* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:03] PURSUANT [OPENING COURT] TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, WHICH IS FOUNDED IN THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 5, 5, 1. UNLESS THERE IS OBJECTION, I WILL GO AHEAD AND DECLARE THE MEETING OPEN. ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL ON, UH, COMMISSIONER PRECINCT ONE, RANDY STINSON TO LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE STAND, BE HERE, HERE TO SERVE TAXES THAT EVERY I PRAY, GUYS, THAT WE USE, USE KNOWLEDGE TODAY FOR WISDOM, THAT WE GAIN THAT FROM YOU. EVERY PERSON HERE. PRAY, LORD FOR THIS COURT. PRAY FOR EACH AND EVERY MAN HERE REPRESENTS A PRECINCT. PRAY. LORD, WATCH OVER LORD, JUST GIVE THEM STRENGTH. LORD, ABOVE ALL, GIVE THEM YOUR WISDOM, LORD, HAVE US TO SEEK YOUR WISDOM. PRAISE LORD, ONCE AGAIN TO THIS DAY, PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE THINGS MY LORD SAVIOR, AMEN. FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE OPPONENT, ONE NATION, INDIVISIBLE, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE IGI. ONE SECOND ONE THIS MORNING. OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER STINSON. OKAY, BEFORE WE GET GOING, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC, UH, PARTICIPATION FORM THAT WE ASK THAT YOU COMPLETE. UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ONE OF TODAY'S AGENDA ITEMS, UH, THE PUBLIC, UH, PARTICIPATION FORM IS AVAILABLE OUTSIDE IN THE HALLWAY. IT'S THE DOORWAY TO MY RIGHT. UH, I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE TO YOUR LEFT, IF YOU'D PLEASE FILL OUT THAT FORM AND HAND IT TO OUR CLERK. UH, SHE WILL BE SURE TO GET THAT TO ME, AND WE WILL, UH, GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO SPEAK WHENEVER YOUR AGENDA ITEM IS CALLED UP. I DID ALSO, WE, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY. SO I DID WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE DO HAVE A, A CONDUCT AND DECORUM POLICY FOR THE COURT THAT'S REALLY DESIGNED, UH, TO GIVE EVERYONE A FAIR CHANCE TO SPEAK, UH, OVER THE COURSE OF OUR MEETING, UH, EACH, ACCORDING TO THAT POLICY, EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO A TOTAL TIME OF FIVE MINUTES, AND EACH AGENDA ITEM HAS A TOTAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND DISCUSSION PORTION OF 30 MINUTES TOTAL. SO IF WE HAVE, UH, MORE THAN SIX PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP ON A PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM, WHICH WE, WE DO TODAY, WE DIVIDE THE 30 MINUTES EQUALLY AMONG THE, THE PERSONS WHO WANT TO SPEAK. SO, UM, WITH THAT IN MIND, JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND. I'LL REMIND YOU, UH, OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT YOU HAVE, WHENEVER WE CALL IT THE AGENDA ITEM. AND IF WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE PARTICULAR ITEM, THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE ITEM THAT IS, THAT IS UNDER, UH, CONSIDERATION AT THAT TIME. I ALSO, I JUST WANNA MENTION TO YOU ALL, AND FOR ANYONE THAT'S JOINING US ONLINE, THAT YOU CAN VISIT THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE MAIL. UH, THERE'S THE AVAIL, THE AVAILABILITY OF OUR EMAIL ADDRESSES VIA THAT WEBSITE IF YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME COMMENTS VIA EMAIL AS WELL. OKAY. WITH THAT IN MIND, WE WILL NOW [CONSENT AGENDA] MOVE ON TO THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA. MATTERS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE AND NON-CONTROVERSIAL, AND THEY'RE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION. HOWEVER, UH, ANY MEMBER OF THE COURT MAY ASK TO PULL AN ITEM FROM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. SO THE CONSENT AGENDA CONSISTS OF ITEMS A ONE THROUGH A 31 AND F1 THROUGH F SIX. HOWEVER, I HAVE HAD A REQUEST TO PULL ITEM A ONE AND A 28 FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUE REQUESTS TO PULL ITEMS. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS A TWO THROUGH A 27, A 29 THROUGH A 31, AND F1 THROUGH F SIX. SO, MOVE, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STINSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? UH, HEARING NO OPPOSITION ITEM ITEMS A TWO THROUGH A 27 A 29 THROUGH A 31 AND F1 THROUGH F SIX PASS UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY. SO WE'LL NOW TAKE UP ITEM [A.1 Approval of regular bills, payroll, and officers' reports. — County Treasurer Cheryl Chambers] A ONE, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF REGULAR BILLS, PAYROLL, AND OFFICER'S REPORTS. UH, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY, UH, COMMISSIONER, OH, I'M SORRY. I SKIPPED OVER THE PROCLAMATION PORTION THOUGH. I'LL HAVE TO BACK UP. WE'LL BACK UP IN A MINUTE. MINUTE. UH, WELCOME. UH, WE WANNA WELCOME COMMISSIONER [00:05:01] ZIKE, AND IT WAS COMMISSIONER ZIKE WHO ASKED TO PULL ITEM A ONE. SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY THROW SOMETHING AT ME IF I DO THAT AGAIN PLEASE. BUT, UM, UH, IT WAS COMMISSIONER ZIKE THAT WANTED TO PULL ITEM A ONE, AND I'LL LET HIM EXPLAIN. HE'S GOT SOMETHING HERE TO KNOW. YEAH, I, I KNOW IN, IN PAST, UM, COURT MEETINGS AND WHATNOT, UH, VEHICLES HAS ALWAYS COME AS A SEPARATE AGENDA ITEM. SOMEHOW THIS TIME IT GOT ROLLED INTO A ONE AS JUST A, A REGULAR CHECK. SO I JUST WANTED TO COURT TO, TO KNOW THAT THE, THE VEHICLE THAT MY PREDECESSOR DROVE WAS TRANSFERRED OUTTA MY DEPARTMENT. SO WE BOUGHT A, UM, THREEQUARTER TON FORD GASOLINE PICKUP TO REPLACE THAT VEHICLE WITH. SO, ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, SO I THINK COMMISSIONER ZACK WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY, UNLESS YOU HAVE A QUESTION, PUT A LOGO ON IT. ? YES, THEY'RE SITTING IN MY OFFICE. . WOULD ANYONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM A ONE? I MOVE. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM A ONE FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? UH, HEARING NO OPPOSITION ITEM A ONE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, SINCE WE'RE ALREADY INTO [A.28 Approval to designate Ellis County Judge John Wray as the North Central Texas Council of Governments voting representative on behalf of Ellis County, effective immediately. — Ellis County Judge John Wray] THE CONSENT PORTION, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP ITEM A 28, THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO THE PROCLAMATIONS. ITEM A 28. UH, I ACTUALLY ASKED TO PULL THAT THE, UH, THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS COMING UP THIS FRIDAY. UH, I BELIEVE IT'S AT THERE. I BELIEVE IT'S IN ARLINGTON AT A LOCATION THERE. AND, UH, ELLIS COUNTY, OF COURSE, IS A MEMBER OF THE COG, AND WE DO HAVE ONE VOTE AS A MEMBER OF THE COG. UH, AND I AM UNABLE TO ATTEND THAT. BUT, UH, I WANTED TO HAVE A CHANCE FOR US TO APPOINT ONE SOMEONE ELSE, UH, THAT IS HERE TO, UH, APPEAR AT THE COG GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON FRIDAY AND TO VOTE ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY. IT DOES HAVE TO BE A, A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT. AND I HAD A SUGGESTION, UH, THAT PERHAPS COMMISSIONER STINSON WOULD BE A, A GOOD, UH, PERSON TO, TO CARRY THE VOTE FOR THE COUNTY SINCE HE IS A MEMBER OF THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL, UH, WHICH IS AFFILIATED WITH THE COG. SO, WITH THAT IN MIND, WOULD ANYONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE DESIGNATING, UH, COMMISSIONER STINSON AS THE VOTING REPRESENTATIVE? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. OKAY. I'LL SECOND IT. ALRIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, COMMISSIONER STINSON AS THE VOTING REPRESENTATIVE AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE COG FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? UH, HEARING NO OPPOSITION ITEM A 28 AS WORDED PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY, I'LL BACK UP AND I APOLOGIZE, . SO WE'LL TAKE UP [Proclamations, Recognitions, and Resolutions] THE PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND RESOLUTIONS. UH, THE FIRST IS, UH, ITEM R ONE, WHICH IS RECOGNITION OF EMILY BAILEY, DIRECTOR OF NURSING, PATTY BREWS, H-E-H-S-A, AND ALL MEDICAL STAFF IN THE COUNTY JAIL FOR THE CARE AND SUPPORT THEY PROVIDE TO ELLIS COUNTY. AND I THINK WE HAVE TERRY KLEIN, WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR OF INDIGENT HEALTH, AND PERHAPS, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF TERRY OGDEN. I BELIEVE YOU WERE GOING TO MAYBE COME UP AS WELL. SO MANY OF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF, UH, DISRUPTION WITH OUR IN THE SHERIFF. YES. SHERIFF NORMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AS WELL? AND, UM, WE HAD A LOT OF DISRUPTION WITH THE, UH, MEDICAL PROVIDER AND OUR JAIL RECENTLY. THE, UH, CON CONTRACTED PROVIDER YES. CARE FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY. AND, UH, MANY OF THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS THAT WE HAD IN THE JAIL, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, UH, RELY UPON THEM, THEM AND LEAN INTO THEM. AND THEY REALLY STEPPED, STEPPED UP TO HELP OUT THE COUNTY. AND WERE GREATLY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT, NOT JUST FOR THAT, BUT EVERYTHING THEY DO, UH, DAY IN AND DAY OUT, THEY TAKE GREAT CARE, UH, OF THE, OF THE PERSONS WHO ARE HOUSED AT THE JAIL. SO, UH, TERRY SHERIFF, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING OR? I, I CAN TELL YOU A VERY TROUBLING TIME, UH, FOR THE COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE IN PARTICULAR. UM, THESE FOLKS STEPPED UP AND ABSOLUTELY A PHENOMENAL JOB. AND SO, SO I HEARD TERMS LIKE, UM, IF NOT NEED FOOD, UM, SOMEBODY'S GOTTA TAKE CARE OF THEM. WE CAN'T LEAVE OUR PATIENTS BEHIND. SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THAT SHOWS A WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL OF, UM, FOR MEDICATION MAYBE. YEAH. PROFESSIONALISM TOO. YEAH, IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING. SO THESE ARE COMPASSION OF APPRECIATION AND THESE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE REALLY OUT, I JUST GOT THEM AND SOMEBODY 52 HOURS IN TWO WEEKS. WOW. YEAH. YEAH. SO, UM, AND THEY'RE WORKING SHIFTS THAT THEY NORMALLY WOULDN'T WANT. OKAY. WELL, WE HAVE A, A CERTIFICATE FOR EACH ONE OF THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE GONNA CALL THEM OUT [00:10:01] AND, AND HAVE, IF, IF, UH, WHEN TERRY CALLS YOUR NAME OR THE SHERIFF CALLS YOUR NAME, IF YOU'LL JUST PLEASE COME UP AND, AND RECEIVE YOUR CERTIFICATE, WHICH IS JUST A SMALL TOKEN OF, OF OUR, OF OUR GRATITUDE FOR, UM, HELPING US OUT. EMILY BAILEY, SHE'S WORKED A WOW. . THANK YOU. EMILY. PATTY, BRUCE A SHE'S THE ONE THAT'S IN CHARGE. THIS THE BOSS THE OTHER DAY, WORKING WITH A MASK. IS THAT SPELLED? I DON'T WANNA MISPRONOUNCE HER NAME. MA HUH? M AND A IL M I'M GONNA MISPRONOUNCE HER NAME. AMELIA. MS. ALLEN. IS SHE HERE? MAY NOT. SHE'S NOT HERE. MAY NOT, MAY NOT BE HERE. YOLANDA BISHOP. THIS IS THE LADY WHO WORKED 152 HOURS IN TWO WEEKS. CHANDLER WILLIAMS, DESTINY FERNANDEZ. ELIZABETH MARTINEZ, RIGHT HERE. AARON MITCHELL. GABBY ORTEGA, JESSICA BEZARO. ERIN HICKLE, MORGAN CARDELL. AND GINA VINCENT. SHE'S YOUR AA. I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD'VE DONE IF THESE LADIES HAD NOT STUCK IT OUT. GINA'S IN THERE SOMEWHERE. THERE'S HIS LAST, YEAH. NO, IT'S NOT IN HERE. OKAY. OH, HERE. LOOK AT THERE. I WANTED TO HAND THAT ONE TO YOU. . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK, THANK, THANK YOU ALL AGAIN. WE REALLY GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS, YOUR COMPASSION, YOUR DEDICATION, PROFESSIONALISM, UH, THANK YOU TO SHERIFF NORMAN AND TO, UH, CHIEF DEPUTY OGDEN AND TERRY KLEIN, WHO ALL HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB MANAGING THIS VERY, UH, DIFFICULT AND TIME SENSITIVE ISSUE. AND I, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE ABOUT TO GET BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK. YES, WE ARE. YES, WE ARE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. WE'LL NOW TAKE UP ITEM R TWO, WHICH IS A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING JUNE, 2026 AS ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, SUE ELLEN ALDER. MS. ALDER, COME ON UP. I'LL, UH, I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, YOUR THOUGHTS ON, UH, ELDER ABUSE, ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH. SO FIRST I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION. SO WHEREAS OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS CONTRIBUTE TO THE WELLBEING OF THIS CITY BY WORKING, CAREGIVING, VOLUNTEERING, AND ACTIVELY PRESERVING CUSTOMS, RITUALS, AND TRADITIONS AS WE AGE, WE BUILD MOMENTUM BY ACCUMULATING KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, INSIGHT, AND WISDOM THAT CAN BE SHARED TO ENRICH OUR COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS ABUSE OF OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IS A COMMUNITY CONCERN AFFECTING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS TEXAS. THERE WERE 125,382 REPORTS OF ABUSE OF OLDER ADULTS IN PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN TEXAS IN 2025. AND WHEREAS ABUSE AGAINST OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IS GROSSLY UNDER-REPORTED BECAUSE OF SOCIAL STIGMA, EMBARRASSMENT, AND FEAR. AND WHEREAS ADULT ABUSE AFFECTS MEN AND WOMEN OF ALL INCOME AND ABILITY LEVELS, ALL CULTURAL AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS IN ALL COMMUNITIES, AND ELDER ABUSE IS EVERYONE'S BUSINESS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO STRENGTHEN OUR EFFORTS TO PREVENT REPORT AND ADDRESS ELDER ABUSE. NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE ELLIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT HEREBY RECOGNIZE JUNE, 2026 AS ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH AND ELLIS COUNTY AND URGE ALL RESIDENTS TO WORK TOGETHER TO REDUCE ABUSE AND [00:15:01] NEGLECT OF OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. ALRIGHT, MS. STALLER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US AND ONCE AGAIN, SUPPORTING ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND BRINGING TO LIGHT THAT THERE IS SUCH THING AS ADULT SENIOR ADULT DISABLED, ADULT ABUSE, NEGLECT. AND VERY IMPORTANTLY, WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE RECENTLY IS FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION OF OUR SENIOR 65 AND OVER. THEY'RE EXTREMELY VULNERABLE FOR THAT. SO WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS RECOGNIZING US AND ALLOWING US TO COME AND SPEAK ON THIS. UM, LAST YEAR IN ELLIS COUNTY, WE HAD 387 INVESTIGATIONS THAT WERE COMPLETED BY THREE WORKERS THAT SERVICE THIS COUNTY. UM, SO AS THE, UH, PROCLAMATION NOTED, ELDER ABUSE IS HIGHLY UNDER-REPORTED. UM, CHILDREN ARE MORE, UM, SEEN IN THE COMMUNITY AND OUR ELDERS CAN GO FOR MONTHS WITHOUT ANYONE CHECKING ON THEM OR KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEM. SO WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL HELPING US GET THE WORD OUT. UM, JUNE IS OUR MONTH WE HIGHLIGHT, BUT OF COURSE, EVERY MONTH'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR SENIORS. SO WE THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING US. WELL, WELL THANK YOU MS. ALDER, AND WE APPRECIATE WHAT ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES DOES TO, UH, PROTECT FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH THE COMMISSIONERS SO THAT WE CAN YES, I CERTAINLY WOULD HELP YOU PROMOTE, UH, THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BRIDGE. HEY, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU MS. ALDER, AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. OKAY. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM R THREE, WHICH IS RECOGNITION OF THE APPOINTMENT AND SWEARING IN OF MATTHEW ZEKE AS COMMISSIONER OF PRECINCT TWO ROAD AND BRIDGE, UH, OF ELLIS COUNTY. SO, UH, WELCOME COMMISSIONER. WE, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH US TODAY. YOU'RE COMPLETING AN UNEXPIRED TERM UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR, AND YOU ARE THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE AND I THINK UNOPPOSED IN NOVEMBER. YEP, ABSOLUTELY. UH, TO BE OUR CONTINUE SERVING FOR A FULL FOUR YEAR TERM BEGINNING IN JANUARY. YES, SIR. SO THIS SHOULD BE ONE OF, OF MANY, MANY MEETINGS AND HOPEFULLY A VERY LONG PUBLIC SERVICE CAREER THAT YOU HAVE, UH, HERE ON THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT. SO WE, WE WELCOME YOU VERY MUCH, AND, UH, I HATE TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING, FEEL FREE TO. WELL, I, I JUST SPENT NINE MONTHS CAMPAIGNING, SO I, I GOT PLENTY TO TALK ABOUT . UH, NO, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY, THANK THE VOTERS THAT Y'ALL ARE THE REASON THAT I'M HERE. I REPRESENT YOU GUYS. I'LL ALWAYS KEEP YOUR INTEREST IN HEART WHILE I'M SITTING ON THIS DAIS. UH, THANKS TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS. I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE HELPED ME UP TO THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, GIVING ME ADVICE, WHAT TO DO, WHAT NOT TO DO. SO I'M GONNA KEEP TURNING TO Y'ALL FOR SOME OF THAT ADVICE, . BUT, UH, IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE. SO THANK, THANK EVERYBODY. YOU MIGHT WANNA IGNORE SOME OF THE ADVICE, . YEAH. GO WITH YOUR GUT. YEAH. WATCH ON STINSON OVER THERE, THROW YOU A LOOP. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, WELCOME COMMISSIONER ZEKE. TALK TO YOU, . OKAY. WE'LL [1.1 Discussion, consideration, and action on a replat of Highland Crossing, Lot IR, Block I. The ± 22.172- acre site is located ± 150 feet south of the intersection of FM 664 (Ovilla Road) and W. Highland Road, in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of the City of Ovilla, Road and Bridge Precinct No. 4.] NOW MOVE TO THE REGULAR AGENDA, THE FIRST PORTION OF WHICH IS THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT ITEMS. AND I WOULD ASK, UH, OUR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, ALBERTO MORRIS, TO COME UP AND SPEAK TO US ON THESE ITEMS. THE FIRST OF WHICH IS ITEM 1.1, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND ACTION ON A REPL OF HIGHLAND CROSSING LOT ONE R BLOCK ONE. THIS IS AN APPROXIMATELY 22.172 ACRE SITE THAT IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET SOUTH OF THE INTERSECTION OF FM 6 64, ALSO KNOWN AS O VILLA ROAD AND WEST HIGHLAND ROAD, AND THE EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF EL VILLA THAT'S IN ROAD AND BRIDGE. PRECINCT FOUR, ALBERTO. YES, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. THIS IS A REQUEST TO REPLAY A PROPERTY, UH, INSTEAD OF THE USUAL, UH, SPLITTING PROPERTY INTO MORE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY WANTING TO COMBINE PROPERTY THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PLOTTED WITH ONE THAT'S UN PLOTTED. SO THE TWO ACRE PROPERTY WAS PLOTTED BACK ON FEBRUARY 21ST OF, UH, 2023. AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO ADD 20 ACRES, UH, TO THIS PLOT. UH, FM 6 64 IS ON THE THIRD OF HER PLAN. THAT WAS, UH, DEDICATED. THE RIGHT OF IT WAS DEDICATED WITH THE ORIGINAL PLOT. UH, WITH THIS BEING A REPL, IT WAS REQUIRED TO BE ADVERTISED IN THE NEWSPAPER. AND THAT [00:20:01] WAS DONE ON MAY 13TH, THE 20TH, AND THE 27TH ON THE WEBSITE ON MAY 8TH. AND WE DID SEND OUT ONE, UH, CERTIFIED LETTER. A STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL SUBJECT TO 16 CONDITIONS. ALL OF THEM MINOR AND TECHNICAL IN NATURE. DID THEY SAY WHAT THEY BRINGING IT TOGETHER FOR? THEY DIDN'T SAY. AND YOU SAID 20 ACRES? YES. SO IT WAS TWO ACRES IN THE WRITING. 20 ACRES. SO THAT'S 22 ACRES. 22 ACRES. OKAY. SO MOVED SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 1.1 FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. A AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION ITEM 1.1 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO A PUBLIC HEARING THAT IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE 2024 ELLIS COUNTY MASTER THOROUGHFARE. PLAN SPECIFICALLY TO AMEND AN AMEND ND RANCH ROAD, WHICH IS A PRIVATE ROAD THAT EXTENDS FROM ANGUS ROAD TO FM 1446, SHIFT AN EXISTING ROAD WITHIN ELLIS RANCH ALONG FM 8 78 AND, AND CORRECT CONFLICTING CLASSIFICATION TYPES ON THE SAME ROAD AND ESTABLISH ONE CLASSIFICATION. OKAY. COMMISSIONERS, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOTION TO ENTER THE PUBLIC OR OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO, MOVE. WE HAVE A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE. A AYE. UH, IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION? THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. OKAY. AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE, UH, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN THE PUBLIC HEARING. UH, AND WITH THAT IN IN MIND, I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE'LL MOVE. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE. AYE. AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION? THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO THE ACTION [1.2 Discussion, consideration, and action for proposed amendments to the 2024 Ellis County Master Thoroughfare Plan, adopted by Order No. 520.24 and last amended by Order 138.26, specifically to amend N D Ranch Road, a private road (from Angus Road to FM 1446), shift an existing road within Ellis Ranch along FM 878, and correct conflicting classification types on the same road and establish one classification; providing for a conflicts clause, severability clause, and providing for an effective date.] ITEM THAT RELATES TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND THAT IS ITEM 1.2, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND ACTION FOR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE 2024 ELLIS COUNTY MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN ADOPTED BY ORDER NUMBER FIVE 20 DASH 24. AND LAST AMENDED BY ORDER, UH, NUMBER 1 38 DASH OR 1 38 0.26, SPECIFICALLY TO AMEND ND RANCH ROAD, A PRIVATE ROAD THAT EXTENDS FROM ANGUS ROAD TO FM 1446, SHIFT IN EXISTING ROAD WITHIN ELLIS RANCH ALONG FM 8 78, AND CORRECT CONFLICTING CLASSIFICATION TYPES ON THE SAME ROAD. AND ESTABLISH ONE CLASSIFICATION, PROVIDING FOR A CONFLICTS CLAUSE, SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ALBERTO? YES, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE'RE PROPOSING THREE AMENDMENTS. UH, THE FIRST ONE AS THE CAPTION READ IS INDY RANCH ROAD. UH, THIS ONE WAS ORIGINALLY, UH, UH, INVERTING LEFT IN, I GUESS THE DRAFT OF THE 2024 PLAN. THIS, THIS ROAD SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN INCLUDED IN THAT IN THE FINALIZED ADOPTED VERSION. UH, SO WE'RE REMOVING THAT WE DO HAVE A NORTH OAK BRANCH, UH, ROAD THERE, WHICH IS ABOUT HALF MILE, WHICH SHOULD SUFFICE, I GUESS, TO MEET OUR THOROUGHFARE NEEDS. SO WE ARE PROPOSING JUST TO ELIMINATE THE INDIE RANCH ROAD ONE. UH, THE SECOND AMENDMENT IS, UH, AN ELLIS RANCH. UH, CURRENTLY, AS YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THAT MAP, UH, THE DASH RED LINE S OUR CURRENT ALIGNMENT. THEY'RE PROPOSING TO SHIFT IT ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE TO THE WEST. THE, TO PUT IT COMPLETELY ON THEIR PROPERTY, THE THOROUGHFARE CLASSIFICATION WILL STAY THE SAME. WE'RE JUST SHIFTING IT TO THE WEST. SO INSTEAD OF HAVING A SPLIT PROPERTY LINES, THE DEVELOPER'S WILLING TO PLACE ALL OF IT ON, ON HIS PROPERTY. UH, THE THIRD AMENDMENT, UH, IS ACTUALLY A, A SET OF FIVE. AND, UH, TWO OF THESE ARE ACTUALLY LOCATED INSIDE CITY LIMITS. UH, SO IT DOESN'T REALLY AFFECT THE COUNTY PER SE, BUT, UH, WE WANT TO JUST CLEAN IT UP AND KIND OF MATCH WHAT THE, WHAT THEY ARE SAYING, UM, ON THEIR THIRD FAIR. SO THE ONES INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, UH, ARE IN MIDLOTHIAN. IT'S, UH, THE AREA NEAR US 67 FRONTAGE ROAD OVERLOOK, UH, NORTH EIGHTH AND NORTH NINTH STREET, UM, AND ALSO 14TH, SOUTH 14TH STREET. WE'RE GONNA MATCH, I GUESS, WHAT MIDLOTHIAN HAS THERE. SO THAT'S JUST A MINOR CLEANUP. LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT GONNA AFFECT THE COUNTY AT ALL. UM, TWO OTHERS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING, A CURTIS RAY ROAD AND ARMSTRONG ROAD, UH, THE THOROUGHFARE PLANT CURRENTLY HAS CONFLICTING, UH, DESIGNATIONS ON THERE. IT KIND OF OVERLAPS. THERE'S A 80 AND A HUNDRED FOOT, UH, CLASSIFICATION OVERLAPPING ON TOP OF EACH OTHER. SO WE'RE JUST MAKING A CORRECTION TO MAKE THAT A HUNDRED FEET ON BOTH OF THESE. AND THE FIFTH ONE IS ALSO, UH, UH, IN RED OAKS, DTJ SUTTON ROAD AND HONEYSUCKER. UH, THERE'S A SMALL, UH, STRETCH OF, UM, SUDDEN ROAD THAT'S NORTH, SOUTH THAT OVERLAPS. THERE'S AN 80 FOOT SECTION AND OVERLAPPING 140 FOOT SECTION. UH, THE HUNDRED FOOT, 40 FOOT SECTION IS THE ONE THAT WE WANT TO APPLY. SO WE'RE JUST ELIMINATING THE 80 FOOT, UH, SECTION AND THE [00:25:01] CLASSIFICATION. SO, LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF THESE ARE JUST MINOR CLEANUPS. UH, WE DID ADVERTISE IN THE PAPER ON MAY 19TH. UH, STAFF DOES RECORD APPROVAL AS PRESENTED. COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ALBERTO REGARDING THESE PROPOSED CHANGES? HAD NO LETTERS RETURNED FOR NO Y'ALL'S CHANGE? STINSON? YEAH. OKAY. UM, MOTION ACCEPT. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 1.2 FROM COMMISSIONER STINSON AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. DOES ANYONE OPPOSED A HEARING? NO OPPOSITION. ITEM 1.2 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ALBERTO. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE'LL NOW MOVE [2.1 Discussion, consideration, and action to advertise and solicit bids for Crushed Limestone Aggregates.] TO THE PURCHASING PORTION OF OUR AGENDA. AND I WOULD ASK OUR DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING EJ HARBIN TO COME SPEAK TO US ON THESE ITEMS. THE FIRST WILL BE ITEM 2.1, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND ACTION TO ADVERTISE AND SOLICIT BIDS FOR CRUSHED LIMESTONE AGGREGATES. EJ, GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. ONE THING THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN FACED WITH IS, I KNOW SOME OF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN NOT GETTING CALLS RETURNED FROM MATERIALS WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO ORDER SPECIFIC MATERIALS. AND WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO IS GET AHEAD OF THE BID PROCESS TO GO AHEAD, GET THIS APPROVED, AND THEN WE'LL START WORKING ON THE DOCUMENTS GOING THROUGH THIS BID PROCESS. RIGHT NOW ON THIS WILL GIVE US PRICING THAT IF FOR SOME REASON WE DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S RESPONSIVE, THEN WE CAN MAKE SMALL PURCHASES BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE A BID PRICE WE COULD USE AS QUOTES UNDER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS UNTIL WE GET TO NOVEMBER WHEN THESE BIDS EXPIRE. RIGHT NOW, MOST OF THESE, AND THE ONES THAT ARE FOLLOWING EXPIRE BETWEEN NOVEMBER AND JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, OF THIS COMING YEAR. SO WITH YOUR APPROVAL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND BEGIN THE PROCESS OF REBIDDING MATERIALS, UH, SO WE CAN GET NEW CONTRACTS IN PLACE THAT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE ON THE EXPIRATION OF THE EXISTING CONTRACT. SO, SO YOU'RE SAYING THESE ARE GOING TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF THE YEAR? YES. THESE, UH, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, OR OC UH, NOVEMBER. AND THEN THEY, UH, ONE EXPIRES, UH, IN, UH, JANUARY, EARLY JANUARY OF THIS COMING YEAR. SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET AHEAD TO MAKE SURE WE GET ALL OF OUR SPECIFICATIONS IN PLACE VISIT WITH YOU, BUT IT WILL ALSO GIVE US QUOTED PRICE IN CASE YOU'RE NOT GETTING CALLS BACK AND CAN'T RECEIVE THE MATERIAL, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU NEED. WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE HOTTEST PART OF THE SEASON TO GO OUT ON BID. YEP. YES, SIR. NOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT THESE OUT ON BID YET. WE'RE GONNA START THE PROCESS AND THEN AS WE GO THROUGH, THIS IS JUST TO KICK US OFF AND THEN WE'LL GO OUT. SO WE WILL, WE'LL WORK WITH YOU TO TRY TO HIT THE BEST. SO SEPTEMBER YOU GO OUT. YES. YES. THESE ARE FOR BIDS THAT WE'LL RENEW IN NOVEMBER. SO WE WON'T BE GETTING, WE WON'T BE GETTING PRICING. YEAH. AS FAR AS STARTING THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT I'M SAYING IS FINE. I, WE'RE GETTING INTO, I'VE BEEN CALLING TALKING , IT'D BE HOT. IT'S A HOT TOPIC RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE IT'S PRIMETIME SEASON, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERYTHING WE'RE USING. SO YES. AND WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER COOPERATIVES THAT WE'VE GOT OUT THERE, AND THEN INTERLOCALS WITH THE OTHER COUNTIES IN CASE YOU'RE NOT GETTING SERVICE, YOU NEED. WELL, WE HAVE THE OPTION NOW FOR THE UP TO THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND IF WE NEED TO. RIGHT. WITHOUT GOING OUT ON IF, IF SOMEBODY COMES DOWN. ABSOLUTELY. WE HAD THAT OPTION ALREADY. YEAH. YOU'RE JUST WANTING TO GET AHEAD OF THE GAME IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES. WE'RE GONNA VISIT WITH YOU, SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO ADD. WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE IF THERE'S NEW MATERIALS, UM, THAT WAY WE'RE AHEAD OF THE GAME. WE DON'T WANT TO BE BEHIND. OKAY. I ACTUALLY LIKE STARTING EARLY TO PREP IT, PUT IT ALL TOGETHER BECAUSE WE, WE SHOULDN'T END UP WITH PEOPLE THAT DON'T GET NOTIFIED THAT WE'RE OUT FOR BID. MM-HMM . THAT ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE NORMALLY IN THE COUNTY THAT WE RELY ON AND, YOU KNOW, THEY GET BUSY AND THEY DON'T NOTICE THESE BIDS COMING UP. NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THEY MISS IT. YEAH. SO IT GIVES Y'ALL TIME TO ACTUALLY DO A LITTLE FOOTWORK AND DUE DILIGENCE AS FAR AS MAKING SURE THEY GET THE MESSAGE AND WE WILL BE SITTING ON TOP OF THEM. WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THESE ARE. OKAY. OKAY. COMMISSIONER, I MAKE A MOTION. OKAY. MAKE A MOTION. WE HAVE, UH, A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 2.1 FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? UH, HEARING NO OPPOSITION? ITEM 2.1 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'LL [2.2 Discussion, consideration, and action to advertise and solicit bids for Asphalts and Roadway Emulsions.] NOW MOVE TO ITEM 2.2, WHICH I, I FEEL IS GONNA BE VERY SIMILAR . THAT'S DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND ACTION TO ADVERTISE AND SOLICIT BIDS FOR ASPHALTS AND ROADWAY EMULSIONS, EJ EXACTLY THE SAME SITUATION. UH, WE'RE REQUESTING YOUR APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD. OKAY, COMMISSIONER, ANY QUE SECOND? OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 2.2 FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND A SEC, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING, UH, NO OPPOSITION. ITEM 2.2 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM, [2.3 Discussion, consideration, and action to advertise and solicit bids for Crushed Concrete and Rip Rap.] UH, 2.3, WHICH I THINK IS THE THIRD VERSE OF THIS SAME SONG THAT IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND ACTION TO ADVERTISE AND SOLICIT BIDS FOR CRUSHED CONCRETE AND RIP [00:30:01] WRAP EJ. AND THIS WILL BE THE EXACT SAME SITUATION. THESE EXPIRE IN NOVEMBER. SO WE'RE JUST GETTING A HEAD START RIGHT NOW. COMMISSIONERS. ANY THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS? MAKE A MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 2.3 FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. IS THERE A WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ZEKE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AS ANYONE OPPOSED? UH, HEARING NO OPPOSITION. ITEM 2.3 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. AND THEN WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM [2.4 Discussion, consideration, and action to advertise and solicit bids for Pea Gravel.] 2.4, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND ACTION TO ADVERTISE AND SOLICIT BIDS FOR P GRAVEL, EJ. AND THIS IS THE ONE THAT EXPIRES IN JANUARY, AND SO WE'RE GETTING AHEAD ON THAT RIGHT NOW. I KNOW WE'RE HAVING ISSUES. OKAY, MOTION. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 2.4 FROM COMMISSIONER STINSON AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ZIKE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? UH, HEARING NO OPPOSITION? ITEM 2.4 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO [2.5 Discussion, consideration, and action to enter an Interlocal Agreement with The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) to provide Comprehensive Inmate Medical and Behavioral Health Services at the Ellis County Jail for a term of five years and approval for the County Judge to execute the agreement upon final legal review. First year cost is $5,028,750.00 and will adjust each year as outlined in the Interlocal Agreement with a projected five-year total cost of $25,775,792.00. (Part 1 of 2)] ITEM 2.5, WHICH RELATES BACK TO OUR, UM, UH, INMATE CARE AT THE JAIL, HEALTHCARE AT THE JAIL. UH, ITEM 2.5 IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND ACTION TO ENTER INTO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH, UH, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS UTMB TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE INMATE MEDICAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AT THE ELLIS COUNTY JAIL FOR A TERM OF FIVE YEARS AND APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY JUDGE TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT UPON FINAL REVIEW. THE FIRST YEAR COST IS $5,028,750, AND WE'LL ADJUST EACH YEAR AS OUTLINED IN THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH A PROJECTED FIVE YEAR TOTAL COST OF $25,775,792. WE DO HAVE THIS ITEM ALSO CROSS POSTED FOR OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION. I DO THINK WE, UH, HAVE THE NEED TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL ABOUT IT. SO, UH, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I THINK WE'LL, WE'LL JUST PASS ON THAT UNTIL AFTER WE, UH, HAVE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. THEN WE'LL RETAKE UP ITEM 2.5 FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU EJ. SO, ITEM 2.1, NOW MOVE TO ITEM 2.6, [2.6 Discussion, consideration, and action to terminate the contract for RFP-2026-001 Behavioral Health Assessments for the Veterans Treatment Court with TrueCare24, Inc.] WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND ACTION. TO TERMINATE THE CONTRACT FOR RFP DASH 2026 DASH 0 0 1. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS FOR THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT WITH TRUCARE 24 INC. EJ OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HAS WORKED WITH TRUCARE 24 TO MEET THE EXPECTATIONS AS OUTLINED IN THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THEM TO THE COUNTY. TRUCARE 24 IN THE COUNTY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO COME TO A RESOLUTION, UH, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING TERMINATION OF THE AGREEMENT. KAITLYN WILKINSON, OUR DIRECTOR OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, IS HERE AND AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON THIS TOPIC. UM, EJ MY, MY QUESTION WOULD BE, DO WE, REMIND ME AGAIN, DO WE HAVE AN ALTERNATE PROVIDER OR HOW ARE WE GONNA FILL THE GAP? UH, THAT'S GONNA BE ACTUALLY 2.7. THAT'S WHAT, UH, WE'RE GONNA COME TO YOU WITH A SOLUTION. OKAY, VERY GOOD. VERY GOOD. COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON 2.6? THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THE LAST MONTH, RIGHT? YEAH, I THINK WE'VE DISCUSSED IT A COUPLE TIMES, CORRECT? YEAH, I MAKE A MOTION TO, OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. ITEM 2.6. SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. A AYE. DOES ANYONE OPPOSED? ITEM 2.6 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ALRIGHT, WELL NOW TAKE UP ITEM 2.7, [2.7 Discussion, consideration, and action to advertise and solicit for bids from Licensed Clinicians for inclusion of a ongoing provider pool to complete behavioral health assessments and services for Ellis County Veteran's Treatment Court.] WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND ACTION. TO ADVERTISE AND SOLICIT BIDS FROM LICENSED CLINICIANS FOR INCLUSION OF AN ONGOING PROVIDER POOL TO COMPLETE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND SERVICES FOR THE ELLIS COUNTY VETERANS TREATMENT COURT, EJ, WORKING WITH LEGAL, WE CAME UP WITH A, UH, GOOD SOLUTION TO PROVIDE ONGOING SERVICES. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS REQUESTED THAT A POOL OF CLINICIANS BE SET UP AND WITH YOUR APPROVAL PURCHASING WILL PUT OUT A BEST VALUE BID THAT WILL BE OPEN FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS. THIS BID WILL BE HELD OPEN DURING THAT TIME AS A CLINICIAN RESPONDS TO THE BID OR A GROUP OF CLINICIANS. WHAT WE'LL DO ON A MONTHLY BASIS IS BRING THOSE BEFORE THE COURT AND ASK THAT THOSE CLINICIANS BE APPROVED AND ADDED TO THE POOL. ONCE THEY'VE BEEN COMPLETELY VETTED AND READY TO GO, UH, WE WOULD BRING ALL NEW RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COURT. AND I SAY THIS, WE DON'T WANNA BE COMING TO COURT EVERY TWO WEEKS, SO IT WOULD BE IN, DURING THIS TWO YEAR PERIOD, WOULD BE A MAXIMUM OF 12 TIMES 24 TOTAL. WITH THE TWO YEARS, UH, STAFF IS REQUESTING APPROVAL TO PROCEED AND KAITLYN WAS HERE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF YOU HAD ANY. OKAY. UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR EITHER KAITLYN OR EJ? I'M GOOD IF Y'ALL, [00:35:01] I DON'T HAVE ANY. OKAY. WELL, IF THERE'S NO, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I WOULD TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OF ITEM 2.7. SO MOVED. WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE ITEM 2.7 FROM COMMISSIONER ZIKE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STINSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? UH, HEARING NO OPPOSITION? ITEM 2.7 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, EJ. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. NORMA, [3.1 Discussion, consideration, and possible action to renew or modify the current County & Retiree Health Insurance coverage and premiums through the Texas Association of Counties and Employee Benefits Pool for the Fiscal Year 2026-2027, including approval for the County Judge to sign the renewal. — Interim Human Resources Director Norma Luna] DO YOU WANNA COME ON UP? UH, I'LL ASK OUR INTERIM HR DIRECTOR NORMA LUNA TO COME UP AS WE TAKE UP ITEM 3.1, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO RENEW OR MODIFY THE CURRENT COUNTY AND RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE AND PREMIUMS THROUGH THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS POOL FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 THROUGH 2027, INCLUDING APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY JUDGE TO SIGN THE RENEWAL. UH, COMMISSIONERS, THIS WAS THE, UH, AN ACTION ITEM RELATED TO THE TOPIC OF OUR WORKSHOP, UH, EARLIER TODAY. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR, FOR NORMA. I, I KIND OF FELT YOU MIGHT MAYBE WANTED TO SEE A FEW OTHER NUMBERS SUCH THAT WE WOULD HAVE THIS ON OUR AGENDA AGAIN ON JUNE 23RD. I'M OKAY WITH TAKING NO ACTION AND, AND TAKING A BACK TABLE. IT. OKAY. I DON'T THINK WE ACTUALLY, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO TABLE IT. WE'LL JUST TAKE NO ACTION ON IT. UM, SO COMMERS, ANYONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION? OTHERWISE WE'LL JUST TAKE NO ACTION. I JUST, NO ACTION. OKAY. DOING NO ACTION. THANK YOU. UH, WE'LL NOW [3.2 Discussion, consideration, and possible action on transitioning the County supplemental insurance program from an American Fidelity, primary vendor, arrangement to a non-exclusive supplemental insurance offering. Additionally, permission to alter the pre-tax benefit. — Interim Human Resources Director Norma Luna] MOVE TO ITEM 3.2, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON TRANSITIONING THE COUNTY'S SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE PROGRAM FROM AN AMERICAN FROM AMERICAN FIDELITY AS PRIMARY VENDOR, A PRIMARY VENDOR ARRANGEMENT TO A NON-EXCLUSIVE SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE OFF OFFERING ADDITIONALLY PERMISSION TO ALTER THE PRE-TAX BENEFIT. NORMA, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK TO US ON THIS? YES. UM, SO RIGHT NOW AMERICAN FIDELITY IS OUR, OH YEAH. THANK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO RIGHT NOW, AMERICAN FIDELITY'S OUR ONLY SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS PROVIDER THAT WE OFFER TO OUR EMPLOYEES. UM, JUST WITH EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, OUR, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO LOVE THEM AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO DON'T. UM, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY OPTION THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. UM, SO IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS AND HAVE POSSIBLE OTHER OPTIONS IN THE LONG RUN, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW. OPEN ENROLLMENT IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, SO IT WOULDN'T BE WISE TO JUST GO AND PICK SOMEBODY RIGHT NOW AND SAY, HEY, WE WANNA GO WITH THE AFLAC, OR WE WANNA GO WITH SO AND SO, YOU KNOW, BUT THIS DOES OPEN THE DOORS FOR US TO EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS. UM, THEY OFFER PRE-TAX BENEFITS. THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE ROUTE THAT WE WANNA GO RIGHT NOW. UM, BECAUSE THE LAST TWO VENDORS, INCLUDING AMERICAN FIDELITY AND AFLAC, HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE, UM, SERVICES IN TERMS OF HAVING THEIR BILLING BE ACCURATE, YOU KNOW, CONFUSING EMPLOYEES AND SUCH. SO THIS IS JUST FOR US TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO OPEN THE DOORS TO OTHERS. UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 20 DIFFERENT VENDORS COME A YEAR TO KNOCK ON OUR DOOR. DOESN'T MEAN WE WILL DEFINITELY SIT DOWN AND REVIEW EVERY OPTION, BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY HEAR A COUPLE HERE AND THERE JUST SO THAT EMPLOYEES HAVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THEM. SO, OKAY. UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR NORMA? NO. THIS, THIS IS, WE'RE NOT PICKING A VENDOR, WE'RE JUST LETTING YOU EXPLORE THE CORRECT AND BECAUSE THEY OFFER PRETEXT BENEFITS, UM, THAT'S JUST, IT DOES REQUIRE US. AND BECAUSE WE HAD PIGGYBACKED OFF OF ANOTHER, UM, COUNTY'S AGREEMENT OR IN A SENSE, UM, THEN WE WERE ALMOST MAKING THEM EXCLUSIVE, UM, BY DOING THAT. SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE PRIMARY SITUATION RIGHT NOW. RIGHT. MORE OFTEN. SO THIS JUST ALLOWS US TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER VENDORS AND HAVE SIT DOWNS AND LOOK AT NUMBERS AND SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE MAY WANNA BRING NEXT YEAR OR THE YEAR AFTER. YEAH. OKAY. SO MOVE MOTION. OKAY. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.2 FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STINSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. A AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? UH, HEARING NO OPPOSITION? ITEM 3.2 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, NORMA. WE'LL NOW TAKE UP [3.3 Discussion, consideration, and possible action to reclassify the one (1) Part-Time Road Worker to Part-Time Seasonal Road Worker for Road and Bridge Precinct 4. No increase in the departmental budget is requested. The reclassification will be absorbed within the budgeted salary. — County Commissioner Precinct 4 Kyle Butler] ITEM 3.3, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO RECLASSIFY ONE PART-TIME ROAD WORKER TO PART-TIME SEASONAL ROAD WORKER FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE PRECINCT FOUR. NO INCREASE IN THE DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET IS REQUESTED. THE RECLASSIFICATION WILL BE ABSORBED WITHIN THE BUDGETED SALARY. UH, COMMISSIONER BUTLER, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO US ON THIS? YEAH. THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE NEED TO LOOK AT MOVING FORWARD IN THE BUDGET, BUT I'VE ACTUALLY, I'M ACTUALLY NEEDING THREE SEASONAL PART-TIME INSTEAD OF A PART-TIME AND TWO SEASONAL. UH, AND THE, AND THE REASON FOR IT, ONE, MY PART-TIME, HE [00:40:01] IS GOING TO BE A SEASONAL, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO THERE'S NO NEED FOR HIM TO TAKE OUT FOR RETIREMENT THEN WHOLE NINE YARDS. HE, HE'LL BE GONE IN AT THE END OF AUGUST. RIGHT? SO THIS IS THE EASIEST WAY TO, TO MAKE A CHANGE WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT THE TREASURER WILL STILL PAY HIM LIKE HE'S SUPPOSED TO AND, AND, UH, AND MAKE IT UP TO DATE, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY. OKAY. SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION JUST TO SWITCH TO ONE PART TIME TO THE THREE TIME SEASONAL. I SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.3 FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. DOES ANYONE OPPOSED, UH, HEARING NO OPPOSITION ITEM 3.3 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO [3.4 Discussion, consideration, and possible action to approve a $15,000,000.00 grant agreement with Compass Data Centers to fund the construction of an Ellis County Animal Shelter. — Ellis County Judge John Wray (Part 1 of 2)] ITEM 3.4, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A $15 MILLION GRANT AGREEMENT WITH COMPASS DATA CENTERS TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ELLIS COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER. AND WE HAVE THE, UH, CHIEF OF STAFF IN THE COUNTY JUDGE OFFICE. ERIC IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US. ERIC TEST GOING TO SPEAK, SPEAK TO US ON THIS. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, UM, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE ALL KIND OF AWARE OF THIS 'CAUSE OF THE PUBLIC, UM, ANNOUNCEMENT LAST WEEK. SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE Y'ALL A COUPLE KEY POINTS OF THE CONTRACT, UH, OR OF THE, UM, COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT. ONE IS THAT IT, IT IS A LUMP SUM PAYMENT OF $15 MILLION TO THE COUNTY WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, WHICH, UM, I, I BELIEVE WE ENDED UP AT 45 DAYS JULY 15TH. I SEIZE THE YEP. TO RECEIVE IT. RIGHT. AND THEN, UH, THE SECOND I THINK IMPORTANT PART IS TO KNOW THAT THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT THAT TIES THE COUNTY TO ANY, ANYTHING OTHER THAN, UM, THAT IT MUST GO TOWARDS AN ANIMAL SHELTER. ANIMAL SHELTER. RIGHT? RIGHT. UM, AND THEN THERE'S A, A FEW MILESTONES. WE'RE GONNA PLACE IT IN A, A DEDICATED ACCOUNT, UH, AND IT WILL BE USED TO BUILD AN ANIMAL SHELTER. YEAH. AND THERE, THERE ARE A FEW MILESTONES ON THE BACK OF IT THAT, YOU KNOW, SAY ESSENTIALLY WE HAVE TO START THIS PROCESS BY JANUARY 1ST, 2027. UM, AND THEN I, I THINK ESSENTIALLY IT SAYS THAT IT'LL BE FINISHED WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME THERE AFTERWARDS. RIGHT. AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, A COUPLE PEOPLE HERE, I THINK, UM, ONE FROM COMPASS, UH, THE VICE PRESIDENT, MARK HALER, I THINK IS HERE. I THINK YOU WANNA SAY A COUPLE THINGS. YEAH. AND THEN IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS, THE OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS I THINK ARE AVAILABLE AS WELL. OKAY. YEAH, WE DO, WE HAD, UH, THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT WAS REVIEWED BY OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL. UH, THAT WOULD BE, UH, BETSY ELAM AND CARVIN ADKINS OF THE TAYLOR OLSO, A ADKINS AL AND ELAM FIRM. UH, THEY HAVE SOME SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE IN THIS AREA, SO WE APPRECIATE THEIR EXPERTISE AND, UH, I'LL MAKE A FEW COMMENTS. WE DO HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS, UH, SIGNED UP. AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, UH, AFTER, AFTER I'M MAKE A COMMENT OR TWO. ONE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE PREVIOUSLY HAD A COUNTY, UH, ANIMAL SHELTER THAT WAS BEING RUN BY THE SPCA. UH, IT WAS OUT ON THE COUNTY FARM, I BELIEVE THEY'RE ON FM 8 78. AND, UH, SPA ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, THE SPCA PULLED OUT ON US. THEY, THEY BAILED OUT OF THE, UH, AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE AND SHUT DOWN THE SHELTER. UH, AT THE TIME, THEY WERE ASKING, UM, FOR A, FOR THE COUNTY TO BUILD A $15 MILLION BUILDING, UH, TO, IN WHICH THEY WOULD HOUSE A REVISED ANIMAL SHELTER OPERATION. SO THAT'S SORT OF WHERE THE 15 UH, MILLION DOLLARS NUMBER CAME FROM. ORIGINALLY, UM, ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, SOME, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM COMPASS DATA CENTERS APPROACHED THE COUNTY AND, UH, IN, IN THE SPIRIT OF BEING A GOOD CORPORATE CITIZEN, ASKED HOW THEY COULD HELP WITH SOMETHING. AND, UH, I TALKED ABOUT THE ANIMAL SHELTER. I TALKED ABOUT THE $15 MILLION NUMBER. I NEVER REALLY SUSPECTED THAT COMPASS WOULD COME FORWARD WITH THAT LEVEL OF A GIFT. UH, BUT THAT IS ULTIMATELY WHAT HAS HAPPENED. AND SO WE, WE APPRECIATE THAT GIFT. AND WE DO HAVE, UH, I'D LIKE TO FIRST LET MR. UH, HALFORD FROM COMPASS, UH, SAY A FEW THINGS AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION. THANK YOU JUDGE RAY COMMISSIONERS, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU HERE TODAY. UH, MY NAME'S MARK HALFORD, VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT AT COMPASS DATA CENTERS. UM, COMPASS HAS BEEN A PART OF ELLIS COUNTY AND THIS COMMUNITY FOR OVER SIX YEARS NOW. UM, BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR IS, UH, THE STANDARD THAT WE HOLD OURSELVES TO AS A CLASS A, UH, COMMUNITY FIRST [00:45:01] DEVELOPER. UH, WE THINK OF OURSELVES AS A HUNDRED YEAR NEIGHBOR TO ELLIS COUNTY, AND THAT MEANS INVESTING IN THINGS THAT WILL LAST, NOT JUST INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT IN PEOPLE AND INSTITUTIONS THAT MAKE ELLIS COUNTY A GREAT PLACE TO CALL HOME. UM, YOU'VE SEEN THAT COMMITMENT IN OTHER WAYS, UH, AND UPGRADES TO AGING GRID INFRASTRUCTURE THAT STRENGTHEN RELIABILITY FOR THE WHOLE REGION. AND IN OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE, UH, TO LAUNCH THE MEI PATHWAY PROGRAM, WHICH IS OPENING DOORS TO HIGH PAYING CAREERS AND DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR STUDENTS WITH, UH, NO DEGREE OR PRIOR EXPERIENCE, UM, THIS SHELTER IS PART OF THAT SAME BELIEF THAT WHEN YOU'RE, YOU'RE HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL, YOU INVEST ACCORDINGLY. UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS HOW PROUD WE ARE TO PARTNER WITH ELLIS COUNTY ON A NEW PERMANENT HOME FOR THE ANIMALS IN OUR COMMUNITY'S CARE. UM, MANY OF YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED, UH, WHEN THE SBCA CLOSED ITS REGIONAL CENTER HERE LAST YEAR, UH, IT LEFT A REAL VOID. AND, UH, IN THAT GAP, IT WAS THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY, THE VOLUNTEERS WHO STEPPED UP, UH, THEY WORKED NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, THEY OPENED THEIR HOMES. UH, THEY STRETCHED EVERY RESOURCE THEY HAD TO KEEP ANIMALS SAFE AND CARED FOR. UH, THEY HAVE HELD IT TOGETHER ON GRIT AND GOODWILL, UH, FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. UH, THAT KIND OF COMMITMENT DESERVES A REAL LASTING ANSWER. UH, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS $15 MILLION GRANT IS MEANT TO PROVIDE, UH, STATE OF THE ART COUNTY OWNED AND OPERATED ANIMAL SHELTER THAT WILL SERVE ELLIS COUNTY FOR, FOR DECADES TO COME. UM, WE'RE NOT HERE TO TELL THE COUNTY HOW TO BUILD IT. UH, WE'RE HERE TO FUND IT AND TO PARTNER WITH YOU. UH, AND YOU KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE FINAL FACILITY WILL TRULY REFLECT THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE AND THE ANIMALS. IT, IT WILL SERVE. UM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY ON TIMELINES AND DETAILS AS THE PROJECT MOVE FORWARD. UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE HONORED TO, TO STAND WITH ELLIS COUNTY TO HELP MAKE THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT A REALITY. UH, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HALFORD. WE, WE APPRECIATE, UH, THIS, THIS BENEFITS AGREEMENT YOU BROUGHT TO US TODAY. OKAY. UH, I, AMY, I SHOW THAT WE HAVE 12 PEOPLE, 12 MORE PEOPLE. OKAY. UH, ALRIGHT. I THINK YOU HAD MR. HALFORD ON THE LIST, SO IT IT WOULD BE 12 AT THIS POINT. YEAH. SO, UH, WE DO HAVE 30 MINUTES ALLOTTED FOR DISCUSSION ON, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ITEM. WE HAVE 12 PEOPLE SIGNED UP. SO 30 DIVIDED BY 12 IS TWO THREE MINUTES. TWO THREE MINUTES PIECE. YEAH. 2.25 . YEAH. OKAY. SO WE WILL, WE WILL ALLOW, UH, IF, IF YOU TRY, PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO, TO TWO MINUTES, TWO AND A QUARTER MINUTES PLEASE. UH, UH, THE CLERK, AMY GUERRERO WILL, WILL TIME THAT, UH, WHEN YOU HIT YOUR TIME, I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU A SIGNAL AND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, UH, WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS AT THAT TIME. WE WANT TO ALLOW ENOUGH TIME FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SPEAK TO HAVE A CHANCE TO DO THAT. SO, WITH THAT IN MIND, I WILL CALL THESE UP IN, UH, IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY WERE PRESENTED TO ME. I WANTED TO NOTE THAT, UH, SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE NEXT ITEM 3.5 AS WELL. UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, I'VE COMMENT ON BOTH ITEMS AT ONE TIME, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO THAT, UH, AND THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK UP. BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME BACK UP AGAIN WHEN WE CONSIDER ITEM 3.5, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO THAT AS WELL. SO THE FIRST PERSON I HAVE, UH, ON THE LIST HERE IS NICOLE VOER HYDE, I BELIEVE. PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I DIDN'T PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME CORRECTLY. MS. VOER HYDE, IF YOU WOULD COME UP AND, UH, JUST TELL US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS AND THEN, UH, GIVE AND PLEASE SHARE YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU. OKAY. YEAH. UM, MY NAME IS NICOLE VONDA HYDE. I LIVE AT 62 21 SIENNA CIRCLE IN MIDLOTHIAN. AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE PET COALITION OF ELLIS COUNTY, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE AT THE PET COALITION WHO'S HERE TODAY TO PLEASE STAND AND ANYONE WHO'S ALSO HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR A REGIONAL SHELTER TO ALSO PLEASE STAND. THANK YOU. SO I'D LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK SECOND TO SHARE WITH YOU WHO WE ARE. WE'RE A 5 0 1 C3 ORGANIZATION FORMED LESS THAN TWO YEARS AGO WITH OVER 30 VOLUNTEERS, AND WE'RE ACTIVELY FOLLOWED BY 2,400 CONCERNED CITIZENS. WE HAVE NO PAID STAFF, NO FOSTERS AND NO FACILITY, AND YET WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO ADDRESS THE VOID THAT'S BEEN LEFT BY THE COUNTY ENDING AN ANY ANIMAL SERVICES EXCEPT [00:50:01] THE MINIMUM REQUIRED BY THE STATE FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF. THESE EFFORTS INCLUDE BEING THE BRIDGE FOR UNSHELTERED ANIMALS AND CREATING A PATHWAY TO RESCUE COUNTLESS HOURS, FUNDRAISING AT VACCINE CLINICS, TRANSPORTING ANIMALS, AND PROVIDING FUNDS FOR EMERGENCY VET CARE, ALL TO HELP ANIMALS WITH NO HOPE AND NOWHERE TO GO. THE PET COALITION OF ELLIS COUNTY WORKS ALONGSIDE SHELTERS, RESCUES VETERINARIANS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND ANIMAL ADVOCATES TO PROVIDE RESOURCES THAT HELP KEEP PETS SAFE, HEALTHY, AND IN LOVING HOMES. OUR GOAL IS TO BUILD A STRONGER SAFETY NET FOR ANIMALS AND THE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THEM. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU, JUDGE RAY AND THE COMMISSIONERS HERE TODAY IN THE COURT AND EVERYONE ELSE IN BRINGING FORWARD A PROPOSAL TO ADDRESS THE ANIMAL SHELTERING ISSUE IN ELLIS COUNTY. THE PROPOSED $15 MILLION OF FUNDING COMMITMENT IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARDS, UH, AND DEMONSTRATES RECOGNITION OF A LONGSTANDING COMMUNITY NEED. AS DISCUSSIONS MOVE FORWARD, I ENCOURAGE THE COUNTY LEADERS TO FOCUS NOT ONLY ON BUILDING A SHELTER, BUT BUILDING THE RIGHT REGIONAL SHELTER WITH PARTNERSHIPS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. VANDER HYDE. OKAY. I WOULD LIKE TO NOW CALL UP PAT O'CONNELL. MS. O'CONNELL, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, UH, COME UP AND, AND STATE YOUR NAME AND PLEASE, UH, SHARE WITH US YOUR ADDRESS AS WELL. CONNELL ONE 10 SHADOW DRIVE. BUT I'M ALSO SPEAKING FOR JASMINE VIEGAS WHO COULDN'T BE HERE. I'M HERE BECAUSE THE PUBLIC DESERVES FULL TRANSPARENCY, HONESTY, AND LEADERSHIP THAT'S BEYOND REPROACH. AT FIRST GLANCE, 15 MILLION, A 15 MILLION GIFT FOR AN ANIMAL SHELTER. SOUNDS GENEROUS. IT SOUNDS COMPASSIONATE, BUT THE TIMING OF THIS AGREEMENT MATTERS. THE BIGGER PICTURE MATTERS, AND TO MANY OF US, THE PROPOSAL CREATES THE APPEARANCE OF AQUID PRO QUO. COMPASS DATA CENTERS IS NOT AN UNRELATED DONOR, DONOR STEPPING IN OUT OF PURE GOODWILL. IT IS A COMPANY WITH ONGOING SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL INTERESTS IN OUR COUNTY. IF COMPASS IS WILLING TO FUND GENEROUS PUBLIC CON CONTRIBUTIONS LIKE THIS, THE OB OBVIOUS QUESTION IS WHY IS IT ALSO SEEKING TAX ABATEMENTS? THE ISSUE IS WHETHER THE COURT IS ALLOWING A PRIVATE CORPORATION TO WRAP ITSELF IN GOODWILL AT THE EXACT MOMENT IT NEEDS PUBLIC FAVOR. I ASK THE COURT TO SH SLOW DOWN, BE TRANSPARENT, AND BE FULLY, AND TO FULLY DISCLOSE ALL COMMUNICATIONS NEGOTIATIONS AND TERMS RELATED TO THIS PROPOSAL AGREEMENT. PUBLIC SERVICE IS NOT JUST ABOUT DOING WHAT IS LEGALLY PERMISSIBLE. IT IS ABOUT AVOIDING EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY. THE PEOPLE HERE TODAY HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED WHAT HAPPENS WHEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT FAILS TO PROTECT THE VERY PEOPLE IT WAS ENTRUSTED TO SERVE. WE ARE ASKING YOU TO DO THE JOB. YOU TOOK AN OATH. AN OATH TO DO. THE PEOPLE OF ELLIS COUNTY DESERVE AN ANIMAL SHELTER, BUT ABOVE ALL, THEY DESERVE TO KNOW THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT IS NOT FOR SALE. THANK YOU. THANK, THANK YOU MS. O'CONNELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. I'LL NOW, UH, CALL ON LACEY HAMILL. MS. HAMILL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP? MS. HAMILL, YOU HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON 3.52 AGAIN, UH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COMMENT ON 3.5 OR YOU CAN COME BACK. YES. I, I'M MAINLY HAVE A GENERAL COMMENT. UM, I, I ECHO WHAT MR. PRESIDENT OF PET COALITION AND ALSO MS. O'CONNELL STATED, UM, I'M KIND OF HERE. MY HEART IS TORN IN TWO DIRECTIONS. I, UH, MY NAME'S LACEY HAMEL. I LIVE ON FM 2377 IN RED OAK, TEXAS, F 4 48. 4 48. YES. 4 48 FM 2377. UM, I AM A COUNTY RESIDENT. I HAVE ALSO BEEN A LONGTIME VOLUNTEER FOR A NONPROFIT FOSTER BASED ANIMAL RESCUE NAMED NEW LIFE CAT RESCUE. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON MY BEHALF, UM, AS A RESIDENT AND ALSO AS AN ANIMAL VOLUNTEER. UM, BUT DURING PEAK MONTHS, WE TAKE IN 50 TO 150. WE TOOK IN 150 ANIMALS, CATS, SOMETIMES DOGS , BUT WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T DISCRIMINATE. WE WILL HELP DOGS. UM, MAINLY WE TRY TO FILL THE GAP, UM, THAT WE'RE VERY ACUTELY AWARE OF WHEN THE SPCA LEFT AND ALSO WHEN THERE IS NOT, UH, CITY RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO OUR RESIDENTS, WE ARE HERE TO HELP AND STEP UP. THAT IS HOW I GOT INVOLVED WITH THEM, IS I WAS SEEKING HELP AND I . HERE I AM FIVE YEARS LATER, UH, COUNTLESS HOURS AND ALL OF, ALL OF THE EFFORT THAT'S SO WORTH IT TO, TO BENEFIT THE ANIMALS IN THE COMMUNITY. I'M ALSO AROUND 1,200 FEET AWAY FROM THE LATEST PROPOSED DATA CENTER IN RED OAK THAT COMPASS IS LOOKING TO BUILD. SO MY HEART IS IN TWO DIRECTIONS TODAY. AGAIN, I ECHO THE CONCERNS. I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR OUR ANIMALS. I ALSO WANT US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A LIFE FOR OUR CITIZENS. AND THE PACE OF DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COUNTY, IN OUR CITIES, [00:55:01] IT'S, IT'S OUTRUNNING THE REGULATIONS. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS CAN IMPACT MYSELF. MY NEIGHBORS WHO BORDER IT, THERE ARE SEVERAL OF US HERE WHO BORDER THIS NEW PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT. THE LAND WAS PURCHASED BY THE CITY OF RED OAK AND ANNEXED INTO THE CITY. IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE COUNTY RESIDENTS. I, MYSELF, AND AM A COUNTY RESIDENT. THE MAJORITY OF THE SEVERAL HUNDRED PROPERTIES BOARDING THIS PROPERTY WERE COUNTY RESIDENTS. WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED BECAUSE STATE LAW THEY SAY DOES NOT REQUIRE THEM TO NOTIFY US. SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR US. AGAIN, I'M NOT HERE TO TELL YOU THAT I THINK YOU SHOULD DO ONE THING OR THE OTHER BECAUSE MY HEART IS, IS TORN. BUT IF I COULD RESPECTFULLY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, HILL COUNTY HAS, UM, LET ME FIND THE WORDING HERE. I'M SORRY. GETTING THOSE PUBLIC SPEAKING JITTERS. HILL COUNTY HAS, HAS MADE A MAJOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT REVIEW CHECKLIST AND REQUIRED SUBMITTALS. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT ELLIS COUNTY COULD LOOK INTO TO PROTECT RESIDENTS FROM UNKNOWN POTENTIAL IMPACTS. THANK YOU. THANK, THANK YOU, MS. HAM. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, NEXT UP WOULD BE SHARON COTTON. MS. COTTON, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME UP AND, UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SHARE YOUR ADDRESS WITH US PLEASE. HELLO EVERYBODY. SHARON COTTON. I LIVE AT 5 0 2 BLUE BONNET LANE IN RED OAK. I, I REALLY DON'T THINK I NEED THAT, BUT, UM, BACK IN 2024, A GROUP OF US WOMEN STOOD AT THIS VERY PODIUM IN REGARD TO A FRENCH FOR A FOREIGN COMPANY NAMED SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC COMING INTO RED OAK. WE ARGUED AGAINST THE TAX ABATEMENTS FOR SAID COMPANY. YOU HEARD US, BUT YOU DIDN'T LISTEN TO US. YOU PASSED BOTH OF THEM. AND NOW THEY'RE IN RED OAK. SO TODAY, THERE, NOW I'M BACK ARGUING AGAINST THE COMPASS DATA CENTER IN RED OAK TO BE ALLOWED ANY TAX ABATEMENTS AGAIN, ESPECIALLY AT THIS $15 MILLION ANIMAL SHELTER THEY ARE OFFERING TO ELLIS COUNTY, WHICH I DO AGREE. I AM AN ANIMAL LOVER. WE DESPERATELY NEED IT, BUT NOT IF IT'S CONTINGENT ON THEM RECEIVING COMPROMISES. TAX ABATEMENTS. THIS IS CLEARLY A QUID PRO QUO. IT IS A BRIDE PLAYING ON THE HEARTSTRINGS OF ANIMAL LOVERS. AND THERE ARE MANY OF US THAT ARE ANIMAL LOVERS. THERE HAS BEEN A SUPREME LACK OF TRANSPARENCY WITH OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS IN RED OAK. THIS IS, I SEND A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST TO RED OAK. WHAT I RECEIVED IS THE LAW FIRM REPRESENTING RED OAK. THEN I RECEIVE, OR ANOTHER LETTER FROM THE RO, THE LAW FIRM ON BEHALF OF COMPASS DATA CENTERS TRYING TO OBSTRUCT OR OBFUSCATE THE INFORMATION THAT I'M TRYING TO RECEIVE ABOUT THIS SAID DATA CENTER, THE CONTRACTS AND SPECIFICITIES. AND SO BOTH OF THESE LAW FIRMS HAVE SENT ALL THIS INFORMATION TO THE TEXAS OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR DETERMINATION WHETHER PUBLIC DISCLOSURE DISCLOSURE SHOULD BE ALLOWED. I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT RECEIVED THIS LETTER. THERE'S A BUNCH OF US THAT DID, AND I'VE NOT HEARD ANYTHING BACK. SO BASICALLY WE ASK FOR SOMETHING, WE ASK FOR INFORMATION, WE GET NOTHING. SO, AS MUCH AS I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS ANIMAL SHELTER COME TO RED OAK, I SAY NO, NOT UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. NOT, NOT WITH THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, NOT BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THE SECRECY THAT'S INVOLVED IN THIS. MS. COTTON, YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS HAS EXPIRED. OKAY? SO IF YOU'LL FINISH, FINISH, ALMOST FINISH YOUR THOUGHT. AND PARTICULARLY NOT IF THERE'S MOUS OR NDAS IN PLACE OR CONTRACTS WHICH CANNOT BE VIEWED BY THE RESIDENTS WHO WILL BE FACING THE REPERCUSSIONS. DON'T GO AGAINST THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE WHO EMPLOY YOU AS OUR RED OAK GOVERNMENT HAS DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. GOD. OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE CAROLYN TAYLOR. MS. TAYLOR, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, UH, COME UP AND, UH, STATE YOUR NAME AND, AND SHARE WITH US YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, Y'ALL. MY NAME IS CAROLYN TAYLOR. I LIVE AT 1 0 0 5 DUNKERLEY ROAD [01:00:01] IN ENNIS. AND WELCOME MATT AS MY NEW COMMISSIONER. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THE PRESIDENT OF FLYING BEE ANIMAL RESCUE AND SANCTUARY. UM, MY RESCUE, OR OUR RESCUE, I SHOULD SAY, UM, WAS FOUNDED IN LATE 2023 AND WE'VE BEEN SUPPORTING THE ANIMALS OF ELLIS COUNTY EVEN WHILE THE SPCA WAS HERE. THE SPCA WAS NOT PROVIDING COMMUNITY RESIDENTS WITH, UH, LOW COST SPAY AND NEUTER SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY HAD THEIR HANDS FULL WITH THE INTAKE. UM, SINCE THE SPCA HAS LEFT LIKE THE OTHER CAT RESCUES AND, AND THE OTHER DOG RESCUES HERE IN ELLIS COUNTY, WE ARE INUNDATED. WE ABSOLUTELY WELCOME A $15 MILLION, UH, GRANT FOR ANIMAL WELFARE SERVICES AND WE ARE HERE TO HELP SUPPORT THAT. WE HAVE, WE HAVE BEEN FEET ON THE GROUND. WE'VE BEEN THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. WE CAN TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING ON AND PARTICULARLY YOU GUYS KNOW IT, FERRIS, ENNI, PALMER, ITALY, ALL THAT EASTERN CORRIDOR. THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE AND THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING OUR TIME. NOT THAT EVERYBODY DOESN'T NEED IT, IT SHOULD BE BIG ENOUGH TO SHARE. BUT UM, WE ARE COMMITTED TO FINDING A SOLUTION FOR THE ANIMALS TODAY. AND PART OF THAT IS ALSO HAVING A RESCUE, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA BECOME THE BIGGEST KILL SHELTER IN TEXAS. SO WE'RE HERE TO WORK WITH YOU TO SOLVE, TO CREATE A HOLISTIC SOLUTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. TAYLOR. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE JOHNA WALLACE. MS. WALLACE. OKAY. THANK YOU MS. WALLACE. SHE'S, UH, RELEASING HER TIME. AND NEXT UP WOULD BE SUSIE HALL. MS. HALL. MS. HALL, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, UH, COME UP AND JUST, UH, SHARE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS WITH US, PLEASE. MY NAME IS SUSIE HALL. I LIVE ON CROWNOVER ROAD IN WAXAHATCHEE. AND THAT'S 4 1 4 CROWNOVER? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, I KNOW WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF AN ANIMAL SHELTER. FLYING BEE AND THE PET COALITION HAVE STEPPED UP AND DONE A FANTASTIC JOB, BUT THEY CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH. BUT MY QUESTION IS, I HAVE LIVED IN THIS COUNTY FOR 80 YEARS. MY PARENTS WERE BORN AND RAISED HERE. MY GRANDPARENTS LIVED HERE. IN FACT, MY GREATUNCLE HAD A STORE RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE COURTHOUSE. WE ALWAYS TOOK CARE OF OURSELVES WAY BACK WHEN THE COUNTY TOOK CARE OF ITS RESIDENTS. SO WHY NOW ARE WE RELYING ON SOMEONE ELSE TO PROVIDE US WITH AN ANIMAL SHELTER? WE NEED SO BADLY. I HATE TO THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA BE OBLIGATED TO COMPASS BECAUSE THERE WILL BE SOMETHING THEY'RE GONNA WANT IN RETURN TURN. AND WITH ALL OF THE NEW GROWTH IN ELLIS COUNTY AND ALL OF THE NEW TAX, TAX REVENUE THAT WE'RE GETTING, WHY CAN'T WE DO THIS ON OUR OWN? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. HALL. THANK YOU. AND NEXT UP WOULD BE JACKIE MONTEJANO, I BELIEVE. I HOPE I PRONOUNCED YOUR LAST NAME CORRECTLY. GREAT. AND MS. MONTEJANO, IF YOU'D PLEASE JUST SHARE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE RAY COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JACKIE MONTEJANO. I LIVE AT FOUR 12 WEST BARBON AVENUE IN WAXAHATCHEE, TEXAS. MR. ZA IS OUR NEW COMMISSIONER HERE. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU. UM, I BELONG TO THE PET COALITION OF ELLIS COUNTY. I ALSO SIT ON THE CITY OF WAXAHATCHEE ANIMAL ADVISORY CARE COMMITTEE. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, ASIDE FROM BEING A RESIDENT, I'M ALSO A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, AND I RUN A LAW PRACTICE UP IN DALLAS. I UNDERSTAND BOTTOM LINES, I UNDERSTAND BUDGETS, I UNDERSTAND FINANCES. UM, WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, THOUGH, I WANNA PUT A FEW THINGS INTO CONTEXT. I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT THE URGENT NEED. YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT IT'S REAL. UM, BUT IN THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS, AND WE PROBABLY ALL REMEMBER THIS FROM GRADE SCHOOL, WE HAVE 254 COUNTIES. OF THOSE 254 COUNTIES THAT HAVE A POPULATION CLOSE TO ELLIS COUNTY, GIVE OR TAKE, 250,000 PEOPLE. ELLIS COUNTY IS THE [01:05:01] ONLY COUNTY IN TEXAS THAT DOESN'T HAVE A REGIONAL SHELTER. LET THAT SINK IN. LET THAT SINK IN. Y'ALL. HECTOR COUNTY HAS A REGIONAL ANIMAL SHELTER. WE DON'T. I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE REASONS WHY A REGIONAL SHELTER, UH, MAKES SENSE. AND, AND THAT IS FOR FINANCIAL REASONS, LOGISTICAL REASONS, AND ALSO JUST FOR THE LONG CARE TERM INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. YOU KNOW, WE TAKE CALLS FROM THE COMMUNITY AT THE PET COALITION OF ELLIS COUNTY, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY CALLS WE GET FROM OUR CIVIL SEVERANCE HERE, OUR SHERIFFS AND OUR CONSTABLES SAYING WE NEED HELP. WE'VE GOT A STRAY ANIMAL HERE. YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T MAKE MONEY SENSE. WHEN WE HAVE OUR HIGHLY PAID SHERIFFS CHASING AFTER DOGS. I'D LIKE MY SHERIFFS TO CHASE AFTER THE BAD GUYS, YOU KNOW? AND THE MORE THAT OUR CIVIL SERVANTS ARE SPINNING THEIR WHEELS ACTING AS GLORIFIED, OVERPAID DOG SITTERS AND DOG CATCHERS, THEY'RE JUST NOT DOING THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE HERE. THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSTRUCT A REGIONAL MODEL. AND, AND THAT OPPORTUNITY, THAT WINDOW IS CLOSING. RED OAK HAS ALREADY CONSTRUCTED A SHELTER, AND THIS IS TALKING ABOUT BUILDING A SHELTER. AS MORE TIME GOES ON, THAT OPPORTUNITY IS GONNA CLOSE. LOGISTICALLY, THIS MAKES SENSE. ANIMALS DON'T STOP AT CITY LIMITS. THEY DON'T KNOW JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES. AND A REGIONAL SHELTER REALLY IS, I THINK, THE BEST AND MOST FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY FOR THIS COUNTY TO MOVE FORWARD. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MS. MALTA. I THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT UP IS MATT CRAIG. MR. CRAIG, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, UH, JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS WHEN YOU STEP UP. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS MATT CRAIG. I LIVE AT FIVE 15 BENT TRAIL IN RED OAK. THAT'S, UH, PRECINCT ONE. AND AGAIN, I'M HERE WITH A PET COALITION OF ELLIS COUNTY. YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF STATEMENTS. I'M GONNA BOIL IT DOWN TO FOUR BASIC STATEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. WE NEED A SHELTER THAT'S OBVIOUS. WE NEED SOMETHING NOW FOR ANIMAL SERVICES. WE REQUEST THAT THE COUNTY BE PART OF A REGIONAL SHELTER PLAN. AND LASTLY, THAT WE ASK THAT IN THE 2027 BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS COMING UP LATER THIS MONTH, THAT THERE NEEDS TO INCLUDE FUNDS FOR AN ANIMAL SHELTER. SO YOU'VE SEEN THE, UH, YOU'VE, YOU'VE HEARD FROM OUR FOLKS HERE ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES WERE, WERE PUTTING FORWARD TODAY. I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES HERE THAT WE CAN DO MORE THAN THE BARE MINIMUM REQUIRED BY THE STATE. WE'RE BETTER THAN THAT, I THINK, AS ELLIS COUNTY DO MORE THAN THE BARE MINIMUM. SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT CONSIDERATION IN THE BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, AND THAT THERE BE ANIMAL SERVICES INCLUDED IN THAT. ALSO, CONSIDER, CAN WE DO SOME TEMPORARY FACILITIES TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS NOW AS OPPOSED TO WAITING IN THAT THREE YEAR RANGE TO HAVE A FULL NEW SHELTER BUILT. SO, THOSE ARE MY REQUESTS. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND LISTING YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR THIS. THANK, THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. GREGSON. THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY, NEXT UP WOULD BE, UH, CINDY STEVENSON. MR. STEVENSON, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, UH, COME UP AND GIVE US YOUR NAME AND JUST, UH, YOUR, YOUR ADDRESS. SURE. AM I ALLOWED TO SHOW? YEAH. YOUR SURE. YES, MA'AM. YES. I'M CINDY STEVENSON, 3 28 PIERCE ROAD, RED OAK. YOU'RE TRYING TO BRING THE NEXT 800 ACRE DATA CENTER TO MY AREA. DO YOU ANIMAL LOVERS REALLY WANT THIS DONE TO THE COWS AND THE SHEEP AND THE DOGS? YOU KNOW, THEY, IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT. DO NOT ACCEPT THIS MONEY TO BUILD AN ANIMAL SHELTER ON THE BACKS OF US PEOPLE IN RED OAK THAT ARE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH NOISE POLLUTION. SOUNDS ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, WATER, DUST IN OUR HOMES. HAVE YOU BEEN DOWN HOUSTON SCHOOL ROAD IN RED, RED OAK WHERE THE COMPASS DATA CENTER IS HUGE. POTHOLES, YOU CAN'T DRIVE ON THAT ROAD. SO I'M TOTALLY AGAINST THIS. I'M NOT AGAINST ANIMALS. I'M AN ANIMAL LOVER. I'M AGAINST, UM, DATA CENTERS BEING PLACED IN SEVEN LOCATIONS AROUND MY HOME, IN OUR HOMESTEADS. THERE'S A BUNCH OF US INVOLVED IN THIS. I'M SORRY WE COULDN'T ALL BE HERE TODAY. UM, WHAT DO WE THINK? AN INDUSTRIAL SIZED SITE, RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARDS AND HOMESTEADS, POLLUTION, WATER, NOISE, LIGHT, LIKE I JUST DISCUSSED. [01:10:01] I HAVE PICTURES AND VIDEOS OF THAT IF YOU CARE TO SEE IT. ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE TO OUR LAND, WATER, AND WILDLIFE. NO STUDIES DONE ON THE ABOVE. YOU'RE APPROVING THINGS AND TAKING MONEY WHEN THERE'S BEEN NO STUDIES DONE. LARGE ELECTRICAL LINES ARE GONNA BE NEEDED. I READ IN THE TRIBUNE TODAY, ELLIS COUNTY HAS 29 DATA CENTERS REQUESTING TO BE ADDED TO OUR GRID WITH THE 765 HUGE LINES. REALLY? 29. THAT'S JUST TOO MUCH. NOT TO MENTION THE CONSEQUENCES TO OUR HEALTH, PEOPLE'S HEALTH, PEOPLE'S HEALTH, ANIMAL'S HEALTH, ALL OF IT. I'VE HEARD COWS ARE NO LONGER PRODUCING MILK. CHICKENS ARE NO LONGER PRODUCING EGGS WITHIN SIX MILES OF THESE FACILITIES. I LIVE 1.8 MILES FROM THE GOOGLE FACILITY, AND MY BACKYARD WILL BE WITHIN 200 TO 400 FEET OF THE NEW FACILITY. SO I AM TOTALLY AGAINST THIS, NOT TO MENTION OUR WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, MIGRAINES, CANCER, ET CETERA. THE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE CANNOT HANDLE THIS CONSTRUCTION FOR YEARS. AND I IMPLORE YOU NOT TO TAKE THIS GRANT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. STEVENSON. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE WILLIAM WALLACE MORGAN. MR. MORGAN, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME UP AND SHARE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS. THANK YOU FOR THIS, UH, MINUTE, YOUR HONOR. COMMISSIONERS, UH, MY NAME IS WILLIAM WALLACE MORGAN. I LIVE AT 1 31 ROCKY RIDGE ROAD IN RED OAK, TEXAS. THANK YOU. WE'RE IN THE COUNTY, NOT CONSIDERED PART OF THE CITY, SO WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE IN THAT CITY. $15 MILLION SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY. IT'S NOT. IT IS A CHEAP BRIBE. DISGUISED AS A GOOD FAITH AND HUMANITARIAN GRANT TO SECURE FAVORS FROM THIS COMMISSIONER'S COURT OF HER TESTIMONY OF PROPERTY VALUES DECREASING BY OVER $100,000. BECAUSE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO DATA CENTERS, THAT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. THAT'S 150 RESIDENTS. THAT'S $15 MILLION, JUST 150 RESIDENTS THAT THEIR PROPERTY GOES DOWN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. LET'S SAY IT'S $50,000, IT'S STILL 300 RESIDENTS. THAT'S ALL THAT COVERS. 15 MILLION IS NOT A LOT OF MONEY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE'S HOMES, LIVES, SAVINGS, EVERYTHING. THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF PROPERTY VALUE IS JUST STAGGERING FOR WHAT THESE BILLION DOLLAR CORPORATIONS WANT TO DO AND COME IN AND BUILD THESE THINGS TO COLLECT OUR DATA COMPASS. A GOOD NEIGHBOR DEVALUING NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY IS NOT BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR. I CAN SEE, UH, COMPASS IS NOT ONLY PAYING ATTENTION, THEY DON'T CARE HOW ONE $15 MILLION IS CHUMP CHANGE FOR THIS BILLION DOLLAR CORPORATION. CORPORATIONS LIKE COMPASS, MY WIFE AND I ARE IN FAVOR OF ANIMAL SHELTERS. HOWEVER, WE DON'T WANT OUR PROPERTY DEVALUED. WE LIVE ABOUT HALF A MILE NORTH OF WHERE COMPASS WANTS TO BUILD ON 890 ACRES. FIVE OF OUR SIX PETS ARE, UH, RESCUES. SO WE, WE WE'RE ALL ABOUT AN ANIMAL SHELTER, BUT I ASKED, I ASKED THIS COURT TO CONSIDER THE DAMAGES TO THE COMPASS NEIGHBORS WHEN ACCEPTING BRIBES DISGUISED AS GOOD FAITH HUMANITARIAN GIFTS WHILE THEY ASKED FOR HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS IN ABATEMENTS AND PAVERS BACK. WE CAN DO BETTER. THANK YOU, MR. WALLACE. THANK YOU, SIR. MR. MORGAN? YES. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, NEXT UP WOULD BE CHRIS MOSES. CHRIS. CHRIS MOSES. OH, MR. MOSES, IF YOU WOULD JUST PLEASE, UH, STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR [01:15:01] ADDRESS, AND THEN STATE. THANK YOU MR. MOSES. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS. UH, FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO SAY WHOEVER'S IN CHARGE OF STAYING BACK ROAD IN THE COUNTY PARK, I'VE COMPLAINED FOR MONTHS ABOUT POTHOLES OVER THERE. THEY'RE AS BIG AS BASKETBALLS THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. UH, SECOND OFF THIS THING WITH THE, THE DATA, THE DATA CENTER OFFERING MONEY FOR ANIMAL SHELTER. I, I ACTUALLY RAISED LABRADOR RETRIEVERS. UH, WE'RE ONE OF THE TOP LABRADOR RETRIEVERS IN NORTH TEXAS. AND SO HUGE ADVOCATE FOR ANIMALS. WE'VE ACTUALLY ADOPTED ANIMALS FROM THE SPCA SMALLER DOGS FOR THE HOUSE WHEN THEY WERE OPEN AT THE TIME. UH, THERE'S NO DOUBT EVERYBODY IN HERE AGREES WE DO NEED AN ANIMAL SHELTER FOR ELLIS COUNTY. BUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, IS I THINK THIS IS A CASE OF BAD TIMING. I THINK THAT IF COMPASS WAS REALLY CONCERNED, THEY WOULD'VE COME IN HERE SIX MONTHS A YEAR AGO AND OFFERED THIS MONEY TO YOU GUYS BEFORE THEY DECIDED THEY'RE GONNA TRY TO COME IN AND BUILD 820 ACRE DATA CENTER IN RED OAK JUST RECENTLY. AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA COME BACK TO YOU GUYS HERE IN A FEW WEEKS AND THEY'RE GONNA BE ASKING FOR A TAX ABATEMENT FOR 10 YEARS. THERE'S A NEW STUDY OUT THAT SAYS NUT CONSTRUCTION WORKERS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AT OPERATIONAL DATA CENTER THAT SAYS IT'S GONNA COST THE TAX PAYERS $1 MILLION PER EMPLOYEE BASED ON THE TAX ABATEMENTS. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY FROM THE TAXPAYERS HAVING TO, TO SPILL OUT FOR TAX ABATEMENTS FOR ONE SINGLE EMPLOYEE FOR 10 YEARS. AND, UM, BUT YEAH, LIKE I SAID, HUGE ADVOCATE FOR ANIMALS. BUT I JUST THINK IT'S A BIG BAD CASE, A WRONG TIMING WITH THESE GUYS. THEY SHOULD HAVE COME IN HERE A LONG TIME AGO, OFFERED THIS TO $15 MILLION AND IT'D PROBABLY BE AN EASY YES AT THAT POINT, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE KINDA LIKE A BRIBE AT THIS POINT. YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S NOT PROBABLY TO YOU GUYS, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. AND ON ANOTHER NOTE, UH, SHERIFF EMILY BAILEY IS ACTUALLY MY GRANDDAUGHTER'S MOTHER. AND I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT YOUNG LADY WORKS HER BUTT OFF UP THERE. I SEE HER WHEN SHE COMES HOME FROM WORK. I SEE HER SOMETIMES WHEN SHE LEAVES FROM WORK. MY GRANDDAUGHTER HAS TOLD ME HOW MANY TIMES HER MOM'S BEEN AT WORK, WORK AND TELL ME SHE'S MR. SO I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW SHE IS REALLY A GOOD EMPLOYEE. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. THANK YOU. OKAY. THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 3.4, UH, COMMISSIONERS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS POINT. I, I, UH, UH, I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD ACCEPT THIS MONEY. UH, PART OF THE BACKGROUND ON THIS IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF FACILITIES NEEDS FOR OUR COUNTY. AND, UM, QUITE FRANKLY, SOME OF THEM ARE, ARE, ARE VERY PRESSING. UH, A LOT OF THEM RELATE TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, LAW ENFORCEMENT. UH, WE NEED NEW FACILITIES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE NEED, UM, WE NEED NEW COURT SPACE IN ORDER TO PROSECUTE CRIMINALS. AND, UH, AS IMPORTANT AS THIS ANIMAL SHELTER IS REALISTICALLY, UH, IT'S GONNA KEEP GETTING BUMPED DOWN OUR, OUR PRIORITY LIST DUE TO SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. SO THIS IS A FUNDING SOURCE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. UH, AND I, I FEEL THAT, UH, WE SHOULD ACCEPT THIS GIFT. JUDGE, COULD WE, COULD WE TALK ABOUT AN EXECUTIVE WITH LEGAL ON OUR TEAM JUST A LITTLE BIT? I, I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS THAT MAYBE SURE. COULD WE DO THAT BEFORE WE YEAH. OKAY. SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE A REQUEST, UH, FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL. UH, WE ALREADY HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE AGENDA, SO WE WILL COME BACK OUT AND, UH, YES, PLEASE VOTE ON IT. PERHAPS HAVE SOME MORE DISCUSSION AMONG THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. UH, REAL QUICK, ERIC, CAN YOU COME UP? ERIC? ERIC? SO YOU SAID, ERIC, YOU SAID WE NEEDED TO START THE PROCESS BY JANUARY ONE. WHAT, WHAT DOES START THE PROCESS WELL CONSIST OF? SO, SO WE, WHAT WE DISCUSSED WAS THERE, THERE'D BE AN ARCHITECT HIRED BY JANUARY ONE. I'M SORRY, THAT THERE'D BE AN ARCHITECT HIRED BY JANUARY ONE. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. SO WHICH MEANS YOU, IF WE DECIDE WE SHOULD HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE BY THAT, WE PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER. THAT WAY IF WE DECIDE TO GO ON OUR OWN, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN ARCHITECT. OKAY. EITHER WAY, THE ARCHITECT IS KIND OF THE, THE KICKOFF TO YEAH. YEAH. YOU'RE, YOU'RE STARTING THE PROCESS. OKAY. RIGHT. ALRIGHT. SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S TO GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO EXPLORE, RIGHT. POSSIBLE REGIONAL, A REGIONAL FACILITY VERSUS GOING IT ON OUR OWN. RIGHT? YEAH. WE ALL HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT I DON'T WANT TO DISCLOSE ALL THE QUESTIONS WE HAVE UNTIL WE GET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION. A LOT OF THIS LEADS RIGHT INTO IT AS FAR AS START DATES. RIGHT. WHAT'S EXPECTED, HOW MANY STRINGS ARE TIED TO IT, WHICH I'M HEARING NONE. I'M HEARING THERE IS, I AIN'T SEEN ANY PAPERWORK YET ON ANY OF IT. YEAH, WE LIKE TO SEE IT. THAT'S WHY THERE IS LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT COVERS AN EXTENSIONS THAT WE WILL, UH, WE'LL LET YOU ASK THE LAWYERS QUESTIONS, UH, AND THE EXECUTIVE, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK [01:20:01] OUT AND FURTHER CONSIDER IT. AND DO WE KNOW WHEN THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES COMING TO US THAT WE DID WITH WAXAHATCHEE? UM, I, I, I KNOW THAT THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR WAXAHATCHEE IS COMPLETE. YES. YEAH. YEAH. WE HAVEN'T, WE, WE HAVEN'T YET SEEN NOTHING. UH, YOU, YOU AND I WATCHED A PRESENTATION LAST WEEK THAT WAXAHATCHEE DID WITH MIDLOTHIAN, BUT WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY SEEN IT COME TO US YET, SO THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. SO, SO WE NEED TO SEE THAT AT SOME POINT, AND THAT'LL HELP US. AND THEN WE'LL START WORKING ON WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN NEGOTIATE A REGIONAL YES, SIR. THERE'S INTEREST. I BELIEVE AN ANNIS MAY BE INTERESTED IN JOINING IN MIDLOTHIAN, KIND OF IFFY. I KNOW, UH, MAYOR KAUFMAN SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW OF A SPECIFIC NEED, BUT HE WASN'T NECESSARILY AGAINST THE IDEA EITHER. BUT YEAH, I, I I THINK OUR TWO, UH, TWO THAT ARE MO HAVE SHOWN THE MOST INTEREST ARE YES. OKAY. I, I'LL TRY TO GET THAT AND GET IT TO YOU IF IT EXISTS. OKAY. OKAY. SO COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON PAST ITEM 3.4 AND TAKE IT BACK UP AGAIN AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. OKAY. SO WE'LL NOW TAKE UP ITEM [3.5 Discussion, consideration, and possible action to select and authorize designated representatives to negotiate with neighboring cities on behalf of Ellis County concerning the planning, development, operation, and interlocal agreements related to the future Ellis County Animal Shelter and Operations Facility. — Ellis County Judge John Wray] 3.5, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO SELECT AND AUTHORIZE DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVES TO NEGOTIATE WITH NEIGHBORING CITIES ON BEHALF OF ELLIS COUNTY CONCERNING THE PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, OPERATION AND INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS RELATED TO THE FUTURE OF THE FUTURE ELLIS COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER AND OPERATIONS FACILITY. YES, SIR. SO, LA LAST WEEK, WHEN IAN AND ACHI MET IN A JOINT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THEY AGREED TO, UH, WE, MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT WAS, UH, TO APPOINT A COUPLE MEMBERS, UM, FROM THE, EITHER THEIR COUNCIL OR STAFF AND, UM, I THINK MELO AND WAXAHATCHEE ENNIS AND THE COUNTY, UH, TO, TO ALL GET TOGETHER AND EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF THAT REGIONAL CENTER. AND I THINK THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER PONDER, I KNOW JUDGE RAY HAD KIND OF AGREED TO THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THAT. SO YEAH, I, I, THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN IRRESPECTIVE, I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE PUSHED OUT ITEM 3.4 UNTIL AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT I THINK THIS IS STILL SOMETHING WE CAN VOTE ON AT THIS MOMENT JUST BECAUSE, UH, HAVING THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT A REGIONAL ANIMAL SHELTER IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO ANYWAY. MM-HMM . WHETHER WE ACCEPT THE GIFT OR NOT. AND, UM, THE, THE IDEA WOULD BE SINCE WE HAVE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST, ESPECIALLY FROM WAXAHATCHEE AND ENNI, JUST TO, TO LISTEN TO THE IDEAS AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE, EITHER FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE OR AN ONGOING STAFFING PERSPECTIVE, ET CETERA, TO A REGIONAL, UH, ANIMAL SHELTER. YEP. SO, I, I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD. YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'M WILLING TO DO IT. I DON'T HAVE TO DO IT, BUT I'M WILLING TO DO IT. AND, UH, I BELIEVE THAT COMMISSIONER PONDER HAS EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN DOING IT AS WELL. UH, BUT WELL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO LET Y'ALL START NEGOTIATIONS. OKAY. WHETHER WE DO, WHETHER WE DO MONEY OR NOT, AT LEAST, AT LEAST THAT'S IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, MOVING FORWARD. SO, OKAY. SO ON ITEM 3.5, WE HAVE A, A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER, BUT, UH, COMMISSIONER BUTLER TO APPOINT ME AND COMMISSIONER PONDER AS THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ELLIS COUNTY FOR THOSE NEGOTIATIONS. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STINSON. OH, WAIT, I'M SORRY. WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO SPEAK ON IT. I APOLOGIZE. UH, YEAH. BEFORE, LET'S, UH, IF YOU SPEAKER YEAH. HOLD THE VOTE. LET HIM SPEAK. YEAH. YEAH. WE HAVE A PENDING MOTION, BUT WE'LL LET YOU, WE'LL OF COURSE, LET YOU SPEAK. UH, SO MS. HAMILL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP FIRST? MY NAME'S LACEY HAMILL. I LIVE AT 4 4 8 FM 2 3 7 7. I JUST WANT, I'M, I GUESS I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION, BUT I WASN'T COMPLETELY SURE. ARE THESE ARE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THAT ARE BEING APPOINTED, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBERS? THESE TWO RIGHT HERE? YES. OKAY. SO THIS IS NOT ABOUT ANY FUTURE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THAT WOULD BE IN THE, UH, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, FUTURE ANIMAL CENTER? WELL, IT ORDINARILY IN THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE DON'T REALLY TAKE QUESTIONS, BUT, SORRY, I I UNDER, LET ME, JUST SO I KNOW IF MY COMMENT APPLIES OR NOT. YEAH. TO, TO CLEAR THE CONFUSION. IT WOULD, WE WOULD BE APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COUNTY TO DISCUSS WITH OTHER REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITIES THE POSSIBILITY OF COLLABORATING ON A REGIONAL ANIMAL SHELTER. UH, I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THERE MIGHT BE A PUBLIC, UM, CITIZENS COMMITTEE THAT WOULD TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL. AND THAT, THAT'S PROBABLY MORE WHAT COULD EVOLVE LATER ONCE YEAH. CORRECT. THAT, THAT WOULD EVOLVE LATER. THIS IS NOT, LIKE, THIS IS NOT REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE GONNA DO ANYTHING BINDING, UH, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, OUTLINES THAT ARE NEGOTIATED AMONG THE VARIOUS ENTITIES WOULD COME BACK TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT FOR A VOTE AND WOULD ALSO GO TO THE RESPECTIVE CITY COUNCILS FOR A VOTE. AND I THINK THAT THOSE GOVERNING BODIES, WHETHER [01:25:01] IT'S THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT OR THE CITY COUNCILS, WOULD PROBABLY HAVE A CITIZEN INPUT PROCESS AS WELL. I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK ON MY BEHALF AS A VOLUNTEER THAT IF THERE IS, UH, ANY, UH, NEED FOR ANY OF THE LOCAL RESCUES TO PROVIDE ANY EXPERTISE, WHAT WE'RE SEEING. LIKE I KNOW ON A, ON THE CAT RESCUE SIDE, NEONATAL BOTTLE, BABY KITTENS ARE LIKE THE MOST VULNERABLE IN SHELTER POPULATIONS. WE DEAL WITH RINGWORM, WE DEAL WITH, UM, PAN LEIA, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO ANY EXPERTISE OR SUPPORT THAT WE COULD PROVIDE ON THE ANIMAL SHELTER SIDE FROM THE RESCUE SIDE, UM, I KNOW THAT ALL OF US RESCUES, I'M SURE WOULD BE HAPPY TO, TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY WE CAN ON THE PLANNING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. HAMILL. AND, UH, I'LL FRANKLY TELL YOU ALL THAT I, AND I, I THINK COMMISSIONER PONDER WOULD FEEL THE SAME WAY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL TYPES OF SERVICES OR FACILITIES NEED TO GO INTO AN ANIMAL SHELTER. SO WE WILL BE BOTH SOLICITING, UH, INFORMATION FROM, FROM EXPERTS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS. SO, I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. OKAY. UH, NEXT WE HAVE MS. COTTON. SHARON COTTON, DO YOU WANT TO COME BACK UP TO SPEAK? NO, I, NO, I'M FINE. THANK YOU. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU MS. COTTON. UH, NEXT WE HAVE CAROLYN TAYLOR. MS. TAYLOR, DO YOU WANT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN? AGAIN? I'M, I'M SORRY. I WASN'T ABLE TO SEE, I GUESS. OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE, UH, JOHNNA WALLACE. MS. WALLACE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN? NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT WE HAVE SUSIE HALL. MS. HALL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN? GOOD. OH, OH, OH, I'M SEEING, ALRIGHT. MS. HALL SAID NO. RIGHT. OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE, UH, JACKIE MONTEJANO. MS. MONTEJANO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN? I, OKAY. THANK YOU. MS. MONTEJANO. MATT CRAIG. MR. CRAIG. OKAY. UH, CINDY STEVENSON. MS. STEVENSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN? ALL MAD. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND NEXT WE HAVE, UH, MR. MORGAN. WILLIAM WALLACE. MORGAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN, MR. MORGAN? I KNOW IT SEEMS REDUNDANT, BUT IF YOU DON'T MIND STATING YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AGAIN ON THIS ITEM. WILLIAM WALLACE MORGAN, 1 31 ROCKY RIDGE ROAD, RED OAK, TEXAS. THANK YOU. AND I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT HERE TO TAKE QUESTIONS FROM US, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CON WHEN YOU ARE DELIBERATING, WHEN YOU'RE DISCUSSING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION OR WHATEVER, TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE QUESTIONS OF, IT'LL BE JANUARY WHEN THEY LOOK FOR AN ARCHITECT. HOW LONG FROM THAT POINT TO COMPLETION TO OPERATION OF THIS FACILITY DOES THIS? $15 MILLION, YOU KNOW, UH, DANGLING PRIZE. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FROM BEGINNING JANUARY? IS THAT RIGHT? FOR TO, TO FIND A, AN ARCHITECT TO COMPLETION AND OPERATION? IS IT GONNA BE 20 28, 20 29, 20 30? THAT'S, THAT'S SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS THOUGH, WE WANT, I APPRECIATE THAT'S ALL I ASK YOU IS CONSIDER THOSE AS PART OF YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, YOU HONOR. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. UH, MORGAN. NEXT WE HAVE CHRIS MOSES. MR. MOSES, WOULD YOU, YOUR HONOR. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU MR. MOSES. ALRIGHT. I APOLOGIZE. I GOT A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF MYSELF ON THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, WHICH I'VE DONE THAT A COUPLE TIMES TODAY. SO, UH, WE HAVE A VERY FULL AGENDA AND, UH, A LOT IS, UH, CATCHING MY ATTENTION. BUT ANYWAY, WE DID HAVE A PENDING MOTION, I BELIEVE, UH, AMY, THE MOTION WAS FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER, CORRECT? YES. WE HAD A, A PENDING MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. IT WAS SECONDED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER STINSON. THAT MOTION WAS TO APPOINT, UH, ME AND COMMISSIONER PONDER AS THE ELLIS COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES FOR PURPOSES OF ITEM 3.5. UH, SINCE WE DO, WE'VE ALREADY GOT THE MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? NO, I'M GOOD WITH IT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? UH, HEARING NO OPPOSITION? UH, ITEM 3.5 AS PRESENTED, UH, PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY. WE WILL NOW MOVE [3.6 Discussion, consideration, and possible action on the purchase of property located at 1305 West Jefferson in Waxahachie. — County Commissioner Precinct 1 Randy Stinson (Part 1 of 2)] TO ITEM 3.6, WHICH IS AN ITEM THAT I HAVE, UH, RECUSED MYSELF ON, BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ IT OUT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE, UH, DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. ITEM 3.6 IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1305 WEST JEFFERSON IN WAXAHATCHEE. UH, THAT ITEM IS ALSO CROSS POSTED FOR THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND I WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING IN THAT PORTION OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THAT ITEM. SO WE WILL, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS IN MY, IN MY ABSENCE WILL TAKE THAT ITEM UP AGAIN AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO WE'LL NOW MOVE TO [MOTION TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION] THE PORTION, UH, WITH THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. UH, WE HAVE THREE POSTED ITEMS, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A REQUEST FOR CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL [01:30:01] ON, UH, A FOURTH ITEM. THE FIRST ITEM IS ITEM 4.1, WHICH IS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 51 0.071 SUBSECTION ONE, A CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL. BICKER BICKERSTAFF HEATH DELGADO ACOSTA, LLP VIA REMOTE VIDEO CONFERENCE REGARDING PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION CONCERNING TCEQ MATTERS, SPECIFICALLY PENDING TEXAS POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM PERMITS AND PENDING PETITIONS FOR THE CREATION OF MUDS. WE NEXT HAVE ITEM 4.2, WHICH IS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.072, UH, TO DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY, WHERE THE DELIBERATION IN AN OPEN MEETING WOULD HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH A THIRD PERSON, SPECIFICALLY THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1305 WEST JEFFERSON IN WAXAHATCHEE. THEN WE HAVE ITEM 4.3, WHICH IS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 SUBSECTION TWO, A CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING QUESTIONS RELATED TO INTER THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE UT MEDICAL BRANCH TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE INMATE MEDICAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AT THE ELLIS COUNTY JAIL. AND THEN OF COURSE, LASTLY, WE HAD, UH, UH, A REQUEST TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON ITEM 3.4, WHICH WOULD BE ALSO PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 51 0.071 SUBSECTION TWO FOR A CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE, UH, I'M SORRY, REGARDING LEGAL QUESTIONS REGARDING THE, UH, COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT AS OUTLINED IN, IN ITEM 3.4. SO WITH THOSE ITEMS, UH, POISED FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, I'D LIKE TO, UM, UH, TAKE A MOTION TO OPEN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO MOVE, I HAVE A MOTION, MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. UH, IS ANYONE OPPOSED? A HEARING? NO OPPOSITION. THE EXEC, THE COURT NOW STANDS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE TIME IS 3:34 PM [ADJOURNMENT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION] EVERYONE, WE ARE REASSEMBLED BACK HERE IN THE, UH, COMMISSIONER'S COURTROOM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOTION TO, UH, CLOSE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO MOVE. I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER IN A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY, AYE. A AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION. THE EXECUTIVE SESSION CLOSED TIME IS 5:23 PM OKAY. [2.5 Discussion, consideration, and action to enter an Interlocal Agreement with The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) to provide Comprehensive Inmate Medical and Behavioral Health Services at the Ellis County Jail for a term of five years and approval for the County Judge to execute the agreement upon final legal review. First year cost is $5,028,750.00 and will adjust each year as outlined in the Interlocal Agreement with a projected five-year total cost of $25,775,792.00. (Part 2 of 2)] I'D LIKE TO FIRST RECALL ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND ACTION TO AN INTER WITH THE UNIVERSE TECHNICAL BRANCH TO COMPREHEND AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AT THE ELLIS COUNTY JAIL FOR A TERM OF FIVE YEARS, AND APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY JUDGE TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT AND FINAL REVIEW FOR MILLION $28,050. AND WE'LL ADJUST HERE AS OUTLINED, REJECTED 5 25 770 $5,792, AND WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, CONSULT WITH COUNCIL IN THE EXEC. AND I BELIEVE, UH, I BELIEVE IT SEEMS NOT RIGHT TO TAKE ACTION AT THIS TIME. UH, COMMISSIONING THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS ON THAT? OR, OR IF IF ANYONE CARES TO MAKE A MOTION, WE CAN CERTAINLY, I DON THINK LIKE WE LET THEM GET ANY DEEPER IN WHERE, WHERE WE NEED TO BE. YEAH, I, I, I THINK THE, UH, STAFF, THE TEAM IS GOING TO EXPLORE AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THEY'RE ALL GOING TO EXPLORE, UH, OPTIONS, UH, WITH UTMB DIAL A LITTLE BIT MORE THAT, UH, I BELIEVE, UH, WE'LL TAKE ACTION ON ITEM 2.5. OKAY. [3.4 Discussion, consideration, and possible action to approve a $15,000,000.00 grant agreement with Compass Data Centers to fund the construction of an Ellis County Animal Shelter. — Ellis County Judge John Wray (Part 2 of 2)] NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO RECALL, UH, ITEM 3.4, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND MULTIPLE ACTION TO APPROVE A 15, EXCUSE ME, A A $15 MILLION GRANT AGREEMENT, UH, GIFT. IT'S A GIFT, UH, PURSUANT TO A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT, IT'S A GIFT. WE PUT DINNERS TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ELLIS COUNTY, UH, AND SHELTER. YOU KNOW, WE WERE KIND OF HAMMERING OUT THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT RIGHT UP UNTIL, UH, THE TIME THAT MR. KING, UH, STARTED HAD A CHANCE TO DISCUSS, ASK QUESTIONS WITH OUR LEGAL TOOL, UH, CARBON BETSY ELAM, UH, REGARDING THIS COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT POINTS, UH, IS I SAY $15 MILLION GIFT THAT WILL BE RECEIVED IN FULL BY MONEY BY BY FIFTH OF 2026. UH, THE ONLY OBLIGATION THE CS PURSUANT TO THE AGREEMENT ARE TO DEPOSIT THOSE MONIES INTO AN ACCOUNT, UH, TO SPEND MONIES ONLY ON, UH, CONSTRUCTION INTEGRATION OF AN ANTI SHELTER, AND TO HAVE AN A ON BOARD FOR PROJECT BY JANUARY ONE. THERE'S NO OTHER OBLIGATIONS ON [01:35:01] THE COUNTY'S PART WHATSOEVER, UH, PURSUANT TO THIS GIFT. AND, UH, IT IS TRULY A GIFT. AND, UH, WE WILL PROVIDE, UM, AN APPROPRIATE RECEIPT TO CENTERS SUCH THAT, UH, AND IT'S UP TO THEM, BUT, UH, THEY CAN SEEK A PURSUANT, UH, AN APPROPRIATE, UH, CHECK DEDUCTION. SO, UM, ANY, ANY OTHER ? YEAH, I THINK, I THINK THIS IS, I THINK THIS IS HIGHLY NECESSARY THAT WE ACCEPT THIS, UM, AS A FORMER BOARD MEMBER OF THE ELLIS COUNTY SPC, HOW HARD IT IS TO DO THIS. I KNOW THAT, AND EVERYBODY ELSE HERE KNOWS OF A MESS THAT SBCX LEFT US IN WHENEVER THEY WALKED ON THEIR CONTRACT, AND THIS WAS CONTRACT. UM, AND SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE HAVING TO DO THE BARE MINIMUM. WE HAVE NO PLACE FOR AN ANIMAL. WE HAVE NO PLACE TO TAKE 'EM. WE CAN'T, ALL WE CAN DO IS WE'VE GOT A FEW VETS THAT ARE WILLING TO TAKE THE INJURED AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND SO WE'RE KIND OF STUCK RIGHT NOW, AND WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. AND I KNOW THE QUESTION WAS ASKED, WELL, WHY CAN'T WE DO IT ON, ON OUR OWN? WELL, WE COULD GO OUT FOR A BOND AND THEN, SO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THAT TO GO TO ELECTION, AND THEN WE HAVE TO CONVINCE THE PUBLIC TO VOTE FOR IT. IF THEY VOTE AGAINST IT, WELL NOW WE STILL HAVE NO SHELTER. WE STILL HAVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN TRY TO BUILD A SHELTER IF WE CAN'T GO TO A BOND. SO I THINK WITH, WITH THIS GIFT, THIS ALLOWS US TO START SOONER THAN LATER. AND EVEN THEN, IT NO TELL, IT COULD TAKE A COUPLE YEARS TO FINALLY ACTUALLY HAVE A SHELTER BECAUSE OF JUST HOW IT TAKES. YOU GOT, YOU GOTTA HIRE A, YOU GOTTA HIRE A ARCHITECT. THE ARCHITECT HAS TO DRAW IT UP FOR YOU, THEN YOU HAVE TO APPROVE IT, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TAKE BIDS ON SOMEONE TO BUILD IT, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GET THE THING BUILT. AND SO IT JUST, IT'S GONNA TAKE FOREVER. I THINK IF WE DON'T ACCEPT THIS MONEY RIGHT NOW, UH, WE ARE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND WE'RE CREATING, WE'RE MAKING A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE THINK, WELL, THIS IS A BRIBE. THIS IS IT, THIS IS THAT. IT IS A GIFT FROM THEM. THEY HAVE NOT ATTACHED ANYTHING TO IT. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THERE'S NOBODY ON THIS COURT THAT'S GOING TO, THAT'S GOING TO BENEFIT FROM ACCEPTING THIS MONEY. IT'S GOING INTO AN ACCOUNT THAT'S GONNA BUILD A SHELTER. AND, AND, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO ACCEPT IT. AND IF NOBODY ELSE HAS ANY MORE COMMENTS, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION. OKAY. UH, FIRST OFF, CLARIFY THAT IT, IT CAN BE USED TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A SHELF. YES. YES. YES. OKAY. YES. OKAY. WELL, I'LL MAKE SECOND. I'LL, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT IT. ACCEPT THIS GIFT. OKAY. UH, COMMISSIONER PONDER MAKES A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE GIFT, THE $15 MILLION GIFT, UH, SET OUT IN ITEM 3.4. AND WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE. A AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY. HEARING NO OPPOSITION. UH, ITEM 3.4 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AND THE GIFT, THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS, AGREEMENT AND GIFT ARE ACCEPTED. OKAY. UH, COMMISSIONERS. THERE IS ONE. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. UH, THANK YOU TO COMPASS. THIS TRULY IS SOMETHING, HAVING GONE THROUGH ONE BUDGET CYCLE AND GOING THROUGH ANOTHER, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT SIMPLY WOULD NOT HAPPEN FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. EXACTLY. WITHOUT THIS GIFT. AND, UH, I, I'M, I'M THANKFUL FOR IT. YES, JULIAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, [3.6 Discussion, consideration, and possible action on the purchase of property located at 1305 West Jefferson in Waxahachie. — County Commissioner Precinct 1 Randy Stinson (Part 2 of 2)] THERE'S ONE MORE ITEM ON THE AGENDA. THAT'S ITEM 3.6 FROM WHICH I HAVE BEEN, I HAVE RECUSED MYSELF AND I WILL EXIT THE ROOM WHILE YOU TAKE THAT MATTER UP. UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING AFTER YOU DO WHATEVER YOU DETERMINE APPROPRIATE ON ITEM 3.6 WOULD BE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. SO IF YOU, IF WHOEVER IS LEADING THE DISCUSSION, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE COMMISSIONER STINSON, IF YOU'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN AS APPROPRIATE. AND I'LL, I'LL, UH, SAY AUDIOS, I NEED TO READ THE 3.6 AGENDA BEFORE WE THANK YOU. BEFORE WE DO THIS. OKAY. ON THE AGENDA, IT'S, WELL, I'LL WAIT TILL THE JUDGE LEE . OKAY. ON THE AGENDA WE HAVE 3.6 TO DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1305 WEST JEFFERSON IN WAXAHATCHEE. ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? NO, YOU CAN, YOU CAN READ OUR PROPOSAL. OKAY. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. OKAY. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY AT 1305 WEST JEFFERSON FROM $9 MILLION CONTINGENT ON ACCEPTANCE OF AN OFFER OF THREE EQUAL PAYMENTS. FIRST PAYMENT AT ONE TIME WILL BE AT THE CLOSING. SECOND PAYMENT WILL [01:40:01] BE JANUARY 3RD. PAYMENT WILL BE IN APRIL. HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE. SECOND. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION A SECOND. COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL PASSES. JUDGE, BACK IN. NOW I GUESS ADJOURNED THE MOTION. ADJOURN. LET LETTER RIP. DO I HAVE, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION? I'LL SECOND MOTION. NOW THIS COURT'S CLOSED. ADJOURN. THIS ADJOURN HAVE NO HAND. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.