Jul 14, 2025 Commissioners Court Regular

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THERE'S JUST THREE OF US TODAY. LIVE FROM EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS, THE VETERANS CAPITAL OF THE USA.

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[1. OPEN MEETING]

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[2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

ITEM NUMBER THREE. INVOCATION. THIS MORNING WILL RECEIVE AN INVOCATION FROM PASTOR MICHAEL GRADY, SENIOR PASTOR AT PRINCE OF PEACE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. WELCOME, PASTOR GRADY, ALWAYS

[3. INVOCATION]

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JUDGE, DO YOU HAVE SOME OPENING REMARKS FOR US THIS MORNING? THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH. ALWAYS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF PASTOR GRADY. WE'RE GETTING READY FOR THE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, OF THE OUR WALMART TRAGEDY. AND HE'S ALWAYS SUCH A BIG PART OF THAT. IT'S HARD TO HAVE ANYTHING RELATED TO THE WALMART AND THE MEMORIAL AND THE HEALING GARDEN WITHOUT HAVING HIM. SO JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. ON BEHALF OF MYSELF. WE HAVE COMMISSIONER STOUT. COMMISSIONER BUTLER WILL NOT BE HERE WITH US, BUT ON BEHALF OF COMMISSIONERS AND MYSELF, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. JUST WANT A BIG SHOUT OUT FOR I WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH ROGER ARGENIS, WHO IS A GRAMMY AWARD WINNER, AND HE HAD BEEN COLLECTING ITEMS FOR RUIDOSO AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE ITEMS TO RUIDOSO. AND I CAN TELL YOU, EL PASO SHOWED UP AGAIN. I MEAN, THERE WAS WATER AND EVERYTHING THAT THAT YOU COULD THINK OF. WE WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE TO A LOT OF DEVASTATED AREAS, A LOT OF PEOPLE LOSING THEIR HOMES COMPLETELY AND TRYING TO SURVIVE. THEY HADN'T GOTTEN SOME ASSESSMENTS ON THE FEMA, AND THEY WERE WAITING TO GET AN ASSESSMENT ON THE PREVIOUS ONE. AND THEN WHEN THIS HAPPENS, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM. SO CONTINUE. WE'RE VERY BLESSED AS A COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT WHEN WE IDENTIFY A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE THERE. SO VERY PROUD OF EL PASO. SO THANK YOU. AND TO ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AT COMMISSIONERS COURT AND HOPING THAT YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL MONDAY AND A VERY BLESSED WEEK. SO THANK YOU, CESAR. THANK YOU SIR. ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS THE CONSENT AGENDA COMPOSED OF ITEMS FOUR A THROUGH £0.04. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT MEMBERS OF THE COURT OR THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO PULL

[4. CONSENT AGENDA]

CESAR. IT'S ALREADY BEEN. YEAH. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN. THE VOTING IS OPEN. MY NAME'S COMING UP, I VOTE AYE. THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER STOUT AND COMMISSIONER BUTLER ARE ABSENT. THE MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE A FROM RESOLUTIONS. APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND CELEBRATING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMBROSIO GUILLEN TEXAS STATE VETERANS HOME IN EL PASO

[A. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing and celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home in El Paso County, Texas. Ricardo A. Samaniego, County Judge, County Judge's Office, 915-273-3591]

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THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, OUR EMBLEM HAS A FEMALE IN THE MIDDLE, AND WE'RE SO PROUD OF THAT BECAUSE FOR SOME TIME WE WEREN'T AWARE OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS. BUT LIKE IN YOUR CASE THAT YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH. AND SO WE FEEL WE HAVE BEEN DISMISSIVE TO WOMEN. AND NOW AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU GO TO THE LOBBY, YOU'LL SEE ONE, ONE END OF ALL THE INCREDIBLE WOMEN THAT THAT HAVE SERVED. AND I ALWAYS HAVE TO SAY, EVERY SINGLE WOMAN THAT EVER SERVED WAS A VOLUNTEER BECAUSE NO WOMAN EVER GOT DRAFTED. AND SO EVERY SINGLE WOMAN THAT YOU'LL EVER MEET THAT WAS A VETERAN WAS ON HER OWN VOLUNTEER. SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT TONY, YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU TONY. GOOD MORNING. JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, ANTOINETTE HUNT, VETERAN COUNTY SERVICE OFFICER. I JUST WANT TO THANK DEEDEE AND HER STAFF. IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO AMBROSIO GUILLEN, IT IS ONE OF THE CLEANEST, MOST PRISTINE AND JUST DIGNIFIED PLACES. AND IT REALLY IS A TESTAMENT TO THE LEGACY OF STAFF SERGEANT GUILLEN AND THE SPIRIT OF EL PASO. WE WANT TO CONGRATULATE THEM ON TWO DECADES OF SERVICE AND MANY MORE TO FOLLOW. WELL, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I KNOW DEBO WAS GOING TO BE HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE MADE IT OR NOT, BUT I BELIEVE SHE'S VOLUNTEERING SOMEWHERE ELSE THIS MORNING. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND WE'LL TAKE SOME PICTURES TOO. YEAH. THIS RIGHT HERE. SO. THANK. YOU. DIRECTOR.

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ITEM NUMBER SIX IS PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING.

[6. PUBLIC COMMENT]

OKAY. THEY'RE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE. AND THAT WAY WE DON'T HOLD THEM BACK. WE'LL HEAR FROM MISS MONICA ACEVEDO FIRST. YES. THANK YOU. WELCOME, MONICA. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. GOOD MORNING. COMMISSIONERS COURT JUDGE SAN DIEGO. WITH ME IS CINTA DE ORO JUNIOR. MY NAME IS MONICA ACEVEDO AND I WORK WITH CINTA DE ORO PROMOTIONS, AS WELL AS THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF EL PASO. AND FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, THERE IS ONLY ONE BRICK AND MORTAR BUILDING LEFT IN THE CITY FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF EL PASO. THAT BUILDING IS FROM 1929. IT IS HOUSED RIGHT HERE IN EL SEGUNDO BARRIO AND IT NEEDS A LOT OF WORK. WHEN WE STARTED THIS INITIATIVE TO HELP AND GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO THE SEGUNDO BARRIO, FOR THE KIDS, IT WAS LIKE EARLY DECEMBER AND THEY HAD NO HEATER. WE WERE LITERAL PARKAS BECAUSE IT WAS SO COLD IN THAT BUILDING. AND THEN WE STARTED THE INITIATIVE OF HOSTING A MONTHLY LUCHA TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE KIDS, AND THEY HAVE BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL. THE COMMUNITY HAS COME OUT, WE'VE SOLD THEM OUT. IT'S BEEN AMAZING. AND WITH ALL OF THIS, WE WANTED TO DO A FESTIVAL OUTDOORS TO CREATE AN ANNUAL EVENT FOR THE KIDS. AND WHAT STARTED OFF AS MAYBE A SMALLER FESTIVAL HAS TURNED INTO THIS MONUMENTAL, EPIC EVENT BECAUSE WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET EL HIJO DEL SANTO. HE IS CURRENTLY ON HIS INTERNATIONAL FAREWELL TOUR AND JUAREZ, OUR SISTER CITY, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO NAIL HIM DOWN FOR A SHOW OUT THERE. BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AND WE ENDED UP GETTING HIM, SO WE ARE HOPING TO HOST IT AT ASCOT AT THE PARK COMING UP ON SEPTEMBER THE 6TH. 100% OF THE PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF EL PASO.

SINCE WE STARTED OUR MONTHLY LUCHA INITIATIVE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE AC AND THE HEATER, SO YAY US! WE'RE NOT SWEATING UP A STORM IN THERE, BUT WE'VE HAD SUCH A GREAT RESPONSE FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND OF COURSE, THIS IS ALL TO HELP THE CHILDREN, THE DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN IN SEGUNDO BARRIO AND OUR COMMUNITY AND EVERYBODY HAS COME OUT TO STEP OUT. I DO HAVE CINTA DE ORO JUNIOR AS SENIOR RIGHT NOW IS OUT OF TOWN, BUT HE IS GOING TO ALSO BE MAKING HIS LUCHA LIBRE DEBUT AT THE EVENT WITH EL SANTO, WHO IS COMING TO EL PASO. AND IT'S SUCH A SUCH AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE, NOT ONLY FOR WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR THE KIDS, BUT FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THIS IS LUCHA LIBRE ROYALTY LITERALLY COMING TO OUR CITY. SO WE THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR GETTING BEHIND THIS. WE URGE EVERYBODY TO COME OUT. TICKETS ARE GENERAL. ADMISSION IS GOING TO BE SUPER LESS THAN $20. SO EVERYBODY CAN COME AND JOIN US. CINTA JUNIOR THANK YOU. GOOD

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THEY DO AMAZING WORK. I'VE SEEN IT MYSELF. THEY'VE HELPED KIDS. MY FATHER, HE WAS ONE OF THE KIDS THAT USED TO GO TO THAT BUILDING IN SEGUNDO BARRIO WHEN HE JUST HAD DREAMS OF WRESTLING GLORY. SO THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU. THIS IS PRETTY AMAZING. THIS IS EL SANTO. THIS IS THE IT ORIGINATED IN LUCHA LIBRE. THEY DID A BETTER JOB OF PROMOTING IT ELSEWHERE, BUT IT ACTUALLY ORIGINATED HERE IN EL PASO. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. AND THEY'LL BE COMING BACK TO THE AGENDA SO THAT WE COULD VOTE ON IT. SO MONICA CINTA JUNIOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. EXCUSE US.

HELLO, COMMISSIONER BUTLER, I SEE YOU'RE ON. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONER. GOOD MORNING JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. SORRY I CAN'T BE THERE WITH YOU TODAY. THANK YOU. BUT THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. GO AHEAD. CESAR. OKAY. DO WE HAVE MISS CRAWFORD ON? GO AHEAD, MISS CRAWFORD.

OKAY, WE HAVE MISS ELIZABETH. GOOD MORNING. ELIZABETH. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. THERE'S MUCH DEBATE IN TEXAS REGARDING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOMS. THE FIRST TWO COMMANDMENTS SEEM OFFENSIVE TO MANY. EXODUS 20, THE FIRST TWO OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FROM GOD'S HOLY WORD. THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME. THOU SHALT NOT MAKE UNTO THEE ANY GRAVEN IMAGE. THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN THYSELF TO THEM, NOR SERVE THEM. TWO WEEKS AGO I WENT INTO JUAREZ WITH MY FRIEND MOLLOY. SHE TOOK ME TO THE INDOOR MARKETPLACE. THERE. ALMOST EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS IN THAT MARKETPLACE HAD A SKELETON FIGURINE DISPLAYED A SANTA MUERTE DAY. RIGHT NEAR THE EXIT, WE SAW A MASSIVE SKELETON STATUE OF SANTA MUERTE. MY FRIENDS HAVE BEEN TELLING ME ABOUT IT AND I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE. I WAS SHOCKED TO READ THE SANTA MUERTE IS THE FASTEST GROWING NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT IN THE AMERICAS. EVEN IN THE WORLD. SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING THE FASTEST GROWING NEW RELIGION IN THE WORLD. AS WE KNOW, IT'S NOT ONLY ALL OVER JUAREZ, IT'S ALL OVER EL PASO, AND NOT JUST IN THE NARCO CULTURE, BUT THROUGHOUT THE MAINSTREAM CULTURE. NOW, THE SYMBOL OF THE SKELETON. WHEN PEOPLE CHOOSE TO REJECT THE GOD OF THE BIBLE AND WORSHIP SAINT DEATH, MOTHER DEATH, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES. THE BORDERPLEX, JUAREZ, EL PASO, LAS CRUCES CORRIDOR IS FULL OF DRUG TRAFFICKING, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND THE ABORTION CARTEL. OF COURSE, THE WORST IS THE ETERNAL, IRREVERSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF DYING IN THESE LIFESTYLES. YET THAT IS OFTEN ALSO PRECEDED BY THE TANGIBLE PHYSICAL CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLENCE AND OFTEN EARLY PHYSICAL DEATH. WE ARE WARNED IN GOD'S HOLY WORD, FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. BUT THANK GOD THAT THERE IS HOPE FOUND NOT IN THE FASTEST GROWING NEW RELIGION IN THE WORLD, SANTA MUERTE, BUT IN THE MOST REJECTED PERSON IN THE WORLD, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST OF THE BIBLE, THE ONE WHO IS CRUCIFIED ON MOUNT CALVARY, MOUNT GOLGOTHA, THE PLACE OF THE SKULL WHO CONQUERED THE ENEMY, SATAN, WHO CRUSHED HIS HEAD AND ROSE AGAIN IN VICTORY. FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND HOPE YOU HAVE A REALLY GOOD DAY. THANK YOU. YOU TOO ELIZABETH. HAVE A GOOD, GOOD DAY. NEXT WE HAVE COMMISSIONER SERGIO CORONADO, JUDGE. COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. JUDGE. I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT AND A COMMENDATION TO TONY HUNT DURING THE JULY 4TH. THIS REALLY WENT OUT. A LOT OF WORK THAT SHE DID FOR THE VETERANS PARADE. I MEAN, THE JULY 4TH PARADE FOR THE VETERANS. AND SO REALLY VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE WORK SHE DID. I KNOW SHE THEY ALL WORKED HARD, BUT JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO HER DURING THIS TIME. AND ALSO ANOTHER SHOUT OUT TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, NORMA FERNIE OVERNIGHT GOING TO DEAL.

YESTERDAY EVENING CANUTILLO HAD HAIL OUT OF THE BLUE. JUST WE HAD HAIL, BUT OVERNIGHT IT RAINED AND THANKFULLY NOT A WHOLE LOT OF FLOODING. BUT THERE ARE YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE FLOODING WAS CONTAINED TO SOME AREAS. AND SO EARLY THIS MORNING THEY STARTED OUT TO DE-WATER THOSE AREAS. SO THEY'RE REALLY ON TOP OF THINGS. AND I WANT TO VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK THEY'RE DOING. SO THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THEIR HARD WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU NORMA. DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC COMMENT. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN A FROM THE REGULAR AGENDA A RECEIVE A PRESENTATION FROM CRIME STOPPERS. WELCOME. I KNOW

[A. Receive a presentation from Crime Stoppers. Melissa Carrillo, Deputy County Administrator, County Operations, 915-273-3582]

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SORRY. SO YES. YEAH. THE FIRST ONE WAS ABOUT A MAN WHO SHOT ANOTHER MAN AT A CONVENIENCE STORE AT FAR EAST EL PASO, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SOLVE THAT THROUGH THE CRIME OF THE WEEK.

THE NEXT ONE WAS A DEADLY SHOOTING IN AN EAST SIDE APARTMENT COMPLEX, WHICH AGAIN, WAS ALSO SOLVED THROUGH TIPS. AND THE LAST ONE WE FEATURED IS A HOME INVASION, WHERE A TEEN WAS SHOT IN HIS OWN APARTMENT, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SOLVE THOSE CRIMES THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE TIPS THAT WE RECEIVED THROUGH OUR TIP LINE. AND OF COURSE, THESE JUST HIGHLIGHT HOW WE CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN PROMOTING PUBLIC SAFETY AND SUPPORTING LAW ENFORCEMENT AS WELL. ONE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE ALSO STARTED THIS YEAR IS A BUSINESS ALERT NETWORK. AND IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, BASSETT BASSETT MALL WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE US A STOREFRONT THERE THAT WE USE AS A COMMUNITY HUB, WHERE WE GIVE PRESENTATIONS ON SAFETY, AND WE ALSO HAVE OTHER NONPROFITS AND LAW ENFORCEMENTS GIVE PRESENTATIONS AS WELL. THIS IS A NEW INITIATIVE THAT WE STARTED, AND THE CONCEPT OF IT IS TO BRING THE BUSINESSES, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OF COURSE, COMMUNITIES TOGETHER THROUGH CRIME STOPPERS IN ORDER TO COMBAT CRIME AND RETAIL CENTERS.

YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, AS MALL SHOPPING CENTERS AND BUSINESS DISTRICTS. AND WE IMPLEMENTED THIS FIRST AT BASSETT. AND WHAT WE DO IS THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT A REPORT TO US FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND POST THAT ON OUR ON OUR ON OUR TV. AND THEN THE BASSETT MALL THROUGHOUT THEIRS AS WELL. SO THIS WAY IS NOTIFIES WHO'S COMMITTING CRIMES AND, YOU KNOW, TO DETER FUTURE CRIME. AND THOSE PEOPLE FROM, YOU KNOW, DOING THAT AGAIN FROM COMMITTING ANY MORE CRIMES. SO THE WAY THAT WE FUND OUR YEARLY ANNUAL. OPERATIONAL COST IS ABOUT $49,000. AND THAT COVERS

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SO LIKE THE IMPACT ON CRIME. SO IT'S ALSO ASSIST US ON OUTREACH INITIATIVES AND SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY. OUR COMMUNITY HUB AS WELL PROMOTING THAT. IT ALSO HELPS WITH OUR SCHOOL SAFETY PROGRAM BECAUSE WE ALSO WORK WITHIN THE SCHOOLS. WE'VE HAVE GOTTEN SEVERAL, YOU KNOW, TIPS REGARDING, YOU KNOW, DISCIPLINARY ISSUES, PARTIES WHERE THERE'S GOING TO BE ALCOHOL OR DRUGS INVOLVED. SO WE DO RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION AND WE DO PAY OUT THOSE STUDENTS DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY, IF THEY, YOU KNOW, GET DISCIPLINARY ACTION OR IF IT LEADS TO AN ARREST, YOU KNOW, AND OUR FUNDING ALSO PROVIDES A SECURE METHOD OF TRANSMITTING THE CRUCIAL INFORMATION TO OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS. SO IT IS 100% ANONYMOUS AND THEY GET THE INFORMATION AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE IT. AND SO SOMETIMES WE WILL GET SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OCCURRING AND WE'LL GET TIPS. AND WE'RE ABLE TO FUNNEL THAT TO OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. YOU KNOW, WITHOUT THE PROPER FUNDING, THE TIP LINE, COMMUNICATING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OUR OUTREACH AND SCHOOL SAFETY PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, ARE AT RISK AS WELL. SO SINCE 1978, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE ARREST, TAKE OFF, TAKE OUT ALMOST 5000 CRIMINALS OFF THE STREETS, ALMOST 7000 CASES THAT WE'VE SOLVED. AND WE'VE ALSO PAID OUT $1.2 MILLION IN REWARDS. AND, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR, LAST YEAR, WE PAID OUT 33,000 AND REWARDS. SO WE DO OUR PROGRAM IS EFFECTIVE AND PEOPLE ARE USING IT AND CALLING IT. AND A LOT OF THE TIMES THEY DON'T WANT TO REWARD. THEY ACTUALLY JUST WANT TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO MAKE THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SAFER. SO THAT'S A GREAT THING ABOUT OUR PROGRAM.

WE'VE ALSO RECOVERED OVER $40 MILLION IN NARCOTICS OFF THE STREET, 4.5 MILLION PROPERTY RECOVERED, AND TEN WEAPONS AS WELL. SO WE DO OUR PROGRAM IS EFFECTIVE. WE DO. WE RECEIVED MANY. WE DO RECEIVE MANY TIPS AS WELL CALLS. AND IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 1978. SO WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND WE HOPE TO CONTINUE WITH THAT SUCCESS. I WOULD LIKE TO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COMMISSIONERS AND THANK YOU, JUDGE SAMANIEGO. I WANT TO ADD THAT IN 2028, WE DID GET AWARD THE STATE CONVENTION HERE FOR THE CRIME STOPPERS. SO WE'RE GOING TO NEED FUNDS AND A LOT OF HELP FROM THE CITY AND THE COUNTY SO WE CAN HAVE A 2028 SUCCESSFUL STATE CONVENTION FOR ALL CRIME STOPPERS. AND I ALSO WANT TO REMIND THE COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO KEEP OUR CITY AND COUNTY SAFE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE SAFEST CITIES IN EL PASO, I THINK CRIME STOPPERS DOES A LOT TO HELP THE SHORTHANDED LAW ENFORCEMENTS OUT THERE. SO I'M ALL FOR CRIME STOPPERS, AND I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE WITH YOUR HELP. OKAY.

THANK YOU. WE'RE VERY PROUD. OBVIOUSLY, LIKE I SAID, COMMISSIONER LEON WOULD GIVE US SOME IDEAS WHEN HE WAS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT OF WHEN YOU PREVENT SOMETHING, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU SAVE, THE PERSONNEL, THE SAFETY. I MEAN, JUST YOU SEE THE STATISTICS, BUT I DON'T THINK IT PICKS UP ON LIFE SAVED OR INTERVENTIONS OR THINGS THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, GAVE THE RIGHT TIP AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, INTERACT AND, YOU KNOW, GET INVOLVED BEFORE. AND THE COST OF AN UNSOLVED CRIME IS REALLY, REALLY EXPENSIVE BECAUSE YOU GOT ALL THESE INVESTIGATIONS AND PAPERWORK. AND SO WHEN THEY GET THE RIGHT TIP AND, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY IS REALLY GOOD AT THAT, EVEN SOME OF THEM DON'T EVEN ACCEPT THE REWARD. THEY'RE MORE INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO WE THANK YOU. WE'RE VERY PROUD AND WE'LL BE TAKING IT INTO BUDGET. THERE'S NO ACTION TODAY, BUT WE'LL TAKE IT INTO BUDGET AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET BACK WITH YOU. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE CONFERENCE. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT. THANK YOU.

ITEM NUMBER SEVEN BE RECEIVE A PRESENTATION FROM PROJECT ARIBA FOR AN ANNUAL UPDATE OF THEIR

[B. Receive a presentation from Project Arriba for an annual update of their workforce development services contract with the County. Roberto Ransom, Director, Economic Development Department, 915-273-3583]

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JUST JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE THIS ITEM VERY QUICKLY BEFORE HANDING IT OVER TO MR. ORTIZ TO TALK ABOUT WHAT PROJECT HAS DONE WITH THE COUNTY FUNDS THAT THEY RECEIVED IN THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR. THIS IS AN UPDATE PROVIDED TO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, TO THE COURT ANNUALLY. AND SO IT'S AN EFFORT FOR PROJECT ARIBA TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE INVESTMENT. I DID WANT TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT UP FRONT THAT AS WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER A RENEWED AGREEMENT, AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, WITH PROJECT ARIBA FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, AND THAT CONTRACT HAD STIPULATED NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT ANNUALLY OF $150,000 FOR THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DESCRIBE HERE SHORTLY, GIVEN THE UPCOMING BUDGET POSITION THAT THE THAT THE COUNTY IS PREPARED TO EXPERIENCE IN FY 26, WE DID WORK WITH PROJECT ARIBA, AND THEY DID GRACIOUSLY AGREE TO REDUCE FY 26 BUDGET BY 5%. SO JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT. BUT WE STILL NEED TO FORMALIZE THAT REDUCTION VIA AN AMENDMENT THAT WE EXPECT TO PROVIDE TO YOU ALL IN THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, BUT WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU ALL THAT THAT KIND OF CONTEXT AHEAD OF PROJECT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, KRISTEN. APPRECIATE IT, MR. ORTIZ. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELCOME. GOOD MORNING JUDGE AND GOOD MORNING. MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. IT'S A PLEASURE ALWAYS TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE. ARRIBA. NOW HAS WE'VE BEEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY OF EL PASO FOR ALL OF OUR 26 YEARS NOW. BUT THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THE LAST TEN YEARS, ABOUT $950,000 INVESTMENT INTO PROJECT ARRIBA. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? THAT LOOKS LIKE 283 JOBS JUST AT UMC ALONE, WITH AVERAGE WAGES OF $57,000 A YEAR. THIS IS US. WE PICTURED THEM. THEY WERE OUR INVESTOR PARTNERS LAST YEAR AT OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY. WE PICKED THEM TO BE OUR OUR, OUR PARTNERS THAT WE WANTED TO FEATURE FOR OUR GRADUATION. I'M GOING TO BREAK THIS DOWN KIND OF OVER THE LAST.

A QUICK SUMMARY. OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, WE'VE SERVED 338 RURAL COUNTY PARTICIPANTS, GRADUATED 225 INTO HIGH DEMAND CAREERS, AND JOB PLACED 198 OF THEM. IF YOU LOOKED AT THE 338, IT WAS BROKEN DOWN AS 134 REGISTERED NURSING GRADUATES AT THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE LEVEL, 94 REGISTERED NURSING. WE HAVE 50 LICENSED VOCATIONAL NURSES AND 60 OTHER ALLIED HEALTH, AS WELL AS OTHER DEMAND OCCUPATIONS. OF THOSE THAT GRADUATED, 110 WERE BACHELOR'S DEGREE NURSES, 49 WERE REGISTERED NURSES, 37 LVNS AND 29 OTHER, AND OF THOSE JOB PLACED, 102 OF THEM WERE BACHELOR DEGREED NURSES, 38 RNS, 37 LVNS AND 21 ALLIED HEALTH AS WELL AS OTHER. BEFORE YOU GO ON, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION REALLY QUICKLY? WHY DO YOU THINK OUR JOB PLACEMENT IS? WHY AREN'T EVERYONE WHO IS GRADUATING FROM THE PROGRAM BEING PLACED IS THERE? IT'S JUST A SNAPSHOT DURING THOSE TIMES WHEN PEOPLE GRADUATE, IT TAKES ABOUT 90 DAYS FOR THEM TO PASS THEIR NCLEX EXAMS. THOSE ARE THE STATE BOARDS. IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE CERTIFIED AS A REGISTERED NURSE OR OTHER ALLIED HEALTH. SO SNAPSHOTS, THAT WOULD BE A REASON. ANOTHER REASON WOULD BE PEOPLE CHOOSE A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE MAY NOT GO TO WORK IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER. THEY MAY CONTINUE ON WITH THEIR EDUCATION. AND THEN ANOTHER SMALLER PERCENTAGE HAVE TO LEAVE EL PASO FOR EITHER MILITARY REASONS OR OTHER TYPES OF THINGS. OKAY, OKAY. WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO KNOW THE NUMBER OF GRADUATES AND THEN THAT HAVE PASSED THEIR EXAMS AFTER THAT? BECAUSE YOU SAID THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT'S A SNAPSHOT, AND THERE'S ABOUT A 90 DAY PERIOD WHILE THEY'RE TAKING THEIR EXAMS. SURE. LIKE FOR I COULD GIVE YOU EXACT NUMBERS, BUT LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, IN DECEMBER OF 24, WE HAD ALMOST 100 PEOPLE, ABOUT 60 PEOPLE GRADUATE. SO THOSE FOLKS WON'T GET JOB PLACEMENT AT LEAST 90 DAYS INTO 2025. WHEN WE PRESENT AT THAT POINT THAT THAT WAS THAT'S KIND OF SHOWING WHERE PEOPLE AREN'T AREN'T JOB PLACED.

WE HAVE A LARGE GRADUATION. WE HAD JUST A LARGE GRADUATION RATE NOW IN MAY. SO WE LOOK AT JUNE, JULY, AUGUST. THAT WAS 92 PEOPLE THAT GRADUATED IN MAY. THOSE FOLKS, THE MAJORITY HAVE TO TAKE STATE BOARDS SO THEY WON'T BE JOB PLACED UNTIL ABOUT SEPTEMBER. OKAY, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GREAT. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. JUST A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF OUR CONTRACT SPENDING SO FAR AS OF THE 31ST OF MAY, $72,000 OF THE 150,000 HAS BEEN SPENT THE MAJORITY INTO

[01:00:05]

HOW HAS YOUR AGENCY, IF WE DID NOT RECEIVE EL PASO COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION, WHAT WOULD OUR AGENCY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH? REALLY, WHAT WE WANT TO SPOTLIGHT HERE IS THAT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, ARRIBA HAS BEEN ABLE TO CAPTURE 287 RURAL COUNTY PARTICIPANTS THAT LIVE IN THE RURAL COUNTY PART. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT OVER THE YEARS, THESE ARE REPRESENTING OF FAMILIES, AS YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE OUT OF POVERTY AND INTO THE MIDDLE CLASS AND HAVE BEEN DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB AT THAT BECAUSE OF YOUR PARTNERSHIP. AND SO WE APPRECIATE THE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP AND UNDERSTAND THE REDUCTIONS THAT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS NEED TO MAKE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO OUR BEST WORK FOR THE COUNTY AS WELL AS FOR THE CITY. HOW MANY STUDENTS DID YOUR AGENCY ASSIST AND WHAT WAS YOUR TARGET AND WHAT DID YOU REACH? SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BLUE REPRESENTS OUR ACTUAL THE ORANGE REPRESENTS WHAT WE WERE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED. WE'RE DOING MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED. WE'VE NOW SERVED 96 RURAL COUNTY PARTICIPANTS, HAVE GRADUATED 22. WE HAD ONE OF OUR LARGEST GRADUATING CLASSES THIS YEAR.

AND THAT'S SIMPLY BECAUSE DURING THE COVID YEARS, WE HAD A GREAT BIG IMPACT BECAUSE OF THE COVID DOLLARS THAT CAME IN THROUGH THE COUNTY, WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE A LOT. AND SO WE'RE SEEING THAT NOW, A LOT OF GRADUATES DURING THE LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR IN OUR JOB PLACEMENTS ARE JUST SHY OF OUR GOAL OF 13, BUT WE HAVE UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER TO GET THAT GOAL. WE WILL I FEEL THAT WE WILL SURPASS THAT GOAL. AND AS WHAT WE'RE SO THAT, YOU KNOW AS WELL WE'RE WORKING WITH THE HUNT INSTITUTE RIGHT NOW TO DO AN UPDATED STUDY OF OUR IMPACT UP TO 2025. SO THIS IS INFORMATION UP TO 2020 FOR EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED IN PROJECT ARRIBA FROM THE COUNTY OF EL PASO, IT'S RETURNED BACK $28. THIS REPRESENTS ABOUT $900 MILLION IN ECONOMIC INCOME POWER THAT'S BEEN ADDED TO THE ENTIRE REGION. HERE IN EL PASO, YOU'RE LOOKING AT TAKING PEOPLE THAT WERE TAX TAKERS INTO REALLY MAKING THEM TAX MAKERS. AND THE GENERATIONAL IMPACT. NOW, AFTER ALMOST THREE DECADES OF DOING THIS SERVICE, WE'RE SEEING IT IN ACTION. WE'RE SEEING THE CHILDREN OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SPONSOR 20 YEARS AGO, BEING GRADUATING FROM MEDICAL SCHOOL NOW AND OTHER STORIES OF THAT. SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS I'M HERE TO ANSWER. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. WE'RE ALWAYS VERY PROUD, ESPECIALLY ON THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT. IT'S HARD TO BEAT OR ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION THAT WE KNOW OF. SO WE THANK YOU. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE. YES, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT IN ONE OF THE FIRST SLIDES, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF GRADUATES THAT HAD GONE ON TO BE PLACED AT UMC. I THINK IT WAS 287, BUT THAT'S FOR THE TEN YEAR PERIOD. DO YOU HAVE MORE RECENT NUMBERS, LIKE MAYBE FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR OR LAST FISCAL YEAR? YES. AND WE PROVIDE THAT ON A OBVIOUSLY A QUARTERLY BASIS TO UMC, AND I CAN PROVIDE IT TO YOUR OFFICE AS WELL. OKAY. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I'D LIKE THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES, COMMISSIONER CORONADO. YEAH. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR YOUR OTHER PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY AND OUR PROMISE PROGRAM. YES, SIR. AND WE WILL. WE'RE REALLY GOING. AND I SEE CHRIS AND THEM BACK THERE. WE WILL BE HOPEFULLY SENDING YOU SOME PEOPLE OVER TO YOUR WAY.

YES, SIR. PRETTY SOON. OUR PROGRAM IS REALLY STARTING TO TAKE OFF NOW, SO THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S A GREAT PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU. WHAT YOU DO AND THE PROMISE PROGRAM. IT'S ALIGNED VERY WELL. THANK YOU. I DID WANT TO MENTION I FORGOT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL KNOW, BUT UMC NOW SITS ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE THAT. OH THAT'S EXCELLENT. YES.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. ITEM NUMBER EIGHT A PURCHASING GO BOND A TEEN APPROVE AN AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF NEW LIGHTING

[A. (GO BOND A18) Approve and authorize the Purchase and Installation of New Lighting Fixtures and New Electrical Wiring for the El Paso County, TX Sportspark using Buy Board Contract 677-22 awarded to Musco Sports Lighting, LLC of Oskaloosa, IA for a total project cost of $1,196,294.00. Purchasing approved on July 8, 2025. Funding available in CP-BD24ISSUEA-PROPA-PARK IMPRO (A18-SPORTSPARK-CONSTRUCTION). Karen Davidson, Purchasing Agent, Purchasing Department, 915-273-3349]

[01:05:01]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. KAREN. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE THE CONTRACT FOR THAT ITEM UNDER TEN A, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THAT? THE CONTRACT. YES. WE'RE READY TO MOVE IT FORWARD. OKAY.

WE HAVE STAFF HERE TO SPEAK ON IT ALSO. OKAY. MELINA BANUELOS IS THE LEAD FOR THAT PROJECT.

OKAY? SHE'S OUR SENIOR ENGINEER. ITEM NUMBER TEN. A PUBLIC WORKS. GO BOND A TEEN, APPROVE AND

[A. (GO Bond A18) Approve and authorize the County Judge to sign the Contract between Owner and Contractor with Musco Sports Lighting, LLC for the Sportspark Field Light Replacement using the existing Buy Board contract (677-22) in the amount of $1,196,294. Funding is available in CP-BD24ISSUEA-PROPA- PARK IMPRO (A18-SPORTSPARK-CONSTRUCTION). (Contract No. 2025-0528) Norma Rivera-Palacios, Deputy County Administrator, Public Works Department, 915-273-3330]

[01:10:06]

[A. Receive a presentation from Leo Marketing, LLC, regarding the scope of services, accomplished goals, and impact of their efforts through the “Majestic Mission Trail” marketing campaign previously contracted by the County. Roberto Ransom, Director, Economic Development Department, 915-273-3583]

THIS IS A VERY EXCITING PROJECT WE WORKED ON. IT WAS A PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO WORK WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE MISSION TRAIL, THE BUSINESSES WE GOT, WE MADE SOME FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY. WE MET PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WHILE WE WERE DOING THIS. SO IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY IMPACTFUL OPPORTUNITY. SO WE THANK COMMISSIONER OLGUIN FOR SPEARHEADING AND GIVE US GUIDANCE ON, YOU KNOW, WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO SHOOT AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO GO OVER, I GUESS, WHAT WE DID AND THEN GO OVER THE RESULTS. SO IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE FOR ME, SIR, I DON'T KNOW IF I CONTROL IT, DO I? I DO CONTROL IT. GOT YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO THIS MARKETING CAMPAIGN WAS THE FIRST EVER NATIONAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN BY EL PASO COUNTY AND EL PASO COUNTY'S HISTORY. SO WE TOOK THIS VERY SERIOUSLY. AND WE DECIDED TO DO A NATIONAL COMPONENT, WHICH WAS A PODCAST, NATIONAL PODCAST ABOUT HISTORY, ABOUT TRAVELING, ABOUT SOUTHWEST HISTORY. SO WE PLACED THOSE THOSE WERE NATIONAL HITS. SO THAT WAS A WAY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN WITHOUT BREAKING THE BUDGET, BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS COST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND OUR BUDGET WAS 500,000. SO THAT WAS A GOOD WAY THAT WE DISCOVERED THAT WE COULD REACH A NATIONAL AUDIENCE, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK. THE SECOND COMPONENT WAS A REGIONAL TV CAMPAIGN AND REGIONAL DIGITAL ADS. SO WE WENT TO TUCSON, WE WENT TO PHOENIX, WE WENT TO ALBUQUERQUE AND PLACE TV. WE DID SOME PUBLIC RELATIONS THERE THAT JENNIFER WILL TALK ABOUT. AFTER I TALK ABOUT THE MEDIA BUYING PORTION. AND WE ALSO DID DIGITAL ADS THERE. SOME OF THOSE DIGITAL ADS WERE ABLE TO TRACK PEOPLE ON THEIR CELL PHONES. SO WE SERVED THOSE ADS IN TEXAS SOUTHWEST AREA. WE ABLE TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE SAW THE AD AND CAME TO EL PASO. SO THAT'S A NEWER TECHNOLOGY. SO WE TARGETED CITIES THAT ARE COMMON SOUTHWEST TRAVELERS, WHICH IS OF COURSE, SOUTHWEST, OF COURSE, TEXAS. AND SOME OUTLIERS WAS LIKE LOS ANGELES, WHICH WE TARGETED. AND THERE WERE SOME IN FLORIDA, BUT IT WASN'T SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO MOVE DOLLARS THERE. SO WE JUST STAYED WITH CALIFORNIA, SOUTHWEST TEXAS. I'M SORRY. BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, WHAT IS OT STAND FOR? OTT IS STREAMING ADS. YEAH. SO WHEN YOU WATCH YOUR SHOW ON THE APPS THAT HAVE COMMERCIALS OR ON YOUR PHONE, YOU WANT THE HISTORY CHANNEL DOCUMENTARY, WHATEVER IT IS, AND YOU SEE SOME COMMERCIALS IN THERE. THOSE ARE OTT ADS, AND MOST OF THE TIME THEY'RE NOT SKIPPABLE. YOU HAVE TO WATCH THEM IN ORDER TO SEE THE NEXT EPISODE OR THE NEXT SCENE ON YOUR APP. SO THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE COULD TRACK THE STREAMING ADS. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SO HERE WE GO WITH TV.

THE TV PORTION, LIKE I SAID, WAS BROKEN UP INTO THREE DIFFERENT CITIES. I'M JUST GOING TO GO

[01:15:02]

SO WE TRIED TO LEVERAGE OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE TV STATIONS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO GET AS MUCH FREE STUFF AS POSSIBLE, TO REALLY EXPAND THAT BUDGET AND MAKE IT SEEM LIKE IT'S A SEVEN FIGURE BUDGET RATHER THAN A SIX FIGURE BUDGET. SO PHOENIX IS A BIG MARKET.

IT'S, I THINK, IN THE TOP 20. IN UNITED STATES, IT'S THE WHOLE STATE OF ARIZONA, PRACTICALLY BESIDES TUCSON. SO SAME STORY HERE. THE EARNED MEDIA VALUE OF GOING ON AN ARIZONA STATEWIDE PROGRAM IS A LOT HIGHER. SO THAT EARNED MEDIA IS WAY HIGHER THAN ACTUAL OUR INITIAL BUDGET. THE VALUE THERE BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY PLAY THIS ON THE PBS. IT WAS STATEWIDE. PBS ACTUALLY PICKED IT UP NATIONALLY AND PLAYED IT NATIONALLY AS WELL. SO A LOT OF EARNED MEDIA VALUE THERE. SAME STORY WITH TUCSON. IT'S A SMALLER MARKET. IT'S A LITTLE HIGHER THAN EL PASO IN TERMS OF TV MARKETS. BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME EARNED MEDIA. WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME COMMISSIONERS TO GO OUT AND BE ON THEIR MORNING SHOWS AND NEWS PROGRAMS AS WELL. SO DIGITAL CAMPAIGN, WE TALKED ABOUT THE PODCASTS AND WHERE THEY HIT. THESE ARE THE IMPRESSIONS FROM THE NATIONAL PODCASTS. THEY'RE ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. SO THIS IS A THIS IS PRETTY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS MAP THAT HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THE MISSION TRAIL, OR MAYBE NOT EVEN EL PASO. SO WE HAD TO REACH THOSE PEOPLE. OKAY, THIS IS THE OVERALL DIGITAL CAMPAIGN METRICS. SO IT REACHED OVER 11 MILLION PEOPLE AND STORE VISITS.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER. THAT'S THAT'S A TRACKABLE PORTION OF THE PORTION OF OUR CAMPAIGN THAT COULD BE TRACKED, THE STREAMING ADS ON YOUR PHONE. SO STORE VISITS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS ONLY THE INDIVIDUAL. WE TRACK ONE PHONE, RIGHT? MOST PEOPLE DON'T TRAVEL ALONE. THEY TRAVEL WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS. SO THAT ACTUAL NUMBER, IF WE DO A LITTLE ANALYSIS, GO BEYOND THE NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT. LET'S ASSUME THAT ON AVERAGE, EACH ONE OF THESE PEOPLE TOOK TWO PEOPLE TO THE MISSION TRAIL. THAT'S A VERY CONSERVATIVE NUMBER, RIGHT? SO THAT MAKES IT OVER 6000 PEOPLE. 6300 AND SOME CHANGE. RIGHT. IF THOSE PEOPLE SPENT ON AVERAGE ABOUT 100 BUCKS IN THE MISSION TRAIL, WHICH IS ALSO VERY CONSERVATIVE, THAT'S OVER $600,000 IN ECONOMIC IMPACT DIRECTLY TO THE MISSION TRAIL. AND THAT'S ONLY THE PEOPLE WE CAN TRACK. THAT'S 120% OF THE CAMPAIGN, NOT INCLUDING TELEVISION, NOT INCLUDING PODCASTS, NOT INCLUDING EARNED MEDIA OR PR THAT'S JUST A TRACKABLE PEOPLE. SO JUST FROM THAT SMALL ANALYSIS, YOU CAN SAY THAT THIS GENERATED AN ECONOMIC IMPACT FAR GREATER THAN THE INITIAL BUDGET. SO IT'S AN ROI. IT'S NOT A DOING THINGS AT COST OR JUST DOING THINGS, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE GOVERNMENT'S USUALLY DOING. WE ACTUALLY MADE A RETURN. SO JUST JUST TO BE CLEAR, GILBERT, SO YOU CAN TRACK THE PHONES THAT HAVE TO WATCH THE ADS AND SEE IF THOSE SAME PHONES ACTUALLY WALK INTO A STORE AT THE MISSION TRAIL. CORRECT. WALKED IN THE VICINITY OF THE MISSION TRAIL? YEP. WOW. THAT'S THE 2001 82. YES, SIR. THAT'S THE INDIVIDUAL. THE INDIVIDUAL PHONE. REALLY? THE CONVERSIONS. I IMAGINE SOME OF THEM DON'T NECESSARILY DON'T HAVE TO WALK IN THE STORE, BUT THEY ACTUALLY VISIT THE PLACES DIFFERENT, RIGHT? YEAH. WE TRACKED THEM IN THE MISSION TRAIL AIRPORT, WHEREVER THEY GO. SO THAT'S ABOUT 20% OF OUR CAMPAIGN IS TRACKABLE. OF COURSE, TV IS NOT TRACKABLE AND PR IS NOT TRACKABLE, AND PODCASTS AREN'T TRACKABLE. BUT THIS IS SO THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT METRIC BECAUSE THIS THIS PORTION I GUESS, RETURNED AN ROI ON ON THE CAMPAIGN COST. THAT BREAKS IT DOWN OF STORE VISITS WHERE THEY CAME FROM TEXAS, CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO, COLORADO. NOT A NOT A SURPRISE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE TARGETED THEM. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM TEXAS. CAN YOU DIVE IN FURTHER? OH, MAYBE THAT'S THE NEXT SLIDE OKAY. DIVING FURTHER. ALL RIGHT. HERE WE GO. DALLAS, TEXAS WAS ONE OF THE CITIES THAT OUR RESEARCH SHOWED. THAT WAS A FREQUENT SOUTHWEST TRAVELERS, WHICH WAS AND WE DIDN'T MARKET TO WELL, WE DIDN'T LIKE WE DIDN'T DO ANY WE DIDN'T DO ANY PR OR TELEVISION THERE BECAUSE IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE. BUT WE DID DO GO, JENNIFER. GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS JENNIFER SEVILLE. I AM WITH MARKETING. I JUST WANTED TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON

[01:20:05]

HOWEVER, WE HAD A LOT OF NATIONAL PICKUP AND NATIONAL INTERESTS THAT WAS GENERATED FROM THE PRESS RELEASES THAT WE SENT OUT. AND DALLAS WAS ONE OF THOSE MARKETS. SO WITH FOX, WITH THE FOX NETWORK, WITH ABC, TELEMUNDO AND UNIVISION, THEY HAVE SYNDICATED PROGRAMS THAT ALLOWS FOR REACH TO GO BEYOND JUST THE MARKETS THAT WERE REGIONALLY SELECTED. SO YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THAT AFFECTED HERE AS WELL. AS GILBERT MENTIONED, THIS WAS THE FIRST EVER NATIONAL TOURISM CAMPAIGN, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WAS A BIG KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR FOR US. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUSINESSES ALONG THE MISSION TRAIL, AS WELL AS ALL THE HISTORICAL SITES THAT WERE THERE, WERE REALLY HIGHLIGHTED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO GIVE AN INVITATION TO THESE MARKETS THAT HAVE MAYBE NEVER VISITED EL PASO OR HAD NEVER VISITED OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS. SO EVERYTHING THAT WE DID WAS BUSINESSES IN MIND AND HISTORICAL CULTURAL TOURISM IN MIND. SO LET ME JUST SEE HERE. THIS IS ACTUALLY A VERY INTERESTING SLIDE THAT JUST KIND OF SHOWS HOW PEOPLE WERE RECEIVING THE INFORMATION, ALBEIT ON THEIR TELEPHONE CONNECTED TV DESKTOP IN THEIR CARS AS WELL. OBVIOUSLY WITH PODCASTING, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT AS WELL. GOING BACKWARDS HERE. SO WE HAD MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES EXTEND ALL THROUGHOUT ALBUQUERQUE WITH ENGLISH AND SPANISH MEDIA. AND THIS WAS NOT JUST TELEVISION PROGRAMS, BUT IT WAS ALSO RADIO TALK SHOWS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW, TALK, DISCUSS BUSINESSES ALONG THE MISSION TRAIL. SOME OF THE TRADITIONS INTRODUCING SOCORRO AND YSLETA TO DIFFERENT MARKETS. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS WAS ALSO DURING A VERY HEAVY POLITICAL YEAR. AND IN SPITE OF ALL THAT, WE GOT A LOT OF COVERAGE THROUGH ALL THE MAJOR NETWORKS THAT YOU SEE. THIS WAS MORNING SHOWS, NOON SHOWS. THERE WAS ALSO 5:06 P.M. NEWS AS WELL.

AND WITH THE FOX, ABC, TELEMUNDO AND UNIVISION STATIONS AND PBS, THEY'RE ALL NATIONAL SYNDICATED.

SO TO JUST ELABORATE ON THAT, THE 30 MINUTE DOCUMENTARY WAS PICKED UP BY PBS. THEY WERE SO IMPRESSED WITH THE CONTENT, THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THEY HAVE VERY STRICT RULES ON WHAT THEY COVER. THEY CAN COVER. IT HAS TO HAVE CERTAIN GUIDELINES, QUALITY OBVIOUSLY BEING VERY IMPORTANT STORY CONTENT. AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL APPEAL TO ITS TO ITS VIEWERS. SO THEY WERE ABLE TO PICK THIS UP AND SHOW THE 30 MINUTE DOCUMENTARY THROUGHOUT THEIR VARIOUS NETWORKS, THROUGHOUT SOME OF THESE MARKETS. SO THAT HAS HUGE IMPACT ON THAT AS WELL. THE SAME WITH PHOENIX. THIS WAS A REALLY BIG MARKET. GILBERT MENTIONED IT WAS TOP 20. IT'S RANKS BETWEEN 14 AND 16 DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU'RE AT. SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE A TOP 20 MARKET WITH THIS CAMPAIGN IS HUGE. IT HAS GREAT REACH. AND LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT EXTENDS EVEN BEYOND THE STATE OF ARIZONA, WITH PICKUP THROUGHOUT TEXAS, CALIFORNIA AND AROUND THE EAST COAST AS WELL. TUCSON WAS A BIG MARKET AS WELL. WE SAW A LOT OF GREAT RESULTS OUT OF THERE BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY TO EL PASO. AND WE EVEN HAD SOME INTEREST IN TUCSON, WHICH WAS NOT ONE OF THE REGIONAL MARKETS, BUT THEY DEFINITELY WANTED TO HEAR WHAT WE HAD TO OFFER. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE CAMPAIGN WAS FROM JUNE TO SEPTEMBER, AND WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST FROM MEDIA OUTLETS THAT WANT TO BRING MARKETS HERE AS WELL. AND WITH THAT, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE IN-MARKET INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY.

SO WITH THE OUT OF STATE MARKET OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAD FOR PR, THOSE WERE US GOING TO THE STATIONS WITH THE PICKUP THAT WE RECEIVED FROM SOME OF THESE PRESS RELEASES THAT WE SENT OUT, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES BROUGHT TO ECONOMICALLY IMPACT THE BUSINESSES ALONG THE MISSION TRAIL FOR THEM TO SPEAK FROM THEIR OWN WORDS AND SHOW THEIR BUSINESSES ALONG THE MISSION TRAIL AS WELL. SO THERE WERE SEGMENTS THAT WERE DONE THROUGHOUT DIFFERENT ENGLISH AND SPANISH TELEVISION, RADIO, PRINT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ALLOW THEM TO DISPLAY THEIR BUSINESS, BECAUSE PERHAPS THEY WEREN'T FEATURED IN THE VIDEO WHEN IT CAME OUT AND THERE WERE SOME CHANGES ALONG THE MISSION TRAIL WITH NEW BUSINESSES COMING INTO THE AREA, THEY WERE ABLE TO INVITE BUSINESSES. I'M SORRY, INVITE VIEWERS AND LISTENERS TO COME

[01:25:04]

THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TIME THAT THE COUNTY HAS INVESTED FUNDS, SPECIFICALLY ON A MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR THE MISSION TRAIL, PUSH THEM AND PUSH THEM IN. OKAY. RESET. LET'S GO. OH, BIG HELLO TO ALL OF OUR FRIENDS IN EL PASO. WE LOVE YOU GUYS. THEY'RE GREAT TO BE IN THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF TUCSON. WE WANT TO INVITE PEOPLE TO COME AND GET TO KNOW EL PASO. THE MISSION TRAIL IS A NINE MILE STRETCH ACROSS TIME IN EL PASO COUNTY'S MISSION VALLEY.

IT'S HARD FOR A SMALL BUSINESS TO DO IT ON ITS OWN. OF COURSE, IT'S NOT USUALLY IN OUR BUDGET TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THIS. IT HELPS TREMENDOUSLY. AND SOMETHING THAT I HAD A DREAM, IT BECAME REALITY. AND NOW PEOPLE ARE SEEING MY REALITY. THEY'RE SEEING MY DREAM. AND IT'S NICE.

IT'S REALLY HEARTWARMING. IT HAS REALLY BROUGHT A LOT OF TOURISM. WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE COME IN FROM NEW YORK, FROM FLORIDA, FROM OHIO, MONTANA. SO WE'VE SEEN WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY COME IN. WE'VE SEEN A AN INCREASE IN OUR VISITOR NUMBERS. I'VE HAD SOME TOURISTS, PEOPLE THAT ARE VISITING THE AREA NOT FOR WORK, NOT FOR BUSINESS, BUT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO VISIT THE AREA SO THAT THAT DEMOGRAPHIC IS GROWING. WE'RE GETTING SOME TOURISTS SPECIFICALLY, JUST TOURISTS NOT COMING HERE TO VISIT FAMILY OR, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN HERE AND WANT TO EXPLORE THE AREA. IT'S JUST BEEN SUCH A BLESSING. WE'VE WE'VE SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE COME IN STRAIGHT FROM THE AIRPORT SEEING ALL THE MISSIONS AND JUST COMING BY, STOPPING FOR FOOD AND STOPPING FOR A GOOD COFFEE. EL PASO COUNTY HAS HELPED ME AS AN ARTIST TO PROMOTE MY ART. WE ARE KNOWN IN OTHER STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES. THE EL PASO COUNTY MARKETING EFFORTS HAVE MADE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON OUR STORE.

WE HAVE SEEN A GROWTH IN OUR ONLINE PRESENCE, AS WELL AS CUSTOMERS COMING IN AND SHOPPING AT OUR STORE. ALL THE MARKETING IS BEING DONE BY THE COUNTY HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY CHERISH BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN LIKE THE FORGOTTEN PEOPLE. AND NOW THAT ALL THIS ADVERTISING IS BEING DONE FOR US, IT'S OPENED UP A LOT OF PEOPLE'S EYES THAT THEY'VE HEARD IT IN DIFFERENT PLACES, SEEN IT IN DIFFERENT PLACES, AND IT'S BROUGHT MORE BUSINESS TO OUR AREA. WE'VE HAD MANY TOURISTS COME DOWN BECAUSE THEY SAW THE VIDEO, THEY HEARD ABOUT IT, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, OUR TRAFFIC HAS INCREASED. NOW WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE THAT HAD NEVER EVEN HEARD OF LINCOLN DAIRY, BUT THEY STARTED VISITING THE MISSION TRAIL. AND THIS IS THE BEAUTY OF THIS MARKETING CAMPAIGN THAT WE ALL HELPED EACH OTHER. EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS ALONG THE CORRIDOR WILL MAKE SURE TO MENTION THE OTHER BUSINESS. SO WE, WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE GETS A LITTLE BIT OF THAT SUPPORT AS BUSINESSES. BUT IT WAS THIS MARKETING CAMPAIGN THAT MADE THAT HAPPEN. THANK YOU. I GUESS YOU ARE. AND I THANK YOU HEARD IT FROM THE

[01:30:06]

ITEM NINE B RECEIVE AN UPDATE FROM STAFF REGARDING THE TEXAS BROADBAND DEVELOPMENTS, OFFICE

[B. Receive an update from staff regarding the Texas Broadband Development Office's Broadband, Equity, and Deployment Grant. Roberto Ransom, Director, Economic Development Department, 915-273-3583]

[01:35:05]

AND SO THOSE AREAS WERE SUBMITTED AS CHALLENGES EARLIER IN THE YEAR. AND SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF REITERATE OR MENTION THAT BECAUSE I DIDN'T LAST LAST WEEK, BUT I THINK THAT IS A CRITICAL OPPORTUNITY THAT THE COUNTY HAS ALREADY PARTICIPATED AS FAR AS SHAPING THE AREAS FOR COVERAGE OR THE AREAS THAT MAY BE QUALIFIED FOR THIS, FOR THIS TYPE OF FUNDING. BUT GOING BACK TO THE MAIN POINT, JUST IN LIGHT OF SOME OF THOSE PROJECT DETAILS, DO APOLOGIZE FOR KIND OF HOW QUICKLY THIS PROCESS HAS NEEDED TO DEVELOP OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT BUT IT IS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO KIND OF RECONSIDER THE APPROACH TO IDENTIFY ANY COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH OTHER GRANTEE APPLICATIONS, MAYBE COMING FROM THE AREA. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME, COMMISSIONER. HI, CHRISTIAN. SO I KNOW THAT WE ARE COTTON VALLEY CONNECT PROGRAM. WE HAD TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS SERVED PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY. THERE ISN'T ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO APPLY FOR THIS FUNDING TO KIND OF RE TRY TO RECAPTURE THOSE HOMES THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE SERVED NOW UNDER THE COTTON VALLEY CONNECT GRANT, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION THAT WE NEEDED TO APPLY FOR THAT PROGRAM. THE ONLY THING, THE ONLY CHALLENGE I CAN IDENTIFY. AND THAT'S A GREAT THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION, COMMISSIONER. THE ONLY CHALLENGE I CAN IDENTIFY THERE IS THAT THE COUNTY, UPON SUBMITTING THIS APPLICATION WOULD BE IT WOULD BE COMMUNICATING TO THE TO THE GRANT, THE GRANTING AGENCY, THAT THE COUNTY WOULD BE THE AGENCY IMPLEMENTING THAT SOFTWARE. AND SO WHILE WE DO HAVE A DESIGN PRODUCED BY INSIGHTS, IT IS FOR THAT SCOPE OF WORK. AND I, I THINK WE MIGHT WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK PRETTY QUICKLY TO KIND OF IDENTIFY WITH LEGAL WHAT OPTIONS THE COUNTY HAS FOR USING ELEMENTS OF THAT SCOPE OF WORK THAT HAVE BEEN REDUCED ON THAT CONTRACT FOR ANOTHER SUBMISSION, AND HOW, IF, IF AT ALL, HOW, IF AT ALL, WE WOULD NEED TO WORK THAT THROUGH LEGALLY WITH OUR CONTRACTOR FOR THAT PROJECT, WHICH IS INSIGHTS. AND SO THERE ARE SOME, SOME CHALLENGES THERE THAT I THINK THAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PRODUCE IN A TIMELY WAY BY THE BY THE TUESDAY DEADLINE, IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SUBMIT A GRANT APPLICATION ON OUR OWN. HAVE WE ALREADY STARTED REACHING OUT TO OTHER TO PROVIDERS IN THE AREA TO SEE WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE, IF THEY'RE APPLYING WHAT THEY COULD USE FROM US IN ORDER TO MAKE THEIR APPLICATIONS MORE SUCCESSFUL? WE HAVE WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO A SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE AREA STILL PENDING. IT HAS BEEN INDICATED TO STAFF THAT THEY ARE THEY DO INTEND TO APPLY. BUT AS FAR AS WHAT THE DETAILS ARE, WHAT PROJECTS SERVICE AREA WILL BE MAKING UP THE APPLICATION THAT HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN TO THE DEPARTMENT YET. AND SO STILL PENDING THAT RESPONSE HOPEFULLY EARLY THIS WEEK. AND SO HAPPY TO KIND OF COME BACK TO THE COURT VERY QUICKLY IF NEEDED, FOR A LETTER OF SUPPORT OR OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF WAY IN WHICH THE COUNTY MAY BE ABLE TO HELP FACILITATE THAT PROCESS THROUGH, WHETHER IT'S IF THERE'S A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT. FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW HARRIS COUNTY IS WORKING ON THAT. THE HARRIS COUNTY BROADBAND OFFICE HAS COMMITTED WITH SOME OF THEIR SERVICE PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS OR FACILITATE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS UPON SUCCESSFUL AWARD OF THOSE GRANTS. AND SO HAPPY TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS. I DO THINK THAT THERE'S A BIT MORE LEEWAY WITH THOSE WITH THAT TYPE OF APPROACH, GIVEN THE DEADLINE, AND SO HAVE INITIATED THOSE DISCUSSIONS. STILL WAITING ON SOME ADDITIONAL DETAILS AS FAR AS WHAT THE COUNTY'S SUPPORT COULD LOOK LIKE. THANK YOU. I HAVE A COMMENT, JUDGE, IF THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE. I, I HAD A FEELING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU PRESENTED IT TO US LAST WEEK. JUST BECAUSE I, I KNOW HOW INTENSE THE GRANT PROPOSAL PROCESS IS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND HOW HOW MUCH WORK HAS TO GO INTO THAT. I HAVE A DEEP

[01:40:06]

UNDERSTANDING WHAT THOSE TECHNICAL SPECS ARE, WHAT IS NEEDED FOR AN APPLICATION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL SO THAT WHEN THE GRANTS COME AND OPEN UP AGAIN, WE HAVE ALL OF THAT PREPARED AND WE'RE NOT SCRAMBLING AT THE LAST MINUTE. SO LAST WEEK YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THOSE THOSE KINDS OF PROJECTS THAT WE, WE KNOW WE WANT TO PURSUE. SO MY RECOMMENDATION, MY REQUEST WOULD BE THAT THAT WE WORK TOWARDS THAT PLANNING NOW AND NOT WAITING UNTIL A GRANT APPLICATION IS DUE TO GET THAT INFORMATION. AND THAT PROCESS STARTED. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAPPENS IN BUDGET WITH GRANTS OR IF THAT HAPPENS AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL. BUT EITHER WAY, I THINK ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS, THAT SHOULD BE OUR PRIORITY TO DRAW DOWN THOSE THOSE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE WE NEED IT. WE KNOW THAT WE NEED EVERY SINGLE FEDERAL AND STATE DOLLAR THAT'S AVAILABLE TO US. AND SO IT REALLY PAINS ME TO SEE A LOST OPPORTUNITY HERE WHEN WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTY ARE ARE UNDERSERVED OR NOT SERVED BY BROADBAND. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT PLANNING PROCESS LOOKS LIKE INTERNALLY WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR WITH GRANTS, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT STARTS NOW. SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. APPRECIATE APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS. I THINK THEY'RE VERY WELL HEARD. I THAT IS A CONVERSATION IN THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD WITH THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS THIS PAST WEEK THAT WE ALREADY STARTED TO KIND OF PRELIMINARILY DISCUSS AS FAR AS, AS FAR AS RECOGNIZING KIND OF SOME OF THE APPLICATION DETAILS IN THIS OPPORTUNITY AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT DETAILS WE MAY NEED FOR A FUTURE GRANT OPPORTUNITY FROM SOME OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. FOR EXAMPLE, WE DISCUSSED THE PARKS WI-FI PROJECT LAST WEEK. AND SO, YOU KNOW, PARKS VERY PARKS INFORMED US THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING SOME OF THOSE DETAILS NOW. RIGHT. BUT NOW I THINK THERE'S SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AWARENESS OF, OF WHAT NEEDED TO WHAT WOULD NEED TO BE COLLECTED FOR FUTURE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES. AND SO VERY, VERY WELL HEARD SUGGESTION AND COMMISSIONER, AND IT'S DEFINITELY THE INTENT OF THE DEPARTMENT TO FOLLOW THAT PROCESS MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU CHRISTIAN. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. ANYTHING ELSE? THE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU JUDGE. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU CHRISTIAN. GOOD JOB.

ITEM NUMBER 11 A GRANT APPLICATIONS GRANT APPLICATION APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE

[A. GRANT APPLICATION - Approve and authorize the Criminal Justice Coordination Department to apply for the FY26 Department of Veterans Affairs Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program in the amount of $750,000 from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026.  No County match is required. (Contract No. 2025-0524) Catherine Jones, Director, Criminal Justice Coordination, 915-273-3353]

THE GRANT SECTION. WE'RE REQUESTING YOUR APPROVAL TO SUBMIT THE SERGEANT FOX SUICIDE PREVENTION GRANT APPLICATION. THIS IS A ONE YEAR GRANT. THERE IS NO MATCH REQUIRED. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS GRANT WOULD FUND THREE GRANT POSITIONS. DEVELOPMENT OF AN APP AND ALSO FOR SOME TRAINING. AND I WILL PASS THIS OVER TO MR. CHRISTOPHER RAY FOR MORE DETAILS. GOOD MORNING, COUNTY JUDGE, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CHRISTOPHER RAY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATION DEPARTMENT, JUST REALLY QUICKLY ON THIS GRANT. THIS GRANT IS VERY SPECIAL JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT'S DEALING WITH VETERAN SUICIDE. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, 17 VETERANS COMMIT SUICIDE DAILY. THAT'S THE AVERAGE THAT WE'RE SEEING IN AMERICA. AND WHAT THIS GRANT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IS PAY FOR AN APPLICATION. IT'S GOING TO PAY FOR A APP, KIND OF LIKE WHAT THE VA USES, WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH VETERANS AT HOME, WHERE THEY CAN EASILY TALK TO A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL. BUT IT'S GOING TO DO THAT WITH COUNTY STAFF. IT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH OUR VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATION THAT WE HAVE FOR THE COUNTY.

THAT WAY, THEY CAN DO A LOT OF THE LEGWORK OF GETTING APPOINTMENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT OVER THE PHONE, AND IT TAKES OFF THAT STRAIN FROM THAT VETERAN. MORE SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH VETERANS IN CRISIS, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE TEAMING UP WITH

[01:45:04]

SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONNECT THEM THAT WAY. JUST A QUICK STORY. YOU KNOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT, I DEALT WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAD COMMITTED SUICIDE. HE WAS A MARINE COMBAT VETERAN. HE HAD DEALT WITH A LOSS OF A RELATIONSHIP, AND HE SAW NO WAY OUT. AND HE TOOK HIS LIFE. AND THAT ALWAYS STUCK WITH ME BECAUSE COULD WE HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO HELP THAT INDIVIDUAL, ESPECIALLY BEING IN CRISIS? AND SO I THINK THIS WILL BE ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE AND THE PREVENTATIVE SIDE TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO SOMEBODY IN NEED, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO BECAUSE THEY FEAR THE STIGMA. AND SO WITH THIS GRANT, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH THE APPLICATION. AND AS WELL AS HIRING INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'RE GOING TO REALLY REQUIRE THEM TO BE EITHER A VETERAN AND SOME TYPE OF LEADER IN THE MILITARY.

THAT WAY THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, GIVE THAT THAT FEEDBACK TO THOSE VETERANS QUICKLY. YOU KNOW, OUR JACKIE COUNTY COMMISSIONER, JACKIE BULLARD, TALKED ABOUT THE YOU KNOW, THE YOU KNOW, HOW HARD IT IS TO GO AFTER GRANTS. AND I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT ESTELLA AND DOCTOR LESLIE BOERMA HERE, WHO A PERIOD OF MAYBE TWO WEEKS, THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THIS GRANT GOING AND COMPLETED. AND IT WAS A LOT OF WORK. THE VA REQUIRES A LOT OF INFORMATION, SO SPECIAL THANKS TO THEM. I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF TOUCH UPON DOCTOR BAMBA. SHE WORKS FOR THE GRANT, WHICH IS OUR GRANT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ROLLING OUT, WHICH IS 1.6 MILLION FOR OPIOID ABUSE. AND SHE WAS ABLE TO TIE SOME OF THIS INTO THAT GRANT. SO THAT WAY VETERANS ARE SUFFERING FROM SUBSTANCE ABUSE. WE CAN GET THEM HELP WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT THROUGH PEER SUPPORT.

SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF I'D LIKE TO BRING UP DOCTOR BAMBA, MAYBE GIVE A FEW WORDS REGARDING HER WORK AND WITH YOUR VETERAN POPULATION. ABSOLUTELY. APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU CHRIS. GOOD MORNING JUDGE. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS I APOLOGIZE FOR MY VOICE, BUT YES, I AM DOCTOR LESLIE ALISA BAMBA AND I AM THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR OVER THE EL PASO COUNTY OPIOID RECOVERY PROGRAM. AGAIN, LIKE CHRIS HAD MENTIONED, AT $1.6 MILLION GRANT. I'M JUST JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO BE PART OF THIS TEAM AND TO BE PART OF THIS GRANT. I AM A VETERAN MYSELF, AND I HAVE SERVED DURING A TIME WHERE MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE AND SUICIDALITY WAS JUST EXTREMELY PREVALENT. AND SO I DO REMEMBER MY TIME AS A PLATOON LEADER, WORKING WITH MY SOLDIERS AND JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THESE, THESE SERVICE SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN, THESE RESOURCES, THESE COMMUNITY RESOURCES, GIVEN THE LACK OF RESOURCES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. AND SO X AMOUNT OF YEARS LATER, STANDING HERE BEFORE YOU REQUESTING TO APPROVE THIS GRANT APPLICATION, I'M JUST EXTREMELY HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL THAT I CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. SO THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME. THANK YOU. GREAT JOB. AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE IT'S ONE THING TIES INTO THE OTHER. I MEAN RIGHT NOW SUICIDE HOMELESSNESS OBVIOUSLY THE YOU KNOW THE MENTAL HEALTH IN GENERAL ALL TIED IN. SO YOU KNOW VERY APPRECIATIVE BECAUSE IT'S BECOME ONE OF THE PRIORITIES FOR VETERANS AT THIS TIME. AND SO THE TIMING IS EXCELLENT. SO THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.

WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER CORONADO, A SECOND FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. I VOTE AYE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BUTLER. COMMISSIONER STOUT. I THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL RECESS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS ITEMS 12 A THROUGH 12 D PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 AND 551.087. COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL

[12. EXECUTIVE SESSION Only the members of the Commissioners Court have a right to attend an executive session, except that legal counsel must be present if the executive session is held pursuant to Government Code section 551.071. In addition to legal counsel, Commissioners Court may include in executive session certain officers and employees if it finds that (1) their participation is necessary to the matter under consideration; (2) their interests are not adverse to the county, and (3) their presence will not waive the attorney client privilege. Generally, the Chief Administrator, Budget Executive Director, County Clerk's representatives, and County Auditor's Office representatives attend the closed session items based on the enumerated criteria, and certain other persons may attend based on the above-listed criteria or as otherwise provided by law.]

[01:55:38]

[01:55:45]

YEAH, THE TROUT WILL PUT THE HOOK IN THEIR MOUTH AND WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN THEY PULL ON IT, LIKE THEY PULLED BEFORE. THEN YOU YANK ON THE LINE TO GET THE HOOK SET IN THEIR MOUTH, BUT YOU GOT TO TROUT. IT IS KIND OF HARD FISHING FOR TROUT. LIKE THAT.

YOU. THERE HE GOES. WELL, THE LARGE ONE, THE LARGEST ONE I CAUGHT HERE WAS A 15 POUNDER. YEAH, YOU CAN EAT THEM. I DON'T, BECAUSE I LIKE TO CATCH AND RELEASE. I WOULD IF I WAS GOING TO EAT FISH, I'D EAT THE FISH. AND I'VE BEEN FISHING HERE FOR 60 YEARS.

AND YOU LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY.

I HAD A HARD TIME BELIEVING THAT CARS WERE JUST ZOOMING AROUND THIS PLACE. WE TOOK THEM OUT TO A PARK. WE POKED HIS BRAIN A LITTLE BIT AND THIS IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. CHECK IT OUT. WE ARE STANDING ROUGHLY, PROBABLY RIGHT OFF OF TURNS ONE AND TWO FOR EVANS OVAL. IT WAS THE FIRST REALLY MODERN RACETRACK BUILT HERE IN EL PASO. BACK IN 1939, WALTER GOULD DECIDED THAT HE'D HAD ENOUGH OF THE CITY. HE'S RACING OVER IT AT THE RODEO FIELD, WHICH IS NOW THE COUNTY COLISEUM. EVERYBODY WAS COMPLAINING. IT'S TOO LOUD, IT'S TOO DUSTY, HE SAYS. YOU KNOW WHAT? FORGET YOU GUYS. I'M GOING TO GO OUT AND BUILD A NEW SPEEDWAY. AND THIS IS WHERE HE

[02:00:04]

AND BIG SCOREBOARD OVER HERE ON THE NORTH SIDE, WHERE PEOPLE WOULD POKE THEIR HEADS THROUGH AND WATCH THE RACE. WE WERE THE CENTER OF RACING. WE HAD PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER TO COME HERE.

IT'S SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF. WE HAVE A RICH RACING HISTORY, WHETHER IT'S QUARTER MILE DRAGSTERS, DRAG BOATS, GRAND PRIX, THERE WERE SO MANY WEEKENDS, SO MANY PEOPLE OUT HERE, NOT JUST THE DRIVERS, BUT THE FAMILIES AND EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT. IT WAS A VERY VITAL PART OF THE CITY. EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU HAVE A SPEEDWAY THAT DEVELOPS ON THE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF A CITY, EVENTUALLY THE CITY IS GOING TO CATCH UP WITH IT. AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. THEY CAME OUT HERE ANOTHER GOOD 20 YEARS, AND THEN THE CITY CAUGHT UP WITH THEM AND THEY HAD TO MOVE AGAIN. I THINK IT WAS A VERY, VERY VITAL PART BECAUSE IT BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER AND THEY SAW THIS SPACE THAT COULD BE USED FOR MORE THAN JUST, YOU KNOW, PAVING IT OVER. THEY MADE A PARK, YOU KNOW, AS SAD AS I AM TO SEE THE SPEEDWAY GO, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL GOLF COURSE NOW, BUT IT IS PART OF THE HISTORY. AND YOU NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE REMINDED ABOUT THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU SEE THAT GOLF COURSE OR YOU SEE THAT EMPTY LOT AND IT WAS SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. IT'S STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT IT AND YOU'LL SAY, OH YEAH, THIS IS PRETTY COOL.

WELL, ONCE YOU'RE IN A SKATE PARK, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE IS A LITTLE COMMUNITY GARDEN RIGHT HERE. THIS IS WHAT IT IS. IT'S A TEACHING AND DEMONSTRATION GARDEN. WE'RE ACTUALLY ABOUT TO MEET SOMEONE WHO IS KIND OF IN CHARGE OF THIS PLACE, AND IS GOING TO WALK US THROUGH ON HOW YOU CAN ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE. COME ON, LET'S GO MEET HIM. HI. EDUARDO RASCON IS HERE WITH US TODAY. EDUARDO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH US. TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS GARDEN. WHAT IS THIS? SO THIS IS BASICALLY TO TEACH THE COMMUNITY HOW THEY CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THEIR OWN BACKYARD GARDEN AND HOW THEY CAN GROW THEIR OWN PRODUCE. SO EDUARDO, THIS THESE ARE BRUSSELS SPROUTS. YOU JUST. WOW. THESE ARE SO TINY, SO BEAUTIFUL. NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT THIS COMMUNITY GARDEN IS A NONPROFIT, CORRECT? YES. AS A NONPROFIT, SINCE WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY MONEY OUT OF THIS ASSOCIATION OR FUNDRAISING, MOST OF THE MONEY THAT WE DO THROUGH FUNDRAISING OR SALES IS TO ACTUALLY HAVE FUNDS AND BUDGET TO REPLACE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THE GARDEN. EDUARDO. SO THIS IS REALLY UNIQUE PART OF YOUR GARDEN.

YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT THIS IS SPINACH? I CAN ACTUALLY EAT THIS. YES. IT SHOULD BE VERY BUTTERY. IT IS ACTUALLY IT'S REALLY GOOD. PERFECT FOR LIKE, OMELETS OR FOR LIKE SALADS, SMOOTHIES. YOU DON'T PUT ANY PESTICIDES ON THIS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. NO SPRAYING. WE USUALLY TRY TO TELL THE COMMUNITY THAT SHOULD BE USED AS A LAST RESORT, BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER PRACTICES THAT YOU CAN APPLY IN YOUR GARDEN TO PREVENT PESTS FROM COMING IN. I WOULD

[02:05:01]

HELLO EVERYONE. SAM GUZMAN, HERE WE ARE LIVE AT EPCOT AT THE PARK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SMALL TOWN SPOTLIGHT. I SCOUTED THE PARK IS HOME TO MANY THINGS. ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS ITS GOLF COURSE. WHETHER YOU ARE A SEASONED PRO OR SOMEONE WHO JUST WANTS TO APPRECIATE WHAT THE OUTDOORS HAS TO OFFER. HERE AT ASCOT AT THE PARK, THE ASCOT AT THE GOLF COURSE MIGHT BE THE PLACE TO BE. CHECK IT OUT. IT'S GOT A GOLF COURSE IS SPECIAL FOR MANY REASONS. I THINK THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT MAKES US PRETTY SPECIAL. LOTS OF FAMILIES TELL ME. OH YEAH, MY GRANDPA USED TO PLAY HERE. THAT'S HOW I GOT INTRODUCED TO GOLF. IT'S JUST BEEN AROUND FOR SO LONG AND GENERATIONAL. AND THEY'RE LOYAL TO THE GOLF COURSE. GENTLEMEN, HOW ARE WE PLAYING TODAY? GOOD.

YOU GOING THE WRONG WAY. HOLES THAT WAY. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT HAS GOT A DATE THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER IS THE DELTA NINE. THAT'S A SHORTER GOLF COURSE, EXECUTIVE TYPE GOLF COURSE, NINE HOLES. THE PAR FOUR IS A LITTLE SHORTER, BUT IT HAS A PAR THREE AND A PAR FIVE. THAT'S A GREAT THING TO LEARN ON. AND THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT THAT IS LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BOOKED ON TEE TIMES. WE HATE TO TELL SOMEBODY THAT WALKS IN THE DOOR. WE DON'T WANT THEM TO GO HOME WITHOUT PLAYING. WE WANT TO FIND THEM A SPOT, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE VERY ACCOMMODATING GOLF COURSE IN THAT RESPECT. THAT'S A NO NO IN MY BOOK. YOU KNOW I DO NOT WANT THAT GUY DRIVE DOWN HERE AND THEN BE TOLD, OH, WE DON'T HAVE A SPOT FOR YOU. SO WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT. THAT GIVES US 27 HOLES. SO WHEN WE HAVE A TOURNAMENT GOING ON THE MAIN, WE CAN SEND THEM OVER TO THE DELTA NINE, START THEM OFF, AND THEN THEY CAN JUMP OVER HERE ON THE MAIN WHEN THE TOURNAMENT'S DONE.

WE GOT LIGHTED DRIVING RANGE YOU KNOW, AND WE STAY OPEN TILL 9:00 IN THE SUMMER AND 10:00 ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS. WE DID ADD SOME BLACK TEES TEN, 12 YEARS AGO ON THIS GOLF COURSE.

THAT MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. THE GOLF COURSE BEFORE WAS A LITTLE BIT SHORTER FOR CHAMPIONSHIP TYPE PLAYERS, AND ONCE WE DID THAT, WE LENGTHENED IT UP. AND YOU KNOW, WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, THAT WAS GREAT. WHEN I GET TO TALK TO PEOPLE, THAT'S RIGHT UP MY ALLEY. I LOVE THAT, YOU KNOW, I GET TO TALK ABOUT GOLF, I GET TO SIT DOWN AND YOU LEARN SO MANY THINGS. YOU KNOW, YOU GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. BEAUTIFUL. I HOPE TO COME OUT HERE ONE DAY AND GET AROUND.

IT WON'T BE A GOOD ROUND, BUT IT'LL DEFINITELY BE AN EXPERIENCE. NOW, ANOTHER SPORT SCOTT PARK IS HOME TO IS A SPORT THAT IS QUICKLY BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SPORTS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PICKLEBALL. SCOTT PARK IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PLACES TO PLAY HERE IN THE SUN CITY. IT'S GOT FOUR HARD OUTDOOR COURTS, AND AGAIN, IT'S A SPORT THAT IS QUICKLY GAINING MANY, MUCH ATTENTION. AND SCOTT PARK IS THE PLACE TO BE. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO PLAY PICKLEBALL. IT STARTED OUT AS A CASUAL WAY TO GET EXERCISE, AND THEN IT JUST KIND OF SPIRALED INTO AN ADDICTION. OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, JOHN WOODEN HAS BECOME QUITE THE PICKLEBALL ATHLETE, ALL THANKS TO THESE COURTS HERE AT ASCOT PARK. THREE ZERO. MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR AND I MET SOMEBODY ELSE THAT PLAYED HERE ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND THEN WE WENT ONE DAY AND THEN IT WAS TWO, AND THEN IT WAS FOUR, AND THEN IT TURNED INTO LIKE 5 OR 6 TIMES A WEEK. BECAUSE THERE'S JUST JOHN CALLS THESE COURTS THE HUB FOR PICKLEBALL IN THE SUN CITY. YEAH. YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY A COUPLE MILES FROM MY HOUSE, SO IT MAKES THE ADDICTION WORSE BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN GET HERE QUICK. AND SO THIS PART OF TOWN IS PRETTY CENTRAL. PICKLEBALL SUCCESS DOES COME WITH A DOWNSIDE. ACCORDING TO JOHN, THE RELATIVELY NEW COURTS AT ASCARATE ALREADY SHOW SOME WEAR AND TEAR. OVER TIME. IT'S CAUSED THE SURFACE TO CRACK, EVEN THOUGH IT'S FAIRLY NEW. AND SO NOW THEY'RE GOING TO REDO IT BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A POPULAR THING RIGHT NOW. AND JOHN SAYS THE BEST PART OF PICKLEBALL ANYONE CAN PLAY. 002 THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES TO PLAY. IT'S FREE ONCE YOU BUY ALL THE EQUIPMENT, AND THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO'LL TEACH YOU HOW TO DO IT. FOUR. THREE. ONE. IT'S USUALLY STARTS OUT RECREATIONALLY FOR MOST PEOPLE, AND THEN IT TURNS INTO AN ADDICTION.

[02:17:17]

[02:17:23]

YEAH, THE TROUT WILL PUT THE HOOK IN THEIR MOUTH AND WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN THEY PULL ON IT, LIKE THEY PULLED BEFORE. THEN YOU YANK ON THE LINE AND GET THE HOOK SET IN THEIR MOUTH, BUT YOU GOT TO TROUT. IT IS KIND OF HARD FISHING FOR TROUT. LIKE THAT.

BUT. YOU. THERE HE GOES. WELL, THE LARGE ONE, THE LARGEST ONE I CAUGHT HERE WAS A 15 POUNDER. YEAH, YOU CAN EAT THEM. I DON'T, BECAUSE I LIKE TO CATCH AND RELEASE. I WOULD IF I WAS GOING TO EAT FISH, I'D EAT THE FISH. AND I'VE BEEN FISHING HERE FOR 60 YEARS.

AND YOU LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY.

[02:21:04]

AND BIG SCOREBOARD OVER HERE ON THE NORTH SIDE, WHERE PEOPLE WOULD POKE THEIR HEADS THROUGH AND WATCH THE RACE. WE WERE THE CENTER OF RACING. WE HAD PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER TO COME HERE.

IT'S SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF. WE HAVE A RICH RACING HISTORY, WHETHER IT'S QUARTER MILE DRAGSTERS, DRAG BOATS, GRAND PRIX, THERE WERE SO MANY WEEKENDS, SO MANY PEOPLE OUT HERE, NOT JUST THE DRIVERS, BUT THE FAMILIES AND EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT. IT WAS A VERY VITAL PART OF THE CITY. EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU HAVE A SPEEDWAY THAT DEVELOPS ON THE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF A OF A CITY, EVENTUALLY THE CITY IS GOING TO CATCH UP WITH IT. AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

THEY CAME OUT HERE ANOTHER GOOD 20 YEARS, AND THEN THE CITY CAUGHT UP WITH THEM AND THEY HAD TO MOVE AGAIN. I THINK IT WAS A VERY, VERY VITAL PART BECAUSE IT BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER AND THEY SAW THIS SPACE THAT COULD BE USED FOR MORE THAN JUST, YOU KNOW, PAVING IT OVER. THEY MADE A PARK, YOU KNOW, AS SAD AS I AM TO SEE THE SPEEDWAY GO, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL GOLF COURSE NOW, BUT IT IS PART OF THE HISTORY. AND YOU NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE REMINDED ABOUT THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU SEE THAT GOLF COURSE OR YOU SEE THAT EMPTY LOT AND IT WAS SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. IT'S STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT IT AND YOU'LL SAY, OH YEAH, THIS IS PRETTY COOL.

[02:25:12]

CHECK IT OUT. IT'S GOT A GOLF COURSE IS SPECIAL FOR MANY REASONS. I THINK THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT MAKES US PRETTY SPECIAL. LOTS OF FAMILIES TELL ME. OH YEAH, MY GRANDPA USED TO PLAY HERE. THAT'S HOW I GOT INTRODUCED TO GOLF. IT'S JUST BEEN AROUND FOR SO LONG AND GENERATIONAL. AND THEY'RE LOYAL TO THE GOLF COURSE. GENTLEMEN, HOW ARE WE PLAYING TODAY? GOOD.

YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY. HOLES THAT WAY. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT HAS GOT A DATE THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER IS THE DELTA NINE. THAT'S A SHORTER GOLF COURSE, EXECUTIVE TYPE GOLF COURSE, NINE HOLES. THE PAR FOUR IS A LITTLE SHORTER, BUT IT HAS A PAR THREE AND A PAR FIVE.

THAT'S A GREAT THING TO LEARN ON. AND THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT THAT IS LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BOOKED ON TEE TIMES. WE HATE TO TELL SOMEBODY WALKS IN THE DOOR. WE DON'T WANT THEM TO GO HOME WITHOUT PLAYING. WE WANT TO FIND THEM A SPOT, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE VERY ACCOMMODATING GOLF COURSE IN THAT RESPECT. THAT'S A NO NO IN MY BOOK. YOU KNOW I DO NOT WANT THAT GUY DRIVE DOWN HERE AND THEN BE TOLD, OH, WE DON'T HAVE A SPOT FOR YOU. SO WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT. THAT GIVES US 27 HOLES. SO WHEN WE HAVE A TOURNAMENT GOING ON THE MAIN, WE CAN SEND THEM OVER TO THE DELTA NINE, START THEM OFF, AND THEN THEY CAN JUMP OVER HERE ON THE MAIN WHEN THE TOURNAMENT'S DONE, WE GOT LIGHTED DRIVING RANGE YOU KNOW, AND WE STAY OPEN TILL 9:00 IN THE SUMMER AND 10:00 ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS. WE DID ADD SOME BLACK TEES TEN, 12 YEARS AGO ON THIS GOLF COURSE. THAT MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. THE GOLF COURSE BEFORE WAS A LITTLE BIT SHORTER FOR CHAMPIONSHIP TYPE PLAYERS, AND ONCE WE DID THAT, WE LENGTHENED IT UP. AND YOU KNOW, WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, THAT WAS GREAT. WHEN I GET TO TALK TO PEOPLE, THAT'S RIGHT UP MY ALLEY. I LOVE THAT, YOU KNOW, I GET TO TALK ABOUT GOLF, I GET TO SIT DOWN AND YOU LEARN SO MANY THINGS. YOU KNOW, YOU GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. I HOPE TO COME OUT HERE ONE DAY AND GET AROUND. IT WON'T BE A GOOD ROUND, BUT IT'LL DEFINITELY BE AN EXPERIENCE. NOW. ANOTHER SPORT AT THE PARK IS HOME TO IS A SPORT THAT IS QUICKLY BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SPORTS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PICKLEBALL. SCOTT AT THE PARK IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PLACES TO PLAY HERE IN THE SUN CITY. IT'S GOT FOUR HARD OUTDOOR COURTS, AND AGAIN, IT'S A SPORT THAT IS QUICKLY GAINING MANY, MUCH ATTENTION. AND SCOTT PARK IS THE PLACE TO BE IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO PLAY PICKLEBALL. IT STARTED OUT AS A CASUAL WAY TO GET EXERCISE, AND THEN IT JUST KIND OF SPIRALED INTO AN ADDICTION. OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, JOHN WOODEN HAS BECOME QUITE THE PICKLEBALL ATHLETE, ALL THANKS TO THESE COURTS HERE AT ASCARATE PARK. THREE ZERO. MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR AND I MET SOMEBODY ELSE

[02:30:01]

[13. REGULAR SESSION]

[02:38:55]

[A. Discuss and take appropriate action regarding pending litigation styled United States v. Texas, No. 24-50149, County Attorney’s File No. 0165-23-PL. Bernardo Cruz, Assistant County Attorney, County Attorney's Office, 915-273-3247]

[02:40:06]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. PRODUCTION TEAM, THIS CONCLUDES TODAY'S MEETING AT 12:10 P.M.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.