I. Approve and authorize the County Judge to sign the HOT Event Grant Award Service Agreement with Green Paradise Productions Inc for the general promotion and tourist advertising of El Paso County by completing the Tex Mex Motors Project and disseminating it outside the county service area in the amount of $58,029.11. Funding is available in SR-TOURPROM-ADVERTISING. (Contract No. 2024-0434) Roberto Ransom, Director, Economic Development, 915-546-2177

[A. Approve and adopt a resolution encouraging toy donations for children waiting for their wishes to be fulfilled and recognizing July 2024 as "Make-A-Wish Month" in El Paso County, Texas. David Stout, Commissioner, Precinct 2, 915-546-2111]

PASO COUNTY, TEXAS. COMMISSIONER STOUT, GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU EVERYBODY, VERY HONORED TO BE ABLE TO READ THIS RESOLUTION INTO THE RECORD, I THINK WE'VE ALL PROBABLY HEARD OF THE ORGANIZATION MAKE-A-WISH. AND I'M SURE THAT AT SOME POINT WE PROBABLY ALL SUPPORTED THEM IN SOME WAY, BUT I BET MOST OF US DON'T KNOW ITS HISTORY AND HOW MANY LIVES IT REALLY HAS TOUCHED. FIRST, IT'S AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION, MORE THAN 585,000 CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING MORE THAN 365,000 IN THE UNITED STATES, SUPPORTED BY DONORS AND MORE THAN 27,000 VOLUNTEERS HAVE HAD WISHES GRANTED SINCE 1980. THE FIRST WISH WAS GRANTED IN PHOENIX THAT YEAR, A SEVEN YEAR OLD WHO WANTED TO BE A POLICE OFFICER. THE FIRST OFFICIAL MAKE-A-WISH GRANTED WISH WAS IN ANAHEIM. ANOTHER SEVEN YEAR OLD BOY WHO WANTED TO BE A FIREFIGHTER BY 2000, MAKE A WISH WAS IN EVERY COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IN 2010, THE FIRST WORLD WISH DAY WAS CELEBRATED AND SO I'M VERY PROUD TO BE A PART OF THAT TRADITION. AND WITH THAT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THE RESOLUTION. AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME GUESTS HERE THAT WE CAN HEAR FROM AFTER THE RESOLUTION. IT STATES, WHEREAS THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION IS GUIDED BY FOUR MAIN PILLARS STRENGTH, HOPE, TRANSFORMATION, AND COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS STRENGTH IS TIED DIRECTLY TO RESEARCH THAT SHOWS A WISH CAN BE SO POWERFUL AS TO HELP CHILDREN FIGHT AND EVEN OVERCOME A CRITICAL ILLNESS. AND WHEREAS HOPE RELATES TO HOW A WISH CAN UPLIFT SPIRITS, ENCOURAGE BELIEF IN THE IMPOSSIBLE, AND RENEW HOPE, AND WHEREAS TRANSFORMATION COMES IN HOW A WISH FOR FOREVER CHANGES THE LIVES OF KIDS, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR ENTIRE COMMUNITIES AND WHEREAS COMMUNITIES ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER IN THEIR COMMON GOAL TO SUPPORT NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS AND LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCES. AND WHEREAS MAKE-A-WISH HAS ONE PROGRAM GRANTING WISHES FOR CHILDREN FACING CRITICAL ILLNESS , AND WHEREAS TOYS DONATED TO THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION WILL BE ADDED TO THEIR WISH REVEAL, ELEVATING THE NEWS THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE THEIR ONE TRUE WISH. WE WANT TO BRING UNEXPECTED JOY AND SURPRISE TO CHILDREN WHO ARE WAITING FOR THEIR WISHES TO BE FULFILLED.

AND WHEREAS WISH REVEALED TOYS CAN GREATLY HELP BRING A SMILE TO THE NEARLY 100 KIDS IN EL PASO THAT ARE WAITING TO RECEIVE THEIR WISH, AND NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE EL PASO COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS COURT THAT WE ENCOURAGE EL PASO COUNTY EMPLOYEES, DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES TO CONSIDER SPONSORING INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP TOY DONATIONS TO BRING MUCH

[00:20:03]

NEEDED SMILES TO THESE SPECIAL KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY AS THEY WAIT FOR THEIR WISHES TO BE FULFILLED. AND FURTHER, WE RECOGNIZE THAT JULY 2024 IS MAKE-A-WISH MONTH IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS. SIGNED THIS 24TH DAY OF JUNE 2020 FOR THE HONORABLE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT AND A SECOND FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. AGAIN, I THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. MELISSA. WELCOME. HI, JUDGE. HI, COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US, AGAIN AND FOR SPONSORING THIS RESOLUTION. THIS IS NOW OUR THIRD YEAR IN A ROW AND PARTNERING WITH YOU GUYS TO BENEFIT THE WISH FAMILIES AND CHILDREN OF EL PASO COUNTY, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT. YOU KNOW, MAKE-A-WISH IN OPERATING HERE SERVES, NEARLY 100 KIDS THAT ARE IN OUR PIPELINE. AND FOR EVERY CHILD THAT HAS THEIR WISH GRANTED HERE IN EL PASO, TWO MORE, COME IN OUR PIPELINE. AND SO FOR EVERY TIME THAT A CHILD JOINS OUR PIPELINE AS A WISH, AND BECOMES A MAKE-A-WISH CHILD, WE SEND THEM A MOMENT OF JOY IN THE FORM OF THEIR BACKPACK, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY WILL GET THEIR WISH. AND SO THIS YEAR, A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY FROM YEARS PAST, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE COUNTY EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATE IN THAT MOMENT BY DONATING A TOY THAT WILL BE IN THAT BACKPACK. AND WE ENCOURAGE COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO INCLUDE A LITTLE NOTE OF JOY, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, DAVID STOUT FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE IS WISHING THEM A GREAT WISH JOURNEY. AND SO THESE TOYS, BENEFIT THE CHILD BY BEING PART OF THAT JOY AND SURPRISE OF GETTING, FINDING OUT THAT THEY ARE ABOUT TO RECEIVE THEIR WISH AND BECOME PART OF THEIR JOURNEY AS, YOU KNOW, IN LEARNING ABOUT THEIR WISH, THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. I THINK YOU ALL CAN SORT OF KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN A FAMILY LEARNS THAT A CHILD HAS A CRITICAL ILLNESS, THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE JUST FOCUSED ON THE PRESENT, THEY ARE FOCUSED ON EVERY SINGLE DAY OF BATTLING THAT CRITICAL ILLNESS AND GETTING TO THE NEXT DAY. WELL A LOT OF TIMES WHAT A WISH DOES IS IT GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO THINK OF A FUTURE, NOT, WITHIN THAT CRITICAL ILLNESS, BUT A FUTURE OF HAPPINESS AND JOY WHERE THEY WILL HAVE A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE TOGETHER AS A FAMILY AND BE HAPPY TOGETHER AS A FAMILY. AND FOR THAT CHILD TO HAVE A MOMENT OF RELIEF IN WHAT IS REALLY A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE . AND SO THAT IS WHAT WHAT A WISH DOES. IT'S A IT'S A MOMENT OF HOPE. AND IT ALLOWS THEM TO THINK OF THE FUTURE IN AND, AND TO HOLD ON TO THOSE MEMORIES AS THEY CONTINUE TO BATTLE AND OVERCOME THOSE CRITICAL ILLNESSES. AND SO THE COUNTY WILL BE A PART OF THAT JOURNEY. THEY WILL PROVIDE A MOMENT OF RESPITE, WITH THESE GIFTS AND WITH THESE DONATIONS. AND WE KNOW THAT THE CHILDREN OF EL PASO ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THIS. SO I WISH TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR VOTING YES TO THIS RESOLUTION. AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THIS TOY DRIVE IS GOING TO BENEFIT ALL OF OUR WISH KIDS HERE IN EL PASO.

SO THANK YOU. WE'RE SO CONFIDENT ABOUT OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES. THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY GENEROUS, VERY SUPPORTIVE. AND HERE AT COMMISSIONERS COURT, WE'VE GOTTEN THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE OF THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THEIR CHALLENGES, AS YOU KNOW. AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ABOUT THIS SENSE OF HOPE. AND IT GIVES THEM A SENSE OF HOPE. AND, YOU KNOW, AND ENCOURAGES THEM. AND THEY NEED THAT TREMENDOUSLY. SOMETIMES MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. SO WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. AND THANK YOU FOR THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SO THAT OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THE PROGRAM EVEN BETTER. SO, COMMISSIONER STOUT, WELL, THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN, MELISSA, FOR, THE WORK THAT YOU DO WITH THE ORGANIZATION, FOR THE WORK THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION DOES AND FOR ALLOWING US TO BE PART OF THIS REALLY AMAZING EFFORT. LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A TAKE A PICTURE OF THE RESOLUTION.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE. BE A PROVEN. ADOPT A RESOLUTION DECLARING THE WEEK OF JUNE 24TH, 2024 AS

[00:25:05]

NATIONAL SPANISH SPELLING WEEK IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS. COMMISSIONER OLGUIN. THANK YOU.

[B. Approve and adopt a resolution declaring the week of June 24, 2024, as ”National Spanish Spelling Week" in El Paso County, Texas. Iliana Holguin, Commissioner, Precinct 3, 915-546-2144]

JUDGE, SO THIS IS A RESOLUTION THAT I'M VERY PROUD TO INTRODUCE INTO THE RECORD TODAY. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THE ORGANIZERS HERE WITH US TODAY, PERHAPS DOCTOR JOSE VELASQUEZ, ANNABELLE, DE NABI OR DOCTOR ARMANDO AGUIRRE, IF ANY OF YOU ARE IN THE AUDIENCE, IF YOU COULD PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY UP TO THE PODIUM. WHEREAS THE COUNTY OF EL PASO, TEXAS TAKES PRIDE IN ITS RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE AND DIVERSE LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPE. AND WHEREAS THE ESTEEMED EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER REGION 19 PROUDLY HOSTS THE 2024 NATIONAL SPANISH SPELLING BEE, SHOWCASING THE LINGUISTIC PROWESS AND SCHOLARLY EXCELLENCE OF STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE NATION. AND WHEREAS, THE STARLITE EVENT CENTER IN EL PASO, TEXAS WILL TRANSFORM INTO THE EPICENTER OF SPELLING MASTERY AND INTELLECTUAL BRILLIANCE. ON JUNE 27TH, 2024, WELCOMING CONTESTANTS, EDUCATORS , FAMILIES, AND ESTEEMED GUESTS. AND WHEREAS, THE NATIONAL SPANISH SPELLING BEE, FOUNDED AND COORDINATED BY THE VISIONARY DAVID BRISENO, REPRESENTS AN UNPARALLELED LEVEL OF COMPETITION, FOSTERING DEDICATION, SELF-ASSURANCE AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE AMONG PARTICIPANTS AND WHEREAS, THE PRESTIGIOUS EVENTS SPANNING FROM JUNE 26TH TO JUNE 27TH SERVES AS A BEACON OF UNITY, BRINGING TOGETHER YOUNG SCHOLARS FROM DIVERSE CORNERS OF THE COUNTRY TO CELEBRATE LANGUAGE LEARNING AND COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS, THE PARTICIPATION OF MONSERRAT GARIBAY, US DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY AND DIRECTOR FOR THE OFFICE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND A VIDEO MESSAGE FROM DOCTOR MIGUEL CARDONA, US SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, UNDERSCORES THE NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE AND SUPPORT FOR THIS ENRICHING JOURNEY. AND WHEREAS THE NATIONAL SPANISH SPELLING BEE IS NOT MERELY A COMPETITION BUT AN ENRICHING JOURNEY THAT LEAVES LASTING IMPRESSIONS, FORGING ENDURING MEMORIES AND BONDS AMONG PARTICIPANTS, TEACHERS AND FAMILIES. AND NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNTY OF EL PASO ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS TO CELEBRATE THE LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE EXEMPLIFIED BY THE NATIONAL SPANISH SPELLING BEE, AND THAT THE COUNTY OF EL PASO, TEXAS, HEREBY DESIGNATES THE WEEK OF JUNE 24TH, 2024, IN HONOR OF THE FOURTH TO EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS COMPETING IN THE 2024 NATIONAL SPANISH SPELLING BEE IN EL PASO, TEXAS AS NATIONAL SPANISH SPELLING BEE WEEK. IN OFFICIAL RECOGNITION THEREOF, THE JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS OF THIS COURT HEREBY AFFIX THEIR SIGNATURES THIS JUNE 24TH, 2024, IN EL PASO, TEXAS. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN AND A SECOND FROM COUNTY JUDGE SAMANIEGO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER OLGUIN, I COMMISSIONER STOUT. MINE'S WORKING NOW. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES.

WELCOME GOOD MORNING. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE. IT'S AN HONOR TO RECEIVE THIS RESOLUTION ON BEHALF OF REGION 19, EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER, WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE AT REGION 19. EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER, TO BE A KEY STAKEHOLDER AND SUPPORTER AND ADVOCATE FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS HERE IN, EL PASO COUNTY. AS WELL AS, HUDSPETH COUNTY, AND WITH THE NATIONAL SPANISH SPELLING BEE, IT HAS BEEN A JOY TO BE THE ORGANIZER, THE COORDINATOR AND THE HOST, AT THE STARLITE EVENT CENTER FOR THIS EVENT. THIS WILL BE OUR THIRD YEAR. WE CELEBRATE THE LINGUISTIC SKILLS OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE ALSO INVITE, KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO COME HERE AND TO JOIN US IN THIS EVENT, IT IS A COMPETITION, BUT IT'S MORE THAN THAT. IT REALLY IS A GATHERING OF A COMMUNITY OF, OF FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS THAT COME TOGETHER TO REALLY ELEVATE SPANISH, WHICH IS A KEY LANGUAGE, HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT ALSO ACROSS THE WORLD, WE'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF, OF, HOSTING, KIDS FROM FLORIDA FROM AS FAR AWAY AS, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, GOSH, WYOMING, THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, NEW MEXICO, COLORADO, CALIFORNIA, OREGON, AND THEY'RE COMING ALL, YOU KNOW, FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AS WELL. WE HAVE KIDS WHO, DO NOT SPEAK SPANISH AS A FIRST LANGUAGE, BUT YET, YOU KNOW, THEY EMBRACE, SPANISH AS AN ENRICHING PART OF THEIR LEARNING EXPERIENCE. THE OTHER KEY PART OF THIS IS THAT IT ALSO IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THE KIDS WHO ARE LEARNING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY

[00:30:06]

TO SHOWCASE THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE, WHICH IS SPANISH. SO IT GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, THAT STRENGTH THAT THEY HAVE. YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY TO THEN, ADD ENGLISH AS ANOTHER LANGUAGE. SO WE'RE REALLY ABOUT CELEBRATING BILITERACY BILINGUALISM. BI CULTURALISM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A VERY SHORT STORY, WE JUST RECENTLY HAD A REGIONAL SPANISH SPELLING BEE, THE TOP TWO CONTENDERS, THEY WERE BATTLING OUT FOR FIRST PLACE. THERE WAS A FOURTH GRADER AND AN EIGHTH GRADER, AND BOY, THEY WENT 21 ROUNDS, 21 ROUNDS, UNTIL FINALLY THE EIGHTH GRADER WON OUT, BUT THAT FOURTH GRADER WAS, YOU KNOW, TOE TO TOE, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT EIGHTH GRADER, BOTH OF THEM FROM EL PASO ISD, WE HAVE GREAT REPRESENTATION FROM DISTRICTS, HERE IN THIS COUNTY, AND WE CERTAINLY WANT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS FOR NEXT YEAR. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE TO HIGHLIGHT THIS GREAT EVENT. WE CERTAINLY WELCOME YOU. WE INVITE YOU. WE INVITE THE AUDIENCE. THAT'S HERE TODAY TO JOIN US, THIS THURSDAY, JUNE 27TH, AS WE BRING THESE KIDS TOGETHER TO SHOW US THEIR SKILLS AND SPELLING, HIGH ACADEMIC SPANISH. SOME OF THOSE WORDS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN. AND I CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE A FLUENT, YOU KNOW, SPANISH SPEAKER READER, BUT SOME OF THOSE WORDS ARE BEYOND ME. AND YET, THERE THEY ARE, SPELLING THOSE WORDS, YOU KNOW, TO THEIR BEST. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. NO, THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, OUR UNIQUENESS, FOR THOSE OF. I'M SURE, IN THE AUDIENCE WHERE WE WERE SORT OF PROHIBITED IN SPEAKING SPANISH, TO NOW BEING ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT, IT'S JUST JUST A GREAT ADVANCEMENT AS PART OF OUR UNIQUENESS, AS PART OF OUR CULTURE, WE STILL SAY SPELLER INSTEAD OF THE LETTER, BUT WE'RE STILL THERE, STRUGGLING TO MOVE ON INTO A, A BETTER LEVEL OF SPANISH. BUT SO WE THANK YOU BECAUSE ANYTHING THAT HELPS OUR YOUNG ADULTS, YOU KNOW, REALLY BE ABLE TO ENHANCE THEIR EDUCATION. AND THESE PROGRAMS ALSO, THEY'RE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. IT SORT OF HIGHLIGHTS EL PASO AS WELL. SO MUCHISIMAS GRACIAS. ESTA ES UN PRIVILEGIO VENIR AQUI CON NOSOTROS. MUCHAS GRACIAS.

GRACIAS A USTEDES. GRACIAS. COMMISSIONER JEAN. THANK YOU DOCTOR. AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK REGION 19 FOR BEING SUCH A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL COMMUNITY PARTNER, AND I HOPE THAT THE SPANISH SPELLING BEE CONTINUES HERE IN EL PASO FOR MANY, MANY MORE YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M ASKING OUR JUNIOR ASSISTANT, A KEY PART OF THIS PROCESS.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE. C APPROVING. ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF JUNE 2024 AS ELDER ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS. COMMISSIONER OLGUIN, THANK YOU. JUDGE. IT'S

[C. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing the month of June 2024 as "Elder Abuse Prevention Month" in El Paso County, Texas. Iliana Holguin, Commissioner, Precinct 3, 915-546-2144]

MY HONOR AS WELL TO READ THIS RESOLUTION INTO THE RECORD, THIS RESOLUTION ADDRESSES A TOPIC THAT IS SO VERY IMPORTANT AND SOMETHING THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO BE EXTREMELY VIGILANT ABOUT, WHICH IS ELDER ABUSE PREVENTION. IF I COULD ASK, GRACE ORTIZ AND HER TEAM TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM, WHEREAS THE CITIZENS OF EL PASO, TEXAS HAVE ALWAYS CONTRIBUTED TO THE GENERAL WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR CITIZENS WHO ARE ELDERLY AND DISABLED. AND WHEREAS, THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES, ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAVE PROVIDED PROTECTIVE SERVICES TO CITIZENS WHO ARE ELDERLY AND DISABLED. AND WHEREAS ABUSE OF THE ELDERLY AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN DOMESTIC AND INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AFFECTING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTY, WHEREAS ELDER ABUSE HAPPENS TO MEN AND WOMEN OF ALL INCOME LEVELS, ALL CULTURAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS, WHETHER THEY ARE IN GOOD HEALTH OR INCAPACITATED IN SOME WAY, IN

[00:35:04]

POOR NEIGHBORHOODS AND IN SUBURBIA AND WHEREAS THERE IS A NEED TO CONTINUE TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS REGARDING THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM AND THE LEGAL MANDATE THAT ANY PERSON HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF ABUSED, NEGLECTED OR EXPLOITED ELDERLY OR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DISABLED MUST REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES, ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES THROUGH THE TEXAS HOTLINE ONE (800) 252-5400. AND NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE EL PASO COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS COURT, THAT THE MONTH OF JUNE 2024 BE DECLARED AS ELDER ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH IN OFFICIAL RECOGNITION THEREOF, THE JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS OF THIS COURT HEREBY AFFIX THEIR SIGNATURES ON THIS 24TH DAY OF JUNE, 2024. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT.

THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER, I THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. WELCOME GOOD MORNING. JUDGE. COMMISSIONER AND COUNTY OFFICIALS AND GUESTS. MY NAME IS GRACE ORTIZ, AND I'M THE FAITH BASED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST FOR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES. I SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER OLGUIN FOR SUPPORTING OUR ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH WITH A COUNTY RESOLUTION. ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES IS A STATE AGENCY THAT INVESTIGATES CASES OF ABUSE, NEGLECT AND EXPLOITATION FOR THE ELDERLY AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. APS SERVES TEXAS RESIDENTS WHO ARE AGE 65 OR OLDER, OR ANYONE 18 TO 64 THAT HAS A CHRONIC DISABILITY. APS HAS A NEW INITIATIVE, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS INITIATIVE SINCE LAST YEAR. IT'S CALLED PARTNERING TO PROTECT. OUR GOAL IS TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT TOGETHER WE CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER, WE CAN DO OUR JOBS BETTER TO SERVE THE VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE AND WE TRULY NEED OUR PARTNERS. I CHALLENGE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TODAY. I KNOW YOU'RE VERY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE JUST NEED TO CHALLENGE YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE SO THAT YOU CAN GET INVOLVED. BE A BUDDY TO A SENIOR. WE ALL KNOW SOMEBODY WE'RE ALL CONNECTED. SOMEONE WHO'S AGE 65 OR OLDER, ESPECIALLY DURING THESE VERY, VERY HOT DAYS. CHECK ON THEM, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE OKAY. IF THEY NEED ERRANDS, RUN. OFFER TO RUN AN ERRAND FOR THEM. MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE RUNNING AIR CONDITIONER, THAT THEY HAVE FOOD , THAT THEY'RE TAKING THEIR MEDICATIONS AND THAT THEY'RE WELL DURING THIS EXTREME HEAT. IF THEY'RE NOT, PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU CAN CALL ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES. WE CAN PROVIDE FOOD, WE CAN PAY FOR VERY HIGH PRICED MEDICATION. IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT, WE CAN TURN ON THEIR AIR CONDITIONER. WE CAN PROVIDE THEM A FAN. WE WANT THEM TO REMAIN AT HOME, TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT. SO IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO BE THE VOICE FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T PROTECT THEMSELVES. IF YOU SUSPECT SOMEONE BEING ABUSED, NEGLECTED OR EXPLOITED, YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL OUR AGENCY AT 1-800-252-5400. WE'RE HERE TO HELP AND WE WANT TO HELP. TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I ALREADY AM REALIZING THAT ONE DAY IT'S INEVITABLE. I'M GOING TO BE AN OLDER TEXAN, AND MY WISH IS THAT WHEN I'M THERE, AT THAT AGE, THERE WILL BE SOMEONE IN THE COMMUNITY. INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS YOURSELVES, WHO WILL HAVE A VOICE FOR ME AND GET INVOLVED AND REACH OUT AND GET THE HELP THAT I NEED. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR, JESUS SANCHEZ, WHOSE HOUSE HERE IN EL PASO.

THANK YOU. WELCOME. JESUS. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS RESOLUTION TODAY. OBVIOUSLY, I AM THE, PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR FOR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES IN THIS REGION, WHICH ENCOMPASSES EL PASO COUNTY AND, OBVIOUSLY, ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES IS THE PROGRAM THAT IS MANDATED BY STATUTE TO INVESTIGATE ABUSE, NEGLECT AND EXPLOITATION OF THE ELDERLY AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES, AND IT'S ALSO OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THEY HAVE THE APPROPRIATE SERVICES TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.

BUT AS GRACE MENTIONED, WE CANNOT DO THAT ALONE. AND SO IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER. ALL OF US, ALL OF US, ALL OF US WHO ARE COMMITTED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF NOT ONLY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ELDERLY AND HAVE A DISABILITY IN THE COUNTY OF EL PASO, BUT THROUGHOUT THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS. AND SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL AGAIN THAT YOU ALL HAVE RESOLVED TO, CREATE THIS THIS RECOGNITION AN AND GRATEFUL TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS WHO HAVE JOINED US HERE TODAY TO STAND WITH US, TO RECOGNIZE AND TO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO EDUCATING AND ERADICATING ABUSE, NEGLECT AND EXPLOITATION OF THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED ADULTS. AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR ALL OUR PARTNERS. THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING, PROJECT AMISTAD, BMV, AND ALSO VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMITTED INDIVIDUALS OF THE ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES SILVER STAR BOARD, WHO JUST RECENTLY HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCE TO EDUCATE OTHERS ON ABUSE, NEGLECT AND EXPLOITATION. AND I'D LIKE TO, PRESENT AND INVITE MISS LAURA CHRISTOFFERSON, THE PRESIDENT OF THE APS SILVER STAR BOARD, TO SAY A FEW WORDS. WELCOME THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

[00:40:04]

JOEY, AS YOU SAID, MY NAME IS LAURA CHRISTOFFERSON. I'M AN ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY, AND I THINK IT WARRANTS REPEATING THAT EACH OF US HAVE A SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. WE HAVE AUNTS, WE HAVE UNCLES, WE HAVE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE ELDERLY. AND I'M JUST GOING TO REMIND YOU AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO THEM, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME. THERE ARE AMPLE RESOURCES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO OUR ELDERLY STANDING BEHIND ME ARE THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE THOSE RESOURCES AS WELL AS THE SILVER STAR BOARD. WE, AS CHEWY SAID, JUST HAD OUR CONFERENCE. WE HAVE WONDERFUL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF REACHING OUT, LETTING US KNOW AS A SILVER STAR BOARD, OUR GOAL IS TO FILL THAT GAP. IF SOMEBODY STANDING BEHIND ME DOES NOT HAVE THE RESOURCE THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, THEN THE SILVER STAR BOARD, IF POSSIBLE, WILL STEP IN AND PROVIDE THAT RESOURCE. SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU THAT THE SILVER STAR BOARD, AS WELL AS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS SUPPORTIVE OF OUR ELDERS AND WE'RE HERE TO SERVE. SO PLEASE REACH OUT TO THE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SAFE, THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING NEGLECTED. AND IF THEY'RE HAVE A NEED, PLEASE MAKE IT KNOWN TO US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, PLEASE. MORNING, EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MICHELLE SALINAS. I'M HERE REPRESENTING BMV, ALL INCLUSIVE SENIOR HEALTH. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION AND GROWTH THERE. SO I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT I AM EDUCATING THE CITY AND LETTING EVERYONE KNOW THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE. AND, JUST REPRESENTING. RIGHT. THANK YOU.

MORNING, YVETTE LUGO. I'M THE DIRECTOR FOR THE RIO GRANDE AREA AGENCY ON AGING AND OBVIOUSLY STAND IN SUPPORT WITH OUR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMUNITY PARTNER. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING , DENISE APODACA. I'M WITH AMISTAD. I'M THE AGING DISABILITY TRANSPORTATION RESOURCE CENTER SUPERVISOR. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT APPS. OF COURSE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ALYSSA TREJO, AND I'M A RESOURCE COACH WITH PROJECT AMISTAD. THANK YOU. MORNING. I'M CELIA RODRIGUEZ. I'M THE SOCIAL WORK MANAGER AT BMV. THANK YOU. HELLO. RICARDO RIVERA, INVESTIGATOR WITH ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. AND, YOU KNOW, ALL WE SAY THAT A COMMUNITY IS RECOGNIZED BY HOW THEY TREAT THEIR ELDERLY AND EL PASO. I THINK REALLY GOES ALL OUT TO MAKE SURE. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE MESSAGE OF TAKING ONE MORE STEP AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR ELDERLY ARE WELL TAKEN CARE OF, I'M SORT OF CLOSE TO PROJECT AMISTAD, WAS ON THE BOARD OF BMV, SO I'M VERY PROUD OF WHAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER AGENCIES. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. IT'S JUST VERY DIFFICULT TO KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THESE INDIVIDUALS CONTRIBUTED TREMENDOUSLY THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES, THEN THEY GET TO A POINT. THINGS HAPPEN, AND THEN WE FORGET THEM.

YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T FORGET US WHEN THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, BEING PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, COMMISSIONER. YES. THANK YOU.

EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR THE INCREDIBLE DIFFERENCE THAT YOU MAKE IN THE LIVES OF OUR ELDERLY AND DISABLED POPULATIONS, EL PASO IS INCREDIBLY BLESSED TO HAVE ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS YOURS AND INDIVIDUALS AS DEDICATED AS YOU ALL ARE. BUT WE MUST ALL REMAIN VIGILANT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO PREVENT ELDER ABUSE AND NEGLECT. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION, AND FOR BEING HERE WITH US THIS MORNING. AND WE HAVE A RESOLUTION FOR YOU. GRACE, IF WE COULD ALL COME UP FRONT AND TAKE A PHOTO, PLEASE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[00:45:28]

ITEM NUMBER FIVE D APPROVE AN ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING EL PASO COUNTY ELECTIONS

[D. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing El Paso County Elections Department in the El Paso Council of the Blind and Fab Lab El Paso, for the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s 2023 Clearinghouse Awards – Honorable Mention, in El Paso County, Texas. Ricardo A. Samaniego, County Judge, County Judge's Office, 915-546-2098]

DEPARTMENT AND THE EL PASO AND THE EL PASO COUNCIL OF THE BLIND AND FAB LAB, EL PASO FOR THE US ELECTIONS ASSISTANCE COMMISSIONS, 2023 CLEARINGHOUSE AWARDS. HONORABLE MENTION IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS. LISA, PLEASE SEND YOUR TEAM.

THANK YOU. LISA, BEFORE WE START , WE'RE ALL VERY PROUD OF LISA AND HER WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THE VOTING. AS YOU ALL KNOW, VOTING HERE IS NOT WHERE IT SHOULD BE. BUT THANKS TO LISA AND HER TEAM, THEY HAVE DONE SO MUCH TO BE ABLE TO GET IT TO THAT LEVEL. WHEREAS VOTING IS A FUNDAMENTAL ACT OF CIVIC PARTICIPATION THROUGH WHICH EL PASO COUNTY VOTERS CONTRIBUTE TO DEMOCRACY. WHILE VOTING IS JUST ONE OF MANY WAYS OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, IT IS A POWERFUL WAY FOR OUR DISABLED COMMUNITY TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD AND TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEM. WITH EL PASO COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE EL PASO COUNCIL OF THE BLIND AND FAB LAB, EL PASO HAVE MADE IMPROVING THE VOTING EXPERIENCE FOR VOTERS WITH A VISUAL IMPAIRMENT A PRIORITY. THERE IN INNOVATIVE EFFORTS AND DEDICATION FOR ADVANCING BEST PRACTICES IN ELECTION ADMINISTRATION AND WHEREAS, CREATING AND DEVELOPING A ONE OF A KIND BRAILLE POLL PAD SCREEN THAT IS OFFERED DURING THE CHECK IN PROCESS AT ALL VOTING SITES. AND WHEREAS, THE EL PASO COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT ATTAINED HIGH REMARKS AND RECEIVED AN HONORABLE MENTION IN THE UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION 2023 CLEARINGHOUSE AWARDS PROGRAM FOR THE CATEGORY OF IMPROVING ACCESSIBILITY FOR VOTERS AND DISABILITIES. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE EL PASO COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS COURT AND RECOGNIZE EL PASO COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT, THE EL PASO COUNCIL OF THE BLIND AND FAB LAB, EL PASO FOR THE US ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION, 2023 CLEARINGHOUSE AWARDS. HONORABLE MENTION SIGNED THIS 24TH DAY OF JUNE, 2024. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT. THE VOTING IS OPEN.

COMMISSIONER I. SAMANIEGO COULD WE GET YOUR VOTE, PLEASE? THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.

THE MIC IS YOURS. LISA THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS LISA WISE, EL PASO COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, JUDGE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR KIND WORDS, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT MY TEAM AND I. THIS IS QUITE A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THIS COUNTY.

AND WE'RE NOT DONE YET. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH AS HARD AS WE CAN, FOR EVERY ELECTION THROUGHOUT, ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR. BUT, THIS IS SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT WE DID A FEW YEARS AGO. AND I JUST WANT TO FIRST THANK, DISABILITY RIGHTS TEXAS, WHO NOMINATED US FOR THIS AWARD WITH THE, ELECTION COMMISSION. AND TO THE PARTNERS WHO MADE THIS HAPPEN, EL PASO COUNCIL FOR THE BLIND AND FABLAB EL PASO, WHO WILL SPEAK. I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK LONG, BUT, EL PASO COUNCIL FOR THE BLIND CAME TO US AND JUST MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE CHECK IN, WE NEED ASSISTANCE AND, WE WANT TO VOTE INDEPENDENTLY. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT VOTERS, I THINK, INCLUDING MYSELF, HAD TAKEN FOR GRANTED, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO KNOW WHERE TO SIGN, WE'RE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE POLL PAD IS SAYING. AND IF YOU'RE, VISUALLY IMPAIRED OR LIMITED VISUAL, VISIBILITY, YOU'RE YOU'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH THAT. AND WHEN MISS CALDWELL SPOKE WITH US, SHE SAID THAT SHE HAD SOMETHING ON HER CHECKBOOK THAT HELPED HER UNDERSTAND WHERE TO SIGN AND SO THAT SHE WASN'T NEEDING ASSISTANCE EVERY TIME. AND SO WE THOUGHT, WELL, HOW COULD WE DO THIS? AND ONE WAS, FIRST, WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT MATERIAL EXISTED. WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANYTHING OUT THERE, WE CONTACTED FAB LAB EL PASO, JUST KIND OF ON A WHIM. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS, THEY HAD SAID WE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD WORK WITH. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE OLD, PROVERB. IF YOU WANT TO GO

[00:50:03]

FAST, GO ALONE. IF YOU WANT TO GO FAR, GO TOGETHER. AND SO IT TOOK A COUPLE YEARS OF EL PASO COUNCIL OF THE BLIND GOING AND LOOKING AT THE MATERIAL, TWEAKING WHERE THE SIGNATURE LINES WOULD BE ON OUR POLE PAD FOR BOTH PARTIZAN AND NONPARTIZAN, WHAT THE BRAILLE WOULD READ, AND THEN THEN, FAB LAB KIND OF DESIGNING AND THEN ME GOING DOWN THERE AND SIGNING OFF ON IT. AND THIS KIND OF CONTINUED FOR A YEAR OF JUST THIS CYCLE, TWEAKING, FIXING, ADJUSTING. AND WE FINALLY GOT THE, THE FINAL, THE FINAL PIECE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY TWO DIFFERENT SCREENS. ONE IS FOR OUR PARTIZAN ELECTIONS AND ONE FOR OUR NONPARTISAN. AND IT'S BEEN JUST A AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH THEM. AND IT CAME TO FRUITION. AND WE'VE GOT NOTHING BUT COMPLIMENTS ABOUT THAT, NOT JUST NATIONALLY BUT LOCALLY. WHEN WE HEAR FROM VOTERS WHO WHO LET US KNOW I WAS ABLE TO VOTE INDEPENDENTLY, THIS ELECTION AND I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT BEFORE. IT'S SUCH IT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE STRIVE FOR. SO I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK TOO LONG.

I WILL OPEN IT UP TO BOTH, EL PASO COUNCIL FOR THE BLIND OR FAB LAB, IF THEY'D LIKE ANYTHING TO SAY. THANK YOU. WELCOME GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE SAMANIEGO. AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS ELEANOR CALDWELL, AND I'M HONORED TO BE REPRESENTING THE EL PASO COUNCIL OF THE BLIND , ALLOWING PEOPLE TO VOTE PRIVATELY AND INDEPENDENTLY, THERE ARE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, OVER 365,000 OLDER INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. AND AS WE KNOW, THEY ARE THE STRONGEST, DEMOGRAPHIC TO VOTE. AND SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE THEM THAT PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO VOTE PRIVATELY. AND, JUST ENJOY THE VOTING PROCESS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WELCOME. HELLO. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. I'M ADAM BOYER REPRESENTING FAB LAB EL PASO. IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WORK WITH THESE GREAT LADIES AND GREAT ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE SOMETHING IMPACTFUL FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE AND AN EXCITEMENT TO PROVIDE. AND, THE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND BLINDNESS TO VOTE, LIKE LISA SAID, INDEPENDENTLY AND PRIVATELY, IT WAS AN ABSOLUTELY PLEASURE. AND IT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING. IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THIS WORK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BESIDES ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT THAT YOU JUST HEARD, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LANES THAT WE HAVE FOR THE COUNTY. AND WE'LL I KNOW EACH ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS IS ACCESSIBILITY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT LANE. AND SOMETIMES WE FORGET WHAT WE MEAN BY ACCESSIBILITY. WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ACCESSIBILITY TO HOSPITALS OR HEALTH CARE, TO TRANSPORTATION, TO EDUCATION. AND WE REALLY STRIVE IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE TALK ABOUT AT COMMISSIONERS COURT, ACCESSIBILITY BECOMES ONE OF THE MAJOR COMPONENTS. BUT THIS IS ONE THAT MAYBE THAT, YOU KNOW, I PERSONALLY HAVE MAYBE OVERLOOKED, YOU KNOW, AND HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT. I MEAN, I HAVE TREMENDOUS, YOU KNOW, COMPASSION FOR WHAT YOU GO THROUGH. BUT I HADN'T THOUGHT AND CONNECTED IT TO THE VOTING PROCESS. AND SO IT'S ONE MORE LIKE WE FEEL VERY PROUD AND VERY SUPPORTIVE, THAT YOU HAVE THAT ACCESSIBILITY AND THE INDEPENDENCE. I KNOW THAT YOU'VE THAT'S WHAT YOU SEEK, RIGHT? YOU SEEK TO BE INDEPENDENT AND NOT ALLOW THE DISABILITY TO KEEP YOU FROM FROM CERTAIN THINGS. AND SO, SO, WE THANK YOU, LISA. THANK YOU FOR SPEARHEADING THIS. AND IT'S QUITE AN HONOR FOR US AS A COUNTY TO SUPPORT THIS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COME ON UP.

[00:55:37]

FOR. COUNTY COUNCIL. THANK YOU. SIR THANK YOU. OKAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER FIVE E APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION HONORING THOSE SELECTED TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE EL PASO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME AND THE EL PASO SPORTS

[E. Approve and adopt a resolution honoring those selected to be recognized by the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame and the El Paso Sports Commission on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in El Paso County, Texas. Ricardo A. Samaniego, County Judge, County Judge's Office, 915-546-2098]

COMMISSION. ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26TH, 2024, IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS, AS HOMER. THIS IS, TO ME, AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE. I'M VERY PROUD THAT I DO HAVE, MY BROTHER, TITO SAMANIEGO IS ON THE HALL OF FAME THERE AT UTEP. AND MY INCREDIBLE, BROTHER IN LAW, MANNY MORALES, ALSO THERE.

SO VERY, VERY HONORED TO READ THIS RESOLUTION INTO THE RECORD WAS EL PASO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME WAS FOUNDED IN 1955 TO HONOR THOSE ATHLETES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE ATHLETIC FIELDS OF ENDEAVOR AND BROUGHT GREAT CREDIT UPON THEMSELVES. AND EL PASO COUNTY.

WHEREAS THE HALL HAS ENDOWED TWO SCHOLARSHIPS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO AND THE EL PASO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME. HONORS EACH YEAR, THE RAY SANCHEZ MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ATHLETES OF THE YEAR, UNDER CURRENT PRESIDENT RUBEN ARE RAMIREZ, AND WHEREAS THIS YEAR THE INDUCTEES ARE PASSING NORMAN BRUNSON, RITA BENAVIDES, DEL NORTE AND BOBBY STIVES IN THE LIVING ATHLETIC ATHLETE CATEGORY. THE COACH ADMINISTRATORS TO BE HONORED ARE MIKE WILLIAMS AND KIMBERLY PHILLIPS GOMEZ, FOLLOWED BY KENNETH MAY IN THE OFFICIAL CATEGORY. JERRY RUBIN IN THE SUPPORTER OF ATHLETIC CATEGORY, AND PABLO DEL MONACO IN THE POSTHUMOUS CATEGORY. THE BANQUET WILL BE AT 6 P.M. ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE THE 26TH AT EL PASO COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES CENTER, BUILDING, A9050 VISCOUNT BOULEVARD WEST, EL PASO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME HAS INDUCTED 409 MEN AND WOMEN INTO THIS PRESTIGIOUS ORGANIZATION AND THANKS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO, THE INDIVIDUAL PLAQUES ARE PROUDLY DISPLAYED IN THE CONCOURSE OF THE DON HASKINS CENTER ON UTEP CAMPUS, WHEREAS THE TITLE SPONSORING OF THE EL PASO SPORTS COMMISSION AND PRESIDENT OMAR PROPEL AND THEIR GREAT STAFF, ALONG WITH THE EL PASO LEAGUE HALL OF FAME'S YEARLY EFFORTS, CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FOND MEMORIES OF DECADES TO COME FOR EL PASO, TEXAS, THE STATE, THE REGION AND THE NATION. NOW THEREFORE, IT BE RESOLVED BY THE EL PASO COUNTY JUDGE AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF EL PASO, TEXAS, THAT THE WEEK OF JUNE THE 24TH, 2024 SHALL BE KNOWN AS EL PASO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME. EL PASO SPORTS COMMISSION SIGNED THIS 24TH DAY OF JUNE 2024. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER OLEAN. THE VOTING IS OPEN. WE'LL START WITH YOU, OMAR, AND THEN YOU CAN INTRODUCE THE OTHER GUESTS. THANK YOU. YEAH. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.

OMAR RAPEL WITH THE EL PASO SPORTS COMMISSION. AND WE'VE BEEN THE PROUDLY TITLE SPONSOR FOR A FEW YEARS NOW AND MORE THAN A SPONSORSHIP IS A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM, PERSONALLY I AM A VOTING MEMBER AND THIS THIS YEAR, I GOT TO TELL YOU, THIS CLASS WAS WAS VERY UNIQUE AND IT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT TO ACTUALLY BECAUSE OF ALL THE INDUCTEES, ALL THE CANDIDATES, IT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT TO ACTUALLY VOTE. BUT WE ARE VERY SATISFIED WITH, WITH THIS CLASS. AND MY HAT'S OFF TO ALL OF THEM. I ALWAYS SAY THAT THE HALL OF FAME IS WHERE YOU GO TO BE IMMORTAL, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE IMMORTALIZED IN YOU KNOW, IN THE MEMORIES FOR EL PASO FOR YEARS TO COME. FOREVER AND THIS, THIS DEFINITELY IS A CLASS THAT IS WORTH IT. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU. JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ONCE AGAIN FOR SPONSORING THIS RESOLUTION. AS WE HONOR THE EL PASO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME, CLASS OF 2024.

IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU, JUDGE. THANK YOU. AND THE COMMISSIONERS AS WELL. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS RUBEN RAMIREZ, THIS YEAR, THIS YEAR'S HALL OF FAME PRESIDENT, IN THE 2005 INDUCTEE TO THE HALL OF FAME. MYSELF, I'D LIKE TO GIVE A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR TITLE

[01:00:03]

SPONSOR, THE EL PASO SPORTS COMMISSION, AND ITS PRESIDENT, OMAR GROPPELLI, AND TO SPORTS TOURISM STRATEGIST TONY RODRIGUEZ, SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR VICE PRESIDENT, RAY ADAUTO, AND OUR HALL. HALL OF FAME. EXCUSE ME. COMMITTEE MEMBERS, SECRETARY DONNA CARTER, TREASURER WAYNE THORNTON, PARLIAMENTARIAN RON LYMAN, AND OUR IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT, DOCTOR SCOTT STEIN.

TOMORROW AFTERNOON, WE WILL HONOR THE RAY SANCHEZ MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ATHLETES AND TEAMS OF THE YEAR FROM ACROSS THE CITY AND COUNTY OF EL PASO. BEFORE I CONTINUE, I'D LIKE TO BEFORE I BEFORE I CONTINUE, I'D LIKE EACH ONE OF THE MEMBERS THAT ARE PRESENT TODAY TO COME UP AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MICHAEL WILLIAMS. GOOD MORNING, MICHAEL WILLIAMS, COACH, ADMINISTRATOR, INDUCTEE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, BOBBY STIPES, LIVING ATHLETE AND ALSO CURRENT PRINCIPAL OF REVEREND HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS MY NAME IS ADRIAN SISE. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY GRANDFATHER, PABLO BARRANCO. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION. IN EL PASO, I'M KNOWN AS PATSY NORMAN, BUT AROUND THE WORLD, I MEAN, NOT AROUND THE WORLD. OTHER PLACES. PATRICIA BRUNSON.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WELCOME MORNING. I'M RITA BENAVIDES. I'M INDUCTED AS A LIVING ATHLETE.

AND NICE TO BE HERE. THANK YOU. TO RUBEN, JERRY RUBIN AND, I WAS SELECTED AS THE SUPPORTER OF ATHLETICS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JUDGE, FOR HAVING US. AND THANK YOU ALL. APPRECIATE IT.

AND A GREAT SUPPORTER YOU ARE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. I'M KIMBERLY PHILLIPS GOMEZ AND I'M BEING INDUCTED INTO THE COACH CATEGORY. I'M A CURRENT COACH AT HANKS HIGH SCHOOL. WE'LL GO AHEAD. NOT ABLE TO ATTEND TODAY WAS, INDUCTEE KENNETH E MAY, WHO WAS IN THE OFFICIALS CATEGORY.

AGAIN. THANK YOU. JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, ON BEHALF OF THE EL PASO SPORTS COMMISSION AND THEIR PRESIDENT, OMAR CAPELLI, THE EL PASO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME THANKS YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE RICH HISTORY OF THE HALL, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO GO TO EL PASO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME.COM AND, ALSO TO OUR TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM PAGE AND OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AS WELL. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THIS HONOR, OMAR RAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND CONGRATULATIONS, FELICIDADES TO ALL OF YOU. AS I'VE SAID, EL PASO HAS SOME AMAZING ATHLETES. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY PUT US ON THE MAP AND WE OWE IT BACK TO THEM. SO THANK YOU FOR EACH ONE OF YOU. AND WE'LL BE SURE TO, TO ATTEND AND BE PART OF THE CELEBRATION ONCE AGAIN. FELICIDADES. THANK YOU.

OKAY. AND UP TO WIDE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

CALL HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO AN AUTOMATIC VOICE MESSAGE.

[01:06:18]

I DON'T. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

ITEM NUMBER SIX IS PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS, LINED UP. FIRST, WE HAVE MISTER PEDRO SIERRA. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. JUDGE, TODAY I'M HERE BECAUSE, I'M BACK AGAIN WITH THE

[PUBLIC COMMENT]

WITH THE RESULTS OF THE WITH THE APPEAL PROCESS, THE APPEAL PROCESS WAS WENT NEGATIVE ON ME.

IT JUST DIDN'T GO MY FAVOR, I HAD THREE. EVERYBODY'S ASKING THE QUESTION. WHY WAS IT NOT VOTED FOR ME AT THREE DOCTORS THAT HAVE THE SAME DIAGNOSTIC WITHIN A YEAR THAT I'M WITH, WITH MY DIAGNOSTIC AND, AND I HAVE A CASE, AN INTAKE PERSON WHO DID AN ASSESSMENT INCORRECTLY AND, THE ASSESSMENT WAS DONE INCORRECT. AND SHE ASKED THE DOCTOR, FROM EMERGENCE TO CHANGE MY, MY, MY DIAGNOSTIC. SO THAT DOCTOR HAS NOT SEEN ME IN FOUR YEARS. AND ACCORDING TO THE TO THE EVIDENCE THAT I HAVE, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OVERTURNED BECAUSE, I HAVE THEY WERE ALL WITHIN THE YEAR. THE DOCTORS WERE ALL WITHIN THE YEAR RIGHT NOW, THE THEY REFUSED TO GIVE ME SERVICES. NOW THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE REFUSING TO GIVE ME MY, MY SOME MEDICAL RECORDS, FINANCIALS. THEY'RE REFUSING TO, GIVE ME INFORMATION ON HOW TO, TO REAPPLY. THEY'RE NOT LETTING ME INSIDE THE BUILDING NOW, THEY'RE NOT LETTING ME GO TO THE BOARD OF, THE BOARD, THE BOARD MEETING THEY HAVE EVERY MONTH. SO ALL THAT IS AGAINST THE RULES. SO I MEAN, I'M. SO I'M HERE AGAIN. SO IT'S BECOMING A JUST A CIRCLE. SO I'M JUST GOING IN CIRCLES NOW, AND, OF COURSE, I'M BACK WITH MY COMMISSIONER, I GUESS EVERYBODY'S GETTING FRUSTRATED, ESPECIALLY ME. BUT I NEED THE HELP. AND TONY SALAS IS REFUSING TO HELP ME OUT. ALSO, ON THIS ISSUE, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO, TO ASK FOR HELP NO MORE. I SPOKE TO A DOCTOR PROTECTIVE SERVICES RIGHT NOW, AND, THEY HAD ALSO REFUSED ME IN THE PAST. SO ALL THESE ISSUES ARE BEING I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE. I JUST TOOK MORE TESTS. THEY WERE SAYING I HAD DEMENTIA, SO I WENT AHEAD AND TOOK A DEMENTIA TEST, YOU KNOW, SO I'M TAKING ALL THE TESTS THAT THEY SAID THAT THEY, THAT I HAD OR THAT THE THINGS THAT I HAD. SO IT'S ALL THE DOCTORS, ALL MY DOCTORS ARE SAYING THAT IS INCORRECT. BUT THE APPEAL I LOST , BUT THEY STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO GIVE ME. I STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE SERVICES, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO GIVE ME SERVICES. TAKES LIKE A MONTH, TWO MONTHS OR WHATEVER IT TAKES FOR THEM TO, DO AN APPLICATION BECAUSE DIAGNOSIS DO CHANGE. BUT IT'S

[01:10:05]

THREE DOCTORS AGAINST ONE AND AGAINST NOW IT'S GOING TO BE 4 OR 5, TWO MORE. I GOT TWO MORE NOW. SO IT'S GOING TO BE FIVE AGAINST ONE WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN WHEN SHE DID THE MIS DIAGNOSTIC.

IT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE DOMINO EFFECT. ANYTHING SHE DID SHOULD HAVE GONE DISMISSED. AND THAT SHOULD HAVE WON MY CASE RIGHT THERE. AND THAT'S THE SITUATION I'M IN RIGHT NOW. SO, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK FOR PEOPLE TO CALL IN AN EMERGENCY. WHAT? WHY? THEY'RE NOT LETTING ME IN. WHY? THEY DON'T WANT TO GIVE ME MY FINANCIALS, WHAT? WHY DON'T THEY WANT TO DO AN INTAKE AGAIN? WHAT'S THE. AND ALL THAT STUFF? SO I'M. SO I'M HERE AGAIN. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING. ALL THE AGENCIES. NOBODY CAN HELP. SO I'M JUST AT THE END OF THE ROPE HERE. HOW MUCH SECRET DO I NEED TO BE IN ORDER TO GET MY SERVICES? YOU KNOW, SO IT'S KIND OF SAD THAT THE SYSTEM WORKS THIS WAY. AND, UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAN HELP ME OUT OR A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE, I MEAN, BUT. I'M JUST FRUSTRATED AT THIS MOMENT. IS IT DONE EVERYTHING CORRECTLY? THE WAY THEY TOLD ME TO DO IT. AND I'M STILL NOT RECEIVING MY SERVICES. YOU KNOW, TRIED EVERYTHING, AND WE'VE TRIED TO PUT YOU IN CONTACT WITH SITUATIONS, AND IT JUST HASN'T WORKED OUT. BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO SEE WHAT WHAT WE COULD DO . AND THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING NOT TO GIVE UP CONTINUING TO DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO FROM YOUR END. YOU'LL NEVER BE ACCUSED OF NOT TRYING. SO AND I KNOW I'M NOT SUPPORTING PUBLIC COMMENTS. I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO INTERACT.

BUT, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DO CARE A LOT. I KNOW, I'VE SEEN THE CHANGE THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE. AT FIRST IT WAS KIND OF HOSTILE, YOU KNOW? BUT THIS GUY'S COMING IN, BOTHERING BOTHERING US ALL THE TIME, AND THEN YOU START HEARING MY STORY, WHAT? WHAT WAS GOING ON? THEN YOU ALL STARTED CHANGING TOWARDS THE WAY YOU LOOKED AT ME, AND IT'S I I'VE SEEN IT IN ALL THE OFFICES, YOU KNOW, AND, IT'S COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT, OF COURSE, I'M NOT THE, THE PERSON THAT DESCRIBED. AND, AND THAT, DOCUMENT AND, MY MEDICAL RECORDS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT'S NOT THE PERSON I AM. THEY JUST, THEY JUST MADE IT LOOK LIKE I'M A VILLAIN, WHICH I'M NOT, YOU KNOW? AND, I'M A NICE GUY. I'M ALWAYS HAPPY. OF COURSE I'M. YOU CAN SEE ME AGITATED FOR ALL THE SITUATIONS BEEN GOING ON HERE AND THERE, ALL THE AGENCIES I WORK WITH, AND OF COURSE, WHEN I NEED SOME TIME OFF, I STOP COMING. THAT'S THE REASON I. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO COME IN. IT'S BEEN LIKE, THREE WEEKS SINCE, THEY GAVE ME THE NOTICE, BUT, I MEAN, I WASN'T FEELING CORRECTLY. COME IN, BUT, I MEAN, I GOT TO START MOVING FORWARD.

THE REASON I DO NOT GIVE UP IS BECAUSE, I KNOW IT'S WRONG WHAT THEY'RE DOING. IF I KNEW I WAS WRONG, I WOULD STOP BECAUSE. BUT AT THIS TIME, THEY'RE DOING IT. THEY'RE DOING IT, 30S PURPOSELY OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS THAT THOUGHT , BUT, I MEAN, IF IT WASN'T IF I THOUGHT IN MY HEART IT WAS CORRECT, I WOULD STOP. BUT IT'S INCORRECT AND I NEED THE SERVICES. SO THAT'S THAT'S THE REASON I'M KNOCKING AGAIN. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THANK YOU A LITTLE BIT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. OKIE DOKIE. EXCUSE ME PEDRO. THANK YOU. YOU WANT TO GO TO THE CONSENT REAL QUICK? YOU WANT THE CONSENT ITEM? OKAY. THIS COMPLETES PUBLIC COMMENTS. ITEM NUMBER FOUR. I FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA PULLED FOR DISCUSSION BY COMMISSIONER STOUT . APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY JUDGE TO SIGN THE HOT EVENT GRANT. AWARD SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH GREEN PARADISE PRODUCTIONS INCORPORATED FOR THE

[I. Approve and authorize the County Judge to sign the HOT Event Grant Award Service Agreement with Green Paradise Productions Inc for the general promotion and tourist advertising of El Paso County by completing the Tex Mex Motors Project and disseminating it outside the county service area in the amount of $58,029.11. Funding is available in SR-TOURPROM-ADVERTISING. (Contract No. 2024-0434) Roberto Ransom, Director, Economic Development, 915-546-2177]

GENERAL PROMOTION AND TOURIST ADVERTISING OF EL PASO COUNTY BY COMPLETING THE TEX MEX MOTORS PROJECT AND DISSEMINATING IT OUTSIDE THE COUNTY SERVICE AREA. IN THE AMOUNT OF $58,029.11.

FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN SPECIAL REVENUE TOURIST PROMOTION ADVERTISING CONTRACT NUMBER 2024 0434. THANK YOU. I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON, KIND OF WHAT EXACTLY WE'RE WE'RE GOING

[01:15:07]

TO BE, LOOKING FOR WITH, WITH, WITH THE WITH WITH THIS CONTRACT, I JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, HOW THE, THE, THE THIS COMPANY IS GOING TO DEPICT AND PROMOTE OUR HISTORY AND CULTURE? IS THERE GOING TO BE, LIKE, PRODUCT PLACEMENT, LIKE SCENES SHOWING LIKE LINCOLN PARK OR THE MISSION TRAIL OR I MEAN, ANY OTHER COUNTY ASSETS? I KNOW IN THE CONTRACT IT'S, IT STATES THAT GRANTEE SHALL FILM FOOTAGE THAT DEPICTS THE RICH HISTORY AND CULTURE OF EL PASO IS A DESTINATION, LOCATION FOR TOURISM. BUT THEN IT SAYS WHICH MAY INCLUDE EL PASO'S CULTURAL CENTERS, PARKS, RECREATION, HOTELS AND DINING OPTIONS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD CHANGE THAT WORD TO A SHALL INSTEAD OF MAY BECAUSE IT LEAVES IT VERY OPEN. AND SPECIFY A NUMBER OF COUNTY LOCATIONS THAT WE WANT TO BE DEPICTED OR THAT WE'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S PRODUCT PLACEMENT OR, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF WE CAN CLARIFY THAT MORNING. JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS, I APOLOGIZE FOR COMING IN LATE, COMMISSIONER, I SAW THE TALE. I HEARD THE TAIL END OF THAT, THAT WAS THAT WAS SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED, PRETTY REGULARLY. AND SO I BELIEVE INDIA MAY BE ON TEAMS ARE AVAILABLE, AND HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO KIND OF PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL LEGAL INSIGHT ON THAT. BUT PART OF THE CHALLENGE THERE REALLY LIES IN THE FACT THAT GREEN PARADISE HAS AN EXISTING AGREEMENT WITH NETFLIX AND SOME CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS WITH REGARDS TO THAT, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THE, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT NETFLIX WOULD, HAVE KIND OF FINAL SAY ON WHAT WHICH PARTS WERE INCLUDED OR NOT. AND SO THAT CREATED SOME CHALLENGES FOR US IN BEING ABLE TO, SPECIFICALLY REQUIRE CERTAIN TYPES OF LOCATIONS. AND SO THE, WHAT WAS WHAT ENDED UP BEING AGREED UPON BETWEEN US AND GREEN PARADISE WAS REALLY ASSURANCE OF THE ON SCREEN CREDIT, AS MENTIONED IN THE AGREEMENT. AND BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT NETFLIX HAS THAT FINAL APPROVAL, WHERE WE DID INCLUDE IN THE IN THE AGREEMENT LANGUAGE WAS, BEING ABLE TO FIRST, RECEIVE CONFIRMATION FROM GREEN PARADISE THAT WHAT WAS REQUIRED IN THE CONTRACT SUCH AS THE ON SCREEN CREDIT, WAS FINALLY APPROVED BY NETFLIX. AND THUS INCLUDED IN THE IN THE FINAL PRODUCTION BEFORE THAT GRANT, GRANT FUNDING WOULD BE DISPERSED. SO IT'S CONTINGENT UPON THAT THAT BEING INCLUDED IN THAT WAY. AND SO THAT WAS REALLY KIND OF THE MECHANISM THAT WE ENDED UP HAVING TO TAKE FOR, ENSURING THAT, THE COUNTY BENEFIT AND VALUE ADDED AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT, AND THEY WERE THEY WERE IN CONCURRENCE WITH THAT.

HOWEVER, I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL SAY HAS SOME KIND OF ADDITIONAL, SOME ADDITIONAL KIND OF WORDS TO ADD WITH, WITH RELATION TO THAT. I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF VIEWS THAT THIS SHOW HAS RECEIVED, YOU KNOW, BUT JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK AND, AND TRYING TO PUT OUT THERE WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE FEEL LIKE IS, IS WHAT WE WANT TO SHOWCASE. IF WE CAN. SO I MEAN, AND I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THE, THE ISSUE WITH NETFLIX AND BEING ABLE TO CHOOSE WHAT, WHAT CAN AND I GUESS WHAT THEY CAN WHAT THEY CAN DO. BUT, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE SHOWCASING OUR CULTURE AND OUR AMENITIES. YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER STOUT. SO I WAS OUT THERE WHILE THEY WERE FILMING ONE OF THE EPISODES, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY IN SAN ELIZARIO ALONG THE TRAIL, AND SO THE FILMING ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE RIGHT BETWEEN THE LOCAL BUSINESS AND THE COUNTY JAIL, SO I'M HOPING THAT THEY GOT A LOT OF THE COUNTY JAIL. I WE WON'T KNOW, I GUESS, UNTIL THE EPISODE COMES OUT. BUT THEY WERE THERE IN SAN ELIZARIO ON THE TRAIL, SO THAT WAS NICE TO SEE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU. AND IF I MAY ADD, I, YOU KNOW, I QUICKLY WATCHED LIKE SOME OF THE TRAILER AND IT DOES SHOW A LOT OF LIKE AERIAL LIKE HORIZONS VIEWS OF EL PASO, BEAUTIFUL SHOTS OF THE, THE COMMUNITY, IT ALSO SHOWS, RED SANDS AND JUST DIFFERENT AREAS AROUND THE COMMUNITY, JUST IN THERE, A SHORT TRAILER OF THE SHOW. SO I DON'T KNOW IF JOSE HAS MORE HE WANTS TO ADD AS FAR AS, LIKE LEGALLY WHAT THEY WERE OKAY WITH US OR WILLING TO COMMIT TO. BUT THERE IS A LOT OF SHOTS OF DIFFERENT SPACES IN EL PASO. THANK YOU. WE'LL SEE. MORNING, COMMISSIONER. JUDGE AND COUNTY ATTORNEY. SORRY I GOT HERE A LITTLE BIT LATE, BUT THE QUESTION, I GUESS, WAS RELATING

[01:20:07]

TO WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE A SHOW INCORPORATE CERTAIN AREAS IN EL PASO VERSUS THE MAY. I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE, POINTS OF NEGOTIATION THAT WE WERE TRYING TO KIND OF GO BACK AND FORTH. I THINK, MR. CHRISTIAN, MR. MARTINEZ, HE WAS, NEGOTIATING WITH THEM IN THAT AND WE TRIED TO PUT AS MUCH PROTECTIONS FOR EL PASO COUNTY TO AVOID THE APPEARANCE OF A GIFT. AND I THINK IN THE END, IT'S MORE OF A, OF A, OF A JUDGMENT CALL WITH, WITH WHERE WE CAN GET TO, BUT LEGALLY WE CAN DO EITHER ONE. CHALERM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUST JUST ADD THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST TO ADD TO THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THOSE NEGOTIATIONS THAT THAT POINT BECAUSE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS AS THAT NEGOTIATION PROGRESSED, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THAT WE, THAT WE INITIALLY PROPOSED, BUT IT WAS A BIT OF A, WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR? IT WAS KIND OF A CRITICAL, WORD CHANGE FOR, FOR GREEN PARADISE TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF MOVE FORWARD WITH THE AGREEMENT AS IS AND SO AS SUCH, THAT'S THAT'S WHERE THE IDEA CAME FROM WITH REGARDS TO THE ON SCREEN CREDIT. AND THAT WAS THE MECHANISM WE ENDED UP USING FOR HAVING SOME KIND OF VALUE ADDED AND PROTECTIONS FOR THE, FOR THE COUNTY, IN THAT RESPECT. BUT, JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THAT WORD WAS WAS CRITICAL FOR GREEN PARADISE TO BE ABLE TO SWITCH OVER FROM SHELL TO MAY. OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU. I AGAIN JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF WE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE SPECIFIC WITH OUR PRODUCT PLACEMENT OF COUNTY ASSETS, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT AND BUT IT'S WORTH ASKING, SO THANK YOU ALL. I WON'T CONTINUE TO BEAT THE GO AHEAD AND CALL THE VOTE. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN TO APPROVE. VOTING IS OPEN. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.

EVERYBODY HERE I WILL HAVE TO ABSTAIN, I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH LEGAL, AND SINCE I GOT IN PART OF THE SERIES I WAS INVOLVED IN, NO COMPENSATION. OKAY? JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S NOT WHY I'M ABSTAINING, BUT BECAUSE OF ANY KIND OF, AVOID ANY KIND OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST, I WILL ABSTAIN. THANK YOU. SIR, THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, CAN YOU CALL THE PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN, PLEASE? YES, SIR. I'D LIKE TO RECALL ITEM NUMBER SIX.

PUBLIC COMMENT. ERIC, DO YOU WANT TO COME IN? BOTH OF YOU. JUST JUST A LITTLE BIT OF, INTRODUCTION, A PREFACE. OF COURSE, ERIC, I'VE GONE TO MEET HIM. HE'S PART OF WARNER

[Public Comment - II]

BROTHERS, HAS JUST ENGAGED IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE COMMUNITY. HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE EVERYTHING. AND THEIR MOTTO IS THEY'RE GOING TO LEAVE THINGS BETTER THAN WHEN THEY GOT HERE.

AND I CAN TELL YOU SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN IN THE STAGING OF SOME OF THE STREETS, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD REOPENED A MEN'S STORE AND THEY GO, WOW, THIS IS GREAT. WE'RE HAVING IT DOWNTOWN. BUT IT WAS ONLY ON BEHALF OF THE MOVIE. BUT, ERIC AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LET YOU BOTH, I KNOW THEY WANTED TO COMMENT, ON HOW GOOD THEY HAVE FELT ABOUT OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE SUPPORT THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED. SO, ERIC, DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD? THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YEAH. MY NAME IS ERIC CROCOMBE. I'M A WITH THE LOCATION MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT FOR WARNER BROTHERS, FOR THE PC PROJECT. AND THIS IS MICHAEL WESLEY, WHO'S OUR LOCATION MANAGER. WE JUST WANTED TO STOP IN TODAY AND SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE COUNTY STAFF WHO'VE HELPED US THUS FAR. EVERYONE FROM YOURSELF JUDGE ON DOWN TO BETSY, VIVIANA HERNANDEZ, ROBIN SULLY, NORMA PALACIOS, RENEE GARCIA, GENARO JIMENEZ. I'M TRYING TO THINK WHO ELSE HAS BEEN ERIC HERNANDEZ HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL, BASICALLY WITH THE HELP WITH 307 SOUTH CAMPBELL, THE OLD TOBACCO BUILDING UTILIZING THAT FOR OUR FILMING FOR OUR BASE CAMP. IT'S BASICALLY A GREAT BASE OF OPERATIONS FOR US AS WE'RE HERE IN EL PASO. WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE COUNTY AND ALL OF YOUR HELP THUS FAR. WE JUST WANTED TO COME IN TODAY AND MAKE SURE WE WERE EXPRESSING OUR GRATITUDE AND SAYING THANK YOU. THANK YOU MICHAEL. YES. SO THANK YOU, JUDGE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS, FOR, FOR ALLOWING US TO PUBLICLY THANK THE COUNTY FOR THEIR HELP. IT'S BEEN A IMMENSE AMOUNT OF HELP, LOGISTICS WISE, TO, TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT BUILDING, AS ERIC HAS SAID. AND I THINK ROBIN SULLY AND HIS STAFF ON DOWN WITH WITH ERIC AND VIVIANA AND JJ AND RENEE. SO JUST TO ECHO THEM AGAIN, IT'S BEEN ABOVE AND BEYOND. WE'VE BEEN VERY

[01:25:01]

APPRECIATIVE. THIS IS SO KIND OF YOU BECAUSE WE LOVE OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR EMPLOYEES. YOU HAPPEN HERE. YOU'VE GOT BETSY KILLER. THAT'S RIGHT HERE. SHE'S A BIG PART OF IT. NORMA PALACIOS I KNOW YOU'VE MENTIONED HER A COUPLE OF TIMES. BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT ALWAYS ON TOP OF THINGS IS NORMA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BUT. BUT WE THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US TO, YOU KNOW, THEY GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS TYPE OF RECOGNITION. BUT JUST YOU COMING DOWN REALLY SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOUR TEAM. I'VE GOTTEN TO MEET A SEVERAL OF YOUR TEAM AND JUST AN AMAZING YOU. YOU DO VERY WELL IN CHOOSING WHO WORKS FOR YOU. SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR, AS YOU SAID, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE EL PASO BETTER THAN THAN YOU FOUND IT, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. AND AS ALWAYS, BE OUR AMBASSADORS. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT, YOU KNOW, GO OUT THERE AND LET THE FILM INDUSTRY KNOW THAT WE'RE VERY, VERY OPEN TO ANY SUPPORT. AND, YOU KNOW, JUST GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY AND WE'LL WE'LL WE'LL DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN. ERIC. MICHAEL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY. THIS BRINGS UP. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN A FROM THE REGULAR AGENDA. RECEIVE A QUARTERLY REPORT FROM OUR JACOB CINTRON, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, REGARDING CAPACITY AND COMMUNITY NEEDS AND

[A. Receive a quarterly report from R. Jacob Cintron, President and Chief Executive Officer of the El Paso County Hospital District, regarding capacity and community needs, and take appropriate action. R. Jacob Cintron, President & CEO, University Medical Center/EPCHD, 915-521-7600]

TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. WELCOME, JACOB. GOOD MORNING. AND TEAGUE AND COMMISSIONERS, JACOB CINTRON, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT I WASN'T INCLUDED IN ANY ACTING OR IN ANY ATHLETIC, AWARD RECOGNITION, BUT ONE LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY. SO ANYWAY, AS YOU'RE AWARE, UMMC MEDICAL, YOU KNOW, MEDICAL CENTER AS WELL AS EL PASO CHILDREN'S AND THE OTHER PARTNERS ARE NOT JUST A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS FOR YOUNG DOCTORS TO BE TRAINED AND TAUGHT SO THAT THEY CAN PRACTICE THEIR FIELD IN HOPES THAT SOME ACTUALLY STAY IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE'RE ALSO, ASIDE FROM BEING A TEACHING HOSPITAL FOR PHYSICIANS, WE TEACH PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, NURSES, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS, PHARMACISTS, MANY IN THE HEALTH CARE FIELD. BUT ASIDE FROM BEING A TEACHING HOSPITAL, WE'RE ALSO A PUBLIC HOSPITAL. UNLIKE A PRIVATE HOSPITAL, WE PROVIDE CARE FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD AND INCLUDING THOSE THAT MAY NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY. AND WE'RE THE AREA'S SAFETY NET HOSPITAL, WHICH MEANS, AS THE NAME IMPLIES, WE'RE A SAFETY NET FOR THOSE THAT NEED CARE AND HAVE NO ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT CARE, AS YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE BEEN CONCERNED WITH SOME CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS THAT WE'VE BEEN FACING, WE'VE HAD CHALLENGES, THAT WE'VE HAD TO ADDRESS. AND WHILE WE'VE TAKEN SOME STEPS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PURCHASE OF THE SURGICAL HOSPITAL AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT DOESN'T COME ANYWHERE NEAR TO ADDRESSING THE NEEDS WE HAVE TODAY. AND IN THE FUTURE. FOR EXAMPLE, TODAY, WHICH IS TYPICAL, WE'RE HOLDING 37 PATIENTS IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, WHICH ONLY HAS 48 BEDS, AWAITING A PATIENT ROOM.

AND SO THOSE KINDS OF CONSTRAINTS THEN CAN IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE CARE ON A TIMELY BASIS. AND PROVIDE THE QUALITY OF CARE THAT ALL THAT COME TO OUR HOSPITAL DESERVE.

AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND, NORMALLY WHAT WE DO IS WE TRY TO IDENTIFY WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED TO DO TO ADDRESS THESE CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS. AND SO WHAT WE DO IS WE TEND TO GATHER DATA PROVIDED BY CONSULTING FIRMS WHO HAVE THE EXPERTISE AND THE ABILITY TO GATHER OUR INFORMATION, THE ANALYTICS AND LOOK AT THE AREA TO DETERMINE WHERE WE'RE HAVING PRESSURE POINTS AND WHAT THE BEST WAY IS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THEM. SO TODAY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM OUR CONSULTANTS, SG2, WHO WILL SHARE WHAT GAPS EXIST FOR US AT AT THE COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT SG2 IS A VISAYAN COMPANY AND IS A HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY'S LEADING STRATEGIC GROWTH ADVISOR, HELPING ORGANIZATIONS SOLVE THE CHALLENGE OF ACHIEVING SMART GROWTH. MANY HOSPITAL SYSTEM USE IT, AS WELL AS SOME HERE IN TOWN . THEY PRESENTED SOME INFORMATION TO OUR BOARD RELATED TO WHAT THE CHALLENGES ARE, AND WE WANTED OUR COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE SAME INFORMATION WE'RE GOING TO BE USING THIS INFORMATION TO SHAPE OUR EFFORTS TO HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE CAPACITY ISSUES WE HAVE BASED ON THEIR ANALYSIS, AND TO WALK US THROUGH THIS INFORMATION? I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE HEIDI PADILLA, A PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT WITH SG2 WHO HAS WORKED WITH UMC FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW. NOW, SHE MAY NOT LOOK IT, BUT SHE HAS 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THIS FIELD AND HAS PROVIDED A GREAT DEAL OF

[01:30:05]

SERVICE AND STRATEGIC PLANNING AND OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENT. SHE MANAGES A COMPLEX STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENTS WITH ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTERS, WITH SAFETY NET HOSPITALS LIKE OURSELVES INTO NATIONAL AND NATIONAL AND REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEMS AND AMBULATORY NETWORKS. PRIOR TO JOINING SG2, HEIDI SERVED AS A VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR MEDICAL CITY HEALTHCARE, WHICH IS A MULTI HOSPITAL SYSTEM IN DALLAS WHERE SHE PARTNERED CLOSELY WITH THE SG2 TEAM AND PRIOR TO THAT, SHE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC TRANSFORMATION GROUP OF THE PRICEWATERHOUSE, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS HEALTH CARE ADVISORY DIVISION. SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO HAVE HEIDI PRESENT HER ANALYSIS. THANK YOU. WELCOME, HEIDI. GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, I TRULY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING. AND MY PLAN IS TO SHARE WITH YOU DATA AS WELL AS THAT GAP ANALYSIS THAT JACOB MENTIONED. SO I BELIEVE IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE THESE SLIDES. AND AS JACOB MENTIONED, OVER THE COURSE OF YEARS, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH UMC, REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE EL PASO COMMUNITY AND THE COUNTY AND SYNTHESIZING THE ANALYSIS THAT WE'VE DONE THROUGH THE YEARS. WHAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED ARE SOME VERY SPECIFIC AREAS ACROSS. I'LL START WITH THE MARKET, ACROSS THE MARKET, WHERE AS WE THINK ABOUT THE ROLE THAT JACOB'S SAID UMC SERVES IN THE COMMUNITY, THERE ARE GAPS AND SO STARTING WITH THE ABILITY FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO EVEN ACCESS SPECIALTY CARE, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT LONG WAIT TIMES AND THE ABILITY FOR PATIENTS TO EVEN GET IN TO SEE SPECIALISTS. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS IDENTIFIED THROUGH OUR DATA AS WELL. IT CAN TAKE MONTHS, AT TIMES FOR PATIENTS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS SPECIALTY CARE. BUT A HEAD OF SPECIALTY CARE COMES PRIMARY CARE AND THE ABILITY TO REALLY CARE FOR PATIENTS IN THE COMMUNITY. UPSTREAM ACCESSING PRIMARY CARE. THAT WAY, WE CAN AVOID THE ADMISSION TO THE HOSPITAL DOWNSTREAM OR THE READMISSION ALTOGETHER. WHAT WE'VE ALSO IDENTIFIED ACROSS THE MARKET IS INSUFFICIENT BED CAPACITY IN POCKETS. SO REALLY THE ABILITY, AS JACOB EVEN MENTIONED, CAPACITY TO CARE FOR PATIENTS WHEN THEY ARE AT THEIR MOST ACUTE AND REQUIRE THAT LEVEL OF ADMISSION INTO A HOSPITAL, WHILE THERE'S ALSO INSUFFICIENT PSYCHIATRIC BED CAPACITY ACROSS THIS MARKET. AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE STATE HAS ALSO COMING IN AND HELPING TO SUPPORT SOLUTIONS WITHIN THIS AREA. BUT WE DO SEE A LOT OF THESE PATIENTS WITHIN SAFETY NET HOSPITALS AS WELL. AND THEN ULTIMATELY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ACCESS AND THOSE FIRST BULLETS REALLY ARE THOSE FIRST COLUMNS REALLY SPEAKING TO ACCESS WHAT THAT ULTIMATELY ALSO LEADS TO IS EXTENDED WAIT TIMES FOR PATIENTS TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THOSE DIAGNOSTICS. SO THE LONGER THEY'RE WAITING, THE LONGER THEY'RE WAITING FOR THEIR DIAGNOSIS, THE LONGER THEY'RE WAITING TO RECEIVE CARE. AS WE ALSO THINK ABOUT THE POPULATION HERE IN EL PASO, THERE IS AN AGING POPULATION. IT'S ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING COMPONENTS OF YOUR POPULATION. AND SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE NATION STARTING TO DO IS REALLY FOCUS IN ON GERIATRIC CARE AND BRINGING THAT SPECIALTY , GERIATRIC CARE INTO THE MARKET, SPECIALIZING THOSE SERVICES WITHIN ONE AREA SO THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF THE GERIATRIC AGES CAN GO AND RECEIVE THEIR CARE IN SPECIFIC COMMUNITY CENTERS. AND THEN I THINK YOU ALL HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS. WE ALL KNOW ONE AND TWO PEOPLE WILL GET CANCER. WE ALL KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS IT. YOU HAVE A LACK OF ACCESS TO CANCER CARE WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY, RESULTING IN ABOUT 50% OF INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED THAT CARE LEAVING TOWN TO GET THAT CARE. SO AS JACOB MENTIONED, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF INVESTMENTS AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE INTO THE COMMUNITY. THE UMC SPECIFICALLY GOES BACK AND THINKS ABOUT THEIR MISSION AND HOW THEY CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE. SO THERE WAS THAT ACQUISITION OF THE SURGICAL HOSPITAL THAT BROUGHT ABOUT 40 ADDITIONAL ACUTE CARE BEDS ONLINE TOWARDS THE EAST SIDE OF THE MARKET. AS WE LOOKED AT OUR 20 YEAR ANALYSIS AND REALLY EVEN GOING TEN YEARS OUT, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WON'T BE ENOUGH BEDS. SO AS WE THINK ABOUT THE AGING POPULATION BECOMING MORE CHRONIC, HIGHER ACUITY LENGTHS OF STAY WILL INCREASE. THOSE 40 BEDS WILL NOT FILL THE GAP THAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY. THERE'S BEEN A JOINT VENTURE WITH A REHAB HOSPITAL THAT HELPS AS WE THINK ABOUT OVERALL PATIENT THROUGHPUT AND THE ABILITY TO TRANSITION PATIENTS FROM AN ACUTE CENTER INTO A POST-ACUTE CENTER. SO THAT'S HELPED TO OPEN UP CAPACITY. BUT THERE'S STILL MORE TO DO THERE. THE OPENING OF THE WEST SIDE AND THE EAST SIDE CLINIC, WHICH HAVE OUTPERFORMED FROM THE DATA. I'VE LOOKED AT THEIR PROFORMAS VERY QUICKLY. THAT SHOWS US THE DEMAND IS THERE AND THAT PATIENTS, WHEN THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACCESS THE CARE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, ARE UTILIZING THAT CARE. THE FREESTANDING E.R.S ARE ALSO SEEING ABOUT DOUBLE OF THE VOLUME. I WOULD EXPECT TO SEE. AND SO AGAIN, TAKING TAKING CARE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY IS WHAT UMC HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON. AND THAT ALSO HELPS AGAIN KEEP PATIENTS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL

[01:35:01]

UNLESS THEY TRULY NEED IT. WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT PROGRAMMATIC EXPANSION, AND THAT'S REALLY ABOUT BRINGING CARE TO PATIENTS SO THEY CAN GET IT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY. WE DON'T WANT EL PASOANS TO HAVE TO LEAVE TO GET THEIR CARE. SO WE'RE THINKING ABOUT PROGRAMMATIC GROWTH AND THE TEAM AT UMC IS CONSTANTLY THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE EXPAND THE CARE THAT WE'RE GIVING TO PATIENTS. WE NEED THAT CAPACITY IN ORDER TO DO SO. THERE'S BEEN GROWTH WITH THE HEALTH PLAN AS WELL, AND YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF THE INVESTMENT INTO THE CANCER CENTER, WHICH IS WONDERFUL TO BRING THAT CARE HERE. AND THAT'S IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXAS TECH. AND THEN SOME EXPANSION OF THE EIGHTH FLOOR AT EL PASO CHILDREN'S. EVEN WITH THESE INVESTMENTS, WE STILL SEE A GAP IN THE CARE. AND I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH SOME DATA HERE. THAT LEADS ME TO THAT CONCLUSION. SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ON THIS SLIDE, THE GREEN LINE REPRESENTS OVER A 20 YEAR TIME FRAME WHAT SG2 FORECASTS THE OUTPATIENT DEMAND TO GROW OVER THOSE 20 YEARS. THE ORANGE LINE REPRESENTS ACUTE INPATIENT ADMISSIONS. SO YOU ACTUALLY SEE THAT LINE IS DECLINING. BUT WHAT YOU SEE IN THE CENTER THERE IS THAT DOTTED ORANGE LINE THAT REPRESENTS PATIENT DAYS. SO WHEN I GO BACK TO THE POINT OF THE FACT THAT OUR PATIENTS ARE AGING OR THEY'RE BECOMING MORE CHRONIC BECAUSE THEY CAN'T ACCESS CARE, WE'RE EXPECTING TO SEE MORE CHALLENGE OR AN INCREASE IN PATIENT DAYS, WHICH WILL PUT MORE PRESSURE AGAINST BED DAYS. SO YOU CAN SEE ALSO AT THE BOTTOM HERE, WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING THOSE OVERALL INPATIENT DISCHARGES TO BE OVER TIME. AND ULTIMATELY THOSE OUTPATIENT VOLUMES GROWING SIGNIFICANTLY. AND THOSE OUTPATIENT INVOLVE ALL TYPES OF OUTPATIENT FROM YOUR PHYSICIAN VISITS ALL THE WAY THROUGH YOUR DIAGNOSTICS. SO WHEN WE SYNTHESIZE THAT INFORMATION INTO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR UMC, THERE'S GAPS IN ITS ABILITY TO ADDRESS AND TO SERVE ON ITS MISSION. AND AGAIN, WE RECOGNIZE HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY, IT SERVES A UNIQUE MISSION OF OPENING A STORE TO ALL PATIENTS, REGARDLESS OF ABILITY TO PAY. SO MOST IMMEDIATELY, WE SEE GAPS IN CRITICAL CARE CAPACITY OVERALL INPATIENT CAPACITY, AS WELL AS SURGICAL CAPACITY. SO I'LL POINT YOU TO THE GRAPHIC ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE HERE. WHAT YOU SEE IS CURRENT CAPACITY TODAY THE BLUE PART OF THE BAR REPRESENTS CRITICAL CARE WITH A LIGHT BLUE LINE SLIGHTLY ABOVE THAT. AS YOU CAN SEE, CRITICAL CARE CAPACITY IS AT CAPACITY. THEY'RE RUNNING PRETTY MUCH OVER 100% CAPACITY IN CRITICAL CARE ON A DAILY BASIS. WHAT THAT TRANSLATES TO IS THE INABILITY TO ALWAYS PLACE PATIENTS IN THE CRITICAL CARE UNIT. THE SPECIALIZED CRITICAL CARE UNIT THAT THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO ALSO. SO IT HOLDS UP, AS YOU HEARD JACOB SAY, THE ABILITY TO MOVE PATIENTS FROM THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT INTO THE ACUTE CARE BED. THE SECOND PART OF THAT BAR CHART IS THAT DARKER ORANGE THAT REPRESENTS THE NON CRITICAL CARE BEDS. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IS RUNNING CLOSE TO CAPACITY MOST MONTHS MOST DAYS.

AND WHEN WE LAYER ON TOP OF THAT THAT LIGHT ORANGE WHICH ARE OBSERVATION PATIENTS AND OBSERVATION PATIENTS ARE THOSE THAT ARE CLINICALLY BEING EVALUATED TO DETERMINE IF THEY NEED TO BE ADMITTED. THEY ARE PLACED IN BEDS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION. WE LAYER IN THOSE OBSERVATION PATIENTS. AND YOU CAN SEE MOST OF THE TIME THEY ARE RUNNING OVER CAPACITY. THE LAST TWO BARS REPRESENT THE PROJECTIONS THAT WE'VE MADE OUT TO 2027 AND 2037. SO SUGGESTING THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE OVER CAPACITY TO THE TUNE OF TURNING AWAY OR TRANSFERRING, I'LL SAY, PATIENTS ELSEWHERE OR THE INABILITY TO ACCEPT PATIENTS WHEN THOSE TRANSFERS NEED TO BE MADE. SO NO TURNING AWAY, BUT ULTIMATELY THE ABILITY THEY WOULD HAVE TO HOLD PATIENTS, I WILL SAY IN THEIR ED. SO OVER 1000 PATIENTS UNFORTUNATELY ARE DENIED TRANSFER. THOSE ARE PATIENTS THAT ARE IN ANOTHER HOSPITAL AND THAT HOSPITAL IS LOOKING TO TRANSFER PATIENTS OVER TO UMC. GIVEN THE HIGH LEVEL OF CARE THERE, THE ONLY LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTER FOR 250 MILES AND THOSE HOSPITALS ARE LOOKING TO TRANSFER TO GET THOSE PATIENTS TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE AT UMC. UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS, THOSE PATIENTS END UP HAVING TO LEAVE THE MARKET VERY OFTEN TO RECEIVE THAT CARE. AND ABOUT 4% OF PATIENTS ARE LEAVING THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT BEFORE THEY'RE RECEIVING TREATMENT. SO THEY ENTER THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

THEY'RE SEEN, THEY'RE TRIAGED, THEY'RE STABILIZED. BUT THERE THEY CHOOSE TO LEAVE BEFORE THEY RECEIVE THE TREATMENT THEY NEED. THAT'S VERY OFTEN DUE TO WAIT TIMES OR THE INABILITY TO ACTUALLY GET TRANSFERRED UP TO A BED. SO OVER TIME, WE WOULD EXPECT THIS NUMBER TO GROW.

HOLDING MORE PATIENTS, AS I MENTIONED IN THE ED CONTINUED, THE CONTINUED NEED TO SEND PATIENTS OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY FOR THAT CARE. WE ALSO WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT GOING

[01:40:07]

OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY. SO AS WE THINK ABOUT MEETING CONSUMERS WHERE THEY ARE, AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE ACUTE ADMISSION, IT'S ABOUT PROVIDING CARE TO PATIENTS WHEN THEY NEED IT, WHERE THEY NEED IT AT THE RIGHT COST, IN THE RIGHT LOCATION. SO WE LOOKED AT GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION AS WELL AS THE AMBULATORY. AND THE AMBULATORY FOOTPRINT IS THAT OUTPATIENT FOOTPRINT. SO THE NON-ACUTE FOOTPRINT WE LOOKED AT IN-TOWN CANCER CARE AS WELL AS ACCESS FOR THE UNDER OR UNINSURED. SO YOU CAN SEE THE FOUR AREAS. AND WE ULTIMATELY LOOKED AT WHERE THE SITES TODAY ARE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS YOUR PRECINCTS. AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT TRANSPORT, WE HEARD EARLIER TODAY, THE TRANSPORTATION IS NOT EASY FOR ALL. EL PASOANS. SO ULTIMATELY, AGAIN, OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO MOVE CARE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY WHEN PATIENTS NEED IT AT THE FRONT END AND THEN ULTIMATELY BE AVAILABLE WHEN THEY NEED THAT MOST ACUTE STAY. YOU CAN SEE FOR SOME PRECINCTS, SOME INDIVIDUALS, SOME EL PASOANS AND SOME PRECINCTS CAN ACTUALLY BE A FIVE HOUR ROUND TRIP BUS RIDE TO GET TO UMMC EL PASO TO RECEIVE THEIR CARE. SO AGAIN, OUR DESIRE WOULD BE TO GET CARE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, OPENING UP CAPACITY ON THE MAIN CAMPUS FOR WHEN THOSE ACUTE CARE, THOSE ACUTE ADMISSIONS ARE NEEDED. SO SYNTHESIZING ALL OF THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER FROM AN SG2 PERSPECTIVE, WE BELIEVE WHAT'S NEEDED STILL FOR UMC IS CRITICAL CARE AND ACUTE CARE. BED ACCESS OR OUTPATIENT ACCESS POINTS THROUGHOUT THE PRECINCTS, MEETING PATIENTS AGAIN WHERE THEY ARE FOR WHAT THEY NEED AT THE RIGHT PRICE POINT. I'M ALL ABOUT AVOIDING THE ADMISSION OR THE READMISSION ALTOGETHER, SO GETTING UPSTREAM OF THEIR HEALTH CARE OPERATING ROOM CAPACITY AS THAT'S CHALLENGED TODAY. AGAIN, BACK TO THE INABILITY TO PLACE PATIENTS IN BEDS THAT CAN LEAD TO CANCELED SURGERIES AS WE WAIT FOR THOSE BEDS. AND THEN OVERALL PROGRAMMATIC EXPANSION TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE GROWING THE SERVICES.

THAT MAY BE GAPS FOR EL PASOANS TODAY, INCLUDING CANCER CARE. WITH THAT, I'LL PAUSE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. JUDGE COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION. YOU KNOW, I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH, A LOT OF WHAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY. AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE GAPS AND THE NEEDS, BUT I'VE SAID IT MANY TIMES AND I'LL CONTINUE TO, TO SAY IT, AND QUESTION AND PUSH FOR MORE, YOU KNOW. MANNERS IN WHICH WE CAN LOOK TO, PREVENT ILLNESS MORE THAN HAVE TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND BURDEN THE TAXPAYER WITH WITH MORE EXPANSION. WE DON'T HAVE POPULATION GROWTH IN THIS COMMUNITY. WE HAVE POPULATION SHIFT. AND, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THAT POPULATION SHIFT IS GOING TO, YOU KNOW, AREAS AND OUTSIDE IN THE UNINCORPORATED PARTS OF THE COUNTY AND IT'S CALLED SPRAWL. AND WE BY CONTINUING TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE IN AREAS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY DEVELOPER DRIVEN, COMMUNITIES AND DEVELOPER DRIVEN AREAS, WE'RE JUST FOMENTING AND SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR, FOR MORE EXPENSE LATER, SO THAT'S ONE THAT'S ONE POINT THAT I WANT TO MAKE. AND THE OTHER POINT IS, IS GOING BACK TO THE PREVENTION, YOU KNOW, OUR WE'VE SPENT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON, HEALTH CARE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE'RE POISED TO SPEND MORE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IF, IF, IF, IF THINGS END UP, GOING THAT WAY. WHAT ARE WE WHAT ARE WE DOING TO BETTER HEALTH CARE OUTCOMES? BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE'RE DOING OUR COMMUNITY A DISSERVICE IF WE'RE NOT SPENDING MORE, INVESTING MORE ON PREVENTION, BECAUSE, I MEAN, YOU SEE THE NUMBERS HERE AND THE DATA THAT YOU ALL SHOWED IN THIS, IN THIS PRESENTATION IN 2027, THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE SICK PEOPLE IN 30, 37, THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE SICK PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU'RE SHOWING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE MORE UTILIZATION OF YOUR FACILITIES. WHAT IS THE YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT ARE WHAT ARE OUR PLANS TO, TO TRY AND, OTHER THAN JUST BUILDING OUT MORE INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, GOING DOWN THAT ROAD, HOW ELSE CAN WE CAN WE WORK TO

[01:45:04]

CHANGE THOSE OUTCOMES AND KEEP PEOPLE FROM HAVING TO COME TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE THEY DON'T THEY'RE NOT SICK. YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WE CATCH THEM AT THE VERY END WHEN EVERYTHING A LIFETIME OF HABITS HAVE COME INTO PLAY. AND, SOMETIMES IT MIGHT BE YOU KNOW, FOOD INSECURITIES, MIGHT BE JOB INSTABILITY, MIGHT BE LACK OF EDUCATION, SOMETIMES IT'S GENETICS. YOU KNOW, CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE PREDISPOSED OF, SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE THINGS WE'RE DOING NOW, IT'S TO ADDRESS WHAT'S COMING TO US. NOW, YOU KNOW, I WAS LISTENING TO THE ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES PEOPLE, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN A CHAMPION FOR GERIATRIC CARE. WELL, PART OF THAT IS ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE PROPER CARE, NOT JUST WHEN THEY HIT A CLINIC, BUT AT HOME. AND PART OF THOSE SERVICES REQUIRE SOME KIND OF COORDINATION AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. WE NOW LOOK AT, WE WERE A FEW WEEKS AGO, REACCREDITED AS A LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTER, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THEY NOW INCLUDE IS GERIATRIC TRAUMA. SO IT'S NOT JUST GERIATRIC ED, BUT GERIATRIC TRAUMA. AND GERIATRIC CARE AT THE CLINIC LEVEL. BUT WHAT DO WE DO PRIOR TO THAT? SO AS YOU SEE THE SHIFT TO OUTPATIENT CARE, WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE CAN DO FOR PREVENTATIVE CARE. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NO PHYSICIAN. THEY HAVE NONE ASSIGNED TO THEM. THEY'LL HAVE THE ABILITY AS THEY DO NOW WITH THE CLINICS. WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GO AND SAY, I HAVE NO MONEY. I HAVE NO DOCTOR, AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THEY GET A DOCTOR. NOT ONLY FOR PRIMARY CARE, BUT IF THERE'S ANY, SPECIALTY CARE NEEDED THAT WE WILL DO OUR BEST WITH WHAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY GET ACCESS TO THAT, EVEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY. NOW, PART OF THAT INTERACTION WITH YOUR PRIMARY CARE AND YOUR SPECIALIST IS GOING TO INCLUDE LIFESTYLE CHANGES. AND I KNOW BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THERE AND THEY'LL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, HERE ARE THINGS YOU'VE GOT TO DO WITH YOUR DIET. HERE ARE THINGS YOU'VE GOT TO DO IN TERMS OF CONTROLLING YOUR CHOLESTEROL AND OTHER THINGS THAT WILL HELP THEM EXTEND THEIR LIFE WITHOUT HAVING TO WAIT TILL THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY ILL. AND WE TRACK MEASURES, FOR EXAMPLE, A1C'S AND OTHER THINGS TO MAKE SURE WE CONTROL THEIR DIABETIC CONDITION . BUT BEYOND THAT, WE'RE ALSO WORKING. FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE, OUR FOOD, WAREHOUSING GROUP TO SEE HOW WE CAN PROVIDE ASSISTANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN EL PASO HELPING FIGHTING HUNGER BY PROVIDING THE POSSIBILITY OF A NUTRITIONIST ON SITE AS WELL, TO BE ABLE TO HELP INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE GOING IN THAT MAY HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION, THAT MAY HAVE A DOCTOR'S NOTE TO COME IN SO THAT THEY CAN HELP THEM IDENTIFY WHAT KINDS OF FOODS TO EAT. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING IN, WORKING WITH THEM IN THE POSSIBILITY OF A, YOU KNOW, A SMALL, CLINIC, IF YOU WILL, AT THE SITE ITSELF, NOT ONLY WITH THEIR CURRENT SITE, BUT THEIR PROPOSED SITE OVER IN CANUTILLO, SO THAT IF SOMEBODY'S THERE WAITING IN LINE AND THEY HAVE AN ISSUE, WE CAN ADDRESS IT AT THAT POINT, THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO GO BEYOND JUST UMMC. IT NEEDS TO INCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. IT NEEDS TO INCLUDE THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. IT NEEDS TO INCLUDE ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER AND REALLY HAVING A COALITION, IF YOU WILL, TO DECIDE HOW CAN WE ALL HELP SPECIFIC HEALTH CARE NEEDS? RIGHT NOW, WE SHARE A LOT OF INFORMATION WITH, OUR HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE THAT INCLUDES THE OTHER HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, TEXAS TECH, THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND A NUMBER OF OTHERS. AND THE IDEA IS, HOW DO WE START USING SOME OF THAT DATA TO IDENTIFY WHERE DO WE HAVE, PATIENTS THAT COME INTO OUR FACILITIES THAT HAVE AN INCIDENCE BASED ON THE QUESTIONS WE ASK OF FOOD INSECURITY, OR MAYBE AN UNSTABLE HOME LIFE? AND HOW DO WE USE THAT DATA TO THEN DETERMINE WHAT SERVICES NEED TO BE PUT IN, NOT BY ZIP CODE, BUT BY CENSUS TRACK. AND SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE HOPE WILL HELP US GET THERE. WE'RE STILL A WAYS AWAY FROM THAT, BUT WE CAN START TAKING SOME OF THOSE STEPS. THOSE ARE NOT INCLUDED SO MUCH IN A BOND. OTHER THAN THE CLINIC SERVICES. BUT SOME OF THESE THINGS MAY NOT REQUIRE BOND MONEY. IT WILL REQUIRE COMMITMENT. WE'RE GOING TO PUT PEOPLE THERE. SO IT WILL BE AN OPERATIONAL COST BUT WELL INVESTED. SO I AGREE WITH YOU. WE NEED TO DO MORE. JACOB, ONE OF THE JUST HEARING SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS AND I HAD A SORT OF A LITTLE DIFFERENT SHIFT IN, YOU KNOW, WE ALL MADE A COMMITMENT DURING THE PANDEMIC, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE HIGHEST INDICES IN HEART ISSUES AND, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY DIABETES. AND, CANCER, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SEEMS TO BE SORT OF OVERARCHING IS THAT DELAYED TREATMENT IS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO TO OUR COMMUNITY, SO WHEN SOMEONE GETS TO THE HOSPITAL,

[01:50:07]

WAITS FOR AN HOUR OR TWO HOURS, TRADITIONALLY IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEY DON'T COME BACK. THEY, THEY WALK AWAY AND DON'T COME BACK, IF YOU FOLLOW SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IS THAT THEY GO TO JUAREZ AND THEY TRY TO RECEIVE TREATMENT THERE, BUT IT'S SORT OF A LITTLE BIT MORE SORT OF ISOLATED, RANDOM KIND OF SITUATIONS TRYING TO REACH DIFFERENT PEOPLE. DOCTORS GOING TO THE PHARMACY ON THEIR OWN, THEN MONTHS PASS AND COME BACK BY THE TIME THEY COME BACK, THEY'RE IN A REALLY DIFFICULT SITUATION THERE. YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN HEIGHTENED. YOU KNOW, THEIR THEIR ILLNESSES, WHATEVER IS GOING ON IS NOW AT A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION. AND SO I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IS, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO GET PEOPLE TO GO VISIT AND WE KNOW THAT ONCE THEY DO THAT, WE'RE IN A MUCH, MUCH BETTER SITUATION BECAUSE NOW YOU'VE IDENTIFIED THE ISSUE AT THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, THE NEW EXTENSION, FOR EXAMPLE, IT FITS INTO OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY THEY GO SOMEWHERE, THEY SEND THEM TO ANOTHER PLACE AND SOMEHOW WE LOSE THEM. BUT NOW THEY'RE ABLE TO STAY IN THE SAME BUILDING AND GO FROM ONE SPECIALIST TO THE OTHER. AND I THINK THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WE'RE UNDERSTANDING HOW A COMMUNITY OPERATES IS EXTREMELY INTOLERANT AT TIMES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, STAYING THERE AND WAITING TO BE SEEN OR COMING BACK, OR IF THEY HEAR IT'S IN TWO WEEKS, THEY'LL SAY, NEVER MIND. AND WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH WITH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M BEGINNING TO SEE THIS PREVENTION IN A IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT, THAT IT'S NOT ONLY THE PREVENTION BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENS, BUT BEING QUICKER AT ADDRESSING A SITUATION WHEN IT COMES IN FRONT OF US. AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I VERY SUPPORTIVE OF LIKE HOW DO WE REACH THEM? HOW DO WE GET THERE. SO, YOU KNOW, MIKE, THAT'S MY COMMENTS ON THIS. THE IMPACT OF DELAYED TREATMENT IS GOING TO BE THREE, 4 OR 5 TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR TAXPAYERS. IF WE DON'T ADDRESS IT. AND THAT'S TRUE. I MEAN, PEOPLE CAN GO TO AN E.R.

AND IF IT'S BUSY, THEY MAY GET TIRED OF WAITING AND THEY LEAVE. SOMETIMES WE'RE PROVIDING CARE IN THE WAITING ROOM, BUT EVEN MORE, CRITICAL THAN THAT, TOO, IS ALSO PEOPLE THAT CAN'T FIND A SPECIALIST. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A THYROID ISSUE AND YOU NEED TO SEE AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST AND YOU CAN'T GET IN TO SEE ONE, WE'VE HIRED TWO TO BE ABLE TO HELP US PROVIDE THAT CARE FOR THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE THE INSURANCE OR THE ABILITY TO PAY, IF YOU TRY TO GET IN TO SEE A RHEUMATOLOGIST, VERY DIFFICULT. WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE ON STAFF TO BE ABLE TO HELP AT OUR CLINICS FOR THOSE THAT NEED CARE. SOMETIMES WHAT HAPPENS, EVEN WITH PATIENTS THAT HAVE CANCER, DIABETES OR YOU NAME IT, IS THEY SIMPLY DON'T GO IF THEY CAN'T GET IN OR IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO DO SO, THEY DON'T GO. AND THAT'S WHAT'S THE MOST FRIGHTENING, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A DISEASE THAT CAN THEY MAY HAVE THAT CONTINUES TO GROW AND THEY'VE GIVEN UP. THEY'VE DECIDED THIS IS WHAT IT IS. YOU KNOW. AND THAT'S THAT'S NOT WHAT IT SHOULD BE. WE SHOULD BE DOING MORE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS, NOT JUST WHEN THEY COME TO OUR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OR WHEN THEY NEED AN ADMISSION, BUT IN PARTICULAR ALSO WHEN THEY NEED THE PRIMARY OR THE SPECIALTY CARE AFTERWARDS. SO I AGREE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT KIND OF OUTPATIENT SERVICES WE CAN PROVIDE. THE CLINICS WE'VE OPENED HAVE EXCEEDED THEIR CAPACITY, AND I DIDN'T THINK THAT WOULD HAPPEN FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS, WHICH TELLS YOU THERE IS A NEED OUT THERE. SO WE AGREE WITH YOU.

THANK YOU JACOB. COMMISSIONER JEAN, WILL YOU BEEN ON ON THE BOARD? ANYTHING THAT YOU FEEL WOULD WOULD HELP, I CAPACITY IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE FOR US. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO ADDRESS, I, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE SOME STEPS TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THOSE CAPACITY ISSUES. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK GOING TO COMMISSIONER STOUT'S COMMENTS AND UNTIL WE CHANGE THE THINKING OF A LOT OF OUR OWN COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO DO MORE OF THAT PREVENTATIVE WORK, WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE PLAYING CATCH UP, UNFORTUNATELY. BUT THANK YOU, JACOB, AND THANK YOU. OF COURSE, TO ALL OF THE UMMC STAFF FOR ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY DO. DO WITH THE LIMITED FUNDS THAT WE DO HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. JACOB. HEIDI, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. YOUR TEAM BACK THERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. THANK YOU.

[01:55:04]

WE NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REPORT. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER LEON AND A SECOND FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO. VOTING IS OPEN. MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. B RECEIVE A PRESENTATION, DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING EL PASO COUNTY'S 89TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION. AGENDA TO BE DELIVERED TO THE EL PASO STATE DELEGATION. BUENOS DIAS.

[B. Receive a presentation, discuss and take appropriate action regarding El Paso County’s 89th Texas Legislative Session Agenda to be delivered to the El Paso State Delegation. Melissa Carrillo, Executive Director, County Operations, 915-546-2162]

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. ELISA TAMAYO, GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS MANAGER, DO YOU THINK WE COULD PUT UP THE SLIDES, PLEASE. SEE, SIR, OR THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. AWESOME SO TODAY WE JUST HAVE A FEW NEW ITEMS TO THE, TO APPROVE. I KNOW ON THURSDAY WE DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, THE ITEMS, BUT NO ACTION WAS TAKEN, BUT I LIKE TO INCLUDE THE ITEMS NOW, ON THIS ON THIS SLIDE, THE PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED ACTION ITEMS, WHICH WE HAVE TEN, TEN OF THOSE THAT WE'VE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED AND HAVE BEEN APPROVED, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO THESE ARE THE TEN PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED ACTION ITEMS. AND THEN WE HAVE THREE CARRYOVERS THAT I ALSO LIKE TO PUT AS A REMINDER ON THESE SLIDES. ON THE NEXT ONE. SO THESE ARE THE ONLY THREE THAT WE'RE CARRYING OVER FROM LAST SESSION. HB 46 THE SCARF LAW. THE OPTIONAL VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE THAT PASSED THE HOUSE, SO WE THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO REFILE IT AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE UP A BETTER PUSH IN THE SENATE AND HOPEFULLY SEE IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

AND THEN, FROM OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, OR. YEAH, OR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, I'M NOT SURE, BUT THE KIOSK THAT WAS FILED BY BLANCO, SO THESE ARE THE THREE THAT WE'RE CARRYING OVER FROM, FROM THE LAST AGENDA, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. WE HAVE THIS NEW LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WE MET LAST WEEK TO, TO TALK ABOUT THE INCREASE THAT WE'VE SEEN, ON THE COST FOR THE COUNTY TO, TO, YOU KNOW, TO DO THE PROPER BURIAL OF, PAUPERS AND, IT HAS GONE FROM LIKE 60,000 TO 250,000. SO WE'RE TALKING WITH OTHER COUNTIES BECAUSE THEY'VE ALSO SEEN AN INCREASE ON THIS. AND THIS IS MANDATED BY THE STATE, BUT WE DON'T GET ANY FUNDING FROM THE STATE. SO WE'RE TRYING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO ESTABLISH A FUND FOR THE STATE TO EITHER GIVE MONEY TO COUNTIES THAT COUNTIES CAN APPLY FOR, OR GET CHARITABLE DONATIONS UNDER THE SECTION OF THE CODE, SO THAT WE CAN START GETTING MONEY FOR THIS TO COVER THIS COSTS THAT HAVE INCREASED LIKE DRAMATICALLY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND IRENE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE, AROUND OR BETSY, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING TO THIS.

OH, I SEE IRENE IS ON. HI. GOOD MORNING, NOTHING ELSE TO ADD OTHER THAN JUST TO CORROBORATE THAT WE'VE SEEN A HIGH INCREASE IN THE PROPER BARRIERS. BURIAL SERVICE, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND IT'S NOT JUST DIRECT, BURIAL COSTS THAT HAVE GONE UP AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE REQUIRING INDIGENT BURIAL SERVICES. BUT IT'S ALSO INDIRECT COSTS. WITH THAT SERVICE, WE'VE HAD TO HIRE ONE, PERSON JUST DEDICATED TO THE PROPER BURIAL SERVICE BECAUSE THE NUMBERS ARE SO HIGH. COMING IN THROUGH OUR OFFICE. AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE INDIRECT COSTS THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAS INCURRED BECAUSE THEY HELP US, DO THE BURIALS IN THE CEMETERY. THEY HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE COUNTY CEMETERY. AND I, I'M PRETTY SURE DOCTOR RASCON AND THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE HAVE ALSO INCURRED ADDITIONAL COSTS, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE REFERRALS DO COME FROM THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE. RIGHT. SO WE'RE ASKING TO TAKE, TO MAKE THIS A PROPOSAL ON OUR AGENDA. I KNOW WE ALREADY HAVE 13 ITEMS, ON, BUT IF WE CAN WORK ON THIS, ALONG WITH THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES OR OTHER COUNTIES, JUST TO TRY TO BRING ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE, THAT, THAT, AGAIN, IS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE FROM THE STATE AND THAT A LOT OF US HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE ON, WHAT WE HAVE. WHAT WHAT DALLAS SAID IS THAT THEY'RE THEY HAVE LOOKED INTO CREATING UNDER THE SECTION, 694. 002E THE CHARITABLE FUND, FOR DONATIONS TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO DONATE. SO

[02:00:11]

WE'RE DISCUSSING DIFFERENT OPTIONS, BUT WE WANT TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE ON THIS, SINCE IT'S SUCH A HUGE COST TO THE COUNTY, IF APPROVED BY BY COMMISSIONERS TODAY. AND THEN ON THE NEXT ONE, WE HAVE NEW VALUE STATEMENTS. OH, SORRY. ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL. MY BAD, ALLOWING. SO THIS IS, ALLOWING THE YEARS OF SERVICE OF A STATUTORY COUNTY COURT JUDGE AND COUNTY PROBATE COURT JUDGE TO INCLUDE THE YEARS OF SERVICE AS AN ASSOCIATE COURT JUDGE TO CODIFY WHAT THE POLICY THAT WAS APPROVED. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS LAST MONDAY OR A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO, BUT, FOR SO YOU APPROVED A POLICY. SO WE'RE TRYING TO PUT THIS ON STATUTE TO CLARIFY THIS. AND ALSO, SINCE THE POLICY IS ALREADY MADE, WE ARE ASKING TO MAKE THIS A LEGISLATIVE, PROPOSAL THAT WE TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN, WORKING WITH OUR LEGISLATORS AND PROPOSING SOME LANGUAGE TO FIX THIS ON STATUTE IN THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. AND, ELISA, COULD WE SAY, INSTEAD OF JUST, SAYING, ASSOCIATE JUDGE, CAN WE SAY THAT THE SAME EXPERIENCE WOULD MIRROR WHATEVER EXPERIENCE COUNTS FOR A DISTRICT JUDGE WOULD COUNT FOR A COUNTY STATUTORY COUNTY COURT JUDGE AND COUNTY PROBATE COURT JUDGE. SO IF THAT ONE NEVER CHANGES, THEY ALWAYS STAY ALIGNED. YES, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY MAKE THAT CHANGE ON THE LANGUAGE. THANK YOU BETSY. AND WE'RE WORKING WITH JUDGE PEREZ ON THIS, SHE, SHE WE ASKED HER TO LOOK INTO THIS, AND, AND WE'RE GOING TO PROPOSE SOME LANGUAGE IF APPROVED TODAY. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THAT WOULD, THOSE WOULD BE OUR 15 PROPOSALS AS OF TODAY. I KNOW THERE MIGHT BE SOME OTHER ONES. I KNOW COUNTY ATTORNEYS STILL HAVE TO SEND IN, THEIR PRIORITIES. BUT FOR NOW, I THINK IT'S A GOOD NUMBER TO START LOOKING INTO WHAT THE DELEGATION CAN HELP US WITH. IF THERE'S INTEREST IN FILING ANY OF THOSE AND SO THOSE WOULD BE THE LIKE THE 15 THAT WE TAKE OUT, LIKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN, THE PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED VALUE STATEMENTS. WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS FIVE AND I HAVE A COUPLE MORE ON THE NEXT TWO SLIDES TO GET APPROVAL TODAY, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THEN THIS ONE PROPOSED BY COMMISSIONER CORONADO. IS RELATED TO WHAT WHAT SOME STAKEHOLDERS AND ADVOCATES CALL BANNING THE BOX, BUT IT'S REALLY ENHANCING HIRING POLICIES FOR WORKERS THAT QUALIFY, FOR POSITIONS SO THAT THEY'RE NOT REJECTED, RIGHT OFF THE BAT. SO ALLOWING, LIKE, FOR THEM TO SEE IF THEY MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS, THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR A JOB AND THEN LOOKING INTO THEIR, CRIMINAL HISTORY. SO THIS WOULD BE A VALUE STATEMENT. THERE'S ALREADY GROUPS THAT HAVE PROPOSED LEGISLATION IN TEXAS, THAT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THIS VALUE STATEMENT. SO WE COULD PUT THIS ON OUR, ON OUR DOCUMENT TO TRACK THOSE TYPES OF BILLS AND SUPPORT THEM WHEN THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. AND, COMMISSIONER, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING OR IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COURT AT THIS POINT, COMMISSIONER CORONADO STAFF IS IN THE AUDIENCE IF THEY WANT TO ADD ANYTHING. BUT THIS REALLY DOES SUPPORT OUR PUBLIC PROMISE PROGRAM AND JUST GENERAL, BUT YOU WANT TO OR BOTH OF YOU. STEVE, I WOULD SAY THAT WE SHOULD GO AS FAR AS LIKE SAYING THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO. THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GIVE UP THEIR CRIMINAL HISTORY AT ALL. THEY SHOULDN'T. SO THAT'S WHAT BANNING THE BOX DOES. YOU DON'T HAVE TO. BUT THERE'S BANNING THE BOX WHICH IS WHICH IS THEY DON'T LOOK AT IT ON THE INITIAL APPLICATION, BUT AT SOME POINT THEY DO A BACKGROUND CHECK LATER ON. BUT WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS I DON'T THINK PEOPLE SHOULD BE BARRED FROM WORK BECAUSE THEY HAVE A CRIMINAL HISTORY AT ALL, LIKE THEY SHOULD NOT BE ABLE. EMPLOYERS SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT. I MEAN, IT JUST SEEMS TO ME LIKE IF THEY IF THEY'VE GONE TO JAIL AND PAID THEIR DUES , THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE BARRED FROM ANY TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT OR, YOU KNOW, AND, AND ONE WAY TO ADDRESS THAT IS THE IS PROTECT THE EMPLOYERS FROM ANY LIABILITY. SO BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AN INTERNAL PRACTICE THAT WE USE THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE DOES HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD DOES NOT MAKE THEM UNEMPLOYABLE. RIGHT, YOU DO GO TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY JOB RELEVANCE. DID IT INVOLVE MORAL TURPITUDE, IS IT, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES IT PERTAIN TO THE WORK THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING? AND HOW LONG AGO WAS IT THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT IF IT WAS A COMPLETE NO CONSIDERATION OF THEIR BACKGROUND, CRIMINAL BACKGROUND, THEN THERE WOULD NEED TO BE PROTECTIONS FOR EMPLOYERS WHO HIRE THEM. IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE LIKE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE THEY'RE GOING TO INSIST ON KNOWING WHETHER OR NOT PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS HAVE CONVICTIONS FOR

[02:05:01]

YES. STEVE. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, MARISSA NUNEZ WITH COMMISSIONER CORONADO'S OFFICE, COMMISSIONER IS UNFORTUNATELY NOT HERE, SO I CANNOT SPEAK FOR HIM. I CAN SPEAK FOR STAFF. I THINK WE CAN MAKE THE VALUE STATEMENT WHAT THE COURT WANTS IT TO BE. IN DEVELOPING THE PROMISE PROGRAM, THIS HAS BEEN INDICATED AS AN ISSUE AREA THAT NEEDS LEGISLATIVE ACTION, BOTH FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATION DEPARTMENT HERE AND FROM OUR PARTNERS, ECHOING WHAT COMMISSIONER OLGUIN SAID, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD IS THAT INSURANCE IS A REALLY BIG ISSUE FOR FOLKS. SO OUR COMMUNITY IN EL PASO IS VERY AMENABLE TO HIRING FOLKS WHO HAVE HISTORY WITH THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM. BUT IT'S THE INSURANCE THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE CHALLENGING. SO EVEN IF THERE'S THE WILLINGNESS, THAT'S THE PIECE THAT MIGHT NEED MORE, PUSHBACK. BUT, I DO BELIEVE THAT OUR OFFICE WOULD BE AMENABLE TO CHANGES TO MAKE IT MORE REFLECTIVE OF HOW FAR THE COURT WOULD WANT TO TAKE THAT VALUE STATEMENT, STEVEN. NO, I WOULD JUST, STEVEN GARZA WITH COMMISSIONER CORONADO'S OFFICE, COUNTY JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS, I WOULD I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR OFFICE IS DEFINITELY AMENABLE TO IT. WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM THE, IS THIS STEP ONE? CAN WE MAKE THIS A STEP ONE AS A BIGGER PROMISE OR OPPORTUNITY IN OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA? I WOULD SEE TO MISS TAMAYO, AS FAR AS WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR OUR , OUR, OUR STATE PROCESS, BUT WE'RE AMENABLE TO THAT AS WELL.

WE JUST WANTED TO SEE IF WE COULD MAKE THAT VALUE STATEMENT AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT IT AND DISCUSS IT, TO MAKE TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES, HOPEFULLY FOR OUR EL PASO COMMUNITY WORKFORCE. THANK YOU. YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S JUST FOR ME, IT'S OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS INHERENTLY RACIST. AND THEREFORE THIS IS INHERENTLY, YOU KNOW, THE LIKE, CHECKING SOMEBODY'S CRIMINAL BACKGROUND. YOU KNOW, IF THEY IF THEY'VE ALREADY SERVED THEIR TIME AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE COMMITTED A CRIME, BUT THEY SERVE THEIR TIME , BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN, TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW. YEAH MISTAKES THAT THEY MADE IN THE PAST. THERE IS SOME RESEARCH THAT INDICATES THAT BANNING THE BOX COULD ALSO RESULT IN SOME STATISTICAL BIAS.

SO EVEN AS YOU'RE AWARE, SO AGREED, BUT, IT IS JUST ONE STEP. I'M SURE THAT EVEN WITH THIS, TRYING TO EXPAND IT OUTSIDE OF JUST PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT TO PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT, POTENTIALLY WITH TAX INCENTIVES COULD ALSO BE BENEFICIAL. BUT IT IS JUST STARTING THAT CONVERSATION. YEAH. AND IT'S SUCH A, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER COLONEL'S PROMISE PROGRAM. IT'S JUST SO ALIGNED YOU KNOW ACCESSIBILITY RIGHT. YOU KNOW, IF THEY CAN'T GET A JOB, THE CHANCES ARE REALLY HIGH THAT THEY'RE GOING BACK. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DON'T WANT. AND IT'S JUST AMAZING, NOT ONLY THE FACT THAT THEY CAN'T GET A JOB, THEY'RE DISAPPOINTMENT. AND WHATEVER GAIN OF DIGNITY THEY CREATE, AND THEN THEY GET REJECTED. AND YOU'RE RIGHT BACK TO SQUARE ONE. AND THE CHANCES ARE HIGH YOU'RE RIGHT BACK TO THAT ZERO PLACE THAT THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN. SO I WOULD ALSO I WOULD ALSO ADD JUDGE, TO THAT POINT. WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH WORKFORCE, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT DO DISCUSS THESE TOPICS AND IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE THERE IS A DESIRE FOR MORE WORK WORKFORCE , MORE AVAILABLE WORKFORCE. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US NO MATTER WHAT DRIVES IT. IF IT'S NEED, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST VERY IMPORTANT, I GOT TO WORKING AS A PROBATION OFFICER LATER IN FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH. THAT'S THE BIG KEY. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT MAKES OR BREAKS YOU A HOUSE AND A JOB. YOU KNOW, YOU GOT THOSE TWO. YOU SORT OF START MOVING FORWARD. YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE TWO. YOU'RE STUCK. AND THEN IT CREATES A HUGE BURDEN ON OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL. RIGHT. SO BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU. HERE. THANK YOU. OH. BEFORE WE END THE ITEM, JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR OUR INTERN. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JESUS REINA. WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

MARISA AND AGAIN, THIS VALUE STATEMENT WOULD ALLOW ME AND THE LOBBY TEAM AND MYSELF TO TRACK ANY LEGISLATION THAT FALLS WITHIN THIS VALUE STATEMENT. AND IT CAN BE AS BROAD. THIS IS A

[02:10:04]

SUGGESTION, BUT IF THERE'S ANY EDITS AGAIN, WE THIS IS A WORKING IN PROGRESS. SO ANYTHING THAT, THAT YOU WANT TO EDIT LET ME KNOW. AND WE CAN, WE CAN ADD IT TO THE AGENDA FOR, BUT FOR NOW, THIS IS THE LANGUAGE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING, AND IT WOULD ALLOW US TO SHOW UP IN HEARINGS, TESTIFY OR DROP CARDS IN SUPPORT OF ANY BILLS THAT ARE FILED. I KNOW THE TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT USUALLY WORKS WITH LEGISLATORS ON THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATION, TEXAS FREEDOM NETWORK AND OTHER OTHER ADVOCATES. SO I WILL MAKE SURE THAT IF IT'S VOTED ON, IF IT'S APPROVED TODAY, THAT WE TRACK THIS, ALL THE BILLS THAT FALL WITHIN THIS VALUE STATEMENT, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS IS ANOTHER PROPOSED VALUE STATEMENT TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AND ACTIVATION AND EXPANSION OF THE MARCELINO SERNA PORT OF ENTRY IN TORNILLO, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT AND COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING OF PUBLICLY OWNED LAND IN THAT AREA, THE COUNTY SUPPORTS PUBLIC AGENCIES TO PROMOTE THE RESPONSIBLE AND COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE LANDS, TO SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF THE MARCELINO SERNA PORT OF ENTRY. SO, THIS WAS I DON'T KNOW IF FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE OR WANTS TO SPEAK MORE TO THIS, BUT, JUST HAVING A VALUE STATEMENT THAT ALLOWS US TO ADVOCATE AND REQUEST FUNDING, REQUEST SUPPORT FROM THE LEGISLATURE TO, EXPAND ON THE ON THIS BOARD OF THE NEW PORT OF ENTRY IN TORNILLO, AND AGAIN, OPEN TO ANY EDITS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE OR SUGGESTIONS TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE TO MAKE IT MORE REFLECTIVE OF WHAT THE OF WHAT THE COURT WANTS. AND I THINK THAT'S IT, CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? SO THIS IS A SUGGESTED ACTION THAT WE HAVE FOR TODAY, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE SUGGESTED CHANGES TO THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION AGENDA AS PRESENTED IN THE SLIDES TODAY. JUDGE, I WANTED TO MENTION ONE MORE THING. THANK YOU. ALISA. YOU KNOW, RECENTLY I'VE BEEN, BECOME AWARE OF SOME DIFFICULTIES THAT, FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE HAVING WHEN IT COMES TO THE ELECTRIC COMPANY HOOKING UP THEIR SOLAR PANELS, INCLUDING MYSELF. BUT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE. I MEAN, IT'S IT TAKES WEEKS AND WEEKS AND WEEKS FOR THE ELECTRIC COMPANY. I MEAN, TO MAKE THE CONNECTION.

AND IT SEEMS A LITTLE TOO CONVENIENT FOR ME THAT, LIKE, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER AND WE'RE IN THESE THIS SUPER HOT WEATHER WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE RUNNING OUR ACS, YOU KNOW, INCESSANTLY TO, TO KEEP THINGS COOL, BUT WE CAN'T GET OUR SOLAR PANELS CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRICAL GRID. AND IT'S NOT JUST ME, IT'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT I KNOW AS WELL THAT ARE TRYING TO DO SOLAR. SO I DON'T KNOW IF, IF THERE'S SOMETHING LEGISLATIVELY WE NEED TO DO, BUT IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LEASE AND MAYBE OUR LOBBY TEAM LOOK INTO ANY, ANY REGULATORY, YOU KNOW, RECOURSE THAT WE HAVE, AS A COMMUNITY TO, TO FORCE OUR ELECTRIC COMPANY TO, TO STOP DELAYING SO, SO LONG . I AGREE. I CAN WORK ON A VALUE STATEMENT, FOR THE COURT'S CONSIDERATION, AND THEN WE CAN HAVE IT ON A VOTE FOR THE NEXT TIME. OR WE CAN. YEAH, I JUST WANT TO APPROVE THE CHANGES TODAY. PLUS THE SOLAR. YEAH I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU OFFLINE, ALISA. BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S AN ISSUE THAT THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. IT'S A SOLUTION, BUT IT'S NOT IF IT'S NOT IF WE'RE NOT BEING EFFICIENT WITH WITH THE CONNECTIONS. GO AHEAD.

CESAR, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN. THE VOTING IS OPEN. AND MOTION CARRIES REALLY QUICK. BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS TOPIC. I DO KNOW, JUDGE, YOU WANTED US TO MENTION THAT THE FUNDING THAT WAS ALLOCATED LAST LEGISLATIVE CYCLE FOR THE PSYCHIATRIC BED EXPANSION. THERE'S NEWS OUT THAT, THAT THAT FUNDING HAS BEEN SIGNED OFF ON BY THE GOVERNOR AND THAT EL PASO PSYCHIATRIC CENTER IS RECEIVING THE $50 MILLION FOR PLANNING AND LAND ACQUISITION TO EXPAND THE CURRENT FACILITY BY 50 BEDS, SO I WANTED JUST TO MAKE SURE TO BRING THAT TO EVERYONE'S. THANK YOU. CAME FROM LAST SESSION.

GREAT NEWS, AND I HOPE THAT WE SOMEHOW STAY CLOSE TO IT. I KNOW JACOB, WAS TOLD ME EARLIER THAT THAT THEY'D BE INTERESTED AND MAYBE PARTICIPATE IN RUNNING IT, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT KIND OF SOMEONE THAT REALLY UNDERSTANDS. SO JUST, YOU KNOW, STAY REAL CLOSE. AND THAT'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHIATRIC AND A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS HAVING TO LEAVE

[02:15:02]

OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH THAT WOULD ADDRESS THAT SITUATION. SO JUST IF WE COULD STAY CLOSE TO IT, AT LEAST ON THAT, SIR. AND WE ARE TALKING I DID TALK TO MELISSA AND ELISA ABOUT CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR FUNDING BECAUSE 50 BEDS IS STILL NOT ENOUGH. NO WE ON ANY GIVEN DAY CAN HAVE UP TO 100 PEOPLE WAITING FOR A STATE BED IN JUST IN OUR OWN LOCAL DETENTION FACILITIES. AND SO THESE ARE THE STATE HOSPITALS THAT THE STATE ALLOCATED FUNDING FOR. BUT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING. THIS IS REALLY CLOSE TO MY HEART BECAUSE I USED TO TRAVEL TO BIG SPRINGS, AND THERE'D BE 150, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS, THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT CONNECTED TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND THEY'D GO THROUGH ALL THE TREATMENT. AND THEN WHEN IT WAS TIME TO RELEASE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD TO COME BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY AND INTEGRATE THEM. AND SO IT WAS ALWAYS ALMOST, JUST A VICIOUS CYCLE THAT YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE NOT IN THEIR COMMUNITY, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO RECEIVE THE RIGHT TREATMENT. SO THANK YOU, LISA. WHATEVER YOU COULD STAY IN TOUCH WITH. ABSOLUTELY. WE'LL DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUDGE WOULD LIKE TO SKIP AHEAD TO ITEM NUMBER TEN A FROM THE AUDITOR. ITEM TEN A PURSUE TO THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 114.023114.024114.025 AND 114.026, EXCEPT THE ATTACHED PRESENTATION AND THE INTERIM

[A. Pursuant to the Texas Local Government Code § 114.023, 114.024, 114.025 and 114.026, accept the attached presentation and the interim financial report for the month ended May 31, 2024. The interim financial report is located on the internet at: http://www.epcountytx.gov/auditor/publications/monthlyreports.htm. Barbara Parker, County Auditor, County Auditor, 915-273-3262]

FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE MONTH ENDED MAY 31ST, 2020. FOR THE INTERIM FINANCIAL REPORT IS LOCATED ON THE INTRANET AT HTTP COLON. FORWARD SLASH, FORWARD SLASH W W W DOT EP COUNTY, TX DOT GOV FORWARD SLASH AUDITOR FORWARD SLASH PUBLICATIONS FORWARD SLASH MONTHLY REPORTS DOT TM. GOOD MORNING JUDGE COMMISSIONERS WELCOME. THIS IS THE UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL REPORT FOR MAY OF 2024. THIS IS THE EXECUTIVE FINANCIAL SUMMARY. AND IT SHOWS THAT REVENUES AND EXPENSES FOR ALL FUNDS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR. THIS WAS THE CONDENSED FINANCIAL REPORT THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE NEWSPAPER. TALK ABOUT REVENUES. THIS IS THE REVENUE SUMMARY FOR ALL FUNDS.

AND THE FOCUS ON THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE ON THE GENERAL FUND. AND DURING THE CURRENT MONTH, THE GENERAL FUND COLLECTED APPROXIMATELY $13.9 MILLION. REGARDING PROPERTY TAXES, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TOTAL COLLECTED AS OF MAY INCREASED $44.5 MILLION COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 23. THE GENERAL FUND PORTION INCREASED BY $40.9 MILLION IN TOTAL. THE BREAKDOWN OF FISCAL YEAR 24 YEAR TO DATE GENERAL FUND REVENUE, COLLECTIONS BY REVENUE, TYPE COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST FISCAL YEAR ARE SHOWN ON THIS TABLE, WHILE THE TOTAL GENERAL FUND REVENUE COLLECTIONS HAVE INCREASED COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR'S COLLECTIONS, THE TOP AREAS INCREASING. OF COURSE, OUR PROPERTY TAXES WHICH WERE MENTIONED, OTHER FINANCING SOURCES INCREASED BY 2.6 MILLION. THIS WAS PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE HEALTH FUND REIMBURSEMENT. INTER GOVERNMENTAL WAS 2.1 MILLION, PRIMARILY THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENT OF 1.4 MILLION, AND THAT WAS OFFSET, BY A DECREASE IN THE UMMC COUNTY ATTORNEY LEGAL EXPENSES. THE REVENUES, INCREASED INCREASE FOR INTEREST BY 2.0 MILLION. THIS WAS MOSTLY BECAUSE OF PRINCIPLES AND RATES INCREASING, AND THE TOP AREA DECREASING WERE THE CHARGES FOR SERVICES, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL PRISONER DECREASES. IS THAT THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OR THE FEDERAL PRISONER DECREASE WAS 5.1 MILLION. SO IT WAS OFFSET BY SOME INCREASES IN OTHER AREAS. BARBARA BEFORE WE LEAVE THAT SLIDE, I'M SORRY, CELLS AND USE,

[02:20:05]

WHERE WE SAW RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 653,000 OVER PRIOR YEAR ACTUALS. YES, WE USED TO SEE THAT IT'S BEEN DECLINING THE GROWTH. SO IT'S GROWING. BUT THIS IS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN IT USED TO GROW. IT USED TO GROW EVEN IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS, LIKE 10% YEAR TO DATE. IT'S AT 1.6% GROWTH. IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IT'S BEEN DOUBLE DIGITS. AND I WAS GOING TO TALK AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION FOR OUR FY 25. WE'RE ONLY PROJECTING A 1.5% GROWTH FOR SALES TAX. QUESTIONS ON THAT SCREEN. REGARDING THE BUDGET TO ACTUAL YEAR TO DATE AND THIS SLIDE GIVES US AN OVERVIEW OF REVENUE COLLECTED COMPARED TO THE ESTIMATED BUDGET FOR THE YEAR, 66.6% OF THE YEAR HAS EXPIRED. AND SO FAR THIS YEAR, GENERAL FUND IS COLLECTED 83.2% OF THE BUDGETED REVENUES, THIS ANALYSIS DOES EXCLUDE THE 91.8 MILLION THAT'S DESIGNATED FOR FUND BALANCE RESERVES. THIS IS SALES TAX BEHIND BECAUSE OF TIMING OR IT'S JUST DOWN. IT'S JUST DOWN FROM WHAT WE BUDGETED.

OF THE TOTAL YEAR TO DATE REVENUES COLLECTED AS OF FISCAL MONTH EIGHT, TAXES COMPRISED APPROXIMATELY 88.7% OF THE REVENUES RECEIVED, AND 72.8% OF THOSE WERE PROPERTY TAXES. THE CURRENT YEAR'S GENERAL FUND REVENUE COLLECTIONS INCREASED COMPARED TO THE PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET AS SHOWN ON THIS TABLE, WHICH FOCUSES ON A THREE YEAR COMPARISON OF BUDGET TO ACTUAL PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS. AT 99.8% OF THE BUDGET, ARE DOING BETTER, WHILE SALES AND USE TAXES AT 56.64% OF THE BUDGET ARE DOING WORSE. AS WE JUST DISCUSSED, HOWEVER, BOTH ACTUAL COLLECTIONS HAVE INCREASED OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. ON THE SALES AND USE TAX, THESE FOUR INDUSTRIES ARE THE LARGEST CATEGORIES THAT WE COLLECT ON. RETAIL TRADE INCREASED BY 2.8% COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICES INCREASED 8.2. HOWEVER WHOLESALE TRADE DECREASED BY 17.9% AND MANUFACTURING DECREASED BY 17.7. REGARDING EXPENDITURES, THIS SLIDE SHOWS ALL THE EXPENDITURES FOR THE COUNTY BY FUND TYPE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY 2020. FOR THE GENERAL FUND RECORDED TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF ALMOST 38.2 MILLION AND A YEAR TO DATE TOTAL OF 261.8 MILLION. THE FOLLOWING SLIDES WILL GIVE US A DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THE GENERAL FUND.

THESE ARE THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTION. GENERAL GOVERNMENT WAS $86.2 MILLION, OR 5.61% OF THE BUDGET. PUBLIC SAFETY WAS 101.1 MILLION, OR 6.2, 62.8% OF THE BUDGET, AND THOSE ARE THE TWO LARGEST CATEGORIES, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE REVISED BUDGET IN THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT EXCLUDES THE $27 MILLION THAT'S DESIGNATED FOR UNFORESEEN EMERGENCIES, FOR PUBLIC WORKS, NORMA, ARE WE EXPECTING SOME LARGER EXPENDITURES TOWARDS THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR? AND THAT'S WHY THE PERCENT OF BUDGET EXPENDED IS, IS LOWER. YES, MA'AM. I BELIEVE THAT ALSO INCLUDES SOME GRANT MATCHES. YES. AND UNLESS THOSE. SO WE BUDGET FOR THEM IN CASE. BUT WHETHER OR NOT WE'LL SPEND THEM OR ACTUALLY GET THEM, WE DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALSO TRUE FOR SOME OF THE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT. AND REMEMBER WHAT WE DON'T SPEND THAT'S BUDGETED STAYS IN THE FUND BALANCE. AND IN THE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT BETSY. THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT FUND RIGHT. THAT LARGE AMOUNT OR NO I DON'T BELIEVE SO. LET ME DOUBLE CHECK. I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT'S IN THAT ONE OR IF IT'S IN. I THINK IT'S IN THAT ONE. IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S WHERE IT WOULD BE. YEAH REGARDING THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES BY CATEGORY, PERSONNEL INCREASED BY 16. THAT'S MOSTLY DUE TO PUBLIC SAFETY, AN INCREASE OF 11.5 MILLION. ADMINISTRATIVE OF JUSTICE, AN INCREASE OF 6.5 MILLION. GENERAL GOVERNMENT AN INCREASE OF 5.2 MILLION. AND THEN OTHER FUNCTIONS WERE 2.1 MILLION. THE OPERATING EXPENDITURES WERE AN INCREASE OF 6.9 MILLION, AND THIS IS OVER

[02:25:02]

THE PRIOR YEAR. AND THAT'S MOSTLY DUE TO GENERAL GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.

AND IT'S OFFSET BY A DECREASE IN PUBLIC SAFETY. REGARDING THE CAPITAL OUTLAY THAT INCREASES DUE TO CREMA PROJECTS AND THE TRANSFER OUTS ARE THE INCREASE IS DUE TO THE SMALL CAPITAL TRANSFER AS WELL AS GRANT MATCHES. THIS IS A COMPARISON TO LAST YEAR. THE SLIDE SHOWS THE GENERAL FUND CHANGES BY GOVERNMENT FUNCTION. THE TOP THREE AREAS WERE GENERAL GOVERNMENT WHICH INCREASED BY 24.7, PUBLIC SAFETY INCREASED BY 10.49, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE INCREASED BY 15.5, AND THE DECREASES WERE IN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WAS 31.2, AND COMMUNITY SERVICES BY 32.3. THIS CHART BREAKS DOWN THE EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT. YOU CAN SEE PUBLIC SAFETY ACCOUNTED FOR 38.6% OF THE YEAR TO DATE EXPENDITURES.

GENERAL GOVERNMENT WAS 32.9. ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE 22.5, AND ALL THE REMAINING WERE 5.8.

EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE SCREEN. THIS IS THE COUNTY AUDITOR'S FUND BALANCE PROJECTION. AS OF MAY, THE FY 23 PROJECTIONS CONTINUE TO CHANGE SLIGHTLY. I THINK IT WENT DOWN BY ABOUT $2 MILLION. THIS WAS DUE TO SOME OF THE GATSBY CHANGES WE NEEDED TO RECORD, WE STILL DO NOT HAVE AN AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT. THE THE, EXTERNAL AUDITORS ARE NOW SAYING THEY EXPECT TO HAVE IT COMPLETED BY THE END OF JULY, FIRST PART OF AUGUST. AND THIS IS THE LATEST WE'VE EVER BEEN, IT'S BEEN PROGRESSIVELY LATER OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. I THINK LAST YEAR IT WAS DONE AT THE END OF APRIL AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, IT WAS DONE IN THE MIDDLE OF APRIL. SO WE HAVEN'T MET THE MARCH 31ST DEADLINE IN A FEW YEARS. AND DO WE KNOW WHY THAT IS, THIS YEAR THE BIG DELAY IS BECAUSE THE NEW GATSBY'S, WE HAD TWO VERY BIG GATSBY'S THAT ARE IN EFFECT, PART OF IT, ONE OF THEM IS ON THE SUBSCRIPTION BASED, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENTS, WHERE WE HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE CONTRACTS. THE COUNTY HAS REGARDING SUBSCRIPTION BASED AGREEMENTS.

AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A DECISION TREE TO IDENTIFY WHETHER THEY CLASSIFY. AND ON THOSE WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE PART OF THE IF THEY CLASSIFY AS ONE OF THESE AGREEMENTS, WE HAVE TO CLASSIFY IT AS AN ASSET AND A LIABILITY. AND THEN WE HAVE TO AMORTIZE THE LIABILITIES. AND SO THAT'S PART OF WHY THE $2 MILLION ADJUSTMENT WAS MADE. THAT'S ON THAT ONE. AND WE'RE ALSO IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE LEASES AND DOWN THE PIKE, WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER ONES COMING FOR COMPENSATED ABSENCES AND OTHER REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. WE DID TALK TO THE EXTERNAL AUDITORS AND THEY THEY SAID IT'S TAKING THEM LONGER TO DO THE REVIEWS, AND THEY'RE FINDING THAT MANY OF THEIR CLIENTS ARE REQUIRING ADDITIONAL STAFF TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THESE NEW GATSBY'S. FOR FY 24, WE'RE SHOWING PROJECTED FUND BALANCE BASED ON PROJECTED REVENUES OF 383.4 AND PROJECTED BUDGET EXPENSES OF 404.3, THIS IS THE ADOPTED BUDGET, LESS THE RESERVE FOR EMERGENCIES, ADJUSTED FOR 86.5% TREND. I THINK MICHAEL MENTIONED THAT LAST THURSDAY'S MEETING, AND AS WELL AS SOME, SOME ADJUSTMENTS THAT BUDGET HAS GIVEN US, THEY GO THROUGH EACH MONTH AND TELL US IF THEY THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A CHANGE OF OVER $250,000 ON ANY PARTICULAR LINE ITEMS, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE WILL ADJUST THE REST OF THEM. WE STILL DO THE 86.5. BARBARA. YES MA'AM. BEFORE WE MOVE, FORWARD ON THIS SLIDE SO YOU CAN SEE I'VE BEEN WONDERING ABOUT, YOU SEE, IN 2017, THE VERY LOW WHERE IT SAYS SEVEN LIKE DOLLAR SIGNS, SEVEN, AND THEN DOLLAR SIGN THREE EVERY YEAR. THAT NUMBER USED TO UPDATE. SO LOW BUT IT HASN'T BEEN UPDATING. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS IT'S THAT $7 IS HOW MUCH DID IT CHANGE FROM THE YEAR BEFORE THE FUND BALANCE. SO LIKE FROM 75 TO 83 IT WAS, SEVEN POINT SOMETHING MILLION. AND THEN NEXT SLIDE 83 TO 86 IS 3 MILLION. SO WHAT DID IT ACTUALLY CHANGE. BUT WE WOULD PROJECT A DECLINE AND THEN SHOW THAT IT ENDED UP ACTUALLY CHANGING POSITIVE. AND WE DIDN'T. WE

[02:30:03]

HAVEN'T DONE THAT FOR 2019 THROUGH 2022. BUT I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S A REASON WHY. LET ME CHECK THE FORMULAS ON IT. IT MAY JUST BE A FORMULA ERROR. OKAY. THANK YOU. BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY WE POSITIVE THOSE SHOULD BE IN THE BLACK RIGHT? YEAH. THE NUMBERS LOOK CORRECT. IT'S JUST THAT IN THE BLACK INSTEAD OF IN THE RED RIGHT. I'LL CHECK THE FORMULA ON THAT, FOR THE FY 25 AND BEYOND PROJECTIONS, WE USE THE ADOPTED 2024 TAX RATE AND ESTIMATE, FUTURE GROWTH IN THE TAX BASE AT JUST 2. AND I THINK THIS WAS DISCUSSED LAST THURSDAY ALSO, THIS YEAR PARTICULARLY THERE ARE A LOT OF PROPERTIES UNDER PROTEST. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT EFFECT THAT'S GOING TO HAVE ON THE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS THEY GAVE US, I DID LOOK BACK LAST YEAR. OUR TAXES WERE BUDGETED $40 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT WE HAD THE YEAR BEFORE, AND THAT WAS BECAUSE WE INCREASED THE TAX RATE THE PRIOR YEARS TO THAT IT WAS BETWEEN 5 AND $10 MILLION. SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT A NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE BETWEEN THE FIVE AND 10 MILLION, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE, BECAUSE THE COST OF OR THE VALUATION OF HOMES HAVE INCREASED. BUT WE'LL KNOW MORE AT THE END OF JULY WHEN WE GET THE FINAL CERTIFIED NUMBERS. SO THE NUMBERS I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, THE 25 NUMBERS ON HERE ARE ROUGH, WE ARE WORKING WITH BUDGET. WE DON'T HAVE THEIR BUDGETED EXPENSES IN THERE. THESE ARE STRICTLY BASED UPON OUR PROJECTIONS. US AND WE ARE LIMITING THE EXPENSES TO 5. THIS IS THE TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE FULL REPORT. THAT'S ONLINE. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I WILL BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS THEM. QUESTIONS, ANYONE? BARBARA THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REPORT? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT AND A SECOND FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO. THE VOTING IS OPEN.

MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY. JUDGE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE THE AFTERNOON RECESS, SIR BETSY? AND THEN AT 1:00, WE'LL COME TO THAT ITEM ON, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME INDIVIDUALS HERE, BUT, AT 1 P.M, WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING, JUDGE, IF WE MAY. ITEM EIGHT A AND NINE A, OKAY. WE'RE HERE FOR NINE. BUT SINCE WE'RE INCLUDING EXECUTIVE, I THINK IT'D BE A LITTLE LONG AND NO, NO, WE'LL DO THOSE RIGHT AFTER. RIGHT AFTER AT 1:00, JUST SO WE COULD DO THEM PROPERLY. BECAUSE THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. OKAY. COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL RECESS FOR ONE HOUR. IT IS 12:03 P.M.

[02:37:03]

WE.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO STAY CURRENT ON ALL THEIR ROUTINE VACCINES. ALSO, CHILDREN FIVE AND OLDER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID 19 VACCINE. I'M CURRENT, AND ALL MY VACCINES, AND I ALSO GET THE COVID VACCINE. SO I AND MY LOVED ONES CAN BE PROTECTED. YOU AND YOUR KIDS SHOULD GET THE VACCINE TOO. AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN THE VACCINE, YOU SHOULD GET YOUR BOOSTER FOR YOUR CHILD'S ROUTINE VACCINES, VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE. VACCINATE IT IS IMPORTANT. SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS. ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS LATINAS, LOS NINOS MAS DE CINCO ANOS AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID. NUEVE LA VACUNA COVID NUEVAS GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMASA TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACCINATE. VISIT THE MISSION TRAIL FOR MANY REASONS A WEALTH OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TASTE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DANCE TO IT. TO KNOW US IS TO LOVE US. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET PEOPLE AS IF THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS. IF YOU COME HERE TO THE MISSION TRAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A REALLY DEEP SENSE OF THE UNITY THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS CONNECTION THAT WE ALL HAVE. I THINK THE MISSION TRAIL HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. OH, IT HAS HISTORY. IT HAS CULTURE. YOU CAN LEARN, YOU CAN RELAX AND YOU CAN CONNECT. IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE

[02:40:04]

EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME, EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

[02:45:08]

IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME, EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

[02:51:06]

WE.

NEED.

VISIT THE MISSION TRAIL FOR MANY REASONS. A WEALTH OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TASTE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DANCE TO IT. TO KNOW US IS TO LOVE US. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET PEOPLE AS IF THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS. IF YOU COME HERE TO THE MISSION TRAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A REALLY DEEP SENSE OF THE UNITY THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS CONNECTION THAT WE ALL HAVE. I THINK THE MISSION TRAIL HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. OH, IT HAS HISTORY. IT HAS CULTURE. YOU CAN LEARN, YOU CAN RELAX, AND YOU CAN CONNECT.

[02:58:09]

WE.

[03:00:01]

HIJOS. VISITA EPI HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMASA TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACCINATE. VISIT THE MISSION TRAIL FOR MANY REASONS A WEALTH OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TASTE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DANCE TO IT. TO KNOW US IS TO LOVE US. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET PEOPLE AS IF THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS. IF YOU COME HERE TO THE MISSION TRAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A REALLY DEEP SENSE OF THE UNITY THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS CONNECTION THAT WE ALL HAVE. I THINK THE MISSION TRAIL HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. OH, IT HAS HISTORY. IT HAS CULTURE WHERE YOU CAN LEARN, YOU CAN RELAX AND YOU CAN CONNECT. IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME, EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

[03:06:17]

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO STAY CURRENT ON ALL THEIR ROUTINE VACCINES. ALSO, CHILDREN FIVE AND OLDER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID 19 VACCINE. I'M CURRENT AND ALL MY VACCINES, AND I ALSO GET THE COVID VACCINE. SO I AND MY LOVED ONES CAN BE PROTECTED. YOU AND YOUR KIDS SHOULD GET THE VACCINE TOO. AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN THE VACCINE, YOU SHOULD GET YOUR BOOSTER FOR YOUR CHILD'S ROUTINE VACCINES, VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE. VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. S LOS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS. ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS LATINAS LOS NINOS DE CINCO ANOS. AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID. NUEVE LA VACUNA. COVID ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMASA TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACCINATE. VISIT THE MISSION TRAIL FOR MANY REASONS A WEALTH OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TASTE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DANCE TO IT. TO KNOWS IS TO LOVE US. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET PEOPLE AS IF THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS. IF YOU COME HERE TO THE MISSION TRAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A REALLY DEEP SENSE OF THE UNITY THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS CONNECTION THAT WE ALL HAVE. I THINK THE MISSION TRAIL HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. OH, IT HAS HISTORY. IT HAS CULTURE. AND YOU CAN LEARN, YOU CAN RELAX AND YOU CAN CONNECT. IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME, EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

SEE.

[03:13:20]

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO STAY CURRENT ON ALL THEIR ROUTINE VACCINES. ALSO, CHILDREN FIVE AND OLDER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID 19 VACCINE. I'M CURRENT, AND ALL MY VACCINES, AND I ALSO GET THE COVID VACCINE. SO I AND MY LOVED ONES CAN BE PROTECTED. YOU AND YOUR KIDS SHOULD GET THE VACCINE TOO. AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN THE VACCINE, YOU SHOULD GET YOUR BOOSTER FOR YOUR CHILD'S ROUTINE VACCINES, VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE. VACCINE IT IS IMPORTANT Q SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS. ADEMAS DE LA VACUNA SALTENAS LOS NINOS MAS DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID. NUEVE LA VACUNA. COVID ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMASA TUS HIJOS, ASI QUÉ RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA. VISIT THE MISSION TRAIL FOR MANY REASONS. A WEALTH OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TASTE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DANCE TO IT. TO KNOW US IS TO LOVE US. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET PEOPLE AS IF THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS. IF YOU COME HERE TO THE MISSION TRAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A REALLY DEEP SENSE OF THE UNITY THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS CONNECTION THAT WE ALL HAVE. I THINK THE

[03:15:05]

MISSION TRAIL HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. OH, IT HAS HISTORY. IT HAS CULTURE. AND YOU CAN LEARN.

YOU CAN RELAX AND YOU CAN CONNECT. IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME, EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

WE.

[03:20:22]

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO STAY CURRENT ON ALL THEIR ROUTINE VACCINES. ALSO CHILDREN FIVE AND OLDER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID 19 VACCINE. I'M CURRENT AND ALL MY VACCINES, AND I ALSO GET THE COVID VACCINE. SO I AND MY LOVED ONES CAN BE PROTECTED. YOU AND YOUR KIDS SHOULD GET THE VACCINE TOO. AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN THE VACCINE, YOU SHOULD GET YOUR BOOSTER FOR YOUR CHILD'S ROUTINE VACCINES, VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE. VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT . KUE SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE LOS NINOS MARES DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID. NUEVE LA VACUNA COVID-19 ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMASA TUS HIJOS, ASI QUÉ RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACCINATE. VISIT THE MISSION TRAIL FOR MANY REASONS A WEALTH OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TASTE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DANCE TO IT. TO KNOW US IS TO LOVE US. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET PEOPLE AS IF THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS. IF YOU COME HERE TO THE MISSION TRAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A REALLY DEEP SENSE OF THE UNITY THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS CONNECTION THAT WE ALL HAVE. I THINK THE MISSION TRAIL HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. OH, IT HAS HISTORY. IT HAS CULTURE WHERE YOU CAN LEARN, YOU CAN RELAX AND YOU CAN CONNECT. IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME, EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

[03:27:26]

VISITA EPI HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMASA TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACCINATE.

VISIT THE MISSION TRAIL FOR MANY REASONS A WEALTH OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TASTE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DANCE TO IT. TO KNOW US IS TO LOVE US. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET PEOPLE AS IF THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS. IF YOU COME HERE TO THE MISSION TRAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A REALLY DEEP SENSE OF THE UNITY THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS CONNECTION THAT WE ALL HAVE. I THINK THE MISSION TRAIL HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. OH IT HAS HISTORY. IT HAS CULTURE. YOU CAN LEARN AND YOU CAN RELAX AND YOU CAN CONNECT. IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING.

WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

[03:33:51]

WE.

[03:35:01]

VACUNAS. ADEMAS DE LA VACUNA SATANAS, LOS NINOS MAS DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID NUEVE LA VACUNA COVID ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS.

VISITA EP HEALTH PUNTO COM SABEMOS CUANTO MAS A TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACCINATE.

IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER . IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

[03:40:28]

WE.

NEED.

GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS RECONVENED INTO REGULAR OPEN SESSION. IT IS 1:11 P.M. WE'RE ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. A COUNTY ADMINISTRATION DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING THE COUNTY'S UPDATED FINANCIAL CAPACITY ANALYSIS. BASED ON A FINAL TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUATION FIGURES. ACTUALLY, CESAR, CAN WE DO ITEM NINE FIRST NINE FIRST I APOLOGIZE. YEAH ITEM NINE A AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN. DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EL PASO COUNTY AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT. CORONAVIRUS, STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS PORTFOLIO. GOOD AFTERNOON. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION HERE TO

[A. Discuss and take appropriate action regarding the implementation of the El Paso County American Rescue Plan Act Coronavirus State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Portfolio. Jose Landeros, Director, Strategic Capital Development, 915-546-2215]

PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON THE COUNTY'S MANAGEMENT OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS WE RECEIVED BACK IN 2021, AS THE PRESENTATIONS QUEUED UP, THERE ARE A FEW ACTION ITEMS THAT WE, WANT TO PRESENT TO THE COURT TODAY ABOUT SOME MOVEMENT WITHIN INTERNAL PROJECTS ON THE PORTFOLIO, IN ADDITION TO JUST PROVIDING YOU WITH AN UPDATED, SPEND DOWN. SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE COUNTY RECEIVED 163,000,003 YEARS AGO, SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE SPENT, APPROXIMATELY 60, 66.6 MILLION AND HAVE ENCUMBERED 42.4 MILLION. AND SO WE HAVE A AVAILABLE BUDGET OF 54 MILLION THAT STILL REMAINS UNSPENT. THERE ARE A LARGE AMOUNT OF CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THAT $54 MILLION FIGURE. AND TIED TO THAT ARE ACTUALLY SOME OF THE SHORTFALLS THAT YOU SEE ON THAT SECOND SET OF, THAT SECOND BULLET POINT THERE, WHERE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED OVERALL $13.1 MILLION WORTH OF CAPITAL PROJECTS, SHORTFALLS WITHIN THE PORTFOLIO, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY FUNDING FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MILLION, ACTUALLY, OF THAT. SO THAT 9.1 SHOULD BE 8.1 MILLION. BUT YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT WE'VE ASKED THE COURTS TO TAKE ACTION TO FULLY FUND THE WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECTS THAT ARE DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOWER VALLEY WATER DISTRICT, WE'VE ALSO ASKED THE COURT TO REPROGRAM FUNDING FROM THE REENTRY RFP PROJECT ONTO THE CORBIN SAN BRUNO PROJECT, AND THAT WAS DONE, RECENTLY TO ALLOW THAT PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ITS DESIGN, BUT YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SHORTFALLS THAT ARE STILL REMAINING, THE COURTROOM BUILD OUT AT THE ANNEX FOR FFA FOR FURNITURE, FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT. THE REMODEL OF THE DOWNTOWN JAIL, THE WAREHOUSE PROJECT, AS WELL AS A NEW ONE THAT WE LEARNED OF IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS. AND THAT IS A SHORTFALL FOR THE WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECT IN THE NORTHWEST PORTION. SO THIS PROJECT IS DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EL PASO WATER. THIS WILL PROVIDE FIRST TIME SEWER SERVICE TO RESIDENTS IN THE MAYFAIR NEW WAY, SUBDIVISIONS ALONG DONIPHAN AND PRECINCT NUMBER FOUR, ADDITIONALLY, ANY STAFFING COSTS THAT THE COUNTY, WISHES TO CONTINUE TO PAY OUT THAT ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO PROVIDING ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT OF OUR SPENDING OF THESE FUNDS, WHICH INCLUDE BUDGET POSITIONS AND AUDITOR POSITIONS, THOSE MAY BE FUNDED THROUGH THE PORTFOLIO AS WELL, BUT WE HAVE TO ENCUMBER THOSE FUNDS BY THE, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS IN TERMS OF THE REPORTING THAT WE SUBMIT TO THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT, AND SO THOSE ARE, STILL YET TO BE DETERMINED ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY COST. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THESE ARE NOT ALL ARPA POSITIONS. SO STAFF, STAFFING AND THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICES OR

[03:45:05]

IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN FUNDED UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT. CANNOT BE FUNDED BEYOND DECEMBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR. IT'S JUST THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE THAT ACTUALLY MANAGES THE FUNDS, THE CLOSE OUT, THE AUDITING AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT. ONLY SO IT CAN'T BE FOR ALL PERSONNEL, JUST PERSONNEL THAT ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN MANAGING THE FUNDING THAT THE COUNTY HAS RECEIVED TO DATE. MOVING NOW INTO THE PROJECTS WE WANTED TO DISCUSS, PROJECT 1260 IS THE VIRTUAL COURTHOUSE KIOSK. SO OVERALL, THE PROJECT SHOULD SEE A RAMP UP OF ACTIVITY IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS AS THE FINAL KIOSKS ARE ARE DELIVERED INTO SOME OF THE MORE HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS. THE REASON WHY THIS IS ON FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON IS THE OVERTIME THAT WAS ORIGINALLY AUTHORIZED IN THE PROJECT WAS ONLY INTENDED TO BE SPENT THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2023, HOWEVER, THE DEPARTMENT DID CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OVERTIME PAY UNTIL THE BUDGET WAS EXPENDED INTO FISCAL YEAR 2024, AND THERE IS STILL A NEED BECAUSE OF THE SOME OF THE PROJECT DELAYS AND SITE COORDINATION ASSOCIATED WITH DEPLOYING THE KIOSKS TO HAVE, OVERTIME PAID FOR IN FISCAL YEAR 2024. AND THAT WOULD BE THE END.

AND SO THE DEPARTMENT'S REQUEST IS TO IDENTIFY SOME SAVINGS IN THE EQUIPMENT ACCOUNT THAT IS WITHIN THE ARPA PROJECT ITSELF, AND TO MAKE THAT $5,800 THAT YOU SEE THERE ON THAT FIRST LINE AVAILABLE TO FULLY FUND THE OVERTIME THROUGH THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 24. AND THEN ASKING THE COURT TO RATIFY THE PREVIOUS EXPENDITURE OF OVERTIME COSTS IN FISCAL YEAR 24. WHICH AGAIN, WERE NOT AUTHORIZED BASED ON THE ORIGINAL SCOPE OF THE PROJECT, BUT WERE DEPLOYED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO KEEP THE PROJECTS, MOVING ALONG. AND WE JUST LEARNED OF THIS IN THE PAST MONTH. THAT'S WHY WE'RE BRINGING THIS TO THE COURT'S ATTENTION TODAY, AND, THE SO THE PROJECT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY FUNDING FROM THE FROM THE RESERVE IN THE PORTFOLIO. IT'S FULLY CONTAINED WITHIN THE PROJECT ITSELF DUE TO SOME SAVINGS ON THE EQUIPMENT COSTS. AND SO IN TOTAL, WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL $5,800. ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS PROJECT? NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK. SO THE 5375 FOR OVER OVERTIME COSTS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2028, 2024 I'M SORRY, THAT'S INCLUDED IN IN THAT TOP PART, THAT 5801 98 THAT WE'RE TAKING OUT OF THE CAPITAL OUTLAY EQUIPMENT ACCOUNT. NO YOU KNOW WHAT, I APOLOGIZE. THE 5801 IS AN UPDATED FIGURE. SO THOSE TWO NUMBERS IN THE FIRST AND THIRD LINE SHOULD CORRESPOND. SO THE 5801 98 IS THE CORRECT NUMBER, IS THE CORRECT NUMBER FOR BOTH FOR BOTH BULLET POINTS. YES MA'AM. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS. BETSY, ON THE CLINIC BUILD OUT DOWNSTAIRS, WHERE IS THAT AT, AS FAR AS THE FUNDING. PROJECTS? NO. DO WE DO WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A PROJECT FOR THE CLINIC THAT IS IN ONE OF THE COURTHOUSE REMODEL PROJECTS. LET ME LOOK, COMMISSIONER, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S PART OF THIS PROJECT. NO, IT'S NOT PART OF THIS FUNDING. IF THERE'S, MONIES THAT AREN'T ALLOCATED, COULD WE DIVERT SOME OF THOSE MONIES INTO THAT? YOU COULD, BUT YOU'RE $8.1 MILLION SHORT IN YOUR CURRENT PROJECTS. OKAY. NEVER MIND. THERE WON'T BE EXTRA. THERE IS, MOVING NOW ON TO PROJECT 1011. SO AGAIN, THE COURT HAS SEEN A REQUEST FOR $4 MILLION COME BEFORE YOU, FOR THE ONE SET OF PROJECTS THAT WERE IN THE LOWER VALLEY. THESE ARE NOW IN THE UPPER VALLEY, IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH EL PASO WATER. EL PASO WATER IS MANAGING THE BIDDING AND CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PROJECT, THEY ARE RECOMMENDING, PROCEEDING WITH, A SECOND BIDDER ON THEIR ON THEIR PROJECT. AND AS A RESULT, EFFECTIVELY, THE COUNTY AND EL PASO WATER ARE TRYING TO AVOID HAVING TO REBID THIS PROJECT, BECAUSE IF WE REBID THE PROJECT, THERE'S A LIKELIHOOD THAT IT'LL COME IN EVEN MORE OVER BUDGET. AND SO THE SHORTFALL THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED IS JUST OVER $2 MILLION. AND YOU CAN SEE THE AMOUNT THERE UNDER PROJECT BUDGET. THAT LAST LINE SHORTFALL OF $2 MILLION, THE COUNTY IN EL PASO WATER WORKED DILIGENTLY TO TRY AND MAKE UP SOME OF THIS FUNDING. THEY HAVE. THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WAS DEVELOPED WITH DIG DEEP IS HELPING TO REDUCE THAT. BUT YOU CAN STILL SEE THAT WE'RE STILL FACING A SHORTFALL OF $2 MILLION FOR THESE WASTEWATER PROJECTS, THE RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT IS TO, REPROGRAM THE AMOUNT THAT WAS NOT EXPENDED UNDER THE BROADBAND PROJECT. IF YOU ALL RECALL, A FEW WEEKS AGO, YOU ALLOWED THAT AWARD TO PROCEED WITH AT&T AND WITH SPECTRUM. AND

[03:50:04]

SO THAT, AMOUNT WAS $6.2 MILLION. IT LEAVES A BALANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 1.8. SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT PROJECT, THOSE SAVINGS BE MOVED OVER ONTO THIS PROJECT. THIS IS TIME SENSITIVE, GIVEN THAT EL PASO WATER IS READY TO MAKE THAT AWARD, AND WE'RE TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE KEEP THE PROJECT ON TRACK AS WELL. AND SO THERE ARE NO OTHER EXPENDITURES IN THE BROADBAND AREA THAT WE NEED TO MAKE AS A COMMUNITY THAT THAT $1.8 MILLION COULD BE SPENT ON THE OTHER INTENDED IDEA WAS TO DO A DIGITAL LITERACY DEPLOYMENT TO ACTUALLY DEPLOY LAPTOPS AND HARDWARE AND HAVE DIGITAL LITERACY, DIGITAL LITERACY CLASSES ASSOCIATED WITH ACTUALLY LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH FAST INTERNET, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN STILL TRY TO WORK THROUGH AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH OTHER ITEMS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THE ONLY ISSUE THAT WE'RE COMING UP HERE IS TIME ON THIS WASTEWATER PROJECT. SO WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY I JUST HAD A MEETING WITH WITH ANDREA TORRES AND, AND, ERIC PEARSON, WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, DOING THE BROADBAND INITIATIVE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, IT MIGHT BE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM RECENTLY , I KNOW BEFORE WE MAKE ANY DECISIONS TO MOVE MONEY AWAY FROM THE BROADBAND THAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY SET ASIDE FOR BROADBAND, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE. I THINK, HOW THAT MONEY COULD BE SPENT ON BROADBAND RELATED. AND CHRISTIAN MARTINEZ IS PART OF THE IS AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER OF THAT ORGANIZATION. THEY HAVE REQUESTED A LOT OF INFORMATION FROM FROM THE COUNTY AND RECENT WEEKS AND HE'S ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH THEM, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT HOW WE CAN PARTNER ON THE COUNTY'S CPF FUNDED PROJECT DOWN IN FABENS AND TORNILLO, THE COTTON VALLEY CONNECT INITIATIVE , BUT I CAN I CAN CERTAINLY WE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE SURE THAT WE TOUCH BASE ABOUT WHAT OTHER FUNDING IDEAS THEY MAY THEY MAY HAVE. I MEAN, I'D LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN BEFORE WE TAKE BEFORE WE SWEEP THE MONEY OUT OF THE BROADBAND ACCOUNT AND THEN PUT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE'S STILL THAT NEED. ARE THERE OTHER ENOUGH FUNDS AVAILABLE IN THE CONTINGENCY, OR DO WE NOT HAVE ANYTHING IN THE CONTINGENCY? BECAUSE IF IT TURNS OUT WE DON'T NEED THIS 1.8 FOR MORE BROADBAND WORK, THEN THEN WE CAN MOVE THAT BACK INTO THE CONTINGENCY. SO THAT WAY THE WASTEWATER PROJECT ISN'T HELD UP. AND I CAN, I CAN LET ME VERIFY EXACTLY HOW MUCH IS IN THE CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH, WITH THAT NUMBER. YEAH. MOVING NOW INTO PROJECT 1160. OH, I APOLOGIZE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ON THIS PROJECT? OH MOVING DOWN TO PROJECT 1165, THIS IS THE COUNTY'S ECONOMIC RECOVERY PROGRAM. ALL THESE INITIATIVES HAVE BEEN MOVED THROUGH PURCHASING. THESE WILL BE SOME OF THE LAST CONTRACTS THAT YOU SEE COME BEFORE THE COURT TO ACTUALLY ENCUMBER ALL OF THESE FUNDS. WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING VERY CLOSELY WITH, MISS DAVIDSON AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN TERMS OF TIMING, SO WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE RFP PROCESS COMPLETE AND THE CONTRACTING COMPLETE BEFORE THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. AND SO YOU WILL SEE THESE, AROUND THE NOVEMBER, DECEMBER MONTHS, TO ACTUALLY ENCUMBER THESE FUNDS AND GET THESE PROJECTS GOING, I DO WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE ALL AWARE OF THAT, THERE HAS BEEN SOME, SOME RECENT NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS REGARDING THE USE OF THE UNIVERSAL INCOME PROJECT, PROJECT 1165, WHICH YOU SEE HIGHLIGHTED THERE AT HALF $1 MILLION, IN COORDINATION WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE'RE GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT THE COURT CONSIDER RETIRING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO HEAR A BRIEFING FROM, LEGAL ON IN TERMS OF YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES RELATED TO THAT INITIATIVE. JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY. IT'S UP TO THE COURT. IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, PURSUANT TO 551.071 TO GET LEGAL ADVICE. NOW, IF YOU'D LIKE, WE CAN ALSO TAKE THIS UP WITH YOUR OTHER EXECUTIVE ITEMS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE. WHATEVER YOU PREFER. I THINK, JUST ALSO, SO YOU'RE AWARE THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SPECIFICALLY WAITING FOR THIS ITEM AND THEY WANT TO SPEAK AFTER WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO IF THE COURT WOULD ENTERTAIN GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION JUST FOR THIS ITEM, THAT WOULD, HELP ACCOMMODATE THEM. AND THAT'S FINE WITH ME. BUT I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, JOSE, BEFORE WE DO THAT, SO THE MISSION TRAIL, VISITOR CENTER AND SERVICES. SO THESE FUNDS HAVE TO BE OBLIGATED BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. SO I'M WORRIED BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO TAKE AN RFP. HE. YES WE'RE ALMOST IN JULY, SO DO WE. DO WE THINK THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT? YES MA'AM. TIME TO HAVE THE FUNDS OBLIGATED.

[03:55:03]

YES, MA'AM. SO WE'VE WE'VE MET WITH, WE'VE MET WITH PURCHASING, WE HAVE THAT TIMELINE. WE'LL SHARE THAT WITH THE COURT THIS WEEK AND OUR HIGHLIGHTS. JUST SO YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF WHAT THOSE TIMELINES LOOK LIKE, BUT IT WILL BE, SEEING CONTRACTS COME BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS COURT IN NOVEMBER, EARLY DECEMBER, RIGHT AT THE AT THE CUTOFF. AND THAT'LL GIVE US ENOUGH TIME. YES MA'AM. SO LONG AS WE HAVE AN EXECUTED CONTRACT. BEFORE THE DECEMBER 31ST MEETING, WE'LL BE SET TO ENCUMBER THOSE FUNDS. OKAY? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. AND THEN THE, I WANT TO THANK MISS DANIELLE CHAVEZ, OUR, CAPITAL ANALYST, WHO, PROVIDED ME THE BALANCE OF THE RESERVE AND ARPA.

IT'S CURRENTLY $898,826. THAT'S NOT ENOUGH? NO. FOR THE WATER AND WASTEWATER. SO WE COULD POTENTIALLY, THE COURT COULD CONSIDER TRANSFERRING THE FUNDING OUT OF THE BROADBAND PROJECT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE. BECAUSE THAT IS A LITTLE TIME SENSITIVE, A LITTLE PASTA WATER, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE THESE FUNDS IN THE RESERVE, IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE A BORDERPLEX CONNECT WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE, WE COULD ALWAYS COME BACK. AND KNOWING THAT WE HAVE SOME FUNDING AVAILABLE, FOR WHATEVER INITIATIVE THEY MIGHT PROPOSE, AND IF IT'S IN, IF, JUST BECAUSE THE, THE, THE BIDDING OF THAT PROJECT, THE TIMING THAT WE ARE WITH EL PASO WATER MAKES THAT AN URGENT MATTER FOR US AT THIS POINT.

YEAH I WOULD BE OKAY WITH DOING THAT. SESSION OKAY. COMMISSIONER STOUT, IT'S NOT PULLING IT UP FOR SOME REASON. OKAY? JUST GET YOUR VOTE. I AND MOTION CARRIES. COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS ITEM NINE. A PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL RECONVENE TO TAKE OFFICIAL ACTION. IT IS 1:27 P.M.

[04:02:42]

VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMASA TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACCINATE.

IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

[04:08:41]

WE.

THINK. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO STAY CURRENT ON ALL THEIR ROUTINE VACCINES. ALSO, CHILDREN FIVE AND OLDER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID 19 VACCINE. I'M CURRENT AND ALL MY VACCINES AND I ALSO GET THE COVID VACCINE. SO I AND MY LOVED ONES CAN BE PROTECTED. YOU AND YOUR KIDS SHOULD GET THE VACCINE TOO. AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN THE VACCINE, YOU SHOULD

[04:10:03]

GET YOUR BOOSTER FOR YOUR CHILD'S ROUTINE VACCINES, VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE. VACCINATE IT IS IMPORTANT TO SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS. ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS LATINAS LOS NINOS MUJERES DE CINCO ANOS AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID. NUEVE LA VACUNA COVID-19 ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMASA TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACCINATE. VISIT THE MISSION TRAIL FOR MANY REASONS A WEALTH OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TASTE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DANCE TO IT. TO KNOWS IS TO LOVE US. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET PEOPLE AS IF THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS. IF YOU COME HERE TO THE MISSION TRAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A REALLY DEEP SENSE OF THE UNITY THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS CONNECTION THAT WE ALL HAVE. I THINK THE MISSION TRAIL HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. OH, IT HAS HISTORY. IT HAS CULTURE. YOU CAN LEARN, YOU CAN RELAX, AND YOU CAN CONNECT. IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME, EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

[04:15:42]

WE.

NEED.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO STAY CURRENT ON ALL THEIR ROUTINE VACCINES. ALSO, CHILDREN FIVE AND OLDER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID 19 VACCINE. I'M CURRENT, AND ALL MY VACCINES, AND I ALSO GET THE COVID VACCINE. SO I AND MY LOVED ONES CAN BE PROTECTED. YOU AND YOUR KIDS SHOULD GET THE VACCINE TOO. AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN THE VACCINE, YOU SHOULD GET YOUR BOOSTER FOR YOUR CHILD'S ROUTINE VACCINES, VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE. VACCINATE IT IS IMPORTANT TO SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS. ADEMAS DE LA VACUNA SALTENAS LOS NINOS DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID. NUEVE LA VACUNA. COVID ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMASA TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACCINATE. VISIT THE MISSION TRAIL FOR MANY REASONS A WEALTH OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TASTE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DANCE TO IT. TO KNOW US IS TO LOVE US. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET PEOPLE AS IF THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS. IF YOU COME HERE TO THE MISSION TRAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A REALLY DEEP SENSE OF THE UNITY THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS CONNECTION THAT WE ALL HAVE. I THINK THE MISSION TRAIL HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. OH, IT HAS HISTORY. IT HAS CULTURE. YOU CAN LEARN, YOU CAN RELAX, AND YOU CAN CONNECT. IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME, EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

[04:22:45]

WE.

NEED.

[04:25:06]

[04:30:52]

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO STAY CURRENT ON ALL THEIR ROUTINE VACCINES. ALSO CHILDREN FIVE AND OLDER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID 19 VACCINE. I'M CURRENT, AND ALL MY VACCINES, AND I ALSO GET THE COVID VACCINE. SO I AND MY LOVED ONES CAN BE PROTECTED. YOU AND YOUR KIDS SHOULD GET THE VACCINE TOO. AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN THE VACCINE, YOU SHOULD GET YOUR BOOSTER FOR YOUR CHILD'S ROUTINE VACCINES, VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE. VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS LATINAS LOS NINOS MUJERES DE CINCO ANOS AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID. NUEVE LA VACUNA COVID-19 ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMASA TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACCINATE. VISIT THE MISSION TRAIL FOR MANY REASONS A WEALTH OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TASTE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DANCE TO IT. TO KNOW US IS TO LOVE US. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET PEOPLE AS IF THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS. IF YOU COME HERE TO THE MISSION TRAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A REALLY DEEP SENSE OF THE UNITY THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS CONNECTION THAT WE ALL HAVE. I THINK THE MISSION TRAIL HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. OH, IT HAS HISTORY. IT HAS CULTURE WHERE YOU CAN LEARN, YOU CAN RELAX AND YOU CAN CONNECT. IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME, EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

[04:36:51]

WE.

NEED.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO STAY CURRENT ON ALL THEIR ROUTINE VACCINES. ALSO, CHILDREN FIVE AND OLDER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID 19 VACCINE. I'M CURRENT, AND ALL MY VACCINES, AND I ALSO GET THE COVID VACCINE. SO I AND MY LOVED ONES CAN BE PROTECTED. YOU AND YOUR KIDS SHOULD GET THE VACCINE TOO. AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN THE VACCINE, YOU SHOULD GET YOUR BOOSTER FOR YOUR CHILD'S ROUTINE VACCINES, VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE. VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LA VACUNA SALTENAS LOS NINOS MAS DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID. NUEVE LA VACUNA COVID-19 ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EPI HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMASA TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACCINATE. VISIT THE MISSION TRAIL FOR MANY REASONS A WEALTH OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TASTE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DANCE TO IT. TO KNOW US IS TO LOVE US. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET PEOPLE AS IF THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS. IF YOU COME HERE TO THE MISSION TRAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A REALLY DEEP SENSE OF THE UNITY THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS CONNECTION THAT WE ALL HAVE. I THINK THE MISSION TRAIL HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. OH, IT HAS HISTORY. IT HAS CULTURE. AND YOU CAN LEARN.

YOU CAN RELAX AND YOU CAN CONNECT. IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND

[04:40:01]

EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME, EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

SEE.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO STAY CURRENT ON ALL THEIR ROUTINE VACCINES. ALSO, CHILDREN

[04:45:05]

FIVE AND OLDER ARE NOW ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID 19 VACCINE. I'M CURRENT, AND ALL MY VACCINES, AND I ALSO GET THE COVID VACCINE. SO I AND MY LOVED ONES CAN BE PROTECTED. YOU AND YOUR KIDS SHOULD GET THE VACCINE TOO. AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN THE VACCINE, YOU SHOULD GET YOUR BOOSTER FOR YOUR CHILD'S ROUTINE VACCINES, VISIT EPI HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE. VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODOS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS LATINAS LOS NINOS MAS DE CINCO ANOS. AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID. NUEVE LA VACUNA COVID-19 ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EPI HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMASA TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACCINATE. VISIT THE MISSION TRAIL FOR MANY REASONS A WEALTH OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARTS. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TASTE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DANCE TO IT. TO KNOWS IS TO LOVE US. YOU'RE GOING TO MEET PEOPLE AS IF THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS. IF YOU COME HERE TO THE MISSION TRAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A REALLY DEEP SENSE OF THE UNITY THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS CONNECTION THAT WE ALL HAVE. I THINK THE MISSION TRAIL HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. OH, IT HAS HISTORY. IT HAS CULTURE. AND YOU CAN LEARN, YOU CAN RELAX AND YOU CAN CONNECT. IT JUST KIND OF FILLS YOUR SOUL. YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL GOING ON HERE AND IT'S JUST STARTING. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE HISTORIC MISSION TRAIL. WELCOME, EVERYONE. IT'S TIME TO COME DOWN AND CHECK US OUT.

1 OR 2 MOTIONS. GO AHEAD. I'M NOT TAKING ANY ACTION. IT'S OKAY . OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SO IT'S ON THAT SLIDE. YEAH OKAY. COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS RECONVENED INTO REGULAR OPEN

[04:50:06]

SESSION. WE'RE ON ITEM NINE. A AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN. DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EL PASO COUNTY AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT. CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS PORTFOLIO. JUDGE COMMISSIONERS RETURN OVER TO COUNTY ATTORNEY CHRISTINA SANCHEZ TO PROVIDE A BRIEF ON THE TO THE COURT. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNTY JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, SO WE HAD BRIEFED THE COURT EARLIER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT HAD COME DOWN ON A SIMILAR PROGRAM THAT IS BEING LOOKED AT IN HARRIS COUNTY WITH UP TOGETHER. AND WE KNOW THAT UP TOGETHER PROGRAM IS, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILIES IN HARRIS COUNTY TO RECEIVE A GUARANTEED INCOME, USING FEDERAL FUNDS. THE COURT OVER, HARRIS COUNTY, THERE WAS A LOWER COURT DECISION AS WELL AS AN APPELLATE COURT DECISION THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE PROGRAM TO CONTINUE. BUT AS I MENTIONED, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HAD THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT ISSUE, A CONTINUING STAY ON THE PARTICULAR CASE, MEANING THEY HAVEN'T NECESSARILY RULED ON THE MERITS OF THE CASE, MEANING MAKING THE MAKING THE DETERMINATION ON THE LEGAL ARGUMENTS AS TO WHETHER IT'S CONSTITUTIONAL, WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE, PROGRAM FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROGRAM, WHETHER OR NOT THERE WERE SUFFICIENT CONTROL LS TO SEE HOW THAT MONEY WAS BEING SPENT. THOSE ARE ALL THE LEGAL ISSUES THAT STILL REMAIN TO BE DECIDED. HOWEVER WITH THIS PARTICULAR RULING, WHAT IT DID IS IT OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COURT TO ASSESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES. AND THEY DID. AND ALTHOUGH THEY DIDN'T RULE NECESSARILY ON THE PARTICULAR, MERITS OF THE CASE, BECAUSE THEY KICKED IT BACK DOWN TO THE LOWER COURTS TO MAKE PARTICULAR FINDINGS AS A RESULT OF WHAT THEY WERE DECIDING. THEY DID HINT WHERE THEY MAY GO WITH THIS CASE. AND, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE THEY BEING THE COURT, THE SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS, WHO WOULD ULTIMATELY BE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT DECIDE ON THE MERITS OF THE CASE. AND SO WHERE THEY CAME DOWN ON IS TO MAKE IS TO MAKE THE DETERMINATION THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THEY WOULD FIND THAT THIS PROGRAM IS CONSTITUTIONAL, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THIS PROGRAM NECESSARILY FITS THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MODEL OR THAT THERE ARE SUFFICIENT CONTROLS OVER GUARANTEED INCOME PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT'S IN HARRIS COUNTY OR SIMILARLY SITUATED PROGRAMS. SO, IN OTHER WORDS, EVEN THOUGH EL PASO COUNTY IS NOT NECESSARILY A PARTY IN THIS CASE, BUT BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE A POTENTIALLY SIMILAR PROGRAM, WE COULD POTENTIALLY BE FOUND NOT TO MOVE FORWARD AND PARTICIPATE IN THOSE IN THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM BECAUSE THE COURT SYSTEM MADE THE DECISION THAT IT WOULD NOT BE CONSTITUTIONAL. SO THAT'S, A RISK, IF YOU WILL, IN TERMS OF MOVING FORWARD. AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE IN THIS CASE NOW. WE POTENTIALLY COULD HEAR FROM THIS PARTICULAR COURT EITHER SOONER OR MAYBE LATER, MAYBE NOT UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR. WE JUST DON'T KNOW. BUT WE DO GET A HINT AND A FLAVOR IN TERMS OF, WHERE WE THINK THEY WOULD COME DOWN, WHICH WOULD BE TO FIND THESE GUARANTEED INCOME PROGRAMS TO BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL. SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. JUDGE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED ME TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE TO THAT. GOOD JOB.

THANK YOU. DID YOU DID YOU MENTION TO THE TWO MAIN ARGUMENTS AS TO WHY THEY WERE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, THERE'S A PROVISION IN THE, IN THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION THAT TALKS ABOUT GIFTS OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S PERMISSIBLE. AND SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC MONIES, RIGHT, TAXPAYERS MONIES, WHAT THE CONSTITUTION AND WHAT THE LAW SAYS IS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN PARAMETERS AND REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THAT PUBLIC MONEY IS BEING USED, FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES. RIGHT. SO WE KNOW, LIKE THE COUNTY, WE ARE PROVIDING FOR THE SAFETY AND THE WELL-BEING OF COUNTY RESIDENTS, WHICH IS A REALLY GENERAL IDEA, BUT WHAT THE CONSTITUTION AND WHAT THE CASE LAW, WHICH CASES THEY MAKE DETERMINATIONS ON, ON SIMILAR ISSUES HAVE FOUND, IS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, SUFFICIENT CONTROLS, MEANING IS THERE A STRONG ENOUGH CONTRACT OR AN UNDERSTANDING BY THE PUBLIC ENTITY, RIGHT, THAT'S IN CHARGE OF PUBLIC MONIES TO ENSURE THAT MONEY IS GOING TO BE SPENT FOR A PARTICULAR PUBLIC PURPOSE, RIGHT, FOR A SPECIFIC REASON OTHER THAN A GENERAL, IDEA WHERE WE THINK SOMEBODY MAY SPEND MONEY AND THAT'S THAT'S REALLY WHAT THEY LACH THEIR ARGUMENT ON. AND THE OTHER ARGUMENT THAT I THINK WAS, WAS RELEVANT AND PERTINENT WAS, WELL, THIS WILL HELP YOU KNOW, IF WE KNOW INDIVIDUALS NEED THIS GUARANTEED INCOME. THIS WOULD HELP ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT. FOR THOSE PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE IT'S NOT PUTTING INDIVIDUALS FURTHER BEHIND THAN WHERE THEY ARE. THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE, THEY CAN MAKE THAT PAYMENT. THEY COULD DO WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY. AND, THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT DID NOT AGREE WITH THAT ARGUMENT, SAYING, THIS IS NOT WHAT WE SEE TO BE A, A VALID ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ARGUMENT. THEY POSED IT AS A QUESTIONABLE

[04:55:07]

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ARGUMENT. SO THAT'S THAT'S THE SUMMARY ON ON THAT CASE. DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR INFORMATION. GOOD JOB TO SHARE. THANK YOU. I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU, JOSE, IF YOU WANTED TO. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE MOVING ON WITH OUR PRESENTATION BEFORE, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE AVARNAS HERE WHO MIGHT WANT TO OFFER SOME PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT JUST TO CONCLUDE THE PRESENTATION, THE REQUESTED ACTIONS OF THE COURT TODAY ARE PRESENTED HERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT FIRST ONE AGAIN RELATES TO THE OVERTIME COST IN THE KIOSK PROJECT. THE SECOND ONE IS THE TRANSFERRING OF THE FUNDING NEEDED TO, COVER PORTION OF THE SHORTFALL FOR THE WATER PROJECT. COMMISSIONER STOUT, WE WILL GO BACK AND MEET WITH BORDERPLEX CONNECT. AND KNOWING THAT WE HAVE A BALANCE OF 900,000, THE RESERVE, GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILS. I'LL MAKE SURE TO TALK TO MR. MARTINEZ AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ABOUT WHAT THAT INITIATIVE IS, AND BRING THAT BEFORE THE COURT HERE SOON. SO THAT WOULD BE THE REQUESTED ACTION. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. SUBJECT TO ANY QUESTIONS THE COURT MAY HAVE. SO WE HAVE A BALANCE OF 900,000. BUT WE'RE AND WE'RE GOING TO THIS ONE IS ASKING TO SWEEP TWICE THAT MUCH OUT OF BROADBAND INTO THE OTHER. THE OTHER FUND. YES BUT THE SHORTFALL IS LIKE 2 MILLION ISN'T IT? THE SHORTFALL IS ACTUALLY 2 MILLION. IT'S NOT GOING TO COVER THE FULL COST.

BUT THAT PROJECT, I BELIEVE EL PASO WATER IS AIMING TO, PUT THAT PROJECT OUT, JULY 10TH, MR. PALACIOS, IS THAT THE DATE THAT YOU MENTIONED? IT'S TO AWARD. THEY NEED TO KNOW BY THEN. AND OUR CONCERN, IF WE REBID IT, WE'D PROBABLY NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS TO, EXECUTE THOSE TWO PROJECTS. I REALLY DON'T LIKE HAVING TO MOVE STUFF OUT OF THE BROADBAND.

MR. WHO MIGHT HAS PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE COURT. WELCOME. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ELOISA DE AVILA, AND I'M DOLORES AVILA. AND WE'RE HERE REPRESENTING THE EL PASO INTER-RELIGIOUS SPONSORING ORGANIZATION AND BORDER INTERFAITH. EL PASO, EL PASO INTELLIGENCE CENTER RELIGIOUS SPONSORING ORGANIZATION IS BETTER KNOWN AS IPSO. SO WE'RE HERE REPRESENTING A PEACEFUL AND BORDER INTERFAITH, THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION, MISS SANCHEZ, ABOUT, WHAT WHAT THE FINDINGS PRELIMINARILY WERE WE'RE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE FINDINGS AND THE THRUST THAT THEY'RE GOING TO, BUT WE UNDERSTAND. CAN I CAN I? YEAH. YEAH, I WANT TO THANK, COMMISSIONERS COURT AND ALL THE STAFF FOR THE TREMENDOUS HELP THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO COUNTY FAMILIES. ONE THING TO REALIZE IS THAT IN IN CARING, YOU CAN CARE ALL YOU WANT AND NO TAKE NO ACTIONS. BUT YOU ALL TOOK ACTIONS OVER THE YEARS TO HELP THE FAMILIES. AND IN FACT, THEY ARE TAXPAYERS. AND THEY DID LEARN TO WORK WITH THEIR MONEY THAT THEY WERE RECEIVING. WE DO TRULY UNDERSTAND THE POLITICAL CLIMATE. WE UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE FOR ME IS THAT THEY REALIZE THAT WHAT YOU DID DID BRING TRUST OUT FROM THEM TO YOU, THAT THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN AND THAT THEY ARE HELPED. SO I WANT TO SAY THAT TO YOU VERY, BECAUSE IT HAS MEANT A LOT FOR THE FAMILIES. OKAY.

THANK YOU, DOLORES, APPRECIATE THAT. JUST TO REAFFIRM WHAT THE LORD HAS SAID IS THAT WE UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE SITUATION THAT YOU FIND YOURSELVES IN. I'M TALKING ABOUT AS A COUNTY, AND WE UNDERSTAND. WE UNDERSTAND WE'RE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE STATE AND HOW THEY VIEW THINGS, CERTAINLY NOT THE WAY THAT WE'D LIKE THAT WE'D LIKE TO VIEW HELP TO PEOPLE IN NEED.

WHAT WE'RE NOW, I GUESS INTERESTED IN IS NEXT STEPS. WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NOW AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE ARPA MONEY HAS TO BE ALLOCATED. AND BY THE

[05:00:09]

END OF THE YEAR, THIS YEAR, SOMETIME IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER. AND, WE'D LIKE TO BE INVOLVED AND, WE'D LIKE TO HELP YOU THINK ABOUT THAT. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT PERHAPS COULD BE, USED TO HELP WITH THE ARPA FUNDS TO HELP PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY, WHAT WE REFER TO AS, COLONIAS. BUT BUT IT'S MORE THAN THAT. IT'S PEOPLE ALL OVER THE EL PASO COUNTY, WE HAVE FOREST, MONTANA, THE LOWER VALLEY, AND NORTHWEST EL PASO, PEOPLE AND IN NEED OF HELP, THE MONEY THAT WE DID GET BEFORE FROM UP TOGETHER WAS A GODSEND TO PEOPLE. WE HEARD THE STORIES, WE SAW THE RESULTS, AND THEY WERE TREMENDOUS. YOU JUST HELPED PEOPLE IN NEED THAT REALLY, REALLY WERE AT THEIR WIT'S END TO KNOW OR FIND OUT WHAT, WHAT WHAT IT WAS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO. IT WAS TREMENDOUS. SO WE'RE TALKING ONLY ABOUT THE 500,000 THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THIS, TO THIS PROJECT. BUT, EARLIER YOU SAID A FAMILY NEEDS A HOUSE AND THEY NEED A JOB. SO WHEN WE SAY THAT WE'D LIKE TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION OF THOSE 500,000 IS TO THINK WITH YOU, MAYBE ABOUT WHAT FAMILIES, FAMILIES MIGHT NEED IN TERMS OF ALLOCATING THAT MONEY THAT WAY.

SO WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER THAT GOING FORWARD THAT YOU WAIT ON RELOCATING QUICKLY THAT MONEY AND GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR CONVERSATION WITH YOU ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE THAT YOU MIGHT THINK AND AGREE TO. IS THAT OKAY? NO. WE ALWAYS RESPECT, YOU KNOW, THE FEEDBACK AND BOTH OF YOU AND THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION IS SO CLOSE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT SOURCE OF INFORMATION . THANK YOU TO CONSIDER. THANK YOU. BUT THANK YOU BOTH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, ALL OF YOU, AND FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THE PEOPLE OF EL PASO, ALL OF YOU.

IT'S TREMENDOUS. IT'S TREMENDOUS. THANK YOU BOTH. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO WITH THIS WITH THIS ACTION, WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY TAKING THAT $900,000. AND MOVING IT, ARE WE. WE'RE JUST SAYING OH IT'S THERE AND WE COULD USE IT POSSIBLY IF WE, IF WE IF WE WANT TO. BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF HEARTBURN WITH TAKING $2 MILLION OUT OF BROADBAND. AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THE TIMELINESS OF THE OTHER ISSUE AND THE ISSUE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT NEEDS TO BE INVESTED IN. BUT I MEAN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BROADBAND AND INVEST IT FOR YEARS. YES, SIR. AND JUST COMMISSIONER. SO ONE OF THE WITH THIS BROADBAND INVESTMENT, WE DID GO OUT. YOU'RE FAMILIAR. I MEAN WE WENT OUT WE DID THE SIMILAR TO WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID. WE DID OUR OWN LOCAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT OF FIBER PROJECT.

WE'VE AWARDED THAT TO THE TWO PROPOSALS THAT WE RECEIVED TO COVER THOSE AREAS, WE DID THAT STUDY. WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS $40 MILLION IN NEEDED INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE AND TO GET TO 90, 90, OR 95% BROADBAND COVERAGE. RIGHT. AND SO, YES, SIR, BUT THERE WERE OTHER THERE WAS ALREADY DEPLOYMENT GOING ON AT THE TIME, RIGHT. THAT WAS NOT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IN THAT STUDY. AND THE PRIVATE PROVIDERS DISAGREED WITH THAT. $40 MILLION. THEY FELT LIKE IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS. WELL, I MEAN, EVEN IF THAT'S THE CASE, I MEAN, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE COMPLETELY COVERED. WE'RE EVERYBODY FEELS GREAT ABOUT HOW WE'RE DOING WITH BROADBAND. I MEAN, THAT'S THE POINT. I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS LIKE, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT INVESTING IN BROADBAND. AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, FOR ME, IT'S A IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF JUST LIKE A UTILITY THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO AND THAT LIKE WHERE ALL OF A SUDDEN MAKING A DECISION TO, TO TAKE $2 MILLION OUT OF THE $8 MILLION THAT WE HAD SET ASIDE FOR IT IS VERY IT GIVES ME A LOT OF HEARTBURN BECAUSE THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT IT'S GOING TO THAT IT'S GOING TO BE REPLENISHED AND, AND, SO IF THE IF YOU IF THE COURT DOESN'T WANT TO TRANSFER THE 1.8 MILLION, WE DO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE WATER PROJECTS TO EITHER

[05:05:01]

SCALE THEM BACK. WE'RE WE'RE GOING WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON THOSE THOSE WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECTS TO SCALE BACK THOSE OTHER PROJECTS, AND RESERVE THE FUNDING FOR BROADBAND. OR WE CAN LOOK TO SEE IF WE CAN IDENTIFY ANOTHER PROJECT TO RECOMMEND REPLACING OR CUTTING TO THIS. AND THESE WATER PROJECTS LIKE HOW MANY FAMILIES ARE GOING TO BE, HOW MANY FAMILIES ARE GOING TO GET WATER FOR THE FIRST TIME, THESE ARE WASTEWATER PROJECTS.

AND, I DON'T KNOW, THE EXACT AMOUNT OF FAMILIES OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, SOMETHING I WOULD DEFER TO MR. AL-SARAJ OR MR. MCELROY IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT OR MR. PALACIOS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THAT. YEAH. CAN WE CAN WE EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE DEEPLY WHAT THAT PROJECT EXACTLY ACTUALLY ENTAILS AND HOW IT'S GOING, WHO IT'S GOING TO AFFECT AND HOW? YEAH BECAUSE IT DOES SAY WATER AND WASTEWATER. WELL, THAT IS THE PROJECT, THE PROJECT NAME. BUT I BELIEVE THE PROJECTS IN THE NORTHWEST ARE MAINLY FIRST TIME WASTEWATER, ONLY WASTEWATER I BELIEVE. SO I. BUT MR. AL-SARAJ WOULD BE ABLE TO CONFIRM. SO THESE FOLKS HAVE LIKE SEPTIC TANKS AND WE'RE PUTTING IN SEWAGE. YES. SEWAGE. YES SIR. SYSTEM.

WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO. IS THERE A SECOND TO THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS? COMMISSIONER STOUT, I AGREE WITH YOU, BUT. BUT IT'S GOING INTO SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ALMOST AS CRITICAL, WELL, I MEAN, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, GUARANTEE, BUT I REALLY HOPE THAT STAFF AND THAT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT WOULD DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO FIND OUT THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE MOVING OVER, BECAUSE IT REALLY WORRIES ME THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR SO LONG. AND THEN WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS DECISION LIKE, THIS DOES NOT SIT WELL WITH ME. MUNZER MUNZER IS ON THE CALL.

ALSO, IF YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM HIM FIRST. MUNZER THE QUESTION IS, IS HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE SERVED BY THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ESTABLISH SUFFICIENT FUNDING FOR? FOR THE NORTHWEST WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECTS, WHAT KIND OF SERVICE WOULD IT PROVIDE AND HOW ARE THEY GETTING SERVICE NOW? SURE GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, WITH THE PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ON THOSE ON THOSE SIX AREAS, A TOTAL OF. 358 CONNECTIONS OR 1062, PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BENEFIT. MAJORITY OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE WASTEWATER. AND TWO PROJECTS WITH WATER. TOTAL 145 FOR WATER, 145 PEOPLE OR 48 CONNECTIONS FOR WATER. AND THE REMAINING ARE WASTEWATER. RIGHT NOW, THOSE AREAS ARE ON SEPTIC TANKS. AS FOR WATER, SEVEN ACRES IS ON, A WELL. WATER AND LAURA MUNDY, THEY'RE HAULING WATER. AND THESE ARE CONSIDERED COLONIAS THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE HELPING. YES. YES, SIR. WELL, WHAT IF WE ALLOCATE THE AMOUNT THAT'S IN THE RESERVES, THE 800 OR 900,000IN THE RESERVES AND THEN TRY TO IDENTIFY ANOTHER PROJECT, WHERE WE MIGHT GET THE REMAINING FUNDS FROM IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. WHAT? WHAT CAUSED THE SHORTFALL? AGAIN? RISING CONSTRUCTION COSTS, THE INCREASING COSTS. THERE'S THERE'S A SET OF VENDORS AND PROBABLY WOULD LIKE TO COORDINATE WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND PROVIDING THE COURT MORE DETAILS IN OPEN SESSION SESSION AFTER THE CONVERSATION WE JUST HAD WITH MISS PALACIOS FROM PUBLIC WORKS ON THAT. BUT THERE'S, THESE ARE JUST THE COSTS THAT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING AND WE SAW THE SAME THING WITH THE LOWER VALLEY WATER DISTRICT PROJECTS THAT CAME IN 4 MILLION OVER LOWER VALLEY DID COVER SOME OF THOSE COSTS ON THEIR OWN, SIMILAR TO WHAT EL PASO WATER IS DOING HERE. SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE THESE PROJECTS WHOLE, THESE EXISTING PROJECTS WHOLE BEFORE WE START ANYTHING NEW, BUT IF THE COURT IS, IS, IS INTERESTED, WE COULD, BRING BACK THE INSTEAD OF JUST SO IT'S CLEANER INSTEAD

[05:10:03]

OF TRANSFERRING PARTIAL FUNDING. IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN DOING THAT, WE CAN BRING BACK A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT THE COURT CAN CONSIDER REPROGRAMING FUNDS TO MAKE THAT PROJECT WHOLE NEXT WEEK, IF YOU ALL HAVE AN INTEREST IN DOING THAT, AND THEN ALSO, I THINK, ENSURE THAT WHATEVER INFORMATION. BORDERPLEX CONNECT TO SHARE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER STOUT, THAT WE GET A CHANCE TO MEET WITH THEM AND PRESENT THAT TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT AS WELL, TO SEE IF THAT'S A PROGRAM OR AN INTEREST THAT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO SEE MOVE FORWARD. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LEON TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS. BUT THIS IS JUST FOR ARPA PROJECT 1260 THEN. RIGHT. IF WE'RE GOING TO HOLD OFF, CLARIFY THE MOTION. THE MOTION NEEDS TO BE AMENDED. IF YOU WANT TO JUST VOTE ON THE ONE, UNLESS YOU'RE WANTING TO VOTE TO MOVE THE MONEY TODAY. I THINK WAS IT JUDGE, DID YOU MAKE THE MOTION? JUDGE YES, I THINK THE JUDGE LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. YES THANK YOU. CESAR OR MIGUEL, COULD YOU PUT THAT MOTION BACK UP? THIS MOTION IS JUST FOR THE OVERTIME. PERSONNEL COST. IS THAT YOUR MOTION, JUDGE? PARDON ME. JUST FOR THE PERSONNEL COST ITEM, NOT FOR THE BROADBAND BEING MOVED TO THE WATER PROJECTS. YES. OKAY, SO THE MOTION NOW AND THE SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LEON IS JUST TO TRANSFER THE MONEY FROM EQUIPMENT FUNDS TO PERSONNEL COSTS FOR THE KIOSK PROJECT. AND HOW MUCH ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? THAT IS WITHIN THE PROJECT. IT'S 58, 15,000, BUT IT'S WITHIN THE PROJECT. SO AND ALL THESE WATER PROJECTS THAT MUNSTER JUST TALKED ABOUT. SO THIS THIS MOTION IS JUST FOR THE OVERTIME COSTS FOR THE KIOSK PROJECT. YOU'RE NOW VOTING ON THE ON THE WATER WASTEWATER PROJECT. SO THAT WOULD STILL GO BACK, INTO LIMBO. THAT WOULD STILL BE IN, WELL, I THINK WHAT WE WERE DISCUSSING IS THE POSSIBILITY OF BRINGING BACK PROJECTS NEXT WEEK FOR THE COURT TO CONSIDER. REPROGRAMING OR DEPROGRAMMING FUNDS TO ADD ON TO THAT PROJECT, TO NOT DISCONTINUE THE BROADBAND PROJECT INSTEAD OF THE BROADBAND. OKAY VOTING IS OPEN.

JUDGE YOUR VOTE, PLEASE. NOT OPENING. CAN YOU TAKE A VERBAL VOTE? I THANK YOU, THE MOTION CARRIES. SO WE'LL COME BACK WITH THAT SECOND PROJECT, NEXT WEEK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. ITEM NUMBER EIGHT A FROM COUNTY ADMINISTRATION. DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING THE COUNTY'S UPDATED FINANCIAL CAPACITY ANALYSIS BASED ON FINAL TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUATION FIGURES. GOOD AFTERNOON. JUDGE.

[A. Discuss and take appropriate action regarding the County's updated financial capacity analysis based on final taxable assessed valuation figures. Jose Landeros, Director, Strategic Capital Development, 915-546-2215]

COMMISSIONERS. I'LL SIT ON THOSE WITH COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, BE TURNING THE PRESENTATION OVER SHORTLY TO MISTER BRAD ANGST. WITH STIFEL, OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, AS YOU ALL RECEIVED A THOROUGH PRESENTATION ON THURSDAY, WE HAVE ASKED MISTER ANGST TO CONSOLIDATE THAT PRESENTATION TO MORE CONDENSED VERSION, BUT THE FULL PRESENTATION IS AVAILABLE IN CASE THE COURT HAS QUESTIONS. BUT IN SHORT, THE PRESENTATION SUMMARIZES WHAT THE COUNTY'S TAX BASE GROWTH SINCE THE VALUES THAT WERE USED IN THE ORIGINAL MODELING FOR THE CAPITAL PLAN THAT WE HAVE UNDERWAY, WHAT THOSE NEW FIGURES MEAN IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNTS THAT CAN BE ISSUED WITHOUT RAISING THE COUNTY'S DEBT TAX RATE. AND SO THOSE OPTIONS WILL BE PRESENTED HERE TODAY. AS WE DISCUSSED ON THURSDAY, THE RECOMMENDATION WILL BE TO, TO, PROVIDE THOSE UPDATED FIGURES TO THE BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHO'LL BE MEETING THIS THURSDAY MORNING, SO THAT THEY CAN HEAR FROM SO THEY CAN HAVE THAT PIECE OF INFORMATION AS THEY CONSIDER ANY FURTHER REVISIONS TO THEIR RECOMMENDATION. ON TO YOU, AS WELL AS, BEGIN THE STRUCTURING OF AN EARLY DEBT PAYDOWN OR DEFEASANCE, THAT WOULD GENERATE SAVINGS TO THE COUNTY OF APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION. AND SO THAT WILL BE WHAT MISTER ANGST PRESENTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS AFTERNOON. AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO HIM. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. JUDGE.

[05:15:04]

COMMISSIONERS. GOOD TO BE WITH YOU, BRAD. ANGST WITH STIFEL PUBLIC FINANCE SERVE AS THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL ADVISOR, MY COLLEAGUE AND BUSINESS PARTNER, NANCY ROCHE, SENDS HER, SHE WAS SAD NOT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TODAY. AND, SHE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A SICKNESS AT THE HOUSE WITH HER DAUGHTER. SO, WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, TALK ABOUT THE BOND CAPACITY AND THE CHANGES THAT HAVE COME FROM THE GROWTH IN YOUR TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUATION, WITH THE INCREASE CASES THAT HAVE COME OVER FROM THE CAD, WE'RE NOW SEEING THAT YOUR ABILITY TO, FINANCE PROJECTS WITHOUT A TAX RATE INCREASE, HAVE INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY, SO THE FIGURES THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH FROM THE CAD, THE PRELIMINARY VALUE WAS $72.2 BILLION, AND THAT IS REPRESENTED HERE ON THE CHART ON THE VERY RIGHT HAND SIDE, THAT IS ABOUT A 15% INCREASE, COMPARED TO LAST YEAR'S TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUATION OR TRV. WHEN WE TALK TO YOU IN DECEMBER AND AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, THROUGHOUT THE SPRING, WE WERE USING A 3% GROWTH RATE OVER LAST YEAR'S, TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUATION. SO AS THE ACTUAL NUMBERS HAVE COME IN, IT'S BEEN SUBSTANTIAL HIGHER, WHICH HAS, CAUSED US TO REEVALUATE AND REANALYZE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH TODAY'S NUMBERS, AS JUST MENTIONED, THE TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUATION IS REALLY WHAT DRIVES THE COUNTY'S ABILITY TO, FINANCE PROJECTS WITHOUT A TAX INCREASE, AND AS I JUST MENTIONED, LAST YEAR'S MEETING, OR IN DECEMBER WHEN WE PRESENTED, WE WERE LOOKING AT A $64.7 BILLION FIGURE. THE FIGURE THAT WE'RE USING TODAY FOR OUR ANALYSIS IS 68.6. SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCOUNT FROM THAT 72.2, FIGURE, THE ACTUAL NUMBER THAT THE CAD GAVE US. AND THAT'S A 5% DISCOUNT BECAUSE FROM, THE PRELIMINARY TO THE CERTIFIED FIGURE THAT YOU'LL USE TO SET YOUR TAX RATE USUALLY HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A, OF A DISCOUNT OR A REDUCTION DUE TO PROTEST ON PEOPLE'S PROPERTY VALUES. SO OVER THE YEARS, THAT'S BEEN ABOUT 4, 4.5. SO WE'VE DISCOUNTED 5% JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T GET TOO FAR. SO 68.6 MILLION IS THE FIGURE THAT WE'RE USING FOR OUR ANALYSIS. AND WHAT WE FIND IS THAT, THE PROJECT CAPACITY USING YOUR FIVE CENT ESSENTIAL PURPOSE PROJECT FUND RATE, INCREASED BY 45 MILLION. SO THAT'S GONE FROM 150 MILLION THAT YOU CAN DO WITHOUT A TAX RATE INCREASE ON YOUR INS FUND NOW UP TO 195 MILLION. THIS IS THE AMOUNT THAT CAN BE DONE WITHIN THE NEXT, YEAR TO THREE YEARS OR FOUR YEARS WITHOUT INCREASING THAT FIVE CENT RATE. SO WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT 195 MILLION AVAILABLE WITHOUT THE TAX RATE INCREASE ON THAT TABLE. YOU'LL SEE IN THE TOP RIGHT QUADRANT THERE, YOU STILL SEE A $500 MILLION NUMBER. NOW THAT'S THE TOTAL AMOUNT. WHETHER IT BE USING YOUR FIVE CENT TAX RATE OR POTENTIALLY GOING TO VOTERS AND ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION THAT WE RECOMMEND.

SO THAT NUMBER IS NOT CHANGED SINCE OUR LAST ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION TO YOU. AND THAT'S THAT'S FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. SO THE FIVE CENT TAX RATE IS APPLIED AGAINST YOUR TRV. THE TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUATION WHICH HAS GROWN. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE 500 MILLION THAT'S BASED ON YOUR CURRENT RATING, YOUR CURRENT BOND RATING, WHICH IS A DOUBLE A, AND THE WAY THE BOND RATING, RATINGS AGENCIES LOOK AT YOUR CAPACITY IS MORE THAN JUST, BASED ON YOUR, YOUR TAXABLE VALUE. IT'S BASED ON THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE. IT'S BASED ON YOUR BUDGET PERFORMANCE. IT'S BASED ON YOUR PEERS HERE IN, IN EL PASO. SO IF THE CITY OR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS GO AND ISSUE, FOR PROJECTS AND A LOT MORE DEBT, IT COULD IT COULD IMPACT YOUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN A RATING. AND THAT'S BECAUSE EACH INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER HERE HAS AN INCREASED TAX BURDEN. AND SO THE RATING AGENCIES LOOK AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS, WHAT WE DID IS, IS LOOK AT THE DEBT BURDEN

[05:20:05]

IN PARTICULAR THE LEVERAGE OF THE, OF THE COUNTY. SO WE ASSUMED THAT ALL THESE OTHER FACTORS, REMAIN THE SAME, THAT YOU MAINTAIN A FUND BALANCE AT A SUFFICIENT LEVEL THAT YOU, YOU CONTINUE TO BUDGET IN A PRUDENT MANNER AND YOU'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THESE SERVICES, THAT THE ECONOMY HERE IN, IN EL PASO CONTINUES TO PERFORM AS IT HAS AND THAT YOUR PEERS WITHIN THE REGION MAINTAIN SIMILAR TYPE OF DEBT BURDENS ON THEIR BOOK AS WELL. SO AGAIN, IN SUMMARY, WE'RE STILL MAINTAINING THAT YOU KEEP THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PROJECTS THAT YOU GO OUT FOR POTENTIALLY THE MAXIMUM, RATHER, AT A LIMIT OF 500 MILLION OVER THE NEXT 2 TO 5 YEARS. BRAD, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT THE GROWTH IN VALUATIONS? YES. SO I THOUGHT THERE WAS, THAT IT WAS LIMITED TO 10. THE GROWTH IN THE INCREASE IN VALUATIONS, BUT BUT FROM 2023 TO 2024, I SEE IT ACTUALLY GREW ALMOST 15. SO THERE'S OTHER, IT'S LIMITED TO TEN ON RESIDENTIAL HOMES. IF THERE'S CONSTRUCTION ON OR NEW ADDITIONS TO THE TAX ROLL THAT CAN GO UP. THERE'S OTHER REASONS WHY IT CAN GO UP BEYOND THAT 10% AS A WHOLE, BUT YOU ARE CORRECT ON THE RESIDENTIAL HOME VALUES, THAT LIMITATION IS TEN. OKAY. SO THAT ONLY APPLIES TO RESIDENTIAL HOME VALUES, CORRECT? OKAY.

THANK YOU. THERE'S A LITTLE MORE DETAIL HERE ABOUT, THE SUMMARY THAT I JUST PROVIDED TO YOU, THE FIVE CENT ESSENTIAL PURPOSE PROJECT FUND, THAT'S THE AMOUNT THAT THE COUNTY IS OPERATED UNDER FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. THIS IS YOUR CURRENT RATE , AS I JUST MENTIONED, THE NEW PROJECT CAPACITY ON THAT OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS IS 195 MILLION. AND THIS, THESE TYPE OF FUNDS AND THIS, TYPE OF FINANCING IS USED FOR YOUR EVERYDAY BUSINESS, THE CONDUCTING OF THE COUNTY'S PRIMARY SERVICES HERE WITHIN THE COUNTY IS TYPICALLY WHAT THAT HAS GONE TOWARDS PAYING FOR, DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEBT OBLIGATIONS CAN BE USED ON THAT FIVE CENT TAX RATE. OVER THE YEARS, THE COUNTY HAS LOOKED AT TAX NOTES, WHICH ARE A LITTLE BIT SHORTER TERM CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION AND GEO BONDS OR OTHER COMMON TYPE OF DEBT PRODUCTS THAT CAN BE USED, AS I JUST MENTIONED, MAINTAINING THE COUNTY'S CURRENT CREDIT RATINGS, THE AA, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE COUNTY LIMIT AND PUT A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF PROJECT OVER THE NEXT 2 TO 5 YEARS OF 500 MILLION. SO WHAT WE DID FIND WITH THE INCREASE IN THE IN THE TAVT, THE TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUE, INSTEAD OF, USING OR NEEDING THREE AND A HALF CENTS TO, POTENTIALLY BE ADDED TO THE INS RATE IN ORDER TO PAY FOR THAT MAXIMUM AMOUNT, WE'RE NOW FINDING THAT IT ONLY TAKES $0.03 TO FINANCE THAT FULL 500 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE 195 AT YOUR TAX RATE NEUTRAL RATE. SO A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD NEWS THERE, WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION HERE ON THE SLIDE ABOUT GEO BONDS, OF COURSE THOSE HAVE TO GO TO VOTERS FOR PROJECTS THAT THE COMMISSIONERS THINK SHOULD GO IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS. AND THEN SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION JUST ON THE, MO LIMITATION AND THE 3.5% LIMITATION ON GROWTH FOR THAT SIDE. THIS IS A LITTLE DEEPER DIVE INTO THE ANALYSIS REGARDING THE 195 MILLION OF CAPACITY AVAILABLE. THIS AGAIN IS THE FIVE CENT RATE. NO TAX RATE INCREASE IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS SIZE OF FINANCING, WE FIND, BASED ON THE REVENUES BECOMING AVAILABLE AND YOUR CURRENT DEBT PORTFOLIO, ABOUT 110 MILLION COULD BE FINANCED OUT THIS COMING JANUARY FEBRUARY WITHOUT IMPACTING THAT $0.05. AND THEN WITH A FOLLOW UP A FEW YEARS LATER OF APPROXIMATELY 85,000,000 IN 2028, THOSE AMOUNTS COULDN'T BE REBALANCED SLIGHTLY FROM ONE TO THE OTHER. WE CAN'T EXCEED THE 110, THOUGH, AND STAY UNDER THAT FIVE CENT RATE. IF WE IF WE WANT TO STAY UNDER THAT RATE FOR THE JANUARY, POTENTIAL JANUARY DEBT ISSUANCE AND PROJECT FUNDING.

AND JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. SO THE, THE 195 THAT WON'T IMPACT THE FIVE CENT TAX RATE. SO THERE WOULD BE NO INCREASE, THAT'S FOR DURING THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, BUT THEN

[05:25:05]

THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ADDITIONAL 75 MILLION AVAILABLE POTENTIALLY IN 2030. THAT WOULD ALSO NOT AFFECT THE TAX RATE. AND THEN ANOTHER ADDITIONAL 75 MILLION THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN 2032. THAT WOULD ALSO NOT AFFECT THE TAX RATE THAT THAT IS WHAT WE ARE PROJECTING BASED ON, YOUR PAY OFF, YOUR CURRENT DEBT PORTFOLIO AND SOME GROWTH ASSUMPTIONS. SO WE DO SEE THAT, IN THE FUTURE, EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME SIZABLE CAPACITY AVAILABLE TO YOU AND A PORTION OF THAT. JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS A PORTION OF THAT IS ALSO PART OF OUR LONG TERM PLAN FOR STORMWATER. SO YOU MAY RECALL OUT OF OUR STORMWATER MASTER PLAN, WE HAVE, SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF PROJECTS TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE STORMWATER NEEDS. SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS, BREAKING IT OFF IN PIECES. PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION PLANNING FOR THE NEXT ROUND AND DOING SOME CONSTRUCTION, PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION. AND SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT IN SMALLER INCREMENTS. WE DO HAVE A PORTION OF THOSE IN THE CURRENT PROJECT LIST, BUT THOSE ARE JUST THE NEXT PRIORITIES. THERE'S THE IDEA IS THAT WE WILL BE DOING SOME KINDS OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS LIKE THIS FOR THE LONG FORESEEABLE FUTURE, SO YOU'LL NEED SOME CAPACITY. YOU'LL ALSO HAVE, RIGHT NOW WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OR MAJOR MAINTENANCE PROJECTS. YOU'LL HAVE OTHER BUILDINGS AGING YOUR ANNEXES WILL BE AGING. SO YOU'RE GOING TO NEED SOME CONTINUING CAPACITY. AND OF COURSE, YOU'LL HAVE COMMUNITY ISSUES THAT WILL COME THAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED CONTINUING CAPACITY FOR THOSE FUTURE FUTURE NEEDS AS WELL. YEAH. NO. UNDERSTOOD BUT I THINK I KNOW THAT THIS PRESENTATION IS A LITTLE BIT SHORTER THAN THE ONE THAT WE RECEIVED ON THURSDAY, BUT I THINK THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL SLIDE ON THE PRESENTATION THAT WE RECEIVED ON THURSDAY WHERE IT WENT EVEN FURTHER THAN RIGHT NOW. IT JUST SHOWS 2025, 2028, 2030 AND 2032. BUT I THINK THE SLIDE AND THE OTHER PRESENTATION ACTUALLY HAD LIKE FOUR MORE YEARS WHERE THERE MIGHT BE 70, POTENTIALLY ANOTHER 75 MILLION IN CAPACITY THAT WOULDN'T AFFECT THE TAX RATE THAT IT WAS A PRIOR PRESENTATION ON. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHART, THE SPACE BETWEEN THE ORANGE DOTTED LINE, WHICH IS THE REVENUE PROJECTION AND THE, TOP ISSUANCE, WHICH IS ALSO ORANGE, THE SHADED AREA, THERE IS FUTURE CAPACITY AS WE SEE IT. AND SO THAT'S DONE INTENTIONALLY, EVERY COUPLE YEARS THAT THE COUNTY IS ABLE TO TAKE ON PROJECTS, WHETHER IT BE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, STORMWATER AND OTHER ITEMS. SO WE DO, FORECAST, AND TRY AND PREPARE YOU TO HAVE ACCESS EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS FOR THESE TYPE OF PROJECTS AND THESE AMOUNTS WOULDN'T AFFECT THE TAX RATE. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHY WOULDN'T WE BREAK UP AND DO SMALLER ISSUANCES AS CAPACITY BECOMES AVAILABLE SO THAT WE DON'T AFFECT THE TAX RATE? INSTEAD OF ONE LARGE ISSUANCE LIKE WE'RE THINKING OF DOING LATER THIS YEAR, WHICH WOULD IMPACT THE TAX RATE AND INCREASE IT BY 3, I MEAN, $0.03. I'M SORRY. THE AN ADDITION OF $0.03. YOU KNOW, IS FOR DIFFERENT TYPE OF PROJECTS POTENTIALLY, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT PROJECTS AND PRIORITIES YOU SEE THAT YOU HAVE TODAY, YOU KNOW, I WOULD OFFER UP THAT, ESPECIALLY HERE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WITH INFLATION, THE COST OF A PROJECT IS GOING UP MUCH FASTER THAN MAYBE THE INTEREST, COST AND SOME OTHER VARIABLES THAT EXIST.

SO ULTIMATELY, YEAH, THAT'S UP TO YOU ALL TO DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO, I GUESS TACKLE THESE TODAY OR OR WAIT IS IF I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T BREAK UP DEBT ISSUANCES, SO THAT THEY'RE DONE ON A SCALE WHERE IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE TAX RATE, INSTEAD OF JUST SIMPLY GOING FORWARD WITH A VERY LARGE DEBT ISSUANCE THAT IS GOING TO AFFECT THE TAX RATE, JUST THOSE ARE MY $0.02. THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE. I THINK PART OF IT IS IF WE, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT WE THAT WE NEED TO INVEST IN OR EVEN WE WANT TO INVEST IN NOW, I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK OVER THE OVER THE PAST 3 TO 5 YEARS, CONSTRUCTION COSTS HAVE GONE UP BY LIKE 30 TO 40. NO AND THEY'LL KEEP GOING UP. I MEAN, THAT'S NEVER GOING TO GO AWAY. BUT IT JUST WE HAVE THE CAPACITY BUT NOT I MEAN BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO LESS AND LESS AND LESS AND LESS WITH THAT CAPACITY. BUT WE'RE ALSO NOT GOING TO BE RAISING THE TAX RATE BY $0.03, WHICH I THINK OUR RESIDENTS WOULD APPRECIATE. WE AND WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OPTIONS FOR YOU HERE. SO THIS ONE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, THE FIVE CENT, MAINTAINS THAT. AND WE'VE SHOWED YOU THE CAPACITY AVAILABLE AT

[05:30:05]

THAT RATE. I MEAN I DON'T KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE CAN WAIT TEN YEARS TO INVEST IN NASCAR AT THE PARK OR THE COLISEUM OR SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE. I MEAN, SOME OF THE FACILITIES THAT WE THAT WE THAT WE ALREADY OWN, THAT NEED TO BE MODERNIZED. I MEAN, THOSE THE FURTHER WE KICK THE CAN, THE MORE IT'S GOING TO COST, BECAUSE THE, I MEAN, THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE COSTS BECOME MORE ON TOP OF THE, THE, THE ACTUAL, CONSTRUCTION OR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. RIGHT.

AND I'M NOT SAYING TO KICK THE CAN. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. BUT THAT'S THE POINT THAT I'M MAKING IS PRIORITIZING WHAT REALLY, REALLY, REALLY DOES NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AND DOING THOSE FIRST. BUT TRYING TO DO THEM IN SMALLER ISSUANCES SO THAT WE DON'T AFFECT THE TAX RATE. THAT'S MY BIGGEST CONCERN. YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK ALL OF US ARE WORRIED ABOUT AFFECTING THE TAX RATE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IS IT MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO DO THINGS ON THE FRONT END AND SAVE THE TAXPAYER MONEY WHEN IT COMES TO THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS, WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE COSTS? OR ARE WE GOING TO END UP, YOU KNOW, AND PUTTING A FUTURE COMMISSIONERS CAUGHT IN A BIND WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE A HUGE AMOUNT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T DO OUR RESPONSIBILITY? WELL, AND HOPEFULLY THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF, COMMENTS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM THE RESIDENTS, RIGHT? WHAT THEY PREFER TO SEE AND WHAT THEY CONSIDER TRUE PRIORITY PROJECTS.

SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THAT ANSWER FOR. SO WE'VE SHOWN, WHAT COMMUNITY AND ADDITIONAL TAX SUPPORTED BONDS, MAY LOOK LIKE, THE COST THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GO UP TO YOUR MAXIMUM LIMITATION. SO WITH 195, ABLE TO BE COMPLETED AT THE FIVE CENT RATE, WE WANTED TO SEE YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THAT ADDITIONAL 305 THAT TAKES YOU TO THE 500 MAXIMUM, RECOMMENDED AMOUNT AND SO THAT 305 EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY $0.03, ADDITIONAL, THAT WOULD BE NEEDED IN ORDER TO SERVICE THAT DEBT, OVER, OVER A APPROXIMATELY 25 YEAR PERIOD. THIS ONE, AND, LOOKS AT A SMALLER ISSUANCE ON THE FRONT END IN ORDER TO, TO, LOOK INTO THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING FOR THE LARGER COST, FOLLOWED UP IN A COUPLE OF YEARS BY THE LARGER, ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION FUNDS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED FOR IT. WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND POINT OUT, I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT MORE THIS TIME THAN THAN MAYBE THE LAST, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, RATING FACTORS THAT, FALL ONTO THE COUNTY ARE MORE THAN JUST THE AMOUNT OF DEBT THAT YOU TAKE ON. SO IT'S THE, FISCAL MANAGEMENT, THE BUDGET MANAGEMENT THAT YOU ALL GO THROUGH, IT ALSO INCLUDES SOME FACTORS THAT YOU CAN'T CONTROL QUITE AS MUCH LIKE THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN TOWN OR EMPLOYMENT OR MEDIAN HOUSING INCOME. SO THIS PAGE GOES THROUGH QUITE A FEW OF THOSE, INCLUDING SOME OF THE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN TOWN. THE DIVERSITY IN THOSE, THOSE TYPE OF BUSINESSES, BUT ALSO, SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT COULD AFFECT A POTENTIAL DOWNGRADE, LIKE, THE ACTUAL PERSONAL, THE BURDEN ON THE PERSONAL LEVEL OF A DEBT BURDEN AND HOW THAT GOES ACROSS YOUR OVERLAPPING, PARTNERS HERE IN THE, HERE IN THE REGION IS THERE AN ANALYSIS THAT WE CAN DO THAT? WOULD, YOU KNOW, TAKE PAST TRENDS AND MAKE A PROJECTION AS TO, YOU KNOW, IF WE IF WE DID WHAT COMMISSIONER O'GUINN WAS SAYING AND WAITED TO FUND ALL OF THESE PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, 20 YEARS OUT INSTEAD OF FOUR YEARS OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE ON TAXPAYERS WAS IF, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE APPRECIATION IN THE, IN THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS. AND I MEAN, IS THERE IS THERE AN ANALYSIS THAT THAT CAN BE DONE TO GIVE US SOME IDEA SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THAT COMPARATIVE? YEAH, I THINK, WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, INFLATION RATES, HISTORY QUICKLY. WE CAN, LOOK AT RECENT INFLATION RATES. WE CAN, YOU KNOW, USE SOME OF THOSE AVERAGES AND LOOK AT SOME SIMILAR PROJECT SIZES AND SPREAD IT OUT OVER, YOU KNOW, FOUR YEAR PERIOD, A

[05:35:05]

TEN YEAR PERIOD OR A EVEN LONGER PERIOD AND SEE WHAT, YOU KNOW, THAT COST DIFFERENTIAL LOOKS LIKE. AND I MEAN, MAYBE WE DO THAT ONCE WE KIND OF UNDERSTAND AFTER THE PUBLIC'S FEEDBACK AND TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS TO PRIORITIZE, BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO SEE THAT BECAUSE WE COULD BE, AGAIN RIGHT NOW DELAYING THE INCREASE IN TAXES. BUT I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN THAT WE CAN LOOK AT ON PAPER AND SAY, OKAY, I MEAN, DO WE MAKE THE DECISION RIGHT NOW TO SAY, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO INCREASE TAXES, BUT WHAT IS THAT COST? WHAT IS THAT GOING TO INCUR IN THE FUTURE? SO WE CAN SHOW THAT TO THE PEOPLE AND SAY, LOOK, DO YOU WANT TO NOT PAY TAXES RIGHT NOW AND INCUR EVEN MORE IN THE FUTURE? BECAUSE IF INFLATION KEEPS GOING UP AND COSTS KEEP GOING UP AGAIN, THAT $185 MILLION OR $345 MILLION OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS, OR WAS IT OUT TO 2037? I THINK THE ISSUANCE WE WERE SHOWING IS OUT TO 2032. OKAY SO TO OUT TO 2032.

SO THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH LESS ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO WITH THAT 345 MILLION IF WE DON'T RAISE THE TAXES RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE WE TALK ABOUT THE DEBT THAT IS BEING PAID OFF AND HOW OUR CAPACITY INCREASES AS THAT DEBT IS BEING PAID OFF. AND THEN ONE THING THAT I THINK THAT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT ENOUGH, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE 500 MILLION CAPACITY NOW, THE 305 AND THE 195 WHERE THE TAX RATE DOESN'T GO UP. BUT WE HAVEN'T HEARD THE FIGURES OF, WHAT THAT TOTAL, THOSE TOTAL DEBT ISSUANCES WILL ULTIMATELY COST AFTER YOU INCLUDE ALL OF THE INTEREST PAYMENTS. RIGHT. SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT FIGURE, WHICH IS MUCH LARGER. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT THE TOTAL AMOUNTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. WE CAN CERTAINLY WE CAN LOOK AT ALL THOSE FACTORS. THE TOTAL DEBT SERVICE, PROBABLY BE IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT HOW MANY NEW PROJECTS ARE ADDED. THAT'S THAT RIGHT THERE. THAT 605 NUMBER. THAT'S THE TOTAL DEBT SERVICE. IS THAT WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT? THAT'S CORRECT. YES, SIR. YES. BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT NUMBER DOESN'T GET MENTIONED. RIGHT. WE JUST TALK ABOUT THE 305 AND THE 195, BUT WE DON'T EVER TALK ABOUT THE DEBT SERVICE NUMBER. WE WILL WORK WITH STAFF TO PUT TOGETHER THAT ANALYSIS. THANK YOU. GOT IT . THANK YOU. SO IF YOU EXCEED, THE FIVE CENT OR THE 195 MILLION OF CAPACITY ON THE TAX RATE NEUTRAL, PROJECT EFFECTS, THIS LOOKS AT THE 305 MILLION AND HOW THAT ADDITIONAL $0.03 WOULD IMPACT THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER. YEAH, AND JUST LOOKING AT THAT MIDDLE SECTION OF $250,000 HOME VALUE, $0.03 IS GOING TO INCREASE OR WOULD INCREASE THIS, WITH THEIR APPROVAL AT AN ELECTION IN APPROXIMATELY $75 A YEAR OR 625 A MONTH ON THE MONTHLY MORTGAGE PAYMENT. SO THESE NUMBERS ARE SLIGHTLY DOWN AGAIN FROM LAST PRESENTATION BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT $0.03 INSTEAD OF THE THREE AND A HALF CENTS. SO THAT'S THE THAT'S THE CAPACITY, ON YOUR, ON YOUR PROJECTS, YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD, ANOTHER OTHER, BENEFIT AND GOOD ITEM COMING OUT OF THE TAB GROWTH IS, A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT WILL COME AT THAT FIVE CENT RATE IN THE COMING BUDGET YEAR. SO IF YOU MAINTAIN YOUR FIVE CENT RATE , WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MILLION OF REVENUES IN EXCESS OF YOUR CURRENT DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS FOR NEXT YEAR WOULD BE PRODUCED OFF THAT FIVE CENT RATE. AND THIS IS WHAT WE, BROACHED THE SUBJECT WITH ON LAST WEEK. A DEFEASANCE IS A EARLY PAY OFF OF BONDS AND MATURITIES INSTEAD OF DOING A REFINANCING WHERE YOU MIGHT GO INTO A LOWER INTEREST RATE, YOU JUST PAY THEM OFF, IMMEDIATELY AND YOU STOP PAYING ANY INTEREST ON THAT. AND SO WE'RE SHOWING YOU AN EXAMPLE HERE. IF YOU USE THAT, 2.5 MILLION OF EXCESS REVENUE THAT WE, ANTICIPATE FOR NEXT YEAR ALL TO PAY OFF, BONDS EARLY, WE ESTIMATE YOU CAN PAY OFF ABOUT 2.4 MILLION OF, OF THE PAR AMOUNT OR THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT REMAINING, AND A LITTLE BIT OF

[05:40:06]

ACCRUED INTEREST BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 2.55 MILLION. THE SAVINGS ON THAT WOULD PRODUCE ABOUT 1,094,000 ON BASED ON CURRENT FIGURES OF INTEREST SAVINGS OVER THE LIFE OF THAT.

THOSE THAT BOND MATURITY THAT WOULD BE PAID OFF. SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT YOU PURSUE THIS, IN PAST YEARS, YOU'VE, YOU'VE TRIED TO STRUCTURE A TAX NOTE, A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THE SPRING TO CAPTURE SOME OF THAT EXCESS, WE LOOKED INTO A POTENTIAL TAX NOTE ISSUANCE, YOU TYPICALLY WANT TO HAVE, SOME ECONOMIES OF SCALE WITH THAT. YOU WANT TO HAVE SOME CERTAIN SIZE TO THAT. SO WE LOOKED AT A $10 MILLION TAX NOTE AND HOW THAT MIGHT WORK WITH THE COUNTY'S, PROJECTED REVENUES WHILE YOU HAVE THIS 2.5 NEXT YEAR, IF YOU DO A $10 MILLION TAX NOTE, HERE THIS SUMMER, IT ACTUALLY ERODES QUITE A BIT OF YOUR CAPACITY CITY IN THE WINTER. SO THAT 195 MILLION OF CAPACITY WOULD ACTUALLY COME DOWN BY $30 MILLION IN ORDER TO DO A $10 MILLION TAX NOTE. AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE TAX NOTE IS REPAID OVER SEVEN YEARS. SO YOU HAVE LARGER PAYMENTS IN ORDER TO PAY BACK THAT QUICKLY. SO, SO THIS YEAR WE'RE RECOMMENDING, JUST USE THAT EXCESS TO, TO TRY AND PAY DOWN DEBT EARLY AND HAVE SOME GOOD SAVINGS. SO ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT ITEM? I KNOW THAT'S A SOMEWHAT OF A NEWER CONCEPT. OKAY THAT BRINGS ME TO THE CONCLUSION. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. HAVE A CONVERSATION OR, MOVE ON OKAY.

THANK YOU BRAD. THANK YOU, MR. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, THE RECOMMENDED ACTION FOR THE COURT TO CONSIDER THIS AFTERNOON IS TO APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO INCREASE THEIR TAX RATE. NEUTRAL CAPACITY FROM 150 MILLION TO 195 MILLION FOR ONGOING FINANCIAL CAPITAL PLANNING ACTIVITIES AS FURTHER DIRECT STAFF TO PURSUE AND STRUCTURE THE DEFEASANCE OF DEBT AS PRESENTED, TOTALING AN ESTIMATED $2.5 MILLION TO SAVE THE COUNTY. APPROXIMATELY 1.1 MILLION IN INTEREST COSTS ON EXISTING DEBT LIABILITIES. THAT DEFEASANCE WOULDN'T COME BACK FORMALLY. IT WOULD COME BACK FORMALLY AS A RESOLUTION, AND THE TIMING WOULD HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH WITH STIFEL AND WITH MCCALL OR BOND COUNSEL, WE'LL KEEP THE COURT APPRIZED OF WHEN THAT WOULD COME BEFORE THE AGENDA. THANK YOU SIR. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT. THE VOTING IS OPEN. AND MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.

JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. AND WITH THE COMPARISON THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THAT Y'ALL ARE GOING TO BE PREPARING, CAN WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ESTIMATES ON THE GROWTH IN THE TAX BASE, THE NEW, THE NEW, TAX REVENUE FROM NEW BUSINESSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT? I KNOW USUALLY IT'S ABOUT 5 MILLION IS WHAT IT'S BEEN IN, AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT THE COUNTY COLLECTS. RIGHT.

I THINK WE USUALLY, WE USUALLY DO A 3% INCREASE, RIGHT? I MEAN, TYPICALLY, WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE THE FIRST YEAR IS THE FIRST TWO YEARS ARE TYPICALLY LIKE 5. AND THEN IT DROPS DOWN OR I'LL LET I'LL LET BRAD SPEAK TO THAT. THE GROWTH RATE INCREASES ON OUR TAXABLE VALUE.

YEAH I THINK WE WERE USING 3% FOR THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS. THIS TIME AROUND. AND THEN IT ACTUALLY DROPS DOWN TO 0.5. SO, SO VERY CONSERVATIVE. BUT WE'LL WE'LL GET THAT HISTORICALLY, VERSUS THE RATES THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BRETT. GOT IT. JESSE.

THIS BRINGS US TO EXECUTIVE SESSION, BEFORE WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, I'D LIKE TO READ IN ITEM NUMBER. 11 D PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.07 25D DISCUSS CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS REGARDING THE FACILITY MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT AND THE CHAPTER 381 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOURIST PROMOTION PROGRAM AGREEMENT BETWEEN EL PASO SPORTS COMMISSION AND EL PASO COUNTY JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS ERIC SCAGLIONE, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY FOR THIS ITEM IN EXECUTIVE. WE'RE ASKING THE COURT TO MAKE A MOTION, SECTION 551.0725 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AUTHORIZES THE COURT TO CONDUCT A CLOSED MEETING TO DELIBERATE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL ISSUES RELATING TO A CONTRACT UNDER NEGOTIATION. IF

[05:45:03]

THERE'S THREE CONDITIONS MET ONE. THE COURT VOTES UNANIMOUSLY . THAT DELIBERATION AND OPEN MEETING WOULD HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE POSITION OF THE COUNTY. NUMBER TWO, THE ATTORNEY

[D. Pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.0725, discuss contract negotiations regarding the Facility Management Agreement and the Chapter 381 Economic Development Tourist Promotion Program Agreement between El Paso Sports Commission and El Paso County. Melissa Carrillo, Executive Director, County Operations, 915-546-2162]

ADVISING THE COURT ISSUES A WRITTEN DETERMINATION THAT DELIBERATION IN AN OPEN MEETING WOULD HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE COUNTY AND NUMBER THREE, A TAPE RECORDING OF THE PROCEEDINGS IN CLOSED SESSION IS MADE SO THIS MEMO SERVES TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENT DESCRIBED IN NUMBER TWO. I'VE DETERMINED THAT DELIBERATION IN AN OPEN MEETING CONCERNING BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL ISSUES RELATING TO AN AMENDMENT TO AMENDMENTS TO A FACILITY MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE THE EL PASO COUNTY COLISEUM, AS WELL AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE CHAPTER 381 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. TOURIST PROMOTION PROGRAM AGREEMENT TO PROMOTE TOURISM. THESE ARE BOTH WITH THE SPORTS COMMISSION. SO WE'RE ASKING THE COURT TO UNANIMOUSLY VOTE THAT DELIBERATIONS, IF YOU WILL, IN AN OPEN MEETING, WOULD HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON YOUR POSITION WITH THE COUNTY. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE CLERK TO ENSURE THAT THE PROCEEDINGS IN CLOSED SESSION ARE RECORDED. AND THEN THIS MEMO WILL BE FILED WITH THE CLERK'S REPRESENTATIVE AS WELL. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN VOTING IS OPEN.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.

RESOLUTIONS

REGULAR AGENDA

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AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN

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Jun 24, 2024 Commissioners Court Regular

RESOLUTIONS

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COUNTY ADMINISTRATION

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN

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