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          LIVE FROM EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS, THE VETERANS CAPITAL OF THE USA. FROM INSIDE THE ALICIA CHACON 
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COMMISSIONERS COURTROOM OF THE ENRIQUE MORENO COUNTY COURTHOUSE. YOU ARE WATCHING THE 
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EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING. GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. TODAY IS 
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MONDAY, AUGUST 11TH, 2025. COMMISSIONERS COURT IS MEETING IN REGULAR OPEN SESSION THIS 
          [1. OPEN MEETING]
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MORNING. WE'RE JOINED BY ASL INTERPRETERS DARIO GARCIA AND TAMARA MARQUEZ. COMMISSIONER 
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OLGUIN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE THIS MORNING'S PLEDGE GROUP? YES. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. SO TODAY IS A LITTLE BIT SAD BECAUSE OUR PLEDGE WILL BE LED BY OUR 
          [2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
FABULOUS INTERN, CAMILA GUERRERO, AS THIS IS HER LAST WEEK HERE IN MY OFFICE. SO WE WILL BE SAYING GOODBYE TO HER A LITTLE BIT LATER. BUT AS MANY OF YOU ALL KNOW, CAMILA GRADUATED IN MAY FROM UTEP AND SO SHE IS NOW GOING ON TO WORK FULL TIME, BUT SHE'LL STILL BE HERE IN THE COUNTY, SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY FOR THAT. SHE'LL STILL BE PART OF OUR COUNTY FAMILY FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER. SHE JUST WON'T BE IN OUR OFFICE AND WE'LL MISS HER TREMENDOUSLY. SO THIS IS HER FAREWELL GOING AWAY PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOR US. THANK YOU. PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE 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 THEE. TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, FOR ALL THE TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE. 
          THANK YOU. WELL, YOU'RE STILL HERE IN THE BUILDING, SO WE EXPECT YOU TO COME OFTEN AND SAY HI AND VISIT. YOU'RE STILL PART OF THE COUNTY FAMILY. THANK YOU. YES, DEFINITELY. NEXT WILL RECEIVE AN INVOCATION FROM CHAPLAIN DAVID MAYFIELD WITH THE EL PASO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND EL PASO POLICE DEPARTMENT CHAPLAIN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUDGE SAMANIEGO. COMMISSIONERS, 
          [3. INVOCATION]
ONCE AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I INVITE THE COUNCIL OR THE COURT AND THOSE PRESENT TO PRAY IN THEIR TRADITION, AS I WILL PRAY IN MINE. ALMIGHTY GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY SEEKING WISDOM, CLARITY AND FAIRNESS IN ALL THAT IS DECIDED HERE. BLESS THE MEMBERS OF THIS COURT WITH DISCERNMENT THAT HONORS JUSTICE, COMPASSION THAT SERVES THE PEOPLE, AND HUMILITY THAT REMEMBERS OUR ACCOUNTABILITY TO YOU AND TO THOSE WE REPRESENT. MAY OUR WORDS BE TRUTHFUL, OUR ACTIONS HONORABLE, AND OUR MOTIVES PURE. GUIDE EVERY DISCUSSION AND DECISION SO THAT THEY BRING PEACE, ORDER, AND BLESSING TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE PRAY THIS IN YOUR HOLY NAME. 
          AMEN. THANK YOU. AS I SAID, YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME HERE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. JUDGE, DO YOU HAVE ANY OPENING REMARKS FOR US THIS MORNING? WELL, AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. AND ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THE COMMISSIONERS, IT FEELS A LITTLE WHEN WE HAVE A LOT OF RESOLUTIONS, WE HAVE THE, THE ROOM FILLED AND A LOT OF ENERGY, BUT IT'S THE SAME KIND OF ENERGY THAT I HOPE THAT THOSE THAT ARE HEARING THAT THEY DO PARTICIPATE. AND WE THANK YOU. 
          SO ASKING ALL OF YOU, WE REALLY WISH YOU A GREAT MONDAY AND JUST A VERY BLESSED WEEK. SO HOPE TO SEE YOU OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU JUDGE. ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS THE CONSENT AGENDA COMPOSED OF ITEMS FOUR A THROUGH FOUR Y. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT MEMBERS OF THE 
          [4. CONSENT AGENDA]
COURT OR THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO PULL FOR INDIVIDUAL DISCUSSION? NO, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER. JUST DID. LET ME SEE IF IT LETS ME KNOW. IT JUST SAYS WAITING. I THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER FIVE A FROM RESOLUTIONS. WE DO HAVE A CORRECTION TO READ IN FOR THIS ITEM. THIS ITEM AS CORRECTED, 
          [A. Approve and adopt a resolution regarding the migrant detention center expected at Ft. Bliss in El Paso County.
Jackie Butler, Commissioner, Precinct 1, 915-273-3594]
SHOULD READ, APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE MIGRANT DETENTION CENTER AT FORT BLISS IN EL PASO COUNTY. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BUTLER. YES, THANK YOU, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, 
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AND MY APOLOGIES FOR STRAYING FROM OUR AGREED UPON CALENDAR OF RESOLUTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS ARE JOYFUL AND CELEBRATORY. UNFORTUNATELY, TODAY'S IS NOT THAT, BUT IT'S EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT. I THINK I HAVE A FEW OPENING COMMENTS AND THEN I'LL READ THE RESOLUTIONS. I KNOW THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ARE HERE TO SPEAK. IF THAT'S OKAY, JUDGE TO INVITE YOU ALL UP AFTER I READ THE RESOLUTIONS AND THEN I GUESS WE COULD HAVE A DISCUSSION. BUT TODAY I'M BRINGING FORWARD THIS RESOLUTION REGARDING THE FEDERAL DETENTION CENTER LOCATED AT IN EAST EL PASO COUNTY ON FORT BLISS. IT'S BEEN NAMED CAMP EAST MONTANA IN PRECINCT ONE. IT'S NOT JUST ANY FACILITY. ONCE IT'S FULLY OPERATIONAL, IT WILL BE THE LARGEST ICE DETENTION FACILITY IN THE UNITED STATES. IT'S SCALE COMES WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY PRICE TAG AT $1.26 BILLION OVER TWICE OUR ANNUAL BUDGET HERE AT THE COUNTY, FUNDED BY FEDERAL DOLLARS. AND ITS PRESENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY MEANS WE CAN'T AND SHOULD NOT IGNORE THE IMPACT IT HAS HERE AT HOME. WHILE THIS DETENTION CENTER OPERATES UNDER FEDERAL AUTHORITY, WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE ITS WALLS AFFECTS US ALL, FROM STRAIN ON OUR LOCAL RESOURCES TO THE PUBLIC'S TRUST IN OUR INSTITUTIONS. AND WHILE THIS DETENTION CENTER IS ON FORT BLISS, IT'S NOT REMOTE LIKE WE'VE SEEN OTHER DETENTION CENTERS BE. IT'S THIS FACILITY IS ADJACENT TO SOME OF THE MOST POPULATED NEIGHBORHOODS IN EL PASO COUNTY. WE CAN'T IGNORE THE IMPACTS THIS FACILITY COULD HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW OUR COMMUNITY TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ANY POTENTIAL HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS THAT MAY OCCUR THERE. THIS RESOLUTION CALLS FOR SOMETHING REALLY SIMPLE BUT ESSENTIAL TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND OPEN COLLABORATION BETWEEN FEDERAL AGENCIES, LOCAL OFFICIALS, AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. WHILE A FACILITY OF THIS SIZE OPERATES IN OUR COUNTY, WHEN A FACILITY OF THIS SIZE OPERATES IN OUR COUNTY, OUR RESIDENTS EXPECT THAT WE SHOULD BE INFORMED THAT DUE PROCESS WILL BE RESPECTED AND THAT HUMANE TREATMENT WILL BE THE STANDARD. BY ADOPTING THIS RESOLUTION, I HOPE THAT EL PASO COUNTY WILL SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT WE'RE READY TO WORK WITH OUR FEDERAL COUNTERPARTS, THAT WE WELCOME COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING WITH FORT BLISS LEADERSHIP AND OUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES. WE HAVE A GREAT REP RELATIONSHIP WITH ALREADY, AND THAT WE'RE READY TO WORK TO ENSURE THAT THE OPERATIONS OF THE NATION'S LARGEST DETENTION FACILITY REFLECT THE VALUES AND INTEGRITY OF OUR COMMUNITY TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE. SO I'LL READ THE RESOLUTION. IT'S A LITTLE LENGTHY, I APOLOGIZE, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. AND THEN AGAIN, WE'LL WELCOME COMMUNITY COMMENTS. WHEREAS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS INITIATED OPERATIONS AT A NEW 5000 BED MIGRANT DETENTION CENTER, CAMP EAST, MONTANA, LOCATED ON FORT BLISS PROPERTY IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS, THE LARGEST SUCH FACILITY IN THE NATION'S HISTORY. AND WHEREAS THIS FACILITY IS BEING CONSTRUCTED AND OPERATED UNDER FEDERAL CONTRACT BY PRIVATE ENTITIES, INCLUDING FIRMS WITH NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN IMMIGRATION DETENTION OR HUMANITARIAN OVERSIGHT, AND WHEREAS, OVERSIGHT FROM MULTIPLE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT IS ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE THAT THE FACILITY OPERATES HUMANELY AND EFFICIENTLY, INCLUDING TRANSPARENT HIRING PRACTICES THAT PROTECT THE SAFETY OF DETAINEES, STAFF, AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS STAFFING PLANS FOR CAMP EAST MONTANA HAVE NOT BEEN DISCLOSED, LEAVING UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT VETTING CRITERIA, TRAINING REQUIREMENTS AND WHETHER CONTRACTORS WILL ATTEMPT TO RECRUIT PERSONNEL FROM ALREADY STRAINED LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND JAIL SYSTEMS. AND WHEREAS THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAS APPROVED A $1.26 BILLION CONTRACT AWARDED TO ACQUISITIONS LOGISTICS, LLC TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE CAMP EAST, MONTANA THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2027, OF WHICH THE ARMY HAS ALLOCATED APPROXIMATELY $232 MILLION TO DATE FOR CONSTRUCTION AND EARLY OPERATIONS. DESPITE THE CONTRACTORS LACK OF PRIOR EXPERIENCE MANAGING DETENTION FACILITIES AND WHEREAS, CAMP EAST MONTANA IS LOCATED WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF EL PASO COUNTY PRECINCT ONE, MAKING IT IMPERATIVE THAT THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS ARE INFORMED AND ENGAGED IN DECISIONS AFFECTING PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING. AND WHEREAS FORT BLISS IS A CRITICAL TRAINING INSTALLATION VITAL TO OUR NATION'S MILITARY READINESS, READINESS AND THE USE OF ITS LAND AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR MASS CIVIL DETENTION RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE MILITARIZATION OF IMMIGRATION POLICY AND THE EROSION OF CLEAR BOUNDARIES BETWEEN DEFENSE AND CIVILIAN FUNCTIONS. AND WHEREAS PREVIOUS ITERATIONS OF LARGE SCALE TENT BASED DETENTION CENTERS HAVE RESULTED IN DOCUMENTED INHUMANE CONDITIONS, INCLUDING EXTREME HEAT, UNSANITARY FACILITIES, AND LACK OF ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE, BASIC NECESSITIES, AND LEGAL COUNSEL. AND WHEREAS THIS FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION HAS ANNOUNCED AN 
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INTENT TO EXPAND DETENTION AND DEPORTATION AT AN ACCELERATED PACE, RAISING SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT DUE PROCESS, CIVIL LIBERTIES AND WRONGFUL DETENTION. AND WHEREAS, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, INCLUDING EL PASO'S U.S. REPRESENTATIVE VERONICA ESCOBAR, HAVE BEEN DENIED ACCESS TO ICE DETENTION SITES REPRESENTING A DIRECT ATTACK ON PUBLIC OVERSIGHT AND DEMOCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY, AND WHEREAS THE DECISION TO SITE AND OPERATE THIS FACILITY WITHOUT MEANINGFUL CONSULTATION WITH LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS OR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS REFLECTS A DISREGARD FOR REGIONAL STABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. AND WHEREAS EL PASO COUNTY IS A COMMUNITY ROOTED IN IMMIGRANT HERITAGE, MILITARY SERVICE AND AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO HUMAN DIGNITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT FORMALLY DENOUNCES THE USE OF EL PASO'S MILITARY INSTALLATIONS FOR MASS DETENTION OF MIGRANTS, PARTICULARLY UNDER OPAQUE, OPAQUE PRIVATE CONTRACTS THAT CIRCUMVENT BASIC STANDARDS OF TRANSPARENCY, PUBLIC INPUT AND OVERSIGHT DEMANDS IMMEDIATE DISCLOSURE FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, AND FORT BLISS REGARDING OPERATIONAL PLANS, CONTRACTOR ROLES, AND DETAINEE TREATMENT PROTOCOLS AT CAMP EAST, MONTANA. REQUEST URGENT CLARIFICATION ON HIRING AND STAFFING PLANS FOR THE FACILITY, INCLUDING VETTING AND TRAINING PROCEDURES, AND CALLS FOR ASSURANCES THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND JAIL PERSONNEL WILL NOT BE RECRUITED OR DIVERTED. CALLS FOR ACCESS TO CAMPS MONTANA FOR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, LEGAL ADVOCATES, AND HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS TO MONITOR CONDITIONS AND ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH CONSTITUTIONAL AND HUMANITARIAN STANDARDS. REQUEST A FORMAL BRIEFING FROM ICE, DHS, AND FORT BLISS LEADERSHIP WITHIN 30 DAYS TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS DIRECTLY WITH THE COMMISSIONERS COURT AND THE COMMUNITY. AFFIRMS EL PASO COUNTY'S POSITION THAT THE EXPANSION OF MASS DETENTION WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, ACCESS TO DUE PROCESS, OR CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH OUR COMMUNITY'S VALUES AND CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATIONS, AND REAFFIRMS THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO CIVIL RIGHTS, HUMAN DIGNITY, AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY IN ALL FEDERAL OPERATIONS WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION. SIGNED THE SEVENTH DAY OF AUGUST 2025. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND A SECOND FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO. JUDGE, BEFORE WE TAKE THE VOTE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR THE PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, PLEASE. OKAY. WE HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE TELEPHONE AND ONLINE. WE'D LIKE TO START WITH. SARAH CRUZ, PLEASE. I'M HERE. IS IT OKAY TO. GOOD MORNING. DO I START? YES, PLEASE. YES, PLEASE. OKAY. SORRY. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. GOOD MORNING. AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR ALLOWING US TO SUBMIT THIS STATEMENT AND TO COMMISSIONER BUTLER FOR SUBMITTING FOR, FOR GETTING THIS RESOLUTION SUBMITTED. SO HI EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS SARAH CRUZ. I AM WITH THE ACLU OF TEXAS AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND START MY STATEMENT. IT IS A LITTLE LENGTHY SO I APOLOGIZE. BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, SO THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF TEXAS RESPECTFULLY SUBMITS THIS STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD, IN SUPPORT OF EL BOSCO COUNTY'S RESOLUTION ON IMMIGRATION DETENTION AT FORT BLISS. AS THE RESOLUTION NOTES, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS POISED TO BUILD THE LARGEST IMMIGRATION DETENTION CAMP IN THE COUNTRY ON FORT BLISS, PUTTING UP TO 5000 INDIVIDUALS IN A TENT CITY WHERE INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT WILL LIKELY BE RESTRICTED. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S PLAN TO DETAIN 5000 PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMIGRANTS IN TENTS ON OUR BASE IN THE IN THE HEIGHT OF SUMMER AROUND THE TEXAS BORDER, WHERE THE HEAT REGULARLY APPROACHES TRIPLE DIGITS IS CRUEL, COSTLY AND UNNECESSARY. DETAINING PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMIGRANTS OR REFUGEES ON MILITARY BASES WILL ONLY MAKE IT HARDER FOR DETAINEES TO ACCESS, COUNSEL AND CONNECT WITH FAMILY MEMBERS RIGHTS THAT ARE ALREADY ROUTINELY VIOLATED IN ICE DETENTION SITES. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS MISUSING MILITARY BASES TO EXPEDITE AND EXPAND ITS UNPOPULAR DEPORTATION AGENDA, PULLING IN THE MILITARY TO RUBBER STAMP THIS AGENDA REGARDLESS OF THE HARM TO THOSE DETAINED AND AT ANY COST TO MILITARY READINESS. READINESS. EL PASO COUNTY, WELL KNOWN FOR THE RESILIENCE AND WARMTH OF ITS PEOPLE, ALSO HOLDS A LEGACY OF HARM THAT WE CANNOT REVERT BACK TO. RESUMING. IMMIGRATION DETENTION IN TENTS AT FORT BLISS HARKENS BACK TO PREVIOUS TERRIBLE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN THAT BASE'S HISTORY. THIS BASE IS AMONG SEVERAL IN TEXAS USED DURING WORLD WAR TWO FOR JAPANESE INTERNMENT DURING THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION, FORT BLISS WAS USED TO HOUSE THOUSANDS OF MEXICAN REFUGEES IN DEHUMANIZING CONDITIONS IN MILITARY TENTS AND BARRACKS, WHERE THEY WERE FORCIBLY EXPOSED TO TOXIC CHEMICALS LATER USED BY THE NAZIS IN CONCENTRATION CAMP GAS CHAMBERS AND UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, IT HOUSED UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN, MANY OF WHOM WERE SUBJECT TO SEXUAL AND OTHER ABUSE. WE REFUSE TO REOPEN THOSE SHAMEFUL CHAPTERS IN OUR HISTORY. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RECENTLY RECEIVED $170 MILLION 
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FOR ITS DEPORTATION AGENDA, WITH 45 BILLION GOING TO IMMIGRATION DETENTION BEDS. THIS ENORMOUS WINDFALL OF MONEY WHICH COULD OTHERWISE FUND NUMEROUS SERVICES THAT COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS WANT AND NEED, LIKE COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE AND UPGRADE TO OUR ELECTRICAL GRID AND FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, IS BEING SPENT ON DETENTION SYSTEM RIFE WITH ABUSE. THE VAGUELY WORDED BORDER SECURITY MONEY, INCLUDING 10 BILLION TO REIMBURSE THE STATE FOR ITS ABUSIVE OPERATION LONE STAR PROGRAM AND OTHER ACTIONS COULD COULD INSTEAD HAVE FUNDED 82,764 RURAL CLINICS IN TEXAS. 
          THIS NEW TENT CAMP WILL REPORTEDLY REPORTEDLY COST AT LEAST 1.2 BILLION, WITH THE MONEY GOING TO PRIVATE, FOR PROFIT COMPANIES WITH A MIXED RECORD OF LABOR ABUSES. 
          EXPANDING DETENTION IN THE STATE, WHICH ALREADY DETAINS THOUSANDS OF OUR NEIGHBORS FROM TEXAS AND AROUND THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, PUTS OUR STATE ON A DARK PATH. IN JUST THE FIRST SEVEN MONTHS OF THE ADMINISTRATION, THERE ALREADY HAVE BEEN 12 DEATHS IN ICE DETENTION, SURPASSING THE NUMBER OF DEATHS IN ICE DETENTION IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR. AMIDST THESE DEATHS AND REPORTS OF ABUSE, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEIR STAFF AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY REFUSED ENTRY TO CONDUCT AUTHORIZED AND NECESSARY OVERSIGHT ON THE FACILITIES. FACILITIES LIKE THE ONE ON FORT BLISS ARE WHERE OUR NEIGHBORS, RELATIVES AND COWORKERS ARE BEING DISAPPEARED TO BY ARMED AND MASKED FEDERAL AGENTS. OUR MILITARY BASE SHOULD NOT BECOME COMPLICIT IN THESE ABUSES. WE DO NOT WANT THIS BASE HOME TO 90,000 90,000 SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, TO BECOME ANOTHER NOTORIOUS STAIN ON OUR NATIONAL CONSCIENCE, ASSOCIATED WITH FLIGHTS TO GUANTANAMO AND AN EXPANDING DETENTION CAP WITH A DARK HISTORY OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES, I APOLOGIZE, I HAVE JUST TWO MORE, TWO MORE PARAGRAPHS. SO WE BELIEVE IN A TEXAS WHERE EVERY PERSON IN OUR STATE HAS A VOICE AND IS TREATED WITH HUMAN DIGNITY AND RESPECT, TURNING FORT BLISS INTO A MASSIVE IMMIGRANT IMMIGRANT DETENTION CAMP IS TURNING OUR BACK ON WHO WE ARE AS TEXANS BY THE VERY MEANING OF ITS ORIGIN NAME, TEXAS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE OF FRIENDSHIP AND RESPECT AMONG THE VARIOUS PEOPLES WHO HAVE CALLED THIS LAND HOME OR BEEN WELCOMED ON ITS SHORES. AS THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION NOTES, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE OUR BASE TAKEN OVER BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND PRIVATE PROFITEERS TO BUILD A MILITARIZED TENT CITY TO DETAIN OUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS. 
          THIS RUSHED, COSTLY AND EXPANSIVE OPERATION HAS ALREADY MOVED FORWARD WITH TOO LITTLE OVERSIGHT OR INPUT FROM LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND ELECTED LEADERS. WE'RE GRAVELY CONCERNED THAT, ONCE BUILT, THIS DETENTION CAMP WILL BECOME A PERMANENT FIXTURE AND DARK CLOUD OVER EL PASO COUNTY, CHANGING BOTH THE USE OF THE MILITARY IN OUR NATION AND THE FACE OF HUMAN DETENTION FOREVER. THIS IS NOT THE PRECEDENT THAT OUR COUNTY, STATE OR BASE SHOULD SET. WE APPLAUD AND STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AND ITS REQUEST FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESS FOR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, ATTORNEYS AND OTHER ADVOCATES. WE MUST ENSURE THAT THOSE DETAINED ON THIS BASE ARE TREATED HUMANELY, WITH DIGNITY AND CAN ACCESS CRITICAL SERVICES LIKE LEGAL ASSISTANCE AND MEDICAL CARE. WHILE RACIAL VIOLENCE AND STATE SANCTIONED ABUSES AGAINST THE AGAINST ITS COMMUNITIES REMAINS FRESH ON THE MINDS OF EL PASO AND EL PASO COUNTY MUST NOT BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO EXPAND DETENTION CAMPS NATIONWIDE, WHERE HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS RUN RAMPANT. WE MUST NOT REPEAT THE MISTAKES OF FORT BLISS DARK HISTORY. WE SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AND THE COUNTY IN ASSURING THAT EL PASO AND STAND FIRM AGAINST PERPETUATING A LEGACY OF ABUSE AND HARM ON THEIR PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DIANA MARTINEZ. AND I'D JUST LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES. 
          EVERYBODY IS BEING TIMED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU CESAR. GO AHEAD DIANA YOU ARE YOU'RE MUTED WELCOME DIANA. THERE WE GO. HELLO. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC COMMENT I AM FROM THE COALITION TO END CHILD DETENTION AND WE HAVE SEEN WHAT JUST RECENTLY IN 2021, IT'S NOT THAT FAR BACK WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO HAVE MIGRANTS DETAINED ON FORT BLISS. THE FORT BLISS DETENTION CENTER IS DANGEROUS FOR MIGRANTS BECAUSE IT IS ON FORT BLISS. 
          THERE WILL BE A LACK OF INFORMATION ABOUT WELL-BEING OF MIGRANTS IN TERMS OF THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. I SPOKE TO JOURNALISTS DURING THAT TIME AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A BLACK HOLE FOR ANY INFORMATION TO GET ANYTHING OUT OF THERE, UNLESS YOU KNEW SOMEONE WORKING IN THERE, THEY SHOULD NOT BE. THEY SHOULD NOT BE TREATED AS CRIMINALS, SO 
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DANGEROUS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE HELD ON A MILITARY BASE BECAUSE MIGRANTS ARE NOT CRIMINALS. 
          ASYLUM SEEKERS ARE NOT CRIMINALS. EMPLOYEES SHOULD NOT BE MADE TO SIGN NDAS. DURING 2021, THE EMPLOYEES WERE MADE TO SIGN NDAS AND THEY THEY WERE AFRAID OF REPORTING ANY OF THE ABUSES THAT THEY SAW BECAUSE THE NDA SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE FINANCIALLY PUNISHED IN, YOU KNOW, IN AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF, OF A FINE. SO PEOPLE WERE SO FRIGHTENED TO COME OUT AND MAKE ANY TYPE OF PUBLIC REPORTING OF ANY ABUSE THAT THEY SAW WHEN MIGRANT CHILDREN WERE HELD ON THE FORT BLISS BASE, THEY WERE SO AFRAID THEY WERE. HOW CAN I SAY THEY DID NOT RECEIVE PROPER NUTRITION NOR HYGIENE? THEY WERE SERVED CHICKEN THAT WAS NOT FULLY COOKED. RELATIVES COMPLAINED TO ME ABOUT NOT HAVING SUFFICIENT COMMUNICATION WITH THE CHILDREN INSIDE. 
          OVERCROWDING RESULTED IN BREAKOUTS OF COVID AND SCABIES. EMPLOYEES TOLD ME THEY HAD TO WEAR HEAD COVERINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DID NOT GET SCABIES. THE REPORTS COMING OUT OF FLORIDA NOW, AND THAT'S HOW THEY TREATED CHILDREN IN 2021, AND THE CONTRACTORS WERE NOT EXPERIENCED IN DEALING WITH MIGRANT DETENTION. AND NOW THE REPORTS COMING OUT OF FLORIDA ARE HORRIBLE AND HORRIFIC. SO THAT'S HOW THEY TREAT CHILDREN. HOW ARE THEY GOING TO BE TREATING ADULTS? OKAY. SO WE SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO STAND AGAINST THIS. IN 50 YEARS. 
          WE WILL LOOK BACK AT THIS AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO ASK, WHAT DID WE DO TO STOP THIS? OKAY. 
          AND PEOPLE IN FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE GOING TO REMEMBER THIS. LIKE WE REMEMBER INTERNMENT OF JAPANESE AMERICANS. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. THANK YOU. 
          OUR NEXT SPEAKER ONLINE IS ANA REZA. WELCOME, ANA. HELLO. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS ANA REZA, A LOCAL ACTIVIST. AND I ALSO WORK FOR THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF THE RIO GRANDE. HOLY SCRIPTURE IS CLEAR ABOUT HOW TO TREAT PEOPLE TRYING TO FIND SAFETY FOR THEIR FAMILIES. WE ARE TO SHELTER AND WELCOME THEM WITH DIGNITY. JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH WERE HOMELESS AND FLED DANGER TO SEEK ASYLUM. EVERY FAMILY IS SACRED AND WE HAVE OUR FAITH, AND OUR FAITH CALLS US TO A HIGHER STANDARD OF LOVE, COMPASSION AND JUSTICE. INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE BEING JAILED TODAY. RIGHT NOW. FAMILIES. ONE OF MY FRIENDS THAT I WAS VISITING IN VENEZUELA SAID, YOU KNOW, OH MY GOD, THERE'S A PREGNANT WOMAN IN HERE. HE WAS SHOCKED. I WASN'T BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT. AND I HEARD MY HEART THAT I WAS IN SHOCK. WE SHOULD BE SHOCKED THAT PREGNANT WOMEN, CHILDREN, VULNERABLE PEOPLE, INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE BEING JAILED. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PLACE THAT NEVER TURNS OFF THE LIGHTS. IT'S. WE HAVE SEEN MANY REPORTS, AS DIANE AND OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE SPOKEN, ARE A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. OUR MILITARY SHOULD SUPPORT PEOPLE, NOT JAIL THEM. WE HAD A SHELTER AND ALL THE PEOPLE WE SAW WERE GOOD, FAITHFUL PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE WE MEET TODAY AT THE COURTS THAT ARE STILL BEING DETAINED AND ARE BEING TAKEN TO DETENTION, DIFFERENT DETENTION CENTERS ARE PEOPLE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY SHOWING UP. THEY HAVE BEEN BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE MOMS, DADS, GRANDPARENTS, SONS AND DAUGHTERS, OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST. OUR FAITH CALLS US TO A HIGHER STANDARD OF LOVE, COMPASSION AND JUSTICE. WE SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AND AS THE NATIONAL EYE IS ON US, WE NEED TO SPEAK THE TRUTH OF WHAT THIS IS. AND IT'S DANGEROUS AND IT'S NOT HEALTHY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AS WELL. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE SPEAKERS IN THE COURTROOM THAT WANTED TO DISCUSS THIS ITEM? YES, SIR. WE HAVE SEVERAL, I THINK. YEAH. COME ON UP TO THE PODIUM. STEP UP TO THE PODIUM. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. WELCOME. 
          MY NAME IS LORI MARSHALL. I'M THE FOUNDER OF UNITY THROUGH CREATIVITY AND ON THE ADJUNCT 
          [00:50:01]
FACULTY AT UTEP. I WANT TO DEEPLY THANK YOU FOR THIS RESOLUTION. EL PASO IS A LEADER IN THE NATION OF BEING AN INTERNATIONAL CITY OF PEACE, WHERE ALL PEOPLE ARE TREATED WITH THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND WITH DIGNITY. THE ICE PEOPLE SAY IN THEIR. PRESS RELEASE ABOUT THIS. IT WILL ALSO SERVE AS A PROCESSING FACILITY FOR THAT WILL EFFECTUATE REMOVAL FOR ALIENS STAGED AT THE FACILITY, WHICH ENABLES ICE TO DETAIN THE RAPIDLY INCREASING NUMBER OF CRIMINAL ALIENS, IS BRAVE. OFFICERS AND SPECIAL AGENTS ARREST. THEY ARE NOT ARRESTING CRIMINALS. THEY ARE ARRESTING PEOPLE WHO CAME HERE SEEKING LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. 
          IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE A STAND AND I, I A LETTER CAME TO ME TO THE MILITARY. THEY HAVE THEIR HANDS TIED. I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE LEASING THE LAND. THEY ALSO ARE BRAVE AND DIGNIFIED PEOPLE WHO TOOK AN OATH TO THE CONSTITUTION. I'D LIKE TO SHARE THE LETTER THAT I'VE WRITTEN THAT I WOULD LOVE FOR ALL OF EL PASO TO GET BEHIND, TO SUPPORT THOSE IN THE MILITARY WHO UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT WHAT THEY WERE CALLED TO DO. WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF EL PASO, BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE WITHIN OUR COUNTY DESERVES THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY. THEREFORE, WE ASK THAT ALL PEOPLE WHO COME TO CAMP EAST MONTANA MUST BE PRESENTED A WARRANT FROM A JUDGE AND MUST COME BEFORE A JUDGE TO DETERMINE THEIR STATUS. DUE PROCESS IS FOR EVERYONE. YES, THE ARMY ANSWERS TO THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF. THE ARMY AND ALL ITS MEMBERS HAVE ALSO SWORN AN OATH TO THE CONSTITUTION, WHICH TRANSCENDS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF'S ORDER. IF THEY ARE UNLAWFUL. ACCORDING TO THE UNIVERSAL CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE, DENYING DUE PROCESS VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTION. WE APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS GRAVE AND SERIOUS MATTER. EVERY ONE OF US HAS A VOICE THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF DEMOCRACY. WE ARE ALL HERE TO SAY, LET'S TREAT EACH OTHER AS JESUS WOULD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM? COMMISSIONER BUTLER, DO YOU WANT TO JUST AGAIN, THANK YOU, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, FOR ALLOWING ME TO BRING THIS RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU. I. AS SOON AS THE IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THAT THIS DETENTION CENTER WAS COMING TO FORT BLISS AND THE SITE WAS ANNOUNCED, THIS FACILITY YOU CAN NOW SEE ON MY DAILY COMMUTE FROM MONTANA VISTA TO DOWNTOWN OFF OF MONTANA. IT'S IN OUR BACKYARD. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR BACKYARD IS A REFLECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR VALUES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I DO NOT WANT A CAMP THAT'S NAMED AFTER THE MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT I WENT TO BE A REFLECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR VALUES. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR STANDING WITH ME ON THIS AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BUTLER. IT'S JUST SO DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT'S SO UNLIKELY FOR I MEAN, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST PLACES WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN WITH RESPECT TO BEING HUMANITARIAN TO, YOU KNOW, ANY SITUATION THAT HAS TO DO WITH OUR IMMIGRANTS. I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THAT WHEN IT JUST STARTED, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ADDRESSING IT FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS, PEOPLE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH THE VOLUNTEERS WERE DOING. THERE WAS NO PUBLICITY THERE. JUST HUNDREDS WERE COMING THROUGH. WE WERE, YOU KNOW, DIGNIFYING THEM, GETTING THEM. 
          AND THEY'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, DOCUMENTED. AND THEY'RE GOING TO A DESTINATION. AND OUR COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER. I THINK THE BIGGEST THING, SORT OF LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE REDISTRICTING. AND THEN NOW THIS IS THAT IT'S SO UNLIKELY THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES IN SUCH A GREAT COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO IMPACTING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MILITARY BECAUSE IT PUTS THEM IN A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION THAT THE OPPORTUNITY ON ON SATURDAY TO HAVE SOME WORDS WITH THE GENERAL. AND HE SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SUCH A GREAT COMMUNITY. WE DO SO MUCH WITH EACH OTHER. AND I COULD FEEL THE AWKWARDNESS. I FELT 
          [00:55:04]
THAT SAME AWKWARDNESS WHEN WE HAD THE MILITARIZATION OF THE BORDER, LIKE THEY WERE EMBARRASSED. THEY WERE EMBARRASSED. AND TO PUT THESE INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUALS IN THAT SITUATION, THAT THEY FEEL AWKWARD DEALING WITH THEIR OWN COMMUNITY. AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID IT OVER AND OVER, THEY WERE HERE BEFORE WE WERE I MEAN, TWO YEARS BEFORE EL PASO WAS ESTABLISHED, FORT BLISS WAS ESTABLISHED, AND WE HAVE THIS AMAZING COMMUNITY. AND NOW IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A WEDGE COMING IN. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK I KNOW THAT CONGRESSWOMAN ESCOBAR, THE WAY SHE HAS FOUGHT FOR THAT RELATIONSHIP, HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE. WHAT SHE'S DONE, HER STAFF AND EVERYONE ELSE TO MAINTAIN THAT RELATIONSHIP. AND PRETTY SOON IT'S GOT TO IT'S GOT TO GO DIFFERENTLY. THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU COULD CONTINUE TO PUT INDIVIDUALS IN SUCH A DIFFICULT SITUATION. AND I KNOW WE SAY IT'S AN EYESORE, BUT IT'S TO ME IT'S A HEART SORE TO SEE THAT WE'RE SO CLOSE. I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT I FIND THAT THERE'S A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL IS THAT IT'S IN A COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL, WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR. WE HAVE WE'RE GOING TO BE CLOSE TO IT TO MAKE SURE. 
          I'M NOT SURE THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMUNITY THAT WOULD BE AS CARING AND THAT WOULD BE SO INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT THE RIGHT THINGS ARE HAPPENING. I'VE BEEN IN THOSE FACILITIES AND WATCHING COTS AFTER COTS AND PEOPLE NOT HAVING THE RECREATIONAL ABILITIES AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THAT ARE NORMAL FOR ANY HUMAN BEING TO BE ABLE TO STEP OUT, TO BE ABLE TO GO OUTSIDE, TO BE ABLE TO IT DOESN'T WORK IN THOSE KINDS OF HUGE. YOU KNOW, I HATE TO SAY CAMPS, I GUESS IT'S THE BEST THING I COULD DO IS SAY CAMPS, BUT IT'S NOT. IT'S NOT PROPER. 
          BUT LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE PROBABLY HAVE MORE ACCESSIBILITY BY REQUESTING TO GO THERE. I KNOW THE CONGRESSWOMAN WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING INSIDE, AND MAYBE SOME OTHER COMMUNITY MIGHT NOT BE AS INTERESTED, AND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE FORGOTTEN. WE WON'T FORGET. AND I KNOW IT'S IN OUR BACKYARD, BUT MAYBE FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY VIGILANT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS. AND I THINK IT'S A COMMITMENT IN ALL OF US. WHATEVER WE COULD DO, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE OR WHATEVER AUTHORITY WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE THERE. I REMEMBER AT THE BEGINNING THERE WERE VERY, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T LIKE THEY WERE VERY HESITANT ABOUT WANTING US TO BE ABLE TO VISIT. BUT WHEN WE PUSHED AND PUSHED AND PUSHED, THEN THEY FOUND IT NECESSARY TO ALLOW US TO GO IN, BECAUSE WHAT'S THEIR EXCUSE FOR US NOT TO BE ABLE TO, TO WALK IN? AND WE SAW THAT THINGS CHANGED ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO GO IN. I ALSO PUSHED HARD FOR THE MEDIA BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHY WOULDN'T THE MEDIA, WHAT ARE YOU HIDING? AND IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP, I THINK THE MEDIA SHOULD BE INVOLVED. AND SO WE'RE VERY BIG PROPONENTS OF THE MEDIA HAVING ACCESSIBILITY. SO LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT A GOOD THING FOR US, BUT IT'S A COMMUNITY THAT THAT IS GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE'RE AWARE OF ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THAT SITUATION. SO I THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND COMMISSIONER STOUT. DO YOU WANT TO. COMMISSIONER BUTLER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY VOTED YES. AND, AND I'M VERY PROUD TO STAND WITH YOU. AND IN MAKING THESE STATEMENTS AND DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS MORNING. YOU KNOW, IT'S FRUSTRATING THAT, THAT SOMETIMES THIS IS THIS IS ALL WE CAN DO. WE CAN'T. YOU KNOW, BUT WE HAVE TO USE OUR BULLY PULPIT. WE HAVE TO USE THE, THE, THE WORDS. AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE THAT WE CONTINUE TO BRING FORTH THE NARRATIVE THAT IMMIGRANTS ARE A GOOD THING, THAT IMMIGRANTS ARE NECESSARY, THAT IMMIGRANTS ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS DOESN'T MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER. IT JUST PUSHES PEOPLE FURTHER INTO THE SHADOWS. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE DACA RECIPIENTS BEING ARRESTED AT OUR AIRPORT. YOU HAVE ICE AGENTS WHO ARE THE MODERN DAY GESTAPO WEARING MASKS AND BEATING PEOPLE DOWN WHO ARE U.S. CITIZENS AND DISAPPEARING PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS LOST, HAS DEPORTED PEOPLE AND LOST PEOPLE THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DEPORTED. AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS IS MODERN DAY, THIS IS MODERN DAY FASCISM. I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS LITTLE AND WE TALKED ABOUT NEO-NAZIS BEING A BAD 
          [01:00:05]
THING. THIS IS NEO-NAZISM, AND IT'S BEING REGULARIZED AND IT'S BEING NORMALIZED IN OUR IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY. AND SHAME ON ALL THE ALL THE CATHOLIC AND CHRISTIAN WHITE INDIVIDUALS IN THIS COUNTRY WHO WHO ARE OKAY WITH THIS HAPPENING. I MEAN, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I FEEL EMBARRASSED TO BE A WHITE MAN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, TO BE A CATHOLIC WHITE MAN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, BECAUSE MY PEOPLE ARE GOING BACK AND JUST CAUSING SO MUCH HARM AND DAMAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BROKEN SYSTEM. EVERYBODY AGREES WE HAVE A BROKEN SYSTEM. BUT CONGRESS, THE ESTABLISHMENT IN CONGRESS, HAS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I WORKED IN WASHINGTON, DC IN 2006 WITH THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS, AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT THIS COUNTRY EVER HAD A MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION ABOUT IMMIGRATION REFORM. AND, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE HAD DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS THAT HAVE THAT HAVE NOT GOTTEN IT DONE, THAT HAVE HAD A MAJORITY IN BOTH HOUSES, BOTH BOTH CHAMBERS AS WELL. IT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DO IT. AND IT'S TIME TO, TO STOP THAT. IT'S TIME THAT WE THAT WE CONTINUE TO I MEAN, WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO, TO FIX THIS SYSTEM. WE HAVE A HUGE MISMATCH IN WHAT OUR POLICIES ARE AND WHAT OUR REALITIES ARE, AND WHAT THE REALITY IS OF IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE COMING HERE ARE THEY'RE PRECARIOUS SITUATIONS THAT THE UNITED STATES, IN ITS FOREIGN POLICY HAS PUT THESE COUNTRIES INTO. AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE. WHAT ABOUT THE EMPLOYERS WHO ARE EMPLOYING ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT ARE ENTICING THEM TO COME? RIGHT? THE PULL FACTOR, WE DON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE EMPLOYERS THERE. YOU KNOW, THERE'S MANY, MANY PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, MANY EMPLOYERS THAT ARE THAT ARE MISTREATING AND THEY'RE STEALING WAGES AND DOING ALL KINDS OF TERRIBLE THINGS AS WELL, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE. AND YOU DON'T SEE THAT IN THE NEWS. AND IT'S INFURIATING FOR ME TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO CREATE MORE LEGAL PATHWAYS FOR PEOPLE TO COME. THE EASIEST THING TO DO WOULD BE CREATE MORE LEGAL PATHWAYS FOR PEOPLE TO COME INTO THIS COUNTRY, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT WE NEED IMMIGRANTS. THEY'RE A BOON TO OUR COMMUNITY. THEY'RE A BOON TO OUR ECONOMY. THEY ARE NOT CRIMINALS, IMMIGRANTS. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SAY THIS IMMIGRANTS COMMIT CRIME AT A MUCH LOWER RATE THAN NATURAL BORN CITIZENS IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS NARRATIVE THAT IMMIGRANTS ARE CRIMINALS IS BS. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT THAT, AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM, MORE LEGAL PATHWAYS. 99% OF THESE PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO COME IN AND NOT HAVE TO LIVE IN THE SHADOWS, NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING DEPORTED, NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING HUNTED DOWN AND CHASED DOWN AND SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES. THEY WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO COME HERE, WORK FREELY, CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SOCIETY, PAY THE TAXES THAT THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN PAYING BECAUSE IMMIGRANTS PAY TAXES TO WHETHER THEY BUY SOMETHING OR, YOU KNOW, UNLESS THEY'RE LIVING IN A TENT UNDER A BRIDGE, THEY'RE PAYING TAXES, PROPERTY TAXES AS WELL, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, AND PUTTING MORE INTO THE SYSTEM THAN THEY'RE TAKING OUT. BUT PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO COME HERE IN A LEGAL FASHION, BUT WE JUST NOT ARE NOT AFFORDING THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY. AND SO THEY COME. THEY ASK FOR ASYLUM. THEY COME THROUGH AREAS BETWEEN THE PORTS OF ENTRY. IF WE OFFER THESE PEOPLE A LEGAL PATHWAY, IF YOU'RE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT CRIMINALS, THE CRIMINALS ARE THE ONES THAT AREN'T GOING TO TRY TO COME IN THROUGH LEGAL. IF YOU HAVE LEGAL PATHWAYS. WE TALK. WE HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT TERRORISTS TRYING TO COME ACROSS THE SOUTHERN BORDER. WELL, YOU'D BE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE YOUR RESOURCES MUCH MORE ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS IF YOU HAD MORE LEGAL PATHWAYS FOR PEOPLE TO COME, AND PEOPLE COULD COME ACROSS THE BRIDGE IN AN ORDERLY AND LEGAL FASHION, I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, JUST GOING OFF HERE, BUT I'M SORRY, BUT IT'S A, YOU KNOW. AND WE HAVE TO BE HUMANITARIAN THROUGHOUT WHATEVER ACTIONS WE'RE TAKING AS A, AS A COUNTRY, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, OUR STATE GOVERNMENT, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, IF WE HAVE PEOPLE, IF WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE DETAINED, WE HAVE TO TREAT THEM IN A HUMANITARIAN WAY. WE HAVE TO TREAT THEM AS INDIVIDUALS, AS HUMAN BEINGS, AND NOT AS ANIMALS. WE CAN'T BE SETTING UP CONCENTRATION CAMPS AGAIN IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO BE PUSHING TO, TO, TO GET ACCESS TO THE TO THAT, TO THAT FACILITY. I HOPE EVERYBODY ELSE ON THIS COURT PUSHES TO GET ACCESS TO THAT FACILITY, BECAUSE 
          [01:05:06]
WE NEED TO HAVE OVERSIGHT AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOING WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BUTLER. THIS IS A GREAT RESOLUTION. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M SO HAPPY THAT THE REST OF THE COURT SUPPORTED IT AS WELL. AND THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THE OF THE PUBLIC WHO SPOKE TODAY. THE ACLU DOES AMAZING WORK. THANK YOU, SARAH CRUZ, AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO HERE IN TEXAS AND TO THE TO THE ADVOCATES THAT ARE HERE, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING OUT BECAUSE IT'S A SCARY TIME, EVEN FOR EVEN FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME, IT'S A SCARY TIME. AND IT'S MUCH SCARIER FOR SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ME. AND I'M REALLY SORRY THAT YOU HAVE TO BE GOING THROUGH THIS, BUT. BUT WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU. THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. JUDGE. COMMISSIONER. GOOD. ANOTHER. YES. THANK YOU JUDGE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND COMMISSIONER STOUT. JUDGE. AND FOR ALL THE COMMENTS, I REALLY THINK WE'RE IN A, YOU KNOW, A REALLY TOUGH TIME POLITICALLY. BUT I DON'T THINK THIS REALLY THIS GOES BEYOND POLITICAL. THIS IS NOW. A MAJORITY. I'M NOT A MAJORITY, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY WHO, YOU KNOW, ARE ACTING BEYOND POLITICAL AND SUPPORTING THIS KIND OF ADMINISTRATION. IT'S NO LONGER ABOUT POLITICS. IT'S NOW WHAT I WHAT I'M REFERRING TO IS A KINGDOM OF THE CULT. THIS IS A CULT. AND PEOPLE DON'T AREN'T RECEPTIVE TO FACTS. THEY ARE IN A CLOSED ECOSYSTEM ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. AND WHAT I FIND TROUBLING IS THAT SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WOULD ORDINARILY, IN POLITICS, BE AMENABLE TO ACCEPTING FACTS AND SOLUTIONS ARE JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, AND TO ME, THE WAY TO TRY TO APPROACH THIS IS NOT NOT TO SHAME THEM, BUT TO TRY AND. KEEP TELLING THEM THE FACTUAL BASIS. AND WHAT HOW THEY ARE BEING CONNED. ABOUT ALL THESE ISSUES, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND THEY IDENTIFY WITH ONE PERSON BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT THIS PERSON IS GOING TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS. THEY THINK THAT THEY THAT HE ALONE AND HE'S TOLD THEM THAT HE ALONE CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY ARE SUFFERING. AND SO THEY DISREGARD ANY OTHER. REASON OR FACTS BECAUSE OF THAT. THEY, THEY, THEY TAKE IT AS WELL. THEY'RE LYING BECAUSE OUR LEADER SAYS, AND WE'RE GOING TO BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THEM IS GOING TO BE VERY HARD TO REACH. BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF OUT THERE THAT WE CAN REACH, AND THAT'S THE WAY WE CAN REACH THEM WITH THAT RESPECT. AND I REALLY THINK THAT WITH RESPECT TO THE RESOLUTION, WE NEED TO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ADD THAT IT SHOULD BE ANY UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE, ELECTED OFFICIAL, SENATOR OR STATE OR REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY OF THE STATES SHOULD BE ALLOWED ACCESS INTO THAT FACILITY IF THEY SUPERVISE THE BUDGET AND THE MONEY THAT FUNDS IT, THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MAKE SURE TO BE ALLOWED TO INSPECT IT. IT IS IT IS BEYOND ME HOW SOME OF OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ON THE OTHER SIDE ARE ALLOWING. OUR REPUBLIC AND OUR DEMOCRACY TO FADE IN THEIR ON THEIR WATCH, AND WE CANNOT SIT IDLY BY ANYMORE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER OLGUIN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU JUDGE. MANY OF YOU MAY MAY KNOW THIS. I HAVE BEEN PRACTICING IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY LAW NOW FOR OVER 25 YEARS, SINCE I FIRST BECAME LICENSED AS AN ATTORNEY HERE IN TEXAS. AND IT IS INCREDIBLY INCREDIBLE TO ME AND TREMENDOUSLY SAD TO SEE WHERE WE ARE TODAY COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE JUST TEN YEARS AGO. JUST TEN YEARS AGO. OUR OUR LOCAL DETENTION FACILITIES HERE IN EL PASO WERE VERY AMENABLE TO WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE 
          [01:10:02]
PRIVATE BAR, WITH OUR LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. WE AND IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY DISTANT MEMORY NOW, BUT WE MET WITH THE LEADERSHIP AT THE DETENTION FACILITY HERE IN EL PASO ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. AND WHEN I SAY WE ATTORNEYS FROM THE PRIVATE BAR, ATTORNEYS FROM THE LOCAL NONPROFITS, ANYONE, ANYONE WHO WANTED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE ISSUE RELATED TO IMMIGRATION DETENTION WAS ABLE TO GO TO THESE MEETINGS. AND WE MET ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. AND THE WHOLE GOAL OF THESE MEETINGS WERE TO TRY TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAD ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEEDED, THAT THEY WERE GETTING THE PROPER CARE, THAT THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS WERE BEING HONORED. AND EVEN THOUGH WE ALL HAD DIFFERENT JOBS TO DO, WE ALL UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAD THEIR THEIR DAY IN COURT, THAT THEY HAD ACCESS TO THEIR DAY IN COURT, AND THEY WERE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT. AS WE SAW THE EXPANSION OF DETENTION FACILITIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE BEING BUILT OUT IN RURAL AREAS WHERE THERE WAS AN ACCESS TO LEGAL COUNSEL, WHERE THERE ISN'T REALLY A LOT OF OVERSIGHT, YOU CAN REALLY SEE HOW ABUSES CAN FLOURISH. AND WE'VE NEVER SEEN DETENTION EXPAND TO THE SIZE THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO SEE IT EXPAND NOW. AND THAT IS REALLY, REALLY FRIGHTENING TO ME. WE CLEARLY HAVEN'T LEARNED ANY LESSONS FROM PRIOR EFFORTS AT EXPANDING DETENTION AND THE ABUSES THAT RESULT FROM THAT LACK OF OVERSIGHT. I'VE HAD THE ABILITY OVER 25 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN PRACTICING TO VISIT VARIOUS DETENTION FACILITIES AND REQUEST TOURS AND BE GIVEN THOSE TOURS SO THAT I CAN SEE FOR MYSELF WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE OF THESE FACILITIES. AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE TO ME THAT OUR CONGRESSWOMAN, WHO HAS MANDATED OVERSIGHT DUTIES OVER THESE FACILITIES, ISN'T BEING ALLOWED TO GO INSIDE. I MEAN, THAT'S JUST INCREDIBLE TO ME. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THAT IS WHERE WE ARE. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THESE ISSUES WILL ONLY BE SOLVED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK TOWARDS MAKING CHANGE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL SOLVE THESE ISSUES THAT WE'RE SEEING. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ISSUES STAY AT THE FOREFRONT, BECAUSE THEY DON'T AFFECT JUST COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS THAT ARE ON THE BORDER AND HAVE THESE MASSIVE DETENTION FACILITIES. THESE ISSUES ARE SEPARATING FAMILIES. THESE ACTIONS OF THIS ADMINISTRATION ARE SEPARATING FAMILIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. 
          AND SADLY, I FEAR THAT IT IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE UNTIL WE ENOUGH OF US CAN COME TOGETHER TO MAKE THAT CHANGE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK. THANK YOU, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER BUTLER. YES, SORRY, I JUST JUST A COUPLE MORE COMMENTS. AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN LENGTHY, BUT I WANT TO ECHO EVERYONE'S SENTIMENTS. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. IT'S HEARTENING TO SEE THAT, THAT THE COMMUNITY IS STILL ACTIVE AND WILL TAKE THEIR TIME TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. 
          I WANTED TO MAKE JUST A COUPLE MORE COMMENTS, AND ONE OF THEM IS RELATED TO FORT BLISS. I'VE WORKED WITH FORT BLISS MY ENTIRE CAREER, AND I KNOW HOW HARD BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND THE INSTALLATION HAVE WORKED TO CREATE A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT. I'VE SPOKEN TO THE COMMANDING GENERAL. WHILE HE WAS DEPLOYED IN POLAND, SO FIRST ARMORED DIVISION HAS BEEN DEPLOYED THIS WHOLE TIME THAT THIS FACILITY HAS BEEN BUILT. THEY HAVE MISSIONS THAT ARE SEPARATE FROM THIS DETENTION FACILITY, AND THEY'VE MADE THAT VERY CLEAR TO ME. FORT BLISS LEADERSHIP DID THAT. THEIR ROLE IS BASICALLY AS. A LANDOWNER AND THEY'RE LEASING THIS PROPERTY, BUT THEY HAVE NO ROLE IN THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF THE DETENTION FACILITY. AND I AND I WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR, BECAUSE MILITARY FAMILIES ARE A PART OF EL PASO. RIGHT. AND SO THE LAST THING THAT I THINK WE SHOULD BE DOING IS SOWING DIVIDE BETWEEN US AND OUR MILITARY MEMBERS AND FAMILIES, BECAUSE, LIKE COMMISSIONER OLGUIN SAID, THIS IS THIS THIS ISSUE IS BIGGER THAN US. AND THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING IS IF WE WORK TOGETHER. 
          AND THAT REALLY IS THE INTENT BEHIND THIS RESOLUTION IS TO ASK FOR COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP. BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT ALL OF US. AND THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO 
          [01:15:08]
BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THIS IS IF WE WORK TOGETHER, BOTH AS A COMMUNITY, AS A MILITARY INSTALLATION, AND WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS. AND SO, JUDGE, I WAS GOING TO BRING THIS UP DURING OUR DISCUSSION ON OUR, OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. BUT IN ADDITION TO THE RESOLUTION, WE'RE HOPING TO SEND LETTERS TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, OUR SENATORS, LEADERSHIP AT DHS, JUST SHARING OUR INTENT AND OUR REQUEST TO COLLABORATE MOVING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU. WELL, I THINK THERE'S TWO THINGS WE ALWAYS DO IS THAT WE PUT THE LINE IN THE SAND AND THAT WE NEVER FACILITATE. AND LIKE I SAID, THIS COMMUNITY IS SO DIFFERENT. WE NEVER FACILITATE THESE THINGS. WE NEVER WE'RE MORE HOMOGENEOUS AS A COMMUNITY. SO THIS IS ONE MORE TIME THAT WE'RE ASKING THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND SHOW THEIR SUPPORT, BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST THAT IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE WHEN THE COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER AND MAKES IT A LITTLE DIFFICULT OR MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO DO THE THINGS AS BLATANT AS THEY MIGHT SEEM. BUT AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED, LEGAL, HELPING US WITH THE LETTERS WE COULD WRITE, THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WE CAN CAN PRESENT, BUT WE WILL NEVER FACILITATE A BAD SITUATION, WHICH I THINK MAKES US VERY DIFFERENT. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. BUT THE COMMUNITY, PLEASE, WE NEED TO SHOW THE UNITY AS A COMMUNITY. AND IT'S EXTREMELY POWERFUL TO DO SO. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU JUDGE. THANK YOU JUDGE. ONE OTHER COMMISSIONER CORONADO, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO JUST TELL EVERYBODY THAT BEYOND THESE RESOLUTIONS, THESE LETTERS AND THESE PROTESTS THAT WE ALL ARE DOING, YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME FOR ACTION NOW TO REBUKE WHAT'S GOING ON FROM THE OTHER SIDE. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T JUST SIT IDLY BY ANYMORE. YOU HAVE TO GET INVOLVED. YOU HAVE TO GET ENGAGED, AND YOU HAVE TO VOTE, PERIOD. YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND VOTE BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY YOU CAN CHANGE THINGS. A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY ARE SAYING, WELL, IT DOESN'T MATTER. WELL, IT DOES MATTER. LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW. SO IF YOU'RE SITTING ON THE SIDELINES, IT'S NO LONGER SIDELINE TIME. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT CESAR. YOU WANT TO CALL THE VOTE. YES SIR. THE ONCE AGAIN THE MOTION WAS FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER SECOND FROM COUNTY JUDGE SAMANIEGO. VOTING IS OPEN. AND MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY, CESAR. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER SIX IS PUBLIC COMMENT. WE DO HAVE TWO SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'D LIKE TO START WITH 
          [6. PUBLIC COMMENT]
MISS ELIZABETH CRAWFORD. AND I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY ONCE AGAIN THAT PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES. EVERYBODY'S BEING TIMED. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING ELIZABETH. 
          GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. OUR NATION OFTEN LIKES TO PORTRAY ITSELF AS ADVANCED MODERN PROGRESS FAR BEYOND PRIMITIVE THINKING. SO WHEN RECENTLY TOLD ME ABOUT A UTEP COURSE, HE ONCE TOOK A US HISTORY COURSE ENTITLED FROM RELIGION TO REASON. YET GOD'S WORD TELLS US THE EXACT OPPOSITE. WE'RE TOLD THAT THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY ONE IS UNDERSTANDING. CHINA AND INDIA ARE TWO NATIONS STILL CLASSIFIED BY THE UNITED NATIONS AS DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. IN CHINA, AS WE KNOW, THERE ARE ALLEGATIONS OF THE HORRIFIC PRACTICE OF ORGAN HARVESTING FROM PEOPLE GROUPS THEY CONSIDER ENEMIES. FOR EXAMPLE, THE TRAGEDY OF THE UYGHURS IN NORTHERN CHINA. THE UYGHURS, AS WE KNOW, ARE A PEOPLE GROUP THAT ETHNICALLY ARE MINORITIES WHO PRIMARILY WOULD IDENTIFY AS MUSLIMS. THERE'S ACCOUNT AFTER ACCOUNT ALLEGING THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS SYSTEMATICALLY HARVESTING ORGANS FROM THESE PEOPLE, IN SOME CASES EVEN BEFORE KILLING THEM. BUT ARE WE ANY DIFFERENT IN AMERICA? THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, RIGHT ON ITS WEBSITE, HAS AN EXPLANATION POSTED OF THEIR EXPERIMENTS THAT THEY PERFORMED ON MICE AND RATS USING SCALP SCALPS FROM ABORTED BABIES. IT'S PUBLISHED ON THE NIH WEBSITE. THAT IS SICK INDIA, CLASSIFIED AS A DEVELOPING COUNTRY. SOME OF THE MOST HORRIFIC ILLNESSES THERE COMES FROM THE GANGES RIVER, WHICH IS A SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER. THE DUMPING PLACE FOR SEWAGE AT TIMES WITH BURIAL PLACE OF DEAD BODIES. THE GANGES RIVER REGARDED AS HOLY WATER BUT A SOURCE OF RAMPANT INFECTIOUS DISEASE. EL PASO HAS BEEN BOASTING ABOUT BEING A FIRST IN THE NATION TO WITH THE EXPEDITED TOILET TO TAP SYSTEM. THE EL PASO PURE WATER CENTER. BUT EVEN BEFORE THIS WAS ANNOUNCED, ALARM HAS BEEN RAISED ABOUT THE WATER 
          [01:20:06]
SUPPLY ACROSS OUR NATION BEING POLLUTED BY THE ABORTION PILL. ABORTION PILL USAGE HAS SKYROCKETED TO ASTRONOMICAL LEVELS IN OUR NATION. A TYPICAL TEXAS SCENARIO, ONE OF SEVERAL POSSIBLE SCENARIOS A WOMAN GOES TO AN OUT-OF-STATE ABORTION FACILITY. SHE TAKES PILL NUMBER ONE AT THE ABORTION CENTER. SHE TAKES PILL NUMBER TWO AT HOME. HER BODY EXPELS THE LITTLE BABY, ALONG WITH BODY FLUIDS, WITH RESIDUAL FROM THE ABORTION PILL. SHE FLUSHES THE BABY'S BODY AND PILL RESIDUE. GO INTO OUR WATER SUPPLY. WE CAN NAIVELY SAY THAT THE EXPERTS WILL DO SUCH AN EXCELLENT JOB TREATING THE WATER THAT IT'S A NON-ISSUE, BUT THAT IS NAIVE. JUST RECENTLY, THERE ARE MAJOR WATER ISSUES IN THE LAS CRUCES AND DONA ANA COUNTY AREAS WITH ARSENIC AND PH LEVELS. WATER PURIFICATION PROCESSES ARE NOT PERFECT. WHAT COULD THE ABORTION PILL RESIDUE DUE TO WOMEN WANTING TO GET PREGNANT AND WOMEN ALREADY PREGNANT? IT COULD CAUSE INFERTILITY AND MISCARRIAGE. THERE ARE COUNTLESS CONSEQUENCES UNANTICIPATED BY MOST PEOPLE. 
          DEATH IN THE VERY WATER THAT WE USE FOR OUR DAILY NEEDS. POLITICAL THINGS ASIDE, AND THERE IS POLITICAL CRAZINESS GOING ON ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE FOR SURE. BUT MANY WOULD LIKE TO PORTRAY PEOPLE AS PRIMITIVE, BACKWARD, UNEDUCATED WHO HOLD TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND WHO WOULD WANT TO BAN ABORTION. YET, IN TERMS OF BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES AND THEIR PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS, WE'RE TOLD IN PROVERBS, THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE. FOOLS DESPISE WISDOM AND INSTRUCTION, WISDOM PERSONIFIED, CALLING OUT TO PEOPLE IN THE STREETS FOR THE TURNING OF THE WAY OF THE SIMPLE SHALL SLAY THEM, AND THE PROSPERITY OF ALL SHALL DESTROY THEM. SO WHOSO LISTENS TO ME SHALL DWELL SAFELY, AND SHALL BE QUIET FROM THE DREAD OF EVIL. WE LIVE IN A DAY WHEN EVIL IS CALLED GOOD, AND GOOD IS CALLED EVIL. THE LORD JESUS TAUGHT HIS FOLLOWERS TO PRAY AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL, FROM THE EVIL ONE, THE ENEMY OF OUR SOULS, SATAN. THERE ARE FEW THINGS IN THE MEDICAL FIELD MORE BLATANTLY EVIL AND GRUESOME THAN ATTACHING ABORTED BABY SCALPS ONTO LABORATORY RATS AND MICE. IN THE WORDS OF JESUS SPEAKING OF SATAN, THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND TO KILL AND TO DESTROY. BUT JESUS PROMISED, I AM COME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE, AND THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY. 
          THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY, ELIZABETH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. DARRELL MUND. WELCOME, DARRELL. IT'S BEEN A WHILE. IT HAS BEEN SO I'VE BEEN AWAY A COUPLE SURGERIES, COUPLE PROCEDURES. MY MONDAY MORNINGS WERE SPENT DOING PHYSICAL THERAPY. THE PAIN AND SUFFERING I. COMMISSIONER CORONADO'S BEEN THROUGH THAT. SO NOW I'M BACK TO SHARE SOME OF THAT PAIN AND SUFFERING WITH YOU ALL. SORRY. BAD JOKE. WE'RE BACK. JERRY'S BACK. JUST. I MEAN, I'VE SEEN YOU OUT THERE CHANGE COMMANDS AT FORT BLISS. OTHER OTHER STUFF GOING ON WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. YOU ATTENDED OUR OUR MEETING A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WHERE WE RECOGNIZED THE VETERANS ONE STOP STATE OF TEXAS AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING OUR VETERANS COMMUNITY. WE WANT TO GO BACK TO WHAT WE HAD BEFORE, WHERE YOU GUYS HELPED US OUT WITH THE FOOD DRIVES FOR THAT SUPPORT OUR VETERANS AND OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. WE'RE GOING TO BE KICKING OFF A LOT OF THAT. OKAY. I APOLOGIZE FOR MY ABSENCE, WHICH WAS KIND OF QUICKLY DECIDED TO DEAL WITH IT. AND KNEE SURGERY IS NOT WHAT THEY SAID IT IS. IT HURTS. 
          RIGHT? I. AND THEY SAY THREE MONTHS. IT'S MORE LIKE A YEAR. DECEMBER. AND IT'S STILL NOT COMPLETELY I'M FEELING GREAT, BUT IT'S STILL NOT 100% THAT ACTUALLY. YEAH YOU STILL GET THAT. AND DARRYL, WE DO MISS YOU BECAUSE I'VE GONE TO PLACES WHERE YOU TYPICALLY WOULD BE AND HAVEN'T SEEN YOU. SO WE'RE VERY GLAD IF I'M HOPING YOU'RE COMING BACK AROUND BECAUSE YOU'RE VERY MUCH NEEDED AT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. SO WELCOME BACK. THANK YOU. I DO THAT BECAUSE I GET YOU GUYS SUPPORT AND YOU GUYS ARE THERE FOR ME. YOU'RE THERE WHEN I WHEN I WANT TO DO STUFF FOR MY VETERANS COMMUNITY AND EVERYTHING. AND I ALWAYS APPRECIATE IT. JOE SAN DIEGO, YOU MADE ME AN AMBASSADOR. I'M GOING TO RETURN THE FAVOR. ALL THE COMMISSIONERS GOT THEIR PINS. I SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST. I HAVE A VA PIN FOR YOU. AND WITH THAT, I WANT TO MAKE YOU AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE IPRA. YOU'RE NOT A VETERAN. YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO VOTE, BUT YOU ARE WILLING TO COME AND HANG OUT WITH US. OH WELL, THANK YOU SO 
          [01:25:02]
KNOW YOU. WE'LL LET YOU VOTE. WE VALUE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, AND WE WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR ALL THE HELP YOU'VE GIVEN ME WHEN WE'VE HAD THINGS FOR THE VETERANS COMMUNITY. FOOD DRIVES, EVERYTHING. YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR US AND WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. AND WE DO NOTICE IT. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, SIR, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME DOWN HERE. YEAH. 
          COME ON. OH. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. YOU MOVED. YOU USED TO BE. CERTAINLY. YOU SAID TO TELL YOU HI. AND SHE HOPES YOU'RE DOING WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME. HAVE A GREAT DAY AND WE'LL BE SEEING YOU. AND WE GOT WORK TO DO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. WISHING YOU THE BEST. 
          THANK YOU. STAY CLOSE. THANK YOU. THAT COMPLETES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, A FROM COMMISSIONERS COURT. DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO DIRECT THE BUDGET AND FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO IDENTIFY AND 
          [A. Discuss and take appropriate action to direct the Budget and Finance Department to identify and transfer up to $500 for Public Works staffing and tire pickup to be used for a neighborhood cleanup being co-sponsored by Commissioner Precinct 2 and El Paso City Council District 3 to take place August 23, 2025, at Lionel Forti Park.
David Stout, Commissioner, Precinct 2, 915-273-3559]
TRANSFER UP TO $500 FOR PUBLIC WORKS STAFFING AND TIRE PICKUP TO BE USED FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP BEING CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER PRECINCT TWO AND EL PASO COUNTY, EL PASO CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE TO TAKE PLACE AUGUST 23RD, 2025 AT LEONFORTE PARK. JUDGE. JUDGE. 
          COMMISSIONERS. SO JUST JUST SOME BACKGROUND, I RECENTLY MET WITH DISTRICT THREE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE CITY, DEANNA MALDONADO ROCHA, AND AMONG SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED DISCUSSED WAS A JOINT NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP. AND I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY HAS HAS SPONSORED THESE AND I THINK ALL OF THE OTHER PRECINCTS. AND SO THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST ONE THAT WE DO IN PRECINCT TWO. I KNOW THAT THE COURT HAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED FUNDING FOR PUBLIC WORKS PARTICIPATION IN THE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUPS. SO, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS ITEM, I'M HOPING THE COURT WILL APPROVE THEIR PARTICIPATION. BUT FROM WHAT I DO UNDERSTAND, WE'RE ASKING FOR I WANT TO CHANGE THE AMOUNT FROM 500 TO 3500 UP TO. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO NEED THAT MUCH BECAUSE OF THE. WHAT, WHAT WHAT THE CITY IS GOING TO BE PROVIDING AS WELL. 
          BUT THE $500 IS WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD WE NEEDED, BUT THAT THAT'S JUST FOR A TIRE DISPOSAL. 
          AND SO I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF TIRE DISPOSAL INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, BUT THERE MIGHT BE. BUT THE AND THEN I WAS ADVISED THIS MORNING BY BETSY THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO TRY TO AUTHORIZE UP TO $3,000 IN LABOR JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PUBLIC WORKS CAN HAVE THEIR THEIR PEOPLE OUT THERE. SO WE'RE CHANGING THE AMOUNT TO UP TO $3,500. BUT I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE PROBABLY DON'T HIT THAT AMOUNT. UNFORTUNATELY. NORMA, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU NEEDED TO ADD OR. NO. OKAY. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK TIRES ARE A PROBLEM EVERYWHERE. EVERYWHERE. YEAH, IT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PROBLEMS FOR SURE. I'VE BEEN DRIVING BECAUSE WE'RE PROPOSING A CLEANUP IN A VERY LARGE CLEANUP IN NOVEMBER, AND I'VE BEEN DRIVING AROUND, EVEN INSIDE THE CITY WHERE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, JOINT WITH WITH SOME OF THE OTHER REPRESENTATIVES. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AS MUCH AS IN THE OUTLYING AREAS OF THE COUNTY. THERE'S STILL PROBLEMS INSIDE. AND SO I CAN'T I CAN'T PULL IT UP ON MY MACHINE HERE, CAESAR. BUT I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM. BUT FOR 3500, NOT 500. AND STAFF WILL BRING BACK THE BUDGET AMENDMENT AT A LATER DATE, AFTER WE'VE FOUND THE EXACT AMOUNT. THANK YOU. 
          HERE WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER CORONADO. WITH THE AMENDMENT OF UP TO $3,500 WITH STAFF TO BRING BACK A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE FOR THE 
          [01:30:06]
ACCOUNT. THE VOTING IS OPEN. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU ALL. I'D LIKE TO CALL UP NEXT ITEM NUMBER EIGHT B FROM COUNTY ADMINISTRATION. DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO SELECT TWO 
          [B. Discuss and take appropriate action to select two members of Commissioners Court to the standing Hiring Waiting Period Committee, in accordance with the Hiring Waiting Period Implementation Policy approved on August 4, 2025.
Betsy C. Keller, Chief Administrator, County Administration, 915-273-3600]
MEMBERS OF COMMISSIONERS COURT TO THE STANDING HIRING WAITING PERIOD COMMITTEE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HIRING WAITING PERIOD IMPLEMENTATION POLICY APPROVED ON AUGUST 4TH, 2025. GOOD AFTERNOON. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS BETSY KELLER, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WE PRESENTED THIS POLICY LAST WEEK. THE COURT ADOPTED AND APPROVED. WE ARE ASKING THAT THE COURT IDENTIFY TWO OF ITS MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE, IF THEY HAVE TO MEET IN PERSON, IT WOULD GENERALLY BE IF WE HAVE A REQUEST, WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO MEET EVERY MONDAY AFTER COMMISSIONERS COURT. AND IF THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT MAY BE ABLE TO BE DISCUSSED VIA EMAIL OR TEAMS, BUT WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU ALL SELECT TWO MEMBERS OR RECOMMEND TWO MEMBERS TO BE SELECT TWO MEMBERS TO BE ON THIS HIRING WAITING PERIOD. COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE EXEMPTION REQUEST WE GET. BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. BUT SEE HOW THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THEY WOULD TAKE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A SO I'LL SORT OF PROPOSING THAT MAYBE. US OVERLOOKING THE COMMITTEE BUT NOT NECESSARILY PARTICIPATING IN IT DIRECTLY. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REASON, THE REASON I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT A REPRESENTATIVE OR REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COURT BE ON HERE IS YOU AND ANOTHER YOU ALL REMEMBER LAST WEEK YOU CHANGED THE POLICY FOR THE COMMITTEE TO BE THE FINAL DECISION MAKING. AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE COURT SEES THE TYPES OF REQUESTS WE'RE GETTING AND THE NEED BEHIND THEM, AND HAVING A MEMBER OR TWO OF THE COURT OR HAVING TWO MEMBERS OF THE COURT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU'D LIKE TO CHANGE. I MEAN, IF YOU'D LIKE US TO REVIEW THE POLICY AND NOT HAVE MEMBERS OF THE COURT ON THERE, WELL, I MEAN, IF WE DON'T GET I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE COURT. TO BE HONEST, I JUST DIDN'T SEE ANYBODY INTERESTED IN I WOULD DO IT AND I AM INTERESTED. I JUST, I, I'M OVEREXTENDED ON COMMITTEES. SO WE ALL FEEL THAT WAY. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING. I MEAN, I MEAN I'LL, I'LL VOLUNTEER. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, FOR US TO BE ON THE, ON THAT COMMITTEE BECAUSE. IF WE'RE IF THAT COMMITTEE IS GOING TO BE MAKING THE FINAL DECISION ON ON PERSONNEL ISSUES, I MEAN, EVERYBODY SHOULD BE JUMPING TO BE ON THIS ONE, I THINK WE'RE NOT. I'LL DO IT. OKAY. WE HAVE COMMISSIONER STOUT AS ONE MEMBER. DO WE HAVE ANOTHER VOLUNTEER? ANYONE ELSE? I'LL VOLUNTEER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER STOUT. SO THAT WOULD BE A MOTION TO APPOINT COMMISSIONER STOUT AND COMMISSIONER OLGUIN TO THE HIRING WAITING PERIOD. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. MOTION BY JUDGE SAMANIEGO. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. THE VOTING IS OPEN. ONE THING I WAS GOING TO SAY, IF I FORESEE THIS IS GOING TO BE COULD BE A VERY TIME CONSUMING TASK. SO IF ANY OF THE TWO MEMBERS FEEL LIKE THEY OVER, THEN I'D BE WILLING TO SERVE AS A BACKUP. IF Y'ALL. THAT'S KIND OF I'M I'M STRETCHED RIGHT NOW. BUT THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. I'LL NEED I'LL NEED HELP. I'LL I'LL BE GLAD TO SERVE AS A BACKUP. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, AND I WILL TELL YOU, I MEAN, STAFF WILL DO THE MAJORITY OF THE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES. IT'LL BE JUST IF THERE IS A NEED TO HEAR FROM A DEPARTMENT OR AN A DISAGREEMENT OR ON THE INFORMATION, IT WOULD BE. THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE MAJORITY OF TIME IN THE MEETINGS WOULD, WOULD BE SPENT. BUT THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU BETSY. AND THEN I EXPECT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO UNDER THE KNIFE AGAIN SOMETIME LATER THIS YEAR FOR MY OTHER KNEE. SO WE'LL SEE. CAESAR. ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. SEE RECEIVE A PRESENTATION, DISCUSS 
          [01:35:07]
AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING THE 89TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE, FIRST CALLED 
          [C. Receive a presentation, discuss and take appropriate action regarding the 89th Texas Legislative 1st Called Special Session and the 119th U.S. Congress, if needed.
Melissa Carrillo, Deputy County Administrator, County Operations, 915-273-3582]
SPECIAL SESSION AND THE 119TH US CONGRESS IF NEEDED. WELCOME, ALISA. BUENOS DIAS. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, ALISA TAMAYO, GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS MANAGER, WITH AN UPDATE ON DURING THIS NOW FIRST CALL SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION. I DON'T HAVE A LOT TODAY, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST GIVE UPDATES ON THE HEARINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THE LAST UPDATE. LAST WEEK, THERE WAS TWO SENATE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE HEARINGS SCHEDULED. ONE WAS FOR THE SIXTH, WITH ONLY INVITED WITNESSES. MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WERE INVITED TO TESTIFY, AND NO PUBLIC WAS ALLOWED TO TESTIFY EXCEPT TO SUBMIT COMMENTS THROUGH THE PORTAL. AND WE DID SUBMIT THROUGH THE PORTAL THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED LAST WEEK, AS WELL AS THE COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGE THAT WERE UPDATED FOR THAT HEARING, AND THERE AN UPDATE ON THAT IS THAT NO WITNESSES SHOWED UP. SO NO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS DECIDED TO SHOW UP TO THAT HEARING. AND THEN THEY CANCELED THE ONE THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY. AS BEFORE, AS A COMPANION TO HOUSE BILL FOUR, WHICH IS THE MAP. THESE ARE THE MAPS THAT WERE RECENTLY UNVEILED TO THE PUBLIC. AND THEN THE LAST HEARING, BOTH WITNESSES, PUBLIC AND INVITED, WERE WERE ALLOWED TO TESTIFY. I'M SORRY. AND WE DID SEE A LOT OF WITNESSES IN PUBLIC TESTIMONY OPPOSED TO THE MAPS WAY MORE. I THINK IN PERCENTAGE WISE IT WAS LIKE 98% AGAINST THE MAPS AND ONLY LIKE 2% FOR THE MAPS. THE OTHER HEARING THAT HAPPENED DURING MY LAST BETWEEN MY LAST UPDATE AND TODAY, WAS THE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND FLOODING SELECT COMMITTEE IN THE SENATE SIDE. THAT ONE WAS SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY, AND THEY HEARD SB ONE, WHICH IS THE RECENTLY FILED LEGISLATION TO BRING RESOURCES AND BASICALLY IN RESPONSE TO THE HILL COUNTRY FLOODS, DEADLY FLOODS FROM JULY 4TH. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO I PUT THIS ON THE NEW BILLS OF INTEREST, SB ONE THAT WAS FILED ON THE SIXTH LAST WEEK, AND THEN THE HEARING WAS ON FRIDAY, AND THEN SENATE BILL 16 BY SENATOR HUGHES RELATING TO THE OPERATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF AND PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES RELATED TO PROCEEDINGS IN THE JUDICIAL BRANCH OF STATE GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING COURT SECURITY, COURT DOCUMENTS AND ARREST WARRANTS. I STILL NEED TO DIGEST WHAT'S IN SENATE BILL 16, BUT IT WAS FILED ON THE SEVENTH. I'M NOT SURE IF MORE BILLS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE SINCE WE ARE STILL IN QUORUM BREAK ON THE HOUSE SIDE, SO NOTHING REALLY IS HAPPENING ON THE HOUSE SIDE. AND EVEN IF BILLS MOVE OUT OF THE SENATE, THEY CAN'T REALLY MOVE IN THE HOUSE UNTIL THEY ESTABLISH FORUM AGAIN. CAN WE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? SOME UPDATES ON BILLS THAT THAT I HAD ALREADY INTRODUCED HERE IN DURING YOUR LEGISLATIVE UPDATES. HB FOUR, WHICH IS THE MAPS. LIKE I MENTIONED, THIS ONE PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE ON JULY 29TH, AND THAT'S WHEN THE HOUSE WAS SCHEDULED FOR A VOTE, BUT STILL NO QUORUM. WE THOUGHT THAT LAST WEEK THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE QUORUM AT SOME POINT, BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. SO WE'RE STILL THAT ONE IS STILL STALLED IN THE HOUSE. SENATE BILL NINE, WE SUBMITTED COMMENTS, AS YOU MIGHT REMEMBER, AND I HAVE SOME OR I ATTACHED THE LETTER TO THE BACKUP OF THIS ITEM TODAY SO WE CAN APPROVE IT AND SEND IT OUT THIS WEEK AND THEN SENATE BILL 12 AS WELL. I ATTACHED ANOTHER LETTER TO THE BACKUP, SINCE WE HAVEN'T REALLY SUBMITTED A LETTER ON BEHALF OF THE FULL COURT TO BOTH THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE ON ON WHY SENATE BILL 12 WOULD SILENCE OR REALLY LIMIT OUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE LEGISLATURE BY NOT NOT ALLOWING US TO USE FUNDS FOR ANY PERSON WHO WOULD BE A REGISTERED LOBBYIST. THIS INCLUDES OUR ASSOCIATIONS, LIKE WE MENTIONED. 
          SO IF YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE BACKUP, WE CAN APPROVE THOSE LETTERS TODAY. 
          BUT THAT'S AND THEN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY. YES. SO LETTERS ON SB NINE AND SB 12. AND THEN WE CAN ALSO TAKE ACTION COMMISSION BUT WE CAN DO A SEPARATE MOTION. COMMISSIONER BUTLER, ON WHAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER TODAY ABOUT SENDING A LETTER TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS FOR OR I GUESS, SHARING THE RESOLUTION AND A LETTER ON 
          [01:40:02]
THE DETENTION CENTER. YES. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND MY OFFICE HAS ALREADY STARTED DRAFTING SOME LETTERS THAT NOW THAT THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN APPROVED, WE CAN SHARE LATER THIS WEEK WITH THE COURT. AND THE TARGETS ARE ARE ARE TWO CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES, OUR STATE, OUR OUR OUR SENATORS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND LEADERSHIP AT DHS. AND IT'S IN THE SPIRIT OF THE RESOLUTION, AND IT WOULD BE SIGNED BY THE ENTIRE COURT, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH EVERYONE. DO WE NEED A MOTION FOR THOSE? OKAY. YES, PLEASE. AND SO YOU CAN MAKE WE CAN MAKE THE MOTION TO DRAFT A LETTER THAT'S IN LINE WITH THE RESOLUTION FROM YOUR OFFICE. AND THEN THE COURT COULD JUST APPROVE IT NOW. SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO CIRCULATE IT. BUT THEY CAN MAKE THEIR APPROVAL FOR THAT LETTER. YES, MA'AM. YES, I WILL MAKE THAT MOTION. BUT REGARDING SB NINE AND SB 12, NO, THIS IS A SEPARATE ONE. SORRY. SO DO WE WANT TO DO WE CAN DO THIS ONE FIRST SB SB NINE AND SB 12 FIRST OKAY OKAY. TO APPROVE THE LETTERS REGARDING SB NINE AND SB 12. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT. THE VOTING IS OPEN. MOTION CARRIES. AND IF I COULD JUST ASK YOU TO RESTATE THE MOTION AGAIN, MR. GAGLIONE, FOR THE LETTER. YES, PLEASE. SO IT COULD BE TO APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED IT TO GO FROM ELISA. COMMISSIONER BUTLER, FROM FROM YOUR OFFICE. WE CAN SHARE WITH HER THE DRAFTS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED AND SHE CAN DISSEMINATE THEM. OKAY, GREAT. 
          SO TO APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE MR. MAYO TO SEND THE LETTER IN ACCORDANCE WITH COMMISSIONER BUTLER'S. RESOLUTION TO THE. AND WILL YOU REMIND ME THE MEMBERS OF THAT? YOU'RE WANTING TO SEND IT TO COMMISSIONER BUTLER FOR THE MOTION? OUR OUR STATE SENATORS AND OUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES IN 16 AND 23 AND SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. FEDERAL SENATOR, YES, FEDERAL SENATOR, FEDERAL SENATOR. SO CRUZ AND CORNYN. YES. GOT IT. AND THEN. 
          RIGHT. SO THE COURT IS APPROVING ESCOBAR'S OFFICE, AND THEN DOD AND DHS. AND SO THE COURT WOULD BE APPROVING THAT LETTER TODAY, ALTHOUGH YOU HAVEN'T DRAFTED IT, YOU KNOW, OR COMMISSIONER BUTLER'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE IN THE SPIRIT OF THE RESOLUTION. WE WOULDN'T ASK FOR EDITS FROM THE COURT LATER. THANK YOU. ERICA, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT. VOTING IS OPEN. JUDGE SAMANIEGO. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. MOTION CARRIES. YES, YES. THANK YOU JUDGE. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          LISA. JUDGE. YES, COMMISSIONER. CORONADO. YEAH. YOU KNOW, THESE THESE THINGS WERE TAKING UP ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. I GET IT, BUT I THINK ALSO WE NEED TO KEEP OUR FOCUS ON WHAT WE KNOW AND NEED TO. WE CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH THAT WE NEED TO GET OUR LOBBY TEAM ON FOCUSING ON THINGS THAT WE KNOW WE CAN TRY AND DO AND, YOU KNOW, JUST REFOCUS OUR OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ON THINGS WE CAN REALLY WORK ON. I KNOW THAT BIG THING RIGHT NOW THAT I THINK IS VERY, VERY PRIME FOR US TO WORK ON IS FLOOD MITIGATION. NOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE STATE'S TAKEN THAT UP, ALONG WITH ALL THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE DEDICATION OF $2 BILLION THEY'VE DONE FOR IT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET OUR EARLY ON. WE START WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO DO THAT. YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR HAS MADE A PRIORITY. BUT YET INSTEAD OF DEDICATING A SPECIAL SESSION JUST FOR THAT, THEY'VE TAKEN UP THE FIRST THING. AND THE MOST THING ACTION THAT WE'VE SEEN ON THEM DO IS REDISTRICTING. SO I THINK WE NEED TO GET THEM TO FOCUS BACK TO, YOU KNOW, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, FLOOD MITIGATION AND THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS MADE IT A PRIORITY. 
          SO I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY GET OUR LOBBY TEAM AND OUR DELEGATION TO FOCUS ON THAT. 
          THANK YOU JUDGE. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. ITEM NUMBER NINE A TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR, ACCEPT THE 2025 NO NEW REVENUE AND VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE CALCULATIONS FOR EL PASO COUNTY 
          [A. Accept the 2025 No-New-Revenue (NNR) & Voter-Approval Tax Rate (VAR) Calculations for El Paso County Hospital District: No-New-Revenue Rate: 0.210963/$100; Voter-Approval Rate: 0.255255/$100.
Ruben Gonzalez, Tax Assessor - Collector, County Tax Office, 915-273-3430]
HOSPITAL DISTRICT. NO NEW REVENUE RATE 0.210963 PER $100. VOTER APPROVAL RATE OF 0.255255 
          [01:45:15]
PER $100. JUDGE. BEFORE THE LADY START, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST CLARIFY SOMETHING FOR THE RECORD AND FOR THE PUBLIC. THIS IS THE TAX OFFICE TELLING US THE CALCULATION OF THE RATES. THIS IS NOT FOR THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT. THEY PROVIDED THIS INFORMATION FOR THE COUNTY LAST WEEK. THIS IS NOT THE COURT ADOPTING THE RATE. THE COURT ALREADY PROPOSED A RATE FOR THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT LAST WEEK, BUT TODAY THIS ITEM IS JUST THE CALCULATION OF THE RATE FROM THE TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE FOR THE COURT'S CONSIDERATION AND KNOWLEDGE AND THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE. SO I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES THE PUBLIC, EVERY TIME THEY SEE AN ITEM ON THE TAX RATE AND THE MEDIA THINKS THAT WE'RE ADOPTING OR IT IS FINAL, THIS IS SIMPLY THE TAX ASSESSOR TELLING YOU ALL AND THE PUBLIC WHAT THE RATES ARE BY THE CALCULATIONS. SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TAX OFFICE. BUT I DID WANT TO MAKE THAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. WELCOME. GOOD MORNING JUDGE. GOOD MORNING, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS CLAUDIA ROSALES AND THIS IS YVETTE SANCHEZ. AND WE'RE HERE ON BEHALF AND WE'RE HERE ON BEHALF OF RUBEN GONZALEZ, COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR, TO PRESENT TO YOU THE 2025 EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT. NO NEW REVENUE AND VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATES. WE DID JUST WANT TO GO OVER THE TERMS. NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE AND VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE. SO NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS THE TAX RATE THAT WOULD GENERATE THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE RECEIVED ON PROPERTY TAX FOR THE PRIOR YEAR AND CURRENT YEAR. IF THE PROPERTY VALUE RISES, THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE WILL GO DOWN AND VICE VERSA, AND THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE IS A CALCULATED MAXIMUM RATE ALLOWED BY LAW WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL. OKAY, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT 2025 NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS CALCULATED AT 0.210963 PER $100 OF PROPERTY VALUE. THE 2025 VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE IS CALCULATED AT 0.255255 PER $100 OF PROPERTY VALUE, AND LAST YEAR THE 2024 ADOPTED TAX RATE WAS CALCULATED AT 0.219526 PER $100 OF PROPERTY VALUE. SO TODAY, WE'RE JUST ASKING YOU TO ACCEPT THE 2025 NO NEW REVENUE AND VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE CALCULATIONS FOR THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT. JUDGE. JUST HAVE A QUESTION. 
          COMMISSIONER BUTLER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING AND CONFUSED ABOUT LIKE LIKE BETSY SAID, ABOUT WHAT THIS ACTUALLY MEANS AND WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON. COULD YOU EXPLAIN HOW THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE ARE ARE DETERMINED? YES. WE GET OUR NUMBERS FROM THE EPC AND ALSO THE INS AMOUNTS ARE FROM UMC THEMSELVES. AND SO AND THE PROCESS FOR UMC, IS IT ANY DIFFERENT FROM THE COUNTY OR OTHER ANY. NO. THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR. THEY'RE SIMILAR. OR IS IT THE SAME. WELL, WE USE THE SAME FORMS TO CALCULATE. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WOULD BE THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WOULD BE WITH UMC. NOT ALL THE EXEMPTIONS THAT APPLY TO US APPLY TO THEM. SO WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE CALCULATION THERE'S SOME SPECIFIC EXEMPTIONS THAT ARE LIKE FOR EXAMPLE PUBLIC DEFENSE, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ARE TAKE CALCULATED OUT VETERANS. RIGHT. 
          BUT FOR UMC THEY DO NOT FACTOR INTO THE CALCULATION. OKAY. AND MR. GONZALEZ WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE AGAIN TODAY. YES. WE'RE JUST WE'RE HERE TO REPRESENT HIM. I'LL JUST REITERATE THAT I THINK THAT OUR TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR SHOULD BE HERE TO PRESENT THESE NUMBERS. AND ALSO JUST FOR, FOR. FOR THE PUBLIC WHEN WE HAD THE PRESENTATION FROM UMC LAST WEEK, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE NO NEW REVENUE REVENUE RATE, THIS THIS RATE INCLUDES BOTH THE NO. AND INS TOGETHER. 
          SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CLEAR BECAUSE THE RATE IS NOT $0.21. IT'S LOWER THAN THAN THAN THE NO. NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS LOWER THAN THE $0.21. THIS INCLUDES BOTH. NO AND INS. AND 
          [01:50:10]
SO YOU WILL SEE IN THIS RATE ALSO INCLUDES THE AMOUNT THAT VOTERS APPROVED FOR THE BOND, THE $400 MILLION BOND OR ALMOST $400 MILLION BOND THAT THAT UMC PROPOSED IN NOVEMBER AND THAT WAS APPROVED. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. BEFORE WE ASK FOR A MOTION, WE DO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM REALLY QUICKLY. 
          COMMISSIONERS ARE CESAR COMMISSIONER STOUT. I THINK RIGHT NOW YOU ALLUDED TO THE RATE BEING HIGHER THAN THE NNR. IT'S ACTUALLY THE OPPOSITE. FORGIVE ME, THE NNR IS HIGHER THAN THE NNR RATE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR. YEAH. THE THIS THIS RATE IS HIGHER THAN WHAT WAS PRESENTED AS BECAUSE LAST WEEK WE, WE TALKED IN THE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE NO NEW REVENUE REVENUE RATE FOR THE NO. THIS RATE DOES INCLUDE THE INS OR NO, IT DOES. 
          BUT THE INNER THE NNR LOWERS THIS NNR RATE, LOWERS THEIR NO. BY THE AMOUNT OF THE INS INCREASE. SO THE RATE THAT THEY ACTUALLY PROPOSED LAST WEEK IS HIGHER THAN THIS ONE BECAUSE IT INCLUDES THE VOTER APPROVED INS. YES. AND MATT O'CONNOR. RIGHT. YES, SIR. I THINK WE'RE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING. PERFECT. THAT'S CORRECT. I'M JUST THIS THIS RATE RIGHT HERE. THE $0.21 HAS IT'S THE FULL TAX RATE. IT'S THIS IS NOT THE FULL TAX RATE. THIS IS THIS IS JUST THE. NO. 
          LET ME GET THIS LOWERS THE. NO. THIS IS THE ONE THAT WENT DOWN. THIS IS THE CALCULATION. SEE THAT'S WHY THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO MAKE IT CLEAR BECAUSE SO LAST SO LAST WEEK WE HAD A PRESENTATION WITH THE NO. SO THIS IS JUST NO AND NOT INS. THIS IS JUST MICHAEL. LET ME HEAR FROM MICHAEL PLEASE. MICHAEL YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE THAT'S THAT'S BEING DISCLOSED TODAY. THE $0.21. THIS IS TRICKY TO CAPTURE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUES BASED UPON LAST YEAR'S LAST YEAR'S WHICH IS THE TOTAL RATE INS. AND WHAT THIS DOES NOT CONSIDER IS THE INCREASE IN THE DEBT SERVICE COMPONENT THAT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED FOR 2026. 
          SO THE RATE THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED OF THE OF THE DEBT SERVICE AND THE NO NEW REVENUE, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE IS ABOUT $0.24. OKAY. SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT. SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHICH RATE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. 
          BECAUSE IF WE'RE WE'RE SAYING HERE THAT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS AT $0.21, AND THEN THEY SEE $0.24 ON THEIR ON THEIR TAX, THEY'RE GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO WONDER WHY WHY, WHY. IT'S AT 24. CORRECT. SO THE INTEREST AND DEBT SERVICE COMPONENT BETWEEN THE CURRENT YEAR 2025 TO OUR 2026 BUDGET, THAT'S GOING UP ABOUT $0.03. THE NO NEW THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS PORTION IS ACTUALLY COMING DOWN IN 2026 COMPARED TO 2025 BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES. RIGHT. AND BECAUSE WE'RE GOING DOWN TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, NO NEW REVENUE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE. YES, EXACTLY. THANK YOU, MICHAEL. APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE FOR THIS. THANK YOU. AND JUST JUST TO POINT OUT THAT THE REASON THE INS IS GOING UP, BECAUSE THE VOTERS APPROVED OUR THAT IS PART OF PART OF IT. YEAH. WELL, IN FACT, ALL OF THE INCREASE IS ALL RELATED TO THE VOTER DEBT, RIGHT. BECAUSE THE, THE, THE INTEREST AND DEBT SERVICE COMPONENT IS GOING UP $0.03. BUT THE TAX RATE, TOTAL TAX RATE BETWEEN 2025 AND 26 IS ONLY GOING UP 2.7 CENTS BECAUSE THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS PORTION IS GOING DOWN BY 0.00 $0.03. RIGHT. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVEN'T SOLD ALL THE BONDS YET, PART OF THAT COMPONENT IS FOR BONDS THAT WERE SOLD. THAT IS CORRECT, SIR. YES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GO AHEAD CESAR. THANK YOU SIR. DO WE HAVE ANY SOLO ONLINE? HI, MY NAME IS JENNY SOLO. WELCOME. I'M SPEAKING ON THE PRESENTATION OF THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT'S 2025. NO NEW REVENUE AND VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE CALCULATIONS. EVEN THOUGH THIS AGENDA ITEM IS JUST PRESENTING THE NUMBERS. THOSE NUMBERS MATTER BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT WHAT TAXPAYERS WILL ACTUALLY FACE NEXT YEAR. THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE OF $0.25 OR SO PER $100 WOULD MEAN AN EXTRA $72 FOR THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER IN 2026. 
          THAT'S $72 DOESN'T STAND ALONE. THIS COURT IS ALSO MOVING WITH $181 COUNTY TAX HIKE, BRINGING COUNTY TAX INCREASES TO $253. THAT'S TRIPLE THE CITY'S $83 INCREASE AT THE CITY'S PORTION. 
          [01:55:05]
WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A 7% JUMP IN PROPERTY TAXES, THE LARGEST IN EL PASO HISTORY. THIS IS HAPPENING WHILE THE COMMISSIONERS CONTINUE TO FUND OUT-OF-TOWN TRIPS, SO-CALLED ECONOMIC MISSIONS, VANITY PROJECTS THAT DO LITTLE FOR THE PEOPLE PAYING THE BILLS. YOU FIND MONEY FOR TRAVEL, PHOTO OPS AND PET PROJECTS, BUT YOU'RE ASKING SENIORS AND WORKING FAMILIES TO PAY MORE FOR BASIC SERVICES. THAT'S BACKWARDS. PRESENTING AND ACCEPTING A RATE LIKE THIS ISN'T NEUTRAL. IT SETS THE STAGE FOR ANOTHER TAX HIKE. THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT SHOULD BE KEPT AT A NO NEW REVENUE RATE. DON'T SET US UP FOR MAXIMUM WITHOUT AN ELECTION. DON'T MAKE US PAY MORE WHEN THERE'S CLEARLY ENOUGH FOR NON-ESSENTIAL OPTICS. WE SEE IT IN THE VOTERS. SEE IT TOO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS WILL. DO. WE HAVE VICTORIA BARRIOS HERNANDEZ ON THE LINE. 
          SHE'S NO LONGER ON THE LINE? NO. I'M GOING TO CALL OUT A FEW OTHER NAMES. DO WE HAVE KAY BAILEY? NOPE. NONE ON THE LINE. DO WE HAVE JOSE AVITIA? NOT ON THE LINE EITHER. DO WE HAVE JOSHUA SERNA NOT ON THE LINE? DID NOT ANSWER. OKAY. CZARINA NICOLE ROBINSON. LET ME ATTEMPT TO CALL UP. WE HAD JUST RECEIVED THE PHONE NUMBER. STANDBY. 
          HELLO? YES, SIR. SERENA. YES, YES, THIS IS THE PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. YOU WANT TO SUBMIT A PUBLIC COMMENT? YOU CAN GO AHEAD. SERENA, WE'LL TURN DOWN THE YOUTUBE FEED, PLEASE. 
          SHE HUNG UP. WHEN I HAVE A AMY, I'M GOING TO ATTEMPT THAT NUMBER. 
          YOUR CALL HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO VOICEMAIL. THE PERSON YOU'RE TRYING TO REACH IS NOT. THAT IS NOT AVAILABLE. THAT IS ALL. ZARINA IS DROPPED OFF. THAT THEY DID NOT ANSWER. 
          OKAY. DO WE HAVE SEAN CHRISTMAS? LET ME ATTEMPT THAT ONE. HELLO. HELLO, MR. CHRISTMAS, YOU WANTED TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT AT EL PASO COMMISSIONERS COURT? YES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. SIR. 
          WELCOME. SORRY. YES. I'D LIKE TO OPPOSE THE 2026 TAX INCREASE. GO AHEAD SIR. YOU'RE LIVE. YEAH. 
          THAT IS I'D LIKE TO OPPOSE THE 2026 INCREASE ONE MORE TIME. IF YOU CAN SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER. 
          SIR, I'M SO SORRY. I'D LIKE TO OPPOSE THE 2026 TAX INCREASE. OKAY. THANK YOU. WE DO HAVE PEOPLE NOW CALLING INTO THE QUEUE. NEXT PERSON THAT WE HAVE. ONE SECOND IS MISS HERNANDEZ. 
          STAND BY. YOU CAN STATE YOUR FULL NAME, PLEASE. GO AHEAD. VICTORIA. HELLO, THIS IS VICTORIA. GO AHEAD. IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR FULL NAME, YOU CAN GIVE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. OH, THIS IS VICTORIA BARRIOS HERNANDEZ. I WAS JUST CALLING OR I HAD POSTED BECAUSE I WAS JUST LETTING YOU GUYS KNOW THAT I DO OPPOSE THE TAX HIKE THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING ASKED. I BELIEVE THAT LIKE 7%. SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. BYE. THANK YOU. THAT IS ALL THAT I HAVE? IS THAT THE PHONE QUEUE? THE LAST THING I'M GOING TO CALL OUT IS AMY SHAH. WE DO NOT HAVE. OKAY. AND HECTOR CARRILLO. NO, NO. OKAY. WE WILL 
          [02:00:10]
FORWARD THESE MESSAGES TO THE TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COURT JUST SO THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THE PERSONS AND NAMES. OKAY? OKAY. THANK YOU. JUDGE. YES, SIR. SO JUST ONE ONE MORE. JUST JUST TO BE CLEAR. AS PER STATE STATUTE, THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA HAS TO BE PLACED SO THAT THE TAX ASSESSOR CAN PRESENT TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT WHAT THE CALCULATIONS, AFTER HAVING RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT ON THE VALUATIONS OF PROPERTIES, ARE FOR THESE DIFFERENT THESE DIFFERENT RATES, WE ARE WE ARE NOT APPROVING A TAX RATE WITH THE VOTE THAT'S GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW. WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM UMC DURING THEIR BUDGET HEARING LAST LAST WEEK, WHERE THEY PRESENTED A BUDGET THAT WOULD BRING THE NO SIDE OF THE TAX RATE TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WHICH MEANS THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT AND THE BOARD OF UMC DID NOT APPROVE AN INCREASE TO THE. NO PORTION OF THE TAX RATE. WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEBT SERVICE SIDE OF THE TAX RATE, IT IS GOING UP BECAUSE THE VOTERS APPROVED A BOND IN NOVEMBER FOR CLOSE TO $400 MILLION THAT WILL PAY FOR A COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER, A NEW GERIATRIC FOCUSED CLINIC, A BURN UNIT, AMONGST OTHER NEEDED PROJECTS FOR HEALTHCARE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE APPROVED BY THE VOTERS. WE CANNOT, AS A COMMISSIONERS COURT. DO THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BY THE VOTERS. WE CANNOT, WE CANNOT REDUCE THAT THAT SIDE OF THE TAX RATE. SO I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE CLEAR. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE DISPELLING ANY MISINFORMATION THAT MAY THAT MAY BE PUT OUT THERE. THIS IS UMMC'S TAX RATE. 
          WE ARE GOING TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE ON THE NO SIDE. AND THE INCREASE IS BECAUSE OF THE VOTERS CHOICE. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. I WOULD ALSO ADD, JUDGE THANK YOU THAT WE HAD A REALLY DETAILED HEARING OR MEETING LAST WEEK ON THURSDAY ON UMC'S BUDGET. AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO ARE ARE CONCERNED OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT WHAT THAT FUNDING IS GOING TO GO TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND WATCH THAT HEARING IF THEY CAN. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD CESAR. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE 2025 NO NEW REVENUE AND VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE CALCULATIONS FOR EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT? HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER. ONLINE VOTING IS OPEN. MOTION CARRIES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOING BACK TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, A FROM COUNTY ADMINISTRATION. DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ADOPT THE EL PASO COUNTY STRATEGIC PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 THROUGH 2031. GOOD 
          [A. Discuss and take appropriate action to adopt the El Paso County Strategic Plan for FY2026-2031.
Betsy C. Keller, Chief Administrator, County Administration, 915-273-3600]
MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS BETSY KELLER, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO LORENA, I JUST WANT TO SHARE. WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT THE YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 2026 THROUGH 2031. IT IS A FORWARD LOOKING AND RESPONSIBLE VISION THAT WILL GUIDE THE COUNTY OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. IT IS MORE THAN A DOCUMENT OR A WEBSITE. IT IS A SHARED ROADMAP THAT REFLECTS THE PRIORITIES, VALUES AND ASPIRATIONS THE COURT HAS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR ORGANIZATION. IT WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH SEVERAL DAYS, AS YOU ARE AWARE, SEVERAL DAYS OF FOCUSED WORK FOR BY THE COMMISSIONERS COURT, OUR DEPARTMENTS, COUNTY ADMINISTRATION TEAM AND OUR FACILITATOR. THIS PLAN CAPTURES OUR COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT TO ADDRESS TODAY'S CHALLENGES WHILE POSITIONING THE COUNTY FOR LONG TERM SUCCESS. THE PLAN OUTLINES THE COURT'S GOALS AND IT IS 
          [02:05:04]
DESIGNED TO GUIDE OUR DECISIONS, ALIGN OUR RESOURCES, AND MEASURE OUR PROGRESS BY LINKING THE COURT'S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES WITH ACTIONABLE STEPS FROM OUR DEPARTMENTS. IT ENSURES WE REMAIN ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE WE SERVE AND THE TRANSPARENT AND HOW WE ACHIEVE RESULTS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS STRATEGIC PLAN WAS CREATED WITH THE BETTERMENT OF COMMUNITY IN MIND. IT REFLECTS YOUR VISION FOR A STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT AND MORE VIBRANT EL PASO COUNTY, WHERE EVERY RESIDENT CAN THRIVE AND HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY QUALITY OF LIFE. AND WHILE WE WILL UPDATE IT EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, THIS PLAN WILL SERVE AS OUR COMPASS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, HELPING US NAVIGATE CHALLENGING, CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES WHILE KEEPING US FIRMLY ON COURSE TOWARDS OUR SHARED GOALS. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR COUNTY ADMIN TEAM TO LEAD US THROUGH THIS PLAN. I DO WANT TO THANK THE COURT, OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND STAFF AND THE ADMIN TEAM FOR THEY'VE WORKED FOR THE WORK THEY'VE BEEN DOING TO PREPARE THIS PLAN. IT TAKES EVERYONE TO MAKE THIS PLAN A VALUABLE TOOL THAT GUIDES OUR WORK AND TO WHICH WE HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE. AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO LORENA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BETSY. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, LORENA RODRIGUEZ WITH COUNTY ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS YOUR FIVE YEAR PLAN FOR 2026, 2031, DESIGNED TO ALIGN SEAMLESSLY WITH YOUR FISCAL YEAR. OUR COUNTY VISION IS OUR UNIQUE HERITAGE, DIVERSE ECONOMY AND UNIFIED REGIONAL LEADERSHIP PROVIDE AN EXTRAORDINARY QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL. YOUR MISSION IS DELIVERING SOUND AND EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF EL PASO COUNTY THROUGH JUDICIOUS, EFFICIENT AND RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT AND THE CONSCIENTIOUS DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS AND PRODUCE COMPASSIONATE SOLUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY'S OBLIGATIONS, CHALLENGES, AND EVER CHANGING DEMANDS. LASTLY, OUR CORE VALUES ARE EXCELLENCE, PROFESSIONALISM, INTEGRITY, AND CREATIVITY. AS PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION HELD IN APRIL, THE COURT MADE REVISIONS TO SEVERAL GOLD TITLES, INCLUDING GOAL TWO FROM TRANSFORM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO DRIVE REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH, GOAL THREE FROM INCREASED TOURISM TO BE A HUB FOR TOURISM EXPERIENCES. GOAL FOUR FROM UPGRADE INFRASTRUCTURE TO STRATEGICALLY INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE. GOAL FIVE FROM PROMOTE COLLABORATION AND ENGAGEMENT TO CULTIVATE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. GOAL SIX FROM ADVANCED COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND OPPORTUNITIES. TITLES FOR GOALS ONE, SEVEN, EIGHT AND NINE REMAIN UNCHANGED. 
          FOLLOWING THE APRIL SESSION, MR. SUMMIT FURTHER EVALUATED THE REVISED TITLES AND HAS PROPOSED ONE ADDITIONAL REFINEMENT TO ENHANCE CLARITY AND IMPACT, WHICH IS GOAL NUMBER THREE. 
          UPDATED TO BE HUB FOR TOURISM. THESE GOALS REPRESENT THE LONG TERM VISION THE COURT AIMS TO ACHIEVE. THEY SERVE AS OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS, WITH THIS FIVE YEAR PLAN OUTLINING THE SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES WILL UNDERTAKE TO ACHIEVE THESE NINE GOALS. IN SUMMARY, YOUR PLAN HAS NINE STRATEGIC GOALS, 51 OBJECTIVES AND 108 ACTIONS TO HELP MOVE TOWARDS THE OBJECTIVES WHICH HELP MOVE THE GOALS. GOAL NUMBER ONE LEAD JUSTICE REFORM. YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE SIX OBJECTIVES THAT THE COURT HAS IDENTIFIED DURING STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS. THERE WERE NO REVISIONS MADE TO THE OBJECTIVES. THE NEXT SLIDE OUTLINES ALL THE ACTIONS THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED TO ADDRESS THE OBJECTIVES. UNDER THIS GOAL. 
          EACH ACTION MAY SUPPORT ONE OR MORE OF THE LISTED OBJECTIVES. DURING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS, THE COURT APPROVED THE ADDITION OF TWO NEW ACTIONS. 1.10 TRUANCY PREVENTION PROGRAM DIRECTION COUNTY ROLL AND FUNDING 1.11 PRETRIAL SUPERVISION RECOMMENDATION, REVOCATION, IMPACTS AND PROCESSES. GOAL NUMBER TWO IS DRIVE REGIONAL REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH. AS SHOWN. WE NOW HAVE FIVE OBJECTIVES INSTEAD OF FOUR. THE COURT AGREED TO ADD PROMOTE INTERNATIONAL TRADE AT MARCELINO SERNA PORT OF ENTRY. NEXT, WE DELVE INTO THE ACTIONS. AS MENTIONED, SOME OF THESE ARE CARRYOVERS WHILE OTHERS ARE NEW. A NOTABLE NEW ACTIVITY MILESTONE IDENTIFIED BY THE COURT IS 2.1 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EXPANSION OUTCOMES DIRECTION REPORT WITH 
          [02:10:01]
OPTIONS, COUNTY ROLE AND COUNTY ACTIONS. OUR NEXT GOAL IS TO BE A HUB FOR TOURISM. THE COURT RETAINED THE SIX OBJECTIVES SUCH AS INCREASED SPORTS TOURISM THROUGH INVESTING IN SPORTS VENUES AND ACTIVITIES, AND CREATE A SENSE OF SYNERGY AMONG TOURISM DESTINATIONS. ON THIS SLIDE, MOST OF THE ACTIONS ARE CARRYOVERS FROM THE PREVIOUS PLAN, SUCH AS 3.5 COUNTYWIDE HISTORIC BUILDING, SURVEY DIRECTION AND COUNTY ROLL. DURING STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS, THE COURT AGREED TO ADD THREE NEW ACTIONS. THEY ARE 3.4 MARKETING STRATEGY FOR EL PASO AS AN OUTDOOR RECREATION DESTINATION. DEVELOPMENT DIRECTION AND COUNTY ACTIONS. 
          3.15 COLISEUM MODERNIZATION AND RENOVATION. FUTURE DIRECTION AND COUNTY ACTIONS TO DEVELOP A PLAN THAT WILL HELP MODERNIZE AND RENOVATE THE COLISEUM IN SMALL INCREMENTS OVER TIME, CONTINGENT UPON AVAILABLE FUNDING. AND 3.16 SOUTH CENTRAL HERITAGE PLAN RECOGNITION AND CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT DIRECTION. GOAL NUMBER FOUR IS TO STRATEGICALLY INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE. THE COURT CARRIED OVER THE FIVE OBJECTIVES AND REVISED INVEST IN EXISTING FACILITIES TO MONITOR TO MODERNIZE EXISTING FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE. HERE ARE THE ACTIVITY MILESTONES FOR GOAL NUMBER FOUR. THE ACTIONS INCREASED FROM 16 TO 29. THESE ACTIONS INCLUDE BOND FUNDED PROJECTS SUCH AS 4.2, NEW MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE, BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND 4.5 ASCARATE PARK UPGRADE PROJECT. THIS SLIDE PRESENTS ADDITIONAL ACTIONS UNDER GOAL FOUR, INCLUDING 4.4 ANIMAL SHELTER DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION AND 4.17 FUNDED WASTEWATER PROJECTS. 
          THESE ARE THE REMAINING ACTIONS UNDER GOAL FOUR. THE COURT APPROVED THE ADDITION OF FOUR NEW ACTIONS, WHICH INCLUDE 4.26 COMPREHENSIVE LONG TERM MASTER PLAN WATER NEEDS, WATER SOURCES, INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, STATE ACTIONS, COUNTY RULE REPORT DIRECTION AND FUNDING. 4.27 SUBDIVISION ORDER FUNDING REVIEW AND DIRECTION 4.28 EAST MONTANA WATER SYSTEM STRATEGY KEY ISSUES COUNTY ROLE, DIRECTION AND COUNTY ACTIONS. 4.29 TREE PLANTING PROGRAM EXPANSION, DIRECTION AND FUNDING. OUR NEXT GOAL IS NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS CULTIVATE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. AS SHOWN, WE NOW HAVE SIX OBJECTIVES INSTEAD OF FIVE. THE NEW OBJECTIVE. THE NEW OBJECTIVE IS BE RECOGNIZED AS A COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL LEADER. DURING STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS, THE COURT AGREED TO ADD FOUR ACTIONS, SUCH AS 5.6 COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS EXPANSION, DESIRED OUTCOMES, BEST PRACTICES REPORT WITH OPTIONS STAFFING, EXPANDED SOCIAL MEDIA, EMAIL TOOL, COURT DECISIONS SHOWCASING COUNTY DIRECTION AND FUNDING. 
          5.7 COUNTY RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT, OUTREACH STRATEGY, DESIRED OUTCOMES BEST PRACTICES REPORT WITH OPTIONS DIRECTION, FUNDING AND COUNTY ACTIONS 5.8 STATE OF TEXAS ADVOCACY AND LOBBYING. KEY ISSUES. STATE LEGISLATOR, AGENDA MONITORING, LEGISLATOR DIRECTION AND COUNTY ACTIONS. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH LEGISLATORS. PROACTIVE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS. MEETING WITH LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION AND LOBBYING TEAM AND 5.9 REGIONAL STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORTS. DESIRED OUTCOMES METHOD, APPROACH, DIRECTION AND FUNDING. GOAL NUMBER SIX IS ADVANCE ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND OPPORTUNITIES. ALL THE OBJECTIVES WERE CARRIED OVER FROM THE PREVIOUS PLAN. HOWEVER, THE COURT REVISED THE LAST OBJECTIVE FROM ENHANCED COUNTY SERVICES RESPONSIVE TO IMMIGRANT POPULATION NEEDS TO ENHANCE COUNTY SERVICES RESPONSIVE TO IMMIGRANT POPULATION NEEDS THROUGH THE OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS. THESE ARE THE MILESTONE ACTIONS FOR GOAL SIX. 
          WE WOULD LIKE TO INFORM THE COURT THAT DURING STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS, TWO ADDITIONAL ACTIONS WERE DISCUSSED FOR INCLUSION. HOWEVER, STAFF NOTED THAT THESE ACTIONS WERE ALREADY UNDERWAY, SO THEY WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE PLAN. THESE ARE 6.7 MONTANA VISTA COMMUNITY SERVICES NEEDS ASSESSMENT, COUNTY ROLE, OPTION, DIRECTION, FUNDING, AND COUNTY 
          [02:15:06]
ACTIONS. FACILITY DIRECTION, CONTRACT OPTIONS, COUNTY PRESENCE, AND SERVICE NEEDS. 6.8 SENIOR NUTRITION ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND PARTNERSHIP STAFFING RESOURCES. IN ADDITION TO THESE TWO ACTIONS, THE COURT VOTED FOR TWO ADDITIONAL ACTIONS AND THEY ARE 6.1 UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN FRIENDLY COMMUNITY DESIGNATION. CHILDHOOD CERTIFICATION, CHILDREN FOCUSED, COMMUNITY FOCUSED COMMUNITY SUPPORT. CITY OF EL PASO EFFORTS REPORT AND NEXT STEPS 6.11 ILLEGAL DUMPING ACTION PLAN AND MARKETING CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT. GOAL NUMBER SEVEN IS VALUE. THE EL PASO COUNTY FAMILY. WE HAVE FIVE OBJECTIVES, SUCH AS ATTRACT AND RETAIN AN A+ COUNTY WORKFORCE BY BEING RECOGNIZED AS A PREFERRED EMPLOYER AND PREPARE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF COUNTY MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES THROUGH SUCCESSION PLANNING AND TALENT DEVELOPMENT. HERE ARE THE MILESTONE ACTIONS FOR GOAL NUMBER SEVEN. DURING STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS, THE BOARD VOTED TO RENAME 7.3 PAID INTERNSHIP PROGRAM TO THE CARL MCKINNEY. MCKINNEY COUNTY PAID INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. EXPANSION DIRECTION AND FUNDING MECHANISM AND ADDED 7.8 EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN FOR COURTHOUSE TRAINING. ANNUAL DRILL. THIS IS GOAL NUMBER EIGHT. STRENGTHEN FINANCIAL HEALTH. THE SIX OBJECTIVES FROM THE PREVIOUS PLAN CARRIED OVER, SUCH AS ALIGN COUNTY REVENUES AND EXPENSE GROWTH, AND IDENTIFY ALTERNATIVE REVENUE RESOURCES AND MAINTAIN A RESPONSIVE TAX RATE. HERE YOU WILL SEE THE ACTIONS FOR GOAL EIGHT DURING STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS. THE COURT VOTED FOR THREE NEW ACTIVITY MILESTONES 8.5 COUNTY PROGRAMS, SERVICES AND CONTRACTS. PERFORMANCE METRICS, CONCEPT, DEFINITION, DIRECTION AND COUNTY ACTIONS 8.6 COUNTY GOVERNMENT STRATEGY FOR LOSS OF SPECIAL REVENUES. FUNDING EVALUATION, FUNDING EVALUATION, REPORT DIRECTION AND COUNTY ACTIONS, AND 8.7 COUNTY PREPARATION FOR AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE. CHALLENGES OUR TOOLKIT CONCEPT BEST PRACTICES, FINDINGS AND FINDINGS, AND OPTIONS REPORT AND DIRECTION. OUR LAST GOAL IS NUMBER NINE OPTIMIZE INTERNAL PROCESSES. THE FIVE OBJECTIVES CARRIED OVER FROM THE PREVIOUS PLAN. WE HAVE IMPROVED THE COUNTY PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND PROVIDE ONLINE SERVICES FOR CUSTOMERS BY ENHANCING ONLINE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES FOR THE PUBLIC. YOU WILL SEE THE ACTIVITY MILESTONES FOR GOAL NINE. DURING STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS, THE COURT AGREED TO ADD TWO NEW ACTIONS 9.5 PURCHASING, PROCUREMENT AND PAYMENT PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, LEGAL FRAMEWORK UPDATE REPORT DIRECTION AND COUNTY ACTIONS, AND 9.6 JP REDISTRICTING LEGAL FRAMEWORK COMPLETE STUDY AND DIRECTION. TODAY, WE ARE REQUESTING A MOTION FROM THE COURT TO APPROVE AND ADOPT THE 2026 2031 STRATEGIC PLAN. IF APPROVED, THE PLAN AND PUBLIC DASHBOARD WILL TAKE EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2025. AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO OPEN UP THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COURT MAY HAVE, COMMISSIONER BUTLER THANK YOU, JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LORENA. I HAD JUST A COUPLE OF NOTES BASED ON THE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION THAT WE HAD, AND I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF INCLUDING SOME MORE DETAIL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING MORE SPECIFIC IN A COUPLE OF ITEMS, IF YOU DON'T MIND. YES, MA'AM. THE FIRST ONE THAT I'D LIKE TO CONSIDER IS THE ON GOAL THREE TOURISM HUB. ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE DECIDED TO INCLUDE THIS YEAR WAS. I THINK IT'S 3.14 MARKETING STRATEGY FOR EL PASO AS AN OUTDOOR RECREATION DESTINATION. AND I REMEMBER WE SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT WACO TANKS DURING THIS DISCUSSION. AND SO I WAS WONDERING I WAS HOPING WE COULD ADD THAT HERE TO THE LANGUAGE. SO LORENA AND WE CAN COMMISSIONER. SO UNDER THESE THERE'S MULTIPLE DETAILED ACTION ITEMS. AND I'M PULLING IT UP RIGHT NOW. LET ME JUST A SECOND. 
          [02:20:48]
SORRY. IT'S A VERY LARGE DOCUMENT. WE DO HAVE 3.14 MARKETING STRATEGY FOR EL PASO AS AN OUTDOOR RECREATION DESTINATION. DEVELOPMENT DIRECTION AND COUNTY ACTIONS. 
          AND WE HAVE SPECIFIC ACTION ITEMS UNDER THAT ITEM. SO CORRECT. SO UNDER 3.0. BUT IT SAYS. SO ON THE ON THE OBJECTIVE COMMISSIONER. ARE YOU WANTING TO CHANGE IT. I BELIEVE SHE'S TALKING ABOUT THE ACTION. WERE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE ACTION COMMISSIONER OR THE OBJECTIVE. WELL I JUST REMEMBER THE CONVERSATION BEING ABOUT WACO TANKS ON THIS SPECIFIC ITEM. YES, MA'AM. AND ALL OF THE OTHER KIND OF ITEMS HERE ARE VERY LOCATION SPECIFIC. I THINK YOU ALL MADE IT MORE SPECIFIC. MORE BROAD. IT SAYS MAP ALL OUTDOOR ASSETS ACROSS THE COUNTY PARKS, TRAILS, CLIMBING ZONES, SKATE PARKS, BOULDERING AREAS, BIKE ROUTES, ETC. MEET AND COLLABORATE WITH STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING DESTINATION EL PASO. 
          COMPLETE RESEARCH ON OTHER MODELS BEST PRACTICES. DRAFT A PLAN WITH OPTIONS INCLUDING COST PRESENT TO STAKEHOLDERS FOR REVIEW. PRESENT TO COMMISSIONERS COURT PREPARE BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR AN OUTDOOR RECREATION MARKETING STRATEGY. BUT I REMEMBER THERE IS A DISCUSSION, BUT I DO THINK YOU ALL ALSO DISCUSSED IT BEING NOT JUST ONE SPECIFIC AREA. COULD WE ADD AN ACTION THAT'S SPECIFIC TO WACO TANKS HERE? WORKING WITH THE STATE PARKS? IS THAT OKAY WITH THE COURT? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T FALL OFF. WE HAVE WE HAVE THE FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS AREA STATE PARK. WE HAVE WACO TANKS, THE LINEAR PARK. YEAH. YOU KNOW. THE RIVER TRAIL ISN'T ONE YET, BUT. ONCE WE GET IT ALL SO WE COULD ADD THE LOWER VALLEY, WE COULD ADD A 3.14 A AND B, THIS COULD BE A, AND THEN B COULD BE SPECIFIC TO WACO TANKS IF THE COURT'S RECEPTIVE OR STATE PARKS. I MEAN, AS LONG AS AS AND WE COULD ADD STATE PARKS INTO THIS ONE SPECIFICALLY AS WELL OKAY. YEAH. JUST AS LONG AS WE'RE NOT. YOU KNOW, JUST MAKING IT ONLY LIKE MAKING IT SOUND LIKE WE'RE ONLY CONCENTRATING ON THE STATE PARKS, RIGHT. THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT IT WOULD BE INTO ALL OUT MAP, ALL OUTDOOR ASSETS ACROSS THE COUNTY PARKS, TRAILS, CLIMBING ZONES, SKATE PARKS. BUT IN THERE WE WOULD ADD STATE PARKS ALSO. OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT RIGHT UP ON OUR HORIZON IS THE CHILDREN'S BOTANICAL GARDEN COMING UP. AND THEY'RE STARTING TO GET GOING ON THAT THAT IS REALLY PART OF THIS, OF THIS ACTION ITEM THAT I'LL BE RECEIVING A COPY OF THEIR ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT HERE PRETTY SOON, OR PRESENTED TO COMMISSIONERS COURT ON THAT. THIS IS GOING TO BE JUST A FANTASTIC I MEAN, IT'LL BE A PRIME DESTINATION FOR EL PASO. NOW, I'M ANXIOUS TO GET THAT PRESENTATION TO THE COURT. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, JUST ONE MORE. ONE MORE ITEM THAT I'D LIKE TO BRING UP IS ON INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED TO WATER. AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT IS 4.26 OR 4.28, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY MENTION IN THESE. IN THESE ACTIONS ON SHORT LINE WATER EXTENSIONS. AND I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY LIKE ASSUMED IN HERE, BUT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY 
          [02:25:01]
MENTIONED, SINCE IT'S A BIG ISSUE IN MY PRECINCT. I'M CHECKING I DON'T I DON'T IT WAS EITHER 4.15 OR 4.17. NO, IT WAS EITHER 4.26 OR 4.28. 4.26. YES, MA'AM. COULD WE ADD SHORT LINE WATER EXTENSION THERE? DID YOU WANT IT IN THE WRITTEN IN THE ACTION? OKAY. BECAUSE WE DID INCLUDE IT IN THE PLAN ITSELF ON THAT ACTION. BUT YOU WANT IT TO BE ADDED. IT SAYS RIGHT NOW UNDER JUST TO FOR 4.26. AND AGAIN I BELIEVE WE'VE PROVIDED THIS ENTIRE DOCUMENT. IF WE DIDN'T WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE BUT 4.26 COMPREHENSIVE LONG TERM WATER MASTER PLAN THAT IN THE ACTIONS IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS. IDENTIFY AND SECURE FUNDING FOR WATER MASTER GAP PLAN. IDENTIFY FUNDING FOR WATER SYSTEM EXPANSION. I DON'T THINK EITHER OF THOSE COMPLETELY COVERS THE SHORT LINE WATER EXTENSION ISSUE. GOTCHA. I CAN ADD THAT. 
          WAS DID DID WE DISCUSS THAT? PRETTY, PRETTY. I DO REMEMBER IT BEING DISCUSSED DURING THE AND THIS IS BASICALLY WHERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE A WATER LINE GOES, THERE'S A STREET THAT COMES OFF OF ANOTHER STREET AND THERE'S THE WATER LINE GOES HERE, BUT IT DOESN'T TURN AND COME DOWN IN FRONT OF THAT PROPERTY. AND SO JUST HAVING A PLAN OF HOW WOULD WE EXTEND EXTEND THOSE WATER LINES SO THAT ALL THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS TO DO IS RUN TO THE FRONT OF THEIR PROPERTY? AND I DO REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT STRATEGIC PLANNING AND THE COURT AGREED TO INCLUDE IT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS. DEFINED. THANK YOU. JUDGE, I HAVE A QUESTION. YES, SIR. 
          COMMISSIONER, WHEN IT COMES TO THE TO ECONOMIC GROWTH ACTIONS, I WOULD ASSUME THAT IT'S NOT ON HERE, BUT I WOULD ASSUME THAT UNDER 2.3 COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY STRATEGY, RURAL PARTNERS GOALS, PLAN, PERFORMANCE GOALS AND ACTIONS, WOULD THAT INCLUDE THINGS LIKE HDF5 AND ALSO LIKE FUNDING FOR PROJECTS? AND BETSY? OR BECAUSE I JUST DIDN'T SEE I MEAN. THIS COMMISSIONER 2.3 WAS MORE SPECIFIC TO OUR INCENTIVE POLICY. OKAY. THE ONE THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING OVER AND MEETING WITH THE COURT AND MAKING REVISIONS TO, I'M TRYING TO THINK IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE INCLUDED IN THE REVISION SPECIFIC TO THOSE. WE CAN GO BACK AND CHECK IN OUR NOTES. I MEAN, THERE ARE I MEAN, THERE ARE POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE, BUT AND I'M NOT SURE IF THEY NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE SPELLED OUT SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE STRATEGIC PLAN. 
          BUT JUST SO THAT THAT'S NOT THAT THAT DOESN'T FALL OFF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. I JUST WANT I JUST WANT TO SAY JUDGE ALSO THAT THAT. FOR ME, THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS IS, IS REALLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE DO. AND, AND. YOU KNOW, IT HELPS US CREATE A ROADMAP FO, FOR POLICY MAKING. RIGHT? THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE ENDED UP CREATING A COUNTY ADMINISTRATION 15 YEAR, TEN YEARS AGO OR SOMETHING LIKE 10 OR 12 YEARS AGO IS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE STRATEGIC PLANNING. WE DIDN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONERS WERE DEALING WITH DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS AND NOT NOT REALLY POLICYMAKING. AND SO THIS IS OUR POLICYMAKING DOCUMENT. RIGHT. AND THIS IS REALLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE DO BESIDE BUDGETING EVERY YEAR. BUT IT ALSO SETS THE STAGE FOR US TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW WHAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING AND, AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE. SPENDING OUR BUDGET ON. RIGHT. AND SO IT'S A VERY 
          [02:30:04]
COMPLEX DOCUMENT, AND THERE'S LOTS OF WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS. SO I DO WANT TO THANK COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AND ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID TO, YOU KNOW, TO HELP US CREATE THESE THIS STRATEGIC PLAN THIS YEAR. AND OF COURSE, TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COURT FOR IT'S JUST IT'S VERY I MEAN, I LOVE THIS PROCESS BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, A TIME IN WHICH WE CAN, YOU KNOW, REALLY LAY OUT GREAT THINGS. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS I'VE BEEN LUCKY TO BE A PART OF MANY COURTS THAT HAVE REALLY WORKED WELL TOGETHER, THAT HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF, OF NOT JUST NOT JUST MY PROPOSALS AND MY IDEAS, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, WE WORK THINGS OUT AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO ANIMOSITY. THERE'S NO YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, GETTING AT EACH OTHER AND REALLY WE'VE COME UP WITH A GREAT, A GREAT DOCUMENT TO MOVE FORWARD OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AND, AND I THINK IT'S VERY HELPFUL FOR OUR STAFF TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, AND SO THAT THEY CAN GIVE US FEEDBACK AS WELL. SO THANK YOU, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. AND THANKS TO THE STAFF AS WELL FOR THANK YOU FOR THAT. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BEING AN ORGANIZATION, THIS THIS IS WHAT DRIVES YOU, I THINK, AND I CONTINUE TO ASK BETSY TO SORT OF REMIND US WHEN WE'RE LIKE, CERTAIN THINGS COME OUT AT COMMISSIONERS COURT. WHAT HELPS ME A LOT IS TO ATTACH IT TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, YOU KNOW, LIKE THIS IS NUMBER FOUR BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AND YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB AND ALSO YOU'VE CONNECTED IT TO THE BUDGET, BEING ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE BUDGET, BUT ALSO WHENEVER ANY OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND US THAT WHEN WE HAVE SOME TOPIC ON OUR AGENDA, HOW IT RELATES TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN. AND I KNOW THAT REALLY HELPS US WHEN THAT HAPPENS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT, JUDGE. I ALSO WANT TO SAY WE ALSO USE IT WHEN WE HAVE AN IDEA OR AN ISSUE COME UP THAT IT'S NOT RELATED TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN. WHEN WE THINK WHY, WHY, WHAT'S OUR ROLE? WHAT. SO IT'S A MAJOR GUIDE FOR US BOTH ON LIKE KNOWING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THE COURT SUPPORTS AND WANTS TO ENGAGE IT WITH, AND ALSO ONES THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY HOW DOES THIS ADVANCE THE NINE GOALS. YEAH. SO IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT GUIDE FOR US AS STAFF COMMISSIONER CORONADO. YEAH. YOU KNOW WHAT. ALSO I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE OUR ADMINISTRATION STAFF DEPARTMENTS, EVERYBODY TO PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, BE A LITTLE MORE ENGAGED IN THIS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS. YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T SEE A LOT OF THAT DURING OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING, BUT WE DON'T KNOW AT ALL. AND THERE'S SOME ISSUES THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR ADMINISTRATION, I'M SURE, COUNTERS OUT THERE, OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WE MAY NOT BE THINKING ABOUT. SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO SUBMIT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO US. THIS SHOULD BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF OUR GOAL, RIGHT? YEAH. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. SO WE WOULD ASK THE COURT TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE, AND WE WILL ADD THE THREE ITEMS MENTIONED TODAY TO MAKE SURE THERE IS A DIRECT INCORPORATION TO ADD STATE PARKS TO THE DESCRIPTION OF ASSETS AND ACTION ONE UNDER 3.14 ADD IDENTIFY A PLAN AND FUNDING FOR SHORT WATER EXTENSIONS TO PROPERTIES TO ACTION EIGHT UNDER 4.26. AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THERE'S A PLACE TO ENSURE HFFI AND SUPPORT TO PROJECT ARIBA DOES NOT FALL OFF. THANK YOU BETSY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LIMIT THAT. I'M GLAD WE'RE ADDING WHAT COMMISSIONER BUTLER RECOMMENDED, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE IT BROAD BECAUSE IT INCLUDES EVERYTHING, EVEN THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT. AND THERE'S I'M SURE A LOT OF OTHER OUTDOOR, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT ARE EXIST HERE THAT WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT. AND SO AND WE'LL BE AT IT HOPEFULLY SOON. SO LIVING DOCUMENT RIGHT. IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN TO ADOPT THE PLAN AS AMENDED. VOTING IS OPEN. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. JUDGES, IT IS 1204. WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND RECESS FOR THIS AFTERNOON BREAK? THANK YOU. AS SOON AS WE GET BACK, THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT ONE. YES, MA'AM. YES. RIGHT AFTER THE MICROPHONE. WE'RE STILL ON BECAUSE THEY'RE WAITING FOR US AT THE. ALL RIGHT, FOR THE PRESS CONFERENCE. 
          COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL RECESS FOR ONE HOUR. IT IS 12:05 P.M. 
          [02:41:29]
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD ENJOYMENT, GOOD RELAXATION, GOOD THERAPY COMING OUT HERE AND COPING WITH 
          [02:41:35]
SITUATIONS AND RELAXATION. IT'S PEACEFUL, IT'S QUIET, IT'S NICE. IN THE SUMMERTIME. IT'S NICE AND COOL DOWN HERE. ABOUT 8:00 STARTS GETTING WARM, BUT IT'S A NICE AND COOL. COME DOWN HERE, RELAX FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE YOU HAVE TO GO OUT HERE AND FACE THE WORLD. THE BAIT, IT VARIES. YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST STARTED OUT HERE, THEY WERE HITTING ON CHICKEN BREAST. THEY STOPPED HITTING ON CHICKEN BREAST. WHAT'S VERY POPULAR IS WEENIE HOT DOG. AND THEN THEY STOP HITTING ON THE HOT DOG. AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY START HITTING ON THE SHRIMP, AND THEN IT SLOWS DOWN ON THE SHRIMP. NOW I'M USING SOME STINK BAIT AND IT REALLY STINKS. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN CATCH SOMETHING WITH SOME STINK BAIT, BUT IT'S GREAT WHEN THE FISH ARE BITING. IT'S GREAT. 
          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. 
          YEAH. 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. 
          [02:45:16]
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'RE 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 BUILT IT. IF WE'RE STANDING WHERE WE'RE STANDING, WE'RE RIGHT ABOUT TURN NUMBER ONE. SO TURN ONE AND TURN TWO WOULD COME AROUND HERE. THE BACK STRETCH IS PROBABLY RIGHT ABOUT WHERE THAT PALM TREE IS. AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE THE PITS WOULD BE RIGHT ABOUT WHERE OUR GOLF CARTS ARE. 
          AND THEN THE REST OF THE GRANDSTANDS AND EVERYTHING WILL BE RIGHT HERE. 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. 
          WELL, ONCE YOU'RE IN A 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. OF COURSE. 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 
          [02:50:02]
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. 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 LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO START GETTING FAMILIAR WITH THE PLANTS THAT THEY CAN GROW HERE IN THE COMMUNITY. EL PASO CAN OFFER YOU A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY IN TERMS OF GROWING CONDITIONS. HELLO EVERYONE. SAM GUZMAN, HERE WE ARE LIVE AT ASCOT AT THE PARK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SMALL TOWN SPOTLIGHT. ASCOT AT 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. I GOT TO THE 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. 
          ARE 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 PERSONABLE 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 ASCOT 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 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 IT WAS FOUR, AND THEN IT TURNED INTO LIKE 5 OR 6 TIMES A WEEK. HERE'S 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 
          [02:55:01]
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 WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO DO IT. FOR THREE ONE. IT'S USUALLY STARTS OUT RECREATIONALLY FOR MOST PEOPLE, AND THEN IT TURNS INTO AN ADDICTION. 
          [03:03:07]
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD ENJOYMENT, GOOD RELAXATION, GOOD THERAPY COMING OUT HERE AND COPING WITH SITUATIONS AND RELAXATION. IT'S PEACEFUL, IT'S QUIET, IT'S NICE IN THE SUMMERTIME. IT'S NICE AND COOL DOWN HERE. ABOUT 8:00 IT STARTS GETTING WARM, BUT IT'S NICE AND COOL. COME DOWN HERE, RELAX FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE YOU HAVE TO GO OUT HERE AND FACE THE WORLD. THE BAIT, IT VARIES. YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST STARTED OUT HERE, THEY WERE HITTING ON CHICKEN BREAST. THEY STOPPED HITTING ON CHICKEN BREAST. WHAT'S VERY POPULAR IS WEENIE HOT DOG. AND THEN THEY STOP HITTING ON THE HOT DOG. AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY START HITTING ON THE SHRIMP, AND THEN IT SLOWS DOWN ON THE SHRIMP. NOW I'M USING SOME STINK BAIT AND IT REALLY STINKS, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN CATCH SOMETHING WITH SOME STINK BAIT, BUT IT'S GREAT WHEN THE FISH ARE BITING. IT'S GREAT. 
          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. 
          YEAH. 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. 
          [03:05:04]
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 SKATE 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 BUILT IT. IF WE'RE STANDING WHERE I THINK WE'RE STANDING, WE'RE RIGHT ABOUT TURN NUMBER ONE. SO TURN ONE AND TURN TWO WOULD COME AROUND HERE. THE BACKSTRETCH IS PROBABLY RIGHT ABOUT WHERE THAT PALM TREE IS. AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE THE PITS WOULD BE RIGHT ABOUT WHERE OUR GOLF CARTS ARE. AND THEN THE REST OF THE GRANDSTANDS AND EVERYTHING WILL BE RIGHT HERE. 
          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. 
          [03:11:02]
WELL, ONCE YOU'RE IN A SKATE PARK, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE'S 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. OF COURSE. 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 HAS BEEN IT? 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 IT 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 LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO START GETTING FAMILIAR WITH THE PLANTS THAT THEY CAN GROW HERE IN THE COMMUNITY. EL PASO CAN OFFER YOU A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY IN TERMS OF GROWING CONDITIONS. HELLO EVERYONE. SAM GUZMAN, HERE WE ARE LIVE AT ASCOT AT THE PARK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SMALL TOWN SPOTLIGHT. A SCOUT AT 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. I SCOUTED THE GOLF COURSE IS SPECIAL FOR MANY REASONS. I THINK THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT MAKES THIS 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 IT 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 A 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 PERSONABLE LEVEL. BEAUTIFUL. I HOPE TO COME OUT HERE ONE DAY AND GET AROUND. IT WON'T BE A 
          [03:15:04]
GOOD ROUND, BUT IT'LL DEFINITELY BE AN EXPERIENCE NOW. ANOTHER SPORT ASCOT 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 THAT PLAYED HERE ON A REGULAR BASIS. AND THEN WE WENT ONE DAY, AND THEN IT WAS TWO AND 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. 
          [03:24:45]
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD ENJOYMENT, GOOD RELAXATION, GOOD THERAPY COMING OUT HERE AND COPING WITH SITUATIONS AND RELAXATION. IT'S PEACEFUL, IT'S QUIET, IT'S NICE. IN THE SUMMERTIME. IT'S NICE AND COOL DOWN HERE. ABOUT 8:00 IT STARTS GETTING WARM, BUT IT'S NICE AND COOL. COME DOWN HERE, 
          [03:25:04]
RELAX FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE YOU HAVE TO GO OUT HERE AND FACE THE WORLD. THE BAIT, IT VARIES. YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST STARTED OUT HERE, THEY WERE HITTING ON CHICKEN BREAST. THEY STOPPED HITTING ON CHICKEN BREAST. WHAT'S VERY POPULAR IS WEENIE HOT DOG. AND THEN THEY STOP HITTING ON THE HOT DOG. AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY START HITTING ON THE SHRIMP, AND THEN IT SLOWS DOWN ON THE SHRIMP. NOW I'M USING SOME STINK BAIT AND IT REALLY STINKS, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN CATCH SOMETHING WITH SOME STINK BAIT, BUT IT'S GREAT WHEN THE FISH ARE BITING. IT'S GREAT. 
          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. 
          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'RE 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 BUILT IT. IF WE'RE STANDING WHERE I THINK WE'RE STANDING, WE'RE RIGHT ABOUT TURN NUMBER ONE. SO TURN ONE AND TURN TWO WOULD COME AROUND HERE. THE BACKSTRETCH IS PROBABLY RIGHT ABOUT WHERE THAT PALM TREE IS. AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE THE PITS WOULD BE RIGHT ABOUT WHERE OUR GOLF CARTS ARE. AND THEN THE REST OF THE GRANDSTANDS AND EVERYTHING WILL BE RIGHT HERE. 
          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 
          [03:30:05]
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. 
          WELL, ONCE YOU'RE IN A SKATE PARK, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE'S 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. OF COURSE. 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 LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO START GETTING FAMILIAR WITH THE PLANTS THAT THEY CAN GROW HERE IN THE COMMUNITY. EL PASO CAN OFFER YOU A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY IN TERMS OF GROWING CONDITIONS. 
          HELLO EVERYONE. SAM GUZMAN, HERE WE ARE LIVE AT ASCOT AT THE PARK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SMALL TOWN SPOTLIGHT. SCOTT AT 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. I JUST GOT OFF. THE GOLF COURSE IS SPECIAL FOR MANY REASONS. I THINK THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT MAKES A SCARCITY 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. GENTLEMAN. HOW ARE WE 
          [03:35:04]
PLAYING TODAY? GOOD. ARE 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 IT 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 A 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 PERSONABLE 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 ASCOT 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 ASCOT 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 WOOTEN 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 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? 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 WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO DO IT. FOR THREE ONE. IT'S USUALLY STARTS OUT RECREATIONALLY FOR MOST PEOPLE, AND THEN IT TURNS INTO AN ADDICTION. 
          [03:46:24]
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD ENJOYMENT, GOOD RELAXATION, GOOD THERAPY COMING OUT HERE AND COPING WITH 
          [03:46:30]
SITUATIONS AND RELAXATION. IT'S PEACEFUL, IT'S QUIET, IT'S NICE IN THE SUMMERTIME. IT'S NICE AND COOL DOWN HERE. ABOUT 8:00 STARTS GETTING WARM, BUT IT'S NICE AND COOL. COME DOWN HERE AND RELAX FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE YOU HAVE TO GO OUT HERE AND FACE THE WORLD. THE BAIT, IT VARIES. YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST STARTED OUT HERE, THEY WERE HITTING ON CHICKEN BREAST. THEY STOPPED HITTING ON CHICKEN BREAST. WHAT'S VERY POPULAR IS WEENIE HOT DOG. AND THEN THEY STOP HITTING ON THE HOT DOG. AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY START HITTING ON THE SHRIMP, AND THEN IT SLOWS DOWN ON THE SHRIMP. NOW I'M USING SOME STINK BAIT AND IT REALLY STINKS. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN CATCH SOMETHING WITH SOME STINK BAIT. BUT IT'S GREAT WHEN THE FISH ARE BITING. IT'S GREAT. 
          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. 
          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. 
          GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS RECONVENED INTO REGULAR OPEN SESSION. IT IS 1:19 P.M. WE ARE ON ITEM NUMBER TEN, A BUDGET AND FINANCE ITEM TEN A BUDGET HEARING. DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 2026 BUDGET FOR EL PASO COUNTY. GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS BETSY KELLER, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR THIS BUDGET HEARING IS NOT WHAT WE'D ALWAYS LOVE TO BE ABLE TO BRING FORWARD, BUT IT IS A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET THAT BALANCES OPERATIONAL NEEDS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES WITH RESTRAINED RESOURCES AND ECONOMIC 
          [A. BUDGET HEARING - Discuss and take appropriate action on the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget for El Paso County.
Melissa Carrillo, Deputy County Administrator, County Operations, 915-273-3582]
CHALLENGES BEING FACED. WHILE STILL BASED ON THE COURT'S VISION, MISSION AND GOALS TO PROVIDE AN EXTRAORDINARY QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL. IT IS RESPONSIBLE AND RESPONSIVE TO THE RESTRICTIONS AND INFLATION WE'RE LIVING IN TODAY. OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, OUR TEAMS HAVE PRESENTED POLICY, FINANCIAL AND BUDGET INFORMATION AND TODAY WE WILL SHARE SOME UPDATES ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION. FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF 
          [03:50:06]
THE FY 26 COUNTY BUDGET, BUT YOU ARE NOT APPROVING THE BUDGET. TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT AN UPDATE AS TO WHERE WE ARE. WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME DIRECTION ON SOME ITEMS AND JUST I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC IS ALSO AWARE OF THIS. YOU WILL NOT ADOPT YOUR BUDGET UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15TH. WE'LL BE DOING VARIOUS ITEMS BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, BUT TODAY IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET. SO AS WE BEGIN TODAY'S FY 26 BUDGET HEARING, WE'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE BUDGET PROCESS. TO DATE, SINCE JANUARY, WE'VE PRESENTED VARIOUS BUDGET AND BUDGET RELATED ITEMS TO YOU IN MEETINGS AND BUDGET HEARINGS AT LEAST 15 TIMES. THE BUDGET AND FINANCE DEPARTMENT, ALONG WITH COUNTY AUDITORS, HR AND COUNTY ADMIN, COORDINATE TO GIVE YOU THESE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AND THIS SLIDE SHOWS A SUMMARY OF A FEW OF THOSE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU. SO WE HAVE BEEN PRESENTING THE FISCAL AND FUND BALANCE REPORT. WE'VE BEEN HAVING FINANCIAL ADVISOR UPDATES TO YOU ON WHAT OUR DEBT LOOKS LIKE AND LONG TERM DEBT PORTFOLIO. WE'VE DONE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORTS WITH THE AUDITOR. YOU'VE RECEIVED VARIOUS FINANCIAL AND BUDGET INFORMATION. WE'VE DONE THE BUDGET REGISTER GRANT REPORTS. 
          WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PAY SCALES FOR CERTAIN ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CAD VALUATIONS AND THE FY 26 BUDGET IMPACTS. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE HEALTH AND DENTAL PLAN DESIGN AND SEVERAL OTHERS. WE'VE HAD OUTSIDE AGENCIES ALSO PROJECT ARIBA AND CRIME STOPPERS PRESENT. SO JUST A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. BUDGET IS NOT A ONE TIME OF YEAR PROCESS. 
          IT IS SOMETHING WE ARE WORKING ON EVERY YEAR POST BUDGET, THAT USUALLY THE DAY AFTER THE COURT ADOPTS THE BUDGET, WE'RE MEETING THE NEXT DAY TO TALK ABOUT PLANNING AND PREPARING FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. SO I ALWAYS ASK THAT THE COURT ADDRESS EARLY IN THE HEARINGS, AND I ASK FOR YOUR MOTION ON THIS TODAY, AND A VOTE ON WHAT THE COURT WILL DO FOR ITS EMPLOYEES, FOR EMPLOYEES COVERED BY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. WE HAVE NEGOTIATED PAY INCREASES FOR BOTH STEP INCREASES AND WAGE ADJUSTMENTS THAT TOTAL AT LEAST 5% FOR THE JUDICIARY. THEY RECEIVED A LONG OVERDUE INCREASE FROM THE STATE. WE'VE EXPANDED OUR PAID FAMILY LEAVE PROGRAM AND WORKED TO LOWER PREMIUM COSTS FOR OUR HEALTH PLANS. AND AS WE CONTINUE TO NAVIGATE TIGHT FINANCIAL CONDITIONS THAT UNFORTUNATELY PREVENT US FROM OFFERING PAY INCREASES THIS YEAR, I RESPECT FOR OUR OTHER EMPLOYEES. I RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, GRANTING OUR DEDICATED EMPLOYEES ADDITIONAL DAYS OF PAID HOLIDAY LEAVE. THIS GESTURE WOULD SERVE AS A MEANINGFUL WAY TO RECOGNIZE THEIR CONTINUED HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT, EVEN IN CHALLENGING TIMES. WHILE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO OFFER FINANCIAL COMPENSATION, WE CAN STILL AN INCREASE TO FINANCIAL COMPENSATION. WE CAN STILL SHOW OUR APPRECIATION THROUGH TIME OFF THAT SUPPORTS THEIR WELLBEING AND WORK LIFE BALANCE. THESE THREE OPTIONS EQUATE TO BETWEEN 1.54% OF PAY AND 2.3% OF THEIR ANNUAL PAY. SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO PAUSE AND ASK THE COURT FOR YOUR DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON THIS ITEM BEFORE WE PROCEED, IF YOU WOULD SO CONSIDER. JUDGE. 
          COMMISSIONER STOUT, I'LL START BY PROPOSING THAT WE THAT WE GO FORWARD WITH OPTION THREE. I THINK THAT SINCE WE'RE UNABLE TO PROVIDE INCREASES FOR THE MAJORITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS, I THINK THAT THAT GETS US CLOSEST TO WHAT WE MIGHT HAVE DONE FOR AN INCREASE IF WE COULD HAVE. SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO DO THE SIX ADDITIONAL PAID LEAVE HOLIDAYS. OPTION THREE I'LL SECOND THAT. IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALWAYS VERY ALIGNED. VERY. YEAH. AND JUDGE I, I AGREE I AGREE WITH OPTION THREE. I THINK IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT THEN WE SHOULD. BUT I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT'S NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR AN INCREASE IN PAY. WITH THE COST OF LIVING INCREASES. INFLATION. YOU KNOW IT. IT HITS EVERYBODY'S WALLETS, COUNTY EMPLOYEES ALIKE. AND SO I JUST I'M SENSITIVE TO THAT AND UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTY THAT OUR EMPLOYEES MAY BE FACING. ABSOLUTELY. YES. COMMISSIONER CORONADO, YEAH I AGREE. THIS IS I THINK THE LEAST WE CAN DO FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. AND I'M HOPING IF WE WHEN WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT OUR TAX RATE, THAT THIS REALLY DOESN'T INCREASE THE BUDGET IN ANY RESPECT WHATSOEVER. AND I'M HOPING THAT WE ALLOW THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAN'T TAKE OFF DURING THOSE DAYS, THAT THEY 
          [03:55:03]
OBVIOUSLY BE ALLOWED TO TAKE IT SOME OTHER TIME DURING THE YEAR. YES, SIR. THAT WOULD BE THE POLICY WE WOULD BRING BACK AS WELL, THAT IF YOUR JOB DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO HAVE THE LEAVE TAKEN AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE SEVERAL OPERATIONS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS THAT ARE 24 OVER SEVEN. THOSE EMPLOYEES WOULD BE PROVIDED THE ENTIRE YEAR TO TAKE THIS TIME. THESE ADDITIONAL DAYS, THE ENTIRE FISCAL YEAR. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SEE IF WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONSIDER, DEPENDING ON HOW WE WHAT KIND OF TAX RATE WE ADOPT, IS, IF MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT MAYBE GIVING THEM LIKE A 3 TO $500 STIPEND FOR THE YEAR AND PAY THEM RIGHT BEFORE THEY LEAVE ON THE 22ND. I DON'T KNOW, WE'LL BRING BACK NOT A LOT, BUT IT'S. SO WE WILL BRING AFTER YOU ALL HAVE YOUR TAX RATE DISCUSSION ON MONDAY, THE DURING THE SPECIAL MEETING, WE'LL BRING BACK AN AGENDA ITEM THAT HAS SEVERAL ITEMS THAT THE COURT COULD DISCUSS AS FAR AS ITS PRIORITIES. AND BASED ON THAT DIRECTION, WE WILL INCORPORATE IT INTO WHATEVER IS DECIDED INTO THE FINAL BUDGET WE BRING BACK FOR SEPTEMBER, AND TO SEE WHAT THE TOTAL COST OF THAT WOULD BE. 
          YES, SIR. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN TO ADOPT OPTION THREE. VOTING IS OPEN. MY VOTE IS I FOR SOME REASON, MY. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND YOUR GOAL OF VALUING THE COUNTY FAMILY. THIS IS THE MAIN ITEM UNDER THIS AGENDA THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR ACTION ON TODAY. WE ARE NOW GOING TO GO OVER THE BUDGET AND OUR POSITION AS OF TODAY, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL SLIDES, AND AGAIN OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, THE COURT WILL SET A TAX RATE NEXT, NEXT MONDAY, AND STAFF WILL OUTLINE HOW THAT RATE WILL IMPACT THE BUDGET AND SEEK YOUR GUIDANCE BEFORE WE BRING A FINAL BUDGET FOR ADOPTION ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, I AM GOING TO TURN THE PRESENTATION OVER TO BARBARA PARKER, OUR COUNTY AUDITOR, TO GO OVER OUR REVENUE. THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. WELCOME, BARBARA. GOOD AFTERNOON. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS BARBARA PARKER, YOUR COUNTY AUDITOR. THIS AFTERNOON, I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS THAT ARE BASED OFF OF THE BUDGET AND PROJECTIONS AS OF JUNE 30TH. WE'LL COVER THE COMPARATIVE ACTUALS OF 2024 TO 2025, PROJECTIONS, 2025 BUDGET TO ACTUALS PROJECTIONS. AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT THE 2025 PROJECTIONS AGAINST THE 2026 REVENUE ESTIMATES. AND THEN LASTLY, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE GENERAL THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE SPECIAL REVENUES FIRST. AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT GENERAL FUND FOR 2024 VERSUS 2025. THE SPECIAL REVENUE SHOW A NET INCREASE OF $5 MILLION. UNFAVORABLE UNFAVORABLE VARIANCES TOTAL 846,000, PRIMARILY DUE TO FINES AND FORFEITURES AND INTEREST. FAVORABLE VARIANCES ARE 5.9 MILLION, THE LARGEST VARIANCE BEING CHARGES FOR SERVICES, FOLLOWED BY INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET VERSUS VERSUS THE ACTUAL PROJECTION, SPECIAL REVENUES SHOW FAVORABLE VARIANCES OF 5.6 MILLION AND UNFAVORABLE VARIANCE OF 1.4, FOR NET FAVORABLE VARIANCE OF ALMOST $4.2 MILLION. THE FAVORABLE VARIANCES ARE PRIMARILY INTERGOVERNMENTAL AND CHARGES FOR SERVICES. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PROJECTED FISCAL YEAR 25 ACTUALS VERSUS THE 2026 REVENUE ESTIMATES, THE SPECIAL REVENUE SHOWS A NET UNFAVORABLE BALANCE OF $7.6 MILLION. THESE UNFAVORABLE VARIANCES ARE DUE TO CHARGES FOR SERVICES IN 2025. WE HAD BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD INCENTIVES WERE SET TO ZERO FOR 2026 AND 2025. IT WAS $3.5 MILLION, A ONE TIME DEPOSIT. INTERGOVERNMENTAL. COUNTY ELECTIONS WERE NOT BUDGETED. 
          THAT WAS $4 MILLION IN 2025. AND INTEREST. WE EXPECT LOWER INTEREST RATES. THIS IS THIS IS 
          [04:00:04]
THE SAME INFORMATION FOR THE GENERAL FUND. SO FIRST WE'RE LOOKING AT FISCAL YEAR 24 VERSUS FISCAL YEAR 25 PROJECTIONS. THE COMPARISON SHOWS A NET FAVORABLE VARIANCE OF $1.6 MILLION. AND REMEMBER THIS IS AS OF JUNE 30TH. UNFAVORABLE VARIANCES ARE 7.9 MILLION PRIMARILY IN INTEREST. MISCELLANEOUS AND OTHER FINANCING SOURCES. FAVORABLE VARIANCES ARE 9.5 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO PROPERTY TAXES AND CHARGES FOR SERVICES. CAN YOU GO BACK REAL QUICK? YES, SIR. SORRY. OKAY. THANK YOU. WHEN WE LOOK AT FISCAL YEAR 25 VERSUS BUDGET VERSUS THE ACTUAL PROJECTION, AS OF JUNE 30TH, THE PROJECTED ACTUALS COMPARED TO THE BUDGET SHOWED 9.8 MILLION IN FAVORABLE VARIANCES AND 1.3 MILLION IN UNFAVORABLE VARIANCES FOR NET FAVORABLE VARIANCE OF 8.5 MILLION. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FAVORABLE FAVORABLE VARIANCES WERE IN CHARGES FOR SERVICES, INTERGOVERNMENTAL AND PROPERTY TAXES, WHILE INTEREST WAS THE SIGNIFICANT UNFAVORABLE VARIANCE. YES, MA'AM. WHAT? WHAT'S INCLUDED IN CHARGES FOR SERVICES? THE CHARGES AND SERVICES DIFFERENCE IS MOSTLY BECAUSE OF FEDERAL PRISONERS. WE HAD DROPPED OUR PROJECTIONS BACK DOWN TO ZERO, AND THE LAST FEW MONTHS WE'VE HAD A STEADY STREAM. IT'S BEEN ABOUT RUNNING AROUND 300 PER DAY. SO THAT WAS $4.1 MILLION IN DIFFERENCE. AND WE'RE SURE WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT REVENUE FOR NEXT YEAR. WE ALREADY HAVE IT IN 25 AND 26. 
          THIS PARTICULAR PROJECTION IS AT ZERO OKAY OKAY. WE'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY INCREASING IT BY $2.7 MILLION. WE'RE STILL RESEARCHING BECAUSE OF ONE OF THE BILLS THAT'S PASSED, ONE OF THE HOUSE BILLS THAT'S GOING TO VOTE IN NOVEMBER. OKAY. SO THIS ISN'T FOR THE BUDGET. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT ONE? WHEN WE LOOK AT FISCAL YEAR 25 VERSUS FISCAL YEAR 26, THE GENERAL FUND VARIANCES ARE NET DECREASE OF 6.2 MILLION. I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. SO THIS DOES YOU HAVE IT AT ZERO FOR THE FEDERAL CONTRACT FOR ZERO RIGHT NOW. YES OKAY. AND WE REALLY DO PROJECT THAT NO LATER THAN JANUARY. WE WILL BECAUSE OF THAT SB NINE I DO BELIEVE THERE HAS TO BE AN ITEM ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER, BUT BY JANUARY WHEN IT GOES INTO EFFECT, WE TRULY BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO IMPACT OUR STATE JAIL POPULATION TO THE POINT THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEDS FOR FEDERAL INMATES. SO ARE WE GOING TO INCLUDE IN OUR PROJECTION THOSE FIRST FEW MONTHS WHERE THE FIRST THREE MONTHS. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW. OKAY. BUT THIS PARTICULAR VERSION OF THE PROJECTED REVENUES HAS ZERO IN THERE FOR FEDERAL PRISONER. 
          OKAY. AND THE PROJECTED REVENUE ON ALL, INCLUDING ON THE. FOR TAX REVENUE FOR AD VALOREM TAXES, THOSE ARE BASED ON THE WHICH RATE THIS THIS PARTICULAR ONE. WE DID THIS PROJECTION IN JUNE. SO IT'S ONLY AS OF OUR NORMAL PROJECTIONS OF 2% INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX VALUES. 
          BUT ON THE CURRENT TAX RATE UNDER CURRENT TAX RATE, YES. OKAY. YES. THE JULY PROJECTION THAT WE PROVIDE YOU WILL BE AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. AND THEN OF COURSE, ONCE YOU SET A TAX RATE WE'LL DO A CERTIFIED PROJECTION AT THAT TAX RATE. SO THE PREVIOUS SLIDES WHERE YOU WERE COMPARING THE OTHER REVENUES. THAT'S THE SAME RIGHT. YES. THE ACTUAL PROJECTION IS THE SAME ON BOTH SLIDES. TO PICK UP AGAIN I ANSWERED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAXES. THE UNFAVORABLE VARIANCES ARE 11.3 MILLION. AND THE SIGNIFICANT VARIANCES ARE CHARGES FOR SERVICES, INTEREST AND OTHER FINANCING SOURCES. THE CHARGES FOR SERVICES, AS MENTIONED WAS THE FEDERAL PRISONERS AT $6.9 MILLION DECREASE. AND WE'RE ALSO NOT BUDGETING FOR THE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED DISABLED VETERAN PAYMENT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE THAT WE'LL GET IT. AND THE CLINT SHERIFF SCHOOL REIMBURSEMENT WAS A $1.3 MILLION CONTRACT THAT WILL NOT BE REVIEWED. SORRY, BARBARA. SAY THAT AGAIN. THE CLINT SCHOOL DISTRICT CONTRACT 
          [04:05:03]
WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE YES. WAS NOT RENEWED IS NOT GOING TO BE RENEWED NEXT YEAR. SO WE'RE NOT INCLUDING ANY REVENUE FOR THAT. MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THERE WASN'T A LOT OF REVENUE GAINED BY THOSE CONTRACTS. THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ANYWAY, IT'S 1.3 MILLION NOW. THE NET GAIN MAY NOT BE VERY MUCH, BUT WHEN WE GET REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THOSE CONTRACTS, WE RECOGNIZE IT AS REVENUE REIMBURSEMENTS. AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE THE EXPENSES. SO NOW WITHOUT THAT CONTRACT, WE'LL STILL HAVE EXPENSES, BUT WE WON'T HAVE THE CORRESPONDING REVENUE TO OFFSET IT. BUT THE WHETHER OR NOT WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE EXPENSES IS A QUESTION WHETHER THE SHERIFF CONTINUES TO KEEP THOSE OFFICERS RIGHT. WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, IT GIVES US A QUICK SUMMARY OF WHERE WE ARE PROJECTING THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE FOR FY 25, WHICH IS AT 78.7 MILLION. THIS IS THE FUND BALANCE GRAPH THAT'S BEEN ADJUSTED TO REFLECT THE FY 25 PROJECTED FUND BALANCE AT 79 MILLION. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THIS PROJECTION STILL INCLUDES EXPENSES OF 410 MILLION, AS SHOWN ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, WHICH ARE THE 25 PROJECTED ACTUALS. IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE SAM TRUJILLO, INTERIM CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER. THANK YOU, BARBARA. GOOD AFTERNOON. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS SAM TRUJILLO WITH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT HAS DELIVERED A SERIES OF PRESENTATIONS IN PREPARATION FOR THESE BUDGET HEARINGS. OUR OBJECTIVE WAS TO BRIEF THE COURT ON EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, PAY STRUCTURES, AND PROGRAMS THAT AFFECT BOTH OUR WORKFORCE AND THE COUNTY BUDGET, WHILE ALSO GATHERING YOUR FEEDBACK DURING THOSE PRESENTATIONS SO THAT WE COULD FINALIZE THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET. TODAY, OUR GOAL IS NOT TO REDO THESE PRESENTATIONS, BUT TO PRESENT THE FINAL BUDGET IMPACT AND HIGHLIGHT ANY CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS. LAST WEEK, WE ALSO PRESENTED THE SALARY RELATED ITEMS, INCLUDING THE JUDICIAL SALARIES, DA PAY, LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE SUPPLEMENT AND THE ATTORNEY LONGEVITY PROGRAM. THE COURT TOOK ACTION ON ALL BUT THE LONGEVITY PROGRAM, WHICH WAS POSTPONED FOR TODAY. OUR PLAN IS TO PRESENT BOTH THE LONGEVITY PROGRAM AND ITS PROPOSED BUDGET TODAY, BUT ONLY TAKE ACTION ON THE BUDGET PORTION OF THAT PROGRAM. THE LONGEVITY PROGRAM WILL BE PLACED ON NEXT WEEK'S COMMISSIONERS COURT AGENDA FOR THE PROGRAM CONSIDERATION. WE WILL BEGIN OUR PRESENTATION TODAY WITH OUR COMP AND CLASS SECTION, WHICH WILL BE PRESENTED BY CYNTHIA DE LA FUENTE AND VALERIA FERNANDEZ. CYNTHIA. GOOD AFTERNOON. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS CYNTHIA DE LA FUENTE WITH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. AS SAM MENTIONED, MOST OF THE COMPENSATION ITEMS HAVE BEEN COVERED AND APPROVED IN PREVIOUS SESSIONS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FY 26 BUDGET. THE CURRENT SLIDE REFLECTS FIVE NEW POSITIONS REQUESTED BY THE COUNTY AUDITOR'S OFFICE. ONE OF THE POSITIONS WAS APPROVED IN FY 25 BY THE DISTRICT JUDGES, BUT WAS LEFT UNFUNDED. THE REMAINING FOUR NEW POSITIONS WERE INCLUDED IN THEIR FY 26 BUDGET PACKAGE. WITH THE ADDITION OF THESE FIVE NEW POSITIONS, THE COUNTY AUDITOR'S OFFICE HAS REMAINED WITHIN THE 5% INCREASE ALLOWED BY STATUTE. ADDITIONALLY, THEY HAVE REDUCED THEIR OPERATIONAL COSTS BY 39%. I WOULD LIKE NOW TO INVITE VALERIA FERNANDEZ UP TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED ATTORNEY LONGEVITY PROGRAM, THE ITEM THAT WAS POSTPONED FROM LAST SESSION. GOOD AFTERNOON. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. VALERIA FERNANDEZ WITH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, I'LL BE PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THE PROPOSED ATTORNEY LONGEVITY PROGRAM. UNDER THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, CHAPTER 41, SUBCHAPTER D, ELIGIBLE ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEYS OR ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS MAY RECEIVE LONGEVITY PAY FUNDED BY THE 
          [04:10:05]
STATE OF TEXAS. ALL PROVISIONS FOR PROSECUTOR LONGEVITY PAY ARE GOVERNED BY STATE STATUTE AND ARE SUBJECT TO LEGISLATIVE CHANGES. THE LONGEVITY IS PAID ON A QUARTERLY BASIS TO THOSE PROSECUTORS WHO HAVE ACCRUED AT LEAST FOUR YEARS OF LIFETIME SERVICE CREDIT, UP TO AN ANNUAL MAXIMUM OF $5,000. THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE STATE FUNDED PROSECUTORIAL LONGEVITY PAY. THE HR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING ON A POLICY AND PROGRAM TO MIRROR THIS PROGRAM FOR NON PROSECUTORIAL ATTORNEYS, WHICH WOULD BE FUNDED BY THE COUNTY. THE SAME POLICY THAT WAS DEVELOPED OUTLINES THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS PROGRAM AND WILL PROVIDE THE SAME LONGEVITY RATE AS PROVIDED TO PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS, THE DEPARTMENT, HEADS OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS OFFICE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COUNTY FUNDED NON PROSECUTORIAL LONGEVITY PAY UNDER THIS PROPOSED POLICY. I DO HAVE A SLIGHT CORRECTION ON THIS. ON THIS SLIDE, THERE ARE 64 ATTORNEY POSITIONS WITHIN THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AND THE DOMESTIC RELATIONS OFFICE THAT COULD BE SUBJECT TO THIS PROGRAM AND POLICY IF APPROVED. CURRENTLY, THERE'S 32 ATTORNEYS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM TO RECEIVE THAT NON PROSECUTORIAL LONGEVITY PAY. AT THIS TIME. WE ASK THE COURT TO TAKE ACTION TO APPROVE THE ALLOCATION FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IN THE FY 26 BUDGET. AND THERE IS ONE SLIGHT CORRECTION ON THIS. THE CORRECTED IMPACT WOULD BE $96,362. AND SHOULD THIS ITEM BE APPROVED, THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WILL BRING BACK TO THE COURT FOR APPROVAL THE POLICY TO BE ADOPTED AND APPROVED. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? I SO MOVE COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT. WE APPROVE THAT OKAY. BUT MR. BUTLER YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD. I, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THE MERITS OF. OF THE LONGEVITY PAY FOR NON PROSECUTORIAL ATTORNEYS. I JUST THINK THAT WE'RE TRYING REALLY HARD TO BE CONSISTENT ABOUT RAISING PAY WHERE IT'S NOT WHERE THERE'S AN OPTION TO DO SO. AND EVEN THOUGH THE IMPACT IS, YOU KNOW, IS MODERATE, I THINK THAT IT JUST SEEMS INCONSISTENT FOR US TO GO WITH THIS OPTIONAL LONGEVITY PAY THIS FISCAL YEAR WHEN WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO CUT OPTIONAL EXPENSES. YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT ISN'T HARD AND ON US. AND I THINK IN LIGHT OF OUR GOALS TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE FOR OUR COUNTY FAMILY TO BE GOOD TO OUR COUNTY FAMILY, WHY SHOULD DEFENSE LAWYERS THAT ARE ON OUR PAYROLL NOT HAVE THE SAME AND WORKING IN THE SAME TYPE OF CASES, THE SAME EXACT THING, NOT HAVE THE SAME OPTIONS WITHIN OUR EMPLOYMENT? I JUST THINK WE NEED TO BE FAIR ABOUT IT. AND I THINK THE IMPACT IS MINIMAL. SO THAT'S WHY I'M FOR IT. I KNOW THAT WE HEARD FROM SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS LAST WEEK, LAST WEEK WHEN IT WAS ON THE AGENDA. DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS FOR POSTPONING THE ITEM WAS TO GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP NOT SPECIFIC TO THIS COMMISSION? I DO HAVE OTHER COMMENT. I DID MEET WITH AN INDIVIDUAL LAST WEEK WHO DID SHARE THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE SIGNING UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. OH OKAY. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WEREN'T NOT HEARING FROM ANYONE. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AS WELL, BUT THEY DID SAY THEY WEREN'T GOING TO. BUT THERE WILL BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AS WELL NEXT WEEK WHEN WE BRING BACK THE POLICY. NOW, I THINK ONE OF THE IN ONE OF THE SLIDES, WE MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY THAT THIS WOULD BE SO LONG AS THERE'S IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE BUDGET. SO THAT'S SOMETHING COMMISSIONER BUTLER'S CONCERNS I UNDERSTAND HER CONCERNS COMPLETELY, BUT SO THAT 
          [04:15:02]
IS SOMETHING THAT WE GET TO LOOK AT EVERY YEAR. CORRECT. WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN ACTUALLY INCLUDE IT IN THE BUDGET. YES, MA'AM. IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN BRING BACK. AND THE POLICY DOES INDICATE THAT IT WOULD ONLY BE IN EFFECT WHEN FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE AND BUDGETED FOR BY THE COURT. OKAY, CAESAR, I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THE VOTE. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER CORONADO, SECOND FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER STOUT, I'M DECIDING STILL. I MEAN, I MEAN, THE REASON I. THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE. I, I DO FEEL LIKE. YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING TO HELP BRING PARITY FOR, FOR OUR ATTORNEYS. BUT WE ALSO ARE NOT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT NOT INCREASING WAGES AND SALARIES FOR SO MANY PEOPLE. YOU KNOW WE I MEAN, THE ONLY I THINK THE ONLY SALARIES THAT WE'RE INCREASING ARE FOR THE SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION. AND WE JUST HAD A, A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY, THEY MADE A DECISION TO NOT TO NOT ASK FOR MORE. RIGHT. SO, SO YOU ARE YOU'RE KEEPING YOUR POLICY. YOU HAVE A POLICY TO ALSO KEEP YOUR DEPUTY CONSTABLE'S IN STEP WITH YOUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. 
          RIGHT? SO THAT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR BUDGET. AND THIS ITEM WE BROUGHT FORWARD BECAUSE WE HAVE A SITUATION WE SAW A SITUATION THIS YEAR WHERE YOU HAVE A NEW DISTRICT ATTORNEY COMING IN, OR YOU HAVE A TURNOVER CHANGE IN YOUR DA'S OFFICE. AND WHILE WE DESIGNED THE ATTORNEY PAY PLAN TO CREATE PARITY AND NOT HAVE PEOPLE JUMPING FROM OFFICE TO OFFICE FOR PAY REASONS, WE SAW THAT THERE WAS AN INCENTIVE TO GO TO THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE BECAUSE OF THEIR LONGEVITY, THAT THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY GET LONGEVITY AFTER SERVING AS A PROSECUTOR. SO THAT'S WHY WE PROPOSED THIS POLICY TO ADDRESS THAT LIKE THAT. WE'RE NOT LOSING PEOPLE INTERNALLY JUST FOR THAT SIMPLE REASON. WHEN WE DESIGNED A PAY SYSTEM TO TRY TO PAY THEM EQUITABLY. YEAH. I MEAN, AND I AND I SEE THIS, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S OPTIONAL, BUT AT THE SAME TIME. YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO PUT US OUT OF SYNC THEN WITH THAT POLICY. RIGHT? BECAUSE THE, BECAUSE BY STATE STATUTE WE HAVE TO DO LONGEVITY, PAY FOR THE, FOR THE PROSECUTORS, THE PROSECUTOR, THE PROSECUTORIAL ATTORNEYS. RIGHT. SO THEN THAT'S GOING TO THROW THAT OUT OF YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE THIS POLICY. NOW WE'RE PROPOSING THIS POLICY TO YOU TO CORRECT THAT ISSUE. WE ALSO SAID WE WOULDN'T GO LESS. 
          AND I FEEL LIKE THIS ONE IS LIKE LIKE WE'RE MATCHING SOMETHING. WE'RE NOT INCREASING SOMETHING. 
          IT'S LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO MATCH WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. AND SO I SAW IT MORE LIKE THEY WOULD BE MAKING LESS AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY THE OTHER POSITION, THE OTHER THE OTHER THING WE WOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR IF FOR SOME REASON THE STATE CHANGED ITS POLICY, THEN WE WOULD MONITOR TO BRING THAT BACK. AND THE QUESTION WOULD BE WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO CONTINUE IT OR DO WE WANT TO EXPAND IT. SO LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF A GROUP WAS NO LONGER ELIGIBLE, WOULD WE WANT TO CHANGE OURS TO MATCH THAT, OR WOULD WE WANT TO CHANGE OURS TO COVER THAT? SO THIS WOULD, IF THE COURT APPROVES IT IS SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR TO MAKE SURE THE STATE MAINTAINS ITS POLICY, OR IF IT CHANGES IT IN ANY WAY, HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT OURS? OKAY, WELL, IT'S EITHER THE MOTION CARRIES. COMMISSIONER BUTLER VOTED NO. THANK YOU JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS I'M GOING TO TURN IT NOW OVER TO JOANNA FROM OUR BENEFITS TEAM. THANK YOU. WELCOME. HELLO. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, JOANNA WITH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. BEFORE YOU ARE THE MEDICAL PLAN CONTINUATION UPDATES AND CHANGES PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED DURING THE APRIL 7TH COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING AND JUNE 26TH SPECIAL COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING. DURING THESE PRESENTATIONS, WE INFORMED THE COURT THAT WE WOULD RETURN WITH ANY SIGNIFICANT UPDATES THAT OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SINCE THE LAST UPDATE, THERE HAS BEEN ONE CHANGE. THIS WOULD BE A ONE TIME $4 MILLION REDUCTION IN THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE RISK FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 26. DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE RISK FUND EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS, PROMPTING MID-YEAR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. HOWEVER, THE FUND'S RESERVE LEVELS HAVE 
          [04:20:02]
SINCE RECOVERED AND ARE NOW IN A STRONG POSITION BASED ON FISCAL YEAR 26 PROJECTIONS, THE RISK POOL CAN SUPPORT A TEMPORARY REDUCTION IN COUNTY CONTRIBUTIONS WITHOUT AFFECTING PLANNED PREMIUMS OR SERVICES, WHILE STILL MAINTAINING A HEALTHY RESERVE. IN ADDITION, AS ILLUSTRATED ON THIS SLIDE, THE WRISTBAND IMPACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 IS ESTIMATED AT $226,521, REPRESENTING NO INCREASE TO EMPLOYEE OR RETIREE PREMIUMS. A DECREASE IN FAMILY TIER PREMIUMS, AND INCREASE IN COUNTY HSA CONTRIBUTION FOR THOSE ENROLLED IN A DEPENDENT TIER AT THIS TIME, STAFF IS SEEKING THE COURT'S APPROVAL AS PRESENTED UNDER THIS SLIDE. 
          YOU PLEASE REPEAT THE MOTION. YES. IT'S APPROVING THE PLAN. THE MEDICAL AND PLAN DENTAL DESIGN FOR PLAN YEAR 26 AS PRESENTED ON THE SLIDE. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. THE VOTING IS OPEN. MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. 
          NOW ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE FOR LIABILITY. BY. ALL RIGHT. BEFORE YOU IS A LIST OF THE ESTIMATED PREMIUM COSTS PROVIDED BY THE INSURANCE BROKER FOR INSURANCE COVERAGE IS RECOMMENDED FOR FISCAL YEAR 26. THE INSURANCE COVERAGES ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE COVERAGES THE COUNTY ACQUIRED LAST YEAR. ADDITIONAL BUDGETED ITEMS UNDER LIABILITY INCLUDE THE ANNUAL BROKER FEE OF $25,000, AND THE ESTIMATED DEDUCTIBLE BILLING IN THE AMOUNT OF $137,000. ONCE WE RECEIVE THE FINAL INSURANCE PROPOSAL, STAFF WILL SEEK APPROVAL FROM THE COMMISSIONERS COURT IN A REGULAR SESSION. TOTAL NEW BUDGET IMPACT IS ESTIMATED TO BE DECREASE OF $128,000. THIS CONCLUDES MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION. I WILL NOW HAND IT OVER TO BUDGET. 
          THANK YOU. CAN I ASK WHY I'M NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT THE REDUCTION IN PROPERTY INSURANCE, BUT THAT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION. DO WE KNOW WHAT WHAT LED TO THAT? WE CALL LIFELINE? GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS VANESSA ACOSTA WITH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. THEY DIDN'T SEE AS MUCH OF A HIGH CLAIMS AT THIS TIME AROUND. AND THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE REDUCTION IN PROPERTY INSURANCE ESTIMATE. WOW. THAT'S GOOD NEWS. WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO. 
          HOW DO WE KEEP MAKING SURE THAT HAPPENS? YES. THIS CLAIMS. YES. SO THEY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT'S HAPPENING NATIONALLY. AND OF COURSE HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. OKAY. GREAT. GOOD NEWS. 
          THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS MELISSA CARRILLO WITH COUNTY OPERATIONS. SO OVER THE COURSE OF MY CAREER I'VE WORKED WITH BUDGET IN ONE WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. BUT IN THIS PAST YEAR, I'VE WORKED MUCH MORE CLOSELY WITH THE BUDGET AND FINANCE DEPARTMENT, AND IT REALLY HAS BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH SUCH A DEDICATED AND HARDWORKING STAFF AMIDST THE MAJOR CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BEEN HITTING US ON THE EXTERNAL WORLD. BUT EVEN INTERNALLY WITH SOME OF OUR TEAM DYNAMICS CHANGING, I REALLY WANTED TO TAKE THIS TIME JUST TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR WORK, FOR THEIR FLEXIBILITY AND REALLY FOR THEIR ADJUSTMENT AS WE WORK TO PUT THIS FY 26 BUDGET PACKET TOGETHER FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. 
          AS BETSY MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS JUST A RECOMMENDED BUDGET. WE KNOW THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH SOME CHANGES, GIVEN WHAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, AND AIM FOR THAT BUDGET ADOPTION WITH YOU ALL ON SEPTEMBER THE 15TH. BUT I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY TEAM AND JESSICA GARZA AND GABY, WHO ARE SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY. I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THEM. THE THREE OF US HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD TOGETHER IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, DAY AND WEEKEND, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO TURN IT OVER TO JESSICA TO PRESENT WHAT WE'VE COME UP FOR YOU TODAY, JESSICA. WELCOME. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, JESSICA GARZA, 
          [04:25:06]
BUDGET AND FINANCE. SO BEFORE I BEGIN, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THE INFORMATION ON THE SCREEN IS SIMILAR TO WHAT IS IN YOUR BOOK. THERE'S ALWAYS A TIMING DELAY WHEN WE PRINT YOUR FIRST RECOMMENDED BOOK. AND THEN WE MAKE THIS PRESENTATION. AND SO THERE'S TWO PARTS TO THIS PRESENTATION. THE FIRST PART GOES OVER WHAT IS IN YOUR BOOK, WHICH WAS WHAT WAS WHAT. THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAD WHEN WE PRESENTED THE LAST TIME TO COMMISSIONERS COURT. AND THEN WE'LL HAVE SOME UPDATES BASED ON CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THE BOOK WAS COMPILED. SO AS I MENTIONED, THIS SLIDE TELLS YOU OUR TOTAL BUDGET IS. 608,471,219. GENERAL FUND IS 77% OF THE BUDGET. SPECIAL REVENUE IS 17%. OUR DEBT SERVICE IS 10% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET, CAPITAL IS 2%, AND THE ENTERPRISE FUND IS 1%. AS ALWAYS, WE DON'T INCLUDE GRANTS AS PART OF OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION, BUT GRANTS DOES DO PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN OFFSETTING THE COST FOR SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS HERE IN THE COUNTY. AND I WANT TO SAY THAT AS OF LAST WEEK, WHEN WE CHECKED, THE COUNTY RECEIVED ALMOST 45 MILLION IN GRANT AWARDS THIS FISCAL YEAR SO FAR. SO IT IS VERY SIGNIFICANT, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T INCLUDE THEM IN OUR BUDGET, TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME COSTS THAT ARE OFFSET BY THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. WE ALSO BUDGET 90% OF OUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AS THE GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATED AND UNALLOCATED FUND RESERVE TO ADDRESS UNANTICIPATED EMERGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AT THE TIME YOUR BOOK WAS PRINTED, THE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS ESTIMATED RESERVES AT 4.61% OR 20.7 MILLION, AND OUR GOAL OF 8% IS 35.9 MILLION. THESE AMOUNTS HAVE CHANGED AND WILL UPDATE THOSE NUMBERS LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION. THIS I KNOW THIS SLIDE IS VERY CONFUSING. I'M GOING TO TRY TO WALK THROUGH EACH OF THESE COLUMNS SO THAT IT'S CLEAR. SO THE FIRST TWO COLUMNS LOOK AT OUR FY 25 BUDGET. WHAT WHEN WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET A YEAR AGO, OUR BEGINNING ESTIMATED FUND BALANCE WAS 85 MILLION. AND WE HAD AN ESTIMATE OF A RESERVE PERCENT OF 5.13. THE NEXT COLUMN IS THE ACTUALS. 
          SO WHEN FISCAL YEAR 24 FINALLY CLOSED, WE HAD A FUND BALANCE OF 96 MILLION. AND AT THIS POINT WE'RE LOOKING AT LIKE A 7.58% RESERVE POSITION. AS WE GET INTO THE FY 26, OUR CURRENT ESTIMATED FUND BALANCE, AS MISS PARKER MENTIONED EARLIER. WHEN SHE MENTIONED THIS, I GUESS IN JULY WAS 76.7, 76.7 MILLION, WHICH GAVE US A RESERVE POSITION OF 4.61%. AND THEN I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU TO THE VERY LAST COLUMN, WHICH IS HER MOST RECENT PROJECTION OF THE 78.7 MILLION. 
          AND SO THE TWO COLUMNS THERE IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN BETWEEN THERE IS THE FIRST ONE IS WITH THE 718 DATE IS WHAT YOUR BOOK WAS BASED ON. SINCE THEN, WITH HER UPDATED FUND BALANCE AND HER UPDATED RESERVE ESTIMATE, WE'RE ESTIMATING OUR RESERVE POSITION IS NOW 3.6%. OUR PREFERENCE, AS ALWAYS, IS TO FINISH AS CLOSE TO 8% AS WE CAN. BUT BUT THIS BUT THIS IS PROBABLY THE LOWEST WE'VE EVER GONE AT THIS POINT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS DUE TO UTILIZING RESERVES IN PRIOR YEARS. WHAT WAS THE EXACT AMOUNT? 3.3.63.6. AND WE'LL GET MORE INTO SOME OF THAT DETAIL ON HOW WE HOW THAT CHANGE KIND OF HAPPENED. SO I DO WANT TO CAUTION AT THIS POINT, IF THERE'S ANY SHIFTS IN THE ECONOMY, THE BUDGET DOES DOES NOT HAVE ANY FLEXIBILITY. THERE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OF SHIFT THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO ABSORB SOME UNANTICIPATED IMPACTS, BUT AT THIS POINT, WE WILL NOT HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY THAT WE'VE HAD IN PRIOR YEARS TO ABSORB ANY CHANGES. WHAT IS OUR I KNOW WE'RE STARTING TO HIT 8%. WHAT IS OUR POLICY? OUR POLICY IS ACTUALLY 10 TO 15%, 10 TO 15%. SO WE'RE STRIVING FOR EIGHT, WHICH IS AND WE STRIVE FOR EIGHT BECAUSE WE GENERALLY KNOW THAT THERE'S A VARIANCE BETWEEN WHAT'S ESTIMATED AND WHAT THE ACTUAL IS, WHERE WE TEND TO MAKE UP THAT DIFFERENCE. HOWEVER, THESE LAST TWO YEARS WE'VE WE'VE 
          [04:30:06]
NOT HIT THAT TARGET. RIGHT. AND THAT'S JUST WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, IS THAT IF WE STRIVE FOR 8% AT THIS POINT, USUALLY BY THE TIME THE YEAR END CLOSES, WE'RE AT 10%. I THINK ON AVERAGE WE SPEND PROBABLY 15% LESS THAN WE ACTUALLY BUDGET FOR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT WE ALSO HAVE AN UNDER WHAT WE BUDGET VERSUS WHAT OUR ACTUALS IS. WE DO EXPECT THAT TO GET TIGHTER AS WE TIGHTEN OUR BUDGETS MORE, AS WE'VE CUT THE AMOUNT OF UNSPENT FUNDS GETS, BECOMES LESS SO. SO THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING IN JULY AS OPPOSED TO AUGUST, IS MOSTLY THE PROJECTED REVENUES OR A DECREASE IN THE PROJECTED REVENUES BY ABOUT 14 MILLION. IS THAT IS THAT WHAT IT'S I WANT TO SAY A LARGE PORTION OF IT LIES IN IN THAT DECREASE IN REVENUE. I THINK WE HAD AN INCREASE OF EXPENSES BETWEEN OUR LAST PRESENTATION AND TODAY OF ABOUT 2.5 MILLION, 2 MILLION MORE IN EXPENSES AND 14 MILLION LESS IN REVENUE. AND JUST KIND OF GOING BACK TO WHAT BETSY SAID, AS AS WE TIGHTEN THE BUDGET, REMEMBER LAST YEAR THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT ELEMENTS OF OUR BUDGET THAT WE DID NOT FUND. AND SO THAT KIND OF TIGHTENS THAT 15% GAP BECAUSE THOSE FUNDS WEREN'T BUDGETED. AND THEN THIS YEAR, WE WE'VE ASKED DEPARTMENTS TO REDUCE FURTHER. SO WE I DON'T EXPECT THAT WE WILL BE IN THAT SAME RANGE OF UNSPENT FUNDS AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. AND CAN CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN SO WHAT WHAT IS APPROPRIATED FUND BALANCE AND UNAPPROPRIATED FUND BALANCE. SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR TOTAL RESOURCES AND OUR EXPENDITURES MAKES UP OUR TOTAL RESERVE BY POLICY. WE BUDGET 90%. SO THAT WOULD BE OUR. OUR RESERVES, OUR RESERVE AMOUNT. THAT'S IN OUR BUDGET. OUR ALLOCATED ALLOCATED UNAPPROPRIATED. THE REMAINING 10% IS NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR BUDGET AT ALL. THAT WOULD BE THE THAT'S THAT'S LIKE FOR AN EMERGENCY. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE BOTH REALLY FOR EMERGENCIES. BUT WE BUDGET 90% OF IT. AND THE REASON WHY WE ADOPTED THE POLICY FOR 90% IS WE DON'T KNOW ACTUALLY WHAT THE NUMBER IS GOING TO BE AT THE END OF THE YEAR. SO WE ESTIMATE AND WE BUDGET 90% AND THE, THE 10% UNBUDGETED UNALLOCATED AND APPROPRIATED. IT MAY FLUCTUATE A LITTLE. IT MIGHT COME IN A LITTLE BIT HIGHER IF IT IF THE YOUR IN COMES IN HIGHER BETTER. 
          BUT THAT'S THAT WAY WE DON'T EVER END UP OVER EXTENDING OURSELVES BY BUDGETING A LARGER RESERVE THAN WE ACTUALLY END UP WITH. AND WE HAVE TO BUDGET THAT RESERVE TO BE ABLE TO USE IT CORRECTLY. CORRECT. SO. WELL, YOU YOU COULD USE IT WITHOUT BUDGETING IT, BUT YOU'D HAVE TO GO ASK THE STATE FOR PERMISSION. RIGHT. AND WE JUST HAVE FOUND THAT THAT PROCESS. I GUESS OUR, OUR TRUST IN THAT PROCESS HAS ALWAYS BEEN QUESTIONED. A QUESTION FOR US. THE ONLY TIME WE'VE USED THAT EMERGENCY RESERVE WAS DURING COVID. I THINK WE USED 10 MILLION OF IT DURING COVID. YES, SMALL BUSINESS FOR THE FASTER PROGRAM. YEAH. THE LARGEST IMPACT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO THIS IS HAS BEEN THE STATE'S ENFORCEMENT, THE OPERATION LONE STAR AND THE LARGEST SINGLE IMPACT. AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THE LEGISLATION THAT HAS REALLY PLACED A. A REQUIREMENT ON THE JUDICIARY ON WHO THEY LET OUT OF OUR JAIL. SO THERE'S ALREADY IT WAS SB SENATE BILL A FEW YEARS AGO. IT WAS SB SIX, SB SIX, RIGHT. FOUR YEARS AGO I THINK IT WAS. AND NOW JUST SIMILAR TO LIKE WHAT SB NINE WILL DO TO US THIS TIME. SO THOSE PLACE I MEAN, OUR ONE OF OUR MOST EXPENSIVE OPERATIONS IS THE JAIL PUBLIC SAFETY HOLDING PEOPLE MEETING TCG'S STANDARDS, WHICH IS ALSO A STATE MANDATE, WHICH IS SOMETHING OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO DO. BUT THOSE MEETING THOSE STANDARDS AND THOSE LAWS ARE WHAT HAVE IMPACTED US THE MOST. 
          YES. I MEAN, SO THAT I THINK UNDERSCORES THE DIFFICULTY AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE HERE AS A COMMISSIONERS COURT LOCALLY IS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE INFLATIONARY EFFECTS. YOU KNOW, THERE THAT WE'RE NOT IMMUNE TO. AND, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING OR LACK THEREOF, AS WELL AS ON THE STATE SIDE, YOU KNOW, REALLY BURDENING US MORE WITH, WITH, WITH MANDATES THAT THEY 
          [04:35:08]
ARE NOT PAYING FOR. WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT THAT AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING. AND WE'RE STILL WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT TRYING TO GO DOWN TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN BURDENED WITH TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ADDITIONAL UNFUNDED MANDATES OVER THE LAST, OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS TO THE, LIKE ALMOST ALMOST 10% OF OUR BUDGET JUST IN ONE PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, OPERATION LONE STAR, THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, IF YOU DON'T COUNT THE 12 OR $15 MILLION THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE BURDENED WITH WITH SB NINE, THE, THE BOND LEGISLATION OR THE BAIL LEGISLATION, JUST JUST IN THREE OTHER ITEMS, THE EXEMPTION FOR VETERANS, WHICH IS NOT FUNDED BY THE STATE, WILL, WILL, WILL HIT OUR BUDGET. WE ALL WANT TO SUPPORT VETERANS AND WE'RE HAPPY TO GIVE THEM AN EXEMPTION. BUT IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE HELPFUL IF THE STATE ACTUALLY PAID FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, THEY THEY GAVE EXEMPTIONS TO ON SCHOOL BOARD SIDE AND THEY PAID FOR THAT. BUT NOT NOT NOT NOT AT THE COUNTY SIDE. 287 G PROGRAM, WHICH WE'RE BEING FORCED TO PARTICIPATE IN. IT'S AT LEAST $1 MILLION MORE. 
          AND THEN THE JUDICIAL SALARIES THAT WE THAT WE IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSE TO MORE THAN A MILLION, ALMOST $1.5 MILLION DEPENDING ON WHAT WE DO. RIGHT. SO AND JUST THOSE THREE, THOSE THREE PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT'S PROBABLY LIKE $8 MILLION THAT THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS HIT OUR BUDGET AND HAS NOT GIVEN US MONEY FOR. AND THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SB NINE WHEN THAT GOES INTO EFFECT. AND WE ESTIMATE IF YOU TAKE 300 INDIVIDUALS BASED ON THE NUMBERS THAT JOEL RAN ON LAST YEAR'S, THOSE CHARGES ON LAST YEAR, YOU TAKE 300 PEOPLE PER DAY MORE IN CUSTODY AVERAGE AT EVEN $120 A DAY TO HOLD THEM. THAT'S A, I THINK, A $12 MILLION IMPACT. SO AGAIN, THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND CLEARLY THAT EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN SADDLED WITH ALL THESE MANDATES, WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF RELIEF. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD. WE'LL SEE AT THE END, AT THE END OF AT THE END OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN THE DUST SETTLES AND WHEN WE WHEN WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE BUDGET REGISTER AND WHERE WE ARE. BUT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT, BUT WE WOULD PUT OURSELVES IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION, YOU KNOW, FOR LEAVING OURSELVES WITH A 3% RESERVE. BECAUSE IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY LIKE COVID IN THE FUTURE OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS, WE'LL, WE'LL WE'LL BE IN A VERY PRECARIOUS SITUATION FINANCIALLY IF WE DON'T HAVE MONEY IN OUR, IN OUR RESERVES. AND ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO BORROWING MONEY IN THE FUTURE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A HEALTHY RESERVE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE A HIGH BOND RATING, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO A LOWER INTEREST RATE WHEN WE'RE BORROWING MONEY, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS BECAUSE OF THE VOTER APPROVED BONDS. AND I'M GLAD THAT SENATOR CORNYN AND SENATOR CRUZ SIGNED ON TO THAT SAME BILL TO REIMBURSE THE STATE TO THOSE AND HOPEFULLY PASS ON THROUGH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT WERE IMPACTED BY OPERATION LONE STAR. THAT BILL IS STILL PENDING IN THE SENATE, AND I'M HOPING I KNOW WE SENT A LETTER REQUESTING THAT THEY PASS IT ON TO, YOU KNOW, AFFECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS LIKE US DIRECTLY TO PASS THROUGH THE STATE, RIGHT? YEAH. SO. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS, JESSICA? TO REVIEW SOME INFORMATION THAT WAS BROUGHT TO YOU PREVIOUSLY. THIS SLIDE GIVES YOU THE PERCENTAGE BREAKDOWN WITHIN OUR BUDGET BETWEEN OUR SALARY AND FRINGE OPERATING CAPITAL AND TRANSFER OUT. AND YOU CAN SEE THE SLIGHT SHIFT IN PERCENTAGES IN THOSE CATEGORIES AS WE'VE TRIED TO MAINTAIN OUR BUDGET AT A AT A LEVEL AMOUNT OVER THE YEARS. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT AS SOME OF THE AREAS SUCH AS CAPITAL HAS, HAS DECREASED BECAUSE WE'VE REDUCED THAT FUND IN ORDER TO AFFORD WHAT WAS ALREADY IN OUR BUDGET FOR THOSE YEARS. AND COMMISSIONER STOUT, THIS THIS IS THE SLIDE ON THE UNFUNDED MANDATES. I KNOW 
          [04:40:05]
PREVIOUSLY WE HAD SPOKEN TO YOU ALL ABOUT HAVING UPDATED CRITERIA FOR THIS SLIDE. THIS IS BASED ON THE OLD CRITERIA. AS THE LEGISLATURE IS STILL IN SESSION, WE STILL HAVEN'T DONE A FINAL REVIEW OF WHAT ALL THOSE IMPACTS ARE, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT ALL THE IMPACTS WILL BE UNTIL AFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, BUT WE DO INTEND TO COME BACK AND REVIEW SOME OF THE CHANGES, ALONG WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY WHO'S BEEN REVIEWING THE STATUTE, SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THIS REPORT IN THE FUTURE THAT WILL INCLUDE SOME OF THOSE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES TO OUR BUDGET. SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SITTING AT 53% OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH IS ALLOCATED TOWARDS THOSE UNFUNDED MANDATES. THIS SLIDE GOES OVER YOUR REVENUE PROJECTION VERSUS YOUR ACTUAL HISTORY. AND AGAIN THIS IS A REVIEW OF A OF A PRESENTATION EARLIER IN THE YEAR. THIS IS ONE OF THE VARIANCES THAT WE USE TO CALCULATE MORE OR LESS WHAT OUR OUR POTENTIAL IS TO PICK UP SOME ADDED FUND BALANCE PERCENTAGES. 
          LOOKING BACK OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS, THE AVERAGE ANNUAL VARIANCE BETWEEN OUR REVENUE PROJECTION AND ACTUAL IS 2.34%. THE AVERAGE VARIANCE TO THE FY 2026 PROJECTION COULD CONTRIBUTE ANOTHER 9 MILLION. IN OTHER WORDS, IF. GOES SMOOTHLY, AS IT HAS IN YEARS PAST, IT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 9 MILLION TOWARDS OUR FUND BALANCE RESERVE. JESSICA. DO WE KNOW, THOUGH, WASN'T THE MAJORITY OF REVENUE THAT CAME IN OVER BUDGET? NORMALLY RELATED TO FEDERAL INMATES COMING IN MUCH HIGHER THAN WE HAD PROJECTED? I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT, I THINK I THINK IT'S MOSTLY RELATED TO FEDERAL DETAINEES BEING HIGHER NUMBERS THAN WHAT WE PROJECTED. AND SO I THINK IT MIGHT NOT BE AS HIGH AS AVERAGE. AND I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, LOOKING AT THE AT THE PERCENTAGES, IF YOU LOOK IN THE LAST COLUMN, YOU'LL SEE IN 23 THAT VARIANCE WAS ONLY 1.4%, IN 24 IT WAS 1.6%, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN THE YEARS THAT WE SAW THE REVENUE. AND FEDERAL INMATES DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. LET'S SEE SOME SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR REVENUES THAT ARE UNEXPECTED AND NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET ARE THINGS LIKE THE REIMBURSEMENTS WE GET FOR FEMA OR THE REIMBURSEMENTS WE GET FOR THE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED VETERANS. CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT. GRANTS? IS THAT SEPARATE FROM THIS GENERAL FUND PROJECTION? OKAY. AND NORMALLY, GRANTS CAN'T BE USED TO SUPPLANT OUR EXPENSES. SO THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HELP US. THEY HELP US FUND OTHER PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS, BUT THEY DON'T HELP US FUND OUR NORMAL OPERATING EXPENSES, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO USE A GRANT TO REPLACE WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE BUDGETED. I REALLY THINK A MORE CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE FOR THE VARIANCE FOR THIS COMING YEAR WOULD BE MORE AROUND THE ONE AND A HALF, ONE 6%, AND SO WE REALLY THAT'S NOT 9 MILLION. THAT'S MORE LIKE 5.8 MILLION TO BE CONSERVATIVE, I THINK. REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES, AGAIN, IS OUR LARGEST SOURCE OF INCOME FOR THE GENERAL FUND, AND MAKES UP 88% OF REVENUE FOR THAT FUND. ON AUGUST 4TH, YOU RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM THE CAD ON VALUATIONS. THIS SLIDE LOOKS AT THE PROGRESSION OF OUR TAXABLE VALUES FROM PRELIMINARY VALUES IN MAY TO CERTIFIED VALUES IN JULY, AND THEN THE ACTUAL BUILD IN OCTOBER, SO THERE IS STILL A SLIGHT VARIANCE IN THERE AS WELL. USUALLY WHAT IS BUILT IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN WHAT IS CERTIFIED IN JULY. AND AGAIN, THAT'S AS CAD WORKS THROUGH VALUATIONS AS BUILDINGS COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION. IT ADDS TO THE TAX ROLLS BY THE TIME OCTOBER COMES AROUND. THIS IS ANOTHER VARIANCE THAT WE FACTOR INTO OUR ESTIMATE FROM THAT PRIOR SLIDE. SO COMPARING 25 CERTIFIED TO CURRENT 26 VALUES THE CHANGE IS 3.5 BILLION. BUT WE KNOW THAT THOSE MAY CHANGE BY OCTOBER. BY THE TIME OCTOBER COMES AROUND. NEW CONSTRUCTION HISTORICALLY WAS IN THE RANGE OF THREE 
          [04:45:04]
QUARTERS OF A BILLION. HOWEVER, FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS WE'VE SEEN IT OVER A BILLION. IN FY 25, CONSTRUCTION WAS ESTIMATED AT 1.5 BILLION, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR'S NEW CONSTRUCTION. THAT WAS 1.25, BUT NEW CONSTRUCTION MAKES UP 2.22% OF OUR TOTAL VALUATIONS. SORRY. 
          WHAT DID YOU SAY LAST YEAR WAS 1.1? LET'S SEE. 1.2525. THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A COMPARISON OF OUR TAX RATE SINCE 2018 BY POLICY. LAST WEEK, THE COMMISSIONERS COURT DID PROPOSE THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE. AND THAT AND PROPOSING AT THAT RATE GIVES YOU THE FLEXIBILITY TO ADOPT ANY RATE BELOW THE VOTER APPROVAL AND THE RATE. THE RATE WOULD DECREASE OUR CURRENT RATE BY 4%, AND THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE WOULD INCREASE THE RATE BY 13%, BUT WOULD BE LESS THAN OUR TAX RATE IN 2021. THIS CHART ALSO ILLUSTRATES THE EFFORTS MADE BY THE COURT BEGINNING IN 2020, TO MINIMIZE IMPACTS TO TAXPAYERS AS A RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC, INFLATION AND THE ECONOMY. THIS CHART IS THE ILLUSTRATION OF HOW A HOMEOWNERS TAX DOLLAR IS BROKEN UP AMONG THE MAJOR ENTITIES HERE IN EL PASO COUNTY, OUR OUR PORTION OF THE DOLLAR IS 16%, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE WE HAVE REMAINED IN THAT BREAKDOWN. THERE'S BEEN SOME SHIFT IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PERCENTAGE THAT HAS OF COURSE, WHEN YOU'RE WORKING PERCENTAGES CHANGES THAT. BUT FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS WE'VE BEEN IN THAT 16% RANGE. ON SLIDE. THIS WORKSHEET GIVES YOU THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOUR TAXABLE VALUES, THE CERTIFIED VALUES AND THE TAX RATES. THE 2025 TAX YEAR CERTIFIED VALUES INCREASED JUST OVER 4.6 BILLION, OR 6.8%, OVER THE CURRENT 2024 TAX YEAR. PROPERTY VALUES, HOME VALUES IN THE COUNTY ROSE FROM. 200,956 TO 216,726, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF 7.8%. AS PRESENTED EARLIER, THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE, AS CALCULATED BY THE TAX OFFICE, IS 0.409349, AND THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE WAS 4.87797. AT THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, WE COULD GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL 56 MILLION OVER THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. AT THIS TIME. I'D LIKE TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE COLUMN IN THE BLUE BOX. THIS IS WHAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER TODAY WITH THE UMC RATE. THIS IS OUR M O N R N R OR NO NEW REVENUE, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION RATE PLUS THE NEW DEBT RATE. SO YOU YOU WILL NOTE THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. DEBT SERVICE AMOUNT AND LAST YEAR'S DEBT RATE IS THE AMOUNT OF THE INCREASE FOR THE M AND N ARE. SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THE TAX RATE IN THE BLUE BOX IS OUR N AND M AND O RATE. AND THEN AND THE AND THE NEW DEBT RATE. THAT'S OKAY. SO THAT'S BOTH TOGETHER. THAT'S THE TOTAL TAX RATE. YES OKAY. SO THE TOTAL TAX RATE WOULD BE $0.42 IF WE WENT DOWN TO THE NO. NEW REVENUE 2742. YES. THAT GIVES YOU THE INCREASE FOR YOUR INS. AND IT GENERATES THE SAME REVENUE THAT YOU GENERATED THE PREVIOUS YEAR MINUS. SORRY. THE BONDS, THE VOTER APPROVED BONDS. YES. TO THE VOTER APPROVED BONDS. AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM THERE YOU'LL SEE IF YOU CHANGE THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE BY 1%, IT WOULD GENERATE 2.4 MILLION. AND CHANGING THE NO NEW REVENUE BY $0.01 RESULTS IN A $7 MILLION INCREASE. THE PROPOSED VOTER APPROVAL RATE WAS PUBLISHED YESTERDAY MORNING, AND EL PASO INC AND THE REQUIRED HEARING WILL BE ON AUGUST 18TH AT 930, AND THE ADOPTION OF THE TAX RATE IS ALSO SCHEDULED FOR THE SAME DAY. SO NEXT MONDAY WILL BE THE DAY THAT WE'LL HAVE THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE COURT TO ACTUALLY 
          [04:50:03]
GO OVER THE TAX RATES, GO OVER THE IMPACTS OF EACH OF THOSE TAX RATES TO YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET OR YOUR OR THIS BUDGET, AND THEN TO VOTE ON IT NEXT MONDAY. I KNOW, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GO OVER THIS IN THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT I JUST THE NOTES I'M TAKING JUST SO I UNDERSTAND. AND SO THE SO THAT OUR RESIDENTS CAN UNDERSTAND. SO. PROPERTY VALUES HAVE INCREASED 7.8% ACROSS THE COUNTY ACCORDING TO THE CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT, WHICH THEY GAVE US A PRESENTATION ON LAST WEEK. AND PROPERTY TAXES MAKE UP 88% OF OUR TOTAL REVENUE BUDGETED. BUDGETED REVENUE FOR THE GENERAL FUND. 88%. SO. IF YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE VOTER APPROVED BONDS THAT THAT ARE GOING TO INCREASE THE INTEREST AND DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE AND. THE LOSS IN JAIL REVENUE, RIGHT? IT'S THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS DEFICIT AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE PROPERTY VALUATIONS, I THINK PEOPLE GET VERY FRUSTRATED BECAUSE WE CAN POINT TO THE TAX RATE AND SAY WE'RE ACTUALLY LOWERING THE TAX RATE FROM WHAT IT WAS OR WERE, YOU KNOW, PROPOSING A LOWER TAX RATE. BUT BECAUSE THE PROPERTY VALUATIONS ARE GOING UP, THEIR TAX BILL WON'T IT WILL STILL BE HIGHER. 
          IT WON'T BE LOWER, IT'LL STILL BE HIGHER. SO EFFECTIVELY PEOPLE'S TAXES ARE GOING TO GO UP. EVEN IF WE LOWER THE TAX RATE. THAT IS CORRECT. THAT'S JUST THE MATH OF THIS OKAY. AND AGAIN THE CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT APPRAISES VALUES BASED ON STATE LEGISLATURE. RIGHT. SO THE RULES THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW WHEN THEY'RE APPRAISING AND PROVIDING THE CERTIFIED TAX RULE IS ALSO KIND OF GOVERNED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE. YEAH. AND I MEAN, I, I THINK IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY WE'RE LOWERING OUR, OUR TAX RATE WHEN WE KNOW THAT TAXES ARE STILL GOING TO GO UP UNLESS WE CUT DOWN THE BUDGET SUBSTANTIALLY. SO I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION AND THE CONFUSION, AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO IT'S LIKE A DIFFERENCE. IT'S A DISTINCTION WITHOUT A DIFFERENCE OR WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE TERM I'M LOOKING FOR. IT'S JUST IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE THAT IT FEELS LIKE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY OR OPTIONS HERE. SORRY. GO AHEAD. I'VE GOT I'VE GOT A QUESTION. SO. WELL I GUESS IT'S ON THE NEXT SLIDE. OKAY I'LL LET YOU PRESENT THE NEXT SLIDE JESSICA OKAY GREAT. SO THIS SLIDE IS GIVES YOU THE REVENUE THAT WOULD BE GENERATED AT EACH OF THE TAX RATES AS WELL AS THE IMPACT TO THE HOMEOWNERS. AND AT OUR CURRENT WELL, LET'S GO TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. SO EVEN AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, IT WOULD BE AN INCREASE OF $2.54 PER MONTH TO EACH OF THE TAXPAYERS AT OUR M O N PLUS THE NEW DEBT RATE. IT'S AN INCREASE OF $4.96 PER MONTH TO THE HOMEOWNERS. OUR CURRENT TAX RATE, WHICH WOULD GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL 21,000,021.8 MILLION, WOULD BE AN IMPACT OF $5.60 PER HOMEOWNER FOR THE AT THE AVERAGE VALUE, AND THEN THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE WOULD GENERATE 56 MILLION AND WOULD BE AN IMPACT OF $16.71 PER MONTH TO EACH OF THE HOMEOWNERS. WE BROKE IT DOWN ON THE SLIDES ON THE BOTTOM, SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE IMPACT AND THE INTEREST IN SINKING OR THE DEBT SERVICE FUND IMPACT. AND I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THAT BY GOING TO THE NNR, AS PRESENTED BY THE TAX OFFICE, WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF THE VOTER APPROVED DEBT, WE WOULD LOSE 9 MILLION IN REVENUE THAT WE WOULD HAVE NORMALLY CAPTURED HAD THERE BEEN NO INCREASE TO THE INS, AND THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL CUT. WE WOULD NEED TO GO FIND OUT OF THE BUDGET. SO I 
          [04:55:03]
GUESS MY, MY, MY FIRST OF ALL, I'M CONFUSED A LITTLE BIT ON THE ON THE TOP CHART. IT SAYS THE CURRENT RATE. AND THAT'S THE FULL TAX RATE. THAT'S INS. THAT'S WHAT IT IS TODAY. THAT'S WHAT IT IS TODAY IS 42.6 PENNIES PER $100 VALUATION. AND IF WE STATED IF WE'RE AT 42. POINT SIX PENNIES. FOR THE FOR THE TAX RATE FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, THAT WOULD BRING IN AN ADDITIONAL 21, ALMOST $22 MILLION. YES. OKAY. BUT A BIG PORTION OF THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE INS PAYMENT, WOULD IT NOT? WE'D HAVE WE'D HAVE TO ADJUST WITHIN. AND MOST OF THAT WOULD GO. SO MAYBE THAT'S WHERE MY WHERE I'M CONFUSED BECAUSE I LOOK DOWN AT THE M O PLUS NEW DEBT. THE LAST LINE, THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. IT'S LOWER THAN THE CURRENT RATE. IT'S 42.2 PENNIES, BUT IT'S ONLY GENERATING $9.6 MILLION. SO HOW IS A LOWER RATE GENERATING? I MEAN THAT MUCH LESS BECAUSE I WELL, I'LL LET YOU ANSWER, JESSICA, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE WE'RE NOT COUNTING THE INS. IT'S ONLY IT'S ONLY IT'S ONLY ABOUT. IT'S ONLY ABOUT. YOU KNOW, HALF A CENT DIFFERENCE. MAYBE, YOU KNOW, 4/10 OF A CENT DIFFERENCE ON THE TAX RATE, BUT IT'S GENERATING, YOU KNOW, $12 MILLION LESS, RIGHT. HOW DOES HOW DOES THAT HOW DOES HOW THAT COLUMN IS JUST THAT TOP PART IS JUST DOES NOT INCLUDE INS. SO EVEN THOUGH THE TAX RATE IS 4.26323 FOR THAT COLUMN, WE'VE ONLY CALCULATED THE MO IN THE FIRST LINE ITEM. SO, SO. SO THEN SO THEN THEN IF I GO DOWN TO THE TO THE ONE TO THE BOX IN THE BLUE, THE GRAPH IN THE BLUE, BASICALLY THAT'S SO THAT $0.42 IS ALTOGETHER NOT JUST THE MO. THAT'S CORRECT. AND IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE BOX IN THE BLUE ON THE LEFT, BOTTOM LEFT, THEN YOU SEE THE CURRENT MO RATE IS $0.37 AND THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS $0.34. SO THAT'S THE. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. THE DIFFERENCE. BUT IT'S SAYING DOWN THERE ON THAT BOX THAT IT'S NINE, 9.6 MILLION LESS. BECAUSE IF IT'S IN PARENTHESES THAT'S A NEGATIVE VARIANCE. RIGHT. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S BECAUSE WE WOULD BE WE WOULD BE FOREGOING THE, THE, THE, THE PENNY AND A HALF THAT WENT TO DEBT SERVICE. RIGHT. BUT UP HERE. SO THIS IS WHY I'M CONFUSED. SO UP HERE THE MO NR PLUS NEW DEBT IS THE SAME VALUE 99. 6 MILLION. BUT THAT'S A POSITIVE VARIANCE BECAUSE THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE INCREASE TO THE MO OF THE PENNY AND A HALF OF THE VOTER APPROVED IT. YEAH, AND IT STILL CONFUSES ME. BUT IT IS. WE HAVE TO ADD IT. IT IS IT IS CONFUSING. SO WE'RE SO WHEN WE DO THIS CHART, WE LOOK AT OKAY. IF WE, IF WE HAD THE SAME TAX RATE TODAY. YEAH. WHAT DOES IT DO FOR US ON THE NO SIDE. RIGHT. SO I MEAN IF SO. IF WE IF WE HAVE THE SAME TAX RATE TODAY WITH THE, WITH THE, WITH THE MO BEING 37.6 CENTS AND THE AND THEN THE, THE INS GOING UP TO THE SIX MORE THAN $0.06 BECAUSE OF THE VOTER VOTER APPROVED BONDS. THEN WE WOULD GENERATE $21 MILLION ADDITIONAL YOU WOULD GENERATE. SO IF YOU IF YOU KEPT THE CURRENT RATE OF 0.376. YES. AND YOU ADOPTED THE INS RATE TO INCLUDE THE VOTER APPROVED BONDS, YOU WOULD ACTUALLY GENERATE MORE, MORE REVENUE BECAUSE OF THAT INCREASE ON THE DEBT SERVICE. OKAY. THE 21 MILLION ONLY REPRESENTS ONLY REPRESENTS THE INCREASE IN THE MO PORTION. THAT'S CORRECT. SO THE REASON THAT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND THE MO NO NEW REVENUE RATE KIND OF WASH, BECAUSE AT THE CURRENT NO NEW REVENUE OR AT THE NEW NO NEW REVENUE RATE THAT WAS PRESENTED, THAT PENNY, PENNY AND A HALF GOES TO DEBT SERVICE. RIGHT. AND AT THE MO AND IN OUR RATE WE KEEP THAT PENNY AND A HALF IN OUR MO SIDE. AND IT EQUALS THE 9 
          [05:00:01]
MILLION, $9.6 MILLION. SO IF YOU GO THE NO NEW REVENUE, YOU'RE FOREGOING THAT PENNY AND A HALF OF REVENUE, RIGHT. AND SO I JUST WANT TO I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT AT THE. MO NER PLUS NEW DEBT, WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ANNUAL DIFFERENCE TO THE HOMEOWNER, WHICH IS $59. A YEAR, $4.96 A MONTH, WHAT ABOUT WHAT WHAT PART OF THAT IS DUE TO THE VOTER APPROVED BOND, AND WHAT PART OF THAT IS DUE TO PROPERTY VALUES GOING UP IN OUR NO NEW REVENUE RATE BEING WHERE IT'S AT. SO THE NINE, SIX, THREE, NINE WOULD ALL BE MO INCREASE DUE TO THE VALUATION VALUATION. RIGHT? RIGHT. SO THE DEBTS THE INS IS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT 9 MILLION AT ALL OKAY. YEAH I GOT THAT. BUT FOR BUT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND SO I CAN TELL MY CONSTITUENTS WHAT PORTION OF THE ANNUAL DIFFERENCE TO THE HOMEOWNER THAT THAT ALMOST $60 MORE A YEAR. 
          WHAT PORTION OF THAT IS DUE TO THE VALUATIONS AND THE AND THE MO RATE THAT WE'RE SETTING, OR WHAT PORTION OF THAT IS DUE TO THE INCREASE IN IN THE INS RATE BECAUSE THE VOTERS APPROVED THE BONDS? OKAY, I SEE YOUR QUESTION. I WILL HAVE TO GO BACK AND RECALCULATE THAT FOR YOU. 
          OKAY. THAT YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO. AND THEN I CAN HAVE THAT FOR YOU. THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, I WANT IT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT THE VOTERS APPROVED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INCREASE. IF YOU GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, JESSICA, I THINK THIS IS A CLEARER BREAKDOWN. SO IF YOU TAKE WHAT THE VOTERS APPROVED, THE .063597, THAT GENERATES $45.7 MILLION IN INTEREST AND DEBT SERVICE. HOW MUCH? 45.7 OKAY, THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE DOWN THERE, WHICH WE WERE GENERATING 33.8. BUT THIS IS A AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 12 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT OUR ANNUAL PAYMENT ON OUR DEBT. THAT'S THAT'S DUE TO THE ELECTION. SO THE. AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE MO LINE THERE. WHICH, WHICH ONE. 
          THE BOTTOM ONE RIGHT ABOVE. YES. UNDER EXPECTED PROPERTY REVENUE. YES. THE. NO NEW REVENUE. NO RATE AT 0.359145 WOULD GENERATE 258 500. AND THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND OUR CURRENT RATE IS THE NEW PROPERTY, THE ONE RIGHT. THE 1.5 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL PROPERTY VALUE. YES. 
          THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO DO WITH PROPERTY VALUE INCREASE. IT'S NEW PROPERTIES ON THE ROAD. 
          CORRECT. SO THAT'S WHAT IS GENERATING. AND THAT'S BASED ON THE 0.359145. RIGHT. WHICH IS LESS THAN OUR CURRENT MO. YEAH. RIGHT. SO THEN YEAH I UNDERSTAND THAT I THINK THAT'S THAT'S CLEAR. BUT I WANT TO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TELL MY CONSTITUENTS, OKAY. WHAT PORTION OF THAT $60 IF WE IF WE GO TO THE TO THE NO NEW MO RATE PLUS DEBT SERVICE ON THE NEXT PAGE AND IT SAYS THERE'S IT'S ABOUT A $60 INCREASE IN THEIR TAXES PER YEAR. WHAT PERCENTAGE OR WHAT PORTION OF THAT $60 IS DUE TO THE, THE, THE, THE BOND PASSAGE AND WHAT PORTION OF THAT OR HOW MUCH OF THAT IS, IS BEING INCREASED DUE TO OUR DECISION REGARDING THE MO RATE? COMMISSIONER. SO IF YOU TOOK I DON'T THINK ANY OF THAT IS DUE TO THE 100 TO THE DEBT SERVICE, 100% OF THAT 9 MILLION IS ONLY MO. SO FOR 69, 47 IS THE ACTUAL TAX RATE INCREASE TO THE AVERAGE HOME VALUE ON MO. ON THE NO SIDE, IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE NINE POINT. THE 9.6 MILLION IS THE INCREASE DUE TO THE MO RATE. BECAUSE OF THE ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES ON THE TAX ROLLS. 
          YES, BUT THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT A THAT'S NOT WHAT THAT'S NOT DUE TO PROPERTY VALUES GOING UP. 
          THAT'S DUE TO ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES BEING ADDED TO THE TAX ROLLS. SO THE PROPERTY VALUES THAT ARE IF PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING UP AND WE ARE MOVING OUR MO, NO NEW REVENUE RATE DOWN. TO TRY TO COUNTERACT THAT, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT AMOUNT ADDITIONAL, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE GOING DOWN ON THE NO SIDE, WHAT PORTION OF THAT $59 IS BEING CALCULATED HERE THAT 
          [05:05:04]
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE IN THEIR TAXES IS DUE TO THE INCREASED PROPERTY VALUATION, NOT THE INS. OKAY, NOT NOT THE BOND, NOT THE I WANT TO KNOW. I WANT TO KNOW BOTH. I WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH IS DUE TO THE BOND THAT VOTERS APPROVED AND HOW MUCH IS, IS, IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE PROPERTY VALUE INCREASE AND THE TAX RATE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH THE NO. YES, WE WILL WE WILL GET THAT BREAKDOWN FOR YOU. LET US LET US WORK ON THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT AND WE'LL GET THAT BREAKDOWN FOR YOU. YEAH. I MEAN BECAUSE I MEAN WE, WE, WE HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE UPSET ABOUT US INCREASING THEIR INCREASING TAXES. RIGHT. AND SO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN AND HOW MUCH WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO CUT INTO THAT, THAT INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES. WE HAVE TO SHOW, SAY, LOOK, THE VOTERS APPROVED THIS AMOUNT FOR THE INS SIDE. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE THAT WE CAN TOUCH. THAT WAS VOTER APPROVED. COMMISSIONERS COURT DID NOT MAKE THAT DECISION. THE VOTERS MADE THAT DECISION. WHAT PORTION OF THE TAX RATE IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE DECISION THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING? WHAT PORTION OF THAT INCREASE IN TAX, NOT TAX RATE, BUT THAT INCREASE IN TAX THAT'S BEING CALCULATED HERE? THAT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD OBSERVATION BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE SEPARATING THEM, DIFFERENTIATING WHAT THEY DECIDED ON AND THEN WHAT WE WERE WORKING ON. AND I GUESS THAT'S WHY THIS TABLE IS A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING, BECAUSE SOME OF THE COLUMNS LIKE THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE COLUMN IS ONLY MO. BUT THE ANNUAL DIFFERENCE TO HOMEOWNER INCLUDES BOTH. RIGHT. 
          SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO SPLIT UP THAT COLUMN INTO THE TWO COMPONENTS. JUST JUST REALLY QUICKLY. I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS $30.44 AND THEN THE OWNER IS 5947. SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT WOULD BE THAT PENNY, THAT 1.3 INCREASE ON THE DEBT RATE, I'LL DOUBLE CHECK IT. BUT BUT I'M THINKING THAT'S KIND OF JUST RUNNING IT. THE NUMBERS REALLY FAST. IT IT EQUALS THAT DIFFERENCE. SO ABOUT 29. 29 2881 OF THAT 5947 IS DUE TO THE VOTER APPROVED DEBT. BUT WE'LL DOUBLE CHECK IT AND CONFIRM WITH YOU BEFORE 15. OKAY. 20 YOU SAID HOW MUCH IT CALCULATED AT 2818. BUT I THINK IT'S THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 3044 AND THE 5947. 
          OH YEAH. THAT'S THAT'S OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. YEAH. SO OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. RIGHT. YEAH. 
          ROUGHLY AROUND $2.50. INCREASE PER MONTH. OKAY. SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT THE SECOND LINE THERE, THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE. RIGHT. SO THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS A $30 AND 44 CENT INCREASE PER YEAR. OKAY. BUT SO BUT THAT THAT 40 THAT 40.9 PENNIES THAT WHAT IS THAT'S THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. YES. AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY SEES A DECREASE TO NO. BECAUSE WHAT THE STATE SAYS IS THIS IS TRULY NO NEW REVENUE. EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE VOTER APPROVED DEBT, WE'RE NOT GIVING YOU ANY ADDITIONAL MONEY TO PAY FOR IT. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOWER YOUR MO AND INCREASE YOUR INS WITHOUT WITHOUT THERE BEING A NET NEW REVENUE. SO THEN ON THE BLUE BOX BELOW, IT SAYS NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS 34.5. AND THAT'S JUST THE NO SIDE OKAY. SO THAT SO THE SO YOU TAKE THAT 34.34. AND THEN YOU ADD THE 0.063. AND THAT GIVES YOU THE POINT FOR THE 34.55 37 I DON'T SEE 34.3 FOR THE 34.5752. OKAY. AND IF YOU ADD THE ONE THE. 
          0.013597635973597. THAT'S THAT TOTAL 0.4. THAT'S THE 40. THAT'S THE 40.9. RIGHT. WHICH IS ACTUALLY LOWERING OUR MO AND INCREASING INS TO STILL HAVE THE SAME NET. TAX RATE PER $100 VALUE WITH NO NEW REVENUE. NOW WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS YOU IF YOU TAKE WHAT THE VOTERS APPROVED ON YOUR INS SIDE, THAT'S THE VERY LAST LINE. THAT'S THE 0.422. 742. RIGHT. WHICH IS NOT. SO WHAT THE. SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS VOTERS, VOTERS APPROVED, NOT JUST WHAT THEY APPROVED IS GOING 
          [05:10:06]
TO COST ON THE INSIDE AND ON THE NO SIDE. IT WILL REALLY NO, IT'LL BE ON THE INSIDE. OKAY. 
          BECAUSE THEN THAT 40 THEN THAT 42 PENNIES IS, IS THAT THAT ADDITIONAL $0.02 BETWEEN THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE AND THE OWNER PLUS NEW DEBT. IT'S 1.3. IT'S 1.3 CENTS, WHICH IS THE DEBT. I THINK IT'S CLEARER ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE I THINK SO TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE IS MUCH EASIER TO SEE. SO IT'S 1.1. $0.03 ON THE MO SIDE BECAUSE OF THE DEBT THAT VOTERS APPROVED. 
          YES ON THAT. SO IF I MAY, ON THIS SLIDE HERE. THE STATE REQUIRES US TO SHOW YOU WHAT IS THE SECOND COLUMN, WHICH AT THE TOP SAYS NO NEW REVENUE RATE. IF YOU GO DOWN, YOU'RE GOING TO GO DOWN ABOUT 6 OR 7 LINES TO WHERE IT SAYS TOTAL TAX RATE. AND YOU SEE RIGHT THERE WHERE TOTAL TAX RATE FOR MO IS 0.345752. AND BELOW IT IS 0.063597. RIGHT. WELL BUT WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS THIS ABSOLUTELY GENERATES NO NEW REVENUE OTHER THAN GROWTH. THE NEW PROPERTIES, THE 1.5 BILLION WHICH TO DO THAT YOU HAVE TO THEY'RE, THEY'RE TAKING YOUR MONEY FROM YOUR MO SIDE AND REDUCING IT TO MAKE YOUR PAYMENT ON THE INS AND NOT HAVING TAXPAYERS PAY FOR WHAT THEY VOTED FOR THEMSELVES. THE NEXT COLUMN DOES HAVE THE VOTER PAY FOR WHAT THEY VOTED FOR. SO THE NEXT COLUMN, WHICH IS NO NEW REVENUE, NO RATE, LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE AGAIN. WE'RE DOWN THERE ON THE TOTAL TAX RATE. INSTEAD OF IT BEING 0.345, THEY'RE ADDING THE 1.3 THE 0.1. 
          $0.03 IN THERE. AND THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THE 0.359145 FOR MO AND THE 0.063597. THAT IS TRULY WHAT THE VOTERS VOTED FOR. AND NO NEW REVENUE ON NO OTHER THAN NEW GROWTH. SO THIS IS WHAT VOTERS TRULY APPROVED. APPROVED IS THIS BLUE OUTLINED BOX FOR AS FAR AS THE INS SIDE. YEAH. OKAY. 
          WITHOUT REDUCING YOUR MO FOR IT OKAY I STILL LIKE I STILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DIVISION BETWEEN WHAT. ABSOLUTELY. THE WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT DECISIONS I MEAN WHETHER WE GO TO THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, WHETHER WE GO TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, NO OR THE REGULAR NO NEW REVENUE RATE, ABSOLUTELY. WE'LL GET YOU A VERY DETAILED BREAKDOWN. THANK YOU. SORRY FOR THAT. GREAT QUESTIONS. 
          QUESTION CONFUSION ON MY BEHALF. OKAY. THIS NEXT SECTION OF THE PRESENTATION IS GOING TO GO OVER THE CHANGES SINCE YOUR BOOK WAS PRINTED. IN THE BLUE. ARE THOSE CHANGES AS OUR COUNTY AUDITOR PRESENTED THIS MORNING, THE FUND BALANCE THAT SHE'S ESTIMATING HAS GONE UP TO 78.7 MILLION, BUT HER REVENUE HAS DROPPED TO 38, 300, 386 MILLION. AND THEN IN THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, WE DID SEE A SLIGHT INCREASE OF EXPENDITURES TO 451, WHICH GIVES US A RESERVE POSITION OF. 13.8 MILLION OR 3.07%. SO THAT IS WHERE WE STAND AS OF TODAY. AND WE CONTINUE TO REVIEW THE DEPARTMENT SUBMISSIONS, AS WELL AS WORK WITH THE COUNTY AUDITOR ON REVENUE PROJECTIONS TO FOLLOW UP TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO GAIN ADDITIONAL REVENUE OR TO GAIN SOME SAVINGS ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE. AND AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO TURN THIS PRESENTATION OVER TO GABBY SO SHE CAN GO OVER SOME OF THE MAJOR OPERATING CHANGES BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS SLIDE. JESSICA, A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR BARBARA ON YOUR PROJECTED BEGINNING BALANCE OR REVENUE, HAVE YOU ACCOUNTED FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE WILL PROBABLY BE SOMEWHERE AROUND MAYBE $6 MILLION OR SO IN ARPA RECOVERY, OR THE $4 MILLION IN REDUCTION TO RISK POOL FUND, NOT THE $4 MILLION IN RISK POOL, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE PROJECTED BEGINNING BALANCE. AND WE'RE NOT INCLUDING THAT. 
          THAT WOULD BE, I BELIEVE, JESSICA, YOU TOLD ME THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET RIGHT 
          [05:15:02]
NOW. BUT FOR THE BEGINNING BALANCE, IT DOESN'T AFFECT FY 25. SO IT'S NOT INCLUDED THERE. 
          BUT YES, WE ARE INCLUDING THE ARPA FUNDS IN OUR PROJECTION IN THIS SLIDE. IT DOES INCLUDE THE ARPA RECOVERY THAT WE'RE WE'RE YES IT DOES ON THE PROJECTED FUND BALANCE OKAY. BUT NOT THE RISK POOL REIMBURSEMENT. WELL, THE RISK POOL AGREEMENT THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT TODAY WILL BE IN YOUR FY 26, NOT IN FY 25 OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS GABBY FEDERAL WITH THE BUDGET AND FINANCE DEPARTMENT, AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS, WE DID REQUEST A 5% DECREASE FROM ALL COUNTY WIDE AND ON ON THE ALLOWABLE OPERATING ACCOUNTS. AND WE DO WANT TO THANK OUR DEPARTMENTS FOR SUPPORTING US. AND WITH THOSE REDUCTIONS AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO BE GOING OVER. MAJOR OPERATING CHANGES THAT ARE GREATER, GREATER OR LESS THAN THE THAN 10% AND HIGHER OR LOWER OF 50,000 CHANGES. AS WE'VE BEEN MENTIONING, THERE ARE STILL SOME CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING. WE'RE STILL REVIEWING SOME ACCOUNTS. AND SO THESE AMOUNTS MAY CHANGE BY THE TIME WE BRING THE BUDGET FOR THE ADOPTION IN SEPTEMBER. SO SOME OF THE ONES THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE, AND OF COURSE THE COURT HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY ONE IN PARTICULAR. WE CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS ON THE COUNCIL OF JUDGES. WE DO WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT ABOUT 1 MILLION, A LITTLE OVER 1 MILLION OF THAT 1.5 DECREASE IS RELATED TO THE CAPITAL MURDER ACCOUNT THAT WE HAD TO PAY OUT FOR THE AUGUST 3RD TRIALS ON THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. WE'VE DECREASED THEIR CRIMINAL AFFAIRS ACCOUNT. AND ON THE PUBLIC DEFENDER SIDE, WE'VE INCREASED IT AS WE ARE, AND THEY ARE ANTICIPATING TO CLOSE OUT MORE ACCOUNTS. THE COUNTY PARKS WAS A AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE UTILITY ACCOUNTS, BEING THAT THEY ARE TAKING ON NINE NEW PARKS COUNTY WIDE AND ON THE SPORTS PARK, MAINTENANCE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES. THOSE DECREASES WERE ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE OFFSET ON ONE OF THOSE. SO THAT WILL BE A CHANGE THAT YOU WILL SEE WHEN WE BRING BACK THE BUDGET FOR THE ADOPTED OR TO BE PROPOSED FOR ADOPTION, WE WILL ADJUST THOSE NUMBERS. THEY WILL NOT BE A DECREASE. THEY ACTUALLY WILL BE AN INCREASE ON THE GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOUNTS. THAT DECREASE IS RELATED TO ALL TRANSFER OUT MATCH ACCOUNTS, WHERE WE'RE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO THOSE BASED ON AWARDS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED, OR AWARDS THAT WE ANTICIPATE RECEIVING ON THE ANIMAL WELFARE. THAT INCREASE IS DUE TO THE CURRENT. TO THE ANIMAL. OH MY GOODNESS, I'M SORRY FOR THE IMPOUND FEE WITH THE CITY. ON THE MEDICAL EXAMINER, THAT DECREASE WAS RELATED TO THE TOXICOLOGY TESTS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CONTRACTED OUT AND ARE BEING COVERED PARTLY BY A FEDERAL GRANT ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEAR 25. WE DID HAVE TO COVER TWO YEARS WORTH OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE. SO NOW WE'RE SETTING IT TO WHAT WE NEED FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 TO PAY FOR ONE YEAR ON THE JUVENILE PROBATION. AS WE KNOW, THIS DECREASE ON THE OPERATING SIDE, IT IS BEING INCREASED TO THE SALARY ACCOUNTS AS WELL. SO THAT'S WHERE YOU WOULD SEE THAT OFFSET. AND OVERALL THEIR BUDGET DID DECREASE BY 0.5%. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THAT INCREASE IS LARGELY RELATED TO A LITTLE. UNDER THAT 4 MILLION IS DUE TO AN INTERNAL TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOUNT FOR THE MEDICAL SERVICES. AND. FOR THE MEDICAL INCREASES. SO IT IS AN OFFSET, EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS LIKE AN INCREASE HERE. WE DID DECREASE THE GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOUNT FOR THAT ON THE PUBLIC WORKS. OTHER COUNTY MOBILITY PROJECTS. I'M SORRY THAT 5.3 MILLION. ABOUT 4 MILLION. 4.8 MILLION OF THAT WAS ACTUALLY A DECREASE DUE TO THE IT. I'M SO SORRY. THE COUNTY MOBILITY PROJECTS HOW THEY'RE SHOWN HERE. 
          THEY COVER BOTH MATCH ACCOUNTS AND THE REGULAR BUDGET FOR IT. AND ABOUT 4.8 OF THAT WAS THE DECREASE TO THE BOB HOPE SIDEWALK PURCHASE THAT WAS RESERVED UNDER OUR BUDGET, BUT IS NOW BEING COVERED THROUGH A THROUGH ALTERNATE FUNDING. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE OTHER ONES? I DO. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. JUST GOING BACK TO THAT, I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE FOR THEM DUE TO THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. SO THAT IS ON THE SALARY SIDE. OKAY. THIS IS ONLY ON THE OPERATING SIDE. THIS IS ONLY ON OPERATING. 
          [05:20:04]
YES. OKAY. FOR TRANSIT, THAT INCREASE FOR OPERATING ISN'T IT. ISN'T IT OFFSET BY GRANTS WE GET FROM TEXDOT. SO SOME OF THAT IS. YES. THIS IS THE MATCH PART OF IT. SO THE PART THAT THE COUNTY IS LIABLE FOR, TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO MATCH WHAT, WHAT THE GRANTS ARE COVERING. OKAY. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. SO NOW I'LL BE GOING OVER OTHER INTERNAL COUNTY ENTITIES. THESE ARE THREE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE A BOARD TO WHICH THEY PROPOSE THEIR BUDGET TO BEFORE IT COMES TO COMMISSIONERS COURT TO BE CONSIDERED BY YOU. ALL THE THREE DEPARTMENTS ARE JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT, OUR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT AND OUR COUNTY AUDITOR DEPARTMENT. AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT DID DO A DECREASE OF 0.5% FROM THEIR FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET TO THEIR FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET, AND THEY HAVE AN OVERALL BUDGET OF 31 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDES THE GENERAL FUND AND THE SPECIAL REVENUE. AND OF THAT 31, 22.5 MILLION IS THE GENERAL FUND COVERED IN PURCHASING THE. THE BOARD APPROVED A $2.84 MILLION BUDGET, ALTHOUGH THIS IS AN INCREASE FROM FISCAL YEAR 25 THAT COVERS TWO ARPA POSITIONS THAT WERE PUT THAT WERE TRANSFERRED INTO THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT. AND THAT'S WHAT THAT INCREASE IS LARGELY COVERING. AND WHAT IS THE ACTUAL AMOUNT FOR THE 8.4%? WHAT DOES THAT TRANSLATE TO INTO DOLLARS INTO DOLLARS? GIVE ME ONE SECOND. IT'S LIKE A 96 $96.5 INCREASE, OKAY, 96,000. I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE PURCHASING BOARD BUDGET ALSO. BECAUSE IN THE BUDGET BOOK IT WASN'T. I'M NOT SURE. DID DID DID WE LOOK AT IT? BETSY DID IT. WE DID. IT'S THE THREE CATEGORIES TOGETHER. IT'S THE MAILROOM. THE THREE TOGETHER ADD UP TO THE 2.84 MILLION. SO IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE CAPITAL PROJECT. IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE $300,000 THAT WE FUNDED FROM INTERIM CAPITAL. YES. NO, IT'S ABOUT A WAREHOUSE. OKAY. SO THIS THIS COULD BE CONSIDERED A FULLY A FULLY CONSIDERED BUDGET BY PURCHASING THE FULL OPERATING BUDGET, NOT INCLUDING THE CAPITAL IS 2.84. I NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK. I THINK IN MY BOOK I THOUGHT THERE WAS 100 IN CAPITAL. OH, THAT'S WHAT THEY DID. THEY ADDED 100,000 IN CAPITAL FOR SOMETHING DURING THE BUDGET PRESENTATION IN MARCH. I'M SORRY DECEMBER. THEY ADDED $100,000 IN EQUIPMENT TO THEIR BUDGET. AND, AND WE ALLOCATED 300,000 FOR THE WAREHOUSE, THE WAREHOUSE A FEW MONTHS AGO. BUT I THINK THEY WERE ASKING AND BUDGET CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THEY WERE ASKING FOR $100,000 IN OPERATING EQUIPMENT. THEY REQUESTED IT, BUT BUDGET DID NOT END UP INCLUDING IT IN THEIR BUDGET. SO THE 2.8 DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 100,000. IT DOES NOT. IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE. SO THE BOARD APPROVED IT AS DEPARTMENT. KEEPING IN LINE WITH WHAT WE DID COUNTYWIDE. WE DID NOT INCLUDE IT ON THE RECOMMENDED. SO THAT 2.84 DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 100,000 FOR SMALL EQUIPMENT. OKAY. AND JUST SO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT KNOWS, THEY THE PURCHASING BOARD REVIEWED THIS BUDGET AND VOTED ON IT IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR BEFORE WE HAD ISSUED OUR BUDGET DIRECTION. YEAH, I MEAN, THAT WAS ONE THING THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK BECAUSE, I MEAN, PURCHASING IS NOT A MANDATED ONE OF THE MANDATED STATE MANDATED DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? NO. AND SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BUDGET APPROVED WITH AN EIGHT, 8.5% INCREASE WHEN WE'RE WHEN WE'RE. YOU KNOW, TRYING TO TRYING TO CINCH OUR BELTS, LET US GO BACK AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT. WE CAN GO BACK AND MEET WITH KAREN. AND OBVIOUSLY TWO OF YOU SIT ON THE PURCHASING BOARD, BUT LET US GO BACK AND MEET WITH HER AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO. WHO ARE THE MEMBERS ON THE PURCHASING BOARD? THE JUDGE AND COMMISSIONER BUTLER. OKAY. THE BOARD HASN'T MET SINCE MARCH. 
          OKAY. AND LIKE I SAID, THEY VOTED ON THIS BUDGET IN DECEMBER, RIGHT? SO AS BEFORE, THEY KNEW THE BUDGET DIRECTION. LET US MEET WITH KAREN AND SEE IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HER TO TAKE BACK SOMETHING TO THE BOARD TO. CUT THE 90. THE 96,000, I THINK YOU SAID GABBY PERSONNEL. NOT FROM PERSONNEL. YEAH. SO THAT 96, THAT INCREASE IS ALL RELATED TO THE TWO PEOPLE 
          [05:25:05]
THAT WERE TRANSFERRED IN. OH, FROM ARPA. IT'S NOT AN OPERATING INCREASE. IT'S A SALARY INCREASE. BUT THIS INCLUDES THEIR TOTAL BUDGET OF OPERATING AND SALARY. YES. AND THAT INCREASE IS RELATED TO THE TWO INDIVIDUALS, THE TWO POSITIONS THAT WERE TRANSFERRED INTO THE DEPARTMENT. WAS IT FOR THE PRINT SHOP? WELL I'M NOT. THE TWO POSITIONS. I'M NOT SURE ON THE TITLE OF THOSE. I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND CHECK, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE DEPARTMENT DIDN'T DO THE 5% DECREASE, THAT OPERATIONAL DECREASE THAT EVERYONE ELSE DID. RIGHT. 
          BECAUSE THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED SO EARLY. RIGHT. SO LET US GO BACK AND TALK TO KAREN, AND THEN I IMAGINE SHE'LL GO BACK TO THE BOARD WITH ANY PROPOSED CHANGES. AND THIS IS A LEGAL QUESTION, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THE COURT HAS TO ACCEPT THAT BUDGET. I THINK THERE'S LIKE THE PURCHASING BOARD'S APPROVAL IS STILL SUBJECT TO IT'S STILL A RECOMMEND. IT'S A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE COURT. IT'S NOT A MUST. CORRECT. LET US LET US TAKE A LOOK AT IT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE IS THE STANDARD IS THE BOARD APPROVES IT. AND UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS, RIGHT, THE COURT MUST APPROVE IT. BUT THERE'S ALSO OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH, FOR EXAMPLE, OTHER ENTITIES OR OTHER BOARDS THEY PROVIDED AS A RECOMMENDATION. 
          I'M THINKING, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR YOUR AUDITOR'S DEPARTMENT FOR, FOR EXAMPLE. SO LET US GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT TO CLARIFY FOR SURE. RIGHT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THAT CLEAR DIRECTION. AND WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LINES ARE BETWEEN PURCHASING BOARD, OF COURSE, AND THE COMMISSIONERS COURT BECAUSE I THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE I THINK THE AUDITORS IS ONE WE HAVE TO ACCEPT IF IT'S LESS THAN A 5% INCREASE, THE PURCHASING ONE, I THINK THE COURT CAN LOOK AT IT. AND. AND THE LAST INTERNAL COUNTY ENTITY WOULD BE OUR COUNTY AUDITOR, WHICH AS WE MENTIONED, THEY HAVE AN 8.4 MILLION REQUESTED BUDGET, WHICH IS A 2.5% INCREASE FROM FISCAL YEAR 25, WHICH STILL FALLS UNDER THE 4% STATUTORY 5%. YES. BUT DOES THIS BUDGET ALSO NOT INCLUDE THE 5% OPERATIONAL OR. YES, THEY DID. OKAY. WE ALSO HAVE SOME OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT THE COURT TAKES ACTION ON REGARDING SOME FUNDING THAT IS GIVEN TO THEM, THE CRIME STOPPERS AND PROJECT PRESENTED TO THE COURT ON JULY 14TH. BOTH OF THESE OUTSIDE AGENCIES DID ADHERE TO OUR 5% DECREASE, AND SO THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET FOR CRIME STOPPERS AT 9500 AND FOR PROJECT AT 142,500. LASTLY, I'M GOING TO GO OVER THE OTHER TAXING AGENCIES. WE WILL HEAR FROM ESD ONE, ESD TWO, AND THE AND UMC NEXT WEEK REGARDING THEIR THEIR OVERALL BUDGET UMC. WE DID HEAR FROM THEM LAST WEEK, BUT THEY WILL BE HERE PRESENT NEXT WEEK AS WELL FOR THE PROPERTY TAX. I MEAN, FOR THE TAX. SO OUR ESD ONE, THEY'RE PROPOSING A BUDGET OF 21 MILLION, WHICH IS A DECREASE OF 358,000 OR 1.93%. THE DISTRICT BOARD VOTED TO PROPOSE A PROPERTY TAX RATE OF THE $0.10, WHICH IS THE CAP THAT THEY HAVE, AND THAT'S BROKEN DOWN BY 0.0.0 $0.06 ON THE NO. AND 0.039705 FOR THE INS, WHICH IS THE SAME TAX RATE AS LAST YEAR ON OUR ESD TWO. WE ARE THEY WILL BE PROPOSING A BUDGET OF 23.95, 23.95 MILLION, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF 852,000 OR A 10% INCREASE. THE DISTRICT BOARD WILL BE PROPOSING A PROPERTY TAX RATE OF 0.087138, WHICH BREAKS DOWN TO 0.057487 OF ZERO AND 0.029651 FOR INS. THIS IS AN 0.008282 INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR. AND JUST TO RECAP ON OUR UMC THEY WILL THEY ARE PROPOSING 1.9 BILLION BUDGET, AN INCREASE OF 200 MILLION OR A 12% INCREASE. THE EL PASO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL WILL BE PROPOSING A TAX, A PROPERTY TAX RATE OF 0.243932, WHICH BREAKS DOWN TO 1.82424 OF SNOW AND 0.061508 FOR INS, WHICH IS A 0.024406 INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR. THESE ARE THE CALENDAR. THE KEY DATES KEY BUDGET CALENDAR DATES THAT ARE COMING UP ON AUGUST 18TH, WHICH IS NEXT MONDAY. WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR ESD ONCE AND ESD 
          [05:30:06]
TWO FOR THEIR TAX RATE AND THEIR BUDGET ADOPTION. WE WILL GO OVER THE COUNTY AND THE UMC TAX RATE, PUBLIC HEARINGS AND TAX RATE ADOPTIONS, AND THEY'RE POSTED FOR 930 NEXT MONDAY. AND ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, WE WILL BRING BACK A PROPOSED BUDGET, HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET AT THAT TIME. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MISS JESSICA GARCIA. WE HAVE MISS KAREN DAVIDSON THAT WANTED TO COMMENT ON SOME OF THE INFORMATION YOU JUST WENT OVER A MOMENT AGO. KAREN, BEFORE WE DO THAT, I JUST WANTED TO LET THE COURT KNOW THAT PURCHASING DID DO A REDUCTION IN THEIR BUDGET, THEIR CONTRACTED SERVICES ACCOUNT. AND SO THIS INCREASE IS TRULY RELATED TO SALARIES AND FRINGING. GREAT. THANK KAREN. 
          YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT. KAREN DAVIDSON, YOUR COUNTY PURCHASING AGENT. WE DID REDUCE, AS MISS GARCIA SAID, THE 5% OFF OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET AS ASKED. WE ALSO, LIKE ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, GAVE UP OUR OPERATIONAL EQUIPMENT MONEY, WHICH WAS $100,000. SO WE DID REDUCE $120,000 FROM OUR OPERATING BUDGET. WE DID RECEIVE ONE ARPA FUNDED POSITION. WE DID NOT RECEIVE TWO. SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE THESE FIGURES CAME FROM, BUT I SHOW A REDUCTION IN MY BUDGET THAT MY BOARD APPROVED, AND I JUST WOULD LIKE THE NUMBERS TO BE RECALCULATED. SO JUST WE WILL REGROUP WITH KAREN. TO BE CLEAR, THERE WAS NOT $100,000 EQUIPMENT BUDGET. THE DEPARTMENT REQUESTED THAT, BUT LIKE EVERYONE, THOSE BUDGETS WERE ZEROED OUT IN FY 25. BUT WE WILL REGROUP WITH HER. WE SHOW HER FY 25 AMENDED BUDGET FOR THE LARGEST DIVISION OF HER BUDGET AT 2.38 MILLION, AND WE SHOW FY 26 AT 2.435 MILLION. AND THEN ABOUT A $2,002,000 INCREASE FOR PURCHASING MAIL AND ABOUT A $40,000 INCREASE FOR PURCHASING PRINT. SO WE NEED TO REGROUP WITH HER ON WHAT THOSE INCREASES ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE DRIVEN BY. AND WE CAN UPDATE THE COURT NEXT THURSDAY WHEN WE DO THE BUDGET UPDATE DURING THE SPECIAL MEETING. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU KAREN. SO JUST TO RECAP, THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET CURRENTLY STANDS AT FY 26 AVAILABLE RESOURCES OF 465 MILLION, AND EXPENDITURES FOR FY 26 RECOMMENDED AT 451 MILLION, WHICH GIVES US A 13.8 MILLION RESERVE OR OR 3.07%. WE EXPECT TO HAVE THE CERTIFIED VALUES BY AUGUST 25TH, AFTER THE FY 26 TAX RATES HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY COMMISSIONER'S COURT, AND BETWEEN NOW AND SEPTEMBER 15TH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW CURRENT DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS AND ANTICIPATED SPENDING THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR, AS WELL AS COLLABORATE WITH THE COUNTY AUDITORS SO THAT SHE MAY PROVIDE THE MOST ACCURATE FUND BALANCE AND REVENUE ESTIMATE POSSIBLE. 
          AS PRESENTED EARLIER, THIS IS THE SUMMARY OF THE REVENUE BASED ON OUR CURRENT RATE, THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, AND THE NO. GNER PLUS NEW DEBT RATE. AS WELL AS THE IMPACTS TO THE HOMEOWNERS FOR EACH OF THOSE RATES. THE FOLLOWING SECTION OF THIS PRESENTATION PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF IMPACTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR RECOMMENDED BOOK. ANY CHANGES TO NEW IMPACTS WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE PROPOSED BOOK. SO STARTING OFF WITH REVENUE, AS MISS PARKER STATED EARLIER, SHE'S ANTICIPATING A REDUCTION OF REVENUE OF 11 MILLION. THE ONLY GENERAL FUND REVENUE LINE THAT'S NOT ON THIS CHART IS PROPERTY TAXES. SO IN ALL OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES OF REVENUE, WE'RE EXPECTING TO SEE DECREASES IN THE GENERAL FUND PERSONNEL ADJUSTMENTS. THIS THIS BUDGET INCLUDES A FULL YEAR IMPACT OF THE AMERICAN RECOVERY POSITIONS THAT HAVE TRANSITIONED TO THE GENERAL FUND, AS WELL AS THE INCREASE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. 
          [05:35:05]
INDIGENT DEFENSE HAS INCREASED OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WHICH NECESSITATED A TRUE UP ON THEIR FUNDING FOR FY 26. WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH THEM TO GET A BETTER ESTIMATE. SO WAS A $3.5 MILLION INCREASE FOR FY 26. WE'RE HOPING AFTER WE CATCH UP ON SOME VOUCHERS THAT WE MAY NOT NEED THAT MUCH, BUT THE 3.5 IS INCLUDED IN THIS FY 26 BUDGET. GRANT ADJUSTMENTS. THESE THE FOUR THAT ARE IDENTIFIED HERE HAVE BEEN IN PART OF OUR SUSTAINABILITY PRESENTATIONS FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE TRANSITIONED THREE OF THE PROGRAM PERSONNEL INTO THE GENERAL FUND ALREADY. THAT LEAVES THE PERSONNEL FROM THE 65TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT PROGRAM STILL ON THAT SUSTAINABILITY PLAN. WE ANTICIPATE THAT IN FY 27, WE'LL NEED TO ABSORB THE REMAINDER OF THOSE PERSONNEL. SHOULD THE COMMISSIONERS COURT CHOOSE TO, TO CONTINUE THOSE PROGRAMS. NEXT, WE HAVE A QUICK ANALYSIS OF THE CPI INCREASES DUE TO INFLATION AND OPERATIONAL NEEDS. I NEED TO POINT OUT THERE'S AN ERROR IN THE LITTLE PERCENTAGE CHART. OPERATING DID NOT GO UP 168% WHEN WE CALCULATED IT QUICKLY ON FRIDAY. WE INCLUDED THE FUND BALANCE. SO THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL 20 MILLION IN THAT TOTAL THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THERE. SO THE OPERATING INCREASE IS ACTUALLY 116 OR 16%. OVER FIVE YEARS AGO. BUT THIS IS JUST TO GIVE YOU A PICTURE OF HOW OUR COSTS HAVE INCREASED IN OPERATIONAL NEEDS WITH THE DEPARTMENTS FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. AND THEN WE HAVE FISCAL YEAR 2026 ADDITIONAL IMPACTS OF THE LEGISLATIVE MANDATES. DO YOU WANT TO COVER THIS? OKAY. SO WE'VE GOT SENATE BILL NINE, WHICH IS THE PRETRIAL DEFENDANT RELEASE. WE HAVE THE 287 G. THOSE TWO WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT TODAY, THOSE IMPACTS AND THE POTENTIAL INCREASE TO OUR EXPENDITURES, THE JUDICIAL SALARIES AS WELL ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR BUDGET. WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THE FULL IMPACT OF THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS FOR VETERANS WILL BE AFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. HOUSE BILL NINE, WHICH WAS THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION TAX BILL, TAX OFFICE BILL FOR DEALERS. THAT IMPACT IS STILL BEING EVALUATED AND ADDITIONAL IMPACTS STILL WAITING ON IS THE SB 9-1, WHICH IS THE REDUCTION OF THE PROPERTY TAX CEILING AND SB 12 DASH ONE, WHICH IS THE LOBBYING ACTIVITY RESTRICTIONS. 
          AND AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO GABBY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, WE HAD BEEN PRESENTING MONTHLY ON VARIOUS BUDGET REGISTERS TO KEEP THE COURT UPDATED ON ACTION THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN TAKEN OR SOME POTENTIAL ACTION THAT WE WERE EXPECTING TO BE TAKEN, AND SOME ALTERNATIVE FUNDINGS AND GRANT MATCH APPLICATIONS AS WELL. SO I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT EVERYTHING WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER RIGHT NOW IS ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, BUT WE JUST KIND OF WANTED TO TIE THOSE TWO TOGETHER FROM WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING MONTHLY, SO THAT NOW YOU GUYS SEE IT IN YOUR BUDGET. 
          SO THE FIRST REGISTER THAT I'M GOING TO BE GOING OVER IS THE APPROVED BUDGET REGISTER. IT INCLUDES THE CLEAT THAT WAS APPROVED SEPTEMBER OF 2023. OTHER COMMITMENTS THAT WERE APPROVED THROUGHOUT AGENDA ITEMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE HAVE A GRANT MATCH FOR THE BJA JUSTICE AND MENTAL HEALTH COLLABORATION, THE EQUIPMENT LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH SCHNEIDER, A GRANT MATCH IN TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, ANOTHER TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION MATCH, THE TEXAS. THE TEX-DOT FEDERAL SECTION. A RURAL AREA PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. THE DETENTION SERGEANT AND DISTRICT CLERK. DISTRICT CLERK. COURT CLERK POSITIONS, AND THE JUDICIAL SALARIES THAT HAD, AS WE MENTIONED IN THE LAST ONE, THE LAST SLIDE, ALL THESE IMPACTS THAT WERE APPROVED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR EQUAL 9.558 MILLION, WHICH IS 0.01 CENTS OF YOUR TAX RATE. SOME OF THE POTENTIAL FUTURE IMPACTS THAT WE HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP TO THE COURT, THIS LIST WAS A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE. SO THESE WERE JUST SOME AMOUNTS THAT WE DID WANTED TO BRING UP BECAUSE FROM WE FROM THE 
          [05:40:01]
POTENTIAL THAT WE HAD IN PRIOR MONTHS, SOME OF THESE AMOUNTS HAD CHANGED. SOME OF THEM SOME AWARDS HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN AND OTHER CHANGES HAVE HAPPENED. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE WEB, MS. WE HAD BEEN BUDGETING IT AS A POTENTIAL IMPACT OF ABOUT 1.2 MILLION. AND THROUGH OUR I-T-D AND MELISSA CARRILLO AND DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITIES, THIS IMPACT WENT DOWN FROM THE 1.1 TO THE 3 TO 350,000. BUT ALL THESE AMOUNT, ALL THESE ITEMS THAT WERE BROUGHT, THE LAST TWO WE HEARD FROM OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER. SO THOSE AMOUNTS WILL BE ADJUSTED BASED ON THE NEW INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING. BUT CURRENTLY, THE WAY IT STANDS, IT'S A $2.5 MILLION IMPACT, WHICH IS 0.00 $0.03. DEBBIE, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE OTHER THE PAGE BEFORE THAT? YES, I TOOK A PICTURE BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN MY BOOK HERE. THE GRANT MATCH APPLICATION REGISTER HAS REMAINED THE SAME FROM HOW WE HAD BEEN PRESENTED PRESENTING IT MONTHLY, AND THAT ONE HAS A TOTAL OF $56,482, WHICH IS 0.000084 OF THE TAX RATE VALUE. SO TO SUMMARIZE ALL THE THREE REGISTERS, ONE OF THEM THAT IS NOT INCLUDED HERE THAT WE HAD BEEN PRESENTING TO THE COURT WAS THE RESTORING REGISTER. WE'LL KIND OF GO OVER THAT ON ON THE NEXT SLIDE. BUT ALL THE OTHER REGISTERS TOGETHER, THEY TOTAL 12.1 MILLION, WHICH IS 0.010.018159 OF THE TAX RATE. AND BEFORE YOU GO TO THE RESTORING REGISTER, BEFORE YOU TALK ABOUT THAT RIGHT HERE ON THE SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE RESTORING REGISTERS $21.2 MILLION. THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CUT LAST YEAR SO THAT WE COULD APPROVE A NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE. AND THIS YEAR WE'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO TAKE ONE TIME MONEY OR MAKE REDUCTIONS. AND I WILL TELL YOU REALLY QUICK ON THE 21.2 MILLION, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE CUT IN LINE ITEMS LAST YEAR THAT I DON'T EVEN THINK ARE ON THAT LIST. BUT THIS YEAR, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO FIND ONE TIME MONEY AGAIN, THIS IS JUST PROLONGING THE IMPACT BECAUSE WE WILL EVENTUALLY NOT HAVE ONE TIME MONEY TO PLUG THE HOLE. WE WILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, NOT ONCE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ASKED FOR OPERATIONAL REDUCTIONS. IT'S JUST YOU CAN'T KEEP GENERATING SAVINGS FROM THE SAME PLACES YOU'VE ALREADY CUT. AND SO WE'RE FOR WE'RE WE'RE PROLONGING THE IMPACT OF THAT. AND SOME OF THOSE ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE LIKE CAPITAL. IT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. 
          WE'LL HAVE TO WE WOULD END UP GETTING A SHORT TERM LOAN AND PAYING INTEREST ON THINGS THAT WE REALLY SHOULD BE BEING ABLE TO PAY FOR IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET. THANK YOU BETSY. AND THAT REALLY LEADS INTO OUR LAST SLIDE, WHICH IS IDEALLY GOING OVER EXACTLY WHAT MISS KELLER IS SAYING. THE FIRST THREE BULLET POINTS THERE AMOUNTS. AND AS SHE MENTIONED, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY OTHER OPERATIONAL CUTS THAT SOME DEPARTMENTS MADE THAT THAT THOSE YEARS. BUT THESE HAVE BEEN DEFERRED SINCE FISCAL YEAR 25. IF YOU ADD ALL THREE OF THEM TOGETHER, IT DOES EQUAL 19, NOT THE 21, BECAUSE 2 MILLION OF THAT WAS ADDED BACK TO OUR CIP FOR THIS COMING YEAR. BUT THE RISK POOL CONTRIBUTION OF 4 MILLION, THESE ARE ANTICIPATED FUTURE IMPACTS THAT AS WE DEFERRED FROM FISCAL YEAR 25 ONE TIME DECREASES THAT WE'RE MAKING FOR FISCAL YEAR 26. WE ALREADY KNOW THAT FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, THESE ARE IMPACTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO START OUR BUDGET. 
          SO WE HAVE THE RISK POOL CONTRIBUTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO FOREGO THIS YEAR. THE CLOSEOUT OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN PROGRAMS, ANY STEP GRANTS OR SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS THAT NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO THE COURT. WE KNOW WE HAVE THE CONTRACT WITH OUR CLE. ANY PERSONAL COSTS THAT THE COURT MAY CONSIDERED, WHICH MAY INCLUDE NEW POSITIONS, REGRADES MID-YEAR CHANGES, MINIMUM MINIMUM WAGE GOAL, THE COLA, THE STEP, ANY PERSONNEL COSTS THAT YOU KNOW WE'VE BEEN FOREGOING THE HEALTH AND RETIREMENT INCREASES THAT WE MAY GET IN THE FUTURE, CONTRACTUAL INCREASES THAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DEFER ANY LONGER, AND ANY AND BEING ABLE TO FUND ANY STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVES THAT THE COURT MAY HAVE. THIS CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION FOR THE DAY. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION AT THE COURT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. DEBBIE. QUESTIONS ON THE LAST COUPLE OF SLIDES AND THE SLIDES I HAVE PRINTED OUT HERE. NOT UP TO DATE, SO I'M TRYING TO 
          [05:45:02]
FIND THEM. THE RESTORING. THE RESTORING REGISTER, THE 21.2 MILLION ONE. IT'S ON THAT ONE RIGHT THERE. NO I THINK SHE WANTS TO SEE THE LIST RIGHT I DON'T OH FOR THESE THREE. IS THAT THE TOP THREE? YES, IT'S THE TOP THREE REGISTER. YES. AND SO THROUGHOUT THE MONTHS WE HAVE BEEN PRESENTING THOSE THREE ITEMS WHICH TOTALED 21 MILLION. HOWEVER, IF YOU ADD THEM RIGHT NOW FROM THESE THREE BULLET POINTS, IT'LL BE CLOSER TO 19. AND THAT 2 MILLION DIFFERENCE IS DUE TO US NOT REALLY RESTORING BUT INCREASING OUR CIP FOR THIS COMING YEAR. AND AS MISS KELLER MENTIONED, WE HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS IN THE COUNTY AND WE DON'T WANT TO GO PUT THOSE IN A DEBT ONCE, SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PAY FOR ON OUR OWN RIGHT. AND THE LONGER WE FOREGO THOSE THINGS, THE MORE EXPENSIVE THEY'LL GET. I THINK IT WAS JUST CONFUSING TO ME BECAUSE OF THE LIST AFTER THAT INCLUDES SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE PROPOSING TO CUT THIS YEAR. SO WE THE LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE IMPACT OF $4 MILLION TO THE RISK POOL. THAT IS A ONE TIME. SO NEXT YEAR WE'LL WE'LL FOREGO IT THIS YEAR, THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR, THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE TO PUT OUR CONTRIBUTION BACK. THE CLOSEOUT OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN PROGRAMS. THIS IS THOSE PROGRAMS ENDING CLOSING OUT. YOU WILL HAVE GROUPS COME TO YOU THAT WILL ASK THAT WE PICK UP THE PROGRAM OR THE COST. THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE TO IS YOU WILL HAVE SOME OF THE RECOVERY FUNDS WE ARE USING TO PLUG THIS GAP THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN FUND BALANCE AND RESERVE, AND BUT THAT WILL BE A ONE TIME. THIS IS WHERE WE RECOVERED AND REPAID OURSELVES FOR SALARIES THAT WERE ELIGIBLE, THAT THIS WILL BE A ONE TIME OPPORTUNITY. IT WON'T BE THERE NEXT YEAR TO PULL THAT MONEY. RIGHT. AND THEN ON THE STEP GRANTS SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM PLANS, THIS IS BASICALLY IF WE HAVE ANY MORE GRANTS THAT ARE ON A LIKE WE GOT IT. THE FIRST YEAR THEY PAID 75% 5025, WITH THE GOAL BEING THE NEXT YEAR WE PICK UP 100%. I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE ANY MORE GRANTS ON THAT TYPE OF PROGRAM RIGHT NOW. WE NEED A GRANT ANALYSIS ON THAT, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER CLEAT INCREASE NEXT YEAR OF 5.2 MILLION, SO THAT THESE ARE ALL ANTICIPATED FUTURE IMPACTS. IT'S THE FIRST ONES THAT ARE THE FIRST FEW THAT ARE RESTORING. 
          YEAH I UNDERSTAND THAT NOW. I JUST THINK MAYBE THE RESTORE SHOULD BE A SEPARATE LIST. AND THEN AND THEN I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE BY LISTING FUTURE IMPACTS. IT'S SOMETHING TO BE AWARE OF. I HAD ONE OTHER QUESTION ON THE GRANTS SCHEDULE THAT YOU SHOWED US THE BAR GRAPH. I CAN'T PULL IT UP HERE. THAT ONE. AND THAT'S JUST GRANT MATCH ADJUSTMENTS. WELL, I'M CURIOUS IN SEEING IS ANY ANALYSIS THAT WE'VE DONE ON LOSS OF GRANT FUNDING. I THINK YOU MENTIONED WE HAVE $45 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDS RIGHT NOW AND GRANT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.