Apr 13, 2021 Commissioners Court

THIS REGULAR

[00:00:01]

[Call to Order]

UH, TODAY IS TUESDAY, APRIL 13TH, 2021.

IT'S NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, AND WE'RE IN THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT, UH, MEETING ROOM AND LOCATED IN THE COURTHOUSE ANNEX, UH, AS IS NORMAL.

WE'LL START OFF OUR, UH, DATE, OUR MEETING TODAY WITH THE PRAYER AND A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

AND PASTOR KYLE IS WITH US TODAY.

PASTOR, WOULD YOU, UH, OFFER US AN INVOCATION? AND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAMP THANK YOU FATHER.

WE THANK YOU LORD, THAT YOU ARE MIGHTY AND AWESOME.

GOD THAT YOU ARE FOLLOWED.

WE ASK YOUR BLESSING UPON OUR COUNTY FATHER IS OUR COUNTY MAKES THE CHOICES, DECISIONS TO DO THE THINGS THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN AND GROW OUR COUNTY IN THE WAY THAT YOU DESIRE.

FATHER BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES FOLLOW OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, FOLLOW EACH AND EVERY APARTMENT THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR COUNTY TO DO THE THINGS THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

LORD, WE SURRENDER ALL WE HAVE UNTO YOU AND WE LAID INTO FOOT LACROSSE.

AND LORD, WE ASK ALL THIS IN THE WONDERFUL, PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.

AMEN, MAN.

I'LL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGES.

AMERICA STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD.

TEXAS FLAG.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.

SURE.

UH, I'LL PUT IT UP WITH A PRAYER TODAY.

UM, WE WOULD NORMALLY AT THIS TIME HAVE REMARKS FROM VISITORS.

I DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY CARDS FROM ANYBODY.

UM, NEXT ITEM

[1. ROUTINE CORRESPONDENCE.]

UH, I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WE ARE FORMALLY BREAKING GROUND ON THE JUSTICE CENTER ON THE, OUT ON US, ONE 75, UH, AT THREE O'CLOCK TODAY, EVERYBODY IS INVITED, UH, WE'VE, UH, ARRANGED SOME REALLY GOOD WEATHER FOR US TODAY.

IF I MAY BE THE ONLY DEPENDABLE WEATHER OF THE WEEK.

SO, UH, ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US, THAT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT, UH, THAT'LL BE A GREAT EVENT AND LOTS OF FUN.

DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY ROUTINE CORRESPONDENCE? OKAY, THEN MOVING

[2. CONSENT AGENDA]

IS THERE, UH, ANYONE WANT TO PULL OFF A SPECIFIC ITEM FOR DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OR IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.

THE MOTION FOR APPROVAL LIST AS PRESENTED FROM COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS.

IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND FOR COMMISSIONER HUNT DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

THOSE POSE.

NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES NEXT

[3. District Attorney's Office; Discuss/Consider approving resolution designating April 18 -24 as National Crime Victims' Rights Week in Kaufman County.]

THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DISCUSSED CONSIDER APPROVING RESOLUTION DESIGNATED APRIL 18TH THROUGH 24TH AS NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK IN KAUFMAN COUNTY.

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE.

YOU MAY THANK YOU.

I WANTED TO ASK THE COMMISSIONERS AND TO PASS A RESOLUTION FROM THIS COURT DESIGNATING THE WEEK THAT IS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS CRIME VICTIMS, RIGHTS WEEK, APRIL 18TH, 24, 2021 MORNING COMMISSIONER.

UM, I CAN READ IT TO YOU, BUT I BELIEVE YOU GUYS HAVE A COPY ATTACHED TO YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO SINCE Y'ALL CAN READ, I'M JUST ASKING TO DESIGNATE THAT ALSO TO REMIND YOU, CAUSE YOU'VE ALL BEEN INVITED.

WE ARE HAVING A CRIME VICTIMS RECOGNITION LUNCHEON THIS YEAR.

AND SO ALL THE COUNTY OFFICIALS AND MOST OF THE COUNTY STAFF IS INVITED TO ATTEND THAT WE JUST NEED AN RSVP AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AT THE KAUFMAN CIVIC CENTER.

OKAY.

UH, JUDGE, I HAVE, UH, UH, NATIONALLY DONE, UH, RESOLUTION HERE.

AND SO WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS PASS THIS DOWN TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND WE'LL ALL SIGN IT AND I'LL GET THAT TO YOU.

VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO, UM, IF THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION DESIGNATED APRIL 18TH THROUGH 24TH AS NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK IN KAUFMAN COUNTY? WHERE THAT MOTION COMMISSIONER BARBERS OR SECOND I'LL SECOND, SECOND COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED? NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES

[4. Laura Peace; Discuss/ Consider / Approve purchase of feasibility study regarding the need for Kaufman County to build a Juvenile Detention Facility, (Part 1 of 2)]

WE HAVE A LARGER PIECE WITH THE ARCH, OUR CHIEF JUVENILE PROBATION, UH, HERE WITH US TO DISCUSS, CONSIDER APPROVED PURCHASE OF A SEAT FEASIBILITY STUDY REGARDING

[00:05:01]

YES, MA'AM GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

UH, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, OUR DETENTION SITUATION IS NOT ANY BETTER.

UH, IT'S GOING TO JUST CONTINUE TO GET WORSE.

SO I'M HERE TODAY, UM, AT THE REQUEST OF MY JUVENILE BOARD TO ASK FOR THE COMMISSIONERS TO APPROVE THAT WE DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY REGARDING THE NEED FOR KAUFMAN COUNTY TO HAVE A JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER ARE, UM, THE TENSION AVERAGE PER DAY KID PER DAY WENT UP 40% THIS YEAR.

SO IT'S A, IT'S A PRESSURE COOKER.

AND IF I COULD ADD JUST FROM THE PERSPECTIVE WE DO THE CASES, IT'S PRETTY UNUSUAL WHEN EVERY ALL OTHER CRIME IS TRENDING DOWN AND IT WAS JUST A UNIQUE SITUATION.

SO WE KNOW, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT 2020 WAS COVID.

SO THE MERE FACT THAT OUR CASES TICKED UP 40% IN THE JUVENILE ARENA IS LETTING US KNOW THAT IT'S A PROBLEM.

HAVING WORKED HERE IN THE COUNTY SINCE 2002.

AND LAURA, YOU GOT HERE WHEN 1984, 79, LET'S DO IT THE SECOND TIME FIVE.

SO FOUR YEARS WHEN HAVE JUVENILE BOARD MEETINGS IN THE PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD WERE VERY ATTENDANT TO WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS? YOU KNOW, IS THERE A CONCERN? AND LAURA'S LIKE, WE'RE GOOD.

WE'VE GOT ENOUGH SPACE.

WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THIS.

SO ONLY IN THE LAST YEAR, SHE SOUNDED THE ALARM AND SAYING THAT WE NEEDED A DETENTION CENTER AND WE NEED IT NOW.

AND SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WHEN IT MOVES FROM THE JUVENILE BOARD, WE'RE PUTTING THAT INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE AND WITH RESPONSIBILITY COMES A LIABILITY.

IF YOU DON'T MEET THE NEEDS, I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.

I JUST DON'T WANT TO OVERWHELM YOU WITH THE SAME INFORMATION THAT I PROVIDED BEFORE SERIOUS FELONY REFERRALS WERE UP 26% OF THIS PAST YEAR.

THAT'S DURING COVID THAT'S DURING A TIME WHEN STATEWIDE AND COUNTRYWIDE REFERRALS WERE DOWN, HOURS ARE UP 26%.

SO THERE'S JUST, I MEAN, THE NEED IS, THERE'S JUST NO OTHER WAY TO DESCRIBE THE NEED.

AND IT IS A PRESSURE COOKER.

IT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE ON MY PEOPLE AT MIDNIGHT.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? WHERE ARE WE GOING TO PUT THEM? UM, SO THIS IS A FEASIBILITY STUDY.

THIS WOULD PROVIDE THE GROUNDWORK FOR THIS, THIS COMMISSIONER COURT TO DECIDE WHAT THE NEXT MOVE SHOULD BE.

UM, AND, UH, I BELIEVE THAT WE REALLY NEED THAT.

I CAN ANECDOTALLY TELL YOU ALL DAY LONG WHILE WE NEED A DETENTION CENTER, BUT IT'S SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT AND POWERFUL.

IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHOSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DO AND THEY GET ALL THE DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE DATA TOGETHER, AND THEY SPEAK WITH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, AND THEN THEY PROVIDE YOU WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION, UH, JUST TO REFRESH EVERYONE'S MEMORY.

UM, AND FOR OTHERS WHO MAYBE HAVEN'T HEARD THIS BEFORE, THAT ARE MAYBE WATCHING ON OUR LIVE FEED.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE OUR, UH, WHEN WE HAVE A, UH, JUVENILE THAT HAS TO BE DETAINED.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE TAKE THEM AND WHAT THE, WHAT THE CURRENT STATUS OF AVAILABILITY IS.

AND THEN WHAT THE WORKLOAD IS ABOUT HAVING TO SEE SOMEBODY, HOW FAR, HOW FAR WE'RE HAVING TO TRAVEL TO SEE THEM AND THAT SORT OF THING.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT BE SURPRISED AT THE DISTANCE PRIOR TO 2016, WE HAD A CONTRACT WITH HUNT COUNTY AND IT WAS A CONTRACT IN WHICH THEY WOULD TAKE ANY KID I HAD, THEY WOULD NOT TURN ME DOWN.

WE HAD THAT TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP.

WE PREPAID FOR BED SPACE.

SO WE WERE INVESTING IN THEIR BUDGET.

IT SAYS IF WE WERE HELPING THEM MAINTAIN THEIR DETENTION CENTER AND WE HAD FULL ACCESS AS IF IT WERE OURS, WITHOUT THE LIABILITY.

AND, UM, JUST HAVING TO DRIVE 40 MILES, THEY CLOSED WHEN THEY CLOSED, WE BEGAN ENTERING INTO CONTRACTS WITH OTHER COUNTIES.

FIRST COUNTY WAS DALLAS COUNTY.

IT WAS GREAT FOR THE FIRST NINE MONTHS.

OTHER COUNTIES WERE ABLE TO EVENTUALLY GET CONTRACTS.

SO THEY GET FULL.

SO WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH MULTIPLE DETENTION CENTERS WE CURRENTLY USE.

AND WITHIN THE LAST MONTH I'VE HAD KIDS IN DALLAS COUNTY, GREISEN COUNTY, VANZANT COUNTY, WHICH IS GRAND SALINE, GREGG COUNTY, WHICH IS LONG VIEW.

SMITH COUNTY HAVE NOT STARTED TAKING KIDS AGAIN, BUT WE HAVE USED THEM FREQUENTLY BEFORE THEY SHUT DOWN TO US.

AND UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE HAD TO GO.

AS FAR AS MARSHALL, MARSHALL IS A REALLY GOOD FACILITY.

THEY TAKE OUR KIDS.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY EVER TURNED US DOWN.

UH, THEY HAD SEVERAL INCIDENCES WITH COVID THAT THEY HANDLED VERY WELL, BUT THAT'S SEVEN FACILITIES.

AND TO DRIVE

[00:10:01]

AND A LOT OF THESE SMALLER DEPARTMENTS AND EVEN SOME OF THE MEATY SIZED DEPARTMENTS, IT'S VERY BAD FOR THEIR COMMUNITY TO HAVE TO TAKE THEIR PEOPLE OFF THE STREET AND DO ALL OF THAT TRANSPORTING, UM, DETENTION, SOME DETENTION HEARINGS WE'RE ABLE TO DO VIA ZOOM, BUT NOT ALL THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS THAT RESPONSIBILITY.

AND IT IS I NOT FOR THEM.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE KIDS COMING FROM THREE OR FOUR FACILITIES FOR ONE HEARING.

SO THAT'S THREE PEOPLE GOING THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

AND FOR ME AS THE CHIEF, MY NAME'S ON EVERYTHING.

THOSE ARE MY KIDS.

I HAVE NO CONTROL, NO CONTROL.

DALLAS COUNTY MAY TAKE SEVEN TO 10 DAYS FOR THEY GET THEIR MEDICATION.

I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

I CAN COMPLAIN.

I CAN GO UP THERE, THEN CHANGE ANYTHING.

SO THAT'S THE STATE OF WHERE WE ARE IN, IN THERE'S NO, NO ONE ELSE IN THAT, NONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, NONE OF THOSE AGENCIES IS TALKING ABOUT ENLARGING THEIR BED SPACE.

NOBODY AROUND HERE IS TALKING ABOUT BUILDING A CENTER WHERE IT, UM, WHERE IT, AS A MATTER OF FACT, LIMESTONE CLOSED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, ANDERSON COUNTY CLOSED FACILITIES ARE CLOSING.

YOU'D HAVE TO ASK THEM WHY THEY APPARENTLY DON'T SAY THE TRAIN HEADED AT US THAT I SEE, BUT I HAVE DONE THIS OFF AND ON SINCE 1994 AND IT'S COMING.

AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK WE NEED TO BE TAKING STEPS TO SHOW THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE SITUATION AND WE'RE GATHERING MORE INFORMATION SO THAT THIS, THIS BODY CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ON THE BEST DIRECTION.

HOW, UH, JUST THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS, SO HOW OFTEN DO YOUR OFFICERS HAVE TO GO TO, UH, MARSHALL OR SHERMAN OR WHEREVER THE KIDS ARE? OH, FREQUENTLY WEEKLY, TWICE A WEEK, THREE TIMES A WEEK.

I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S NOT A DAILY, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I HAD SOMEONE GOING ONE DIRECTION, ONE WAY AND ANOTHER DIRECTION OTHER THAN TELL THEM HOW OFTEN WOULD YOU HAVE WINTER DETENTION STATUTE? A DETENTION HEARING IS REQUIRED WITHIN THE FIRST TWO DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL DETENTION.

OUR ORDER IS GOOD.

WE CAN LOCK UP A KID ON OUR ORDER WITH PROBABLE CAUSE FOR TWO DAYS AFTER THAT, A DETENTION HEARING IS REQUIRED IN FRONT OF THE JUVENILE JUDGE.

TYPICALLY THE CHILD IS PICKED UP BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, BROUGHT TO THE COURTROOM.

WE HAVE A HEARING.

IF THEY'RE DETAINED, THEY GO BACK.

THAT FIRST HEARING IS GOOD FOR 10 DAYS.

SO 10 DAYS FROM THAT DAY, THE SERIOUS OFFENSE, IT'S A MURDER.

WE KNOW WE NEED TO HOLD THEM IN 10 DAYS.

SHERIFF'S, PART'S GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK AND GET THAT KID AND BRING THEM BACK.

THEN.

EVERY SUBSEQUENT HEARING IS GOOD FOR 15 DAYS NOW.

UM, WE HAVE HELD KIDS OVER DURING COVID FOR MANY MONTHS.

THAT'S A LOT OF TRAVELING.

UM, SO, UH, AND DETENTION PERIODS LIKE THEY, OF COURSE THEY ARE REQUIRED BY LAW.

SO, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S JUST A LOT, UH, I CAN, WHEN WE GET THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY DONE, I CAN GO IN GREAT DETAIL OVER THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THEM RIGHT THERE FOR DETENTION HEARING.

WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ALL THAT.

WE GATHER MORE INFORMATION, WE'RE ABLE TO, TO ASSESS THE SITUATION SO MUCH BETTER BECAUSE WE HAVE THE KID RIGHT THERE WITH US.

BUT, UM, IT'S JUST BAD SITUATION AND YOU'RE NOT HEARING ABOUT IT.

AND THE REASON YOU'RE NOT HEARING ABOUT IS BECAUSE WE'RE DOING OUR JOB, POLICE ARE DOING THEIR JOB, BUT WE'RE GETTING TO THE SITUATION WHERE OFFICERS ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO LOCK UP EVERY KID THAT THEY THINK NEEDS TO BE LOCKED UP BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE TRANSPORT.

AND IT'S EASY FOR ME TO SAY, YEAH, WE WANT TO LOCK HIM UP, BUT THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE IT.

AND THAT'S THEIR CALL.

NOT MINE.

LAURA MIGHT BE, IT MIGHT BE STATING THE OBVIOUS, BUT, UM, I THINK MOST PEOPLE, UH, APPEAR UNDERSTAND, BUT WHAT'S THE CONSEQUENCES OF A DAY WHERE THERE'S NO BED SPACE FOR A KID.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE'S NO BED SPACE? UM, I CRY, UM, YOU, YOU, UM, THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO.

THERE IS NO RECOURSE.

I CAN NOT COMPEL ANOTHER AGENCY, ANOTHER DETENTION CENTER TO TAKE A CHILD IN IT OF OURS.

CAN'T BE DONE.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S RIGHT.

SO, SO IF THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO PLACE TO GO.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE, TO THE THEY'RE OUT IN THE STREETS OR ON THE STREETS? I HAVE HAD THAT SITUATION IN 1995, A KID SHOT AT THE COP TRYING TO KILL THE POLICE OFFICER KILLED THE CANINE UNIT.

I GET CALLED IN.

THEY CHARGED ME WITH ATTEMPTED CAPITAL MURDER, NO BEDS.

WE HAPPENED TO HAVE TWO BEDS IN HUNT COUNTY THAT WE OWN, WE PURCHASED.

I COULD MOVE KIDS IN AND OUT THAT DOES, THAT ONLY HAVE ONE DETENTION CENTER THAT ALLOWS NOW.

SO, UH, ON A HOLIDAY WEEKEND, I'M AT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

AND I DECIDE MY ONLY RECOURSE IS TO RELEASE A CHILD

[00:15:01]

I RELEASED HIM.

I HAD A LONG CONVERSATION WITH HIM, HIS DRUG DEALER, AND SWITCHED OUT, PUT THE ATTEMPTED CAPITAL MURDER IN PLACE OF THE DRUG DEALER.

WE HAD THE DRUG DEALER OUT.

FORTUNATELY, NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED.

CAN YOU IMAGINE ALL WEEKEND, I'M FRIED.

HE'S GOING TO GET, SHOOT OUT AND KILL SOMEBODY AND IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED.

I MEAN, OF COURSE I DROVE BY HIS HOUSE FREQUENTLY AND ALL OF THAT, BUT, UM, THERE IS NO ANSWER SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THEY DON'T WANT TO GO TO FEDERAL COURT.

I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LOCK UP A 15 YEAR OLD IN THEIR FACILITY AND WHAT'S THE STATUS IS ISN'T THERE A MOVE OR AT LEAST A CONSIDERATION TO RAISE THE ADULT AGE.

RIGHT? THE AGE TEXAS IS ONE OF THREE STATES NOW WHO CONSIDER 17 YEAR OLDS.

ADULTS WAS SEVEN THAT'S.

HOW MANY HAVE, HAVE NOW RAISED THE AGE? SO THAT WOULD JUST ENHANCE THE PROBLEM EXACERBATED ROUGHLY IT IS A LEGISLATIVE BILL THAT'S THERE.

AND SINCE EVERYTHING'S GOING TO CALENDAR, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.

AND THERE'S MORE THAN ONE.

SOME OF THEM WOULD JUST RE UH, RAISE THE AGE AND ADD THAT YEAR ONTO OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

SOME WOULD RAISE THE BOTTOM END AGE UP TO 12, WHICH WOULD NOT EASE OUR BURDEN.

VERY, VERY LITTLE, UM, 17 I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

AND THERE WERE 72 KIDS LAST YEAR PRIOR TO COVID THAT HAD BEEN IN THE JAIL THAT WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO DETAIN.

THAT'S NOT QUITE DOUBLE.

THAT'S A HUGE, HUGE IMPACT ON US.

NOW, SOME OF THOSE KIDS, WE MIGHT'VE RELEASED THAT WERE LOCKED UP BECAUSE I CAN GET BAIL THERE.

THEY CAN'T GET BAIL FROM US.

SO IT'S NOT A SPECIFIC NUMBER, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY AN INDICATION.

UM, IF WE DON'T, IF THEY RAISE THE AGE, IF THEY WERE TO RAISE THE AGE, THIS TIME, WE'RE IN TROUBLE.

I MEAN, WE'RE JUST IN TROUBLE AND EVERYONE ELSE IS TOO, THAT DOESN'T HAVE THEIR OWN FACILITY.

IF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN FACILITY, YOU CONTROL YOUR FIGHT.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONTRACT WITH ANYONE.

IF YOU WANT TO OPEN UP SOME MORE BEDS, YOU CAN DO THAT.

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THE RISK OF NOT FOLLOWING STANDARDS, BECAUSE IT'S AN EMERGENCY, YOU CAN DO THAT.

I DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT.

ALL I CAN DO IS CALL MY FRIENDS AND BAY.

AND AFTER 35 YEARS, I'VE GOT SOME, BUT THEY'RE RETIRING, THEY'RE LEAVING.

AND, UH, NOBODY'S WILLING TO BREAK THE LAW TO D TO THE TINY KID.

AND YOU'RE PUTTING PEOPLE ON, UM, YOU'RE PUTTING THEM IN A BAD SPOT WHEN YOU'RE BEGGING, WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE THE ROOM, UH, DALLAS COUNTY IS NOT GOING TO TAKE THEM.

DALLAS.

COUNTY'S TAKEN FEWER OF YOUR KIDS.

UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S A BAD SITUATION.

I DON'T IMAGINE DALLAS COUNTY HAS A CHOICE TO DO THAT.

I MEAN, THEY PROBABLY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

EVERYBODY ELSE.

THEY DO OPENED UP SOME NEW BEDS, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO TAKE ON WHAT EVERYBODY NEEDS, BUT THEY'RE FREQUENTLY FULL.

I MEAN, IN THE SITUATION WITH DALLAS COUNTY, UH, THEY HAVE THEY'VE, WE'VE HAD THIS JUST THIS PAST WEEK.

THEY HAVE A CHILD IN DETENTION AND AN AGENCY NEEDS TO COME TAKE FINGERPRINTS AND PROCESSES KID FOR A NEW OFFENSE.

DALLAS COUNTY WON'T ALLOW THEM BECAUSE OF COVID SO THAT ALL THAT POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN'T GET THEIR HANDS ON THAT KID TO PROCESS HIM FOR A NEW CRIME.

AND I, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CALLING ME, CAN YOU CALL THEM? I DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THAT.

I CAN CALL THEM, BUT I CAN'T FORCE THEM TO ALLOW YOU TO COME IN AND PROCESS THIS KID CAN'T THEY CAN GET PROCESSED.

HOW MANY KIDS DO WE HAVE ON AVERAGE THAT ARE TAKEN UP AVERAGE KID PER DAY IS 5.2 KIDS PER DAY.

FOR THE PAST YEAR, THE YEAR PRIOR, IT WAS 3.2 KIDS PER DAY.

THAT'S A 40% INCREASE.

SO, YOU KNOW, FIVE KIDS MIGHT NOT SAY LIKE A LOT UNTIL YOU'RE SITTING IN YOUR OFFICE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE ARE YOU GONNA PUT THEM? UH, YOU GET A CALL FOR SIX KIDS THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S A, UH, IT'S A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

IT'S A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THE COMMUNITY.

UM, FOR THE, I THINK FOR THE KIDS, I DON'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT TRANSPORTING CHILDREN UP AND DOWN THE ROAD.

SO, SO FREQUENTLY IT'S JUST, UH, IT'S PRESSURE ON THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

BUT IN TRUTH, SHE SEES THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY MORE KIDS WITH THE TANK THAT NOT NEEDED.

OH.

THAT WE DUMPED THE TIME BECAUSE WE DON'T FACILITY ABSOLUTELY WALKED IN.

AND SHE'D PROBABLY TELL YOU THAT SHE'S PUTTING LED MONITORS AND DOING EVERYTHING EXTRAORDINARY.

SO EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBERS SAY 5.2, IT'S HIGHER.

SO WE'RE JUST WORKING AROUND THE EDGES BECAUSE THERE'S NO SPACE.

WE KNOW THERE'S NO SPACE, SO YOU'RE HAVING THE LEAST WORST, BUT IN EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES, HOPING THAT HAPPENS AS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

AND SO THAT'S JUST WHAT YOU DO BECAUSE YOU'RE A PROFESSIONAL AND YOU JUST MANAGE CAN JUST, WOW,

[00:20:01]

I'M ONLY ASKING THAT BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP.

BUT THAT IS CERTAINLY UP TO THE PROVOCATIVE OF THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.

IF THEY CHOOSE TO, I GUESS, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S ABOUT A QUESTION IS WHY DO WE NEED TO DO IT BY THE MONEY FOR A STUDY? IF WE KNOW WE NEED ONE.

AND I THINK FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD IN COMMENTS AND STUFF, THAT WE'RE PRETTY MUCH COMMITTED TO DO SOMETHING.

SO WHY WASTE THE MONEY? AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTIONS THE COUNTY GOING TO PAY FOR IT ARE YOU CAN PAY FOR IT OUT OF THE STATE BUDGET, STATE BUDGET.

THERE'S NO MONEY FOR THIS AND THE STATE BUDGET IT'S FACILITIES AND STATE DOES IT DO THAT? WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE, IN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY? THE OTHER THING YOU GET OUT OF THAT AS YOU GET A SITE PLAN AND YOU GET A PLAN, A AND YOU GET SOME VERY CLEAR CUT DIRECTION ON SIZE, YOU NEED TO BUILD.

SO THERE ARE SOME, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT JUST, IT'S NOT JUST A RUBBER STAMP.

UH, IT WILL GIVE YOU MORE USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TYPE OF FACILITY, THE SIZE OF THE FACILITY.

UM, AND CAUSE WHAT WE GOT IT SAYS REGARDING THE NEED.

I MEAN, YEAH, WE KNOW WE NEED IT, SO THAT'S PART OF IT, BUT IT DOES, BUT THE END RESULT DOES INVOLVE A PLAN.

IT INVOLVES A, A PHYSICAL PLAN.

I DON'T WANT TO SAY A BLUEPRINT BECAUSE I'M DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ALL THE ENGINEERING, ALL THAT INVOLVED, BUT THERE IS A PLAN THAT AT THE END THAT IS DONE SPECIFICALLY FOR US, FOR OUR NEEDS.

SO IT'S NOT JUST SOMEBODY TO SAY, YEAH, YOU NEED IT.

THERE'S A LOT MORE INVOLVED.

UH, YOU'LL KIND OF TELL YOU ONE MORE THAN THAT.

AND THIS IS JUST DARK TRANSPORT, TRANSPORT PEOPLE, NOT WHO WE ARREST ON THE STREET AND TALK TO THEM AND THEN TRANSPORT IT IN 2019, 170 TRANSPORT, DEREK COVEN, WE DID 75.

SO THAT JUST TELLS YOU DOWN 20.

I MEAN, HOW MUCH WE'VE BEEN BUSY AND I'M TELLING YOU, THERE'S A LOT OF CASES THAT WE GET THAT ARE ASSAULTED.

THEY'RE NOT AGGRAVATING SOME STUFF THAT WE'VE GOT THE TURN OF BY FLIP.

AND THAT'S A PROBLEM WHEN WE'RE TURNING THESE OFFENSES OFF SOMEWHERE AND NOT GIVING AT LEAST A COUPLE OF DAYS WHERE THE COURTS CAN LOOK AT THEM.

I MEAN, SOMETIMES THAT TEAMS WITH A FEW HOURS, IT WILL HELP THEM ALONG WELL.

YEAH.

DOES THE, THAT DOES A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES.

YOU, THEY NEED A BREATHING PERIOD.

THEY NEEDED TIME OFF.

AND THEY, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I CAN'T WALK THOSE KIDS UP.

I MEAN, THERE ARE OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE WE WOULD TYPICALLY, IF WE HAD THE FACILITY, WE WOULD BE DETAINING THOSE KIDS.

YOU CAN EXPECT YOUR NUMBERS TO DEVILS BECAUSE SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO PICK UP THEIR KID AND THEY'RE GOING TO BRING THEM TO US.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAND US AN OFFICE REPORT AND THEY'RE GOING TO LEAVE.

THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT NOW.

THEY'RE NOT ARRESTING THOSE KIDS.

SO WE MAY OR MAY NOT DETAIN THAT KID, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT MORE KIDS TO TIME JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE THERE, YOU'RE OUT.

YOU'RE THERE, YOU'RE CLOSED, YOU'RE CONVENIENT AND IT CAN BE PROCESSED.

UH, NOW THERE ARE KIDS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DETAIN THAT I DON'T ATTAIN.

THAT'S TERRIBLE.

IT'S A TERRIBLE FAILING TO KNOW THIS IS THE BEST THING TO DO, BUT I CAN'T DO THE VERY BEST THING.

HOW WAS THAT DETERMINATION MADE, MAYBE JUDGE GREG, SPEAK TO THAT.

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO YOU'RE GOING TO DETAIN OR NOT THE DETAINED INITIALLY OR YEAH, COME ON UP INITIALLY.

THAT'S OUR IT'S JUVENILE PROBATION SUPERVISION.

WE HAVE FIVE REASONS THAT WE CAN DETAIN A CHILD, A DANGEROUS SELF OR OTHERS ACCUSED OF A FELONY, UH, PRIOR FELONY CONVICTION, UM, TRINA SMITH NOW THE OTHER TWO, BUT THOSE PRETTY MUCH FELT ALWAYS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD.

UH, SO WE INITIALLY, UH, WE ARE, OUR DETERMINATION IS GOOD FOR TWO DAYS, LIKE I SAID, AND THEN IT COMES TO JUDGE GRAY AND SHE HAS TO DECIDE, SHOULD THAT CHILD BE HELD OR NOT? SHE HAS HER OWN CRITERIA.

AND FOR WHAT SHE, YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS.

WHAT I LIKE TO SEE USUALLY IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF THE CHILD.

IT WILL GIVE US A PICTURE INTO THE CHILD'S HOME.

UM, ALSO WE'LL LOOK AT A HOME STUDY.

I DON'T LIKE RETURNING CHILDREN INTO HOMES WHERE IF THEY'RE NOT, IF THEY'RE MISSING CURFEW, IF THEY'RE A LOT OF TIMES, YOU'LL HAVE OFFENSES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

AND SO THERE ARE ISSUES WITH PARENTAL SUPERVISION OF THESE CHILDREN.

SO WE DO HOME STUDIES, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT JUST RETURNING KIDS BACK.

A LOT OF THESE KIDS WILL HAVE ANKLE MONITORS ON THEM.

THAT'S GOING TO BE MAINTAINED.

UM, I WILL SAY THAT THERE'VE BEEN SOME KIDS I'VE PUT UNFORTUNATELY, AN ANKLE MONITOR ON THEM BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO PUT THEM.

THEY WERE THE LOWEST, UM, OFFENSE THAT WE HAD.

AND MY FEAR WAS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO RUN AWAY.

QUITE FRANKLY, THAT THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE.

YOU CAN HAVE A LOWER LEVEL OFFENSE, BUT THE KIDS ARE RUNNER.

THEY'RE CONSTANTLY RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME.

WE HAVE TWO THIS MORNING WHO CUT THEIR ANKLE MONITORS OFF.

YEAH, THEY'RE IN THE WIND.

WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS HAPPENING ALL THE TIME.

I DON'T LIE.

I WOULD PREFER TO KEEP THEM IN DETENTION.

IF I DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO PUT THEM IN DETENTION, THIS IS THE BEST I CAN DO.

AND I HAVE TO MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS BASED ON THE POPULATION THAT WE HAVE, THE SPACE WE HAVE AVAILABLE.

AND JUVENILE PROBATION WILL, WILL TELL ME IF WE HAVE SPACE.

AND IF WE HAVE KIDS ON MURDER

[00:25:01]

AND THAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST YEAR.

AND, AND I THINK ANOTHER THING TO MAKE SENSE TO YOU, IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE JUVENILES FOR SAYS, THEY'RE HER KIDS.

WHEN THE JUDGE PUTS THESE KIDS ON PROBATION OR MONITOR, JUDGE, THEY'D LIKE YOU TO MOVE THEM WHEN THEY PUT THEM ON PROBATION OR THEY'RE MONITORED, THEY'RE IN THE PLACEMENT, A LOWER PIECE.

SO THOSE TWO KIDS THAT ARE IN THE WIND OR HER PLACEMENTS THAT SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.

I MEAN, WE THINK THEY'RE ALWAYS IN THE PROBLEM AND THE PARENTS AND, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO SCARE THE COMMISSIONERS, BUT IF IT'S HER PROBLEM, THEY'RE REALLY Y'ALL'S PROBLEM.

CAUSE IF THEY'RE PLACED WITH Y'ALL, THEY'RE REALLY PLACED WITH THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU KNOW NOW THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SPACE IN THE CHILDREN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW.

AND ALSO I WOULD SAY THAT, UH, A JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER WILL HAVE TREATMENT OPTIONS THAT WE COULD PROVIDE FOR CHILDREN THAT WE JUST ARE NOT DOING.

SO IF YOU HAVE A KID THAT HAS DRUG PROBLEMS, WHICH WE SEE QUITE OFTEN, AND THE JUDGE IS GOING TO TEST AND THEY TEST POSITIVE, WE HAVE LIMITED BED SPACE.

WHAT DID WE DO TO THAT KID? WE SEND THEM BACK HOME BECAUSE WE CAN'T GIVE THEM 24 HOURS IN THE DETENTION CENTER TO COOL OUT.

SO WE'RE THE KIDS KNOW THE SEC, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER CRIMINAL DEFENDANT, A JUVENILE KNOWS THE SYSTEM AND KNOWS WE DON'T HAVE RESOURCES BETTER THAN WE DID.

THEY KNOW WE HAVE ONE OF THE BED SPACE.

THEY KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET LOCKED UP.

IF THEY USE, THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AS WELL AS WE DID, IT'S CRIPPLED WHAT WE CAN DO AS FAR AS THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE TO ENFORCE PROBATION, ORDER A COURT ORDER.

IF YOU CANNOT IMPOSE A SANCTION, YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT, UH, WHAT YOU TELL THE KID OR WHAT YOU TEST OR WHAT YOU FIND OUT.

YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A CONSEQUENCE FOR A VIOLATION.

AND I'M NOT ABLE TO, I'M NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO DO THAT.

LAURA.

I KNOW THIS IS A TOUGH QUESTION, BUT WHY ARE, WHY ARE THESE OTHER JUVENILE FACILITIES CLOSING? DO THEY NOT HAVE THIS GROWING PROBLEM? LIKE A SEEMS GROWING LIKE KAUFMAN COUNTY, I'M SORRY.

LIMESTONE COUNTY IS NOT GROWING LIKE KAUFMAN COUNTY LIMESTONE.

COUNTY'S STEADY.

WE'RE GROWING.

WHAT WE'RE FEELING NOW IS WHAT WE'VE SAID FOR YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO FAIL IT.

WE'RE GOING TO FEEL IT.

UH, WELL NOW WE'RE FEELING IT.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT THOUSANDS OF NEW HOMES, NEW RESIDENTS.

THAT'S THE REASON WHY ANDERSON COUNTY IS NOT GROWING.

LIKE WE ARE.

AND YOU SAID HUNT, HUNT COUNTY CLOSE ARE THIS CLOSE TO NO, THEY CLOSED THEIR FACILITY AND THEY BECAME COMPETITION FOR BEDS WHEN THEY CLOSED THEIR FACILITY.

SO WHY DID THEY CALL? WELL, I CAN TELL YOU, I THINK WE SHOULD BE REAL HONEST.

UH, A DETENTION CENTER IS NO CAKEWALK.

WE RUN A DETENTION CENTER.

NO.

WELL, THE, THAT WITH THE, A QUESTION WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH JUVENILE, RIGHT? I MEAN, ANYBODY HAVE IN COMMON EXPENSIVE.

I MEAN, IT'S EXPENSIVE.

AND AT THE TIME THEY FELT LIKE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO MEET THEIR NEED, UH, IN A DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, BY, BY CONTRACTING.

WELL, IF, IF YOU HAVE A KID THAT YOU LOCK UP ONCE A WEEK OR EVERY TWO WEEKS, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO MEET THAT NEED, BUT I CANNOT MEET THAT NEED, UH, SEVEN FACILITIES IN COUNTY.

YEAH.

AND YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S THE HUMAN ASPECT OF IT.

OUR KIDS ARE ALL OVER NORTH TEXAS OWN EVERY DAY.

I MEAN, I'VE GOT KIDS SPREAD OUT EVERYWHERE.

WE HAD ONE DAY LAST YEAR WHERE WE HAD KIDS IN SEVEN DIFFERENT FACILITIES AT ONE POINT IN TIME, ALL OVER NORTH TEXAS, IT'S JUST, IT'S A, IT'S A LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT, UH, GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO.

I MEAN, I'VE DONE IT, BUT, UH, I'VE CERTAINLY NOT DOING MY JOB IF I DON'T COME TO YOU AND LET YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

THESE ARE OUR KIDS.

THESE ARE THE COUNTY'S KIDS.

THEY'RE ALL OUR KIDS.

AND IF THEY'RE HERE FROM THE MINUTE THEY COME IN THE DOOR, WE CAN START WORKING WITH THEM TO HOPEFULLY LESSEN THE CHANCES THAT THEY GO FURTHER IN THE SYSTEM, DALLAS COUNTY, IT'S A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE.

UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO WITH THE TREATMENT WE COULD PROVIDE JUST FROM THE INITIAL INTAKE COULD CHANGE LIVES, WHEELCHAIR WHEELCHAIR.

I HAVE NO DOUBT.

IF WE HAVE OUR OWN DETENTION CENTER, WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF KIDS IN THIS COUNTY FOR GENERATIONS.

THAT'S NOT AN OVERSTATEMENT AND THE SMELL AND YOU STUDY, ARE THEY GONNA, ARE THEY ALSO GONNA GIVE US THE COST OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST? THEY WILL IN THE FUTURE, HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST IN MEDICAL FIELDING.

I CAN TELL YOU THE COST OF WHAT IT'LL COST TO RUN IT.

THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE COST OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST TO BUILD.

AND I ALSO WOULD GIVE YOU THE, IF THEY WERE LOOKING AT MULTIPLE SITES, THEY WOULD BE GIVING YOU THE COST ON MULTIPLE SITES HAVING THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE BUILDING COST.

SO THEY WILL BE LOOKING AT COST AND COST.

AND WE KNOW IT'S FOUR,

[00:30:01]

SO LET'S SAY THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO, WE'RE NOT HAPPY WITH THIS ITEM, BUT, UH, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT THE COUNTY AS WE WERE, WE'RE REALLY DILIGENT ABOUT SPENDING TAXPAYERS' MONEY AND HAVING SOME SORT OF PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

AND SO, UH, RUTLAND, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOU'RE ON THE NEXT ITEM, BUT IT WAS JUST KIND OF A DUAL CONVERSATION.

JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ABOUT PROCURING THE SERVICES.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COST, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, IT'S COST US $140 A DAY TO DETAIN THEM.

IT'S COSTUMED THE DETENTION CENTER THAT HAS THAT KID $195.

SO THE COUNTIES THAT WE CONTRACT WITH ARE CARRYING SOME LOAD FOR OUR COUNTY.

SO BEFORE RAYLAND STARTS, WHAT, WHAT JUST BALLPARK, HOW MANY BEDS DO YOU, DOES THIS COUNTY MEET? I WANT 24 WITH THE ABILITY TO EXPAND TO 36 AND JUST BALLPARK FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT DOES THAT, WHAT'S THE INITIAL COST.

WHAT'S THE BUILD-OUT COST.

I KNOW YOU'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH 20 TO 22 MILLION IN A 1.2 TO 1.5 MILLION TO RUN IT.

YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RECOUP SOME OF THAT, NOT INITIALLY, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE OTHER COUNTIES THAT'S WITH AFRICA NOW.

YEAH.

BUT TO SHARPEN THOSE NUMBERS, TO SHARPEN THE OPERATING NUMBERS, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF, IS THAT GOING TO BE IN OUR REQUEST FOR QUOTE, IS THAT GOING TO, ARE WE GOING TO TELL THEM, WE WANT YOU TO GIVE US ESTIMATE OF BUILDING COSTS, THE ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY BEDS WE NEED AND ALL OF THAT.

THEY'RE GOING TO DO ALL OF THAT.

YES.

THEY'RE GOING TO DO ALL OF THAT.

YES.

THE, THE, UH, THE, THE OPERATIONAL COST, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THEY WOULD PUT INTO THAT, BUT I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER DETENTION CENTERS, NOT HAVE THEIRS WHO RUNS IT.

DOES THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT RUN IT? ARE YOU GUYS RUNNING IT? YEAH.

IT'S UNDER THE PURVIEW THAT YOU HAVE RESPONSIBILITY BOARD.

THE JUVENILE BOARD HAS RESPONSIBILITY OF HOW YOU ACHIEVE PASSING A BUDGET AND APPROVING POLICY AND PROCEDURES.

IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO BE SURE THAT IT'S, UH, UH, STAFFED ADEQUATELY.

THERE IS A DETENTION CENTER DIRECTOR WHO RUNS IT.

I SUPERVISE THAT PERSON.

SO IT WOULD BE NINE.

AND I'D BE TALKING TO THE SHERIFF FREQUENTLY.

UH, THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES THERE, BUT YES, IT WOULD BE HOURS.

AND IT'S THE JUVENILE BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY.

THE JUVENILE BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHERE THESE KIDS ARE DETAINED.

THE JUVENILE BOARD HAS TO CERTIFY FACILITY.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE PUTTING KIDS IN FACILITIES THAT ARE CERTIFIED BY OTHER JUVENILE BOARDS.

NOW, MY LEVEL OF TRUST PEOPLE IS LOW.

I CAN'T, I MEAN, I'VE JUST, I'VE HAD TOO MANY BAD THINGS.

SO I'M HAVING TO TRUST PEOPLE THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.

NOW.

WE GO TO THESE FACILITIES.

WHO'S ON OUR JUVENILE BOARD.

THE JUVENILE BOARD IS THROUGH, UH, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, JUDGE WILEY, JUDGE GRAY, JUVENILE CHURCH COUNTY JUDGE, THE TWO DISTRICT JUDGES, JUDGE, UH, GIBBS AND JUDGE BLAIR AND THE TWO AND THE OTHER COUNTY COURT AT LAW JUDGE, JUDGE RIDGE.

SO IT'S ALL THE JUDGES AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY COMMISSIONER THAT'S BY STATUTE, THE WAY IT WAS CREATED UNDER THE PRIOR, WHEN THEY CREATED THAT.

NO, I JUST THOUGHT IT'D BE IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THE BOARD IS MADE UP OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE A VESTED PROFESSIONAL INTEREST IN THIS, WHEN YOU DALE SANDERS.

HASN'T NO, THERE'S DICKS ON THAT.

SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE AN OUTSIDE AGENCY COMING IN.

WE DO ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE.

SO WE HAVE OUR OWN JAIL SANDERS AND SANDERS.

IT'S JUST, I'VE READ IT.

I HAVE A PERSON IN MY OFFICE.

THAT'S STUDYING IT, UH, BY THE TAIL RIGHT NOW.

UH, SO WE KNOW WHAT THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE STANDARDS ARE.

THEY CHANGE.

I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S LOTS OF ISSUES INVOLVED.

FOR EXAMPLE, DO WE WANT TO BUILD A FACILITY THAT IS PREA COMPLIANT, WHICH MEANS EIGHT STAFF TO ONE CHILD, OR ARE WE JUST GOING TO MEET THE STATE STANDARD, WHICH IS 12 CHILDREN TO ONE STAFF? WELL, PRE IS EXPENSIVE.

THAT'S A DECISION TO BE MADE DOWN THE ROAD.

THAT'S A PRISON RAPE ELIMINATION ACT.

THAT'S A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.

SOME OF THE FACILITIES WE HAVE KIDS IN ARE PRE-CERTIFIED.

SOME ARE NOT I, THAT, THAT HAS THAT'S PROBLEM FOR ME BECAUSE I'M PLACING KIDS IN TWO DIFFERENT STANDARDS.

SO, UM, A LOT OF ISSUES DOWN THE ROAD, THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, THE FIRST ISSUE IS TO KINDA GET, GET, GOING, GET SOME FOUNDATIONAL INFORMATION.

OKAY.

[5. Raylan Smith; Discuss/Consider funding for Kaufman County Juvenile Center Feasibility Study. (Part 1 of 2)]

IF SOMEBODY NEEDS A RIDE UP, I GUESS, LAURA, BUT HE WAS SOMEBODY WHO'S RIGHT UP WHAT WE WANT THIS STUDY TO PROVIDE.

SO

[00:35:01]

UM, I HAVE SENT OUT A QUOTE REQUEST TO THREE ADDITIONAL FIRMS, UM, REQUESTING THE SAME INFORMATION.

UM, IT'S A LOT OF RESEARCH REGARDING OUR COUNTY.

IT'S OBTAINING A LOT OF OUR NUMBERS, UH, PART OF THE BENEFIT TO HAVING THE FEASIBILITY STUDY DONE BEFORE THE RFQ, WHICH WOULD BE THE ARCHITECT DESIGN PHASE WOULD BE THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS INFORMATION IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO DURING THE RFQ PROCESS.

SO BASICALLY WHENEVER THE ARCHITECT IS DECIDED AND CHOSEN FOR THIS PROJECT, THE ARCHITECT UNDERSTANDS THAT THEY ARE AT A STARTING POINT.

THERE'S NO PROGRAMMING ONCE THEY BEGIN.

SO THEY IMMEDIATELY STEP IN TO BEGIN THE DESIGN PROCESS.

THERE WAS A SITE ALREADY DECIDED WE ALREADY KNOW THE PLACEMENT OF THE BUILDING.

THERE'S ALREADY SCHEMATICS OF THE BUILDING.

WE'VE ALREADY DECIDED THE SIZE.

SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF THAT PRE MEETING BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY PAID FOR THAT.

IT'S GOING TO REDUCE THE COST OF YOUR ARCHITECTURAL FIRM.

AND THAT WILL BE PART OF THE NEGOTIATION.

WHENEVER YOU GO TO YOUR ARCHITECT, UM, THAT ALL OF THOSE FEES ARE GOING TO BE, UM, NULL AND VOID.

SO, UM, THAT IS SOME BENEFIT TO DO IN THIS STUDY IS THAT, UM, ALL OF THIS INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED TO YOUR NEXT PHASE.

THAT WOULD ALREADY BE, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THIS STUDY, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO RELY ON THE ARCHITECT TO DO THE STUDY.

YEAH.

AND SO THEY WILL HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WILL, EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT THE CHOSEN ARCHITECT, WHOEVER THE ARCHITECT IS, THIS IS YOUR STARTING POINT.

WE WILL NOT RECREATE THE WHEEL.

SO, UM, WHAT I'M ASKING FOR, WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE FUNDING IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.

WHY NOT THEM? AND WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS PERMISSION TO EXPAND AN AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED THE 48,250, I'VE ALLOWED, UM, THE ADDITIONAL FIRMS, UH, TWO WEEKS TO SUBMIT THEIR QUOTES BECAUSE IT IS LESS THAN 50,000, SO IT WON'T BE BEDS.

UM, AND THEN THAT WAY WE WOULD BE COVERED AS FAR AS THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

SO YOUR EXPECTATION IS THAT WILL BE BRINGING THIS BACK TO US WITH THE YEAH.

TO LET YOU KNOW WHO THE FINAL YEAH.

TO LET YOU KNOW WHO THE FEDERAL FIRM WOULD BE.

AND THAT WOULD BE NEXT TUESDAY BECAUSE I WENT AHEAD AND SENT OUT THE QUOTES.

UM, AND SO I WOULD BRING BACK THE FIRM NEXT TUESDAY, BUT WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND ASK FOR PERMISSION REGARDING THE FUNDING.

THAT'S FUNNY, ONE TIME WE'RE SITTING HERE TALKING ABOUT WOULD BE A LOT BETTER BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING THESE BUILDINGS, KITCHEN, LAUNDRY, ALL THAT STUFF, THAT'S BIG MAKER DEALS.

IT'S SOMEWHAT CLOSE OUT THERE.

YOU WON'T HAVE TO BE ABLE TO KITCHEN.

WE CAN CONTRACT FOR FOOD.

WE'VE ALREADY GOT IT.

SO LET'S SAVING MONEY OF DOING THAT.

AND A LAUNDRY WRESTLER HAVE THEIR CLOTHES, I MEAN, ARE FULLY CHARGED TO DELIVER THAT STUFF, MEANING MEALS OVER THERE.

AND THEN YOU'RE NOT BUILDING A KITCHEN.

YOU'RE NOT BUILDING A BIG MARSHAL.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVE NO, HE'S GOING TO PROBABLY SAVE THIS FOR THE CONTRACT.

YEAH.

WHAT'S A, ISN'T THERE SOME LIMITS ABOUT, OR IS THERE SOME RESISTANCE TO BEING TOO CLOSE TO AN ADULT JAIL, SOUTH SEPARATIONS, SEPARATE ENTRANCES IN COMPLETELY SEPARATE STAFF.

FOR EXAMPLE, HIS DIALERS COULD NOT COME OVER AND WORK PART-TIME FOR ME, STUFFS CAN'T HANDLE IT.

CLOSE ENOUGH.

YOU CAN DRIVE, DRIVE LAUNDRY THAT WE'VE GOT CONTRACTS.

WE COULD DEFINITELY SHARE.

EDDIE HAS.

YEAH.

Y'ALL ALREADY HAD A MODEL WITH ALL OF IT.

YOU STILL GOTTA BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE $6 MILLION OF BAIL AND THE OPERATION OF IT.

I MEAN, NOT, NOT SAYING WELL, WE WENT AND WANTED TO, IT'S JUST, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.

JUST SO YOU KNOW, I HAD TALKED TO THE STATE MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT, IS THERE GOING TO BE MANY OUT THERE IN ANY FORM OR FASHION FOR FACILITIES? UH, 25, 30 YEARS AGO, I COULD PUT TOGETHER SOME MONEY AND NICE.

AND COUNTIES CAME TOGETHER AND BUILT FACILITIES I'M BEING TOLD.

NO, NO, NO, NO.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT STATE DOESN'T WANT TO GIVE ANY MONEY FOR ANYTHING.

THEN THEY WANT TO PASS IT ALONG.

THIS EXACTLY.

I GET THAT.

YES.

UM, ANY MORE ON THIS, BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE IS, UH,

[00:40:03]

AND THEN THE CONSIDERATION PART WOULD BE ON ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS RAELYNN'S PART, WHICH WOULD BE TO AUTHORIZE HER, TO RECEIVE THOSE QUOTES IN THE AMOUNT.

AND THAT WITH THAT, NONE OF THOSE WOULD BE IN EXCESS OF 48,000.

WHAT WAS IT? 250.

[4. Laura Peace; Discuss/ Consider / Approve purchase of feasibility study regarding the need for Kaufman County to build a Juvenile Detention Facility, (Part 2 of 2)]

SO LET'S DO ITEM FOUR FIRST JUST FOR PROCEDURE.

AND THAT IS DISCUSSED.

CONSIDER APPROVED PURCHASE OF A FEASIBILITY STUDY REGARDING THE NEED FOR COFFIN COUNTY TO BUILD A JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY.

I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO AUTHORIZE THAT PURCHASE IN THIS ITEM BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE AUTHORIZING THAT IN THE NEXT ITEM.

SO I WOULD ASK THE COURT IF MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION REGARDING ITEM FOUR, AND THEN WE PASS THAT ITEM, THIS TABLE, THEN WE'LL JUST PASS IT, I THINK.

AND WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ANY ACTION.

OKAY.

I DON'T HEAR A MOTION ON ITEM FOUR.

SO I

[5. Raylan Smith; Discuss/Consider funding for Kaufman County Juvenile Center Feasibility Study. (Part 2 of 2)]

AND, UH, RAYLAND IF YOU STATE THAT AMOUNT, JUST ONE MORE TIME, NOT 3,250.

OKAY.

SO WE WOULD DO $48,250 NOT TO EXCEED WOULD BE, WE'D BE AUTHORIZING FUNDING.

THAT'S HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE IN THAT.