Mar 03, 2025 Commissioners Court Regular

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YOU.

KNOW.

YOU.

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[OPEN MEETING]

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD AND ALL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU AND WELCOME. GOOD LUCK. NEXT WE HAVE OUR INVOCATION. NEXT WE HAVE OUR INVOCATION FROM PASTOR RTC MAXWELL, SENIOR PASTOR AT MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH. WELCOME. GOOD MORNING. GOOD

[INVOCATION]

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REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. ALWAYS. WELCOME HERE, PASTOR. AMEN. JUDGE, DO YOU HAVE ANY OPENING COMMENTS FOR US THIS MORNING? YES, PLEASE. ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND OUR COMMISSIONERS, WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO COMMISSIONERS COURT. WE HAVE SOME EXCITING RESOLUTIONS TODAY. AND ALWAYS

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THANK YOU. HE WILL BE VERY MISSED. I CAN ASSURE YOU THIS COMMUNITY WILL MISS HIM, BUT HOPE THAT HE BECOMES AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO TAKE. YOU KNOW, THE LEAD THAT HE. HE MADE IT EASY FOR US BECAUSE WE SAW HOW HE WAS ABLE TO HANDLE DIFFICULT SITUATIONS AND CONTINUE SO VERY HEARTFELT. SO THANK YOU, JESSICA. NEXT IS ITEM FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA. THE CONSENT AGENDA IS COMPRISED OF ITEMS FOUR A THROUGH FOUR A. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THE COURT OR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO PULL FOR DISCUSSION? YES, COMMISSIONER OLGUIN. THANK YOU

[CONSENT AGENDA]

BETSY, IF YOU COULD DOUBLE CHECK WITH ITEM FOUR E, THE ORDER THAT WE'RE RESCINDING IS FOR SIX ELEVATORS AT THE DOWNTOWN DETENTION FACILITY AND ONE FREIGHT ELEVATOR AT THE COURTHOUSE. BUT THEN THE NEW ITEM THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO APPROVE IS TO MODERNIZE SIX ELEVATORS AT THE COURTHOUSE AND DETENTION FACILITY. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IF IT'S 6 OR 7, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S AN ANSWER THAT WE HAVE. IF NOT, IF WE NEED TIME TO GET THAT ANSWER, THEN THEN I WOULD LIKE TO PULL IT AND COME BACK TO IT LATER. UNLESS WE KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION. COMMISSIONER. IT'S SIX ELEVATORS, SO IT WENT FROM 7 TO 6. IT'S ONE THE FREIGHT ELEVATOR AND FIVE AT THE DOWNTOWN FACILITY. FIVE. OKAY, GREAT. THAT WAS. THAT WAS MY QUESTION. THANK YOU. SO I DON'T NEED TO PULL IT. JUDGE ANYONE ELSE? NO. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER CORONADO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. AND THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT ON THE AGENDA ARE RESOLUTIONS. WE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH RESOLUTION FIVE F APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION. APOLOGIZE. APPROVE AND ADOPT A

[RESOLUTIONS]

[F. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing the Third Annual Pass the Baton International Women's Day in El Paso County, Texas. Ricardo A. Samaniego, County Judge, County Judge's Office, 915-273-3591]

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[E. Recognizing Jacqueline Garcia-Martinez and Bazaar Model Management for their outstanding contributions to the modeling, pageant, and fashion industries, as well as their unwavering commitment to shaping the future of aspiring talent and enriching the El Paso community. Ricardo A. Samaniego, County Judge, County Judge's Office, 915-546-2098]

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COME. WELCOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JACQUELINE. HONORABLE JUDGE. ESTEEMED CITY OFFICIALS.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS. AND OF COURSE, OUR DISTINGUISHED GUESTS. STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE CITY RESOLUTION IS A INCREDIBLY HUMBLING MOMENT. I WANT TO EXTEND MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO THE CITY OF EL PASO FOR THIS RECOGNITION, AND TO ALL OF YOU BEING HERE TO SHARE THIS SPECIAL OCCASION WITH ME AND MY TEAM. AS THE CEO OF BAZAAR MODEL MANAGEMENT, PRODUCERS OF EL PASO, TOP MODEL OF THE WORLD USA, MISS TEXAS EARTH USA, TEXAS INTERNATIONAL FASHION WEEK I HAVE DEDICATED MY CAREER NEXT TO SOME AMAZING INDIVIDUALS, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES NOT JUST IN FASHION AND PAGEANTRY, BUT IN CONFIDENCE BUILDING AND PERSONAL GROWTH. MODELING AND PAGEANTRY ARE OFTEN SEEN AS INDUSTRIES JUST FOCUSED ON BEAUTY, BUT TO US THEY ARE PLATFORMS OF EMPOWERMENT. THEY ARE AVENUES WHERE YOUNG WOMEN AND MEN FIND THEIR VOICES, GAIN CONFIDENCE AND PUSH PAST LIMITATIONS THEY ONCE BELIEVED WERE IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERCOME. EL PASO HAS BEEN THE HEARTBEAT OF MY JOURNEY. THE CITY HAS BEEN FILLED WITH REMARKABLE TALENT. IT HAS RESILIENCE AND A SPIRIT OF UNITY THAT IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER. WHEN I STARTED BAZAAR MODEL MANAGEMENT IN 2009, I ENVISIONED A SPACE WHERE LOCAL TALENT CAN SHINE ON A NATIONAL STAGE. I WANTED YOUNG WOMEN AND MEN TO KNOW THAT THEIR DREAMS WERE NOT TOO BIG, AND THAT THEIR AMBITIONS WERE NOT OUT OF REACH, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY CAME FROM OR WHAT OBSTACLES HAVE STOOD IN THEIR WAY. THROUGH THE YEARS, MY TEAM AND I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED WORKING WITH THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS, MENTORING THEM, GUIDING THEM, AND WATCHING THEM GROW INTO CONFIDENT CHILDREN, TEENS, AND FURTHER ON INTO PROFESSIONALS, ENTREPRENEURS AND LEADERS. I HAVE SEEN YOUNG GIRLS WALK INTO A CASTING CALL, UNSURE OF THEMSELVES, AND LATER WALK ON TO A NATIONAL STAGE WITH THEIR HEADS HELD HIGH. MY MISSION INCLUDES THE UNDERSTANDING THAT REPRESENTATION AND DIVERSITY MATTER. THESE ARE THE MOMENTS THAT REMIND ME OF WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO. THIS JOURNEY HAS NEVER JUST BEEN MINE ALONE. I OWE IT SO MUCH TO THE INCREDIBLE TEAM THAT STANDS BESIDE ME TODAY. THOSE WHO SHARE MY VISION AND DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO HELPING OTHERS GROW. TO THE FAMILIES WHO TRUST US WITH THEIR DAUGHTERS AND THEIR SONS. THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN OUR MISSION. TO MY OWN FAMILY, MY HUSBAND, RONNIE MARTINEZ. SON, PHOENIX MARTINEZ.

BROTHERS, JOEL AND ISAAC GARCIA. AND MY WONDERFUL PARENTS, JOEL AND OLGA GARCIA. YOUR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT HAVE BEEN THE FOUNDATION OF EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE BUILT. THE RECOGNITION TODAY IS MORE THAN JUST A RESOLUTION. IT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE POWER OF OUR COMMUNITY TO

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BUT WHEN THEY GET HERE, WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE THEM FEEL SAFE AND HUMANE AND THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE THEIR PROGRESS. AND THAT'S THAT HASN'T BEEN EASY TO DO. SO. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WE DEFINITELY STRIVE FOR A SAFE SPACE FOR ALL YOUNG WOMEN AND YOUNG MEN. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. SO I THINK WE HAVE RONNIE MARTINEZ. WOULD WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW? THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. EVERYONE JUDGE. GOOD MORNING. I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY HOW A INCREDIBLY PROUD I AM OF MY WIFE, JACQUELINE. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, I WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE DEDICATION, THE SACRIFICE, THE RELENTLESS PASSION SHE HAS POURED INTO BUILDING OUR MODEL MANAGEMENT. EVERY EVENT SHE HAS PRODUCED. I REMEMBER THOSE EARLY DAYS, THE LATE NIGHTS, TWO, 3:00 IN THE MORNING, THE UNCERTAINTIES, THE DOUBTS, THE

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TOGETHER, WE FACED LIFE'S TOUGHEST BATTLES AND NONE WAS GREATER THAN HER FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER. WATCHING HER GO THROUGH THAT JOURNEY WITH WITH SUCH RESILIENCE ONLY DEEPENED MY ADMIRATION FOR HER. SHE'S THE STRONGEST PERSON I KNOW. I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT DREADED PHONE CALL FROM HER CRYING TO COME HOME. AS I GOT THERE, I CAN HEAR HER CRYING IN THE SHOWER. I OPENED THE DOOR AND SHE WAS ON THE FLOOR WITH WATER RUNNING THROUGH HER FALLING HAIR. I HUGGED HER SO HARD AND HER ONCE LONG HAIR STARTED TO FALL THROUGH MY HANDS. NEXT MORNING SHE SHAVED AND THAT WAS REMAINING OF HER HAIR. PURCHASED THE WING, THE NEXT WIG THE NEXT MORNING AND SHOWED UP TO WORK. INCREDIBLE. AND SHE STANDS HERE, RECEIVING THIS WELL-DESERVED HONOR. I CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL IMMENSELY, IMMENSELY PROUD. NOT JUST HER HUSBAND, BUT AS HER BIGGEST SUPPORTER. JACQUELINE, YOU BUILT SOMETHING TRULY REMARKABLE. NOT JUST A COMPANY, BUT A LEGACY. I'M HONORED TO STAND BY YOUR SIDE THROUGH EVERY CHAPTER. CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS JOURNEY TAKES US NEXT. LOVE YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT, JUDGE. APPRECIATE YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE. JACKIE, DID YOU YOU HAVE OTHER SPEAKERS ARE VERY WELCOME TO. I THINK YOU HAVE WESTON. HI, WESTON. HI. GOOD MORNING GUYS. GOOD MORNING.

COURT COMMISSIONERS OF THE COURT. MY NAME IS WESTON CONNER AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS MODELS. I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO BE THE VICE PRESIDENT HERE TODAY. AND PART OF SUCH A JOURNEY THAT IS VERY UNIQUE. THEY'VE BEEN VERY WELCOMING TO ME AND MY CAREER AND GIVEN ME A SAFE PLACE TO GROW. MAY BE RECOGNIZED THAT JACKIE GARCIA, FOUNDER OF FOUNDER AND CEO OF BIZARRE MODELS, HAS UNDOUBTEDLY MADE AND CONTINUES TO MAKE AN EVERLASTING IMPACT ON THE EL PASO COMMUNITY. HER SELFLESS EFFORTS IN FOSTERING ASPIRING FASHION MODELS AND BEAUTY QUEENS OF ALL AGES IS TRULY ADMIRABLE. BIZARRE MODELS CONTINUES TO CHALLENGE THE NORM IN OUR CITY BY CREATING PLATFORMS FOR INDIVIDUALS TO SHINE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. JACKIE NURTURES TOP TALENT AND SUPPORTS THEM IN REACHING HIGHER MARKETS OR PURSUING OPPORTUNITIES, EVEN OUT OF TOWN. OUT OF THE KINDNESS OF HER HEART, MISS GARCIA MARTINEZ DEDICATES HER TIME AND RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT ANYONE WHO DRIVES UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF HER AGENCY RECEIVES THE ATTENTION AND INVESTMENT NEEDED FOR SUCCESS. HER COMMITMENT AND PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL IS UNMATCHED. THROUGH HER GUIDANCE, COUNTLESS YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXCEL IN AN INDUSTRY THAT OFTEN SEEMS OUT OF REACH FOR MANY. IT IS WITH GREAT RESPECT THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE MISS GARCIA MARTINEZ AND HER UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO NOT ONLY THE FASHION AND BEAUTY INDUSTRY, BUT ALSO TO OUR COMMUNITY. HER WORK HAS CREATED PATHWAYS FOR SUCCESS, PROVIDED MENTORSHIP AND INSPIRED CONFIDENCE IN SO MANY. THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR, FOR RECOGNIZING THE TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTION CONTRIBUTIONS OF MY BOSS AND CEO. MAY WE SHARE THIS TOGETHER AS WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR HER EFFORTS AND PROFOUND THAT SHE IS PROUD TO SUPPORT IN OUR CONTINUED EFFORTS IN UPLIFTING THE EL PASO COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU ARE. YOU ARE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. BRIAN. WELCOME, BRIAN. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE SAMANIEGO. COMMISSIONERS. I WILL BE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR FAMILY. I'M THE OLDEST BROTHER. MY FATHER, JOEL, MY BROTHER ISAAC. AND OF COURSE, MY SISTER JACQUELINE. VERY PROUD OF HER. A LITTLE SOMETHING TO SAY HERE.

WE'RE INCREDIBLY HONORED TO STAND HERE TODAY AND CELEBRATE MY SISTER'S AMAZING JOURNEY IN THE WORLD OF MODELING AND PAGEANTRY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, SHE HAS POURED HER HEART, DEDICATION, RESILIENCE INTO MAKING HER DREAMS A REALITY. THROUGH HER MODELING AGENCY, SHE HAS NOT ONLY BUILT A PLATFORM FOR HERSELF, BUT ALSO INSPIRED AND EMPOWERED SO MANY OTHERS TO CHASE THEIR AMBITIONS. SO, THEREFORE, I GOT A LITTLE NERVOUS HERE. BUT NO, WE ARE INCREDIBLY HONORED AND SO MANY OTHERS TO CHASE HER AMBITIONS. HER SUCCESS IN THE MISS EL PASO MISS EARTH PAGEANT IS A TESTAMENT TO HER HARD WORK, GRACE, UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE. SHE IS MORE THAN JUST A TITLEHOLDER. SHE'S A ROLE MODEL. SHE'S VERY STRONG

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THE WORLD IS YOURS. THANK YOU. AND, MARCO, YOU JUST. THIS IS OUR WONDERFUL STAR, MARISSA, WHO IS ALSO ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS. YEAH, WE KNOW HER VERY WELL. WE KNOW HER. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT INCLUSION. SO I AM ONE A PRODUCT OF INCLUSION THAT JACKIE BESTOWED ON ME. WHEN I FIRST MET JACKIE, SHE INVITED ME TO JOIN HER. HER MODELING AGENCY, TO TAKE MODELING CLASSES WITH US. AND I THOUGHT ME TAKING MODELING CLASSES, BUT I DID, AND I CAN ATTEST THAT JACKIE IS VERY UPLIFTING AND VERY SHE INSPIRED ME TO KEEP GOING BECAUSE I DID NOT I DID NOT HAVE CONFIDENCE.

AND LIKE SHE SAID, SHE INSPIRES THE YOUNG LADIES TO HAVE CONFIDENCE. THEY GO FROM BEING NOT HAVING ANY CONFIDENCE AT ALL. SHE'S SAYING YOUNG PEOPLE, OLDER PEOPLE TOO, BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE THE CONFIDENCE. AND BY THE TIME THAT I GOT FINISHED OR WITH WITH JACKIE, SHE WOULD ENCOURAGE ME. I WOULD WALK AND OR CAST FOR A MODELING JOB AND I WOULD GO LIKE, OH MY GOSH, I DID TERRIBLE. AND I WOULD LOOK AT HER AND SHE WAS SMILING. SHE WOULD BE SMILING AT ME AND SAY, YOU DID GREAT. SO THAT THAT ENCOURAGED ME A LOT. AND THEN WHEN SHE TOLD ME, YOU NEED TO GO ENTER THE MISS TEXAS USA PAGEANT, I SAID, WHAT? ME, THE BEAUTIFUL. LOOK AT THOSE GIRLS OVER THERE. THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL AND YOUNG. I HAVE TO COMPETE AGAINST THEM. AND SHE SAYS, YES, YOU CAN. YOU CAN DO IT. I'VE SEEN YOU. I'VE SEEN YOU IN A BIKINI. SO? SO I DID, AND I ENJOYED IT. I THOROUGHLY, THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT. AND YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME ARE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL THINGS. AND ALL BECAUSE OF THIS, THIS WONDERFUL LADY. AND THAT'S WHY I THINK SHE VERY MUCH DESERVES THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. JACKIE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BY THE WAY, I AM 72. WE ACTUALLY HONORED HER BEFORE. AND YOU PLANTED A SEED AND SHE BLOOMED COMPLETELY. SO BEEN ON TALK SHOWS AND WENT VIRAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SHE'S WONDERFUL. HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU INSPIRE SUCH AN INSPIRING PERSON? LIKE, IT'S JUST A BALL. IT'S JUST A PART. GOOD MORNING JUDGE. GOOD MORNING. AND I'M ALSO SPEAKING FOR MARCO CARMONA WHICH HAS THE FLU UNFORTUNATELY. SO I'M ROOTING FOR HIM AS WELL. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BESTOWING JACKIE MARTINEZ AND OUR MODEL AGENCY WITH OUTSTANDING HONOR. MYSELF AND MARCO HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING. THREE OFFICE MOVES, TWO PRODUCTION GENRES, THE WORLD OF MODELING AND OUR FAVORITE PAGEANTRY, BUT ONLY ONE FEARLESS LEADER. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JACKIE MARTINEZ, FOR MAKING DREAMS A REALITY. THROUGH COUNTLESS FASHION SHOWS ACROSS THE EL PASO AREA AND COMMUNITY SERVICE EVENTS. EL PASO SPOKESMODEL NUESTRA BELLEZA, MISS EL PASO LATINA, MISS EL PASO WORLD, MISS TEXAS WORLD AMERICA, MISS TEEN EARTH, TEXAS, MISS. TOP MODEL OF THE WORLD USA, TEXAS INTERNATIONAL FASHION WEEK, MISS SUN CITY AND OUR NEWEST ENDEAVOR MISS EL PASO USA AND MISS EL PASO TEEN USA AS WE ARE THE NEW OFFICIAL RECRUITERS FOR MISS TEXAS USA. THIS LAST ENDEAVOR, MISS EL PASO USA IS PROBABLY OUR MOST DEAREST TO OUR HEARTS BECAUSE WE HAVE DEEP ROOTS EMBEDDED IN THIS RICH AND BEAUTIFUL EL PASO TRADITION. HAVING HAD GUIDANCE FROM THE BEST GURUS IN PAGEANTRY, RICHARD GUY AND REX HOLT. WE ARE NOT ONLY OUR WHICH NOT ONLY WERE OUR MENTORS, BUT ALSO TWO TALENTED

[00:45:03]

IT'S THE COUNTY. THE CITY. YES. AND THE ONE THING. BUT WE'RE THE COUNTY WHICH IS BIGGER, BIGGER, BIGGER THAN THE CITY. GOTTA START SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? NO COMPETITION. MAYOR JOHNSON, NO COMPETITION AT ALL. IT'S FRIENDLY COMPETITION. SO, NO, WE THANK YOU. AND WE'D LOVE TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH ALL OF YOU. YES. THANK YOU. WE'LL JUST HAVE THE. WE NEED ONE MORE SIGNATURE, SO WE'LL GET IT TO YOU ON THE RESOLUTION. PERFECT. NO PROBLEM. Y'ALL COME UP NOW FOR A PICTURE JUST FOR ME. YOU COULD COME UP FOR THIS. EVERYBODY HERE. YOU.

CAN. COME HERE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ADULATION. THAT'S WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.

THERE YOU GO. YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WILL GO. YEAH. YEAH.

YEAH. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IN ORDER TO GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO. ITEM FIVE, A APPROVAL AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE COUNTY'S PURCHASING DEPARTMENT AND RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF MARCH 2025 AS NATIONAL PROCUREMENT MONTH IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS. KAREN AND TEAM. THIS RESOLUTION IS ACTUALLY.

[A. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing the County’s Purchasing Department and recognizing the month of March 2025 as National Procurement Month in El Paso County, Texas. Jackie Butler, Commissioner, Precinct 1, 915-273-3594]

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COMMISSIONER'S ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST FOR THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT. THE. GOOD MORNING.

CINDY ESPARZA, BUYER TO. GOOD MORNING, CARRIE GRANGER. I'M A BUYER TO THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, SAMANTHA BRUNSON. I'M A BUYER. THANK YOU. SEVEN YEARS. THANK YOU. ESTELLA MORENO DATA ANALYST THANK YOU. ANDREA MITCHELL. BUYER TO WELCOME. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS VALERIE RAMIREZ. I AM A BUYER, TOO. AND I STARTED WITH THE COUNTY IN 99. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JOANNA REYES, AND I'M A TECHNICIAN. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, PATRICIA WILLIAMS, BUYER. AND I'VE BEEN HERE SEVEN YEARS. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS BLANCA GUERRA, AND I'M THE PROCUREMENT CARD ADMINISTRATOR. AND I'VE BEEN WITH THE COUNTY FOR NINE YEARS.

WELL. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CLAUDIA PARRA. I'VE BEEN WITH THE COUNTY 20 PLUS YEARS. WELL.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. GOOD MORNING, I'M ALBERT LOPEZ. I'VE BEEN WITH THE COUNTY ALMOST 31 YEARS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS JOSE LOYA BE TECHNICIAN. THANK YOU. THAT COMPLETES OUR TEAM. WILL. KAREN. BUT I JUST I WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE RECEIVE OUR TAX MONEY FROM PEOPLE AND THEY'RE REALLY WANTING US TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S TRANSPARENCY. AND WHAT YOU SAID THAT WE HAVE TO UTILIZE THE MONEY THAT COMES IN IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY WITH THE MOST ETHICS, TRY TO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO BALANCE BETWEEN ECONOMIC, BUT MAKE SURE THAT IT'S QUALITY. AND LIKE YOU SAID, EVERYTHING THAT WE LIVE WITH AND WORK WITH HERE IS HAS COME FROM ALL OF YOU. SO WE THANK YOU BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO CREDIBILITY SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE STRONG DECISIONS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT ARE NOT ALWAYS FAVORABLE BECAUSE THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS OF

[00:55:01]

WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GIVEN TO US. AND YOU COULD IMAGINE LOVE YOU WITH BARELY BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT MONEY AND GETS TAXED. AND THAT PERSON WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BEST USAGE OF THE MONEY JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. SO ONCE AGAIN, WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.

KAREN. THANK YOU FOR BEING THE LEADER AND DOING THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO DO TO MAKE THIS COUNTY, LIKE I SAID, VERY CREDIBLE AND VERY EFFICIENT AT THE SAME TIME. SO THANK YOU, KAREN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. THAT YOU. THANK YOU, MR. DAVID DE NIRO. CAN WE SWITCH TO CONGRATULATIONS? FOR EVERYTHING? YEAH. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT, GUYS. THANK. YOU. ANYMORE. IT'S JUST AWESOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HOW ARE YOU? THANK YOU AGAIN. LET ME. I'LL BRING YOU OVER HERE. OH. OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU. HI. HERE.

SO I'VE BEEN. OH. I'M SORRY. I'M SO USED TO BEING. ON THE. IT'S THE PERFECT. ALL RIGHT. SO. THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO. THANK YOU. YES. YES. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES. ITEM FIVE BE APPROVED. AN ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE BURGESS HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS WRESTLING TEAM. COMMISSIONER

[B. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing the outstanding achievements of the Burges High School girls wrestling team. David Stout, Commissioner, Precinct 2, 915-546-2111]

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HELLO, I'M JULIA ESTRADA. I'M THE VARSITY, 165. THANK YOU. HELLO, I'M JOCELYN, MARISKA, AND I'M THE VARSITY 107. MY NAME IS ALYSSA HERRERA, AND I'M THE OTHER VARSITY 107. MY NAME IS GINA LERMA AND I AM THE VARSITY HEAVYWEIGHT. I'M AALIYAH LOTT AND I'M THE VARSITY 120. I'M MACY GRADO, I'M THE JV, AND I WRESTLE 114. HELLO, MY NAME IS ANDREA LOZANO AND I'M THE 152 FOR JV. HI, MY NAME IS JOE FERGUSON. I WRESTLE 107 FOR JV. HELLO, I'M GUADALUPE BARAJAS AND I'M THE 114 FOR VARSITY. HELLO, I'M MACKENZIE MAGNUSON QUINTANA AND I'M THE 152 FOR VARSITY.

HELLO I'M JACQUELINE SANCHEZ, THE 100 POUNDER VARSITY. I WAS ABLE TO BE DISTRICT CHAMP, RUNNER UP FOR REGIONALS AND STATE WELL. HELLO, I'M GLORIA VASQUEZ, 132 VARSITY. I WAS DISTRICT RUNNER UP, REGIONAL RUNNER UP, AND. WELCOME. HI. MY NAME IS GEORGE GEORGE JACKSON.

I'M THE VARSITY. 126 I WAS A 2023, 2024 AND 2025 DISTRICT CHAMP. 2024 AND 2025 REGIONAL

[01:05:05]

AND SO THAT BRINGS BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES. ACTUALLY, MY NEPHEW WAS FROM BURGESS, UNDEFEATED STATE CHAMPION, AND THEN HE WENT ON TO THE OPEN AND ALSO UNDEFEATED. AND HE LOVES BURGESS. AND BUT YOU KNOW HOW THEY SOUNDED VERY MILD. WATCH THEM ON THE MAT AND SEE IF THEY'RE AS MILD AS THEY SPEAK. AND JACKIE, I'M WONDERING THERE'S SOME RECRUITS HERE THAT YOU COULD. I'M ALL YOU GOT TOUG, INCREDIBLE WOMEN THAT THAT COULD BE PART OF YOUR SUCCESS AS WELL.

SO WE THANK YOU. AND BACK TO YOU, COMMISSIONER STOUT. YEAH, WELL THANK YOU. THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR DOING SO WELL. AND JUST PUTTING EL PASO IN SUCH AN AMAZING AND BURGESS HIGH SCHOOL AND SUCH AN AMAZING POSITION AND AMAZING LIGHT. IT'S INSPIRING TO SEE SO MANY YOUNG WOMEN HAVING THESE SUCCESSES. AND SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT THIS MORNING AND LETTING US CELEBRATE YOU. SO IF YOU ALL WANT TO GO SHAKE HANDS WITH WITH THE FOLKS THAT ARE THERE AND THEY'LL GIVE YOU THE RESOLUTION AND THEN WE CAN TAKE A PICTURE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. TO ALL THE CHAMBER I. THE GENTLEMAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOU AND I YOU GUYS NEED TO SCOOT DOWN A LITTLE BIT THIS WAY. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU CAN FAKE COMMISSIONER. YES.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HE'S MORE CLOSER TOGETHER. PLEASE, COULD YOU GUYS OPEN UP FOR. ME? OKAY.

PERFECT. READY? THREE. OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GET EVERYONE THINKING. ABOUT. ANYBODY ELSE.

YES, SIR. HAVE YOU BEEN. OVER THERE? YES. GOOD MORNING. EVERYONE. LAST ONE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. COME AGAIN. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. I CAN SEND IT TO YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO. THIS ALWAYS NICE?

[01:10:16]

[C. Approve and adopt a resolution designating El Paso, Texas, as the Boot Capital of Texas in recognition of the city’s longstanding tradition of boot-making excellence, its continued impact on the industry, and its role in preserving the cultural heritage of the state, and urging continued support and promotion for the boot-making industry in El Paso and its artistry. David Stout, Commissioner, Precinct 2, 915-546-2111]

THESE TYPE OF ONLY IN EL PASO BUSINESSES AND TRADITIONS ARE, I THINK, AN IMPORTANT DRAW TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND I ONLY WISH WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THE SADDLE BLANKET DOWNTOWN AS WELL, OR EVEN BRING IN BRING BACK HARLEY-DAVIDSON, WHICH ARE TWO OTHER ONLY IN EL PASO KIND OF PLACES. BUT EVEN THOSE ARE SPECIFIC BUSINESSES. AND BOOTMAKING IS AN INDUSTRY, AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE BOOT MAKERS WHO ARE KEEPING THEIR TRADITIONS AND THEIR INDUSTRY NOT ONLY ALIVE, BUT THRIVING IN EL PASO. AND I'M HONORED TO PRESENT THIS RESOLUTION. SO, JOSE AND TEAM, IF YOU ALL WANT TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM WHILE I READ THE RESOLUTION AND THEN WE CAN WE CAN HEAR FROM Y'ALL. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THE RESOLUTION STATES, WHEREAS EL PASO, TEXAS, HAS LONG BEEN KNOWN FOR ITS RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE, DYNAMIC ECONOMY, AND DISTINCTIVE TRADITIONS THAT SHAPE THE IDENTITY OF THE REGION. AND WHEREAS EL PASO HAS EARNED A REPUTATION AS A HUB FOR THE ART OF BOOT MAKING, WITH A HISTORY SPANNING OVER A CENTURY OF CRAFTSMANSHIP, INNOVATION AND DEDICATION TO PRODUCING WORLD CLASS BOOTS. AND WHEREAS THE CITY IS HOME TO ICONIC BOOT MAKING COMPANIES SUCH AS LUCAS, ROCKET BUSTER, BOOTS, TONY LAMA AND OTHER RENOWNED LOCAL ARTISANS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO EL PASO'S GROWING INFLUENCE AS A LEADER IN THE BOOT MAKING INDUSTRY. AND WHEREAS, THE BOOT MAKING TRADITION IN EL PASO NOT ONLY SERVES AS A TESTAMENT TO THE SKILLED ARTISANSHIP OF ITS RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO SUPPORTS THE LOCAL ECONOMY, PROVIDING JOBS AND FOSTERING A LEGACY OF CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT ATTRACTS VISITORS AND TOURISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. AND WHEREAS EL PASO'S DEDICATION TO THE PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION OF BOOT MAKING ARTS HAS LED, IT HAS LED TO ITS THRIVING BOOT CULTURE, WHICH IS CELEBRATED IN BOTH LOCAL EVENTS AND GLOBAL MARKETS, CREATING A UNIQUE IDENTITY THAT STANDS OUT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND BEYOND. AND WHEREAS RECOGNIZING EL PASO AS THE OFFICIAL BOOT CAPITAL OF TEXAS WOULD HONOR THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LEGACY OF TEXAS CRAFTSMANSHIP, STRENGTHENING ITS REPUTATION AS A CULTURAL DESTINATION AND HIGHLIGHTING ITS ROLE IN PRESERVING THIS IMPORTANT PART OF TEXAN HISTORY. AND NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT THAT THE COUNTY HEREBY DESIGNATES EL PASO, TEXAS, AS THE BOOT CAPITAL OF TEXAS IN RECOGNITION OF THE CITY'S LONG STANDING TRADITION OF BOOT MAKING EXCELLENCE, ITS CONTINUED IMPACT ON THE INDUSTRY, AND ITS ROLE IN PRESERVING THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE STATE. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT EL PASO COUNTY URGES CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE BOOT MAKING INDUSTRY IN EL PASO, AND ENCOURAGES THE PROMOTION OF ITS ARTISTRY TO A BROADER AUDIENCE. ON THIS THIRD DAY OF MARCH 2025, THE HONORABLE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT AND A SECOND FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO. THE VOTING IS OPEN.

COMMISSIONER STOUT. YEAH. TRYING TO PULL IT UP. OKAY, HERE WE GO. THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT, JOSE, WELCOME. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME, JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONER STOUT, SORRY THAT YOU'RE NOT HERE WITH US TODAY, BUT WANTED TO GIVE YOU MY GRATITUDE, COMMISSIONER STOUT, FOR SPONSORING THIS RESOLUTION. TODAY. I'M HERE WITH OUR TEAM,

[01:15:04]

WE HAVE WE HAVE JUST KIND OF OUR OWN TOKEN FOR YOU ALL THAT WE WANT. AND IT'S A GRAPHIC THAT'S DONE BY MISS MARIANA. MARIANA HERE, SHE'S THE ARTIST BEHIND IT, VERY TALENTED, TALENTED INDIVIDUAL. WE CAN GO AHEAD AND JUST GIVE IT TO THEM ALSO. BUT I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE JASMINE VELASQUEZ AND JASMINE VELASQUEZ IS OUR CONTENT CREATOR WORKING UNDER RENE WONG HERE, OUR DIRECTOR. AND SO SHE'S BEEN LEADING THE PROCESS FOR US, WORKING WITH COMMISSIONER STOUT'S TEAM AS WELL AS THE STAFF FROM OUR SENATOR BLANCO'S OFFICE AS WELL. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS. THIS IS ALL PART OF THE PROCESS, AND WE'RE HOPING BY MID-YEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING THIS HOME AND BE THE OFFICIAL BOOT CAPITAL OF TEXAS. THANK YOU GUYS. WELL THANK YOU. AND. WE'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE AND WE CAN GUIDE YOU AS WE DID THE VETERANS CAPITAL OF THE USA. AND IT'S NOW PATENTED THANKS TO OUR LEGAL TEAM HERE. AND THEY CAN HELP OUT AND GIVE YOU SOME IDEAS AS TO HOW WE GOT THERE. IT WAS AN EASY TASK, BUT I AGREE. I MEAN, YOU CAN'T THINK OF EL PASO AND NOT THINK ABOUT BOOTS AND EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU ARE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, THEY'LL ASK ABOUT EL PASO AND THE BOOTS. AND SO TO ME THAT'S ANYTHING THAT PUTS US IN THAT POSITIVE KIND OF LOOK FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD IS SO IMPORTANT TO US. SO, JOSE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GETTING US TO THIS POINT. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. WE WILL TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU. AWESOME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK. YOU. MR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

WE CAN ALL SHIFT A LITTLE MORE THIS WAY. JUST JUST. ALL RIGHT. NICE BIG SMILES. 123. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ONE MORE, ONE MORE, ONE MORE. SORRY. THE GROUP WILL SAY THANK YOU. ONE LAST AND THEN

[01:20:23]

[D. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing March 25, 2025, as “Diabetes Alert Day” in El Paso County, Texas. Ricardo A. Samaniego, County Judge, County Judge's Office, 915-273-3591]

SO I'LL READ THIS INTO THE RECORD. YOU WANT TO COME UP AND WAS OVER 97,000 RESIDENTS OF EL PASO ARE DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES, AND MORE THAN 25,000 REMAIN UNDIAGNOSED. AND WHEREAS MEXICAN AMERICANS WHO ARE OVER 35 YEARS OLD, THOSE WITH A FAMILY HISTORY OF DIABETES, PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PHYSICALLY ACTIVE, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE ARE ELEVATED RISK FOR DIABETES, WHEREAS DIABETES IS A COMPLEX CONDITION THAT AFFECTS PEOPLE OF ALL AGES BUT CAN OFTEN BE MANAGED AND IN SOME CASES PREVENTED. ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY DIABETES TO LIVE HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE LIVES. AND WHEREAS, THE EL PASO CENTER FOR DIABETES, AN INDEPENDENT, NOT FOR PROFIT CENTER, PROVIDES DIRECT SERVICES TO ALL PERSONS WITH DIABETES IN EL PASO AND SURROUNDING AREAS TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THEIR DIABETES JOURNEY WITH DIABETES SELF-MANAGEMENT CLASSES, FREE A1C TESTING AND MEDICAL NUTRITION THERAPY. WHEREAS THE PASO DEL NORTE HEALTH FOUNDATION FUNDS AND LEADS REGIONAL DIABETES PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT EFFORTS BY SUPPORTING THE DIABETES ALLIANCE AND SEVERAL DIABETES INITIATIVES. AND WHEREAS, THE EL PASO CENTER FOR DIABETES AND THE PASO DEL NORTE HEALTH FOUNDATION URGE INDIVIDUALS TO VISIT THE DIABETES NOW WHAT WEBSITE TO TAKE A FREE ONLINE DIABETES RISK TEST FOR THEMSELVES OR THEIR LOVED ONES? AND WHEREAS ANYONE AT ELEVATED RISK FOR DIABETES IS ADVISED TO DISCUSS THE RISK FACTORS WITH A MEDICAL PROVIDER AS EARLY DETECTION CAN REDUCE COMPLICATIONS AND IMPROVE TREATMENT OPTIONS. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE EL PASO COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS COURT HEREBY DECLARE MONDAY, MARCH THE 3RD, 2025, AS DIABETES ALERT DAY. SIGNED THIS THIRD DAY OF MARCH, 2025. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER CORONADO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. SANDRA. ONE SECOND. JUDGE. COMMISSIONER, ARE YOU ABLE TO. I HAD TO SWITCH OVER TO MY PHONE BECAUSE I'VE GOT TO GO DOWN TO A MEETING AND SO I'M GOING TO BE AND I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE, TO THE SOFTWARE ON MY PHONE, SO I'M GOING TO VOTE. I THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SANDRA WELCOME. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE DIEGO.

AND COMMISSIONERS COURT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVESTING YOUR TIME AND BELIEVING IN THE MISSION FOR THE CENTER FOR DIABETES AND DIABETES ALLIANCE. WE COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT YOU.

WHEN COVID HIT HERE, WE REALIZED THERE WAS SO MUCH PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAD DIABETES OR DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THEY WERE EVEN AT RISK OF DIABETES, AND WE LOST SO MANY LOVED ONES. ONE OF THEM WAS MY BROTHER. SO WITH YOUR HELP AND EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE PAST YEARS, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REALLY INVESTING WITH BETSY AS YOUR TEAM LEADER, REALLY BELIEVING WITH EVERYBODY YOU STARTED WITH YOUR TEAM. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR REALLY STARTING WITH THAT AND SHOWING OTHER LEADERS THAT YOU COULD START WITH THEM AND THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH OTHERS. SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN THE MISSION. BUT

[01:25:02]

THANK YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, HONOR AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS CARLA ESTRADA FROM YSLETA DEL SUR PUEBLO. I'M THE NATIONAL DIABETES PREVENTION COORDINATOR, AND I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE TRIBE FOR 13 YEARS. AND I WANT TO SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING MARCH 25TH AS DIABETES AWARENESS DAY. YOUR RESOLUTION HELPS BRING MUCH NEEDED ATTENTION TO THIS IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT HEALTH ISSUE. AND DIABETES AFFECTS MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, AND AWARENESS IS THE KEY TO PREVENTION, EARLY DETECTION AND BETTER MANAGEMENT. YOUR SUPPORT EMPOWERS OUR COMMUNITY TO TAKE ACTION. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER FOR A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS ANNA OLIVAS AND I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR YSLETA DEL SUR PUEBLO FOR 25 YEARS. I STARTED IN THE DIABETES PROGRAM, AND I AM NOW WORKING IN THE DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAM, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO COHORTS RIGHT NOW PROVIDING THAT I PROVIDE WE PROVIDE DIABETES PREVENTION CLASSES AND IT'S BEEN GOING REALLY WELL. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. HI. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS YOLI AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING THE PUEBLOS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION. I SERVE AS THE HEALTH EDUCATION MANAGER, AND I GET TO WORK WITH THIS LOVELY TEAM. OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION IS TRULY GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF THE EL PASO CENTER FOR DIABETES, AND TO BRING AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TO OUR COMMUNITY TO LIGHT THIS. THIS RESOLUTION HIGHLIGHTS TUESDAY, MARCH 25TH AS DIABETES ALERT DAY AND RECOGNIZING AND RECOGNIZES THE MEANINGFUL WORK WE ARE DOING TOGETHER AT THE PUEBLO. OUR TEAM OFFERS A CDC ACCREDITED NATIONAL DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAM, OR DPP, WHICH ALLOWS TRIBAL MEMBERS AND THEIR HOUSEHOLDS TO LEARN ABOUT DIABETES PREVENTION AND EMPOWERS PARTICIPANTS TO LIVE THEIR HEALTHIEST LIVES. ADDITIONALLY, WE OFFER A 1 TO 1 HEALTH EDUCATION. WE HAVE GROUP EDUCATION AND A PROGRAM THAT ENCOURAGES PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND EXERCISE FOR THOSE TRIBAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES. OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION OFFERS ONE OF OFFERS 1 TO 1 DIABETES SELF-MANAGEMENT EDUCATION SESSIONS, AND IT OFFERS TOOLS TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED ALREADY BY DIABETES. ADDITIONALLY, OUR MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION TEAM SUPPORTS TRIBAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY OFFERING FREE TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM NON MEDICAL EMERGENCY VISITS. THROUGH THESE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS, TRIBAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE CONNECTING WITH RESOURCES THROUGH CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE CARE AND STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITY. OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS SPEAK HIGHLY OF THIS TEAM AND DEEPLY APPRECIATE THEIR GUIDANCE. TOGETHER, WE ARE INSTILLING HOPE AND A HEALTHIER TOMORROW FOR A STRONGER PUEBLO. FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, THE TEAM HAS MOTIVATED ME TO LIVE A HEALTHIER LIFE AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHED SOME POUNDS AND ALSO MAKE HEALTHIER FOOD SWAPS AND GETTING ACTIVE. IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL SEEING THE IMPACT THAT THIS TEAM HAS HAD IN PEOPLE'S LIVES. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR BRINGING AWARENESS TO THIS IMPORTANT CAUSE AND FOR SUPPORTING COMMUNITY HEALTH THROUGH THIS RESOLUTION. AGAIN, WE'RE GRATEFUL TO BE REPRESENTED THROUGH THIS RESOLUTION TODAY AND APPRECIATE THE COUNTY'S RECOGNITION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AS YOU MET SOME OF OUR PARTNERS, WE ALSO HAVE PROJECT VIA THE PROJECT, AMISTAD, UMC, TEXAS TECH, AND MUCH MORE PARTNERS THAT ARE PART OF DIABETES ALLIANCE. AND TOGETHER WE WILL CONTINUE EDUCATING AND EMPOWER OUR DIABETES COMMUNITY.

BUT WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU. SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR BELIEVING IN OUR MISSION AND REALLY

[01:30:06]

YEAH. THANK YOU FOR. THAT. AND THE OTHER THING. YEAH. THANK YOU. YES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR MERCY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO THANK YOU PRETTY MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I JUST TOLD HER. I KNOW EXACTLY THE SAME YOU. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, YES I DO. ALL RIGHT THERE.

IS THAT STILL AGAIN? AND I KNOW I'M PASSIONATE. YES. YES, YES, JACKIE WE HAVE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

ITEM NUMBER SIX IS PUBLIC COMMENT. WE DO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. MISS CRAWFORD, ARE YOU THERE? WORDING. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. JUST AS A

[PUBLIC COMMENT]

SHE WAS HIDING A BUNCH OF JEWISH FAMILIES WHEN ONE OF THE YOUNG WOMEN ANNOUNCED SHE WAS PREGNANT. BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF BEING DISCOVERED BECAUSE OF A CRYING BABY, THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP CONVINCED HER TO SEEK OUT AN ABORTION. IRINA SAID NO. THEY WANTED HER TO FACILITATE THE ABORTION, THAT THEY COULDN'T BRING A BABY INTO THIS. IT WOULD BE ENDANGERING ALL OF OUR LIVES. THE MOM SAID SHE WANTED THE BABY QUOTE, BUT NOT NOW, NOT UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. IT WILL BE TOO DANGEROUS FOR ALL OF US. IRINA SAID. NO. THE BABY WAS BORN AND ALL 12 OF THE GROUP GOT OUT SAFELY. ROMAN HALLER IS THE BABY IRINA SAVED NOW IN HIS LATE 70S, HE LIVED IN MUNICH, GERMANY. HE LIVES IN MUNICH, GERMANY. IRAN WAS ONE OF THOSE MANY WHO RISKED THEIR LIVES TO SAVE THOSE TARGETED BY THE NAZIS IN THE HOLOCAUST. WE ARE LIVING IN DAYS LIKE NEVER BEFORE. I SAW THE TERM ONLINE WHIPLASH AND I MUST ADMIT, THAT'S HOW I OFTEN FEEL AND OTHERS OFTEN FEEL WITH THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN OUR NATION. WE LOVE THE FACT

[01:35:06]

BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE VERY DEEP AND ABSOLUTELY LEGITIMATE CONCERNS WITH THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION. THE RECENT GOLD STATUE GAZA INCIDENT IS EERILY REMINISCENT OF KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR IN THE BIBLE ACCOUNT OF DANIEL, AND GOD HUMBLED HIM TO THE POINT OF INSANITY, LITERALLY ANIMAL LIKE MADNESS TO BREAK HIM AND BRING HIM TO REPENTANCE. RECORDED IN DANIEL CHAPTER FOUR. WE PRAY FOR OUR PRESIDENT, FOR HIS FAMILY. WE JUST KEEP PRAYING AND WE PRAY FOR CHRISTIANS AROUND HIM TO NOT BE COWARDLY, TO NOT CARE MORE ABOUT THEMSELVES OR THEIR JOBS THAN ABOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT TO COURAGEOUSLY CONFRONT THE PRESIDENT WHEN HE'S WRONG, NO MATTER THE CONSEQUENCES. YET TO THOSE WHO WOULD USE FEAR, WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON AS A RATIONALE TO TERMINATE A PREGNANCY OR TO SUPPORT SOMEONE IN THEIR DECISION TO TERMINATE A PREGNANCY, DON'T DO IT. PLEASE HEAR THIS OUT. IF GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ARE NOT AS EXPECTED, IF THERE'S A JOB LOSS, IF THERE ARE IMMIGRATION ISSUES, THERE'S FINANCIAL FEAR. DO NOT DISCARD YOUR BABY. FIND A GOOD CHURCH, A TRUE CHRISTIAN FRIEND, A BIBLE BELIEVING PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER. IF YOU DON'T FIND ONE OF THOSE, IMMEDIATELY, KEEP LOOKING. EL PASO HAS ONE OF THE MOST GIVING AND HOSPITABLE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES I'VE EVER SEEN. DON'T LET ANYTHING IN THE CURRENT POLITICAL SCENE OR FINANCIAL SCENE BECOME AN IMAGINED REASON TO ABORT OUT OF NECESSITY, OR TO ADVISE SOMEONE TO DO THAT. FOR YEARS, WE AS CHRISTIANS HAVE STOOD AGAINST ABORTION. PLEASE GIVE US THAT HONOR AND TAKE US UP ON THE OFFERS. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS IN A CRISIS PREGNANCY SITUATION. I'VE BEEN IN NEW JERSEY, GOD WILLING, HEALTH PERMITTING, SCHEDULED TO FLY TO EL PASO ON APRIL 2ND IN NEW JERSEY. IT'S MUCH HARDER FOR US TO GET THE LADIES HELP. WE PUSH THROUGH AND GET THE HELP FOR THEM. BUT IN EL PASO, THERE ARE DOZENS OF PRO-LIFERS EAGER AND WILLING TO HELP THOSE IN NEED. I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WORDS RECORDED BY THE PROPHET DANIEL, AS HE SPOKE OF GOD'S ULTIMATE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS OF THIS WORLD. BLESSED BE THE NAME OF GOD FOREVER AND EVER, FOR WISDOM AND MIGHT ARE HIS, AND HE CHANGES THE TIMES AND THE SEASONS. HE REMOVES KINGS AND SETS UP KINGS.

HE GIVES WISDOM TO THE WISE AND KNOWLEDGE TO THEM THAT KNOW UNDERSTANDING. HE REVEALS THE DEEP AND SECRET THINGS. HE KNOWS WHAT IS IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE LIGHT DWELLS WITH HIM. NO MATTER WHAT THESE UPCOMING MONTHS AND YEARS HOLD, THE SOVEREIGN GOD IS IN ULTIMATE CONTROL. THANK YOU.

HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY, ELIZABETH. THANK YOU. JUDGE.

COMMISSIONER CORONADO SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL. COMMISSIONER, JUDGE, THANK YOU.

AND COMMISSIONERS, I JUST WANT TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THE COURT JUST TODAY PASSED A RESOLUTION ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 4K, AND THAT'S THAT. WE ARE NOW HOPEFULLY SOON WE'LL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE DONATIONS OF TREES FOR ALL OUR PARKS AND COUNTY PROPERTIES. SO I'M, YOU KNOW, ASKING THE PUBLIC OUT THERE IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A TREE DEDICATED TO ONE OF OUR PARKS OR PROPERTIES, WE'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. GREAT INITIATIVE. NEXT JUDGE, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM ITEM NINE A POSTPONE FROM FEBRUARY 24TH, 2025. RESCIND THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT ORDER OF FEBRUARY 3RD, 2025. ITEM NUMBER FOUR I ON THE

[A. (Postponed 2/24/25) Rescind the Commissioners Court Order of February 3, 2025, Item No. 4I on the Consent Agenda: (ARP - 1160) Approve and authorize the County Judge to sign the amendment to the interlocal agreement with the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority for development of the Tornillo Port of Entry to modify to the project scope of work and detail the use of funds for Mexican international marketing and further details required supporting documentation and compliance requirements. No additional funding is required. (Contract No. 2024-1073). Further, approve and authorize the County Judge to sign the revised interlocal agreement amendment with the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority for development of the Tornillo Port of Entry to modify to the project scope of work and detail the use of funds for Mexican international marketing and further details required supporting documentation and compliance requirements. No additional funding is required. (Contract No. 2024-1073) Roberto Ransom, Director, Economic Development, 915-546-2177]

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AND COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS REQUIRED.

CONTRACT NUMBER 2024 173 FURTHER APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY JUDGE TO SIGN THE REVISED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT AMENDMENT WITH THE CAMINO REAL REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE TORNEO PORT OF ENTRY TO MODIFY TO THE PROJECT. SCOPE OF WORK IN DETAIL THE USE OF FUNDS FOR MEXICAN INTERNATIONAL MARKETING AND FURTHER DETAILS REQUIRED.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AND COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS REQUIRED.

CONTRACT NUMBER 2024 1073. WE HAVE A REQUEST TO MOVE THIS ITEM INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE

[01:40:04]

AT.

[01:46:30]

[01:50:10]

IT'S GOING TO BE A AWESOME FACILITY, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO ROLL AROUND WITH THE LOCALS WHEN IT'S DONE. WHAT'S MORE ESSENTIAL THAN WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE LIVED WITHOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIAL SERVICE FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR DECADES, FIVE DECADES, PROBABLY, AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES HERE AS WELL. WE ARE THANKFULLY, THE COUNTY IS WORKING ON OTHER PROJECTS IN THIS COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THE LOWER VALLEY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING THESE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. TWO AND THREE ARE GREAT. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE START OF THE FIRST TIME WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECT FOR SEVERAL COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE CANUTILLO AREA. WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE, ACTUALLY, THAT THIS IS REALLY COME TO FRUITION. THERE WAS FUNDS DEDICATED FOR THESE PROJECTS. BUT THE BIDS CAME IN HIGHER THAN WE EXPECTED. AND THANKFULLY, WITH HELP OF THE COMMUNITY WHO CAME AND ADVOCATED IN FRONT OF COMMISSIONERS COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DEDICATED ADDITIONAL FUNDS SO WE COULD GET THIS PROJECT. YOU KNOW, GOING AND STARTED. OTHERWISE, IF THE COURT HADN'T DEDICATED THIS EXTRA MONEY, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE. AND THIS MAY NOT HAVE HAPPENED. WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE WAY THAT THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE, TO GET THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT, AND IT'S JUST A BLESSING. AND WE WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT HELPED IN THIS GETTING THIS EVENT DONE. THIS COMMUNITY DOESN'T CURRENTLY HAVE A PARK. AND THREE WELL, THIS IS A LINEAR PARK FOR SQUARE DANCE, SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE OVER 12 YEARS. WE INCORPORATED AN AREA FOR THEM TO DO, YOU KNOW, ACTIVITIES, WALK AND LIKE I SAID, ALSO PLACE TO GATHER. SO THIS PROJECT WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 150 DAYS. IT CONSISTS OF A LINEAR TRAIL THAT STARTS ON MONTANA AND ENDS ON FRANKIE LANE. AND IT'S A TEN FOOT WIDE TRAIL. SO IT WILL BE A VERY INTERACTIVE TRAIL THROUGHOUT. IT WILL ALSO HAVE NATIVE LANDSCAPING, AND WE'VE ALSO INCORPORATED DRAINAGE. I THINK IT'S GOING TO ADD IT'S GOING TO LOOK BEAUTIFUL. THEY'RE GOING TO THE TRAIL. FOR US TO

[01:55:04]

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY HAVE MORE ACCESS TO THE BENEFITS OF QUALITY OF LIFE? I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE SINCE I WAS THREE YEARS OLD. I'M 40, SO I'VE SEEN THE WHOLE THING. YOU KNOW, SO THE WHOLE IMPROVEMENT THAT HAS BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT. FROM STREET PAVING TO THE PARK TO THE LIGHTS TO EVERYTHING YOU SEE OUT HERE. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THE COURT BECAUSE I'M ONLY ONE VOTE OF FIVE THAT MAKE CAN MAKE THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN.

TODAY WE HAVE LIGHTS ON THE LAKE AND IT'S JAM PACKED OUTSIDE. PEOPLE ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME.

AND REALLY, THIS IS WHAT EL PASO DESERVES. PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE SEASON. THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THEIR LAKE. THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE LIGHTS. SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD NIGHT FOR FAMILIES TO BOND AND TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. WITH TWO ONE. SO EVERYONE WAS SO EXCITED.

ONE WHEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS CAME ON, THE BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREE WAS LIT. BUT THEN ALSO WHEN THEY SAW OUR SPECIAL GUEST, WHICH WAS SANTA. SO NOW WE HAVE A LONG LINE OF KIDS WAITING TO TELL SANTA WHAT THEY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR. AND THAT'S OF COURSE, WHAT WE WANT. WE WANT CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO COME, TO BE HAPPY, TO SEE SANTA GET THEIR PHOTO WITH HIM, GET TO SEE ALL OF THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS. WE WANT THIS TO BE A SPECIAL TIME AND A SPECIAL PLACE FOR OUR FAMILIES HERE IN EL PASO. GOOD. WE DON'T WANT A LOT FOR CHRISTMAS THERE. WE HAVE 70 DIFFERENT LIGHT DISPLAYS. WE HAVE A VARIETY. THERE'S INTERACTIVE LIGHTS AS YOU DRIVE THROUGH. A LOT OF OUR LIGHTS ARE ON DISPLAY OR SOUND ACTIVATED. SO AS WE APPROACH THEM, THEY COME ON. WE DO HAVE A DRIVE THROUGH ALONG A LAKE SO YOU CAN STAY IN YOUR CAR. YOU CAN SEE THE DISPLAYS. I JUST HOPE FOLKS COME OUT AND ENJOY IT. I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME. I THINK IT'S VERY UNIQUE. WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE THIS A FUN TIME FOR THE FOLKS THROUGHOUT EL PASO COUNTY. THANK YOU. AND THEN THIS IS THE FIRST ONE. OH, I THINK LIKE EVERYBODY SHOULD COME AND CHECK IT OUT. IT'S PRETTY PRETTY NICE OUT HERE. MY HUSBAND SAW IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SO WE DECIDED TO CHECK IT OUT. AND WE LOVE THE LIGHTS. A LITTLE SET UP FOR THE PICTURES AND IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY NICE. HERE. I'M VERY SHINY NOW. EL PASO IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. WE GOT SOME BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS, INCREDIBLE PEOPLE. WE'RE THE BEST COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY AND THE BEST REGION. SO WISHING ALL OF YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND AN AMAZING, AMAZING 2025.

THANK YOU.

OH!

[02:02:10]

SO TODAY WE'RE CELEBRATING THAT THERE WILL BE THREE NEIGHBORHOODS WHO ARE NOW GOING TO GET ACCESS TO WASTEWATER, WHICH IS BASICALLY BEING ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE LOWER VALLEY WATER DISTRICT'S SEWER SYSTEM. WOW. IT'S EMOTIONAL. YOU KNOW, WE'RE FEELING SO HAPPY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY FOR ALL THE FAMILIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE IN THE COUNTY. WE KNOW THAT THE SEPTIC SYSTEMS THAT PEOPLE USE ARE MORE THAN 30 YEARS OLD, AND THEY'RE CAUSING CONTAMINATION ISSUES, WHICH ARE A PRIMARY ISSUE FOR PEOPLE'S WELL-BEING AND HEALTH. YEAH. SO WE'LL BE LIVING WITH IT CAN BE A PROBLEM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITIES. AND NOW THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE LOWER VALLEY AND THE COUNTY AND GETTING SOME FUNDING FOR GET THIS PROJECT. SO WE'RE SO HAPPY WITH THAT. IT'S ALREADY STARTED. ALL RIGHT. AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOMEWHERE AROUND 6 TO 8 MONTHS. SO AT THE COUNTY OF EL PASO, WE DECIDED TO PRIORITIZE THESE TYPES OF

[02:05:05]

THIS IS A THIS IS A GEM. SO AS THE YEARS GO ON, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THIS WILL BECOME A REGIONAL AIRPORT. WE'RE EXCITED. AND I KNOW THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LOCAL RESIDENTS AND FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. SO DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE COUNTY HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING ABOUT $20 MILLION WORTH OF FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND SERVICES HERE IN FABENS. SO WITH SOME MONEY FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION THROUGH THE CONGRESSWOMAN'S OFFICE, WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN A $5 MILLION GRANT, WHICH HELPED FUND THE DESIGN OF EIGHT BRAND NEW HANGARS. AND THEN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THREE OF THOSE EIGHT. SO BY THE END OF THIS PROJECT, WE'LL SEE THREE BRAND NEW HANGARS, AND WE'LL HAVE THE DESIGN FOR FIVE ADDITIONAL HANGARS, WHICH WILL BE READY TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION AS SOON AS THE FUNDING IS IDENTIFIED AND OBTAINED. AND THAT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY IS CONTINUING TO WORK HARD ON TO OBTAIN THE FUNDING TO BUILD THOSE FINAL FIVE HANGARS. SO BY THE END, WE'LL HAVE EIGHT BRAND NEW HANGARS THAT CAN BE USED BY LOCAL PILOTS TO STORE THEIR PLANES. THEY CAN BE USED BY SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE UTEP. SO I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF ALL OF THE INVESTMENT THAT THE COUNTY HAS MADE IN THESE PAST FEW YEARS, AND THE INVESTMENT THAT I KNOW WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE, TO MAKE THE FABENS AIRPORT THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE. SKATEBOARDING IS ONE OF THOSE SPORTS WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE KIDS WHO AREN'T NECESSARILY INTO THE TRADITIONAL SPORTS LIKE FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL, AND THIS GIVES THEM A PLACE TO GO. IT GIVES THEM A PLACE TO DEVELOP A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. WE HAVE AGUADULCE ESTRELLA. GALLEGOS. THIS PARK, IN PARTICULAR ESTRELLA. IT CONSISTS OF NEW SKATE PARKS, A NEW BASKETBALL COURT AND NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS MORE OF AN ADVENTURE COURSE. INITIALLY IT WAS JAM PACKED, BUT AS THE EQUIPMENT GETS OLDER, LESS AND LESS PEOPLE WERE SHOWING UP. BUT NOW, WITH THIS NEW EQUIPMENT AND THE NEW BUILD, I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU IT IS GOING TO BE JAM PACKED. SO WE ALREADY HAVE A SKATE PARK HERE IN AGUA DULCE, AND WE HAVE A BASKETBALL COURT, BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN RENOVATED FOR MANY YEARS, SO WE'RE GOING TO COMPLETELY RENOVATE THEM AND CREATE A NEW SKATE PARK, A BRAND NEW SKATE PARK. AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A MUCH BETTER DESIGN. IT'S GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE EXCITING FEATURES TO IT. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL APPRECIATE, BUT IT WILL BE MADE OF CONCRETE, SO WE EXPECT IT TO LAST LONGER THAN I'M GOING TO BE AROUND, YOU KNOW? I KNOW THAT THE YOUTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND NOT JUST FROM THE OUTLYING AREAS OF THE COUNTY, BUT INSIDE THE CITY OF EL PASO, ARE GOING TO COME OUT AND ENJOY THIS PLACE. AND I KNOW IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE A HIT WITH ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT. I HELD TWO PUBLIC INPUT SESSIONS WHERE SKATERS TOLD THE DESIGNER WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE IN THE SKATE PARK. IT'S GOT ALL THE TECHNICAL STREET STUFF. IT'S GOOD FOR BEGINNERS, FOR INTERMEDIATES, FOR ADVANCED. I THINK THERE'S A FIVE STAIR, SO IF YOU REALLY WANT TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF, YOU CAN GAP DOWN FROM THE FIVE STAIR. OR IF YOU'RE OLD AND YOU JUST WANT TO CRUISE AROUND, OR IF YOU'RE YOUNG AND YOU JUST WANT TO LEARN, YOU CAN FLOW AROUND THE WHOLE PARK. AND JUST LIKE ALWAYS, THIS THIS COURT HAS BEEN VERY FRUGAL WITH THE TAX MONEY. AND THIS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER GRANTS, IS PAID FOR BY GRANT MONEY, GRANT FUNDING THAT'S COMING TO EL PASO. THIS PROJECT WAS POSSIBLE BY A GRANT OF FROM TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE. THE GRANT IS A TOTAL OF 2.8 MILLION, WHICH WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN ALL THE PARKS. SO PARKS HAVE BEEN A PRIORITY FOR THE COUNTY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. WE UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT PARKS ARE TO OUR COMMUNITIES. OUR CITIZENS ARE, YOU KNOW, OUR CONSTITUENTS DESERVE NO BETTER

[02:10:03]

GOOD. WHY? I DON'T WANT A LOT FOR CHRISTMAS. WE HAVE 70 DIFFERENT LIGHT DISPLAYS. WE HAVE A VARIETY. THERE'S INTERACTIVE LIGHTS AS YOU DRIVE THROUGH. A LOT OF OUR LIGHTS ARE ON DISPLAY OR SOUND ACTIVATED. SO AS WE APPROACH THEM, THEY COME ON. WE DO HAVE A DRIVE THROUGH ALONG A LAKE SO YOU CAN STAY IN YOUR CAR. YOU CAN SEE THE DISPLAYS. I JUST HOPE FOLKS

[02:15:05]

AND.

[02:21:36]

[02:25:06]

THERE WAS FUNDS DEDICATED FOR THESE PROJECTS, BUT THE BIDS CAME IN HIGHER THAN WE EXPECTED.

AND THANKFULLY, WITH HELP OF THE COMMUNITY WHO CAME AND ADVOCATED IN FRONT OF COMMISSIONERS COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DEDICATED ADDITIONAL FUNDS SO WE COULD GET THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, GOING AND STARTED. OTHERWISE, IF THE COURT HADN'T DEDICATED THIS EXTRA MONEY, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE. AND THIS MAY NOT HAVE HAPPENED. WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE WAY THAT THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE, TO GET THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT, AND IT WAS JUST A BLESSING. AND WE WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT HELPED IN THIS GETTING THIS EVENT DONE. THIS COMMUNITY DOESN'T CURRENTLY HAVE A PARK. AND THREE WELL, THIS IS A LINEAR PARK FOR SQUARE DANCE, SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE OVER 12 YEARS. WE INCORPORATED AN AREA FOR THEM TO DO, YOU KNOW, ACTIVITIES, WALK AND LIKE I SAID, ALSO PLACE TO GATHER. SO THIS PROJECT WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 150 DAYS. IT CONSISTS OF A LINEAR TRAIL THAT STARTS ON MONTANA AND ENDS ON FRANKIE LANE. AND IT'S A TEN FOOT WIDE TRAIL. SO IT WILL BE A VERY INTERACTIVE TRAIL THROUGHOUT. IT WILL ALSO HAVE NATIVE LANDSCAPING, AND WE'VE

[02:30:02]

I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THE COURT BECAUSE I'M ONLY ONE VOTE OF FIVE THAT MAKE CAN MAKE THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN. TODAY WE HAVE LIGHTS ON THE LAKE AND IT'S JAM PACKED OUTSIDE.

PEOPLE ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME. AND REALLY, THIS IS WHAT EL PASO DESERVES. PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE SEASON. THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THEIR LAKE. THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE LIGHTS. SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD NIGHT FOR FAMILIES TO BOND AND TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. THREE, TWO ONE. SO EVERYONE WAS SO EXCITED. ONE WHEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS CAME ON, THE BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREE WAS LIT. BUT THEN ALSO WHEN THEY SAW OUR SPECIAL GUEST, WHICH WAS SANTA. SO NOW WE HAVE A LONG LINE OF KIDS WAITING TO TELL SANTA WHAT THEY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR. AND THAT'S OF COURSE, WHAT WE WANT. WE WANT CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO COME, TO BE HAPPY, TO SEE SANTA GET THEIR PHOTO WITH HIM, GET TO SEE ALL OF THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS. WE WANT THIS TO BE A SPECIAL TIME AND A SPECIAL PLACE FOR OUR FAMILIES HERE IN EL PASO. WHY? DON'T WANT A LOT FOR CHRISTMAS? WE HAVE 70 DIFFERENT LIGHT DISPLAYS. WE HAVE A VARIETY. THERE'S INTERACTIVE LIGHTS AS YOU DRIVE THROUGH. A LOT OF OUR LIGHTS ARE ON DISPLAY OR SOUND ACTIVATED. SO AS WE APPROACH THEM, THEY COME ON. WE DO HAVE A DRIVE THROUGH ALONG A LAKE SO YOU CAN STAY IN YOUR CAR. YOU CAN SEE THE DISPLAYS. I JUST HOPE FOLKS COME OUT AND ENJOY IT. I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME. I THINK IT'S VERY UNIQUE. WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE THIS A FUN TIME FOR THE FOLKS THROUGHOUT EL PASO COUNTY WHO IS OUT THERE. THANK YOU. AND THEN THIS IS THE FIRST ONE, I THINK, LIKE EVERYBODY SHOULD COME AND CHECK IT OUT. IT'S PRETTY PRETTY NICE OUT HERE. MY HUSBAND SAW IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

SO WE DECIDED TO CHECK IT OUT. AND WE LOVE THE LIGHTS. A LITTLE SET UP FOR THE PICTURES AND IT'S PRETTY PRETTY NICE. THE RED NOSE REINDEER. I'M VERY SHINY NOW. EL PASO IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. WE GOT SOME BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS, INCREDIBLE PEOPLE. WE'RE THE BEST COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY AND THE BEST REGION. SO WISHING ALL OF YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND AN AMAZING, AMAZING 2025.

THANK YOU.

[02:39:09]

[02:40:04]

WE'RE SITTING ON A GOLD MINE. THIS IS A THIS IS A GEM. SO AS THE YEARS GO ON, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THIS WILL BECOME A REGIONAL AIRPORT. WE'RE EXCITED. AND I KNOW THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LOCAL RESIDENTS AND FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. SO DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE COUNTY HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING ABOUT $20 MILLION WORTH OF FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND SERVICES HERE IN FABENS. SO WITH SOME MONEY FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION THROUGH THE CONGRESSWOMAN'S OFFICE, WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN A $5 MILLION GRANT, WHICH HELPED FUND THE DESIGN OF EIGHT BRAND NEW HANGARS. AND THEN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THREE OF THOSE EIGHT. SO BY THE END OF THIS PROJECT, WE'LL SEE THREE BRAND NEW HANGARS, AND WE'LL HAVE THE DESIGN FOR FIVE ADDITIONAL HANGARS, WHICH WILL BE READY TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION AS SOON AS THE FUNDING IS IDENTIFIED AND OBTAINED. AND THAT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY IS CONTINUING TO WORK HARD ON TO OBTAIN THE FUNDING TO BUILD THOSE FINAL FIVE HANGARS. SO BY THE END, WE'LL HAVE EIGHT BRAND NEW HANGARS THAT CAN BE USED BY LOCAL PILOTS TO STORE THEIR PLANES. THEY CAN BE USED BY SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE UTEP. SO I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF ALL OF THE INVESTMENT THAT THE COUNTY HAS MADE IN THESE PAST FEW YEARS, AND THE INVESTMENT THAT I KNOW WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE, TO MAKE THE FABENS AIRPORT THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE. SKATEBOARDING IS ONE OF THOSE SPORTS WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE KIDS WHO AREN'T NECESSARILY INTO THE TRADITIONAL SPORTS LIKE FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL, AND THIS GIVES THEM A PLACE TO GO. IT GIVES THEM A PLACE TO DEVELOP A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. WE HAVE ADULTS. ESTRELLA. GALLEGOS. THIS PARK, IN PARTICULAR ESTRELLA. IT CONSISTS OF NEW SKATE PARKS, A NEW BASKETBALL COURT AND NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS MORE OF AN ADVENTURE COURSE. INITIALLY IT WAS JAM PACKED, BUT AS THE EQUIPMENT GETS OLDER, LESS LESS PEOPLE WERE SHOWING UP. BUT NOW WITH THIS NEW EQUIPMENT AND THE NEW BUILD, I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU IT IS GOING TO BE JAM PACKED. SO WE ALREADY HAVE A SKATE PARK HERE IN AGUA DULCE, AND WE HAVE A BASKETBALL COURT, BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN RENOVATED FOR MANY YEARS, SO WE'RE GOING TO COMPLETELY RENOVATE IT AND CREATE A NEW SKATE PARK, A BRAND NEW SKATE PARK. AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A MUCH BETTER DESIGN. IT'S GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE EXCITING FEATURES TO IT. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL APPRECIATE, BUT IT WILL BE MADE OF CONCRETE, SO WE EXPECT IT TO LAST LONGER THAN I'M GOING TO BE AROUND, YOU KNOW? I KNOW THAT THE YOUTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND NOT JUST FROM THE OUTLYING AREAS OF THE COUNTY, BUT INSIDE THE CITY OF EL PASO, ARE GOING TO COME OUT AND ENJOY THIS PLACE. I KNOW IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE A HIT WITH ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT. I HELD TWO PUBLIC INPUT SESSIONS WHERE SKATERS TOLD THE DESIGNER WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE IN THE SKATE PARK. IT'S GOT ALL THE TECHNICAL STREET STUFF. IT'S GOOD FOR BEGINNERS, FOR INTERMEDIATES, FOR ADVANCED. I THINK THERE'S A FIVE STAIR, SO IF YOU REALLY WANT TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF, YOU CAN ■GAP DOWN FROM THE FIVE STAIR. OR IF YOU'RE OLD AND YOU JUST WANT TO CRUISE AROUND, OR IF YOU'RE YOUNG AND YOU JUST WANT TO LEARN, YOU CAN FLOW AROUND THE WHOLE PARK. AND JUST LIKE ALWAYS, THIS THIS COURT HAS BEEN VERY FRUGAL WITH THE TAX MONEY. AND THIS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER GRANTS, IS PAID FOR BY GRANT MONEY, GRANT FUNDING THAT'S COMING TO EL PASO. THIS PROJECT WAS POSSIBLE BY A GRANT OF FROM TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE. THE GRANT IS A TOTAL OF 2.8 MILLION, WHICH WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN ALL THE PARKS. SO PARKS HAVE BEEN A PRIORITY FOR THE COUNTY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. WE

[02:45:03]

IT'S GOING TO BE AN AWESOME FACILITY, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO ROLL AROUND WITH THE LOCALS WHEN IT'S DONE. WHAT'S MORE ESSENTIAL THAN WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE LIVED WITHOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIAL SERVICE FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR DECADES, FIVE DECADES, PROBABLY. AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES HERE AS WELL. WE ARE THANKFULLY, THE COUNTY IS WORKING ON OTHER PROJECTS IN THIS COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THE LOWER VALLEY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING THESE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. TWO AND THREE ARE GREAT. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE START OF THE FIRST TIME WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECT FOR SEVERAL COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE CANUTILLO AREA. WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE, ACTUALLY, THAT THIS IS REALLY COME TO A FRUITION. THERE WAS FUNDS DEDICATED FOR THESE PROJECTS, BUT THE BIDS CAME IN HIGHER THAN WE EXPECTED. AND THANKFULLY, WITH HELP OF THE COMMUNITY WHO CAME AND ADVOCATED IN FRONT OF COMMISSIONERS COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DEDICATED ADDITIONAL FUNDS SO WE COULD GET THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, GOING AND STARTED. OTHERWISE, IF THE COURT HADN'T DEDICATED THIS EXTRA MONEY, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE. AND THIS MAY NOT HAVE HAPPENED. WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE WAY THAT THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE, TO GET THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT, AND IT WAS JUST A BLESSING. AND WE WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT HELPED IN THIS GETTING THIS EVENT DONE. THIS COMMUNITY DOESN'T CURRENTLY HAVE A PARK. AND THREE WELL, THIS IS A LINEAR PARK FOR SQUARE DANCE, SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE OVER 12 YEARS. WE INCORPORATED AN AREA FOR THEM TO DO, YOU KNOW, ACTIVITIES, WALK AND LIKE I SAID, ALSO PLACE TO GATHER. SO THIS PROJECT WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 150 DAYS. IT CONSISTS OF A LINEAR TRAIL THAT STARTS ON MONTANA AND ENDS ON FRANKIE LANE. AND IT'S A TEN FOOT WIDE TRAIL. SO IT WILL BE A VERY INTERACTIVE TRAIL THROUGHOUT. IT WILL ALSO HAVE NATIVE LANDSCAPING, AND WE'VE ALSO INCORPORATED DRAINAGE. I THINK IT'S GOING TO ADD IT'S GOING TO LOOK BEAUTIFUL. THEY'RE GOING TO THE TRAIL. FOR US TO WALK IS GOING TO BE SAFER FOR US. AN AREA DESIGNATED FOR WALKING, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR FAMILY. SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, A GREAT IMPROVEMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY HAVE MORE ACCESS TO THE BENEFITS OF QUALITY OF LIFE? I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE I'M SINCE I WAS THREE YEARS OLD. I'M 40, SO I'VE SEEN THE WHOLE THING. YOU KNOW, SO THE WHOLE IMPROVEMENT THAT HAS BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT. FROM STREET PAVING TO THE PARK TO THE LIGHTS TO EVERYTHING YOU SEE OUT HERE. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THE COURT BECAUSE I'M ONLY ONE VOTE OF FIVE THAT MAKE CAN MAKE THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN.

TODAY WE HAVE LIGHTS ON THE LAKE AND IT'S JAM PACKED OUTSIDE. PEOPLE ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME.

AND REALLY, THIS IS WHAT EL PASO DESERVES. PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE SEASON. THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THEIR LATE. THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE LIGHTS. SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD NIGHT FOR FAMILIES TO BOND AND TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. THREE, TWO ONE. SO EVERYONE WAS SO EXCITED.

ONE WHEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS CAME ON, THE BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREE WAS LIT. BUT THEN ALSO WHEN THEY SAW OUR SPECIAL GUEST, WHICH WAS SANTA. SO NOW WE HAVE A LONG LINE OF KIDS WAITING TO TELL SANTA WHAT THEY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR. AND THAT'S OF COURSE, WHAT WE WANT. WE WANT CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO COME, TO BE HAPPY, TO SEE SANTA GET THEIR PHOTO WITH HIM, GET TO SEE ALL OF THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS. WE WANT THIS TO BE A SPECIAL TIME AND A SPECIAL PLACE FOR OUR FAMILIES HERE IN EL PASO. WE DON'T WANT A LOT FOR CHRISTMAS THERE. WE HAVE 70 DIFFERENT LIGHT DISPLAYS. WE HAVE A VARIETY. THERE'S INTERACTIVE LIGHTS AS YOU DRIVE THROUGH. A LOT OF OUR LIGHTS ARE ON DISPLAY OR SOUND ACTIVATED. SO AS WE APPROACH THEM, THEY COME ON. WE DO HAVE A DRIVE

[02:50:04]

AND WE LOVE THE LIGHTS, THE LITTLE SET UP FOR THE PICTURES. AND IT'S PRETTY PRETTY NICE. I.

THOSE. BIG EARS ARE VERY SHINY NOW. AND IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. GOT SOME BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS, INCREDIBLE PEOPLE. WE'RE THE BEST COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY AND THE BEST REGION. SO WISHING ALL OF YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND AN AMAZING, AMAZING 2025.

AND.

THE.

[02:56:42]

WE'RE SITTING ON A GOLD MINE. THIS IS A THIS IS A GEM. SO AS THE YEARS GO ON, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THIS WILL BECOME A REGIONAL AIRPORT. WE'RE EXCITED. AND I KNOW THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LOCAL RESIDENTS AND FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. SO DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE COUNTY HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING ABOUT $20 MILLION WORTH OF FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND SERVICES HERE IN FABENS. SO WITH SOME MONEY FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION THROUGH THE CONGRESSWOMAN'S OFFICE, WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN A $5 MILLION GRANT, WHICH HELPED FUND THE DESIGN OF EIGHT BRAND NEW HANGARS. AND THEN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THREE OF THOSE EIGHT. SO BY THE END OF THIS PROJECT, WE'LL SEE THREE BRAND NEW HANGARS, AND WE'LL HAVE THE DESIGN FOR FIVE ADDITIONAL HANGARS, WHICH WILL BE READY TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION AS SOON AS THE FUNDING IS IDENTIFIED AND OBTAINED. AND THAT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY IS CONTINUING TO WORK HARD ON TO OBTAIN THE FUNDING TO BUILD THOSE FINAL FIVE HANGARS. SO BY THE END, WE'LL HAVE EIGHT BRAND NEW. MICHELLE. GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS RECONVENED INTO REGULAR OPEN

[03:00:06]

[REGULAR AGENDA]

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

AND IN THIS CASE, WE DID OUR FIRST UROLOGICAL PROCEDURE USING THIS NEW ROBOT. IT WAS PERFORMED BY DOCTOR HERRERA MURILLO, AND HE PERFORMED A PROCEDURE WHERE PART OF THE KIDNEY WAS REMOVED, AND THEN HE REMOVED IT THROUGH THAT SMALL INCISION. AND SO IT DOES REALLY WELL IN TERMS OF LESS INCISIONS. IT'S SAFER AND A FASTER RECOVERY TIME. AND THIS ROBOTIC SURGERY PROGRAM IS ONE OF THREE PLATFORMS WE HAVE. WE HAVE TWO DAVINCI FIVE. THEY'RE THE LATEST IN TERMS OF ROBOTIC SURGERIES. WE HAVE THE X I AND WE ALSO HAVE THE SINGLE PORT SURGERY. SO WE WERE VERY PROUD THAT WE ARE THE FIRST IN EL PASO TO HAVE TRIED THIS. AND AGAIN, IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW UMC IS TRYING TO BRING INNOVATION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO PROVIDE SERVICES THAT THEN LIMIT THE NEED FOR SOMEONE TO HAVE TO LEAVE EL PASO FOR THESE KINDS OF PROCEDURES. NEXT IS UMC RECOGNIZING NATIONAL INJURY PREVENTION DAY. AS YOU KNOW, ON NOVEMBER 18TH, COMMISSIONERS COURT ADOPTED A RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING NOVEMBER 18TH AS NATIONAL INJURY PREVENTION DAY IN EL PASO. OUR TRAUMA DEPARTMENT PREVENTION TEAM WAS ALSO RECOGNIZED, ALONG WITH OTHER AGENCIES IN THE COUNTY, FOR THEIR EFFORTS TOWARDS HAVING THE COMMUNITY FREE FROM INJURY AND VIOLENCE. AND REALLY, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BECAUSE FROM AGES 1 TO 44, UNINTENTIONAL INJURIES ARE THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH AND HOSPITALIZATION. AND SO THIS DAY IS DESIGNED TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE BURDEN OF INJURY AND VIOLENCE, AND HOW WE REALLY NEED TO BE AWARE TO AFFECT EFFORTS TO CHANGE THAT MINDSET AND TO MINIMIZE RISK TO ONE ANOTHER. AND IT FOCUSES ON THE VALUE OF LIFE, SAFETY, HEALTH, GROWTH AND PROSPERITY. ADDITIONALLY, THE NEXT SLIDE, UMC, AS YOU KNOW, CELEBRATED 110 YEARS OF SERVICE AND OUR ANNIVERSARY. THIS WAS DONE FIRST WITH A LUNCHEON TO HONOR THOSE THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR SUCCESS, INCLUDING OUR COMMISSIONERS, OUR JUDGE, OUR PHYSICIANS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WE WERE HONORED WITH A RESOLUTION FROM STATE SENATOR CESAR BLANCO'S OFFICE AND RECOGNITION OF OUR HISTORY OF SERVICE. AND THEN ON JANUARY 11TH, WE HELD A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION OPERATION AT THE EL PASO CONVENTION CENTER, WHERE WE OFFERED FLU VACCINES, HEALTH CHECKS, AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT ALL THE UMC SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE. I KNEW MANY WERE THERE.

JUDGE SAMANIEGO, YOU WERE THERE WITH ME, AND WE WERE ABLE TO USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR THEIR CONFIDENCE IN US. WE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS THERE. WE HAD THE COUNTY OF EL PASO, THE CITY OF EL PASO, EL PASO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, EL PASO HEALTH, AND MANY FIRST RESPONDER AGENCIES THERE. AND IT WAS REALLY AN AMAZING TURNOUT. WE HAD ABOUT 1800 PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP, AND WE WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR THE TRUST THAT THEY HAVE IN US. AND THEN SOME OF YOU ATTENDED THE ANNOUNCEMENT WE HAD ON FEBRUARY 4TH, WHERE WE ANNOUNCED PUBLICLY THAT WE HAD ATTAINED A LEVEL THREE GERIATRIC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT ACCREDITATION. WE'RE NOW A LEVEL TWO. SINCE THEN, GERIATRIC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, ACCREDITED EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS. WE'RE ALSO LEVEL TWO AGE FRIENDLY, COMMITTED TO CARE EXCELLENCE. RECOGNITION FROM THE INSTITUTE OF HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT FOR OUR CLINICS AT EAST WEST FABENS AND YSLETA. THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS REALLY EMPHASIZE OUR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY'S OLDER ADULTS, WHICH INCLUDES ME, AND OFTEN REQUIRE MORE SPECIALIZED CARE. AND SO WITH THIS, THIS REALLY GOES HAND

[03:05:06]

THE PHYSICIANS YOU SEE HERE ARE DOCTOR. LET'S SEE, YASMIN GARCIA, ERIKA BELTRAN, SHELBY WATSON, DOCTOR ALVAREZ, DOCTOR BRADY, DOCTOR LAZARO AND DOCTOR MIRANDA FOCUSING ON DIFFERENT AREAS, HELPING US MEET MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR PATIENTS. SO WE REALLY ARE GLAD THAT THEY'VE JOINED OUR TEAM. I COULD TELL YOU, I KNOW DOCTOR MIRANDA HAS BEEN IN PRACTICE FOR A LONG TIME, AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIS EXPERTISE AS A HOSPITALIST IN OUR IN OUR PROGRAM. WHEN IT COMES TO THE BOND, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW NOW THERE'S NEW REQUIREMENTS THAT IF YOU START A BOND, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE 85% OF IT COMPLETED WITHIN A THREE YEAR PERIOD, WHICH MEANS THAT NOW, MORE MORE THAN EVER, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT BEFORE WE DRAW THE BOND FUNDS, THAT WE HAVE A TIMELINE OF THE MONEY DRAWS AND THE PROJECT TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE GET THE BOND FUNDS, WE'RE ABLE TO COMPLETE IT WITHIN THREE YEARS. SO MARIA ZAMPINI, OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, AND OUR TEAM ARE WORKING ON TIMELINES TO DETERMINE IN TERMS OF THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS, WHAT TRANCHES OF BOND FUNDS. WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COMPLY WITH THIS REQUIREMENT. AND ALONG WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE THIS BOND WILL PROVIDE US A PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUTSIDE OUR COMMUNITY. FOR PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS, CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS, LAND AND BUILDINGS AND OTHER VENDORS.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING INDUSTRY JOB FAIRS SO THAT OUR LOCAL MARKET IS AWARE. OUR GOAL OF COURSE, AND OUR HOPE WOULD BE THAT AS MUCH OF THIS COULD STAY HERE LOCALLY WOULD DO. SO. PART OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE COVERING IN THE IN THE BONDS, AS YOU CAN SEE, WILL BE LAND AND PROPERTY ACQUISITION, SUCH AS A PROPERTY FOR THE HORIZON HEALTH CENTER, OUR CENTRAL CAMPUS LAND ACQUISITION TO EXPAND MORE PARKING AND ACCESS FOR OUR CLINICS. AND THE MAIN CAMPUS ITSELF, THE CENTRAL SPECIALTY HEALTH CENTER, AS WELL AS HOPEFULLY THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S FACILITY OFF CAMPUS. IT INCLUDES A GERIATRIC CLINIC, THE HORIZON HOPE HEALTH CENTER, HORIZON

[03:10:03]

AND IT ALSO INCLUDES, FOR THE MAIN CAMPUS, THE EXPANSION OF SURGICAL SERVICES, CARDIAC CATH SERVICES, OBSERVATION, AS WELL AS A PARKING STRUCTURE. GIVEN THAT PARKING IS VERY HARD ON OUR CAMPUS AND THE EXPANSION OF OUR CRITICAL CARE AND THE ADDITION OF A BURN CENTER, WE GO TO OUR OTHER PARTNER IN THE DISTRICT, THE EL PASO CHILDREN'S. THEY'VE ADDED SOME PHYSICIANS AS WELL.

DOCTOR SOCE CASTILLO RIOS, DOCTOR MOHAMMED QURESHI, DOCTOR RUDOLFO FIERRO STEVENS, WHO'S BEEN IN PRACTICE FOR A LONG TIME AS A NEUROLOGIST FOR PEDIATRICS, DOCTOR ALI MELENDEZ EPILEPTOLOGIST. SHE IS A FORMER EL PASO THAT HAS COME BACK TO PRACTICE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP WITH PATIENTS THAT SUFFER FROM EPILEPSY. PART OF THE EXPERTISE WE BRING IN THROUGH CHILDREN'S INCLUDES, FOR EXAMPLE, SUCH PROFESSIONALS THAT THEIR SYMPOSIUMS HELD IN EL PASO THAT ARE ATTENDED INTERNATIONALLY. ON NOVEMBER 8TH, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAD 60 PHYSICIANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD THAT CAME TO EL PASO TO LEARN FROM DOCTOR YATES AND DOCTOR MARCUCCI, WHO IS A UMC PEDIATRIC NEUROSURGEON, ABOUT ENDOSCOPIC CRANIAL STENOSIS. FOR A TWO DAY SYMPOSIUM, YOU MAY RECALL THAT OUR FIRST PEDIATRIC NEUROSURGEON, DOCTOR DAVID JIMENEZ, PASSED AWAY. AND SO THERE WAS AN AWARD GIVEN IN HIS NAME IN THE FIRST RECIPIENT OF THAT WAS DOCTOR MARK PROCTOR OF BOSTON CHILDREN'S. SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD TO CONTINUE TO COMMEMORATE HIS MEMORY AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR ORGANIZATION. CHILDREN'S ALSO OPENED AN EPILEPSY MONITORING UNIT. IT'S THE FIRST ONE DONE. IT WAS OPENED FIRST WEEK IN OCTOBER OF 2024. EPILEPTOLOGIST DOCTOR ALI MELINDA ZAIDI, AS I MENTIONED FROM TEXAS TECH, IS WORKING ALONG WITH DOCTOR FIERRO STEVENS AND DOCTOR MARCUCCI. THIS EMU AS 24 SEVEN CONTINUOUS EEG AND AUDIO AND VIDEO MONITORING, AND IT'S DESIGNED TO HELP OUR PATIENTS THAT HAVE EPILEPSY. ONE OF THE PATIENTS PICTURED HERE IS ZANDER. HE IS TWO YEARS OLD, HAD A VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION PROCEDURE THAT HELPS HIM COPE WITH WITH THE EPILEPTIC IMPACT THAT HE HAS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, CINDY WANTED ME TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL KNEW THIS, THAT EL PASO CHILDREN'S WAS LISTED AS BEST HOSPITAL IN THE 2024 CHOICE AWARDS THROUGH EL PASO TIMES, SO REALLY PROUD OF THEIR DISTINCTION AND RECOGNITION THERE. TALKING ABOUT EL PASO HEALTH, WHICH IS OUR INSURANCE ARM. YOU KNOW, ASIDE FROM PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, MEDICAID AND YOUNGER PATIENTS, PEDIATRIC PATIENTS, YOU'LL HEAR FROM FROM MICHAEL AND HIS REPORT HOW WE STARTED A NEW PROGRAM CALLED STAR PLUS, WHICH FOCUSES ON PATIENTS THAT ARE 65 AND OLDER. SO NOW WE'RE COVERING HEALTH PLAN CARE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN AND THEN AGES 65 AND OLDER WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT. BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, HERE IN OPERATION THANKSGIVING DINNER ABOUT ON NOVEMBER 26TH, THE THEY PROVIDED 40 ASSOCIATES, PREPARED PACKAGED MEALS, THANKSGIVING MEALS FOR FAMILIES, AND WE HAD 25 ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS THAT FANNED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AWAY AS HUDSPETH COUNTY, TAKING TURKEY MEALS FOR TUESDAY MORNING FOR FAMILIES IN NEED. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S PART OF A COMMUNITY SERVICE AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE. THEY ALSO HAD ON DECEMBER 17TH, THE CARE SOLUTIONS DEPARTMENT AND THE HEALTH EQUITY UNIT HOSTED A COMMUNITY AGENCY LUNCHEON. AND HERE THEY WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND EXPRESS THEIR APPRECIATION AND THANKS FOR WORKING WITH THEM IN TERMS OF THE COLLABORATION AND SPONSORSHIP AND SUPPORT PROVIDED. AND SOME OF THE ATTENDEES INCLUDED PROJECT BRAVO, SUN, METRO, UTEP AND OUR DIFFERENT AGENCIES SUCH AS THE HOMELESS COALITION. WE ALSO SEE IN ONE ASPECT OF THEIR PROGRAM THE MEDICAL DUAL ELIGIBLE SPECIAL NEEDS PLANS, OR WHAT'S KNOWN AS DBSNP, THAT THEY'VE HAD A REALLY SUCCESSFUL ENROLLMENT REACHING UP TO A LITTLE UNDER 800 MEMBERS THAT HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS. THAT'S ABOUT A 50% INCREASE IN GROWTH IN ENROLLMENT. AND THIS REALLY IS A GOOD PROGRAM. IT'S ONE OF MANY THAT WE OFFER. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE TO SHOW YOU THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL MEMBERSHIP, 64,679 ARE STAR. THESE ARE YOUNG CHILDREN. STAR PLUS IS THE 65 AND OLDER. THAT'S ABOUT 10,000. THIS IS A PROGRAM WE JUST PICKED UP THIS YEAR.

CHIP FOR YOUNG CHILDREN IS ABOUT 4800 MEMBERS. MEDICARE 780. THIS IS THE DECENT PROGRAM WE WERE

[03:15:05]

WE'RE HAPPY WITH THE KIND OF SERVICE THEY PROVIDE. THEY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND JUST SIMPLY PROVIDING HEALTH PLAN COVERAGE FOR PATIENTS UNDER THEIR PROGRAM. THEN, OF COURSE, WE CAN'T SKIP OUR FOUNDATIONS, AS YOU SEE HERE ON THIS SLIDE. FOR THE DIFFERENT FOUNDATIONS WE HAVE, WE HAVE ONE FOR UMC, ONE FOR EL PASO CHILDREN'S. WE COVER CHILDREN'S MIRACLE NETWORK, AS WELL AS THE FOUNDATION UMC, THE MEXICO. AND YOU'LL SEE HERE, IT'S SORT OF HARD TO READ, BUT IT SHOWS THE DIFFERENT FUNDS RAISED FOR UMC. ABOUT 354,000 FOR CHILDREN'S, ABOUT 475,000 IN THIS LAST QUARTER. AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY SPEND IT ON, SUCH AS THE GET WELL NETWORK, THE THOR PHOTO MODULATION THAT IS ABLE TO HELP IN TERMS OF USING INFRARED LIGHT TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE CELL GROWTH AND IMPROVE CIRCULATION FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE IN ACTIVE CHEMOTHERAPY. SO THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES US A LOT OF SUPPORT. OUR CAR SEAT PROGRAM REALLY IS A BIG PLUS. THIS IS PROVIDED THROUGH US BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE CAR SEATS FOR FAMILIES THAT NEED THEM. THEY'RE REPLACED AT NO COST TO THEM. IF YOU'RE LEAVING ANY HOSPITAL IN EL PASO, YOU'VE HAD A BABY AND YOU DON'T HAVE A CAR SEAT. WE ACTUALLY GO AND HELP PUT THE CAR SEAT IN YOUR FACILITY AND PROVIDE PROVIDE YOU SERVICES FOR THAT. WE ALSO HAVE CAR SEAT PROGRAMS THAT IF YOU'RE NOT SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT CAR SEAT OR YOU DON'T KNOW IF IT'S INSTALLED PROPERLY, YOU CAN GO TO THESE PROGRAMS. AND THEN IF THE CAR SEAT IS INAPPROPRIATE, WE'LL REPLACE IT WITH ONE THAT IS APPROPRIATE. THAT IS AT NO COST TO YOU. SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE KINDS OF SERVICES THEY PROVIDE. YOU CAN SEE HERE SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS THAT THEY'VE BEEN A PART OF, NUMEROUS FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES TO BE ABLE TO HELP, INCLUDING NAMING RIGHTS, FUNDRAISERS TO THE EL PASO CHILDREN'S HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS WITH HYUNDAI OF EL PASO, THE DILLARDS, SIERRA VISTA, MICHAEL KORS CHARITY EVENT, UMC VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION DAY, AND IT GOES ON AND ON AND ON. SO REALLY WHAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN TERMS OF THE DIFFERENT ENTITIES UNDER THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE NEXT IS MICHAEL. TALK ABOUT OUR OUR FINANCIALS AS WELL AS SOME OF THE VOLUMES.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT OUR VOLUMES CONTINUE TO BE STRONG AND THAT WE SEE GROWTH IN TERMS OF THE TYPE OF SERVICES WE PROVIDE, BE IT IN SURGERY, EMERGENCY SERVICES AS WELL AS INPATIENT CARE. HE'LL ALSO GO OVER SOME OF OUR FINANCIALS AS WELL. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS. I'M MICHAEL NUNEZ, DISTRICT CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT. GOING TO TAKE THE NEXT COUPLE OF MINUTES JUST TO GO SOME OF OUR KEY OPERATING STATISTICS. HERE WE GO. OUR DAYS CASH ON HAND. LOOKING AT HERE NOW A LOT OF THIS MEASURES GOING TO BE LOOKING AT CALENDAR YEAR FROM JANUARY OR DECEMBER OF 23 TO DECEMBER OF 24. NOW, ONE OF THE ITEMS WHICH I DID WANT TO POINT OUT HERE IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR END OF OUR FISCAL YEAR IN SEPTEMBER, WE WERE ABOUT 37 DAYS CASH ON HAND. NOW, ONE OF THE ITEMS, WE DID HAVE SOME OUTSTANDING PREMIUM REVENUE THAT HAD NOT BEEN PAID FROM THE STATE TO, TO EL PASO HEALTH OF ABOUT $30 MILLION. EL PASO HEALTH DID RECEIVE THAT. THEY RECEIVED ABOUT HALF OF IT IN DECEMBER.

AND THEN THE OTHER HALF, THEY JUST RECEIVED THAT IN FEBRUARY. SO IF THAT IF THAT WERE PAID ON TIME, THAT WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT TEN ADDITIONAL DAYS CASH ON HAND. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS IN TERMS OF WHY OUR OUR DAYS CASH ON ANNUALLY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT LOWER IN SEPTEMBER THAN WHAT IT WAS THE PREVIOUS YEAR. SO THIS IS I'M SORRY, THIS IS DECEMBER 23RD TO DECEMBER 24TH. YES. OKAY. YEAH. IN FACT ON YEAH. IN TERMS OF WHEN THIS WAS CONVERTED FROM, FROM THE POWERPOINT TO THE PDF, NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE WITH THE WORDING ON THE BOTTOM, BUT IT IS IT IS DECEMBER 23RD TO DECEMBER 24TH. ON THE NEXT SLIDE, LOOKING AT OUR CURRENT RATIO, YOU'LL SEE HERE AS WELL IT IS DECEMBER 23RD TO DECEMBER 24TH. NOW ONE OF THE ITEMS HERE YOU LOOK AT IN TERMS OF THE THIRD BAR FROM THE LEFT, THE 1.26, THAT IS THE START OF OUR OF OUR FISCAL YEAR. NOW, SOME OF THE DOLLARS THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT THAT THE STATE HAD NOT YET PAID OUT TO EL PASO HEALTH, THAT WAS PAID TO THEM.

[03:20:02]

YOU LOOK AT HERE OVERALL WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR FUNDED PAYER MIX AS A DISTRICT, ABOUT 79% FUNDED AND ABOUT 21% UNFUNDED. AND THE LARGEST PORTION, YOU'LL SEE THEIR MEDICARE AT 23%, MEDICAID, 24% COMMERCIAL HMO, ETC. NOW, LOOKING AT THE NEXT SLIDE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL HOSPITALS SEPARATELY, AGAIN, THIS IS FOR OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER OF OUR NEW FISCAL YEAR 2025. ON THE LEFT YOU'LL SEE UMC EL PASO, WHERE OUR FUNDED PAYER MIX IS ABOUT 75%. AND THEN THE UNFUNDED IS ABOUT 25%. NOW THAT IS ONE OF THE MEASURES WHEN, WHEN WE DO HAVE OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, WHEN WE LOOK AT GOING BACK TO LIKE THE EARLY 2005, 2006, WHEN IT WAS ABOUT 5050, IN TERMS OF HOW THE IMPROVEMENT IN THE IN THE PAYER MIX FOR UMC EL PASO HAS BEEN AND THEN EL PASO CHILDREN'S, AS EXPECTED, A LOT OF MEDICAID VOLUME THAT THEY DO HAVE IN THEIR FUNDED PAYER MIX IS ABOUT 95%, WITH AN UNFUNDED RATIO OF ABOUT 5%. AND MICHAEL, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND HMO AND PPO? USUALLY THE COMMERCIAL IS GOING TO BE YOUR UNITED HEALTH CARES, YOUR BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD, MORE OF YOUR MORE OF YOUR TRADITIONAL COMMERCIAL PLANS, AND THEN THE HMO. THOSE ARE GOING TO BE MORE KIND OF THE MANAGED CARE LINES OF BUSINESS THAT, THAT THAT INSURANCE PRODUCTS OR INSURANCE COMPANIES DO DELIVER. THEY'RE BOTH INSURANCE COMPANIES. THEY'RE BOTH. YES. AND THE OTHER AND THE OTHER IS GOING TO BE LIKE TRICARE AND SOME OTHER PAYERS THAT ARE NOT NOT THE LARGE INSURANCE COMPANIES. SO WE JUST TRACK THOSE SEPARATELY. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. ON THE NEXT SLIDE IS GOING TO BE OUR INPATIENT ADMISSIONS AND LOOKING AGAIN DECEMBER 23RD TO DECEMBER 24TH. NOT A LOT OF VOLUME CHANGES. I MEAN WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT EACH QUARTER WE DO AVERAGE ABOUT 1700 ADMISSIONS PER QUARTER WITH THE EXCEPTION OF JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, WHICH WAS 5500. AND THAT NORMALLY IS THE SLOWEST TIME, PARTICULARLY ON THE ON THE PEDIATRIC SIDE. BUT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT DECEMBER 23RD TO DECEMBER 24TH, WE DID HAVE ABOUT A 9% INCREASE IN OUR OVERALL ADMISSIONS. WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT 1835 TOTAL AND THEN NOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT 1999. IN DECEMBER 2024. KEEP IN MIND THAT IN JANUARY OF 2024, THAT'S WHEN WE DID THE SURGICAL HOSPITAL BECAME OPERATIONAL. AND THAT ADDED ABOUT 40 ADDITIONAL BEDS ON THE ON THE UMC SIDE. THE NEXT SLIDE, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS, SAME TIME PERIOD DECEMBER 23RD DECEMBER 24TH. EACH OF THE QUARTERS IS ABOUT 3130 2000 PER QUARTER. IN THE LAST QUARTER, WE WERE AT 31,062. JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER. THE SLOWEST TIME WAS ABOUT 30,000. AND AGAIN, MOST OF THAT CAME FROM AND CAME FROM EL PASO CHILDREN'S IS THAT NORMALLY IS THE SLOWEST TIME OF THEIR YEAR. THE NEXT SLIDE, LOOKING AT OUR OUTPATIENT VISITS, YOU SEE THAT THERE'S BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH FROM 12 MONTHS AGO TO NOW IN THE QUARTER. THAT WAS JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH OF 2024, WE WERE AT 291,000 OUTPATIENT VISITS PER QUARTER.

THAT HAS NOW GROWN TO ABOUT 306, 303,000. IN IN THE IN THE LAST TWO QUARTERS, STARTING FROM JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER TO OCTOBER TO DECEMBER. AND KEEP IN MIND AS WELL EL PASO CHILDREN'S, THEY DID OPEN UP THEIR MULTISPECIALTY CLINIC OVER THE PAST YEAR. AND THEN WAS IT ABOUT 15 MONTHS AGO? THEY DID OPEN UP THEIR THEIR, THEIR URGENT CARE CLINIC. THE NEXT SLIDE I DID I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE IN THIS ONE OUR SURGICAL CASES. NOW KEEP IN MIND WHEN WE DID OPEN UP THE SURGICAL HOSPITAL BACK IN JANUARY OF 2024, ON A QUARTER BASIS, THE FIRST QUARTER JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH, WE WERE AT 4064. AND BEGINNING IN JULY, THOSE NUMBERS ARE NOW ABOUT CLOSE TO 4400. SO THE SURGICAL HOSPITAL HAS REALLY HELPED OUT IN TERMS OF FROM A FROM AN OUTPATIENT SURGERY BASIS. SO THAT THAT'S BEEN A NICE A NICE INCREASE IN TERMS OF OVERALL SURGICAL CASES FOR, FOR THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT AND THE REMAINING TWO SLIDES, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR INPATIENT AND OBSERVATION, HOW HOW FULL ARE THE ARE THE HOSPITAL TOWERS ON

[03:25:01]

YOU'LL RECALL THAT LAST SESSION THERE WAS A BIG PUSH BY A FOR PROFIT MCO THAT WANTED TO GAIN MORE STATE SHARE ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND SO TO DO THAT, THEY WANTED TO ELIMINATE A STATUTE THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE IN 1997 TO ALLOW HOSPITAL DISTRICTS THE ABILITY TO OWN AND OPERATE A NOT ONLY OWN AND OPERATE A MCO, BUT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PREFERENCE WHEN SUBMITTING BIDS WITH FOR MEDICAID CONTRACTS. THEY DID THAT BECAUSE IT WAS AGREED UPON THAT THE HOSPITAL DISTRICTS WOULD THEN PUT UP THE STATE SHARE TO DRAW DOWN FEDERAL FUNDS, ELIMINATING THE STATE FROM HAVING TO PUT UP THAT THAT FUNDING. THAT SAID, WE WERE ABLE TO STAVE OFF THE EFFORTS LAST SESSION TO ELIMINATE OUR ABILITY TO USE THAT STATUTE OR HAVE IT REMOVED. HOWEVER, DURING THE INTERIM, WE DID HAVE A PROCUREMENT FOR STAR AND CHIP THAT WENT RELATIVELY WELL. EL PASO HEALTH WAS AWARDED, HOWEVER, THREE OF FOUR CHILDREN'S PLANS WERE NOT AWARDED A CONTRACT AND SO THEY, ALONG WITH WELLPOINT, FORMERLY OF MIRROR GROUP AND SUPERIOR, SUED THE STATE TO STOP THAT PROCUREMENT FROM MOVING FORWARD. THE AG'S OFFICE DID APPEAL THE DECISION TO GO AHEAD AND STOP THAT. HOWEVER, THE PARTIES THAT WERE SUING AND THE STATE HAVE DECIDED TO DO WHAT'S CALLED ABATE THE APPEAL, WHICH ALLOWS FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO INTERVENE BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF SESSION TO PROVIDE SOME RECOMMENDATION ON HOW TO DEAL WITH MEDICAID PROCUREMENTS, IN PARTICULAR THIS PARTICULAR PROCUREMENT. SO SEVERAL THINGS CAN HAPPEN HERE ONE, THEY CAN PROCURE THE ENTIRE STAR CHIP CONTRACT, WHICH WE ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF. IT COSTS US A LOT OF MONEY TO PUT THOSE PACKAGES TOGETHER TO, TO, TO SEND TO THE STATE. THE OTHER ISSUE THAT COULD COME UP IS REMOVING OUR PROTECTION, OUR STATUTE THAT WE SO HARDLY FOUGHT LAST SESSION TO PROTECT THE OTHER ITEM THAT COULD COME UP, WHICH WE HAVE FINALLY SEEN LEGISLATION COME INTO PLAY, IS TO DO WHAT'S CALLED A FILE AND COMPETE STATE TYPE OF MODEL, WHERE FOR YOUR SERVICE DELIVERY AREA, ANY MCO CAN SUBMIT AN APPLICATION AND PROVIDE THEIR MEDICAID SERVICES. RIGHT NOW, HHS ALLOWS FOR 2 TO 3 MCOS TO SERVICE A SPECIFIC REGION DEPENDING ON THE POPULATION SIZE. SO OPENING IT UP TO HAVE EIGHT, NINE, TEN DIFFERENT MCOS REALLY DILUTES COMPETITION AND REALLY DOES NOT MAKE IT VIABLE FOR ENTITIES LIKE EL PASO HEALTH TO EXIST. SO A LOT ON THAT FRONT RIGHT NOW, THAT'S THE ONLY PIECE OF LEGISLATION WE'VE SEEN SO FAR. THE FILE AND COMPETE. BUT WE'RE KEEPING TRACK OF ANY OTHER EFFORTS TO REMOVE OUR STATUTORY PROTECTION WHICH WE DO NOT WANT. WE DO APPRECIATE THE COURT'S EFFORT LAST SESSION TO PASS A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF EL PASO HEALTH. WE MAY COME BEFORE THE COURT AGAIN TO DO THAT. THE SECOND ITEM IS AN EFFORT TO PROHIBIT THE USE OF FACILITY

[03:30:06]

[03:35:02]

THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER. SO ARE YOU ABLE TO VOTE ON THE SYSTEM? IF NOT, WE CAN TAKE YOUR VERBAL VOTE, COMMISSIONER. YEAH, IT'S SHOWING THAT I DID VOTE, BUT I THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. MOTION CARRIES. YOU REALLY? ARE YOU? YOU DO. JUDGE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECESS? I JUST SAW THESE INDIVIDUALS COME IN. SHORTAGE. OH, WE APOLOGIZE, BUT. YEAH. 30 1:00. SO 45 MINUTES. OKAY. PERFECT. 45 MINUTES. OKAY, COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL RECESS FOR 45 MINUTES.

AND. THEN.

[03:42:14]

[03:45:03]

IT'S GOING TO BE AN AWESOME FACILITY, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO ROLL AROUND WITH THE LOCALS WHEN IT'S DONE. WHAT'S MORE ESSENTIAL THAN WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE LIVED WITHOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIAL SERVICE FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR DECADES, FIVE DECADES, PROBABLY. AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES HERE AS WELL. WE ARE THANKFULLY, THE COUNTY IS WORKING ON OTHER PROJECTS IN THIS COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE LOWER VALLEY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING THESE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. TWO AND THREE ARE GREAT. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE START OF THE FIRST TIME WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECT FOR SEVERAL COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE CANUTILLO AREA. WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE, ACTUALLY, THAT THIS IS REALLY COME TO FRUITION. THERE WAS FUNDS DEDICATED FOR THESE PROJECTS, BUT THE BIDS CAME IN HIGHER THAN WE EXPECTED AND THANKFULLY, WITH HELP OF THE COMMUNITY WHO CAME AND ADVOCATED IN FRONT OF COMMISSIONERS COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DEDICATED ADDITIONAL FUNDS SO WE COULD GET THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, GOING AND STARTED. OTHERWISE, IF THE COURT HADN'T DEDICATED THIS EXTRA MONEY, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE. AND THIS MAY NOT HAVE HAPPENED. WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE WAY THAT THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE, TO GET THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT, AND IT WAS JUST A BLESSING. AND WE WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT THAT HELPED IN THIS GETTING THIS EVENT DONE. THIS COMMUNITY DOESN'T CURRENTLY

[03:50:06]

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY HAVE MORE ACCESS TO THE BENEFITS OF QUALITY OF LIFE? I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE SINCE I WAS THREE YEARS OLD. I'M 40, SO I'VE SEEN THE WHOLE THING, YOU KNOW? SO THE WHOLE IMPROVEMENT THAT HAS BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT. FROM STREET PAVING TO THE PARK TO THE LIGHTS TO EVERYTHING YOU SEE OUT HERE. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THE COURT BECAUSE I'M ONLY ONE VOTE OF FIVE THAT MAKE CAN MAKE THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN.

TODAY WE HAVE LIGHTS ON THE LAKE AND IT'S JAM PACKED OUTSIDE. PEOPLE ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME AND REALLY, THIS IS WHAT EL PASO DESERVES. PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE SEASON. THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THEIR LAKE. THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE LIGHTS. SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD NIGHT FOR FAMILIES TO BOND AND TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. THREE, TWO ONE. SO EVERYONE WAS SO EXCITED.

ONE WHEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS CAME ON, THE BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREE WAS LIT. BUT THEN ALSO WHEN THEY SAW OUR SPECIAL GUEST, WHICH WAS SANTA. SO NOW WE HAVE A LONG LINE OF KIDS WAITING TO TELL SANTA WHAT THEY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR. AND THAT'S OF COURSE, WHAT WE WANT. WE WANT CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO COME, TO BE HAPPY, TO SEE SANTA GET THEIR PHOTO WITH HIM, GET TO SEE ALL OF THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS. WE WANT THIS TO BE A SPECIAL TIME AND A SPECIAL PLACE FOR OUR FAMILIES HERE IN EL PASO. YEAH, WE DON'T WANT A LOT FOR CHRISTMAS. WE HAVE 70 DIFFERENT LIGHT DISPLAYS. WE HAVE A VARIETY. THERE'S INTERACTIVE LIGHTS AS YOU DRIVE THROUGH. A LOT OF OUR LIGHTS ARE ON DISPLAY OR SOUND ACTIVATED. SO AS WE APPROACH THEM, THEY COME ON. WE DO HAVE A DRIVE THROUGH ALONG A LAKE SO YOU CAN STAY IN YOUR CAR. YOU CAN SEE THE DISPLAYS. I JUST HOPE FOLKS COME OUT AND ENJOY IT. I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME. I THINK IT'S VERY UNIQUE. WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE THIS A FUN TIME FOR THE FOLKS THROUGHOUT EL PASO COUNTY. WHO COME OUT FIRST.

THANK YOU. AND THEN THIS IS THE FIRST ONE. OH, I THINK I LIKE EVERYBODY SHOULD COME AND CHECK IT OUT. IT'S PRETTY PRETTY NICE OUT HERE. MY HUSBAND SAW IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SO WE DECIDED TO CHECK IT OUT. AND WE LOVE THE LIGHTS, THE LITTLE SET UP FOR THE PICTURES. AND IT'S PRETTY PRETTY NICE. THOSE BIG EARS. ARE VERY SHINY NOW. AND IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. GOT SOME BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS, INCREDIBLE PEOPLE. WE'RE THE BEST COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY AND THE BEST REGION. SO WISHING ALL OF YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND AN AMAZING, AMAZING 2025.

[03:55:05]

SO TODAY WE'RE CELEBRATING THAT THERE WILL BE THREE NEIGHBORHOODS WHO ARE NOW GOING TO GET ACCESS TO WASTEWATER, WHICH IS BASICALLY BEING ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE LOWER VALLEY WATER DISTRICT'S SEWER SYSTEM. WOW. IT'S EMOTIONAL. YOU KNOW, WE FEEL SO HAPPY FOR OUR

[04:00:05]

[04:05:04]

IT'S GOING TO BE A AWESOME FACILITY, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO ROLL AROUND WITH THE LOCALS WHEN IT'S DONE. WHAT'S MORE ESSENTIAL THAN WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE LIVED WITHOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIAL SERVICE FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR DECADES, FIVE DECADES, PROBABLY. AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES HERE AS WELL. WE ARE THANKFULLY, THE COUNTY IS WORKING ON OTHER PROJECTS IN THIS COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE LOWER VALLEY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING THESE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. TWO, THREE. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE START OF THE FIRST TIME WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECT FOR SEVERAL COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE CANUTILLO AREA. WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE, ACTUALLY, THAT THIS IS REALLY COME TO FRUITION. THERE WAS FUNDS DEDICATED FOR THESE PROJECTS, BUT THE BIDS CAME IN HIGHER THAN WE EXPECTED. AND THANKFULLY, WITH THE HELP OF THE COMMUNITY WHO CAME AND ADVOCATED IN FRONT OF COMMISSIONERS COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DEDICATED ADDITIONAL FUNDS SO WE COULD GET THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, GOING AND STARTED. OTHERWISE, IF THE COURT HADN'T DEDICATED THIS EXTRA MONEY, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE. AND THIS MAY NOT HAVE HAPPENED. WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE WAY THAT THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE, TO GET THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT, AND IT'S JUST A BLESSING, AND WE WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT HELPED IN THIS GETTING THIS EVENT DONE. THIS COMMUNITY DOESN'T CURRENTLY HAVE A PARK. AND THREE, WELL, THIS IS A LINEAR PARK FOR SQUARE DANCE, SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE OVER 12 YEARS. WE INCORPORATED AN AREA FOR THEM TO DO, YOU KNOW, ACTIVITIES, WALK AND LIKE I SAID, ALSO PLACE TO GATHER. SO THIS PROJECT WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 150 DAYS. IT CONSISTS OF A LINEAR TRAIL THAT STARTS ON MONTANA, ENDS ON FRANKIE LANE, AND IT'S A TEN FOOT WIDE TRAIL. SO IT WILL BE A VERY INTERACTIVE TRAIL THROUGHOUT. IT WILL ALSO HAVE NATIVE LANDSCAPING, AND WE'VE ALSO INCORPORATED DRAINAGE. I THINK IT'S GOING TO ADD IT'S GOING TO LOOK BEAUTIFUL. THEY'RE GOING TO THE TRAIL. FOR US TO WALK IS GOING TO BE SAFER FOR US. AN AREA DESIGNATED FOR WALKING, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR FAMILY. SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, A GREAT IMPROVEMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY. WHY SHOULD PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY HAVE MORE ACCESS TO THE BENEFITS OF QUALITY OF LIFE? I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE SINCE I WAS THREE YEARS OLD. I'M 40, SO I'VE SEEN THE WHOLE THING, YOU KNOW? SO THE WHOLE IMPROVEMENT THAT HAS BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY IS, HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT. FROM STREET PAVING TO THE PARK TO THE LIGHTS TO EVERYTHING YOU SEE OUT HERE. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THE COURT BECAUSE I'M ONLY ONE VOTE OF FIVE THAT MAKE CAN MAKE THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN. TODAY WE HAVE LIGHTS ON THE LAKE AND IT'S JAM PACKED OUTSIDE.

PEOPLE ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME AND REALLY, THIS IS WHAT EL PASO DESERVES. PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE SEASON. THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THEIR LAKE. THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE LIGHTS. SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD NIGHT FOR FAMILIES TO BOND AND TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. FOR ME TO ONE. SO EVERYONE WAS SO EXCITED. ONE WHEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS CAME ON, THE BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREE WAS LIT. BUT THEN ALSO WHEN THEY SAW OUR SPECIAL GUEST, WHICH WAS SANTA. SO NOW WE HAVE A LONG LINE OF KIDS WAITING TO TELL SANTA WHAT THEY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR. AND THAT'S

[04:10:04]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THEN THIS IS THE FIRST ONE. OH, I THINK LIKE EVERYBODY SHOULD COME AND CHECK IT OUT. IT'S PRETTY PRETTY NICE OUT HERE. MY HUSBAND SAW IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SO WE DECIDED TO CHECK IT OUT. AND WE LOVE THE LIGHTS, THE LITTLE SET UP FOR THE PICTURES. AND IT'S PRETTY PRETTY NICE. THOSE BIG EARS. ARE VERY SHINY NOW. AND THE PARCELS ARE BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

GOT SOME BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS, INCREDIBLE PEOPLE. WE'RE THE BEST COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY AND THE BEST REGION. SO WISHING ALL OF YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND AN AMAZING, AMAZING 2025.

[04:17:20]

[04:20:02]

IT'S GOING TO BE AN AWESOME FACILITY, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO ROLL AROUND WITH THE LOCALS WHEN IT'S DONE. WHAT'S MORE ESSENTIAL THAN WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE LIVED WITHOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIAL SERVICE FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR DECADES, FIVE DECADES, PROBABLY. AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES HERE AS WELL. WE ARE THANKFULLY, THE COUNTY IS WORKING ON OTHER PROJECTS IN THIS COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE LOWER VALLEY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING THESE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. TWO, THREE ARE. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE START OF THE FIRST TIME WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECT FOR SEVERAL COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE CANUTILLO AREA. WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE, ACTUALLY, THAT THIS IS REALLY COME TO A FRUITION. THERE WAS FUNDS DEDICATED FOR THESE PROJECTS, BUT THE BIDS CAME IN HIGHER THAN WE EXPECTED. AND THANKFULLY, WITH HELP OF THE COMMUNITY WHO CAME AND ADVOCATED IN FRONT OF COMMISSIONERS COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DEDICATED ADDITIONAL FUNDS SO WE COULD GET THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, GOING AND STARTED. OTHERWISE, IF THE COURT HADN'T DEDICATED THIS EXTRA MONEY, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE. AND THIS MAY NOT HAVE HAPPENED. WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE WAY THAT THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE, TO GET THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT, AND IT WAS JUST A BLESSING. AND WE WANT TO THANK

[04:25:01]

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY HAVE MORE ACCESS TO THE BENEFITS OF QUALITY OF LIFE? I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE I'M SINCE I WAS THREE YEARS OLD. I'M 40, SO I'VE SEEN THE WHOLE THING, YOU KNOW, SO THE WHOLE IMPROVEMENT THAT HAS BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY IS, HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT. FROM STREET PAVING TO THE PARK TO THE LIGHTS TO EVERYTHING YOU SEE OUT HERE. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THE COURT BECAUSE I'M ONLY ONE VOTE OF FIVE THAT CAN MAKE THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN.

TODAY WE HAVE LIGHTS ON THE LAKE AND IT'S JAM PACKED OUTSIDE. PEOPLE ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME AND REALLY, THIS IS WHAT EL PASO DESERVES. PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE SEASON. THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THEIR LAKE. THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE LIGHTS. SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD NIGHT FOR FAMILIES TO BOND AND TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. WE TWO ONE. SO EVERYONE WAS SO EXCITED. ONE WHEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS CAME ON, THE BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREE WAS LIT. BUT THEN ALSO WHEN THEY SAW OUR SPECIAL GUEST, WHICH WAS SANTA. SO NOW WE HAVE A LONG LINE OF KIDS WAITING TO TELL SANTA WHAT THEY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR. AND THAT'S OF COURSE, WHAT WE WANT. WE WANT CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO COME, TO BE HAPPY, TO SEE SANTA GET THEIR PHOTO WITH HIM, GET TO SEE ALL OF THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS. WE WANT THIS TO BE A SPECIAL TIME AND A SPECIAL PLACE FOR OUR FAMILIES HERE IN EL PASO. WE DON'T WANT A LOT FOR CHRISTMAS. WE HAVE 70 DIFFERENT LIGHT DISPLAYS. WE HAVE A VARIETY. THERE'S INTERACTIVE LIGHTS AS YOU DRIVE THROUGH. A LOT OF OUR LIGHTS ARE ON DISPLAY OR SOUND ACTIVATED. SO AS WE APPROACH THEM, THEY COME ON. WE DO HAVE A DRIVE THROUGH ALONG A LAKE SO YOU CAN STAY IN YOUR CAR. YOU CAN SEE THE DISPLAYS. I JUST HOPE FOLKS COME OUT AND ENJOY IT. I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME. I THINK IT'S VERY UNIQUE. WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE THIS A FUN TIME FOR THE FOLKS THROUGHOUT EL PASO COUNTY. THANK YOU. AND THEN THIS IS THE FIRST ONE. OH, I THINK I'M LIKE, EVERYBODY SHOULD COME AND CHECK IT OUT. IT'S PRETTY PRETTY NICE OUT HERE. MY HUSBAND SAW IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SO WE DECIDED TO CHECK IT OUT. AND WE LOVE THE LIGHTS. A LITTLE SET UP FOR THE PICTURES AND IT'S PRETTY PRETTY NICE. THOSE BIG EARS. ARE VERY SHINY NOW. EL PASO IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. WE'VE GOT SOME BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS, INCREDIBLE PEOPLE. WE'RE THE BEST COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY AND THE BEST REGION. SO WISHING ALL OF YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND AN AMAZING, AMAZING 2025.

[04:34:53]

[04:35:03]

[04:40:06]

COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS RECONVENED AT 2:10 P.M. WE ARE ON ITEM SEVEN. B RECEIVE A PRESENTATION AND TAKE ACTION ON ESD. ONE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL AUDIT REPORT AND RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON THE FY 25 BUDGET INITIATIVES. PROGRESS FOR EMERGENCY SERVICE DISTRICT

[B. Receive a presentation and take action on ESD 1’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Audit Report and receive an update on the FY25 budget initiatives progress for Emergency Service District #1. Melissa Carrillo, Deputy County Administrator, County Operations, 915-546-2162]

[04:45:02]

OTHER THAN THAT, THERE HAS BEEN NO NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LIABILITIES. IN THE BOTTOM OF THESE SLIDES, WE CAN SEE THE NET POSITION. THE NET POSITION IS SIMPLY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ASSETS AND LIABILITIES. RIGHT. SO IT'S LIKE THE NET WORTH ON THE FULL ACCRUAL BASIS OF ACCOUNTING. SO WE CAN SEE THAT THE NET POSITION FOR THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN GRADUALLY INCREASING WITH OBVIOUSLY THE BIGGEST JUMP IN 2023 AFTER THE FIRST YEAR OF SALES TAX COLLECTIONS. RIGHT. SO WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE FROM $5 MILLION IN NET POSITION TO $23 MILLION IN NET POSITION AT THE END OF 2024. SO WHENEVER WE SEE THE NET POSITION INCREASE, WE THE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT THE DISTRICT IS BETTER OFF FINANCIALLY YEAR OVER YEAR. ON THE STATEMENT OF REVENUES. THIS SHOWS THE STATEMENT OF REVENUES. AND AGAIN THIS IS FULL ACCRUAL BASIS. RIGHT. SO WE SEE THE REVENUES INCREASE FROM $4 MILLION AT THE END OF 2020 TO $15 MILLION AT THE END OF 2024. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGE HERE IS THE SALES TAX. AS YOU CAN SEE, 2022 BEING THE FIRST YEAR IN WHICH SALES TAXES WERE COLLECTED. AND WHEN WE CAN SEE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE AMOUNT OF SALES TAX COLLECTIONS YEAR OVER YEAR. RIGHT. AND THIS IS JUST BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH IN COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY IN THE JURISDICTION. AND THEN ALSO YOU HAVE MORE TAXPAYERS THAT HAVE BEEN PAYING THE SALES TAXES, RIGHT? IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SALES TAX CODE. WE SEE SOME INTEREST INCOME THAT IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT IN 2023 AND 2024.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE UNUSED DEBT THAT HAS BEEN SPENT SINCE THE ISSUANCE OF THE $19 MILLION DEBT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW FACILITIES. AND AGAIN, CURRENTLY, THAT'S WHY WE MADE THE RECOMMENDATION TO THINK ABOUT THE REBATES AND START WORKING WITH THE BOND CONSULTANT, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THE INTEREST INCOME THAT WAS EARNED IN 2024, IT DID EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF INTEREST EXPENSE, AND THE CONSTRUCTION IS NOT GOING TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE TWO YEAR EXEMPTION PERIOD. AND THEN THEREFORE, THE NEED TO WORK WITH THE CONSULTANT TO DETERMINE IF THERE WILL BE AN ACCRUED LIABILITY RELATED TO THIS INTEREST INCOME. ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE THE OPERATING EXPENSES AND THE OPERATING EXPENSES ARE PRESENTED HERE IN A FULL ACCRUAL BASIS OF ACCOUNTING. RIGHT. SO WE HAVE OPERATING EXPENSES. AND THOSE INCLUDE NON-CASH EXPENSES LIKE DEPRECIATION EXPENSE. AND WE CAN SEE AN INCREASE IN 2023. IT WAS THE FIRST YEAR IN WHICH IS ONE HAD CAREER FIREFIGHTERS. SO HE STARTED WITH EIGHT CAREER FIREFIGHTERS. IN ADDITION TO THAT WE STARTED SEEING INCREASES IN REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FLEET AND THEN ALSO INSURANCE AND OTHER EXPENSES RELATED TO OPERATIONS. RIGHT. WE CONTINUE TO SEE THIS TREND IN 2024. WE SEE MORE CAREER FIREFIGHTERS NOW IN 2024. AND WE SEE THIS MORE OR LESS THE SAME LEVEL IN REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE AND INSURANCE EXPENSES. INTEREST EXPENSE IS ALSO INCREASED, RIGHT? AS IN RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ADDITIONAL BORROWINGS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. WE CAN SEE THE TOTAL EXPENSES

[04:50:02]

SO IT'S A PRETTY GOOD FUND BALANCE. YOU CAN SEE IN THE LAST LINE HERE, OUR OPERATING EXPENDITURES HAVE BEEN INCREASING. AND AS WE MOVE INTO THE FUTURE, ONCE THE NEW BUILDING IS COMPLETED, THERE IS EXPECTED TO BE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES. RIGHT. AND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE HIRING MORE CAREER FIREFIGHTERS. RIGHT. SO THEY'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETELY STAFFING TWO FIRE STATIONS. RIGHT. ADDITIONAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURES WILL BE EXPECTED, ONE OF THEM BEING THE RENOVATIONS OF ONE OF THE CURRENT STATIONS AND THE REMAINING EXPENSES FOR THE NEW BUILDING. HOWEVER, WE EXPECT THAT WITH THE RESERVES THAT WE HAVE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO COVER THOSE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES IN THE NEXT 2 TO 3 YEARS. SO THAT'S THE SUMMARY FOR THE 2024 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. DOES ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INTEREST ISSUE THAT THEY NEED TO CONSULT WITH A BOND SPECIALIST. RIGHT. ARE YOU TALKING JUST ABOUT THE INTEREST IN THE UNUSED PORTION OF THE BOND? YES, THE ENTIRETY OF IT. IT'S THE UNUSED PORTION OF THE BOND ONLY. RIGHT? YES. SO THE RIGHT NOW THE BOND CONSULTANT HAS ESTIMATED THAT THERE'S APPROXIMATELY $180,000 OF LIABILITY. AND THAT HAS BEEN DISCLOSED IN THE FOOTNOTES OF THIS LATEST AUDIT. AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT IT WILL BE PAID IN 2026. ANYTHING. RIGHT. AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY EXPECT NOT TO USE ALL OF THE BOND FUNDS. IT'S BECAUSE CURRENTLY, WELL, THEY EXPECT TO USE THEM, BUT THEY DON'T EXPECT TO FINISH THEM BEFORE THE TWO YEAR PERIOD. SO THERE'S A TWO YEAR PERIOD WHERE

[04:55:04]

RIGHT. BUT BARBARA, AREN'T THEY SUBJECT TO THE ARBITRAGE JUST LIKE WE ARE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS. RIGHT. SO THEY'RE ESTIMATING THE ARBITRAGE IS ABOUT 186,000, BUT IT WON'T BE PAID UNTIL THE NEXT FIVE YEARS BECAUSE IT'S REALLY EARLY IN THE PROCESS. THAT'S TRUE. IT'S ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS. AND IF YOU DO A REFUNDING ON IT, YOU CAN SOMETIMES AVOID THAT. AND THERE IS A THERE'S A CALL DATE FOR REFUNDING ON THE BOND THAT THEY DID. THAT'S A QUESTION FOR THE BOND SPECIALIST. AGAIN THIS GOES A LITTLE BIT BEYOND THE AUDITORS EXPERTISE. AND THAT'S WHY WE HAD RECOMMENDED THAT. THAT'S FINE. WE CAN TALK TO THEM LATER. THAT'S ALL I HAVE JUDGE. BETSY.

THE THING THAT I THINK THE COURT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING IS SO WITH YOUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, YOU HEARD FROM THE AUDITOR FOR THE AUDIT PURPOSES. I THINK IT'S A CLEAN, CLEAR AUDIT. I THINK FOR THE NEXT TIME YOU ALL OR OR EVEN TODAY AS YOU'RE DISCUSSING AND WE'RE ATTENDING THE MEETINGS AND DISCUSSING WITH THE ISDS, IS TO JUST HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLANS GOING FORWARD WITH EITHER THE STAFFING, THE MORE PAID STAFFING, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SO DEPENDENT ON VOLUNTEERS, BECAUSE OF THE FUND BALANCE AND HOW MUCH UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE THEY HAVE. AND JUST KNOWING WHAT THE PLAN GOING FORWARD IS SOMETHING I THINK THE COURT WOULD WANT TO KNOW. OKAY, WELL, YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW, BRIEFLY, FOR THE SIX MONTHS THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THE AUDIT, NONE OTHER THAN NUMBERS, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, IS THAT THERE ARE PLANS TO CONTINUE HIRING ADDITIONAL STAFF, AND THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS. IS THE EXPECTATION THAT HAS BEEN CONVEYED TO ME. IN ADDITION, THERE'S ALSO PLANS FOR RENOVATING THE CURRENT BUILDING.

RIGHT NOW, THE CURRENT BUILDING THAT HE IS HE HAS IS A FIRE STATION, AND IT ALSO HOUSES HEADQUARTERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE. RIGHT. SO AFTER THIS BUILDING IS COMPLETED, THE HEADQUARTERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE ARE GOING TO BE MOVED AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEED TO RENOVATE. WHAT WHAT NOW IS FIRE STATION ONE. SO THOSE ARE THE BIGGEST ITEMS THAT WE EXPECT TO SEE IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT WE'VE SEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH IN SALES TAXES. RIGHT. AND AS YOU SEE, THE SALES TAX REVENUE HAS HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT INCREASES. RIGHT? I MEAN, AND IT'S BEEN HARD TO PROJECT JUST BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PREVIOUS HISTORICAL INFORMATION FOR THOSE SALES TAX COLLECTIONS UP UNTIL 2022. IT'S UNCERTAIN HOW MUCH THE GROWTH IN THOSE SALES TAXES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE. BUT BY LOOKING AT HOW MUCH SALES TAX HAS CHANGED YEAR OVER YEAR IN THE CITY OF EL PASO, COUNTY OF EL PASO, CITY OF HORIZON, WE DON'T EXPECT TO SEE HUGE INCREASES LIKE THAT FROM YEAR OVER YEAR.

SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET TO A POINT WHERE THE WE'RE GOING TO START SPENDING SOME OF THOSE SALES TAXES. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD EXPECT. AND RIGHT NOW, THE GROWTH IN THE IN THE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE UNASSIGNED FUND REALLY IS BECAUSE OF THE SALES TAXES, BECAUSE WE REALLY HAVE TO HAVE NOT TAPPED INTO THEM. BUT AGAIN, MY EXPECTATION IS THAT IN THE NEXT 3 TO 5 YEARS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE A MORE IMPORTANT PART AND NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN THE OPERATIONS. AND THAT'S ALL I KNOW, RIGHT? I DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL, AND THAT'S JUST BASED ON ON LOOKING AT DATA FROM THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND HOW MUCH THE SALES TAXES HAVE GROWN. PERFECT. THANK YOU. GOOD TIMING ON YOUR BOND. YOU'RE MAKING MORE ON THE INTEREST THAN WHAT YOU'RE PAYING. SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

OKAY. SO ANY MORE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BY ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS? NO, BUT WELL

[05:00:05]

GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS. JUDGE CATHERINE AMES WITH EL PASO COUNTY, SC, NUMBER ONE. SO WE'RE HERE TO PRESENT RIGHT ABOUT ABOUT A FIVE MONTH PROGRESS NOTE, WHICH IS OCTOBER 1ST OF 2024 TO FEBRUARY 25TH OF 25. SO OUR BUDGET FROM THIS YEAR IS $18.2 MILLION. AND WE EXPECT OUR EXPENSES TO BE THE SAME. AND SO OUR REVENUE, YOU CAN SEE, IS PRETTY CONSISTENT, EXCEPT IN DECEMBER, WHICH A LOT OF THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR OUR PROPERTY TAX. AND IN JANUARY AS WELL. AND IN FEBRUARY IT'S DUE TO THE SALES TAX FOR YOUR ANNUAL TAXPAYERS. SO THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE YOUR BIGGEST PORTION OF YOUR REVENUE. SO RIGHT NOW WE'VE COLLECTED 57% OF OUR REVENUE AS FAR AS OUR EXPENDITURES IN DECEMBER, OUR EXPENDITURES DID INCREASE BECAUSE WE PURCHASED A LAND FOR OUR TRAINING FACILITY FOR A FUTURE TRAINING FACILITY. AND ALSO IN JANUARY, WE PAY A GOOD MAJORITY OF OUR FINANCIAL PAYMENTS. SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE REVENUE IN THOSE MONTHS. SO YEAR TO DATE OUR REVENUE IS 36.72%. AND I WANT TO MENTION TWO IS IF YOU ALL WILL REMEMBER WHEN WE PRESENTED WE HAD SOME ROLLOVER FUNDS THAT WE WERE USING THAT WE HAD ENCUMBERED FOR OUR HEADQUARTERS PROJECT. SO THIS BUDGET DOES INCLUDE. AND SO IN THE REVENUES CATEGORY, I'VE ADDED THOSE FUNDS FROM THE ROLLOVER IN THE MONTHS THAT WE'VE SPENT THAT MONEY. SO WE CAN ACCOUNT FOR THAT. THIS IS JUST A GRAPH TO KIND OF SHOW YOU WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. SO AGAIN IN FIVE MONTHS OUR OUR EXPENSES HAS BEEN 6.6 MILLION, OUR REVENUES HAVE BEEN 10.3. AND OUR OVERALL BUDGET OF 18,000,201. AND AGAIN, WE ARE STILL ON TRACK. WE HAVE WE'RE 3 MILLION, $3.6 MILLION UNDER OUR EXPENDITURE, OUR EXPENSES VERSUS OUR REVENUES. SO WE'RE ALSO DOING A COMPARISON OF OUR CALL VOLUME FROM LAST YEAR. SO LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME WE HAD 2065 CALLS. AND THIS YEAR WE HAVE 2002 49. SO THIS YEAR WE'VE EXPERIENCED ABOUT 184 ADDITIONAL 911 CALLS IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE DID LAST YEAR. AND SO TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR BUDGET AND WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT THAT WE'VE DONE OR HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE LAST FIVE MONTHS. SO FIRST OF ALL, TEO REALLY EXPLAINED A LOT ABOUT OUR GROWING DISTRICT AND OUR WORK TO BECOME A CAREER FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO WE'RE A COMBINATION CAREER AND VOLUNTEER. SO THIS YEAR, IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS, WE HIRED SIX FULL TIME OPERATIONAL STAFF.

WE'RE LOOKING TO HIRE THREE ADDITIONAL IN THE NEXT MONTH. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR US IS THAT WE HAVE ALL THREE SHIFTS STAFF. SO WE HAVE AN A, A, B AND A C SHIFT. SO WE ARE STAFFED 24 SEVEN WITH CAREER FIREFIGHTERS. WE ALSO HIRED AN ADMINISTRATIVE DEPUTY CHIEF. AND IN ADDITION WE HIRED 17 FIRE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS. SO WE'RE CONTINUING WITH OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT. THAT IS WHERE WE PULL OUR CAREER STAFF FROM. SO WE WORK TO GET THEM CERTIFIED SO THAT WE CAN HIRE THEM AS CAREER. AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE'RE UTILIZING OUR VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS IS WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL A RESCUE CREW, AND THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL CREW THAT WE STAFF AN ADDITIONAL TRUCK WITH THREE PERSONNEL. RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING THAT MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, 8 A.M. TO 8 P.M. AND WHERE THIS HELPS US IS THAT IT GIVES US ADDITIONAL MANPOWER FOR THE TIMES WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF CALLS OCCURRING AT THE SAME TIME. SO IT REALLY HELPS WITH OUR RESPONSE TIME AND ALSO JUST OUR OUR ABILITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. SO FOR OUR CAPITAL BUDGET, WE DID SPEND 53% OF IT THUS FAR, WHICH DOES SEEM A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN TRADITIONAL, BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF THE HEADQUARTERS PROJECT THAT CONSTRUCTION IS IN FULL, IN FULL GEAR. WE ARE LOOKING TO HOPEFULLY GET OUR KEYS SEPTEMBER 11TH, WHICH I THINK IS A LITTLE IRONIC FOR US, BUT SO WE'RE REALLY HAVING A LOT MORE EXPENDITURES IN THAT PROJECT AS WE PREPARE TO PURCHASE ALL THE FURNISHINGS AND ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. WE ALSO, AS I MENTIONED, PURCHASED LAND FOR A TRAINING FACILITY. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'VE BEEN PAYING OUR ARCHITECT FEES, EQUIPMENT, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING IS, IS THAT, AS TEO MENTIONED ABOUT OUR FUND BALANCE, WE HAVE WE JUST MET LAST MONTH ABOUT OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING. SO WE HAD A TEN YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN. BUT WE'VE DISCOVERED THAT AS OUR REVENUES BECOME MORE THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGING THINGS IN OUR DISTRICT THAT WE NEEDED TO REVISIT IT SOONER. SO WE THE BOARD HAS NOW ASSIGNED A SEVEN

[05:05:01]

THAT'S THE END OF MY SIX MONTH PRESENTATION. DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, COMMISSIONER. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, CATHERINE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING SO ACCOMMODATING. SO WE'RE ABLE TO USE THE FIRE STATION TO HAVE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT WE NEED TO DO IN THE HORIZON AREA. SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND CHIEF MENENDEZ BOTH FOR ALWAYS BEING SO ACCOMMODATING AND TO YOUR STAFF, TOO, BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S HARD HAVING A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN THE FIRE STATION, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. IT'S OUR PLEASURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER, I KNOW THE LEGISLATURE IS LOOKING INTO APPROPRIATING FUNDS OR AND LIMIT THE CAP OFF FOR THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND SOME OF IT AS TO IS TO FOR THE PREVENTION OF WILDFIRES. YOU KNOW WHERE THAT'S AT. ARE THEY HAVE THE BILL BEEN FILED OR NOT? OR DO YOU KNOW I DID THE ONLY THING THAT I DID SEE, BUT MAYBE CHIEF MENENDEZ HAS A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. THE ONLY THING I DID SEE IS, IS THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO CREATE A DATABASE SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN PUT ALL THEIR EQUIPMENT THAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE STATE. JUST RECENTLY, WE ARE ASSISTING THE STATE OF TEXAS BY GOING ON DEPLOYMENTS WITH TATUM. SO WE ARE JUST SENT OUR FOURTH DEPLOYMENT, CHIEF, OUR FOURTH CREW TO THE DEPLOYMENT TO HELP WITH WILDFIRE IN TEXAS. SO WE ARE ASSISTING IN THAT AREA AS WELL. BUT AS FAR AS THE REST OF IT, I DON'T KNOW. CHIEF, IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS CHRIS MENENDEZ, FIRE CHIEF FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES, DISTRICT NUMBER ONE, WE DID HEAR ABOUT IT, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROGRESS IS GOING TO BE. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE UNTIL THE 28TH TO FILE. AS MENTIONED, WE ARE PARTICIPATING WITH TIFMAS AND WE DO HAVE A DEPLOYMENT GOING ON AS WE SPEAK.

WE SEND SOME FIREFIGHTERS ON A TRUCK OUT TO ASSIST DOWN IN WACO, TEXAS AREA. SO MOST DEPLOYMENTS LAST BETWEEN 7 TO 14 DAYS. AND THERE IS A REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS THAT HAPPENS. AND SO WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THAT. AND SO AS THE SUMMER MONTHS APPROACH, WE DO ANTICIPATE BEING A BUSY FIRE SEASON, HIGH WINDS, RED FLAG WARNINGS. AND SO THERE IS GOING TO BE A LOT GOING ON. THERE'S BEEN DROUGHTS ALL OVER THE STATE. AND THAT'S WHY THAT'S WHY I FIGURED THEY'RE DOING THIS. BUT I KNOW THAT IT WAS A REACTION TO SOME OF WHAT HAPPENED. ALL THE HOW MANY, HOW MANY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES IN THE PANHANDLE, RIGHT? YES, SIR. ABSOLUTELY. SO AND I KNOW WE'RE KIND OF SUBJECT TO THAT HERE. WE'VE HAD SOME IN THE PAST. YES, I UNDERSTAND TOO. WHENEVER WE DEPLOY, ALWAYS LEAVE RESOURCES HERE AVAILABLE IN CASE SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN. SO WE NEVER, NEVER LEAVE THE AREA UNPROTECTED. THIS IS ADDITIONAL STAFFING THAT WE STAFF BRING UP THAT COVERS. MEANWHILE WE HAVE OTHER PERSONNEL THAT COME IN AND BACKFILL. THANK YOU JUDGE. THANK YOU. CHIEF. DO YOU SEE ANY TRENDS THAT WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE ALL WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT YOU BEGIN TO SEE, LIKE IN OUR CASE, THE ONE LESS OF OUR OF GOVERNMENT, RIGHT. THEY WANT IT TO BE MORE STATE DRIVEN. AND IS THERE ANYTHING IN ISDS THAT YOU SEE SOME TREND THAT YOU MIGHT BE WORRIED ABOUT? I DID HEAR SOME LEGISLATION THAT WAS TRYING TO BE PASSED OR GOING TO BE PROPOSED. AGAIN, IT HASN'T BEEN OFFICIALLY BROUGHT INTO THE PICTURE YET, BUT WE DID HEAR SOME ITEMS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF TAXES THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED FOR AN ESD TO COLLECT. THERE WAS SOME OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP IN REGARDS TO SOME OF OUR PEACE OFFICERS AND FIRE MARSHALS BEING

[05:10:03]

[C. ​Receive a presentation and take action on ESD 2’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Audit Report and receive an update on the FY25 budget initiatives progress for Emergency Service District #2.​ Melissa Carrillo, Deputy County Administrator, County Operations, 915-546-2162]

NUMBER TWO. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE REALLY NICE GROWTH OVER THE FIVE YEARS, ESPECIALLY IN TOTAL ASSETS. THAT MEANS THE DISTRICT IS APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO INCREASE THEIR CAPITAL ASSETS, WHICH IS THE FIRE STATIONS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING. THEY'RE ALSO GOOD AT PAYING DOWN THEIR CURRENT LIABILITIES. THEY'RE PAYING OFF DEBT. ANYTHING THAT'S CURRENT TOTAL TOTAL LIABILITIES ARE DOWN OVER FIVE YEARS. ROUGHLY 22%. YOU CAN SEE HERE NET POSITION IN FIVE YEARS IS UP 99%. REVENUES ROUGHLY 51%. AND THEY'RE GETTING REVENUES FROM INSPECTION FEES AND PERMIT FEES, WHICH IS INCREASED ABOUT $390,000 OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. FOR THE AUDIT. OPINION.

WE HAVE A CLEAN OPINION. NO FINDINGS. THIS IS OUR TWO YEAR SUMMARY FOR 2024 COMPARED TO 2023. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, CURRENT ASSETS ARE DOWN ABOUT 3 MILLION. THE ESD NUMBER TWO, THEY PURCHASED LAND FOR ABOUT $3.2 MILLION THIS YEAR. THAT'S GOING TO BE USED TO BUILD A NEW FIRE STATION IN SOCORRO. NET POSITION HAS INCREASED BY ABOUT 10%, WHICH IS REALLY NICE. THEY HAVE MONEY TO COVER THEIR BILLS. IT'S NOT ALL IN CAPITAL ASSETS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE FUNDED FOR YEARS TO COME. OTHER NOTABLE ITEMS. AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY HAD THE $5.9 MILLION IN PURCHASES. THIS IS INCLUDING THE LANDS AND THE BUILDING OF THE FIRE STATION, AS WELL AS VEHICLES, NEW FIRE TRUCKS, LONG TERM NOTES PAYDOWNS OF 1.7 MILLION. THIS IS GOOD. THEY'RE BEING ON TIME WITH THEIR PAYMENTS. THE PENSION PLAN IS REALLY NICE. IT'S 101% FUNDED, WHICH IS BETTER THAN THE INDUSTRY AVERAGE OF ABOUT 80%, WHICH MAKES IT A NET POSITION ASSET OF ABOUT 125,000. WE DID INCREASE THE DISTRICT, INCREASE THE ALLOWANCE FOR A COLLECTIBLE ACCOUNTS. THIS IS DUE TO OUTSTANDING PROPERTY TAXES BEING DIFFICULT TO COLLECT OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS. AND THEN THE LAST ITEM WE WANTED TO NOTE WAS THE BUDGET TO ACTUAL, MOSTLY

[05:15:05]

OUR ORANGE IS OUR REVENUE RECEIVED 7.8. AND THE GRAY IS AT 5.35.3 FOR OUR EXPENSES. THIS SLIDE, COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE, IS OUR CALL VOLUME COMPARISON FROM LAST FISCAL YEAR TO THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. AND THE REASON FOR THAT DIFFERENCE IS WE DID IMPLEMENT A NEW SYSTEM. SO WE MOVED FROM AN OLD EMERGENCY REPORTING TO ESO. SO BACK THEN THEY WERE DOING DUPLICATE CALLS. SO THAT'S WHY THE REPORTING IS NOW MUCH LOWER THIS YEAR BECAUSE NOW EVERYBODY IS IN ONE. BACK THEN WE USED TO HAVE EACH FIRE DEPARTMENT SEPARATELY ENTERING THE EMERGENCY CALLS. BUT NOW AS WE TRANSITION TO ONE EVERYONE IS IN THE SAME SYSTEM. SO THAT IS WHY YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE OF THE CALL VOLUMES. JUST A LITTLE BIT OF OUR BUDGET PROGRESS. WE DID COMPLETE THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF 87 APP, 8500 RADIOS. WE ARE ALSO CURRENTLY IN THE TALKS WITH PARKHILL AND MARTINEZ, WHICH IT'S FOR THE NEW STATION IN SOCORRO. THEY'VE BEEN AWARDED THE RFQ. AND I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER, OUR PRESIDENT, MR. SANTANA AND CHIEF ARE REVIEWING AND DISCUSSING THESE CONTRACT TERMS WITH THE ARCHITECT. OKAY. WE ARE SECURING A LOAN OF $6 MILLION FOR THAT PROJECT, AND IT IS ESTIMATED TO BE BETWEEN 6 TO $8 MILLION. AND THE REMAINING, IF IT EXCEEDS THE 6 MILLION, WILL BE WE WILL BE USING RESERVE FUNDS. WE ALSO JUST FINISHED

[05:20:07]

ALL FUNDS HAVE BEEN SPENT AND I'M JUST NEED TO CONTACT THE COUNTY TO GET WITH AND TO PROVIDE ALL THE INFORMATION FOR THE ARPA FUNDS. AND THEN OUR BOARD JUST APPROVED LAST MONTH TWO ADDITIONAL FULL TIME FIREFIGHTING POSITIONS, AND WE WILL BE USING FUNDS THAT ARE IN OUR STIPEND PROGRAM, THE SURPLUS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM THERE TO FUND FOR THOSE TWO FULL TIME POSITIONS. AND THIS WILL BRING OUR TOTAL FULL TIME EMPLOYEES TO 40. IS IT ANY QUESTIONS? NO, CHIEF. GOOD AFTERNOON. COMMISSIONERS. CHIEF ESPARZA. YES. NUMBER TWO, JUST TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ON THE ON THE INFORMATION SHE PROVIDED. AS YOU ALL SEE, NUMBER ONE HAS SEEN THEIR GROWTH. YOU SEE NUMBER TWO IS STARTING TO SEE THEIR GROWTH IN SOCORRO THE WEST SIDE EVERYWHERE THAT WE'RE GROWING NOW. SO WE'RE GOING TO START SEEING A BIG A BIGGER GROWTH THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING VERY FREQUENTLY. SO AT THE SAME TIME OUR VOLUNTEER SYSTEM IS GETTING TAXED. WE SEE THAT VOLUNTEERISM IS DOWN. SO WE ARE ALSO ADDING FULL TIME STAFF MORE AND MORE.

BUT WE'RE DOING IT IN SECTIONS. OF COURSE, OUR OUR SURPLUS THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR RESERVES AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS GOING TO BE CONTINGENT ON WHATEVER LEGISLATION DOES, ALL THESE RULES THAT THEY HAVE OUT FOR US, THERE FOR EVERYBODY IS COULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE ESD'S. AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE WE'RE TAKING A VERY PROACTIVE APPROACH TO THIS, BECAUSE ESD'S ARE, OF COURSE, THE LOWEST TAXING ENTITIES WITHIN THE COUNTY. THE MAX WE CAN TAX IS $0.10. AND I THINK WE'RE NOW WE'RE AT SEVEN .67.07. SO WE'RE NOT EVEN AT THE TEN CENT RATE. AND THAT'S AS MAX THAT WE CAN GO. SO ANYTHING BELOW THAT IS GOING TO BE DETRIMENTAL TO ALL OF US OF COURSE. SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH A COUPLE OF CHANGES THAT WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT. CHIEF, THE TENDENCY THROUGHOUT TEXAS VOLUNTEER VERSUS FULL TIME. IS THERE A THERE IS EVERYBODY. EVERYBODY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IS SAYING VOLUNTEERISM DOWN AT AN ALL TIME LOW. WE ARE KIND OF SEEING IT HERE. WE WANT TO THEY WANT TO BE KIND OF PAID, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO BE EMPLOYEES, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. SO WE'RE TRYING TO MOTIVATE OUR VOLUNTEERS THAT WE CURRENTLY STILL HAVE. THEY'RE THEY'RE A VERY BIG PART OF OUR ORGANIZATION. WE PLAN TO KEEP THEM, BUT WE NEED TO SUPPLY FULL TIME EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THE COUNTY AND ITS RESIDENTS DEMAND THAT WE HAVE A 24 HOUR FULL TIME RESPONSE TO THE CITIZENS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

ANY OF THESE THAT ARE MORE INCLINED TO THE FULL TIME VERSUS VOLUNTEER IS THAT I THINK THAT'S THE NATURAL PROGRESSION FOR EVERYBODY. YOU KNOW, I WAS TOLD ONCE THAT, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE EL PASO FIRE WAS ALSO A VOLUNTEER AT ONE POINT, VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO. AND THEY SAID, LOOK AT THEIR TRANSGRESSION. AND IF YOU'RE ON POINT THAT YOU'RE ON THE MARK TO GO FULL TIME, EXCEPT IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE HAVING TO GO SLOW, SLOW, SLOW. AND NOW THAT WE SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE GROWTH, WE'RE NEEDING MORE FIRE STATIONS FILLED. BETSY, ANY COMMENTS OR. ANY THOUGHTS? NO. JESSICA. ANY ADDITIONAL. THANK YOU. JUDGE. DO YOU WANT ME? I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS. I JUST DO WANT TO MENTION THAT IN THEIR FINANCIAL THE LAST TWO YEARS THEY HAD ESD TWO DID HAVE A AN AUDIT FINDING WHICH THEY SUCCESSFULLY CLEARED THIS THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR. AND SO THEIR AUDIT WAS CLEAN OF FINDINGS. AND THEY'VE DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB AT LOOKING AT THEIR STAFFING SITUATION AND IN ATTENDING THEIR MEETINGS, UNDERSTANDING THEIR BOARD IS WORKING ON FUTURE PLANS AND INCORPORATING THOSE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS THAT THAT ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED IN AT A PACE THAT'S AFFORDABLE TO THEM.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHIEF. THANK YOU. WE'LL NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT MOTION BY JUDGE DOMENICO. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CORONADO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER STOUT IS ABSENT.

THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. CAREFUL WITH THAT. EL PASO SNOW OUT THERE? SURE. NOT. SNOW. ITEM EIGHT.

COUNTY ADMINISTRATION. EIGHT. EIGHT. DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO SELECT THREE INDIVIDUALS TO INCORPORATE THE COUNTY HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION. AND DESIGNATE A REGISTERED AGENT. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. THE CREATION OF A HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION

[COUNTY ADMINISTRATION]

[A. Discuss and take appropriate action to select three (3) individuals to incorporate the County Housing Finance Corporation and designate a registered agent. Betsy C. Keller, Chief Administrator, County Administration, 915-273-3600]

[05:25:07]

SURE WOULD NOT. I WILL, AND I WAS SO MOVED. PERFECT. THANK YOU. ANYBODY CAN. SECOND. SO. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER CORONADO, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER HOGAN. THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER STOUT IS ABSENT. THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.

NEXT, WE HAVE NINE. A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POSTPONED. FEBRUARY 24TH, 2025. RESCIND THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT ORDER OF FEBRUARY 3RD, 2025. ITEM NUMBER FOUR. I ON THE CONSENT AGENDA

[ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT]

FURTHER APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY JUDGE TO SIGN THE REVISED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT AMENDMENT WITH THE CAMINO REAL REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE TORNEO PORT OF ENTRY TO MODIFY TO THE PROJECT SCOPE OF WORK AND DETAIL THE USE OF FUNDS FOR MEXICAN INTERNATIONAL MARKETING AND FURTHER DETAILS REQUIRED. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AND COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS REQUIRED. CONTRACT NUMBER 2024 1073. THERE WILL BE NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM. NO. THERE WILL BE ACTION. OH, THE ACTION THAT WE ASKED FOR WAS FOR THE COURT TO APPROVE THE USE OF UP TO 200. YOU WANT ME TO READ IT? ANNA SCHUMACHER, COUNTY ATTORNEY. SO THE MOTION COULD BE TO APPROVE THE ALLOCATION OF UP TO $290,000 IN THE COUNTY.

COUNTY'S ECONOMIC IMPACT FUNDS FOR EXPENSES IN MEXICO NOT OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED BY RULES.

[05:30:06]

[REGULAR SESSION]

[A. Discuss and take appropriate action regarding potential intervention by El Paso County in the Application of El Paso Electric Company for Authority to Change Rates, SOAH DOCKET NO. 473-25-11219 PUC DOCKET NO. 57568, County Attorney’s file number 0017-25-AA. Jed Untereker, Assistant County Attorney, County Attorney's Office, 915-273-3247]

THANK YOU. THE MOTION IS THAT EL PASO COUNTY INTERVENE IN PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS PUC PROCEEDING DOCKET NUMBER 57568. DASH S, DOCKET NUMBER (473) 251-1219 APPLICATION OF EL PASO ELECTRIC COMPANY TO CHANGE RATES SUBJECT TO AT LEAST 50% OF PRIOR RATE 41 MEMBER PARTICIPANTS BY PERCENTAGE OF USAGE. ALSO INTERVENING AND SUBJECT TO APPROVAL AT A FUTURE MEETING OF A DEFINITIVE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT WITH SPECIAL COUNSEL.

WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER HOGAN. THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER STOUT IS ABSENT. THE MOTION CARRIES. JUDGE, AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE TO RECESS BEFORE WE TAKE THE LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA. JUST A FEW MORE MINUTES TO GET THE LANGUAGE READY. COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL RECESS FOR 15 MINUTES. IT IS 3:03 P.M. OKAY.

[05:37:57]

[05:40:02]

IT'S GOING TO BE AN AWESOME FACILITY, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO ROLL AROUND WITH THE LOCALS WHEN IT'S DONE. WHAT'S MORE ESSENTIAL THAN WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE LIVED WITHOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIAL SERVICE FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR DECADES, FIVE DECADES, PROBABLY. AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES HERE AS WELL. WE ARE THANKFULLY, THE COUNTY IS WORKING ON OTHER PROJECTS IN THIS COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE LOWER VALLEY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING THESE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. TWO, THREE ARE. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE START OF THE FIRST TIME WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECT FOR SEVERAL COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE CANUTILLO AREA. WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE, ACTUALLY, THAT THIS IS REALLY COME TO FRUITION. THERE WAS FUNDS DEDICATED FOR

[05:45:04]