Sep 22, 2025 Commissioners Court Regular

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THE VETERANS CAPITAL OF THE USA. FROM INSIDE THE ALICIA CHACON COMMISSIONERS COURTROOM OF THE

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[1. OPEN MEETING]

PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 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

[2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

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[3. INVOCATION]

BUT THEY ARE NOT SCREAMING WITH LOVE, LITERATURE, PASSIONATE SPEECHES, OR NONVIOLENT DISOBEDIENCE. THEY ARE SCREAMING WITH VIOLENCE AND AT THE TOP OF THEIR LUNGS. AND THOUGH IT IS QUITE DEAFENING, IT HAPPENS SO OFTEN. IT HAS BECOME A NORMAL PART OF OUR EXISTENCE AND OUR SOUNDSCAPE. EVEN THE VIOLENCE IS BECOMING UNHEARD. SO WE ALL NEED SOME PEACE AND QUIET, RIGHT? SO TODAY, LET US LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER WITH OPEN HEARTS AND MINDS SO WE TRULY HEAR EACH OTHER AND NO LONGER HAVE TO SCREAM. IF WE DO SCREAM, LET'S DO IT COLLECTIVELY AS A COMMUNITY FOR LOVE, KINDNESS, COMPASSION, AND NOT OUT OF VIOLENCE. BETTER YET, LET'S STOP SCREAMING AND LISTEN. I HOPE THAT YOU ALL LET GENUINE LISTENING GUIDE YOU TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUDGE, DO YOU HAVE SOME OPENING REMARKS FOR US THIS MORNING? WELL THANK YOU. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL AUDIENCE. A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE HERE TODAY. AND ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND OUR COMMISSIONERS, WE WELCOME YOU TO COMMISSIONERS COURT. AND TODAY'S AN EXCITING DAY. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE TYPICALLY HAVE A RESOLUTIONS AND BUSINESS ON THE SAME DAY. AND WE DECIDED TO HAVE RESOLUTIONS ON ONE MONDAY AND BUSINESS ON THE NEXT MONDAY. SO YOU'RE PART OF A A TRIAL. SEE HOW THIS WORKS? I LIKE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SO MANY INDIVIDUALS HEARING EACH OTHER'S RESOLUTIONS. SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD COMPONENT OF IT. SO ONCE AGAIN, WE WELCOME YOU. WE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND WHEN WHEN WE DO THE BUSINESS SIDE, PLEASE TUNE IN. WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION, A LOT OF COMMUNITY THINGS THAT WE DO. AND SO I'M VERY THANKFUL THE COMMISSIONERS ARE VERY THANKFUL THAT THAT YOU GET TO HEAR WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY. AND SOME OF THE VISION THAT WE HAVE FOR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO THEN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. GOD BLESS YOU. ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS THE CONSENT AGENDA COMPOSED OF ITEMS FOUR A THROUGH FOUR A-F.

WE'D LIKE TO REQUEST A DELETION OF ITEM FOUR A. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT MEMBERS OF THE

[4. CONSENT AGENDA]

[A. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing September 21 - 27 as “El Paso Startup Week”, in celebration of entrepreneurship in El Paso County, Texas. Jackie Butler, Commissioner, Precinct 1, 915-273-3594]

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OKAY. WHEREAS EL PASO STARTUP WEEK, AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF INNOVATION, CREATIVITY AND EDUCATION, ENTERS ITS THIRD YEAR. AND WHEREAS THIS EVENT REINFORCES EL PASO'S DYNAMIC LOCAL STARTUP ECOSYSTEM BY PROVIDING THE RESOURCES, CONNECTIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND MENTORSHIP NEEDED TO EXPLORE CREATIVITY, GROW AND SCALE BUSINESSES, AND THRIVE AS ENTREPRENEURS IN OUR REGION. AND WHEREAS, EL PASO STARTUP WEEK IS SUPPORTED BY OVER 25 ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS AND IS LED BY ENTREPRENEURS, INNOVATORS, INVESTORS, MENTORS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, EDUCATORS AND FOUNDERS. AND WHEREAS, EL PASO STARTUP WEEK RECOGNIZES BUSINESSES ACROSS EL PASO COUNTY AND CELEBRATION OF A THRIVING ECONOMY IN THE BORDER REGION OF EL PASO, TEXAS, SHOWCASING THE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE OF OUR LOCAL ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS, EL PASO STARTUP WEEK ACCELERATING REGIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP CELEBRATES THE BOUNDARY CROSSING CREATIVITY, RESILIENCE AND CULTURAL FUSION OF OUR BORDERLAND REGION. CHAMPIONING THE INNOVATION OF OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE FORWARD MOMENTUM MOMENTUM OF OUR ECONOMY. AND WHEREAS, FROM SEPTEMBER 21ST THROUGH 27TH, 2025, THIS WEEK LONG EVENT WILL FEATURE FUNDAMENTALS OF STARTING A BUSINESS, A SERIES ON MARKETING STRATEGIES, LEGAL ASPECTS FOR STARTUPS, WELLNESS WORKSHOPS, INTERACTIVE PANELS AND CROSS BORDER INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES DESIGNED TO FOSTER AND ACCELERATE INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE BORDER REGION. AND WHEREAS, EL PASO STARTUP WEEK HONORS OUR REGION'S ADAPTABILITY AND HERITAGE WHILE FUELING ECONOMIC VITALITY, INCLUSIVE GROWTH, AND LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE EL PASO COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS COURT HEREBY RECOGNIZES,

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SIGNED THIS 22ND DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2025. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND A SECOND FROM COUNTY JUDGE SAMANIEGO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER CORONADO IS ABSENT.

THE MOTION CARRIES. OKAY, NOW, NOW WE CAN. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, SONIA SIGALA WITH EL PASO COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IT'S VERY EXCITING FOR ME. THIS IS MY FIRST RESOLUTION AS UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO THIS IS A PASSION OF MINE HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY HERE. THEIR PASSION IS IS JUST THE SAME, IF NOT MORE FOR SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURS SUPPORT. SO I DO WANT TO HAND IT OFF TO MISS NANCY LOWRY, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION FOR THE MCA FOUNDATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE.

THANK YOU FOR THE RESOLUTION. WE ALL KNOW THAT ENTREPRENEURS, STARTUPS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS FOR STARTUP WEEK. AS AS WAS MENTIONED, THIS IS OUR THIRD YEAR AND IT IS WE HAVE A WONDERFUL LINEUP OF EVENTS, STARTUP LISTS, THEM ALL, AND I AM SO PROUD TO BE PART OF EL PASO, TO BE PART OF THE STARTUP ECOSYSTEM. AND STARTUP WEEK REALLY IS A CELEBRATION OF ALL OF OUR ENTREPRENEURS AND OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT THEM. SO THIS IS A WEEK TO CELEBRATE, TO LEARN, TO CONNECT. THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU. THIS IS ONLY PART OF OUR CREW, THAT'S ALL. BEEN WORKING FOR A YEAR ON THIS.

THANK YOU. GREAT. BUENOS DIAS. MY NAME IS ARLETTE MORALES. I AM FOUNDER AND GENERAL DIRECTOR OF THE LEAGUE OF BUSINESS, A MOVEMENT DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING AND GROWING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNITY. I AM SO PROUD THAT FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A IN A ROW, SO MANY INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE COME TOGETHER TO CREATE AN ENTIRE WEEK OF EVENTS DESIGNED TO INSPIRE, EDUCATE AND UPLIFT THE ENTREPRENEURS RIGHT HERE IN EL PASO. AS A LEADER IN THIS SPACE, I KNOW HOW POWERFUL COLLABORATIONS LIKE THESE ARE. THEY REMIND US. THEY REMIND US THAT ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS NOT A SOLO JOURNEY. IT TAKES COMMUNITY, IT TAKES PARTNERSHIPS, AND IT TAKES MOMENTS LIKE STARTUP WEEK TO KEEP US TOGETHER, CONNECTED AND MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THIS MOVEMENT. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE SCHILLING, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE FOUNDATION. I THINK NANCY FORGOT TO MENTION THAT LAST YEAR WE HAD 14 WEEK EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE STARTUP WEEK, AND THIS YEAR WE'RE CLOSER TO 40 EVENTS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IN JUST A YEAR, WE'VE REALLY GROWN THE MOVEMENT. AND I THINK WHAT STARTUP WEEK DOES FOR ALL OF OUR ECOSYSTEM PARTNERS IS IT GIVES MORE VISIBILITY. IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE ACCESS FOR STARTUPS AND BUSINESS OWNERS, AND MAYBE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE COURAGE TO START SOMETHING ON THEIR OWN, TO KNOW THAT THERE'S A NETWORK BEHIND THEM. AND SO SCT ACCOMPLISHES THIS BY DOING A HACKATHON TO CREATE STARTUPS. AND THEN WE DO A SHOWCASE THIS YEAR, HAPPENING OCTOBER 30TH, THE LARGEST PITCH EVENT IN THE SOUTHWEST TO TRY TO BRING ACCESS TO CAPITAL FROM VENTURE FIRMS ALL OVER THE US. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF EL PASO STARTUP WEEK. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS DANTE ACOSTA. I'M THE DISTRICT DIRECTOR OF THE US SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, AND WE ARE PROUD TO BE IN SUPPORT OF ALL THESE INITIATIVES, PARTICULARLY STARTUP WEEK.

WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED THE LAST FEW YEARS IN A SUPPORT ROLE. WE DO HAVE A MISSION AT THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION TO DO EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES GET STARTED AND TO EXPAND AND TO GROW AND TO RECOVER. IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF A NATURAL DISASTER, OR AS WE'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT THE NATION, WE HAVE MULTIPLE PROGRAMS. I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO TO SBA.GOV, MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH ONE OF OUR FOLKS AT OUR OFFICE HERE DOWNTOWN, JUST ABOUT THREE BLOCKS AWAY. I JUST WALKED OVER, AND WE'RE REALLY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT SUCH AN AMAZING TEAM. AND I WANT TO JUST SAY ONE LAST THING AS AS I EXIT.

AND THAT'S BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE. THIS IS FAIRLY UNIQUE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

TO HAVE A COUNTY WIDE AND JURISDICTION WIDE, AND ORGANIZATIONS ALL OVER THE COUNTY THAT HAVE STEPPED UP AND ARE ASSISTING OUR SMALL BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURS TO BE

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THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU. WELCOME. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.

EXCITED TO BE HERE. PART OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP HAS BEEN IN MY BLOODLINE FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS. AND SEEING ALL THESE ENTREPRENEURS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN SO MANY PLACES REALLY BRINGS EL PASO TO LIFE. WE'RE PROUD TO BE A PARTNER, A PARTNERING ORGANIZATION FROM THE EL PASO CHAMBER, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT EL PASO HAS FOR THE FUTURE FOR ALL OF OUR ENTREPRENEURS. AND WE NEED TO HAVE MORE MORE OF THESE STARTUP, YOU KNOW, WEEKS FOR FOR ALL OF OUR ENTREPRENEURS IN THE REGION. SO EXCITED TO BE HERE AND A PARTNER. THANK YOU RICARDO. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS INGRID MACIAS. I REPRESENT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY AND PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY.

WHAT WE PROVIDE IS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, MENTORSHIP TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND ENTREPRENEURS. WE ALSO PROVIDE YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMING FOR SOME HOME BUYERS AND FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR THE COMMUNITY. AS A STATE AGENCY AND NONPROFIT, ALL OF OUR PROGRAMING IS COMPLETELY FREE AND WE COVER AND WE TRY TO COVER ALL OF THE COUNTY OF EL PASO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ELIZABETH AND I'M PRESIDENT AND CEO FOR THE EL PASO BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. OUR MISSION IS TO BUILD MARKETPLACE TRUST BY SUPPORTING ETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES AND EMPOWERING SMALL BUSINESSES TO THRIVE. WE STRONGLY SUPPORT EL PASO STARTUP WEEK AS A VITAL PLATFORM THAT EQUIPS LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS, ESPECIALLY SMALL AND EMERGING BUSINESSES BUSINESSES WITH FREE ACCESS TO MENTORSHIP, EDUCATION AND VITAL CONNECTIONS. THIS EVENT DRIVES INNOVATION, CREATES OPPORTUNITY, SUPPORTS SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH AND CONTRIBUTES TO A STRONGER LOCAL ECONOMY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT OF EL PASO STARTUP WEEK. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I'M SARA GAITAN WITH EL PASO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND MY PROGRAM IS EL PASO INNOVATION HUB, A PLACE THAT IS FOCUSED ON TRAINING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. AND WITH THE HELP OF EVERY PARTNER, ALLY AND ANY ORGANIZATION THAT IS PART OF THE HUB, WE ARE WILLING AND HOPEFULLY HELPING ALL THOSE ENTREPRENEURS AND ALL THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES GROW. AND AS THE SAME, WE HAVE TRANSFORMED, WHICH IS OUR OWN BUSINESS THAT WE WANT TO GROW, TO KEEP HELPING THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS BRIANNA SILVAS, AND I'M A BUSINESS SERVICES COORDINATOR WITH THE CITY OF EL PASO'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. AND I'M JOINED TODAY BY OUR WONDERFUL LIAISONS AS WELL AS OUR MARKETING COORDINATOR. AND WE WORK DIRECTLY UNDER BOSS, WHICH IS A BUSINESS, ONE STOP SHOP. AND IT IS ESSENTIALLY A CENTRALIZED HUB TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURS WITH DIFFERENT FORMS OF RESOURCES, WHETHER THAT BE ACCESS TO CAPITAL, IF THEY NEED ASSISTANCE WITH THE BUSINESS PLAN. AND WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH OVER 30 ENTREPRENEURS, SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS. A LOT OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU SEE HERE TODAY ARE OUR PARTNERS, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED FOR STARTUP WEEK. WE ARE ALSO HOSTING THE MERCADITO ON MEALS, WHICH WILL

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SEE YOU AGAIN. I'M SORRY. GREAT RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR. THANK YOU.

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[B. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing Marathon Petroleum for earning the 2025 Distinguished Safety Award and for its exemplary dedication to safety and community engagement. Ricardo A. Samaniego, County Judge, County Judge's Office, 915-273-3591]

BUT BUT LET ME READ THE RESOLUTION. WHEREAS ON MAY 15TH, 2025, MARATHON PETROLEUM EL PASO REFINERY WAS AWARDED THE AMERICAN FUEL AND CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS DISTINGUISHED SAFETY AWARD. AND WHEREAS THE AFPM DSA IS THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD THAT RECOGNIZES THE TOP REFINING AND PETROCHEMICAL COMPANIES FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING SAFETY, PERFORMANCE PROGRAM, INNOVATION, SAFETY AND LEADERSHIP. WHEREAS IN 2025, THE DSA WAS AWARDED TO THE FIVE SITES OUT OF APPROXIMATELY 500 REFINING AND PETROCHEMICAL FACILITIES IN THE COUNTRY. THIS REPRESENTS A TOP 1% IN INDUSTRY, WHEREAS EL PASO REFINERY ALSO RECEIVED THE AFPM PLATINUM SAFETY AWARD IN 2024 AND THE SILVER SAFETY AWARD IN 2023 FOR OUTSTANDING WORKPLACE SAFETY PERFORMANCE. AND WHEREAS, EL PASO REFINERY HAD ZERO, THAT'S ZERO LOSS WORKDAY CASES AND ONLY THREE RECORDABLE INJURIES BETWEEN 2022 AND 2024. IN OTHER WORDS, THREE RECORDABLE INJURIES IN MORE THAN 6 MILLION WORKING HOURS. WHEREAS IN 2024, EL PASO REFINERY ALSO HAS THE LOWEST PROCESS SAFETY EVENTS. PSC SCORE ON RECORD, WHEREAS THE REFINERY LEADERSHIP EXEMPLIFIES ITS DEDICATION TO SAFETY THROUGH ACTIVE SUPPORT AND ENGAGEMENT, ENSURING SAFE, RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE OPERATION OF THE REFINERY, AND ALSO RECOGNIZING EMPLOYEES WHO SHOW SIGNIFICANT ENGAGEMENT IN THE REFINERY SAFETY CULTURE.

WHEREAS REFINERY CULTURE OF FACE TO FACE COMMUNICATION DURING DAILY, WEEKLY AND MONTHLY SAFETY MEETINGS SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCES THE IMPACT OF ADDRESSING INCIDENTS AND AUDIT FINDINGS WITH COLLABORATION BETWEEN MARATHON SAFETY PERSONNEL AND CONTRACTOR

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COMMISSIONER CORONADO IS ABSENT. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. WELCOME. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. MY NAME IS MELINDA CARMONA, AND I CURRENTLY WORK PROCESS SAFETY PROFESSIONAL AT MARATHON EL PASO REFINERY. I AM PROUD TO BE AN EL PASO NATIVE AND ALSO A UTEP ALUMNI. I AM HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE OUR OUR AWARD FOR THE DSA THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE AMERICAN FUEL AND PETROCHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS.

MARATHON IS ONE OF ONLY FOUR FACILITIES IN RECEIVING THIS AWARD NATIONWIDE, SO IT SIGNIFIES OUR OUR LEVEL OF HIGH PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY INNOVATION PROGRAM AND ALSO OUR SAFETY LEADERSHIP. IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD OR TO QUALIFY FOR IT, WE MUST WE MUST MEET STRICT CRITERIA, INCLUDING ZERO RECORDABLE INJURIES THAT INCLUDE FIVE CRITICAL TASKS. SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE THIS RECOGNITION. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SAFETY OUR TOP PRIORITY AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THIS ACHIEVEMENT. WELL THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT. WELCOME. GOOD MORNING JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS COURT. MY NAME IS BRIAN VALENZUELA. I'M AN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER FOR MARATHON EL PASO REFINERY. I'M ALSO AN EL PASO NATIVE AND A PROUD GRADUATE OF UTEP. I'M PROUD ON BEHALF OF MY TEAM THAT WE HAVE HEARD THAT WE RECEIVED THIS AWARD. I BELIEVE WE HAVE ACHIEVED THIS AWARD THROUGH OUR SAFE AND RELIABLE OPERATIONS. THAT COMES ONLY BY FOCUSING DAILY ON PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE AND THE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE OPERATE. WE TRULY PUT OUR CORE VALUES OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP INTO ACTIONS THROUGH CONSISTENT PRACTICES THAT REINFORCE SAFE AND SAFE WORK EXECUTION, LIKE OUR CONTINUOUS COMMITMENT TO MEET STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS. THIS DISTINGUISHED SAFETY AWARD REFLECTS HOW STRONGLY OUR FACILITIES ARE ADHERING TO OUR COMPANY TENETS THAT PROMOTES AN INCIDENT FREE WORKPLACE. AGAIN, I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF OUR TEAM BECAUSE WE KNOW EFFORT THAT IS REQUIRED TO REACH THIS LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE AND SET OURSELVES APART FROM INDUSTRY PEERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NO, VIJAY. YOU'RE OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE DIFFERENCE THAT I'VE SEEN IS THAT SAFETY. THERE IS NOT A CAMPAIGN. IT'S A CULTURE.

THEY'VE CREATED A CULTURE OF SAFETY AND ALSO A CULTURE OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY OF GETTING THE RIGHT FEEDBACK. AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, OUR WORKFORCE IS AMAZING. AND SO WHEN YOU GUIDE THEM PROPERLY, THEY DO GREAT THINGS. AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING US ON THE MAP. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT AND A VERY DISTINGUISHED HONOR. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOUR TEAM. AND YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU. THANK YOU.

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ITEM NUMBER FIVE C APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PASO DEL NORTE HEALTH FOUNDATION AND FOR ITS EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE TO THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OUR REGION. THANK YOU. WELCOME. MUGS. NOT LIQUOR BOTTLES. IT

[C. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing the 30th Anniversary of the Paso Del Norte Health Foundation and for its extraordinary service to the health and well-being of our region. Ricardo A. Samaniego, County Judge, County Judge's Office, 915-273-3591]

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THANK YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU. MICHAEL KELLY, VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAM, PASO DEL NORTE HEALTH FOUNDATION. AND I WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TODAY FOR PARTNERING WITH US FOR 30 YEARS, 266 MILLION, I THINK, IS WHAT YOU READ ON THAT. AND THAT'S BEEN OUR GRANT, PROBABLY A LITTLE MORE TO DATE NOW FOR HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION. AND WITH YOU, WE CERTAINLY HAVE EXPANDED DIABETES MANAGEMENT ACROSS THE COUNTY. AND AND FOR MANY ORGANIZATIONS, PROMOTED THOSE SMOKE FREE ENVIRONMENTS, PROMOTED HEALTHY KIDS AFTER SCHOOL AND IN THE SUMMER, AND STRENGTHENED COMMUNITY ABILITY TO RESPOND TO CRISIS, LIKE LIKE COVID 19 AND OTHERS THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH YOU ON AS WELL. SO AS THE HEALTH FOUNDATION CELEBRATES 30 YEARS, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COURT AND TO BUILD A HEALTHIER EL PASO COUNTY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. TRACY. YOU GOT IT. GOT EVERYBODY RIGHT. TRUTHFULLY. YES. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE TWO OF THEM. OBVIOUSLY THE THE WALMART SITUATION I KEEP, I HATE TO SAY TRAGEDY BECAUSE WE CREATED SOMETHING BETTER AND WE CAME OUT OF IT AMAZING. BUT IT WAS A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAD WITH EL PASO FOUNDATION AND ALSO THE PANDEMIC. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF PARTNERSHIP WAS REQUIRED WITH ALL OF YOU, SO THAT WE COULD DO WHAT WE DID FOR THE COMMUNITY OF GOING FROM THE WORST TO COMING OUT AS THE FIRST TO REACH A HERD IMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND GET OUR COMMUNITY BACK IN ORDER. BUT WE DID FIND OUT THAT WE HAD A LOT OF HEALTH CHALLENGES, RIGHT? WE FOUND OUT THERE WAS A LOT OF INDICES OF CANCER AND DIABETES AND HEART ISSUES. AND AND YOU CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK TRACY WAS A COMMITMENT THAT WE MADE. WE DIDN'T UNCOVER IT BECAUSE WE KNEW THERE WAS THOSE SITUATIONS IN THIS REGION, BUT IT WAS JUST RIGHT ON YOUR FACE, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU HAD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, AND YOU'VE ALL COME BACK AND YOU HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN THAT. WE'VE GOT A LOT TO DO IN RESPECT TO HEALTH, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. AND SO WE THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS COMMUNITY TRULY, TRULY DESERVES NOTHING BUT THE BEST. AND YOU'RE DOING THAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU.

I KNOW.

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[D. Approve and adopt a resolution commemorating the 15th anniversary of Community en Acción for its dedicated service and community empowerment and recognizing Richard Castro on his selection as the 2025 Latino Legacy Award recipient in El Paso County, Texas. Ricardo A. Samaniego, County Judge, County Judge's Office, 915-273-3591]

EVERYBODY WANTS TO BUT REAL REAL QUICKLY. JUST WANT TO HONOR YOU DID AN AMAZING JOB YESTERDAY IN HONORING RICHARD. BUT JUST IT WAS JUST AMAZING. VERY WELL, YOU KNOW, COORDINATED EVENT. IT WAS SPECTACULAR. THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE. SO THANK YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM. IT WAS QUITE, A QUITE AN HONOR TO BE THERE. SO I'LL READ THE RESOLUTION. OF COURSE. COMMUNITY AND ACTIONS MISSION STATEMENT IS TO MOBILIZE LEADERS IMPACTING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EQUITY, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND CULTURAL APPRECIATION. WHEREAS ESTABLISHED IN 2010 AND FORMALLY ORGANIZED AS A 500 1C3 NONPROFIT IN 2011, COMMUNITY AND ACTION IS PROUDLY CELEBRATING ITS 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF EMPOWERING AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY. WHEREAS THE ORGANIZATION ALSO SPEARHEADED THE COMPLETION OF THE MEN OF COMPANY E MONUMENT, HONORING THE MEMORY OF THE BRAVE EL PASOANS, WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN SERVICE DURING WORLD WAR TWO. AND WHEREAS RECENT PROGRAMS HAVE PROVIDED SCHOLARSHIPS TO AREA STUDENTS AND ORGANIZED YOUNG ACHIEVERS FORUM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO, IMPACTING THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS FROM LOCAL SCHOOLS AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION WITH COMMUNITY ACTIONS. LATINO LEGACY AWARD RECOGNIZES INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE LEFT A LEGACY WORTHY OF RECOGNITION IN THE HIGHEST LEVELS, WITH COMMUNITY ACTION. HAS NAMED RICHARD CASTRO AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE 2025 LATINO LEGACY AWARD IN RECOGNITION OF HIS VISIONARY LEADERSHIP, LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUCCESS, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND EMPOWERING OTHERS. A LEGACY THAT HAS SHAPED LIVES, STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES, AND INSPIRED GENERATIONS. WHEREAS ON SEPTEMBER 2025, COMMUNITY ACTION WILL HONOR ITS EXCEPTIONAL COMMUNITY MEMBER AS A RECOGNITION CEREMONY HELD AT THE HOTEL PASO DEL NORTE IN EL PASO, TEXAS. NOW, THEREFORE BE RESOLVED THAT THE EL PASO COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS COURT HEREBY RECOGNIZES AND CONGRATULATES RICHARD CASTRO ON BEING NAMED THE 2025 LATINO LEGACY AWARD RECIPIENT AND ENCOURAGED THE COMMUNITY TO JOIN IN HONORING AND CELEBRATING HIS LIFE, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ENDURING LEGACY. LET ME READ THAT PROPERLY. DOCTOR RICHARD.

GUSTAVO. OKAY, SIGN THIS 22ND DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN. THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER CORONADO IS ABSENT.

MOTION CARRIES. NO. WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I AM ANNA LEHMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ACTION. AND ON BEHALF OF OUR ORGANIZATION, I WANT TO THANK EL PASO COUNTY JUDGE RICARDO SAMANIEGO AND THE ENTIRE COUNTY COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS MEANINGFUL RECOGNITION. THIS YEAR MARKS THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY, AND IN CELEBRATION, WE ARE PROUD TO RECOGNIZE OUR FOUNDER, DOCTOR RICHARD A CASTRO, AS THE 2025 LATINO LEGACY AWARDS. HONORING. RICHARD IS A VISIONARY ENTREPRENEUR, A PHILANTHROPIST, HE ACQUIRED HIS FIRST MCDONALD'S AT HAWKINS AT I-10, AND THROUGH GRIT, DETERMINATION AND A DEEP LOVE FOR HIS COMMUNITY, GREW IT INTO A REGIONAL ENTERPRISE. EMPLOYING MORE THAN 2000 PEOPLE ACROSS EL PASO, WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO. BUT RICHARD'S IMPACT GOES FAR BEYOND BUSINESS. HE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY FROM HISPANIC BUSINESSMAN OF THE YEAR BY THE U.S. HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO EL PASO, END OF THE YEAR TO THE FRED L TURNER GOLDEN ARCH AWARD, AND MOST RECENTLY, AN HONORARY DOCTOR OF HUMANE LETTERS. WITH HIS SUPPORT, CA HAS LAUNCHED A YOUNG ACHIEVERS FORUM, INSPIRING THOUSANDS OF SIXTH GRADERS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO

[01:00:03]

THANK YOU. RICHARD. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE COMPLIMENT OUR COMMUNITY AND ACTION LEADERSHIP.

THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AS WELL AS OUR MEMBERSHIPS, WE ARE HOME TO SOME TREMENDOUS EL PASOANS THAT HAVE BEEN THAT HAVE FREELY PARTICIPATED AND GIVEN BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SO IMPORTANT. EARLIER YOU MENTIONED AS YOU WERE MAKING YOUR REMARKS ABOUT PARTICIPATING IN THE COMMUNITY AND GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY EARLY ON, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO START THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. TWO YEARS INTO MY OWNERSHIP AT MCDONALD'S, AND IT GREW THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND SAYS ITS INCEPTION, THAT PROGRAM HAS PROVIDED OVER $37 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO VERY QUALIFIED YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT HAVE GONE ON TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS AND ARE NOW VERY PRODUCTIVE INDIVIDUALS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, AS WELL AS IN EL PASO. SO AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND OUR ORGANIZATION, THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION. I DO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY OF THIS PUBLIC FORUM TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY, ALL OF US, TO MAKE EDUCATION THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IN EL PASO AND NOT HESITATE TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND THE BENEFITS OF EDUCATION TO MANY OF OUR EL PASO'S EL PASOANS EITHER DON'T RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, OR JUST SIMPLY CHOOSE NOT TO MAKE THE EFFORT TO CONTINUE THEIR THEIR EDUCATION AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. AND IN TODAY'S WORLD. FINANCIAL IS NOT A REASON FOR NOT PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION, WHETHER IT'S TRADE SCHOOL OR A FOUR YEAR DEGREE, WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR OF OUR EL PASOANS THAT HAVE GONE THAT ROUTE. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO TALK ALL OF US, TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE AND THE BENEFITS OF THAT. REPORTS TELL US THAT ANYBODY THAT GETS A DEGREE IN THEIR LIFETIME WILL EARN $1 MILLION OR MORE OVER PEOPLE THAT DON'T, SO FOR NO OTHER REASON, THAT'S AN ENCOURAGEMENT ENOUGH AND MOTIVATION ENOUGH TO CONTINUE YOUR EDUCATION AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. WELL, THANK YOU.

AND AND TRUE TO FORM, HE USES THE PLATFORM TO SUPPORT EDUCATION. AND TO US THAT'S THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. I THINK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HAS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED. I MEAN, IN MY CASE, I NO CLUE THAT I WAS GOING TO GO INTO INTO COLLEGE BEING AT HIGH SCHOOL.

BUT ONE OF THE TEACHERS JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST COULDN'T LET ME GO. I KEPT SAYING, NO, I'M NOT

[01:05:01]

AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS I HEAR, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY THAT SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SHADE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE SOMEONE PLANTED A SEED 20 YEARS AGO. I THINK THAT'S THE CASE WITH RICHARD. I MEAN, HE HAS PLANTED A LOT OF SEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT UNDERSTANDS THE COMMITMENT OF, YOU KNOW, HAVING A BUSINESS AND ALSO THE COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO COMMITMENT TO HIS OWN FAMILY. AND I DON'T KNOW TOO MANY INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ABLE TO TO HAVE THAT KIND OF A BALANCE. SO, RICHARD, WE'RE VERY HONORED. AND I WAS ALSO VERY HAPPY TO SAY THAT WHEN HE DID HIS PRESENTATION THAT HE SAID, THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. HE'S NOT IT'S NOT A ONE OF THOSE AWARDS. AND THEN HE LEAVES AND GOES INTO THE GREEN PASTURE KIND OF THING. NO, NOT RICHARD, I MEAN, GREAT THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY BY HIS CONTRIBUTION AND TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FOR THE SUPPORT THAT YOU GIVE HIS ORGANIZATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. YES, COMMISSIONER BUTLER. THANK YOU. JUDGE. I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY CONGRATULATE CEA FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS. AND TO MISTER CASTRO, I FEEL I FEEL LIKE IT'S APPROPRIATE BECAUSE WE WERE RECOGNIZING ALL OF THE THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY. WHEN I WAS AT THE CHAMBER AND AT THE MCA, WE RELIED ON YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR QUIET, STEADY SUPPORT FOR ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND ASIDE FROM THE IMPACT YOU'VE HAD ON YOUR EMPLOYEES LIVES, ON ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU'RE A PART OF, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE SUPPORT THAT YOU GIVE TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT YOU HAVE VERY GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED OVER THE LAST 15, 20, 30 YEARS, THE IMPACT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AS PROFOUND IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY AND YOUR STEADFAST SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. MR. DIRECTOR.

SO. WE'LL KEEP IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

[01:10:37]

[E. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing September 22, 2025, through October 31, 2025, to be known as “El Paso County Employees Combined Charities Campaign Month” in El Paso County, Texas. Ricardo A. Samaniego, County Judge, County Judge's Office, 915-273-3591]

THANK YOU. ALWAYS HONORED TO HAVE OUR COUNTY FAMILY HERE WITH US. SO I'LL READ THIS RESOLUTION. WHEREAS THE EL PASO COUNTY EMPLOYEES COMBINED CHARITIES CAMPAIGN AFFORDS COUNTY EMPLOYEES THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR GENEROSITY AND COMMITMENT TO OTHERS. AND WHEREAS, THE CAMPAIGN RAISES FUNDS TO ASSIST THOSE MOST IN NEED, INCLUDING VULNERABLE CHILDREN, INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HUNGER OR ILLNESS, FAMILIES IN CRISIS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY REQUIRING SUPPORT. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1994, THE CAMPAIGN HAS RAISED THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES, MORE THAN $931,426, PLUS 12,000 LAST YEAR, WITH THE DONATIONS MADE BY COUNTY EMPLOYEES, DIRECTLY SUPPORT THE EL PASO COMMUNITY, ENSURING THAT THEIR GIFTS REMAIN IN EL PASO FOR EL PASOANS IN NEED, MAKING A LASTING IMPACT WHERE THEY LIVE AND WORK WITH THE EL PASO COUNTY EMPLOYEES. COMBINED CHARITIES CAMPAIGN HAS SET A FUNDRAISING GOAL OF 15,000 FOR THE YEAR 2025 AND ENCOURAGING ALL EMPLOYEES TO CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR GENEROSITY AND TO CARRY ENOUGH TO SHARE.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT EL PASO COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS COURT RECOGNIZES SEPTEMBER THE 22ND, 2025 THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST, 2025, TO BE KNOWN AS EL PASO COUNTY EMPLOYEES COMBINED CHARITIES CAMPAIGN MONTH SIGNED THIS 22ND DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2025. THERE'S A MOTION BY COUNTY JUDGE SAMANIEGO, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOUT. THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER STOUT, COMMISSIONER CORONADO IS ABSENT. THE MOTION CARRIES. WELCOME, WELCOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS YULISA RUBIO HERE WITH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ADOPTING THIS RESOLUTION AND SUPPORTING THE EL PASO, EL PASO COMBINED CHARITIES CAMPAIGN. THIS COLLABORATION REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE AS WE OFFICIALLY LAUNCH OUR CHARITABLE CAMPAIGN FOCUSED ON CREATING A MEANINGFUL, MEANINGFUL IMPACT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. UNITED WAY HAS A STRONG, LONG STANDING REPUTATION FOR MOBILIZING COMMUNITIES AND DRIVING POSITIVE CHANGE. BY PARTNERING WITH THEM, WE ARE NOT ONLY ALIGNING OURSELVES WITH TRUSTED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, BUT ALSO EMPOWERING OUR EMPLOYEES TO SUPPORT THE CHARITABLE CAUSES THAT MATTER THE MOST TO THEM. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MISS ISABEL REYES, WHO WILL SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS YEAR'S CAMPAIGN. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, ISABEL REYES WITH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN, HUMAN RESOURCES WILL PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, PROMOTE PARTICIPATION, AND SERVE AS A RESOURCE BY DISTRIBUTING BROCHURES AND PLEDGE FORMS VIA EMAIL, WITH PRINTED COPIES AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WITHOUT COMPUTER ACCESS OR WHO PREFER PAPER. EMPLOYEES MAY CHOOSE TO CONTRIBUTE THROUGH A ONE TIME OR REOCCURRING PAYROLL DEDUCTION, OR BY MAKING A ONE TIME CASH OR CHECK DONATION. EACH EMPLOYEE CAN DESIGNATE THEIR DONATION TO UP TO FOUR DIFFERENT CHARITIES OF THEIR CHOICE. OUR TEAM CAN ARRANGE TO PICK UP CASH AND CHECK DONATIONS FROM DEPARTMENTS, OR THEY MAY BE SENT DIRECTLY TO HUMAN RESOURCES. THIS YEAR, OUR FUNDRAISING GOAL IS 15,000, AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT TOGETHER WE CAN REACH IT. THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT ALL DONATIONS TO HR IS OCTOBER 31ST. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND CONTINUED SUPPORT IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ISABEL. AND NOW I'D LIKE TO PASS IT OVER TO OUR INCREDIBLE TEAM OVER AT UNITED WAY, WHICH WE ARE PARTNERING IN THIS CAMPAIGN SO THEY CAN GIVE A FEW WORDS FOR OUR TEAM. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.

[01:15:01]

WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR THE RESOLUTION, FOR THE HONOR. AND FOR SUPPORTING US AND SUPPORTING UNITED WAY AND ITS CAUSE AND SUPPORTING THIS COMMUNITY. AS A FORMER COUNTY EMPLOYEE, I KNOW OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE VERY GENEROUS AND THEY'RE VERY SPIRITED. AND I EXPECT US TO REACH THAT $15,000 GOAL THIS YEAR. I KNOW ONE COUNTY EMPLOYEE IN MY HOUSEHOLD THAT I WILL ENCOURAGE TO JUMP ON THE CAMPAIGN, AND SO THAT WE'LL GET TO THAT GOAL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WHEN YOU SAID FORMER, I KEEP THINKING YOU ARE STILL HERE WITH US. SO SO THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR THIS. AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE SAID, YOU KNOW, UNITED WAY HAS BEEN SUCH A FORCE IN HELPING US. AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE SEEN THAT WHEN EMPLOYEES ARE GENEROUS, THEY'RE ALWAYS GREAT EMPLOYEES. WHEN EMPLOYEES VOLUNTEER, THEY'RE ALWAYS GREAT EMPLOYEES. SO THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT GIVING AND AND BEING CHARITABLE THAT HELPS US HAVE A MORE MOTIVATED WORKFORCE. SO EVERYBODY GAINS FROM FROM THAT. BETSY, JUST I KNOW YOU'VE A BIG PART OF THIS. SO JUST YOU WANT TO COMMENT. THANK YOU JUDGE. I THINK THIS IS JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND A GREAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A VERY LONG TIME WITH UNITED WAY. IT REALLY HELPS THE COUNTY BE ABLE TO BE A GOOD CORPORATE COMMUNITY CITIZEN THROUGH OUR EMPLOYEES. IT GIVES OUR EMPLOYEES A VERY CONVENIENT WAY TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND AS WE KNOW, PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE VERY GIVING AND IT'S JUST THE HEART OF A PUBLIC SERVANT.

THE OTHER THING ABOUT IT IS IT HELPS US IN AN EFFICIENCY WAY. WE ARE NOT MANAGING A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS. UNITED WAY IS IT'S ONE DEDUCTION IF YOU WANT TO DO IT THROUGH YOUR PAYROLL. AND THEN UNITED WAY DEALS WITH ALL THE ACCOUNTING AND DOLING OUT TO VARIOUS ENTITIES. I'VE SERVED ON A UNITED WAY BOARD BEFORE I CAME TO EL PASO. AND I JUST THE WORK THAT I'VE SEEN PUT IN BY UNITED WAY TO VET THE, THE ENTITIES, THE, THE NONPROFITS, THE WORK THAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES AND THE THE ADMINISTRATION PART ON UNITED WAY. IT'S REALLY TRANSFORMED OVER TIME. THEY MAKE SURE THAT THE MAJORITY OF BENEFITS ARE GOING TO THE ACTUAL RECIPIENTS WHO NEED THE THE PROGRAMS. I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT THIS METHOD OF OUR EMPLOYEES BEING ABLE TO GIVE. AND IT'S SOMETHING I, I AM ALWAYS LOOK FOR IF IF WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED OUR SIGN UPS, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THEM. I FIND IT IS THE MOST CONVENIENT WAY FOR ME TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE OUR HR TEAM AND THE UNITED WAY TEAM FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE FOR THE COUNTY, AND OUR COUNTY FAMILY ALWAYS STEPS UP, SO I'M VERY COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT THAT IT WILL BE A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR. SO THE BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU.

MISTER. PRESIDENT. YOU DO. THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU.

ONE MORE, ONE MORE. THANK YOU.

[01:20:06]

ITEM NUMBER FIVE F APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 20TH THROUGH THE 26TH, 2025 AS FORENSIC SCIENCE WEEK IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS.

[F. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing the week of September 20-26, 2025, as Forensic Science Week, in El Paso County, Texas. Jackie Butler, Commissioner, Precinct 1, 915-273-3594]

MY NAME IS EMMANUEL SORIA, CHIEF DEPUTY, EL PASO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING NATIONAL FORENSIC SCIENCE WEEK. MORE SO THE FORENSIC PROFESSIONALS FROM THE EL PASO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE THIS WEEK IS DEDICATED TO RECOGNIZING THE OFTEN UNSEEN WORK OF FORENSIC PROFESSIONALS AND INVESTIGATORS WHO STAND AT THE CRUCIAL INTERSECTION OF SCIENCE AND JUSTICE. WHEN A CRIME OCCURS, WE OFTEN THINK OF THE POLICE, DETECTIVES AND LAWYERS, BUT THE WORK OF FORENSIC PROFESSIONAL BEGINS LONG BEFORE THE COURTROOM. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT MAKE THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE, THE SILENT WITNESS SPEAK. THE WORK OF FORENSIC PROFESSIONALS GOES FAR BEYOND WHAT IS PORTRAYED ON TELEVISION. IT IS NOT ALWAYS GLAMOROUS, FAST OR TIDY. THEIR WORK IS PRECISE, METHODICAL AND ROOTED IN THE UNWAVERING PRINCIPLE OF SCIENCE. THEY ANALYZE EVERYTHING FROM FINGERPRINTS AND DNA TO TRACE EVIDENCE, DIGITAL DATA AND BALLISTICS. EVERY PIECE OF EVIDENCE TELLS THE STORY. FORENSIC SCIENCE PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN UPHOLDING THE INTEGRITY OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. IT PROVIDES OBJECTIVE, IMPARTIAL, AND RELIABLE INFORMATION THAT HELPS TO EXONERATE AN INNOCENT, IDENTIFY THE GUILTY, AND PROTECT THE PUBLIC. THIS WEEK, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO REFLECT ON THE CRITICAL ROLE THAT FORENSIC SCIENCE PLAYS IN OUR SOCIETY. LET US ALL TAKE A MOMENT TO APPRECIATE THE UNSUNG HEROES WHO WORK DILIGENTLY BEHIND THE SCENES. ON BEHALF OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, I WOULD LIKE

[01:25:02]

MY NAME IS ASHLEY ROSALES. I'M THE CRIME SCENE UNIT SUPERVISOR, AND I HAVE BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR TEN YEARS. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CARLOS CERVANTES, ONE OF THE CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATORS FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS.

THREE OF THOSE YEARS I'VE BEEN DOING. I'VE. I DID LATENT PRINTS BEFORE THIS, BUT NOW I'M HERE IN CRIME SCENE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JOSE RUBEN. I OVERSEE THE PATROL DIVISION. I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THIS IS THE THE SPECIAL TYPE OF RESOLUTION. BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE BEHIND THE SCENES AND THE PRESSURE, RIGHT, OF TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND MAKING SURE YOU COLLECT THE RIGHT DATA AND, AND THAT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE BECAUSE SOMEONE CAN GET AWAY THAT SHOULDN'T. AND IF YOU DON'T DO IT RIGHT, SOMEONE MIGHT BE INCRIMINATED INTO SOMETHING BECAUSE THE DATA WASN'T PROPER. SO YOU'RE ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING GREAT FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO I'M VERY THANKFUL. ALSO VERY THANKFUL. SHERIFF UGARTE HAS DONE JUST SOME GREAT THINGS I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT HIS LEADERSHIP AND AND HIS SUPPORT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. VERY CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT BRINGING EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND UNITING THE TEAM.

AND SO THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THAT PROCESS. SO, COMMISSIONER BUTLER, YES, THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU, COMMANDER. CHIEF, ALL OF YOU, FOR BEING HERE. I JUST WANT TO TO TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP ON THE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAMS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW INVOLVED YOU ALL WERE IN MAKING SURE THAT THOSE EVENTS WERE SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL, AND THAT EVERY SINGLE GUN THAT WAS TURNED IN WENT THROUGH A BACKGROUND CHECK AND YOU ALL DID THAT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOU APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A PICTURE. THANK YOU.

[01:31:30]

ITEM NUMBER FIVE G APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING OCTOBER 16TH, 2025 AS EL PASO GIVING DAY. COMMISSIONER BUTLER, THANK YOU AGAIN. JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. THIS IS MY LAST

[G. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing October 16,2025, as El Paso Giving Day. Jackie Butler, Commissioner, Precinct 1, 915-273-3594]

THANK YOU. IT IS MY HONOR AGAIN TO TO RECOGNIZE THE BUFFALO NORTH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR THEIR THEIR ANNUAL EL PASO GIVING DAY EFFORTS. I, I KNOW AND EVERY NONPROFIT IN THIS COMMUNITY KNOWS THE CHALLENGES THAT ORGANIZATIONS FACE IN SUSTAINING THEIR WORK. YEAR AFTER YEAR. EL PASO DAY HAS BECOME A VITAL LIFELINE, RAISING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND CONNECTING HUNDREDS OF NONPROFITS WITH DONORS WHO BELIEVE IN THEIR MISSION. AGAIN, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE PASO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR LEADING THIS IMPORTANT EFFORT AND THANK OUR NONPROFITS WHO SERVE ON THE FRONT LINES OF OUR COMMUNITY TO TO SERVE FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. EVERY DAY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THIS RESOLUTION, AND THEN WE'LL WELCOME OUR GUESTS TO GIVE SOME COMMENTS. WHEREAS EL PASO GIVING DAY WAS LAUNCHED IN 2016 BY THE PASO DEL NORTE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AS A REGION'S FIRST AND ONLY COMMUNITY WIDE DAY OF CHARITABLE GIVING. AND WHEREAS EL PASO GIVING DAY HAS UNITED THOUSANDS OF DONORS ACROSS THE REGION IN A SHARED MISSION TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH PHILANTHROPY. AND WHEREAS, SINCE ITS INCEPTION, EL PASO GIVING DAY HAS RAISED NEARLY $11.2 MILLION FOR HUNDREDS OF NONPROFITS IN OUR REGION, EMPOWERING THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO EXPAND SERVICES, LAUNCH NEW PROGRAMS, AND INCREASE THEIR COMMUNITY IMPACT. AND WHEREAS EVERY DOLLAR RAISED THROUGH EL PASO GIVING DAY STAYS LOCAL AND HELPS NONPROFITS CONTINUE THE CRUCIAL WORK OF MAKING OUR REGION A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL. AND WHEREAS, IN CELEBRATION OF ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY, EL PASO GIVING DAY 2025 EMBRACES THE THEME OF THE SUPER BOWL OF GIVING TO HIGHLIGHT THE TEAMWORK, COMMUNITY PRIDE AND GENEROSITY THAT DRIVE THIS GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT. AND WHEREAS EL PASO COUNTY PROUDLY RECOGNIZES THE VITAL ROLE OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING IN THEIR MISSIONS AND ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS DAY OF GIVING. AND NOW THERE BE RESOLVED THAT THE EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 16TH, 2025, AS EL PASO GIVING DAY THROUGHOUT EL PASO COUNTY AND URGES ALL RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE BY DONATING, VOLUNTEERING AND SHARING IN THE SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY THAT DEFINES OUR COMMUNITY. SIGN THIS 22ND DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2025. WE HAVE A. SEE TRACY HAD A WARDROBE CHANGE.

I LIKE THE T SHIRT. YEAH SHE DID. WE HAVE A WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN. THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER CORONADO IS ABSENT.

MOTION CARRIES. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS LUPE DIAZ, AND I'M THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE

[01:35:05]

LAST YEAR ALONE, WE HAD 216 NONPROFITS PARTICIPATE, AND TOGETHER WE RAISED 1.8 MILLION.

THIS YEAR, WE ARE AIMING EVEN HIGHER WITH HOPES OF ENGAGING EVEN MORE NONPROFITS AND RAISING OVER 2 MILLION. OUR THEME THIS YEAR IS THE SUPER BOWL OF GIVING BECAUSE JUST LIKE IN FOOTBALL, IT TAKES TEAMWORK TO REACH OUR TOUCHDOWN. WE INVITE EVERYBODY TO JOIN OUR TEAM BY VISITING EL PASO, GIVING.ORG BEGINNING OCTOBER 9TH FOR EARLY GIVING WEEK AND ON OCTOBER 6TH 16TH FOR THE BIG DAY AND SUPPORT OUR NON A NONPROFIT OF YOUR CHOICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NONE OF THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TRACY. THAT'S TWO IN A ROW YOU'RE GETTING AWAY WITH. OKAY WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS EL PASO COMING TOGETHER. I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE IF YOU LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU NEED, AND YOU FOCUS ON WHAT YOU NEED FROM THEM, THEY'LL COME TOGETHER. AND I KNOW THE COUNTY. I KNOW I'M BEING CHALLENGED WITH THE CITY.

BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MAYOR RENARD AGAINST COUNTY JUDGES.

CAN YOU TAKE THE PERSONALITIES OUT OF THE. HE'S GOT MUCH MORE MONEY THAN I DO, SO WE'LL PUT WE'LL WE'LL DO THE COUNTY. PARDON ME. YOU'RE THE QUARTERBACKS OF YOUR TEAM. OKAY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY. BUT ONCE AGAIN AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, THE COUNTY IT'S A GREAT FAMILY. THEY KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

AND THEY'RE ALWAYS VERY GENEROUS. AND SO I KNOW THE COUNTY IS GOING TO PLAY A BIG PART IN THIS. SO THANK YOU FOR FOR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO. AND THANK SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS, ESPECIALLY NOW MORE THAN EVER. A LOT OF THE BEING ABLE TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS GOING TO COME FROM DONATIONS, BECAUSE SO MANY OTHER THINGS HAVE ARE TAKING PLACE AND LOTS OF GRANTS. AND SO WE DON'T WANT ANYONE TO STOP DOING WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING SO GREAT IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THIS WILL BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL. SO COMMISSIONER BUTLER, THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AND FOR THE SUPPORT THAT THAT YOU GIVE TO OUR NONPROFITS. IT'S I THINK IT'S A GREAT CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY ON THE NONPROFIT SIDE, TO STEP UP, STEP UP OUR GAME. WELL, SPEAKING AS SOMEBODY WHO USED TO PARTICIPATE IN EL PASO GIVING DAY, REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THE VALUE THAT NONPROFITS PROVIDE IS COMMUNICATED DIRECTLY TO TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND WITH THE BACKING OF EL PASO GIVING DAY, THAT'S REALLY EASY TO DO. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

[01:40:02]

ALL RIGHT, MISTER STONE, MY TURN. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. GOOD MORNING

[H. Approve and adopt a resolution declaring September 16, 2025, as National Voter Registration Day in El Paso County, Texas. David Stout, Commissioner, Precinct 2, 915-273-3559]

AND NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT THE EL PASO COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS COURT RECOGNIZE SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2025, AS NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO REGISTER, TO VOTE, TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN OUR DEMOCRACY AND TO CELEBRATE THE JOY OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. SIGNED THIS 22ND DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2025, THE HONORABLE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN. VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER CORONADO IS ABSENT. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU ALL. WELCOME, WELCOME. MY NAME IS MICHAEL GUTIERREZ. WITH TEXAS RISING IN TEXAS FREEDOM NETWORK. FIRST OFF, I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER STOUT FOR UPLIFTING AND KIND OF HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY. DAYS LIKE THIS REMIND US THAT DEMOCRACY WORKS BEST WHEN WE ALL HAVE VOICES, AND REGISTRATION IS THE FIRST STEP IN MAKING THAT VOICE BE HEARD. TOO OFTEN I HEAR THAT OUR VOICES DON'T MATTER, THAT WE

[01:45:01]

AND ONE DAY, SOONER THAN WE THINK, YOUNG FOLKS WILL BE THE ONES TO CALL TO LEAD. THAT'S WHY REGISTERING AND VOTING MATTERS. IT'S HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR VOICES ARE COUNTED FOR, OUR PERSPECTIVES ARE SEEN, AND THE FUTURES THAT WE HOLD ARE SHAPED. NOT ONLY JUST FOR US, BUT FOR THE ONES THAT WILL COME AFTER US. EVERY REGISTRATION FORM IS A STEP FORWARD FOR MORE REPRESENTATION IN OUR DEMOCRACY, WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE JUST NOT THE FUTURE, BUT ALSO THE PRESENT. SO TODAY, LET'S REMEMBER WE AREN'T POWERLESS. WE ARE POWERFUL. AND WHEN WE SHOW UP, WE AND WE PARTICIPATE, WE STRENGTHEN OUR DEMOCRACY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONERS, FOR APPROVING THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. GOOD MORNING. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS AND THE EL PASO COMMUNITY. MY NAME IS ANGELICA RODRIGUEZ, AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS THE BOARD CHAIR FOR THE RIO GRANDE REGION OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS. TODAY, WE COME TOGETHER TO RECOGNIZE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY, A DAY THAT STRONGLY REMINDS US THAT DEMOCRACY DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN EVERY FOUR YEARS. IT'S A COMMITMENT. WE LIVE OUT EVERY SINGLE DAY THROUGHOUT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND ENSURING EVERY VOICE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD. AS A SOCIAL WORKER, WE ARE CALLED TO STRENGTHEN EQUALITY, EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES AND PROTECT THE FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE. AT THE HEART OF THESE RIGHTS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

BUT THE UNFORTUNATE REALITY IS THAT TOO MANY ELIGIBLE VOTERS REMAIN UNREGISTERED. WHETHER IT'S DUE TO LANGUAGE BARRIERS, LACK OF ACCESS OF INFORMATION, OR EVEN THE SIMPLE, CHALLENGING CHALLENGES OF NAVIGATING THE REGISTRATION PROCESS. FOR MANY CITIZENS, THEIR VOICES ARE SILENCED EVEN BEFORE HAVING THE CHANCE OF BEING HEARD. AND WE KNOW THAT WHEN VOICES ARE SILENCED NEEDS GO UNMET. THIS IS WHY NATIONAL VOTER NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST A DATE ON A CALENDAR. IT'S A DAY TO RAISE AWARENESS, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR NEIGHBORS, COWORKERS, AND LOVED ONES KNOW HOW TO GET REGISTERED, KNOW THEIR RIGHTS, AND KNOW THAT THEIR VOTE COUNTS. BECAUSE WHEN WE VOTE, WE DEMAND CHANGE. WE DEMAND EQUITY. WE DEMAND JUSTICE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD AWARENESS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONG ALL SIDE OF YOU TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT TO VOTE IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND COMMISSIONER SOUTH. ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR NOT ONLY REACHING OUT TO US AND GETTING INVOLVED, BUT YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT GOING TO AUSTIN, BEING HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, GOING TO EVENTS, SHOWING UP WHERE IT MATTERS THAT YOU'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. HI, LISA. WELCOME.

GOOD MORNING. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. LISA WISE, EL PASO COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER STOUT. I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE RECOGNIZING NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY. OUR DEPARTMENT BEGAN HOLDING DRIVES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY WORKING WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. WE GENERALLY VISIT COLLEGES AND HIGH SCHOOLS ON THESE DATES TO PROMOTE REGISTRATION, BUT ALSO TO ANSWER MANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE FROM VOTERS ON THE REGISTRATION PROCESS AND THE VOTING PROCESS. LAST WEEK, WE HELD DRIVES AT UTEP, TWO OF OUR WESTERN TECH UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES, AND TWO EPCC CAMPUSES. REGISTERING VOTERS AND ALSO ANSWERING QUESTIONS. BUT AS YOU KNOW, AND WAS SAID BEFORE ME. NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY CANNOT BE CELEBRATED JUST ONE DAY. OUR DEPARTMENT CELEBRATES THAT BASICALLY EVERY DAY BY WORKING ON SITE, UPDATING AND ENTERING THE HUNDREDS OF REGISTRATIONS WE RECEIVE, AS WELL AS OFF SITE WITH OUR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM. WE'VE BEGUN TALKING TO OUR STUDENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AS YOUNG AS THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH GRADE. NOW WE CONDUCT EVENTS SUCH AS OUR I VOTED STICKER, WHICH WE JUST ANNOUNCED TODAY FOR THE 2026 ELECTION, WHERE WE WILL BE HAVING THE I VOTED STICKER BY THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND THE FUTURE VOTER STICKER DESIGNED BY OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, TRYING TO BRING IN AS MANY OF OUR YOUTH AS POSSIBLE. OUR DEPARTMENT IS ALSO HONORED TO BE PART OF THE NATURALIZATION CEREMONIES, WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO REGISTER OUR COUNTRY'S NEWEST CITIZENS TO VOTE. THE NUMBER OF EL PASO COUNTY REGISTERED VOTERS CONTINUES TO GROW. AS OF THIS

[01:50:05]

THANK YOU FOR THIS RESOLUTION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR COUNTY RESIDENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF REGISTERING, BUT ALSO RESEARCHING AND GOING OUT TO THE BALLOT BOX AND REMEMBERING TO VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU LISA. I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOMEBODY ONLINE THAT IS ALSO SIGNED UP TO TO SPEAK SO WE CAN TAKE TAKE THAT INDIVIDUAL. YEAH.

THANK YOU. WELCOME, FERNANDA. HELLO. GOOD MORNING. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? FINE. YES, SIR.

AMAZING. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS FERNANDA MALDONADO. I'M THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR FOR MOVE TEXAS. WE ARE A NONPROFIT WORKING TO BUILD THE POLITICAL POWER OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN TEXAS. IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO JOIN YOU ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DROPPING THIS RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE OUR FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR, NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY IN EL PASO. WE HONOR IT DEEPLY BECAUSE IT IS A DAY THAT REALLY REMINDS US OF THAT SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL TRUTH THAT DEMOCRACY THRIVES WHEN EVERYONE HAS A VOICE. SINCE THE HOLIDAY BEGAN IN 2012, MORE THAN 5 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE REGISTERED TO VOTE THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE EFFORTS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, VOLUNTEERS ALL OVER THE NATION. THAT'S 5 MILLION INDIVIDUAL ACTS OF HOPE, 5 MILLION REMINDERS THAT THE PROMISE OF DEMOCRACY REALLY LIVES IN EACH ONE OF US. AND I BELIEVE THAT HERE, ESPECIALLY ON THE BORDER, THE PROMISE CARRIES SPECIAL MEANING. EL PASO IS SUCH A SPECIAL COMMUNITY THAT KNOWS RESILIENCE, KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO STAND UP FOR EACH OTHER EVEN WHEN THE BARRIERS ARE IN OUR WAY. SO WE REALLY SEE REGISTERING TO VOTE AS MORE THAN JUST COMPLETING PAPERWORK, RIGHT? IT'S A CELEBRATION OF OUR RIGHT TO BE HEARD, AND OUR COMMITMENT TO REALLY SHAPING THE COMMUNITY THAT WE DESERVE TO LIVE IN. THAT'S WHY THIS DAY MATTERS SO MUCH, RIGHT? ESPECIALLY IN A STATE THAT MAKES CIVIC PARTICIPATION DIFFICULT ENOUGH AS IT IS. ON THIS DAY, ACROSS EL PASO, ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE SEE STUDENTS TURNING CAMPUSES INTO HUBS OF CIVIC PARTICIPATION. WE SEE VOLUNTEERS HELPING NEIGHBORS NAVIGATE THE PROCESS. WE SEE GRASSROOTS LEADERS PROVING THAT THEY'RE READY NOT JUST TO INHERIT DEMOCRACY, BUT TO REALLY STRENGTHEN IT. AND IN THIS MOMENT WHEN OUR DEMOCRACY FACES THOSE CHALLENGES, THE MISSION IS MORE URGENT THAN EVER. EVERY VOTER THAT WE REGISTER, EVERY CONVERSATION WE SPARK, HELPS SOMEONE CONNECT THE DOTS BETWEEN THE THINGS THAT THEY CARE ABOUT AND THE DECISIONS THAT HAPPEN IN ROOMS JUST LIKE THE ONE YOU'RE IN TODAY. IT HELPS THEM SEE THAT THEIR VOICES CAN MOVE, POLICY CAN PROTECT RIGHTS, CAN BRING THAT SHARED COMMUNITY VISION TO LIFE. SO I'M HAPPY THAT WE CAN HONOR THE VOLUNTEER DEPUTY REGISTRARS THAT STAND IN THE HOT SUN WITH CLIPBOARDS FOR HOURS. THE STUDENTS THAT INSPIRE THEIR PEERS TO ACTION, AND GENERATIONS OF BORDER RESIDENTS IN TEXAS WHO HAVE FOUGHT AND CONTINUE TO FIGHT EVERY DAY FOR THIS RIGHT TO BE ACCESSIBLE. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHEN EVERY TEXAN, WHEN EVERY EL PASO AND IS EMPOWERED TO REGISTER, TO VOTE, TO LEAD, TO ORGANIZE OUR DEMOCRACY DOESN'T JUST SURVIVE, THRIVES. SO THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU.

FERNANDA. ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE TO HAVE? ANYONE ELSE TO HAVE? COMMISSIONER HAS BEEN A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR FOR VOTING. AND SO I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU NOW. THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, ALL OF YOU THAT ARE HERE IN THE COURTROOM AND FERNANDA AS WELL.

IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'LL EVER SEE THE REAL CHANGE THAT WE WANT TO SEE. SO THANK YOU, LISA, FOR ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE WORK. I SEE ALL OUR ELECTION STAFF AT THE DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS, AND I KNOW HOW HARD THAT IS. MY OFFICE AND I HAVE GONE OUT TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO VOTE. AND IT IS HARD. IT IS HARD REALLY, TO GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND, TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION. ON HOW REGISTERING TO VOTE CAN REALLY CHANGE THEIR COMMUNITY, THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR LIVES. BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL DO EVERY SINGLE DAY, INCLUDING ALL OF OUR STAFF HERE AT THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT. AND THIS IS HOW WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND THIS IS HOW WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER, I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE OR MAYBE CHALLENGE WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING FOR OFFICE OR BEING REELECTED, YOU FIND OUT THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE NOT REGISTERED. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE A SORT OF A CHALLENGE TO ALL ANYBODY RUNNING FOR OFFICE. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, YOU

[01:55:02]

AND AND A LOT OF IT AT THE END IS THE ENCOURAGEMENT. YOU KNOW, THEY TELL ME HOW COME THEY ALL PASSED BY MY HOUSE AND THEY DON'T STOP AND THEY SAY, WELL, YOU'RE NOT REGISTERED AS A VOTER AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN AWARE OF THAT, THAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BEING MISSED OUT. AND SO IT'S A GREAT THING FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO GET. IT'S A LITTLE SAD SOMETIMES WHEN WE'RE IN AUSTIN AND WE DON'T HAVE THE POWER OF THE VOTE. AND THEY KNOW THAT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A VOTING RECORD. IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT. INDIVIDUALS LIKE COMMISSIONER STOUT THAT HAS THAT GOES TO AUSTIN QUITE OFTEN. BUT WHEN THEY SEE THAT WE'RE NOT VOTING, IT LESSENS THE CHALLENGE FOR THEM. IT MAKES IT EASIER NOT TO HEAR US BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE VOTING POWER. AND THAT'S THAT HAS TO STOP, ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S WORLD.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE CHALLENGING TEXAS AND AUSTIN AND THE STATE SO MUCH, BUT WE NEED THAT LEVERAGE OF KNOWING THAT WE'RE A COMMUNITY THAT VOTES, AND THEY'LL LISTEN TO US IF WE DON'T VOTE. THEY DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO TO RESPOND TO US. SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER STOUT, FOR A GREAT RESOLUTION. AND AND LIKE I SAID, THE ADVOCACY THAT COMES FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN AS WELL, AND ALL OF YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER STOUT. THANK YOU. JUDGE, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR FOR COMING AND AND SPEAKING. THANK YOU, FERNANDA, FOR FOR GETTING ONLINE AND SHARING THOSE THOUGHTS. I REALLY I REALLY WANT TO THANK OUR COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT FOR, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO. YOU KNOW, MISS WISE SINCE SHE'S BEEN HERE HAS HAS REALLY WORKED WITH THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO TRY TO EXPAND ACCESS TO VOTING.

YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2020, BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT THAT SHE DID TO ALLOW KURT TO HAVE CURBSIDE VOTING, EXPANDED HOURS IN THE POLLING PLACES, MAIL, MAIL BALLOTS TO EVERYONE. YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE LARGEST TURNOUT IN EL PASO COUNTY'S HISTORY THAT THAT ELECTION. UNFORTUNATELY, THE STATE HAS COME AND PREEMPTED US FROM DOING SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT THAT SHE WORKED SO HARD TO DO AND HER STAFF WORKED SO HARD TO DO TO EXPAND ACCESS. BUT I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OTHER CREATIVE WAYS TO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO PEOPLE. AND IT REALLY IS A TESTAMENT, I THINK, OF, TO THAT WORK, HEARING THAT YOU'RE OUT IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS, THAT YOU'RE OUT TALKING TO, TO FOLKS GETTING OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY HAS TO DO THAT. NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO THAT. AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WORK. AND OF COURSE, TO THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO CAME AND SPOKE, THANK YOU, ANGELICA, FOR FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR ADVOCACY. I FEEL LIKE THERE'S LIKE TEN ANGELICA'S IN THIS IN THIS TOWN BECAUSE SHE'S EVERYWHERE. THANK YOU, MICHAEL, AND THANK YOU TO TEXAS RISING AND TFN AND MOVE TEXAS ORGANIZATIONS THAT REALLY TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE. AND NOW IT'S OUR JOB TO GET PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE. RIGHT? THAT'S THAT'S AGAIN, THE SECOND. THE SECOND PART, THE MOST IMPORTANT, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IN EL PASO COUNTY, WE DO HAVE LOW VOTER TURNOUT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. WE HAVE LOW VOTER TURNOUT. THEY SAY THAT TEXAS IS A RED STATE, BUT IT'S IN MY OPINION, IT'S A NON-VOTING STATE. AND IF WE HAD MORE PEOPLE VOTING, THINGS WOULD CHANGE. BUT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH THAT. WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ASK PEOPLE TO DO THAT. AND SO I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER BUTLER FOR REMINDING ME TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT WE HAVE A NOVEMBER BALLOT, A NOVEMBER ELECTION, THAT THERE WILL BE SOME, I THINK, MUNICIPAL AND MAYBE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BUT ALSO THERE ARE CLOSE TO 20 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS FOR THE STATE CONSTITUTION THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO TO GO VOTE ON. AND SO, YOU KNOW, EVERY NOVEMBER WE HAVE AN ELECTION, AND IT'S NOT JUST ON A PRESIDENTIAL CYCLE OR ON A GUBERNATORIAL CYCLE. THERE ARE THERE ARE ALSO OTHER IMPORTANT ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO BE VOTING ON. SO PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO TO GET OUT AND EXERCISE YOUR VOTE AND YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CAN WE TAKE A PICTURE WITH Y'ALL? THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

[02:00:41]

[I. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing and celebrating El Paso Chamber’s Membership Experience Week. David Stout, Commissioner, Precinct 2, 915-273-3559]

MOTION CARRIES. MR. MORA, WELCOME BACK. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE SAMANIEGO. MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT, COUNTY ADMINISTRATION STAFF, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. MY NAME IS RICARDO MORA. I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE EL PASO CHAMBER.

ON BEHALF OF THE EL PASO CHAMBER, I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE TO COMMISSIONER STOUT FOR THIS, FOR SPONSORING THIS RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 15TH TO THE 19TH, 2025 AS MEMBERSHIP EXPERIENCE WEEK. YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT AS STRONG ALLIES OF THE CHAMBER MEANS SO MUCH TO US AND TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE TOGETHER. WE'RE ALSO DEEPLY THANKFUL FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR EL PASO COUNTY, AS IT HAS DONE SO FOR MANY YEARS IN MANY KEY ENGAGEMENTS LIKE EL PASO DAYS IN AUSTIN. I WAS GLAD TO BE THERE THE FIRST TIME, BUT YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR MANY DECADES. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THAT STATE OF THE COUNTY PINTS AND POLITICS AND MANY MORE. THAT COMMITMENT STRENGTHENS OUR SHARED MISSION OF ADVANCING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BORDERPLEX. EL PASO CHAMBER'S FIRST MEMBERSHIP EXPERIENCE WEEK WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. I HOPE YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE IT. WE HAD A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AND ENERGY THANKS TO THE ENERGY AND COMMITMENT OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

WE HAD OVER 250 VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATE IN THE MEMBERSHIP EXPERIENCE WEEK. THEY WORKED TIRELESSLY TO SHOWCASE THE VALUE OF THE CHAMBER AND INVITE NEW MEMBERS TO JOIN OUR MISSION.

AS A RESULT, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE TODAY THAT THE EL PASO CHAMBER, FOR THE FIRST TIME, PROUDLY

[02:05:07]

AND WE LEARN EVERY TIME WE DO A NEW ENGAGEMENT. AT LEAST I AM. I'M STILL LEARNING, AND I LEARNED SOMETHING NEW THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE. AND I THINK WE ALL TAKE IT TO HEART. AND IT'S NOT ABOUT WE. IT'S NOT ABOUT WHEN BUSINESSES COME TO THE CHAMBER. IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT THE CHAMBER CAN DO FOR THEM. IT'S ABOUT US. IT'S ABOUT HOW OUR COMMUNITY FOR 125 YEARS COMES TOGETHER AS A BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND PUSHES OUR COMMUNITY FORWARD. SO TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THAT ALL EQUALS JOBS. AND WE ARE SO PROUD TO BE PART OF THE EL PASO CHAMBER THAT IS DRIVING THAT FORCE MOVING FORWARD FOR ANOTHER 125 YEARS. THESE ACHIEVEMENTS REFLECT THE STRENGTH OF OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE POWER OF COLLABORATION. THEY ALSO REMIND US THAT WHEN WE COME TOGETHER AS A REGION, WE CAN COMPETE, SUCCEED AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. AGAIN, WE ARE NUMBER TWO IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND I'M ALSO GOING TO SAY IT NUMBER FIFTH NATIONWIDE.

NATIONWIDE EL PASO IS ON THE MAP. SO THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS FOR RECOGNIZING OUR WORK AND FOR STANDING WITH US AS PARTNERS IN ADVANCING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BORDERPLEX. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO BUILD THIS MOMENTUM TOGETHER.

AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE CLAUDIA, OUR PROGRAMS DIRECTOR, WELCOME, CLAUDIA. WELCOME HONORABLE JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND MEMBERS OF THE EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. GOOD MORNING. I'M CLAUDIA ROSALES. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AND EVENTS AT THE EL PASO CHAMBER. I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK FOR THE CHAMBER FOR 20 YEARS NOW. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU TODAY. IT IS AN HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU AS WE CELEBRATE A MOMENTOUS OCCASION FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THE EL PASO CHAMBER'S FIRST EVER MEMBERSHIP EXPERIENCE WEEK. THE MEMBERSHIP EXPERIENCE WEEK WAS NOT JUST AN EVENT, IT WAS A WEEK DEDICATED TO DEEPENING THE ENGAGEMENT OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, ENTREPRENEURS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WITH THE EL PASO CHAMBER. IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THE MANY BENEFITS OF CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP, FROM ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, ADVOCACY AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS, COLLABORATIONS AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES. THE CHAMBER'S COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THRIVES. MEMBERSHIP EXPERIENCE WEEK WAS MORE THAN JUST ABOUT GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITIES. IT WAS ABOUT BUILDING A STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT EL PASO. WHEN OUR BUSINESSES SUCCEED, OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY FLOURISHES. LAST WEEK, WE HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS IN SHAPING A FUTURE THAT BENEFITS ALL OF EL PASO, FROM THE LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS TO LARGE CORPORATIONS, FROM THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND TO THE EVERYDAY CITIZENS. ON BEHALF OF THE EL PASO CHAMBER, WE EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR COMMUNITY. YOUR SUPPORT OF THE CHAMBER'S EFFORTS ENSURES THAT WE CONTINUE TO BUILD THE FOUNDATION OF PROGRESS AND OPPORTUNITY THAT HAS MADE EL PASO SUCH A VIBRANT PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. CLAUDIA, I LOVE HOW YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE LIKE FIVE CLAUDIA'S AND SHE'S LIKE THE NINJA OF EVENTS. YOU COME IN, SHE'S DECORATING, YOU COME OUT. SHE'S. IT'S JUST AMAZING. SO, CLAUDIA, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PLEASURE. AND THEN ON THE EXTERNAL WORLD, THE OTHER NINJA MANNY OVER THERE, HE SEEMS TO BE EVERYWHERE THAT I EVER GO TO. SO YOU HAVE A YOU HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE IS GOING TO SPEAK. BUT I, TOO, WANT TO THANK YOU.

THAT PARTNERSHIP IS AMAZING. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT I'VE SEEN, THANK YOU, RICARDO, FOR BRINGING THE BINATIONAL COMPONENT. AND OF COURSE, COMMISSIONER STOUT HAS BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THAT AS WELL, IS THAT WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE REGION, THE REGION, BUT THEN SOMEHOW WHENEVER WE HAVE AN EVENT, EVERYBODY JUST SORT OF GOES BACK TO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS DOES THEIR THING. WE DO OUR THING KIND OF. BUT I THINK AFTER SINCE YOU'VE COME,

[02:10:05]

AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT COMPONENT. IT'S BEEN VERY SPECIAL TO SEE THAT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THAT WAY GOING FORWARD, THAT WE'RE A REGION AND THAT WE'RE VERY STRONG AS A REGION. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER STOUT.

WELL, THANK YOU ALL. ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO TO HAVE THE HONOR OF PRESENTING THIS RESOLUTION AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. AND COMMISSIONER BUTLER ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING. BEFORE WE END, I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD, COMMISSIONER, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THE THE CHAMBER AND THE ROLE THAT IT'S PLAYED IN MY CAREER AND MY LIFE. AND ALSO HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO, ESPECIALLY IN ENGAGING LONG STANDING MEMBERS AND NEW MEMBERS AS WELL. YOU KNOW, THE WORLD OF CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE CHANGES FREQUENTLY, AND OVER THE LAST DECADE ESPECIALLY, HAS CHANGED TREMENDOUSLY. AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP, YOU ALL ARE ARE INNOVATING AND FINDING NEW WAYS TO TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY. I WANTED TO MAKE ONE COMMENT, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE ROOM WITH US TODAY, AND THOSE ARE THE CAR DEALERS THAT ARE HERE AND HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC POLICY AND FISCAL ISSUE THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH NOW, AND THERE MIGHT BE A ROLE FOR THE CHAMBER TO PLAY IN HELPING TO FIND SOME INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR THEM. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THEM OR HAVEN'T MET THEM, MAYBE MR. MORA OR MAYBE CLAUDIA, YOU CAN LISTEN TO SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS AND THE WAYS THAT THE COUNTY IS TRYING TO ADDRESS THEM. BUT MAYBE THERE'S A WAY ALSO FOR THE CHAMBER AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HELP THE SITUATION AS WELL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, AND JUST THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR FOR YOUR WORK AND FOR BEING HERE AND, AND 125 YEARS OF, OF DOING THAT. I KNOW THAT NONE OF US, NONE OF US WERE HERE 125 YEARS AGO, BUT I MEAN, 20 THAT'S A LONG THAT'S A LONG HAUL. BUT THANK YOU. LET'S TAKE A PICTURE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE J APPROVING. ADOPT A RESOLUTION HONORING WRECKER OUTREACH AND ITS FOUNDER, SERGEANT FIRST CLASS SAMANTHA M WRECKER. OKAY. I'M VERY, VERY

[J. Approve and adopt a resolution honoring Recker Outreach and its founder, Sergeant First Class Samantha M. Recker. David Stout, Commissioner, Precinct 2, 915-273-3559]

[02:15:04]

AND WHEREAS, ON APRIL 6TH, 2024, WRECKER OUTREACH LAUNCHED ITS YOUTH PROGRAM RECONNECTING WITH THE DISCONNECTED, WHICH TO DATE HAS SERVED 199 STUDENTS WITH 125 GRADUATES AND 17 CURRENTLY ENROLLED, OFFERING YOUNG PEOPLE A POSITIVE PATH FORWARD THROUGH DISCIPLINE, GUIDANCE AND OPPORTUNITY. AND WHEREAS, ON AUGUST 13TH, 2025, RECONNECTING WITH THE DISCONNECTED WAS OFFICIALLY INCORPORATED AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION BY THE TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE, MARKING A HISTORIC MILESTONE THAT STRENGTHENS ITS FOUNDATION AND ENSURES THE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF ITS MISSION TO EMPOWER AT RISK YOUTH IN THE EL PASO REGION. AND WHEREAS, THE ORGANIZATION'S HOLISTIC APPROACH, BRIDGING BOTH VETERAN SERVICES AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT STRENGTHENS THE FABRIC OF THE EL PASO COMMUNITY BY ENSURING THAT THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED AND THE NEXT GENERATION ALIKE HAVE THE TOOLS AND SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE. AND WHEREAS THE VISION, DEDICATION AND PERSONAL COMMITMENTS OF SERGEANT FIRST CLASS SAMANTHA M RECKER, WHO CONTINUES TO SERVE HER HER COUNTRY WITH HONOR AND NOW SERVES HER COMMUNITY THROUGH RECORD OUTREACH, EXEMPLIFY THE VALUES OF SERVICE, RESILIENCE AND LEADERSHIP. AND NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT THE EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT HEREBY RECOGNIZES AND COMMENDS WRECKER OUTREACH, RECONNECTING WITH THE DISCONNECTED AND THEIR FOUNDER, SERGEANT FIRST CLASS SAMANTHA M WRECKER, FOR THEIR EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WELL-BEING OF VETERANS AND YOUTH IN EL PASO AND EXTENDS GRATITUDE FOR THEIR SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMITMENT TO BUILDING A STRONGER AND MORE COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY. SIGNED THIS 22ND DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2025, THE HONORABLE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT, A SECOND FROM COUNTY JUDGE SAMANIEGO. VOTING IS OPEN.

COMMISSIONER CORONADO IS ABSENT. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. WELCOME, WELCOME WELCOME, WELCOME. HELLO. COMMISSIONERS COURT. MY MOM'S WORK IS VERY IMPORTANT. AND I WAS THE MASTERMIND OF THE TRANSITION HOUSE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO CELEBRATE MY MOM. AND MY MOM DOES THIS TO HELP THE WORLD. ALSO MAKE SURE TO VOTE. WELL GREAT JOB. THANK YOU.

ABSOLUTELY. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THANK JASON FOR FOR HELPING ME OUT THIS MORNING.

HE'S HE'S BEEN A GREAT ADDITION TO MY STAFF, A TEMPORARY ADDITION TO MY STAFF THIS MORNING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FOR BEING HERE. GREAT JOB. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU JUDGE. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T KNOW THESE ARE MY PILLARS. JASON IS THE MASTERMIND WHO CREATED THE TRANSITION HOUSE. AND MY SON IS ONE WHO HELPS ME WITH THE YOUTH PROGRAM. SO WITHOUT YOUR GUYS'S SUPPORT, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE. SO I JUST WANT TO EXTEND A THANKS OUT TO YOU GUYS BECAUSE YOUR SUPPORT IS A MENACE TO US. AND AGAIN, WE'RE HERE TO HELP.

WE WANT TO GIVE THESE YOUTH AND THE VETERANS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK INTO THIS COMMUNITY AND SHOW THAT HEART THAT THEY HAVE AND GIVE IT BACK. SO WHEREVER WE CAN HELP, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT. WELL, WHAT AN AMAZING. WELL, GOOD. HE'S NOT GOING TO SAY HE'S THE OLDER SON. WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? HE IS THE OLDEST HE PASSED IT ON TO YOU GOING TO SAY NOTHING? NOPE. YES. WE WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE OF THE. WHAT A DRIVING FORCE IN ONE PERSON. I MEAN, SUCH A GREAT ROLE MODEL FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, CONNECT WITH THE DISCONNECTED IS JUST SEEMS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S LIKE THAT LAST MILE KIND OF THING, THAT IT'S THAT GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVEN'T GOTTEN, YOU KNOW, REACHED OUT TO. AND SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR VETERANS,

[02:20:03]

AND YOU BROUGHT, I THINK, SEVEN STUDENTS OUT THERE. SO. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR OUR VETERANS, AND FOR OUR OUR AT RISK YOUTH. IT MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. AND AND THANK YOU FOR FOR COMING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTING OUR EFFORTS AS WELL. SO APPRECIATE YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FOR YOUR FOR YOUR GREAT WORK. AND IT'S JUST SO COOL TO SEE. IT'S LIKE A FAMILY ORDEAL AS WELL. AND YOU GUYS, ALL THE CHILDREN SUPPORT THEIR MOTHER AND AND YOU KNOW WHAT A WHAT A WHAT A GREAT WHAT A GREAT ROLE MODEL. I ALSO WANT TO THANK. JUSTICE OF THE PEACE FOR, FOR FOR HELPING ME WITH THE RESOLUTION. AND SHE SHE IS THE INDIVIDUAL THAT INTRODUCED ME TO TO MISS RICKER IN THE BEGINNING. I KNOW THAT SHE WORKS WITH HER KIDS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH HER COURT AT AND YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST IT'S GREAT TO SEE HOW THESE HOW THESE KIDS. BENEFIT SO GREATLY FROM THE HELP THAT YOU'RE GIVING THEM. SO CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE K APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION DECLARING SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2025 AS INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS. OKAY, THIS IS MY LAST RESOLUTION FOR FOR

[K. Approve and adopt a resolution declaring September 21, 2025, as International Peace Day in El Paso County, Texas. David Stout, Commissioner, Precinct 2, 915-273-3559]

[02:25:05]

THE RESOLUTION STATES WHEREAS THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE, OBSERVED ANNUALLY ON SEPTEMBER 21ST, SERVES AS A GLOBAL CALL FOR PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING, PROMOTING HARMONY AMONG ALL NATIONS AND PEOPLES. AND WHEREAS EL PASO, TEXAS, ASPIRES TO ENHANCE OUR COMMUNITY'S REPUTATION AS AN INTERNATIONAL CITY OF PEACE THROUGH MEANINGFUL AND IMPACTFUL EVENTS.

AND WHEREAS, THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE SYMPOSIUM, WHICH TOOK PLACE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO ON SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2025 AIMS TO ADVANCE THE OBJECTIVES OF PEACE BUILDING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BY FOSTERING DIALOG AND COLLABORATION AMONG PEACE PRACTITIONERS. AND WHEREAS, THIS SYMPOSIUM IS DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL AND NATIONAL CONNECTIONS AMONG PEACE ADVOCATES AND AS PART OF VARIOUS EVENTS GLOBALLY IN SEPTEMBER THAT THAT CULMINATE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF NONVIOLENCE ON OCTOBER 2ND, THE BIRTHDAY OF MAHATMA GANDHI. AND WHEREAS, THE EVENT FEATURED INTERACTIVE AND CREATIVE SESSIONS INCLUDING PRESENTATIONS AND ROUNDTABLES, CREATING ART TO BE DONATED TO LOCAL NONPROFITS, GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS. AND NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT THE EL PASO COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS COURT DO HEREBY DECLARE SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2025 TO BE KNOWN AS INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY IN EL PASO COUNTY AND SUPPORT THE CELEBRATION AND OBJECTIVES OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE SYMPOSIUM AS A COMMITMENT TO PROMOTING PEACE AND ENHANCING EL PASO'S ROLE AS A BEACON OF HARMONY AND COLLABORATION. SIGNED THIS 22ND DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2025, THE HONORABLE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN. THE VOTING IS OPEN. JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND COMMISSIONER CORONADO ARE ABSENT, BUT MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE FLOOR IS YOURS. WELCOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST LEARNED THAT 180 COUNTRIES PARTICIPATED IN THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE YESTERDAY, AND AT OUR SYMPOSIUM, WE HAD CLAUDIO ROSALES JOIN US. BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HAVE PEACE WITHOUT PROSPERITY. THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU ALL SUPPORT AND THAT ARE WOVEN IN EL PASO'S BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY ARE GROWING STRONGER AND STRONGER. AND ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS WAS FROM COLOMBIA, THE COUNTRY OF COLOMBIA, AND HE'S WORKING WITH BIOREGIONAL REGENERATION. INSTEAD OF HAVING NATION STATES TO HAVE THE HEADWATERS OF A RIVER, AND THEN THE STREAMS AND THEN THE RIVERS, AND GOING TO THE OCEAN OF ORGANIZING AROUND CLEAN WATERSHEDS. AND CLAUDIA ROSALES BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE OF JUAREZ AND EL PASO COMING TOGETHER TO REALLY LOOK AT OUR WATERSHED TOGETHER. AND NEW MEXICO AND COLORADO, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL CONNECTED. WE ALSO HAD THE GREAT HONOR OF SERVING THE CANDLELIGHTERS. CANDLELIGHTERS ARE AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELP CHILDREN WHO ARE EXPERIENCING CANCER FROM AGES 0 TO 24 AND SERVES THEIR FAMILIES. WE ASKED THE PARTICIPANTS, OF WHICH THERE WERE 155 TOTAL, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD SOMEONE THEY LOST TO CANCER, AND THREE QUARTERS OF THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM RAISED THEIR HAND. IT'S A VERY BIG ISSUE, AND WE WANT TO RAISE ATTENTION TO ALL THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF CANCER THAT ARE HAPPENING. WE ALSO FOCUSED ON THE FACT THAT PEACE IS NOT THE LACK OF CONFLICT. IT'S CONFLICT DONE WELL. IT'S CONFLICT AS INCREDIBLE. MONICA JASSO WOULD SAY, KEEPING CONNECTION. WE HAVE DISAGREEMENTS THERE. THEY ENRICH US. THEY MAKE US STRONGER AND THINK, HELP US

[02:30:01]

WE HAD ABOUT TEN PEOPLE WHO ORGANIZED THIS SYMPOSIUM. AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOME WORDS? HI. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. I COME TO YOU AS A VOLUNTEER TODAY, NOT AS A COUNTY STAFF NECESSARILY. LAST YEAR I ATTENDED THE PEACE SYMPOSIUM. IT WAS MY FIRST YEAR AND I WAS SO IMPRESSED AND LEFT SO MOTIVATED THAT WHEN MISS LAURIE ASKED ME TO JOIN THEIR PLANNING GROUP, I SAID, YES, OF COURSE. AND SO THAT HAS BEEN MY VOLUNTEERING VENTURE FOR THIS YEAR, ALONG WITH ITS 12 ON THE PLANNING COMMITTEE, AND WE WORKED ALL YEAR LONG. AND IT'S A REAL TESTAMENT TO THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER FOR PEACE, TO BE IN THAT ROOM WITH SUCH A DIVERSE GROUP FROM ALL OVER, ALL WALKS. BUT YET COMING TOGETHER FOR PEACE WAS VERY INSPIRING. SO IT'S A TESTAMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THE SPIRIT OF VOLUNTEERISM OVERALL. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS. WELL, THANK, THANK, THANK YOU BOTH FOR FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING AND AND ALLOWING ME TO BE PART OF THIS RESOLUTION. AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING ON THIS SYMPOSIUM. WE NEED TO WE NEED TO DO SO MUCH MORE WHEN IT COMES TO BEING PEACEFUL AND PROMOTING PEACE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY AND THIS WORLD. SO IT STARTS. IT STARTS WITH YOU. THANK YOU. TAKE A PICTURE.

JUDGE. JUDGE SAMANIEGO HAD TO HAD TO LEAVE AND HE LEFT ME IN CHARGE. AND SO I THINK WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE, MOVE DOWN THE DOWN TO THE NEXT RESOLUTIONS THAT ARE. COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER FIVE. L APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING OCTOBER AS DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG MORNING, BUT THESE ARE ALL SUCH WONDERFUL RESOLUTIONS AND WE'RE GLAD THAT THAT Y'ALL ARE ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY. SO THIS RESOLUTION IS VERY SPECIAL. AND THANK YOU, PRISCILLA AND SOPHIA AND EVERYONE WHO IS HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION. AND I KNOW WE'LL HEAR SOME MORE ABOUT A VERY SPECIAL ACTIVITY THAT IS COMING UP THAT I HOPE AS MANY OF US AS POSSIBLE CAN PARTICIPATE IN. BUT I'LL READ THE RESOLUTION AND THEN PASS IT OVER TO YOU, PRISCILLA. WHEREAS 1 IN 700 BABIES BORN IN THE UNITED STATES IS BORN WITH DOWN SYNDROME, AND WHEREAS EL PASO COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST BIRTH RATE OF DOWN SYNDROME IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND WHEREAS PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME ARE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN

[02:35:03]

WE HAVE PARTNERED UP WITH. EVERY LITTLE BLESSINGS AS WELL. IS A SCHOOL THAT SOPHIA WENT TO WHEN SHE STARTED, AND THAT STARTED OFF FROM OUR INITIATIVES AS WELL. WE CONTINUE TO PROMOTE INITIATIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR OUR DOWN SYNDROME COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY FOR THE YOUNG ONES, BUT ALSO FOR THE OLDER ONES, WHICH ARE BOOK CLUB IS FOCUSED ON 18 AND OVER. WE'RE STARTING OUR ACTION CLUB WHERE CONTINUING TO WORK ON MAYBE PODCASTS, WEBINARS JUST FOR MORE COMMUNITY AWARENESS. WE RECENTLY PARTNERED UP WITH UTEP TO BE HAVE SOME INTERNS, MORE INTERNS. WE HAVE A SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS THAT COME ON AND HELP US. WE HAVE THE OUT OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, AND WE ARE NOW PARTNERING UP WITH THE SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT TO BRING MORE INITIATIVES. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND INVITE EVERYBODY TO THE BUDDY WALK. WE STILL HAVE PLENTY OF SUPPORT OPEN FOR EVERYBODY TO VOLUNTEER, TO ALSO PARTICIPATE IN TEAMS AS WELL AS IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, YOU GO ON TO OUR DOWN SYNDROME COALITION WEBSITE. THERE'S A PLEDGET AND WE ARE INVITING ALL OF COMMUNITY TO PLEASE SUPPORT OUR OUR INITIATIVE BECAUSE IT DOES SUPPORT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY SCHOLARSHIPS, AS WELL AS ANY INITIATIVES THAT WE ARE STARTING. AND WE DO WANT TO BECOME A BIGGER, BIGGER FACE OF COMMUNITY AS A RESOURCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. AND I HAVE JIM, JIM HANEY HERE FROM EL PASO COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WHO IS OUR MARKETING FROM EL PASO COMMUNITY COLLEGE. AND WE ALSO HAVE JENNA, WHO IS ALSO A PARENT. OH, I HAVE TO SHARE ALL ALL OF OUR PARENTS WHO SIT ON THE BOARD, WHO DO EVERYTHING, VOLUNTEER. AND WE ALL HAVE PARENT CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME. AND ALSO DOCTOR BOSS IS ONE OF THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT HAS STARTED ORIGINALLY WITH US. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HANEY. DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING OR DOCTOR BOSS? OKAY. HI. GOOD MORNING. EL PASO COMMUNITY COLLEGE STARTED THE BUDDY WALK IN 2010, AND WE'RE SO GLAD THAT IT HAS GROWN AND GROWN AND GROWN 15 YEARS THIS YEAR. AND WE LOVE TO BE PART OF

[02:40:09]

OKAY.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE, M A AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING LA TAPATIA INCORPORATED FOR ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE WITH US. THIS IS

[M. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing La Tapatia, Inc. for its 75th Anniversary in El Paso County, Texas. Iliana Holguin, Commissioner, Precinct 3, 915-273-3594]

[02:45:05]

AND WHEREAS, IN 1994, ALICIA CHACON SOLD THE BUSINESS TO HER SISTER ESTHER ROSENKRANZ, WHO ALONG WITH HER SISTER BERTHA MONTES, VICE PRESERVE THE AUTHENTICITY AND WARMTH THAT DEFINED LA TAPATIA OVER DECADES. AND WHEREAS IN 2020, LAURA M ROSENKRANZ, DAUGHTER OF ESTHER ROSENKRANZ, INHERITED THE BUSINESS AS WELL AS HER MOTHER'S SPIRIT AND DEVOTION TO CONTINUING THE SUCCESS OF THIS FAMILY ENTERPRISE. AND WHEREAS LA TAPATIA SIGNATURE STONEMILL GROUND CORN FOR TORTILLAS AND TAMALES, AS WELL AS TRADITIONALLY PREPARED INGREDIENTS SUCH AS NIXTAMAL AND STONEMILL, GROUND CHILI, COLORADO CONTINUE TO BE ITS DISTINGUISHING HALLMARK AND SOURCE OF PRIDE. AND WHEREAS, IN RECOGNITION AND GRATITUDE TO ITS EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR PASSION, DEVOTION, AND SERVICE TO TRADITIONALLY CRAFTED MEXICAN FOOD PRODUCTS WHICH ARE RENOWNED THROUGHOUT THE EL PASO COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS, IN DEEP APPRECIATION TO ITS INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMERS, BUSINESSES AND INSTITUTIONS WHOSE LOYAL PATRONAGE HAS SUPPORTED AND SUSTAINED THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF LA TAPATIA, INC. FOR THE LAST 75 YEARS, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT, IN CELEBRATION OF ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY, DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2025 AS LA TAPATIA, INC. DAY. IN OFFICIAL RECOGNITION THEREOF, THE COMMISSIONERS COURT HEREBY AFFIXES THEIR SIGNATURES THIS SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2025, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT. THE VOTING IS OPEN. JUDGE SAMANIEGO, COMMISSIONER CORONADO, ARE ABSENT. THE MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. LAURA, ARE YOU UP FIRST? YEAH. FIRSTLY.

THANK YOU. I'M LAURA ROSENKRANZ. I'M HERE REPRESENTING OUR FAMILY AND OUR OUR BELOVED EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS AND OUR COMMUNITY. SO IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE. THANK YOU. I HAVE A LITTLE FEW WORDS WRITTEN. WE EXTEND OUR DEEPEST AND MOST SINCERE THANK YOU TO ALL OUR LOYAL PATRONS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED LA TAPATIA, INC. THROUGHOUT 75 YEARS SINCE OPENING OUR DOORS IN 1950. YOUR CONTINUED TRUST AND LOVE FOR OUR FOOD, OUR FAMILY, AND OUR TRADITIONS HAVE BEEN THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SUCCESS. WHETHER YOU'VE STOPPED FOR A DOZEN TAMALES, FRESH TORTILLAS, OR SIMPLY SHARE A SMILE, YOU'VE BECOME PART OF OUR STORY AND WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL TO OUR INCREDIBLE EMPLOYEES, PAST AND PRESENT. YOUR DEDICATION. HARD WORK. HEART. SORRY. I LOST IT. MY TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. MAKE IT. OKAY. WE'LL. I'LL READ IT FROM HERE. TO OUR INCREDIBLE EMPLOYEES, PAST AND PRESENT. YOUR DEDICATION, HEART AND HARD WORK HAVE MADE LA TAPATIA MORE THAN JUST A RESTAURANT. YOU'VE POURED YOUR SOUL INTO EVERY TORTILLA, EVERY TAMALE, AND EVERY WARM GREETING. YOUR COMMITMENT TO QUALITY AND COMMUNITY HAS HELPED KEEP THE SPIRIT OF LA TAPATIA ALIVE FOR GENERATIONS. FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEART, OUR HEART. WE THANK YOU FOR HELPING US PRESERVE THE FLAVOR, THE CULTURE, AND THE LEGACY OF LA TAPATIA. THANK YOU, THANK YOU CARLA. MY NAME IS CARLA MONSIVAIS. HAS BEEN IN OUR FAMILY WAY BEFORE I WAS EVEN AROUND. BUT ANYONE WHO'S EVER TAKEN PART IN EITHER MANAGING OR OWNING A SMALL BUSINESS KNOWS THAT IT TAKES A LOT. IT TAKES A LOT. THERE'S A LOT OF JOY IN IT, AND THERE'S A LOT OF LABOR. IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE, FOR SURE, AND WE'RE JUST PROUD TO BE THE KEEPERS OF THIS FLAME THAT WE INTEND TO KEEP GOING FOR 75 MORE YEARS, AND HOPEFULLY EVEN MORE THAN THAT. BUT WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS WONDERFUL RECOGNITION.

AS LAURA MENTIONED, OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR CUSTOMERS, ALL THE VENDORS THAT WORK WITH US, OUR FELLOW BUSINESSES AROUND US BECAUSE WE WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY ALIVE AND BOOMING. BUT WE ALSO LIKE TO, MORE THAN ANYTHING. THANK GOD FOR KEEPING TAPATIA IN HIS HANDS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE DAYS. THE 75 YEARS, BECAUSE IT SURE DOES. WE SURE DO NEED HIS

[02:50:01]

HONORING THE HERITAGE OF PEACE, OF JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WELL, I'M ACTUALLY KIND OF GLAD THAT COMMISSIONER CORONADO IS NOT HERE TODAY, BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE HAD WORDS ABOUT WHO HAS THE BEST TAMALES IN EL PASO COUNTY. BUT I AM HERE TO SAY UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT IT IS LA TAPATIA THAT HAS THE BEST TAMALES IN EL PASO COUNTY. SO I'M A VERY HUGE FAN MYSELF. GOOD. ALL RIGHT. OUR CITY IS BLESSED WITH INCREDIBLE GOURMET FOOD. IT JUST REALLY IS. YES, YES. WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE YSLETA COMMUNITY AND FOR YOUR FAMILY, ALWAYS SHOWING US HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO GIVE BACK TO THAT COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU ALL. IF WE COULD HAVE YOU ALL COME UP AND WE CAN TAKE A PHOTO.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE N APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2025 AS MASSING OF THE COLORS DAY IN EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS. OKAY, I KNOW I

[N. Approve and adopt a resolution recognizing September 22, 2025, as” Massing of the Colors Day“, in El Paso County, Texas. Sergio Coronado, Commissioner, Precinct 4, 915-273-3596]

[02:55:04]

OKAY. SO DO WE WANT TO DO WE WANT TO BREAK FOR LUNCH? I KNOW THAT WE HAVE ITEM 77A DO WE WANT TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE BREAK FOR LUNCH? IT'S UP TO THE COURT.

I DO BELIEVE SOME OF THE MEMBERS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT HAVE LEFT BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE AFTER LUNCH. OKAY, BUT THERE MAY BE MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE WHO'D LIKE TO COMMENT NOW. OKAY, WE COULD DO IT NOW. AND AFTER LUNCH, IF YOU'D LIKE. WE STILL HAVE TO DO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT TOO AS WELL, RIGHT? CORRECT? YES. RIGHT. WE'LL TAKE TAKE ME A FEW MINUTES TO SET UP SO WE CAN WE CAN DO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE BREAK FOR LUNCH, AND THEN WE'LL BREAK FOR LUNCH AND WE'LL TAKE THIS ITEM AND, AND SO THAT WAY THE FOLKS THAT HAVE LEFT WILL HAVE TIME TO COME BACK AND AND BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE. PERFECT. OKAY.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE ME A FEW MINUTES. OKAY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE FOLKS HERE FOR ITEM SEVEN? A THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT HE NEEDS TO SET UP THERE. WE WEREN'T READY FOR IT. SO CAESAR HE'S SAYING LET COMMENTS ON 7AB AFTER LUNCH OKAY. BUT GENERAL IF THEY SIGNED UP TO COMMENT IN GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, HE'D DO THAT ONE. NOW WE HAVE WE HAVE WE DON'T. IS ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN REGULAR PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY. WE HAVE PEOPLE ONLINE

[03:00:05]

OKAY. THE FIRST ONE IS ELIZABETH CRAWFORD. OKAY. ITEM NUMBER SIX IS PUBLIC COMMENT.

OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MRS. ELIZABETH CRAWFORD. I'D JUST LIKE TO REMIND SPEAKERS THAT PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES. EVERYBODY IS BEING TIMED. THANK YOU, MISS CRAWFORD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOD'S WORD. THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE IN ROMANS CHAPTER ONE, FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERYONE THAT BELIEVES TO THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO TO THE GREEK TO THE GENTILE. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT THIS PAST WEEKEND, THE MEMORIAL SERVICE THAT PROBABLY MOST OF US WATCHED IN THE 1970S AND 1980S. A GROUP GOT TOGETHER TO FORM WHAT WAS CALLED THE MORAL MAJORITY, SPEARHEADED BY A GROUP OF TELEVANGELISTS AND EVANGELICALS.

THEY SOUGHT TO MERGE IN OTHERS TO FORM A LARGE CONSERVATIVE VOTING BLOC. THEY INDEED SUCCEEDED IN THEIR GOAL. I WAS A CHILD AT THE TIME, AND I CLEARLY REMEMBER OUR THEN PRESIDENT, RONALD REAGAN, AND HIS DECLARATION, 1983 IS THE YEAR OF THE BIBLE. EVANGELICALS, FOR THE MOST PART, WERE EXCITED AND ALMOST GIDDY THAT THE LEADER OF OUR NATION WAS ENDORSING THE EVANGELICAL AGENDA. MY DAD, WHO OFTEN STOOD AGAINST THE CROWD OUT OF CONSCIENCE, ONCE AGAIN, WAS COMPELLED TO TAKE A STAND WHEN OUR LITTLE CHURCH IN MY HOMETOWN, WHERE MY DAD WAS A LEADER, THEY HAD PREPARED PACKETS TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH OUR CITY, ADORNED WITH THE LITERATURE AND DECLARATION THAT 1983 IS DECLARED THE YEAR OF THE BIBLE. MY DAD STOOD UP AND SPOKE OUT, WE HAVE NO BUSINESS ENTWINING OURSELVES WITH THIS MOVEMENT. IT'S AN ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT, BROADLY INCLUSIVE OF OTHERS WHO DO NOT PREACH THE GOSPEL. NO, NO, A THOUSAND TIMES NO. MY DAD SAID. IN OUR LITTLE CHURCH IN OUR DAY, SOME OF US HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH SOMETHING SIMILAR WITH THE MAGA MOVEMENT, AS ALMOST ALL OF US WATCHED A GOOD, PROBABLY WATCHED A GOOD CHUNK OF CHARLIE KIRK'S MEMORIAL SERVICE.

YESTERDAY I WAS MOVED TO BOTH REJOICING AND GRIEVING. ON THE ONE HAND, I WAS VERY CONCERNED AT HOW CLOSELY CHRISTIANS WERE ALIGNING THEMSELVES WITH NON-CHRISTIANS TO THE POINT THAT NON-CHRISTIANS WERE POSING AS CHRISTIANS AND QUOTING ALL THESE BIBLE VERSES. IT'S VERY, VERY DANGEROUS AS IT MUDDIES THE WATERS OF THE CLARITY OF GOD'S WORD AT THE SAME TIME, AND TAKE DEEP COMFORT IN THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD OVER IT ALL. AND THE APOSTLE PAUL SAY HE ALSO HAD BOTH TYPES OF PEOPLE WORKING TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL, THOSE WHO GENUINELY LOVE CHRIST, AND THOSE WHO HAD JUMPED ON THE BANDWAGON FOR SELFISH MOTIVES. PAUL WROTE THESE WORDS WHETHER IN PRETENSE OR IN TRUTH, CHRIST IS PREACHED, AND THEREIN I REJOICE. YEA, AND I WILL REJOICE. USA TODAY TELLS US THAT SEVERAL WEEKS BACK, OUR PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, REFERRING TO HIS ATTEMPTS TO END THE RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR, MADE THE STATEMENT THAT IF HE

[6. PUBLIC COMMENT]

[03:05:07]

GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. COMMISSIONERS, I WANT TO PREFACE MY COMMENT BY SIMPLY BY SIMPLY SAYING THAT I WAS NOT PARTICULARLY A FAN OF CHARLIE KIRK. I DID WATCH ENOUGH OF HIS FULL DEBATES TO HAVE A FAIRLY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF HIS POSITIONS ON MANY OF THE TOPICS, AND I'M JUST HERE TO EXPRESS MY DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT WITH COMMISSIONER STOUT'S REMARKS DURING LAST WEEK'S PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION ABOUT CHARLIE KIRK. WHILE I APPRECIATE THE COMMISSIONER OFFERING CONDOLENCES TO MR. KIRK'S FAMILY, WHICH I THINK WE CAN ALL SHARE, HIS CHARACTERIZATION OF MR. KIRK AS SOMEONE WHO PROFITED FROM HATEFUL IDEOLOGY WAS, IN MY VIEW, VERY SHORTSIGHTED, UNFAIR, AND IT DOESN'T REFLECT THE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES OF HIS CONSTITUENTS. THIS CHARACTERIZATION ALIENATES EL PASO RESIDENTS WHO BELIEVE IN CHARLIE KIRK'S MISSION AND VIEWS. AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL COMMISSIONER STOUT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO MODEL INFORMED AND RESPECTFUL DISCOURSE, AND I BELIEVE HIS COMMENTS FELL SHORT OF THAT STANDARD. CHARLIE KIRK WAS A FIGURE WHO TOOK VERY STRONG STANCES ON POLARIZING TOPICS.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. AS A FOUNDER OF TURNING POINT USA, HE BUILT A PLATFORM ENGAGING MILLIONS ON ISSUES LIKE FREE SPEECH, ECONOMIC POLICY AND CULTURAL VALUES. HIS CHANGE MY MIND CAMPUS EVENTS INVITED OPEN DEBATE, ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE TO CHALLENGE IDEAS DIRECTLY, A PRACTICE I BELIEVE OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD VALUE. YET, COMMISSIONER STOUT'S ASSESSMENT SEEMS TO RELY ON SHORT 10 TO 30 SECOND SOCIAL MEDIA CLIPS, WHICH OFTEN STRIP AWAY VITAL CONTEXT. KIRK'S FULL DEBATES, AVAILABLE ON PLATFORMS LIKE YOUTUBE, SHOW HIM ENGAGING WITH DIVERSE VIEWPOINTS, EVEN WHEN CONTROVERSIAL, REDUCING HIS CAREER TO HATEFUL IDEOLOGY IGNORES THIS BROADER CONTEXT AND DISMISSES THE THOUSANDS OF EL PASOANS WHO, LIKE ME, SEE VALUE IN HIS CALL FOR OPEN DIALOG. I ACKNOWLEDGE THE TOPICS MR. KIRK DISCUSSED WERE CONTROVERSIAL, HIS COMMENTS ON IMMIGRATION, OR EVEN HIS CRITIQUES ON DEI PROGRAMS SPARKED STRONG CRITICISM. BUT JUDGING HIM SOLELY ON SOUNDBITES RISKS OVERSIMPLIFYING A VERY COMPLEX FIGURE. THESE ARE TOUGH ISSUES WE NEED TO TALK THROUGH TO FIND SOLUTIONS. HIS CHALLENGING DEBATE STYLE ON SUCH ISSUES FOSTERED CRITICAL DISCOURSE OUR SOCIETY NEEDS MORE OF. HE DIDN'T HATE THOSE HE DISAGREED WITH THAT WHO DISAGREED WITH HIS BELIEFS. RATHER, HE SOUGHT TO PERSUADE HIS OPPONENTS TO LIVE BETTER LIVES. HE WANTED TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE RECOGNIZE DYSFUNCTIONAL THOUGHTS IN THEIR OWN LIVES SO THEY COULD LIVE HAPPIER, MORE FULFILLING ONES. HIS ESTIMATED 12 MILLION NET WORTH, BUILT THROUGH TPUSA SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AND MEDIA, REFLECTS HIS ABILITY TO MOBILIZE A CONSERVATIVE BASE NOT, AS SOME MIGHT CLAIM, A DIRECT PRODUCT OF WHITE SUPREMACIST SYSTEMS. THERE'S NO EVIDENCE TIES HIS INCOME EXPLICITLY TO WHITE SUPREMACIST SYSTEMS OR GROUPS, AND SUGGESTING OTHERWISE WITHOUT PROOF IS NOT ONLY UNFAIR, IT'S ABSURD. A FULLER EXAMINATION OF HIS WORK, INCLUDING HOURS LONG DEBATES OF FREE SPEECH OR ECONOMIC POLICY, REVEALS A COMMITMENT TO IDEAS THAT DESERVES MORE THAN SNAP JUDGMENTS. AS A RESIDENT OF EL PASO COUNTY, I EXPECT OUR LEADERS TO REPRESENT ALL OF US, NOT JUST THOSE WHO SHARE THEIR VIEWS. COMMISSIONER STOUT'S REMARKS DO NOT SPEAK FOR ME, OR MANY OTHERS WHO VALUE FAIRNESS AND CONTEXT IN PUBLIC DISCOURSE. EL PASO IS A DIVERSE COMMUNITY, STRENGTHENED BY RESPECTFUL DISAGREEMENT, NOT DIVISION, FUELED BY INCOMPLETE PORTRAYALS.

WHEN AN ELECTED OFFICIAL MAKES SUCH POINTED CRITIQUES IN A PUBLIC FORUM, ESPECIALLY DURING A MOMENT OF CONDOLENCE, IT UNDERMINES OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO UNITY AND UNDERSTANDING. I URGE COMMISSIONER STOUT TO RECONSIDER HIS APPROACH AND ENGAGE WITH THE FULL SCOPE OF A PUBLIC FIGURES WORK BEYOND SOCIAL MEDIA SNIPPETS BEFORE PASSING JUDGMENT. I ALSO ASK THIS COURT TO FOSTER DIALOG THAT REFLECTS THE COMPLEXITY OF PUBLIC FIGURES AND ISSUES, RATHER THAN PERPETUATING POLARIZED NARRATIVES. LET'S MODEL THE KIND OF DISCOURSE THAT ENCOURAGES EL PASOANS TO ENGAGE THOUGHTFULLY, SEEK CONTEXT, AND RESPECT DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES. I BELIEVE WE CAN DO BETTER TO HONOR OUR COMMUNITY'S VALUES OF FAIRNESS AND INCLUSION. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS AFTERNOON. COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT COMPLETES ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND RECESS FOR LUNCH. COME BACK AT

[03:10:02]

[03:18:11]

THEN YOU YANK ON THE LINE, GET THE HOOK SET IN THEIR MOUTH, BUT YOU GOTTA 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

[03:20:01]

UNO DE LOS TESOROS MAS GRANDES DEL PASO Y ES EL PARQUE ASCARATE MUCHAS PERSONAS POR SENTADO ENTRE SUS INMENSA VERDE DECENAS DE ACTIVIDADES Y RINCONES. QUÉ NO TE ACABAS EN UN SOLO DIA? ES LA MANERA PERFECTA DE ARRANCAR ESTA AVENTURA MAS DE CUATROCIENTOS DIVERSION EL PARQUE MAS GRANDE DEL CONDADO DE EL PASO Y LO MEJOR EN VERANO DE CINCO MEDIA A M A PM, SIN PRE-TEXTOS EMPIEZA EL VERANO ESTA ALBERCA OLIMPICA DE CINCUENTA METROS TIENE. TOBOGGANS Y VOLLEYBALL. DESDE CATORCE DE JUNIO DE CUATRO PM DE SEMANA DE DOS CINCO TAMBIÉN OFRECEN CLASE DE HORARIOS FLEXIBLES PARA TENGAN TODOS TENGAN OPORTUNIDAD DE APRENDER CON COMPANEROS DE SU NIVEL Y DE SU EDAD PADRES DE FAMILIA CREAM. CUANDO LES DIGO FUE UNA CLASE DE NATACION, LA ENERGIA DE SUS PECKS ENCANTADOS Y POR QUÉ ES COMO SE DORMIR? TOQUE ESPECIALES LLEVARLOS DESPUÉS POR PIZZA Y ESO SUFICIENTE NO OBSTANTE EL AGUA PARA TODOS LA CANTIDAD DE BENEFICIOS, TANTO FISICOS COMO MENTALES ES ENORME EL MOVIMIENTO DEL AGUA. EL SONIDO DEL AGUA ES PARA EMPEZAR LA. TRANSPARENCIA EL COLOR DE LA TEXTURE BUENO EL AGUA CU LES PUEDO DECIR ES ES NUESTRO AMBIENTE. ESTE VERANO. PUEDES VIVIR LA FANTASIA DE MICHAEL PHELPS O VIENE DE LA CINTA. DESPUÉS DE QUEDAN ENERGIES EN LA RENTA. UNA VIDA POR $6 AL DIA RAPIDO NO JUZGAR LA MITAD CON ESTAS VECES. NUNCA SE TE VA A ESCAPAR EL CARRITO DE LAS NIEVES. MICKEY'S ICE CREAM VIENE TODAS LAS TARDES Y ENCONTRADO ES PAN COMIDO ES LA GENTE ESCUCHAR. LA MUSICA Y NOS BUSCA Y BUENO AL MENOS CON LOS FRENOS SI FUNCIONAN. VISTO TODO AGARRATE PORQUE NACI PARA TI TAMBIÉN HAY CANCION PARA PRACTICAR CUALQUIER DEPORTE. AQUI NO QUIERE HACER NADA. SIMPLEMENTE NOS SALE. PERO AQUI MUCHAS PARTES SON DIVERTIRSE. COMO UN MAGNATE. UN COUNTRY CLUB, EL GRAN CAMPO DE GOLF DE ASCARATE. ESTE LUGAR VEINTISIETE HOYOS Y CLASES PARA TODOS LOS NIVELES. DE ASCARATE HABIA PURO CAMARON DE SOPA INSTANTANEO ESTAS MUY EQUIVOCADO, PUES ENCONTRAR DESDE CATFISH CARPA LA PAZ, LA LOBINA CONSIGUE TO LICENCIA APROBAR TU SUERTE, CEE LO TUYO ES RELACION CON UNA CANA PARA MI LA JOYA DE LA CORONA DEL PARQUE ASCARATE ES ESTE INMENSO

[03:25:02]

[03:35:01]

[03:35:06]

THEN YOU YANK ON THE LINE AND GET THE HOOK SET IN THEIR MOUTH. BUT YOU GOTTA 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.

MAS GRANDES DEL PASO Y ES EL PARQUE ASCARATE MUCHAS PERSONAS POR SENTADO ENTRE SUS INMENSA VERDE DEZENAS DE ACTIVIDADES Y RINCONES. QUÉ NO TE ACABAS EN UN SOLO DIA? ES LA MANERA PERFECTA DE ARRANCAR ESTA AVENTURA MAS DE CUATROCIENTOS EN EL MAS GRANDE DEL CONDADO DE EL PASO Y LO MEJOR EN VERANO DE 5 A.M. 8 P.M. SIN PRE-TEXTOS EL VERANO ESTA ALBERCA OLIMPICA DE CINCUENTA METROS TIENE DOS. TOBOGGANS Y VOLLEYBALL DESDE EL CATORCE DE JUNIO DE DOS CUATRO PM DE SEMANA DE DOS CINCO TAMBIÉN OFRECEN CLASES DE NATACION CON HORARIOS FLEXIBLES PARA TENGAN TODOS TIENE UNA OPORTUNIDAD DE APRENDER CON COMPANEROS DE SU NIVEL Y DE SU EDAD PADRES DE FAMILIA CREAN. CUANDO LES DIGO FUE UNA CLASE DE NATACION, LA ENERGIA DE SUS PECKS ENCANTADOS. POR QUÉ ES COMO SE EL TOQUE ESPECIALES LLEVARLOS DESPUÉS POR ESO SUFICIENTE NO OBSTANTE EL AGUA ES PARA TODOS LA CANTIDAD DE

[03:40:04]

[03:51:51]

[03:51:56]

AND 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 GOTTA 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.

[03:55:41]

DESPUÉS DE QUEDAN ENERGIES. UN PASEO DE LA ORIENTA. UNA HYBRIDA POR $6 AL DIA. BAR RAPIDO Y NO JUZGAR LA MITAD CON ESTAS VICES. NUNCA SE TE VA ESCAPAR EL CARRITO DE LAS NIEVES. MICKEY'S ICE CREAM VIENE TODAS LAS TARDES Y ENCONTRAR COMIDO ES LA GENTE ESCUCHA LA MUSICA Y NO BUSCA Y BUENO AL MENOS CON LOS NINOS. SI FUNCIONAN. HABIAS VISTO TODO PORQUE TAMBIÉN HAY CANCION PARA PRACTICAR CUALQUIER DEPORTE OCURRA AQUI NO QUIERE HACER NADA. SIMPLEMENTE NOS SALE POR AQUI MUCHAS PARTES SON DIVERTIRSE. COMO UN MAGNATE SIN UN COUNTRY CLUB. EL GRAN CAMPO DE GOLF DE ASCARATE. ESTE LUGAR DE HOYOS Y CLASES PARA TODOS LOS NIVELES. DE ASCARATE PURO CAMARON DE SOPA INSTANTANEO ESTAS MUY EQUIVOCADO, PUES ENCONTRAR DESDE CATFISH CARPA LA PAZ, LA LLUVIA LICENCIA APROBAR TO SUERTE, CEE LO TUYO ES RELAJAR CON UNA CANA PARA MI LA JOYA DE LA CORONA DEL PARQUE. ASCARATE ES ESTE INMENSO LLEGO DONDE PUEDES PESCAR Y POR SUPUESTO, DISFRUTAR DE UNA MARIDO Y DORADO ATARDECER CLARO LAS MEJORES AVENTURAS ESTAN MAS CERCA DE LO PENSAMOS NOS VEMOS EN LA PROXIMA PARADA. YO SOY MIGUEL CONTRERAS DE NOTICIAS 26. REPORTER, FAVORITO. REPORTER. FAVORITO.

[04:08:42]

[04:08:47]

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, GET THE HOOK SET IN YOUR MOUTH, BUT YOU GOTTA TROUT. IT IS KIND OF HARD FISHING FOR TROUT. LIKE THAT. YEAH. THERE HE GOES. WELL, THE LARGE ONE, THE LARGEST ONE

[04:10:24]

MAS GRANDES DEL PASO Y ES EL PARQUE ASCARATE MUCHAS PERSONAS LO TOMAN POR SENTADO ENTRE SUS VERDES DECENAS DE ACTIVIDADES Y RINCONES. QUÉ NO TE ACABAS EN UN SOLO DIA? ES LA MANERA PERFECTA DE ARRANCAR ESTA AVENTURA MAS DE CUATROCIENTOS EN EL PARQUE MAS GRANDE DEL CONDADO DE EL PASO Y LO MEJOR EN VERANO DE CINCO A M A SIN PRE-TEXTOS ES EL VERANO ESTA ALBERCA OLIMPICA DE CINCUENTA METROS TIENE. TOBOGGANS Y VOLLEYBALL ABRE DESDE ESTE CATORCE DE JUNIO, LUNES A CUATRO PM. DE SEMANA DE DOS CINCO TAMBIÉN OFRECEN CLASES DE NATACION CON HORARIOS FLEXIBLES. TENGAN TODOS TIENE UNA OPORTUNIDAD DE APRENDER A NADAR CON COMPANEROS DE SU NIVEL Y DE CIUDAD PADRES DE FAMILIA CREAM.

CUANDO LES DIGO FUE UNA CLASE DE NATACION, LA ENERGIA DE SUS PECKS ENCANTADOS. POR QUÉ ES COMAN Y SE VAYAN A DORMIR? TOQUE ESPECIALES LLEVARLOS DESPUÉS POR ESO SARA SUFICIENTE NO OBSTANTE EL AGUA ES PARA TODOS LA CANTIDAD DE BENEFICIOS, TANTO FISICOS COMO ES ENORME EL MOVIMIENTO DE LA AGUA. EL SONIDO DEL AGUA ES PARA EMPEZAR LA. TRANSPARENCIA EL COLOR DE LA TEXTURE BUENO EL AGUA. LES PUEDO DECIR ES ES NUESTRO AMBIENTE. ES DE VERANO PUEDE VER LA FANTASIA DE MICHAEL PHELPS O VIENE DE LA CINTA. GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS RECONVENED INTO REGULAR OPEN SESSION. IT IS 1:44 P.M. WE ARE ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. A COUNTY ADMINISTRATION DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION PERTAINING TO HB 718 AND THE COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE. OKAY, JUST REAL QUICK. THE JUDGE IS BACK AND ALSO WANT THE RECORD TO

[A. Discuss and take appropriate action pertaining to HB718 (88th Session) and the County Tax Assessor's Office. Betsy C. Keller, Chief Administrator, County Administration, 915-273-3600]

[04:15:01]

BY DOING SO, YOU WILL NOT ONLY HELP STABILIZE AN INDUSTRY THAT EMPLOYS THOUSANDS, BUT IT ALSO PROTECTS THE FINANCIAL HEALTH FOR THE COUNTY ITSELF. WE ARE HERE IN GOOD FAITH, COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH YOU TOWARDS A SOLUTION THAT BENEFITS BOTH THE DEALER COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE OF EL PASO. THANK YOU AND FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. NEXT WE HAVE MR. LUIS FIERRO. WELCOME. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I'M HERE TRYING TO BE THE VOICE OF MANY OF OUR PARTNERS THAT ARE HERE.

WE LIKE MR. EDUARDO AND I SAID WE LIMITED THIS SO WE WOULD ENCROACH YOUR COURT. EVERY EVERY DEALER HERE, WE ALL FACE THE SAME SITUATION. WE'RE HAVING PROBLEMS. AND THE WAY WE CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS ON A DAILY BASIS, US IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING INSIGNIFICANT AS NOT BEING ABLE TO OBTAIN THE REGISTRATION AND THE STICKER TO THE VEHICLE, BUT FOR US, IT'S A MAJOR IMPACT.

EVERY DEALER BEHIND ME HAS A PAPER WITH A NUMBER. THIS IS THE NUMBER. AND EVERYBODY PLEASE SHOW YOUR NUMBER. THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S ON OUR BANK ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO THE CITY FOR TAXES. ME ALONE IS $6,957. I HAVE TWO DEALERS HERE WITH A MAJOR IMPACT. 134,101 66, $9,000. OVER THERE. I HAVE $201,000 IN MR. TORRES'S ACCOUNT. THAT MONEY IS MONEY THAT IS BELONGS TO THE CITY, AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SURRENDER IT IN A TIMELY MANNER. NOT ONLY THAT, WE WE DON'T GET THE REGISTRATION ON TIME. WE ALSO GET A 5% FEE ADDED TO THIS. TO THIS AMOUNT, 5% OF $200,000 OF $100,000 IN LATE FEES IS A LOT OF MONEY.

WE'VE LOST THREE BUSINESS PARTNERS ALREADY. WE LOST. WE LOST CONTINENTAL MOTORS AND EL

[04:20:01]

IT'S A LOAD THAT THEY CAN'T THEY THEY CAN'T WORK ON. SO WE PLEASE ASK YOU TO PLEASE RECONSIDER THE HELP TO THE TO THE TAX COLLECTORS ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM? MR. GONZALEZ? IF YOU'D LIKE. OR WE COULD GO INTO EXECUTIVE OR EITHER WAY. YEAH, I JUST WANT TO YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN VERY I'VE BEEN VERY PUBLIC ABOUT HOW IMPRESSED I AM WITH THE PROFESSIONALISM AND THE PATIENCE. AND, I MEAN, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH, BUT I'M JUST VERY IMPRESSED HOW YOU'VE TRIED TO WORK WITH US AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO, TO SOLVE THIS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I COULD SAY. THIS IS ONLY IN EL PASO. I THINK WE WOULD HAVE THIS KIND OF A LIKE I GOT INTERVIEWED AND THEY SAID THAT THE DEALERS WERE PROTESTING AND I SAID, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO ME IT'S, HEY, WE WANT TO WORK THIS OUT. WE WANT TO GET TO THE DETAILS. AND BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THE COMMUNITY TO THINK THAT THAT NOT KNOW EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE IN YOUR SITE, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN ON OUR SIDE. BUT I THINK COMING TOGETHER IS GOING TO BE VERY, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SOLVE THINGS. BUT MR. GONZALEZ, YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND. YES, SIR. THANK YOU, JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS RUBEN GONZALEZ AND I SERVE AS COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR. I HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS TO MAKE, BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY KIND OF SHARED THIS WITH YOU IN THE PAST, BUT I WANT TO GO BACK TO A WEEK AGO TODAY. I CAME BEFORE YOU LAST MONDAY, AND I REPORTED TO YOU THAT OVER THE PREVIOUS WEEKEND I HAD 18 TRAINED CLERKS WORK ON SATURDAY, AND WE ALREADY HAD IN THE QUEUE OVER 5000 TRANSACTIONS. WE HAD LIKE 5800 TRANSACTIONS IN THE QUEUE THAT I COULD NOT WORK. THAT CREW OF MINE ON THAT ONE DAY. THEY WORKED OVER 1700 TRANSACTIONS. WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME UNTIL THIS WEEK FOR THAT ONE DAY OF COLLECTIONS, I COLLECTED $2.2 MILLION FOR THOSE 1700 TRANSACTIONS. MAJORITY OF THAT MONEY IS SALES TAX MONEY THAT GOES TO THE STATE, BUT IT ALSO IS MONEY THAT EVENTUALLY COMES BACK TO US IMMEDIATELY OR A YEAR LATER, BECAUSE FOR EVERY EVERY SALES TAX COLLECTION THAT THAT I GET, WE KEEP AT THE END OF THE DAY, 5 MILLION, 5%, EXCUSE ME, 5% OF THAT AMOUNT. AND THE LAST 2 OR 3 YEARS, THE COMMISSION FOR THAT, THAT

[04:25:03]

BEXAR COUNTY IS WAY BEHIND. TRAVIS COUNTY IS WAY BEHIND. SO WE'RE NOT ALONE. BUT THEY'RE ALL HAVING TROUBLE BECAUSE OF THE GUIDELINES THAT THE STATE HAS ESTABLISHED NEW GUIDELINES, STRICTER GUIDELINES, BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY AND PREVENT FRAUD, BECAUSE THIS WAS THE BASIS OF THIS LAW CHANGE, BECAUSE OF THE FRAUDULENT USE OF PAPER DEALER TAGS AND PAPER TEMPORARY PERMITS. SO I SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THIS AFFECTS WE HAVE, AS OF THIS WEEK OR THE LAST WEEK, WE HAVE OVER 770 DEALERS ON OUR BOOKS, AND THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE VEHICLE INVENTORY TAX. WE COLLECT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THIS INDUSTRY. SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE IMPORTANT. MAYBE YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THEM, BUT I DO, AND I COLLECT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON BEHALF OF THIS COUNTY, NOT ONLY FOR THE STATE AND FOR, BUT FOR THE COUNTY ALONE. WHETHER IT'S REGISTRATION MONEY, VEHICLE INVENTORY, INVENTORY, TAX MONEY, REGISTRATION, TITLE FEES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE PLUS, WHICH I DON'T GET CREDIT ON IS THE 68 INSPECTIONS WHERE WE IDENTIFY STOLEN VEHICLES, STOLEN RECOVERED VEHICLES AND PRESS THE COMMISSION FEE THAT WE GET DURING PROPERTY TAX SEASON. AND REMEMBER, PAYMENT STATEMENTS ARE GOING TO GO OUT NEXT MIDDLE OF NEXT MONTH. THE COMMUNITY LIKES TO COME TO MY SEVEN OFFICE LOCATIONS AND PAY THEIR PROPERTY TAXES. THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE DIFFICULTY DURING CHRISTMAS, SO YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE SITUATION BASED ON YOUR VOTE AND YOUR CONSIDERATION OF HOW YOU'RE PLACING THE COMMUNITY. WITHOUT SERVICES THAT I AM SUPPOSED TO, BY LAW, COLLECT AND DEAL WITH AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BETSY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TO ME IS VERY IMPORTANT IS THAT SOMETIMES THAT SOUNDS LIKE AS IF WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING, AND I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RESPONDING TO A LOT OF THE ITEMS, BUT SOMETIMES WE SHOULD HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH MR. GONZALEZ AS ONE, NOT AS ONE OPPOSED TO HIM. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IT DOESN'T SOUND AS IF WE'RE JUST NOT DOING ANYTHING OR WE'RE NOT TRYING ANYTHING. I THINK WE'VE WE'VE GONE OVER AND ABOVE TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES AND FROM THE HOURLY, I MEAN, PAYING OVERTIME TO ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS. BUT, BETSY, COULD YOU SORT OF TAKE US UP TO SPEED AS TO WHAT WE'VE DONE AT THIS POINT, FROM FROM OUR SIDE, FROM HEARING JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A REAL BALANCE OF SURE, JUDGE. THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS, ACTUALLY TO RECOMMEND TO HELP MR. GONZALEZ WITH EFFICIENCY IN HIS OFFICE.

WE HAVE RECOMMENDED EVERYTHING FROM CHANGING HIS HOURS, DOING SHIFT WORK TO USING TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES TO HELP ADDRESS THE BACKLOG. WE'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO OTHER COUNTIES TO ASK WHAT THEY DID TO PREPARE, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT HEARING OF THESE SAME BACKLOGS AND SEVERAL OF THE

[04:30:04]

AND WE'VE ALSO ANALYZED THE NUMBER OF STAFF IN OUR TAX OFFICE VERSUS THE NUMBER OF DEALERS AND THE NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS COMPARED TO THE OTHER LARGE COUNTIES. AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE FOUND THERE'S EVEN SOME COUNTIES WITH MORE DEALERS, WITH LESS STAFF, BUT WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THOSE THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION AND THE SUGGESTIONS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS, EVEN BESIDES THE WEB DEALER THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS, IS DOING SHIFT WORK SO THAT THERE'S HOURS THAT COULD BE EITHER SPECIFICALLY FOR DEALERS, SPECIFICALLY FOR FLEETS SPECIFICALLY, SO THAT YOU ADDRESS SOME OF THE LARGER DEMANDS IN THE WITHOUT THE COMMON FLOW OF NORMAL, EVERYDAY CUSTOMERS COMING IN TO REGISTER THEIR VEHICLES THERE. I MEAN, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING TO WORK WITH MR. GONZALEZ OVER A LOT OF TIME. THE OTHER THING THAT IS, IF MR. GONZALEZ WAS TO REQUEST POSITIONS, HE REALLY NEEDS TO JUST LIKE ANY DEPARTMENT, NEEDS TO SUBMIT THE JUSTIFICATION TO EXPLAIN. WE'VE ALSO DONE TIME AND MOTION STUDIES, WHICH WOULD HELP HIM BE ABLE TO SAY FOR EVERY REGISTRATION, IT TAKES THIS LONG AND ON AVERAGE, AND I HAVE THIS MANY PEOPLE WHO DO THESE, THIS MANY TO MAKE THE THE CASE FOR ADDITIONAL STAFFING. SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED AND THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH MR. GONZALEZ OVER TIME TO TRY TO ADDRESS. THE ONE THAT HE SAW WAS VERY IMPORTANT, IS YOU FINDING OUT WHAT WAS IT THAT ON YOUR SIDE LIKE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ERRORS THAT ARE BEING COMMITTED OVER AND OVER? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID REQUEST, I REMEMBER THAT WAS ONE OF THE KEY ITEMS WAS THIS IDEA OF NOT IDENTIFYING AN ERROR, INSTEAD OF IDENTIFYING ALL THE ERRORS.

AND YOU REMEMBER THAT WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT, THEY GO BACK TO YOU AND SAY, OKAY, YOU HAVE THIS, THIS ERROR, THEN YOU BRING IT BACK, THEY'D FIND ANOTHER ERROR. SO THAT PUTS YOU BACK ON THE BACK OF THE LINE AGAIN. SO I'M HOPING THAT THAT ONE THAT WAS MORE ON ON MR. GONZALEZ'S SIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT I KNOW IT TAKES SOME TIME, BUT I THINK IT TAKES LESS TIME TO TELL YOU THESE ARE THE FIVE ERRORS AND SORT OF GUARANTEE THAT IF YOU GET THOSE FIVE ERRORS, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO FIND ONE MORE ERROR TO PUT YOU BACK IN THE LINE. SO THIS COMMUNICATION OF HAVING LETTING YOU KNOW WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE, WHAT ARE THE SOME OF THE ERRORS THAT ARE THAT ARE HAPPENING? I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF IT. AND OF COURSE THE PERSONNEL, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE ALWAYS KNOWN IN THROWING PEOPLE AT A PROBLEM IS NOT ALWAYS THE SOLUTION. IT'S GETTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE TRAINED PROPERLY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DO WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. BUT I JUST WANTED, AS YOU SAW FROM BETSY, WE ARE TRYING TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN FROM OUR END, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE. I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO SOUND LIKE US AGAINST MR. GONZALEZ OR US AGAINST. IT SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THAT BECAUSE I'M GETTING MORE

[04:35:03]

BETSY. YES, SIR. AND I ALSO THAT'S ANOTHER POINT, TOO. WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT WHAT COULD BE DONE IN THE OFFICE TO HELP ADDRESS. HAPPY EMPLOYEES OR PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYEES. AND I JUST THINK THERE'S THINGS THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY DO WITH HIS TEAM TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE THE WORK ENVIRONMENT, TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO MINIMIZE, LEAVE THAT EMPLOYEES MAY BE TAKING, MAY MAYBE ALSO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, LIKE I'M TALKING ABOUT VOLUNTARY OR UNPLANNED LEAVE THAT WOULD HELP INCREASE THE STAFF HOURS. AND THEN ALSO WHAT WE CAN DO TO RETAIN THE TRAINED EMPLOYEES. WE'VE ALSO STUDIED WHO ARE THE MOST EFFICIENT EMPLOYEES BY TRANSACTION TIME AND NUMBERS IN HIS DEPARTMENT, AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE EMPLOYEES ARE BEING USED AS MODELS FOR TRAINING OTHER EMPLOYEES FOR EFFICIENCY. WE EVALUATED TRANSACTIONS PER OFFICE AND MADE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHERE TO ASSIGN, MAYBE WHERE MORE STAFF COULD BE PULLED FROM. SOME OF THIS HAS CHANGED BECAUSE SOME OF THE OFFICE LOCATIONS HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE PANDEMIC. WE CLOSED A COUPLE OFFICES. I BELIEVE ONE OF ONE OF THEM IS BACK OPEN, BUT THE OTHER ONE I BELIEVE IS STILL CLOSED. SO LOOKING AT WHAT WE COULD DO FOR THE STAFF THAT WAS ASSIGNED TO THAT OFFICE, WHERE IT'S WHERE THEY'VE BEEN MOVED TO, WHERE THE MOST TRANSACTIONS ARE THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND I DO THINK WE HAVE BEEN INSISTING THAT THE PRIVATE AGENCIES ALSO, THAT WE DON'T FORGET ABOUT THEM, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT THEY WERE NOT WELL TRAINED. AND SO THEY'RE MORE OF A PROBLEM. AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT. I MEAN, IF THEY CAN PITCH IN AND WE COULD INCLUDE THEM IN THE IN THE TRAINING, WE CAN INCLUDE THEM TO GET THEM ON BOARD. THAT'S ONE MORE ELEMENT THAT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER. SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. OH YES. YEAH. GO AHEAD IF YOU WANT TO, MR. MANZELLA. IF YOU WANT TO. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS RAYMOND SAID I'M HERE STANDING BEFORE YOU AS A TAXPAYER, AND I. I HEAR WHAT EACH ENTITY, NOT ONLY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT AND THE. THE, THE DEALERS ARE ASKING. I'D LIKE TO BE VERY SIMPLE AND TO THE POINT I DON'T.

I TRY I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO MAKE IT TOO SMOOTH. HERE. YOUR HANDS ARE TIED TO A LARGE EXTENT COMMISSIONERS COURT BECAUSE YOU HAVE YOU FUND THE MONEY, BUT THE YOU HAVE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT OVERSEES THEIR DOMAIN. THEY'RE THE KING AND QUEEN, WHOEVER THEY MAY BE.

THEY NEED TO MANAGE THEIR ENTITY. AND I'M JUST SITTING HERE AMAZED AT HOW WE HAVE LOST SEVERAL BUSINESSES AS A RESULT OF BUREAUCRACY. AND IT'S NOTHING IF SOMETHING WAS IMPOSED UPON THE THE COUNTIES IN THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE SALE OF VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY USED.

YEAH, I THINK EVERYBODY IS AT FAULT FOR NOT UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS. BUT IF YOU SEE SOMETHING COMING DOWN THE LINE AND THIS IS YOUR DOMAIN, YOU NEED TO PREPARE YOUR CONSTITUENCY, IN THIS CASE THE DEALERS AND SAYING THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON. SO I THINK THAT I LOVE THE COMMENTS BY BETSY KELLER. I THINK SHE'S BEEN A DIPLOMAT IN TRYING TO BE NICE AND MAKE SURE THAT SHE HITS ALL THE RIGHT SPOTS, BUT I PEOPLE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THE REALITY IS THAT THE COUNTY, THEY HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE IN THE CITY. IT'S A DIFFERENT BEAST. IT'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION WHERE THEY ARE. YOU'VE GOT THE CITY MANAGER AND THEY MANAGE EVERYTHING, AND THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN SOMEBODY IS NOT PERFORMING. SO I LIKE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE HERE, THAT THEY HAVE THE GUTS AND THE COURAGE TO COME AND SPEAK DIRECTLY BECAUSE THEY HAD NO ALTERNATIVE, THEY HAD NO CHOICE. BUT I LIKE ALSO THE FACT THAT MR. GONZALEZ WAS WILLING TO RECOGNIZE THAT, THAT HE NEEDS TO WORK WITH THEM, BECAUSE IT IS SHOCKING THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE THIS.

TRANSACTIONS AND THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER. A LOT CAN BE DONE FROM A BUSINESS POINT OF VIEW. SO AS A TAXPAYER, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY THE COUNTIES

[04:40:06]

BECAUSE WHEN WHEN SOMETHING WHEN THERE'S A PROBLEM, THE THE VICTIM IS THE BUYER OR THE SELLER OR THE BUYER BECAUSE THEY, THEY WANT TO HAVE THEY WANT TO GET THAT CAR GOING. AND THROUGHOUT THE NATION, THE LARGEST INVESTMENT IS A HOME. AND THE SECOND ONE IS A VEHICLE.

YOU HAVE NOW TWO, THREE, FOUR VEHICLES IN A IN A IN A FAMILY IN EL PASO. I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THAT FORGET ABOUT THE HOME THEY'RE ACTUALLY RENTING. SO THE VEHICLE BECOMES A LARGE INVESTMENT. SO THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO TO DRIVE AROUND AND GET TO WORK. AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO GET THE DOCUMENTATION IN A TIMELY MANNER SO THAT THEY DON'T GET IN VIOLATION OF THE SHERIFF OR THE POLICE. SO IT'S A DOMINO EFFECT THAT'S BEING HELD HERE. BUT I CAN SEE YOU ALL SAYING, WELL, WHAT CAN WE DO OTHER THAN GO FOR 4 OR 5 OF Y'ALL GO DOWN THERE AND HELP.

WE'RE NOT ASKING THAT, BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE A REAL SERIOUS POWWOW WITH ALL THE POWERS TO BE AND SAYING, WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR? FOR US TO HELP YOU SO THAT WE CAN HELP THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HURTING RIGHT NOW? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I KNOW RAY'S ACTING ON ON HIS OWN, BUT HE'S YOU KNOW, LULAC HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY HE'S VICE PRESIDENT LULAC. AND SO HE'S YOU KNOW, HE'S ALSO VERY CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, RAY. THANK YOU. BETSY.

WILL WE'LL GO INTO EXECUTIVE AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT TOOK PLACE.

YES, SIR. JUST A SECOND ONE. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. JUDGE. HERE WE HAVE A DEALERSHIP, TRUCK SALES AND TRUCK SALES. RODRIGO. SOMEONE SAID. WE SELL SEMI TRUCKS.

COMMERCIAL TRUCKS, MY CLIENTS, THEY CAN WORK WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS. WE'RE TAKING BETWEEN 15 DAYS ALL THE WAY TO 45 DAYS. SO THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH BUYING A TRUCK, 40,000 TRUCK AND NOT ABLE TO WORK. SO THE THING THAT I'M ASKING IS FOR A FASTEST PROCESS TO GATHER THOSE REGISTRATIONS. I'VE BEEN GETTING PROBABLY AT 5 OR 6 TRENDS FOR MY CUSTOMERS. THEY WANT TO SUE ME, SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO. IT'S BEEN TOUGH TO BE HONEST. WE JUST NEED A FASTEST WAY. MY CLIENTS, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE SELL SEMI TRUCKS. IT'S THE SAME PROCESS, BUT I MEAN THEY CAN WORK WITH NO RESTRICTIONS. SO I'M NOT TOO SURE IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING ELSE FOR THE COMMERCIAL SIDE AND THE VEHICLE SIDE. I KNOW IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING, BUT I MEAN MY CUSTOMERS, THEY CAN'T WORK WITH NO REGISTRATIONS. JUST NEED THE FASTEST, FASTEST PROCESS. OKAY. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. OKAY, JESSICA, YOU WANT TO SEND US OFF TO JUDGE? JUDGE, IF I MAY? YES. I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION WHEN THE COURT GOES INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, YOU HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS PLANNED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THE COURT WILL BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS AND COME OUT ON THIS ITEM, PROBABLY AT THE EARLIEST, 4:00 PM, BECAUSE YOU HAVE INTERVIEWS STARTING AT ABOUT 220. YOU. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE THAT WHEN THE COURT GOES INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, YOU'RE GOING TO DISCUSS SEVERAL ITEMS, AND YOU WON'T YOU PROBABLY WILL NOT BE FINISHED WITH EXECUTIVE SESSION UNTIL SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 330 AND 4.

AND YOU DON'T RECOMMEND THAT WE JUST TAKE THIS ITEM AND COME BACK? WELL, IN SIX MINUTES YOU HAVE INTERVIEWS STARTING. WATER. THOUGHTS? I HATE TO TO INCONVENIENCE PEOPLE FURTHER, BUT WE BUT WE DO NEED THE UMC. INTERVIEWS ARE SET TIME THE WHOLE THING. OKAY. WELL, I MEAN WE HATE TO DO THIS, BUT AT LEAST YOU KNOW THE THE AMOUNT OF TIME. SO YOU'RE THINKING, I

[04:45:02]

VOTING IS OPEN. RIGHT. COMMISSIONER. JUDGE, I THANK YOU, SIR. COMMISSIONER CORONADO.

YOU'RE MUTED. SIR, I VOTE I, I VOTE I THANK YOU, SIR. MOTION CARRIES. COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL NOW RECESS INTO ERIK ROSALES ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY. CAN WE ALSO, IF YOU DON'T MIND, HAVE THE MOTIONS TO POSTPONE ITEM EIGHT A AND DELETE ITEM EIGHT C IF YOU DON'T EIGHT B AND C8B TO POSTPONE ITEM EIGHT B THANK YOU AND DELETE EIGHT CC. JUST A MOMENT. DELETE EIGHT C AND POSTPONE ITEM EIGHT B.

WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STOUT, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. VOTING IS OPEN. I VOTE. I THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CORONADO. I THANK YOU, JUDGE. COMMISSIONER STOUT. THANK YOU SIR. MOTION CARRIES. COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS ITEMS EIGHT A, EIGHT D. EIGHT E AND ITEM SEVEN A PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 55 1.071551.087 AND 551.074. COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL RECONVENE TO TAKE OFFICIAL ACTION. IT IS 2:18 P.M.

[04:56:25]

[04:56:30]

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.

[05:00:14]

[05:13:15]

[05:13:22]

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 GOTTA 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

[05:15:07]

DE LOS TESOROS MAS GRANDES DEL PASO Y ES EL PARQUE ASCARATE MUCHAS PERSONAS POR SENTADO ENTRE SUS INMENSA VERDE DECENAS DE ACTIVIDADES Y RINCONES. QUÉ NO TE ACABAS EN UN SOLO DIA? ES LA MANERA PERFECTA DE ARRANCAR ESTA AVENTURA. MAS DE CUATROCIENTOS EL PARQUE MAS GRANDE DEL CONDADO DE EL PASO Y LO MEJOR EN VERANO DE CINCO. 9 A.M. 8 P.M. SIN PRE-TEXTOS EMPIEZA EL VERANO ESTA ALBERCA OLIMPICA DE CINCUENTA METROS TIENE TOBOGGANS Y VOLLEYBALL DESDE EL CATORCE DE JUNIO, LUNES A CUATRO PM DE SEMANA DE DOS CINCO TAMBIÉN OFRECEN CLASES DE NATACION CON HORARIOS FLEXIBLES NO IMPORTA TENGAN TODOS TENGAN OPORTUNIDAD DE APRENDER A NADAR CON COMPANEROS DE SU NIVEL Y DE CIUDAD PADRES DE FAMILIA CREAM.

CUANDO LES DIGO FUE UNA CLASE DE NATACION, LA ENERGIA DE SUS PECKS ENCANTADOS Y. POR QUÉ ES COMO SE VEN EL TOQUE ESPECIALES LLEVARLOS DESPUÉS POR ESO SARA SUFICIENTE NO OBSTANTE ES PARA TODOS LA CANTIDAD DE BENEFICIOS, TANTO FISICOS COMO ES ENORME MOVIMIENTO DEL AGUA. EL SONIDO DEL AGUA ES PARA EMPEZAR LA. TRANSPARENCIA EL COLOR DE LA TEXTURA BUENO EL AGUA Q LES PUEDO DECIR ES ES NUESTRO AMBIENTE. ESTE VERANO PUEDES VIVIR LE FANTASIA DE MICHAEL PHELPS O VIENE DE LA SERENA. Y SI DESPUÉS DE QUEDAN ENERGIES. QUÉ TAL UN PASEO EN LA RENTA? UNA HIBRIDA POUR SIX DOLARES AL DIA RAPIDO Y NO JUZGAR LA MITAD CON ESTAS VECES. NUNCA SE TE VA A ESCAPAR EL CARRITO DE LAS NIEVES. MICKEY'S ICE CREAM VIENE TODAS LAS TARDES Y ENCONTRADO. ESPAGNE COMIDO LA GENTE ESCUCHA LA MUSICA Y NOS BUSCA Y BUENO AL MENOS CON LOS FRENOS SI FUNCIONAN. Y SI YA LO HABIA VISTO TODO AGARRATE PORQUE TAMBIÉN HAY CANCION PARA PRACTICAR CUALQUIER DEPORTE. AQUI QUIERE HACER NADA. SIMPLEMENTE NOS SALE. PERO AQUI MUCHAS PARTES SON DIVERTIRSE. COMO UN MAGNATE SIN UN COUNTRY CLUB. EL GRAN CAMPO DE GOLF DE ESTE LUGAR, VEINTISIETE HOYOS CLASES PARA TODOS LOS NIVELES. DE ASCARATE HABIA PURO CAMARON DE SOPA INSTANTANEO ESTAS MUY EQUIVOCADO, PUES ENCONTRAR DESDE CATFISH CARPA LA PAZ, LA LOBINA CONSIGUE APROBAR TU SUERTE, CEE LO TUYO ES CON UNA CANA PARA MI LA JOYA DE LA

[05:20:03]

EL REPORTER FAVORITO DE REPORTERO FAVORITO.

[05:30:05]

[05:30:09]

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, 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, GET THE HOOK SET IN THEIR MOUTH, BUT YOU GOTTA TROUT. IT IS KIND OF HARD FISHING FOR TROUT. LIKE THAT, BUT. 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.

CON UNO DE LOS MAS GRANDES DEL PASO Y ES EL PARQUE ASCARATE MUCHAS PERSONAS LO TOMAN POR SENTADO ENTRE SUS INMENSA VERDE DECENAS DE ACTIVIDADES Y RINCONES Q NO TE ACABAS EN UN SOLO DIA. ES LA MANERA PERFECTA DE ARRANCAR ESTA AVENTURA. MAS DE CUATROCIENTOS EN EL PARQUE DEL CONDADO DE EL PASO Y LO MEJOR EN VERANO DE 5 A.M. 8 P.M. SIN PRE-TEXTOS EL VERANO ESTA ALBERCA OLIMPICA DE CINCUENTA METROS TIENE DOS TOBOGGANS Y VOLEIBOL DESDE ESTE DE JUNIO DE CUATRO PM. DE SEMANA DE DOS CINCO TAMBIÉN OFRECEN CLASES DE NATACION CON HORARIOS FLEXIBLES NO IMPORTA TENGAN TODO TIENE UNA OPORTUNIDAD DE APRENDER A NADA CON COMPANEROS DE SU NIVEL DE SU EDAD. PADRES DE FAMILIA CREAM. CUANDO LES DIGO UNA CLASE DE NATACION, LA ENERGIA DE SUS PECKS ENCANTADOS. POR QUÉ ES COMO SE DORMIR? EL TOQUE ESPECIALES LLEVARLOS DESPUÉS POR ESO SUFICIENTE NO OBSTANTE EL AGUA ES PARA TODOS LA

[05:35:07]

EL REPORTER FAVORITO DE TU REPORTERO FAVORITO.

[05:46:55]

[05:46:59]

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, GET THE HOOK SET IN THEIR MOUTH, BUT YOU GOTTA 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.

[05:50:45]