[*Portions of this meeting do not contain audio*]
[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:01:09]
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. I'D LIKE TO MOVE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS. TWO
[PUBLIC COMMENT ]
MEMBERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP ASK FOR MISS MARVEL WILLS TO COME UP. GREAT DAY. COMMISSIONER JONES AND OTHER COMMISSIONERS. AND TO THE WHOLE HOUSE. JUST WANT TO MAKE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THIS SATURDAY WE'RE HAVING A COMMUNITY VOTER FORUM AND IT'S GOING TO BE AT BAILEY CHAPEL. THAT'S 3004 SLEDGE STREET IN WALLER. AND AT THIS FORUM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME DYNAMIC SPEAKERS. VERY INFORMATIVE. IN FACT, ONE OF THEM WILL BE OUR VERY OWN WALLER COUNTY ELECTION. ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR CHRISTY EASON. SO SHE WILL BE THERE ALONG WITH OTHER SPEAKERS, AND WE WILL COVER EVERYTHING. MAYBE NOT EVERYTHING, BUT MOSTLY EVERYTHING ABOUT VOTING. THE WHO, THE WHAT, THE WHEN, THE WHERE, THE HOW AND THE WHYS OF VOTING. SO WE WANT TO JUST INVITE EVERYONE TO COME. EVERYONE IS WELCOME. THAT'S SATURDAY, JULY 11TH, 10:00 PROMPTLY. WE'LL ALSO HAVE DEPUTY VOTER REGISTRARS THERE TO ASSIST WITH REGISTRATION AND UPDATE REGISTRATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, DOCTOR MADDOX. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. SO NICE TO SEE EVERYONE AS ALWAYS. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I WAS HERE THE LAST TIME YOU MET. SINCE YOU ONLY MEET TWO TIMES A MONTH. AND I'M STILL ON A MISSION TO GET THAT FIXED. RIGHT, BECAUSE IT'S VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE. AND I WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THE DATA CENTERS BECAUSE JUDGE DUHON HAD WRITTEN THREE SINGLE SPACED PAGES ABOUT DATA CENTERS, AND I ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION TO EVERYTHING HE SAYS.AND HE WAS VERY DISMISSIVE OF OUR EFFORTS TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND LIVABLE.
HE'S LIKE, WE DON'T HAVE POWERS TO REGULATE THAT. AND I WANTED TO REMIND THE PEOPLE THAT THE ONLY POWER ANYONE HAS OVER YOU IS THE POWER THAT YOU GIVE THEM, RIGHT? SO DON'T GIVE PEOPLE YOUR POWER IF THEY DON'T DESERVE IT. SO WHAT I SAW WAS THAT AFTER WE PUT PRESSURE ON GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT, HE CAME OUT WITH A LOT OF CENTER. HE CAME OUT WITH A LOT TO SAY BECAUSE HE REALIZED THAT HE REALIZES THAT WE ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THAT. WE ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THESE DATA CENTERS THAT ARE ACTUALLY SURVEILLANCE DATA CENTERS. SO HE HE SENT OUT A LETTER TO THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION TO ENSURE THAT DATA CENTERS, DATA CENTER INTERCONNECTIONS WILL RESULT IN REDUCED RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICITY BILLS. NOW, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT IN TEXAS. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SOMEBODY COMING IN AND REDUCING OUR BILLS, KIND OF LIKE THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT COMING IN AND REDUCING OUR. BUT NO, HE'S SAYING THAT HE WANTS TO DO THAT. SO I DON'T REALLY BELIEVE THAT. HE SAID THAT HE WANTS THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION TO TAKE ACTION AND REQUIRE DATA CENTERS TO PAY FOR ALL OF THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE.
[00:05:05]
WHEN HAVE ANY OF THESE PEOPLE PAID THEIR OWN WAY? THEY ARE ALWAYS DEPENDENT ON US AND OUR TAXES. KIND OF LIKE WITH THE ROSS DRESS FOR LESS. THEY WANTED US TO PAY FOR EVERY ROAD, EVERY BIT OF INFRASTRUCTURE. WE GAVE THEM EVERYTHING. WE PAID FOR ALL OF THAT, RIGHT? SO HE ALSO WANTS PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION AND ERCOT TO REVIEW THE EXISTING AUTHORITIES AND TO IDENTIFY ANY NECESSARY ACTIONS. NOW, THAT ALL SOUNDS GOOD AND WELL, RIGHT? HE SOUNDS LIKE HE'S BACKING OFF ON ALL OF THESE SURVEILLANCE DATA CENTERS THAT THEY'RE DOING. BUT ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT THE ELECTRICITY THAT'S SUCH A PROBLEM. IT'S THE SURVEILLANCE, RIGHT. THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COMBINE YOUR WORK HISTORY. THEY'RE GOING TO COMBINE YOUR SEARCH HISTORIES, YOUR FINANCIAL HISTORIES, YOUR BIOMETRIC DATA, YOUR ACTIVITY DATA. THEY'RE GOING TO DO PREDICTIVE BEHAVIOR. THEY'RE GOING TO FLAG ANYONE THAT THEY THINK MIGHT BE A PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE. THEY'RE GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO COMBINE YOUR PHONE INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL OF THE CAMERAS. I DO REMEMBER WHEN, WHEN DISTRICT ATTORNEY MATHIS, NOW JUDGE MATHIS AND JUDGE DUHON HAD AN IDEA TO PUT SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AT 85% OF THE INTERSECTIONS IN WALLER COUNTY. THAT FAILED BECAUSE THE GUY THEY WERE PARTNERING WITH WAS A FELON. RIGHT? WELL, HE WAS UP ON FELONY CHARGES. I THINK HE GOT CONVICTED. THE THE DATA CENTERS ARE GOING TO COMBINE GOVERNMENT DATABASES. THEY'RE GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO COMBINE ALL OF THE STATE CAMERAS. SO EVEN THOUGH WE WORRY ABOUT THE ELECTRICITY AND THE NOISE AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF, THEY'LL BACK OFF ON THAT BECAUSE WHAT THEY NEED IS THAT SURVEILLANCE DATA, RIGHT? SO REMEMBER THESE ARE SURVEILLANCE DATA CENTERS. I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN IN KATY WITH THAT HALF $1 BILLION PROJECT, $400 MILLION PROJECT, YOU HAVE ABOUT 20S. THANK YOU. SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON IN KATY. WITH THAT. I WOULD LIKE SOME TRANSPARENCY ON THAT. AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE SEARS DIVORCE TRIAL. I DON'T KNOW, BUT I DEFINITELY WILL LOOK INTO THAT. AND I THINK THAT WE ALL SHOULD. LET'S KEEP AN EYE OPEN, PEOPLE. THANK YOU. I'LL MAKE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA,[CONSENT AGENDA ]
REMOVING ITEM NUMBER SIX AND PLACING IT ON THE NEXT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT AGENDA.PROPERLY MOVED. AND SECOND, ANY READINESS. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. MOTION CARRIES. TAKE UP NUMBER 38. SO MOVED. ITEM. OR I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH ITEM NUMBER SIX. WITHDRAWN. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED IN SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND PROPERLY. CARRIED. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL TODAY. THESE PEOPLE HAVE HELPED ME GROW UP OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT HELP US GET THROUGH THE NEXT HOUR. SO JUST BE PATIENT AND BLAME JUDGE DUHON. TAKE AGENDA ITEM 38. IT'S BEEN ANY
[SHERIFF]
DISCUSSION OR BUSINESS. YOU ALL NEED ANY. YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. SO GOOD TO GO. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY ALL IN FAVOR. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ITEM 39. SO MOVE ITEM 39 AND 40[COUNTY ENGINEER ]
PROBABLY MOVED TO SECOND READING. THIS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.MOTION CARRIES. YOU WRITE THAT DOWN. ALL RIGHT. LET'S TAKE A AGENDA. ITEMS 41 AND 42. ANY
[GRANT MANAGER ]
EYE REDNESS? OR ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION CARRIES. TAKE A 43. ANY[PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR ]
[00:10:18]
DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION CARRIES 44. SECOND READING THIS. ALL IN[COUNTY JUDGE ]
FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. I LIKE THIS MEETING. THANK YOU. ITEM 45. ANY EYE REDNESS? DO[DIRECTOR OF POLICY & ADMINISTRATION ]
YOU WANT ME TO GO OVER THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT OR YOU GUYS GOOD? YEAH. IT HAS. SO.ALL RIGHT. I'LL GIVE A QUICK SYNOPSIS ON THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. THIS IS A 315 ACRE TRACT OF LAND IN PRECINCT TWO, COMMISSIONER SMITH'S PRECINCT. IT'S AT THE INTERSECTION OF THIS IS LOUD OF SHEFFIELD IN 1488. IT WILL BE MAXED OUT AT 1300 LOTS. RIGHT NOW THERE'S 969 LOTS PROPOSED FOR DEVELOPMENT. THE LOT BREAKDOWN IS 40S, 50S AND 60S, WITH LOTS UNDER 50% BEING NO MORE THAN LOTS UNDER 50FT BEING NO MORE THAN 33%. RIGHT NOW, THE WAY IT LINES UP IS 40 OR 33%, 50 OR 42% 60S OR 23%. WE'RE GIVING OUR USUAL GIVES LOT SIZE, BUILDING LINES, RIGHT OF WAY, CUL DE SAC AND CENTER LINE RADIUS. WHAT THE COUNTY IS RECEIVING IS DETENTION FOR THE FULL BUILD OUT OF SHEFFIELD ROAD. THE DEDICATION OF HALF THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR SHEFFIELD ROAD HALF BOULEVARD CONSTRUCTION TO THE FIRST ENTRY ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE DEVELOPMENT, 22 FOOT REPAVING OF THE SOUTH PORTION OF SHEFFIELD ROAD. WE'RE GETTING $4 A FOOT FOR EVERY LOT UNDER 5000FT■!S PAID AT PLAT RECORD RECORDATION. WE HAVE UPGRADED FENCING AND TREES WITH BOTTOM DETENTION THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT. ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS ARE BEING PUT IN PLACE. CONTRACT DEPUTY AT FULL BUILD OUT. BUILD TO RENT IS PROHIBITED IN THE MULTIFAMILY. WOULD REQUIRE COURT APPROVAL.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, A NEW THING THAT WE'VE ADDED TO OUR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS IS THE DEVELOPER WILL REIMBURSE THE COUNTY FOR ANY LEGAL EXPENSES. SO WHEN WE SEND THESE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS UP TO RANDALL LAW OFFICES, WE WILL SEND THOSE INVOICES TO THE DEVELOPER AND THEY WILL PAY US FOR ALL OF THAT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $25,000. SO OUR LEGAL COSTS ARE NOW BEING COVERED THROUGH OUR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS. AND THAT IS IT.
THAT IS GREAT. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION CARRIES. LET'S TAKE UP 46
[TREASURER]
THROUGH 48. I GOT A QUESTION ON I'M SORRY. IS THAT INCLUDE THE VEHICLE AND EVERYTHING ON THE DEPUTY PART? THE TYPICAL STUFF, IF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS REQUIRE THE CONTRACT, THE CONTRACTS ARE ARE SEPARATE. THE WAY WE'VE DONE OUR CONTRACTS IS THAT WE REQUIRE THE DEVELOPER TO PAY FOR THE VEHICLE. ANY QUESTIONS? BACK ON 46 TO 48. I THINK IT'S BEEN. PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION CARRIES 49. ANY ANY[DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES ]
DISCUSSION OR AGREEMENT. ENLIGHTEN US ON THAT. WE THEN. SIR. YES. OKAY. THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST APPLICATIONS. THIS PROJECT IS WINDING DOWN. WE WILL BE MOVING BOTH JUDGES MATHIS AND DODSON ONTO THE THIRD FLOOR IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS. AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S CIVIL DIVISION AND THOSE COURTROOMS WILL GO ACTIVE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. SO WE'RE DOWN TO LIKE FIVE PUNCH LIST ITEMS. WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF THINGS DONE. SECOND ROUND OF FURNITURE WILL BE HERE NEXT WEEK. THE PEWS WILL BE HERE, I BELIEVE, NEXT WEEK. SO THIS PROJECT IS ALMOST FINISHED. I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION REPAIRS WE'RE DOING ALONG THE CURBS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BUILDING, BUT THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY FLAT SITE WITH REGARDS TO THE STREETS AND CURBS, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS, EVEN WITH THE OLD COURTHOUSE, WITH DIRT IN THE DITCHES AND IT JUST FLAT, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T FLOW WELL. SO WHAT HAPPENED IS WE HAD TO MOVE THE HANDICAPPED SPACES TO THE MIDDLE OF THE BLOCK. AND SO THE CORNERS AND THAT MADE VERY FLAT CONDITIONS FOR HANDICAPPED. AND WE GOT TWO FLAT AND WE STARTED PONDING TOO MUCH WATER. SO WE[00:15:02]
HAVE DONE A LOT OF SURVEYING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE POINTS AND THE BEST WAYS TO SLOPE THE CONCRETE CURBS TO GET THAT WATER OUT OF HERE. AND HOPEFULLY WE WON'T HAVE THESE PONDING PROBLEMS AFTER THE END OF THIS WEEK. THESE REPAIRS SHOULD BE FINISHED BY NEXT MONDAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. HAVE A. DRAINAGE PIPE SOMEWHERE. WE. THAT WAS ONE OF THE OPTIONS WE DID LOOK AT. BUT EVERYWHERE YOU GO YOU'RE STILL HITTING FLAT AND AND WE JUST COULDN'T GET A GOOD DAYLIGHT SITUATION FOR A PIPE. WE. THAT WAS AN OPTION. WE LOOKED AT A UNIFORM GRADE.SO YOU'RE JOINING US FOR THE VACATION. AGAIN, WE LOOKED AT ABOUT 5 OR 6 DIFFERENT OPTIONS, EVEN EVEN GOING INTO THE STREET AND TRYING TO DIRECT THE WATER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.
BUT THAT WOULD HAVE PUT A DIP IN HANDICAP SPACES, AND WE DIDN'T WANT THAT. WE LOOKED AT DRAINAGE PIPE, WE LOOKED AT OTHER KIND OF CULVERT KIND OF THINGS. AND THIS IS RESHAPING THE CULVERTS OR THE, THE, THE CURB WHERE THE CURBS ARE. IT WAS THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE THIS TO GET POSITIVE DRAINAGE. I BELIEVE WE'RE DRAINING OUT TOWARD THE STREET. DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION CARRIES. LET'S TAKE UP A. SECOND.
[MISCELLANEOUS ]
COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS JUST. WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY WITH HUSH BLACKWELL WHO HAS LEFT HUSH BLACKWELL. AND SO AS PART OF THEIR PROCESS, WHEN AN ATTORNEY WHO'S WORKED ON OUR CASES LEAVES, THEY'RE ASKING WHETHER WE WANT OUR BUSINESS TO GO WITH THAT ATTORNEY TO HER NEW FIRM OR WHETHER WE WANT IT TO STAY WITH HUSH BLACKWELL. SANDY GOMEZ IS STILL THERE. I THINK SHE HANDLES MOST OF OUR WORK, BUT THEY HAVE THIS. BECAUSE THAT ATTORNEY IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION. I DON'T SEE A REASON TO LEAVE. HUSH BLACKWELL THE PRIMARY ATTORNEYS WE DEAL WITH ARE STILL THERE, BUT THEY NEED THIS FORM JUST FOR THEIR OWN RECORDS, BASICALLY. AND SO THE FORM IS ATTACHED. AND IF Y'ALL WANT TO KEEP THE FILES WITH HUSH BLACKWELL, WE JUST VOTE YES. IF YOU IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THE THE CASES. WELL LEGAL MATTERS WITH HUSH BLACKWELL YES.WE JUST VOTE YES TO REMAIN IN. BLACKWELL SO THERE NEEDS TO BE ANOTHER MOTION ON. NO. WE JUST.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION CARRIES 51. SECOND, I PROBABLY MOVE TO A SECOND. ITEM 51 WE HAD SOMEBODY WHO RENTED THE COMMUNITY CENTER. THERE WAS AN ISSUE WHERE THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET IN FOR THE FIRST HOUR OF THE RENTAL PERIOD. THAT PERSON HAS ASKED FOR A REFUND OF RENTAL AMOUNT. THEY WERE ABLE TO GET IN AND USE IT FOR THE REST OF THE WHOLE DAY.
I WOULD RECOMMEND WE DO A MOTION WHERE YOU GUYS AGREE ON HOW MUCH YOU ALL WANT TO REFUND.
I THINK A PRORATION IS APPROPRIATE IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT I'M NOT SURE.
I MEAN, IF YOU ALL WANT TO DO A COMPLETE REFUND, YOU CAN, BUT THAT'S UP TO YOU GUYS. I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. WELL, ACTIVITY WAS I'M NOT SURE. I JUST KNOW THEY HAD AN EVENT ALL DAY FROM 8 A.M. TO MIDNIGHT. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET IN UNTIL 9:00. THE FULL RENTAL AMOUNT IS $450. PRO THE PRO RATE, THE HOUR THAT THEY USE IS HOW MUCH. IT'S ROUGHLY $28 PER HOUR IF YOU DO THAT, YOU NEED TO AMEND THE MOTION TO YEAH, WE'LL JUST NEED A MOTION THAT AMENDS IT TO HOWEVER MUCH YOU WANT TO RATE IT FOR. YEAH. AND I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE REFUNDED PRORATED AMOUNT EQUAL TO ONE. DIVIDED BY FOUR. SECOND OR IT GETS A LITTLE TRICKY.
YEAH. ALL RIGHT. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. AND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR AS AMENDED. MOTION CARRIES. YOU GOT THROUGH THAT. THAT WAS THE TOUGHEST
[00:20:08]
PART OF THE DAY. ITEM 52. OKAY. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS JUST TO ALLOW FOR THE DIRECTOR OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO TAKE ON DECISIONS LIKE YOU ALL JUST DID. WHAT THE WHOLE REFUNDING THING, SOMETHING THAT COULD BE HANDLED ON THE STAFF LEVEL AND DOESN'T NECESSARILY NEED TO GO TO COMMISSIONERS COURT. SO THIS WOULD DELEGATE THAT AUTHORITY TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT GOING FORWARD. CORRECT ME. INTERIM. I SEE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. IS IT OKAY, SINCE IT INVOLVES A REFUND OF COUNTY FUNDS, IS IT OKAY TO DELEGATE THAT TO SOMEBODY OTHER THAN THE COURT? THE AMOUNTS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, I THINK IT WILL BE OKAY. THIS IS NOT THE POINT OF THIS IS TO TAKE THESE MINOR THINGS THAT COME UP. AND SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A FULL COMMISSIONERS COURT ISSUE ON, ON THOSE ITEMS. A LOT OF THE TIMES WHAT COMES UP, THOUGH, IS NOT A REFUND LIKE THIS. THAT'S PROBABLY LESS COMMON. BUT THINGS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, MORE FOR LIKE, WE NEED FLEXIBILITY ON, ON DIFFERENT THINGS AND DETERMINING WHETHER SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, QUALIFIES AS COUNTY AFFAIR OR NOT. AND RATHER THAN WAITING FOR IT TO COME BACK HERE EVERY TIME, I THINK IT MAKES MORE SENSE IF WE MOVE THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER TO THE PARKS DIRECTOR, THE INTERIM DIRECTOR IN THIS CASE, THAT WILL FREE UP Y'ALL'S TIME ON THESE KIND OF MUNDANE MATTERS. OKAY. AS LONG AS. YEAH, MY ONLY CONCERN NOT WITH WAS NOT WITH THE DELEGATION OF WHETHER OR NOT, SINCE IT INVOLVES GIVING MONEY BACK. YEAH, A LOT OF IT'S NOT GOING TO INVOLVE GIVING MONEY BACK, THOUGH. BUT WHEN IT DOES, I MEAN, THE RENTAL FEE IS LESS THAN $500. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION CARRIES. DO NOT BEAT ANY OF HIS MEETING TIMES. BUT I THINK WE MAY HAVE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I'LL TAKE A. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL TAKE A 53. 54. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.