORT BEND SENIOR MEALS ON WHEELS. 
          THIS IS THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TOTALING $15,000 TO BE DISTRIBUTED OVER A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS AT $3,000 PER YEAR FOR MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES. WALLER COUNTY, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE TODAY FROM MEALS ON WHEELS. AGAIN, JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION. 
          [01:35:03]
SO FOLKS MAY REMEMBER IT WAS A FEW MONTHS AGO. THEY MEALS ON WHEELS GOT THEIR A BIG CHUNK OF THEIR FEDERAL FUNDING CUT, AND THEY WERE LOOKING AT HAVING TO REDUCE SERVICES AND THE NUMBER OF MEALS AND DAYS OF DELIVERY TO RESIDENTS. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WALLER COUNTY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE, AND WE OFFERED TO BASICALLY GIVE THEM SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO KIND OF FILL THE GAP BECAUSE AND YOU HAVE TO ALSO UNDERSTAND THEY SERVE THEY SERVE MULTIPLE COUNTIES, NOT JUST WALLER COUNTY, BUT BECAUSE OF OUR EFFORT TO STEP UP, THEY WERE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR SERVICE DELIVERY LEVEL AT THE SAME LEVEL AS IT WAS BEFORE. SO I DO APPRECIATE THEIR WORK IN DOING THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO REMEMBER THERE'S SOME FOLKS OUT THERE. ONE, THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THEY GET A HOT MEAL. TWO, THIS IS THE ONLY CONTACT THEY HAVE WITH PEOPLE SOMETIMES IS THAT PERSON WHO COMES TO THEIR DOOR AND DELIVERS THEIR FOOD AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE DOING OKAY AND CHECKS IN ON THEM AND STUFF. SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE FOR BEN. SENIORS MEALS ON WHEELS WITH THAT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH, I WOULD LAST TIME WE HAD THE SAME DISCUSSION ABOUT THE NEED NOT ONLY FOR THE MONEY, BUT FOR PEOPLE TO SERVE AS VOLUNTEERS. FOR MEALS ON WHEELS. SO ANYONE THAT FEELS LIKE THEY CAN DEDICATE SOME TIME. AND I THINK EVEN MORE CRITICAL THAN THE MEALS ON WHEELS IS THE CONNECTION, PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH BETWEEN THE DELIVERER AND THE PERSON RECEIVING IT. SO IF ANYBODY HAS TIME AND INTEREST, I WOULD URGE YOU TO CONTACT MEALS ON WHEELS TO VOLUNTEER. 
          OKAY. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK MACKENZIE LAUREN. BROOKE AS WE RECEIVE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING THROUGH SETH. AND THIS WAS BEING ONE OF THE PROGRAMS OUTSIDE OF THE SENIORS. I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE AGREEMENT THAT WILL BE COMING BEFORE WE EXHAUSTED ALL THOSE FUNDS. 
          THROUGH THAT, THROUGH THAT GRANT. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP AND WORK AND PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE ALL THE PAPERWORK AND EVERYTHING WITH THE DIFFERENT ENTITIES AGREED TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT AND PUT BEFORE COURT. SO THANK YOU ALL. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? 67. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 67 CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S GOING TO BRING US TO NUMBER 68. MOTION. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION. 
          AND SECOND, ROBERT KIND OF BROUGHT THIS TO MY ATTENTION. AND AND, YOU KNOW, I HADN'T REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT, BUT ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE FACT WITH THE RECENT NEWS THAT WE ARE OFFICIALLY NOW THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND NUMBER TWO IN THE NATION IS WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD GO CONSIDER JOINING THE CONFERENCE OF URBAN COUNTIES. 
          AND PRIOR TO THAT, WE, YOU KNOW, HAD NEVER REALLY LOOKED AT IT. BUT I THINK WITH THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH WE'RE SEEING, IT'S PROBABLY NOT A BAD IDEA. ROBERT, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON CONFERENCE OF URBAN COUNTY? YES, SIR. THE CONFERENCE OF COUNTIES. THEY GENERALLY REPRESENT COUNTIES OF 100,000 OR MORE. THEY REPRESENT 34 OF THE LARGEST COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. YOU CAN BECOME A MEMBER IF YOU DON'T HAVE A POPULATION THAT LARGE. 
          IF YOU ARE CONTIGUOUS TO A COUNTY OF THAT. THE. ALL THE COUNTIES IN THE IN OUR AREA ARE PART OF IT, AND SO IS BRAZOS COUNTY, JUST A FEW MILES NORTH OF US. SO THIS IS A. THEY'RE A GOOD PROGRAM. THEY ARE EFFECTIVE IN AUSTIN. I'M STARTING TO PUT TOGETHER OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. AND I WOULD SAY IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE, WORKING WITH QC HAS A LOT OF BENEFITS. THEY ARE VERY EFFECTIVE IN IN AUSTIN AND TEND TO HAVE A STRONG VOICE. IT'S A MIX OF OF COUNTIES ON THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, BUT THEY THEY ALL DO COME TOGETHER TO, TO ADVANCE THINGS THAT ARE BENEFICIAL TO THE COUNTIES. THE DO'S IN THERE ARE LISTED THIS YEAR IT WOULD BE ABOUT $2,500. AND THIS. WE HAVE A RESOLUTION THAT THE COURT WOULD NEED TO APPROVE, AND THEN IT WOULD GO TO THE QC FOR THEIR FINAL BOARD APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE OF ALL OUR COUNTY. VERY GOOD. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT JUST LIKE THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF 
          [01:40:10]
COUNTIES. I MEAN, THEY THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION AND RESOURCES THAT BECOME AVAILABLE TO US BY BEING A PART OF IT. THEY'RE VERY ACTIVE. THEY MEET PRETTY REGULARLY. ASSUMING THAT CDC ACCEPTS OUR OUR REQUEST, WE WOULD THE COURT WOULD NEED TO TO APPOINT A REPRESENTATIVE AND OUR COUNTY WOULD HAVE A PRETTY ACTIVE VOICE WITH THEM AS WELL. LEGISLATIVELY, THEY'RE VERY ACTIVE. THEY'RE GOOD. THEY'RE VERY GOOD. I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED WORKING WITH THEM. THEY. THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. THEY FOCUS ON ON THE, THE MORE URBAN ISSUES, WHICH IS NICE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ATTACKS FROM, FROM AUSTIN THAT HAVE BEEN ONGOING. IF THERE'S ONE VOICE THAT, THAT THAT CAN AT LEAST ARGUE A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFECTIVELY AGAINST WHAT'S GOING ON IN AUSTIN, IT SEEMS TO BE CDC HAS. HAS SOME SOME STRONG PULL UP IN AUSTIN. ONE OF THE ISSUES MOST IMPORTANT TO ME HAS BEEN THE FIGHT TO TRY TO SHORTEN AND SHORTEN AND SHORTEN REVIEW TIMES. AND, AND WE COULD END UP IN A SITUATION WHERE IF WE CAN'T MEET THAT SCHEDULE, SUDDENLY SOMETHING'S AUTOMATICALLY APPROVED AND SO FORTH, WHICH I THINK IS A HUGE THREAT. YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY HAVE WHERE THEY LOBBIED ON THAT, WHAT WAS THEIR POSITION? I, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I THINK THIS WOULD BE A POSITION JUST ASSUMING THAT THEY WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF THE LARGE COUNTIES HAVE THAT PROBLEM. YOU GO RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD, YOU'VE GOT 5000 6000 HOME DEVELOPMENTS IN FORT BEND. I DON'T KNOW HOW ANY HOW ANY ENGINEER OVER THERE, EVEN WITH THEIR LARGE ENGINEERING STAFF, CAN MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE HAS SET. IT'S. THE STATE HAS PUT THE COUNTIES IN A VERY TOUGH POSITION IN REGARDS TO WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, COMMISSIONER. AND SO, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF THEY HAVEN'T CONSIDERED THIS, I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD VERY QUICKLY BE BROUGHT UP TO THEIR TO THEIR MEMBERSHIP AND WOULD GET PRETTY STRONG SUPPORT. I'VE GOT TO IMAGINE THERE THAT THIS ISN'T A TOPIC THAT THEY'RE ENGAGED IN. IF NOT, THEN THIS WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY AND MAYBE ANOTHER OUTLET FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THAT KIND OF ISSUE. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST YOU, YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT UNFUNDED MANDATES AND YOU GET A DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES IN THAT'S GOING TO BE 5000 ROOFTOPS. AND THEN WE WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO GET THAT REVIEWED WITHIN THAT TIME PERIOD. SO WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO IF WE'RE EVEN GOING TO GET CLOSE? WE GOT TO GO. YOU KNOW, WELL, HERE'S THE THING. TYPICAL PROJECT MAY TAKE AN ENGINEERING FIRM WITH PLENTY OF STAFF SIX MONTHS OR MORE TO DESIGNING AND, YOU KNOW, PRODUCE ALL THE DOCUMENTS. AND THEN THEY WANT TO GIVE US 30 DAYS TO DOUBLE CHECK IT, REVIEW IT AND APPROVE IT. I MEAN, THAT'S CRAZY. IT'S, IT'S SUCH A HARD THING TO WORK WITH. AND THE STATE, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T THINK ABOUT HOW THE, HOW ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE ENGINEERS HAVE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD TO WORK ON THIS AND PUT TOGETHER THEIR PLANS. AND THEN THEY THROW THIS ON OUR DESK AND THEY SAY THE CLOCK IS TICKING AND WE'VE GOT 30 DAYS. I DON'T SEE HOW THAT'S FAIR IN ANY SENSE OF THE OF THE WORLD. I MEAN, YOU TALK ABOUT HELTER SKELTER THEN, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE EACH PROJECT ONLY HAS ITS INTERESTS ON IT. 
          SO IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A PATCHWORK OF THINGS THAT DON'T COORDINATE. I ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU WERE REQUIREMENT TO BE A STATE ELECTED OFFICIAL. SHOULD BE. YOU HAVE TO BE A COUNTY OFFICIAL FOR AT LEAST ONE TERM TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU GO UP THERE. BUT I THINK THIS ALSO IT GIVES US BECAUSE THEIR STRUGGLES ARE THE SAME STRUGGLES AS OURS FOR THE MOST PART. AND RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE WANT TO GO, LIKE WHEN WE DID THE PARKS THING, YOU KNOW, NO JUDGE HAS GONE UP TO AUSTIN SEVERAL TIMES AND MYSELF AND KENDRICK HAVE AND ROBERT HAS. 
          WE'VE GOT ONE STATE REP. AND SO WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO GO UP AGAINST THE WHOLE SYSTEM UP THERE. AND SO BY HAVING THESE ALLIES. BECAUSE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED, THEY MAY ALREADY HAVE. THEY MIGHT HAVE CERTAIN ORDINANCE POWERS. AND SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE NEED ALL THE ALLIES WE CAN GET BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO HAVE ONE STATE REP UP THERE FIGHTING FOR YOU WHEN HE'S ALSO COVERING FOR OTHER COUNTIES. SO, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S A GOOD POINT. AND I'M GOING TO MENTION THIS BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING YOU HEAR. IT GETS IT GETS REPEATED A LOT. AND IT'S IT'S A LOT. IT'S RHETORIC. BUT YOU KEEP HEARING ABOUT THESE EFFORTS TO STOP TAXPAYER, TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING. OKAY. AND WHAT, WHAT IT IS JUST SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS, OKAY, THERE IS AN ONGOING ATTACK ON LOCAL CONTROL, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER AND IT'S 
          [01:45:06]
IT'S WAY BROADER THAN JUST, OH, WELL, YOU GOT THESE CITIES AND THEY'RE BLUE AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN'T LET THEM DO THIS OR THAT. IT'S AN ATTACK OVERALL ON LOCAL CONTROL. LOCAL CONTROL IS WHAT TEXAS WAS FOUNDED ON. AND WE AND THEY DID THAT BECAUSE THE FOLKS AT OUR LEVEL KNOW BETTER THAN THE PEOPLE IN AUSTIN WHAT PEOPLE ON THE LOCAL LEVEL NEED OR WANT. THAT'S HOW YOU DELIVER SERVICES IS ON THE LOCAL LEVEL. SO NOW YOU HAVE THIS EFFORT AND IT'S AGAIN, IT'S ATTACK ON LOCAL CONTROL. AND THEY TALK ABOUT TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYISTS. WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IS CONFERENCE OF URBAN COUNTIES OR TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES. AND THAT'S BECAUSE THESE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ADVOCATE FOR ALL OF THE COUNTIES IN TEXAS OR THE URBAN COUNTIES, WHICH HAS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS UNIQUE TO THEIR, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO TRAFFIC, DRAINAGE, ALL OF THOSE OTHER THINGS. AND I CAN TELL YOU THIS, I'VE BEEN IN MY POSITION 12 YEARS. I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH TAC. I HAVE GONE THROUGH THEIR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, I, I HAVE YET TO BE AT ANY CONFERENCE TAC HAS HELD OR ANY MEETING WHERE I FELT LIKE THEY WERE PUSHING AN AGENDA TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN OR ANY OF THE ABOVE. I NEVER, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANY OF THAT. WHAT THEY DO IS ADVOCATE FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE BECAUSE YOU STILL LIKE UNFUNDED MANDATES. I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT. USING COUNTIES AS A NO LIMIT CREDIT CARD IS NOT OKAY. AND WE SEE IT ON THIS LEVEL EVERY YEAR. I MEAN, YOU CAN ASK ALLEN, ASK ANYBODY ON MY BUDGET COMMITTEE HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE TO SPEND AT THE COUNTY TO COMPLY WITH STATE, WITH THE LAWS THAT ARE PASSED EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSION IT GETS. IT'S JUST THEY'RE PILING ON MORE AND MORE AND MORE. WE HAVE TO HIRE PEOPLE JUST TO COMPLY WITH THOSE REQUIREMENTS. 
          AND A LOT OF IT STARTS WITH A GOOD INTENTION. BUT THE THE NET RESULT IS THEY'RE FORCING US TO SPEND MORE MONEY TO COMPLY WITH THESE LAWS. AND THEN THEY'RE ALSO RESTRICTING HOW THE REVENUE, HOW WE CAN GO ABOUT BUDGETING AT THE SAME TIME. SO THEY'RE TYING OUR HANDS BEHIND OUR BACK, AND THEN THEY'RE MAKING US SPEND MORE MONEY. LIKE MAYBE I MIGHT NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH RESTRICTING US, YOU KNOW? WELL, THEY'VE ALREADY RESTRICTED US TO 3.5%. I WOULDN'T HAVE SO MUCH A PROBLEM WITH THAT. IF YOU ALSO PASS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT THAT PROHIBITS UNFUNDED MANDATES. SO AT LEAST I DON'T KNOW. I KNOW I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PAY FOR SOMETHING ELSE WITH LESS MONEY. BUT THERE IS AN ATTACK AND THEY'RE TALKING WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT CONFERENCE OF URBAN COUNTIES. 
          THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT TAC BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY EFFECTIVE AT GOING TO AUSTIN AND ADVOCATING AND TRYING TO PROTECT WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID WHEN THEY'RE SAYING TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING. YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE I RESENT? AND I'M SORRY, AND I CAN SAY THIS BECAUSE I'M NOT SEEKING REELECTION. I RESENT THE FACT THAT IT'S IMPLIED THAT IF WE GO AND USE TAC OR CONFERENCE URBAN COUNTIES, OR EVEN IF THIS COURT DECIDES TO HIRE A LOBBYIST, THAT WE'RE DOING SO AGAINST THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR TAXPAYERS, THAT'S THAT'S IMPLIED. BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE. AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. IF THIS COURT DECIDED WHEN WE WERE FIGHTING HIGH SPEED RAIL, HIGH SPEED RAIL HAS A TEAM OF LOBBYISTS ON EVERY LEVEL, STATE AND FEDERAL. WE ARE A BUNCH OF CITIZENS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS, AND WE'RE FIGHTING THAT PROJECT TOOTH AND NAIL. AND WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, THANK GOD WE HAD TEXANS AGAINST, YOU KNOW, HIGH SPEED RAIL. AND THEY GOT THEY HAD THE FUNDING NECESSARY. SO WE HAD A LOBBY, A LOBBYIST, ONE IN AUSTIN AND ONE. BUT IF IT CAME DOWN TO IT AND WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT WALLER COUNTY ON THE STATE OR A FEDERAL LEVEL, AND IT IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO WHERE WE NEED TO HIRE A LOBBYIST TO TO SPEAK FOR US, WE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT. IF THE PEOPLE IN WALLER COUNTY WANT THAT. I MEAN, COME ON, GUYS. AND IF AND IF I'M DOING SOMETHING COUNTER TO YOUR INTEREST OR ANY OF THESE FOLKS UP HERE, DO THAT, THEN YOU KNOW WHAT, GO TO THE GO TO THE POLL AND VOTE THEM OUT. BUT I RESENT THE FACT THEY SAY TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYISTS, YOU KNOW, WORKING AGAINST THE INTEREST OF TAXPAYERS. OKAY, SHOW ME WHAT TAC. TAC IS NOT WORKING AGAINST THE INTEREST OF TAXPAYERS. THEY'RE ADVOCATING FOR US ON THE STATE LEVEL. AND I BET CONFERENCE URBAN COUNTIES IS PROBABLY DOING THE SAME THING. YEAH. WHEN I WENT TO THAT FIRST CONFERENCE FOR NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS, THEY SAID EVERY BAD LAW STARTED WITH SOMEBODY'S GOOD IDEA AND IT'S 100% THE TRUTH. AND THE IRONY IS, IS, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR FROM 
          [01:50:05]
THE STATE OF TEXAS ALL THE TIME. THEY'RE COMPLAINING ABOUT, LET TEXAS DO WHAT TEXAS WANTS. 
          DON'T GIVE US, YOU KNOW, FORCE THE FEDERAL STUFF ON TEXAS AND THE HYPOCRISY THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING ON THE LOCAL LEVEL IS IT'S HORRIBLE. BUT GOVERNMENT IS BEST THAT GOVERNS LEAST. THAT'S TRUE. THAT IS TRUE. BUT IT GETS REALLY FRUSTRATING WHEN WE HAVE TO ADD LAYERS TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW. AND THEY BRAG ABOUT THEIR RAINY DAY FUND. YEAH. 
          IT'S ALL YEAH, THE COUNTY WE'RE THE PROBLEM. BUT ANYWAY, SORRY, I'LL GET OFF MY SOAPBOX NOW. IS THAT SOAPBOX? ANYWAY, BACK TO. OKAY, BACK TO NUMBER 68. SO ANYWAY, WITH THE GROWTH WE'VE GOT COMING, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA TO JOIN AN ORGANIZATION, SHARE RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, MAYBE USE THEM FROM A LEGISLATIVE STANDPOINT, HELP, ESPECIALLY IN SOME OF THE ISSUES. I THINK SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN WALLER COUNTY FROM A LEGISLATIVE STANDPOINT, ARE PROBABLY COMMON TO A LOT OF OTHER URBAN COUNTIES. WELL, THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IN THE FUTURE ARE PROBLEMS THAT THEY'VE ALREADY WORKED THROUGH. 
          AND SO WE WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES BECAUSE WE CAN CAN ASK FOR HELP. SO DON'T REINVENT THE WHEEL. NOPE. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON 68. ALL RIGHT. 
          HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? 68 CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. 
          NUMBER 69. OKAY, LET'S HAVE A DISCUSSION. THIS IS ABOUT THE RESOLUTION FOR NOMINATING OR THIS IS NOMINATING SOMEONE OR I THINK, MULTIPLE NOMINEES, IF WE CHOOSE TO OR TO FILL AN OPEN POSITION ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE WALLER COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, TIM JUNEK, WHO WAS SERVING AS CHAIR, HAS RESIGNED. THAT LEAVES AN OPENING. SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW IS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CUT OFF. WHAT NOT EVERY NOT EVERY TAXING ENTITY GETS TO NOMINATE, BUT I THINK IT'S FOR BIGGEST FOR BIGGEST. I THOUGHT IT WAS ANYWAY. SO WHAT WE GET TO DO IS NOMINATE. AND THEN I THINK THAT GOES IN FRONT OF. DOES THAT COME BACK TO US FOR THE VOTE. 
          THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT IS THE BOARD VOTING WHOEVER CERTAIN ENTITIES WILL NOMINATE A NAME, AND THEN THE BOARD WILL HAVE THE FINAL VOTE ON WHICH WHICH OUT OF THAT, OUT OF ALL THOSE NAMES. SO, SO HERE'S WHAT WE CAN DO. OBVIOUSLY, OUR WALLER COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR CAROLYN MICKEY, WHO IS AN EX OFFICIO. WHICH MEANS SHE'S ON THE BOARD, BUT SHE DOES NOT HAVE A VOTE. SHE IS INDICATED SHE WOULD BE PERFECTLY WILLING TO SERVE AS A VOTING MEMBER. I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A DISCUSSION. WE HAD THIS ON THE THE AGENDA TWO WEEKS AGO, AND I THINK WE TABLED IT. THERE'S BEEN SOME FOLKS THAT HAVE EXPRESSED SOME RESERVATIONS THAT THEY THINK THAT THAT'S SOME CONFLICT OF INTEREST. THE JUDGE WELL, I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU, YOU SERVED ON THAT BOARD. HOW MANY YEARS YOU THINK IT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? YES I DO. 
          TELL ME WHY. IT'S JUST AN UNCOMFORTABLE FEELING. IT DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT. DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE PUBLIC. LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE PEOPLE TRYING TO DO? DO YOU THINK THEY DID THAT WHEN YOU SERVED? NO, NOT WHEN I SERVED. WAS IT DIFFERENT? THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. I'M NOT THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR. THAT'S WHAT. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. YOU REPRESENT THE COUNTY. ABOUT WHAT? REPRESENTATIVE COUNTY, WHAT RESPECT. IN YOUR POSITION ON THE WALLER COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, WERE YOU A COUNTY REPRESENTATIVE? YES, WHICH I WOULD THINK THAT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WHAT THE TAXES OF THAT IS. GREAT CONTROVERSY. WELL, I MEAN, ACCORDING TO LEGAL. IT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH HER TAKING THAT POSITION. IT IS LEGAL. I MEAN, I THINK SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE IT AS IS MAYBE A CONFLICT. BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE PEOPLE THAT SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY, BUT ALSO LEGALLY. IT IS OKAY. I DON'T KNOW HOW. I MEAN, I WOULD SUGGEST GOT A CALL THIS MORNING. I'M IN AGREEANCE WITH MISS CAROLINE MCKEE AS WELL. I SUGGEST ANOTHER NAME, BUT I FEEL LIKE ONE. IF ANY OF US ARE PART OF AS COUNTY OFFICIALS HAVE SERVED ON IT BEFORE, I DON'T SEE AN ISSUE WITH SOMEONE SERVING ON IT, REGARDLESS OF IT BEING THE TAX ASSESSOR. ALSO, SHE'S ALSO A PART OF THE. GROUP ALREADY AS AN EX OFFICIO. SO I 
          [01:55:08]
GUESS WOULD THAT BE A CONFLICT OR SEEN AS A CONFLICT OR EX OFFICIO DOESN'T HAVE A VOTE. I KNOW, BUT BUT STILL, WHICH GOES TO MY POINT OF IF IT IS SEEN AS A CONFLICT, I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT WOULDN'T BE SEEN AS A CONFLICT AS WELL, BECAUSE THEN SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY THAT SHE COULD USE HER POWER OF INFLUENCE AMONGST THE BOARD TO SWAY THE BOARD TO VOTE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WHICH I DON'T THINK YOU'VE DONE THAT OR COULD DO THAT. SO ALLOW HER TO HAVE A VOTE. I DON'T SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN ALLOW HER TO BE ABLE TO SWAY A VOTE EITHER. SO I THINK AND I WILL ASK COMMISSIONER AMSLER TO COMMENT ON THIS AS WELL. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE PROBABLY GIVE TOO MUCH CREDIT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO THE EXTENT AS IF THEY CONTROL THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UNLIKE A LOT OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE A BOARD AND THE BOARD REALLY STEERS THE BOAT, THE WALLER COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT IS A CREATURE OF STATUTE, AND IT OPERATES AND FOLLOWS RULES THAT ARE PROMULGATED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, SPECIFICALLY THE COMPTROLLER'S WITHIN THE BOARD'S FUNCTION. I REALLY I THINK IT'S TO APPROVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, CONTRACTING, I'M GUESSING LIKE, I MEAN, CAROLYN, CAN YOU CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHAT THE WHAT THE BOARD REALLY FUNCTIONS? YEAH. WE OVERSEE THEIR CONTRACTS, WE OVERSEE THEIR BUDGET. AND IF THEY'VE GOT ANY COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE COME IN, WE HEAR THAT. BUT AS FAR AS THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS, WE DO NOT. THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE CONTROL THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, RIGHT. SO AND I'M NOT JUST ONCE AGAIN, IT'S NOT PERSONAL. THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE CONTROL SIMPLY BECAUSE WE CONTROL THE MONEY. SO IF THE BOARD CONTROLS THE MONEY, THEN THEY ACTUALLY HAVE HAVE AN EFFECT ON HOW THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT OPERATES. ISN'T THAT A TRUE STATEMENT? YOU KNOW, THE MONEY THAT THE COUNTY GIVES TO THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT IS DICTATED IN THE CODE. YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM A PARTICULAR AMOUNT. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY SAY SO ON HOW MUCH YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM. NO, THE BOARD HAS A SAY SO ON HOW IT GETS SPENT. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE THE INFLUENCE. SO AT THE SAME TIME, YOU CAN'T THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT HAS CERTAIN FUNCTIONS. SO YOU CAN'T SAY, HEY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY THIS SALARY. SO YOU'RE RIGHT TO AN EXTENT. WELL, LET'S JUST TAKE LET'S JUST LOOK AT US AS A COMMISSIONERS COURT. THE SHERIFF HAS AN INDEPENDENT OR ANYBODY, ANYBODY THAT'S ELECTED IS INDEPENDENT OF US EXCEPT THAT WE CONTROL THE MONEY. RIGHT. SO DO WE HAVE INFLUENCE THEN? SURE WE DO. SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, INFLUENCE. WELL, I GUESS THE QUESTION NOT SO MUCH. 
          HERE'S THE HERE'S THE PROBLEM FOR ME IS THAT AND THIS IS WHAT I CITED WHEN I COMMENTED BEFORE, IS THAT WE GET SO MANY CITIZENS, MOST CITIZENS DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DAY TO DAY HOW THINGS OPERATE. JUST LIKE YOU SAID, JUDGE THAT. SO. WHENEVER SOMEBODY BRINGS UP THEIR TAXES, YOU KNOW, OUR AUTOMATIC RESPONSE IS, LOOK, WE SET THE TAX RATE. WE DON'T SET THE VALUES. AND SO I JUST THINK FROM THAT PARTICULAR STANDPOINT, IT IS NOT A GOOD. IT'S NOT A GOOD ARGUMENT. THEN IF WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THEIR INFLUENCE IN THE OPERATION OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT. THAT'S MY POINT. AND SO BY GIVING SOMEONE THAT WORKS AT THE COUNTY A VOTE, WHETHER IT HAPPENED WITH THE COMMISSIONER OR NOT, AND I'M SAYING IT, I'M JUST SAYING GIVING SOMEBODY A VOTE ON THAT BOARD GIVES THEM INFLUENCE ON THE WAY THAT BOARD OPERATES. SO OUR ARGUMENT THAT, NO, WE'RE INDEPENDENT FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, WE JUST SET THE TAX RATE KIND OF WEAKENS THAT ARGUMENT TO ME. I AGREE WITH YOU. AND I WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT INDEPENDENCE BETWEEN THE TWO BECAUSE WE'RE YOU KNOW, WE SET THAT TAX RATE. AND I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK THAT WE'RE ALSO INFLUENCED, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SANDBAGGING THE OTHER SIDE OF IT. THAT THING. THAT'S WHERE MY OBJECTION IS. I MEAN, I GUESS I UNDERSTAND I CAN SEE 
          [02:00:02]
THE VIEWPOINT THE OTHER I THINK THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT COIN IS APPRAISAL. DISTRICTS ALSO GET CRITICIZED BECAUSE THERE'S A LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY. THE TAXPAYERS, IN OTHER WORDS, YOU HAVE THE CHIEF OF CHIEF APPRAISER WHO IS NOT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. YOU HAVE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOT ELECTED. SO AT LEAST THIS WOULD PUT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN A POSITION THAT HAS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO TAXPAYERS. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF IF CAROLYN, I DON'T THINK YOU REALLY HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO DO THIS, BUT IF YOU GOT ON THERE AND YOU STARTED SAYING, WE NEED TO RAISE THE APPRAISALS AND COLLECT MORE MONEY BECAUSE I'M THE TAX APPRAISER, I'M THE TAX COLLECTOR AND I, I WANT ALL THE MONEY I CAN GET, WHICH I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU DO, BUT I CAN VOTE YOU OUT OF OFFICE THAT WAY. NO, BUT THEY CAN. SHE'S ACCOUNTABLE JUDGE AREN'T THEY? DIDN'T THEY CHANGE SOMETHING IN THE LEGISLATURE WHERE WE'RE FIXING TO HAVE LIKE 1 OR 2 MEMBERS ON EACH BOARD THAT ARE ELECTED WHEN WE HIT 100,000? OR IS IT BEFORE THEN? IT'LL HAPPEN WHEN THE NEXT CENSUS HAPPENS. OH, IT'S THAT FAR. OKAY. BUT ALSO THEY WILL BE, I THINK IT'S THREE MEMBERS OF THE PS4 AND THEY ELECTED. IT'LL BE FOUR MORE. THE BOARD THE BOARD DOESN'T SET THE APPRAISED VALUE THOUGH. THEY DO NOT. SO THE THE VALUE OF ANYTHING IS NOT SET BY THAT BOARD. COMMISSIONER, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS TRUE. IT'S THE PERCEPTION. SO LOOK, HERE'S WHAT WE CAN DO. BUT BUT BUT YOU'RE GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXERT INFLUENCE ON THOSE THAT SET THE VALUES. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN APPOINT MORE THAN ONE PERSON. IS THAT CORRECT? AND THEN THE BOARD WILL IF WE GIVE THEM TEN NAMES, THEY'LL SORT IT OUT. YES. SO, I MEAN, IF IF YES, IF YOU WANT TO IMPORT. WELL, I WILL ADD. SO CAROLYN'S NAME, THERE'S SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE CALLED AND RECOMMENDED BRANT STROM BRANT RYDSTROM HE'S LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER, PROPERTY OWNER. HE'S, HE'S ACTUALLY BOUGHT SEVERAL PROPERTIES HERE IN HEMPSTEAD. HE'S VERY SHARP INDIVIDUAL. HE WOULD BE HE WOULD BE GREAT. I THINK HE'S BEEN PRETTY INVOLVED IN THE THE BOARD MEETINGS. I THINK HE SPOKE HERE. AND I WOULD ALSO ADD TRACY SEBESTA TO THAT THAT LIST AS WELL. THE NOMINATION WE CAN NOMINATE. BUT THAT BOARD DOESN'T SET ANY VALUE. SO I WANT HER TO I WANT HER TO BE AWARE OF THAT TOO, BECAUSE SHE COMES A LOT AND TALKS ABOUT. COMMISSIONER AMSLER. I DON'T THINK I'M SAYING ANYTHING OUT OF TURN. WAS A VERY VOCAL CRITIC OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT. WERE YOU? NOT? VERY MUCH SO. AND SO WE PUT YOU ON THAT BOARD AND AND I THINK WHAT YOU FOUND OUT WAS YOUR ABILITY TO A VERY LIMITED, VERY LIMITED. THERE YOU GO. LET ME GIVE A DAMN WHAT I THOUGHT. SO SO THEN ARE YOU MAKING THEIR ARGUMENT? YES. I THINK YOU JUST HAVE. WHY DON'T WE NOMINATE ALL THREE AND THEN WE'LL LET. I'M GOOD WITH THAT. WELL, I MEAN, IT'S IT'S ALREADY. I MEAN, I'M PRETTY SURE THE VOTE'S GOING TO GO TO DO IT. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH. 
          WE'LL VOTE AGAINST IT. SO LET'S JUST AS COMMISSIONER SAID, GET TO IT. WE'LL VOTE NO. WE'LL SEND ALL THREE NAMES. THE MOTION TO NOMINATE CAROLYN, MICKI GRANT AND TRACY SEBESTA AS POTENTIAL REPLACEMENTS FOR THE BOARD POSITION. SECOND, MOTION SECOND. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH, I HAVE SOME DISCUSSION. DO WE HAVE TO GROUP THEM ALL IN ONE GROUP? WELL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE BOARD IS GOING TO TAKE ALL THE NAMES. SOME OF THOSE NAMES I FEEL I COULD VOTE FOR. SO THAT'S MY POINT. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND TO TAKE THEM INDIVIDUALLY. OKAY, OKAY, LET'S DO THAT. SO WE'RE GOING TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. YOU HAVE THEM. OKAY. SO THE MOTION IS TO AMEND THE MOTION TO VOTE ON EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY. YES. OKAY. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY, WE HAVE A SECOND. SO LET'S TAKE UP LET'S DO CAROLYN MCKEE. ALL IN FAVOR OF NOMINATING CAROLYN MCKEE TO THE AS A POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT TO THE BOARD. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. OKAY. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY, SO THAT ONE FAILS. OKAY. NEXT IS GOING TO BE BRANT NYSTROM. ALL IN FAVOR OF BRANT NYSTROM. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. OKAY. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. THAT'S FIVE ZERO. ALL RIGHT. TRACY SEBESTA, ALL IN FAVOR OF TRACY SEBESTA. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? IT WENT TOO FAST. OKAY. ALL IN 
          [02:05:03]
FAVOR OF TRACY SEBESTA. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. OKAY. ALL OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, THAT CARRIES 4 TO 1. I WANT TO MAKE SURE. CAROLYN, YOU UNDERSTAND IT'S NOTHING TO DO WITH. NO, YEAH, I DO, I APPRECIATE IT, IF ANYTHING. CAROLYN, I THINK THEY'RE SAVING YOU. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT. I'M STILL GOING TO BE THERE. I'M STILL GOING TO I EVEN I EVEN TALKED TO CAROLYN BEFOREHAND AND SAID, ARE YOU SURE? BECAUSE IT'S IT'S A NO. IT'S A NO WIN. IT'S A NO WIN. BUT I, I RESPECT YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE AND TO REPRESENT 100% THE PUBLIC IN THAT CAPACITY. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. AND IF ANYONE. WELL, IT FAILED, BUT IF ANYBODY GAVE YOU A HARD TIME, ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS PLAY BACK THE VIDEO. WHAT? COMMISSIONER ASHLEY SAID HIS TIME WAS ON THE BOARD. ALL RIGHT. THAT WILL CONCLUDE 69, I GUESS ROBERT OR SOMEBODY WILL EMAIL THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND LET THEM KNOW THAT'S OUR TWO NOMINATIONS. 
          OKAY. WE HAVE TWO. OKAY. MACKENZIE, WILL WE NEED TO SPEAK TO THE INDIVIDUALS FIRST TO MAKE SURE IT'S OKAY TO SUBMIT THEM. SO I THINK WE'VE TALKED TO ALL OF THEM. YEAH. 
          YOU KNOW TRACY? YEP. ASSUMING HE TALKED TO. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. LET'S GO TO 72ND MOTION AND SECOND ON 70. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. 
          ALL OPPOSED? 70 CARRIES. ARIEL, WHAT DO WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT? ALL RIGHT, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 AND 76 WILL ALL BE WITHDRAWN. WE ADJOURN. MOTION TO SECOND TO ADJOURN. ALL IN FAVOR,
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.