N. Approve and authorize the creation of the County of El Paso's new Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Policy. (OP-5410) Sam Trujillo, Interim Chief Human Resources Officer, Human Resources, 915-273-3520

[A. Approve the County’s general support of the Application for Track I to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Community Change grant program in the amount of $20,000,000.00 to be submitted by the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and a coalition of Community Based Organizations (CBOs) rooted in neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by pollution. These 9 environmental justice neighborhoods are in South Central El Paso and the unincorporated colonia of Montana Vista. The proposed projects include green infrastructure and nature-based solutions; energy-efficient, healthy, resilient housing and buildings; reducing indoor air pollution; and robust and meaningful community engagement. The grant does not require a match or funding commitment by the County. (#6238-OP) Carlos Leon, Commissioner, Precinct 1, 915-546-2014]

AGENCY FISCAL YEAR 2024. COMMUNITY CHANGE GRANT PROGRAM. IN THE AMOUNT OF $20 MILLION TO BE SUBMITTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO AND A COALITION OF COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS ROOTED IN NEIGHBORHOODS DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY POLLUTION. THESE NINE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE IN SOUTH CENTRAL EL PASO AND THE UNINCORPORATED COLONIA OF MONTANA VISTA. THE PROPOSED PROJECTS INCLUDE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS, ENERGY EFFICIENT, HEALTHY, RESILIENT HOUSING AND BUILDINGS, REDUCING INDOOR AIR POLLUTION, AIR POLLUTION, AND ROBUST AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THE GRANT DOES DOES NOT REQUIRE A MATCH OR FUNDING COMMITMENT BY THE COUNTY.

OPINION NUMBER 6238. ITEM EIGHT B APPROVE THE COUNTY'S GENERAL SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION FOR TRACK TWO TO THE US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY FISCAL YEAR 2024 COMMUNITY CHANGE GRANT PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF UP TO $3 MILLION TO BE SUBMITTED BY TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY AND A COALITION OF COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS ROOTED IN NEIGHBORHOODS DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY POLLUTION. THESE NINE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE IN SOUTH CENTRAL EL PASO AND THE UNINCORPORATED COLONIA OF MONTANA VISTA. THE GRANT FUNDS WILL BE USED TO BOLSTER THE COALITION'S MEMBERS STAFFING AND COSTS RELATED TO MEETINGS, TRAININGS, COMMUNICATION AND MORE. THE COALITION WILL PROVIDE A SERIES OF TRAININGS AROUND LOCALIZED HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND REMEDIES, AS WELL AS HOW TO ADVOCATE BEFORE DIFFERENT CITY, COUNTY, SCHOOL BOARD, STATE AND FEDERAL ENTITIES, AND PROCESSES. THE. THE GRANT DOES NOT REQUIRE A MATCH OR FUNDING COMMITMENT BY THE COUNTY. OPINION NUMBER 6239. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU. IS MR. MISTER MAYOR IN THE AUDIENCE, BY ANY CHANCE, WOULD YOU TIP. MR. MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND STEPPING OVER TO THE PODIUM? I WANTED TO JUST SET IT UP FOR YOU. AND YOU CAN. YOU'RE THE EXPERT ON IT IF YOU COULD SPEAK ON IT. BUT I'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS THIS. GRANT THE COUNTY COULD HAVE PUT IN FOR IT.

WE DID NOT. DURING A MEETING THAT WAS ALSO ATTENDED TO WITH FERGUSON GROUP. WE PAY THEM GOOD MONEY FOR THEM TO PROVIDE US WITH LEADERSHIP GUIDANCE, AND I'M DISAPPOINTED AT THAT AT THEM BECAUSE DURING THIS PERIOD THEY COULD HAVE PIVOTED SO THE COUNTY COULD HAVE CONTINUED ON A TRACK THAT WAS ASKING FOR THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION. IT COULD HAVE COME FROM US. ALSO. SO INSOFAR AS

[00:20:08]

EXCUSE ME, I'VE ALREADY HAD A CONVERSATION WITH BETSY AND HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE WE CAN KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING. THERE WAS A POINT WHERE WE COULD HAVE GONE IN ANOTHER DIRECTION, WHICH COULD HAVE MATCHED THE, THE GRANT MORE CLOSELY. WE DIDN'T AND WE STOPPED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T PIVOT FROM INFORMATION THAT CAME FROM ONE OF MY OFFICE PERSONS, JACKIE BUTLER. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO ADVISE IS THAT WE DO SUPPORT UTEP. IT DOES IMPACT A LOT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, BOTH IN THE CENTRAL WEST SIDE AND EAST SIDE AREA. SO WHAT I'M ASKING THE COURT, AFTER YOU HEAR FROM MR. MAYOR, THAT POSSIBLY WE CAN I DON'T THINK A LETTER OF SUPPORT IS NECESSARY, BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY MY OFFICE IS CERTAINLY AT THE READY TO GIVE YOU ONE, IF THAT WILL HELP YOU IN PROCURING THAT THAT GRANT. SO THE PODIUM IS YOURS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I HOPE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO DO THINGS IN THIS GRANT THAT WILL BE USEFUL TO, TO THE COUNTY AND, AND TO THE ALL OF THE TO YOU, COMMISSIONER LEON AND COMMISSIONER STOUT BECAUSE THESE ARE IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE HOPING TO MAKE IN YOUR DISTRICTS. AND WE'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH YOUR OFFICE, COMMISSIONER LEON, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN COORDINATION WITH SIMILAR IMPROVEMENTS THAT MIGHT BE MADE BY THE COUNTY IN THE FUTURE. AND THE SORTS OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO MAKE. YOU HEARD, I THINK, IN THE, IN THE DESCRIPTION, BUT THEY INCLUDE WEATHERIZATION, BASICALLY MEASURES TO EITHER IMPROVE AIR QUALITY INSIDE HOMES OR TO IMPROVE COOLING INSIDE HOMES.

AND OUTSIDE HOMES. AND SO WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT WILL IMPLEMENT WEATHERIZATION SOLAR PANELS. WE'RE GOING TO BE CREATING SOME SMALL PARKS THAT CAN BE USED AS COOLING AREAS. WE PLAN TO PLANT ON THE ORDER OF 2000 TREES ACROSS ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS HERE AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER MEASURES ALONG ALONG THOSE LINES. AND ONE THING THAT I'M PROUD OF COMING FROM UTEP IS THAT USUALLY WHEN I GET INVOLVED IN PROJECTS THAT INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOP DOWN FROM UTEP TO THE COMMUNITIES, BUT IN THIS CASE, IT'S BEEN THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BROUGHT BROUGHT TO US, CAME TO US AND ASKED US TO PARTNER WITH THEM. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT CAME UP WITH THE PROJECTS THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD BE BEST SERVED BY THIS, THIS PARTICULAR GRANT. AND MAYBE I SHOULD GET A TINY BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE ON THE GRANT PROGRAM TO. SO THIS IS COMING FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND IT'S THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE COMMUNITY CHANGE GRANT PROGRAM. AND THERE ARE TWO TRACKS YOU HEARD ABOUT THE UTEP PROJECT OR THE UTEP PROJECT, AND THEN THE TEXAS TECH PROJECT, THE WE'RE GOING FOR TRACK ONE, WHICH IS A $20 MILLION PROGRAM, AND IT'S A THEIR PROGRAM COALITIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE APPLIED FOR THIS AND WILL BE APPLYING FOR IT. AND IT'S ALL MEANT TO PRODUCE IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE PARTICULARLY DISADVANTAGED AND THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE MEANT TO DO THINGS LIKE PROVIDE MORE RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND IMPROVE AIR QUALITY ALONG THE LINES OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO. SO, WE'LL BE SUBMITTING THE TRACK ONE PROPOSAL IN ABOUT 3 OR 4 WEEKS. THE DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 21ST, BUT WE'RE CONFIDENT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SUBMIT TO BEFORE THAT, AND THEN WE MAY HEAR AS SOON AS A COUPLE OF MONTHS ABOUT WHETHER THE PROPOSAL WAS SUCCESSFUL OR NOT. AND THIS IS THE PROJECTS THAT WE PROPOSE ARE SHOVEL READY. AND SO WE'LL WANT TO GET GOING RIGHT AWAY WITH WITH DOING DOING THESE IMPROVEMENTS. AND I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED, IT'S A THREE YEAR LONG GRANT. AND SO WE'LL BE SPREADING OUT THE PROJECTS OVER OVER THAT PERIOD. AND THEN TRACK TWO, WHICH IS LED BY COLLEAGUES OF MINE AT TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY. THAT'S ABOUT INCREASING ADVOCACY THAT WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND HOW TO WORK BETTER WITH GOVERNMENT WHEN THEY HAVE PROBLEMS THAT THAT ENVIRONMENTAL OR CLIMATE CHANGE RELATED PROBLEMS. AND THAT'S A $5 MILLION GRANT. AND OVER OVER THREE YEARS. SO WE'D BE REALLY EXCITED TO GET THIS, THIS GRANT.

[00:25:07]

AND REALLY, WOULD I THINK, NOT ONLY IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN EL PASO, BUT SHOW THAT OTHER PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT WE CAN GET THINGS DONE HERE THAT ARE COMING FROM THE GRASSROOTS.

AND MR. MAYOR AND JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS, THIS DOES NOT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE COUNTY SUPPORTING UTEP DOES NOT COMMIT THE COUNTY TO ANY GRANT MATCH OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN ACTUALLY SUPPORTING YOU. SO THAT'S CORRECT. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS. OR MR. MAYOR, JUST WANT TO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. AS YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY'S LANE IS THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE THAT STRUGGLE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH SO MUCH CHALLENGES AND SO WE THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, WE THANK YOU. AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE SAYING AT THAT COMMUNITY LEVEL THAT ENGAGED UTEP. I THINK THAT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT ABOUT OUR OUR OWN COMMUNITY. SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND WE THANK UTEP. AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S INVOLVED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. AND PLEASE KEEP IN CONTACT WITH OUR OFFICE SO WE CAN WORK WITH YOU AND WHATEVER YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THIS HAPPENS. ABSOLUTELY. AND I HAD A QUESTION, MR. MAYOR, CAN YOU CAN YOU JUST FOR THE JUST JUST FOR THE RECORD SO WE KNOW WHAT WERE THE COMMUNITY NINE THE NINE COMMUNITIES. YEAH. WELL, THE NINE COMMUNITIES AND BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THAT THEY CAME TO YOU AND SO WHAT WERE THE COMMUNITIES THAT CAME TO YOU TO, TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP? WERE YOU READING OFF OF A LIST THERE, MISS KELLER? BECAUSE I'LL TRY TO REMEMBER IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ALL OF THEM, BUT I JUST WANT TO GET AN IDEA OF SO THE. I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY THE CORRECT THE CHAMIZAL FAMILIAS UNIDAS. YES. DURANGUIT. MONTANA VISTA IS MONTANA VISTA, OF COURSE. AND THEN BOY, WHY AM I BLANKING ON IT? VALVERDE AND GLENWOOD AND CORBIN, SOME ZAMBRANO I THINK THOSE ARE ALL OF THEM. SO THOSE NINE OF THEM ARE IN YOUR DISTRICT. AND THEN MONTANA VISTA IS IN IS IN. COMMISSIONER LEONE'S DISTRICT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE THIS MORNING. OF COURSE. YEAH. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AGAIN. IT'S VERY EXCITING FOR UTEP TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE $20 MILLION BUDGET, UTEP WILL BE THE ALMOST ALL OF THE MONEY WILL BE GOING TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND UTEP WILL JUST BE TAKING A BIT OF IT FOR ADMINISTRATION. AND THEY CAME TO US BECAUSE ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY HAVEN'T HANDLED $20 MILLION BEFORE. AND IN FACT, SOME OF THEM ARE JUST NOW GETTING NONPROFIT STATUS. SO WE FELT LIKE UTEP WITH OUR, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITIES TO HANDLE GRANTS OF THAT SIZE WOULD, WOULD, WOULD BE A GOOD PARTNER. AND WE SUPPORT ALL THE PROJECTS TOO. BUT WE'RE REALLY THERE TO LEND A HAND IN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER LEON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION? YES, YES, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LEON, SECOND BY JUDGE SAMANIEGO. THE VOTING IS OPEN AND THIS IS FOR BOTH. CORRECT? YES. FOR BOTH A AND B, EIGHT A AND EIGHT B. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. AMAZIN.

WE DO HAVE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT BACK ON THE PHONE. SO WE'LL GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER SIX. PUBLIC COMMENT. OUR FIRST SPEAKER WE HAVE MISS ELIZABETH CRAWFORD. JUST AS A REMINDER, THERE IS A FIVE MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. GOOD MORNING. ELIZABETH. GO AHEAD, MISS

[6. PUBLIC COMMENT]

CRAWFORD. YOU'RE MUTED ON YOUR END. IF YOU HAVE THE MUTED ENABLED. AND RELATED TO THE TOPIC OF ABORTION, WE'RE TOLD IN GOD'S WORD JOHN CHAPTER 844 THE LORD JESUS SAID, SPEAKING OF THE DEVIL, HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING AND ABODE NOT IN THE TRUTH, BECAUSE THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. WHEN HE SPEAKS, HE SPEAKS A LIE. HE SPEAKS OF HIS OWN, FOR HE IS A LIAR, AND THE FATHER OF IT. AS A CHILD, I USED TO LOVE HALLOWEEN. I'M SAD TO ADMIT THAT IT WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE DAYS OF THE YEAR. AFTER SPENDING TIME WITH BRAZILIAN CHRISTIANS LATER IN LIFE AND

[00:30:03]

SEEING THEIR SHOCK AT MY ATTITUDE TOWARD HALLOWEEN, I LISTENED CAREFULLY AND MY ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES CHANGED AT THE CORE. WHAT'S WRONG WITH HALLOWEEN? AS IT MAKES A JOKE OF THINGS THAT ARE ABSOLUTE REALITY DEATH, HELL, AND SATAN? THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES, GOD'S WORD SAYS IT SAYS IT IS BETTER TO GO TO THE HOUSE OF MOURNING THAN TO GO TO THE HOUSE OF FEASTING, FOR THAT IS THE END OF ALL MAN, AND THE LIVING WILL LAY IT TO HIS HEART. WHY? BECAUSE IT MAKES US THINK ABOUT THE REALITIES OF THIS LIFE IN OUR NATION. WE HAVE EUPHEMIZED, ABORTION, GASLIGHTING THE PUBLIC, REFERENCING IT AS WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, RIGHTS FOR WOMEN TO ALL WHO WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS NONSENSE WAY OF SPEAKING THAT SEEKS TO ASSIGN DIGNITY TO ABORTION, I SIMPLY URGE YOU TO TAKE A FIELD TRIP TO NEW JERSEY OR ONE OF THE FEW OTHER PLACES IN OUR NATION TO THE HAUNTED HOUSE, WHERE YOU CAN LITERALLY STAND DIRECTLY OUTSIDE THE DOOR OF AN ABORTION MILL RIGHT NEXT TO THE DOOR. IT'S LIKE A SURREAL EXPERIENCE WHEN THAT DOOR OPENS, A YOUNG LADY COMES LIMPING OUT AT TIMES WITH HER JEANS SOILED, OFTEN CRYING, VOMITING WITH AN ACCOMPANYING YOUNG MAN OR FAMILY MEMBER. THE INTENSE CHEMICAL SMELL THAT DRIFTS OUT OF THE DOOR TO COVER OVER THE SMELL OF THE BABIES WHOSE BODY PARTS HAVE BEEN PULLED OUT OF THE WOMB. IT'S LIKE STANDING OUTSIDE A FUNERAL HOME ONLY A BILLION TIMES WORSE, REALLY, INFINITELY WORSE. THIS MONTH IS PREGNANCY AND INFANT LOSS AWARENESS MONTH.

IT'S NECESSARY TO POINT OUT THAT THOUGH NOW BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL AISLE ARE MAKING CRAZY STATEMENTS, THERE IS NOTHING RADICAL ABOUT STANDING UP AGAINST BABIES HAVING THEIR LIMBS RIPPED OFF OF THEM. OUR JOY AND STANDING OUTSIDE THE ABORTION CENTER IS, OF COURSE, WHEN THE LADIES CHANGE THEIR MINDS BEFORE ENTERING, AND TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DIRECT LADIES WHO ALREADY TOOK ONE ABORTION PILL TO STOP, GO ON TO THE ABORTION PILL REVERSAL.COM WEBSITE AND NOT GO THROUGH WITH IT. AND OUR DEEP COMFORT AND JOY AT THE ABORTION CENTERS IS ALSO TO SPEAK TO THE YOUNG LADIES AND MEN AFTERWARDS ABOUT THE FORGIVENESS THAT CAN ONLY BE FOUND THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. JESUS SAID IN JOHN CHAPTER TEN IS RECORDED THAT JESUS SAID, THE THIEF, REFERRING TO SATAN, COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND TO KILL AND TO DESTROY. BUT JESUS SAID, I AM COME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE AND THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU ELIZABETH. HAVE A GOOD DAY.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU SIR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER. WE HAVE VANESSA TENA.

GOOD MORNING VANESSA. GOOD MORNING JUDGE. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. I AM HERE WITH A FRIENDLY REMINDER AND EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS WEEKEND IS THE FALL FESTIVAL HAPPENING AT ASCARATE PARK. THINGS HAVE COME TOGETHER BEAUTIFULLY. WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO UTILIZE THIS BEAUTIFUL SPACE. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, ALL OF EL PASO, COMING OVER TO SKATE AT THE PARK. WE WANT THEM TO REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE AND SEE HOW THAT PARK CAN BE THE BACKDROP OF A LOT OF WONDERFUL COMMUNITY EVENTS AND MEMORIES. SO WE'LL KICK OFF THE FALL FESTIVAL AT 5 P.M, WHERE THE FESTIVAL AREA IS, AND THEN AT 6 P.M, THE ZOMBIE RUN WILL TAKE PLACE AROUND THE LAKE. SPEAKING WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER ACTUALLY WALKED THAT PATH AROUND THE LAKE. SO THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO DO SO. WE HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE COMING OUT FOR THE TRUNK OR TREAT AS WELL, SO THAT THIS IS ALSO AN OPEN INVITATION FOR ANY OF OUR COUNTY FAMILY TO COME OUT FOR THEIR TRUNK OR TREAT. COME HANG OUT WITH US. WE'LL HAVE AN INFLATABLE MOVIE SCREEN SHOWING SOME OF THE FAMILY HALLOWEEN MOVIES, A STAGE WITH MUSIC. SO IT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY, REALLY FUN EVENT. SO WE'RE WE'RE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING THIS SPACE FOR THE EVENT TO HAPPEN. AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. AND WE WELCOME EVERYONE. IT'S AN EXCITING EVENT AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING TO ORGANIZE IT. THANK YOU VANESSA. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT DAY. TAKE CARE. AND THAT COMPLETES ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC. YES. GO AHEAD GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONER CORONADO OKAY. YES I WANT TO FORMALLY, YOU KNOW, INVITE EVERYBODY THIS SATURDAY. WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING ANOTHER OUR THIRD TREE PLANTING EVENT AT GALLEGOS PARK SATURDAY MORNING AT 8:00. AND THERE WILL BE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THERE. SO IT'LL BE KIND OF LIKE A MINI FESTIVAL THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THERE AT GALLEGOS PARK. AND WE'RE THIS WILL MARK THE 100TH MATURE TREES THAT WE'VE PLANTED AT GALLEGOS PARK. AND SO JUST WANT TO INVITE

[00:35:07]

THE PUBLIC AND THE COURT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB THERE AT GALLEGOS. IT'S COMING ALONG. TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT. THANK YOU. THAT COMPLETES PUBLIC COMMENT. ARE WE READY FOR SEVEN A YEAH. CAN WE GO CAN WE DO EIGHT. OH YES. YES WE'RE READY FOR SEVEN. EIGHT OKAY OKAY. ITEM SEVEN PRESENTATION SEVEN A RECEIVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE EL PASO SPORTS COMMISSION REGARDING ITS QUARTERLY STATUS REPORT. WELCOME. ONE MORE. GOOD MORNING JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS.

[7. PRESENTATION]

[A. Receive a presentation from the El Paso Sports Commission regarding its quarterly status report. Melissa Carrillo, Executive Director, County Operations, 915-546-2162]

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. OMAR FROM THE EL PASO SPORTS COMMISSION. WE'RE HERE TO PRESENT A QUOTA NUMBER FOR OUR END OF YEAR REPORT FROM AUGUST TO SEPTEMBER ON THE MENU MANAGEMENT SIDE AND EVENTS WE KICKED OFF JULY WITH PALOMAS NORTENO. THAT IS THE FOUR LEGENDS COMING IN AND THIS IS A NICE CONCEPT THAT IT WAS A REALLY ALMOST A SELL OUT CROWD.

WE DID CLOSE TO 35 PRODUCE, 35 HOTEL ROOMS AND STAFFED OVER 127 PEOPLE FOR THAT SHOW. WE HAD ON THE PAVILION THE SUNDAY MARKETS. WE DO THIS EVERY MONTH AND IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN CATCHING UP AND WE JUST RECENTLY HAD ONE THIS SATURDAY WE MOVED IT. WE MOVED IT TO SATURDAY EVENING, THIS PAST SATURDAY, AND BECAUSE WE HAD THE RHINOS AND WE HAD A SMALL EVENT AND IT WAS JUST A GREAT SHOW, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO START MOVING IT TO SATURDAY EVENING MARKETS BECAUSE SUNDAYS, SUNDAYS WORK. BUT NOW WITH THE WINTER AND EVERYTHING, IT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MOVE IT. ON AUGUST WE HAVE CAM CON WHICH WAS LIKE A COMIC CON. WE HAD THE ONE OF THE PERFORMERS WHO DOES THE VOICE OF DRAGON BALL THERE AND A LOT OF A LOT OF NERDS WERE THERE AND THEY THEY REALLY ENJOYED IT.

TONY IS HERE ALSO. WE HAD THE ARMY DEPLOYMENT JUDGE YOU WERE ABLE TO BE THERE. AND WHAT AN EMOTIONAL TIME. YOU KNOW THEIR FAMILIES CAN SAY GOODBYE TO THEIR TO THEIR LOVED ONES BEING DEPLOYED. THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE COMING BACK. THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE SEEING THEM AGAIN. HOPEFULLY. YES. BUT BUT IT WAS IT WAS A NICE GESTURE THAT THE COLISEUM DOES. SO EVERYBODY CAN BE THERE SAYING GOODBYE TO THEIR TO THEIR LOVED ONES. WE ALSO HAVE THE CONVOCATION FOR CANUTILLO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. IT WAS A NICE SETUP AND EVERYBODY WAS SO HAPPY FOR THAT COMMUNITY EVENT. WE ALSO HAD THE EL PASO FIGHTING HUNGER CONFERENCE AND WE PROVIDE ALSO WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO GET MEDICAL COVERAGE DURING THAT CONFERENCE AS WELL. IN AUGUST, WE FINISHED WITH EDICION ESPECIAL. THAT IS A REGIONAL MEXICAN GROUP THAT IS COMING, COMING UP. AND WE HAD A WE HAD A NICE, NICE LITTLE CROWD, 38 HOTEL ROOMS PRODUCED FOR THAT NIGHT, 72 PEOPLE STAFFED AND ALSO FOLLOWING THE MIXED MARTIAL ARTS AND THE CONTACT SPORTS THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUIL. WE HAD MMA WITH YOUTH AND LUIS HENRIQUEZ. THIS IS A THIS IS A SHOW THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IN 2023. AND FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, WE NEEDED TO MOVE IT AND MOVE IT. AND FINALLY WE COULD WE COULD HAVE IT. AND PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY VERY ANXIOUS TO SEE HIM PLAY. AND ALSO IN AUGUST, EVERY EVERY TWO MONTHS, WE HAVE USCIS CEREMONY WHERE PEOPLE GET THEIR NATURALIZATION, THEIR THEIR CITIZENSHIP AND WE HAD 400 PEOPLE RECEIVE THEIR CITIZENSHIP. THAT THAT MORNING IN AUGUST. AND ALSO WE DID PREP ONE MEDIA. THIS IS FOR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL AND OTHER SPORTS. CHEERLEADING, WHERE THEY GET TO HAVE KIND OF A MEDIA DAY WHERE LOCAL MEDIA, THEY GET INTERVIEWED, THEY GET THEIR PICTURES FOR POSSIBLE RECRUITMENT. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH, WITH, WITH PREP ONE IN AUGUST AND MANUEL, WHICH IS EL REY AZUL, AND HE CAME TO SING HIS HIS GREATEST HITS. AND IT WAS IT WAS A REALLY GOOD CROWD AS WELL. AND WE HAD A ROCK, VERY HARD ROCK WITH LAMB OF GOD. TOTAL ROOMS OCCUPIED TEN BECAUSE THEY, THEY USUALLY BRING IN BUSSES. THEY'RE USUALLY BUS THE ROCK WAY AND OVER 100 PEOPLE FOR STAFFING. IN AUGUST WE WORKED WITH THE FBI. THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SECRET BUT GATHER

[00:40:01]

ATTENTION OF THE MEDIA. BUT WE WERE PART OF THAT TOP SECRET OPERATION WHERE THEY BROUGHT DOWN GANG MEMBERS AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, YOU KNOW, CLOSED DOORS. NOBODY WAS SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT IT GOT ON FITFAM AND THE MEDIA STARTED TO COVER IT. BUT WE DID A VERY SUCCESSFUL OPERATION IN WORKING WITH THE FBI AND PRETTY MUCH EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT LEVEL ON THE ON THE THREE LEVELS, YOU KNOW, LOCAL, STATE AND, AND FEDERAL. AND IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL OPERATION, AND THEY WERE VERY GRATEFUL FOR US TO BE COORDINATED AND HELPING THEM IN, IN BRINGING DOWN THIS, THIS GANG ACTIVITY. OMAR, BEFORE YOU. YES, SIR. THAT'S VERY INTERESTING. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED. WERE THOSE ARRESTS TAKE PLACE ON COLISEUM GROUNDS? THEY THEY USED THEY USED THE COLISEUM AS A CENTER OF OPERATION. COMMISSIONER. AND WE WORK FOR THEM FOR WEEKS PLANNING THIS IN A IN A AND WE PICKED A DATE THAT WE KNEW THAT WE COULD CLOSE DOWN THE ENTIRE COLISEUM INSIDE. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH INFORMATION I CAN GIVE ABOUT THIS, BUT INSIDE AND WE HAD PATROL CARS OF LIKE, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, POLICE OFFICERS, SHERIFFS, CONSTABLES, BORDER PATROLS, EVERYBODY. AND THEY WOULD DO THE ARREST WHEREVER THEY WERE, BRING THEM TO THE COLISEUM, AND THAT'S WHERE THEY WERE GOING TO BE PROCESSED. THEY EVEN HAD A JUDGE INSIDE SO THEY COULD IMMEDIATELY DO THE PROCESSING AND JUST TAKE THEM TO WHEREVER THEY WERE GOING TO. THEY WERE NEEDED TO SOME OF THEM, I BELIEVE THEY WERE EVEN FLOWN OUT. THANK YOU. I'M GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE. YES, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T KNOW IF WE WERE ALLOWED TO ACTUALLY ADVERTISE, BUT SINCE IT WAS ALREADY OUT IN THE OPEN WITH MEDIA COVERING IT, WE'RE JUST INFORMING YOU THAT WE WERE PART OF THAT. WE HAD THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY FOR JEFFERSON ALSO VERY, VERY PROUD TO BE A PART OF THAT 75TH DIAMOND CELEBRATION. I BELIEVE EVERYBODY GOT A HAD A LOT OF FUN THAT NIGHT. ALSO IN SEPTEMBER, WE HOSTED THE GRADUATION FOR THE EL PASO SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND IT WAS THE BIGGEST GRADUATION EVER. WE IT WAS MORE THAN 40 OFFICERS FOR SHERIFF. AND WE'RE ALREADY PLANNING FOR A BIGGER ONE IN DECEMBER. WE ALSO IN SEPTEMBER, WE HAD THE COUNTY FAIR GALA AND WE ENDED UP WITH, WELL, IT WAS ACTUALLY THE EL PASO COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION WEEK, AND WE ENDED UP DOING THE GALA ON FRIDAY AT THE COLISEUM THE NEXT THE FOLLOWING WEEK, WE HAD CHARTING THE COURSE. COMMISSIONERS DID HONOR US WITH HIS PRESENCE TO TALK TO THE KIDS OVER THERE AS WELL. THE FOLLOWING DAY, WE HAD THE COUNTY VETERANS LUNCHEON AND THAT WEEKEND WE ENDED UP WITH CAMILO. HE'S A VERY RENOWNED POP SINGER AND FROM COLOMBIA. AND HE HE STOPPED IN EL PASO IN HIS WORLD TOUR. AS FOR SPORTS TOURISM, TONY, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP ME WITH THIS ONE. HI, TONY RODRIGUEZ WITH THE SPORTS COMMISSION. WELCOME, TONY. GOOD MORNING. IN JULY, WE HELPED SPONSOR WITH THE SHOWCASE. WE PROVIDE SPONSORSHIP, HELP WITH HOTEL REFERRALS AND KIND OF LIAISON WITH THE SPORTS PARK AND MAKING SURE IT'S AVAILABLE IN THE FIELDS. WE HAD TEAMS FROM ABILENE, LUBBOCK, ALBUQUERQUE, TUCSON, SO DEFINITELY ABOUT 29 TEAMS FROM OUT OF TOWN THAT CAME IN FOR THIS TOURNAMENT ON TOP OF THE LOCAL TEAMS. SO GOOD ON THA. ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE DID TO ENJOYED IT, BOXING AT THE LAKE WORKED WITH WARRIORS EDGE BOXING AND AS WELL AS THE COUNTY PARKS AND SETTING THIS UP. GREAT NIGHT OF BOXING. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IT AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER OF NEXT YEAR. WE GOT LUCKY BECAUSE IT WAS IN JULY. IT WAS WE WERE AFRAID THERE WAS GOING TO BE A LITTLE HOT. THERE WAS A HUGE STORM, BUT IT WENT RIGHT AROUND THE SCOTUS. SO IT ENDED UP BEING A GREAT NIGHT OUT THERE. AND I THINK. IS THERE A VIDEO? YES. YEAH.

IT'S AMAZING. YOU KNOW, PASO'S BEEN WAITING FOR THIS. EL PASO'S BEEN WAITING TO BRING HISTORY TO THE FUTURE. I MEAN, THIS IS EXCITING. YOU'VE GOT IT'S GOT ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC PARKS IN OUR IN OUR COUNTY. THEN YOU'VE GOT BOXING. EVERYBODY LOVES. IT'S GOING TO DRAW PEOPLE FROM

[00:45:02]

JUAREZ AND DRAW PEOPLE FROM LAS CRUCES. THIS IS AN EXCITING NIGHT. AND IT HAPPENED PRETTY QUICKLY. AND LOOK AT THE CROWD BEHIND ME, THE PASSION, THE FIGHTERS, THEY GET TO SHOWCASE THEIR FIGHTING. WHAT MORE CAN WE ASK FOR HERE AT ASCARATE PARK? WE ALSO WANT TO BE JUST THE BEST PLACE FOR BOXERS TO COME, ESPECIALLY AMATEURS. WE'VE GOT SOME INCREDIBLE TALENT FROM TOURISM TO, YOU KNOW, HAVING SPORTS HERE. GREAT JOB. YOU KNOW IT'S A LITTLE IT'S A LITTLE NERVE RACKING LIKE SEEING ALL THESE PEOPLE COMING TO WATCH YOU. BUT IT'S PRETTY COOL BECAUSE LIKE, IT'S LIKE THE CROWD, THEY ALL GET TO SEE WHAT YOU COULD DO. ALL THAT HARD WORK YOU'VE BEEN PUTTING IN. SO, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, I REALLY LIKE IT. IT'S GOOD THAT WE HAVE AN OUTSIDE EVENT. IT'S PRETTY COOL. AND THEN NOW WE HAVE FOOD TRUCKS, TACO TRUCKS, SNACKS, CHIPS. IT'S PRETTY COOL. NOW EL PASO HOSTS THESE FIGHTS SO PEOPLE CAN GET FIGHTS. OH, SO JUST ANOTHER COOL NIGHT OF BOXING AT THE LAKE. LIKE I SAID, GREAT. WORKING WITH WARRIORS AT THE BOXING AND THE AND THE STAFF AT US GOT TO PUT THIS TOGETHER AND THEN FOLLOWED UP WITH RING WARS. SO WE HAD STEPHANIE HAHN FIGHT FOR THE TITLE. SHE WON. SO THAT'S GREAT. SO WE'LL LOOK TO HAVING HER FIGHT DEFEND THAT TITLE NEXT YEAR. BUT WE DO HAVE RAIN WARS COMING BACK IN DECEMBER. SO GEORGE TOVAR, WHO WAS THE CO-MAIN EVENT, WILL BE THE MAIN EVENT FOR THIS FIGHT COMING UP IN NOVEMBER I THINK I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY NOVEMBER. YEAH, ANOTHER GREAT EVENT THAT CAME HERE TO THEY BROUGHT THIS BACK THE LATINO YOUTH WORLD BASKETBALL. SO WE HELPED THAT ORGANIZATION WITH SPONSORSHIP, RENTING THE GYM, SCOUTING THE GYMS, HOTEL REFERRALS AND WITH THE HOTEL REDUCED HOTEL RATES. SO ABOUT 160 ROOMS OCCUPIED. THEY STAYED ABOUT THREE NIGHTS, GET STARTED ON FRIDAY AND WENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AND THEN OF COURSE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT HOCKEY, THE RHINOS STARTED, THEY HAD THEIR THEIR CAMP BROUGHT IN ABOUT 50 PLAYERS FROM ALL OVER EUROPE, CANADA, EAST COAST, WEST COAST. THEY WANT TO PLAY HERE IN EL PASO, HOCKEY IN THE DESERT. AND THEN THE EL PASO ADULT SENIOR OPEN BIG TOURNAMENT. THEIR PRIZE IS $15,000, PROVIDED SPONSORSHIP FUNDS, REFERRALS, HOTEL REFERRALS AND NEGOTIATED RATES.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE SAME EL PASO TENNIS CLUB FOR A TOURNAMENT IN NOVEMBER. AND THEN WE GOT THE TITLE OF EL PASO SPORTS COMMISSION OPEN, SO THAT'LL BE PRETTY COOL. AND THEN ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE ANNOUNCED TO THE MIDDLE PICTURE, WE ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING. I KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER WHEN SHE WAS HERE. PREVIOUS COUNCIL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING, BUT WE HAD ALL THE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS FROM THE COUNTY OF EL PASO, CITY OF EL PASO AND TALKING WITH THE NFL AND BRINGING HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL. SO THAT WAS AUGUST. AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER THEY CAME BACK, HAD ANOTHER MEETING WITH THEM, GOT ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ON BOARD. WE WENT OUT TO BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL, I BELIEVE CANUTILLO AS WELL. WE WENT TO EASTWOOD. WE WENT TO LAREDO ACADEMY. SO DEFINITELY GET THAT GOING. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE BIG EVENTS THAT WE HAVE COMING UP NEXT YEAR IN MAY WITH THE COACHES CLINIC. SO THE NFL IS HAPPY TO BE HERE. THEY LOVE EL PASO AND THEY LOOK FORWARD TO A BIG, BIG TOURNAMENT COMING UP. BUT WE GOT A LITTLE MORE TAKEOVER. THE NFL FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE IS NOW GOING TO GENERATE HOTEL ROOMS. BUT IT'S A LEAGUE THAT WILL WILL BE CREATING. AND JUST TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, IT'S GOING TO BE AN OLYMPIC SPORT IN THE NEXT OLYMPICS. SO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THE GIRLS FROM EL PASO THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY FLAG FOOTBALL AND MAYBE GO INTO THE NEXT LEVEL. IF U-I-L GETS IT. IF NOT, IT'S A CLUB. BUT BUT THEY CAN GET SCHOLARSHIPS IN A HIGHER DEGREE UNIVERSITY, YOU KNOW, DEGREE THROUGH A SCHOLARSHIP TO FLAG FOOTBALL AND MAYBE GO ON FORWARD. THE NFL HAS THE PLAN TO MAKE THIS A PROFESSIONAL SPORT. YOU ALREADY SEE IT ON ESPN. SO THIS IS GOING TO GO GROW BIG. THERE'S A FEW A FEW CITIES ONLY IN THE COUNTRY THAT ARE DOING THIS MAKING THIS HAPPEN. HOUSTON IS ONE OF THEM. AND IT'S ONLY HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT KNOW WHAT IT'S DOING. EL PASO IS MAKING SOMETHING THAT NOBODY ELSE IS DOING. WE'VE GATHERED THE EIGHT SCHOOL DISTRICTS LOCALLY TO GET TOGETHER AND FOCUS INTO ONE SINGLE OBJECTIVE AND ONE MISSION. SO THIS IS THIS IS A BIG DEAL. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO ACTUALLY CONGRATULATE EVERYBODY BECAUSE OF MAKING IT HAPPEN. I MEAN, EIGHT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOT EASY TO PUT THEM TOGETHER TO MAKE THEM GO INTO ONE SINGLE GOAL. AND EVERYBODY SAID YES WITHOUT THINKING IT TWICE. AND, AND YOU WERE THERE, COMMISSIONER AND A JUDGE. YOU WERE THERE WHEN, WHEN THEY ALL SAID YES, WE AGREED. WE GO FORWARD AND THE

[00:50:05]

NFL IS SUPER EXCITED TO HELP US. SO LET ME GIVE YOU THE QUARTERLY REPORT. SO THIS IS OUR END OF YEAR FINANCIAL REPORT. WE THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR CONSECUTIVE FIRST TIME EVER THAT WE GENERATE OVER $1 MILLION IN REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY. NEVER BEFORE HAPPENED. AND THIS SPORTS TOURISM HOTEL NIGHTS WE GENERATED OVER 14,000 HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS IN COMPARISON TO 40, 40, 400 THAT WE DID LAST YEAR. SO THE NUMBERS ARE THERE AND WE WERE JUST THE BAR IS SET AND NOW, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A WE GOT A GOAL FOR NEXT YEAR. YEAH. THAT'S IT OMAR. YES, SIR. IF I MAY JUDGE. ALSO A REMINDER THAT YOU HOSTED THE GUN BUYBACK. I DIDN'T SEE IT IN YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT IT WAS TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL. WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT IN SEPTEMBER. IT'S STILL HOT. AND BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION, EVERYBODY WAS COMFORTABLE. WE WERE UNDER A CANOPY. OUR GUESTS, THE DONORS WERE ALSO IN THE SHADE, AND WE PICKED UP ALMOST 500 WEAPONS THAT HAVE BEEN MELTED DOWN, AND NOW IT'S BECOME A TOYOTA PICKUP SOMEPLACE. BUT I GOT TO TELL YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. WE HAD RESTROOM FACILITIES, ICE. WE HAD FANS. IT WAS VERY NICE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND FOR THE PEOPLE TURNING IN THEIR WEAPONS ALSO. SO THANK YOU FOR A GREAT JOB. MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT NOT PUTTING IT IN IN THE REPORT, COMMISSIONER. YOU'RE RIGHT. BUT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT AND THANK YOU. AND YOUR TEAM, COMMISSIONER OMAR AND TONY. YOU KNOW, IT'S ALMOST LIKE EL PASO THAT THE SCOUT AT THE HOUSE, EVERYBODY'S SAYING, BOY, I WENT BACK AND IT'S AMAZING. I CAN TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME TO ME AND SAID, WOW, I HADN'T BEEN TO THE COLISEUM. I REALLY LIKE IT. YOU KNOW? IT'S REALLY ENJOYABLE. IT'S DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I THOUGHT THEY THOUGHT. FOR SOME REASON, THEY HADN'T SEEN IT IN TEN YEARS AND HAD DETERIORATED OR SOMETHING.

BUT BUT YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. BOTH OF YOU, IN BRINGING INDIVIDUALS FROM OUTSIDE OF EL PASO TO RECOGNIZE, LIKE FROM THE NFL AND ALL THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. WE HAVE A VERY ATHLETIC COMMUNITY, VERY SUCCESSFUL ATHLETES IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING THEM. AND MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN EL PASO. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON IS HOW YOU ENHANCE ANYTHING THAT COMES OVER. I KNOW THE MAGAZINE, THE CITY MAGAZINE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO COME HERE FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS ARE SAYING THAT JEFFERSON, OF COURSE, VERY INCREDIBLE THE WAY YOU HANDLED IT, THE WAY YOU DRESSED IT UP FOR JEFFERSON, IT WAS QUITE A LOT BETTER THAN MOST PEOPLE WOULD BELIEVE IT WAS GOING TO BE. SO THIS IDEA OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TAKING CARE OF THOSE THAT COME TO THE COLISEUM MEANS A LOT TO US, AND I'M SURE TO THE TO THE COMMISSIONERS. SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT EFFORT, ALL THAT ENERGY THAT GOES IN. I KNOW YOU GUYS SOMETIMES LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE ON 24 HOURS A DAY, BUT ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT ICONIC PLACE EVEN MORE ICONIC. THANK YOU BOTH AND YOUR TEAM AS WELL. THANK YOU. IT'S A COMBINED COMBINED EFFORT. SHOUT OUT TO ERIC HERNANDEZ AND JJ FROM FACILITY MAINTENANCE OF THE COUNTY. I MEAN WE'VE BEEN WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THEM AND WE CREATED A TEAM THAT'S BEEN HELPING US IN PRETTY MUCH EVERY DEVELOPMENT. WE PUT THEM UNDER THE RADAR FOR THEM AND WE HAVE THEIR BLESSING AND WE GO AHEAD AND DO IT. CURRENTLY, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE PROJECTS RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THEM. WHEN WE FINISH THEM, WE WILL PUT IT IN THE NEXT, NEXT REPORT, HOPEFULLY INCLUDING THE BILLBOARD WHICH IS COMING ALONG REALLY GOOD. MAKE THAT FLAG FOOTBALL HAPPEN. I MEAN, THAT IS GOING TO BE IT'S SO UNIQUE. I MEAN, ALL THESE COMMUNITIES, THEY WERE VERY SURPRISED ABOUT HOW ALL THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAME TOGETHER. THEY FELT IT WAS LIKE LIKE YOU SAID, JUST HOUSTON HAS ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT HERE EVERYBODY WAS IN. AND I THINK THAT'S EL PASO. THAT'S WHAT EL PASO IS ALL ABOUT. AND YOU'RE EMBRACING WHO WE ARE. SO THANK YOU. I DO WANT TO MENTION AND IT'LL BE IN THE NEXT REPORT. BUT I JUST SO YOU GUYS CAN IT'LL BE I'LL PUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA BUT JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE DID THREE EVENTS AT THE SAME TIME ON THE SAME DAY. SO WE HAD IN THE COLISEUM WITH ABOUT 3000 PEOPLE. WE USED THE PAVILION TO HOLD THE HALLOWEEN TOWN MARKET, WHICH HAD OVER ABOUT 500 PEOPLE, AND THEN YOU HAD A CLOSE TO SELL OUT WITH THE RHINOS GAME. SO ONE THING I WAS WORRIED ABOUT TOO, BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING AWAY SOME OF THE PARKING, BUT WE KIND OF CHALLENGED IT, SAW WHAT WE COULD DO. WE ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ZOO. BUT JUST TO SHOW YOU THAT ALL THAT PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE THERE, YOU ALL HAVE THERE, WE'RE USING IT.

SO LIKE I SAID, WE HAD A CONCERT, A MARKET, AND RHINOS GAME ON THE SAME DAY AT THE SAME

[00:55:03]

TIME. WOW. SO WE'LL SHOW THAT IN THE NEXT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM WILL BE EIGHT C. DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE EASTSIDE CENTRAL COALITION. APPLICATION FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL

[C. Discuss and take appropriate action regarding a letter of support for the Eastside-Central Coalition application for an Environmental Protection Agency Community Change Grant to establish Eastside-Central El Paso as an Electric Charging Vehicle Life Cycle (ECVLC) Center of Excellence. (6229-OP) David Stout, Commissioner, Precinct 2, 915-546-2111]

PROTECTION AGENCY, COMMUNITY CHANGE GRANT TO ESTABLISH EASTSIDE CENTRAL EL PASO AS AN ELECTRIC CHARGING VEHICLE. LIFE CYCLE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE OPINION NUMBER 6229.

COMMISSIONER STOUT, THANK YOU JUDGE. SO YOU KNOW, WE HEARD ABOUT SOME OTHER LETTERS OF SUPPORT. THIS IS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR. THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR. IT WOULD NOT ONLY BE SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT, BUT ALSO JUST JUST AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO LET YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT THE CONTEXT OF THE EASTSIDE CENTRAL COALITION'S WORK AND HOW THIS PROJECT WOULD FIT INTO IT. MICHAEL DAVIS, WHO IS THE SON OF AUSTIN DAVIS, WHO RAN AUSTIN'S EASTSIDE BARBERSHOP FOR MANY, MANY YEARS DECADES, IS HERE. AND HE'S BEEN WORKING FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. WELL, PROBABLY MORE THAN MORE THAN THAT YEARS TO MEMORIALIZE HIS MOTHER'S WORKS AND SET IN THE CONTEXT OF THE HISTORIC BLACK COMMUNITY HERE IN EL PASO, WHICH IS IN THE AREA BETWEEN ALAMEDA AND MONTANA AND INCLUDES AS MAJOR NORTH SOUTH STREETS, PIEDRAS AND COPIA, THOUSANDS OF BLACK EL PASOANS LIVED IN THIS AREA, OWNED BUSINESSES, WENT TO SCHOOLS AND SO ON. AND THAT IS ONE ASPECT THAT THAT HE'S BEEN WORKING ON TO RECOVER THOSE UNTOLD STORIES HERE FOR EL PASO. BUT HE'S ALSO WORKING ON A RESTORATION PROJECT ON SUPPORTING EXISTING BUSINESSES AND IN CREATING NEW HISTORY THROUGH ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT HIS GRANT APPLICATION IS ABOUT. AND HE HAS A SHORT PRESENTATION THAT WILL EXPLAIN BOTH THE APPLICATION AND THE CONTEXT. AND SO WITH THAT, MR. DAVIS, THE PODIUM IS YOURS.

THANK YOU FOR THE INTRODUCTION, JUDGE AND THE COMMISSIONERS. IT'S BEEN AROUND, IN FACT, YOU SAVED ME ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO GO INTO GREAT DETAIL ABOUT THE BACKGROUND OF THIS. BUT REAL QUICKLY, AS MENTIONED, MISS DAVIS, AS THEY CALL HER MISS AUSTIN, RETIRED AFTER 70 YEARS RUNNING THAT BARBERSHOP IN THE SAME PLACE ON 106 NORTH PIEDRAS. THE CLOSING OF THAT BARBERSHOP, THOUGH, ENDED A ALMOST A LONG PERIOD OF TIME WHERE BLACK BUSINESSES ACTUALLY OPERATED FROM DOWNTOWN THROUGH SECOND WARD, ACROSS THROUGH ALAMEDA PIEDRAS, UP TO ALMOST FIVE POINTS AND AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THAT WAS WHAT WE, AS THE COMMISSION MENTIONED, WAS CONSIDERED THE BLACK BUSINESS AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY WE ARE HONORING AND JUST GOT APPROVED BY THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, A HISTORICAL MARKER THAT WILL BE PLACED ON THE CORNER OF ALAMEDA AND PIEDRAS, HONORING ALL OF THE BLACK BUSINESSES THAT WERE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED AND HIGHLIGHTED IN THE STILL WE RISE EXHIBIT AT THE EL PASO MUSEUM OF HISTORY. THAT EXHIBIT STARTED IN FEBRUARY 23RD, AND IT ENDED IN MAY 2024. IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST WELL ATTENDED EXHIBITS THEY HAD AT THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY. WE'VE NOW TAKEN A STEP FURTHER. WE'RE ACTUALLY PRODUCING A BLACK HISTORY BROCHURE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EL PASO MUSEUM OF HISTORY, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE IT PUBLISHED ALONG WITH THE EL PASO COUNTY HISTORY COMMISSION, HISTORICAL COMMISSION, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE IT PUBLISHED IN LATE NOVEMBER, 1ST DECEMBER. IT WILL BE HOUSED NOT ONLY AT THE EL PASO MUSEUM OF HISTORY AT THE CIVIC CENTER, BUT ALSO AT THE MCCALL CENTER ON WYOMING, WHERE MY GODMOTHER AND MY MOTHER FOUNDED THAT. THAT INSTITUTION.

AND THEN IT WOULD ALSO BE HELD AT THE AT THE BUSINESS BLACK BUSINESS MUSEUM. THAT WILL BE LOCATED INSIDE THE BARBERSHOP. WE HOPE TO HAVE THE GRAND OPENING ON THAT. THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER. SO EVERYONE WILL BE GET AN INVITATION TO COME OUT AND SEE IT. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE HISTORY OF THE BLACK BUSINESSES FROM 1890 TO SEPTEMBER 2022, AND THEN YOU WILL GET TO ALSO SEE THE PLAN THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF TECHNOLOGY INTO THIS QUARTER, THE ALAMEDA CORRIDOR, WHERE WE WILL HOPEFULLY BEGIN TO PLANT A SEED FORWARD FOR A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF GROWTH THAT WE HAVE NOT WE HAVEN'T SEEN IN A WHILE. OUR GOAL IS THROUGH THE EASTSIDE CENTRAL COALITION IS TO WORK WITH THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY FROM TEXAS STREET ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ALAMEDA CORRIDOR AND START INTRODUCING TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY

[01:00:03]

LIKE THE ELECTRIC CHARGING VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM. AND NOT ONLY INTRODUCE THE SYSTEMS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, INTRODUCE TO AND COORDINATE THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THOSE SYSTEMS. WORKING WITH THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS HERE IN EL PASO, UTEP TRADE SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY COLLEGES. AND SO WE HAVE A GRAND PLAN THAT WE'VE LAID OUT. WE'RE GOING TO USE THE COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM TO DO THAT. WE HAVE BEGAN WORKING AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHURCHES, SECOND BAPTIST, SHILOH BAPTIST VISITORS CHAPEL. THE CALL CENTER, MOUNT ZION, THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE PLACES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. WE ALSO HAVE BEGUN OUR RECON OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER OVER IN TODAY'S PROJECTS, WHERE I WAS LIVED WHEN I FIRST GREW UP. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND TAKE THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO THE COMMUNITIES RATHER THAN THE COMMUNITIES GOING TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, DOING THAT, INTEGRATING THAT WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF BUSINESSES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO BRING THEM IN, IDENTIFY WORKING WITH DIFFERENT BANK INSTITUTIONS. THE FACILITIES WHERE WE CAN START THE ASSEMBLY OF THOSE ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS, THE GOAL, THE FIRST ONE THAT WE LOOK TO PLANT WILL BE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM STEEN'S BARBERSHOP IN THE PARKING LOT. THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST CHARGING STATION THAT WE HAVE. THERE ARE NONE THAT ARE ACTUALLY LOCATED ON THE ALAMEDA CORRIDOR. PERIOD. THERE ARE 24 ON THE WEST SIDE, BUT NONE IN THIS QUARTER. AND SO OUR GOAL IS TO START FINDING A WAY THAT NOT ONE OF THE GOALS THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME, THAT THEY GAVE TO ME WAS WE WANT TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR CHILDREN WHO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY TO DO THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO BRING IN THE TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY AND THE BUSINESSES THAT WILL ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, AND WE BEGIN TO DO THAT. A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

THE GOVERNOR BROUGHT IN ELECTRIC CHARGING VEHICLE COMPANY, AND THAT COMPANY BROUGHT IN OVER 600 JOBS, DIRECT JOBS FROM MANUFACTURING THOSE FACILITIES A YEAR AGO. AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS A SIMILAR MODEL RIGHT HER. NOW, I COULD GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE CHARTS, BUT IT'S ALMOST THE SAME THING AS WHAT WE'RE WHAT WAS ALREADY BRIEFED. WELL THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I REALLY BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE HISTORY, BUT I THINK WE'VE JUST UNDERRATED OUR BLACK HISTORY IS SO INCREDIBLE. AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING THAT AS YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT. YOU KNOW, I GREW UP THAT WAS MY STOMPING AREA. JEFFERSON AND ALL OF ALAMEDA WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO US. I WAS ACTUALLY A LIFEGUARD AT THE MISSOURI SWIMMING POOL AND SO GOT TO KNOW THAT COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, VERY WELL BY BY SPENDING TIME THERE DURING THE SUMMER. SO AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT, IT JUST BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF GREAT MEMORIES OF MY RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE BLACK COMMUNITY DOWN THE BUTTS FAMILY LIVED RIGHT IN FRONT OF MISSOURI. GREAT FOOTBALL PLAYER FOR JEFFERSON. JUST I MEAN, JUST A LOT OF GREAT MEMORIES ABOUT THE HISTORY. BUT THE FRIENDSHIP THAT WE HAVE. AND I THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT BECAUSE IT IS A HUGE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE ENHANCING THAT AND GETTING OTHERS TO HAVE THAT APPRECIATION. NOW, OUR GOAL WITH THIS GRANT, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT, AS I HEARD, WAS 20 MILLION WITH MINIMUM AMOUNT BASED UPON ALL OF THE DATA AND INFORMATION THAT WE PUT INTO THE TEMPLATES, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GENERATE OVER 7.5 MILLION FOR THIS PARTICULAR EFFORT FOR TRACK ONE AND STILL MAX OUT THE SAME AMOUNT FOR TRACK THREE, I MEAN TWO. SO WE'RE ON TRACK WITH BOTH INSTITUTIONS AND HOW WE WOULD EXECUTE THE PLAN. WE HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND MANAGEMENT EXPERTISE TO DO TO RUN THE PROGRAM. THE EASTSIDE CENTRAL COALITION HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE ONE YEAR, BUT I, MIKE DAVIS, I HAVE MY OWN COMPANY AND WE HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR OVER 25 YEARS MANAGING CONTRACTS WAY OVER $150 MILLION. DAVIS PAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. SO I'LL BE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE THAT THAT IS IN PLACE AND READY TO BE ABLE TO EXECUTE. OKAY. AND I THINK THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS A COMPLETE PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE EL PASO COMMUNITY.

AND SO WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE EAST SIDE CENTRAL AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT EXECUTED GREAT JOB. THIS IS AMAZING. THANK YOU. SO, JUDGE COMMISSIONERS, WE'D BE ASKING

[01:05:06]

AGAIN, THIS IS FOR A LETTER OF SUPPORT. SO WE'D BE ASKING FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THIS. THIS GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE EASTSIDE CENTRAL COALITION. THANK YOU.

HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT, SECOND BY JUDGE SAMANIEGO. THE VOTING IS OPEN.

THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL SPEAKER WHO WOULD LIKE TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT. COULD WE GO AHEAD AND GO BACK TO PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY. WE HAVE MISS VERONICA CARBAJAL ON TEAMS. MY APOLOGIES COMMISSIONERS. GOOD MORNING. I ACTUALLY SIGNED UP JUST TO SAY GOOD MORNING ON ON OUR APPLICATION TO THE EPA GRANT. SO THAT WAS AN ERROR ON MY PART. I DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

[PUBLIC COMMENT 2]

GOOD MORNING VERONICA. SO I THINK SHE SAID SHE DID NOT HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE SHE HAD SIGNED UP FOR SHE WANTS TO MAKE RIGHT. SHE WANTS TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS EIGHT A AND EIGHT B RIGHT. I DON'T SO DO WE NEED TO READ EIGHT A AND MISS CARBAJAL, DO YOU WANT TO STILL COMMENT ON THOSE? THEY WERE APPROVED. NO, NOT AT ALL. NO. MY APOLOGIES NO WORRIES. OKAY.

THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT DAY, VERONICA. ITEM NINE. COUNTY ADMINISTRATION NINE A 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. MIGUEL, COULD

[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 M. Landeros, Director, Strategic Capital Development, 915-546-2159]

YOU ALL PULL UP AND WILL YOU ALL BE ABLE TO PLEASE ADVANCE FOR OR LET ME GO GRAB THE. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. BETSY KELLER, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, WE ARE GOING TO GO OVER A PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION TODAY. OUR TEAM IS UNABLE TO BE WITH US TODAY. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO DO A PORTION TODAY. AND THEN THE PORTION REGARDING THE CONTRACTS WITH OUR NONPROFITS. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO NEXT WEEK. BUT WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.

SO WE JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON SOME OF THESE TODAY. AS WELL AND ASK FOR ACTION ON SOME OF THESE. SO TODAY, AS YOU KNOW, OUR TOTAL ARPA BUDGET WAS $163,012,143. WE STILL HAVE A RESERVE BALANCE OF JUST UNDER $600,000. WE STILL HAVE BUDGET THAT'S AVAILABLE, BUT IS COMMITTED TO PROJECTS THAT WILL BE BEING BROUGHT BACK TO THE COURT. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS WE'D LIKE TO CLOSE OUT AND MOVE ON SO THAT WE CAN ALLOCATE THAT FUNDING APPROPRIATELY. TODAY, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CLOSEOUT OF JAIL MEDICAL PROJECTS, THE DOWNTOWN DETENTION FACILITY SECURITY REQUEST, ESTABLISHING A COUPLE NEW PROJECTS, NON-SALARIED PERSONNEL COST, AND THEN WE WILL SKIP THE NONPROFIT ASSISTANCE CONTRACT STATUS. YOU KNOW, OUR PROPOSED CLOSEOUT TIMELINE, OUR GOAL IS BY DECEMBER 19TH, YOUR FINAL MEETING THAT WE WILL HAVE CLOSED OUT AND COMMITTED ANY FUNDING UNDER ARPA. SO OF COURSE, TODAY IS A REGULAR SESSION, ARPA UPDATE NEXT WEEK ON THE WILL ACTUALLY BE BRINGING BACK A PORTION OF THIS. WE'RE DOING A PROJECT UPDATE AND CHECK IN OUR STAFF IS THIS WEEK. BY OCTOBER 31ST WE'LL DO FOLLOW UPS NOVEMBER 4TH AND 18TH ADMINISTRATIVE PROJECT CLOSEOUT AGENDA ITEMS WILL HAVE ON YOUR YOUR MEETING. AND THEN NOVEMBER 21ST A SPECIAL SESSION AGAIN ON THOSE FINAL CLOSE OUTS. DECEMBER 9TH. ANY UPDATE ON OVERALL STATUS REQUESTED LAST DATE FOR ARPA CONTRACT APPROVAL AND THEN DECEMBER 16TH. FINAL UPDATE APPROVAL OF ANY FINAL CLOSEOUTS OR REPROGRAMING. SO A SUMMARY OF THE UNENCUMBERED FUNDS. SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE. WELL, THESE PROJECTS ARE IN PROGRESS. BUT THERE'S 5.5 MILLION IN OVERTIME. AND SALARIES, PERSONNEL RELATED COSTS. WE HAVE REENTRY FACILITY UNDERWAY. PROJECT 1150 BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERWAY. 1060 JAIL MEDICAL STAFFING. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT ITEM TODAY. THE CANUTILLO WAREHOUSE IS UNDERWAY. THE JAIL, MEDICAL TESTING, SUPPLIES AND TREATMENT, THE 1.6 MILLION THERE. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT ITEM TODAY. INDUSTRY SPECIFIC PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT THAT'S UNDERWAY. THAT'S THE ARTS AND THE PROGRAMS

[01:10:03]

THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON. THEY'RE THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE 1.4 MILLION. THAT'S UNDERWAY, MISSION TRAIL ASSISTANCE, $845,000. THAT'S ALSO UNDERWAY. CREATIVE PLACEMAKING AND ART INDUSTRY SUPPORT 600,000. I'M SORRY THE INDUSTRY SPECIFIC EARLIER ARE THE ONES THAT ARE UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHERE WE'RE WORKING ON THE AGREEMENTS THERE AND THE ARTS. WE'RE WORKING ON THE AGREEMENTS AND THEN ANNEX COURTROOM TWO, BUILD OUT FOR REMOTE HEARINGS. THAT IS ALSO UNDERWAY. SO TODAY WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT JAIL, MEDICAL EXPENDITURES AND TESTING. WE'VE BEEN HOLDING THIS FUNDING AS A BACKUP TO NOT RECEIVING FEMA FUNDING. OUR FEMA FUNDING, WE'RE STILL APPEALING AND WAITING TO HEAR FROM FEMA, RATHER THAN CONTINUING TO WAIT TO HEAR FROM FEMA ON WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED THIS MONEY FOR THAT PURPOSE. WE WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE TO MOVE ALL OF THAT FUNDING INTO OUR UNALLOCATED BALANCE AND THEN FROM THAT MONEY, WE WANT TO USE THE FUNDING TO INSTEAD REIMBURSE OURSELVES SALARIES VERSUS WAITING FOR FEMA. SO THERE ARE SALARIES THAT WE CAN REIMBURSE OURSELVES FOR. FEMA MAY NOT COME IN IN TIME. THE FEMA ANSWER MAY NOT COME IN IN TIME. SO RATHER THAN CONTINUING TO WAIT TO HEAR FROM FEMA, WE'D RATHER JUST REIMBURSE OURSELVES FOR THE SALARIES AND CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE FEMA FUNDING AND SEE WHAT'S THAT AMOUNT. THE FEMA FUNDING, I BELIEVE, IS 3 MILLION. 4.2 MILLION IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING FEMA TO REIMBURSE US, BUT WE DON'T KNOW YET. SO THAT'S THAT'S THE PROPOSAL TO SWEEP THAT FUNDING. THE 6.8 MILLION, MOVE IT INTO THE UNALLOCATED, AND THEN REALLOCATE IT, WHICH WILL BE IN A LATER SLIDE TO SALARIES TO REIMBURSE OURSELVES. THE DOWNTOWN DETENTION FACILITY SECURITY UPGRADE. WE'RE REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT TO THE COUNTY FOR COVID RELATED AND PANDEMIC RESPONSE EXPENSES AT THE COUNTY DETENTION FACILITIES.

THE EXISTING BUDGET IS 3.9 MILLION. WE'RE ASKING FOR SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SECURITY MEASURES. THAT WOULD BE $172,471 ADDITIONAL. AND THIS IS TO REPLACE ALL THE SPEAKERS, THE 151 SPEAKERS THAT ARE USED FOR PAGING, FIVE ELEVATOR INTERCOMS AND SPEAKERS, AND NINE HORN TYPE SPEAKERS IN THE FACILITY. AND THIS INCLUDES THE REMOVAL OF EXISTING SPEAKERS, REWIRING, AND INSTALLING THE NEW EQUIPMENT WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS, CURRENT PROJECT. SO WE WOULD BE ASKING YOU TO AUTHORIZE TRANSFER OF FUNDS REQUIRED FROM OUR RESERVE TO THIS PROJECT FOR THE DOWNTOWN DETENTION FACILITY, AND THEN THE VIRTUAL COURTHOUSE KIOSK. WE ARE ASKING, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR RATIFICATION AND REAUTHORIZATION. SO THE FY 25 QUARTER ONE, JUST FOR THIS FIRST QUARTER THIS YEAR, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE OVERTIME AND THE FRINGE EXPENSES OF THAT OVERTIME FOR ONE EMPLOYEE WHO IS OVERSEEING THIS PROJECT TO FINALIZE ITS ROLLOUT. SO THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL $2,603. AND THEN PROJECT 1480 IS PURCHASING STAFF SUPPLEMENTS.

WE'RE ALSO ASKING TO PAY THE FIRST QUARTER FOR OVERTIME AND FRINGE FOR $23,927 FROM OCTOBER 1ST THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST. AGAIN, THIS TAKES THE COST OFF OF GENERAL FUND AND PUTS IT INTO ARPA FUNDING, AND THIS WOULD BE ALSO THROUGH THE RESERVES FROM THE RESERVES. YES, MA'AM. AND THEN A NEW PROJECT. AND I KNOW WE HAVE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO TALK ABOUT THIS ONE. AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER, YOU HAVE COMMENTS ON THIS ONE. WE'RE PROPOSING TO USE SOME OF THE REVENUE REPLACEMENT FUNDING TO PROVIDE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY NOT JUST THE RED FLOWER. WE DON'T WANT TO LIMIT IT TO JUST THE RED FLOUR BEETLE INFESTATION, BUT INTO PESTICIDE INFESTATION, PEST INFESTATION, INFESTATIONS, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE TEXAS AGRILIFE A&M EXTENSION, TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION, WE'RE RECOMMENDING A BUDGET OF $25,000 FOR THIS. IT WOULD BE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW PROJECT UNDER ARPA AND WE'D BE ASKING YOU TO AUTHORIZE US TO TRANSFER FUNDS FROM THE RESERVE FOR THIS PURPOSE. AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER. OKAY.

THANK YOU. BETSY. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT STARTED HAPPENING. WE STARTED SEEING THIS IN ABOUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, I WOULD SAY. AND IT'S JUST BEEN A PROBLEM THAT HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND WORSE AND WORSE. AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SPEAKERS TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT. WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVE RUDY CRUZ FROM THE CITY OF SOCORRO, WHERE WE'VE SEEN THE MAJORITY OF THESE

[01:15:02]

INFESTATIONS, AND THEN ALSO ORLANDO FLORES WITH TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE TO JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. UNFORTUNATELY, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I'LL LET ORLANDO DISCUSS THIS MORE. I DON'T KNOW IF WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THESE RED FLOWER BEETLES OR HOW THESE INFESTATIONS STARTED, BUT THEY'VE REALLY BECOME JUST OVERWHELMING FOR THE SOCORRO COMMUNITY. FAMILIES HAVE HAD TO THROW OUT ALL OF THE FOOD IN THEIR PANTRY. I KNOW REPRESENTATIVE CRUZ WILL MENTION THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO WORK WITH EL PASOANS, FIGHTING HUNGER TO GET PEOPLE REPLACEMENT FOOD BECAUSE THEY HAD TO THROW OUT SO MUCH. WE WERE HOPING THAT AS THE WEATHER COOLED DOWN, THE BEETLES WOULD SLOWLY START DYING OFF. UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE IT'S REMAINED SO WARM, THAT'S NOT HAPPENING. SO AT THIS POINT, THE PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST IS REALLY TO TRY TO PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE TO THE RESIDENTS OF SOCORRO AS WELL AS BUSINESSES THAT MAY ALSO BE AFFECTED, BECAUSE WE'VE ACTUALLY HEARD OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE HAD TO CLOSE RESTAURANTS, FOOD BUSINESSES, BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN INFESTED AS WELL. SO THIS IS REALLY GOING TO TAKE A COMMUNITY EFFORT TO TRY TO REALLY ERADICATE THESE BEETLES. THEY THEY FEED ON PECAN SHELLS AS A MAIN FOOD SOURCE. AND OF COURSE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, DOWN IN THE VALLEY AND I IMAGINE, COMMISSIONER CORONADO, THAT THIS HAPPENS IN YOUR PRECINCT AS WELL. BUT PECAN SHELLS ARE FREQUENTLY USED FOR DUST MITIGATION, FOR LANDSCAPING. SO IT'S A PROBLEM THAT REALLY SEEMED TO HAVE EXPLODED ON US, AND WE REALLY NEED TO COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO TRY TO ERADICATE THEM. THE PROBLEM HAS BECOME SO SEVERE THAT COMMISSIONER SID MILLER FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAS ACTUALLY PUT INTO PLACE A TASK FORCE TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE. THEY'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF SOCORRO TO DEVELOP SOME ORDINANCES EITHER LIMITING OR THE USE OF PECAN SHELLS, OR REQUIRING THE TREATMENT OF SHELLS BEFORE THEY GET USED. AND HE'S ALSO MADE SOME FUNDING AVAILABLE TO ASSIST WITH THE TRANSPORTING OF THE PECAN SHELLS TO A VACANT LOT. I THINK, IN ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, JUST TO TRY TO GET THEM OUT OF THE AREA. SO IT'S A IT'S BECOME A HUGE ISSUE. AND IF WE CAN HEAR FROM OUR TWO PUBLIC SPEAKERS THAT JUDGE THAT, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED. ABSOLUTELY.

COMMISSIONER. I DID SEE THAT THE EL PASO WATER HAD QUITE A BIT, AND I THINK ONE OF THE FACT THAT IT WAS STACKED UP VERSUS THAT IT WAS SPREAD OUT MIGHT HAVE MADE A HAVE THEY BEEN CONTACTED FOR.

YES. AND I KNOW REPRESENTATIVE CRUZ HAS BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH EL PASO WATER, AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THEY'VE AGREED TO REMOVE ALL OF THE SHELLS ON THEIR PROPERTY. OKAY, SO THAT'S GREAT. AND I KNOW REPRESENTATIVE MARY GONZALEZ, WHO IS THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR A LARGE PART OF MY AREA IN PRECINCT THREE. SHE'S ALSO BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO HELP RESIDENTS FIND A SOLUTION. I THINK SHE'S ALSO WORKED ON SECURING VACANT LAND OUT IN THE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, WHERE HOPEFULLY SOME OF THESE SHELLS CAN BE TRANSPORTED AGAIN JUST TO GET THEM AWAY FROM RESIDENCES, GET THEM AWAY FROM BUSINESSES. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, I DON'T KNOW WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST. MR. CRUZ. MR. CRUZ, HAVE YOU. REPRESENTATIVE CRUZ, IF YOU WANT TO. COME ON UP. YES. GOOD MORNING. JUDGE. MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SOCORRO THIS MORNING, AS YOU ALL KNOW, AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY COMMISSIONER OLGUIN, THERE IS AN INFESTATION RIGHT NOW OF THE RED FLOUR BEETLE AND ALTHOUGH IT'S VERY SIMPLE TO POINT FINGERS, BUT THAT THAT DOESN'T THAT DOESN'T HELP MUCH WHEN WE'RE JUST SITTING HERE POINTING FINGERS. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS A COMMUNITY IS FIND OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THE RESIDENTS THERE. AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH SEVERAL RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN MY DISTRICT, BECAUSE IT DID HAPPEN INSIDE OF MY DISTRICT. THIS IS WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE BECAUSE IT IS WHERE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE AGRICULTURAL LAND SITS IN THE CITY OF SOCORRO, IT'S NOW SPREADING TO SAN ELIZARIO AND PARTS OF EL PASO. AS YOU ALL KNOW. AND SINCE WE'RE ALL CLOSE TOGETHER, I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO TACKLE AS A WHOLE. SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE SEEING IS I HAVE PARENTS WHO HAVE HAD TO THEY'VE HAD TO SPEND THEIR CHECKS THAT THAT WERE GOING TO BE USED TO PAY THE MONTHLY RENT FOR THEIR APARTMENTS OR THEIR THEIR MONTHLY MORTGAGE. THEY'RE HAVING TO USE IT TO REPLENISH THEIR, THEIR PANTRIES. OTHER FAMILIES HAVE HAD TO GO TO THE EXTENT OF HAVING TO STAY IN HOTELS BECAUSE OF HOW BAD IT'S GOTTEN. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF CLEANLINESS WHATSOEVER. I'VE WALKED THESE HOMES MYSELF AND THEY'RE THEY'RE IMMACULATE. THE THING IS, IS THAT THESE BUGS, THEY THEY FLY,

[01:20:04]

BUT THE WINDS CARRY THEM UP TO TEN MILES. THEY FLY ON THEIR OWN, UP TO A MILE AND A HALF, I BELIEVE. BUT WITH THE WINDS, THEY TAKE THEM OUT TO AT LEAST TEN MILES. SO THEY'RE NOW ALL OVER SOCORRO. THEY'RE INSIDE THE HOMES. THEY COME IN THROUGH THE DRAINS. THEY COME IN THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING. THEY COME IN THROUGH THE WINDOWS. IF YOU OPEN A DOOR TO GAIN ENTRY TO YOUR YOUR HOME, THEY'LL COME IN RIGHT AFTER YOU. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THEY'RE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO GET RID OF. I'VE HAD STORIES OF PEOPLE AND PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEOS HAVE BEEN SENT TO ME AS WELL, WHERE THE YOUNG CHILDREN, THEIR SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, THE KIDS, THEY THEY WAKE UP AT 3 OR 4 IN THE MORNING BECAUSE THESE THINGS ARE CRAWLING IN THEIR EARS NOW AND THEIR NOSES, THEY'VE MADE WAY INTO THEIR BEDS, THEIR PILLOWS, THEIR STUFFED ANIMALS AND WHATNOT.

IT'S JUST IT'S AN INCONVENIENCE. AN INCONVENIENCE THAT THAT NEITHER THE CITY OF SOCORRO OR ANY OTHER MUNICIPALITY OR GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY CREATED. BUT I THINK THAT AS LEADERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND SOMEHOW FIND FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS. AND I THINK THAT WE'VE WE'VE TAKEN THE PROPER STEPS AND CONTACTING TEXAS A&M AND WHATNOT, BUT THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE STORIES I CAN GO ON AND ON AND ON. IT'S JUST THAT THERE'S SO MANY RESIDENTS WHO ARE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW, THE COST OF FUMIGATION SERVICES AS WELL HAS BEEN RATHER EXPENSIVE FOR SOME OF OUR, OUR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW TO MAKE ENDS MEET AS IT IS ALREADY, BUT HAVING TO SPEND MONEY ON FUMIGATION SERVICES OR HAVING TO BUY FOOD THAT YOU WEREN'T ACCUSTOMED TO PURCHASING THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, AND HAVING TO MAKE MAKE YOU KNOW, STRETCH YOUR DOLLAR FURTHER. I THINK IT'S BEYOND US.

SOCORRO OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT HAVE THE BUDGET TO FULFILL THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS. I THINK THAT THIS IS LITTLE BROTHER REACHING OUT TO BIG BROTHER RIGHT NOW AND SEEING IF YOU ALL CAN PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE. AND I KNOW MR. ORLANDO FLORES HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND COMMUNICATING WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR CITY. HE'LL HE'LL BE AT A MEETING THIS THIS EVENING TALKING TO OUR RESIDENTS. BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS JUST THE STORY OF THE RESIDENT THAT COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY. THEY'RE WORKING. THE KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THOSE THOSE KIDS AND MOM AND DAD WHO HAVE TO PROVIDE AN INCOME FOR THE FAMILY THAT COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY. SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU HERE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SOCORR. THANK YOU. KNOW, WE THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME AND BEING ABLE, AS YOU SAID, THEY'RE ALL WORKING. AND BUT I THINK IT'S A COMMUNITY THAT REQUIRES OUR ASSISTANCE AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF MAKING SURE THAT WE MITIGATE THAT SITUATION. AND THANK YOU, DOCTOR, DOCTOR, COMMISSIONER FOR DOING THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JUDGE. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. HONORABLE JUDGE. HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND HONORABLE CITY REPRESENTATIVE FOR SOCORRO. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU MY, IF YOU'RE NOT IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO I AM. MY NAME IS ROLANDO FLORES. I'M WITH THE TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE. EL PASO COUNTY. SO JUST I'M A STATE AND COUNTY EMPLOYEE, BY THE WAY. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THIS. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, THE STEPS THAT WE'VE TAKEN. COMMISSIONER ELIANA OLGUIN HAS REACHED OUT TO ME IN MANY IN MANY MONTHS OR WHATEVER SINCE AUGUST. AND SO WE'VE WE'VE THE WAY THAT WE ADDRESS ISSUES SUCH AS THESE FROM THE TEXAS A&M STANDPOINT IS, IS THROUGH EDUCATION. SO THE FIRST THING WE DID IS THAT WE IDENTIFIED THAT THIS IS THIS WAS INDEED WHAT IT IS, THE RED FLOUR BEETLE. AND SO WE BROUGHT IN ENTOMOLOGISTS FROM TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE FROM LUBBOCK AND TEXAS A&M COLLEGE STATION TO IDENTIFY THIS. SO THE STEPS THAT WE'VE TAKEN WITH THE CITY OF SOCORRO AND OF COURSE WITH THE COUNTY IS THAT WE'VE WE'VE WE'VE GIVEN THEM RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT THEY CAN SPRAY AND WHAT THEY CAN'T. WE I DON'T LIKE TO GET ON THE NEWS BECAUSE I GET MISQUOTED ALL THE TIME. I'M NOT THE NOT THE I'M NOT THE PERSON THAT BROUGHT THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AG IN. BUT BUT WE WORK WITH THEM. WE WORK WITH THEM, AND WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WE'RE ON WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. SO WE DID THAT AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED IT, OBVIOUSLY. AND EVERYBODY KNOWS. AND THERE'S JUST SOME STEPS THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE NOW THAT BEING SAID THERE AS, AS A COUNCILMAN CRUZ MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THERE'S PEOPLE THAT THAT IN THAT THAT GENERAL AREA THAT HAVE REALLY GOTTEN HIT BY THIS BEETLE. SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO WE'VE HAD TO ADDRESS. AND WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS IT TONIGHT WITH THE CITY OF SOCORRO. THEY'VE GOT A MEETING AND WE WILL HAVE OUR ENTOMOLOGISTS AND IT'LL BE ENGLISH AND SPANISH. SO IT'LL BE IT SHOULD BE A GOOD. WE HAVE HAD MEETINGS WITH THE CITY OF SOCORRO AS, AS WE VERY WELL KNOW. AND WE'VE TRIED TO ADDRESS

[01:25:02]

THIS THE BEST WE CAN. AND I THINK WE HAVE SO, SO WE'RE AT WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE NEED TO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MEETING TONIGHT. AND THEN TOMORROW THE CITY OF SAN ELIZARIO. SO THAT BEING SAID, COMMISSIONER, WOULD YOU WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO TALK ABOUT THE PECAN WEEVIL AS WELL OR. YES, AS WE'RE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE RED FLOWER BEETLE, THERE'S ALSO BEEN AN ISSUE THAT'S COME UP REGARDING ANOTHER POTENTIAL PEST THAT'S VERY HARMFUL, THAT COULD BE VERY HARMFUL TO OUR AREA, THE PECAN WEEVIL. AND THAT WAS THAT'S THE REASON THAT THE COMMENT THAT BETSY MADE AT THE BEGINNING, THAT THESE FUNDS, THE AMOUNT THAT'S BEING REQUESTED, ISN'T CHANGING, BUT RATHER JUST MAKE IT MORE GENERAL TO TRY TO DEAL WITH ANY ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE REGARDING TO PECAN RELATED PESTS AS OPPOSED TO LIMITING IT, LIMITING IT TO THE RED FLOWER BEETLE. BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE THIS NEW DANGER THAT'S COMING UP. IF YOU WANT TO MENTION THAT BRIEFLY. SO THE PECAN WEEVIL IS, IS WE'RE WE'RE FORTUNATE WE'RE IN A, WE'RE IN A COUNTY. THE FIVE WESTERN COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS DO NOT HAVE PECAN WEEVIL. CENTRAL TEXAS HAS GOT PECAN WEEVIL. GEORGIA AND OTHER AREAS HAVE PECAN WEEVIL. FORTUNATELY FOR US, OURSELVES IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO HAVE BEEN WE'VE WE'VE DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE. WE WORK HARD TO, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE'S ANYTHING OUT THERE THAT WE NEED TO CHECK, WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT. AND SO WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE. NOW, THE REASON I SAY THIS EL PASO IS THE LARGEST PRODUCERS OF PECANS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. EL PASO COUNTY, THAT INCLUDES THE UPPER VALLEY AND THE LOWER VALLEY. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING 30 MILLION POUNDS THAT COME OUT OF THIS COUNTY.

IT'S HUGE. YOU KNOW, TEXAS, THE REST OF TEXAS CAN SAY THAT THEY PRODUCE A LOT OF PECANS, WHICH THEY DO. BUT THIS COUNTY ALONE PRODUCES THEM. SO I THINK THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE THE, THE ECONOMY, THE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY IN THIS COUNTY IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL. SO EASTERN NEW MEXICO IS HAS BEEN HIT BY THE PECAN WEEVIL. SO THE REASON I TALK ABOUT THE PECAN WEEVIL FOR MANY REASONS, BUT ONE OF THE BIG REASONS IS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 100, 100 TO $150 PER ACRE MORE ON TOP OF WHAT YOU'RE SPENDING TO PRODUCE. AND IF YOU DON'T TREAT THIS, YOU COULD BE YOU COULD LOSE LIKE 90% OF YOUR PRODUCTION. SO THAT WOULD REALLY KILL THE AG ECONOMY IN EL PASO.

SO THOSE THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS. BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 15 TO 17,000 ACRES IN EL PASO, THAT ARE IN PECAN, 15,000 FOR SURE, THAT ARE IN PRODUCTION, AND WE FEEL LIKE THERE'S ABOUT 2000 THAT ARE YOUNG TREES THAT ARE NOT QUITE PRODUCING YET. THERE'S GOING TO BE AN IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY. AND SO AS WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU, WHEN FARMERS HAVE TO SPEND MORE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS, WHEN FARMERS SPEND MORE, THEY HAVE TO THEY GOT TO FIND WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GET THE MONEY. AND UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF TIMES EMPLOYEES MAY SUFFER BECAUSE YOU MAY HAVE TO LOSE A ONE JOB OR TWO JOBS, OR THAT KIND OF STUFF.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OVERALL, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WHOLE THING. BUT THIS WEEVIL IS VERY DANGEROUS. AND IT AND IT CAN JUST I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT WOULD DESTROY THE AG ECONOMY HERE, BUT IT WOULD IMPACT IT. AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE, WE'VE, WE WANT TO KEEP OUT. SO I WILL TELL YOU UNOFFICIALLY, WE DID FIND SIGNS OF WHAT WE BELIEVE ARE PECAN WEEVIL THIS PAST YEAR IN THE LOWER VALLEY. SO WE HAVE WORKED. WE HAVE WORKED, YOU KNOW, DAY AND NIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T IT DOESN'T IT DOESN'T SPREAD. SO WE'VE PINPOINTED A CERTAIN AREA WE'VE BOUGHT IN TRAPS. WE'VE WE'VE INSTALLED TRAPS THROUGHOUT THIS AREA. THE PARTICULAR FARMER THAT WE FEEL MIGHT HAVE IT IS SPRAYED RELIGIOUSLY. AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY GOOD BECAUSE TO THIS POINT WE HAVE NOT FOUND ANYTHING. SO THE KEY WILL BE THIS YEAR, NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO START HARVESTING, THAT'S WHEN THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO SEE WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR THE CLEANING PLANTS. THERE'S 12 CLEANING PLANTS IN THE LOWER VALLEY. THE UPPER VALLEY'S GOT CLEANING PLANTS, BUT I THINK MOST OF THEM ARE ON THE NEW MEXICO SIDE. IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT DEAL UP THERE. ALTHOUGH WE MONITOR THE UPPER VALLEY AS WELL. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE MONITORING PLANTS AND WE'VE COME UP WITH A BASICALLY LIKE A FUND JUST SO THAT WE CAN PAY THE ENTOMOLOGISTS. IT'S GOING TO GO FROM PLANT TO PLANT.

WE'RE GOING TO TRAIN. OBVIOUSLY WE DO THAT ANYWAY. WE DO TRAIN FROM THE STANDPOINT OF EXTENSION. WE'RE GOING TO TRAIN THE EMPLOYEES. WE'RE GOING TO TRAIN, TRAIN THE FARMERS AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S THAT THAT IS INVOLVED IN THIS THING. SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING LOOKING TO DO THIS. WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. WE'VE ALREADY GOT FUNDS. WE'VE WE'VE IT'S NOT A GO FUND ME, BUT IT'S KIND OF OUR VERSION OF THE EXTENSION. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE ASKING EVERY PECAN FARMER JUST YOUR PECAN ACREAGE. $1 AN ACRE. AND SO BY DOING THAT, WE'RE ABLE TO AGAIN PAY OUR SCOUT OR ENTOMOLOGIST JUST SO THAT HE CAN HE CAN CHECK THE DIFFERENT PLANTS. SO THAT'S THAT'S IT ON THE PECAN. WE'LL VERY DANGEROUS. AND WE HATE TO BRING IT IN, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF EXTENSION, WE WILL WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOES NOT COME INTO THIS COUNTY. THANK YOU. SO THE ASK TODAY, COMMISSIONERS WOULD BE TO HELP PURCHASE SOME PESTICIDE FOR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS OF SOCORRO, BUT ALSO FABENS AND TORNILLO AND

[01:30:05]

SARNELLI, WHERE WE'VE ALSO HAD REPORTS OF THE RED FLOWER BEETLE AND THEN OF COURSE, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH AGRILIFE ON MONITORING THE WEEVIL SITUATION AS WELL, SO THAT EL PASO ISN'T AFFECTED BY THAT. AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH BARBARA AND HER OFFICE JUST TO MAKE SURE ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE OF THE PESTICIDE TO RESIDENCES, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S ALL DONE CORRECTLY. AND IT WOULD, OF COURSE, BE OVERSEEN BY COUNTY EMPLOYEES. ANOTHER THING THAT I'D LIKE TO ASK IS, BETSY, IF OUR STAFF CAN ALSO FOLLOW UP WITH THE OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER SID MILLER, THERE'S FUNDING AVAILABLE IN CASE CITIES AND COUNTIES WANT TO HELP WITH THE TRANSPORTATION OF SOME OF THESE PECAN SHELLS OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY OF EL PASO. THERE'S FUNDING FOR REIMBURSEMENT AVAILABLE. SO MAYBE IF OUR STAFF CAN ALSO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT MIGHT WORK IN CASE THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE WE CAN HELP MOVE SOME OF THESE PECAN SHELLS THAT MAY HAVE LED TO THE RED BEETLE INFESTATION OUT OF THE COUNTY. YES, MA'AM. WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT. THAT FUNDING ALSO, I KNOW THAT THE TORNILLO PORT OF ENTRY, WHEN IT WAS BUILT ON THE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SIDE, I KNOW IT WAS DONE WITH PECAN SHELLS AS WELL, SO I'M SURE IT WAS TREATED. BUT ANOTHER AREA THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IS ADDRESSED. SO THIS IS THIS IS WE WOULD BE ASKING FOR A NEW PROJECT TO BE CREATED UNDER OUR REVENUE REPLACEMENT SECTION OF ARPA. AND ERICA HAS SOME LANGUAGE TO HELP US WITH THE WHAT WOULD BE THE MOTION ON THAT ITEM. AND THEN WE WOULD TRANSFER FUNDS FROM THE RESERVE FOR THAT PURPOSE. AND THEN PUBLIC SAFETY SALARIES. AGAIN, THIS IS REIMBURSING US FOR ELIGIBLE LAW ENFORCEMENT SALARIES EXPENDED BY THE COUNTY IN FY 2024. THERE'S WAY MORE SALARIES THAN THERE ARE ARPA FUNDING. ARPA FUNDS THAT WE'D BE REIMBURSING OURSELVES FOR. BUT THIS IS IN LIEU OF WAITING FOR THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENT TO FIND OUT WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO USE THE FUNDINGS TO REIMBURSE OURSELVES THAT WAY, WE'D ASK JUST THAT WE REIMBURSE OURSELVES FOR THE SALARIES. SO WE WOULD THE PROPOSED STARTING BUDGET TO PUT INTO THIS WOULD BE TO TRANSFER INTO THE FUND BALANCE, WHICH AGAIN, THAT'S COMING FROM JAIL, MEDICAL AND JAIL TESTING LINE ITEMS IN ARPA, MOVING IT INTO THIS LINE ITEM AND THEN CREATING THE PROJECT UNDER ARPA FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PAYROLL, AND THEN TRANSFERRING FUNDS FROM THE RESERVE TO THAT LINE ITEM TO REIMBURSE OURSELVES FOR SALARIES UP TO THE AMOUNT AND WE'D CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS AS WE CLOSE OUT ARPA. SO TODAY, THE PROPOSED ACTIONS WOULD BE APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE ADMINISTRATIVE CLOSEOUT OF PROJECT 1060 JAIL MEDICAL STAFFING, MOVE THOSE FUNDS INTO PROJECT 1530, WHICH IS OUR RESERVE CLOSE OUT PROJECT 1070, WHICH IS JAIL, MEDICAL TESTING SUPPLIES AND THE AMOUNT OF 1.6 MILLION, AND MOVE THOSE INTO OUR RESERVE, APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROJECT 5010 PUBLIC SAFETY SALARIES WITH A PROGRAM BUDGET OF 6.6 MILLION, PROJECT 5020 COMMUNITY PESTICIDE WITH A PROGRAM BUDGET OF 25,000.

AND ERICA, DO YOU WANT TO READ THE LANGUAGE THAT WE'D BE INCLUDING IN THAT ONE? YES, MA'AM. AND JUDGE COMMISSIONERS ERICA GAGLIONE, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY LET ME KNOW, COMMISSIONER, JUST BASED ON THE CONVERSATION, IF THIS CAPTURES AND THE COURT AS WELL YOUR INTENTION. SO THE PROPOSED MOTION COULD BE TO APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE ALLOCATION OF UP TO $25,000 IN ARPA FUNDS. THIS IS THE REVENUE LOSS CATEGORY FOR BOTH THE PURCHASE OF PESTICIDES AND AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TO BE BROUGHT BACK AT A LATER DATE TO THE COURT, WITH TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE FOR THE STUDY OF PEST CONTROL. THIS ALLOCATION IS FOR THE PUBLIC PURPOSE OF PROTECTING THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY. EXPERIENCE A PEST EXPERIENCING A PEST INFESTATION, AND ASSISTING BUSINESSES WHO HAVE BEEN DETRIMENTALLY IMPACTED BY THE PEST INFESTATION. YES, THAT'S CORRECT. AND THEN THE OTHER OTHER ITEMS WOULD ALSO BE APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE EXTENSION OF IDENTIFIED PERSONNEL COSTS FROM OCTOBER 1ST, 24 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2024. FOR THE PERSON WHO'S WORKING ON THE VIRTUAL COURTHOUSE KIOSK PROJECT AND FOR THE PURCHASING STAFF, SUPPLEMENTS FOR OVERTIME, FRINGE AND SUPPLEMENTS FROM OCTOBER 1ST THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. SO WITH YOUR MOTION, IF THE MOTION WE'D BE ASKING FOR IS TO APPROVE THESE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS AND ALSO APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR TO TRANSFER OR HER DESIGNEE TO TRANSFER FUNDING BETWEEN BETWEEN ACCOUNTS, INCLUDING PROJECT 5010 PUBLIC SAFETY AND SALARIES AND PROJECT 1530 UNAPPROPRIATED FUND

[01:35:06]

BALANCE TO FILL TO FACILITATE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ARPA PORTFOLIO. AS PROJECTS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED AND ADMINISTRATIVELY CLOSED OUT OR AS DIRECTED BY THE COURT. AND THAT'S THE PORTION OF THE SALARY REIMBURSEMENT AND BETSY, WHEN WOULD ALL THESE TRANSFERS TAKE PLACE? WE WOULD DO THEM IMMEDIATELY. OKAY, I'VE GOT A I'VE GOT A QUESTION. SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I MEAN, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, UNSPENT FUNDING THAT WASN'T SPENT IN OTHER IN OTHER ITEMS, IS IT GOING TO BE OUR POLICY TO JUST MOVE THESE INTO, YOU KNOW, I GUESS PUBLIC OR SALARY REIMBURSEMENT? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S A YOU KNOW, I'VE PRIORITIZED A LOT OF OTHER PROJECTS LIKE ARTS, LIKE BROADBAND IN MY DISTRICT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT HASN'T BEEN FUNDED TO THE LEVEL THAT I WOULD EXPECT OR LIKE TO. AND IT SEEMS TO ME, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THAT. SO, COMMISSIONER, WHAT WE COULD DO, WHAT WE CAN DO IS ONCE WE MOVE IT TO REIMBURSE OURSELVES, THAT THAT FUNDING COULD THEN BE REALLOCATED, AS THE COURT SEES, BECAUSE IT NOW WILL BE IN THE GENERAL FUND. OKAY. SO I CAN MEET WITH YOU TO GO OVER THOSE SPECIFIC PROPOSALS TO BRING BACK TO THE COURT FOR CONSIDERATION AND ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE COURT THAT HAS ANOTHER SPECIFIC PROPOSAL. I DO THINK THAT THESE WERE INTENDED TO BE PROJECTS THAT WOULD WOULD HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY FUNDED BY ARPA, BUT BECAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO FIND ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE THAT WAS ALSO AVAILABLE TO SAVE SOME OF THE ARPA FUNDING, THAT THIS IS OUR BEST MEASURE AS WE ARE IN THE FINAL STRETCH AND IT DOES IT IT DOES HELP REIMBURSE OURSELVES FOR THE EXPENSES THAT WE WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE PAID FOR FROM ARPA. SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONE. THANK YOU. AND THEN RIGHT ALONG THOSE LINES, COMMISSIONER STOUT, I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WOULD ORDINARILY HAVE BEEN IN THE REALM OF DOING THESE ARPA PROJECTS, RATHER THAN JUST THE SALARY REIMBURSEMENT. AND I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS ONE PARTICULAR PROJECT OF DOING A PROJECT WITH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CANUTILLO DISTRICT FOR HOUSING AUTHORITY PROJECT WITH OUR COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY. WE'RE TALKING TO THEM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE AREA OF LAND THAT THEY'RE GOING TO REPLACE ONE OF THE SCHOOLS, AND THAT MIGHT GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO FINALLY GET A HOUSING PROJECT IN CANUTILLO.

I KNOW THE LOWER VALLEY AREA AND OF COURSE THE UPPER VALLEY AREA AND, AND DIRE NEED FOR THOSE THAT KIND OF A HOUSING. AND SO I'M WITH YOU ON THAT, COMMISSIONER. THE QUESTION I HAVE FOR MISTER FLORES IS WITH RESPECT TO THE WEEVIL. THE COTTON WEEVIL, IS IT YOUR POSITION THAT THESE ACRES NEED TO BE TREATED ALREADY, OR ARE YOU MONITORING THOSE? OKAY, COMMISSIONER CORONADO, THANK YOU. SO WHAT WE DO, WE I DON'T I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO MONITOR. WE'RE MONITORING WHAT WE WHERE WE THINK THE IT'S LIKE A TARGET AREA BECAUSE WE HAD SUSPICION. WE LOOKED AT SOME, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE. I'LL GO THROUGH THE CLEANING PLANTS WHEN THEY'RE IN OPERATION, WHICH IS STARTING TO STARTING UP HERE PRETTY SOON. AND SO WE FOUND SOME, SOME SIGNS OF WHAT APPEAR TO BE PECAN WEEVIL DAMAGE, WHICH IS BASICALLY LIKE A BABY HOLE.

AND DON'T DON'T MIX IT UP BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO PUT THE COMMUNITY ON ON ANY KIND OF ALERT BECAUSE BIRDS WILL DO THAT TO BIRDS WILL POKE, BUT IT'S NOT A PERFECTLY ROUND HOLE. SO THE WEEVIL IS IN THE NUT AND IT, IT COMES OUT AND IT MAKES A PERFECTLY ROUND HOLE. SO THAT BEING SAID, WE SAW SOME, SOME SIGNS. WE THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS POSSIBLE A PECAN WEEVIL. BUT WE CANNOT WE CANNOT SAY THAT THAT OFFICIALLY WE CANNOT SAY THAT THAT WAS KIND OF WE SAW WE SAW SIGNS OF DAMAGE. SO WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO WITH THIS CERTAIN CLEANING PLANT, WE SAID, OKAY, WHERE DID THESE NUTS COME FROM? SO ON AND SO FORTH. SO WE LOOKED AT IT, AND THIS IS ALL THEM INVITING ME TO DO THIS BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY REGULATORY POWER WHATSOEVER. SO WE LOOKED AT IT AND SAID, OKAY, SO IT CAME FROM SO-AND-SO'S FARM. WE GOT IT DOWN TO THE TO THE ACTUAL FIELD. SO THAT FIELD IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN WE'VE SET TRAPS UP AND WE DIDN'T GET ANYTHING. AND HE'S BEEN SPRAYING, AS I SAID, RELIGIOUSLY THIS YEAR. AND SO NOTHING HAS BEEN WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. SO THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR THE PLANTS. IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF ISSUES LIKE THAT THEN YEAH.

THEN WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO GO WE'RE PROACTIVE. RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE GOING TO REALLY HIT IT. UPPER VALLEY I HAVE I STAY IN CONTACT WITH A LOT OF A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT I'M SURE

[01:40:05]

THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DIAZ, THEY'RE ACTUALLY IN LA UNION, BUT PART OF THEIR FARM IS IN IN CANUTILLO. AND THEN ALSO UP THERE, THEY'RE ALL JUST MESHED TOGETHER RIGHT ALONG THAT CORRIDOR. I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT IF YOU IF YOU STAND IN THE UPPER VALLEY, YOU CAN STAND LIKE THIS.

YOUR RIGHT FOOT MAY BE IN TEXAS AND YOUR LEFT FOOT IS IN NEW MEXICO, BECAUSE THE, THE RIVER IS NOT THE DEFINING LINE AS IT IS IN THE LOWER VALLEY. SO, SO I WORK VERY CLOSE TO THE UPPER VALLEY FARMERS BOTH IN NEW MEXICO AND TEXAS. ALTHOUGH I AM A TEXAS AGENT AND I WORK FOR THE COUNTY. BUT BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST JUST KIND OF LIKE THE SPILLOVER. SO THAT BEING SAID, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I DON'T SEE ANY WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR. WE WILL MONITOR THE UPPER VALLEY AS WELL, AS LONG AS THEY ALLOW US TO. AND I THERE'S NOTHING THAT THAT THAT TELLS ME THAT THERE'S ANY ISSUES UP THER. AND I WORK WITH THE NEW MEXICO FARMERS, WITH THE WESTERN PECAN GROWERS ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS BASED OUT OF LAS CRUCES. AND IT'S ALL OF THOSE GUYS. SO THEY'RE ON THEY'RE ON THIS AS WELL. SO BUT, BUT THERE HAS BEEN AN IDENTIFIED INFESTATION EAST EASTERN NEW MEXICO AND NEW MEXICO ROSWELL. AND SO THEY LIMITED IT DOWN TO THE YARD TREES. SO THE LARGEST ONE OF THE LARGEST PECAN ORCHARDS IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, WHICH IS CHASE FARMS, WHO RECENTLY BOUGHT A LOT IN FABENS. SO THEY'VE GOT THEY'VE GOT LIKE A 6000 ACRE ORCHARD, 4 TO 6000. THEY'VE GOT THEY'VE GOT A COUPLE AND THEY'VE KEPT THAT PLACE SPRAYED AND THEY, THEY CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF AG DOES A GREAT JOB OF DOING THIS.

AND SO THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY GOT IT DOWN TO THE ARTERIES IN TOWN. AND SO THE CITY OF I, I BELIEVE ROSWELL AND ARTESIA HAVE COOPERATED AND ALLOWED THEM TO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GO IN AND SPRAY YOUR TREES AND THAT KIND OF STUFF BECAUSE THAT'S HOW DANGEROUS IT IS FOR ESPECIALLY FOR BIG OPERATIONS AS, AS THEIRS. SO ALONG THOSE LINES, JUST TO BE PREPARED AND CAREFUL, ARE THERE ANY AREAS OR PLACES WHERE WE CAN IDENTIFY POSSIBLE FUNDING TO HELP THE FARMERS WITH THIS? WELL, THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF WHAT COMMISSIONER HOLGUIN WAS ALLUDING TO. I THINK, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE'VE WE'VE TAKEN IT UPON OURSELVES TO, TO JUST WE HAVE A COMMITTEE. I HAVE A IT'S CALLED A PAC, BUT IT'S NOT THAT KIND OF PAC. IT'S A PROGRAM AREA COMMITTEE. AND SO IT'S MADE UP OF EL PASO COUNTY FARMERS, UPPER VALLEY AND LOWER VALLEY. AND SO THEY THEY IDENTIFY THE ISSUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BASICALLY LIKE AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR MY, MY POSITION. AND SO THAT'S THROUGH THAT PAC IS HOW WE WERE ABLE TO WE SAID WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE JUST GOING TO ASK EACH FARMER. AND OF COURSE IT'S A DONATION, YOU KNOW, SAY A DOLLAR PER ACRE. AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE ABLE TO START HIRING OR WE'RE GOING TO WE'VE GOT A PERSON IN ENTOMOLOGIST THAT'S GOING TO SCOUT THE PLANTS FOR US. SO AND THAT'S WHY IN THE MOTION, ERICA READ WAS PARTNERING WITH. AND IT IS KIND OF WEIRD TO DO. I WILL TELL YOU, IT'S KIND OF NOT WEIRD, BUT IT'S UNUSUAL TO BRING BACK AN AGREEMENT WITH AGRICULTURAL CO-OP. WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROPER LEGAL AGREEMENT IS TO BRING BACK, BECAUSE THEY ARE PART OF US. SO IT'S LIKE AN AGREEMENT WITH OURSELVES AS PART OF THE CO-OP. BUT WE'LL WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT AND BRING BACK THAT PORTION OF THE RECOMMENDATION. AND IT WOULD BE LIKE HELPING TO FUND POSSIBLY THE ENTOMOLOGIST OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. YEAH. WE WANT TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO TRY TO GET AHEAD OF IT, WHICH WE'VE BEEN LUCKY SO FAR. BUT NEW MEXICO, I THINK, IS A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO COMFORT FOR YOU AREA. RIGHT. AND I THINK MAYBE WE OUGHT TO START LOOKING AT MAYBE SOME POSSIBLE STATE FUNDING FOR THIS, THIS THERE OUGHT TO BE SOME KIND OF AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER, SID MILLER, TO FIND OUT WHAT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE AND WHAT GRANTS WE COULD POSSIBLY PULL DOWN. JUST AS LONG AS. YES, SIR, YES, SIR. BUT I'VE GOT A QUICK QUESTION. INSOFAR AS THESE TRANSFERS WILL, THAT ONCE THESE TRANSFERS ARE AFFECTED, ARE IS IT GOING TO STOP ANY FEMA FUNDS FROM COMING? NO, SIR. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I THINK IT HELPS US MORE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER SOURCE TO BACK IT UP. I DO THINK SO. YOU MAY RECALL THAT THESE FUNDINGS WE ORIGINALLY APPLIED THROUGH TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND WE WERE DENIED AND SO NOW WE'VE LIKE WE'VE APPEALED AND TAKEN IT TO FEMA BECAUSE THE FUNDING CAME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE STATE GOVERNMENT. AND SO NOW WE'VE TAKEN IT BACK UP A LEVEL TO FEMA AND ARE APPEALING TO FEMA FOR THE FUNDING. SO IF FEMA STILL SAYS NO, WE WILL STILL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REIMBURSE OURSELVES SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES THAT THOSE COST. BUT JUST THROUGH SALARIES INSTEAD OF THROUGH THE BACKUP THAT WE HAVE FROM UMC FOR THE JAIL STAFFING AND THE TESTING. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO AND THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO SAY, I MEAN, THIS ISN'T THIS ISN'T THIS IS MONEY WE WERE BANKING ON ALREADY. WE PAID UMC FOR JAIL, MEDICAL AND TESTING. WE ALREADY PAID THEM FOR THAT. WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT MONEY BACK INTO OUR GENERAL FUND. SO JUST THIS ISN'T EXTRA

[01:45:08]

MONEY. JUST TO BE CLEAR. SO WE WERE PLANNING ON THAT MONEY BEING PAID BY ARPA, NOT BY GENERAL FUND. SO TODAY WE WOULD BE ASKING FOR A MOTION TO DO ALL OF THE FOLLOWING. AND AS DESCRIBED BY ERICA IN HER MOTION TO INCLUDE BRINGING BACK AN INTERLOCAL WITH TEXAS A&M AGRICULTURAL CO-OP. IN ADDITION TO THE ITEM FOR THE COMMUNITY PESTICIDE DISTRIBUTION AS PART OF PROJECT 2020. I THINK OUR TEAM HAS THE LANGUAGE. YES, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER OLGUIN, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CORONADO. JUDGE SAMANIEGO IS ABSENT. JUDGE HAD TO STEP OUT AND HE, I BELIEVE, TALKED TO COMMISSIONER LEAL. YEAH, HE'LL BE HE'LL BE BACK IN A FEW MINUTES. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS, AND THANK YOU, MR. CRUZ. MR. FLORES, FOR COMING DOWN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. ITEM NINE. BE RECEIVE A PRESENTATION REGARDING THE COUNTY'S FIRST MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER BY THE COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION. GOOD MORNING. COMMISSIONERS. MELISSA CARRILLO WITH COUNTY OPERATIONS THIS MORNING. WE'RE REALLY

[B. Receive a presentation regarding the County’s first monthly E-Newsletter by the Communications Division. Melissa Carrillo, Executive Director, County Operations, 915-546-2162]

EXCITED TO SHARE THIS ITEM WITH YOU. AS YOU MAY RECALL, YOUR COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION WAS RECENTLY BORN IN OCTOBER 2021 WITH THE FIRST HIRE OF DOCTOR LAURA GALLEGOS, WHO'S BEHIND ME.

SINCE THEN, WE'VE HIRED ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION STAFF. WE'VE ALSO TRANSFERRED STAFF THAT WAS SITTING IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS FOCUSING ON COMMUNICATIONS TYPE WORK TO WHAT YOU HAVE TODAY IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, WHICH WE'RE VERY PROUD OF. UNDER OUR COMMUNICATIONS SECTION, WE HAVE DIVISION. WE HAVE THREE SECTIONS. WE HAVE OUR AV TEAM, WHICH CONSISTS OF MIGUEL AND ALEXIS, WHO SIT ON YOUR RIGHT SIDE EVERY MONDAY MORNING AND PRODUCE THIS SHOW. WE ALSO HAVE YOUR WEB TEAM CONSISTING OF OSCAR VIGAS AND ILAN OLIVARES.

AND THEN LASTLY, WITHIN OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, YOU HAVE YOUR MARKETING DIVISION, WHICH CONSISTS OF DESIREE GONZALEZ AND ELIJAH NATIVIDAD. AND WE'RE JUST REALLY PROUD BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE THEY COMMITTED DAY TO DAY IN WHAT THEY'RE COMMITTING AND WORKING FOR IN THEIR DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS, BUT THEY TRULY REMAIN COMMITTED TO THE EPIC VALUE OF CREATIVITY. THEY REMAIN INNOVATIVE IN WAYS THAT THEY COMMUNICATE NOT ONLY WITH OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT OF COURSE, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STAKEHOLDERS, AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS. BUT MOREOVER, COMMISSIONERS, WE'VE HEARD FROM YOU OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS CRITICAL TO YOU. WE DO WHAT WE CAN IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR DAY TO DAY WORK TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM. AND SO TODAY I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DOCTOR GALLEGOS, WHO WANTS TO RELEASE SOMETHING THAT THE TEAM'S BEEN WORKING ON, TO REALLY JUST ADD VALUE TO THAT DIRECTIVE AND ENSURE WE ARE STAYING VERY COMMITTED AND ENGAGED WITH OUR COMMUNITY. WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO LAURA. THANK YOU.

MELISSA. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. LAURA GALLEGOS, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER I AM SO HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING. COMMISSIONERS TO PRESENT THIS PROJECT TO YOU. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE REALLY WANTED FOR YOU AND OUR COMMUNITY FOR A VERY LONG TIME, SINCE I'VE STARTED WORKING AT EL PASO COUNTY AND SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE GOING TO START A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER. IT IS AN E LETTER, AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT FIRST SLIDE SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE CONTENT OF WHAT WE PLAN TO PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY. THE VERY FIRST SECTION IS GOING TO BE A VIDEO STYLE, KIND OF LIKE A HEADLINE NEWS. SO THE HEADLINE STORIES FOR THE MONTH WILL BE IN THIS VIDEO, WHICH OF COURSE ALEXIS AND MIGUEL WILL HELP PRODUCE. AND AS YOU WILL SEE LATER IN THIS PRESENTATION, WHAT A FABULOUS JOB INDEED THAT THEY DID. THE NEXT PART OF THE NEWSLETTER, YOU'LL SEE ALL OF THE REST OF THE STORIES FOR THE MONTH THAT MAKE IT TO THE NEWSLETTER. SO IN THIS CASE, THIS IS THE OCTOBER NEWSLETTER AND YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE INFORMATION ON THE ICMA RECOGNITION THAT THE COUNTY RECEIVED. AND THEN THE NEXT STORY, MORE STORIES ON VETERANS HONORED FOR THEIR SERVICE, AS WELL AS THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED REGARDING THE CHILD CUSTODY CASES. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO READ EITHER JUST A QUICK SECTION OR EXCERPT OF THE STORY, AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM THERE WILL BE A LINK. IF THERE'S FURTHER INFORMATION OR A LONGER STORY FOR YOU TO CLICK ON TO. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. ANOTHER STORY ON THE JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. AND THEN AS YOU CAN SEE AT THE VERY BOTTOM, WE'LL ALSO HAVE A SECTION OF UPCOMING EVENTS. AND THOSE YOU CAN EITHER GET THE INFORMATION OFF OF THE SLIDE OR CLICK ON THEM TO ALSO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. SO NOW LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO BACK TO THE INITIAL HEADLINE VIDEO AND GO AHEAD AND PLAY THAT FOR THE COMMISSIONERS. HELLO THERE. I'M LAURA GALLEGOS AND

[01:50:15]

WELCOME TO THE FIRST EL PASO COUNTY E CONNECT CONNECTING YOU TO ALL THAT HAPPENS IN EL PASO COUNTY IN RECENT WEEKS. WE BROKE GROUND ON THE AGUA DULCE SKATE PARK IN FAR EAST EL PASO, A KEY INITIATIVE IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNTY'S 2021 PARKS MASTER PLAN. THE PARK DEMONSTRATES THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO ENHANCING RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTY. RECENTLY, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN A LINE OF CARS ENTERING THE COLISEUM. THE COUNTY HOSTED A 100% ANONYMOUS GUN BUYBACK EVENT. ABOUT 450 WEAPONS WERE VOLUNTARILY TURNED IN IN EXCHANGE FOR GIFT CARDS.

IN CANUTILLO, WE BROKE GROUND ON ANOTHER SKATE PARK AT GALLEGOS PARK. THE SKATE PARK WILL INCLUDE A NEW MINI RAMP WITH POCKET FLAT RAIL PYRAMID, HIP TRANSITION, HIP AND MORE. THIS IS THE THIRD SKATE PARK PARTIALLY FUNDED BY A TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE GRANT. THE COUNTY'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BOND IS SET TO GO TO VOTERS ON NOVEMBER 5TH. OUR THIRD PHASE OF INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS WRAPPED UP THIS WEEK. 14 MEETINGS WERE HELD IN EVERY PRECINCT ACROSS THE COUNTY. IF YOU MISSED ONE, YOU CAN GO TO CAPITAL EP COUNTY COMM FOR INFORMATION ON EACH PROPOSED PROPOSITION AND THE PROJECTS UNDER THEM. LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD BY VOTING.

ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER 5TH AND EARLY VOTING STARTS OCTOBER 21ST. STAY TUNED FOR NEXT MONTH'S E CONNECT WHEN WE SHOW YOU ALL THE GREAT WORK BEING DONE IN EL PASO COUNTY. I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT THE NAME OF THE NEWSLETTER WILL CHANGE TO EL PASO COUNTY CONNECTS. IN TERMS OF THE AUDIENCE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REACH. OF COURSE, IT WILL GO TO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES INTERNALLY, AND THEN WE HAVE A MODEST LIST OF EMAILS THAT WE'VE COMPILED FROM WE REACHED OUT TO COMMISSIONERS OFFICES TO RECEIVE EMAILS THAT YOU MAY HAVE HAD. THERE'S NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS ON THE LIST. LEADERSHIP OF THE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES WE HAVE HERE IN THE AREA, SOME BUSINESSES, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO A CONCERTED EFFORT TO GROW THAT LIST BY HAVING, FOR EXAMPLE, A POP UP ON THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN SIGN UP, AND THEN EVERYWHERE WE GO, ALWAYS ASKING, CAN WE CAN WE SEND YOU THE NEWSLETTER? WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE US YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES? SO THAT IS THE STORY AND I HOPE THAT YOU ENJOYED THAT VIDEO. AND AGAIN, I'M VERY PROUD OF OUR TEAM FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, AND WE'LL BE HAVING IT READY FOR YOU EVERY MONTH. IT LOOKS GREAT.

I'M VERY IMPRESSED AND HOPEFULLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL ITEMS LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COUNTY AND TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, VOTING TIMES AND PLACES. COMMISSIONER, THIS CAN BE A HUB FOR ALL RESOURCES THAT WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO. SO THIS IS JUST A PIECE OF WHAT CAN GROW INTO SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY EXCEPTIONAL FOR THE COMMUNITY. OH, IT'S GREAT, GREAT WORK. BEAUTIFUL VIDEO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS.

ITEM TEN PUBLIC WORKS TEN A RECEIVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND AECOM ON OPTIONS FOR THE RESTORATION OF ASCARATE LAKE COMMISSIONERS BETSY KELLER COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AS LYDIA TIM AND OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM AECOM ARE MAKING THEIR WAY UP

[A. Receive a presentation from the Public Works Department and AECOM on options for the restoration of Ascarate Lake. Norma Rivera-Palacios, Executive Director, Public Works, 915-273-3330]

HERE, I JUST WANTED TO REMIND THE COURT TODAY YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE AN OVERVIEW ABOUT THE WAYS THAT THE LAKE COULD BE DREDGED OR EXCAVATED AND RELINED. SO THIS IS INFORMATIONAL. WE WILL BE DISCUSSING IN MORE, MORE IN DEPTH WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY ON ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO SUPPLEMENT THIS PRESENTATION. AND THEN WE WILL BRING BACK A FINAL RECOMMENDATION FOR THE COURT AT A LATER DATE. SO TODAY AGAIN, WE'RE JUST ASKING WE WANT TO PRESENT INFORMATION, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAVE WHILE WE HAVE OUR REPRESENTATIVES HERE, AND THEN WE'LL BRING BACK FOR A FINAL RECOMMENDATION. AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO LYDIA.

THANK YOU. SO MUCH. THANK YOU BETSY. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS LYDIA DIAZ WITH PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. LIKE BETSY SAID, WE HAVE OUR PRESENTATION. I'D LIKE TO

[01:55:02]

INTRODUCE OUR TEAM FROM AECOM. WE HAVE GILBERT ANDUJO, AND WE ALSO HAVE JAIME ROJAS WITH WHO'S ALSO PART OF THE TEAM, BUT HE'S WITH QC TESTING AND ENGINEERING. ALSO WITH US IS, OF COURSE, OUR PARKS INTERIM DIRECTOR, TIM FULTON. SO I'D LIKE TO GET STARTED ON THE PRESENTATION AND WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COURT MAY HAVE AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS STAFF. GOOD MORNING. GILBERT ANDUJO WITH AECOM. SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THE PRESENTATION. OUR PRESENTATION CONTENT IS GOING TO INCLUDE ADS BILLS. AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ABOUT 11 ITEMS ON HERE. THAT'S GOING TO COVER DREDGING TO EXCAVATING TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE RECOMMENDATIONS AND ANY QUESTIONS. AND IF WE CAN HOLD THOSE QUESTIONS TILL THE END, THAT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. SO AS BUILT INFORMATION, WE WORKED WITH THE COUNTY HERE TO GO THROUGH YOUR ALL'S FLAT FILES TO GET INFORMATION ON THE LAKE. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE DID COME UP WITH WITH SOME AS BUILT DRAWINGS THAT WE THINK THEY ARE THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF THE OF THE INTERIOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, WHICH WORKED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COUNTY BACK THEN, BACK IN 1939. AND THOSE PARTICULAR AS BUILTS THAT WE HAVE HERE SHOW ONE ONE FOOT CONTOURS SHOWING THE LAKE BEING ABOUT TEN FEET DEEP. HISTORICAL DATA ON THE DEPTH OF THE LAKE. SO WE WENT THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT PROCESSES HERE TO CHECK WHAT THE WHAT THE ACTUAL DEPTH OF THE LAKE IS. RIGHT NOW. WE DID A MANUAL PROBING PROCESS AT AECOM AND CQC TOGETHER, WENT OUT THERE MANUALLY AND TOOK DIFFERENT PROBING OUT THERE, AS WELL AS USING A BATHYMETRY, WHICH IS A RADAR THAT WE GO OUT THERE ON THE LAKE AS WELL, AND WE SCAN THE LAKE TO GET DIFFERENT ITEMS. SO DURING THE REGULAR PROBING THAT WE HAVE ON HERE, WE CAME UP WITH A DEPTH OF ABOUT SIX FEET, 6 TO 7FT IN GENERAL. ON THERE THROUGH THE BATHYMETRY THAT WE USED OUT THERE. WE DID IT BOTH ON THE MAIN LAKE AND WE DID IT ON THE DUCK POND AS WELL. AND WE GOT SIMILAR MEASUREMENTS ON THERE, WITH THE LAKE BEING ABOUT 6 TO 7FT DEEP OUT THERE. WE ALSO TOOK SOME SUBSURFACE SOIL SAMPLES OUT THERE AS WELL. WE WENT OUT THERE AND TOOK FOUR DIFFERENT SAMPLES. WE DID AGAIN, TAKE THOSE MANUALLY OUT THERE.

WE USED A PROBE WHICH WE PHYSICALLY WENT OUT ON THE BOAT, PROBED THE ACTUAL LAKE BED AND CAME UP WITH SOME SAMPLES. AND ON THIS PARTICULAR SAMPLE I'M SHOWING HERE, WHICH IS B-2, WE ACTUALLY SHOW THERE IS A CLAY LINER DOWN THERE, WHICH IS ABOUT 10 TO 12FT DEEP, WHICH IS BASICALLY USED TO MAINTAIN THE WATER WITHIN THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE. THERE. I MEAN, TEN, 10 TO 12IN, RIGHT? I'M SORRY, 10 TO 12IN. YES. THE THICKNESS OF THE CLAY LINER ITSELF. MY BAD. THANK YOU. SO SOME OF THE INFORMATION WE TOOK, WE TOOK SOME SAMPLES OUT THERE AND WE TESTED THEM TO HOPEFULLY MEASURE BETWEEN THE LEVELS THAT ARE MANDATED BY T-C-E-Q. AND THE METHODS WE USED WERE THE SIX, 60, 20 B 13, 12 AND THE 3010, A METHOD 6020 B USUALLY MEASURES METALS USED FOR DETERMINATION OF METALS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES OUT THERE, THE 1312 IS AN EXTRACTION. IT BASICALLY DETERMINES THE CONCENTRATION OF CONTAMINANT THAT WILL LEACH FROM THE SOIL.

AND METHOD 3010 IT MEASURES TOTAL METALS AGAIN. AND IT'S USED FOR ACID DIGESTION OF THE AQUEOUS SAMPLES AND EXTRACTS TO DETERMINE TOTAL METALS IN THERE. WE DID TAKE SAMPLES ON ALL OF THESE AND THEY ALL REPORTED BELOW THE LIMITS THAT TCU HAS OUT THERE. BASED OFF OF THAT AND WORKING WITH OUR GEOTECH AND OUR EXPERTS WITHIN AECOM, YOU KNOW, THE SOIL MATERIAL MAY BE USED ON SITE FOR GENERAL FILLING AS LONG AS WE IT'S BURIED AND IT'S KEPT AWAY FROM THE FROM THE PUBLIC.

ALSO, WHAT WE RECOMMEND OUT THERE, WE ONLY TOOK SEVERAL SAMPLES OUT THERE. A COLLECTION OF ADDITIONAL SAMPLES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO GET RELIABLE CONCLUSIONS OUT THERE. WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A MINIMUM OF 30 SAMPLES SUGGESTED OUT THERE TO DEVELOP MORE CONFIDENCE IN THE RESULTS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED, RECEIVED AT THIS TIME. SO I JUST WANT TO COVER HERE DREDGING VERSUS EXCAVATING. THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT TERMS OUT THERE. DREDGING IS BASICALLY THE CLEANING OUT OF A BED BY SCOOPING OUT MUD, WEEDS AND RUBBISH WITH A DREDGE. AND THIS IS NORMALLY DONE WITH THE LAKE BEING FULL. IT'S A VERY EXPENSIVE PROCESS THAT YOU WOULD GO THROUGH BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HIRE SOME SPECIAL MACHINERY TO DO THAT. EXCAVATION, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS THE PROCESS OF REMOVING REMOVING SOIL AND ROCK FROM A SITE TO CREATE AN OPEN SPACE CAVITY OR HOLE IN OUR. IN OUR PARTICULAR CASE, WE'LL BE USING IT TO RESHAPE THE BOTTOM OF THE OF THE LAKE AS WELL AS THE SLOPES ON THE LAKE. AND WE'LL HAVE MECHANICAL MEANS OUT THERE. WE'LL HAVE FRONT END LOADERS, WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO GO OUT THERE AND EXCAVATE.

[02:00:04]

RIGHT NOW, JUST A NOTE HERE, THE ASCOT AT THE LAKE. IT EXPERIENCES AN ANNUAL WATER LOSS OF ABOUT 28FT, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY DUE TO THE EVAPORATION THAT WE HAVE HERE IN EL PASO, AS WELL AS NOT HAVING WE'RE HAVING A SUBSTANDARD CLAY LINER IN THERE. WE KNOW WE'RE GETTING SOME PERCOLATION OUT THERE AND WE'RE LOSING WATER TO THE GROUND HERE. WE'VE DETERMINED NO DREDGING IS NEEDED OUT HERE. WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND DO EVERYTHING BY EXCAVATION METHOD.

AND LAST, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER FOR US TO GET EXACT QUANTITIES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO OUT THERE, DRAIN THE LAKE, DRY IT, AND TAKE A TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY OUT THERE TO BE ABLE TO GET US ACCURATE QUANTITIES OUT THERE OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST. SO WE HAVE ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR DEWATERING THE LAKE. ONE OPTION IS TO SHUT THE PUMPS OFF. YOU KNOW, LET THE WATER EVAPORATE AND PERCOLATE INTO THE GROUND. A SECOND OPTION WOULD BE PUMP THE WATER INTO, INTERROGATE THE GOLF COURSE. OBVIOUSLY, WE'D HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH WITH THE GOLF PRO OUT THERE AND THE MAINTENANCE CREW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUMP ENOUGH AND NOT NOT TOO MUCH TO GET THE AREA ALL WET. WE PUMPED THE WATER INTO DIFFERENT LAKES. THERE ARE SEVERAL LAKES OUT THERE THAT THAT YOU ALL HAVE, APART FROM THE MAIN LAKE AND THE DUCK POND. IF YOU CAN SEE THE IMAGE THERE, YOU CAN SEE THE TWO LITTLE LAKES ON THE LEFT. THERE BY THE LEFT LINE. THOSE ARE TWO PONDS THAT YOU HAVE OUT THERE THAT WE POSSIBLY PUMP AND PUMP INTO THERE AS WELL. THE THIRD OPTION, ACTUALLY THE FOURTH OPTION WOULD BE DONATE THE WATER LOCALLY TO CONSTRUCTION, SET UP A PIPE, STAND OUT THERE AND LET CONTRACTORS COME OUT HERE AND DRAW WATER AS NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO USE ON THEIR JOB SITES. AND THE FIFTH ONE WOULD BE PUMPING WATER INTO THE FRANKLIN CANAL THERE. IT'S, YOU KNOW, COORDINATING WITH EL PASO WATER IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NUMBER ONE, COORDINATING WITH IBWC. THIS IS PROBABLY LEAST LIKELY BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE VERY EXPENSIVE.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO WATER QUALITY TESTING AND BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE LEVELS OF THE WATER WITHIN THE LIMITS THAT THEY THAT THEY, THAT THEY REQUEST OUT THERE. BUT WE CAN ALWAYS DO A COMBINATION OF METHODS OUT HERE. AND I THINK THE BEST METHOD I THINK WOULD BE WOULD PROBABLY DO OPTION ONE AND MAYBE OPTION FOUR TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, DE-WATER IT BY TURNING OFF THE PUMPS AND EVAPORATION AND PERCOLATION AND LET CONTRACTORS COME DOWN HERE TO, TO TAKE THE WATER. WE HAVE SOME LINER ALTERNATIVES OUT HERE. WE'VE GOT THREE DIFFERENT LINERS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT, AND THERE'S MORE OUT THERE, BUT THERE'S A GEOSYNTHETIC CLAY LINER OUT THERE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT'S SIMILAR OUT THERE. IT'S SOMETHING I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO SHOW YOU GUYS. THIS IS KIND OF NOT LIKELY TO USE BASICALLY, BECAUSE OF THE CLAY. THIS IS A 40 PLUS ACRE LAKE OUT THERE, AND IT REQUIRES A LOT OF CLAY TO BE ABLE TO GET A NICE CLAY LINER DOWN THERE. AND JUST TALKING WITH THE MATERIAL SUPPLIERS HERE LOCALLY AND AROUND AROUND THE AREA, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH CLAY TO GO AROUND OUT THERE. WE ALSO HAVE AN HDPE LINER AND A POLYPROPYLENE LINER. THOSE ARE PRETTY MUCH SIMILAR. I CAN TELL YOU AN HB LINER IS REAL GOOD. I'VE USED THIS IN IN PREVIOUS DESIGNS THAT I'VE DONE FOR WASTEWATER PONDS, WATER PONDS, AND IT'S A VERY EFFECTIVE LINER THAT WE CAN USE OUT THERE. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW WE HAVE OUR LIMNOLOGISTS. I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT INTRODUCING THEM. IT'S LAUREN HATCH. HE'S ON THROUGH TEAMS RIGHT NOW, AND HE'S GOING TO COVER THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION RIGHT NOW. LAUREN, ARE YOU ON? GREAT. CAN YOU HEAR ME ALL. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME. I WILL TAKE IT FROM HERE. MY BACKGROUND ON LAKE ECOLOGIST.

I'M UP IN MINNESOTA. I'VE BEEN WORKING ON LAKES FOR OVER 30 YEARS. SO GLAD TO BE ON THE PROJECT. SOME OF THE PROS OF JUST LEAVING THE LAKE IN ITS CURRENT STATE WOULD BE THAT THERE WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A PROJECT THERE AND THERE WOULD BE NO INTERRUPTION TO THE CURRENT LAKE USAGE. SO PEOPLE RECREATING IN THE LAKE WATER WOULD SEE NO INTERRUPTION. BUT THE CONS ARE MANY. THERE KIND OF FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES HERE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE FISH KILLS, THE ALGAE LEVELS AND THE NUTRIENT SOURCE. OVER 80 YEARS OF SEDIMENT HAS BEEN ACCUMULATING IN THE LAKE. THAT'S THE NUTRIENT SOURCE YOU SEE ON THE BOTTOM. IT'S THE NUTRIENT SOURCE FOR THE ALGAE THAT GROW IN THE WATER AND MAKE IT KIND OF CLOUDY. AND PEA SOUPY. AND WHEN THAT ALGAE WILL DIE AND SORT OF ROT, SO TO SPEAK, IT'LL SUCK THE OXYGEN OUT OF THE WATER AND THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE THE FISH KILLS. AND I THINK THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT DRIVER FOR THIS PROJECT. THE OTHER THREE ITEMS THERE UNDER CONS REALLY HAVE TO DO WITH THE VOLUME OF WATER. GILBERT HAD MENTIONED THAT THE LAKE LOSES ABOUT 28FT OF WATER

[02:05:05]

DOWN THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THAT CLAY LINER, WHICH WE SEE IS JUST NOT INTACT ANYMORE. THAT'S WHY WE'RE PROPOSING A NEW LINER TO KEEP THE WATER FROM LEAKING OUT. AND THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PUMPING IS PERHAPS LED TO SIGNIFICANT COSTS TO REPAIR THE CURRENT WELL EQUIPMENT. AND THE PUMPING, OBVIOUSLY ITSELF COSTS MONEY TO OPERATE THOSE PUMPS. AND THEN BECAUSE THESE WELLS OR THE PUMPING WILL GO DOWN FROM TIME TO TIME, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE LAKE ELEVATIONS GOING UP AND DOWN AND NOT MAINTAINING PREFERRED MANAGEMENT LEVEL IN THE LAKE. NEXT SLIDE. TEXAS.

OOPS A LITTLE FAST THERE. GO BACK TO THE TEXAS PARK. THERE WE GO. THEY HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THEIR EVALUATION OF DOCUMENTS AND WHAT WE'VE DONE. AND THEY HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS THAT AS WE'RE RESTORING THE LAKE AND THE LAKE IS DRAINED, THAT WE NEED TO RELOCATE THE FISH THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE LAKE. AND THEY SUGGESTED PUTTING THOSE INTO THE DUCK POND TEMPORARILY AND REMOVING THE HARVEST GUIDELINES TO ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO FISH AS MUCH AS THEY WANT. DURING THIS PHASE, AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE WORK, WITH THE LAKE REFILLED, THEY HAVE CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT CATCH AND RELEASE, BAG LIMITS AND JUST BASICALLY WANTING TO KEEP A VERY HEALTHY POPULATION. THE LAST ITEM THERE, IT SHOULD BE, NOT THE GROUND VEGETATION. IT SHOULD MEAN THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE, UNDERWATER ELEVATION. SO THEY HAD RECOMMENDED A 10 TO 12 FOOT DEPTH TO PREVENT SUNLIGHT FROM REACHING THE BOTTOM AND HAVING CONDUCIVE CONDITIONS FOR UNDERWATER PLANTS TO GROW. SO I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE. IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT ONE, WE RECOMMEND EXCAVATING THE LAKE TO ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF TO EIGHT FEET, OR HAVING THOSE CONDITIONS. AND THE SECOND ITEM THERE IS SOMETHING THAT ADDRESSES THAT LAST BULLET ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE OR IN CLEARER WATER, THE SUNLIGHT CAN PENETRATE DOWN TO 15FT THROUGH THE WATER. SO THAT MEANS THAT PLANTS CAN ROOT AND GROW IN 15FT OF WATER. SO HAVING THE 10 TO 12 FOOT DEPTH OF A RESTORED LAKE WOULDN'T PREVENT PLANTS FROM GROWING ON THE BOTTOM. AND IN FACT, PLANTS ARE AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE LAKE ECOSYSTEM BECAUSE THAT'S THERE CAN BE FOOD SOURCES IN THERE. YOUNGER FISH HIDE IN THERE SO THEY DON'T GET EATEN. SO AGAIN, THE LAKE WILL BE CONTINUED TO BE STOCKED WITH THOSE FISH. AND WE SUGGEST USE FOR THE WATERCRAFT USERS IN THE LAKE TO USE MORE OF A ROUND PLUG ANCHOR THAN SOME OF THOSE POINTY ANCHORS TO KEEP THEMSELVES FROM MOVING. I REALIZE IT'S A IT CAN GET PRETTY WINDY OUT THERE, BUT WE'D PREFER NOT TO HAVE ANCHORS WITH POINTS ON THEM TO AVOID PUNCTURING A NEW LINER. AND FINALLY, ON THIS SLIDE, I'D LIKE TO ENHANCE THE LAKE'S OXYGEN LEVELS THERE WITH THE ADEQUATE AERATORS IN THE LAKE. SO IN CASE THERE ARE LEVELS OF LOW OXYGEN OUT THERE, THE FISH CAN MIGRATE OVER TO THOSE AREAS AND RECEIVE ADEQUATE OXYGEN AND SORT OF RIDE OUT THESE PERIODS OF LOW OXYGEN THAT FROM TIME TO TIME, SHOW UP IN THE LAKE. NEXT SLIDE. SOME OTHER ISSUES TO EVALUATE IS THE WE'RE AWARE THAT THERE ARE TURTLES AVAILABLE IN IN IN THE LAKE. AND WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE HOW TO MAINTAIN THOSE TURTLES. WHERE TO MOVE THEM. GILBERT MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE SOME LOCAL LAKES AROUND THERE, SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE SORT OF ON OUR OUR LIST OF THINGS TO INVESTIGATE. ALSO THINGS TO CONSIDER IS THE MIGRATION PATTERNS. THIS IS ONE OF THE ONLY LARGE ONE OF THE ONLY LARGE BODIES OF WATER OF ITS KIND IN THE AREA. SO IT IS AN IMPORTANT SORT OF BIRD HABITAT, AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT AS WELL.

WITH THAT, I'LL GIVE IT BACK TO GILBERT AND THANK YOU ALL, COMMISSIONERS. IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW, WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE IS THE

[02:10:04]

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DREDGING AND EXCAVATING. PRICE WISE, COMMISSIONER, I THINK WE WERE GOING TO REFRAIN FROM DISCUSSING PRICING SO THAT WHEN WE GO OUT TO BID, WE WOULD HAVE A. NOT HAVE REVEALED AMOUNTS TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS. THAT'S CORRECT. WE TALKED ABOUT IT THIS MORNING. YES, SIR. YES, I RETRACT MY QUESTION. COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONER, I HAVE A QUESTION AT WHAT DEPTH IS THE CLAY LAYER RIGHT NOW? THE WAY WE SAW IT WITH THE SAMPLES THAT WE TOOK, WE'RE LOOKING AT CLAY LINERS AT ABOUT 6 TO 7FT DEEP. THAT'S WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW. RIGHT NOW, FROM SOME SAMPLES THAT WE HAVE TAKEN, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE TO TAKE ADDITIONAL, MORE SAMPLES OUT THERE. I MEAN, WE NEED TO GET MORE OF A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE THAT'S OUT THERE. AND TO DETERMINE WHERE IT'S REALLY AT. BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 12, 10 TO 12IN OF LINER. AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S MISSING IN SOME AREAS OUT THERE. SO THE SO THE CLAY LINERS, THE STARTS PRETTY MUCH AT THE DEPTH OF THE LAKE. CORRECT. IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

OKAY. SO THAT'S I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE BENEFIT THEN OF WHY MAKING IT DEEPER IF IT'S ALREADY IF THE CLAY LINER IS ALREADY AT A DEPTH OF SIX FOOT AND THE RECOMMENDATION IS 5.5 TO 8 FOOT, RIGHT, IT'S TO MAKE IT DEEPER TO GIVE, YOU KNOW, GIVE THE FISH SOME SANCTUARY AREA DOWN THERE.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST A AND LAUREN I'LL LET YOU FIELD THIS QUESTION O Y TO MAKE MAKE IT DEEPER. WELL THERE'S SOME THERE'S SOME UNCERTAINTY ON THE DEPTHS OUT THERE OF HOW DEEP THE ACCUMULATED SEDIMENT OF THE LAST 80 YEARS IS. AND WHERE THE INTEGRITY OF THE LINER ACROSS THE LAKE. THAT'S I THINK GILBERT WAS ALLUDING TO THE ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE MANY UP TO. I THINK 30 WAS A FIGURE THAT WAS ON ONE OF THE SLIDES SAMPLES ACROSS THE LAKE TO SEE IF THERE IS REALLY A PLACE WHERE THERE'S SIGNIFICANT WATER LOSS TAKING PLACE. SO IN LOOKING BACK, THE ORIGINAL DRAWING SHOWED THAT THE LAKE WAS TEN FEET DEEP. NOW THAT MIGHT BE BASED AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, GILBERT, THAT MIGHT BE BASED ON A MANAGEMENT LEVEL OF THE WATER SURFACE ELEVATION.

BACK WHEN THE LAKE WAS BUILT AND THOSE MANAGEMENT LEVELS MIGHT NOT BE THE SAME AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE CURRENT WATER MANAGEMENT LEVELS. WE'D LIKE TO MAINTAIN THE TOP OF THE WATER AT AND THAT WILL DETERMINE HOW DEEP THE LAKE IS IN WHICH PART OF THE LAKE. SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTIO. WELL, I'M KIND OF CONFUSED IF THE ORIGINAL DEPTH OF THE LAKE WAS TEN FEET, WHY DO WE NOW HAVE A CLAY LAYER AT SIX FEET? THAT'S THE BIGGEST QUESTION WE FOUND THESE DRAWINGS WITHIN THE FLAT FILES ARE THERE AT THE COUNTY. WE WERE ASSUMING THAT'S WHAT THE LAKE WAS BUILT BACK IN 1939. IT WAS A GRADING PLAN THAT WAS DONE. AND SO WE TOOK THAT ASSUMPTION AT FIRST. NOW WHEN WE WENT OUT THERE AND TOOK OUR PROBING AND GOT SOME SAMPLES, IT SHOWED THAT THE CLAY LAYER WAS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN WHAT WE EXPECTED OUT THERE. SO IT'S STILL HAVING TO DO A LOT MORE OUT THERE TO SEE WHERE IT IS EXACTLY. I MEAN, THERE HAS BEEN SOME SEDIMENT BUILT UP. THIS IS A LAKE THAT'S OVER 80 YEARS OLD, AND I MEAN, MORE EXPLORATION WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE OUT THERE TO CLEARLY DETERMINE WHERE THAT'S AT. OKAY. SO ASSUMING FOR EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE TAKE THE FISH EQUATION OUT OF IT AND WE CAN DIRECT THEM TO OTHER OF THE OTHER LAKES OR THE OTHER PONDS THAT WE HAVE OR CUT OFF PART OF THE AREAS THAT THE INLETS. WOULD YOU STILL HAVE THE SAME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE LAKE IN TERMS OF WHAT TO DO IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FISH THERE IN THE IN THE MAIN LAKE? SO YOU WOULDN'T YOU WOULDN'T STOCK THE LAKE AT ALL. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OR WHAT I'D SAY IS THERE'S SOME OTHER AREAS, ISN'T THERE. THERE ISN'T A LITTLE LIKE INLETS, BETSY. THERE'S THE MAIN LAKE AND THEN THERE'S THE SMALL LAKE. AND BOTH BOTH ARE FISHED. BOTH HAVE FISH IN THEM. AND IF THE COURT WERE TO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY WILL THE WORK'S BEING DONE OR IN GENERAL? NO. IN GENERAL, TO REMOVE THE FISH FROM THE BIG LAKE AND PUT THEM INTO ANOTHER AREA. I THINK THAT WHERE THE LAKE CAN BE UTILIZED BY NOT JUST FISHERMEN, BUT OTHER ACTIVITIES ON THE LAKE. SURE THERE ARE.

THERE IS THE SMALLER LAKE, BUT I DO THINK THAT GENERALLY THE QUANTITIES OF DROP HAVE BEEN FOR

[02:15:04]

BASED ON THE LARGE, THE SIZE OF THE LARGE LAKE. SO WHEN WE GET THE DROPS FROM TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE, WE THERE OR WHEN WE GET THE FISH DROPS, IT'S GENERALLY THERE. THEY'RE DROPPED INTO THE LARGE LAKE AND IT'S BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE LARGE LAKE AND THE NUMBER OF FISH. BUT IF WE WERE TO ONLY GO TO PUTTING FISH IN THE SMALL LAKE. YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S MY QUESTION. WHAT WOULD IT BE OF ANY BENEFIT IF WE TAKE THE FISH OUT OF THE BIG LAKE AND PUT THEM SOMEWHERE IN THE SMALL ONE TO ALLOW US? AND WOULD THAT BE A RECOMMENDATION THAT SO, COMMISSIONER, WE DO FREQUENTLY STOCK THE SMALL LAKE. AND THAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE A GOLDEN ALGAE BLOOM, RIGHT. THOSE ARE UNPREDICTABLE. SOMETIMES WE THINK THEY'RE CAUSED BY THE COOLER WEATHER. SO WHAT WE DO IF WE DO DETERMINE THERE'S GOLDEN ALGAE, TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE WORKS WITH US. SO WE'LL DO THE STOCKING IN THE SMALL LAKES. SO WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST. TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT IF THE COURT SO CHOOSES WHAT WE COULD DO AS A TEMPORARY FIX IS USE THAT SMALL LAKE FOR FISHING. AND THE OTHER THING I WANT TO ADDRESS CURRENTLY THE LAKE IS IT'S A MULTI-USE LAKE. WE DON'T ALLOW SWIMMING IN IT, BUT THERE IS BOATING THAT HAPPENS OUT THERE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S TALK ABOUT OTHER ACTIVITIES WE COULD PERHAPS DO ON THE LAKE ROWING, SCULLING, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS. WE DO SEE FREQUENT CANOERS AND KAYAKERS OUT THERE, ALONG WITH THE PEOPLE FISHING. SO IT IS A MULTI-USE LAKE. I DO WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. THE SMALLER LAKE THAT WE CALL THE DUCK POND, SAME THING. I MEAN, IT'S ATTRACTIVE TO WATERFOWL. SO IT IS A POPULAR PLACE FOR KIDS AND THEIR PARENTS TO GO. OKAY. DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING FISH IN THE BIG LAKE? I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT AS WELL. SO THE LARGER THE LAKE, THE GREATER THE CAPACITY WE CAN HAVE OF FISH. YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE IF YOU'RE HERDING CATTLE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ONLY PUT A FEW CATTLE IN A SMALL PASTURE OR A LARGER PASTURE. YOU CAN HAVE MORE CATTLE, SAME THING WITH FISH. SO IT WOULD GIVE THEM MORE HABITAT AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF FISH. FISH. MOST FISH NEVER STOP GROWING IF AS LONG AS THE CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT AND THEY'RE BEING FED, YOU KNOW, WITH AVAILABLE FOOD FISH, THEY'LL KEEP GROWING AND A LOT OF OUR FISHERMEN, ESPECIALLY THE BASS FISHERMEN, THEIR CATCH AND RELEASE. SO THEY LIKE TO CATCH THE LARGER FISH AS A SPORT. AND RELEASE THEM BACK IN THERE FOR SOMEONE ELSE. HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. BUT AGAIN, JUST HAVING THAT LARGER SURFACE AREA, HAVING MORE AREAS WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO FISH, WE CAN YOU KNOW, WE WOULD PROBABLY, I THINK, WANT TO KEEP THAT LARGER FISHERIES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. BUT BUT MY QUESTION IS APART FROM THAT ISSUE IS WHAT ECOLOGICAL BENEFIT IS TO HAVE THE FISH IN THERE. IS THAT FOR THE LAKE? YEAH. THE BENEFITS OF HAVING THE FISH IS THAT WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, IN ANY URBAN SETTING, I THINK FOLKS WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO SOMEWHERE LOCALLY, WHETHER IT'S FISHING OR JUST TO SEE FISH SWIMMING IN THE WATER, JUST LIKE THE WATERFOWL THERE. SO IT DOES. IT DOES PROVIDE A RECREATIONAL USE, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT AN ACTIVE FISHER PERSON. PEOPLE SOMETIMES NEED THE RECREATIONAL PART OF IT. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ECOLOGICAL PART OF IT. WHAT BENEFIT IS IT TO THE LAKE BY HAVING FISH INSTEAD OF IT JUST BEING A LAKE? AND WE CAN PUT THE FISH IN ANOTHER POND? LAUREN, CAN YOU PROVIDE SOME ANSWERS FOR THAT? YEAH, I'M JUST THINKING. SO IF I GET THE QUESTION CORRECT, IS.

DOES HAVING NO FISH IN THE LAKE AFFECT THE ECOSYSTEM IN A NEGATIVE WAY OR A POSITIVE WAY? YES. EITHER WAY. WELL, I THINK THAT ONE POSSIBILITY, BUT I'M NOT CONCLUSIVE THAT THAT'S TAKING PLACE AT THIS LAKE IS THAT YOU HAVE SMALLER FOOD FISH WHO WILL EAT THE ALGAE AND KEEP THAT THOSE ALGAE LEVELS DOWN. AND THEN THE. SO I DON'T THINK THOSE ARE LIVING IN THERE, BUT I THINK THAT REMOVING FISH MIGHT HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE ALGAL LEVELS. SO WOULD WE BE LOOKING THEN AT WHAT KIND OF FISH WOULD EAT THE ALGAE SO THAT THAT COULD PROVIDE THE BENEFIT RATHER THAN JUST PUTTING ANY KIND OF FISH? WELL, WE HAVE CARP IN THERE RIGHT NOW. AND CARP ARE

[02:20:06]

KNOWN FOR EATING ALGAE AND THINGS THAT GROW IN THE BOTTOM. THEY ROOT UP THE BOTTOM. SO IF FISH WEREN'T THERE, THOSE CARP WEREN'T THERE. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT THE ALGAL PROBLEM COULD BE WORSE. OKAY, AGAIN, THERE'S ALSO PART OF VERY GENERAL I HAVEN'T STUDIED THE LAKE AND I DON'T BELIEVE ANYONE ELSE HAS IN THIS MANNER, BUT THAT IS A POSSIBILITY. WELL, WE WE'D WANT A COMMISSIONER. WE'D WANT IF THAT WAS THE AN IDEA THAT WE WERE CONSIDERING, WE'D WANT TO EVALUATE THAT BECAUSE IT IS PART OF AN OVERALL ECOSYSTEM. I MEAN, THERE ARE THERE ARE LOTS OF MIGRATING BIRDS THAT USE THE LAKE AND PROBABLY EAT SOME OF THOSE FISH AS WELL. THERE WOULD BE A SMALLER AREA FOR THOSE MIGRATING BIRDS, THOUGH. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT TO AN ECOSYSTEM LIKE WE HAVE IN THE LAKE THAT WE WOULD NEED TO CONSIDER AS PART OF SOME OF THE OPTIONS. AND AS WE ONE OF THE THINGS WHY TODAY, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR THE QUESTIONS. BUT THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE WANT TO EVALUATE WHEN WE LOOK AT THE OPTIONS AND BRING BACK TO THE COURT ABOUT WHAT IS THE COST OF THE SEEPAGE THAT WE HAVE NOW, YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE EVAPORATION THAT WILL NOT CHANGE NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO WITH THE LINER. THE OTHER THING TOO, IS YOU COULD HAVE THE I WOULD I'D BE REALLY INTERESTED IN TALKING TO TIM MORE ABOUT THE FISH KILLS BECAUSE AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE, THE MAIN SOURCE OF FISH KILLS HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY THE GOLDEN ALGAE BLOOMS. AND THEY DON'T HAPPEN EVERY YEAR. AND WHEN THEY DO HAPPEN, THERE'S LIKE, THERE'S NO FEASIBLE WAY TO TREAT THEM. YOU HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE WEATHER CHANGES. IS THOSE ARE THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT IMPACT THE ALGAE. BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE CLEARER THE WATER IS, THE LESS SUSPENDED PARTICLES IN THE WATER, THE WORSE THE ALGAE BLOOMS. SO THE CLEANER THE LAKE IS, IS OFTEN THE SUNLIGHT PENETRATING THE WATER IS WHAT REALLY SUPPORTS GOLDEN ALGAE BLOOMS. THE BIGGEST THING WE NEED TO DO IS AERATE, AERATE AND AERATE. SO WE'VE WE'VE RESEARCHED THIS. I THINK TIM HAS EXPERTISE IN THIS, BUT WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS A FEW TIMES IN MY TIME HERE AT THE COUNTY AND REALLY BECAME MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT GOLDEN ALGAE. BUT SO IF WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID FISH KILLS, THE CLEARER, CLEANER LAKE IS NOT NECESSARILY THE ANSWER.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WAS EVER OUR ISSUE OF REDOING THE LAKE. I KNOW IT SAID THAT THAT WAS THE MAJOR A MAJOR FACTOR, BUT WE ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE LAKE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY DEEPER. BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT MAYBE THAT THAT IS THE CASE. WE NEED TO GET MORE DETAILS AND BRING BACK MORE INFORMATION. YEAH. SO ALONG THOSE LINES, I JUST THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH WITH THE FISH IN THAT LAKE THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO ISSUES OF WHAT KIND OF FISH WE WANT TO PUT IN THERE, THAT'S GOING TO HELP WITH THE MAINTENANCE OF THE LAKE, NOT JUST ANY KIND OF FISH. THE OTHER THING, COMMISSIONER, I MEAN, IT IS A MAJOR IT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR SOURCES OF OUTDOOR RECREATION, RIGHT? IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I WILL TELL YOU, AS SOMEBODY WHO FISHES QUITE A BIT, THERE ARE LIKE, HONESTLY, LIKE THE IDEA OF CATCHING A CARP IS NOT ATTRACTIVE FOR MOST PEOPLE. AND THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR LIKE THE BASS, THE TROUT, THE CATFISH, THINGS THAT ARE EDIBLE OR CATCH AND RELEASE.

BUT A LOT OF THE BOTTOM FEEDING FISH ARE NOT THE MOST ATTRACTIVE TO CATCH. WELL, CATFISH ARE, AREN'T THEY A CATFISH? CATFISH MORE, BUT NOT FOR NOT FOR LIKE THE CARP FOR CONSUMPTION IS NOT ALWAYS THE MOST DESIRED TYPE OF FISH TO CATCH. SO I JUST WANT TO. I WANT TO MENTION WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH MR. LIN, RIGHT? HE IS OUR INLAND FISHERIES BIOLOGIST. FOR THIS REGION. GENERALLY. WHAT THEY'LL COME OUT ON A REGULAR SCHEDULED OCCASION. THEY'LL SAMPLE THE FISH WE HAVE THROUGH ELECTROSHOCKING. AND BECAUSE AGAIN, LIKE ANY OTHER ECOSYSTEM, THE MORE DIVERSITY WE HAVE, MUCH LIKE TREES, THE BETTER THAT ECOSYSTEM IS. AND AS BETSY ALLUDED TO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENT FISH FEEDING, DIFFERENT AREAS. THEY ALL HAVE DEVELOPED DIFFERENT NICHES. AND WHAT THEY PREFER AS PREY. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THOSE LARGE BASS, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE SOME SMALLER FISH IN THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WOULD EAT SOME OF THE PLANT MATERIAL AND ALSO DON'T FORGET WE HAVE LOTS OF MOSQUITOES. ONE OF THE

[02:25:04]

ONE OF THE WAYS MOSQUITOES ARE KEPT DOWN IS FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC LIFE THAT WOULD EAT THOSE EGGS. SO AGAIN, TO SUPPORT A HEALTHY FISHING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FOLKS THAT LIKE TO GET OUT THERE AND FISH, THE MORE DIVERSITY, THE BETTER THE LAKE WOULD BE. IF WE'RE LOOKING AT IT AS A FISHERIES ASPECT. AND AGAIN, I REALLY WANT TO ECHO WHAT BETSY MENTIONED TOO, ABOUT THE WATERFOWL EL PASO HAPPENS TO BE BECAUSE OF THE RIO GRANDE. WE'RE ONE OF THE MAJOR FLYWAYS.

SO IF YOU'RE AN AVID BIRDER, LIKE WE HAVE MANY OF THOSE HERE IN EL PASO, THOSE THOSE BIRDS DEPEND ON THE FISH AND THE OTHER AQUATIC LIFE FOR FOOD. AND SO TO REMOVE ALL THE AQUATIC LIFE, THE FISH, IT WOULD REALLY LIMIT WHAT THEY HAVE. AND AS WE ALL KNOW, I MEAN, THE LAKE IS ONE OF THE FEW LARGE BODIES OF WATER IN THIS ENTIRE REGION. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BEFORE WE WRAP THIS ITEM UP? AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THIS MATTER FURTHER. AND BRINGING BACK SOME FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS. THANK YOU BETSY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. ITEM TEN BE APPROVE AND RATIFY THE COUNTY JUDGE'S SIGNATURE FOR THE APPLICATION AND RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE EL PASO COUNTY APPLICATION TO THE EL PASO MPO. TEXAS TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES SET ASIDE FISCAL YEARS 2026 THROUGH 2028. PROJECT CALL IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000

[B. Approve and ratify the County Judge's signature for the application and resolution supporting the El Paso County application to the El Paso MPO Texas Transportation Alternatives-Set Aside (TASA) Fiscal Years 2026-2028 Project Call in the amount of $500,000 with a grant match of $100,000, for the Canutillo Sidewalks Project. (Contract No. 2024-0843) Michael McElroy, Director, Planning and Development, 915-273-3330]

WITH A GRANT MATCH OF $100,000 FOR THE COUNTY SIDEWALKS PROJECT CONTRACT NUMBER 2024 0843. HELL, COMMISSIONERS. MICHAEL MCELROY WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HERE AT THE COUNTY. SO THIS APPLICATION IS TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND ON THIS. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON YOUR AGENDA FOR THURSDAY, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT CANCELED MEETING, IT'S HERE. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S A REQUEST TO RATIFY. SO TO GIVE YOU THE TIMELINE AND HOW WE GOT HERE ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, THE MPO NOTIFIED WELL, THEY STOOD UP AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO TRY TO FIND SOME PROJECTS FOR SOME UNOBLIGATED FUNDING. THE PLANNING STAFF THREW OUR HAT IN THE RING. WE KNEW THERE WERE SOME SOME GAPS. AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME GAPS OUT THERE FOR SIDEWALKS, WHICH IS WHAT TOSA IS LARGELY FOR. THESE NON-VEHICLE PROJECTS. AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET A COMMITMENT OF SORTS FOR ABOUT HALF THE FUNDING THAT WAS AVAILABLE. AND SO WE'RE SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FOR THAT ON OCTOBER SECOND OF THIS YEAR. EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE TXDOT PROVIDED A LITTLE BIT OF GUIDANCE ON HOW WE COULD GO ABOUT FORMALIZING THAT. AFTER THE FACT APPLICATION. AND SO WE REALLY WORKED HARD TO GET AN APPLICATION IN AND FORTUNATELY, THE DEADLINE WAS OCTOBER 18TH EXACTLY ON YOUR SPECIAL MEETING DATE. BUT HOWEVER, THAT MEETING DIDN'T OCCUR, BUT WE STILL BELIEVED IN THE PROJECT. AND SO WE DID SUBMIT. AND THIS IS A REQUEST TO, YOU KNOW, RATIFY THAT APPLICATION. SO THE FY 26 TO 28 TOSA PROVIDES ABOUT $9 MILLION, BUT THERE'S ABOUT 800,000 LEFT. WE SPECIFICALLY ARE ASKING FOR A 400,000. AND THEN WE WOULD MATCH THAT WITH $100,000 FOR THIS CANUTILLO SIDEWALK PROJECT. LET ME SHARE WITH YOU A BIT MORE ABOUT IT.

HERE'S AN OVERVIEW IN A LARGE SENSE, BUT I'M GOING TO SKIP OVER TO THIS ONE BECAUSE IT HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PROPOSING TO DO IS A LITTLE UNDER ONE MILE OF SIDEWALKS IN THE CANUTILLO CDP. SO IT'D BE ON THE NORTH END OF LA UNION, STRETCHING FROM DONIPHAN OVER TO THE SCHOOLS. AND ALSO LA UNION CENTRAL ON THE NORTH END, AND THEN BOTH SIDES OF THIRD STREET TO CANUTILLO AVENUE. THIS WOULD PROVIDE CONNECTIVITY FOR CANUTILLO ELEMENTARY AND THEN, BY EXTENSION, ALSO ALDERETE MIDDLE SCHOOL AS WELL. FROM DONIPHAN OVER TO THE SCHOOLS WHERE THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS. AND WE HAVE SOME PICTURES. I'LL SHOW YOU THAT. IT WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL 15 ADA RAMPS AND MAKING CONNECTIVITY FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHO PROVIDED US A LETTER OF SUPPORT. AND THEN JUST MAKING THIS A BETTER NEIGHBORHOOD. HERE YOU SEE IMAGES OF THAT RIGHT OF WAY. THE RIGHT OF WAY WAS DEDICATED IN 1991. IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE SIDEWALKS TO MAKE IT THE BEST IT CAN BE. MORE IMAGES. MORE IMAGE. AND SO THE REQUEST TO THE COURT IS TO APPROVE THAT SUBMITTAL,

[02:30:01]

RATIFY THE ACTION THAT WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE PLEASED TO ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU. COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU. MICHAEL. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER CORONADO TO APPROVE SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LEON. THE VOTING IS OPEN. SAMANIEGO IS ABSENT. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MICHAEL. COMMISSIONER LEON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THE ITEMS FROM CONSENT, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND BREAK FURTHER? THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER, I DO BELIEVE THAT ITEMS TAKEN FROM CONSENT WILL BE REALLY QUICK. IF IT'S WHAT YOU ALWAYS SAY. I KNOW, I KNOW, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY JUST TO. WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE I PULLED THEM JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THEM. I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. I JUST WANTED YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT. YES, SIR. COMMISSIONERS ITEM FOR AN FROM THE CONSENT PULLED BY COMMISSIONER STOUT APPROVE AN AUTHORIZED THE CREATION OF THE COUNTY OF EL PASO'S NEW PAID PARENTAL LEAVE POLICY. OPINION NUMBER 5410. SO I MEAN, I DIDN'T I DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I

[N. Approve and authorize the creation of the County of El Paso's new Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Policy. (OP-5410) Sam Trujillo, Interim Chief Human Resources Officer, Human Resources, 915-273-3520]

JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS THIS POLICY THAT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR, FOR QUITE A WHILE.

AND, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATE THE COUNTY AND, AND OUR STAFF ON, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING THIS AND PUTTING IT FORWARD. I HOPE WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER AS WE MOVE INTO THE FUTURE. I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE TIME BEING PROVIDED. I THINK NOW THIS THIS IS FOUR WEEKS, RIGHT. SO, YOU KNOW, EVEN THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS GONE TO I THINK EIGHT WEEKS. AND SO, I MEAN, THAT'S PRETTY PROGRESSIVE FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS. RIGHT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT THAT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS. AND COMMISSIONER, IF I MAY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COURT'S BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME. AND, COMMISSIONER, YOU'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I APPRECIATE THAT WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO MOVE IT FORWARD. IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN PENDING FOR A WHILE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT DRAFTED. ORIGINALLY WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THREE WEEKS. I THINK, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT FOUR WEEKS. WE DO HAVE A TEMPORARY POOL THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE USING TO HELP DEPARTMENTS. WHEN THEY HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT ADDITIONAL TIME OR WHO ARE OUT, MAYBE BECAUSE OF PAID PARENTAL LEAVE, SO THAT THEY CAN EITHER TEMPORARILY HIRE OR TEMPORARILY PROMOTE SOMEONE TO JOB RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT WILL BE MONITORING HOW THAT GOES AND BRING BACK RECOMMENDATIONS ON BEING ABLE TO INCREASE THIS OR INCREASE THAT BUDGET. TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THIS AS AS WE SEE THE ACTUAL USE. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO OFFER THIS TO OUR FAMILIES, OUR EMPLOYEES, FOR HELPING WITH THE BIRTH OF A CHILD OR THE PLACEMENT OF A CHILD. COMMISSIONER. YEAH, I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING THIS, AND I'M HOPING THAT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE WE CAN EXPAND IT, EVEN IF MAYBE NOT TO THE FULL EIGHT WEEKS NEXT YEAR, BUT MAYBE ANOTHER TWO WEEKS AND THEN SO ON. SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT A GREAT BENEFIT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. I REMEMBER WHEN MY KIDS WERE BORN YEARS AGO, HOW HARD THAT WAS TO TRY TO STAY WITH THE CHILD DURING THOSE MOMENTS. SO GREAT JOB. I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT UP. IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND BEING ABLE TO YOU KNOW, RECRUIT AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES, BUT IT'S JUST SOCIETALLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK JUST THE TIME THAT BOTH PARENTS CAN SPEND WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND THESE EARLIER, YOU KNOW, EARLIER PHASES AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT, GREAT, GREAT THING FOR, FOR ALL OF OUR I KNOW YOU WANT TO HAVE AT LEAST SIX MORE KIDS. I'M ABOUT TO I'M ABOUT TO START. YOU KNOW, RIGHT AWAY. YOU'RE JUST WAITING FOR THIS. YEAH. YEAH, YEAH. OKAY. AND ON THAT NOTE, WE'D LIKE A MOTION. DO YOU HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CORONADO? SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOUT. THE VOTING IS OPEN. MOTION CARRIES. ITEM FOUR ARE. APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY JUDGE TO SIGN THE STATEMENT OF WORK AGREEMENT WITH CIVICPLUS, LLC, A TOOL USED TO HELP IDENTIFY WEAKNESSES IN ADA COMPLIANCE ON THE EL PASO COUNTY WEBSITE. IN THE AMOUNT OF $19,599.25, FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN GENERAL FUND OPERATIONS, COMMUNICATION, MAINTENANCE, REPAIR SOFTWARE CONTRACT NUMBER 2024 0747 AND COMMISSIONER STOUT, I KNOW THIS IS ANOTHER ITEM THAT'S BEEN ON OUR PLAN. IT'S BEEN SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR SOME PERIOD OF

[02:35:03]

TIME. YOU'VE ENCOURAGED US TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS. I REALLY APPRECIATE OUR WEB TEAM FOR FINDING FINDING A RESOURCE AND BRINGING IT FORWARD. THEY ACTUALLY HAVE ADDITIONAL

[R. Approve and authorize the County Judge to sign the Statement of Work Agreement with CivicPlus, LLC, a tool used to help identify weaknesses in ADA compliancy on the El Paso County Website in the amount of $19,599.25. Funding is available in GF-OPSCOMMUNIC-MAIN/REP-SOFTW. (Contract No. 2024-0747) Melissa Carrillo, Executive Director, County Operations, 915-546-2162]

SERVICES THEY WANT TO ADD RIGHT NOW. THIS WILL THEY'LL STILL BE MANUALLY ONCE THE IT'S POINTED OUT TO THEM BY THE SERVICE OF WHAT THE WEAKNESSES ARE. OUR TEAM WILL GO IN AND ADDRESS IT EVENTUALLY WHEN WE CAN IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL FUNDING. THERE'S MORE ROBUST SERVICES WHERE THE COMPANY WILL AUTOMATICALLY MAKE THE CORRECTIONS, BUT THIS WILL ENSURE THAT WE'RE COMPLIANT WITH NEW STANDARDS THAT ARE COMING OUT THAT WE HAVE TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH BY 2026. FOR WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY. AND AGAIN, WE ARE ALSO I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS WITH THE LEADERSHIP TEAM. LIKE GOING DON'T DON'T USE ADA AS OUR OUR OUR CEILING. ADA SHOULD BE OUR FLOOR. LIKE WHAT CAN WE DO ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR ACCESSIBILITY. SO WE ARE WE ARE WATCHING FOR THAT AND LOOKING FOR WAYS WE CAN MAKE THE EL PASO COUNTY EXTREMELY ACCESSIBLE FOR INDIVIDUALS REGARDLESS OF ANY ABILITIES OR CHALLENGES THEY MAY FACE. YEAH. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, MISS SCHUMACHER, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD TO OUR CONVERSATION? OH GOOD AFTERNOON.

COMMISSIONERS. NO. ANNA MARCUS, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. I'M JUST HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. YEAH, I DIDN'T I DIDN'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. I ALSO JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS PROGRAM AND THE STEPS THAT WE'RE TAKING IN THE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS REALLY UNDERSCORED THE NEED, ESPECIALLY FOR WEB, WEB RELATED ACCESSIBILITY AND I CONGRATULATE AND THANK ALL OF OUR STAFF. THANK YOU, ANNA. THANK YOU TO OUR ADA COORDINATOR AND TO THOSE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ALSO PARTICIPATED AND HELPED HELPED WITH THIS. SO AND REALLY, I WILL TELL YOU, WHEN I MET WITH OSCAR VICKERS WHO'S OVERSEEING OUR WEB TEAM UNDER MELISSA, I MEAN, HIS ENTHUSIASM AND EXCITEMENT ABOUT MAKING THESE IMPROVEMENTS IS VERY COMMENDABLE. I REALLY APPRECIATE HOW LIKE HE IS. HE OWNS THIS AND HE'S REALLY EXCITED TO MOVE IT FORWARD.

THANK YOU OSCAR. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STOUT. DO WE HAVE A SECOND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CORONADO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. A MOTION CARRIES. OKAY, SO COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL NOW RECESS FOR ONE HOUR. IT IS 12:08 P.M.

[02:40:47]

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 AM 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 EP 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 RETINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID NUEVE LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINA DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH PUNTO COM SABEMOS CUANTO A MAS DE TUS HIJOS? ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[02:47:45]

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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. QUÉ SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS. AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE IS GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINA DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO ALMORZAR TUS HIJOS. ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[02:54:41]

[02:55:02]

BOOSTER FOR YOUR CHILD'S ROUTINE VACCINES. VISIT EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. QUÉ SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LA VACUNA SATANAS, LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE IS GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINA DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO A MAS A TUS HIJOS? ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[03:01:39]

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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. QUÉ SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS? ADEMAS DE LA VACUNA RETINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID-19 NUEVE ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINA DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO A MAS A TUS HIJOS? ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[03:08:36]

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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. QUÉ SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS. AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO MAS A TUS HIJOS, ASI Q RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[03:15:32]

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

[03:15:38]

FIVE AND OLDER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID 19 VACCINE. I AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. QUÉ SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS. AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISIT EP HEALTH PUNTO COM SABEMOS CUANTO MAS DE TUS HIJOS? ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[03:22:28]

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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. QUÉ SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS? ADEMAS DE LA VACUNA SATANAS, LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE IS GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINA DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO A MAS DE TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[03:29:27]

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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. QUÉ SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS. AHORA SON

[03:30:05]

ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO MAS DE TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[03:36:10]

DE. 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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM.

WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. QUÉ SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS? ADEMAS DE LA VACUNA SOBRE LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINA DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH PUNTO COM SABEMOS CUANTO ALMORZAR TUS HIJOS. ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[03:43:20]

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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE IS IMPORTANT. QUÉ SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS? ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS. AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE IS GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO A MAS DE TUS HIJOS, ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[03:50:12]

GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS RECONVENED TO REGULAR OPEN SESSION BEFORE WE GO INTO

[03:50:21]

EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS TO DELETE. ITEM 11 B PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, DISCUSS LEGAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES REGARDING LITIGATION STYLED UNITED STATES VERSUS TEXAS. NUMBER 2450149. COUNTY ATTORNEY'S FILE NUMBER 016523 PL, ALONG WITH ITS CORRESPONDING ITEM NUMBER 12 A FROM THE REGULAR SESSION.

DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING LEGAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. STYLED UNITED STATES VERSUS TEXAS. NUMBER 2450149. COUNTY ATTORNEY'S FILE NUMBER 016523 PL. COULD WE HAVE A MOTION TO DELETE THESE ITEMS? SO MOVED A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CORONADO, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER OLGUIN. THE VOTING IS OPEN. THERE'S SOMEONE. DIEGO. YOUR VOTE. YES.

I DON'T HAVE MY. I VOTE AYE MOTION CARRIES. AND FOR ITEM 11 H. PURSUANT TO TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS FIVE, FIVE, 1.071 AND FIVE FIVE, 1.0725 RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE AND DISCUSS CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS PERTAINING TO AGREEMENTS WITH SPECTRUM AND AT&T FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF A BROADBAND FIBER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT. COULD WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE FOR ONE WEEK? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER OLGUIN, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LEON. THE VOTING IS OPEN. JUDGE SAMANIEGO, YOUR VOTE. YES, I. MOTION CARRIES. COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS ITEMS 11 A, C, D, E, F AND G. AS WELL AS J AND K PURSUANT TO TEXAS. I'M SORRY, AND I AS WELL, PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.07155, 1.074 AND 551.087. COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL RECONVENE TO TAKE OFFICIAL ACTION.

ON.

[03:55:15]

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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT Q SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINA DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMAS A TUS HIJOS, ASI Q RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[04:02:13]

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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. QUÉ SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO A MAS A TUS HIJOS? ASI Q RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[04:09:10]

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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. Q SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS. ADEMAS DE LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINA DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO ALMORZAR TUS HIJOS, ASI Q

[04:10:03]

RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[04:16:07]

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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. Q SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO AMAS A TUS HIJOS, ASI Q RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[04:23:03]

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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. Q SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO A TUS HIJOS, ASI Q RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[04:30:00]

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

[04:30:06]

FIVE AND OLDER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID 19 VACCINE. I AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE IS IMPORTANT. Q SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO ALMORZAR TUS HIJOS, ASI Q RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[04:36:57]

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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. Q SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID DIECINUEVE LA VACUNA COVID ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO A MAS A TUS HIJOS, ASI Q RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[04:43:53]

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 AM 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 EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. Q SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS. ADEMAS DE LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS, AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID DIECINUEVE LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINA DE SUS HIJOS. VISITA EP HEALTH.COM SABEMOS CUANTO ALMORZAR TUS HIJOS, ASI Q RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA.

[04:47:19]

GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS RECONVENED TO REGULAR OPEN SESSION. WE'D LIKE TO START WITH ITEM FIVE D FROM THE RESOLUTION. APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION HONORING LOTTIE DEAN URANGA POSTHUMOUSLY FOR HER REMARKABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO EL PASO AND HER ACHIEVEMENTS AS A SWIMMING

[D. Approve and adopt a resolution honoring Lottie Dean Uranga posthumously for her remarkable contributions to El Paso and her achievements as a swimming champion in El Paso County, Texas. Ricardo A. Samaniego, County Judge, County Judge's Office, 915-546-2098]

CHAMPION IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS. THANK YOU. SO IT'S MY PLEASURE AND MY HONOR. IT'S ALWAYS SO NICE THAT IT'S SOMEONE THAT THAT I KNEW THAT WAS A GOOD FRIEND. AMAZING INDIVIDUAL, AND NOT ONLY AS AN ATHLETE, AS A SWIMMER, BUT JUST HAVE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING TO STEP OUT AND COMING BACK FROM, FROM OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. AND SO I'LL READ THIS INTO THE RECORD. WHEREAS IN 1967, AT THE AGE OF 13, LOTTIE URANGA WAS A SWIMMING PHENOMENON. LOTTIE LEARNED TO SWIM AT THE AGE OF SEVEN AT GRANDVIEW POOL. AT AGE, HE COMPETED IN HER FIRST MEET AT THE RAMADA INN AND ENJOYED HER FIRST SUCCESS. SHE BEGAN BEGAN TRAINING WITH SERGEANT MCGURK AT THE YWCA YMCA AT A MEET IN MIDLAND AS AN EIGHT AND UNDER. SHE WON HER FIRST GOLD MEDAL IN 100 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY. LADIES CAREER CONTINUED, AND SHE REPRESENTED TEXAS AS A WOMAN IN THE AGE OF 11 TO 12. COME COMPETITOR IN A MEET AGAINST MEXICO IN MEXICO CITY. SHE PLACED SECOND IN THE INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY. DURING HER SWIMMING CAREER, SHE WOULD SET NUMEROUS STATE RECORDS IN TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, AND ARIZONA. SHE WAS THE FIRST FEMALE SWIMMER FROM EL PASO TO MAKE IT TO THE OUTDOOR NATIONAL SWIMMING MEET. BY THE END OF THE YEAR, SHE WAS RANKED FIRST IN THE COUNTRY IN WOMEN'S AGE 13 TO 14, SWIMMING IN THE 220 YARD INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY, WHEREAS IN 1968 LOTTIE WAS 14 AND WEIGHED 89 POUNDS. THAT YEAR AT THE SANTA CLARA INTERNATIONAL INVITATIONAL, SHE PLACED SIXTH IN THE 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY AND SEVENTH IN THE 200 BREASTSTROKE. AT THIS MEET, SHE SAW OLYMPIANS MARK SPITZ, DON SCHOLLANDER AND DONNA DE VARONA COMPETE IN FRONT OF 14,000 SPECTATORS. AFTER A RACE IN WHICH SHE QUALIFIED FOR THE FINAL, LADIES FATHER AND COACH SAT DOWN NEXT TO A LADY AND BEGAN TALKING. THE WOMAN TOLD HIM THAT PROUD THAT, POUND FOR POUND, SHE MAY HAVE BEEN THE FINEST SWIMMER IN THE COUNTRY, THAT WOMAN WAS MARK SPITZ MOTHER, WHEREAS LOTTIE COMPETED IN 1968 WESTERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGIONALS, WINNING FOUR EVENTS AND PLACING SECOND IN FOUR OTHERS, SHE ALSO SET TWO REGIONAL RECORDS AT THIS EVENT. LATER THAT YEAR, IN THE OLYMPIC

[04:50:05]

TRIALS CONDUCTED IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, SHE PLACED SIXTH IN 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY, 10TH IN 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY, AND 13TH IN THE 200 BREASTSTROKE. DURING 1968, LOTTIE WAS HIGHLY RANKED IN FOUR EVENTS AT THE WORLD LEVEL AT VARIOUS TIMES. SHE WAS SIXTH IN THE AND SHE RANKED NINTH IN THE 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY AND 14TH IN THE 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY, AND 16TH IN THE 200 BREASTSTROKE. SHE WAS STATE CHAMPION OF TEXAS IN FIVE EVENTS. HER SWIMMING CAREER PEAKED IN 1968. LOTTIE GRADUATED FROM AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL. SHE WAS SECRETARY SECRETARY IN SURPRISE, ARIZONA, WHERE SHE PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 49. IN 2004, SHE LEFT BEHIND HER DAUGHTER JUDY AND THREE GRANDDAUGHTERS AND A GRANDSON. SHE WAS SURVIVE SURVIVED FOUR SISTERS AND TWO BROTHERS. WHEREAS LOTTIE HAD BEEN NOMINATED SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE EL PASO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME, AND IN 2007, LOTTIE WAS INDUCTED TO THE HALL OF FAME HONOREES. SHE WAS RANKED WITH THE 1960S TEXAS BEST SWIMMERS, DECAYED AND RANKED THE TOP 15 SWIMMERS IN THE WORLD IN FOUR EVENTS IN 1968. WHEREAS WE PROUDLY ACKNOWLEDGE LOTTIE WARANGA FOR HER EXTRAORDINARY TALENT AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION, WHICH WHICH HAVE NOT ONLY ELEVATED HER CRAFT BUT ALSO PLACED EL PASO FIRMLY ON THE MAP. HER CREATIVITY AND PASSION INSPIRE US ALL, SHOWCASING THE VIBRANT SPIRIT OF OUR COMMUNITY. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE EL PASO COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS COURT RECOGNIZE AND HONOR POSTHUMOUSLY LOTTIE, FOR BEING THE SHINING EXAMPLE OF EXCELLENCE FOR MAKING AND LASTING IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY'S IDENTITY AND HER LEGACY. SIGNED THIS 21ST DAY OF OCTOBER, 2024. WE HAVE A MOTION BY JUDGE SAMANIEGO, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOUT. THE VOTING IS OPEN. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT TO. ARMANDO OR CORRINE? IF YOU'D LIKE TO. THIS IS CORRINE'S LADY'S SISTER. I GOT TO MEET ALSO, NOT ONLY A GREAT SWIMMER, SHE'S ALSO AN AMAZING DIVER. I WENT TO DIFFERENT SWIMMING POOLS, AND ONE OF THEM WAS WASHINGTON PARK. AND I GOT TO SEE LOTTIE WOULD BE THERE AT PROBABLY AT FIVE, MAYBE 430 IN THE MORNING. SO BY THE TIME I GOT THERE, SHE HAD BEEN THERE SWIMMING FOR HOURS AT A TIME, EXTREMELY DEDICATED. I HAD BEAUTIFUL SISTERS. AND IF YOU DON'T MIND TELLING US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LOTTIE CORRINE. WELL, SHE WAS A HARD WORKER. MY DAD HAS BROUGHT ALL FOUR OF US TO BE HARD WORKERS, AND WE WERE IN SWIMMING AND GYMNASTICS, SO THAT'S ALL WE DID WHEN WE GREW UP. AND WHEN WE LOST HER, IT WAS REALLY HARD BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T REALLY GET TO LIVE A FULL LIFE.

AND DARLENE AND I TALKED ABOUT HER ALL THE TIME AND HER DAUGHTER AND HER DAUGHTER. SHE MOVED TO CLOSE TO US NOW. SO WE'RE ALL JUST, YOU KNOW, REALLY HAPPY THAT WE'RE STILL A CLOSE KNIT GROUP OF IN OUR FAMILY. BUT THIS I KNOW SHE'D BE REALLY HAPPY THAT SHE GOT THE RECOGNITION. I AGREE, SOMETIMES THINGS TAKE SOME TIME, BUT THE TIMING IS BEAUTIFUL AND FOR WHATEVER REASON IT IT TOOK PLACE TODAY. I KNOW IT MEANS A LOT TO HER AND TO HER FAMILY. I DON'T KNOW IF ALSO, ARMANDO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? HE'S THE ONE THAT PROMPTED ME. IF YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONE THAT PROMPTED ME, REMINDED ME, AND IT BROUGHT BACK ALL THESE AMAZING MEMORIES OF THIS INCREDIBLE LADY. WELL, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY. BUT I'M REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND ENCOURAGED TO RECOGNIZE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PERSON, BEAUTIFUL FAMILY. AND I GUESS I HAD THE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAD WAS WORKING WITH HER DAD, WITH LAURA'S FATHER, HELPING HIM VERY MUCH BECAUSE HE WAS SO DEDICATED, SO DEDICATED TO LOTTIE AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS.

AND ALL HE DID IN ORDER TO, FOR THEM TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE WAY THAT A PARENT IS AND THE DEVOTION HE HAD TO HIS DAUGHTERS. AND I WAS ABLE TO HAVE THE HONOR TO HELP HIM TO GET ALL THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER, TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE EL PASO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME. AND NOW, WITH YOUR HELP ALSO, I AM HONORED TO HAVE BEEN

[04:55:03]

ABLE TO HELP. NOW, HER SISTER CORRINE, TO GET EVERYTHING TOGETHER SO THAT SHE CAN RECEIVE THIS GREAT HONOR FROM YOU AND FROM THE COMMISSIONERS COURTS. SO IT IS BEAUTIFUL, AND I AM REALLY HONORED TO BE HERE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ON THEIR BEHALF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SHE WAS SHE HAD THIS TRADEMARK OF HOW SHE SWAM. WAS ACTUALLY THE LAST TIME I SAW HER WAS I WAS SWIMMING AT HAWKINS SWIMMING POOL. LATER, LATER, LATER IN LIFE, PROBABLY 15, 20 YEARS LATER. AND I TURNED AROUND AND I SAW HER SWIM WITHOUT KNOWING IT WAS HER. I KNEW IT WAS HER. I MEAN, SHE JUST COULD TURN THAT AROUND. IT WAS JUST THE MOST AMAZING WAY THAT SHE SWAM. AND I HOPE SOMEHOW SHE'S LISTENING TO US BECAUSE SHE MEANT A LOT TO EL PASO. AND LIKE YOU SAID, SHE PUT SHE PUT US ON THE MAP AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT SHE DID. SO I'M VERY HONORED TO HAVE BROUGHT THIS RESOLUTION TO THE FOREFRONT. AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE'D LIKE TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH ALL OF YOU.

SO. STAY READY. THREE. TWO. ONE. GO AND. IF YOU. DON'T. KNOW. ME. CONSTRAINTS. I'M HERE IN THE RESOLUTIONS AND. ITEM FIVE A APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING OCTOBER 25TH, 2024 AS NATIONAL FINE ART APPRECIATION DAY IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS. ALL RIGHT. GOOD

[A. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing October 25, 2024, as National Fine Art Appreciation Day in El Paso County, Texas. David Stout, Commissioner, Precinct 2, 915-546-2111]

AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. GLAD TO BE ABLE TO READ THIS RESOLUTION INTO THE RECORD. YOU KNOW, ARTS, I THINK, ARE SOMETHING THAT ARE VERY ESSENTIAL TO THRIVING, TO A THRIVING AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, LIKE SATIRE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ARTS HAS DONE IS EXPRESS IDEAS THAT MAY BE OUT OF FAVOR OR SOMETIMES EVEN DANGEROUS, BUT WITH OUR WITH OUR RESOLUTIONS FOR EXAMPLE, TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE HONORING THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY AND TRANS EL PASOANS HERE. THESE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT EMBEDDED THEIR EXISTENCE IN OUR ART. SOMETIMES IT HAD TO BE DONE IN A SUBTLE MANNER, AS IN THE 30S AND 40S, YOU KNOW, MUSICALS AND MORE RECENTLY, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FREELY EXPRESS THEMSELVES, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE STILL POCKETS OF PREJUDICE AND EVEN HATEFUL PLACES AND PEOPLE, UNFORTUNATELY. BUT ARTS ARE SO VALUABLE FOR OUR EXPRESSION, FOR ENJOYMENT. AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THEY NEED FURTHER JUSTIFICATION, BUT THEY ALSO DRIVE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, WHICH IS WHETHER IT'S THROUGH CONCERTS OR GALLERY SHOWS OR SIMPLY MAKING SPACE THAT DRAW PEOPLE IN FOR THEIR ACTIVITIES IN OUR OWN COURTHOUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS PROUDLY DISPLAYS DISPLAYS MANY WORKS OF ART IN OUR PUBLIC SPACES, AND WE RECENTLY UNVEILED OUR THE OUR HISTORY, THE AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE IN OUR THE MURAL THAT'S OUT THERE IN THE ATRIUM THAT YOU KNOW, THAT ADDS A GREAT EXPERIENCE THROUGH TECHNOLOGY THAT PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE MURAL ITSELF. AND SO WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF GUESTS HERE TODAY FOR ALL OF THESE REASONS. AND I'M PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT YOU ALL. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THEM. I'M GOING TO READ THE RESOLUTION AND THEN WE CAN HEAR FROM WE CAN HEAR FROM EVERYBODY. BUT I JUST I DO WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK GABRIEL MARQUEZ FROM FROM MYSTIC DESERT STUDIO FOR HELPING BRING THIS RESOLUTION TO THE FOREFRONT. SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THE RESOLUTION AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM YOU ALL. THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US. THE RESOLUTION STATES, WHEREAS THE ARTS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN ENRICHING THE

[05:00:02]

CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND FOSTERING CREATIVITY, EL PASO IS HOME TO A VIBRANT ARTISTIC COMMUNITY, INCLUDING GALLERIES, MUSEUMS AND PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS THAT CELEBRATE BOTH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL ART. AND WHEREAS, THE APPRECIATION OF FINE ART ENCOURAGES DIALOG, EDUCATION AND A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES AND HISTORIES. AND WHEREAS THE ARTS CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY BY CREATING JOBS, ATTRACTING TOURISM, AND STIMULATING BUSINESS IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS AND WHEREAS OCTOBER 25TH HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY AS A DAY TO PROMOTE AND APPRECIATE FINE ART, DESIGNATING DESIGNATING OCTOBER 25TH AS NATIONAL FINE ART APPRECIATION DAY IN EL PASO COUNTY WILL ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE WITH AND SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS, GALLERIES AND CULTURAL EVENTS. AND WHEREAS EL PASO'S UNIQUE BLEND OF CULTURAL INFLUENCES, INCLUDING ITS RICH MEXICAN HERITAGE, ENHANCES THE ARTISTIC EXPRESSION FOUND THROUGHOUT THE REGION. AND WHEREAS, ON OCTOBER 25TH, 2024, GABRIEL MARQUEZ, OWNER OF MYSTIC DESERT STUDIO, WILL BE HOSTING AN EXHIBITION FEATURING ARTISTS WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE EL PASO REGION AND BEYOND.

BEYOND. IN THIS LANDSCAPE. THE EXHIBITION IS EL PASO THEMED AND WILL FEATURE 14 LOCAL ARTISTS THAT INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PAINTERS BIANCA MIRELES, CARMEN NAVARRO, CHRISTIAN APODACA, CITLALLI DELGADO, DIEGO MARTINEZ, FRANCISCO DELGADO, GABRIEL MARQUEZ, HAL MARQUEZ, JASON LUCERO, LILIAN SANDOVAL, MUY GARCIA, PABLO HERNANDEZ, PATRICK PATRICK GABALDON, AND VOODOO. AND NOW THEREFORE, BE IT, LET IT BE RESOLVED THAT THE EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT PROCLAIMS OCTOBER 25TH AS NATIONAL FINE ART APPRECIATION DAY IN EL PASO COUNTY, ENCOURAGING ALL RESIDENTS TO EXPLORE, SUPPORT AND CELEBRATE THE FINE ARTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE IDENTITY AND VITALITY OF OUR GREAT COMMUNITY. SIGNED THIS 21ST DAY OF OCTOBER 2024, THE HONORABLE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STOUT, SECOND BY JUDGE SAMANIEGO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. MOTION CARRIES. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING U.

WELCOME. HI. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AGAIN. MY NAME IS GABRIEL MARQUEZ. I'M A NATIVE OF EL PASO, TEXAS. I ATTENDED HUEY ELEMENTARY, ROSS MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND BURGESS HIGH SCHOOL AND GRADUATED FROM UTEP IN 2012. AS A VISUAL ARTIST, I ADVOCATE FOR ALL FORMS OF FINE ART, INCLUDING PAINTING, SCULPTURE, MUSIC, DANCE, THEATER, FILM AND POETRY, AND PUBLIC SPEAKING. GROWING UP IN EL PASO, I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HEAVILY INTO ART. EARLY IN MY CHILDHOOD, I GREW UP SKATEBOARDING. I NEVER PLAYED ANY SPORTS, SO SKATEBOARDING WAS MY OUTLET INTO THE WORLD WAY BEFORE THERE WERE ANY SKATE PARKS IN EL PASO. WHAT REALLY INSPIRED ME TO CREATE ART WAS THE ART OF THE SKATE DECK. SKATEBOARD GRAPHICS AT THE TIME INTRIGUED ME BECAUSE THE ART WAS ALWAYS EVOLVING. I WANTED TO MAKE ART THAT WAS DISTINCTIVE AND DIFFERENT, SO I PURSUED ART, AND AT UTEP, I EARNED A BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS IN STUDIO ART, FOCUSING ON GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PAINTING. CURRENTLY, I AM A PAINTER, GALLERIST, AND MURALIST LIVING AND WORKING FOR EL PASO.

I HAVE PAINTED SOME MURALS IN THE CITY OF EL PASO AND SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. YOU CAN FIND MURALS AT LOCAL BUSINESSES LIKE SAVAGE GOODS OR MASSIMINO'S. AND JUST RECENTLY THE EL PASO CHILDREN'S MUSEUM AT LA NUBE. I OPERATE MYSTIC DESERT STUDIO, A LOCAL GALLERY AND STUDIO IN THE HEART OF LINCOLN PARK UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE OF THE AMERICAS. MY GOAL HERE IN EL PASO IS TO BRIDGE GENERATIONS OF ARTISTS TOGETHER TO CREATE A MORE FLUID AUDIENCE WITHIN THE ARTISTIC COMMUNITY AND THE CITY OF EL PASO. TODAY, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSIONERS, COURT JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND COMMISSIONER STOUT FOR PRECINCT TWO, WHO HAVE ALLOWED ME TO DRAFT A RESOLUTION CELEBRATING EL PASO ARTISTS ON NATIONAL FINE ART APPRECIATION DAY TO BE OBSERVED ON OCTOBER 25TH. MY GOAL FOR THIS RESOLUTION IS TO BRING MORE AWARENESS TO THE CREATIVE INDIVIDUALS THAT RESIDE IN EL PASO, BECAUSE ARTISTS CAN ALL USE THE SUPPORT OF OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. BUT MOST OF ALL, WE NEED OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS HELP AS WELL. THERE'S A WEALTH OF CREATIVITY, AND I'D LIKE THE CITY OF EL PASO TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING ARTISTS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE PUBLIC REALM. LIVING ARTISTS NEED MORE RECOGNITION, AND WE NEED THE COMMUNITY'S HELP IN CREATING A FLOURISHING ARTISTIC LANDSCAPE.

WHEN YOU VISIT OTHER BIG CITIES, THE ARTS ARE A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN CREATING AN ARTISTIC CULTURE THAT REFLECTS ON COLLECTIVE PRACTICES, VALUES AND EXPRESSIONS RELATED TO ART AND ESTHETICS WITHIN OUR SOCIETY. TO HIGHLIGHT THESE EFFORTS, MYSTIC DESERT STUDIO WILL BE HOSTING AN

[05:05:05]

EXHIBITION WITH AN OPENING RECEPTION THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25TH, 6 TO 11 P.M. AND THE EXHIBITION WILL RUN THROUGH TO NOVEMBER 24TH OF 2024. WILL BE FEATURING 14 INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS WHO ARE MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE EL PASO REGION AND BEYOND. THE LANDSCAPE. THIS EXHIBITION WILL FEATURE THE NAMES THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, AND I HAVE A NUMBER OF THEM HERE WITH ME. CAN WE CAN WE HAVE WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE DONE SPEAKING, GABRIEL, CAN WE HAVE EVERYBODY COME UP AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND TELL US WHAT MEDIUM YOU WORK IN, WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN THE COMMUNITY? YEAH. THANK YOU. SO WITH ME TODAY, ARE SOME OF THE AMAZING ARTISTS THAT ARE EXHIBITING A PIECE IN THE EL PASO THEMED FINE ART APPRECIATION DAY. UNFORTUNATELY, NOT ALL OF THEM COULD BE HERE TODAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THEM INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND SAY A FEW WORDS IF THEY'D LIKE. IF THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU. HELLO EVERYBODY. I'M HAL MARCUS AND I GOT A LOT OF FRIENDS IN FRONT OF ME TODAY. THANK YOU. DAVID AND RICARDO AND ILEANA AND ALL MY OTHER FRIENDS. AND YOU KNOW, MY MURAL IS OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR. THE NINOS DEL SOL, THE CHILDREN OF THE SUN. AND THESE ARE ALL NINOS DEL SOL RIGHT BEHIND ME. THESE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF THE SUN. AND I WANT TO THANK GABRIEL MARCUS ESPECIALLY FOR BRINGING US HERE TODAY. AND HIS WIFE TAMARA, FOR DOING THIS. YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SPOKEN IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSIONERS COUR, SO IT'S REALLY AN HONOR. I'M KIND OF LIKE THE OLDEST GUY HERE. SO I FEEL VERY HONORED THAT THIS NEW GENERATION OF ARTISTS BEHIND ME ARE SO WONDERFUL AT WHAT THEY DO. AND LIKE GABRIEL SAID, YOU KNOW, THE ARTISTS REALLY DO NEED HELP FROM YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, AND FROM THE CITY AS WELL, BECAUSE I WAS TALKING TO GABRIEL, WHO'S GOING TO BE DOING A MURAL IN FRONT OF MY GALLERY AND MY HOME, THAT IT'S HARD. IT'S VERY HARD IN EL PASO. IT REALLY IS. AND THESE GUYS ARE STRUGGLING. A LOT OF THEM HAVE TO GET DAY JOBS, AND IT MAKES ME REALLY SAD BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST EXCELLENT ARTISTS, YOU KNOW? SO WHATEVER HELP THAT YOU ALL CAN BRING TO, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG ARTISTS OF EL PASO, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY DESERVE TO DO IT FULL TIME.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND WE LOVE YOU GUYS AND THANKS FOR HAVING US. THANK YOU, MR. MARCUS, AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR EL PASO. IT'S BEEN AMAZING. I LOVE THE ONE ALSO AT THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OR AT THE UMC. THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK. THANK YOU. HI EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS CARMEN NAVARRO AND I'M SO HONORED TO BE HERE. AND I GREW UP WITH JUDGE SAMANIEGO. HE'S MY IT'S BEEN A BLAST IN THE PAST THIS WHOLE THE WHOLE DAY WE HAD A LOT OF WE HAD A REAL GOOD CHILDHOOD TOGETHER. AND SO IT'S JUST SO GOOD TO BE HERE, AND I LIKE THAT, HAL SAID. MY FRIENDS. YES. WHAT I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THE ARTS, AND I ALSO KNOW MR. CORONADO TOO. SO COOL. I THINK THE ARTS ARE SO, SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS AS VITAL AS ITS ARTS, BECAUSE THE ARTS ARE THE EXPRESS, THE SOUL OF THE COMMUNITY. AND I'M A TEACHER. I'M ALSO A TEACHER. AND I TELL MY STUDENTS, PAINT MORE.

THERE'S A WAR OVER THERE AND YOU GUYS ARE CREATING BEAUTY. AND SO EXPRESSING THAT SOUL AND HELPING PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THAT WAY OF LIFE, IT'S A WAY OF BEING, AND IT'S A WAY OF BRINGING PEACE AND BEAUTY TO THE TO THE WORLD. AND YES, WE NEED HELP. THERE'S A LOT OF STRUGGLING PEOPLE THAT ARE CREATIVES THAT DON'T HAVE JOBS, BUT THEY'RE THE ONES THAT CAN EXPRESS THE SOUL OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO. AND SO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THIS BEAUTY. AND WE INVITE YOU TO THE BIG PARTY. THANK YOU. SHE'S AMAZING WITH CHILDREN. JUST YOU ATTRACT CHILDREN IMMEDIATELY. SHE SHE COULD BE AT A WEDDING AND SHE'LL HAVE PEOPLE DRAWING AND KIDS DRAWING. SO VERY PROUD OF YOU, CARMEN. HI EVERYONE. WELL, MY NAME IS PABLO HERNANDEZ. HEY, PABLO. I'M THE OWNER OF TINTA SANGRE TATTOO AND ART GALLERY.

WE'RE LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC CASA ORTIZ ON THE CAMINO REAL IN SOCORRO, TEXAS. BUT I'M HAPPY TO BE PART OF THIS GROUP, YOU KNOW, AND I'M HAPPY THAT THIS IS KIND OF HAPPENING TO BRING MORE ATTENTION TO ART, TO THE COMMUNITY, TO ARTISTS. JUST ME PERSONALLY. YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO ART. I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A PAINTER, MAKE MURALS AND STUFF. BUT IT WAS HARD KIND OF GROWING UP AND TRYING TO GET INTO THAT SCENE AND TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING OUT OF THAT. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO KIND OF FALL INTO TATTOOING, YOU KNOW, WHICH KIND OF HELPS ME SUPPORT MY FAMILY, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT MY SON. MY WIFE DOESN'T HAVE TO WORK. BUT, YOU KNOW,

[05:10:03]

IT'S KIND OF THE REASON I OPENED UP A TATTOO SHOP, ART GALLERY IS BECAUSE MY TRUE LOVE IS KIND OF IN THE ART, YOU KNOW, IN PAINTING AND TRUE EXPRESSION AND TATTOOING JUST ALTHOUGH I DO LOVE TATTOOING, IT'S AN HONOR TO WORK ART ON PEOPLE. IT IS KIND OF A SUBSIDIZED WAY TO SUPPORT AN ART GALLERY. YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S JUST KIND OF WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IN A COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T REALLY PUT SO MUCH VALUE ON ART. BUT SOMEHOW, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY DOES LOVE TATTOOS.

SO BUT DEFINITELY IT'S GOOD TO SEE MORE LOVE AND MORE ATTENTION GOING TOWARDS ART. SO, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR HELP, IT'LL SOMETHING BIGGER WILL COME FROM THIS. YOU KNOW. THANK YOU PABLO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU EVERYBODY RICARDO SAMANIEGO, THE COMMISSIONERS. IT'S A IT'S A REAL HONOR TO BE HERE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO. WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT DOING IT JUST TO FILL UP A ROOM, JUST TO TAKE PICTURES. BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE WE SEE THE ARTWORK IN YOUR OFFICES HERE ALL OVER THE COURTS AND ALL OVER THE CITY IN REALITY, I MYSELF AS WELL AM A LIFELONG EL PASOAN. I ALSO GRADUATED FROM UTEP WITH A FINE ART AND GRAPHIC DESIGN BACK IN 2004. I'VE BEEN WORKING AS A FULL TIME JEWELER, DESIGNING CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS AND CLASS RINGS FOR THIS. OCTOBER WILL BE 20 YEARS. I FEEL HAPPY THERE'S ENOUGH WORK HERE TO KEEP ME BUSY WITH ART AND DESIGN AND DRAFTIN, BUT MY REAL LOVE IS IN FINE ART, IS IN PAINTING AND DRAWING ALL FORMS OF ART. AND IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO BEFRIEND A LOT OF THE LOCAL LOCAL ARTISTS HERE, JUST LIKE TAMARA AND GABRIEL, WHO HAVE HELPED ME OPEN UP SOME DOORS. THEY REALLY ARE NOT JUST ABOUT THEMSELVES MAKING ART AND THEMSELVES GETTING RECOGNITION, BUT THEY REALLY LIKE TO HELP. THEY REALLY LIKE TO INVITE THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR FAMILY, AND HELP US ALL BE JUST A BIG COMMUNITY. AND IT'S A REAL HONOR TO HAVE WORKED WITH THEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, HAVING SHOWS, HAVING EXHIBITIONS, JUST BEING PART OF EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO AND BEING IN EL PASO. AND IT'S A REAL PRIVILEGE TO BE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, NOT HAVE TO LEAVE TO MAKE ART, NOT HAVE TO LEAVE TO GET SOME PAINTINGS OUT THERE TO GET YOUR NAME OUT THER.

AND REALLY, THAT'S IT. JUST THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR ALL ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING PART OF ANYTHING ELSE. YOU GUYS ARE INVOLVED WITH AS WELL WITH THE ARTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PASSION FOR EL PASO. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS DIEGO, ALSO KNOWN AS DIEGO ROBOT. I'VE BEEN A LOCAL ARTIST HERE SINCE. I WOULD SAY 2011 IS REALLY WHEN I WENT TO LOFT LIGHT STUDIOS, GOT FIRST ARTISTS I GOT TO SEE PAINT WAS GABE MARQUEZ, AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW A HANDMADE CANVAS WITH A BUCKET OF PAINT, AND HE WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, I JUST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE COOLEST THING. AND TO BE HERE AND TO BE INVITED BY HIM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE ALSO JUST BEING, YOU KNOW, RIGHT BEFORE THE FAMILY AND, YOU KNOW, BEING AT LEAST BEING I MEAN, AT LEAST BEING IN THE SAME ROOM WITH JUST YOU KNOW, GREATNESS WITH PEOPLE THAT GIVEN THEIR LIFE TO THIS COMMUNITY. BUT EL PASO HAS BEEN HOME. IT'S DEFINITELY A GREAT PLACE TO PLANT YOUR, YOUR, YOUR DREAMS AND I THINK THE POWERS IN CONNECTING WITH EACH OTHER AND I THINK THE MORE I GUESS THE MORE THAT WE DO THINGS TOGETHER AND WE SEE THE POWER IN NUMBERS AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE MORE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE BASED WITH EACH OTHER, I THINK IT WOULD BE EVEN, YOU KNOW, GREATER. SO THE FACT THAT WE'RE HERE CONNECTING. THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE THAT. DUNCAN MORALES I'M A PART TIME ARTIST. I HAVE A REGULAR FULL TIME JOB WITH THE GOVERNMENT. I DON'T USE MY DEGREE. YOU KNOW, MY ART DEGREE FULL TIME. I USED TO BE A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, BUT I'VE PURSUED OTHER PATHS. I'M NOT FROM EL PASO. I'M KIND OF FROM EL PASO.

MY PARENTS ARE IRVING GRADUATES, BUT I'VE ONLY LIVED HERE TWO AND A HALF YEARS AND I DID MOST OF MY ART IN PUBLIC ART IN NEW ENGLAND OF THE COUNTRY. SO COMING TO EL PASO HAS BEEN A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE, AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU. YOU KNOW, I FEEL REALLY WELCOMED BY THE COMMUNITY, WORKING WITH SMALL BUSINESSES, THE WAY THEY COLLABORATE WITH ARTISTS AND EVERYTHING. LIKE I DID A MURAL AT A SHEEPDOG BREWERY AND WORKING WITH LIKE A GABRIEL ON THE SHOW AND A FEW OTHER SHOWS. IT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY FROM AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE, YOUR THE ART COMMUNITY HAS BEEN VERY WELCOMING. IT'S ENCOURAGING AND I'M JUST REALLY, REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE PART OF THIS SHOW AS WELL, AND WE HOPE YOU STAY A LONG TIME TO KNOW US IS TO LOVE US. OKAY. SO STAY HERE.

THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS PATRICK GABALDON. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF ARTISTS. ALSO, THANK YOU, GABRIEL AND TAMARA FOR DOING

[05:15:04]

SUCH AN AMAZING THING. WE'RE VERY BLESSED HERE TO HAVE SO MANY INCREDIBLY TALENTED ARTISTS. NOT ONLY ARE THEY TALENTED, BUT THEY'RE KIND AND THEY GIVE BACK. AND I THINK IT'S A TESTAMENT JUST TO WHO WE ARE AS A CULTURE. AND I'M JUST I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT THE SHOW ON FRIDAY. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFFS AND EVERYONE THAT'S WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES ACROSS THE WAY, AND OF COURSE, OUR WONDERFUL COUNTY ATTORNEY AND HER STAFF. THAT'S HERE TODAY. IT'S JUST SO ENCOURAGING. I WATCHED COMMISSIONER MEETINGS ALL THE TIME ON YOUTUBE JUST AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE COUNTY TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. AND IT'S AN INCREDIBLE TESTAMENT TO YOU ALL THAT ONE MORNING. WE'RE HONORING VETERANS AND HISTORY AND THIS GREAT SWIMMER OF OUR COMMUNITY AND DIFFERENT CHANGE MAKERS. AND TODAY WE'RE HONORING ARTISTS.

THAT JUST SHOWS THE TRUE COMMITMENT YOU ALL HAVE TO THE PEOPLE OF EL PASO. AND WE'RE GRATEFUL. IT MEANS A LOT. AND SO JUST THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL. THANK YOU. OH, AND ALSO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF KRISTEN APODACA. SHE IS ON THE LIST. SHE'S A GREAT FRIEND OF MINE AND AN INCREDIBLE ARTIST. AND IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE SMART, YOU'LL COME TO THE SHOW AND BID EARLY ON HER PIECE. IT'S A GREAT ONE. GOOD AFTERNOON. AND PATRICK, ONE OF OUR VERY OWN.

RIGHT. THANK. AND THAT WAS IT. OH, I HAVE SOME GIFTS FOR YOU ALL AND. YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. IT'S MY WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU. I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT MAKE US UNIQUE. I THINK ONE IS THE HISTORY, BUT THE MURALS AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO IN EL PASO IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WHEN PEOPLE COME TO EL PASO, THEY TALK ABOUT OUR ART AND THE HISTORY. AND I DON'T KNOW, REAL QUICKLY, BUT YOU WANT TO TELL THEM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE FOR, FOR THE FINE ARTS. YES, SIR. SO WE'RE CURRENTLY THE COUNTY IS WORKING ON SEVERAL PROJECTS RELATED TO ART. WE HAVE SET UP THE COMMISSIONERS COURT, HAS SET ASIDE SOME FUNDING. WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH A LOCAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION TO DO AN ART PROJECT IN EACH PRECINCT OF COMMISSIONERS COURT, AND WE HOPE IT WILL ALSO HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT AND A LOT OF MEANING TO THE AREA WHERE THE ART PROJECT IS DONE, BUT THAT WILL BE A PROJECT THAT WE WILL BE WORKING WITH LOCAL ARTISTS. IT MAY BE SCULPTURE, IT MAY BE MEDIA, COULD BE A PERFORMANCE PERFORMING ARTS, WE DON'T KNOW YET, BUT WE HAVE SOME FUNDING FOR THAT. WE ALSO HAVE FUNDING FOR A COUNTY ART PROJECT, POSSIBLY ON OUR GARAGE HERE, BECAUSE WE HAVE SPACE THAT FACES THE STREET AROUND THE COURTHOUSE. WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON A MICHELLE HELPED ME. WE HAVE FIVE ART PROJECTS. OH, WE'RE GOING TO PROMOTE ARTS TO STUDENTS. THERE'S A NATIONAL, THERE'S A NATIONAL PROJECT TO IT'S CALLED I LOVE MY COUNTY BECAUSE AND IT'S A NATIONAL ART COMPETITION WITH STUDENTS, YOUNG, YOUNGER STUDENTS. WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO PROMOTE THAT HERE LOCALLY AND HAVE STUDENTS HERE PARTICIPATE IN THAT NATIONAL COMPETITION. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HELP PROMOTE THE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN OUR ELECTION STICKERS, BUT THEY'RE ART BECAUSE WE DO A OUR ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT DOES A LOCAL CONTEST FOR THAT. WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HELP PROMOTE THAT EVEN MORE AND GET MORE STUDENTS INVOLVED. WE'RE ALSO SETTING ASIDE SOME FUNDING FOR, I BELIEVE, SOME LEARNING. BUT MICHELLE, CAN YOU HELP ME HERE WITH THE LAST TWO? YES, LEARNING AND EDUCATION FOR LOCAL ARTISTS, BUSINESS CLASSES. WE HEARD FROM THE ARTIST COMMUNITY THAT THAT IS A GAP THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS AND THEN HOPEFULLY LARGE MASTER PLAN TO SECURE FUTURE FUNDING FOR ARTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE HOPING WITH THAT ARTS MASTER PLAN TO BE ABLE TO GET DRAW DOWN, GRANT FUNDS FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR ARTS, YOU NEED TO HAVE AN ARTS MASTER PLAN. SO WE WANT TO CREATE OUR ARTS MASTER PLAN. SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DRAW DOWN MORE FUNDING FOR ARTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO BE PATIENT WITH US, GIVE US FEEDBACK. PLEASE HELP US THROUGH THIS BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE IT BEFORE AND WE DON'T HAVE OTHER THAN PATRICK WHO'S ARTIST ON STAFF, BUT NOT IN AN ARTIST ROLE. BUT WE WANT THAT FEEDBACK.

WE WANT GUIDANCE AND HELP AND ANY INFORMATION YOU ALL CAN SHARE WITH US. I KNOW GABRIEL, THROUGH HIS WIFE, SO WE'LL WE'LL REACH OUT TO YOU ALL, BUT WE'D REALLY LIKE YOUR INPUT AS WE GO THROUGH THESE PROCESSES. THANK YOU BETSY, AND SOME SKIN IN THE GAME. WE HAVE THE OUR MURAL BEHIND THE HEALING GARDEN ON THE WALL OF THE HEALING GARDEN. I HOPE YOU GET TO SEE THAT IT WAS CESAR, BLANCA AND TINO DID THAT THAT MURAL. SO WE'RE VERY PROUD. AND AS YOU CAN SEE,

[05:20:03]

COMMISSIONERS, EACH ONE OF THEM WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE, SUPPORTING YOU AND SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTING HISTORY BECAUSE A LOT OF THE HISTORY COMES OUT. SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER STOUT. WELL, THANKS AGAIN, GABRIEL. AND EVERYBODY FOR COMING AND BEING PATIENT AND WAITING UNTIL THIS AFTERNOON TO, TO READ THE RESOLUTION AND THANKS FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE EVENT THIS WEEK. AND WE'RE ALSO, YOU KNOW, GOING TO BE HOPEFULLY CREATING AN ARTS COMMISSION. AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY. OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IS, YOU KNOW, TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE BOND PROJECTS THAT ARE ON THE BALLOT AND POSSIBLY USING SOME OF THAT, SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT IS IN THAT THAT IS BAKED INTO THOSE THOSE AMOUNTS WITHIN THE BOND HAS, HAS TO DO WITH FUNDING FOR THE ARTS AS WELL. IF THOSE IF THOSE ARE VOTED, VOTED UPON AND APPROVED BY, BY, BY THE COMMUNITY AND YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT WE'VE BEEN REALLY PUSHING IS ALSO IN ANY CAPITAL PROJECT THAT WE HAVE GOING INTO THE FUTURE, MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS MONEY SET ASIDE FOR SOME TYPE OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION WITHIN WITHIN THOSE PROJECTS. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE MOVING ALONG SLOWLY BUT SURELY. BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR HAVING INDULGED IN, IN PRIORITIZING THE ARTS AND A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING. SO AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF YOU ALL. THAT'S BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD FROM YOU ALL. AND WE SEE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND WE WANT TO HELP SUPPORT THAT. SO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN, CAN WE TAKE A PICTURE WITH EVERYBODY PLEASE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH. BEFORE I GET A TICKET. OKAY. GOOD TO SEE YOU. SEE YOU FRIDAY.

IT DEPENDS ON GABE. I THINK WE. I WILL GO. FOR THAT. PERFECT. OH, REALLY? YEAH. I HAVE. A CALENDAR ITEM. FIVE. BE APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING LGBTQ+ HISTORY MONTH IN EL PASO COUNTY. THANK YOU. JESSICA. IT'S MY PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO PRESENT

[B. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing LGBTQ+ History Month in El Paso, County. Iliana Holguin, Commissioner, Precinct 3, 915-546-2144]

THE NEXT TWO RESOLUTIONS. ACTUALLY, BECAUSE IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY, I THINK, TO HIGHLIGHT ONCE AGAIN, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL, DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY EL PASO IS. SO I'M GOING TO READ THESE TWO RESOLUTIONS AND ASK THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE AMAZING ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THESE TWO RESOLUTIONS, TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM. I KNOW WE'VE GOT CHRIS FROM EL PASO, SUN CITY PRIDE, AMBER FROM THE BORDERLAND, RAINBOW CENTER, AND MICHAEL FROM EL PASO GSA BOARD. AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANYONE FROM TEXAS RISING WITH US. YES. OKAY, GREAT. WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL. WELL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. SO I'M GOING TO READ THE FIRST ONE, WHEREAS LGBTQ PLUS HISTORY MONTH OBSERVED

[05:25:05]

ANNUALLY IN OCTOBER, SERVES AS A TIME TO HONOR THE HISTORICAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, AND QUEER INDIVIDUALS AND TO PROMOTE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT FOR THE HISTORY OF THE LGBTQ. PLUS MOVEMENT. AND WHEREAS EL PASO'S UNIQUE CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED SHAPED, I'M SORRY, THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY FROM THE EARLY PIONEERS WHO LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR LGBTQ PLUS ACTIVISM TO THE VIBRANT QUEER ARTS SCENE THAT THRIVES TODAY. EL PASO CONTINUES TO FOSTER A HOME FOR QUEER EXPRESSION AND ADVOCACY. AND WHEREAS THE COUNTY OF EL PASO RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF CELEBRATING AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE DIVERSE AND SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY TO THE SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC FABRIC OF OUR COUNTY. AND WHEREAS THE COUNTY ACKNOWLEDGES THE BRAVERY AND RESILIENCE OF LGBTQ PLUS INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE FOUGHT FOR EQUALITY AND JUSTICE REMEMBERS THOSE IN THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY WHO ARE NO LONGER WITH US AND RECOGNIZES THE ONGOING EFFORTS OF ACTIVISTS, ORGANIZATIONS AND ALLIES WHO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR THE SAFETY, MENTAL HEALTH AND CIVIL RIGHTS OF THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY AND WHEREAS, THANKS ARE GIVEN TO ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS SUCH AS THE BORDERLAND, RAINBOW CENTER, EL PASO, SIN CITY PRIDE, EL PASO, GSA BOARD, AND TEXAS RISING FOR PROVIDING CONTINUOUS SUPPORT. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT HEREBY RECOGNIZES THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2024 AS LGBTQ PLUS HISTORY MONTH IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS, AN OFFICIAL RECOGNITION THEREOF, THE COMMISSIONERS OF THIS COURT HEREBY AFFIX THEIR SIGNATURES THIS OCTOBER 1ST, 2024, IN EL PASO COUNTY, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GREEN, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOUT. THE VOTING IS OPEN. MOTION CARRIES. IF I CAN GO AHEAD AND READ THE SECOND RESOLUTION AS WELL. YES. ITEM FIVE C. APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION ON TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS. THANK YOU. WHEREAS TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE IS OBSERVED ANNUALLY ON NOVEMBER 20TH TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS WHOSE LIVES WERE LOST DUE TO ACTS OF

[C. Approve and adopt a resolution on Transgender Day of Remembrance in El Paso, County, Texas. Iliana Holguin, Commissioner, Precinct 3, 915-546-2144]