[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:01] Okay, we're going to gavel in. It is literally 8.31. Oh, just turned to 8.32. And at this time,
[0:09] I would call for the invocation, and we do have a special guest here this morning. Good
[0:15] morning. We'll ask all to rise for the invocation. Please remain standing after the invocation
[0:21] as we'll have the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America and also to
[0:26] our texas flags welcome yes
[0:37] i'm gonna just read some verses thank you
[1:05] and then i'm gonna
[1:06] People, be mindful of your Lord, who created you from one soul, and created from it a wife, and
[1:22] And of them are men, many, and women.
[1:33] And beware of Allah, who you ask
[1:41] of Him, and He is Most Merciful.
[1:48] Indeed, Allah is Most Merciful to you.
[1:52] raqiba. And give
[2:01] the good to them,
[2:08] and do not replace the bad with the good. And do not eat their
[2:40] So in the name of Allah, in the name of God, most gracious, most merciful, all praise is
[2:46] due to God.
[2:47] We praise Him and we seek His help.
[2:50] We seek His forgiveness.
[2:51] We seek refuge in Him from the evil within ourselves and our evil deeds.
[2:59] Whosoever God guides will never believe astray.
[3:03] And whosoever God leaves astray, no one can guide.
[3:09] I bear witness that there is no God except Him.
[3:13] And I bear witness that Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, Ibrahim are messengers of God.
[3:19] God. So we ask God to bless this gathering. We ask Him to protect us. Oh God, we ask You
[3:29] to exalt our fame, latent our burden, purify our heart and forgive our sins, and high and
[3:37] reward us with a high rank in the gardens. Bless us in our sights, in our hearing,
[3:46] in our bodies and our lives and our family and and work. Oh God accept our
[3:54] deeds and accept our wishes. Oh God we ask you, we seek refuge in you against
[4:02] difficulties, calamities, troubles, oppressions and problems. Oh God you are
[4:10] our Lord, there is none worthy of worship but you. You created us. We keep your covenant
[4:19] and our pledge to you so far as we are able. We seek refuge in you from the evil of we
[4:28] have done. We admit to your blessings upon us.
[4:34] We admit to our misdeeds forgive us for
[4:40] For there is none who may forgive sins but you.
[4:45] We pray to God in Heavens
[4:51] alone, asking Him for love to keep us safe and warm, to keep
[4:58] us away from harm.
[5:01] Amen.
[5:02] Thank you.
[5:02] At
[5:29] this time for the clerk, as I said, it was 8.32 when we started.
[5:34] We're here at Nueces County Commissioner's courtroom at Nueces County Courthouse.
[5:38] It's May 11th, 2022.
[5:40] As the presiding officer, I have certified that all commissioners are present and therefore
[5:45] a quorum has been established.
[5:47] At this time, I'll look for announcement on disclosure of conflicts of interest.
[5:52] These are any conflicts of interest or appearance of conflict of interest with items on this
[5:56] agenda shall be declared at this time.
[5:58] Are there any members of the court that need to declare?
[6:04] Okay, seeing that I have no disclosure, no conflicts of interest at this time, you are
[6:12] always welcome if you discover later in the meeting that there is a conflict of interest
[6:17] that you can disclose them at that time.
[6:24] The safety briefing, Rebecca, if you would give us, as they say, a brief, brief.
[6:29] Yes, ma'am.
[6:30] Good, Judge.
[6:31] I started briefing.
[6:32] So we want no people here for...
[6:34] Yes, sir.
[6:34] As soon as we do this, I'm going to get to your table.
[6:37] I thought you wanted them to wait.
[6:37] I understand.
[6:40] As soon as...
[6:41] Good morning, Judge.
[6:42] Yes.
[6:42] Commissioners and attendees.
[6:44] Our safety briefing for today, May 11th, is being held in the Noyses County Commissioner's
[6:49] courtroom.
[6:50] The restrooms are located on the right-hand side of the third floor atrium past the
[6:54] Human Resources Office.
[6:55] There is a fire extinguisher located at the rear of the courtroom and also five additional
[7:00] fire extinguishers located throughout the atrium area.
[7:03] Bleed control stations are on every floor.
[7:06] In the event of a cardiac emergency, an AED is located on the right wall next to the
[7:10] human resources office.
[7:12] Participant for today who will be responsible for dialing 911 will be Connie.
[7:16] In the event of evacuation, our egress route will be slowly down.
[7:20] The atrium stairs proceeding out the doors and located on the lapan side of
[7:25] The courthouse and assembled in the parking lot across the street. It is important to stay together
[7:30] Should there be a need to shelter in place?
[7:33] Depending upon the severity of the shelter in place the courtroom double doors will be secured and remain secure until given further
[7:40] Instructions from the Noces County Sheriff's Office or other law enforcement
[7:44] agencies, and our guest sanitizer for the day will be Michael, and thank you very much.
[7:49] Thank you so much.
[7:50] Before we move to public comment, in the interest of courtesy, it's come to our attention as
[7:56] we walked into the courtroom that there is a commissioner who wishes to table an item
[8:02] and so that you do not have to wait to hear that table.
[8:06] I will consider that at this time.
[8:10] the item is Commissioner Gonzales is the game item that's 3 a 1 and if you
[8:18] would state your your reason so that they would understand I think I wouldn't
[8:23] be able to really be truthful in what I decide because I haven't read it I got it
[8:29] about 3 p.m. yesterday and we had a lot of things we have to prepare for this
[8:32] meeting and I just I'm not ready for it I think there's a couple items that I
[8:36] know they're probably not in there so I'm just making motion that we table to the
[8:41] next week or two weeks until the next meeting second okay so the motion in the
[8:49] second in the call call for discussion so in case for those of you that are
[8:55] online the rationale was that we received these documents at 3 p.m.
[9:01] Commissioner Gonzalez has not had the time to look them over.
[9:06] I do want to just ask the county attorney if they accurately, if she believes they accurately
[9:11] represent all that we discussed and all the directives that were put together, if there
[9:15] are any new ones maybe that would be good to bring to anybody's attention this time.
[9:19] There are no new ones in there and with each we provided a change log so that the
[9:25] changes that were voted on are highlighted for you to see in the document. It does look
[9:32] different formatting-wise, so I know that can be a challenge, but there are some comments
[9:37] that I have received from the people here for public comment that might need to go
[9:42] into it, but those are not into it at this point.
[9:45] Okay. All right. There's a motion and a second and all those in favor of delaying for the
[9:55] last, for the next two weeks signify by saying aye.
[9:59] Aye.
[10:00] No. I'm ready.
[10:03] Item, the next item that we need to recognize is the public comment
[10:10] and I have it in front of me. I need to tell you guys for housekeeping that there
[10:14] There is a very important ceremony that's happening on the LePont side of the Leopard
[10:21] side of our courthouse at our Fallen Heroes Memorial in honor of our law enforcement memorial
[10:28] week.
[10:29] And so our intention is to attend that ceremony and to take a recess at 9 a.m.
[10:34] We will return here at 10 a.m. for the clerk.
[10:37] work, and I may, if we can, try to break like five minutes before nine so that there's ample
[10:45] time for those of us that need a little extra time to make it from the third floor out to
[10:51] the leopard side and find a seat to do so.
[10:55] I'll start this morning with J.J. de la Sarva, and Commissioner, did you want to sign
[11:03] up for public comment?
[11:04] No.
[11:04] I just had a table also.
[11:05] All right.
[11:05] I think we can take it.
[11:07] I'll wait if you want to do public comment, I'm fine.
[11:08] I'll tell you what, before we go to nine, I'll bring it back.
[11:11] That's fine.
[11:12] All right.
[11:13] Just letting you know.
[11:14] Mr. De La Serda, JJ, our court recognizes you and you are our veteran service officer.
[11:21] Welcome.
[11:22] Morning, Judging Commissioners.
[11:23] Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
[11:26] I'm here with Mr. Pat Simon from Chris Six.
[11:28] And we'd like to present to you a program which originated from the Veterans Roundtable
[11:33] radio show two weeks ago, correct? And so this is, the program is called the flag
[11:40] for flag program. Essentially what we would like to do is go out into the
[11:45] community and for those that have a frayed or tattered flag we'd like to
[11:50] replace that flag for free. And this is, it'll be from June the 10th, we
[11:55] actually just changed that, it's June the 10th through the 13th and we'll
[12:00] have those days, we'll have 12 different locations throughout the
[12:03] Coastal Bend, not just Noyesis County. Some of those locations include
[12:07] Kleber County VSO, Jim Wells County VSO, San Pat VSO. So we're going to put a
[12:13] list together as far as the locations to drop off and pick up a flag. And so we'd
[12:19] like to do that in preparation for Flag Day this year. As soon as those flags are
[12:24] picked up on the 13th, we will gather them, take them to the Coastal Bend
[12:29] State Veteran Cemetery so that we can do a flag retirement ceremony there
[12:32] at 10 a.m. on the 14th of June. I'll kick this over to Pat for more comments, but I just
[12:39] wanted to introduce.
[12:39] Thank you.
[12:40] Thank you, JJ. Good morning, everyone. I am Pat Simon, and I am a proud veteran of the
[12:46] United States Army. I served 30 years. I served in combat over in Iraq in 2009, wrapped
[12:53] things up in 2018. So I stand before you, and I appreciate this time. JJ mentioned
[12:59] our flag for a flag program was kind of fun how it all came together. When we were on
[13:05] the radio show and Judge, you were there. JJ was there. Dotson Lewis, our Korean War
[13:09] veteran and the host of the show, and also Jerry Plemmons, another veteran. And we started
[13:14] talking about the flag retirement area at the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery.
[13:19] And JJ had mentioned how proud he was that that has been restored out there. And
[13:24] And so I asked him, I said, hey, JJ, do we have a flag exchange program here to where
[13:31] you can drop off your old tattered American flag and get a brand new flag in its place?
[13:38] And he says, no.
[13:39] And I said, well, let's talk about this.
[13:40] So we talked it through as you recall.
[13:43] And so I said, well, why don't we call it flag for a flag?
[13:45] And everybody said, yeah, let's do this.
[13:47] And so we kept talking about it.
[13:48] And to JJ's point earlier, that became a movement.
[13:51] And that's what we wanted to be, because as we know around the coastal bend, the environmental
[13:58] conditions with the windy conditions out there, and it tatters our American flags a lot faster.
[14:05] And so we thought, wouldn't this be a great opportunity for us to step forward, public,
[14:11] private partnership, Chris Six News along with some sponsors, Bell Furniture, and also
[14:15] Mike Shaw Toyota, Mike Shaw being a veteran himself from Vietnam.
[14:20] And so we thought, let's all get together and let's come up with something positive for our community, right?
[14:26] To continue to have this legacy of waving that American flag, that legacy being preserved in this special way
[14:37] to where we exchange a brand new flag for an old tattered flag.
[14:41] So we are on board with this program.
[14:44] Chris Six will provide some flags.
[14:46] Our sponsors will provide flags and we're hoping that Nueces County will join in with our parent company scripts with our 5013C entities and provide more flags.
[14:58] We're trying to go for 1,000.
[15:00] We don't know what the need is here, but we're going to try to go for 1,000 flags this
[15:06] first go around, have all those flags at the locations that JJ just mentioned, and people
[15:11] can show up between the 10th of June and the 13th, because flag day is June 14th. And before
[15:18] now, most people thought flag day was just another day. We're going to put flag day back
[15:23] on the map, okay? And so that's what we're trying to do here. We're going to make it
[15:28] happen and that the end on June 14th, a great big retirement ceremony over at the State Veteran
[15:34] Cemetery.
[15:35] And then from there, we're going to look to the next big opportunity, and that would
[15:39] be the 4th of July, to do this again and do it again down the road.
[15:43] So thank you for your time this morning.
[15:45] This is a great event, and we at Chris Six are so proud to be a part of it.
[15:49] Thank you.
[15:49] Thank you.
[15:50] Thank you so much.
[15:51] I'll move straight to Luke Barrera.
[15:57] Good morning, Mr. Barrera.
[15:59] Good morning.
[16:05] Good morning.
[16:06] Thank you for the opportunity to address the court.
[16:08] And I'm just going to ask you to get a little closer to that, Mike,
[16:11] so that we can record better.
[16:13] Is that better?
[16:14] Yes, sir, it is.
[16:15] Okay.
[16:15] My name is Luke Barrera.
[16:17] I'm the President of Rabila, I&E constructors.
[16:20] Rabila has been in business since 1984
[16:22] and has office in Cal Island since 1985.
[16:25] We employ 50 office personnel and 250 field electricians.
[16:31] On April the 7th of this year, after two addendums, Ravley submitted our bid for the
[16:35] Noasis County Generator Project.
[16:38] The bid was submitted via the portal provided by Noasis County.
[16:42] The portal list, as late as today, April the 7th to 25 p.m. is the bid deadline.
[16:49] All information on the portal list to 25 is the bid deadline.
[16:53] Rabelay's bid was submitted at 2.08 p.m. The portal is set up to not accept late
[16:59] bids since our bid was prior to 2.25 it was accepted and logged in. During the
[17:04] reading of the bids however it was determined that our submission was late
[17:08] and invalid. The two listed bidders submitted base bids of 3.2 million and
[17:14] 2.69 million respectively. Rabelay's bid was... I think I'm gonna have to
[17:24] Do you think you could help out at this moment?
[17:27] Excuse me, Mr. Barrera, I so much want to hear you, but there are other rules at issue
[17:34] that I need to advise you of.
[17:38] Let me do this.
[17:40] Just let Jenny do it.
[17:41] Yeah.
[17:41] If you don't mind.
[17:42] I just want him to know.
[17:43] I'm very sorry for the interruption, but this is very important.
[17:46] Giving out numbers like that at this point would be a violation of the process.
[17:50] I have spoken with Michael Robinson about this.
[17:52] he could not be here today, but that it would not be appropriate to have that number put
[18:00] out or any information about the bid at this point.
[18:02] To have which number put out?
[18:05] I'll tell you what I'm going to do is I'll please continue, please, would it normally
[18:10] during public comment, we do not engage, we just receive the comment, we listen intently,
[18:16] and then we try to find a way to get back to you to answer your comment.
[18:21] But I'm going to ask you in your interest, and I truly mean this in your legal interest,
[18:27] would you yield for just a moment?
[18:29] I'll give you a whole new three minutes and you can start over again.
[18:32] I'd like to have the County Attorney step outside with you and just advise you of
[18:36] certain, again, if you proceed, I'm afraid it will prejudice your interest at this
[18:42] point.
[18:43] That's fine, ma'am. I appreciate the candor. My goal in being here was to bring this opportunity
[18:49] or bring this to the forefront. And I want to hear that part. I just don't
[18:53] want to have the violation because there's not been an award consummated yet executed
[19:02] in final form. Okay. I was reading numbers that were publicly read, though. That was
[19:09] I think you're about to get to yours though correct. Yeah, and we don't have any
[19:14] Jenny do you think you could help me?
[19:17] Mr. Barada would it be alright sir if I ask you to yield at this point, and I'll promise I'll give you a cold clean slate
[19:24] Okay, and I don't need to address the okay. Thank you. Thank you so much
[19:36] Ronnie Baker
[19:47] Good morning judge commissioners
[19:50] I know that we've tabled the item that I'm here to speak on, but I want to thank all
[19:55] of you all for the efforts that you've made over the last several years to hear the concerns
[20:03] of the charities and nonprofits.
[20:06] This will actually give us an opportunity to send a couple of additional items from
[20:12] the Texas Lottery Commission that spell out a couple of things regarding amusement
[20:18] Redemption Machines. We will be forwarding that to you this week. It's been an
[20:25] exceptionally long journey. We have a, we still have a ways to go, but the
[20:32] charities, the nonprofits, all the people involved that work so tirelessly to
[20:39] make this community better sincerely appreciate your effort. We look forward
[20:44] forward to getting our comments for due consideration. Commissioner Gonzalez, we appreciate you raising
[20:51] your concern. This will give us an additional time because there were a couple of things
[20:55] that did come in and we will submit those for due consideration. Thank you, guys.
[21:01] Welcome.
[21:04] Okay. Suzanne Taylor.
[21:16] Real quickly, I too want to express my thanks. It will be three years this October since
[21:21] Since the first time I came and talked to you about regulations for game rooms.
[21:24] It's been a long time, it's been a long direction, and I think you guys have done a really good
[21:29] job and, lady, I hate it when people say guys, and I'm in the group, so I appreciate
[21:35] all of you, and thanks again for taking the time to really look at this particular
[21:41] item and give it your all in making sure that everything continues to be legal in
[21:49] Oasis County.
[21:50] me. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Taylor. I'm going to try to get through the next two and
[21:54] then we will take our break. Eddie Heinemeyer?
[22:00] Okay. Margaret Baldwin? Thank you, Margaret.
[22:09] Good morning. Good morning. Again, we want to say thank you so much. Thank you for tabling
[22:14] the item. Commissioner Gonzalez and I want to reiterate what Ronnie said. We will
[22:20] get that to you as quickly as possible this week with the language for the Lottery
[22:26] commission so that can be considered also. Again, thank you so much for all your time
[22:31] in the time period. Thank you.
[22:33] Thank you. At this time, I'd like to make a motion that we do recess from-
[22:37] Judge, could I do my table?
[22:38] Oh, yes.
[22:39] I'm sorry.
[22:39] Go ahead.
[22:40] Judge, I would like to, let's see, it's regular agenda 3A10. Discuss and consider
[22:47] the appointment and appointment evaluation of the human resource director.
[22:50] 3A10.
[22:51] Motion to table.
[22:52] Motion to table. Is there a second?
[22:55] Second.
[22:55] What is that?
[22:56] There is a second.
[22:58] 3A, 10, motion and a second.
[23:00] All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[23:03] Aye.
[23:04] No.
[23:04] Okay.
[23:05] No.
[23:05] Two noes and three ayes.
[23:08] And are there any others from any of the floor to table?
[23:13] Yes.
[23:14] I'll be right with you.
[23:15] I'm sorry, to the next meeting.
[23:16] It's going to be 3A15, the county clerk.
[23:20] 3A15.
[23:21] Yes ma'am.
[23:22] The county clerk asked for that as well.
[23:24] That is the Canvas election returns. Is there a motion?
[23:29] Is this table for table?
[23:30] Yes. And just so you know, are they on this one?
[23:34] I think she's going to get us a date this morning.
[23:38] I think she might post for Monday is what I understand.
[23:41] Okay.
[23:42] Okay, I'll double check.
[23:43] Yeah, I'll go with her.
[23:44] Motion and a second. All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[23:48] Aye.
[23:48] Hi.
[23:51] And I saw deputy.
[23:55] The second was modest, no?
[23:57] I'm motioned.
[23:58] Motioned.
[23:59] And the second was?
[24:00] Sure.
[24:00] Deal-mined?
[24:01] No, I don't mind.
[24:02] Commissioner Chesney.
[24:03] It came from this side, but it was probably a multiple second.
[24:06] Maybe you – did you second it?
[24:08] What did I second?
[24:08] Or did I second it?
[24:09] I can't read it.
[24:09] Second you.
[24:10] I think Joe, I think Joe.
[24:11] I think I did.
[24:12] And just so the audience knows, that canvassing for those results are being tabled because
[24:20] the county clerk asked us to. They had not had a chance to meet. We're going to have that
[24:24] meeting forthcoming. And so please look for that to be done very swiftly. And then Deputy
[24:31] Vazquez, comment. Yes ma'am. If you can, I don't have your name. If you would announce
[24:39] your name, I would sign up here for you. And then I'll let you finish the filling
[24:43] out quickly. And then again, it is my intention to ask for a very quick motion
[24:49] to recess from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. so that we may run downstairs to be a part of
[24:54] the Regional Fallen Heroes Memorial Ceremony. Yes ma'am? I'll be as quick as
[24:58] possible. I'm sorry I didn't make my name on the list. My name is Angelus
[25:01] Garupa and I'm here today because I wanted to make you aware if you don't
[25:06] already know of the burglaries that have been occurring out in Nueces, rural
[25:10] Nueces County and lack of assistance from the Nueces County Sheriff's
[25:14] Office. The specific incidents I'm familiar with are area concerning the
[25:19] area that it's concerning me is south of 44 between Mackenzie Road and Calicoat
[25:24] Road, but I'm sure it's you know an issue throughout the rural noases. My
[25:30] husband and I own property in the area and one of one of which we've been using
[25:34] as a business. I brought my notes so if you'll bear with me. This specific
[25:40] property has been burglarized four times in the last seven months. Approximately
[25:44] $15,000 worth of equipment and items have been stolen.
[25:48] In the first three burglaries, three doors were pried open.
[25:52] The fourth burglary, they actually just break
[25:55] through the window, through the front window.
[25:58] Each time I called Nueces County Sheriff's Office
[26:00] to report the burglaries, and each time
[26:03] the Nueces County Sheriff's officers
[26:05] responded completely unprepared to do their job.
[26:08] The officers arrived with a point and shoot camera
[26:10] and no equipment to process the scene.
[26:12] When I asked if they had processing kits, the officers advise me that they do not carry
[26:19] any equipment to process burglars, that the criminal investigations division is the one
[26:22] that carries the equipment, but they do not respond to burglars.
[26:27] So for each burglary, I had to photograph, I had to process, and I had to identify
[26:32] evidence myself.
[26:33] And the reason for that, that gives me the experience, the knowledge to do that,
[26:38] is I am currently work as a crime scene investigator for a local law enforcement agency. I was
[26:44] also a crime scene investigator for other agencies along also a forensic scientist for the Department
[26:49] of Public Safety. I worked in the crime laboratory. When the first burglary occurred, I provided
[26:56] the officer and the CID officers and the CID officers with a possible suspect and I
[27:02] who had approached me and a photograph actually who had approached me the day before the
[27:06] burglary. He was in a vehicle wearing an Oasis County ESD number three shirt and
[27:12] carrying a radio. He began to ask me questions about my home, about my
[27:17] neighbor's homes, and when I ran him off he advised me that he has a radio, he
[27:22] knows what goes on in the county, and he could hear everything and that he
[27:25] would be back. So that brings us to burglars two, three, and four. At the
[27:31] second burglary is where I located evidence. I located a cigarette butt
[27:34] Then I located a pocket knife.
[27:38] The next day I appeared at the Sheriff's Office to speak with CID about the status of my previous
[27:43] burglary because I had provided information, the plan for the evidence and the lack of
[27:47] assistance from their officers.
[27:50] I even provided them with photographs because the officer did not take any.
[27:55] At this meeting is where I found out that the Suspic information from the first burglary
[28:00] was not even included in their investigation.
[28:03] The most help that they were able to provide me was to send an officer to the location
[28:07] to process the scene.
[28:09] The officer did not arrive, it took approximately two hours before the officer even arrived
[28:14] and he had no idea where to begin.
[28:16] So I processed the scene myself.
[28:20] The next few days later, my husband and I were called by a detective to come in and
[28:27] take a victim's statement.
[28:29] We both thought it was unusual for the nature of the crime to come in and do a victim statement.
[28:33] But we did as asked. My husband and I were both separated.
[28:39] I answered questions first. They took my fingerprints. The same thing with my husband.
[28:44] When I asked her if she would be submitting the evidence to DPS, she said she did not believe that the knife belonged to the suspect
[28:52] and that she was going to process the evidence herself.
[28:57] When I informed her that, depending on the process that she used to process the evidence
[29:02] for prints, she could damage any DNA.
[29:06] And she said, that's when she rolled her eyes at me and said, oh, I know, I know, I know
[29:10] what you do, I'll do it myself.
[29:13] That's when I told her that, oh, that's just when I stopped talking.
[29:17] I knew that she wasn't going to listen to anything I said.
[29:20] She was already, I guess, annoyed by me giving her suggestions.
[29:23] But having had worked at the DPS crime lab, I knew the best route to go.
[29:29] So at that point, we just both stopped talking.
[29:32] And we knew then, after we finished our interview with her, we knew then that my husband and I were both, we felt, I should say,
[29:40] my husband and I felt that we were both considered suspects as opposed to actual victims.
[29:45] And then after the meeting with the detective, I actually wrote a letter of grievance to the Sheriff's Office.
[29:51] I hand delivered it to his office. That was at the end of December, and I have yet to receive a response
[29:57] And because of my previous encounters
[30:00] Also the sheriff's office, I haven't even began to inquire anything about burglaries three
[30:04] or four.
[30:09] I've also spoken to many of my neighbors recently. The last burglary, our fourth burglary
[30:14] occurred about two weeks ago, approximately two weeks ago, maybe less than two weeks ago.
[30:20] My neighbors have also called to tell me that they've been burglarized. They have been
[30:26] drive-bys. People are driving by their homes and taking photos. They've also, most
[30:31] recently a neighbor sent me a door ring door cam video and it's actually it's a
[30:37] picture it's a video of a young male who approached the home rang the doorbell
[30:41] it was about midnight and he had a pistol in his waistband his front waistband I
[30:46] showed a couple of my law enforcement friends and they did say that it was
[30:50] basically had they opened the door luckily no one was home had they opened
[30:52] the door it was basically a home invasion ready to happen so and actually
[30:56] the people who live there was an elderly there were two elderly twin
[30:59] sisters. So they've since passed but that's why the house is vacant. It doesn't look vacant,
[31:05] they do keep it up. I don't by any means expect the Nueces County Sheriff's Office to stand
[31:10] outside our homes armed waiting for a crime to happen but I do expect them to do their
[31:15] job by being prepared when called upon to be treated with respect and in a professional
[31:20] manner and to be taken seriously when it does happen. I have worked in the forensic
[31:24] field for almost 20 years now and if they were training, if they were treating
[31:28] me this way, someone who knows something about this type of crime incident, I can't even
[31:34] imagine what they're doing to ordinary, everyday citizens out there in the county.
[31:39] Thank you.
[31:39] Thank you very much.
[31:42] You're welcome to leave any of your notes with the court manager.
[31:47] At this time, that concludes our public, does not conclude our public comment, but
[31:52] for those citizens, Commissioner Hernandez, I acknowledge that you're on the list,
[31:56] But I'm gonna ask you to hold until we come back. I make the motion please for the recess and ask for the second
[32:03] 9 a.m. To 10 a.m.
[32:06] All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. The time is
[32:11] time is 9 o 4 a.m. And I'll see you on the
[32:17] Ceremony in the ceremony and thank you again for your patience. So when we left off
[32:24] We were actually not quite concluded with what's called public comment.
[32:29] So we had gone through the safety briefing and we had at least eight speakers, but there
[32:35] are two more left before we get to the resolutions and proclamations.
[32:39] I'll call upon Ms. Susie Saldana and then followed by Commissioner Robert Hernandez.
[32:45] I'm sorry.
[32:46] I'm gaveling us in officially.
[32:47] You are so right, Lorenzo.
[32:49] It's 10.29 a.m. with the gavel.
[32:53] Good morning.
[32:54] Good morning. My name is Susie Luna Saldana. Judge, commissioners, first of all, let me
[33:01] tell you thank you for taking up the issues of the game room. It's certainly appreciated,
[33:07] especially from a consumer's part. And thank you for tabling it because I felt that it
[33:11] was too short of time. And one of the issues that I think we need to clarify is every
[33:17] time I come here, I hear from the bingo people about how they've been working
[33:21] on this issue for three years. Well, they may have been working on the issue for three years,
[33:27] but we were not aware of it. So, there has to be some give and take in that information.
[33:34] I want to make clear that there's gambling going on in both issues. When people say,
[33:38] I want to help bingo, think about the pull tabs that they have. Think about the times that they
[33:43] do bingos at midnight. I want you to think about that because one of my biggest concerns,
[33:48] And I just had a few minutes to go over the regulations, so I'm glad you tabled it, is
[33:53] the time, the time that you have put down.
[33:57] You cannot restrict the business from the time that it needs.
[34:01] And I'm looking at, people are saying there's crime going on in the game rooms.
[34:05] There's crimes going on everywhere you have.
[34:08] If that was the case, you'd be closing every bar in Corpus Christi because they stay
[34:14] open till 2 o'clock in the morning and you do not restrict them.
[34:17] And when we have drunk drivers and people getting run over by drunk drivers, then are you the
[34:23] persons that rent that place responsible for that drunk driver or is the person that served
[34:28] in the beer responsible?
[34:31] You cannot hold some people accountable for some things and skip others.
[34:37] So thank you for allowing us the time to go over the regulations.
[34:41] One of the things I'm going to ask you to seriously consider is the fact that
[34:45] that you need to make those times at least from 11 to 1 o'clock during the week, or 11
[34:53] to 2 o'clock over weekends, those are the issues that I want you to look at because if you don't
[34:59] restrict other people and you restrict in the game rooms that you are actually discriminating
[35:04] against them.
[35:05] So again, thank you for your time and thank you for this issue.
[35:09] We will be back at the next board meeting and please let us know approximately what
[35:14] time you're going to take up the issue so we can be here on time. Thank you.
[35:18] Thank you. Robert Anandas, commissioner.
[35:25] Thank you, Judge, for allowing me the time.
[35:27] It's just that I got some calls last night after the news aired on the
[35:33] article that concerned us and people were upset. They were dissatisfied with
[35:41] commissioners court they just said that we should know better we should have
[35:47] better control of what goes on with the employees here the talking about
[35:54] directors we should be better informed and they were just upset they they don't
[36:03] have any confidence in this commissioners court that's what I mounted to they
[36:08] They don't believe anything that we say, because most likely there's something in the back brewing
[36:16] that it's not supposed to be.
[36:19] And I know we've got a lot of people here, so I'm going to just cut it short.
[36:22] And they did say, or one of them did say that the bidding process, the way he's seen
[36:30] it done here is wrong.
[36:32] We make too many mistakes that we end up trying to correct.
[36:37] But by that time, the damage has already been done to people, companies.
[36:41] So we need to look into all those things and make sure that our people that are in charge
[36:47] of those problems, they take a look at them and make sure everything is done correctly.
[36:56] I won't go into specifics about the bidding program or what they were complaining about,
[37:02] but that's what that's what it amounted to judge and people just don't trust us anymore. Thank you.
[37:11] Okay.
[37:16] In the court's agenda there are the next item we would take up would be the resolutions,
[37:24] proclamations, and orders. And we should start with Veterans Memorial's Girls Basketball Team
[37:29] and we're also going to invite the Veterans Memorial Boys Basketball Program and we're
[37:37] going to bring them in. This is item for the clerk, G1 and 2, but we thought since they
[37:44] represent two great sports programs from one great high school, we'd have them all in at
[37:49] the same time, and there are a lot of them, so you don't have to guess what sport is
[37:56] on the right side of the room here, or my right. And the left. And the left, too.
[38:01] come
[38:06] on in everyone thank you we certainly welcome you and it's our honor to
[38:14] have you here thanks for your patience this morning we have a very special
[38:18] resolution and I'd like to direct your attention at this time to miss Belinda
[38:23] in a person who will read and then we'll have some conversation about it
[38:28] Belinda whereas the Veterans Memorial Girls basketball program led by coach
[38:34] Roy de la Peña finished a successful 2022 season with the district record of 16-0 and
[38:40] an overall record of 37-3. The team also finished as district 35A two-time undefeated district
[38:47] champions by district champions, area champions regional quarter finalists, regional 70 finalists
[38:54] and ranked ninth in the state according to the TGCA poll. Whereas players from the
[39:04] District Offensive MVP, Katelyn Brooks.
[39:07] District Defensive MVP, Gabrielle Arismende.
[39:11] District Sixth, Mann, Kira Lavers.
[39:14] District One Team, Tatiana Mosley.
[39:17] Alyssa Peña and Mia de la Peña.
[39:20] District Two Team, Amanda Costa and Deshaire Lister Brown.
[39:25] The entire varsity team was honored for all district academic team.
[39:29] And Senior Gabrielle Arismende, McDonald's Invitational Tournament
[39:33] M.V.P. Rio Sports Live All-Star members include Katelyn Brooks, Gabriela Arismende, Kira Labors,
[39:41] Mia de la Peña, Adlin Lopez and Ella Ortiz, Katelyn Brooks, T.A.B.C., All-State and All-Star
[39:49] team, Gabrielle Arismende, THSCA, Second Team Academic All-State, Katelyn Brooks, T.S.C.A.,
[39:59] Second Team All-State, Elisa Peña, THSCA Honorable Mention All-State, Tatiana Moseley,
[40:07] TGCA All-Star Team, and All-State, Caitlin Brooks, TGCA All-State District Coach of the Year,
[40:15] Coach Roy De La Peña. Whereas the Lady Eagles basketball program players include Seniors
[40:22] Gabrielle Alismende, Katelyn Brooks, Kira Lavers and Alyssa Peña, juniors Ashlyn Perez,
[40:31] Dee Brown, Tatiana Mosley, Yasmin Rodriguez and Amanda Costa, sophomores Mia de La Peña,
[40:38] Adlyn Lopez and Deshira Brown, managers Alyssa Moser, Madison Dietrich and McKenna Garcia,
[40:45] Zia, student trainer, Jordan Goldbrunson, coaching staff for the Lady Equals include
[40:51] head coach, Roy de la Peña, assistant coaches, Laini Villarreal, Adrienne Nicholson and Albert
[40:58] Galvan, athletic trainer, Dalton Jennings, athletic coordinator, Ben Bittner, athletic
[41:04] directors, Brenda Marshall and Richard O'Connor, principal, Scott Walker and superintendent,
[41:10] Dr. Roland Hernandez.
[41:11] on this. Now therefore, be it resolved by the Commissioner's Court of Nueces County
[41:16] that the court hereby recognizes the Veterans Memorial Girls Basketball Team for their athletic
[41:21] accomplishments and achievements.
[41:23] So moved.
[41:24] Second.
[41:24] Got a motion and a second, and we'll call for discussion. We'll ask Coach to come up,
[41:30] not any old coach, as they say, but a very special one, not only in his person and
[41:38] the way he conducts himself throughout the community, but of course on the court, when
[41:46] I read that you had surpassed 700 career wins, I knew that I wanted to have this opportunity,
[41:52] but I know you and you would not have wanted to shine a light on yourself, but rather
[41:58] on your great team.
[42:00] And so we welcome you here today.
[42:02] We're going to invite you to make some comments, maybe have some of your captains.
[42:05] If they so choose, make comments, and then I bet there are many of us that want to wish all of them congratulations.
[42:16] Thank you so much. This was awesome. Thank you for inviting us. Our girls played their hearts out.
[42:22] We have a wonderful group of girls. The biggest award we got was Academic All-District.
[42:28] All our players received that, so that's one I'm so proud of.
[42:32] And then, of course, the wins are real nice,
[42:33] but they're doing things at school and on the court.
[42:38] Seniors, Gabby, Blondie, Labors, listen.
[42:45] If it wasn't for them, they ran a program.
[42:49] They're very, very educated, very smart, very nice, kind,
[42:53] thoughtful kids.
[42:54] And they fell into the program, loved it,
[42:57] and it made sure the younger kids did
[42:59] what they were supposed to.
[43:00] and that's how you win.
[43:02] Would y'all come up here please?
[43:09] I played for this team for my four years of high school
[43:12] and growing physically, mentally, you know,
[43:17] with this group of girls was something special
[43:20] and this year was one that, I mean,
[43:22] there was a chemistry like no other team
[43:24] I've ever played with before.
[43:26] It was really special and I'm glad that it,
[43:28] we got as far as we did with this group.
[43:33] I also played.
[43:34] I'm Kira Lavers for four years with this team
[43:37] And as Gabby said it was a really special year because we all bonded well together and our season was good
[43:44] And it was just fun playing with the girls.
[43:53] How do you lower it a little bit?
[43:57] There you go
[44:01] Okay
[44:03] Hi, I'm also um, I would just say that I am truly blessed to have the teammates that I did this year
[44:09] Play with them since we're all growing up. So it just felt comfortable and we just had to do what we had to do this year
[44:18] Hi, I'm Caitlin Brooks.
[44:20] These four years went by fast, but this is definitely the team that I'm going to remember
[44:24] most, the bonds that we had, the chemistry that we had.
[44:27] It all started in the summer when we all played together in these select teams, and
[44:30] we didn't think we were going to win versus these big select teams and what we did as
[44:33] a school team, and I think that's what took us as far as we did this year.
[44:40] Amazing.
[44:42] Coach, commissioners?
[44:43] Thank you, Judge.
[44:43] Judge, I would be remiss, and I'm going to spend some time honoring the girls, but if
[44:50] I don't give my friend Roydale a penny a little bit, I don't know how many times, 700, how many
[44:56] wins do we have now?
[44:56] 7 7 7 7 7 7
[45:00] I don't even think I have that many in upward so you know I want to say you know
[45:04] that that's an amazing record I that does that do we forgive him for leaving Ray do
[45:09] yeah well you know you got a couple to three ray alumni up here hold that
[45:17] against you but not real hard because we we I don't represent Ray I represent
[45:20] veterans so I'm okay with that and Commissioner Gonzalez and I now share
[45:24] veterans after the last redistricting so he's he wanted to be included in this
[45:27] So, Coach, you did a great job.
[45:29] As usual, you know, we're used to seeing the phenomenal program now.
[45:33] And I know veterans haven't been in high school a long time, but you all have set the mark.
[45:36] You know, you ladies have done an incredible job.
[45:38] For those of you who've been there four years, you're used to winning, right?
[45:41] Not everybody gets to do what you get to do and be on a team like you get to be on.
[45:45] And the amazing success that you've had on the court and off the court is pretty staggering.
[45:50] You set the bar so high that the boys finally got here with you all.
[45:53] So that's really pretty good, right?
[45:54] And I, and I, and come on, let's call it like it is, right?
[45:59] Let's call it, you know, we got Coach White back
[46:01] and here we are, right?
[46:02] I mean, so, so now that we've got Coach White back,
[46:04] we're expecting just like we do with Coach De La Peña
[46:06] to see y'all both here every year,
[46:09] because it's definitely an amazing achievement
[46:11] that y'all, that y'all have accomplished
[46:13] and we so appreciate you being here.
[46:14] We appreciate you taking the time.
[46:16] Sorry we were a little late, but as the judge explained,
[46:18] we had a very important ceremony out there
[46:20] and I figure it's, as John modest told me,
[46:22] it's the last month of school,
[46:23] Well, y'all wouldn't mind missing a little more school,
[46:24] so if we'd delayed you a little bit,
[46:26] I'm sure you're not too heartbroken.
[46:28] But to also the parents, I want to just say,
[46:30] I know what a sacrifice it is,
[46:31] and I'm saying this to both sets of parents now,
[46:33] because I don't want to repeat myself
[46:34] when the boys are up,
[46:35] but I know what a sacrifice it is to have an athlete,
[46:38] a student athlete, it's tough.
[46:40] It's tough on the families, it's tough on everybody,
[46:43] but you share in the success,
[46:44] you really do for those of you who are here
[46:46] and for those that aren't here,
[46:47] because I know what a sacrifice it is
[46:49] to get them here and to get them through school
[46:51] and veterans is no easy place to get through academically, so congratulations, ladies.
[46:56] You have really made South Texas, Nueces County proud.
[46:59] We are so appreciative of everything you've done, and Coach, always great to see you,
[47:05] and like I said, it's just an expectation now, veterans, with the ladies side and
[47:10] now with Coach White and these great boys, what they've done, we'll talk a little
[47:13] bit about them.
[47:14] We expect to keep seeing you all here every year, so congratulations.
[47:18] Commissioners?
[47:19] I just want to say it's kind of a win situation here, win-win and a better situation here.
[47:27] You know, Commissioner Scherzen, it's always been your commissioner, shine the light and
[47:30] everything else.
[47:31] Now there's a new commissioner in town and we're going to share the light and hopefully
[47:38] we can do more things that veterans, you know, because we expect better.
[47:42] And also, I just want to say that, you know, just not forget what really makes the team.
[47:50] You know, we have to have faith in God for one.
[47:55] You know, two is you have a good coaches, great coaches, and good players, right?
[48:03] They know how to discipline themselves.
[48:05] They know how to represent themselves.
[48:09] to know how to represent their schools when they go play.
[48:13] It means a lot.
[48:13] That makes a team.
[48:14] But the whole team, it wouldn't be a team
[48:16] unless you have the parents.
[48:19] I'll tell you what.
[48:20] The parents is like putting the icing on the cake
[48:25] because the parents are the main supporters,
[48:28] or the transporters, or the feeders that feed you,
[48:35] twice probably before the game and after the game.
[48:39] So, anyway, I just want to say that it all, to make a good team, that's what it takes.
[48:45] Does not forget to continue to work together in a united manner, all right?
[48:51] Good luck.
[48:53] Guys, guys, so graduating seniors, wish you the best, education is the best thing you
[48:58] can have.
[48:58] Nobody can take that away from you, so continue to do your education, all right?
[49:04] Number one.
[49:05] All right?
[49:05] God bless you.
[49:07] Thank you.
[49:08] Mattis.
[49:10] Thanks, Judge.
[49:13] We can, having been on school board for CCISD, it's like having kids, right?
[49:19] You love them all equally and all the same, so it doesn't matter what precinct y'all fall
[49:23] in.
[49:24] Y'all are still our team, representing Corpus Christi in the Westin County.
[49:27] I just don't get how Commissioner Chesney has all these strong basketball programs
[49:32] only in his precinct.
[49:34] I get to have a race, so they have some good seasons every once in a while.
[49:37] I know I've been good challengers to you.
[49:39] But I'm going to make these comments to both teams.
[49:41] No Commissioner Chesney does not have an opponent in November
[49:43] because I know the boys took a little slight to what
[49:46] you said earlier about them finally joining the girls.
[49:49] But girls, I've been watching y'all for years now.
[49:51] And I've seen and I've heard the stories about the team
[49:57] working through select ball and just going through the summer
[50:00] workouts and getting ready.
[50:02] Long when y'all were middle school still, right, Coach?
[50:05] I mean I remember following them and my wife keeping me updated and so we were
[50:10] excited to see this team develop and turn into what they were and really knew
[50:14] this was the year and I was mentioning the coach the opinion walking in it's
[50:17] like it just every year one of our sports teams no matter what sport it is
[50:22] kind of get the shorter into the stick just by the way the draw is in the
[50:29] in the playoff rounds because we know that had it been drawn properly these
[50:33] These girls would have been in the state finals playing for the state finals and a tough team
[50:37] that they fought up to the end and the young men as well.
[50:40] But it just happens where you live, sometimes you get paired with a really strong team a
[50:45] little bit earlier than what you wanted and who knows what would have happened had you
[50:49] met them head on just one on one, last two teams standing.
[50:52] But I'm so proud of you all, you all represent our community well and we know that not
[50:58] only athletics but also academics.
[51:00] And so this will be my comments also to the young men guys keep it up. We're proud of you y'all did great
[51:06] It's exciting always to watch some great basketball and ex congratulations on all your future endeavors
[51:12] Good luck on on the baseball side as well. So thank you all for being here. We're really proud of you
[51:20] Commissioner Hernandez, would you like to say? Yes, thank you. I just want to congratulate the Memorial Veterans School. I
[51:27] think they represent Corpus Christi very well and I can
[51:30] and wait to see hope they continue their education in college and hear them play for the college
[51:38] of their choice. But thank you very much the way you represent Corpus. And I got to end
[51:43] this that I'm also proud of the Moody Trojans baseball team.
[51:49] That's my older mother. So
[51:51] anyway, congratulations to you all. Keep up the good work. Thank you.
[51:55] Coach, as you know, sports is such a metaphor for life.
[52:01] There is so many lessons to be learned, ladies, from all of the skill sets that your coach
[52:09] and all of his staff, and we want to congratulate you and your entire staff and your administration.
[52:15] I didn't know if there were anybody else that accompanied you here today, but we would
[52:18] be honored for you to introduce them if they are here.
[52:21] They couldn't.
[52:22] No worries.
[52:25] I'm sorry.
[52:25] that, you know, what makes a great team in basketball for me is a team that knows how
[52:31] to pass the ball. I mean, that's really the difference between the greats. That's what
[52:37] you guys do so well. I know that there are all-stars. I know that. In every team there
[52:42] are. But the best teams, the greatest teams, it really is that work ethic which you
[52:49] display and the ability to be you know selfless right passing that ball to make
[52:56] that shot and one of the great basketball players I don't remember exactly
[53:01] who maybe the guys might remember always said you got to make them believe
[53:05] that even if you can't block every shot that you might right and I think
[53:10] that for the love of the game that that you have and many of you are
[53:14] multi-tiered athletes. You play more than one sport. Today is just a moment in time.
[53:20] You might wonder, why am I going to the courthouse? Well, because this is the epicenter of the things
[53:26] that we believe in most sacredly. Law, justice, freedoms, veterans. All the things that we
[53:36] want to say to you, we're so proud that you've come to this house, because this
[53:40] This is the house where equality reigns, and even in equality there are those moments of
[53:48] excellence that make you really just go to the very top.
[53:53] And that's why you're here today.
[53:54] And I just want to let you know that it means a lot to us that you come, that your coach
[54:00] brings you, that your parents are here to support you.
[54:03] Thank you for showing all of us what excellence looks like.
[54:07] Thank you, coach.
[54:09] Here's the best part.
[54:10] We've got a resolution for you after we do this all those in favor signify by saying aye
[54:17] Would you honor us with the photograph? We would love that
[54:22] You think we can have a photo with all of them I mean we might we might be able to well girls if you would indulge us
[54:30] What we'll do is even even still what we could do is all the photos at once
[54:34] Let's go try the girls first and the boys,
[54:37] and if we could somehow get everybody together,
[54:39] that'd be fun.
[54:40] So we'll ask Belinda to move on to the resolution dealing
[54:45] with the Veterans Boys Basketball Program
[54:51] and all of their accomplishments.
[54:54] Whereas the Veterans Memorial Boys Basketball Program,
[54:57] led by Coach Billy White, Jr., finished a successful 2022
[55:01] season with a district record of 15-1
[55:04] and an overall record of 31-8. The team also finished as District 29 5A champions,
[55:11] by district champions, area champions, regional quarter-final champions, and regional semi-finalists,
[55:18] whereas the members of the Veterans Memorial Boys Basketball Program were honored as follows.
[55:24] Aiden Guerra, District 29 5A MVP, C.J. Vela, District 29 5A Sixth Man of the Year,
[55:31] Cameron de la Peña, First Team All-District, Jordan Hurd, First Team All-District, Nate Reeves,
[55:38] Second Team All-District, Quincy Lewis, Second Team All-District, Xavier Pettis, Honorable Mention
[55:44] All-District, Christian Sabsbrook, Honorable Mention All-District, Coach Billy White Jr.,
[55:51] District 29, 5A, Coach of the Year, Aidan Guerra, All-Region 4, Academic All-District,
[55:57] Sam Ashley, Dylan Cochran, Cameron de la Peña, Roger Garcia, Roman Mendoza, Xavier
[56:05] Perez, Nate Reeves, and Christian Sabsuk. Xavier Perez, First Team Academic All
[56:12] State, Cameron de la Peña, Honorable Mention Academic All State, and Nate
[56:16] Reeves, Honorable Mention Academic All State. Whereas the Veterans Memorial
[56:21] Eagles basketball program players include seniors, Cameron de la Peña,
[56:26] Roger Garcia, Aiden Guerra, Nate Reeves, and Xavier Perez,
[56:31] juniors Quincy Lewis, Dylan Cochran, Jordan Hurd, Sam Ashley,
[56:37] and Roman Mendoza, sophomores C.J. Bella, Christian Greenwood,
[56:42] and Christian Sabsuk, freshman Isaiah Early.
[56:45] Coaching staff for the Eagles include head coach Billy White Jr.,
[56:49] assistant coaches Pat Erskine, Charles Harris, and Tommy Garcia,
[56:54] athletic direct trainer Dalton Jennings and Danielle Reese, athletic coordinator Ben
[57:00] Bittner, athletic director Brenda Marshall, principal Scott Walker and
[57:05] superintendent Roland Dr. Roland Hernandez. Now therefore be it resolved by
[57:10] the Commissioner's Court of Moises County that the court hereby recognizes
[57:14] Veterans Memorial Boys basketball program for their athletic
[57:17] accomplishments and achievements. So moved. Motion and a second.
[57:22] Coach White, we welcome you.
[57:26] Thank you.
[57:27] Nice to have you here.
[57:28] Tell us about this team.
[57:29] Thanks for having us.
[57:30] This is an exceptional group of young men.
[57:34] They came in every day, worked extremely hard for us each and every day,
[57:37] and they're as good of basketball players as they are.
[57:41] They're even better young men.
[57:43] They're going to go off and do great things in their lives
[57:45] and be great productive citizens of our society.
[57:49] And I'm extremely proud of the accomplishments that they had this year.
[57:53] As Mr. Chesney said earlier, I did leave and came back this year and it was a situation
[57:58] where a lot of these kids were either sophomore or underclassmen at the time when I was here
[58:02] before.
[58:03] And now that they're upperclassmen and back with me, we were able to come together
[58:06] and do a lot of great things and a lot of special things.
[58:09] So it was, I also want to thank you guys for allowing us to be together one more
[58:14] time.
[58:15] Being able to load up on the bus with this group of young men was very special and very
[58:20] dear to my heart because this is a great group of young men.
[58:23] The regional tournament, meeting a regional tournament is one accomplishment that we had
[58:28] that I'm really proud of, but it's only one step to it.
[58:32] So we do expect to be back each and every year, just like the girls, so that is something
[58:38] we do have a lot of underclassmen on this group as well that will be returning
[58:42] and we're excited about what the future holds for us.
[58:45] So that's something that we're definitely excited about
[58:48] and also with our seniors that are leaving this year.
[58:51] They played a huge part in our success this year
[58:53] and they're going to go off and do great things
[58:55] at the next level.
[58:57] I'm going to ask those seniors to come up
[58:58] and say a few words at this time.
[59:01] They don't really want to speak,
[59:03] but I'm going to make them speak.
[59:04] It's all right.
[59:05] Well, just introduce yourselves
[59:07] if you don't feel like speaking.
[59:08] We just want to get to know you.
[59:13] Hi, my name is Nate Reeves and I've just been playing with these guys for a while now since I was young.
[59:18] It was great to have one last good season with them, so I'm just thankful for that.
[59:27] I'm Roger Garcia. Yeah, I really enjoyed playing with all them. It was a good experience and going this far with them.
[59:37] I'm Xavier Pettis. I played basketball. My sophomore and my senior year, I played with some of these guys growing up,
[59:44] So it was good to be back on the court with them.
[59:47] And I think that there's a culture of winning here.
[59:50] And it's like my baseball coach says, winners win.
[59:52] And that's what coach White, coach Erskine,
[59:55] and coach Delapeña do.
[59:56] So thank you.
[1:00:00] Hi, my name's Cameron de la Peña, and I grew up playing with a lot of these guys, and it was a fun run, and I just want to thank all of them.
[1:00:10] My name's Aidan Gellert, and it was a good experience this year, and we just all played for each other, and I think that's how we did this year.
[1:00:18] I like that. That's a great sentiment.
[1:00:22] Commissioners, I know we've kind of talked a lot about the girls, but how about a few nice words for these gentlemen?
[1:00:27] You know, and I will judge, and Commissioner Moniz, it was not a slight, it was more of
[1:00:32] a challenge because the winning tradition has been established now on the boys' side.
[1:00:38] And I'm a huge fan of Coach White.
[1:00:40] I've watched several of these games because I've watched a lot of these, especially the
[1:00:44] seniors play for a long time.
[1:00:47] And watching Coach White with these young men was pretty impressive.
[1:00:51] Just didn't hear anything but good things about how he coached and how he interacted
[1:00:56] and how he cared for the kids and that's a real tribute.
[1:00:59] I think he's brought a stability to veterans
[1:01:02] that's gonna hopefully be there a long time.
[1:01:05] I think he, I hope he likes being here in Corpus Christi
[1:01:08] and he had to go away to kinda realize
[1:01:09] how great it was, right coach?
[1:01:11] We're hoping you'll stay a lot longer,
[1:01:14] but it's been fun.
[1:01:15] You guys, I saw several of your games this year.
[1:01:18] Lot of fun to watch.
[1:01:19] You guys are an exciting team
[1:01:20] and I don't know how everybody picked everybody,
[1:01:24] but I don't know that everybody expected y'all go fourth round and that's not a
[1:01:28] slight either that's just means you you overachieved you you did things as a
[1:01:32] team that maybe a lot of people didn't think you could and that's kind of one
[1:01:35] of those lessons in life that if you work together as a team and you really
[1:01:38] bust your tails and and you did and y'all beat some teams that you know
[1:01:43] maybe you shouldn't have beat but and on paper but because you played so
[1:01:47] well as a team because you came together and you had great senior
[1:01:49] leadership and great coaching. You just you really did well and again not to be
[1:01:56] repetitive but the parents play a big role in this and knowing those
[1:02:02] sacrifices that everybody made is really important. I hope that all of you all
[1:02:05] will leave today and go hug your parents or your grandparents, your aunts and
[1:02:09] uncles, whoever helped raise you and make sure you tell them thanks because
[1:02:12] none of you would be here without these strong coaches and the strong
[1:02:15] adults in your lives, but this is all about y'all today, y'all have achieved, you've
[1:02:20] earned it.
[1:02:21] We don't really, we don't bring folks down here until they get to that regional tournament
[1:02:24] because we could, you know, we'd end up bringing way, not way too many, there's never too
[1:02:28] many, that sounds wrong, but we don't, we want to make it kind of special so we
[1:02:32] don't bring people until they get to that regional tournament.
[1:02:34] So we want to bring you guys again, we want to keep bringing you down here,
[1:02:37] we want to keep making sure that you come down here because Michigan's all us
[1:02:41] and I now, I've had veterans all these years but now I'm sharing and I'm happy
[1:02:45] to share with Commissioner Gonzalez. I think we just did a health fair out at veterans that
[1:02:48] we both did, or it's coming up. I can't remember. Sorry. Because we really, we know what a great
[1:02:53] quality institution you have. So congratulations on great success. I know Aiden's going to
[1:02:58] be playing a little next year at Anham Kingsville, so happy for you too. That's pretty cool.
[1:03:02] So we've already talked about my son's going to be at St. Ed's and we'll look
[1:03:06] forward to some good battles there between St. Ed's and Anham Kingsville and keep
[1:03:11] that going so watch you guys play a long time of course Xavier you know blame
[1:03:15] blame me for that one because he grew up a lot in my house so it's always good to
[1:03:19] have him in the room and and Nate and and so you know and of course Cameron
[1:03:23] you know watch the day look not trying to not mention all of you but really
[1:03:27] proud of you you had a great season congratulations well the good thing of
[1:03:35] me coming in on and joining commissioner Chesney veterans can promise you one
[1:03:39] thing I wouldn't talk as much as commissioner Chesney. Fair. I let him talk
[1:03:45] for both those but as you want to say coach you thank you very much for all
[1:03:49] you do. It starts with you you know you don't want to mold them and work for them
[1:03:54] and you know so guys you know it's what you learn what you take with you and
[1:04:01] then what you do on the court and at home that makes you a an individual so
[1:04:08] So I want to say again to the parents, thank you for your support.
[1:04:12] God bless you.
[1:04:14] Commissioners.
[1:04:15] I already said, and just to be technical, looking at the map, I do also represent part of veterans.
[1:04:22] Okay.
[1:04:25] Everybody wants to represent veterans now.
[1:04:27] Come on.
[1:04:28] I already did when I was on school board, so it's just continuation here.
[1:04:32] But no, once again, we're really proud of you all.
[1:04:34] Thank you all for your work and being such great leaders and demonstrating that as being
[1:04:38] a class act, sportsmen, sportswomen on the court, you know, never saw any real issues.
[1:04:44] We know basketball is a very physical sport, but just the way that you carry yourselves
[1:04:48] and represent the community means a lot, so thank you.
[1:04:52] Commissioner Hernandez.
[1:04:53] Yes, ma'am.
[1:04:54] Thank you again for both teams, boys and girls, for acting the way you all do with
[1:05:03] the citizens.
[1:05:04] But it starts at home like Commissioner Gonzales and Commissioner Chesney.
[1:05:08] You need to have good mentors and you've got very good mentors.
[1:05:11] We need your coaches and you have great mentors at home.
[1:05:15] So that's where it all starts.
[1:05:17] Thank you again.
[1:05:18] Congratulations.
[1:05:20] Thank you.
[1:05:22] We'll see you as they say.
[1:05:23] We'll see you next year for you underclassmen and we can't wait to have you back.
[1:05:29] Remember what the great MJ said, do y'all know what his most famous line ever was?
[1:05:35] He never ran out of, he never lost a game, what did he run out of?
[1:05:38] Time. You guys haven't lost any games, you just run out of a little bit of time.
[1:05:44] We'll see you guys back. All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[1:05:48] Aye. Aye.
[1:05:49] Let's do this. Let's have the girls first.
[1:05:52] Right.
[1:05:52] Okay, then guys let's see if we can fill in and but we'd love to have those individual shots as well
[1:05:59] But let's see how the girls first girls if you can you can do both you can come sum up you back here
[1:06:05] And then up here. Let's see what it looks like you're actually
[1:07:14] Can I see it?
[1:07:16] Can I hold it hard?
[1:07:18] Thank you.
[1:07:22] Awesome.
[1:07:23] Hold up.
[1:07:26] Thank you.
[1:07:30] Okay, ready?
[1:07:32] One, two, three.
[1:07:37] Take this way a little bit.
[1:07:41] One, two, three.
[1:08:14] Thank you.
[1:08:15] Thank you.
[1:08:20] Okay, now we know we have a voice.
[1:08:23] In the voice, the voice basketball team will come up.
[1:08:27] The voice basketball team will come up.
[1:08:29] You want to drive?
[1:08:32] Just put the time behind us.
[1:08:38] Right.
[1:08:39] Let's try to fill in.
[1:08:43] Okay, boys, we're going to hold you boys individually also.
[1:08:46] You're supposed to back you up.
[1:08:47] But you've got to give me, I know what to do.
[1:08:49] Yeah, you're welcome.
[1:08:50] You're welcome.
[1:08:50] You're welcome.
[1:08:51] You're welcome.
[1:08:53] You're welcome.
[1:08:53] You're welcome.
[1:08:54] You're welcome.
[1:08:56] Okay, so should we just, like,
[1:09:00] it's not like you've got a handle.
[1:09:02] It's a gavel.
[1:09:04] It's a gavel.
[1:09:07] It's a gavel.
[1:09:25] We're going to be all in a step, literally.
[1:10:35] Okay, here we go guys.
[1:10:38] Okay, ready, one, two, three, please.
[1:10:51] One, two, three.
[1:11:43] One, two, three, don't
[1:11:51] you dare smile.
[1:11:53] One, two, three, one more.
[1:13:54] Can you ask me on the consent agenda item were you asking me to stick it in the consent?
[1:14:01] I can.
[1:14:07] Well
[1:14:12] that certainly was nice and for all of you that are waiting on your items, if you
[1:14:18] have kids you'll appreciate it, if you don't when you have it you will appreciate it.
[1:14:23] There's just so little time, life goes by so fast and all of a sudden you wake up and
[1:14:31] they're seniors and you crave every moment, every photo, every, it's just amazing.
[1:14:38] So I'm glad that we do that.
[1:14:40] I know it takes a lot of time, but so did their efforts.
[1:14:44] So it seems like it's appropriate on the balancing act.
[1:14:48] But we will move on because we do have two important recognitions.
[1:14:53] The month of May turns out to be an important one for not only mental health, as many
[1:14:57] Many of you know mental health.
[1:15:00] is the month of May, but one that's near and dear to our hearts, and that's Foster Care
[1:15:04] Awareness Month, and we have many representatives here today to create that awareness, but first
[1:15:11] we'll turn our attention to Belinda. Thank you, Judge. Whereas we have a responsibility
[1:15:18] as individuals, neighbors, community members, and citizens of Noaces County to recognize
[1:15:22] that children and youth need unconditional love, support, security, and a place to
[1:15:27] call home and whereas foster parents provide the love, safety and stability that children
[1:15:32] and youth need in order to overcome past traumatic experiences so that they can reach their full
[1:15:38] potential and whereas we must come together as a community to recognize the important
[1:15:43] role foster parents play in caring for children and youth who have experienced abuse and neglect,
[1:15:49] supporting family reunification and building strong communities and whereas the stability
[1:15:55] and permanency for children and foster children is of the utmost importance.
[1:16:00] And whereas through partnerships with families, child welfare staff,
[1:16:04] in public and private agency, there is a collaborative effort to ensure that
[1:16:08] children and youth in Noces County are supported and successful.
[1:16:12] And whereas Noces County is in need of dedicated care providers who will strive
[1:16:16] in partnership with local nonprofits and agencies to identify and connect
[1:16:21] children and youth in foster care to permanent lifelong relationships, whereas during National
[1:16:26] Foster Care Month, we celebrate all those who have invited children and youth in need
[1:16:31] into their hearts and into their homes and express our profound appreciation for all who
[1:16:37] helped make foster care possible.
[1:16:39] And now, therefore, be it resolved by the Commissioner's Court of Gnoises County
[1:16:43] does hereby proclaim the month of May 2022 as Foster Care Awareness Month and urges
[1:16:49] all citizens to recognize the valuable service of foster families in our community. Furthermore,
[1:16:55] we do hereby commend Agape Ranch and those organizations in our community working to
[1:17:00] raise awareness for foster children and aged out youth in the coastal bend and for supporting
[1:17:05] our community's foster families.
[1:17:07] Thank you, Belinda. I'd like to make the motion first and ask for a second to approve
[1:17:15] this resolution for Foster Care Awareness Month. I've got a second. I made the motion. I'll
[1:17:19] take that as a second. And we do recognize that we have members of, I'm imagining, board
[1:17:26] members of, and maybe some volunteers of Agape Ranch. And we'd love for you to introduce
[1:17:32] yourself, your team, and for those of you that, for me, that the word Agape is so
[1:17:40] beautiful. It's a different kind of love. It's an unconditional love. And I cannot think
[1:17:45] of a better organization to represent foster care awareness than the work that the Agape
[1:17:50] Ranch Board does. Welcome.
[1:17:53] Thank you so much. I'm Shannon Murphy. I'm Community Relations Coordinator for Agape
[1:17:57] Ranch. Thank you so much, Judge Conalas and commissioners, just for allowing us the
[1:18:03] opportunity to have a proclamation to recognize May as Foster Care Awareness Month.
[1:18:08] It's a month and an opportunity to educate and bring awareness to the needs of foster
[1:18:14] children and youth in the Coastal Bend.
[1:18:16] And I was just thinking as I was listening to everything that you were saying to our
[1:18:20] basketball players this morning, how timely it is that we're following them because
[1:18:25] a few of you mentioned the importance of family and good role models and mentors
[1:18:32] and how it starts at home.
[1:18:33] And if we think about our foster children and youth, they don't always have that.
[1:18:39] So it takes many people in our community to raise a successful child,
[1:18:46] to become a productive adult, correct?
[1:18:49] So it's the time to recognize, this month is the time to recognize the foster parents,
[1:18:53] family members, volunteers, mentors, policymakers, child welfare professionals.
[1:18:59] We have representatives from the Renoices Child Welfare County Board and Texas Department
[1:19:06] of Family and Protective Services.
[1:19:08] We have a couple of our Agape Ranch board members here.
[1:19:11] We have representatives from our team at Agape Ranch and Agape Harbor.
[1:19:15] We're all working together to help children and youth in foster care find permanent
[1:19:20] homes and connections.
[1:19:22] So I just want to mention that there's an opportunity for anyone in our community to support.
[1:19:29] You don't always have to be a foster parent.
[1:19:32] That is the highest calling.
[1:19:34] But you may not be ready for that.
[1:19:36] We always need volunteers and respite care providers.
[1:19:40] We need donations.
[1:19:42] We're currently having a match this month.
[1:19:44] Every donation will be doubled to $47,000.
[1:19:48] So it takes time, it takes love, it takes money to continue the programs that we provide,
[1:19:55] but it's so important here in Noices County.
[1:19:57] So thank you so much.
[1:19:59] Thank you.
[1:20:00] Did anybody else want to speak?
[1:20:01] Would anybody else like to offer?
[1:20:04] If
[1:20:06] you would just introduce yourself.
[1:20:08] Good morning.
[1:20:09] I'm Cornelia Garza.
[1:20:10] I am the faith-based program specialist for Region 11 for CPS,
[1:20:14] and work very closely with the Copy Ranch and very thankful to them for the work they do
[1:20:19] within the community, without them, we, you know, without them, and also all the other
[1:20:24] child-placing agencies that are contracted by the department, we would definitely have
[1:20:30] a bigger gap in the number of foster families that we have in our community.
[1:20:34] So I pray that they continue to raise the awareness, raise the alarm, and as Ms. Shannon
[1:20:42] mentioned right, anyone can come and walk alongside the children under this EPS umbrella.
[1:20:47] Thank you. Beautiful words.
[1:20:52] Commissioners, any further comments? Commissioner Modest, I know this is an important month for you.
[1:20:58] Absolutely for me, and I know for former Judge Chesney when he was there at Court 5,
[1:21:05] anything to do with CPS, Child Abuse Awareness Month in April,
[1:21:10] and of course recognizing foster families and all the agencies and efforts that take place,
[1:21:16] You know, it reminds me of the work I did, the work we did.
[1:21:20] I still call myself and consider myself part of CPS once you've spent even one day there.
[1:21:25] You're part of that family for life and the work that we do and it's not a perfect agency,
[1:21:29] but we try to get perfect results for these children and families that deserve it.
[1:21:35] And so I thank you for bringing advocacy, a reminder to us as this court when we
[1:21:41] We are looking at agencies to help support with our, through our budget efforts and also
[1:21:46] just as a community as a whole.
[1:21:47] So I'm glad you're here today for allowing us to recognize this and to celebrate these
[1:21:54] special services and really a part out of y'all's hearts.
[1:21:57] Everyone has a story and a reason.
[1:21:59] Some, it may just be a job, but it slowly I'm sure develops into more than that.
[1:22:03] And so I thank y'all for your work that you do and count on me as an advocate
[1:22:10] kid and a supporter for you and all the work Agape Ranch does and all of our foster agencies
[1:22:15] and foster families and respite care providers. Thank you.
[1:22:19] Thank you so much. All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[1:22:25] Aye.
[1:22:25] Aye. Post some sign. And to learn more you can go on agape ranch.org if you've never
[1:22:32] heard of Agape Ranch. I loved what you said about the word fostering. It's amazing
[1:22:38] but CPS and Agape Ranch really are fostering this connection, and we need both. Both agencies,
[1:22:45] both services really work in tandem. We're grateful that you were here today. We have
[1:22:50] a resolution that we'd like to present if both of you would come up, or all of you
[1:22:55] would like to come up.
[1:22:55] I just want to say one thing.
[1:22:56] We can take a photo.
[1:22:57] I just want to say one thing to the group. I just want to thank y'all for everything
[1:23:02] you do every single day 365 days a year. I think it takes a special, a special type
[1:23:09] of person to be able to work with that population. So thank you for being angels every day. God
[1:23:16] bless you.
[1:23:17] I also want to chime in a little bit. I also want to thank y'all because it does take
[1:23:21] a special kind of person to get involved with these youngsters and young kids and
[1:23:26] with the families. So for what you all do, thank you all very much because not
[1:23:29] Everybody's made to do this. Thank you. Thank you all come down invite you all to come up
[1:25:12] We're out there to support.
[1:25:14] Thank you.
[1:25:15] Thank you.
[1:25:16] Thank you.
[1:25:17] Thank you.
[1:25:36] Thank you.
[1:25:37] that we've been in that area and hopefully bring some attention to there on their situation.
[1:25:46] Thank you.
[1:25:47] Yes, ma'am.
[1:25:48] I've been working here.
[1:26:00] One of the things we've been talking about is a better public messaging board on floor
[1:26:05] one, because all of these great resolutions really should be highlighted in the months
[1:26:10] so that everybody walks in and knows what month it is and how they can get involved.
[1:26:15] I think that's something to follow up on.
[1:26:17] And speaking of good works, we have a recognition of May 19th, which is coming up as National
[1:26:24] Stop the Bleed Day, but this is our opportunity to talk about this important effort.
[1:26:29] Belinda.
[1:26:31] Whereas uncontrolled bleeding is a major cause of preventable deaths, approximately 40
[1:26:35] percent of trauma-related deaths worldwide are due to bleeding or its consequences.
[1:26:40] Establishing hemorrhage is one of the most common causes of preventable death and
[1:26:45] trauma.
[1:26:45] Whereas the average time to bleed out is two to five minutes and the average time for
[1:26:49] first responders to arrive is seven to ten minutes.
[1:26:53] Whereas bystanders can fill the gap, anyone can be trained to be ready to save someone's
[1:26:57] life.
[1:26:58] Whereas Stop the Bleed campaign was initiated by a federal and an agency workgroup convened
[1:27:03] by the National Security Council staff and the White House, the purpose of the campaign
[1:27:07] is to build national resilience to better preparing the public to save lives by raising
[1:27:12] awareness of our basic actions to stop life-threatening bleeding following everyday emergencies in
[1:27:18] man-made and natural disasters.
[1:27:20] Advances made by military medicine and research in hemorrhage control during the affairs – the
[1:27:26] wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have informed the work to this initiative, which exemplifies
[1:27:32] translation of knowledge back to the homeland and to the benefit of the general public.
[1:27:36] Now therefore, be it resolved by the Commissioner's Court of Noces County that the 19th
[1:27:41] Day of May 2022 is National Stop the Bleed Day and encourages all citizens to get trained,
[1:27:47] be ready, and be empowered to stop the bleed.
[1:27:51] Thank you.
[1:27:54] Is there anyone here that would like to speak on Stop the Bleed?
[1:27:58] Yes.
[1:27:58] Thank you.
[1:28:01] Thank you, Judge.
[1:28:02] Yes.
[1:28:03] I'm Karen Beard.
[1:28:03] I'm on the board with the Coastal Bend Regional Fisery Council, which you're very
[1:28:07] familiar with.
[1:28:08] And if you recall, around 2019 or 2018, we taught a bunch of your staff, which
[1:28:13] we're happy to come back and do it again. Stop the bleed. It's important to know, especially
[1:28:17] in Texas. It's not just the active shooter situation. We have hunters. We have fishermen,
[1:28:24] all kinds of stuff that can have a penetrating wound that can cost someone their life.
[1:28:30] So we're happy to bring this course to this region. I'll also let Jennifer from Spawn
[1:28:37] Talk and she'll share some more information.
[1:28:39] Thank you. Welcome.
[1:28:42] Hello, I'm Jennifer Karm, the Vice President of Trauma Services for the Christus Von Hell system.
[1:28:47] Have with me Dr. Odansky, our trauma medical director and trauma surgeon, and in one of our
[1:28:53] trauma coordinators, both with Shoreline's trauma program.
[1:28:58] Karen, I've echoed everything Karen said about stop the bleed. Some of the things that we were doing,
[1:29:02] I'm involved in a coalition at the state level on planning stop the bleed training.
[1:29:07] May 19th obviously is a day that we are doing multiple classes throughout the
[1:29:11] system, throughout the community. As far as spawn, Alice Bevel, Clayburg, South
[1:29:17] Shoreline, all of our hospitals are teaching stop the bleed classes
[1:29:20] multiple times throughout the day. Coastal Bend Regional Advisory Council, I
[1:29:25] am the chair for the Trauma Committee for that and we are also have lots of
[1:29:29] classes going on throughout the community. We're trying as a state to
[1:29:32] to have as many people trained on Stop the Bleed
[1:29:36] in the month of May.
[1:29:38] And so really trying to see how big we can get our numbers
[1:29:40] and so we can set our goal even higher for next year.
[1:29:44] Try and encourage everybody to get out there
[1:29:45] and get trained.
[1:29:46] I'm working with local churches,
[1:29:48] organizations to teach training.
[1:29:50] This is something can be taught to everybody.
[1:29:53] We're working with Veterans High School
[1:29:56] and my son will be a freshman
[1:29:57] at Veterans High School next year.
[1:30:00] You know, I've trained myself. I mean, my son. So definitely we hope to hear from everybody
[1:30:05] that wants to be trained. We can come to you and train. You can come to us. I'm really excited
[1:30:11] to be able to promote this life-saving technique. Thank you. Thank you. I hope you're proud of
[1:30:16] us too. We have on all our floors stopped the bleed kits. And our risk manager helped
[1:30:24] us obtain those, properly place them, make sure we have folks on every floor that
[1:30:29] know how to utilize them, but I want you to know that all came because of Seabrack and
[1:30:34] Christus and really just understanding that that was something that it wasn't very hard
[1:30:39] to obtain.
[1:30:41] It's something that could have huge impact in saving lives.
[1:30:45] As you said, it doesn't have to be some act of terror.
[1:30:49] It can be an act of everyday occurrence that a piece of glass that unfortunately might
[1:30:58] cause a serious penetrating wound so you really opened my eyes and I think the
[1:31:03] court's eyes on this important life-safe just like CPR right we just we now have
[1:31:09] muscle memory how important stop the bleed is so we thank you for that and
[1:31:13] thank you for the continued awareness is there a motion to approve such a second
[1:31:19] I've got a motion in a second and I do have the resolution here are there
[1:31:23] any other comments here? Anyone in our courtroom trained for Stop the Bleed? Okay, that's unusual.
[1:31:32] Usually we do. Chase was going to volunteer, yes. Okay, so they're always typically in
[1:31:39] every room there's somebody. All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[1:31:44] Aye. Would you honor us? I have a copy of this beautiful Commissioner's Court resolution
[1:31:51] And we'd love to get a picture because I think it's something that you should promote on your websites at Seabrack, Facebook, at Christus.
[1:32:01] Okay, I'll come on down.
[1:33:01] Thank you, ladies.
[1:33:02] Thank you very much.
[1:33:04] I appreciate what you do.
[1:33:06] Thank you all for all you do.
[1:33:37] So
[1:33:46] the last one under this section, G, I believe there's a copy, I don't know, I thought I
[1:33:52] saw it here in front of us, but there is a copy of it in your packet.
[1:33:56] It's in support of the public health interim charge related to the city of Fentanyl related
[1:34:01] It overdoses in Texas and Be Well, Texas,
[1:34:04] AUT Health San Antonio's work related to this charge.
[1:34:08] And Belinda has more information.
[1:34:10] Yes, and I'll go ahead and just read the resolution.
[1:34:14] I'm not sure if Be Well, Texas is online.
[1:34:17] They said they were going to be joining by Zoom.
[1:34:19] John, if he's online, if he can go ahead and raise his hand.
[1:34:24] Whereas the Center of Disease Control and Prevention
[1:34:26] states that drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved
[1:34:29] deaths continue to increase in the United States and that 91 Americans die every day
[1:34:34] from an opioid overdose, whereas on October 26, 2017, President Trump officially declared
[1:34:40] the opioid crisis a public health emergency, whereas as the Texas House of Representatives
[1:34:45] public health interim charge provides for the study of the impact of fentanyl-related
[1:34:50] overdoses and deaths in Texas, the evaluation of existing data collection, dissemination,
[1:34:57] and mitigation strategies regarding opioid use in Texas and making recommendations to
[1:35:03] improve coordinated prevention, education, treatment, and data sharing.
[1:35:07] Whereas Be Well Texas at UT Health San Antonio funded by the Texas Health and Human Services
[1:35:12] is a statewide collaborative effort to reduce the burden of substance use in Texas and
[1:35:17] improve the quality of life for people adversely impacted by substance use disorders by
[1:35:23] expanding access to critical care, whereas Be Well Texas is actively working to provide
[1:35:28] support for this public health charge related to fentanyl-related overdoses.
[1:35:32] Now therefore be it resolved by the Commissioner's Court of Noises County that it does hereby
[1:35:37] express its support of the Texas House of Representatives public health interim charge
[1:35:41] providing for the study of the impact of fentanyl-related overdoses and deaths in
[1:35:47] and the work of Bewell Texas in collaboration with like-minded organizations to support this interim charge.
[1:35:55] Thank you. I'll make that motion. Is there a second?
[1:35:58] Second.
[1:35:59] Second. And all those in favor signify by saying aye.
[1:36:03] Aye.
[1:36:04] I don't see him on, so I'll just pass, but I know that he was on just to thank us for the opportunity to have this resolution
[1:36:14] should be included with many, many other counties.
[1:36:17] Thank you, Belinda.
[1:36:21] I don't see Louie, he was here earlier.
[1:36:25] I can skip H1 till you guys maybe let him know that we're up.
[1:36:30] I'd like to move to the minutes at this time,
[1:36:32] April 27th, 2022 and May 5th, 2022 minutes, I won.
[1:36:38] I don't, I can't find those.
[1:36:40] Can someone provide me a copy?
[1:36:42] I don't know why they're not in my book.
[1:36:44] Could we just wait on those for, let me get someone to bring me those, Judge?
[1:36:48] I just want to apologize.
[1:36:49] I just, I tried to find them and I forgot to ask for them.
[1:36:53] But I think we'll just, anyone else have an extra copy?
[1:36:57] We'll pass on it for just-
[1:36:59] We got them this time.
[1:37:02] You don't have me?
[1:37:03] But I think you can get them online.
[1:37:05] Can you email them real quick like on that click to view?
[1:37:12] Just to make sure that they're there so that you can-
[1:37:20] The packet, I just didn't know if I didn't have it in my packet, or?
[1:37:24] Okay. Well, while Connie's looking there, we'll move forward and go to board appointments.
[1:37:36] There's one for the Nueces County Beach Management Advisory Committee. It's from somebody, it's
[1:37:42] a vacancy due to somebody moving on. And so I would ask Belinda to make announcements
[1:37:50] or whoever wants to make the announcement of the applicants.
[1:37:55] Go ahead.
[1:37:57] This is J-1 for the clerk.
[1:37:59] This is the one they're recommending or what?
[1:38:02] This is the one Coastal Parks?
[1:38:06] Well, we...
[1:38:07] I don't know if they're actually recommending, but it's a...
[1:38:10] Judge, the one...
[1:38:11] We have several applicants.
[1:38:13] Right.
[1:38:13] And just give us a second.
[1:38:15] Just to remind the court, because there's really good applicants,
[1:38:18] This first one, and again, there's other good ones too, this first one was the one that John
[1:38:25] had wanted to come back to before when we
[1:38:32] didn't have enough slots.
[1:38:34] So I'm not saying that's who we should or shouldn't pick, I'm just reminding the court
[1:38:38] of that.
[1:38:39] Right.
[1:38:40] Well, let me announce, we have three applicants.
[1:38:42] We have Merida, May, Mendoza, Nardone, May Nardone.
[1:38:46] We also have Mr. Rudy Cortez applicant and we also have Florence to so and so we have three applicants
[1:38:56] But only to fill one space and all I really want to know make sure is all the applications are in good order
[1:39:02] And we can consider all three of them. Is that accurate? I think we have hitmen also. Oh, yes, Michael
[1:39:08] We also Michael one here, too. Yes
[1:39:11] Let me add that one, Michael Pittman.
[1:39:14] Do you have four vacancies?
[1:39:15] One vacancy.
[1:39:16] Only one vacancy.
[1:39:20] Yes, Mr. Michael Pittman.
[1:39:30] Okay, so we have four particular applicants.
[1:39:35] Are any of them here with us today?
[1:39:38] I believe Ms. Nardone is online.
[1:39:40] Okay.
[1:39:41] Okay.
[1:39:47] This is another tough spot because they're all super good applicants.
[1:39:53] They are. They're all great applicants. I'll just...
[1:39:55] We passed on the one that y'all talked about before because of her.
[1:39:59] These are all very good applicants and I'll just make the motion and let's see how it
[1:40:07] goes but to appoint May Mendoza-Nardone to this Beach Management Advisory Committee.
[1:40:15] Actually it's called Noasis County Beach Management Advisory Committee and would
[1:40:19] ask for a second.
[1:40:25] Okay, there's a second.
[1:40:28] Well, and the Coastal Parks Board had, or Scott had reached out to mention that Ms. Tisseau
[1:40:34] had been coming to all the meetings anyway. This was the one we passed on. I love Ms.
[1:40:38] Nardone. I thought that was good.
[1:40:40] Well, we'll vote, and then we can have a further nomination. We just have to do
[1:40:46] it in the process. They're all great. They're all excellent. And there might be an
[1:40:51] an upcoming vacancy as well. But again, the way we do it is it's a new application. It's
[1:40:57] a new time period. And unfortunately, we have to take the process as we see it, so.
[1:41:03] And I guess since we're kind of maybe in discussion since there was a second, I wanted
[1:41:09] to ask because such, you know, this is one of those positions where we always have
[1:41:13] a wealth of applicants. And I hate to see, you know, some of the names that really
[1:41:19] interested in serving, not how the opportunity may be, but, you know, if there's somewhere
[1:41:23] else, some sort of additional advisory that's related to the work that's done that we could
[1:41:29] utilize them for now and kind of have as a, I don't want to say a holding spot, but just
[1:41:33] as a position where they could be utilized until maybe, you know, something else opens
[1:41:38] up or we, you know, re-up again on everybody, on their terms, but I agree.
[1:41:44] Mr. So is an excellent candidate. I think that she would be an excellent fit as
[1:41:49] well. Ms. Nardone is she is very active and I know most of these names and know
[1:41:56] that they are all active on everything beach management and island related so
[1:42:02] I don't think we'd be hurting no matter who we selected but that would be my
[1:42:06] question I guess do we know I day or I know it kind of comes out of your office
[1:42:12] Do we have any other committee appointments that could be related to this position or
[1:42:17] is this pretty much the only committee that is beach management related?
[1:42:21] Do you know?
[1:42:24] As far as I know, this is the one that is related.
[1:42:27] And again, this is a struggle for me because the court said the next time we had one we
[1:42:33] would put Ms. Tisseau on, that was what the court said.
[1:42:35] That was kind of the same vein we talked about before.
[1:42:38] So I mean that is that's what you know if this person lives in your precinct you've made that request
[1:42:44] You're the one who said hey, I'd really like to put her on there
[1:42:46] So I'm well, let's let me do the vote and then we can redo it if it doesn't fail
[1:42:52] But I we have a motion in a second and as you guys know we need to move through that process
[1:42:58] So all those in favor of main our don't signify by saying aye aye and
[1:43:04] Then opposed same sign
[1:43:06] No.
[1:43:07] No.
[1:43:08] I'm going to abstain on that just because I don't want to.
[1:43:09] Okay.
[1:43:09] I've got one abstention and a push so it doesn't work.
[1:43:16] So I'll move to another nomination.
[1:43:19] Florence to so.
[1:43:21] Second.
[1:43:22] Okay.
[1:43:22] I've got a motion and a second.
[1:43:24] And all those in favor signify by saying aye.
[1:43:27] Aye.
[1:43:28] Judge, I'd like to follow up on what John said.
[1:43:30] And I don't think it's out of the realm of doing something and making a motion to put
[1:43:36] Ms. Nardone on as an ex-officio like you were talking about member because I think she brings
[1:43:40] great value.
[1:43:41] But I just think this court made a commitment to the TISO application, not a hard commitment
[1:43:45] but kind of a verbal commitment.
[1:43:47] And so I'd like to make a motion to put her on as an ex-officio member and then
[1:43:51] or an alternate however we want to call it to where we're always having quorum
[1:43:55] problems.
[1:43:55] We've had quorum problems in the past.
[1:43:57] A lot of quorum problems.
[1:43:58] So maybe we could put it on as an alternate or an ex-officio.
[1:44:02] I don't think that's out of the realm of the scope of what we can do.
[1:44:04] I don't have the committee description, Jenny, handy.
[1:44:08] But if that's available to us, we'd have to probably bring it back.
[1:44:13] But I was going to ask, could we bring this back?
[1:44:15] And if statutorily, we're allowed to add or increase?
[1:44:19] We can't do the rules right now if it's not in there.
[1:44:21] Could I do it as a subject to, like we do, make a motion as an alternate or an ex-officio
[1:44:26] member for Maynard on subject to them checking that out legally to make sure that that's acceptable.
[1:44:33] Yeah, yeah, I think that's that's fine. It can be subject to that's a different motion
[1:44:38] Cara. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, I'm amending my motion. I made the motion. So I'm amending
[1:44:45] it subject. I'm just adding the subject to language to it. That's fine. We always
[1:44:50] do. So it may not and just to make sure that Mr. Nard understands it may not work.
[1:44:54] We will the way it works court administration will contact you and let you know
[1:45:00] Give us a chance to make that inquiry with the county attorney after reviewing the committee
[1:45:08] formation. When we form these committees, there's usually bylaws, and so we'll go back to the
[1:45:13] bylaws and see, and then it may take an amendment of the bylaws to come back. Kara, does that
[1:45:18] help you?
[1:45:21] Go ahead. If you don't mind, Kara.
[1:45:25] I can't hear you.
[1:45:26] That's already been done.
[1:45:28] No, that was your first motion, and then you amended that.
[1:45:31] No, no, we voted on that one.
[1:45:34] No, you...
[1:45:35] Well, it's okay.
[1:45:36] That already is a motion on the floor.
[1:45:38] One didn't pass, and one passed.
[1:45:40] Right, we already voted on that one.
[1:45:42] The first one was 2-2 with an abstention,
[1:45:45] and then we voted on Mr. So, and then I'm coming back
[1:45:47] with a second motion.
[1:45:48] That was the motion for Mr. So.
[1:45:50] That was for her, and then you made...
[1:45:52] And that was, and I didn't catch that.
[1:45:55] I mean, sorry.
[1:45:56] Okay, so we did vote, but let's call it again.
[1:45:59] All those in favor of Ms. Tussaud, signify by saying aye.
[1:46:05] I think it was all five of us that set eyes.
[1:46:07] And then he has this separate motion that's subject to,
[1:46:12] would be the appointment of Maynard Dome,
[1:46:14] subject to the ability to do so as an alternate.
[1:46:18] Or ex officio, whichever works.
[1:46:20] And I didn't see this, but I have a hand up, Connie.
[1:46:30] Go ahead.
[1:46:31] You're unmuted.
[1:46:35] I was just wanting clarification.
[1:46:37] And I'm okay with whatever the court decides.
[1:46:40] Just let me know.
[1:46:40] You kind of answered it as you continued on.
[1:46:43] Yes, thank you.
[1:46:44] I'm okay.
[1:46:45] I'm okay as an alternate or if an opening opens up again.
[1:46:48] I just knew there had been an opening and was asked by one of the members on that committee.
[1:46:53] and I'll be happy to serve and help wherever I can, so that's fine.
[1:46:57] Thank you.
[1:46:58] Thank you.
[1:46:59] And I don't want to leave out any of the gentlemen also that applied.
[1:47:03] They're all great.
[1:47:04] I happen to know Mr. Pittman.
[1:47:05] He's a very active island of Rep.
[1:47:08] So I'm glad this is the one area that we're starting to get more activity.
[1:47:12] So I care.
[1:47:14] I hope that that helps.
[1:47:16] And did you record our vote on that second one too?
[1:47:20] It was all eyes.
[1:47:21] Okay.
[1:47:21] All right.
[1:47:22] So we're going to go back to the minutes.
[1:47:24] Did we get the minutes?
[1:47:25] Commissioner Chesney-Cara was looking for the minutes of the 27th and the 5th.
[1:47:32] They're in the email.
[1:47:34] Okay.
[1:47:34] I'll skip it for now.
[1:47:36] I'm just letting it, wanting to make sure that he has them.
[1:47:38] I do now.
[1:47:39] I'm just looking for them.
[1:47:39] Okay.
[1:47:40] So we'll move on for this moment and ask Louis to come up.
[1:47:44] It's General Information Reports H1.
[1:47:48] And with having just had Hurricane Conference, there's a few things to catch up on.
[1:47:53] And then we'll move to the Consent Agenda and that might give us time to get those minutes
[1:47:57] in order.
[1:47:58] Go ahead, Emergency Management Coordinator Ray.
[1:48:02] Good morning, Court.
[1:48:03] How you doing?
[1:48:03] Good morning.
[1:48:04] All right, so a quick update of the conditions.
[1:48:07] All right, so the highest for this week is average to about 95 degrees.
[1:48:11] Heat index would be about 97 degrees for this week.
[1:48:15] Humanity is near 32 percent.
[1:48:18] And we're going to have peak wind gusts this week at about 25 miles per hour.
[1:48:22] For today and tomorrow, there is a high rip current risk, and it takes the A&M Weather
[1:48:30] Service 30-day rainfall deficit training at about 25% below normal.
[1:48:37] And for this week, we have hundreds out there, so one of the things we want to bring up
[1:48:42] is for our people who are indulging in outdoor activities to be extremely mindful of the
[1:48:49] conditions and the high risk for wildfires. The KBDI average for this week is 648.
[1:49:03] The EOC long range calendar, so we're going to have the Corpus Christi's Office of Emergency
[1:49:10] Management will have an annual exercise for evacuation. That's going to happen on June
[1:49:14] 16th. We will be a part of that.
[1:49:20] The county EM, we're planning to have an emergency
[1:49:24] the operation plan workshop with the other EMs throughout Nueces County to discuss how
[1:49:31] to update your emergency action plans and the emergency management plans.
[1:49:39] On June 21st, we're going to have a meeting with the U.S. Army North about the state civil
[1:49:46] service teams.
[1:49:47] So, the civil service team is an organization that is assigned to the states,
[1:49:56] there's
[1:49:57] or activated when there's a risk of high terrorism or an emergency that involves a terrorist threat.
[1:50:05] They're looking to do some training in the Wacens County in August.
[1:50:09] So we're going to have our first planning meeting June 21st.
[1:50:15] Short range.
[1:50:17] So we're going to have a participate in a town hall tomorrow with Victoria's emergency management team
[1:50:26] And the TMAC, the Texas Emergency Management Conference is happening on 31st through 3 June.
[1:50:38] The county EM also participated with the city of Corpus Christi and the National Weather
[1:50:44] Service yesterday as a part of a town hall meeting for hurricane preparedness.
[1:50:50] And the Port of Corpus Christi will have a town hall that we will participate in
[1:50:56] on May 19th at 10th.
[1:51:03] Alright, so as the judge mentioned earlier last week, we had a terrific turnout for the
[1:51:10] hurricane conference.
[1:51:11] We had about 841 people registered for the conference and 314 that participated in the
[1:51:22] hurricane exercise that happened after the conference.
[1:51:27] And that's all I have today.
[1:51:29] Thank you.
[1:51:30] And just a special thank you to Chief Nim Kidd,
[1:51:34] Texas Division of Emergency Management,
[1:51:35] who gave the large keynote on the first day.
[1:51:40] And his message was really very, very exciting for Texas.
[1:51:47] They are going to really almost quadruple their efforts
[1:51:52] statewide with TDOM representatives.
[1:51:55] So we'll have to, Louie, bring them,
[1:51:57] see if we can get that map for next time
[1:51:59] that what we look like today and what we're going to look like in the future and also
[1:52:04] the training that will go into the Tiedem district rep.
[1:52:09] So right now we have one rep for about 11 counties and we're about to get seven that
[1:52:14] gives you a feel for how important it is and he said efficiency is killing preparedness.
[1:52:20] And so this is the time to invest in emergency management and I really thought that his
[1:52:25] words were very timely given all of the calamities that we've gone through.
[1:52:30] So thank you for helping put that on and it was a good, it was an excellent conference
[1:52:37] thanks to all the commissioners that participated and their assistance.
[1:52:41] Are there any questions for Louie or shall we move on?
[1:52:45] Okay.
[1:52:46] Thank you, Louie.
[1:52:47] We'll move on.
[1:52:49] Let's, I'm still going to give you a little more time for those minutes.
[1:52:51] I'm going to go on to the consent, and then you let me know, please.
[1:52:55] The consent is listed as items A through M, and then I was going to also direct your
[1:53:02] attention to one that is D1 under purchasing, and it should have been included in consent,
[1:53:09] and I've been given the go-ahead to include it as well.
[1:53:14] And so, again, it's items A through M, A through M.
[1:53:19] Okay, I'll make the motion.
[1:53:24] Okay, tell me again.
[1:53:26] H and M.
[1:53:28] Okay, H and M.
[1:53:31] H is in Hat.
[1:53:33] H is in Harry.
[1:53:35] And M is in Mary.
[1:53:37] H and M.
[1:53:39] Okay, fine.
[1:53:40] And that leaves us with A through,
[1:53:45] A through G and then I through L.
[1:53:48] plus the item again it's 3d1 is there a I'll make the motion is there a second
[1:53:58] second thank you all those in favor signify by saying aye aye okay so let's
[1:54:04] take H first this is I think I they could probably clear this one up this is
[1:54:11] ministerial it's an amendment to the sub lease agreement that occurred a while
[1:54:15] back. So are we at the end of the lease or is that extension to February 28th,
[1:54:22] lease rate reduction? That's correct. So when we approved that, but the court
[1:54:26] approved this the lease back in probably January, it was through June. Now we
[1:54:31] adjusted because we have the agreement with the city. So we're just moving
[1:54:35] with to approve it through the 28th. It was done earlier. Correct. Just to clean up.
[1:54:41] Correct. Okay. So then we're not... We're not extending.
[1:54:44] We're not extending. And this is on the 28th. We're not paying anything else because we already,
[1:54:48] that's what we're just in the payment as well. It's just January through February.
[1:54:52] This is the, so we're not doing this lease anymore. That's correct.
[1:54:55] We already approved it. Now you're, we're backing off on the date. So it's helpful to
[1:55:00] the county to the ministerial. That's what, from the other extensions, I don't know.
[1:55:03] Right. So in other words, there's no, we approved it through June. We're now like,
[1:55:08] just making it like like clean it up yeah that's correct right this is okay all
[1:55:14] right motion and a second I'll I'll be the second Cara sorry all those in favor
[1:55:19] signify by saying aye aye okay and then how about M is in Mary that's them there
[1:55:26] because I just want to clarify I know there's another thing here for the
[1:55:29] medical examiner another one to make sure that the the three hundred and
[1:55:34] $15,000, $3,500 per day, 90 days, is coming through the general fund?
[1:55:43] Well, when they could approve the adjustments in the last court, we say that it's going
[1:55:50] to be some savings, for salary savings, and then it has to come to everything from the
[1:55:55] general fund, whatever we're going to.
[1:55:57] And I think maybe we could amend this by saying July 18th or whatever's earlier.
[1:56:03] Oh, that's correct.
[1:56:04] Okay.
[1:56:04] So I think that's important.
[1:56:05] Yeah, so it's 90 days or July 18th, whichever, yeah, we put it as a July 18th, which is the
[1:56:11] date, right?
[1:56:11] But I do, to the whole amount that we're talking about here, is it coming from the general fund
[1:56:17] or is it funds from there being saved from the...
[1:56:20] It's going to be both, yeah.
[1:56:21] It's coming from the savings that we have in the department, for the medical examiner
[1:56:25] department, and probably it's going to be the general fund as well, just to cover
[1:56:29] everything.
[1:56:29] Do we know how much is from what and what much is from...
[1:56:31] Farming?
[1:56:31] Do we know how much is from the general fund, how much is from the savings?
[1:56:35] Do we know that I can work on the numbers commissioner when I get you that again, it depends how many ways prove
[1:56:45] Okay, so will you make a motion then to approve?
[1:56:49] Yeah, all right. I've got a motion. Is there a second?
[1:56:53] Second and all those in favor signify by saying aye
[1:56:58] Okay
[1:56:59] We are now at you'll recall that we tabled item 3a ones if you're following along with us
[1:57:05] We've already done 3A1, tabled that one to the next court, which I believe is the 25th.
[1:57:14] And again, I would just ask that everybody please review that which was given to you yesterday.
[1:57:21] Next we have received the update regarding the American World War II Heritage City regional application submission with the National Park Service.
[1:57:30] We have an all-star cast here to talk about this.
[1:57:33] from the City of Corpus Christi, Nina Nixon-Mendez, so happy to have you. Thank
[1:57:40] you for patiently waiting. And then we also have Ginny Cross in the United
[1:57:44] Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, J.J. Delacerta, of course, your Veterans
[1:57:47] Service Officer, and Coastal Parks Director Scott Cross. Talk us through this
[1:57:53] and then we got to be able to hopefully get everybody a copy. Has that
[1:57:58] Yeah, this should have been attached to your agenda and okay. Yes, I really really really want to draw your attention to this
[1:58:06] I really hope you take time to read through this. It's very interesting a lot of history here
[1:58:11] Nonna worked her tail end off helping us put all this together and
[1:58:16] It's this in and of itself could be its own curated display at a museum somewhere
[1:58:21] It could it could be its own little mini book, but anyhow, this is what we submitted
[1:58:25] submitted. We got word back that we should know in about 90 days, and what we understand
[1:58:34] were the only one in Texas that submitted. So this could be a huge deal if we get this
[1:58:39] thing. So we're all proud of it. And you've already introduced everybody back here that
[1:58:43] helped us work on this. And so we're really happy.
[1:58:48] So I just want to highlight here that this is a regional submission. So it includes
[1:58:53] the city of Port Aransas, the city of Kingsville. It's two counties, Noasis County, excuse me,
[1:59:00] and Clayburg County. We want to thank our friends in Clayburg. Their rich history lent quite a bit
[1:59:05] to the story. Of course, you've already paid a lot of kudos to Nina and her, the whole town hall
[1:59:14] that JJ and the veterans round table. Really successful. Really successful. And also to
[1:59:20] Cecilia Venable, the Texas Historical Commission, and so many others that contributed and-
[1:59:26] For letters of support, I think we've got one, Ginny Wrangled, all the letters of support.
[1:59:30] I don't know of an-
[1:59:31] Up and down the coast.
[1:59:32] Yeah, I don't know of an elected official, whether it be federal or state, that we
[1:59:35] did not get a letter of support from.
[1:59:37] I mean, it was phenomenal.
[1:59:38] I agree.
[1:59:39] This also comes out of a congressional act.
[1:59:41] So while other, you know, well, we might be the only one, that would be wonderful
[1:59:47] because that would mean that we would be declared one community in each state will receive this designation.
[1:59:54] And while we'll anxiously wait, the truth is is that we see tremendous upward
[2:00:00] Potential for economic development. Tourism. Potential military trail. This is just enormous.
[2:00:06] Please take a look at this. It can also be given to you digitally and the photographs, the memorabilia from people around our community.
[2:00:13] We want to thank you at this time. And I just want to see if Nina wants to say anything. We needed a curator.
[2:00:20] So basically we had 10 different authors, but you had to have somebody who understood the style of how we wanted to make this presentation and the history.
[2:00:33] She is in charge of our historic preservation plan for the City of Corpus Christi and that upcoming update.
[2:00:41] And I hope that this helps tell our story, Nina.
[2:00:45] Thank you.
[2:00:47] Good morning.
[2:00:47] It's a pleasure to be here.
[2:00:49] This was a tremendous project to be involved in, and I do thank both
[2:00:55] Nueces and Claiborne counties for engineering this nomination for our
[2:01:02] Texas Coastal Bend cities. The criteria for the submission was to describe our
[2:01:09] city's homefront contributions to World War II efforts, and then secondly how
[2:01:16] we preserve our World War II legacy and we had a tremendous amount of contributors to
[2:01:24] the project as the judge has said. We started off with about a 20-page document and after
[2:01:31] the World War II town hall and an outpouring of information from many, many groups and
[2:01:39] organizations. It became a 38 page document and so again I thank you for
[2:01:47] the opportunity to work on the project. As the judge said this really has some
[2:01:52] wonderful implications with respect to heritage tourism efforts and we could use
[2:01:57] this document as a framework for future self-guided tours, exhibits and other
[2:02:04] other ways to communicate how we preserve and honor our World War II heritage.
[2:02:10] Thank you.
[2:02:11] Thank you.
[2:02:11] Judge, you know, recently I had a chance to visit with the city manager of Kingsville,
[2:02:16] Mark Glotham, a lot of you know.
[2:02:18] He's a former commander at NAS Kingsville, now city manager there, and he's an aviator,
[2:02:23] of course.
[2:02:24] And so we were just talking about different things in the area.
[2:02:27] He mentioned as an aviator flying up and down the coast that you will see many
[2:02:33] former airstrips from World War II are still have that pattern of the airstrips
[2:02:38] along up and down the Gulf Coast here in Texas. So I thought that was pretty neat
[2:02:43] and so I don't know if that's part of this or that can be included somehow and
[2:02:47] so I know he's a great source of information but like you said it's
[2:02:51] regional is it's all of us in it together and so hopefully that to bid
[2:02:56] along with all the other pluses that we have and are you know being a
[2:02:59] military town and community also goes and helps us get this designation.
[2:03:04] But thank you all for your work.
[2:03:05] And while it did take this huge village, it took one special person to say, wow, look
[2:03:11] at this, Judge, let's apply.
[2:03:14] And so kudos to Scott Cross and his friends at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[2:03:21] The fact is you're a friendly guy and those friendships with U.S. Fish and Wildlife
[2:03:26] led them to say, hey, maybe you should consider this.
[2:03:30] And that really just steamrolled into this incredible project.
[2:03:34] And I think years from now, we're going to be so proud of what we're able to do.
[2:03:39] JJ came in and, again, I know you look at your packets,
[2:03:45] but take this one home on the weekend from the USS Lexington,
[2:03:49] the only naval carrier in the state of Texas.
[2:03:52] Captain Banta from the Port of Corpus Christi's contributions, you'll be
[2:03:57] shocked from the war bond effort. Everything you see in here is documented
[2:04:01] from Corpus Christians. That's what's, well, excuse me, from all of the
[2:04:06] communities that that participated from Port Ape, Bishop, had a huge role here
[2:04:12] as well. Just wonderful. So again Congressional Act in 2019 and I think
[2:04:21] this is really going to be very special. So let's bring you back when we get that final
[2:04:26] word and appreciate it. Jenny from the Chamber.
[2:04:31] Thanks, Judge. I just wanted to say what a pleasure it was to work on this project and
[2:04:36] so rare that something was so uniting and such great enthusiasm for it. So I think
[2:04:43] it's going to work out for us. I know that Cornyn's office and Cloud's office are
[2:04:48] in contact with National Park Service about this, so they're working for us behind the
[2:04:52] scenes.
[2:04:53] Awesome.
[2:04:53] As soon as you know something.
[2:04:55] Yes.
[2:04:56] We'll plan a big event.
[2:04:57] And just something small, you know, everybody did such great work here.
[2:05:01] It would be nice to just do a follow-up for all the communities that did help us and
[2:05:05] just let them know what we know right now, like for example, I don't know if Port
[2:05:09] A, if we could get on their schedule, but again, to do the same thing you're doing
[2:05:13] here in Kingsville and in Port A, especially those jurisdictions at 9 of you could do anything
[2:05:19] at the city.
[2:05:20] I just want to make sure the packets in every elected's hands.
[2:05:24] I ran into Judge Madrid at the hurricane conference on Thursday, and I told him I said I needed
[2:05:29] to come down there and present to their commissioner's court because they did give
[2:05:33] us a letter of support.
[2:05:34] Commissioner Salinas, which is Commissioner Chesney's counterpart for precinct four
[2:05:38] down there, updated him as well before we put in the application to make sure
[2:05:43] sure they were okay with it and so and then I guess it was whoever you had
[2:05:47] reached out for the letter of support but yeah we need to get out there and
[2:05:51] update them we should probably get on the City Council and Port A give them an
[2:05:55] update which would you know bring in Papa and everybody else over there so
[2:06:01] agree. Men JJ will schedule getting out on the
[2:06:04] Commissioner's Court in Cleveland County. Wonderful, wonderful collective work such a
[2:06:07] wonderful project. Thank you again. Thanks to all. Um, of course, that was presentation
[2:06:13] only at this time. Um, how do you feel about the minutes, Commissioner? I'm good now. You're
[2:06:18] good. Okay. That'd be great if we could get a motion so we just don't have to go back
[2:06:24] here. It's nice to finish it. Judge except the following. Yes. Are you talking about
[2:06:28] the I I won? I won. I like to table that. Which one you liked? This is I just got
[2:06:34] Is that this today?
[2:06:35] No, no, no.
[2:06:36] No, no, no.
[2:06:37] I don't think that's it.
[2:06:38] The minutes.
[2:06:39] Oh, I'm sorry.
[2:06:40] The minutes.
[2:06:41] No, the minutes.
[2:06:42] I-1 is April 27, 2022, and May 5, 2022, and these are the accepting of the minutes.
[2:06:49] Well, no, he's asking, yeah, you're saying you haven't had a chance to read the minutes.
[2:06:53] Yeah.
[2:06:54] That we just got.
[2:06:54] That's not what he was holding on.
[2:06:56] I was holding this up.
[2:06:58] It's E-1.
[2:07:00] Oh, E-1.
[2:07:01] Something else.
[2:07:01] I-1.
[2:07:02] 3E1.
[2:07:02] 3E1.
[2:07:03] 3E1.
[2:07:03] This is I-1.
[2:07:04] I said I-1.
[2:07:05] I mean I just had those.
[2:07:06] Making sure.
[2:07:08] Okay.
[2:07:09] So you're going on I-1.
[2:07:10] Okay.
[2:07:11] And you've got.
[2:07:11] So move to motion to pass them.
[2:07:13] I'll second.
[2:07:14] Approve the minutes.
[2:07:14] Okay.
[2:07:15] All those in favor.
[2:07:16] Set the minutes.
[2:07:17] I'll get it right.
[2:07:18] Okay.
[2:07:18] All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[2:07:20] Aye.
[2:07:21] Okay.
[2:07:22] Now we've got those minutes for the clerk.
[2:07:24] So now we're again, we're in regular agenda.
[2:07:27] And we've gone through one and two.
[2:07:29] We have an important approval of MOU, that's that Memorandum of Understanding with the
[2:07:35] Coastal Bend Food Bank for the Benefit of Keech Family Library, Ida Goddesses here.
[2:07:39] It also helps the Bishop Branch Library and the Law Library.
[2:07:43] It's relating to making the Food Bank's backpack program available to all our summer library
[2:07:48] programs.
[2:07:49] Ida, welcome.
[2:07:50] Tell us about this MOU.
[2:07:52] I was going to say good morning.
[2:07:53] Good afternoon.
[2:07:54] Yeah, we hit the afternoon now.
[2:07:55] How are you, Judge Commissures?
[2:07:57] And we were able to get this memorandum of understanding and I'd like to say thank you very much to Jenny and her crew over there at the county attorneys
[2:08:04] they're always working on our memorandums and any legal matters and
[2:08:09] But it went through and so we'd like for y'all's approval to for us to be able to provide these backpacks through the food bank and
[2:08:16] This year last year. We only had it at the quiche and at the Bishop branch and this year. We were able to add it to the
[2:08:22] law library so they will also be helping us to distribute these backpacks for any
[2:08:27] families in need and all they have to do is contact us as soon as the program
[2:08:31] begins and we will start that program in I guess sometime in the middle and this
[2:08:36] is for everyone for the Keats library Bishop branch so we are helping
[2:08:40] everybody in the community for backpacks. Okay thank you I'll make the
[2:08:46] motion to approve this MOU with the food bank in our libraries I've got
[2:08:51] a motion and a second. Are there any questions? Discussion? Okay. Hearing none, all those in
[2:08:55] favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Okay. Any opposed? All right. Hearing none, we'll bring
[2:09:02] Scott Cross back up. And Scott wins the I've Got Nothing But Great News Award today. Discuss
[2:09:10] and consider the approval of a grant award from the Texas General Land Office Project
[2:09:14] of Special Merit. It's a grant that was relating to the Living Shoreline Project
[2:09:18] and public access at Packery Channel Nature Park.
[2:09:22] As they say, in case anybody has drifted, this is a time to really focus here.
[2:09:29] This is an amazing announcement.
[2:09:31] So we got $3,678,000 awarded to us.
[2:09:38] There's no match involved in this.
[2:09:41] Attached is a conceptual drawing that I put on the agenda for y'all to see.
[2:09:46] This is the Packery Channel that runs underneath the bridge out there all along
[2:09:52] the island. It separates basically North Podger Island from Mustang Island. And
[2:09:55] this is at our Packery Channel Nature Park, which I know some of you've been
[2:09:58] out there. I know Commissioner has and Judge and I think Jag has.
[2:10:03] Modest, I'm not sure, or Commissioner Modest, I'm not sure if you've been
[2:10:05] out there. I think you have at Patrick Channel. And Hernandez, you're
[2:10:09] welcome anytime if you haven't been out there. But this is basically what
[2:10:14] What we're doing is we've had problems with the shoreline and eroding for quite some time.
[2:10:19] Years ago when I looked at doing this, you could not get a core permit except through
[2:10:24] an individual permit process, which takes a very long time.
[2:10:28] And then they've made living shorelines nationwide.
[2:10:30] And under a nationwide permit, the court can say, okay, we can issue your permit
[2:10:34] with all the agency comments.
[2:10:36] There is some questions still on the permit, though, about the linear feet that we
[2:10:40] may be just exceeding nationwide linear feet that's allowed.
[2:10:43] So, we got a gem that's a joint evaluation meeting coming up on June the 7th with all
[2:10:48] the regulatory agencies by execution of this contract, the court accepting the award and
[2:10:54] execution of this contract.
[2:10:56] The accounting attorney's office looked at it, everything looks good to them and it's
[2:10:59] pretty much boilerplate stuff we do with the general land office all the time.
[2:11:03] And so, we suspect probably this project, once we get our permit, if we have to get
[2:11:10] an individual permit, we suspect about two years to complete this project.
[2:11:14] It's going to be important to note that at some point, this shoreline is heavily, heavily
[2:11:19] used by fishermen, especially when the black drum are running through the channel there.
[2:11:24] And so they fish from the banks.
[2:11:25] And so we came up with this concept to where you have the timber pier, so you can still
[2:11:30] fish without the breakwaters, the rip raft being in your way.
[2:11:34] And so what we're going to do, we're going to stabilize the bank there, and
[2:11:37] And then we're going to take dredge material behind that, and then we're going to refurbish
[2:11:41] the wetland area.
[2:11:42] We're going to gain back the land that we lost from erosion.
[2:11:45] You'll see a little connection there next to our neighbor there, Brian Gully.
[2:11:49] One of the things that we may have to do, I may have to leave a little space there.
[2:11:54] I've got to check with the GLO because they did question that.
[2:11:58] But anyhow, the erosion that we sustained on this shoreline has just been growing
[2:12:02] year after year.
[2:12:03] At first, when they opened up the channel, that's when we saw a lot of it.
[2:12:06] then it's stabilized, but there's a no-wake zone right up there. If you look at your drawing
[2:12:12] over to the very far left-hand side, you'll see something out there in the water. That's
[2:12:16] a no-wake sign. And so what that means is that these boats are coming off and getting
[2:12:22] on plane and coming off plane. And so all that wake, you know how a boat, when it
[2:12:26] slows down or speeds up, pushes it out all that way, it's still causing erosion problems
[2:12:30] for us and northeast winds. But this is going to fix all that. The only thing
[2:12:35] this is not going to address, that we're going to have to address, and I did put it in my
[2:12:39] budget request, is Packard Channel Nature Park Road. That road is in horrible condition.
[2:12:45] Anyhow, and so, but actually, once we finish this, there's a couple of other elements.
[2:12:51] This is the Tier 1 project as far as the General Land Office of Resiliency Plan, and
[2:12:57] Judge, you're familiar with that. We've been, I've been working on that Technical
[2:12:59] advisory committee for many years. And so this was part of that plan. And so actually we
[2:13:07] were estimating 2.3, and we ended up getting just under 4 million, and there's no match.
[2:13:12] This is a good thing. And then there's some other elements back into the park that are
[2:13:16] still going to be part of the next updating of the resiliency plan I've already talked
[2:13:21] to the GLO about, and they're good with. But that's really about it. Coastal parks.
[2:13:27] Actually, it was Megan who did all the heavy lifting on this and helped me write this,
[2:13:31] considered she's just been here just a little over a year.
[2:13:34] We've already got a great return on her investment, that's for sure, but yeah, we're good to
[2:13:39] go.
[2:13:40] We'll handle all the grant reporting and everything.
[2:13:43] That's fantastic.
[2:13:45] Are there any questions here about the schematic, the work that's going to be
[2:13:50] done?
[2:13:51] Obviously, the erosion is so difficult to control, but this is exactly the medicine that we need.
[2:14:00] I know this is just how many linear feet again, did you say? Five?
[2:14:04] No, it's more like a little over a thousand.
[2:14:07] A thousand? Okay. And so do you see further work here maybe in the future?
[2:14:13] Well, you know, there is two landowners to the west of us.
[2:14:16] And I think one of the pieces of property was up for sale, and years ago, I don't know,
[2:14:24] Commissioner Gonzalez may remember this when we had only had 20 acres out there.
[2:14:30] I don't know if this happened when you were commissioner or not, Commissioner Chesley.
[2:14:34] We only had 20 acres.
[2:14:36] And so we got another 18, and it was Charlie Zahn, who was chair of our board,
[2:14:41] who spearheaded that through whatever they did to get their invited interest undivided.
[2:14:47] And so we're able to add 18.
[2:14:48] But those two properties to the west of us understand they have issues with even considering
[2:14:53] developing these things because they've got so many title flats in wetlands that they'd
[2:14:58] never
[2:15:02] We are looking at another grant in the future to be able to purchase that and turn it into more
[2:15:09] of our package on the nature part because I can't get it using this money to stabilize
[2:15:14] their shoreline because it's private property. And gully shoreline and all those other homeowners,
[2:15:20] it's already hardened. There's a sheet pile there and so they're stable.
[2:15:25] Okay, that's great. Very good. Well, I'll make the motion at this time.
[2:15:31] Did we put a bed out there on those acres that those owners...
[2:15:36] Didn't we actually put a bed out there trying to get versus that?
[2:15:40] No. You know, Commissioner, we had to do...
[2:15:42] We had to get an appraisal of the property, the 18 acres that we got,
[2:15:46] but somehow there were two other owners,
[2:15:49] Francis Gandy and another person that owned co-owning with us and so what we
[2:15:55] did is we just gave we took our 18 acres and separated them out but then we had
[2:16:00] to grant them an easement because it can't be landlocked. He came to court and he
[2:16:04] came to court. Yeah that was a long time ago and you know I didn't I really
[2:16:10] wasn't involved in too many of the details Charlie was really working on
[2:16:13] all that at the time with them I don't I can't remember what commissioner
[2:16:18] are in precinct four at the time, and then Judge Neal and Joe McCombe.
[2:16:27] But we actually changed the Packard Channel Nature Park, it used to be just called Packard
[2:16:31] Channel Park, and it was under Commissioner Casalus in 2010, he wanted to give it the
[2:16:36] Nature Park designation, which was really forward thinking, because then from there
[2:16:40] we could write our master plan for that particular park to manage it as a nature park.
[2:16:47] and that's what that's what we've done and why we've done all the habitat it's
[2:16:51] one of the most beautiful it'd be lovely to have like a like a 360 like one of
[2:16:55] those virtual video tours yeah that's something maybe you guys can put in the
[2:17:00] back pocket and and we and it's it's it's on our web page too yeah if y'all
[2:17:05] don't know we got a new web page it's fantastic thank you well I'm again
[2:17:09] my motion is to approve this grand award from the Texas General Land
[2:17:12] office, Project of Special Merit. It's again relating to the Living Shoreline Project
[2:17:19] and Public Access. Is there a second? Okay. All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[2:17:24] All right. Good job, Scott. Thank you very much. Thank you. Yeah, we're proud of this.
[2:17:27] Stick around. You have another one. Yep. Item number five is Discuss and Consider Coastal
[2:17:32] Parks Request for Additional Funding for Fuel for Underground Storage Tanks at Pack
[2:17:37] Great Maintenance Yard and we have already established the funding source for this, but
[2:17:43] you can go ahead and let us know.
[2:17:46] Yeah, this is not a fun one.
[2:17:48] I just want to officially get on the record that in my 14 years as a department head,
[2:17:52] this is the first time I have ever had to come to the court for help without making
[2:17:58] doing line-on transfers in my budget and working with Dell's office.
[2:18:01] I just don't have it.
[2:18:02] I've got one of the skinniest budgets I've ever had since I've been here.
[2:18:05] And I was willing to do that because y'all needed help last year and so but our fuel my God
[2:18:11] I mean I stopped and put fuel in my county vehicle the other day and 15 gallons of gas cost me 60 bucks and
[2:18:19] You know we've had some
[2:18:21] you know just
[2:18:22] The guys have been I've been encouraging our guys in the end with our fleet vehicles to use the fuel tanks
[2:18:28] More than the fuel cards because it's it's more expensive at the pump than when we buy it and bought
[2:18:33] But my fuel cost right now has gone up since this time last year, my diesel is up 50%.
[2:18:39] Everybody. Everybody.
[2:18:41] I just want y'all to know, I don't come asking this very lightly, because I usually, I find a way to work within my own budget.
[2:18:48] And I'm sure Dell could testify to that.
[2:18:50] I've very rarely ever, I've never done this.
[2:18:53] So this is a very rare thing.
[2:18:56] And I promise you it will always be a very rare thing.
[2:18:59] I can recall a couple of times that you did, but it's okay.
[2:19:03] Oh, okay.
[2:19:06] So where are we getting the money on this here?
[2:19:08] So they go ahead and identify the source.
[2:19:13] Yes, Commissioner, we're going to do it from the general fund.
[2:19:15] It's going to be part of that.
[2:19:16] We're going to do a transfer.
[2:19:18] General fund?
[2:19:20] That's correct.
[2:19:22] Okay.
[2:19:23] Is there a motion to...
[2:19:25] Why general fund?
[2:19:26] I mean, is there any other source?
[2:19:29] The General Fund is the main funding source for all of the departments, mainly, Commissioner.
[2:19:35] We're probably the budgetary body, but I'm saying this is not part of the budget.
[2:19:38] This isn't that one, something else.
[2:19:41] So there's no other source that we can get beside the General Fund.
[2:19:46] Commissioner Chesney could pay for it.
[2:19:48] Yeah.
[2:19:49] I do everything else.
[2:19:51] I'm not asking that.
[2:19:52] I'm not throwing anything at Chesney.
[2:19:54] I'm just asking.
[2:19:55] I need some answers.
[2:19:58] I'd be happy to.
[2:19:59] I'm the one that actually funded for the entire, we found the allocation for the 80,000 for
[2:20:05] the fuel tanks.
[2:20:09] But again, I'm happy to help, but again, the general fund is the appropriate place for
[2:20:14] it.
[2:20:14] It's like anything else that comes out of it.
[2:20:16] Right.
[2:20:16] I mean, that's where it belongs.
[2:20:18] Okay.
[2:20:18] The thing is I'm asking that because every time we say something about the general
[2:20:21] fund, everybody jumps and hoops like we're not supposed to spend no money from
[2:20:25] the general fund.
[2:20:26] is does that take us over budget or does that take us where that would be for
[2:20:30] Dale and obviously I mean we're using it because it's absolutely necessary
[2:20:34] that's that's the main purpose of using it everything necessary when we yeah
[2:20:38] that's correct anyway I just want to make sure that I mean come back to the
[2:20:42] whale and I don't want to hear people saying well we're going to get our general
[2:20:45] fund you know it shouldn't be a problem right I mean correct and then the
[2:20:53] 60,000 is just a guesstimate based on usage so far this year that you're going to have
[2:20:57] to use for the rest of the year.
[2:20:58] With all our heavy equipment and vehicles and everything.
[2:21:01] It'll be the cap.
[2:21:02] Yeah.
[2:21:03] Based on what fuels costing us now, too.
[2:21:06] You know, it wasn't costing us this much when we funded our fuel budget last year.
[2:21:11] Y'all know that.
[2:21:12] Is there a motion, Judge?
[2:21:13] Did you make it?
[2:21:14] Second.
[2:21:15] Motion to approve.
[2:21:16] And there's a second.
[2:21:18] And all those in favor signify by saying aye.
[2:21:20] Aye.
[2:21:21] Aye.
[2:21:21] Thank you all. This is important too because those tanks become very strategic when we
[2:21:27] get into hurricane season.
[2:21:28] Okay. Stick around.
[2:21:30] How many gallons do they hold?
[2:21:32] 9,000 each.
[2:21:34] How many do you have?
[2:21:35] I've got two. And right now I'm down to less than 310 and unleaded and less than
[2:21:42] 920 in diesel. So I'm really, really down.
[2:21:47] What were those numbers?
[2:21:49] Each hold 9,000 apiece and I'm down to 310 gallons or less than 310 and unleaded and I'm
[2:21:57] below 920 in diesel gallons out of the 9,000 this tank hold that you normally have.
[2:22:03] So they're pretty dry.
[2:22:07] And by 2030 you'll be talking, you know, electric vehicles and so maybe these are
[2:22:15] I mean, if they can get a front end loader to work on batteries, you know, I'd be all
[2:22:21] for it.
[2:22:21] Well, you've seen some of those 18-wheelers that are working on electric.
[2:22:25] It's incredible.
[2:22:27] Okay.
[2:22:28] And boats, for that matter.
[2:22:30] We're going to move on, Scott, but stick around.
[2:22:32] There's others that could potentially affect your coastal parks.
[2:22:37] The next one, discuss and consider the allocation of the sales proceeds and the allister
[2:22:41] property in Port Aransas to county projects. This was the sale of property that the court
[2:22:46] approved not too long ago, maybe even two weeks ago, for final execution. I had made
[2:22:55] the suggestion that some of those proceeds be utilized for the boardwalk that I'm very
[2:23:02] concerned about at Brisco King Pavilion because a GLO doesn't like the Band-Aid. They want
[2:23:07] to make certain that that boardwalk is complete and that think it's about a half a million
[2:23:12] dollar project all in all.
[2:23:15] Commissioner and Chesney, you have some ideas for these proceeds.
[2:23:20] That's my idea is to dedicate some of those proceeds to that boardwalk at Brisco King
[2:23:25] Pavilion.
[2:23:26] The amount of the proceeds that you're looking at is 925.
[2:23:30] Is that the proceeds?
[2:23:31] Okay.
[2:23:31] Is that what we got?
[2:23:33] Jenny, do you mind confirming?
[2:23:34] 925?
[2:23:34] There was probably some closing costs.
[2:23:37] Could be a little less.
[2:23:38] Yes.
[2:23:39] And then was that signed off on and sent off?
[2:23:42] Yeah, did y'all close it?
[2:23:43] Well, we have not closed on it, but we have.
[2:23:45] I've signed all the documents, yes.
[2:23:48] So, Judge, my strong feeling on this, and this is similar to,
[2:23:53] part of this is similar to what we did before when we bought the,
[2:23:57] when we sold, sorry, the port property,
[2:23:59] we were able to put a good chunk of that.
[2:24:02] In other words, that was over $6 million, and so what I had brought forth in was to
[2:24:07] put a portion of that in the reserves for the county to benefit the county as a whole.
[2:24:12] About 3 million of that 6-point whatever went ended up going into the county reserves based
[2:24:19] on my request in the courts acknowledging that, and that's where this stemmed from, too.
[2:24:25] I think any time that we sell land, we ought to put some of it in reserve, use
[2:24:29] some of the money is why I came up with the 35%. I think I put that 35%. I went back and
[2:24:35] forth on this a couple of times. I'm looking for my backup in the reserves and then also
[2:24:41] had a strong feeling that some of the money should be used that we got out of Port Aransas
[2:24:45] in Port Aransas just like, you know, if we end up selling other properties in other parts
[2:24:50] of the county, I think that part of the county ought to benefit somewhat as well
[2:24:54] for for stuff that nature and so my my suggestion on this was to allocate 30 what
[2:25:01] did I put in here and I think you said 35% 35% 3565 35% go to reserves and 65
[2:25:08] percent to be allocated to a an unfunded project by the in the coastal
[2:25:13] parks area in Port Aransas but in the city of Port Aransas can you get the
[2:25:18] gas from there? And from that money there? Can you buy that?
[2:25:20] Well, I mean, I guess, and that's up top.
[2:25:23] Well, technically, are you saying on your motion that 35% would go to GF, or?
[2:25:29] To the general fund reserves, right. So, 35%. And that's kind of...
[2:25:33] Well, it's different than the reserves as being...
[2:25:36] No, to the reserves, to the cash reserves.
[2:25:39] To, yes, cash reserves. That's general fund reserves. That's what I did with the port
[2:25:45] So I'm just trying to be consistent and do the same thing and put some of that towards
[2:25:49] the general fund reserves in a manner that we've done it before.
[2:25:53] Dale can kind of, I don't remember how exactly we did it, but Dale found a way to do it where
[2:25:58] it was.
[2:25:59] I didn't realize you could just allocate two reserves.
[2:26:03] We have a budget policy that you all adopt every year that requires us to record every
[2:26:08] sub-asset into a special revenue account.
[2:26:11] You'll have a resolution that you all pass every year.
[2:26:13] Okay.
[2:26:13] So it was that resolution so we'd have to change that commissioner and I don't know how we did it the first time so it was
[2:26:20] Dale if you remember we went through this where we ended up substituting some projects
[2:26:23] I can't remember what we did, but it was just a so that the I don't know the legal legalities of doing it
[2:26:28] I've got to get with Dale on it because I can't remember how we did at the last time
[2:26:31] But we ended up getting several million dollars into the to the reserves that way and then
[2:26:38] Again a lot this to the coastal parks
[2:26:42] Department with approval by the Commissioners Court to do an unfunded project in Port Aransas
[2:26:45] based on that.
[2:26:47] And what unfunded project do you think you might have?
[2:26:49] I don't have that.
[2:26:50] Do you mind if I ask Scott Cross what unfunded projects Coastal Parks has?
[2:26:55] Well, they've got a big wish list.
[2:26:57] We'd have to pull out the wish list and see.
[2:26:58] Well, I don't...
[2:26:59] Do you?
[2:27:00] Well, I mean...
[2:27:02] I don't know a one.
[2:27:03] The boardwalk certainly needs to get fixed at some point.
[2:27:07] In Port A?
[2:27:08] Yeah.
[2:27:08] No.
[2:27:09] Oh, that's in Padre.
[2:27:10] Right, that's what he's saying.
[2:27:11] Oh, no, in Port A.
[2:27:13] I don't really have anything right now other than that elevated restroom shower facility
[2:27:19] that was on the beach that we demoed down to the elevated concrete pad.
[2:27:23] Would you accept that as the project?
[2:27:25] I'm uncomfortable with not designating it to something because we have so many concerns
[2:27:31] and issues that are countywide and we need the time value of money is now.
[2:27:36] It's now.
[2:27:37] I was just going to give the Coastal Parks Board a chance to weigh in, but if that's what Scott wants to represent.
[2:27:43] Well, something like that.
[2:27:44] That's just a subject to the Coastal Parks.
[2:27:46] I would agree with that.
[2:27:46] I just wanted them to have a look at it.
[2:27:48] We don't know how.
[2:27:50] We feel strongly, me and the Board do, feel strongly there's a way to repurpose that elevated structure.
[2:27:55] You don't want to lose it.
[2:27:56] For bathrooms?
[2:27:57] Absolutely.
[2:27:58] The GLO will never let you put it back there.
[2:28:00] Okay.
[2:28:00] So how about, can you make your motion?
[2:28:03] And again, I'm not certain that you can put him to reserves.
[2:28:08] I think that you need to say it's to a special revenue.
[2:28:10] But again, I don't understand how you're going to take special revenue and get it inside your
[2:28:16] 25%.
[2:28:17] Basically, I think we substituted some projects.
[2:28:19] They'll have to go back and look at subject to the auditor reviewing it and coming up
[2:28:23] with a way that's legitimate and legal and above board.
[2:28:26] But we've done it before.
[2:28:28] I think it was questioned before, to be honest with you.
[2:28:31] but I think that I think you're the general premise is you want 35% to go
[2:28:35] into a special revenue and 65% to be directed to coastal parks for a future
[2:28:40] port a project or and if you want to build and you're talking and if we want to
[2:28:45] designate it towards that project subject to the code that's a that's an
[2:28:50] important one that's a building that we did try to be at the building you're
[2:28:53] trying to be allocated to a special fund we can tell the special
[2:28:56] how to fund this special so we can definitely put it in there and reserve it for this function.
[2:29:03] But according to the resolution passed during budget cycle, it tells me that I'm required to establish
[2:29:09] the special funding fund and account for every cell of assets in that fund.
[2:29:12] Right. I guess what I'm saying, Commissioner Chesney, is that your goal is not achievable
[2:29:16] at least the way we have it. You wanted to go to general fund to help the county
[2:29:20] have a stronger balance at the end of the year.
[2:29:23] That's not possible by our own rules, but we could, I mean, again, I mean, I don't know how that would work.
[2:29:32] All I'm trying to do is put an amount of money to help the county as the whole, on the whole.
[2:29:36] And if it's best revenue, again, we've done this before where we were able to figure out how to move some projects to where that money got put into reserves
[2:29:45] and we put that money into that project, Dale, I think you'll have to go back and look at it.
[2:29:48] The intent is simply to spread the wealth.
[2:29:52] That's really all I'm trying to do here is to try to put some in for the rest of the county
[2:29:57] and then put this towards a project in Port Aransas.
[2:30:00] Because it's money coming out of Puerto Rans, it's just like if, again, if Robert got something
[2:30:04] sold in his part or John did, I would want that part of the county to benefit significantly
[2:30:09] from the sale of that property.
[2:30:11] So why don't we just follow the rule for now, which is you're going to place the sale of
[2:30:16] assets into the special revenue as per our own court policy, however, and it's subject
[2:30:22] to at least the court's directive that 65 percent be transferred for a project that
[2:30:29] Coastal Parks Determines is one that they would like to recommend in Port Aransas.
[2:30:36] Okay and then at that 35% I guess there might be an opportunity for the
[2:30:40] court to think that we could use that 35% revenue for another project in the
[2:30:44] county. And that's the only way to really do it. He used the word
[2:30:50] transferred. I don't think we... Well he's going to allocate if you come with
[2:30:55] us to come with a project like the restoration of those bathrooms. Which I
[2:30:58] I think is a great one, which is a great one because that's one that actually public
[2:31:06] infrastructure that is not, that is in disrepair.
[2:31:09] And we've got to do it somehow, so this is at least a way to do it with funds that doesn't
[2:31:14] come out of the general fund.
[2:31:15] Right.
[2:31:15] So let us bring another agenda item to a budget change order to work on that after
[2:31:20] you create that awareness with your park board, typically Troy Adler does listen
[2:31:25] in, but if he's not listening in today, create that awareness of what happened and transpired
[2:31:30] here today in court.
[2:31:31] Today I think the best motion is intention gets documented for the clerk.
[2:31:36] That's what we're doing.
[2:31:37] Yeah.
[2:31:37] For the clerk, I would just make a motion and you're saying Dale, all of this has to
[2:31:41] go into special revenue, but then we can direct it when you all pass the further
[2:31:44] budget.
[2:31:44] Let's do that.
[2:31:45] Then we can determine how to best do this.
[2:31:46] If we have the ways to transfer 35% of the total fund we can, we need to make
[2:31:51] sure we follow the order as is, then we can work the process out.
[2:31:54] What we can say is I would make a motion to allocate all of the sales proceeds to the
[2:31:59] special revenue fund with the intent being that 65% of those will be then reallocated
[2:32:06] subject to the auditor's approval towards the project that we discussed in coastal parks
[2:32:13] signing off on and the 35% being allocated to the general fund or another project in
[2:32:20] other parts of the county that there is a need for.
[2:32:21] That sounds good to me. I'll second that.
[2:32:24] Is that good, Karen?
[2:32:25] Okay.
[2:32:26] See, you didn't even know why you were staying.
[2:32:28] Scott, look at you there.
[2:32:30] All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[2:32:33] Aye.
[2:32:33] Aye.
[2:32:33] Post same sign.
[2:32:35] Okay.
[2:32:36] The next item is posted as discussing as there is to ask regarding the policy and procedures
[2:32:42] for wetlands mitigation pursuant to the engagement letter with Baker Watering,
[2:32:45] LLP, but that's going to be an executive session item.
[2:32:48] So we'll hold on that one.
[2:32:50] The next one is discussed and considered ratification of premium pay under ARPA.
[2:32:55] That's the American Rescue Plan Act for law enforcement.
[2:32:58] Why is that in such an item?
[2:33:00] Why?
[2:33:01] Because it's...
[2:33:02] Clarification on...
[2:33:03] Sure.
[2:33:03] Jenny, would you let him...
[2:33:04] He wants to know why there's clarification on that.
[2:33:08] Clarification on what we did.
[2:33:09] Well, I think this is...
[2:33:11] Commissioner Gonzalez put this one on and as far as advising the county on anything,
[2:33:19] I think you would probably want to have that in executive first, but this is just on the wetlands mitigation, right?
[2:33:27] It's a legal document. Wetland mitigation and the
[2:33:31] the mitigation bank.
[2:33:34] Those are the two things we hired him to do back in 2020 in January.
[2:33:40] Yeah, we're going to get to hear from him during executive session since it's a legal document that has legal implications.
[2:33:46] It would be a good idea
[2:33:48] to hear from him.
[2:33:50] I understand it will be legal.
[2:33:51] We hired him to do two things.
[2:33:54] All I need for him to present those two things
[2:33:56] that were done back
[2:33:57] in 2020.
[2:33:59] Because we paid him in 2020.
[2:34:02] You know, I mean, we paid him
[2:34:04] in October of 2020, we paid him
[2:34:06] the full amount for creating those two
[2:34:08] and I've never seen those two
[2:34:10] and I've asked him for a copy of those two
[2:34:12] and I haven't got it.
[2:34:13] So,
[2:34:14] So my question is still, will those two items done, will they produce, will they create it,
[2:34:25] and we never got a copy of it?
[2:34:27] I mean, if we got a copy of it, should have a date of 2020.
[2:34:31] So we discussed this at the last time it was brought up, and an explanation was given
[2:34:37] that it would be important to discuss these items in executive session,
[2:34:41] as they could have future impact on, in this case, the cease and desist letter, and we provided
[2:34:49] that explanation.
[2:34:50] There was a connection there with the disease and disease letter.
[2:34:52] There is.
[2:34:53] And it was provided to us by our council.
[2:34:57] And I have no connection with the disease and disease letter.
[2:35:00] It has actually a lot of connection.
[2:35:03] 2020, we hired him to do two things, and I just want those two things.
[2:35:07] I understand.
[2:35:08] I understand. I think if you'll allow him the opportunity to explain in executive session,
[2:35:13] that's usually where you consult with your county attorney or your outside counsel. You
[2:35:17] can get the answers to your questions and also the specifics. But I have legal questions
[2:35:23] that are obviously would impact Noyesis County. So at this time, we'll take that into executive
[2:35:29] session. And then if there's an opportunity to address items in open session, we can
[2:35:34] at that time.
[2:35:35] So I'm a little unclear on this too because to me there's a definite differentiation between
[2:35:44] the cease and desist and the wetland mitigation plan because that was when we hired the law
[2:35:52] firm and I think I even made the motion that was what we hired him to do was to do a mitigation
[2:35:56] plan.
[2:35:57] I don't know where that, not the other stuff, but I don't know where that crosses over
[2:36:01] into.
[2:36:02] Well, how about if we go to executive session and he can explain it?
[2:36:04] Well, no, I'm saying I don't know where.
[2:36:07] Well, we've already gone over this.
[2:36:09] No, this is just the wetland mitigations.
[2:36:11] Okay, but the wetland mitigation policy, as was explained by our council the last
[2:36:16] time, has potential ramifications for the mitigation that you actually have a conflict
[2:36:23] of interest in.
[2:36:24] So I think we should pause.
[2:36:26] I don't have a conflict of interest.
[2:36:26] And go into the explanation.
[2:36:29] Well, I don't have a conflict of interest.
[2:36:32] I'm not asking nothing to happen in 2022.
[2:36:34] I'm asking for those two things he was supposed to do,
[2:36:37] which is one, is the Medication Bank
[2:36:40] and also the policy for wetland mitigation.
[2:36:43] And I haven't seen those two items.
[2:36:46] He was paid in October 2020, and I don't have him.
[2:36:51] He did provide us that plan that we had.
[2:36:54] So first of all, just for the record,
[2:36:55] judge, I don't have a conflict of interest.
[2:36:56] I'm voluntarily recusing myself,
[2:36:58] so I want to make sure that's clear,
[2:36:59] because that's a very different legal term.
[2:37:00] Second, I don't want to have any discussion with him out here about the cease and desist,
[2:37:05] but I don't think it's attorney-client privilege to bring forth a mitigation plan that I don't
[2:37:11] know what that would be, I mean, an issue.
[2:37:15] Again, we're happy to discuss this in open session, but we have our counsel here.
[2:37:20] Maybe he could answer why we came right out here.
[2:37:22] He could address, maybe not answer, but he could address whether or not we should
[2:37:27] take this up an executive session and perhaps why but you'd have to go to the
[2:37:30] microphone yeah I just and we can do that yeah I just don't know why we can't
[2:37:35] have that discussion publicly on the mitigation again it's almost like a
[2:37:40] rerun we've literally had the same discussion let's have here from our
[2:37:43] council no it's not a rerun go ahead yeah it is why can't we have this
[2:37:48] discussion about the mitigation plan not the cease and desist but the
[2:37:51] mitigation plan why is that it why should that be something we should
[2:37:55] to be concerned about an attorney claim for them?
[2:37:59] That's a question I need to answer in executive session.
[2:38:03] And I'd like to report on the other matter
[2:38:05] in executive session, because there
[2:38:09] have been very recent developments on that that I
[2:38:11] think would inform the commissioner's decision
[2:38:15] on this very issue and other issues as well.
[2:38:18] OK, so there's nothing you feel
[2:38:19] like we can discuss out here in regard
[2:38:21] to the mitigation plan?
[2:38:22] Just the mitigation plan?
[2:38:23] 2020?
[2:38:25] Well, we may be able to discuss things about the mitigation plan in open session.
[2:38:31] I would like to advise the commissioners in closed session about the ramifications of
[2:38:37] their discussing these issues in open session.
[2:38:41] In other words, I need to advise the commissioners' court about what I see as the issues of
[2:38:49] bringing the mitigation plan up in those open session and whether we want to
[2:38:56] and then the commissioner can make commission can make a mission to make
[2:39:00] an informed decision on that very right so that same thing for the I'm sorry the
[2:39:03] same thing for the policy that was supposed to be supposed to be created
[2:39:07] back then back then we're supposed to have developed a mitigation policy for
[2:39:12] the county you know there's all that well he gave it to us I think nobody
[2:39:18] I want to see the copy you did in 2020.
[2:39:21] We paid you in 2020.
[2:39:24] If the commission is telling me that I need to answer questions in open sessions without
[2:39:29] hearing-
[2:39:30] Is it your advice?
[2:39:31] Is it your advice to do these and for the-
[2:39:34] Sure.
[2:39:35] Sure.
[2:39:35] Real quick.
[2:39:36] Will you be able in executive session to distinguish so that I can listen to part
[2:39:40] and not be involved in part, because I do want to know about this.
[2:39:44] I do need to understand this mitigation plan, which is where we all started on this.
[2:39:50] So will you be able to separate that out so that I can, because I'd like to know about
[2:39:54] that part of it?
[2:39:55] I do believe I can parse it.
[2:39:57] Okay.
[2:39:57] And yes, it is my recommendation to the Commissioner's Court that both issues be taken up in
[2:40:02] executive session, certainly to hear about my report on the other matter.
[2:40:07] I can live with that.
[2:40:10] What you're answering right now, what you're directing us or advising us, is that any different
[2:40:14] than what you've already told us?
[2:40:16] There have been a recent development that I'd like to-
[2:40:19] I mean, your recommendation in general until hold off on discussions, isn't that been the
[2:40:24] recommendation to always keep it in executive session first?
[2:40:26] That is correct.
[2:40:27] Not to hold back, but to first advise and then allow for public discussion as all
[2:40:33] executive session items are normally handled, is that correct?
[2:40:36] That is correct.
[2:40:36] Okay.
[2:40:37] So we're not following anything different than what would be advisable or what we have
[2:40:41] done before in practice.
[2:40:43] With regard to this matter.
[2:40:44] With regard to this matter.
[2:40:46] Thank you.
[2:40:47] Okay.
[2:40:48] All right, so we'll move on for right now and go into item number eight, which is
[2:40:55] the premium pay.
[2:40:57] This is a ratification of what we've already done.
[2:41:01] It's for the law enforcement.
[2:41:02] enforcement, it does include the constables and sheriffs in Nueces County under the collective
[2:41:07] bargaining agreement. This is the ratification of the premium pay under ARPA. I don't know
[2:41:14] who wants to take this. I did this one. I'm sorry. This was a clarification. I don't
[2:41:17] think in my, when we did it before the last motion, it was pointed out that all the
[2:41:22] motion that was made was for law enforcement that were included in the collective bargaining
[2:41:26] meaning in that the intent was to include the, or my intent was to include the constables
[2:41:32] and the sheriff in that as well. And so that would just be my motion was to include the
[2:41:36] constables and sheriff in that same motion. So the elected officers. Yes, ma'am. The
[2:41:41] problem is with that is I think that there was some discussion as to whether, I don't
[2:41:46] know if Treasury has given advice, but they had excluded electeds from ARPA. They've
[2:41:52] been getting paid. Well I just know that we were waiting on that. We had made a
[2:42:00] request so that the Treasury would understand it and I thought the sheriff
[2:42:05] had asked to be excluded. Is he asking to be included? When we first started the
[2:42:09] premium pay, all five constables in the sheriff agreed to be paid for the
[2:42:13] premium payment. We made the first two payments for premium pay for those
[2:42:17] particular individuals. I know Hagrid is working with the Treasury to see
[2:42:21] of this is an allowable expense for a law enforcement officer away being elected official.
[2:42:27] This even if it's not in rescinded, the amount of funds are very, very minimal.
[2:42:33] I just want to point out that Hagerty had already advised us that we have not had a final determination
[2:42:37] from Treasury on electives.
[2:42:39] Hey, Bill.
[2:42:40] It's above the 78,000.
[2:42:41] I thought somebody, yeah.
[2:42:42] Anybody that made it above 78,000 or 78,000 was excluded, yes?
[2:42:47] But y'all made sure law enforcement didn't meet that requirement.
[2:42:50] Y'all said law enforcement didn't account.
[2:42:52] I'm talking about the sheriff.
[2:42:53] He's law enforcement.
[2:42:54] I know, but doesn't he make $70,000?
[2:42:57] Y'all said law enforcement does not qualify for the 150.
[2:43:00] Y'all made that vote.
[2:43:01] Said we're not counting law enforcement that for the 150.
[2:43:04] Well, it's been some time ago.
[2:43:05] Y'all said that for law enforcement.
[2:43:08] Yeah, we did that piece correct.
[2:43:10] I was just worried about where we are on the final determination.
[2:43:14] We could always come back, I suppose, and just provide that.
[2:43:18] But I just wanted you to know that was a concern right and Haggerty had actually given us the okay to do this originally
[2:43:23] They may have changed their opinion, and that's certainly fine
[2:43:25] We can go back and look at so I'm happy to make this motion subject to if you don't mind subject to the order in the county attorney
[2:43:33] Acknowledging that it's legal and yeah
[2:43:35] I meant to do so but I just want to include them in it if they can be included in it
[2:43:40] And then if they can't then right just explain to them why they can't right and just to remind you the reason
[2:43:45] The confusion here is that what Hagerty helped us do is overcome the 150 and overcome the 78
[2:43:53] There's got to be a distinction on this when the last court we had we moved the collective bar agreement as well as cadets to a
[2:43:59] Retention pay not pay. So we cannot do a retention pay for elected official because they're always always retained
[2:44:05] So it must stay as a premium pay for those five elected
[2:44:09] Costals and the sheriff. That's correct. So that's the distinction subject
[2:44:12] Right, and that was a new distinction that was made from the last time we did it.
[2:44:17] Because prior to when we did this four or five months ago, Haggerty said we could do
[2:44:21] it the way we did it.
[2:44:22] And then it changed, and that's fine.
[2:44:23] Well, the final rules changed in January.
[2:44:26] I'm saying they changed, but Haggerty gave us, we did it based on Haggerty's original,
[2:44:29] then the final rules changed, things changed.
[2:44:31] I get it.
[2:44:32] I'm just saying whatever we can do, my motion is to include them in it, subject to
[2:44:35] it being okay to do, legitimate.
[2:44:38] I think that's fine.
[2:44:39] I just, we'll get back to you on it.
[2:44:41] Yes.
[2:44:42] Right.
[2:44:42] All right.
[2:44:42] That way they know that the intention is there.
[2:44:45] Right.
[2:44:45] That's right.
[2:44:46] All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[2:44:48] Aye.
[2:44:48] Aye.
[2:44:49] Okay.
[2:44:50] The next one is the funding of repairs to the office infrastructure at the medical
[2:44:55] examiner's office to provide a safe and efficient working environment after the
[2:44:59] Elevator.
[2:45:02] This was part of our discussion from last time.
[2:45:07] Commissioner Gonzalez?
[2:45:09] Well, we're devoted on that one.
[2:45:10] I agree. I thought we had already done 50,000 for the ambiance, so to speak.
[2:45:15] I think what I meant on this one here was to the backup that we provided last week on
[2:45:24] on the diagram that one, 10% I had and I gave everybody a copy of it that would cost $5 million
[2:45:33] to another section to the medical examiner and demo with the main building and create the
[2:45:42] offices there. So they would, they really would upgrade the medical examiners off the
[2:45:50] building, and to be able to function, and since we get a new medical examiner, I mean,
[2:45:56] I think it's probably the time to do it.
[2:45:58] So are you interested in showcasing what you have right now?
[2:46:07] I have multiple thoughts here on this, and I'd like to see what you have, and I'll
[2:46:13] give it to you.
[2:46:14] No, I'm talking, Juan's going to come up and talk about it.
[2:46:19] The issue here, that's what's going to be better.
[2:46:22] He's got it on a thumb drive.
[2:46:24] The issue here is that the medical examiner's office is a medical facility and we have a
[2:46:33] new medical examiner coming in in July and it seems to me that before we do anything
[2:46:40] he should be the one to assist us in formulating what this office needs from an infrastructure
[2:46:47] point of view.
[2:46:48] In addition, we already have the Smith group retained.
[2:46:52] Literally we have a contract with them.
[2:46:56] They are experts in the field of forensic medical examiner's offices.
[2:47:00] And I don't understand how this happened because, again, there was with no consultation
[2:47:08] of a medical professional or anybody who has medical expertise.
[2:47:13] This is premature, but very welcomed.
[2:47:16] It's a welcome to be able to do it, but it's premature.
[2:47:20] So we already have the Smith Group,
[2:47:23] and I believe that the hiring of CLK was very premature
[2:47:27] and quite frankly not done in a spirit of...
[2:47:32] What do you say we hire them?
[2:47:34] They're not hired.
[2:47:35] This is why we're presenting this so that we can talk about it
[2:47:37] and see what we want to do.
[2:47:39] Well, if we're going to use...
[2:47:41] The Smith Group might be okay, but maybe they're too expensive.
[2:47:43] Maybe we need to go to the next level and get going together.
[2:47:45] Well, let me just suggest that if you're going to use federal funds,
[2:47:49] you have to follow the federal rules, which is to see a FAR 200,
[2:47:52] which would require this to be RFQed the way we did it with the Smith Group.
[2:47:58] The Smith Group is the county's go-to architects on the medical examiner's office.
[2:48:04] And so this is, they are the ones that have the expertise.
[2:48:09] So again, I'm happy to see it, happy to discuss it, but I'm going to ask that this be tabled because it doesn't even have the blessing of our current chief medical examiner who has been hired to come in in July.
[2:48:24] And we have not made an analysis of whether this would be chasing, you know, putting good money in a bad building.
[2:48:31] building. So I think it's already been analyzed by engineers to be a bad building. It's already
[2:48:39] been ranked as a high priority. It would be nice if I could finish. It's already been
[2:48:46] ranked as a building that needs to be replaced. And so I have concerns about putting in that
[2:48:52] amount of money to this building and not a new building. But I agree that if there's
[2:48:57] infrastructure problems, we would want to correct those.
[2:49:00] But again, we already have, we went through the time, trouble and expense of hiring the
[2:49:05] Smith Group and I don't understand how CLK got brought on because that it doesn't meet
[2:49:11] the requirements, the federal requirements and it doesn't, it's not in the spirit
[2:49:18] of working with this new chief who wants to build a new office.
[2:49:21] I would ask that we listen to Juan because he's gone through that trouble.
[2:49:27] But that you take all of these great plans and on July 18th you work with our new chief
[2:49:32] medical examiner and if he thinks this is great, but why would we want to presume none
[2:49:39] of us are doctors here, we've not run a medical examiner's facility, you either need to
[2:49:44] find somebody who's done that kind of work, which guess what, we already did and we
[2:49:49] hired them or you'll have them work with this group in conjunction with those
[2:49:56] medical professionals. Again, Juan, go ahead.
[2:50:02] Judge and Commissioners, this is our some exhibits at CLK put together. The
[2:50:10] first exhibit is the existing conditions of the facility where you have
[2:50:16] your autopsy and also your administration where you can see the blues where they do the more
[2:50:21] of the autopsy and then the orange on the bottom part is more of the administration offices
[2:50:27] where they have their conference room and their main entrance.
[2:50:31] The second exhibit is just a blow up of the existing facility and it's approximately
[2:50:42] approximately about 5,000 square feet total, the next exhibit please.
[2:50:50] This is, in talking to CLK, this is a proposed, on the left-hand side would be the proposed
[2:51:00] facility which is approximately about a little bit over 5,000 square feet, but this
[2:51:05] would be where all the autopsies, new refrigeration, and we would be able to tie
[2:51:10] the new facility with the existing facility and then come back and phase out the existing
[2:51:16] facility to create office spaces. Next exhibit, please. And you can look at the bottom part
[2:51:25] where the square footage on the tables, scroll over to the right. The administration
[2:51:34] building would be a 5,000 square feet based on phase one and phase two. And then the
[2:51:39] autopsy would be 6600 per feet.
[2:51:50] This would kind of just shows kind of like a sequence
[2:51:52] of construction if this project would, if the court would go this route. It would be
[2:51:58] phased out. In other words, you would do first the autopsy of the new building, tie it into
[2:52:03] the existing building, and then recommend to phase it out with the red. Don't start
[2:52:08] demoing that portion of the existing facility, I'm sorry, do a face the blue
[2:52:15] portion and then come back and do the red portion of the existing facility to
[2:52:19] create a new office space. Next slide please.
[2:52:25] And then this would be the layout
[2:52:28] where you do the, I'm going to call it the top part of the existing
[2:52:31] facility, you would come back and renovate the bottom part to create
[2:52:36] office spaces on also a conference room. On the first part, they would create a
[2:52:43] a break room, some administration offices, and next slide.
[2:52:55] And this would be the whole
[2:52:56] new facility together. So in other words, you would have a brand new
[2:53:02] a topsy building tidying to the existing facility with the administration offices.
[2:53:11] Next one.
[2:53:15] And this would be kind of like a recommendation of the parking lot.
[2:53:18] Scroll out a little bit, zoom out a little bit.
[2:53:24] You would create some new parking lot in front of the existing facility and also of the
[2:53:29] new facility and repay pretty much the whole surrounding of the facility itself.
[2:53:35] in order to clean it up of the pavement and the cost system and opinion of
[2:53:43] probable cost based on COK to renovate and to do a brand new building you're
[2:53:50] looking about 5 mil and by the time you put all the new equipment new new office
[2:53:59] desk and furniture and do some testing for engineering and also for the
[2:54:05] arcade. You're looking about total of seven in total. Seven. Yes sir.
[2:54:13] And then
[2:54:14] real quick I know we had talked about the previous work that or the work
[2:54:19] that we're going to be doing right now as part of the I'm going to call it the
[2:54:23] semi renovations of the facility where we're going in there we're going to
[2:54:27] be doing the ceiling grids, new painting, new flooring, new lighting. I think right
[2:54:34] now, if I can say the number, I think we're totaling up to about $42,000, $46,000, and
[2:54:41] doing and kind of. The ceiling. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. And I think what we're looking
[2:54:45] also on the existing facilities, I know, replacing some monies, some additional costs.
[2:54:52] We're looking at also, you know, doing some paving work.
[2:54:55] We're on the back end of the building so that when they're driving up,
[2:54:58] you don't have that, some potholes and clean it up and also do some,
[2:55:02] the parking lot right there in the front, make it ADA and make sure that
[2:55:07] that we're meeting those requirements.
[2:55:10] And that's not including that 46 cave.
[2:55:13] And then we're also cleaning up the fence with the fence and the gate operator.
[2:55:17] later. We're going to also include that as part. Commissioner, I know that wasn't part
[2:55:21] of the last items that were discussed the last time, but we're also going to go in there
[2:55:25] and replace the swipe cards. Those are already all deteriorated, and then also the fencing
[2:55:31] in the back that's already leaning. We're going to go in there and start fixing that
[2:55:35] up and re-stretch the wire.
[2:55:40] And then also the landscaping. We're going to go in
[2:55:42] there and take out the rock that's all around the building, put in some
[2:55:47] irrigation, and put in some new grass and some
[2:55:52] landscaping to kind of clean it up a little bit. I think if you look at the
[2:55:56] total cost of that, you're probably going to be looking under a hundred
[2:55:59] K total. So the first 46,000 we've already approved? Yes ma'am. And so
[2:56:05] you're asking for the additional 46,000 today? I mean not 46,000 but to
[2:56:11] whatever it is, the delta of all of the other items.
[2:56:15] I would say total about 100K.
[2:56:16] Total about 100.
[2:56:17] So we're less, I mean, it depends on which kind of thing.
[2:56:20] And have you had the opportunity to check with Dale or Teresa
[2:56:24] to see where those additional, let's just call it,
[2:56:27] 50,000 could come from?
[2:56:29] Not yet, Judge.
[2:56:30] We're working on it.
[2:56:32] We kind of went out there and walked around
[2:56:35] and determined what we can do in order to get it up.
[2:56:39] So Dale, do you have a source that you could,
[2:56:41] I know I'm putting you on the spot here,
[2:56:43] but basically it'd be another 50,000.
[2:56:45] We've already approved 50,000.
[2:56:50] Is there another opportunity here for this 50
[2:56:54] that Juan is mentioning for these infrastructure
[2:56:56] improvements?
[2:56:57] Well, these are improvements that normally would come
[2:56:59] out of 1570, which is your building superintendent funds
[2:57:01] for your building maintenance repair services.
[2:57:03] But last time it was,
[2:57:06] Because that was getting very short of funds since we were here, so other funds we had
[2:57:13] to probably find them in 1570 as a general fund.
[2:57:19] Would you be willing to, you know, we could again look, at least give us the opportunity
[2:57:26] since we didn't know what the dollar amount was till right now, give us a chance to find
[2:57:32] those extra 50,000 so you could put it on an agenda item next court.
[2:57:35] for approval. And, Judge, if I can recommend, I don't, you know, I know Del said that we're
[2:57:42] getting on some of our building funds, but if I can use our building funds, we'll take
[2:57:47] care of the additional $50,000. Okay. All right. That seems like a fair deal.
[2:57:52] So I'll make the motion to... And just to keep the process going. Right. My only
[2:57:57] concern here is that I didn't get to hear you, or you're going to kind of do most
[2:58:02] to this work all in-house?
[2:58:04] We're doing some of it in-house, Judge.
[2:58:05] Some of it's going to be done by contractor.
[2:58:08] Contract.
[2:58:08] Yes, because that way we can get the project a lot.
[2:58:11] Our guys are busy right now.
[2:58:12] So we're going to try and get all of this done by contractors.
[2:58:16] By contractors.
[2:58:17] Yes, ma'am.
[2:58:17] There might be a little bit of a split,
[2:58:18] because I was hurting that there's some repair of the roads and stuff.
[2:58:22] So that's a different key code.
[2:58:24] It's repair and maintenance of the buildings and grounds.
[2:58:27] In other words, the equipment.
[2:58:29] So there's different codes.
[2:58:30] Right, and I don't think this is a problem, but one of my questions is so we own the building, but we don't own the land
[2:58:37] So I think that I'm certain they would be happy for the upgrade
[2:58:42] But would you also please coordinate with the hospital district?
[2:58:48] because they own the land and
[2:58:50] They would need to be consulted in all of this efforts, but as far as the total hundred thousand dollars
[2:58:58] which is really just 50 because the court already appropriated the 50 last
[2:59:02] court. How about if we make the motion that we approve of the of the work
[2:59:08] subject to a little bit of refinement of how these dollars will come and you
[2:59:14] could report on that next time. Yes ma'am. We'll coordinate with Dale and also with
[2:59:18] the hospital district just to make sure it's going on. That's my motion. Do you
[2:59:21] have a second? Is there a second? Second. The hospital district knows I'm already
[2:59:25] met with Johnny hip and you know he's got everything that we have so they're
[2:59:31] gonna look at it okay well at any rate Johnny's not the board the board needs to
[2:59:37] be it needs to be an agenda item it's needs to be an agenda item and we don't
[2:59:44] understand he knows that right we do projects jointly and so all those in
[2:59:49] favor signify by saying aye okay so the motion commissioner is last court we
[2:59:55] approved $50,000 for what I would call the ambiance pieces, the paint, the car.
[3:00:00] Carpet, the ceiling tiles, the flooring. Now this motion is to do these additional infrastructure
[3:00:06] pieces that would include irrigation, paving, awnings, landscape, cleaning of the fence. Juan,
[3:00:13] what else did I miss? The car readers. The car readers. I'm sorry, and the funding
[3:00:19] source was? Juan is going to work on his, he's going to do a little, probably a parceling
[3:00:24] of the both the road fund for the pavement
[3:00:28] and the building maintenance for the building.
[3:00:31] I'm good enough, thank you.
[3:00:32] All right, and I've got the motion
[3:00:33] and Gonzales has the second.
[3:00:35] All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[3:00:37] Aye.
[3:00:38] Thank you.
[3:00:39] Thank you, I'm appreciated.
[3:00:41] All right, and then the next, I'm actually going
[3:00:45] to ask the court to recognize that at one o'clock,
[3:00:48] we have a scheduled interview, and this is a good time
[3:00:51] to take a ladies' break, a bathroom break for everybody.
[3:00:55] And so it is a 12.57.
[3:01:00] By the way, that particular item is noticed.
[3:01:06] Give me just a second to find it.
[3:01:08] Where is it?
[3:01:09] In executive only, okay.
[3:01:12] So I'm going to have to go into executive session.
[3:01:15] So let me do all that right now.
[3:01:17] It's 12.57 p.m. for the record.
[3:01:20] And I'm giving notice that Commissioner's Court is going to go into executive session to discuss matters listed on the agenda
[3:01:28] when authorized by provisions of the Open Meetings Act Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code.
[3:01:33] So, Judge, are we doing all the executive sessions?
[3:01:35] I was just going to do the PIO.
[3:01:36] And then come back out.
[3:01:37] I mean, I'll take y'all's consideration.
[3:01:39] I'm going to go into executive session.
[3:01:41] I'm open to both.
[3:01:43] I just want to make sure that I give the magic words.
[3:01:46] And then we could have our pick.
[3:01:48] Yeah, I mean we just so that everybody kind of knows what to expect so I'm fine with just doing the PAO and coming back out
[3:01:54] I just want to let the audience and the people know that how long how long we might be in there
[3:01:57] That was all I was trying to gather get you got it for that got it. Well, yeah, we're interviewing just one
[3:02:02] But if we're all together we may as well just do executive session. Don't you think I don't either way
[3:02:07] I'm just I think we should I think we should oh we have to come back in and out
[3:02:11] All right. And so, again, just so you guys know, I've given public notice that we're
[3:02:17] going to go into executive session. We're authorized to do so, as I said, under the
[3:02:20] Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code and also in accordance with the authority
[3:02:25] of the government codes that are listed in the different sections that I'll list now
[3:02:29] for you 551-071-7273-7475-7686 and 87. We'll hold an executive session to consult
[3:02:38] with attorneys, including matters related to litigation, real property, gifts, personnel
[3:02:42] matters, termination, county advisory bodies, security devices, economic development negotiations,
[3:02:47] and other matters that may be discussed in executive session.
[3:02:50] Upon completion, we can take any item up in open section, open session that is deemed
[3:02:58] appropriate on items discussed in executive session.
[3:03:01] And again, I think I mentioned it, but it's 12.59 p.m., so we are gaveled out.
[3:03:06] we're going to ask everyone to clear the courtroom that doesn't need to come back on the record
[3:03:12] if it's okay, Kara, at 4.47 p.m. And so what we've got here is just coming out of executive
[3:03:20] session. And I'm going to kind of call them in, I'll try to do it in some semblance
[3:03:28] of order, although there's some tables as well. There's a motion to table item
[3:03:34] item C and D at this time? Is there a second? I'm sorry, Judge. I couldn't hear you. Okay.
[3:03:41] Item C and D at this time on Executive Session and they correspond, Kara, with agenda items,
[3:03:48] agenda items 11 and 12. So the motion is to table at this time until...
[3:03:56] And probably 13 also. And 13.
[3:03:59] They're all kind of related. They're all kind of related.
[3:04:01] And just yeah any and so we'll we'll table those
[3:04:10] And just for the record because there's no availability of the person related to that item to be here, that's correct
[3:04:18] till the 25th
[3:04:22] due to the yeah,
[3:04:27] and
[3:04:28] Would is there a second? I don't know if I heard it. I don't know made it. Yeah, there was all right all those in favor signify by saying aye
[3:04:35] aye
[3:04:36] okay, there is a
[3:04:37] an action on case number 221-CV210, George Martinez vs. Noyesis County, and is
[3:04:45] there a motion regarding the settlement demand? Motion to reject. All right, I'll
[3:04:50] second and to allow the county attorney to continue, correct? Yes. Okay. All those
[3:04:58] in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Okay. Are
[3:05:06] you going to table 14 also? Yes, I'm
[3:05:09] to do the table to item number 14, which was also brought into executive session, Kara.
[3:05:14] Motion to table.
[3:05:16] And I'll second.
[3:05:17] All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[3:05:19] Aye.
[3:05:19] Aye.
[3:05:20] Those same sign?
[3:05:21] Table.
[3:05:22] No, till the 25th.
[3:05:23] Okay.
[3:05:24] Sorry.
[3:05:24] Sorry.
[3:05:29] And so if we're kind of, hold on, let me just cross off these.
[3:05:33] So back on regular agenda, Kara, I'll come right back over there.
[3:05:36] but on regular agenda that takes care of 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 because 16 was the
[3:05:44] George Martinez.
[3:05:46] Right.
[3:05:46] Okay.
[3:05:47] Just to kind of for clarity.
[3:05:50] Are you with me?
[3:05:51] Yeah.
[3:05:52] Okay.
[3:05:52] That clears our regular agenda.
[3:05:53] Now I'm going to go back into executive session and tell you that there is also,
[3:06:02] well, hold on.
[3:06:04] It's the next one.
[3:06:05] And we can take it up when we get to human resources or we can do it now on the PIO.
[3:06:15] That's under human resources.
[3:06:16] You want to let's just wait, I guess, until we get there?
[3:06:21] Well, I know, but I'm saying there's an actual agenda item, F1.
[3:06:27] You want to do it when we get to F1?
[3:06:29] Sure.
[3:06:29] All right.
[3:06:30] So let's move to grants.
[3:06:31] There's no other action, by the way, that I see.
[3:06:36] What about seven?
[3:06:38] Were you going to bring back seven?
[3:06:40] That's right.
[3:06:41] That's right.
[3:06:42] Hold on.
[3:06:43] We've got seven.
[3:06:45] Seven is that,
[3:06:51] well, we said that the directive is to bring back on the 25th or as soon as
[3:06:57] possible, sort of the pros and cons, if you will,
[3:07:01] of a mitigation policy for Nueces County outlining and also ridden ridden
[3:07:18] you're
[3:07:20] gonna put them in writing this right but he's gonna submit that to the
[3:07:26] county attorney okay and so it's not really I mean I it's just it's just a
[3:07:35] But he's going to bring it back to us on the 25th.
[3:07:38] Or whenever the court, whenever the county attorney is ready to notice it again.
[3:07:42] I think I'd prefer that.
[3:07:44] Thank you.
[3:07:45] Okay.
[3:07:46] And then with that, we are going to move to grants.
[3:07:52] And there is an approval of amendment number one with the Texas Water Development Board
[3:07:57] relating the master plan drainage study.
[3:07:59] and this is a request from Texas Water Development Board to amend by by this
[3:08:07] amendment to clean up something in the original contract document which was the
[3:08:13] language on geographic identity for DD2. They had included the city of Driscoll
[3:08:19] inside DD2 and that's not correct. And there was also some...
[3:08:26] It was supposed to be, but we took them out, somebody took them out, I mean, but the original
[3:08:32] one was included in them, so...
[3:08:37] Well, this is a request by the Water Development Board, and in order for the contractors to
[3:08:41] get going and get paid, all we're doing is the Ministerial Act.
[3:08:45] What happens is that all state agencies use DocuSign, so in order to create the amendment...
[3:08:51] So you're going to eliminate a risk of completely...
[3:08:53] No, no, there's no elimination.
[3:08:55] It's just making certain that the geographic restriction is included inside the amendment.
[3:09:03] It's to help.
[3:09:05] And it's the request of Water Development Board, and they provided the information to public
[3:09:10] works and to us.
[3:09:12] And again, it's very important that we clean it up so that the people can get started
[3:09:19] on their contracts.
[3:09:20] I mean, it's ministerial at best.
[3:09:22] It's all it is, is them asking us to correct it.
[3:09:26] They're requesting it, absolutely.
[3:09:30] They are requesting it.
[3:09:32] They said they made an error in the DocuSign version,
[3:09:36] and therefore in order to send us a new DocuSign,
[3:09:39] they need us to acknowledge that they're going to send us a new DocuSign.
[3:09:42] That's what this amendment number one does.
[3:09:46] And it's outlined in the backup documentation.
[3:09:48] So, I'll make the motion to get this to Water Development Board, and of course, once we sign
[3:09:56] it, you'll get another copy of it, it'll probably be an agenda item as final execution.
[3:10:02] Is there a second?
[3:10:04] Second.
[3:10:04] Second.
[3:10:05] All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[3:10:08] Aye.
[3:10:08] Aye.
[3:10:09] Okay.
[3:10:10] On Public Works, you are up on with text dot regarding a resolution to approve advanced
[3:10:17] funding for the H-SIP program and the projects that were awarded to Noyesis County?
[3:10:23] That's correct, George. This is just an advance funding agreement between the
[3:10:27] county and Noyesis County and TixDot. These are four projects to put some
[3:10:33] advance warning signs in some of our county roads and this is a grant money
[3:10:39] that was I think was last year that was provided to the county for this
[3:10:44] So we're recommending the approval of the Advanced Funding Agreement.
[3:10:50] Okay.
[3:10:51] And also, it's the second part.
[3:10:53] You're also asking us to recommend, to authorize the recommendation of bidding of these projects.
[3:11:00] That's correct.
[3:11:01] That's correct.
[3:11:02] We're recommending them for bidding the project.
[3:11:05] The bidding process is handled by a tech start.
[3:11:08] Correct.
[3:11:08] So it's a two-phased motion and I'll make the motion to do both to enter into the advanced funding agreement with text dot and to
[3:11:16] Authorize the recommendation of the bidding process. There's a motion in a second all those in favor signify by saying aye
[3:11:23] Okay, if you'll recall earlier d1 was placed into consent
[3:11:27] So we've already
[3:11:29] Terminated that item and then we'll move on to the e items. They're all
[3:11:34] Dale from oh no we've got to sorry HR left but Dale take us through all right
[3:11:42] there's a motion to table e1 is there a second second I'm sorry commissioner this
[3:11:50] is the third time you received this the third time yes well I haven't had time
[3:11:54] to go through it Dale the last three courts of me you may provide this to you
[3:11:57] well I'm sorry it's the third time remittant table I think I think the
[3:12:02] issue for Dale is that he's trying to close out his fiscal year of twenty one
[3:12:06] year we're just trying to get to the proof this is the third time it's been
[3:12:08] tabled and this is the third time I provide this to you well sorry there's
[3:12:12] some bills here that I have questions okay well okay there is a table there's
[3:12:21] a motion I have to recognize the motion is there a second okay and and then I'd
[3:12:28] I think Dale on that about about the food and pulling all that out. All that information there
[3:12:33] Wow, that's all there. No, no
[3:12:37] Deputy how can I yeah, how can I vote on it separately?
[3:12:41] That's what I this that these are all credit card transactions these transactions already been done
[3:12:45] Most of the information you've been requesting for was discussed about five courts ago when we had this issue
[3:12:50] We come before the media I get that I'm saying I've viewed it. I'm not making that same discussion, but I'm saying
[3:12:59] And also this is a report.
[3:13:03] You're not voting on the transaction.
[3:13:05] That's already occurred.
[3:13:06] This is just the report.
[3:13:07] But we're approving it, and I have some issues with some of the food charges.
[3:13:11] I know, but you're just approving the discussion of the report.
[3:13:16] I think I sent you an email down and said something, and I go back and pull it and said something effective.
[3:13:20] How do I vote differently on the food issues that I have
[3:13:25] that I don't think we ought to be buying food with taxpayer dollars.
[3:13:28] But you did that already.
[3:13:30] This is not the approval of the thing.
[3:13:31] This is the report that showcases what the report is.
[3:13:35] Why would you vote against the veracity of the report?
[3:13:39] The transaction occurred.
[3:13:41] You already registered your vote on the transaction.
[3:13:44] This is the says, this report is accurate.
[3:13:48] This is the second report you're giving us, Deb?
[3:13:50] The third.
[3:13:50] I mean, as far as the food report is taken, is this second or third time I'm giving this
[3:14:00] report for this month?
[3:14:03] The financial or for the food?
[3:14:04] The financial.
[3:14:05] It includes the food.
[3:14:06] All this is, is the report for the item you're asking for, the one transaction, then this
[3:14:11] is the breakdown of all the transactions of who has a P card, and then I would grant
[3:14:14] the transaction for all food transactions for last fiscal year and current fiscal
[3:14:17] year.
[3:14:18] And to be clear, what you object to, Commissioner Chesney, so that we can clear, you object to FEMA public assistance, which is a federal funded program.
[3:14:30] You object to that taxpayer dollars being funding these foods, because it's not in Oasis County taxpayer through their ad valorem.
[3:14:39] It's our federal funds that are being used to pay for these foods for the volunteers.
[3:14:44] I'm trying not to get into another battle.
[3:14:45] I know it. I'm just trying to make sure. It's kind of misleading when you say the taxpayer,
[3:14:51] the Noyses County taxpayer is not paying for this food. FEMA public assistance pays 100%
[3:14:57] for food that was provided for vaccinations.
[3:15:00] Well, it is, but again, complain to your congressman because the Noyses County taxpayer, okay, the
[3:15:08] FEMA allows for it, and FEMA 100% provided for it, and that transaction, you've registered
[3:15:16] your vote. This is the financial report that accurately reflects what happened in the month
[3:15:20] of September. I mean, abstain if you don't want to approve the degree that it's kind
[3:15:27] of silly to not approve that, which is real. I mean, this is the actual report that our
[3:15:32] auditor has is presenting to us. That's my old stain. Okay. Well, sorry, but I think
[3:15:38] he had a table, so I got to go back. Motion and a second. All those in favor signify by
[3:15:45] saying aye. Aye. Okay. Opposed, no. No. What was the motion? He wants to table this
[3:15:53] report again and like bring it back next next week or two weeks from now so we
[3:16:00] can have time to review it and these are only I'm sorry I just want to be part of
[3:16:05] the discussion before voting so this this is just to clarify what's been spent
[3:16:09] but I guess the the objection if you if anyone can help me better understand is
[3:16:15] to just because it was spent the way that it was,
[3:16:21] and this is more, I guess, a policy reason not to support it?
[3:16:29] Or I'm just giving him time to do it.
[3:16:33] I mean, the report's no offense, but the report's late anyway.
[3:16:35] It was September from 21.
[3:16:37] We didn't get the first report till April, so it's behind
[3:16:39] and coming anyway.
[3:16:42] He wants more time to read it.
[3:16:43] I'm just giving him more time to read it.
[3:16:44] And then I'm just going to abstain later because of the,
[3:16:47] and I do have a question too though,
[3:16:48] but I don't want to interrupt John is,
[3:16:50] has FEMA reimbursed all this food money?
[3:16:52] We're so worried on it.
[3:16:53] So that hasn't been reimbursed yet.
[3:16:55] But it's already been approved.
[3:16:58] We have a letter of approval, FEMA PA for vaccinations,
[3:17:00] and it's already been submitted.
[3:17:02] It's pending in the portal.
[3:17:04] Can we have a copy of it?
[3:17:05] Yeah, we're going to ask for it.
[3:17:05] Has it been reimbursed?
[3:17:07] No, because that process is a process
[3:17:11] that's in the pipeline.
[3:17:13] but it has been already we get everything gets pre vetted for eligibility you don't
[3:17:19] even get to submit unless they permit you to submit I mean that's how you just
[3:17:23] said it was reimbursed I had not said it's reimbursable by FEMA well some has
[3:17:29] been reimbursed and some has not yet because it's in the portal just
[3:17:32] clearing it up so not all of it's been reimbursed again I'm again what
[3:17:37] there's confusion here this is a report that accurately reflects what our
[3:17:42] our expenditures are. That's all this report is. And if you want more time, then that's
[3:17:48] the table. That's the motion.
[3:17:50] So it may ask for legal clarification. What if we do not accept this report? What does
[3:17:56] that mean? Say ultimately in our next meeting, we finally get to vote on it and we say
[3:18:03] a majority of the quick votes against it. What does that mean for us? What does that
[3:18:06] do?
[3:18:07] That's a new question I can look into for you. I'm happy to.
[3:18:09] Can you please, if we can maybe get it before then, just curious more than anything, because
[3:18:15] I mean, I hear the concern we've had it brought up before, and so I understand that, but my
[3:18:21] worry is, you know, if it's a policy decision, then we need to change the policy on what's
[3:18:27] allowed to be purchased with the P card.
[3:18:29] But if it's already done and it falls within our policy, then to me it seems like it's
[3:18:34] just, we need to just accept it.
[3:18:36] So that, that would be, you know, trying to take a little bit more practical approach to it is, I mean, I hear the concern, but
[3:18:43] if it's done, it's done, right? I mean, if we can't undo the charges, I mean, we're going to be obligated to pay, or we already have at this point. Is that correct, Dale?
[3:18:52] That's correct.
[3:18:53] Okay. So, I mean,
[3:18:54] Dale, how do we know it's in the portal?
[3:18:57] You know, to ask grants, grants limits the payments through the FEMA PA. It's a grant application.
[3:19:03] Do they get something in writing from them?
[3:19:05] It's in our grant portals.
[3:19:10] I like to have a copy of whatever it is.
[3:19:14] And I have to ask, though, because I mean, you're usually pretty calm, cool, and collected,
[3:19:19] but how often aren't these reports supposed to be due quicker than we're getting them?
[3:19:23] We try to get the balances because as we get to towards the end of the year, if we
[3:19:27] go to the next reports, we can't give you balancing information, and that's the most
[3:19:31] important information we can provide to you.
[3:19:33] We're working on revising this report so we can get to you on a monthly basis
[3:19:38] as required, but as we said before, the information we provide you won't be very accurate.
[3:19:44] Right.
[3:19:45] I'm just saying my understanding is that we're supposed to get these reports a little quicker
[3:19:50] than we're getting them since we didn't really get this.
[3:19:51] And we will, because we're going to start giving these to you very quickly, but again,
[3:19:54] the information won't be very accurate.
[3:19:55] So respectfully, I mean, it was behind – we didn't get it until, I'm going to
[3:20:01] say April, and it's a September of 21 report.
[3:20:04] So if Commissioner Nanes needs a little more time, I think it's inappropriate
[3:20:07] appropriate for you to get real upset at him, since we're waiting patiently and not getting
[3:20:12] upset at you and we're not getting the reports until six months after the end of the day.
[3:20:16] So I mean, let's be fair here, guys, I mean, it may just be a report, but people still,
[3:20:22] when you vote on a report, that means you're voting to approve a report, and if one commissioner
[3:20:26] hadn't had a time to look at it with thousands and thousands and thousands of pages of
[3:20:30] stuff we get, I've got no problem letting him look at that and having the time to
[3:20:35] do that just like I don't get on I don't get on Dale for the fact that you know
[3:20:40] this September 21 report should have been gotten to us a lot sooner than it did
[3:20:43] either so I mean let's just I think we just need to move on and everybody
[3:20:47] calmed down and let's go home.
[3:20:52] I'll drink to that. Irony voted. You've already voted.
[3:20:56] Yeah thanks. Thanks.
[3:21:02] Discuss and consider postage as an addition to
[3:21:06] vendor payments, exception list, not requiring Commissioner's Court pre-approval.
[3:21:12] So this is part of our laundry list, Dale.
[3:21:14] You'd like to have postage.
[3:21:16] I'll make the motion to include postage.
[3:21:18] Yes, the only reason, because some of the time we had last time with some large jury
[3:21:23] out going out and some of the stuff, it required us to do a very large postage balance.
[3:21:28] And last time we had a lot of advance noses and not a particular issue, but sometimes
[3:21:32] We have to have it right away and our postage machine requirement. They require a check it almost immediately before they don't give you anything
[3:21:39] Got it
[3:21:41] Okay, so I've got the motion for postage to be included. Is there a second?
[3:21:46] All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. No, we've got a budget change order. It's number 11
[3:21:52] Judge, I'll just make a motion that we extend the meeting till 5 30. Is it after five? It is I'll take this as a second
[3:21:58] to 530s, all in favor?
[3:22:01] Aye.
[3:22:02] Aye.
[3:22:02] We'll go to 530 p.m. for the record.
[3:22:05] Go ahead on budget change order number 11.
[3:22:07] We are Mr.
[3:22:08] Number 11, and this is a very small one where there's only two departments that are requiring
[3:22:13] some changes.
[3:22:14] Department of 1900 and Department of 180.
[3:22:17] 1900 is because we started getting some of our new leased equipment.
[3:22:21] We didn't have the equipment to go inside this and we needed some different repairs
[3:22:25] and maintenance.
[3:22:26] We're moving the bouses around to cover the cost.
[3:22:29] It is a little high, but as you know, sometimes we get a lot of our cars in quickly for our
[3:22:32] leases, and the equipment going in there is very expensive, and we'll make sure that's
[3:22:37] appropriately budgeted next year.
[3:22:39] For Coastal Parks, we have a little bit of expenses going back between the two areas,
[3:22:43] whether Ivy McGee and Potty Bolly, and a little more travel expenses related to
[3:22:48] that expense.
[3:22:49] The funds are available there in professional services.
[3:22:51] This is the information they provide to me.
[3:22:53] I reviewed the information.
[3:22:54] It appears appropriate and I provided budget changing number 11 for your acceptance and approval.
[3:22:59] Okay, I have a motion to approve order number 11.
[3:23:02] Is there a second?
[3:23:04] Second.
[3:23:04] All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[3:23:07] Aye.
[3:23:07] Okay, now we've got 12.
[3:23:10] On budget change number 12, there's a couple of large items for juvenile.
[3:23:14] They have a lot of overtime because they have several vacancies similar to our jail.
[3:23:18] They need to cover some of their costs.
[3:23:20] They do have some savings in their size regulars to cover these these averages and we have a small little travel expenses for
[3:23:27] Mechanical maintenance or moving that from Department 1570 the funds are available for these requests
[3:23:33] We have reviewed these and they are appropriate
[3:23:35] We submit budget change your number 12 for your acceptance and approval and I motion to accept. Is there a second?
[3:23:42] Okay second all those in favor signify by saying aye. Hi. Okay, and then the capital project budget change order is next
[3:23:50] It's number 108 mostly they're just adding the additional the balances we have to create the project codes to be able to track the
[3:23:57] Expenses going into the our injuries savings that we currently have with a BM
[3:24:00] Those are all the new projects and they're coming from the 1924
[3:24:04] Unallocated funds that we have the other balances are in 1925, which is our 2021 CEOs
[3:24:10] the only thing new is our
[3:24:12] Packery
[3:24:14] Majority yards fuel tanks that we just had as new
[3:24:17] These are balances that are available for what we're asking for and I submit project change order number 108 for your acceptance and approval.
[3:24:29] All right, I'll move the acceptance of project change order number 108.
[3:24:35] It's a capital project change order.
[3:24:37] Is there a second?
[3:24:39] Project was it?
[3:24:41] Which one?
[3:24:42] Which capital project was that?
[3:24:44] We just did that one.
[3:24:45] That was the one that remains as a 21 COs it's a the fuel tanks we were mentioning earlier that the additional fuel fuel tank
[3:24:52] Does need to be replaced or a prayer so that we're adding a new one there and the judge
[3:24:58] Authorized the transfer of funds
[3:25:01] Fueled tanks. Yeah, the fuel tanks. Yeah, all right. So that's one oh eight
[3:25:07] I think I've got the motion on the floor and I'm looking for the second
[3:25:12] Yes
[3:25:12] Second.
[3:25:14] Quiet.
[3:25:14] They're getting quiet on me.
[3:25:15] I heard it.
[3:25:16] I'm not sure where, but I heard it.
[3:25:18] All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[3:25:20] Aye.
[3:25:21] Okay.
[3:25:21] The next one has to do with the retention supplemental pay.
[3:25:24] This is new verbiage, so we want to make sure we understand it.
[3:25:28] We just want to make sure we went through all of our payroll processing that we needed
[3:25:32] to have.
[3:25:32] We made sure our software was working correctly.
[3:25:35] We want to begin the retained supplemental pay for our individuals under our collective
[3:25:41] bar groomments as well as our cadets. This is 20% and it's based on their
[3:25:47] hourly set as they set them out based on their pay. It's not based on hours. There's
[3:25:52] no requirements for the rules for the premium pay. This is a subnoil retention
[3:25:57] pay. We're ready to begin. It'll start on the 16th, which is the
[3:26:03] very May 16th, and you should receive the first check on the 27th, and they
[3:26:07] You should receive a check thereafter every pay period.
[3:26:09] Got it.
[3:26:10] Every pay period.
[3:26:11] Every pay period.
[3:26:12] So this is really just, do you need us to go ahead and make that motion?
[3:26:18] Except that we're actually, except we've got the process done and we're ready to begin
[3:26:23] and we're ready to start.
[3:26:24] All right.
[3:26:24] So how long is this going to be?
[3:26:26] It's going to be through this fiscal year, next fiscal year because you all decide
[3:26:28] on two years.
[3:26:29] So I'll go ahead and make the motion to accept the retention supplemental pay.
[3:26:34] Well, we haven't decided on two years yet.
[3:26:35] Yes, we did. Last Court. So let's go ahead and make the motion. I'll make the motion to
[3:26:41] consent to accept the retention supplemental pay of 20% for Noices County law enforcement
[3:26:47] employees within the collective bargaining agreement, including cadets.
[3:26:52] To increase it. Is that what you're saying, Judge?
[3:26:54] No, it's just sort of the acceptance of the actual program that he's just outlined.
[3:27:01] The procedures. We're now able to pay the supplemental pay through payroll.
[3:27:05] That's the 20% of the retention.
[3:27:07] The same thing we did.
[3:27:08] He's just talking about the process, like how he's going to do it.
[3:27:11] It's going to pay it every paycheck.
[3:27:13] We changed it from premium pay to retention pay.
[3:27:16] And because the retention pay is a set amount, there's no hourly charge to it.
[3:27:20] We're able to actually pay it through payroll every pay period.
[3:27:22] I thought we increased the amount.
[3:27:25] No, we said 20.
[3:27:26] It's 20% for two fiscal years.
[3:27:28] The total amount is 40% is 20% for two years.
[3:27:30] for the two years.
[3:27:31] That's the 40.
[3:27:32] Yeah.
[3:27:32] And so he's just asking us to accept it, and so now start calling it what it is, which
[3:27:38] is retention.
[3:27:39] Second, if it hadn't been said.
[3:27:40] It was, by modest.
[3:27:41] All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[3:27:43] Aye.
[3:27:44] Are there any approval of payments that need to be discussed with the public health?
[3:27:48] Some routine expenses, again the final expenses from our health department for
[3:27:53] a little bit of salary and overtime, and some general operating expenses, these
[3:27:59] routine in nature. Okay thank you. Is there a motion?
[3:28:04] Okay I heard it twice so I'll take that motion in a
[3:28:06] second and the only discussion I have is that do you remember when we did the transfer there was
[3:28:12] vacancies and I'm just curious if there's still vacancies or if those a hundred percent filled?
[3:28:20] Do we know? Yeah we'll have to ask the city. Okay Jenny just looking for that information.
[3:28:25] We have not received any billing for the City County Health or 1115 waiver or any payment
[3:28:31] authorization for them to pay premium pay to the employees that were transferred.
[3:28:34] Understood.
[3:28:36] And the follow-up to that is that I do want to make certain that you remember there was
[3:28:43] that sick leave and vacation leave that we paid, say it again, and we paid that out
[3:28:49] and we plan to seek reimbursement from the hospital district.
[3:28:52] Yes.
[3:28:52] Okay, thank you.
[3:28:53] All those in favor, again, of the approval, the payments that were just mentioned and are
[3:28:59] listed in item number seven through February 2022, signified by saying aye.
[3:29:04] Your approval.
[3:29:05] The motion is for the approval.
[3:29:08] I got a motion and a second, right?
[3:29:10] Yeah.
[3:29:11] So we're all ayes on that one.
[3:29:12] Okay.
[3:29:13] And so now we have two items to discuss with Julie.
[3:29:17] She's here.
[3:29:18] Here, one of them is the applicant, the selection of the applicant to fill the position of PIO.
[3:29:24] And the second one has to do with, I'm guessing, I'm not sure, usually we don't downgrade,
[3:29:33] we upgrade, but you can explain that.
[3:29:37] But the first one is the application, I'm sorry, the selection of applicant to fill
[3:29:42] the position of PIO.
[3:29:44] Do we have to wait until John's back, Judge?
[3:29:46] Yes.
[3:29:46] That's fine. Can we go on to the district attorney felony chief position? It's pay group 43 to 41
[3:29:54] They were just doing some reorganization and wanted to bring a position down that
[3:30:00] Um, they felt was not paid correctly and so we're just correcting that.
[3:30:05] And this request comes from the district attorney?
[3:30:08] Yes, from on Helika Hernandez, well from the DA's office, but yes on Helika Hernandez,
[3:30:12] I believe put this on here and was requesting that.
[3:30:16] Well, you know, it seems like we're always asked to make certain those salaries are
[3:30:21] strong salaries and we've done such hard and good work getting it to 43.
[3:30:25] I'm – again, why is it – why are they doing that?
[3:30:29] I don't understand that.
[3:30:31] If you'd like to hear from her, I mean, we can do –
[3:30:33] I just – I mean, I'm just – I don't understand why that – why we're taking
[3:30:38] the salary down for felony prosecutors when we just put them up.
[3:30:41] Probably putting it somewhere else, maybe.
[3:30:42] Are they – do you know what they're doing with it, or –
[3:30:45] I – I –
[3:30:45] The backup was – hold on, let me see.
[3:30:48] F2.
[3:30:49] They're not losing – we're not losing what's going on.
[3:30:52] The big deal is that they came in here in force, a tour to force, asking for better pay,
[3:30:57] and I'm uncomfortable with lowering any lawyer's pay with the backlog.
[3:31:07] And also, it says they'll be salaried, see if it's –
[3:31:15] all right, well, I hope they don't
[3:31:17] come back and ask for the salary increase because they certainly asked for that the
[3:31:23] last time.
[3:31:26] Are all felonies – are this – is this consistent
[3:31:29] with their other felony prosecutors?
[3:31:31] Yes, that's correct.
[3:31:32] Okay.
[3:31:32] Well, then maybe that's the answer.
[3:31:35] To answer Commissioner Gonzalez, I don't believe it's a mistake as to what was posted here.
[3:31:41] I didn't put this agenda on there, the DA's office put it on there, but I believe that
[3:31:44] is correct.
[3:31:45] No, no, no.
[3:31:45] How do you say you make the mistake?
[3:31:46] No, no.
[3:31:47] I'm just letting you know that that is correct the way they wanted it.
[3:31:51] All right.
[3:31:51] So you're making the motion and you're making.
[3:31:54] It's subject to verification.
[3:31:55] It's what they want.
[3:31:56] Yeah.
[3:31:56] If that's what they want.
[3:31:57] Yeah.
[3:31:58] I just want to make sure we're not doing it.
[3:32:01] All those in favor signify by saying aye.
[3:32:04] Aye.
[3:32:06] Okay.
[3:32:07] It was ayes.
[3:32:11] The motion was Gonzales and he seconded it.
[3:32:16] And then the last human resource item before we go into closing for the day and into adjournments
[3:32:25] This is the discussion, consider the selection of the applicant to fill the position of PIO
[3:32:29] and I'll just tee it up by saying that we've had multiple weeks where we've had different
[3:32:34] interviews and excellent candidates across the board and this position has been budgeted
[3:32:42] I think for a year and a half and we're excited about having this office filled and
[3:32:49] And all the good work that can be messaged, all the good work that happens in Oasis County
[3:32:55] throughout Oasis County and throughout all the precincts.
[3:32:58] If I can move the elect Tyler Thornton, that's my motion.
[3:33:04] Second.
[3:33:04] I think his name is Thorson.
[3:33:06] Thorson.
[3:33:07] Thorson.
[3:33:08] Tyler Thorson.
[3:33:09] Yes, ma'am.
[3:33:10] There's a motion and a second to select Tyler Thorson and as the candidate to fill
[3:33:17] the PIO position. Can you second it? And all those in favor signify by saying aye.
[3:33:25] Aye. Okay. Opposed, same sign. All right. We're going to move to adjournments and memory.
[3:33:33] Thank you. You'll let Mr. Dorson know. Make sure he accepts
[3:33:36] it. It's obviously conditioned upon him accepting the position, right? And so we'll move to
[3:33:43] Germans in memory and I'll call upon Commissioner Valls at this time. I'm so sorry. I'm thinking
[3:33:49] about Mr. Valls, Commissioner Modest.
[3:33:54] I want to share passing of Luis A. Valls.
[3:34:02] He was raised
[3:34:03] in Alice, served in World War II, served in the Pacific Theater during World War II
[3:34:09] on the USS Jack Wilkie, that's also served in the Korean War.
[3:34:14] He relocated to Corpus Christi after the Navy service, and where he became one of the first
[3:34:19] Mexican Americans to join the Corpus Christi Fire Department.
[3:34:23] He served there for 29 years and was one of the first to serve ambulance calls for the
[3:34:28] newly formed EMT ambulance program.
[3:34:31] He married Olga Pena in 1958 in Alice.
[3:34:35] They were happily married for 64 years before her passing just three weeks prior to his
[3:34:41] passing.
[3:34:42] Mr. Vols was a proud member of the DAV, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Pan American Golf, and a loyal
[3:34:50] parishioner of our Lady of Perpetual Help, Catholic Church, for over 60 years.
[3:34:55] He is survived by his sons, Robert Richard John, Ed Ronde Vols, his sister, Bessie,
[3:35:06] He was preceding death by his parents, his beloved wife, and a brother who was killed
[3:35:13] in action during World War II, also by two sisters and three additional brothers.
[3:35:18] His rosary service will be held this evening at the Angeles funeral home, and he will
[3:35:30] be buried tomorrow at the Tulsa Bend Veteran Cemetery. And so, in lieu of flowers family
[3:35:37] asked for donations being made to Catholic Charities. My condolences to the Walls family.
[3:35:43] Thank you.
[3:35:46] Do any other commissioners have any adjournments?
[3:35:48] I do want to say a little bit on Mr. Walls also that Mr. Walls probably right now
[3:35:54] always have a bitch calling his face and now he's really joining his partner, his wife
[3:36:03] that passed three weeks ago, so now they're together and they really, really like to go
[3:36:11] gambling and in Cajada and they used to love to ride the bus over there and he
[3:36:23] would
[3:36:23] be missed, and he was very active in the community and always wouldn't help people out. So my
[3:36:31] condolences to DeWall's family, John particularly, and his family,
[3:36:38] our prayers and condolences.
[3:36:42] Do you have any adjournments of your own?
[3:36:45] No, ma'am.
[3:36:46] Do you have any adjournments?
[3:36:47] No, no, ma'am.
[3:36:47] And Chesney, Commissioner Chesney, do you have any?
[3:36:50] No, ma'am.
[3:36:50] Okay, I just have one.
[3:36:56] I'm also passing these down to you all as well that need to be done before you leave.
[3:37:04] So I've held on to this one because the last courts were either too long and we were racing
[3:37:10] out or too short and I didn't feel like it was fitting for such a great public servant.
[3:37:19] Augustine Gus Leija Rivera was 81 and he was surrounded by his family and their love
[3:37:24] when he passed away peacefully on April the 11th.
[3:37:27] He began an extraordinary life in 1940, on October the 2nd,
[3:37:31] in the humblest of settings, a barn just north of Port La Vaca.
[3:37:35] His father, Enrique Cortes Rivera, took the family
[3:37:38] to West Texas to pick cotton, but left his mother,
[3:37:41] Rafael Aleja Rivera, who was pregnant and soon due
[3:37:43] at Uncle's Farm where he was born.
[3:37:46] Early life was challenging as the family survived by working
[3:37:48] in the fields of South Texas doing seasonal farm work
[3:37:51] and moving farm to farm.
[3:37:53] His mother bore eleven children but three did not survive birth.
[3:37:57] Eventually the family moved into the big city of Driscoll and from the day Gus was old enough to work into the fields until his passing there was never a day that he was not working.
[3:38:06] Despite growing up with limited resources there was always good food to eat and brothers and sisters and cousins and friends who loved to laugh and have fun.
[3:38:14] The bonds and love of family and dear friendships remained strong for Gus and terrifically charismatic throughout his life.
[3:38:20] he could instantly be friend to stranger and he, always without exception, put family first.
[3:38:26] Gus attended public schools in Driscoll and loved learning, especially music, and he made
[3:38:30] friendships that lasted a lifetime. But as a student in a segregated school system, he was
[3:38:34] acutely aware of the systemic discrimination that kept Mexican Americans from educational
[3:38:39] advancement. Instead of deterring him, however, the experience would shape and motivate him
[3:38:43] throughout his life to always work and fight if necessary to make things better,
[3:38:47] to never settle for less and to never accept being told something that told
[3:38:53] something couldn't be done and to never give up.
[3:38:58] There's so many beautiful things
[3:39:00] here I'm going to move to some of the pieces that bring us to his life here
[3:39:05] in Noasis County. Gus was deeply committed to community service throughout
[3:39:12] his life and while living in Driscoll he made a lasting impact as a long
[3:39:16] Longtime Little League Baseball and Basketball Coach, Cubmaster and Scoutmaster.
[3:39:20] He served as President of the St. James Catholic Church Men's Club, Bishop Driscoll Little
[3:39:25] League, Driscoll PTA, Driscoll School Board, and decades later, many of the players, Gus
[3:39:30] Coach and Baseball, still reverently called him Coach when seeing him in public.
[3:39:35] As part of the lifelong drive to always improve himself, he enrolled and graduated
[3:39:38] from Delmar College of Police, Police, Science and Criminal Justice Program.
[3:39:42] he became a certified law enforcement officer and served as deputy constable in the Bishop
[3:39:47] Driscoll area in the early 1980s. This led to the opportunity of a lifetime for Gus when he
[3:39:52] applied for the court bailiff position with state district judge Max Bennett of the 319th district
[3:39:57] court. Dashing and confident and personable Gus explained his background during his interview,
[3:40:02] qualifications and desire to serve as court bailiff. The judge who had already made up
[3:40:07] his mind in 15 minutes into the interview had only one question for Gus. When can you start?
[3:40:12] This was the beginning of an exceptional career as court bailiff at the Noaces County Courthouse
[3:40:16] where he worked for Judge Bennett for 15 years and forged a special friendship with him that
[3:40:22] lasted until the very end of his life. After Judge Bennett retired, Gus worked as the bailiff
[3:40:27] for Judge Ida Bursell of the Title IVD Masters Court and always appreciated that special
[3:40:32] relationship. He made many friendship with lawyers from across the courthouse and was
[3:40:39] well-regarded by the bar for his exemplary professionalism, genuine collegiality, and uncanny
[3:40:44] knack for being able to predict a jury verdict. He earned the unofficial moniker of the 13th
[3:40:50] Jewer. Over the past four years, Gus fought truly a heroic and painful battle with Parkinson's
[3:40:57] until he couldn't fight anymore. But even at the end, he taught us all the virtue
[3:41:02] of never giving up and that life's joys are always worth fighting for. A person
[3:41:06] of faith for his entire life.
[3:41:08] Gospel believed he would ultimately be reunited with his beloved Carolina, but his indomitable
[3:41:13] spirit kept him from going gentle into that good night, and he raged against the dying
[3:41:18] of the light.
[3:41:19] In the end, though as he began to accept his well-earned rest, he passed with family
[3:41:24] present and the words of 2 Timothy 4 verses 6 through 8 and the lyrics of I can see
[3:41:30] clearly now to guide him home.
[3:41:33] The family wishes to note their deepest gratitude and love for Esmeralda Rivera, Gus's ever-faithful
[3:41:39] companion of the passing of his beloved Carolina, devoted grandmother to his grandchildren.
[3:41:44] His steadfast loyalty to extraordinary compassionate efforts in attending to Gus over the past
[3:41:48] four years will never ever be forgotten.
[3:41:51] There's so much more to say about Gus Rivera.
[3:41:54] I'm going to leave this with the court manager in hopes that I can prepare sort of a formal
[3:42:00] adjournment so that I might present to the Rivera family in its entirety.
[3:42:04] Thank you for court today.
[3:42:05] Thank you for the memory of Mr. Vols and Mr. Rivera.
[3:42:09] We stand adjourned at 526 p.m.