Nov 28, 2023 Commissioners Court

[00:00:03]

WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE THIS

[Call to Order]

UH, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME ALL OF OUR VISITORS HERE THIS MORNING, AND IF YOU'RE WATCHING ONLINE, YOUTUBE.

SO WE'RE GONNA BEGIN WITH THE INVOCATION.

COMMISSIONER MOORE IS GONNA LEAD US IN THAT.

AND THEN COMMISSIONER BARBER'S GONNA LEAD US IN THE PLEDGES.

SO IF YOU WILL STAND WITH ME, PLEASE.

THAT'S FRANK.

MR. GRACIOUS, HEAVENLY FATHER ROY, WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY THAT WE'RE COMING TOGETHER AND THIS POSITION, LORD, THE SERVICES IN COLTON COUNTY.

WE ASK THAT YOU GIVE US THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE WISDOM TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON THE GOOD FOR THE COUNTY.

LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS WEEK, THE WEATHER THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.

THE, UH, THE BEAUTIFUL WEATHER, THE COOL WEATHER.

WE JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY.

WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR POLICE, FIRE, ALL THOSE THAT SERVE.

LORD, WE JUST GIVE YOU PRAISE FOR BEING OUR GOD AND JESUS' NAME.

AMEN.

AMEN.

AMEN.

AMEN.

I PLEDGE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH THE LIBERTY.

JUSTICE RULE.

HONOR, HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG.

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

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT.

DOES ANYONE

[1. ROUTINE CORRESPONDENCE.]

I'D LIKE TO SHARE.

GO AHEAD.

UH, I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH EVERYBODY THE, UH, THIS WEEKEND ON, UH, SATURDAY THE SECOND.

WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THE COUNTYWIDE CLEANUP THIS WEEK.

IT'S GONNA BE IN THE CAMP AREA AT THE ECO STATION.

SO IF ANYBODY HAS STUFF THEY WANNA DISPOSE OF, UH, THEY CAN COME OUT AND, UH, AND GET RID OF SOME OF THE JUNK AND STUFF AT THEIR PLACE.

SO IT WILL BE AT CAMP, AT THE ECO STATION.

SO, OKAY.

I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS.

WE HAVE ON, UH, DECEMBER THE FOURTH AT THE LANDMARK CHURCH OF CHRIST.

THERE WILL BE A, UH, LUNCHEON FOR THE, ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS IN KAMAN COUNTY FROM 1130 TO ONE O'CLOCK.

SO IF YOU'RE A FIRST RESPONDER HERE IN THE COUNTY, WE'D APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENDANCE FOR THE LUNCHEON.

AND I THINK LANCE IS GONNA BE THERE.

AND I'M NOT SURE WHO I KNOW OR EARLY JUDGE.

I'M GONNA BE, THERE'S GONNA BE THERE.

'CAUSE I'M GONNA BE THERE 'CAUSE I LIKE TO EAT.

MM-HMM.

, YOU'RE GONNA BE THERE.

YEAH.

IT'S FREE.

IT ALWAYS, THAT'S THE BEST PART.

THAT'S THE BEST PART.

OKAY.

SO ANYWAY, JUST A REMINDER OF THAT.

AND ALSO

[3. Judge Allen: Acknowledge Bobby Bridges,]

AND THIS IS IT.

AND SO WE WANNA CONGRATULATE ALL OF OUR MAINTENANCE GUYS WHO BUILT THIS THING.

UH, IT WAS TRULY, UH, OUTSTANDING FLOAT THAT Y'ALL DID.

MM-HMM.

A LOT OF WORK AND IT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

SO THANK YOU GUYS.

AND WHAT THEY DID WITH THE FLOAT AFTERWARDS.

OH YEAH.

WHAT'D Y'ALL DO? IS IT STILL AT THE POOR FARM? YEAH, WE PUT IT OUT THERE, THE FOUR FARM.

WE TOOK THE, UH, THE WATER TOWERS OFF AND GOT 'EM SET UP OUT THERE.

AND WE ALSO HAVE A LITTLE HOUSE TO BE BUILT.

YOU KNOW, WE PUT THE SIDEWALKS THROUGH THERE.

THE HOUSE SITS OVER THE TOP OF THE SIDEWALK, SO WHEN YOU WALK THE SIDEWALKS, YOU CAN KIND OF WALK THROUGH IT.

THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

AGAIN.

ANOTHER CENSUS.

NEED TO GO OUT THERE AND LOOK AT THAT.

ANYWAY, SO.

MM-HMM.

.

THAT'S JUST REALLY GOOD.

GOOD, GOOD.

ALSO ON THAT NOTE, UH, IF ALL YOU MAINTENANCE PEOPLE WILL COME DOWN FRONT AND WE'RE GONNA WANT YOU TO KEEP THIS AT YOUR SHOP.

'CAUSE YOU'RE THE ONES WHO EARNED IT.

OKAY.

THEY'RE ONLY THE ONES WHO WERE BUILDING.

WE WERE JUST, WE WERE JUST THE JOKERS WHO ROAD TO FLOAT.

OKAY.

Y'ALL COME DOWN HERE, WE'RE GONNA GET A PICTURE WITH THE TROPHY AND EVERYTHING.

I, UH, QUI WANTS TO WEAR THE COSTUME ALL THE TIME.

HE DOES .

IT'S NOT GOING HAPPEN.

NO, I ALREADY GAVE IT TO BOBBY.

HE WANTED IT SO BAD.

OKAY.

SO ALSO IT IN THIS OF THIS MONTH IS MR. BOBBY'S LAST DAY.

AND SO WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR ALL.

I'M GONNA READ IT.

DID I READ THIS, SIR? OH, , UH, THE BOBBY BRIDGES, UH, IS AWARDED A CERTIFICATE AND RECOGNITION FOR HIS OUTSTANDING SERVICE.

FOUND THIS EFFORT AND CONSTANT SUPPORT FOR THE COUNTY AND THE PROJECTS FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.

AND SO WE ALL SIGN THIS AND IT'S VERY MUCH

[00:05:01]

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU MR. S SIR.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE YOU.

ALRIGHT.

THANK THANKS, SIR.

YOU YES SIR.

I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU BUDDY.

I APPRECIATE YOU IN YOUR GOOD.

YEAH.

OKAY.

SO WE KINDA SKIPPED

[2. CONSENT AGENDA]

UH, DOES ANYONE HAD TIME TO LOOK AT IT AND REVIEW IT? ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OR CHANGES THAT YOU SEE? NOPE.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

AYE.

MR. PHILLIPS MAKES THE MOTION.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

MR. BARR, MAKE A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE.

MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU.

NOW WE GO

[4. Steve Howie: Discuss the flooding on Sunset Dr. that occurred on October 28, 2023.]

MR. STEVE HUEY DISCUSSED THE FLOODING ON SUNSET THAT OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 28TH, 2023.

AND WE ALSO AT THE SAME TIME HAVE MR. GEORGE HINKLE, WHO LIVES THERE, WHO WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW THINGS TO US ALSO.

SO, MR. HINKLE, IF YOU'LL COME ON UP AND WHEN STEVE IS THROUGH, THEN IT'LL BE YOUR TURN, SIR.

THANK YOU, JUDGE.

COMMISSIONERS, UH, MOST OF YOU REALIZE THAT ON OCTOBER 28TH, WE HAD WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED AN EXTRAORDINARY RAINFALL HERE IN THE KAUFMAN AREA.

UM, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THAT IS MOST LIKELY CONSIDERED A THOUSAND YEAR FLOOD EVENT.

UH, AT OUR OFFICE, WE GOT 10 INCHES OF RAIN IN EIGHT HOURS, WHICH IS A LOT.

AND MOST OF THE ROADS AND DRAINS AND DITCHES AND STUFF COULD NOT HANDLE THAT.

UH, AS, AS A RESULT, A LOT OF PLACES GOT FLOODED, GOT WATER IN 'EM, ONE OF 'EM BEING, UH, 1299 SUNSET DRIVE.

UH, AS OF NOW, THE RAIN HAS RECEDED, ALL THE WATER HAS RECEDED, AND MOVING BACK TO ITS NORMAL CONSERVATION LEVELS.

UH, THE FLOOD RETENTION STRUCTURE, WHICH IS THE DAM AT CEDAR CREEK SITE 61, WHICH IS A ADJOINING TO THE PROPERTY AT 1299 SUNSET, UH, IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE.

IT FUNCTIONED AS IT WAS SUPPOSED TO.

UM, IN YOUR PACKET THAT I PUT ON YOUR DESKS, IT GIVES YOU THE INFORMATION ON THAT.

IT WAS BUILT IN 1964 AND REFURBISHED IN 1973.

AND ACCORDING TO OUR LOCAL SOIL WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, IT IS WORKING PROPERLY AND DOING EXACTLY WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO.

PART OF THE PROBLEM AT 1299 SUNSET WAS THAT IT IS PART OF THE FLOOD EASEMENT HELD BY OUR SOIL WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT.

AND, UH, IT IS ALSO CONSIDERED A SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA BY THE FEMA FLOOD INSURANCE RATING MAP SYSTEM.

SO THE HEL WAS BUILT IN A FLOODPLAIN BY, I BELIEVE IT WAS A MR. RICHARD HALL BUILT IT, UH, IN ABOUT 2013.

IT'S IN THE FLOODPLAIN.

UH, I DID CONSULT, UH, MONIQUE, AND, UH, SHE SAID THEY DID A SEARCH, COULD FIND NO RECORD OF ANY APPLICATIONS OR ANYTHING AS FAR AS PERMITS FOR CONSTRUCTION IN A FLOODPLAIN.

SO APPARENTLY IT WAS BUILT WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE FROM THE COUNTY.

UM, THE ONE THING THAT I AM GONNA SAY IS THAT THIS IS FLOODED FIVE TIMES NOW AND IT WILL FLOOD AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S IN A FLOODPLAIN.

AND THAT SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT IF YOU'RE IN A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLATE, YOU ONLY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT ONCE EVERY A HUNDRED YEARS.

WELL, THAT'S MIS A MISUNDERSTANDING BECAUSE IN 20 15, 20 16, WE HAD 300 YEAR FLOODS IN LESS THAN 12 MONTHS.

SO IT JUST, WHENEVER THE RAINFALL HITS A CERTAIN LEVEL, THINGS ARE GONNA FLOOD IN THAT FLOODPLAIN.

SO, UH, WE DID MOBILIZE THE AMERICAN RED CROSS TO GO HELP FOLKS THAT WERE FLOODED OUT.

[00:10:01]

THE DOLLAR VALUES DID NOT REACH THE THRESHOLD FOR OUR COUNTY OR THE STATE.

SO THIS DIDN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A DECLARATION AT ANY LEVEL.

SO THERE WAS NO FEDERAL MONEY INVOLVED IN ASSISTANCE TO US AS A COUNTY FOR ROAD DAMAGE OR TO INDIVIDUALS FOR, FOR HOMES.

WE DID HAVE A TOTAL OF 20 HOMES THAT WE COULD CLASSIFY AS MAJOR DAMAGE OR DESTROYED.

UH, THE ONE ON SUNSET WAS ONE OF THOSE.

WE HAD TO HAVE 25 TO GET A SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DECLARATION.

AND TWO OF THE 20 ARE QUESTIONABLE AND WE JUST CAN'T FIND FIVE MORE HOMES TO, TO GET THAT.

WE HAVEN'T QUIT LOOKING.

WE STILL GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, BUT, UH, THAT'S ABOUT THE BEST WE COULD DO.

UH, CERTAINLY THERE WON'T BE ANY ASSISTANCE FROM FEMA OR ANY OF THEM.

UH, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I HAVE YOUR PACKETS HAVE SOME PICTURES AND DIAGRAMS OF THE, THE AREA.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE TO, WHAT IS OUR THRESHOLD DOWN TO GET FEDERAL ASSISTANCE? UH, FOR THE COUNTY IT'S 600 AND APPROXIMATELY $664,000.

A LITTLE OVER THAT.

UH, THE STATE IS APPROXIMATELY 64 OR $54 MILLION.

YEAH.

TO GET A FEDERAL DECLARATION, YOU HAVE TO HIT BOTH OF THEM.

RIGHT.

OKAY.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE IN A, WHEN YOU'RE IN A FLOODPLAIN, YOU CAN BUY FLOOD INSURANCE THROUGH THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM.

YEAH.

OKAY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STEVE? YEAH, JUST REAL QUICK, STEVE, UH, YOU TALKED TO THE FOLKS THAT, UH, LIVE ON CURTIS LANE AS WELL? YES, SIR.

UH, OKAY.

WELL, I TALKED TO ONE LADY THAT'S OVER THERE AND, UH, WE HAVE BEEN OVER THERE.

OKAY.

BUT WITH, WE CAN'T GO ONTO PRIVATE PROPERTY, BUT WE'VE LOOKED AND WE WE'RE NOT SEEING DAMAGE, BUT WE'VE BEEN TOLD THERE IS, I'VE GOT PICTURES OF HERE.

THEY LEFT WITH ME LAST WEEK.

OKAY.

THEY THOUGHT IT WAS MY PRECINCT.

IT TURNS OUT IT WAS COMMISSIONER HUNT'S, BUT HE'D ALREADY LEFT.

AND, UH, OF COURSE HE'S NOT HERE TODAY.

UH, BUT I DID ADVISE HIM ABOUT THIS AND TOLD HIM I'D GIVE THIS TO HIM WHEN HE GETS BACK.

BUT I HAVE, THERE'S LIKE SIX OR EIGHT PEOPLE HERE.

I HAVE THEIR PHONE NUMBERS, ADDRESSES, AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAMAGE THEY HAD, IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

IF YOU'LL PROVIDE US WITH A COPY OF THAT, WE'LL CERTAINLY GO OVER THERE AND CHECK 'EM OUT AND SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT NUMBER UP.

ALL RIGHT.

MAYBE YOU CAN GET YOUR OTHER FIVE THERE.

YEAH, I HOPE SO.

THERE YOU GO.

OKAY, JUDGE.

YES SIR.

ME AND STEVE ON HOW WE HANDLE THAT BECAUSE I'M TELLING THE TASK FORCE COME DOWN AND INSTANT COMMAND SYSTEM AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD IN STRUCTURE WORKED REALLY, REALLY WELL WITH THE FIRE IN OUR BACK.

SO THE JOINT OPERATION WENT REALLY WELL.

SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S HARD WORK.

AND HOW MANY RESCUES WERE DONE? I THINK THERE WERE 12 TOTAL.

UH, WHERE THEY ACTUALLY, AND I'M SAYING RESCUES AND EVACUATIONS, SOME PEOPLE PROBABLY COULD HAVE STAYED BUT, AND DIDN'T NEED TO BE EVACUATED, BUT THEY WANTED TO GET OUT OF THEIR HOMES FOR SAFETY SAKE.

SO I THINK THE NUMBER WAS 12 THAT THEY ACTUALLY WENT PICKED UP IN A BOAT AND BROUGHT BACK OUT.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU MR. HINKLE.

COME FORWARD.

PLEASE, SIR, YOU GAVE US A PACKET.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND WE HAVE TALKED EXTENSIVELY ON THE PHONE AND, UH, YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK, A LOT OF RESEARCH, WHICH MOST PEOPLE DON'T DO.

THEY JUST LIKE TO COMPLAIN.

BUT YOU'VE ACTUALLY DONE YOUR HOMEWORK AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

YES, SIR.

AND I'M NOT HERE TO BEAT ANYONE UP, JUST TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.

SURE.

I BELIEVE THAT MR. HUEY DID TRY HIS BEST.

AS HE STATED, THIS IS THE FIFTH FLOOD IN HIS CAREER ON MY PROPERTY.

UM, THE LAST INSPECTION DID ACTUALLY GET UPDATED THIS MONTH.

AND IT WAS IN 2017, SUPPOSED TO BE DONE EVERY FIVE YEARS.

THERE'S NOT BEEN ANOTHER ONE.

UM, IF HE NEEDS DOLLARS, THERE'S ALMOST $400,000 JUST AT MY HOME.

THAT'S UNINSURED COVERAGE DID NOT GET COVERED.

I LOST FOUR VEHICLES.

UM, MY WIFE, WE SOLD OUR BUSINESSES A YEAR AGO TO MOVE HERE TO TEXAS, TO THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH WE FEEL IS A GREAT COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE GOTTEN NOTHING BUT LOVE FROM Y'ALL.

I DON'T FEEL THIS RESERVOIR HAS BEEN ADEQUATE, ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED WITH THE GROWTH IN KAUFMAN AND THE CLEAN WATER RUNOFF THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE FOR EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ACTUALLY, MR. I'LL MAKE SURE I GET THE NAME RIGHT.

I'M NOT VERY, I HAD A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.

SO, YEAH, MR. HOWIE, UH, PUT INTO EFFECT WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE IS A HUNDRED AND, UH, 1,897 PAGES LONG.

AND IN THOSE 1,897 PAGES, IT SAYS THAT ALL NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE APPROVED IN KAUFMAN CITY OR COUNTY

[00:15:01]

MY HOME IS WITHIN ONE MILE OF MULTIPLE BRAND NEW NEIGHBORHOODS.

UM, ALMOST EVERYTHING FROM WHERE YOU GET TO THE INTERSTATE ON THIS SIDE, I HAVE PICTURES AND I WILL FORWARD THEM ON TO Y'ALL.

I'M SORRY I DIDN'T HAVE THEM TOGETHER TODAY.

I'VE BEEN SUFFERING C BUT I HAVE PICTURES AND DOCUMENTS SHOWING THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE WATER FROM THE STEEL PLANT TO THE INTERSTATE AND ALL THE WAY PAST WHERE I LIVE, RUNS INTO MY RESERVOIR.

RESERVOIR.

61 LAST TIME IT WAS MAINTENANCE WAS DUE TO A FAILURE PIPE IN 2017.

2019, THEY HAD ANOTHER FLOOD.

A PETITION WAS PASSED AROUND BY THE PRIOR OWNERS.

AND THAT PETITION, PETITION WAS TO FIX THE RESERVOIR.

THEN IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS.

AND I'M NOT STANDING HERE TRYING TO POINT FINGERS.

I JUST WANT SOMEONE TO TAKE ACTION.

SURE.

I, I MOVED FROM ALABAMA.

I SOLD MY BUSINESS.

MY WIFE SOLD HER BUSINESS.

WE MOVED HERE TO THIS TOWN.

I'VE BECOME A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH HERE.

IT'S AWESOME.

I'VE NEVER BEEN TO A COMMUNITY WHO HAD SO MANY BELIEVERS, SOLID CHRISTIANS IN IT.

AND MY WHOLE TIME AS BEING A CHRISTIAN, AND I REALLY WANT TO BE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.

MY FAMILY WANTS TO GROW UP HERE.

MY MY CHILDREN ARE GRADUATING FROM SCHOOL HERE.

WE WANT SOMEONE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE THAT'S AT HAND IS THAT THIS RESERVOIR IS TOO OLD, 69 YEARS OLD, AND IT HAS NOT BEEN REGULARLY TAKEN CARE OF.

UH, I CAN STAND HERE AND POINT FINGERS ALL DAY, BUT IT AIN'T GONNA DO ANY GOOD.

UM, I JUST WANT SOMEONE TO TAKE ACTION.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR.

I'LL HAND YOU ALL, I'LL FORWARD Y'ALL ALL THIS DOCUMENTATION THAT I DO HAVE.

I'M VERY, LIKE YOU SAID, VERY GOOD AT FINDING THIS.

THAT'S WHAT I DID AS A CB IN THE NAVY.

YOU'RE, YOU'RE VERY THOROUGH AND, AND THAT HELPS.

MOST PEOPLE JUST WANNA COME GRIPE.

BUT YOU NO, SIR.

I DON'T WANNA COME GRIPE.

I I WANNA LIVE HERE AND I DON'T WANNA STEP ON ANYBODY'S TOES OR POINT ANY FINGERS AT ANYONE WHO'S TRYING THEIR BEST TO DO THEIR JOB.

YEAH.

UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THERE, THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE WHO HAVE SLIPPED AND I'M TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THEM THE CHANCE TO STEP UP AND TAKE ACTION.

SURE.

AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.

AND WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN.

WE HAVE TWO PLACES WHERE I LIVE.

IT HAS THESE OLD CORE LAKES ON IT.

MM-HMM.

.

AND YOU KNOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT YOU WERE YES, SIR.

THE MILITARY.

SO YES, SIR.

SO YOU KNOW HOW THIS GO.

YES.

THERE'S FEDERAL IMMUNITY.

UNDERSTOOD.

WELL, IT'S JUST SLOW GETTING SOMEONE TO GET OFF A HIGH CENTER.

MM-HMM.

.

AND WE HAVE DONE A COUPLE OF THESE AND THERE'S SOME MORE IN THE WORKS.

YEAH.

UH, THERE'S ACTUALLY, UH, $30,000 EVERY TWO YEARS ALLOTTED TO MAINTENANCE FOR THESE FEDERAL SOIL CONSERVATION SITES TO THIS, THIS COUNTY.

YES.

NOW Y'ALL HAVE A BUNCH OF THESE SITES.

OH, YES SIR.

A LOT MORE LARGER SITES THAN THE FOUR ACRE RESERVOIR THAT I HAVE BEHIND MY HOUSE.

BUT TO CONSTRUCT A BRAND NEW RESERVOIR WOULD COST YOU LESS THAN $6,000 PER ACRE TO ME.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW TO ME WHY, WHAT IS A SPILLWAY OTHER THAN A 16 INCH RELIEF PIPE, WHICH ACTUALLY DOES NOT FIT THE EPA REGULATION FOR OVERFLOW PREVENTION.

AND I'VE TAKEN ELEVATIONS FROM THE PLACES ALONG THE EDGES OF THAT PROPERTY THAT I'M ALLOWED TO GET TO WITHOUT TRESPASSING.

THE PRI THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY HAVE NOT RETURNED MY CALL.

BUT THE ELEVATIONS THAT I'VE RECORDED, THEY'RE OUTRAGEOUS.

IF, IF IT WAS TO EVER GET TO THE TOP OF THAT LEVEE, IF THAT PIPE WAS TO EVER FAIL, I COUNTED SOMEWHERE AROUND 36 RESIDENTS AND ABOUT 14 DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE COMPLETELY FLOODED.

THESE ARE TAXPAYERS.

OH YEAH.

I MEAN, THIS MONEY THAT'S BEEN COMING FROM THIS NEIGHBORHOOD I LIVE IN FOR ALL THESE YEARS, AND TO ME IT'S, IT IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

AND I'M HERE TODAY JUST TO ASK Y'ALL PLEASE TO ADDRESS IT.

WE COULD DO THAT.

AND MR. HUEY, SIR, YOU'RE HIDING BACK THERE.

UH, WE NEED TO GET ON THIS AS QUICK AS WE CAN AND GET WITH, UH, OWEN OWEN SOON AS WE CAN AND GET SOMETHING GOING.

GET SOME NEW SURVEYS, MAYBE DONE ELEVATIONS, AND SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE.

AND ABOUT THE PIPE.

UH, SEE WHERE THE SCHEDULE IS ON THAT TO HELP GET IT OUT OF THERE QUICKER.

I KNOW THEY CAN'T PUT A HUGE PIPE IN THERE, OTHERWISE IT WOULDN'T SERVE ITS PURPOSE.

BUT, AND A LOT OF THESE OLD CORE LAKES HAVE FILLED IN WITH SILT OVER HERE.

YES SIR.

THEY HAVE IN JUNE AND JULY, I HAVE RECORDS OF EMAILS

[00:20:01]

I'M NOT CALLING ANY NAMES, TRYING TO ADDRESS IT DURING THE DRY SEASON WHEN THE RESERVOIR WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY EMPTY.

YEAH.

UM, THERE'S A POWER LINE RUNNING THROUGH THE RESERVOIR THAT'S AGAINST ALL.

THERE'S PROBABLY SEVEN POWER POLES THAT NORMALLY SIT IN STANDING WATER THAT'S NOT ALLOWED.

UM, AND THAT'S RIGHT OUTSIDE OF MY PROPERTY.

I HAVE MAPS OF MY PROPERTY THAT I WAS SOLD.

MY HOME SITS IN A 500 YEAR FLOW PLANE, WHICH I UNDERSTAND THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, 0.05% CHANCE ANNUALLY.

A HUNDRED YEAR, 1% CHANCE ANNUALLY.

I MOVED HERE A YEAR AGO.

MY FAMILY FOUND THAT 1%.

YEAH.

AND WE'VE LOST ALMOST EVERYTHING.

THEY'RE GONNA REBUILD OUR HOME.

BUT FOR WHAT IF THIS RESERVOIR IS NOT FIXED, IT'S NOT ADDRESSED.

YOU'RE BACK WHERE YOU WERE.

WHAT GOOD IS NO, I'M BELOW WHERE I WAS.

I'M OUT 20 YEARS OF A BUSINESS.

MY WIFE RAN FOR 20 PLUS YEARS.

I'M OUT.

EVERYTHING.

MY, MY CHILDREN ARE OUT EVERYTHING.

AND NOT ONLY ME, BUT OTHER RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY COULD BE AFFECTED.

WELL, THEY APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY AND SHARING THIS WITH US.

AND IF YOU FORWARD THIS TO ME YES SIR.

I'LL, I'LL MAKE SURE THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS GET A COPY.

I APPRECIATE YOU, SIR.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR TIME.

YES, SIR.

OKAY,

[5. Pam Corder: Discuss updates on the Pet Adoption Center.]

AND I THINK DALLAS WANTS TO SPEAK TO THIS AFTER PAM GETS THROUGH.

MR. DALLAS, IF YOU'LL COME UP.

YES, SIR.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING GENTLEMEN.

MORNING.

SO I'M HERE TODAY TO JUST GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE KAUFMAN COUNTY PET ADOPTION CENTER.

UM, UM, WE WERE ASKED TO CREATE ADVISORY BOARD AND WE HAVE DONE THAT.

WE'VE BEEN MEETING FOR EIGHT MONTHS.

UM, DURING OUR MEETINGS, WE HAVE OUR PRESIDENT OF OUR ADVISORY BOARD IS HERE.

UM, DURING OUR MEETINGS, WE DISCUSS, UM, THE DAILY OR THE MONTHLY RUNNING OF THE SHELTER.

AND WE WORK WITH THE STAFF.

UM, THEY GIVE US OUR FINANCIALS.

THEY TALK ABOUT THE INTAKES, THE ADOPTIONS AND ALL THAT INFORMATION THAT'S VERY PERTINENT TO KNOW HOW THE SHELTER ITSELF IS DOING.

WE WALK AROUND TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE ANIMALS ARE BEING CARED FOR.

AND BECAUSE WE ARE INVOLVED WITH THE SHELTER, WE GET LOTS OF PHONE CALLS, LOTS OF PHONE CALLS FROM THE COMMUNITY.

UM, THE ONE THING THAT WAS VERY VISIBLE TO OUR GROUP RIGHT OFF IN THE BEGINNING IS THAT WE, UM, TAKE IN MORE ANIMALS THAN WE HAVE KENNELS FOR.

SO OUR SHELTER WAS BUILT FOR 66 DOGS AND 58 CATS.

UM, SO THAT BREAKS IT DOWN TO ADOPTION.

WE ONLY HAVE 13 LARGE KENNELS AND 12 SMALL KENNEL.

UM, FOR DOGS FOR ADOPTION STRAY.

WE HAVE 19 LARGE AND 12 SMALL.

SO, UM, SO THAT, THAT'S A PROBLEM JUST RIGHT OFF THE BAT THAT WE ARE WORKING ON.

BUT WE'VE BEEN TRYING VERY HARD TO GET THE AWARENESS OUT AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO.

SO I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A PET OF THE, OF THE WEEK AND THE PAPERS.

WE HAVE, UM, KAUFMAN ISD VET TECH PROGRAM.

UH, THEY COME OUT TWICE, IF NOT THREE TIMES A WEEK ACCORDING TO WHAT'S GOING ON ON THEIR SCHEDULE.

AND THEY VOLUNTEER AT THE SHELTER.

AND WE DO HAVE A SMALL GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS COMING IN.

UM, AND FOSTERS, THAT'S WHERE WE NEED THE MOST HELP, IS WE NEED TO GET THE ANIMALS ONCE THEY'RE THERE, WE NEED TO GET THESE ANIMALS ADOPTED.

AND, UM, THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

SO WE HAD INTAKES OF 15 OR 1,590 ANIMALS LAST PHYSICAL YEAR.

WE ADOPTED 417 DOGS.

SO, UM, THAT'S THE DOGS CATS.

WE TOOK IN, UM, 557 CATS.

THAT'S NOT FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

WE DO NOT DO THAT.

THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THAT'S COMING IN OFF THE STREETS.

UM, AND WE ADOPTED OUT 307 CATS.

SO THE AWARENESS OF THE SHELTER IS STILL SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

WE ARE GONNA HAVE, UM, A TREE HERE IN THE ANNEX OFFICE AND WE'LL HAVE, UM, ADOPTABLE ANIMALS ON THERE.

AND A WISHLIST FOR THE BACK.

UM, OUR COMMITTEE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BRAINSTORM WITH THE, A, THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF NORTH TEXAS STAFF ABOUT WAYS TO, UM, TO BUILD THE ADOPTION AND THE FOSTER PROGRAMS. AND WE REALIZE THAT WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE SIZE BECAUSE WE ALREADY, WE ARE, WE HAVE THE BUILDING THE SIZE IT IS.

BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS TRY TO GET THE AWARENESS OUT TO GET MORE OF THOSE ANIMALS ADOPTED.

UM, THEY HAVE BEEN OFFERING A LOW COST, UM, SPAYED AND NEUTER.

SOME OF THEM ARE FREE VOUCHERS.

AND THEN RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE OPERATION PIT STOP GOING ON.

UM, WHEN WE GOT OUR LAST REPORT, THERE HAD BEEN 131 SURGERIES.

THIS IS ALL OF THEIR LOCATIONS.

SO THEY'RE IN THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA.

UM, THEY HAD 131 SURGERIES FREE THAT HAD BEEN DONE FOR PIT BULLS AND PIT BULL MIXES WITH A GOAL OF 500.

UH, LOW COST, UM, SHOT CLINICS HAVE BEEN DONE.

THE FIRST SERIES THERE WERE OVER

[00:25:01]

AND THIS LAST ONE WAS ABOUT 70.

SO THAT'S THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT JUST BY, YOU KNOW, PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON ON FACEBOOK, WE HAVE TRIED TO HAVE THAT PRESENCE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

AND THEY HAVE CAME.

SO I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO GIVE THAT UPDATE AND, UM, SEE IF THERE WERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAD FOR US AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO BY AND VISIT.

IS IT THERE, UM, A, UH, SUPPLEMENT PAYMENT TO 'EM IF THEY ADOPT OR FOSTER? IF THEY FOSTER? SO AT SOMETIMES THEY DO, UH, THEY WERE JUST RUNNING A FOSTER PROGRAM FOR CATS.

I BELIEVE IT WAS TWO 50, KELLY, IS THAT CORRECT? I THOUGHT THAT WAS FOR DOGS.

UM, UM, WELL THERE, THEY MAY HAVE MOVED ON TO DOGS NOW.

THEY HAD ONE FOR CATS.

AND, UM, IF YOU FOSTER KITTENS, THEN THERE'S A, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, UM, AN AMOUNT THAT THEY WILL GIVE YOU TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH ALL THE FOOD AND THE, UH, LITTER.

AND I WILL CHECK ON THE DOGS.

I'M NOT SURE IF THEY HAVE THAT PRO, THAT PROGRAM GOING RIGHT NOW.

I WAS THINKING IT WAS DOGS.

RIGHT.

I'M NOT SURE IF THEY HAVE THAT PROGRAM GOING RIGHT NOW.

BUT I DID GIVE YOU, UM, MONTHLY AND I THINK I'VE BEEN SHARING, I KNOW I'VE BEEN SHARING WITH YOU THE MINUTES FROM OUR MEETINGS AND THE FINANCIALS, BUT I GAVE YOU THE NOVEMBER TODAY SO YOU CAN KIND OF KEEP UP WITH THAT.

OKAY.

UH, PAM, I JUST SAID ON THE, UH, THE DEFICIT THERE, THE 14,451, HOW ARE THEY ABSORBING THAT? WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO MAKE THAT WORK? WELL, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE MOVING ANIMALS BACK TO THE, UM, TO THE OTHER SHELTERS.

AND SO AFTER A MEETING THE SUMMER WITH JUDGE, UM, IT, WE HAD DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD BE BEST TO ONLY OPERATE AT CAPACITY.

MM-HMM.

, THERE WAS A TIME THAT YOU WOULD WALK IN THE SHELTER AND THERE WERE KENNELS IN EVERY CORNER THERE COULD BE.

AND THEY HAD DOGS EVERYWHERE.

AND SO NOW OPERATING AT CAPACITY, WE THINK THAT'S GONNA HELP.

THE ONLY PROBLEM THERE IS THAT PUTS A LOAD ON THE SHERIFF AND ON, UM, MYSELF, BECAUSE THE PHONE CALLS THAT COME IN QUESTIONING AND COMPLAINING OF WHY CAN'T YOU COME PICK UP THESE ANIMALS? WHY CAN'T YOU COME PICK UP THIS DOG? UM, AND SO, UM, WE, WE DO HAVE A FEW RESIDENTS THAT COMPLAIN THAT WHEN THEY DO TAKE A DOG TO OWNER OR SURRENDER, UM, IF THEY DO GET TO GET IT IN, SOMETIMES IT COSTS THEM $300 TO OWNER OR SURRENDER A DOG.

AND SO THOSE ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT AREAS.

THE ADOPTION COST IS A LITTLE BIT HIGH, BUT THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO COVER BECAUSE THEIR ANIMALS ARE, ARE BEING SPAYED AND NEUTERED.

UM, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN WORK ON SOME PLANS OF MAYBE DOING MORE LOCAL SPAYED AND NEUTER IF OUR SHELTER JUST HAD A SURGERY ROOM AND THERE'S SO MANY IFS, IF WE COULD JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPACE.

WELL, ARE WE STILL, UM, USING THE FACILITY IN THERE? WHAT WAS IT A TOOL NOT USING THAT ANYMORE? NO, I JUST WONDERING, IS THAT AN OPTION? I MEAN, IS THAT SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK INTO AGAIN, MAYBE OR, UH, I DO, I'M WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW AS AN OPTION.

UH, AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA SET UP A SEPARATE AGENDA ITEM FOR THAT IN THE COMING WEEKS, SO OKAY.

TO DISCUSS THAT.

SO I HAD, I DO HAVE INFORMATION FROM THE SHELTER DEAL, SO I'LL SHARE THAT WITH YOU GUYS ONCE IT'S ON THE AGENDA.

ALRIGHT.

UH, LET ME ASK YOU THIS, PAM.

I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

HERE'S GOOD THINGS.

WHAT PROBLEMS HAS THE BOARD FOUND WITH THE ANIMAL SHELTER THAT'S BEEN DEALT WITH? SO I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE, THE MAIN PROBLEMS IS, UM, GOODNESS, THE, JUST THE AWARENESS AND, AND THE, UM, CUSTOMER SERVICE.

IF WE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE OF, UM, A FEELING OF THIS IS, THIS IS OUR SHELTER AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE COMING TO VOLUNTEER TO DONATE.

UM, THEY DON'T TAKE FOOD.

THEY ONLY CAN USE A CERTAIN FOOD.

UH, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO WOULD LOVE TO DONATE THE, THE LOCAL, UM, WALMART, THE TORN BAGS, THE TRACTOR SUPPLY, BUT THEY CAN'T DONATE THAT FOOD 'CAUSE THEY ONLY CAN USE A CERTAIN FOOD.

WHY IS THAT? THEY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH PURINA AND THAT IS WHO THEY BUY THEIR FOOD FROM AND THAT'S WHO THEY WORK WITH.

UM, SO ANIMAL SHELTER WON'T TAKE LIKE OLD ROY, OR NO, THEY DON'T.

OR ANY OTHER DOG WHO THAT SOMEBODY'D LIKE TO DONATE IF THEY DO TAKE SOME OF IT.

UM, I, I HAVE A HAVE HAD PEOPLE GO OVER THERE AND TELL THEM, ASK THEM TO SEND THIS BAG HOME WITH SOMEONE THAT JUST GOT ADOPTED.

YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT WAY THEY CAN KIND OF HAVE A HEAD START WITH THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LACKING.

AND, UM, JUST THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT SHELTER HAS REALLY BEEN ACCEPTED IN THIS COMMUNITY, UM, YET.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S A PROBLEM.

OKAY.

IT SEEMS LIKE, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'D BE BAD PUBLICITY FOR PURINA TELLING YOU THAT YOU COULDN'T TAKE ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO DONATE SOMETHING FREE.

AND I THINK MAYBE IF, MAYBE IF WE TOOK A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO IT AND CONTACTED PURINA OURSELVES AND SAID, HEY, WELL I THINK WE HAVE AN ISSUE.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

[00:30:01]

WELL, NO, BUT I MEAN, WE CAN'T, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE A THIRD PARTY ON THAT.

AND, AND YEAH, WE WOULDN'T DO THAT.

THE REASON I'M ASKING ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH IT IS I'VE BEEN RECEIVING PHONE CALLS IN MY OFFICE ABOUT, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS HEARSAY, SO I'M NOT GONNA GO THERE.

BUT ABOUT THE RUMOR IS THE REASON THAT THE ANIMAL SHELTER'S STRUGGLING WITH BEING ABLE TO MOVE THESE ANIMALS IS BECAUSE THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT REFUSES TO FUND IT.

THAT IS NOT THE TRUTH.

OKAY.

WE'RE GIVING THEM, BEFORE, WHEN WE WAS USING THE CEDAR CREEK DEAL, WE SPENDING ABOUT 170,000 A YEAR.

THE COUNTY WAS TO, TO TAKE CARE OF THESE ANIMALS.

AND CURRENTLY WE'RE SPENDING 228,000 A YEAR TO OPERATE THIS ANIMAL SHELTER.

AND PEOPLE'S BEING TOLD I CAN'T BRING THE ANIMALS THERE, THEY'VE BEEN, THEY'RE ACCORDING TO THESE PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S TRUE OR NOT, WE'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE COUNTY PEOPLE THAT THE, THE REASON WE CAN'T TAKE YOUR DOG IS COMMISSIONER'S COURT WILL NOT FUND THIS AND GIVE MORE MONEY.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE.

'CAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE AT ALL.

SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT PUBLICLY CLEARER HERE TODAY, THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT FUNDING.

IT'S, WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE MANAGEMENT SIDE OF IT AND HOW THAT'S BEING DEALT WITH.

SO THAT'S WHY I ASKED YOU, WHAT PROBLEMS HAS THE BOARD FOUND AND HOW ARE YOU ADDRESSING THEM? SO WHAT OTHER PROBLEMS DO YOU SEE THAT'S, WELL, I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL THIS WEEKEND OR OVER THE HOLIDAYS FROM A LADY WHO WENT TO TAKE HER DOG.

AND SHE WAS TOLD THAT, UM, BECAUSE OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY, SHE COULDN'T, COULDN'T, THEY COULDN'T TAKE HER DOG.

AND SO YEAH, THERE, THERE, THERE IS A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE MANAGEMENT.

WE, WE DON'T, UM, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET THE COMMUNICATION THAT WE SHOULD HAVE, UM, WITH THEM.

AND I, I JUST THINK THAT, LIKE I SAID IT, THE COMMUNITY HASN'T ACCEPTED IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL THE WELCOMING.

WELL I THINK IT'S TIME WE RECONSIDER THIS CONTRACT WITH THE HUMANE SOCIETY.

THAT TO ME IT HAS, HAS BEEN THE PROBLEM FROM THE GET GO.

I'VE SEEN THAT EVER SINCE THIS GOT STARTED THAT HAS NOT WORKED OUT, YOU KNOW.

MM-HMM.

.

OKAY.

SHERIFF, YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? ONE THING I SAY IS, IS WE WAS BEHIND THE CURB WHEN THE THING WERE BUILT.

'CAUSE WE PROVIDED THE NUMBERS.

THAT WAS GONNA BE ABOUT A HUNDRED.

'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WAS PICKING UP.

AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY WHEN THEY DID IT DOWN TO 60 SOMETHING.

SO THAT, THAT WAS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAD.

'CAUSE WE KNEW WE WERE HOW MANY ANIMALS WE WAS PICKING UP AND THEY BUILT IT TALLER THAN WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.

WELL, UH, WE DON'T GET INTO TOO MUCH OF THE WEEDS.

YEAH.

THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE GOING HERE.

SO, UH, PAM, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.

AND UH, WE DO NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS SO YOU CAN, CAN GO OUT THERE AND VOLUNTEER.

MM-HMM.

BLANKETS, ANYTHING TOYS, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT YOU MAY HAVE LAYING AROUND.

OKAY.

YOU ALWAYS NEED THOSE THINGS.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OKAY.

UH, MR. TOMMY PHILLIPS.

YOU GOT DALLAS.

OH, DALLAS.

I'M SORRY I DON'T COME ON UP.

DALLAS, YOU WANNA SPEAK? YOU COME ON UP.

I DOUBT.

I'M SORRY.

IT'S HARD TO FORGET YOU .

BUT HE DID.

.

SHERIFF.

SHERIFF.

REMEMBER HIM AS Y'ALL KNOW, UH, I'M HERE TO TALK, UH, FOR LISA JONES.

YES SIR.

WE SERVE VETERINARIAN.

ANYWAY, HERE'S WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY.

I LISTEN TO Y'ALL.

Y'ALL DOING A FINE JOB TO ME.

BUT ANYWAY, I AM A COFFIN RESIDENT AND I'M A VETERINARIAN.

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I AM ASHAMED THE WAY THE COURT HANDLES ANIMALS IN THIS COUNTY.

YOU NEED TO PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES TO HELP ANIMALS.

THE SHELTER IS A JOKE.

ANIMALS RUN AMOK IN THE COUNTY.

I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP WITH THIS SITUATION AND I ASK THE COMMISSIONER AND JUDGE NEEDS TO PROVIDE TO PROVIDE MORE MONEY AND HELP A MORE AND, UH, SORRY, I'M LEMME SAY AGAIN.

I'M HAPPY TO HELP THIS ISSUE FOR EACH OF YOU AS COMMISSIONER AND JUDGE NEEDS TO PROVIDE MORE MONEY TO HELP FOOD FUND A MORE EFFICIENCY WAY TO HELP THE ANIMALS.

THANK YOU.

LISA JONES.

THANK YOU.

DALLAS JUDGE.

YES MA'AM.

I WANTED TO ADD TO WHAT COMMISSIONER MOORE SAID, UM, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S JUST THE CONTRACT AMOUNT THAT WE SPEND, BUT WE ACTUALLY SPENT 6.8 MILLION TO BUILD THAT BUILDING.

YES.

AND WE DO PAY SALARY FOR SOMEONE TO CLEAN IT NOW WITH ALL THE BENEFITS 'CAUSE THEY'RE A FULL-TIME PERSON.

AND WE HAVE SUPPLIED THE, THE SUPPLIES TO CLEAN THAT PLACE TO MAKE IT BETTER.

AND WE SUPPLY ALL THE UTILITIES ALSO.

YES.

OKAY.

SO WE, WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY.

YES, SIR.

OKAY.

NOT MY TURN.

, IT'S YOUR TURN.

YOU'RE GETTING CLOSE.

COME ON UP TOMMY.

[6. Tommy Phillips: Present a Certificate of Completion to Commissioner Terry Barber from the Commissioner's Court Leadership Academy.]

[00:35:01]

SO, OH, COMMISSIONER BARBER'S GETTING A YEAH, HE'S GETTING ANOTHER CERTIFICATE NOW.

ALRIGHT.

NO, I JUST WANNA SAY ON BEHALF OF TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION AND VG YOUNG INSTITUTE.

SO WE'RE KIND OF A PARTNERSHIP THERE 'CAUSE THEY'RE PART OF US.

UM, I WILL SAY THAT DR.

MCGILL AND I, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, DR.

MCGILL, UH, ARE COLLEGE BUDDIES .

SO I, HE AND I WERE TALKING THE OTHER DAY AND HE HAS THOROUGHLY ENJOYED YOU BEING IN THIS CLASS, .

UH, SO I JUST WANT TO PRESENT THIS TO COMMISSIONER BARBER ON SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THE 15 HOURS FOR SESSION TWO FOR COMMISSIONER'S COURT, UH, LEADERSHIP ACADEMY THAT WAS HELD IN CORPUS CHRISTI, UH, BACK LAST MONTH.

SO COMMISSIONER BARBER, UH, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, GIVE THIS TO YOU.

ALL RIGHTY.

THANK YOU, SIR.

THEY, CONGRATULATIONS, SIR.

I'LL TURN AROUND AND LET PAM GET A PICTURE.

LET PETE NAS HERE.

ANYWAY, ALL APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

THANK ALL RIGHT.

OH BOY.

PUT PHONE HOME.

THIS PHONE HOME UNDERNEATH THAT EP.

OKAY.

NUMBER SEVEN.

[7. District Attorney: Discuss/Accept/Approve the SART report from the District Attorney's Office.]

OH, YEAH, EXACTLY.

YES, SIR.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

DISCUSS, ACCEPT, APPROVE THE SART REPORT FROM THE DA'S OFFICE.

YES, MA'AM.

YES, SIR.

WELL, I BROUGHT THE PERSON THAT ACTUALLY HELPS ME THE MOST WITH THE SART AND SHE'S ON HER WAY OUT.

ROBIN BECKHAM.

OKAY, ROBIN.

AND ROBIN IS A CHIEF PROSECUTOR AND SHE'S GOT THE REPORT AS SHE'S PUTTING LAND THAT OUT.

LET ME REMIND YOU GUYS WHAT THIS IS.

UH, MS. BECKHAM ALSO IS THE CHIEF FELONY PROSECUTOR IN THE FOUR 22ND.

DID I GET THAT RIGHT, ROBIN? YOU HELPED JUDGE GIBBS.

I DO, YES.

AND SO WHAT I WANTED TO REMIND YOU GUYS IS YOU RECALLED THAT THE LEGISLATURE CREATED UNDER THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 3 5 1 2 57, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US ALL IN THE COUNTIES TO HAVE A SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAM, WHICH THE ACRONYMS OF SART.

AND WE DID DO THAT AND THE STATUTE REQUIRES A BIE REPORT.

AND SO I STARTED IT, BUT ROBIN'S TAKEN IT OVER SO SHE COULD TELL YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STATISTICS.

I THINK HER ANALYSIS ON THE LAST PAGE, YOU KIND OF GO TO IT, UM, IS, IS A LITTLE CONCERNING AND SHE CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU, BUT ALSO GIVE YOU SOME GOOD NEWS ABOUT HOW SART HAS ACTUALLY HELPED WE BELIEVE IN THE COUNTY.

MS. BECKHAM? YES.

UH, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

I WANTED TO SAY THAT I REALLY HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO WORK ON THE SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAM HERE IN KAUFMAN COUNTY.

I WAS VERY HONORED WHEN MY BOSS ASKED ME TO BE ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE TEAM.

WE ARE A GROUP THAT REPRESENTS VARIOUS DISCIPLINES HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE, UM, BY STATUTE, WE HAVE ALL THE REQUIRED COMPONENTS OF IT, WHICH ARE REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL OF OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, OF COURSE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND VARIOUS OTHER LARGER POLICE AGENCIES HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE COUNSELORS FROM THE NORTH TEXAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY, NIPA.

WE HAVE, UM, AS WELL THE CRIME LABORATORY DIVISION REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

SO ACTUAL LAB DNA ANALYSTS COME TO OUR MEETINGS AS WELL AS THE SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINER COORDINATOR FOR TEXAS HEALTH RESOURCES AND MANY REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE EVERY, UH, THREE MONTHS.

SO QUARTERLY WE MEET AND GO THROUGH THE DOCKET OF CASES INVOLVING ADULT VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WE HAVE REALLY TWO GOALS.

ONE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT PROSECUTION IS THOROUGH AND SWIFT AND AS JUST AS WE CAN POSSIBLY MAKE IT, UH, TO MAKE SURE OUR COMMUNITY IS SAFER.

BUT THERE'S ALSO A GOAL OF REALLY WRAPPING OUR SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT WITH RESOURCES, MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING ALL OF THE MANY RESOURCES OUR COMMUNITY PROVIDES.

SO IT'S REALLY BOTH OF THOSE GOALS.

WE GO THROUGH THOSE DOCKETS.

AND, AND I WANTED TO SHARE, UM, JUST ONE ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE.

UH, IT'S A PENDING CASE, SO I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO ANY IDENTIFYING DETAILS OF IT.

BUT THERE WAS AN 18-YEAR-OLD YOUNG WOMAN HERE, UH, IN KAUFMAN WHO WENT ON WHAT WAS TO BE A FIRST DATE, A YOUNG MAN SHE HAD MET THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.

UM, AND BY THE END OF THAT DATE, SHE WAS BEING VIOLENTLY PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED AS WELL AS STRANGLED AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.

AND THAT ASSAULT WENT ON FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE SHE WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE.

UH, SHE DROVE AWAY, ACTUALLY WRECKED HER CAR, UH, AS SHE FLED FROM THIS ASSAULT.

IT WAS VERY VIOLENT.

SHE WAS LEFT INJURED HEAD TO TOE, BUT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE WAS SWIFT.

THIS PERSON, THE PERPETRATOR WAS PUT INTO CUSTODY.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SO OFTEN SEE WITH, UH, THESE VICTIMS, AND I'LL CALL THEM SURVIVORS BECAUSE THEY ARE, THEY'RE SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND SHE DID SURVIVE THIS.

BUT WHAT HAPPENED IS WE OFTEN SEE SHE DID NOT WANNA

[00:40:01]

SHE'D BEEN THROUGH PROBABLY THE MOST TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE OF HER LIFE AND REALLY JUST WANTED TO BACK AWAY FROM THE EXPERIENCE AND NOT HAVE TO RELIVE IT AND CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT IT.

SO, UM, SHE HAD STOPPED COMMUNICATING WITH THE AGENCY AND WITH OUR OFFICE.

SO WE STAFFED THIS CASE AT A SART MEETING, AND IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL THE IMMEDIATE WAY THAT EVERY REPRESENTATIVE FROM ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF AGENCIES I TALKED ABOUT CAME TOGETHER AND BEGAN TO STRATEGIZE, UH, HERE'S SOME COUNSELING OPPORTUNITIES.

THIS IS HOW WE COULD GO OUT TO LOCATE HER.

THIS IS, UM, SOME WAYS THAT WE COULD BRING HER PERHAPS, UM, GET HER SOME, SOME TREATMENT SO THAT IF AND WHEN SHE HAS TO GO AND TESTIFY IN COURT, SHE'LL BE MORE PREPARED.

UM, USING ALL OF THOSE STRATEGIES FROM THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.

I'LL BE HAPPY TO REPORT TO YOU THAT WE HAVE LOCATED HER.

SHE IS NOW, UM, COOPERATING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS A PENDING CASE.

SO IT'S BEEN INDICTED.

IT'S ON A DOCKET AND WE HOPE TO BRING IT TO A SWIFT AND JUST RESOLUTION.

AGAIN, WE WANNA KEEP THIS COMMUNITY SAFE FROM THAT PERPETRATOR AND OTHERS AS WELL.

UM, THIS REPORT HERE IS, IT'S BRIEF, BUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, REQUIRED THAT WE COME HERE, UH, BIE ANALLY TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT WE'RE UP TO AND TO GIVE YOU THE DATA IN THE COMMUNITY ONCE YOU'VE HAD LONGER TO REVIEW IT.

IF YOU END UP WITH ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME, UM, AT MY DESK, EMAIL, OR PHONE.