Sep 02, 2020 Special Commissioners Court

THIS SPECIAL MEETING

[00:00:01]

[Call to Order]

AND WE'RE IN THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT MEETING ROOM AT THE ANNEX.

UH, WE HAVE A QUORUM TODAY.

UH, COMMISSIONER HUNT IS NOT WITH US.

UM, I THINK WE'LL, UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD WITH OUR NORMAL ROUTINE, UM, COMMISSIONER, UH, BARBARA, WILL YOU OFFER AN INVOCATION AND COMMISSIONER KATIE, WILL YOU LEAD US IN PLEDGES PLEASE? HEAVENLY FATHER.

WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THIS WONDERFUL RAIN THAT WE'VE NEEDED FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

WHEN I ASK YOU TO BE WITH US THIS MORNING, AS WE WORK ON THESE DECISIONS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE FOR THE COUNTY AND HELP US TO, UH, MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS AND DO WHAT'S BEST FOR ALL CONCERNED, UH, BE ABLE TO SOLVE AND KEEP US SAFE, AND ESPECIALLY TO WATCH OVER OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND OUR MILITARY AND YOUR SON'S NAME, WE PRAY AMEN EARLY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL HONOR, THE TEXAS FLAG ONE, SAY GOD ONE.

THANK YOU.

WE, UH, PRIVILEGED TO HAVE TODAY.

COUPLE OF OUR JUDGES, JUDGE GRAY AND JUDGE CHITTY.

GOOD TO HAVE Y'ALL.

AND, UM, I THINK

[7. Executive Session: Pursuant to Section 551.129 of the Texas Government Code, the Commissioners Court will meet in closed session to consult with counsel to discuss potential litigation involving the Juvenile Probation Department. (Part 1 of 2)]

I'M RUNNING DOCKET ALL DAY TODAY.

SO I'M GOING TO EXCUSE MYSELF.

AS SOON AS I MAKE MY COMMENTS, I CAN'T REALLY JUST SUPPORT LAURA IN HER PRESENTATION TO EMPHASIZE THE NEED OF A, AT LEAST THE CONSIDERATION OF BUILDING A JUVENILE.

OKAY.

WELL, WHY DON'T YOU JUDGE, IF YOU DON'T MIND JUST COME UP HERE AND, UH, WE'LL JUST HEAR FROM YOU RIGHT NOW AND I'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED YOU SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL US ANYTHING ELSE.

I KNOW WE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER, BUT LET ME JUST SAY I'VE SERVED FOR 17 YEARS ON THE JUVENILE BOARD HERE IN KAUFMAN COUNTY.

AND JUDGE RICHARDS OF COURSE, IS ON THAT BOARD, UH, BY VIRTUE OF HIS HOLDING THE OFFICE OF COUNTY JUDGE.

BUT, UH, WE FOR YEARS NOW HAVE MET OUR DETENTION NEEDS FOR JUVENILES BY CONTRACTING WITH OTHER DETENTION CENTERS TO HOUSE COFFIN COUNTY JUVENILES WHO NEED DETENTION THAT HAS BECOME A REAL CHALLENGE OF LIGHT.

UH, OTHER COUNTIES ARE, UH, EITHER NO LONGER DOING DETENTION CENTERS OR THEIR DETENTION CENTERS ARE FILLING UP OR HAVING DIFFICULTY LOCATING PLACES TO PLACE JUVENILES WHO NEED DETENTION.

AND SO OUR VERY FINE, UH, ADD, UH, JUVENILE PROBATION, CHIEF JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICER LAURA PIECE, UH, WHO HAS SERVED FAITHFULLY AND WAS GREAT COMPETENCE FOR MANY YEARS, UH, HAS JUGGLED ABOUT AS MUCH AS SHE CAN JUGGLE.

I'M TRYING TO FIND PLACES TO PUT JUVENILES WHO NEED DETENTION.

AND SO SHE HAS MADE, UH, UH, US AWARE ON THE JUVENILE BOARD OF THIS LOOMING CRISIS AND WE OWN THE JUVENILE BOARD ONE TO BRING THIS POTENTIAL REAL BIG PROBLEM TO YOUR ATTENTION AS THE COMMISSIONERS SO THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS IT, DO SOME PLANNING AND MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY AND THE FUTURE.

THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, AND, UH, WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS PROBLEM.

IT'S GOING TO GROW AS A PROBLEM.

IN MY OPINION, COVID HAS EXACERBATED THE PROBLEM.

UH, WE NOW HAVE JUVENILES AND SIX DIFFERENT FACILITIES ALL THE WAY FROM MARSHALL TO, I DON'T KNOW WHERE ON THE WEST.

AND, UH, IT OBVIOUSLY IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

I KNOW YOU GUYS CAN'T SOLVE A PROBLEM IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF IT, WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE EXISTENCE OF THIS PROBLEM SO THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF IT AND CAN ADDRESS IT.

SO I LEND MY FULL SUPPORT TO LAURA AND HER PRESENTATION AND THE NEED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND FIND A SOLUTION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, JUDGE.

JUDGE GRAY.

DO YOU WANT TO STAY IN EXECUTIVE SESSION OR DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK WITH US? I DON'T

[00:05:01]

SO Y'ALL, CAN'T TALK ABOUT THEM IN FRONT OF ME.

I'M JUST HERE TO SUPPORT AND WOULD LOVE TO SPEAK.

AND THEN I'VE GOT A CRIMINAL DOCKET, BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS, UM, I CAN COME AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT FROM MY SIDE OF MY PERSPECTIVE AND THE DECISIONS.

ALL RIGHT.

MY, MY NAME IS JUDGE GRAY, UH, TRACY GRAY, AND I HAVE THE GREAT PRIVILEGE OF BEING THE JUVENILE JUDGE IF KAUFMAN COUNTY.

AND, UM, WE HAVE, UH, I WANT TO SAY WE HAVE DETENTION HEARINGS MULTIPLE A WEEK.

UM, THE POPULATION OF OUR COUNTY, AS YOU KNOW, IS GROWING AS A RESULT.

THE JUVENILE PROPER POPULATION OF OUR COUNTY IS GROWING AT THE SAME RATE.

SOMETIMES MORE.

UM, WE HAVE, UM, SEEN AN UPTICK IN VIOLENT CRIME, MADE, DONE BY JUVENILES OR ACCUSED, UH, OF OUR JUVENILES.

AND SO SOME OF THE, THE, UM, ALLEGATIONS OF JUVENILES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN DETENTION RANGE FROM CAPITAL MURDER TO, UM, SEX ASSAULT ISSUES, THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.

WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY, THEY ARE OUR CHILDREN.

FIRST OF ALL, AND IN THE JUVENILE SYSTEM, OUR FIRST PRIORITY, NOT, I WOULDN'T SAY FIRST, WE HAVE TWO PRIORITIES.

ONE IS TRY TO REHABILITATE THESE CHILDREN SO THAT THEY CAN BE ADULTS.

AND THE OTHER SMART IS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY, THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO A DETENTION CENTER, THE REASON IT'S SO IMPORTANT IS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE TO KEEP CERTAIN KIDS AND RELEASE OTHER KIDS THAT WE DON'T WANT RELEASED BECAUSE THEY HAVE ISSUES WITH RUNAWAY, BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE LESS VIOLENT, WE KEEP THE KIDS THAT ARE MORE VIOLENT.

THAT'S THE SITUATION WE REALLY WANT TO AVOID.

AND THAT'S THE SITUATION I'M PUT IN IS, IS THIS CHILD.

AND I HAVE TO COMPARE TO THE ONES I'VE ALREADY GOT IN BECAUSE WE ARE LIMITED IN SPACE.

AND AS A RESULT, I'M HAVING TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

THANKFULLY, I DON'T THINK WE'RE, WE ARE AS CLOSE TO THAT POINT YET, BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE SAFETY ISSUE COMES INTO PLAY.

IF I DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO PUT THEM, WE HAVE TO RELEASE THEM.

THE ARE THERE, SOMETIMES THESE ARE KIDS THAT CANNOT BE RELEASED.

YOUR HANDS WILL BE TIED.

AND SO I, I PLEASE ASK YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT THE SITUATION IS AND GOING FORWARD BECAUSE THE SITUATION WILL ONLY GET, I THINK, WORSE.

ANOTHER ISSUE COMING DOWN THE PIKE PROBABLY, UM, IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS IS THE AGE OF CULPABILITY RIGHT NOW.

17 YEAR OLD WILL BE ARRESTED, CHARGED AS AN ADULT.

IF THAT LAW CHANGES TO 18, THAT MEANS ALL OF THE CRIMES DONE BY 17 YEAR OLDS WILL BE CONSIDERED JUVENILES.

WHAT'S PUTS ALL THE PRESSURE ON OUR JUVENILE SYSTEM.

THE LAST TWO SESSIONS, THERE HAVE BEEN BILLS THAT HAVE NOT PASSED, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN BILLS INTRODUCED TO INTRO TO CHANGE THE AGE OF CULPABILITY TO 18.

I BELIEVE TEXAS IS ONE OF ONLY SIX STATES THAT STILL HAS 17 AS THE AGE OF CULPABILITY.

AND THERE'S BEEN RECENT FEDERAL LEGISLATION THAT MAY TIE FUNDING TO DIFFERENT STATES, REQUIRING AID OF CULPABILITY TO BE RAISED TO 18.

I THINK IT'S LEGITIMATE TO SAY THAT IT'S COMING AND WHEN IT COMES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN AVALANCHE OF JUVENILE CASES WITHOUT A PLACE TO PUT THEM.

SO THIS IS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO HA TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ISSUE.

AND FOR YOU GUYS TO KNOW AND START WORKING ON THE ISSUE, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO LOOK AT.

WE HAVE AN OLD JAIL THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT.

UM, I KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME, SOME AREAS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT TO BUILD SOMETHING, BUT THE ISSUE IS THERE AND IT'S NOT GOING AWAY, ESPECIALLY AS OUR COUNTY GROWS.

AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR DUE DILIGENCE ON THIS AND, AND HEARING EVERYONE OUT AND ESPECIALLY, UH, DUTCH PEACE.

I'M SORRY, MISSY, NERVOUS PROMOTER, ANY QUESTIONS? OR CAN YOU ASK ME QUESTIONS? WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE WANT.

YEAH, PROBABLY NOT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, JUDGE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

UH, LESLIE, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR YOU TO MAKE, IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR YOU TO MAKE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, OR IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU'RE OBLIGATED TO COME AND SPEAK TO US, UM, YOUR HONOR, UH, WILEY INDICATED TO ME THAT SHE WAS HAPPY WITH LEADERS MAKING OPEN COMMENTS DURING THE OPEN SESSION.

UM, GOOD MORNING, UM, UH, JUGS AND COMMISSIONERS.

I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF JUDGE WILEY.

UM, SOME OF YOU PROBABLY RECOGNIZE MY FACE.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHO I AM.

MY NAME IS LESLIE ODOM, UM, LAURA PIECE, AND I GO WAY BACK.

UM, I'VE BEEN IN THE POSITION THAT I'M IN WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS NOW.

UM, AND

[00:10:01]

UM, AS YOU KNOW, JUDGE WILEY IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT PROTECTING THE CHILDREN OF THIS COUNTY AND SERVING THEIR NEEDS.

AND THAT INCLUDES OUR JUVENILE DELINQUENTS.

AND I'LL LEAVE THE SPECIFICS TO LAURA PIECES.

SHE HAS PUT TOGETHER A PRESENTATION FOR YOU.

I BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO INQUIRE OF HER MORE OF THE DETAILS, BUT JUST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S PERSPECTIVE, UM, WHEN I STARTED THIS POSITION GOING ON ALMOST 12 YEARS AGO, I WAS HIRED TO, UH, HANDLE THE JUVENILE DOCKETS, THE CPS DOCKETS, ALL OF THE PROTECTIVE ORDER APPLICATIONS IN THE COUNTY.

UM, AND AT TIMES ALSO HANDLED THE APS MENTAL HEALTH AND A SMALL MISDEMEANOR DOCKET.

I WAS ABLE TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS.

I WAS RUNNING IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PLACES AT ALL TIMES, BUT THAT WAS MY POSITION.

AND AS YOU KNOW, KAUFMAN COUNTY WAS VERY DIFFERENT.

12 YEARS AGO, IT WAS MUCH SMALLER.

AND I THINK THE GROWTH THAT BOTH JUDGE GRAY AND JUDGE JUDY SPOKE OF IS ONLY GOING TO CONTINUE.

JUDGE WILDLY FIRMLY BELIEVES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INFLUX OF POPULATION, WHICH IS GREAT TAX REVENUE AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT IT ALSO CREATES NEW NEEDS.

SO AS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WE'VE HAD TO, UM, CREATE A NEW FAMILY VIOLENCE POSITION PROSECUTOR POSITION.

WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO CREATE A, UH, CO-COUNSEL POSITION AS IT WERE AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY THAT IS IN A, THAT I SUPERVISE.

SO NOW WE HAVE A JUVENILE CPS DIVISION SPECIFICALLY IN OUR OFFICE AND AS GROWTH CONTINUES, I WILL JUST TELL YOU THAT AT SOME POINT I WOULD ANTICIPATE JUDGE WILDLY SAYING, WE PROBABLY NEED A THIRD.

SO I'M HERE, I'M IN GREAT SUPPORT OF WHAT LAURA PIECE IS GOING TO DISCUSS WITH YOU LATER.

I THINK IT IS A SPECIFIC NEED THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE COUNTY SOONER THAN LATER.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE OF ME, BUT OTHERWISE I JUST THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

MAY I BE EXCUSED? YOU MAY BE.

UM, OKAY.

WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ELSE.

THAT'S GOT A CARD IN TO SPEAK THAT BRINGS US DOWN TO RE

[1. ROUTINE CORRESPONDENCE]

UH, I WOULD LIKE, I KNOW THAT YOU PROBABLY, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN RECEIVING AND READING THE NEWS ABOUT THE PAYROLL TAX DEFERMENT.

UH, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT ALREADY AND, UH, THIS IS, UH, IT'S A VERY DYNAMIC SITUATION AND I'M NOT REALLY SURE EXACTLY WHERE IT'S HEADED.

I THINK WE WILL SEE THIS ON FOR DISCUSSING CONSIDER ITEM ON OUR AGENDA NEXT TUESDAY.

BUT IF YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE NEWS ON THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO, AND A DAB VIEW, I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? WHAT YOU, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT IT IS A DYNAMIC SITUATION RIGHT NOW.

UM, IT APPEARS THAT THE IMPETUS IS BEING PLACED ON THE EMPLOYER CAN CONSIDERABLY, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS STRONG CONSIDERATION AND ANALYST ANALYSIS NEXT WEEK WHEN WE CAN FULLY EMBEDDED OUT.

YEAH.

AND IT'S ACTUALLY, IT WAS THAT, UH, THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER STARTED YESTERDAY, BUT, UH, WE'RE JUST NOT ABLE, WE'RE WAITING.

WE DON'T REALLY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THIS IS GOING TO LAND, SO WE'LL, WE'LL HOPEFULLY HAVE BETTER INFORMATION BY NEXT WEEK.

HOPEFULLY.

THANK YOU.

DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY ROUTINE CORN STOCK CORRESPONDENTS? OKAY, THEN, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SO NEXT UP IS,

[3. Chuck Mohnkern; Discuss/Consider reassigning some payroll functions to the Office of the Treasurer.]

UM, I'M ASSUMING ALL OF YOU RECEIVED THE LONG DISSERTATION THAT I WROTE.

YES, WE SENT OUT.

OKAY.

I'M NOT GOING TO READ THAT TO YOU TODAY.

OKAY.

OKAY.

UM, BASICALLY, UH, MY REQUEST IS BASED ON THE THREE PREMISES THAT WERE SPELLED OUT IN THAT, THAT THE, UH, DISTRIBUTION OF COUNTY FUNDS IS A STATUTORY CORE FUNCTION OF THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.

CURRENT PROCEDURE, UH, IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE IS TO COLLECT THE DIRECT DEPOSIT INFORMATION FROM THE EMPLOYEES AND ENTER IT INTO THE PAYROLL SYSTEM.

AND THEY DO THAT WITHOUT NOTIFICATION OR OVERSIGHT, UH, TO, OR BY THE, UH, TREASURER'S OFFICE.

AND SO I'M ASKING THAT THAT BE MOVED TO THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE OVERSIGHT, UH, THROUGH THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE ON ANY CHANGES THAT WE MAKE INTO THE SYSTEM.

UM, MY WHOLE, UH, DECISION ON HOW WE, YOU KNOW, HOW I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE DO THIS WAS BASED ON THE, UH, OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AND A GREEN BOOK, UH, GUIDELINES ON ACCOUNTING AND AUDIT AUDITING PROCEDURES.

SO THAT HOPEFULLY I WOULDN'T RUN A FOUL OF THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE

[00:15:01]

OKAY.

SPEAKING OF THE AUDITOR, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT ON THIS? UH, SINCE IT DOES HAVE AN ELEMENT OF SEPARATION IN ACCOUNTING.

OKAY.

YES.

OR WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE DIVERSITY OF HAVING THE TWO DIFFERENT OFFICES ENTER STUFF.

UM, SO I DON'T MIND TAKING ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY OF, OF CHECKING IT.

I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WASN'T DONE BEFORE.

THAT'S NONE OF MY BUSINESS I'M OUT OF THAT.

I DON'T DO PAYROLL ANYMORE, BUT, UM, AS LONG AS WE CAN KEEP IT DIVERSE, I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH IT.

THEN WE SHOULDN'T HAVE A FINDING WITH OUTSIDE AUDITORS.

WE SHOULD BE OKAY.

FINDINGS.

IS THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR.

I DON'T LIKE THEM AT ALL.

OKAY.

QUESTIONS.

OKAY.

UH, I KNOW WE ALL, WE HAD THIS ALREADY.

UM, THEN, UH, I GUESS WHAT WE'D BE LOOKING FOR, IS THERE A MOTION TO REASSIGN THOSE PAYROLL FUNCTIONS AS PROPOSED IN THE TREASURES, UH, DOCUMENT THAT HE SUBMITTED TO US? YEAH.

I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T MIND DOING THAT.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR THAT OUT AND YOU KNOW, LET'S BEGIN THEN TO DO IT.

CAUSE I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO BE.

OKAY.

YEAH.

I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION THAT WE RE-ASSIGNED THAT FUNCTIONS OVER TO THE TREASURY.

SO WE HAVE THAT MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS.

IS THERE A SECOND? I THINK I'M DYING TO MAKE THE SECOND.

I ALSO CONCUR THAT THE PAYROLL FUNCTION CLEARLY SHOULD RESUME, SHOULD RESIDE THERE.

SO YES, RUNS IT ALREADY.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ANY OLD KIDS, HOPEFULLY THEY CATCHES ALL THE ERRORS AND UH, AND THEY WON'T WON'T BE ANY.

AND IF IT DOESN'T, THEN I'M SURE KAREN WILL CATCH THEM.

OKAY.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO, UH, MAKE THAT CHANGE IN PAYROLL FUNCTIONS, UH, DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED? NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES.

THANKS, SIR.

UH, SHERIFF

[4. Sheriff Beavers; Discuss/Consider adding a Mental Health Officer to the remaining 2019-2020 Budget to begin program.]

GENTLEMEN, AS WE'VE TALKED IN BUDGET ADHERENCE, YOU KNOW, WE PUT ON A MENTAL HEALTH OFFICER TO HELP US.

UH, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE'VE GOT THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET, GO AHEAD AND PUNCH THAT PERSON IN NOW TO TRY AND GET THAT PROGRAM UP AND RUNNING.

UH, THERE YOU TALK TO THE OFFICER, THERE'S PLENTY OF MONEY IN THERE TO GO AHEAD AND GET THIS MOVING, WHERE WE CAN GET THIS PIECE MOVING PLUS ALSO GET THE PATROL LIEUTENANT PUMPKIN FIELD AND EVERYTHING.

SO IT JUST HELPED US GET THE PROCESS MOVING FASTER.

UH, IT HAS NO BUDGET IMPACT THAT IT'S ALREADY, WE'VE GOT SUFFICIENT FUNDING, CORRECT QUESTIONS.

HOW ABOUT NEXT YEAR? IT'S ALREADY BUDGETED FOR THE NEXT YEAR? I FEEL LIKE WE ARE, UH, UH, I FELT LIKE I HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SHERIFF AND THEN I'VE ALSO SPOKEN WITH OUR, UH, WITH JUDGE CHITTY AND, UH, JUDGE RICH.

AND, AND I FELT LIKE WE WERE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS FAR AS GETTING A BETTER GRIP ON MANAGING OUR MENTAL HEALTH, UH, OUR MENTAL HEALTH, THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE THAT WE PROVIDE PEOPLE.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

I THINK THAT SHERIFF'S GOT A GREAT POINT.

SO ANY QUESTIONS, IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ADDING THAT MENTAL HEALTH HEALTH OFFICER POSITION IN THIS CURRENT YEAR BUDGET I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

WE HAD EMOTIONAL COMMISSIONER AND BARBARA, IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND OF SECOND OF COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE, THOSE OPPOSED.

NO MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU, SHERIFF.

UH, I CALLED

[5. Randy Richards; Discuss/Consider Countywide Burn Ban status.]

UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE LAST COUPLE OF TIMES DID HE PUT THE BURN BAN ON THERE AND HE THINKS THAT MAYBE WE COULD MAKE MONEY WITH THIS DEAL.

YOU KNOW, HE MIGHT BE BETTER THAN THE SEEDING CLOUD.

WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RUN HIM OUT.

I CONSIDER THAT SUPERSTITION, BUT YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

UH, SO I GUESS WE'LL, WE'LL PASS THAT OUT.

I'M JUST IF, FOR WHAT, FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND HE, AND I TALKED ABOUT PUTTING THIS, YOU'LL SEE THIS ANY, YOU PROBABLY JUST SEE THIS ON THE AGENDA ANYTIME WE WERE IN A DRY SPELL.

UH, AND IF, IF IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE TO THAT, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO EITHER PUT ON A BURN BAN OR TAKE A BURN BAN OFF.

SO, UH, YOU MAY SEE THAT, UH, THROUGH THE COMING MONTHS, ASSUMING THAT IT DOESN'T JUST KEEP RINGING.

SO WE'LL PASS ITEM FIVE, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

UH, SO ITEM SIX,

[6. Judge Richards; Discuss/Consider exiting regular meeting and entering into executive session.]

IS THERE A MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE

[00:20:01]

AND KATE'S DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED? NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES WE'RE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION FIVE, FIVE A 1.12, ONE OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.

THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WILL MEET IN CLOSED SESSION TO CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL LITIGATION INVOLVING THE JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT.

I HAVE, UH, ASK, UH, JERRY, HE'S GOING TO RUN THE HE'S GOING TO HELP, UH, THE CHIEF WITH THE POWERPOINT.

AND I ASKED THE AUDITOR TO STAY IF SHE CAN JUST CAUSE THIS MIGHT HAVE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS COMING DOWN THE ROAD AND, UM, UH, WHAT THE SHERIFF IS GOING TO DO, I GUESS HE CAN, IF HE WANTS TO.

SO WE'RE IN EXECUTIVE

[7. Executive Session: Pursuant to Section 551.129 of the Texas Government Code, the Commissioners Court will meet in closed session to consult with counsel to discuss potential litigation involving the Juvenile Probation Department. (Part 2 of 2)]

WE'RE GOING TO STAY IN HERE OBVIOUSLY.

THANK YOU, CHUCK.

THANK YOU, TERRY.

OKAY.

UH, I'M GOING COME OUT.

WE, UH, NEEDED TO TAKE,

[8. Discuss/Consider exiting executive session and entering back into regular meeting.]

EMOTIONAL COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS.

IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND COMMISSION CAGE DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR.

AYE.

AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED? NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES, UH, DISCUSS, CONSIDER TAKING ANY ACTION AS A RESULT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.

I HEAR NO EMOTIONS.

UH, ITEM 10.

[10. Adjourn Special Meeting.]

SECOND, SECOND, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BORROWER.

DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR.

AYE.

THOSE NO GOODBYE.