[0:04] Everyone.

[0:08] It's supposed to be our last warm day for a little bit, so I'm sure we're enjoying it.

[0:16] Okay, in no order, just the order they were handed to me, Linda Morrell, so if you'd like to join us,

[0:28] come on.

[0:31] Just have, you can welcome to have a seat in that chair there, so that microphone can pick you out and turn that microphone.

[0:35] And

[0:39] a little round button on that base, Linda.

[0:41] If you'd push that, so the light turns green for you?

[0:43] Yes, ma'am.

[0:44] That way the cameras will be able to video good.

[0:48] We'll get you.

[0:50] Good morning.

[0:51] Good morning, members of the board.

[0:54] I mean, Thamor Alice.

[0:56] I represent the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation,

[1:00] which represents 92 labor unions,

[1:02] including our affiliate here, CWA.

[1:05] Here is Center, 61, 54.

[1:08] we're here to speak on the issue of layoffs.

[1:11] When we talk about layoffs, we're not just talking about job cuts.

[1:16] We're talking about people's lives.

[1:18] Layoffs will be crease the quality of life for Harris County residents.

[1:23] They mean longer wait, list, more people in crisis, crisis that will spill over into our emergency

[1:29] rooms, our jails, our juvenile detention centers, and shelters.

[1:34] We know that turnover, rehiring and service interruptions costs more than simply keep and experience teams in place.

[1:43] When trusted relations between providers and clients are broken, we see the results.

[1:49] More relapses, more hospitalizations, and more people in crisis.

[1:53] The services provided by Harris Center saved the community money by preventing those

[1:59] crisis before they happen. Cut-and-staff undermines that prevention and weakens the safety

[2:06] net are residents depend on. And for those who remain the impact is heavy, layoffs will increase

[2:13] caseloads, create more hazardous working conditions and drive burnout among the very people,

[2:19] hold in this system together.

[2:22] We urge you to protect the workers and in doing so,

[2:26] protect the health and safety and stability of the people

[2:29] of Harris County.

[2:30] Thank you for your time.

[2:31] Appreciate it.

[2:48] Can't read the writing.

[2:50] Syria?

[2:51] Thank you.

[2:52] Great.

[2:53] Is that correct?

[2:58] How do you say your first name correctly, ma'am?

[3:00] Citrus.

[3:01] Citrus.

[3:01] Thank you very much.

[3:03] Good morning.

[3:08] My name is the Theresa McGregor, I am a resident of Fort Ben County and I work at

[3:13] MD Anderson, Kansas Center.

[3:15] My son, Christopher, suffered from severe schizophrenia and paranoia for the last 10 years.

[3:21] Chris played football at U of H and he should have turned 40 on yesterday.

[3:27] He died this year, January 30th in the custody of Harris County jail, after being arrested

[3:32] on criminal trust passes. Chris died as a result of starvation in a

[3:37] strep throat, a completely preventable death because of Chris severe mental

[3:40] health issues, he was not able to advocate for himself. Chris was arrested more

[3:45] than ten times in past ten years, also hospitalized countless times in

[3:50] psych facilities. Every time he was arrested, I hoped and prayed that this

[3:54] agency would connect him with the appropriate level of care. But every

[3:58] single time, he was released into the community without meaningful

[4:01] connection to mental health care.

[4:04] He was evaluated for incompetency, at least on one occasion,

[4:09] despite of being found incompetent.

[4:11] He was released into the community.

[4:14] When he was a threat to himself and the public,

[4:17] after Chris died, I began to research and found out

[4:20] my heart at 78% of our jail's population is psychiatric.

[4:24] At the county presentation in September,

[4:27] we saw that 69% of the jail population

[4:29] was positive CCQ match and that means that they were

[4:33] your clients and had received services from Harris Center

[4:38] in the past three years prior to their bill jail booking.

[4:41] I also found out Houston landed investigations

[4:44] with said that a number of people flagged as mentally ill

[4:48] who died of unnatural causes in custody gels in 2022

[4:51] has increased by 12% since 2012

[4:54] from the last three deaths 38 to 22.

[5:04] This year, 15 people have died in our jails as a public record, at least six has cycle

[5:10] through the public mental health and punishment, so that's time for me to get to you.

[5:16] My question for you with this Harris Center this time, Mr. Chair, is it too many elements?

[5:21] I do.

[5:22] Okay, thank you.

[5:22] Thank you for your time.

[5:24] Thank you.

[5:31] Sarah Knight.

[5:38] Sarah Knight.

[5:41] Sorry if I mispronounced the morning.

[5:44] Oh, thank you.

[5:46] Morning.

[5:49] Good morning, everyone.

[5:53] My name is Sarah Knight.

[5:55] My son, Jalen, Anderson died.

[5:58] In 2024, after he was being shipped to Louisiana last year,

[6:04] he did not receive services from this

[6:08] nor did he struggle with any mental illness

[6:10] however his sister does.

[6:12] After he died I met so many mothers, fathers, brothers and sons whose loved ones have died in the jail after being criminalized for their mental illness.

[6:26] I too like Miss McGregor, my friend.

[6:29] Here we started redoing some research and we discovered some horrific things and we found in 2023 Houston landing investigation into mental illness related deaths

[6:41] and Houston areas jails, which revealed that the number of people flagged as mentally ill

[6:47] who died of unnatural causes in custody. And the jails in 2022 had increased

[6:54] 1,200 percent since 2012. From 3 deaths to 38 and 2022, more than half of 68 people

[7:05] who died of unnatural causes in jail custody across the state and 2022 have been identified

[7:12] as mentally ill at least once since the 1980s.

[7:18] About 46% of the 114 people who died of unnatural causes and the custody of the Houston

[7:27] area of jails, such as Harris, Result.

[8:09] Good

[8:17] morning.

[8:23] Good morning. My name is Alokie Shaw and I'm the president of C.

[8:27] W.A. Local 61-54. We represent workers at the Harris Center as well as integral care, the

[8:32] local mental health and IDD authority of Travis County. I personally am a service provider

[8:37] at integral care, so I know firsthand the work that is done at these agencies. It does not matter

[8:42] which county you are serving all of our jobs are vital. This is something that also in Travis County

[8:47] understands. We are all in the same boat. We all lost ARPA funds this year, and I'm sure many

[8:52] people in this room felt confident that the services funded by ARPA would be sustained with

[8:56] but it didn't.

[8:59] So what we did in Austin as a union alongside our executive management

[9:02] was we went to our hospital district central health

[9:04] and said the dire need to save jobs and further work

[9:07] or wages to stabilize the mental health system.

[9:10] We went to the city of Austin,

[9:11] who is now proposing a tax rate election to save our services

[9:14] and services across the city.

[9:16] We told them about the work that we do for the community.

[9:19] It's prevention for costly crisis services like hospitals,

[9:21] ERs, EMS and Jails.

[9:23] Our community deserves access to the services we provide.

[9:26] services that come directly from the workers themselves. This is why this board and this executive

[9:30] management must do everything in their power to convince local funders such as Harris held

[9:35] Harris County Commissioners in Houston City Council to step in and save these jobs.

[9:40] We're cuts are unavoidable, take workers' guidance to reduce the harm and show them how

[9:45] value they truly are. The United Workers of Harris Center have put together very reasonable terms

[9:49] regarding severance on their petition. I would also like to point out how integral care

[9:53] management works with our union to further work rights and wages.

[9:57] It was not always this way and after years of tense relationships and political maneuvering

[10:01] our union got the recognition it deserves.

[10:03] Our management now sees how working with the union to improve worker conditions as effective

[10:08] and retention and reduction of understanding.

[10:11] They finally understand what it takes to stabilize the mental health system and that came from

[10:14] working directly with the union and listening to frontline voices.

[10:18] The hair center needs to do better at this by past the years of struggle do it now.

[10:22] do everything in your power to ensure these workers have their jobs and move forward towards

[10:26] better stability through wages and wages. Thank you so much.

[10:36] Brian Kelly.

[10:42] My

[10:48] name is Brian Kelly,

[10:50] Treasurer with the United Workers of Harris Center,

[10:52] the CWA Local 61-54.

[10:55] I'm a licensed chemical dependency counselor working here at the Harris Center for mental health and

[11:00] IDD.

[11:02] I'm here today to speak on behalf of the many Harris Center workers that will lose their jobs and

[11:06] proposed layoffs at the Harris Center.

[11:09] Layoffs at the Hinter Center will decrease quality

[11:12] of life for Harris County residents.

[11:14] Layoffs mean longer weightless, more crisis

[11:18] spilling into ERs, jails,

[11:23] juvenile detention, shelters,

[11:25] layoffs mean increased layoffs and increased burnout,

[11:29] higher case loads, unmanageable case loads.

[11:33] Layoffs hurt Harris County residents.

[11:35] That is clear.

[11:38] We need more transparency around these layoffs.

[11:41] We request the presentation from management to the Board of Trustees.

[11:45] We request that management approach the hospital district to

[11:48] Attempt to secure funding and avoid further layoffs.

[11:52] Thank you for your time.

[12:03] Stephanie Hollister.

[12:05] Good

[12:13] morning.

[12:14] Good morning.

[12:18] Good morning everybody.

[12:19] My name is Stephanie Hollister.

[12:20] I'm the Youth Peer Specialist for the Smart Team for the Harris Center, I'm also a union member.

[12:27] Wanted to talk about the real cost of layoffs and program cuts. On paper, reducing positions

[12:33] may look like a way to save money, but in practice it often costs more than it saves.

[12:40] In my program, the Smart Program, for example, we've lost the ability to hire another Youth Peer Specialist.

[12:46] That means that I'm doing the work of two people.

[12:51] The need has not gone away.

[12:53] The same number of young people are still reaching out for help.

[12:57] But with half the staff, response times are slower,

[13:01] burnout increases and the quality of care inevitably suffers.

[13:06] These are not small impacts.

[13:09] They ripple out to families, schools, and the entire community.

[13:12] When positions are cut, the workload doesn't disappear.

[13:17] It just gets pushed on to the remaining staff.

[13:21] Creating turnover delays in crises that end up

[13:24] costing the county more in the long run.

[13:28] Protecting jobs protects fiscal stability.

[13:32] It keeps programs effective in services consistent.

[13:36] And if layoffs truly cannot be avoided,

[13:39] they should at least be handled with dignity and respect

[13:42] with real notice, direct communication, fair severance, and recall rights.

[13:48] People deserve better than to learn through an email that their livelihood is gone.

[13:54] The people who work here give so much of themselves to serve this community.

[14:00] We owe it to them and to the public we serve to treat them with fairness and humanity.

[14:06] Thank you.

[14:30] Hi, my name is Janella Green and I am an employee of the Harris Center.

[14:35] I do oversee the medical records at NPC.

[14:39] I'm here today to talk about the impact of the proposed layoffs, not just on staff, on

[14:45] the community that we serve.

[14:47] These aren't just job cuts.

[14:49] They're cuts to care, to safety, and to the stability of families across Harris County.

[14:54] Every program we offer depends on the people who show up every day.

[15:00] meeting the counselors, case managers and support staff, who are already stretched thin. When you

[15:06] could staff, you could access. You increased turnover, the light services, you create more crisis,

[15:13] than cause more in the long run. We're not here to fight, we're here to partner. We believe that

[15:19] there are better solutions. We want to work with you to find savings that protect frontline services

[15:24] and keep our mission strong. Let's protect the people who makes care possible. Thank you.

[15:40] Tina cooks, sorry, Tina cooks.

[15:55] Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.

[16:00] My name is Tina cooks and I work in PC. I'm a psychotic already in PC.

[16:05] I'm going to speak on today as far as the laying off with people that would be kind of like a big thing

[16:13] because we need to be able to be there for our staff and help our staff.

[16:19] If we lay off the workers, then we're not going to have anyone there for the patients.

[16:24] Some of the patients come there just so that they can see us and talk to us to make them feel better,

[16:31] give them that pushed at their need.

[16:33] And if you don't have those workers, who's going to be there for the patients?

[16:38] They look at us like family to them.

[16:41] And we're important to them, and the jobs important to everyone, and so which is suggest that we don't try to lay off.

[16:53] Thank you.

[16:54] Thank you.

[17:05] I'll lean like a stealer.

[17:07] I may have been as proud as you first name.

[17:10] I won't.

[17:11] Sorry, Alma.

[17:12] I'm still.

[17:22] Good morning.

[17:29] My name is Alma Castillo.

[17:31] I'm Vice President of United Workers of Harris Center.

[17:34] CWA Local 61-54 and I'm a Harris Center employee.

[17:39] I'm here to express my deep concerns regarding layoffs at the Harris Center.

[17:45] You WHC wanted to clarify numbers of those affected and were required to make an open records request.

[17:53] So the info we received shows 183 positions affected and 96 employees that have not been rehired.

[18:00] Now, these layoffs started in May of 2025 and scheduled to continue through April 2026.

[18:08] These are really tough times and we have been, we have cuts to social services by state and federal government,

[18:16] now we're facing a government shutdown, but we must continue with action and collaboration to do what is right.

[18:22] I asked this board to review the positions that have been reduced at Harris Center and by requesting management to make a formal presentation at the next board meeting.

[18:32] We need to have transparency, you know, how much would it cost to save these positions? What adjustments can be made to spending? How can we partner with local government, community partners, hospital districts for stop gaps to save jobs?

[18:46] Perhaps similar to what is happening at other LMAJs and lighters.

[18:50] Finally, if some positions cannot be saved, we must improve the severance process for employees.

[18:56] In the petition that UWHC is circulating, we ask for some changes to the process.

[19:01] Very reasonable changes.

[19:04] State and federal funds may not return anytime soon.

[19:07] So if we don't act now, what will be the result?

[19:10] More jobs, lost employees going even longer without cost of living raises.

[19:14] we serve so urgently need. This is a time for problem solving, collaboration and creativity,

[19:21] because while the Harris County residents need these services, they're vital,

[19:25] what we provide is essential, and Harris Center employees deserve dignity and stability.

[19:31] Thank you, Ms. Custutal. Thank you, thank you for

[19:43] Michael Gadatus.

[19:53] Good morning.

[19:57] I've been called worst names.

[19:58] What do you say, correct me?

[20:02] Let me go, go do this, yeah, yeah.

[20:04] Good morning, good morning, good morning,

[20:07] it's me, go, go do this on Vice President of the Texas State

[20:10] Employees Union, CWA 6186.

[20:13] Here today to communicate with you all the services

[20:16] of the Harris Center, provides an employee's work here,

[20:20] a critical part of a tattered safety net that

[20:22] has been torn apart by state and federal officials.

[20:24] We ask that you oppose layoffs and not allow the current gaps and services to grow even bigger.

[20:31] We ask that you don't make it easier to dismantle these services by undermining the staff.

[20:37] And treating them is expendable pieces of furniture.

[20:40] We've seen layoffs with our state of Texas employees.

[20:43] And we know we're building and re-establishing the institutional knowledge that is lost.

[20:48] It takes much longer than a couple of budget cycles.

[20:50] Thank you.

[20:59] Okay,

[21:02] is it less than the Daniel's Ross,

[21:12] Ms. Ross?

[21:15] There he goes and Mr. Mr.

[21:17] Your penmanship is great, my reading is not.

[21:21] No, that's okay.

[21:22] I have a different name this way, I'll just like my VP.

[21:26] How do you say your name?

[21:27] It's Ilyssa.

[21:28] I do.

[21:29] Thank you.

[21:30] Okay, so I'm Ilyssa Daniel's Ross.

[21:33] I am President of Texas City Employees Union.

[21:36] I'm C.W. at local 6-1-X-6 and I'm just here to talk about the layoffs.

[21:42] I am president of T.S.E.U now, but I am, I was a 32-year employee of the State of Texas.

[21:47] I worked in various capacity from a field worker up-to-management and through personal

[21:53] experience, I know that a lack of staff is the roughest thing ever.

[21:59] And when you, like, you know what I'm saying, when you take out institutions when you take

[22:03] people, then it does affect our clients as well. And we talk about mental health in this way,

[22:11] all the time, every single time that there is a mass shooting in America, we say, you know,

[22:17] we have tripped into a mental health. And I would agree because why would you just want to go

[22:21] and murder various people for no reason? But we have to be willing to do something about it.

[22:27] that will not change, where they only develop.

[22:30] Nation that has this issue where we just have mass shooting after mass shooting. And so I'm just saying as a person that has been a public servant, my,

[22:39] Majority, my entire adult life, is that these are not just people, these are not just numbers,

[22:45] but this is something that is vital to the community and I know that without you having

[22:50] qualified people to do this, it will make the job harder.

[22:54] Like when I retired, just in my department alone, those of us that retired that year, we lost

[23:00] over 200 years of service and you cannot replace that overnight.

[23:05] only the work can get that done. So thank you for your consideration.

[23:10] Thank you.

[23:18] Can you come in?

[23:30] Good morning. Good morning.

[23:33] If you don't mind, I prefer to stay in. I just want to say that I stand with my brothers and sisters to see WA.

[23:39] I'm a psych tech at MPC. We are on the front lines. We fight every day. We get spat on all kind of things.

[23:47] But we're here. We're here because we love working for the Harris Center.

[23:49] So we invite, we ask you guys to really look at the budget and try not to lay off any more people.

[24:00] We can't, we can't really do it.

[24:02] It's not one of those things that you're going to work every day and you want to take on the load of 25 people by yourself as a psych tech you don't.

[24:10] We're short over at NPC all the time, you know, people come to work every day, they enjoy their jobs, but they don't I don't want to raise on the back of someone who's being laid off

[24:22] I don't so for me it's not really about the money

[24:26] I'm here because I love the job, but if we can figure out a way that says I don't want any of my coworkers to be laid off

[24:34] I prefer that over the money, because if I was all about the money, that's just keep

[24:38] a real.

[24:39] I wouldn't be a psych take, right?

[24:42] It's about the job that I do, it's about the people that I touch every day, and so we

[24:47] encourage each and every one of you to take a good look at what we're doing with the money here

[24:51] at Harris Center and decide if it can be placed somewhere else in order not to lay off

[24:57] any more people, because we know there's somewhere coming, but we definitely want to stop it.

[25:01] We appreciate all you do, but we want you to show that you appreciate all we do by not laying off any more of my coworkers. Thank you.

[25:20] Uh, Serena, um, uh, or maternal.

[25:29] Good morning.

[25:35] Hello, my name is Serena.

[25:38] Um, I am the registered nurse at Ben Top.

[25:40] I'm a critical care unit.

[25:43] And I am also a member of Ask Me Local 1550 and I am here speaking in solidarity with the workers who have spoken up so far against the layoffs.

[25:54] Tassily, we know at Ben Todd, if you're a registered nurse, psych unit or not, you are a

[26:00] psych nurse. And to hear about these layoffs, it's my heart, because in my short career,

[26:11] less than a year, as a registered nurse, I have been assaulted upwards of five times. And I cannot

[26:20] fault my patients. My patients are undocumented, unhoused, have nowhere else to be discharged

[26:29] to and oftentimes my patients. Bantabas, you only place where they can get three meals a day

[26:37] and maybe a snack. And so to hear all these workers speak up against these layoffs that feel

[26:45] inevitable. It simultaneously breaks my heart, but also gives me courage. And I trust that this

[26:53] board decides to do the right thing, listen to the workers, and prevent, as my early losses

[26:59] possible, because what you see in these layoffs trickles down to not just the RNs at Ben

[27:06] Talb or LBJ or anywhere else in a Texas medical center. As we've heard in our earlier comments,

[27:12] of trickles down to families who have family members in prison and die in prison.

[27:19] So I urge y'all to please, please, listen to the workers, take their concerns into consideration

[27:25] and take the rest of the community's concerns into consideration, and please prevent these

[27:30] layoffs.

[27:30] Thank you.

[27:57] So my name is Jerome Moldo.

[27:59] I'm just somewhat differently because I'm representing the Communication Workers of America in

[28:03] to this Texas at Employees Union, 6186, and I'm very glad to see colleagues of mine that are here

[28:09] as well. So I, one of my first non-professional, excuse me, professional jobs was working as an

[28:16] MHMRA mental health counselor. And I did that for a couple of years and realized that there was

[28:21] more needed than just what we got. So I worked towards getting a graduate degree and I have a

[28:33] fact that. I've been doing this for I've been watching this work both as an employee and also

[28:42] as a community member that since basically 45 years of this struggle with this agency,

[28:53] whether whatever its name is in May Jim Array or the Harris Center or whatever you call it from

[28:58] And I've had sad to see that employees are still struggling to have the sufficient support to do the job that they need to do for the sake of the clients that we're trying to serve.

[29:13] If we can't do that, then we're failing. And we don't want to fail. We want to make sure that everyone gets the services they need.

[29:20] and whether it's whether you use layoffs or you say it temporary, you know, temporary hold or whatever phrases are being used.

[29:28] If it's if you're not increasing services or maintaining services,

[29:32] level that they're at, which I gather as has been understood for almost 40 years or more.

[29:39] Then we're not doing our job as citizens and we're not doing our job as people who are caring about the folks that we're supposed to help.

[29:47] So I encourage you to revisit what you're going to do with whether you call it legoffs or you're going to, you know, just let people go or whatever it is.

[29:57] That's not going to help the health.

[30:00] The mental health and particular of. Thank you. Thank you.

[30:04] Thank you.

[30:11] Cedric?

[30:25] And that is Cedric Raybotte Vice President of Local 62 22 Houston Texas.

[30:32] I come here to also speak about layoffs, costing more than they say, cutting jobs,

[30:38] also creates turnovers, delays, and more crises that cost a country, or the county more in the long run.

[30:46] I had a speech lined up, but hearing some of the stories of lost loved ones in life.

[30:54] I like to yield my time for us all to stand in solidarity of lost of life.

[31:00] So I yield my time to a moment of silence.

[31:02] We

[31:06] can stand

[31:09] families of

[31:15] locked time, Hebrew, thank

[32:31] you.

[32:32] Thank you.

[32:42] Thank you.

[32:55] Good morning.

[32:57] Good morning, Lord.

[32:59] Good morning.

[33:00] Co-workers, members.

[33:03] This morning, I'm here to speak on my personal experiences at what has happened some time

[33:09] I've been here.

[33:10] When I came to the hair of Santa, there was a job.

[33:14] A year later, it's a job.

[33:15] The money wasn't good. The money is not good now, but the problem with that is that it's not about the money

[33:23] It was sit here. We stand here and say that everything that we do is about the money then why are we seeing that we are people helping people?

[33:32] It's not about the money. It's about the people that we serve. I work for free for the Harris

[33:39] And when I say I work for free, is that I go to work and I'm challenged on a daily basis

[33:45] of trying to get what would actually take more than eight hours, done in eight hours of

[33:50] time frame and actually let's. And when I'm not able to do that, then I'm asked to take off at

[33:56] the end of the week with no compensation. So I'm a team player or I am a team player. So I asked

[34:03] board to really look at and reconsider the things that we are doing in order to make us look

[34:11] prettier, but actually make us look more stable. Ask me a question. I would rather drive a car

[34:18] with bad paint that's reliable than the driver called us looking pretty good going down and getting

[34:23] attention. So when I step in the doors of the hair cellar, I'm functional by just saying that I'm

[34:29] working for a company that has stability and not looking pretty well.

[34:34] I don't see that.

[34:36] I understand budget cuts.

[34:38] I understand pay raises.

[34:41] But I also understand the people that are being affected because we're standing inside of a room.

[34:47] We're sitting inside of a room.

[34:49] And we're all going about how much money we can pay and how much money doesn't mean to spend.

[34:54] That's the word about how we are taking care of the clients that we're supposed to serve.

[34:57] Thank you, Mr. Benjamin.

[34:59] Thank you.

[35:05] Linda?

[35:15] Good morning.

[35:21] Good morning.

[35:22] My name is Belinda Aguilar.

[35:23] I'm the president of CWA Local 6222.

[35:26] I represent about 1900 members in and around Harris County.

[35:31] I'm proud to stand with the workers of Harris Center because they're the ones who may care possible in this county.

[35:38] Every program from crisis response to early childhood services depend on the people who show up every day to serve our neighbors.

[35:46] When you cut staff, you're not just cutting positions, you're cutting access to care for

[35:51] people who need it the most.

[35:54] And the truth is, layoffs don't save money.

[35:57] They create turnover, slow down services, and cost accounting more in the long run.

[36:03] These workers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

[36:06] This means honest communication, fair notice, and real servants, servants.

[36:12] never a cold notice or video message.

[36:18] We're ready to work with the leadership

[36:20] on real solutions to protect both the budget and the mission

[36:24] because protecting these jobs means protecting the safety

[36:27] net from Harris County families.

[36:29] Thank you.

[36:38] It's all the papers I have for questions

[36:40] or public comments or any other public comments

[36:43] either in the audience or online.

[36:46] They were supposed to register prior to the start of the meeting.

[36:49] All right. With that, thank you. We'll move to item number three, the approval of the

[36:56] men's of the Board of Trustees, verse number 23, 2025. May I have a motion to approve?

[37:02] I'm a Mr. Chair.

[37:03] Thank you.

[37:04] And the motion is second. All in favor say aye. Aye.

[37:07] Any needs or abstentions?

[37:09] Yes, have unanimously passed. If we turn to item number four, the chief executive officer's report.

[37:15] Mr. Young.

[37:16] Yeah, I wonder if we might want to pause for just a second if those, I mean everybody is welcome to stay, but if anybody is wanting to leave, we might pause just for a second so it's not too disruptive.

[37:26] Anybody is certainly welcome to stay for the duration of meeting now.

[38:11] I appreciate the public comments. I appreciate your time with those public comments. The seven here are center employees in the ten individuals from other organizations had great insights and helpful comments.

[38:24] So our first item on the CEO update is mission moment. And so mission moment, Amanda, opposite if we're Amanda, but as Amanda here, hey Amanda. Okay, go to the next one.

[38:37] Okay, so Constance, Brenda, Dina and Wilbert, where are you all at?

[38:46] Right over there, raise your hands.

[38:48] Okay, we'll come up and take a picture in just a couple of minutes.

[38:50] We got a few people to recognize.

[38:52] I've done so early here.

[38:53] So Constance?

[38:54] Yeah, she's here.

[38:55] Yeah, they were behind the board.

[38:58] They were trying to peek out and wait.

[39:02] So that team are part of the ID of these stores clinic team.

[39:05] All four of them have intensely worked with a 19-year-old individual who has autism spectrum disorder.

[39:12] He's been dealing with a court case in Montgomery County for the past few years,

[39:15] regarding an incident that occurred in high school.

[39:18] It involves him getting into an altercation with another student to protect his brother,

[39:22] who also has autism and is receiving services through IDVs.

[39:26] This dedicated team never gave a attended court hearings, several court hearings.

[39:31] to be there as a support for him, you can imagine how scary and concerning and overwhelming that might be.

[39:38] The formality, the context of it all, the recent court hearing that they attended with him was successful though.

[39:45] And the charges were dropped to probation, and will likely be dismissed before it's off said and done.

[39:50] It's been a long road for this individual, but the team was thrilled to see him smile for the first time since this incident occurred.

[39:56] So, I just want to recognize those four going above and beyond.

[39:59] No one in a job description does it say you show up at court to support someone through that process.

[40:04] The very overwhelming and probably concerning process.

[40:07] So, all four of you, I feel I would list the end of them.

[40:09] So, we can recognize this.

[40:11] Dr. Baker, excuse me behind that.

[40:13] You know,

[40:22] if you have to have a couple of people who want to recognize that if y'all can hang on for just a minute and then we'll take pictures with everybody once we get to the recognition just so we don't have everybody going back and forth there.

[40:30] All right, so the second recognition,

[40:37] Kenyanika Johnson, KJ, where are you that?

[40:40] Is that right there?

[40:41] Okay, that little small.

[40:43] I'll leave that hand up there, okay?

[40:45] Thank you.

[40:46] So, I will leave the letter, right?

[40:49] And when I do no employer orientation,

[40:50] I tell people, there's usually only two reasons I get a letter.

[40:53] Someone is really unhappy or someone is really happy.

[40:56] I rarely get a letter that just says,

[40:57] things are okay, you are doing so soon, right? And sometimes, you know, it is a joy to get those

[41:06] letters, and it was the one that I received from Kenyana. I got a letter from a performance specialist

[41:12] with HHSC. And those are people who moderate our work, who monitor what we do and the work that we do.

[41:19] And so I thought I would read that letter to y'all in a way to celebrate Kenyana Kenyana,

[41:23] her work. And I'd like to take a moment and celebrate your dedication to the Harrisoner,

[41:27] Early Childhood Intervention Program.

[41:29] It's been an inspiration to what your team grow.

[41:32] Your hard work day in and day out does not go unnoticed.

[41:35] Thank you for your consistent efforts,

[41:37] your positive attitude and enthusiasm smell.

[41:40] Leadership is a powerful catalyst.

[41:42] Take a moment to reflect how far you've

[41:43] come over the last year, congratulations.

[41:46] Now, this person sees tons of programs all over the state,

[41:49] tons of individuals, and Tionakas' effort

[41:52] and energy impressed them to the point that they took back time

[41:55] to write that note and make sure that it made it to me.

[41:58] And so I wanted to share that recognition with y'all,

[42:01] and let's celebrate Kenyana Kenyana for all of you.

[42:19] All right, we're not done yet, though.

[42:22] We are not.

[42:22] It's a day of celebration here.

[42:26] So David, wait, David, stand up, in fact.

[42:35] David received the support award for excellence

[42:39] in the provision of direct supports award

[42:41] from the Texas chapter of the American Association

[42:44] on intellectual and developmental disabilities.

[42:46] David already sat down and he can't stand it.

[42:49] It's not that he was not going to say

[42:51] space standing, he had to get a seat.

[42:54] So this award is for exceptional work

[42:56] in the delivery of coordination,

[42:58] in the delivery or coordination

[43:00] of high quality direct services and supports

[43:03] in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities.

[43:06] And so I just thought I would read a little bit

[43:08] from the nomination letter about David

[43:09] in the work that he does.

[43:12] David how long have you been here?

[43:15] How long?

[43:18] 33 years.

[43:19] I didn't ask that because I didn't know.

[43:20] It's in my notes.

[43:21] But I just thought, I thought we ought

[43:23] at least let him say how long he's been here.

[43:24] After 33 years, you ought to get to raise your hand and say it.

[43:28] So David is devoted 33 years of his career

[43:31] to the Harris Center from the Health and I TV.

[43:33] And it's consistently exemplified the highest

[43:35] standards of care, compassion, and professionalism.

[43:38] David's journey has included roles as a classroom instructor, employment coach, residential

[43:43] specialist, and direct support professional.

[43:46] And his consistently exemplified the highest standards of care, compassionate professionalism

[43:50] we want for our employees.

[43:52] David's journey has included, oh, I read that part.

[43:55] David's impact extends far beyond his assigned duties, though.

[43:58] He's built strong relationship with families, supports clients, and all aspects of daily

[44:03] living, skilled development, health monitoring, community integration, and advocacy.

[44:07] you taking a deep breath there, David? All this stuff is so true, so true. Outside of his work at the

[44:14] Harris Center, right, is none of us exists just inside these walls. He continues his advocacy

[44:19] and service by volunteering in our community and caring for his 94 95 year old father. David,

[44:26] we want to celebrate in honor of you for this award in this recognition.

[44:43] Since David's already standing,

[44:44] David, why don't you come up and we'll take a picture and we'll work through those that we want to

[44:48] So if the board will join me up here in the middle of

[44:55] the center.

[44:55] David.

[44:59] Earlier.

[45:00] Are you complimenting me on how festive that was? Would you like me to wear my Christmas lights?

[46:48] All right, ready? One, two, three. Awesome.

[47:36] I'm

[47:53] not done yet. I'm just getting warmed up.

[47:57] I do have a few more points.

[47:59] So I get to wear my lights again.

[48:00] Please do.

[48:01] Please do.

[48:02] I think it would be great to have a little bit of festive lights.

[48:06] So I believe that a few of you had a chance to meet our new controller at the resource committee meeting.

[48:13] But I wanted to introduce her to the full board because it's such a critical role and has so much impact on the organization and its finances.

[48:19] Roxanne Carr, Roxanne.

[48:22] There you are.

[48:22] Please stand up.

[48:29] Just as you were standing up, but we were all seeing you.

[48:34] Roxane is getting celebrated because she started.

[48:36] Roxane is new.

[48:39] Roxane has a VBA in accounting from Baylor, an MBA from Texas Women's University.

[48:45] She's a certified public accountant and certified internal auditor.

[48:48] She began her career in public accounting.

[48:50] She spent eight years in internal audit and in the Anderson Center.

[48:53] 11 years is controller for several kindergarten hospitals, that's where lease borrowed her, convinced her,

[48:59] pulled her from. She also has served in leadership roles in the Houston chapter of the Institute for

[49:05] Internal Artifers and has served on the Finance Committee for Jones Memorial United Methodist Church.

[49:10] So Roxanne, we're so glad that you're here. Thanks for being a part of our class.

[49:16] What a first board meeting. Also, another recognition, and we're going to continue right on with

[49:21] finance team here, stand and his team received the certificate of achievement for excellence

[49:28] and financial reporting from the government finance officers association.

[49:32] So this is an annual recognition.

[49:34] We have received it before several times, but it is always a great recognition and I think we

[49:39] all appreciate the importance of transparency and public disclosure of all of the financial

[49:46] stuff.

[49:46] And so the GFOA established the certificate of achievement and excellence in financial reporting

[49:51] program in 1945 to encourage and assist state and local governments to go beyond the minimum

[49:56] requirements, generally accepted, generally accepted accounting principles to prepare annual

[50:02] comprehensive financial reports that evidence the spirit of transparency and full disclosure

[50:07] and then to recognize individual governments to succeed in achieving that goal.

[50:11] The certificate of achievement is the highest form of recognition in government accounting

[50:14] financial reporting. So good host to the findings.

[50:32] Stan, please pass along our appreciation to the

[50:34] whole team in finance. We know it's a team effort. I appreciate y'all's leadership.

[50:40] That's a good letter to get.

[50:41] It was. You're not always copied on all the good stuff.

[50:47] So a quick update on the union conversation. It has been consistent with topics we've had in the past.

[50:54] We did talk about layoffs and I was going to include that as a part of my bait anyway, so I won't do that.

[51:01] So for this fiscal year, the numbers that were heard earlier were in totality.

[51:06] They go back to the March federal termination of our pod dollars.

[51:12] To this fiscal year, we have had 60 individuals whose position has been eliminated.

[51:18] Those who wanted to continue working at the Harris Center 85% of those have been hired.

[51:24] And we have 26 more of this year that are going to be impacted.

[51:28] Their programs are ending, you know, you might recall that the ARPA funds, they, they

[51:33] expire at the same point, but the, the allocation of them ends at different points in time.

[51:38] And so when we did this, right after the Board approved the budget, that day, all of the

[51:44] supervisors met individually with those employees, some of them work remote, some of them

[51:49] had ill-family members and we're out of the office and so they might have had a phone call

[51:53] as opposed to face-to-face meeting, but I just want to be clear, none of those notifications

[51:58] happen via my video.

[52:00] I did follow up with the video the next day because I felt like employees ought to know

[52:04] the context of it and I wanted to try and make sure people understood that those who were

[52:09] impacted for this year were aware of it and so we are, you know, it's a tough tough process.

[52:17] I'm excited that a good chunk of those that are in this fiscal year have been placed into other positions

[52:22] We do still have open positions

[52:24] I think we have somebody it doesn't end now

[52:27] So we have somebody who previously their role ended

[52:30] And they transitioned out, but they're coming back next month in a position that was available to them, and they were hard for. So that is a bit of an update on on that. And all of those positions nearly without exception were related to ARPA funds and expiration of federal dollars expired. They were tended to be one time funds and so they they were.

[52:52] I just would like to have some accountability of how that process worked when out.

[53:00] I believe that transparency is very, very important of how the message is delivered to the people who work for this agency.

[53:10] And I believe that there's a difference of people that have been here 15 years and people that we may have just hired.

[53:19] I'm really concerned about those people because they have been here and I believe that the

[53:24] board should get some type of report and writing of how that process went and I salute

[53:29] you of Wayne and I said it several times I know the hard work that you did going to Austin

[53:36] and calling and trying to save those dollars but a lot of times I'll people in the community

[53:42] that even employees don't know the hard work that had to be put into saved the jobs that we

[53:48] And I don't believe that from the people that was here this morning, that the message was there.

[53:55] Custill is all the way off you hearing I looked at the news this morning.

[54:01] Amazon's talk about land off, you know, thousands of people.

[54:06] And then here we are less funding in the message, you know, these people are not listening and paying attention

[54:13] was happening in America right now. So I believe whoever our HR department, whoever our public

[54:20] relations people along with your executive staff and the managers, they must get that message out

[54:27] of what's going on. And the transparency of the people that we've laid off, we just got to make sure

[54:34] that the ones that have been here with this agency don't feel like, you know, that they've been just

[54:40] out and we didn't care about them. And also we've got to make sure that whatever package they have.

[54:48] And also whatever package they have is working for them and that we are also partnering up with

[54:57] the city and the county and other agencies to try to help those people get another job.

[55:03] You know, there ought to be some kind of job fair and I want to make sure that we're not hiring

[55:08] know new people. I want to know about that. What are the new people who are there that we're

[55:15] hiring? How many slots are they? I just don't want to know that we're hiring them. How many

[55:19] slots are available? Because as much as we can to keep those people. And from what I've written

[55:25] down from this morning in PC there seemed like there's some issue and I hadn't heard it but

[55:31] person after person came from in PC I'm really concerned about that because in PC plays a real

[55:37] part of this organization and those employees are valuable because they serve the

[55:43] worse in the most critical time and we ought to know where that is, what the funding

[55:49] is and where those numbers, the numbers going down so far as the finance and the budget.

[55:55] If the board can translate some other things to help with that, I think we should be

[55:59] in for clarity, there was no position to eliminate from NBC.

[56:05] But happy to do the happy for a more comprehensive.

[56:07] So when they came this morning,

[56:09] I was just talk about that they were being laid off,

[56:12] and that it's for you know, there we know.

[56:14] Not are the employees in the PC work,

[56:16] position to all of them.

[56:20] And again, so of the 60 people just for a real number,

[56:24] nine people applied for jobs that haven't got them

[56:29] yet.

[56:30] I hate it for those nine, and they're still eligible.

[56:33] I would still love to have them here.

[56:35] But that's what we got right now.

[56:36] That's what I want to know is what is in the future?

[56:39] So we have 26 more of this year.

[56:42] There's 26.

[56:44] I think the board should know more about those positions and how it's going to affect the agency

[56:51] and the people that it serves and some process.

[56:56] How can we make a difference?

[56:59] It's easy to say we're going to just lay people off, but it's easy to say how can we work around

[57:04] and maybe the board can do some special.

[57:06] I don't know.

[57:07] I know the funds are limited, but ways that we can, please, I think we should get that back to the board.

[57:15] Funds are very safe.

[57:16] We even have staff in doing it.

[57:18] It's no reflection of view or the staff or your team is reflection whatever we could do to make sure

[57:24] we can save some of these jobs if we can.

[57:27] And make sure that we get the message out because that wrong message,

[57:37] you know,

[57:37] They all left and they miss all the good news that we talked about, but bad news, you know,

[57:42] withdraw attention, so whatever we can do.

[57:46] When HR department can do to give those people far-knowing, warning, and some type of package,

[57:52] and working with other agencies to see if we could get them and other jobs, I see the hospital

[57:57] district people were here.

[57:59] So there's a hospital district have, any job openings, that we can work with them to transfer

[58:05] some of those people.

[58:07] We'll provide you some of that information, because we did do something, it's not necessarily

[58:09] the hospital.

[58:10] We did something, it's trying to help support transition, so we'll provide that detail

[58:13] for you, I'm sure.

[58:16] We also hosted, since we last met, we hosted 50 members of the Judicial Commission on Mental

[58:22] Health for a tour at the Divisions Center.

[58:25] They have their annual summit here.

[58:27] The Commission members represent some of the most influential and impactful members of the

[58:35] on a list that intersect with the justice system.

[58:38] I have the privilege of being one of those group,

[58:40] whether as members, Judge Helms was one of those members

[58:43] as well from her work in the system.

[58:46] And so now we can add to our long list

[58:47] of impressively yours who've toured the Diversity Center

[58:49] to state Supreme Court justices.

[58:52] They were there as a part of that group.

[58:54] And I will tell you now that there are 11 diversity centers

[58:58] that are open on the process of being open right now

[59:00] across the state.

[59:01] They were all model after hours,

[59:03] and they came after hours.

[59:04] So, and there's a couple outside of the state, but we also hosted a multi-organizational learning

[59:12] visit from executives with DFPS or Department of Family and Protective Services, Health

[59:17] and Human Services Commission, HHSC, and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.

[59:21] They were here to learn about our many collaborations.

[59:24] They spent some time doing the diversion center and to your point, Mr. One Mac, I'm not

[59:28] through.

[59:28] I haven't given up on any of these programs.

[59:30] The youth diversion center is one of those that runs out of funds in January, and so I

[59:35] I just spoke it into the universe with those three organizations and said if you got three million bucks

[59:40] Right, we want to keep it going. I have a call with the Commissioner Executive Commissioner of HHSC and the Executive Director of TGJD later this month

[59:48] So we will keep pushing and do all that we can for sure

[59:53] So we also

[59:55] had a ribbon cutting. I appreciate those excited to see the apartments come here for

[1:00:00] I'm grateful to Ms. Thomas, Dr. Bacon, Mr. Walmat, who attended the event. And a special thanks to Mr. Walmat for ensuring that Dr. Moore was there. She looked lovely. She was in good spirits.

[1:00:12] Was so glad to get to see her. She did so much on the sport. And some of this stuff, she's not getting to see come to fruition because she stepped off. But was excited that she was there and able to be a part of it. Mayor Whitmire was speaking and interrupted his planned comments to especially recognize Dr. Moore and her service to our community.

[1:00:29] And I can't help but think she felt good about that and appreciate it that she did, she talked about it a whole way back.

[1:00:39] And it was well deserved.

[1:00:41] It was well deserved.

[1:00:43] On Sunday, Sunday before that, she had just made nine years old.

[1:00:47] Charlie Pangley had a surprise birthday party.

[1:00:51] And very nice.

[1:00:52] And as a reminder, the board and team sent flowers.

[1:00:58] Somebody tested it.

[1:00:59] So it's out right it's out so it really well it was great to see everybody it was a fun of it

[1:01:05] And I really did we did not know Dr. Moore was coming and so Mayor Whitmar's comments were certainly spontaneous

[1:01:11] But I think everybody there recognized the impact she's had an arc community for decades

[1:01:15] And I think the mayor said he has been working literally for decades with her to improve our community

[1:01:20] He said he would call her all the time and every person

[1:01:24] I can imagine

[1:01:29] And I imagine she found ways to solve a lot of these problems.

[1:01:32] She did not turn him away up at him.

[1:01:34] But we do, if those who couldn't make it,

[1:01:36] we do have a short video of the Ribbon Cutting

[1:01:38] as Lee often does for us.

[1:01:40] He put together a little bit of a video collection

[1:01:43] to help us kind of relive them on me.

[1:02:45] Her shift, like the one we celebrate today,

[1:02:47] the lead move closer to a future where

[1:02:49] behavioral health and housing are truly connected.

[1:02:54] On behalf of the Commission of Tom Rath,

[1:02:56] The constituents of Freezing 3, you're committed to serve our homeless and support them as they navigate through prices and bills stability in their lives to be committed.

[1:03:13] To the leadership, to commitment, to vision, to resources, to celebrating, to center, to start a care for the disadvantaged.

[1:03:27] We really have to show you Stony and we're all in this together.

[1:03:44] This is a reminder, none of our dollars went into the construction of those apartments.

[1:03:49] It was funded, and that's why you saw several speakers there.

[1:03:53] It was funded by HHSC funds, which were a former representative Coleman,

[1:03:56] helped secure for us. He was not able to be there that day, but it was,

[1:04:01] frankly, this whole kind of whole thing was his vision.

[1:04:04] He set out to say, we need to continue on where people can leave the hospital and end up in housing

[1:04:08] that are unhousing.

[1:04:11] So Kudos to him, HHSC, as well as community health choice, our nonprofit managed Medicaid

[1:04:19] plan at the hospital district operates, putting capital for this, so that they can have some

[1:04:25] dedicated access to those units, or at least first priority access, maybe for a few of them,

[1:04:29] as well as on the city of Houston, they contributed a great deal of fun, some federal, some

[1:04:35] local, but brought it to fruition.

[1:04:38] And also, I remember when this board talked about it, not everybody that was here now was

[1:04:42] a part of that discussion, but it was a little bit of a leap of faith, right?

[1:04:46] Apartments are a little outside of our norm.

[1:04:48] It's not something we're doing every day, but to, I think we all are aligned on to the degree

[1:04:54] that our clients need stable housing as a part of their treatment and recovery and rehabilitation

[1:04:59] process and that's a role for us. So Kudos to those, the problems of beautiful, and I just want to shout out to our team, so many people may that happen.

[1:05:09] Our chief aesthetics officer, Tina Pace,

[1:05:14] Nicole was running around the whole day. There was, you know, I think,

[1:05:20] plus or heart in her stress.

[1:05:22] If she would have just turned that, it would have just been great.

[1:05:25] Just turned it.

[1:05:26] But the whole team.

[1:05:27] I mean, there were people who did so many things that were far outside

[1:05:30] of their job description.

[1:05:31] And they just all pitched in to make it a lovely day for it.

[1:05:34] She was, she

[1:05:38] saw Stan, was shaking hands with Trina Iita,

[1:05:42] who is the commissioner over here.

[1:05:44] We're helping HHS see trying to find more money for it.

[1:05:48] Also since we last met, we had an employee picking it.

[1:05:52] that was a huge success.

[1:05:54] It was again at Constellation Field.

[1:05:56] I'm sorry.

[1:05:57] I'm sorry.

[1:05:59] We do a lot of stuff too, so it's understandable.

[1:06:02] It's hard for you to get everywhere.

[1:06:03] Dr. Bacon was there.

[1:06:04] We appreciated you being there Dr. Bacon.

[1:06:07] Our team, there was a ballpark food.

[1:06:11] So I get a lot of that in baseball these days,

[1:06:14] but if you don't get it every day,

[1:06:15] it's a kind of a nice treat.

[1:06:17] We did this year, we combined the picnic

[1:06:19] with a benefits and wellness fair, which was a great plan.

[1:06:23] I didn't know exactly how that would come together.

[1:06:26] But I got a chance, I watched our employees playing Kiff ball

[1:06:28] on the Space Cowboys field.

[1:06:30] People were doing yoga after a huge group doing yoga,

[1:06:33] a super impressive group doing yoga.

[1:06:36] I think the massages were probably the most popular thing.

[1:06:39] There were rumors that people were dancing,

[1:06:40] but I don't have any information about that.

[1:06:43] I do.

[1:06:44] I think those are just, it's fake news, because it's not real.

[1:06:48] I feel like there might be video.

[1:06:50] I'm worried about that, I'm so worried about that.

[1:06:53] They can do a lot of trickery with video.

[1:06:55] There's just anything software that,

[1:06:57] and people will just try and put you in the most negative light,

[1:06:59] something like that.

[1:07:01] But haven't, haven't all the benefits?

[1:07:03] Benefit vendors there in one spot.

[1:07:05] So our team members could go through,

[1:07:07] could visit with them, especially this year,

[1:07:09] transition into signal.

[1:07:10] They did some sessions so that employees could get information

[1:07:12] about that transition and what needed to happen with that.

[1:07:15] So Kudos to the HR team, Kinder for Her Leadership, Kip, as our, as our, as our common benefits leader, just it was really, really great.

[1:07:25] In fact, the vendors were talking about how they were going to take this idea to their organization.

[1:07:30] To talk about how they roll out their benefits fairs. They were so impressed with it, they had not seen anything like it. And appreciate that. And the nice thing is, because it was a part of our benefits fair and wellness, our vendor allowed us to use some of the wellness credits that they can send back to us to pay for it. So we did not use Harris Center operational fines to pay for that event. It was through those approved in our experience. Absolutely.

[1:07:53] And we have a quick video of that because we thought that I'm hoping it's the video.

[1:08:00] I'll be honest with you, it dawned on me this morning that I have not seen the benefit of the video.

[1:10:35] We're on a confused schedule meeting with me and Lee this afternoon.

[1:10:41] I didn't see him around, so I thought I had escaped.

[1:10:44] Apparently not.

[1:10:45] A couple of quick reminders, and again, Kudos to the team for the picnic.

[1:10:49] It was incredible.

[1:10:50] It's a lot of work.

[1:10:51] And if I mean, just Nephan Kip and Kendra in particular went so far above me.

[1:11:01] Yeah, I wasn't going to watch it again, but we'll get the edited version out, so it's

[1:11:06] a general public later today, but Kudos again, so much hard work and it was awesome and people

[1:11:12] loved it and I heard so many good things about it.

[1:11:14] The fourth annual transforming lives luncheon is 11, 11, 11, 11, 30, I don't know if we play

[1:11:21] and all those 11's, but we got them in there.

[1:11:24] The transforming lives luncheon is our foundation's

[1:11:26] luncheon, we raise friends and funds there.

[1:11:29] And it's often that they're honoring Lily Foster

[1:11:32] at this year's event.

[1:11:34] Lily has served on our foundation board for over a decade

[1:11:38] and has done so much for our community in many ways.

[1:11:41] Herner has been Charles Boat,

[1:11:43] but particularly from the health and for our foundation.

[1:11:45] And so we're going to honor her.

[1:11:47] That will be right after the board committee meetings

[1:11:49] in November. So we're expecting a great turnout. We're hoping all of you can make it and we are planning for you to all be there.

[1:11:57] So if you're not going to be there, please let Veronica and I know, so we don't all to see what you're going to get that seed someone else, but we would love for you to all be there.

[1:12:05] And we're going to make the committee meetings clip along so that you can make it in time for that.

[1:12:10] On 1118, so if you're catching a trend, that's the day, that's the board meeting day.

[1:12:14] And so right after the board meeting, we are hosting our annual employee recognition event,

[1:12:20] where we celebrate hundreds of our team members with milestone and universities this year and every year.

[1:12:25] We would love for you to be there as well.

[1:12:27] It's one of my favorite events.

[1:12:28] I'd love this as the first one I went to, and they continue to get better and better every year.

[1:12:33] And we also appreciate the foundation they helped sponsor that lunch.

[1:12:38] Before their sponsorship, I think I've told some of you, I would literally see employees we were honoring,

[1:12:43] taking aprons off it was kind of a buffet and they would serve the food and then they would

[1:12:47] take the apron off to come run get their recognition for 20 years of service for a while.

[1:12:51] Right so foundation allowed us to do it in a way that is a little less work for everybody.

[1:12:57] So we appreciate that.

[1:12:59] And on on 12-3, but this on your calendar is our annual blueprint of it.

[1:13:04] I think some of you have been to our blueprint in the past and we would love to see you there.

[1:13:09] There are plenty of things to buy so bring your cash for our budding entrepreneurs.

[1:13:12] They're there selling the things that they create and make and that is all I have in terms of the CEO of they for they thank you very much

[1:13:19] I want to just add about the architect who designed and building for us

[1:13:25] We want to thank that firm because they really did a good job and that's a model that we can take all across the county

[1:13:31] Does the design was beautiful the units were nice and we need to compliment them

[1:13:38] And I wanted to say that.

[1:13:40] That's a great point.

[1:13:41] Daniel was our DLR and his team did a really great job.

[1:13:48] And they were there if you didn't, you might not know them, but they were in the video.

[1:13:51] They came and celebrated with us and lots of people were super impressed by those lines.

[1:13:55] That's it.

[1:13:55] Thank you for reminding me to mention that, Mr. One Mike.

[1:13:59] What have you?

[1:13:59] I'll turn it back over to you.

[1:14:01] I'm going to remind everyone we have another meeting after this meeting.

[1:14:04] And we

[1:14:10] have many, many executive session items, so I'm just going to encourage

[1:14:17] brevity

[1:14:20] for the rest of our meeting today.

[1:14:23] Okay, number five, the committee reports and actions.

[1:14:27] We have videos for each group.

[1:14:32] Oh, we don't.

[1:14:34] They'll be coming.

[1:14:35] So audit committee with Mr. likes.

[1:14:38] Yep, I'll begin the brevity. It was a short meeting and this like it went over the fourth quarter of results to the audit and

[1:14:45] Talked away a little bit about it yesterday. I think you probably need to see some improvements with the numbers. So we'll be working on that.

[1:14:55] That was fixed into the next brevity. Thank you.

[1:14:59] Okay.

[1:15:00] Okay, resource committee with Mr. Obama.

[1:15:04] Because of time in the circumstances and regulations of the finance department, I'm going to tell the members

[1:15:13] as printed in your book for this month that our resource committee meeting was very good meeting,

[1:15:22] very short meeting, and I will defer to you reading the minutes from that meeting.

[1:15:29] because of time.

[1:15:33] Okay.

[1:15:36] Thank you. The quality, sorry, the program committee with Dr. Miller.

[1:15:42] No, he was unavailable, so he allowed me to share. We had two presentations from the behavioral health and

[1:15:50] the decreases in access hub, so Jennifer presented and kudos to Jennifer and her team.

[1:15:56] They, I just, one fact is in F-25, 150, 4,760 calls were received and cared for.

[1:16:07] That's impressive.

[1:16:10] So, wow.

[1:16:12] And then we had Main Street campus.

[1:16:14] We had Ladderall, Evelyn and Kim present and talked about Main Street is with the Old Recentre

[1:16:21] and now it's all Main Street and 190 toll funded beds. So really nice on both those great

[1:16:27] presentations from their teams, which are all the best. So we turn to the next, which is the quality

[1:16:34] meeting with Dr. Link for. Yes, Mr. Chair. We approved the new FY26 Safety Informative Room at

[1:16:45] And we of course presented the scorecard and talked about how we're going to try to make that a little bit more efficient.

[1:16:52] And down specific things that we're going to present in that scorecard moving forward.

[1:16:56] And then we had a really good presentation metric data on the crisis line of 988.

[1:17:01] It was a really good update.

[1:17:02] I opener.

[1:17:04] We were, as a board, trying to understand particularly when it comes to call volume and call loss,

[1:17:09] sort of where we were nationally and Dr. Lee and Ms. Bottle actually came up with the information

[1:17:15] that really didn't exist anywhere. It gave us a really good perspective of where we are and

[1:17:20] probably some good insights and where we're going to go. Excellent. Thank you.

[1:17:25] In the Foundation Report with Mr. Hado, the main thing about that is on November the 11th,

[1:17:33] But there is the luncheon, so we encourage and excited to collect friends and funds.

[1:17:42] I like it.

[1:17:43] Friends and funds.

[1:17:45] How much is a friend worth?

[1:17:47] I don't know.

[1:17:48] We'll find out if I don't know.

[1:17:49] How many funds can you get that?

[1:17:52] You go.

[1:17:52] All right.

[1:17:53] We're going to move to consent agenda item number six.

[1:17:57] So the first consent agenda is the year to date by your report.

[1:18:02] Can we just take a look at the second is for October 25th new contracts, the third is for October

[1:18:09] 20 25 sorry in a local agreement and the 26 PI plan so I'm just going to go through each one individually so for item a can I have a motion you can do them

[1:18:21] I know, but we're going to have to leave over one of you, okay, so I'm sorry about that.

[1:18:26] I'm sorry about that.

[1:18:26] I'm so moved there.

[1:18:27] And a second, all in favor for the item A, item B.

[1:18:33] And B, we have a, sort of, we had a vote for item A.

[1:18:37] All in favor say I.

[1:18:38] I'm not in any needs of extensions.

[1:18:40] Guys have passed it.

[1:18:41] Item B is October 25 new contracts.

[1:18:44] We can all vote on this one.

[1:18:45] Do I have a most true proof?

[1:18:47] So moved.

[1:18:47] And a second.

[1:18:49] All in favor say I.

[1:18:51] And in these revsensions, yeah, I asked that.

[1:18:55] Dr. Linkford, I think you might need to refuse on the next one.

[1:18:57] On October 2025, the interlocal agreement may I have a motion to approve some end of

[1:19:03] seconds.

[1:19:04] All in favor, say, I, and we have one refusal for Dr. Linkford on that one.

[1:19:09] And the PI plan for 2022, so motion to approve some end of second and all in favor, say,

[1:19:16] I, and I, and I have any of these revsensions.

[1:19:20] Number seven, consider and take action.

[1:19:23] This is post 2026 Board of Trustees calendar.

[1:19:28] Oh, it's me.

[1:19:29] Yes, sir.

[1:19:32] Is this what we're talking about Tuesdays?

[1:19:34] This is Tuesdays.

[1:19:35] This follows the current board schedule and pattern,

[1:19:38] where everything is the third and fourth Tuesday.

[1:19:41] The exception being November where we have to move it all up a week.

[1:19:43] And then December, we kind of hold this spot.

[1:19:46] But traditionally, we've not had to have a meeting in December.

[1:19:48] So, um, it is hard for everyone on the board. I know what, we greatly, we all appreciate

[1:19:54] everyone's time and commitment, um, enjoy your free lunch. That's all you get. Um, but

[1:20:01] we, we do appreciate Tuesdays. I don't know if any day is a perfect day. I, I, like,

[1:20:07] all of our schedules, um, are challenging. Is it okay to maintain Tuesdays the day that

[1:20:14] we do it, if we need to revisit it for some massive changing event.

[1:20:19] You guys here, so there's one, people are, everyone will do it, fine.

[1:20:24] Have a motion to approve then that we continue with Tuesdays, as our board meeting,

[1:20:30] the second week and all.

[1:20:32] How long favor say I?

[1:20:34] I mean, in these extensions, I think it's actually passed it.

[1:20:39] The next item be under considered and take action is resolution.

[1:20:42] in the Harris Center Board of Trustees's signature authorization

[1:20:45] delegation off, authority for certain items, and Mr. Harris.

[1:20:51] Good morning.

[1:20:53] I'll be real brief.

[1:20:55] Basically, that's a rule.

[1:20:58] So, based on our analysis,

[1:21:01] based on the resolution for signature authorization

[1:21:06] and delegation authority for employee benefits,

[1:21:09] you will actually see that.

[1:21:14] It made one slide adjustment to it.

[1:21:17] The monthly not to exceed amounts, we still have, of course,

[1:21:21] my first fall Lincoln.

[1:21:22] And then we have Blue Cross Blue Shield for the run-out of this calendar year

[1:21:26] through the end of December.

[1:21:28] And then also we've added SIGNA, of course,

[1:21:31] based on the work of KIP and HR team.

[1:21:35] Base will be converting over to SIGNA as a January 1.

[1:21:39] So for right now we're basically showing two on the actual resolution itself and in

[1:21:45] you and as well I will point out in terms of the muffling not the exceed amounts.

[1:21:49] I pretty much kept those consistent because I went back and looked at our run

[1:21:52] range for last year and we were significantly lower than the not too

[1:21:57] exceed.

[1:21:58] So it didn't make sense to me to really just increase those if you will but you can

[1:22:02] actually see the amounts that are actually listed and again we did make that one

[1:22:07] change in, in, in, in add, uh, signal to it. So, this will be our third year to try to do this

[1:22:14] by resolution. These are benefits. You approve the contract. You've approved the budget for

[1:22:17] these. It's, it just expedites us being able to pay these vendors.

[1:22:21] Good. Where do you need a motion? We have a motion to. Just lead a motion for

[1:22:25] information. Okay. Who is second? Second. All in favor say aye.

[1:22:31] Mr. Speaker, may you please say a little more questions.

[1:22:32] Thank you very much.

[1:22:35] We're going to move to the Resolution Retirement Plan 26.

[1:22:41] I think that's a big question.

[1:22:43] Yes, exactly.

[1:22:44] That's a big question.

[1:22:46] We're going to go down.

[1:22:48] Okay.

[1:22:49] Would you have that pulled up?

[1:22:56] Okay.

[1:22:56] You know what, I think it might be more proven. I've sent that to you as a board. Do you have seen that strategic plan up there?

[1:23:02] I've sent all of you individually. Maybe we'll review that next month since we got a little right on crunch.

[1:23:07] Because I know you still have a lot of executive session items to include.

[1:23:11] So do we need a motion to do that or not?

[1:23:13] No, that's just reviewing.

[1:23:19] That's just reviewing.

[1:23:23] I just want to highlight how impressed I am with the board in the Harris Center and we've

[1:23:30] known about some of these financial clicks for some time, we have planned from the very beginning

[1:23:35] that we're going to focus on jobs and jobs and jobs.

[1:23:41] And we knew that that might not be popular at times but it was nice to hear others recognizing

[1:23:46] I think that I would rather everyone keep their job

[1:23:50] than have a raise on the back of someone else.

[1:23:53] And we have thought that and we have all encouraged

[1:23:57] and planned for that four months now

[1:23:59] to trying to see how we can retain as many jobs

[1:24:04] as humanly possible.

[1:24:05] And it's great to see up to now 85% have been retained.

[1:24:11] It's not 100, but it is speaks very, very strongly

[1:24:15] we keep doing work towards focusing on those elements and it's going to be tougher.

[1:24:24] Each time we have less jobs to fill and train people for and as we all are focusing on

[1:24:32] that that becomes important to do. We have also reached out and had at various members including

[1:24:40] Wayne repeatedly go and we have requested funds from the Harris County over in

[1:24:45] over to address these issues and other issues.

[1:24:48] So we often don't hear the amount of work that goes behind the scenes and trying to figure

[1:24:52] how to extend builds and get more of the funds as we can and that continues on.

[1:24:59] The next item I wanted to highlight is we have Dr. Morris, she's unable to do with us today

[1:25:04] as a board member, so I certainly want to welcome her officially as this committee.

[1:25:14] She's going to be appointed to two committees.

[1:25:17] Some committees.

[1:25:18] One is the program committee, which I think we have,

[1:25:21] We have generally everyone serves on for at least a year,

[1:25:23] and many stay for its great committee.

[1:25:26] And the next is quality committee.

[1:25:29] I think both serve her expertise and experience.

[1:25:34] So again, we're privileged to have her.

[1:25:35] So we can point to those committees.

[1:25:38] Get to what I mean?

[1:25:40] With that, I wanted to say.

[1:25:41] Again, thank you, thank you to all the employees and take this center what it is, every day for those who need it.

[1:25:50] We're going to have executive session as authorized by 551.071 of the technical technical report.

[1:25:56] If you're interested in the right to adjourn into executive session any time during the course of the meeting,

[1:25:59] Basically, the advice from its attorney about matters in your agenda is authorized by Section

[1:26:03] 551.074.

[1:26:05] And the Texas Government Code to review and discuss performance evaluation of G.C.

[1:26:08] Executive Officer, Dr. Rob Gehring, or Chair, is authorized by Section 551.0751.0751.

[1:26:14] The Texas Government Code of Seeking Legal Advice from Attorney regarding amendments

[1:26:19] to the Harris County Retirement Plans, Kendra Thomas, General Counsel, is authorized by Section

[1:26:24] five, five, one, points, it was in one of the Texas Chemical Council Station of the Attorney relating

[1:26:28] interlocal agreement between the City of Houston and the Harris Center related to mental health

[1:26:33] services for unhoused persons, Kendrick Thomas, General Counsel. With that, it is now 10-01 and we are

[1:26:42] entering executive session. Thank you. She touches that way. Okay, it is 10-53 and we've returned

[1:26:51] from executive session. Welcome back everyone. We did have one consider and take action of

[1:27:01] on it, so I will turn over to, for a big thank you chair. I move the Harris Center Board

[1:27:08] of Trustees approve the following. First amendment to the 401A retirement plan to amendment and

[1:27:16] statement of the four or three B retirement plan, and three amendment and

[1:27:21] restatement of the four or five seven B retirement plan, and authorize the CEO

[1:27:26] which do all things necessary or appropriate to execute any amendments as

[1:27:30] may be required.

[1:27:31] That's my question.

[1:27:32] We have a motion.

[1:27:33] Do we have a second?

[1:27:34] Second.

[1:27:35] All in favor say aye.

[1:27:37] Any names or extensions?

[1:27:39] The eyes have unanimously passed it.

[1:27:41] We'll first.

[1:27:41] we move to the next item. I'll go have a motion to adjourn, so move. All in favor say aye.

[1:27:50] In the AESR presents, the IES have passed, and the meeting is adjourned.

[1:27:55] Okay, we're going to get back into some else.

[1:27:58] Right, we're going to have a meeting in the AESL for training.

[1:28:02] Oh, I got a sign of this meeting here.

[1:28:04] Yeah.

[1:28:28] Enter the passcode and press the pound or hash key.

[1:28:38] Joining the meeting.

[1:28:41] So I'll just mention for those who are in the audience.

[1:28:44] So we're about to convene into the board training session.

[1:28:47] It's an annual requirement.

[1:28:49] Looks like we're going to be talking about some of the new updates

[1:28:51] to some of the new laws and rules and talk a little bit about board

[1:28:55] finance education.

[1:28:56] You're welcome to stay.

[1:28:57] There's nothing.

[1:28:58] If it goes into executive session, it will.

[1:29:00] But there'll also be no action taken.

[1:29:02] There's no decisions to board.

[1:29:03] Just to give you that context, you need to remember that.

[1:29:09] OK, should I start this, sir?

[1:29:11] Yes, sir?

[1:29:12] All right, there's October of the 28th.

[1:29:14] I understand, 25, 25.

[1:29:17] It is.

[1:29:17] We're so proud to say, anyway.

[1:29:21] 10.55.

[1:29:22] And we are entering the hair center

[1:29:26] from a teletenic IDD training session.

[1:29:31] Yes, annual board training session.

[1:29:34] Okay, do we have a forum, we do have a forum, is there any public comments, either in person or online, any and all are always welcome.

[1:29:47] Hearing no public comments, we'll move on to review and comment.

[1:29:53] This is number A is the Pillars of Board Service compliance with TOLMAETPIA.

[1:30:00] Sory, duties and sary, you'll be giving us some question.

[1:30:04] Sure, I'll line one.

[1:30:06] Let's hear the piece then.

[1:30:08] Okay.

[1:30:08] We'll just get the presentation for that.

[1:30:10] Well, if you do that, I'll be right back.

[1:30:13] Yeah, you'll get that, right?

[1:30:15] You should just go ahead.

[1:30:18] You still have a quarrel.

[1:30:22] It's nice.

[1:30:26] You're welcome to keep it to you tonight.

[1:30:28] It's all up.

[1:30:30] That's true, it is.

[1:30:35] I'm also happy to look at it.

[1:30:37] I'm also happy to look at it.

[1:30:38] I'm happy

[1:30:42] to look at it.

[1:30:44] I'm happy to look at it.

[1:30:50] I'm happy to look at it.

[1:30:54] I'm so glad I...

[1:30:56] I was like...

[1:30:57] Don't get dessert.

[1:30:58] Be good to yourself.

[1:31:00] I look what you did for me.

[1:31:02] I was a bluff.

[1:31:03] Yes.

[1:31:08] Thank you so much, me.

[1:31:09] What?

[1:31:12] Well, that is a big packet.

[1:31:38] that's important.

[1:31:40] Good morning, yes.

[1:31:42] It's still morning.

[1:31:42] Good morning, everybody.

[1:31:44] I know you had a busy morning already, so I will go ahead and get started.

[1:31:47] I'm Sarah Linguah. I am a partner with Spalding Nicholas Lamp in Linguah. I believe you know my partner Paul Lamp. Pretty well. He handles your litigation matters. I do not live at all. I stay away from the courtroom. But I do need a lot of coordinators, open meetings, act, Texas Public Information Act, which is why I'm here today to speak with you guys. I've been practicing almost 20 years. I'm the first lawyer in my family. I come from a family of educators. And my dad owned a small business. He was

[1:32:17] Self-made me and did not graduate high school, but was one of those individuals who just kind of pulled that from the boot straps and ran a small business engine machine shop.

[1:32:30] So, it was very education, it was very important to my family and so my sister had her master's degree and she teaches same school same subjects for my mom taught for 18 years.

[1:32:40] And I'm starting to start out wanting to have my bachelor's

[1:32:45] recent print journalism and then work for a paper and decided I

[1:32:47] didn't like I hated it.

[1:32:49] And so my husband, who is my boyfriend at the time, said,

[1:32:50] well, you took that for some in my class and you loved it.

[1:32:53] Be your thought about going to law school and I went, no, not really.

[1:32:56] And then took the LSAT, went to law school, and the rest of the

[1:32:59] history is they say, I can't imagine doing anything else because I love it.

[1:33:03] And so with that, my little history, we're going to talk about today

[1:33:06] the Pillar Support Service, compliance with the Open Meetings Act, the Public Information Act,

[1:33:11] and then we'll wrap up with Purdue Sheery duties, particularly focusing on your bylaws,

[1:33:17] which I have to give Kudos to you because your bylaws aren't excellent, particularly in the

[1:33:21] area of Purdue Sheery duties. So let's get my clicker here, there we go. First step is the Texas

[1:33:29] Open Meetings Act, and we'll concentrate on the definitions of a meeting which are very broad

[1:33:36] public comments, walking home, and so that's a big no-no that's orange jumpsuit land

[1:33:42] as I like to say. And then close session. So let's start out first with definitions,

[1:33:48] because the definitions are pretty important under the Open Meeting Act. First, a deliberation

[1:33:53] is defined as a verbal or a written exchange between a form of the governmental body, or between

[1:34:01] form and another person concerning an issue within the body's jurisdiction.

[1:34:06] So you always want to start counting your numbers, right?

[1:34:08] When you're talking with each other outside about properly called or needing to determine

[1:34:13] whether or not you're violating the open meeting act.

[1:34:17] Second, of course, open means open to the public.

[1:34:20] Open means the public is invited to attend and to listen with the exception of public

[1:34:26] comment, which we'll talk about in a minute, that does not mean participation from the

[1:34:30] public. The one's public comment is over. The public can sit and listen, but the public

[1:34:36] is not a back and forth between you all and the public outside of public comment. And then

[1:34:41] finally, a quorum is a majority of the governmental body. Meeting has several definitions.

[1:34:49] First, meeting is defined as either a deliberation between a quorum or between a quorum and

[1:34:55] another person during which public business or public policy over which you all have supervision

[1:35:01] or control is discussed or during which you take formal action. When I do this training

[1:35:08] with boards, a lot of boards say hold on. If we're just talking about something, but we're

[1:35:13] not taking any action, does it still have to be on the agenda? Yes, it does because the definition

[1:35:18] of a meeting includes only if you're just discussing something. It's best to deliver the deliberation

[1:35:25] portion of a meeting. Oh, if you're taking action, yes, that has to be on the agenda too,

[1:35:31] but the deliberation part is important as well. That still has to be listed on the agenda.

[1:35:37] Also, second definition of a meeting includes a gathering, a gathering that's conducted by the

[1:35:43] governmental body, that for which the governmental body is responsible, at which a quorum,

[1:35:49] you're getting the pattern with a quorum, right? Quorum is present, has been called by the

[1:35:53] What you receive information from, give information to, ask questions of or receive questions from any third person, including an employee of the hair center, about the public business or public policy over which you have supervision and control.

[1:36:12] So my prime example here, meeting includes, if you have a core of the board, and you

[1:36:19] none of you say a word, you are just receiving information from a hair center employee.

[1:36:26] That's a meeting. If you're asking questions of an employee, that's a meeting.

[1:36:33] Even if you're not taking any action on something, that's still a meeting if it's among a core

[1:36:38] of the governmental body, that means it has to be on a properly posted agenda.

[1:36:45] With all that said, we're just not a meeting, because under the Open Meeting Act,

[1:36:50] the Open Meeting Act is specifically states that a meeting is not a gathering of a

[1:36:55] core out of social function. That's unrelated to the public business, right? So around the

[1:37:00] holidays, if you all have sort of an open house for employees and a core more of the board

[1:37:05] And you all say, oh my gosh, what do you, did we post an agenda for this?

[1:37:11] It's okay.

[1:37:11] No, you don't have to.

[1:37:13] That's just a social function that's expressly accepted under the open meeting.

[1:37:17] What if you all attend a convention or a workshop or a ceremonial event or a press conference?

[1:37:25] You have an opening of a new facility.

[1:37:27] and so the core more and more.

[1:37:30] It attends that press conference. That's not considered a meeting under the open meeting.

[1:37:35] Similarly, in attendance of a quorum, it's some sort of candidate form, appearance or debate,

[1:37:42] is not considered a meeting as well. So long as you're not taking any formal action,

[1:37:49] and any discussion about care center business is incidental to the event. Of course, you're not supposed to be talking about,

[1:37:58] You know, Dr. Bacon, how are you going to vote next week and are meeting on such and such?

[1:38:03] No, no, no. That's orange jumpsuit land. Let's not go there.

[1:38:07] Orange jumpsuit land.

[1:38:12] General open meetings at guidelines.

[1:38:16] Every regular special or called meeting has to be open to the public except as provided under the act.

[1:38:24] The exceptions are when you're allowed to go in executive section as you just did and we'll go over those.

[1:38:31] You have to give written notice of the date, the hour, and the place as well as the subject of each meeting held by the governmental body.

[1:38:41] If you get lots of questions of how much accessibility do we have to give on a particular item.

[1:38:47] It's a very legal answer of, it depends.

[1:38:52] Which is why we have to ask the legal standard is how much attention is it to the public?

[1:39:01] How much does the public care about the specific item you're talking about?

[1:39:06] If it's in the school district world, the example is if it's, for example, with employees,

[1:39:12] levels of principle or higher has to be listed with specificity.

[1:39:16] So a corollary, you would move that corollary here, you know, if you're, you just did your evaluation, that would absolutely have to be listed specific, you know, with specificity under 55074.

[1:39:30] The public would want to know that would be with specificity that the board is evaluating your CEO, if taking some action with this Thomas's contract, for example,

[1:39:42] would need to be listed with specificity because that's a higher level position.

[1:39:47] And so it's sort of the it just depends. In terms of, you know, contracts that also just

[1:39:53] you know, depends. You just took action on your insurance contracts. That's a matter I would say

[1:39:59] of particular public concern. And so it would need to be listed with specificity and not just a blanket

[1:40:05] consider approval of contracts of more than $50,000 or something like that. You need to

[1:40:11] specifically list that. And of course, you're very well versed in that type of ball. And so this

[1:40:18] Thomas is on that for you guys. One brand new bill that just went from the came from the

[1:40:25] 89th legislative session, we now have to be much more prepared in terms of posting of the

[1:40:32] agendas. Previously, and I think it was much clearer before, because it was hours. It was 72 hours

[1:40:39] before the meeting.

[1:40:41] So it was much clearer of, you know,

[1:40:43] if our meetings were on Mondays at 6 o'clock,

[1:40:46] we had to post Fridays by 6 o'clock,

[1:40:48] because everybody can count 72 hours.

[1:40:51] Now, I'll notice this has to be posted at least three business days.

[1:40:55] Well, they didn't tell us whose this is a case.

[1:40:58] Is it according to state business days, national business days?

[1:41:04] Is it our business days according to our calendar,

[1:41:09] in terms of the hair center officially published calendar there. We're open and we shall see right

[1:41:18] I mean in the last presumably maybe somebody is going to ask the question of the attorney general

[1:41:23] perhaps an AG opinion will come out maybe somebody is going to litigate this and tell them you know

[1:41:28] my personal opinion is you know I don't mess around with the open meeting exact because there's

[1:41:33] orange on suit land penalties if you do and so I am being conservative with three business stays

[1:41:39] and saying three full VISTAs, not counting the day of the posting and not counting the day of

[1:41:46] the meeting. And so just three full VISTAs, of course, not Saturdays and Sundays. Which means

[1:41:52] we have to prepare much farther in advance. Additionally, under House Bill 1522, there's

[1:42:00] more specificity with regards to hosting of the proposed budget, a physical copy of the budget

[1:42:07] has to be posted in less. We make it clearly accessible on the home page.

[1:42:12] It has to be the home page. It has to be free clicks in of the governor body's website.

[1:42:18] I assume that's what you all are going to do instead of printing your budget.

[1:42:22] As well as a taxpayer impact statement showing and you could read that there.

[1:42:26] All of those very specific things that you're seeing if I was going to make sure is posted as well.

[1:42:33] With regards to your bylaws, you all know this, you have regular meetings monthly in Harris County at a place in time designated by the board and they're open to the public and record it.

[1:42:45] To the extent required in accordance with the open meeting fact members of the public may attend in person or view the meeting live through a link posted on the board agenda.

[1:42:56] What about public comments?

[1:42:58] Very curiously.

[1:42:59] Prior to 2019, there was no legal requirement to have public comment.

[1:43:05] Most governmental entities had a public comment session.

[1:43:09] Section of their meetings because, frankly, it was good for good,

[1:43:14] just good business practice for a governmental entity to hear from their constituents.

[1:43:20] Starting in 2019, this law that you see here went into effect,

[1:43:24] which requires that you have public comment but only for agenda items and that you have a public comment prior to considering each agenda item.

[1:43:36] And so that's where starting in 2019 you had to have that public comment before or during the board's consideration of the item.

[1:43:44] The questions arose when that law went to effect in 2019 of does that mean you had to have public comment each before each consideration of every single item.

[1:43:56] And so somebody asked the attorney general and the attorney general in 2020 provided guidance with regards to that new law and said the question you know was whether or not the

[1:44:06] A Garamot Body could satisfy the public comment requirements by holding a single public comment period instead of having public comment before every single item.

[1:44:18] Of course, you guys know the answer to that because you just did it today, you could have a single public comment period.

[1:44:24] Also, questions arose of, you know, could what limitations, could we have with regards to public comment.

[1:44:31] And the AGO Pines that, yes, we could have reasonable rules with regards to public comment.

[1:44:37] Just like we could before, the test of reasonableness, right?

[1:44:42] We could limit the total time, a speaker has, with regards to public comment.

[1:44:48] But it had to meet that test of reasonableness, which the AG said would depend on a various factors,

[1:44:55] which would take it into account on a case by case basis, depending on

[1:45:00] Complex, the item was, on the agenda and how many items were actually on the agenda.

[1:45:07] Your bylaws, specified, I know you guys recently revised these from the last time I was here, that

[1:45:14] you have each citizen has two minutes for public comments. At each meeting, you have to sign up.

[1:45:21] I think that's a great idea that you have to sign up before the meeting.

[1:45:26] You have to, if you're going to speak via virtually, and that you have to sign up for

[1:45:32] that as well, and a link is provided to you.

[1:45:34] That's a great idea.

[1:45:36] You don't currently have a maximum amount of time, you just say two minutes, and I know in

[1:45:42] the past, I believe that you guys said occasionally, if somebody asks for additional time,

[1:45:49] had a motion or by consensus allowed additional time to be granted. That's a little tricky.

[1:45:57] Because if what you do for one, you do for all. And so, personally, I would say you stick with

[1:46:07] what's in your bylaws. If it's two minutes, you stick to two minutes and when that timer goes off,

[1:46:13] that's it, you stick to two minutes.

[1:46:16] In terms of how much time you give,

[1:46:19] I think two minutes is sufficient.

[1:46:21] From a legal perspective,

[1:46:23] I would never advise to go less than a minute

[1:46:25] because I think that's, you get unshape your grounds

[1:46:29] from a legal perspective if you do less than a minute

[1:46:32] in terms of that reasonableness factor.

[1:46:36] Another potential item you might want to consider

[1:46:39] in terms of rules of public comment that I see

[1:46:42] that works very well with other governmental entities,

[1:46:45] is to distinguish between public comment on agenda items

[1:46:49] and public comment on non-agenda items.

[1:46:52] And so you're legally required to have public comment

[1:46:55] on agenda items.

[1:46:56] And so that you must have at regular meetings,

[1:46:59] called need-ins, workshops, et cetera.

[1:47:02] A lot of governmental entities

[1:47:03] have public comment for non-agenda items,

[1:47:07] only at regular meetings, and not at called meetings,

[1:47:11] workshops, et cetera. So that may be one thing you might want to consider in terms of

[1:47:16] a potential ambition to hear my loss with regards to public comment. Moving on to what's

[1:47:23] colorfully called walking forum, if you look in the law, you will never see the term walking

[1:47:29] forum instead. You'll see prohibited series of communications. But everybody knows it as walking forum.

[1:47:37] And so what this is is that a member of a governmental body commits an offense, i.e. orange jumps to land, if the member knowingly.

[1:47:46] And so this is where hopefully we'll give you some solace is that it's a, in order to have charges brought against you.

[1:47:53] It's a knowing violation that you have to know that you're doing this knowingly engages in at least one communication among a series of communications that occur outside of a board meeting.

[1:48:04] And that concern an issue that's within your jurisdiction in which the members engage an individual

[1:48:10] communications that constitute fewer than a form of members.

[1:48:15] But over the series of communications constitute a form.

[1:48:19] And that you knew at the time that you were engaged in that series of communications.

[1:48:25] The offense is that the misdemeanor of a fine not less than a hundred dollars or more than five hundred

[1:48:31] confinement in the county jail of not less than one month or more than six months are both of those.

[1:48:37] So here's an example. This Thomas, you call Dr. Bacon and say, you know, and here's what I would advise.

[1:48:47] Well, after you say, you know, oh, this whole front is coming. We're finally done with hot tober, you know, it's great.

[1:48:53] I want to talk to you about ex relating to the hair center.

[1:48:59] This is what I would advise you to do.

[1:49:01] Here's my topic.

[1:49:03] My next advice is to say,

[1:49:05] Have you talked with any other board member about ex?

[1:49:10] And Dr. Bacon and she says,

[1:49:11] No, I haven't talked with any other board member about ex.

[1:49:15] But two of you can talk all day long about whatever that topic is.

[1:49:20] But, if Dr. Bacon says, well, yes, I talked with St. Miller, and I know that Mr. Miller

[1:49:29] has talked with Mr. Linkford. How many is that? Is that a quorum? And so then, can the two of you

[1:49:37] talk? No. So, in that order, that's how I would advise you to, because then, if you did talk,

[1:49:45] what would happen?

[1:49:47] Orange jumpsuit land?

[1:49:48] Corress?

[1:49:50] Yes, you're paying attention to me.

[1:49:51] I love it.

[1:49:52] Because then, she has started it.

[1:49:56] I thought I was really not stuck in the door.

[1:49:59] I thought I was stuck in the door.

[1:50:00] That's not my purpose to have the fear of not stuck in the structure of you.

[1:50:05] But that's then that's knowing, right?

[1:50:07] But let's say flip-side is, you don't have that good practice of asking, have you talked

[1:50:14] with anybody else, and let's have that same scenario,

[1:50:18] but you didn't ask.

[1:50:19] You didn't ask Dr. Bacon,

[1:50:21] has she talked to anybody else?

[1:50:23] Or if she knew if that same conversation

[1:50:25] had taken place between any other board members,

[1:50:27] and y'all just started talking about whatever excess, right?

[1:50:32] Would that be punishable?

[1:50:35] No, because it's not knowingly.

[1:50:37] You had no idea, you didn't know, right?

[1:50:40] And so that's the key point there,

[1:50:42] is to make sure that a you're not participating in that

[1:50:46] that walking form.

[1:50:48] How did you begin to get any of every conversation

[1:50:49] that happens to Wayne?

[1:50:51] Hi, have you talked to anyone?

[1:50:53] No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[1:50:55] Not how you do it today, which number of phone call

[1:50:59] am I, okay, you know, make sure that I don't do

[1:51:02] you the first.

[1:51:03] I am very mindful of it, I will, I mean, I can't people

[1:51:07] when there's something that I think needs attention

[1:51:10] and awareness.

[1:51:12] And that's very smart, I mean, have a lot of talent, right, of how many people are with whom have you spoken about what's happening?

[1:51:19] I don't know if it was somebody I said, I don't think we can talk about this because I have already had some conversations, but maybe I'd try to be mindful of keeping you out of jumpsuits.

[1:51:27] Or it could be the way you're not to have a conversation.

[1:51:29] Well, what if I can use out my wife?

[1:51:34] Good, I'm not sure I can do this.

[1:51:36] Good luck.

[1:51:38] I'll give you two that.

[1:51:39] You're going to write this.

[1:51:43] And conversations are what the, how do people get how

[1:51:46] with this?

[1:51:49] It's a super, super.

[1:51:50] It's a super, super.

[1:51:51] They get to call with text messages and emails

[1:51:54] because people file TPA request for emails and text messages.

[1:52:00] And if it's public information, which we'll get to in a minute,

[1:52:03] they get them, including if it's on a private device.

[1:52:06] I'm skipping forward a little bit.

[1:52:09] And so that's what happened.

[1:52:10] This one, this is just an example.

[1:52:11] It's an economic passives, economic development board.

[1:52:14] They were indicted for violating open meetings

[1:52:18] backed by participating in a walking forum.

[1:52:21] The evidence was text messages.

[1:52:24] Same thing here.

[1:52:26] South Lake Herald School District, trustees were indicted.

[1:52:30] Is the filing open meeting exact same thing text messages? They exchange text messages about school or business outside of a properly posted board meeting. And so they were indicted as well.

[1:52:42] One of the very first cases about walking quorum, I'm not making this up, you can go look at it, was way pre cell phone pre, you know, even email was actually it was a three member board.

[1:52:56] And two of the three board members were overheard in the mail restroom having a conversation about something they were about to vote on.

[1:53:04] And it was just, you know, how are you going to vote? How are you going to vote?

[1:53:08] In the head of conversation, I'm going to send somebody was in the stall listening and turn them in.

[1:53:14] And so you never know who's listening in these days, be careful, you know, text messages and emails, etc.

[1:53:19] But we'll get to TPI in a minute.

[1:53:21] Okay, moving on to closed meetings.

[1:53:25] There are closed meetings or actually exceptions to the open meetings act.

[1:53:29] Otherwise, all meetings have to be held in public.

[1:53:32] One, of course, you know this one, one of the key parts of the open meetings act exceptions

[1:53:36] are consultation with your attorneys.

[1:53:39] That's 551.071 that you have to,

[1:53:43] I mean, you don't have to, you're permitted to have a closed session discussion

[1:53:47] question for with consultation with your attorney when you're seeking legal advice regarding

[1:53:53] pending or contemplated litigation, settlement offers, or when something falls within the

[1:53:59] privilege of legal advice, you're always permitted to have that discussion. In close session.

[1:54:06] Another exception, exceptions two and three go together, sort of two, purchase exchange,

[1:54:13] at least a value of real property or a negotiated contract for a prospective gift or donation.

[1:54:20] For both of those two apply, it's a triggering requirement of a contingency that if you had that discussion in an open meeting,

[1:54:29] it would have a detrimental effect on the center's position in negotiations with a third person.

[1:54:36] So, for example, if you're purchasing real property, it would have a detrimental effect if you were discussing with your CEO, what's your limit on what was your ceiling for purchasing property.

[1:54:49] If you had that discussion at open session, you would be telling the owner of that real property, what your ceiling was, which would be detrimental.

[1:54:57] Similarly, with regards to a negotiated gift or donation, if there were some contingencies with that donation or gift, having that discussion open session would be detrimental and so that you're permitted to have that in close session.

[1:55:14] Personnel matters is one that is frequently discussed 55074, deliberation regarding the appointment

[1:55:22] employment evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline or dismissal of a public officer.

[1:55:26] So that's you all.

[1:55:27] If you're evaluating somebody on the board, that can take place in close session or of an employee

[1:55:35] as well.

[1:55:36] To hear a complaint or to hear a charge, it gets an officer an employee who does not who is not

[1:55:43] under five, I want to say an independent contractor. So if somebody who has to be an employee,

[1:55:51] if it's somebody outside who you're hiring as an independent contractor, that

[1:55:55] discussion has to take place in open session, not in cannot take place in closed

[1:56:00] section. Security devices, audits, this makes total sense, right? If you're talking

[1:56:07] about deployment or specific occasions for implementation of security personnel or

[1:56:12] devices or security audits. You don't want to be discussing a security audits audit that's going

[1:56:17] over your weaknesses and security in open session to give the world notice of where your

[1:56:22] weaknesses and security are. You can talk about that in close session. Oops I think I skipped

[1:56:27] ahead. There we go. How do you call a process for calling a call, a close meeting, if an exception

[1:56:35] applies, you still have to have a quorum in an open session that has to be convened in open

[1:56:41] session. You still have to have written notice even for items in closed session that still has to be

[1:56:47] listed. Your chair knows brilliantly how to call a closed meeting. He just did it and did it

[1:56:53] very quickly of calling the time, the exceptions, etc., in your past meeting. So, knows how to do that.

[1:57:01] You do have to call out to get that question a lot. Do you have to call out all of these

[1:57:09] into closed session forward.

[1:57:11] You can do it quickly.

[1:57:12] You can go 5, 5, 1, 0, 0, 7, 1.

[1:57:14] Consultation with attorney, 5, 1, 0, 7, 4.

[1:57:16] Personnel matters.

[1:57:17] The time is now expertly where you're in to closed session.

[1:57:20] Yes.

[1:57:21] But you do have to do it.

[1:57:24] In terms of carrying out closed meetings,

[1:57:26] who is the right to attend?

[1:57:28] I get that question quite a bit.

[1:57:30] The only group who is legally has a legal right

[1:57:33] to attend are board members.

[1:57:36] You all have a legal right to attend closed session.

[1:57:39] And in terms of everybody else, it's up to you guys.

[1:57:42] You have discretion on who else to allow to attend.

[1:57:47] Any government officers or employees whose participation

[1:57:51] is necessary for the matter in consideration,

[1:57:54] you're permitted to allow to attend close session.

[1:57:57] Obviously, if you were in close session under 5,

[1:58:00] I've 107, one for consultation with your attorney

[1:58:04] or to obtain legal advice, you need an attorney in the room.

[1:58:07] you can't have Lee could vice without an attorney.

[1:58:11] On the subject of attorney consultation as well,

[1:58:15] the attorney client privilege can be waived

[1:58:17] if you have someone in the room who will waive the privilege.

[1:58:23] So in other words, if you have someone who,

[1:58:26] let's say you have your discussing a litigation matter,

[1:58:29] and that this will ever be the case,

[1:58:31] but let's say your CEO has filed a lawsuit against the center.

[1:58:35] And you're seeking legal advice from Ms. Thomas and save my colleague.

[1:58:39] I'm sorry.

[1:58:41] I'm sorry.

[1:58:42] Okay.

[1:58:42] Let's work on examples.

[1:58:45] Sorry.

[1:58:46] I'd like to use relationships with your people.

[1:58:48] And so not these people either.

[1:58:51] Some of my employees has filed a lawsuit against the Harris Center.

[1:58:59] And by colleague Paul Lamp is here and Ms. Thomas is here giving the board legal advice

[1:59:04] in closed session under 551071, and then employee has said,

[1:59:09] I want to come and you know I have a filed agreements as well,

[1:59:14] and I want to come and close session while legal advice is being given,

[1:59:20] under 551071.

[1:59:22] If that employee were here under 551071, that destroys the privilege,

[1:59:28] and so then employee could not be present in closed session

[1:59:30] because that would destroy the privilege, right?

[1:59:33] And that just obviously just doesn't make sense either.

[1:59:37] Who else may not be admitted to close session, you know,

[1:59:43] in addition to the attorney client privilege,

[1:59:47] you also want to ask overall of the person's interest

[1:59:50] adverse to the governmental body.

[1:59:53] Is that person's presence necessary for that specific issue

[1:59:58] to be discussed?

[2:00:00] And then finally, with regards to our turning client privilege, might they wave the privilege if their presence in close session is there.

[2:00:09] Finally, with regards to deliberation taking action, I'm sure you guys know this. You cannot take action and close session.

[2:00:16] Action can only take place in open session, only deliberation, only discussion can take place in close session. Now, a lot of times, in order to prepare for open session, we may ask.

[2:00:29] what the consensus is, right?

[2:00:33] Might ask who,

[2:00:34] would I discuss a motion,

[2:00:35] or if you need assistance making a motion,

[2:00:37] oftentimes I will draft out and close session

[2:00:39] a proposed motion and circulate it to decide,

[2:00:43] or not to decide,

[2:00:44] but to ask if there's clarifying questions

[2:00:46] that you may need legal advice on

[2:00:48] to make sure that gets covered in close session

[2:00:50] and so at questions are not asked in open session

[2:00:53] about the proposed motion.

[2:00:56] clarification spine since this is fine in closed session, but no, it makes me really nervous and my heart starts pounding if a board in closed session says who all's in favor of this and hand start raising and like no, no, no, no, no, that's not consensus that's more, you know, urging on vote of crossing the line to me, so make sure you're just getting consensus and not actually voting.

[2:01:21] With regards to record keeping, you have two options for closed session, you are required

[2:01:27] to have record keeping of closed sessions. You either have it was called a certified agenda,

[2:01:32] which I'm not sure why it's called that, it's nothing but minutes of closed session.

[2:01:35] It's not in the agenda, like we talked about it in the agenda, it's just minutes of closed session,

[2:01:40] including a statement of the subject matter of each deliberation and any record of further action.

[2:01:47] So let's say, for example, in closed session,

[2:01:50] look, your last meeting, close session,

[2:01:52] you probably got legal advice about,

[2:01:55] or had some discussion about a personnel matter, right?

[2:01:59] And then if you took action after that close session

[2:02:04] on that personnel matter, you would list that on your

[2:02:06] certified agenda.

[2:02:08] Or option two is you can record like physically

[2:02:12] auto-record here, close session.

[2:02:15] Which one do you all do?

[2:02:15] Certified agenda.

[2:02:17] Certified agenda.

[2:02:19] I usually, usually.

[2:02:21] I always recommend the Certified agenda.

[2:02:23] Very early on in my career.

[2:02:24] One of the first words I sat with.

[2:02:26] They did a recording.

[2:02:27] Like old school giant recording with the tape.

[2:02:30] Because that's the way they always did it.

[2:02:33] And it didn't probably about six months into representing them and sitting with that board.

[2:02:38] Dispute occurred.

[2:02:40] And with an employee and employee requested.

[2:02:43] Through just a discovery through litigation.

[2:02:44] and they wanted the copy of the tape recording from close session,

[2:02:49] where he was discussed.

[2:02:51] What clearly says that it's confidential,

[2:02:55] that certified agenda or the recording is confidential.

[2:02:59] But the district court sort of ignored that provision

[2:03:03] of a meeting exact ruled for it to be produced.

[2:03:06] And then long story short,

[2:03:07] we had to go all the way up to the Texas Supreme Court

[2:03:11] for finally to be ruled,

[2:03:12] know he doesn't get a copy of the recording, but my whole point was the recording didn't exist

[2:03:17] in the first place. Then we wouldn't have go on through all of that. If we had just had the

[2:03:22] certified agenda that said, discussion regarding X and the no action following, we wouldn't have

[2:03:28] had to have had to have that fight. And so therefore my recommendation is certified agenda.

[2:03:37] Got to head a little bit. That's just what this says. It's confidential whether it's the

[2:03:41] or the recording, or all confidential members of the board may expect.

[2:03:47] If you want a refresher recollection about what was disgusting close session,

[2:03:52] you are free to listen if you did do the recording or to answer rather to inspect the certified agenda,

[2:03:57] you're not allowed to leave with a copy of it.

[2:04:02] I've left it off to very good point.

[2:04:05] What about discussions or statements about close session?

[2:04:07] I get that question a lot too.

[2:04:09] You know, I heard so and so went out and talked about what was discussed in closed session. What can we do?

[2:04:15] And I know not if you do that.

[2:04:18] With some of the other boards I sit with, you know, there's a little bit of drama.

[2:04:22] And allegations of that come up.

[2:04:25] Technically, it's not illegal.

[2:04:28] It's illegal to disclose a certified agenda or the recording.

[2:04:32] Is it a terribly awfully bad idea?

[2:04:35] Absolutely everyday twice on Sunday.

[2:04:38] You know, closed session is like Vegas.

[2:04:40] What happens there stays there, it should.

[2:04:43] And you could weigh the attorney client privilege, right?

[2:04:46] There's a reason that closed session discussions are permitted to be in closed session because

[2:04:51] they're all confidential and they should stay that way.

[2:04:54] There are other statutes, those separate apart from the open meetings act that could be violated.

[2:04:59] So for example, official misuse of information, that's a crime under the criminal code that

[2:05:05] if you disclose information that's not public information under the Open Meeting

[2:05:11] Act, and you do so with an attempt to benefit another, or to harm the organization that

[2:05:18] that's a crime, and so that there are other statues that could come into play.

[2:05:23] So short story is don't talk about what happened in close session and you're good to

[2:05:27] you.

[2:05:29] Okay, moving on to the public information act, the definition of public information as you

[2:05:34] I imagine is incredibly broad, just like the definition of a meeting under the opening exact.

[2:05:41] So there's three alternative routes per se, by which information can become public information

[2:05:47] for purposes of the act.

[2:05:49] So first we're going to start off with what type of information we're talking about, and

[2:05:54] that's any information that's written, produced, collected, assembled, or maintained under

[2:06:01] law or ordinance or a catch-all just in connection with the transaction of official business.

[2:06:08] So let's then, how do we, how does a governmental body is involved, getting involved

[2:06:13] with the information? First, you can be the ones who are doing these actions. The governmental

[2:06:18] body, the hair center itself. Hair center is the one who's writing or producing collecting,

[2:06:23] et cetera, at the information. Second, the axe can be done for the hair center if the center

[2:06:29] own, the information has a right of access to it,

[2:06:33] or spins or contributes public money

[2:06:35] for the purposes of those actions.

[2:06:38] And then third, the actions can be done

[2:06:40] by an individual officer or employee

[2:06:43] of the governmental body and his or her official capacity.

[2:06:48] What is in connection with the transaction

[2:06:51] of official business look like?

[2:06:54] First, the information must be created by

[2:06:56] transmitted to received by or maintained by and office or employee of the government

[2:07:02] of body and his or her official capacity or by a person or entity performing official

[2:07:08] business or a government function on behalf of the Harris Center. And then second the

[2:07:14] information has to pertain to the Harris Center's official official business. Next up what

[2:07:20] form of public information, what forms can public information take, basically any form.

[2:07:28] I mean, look at the list.

[2:07:30] Public paper, film, a device that can store an electronic signal, really any physical material in which information can be recorded. It's any type of media containing public information. A book, a paper, a letter, document, email, internet posting, a text message, a catch-out, any electronic communication, a photo, a map, a drawing, a video representation, if anybody still uses micro-fish.

[2:07:54] You remember these big giant things, they did it with the newspaper, I love that, you know, but those still exist.

[2:08:00] I did, right?

[2:08:01] There's something satisfying about that.

[2:08:03] Anyway, if that still exists, that can contain public information.

[2:08:07] Okay, public information applies to any, applies to an includes any electronic communication.

[2:08:15] You're still repeating these same words.

[2:08:17] where it's created, transmit a receipt or maintained on any device

[2:08:21] if the communication is in connection

[2:08:24] with the transaction of official business.

[2:08:27] That means this can apply to information

[2:08:30] on a privately owned device including

[2:08:33] your personal notes, personal email accounts

[2:08:37] of current or former governmental bodies officials or employees.

[2:08:42] The act does not distinguish

[2:08:44] it doesn't care of who paid for the device, who pays the monthly subscription, who owns the device.

[2:08:51] If you use your personal cell phone or your personal computer to conduct hair center business,

[2:08:58] and we receive a TPI request, and you get an email from Ms. Thomas or

[2:09:03] the TPI officer that says, please search your records for documents responsive to the following request

[2:09:11] and lists of requests, you have a legal obligation to do so.

[2:09:16] That's see, I get a lot of questions with regards to that.

[2:09:19] Like, you mean to tell me in my personal, I pay for myself, but yes,

[2:09:23] if you're using it in connection with Harris Center Business,

[2:09:27] then the answer is yes.

[2:09:29] But this is one of my favorite provisions of your bylaws,

[2:09:33] but I really wish more governmental entities adopted and had

[2:09:38] there we're operating procedures or bylaws because you or bylaws say all board members shall have

[2:09:45] Harris Center email accounts. Members of the board shall use the Harris Center email accounts for

[2:09:51] all board related electronic communications. All electronic communications regarding

[2:09:56] public business shall be limited to emails only. That is beyond fantastic. I mean I cannot over

[2:10:05] I'm sure you guys read, you know, the chronicle and the other papers like I do and listen to the news.

[2:10:12] How many times do you see where text messages, emails, social media postings, all of these kinds of things are in the news?

[2:10:22] And I hope you guys abide by this and really do limit your electronic communications to emails and your Harris Center emails

[2:10:31] because that will aid have compliance with the CBIA to be very easy because they were

[2:10:37] they were only searching your hair center emails and I just think it's good practice for

[2:10:43] the TPA and we'll help and we'll also keep you limited with regards to potential walking

[2:10:50] core issues as well.

[2:10:52] Last session, the 88 legislative session to change the way we operate under the TPA in terms

[2:10:58] of our deadlines. Previously, it was our hair center deadlines, which meant if we were not open

[2:11:06] for business, that we did not count that as a business day. Now, we are limited in our definitions

[2:11:13] that business days, it's a day other than Saturday or Sunday, a national holiday or a state

[2:11:18] holiday that specifically listed in the government code. We do have the ability to name or adopt

[2:11:25] 10 additional non-business days per calendar year, I'm sure we take advantage of that because

[2:11:31] we need every day that we can get under the TPAA. Also, there's specific provisions with regards

[2:11:38] to producing information after we've obtained an AG decision. The process for obtaining an AG decision,

[2:11:44] there are dozens and dozens and dozens of exceptions to the TPAA that allow us to withhold

[2:11:50] information that from a public information request, if it's accepted from disclosure,

[2:11:56] but we have to go to the Attorney General and argue that a particular exception applies,

[2:12:02] and then obtain a ruling of whether or not that ruling applies, and then we can withhold information.

[2:12:09] Brand new this past legislative session, House Bill 3112. This adds new exceptions to both the

[2:12:20] Public Information Act allows us to withhold information related to cyber security measures as well as information relating to critical infrastructure facilities.

[2:12:32] So, critical infrastructure facilities means a communication infrastructure system, a cyber security system, electrical grid and has other

[2:12:41] for other definitions as well that likely don't apply to you like water treatment, facilities, etc.

[2:12:48] Cyber security is what you would think it means measures taken to protect a computer, a computer network, computer system,

[2:12:54] our other technology infrastructure against unauthorized user access.

[2:13:00] And then with regards to the TPA, we are committed to withhold information relating to insurance coverage limits,

[2:13:06] deductible amounts for the protection of IT systems,

[2:13:10] critical infrastructure, et cetera.

[2:13:12] Cybersecurity into the information, network,

[2:13:15] schematics, information identifying

[2:13:18] cybersecurity investigations, or response practices.

[2:13:21] All this makes sense, right?

[2:13:23] If it's a member of the public request,

[2:13:25] we want to know how much your insurance coverage limits

[2:13:28] are for cybersecurity attacks,

[2:13:30] so what your deductible amounts are.

[2:13:33] And oh, by the way, can we get a copy of your network

[2:13:35] that would be fantastic. We don't want to release this information. I've had several governmental

[2:13:42] entities. We represent subject to cybersecurity attacks and have their head portions or sometimes

[2:13:48] in some cases all of their systems. Subject to be to just to ran some where to being held.

[2:13:57] Unfortunately, in all of the cases that we've had, they all had to pay the ransom to get their

[2:14:04] systems back. Let's get their information back. Some of them have insurance. Some of them did not.

[2:14:10] And there it's just a scary thing. And so, thankfully now you can go into a sick load session

[2:14:15] to discuss these items and you can withhold information relating to this under the TPI.

[2:14:21] This next one, I will be bluntly honest, scares me. House Bill 4310. It doesn't scare me

[2:14:29] from y'all having access, it scares me for the other from non-governmental entities having

[2:14:37] access. So let's go through it. A member of the governing board of a governing body. So

[2:14:42] you guys, perfectly fine. You already had access. Or a governing board of a non-governmental

[2:14:50] entity may inspect and or duplicate public information maintained by the government of body.

[2:15:00] As a non-governmental body, if they're acting in their official capacity, look at the definition

[2:15:05] of non-governmental entity. So any non-governmental entity that you have entered into a contract

[2:15:13] with and you're spending a million dollars or more in public funds. So just pick one.

[2:15:29] You're

[2:15:30] request to see, to inspect and duplicate your information, and we have to give it properly and without charge.

[2:15:41] Meaning, they don't have to go through the normal TPA processes.

[2:15:45] And if it's confidential, so if meaning we would normally go to AG and say, this is confidential, we want to withhold this under the TPA.

[2:15:54] If they allow us to redact it, we can redact, but if they say, no, we don't want it redacted.

[2:16:01] We want to see it. And we want copies of it. All we can do is we can require them

[2:16:07] to sign a confidentiality agreement.

[2:16:13] Let that sink in for a minute. That's kind of scary to me.

[2:16:17] They don't have to go through the TPA. They can just ask for it and we have to give it to them.

[2:16:24] Even if it's confidential and the most we can do is say, here's this NDA, which is a piece of paper.

[2:16:31] Like, sign this to you to you to keep it confidential.

[2:16:37] I'll not just leave that for your thinking question.

[2:16:44] So moving on to our last topic of fiduciary duties.

[2:16:49] You have great policies and your bylaws and with regards to fiduciary duties.

[2:16:54] It starts with the Harris Center requires directors, officers, employees and your contractors, which is, I think, a really good point, to observe high standards of business and personal ethics and the conduct of their duties and responsibilities.

[2:17:08] As employees and representatives of this center, we must practice honesty and integrity in fulfilling our responsibilities and comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

[2:17:19] What does they trust?

[2:17:21] I think there's a big difference between a trust key and a representative.

[2:17:26] Some boards, board members, especially those who are elected.

[2:17:30] Not you guys, but other boards who, they go through an election, sometimes they feel like,

[2:17:35] well, I'm a representative of the people who are elected.

[2:17:38] So I have to listen to my constituents and I have to vote in a certain way.

[2:17:43] There's a difference between a representative and a trustee.

[2:17:46] a trustee by definition is a natural or legal person to whom property is legally committed to be administered

[2:17:53] on behalf of the beneficiary or in your case, one position of trust and performing functions

[2:18:02] comparable to those of a trustee, one to whom something is entrusted. So for you guys, the center

[2:18:09] is entrusted to you as a corporation, as a governmental entity, is entrusted to you all. And so

[2:18:15] is that mean from a term of being a fiduciary. First, we'll talk about in terms of communication

[2:18:23] that your bylaws impose a duty on board members to be fully informed on matters that influenced

[2:18:30] your obligations as a trustee. And so that means, you know, of course, reading the materials in

[2:18:36] advance to the board meeting so that you're fully informed when you arrive at a board meeting to be

[2:18:41] able to vote and to be able to ask questions if you have questions about information that you're

[2:18:46] about to be called upon to vote. The bylaws also note that trustees can be censored in

[2:18:53] or recommend it for removal if they engage in conduct that's not in the best interest of the

[2:18:57] center which includes unlawful conduct and conduct that's a serious violation of the center's

[2:19:03] bylaws policies or other guidelines.

[2:19:08] So more closely looking more closely at your

[2:19:12] The code sets out general expectations for trustees, including high standards of business and personal ethics, practicing honesty and integrity and demonstrating and adhering to the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct.

[2:19:27] The code also instructs us as to some general expectations of what trustee should not do,

[2:19:34] such as exercising the official position without a thwarting failing to perform a required duty

[2:19:41] or taking or using any hair center property with the intent to obtain a personal benefit.

[2:19:46] I know you guys don't do this, you know, some other boards and this is a you see this right

[2:19:52] and other board members show up to function sometimes

[2:19:56] and they exercise their official position without a thwart.

[2:20:00] They say, you know, I'm here on behalf of the XYZ board.

[2:20:05] But aren't you elected the board?

[2:20:06] Officially vote that you're in a represent

[2:20:08] that to pretty you to represent the entire board.

[2:20:13] Or you see social media posts sometimes,

[2:20:15] where, you know, as a trustee of XYZ board,

[2:20:19] Well, I, you know, the position is X. Well, is it because again, did the board as a body corporate vote to appoint one particular board member to represent them as the whole official board of this is the board's position?

[2:20:36] Because without that, they don't represent the entire board, right?

[2:20:42] When we talk about fiduciary duty, there are three main pillars of fiduciary duty.

[2:20:48] There's the duty of loyalty, the duty of care, and I wish this was called something else,

[2:20:54] but it's not the duty of obedience.

[2:20:57] So, breaking each of those down, you have them addressed in your bylaws, and some of them overlaps

[2:21:04] but uncover loyalty and care, loyalty and obedience,

[2:21:09] but I've tried to break them out

[2:21:10] into each of the three categories.

[2:21:13] So the essence of the duty of loyalty

[2:21:15] is that trustees owe a duty of loyalty to the hair center

[2:21:19] and that you must not engage in any action

[2:21:21] that's gonna benefit your own personal benefit

[2:21:25] as any other person's behalf

[2:21:29] that kind of flicks with the interests of the hair center.

[2:21:31] And so you can see there that I have

[2:21:33] a few bullet points pulled from your bylaws that address the duty of loyalty. First off,

[2:21:39] your bylaws specifically say that trustees owe a duty of loyalty to the agency and may not

[2:21:45] engage in any action on their own personal behalf or that of another which conflicts with the interest

[2:21:50] of the agency. A trustee shall not hold another officer position where one officer's accountable

[2:21:56] or subordinate to the other or where there's overlap of powers and duties such that the

[2:22:01] trustee could not independently serve in both positions, right?

[2:22:04] If you're have conflicting duties of loyalty,

[2:22:07] then that's not good for either organization.

[2:22:10] No trustee should accept any employment office

[2:22:12] or another position that might be expected to impair

[2:22:16] the independence or the judgment of such person.

[2:22:20] A trustee or employee shall reject any job,

[2:22:23] favor or other benefit that might tend

[2:22:25] or is intended to impair or influence his or her.

[2:22:32] Next up is the duty of care. An overall that means a set of fiduciary must act with the same level of care

[2:22:40] that a reasonably prudent person would in managing your own affairs. This involves managing assets

[2:22:47] carefully and diligently performing your role as a board member as a reasonably prudent board member.

[2:22:54] And so, if you bullet points pulled from your bylaws, no trustee shall ask for, except, or agree to accept money, loans, or anything of value, as consideration for a decision or other exercise of discretion by a trustee, of course you guys know that's also orange jumpsuit land and your bribery is illegal.

[2:23:13] A trustee show reject any benefit for his or her past official actions in favor of another person.

[2:23:20] No trustee show exercise his or her official position without authority.

[2:23:25] They ought to perform a required duty, take her use any property of the agency with the intent to obtain a personal benefit.

[2:23:32] And no trustee shall engage in any related disability or use a previous position of the trustee to gain a personal benefit for a period of one year.

[2:23:41] following his or her separation as a trustee of the agency, so even after your board membership

[2:23:47] officially ends, that duty of care, duty of loyalty still continues for a period of at least one year.

[2:23:55] And then finally, the duty of obedience, this is where, you know, for duty as a for duty share,

[2:24:00] you must comply with all relevant laws, regulations, instructions, including your bylaws,

[2:24:06] governing your role as a board member. So just again, a few bullet points from your bylaws

[2:24:11] Upon appointment as a trustee, each trustee show execute an acknowledgment that he or she has read this code of ethics,

[2:24:19] Indian all changes revisions or additions as amended, and that you agree to abide by its terms and conditions,

[2:24:25] and represents to the center that the best of your knowledge and belief, you're not aware of any prior existing violations of such code of ethics.

[2:24:33] I love this one and I will be honest, I am going to steal it, or buy a way to better, for other boards and other board operating procedures.

[2:24:41] Because I think all too often, especially as new board members, come on.

[2:24:47] There is some on-boarding of here's our board bylaws, or here's our board operating procedures.

[2:24:53] There is some more choir, you know, you go to the Attorney General's website, you do the required open meetings,

[2:24:57] training, you pronounce your little certificate, and then you're just kind of, you know,

[2:25:01] oh, here's welcome to the board, kind of dive into the event. And I'm not saying you guys did

[2:25:06] that here, but this particular statement of it, affirmatively having to sign and certify and

[2:25:12] agree to these things. You all are professionals, you read this, you go, oh, I better actually

[2:25:19] read these things before I sign this. And so I think this is really impressive, and I will be borrowing

[2:25:24] it for other boards.

[2:25:27] A trustee should not misuse information that he or she receives an advance of other public

[2:25:32] entities because of the trustee's official capacity.

[2:25:35] A trustee should not engage in any business activity that might lead to the disclosure of

[2:25:39] confidential information of the agency or any of its consumers.

[2:25:44] Very important as I mentioned there's actually a penal code provision of misuse of official

[2:25:49] information that's not available to the public that allows others to acquire or aid to acquire

[2:25:59] a pecuniary interest or disclose or use the information to obtain a benefit or harm or

[2:26:04] defraught another. That's the law that you might recall a couple of judges going to head out

[2:26:13] staffers who are charged with with regards to that COVID contract of violating the official misuse

[2:26:21] of official information per vision.

[2:26:23] House vote 2001 passed this last session just increased the penalties associated with violation

[2:26:30] of misuse of official capacity.

[2:26:33] So now the penalties have been increased for that as well.

[2:26:36] And finally, all current and former trustees of the hair center will hold all information

[2:26:41] pertaining to the Center is consumers, employees, and confidence, and

[2:26:45] shout out engage in any activity that might lead to the disclosure,

[2:26:49] confidential information of the Center or its consumers, except it's

[2:26:52] may be required required by law. So I think this too incorporates

[2:26:56] and encompasses discussions and close session. So although that may not

[2:27:00] be strictly prohibited by the open meetings act, it's certainly

[2:27:04] covered by your bylaws, and of course certainly covered by the

[2:27:11] Any questions?

[2:27:17] Awesome. Thank you. You're so welcome.

[2:27:22] Say how to warm up.

[2:27:23] Thank you

[2:27:36] so very much. Sure, that 52 slides took you a whole lot like you have like eight

[2:27:42] minutes put together. We're so very detailed, but we really do appreciate it.

[2:27:51] So along those lines, we're going to each year, we have to complete an after day that the top

[2:27:58] one is for a, is they take just these from our all four members, we have after day that

[2:28:05] saying that we reviewed the standards for the four, four members, you can use that for the

[2:28:17] I want to thank you for being able to see before.

[2:28:21] Of course.

[2:28:24] The second one is also a part of our stance.

[2:28:29] You can make more cars as disclosing business interest.

[2:28:32] You may have with us.

[2:28:34] With another vendor outside of the organization.

[2:28:42] Questions?

[2:28:46] Just a second.

[2:28:50] Appreciate it.

[2:28:52] Thank you.

[2:28:53] I

[2:29:22] wasn't sure why I had to.

[2:29:25] This happened to be with his mother Joseph.

[2:29:28] So she's a person who's interested in the conflict.

[2:29:33] Yeah.

[2:29:34] I do work for the nurses.

[2:30:00] Don't think we're waiting for if anyone needs to use the restroom, get

[2:30:06] a whole pass,

[2:30:11] I didn't know. I just took mine, when it gets close to quorum, yes, when you're there, when you're too many lesions,

[2:30:29] it's just a matter of time.

[2:30:42] Yeah, I think you did suggest that.

[2:30:44] Thank you.

[2:30:45] And even if you didn't, I'm taking you up on it.

[2:31:39] How long do you think for your presentation stand?

[2:31:45] I've been looking for 10 minutes.

[2:31:48] Oh, okay.

[2:31:55] I can't.

[2:32:00] Why do I have to play the first one?

[2:32:02] I don't know.

[2:32:04] Now I know you're souls to say, don't be here in your team, I'm going to say

[2:32:16] yes.

[2:32:25] Can I heard the gauntlet thrown down the tin?

[2:32:28] Yeah, so...

[2:32:29] I've been waiting for 10 minutes.

[2:32:32] What do you have?

[2:32:40] You

[2:32:43] might as we get started, you can do it.

[2:32:46] We have

[2:33:00] to wait for it.

[2:33:01] Yeah, I mean, yeah, I'm impressed by that culture.

[2:33:11] So the yearly things decided to move forward,

[2:33:15] one there, one in the back,

[2:33:34] just let me see that.

[2:33:37] We're going to be in 10 minutes.

[2:33:39] That is why we have to be able to do everything that we have.

[2:33:43] So good.

[2:33:44] And I'm like, wrong, I'm not saying it's going to cut

[2:33:46] a hurdle objects, I'm not saying it.

[2:33:49] I, that was the subject.

[2:33:51] Yeah, it used to be pretty cool, I'm not going to.

[2:34:00] I was going

[2:34:15] to

[2:34:22] say good morning, but it's just struck 12, so I wanted to just kind of go through, walk you through,

[2:34:31] the first, if you will, session of as much a training, we're going to talk about our revenue.

[2:34:37] Catagores, we have various revenue streams. Again, we'll be brief. You'll see a lot of

[2:34:42] detail there, and we'll only get some of the highlights.

[2:34:46] This is in follow-up to the board's request for, we just felt like starting with the revenue

[2:34:50] sources is a logical place to start on a financial kind of educational piece.

[2:34:55] And then going forward, we will obviously present other components of the financials if you were a will of a period of time and including KPIs and others and other components of it

[2:35:06] of the financials but we thought we'd start to wage point with the revenue.

[2:35:10] The next slide, the first slide that you really see at this point is the agenda, so we'll walk through the various funding sources if you will.

[2:35:19] So you get a chance to see not only that, of course when we present the budget, it shows,

[2:35:23] it's a federal, it equates the acts that we're budgeting for the year, but some of the detail,

[2:35:29] of course, from particularly from a revenue perspective, and then in addition to that,

[2:35:33] the different services that roll up under those, different categories as well.

[2:35:39] The next slide here on this particular pie chart, it shows you that we have,

[2:35:49] For example, the federal grants equate to 14 percent of our revenue base state contracts

[2:35:56] in state general down below the two green slots that are actually, you can buy most

[2:36:03] of it, 42 percent.

[2:36:05] And again, this all reconciles back to what we budget for fiscal year 26.

[2:36:09] the Harris County and local up in the right

[2:36:13] country, actual area of self is at 15% and you see the others.

[2:36:19] It did want to mention also that the third party buildings and

[2:36:22] net patient revenue which we're looking to grow this year.

[2:36:25] Obviously there are half of sevens.

[2:36:27] Mother is going to be as right at 11% based on what we budget it.

[2:36:32] The charity or the CCP and direct payment program.

[2:36:35] see those in there as well. Again, as I mentioned, we have a lot that rolls up under on each

[2:36:43] slide. If you look for the categories, we'll not read all those to you, but the Harris County

[2:36:47] and local funding that contributes or accounts for 15%, which is 56 million. If you look at that

[2:36:54] section right below the bullets under Harris County funding, actually, if you total those

[2:37:01] that gives you your 56 million or the 56 is I've mentioned the county funds are 24 percent

[2:37:08] draw your attention also the county the jail diversion at 5 million and then you can see

[2:37:14] Harris County Sheriff said 12.2 million and of course you see all the others and so from a service

[2:37:20] perspective those are all listed underneath what the actual services that are actually provided

[2:37:27] So of course you're going to see there.

[2:37:30] Care itself in natural individuals and health care in excuse me, in Harris County, jail. That we're actually

[2:37:36] founding competent natural stand trial. And then you'll see the other bullets as I've mentioned.

[2:37:42] We also have the rehab and lifestyle development services that are provided in this area, in this category, at the same time.

[2:37:52] Also quickly I'll mention that you will see a need slide where we have compliance components in those

[2:37:59] requirements that take place courses, you know, we have any number of audits that take place

[2:38:05] throughout quite a few throughout the course of the year, but I wanted to be aware of those

[2:38:11] and they're all really listed or itemized here for you.

[2:38:16] The next slide looks at the city funding there, you know, you can see again those that roll

[2:38:24] under the total, which is 900 and is 959,000 is what we, what that totals up to for that

[2:38:36] rules up under the City Funding, you can see the services provided in the sense of case management

[2:38:42] and then also support for adults experiencing chronic homelessness, if you will,

[2:38:53] and then

[2:38:53] category as well. We should know probably that we left out of the ARPA funds off this just to avoid

[2:38:58] confusion. So we did a transition. So these are kind of ongoing routine kinds of funds. Yeah, thanks.

[2:39:07] Let's say we talked about other local funding and that equates to $1.9 million. You can see

[2:39:17] the bullet that indicates listed as miscellaneous medical records, metro, van program,

[2:39:21] all of that is 1.5 but then of course you can see the other actual category or really services

[2:39:30] if you will that equate to that total rollup in that 1.9 million. Here there's HUD if you will,

[2:39:39] as multiple oversight components on site visits and of course as is the case with some of our

[2:39:45] actual slides were referring to internal and external audits that occur.

[2:39:52] Here, this is pretty busy slide, I'll just touch on the fact that at some point last

[2:39:57] year, David Weedon for those of you that were on the board, remember, he spoke about the

[2:40:02] charity care pool and the direct payment program.

[2:40:05] He was actually around here yesterday, so of course we've been in his ears some more and it

[2:40:10] worked out great, and we just thought it would be great with Roxanne being new, and in fact,

[2:40:14] We did a finance workshop for the team, so that was really great.

[2:40:19] But therefore, the charity care pool, that equates and accounts for 12% of the total

[2:40:24] that's 43 million last year.

[2:40:26] We received 45 million.

[2:40:28] We budget a slight reduction in a little bit of a hair cut.

[2:40:31] We hope that we're, that we're, our assumption is wrong on that, but I think it made

[2:40:35] sense to reduce that, if you will, direct payment program.

[2:40:40] We budget it to write a five or four million and of course, the definitions are both listed there in the second bullet of bullets under each one.

[2:40:49] I did want to touch quickly on our patient assistance program, you know, that at some point last year working alongside Holly Cumby, we give a presentation on the pharmacy in services there.

[2:41:00] The PAP, of course, it contributes 4% of the total annual budget, about 13 million, but it

[2:41:08] really provides us the key is that it provides us with free medications.

[2:41:11] I know in looking at some of the slides last year when I was working with Holly, we would

[2:41:16] remember this at some point we were at 1 or 2 million if you will, some years back and then, of course,

[2:41:22] basically to see that graph, as far as the PAP drugs that have been contributed, that are

[2:41:29] committed to our pharmacy program and for our actual communities is really significant.

[2:41:36] The interest didn't come.

[2:41:37] We had some discussion last week when I presented the financials, that contributes 1% of the budget.

[2:41:45] The total annual is 3.3 for this year.

[2:41:48] I did reduce it down from and not to walk it through all of that, but in looking at what we were

[2:41:53] expecting from a rate perspective and others last year we were at 3.4 million year before

[2:41:58] that have three, five.

[2:42:01] Just two pieces I want to jump in and add on some of the patient assistance program.

[2:42:06] In many areas, we probably wouldn't even have to record that as revenue or expense.

[2:42:12] But we do because we try and use that as match for some of the state grants.

[2:42:17] And they said in order for us to include as match, it's got to show up on your financial statement.

[2:42:21] So you'll see that come in as kind of revenue, although there's never a dollar amount that comes in.

[2:42:25] the value of the medications. And then you see it go out on the expense side. And there's always

[2:42:30] balance each other out because that's what they are. Sometimes there's a rising value, sometimes

[2:42:35] there's a lowering depending on drugs that are going on and off on an off-formularian

[2:42:39] engineering and that sort of thing. But that's, that's why you see it. Some places don't put it in

[2:42:44] there. Some places don't have any. And I don't know anybody's got 13 million frankly. It's basically

[2:42:48] 13 million in free medications. But that's why it's there and why you see that. And then the other

[2:42:53] One of the interesting come out, just drawn attention to the fact that we are obligated to invest

[2:43:03] consistent with the public funds investment act, and the reason we use class and the other

[2:43:08] one, I think the name of it right now, is because those inherently do meet those criteria.

[2:43:13] So when you see our investments, you typically only see those two categories of investment.

[2:43:17] I have a class of pool.

[2:43:18] Cool.

[2:43:19] Thank you.

[2:43:19] Because we know that that makes those obligations of requirements and we won't find ourselves in any trouble to do that process of just a note on those two compliance points I know you average this out with the scientists in these looking DPP is 1% and interesting can 1% 1.4 million 1.3.3 million

[2:43:43] You're wondering when we're going to hit 100 percent?

[2:43:45] No, I'm wondering if I just, you know, it just, that doesn't equal at something.

[2:43:51] So I just let it go.

[2:43:53] Well, four times the 3.3 would be 12, which will be 12.

[2:43:58] C direct payment, number two point.

[2:44:00] You're referencing the 2.1 percent here, sir.

[2:44:02] Okay.

[2:44:03] It's 5.4 million.

[2:44:04] It's not one.

[2:44:05] And one percent at income is 3.3 million.

[2:44:10] You should have gone more decimal places.

[2:44:11] But I'm taking 30 seconds of your 10 minutes.

[2:44:14] So that's what I'm trying to say.

[2:44:16] I think I'm my question.

[2:44:17] Good.

[2:44:17] You're no longer going to throw a good observation.

[2:44:21] Glad to hear.

[2:44:23] Next, we have the state general revenue.

[2:44:26] And that's at 36% and in my first slide, of course,

[2:44:29] I referenced that or the pie chart,

[2:44:31] rather the state general and then also state contracts and grants

[2:44:35] was a 42% combined.

[2:44:36] This is 36.

[2:44:39] It really consists of the following of the later, which is 10.6 billion, of course, that

[2:44:46] just from a definite, it really provides the services for individuals with the IDD.

[2:44:51] And then, performance contract for behavioral services, that's 123 million of the course of the year, paid out and, and

[2:45:00] Four payments, of course, one of those were waiting for the first quarter payment come through now, if you will.

[2:45:06] We did indicate that on the next four slides we have performance measures, and we'll let Wayne kind of chime in on those, if you will.

[2:45:17] Yeah, so, and I just put these here, I'm not going to go through them, and I'm happy to explain any that you want to or get you an explanation.

[2:45:22] But on all of our state-driven revenue contracts there are performance measures and on many of those we are at risk for some of those

[2:45:30] Measure meaning if they with hold 10% of our payment every year and then at the end they were reconciled to these measures and if we haven't met them

[2:45:37] They keep that 10% and if we met them or met most of them, they returned the balance of those two us

[2:45:43] So this is the middle health measures with like I don't think you're supposed to be a capital E on the measures

[2:45:47] So that's my typo up with this on there, so I apologize for that, but there are measures

[2:45:52] around community tenure, service provision, and education voluntary strengths around functioning

[2:45:57] and employment instability around those.

[2:46:00] So these are just the adult, and then if we go to the next one, this is the litter performance

[2:46:05] measures.

[2:46:06] So local IDD authority, and it has, you've seen countless measures that are here, some related

[2:46:14] State's Board of Living Center are storm related to text on living applications.

[2:46:20] There's just a litany of things that they are monitored in terms of their performance.

[2:46:25] Get the next one. This is the ECC, early childhood components, performance measures.

[2:46:31] Having to do with when the timeframe allowed between request and admission or assessment permission in person,

[2:46:39] So, SSLC is state's port of living center.

[2:46:43] So, those are, there's one in Richmond.

[2:46:46] They are living centers where, and in the people

[2:46:48] in the election level, this building's

[2:46:50] might reside permanently, or it's not permanently there.

[2:46:53] And then, if you hit one more, this is more of those measures

[2:46:58] related to timelyness of services, ECI components.

[2:47:01] ECI has some federal as well as state requirements

[2:47:03] associated with them.

[2:47:05] And so, I just highlighted those so that you

[2:47:08] have a sense of all of the things that people are doing to try and make sure that we meet the

[2:47:13] state's requirements, that we do perform good services and the potentially exposure that we have.

[2:47:19] Some of those they don't have penalties for them and some they do, and in case you didn't

[2:47:24] catch it, three of those are Dr. Collins programs. So she won the award for most audited,

[2:47:34] I'd like to say I didn't expect you to know that, I just, I feel like sometimes we know all this stuff and we may not do a great job of communicating it to you also.

[2:47:42] Go ahead, Stan.

[2:47:43] Thank you.

[2:47:43] All right, then we have state contracting grants at account for 6% and 24 million. Again, here, you can see the variety of services that are provided just real quick because I'm a little bit over my 10, I think I'm 13, so now Dr. Gary is reduced reduces incarceration rates for individuals with mental mental illness. You can see some of the other's jail based competency restoration and so forth. So those are there in available for you to do action.

[2:48:13] will circle back and go through if you will.

[2:48:16] Federal grants, as I mentioned, accounts for 14%, 54 million.

[2:48:21] We do have the various sources underneath, as far as Medicaid ad, which is the MAC 8.7 million.

[2:48:28] We have a breakout, and not going to run through all those that would make up the block

[2:48:33] and other grants, SAMHSA, and then we've listed our grants here, but of course, basically,

[2:48:41] Those are going to be depleted by the end of the year, of course, at various times during the year, if you will.

[2:48:48] And then the last with third party billings and net patient revenue contributes to the 5% of, which is 19 million,

[2:48:56] which are one of the highlighters of shared savings program identifies and sends out, you know, for high utilizers.

[2:49:03] NEP patient revenue, I think a good story to tell there, we right now in only 6% or 22.5 million.

[2:49:10] In a, you can see in the next bullet, a breakout of the existing contracts we have right now,

[2:49:16] and I've mentioned it when I've been presenting. We're working, we have Jay Taylor working with

[2:49:21] this in order to negotiate the different commercial pair contracts increases in some of our

[2:49:26] manage Medicaid programs and some ACA plans as well.

[2:49:31] The only other thing that I'd just for context, because inevitably any healthcare organization

[2:49:36] begins to talk a lot about third part of building and compliance and coding, particularly as it relates to Medicare, which we don't have a ton of about Medicaid for us.

[2:49:44] But just recognize that the proportionality of that risk is really 19 million of our 300.

[2:49:49] So there's a lot more risk, frankly, on the state side and our compliance with their measures.

[2:49:54] Now, CMS has a habit of doing bad things to people that don't do it correctly.

[2:49:58] And so, you know, not that there's not a lot of scrutiny there, but I know the board

[2:50:02] in the past has had lots of conversations around the Medicaid compliance and coding requirements.

[2:50:06] And so, just trying to balance that sense of that out.

[2:50:09] And that's very unique to us.

[2:50:10] That's not those are not the numbers you would see in any other kind of healthcare system, frankly.

[2:50:15] They would be much more dramatic for party buildings than any other source.

[2:50:19] But just for context, February.

[2:50:23] All right.

[2:50:23] Did he make his 10 minutes?

[2:50:24] No, no, no, no, no. But over. But thank you, I did,

[2:50:27] bus a mine.

[2:50:29] It was 14 minutes, but I'm going to assume one of that minutes with my responsibility on three of our

[2:50:33] time, I think they did, I think,

[2:50:36] thank you.

[2:50:37] Thank you so very much.

[2:50:43] Thank you so very much.

[2:50:48] Well, I think the next one will be a little bit around expenses, and then we'll combine those in

[2:50:52] financial statements in kind of our structure, we do not, do we have an executive session, we

[2:50:59] do not have an executive session, we can't take any action anyway.

[2:51:05] Then we're back.

[2:51:06] Did we have a motion to adjourn?

[2:51:08] The moves, they're in the second, all in favor.

[2:51:11] In these recessions, we are officially adjourned.

[2:51:15] All right.

Oct 28, 2025 Board of Trustees Meetings

Agenda

Transcript