I'm going to run this. Where is that? All right. Good morning. Welcome to the Tuesday, June 9th, 2026 Tarant County Commissioner Court meeting. I now call the meeting to order. >> Tim O'Hara, County Judge, >> present. >> Rodri Miles, Jr., Commissioner Precinct One, >> here.
>> Alisa Simmons, Commissioner Precinct 2, >> here. >> Matt Krauss, commissioner, precinct 3, >> present. >> Manny Ramirez, commissioner precinct 4. Constitutes a quorum. >> Thank you. Today's invocation will be led by Chaplain Wes McDuffy. Uh after
the invocation and pledges, please remain spanning standing for a special treat that I will introduce. Then please rise for the invocation and pledges. Let us pray. Father, it's once more again we just say thank you. >> Thank you
>> Lord. We complain about weather and you give us good weather. We complain about it when it get hot, when it's raining, when it's cool. >> Lord, we're so glad you don't listen to us. >> Yes. >> We're so glad that you move according to your will in our lives. And that's on
everything that we deal with. >> Yes. >> So today, Lord, we ask for your guidance. We ask for your support. We ask for your encouragement as we move forward and as decisions are made in this court and in this county. Lord, we ask your blessings upon Tarant County as
a whole, all the citizens thereof, every law enforcement agency, every first responder, everyone that lives in this county. And Lord, we're not selfish that we don't leave out the rest of this
world. But Lord, we just ask today that of all that we're doing and all of the presentations being made, Lord, that we're all very thankful of the sacrifices and things that were made, Lord. We know there's some people that
were sick among us. >> We know there's been some death in our camps, >> but Lord, we ask your blessings upon these families that are going through, the ones that are experiencing sickness, the ones that have experienced death. Lord, we just ask that you bless this
family to continue to go through and when it's all said and done, you'll get all of the victory for everything is done. It's in Christ's name I pray. Amen. >> Amen. Amen. >> I'm not sure everybody could hear you in the back. Could you repeat that? All
right. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. >> And now the Texas flag. >> Honor the flag. I aliance to thee, Texas. One state and indivisible. >> Please remain standing.
We will be led in honor of our nation's 250th birthday the national anthem by Dr. Trisha Elliot who's the senior VP of academic and research affairs and chief academic officer and designated institutional officer of JPS. Please welcome Dr.
Elliot. Oh, say can you see by the dawn early light what so proud
we held at the twilight last gleaming who's brought stripes and Bright stars through the perilous
fight. All the ramparts we watched were so gently streaming. And the rock is red.
The bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star spangled B or the land of and the home of
Brave. Thank you, Dr. Elliot. That was fantastic. You all may be seated. >> And One last special treat. It's going to be tough to top that indeed. >> Uh Joseph Jackson,
our director of engineering, has some special patriotic music for us. Please give a warm round of applause to Mr. Jackson. All right, a great way to start. Thank you both. Now, we have some agenda announcements from our county
administrator, Mr. Merritt. I have to follow that. All right. Good morning, court members. Uh, a couple of announcements this morning. Uh, we have four items uh that we'll be holding until after closed. Uh those items are 9B1,
9D6, 9D7, and 9E20. Court members, we also have four items which have been withdrawn from the agenda. Uh those are under the consent agenda and purchasing items T10,
T22, T24 and T30. And finally, court members, we have five items uh which have been pulled from the consent agenda for individual consideration. Those are items K2,
N2, N5, P2, and T8. >> Thanks, sir. Okay. Commissioner's court announcements. Do we have any announcements from our commissioners?
>> Yes, sir. I've got I've got a few announcements. Good morning, all. Morning. >> Well, y'all can do better than that. Good morning, y'all. >> Good morning. >> All right. Act like you want to be here. >> Um, I'd like to first announce that I'm
excited about a partnership that my office is doing with JPS for a wellness fair. And I want to encourage everyone watching to join us this Saturday at the Jo JPS Wellness Fair hosted at the Trinity Springs location. Our community
partners at JPS Health Network do tremendous work meeting people where they are and this fair is a free opportunity for Tarant County residents to access health screenings, wellness resources, and information about the services available to them. I hope to
see many of our precinct ne precinct one neighbors there. This is a great opportunity for us to be able to experience all of the resources and things that are at that that are available to us at JPS hospital. JPS is more than just a trauma one level
hospital. It is your community hospital. And so I hope to see all of our precinct one and county residents at the fair this weekend. The second thing that I want to announce is our Junth Freedom Vibes celebration. And if I
could ask the CEO of the National Junth Museum to rise as I give a shout out to the the festivities that are coming. Jared Howard, would you please stand? Jared Howard is the curator of all
things National Junth Museum and the Freedom Vibes Celebration. And let me tell you guys, we are going to celebrate and we are going to party like you haven't partied before. They have a laundry list of concerts. They got a chef coming in. They got a host of
things that you can find on the uh National Junth Museum website. Check them out on Instagram. They got celebrities coming, ladies. They've got uh what's his name? Maurice Chestnut. You know that guy? >> Morris. >> Morris.
>> Oh, Morris. See, I don't even know his name. >> You're right. >> Morris Chestnut is going to be in the building. Um, my frat brother Amari Hard Hardwick is going to be in the building and so many others, you know. So, I know
you ladies out there love these guys. So, please come out and celebrate as it's just around the corner and I want to wish all of Taran County a meaningful and reflective Junth holiday. This year, I encourage everyone to mark the
occasion by attending the Freedom Vibes celebration at the National Junth Museum here in Fort Worth. A fitting tribute to Dr. Opel's lifelong work and a celebration of freedom that belongs to all of us. Taran County is proud to be home to this national institution.
Also, June is men men's mental health month. Too often, men carry stress, anxiety, depression, and life's challenges in silence. This month serves as a reminder that seeking help is a sign of strength, not
weakness. Everyone, check in on the men in your life. Start the conversation. Listen without judgment. And let's support one another. On July the 29th, my office will be
hosting our inaugural construction industry career fair with the city of Everman. I'm excited to invite Taran County residents to the construction industry career fair on Tuesday, July 29th, hosted in partnership with the city of Everman at the Everman Civic
Center. This event is the result of months of collaboration between my office and the city of Everman. And it has one clear goal. connect 50 precinct one residents directly to good paying construction careers. We have assembled
a strong list of employers and we're meeting people where they are in their own community. More details and registration registration information will be released shortly throughout through our link tree at commission miles. Uh,
June is Pride Month and I want to extend a warm and happy pride to every member of our LGBTQ plus community across Tarant County. Taran County is a place where every resident, regardless of who they are or who they love, they deserve
to feel seen, heard, and valued and protected. This month is a celebration of the inclusion and diversity that makes our county strong. And I'm proud to stand with our LGBTQ plus neighbors, families, and friends. Happy Pride
Month. Lastly, I want to recognize the passing of two stalwarts in our community. Penny Blossom. Today, I want to take a moment to recognize the passing of a true cornerstone of our East Fort Worth
community, Miss Penny Blossom. Penny was a longtime East Fort Worth resident and a dedicated employee of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where she led where she led the East Area Council and championed the businesses, residents,
and revitalization of East Fort Worth with tireless energy and an unmistakable heart. Her impact will be felt for years to come. And on behalf of precinct 1 and the entire commissioner's court, I extend my deepest condolences to her
family, friends, and the East Fort Worth community that knew her best. May she rest in peace. Lastly, I want to recognize the passing of one of our regular attendees of Commissioner's Court, Miss Stella Fair. Yes,
>> she was a community advocate and fighter for justice who would always hold me accountable. She would call me, she she was old school. She had one of those house phones. She didn't have cell phone. So when she would call me, I would have to
call her like six or seven times just to catch her. But she would always hold me accountable on the decisions that I made. and she would always remind me my responsibility is to the people that I'm honored and privileged to serve. So, we are going to
miss Miss Far deeply. She was a great advocate and a great fighter for justice and she left a mark on each and every one of us. Lastly, I've got the Vital Link program. We're going to recognize our students and sponsors. Where are all
of our Vital Link students? Are they in Oh, they're over. Okay. I want to welcome the students from Fort Worth ISD who are here with us today as a part of the Vital Link program. The Vital Link program gives our students real exposure to careers in law,
government, and business. And that kind of access is life-changing. I want to specifically thank Lin Barer, Gagen, Blair, and Samson for being a longtime supporter of the vital link program. Their continued investment in our young people is exactly the kind of public
private partnership that strengthens our community and our workforce. Thank you for being here today, students, and welcome to Commissioner's Court. Those are my comments. Thank you. All right. Anyone else? >> Yes. I just um wanted to also
acknowledge the passing of Stella Fair. Um got the news last week and was shocked. uh to hear it, but she is a regular here. She uh was concerned about the county and how this county was uh
being operated. And um she did learn how to text, >> just in case you didn't know. >> I guess she just liked calling me from >> Okay. Because she texted me and she called and so um I am going to miss her.
She was very very concerned about um the community, the people, the budget, elections, just all of it. And so we always say we wish people more
people paid attention to local governance. Well, Stella Fair did and I appreciated her for that and for her support of me in this seat. So, um, condolences to her family and to all of
us who considered her family. >> Yes. Uh, tomorrow is the, uh, transportation summit, Tarant County transportation summit, which my predecessor, Gary Ficus, started. Uh this is the 16th year now uh that we're doing it. So we're keeping that alive. It should be a great lineup. Uh
hopefully all the commissioners will be there if you want to be there. Uh still time to get some tickets. Still time to be there. Uh tarantations.com you can find all the information. Uh I want to congratulate uh our uh chief of staff Mike Garcia. Since the last time
we met, he went from a family of seven to a family of eight. So congrats on the new baby. And if he falls asleep during session, that's okay. So, uh, we're happy to have you here. We also have one of our interns here, Jacob Lewis, uh, who's interning in our office this, uh, this summer. He's here today. So,
welcome to him. And, uh, and this may not be very popular in North Texas, but I was, uh, grew up in San Antonio, so I want to say go Spurs go. Uh, let's finish this thing in, uh, in New York. So, uh, thank you. >> Thank you. All right. Uh, two items.
One, the Texas Historical Commission has presented the 2025 Distinguished Service Award to the Tarant County Historical Commission in recognition of its active and well-balanced preservation program. So, congrats to the Tarant County Historical Commission on that honor. And
then the second item, I think everybody has seen and read or heard about screworm. Uh there are no confirmed uh there's no rumored screwworm uh incidents or exposure uh in Tarant
County, but we are monitoring it. I was on a call this morning. There have been multiple calls with federal officials, state officials, so we are we are monitoring it. The state is monitoring it closely. Uh our public health director is doing a great job and bringing in a lot of good improvements
and so he's on top of it also. So wanted to make people aware of that. But it is a good idea to check your pets. And of course, we still have a lot of uh areas in this county where there's a lot of livestock. So, check your livestock. This stuff is spreading. And hopefully,
we'll stop it. But, uh we'll let you know through every social media channel we have. Uh if there are any confirmed uh incidents or diagnoses, I don't know what you call it, uh of of screw cases. How about that? Of screworm hitting Tarant County. Judge, I forgot one I
just wanted to bring up. Um, I wanted to congratulate the sheriff's uh office and Chief Herklots. Uh, they just were recently um examined by uh by the commission that that looks at those things for the state and they came back with no technical assistance needed. And
what that means is that no corrective action was needed during inspection. During that inspection, they walked the Green Bay facility, corrections, Lon Evans facility in Bellnap. Uh MHMR was there. Thank you for your work. JPS was there. Thank you for your work. Chad uh Reigns and his jail facilities team.
Thank you for your work. And then uh Chief Herclots and his entire team. So I want to congratulate them. That's not easy to do to have no corrective action on that inspection. Uh our office actually went and took a tour of that a week or two ago. I would encourage all the commissioners if you haven't done that. Uh as Chandler always says, it's
like it's its own city down there. Uh and they do an incredible job. And so I just wanted to thank them and tell them uh that we appreciate their u technical uh perfection uh in the last u examination inspection. >> I was in on the when the findings were
announced. I was in the meeting from the state folks to all of the upper level staff of the sheriff's office. It was a glowing review. >> Yeah. >> A very good report. >> It's great. So great job sheriff and chief clots. >> All right. Next we come to public comment for proclamations, resolutions,
and presentations. Uh so if you've signed up to speak in two different places, you have one minute total. We see six that have signed up to speak in both places. So the total time you get to speak, whether it's one or two, is
one minute. I will call your names now. Maybe if we get to this. Okay. Uh, I'm going to call them in order. We know we have some people in the spillover room, so I'm going to call four in advance. If you are in the
spillover room, hear your name called, please make your way here so we can get you up here and move this at a good pace. So, the first is Mindy Tacket, then Allison Compalo, then George
Dodson, then Ryan Pope. Happy Pride Month. It's a wonderful thing to be here today to celebrate the help center. >> So, I'm Gen X and I grew up with Mr. Rogers. And he was a very gentle soul
who taught so many of us about empathy and looking out for our neighbors. And one of the things he would always say, his mother told him, was look for the helpers. The helpers. So, he didn't say look for the bigots. U Matt, he didn't
say look for the homophobes. Uh Tim, he didn't say look for the Christian nationalists or the Dominionists who want to shove their narrow-minded brand of religion down everyone's throats. He said look for the helpers. And so, here we are today honoring the help center.
And there's always going to be people in our community who want to choose fear over compassion. But we are super grateful, Commissioner Simmons, that you choose to celebrate the helpers and you're doing it during Pride Month. So, the vast majority of us, I want everyone
to know the vast majority of us celebrating. >> Please take a seat. >> Next, Allison Compalo, then George Dodson, then Ryan Pope, then Mary Callaway. >> Good morning. My name is Allison Campolo. I'm not introducing myself using my title because I don't think
this conversation should be partisan. I'm in strong support of the proclamation honoring the health center. Uh I am profoundly disappointed by those opposing this proclamation and I think it's important to note that the call to action to oppose this proclamation did not even cite the correct organization. The Facebook post asking people to come
today uh to speak against this proclamation still as of this moment ask people to come to speak against a group called LGBTQ saves which while a group I personally find very helpful and important is fundamentally different than the help center which provides health care services at no charge to the
patients or to the county taxpayers. And because I don't think this is a conversation that should be one-sided I want to provide you with some wisdom from elected officials and figureheads which I hope will be meaningful to you. Although maybe I only have time for one. So I'll leave you with this. As your president, I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from
the violence and oppression of foreign hateful ideology. President Donald Trump, please vote in favor of this proclamation. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Dodson. Then Ryan Pope, I'm Mary Callaway, Karen Weisman.
>> Morning. Good morning, commissioners. Uh I come today opposed to recognizing the help center for for the damage that they have done to our our community sponsoring events that make the LGBTQ
lifestyle look normal. The Bible clearly tells us that uh God uh created man and woman, two sexes. God punished Sodom and Gomorrah for the homosexual lifestyle.
Uh I'm as as I just said, I'm very much against this. Thank you for the opportunity to speak this morning. >> Thank you. Next, Ryan Pope, Mary Callaway, Karen Weisman, Linda Ford.
>> Members of the court, thank you. I'm here on item 77. I have no objection to the health cent's healthcare work. My concern is with the resolution itself. It allocates no funding and enacts no policy. It is entirely ceremonial and yet two of its clauses have nothing to do with healthcare. One names the health
center as a cultural home for the LGBTQ plus community. The other promotes Trinity Pridefest. The remaining 10 clauses address actual healthcare. This is a familiar pattern. In March 2025, Commissioner Simmons embedded references to sexual identity among other things including gun violence and immigration reform into a social work proclamation
not quite related. When this court uh requested amendments, her response was, "I am not amendable to amending or editing my proclamation." She preferred a recorded partyline vote to a consensus one. That is political theater, not governance. Let us be honest about the purpose of this resolution, recognizing the health center rather than idolizing
one group to the exclusion of others. I thus request the court amend this resolution, remove the two advocacy clauses, replace the culturally affirming healthcare with comprehensive healthcare. If the if Commissioner Simmons accepts those amendments, this resolution may pass. Objection. Thank you. Next we have a Mary Callaway. Then Karen
Weisman, Linda Ford, DJ Johansson. Johannes is a Mary Callaway here. All right. Next we move to Karen Weisman. Next we move to Linda Ford.
All right. Next we move to DJ Johannes. Then Katherine Godby. Then Tyler Roma. then read bills. >> Good morning, Judge O'Hare and commissioners. On behalf of the help center for the LGBTQ health, thank you
for this recognition and for acknowledging the more than 30 years of service to Tarant County. Help was founded in 1994 by two Catholic nuns and the mother of somebody who was dying with AIDS. From the beginning, the mission has always been simple. promote
health and prevent disease and care for people who too much too often have nowhere else to turn. Last year alone, the health help provided healthcare services to more than 7,000 Texans, delivering $70 million worth of medication, medical care, and support
services free of charge. Our work prevents more than 200 new HIV infections annually, saving lives and reducing health care costs. Recently, there's been inflammatory and inaccurate statements made about our organization, but misinformation does not change the
truth. I am reminded of the scripture in John 8:32. Then you will know the truth and the truth. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. >> Next, we have Miss Godby, then Tyler Roguara, then Reed Bills, then Charles Bills.
>> I want to thank Commissioner Miles and Simmons for remembering Stella Fair. It was a huge loss her death. Okay. First, uh if you plan to vote no on recognizing the help center, be aware that your fear and hatred are showing. Anyone with a drop
of empathy or a hint of true Christian caring would only say thank you to this organization and the amazing work that it does. Second, despite the nice language um used about the responsible fatherhood, plenty of people know what this is
really about. The perceived individual moral failure of black men, which is ridiculous. Nowhere does this resolution mention the fact that black men are incarcerated at about five times the rate of white men due to the reality of
systemic racism. Thank you. Next we have Tyler Roma Agueroa, Reed Bills, Charles Bills, and Alan Loba. Morning. I would like to begin by first correcting a sophomoric error in the first whereas clause. Rita Karly left the church in 1990, four years before
health was founded. She was not a nun when the organization was founded. So right off the bat, Commissioner Simmons, you're wrong. What is most egregious about this mandacious statement is the diabolical attempt at skewing the teaching of the Catholic Church, an attempt to yoke her to LGBT ideology. Let me conclude then by briefly
articulating what the Catholic Church actually teaches. All sexual acts outside of marriage are inherently sinful. Marriage is a union of one man and one woman and is by its nature ordered towards the procreation of offspring. Sodomy and other illicit sexual acts are definitionally incapable of fulfilling this capacity for two
reasons. First, two men and two women cannot marry regardless of what the courts say. Therefore, all sexual acts all sexual acts engaged in between homosexuals are outside of marriage and are therefore sinful. Second, homosexual acts are by their nature sterile and opposed to procreation. Shame on you,
Commissioner Smith. >> Thank you, sir. Next, we have Reed Bills, Charles Bills, Alan Loba, and Chris Christopher. I have a son who was previously my daughter who grew up in Tarant County.
As an adult, he moved to California where he could receive the support and health services that help the health center now provides county residents. These services are needed for si disease
control and medical assistance to a valued population of our com community. I fully support the presentation of this resolution. >> Thank you. >> Next we have Charles Bills, Alan Lobach,
Chris Christopher, and Paul David Williams. I'm also in support of the LGBT health center resolution and I would like to just suggest if anyone on the deis does not want to support it, they do have the option of abstaining. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Uh next, Mr. Loba, then Mr. Christopher, then Mr. Williams, then Ben Darling. >> I stand in favor of this proclamation about the great work that the help center is doing. If you are offended by it, I wonder what offends you. Maybe
free condoms because that goes against our abstinenceonly policy or maybe just that you're offended that there are trans people who exist. I like what was said at the Supreme Court. You can deny our rights, but you cannot deny our existence. I too am a part of a
community that's been oppressed, even tortured, and yes, executed. You can't tell by looking at me, but I've been an abomination. People have called me sinister of the devil because I'm left-handed. I invite you to look at this photo. Used
to be in our textbooks. It's of Hazel Evans yelling at Elizabeth Eford, "Go back to Africa." Others in the crowd said, "They should all be lynched. Be careful who you hate. It might be
someone you love." >> Next we have Mr. Christopher. Mr. Williams, Mr. Darling, and Ren Dardinis. >> I speak today on behalf of every family in Tarant County who refuses to be silent. Notice the name. This organization was once simply called
Help. It is now the Help Center for LGBTQ plus health. Every commissioner who votes yes today is not simply endorsing healthcare. You are formerly commending an organization that promotes sexual perversion, affirms mental illness as identity, and advances the very lifestyle driving the sexually
transmitted disease crisis in this country. This is what a yes vote means. Own it or oppose it. The CDC's own data shows that men who have sex with men account for 70% of new HIV diagnosis. You're being asked to commend the organization accelerating that crisis. Not contain it, commend it. We put the
Ten Commandments out in front. We can't post God's law on the walls and formally recognize his organization. It's not consistency, it's contradiction. Isaiah says, "Weo to those who call evil good and good evil. This is not political. This is spiritual. Vote no, please."
Thank you, Mr. Williams. Paul David Williams. >> Okay. Following Mr. Williams, Ben Darling, Ren Dardinis, and Gail Smith. How long do I have? >> You have one minute. Would you please start it over? When you come to the
microphone, please be ready with your comments. Um Have uh they saved lives? Have they provided condoms to protect people from transmitting diseases?
Have they made available uh medication for people that need treatment? Have they made people have they ta tested people for HIV and AIDS? Have they provided treatment with
medication? Have they provided testing for other sexual transmitted diseases? Have they provided treatment for other sexual diseases?
Do you consider the citizens worth of being worthy of being tested through their agency? Are you willing to award them for saving the lives of fellow citizens? >> Thank you, sir. >> Next, we have Ben Darling,
Ren Dcardinis, Gail Smith, and Nidia Cardinus. >> Hello. First, I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to speak in support of this resolution honoring the help center. The center provides incredibly important and meaningful care
in our community and I believe the information provided in Commissioner Simmons's resolution honestly speaks for itself. Over 7,000 Texans were served in 2025 along with the CDC statistical model indicating that the center prevents 200 um new HIV transmissions
annually back annually back up the strength of the data provided. In addition to the data contained within the resolution, the sentiments provided by people served at the help center serve as another example example of the phenomenal work they are doing. All that being said, voting against this
resolution would be a shame. Clearly, the macro data in the written resolution and testimonials from people that have interacted with the help center show what their work means. They truly have covered their bases on what it means to change Fort Worth for the better. Commissioner Ramirez in O'Hare, as my representatives, I strongly encourage
you to support this resolution. Next we have Ren Decardinis, Gail Smith, Nidia Cardinis, David Malone. Do we still have a spillover room? Okay. >> Greetings and salutations. My name is Renda Cardinis. I use all pronouns and I
am a lifelong resident of Tony County. I am gay and gender fluid and I have a brother who is panexual and non-binary. Not everyone has the same acceptance that me and my brother have found. This is evident by some of the other speakers here today. is made more apparent by the mass amounts of studies that highlight the higher levels of violence that queer
people face. According to the Williams Institute of Law, we are five times more likely to be the targets of violent crimes. According to the Trevor Project, 46% of LGBTQ people from ages 18 to 24 will experience sexual assault or rape,
while 37% of younger LGBTQ people will experience the same crimes. Why? Because we cannot find acceptance simply for who we love. When a person cannot find acceptance in their family, then they need to be able to find the acceptance in their community. That is what the Help Center for LGBTQ plus provides. While I have not needed their services,
I am thankful that they have helped so many people. I urge all of you, especially my elected representatives, Commissioner Miles, and Judge O'Hare to support. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. >> Thanks. >> Uh, next we have Gail Smith, Nidia Cardinis,
David Malone, and Rebecca Don. Good morning, Judge O'Hara and commissioners. I came to speak against the proclamation and to proclaim a better word. I'm speaking to anyone listening who would profess Christ as Lord and Savior. Um, this is against
God. The LGBTQ agenda is one that has harmed our communities. This would Why would we honor anything that harms children? Let's be clear. There is redemption and a beautiful life of freedom waiting for anyone who says yes to God. But this agenda to exploit,
mutilate, exploit and mutilate children only to fortify their brokenness and lead them down prodical road is evil. A few weeks ago, you adopted a proclamation to bring awareness to child abuse. Then let's do that. This agenda abuses children. I was
in downtown Dallas and I saw that they erected a flag, a trans flag next to the Texas and the American flag. I think Dallas has lost its way. Um, let's bring awareness to this. Also, Taran County belongs to the Lord.
>> Thank you. Next, we have Nidia Cardinus. Then, David Malone, Rebecca Dylon, and Deborah Kratkkey. >> Hello. Um, I think last time I checked, your job as elected leaders is not to decide who's going to deserve grace in the afterlife. Um, that's above your pay
grade. Your job is to the one that we elected the people of Taran County elected you to is to protect the health, dignity, and wellness of every single resident in Taran County while they are here living their lives in the physical world. And the health center is basically doing part of that job for you by supporting some of our most
underserved and vulnerable neighbors. I met a family this weekend um who shared with me that they are thinking about moving from Tarant County because it feels unsafe for their trans child. And I think that that's something that we need to be talking about. How do we make sure that all people in our community are safe? And again, it's not your job
to say what they're doing is right or wrong as an elected leader. Your your job is to keep them safe, no matter the choices that they're making for their own families. And my commissioner is not here, but if he were, I would tell him that the way to turn the temperature down in politics is not by sitting
silently or abstaining, but actually by the votes that you're making. And it feels pretty hot in here today. Next we have David Malone, Rebecca Don, Deborah Kratkkey, and James Tras. >> Hello, sir. >> My name is David Malone. I'm the
president of the Mid City Stonewall Democrats. I'm here today to support Alyssa Simmons because she supports us, the gay community. And I just want to say um as a member or a president of the Mid City Stonewall Democrats, we want to be neighbors and get along and live
peacefully with the conservative Christian mega Republicans. And with that, please support this resolution for the health center because it helps us all benefit with with affordable health care. Thank you for giving me the allowance to speak today.
>> Thank you. Uh, next we have Rebecca Don, Deborah Kratkkey, James Tras, Jane Collins. >> When I saw you were voting on a resolution to recognize the help center for its generous contribution to the health of the LGBTQ plus community, I
thought surely this will not be controversial because what would be wrong with recognizing people who provide a supportive community, medical care, and costly medications at no cost? But I worry that we have become so polarized we cannot tolerate people who
do not think, behave, believe the same things we do and so we judge them, exclude them and refuse to acknowledge them. Tarant County is a minority majority county and home to many faith traditions. We are politically split and have different worldviews and visions.
Our citizens economic realities, educational backgrounds, and life experiences vary tremendously, as do sexual orientations and preferences. Recognizing the help center is not a political act. It is a moral one to
affirm compassion, inclusion, and the common good for all. >> Thank you. Next, Miss Katkkey and Mr. Tras, Miss Collins, and Brian Patman. I had a really great thing written up, but it's two minutes instead of one. So,
I'll just say that Taran County currently has an estimated 7,183 people living with HIV. That's 7,183 individuals who have people who love them, who have hopes, who have dreams,
people who now have a real chance at living with this disease, not dying from it. I've known people with AIDS and unfortunately I've known people who died from it. But I'm heartened at the at the advancements that have been made in this community and across the nation to help
people with HIV. Thank you, Commissioner Simmons, for recognizing this organization. And thank you to the health center for serving many people and giving them a shot at life. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Tras. Then Miss Collins, then Brian
Patman, then Carla Morgan. Hi, my name is Tanner Tras and I have the honor of serving at Westside Unitarian Universalist Church here in Fort Worth, Texas. Commissioner Miles in your precinct. And as a person of faith, it does my heart very good to see Tarant County recognizing the Health Center for
LGBT health. They do good work in our community and they promote that all bodies in Tarant County, trans bodies, interex bodies, cis bodies, all of us really, that our bodies are whole, holy, and worthy of love and care as they are. So, Commissioner Simmons, thank you so
much for bringing this uh proclamation forward. Judge O'Hare and Commissioner Krauss, I do hope for your support. This is a county I've lived in since I was 12 years old. I'd be very proud to see us recognize this wonderful group. And as a Unitarian minister said back in 1930,
"One of our jobs here on earth is to make this planet a little more like heaven and a little less like that other place." Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Collins. Then Brian Patman, Carla Morgan, Sabrina Ball. My name is Jane Collins and I want to
thank Alis Alisa Simmons for putting this proclamation forward to support the help center because I really believe that all you all means all. I really believe that and I really appreciate
uh that you know when we have government officials that try to recognize that rather than judge people as if they're representing God, >> right? >> So, uh thank you so much. And I also just wanted to a agree with Katherine
Godby about uh judgment against I think it's against black men for you know not being responsible for their families and I if I'm wrong you can correct me but I was a little worried about that uh
proclamation coming up. Thank you. Next we have Brian Patman, Carla Morgan, Sabrina Ball, Laura Oakley. The Apostle Paul instructs the Galatians, "For you are called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another through love.
For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, you shall love your neighbor as yourself." When we ask if Tarant help center deserves accommodation, we must ask ourselves honestly, each of us, are we opposed to this accommodation because the program is ineffective and lacking? Does it fail to serve the people of Tarant County or
waste public tax dollars? Well, the health center takes up not a dime of taxpayer funding. And according to CDC, the program prevents 200 plus new HIV cases every year. Twothirds of patients, our neighbors are ethnic minorities who make up most of new HIV HIV infections.
the center accomplishes this herculean task of making sure that patients lack insurance can afford care. Or are we opposed this accommodation because of the population that this program serves? Would the court of the public be more in passing this accommodation? If the population serves the treatments it offered were different. Roger Miles, Tim
Harris, my representatives, I urge you pass resolution. >> Thank you. Next we have Carla Morgan, Sabrina Ball, Laura Oakley, Cameron Burman. >> My name is Carla Morgan. I live in Arlington. I'm here as an LGBTQ
grandmother with a transgender teen. Also, as a community ally, I stand in support of the LGBTQ help center and their important life-saving contributions to our community. The current estimated population of Tarant County is 2.26 million. And in line with
the state percentage of 5.1%, 115,000 members of our community are also members of the LGBTQ community. Last year, the health center provided approximately 60 million in care to almost 6,000 community members. A
previous speaker did provide more accurate demographics. All of this was provided at no charge to patients and with the use of no taxpayer funds. I hope you will notice my frequent use of the word community. Community is me, my grandson, my
neighbors, my LGBTQ friends, and you. Community is everyone. >> Next, we have Sabrina Ball and Laura Oakley, Cameron Burman, and Hillary Benadetto. >> I've watched this side of the court completely ignore and frankly be hostile
to the people of Tarant County. To be true public servants, you have to hold the interest of the people. Consider all the people in the county, even those you believe are living in sin. But time and again, you decide what is acceptable. You redefine words and terminology that don't need redefined. You ignore data
and you install ideology on your lawn. Publicly recognizing a place that helps people, that serves people, does not harm you. In fact, it would show the county that despite differing beliefs, you have the capacity to recognize helpers and recognize something good. I look at you and I know that you have
queer people in your families. people I hope that you love and treat with respect because God actually tells you to in spite of your opinion of their lifestyle. Would those people go out of their way to insult you? I don't think so. And I would like take a moment to recognize Stella Fair who's no longer
with us. I think she would support this proclamation today. Thank you. >> Next we have Laura Oakley, Cameron Berman, Hillary Benadetto, and Dorian Guyger. Hi, Laura Oakley. Um, I'm against this proclamation, but not for the same
reasons as a lot of people. I agree. Y'all means all. I think we should love all people. I love the Bible. I follow God. I want those things as well. But what I want from the organizations that that have governance over Fort Worth and Tarant County is that they stay neutral on these types of things. This
organization, if they only focused on health, it'd be fantastic. But they don't. They're the ones that started the drag yourself to the pole events with drag queens in um reaching out to children. They organized queer and trans liberation march and they strongly push
gender affirming care. We call that care. I call it abuse to children. Okay? So, if you're not of age at 18, you should be making those decisions. So, they help children and teens get transgender medical treatments. They promote these radical ideas. These kinds of proclamations divide people. They
hurt our public trust. and they bring extreme politics into normal government work. I'd rather see us stay neutral on these things and support the things we all love. >> Next we have Cameron Berman, then Hillary Benadetto, Doren Guyger, and
Carlos Tersios. Is Cameron Burman here? Okay. Hillary Benadetto following Miss Benadetto, Doren Guyger, and then Carlos Tersios. I am Hillilary Benadetto from Grapevine. As the Grapevine Rotary Club's 2013
Kende Service above self award recipient, I know a little about community service. In Grapevine and Tarant County, we have many nonprofit organizations who provide a great deal of of essential services to its citizens. Since 1994, the Taran County
Health Center for LGBTQ plus health has provided access to free HIV testing, STI prevention, condent distribution, and other programs. Commissioner Alyssa Simmons has introduced resolution number seven to recognize the health center in a formal written expression for their 32
years of service. A few people do not want you to vote for this resolution based on false information. The health center has indeed contributed to the health, dignity, and wellness of the people of Tarant County. Great vine mayor William D. Tape has contributed 50
years of public service through his leadership to my city. Therefore, I am for both agenda items seven and eight. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Please have a seat. >> Thank you. >> Next is Miss Guyger, then Mr. Tersios,
then Alexander Montalvo, then Aisha Hassan. Decades ago, I had a friend who had hemophilia, a rare bleeding disorder caused by the inability for blood to clot. If he got a scratch, he would bleed so much that he would have to have
a blood transfusion. At that time, nobody understood anything about AIDS and did not know blood transfusions could spread AIDS to patients. My friend was one of the first people in Texas who died of AIDS. He was not gay, but still
died of what many people later thought was a disease that only affected gay people. Tarant County is fortunate to have the help center, which has provided comprehensive health and education services for years. I congratulate all
of the help center staff and volunteers who work to help keep Tarant County healthy. Thank you. Carlos Tersio's present. All right. Now we have Alexander Montalvo, Aisha Hassan, Janet Mattern,
and Robert Van. Do we still have spillover? Okay. No Carlos, no Manny. You can see weak Latino leadership whenever they are too scared to show up. I'm here to support the help center proclamation.
Thank you so much, Commissioner Simmons, for putting this on the agenda. Anybody who is trying to hide behind their faith in a church like Mercy Culture where you like to run to Tim is no different than the people who hid in
plain sight with the KKK headquarters a mile up the street. That building and the hate that it brings and the people that represent it here in this commissioner's court shows that the new headquarters of hate is here in the commissioner's court led by
you. Let's pass this proclamation. >> Thank you. >> Uh next, Aisha Hassan, Janet Matter, Robert Van Harriet Harrell. My name is Aisha Hassan and I'm here to share my strong support for the resolution recognizing Health Center for
LGBTQ plus health um that has been put forward by Commissioner Alisa Simmons. Thank you. I strongly encourage my elected representatives, Commissioner Manny Ramirez and Judge Tim O'Hare to support this resolution. As commissioners of Tarant County, it is
your duty to represent all constituents regardless of how they identify and who they love. It is essential that we honor the work of this decades old institution that has impacted countless lives through preventative healthcare among other services. To oppose this resolution would be to stand against the
shared humanity of all people and intentionally so division in our community. So I urge you commissioner and judge commissioners and judge Timohair to fully support the resolution and honor the value of every member of the community you have vowed to represent.
Thank you. Thank you. Janet Mattern, Robert Van, Harriet Harrell, and Nicholas Tziac are the last four for this section. Hello, my name is Janet Matan. I want to
thank y'all for honoring Stella Fair. She's an inspiration to me and everyone. Um, as our voting director for the League of Women Voters, she's done tremendous work for us and we we can't thank her enough for what she's done. I'm here today to speak on the resolution regarding celebration of our
cesqua centennial. Uh this resolution is a perfect example of why politicians should not write our history books. This resolution should not be controversial, but instead it pushes disinformation
portraying your version of history. Words matter. Our founding fathers knew it. Rather than using religious doctrine, they chose words that would unite our nation.
We must all work to ensure we keep our long fought ideals for freedom and a multi. >> Thank you. >> Next, we have Mr. Van, Miss Herrell, Mr. Tziac. Thank you, Commissioner Simmons, for your resolution recognizing the Health
Center for LG LGBTQ health. Some crystal fascist hate groups continue to target the LGBTQ community and today aim their venom at this resolution. These groups like to disguise themselves as Christians while they're nothing but a mockery of the biblical Jesus. The
biblical Jesus is quoted in Matthew chapter 7 as saying, "So in everything, do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the law and the prophets." There are also the parables of the good Samaritan and the judgment of nations. The biblical Jesus never condemns homosexuality. Jesus is quoted
as speaking about but not condemning unics who were born that way, which in his day meant men who were not attracted to women. And the Bible says he actually healed a young man who was almost certainly the homosexual lover of a Roman centurion. The term homosexual did not enter the Bible until 1946
when translators with an axe to grind translated a word that for centuries meant boy molester as homosexual. >> Thank you sir. Uh next we have Dr. Harold and then Nicholas Tziac. >> I oppose the language of the resolution on the 250th.
County government should represent every citizen. Saying America's principles are founded in the Judeo-Christian tradition is not historical fact and it excludes many citizens. The foundation of America is the freedom of all faiths and no
faith. Nor were the Ten Commandments given to create the American government. They are a religious code. The constitution is our civic code and it specifically prohibits government from enforcing at least four of the ten
commandments. Please table and rewrite this proclamation to represent all of Tar County. >> Is Mr. Tziak present? Okay. Seeing not we will now
go to the actual proclamations and resolutions. First is employee recognition. So if you I will call your name as I normally do uh by grouped by year. We ask you to
stand uh when when I call your name. Uh, our five-year employees, Marisol Aguular, Clarissa Agular, Kimberly Chis, Nathan Dancer,
Latifus Fountain, Chad Guest, Matteline Jacobs, Lauren Lawrence, Frank Lidkkey, Manuel Lu John, James McClinton, Stephanie Mroy,
Natalie Medina, Victoria Reyes, Jesus Robo, Carlos Romero, bless you. Ambrosia Weber, Angela Worbicki, and Carly Young. Thank
you for five years. We appreciate you all very much. Now for our tenyear employees, please stand as I call your name. Eric Alvarez, Clarence Bulocks, Katherine Engel,
Matthew Xter, Michael Hawkins, Jasmine Herrera, Brittany Pete, Joseph Ray Hall, Curtis Stone, Mark Taylor, Aaron Taylor,
and Ruth is it Zavala? Zavala. Thank you for 10 years of service to Taran County. We appreciate all of you. Now for our 15-year employees, please stand as I call your name if you're present. Erica Bates,
Jimmy Cantou, Michael Graves, Felicia Holly, Natalie Wararez, Stephanie Serato, and Michael Williams. Thank you all for 15 years. We
appreciate you. Now for those who have given Tarant County two decades. Uh first John Good, Nicole Marin, Jennifer Ramos,
Charlotte Sadler, and William Travis. Thank you for two decades. We have three 25-year employees to celebrate today. Please stand if you are present. Kevin Brutin,
Cherry Crane, and Scott McKendry. All right. Well, wherever you guys are, I know we had a lot of people say they're on vacation. Thank you for 25 years. To those three, we appreciate you. and three 30-year employees.
Uh, I know two of those cannot two of these cannot make it. John Kefir III, Pamela Liry, and Donna Turner. Three decades of service to Tarant County. Thank you
three very much. We appreciate you. And how about another big hand for all of our employees? We appreciate you very much. I make a motion to receive and file the employee recognition. Second. We have a motion and a second.
Any discussion? Please cast your votes. Passes unanimously. For our employees who are present and want to go to a reception in your honor on the fourth floor, uh you may leave now, but you are certainly welcome to stay.
And we thank you. All right. Next, we have a proclamation recognizing Elder Abuse Awareness Month. And we have quite a few people here today to receive this. Uh Nissa Muhammad
from adult protective services, Judge Patricia Burns, Tarant County Probate Court number one, Angela Gaither, court investigator at Tarant County Probate 1, and Cassidy Brady Hatfield. Uh Shereice Overreet and Vanessa Mura Kapon, Tarant
County Assistant Court investigators, Probate Court 2. Robert McCann, Brook Stevenson, David Blackshere, and Hunter Flores, City of Fort Worth Code Compliance Boarding Home Division. Lynn Scott, Texas Elder Justice Coalition Guardianship Services, Inc., Lindseay
Stanley, Guardianship Services, Inc., Mariela Portugal, Adult Protective Services. Eureka Pinky, Caremates Wellness Solutions. Zack Wheeler, Great Worth, Texas, Tarant County APS Community Board.
Christina Restum, OPCO, Tarant County APS Community Board, and Alyssa Deon from Meals on Wheels of Tarant County. Uh, I'm going to read this proclamation and ask all of you to come forward as I do. Uh, recognizing Elder Abuse Awareness Month helps
prevent the abuse and neglect of older adults who should be honored and protected. As those who pave the way before us, members of Tarant County's elderly population deserve our respect and care. As we age, we grow in knowledge, experience, insight, and wisdom, which enriches our communities.
There were 125,382, y'all can come on up, reports of abuse towards older adults and people with disabilities in Texas in 2025. Tarant County seniors deserve to live knowing they are safe and should be assured that Tarant County takes seriously the risk
to our older residents who may be victims of neglect or subject to financial, emotional, or physical abuse. Raising awareness about elder abuse enhances our community's ability to recognize the signs, understand the impact, and take action to prevent, report, and address elder abuse. We
stand united in our commitment to ensure the safety and security of elder adults, support victims of elder abuse, and hold abusers accountable. Now, therefore, be it resolved, we the Commission Court of Tarant County do hereby proclaim June 2026 as Elder Abuse Awareness Month in Tarant County. And I move to approve
this proclamation. >> Second. >> Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All right, please cast your votes. Passes unanimously. Thank you for all that you do for our elders. Let's please give these folks a
big round of applause. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you'all for what you do. Appreciate you guys. >> Appreciate you. >> Thank you. >> Okay.
Don't want to give them any any reason. to Judge O'Hare and the county commissioners. Thank you so much for your support of adult protective services and our mission in the community to protect those who are 65 years or older or those individuals aged 16 to 64 with a substantial impairment
by providing resources to prevent or alleviate uh malreatment. We appreciate your partnership and diligence in ensuring that we protect the most vulnerable citizens of Tarant County. Proclaiming June as elder abuse awareness month brings awareness to the abuse, neglect, and exploitation that
could exist in the community. But it also brings awareness to the resources and community partnerships that we can foster to alleviate and pre prevent this abuse, neglect or neglect or financial exploitation. Joining me in receiving this proclamation are, as you've mentioned,
Taran County APS Community Board, Mills on Wheels, Guardianship Services, Tarant County Probate Courts 1 and two, Fort Worth Code Compliance Boarding Home Division, Eureka Pikney with Caremate Wellness Solutions, um, and others because we know that our community
partners, we have to continue to work together to protect the vulnerable citizens. Our seniors should live safely in the community with dignity and respect. and we as community partners advocate for them. I provided you with a challenge coin because you are our
partners as well. And even when we're not together, we are all working for the same goal to protect our most vulnerable citizens and to keep them safe to live in the community with safety and dignity as long as possible. If anyone um does not know, APS as well as all of these
other organizations are advocates for our seniors and those who are uh substantially impaired or disabled. So if you suspect that anyone is being abused, neglected or financially exploited, please call 1 800252-5400
or reach out to me or your county commissioners because they just received a button that says ask me about APS because they know as well how to reach out to me. So thank you all so much. >> Thank y'all for what you do. Thank you'all. >> All right. Next, we have a resolution
recognizing Meals on Wheels of Tarant County for delivering their 30 millionth meal. Reminds me of the McDonald's signs from years ago, but that's incredible. 30 million meals delivered in Tarant County. Uh, so who we have here today,
Allison Deon, the CEO of Meals on Wheels, Nicole Smolsky's Rebstock, VP of development, and Philip Gonzalez, lead marketing specialist. Uh, the resolution reads as follows. Meals on Wheels, Inc. of Tarant County has faithfully served older adults, persons with disabilities, and homebound
residents throughout Tarant County since 1973 by delivering nutritious meals and providing or coordinating needed services. Helping keep clients in their own homes not only provides them with independence and self-respect, but it also helps them avoid relocating to more
costly facilities. This milestone represents not only meals delivered, but also moments of care, safety, and human connection for individuals who often rely on these services as a lifeline. Meals served by Meals on Wheels meet or exceed national nutritional guidelines, improving the physical and mental health
of clients. The Tarant County Commissioner's Court recognizes the profound impact Meals on Wheels, Inc. of Tarant County has had on the health, well-being, and quality of life of older, disabled, and homebound adults throughout the community. Now therefore, be it resolved that we, the Commissioner's Court of Tarant County, Texas, do hereby congratulate Meals on
Wheels of Tarant County on the milestone of delivering 30 million meals. And with that, yeah, with that, I will move to approve. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? I I just want to say having been on a
few of y'all's ride alongs and being able to deliver some of those meals, it really is imperative what y'all are doing. These these folks that are getting their meals, that's the only way they're going to have sustenance that day, that week. Um and so thank you for what you're doing. It's critically important. Appreciate what y'all bring to the community.
>> Yeah. You know what? When I did it one once with y'all, I had a ton of fun and and they they really enjoy uh seeing you and it brightens their day. I'm sure for many of them, they don't see people very often. So, this was a great thing. I encourage everybody
to do it. All right. Passes unanimously. Let me bring you the resolution. Thank you guys. Thank you so much, Commissioner Court, for recognizing Meals on Wheels today. In 1973, 10 faith organizations, 10 faith-based organizations got together and said, "We
have to meet a need that we see in the community." And they started off as a very grassroots effort serving 25 meals a day. And so I'm happy to say that that spirit of Tarant County coming together is seen every day through Meals on Wheels. So on behalf of our staff, our
board of directors, our 3,300 active volunteers, and our clients, we want to say thank you so much. Every day, meals are served to Tarant County residents, around 3,500 to 4,000. We serve homed delivered meals, and we also serve meals
in 22 senior centers located all throughout Tarant County. And thanks to the wonderful support that we've gotten from our community, we've never had to have a wait list. So any client who's in need can get a meal when they need it. >> Incredible. >> So we're celebrating 30 million meals.
But we know that the population of Tarant County is growing and our population is aging. So we at Meals on Wheels stand ready to make a continued impact in our community for the future. So thank you for this wonderful day of celebrating 30 million meals. I got a
great endorsement. So all of you can talk to me about volunteering as well. We'd love to have you come and join us. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. Great job. >> All right. Next, we have a resolution uh for recognizing responsible fatherhood month. Uh two things on this one. Uh a
gentleman from our community uh brought this to us and asked us to do it. Uh it's meaningful to me. Uh and I've tried to model myself as a father in a way that does not reflect what my father was like. Uh my mom and dad were divorced
when I was six months old. I only remember seeing him when I was eight and then when I was about 35. So it's why and when you're in politics, you get asked to go to a ton of things and a ton of events and a ton of banquetss and
dinners. It is why what I said when I ran for this and I will always continue to do it as long as I'm here, whatever that may be, that I'm going to put my kids first. I go to their games. I go to their practices. I coach their teams. And I don't think fatherhood and
encouraging fathers to be responsible is political or racial in any way, shape, or form. The world is a better place with strong fathers. >> Amen. >> So, we have two groups that are here today. uh one we've uh had here before
and we supported them in uh with some of the ARPER funds in building their building Hope Farm. Uh with us today from Hope Farm, Sasher Dawson, the executive director and board president, Kevin Foster, COO, and Tanya Lincoln, chief academic officer. Uh Hope Farm, for those that don't know, is a
long-term leadership development program that guides at risk fatherless boys or or without a father in the home, I should say. that uh from the time they're five to seven until high school graduation and in some cases even beyond and helps them
become Christ-c centered men of integrity. That's their mission. Then also a group that I know the founder of this but I did not know about his organization. So we decided to invite him as well. Um Bob Kimell who is a
partner and president Nehemiah company created something called Nehemiah Builds Foundation. With us from Nehemiah Builds Foundation is Bob um Howard Portius, uh Deborah Mirs and Gabby Ramos. The mission of Nehemiah Builds is to combat
the effects of fatherless fatherlessness by creating a ministry that fathers children among other services. They model biblical wisdom to youth through their mentoring program and provide opportunities to build confidence and character through a sports program and
train them how to wrestle and win state championships, which is pretty cool. So, I'm going to ask, well, let me let me read the resolution. Uh, responsible fatherhood month. Fathers, whether biological, adoptive, foster, or serving as father figures, play a vital role in
the emotional, social, and economic well-being of children and families. Children benefit from involved, nurturing, and responsible fathers who provide guidance, stability, encouragement, and support through every stage of life. Strong families are the foundation of strong communities, and
engaged fathers contribute to safer neighborhoods, improve educational outcomes, and greater opportunity for future generations. Children are less likely to experience poverty, abuse, neglect, substance abuse, drop out of school, or face incarceration when fathers are actively engaged in their
lives. Organizations, mentors, faith-based groups, community leaders, and individuals across Tarant County work every day to help meet the emotional, financial, and developmental needs created by fatherlessness and to support children and families facing those challenges. Our community benefits
from spreading the message to honor and restore responsible fatherhood, encouraging men to lead their families with responsibility and integrity. Further, local organizations such as Nehemiah Builds and Hope Farm are standing in the gap for those without fathers, breaking the cycle and combating the effects of fatherlessness.
Now therefore, be it resolved that we, the Commissioner's Court of Tarant County, do hereby proclaim June 2026 as responsible fatherhood month in Tarant County and encourage all residents to recognize the importance of supporting efforts that strengthen families and improve outcomes for children throughout Tarant County. I will move to approve.
>> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All right, please cast your votes. All right, passes unanimously. Uh, can I get everybody to come on up so we can
present this? >> How about a round of applause for now? I know why we have two dawn on you for you. Thank you, Jim. If I may
just a brief comment about both organizations and I think we would love to hear from both of you. >> Both of them. I I I reflect back on um Hope Farm, its founders, Gary Randall and Noble
Crawford, who came to Texas from California as former police officers and wanting to address the challenges that our community was facing with young men
whose fathers weren't active in their lives. And I just can imagine that both of those men are amazed at the progress and where Hope Farm has grown to to this point.
Um, and I'm sure Noble is smiling down from heaven. proud of the work that Satcher and his team have done with Hope Farm and the countless number of young boys whose lives have been made better because of
your involvement. So, I congratulate you and I salute you. >> Thank you, Commissioner M. on behalf of Hope Farm organization board of directors staff. Um, Hope Farm accept this resolution with with pride and gratitude.
We thank you for your support. Hope Farm was founded in 1990 uh by two law enforcement officers, Mr. Gary Vander and Mr. Noble Crawford. Uh these young men u noticed that uh young boys
were being incarcerated at an amazing number, significant number. And so they couldn't do anything about the ones who was already in incarcerated, but they did they could do something about the ones that were coming down the pipe. And so they started Hope Farm, which uh
focus on boys between the ages of five and seven years old. And the goal is to transform these youth into Christc centered men of integrity. And we continue that by a four-pillar approach. We call it read, feed, parent, and empower.
Um, it's amazing that 12 only the African-American race represent 12% of the whole universe but about 50% or more of the prison population. So there was a problem and the problem that we're trying to solve is fatherlessness
because 80% of those people that are incarcerated comes from families without fathers. And I'll share even a little bit more statistics with you. 71% of all high school dropouts come from families with no fathers in the home. 75% of people in
adolescence and drug induced facilities come from families with no fathers in the home. 80% of violent crime and rapists come from families with no fathers in the home. >> 90% of all runaways come from families with no fathers in the home. So the
problem that we're trying to solve is fatherlessness. Where there's fatherlessness, there's poverty. Where there's poverty, there's crime. And I invite all of you guys, if you don't know Hope Farm, you haven't been out, please come and visit us and join us. Thank you. >> And Satcher, I don't know if you
remember the first time we met, it was over at Cafe Republic, and it was that Valentine's Day meal that you provide. And so, I wanted to say they bring all the kids over, they bust them over, they all get dressed up in their suits, and they look good, and their moms come and they're all dressed to the nines. And it
teaches them how to treat a woman, how to have a nice night out, how to do all these things to prepare them. They may not have had a father, but you're treat making sure that that chain stops there and that those are going to continue in the future. So, I just want to applaud the effort and all the work y'all are doing. Just the the joy and the light in
in those moms and those sons eyes that night was just incredible to see. So, thank you for the work you're doing. >> Absolutely. Thank you. It's It's funny how the Lord works. Um D. Jennings introduced me to Gary Randall and Lo Andrews who's on the
board. Lo and I went to Oklahoma State. Lo drained a three-pointer in the third overtime to beat Missouri. He was quite a basketball player. Still is. Right. Um and so when we when we started uh
Bill's foundation and then got into the afterchool ministry, the Hope Farm staff was kind enough to help us draft a lot of our curriculum as as well as Mission Arlington. the public private partnerships that we have done with the
county and Vidian and Crowley with um Caris have been instrumental along with Arlington Commons in in allowing us to have work for a number of people. The Nehemiah Coffee Company all of that helps fund builds foundation as well as
our generous donors. I want to introduce Gabby Ramos. Gabby uh helped us expand. We've expanded into two title one elementary schools. Uh we're in we're in uh Pope and web. Gabby helped us expand into web this year. We have 20 new
students. We have 40 students in our afterchool program uh that the administration helps us with. We spend the day there in those schools and then they come to our our center. And then the wrestling kids are famous. uh one of them rescued went into a burning building and saved a family and
uh was recognized by this body uh before and we have a young man that got a scholarship to West Point. So the the results Gabby was on the Puerto Rican national wrestling team. She's a beast. I wouldn't suggest wrestling tangling
with her. She will be traveling the country this year with our kids as well. And so we we just want to love on these kids and let them know uh how proud we are of them. And that alone, just being present from the time they're nine until they go off to college, it's amazing
just being present. So we thank you for supporting us and allowing us to do what we do. It's the most fun thing we do is what the Builds Foundation does. It's been incredibly rewarding and we're and we're really grateful for for your support. >> Great job, Bob. >> Thank you both. Great job.
All right. Next, we have a resolution celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States. Commissioner Krauss. >> Yes. I think we're all excited uh about the 250th anniversary of America. You know, America was a unique place. It's the first time really that a country had
been founded on ideals. Not necessarily a certain people group or certain nationality, but on the ideals that were embedded in the Declaration of Independence. And so, uh, I'm going to read this resolution, uh, honoring the 250th anniversary of our great country. Um, and I hope, uh, it's a good reminder
to us about, uh, what America was founded on and what it it still can be in the future. Whereas on July 4th, 1776, the Second Continental Congress, comprised of 56 patriots, adopted the Declaration of Independence, boldly affirming that all people are endowed by
their creator with inalienable rights and launching the great American experiment of liberty, self-government, and human dignity. And whereas the principles that shaped America are founded in the Judeo-Christian tradition which affirms that human liberty is gifted by the almighty God as acknowledged by the Ten Commandments
monument on the 1895 historic Tarant County courthouse. And whereas the United States was founded as a constitutional republic and the Constitution of the United States stands as one of the greatest governing documents in human history, establishing a framework of limited government, separation of powers, individual
liberty, self-defense, and the rule of law that has preserved freedom and prosperity for generations of Americans. And whereas the continued success of the United States depends not only upon its institutions but upon the character, virtue, and civic responsibility of its citizens who are called to preserve the
blessings of liberty for future generations. As John Adams said, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people, it is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." And whereas Tarant County reaffirms its deep and enduring support for the men and women of the United
States Armed Forces, honoring their sacrifice, supporting their families, and upholding the values of duty, courage, and devotion to country that have safeguarded the blessings of freedom for 250 years. And whereas celebrating 250 years offers a unique opportunity for all Americans to
celebrate our shared heritage and consider the pledge of the signers of the declaration as we too can pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor for the greatest nation the world has ever known. And now therefore, be it resolved that we, the Commissioner's Court of Tarant County, do by uh do
hereby celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, honoring the legacy of our founders, the sacrifices of those who have defended our freedoms and the enduring strength of the American people. And be it further resolved that we encourage all residents to participate in semi uh
semiquincentennial celebrations reflect on the responsibilities of citizenship and join in gratitude for the nation we are privileged to call home. I move for adoption. >> I'll second it. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion?
>> Yes. I just want to make a quick comment. Um, I am going to abstain uh on this vote um because the language is not inclusive. I would
um offer to make a friendly amendment. I just don't think you'd be open to it. So, uh but just so folks know, I love my country. I love the armed forces of which uh my youngest son serves as a
captain. Um so it's just uh some of the language that I would take exception to, but um I'm I'm proud of our 250th uh anniversary. >> I'm I'm always happy to entertain language or amendments. You're probably
right. I probably wouldn't change it. Um, it may not be as inclusive, but I do think it's very historically accurate, and as long as we're there, I feel good about that. >> I too echo the sentiments of Commissioner Simmons. I am honored to be
an American and I do celebrate the 250th anniversary, but there are some pieces in the language that I do have some challenges with. Um, but I want you to know that I respect you and I respect our country, but I too am going to
abstain from the vote. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. Any other comments? >> All right. So, with two yeses, two abstensions, it passes. >> And, uh, we do have some individuals here today. We have uh Melissa Taylor, who's the chapter regent of the Fort Worth chapter of the Daughters of the
American Revolution. We have Vicky Andrews, Alli Megner, and uh, Jace Moore, who are also chapter members. If y'all would come down and we'll present this resolution. That's Good morning everyone. And the Fort Worth chapter was established in 1914
in the city of Fort Worth. We are a chapter of the National Society Daughters of American Revolution. And through the years since then, we have worked in historical preservation, education, and of course, most of all, patriotism because we are so grateful
for every person who has contributed their lives, their service, their sacrifices to our country. We are delighted to be a part of the celebration of the birthday of our country, the celebration of the declaration of independence and the hope
it can bring to all people and um we are just very grateful in remembering all those who went before us and carrying on that legacy forward into the future. Thank you all so much for including us in your celebration and we encourage everybody to celebrate whether it's in
your community, our city, the county, state or even on the national level. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next, we have a resolution honoring Dr. Opal Lee and the supporters of the National Junth Museum. Commissioner Simmons. >> Thank you, sir. I'm absolutely honored
to introduce this resolution. Um, this resolution recognizes the big and bold visionaries who conceived what will become Taran County's newest and largest cultural arts museum in a quarter of a
century. The National Junth Museum will be a historic investment of 70 million in the future of Fort Worth, Taran County in the state of Texas. It will be a world-class institution, cultural institution that will become a center
for education, scholarship, innovation, and community engagement. Um, this county pledged uh I think it was a million dollars to the construction two million dollars to the construction of
um this museum. And I'm proud of that fact. So I do have a resolution honoring Dr. Opel Lee and the supporters of the National Junth Museum. Whereas Dr. Opel Lee, the
grandmother of Junth has unwaveringly led, advocated, and committed her life to freedom, justice, education, and historical truth. And she has helped secure federal recognition of Junth as a national holiday. And whereas Dr. to
lead together with the founders, visionaries, community leaders, cultural advocates, philanthropists, artists, educators and staff of the National Junth Museum have inspired a transformational movement dedicated to
preserving and advancing the story, meaning and enduring the legacy of Junth for generations to come. And whereas the national junth museum represents a historic investment of approximately 70 million in the future of Fort Worth
Taran County in the state of Texas establishing a worldclass cultural institution that will serve as a center for education reflection scholarship innovation economic opportunity and community engagement. And whereas
the museum's purpose is to illuminate the history of Junth and African-American freedom struggles. And its vision is to become a premier national destination where history, art, and culture converge to tell the
complete story of freedom in America. And whereas the National Junth Museum is expected to generate substantial economic impact throughout Fort Worth and Taran County by attracting tourism, creating jobs, increasing cultural
investment and positioning the region as a leading destination for heritage tourism and educational programming. And whereas the museum's dedicated leadership, staff, volunteers, and community partners have produced Freedom
Vibes 2026, a dynamic multi-day celebration beginning June 11th, 2026 and featuring art exhibitions, concerts, educational workshops, and cultural programming
commemorating Junth and uplifting the spirit and creativity of African-American culture. And whereas Freedom Vibes 2026 stands as a powerful demonstration of the museum's mission in action by bringing together residents,
visitors, and visitors of all backgrounds in celebration, remembrance, and shared cultural experience. Now, therefore, be it resolved that we, the Commissioner's Court of Tarant County, do hereby extend profound appreciation to Dr. Opel Lee and to the
founders, staff, and supporters of the National Junth Museum for their continued efforts to preserve history, inspire progress, and unite communities through the enduring spirit of Junth. In witness whereof, we have here to set
our hands and cause the seal of Tarant County to be affixed this ninth day of June, 2026. I move approval. >> Second. All right, we have a motion and a second. Any discussion? >> Thank you for bringing this resolution.
This is fantastic. >> Thank you, sir. >> And if you are in favor, Commissioner Ramirez, please raise your hand. Okay. Passes unanimously. Okay. Come on down, sir. Okay.
All right. Yes, sir. Miss to uh this august body of leaders. Thank you. Thank you for the support of the work to promote what is a beautifully unifying what is fundamentally supposed to be a beautifully unifying factor in
our county. Uh really quickly, uh if you'll give me the liberty, I'd like to um provide some clarity because most Americans surprisingly do not or would fail to effectively articulate what Junth is. It is not the day the enslaved people of Texas learned about their
emancipation. Quite contrary, they were fully aware of the Emancipation Proclamation before it went into law on January 1st, 1863. June 19th, 1865 is the day that the enslaved people of Texas enjoyed their emancipation because the Union soldiers arrived to enforce
their emancipation. So they were aware of the emancipation proclamation on when it was signed. But the two and a half year waiting period for the enforcement is why June 19th is worthy of celebrating. And so we certainly celebrate that fact. Another fact is the fact that the way most people learn, the
way many people learn about history is through museums, right? And so we are erecting at a museum to effectively and accurately narrate a story that most people don't have a great deal of understanding about. Last fact is as Commissioner Simmons said it this museum will cause people to converge on Tarant
County in a very significant way that in many instances won't come to Tarant County as it stands right now. So I'm really excited about the future of Tarant County, the National and Junth Museum, the Freedom Vibes Festival. Uh I am grateful, we are grateful on behalf of Miss Opal Lee and our uh body. Uh we
are grateful for the county support because it is not a gift to us. We believe it to be an investment that will produce returns in perpetuity. So thank you to this court. Thank you to Commissioner Simmons. Thank you to Tarant County for your support. We vow and commit to make you proud with the work that we do. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you M. Thank you. Next, we have a resolution recognizing Help Center for hosting Trinity Pridefest 26. Commissioner Simmons. Thank you, sir. I am introducing this resolution as has been my custom and um
my practice to highlight organizations and people within Tarant County who are unsung heroes. Help center is one such organization. Today's resolution recognizes Health Center for LGBTQ
plus health for its three decades, 31 years to be exact, of work to stem the spread of HIV and other transmissible diseases to encourage safe health care practices and to deliver medication to individuals and families that not might
not otherwise be able to afford it. Um, so many of you may not be aware that as county judge, Mr. O'Hare is the administrator of all of the funding that
this county receives for HIV. Um, and we know things are tight um, in this economy and for this county. And here's a group averting preventing
200 new infections a year. So, the Ryan White funds go to the highest elected official this Texas in the area receiving the fund. So, that's that's the county judge. Um he's charged
with administering those funds in compliance with the Ryan White rules. We've had to dip into reserves utilize un utilizing undesated funds into the millions to keep this county running underfunding or cutting services. But
here is an organization that every single year by averting new HIV infections every single year is saving $300 million in medical costs, lifetime medical costs, right? Without a
penny without a penny of taxpayer dollars. Seems to me our judge would have put this forward, but I did because I believe that the health center should be lauded for the work they are doing, the
awardwinning work that they are doing in Taran County without spending one penny of your money. The resolution reads, "Whereas the Health Education Learning Project, Help, was founded in
1994 by two Catholic nuns and a mother of a person living with AIDS to promote health and prevent disease. And whereas in 2017, HELP expanded its programming to include clinical services and
rebranded as the Health Center for LGBTQ plus health. And whereas these expanded services were developed in alignment with priorities established by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And whereas in
2025, the health center provided HIV care, pre-exposure prophylaxis, prep, counseling services, and culturally affirming health care to more than 7,000 Texans. And whereas the health center
delivered more than $70 million in medication, clinical services, and supportive care in 2025 alone at no cost to underserved Texans. And
whereas the Health Center is the only organization in North Texas and among only a few nationally to provide these comprehensive services entirely free of charge. And whereas African-Americans, Hispan, and Hispanics represent
approximately 70% of new HIV diagnosis nationally, yet account for only 33% of prep users. Whereas 67% of the health cent's patients are ethnic minorities, demonstrating its success in reaching
communities most impacted by HIV. And whereas according to CDC statistical models, the health cent's programs prevent more than 200 new HIV transmissions annually, avoiding more than 250 million in
lifetime healthcare costs. Whereas the health cent's clinical programs operate without a single penny of taxpayer dollars. And whereas the health center serves as a cultural home for the LGBTQ plus community and has remained an
active and engaged community partner. Whereas the help center is the presenting sponsor of Trinity Pridefest, the only LGBTQ plus pride celebration in Tarant County celebrating the
contributions of LGBTQ plus residents, our neighbors to our community. Now therefore, be it resolved that we, the Commissioner's Court of Taran County, do hereby recognize and commend the Health Center for LGBTQ plus health for its
outstanding service, compassionate care, and enduring contributions to the health, dignity, and wellness of the people of Tarant County. In witness whereof, we have here unto set our hands and cause the seal of Tarant County to
be affixed this 9th day of June, 2026. I move approval. >> Second. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. Any discussion? >> Yeah, I'll I'll say a few words. I know a lot of uh folks came out today to speak on this one resolution. I
appreciate that. Thank you for uh coming out and making your voice heard. The problem I had just like earlier uh I know you had some problems uh with uh with the resolution that I brought forth. For me, a lot of it comes down to that uh gender affirming care. And while that sounds really nice, I actually
think it does more harm than good. One of the speakers earlier was talking about how they should be helping. This is all about helping people. I agree. We we should absolutely be helping people. I think the gender affirming care piece actually does more damage than people realize. And we're starting to see that
more and more with whether it's dransitioners, whether it's uh medical liability because children were forced into these procedures, forced into these uh situations, but before they could really make an informed decision, that's actually very much hurt these
individuals. And so, it's very hard for me to get behind anybody or any organization. Um, I think there was even some, uh, information that they would help families travel out of state, give them money to travel out of state for some of this gender affirming care. And
so, um, that that's just to me is I see all the shame signs and and I appreciate that, but I think we're going to look back in 10, 15, 20 years and see the destruction that this, uh, gender modification push has done. You're already seeing it in Europe. they were kind of on the forefront of it and they've really pulled back in the last
couple of years because they see the harm that the puberty blockers and the cross- sex hormones and all these are actually doing to the youth. Um it's really doing some irreparable harm. And so, uh, I think as as me, I can't in good conscience put put the county seal
or the county, uh, impremature behind an organization that seeks to actually do what I think is more damage to children and more damage to those than, uh, than if you just kind of allowed them through some therapy and others to kind of go through that gender dysphoria until they go through puberty themselves without
trying to stunt it. So, um, I'm I'm going to vote no uh, on this resolution. Um but uh but thank you for rant like we've seen today. We we can agree to disagree on things. Um but I I can't good conscious put my name in that. So
couple of things. Well, no applause. One of the things that you stated a minute ago and we can see from the room this is an organized political stunt which all that you ever do here is bring in political theater. And you made a
statement at the beginning that all HIV related funding is totally controlled by me, but for the fact that public health gets grants related to it, that I have the same equal vote you do and you have the ability to vote on any HIV related
thing. And I think you've almost always supported it. But looking at the organization, here's one of the things it promoted. um a fundraising concert to provide travel and relocation grants to North Texas
families seeking outofstate healthc care for trans and gender expansive youth. Another thing it promoted was Happy National Kink Day. One person's kink may be another person's vanilla. NKD is
devoted to exploring your boundaries whether alone or with another consenting adult. Remember, what's adventurous for one might be vanilla for another. ENKD is here to help you explore your desires, whether solo or with a consenting partner.
Celebrating the diversity and resilience of non-binary individuals worldwide. Happy International Non-binary People's Day. applying to trigender, polygender, gender queer, panggender, demi boy, demi girl, gender non-conforming, agender,
gender fluid, demiggender, and I could go on and on. I'll just leave you with the last one. Uh, celebrating happy polyamory day. To all the beautiful souls out there, remember love is not limited to one person or one
form. So for those reasons, uh, I would tell you the core purpose of the Tarant County Commissioner's Court is pretty straightforward. Serve the people of Tarant County through strong fiscal management, lower crime, open access to
courts, and better governance. This court has focused on cutting taxes, improving county services, strong public safety, and bettering the lives of our citizens. It's not the business of this court to put these c put the county's name and seal behind a divisive social
agenda that glorifies a group that supports transitioning children. Our responsibility is to protect children, not sacrifice them in the name of ideological advocacy. Commissioner Simmons, your proposed resolution
devised the very residents we are all here to serve, and that's why I will be voting no. So, as as much as I hate addressing the obvious, this resolution is certainly not about advocating or supporting
gender transition procedures for minors. The health center is not a surgical center. They they don't serve children. Um, so, um, I I
look, y'all's hyperfocus on children is interesting and it ignores that the let let's talk about the safety of children. It ignores the fact, and I don't mean to be offensive, just
talking to you about statistics, the number one buyer of children are heterosexual white men. this demographic. Um, according to the US Sentencing
Commission, about 92% to 94 of defendants charged with federal child sexual abuse and trafficking offenses is this demographic. So, let's let's be real.
>> All right. Any other comments from court members? >> Okay. So, we have a motion and a second for this resolution. We've got two votes yes, two votes no. Commissioner Ramirez, are you a yes or a
no? All right, it's a no. So, this fails two to three. Next, we move to a resolution, which is what we ought to be doing, recognizing Mayor William D. hate for 50 years of exemplary public service as
mayor of the city of Grapvine, Texas. Commissioner Krauss. >> All right. We talk about sports in here a lot. You know, there's records that you talk about that are like, man, that's probably never going to be broken, right? Joe Deaggio, 56game hit streak, never going to be touched. Tom Brady, seven Super Bowls, right? You
have all these things. Well, I think we're about to honor a mayor uh who has one of those streaks. Uh 50 years of service as the mayor in Grapevine. Uh I I don't know how many people have ever attained that and how many people will ever attain that again. So we thought it was uh only right that we brought uh
Mayor Tate in as he's uh concluding this uh kind of half century in office as the mayor of Gravine to recognize him and appreciate him for all he's done during those uh five decades. So I'm going to read this and then we're going to recognize Mayor Tate.
Whereas Mayor William D. Tate has devoted decades of exemplary service to the city of Gravine, Texas, shaping its growth, strengthening its identity, and guiding it into one of the most vibrant, prosperous, and admired communities in the state of Texas. And whereas Mayor Tate's leadership has been marked by
vision, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the uh to public service, earning him the respect of residents, business leaders, regional partners, and civic organizations throughout North Texas. And whereas under Mayor Tate's steady guidance, Grapevine has experienced remarkable e economic
expansion, strengthened infrastructure, and a flourishing tourism industry, including the continued success of Grapevine's historic main street, the development of worldclass hospitality destinations, and the preservation of the city's unique cultural heritage. And whereas Mayor Tate has championed
education and community partnerships, working closely with Grapevine, Collieville ISD, local nonprofits, and civic institutions to ensure that Grapevine remains a community where families thrive, students excel, and opportunity is accessible to all. And whereas his long-standing dedication to
public safety, transportation, and regional collaboration has strengthened Greatvine's role as a key partner within Tarant County and the greater North Texas region, advancing initiatives that support mobility, economic vitality, and quality of life. And whereas Mayor Tate's service reflects the highest
ideals of civic leadership, marked by humility, perseverance, and a deep love for the community he has faithfully served for more than half a century. And whereas the Tarant County Commissioner's Court recognizes that Mayor William D. Tate's legacy will continue to shape Grapevine for generations to come,
standing as a testament to the power of dedicated public service, and the enduring impact of a life committed to others. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Tarant County Commissioner's Court does hereby honor Mayor William D. Tate for his extraordinary leadership, his decades of service, and his profound
contributions to the city of Gravine and the people of Tarant County. And be it further resolved that the court extends its deepest gratitude to Mayor Tate for his steadfast commitment to public service and celebrates the legacy he leaves upon the community he has so faithfully led. Let's all give Mayor
Tate a round of applause. >> And and I move that we adopt this uh rec resolution. >> Second. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All right, please cast your votes.
We have a yes, Commissioner Ramirez. All right, we have a yes. Passes 5 unanimously. >> And we have Mayor Tate and we also have Bruno Rumbelo who's the city manager there in Grapevine with us today. Judge O'Hare, Commissioner Krauss, members of the court, thank you very
much for this special recognition, for your kind words, and for that beautiful plaque. We've been very fortunate in Grapevine to have a great relationship with Tarant County throughout the years and the commissioner's court. You've been very
valuable in assisting us in providing city services to our people and giving us what we have today. So, thank you for your service as we celebrate together this great and gifted land, America. Best wishes to you, too.
>> Amen. It's kind of crazy. He's been mayor for 20% of America's existence, right? Um, that's incredible. >> That's pretty wild. >> Thank you, Bruno. Great to see you. >> That's awesome. >> All right. Next and the last item on the
proclamations resolution section is a proclamation um recognizing post-traumatic stress disorder month. This is Commissioner Ramirez's proclamation. Do you still wish Commissioner Krauss to do it or? >> Yes, please. And I'm sorry for not being there with you in person. I got caught
down here in Austin. >> No, we understand. Do you want to say a few words first before I read the resolution? >> Oh, go ahead, Commissioner Krauss. Thank you very much for handling it. >> All right. Hey, uh, as as many of you know, and I remember uh, Commissioner Ramirez did this last month. Uh, we want to take some time to remember those who put themselves in harm's way literally
on a daily basis. And when you do that, there's often uh, complications uh, that arise. And uh PTSD is one of those that we most commonly find in in our military members and our first responders. And so uh Commissioner Ramirez has always been very good about putting that at the forefront of our minds. And so I'm
honored uh to be able to lay out this uh proclamation for him today uh to name June uh post-traumatic stress disorder month. So I'm going to read this and then we have a few folks with us to accept the resolution. Whereas post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, is a serious mental health
condition that can develop following exposure to deeply traumatic events, including military combat, physical assault, childhood abuse, severe accidents, and natural disasters and impacts approximately 8 million adults in the United States annually. And
whereas the dedicated members of the United States Armed Forces, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other emergency first responders routinely risk their lives to secure our communities and rightfully deserve comprehensive institutional resources to protect and preserve their physical,
mental, and emotional well-being. And whereas first responders and military personnel face a significantly heightened risk of developing severe PTSD due to prolonged and repeated exposure to acute operational trauma over weeks, months, or even years of service. And whereas despite the
availability of effective evidence-based treatments, a substantial number of PTSD cases remain undiagnosed and untreated due to insufficient public awareness and the persistent social stigma surrounding mental health care. And whereas all individuals enduring the challenges of
PTSD deserve collective empathy and support and those who suffer from psychological wounds sustained while actively defending our national security and public freedom merit unique distinction, profound respect and special honor. And whereas Tarant County is committed to advancing community
education, expanding access to supportive su uh resources, and actively dismantling the stigma associated with mental health conditions by recognizing June 26th as National Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month. Now therefore, be it resolved that we, the
Commissioner's Court of Tarant County, do hereby officially proclaim the month of June 2026 as National Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month in Tarant County and strongly encourage all residents to extend their highest gratitude, recognition, and support to
the exceptional service professionals who remain steadfastly committed to the safety, freedom, and protection of our nation and local communities. I move for adoption. >> Second. >> Second. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. any discussion. >> I I would just like to commend
Commissioner Ramirez on his work, his focus on PTSD. As many of you are aware, I have been championing mental health and trauma and building resiliency. So, it does my heart good to hear and see
Commissioner Ramirez recognizing and seeing the importance of making sure that we create spaces for people to be able to process the trauma and be equipped with the skills and the tools needed to respond to traumatic experiences in a way that produces life
and not death. So, congratulations to you and I am in full support of this resolution. Very very well said, Commissioner. And uh we had uh Commissioner Chuck Wright from the Texas Veterans Commission here for a while, but he had to leave take care of business. But we do have uh Lieutenant
James Stewart uh US Navy retired. We have uh Chief Chris Cook uh from DPS and Chief of Police and White Settlement. We have Tom Belton, Tarant County Veteran Services, Sergeant Richard Mendoza from the Fort Worth PD Wellness Unit. We have Officer Kyle Wilcox from the Fort Worth
PD Wellness Unit and Corporal Vincent Olrich, also with the Fort Worth uh PD Wellness Unit. If y'all would come and we'll present you the resolution. And Commissioner Ramirez, I'm guessing you're a yes here. >> Yeah, I am. >> Yes. Okay. All right. Passes unanimously.
We got two stand. >> Don't Don't get used to it, Commissioner Prow. One more. >> One more. How about a round of applause for these gentlemen and what they do. Members of the court and uh Commissioner
Ramirez, thank you so much. Commissioner Krauss, all of our commissioners that are committed to this space. as you know, uh about 30% of first responders experience some type of PTSD just based on the traumatic calls they run, shift work and and all of that. And so I think as a profession, we've done better uh
over the years. When I first joined policing in '95, it was like, hey, don't tell anybody that you're not okay. And now it's okay to admit you're not okay. And and so really appreciate uh this being very intentional. And so again, thank you on behalf of our first responders across Tarant County.
>> Thank you, Chief. Thank you. Just want to thank Commissioner um Ramirez. Thank you for bringing this. Uh Commissioner Miles, thank you very much for speaking up for those that are sometimes not strong enough to speak up for themselves. Uh on average, there are about 22 veterans a day committing
suicide. One's too many. And it takes a community, a village to speak up for one another. And that way when we can make avenues available to our veterans, law enforcement officers, that way we can keep on fighting for each other. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> All right, it is 1210. We will be in recess now until 12:25. We'll start back up promptly at 12:25. Start space here. All right, back from recess
and next item is uh a agenda public comment it's called. So, Miss Godby, you're first. You spoke for 52 seconds. You have eight seconds. >> Okay.
>> Uh, next we have Buff Kaiser. >> Is Mr. Kaiser present? >> Do we still have spillover room? >> No. Okay. Following Mr. Kaiser's Bob Willoughby and then Reed Bills.
>> I see one. I have one minute. >> Yes. My topic today is our Tarant County cast vote records. A cast vote record is the electronic record created by a voting system that shows how a single ballot was
interpreted by the tabulator. It does not identify the voter. It only records the machine's interpretation of the ballot. CBRS are the foundation for ballot level audits and independent verification of election results.
The law changed in 2023 requiring counties to provide cast vote records to the public. Tarant County's provision is of PDFs of the election as a whole and not the individual CVRs in a usable format as
required by the law. So I'm asking uh as Bernett and Dallas counties do that also have hard equipment that they do this. Thank you. >> Thank you, sir. Uh, next we have Bob Willoughby. >> You give Tim.
>> Following Mr. Willoughby is Reed Bills. You are we ready? Okay. You know, when I asked the mayor to move our comment meeting from the bottom of the the agenda to the top, treat us with respect. She did. She moved it to the top right through the roof and right off the agenda at all. Nothing. We're
finally back over there. And when I asked you to give us three minutes from two, you give us one. I'm going have to shut my mouth up. Every time I open up, it gets worse and worse. One minute is not enough, judge. Now, that's not good. I'm I'm I'm outraged about that. Okay. Very outraged. And we
very outspoken about it. You like the new school board's good. They gave three minutes. No matter how many people they're setting a sample, you should follow. And I mean, you should follow. We need local voter education in school. What I'm the biggest ad about for putting voter education school teaches kids at an early age that voting and taking care of your cities
responsibility. I'm sorry, judge, but not to get people up here to do things like that. That's wrong, sir. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh read bills. You have 29 seconds. >> Ridiculous.
>> Taxpayers are being asked to pay a lot of money for jail construction activities. I would like to know who specifically will be housed in the jails. How is it decided who goes where after detainees are delivered for booking? Who makes
this decision? What is the criteria for determining placement? It's past time for this information to be provided to the residents who are paying the bills. >> Thank you. Next is Paul David Williams. You used your entire minute. Charles
Bills is next. You have 48 seconds. >> Is Charles Bills here? >> Um mentioning again that the uh uh district attorney is still not dropped unwininnable charges against Crystal Gayen or Crystal Mason, sorry. and also to
release the uh tape of Anthony Johnson Jr.'s murder. Thank you. Next we have Bishop Kirkland, then Nan Terry. First, I want to say it is not your pro her proclamation sending the kids down
the river. It's this judge over here who's sending our kids down the river. That's who hurts our children. Uh, of course, you passed the inspection, Mr. Krauss. I was marine for several years. They call them GI general inspections. We did everything, made everything
pretty and new because we knew the inspectors was coming. That's why you pass your inspection. Um, I want to go on record saying, Commissioner Simmons, when you no longer in this seat, then all of a sudden the money that's been allocated for the sub courthouse will be
done just because they do things vindictively just to hurt you. The next thing I want to say is my 15year-old son, gay son came to me one day asking me mouse was he was he an abomination because that's what people want to call
him. I told him he'll >> All right. Next we have Nan Terry following Miss Terry. We have Alex Judge Alex Kim. Is he here? I find it sad on the same agenda you have an RFP for the annual contract for jail system food services and Miranda Mills claim whose
mother Kimberly Phillips died in Taran County Jail. Cause of death, complications of dehydration and malnutrition. Mills visited her mom in jail and she just looked at her and said, "Baby, I need to eat." Phillips was a vegan and wasn't getting vegan food. She tried to eat the food they gave her, but she couldn't keep it down.
Katie Star spoke here and said she couldn't eat the food served in the jail due to dietary restrictions. When released, she weighed down to 85 lbs. She's about my height. Sean's Freo lost weight in jail. I don't really even know what to say about the price difference between inmate and officers. Inmates get
a $1.58 per meal while officers will get just under $523. Many of those in our county jail are waiting for trial and too poor to make bond like Miss Phillips Miranda Mong. Please watch for starting for care version two coming out soon highlighting Phyllis by Yale Indivis Inve
investigative reporting lab and Miranda's names misspelled in the agenda. >> Thank you. >> Thank you Judge Kim. Following Judge Kim is Billy Wilson. >> All right. So I want to share an important Taran County update and success story. Since 2018 and 24 juvenile crime in Fort Worth has dropped
more than 40%. Even though Fort Worth's population is 30% less than Dallas's, forworth has less than half the violent juvenile crime that Dallas does. This matters because juvenile crimes often serve as an early indicator of future public safety challenges. When fewer younger people are entering their juvenile justice system, communities
become safer, schools become stronger, families have greater confidence in their neighborhoods. This also means we're less likely to deal with adult criminal cases in the future, which reduces our burden on the district attorney as well as the sheriff's office for the next 50 years. The takeaway is simple. Both cities have made progress. Fort Worth stands out as a safer
community, especially with juvenile justice. The sharp decline in youth offending suggests that prevention efforts, community programs, schools, families, and the juvenile system are making a real difference. Taran County al Taran County also has zero pending murder and capital murder cases, the only urban county in Texas to claim
such. We also have the fastest disposition rates. I want to thank Commissioner Krauss, Miles Ramirez, and Judge O'Hare uh for your support. >> All right. And next we have Billy Wilson. Mr. Wilson present.
Okay. Next we have Valencia Edner. Then Ambika Chararma. Good afternoon. I'm rising to speak for the briefing and understanding of why we are constantly addressing a culture of MAGA mistrust
game plan that has surrounded elections since 2023. We continue to hear allegations of widespread fraud. Let little evidence is produced to support these claims. Still, valuable county resources and staff time continue to spend be spent feeding
suspicion rather than serving the people. And my question remains, who will be held accountable for this waste? In my I know my words, as usual, will fall on deaf ears. That's how you roll. But November is coming. As my elders used to say, every shutter eye ain't
sleep and every goodbye ain't gone. Don't mistake silence for a surrender or assume that primary elections is the final measure of public sentiment. You can keep changing the rules, but we're watching. We're waiting.
>> All right. Ambika Chararma, then Jacqueline Johnson. >> Okay. Um I prepared for two minutes. I think it's disrespectful that you're taking away time. Um, so I wanted to talk about two things. So I'll prepare I'll speak from both. One is Solar
Winds. You all are, you have that on your agenda today. It's under I think e purchasing number 16. What I don't like about it is that when I look at the document, it doesn't talk about the cyber attack that happened in 2020 with Sol Solar Winds. Um, it was from Russia and it was the large the most intense
and most sophisticated cyber security attack uh against Solar Winds in 2020. Uh, I'm surprised the company is still around. So I would have liked in the documentation from something from the chief information officer on like how is the company doing and why should we continue doing business with them. So
that's one. Second is um I had a meeting today with TAD and I'm doing investigation or my own research on data centers and it looks like one of the data centers which is Facebook account number 144160. The county gave out a billion dollars in abatement. So you lost 1.6 million in
revenue last year and you also gave out say 670 million. >> Thank you. Uh Jacqueline Johnson, then Alexander Montalva. >> What's happening inside the Taran County Jail is not a tragedy. It is corruption.
And this court keeps looking the other way. Myself is murdered in this jail. Years later, we still have a missing video and a county fighting for the truth. Now, Chassity Bonner's family has filed a federal lawsuit. Same missing video. Still still no full autopsy.
Shante Bers died in December and her family still has no Emmy report while later cases were completed. That's not backlog, that's intentional. And the county just paid 625,000 to settle a Walker retaliation case. Same sheriff, same leadership, same culture of
silencing anyone who speaks up. Across my case, Bonner brought us in Walker. The pattern is clear. Missing video, missing autopsies, delayed reports, retaliation, no oversight. This is a systemic corruption and if you refuse to
do your jobs, we will do it for you in the voting booth in November. >> Thank you. Next is Alexander Montalvo. You have 16 seconds. And then Linda Henry. Oh, >> shame on all three of y'all to talk
about protecting kids when you support convicted pedophile Robert Morris and convicted rapist Donald Trump who visit Epstein pedophile island how many times? Shame on you. All you showed is that you are weak, hateful cowards. >> Thank you,
Miss Hanratty. And then Dr. Harold, you have 15 seconds, Dr. Harold. >> Okay. I'm concerned that the audit firm did not address the effectiveness of the county's internal controls. This court is ruled by one party that does not brook questions either from
commissioners of opposite parties or of the or from the public with only one monthly meeting and extremely limited public comments. One minute was all we get today. Such author authoritarism moves lead to corruption and self-deing
that needs auditing. In addition, the public hearing on the Tarant County's housing assistant annual plan is a sham with no public comment allowed during the public hearing. What kind of public hearing is that? This violates the spirit and likely the
regulations covering HUD public hearings. the plan. My question is with is not with the plan except for the emission of the required resident board comments. Do you notice a pattern?
>> Uh Dr. Herrell, >> I'm reserving my time for the public hearing. >> Okay. Uh now we move to the consent agenda as amended. Do we have any do we have a motion on the amended consent agenda? >> So moved.
>> All right. All right, we have a motion to approve. I take it >> approve. >> Uh I will second. Any discussion on the amended consent agenda? >> I I do um have discussion about um
um under the um uh let me pull it up a second. Where's budget? Budget budget. Does anyone else have any discussion on the amended consent agenda?
>> All right. >> Just a second, judge. It is under um appropriation. There's an appropriation adjustment. I would
I have some questions about that. Um however, >> ask. >> Okay. Um, so that first appropriation adjustment, it looks like we're taking 1.5 million
um from some place in or from undesated and moving it over to the sheriff's department. Is that correct? Still trying to get >> Yeah, I'm trying to pull it up, too.
So on the appropriation adjustments, the undesated is first on that and it is reducing the undesated by 1.5 million approximately 1.6 million. >> Mhm. >> But I believe it's >> what's the item we're talking about
here? >> What's the item we're talking about? It >> it's appropriation adjustments. >> Okay. Well, it should have a number and a letter. What is it? F1. Okay. >> So what
>> and it's taking of that 1.5 approximately 1.6 1.3 is going over to confinement for security contract. >> Okay. Uh was that security why are we doing that right now? Was that security contract not budgeted for? Why are we
taking >> It's two contracts. One that was approved last week, last court session, which was USAPD and finishing out and that's for the remainder of this fiscal year. And the other one is Delta Con, which we are uh
discontinuing effective June 12th. >> Which one? July 12th. >> I think Delta Con is the smaller >> Delta. DeltaCon is just to finish them out. We're no longer using them. uh going over to USAPD. Uh of that amount, the uh the the
contract had been originally budgeted in FY25 and there was no uh appropriations, no request for budget in FY26 for this. >> So, we're having to make money available. >> All right. So, what I just heard is
it was budgeted for and F for FY25. In FY26, the sheriff's department did not budget for this needed security contract. >> Okay. >> Yes. And no. So, in FY25, we budgeted it
for a portion of the FY26 budget, >> but 1 Approximately 1.2 to 1.3 >> 1.3 million $1.3 million security
contract >> correct >> was not budgeted for by our sheriff's department. Did y'all hear that? That is irresponsible. So now it appears
that we're having to go to a designated um a reserve fund to get this money so that he can have this security contract. This is insanity.
This is not how you govern. Um, so I just want to make sure I understood that because that is a large amount for us to be moving around right now for an item that is traditionally budgeted for.
And he's not here to explain how how many years have we had a security contract. >> Um, well, we've had a security contract for quite some time. >> Yes. of it was that that's good. So for
quite some time and so you for you forget you neglect to you decide not to I just cannot make this make sense. Uh so this impacts our reserve fund correct >> undesated
>> is undesated in reserves or part of reserves. We have a reserve and an un undesated and the combination of them both is what we call undesated is for unanticipated costs
which we present to the court on appropriation through appropriation adjustments >> but it's reserve it's money sitting in reserves right >> it is money that we use to calculate the reserve percentage yes
>> okay all right thank Thank you. Thank you, judge. >> Okay. Any other questions or comments on the consent agenda as amended? All right. Seeing none, please cast your votes. Commissioner Ramirez is an a yes. Passes unanimously.
Uh now we go to the first item pulled from consent, which is K2. which is under emergency management consideration of an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for emergency management access to traffic
camera video feeds. >> I'll move for approval. >> Second. >> All right, we have a motion and a second discussion. So why is this agreement needed at this time and what operational problem is it
intended to solve? >> So I appreciate the question commissioner. So it is a situational awareness for our emergency operations center. Uh I can give you a use case example. U my previous jurisdiction, we had a power line drop on I35 South and
we are able to pull up those cameras and watch the crews and make sure they have the resources they need to rectify that situation. So I'm not saying it's an urgent need, but we we are aiming in the emergency operations center to build our situational awareness out so that we can help with countywide issues. >> Okay. Give me another example of how it
might be. So, we also use it so like whenever weather's coming in, we'll pull it up to look at the weather and as it comes towards the county, we can we can, you know, just discuss with our partners what it's looking like and go from there. >> Okay. Good. Good. Thank you for helping >> helping me with that. Does this
agreement expand the ability um or the sheriff's office or criminal district attorney's office to for them to monitor, collect, retain, or use video footage for investigative purposes? >> No, ma'am. It's all housed in text dot
and text dot doesn't give us the data. We just it's sit basically just monitoring cameras is all we're doing. >> Thank you so much. That's all I had. >> All right. Any other questions on this item? >> All right. Please cast your votes. All right. We have a yes from
Commissioner Ramirez. Passes unanimously. Next item is into in twos under HIV administration consideration of amendment number one to the fiscal year 2627 health resources
and services administration Ryan White Treatment Extension Act part A notice of award I'll move to approve >> second have a motion and a second discussion >> yeah quick question uh the the details page states that full funding is
expected however for page three of the notice of award under program specific terms shows total funding of 5.9 million with um 5.8
received to date and 109 853 remaining. So, does amendment number one represent only the remaining balance of the current award or is there additional FY2627
Ryan White part A funding expected beyond the 5.9. >> Okay. So, thank you for your question. Um, we are anticipating receiving um a little over $19,000 in additional funding which is
carryover. I agree it's kind of confusing as it is written but we will be getting another notice of award uh probably in July for that remaining balance. >> So where is the documentation or communication that that supports that
expectation? It was not included. >> No. Um you know we submit an unobligated balance request to HERSA which generates that carryover request. So, we're in the beginning phases of uh requesting carryover.
>> All right. Thank you so much. >> Sure. >> Any other questions on this item? Uh we have a motion and a second. We have a yes from Commissioner Ramirez. Passes unanimously. Next up is item N5.
N5. >> I got that figured out. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> Does that mean you have no questions on N5? >> That's correct. N5 is consideration of amendment one to the fiscical year 26 health resources and services administration Ryan White Treatment Extension Act part C subreient contract
with Can Community Health Inc. I'll move to approve. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All right. Please cast your vote. We have a yes from Commissioner Ramirez. Passes unanimously.
Now we go to P2. P2 is from human resources consideration to adopt revisions to the salary administration guidelines. Questions, comments, or motion? >> Move for approval. >> Move for approval.
>> Second. All right, we have a motion and a second to approve item P2. Discussion. >> I think P2 is road and bridge pay. >> Ah. Let me catch up.
>> I have a a comment, not a question. I think that this is a good first step. However, I would ask that the county administrator go back and see if there are other essential employees involved
who should be included in this as well. Um, so this was the most confusingly written um, amendment or um,
passage or whatever. I had to call and try to understand this like all of us, my whole staff's. So what it sounds like
is that in a disaster declaration or an ICE day or or something. Currently my road and bridge staff they volunteer to come and stay in the roads. I guess they don't they don't
have to um and take care of the roads um during the event. So this is them coming in and getting paid. It said one times their salary, which
was confus one times one is one, but Helen tried to explain it to me. Um, so they get if they make $50 an hour, they get the $50 an hour
plus another $50 an hour. Correct. >> Correct. That one times is really payroll speak. The way that we would actually normally talk about it non-payroll would be double time. It's just the way that it's written. It's just it's that's a that's a payroll
speak. >> Helen said no ma'am. >> Yeah. You couldn't write it that way. Wait a minute. >> And so are they at this point? Uh and Commissioner Merittz remind me. I remember we talked about this. Are they mandated to come in or is it still
voluntary? >> That is really one of the changes that we make. If the AG or the county judge declares a disaster, it is within the purview of each of you commissioners to mandate whether your people come in and if you do then they would be paid.
>> Okay? Because as it stands, they mine volunteer and just about all of them volunteer to come in. So I don't even see a need to have to mandate but just wanted to get clarification on that. All right. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> All right. Any other questions or
comments on item P2? >> Judge, my my comment would be first, thank staff for putting this together. Uh I echo Commissioner Simmons sentiment that it is very very confusing in the language uh that that was put on paper.
Uh but I recall asking for a measure similar to this so that we could compensate those folks that you know went above and beyond uh to protect our communities during an ice storm and put their own safety at risk to do it. Um I wish we could have done it retroactively but but I understand this is the way uh
that we can do it for the future uh because th those folks truly are the ones that keep the community humming uh even when you know everybody else is stuck at home. So I just appreciate staff's effort and I'll be voting in >> Yeah. I I echo those comments. I know we all bragged on precinct one, two, three,
and four last ice storm for the great work that they did and doing it. So, thank you again to our road and bridge crews. You guys are doing an awesome job. >> I guess just my I want to reiterate I think it's a a a good and necessary first step, but I would like the administrator to go back to see if there
are any other essential workers who could benefit from this as well. just thinking for thinking in thinking towards the future. >> Okay. Uh any other comments on this? All right. Commissioner Mirez, your yes here. All right. So that's unanimous.
Passes five to zero. Now we go to the last item pulled from consent which is T8. I believe that's under purchasing. Yes, it is. That's an annual contract for payroll services and temporary labor and elections administration.
I'll move to approve. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Discussion. >> Um yes. So um expenses for the last 12 months were $376,452.80.
Um the request for FY27 budget is um 3 million. Um can you explain that and Clint explained a little bit of it yesterday? But yeah, if you would.
>> Yes. So um we went back and um looked at the numbers. So there's an error in the last 12 months expenditures. Um the 376,000 is only for HR and juvenile services. Um
the actual is 3 million from last year. We did not include elections numbers because we don't issue purchase orders um for the election workers. Um they do payments directly through the audit the
auditor's office. Um, my recommendation is that we fix the court communication and bring it back next month. >> Okay. Thank you. I'd appreciate it. Thank you, Clint. >> Clint talking.
>> Okay. Um, Clint, there we have no issues. You have no issues with that down there, right? >> No. >> Okay. All right. >> We're We're still good. We still have some time. So, if we want to bring it back, it but it's not going to change any of the numbers. We're still going to be requesting the 3 million. All it will do is update what we've expended in the
past past year. >> And three million is a on average what you spend. It's >> it's it's actually less than what we have spent on average. But as since the legislation has changed and we now are no longer required to have so many
polling locations that we have to staff even though they're not utilized. By reducing the number of polling locations, I can reduce the staff. And this is an attempt to reduce my FY27 budget because a very big portion of my budget is this temporary labor. So,
we're actually asking for less than what we have used in the past. And just so I'm clear before I withdraw my motion, the reason why we're not ready to vote on it is what >> my understanding is in the court
communication what it says for what we have spent in the last 12 months is inaccurate. >> It's very inaccurate. >> It's less than what we spent. We spent north of three million in the last 12 months. >> Okay. So let >> so if in the last
the court communic case says 376 the actual amount of money spent is >> 5.8 million. >> Okay. And that this doesn't present any present any issues if we do it next month. >> It shouldn't judge. >> Okay. I'll withdraw my motion.
>> I do have a question uh Clint while you're up there. So the original award packet said um prior year expenses were approximately 2.7 million. You know the
first renewal packet later reported expenses of approximately 4.39 million. Um before can you explain why the reported cost increased by roughly 1.63 million? I'm
not sure which years you're talking about, but when there was the change in the legislation that upped the minimum number of polling locations that we had to have, then that's why we had a significant increase in labor cost because now we went from traditionally somewhere around 220 230 locations to
349 that we had to staff. Then this last legislative session, the legislature went back, said, "Nope, we went too far. That was too many." They cut it back down. So now we're able to reduce back down and save costs. >> Okay. And so your labor cost is was hand
counting included in any of this. The cost to hand count >> the post we've we've been doing a post-election handc count audit for years. It just had a different name. So it it's it is in included in all this. >> Okay. But but for a full handc count,
not just a few precincts. You've you've always handc counted a few precincts after an election. Correct. >> Correct. After the SD9 election, you did a handc count audit of all of the
precincts, right? >> Yes, we did. But the SD9 election wasn't even an election that was on our calendar to budget for. We had to when we're working out the budget, we always anticipate that there could be additional costs where you run into a special election or something that's called. So, we have to add in there in
case one of those is called to cover those costs. >> Sure. But are are these have you budgeted to do a complete handc count audit of the general election in November? >> No, we wouldn't budget to do a complete handc count. That would be
astronomically expensive because it would be so difficult due to the the number of races and the measures on the ballot. That would take an extremely long time and a huge staff to accomplish something that large. The SD9 was special in that it was one race with
only two candidates. It does not get easier than that. So, it was the fastest way to count north of 90,000 ballots. >> And so, you anticipate doing just the traditional hand counting of a few precincts for the general.
>> It it'll depend on what the random precincts come down from the Secretary of State. they send us in the general election, but it will be more than likely uh three election day sites, three early voting sites, and then I would guess
seven precincts probably for the early voting absentee. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Yes, ma'am. Okay. Okay. So, I'm going to withdraw my motion and I'll make a motion from what I'm hearing down here to postpone this
until next month. >> Second. >> Does he have to withdraw a second? >> What if I don't want to? >> Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I missed your second. I'm sorry. >> So, does he have to with He don't have to withdraw a second. >> Judge, the motion to postpone takes precedent over the main motion that has
been made. And also, if you're proceeding without objection to withdrawal of the motion, then it's it's a >> and just so I understand this, why don't we just withdraw the motion and take no action at this time? >> There's a there's a practical issue with the ability of the uh agenda management software to close out the vote once a
motion has been made and a second has been made has been opened. >> Well, obviously something we should probably fix. Uh, all right. So, I've made a motion to postpone my own motion. We have a second. Any further discussion?
All right, please cast your votes where yes from Commissioner Ramirez passes unanimously. So now you don't take the other vote. We've postponed it. >> Correct. >> Okay. Now we go to public hearings. This
is a public hearing to consider the fiscal year 2026 Tarant County Housing Assistance Office annual agency plan. The public hearing is now open. Would anyone like to speak on this public hearing item? >> Okay.
>> Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Tarant County Housing Assistance annual plan for fiscal year 2026. I appreciate the work that staff has done. On page five, there's a form and that form is the resident advisory R and
comments and did the R resident advisory report have comments and the yes is checked and then it later says if it's checked the comments need to be submitted and in the document I found the notice the attendance sheet with the list of the
attendees of the resident advisory board the date they the time they signed into the zoom and the agenda. But there not does not appear to be any comments or any narrative. So could you please resolve that? Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> In the agenda, it didn't show that you could even speak on this issue. And that's what I'm objecting to because I use my time, my one minute to talk about this and then now you say it's open, which it should have been to begin with, but it should have it should have had in
the agenda that we could speak and that was not the case. Um, and I had the same concern about the the ten the the uh tenant uh group uh emission, but also um the
fact that we have so few vouchers and so many people that need them and no discussion on that. no county money, no even talk about county money when the um the application
the window for applications is typically closed. And that's true for Fort Worth as well. And we have so many people who need help. Thank you. >> All right. Next. >> So, do I have 5 seconds or no? One
minute from Katherine Godby. Uh there's housing crisis going on. The CEO of the Center for Transforming Lives, which has $2.3 million from Tarant County for housing assistance, said in a Fort Worth report article in April, quote, "The
need is so much greater than the resources available." Three of you probably questioned the value of a government provided social safety net, but one recent study found that people who receive government help tend to credit the entity most visible.
So, it's possible that giving human services department a chance to become more efficient might have meant more votes for you guys in November. In any case, since, as she said, the need is so much greater than the resources available, I hope you'll consider in
your budgeting increasing the funding for this important service to our county's most vulnerable citizens. >> Thank you, Dr. Herold. Thank you for acknowledging that public count comments are allowed on public
hearings. Um, however, as Linda said, the agenda still states no public comments. I simply signed up saying that I wanted to speak and I did receive a confirmation that I could speak. So, I am speaking to process. There's also a
lack of clarity on the amount of time allowed. As Katherine just asked, do I get five seconds or do I get a minute? Um, it there needs to be clarity in the rules of decorum that public hearing is a separate allocation of time. At this
point, it refers to the rules of decorum 1A1, which is where you go from three minutes to two minutes to one minute. And I think that needs to be changed so that it's clear that speaking at public hearings is a separate item because
after all that's what a public hearing is. You are to hear from citizens and that's why we're here. >> Thank you. >> All right. Anyone else wish to speak on this item? All right. Do I have a motion to close the public hearing?
>> So moved. >> Uh second motion and a second. Any discussion? All right. Please cast your vote. Commissioner Ramirez is a yes and me passes unanimously. Next is a public hearing to consider
authorizing the placement of stop signs within the Bonita Oaks subdivision in precinct 4. The public hearing is now open. Is there anyone who wishes to speak to this item? Seeing none, are you about to get up to speak to this?
>> I'm guess that's a no. All right. Do we have a motion to close the public hearing? >> So moved. >> Second. >> So move. >> All right. We have a motion and a second to close the public hearing. Any discussion there? Uh please cast your vote. Commissioner
Mirs is a yes. Passes unanimously. I will now make a motion to authorize the placement of stop signs within the Bonita Oaks subdivision. >> Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on that item?
All right. Please cast your votes. Yes. Commissioner Mirez, are you watching him? So recorded if he says yes. Okay. So I can stop saying it. All right. Passes unanimously. Now we go to the administrator section. Consideration of out ofstate travel
requests. Do we have a motion on this item? >> Motion to approve. Second. >> All right. We have a motion and a second to approve item A1. Any discussion. Please cast your vote. Uh, passes unanimously.
Item two, consideration of an exception to the travel policy commissioner precinct 2. Motion to approve. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on this item? >> All right. cast your vote. All right, that one passes unanimously.
Now B1 is one of the items that we're going to get a legal briefing legal discussion on. So we will move past that one. Now we come to B2.
That's That's not the same thing. Uh B2, consideration of a request for variance from the Tarant County Development Regulations Manual, Tarant County Municipal Utility District number two in precinct 2. Joseph, >> good afternoon members of the court. Uh
so this variance request relates to the ride-of-way dedication requirement in our development regulations manual. Um, instead of a 60-foot ride ofway, the applicant is requesting to dedicate a 54 foot ride ofway. This is part of a
municipal utility district, and that district is responsible for construction, operation, and maintenance in perpetuity, which we included in the the court communication. So, I I'll be happy to answer any questions that you have. >> You're not opposed to this?
>> Staff is not? No, sir. >> Yes. All right. Any questions, comments, or motion on item two? >> That was my question. So, move to approve. >> Second. >> All right. We have a motion and a second on item B2. Any discussion? >> Uh, I'll just make a comment if that's
okay, judge. >> Yes, sir. >> Uh, well, you know, these these municipal utility districts are are created in Austin. Um, you know, as these legal entities that uh ma manage the utilities inside of these developments. Um, one of the reasons why
I I would prefer, you know, local involvement through PIDs or any other district mechanism is that we would have control over density and make sure that it to make sure that the quality of construction fits in with the the neighboring communities, etc. And so I'm I'm curious um I guess it's a question
not a anymore. I'm curious, was there any effort uh on the MUD to reach out to precinct 2 and discuss um maybe if this was acceptable or or what they would provide in return for offering the variance from our policies because on on muds we have no control. We don't have a
seat at the table. Um Joseph, did anybody from the MUD reach out and and offer to sit down in a planning meeting or is this development just something that the community wants over there? I'm curious. They they did schedule a what we call our preconstruction advisory committee meetings that our office hosts
just to come in talk about their conceptual plan. Um it it is a a 454 acre development. Um I think the full buildout's about 1300 residential lots and those are um small small size
highdensity development. Um, I can't speak to if they reached out to precinct 2 directly, but I know they did reach out to our office and we made sure to to coordinate with precinct 2 staff on on that coming down the pipeline. >> All right. Thanks, Joseph. >> Yes, sir. All right. Any other questions
or comments? All right. We have a motion. We have a second. Please cast your votes. All right. For those present at the moment, it passes four to zero. Next is item C1 from facilities
management consideration of Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center Reorganization Projects. Move for approval. Uh I'll second this. Go ahead. Do you have something you'd like to add or do we have questions for him? >> No, sir. I was just standing at the
ready. >> Okay. So, yeah, I've I've got uh just a couple questions. We we talked about this a lot. Um you know, my big concern and that is that
our facilities department is going to self-perform this work. And this is a substantial project, would you say? >> Yes, ma'am. It's a series of projects. >> Series of projects. So, how many of our
staff uh your staff are going to be dedicated to doing all of these renovations? >> So, this staff in particular is the self-perform staff. It's the carpenter shop. Those specific individuals performing our portions of that work is
a tally of five. Um we have been prosecuting not prosecuting we have been performing work at that at a very elevated rate over the last year um and really honed our business model structuring and sequencing and
combination with subcontractors um that we believe strongly we can not only facilitate this work I think we can knock it out of the park. >> Okay. What's the timeline? Is Tim Curry going to be in destruction mode for
years and years and years. >> Well, the um if I could paint a prettier picture, it's going to be it'll be suite by suite. So, it won't be the whole structure in disarray. Um it's a series of um projects in that we we refine one
suite, we move a department into it that alleviates a space that we then go work in so we're not displacing any staff and we move them through that cycle. Um there's a total of 24, but three of those are strictly um furnishings.
>> So let's back up just just a bit. Uh for the public's sake, tell them what's happening. >> Yes, ma'am. So um as a function of the county over time, the DA's office has uh been short of
offices to the tune at this time of about 25 office spaces. The DA's office and investigator spaces need to have private offices. Um, it's not like the cone of silence private office, but it's an office where they can have interviews and not divulge private information
between the the people they're interviewing. Um, previously about a year ago, we the the main function of relocating the second court of appeals over to the Vandergri building was uh presented and declined.
Um that was an eight and a half or $8.2 million construction project, >> right? >> Um 10.3 including all soft costs. The court declined that as a significant expenditure >> and tasked facilities with reanalysis of
the Tim Curry building to find out if there is any way possible to reorganize the the chairs on the deck of the ship, so to speak. Um we've gone through a process over that last year of interviewing each department in the building. Um making determinations for
efficiency, what can be done to compress departments and then analyzing the needs of each department to make sure we can accommodate those needs without without um luxury so to speak. We're we're refining this and compressing
departments. There's no less luxury in doing this. We've created enough spaces designated for design um to accommodate the DA's needs. Um we've compressed the district attorneys, I'm sorry, the
district clerk's spaces. We've compressed the county clerk's spaces. >> And beside that, we've just traded spaces. We have consolidated the court's services into one location as they desired in the basement of the
building. Um, and basically we've accommodated everybody. Can't say everybody's happy about it, but the overall design and plan does seem to accommodate all the needs. >> That was my next question. Two more questions. Uh, are the This is for at
the DA's request, but what about our other elected officials? Are they cool with this? Everybody, they're making it work. Uh, or you want them to speak for themselves? I'd hate to speak for anyone else. Um I can tell you from my
conversations with the uh district clerk, they are not against this. I'm not going to say they're going to cheer about it. >> Um on the second hand, I can say from my conversations with the county clerk, she is not very excited about it.
>> Okay. Um what about the lawyers lounge? They have approached me year after year needing um accommodations other than a big room or speaking to their clients in stairwells. Are they being accommodated?
>> Yes. So, we um reviewed or we interviewed with them just as we did all the other departments within the building. um the accommodations we're making for them, although they will relocate out of their existing space into a smaller space. They will gain square footage elsewhere that is
functional and practical. It's interview rooms associated with the courtroom floors, which is one of the the key items of um necessity they highly desired. In the total square footage picture of that building, they're about a push. They're they they gain maybe a
100 square feet total. >> Okay. Okay. Um, and the cost. So, last year when you brought this, well, not you, but you'd been here a couple weeks or something. Um, was 8 and a half million.
What's this going to cost? >> Uh, 2.223 million. >> Okay. That's self-performed. And you will use you will sub out some of the work, right? >> Yes, ma'am. We're required to sub out certain portions of the work that we can't self-perform. glass and glazing,
electrical, HVAC, those items, they're on annual contract. Um, and then to answer your earlier question that I didn't actually kind of wrap up with is the projected schedule, all 24 projects combined is 16 between 16 and 18 months of duration.
>> Oh, I'll be throwing you a parade if you're able to accomplish that with that budget. So, >> we're up to the challenge. >> Mary Louise, did you have any input or >> Okay. All right. All right. Thank you so much. >> I'm gonna hold you to that the parade. In fact,
>> I will. >> We got it on video. >> All right. Anybody else have any questions or comments? >> All right. We have a motion and a second. Um, cast your votes. >> All right. It passes unanimously. Which one was that? Next is item F2,
consideration of a property use request and fee waiver from the office of commissioner Lisa Simmons to use the subcourthouse in Arlington for precinct 2 town hall meetings. Move approval. >> We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? >> Yeah, I' I've got a question. I'm I'm
just going to be completely straight and you can be completely straight with me. >> So, I've been here since January of last year and none of the commissioners except for redistricting that I remember have held any town halls in any of their uh any of their uh courouses. seems very
very uh coincidental maybe that these town halls line up right when the election season is really ramping up. Uh we've got four and four months which is right during the heat of that. Kind of seems like to me maybe we're using the
fee waiver and access to the courtrooms that could be for political activity. So, um, that that again that that's my that that's my just real honest thought like, okay, I haven't seen this before. I haven't seen a precinct one, precinct 3, precinct 4, precinct 2 up until this
point. So, um, kind of can you tell me why all of a sudden this is kind of coming up and it needs to be four of them in four months. Um, and then it kind of stops right after early voting starts. A >> absolutely. So, I've been here longer
than you. Yes. >> Um so, um I have about six or seven town halls a year since I've been here. um our county staff. We've done budget town halls. We've done um uh public health.
We've done JPS. We've done uh all sorts of town hall meetings to educate the public about how their county works and um you know and give them access to the people that run their county. So this is
absolutely nothing new. So, no political activity, nothing partisan, no email gathering, no any of that stuff. >> No, you can't do that. I'm not unethical in any way. Um I think um we've had the
we've had the sheriff do a town hall. I mean, it's it's county services. It's what we do. It's not anything outside of the county. Uh we are happy to send you all of the flyers from the first all of
all of my years doing this. Um the reason we're a little late starting this time is because my staff got cut and so we had dedicated people um focused on projects and town halls
and that type of thing and so those people had they they had to go. So, um, we are planning to do a budget town hall that will have Matt and Helen and, um, all of that. It's just
information about the county. >> What are the other What are the four town halls? >> I'll have to ask my staff. I don't know if we've we've got them all uh decided yet, but yes, I think jail uh
um like I said, budget and I don't think we've got them all mapped out yet. >> All right, any other questions or comments? >> All right, please cast your vote. Uh, Commissioner Mirez, anything? It's
22 and you're up. >> I vote nay. >> Okay. All right. So, it fails two to three. Next up is consideration of a property use request and fee waiver from the Southern University Alumni Fort Worth chapter to use the subcourthouse in
Orange Community Room to host the Southern University student sendoff. >> Move approval. >> Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on this item? All right, please cast your vote. All right, passes unanimously. Next up
is D1, consideration of a memorandum of understanding between Tarant County and Rangers Baseball LLC for the 27th annual Tarant County employee picnic for >> at Glo Life Field. >> Second. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second on this item. Any discussion?
All right, please cast your vote. All right, that passes unanimously. Next up, item two, consideration to adopt the revised tuition reimbursement program policy. I'll move to approve. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any
discussion on this? All right, please cast your votes. Did you get there? It is passes unanimously. Item three, consideration to adopt the entrylevel driver training program for commercial driver's license policy. >> Move for approval.
>> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? >> All right. Please cast your votes. passes unanimously. Let's see which one of these D6. Okay, D4 is consideration of a change to the
table of organization in the 323rd District Court. Move for approval. Um, I'll second it. Any discussion there? All right, please cast your votes. Passes unanimously. Item
D5, consideration of a change to the table of organization criminal courts. Do we have a motion on this item? >> Move for approval. >> We have a motion on this. Do we have a second? >> Can somebody tell me from the staff what
exactly this is doing >> and why it's needed? Uh, parliamentary inquiry. >> Um, it sounds like this dies for lack of a second. I mean, >> it's not over until I call it over and we get to have our
>> It doesn't matter. We We get to ask questions whether there's a second or not. Someone may decide to make a second. There is no parliamentarian here. I have ruled. You are welcome. >> This is a body. There is >> We don't have a parliamentarian. >> Parliamentary inquiry.
>> As the presiding officer, there is no parliament parliamentarian here. You are welcome to challenge my ruling if you would like to challenge my ruling by making a motion. >> There is no second on the floor. Right. >> Okay. Would you please answer the question that I had? Thank you.
>> Yes, absolutely. Um, commissioners, my name is Emily Lechance. I'm the chief magistrate for criminal courts. Um the request is to add a new full-time magistrate for central magistration as well as a full-time uh what we refer to as an MSO, a magistrate support officer.
So I started this role that was newly created in December of 2024. And one of the big things I was first tasked with was to rework our central magistration schedule to be more efficient so that we can get um inmates, defendants who are brought into our jail
magistrated timely. There is a statutory requirement for misdemeanors that they be magistrated and considered for a bond um on misdemeanor cases in 24 hours and in felonies in 48 hours due to um a number of factors um increase in our
general population in Tarant County um SB9 being passed in September of 2025 which is causing more time to evaluate the cases to see whether it's a case based upon criminal history that a magistrate could set or one of our new associate judges or whether whether it needs to go to a district judge. We are
just not getting to these individuals efficiently enough. Um, when I look at the schedule, and I've worked several of these central magistration schedules, in the morning at 9:00 a.m., our 900 p.m. docket is being loaded with inmates, which will tell you that we have
individuals who are waiting up to 12 hours just to see a magistrate, which is costing the county money um for the jail for them to sit there. Our goal is to get to them as quickly as possible. I currently have two magistrates working in tandem side by side 21 out of 24
hours of a day um tag teaming these dockets trying to get to them as quickly as possible. And this is still happening. um in an effort to figure out why this was happening and whether we needed a new position, I ran a bunch of reports which I took to county administration for them to review and I
believe they were very able to verify that we can save the county money if we can get another magistrate who can say don't load these people on the 9pm docket. Let us see them currently now so that we can get them evaluated for a bond. that will enable us to comply with
the law and allow these people, if they're able to post a bond, to get out of jail quicker and not be wasting space in our booking room floor or being sent to be housed at the jail and then having to be brought back to see a magistrate. So, that is um what we are asking for.
>> All right. Anybody have any other questions for her? All right. I'll second your motion. All right. We have a first and a second. Any other discussion? >> Does have a comment? That's all right. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. T typically during the budget
season is whenever we discuss additions or subtractions to um authorize strengthened positions. Why didn't this come up in the last year's budget discussions? And why now just several months before the next fiscal year's budget? >> So, like I said, I started this position
in December 2024. It took me a little while to adjust our current schedule to see if we could fix this inhouse with some scheduling moves and some scheduling adjustments. Um, we were able to keep stuff going along and work fairly more efficiently. And then when
SB9 came, it became a snowball effect. It was just taking our magistrates longer um taking them more time to evaluate the cases and look at their criminal history and triage where they should go to comply by the law comply with the law that was passed. And from
there that was when I started to look at do we need to adjust again? Do we need to move um our schedule around again? Um and anything we were doing it just wasn't making as much of a difference um as I thought we could. And that's when I started running reports and looking at the raw data um to see what was
happening. And that was when I discovered that in the last year alone, just based upon charges that are filed, we are up about six%. Um that's not to say that cases that are filed um are up. You can have a cause number and it can have five or six charges on it. A
magistrate has to magistrate and set a bond on each one of those charges. that number is up alone 6% approximately from last year which has increased our workload. When I looked at that and presented it to um administration, they were able to verify that as well. So,
it's just been um an overall growth compounded with the new law that's taken us longer to look at the cases individually. >> All right. Any >> Thank you. I'm my my again it was a very uh creative word smsmith thing to get to
generating enough savings to offset the added positions uh in the court communication. Um I I think you know I'll vote for this if you say you need it. Uh but ultimately we have a window now to see if the savings actually come through uh in efficiencies. So thanks
thanks for bringing it. >> Good questions. All right. Any other questions or comments? All right, seeing none, it passes unanimously. Brings us we're skipping D6 and seven until after close session.
Uh, now we come to purchasing. Do we have any questions, comments, or issues with E1 through 22? >> I want 20. Um, I've got questions about
20. questions about 20? >> Yes, 20. >> Um, anybody have any questions on items 1 through 19 or 21 and 22? >> I move for approval on those items
>> of 1 through 19 and 21 and 22. >> All right, we have a motion and a second on that. Any discussion? >> All right, please cast your votes. Passes unanimously. Now we go to item whatever that was E 20. Consideration of contract for SAP
license upgrade to S4 Hannah. >> Questions, comments, or motion. >> Move for approval. >> We have a motion to approve. >> Excuse me. On number 20. That was one we held till after closed. >> Oh, it was. >> Yes, sir. >> That was it. That was the fourth one. Okay. Um
>> there's nothing wrong. We We can leave a motion. >> Yeah, there it is. >> Outstand. Uh pull your motion. >> I resend it. Okay, there it is. All right, we'll address that in closed. >> So, now we come to
Did I think I left out 23? >> Uh, all right. I'll move to approve item E23. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any discussion there? >> Yes. Got a couple questions. uh
why did we choose to terminate this contract with that uh primary vendor? >> Yeah, so the primary vendor reached out to us and said that he can no longer um hold the prices and he asked for a 20%
increase. Um so um that's it wasn't anything that we could >> What was his reasoning for not being able to hold the prices? Um it's listed in the backup of the court communication due to
the price of fuel and oil. Um that's the reason is they gas were increased. We also reached out to the secondary and alternate and neither of them could hold their pricing as well. We do have the
emails from both of those vendors. Um >> I didn't see those. Okay. So, one of the emails from the vendor stated that the market is so volatile
with oil pricing that they um just couldn't hold it. And then the other the secondary vendor said they can't not maintain the contract at the current pricing. >> Okay. All right. So
um will this impact county operations while uh new bid is being procured? >> No, it will not. >> Okay. So for people who you know think gas prices just oil prices just uh
concern them, it it impacts the county, too. Um so we're of course we're going to have to pay more. I I don't think anybody's going to come in and undercut themselves. So, uh yeah, I was just curious. Uh so, the secondary and the
alternate vendors, they're like, >> "So, none of the three vendors, primary, secondary, nor alternate, can hold their prices?" >> Not going to be able to hold those prices. Okay. All right. Thank you. >> All right. For clarification purposes, my motion is to approve the termination and grant permission to rebid. Uh does
your second match that ever made the second? Okay. Uh, all right. Any other questions, comments, or discussion? All right. Please cast your votes. Passes unanimously. Item 24, permission to take bids and
RFPs. >> Move for approval. >> We have a motion to approve. >> We have a second. Any discussion? All right. Seeing none, please cast your vote. passes unanimously. All right. Next, we
have appointments to various boards and commissions. Do we have any appointments to boards, commissions, committees, or tiff district boards? >> Judge, I have uh one appointment to make for two different um freshwater supply
districts. Tarant County freshwater supply district number one and number two. I'd like to appoint Greg Polly. Second. >> All right. We have a motion and a second. uh for those appointments. Any discussion? All right, please cast your vote.
Passes unanimously. Any other board or commission appointments? All right, seeing none, we now move to briefing on Tarant County financial reserves and undesated fund. Uh, good afternoon, judge, commissioners. I have a couple slides
for us today to give an update on our undesated budget and the use of our reserves. Let me make sure. Okay, there we go. Okay, so as we have here, our our amended total budget for undesated is 7.6 million. Of that amount, we've used
approximately 2.7 million, which is broken up into these percentages by category. Uh, with a remaining budget of 4.8 8 million which is approximately 64 uh% remaining. So for the uses of our u undesated budget we've used public
safety as the majority of 32.5% uh 5% excuse me of approximately 2.4 million uh community services of 2.7% judicial.6 and general administrators of of.1% about $8,000.
Um we still have about five months left in the fiscal year. There are still some other uh potential impacts to und designated as we move forward. We won't know those though until we get further into the fiscal year and we can continue to update the court as we need to. So
that is our undesated budget. When we look at our reserves, we have not touched reserves this year and again as I just stated before we have five more months left in the fiscal year. There are some headwinds that we face when we look at reserves and remember reserves is the absolute last uh resort for any
emergency or unplanned expense. Uh moving into what we've talked about previously would be our group insurance which uh could have an impact on reserves and then also our um overtime and overtime related throughout the
county but particularly for the sheriff's office. So those are my two brief slides. I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have. >> Thanks, Matt. All right. Any questions for Matt? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Go ahead. >> I'm too long. >> Okay.
>> Just uh Thank you for the report, Matt. I've got a couple of questions. Um, many of the public safety draws listed here are necessary operational expenses, including building security, constable,
part-time salaries, and county burials. But from a county government perspective, public safety is also, in my opinion, affected by housing stability, utility assistance, mental health access, and family support. When
the county evaluates undesated fund requests, do we have a framework that recognizes prevention and community stabilization as a part of the county's broader public safety strategy? Law enforcement is a part of it, but I
believe we need to take a holistic approach and perspective and view when we're considering public safety because when those things that I mentioned are threatened or unstable, it t it lends to um people doing things to make sure that
they can make ends meet. So, are we considering those things when we are creating our public safety strategy? >> Uh yes, sir. We do not have a specific framework for that, but as we review any undesated uh request and it's not really a request, it's more of a unmet need
that we look at. Uh we evaluate that from soup to nuts. So depending on how that impacts the county, how it impacts the uh constituents of the county, we look at it from a cost savings standpoint uh along with what value it provides. So yes sir, we do look at that and we do uh make sure that those are
all presented to commissioner court for evaluation through the appropriation adjustments. Also, >> I appreciate that. But I would like this court to consider including that in the strategy that we create. >> No, absolutely. We can take that from here and uh give you a framework.
>> All right. When undesated funds are used during the year, how does the budget office deter determine whether those uses align with the priorities adopted during the regular budget process? Is there a scoring process, equity review,
departmental justification or any formal comparison of the competing needs? >> We do again another analysis. It'd be kind of a similar answer to the question previously. So, we perform our analysis. What we want to make sure is that it it's a need. If it's a statuto requirement, of course, we're going to
do it. But if it uh results in a long-term savings for the county, that's when we would present it to a commissioner's court. >> Okay. Two more. >> Yes, sir. Go ahead. >> Uh this is a question on the risk of underinvesting in safety net services. When we talk about fiscal risk, we often
talk about reserves, credit ratings, and operating continuity. But does the county also evaluate the fiscal risk of underinvesting in social program or safety net programs particularly when unmet needs can later show up like I said in higher jail
costs, emergency health costs, court costs, homelessness related costs, etc., etc., Right. So that would be something we would take direction from the court. Uh we don't consider that necessarily as we're going through our undesated uses. >> Okay. Last question. Will staff be able
to provide the court and the public with a regular report showing undesated fund requests, approved users, denied or underfunded or unfunded requests remaining balance and the rationale for each allocation. >> So we do submit that each time through
the appropriation adjustments. So y'all do see it at each time before we use und designated as it it results as you talk about requests that we receive. We don't really have a standard process for that, but we'd be happy to consider that and bring you something back. >> Yeah, I would I think it's important
from a transparency perspective that the community sees that and understands it. >> Okay. Yes, sir. >> Oh, and last one. This the last one. >> No, you should too. Do we have a precinct level geographic breakdown of where undesated funds have
had the greatest pack impact this fiscal year >> particularly for community service, rental assistance, utility assistance, constable support, and county burials? And this is I guess you could consider selfish because I want to know how those >> those things are affecting my precinct.
>> Now, understand we do not, but we'd be happy to put something together. >> I would appreciate if you do that. >> Yes, sir. >> Thank you. All right. Any other questions? >> Yeah, great questions, Commissioner. Um because I was sitting here um was asking
my staff, have we ever seen a formal analysis document, something that he's asked for? And I don't I don't think we've seen that um before. Um, so last time you presented to the court on budget reserves, you clarified a few
important questions about the use of reserves. So today I want to go just a step further. Setting aside whether we are above or below the county's 10% reserve policy threshold
in dollar terms, are the county's reserves today today stronger, weaker, or about the same as they were in fiscal year 2024. >> 2024. >> I do not have that in front of me. I
could answer to 2025, but I could I can come back with 2024. >> All right. is interested in 24, but go ahead and answer it for 25. >> In 25, we're in a very similar situation. Uh, similar headwinds. Also, considering council fees, which is our
indigent defense, which is our largest unfunded mandate. Uh, those are starting to hit more and more. We have not hit undesated with those expenses yet. Uh, but that's something to consider as we move forward. So, actually, we would be in a better position this year than we were in 25.
>> Okay. So you you talked about maybe having to uh go to reserves for health care cost. U we talked about that before up here. Does relying on reserves while adopting
tax rates below the no new revenue rate generally increase future budget risk by reducing financial flexibility? Yes or no? Answer. Say that one more time. >> So, does relying on reserves while
adopting tax rates below no new revenue generally increase future budget risk? >> I would say yes, but I would also say that we do not rely on reserves. Reserves are reserves are a lastditch account that we Yes, ma'am. >> Yes.
So, compared to three years ago, have you been here three years? >> I've been with the county for 13. I've been with budget for just about a year. >> Okay. Would you characterize the county's financial flexibility today as
stronger, about the same, or weaker? >> I would say about the same. >> About the same. How much financial flexibility do we have left in reserves to address future operating pressures, overtime costs, staff performance raises, that type of thing?
>> So, we have not used reserves at all this year. In terms of of designated, we still have 64% remaining. So, we are in a healthy position. Okay. Excluding grants, capital, and one-time items for FY24 and
25 and year to date 2026, did recurring operating cost growth outpace recurring revenue growth? >> No, ma'am. Because we always present a balanced budget. So, there was always they would always go hand in hand. >> Okay.
All right. So I I am concerned for se for several reasons. Um first recurring operating costs have to be measured against recurring revenue not grants capital not onetime cash carried forward and not fund balance
if >> so can I expand just a little bit? We we always set our budget based on the tax rate. We do not balance with cash. >> Okay. >> Yes ma'am. >> Okay. Um, but what I noticed is the shuffling of money. Uh, like I mentioned
earlier, the sheriff's department didn't or forgot to budget for their security contract after having had one for years and years. Just
didn't do it. Uh so now we're having to shuffle money um to to take care of the contract. Um I I would surmise that that puts stress not only on the budget department but
also on other department departmental needs throughout the county. Um so that's you know I see this and that concerns me. Um second, regular expenses including
personnel, overtime, insurance, jail operations, and the basic departmental needs. You know, thinking about this like the fiscal conservative that I am, if these costs rise faster than our recurring
revenue, more tax tax rate cuts will eventually cause a budget gap. Is that true? as we look to fiscal year 27. Is that what you're >> Yes, ma'am. We would have to consider that uh in regards to our new new revenue rate and where we want to set
our tax rate as a commissioner's court. >> So, Matt, how else would we address this other than by making staffing cuts, leaving positions unfilled, continuing to outsource human services
to our nonprofit community? uh nonprofit community members, many of whom lack the staffing and financial capacity to provide the essential services to those who need them most. Again, Center for Transforming Lives has
three people working to dole out this money. Um how else would we, you know, address a potential budget gap? >> Well, and that's why we have undesated reserves is to address those gaps. uh there are various scenarios that we
could work through as we move into fiscal year 27 to figure out how to balance the budget and that's what we do. So, as we move through uh perfecting fiscal year 27, we will bring those scenarios to commissioner's court for consideration. >> But reserves are supposed to protect us from shocks,
not quietly subsidized routine operations, right? >> Yes, ma'am. So if cash carried forward, undesated balances or fund balances are being used to address operating pressures, it is imperative that you let us know whether this approach is
temporary or a new more frequent customary practice going going into the next fiscal year. >> Understood. And I can say these are not defined or these were unplanned uses of
undesated specifically the uh food not food contract excuse me the uh building security contract >> and that us using this new contract when we do the analysis for that we are actually giving the sheriff's office some additional personnel to put back into security for the courts. So
hopefully that over we will alleviate some of the overtime. So that's that's kind of the long range thinking that we we go into when we analyze any use of undesated. >> At what point would you say the county's liquidity or reserve position has begun
to move from manageable to concerning? >> Oh, I I don't I'm not sure if I can answer that question. I'm not quite sure what you mean. If you believe the reserve or liquidity position is not a public concern, now tell us which of these triggers would
make it a concern for you. For example, is it when reserves fall below 10%. Um that 10% policy floor? Is it when we use the fund balance to pay for recurring payroll or recurring operating cost? Is it when cash carry for it
declines year-over-year? Is it when undesated balances are close to depletion? That type of thing. Is it when overtime or insurance has has to be covered after adoption? I would say if we continually have to
dip below 10% in reserves that would be a concern for both us and the the rating agencies, but the rating agencies also consider our total fund balance uh in all, not just the amount we keep in reserves. So continued use though does lead to concern. If we're continually have to dip into reserves, that is an
area of concern. >> Okay? Because if there's no clear trigger before we hit the 10% pol policy floor, we aren't practicing good fiscal management. Um we're just waiting for a problem to actually show up and that's
not good. Um so trends matter. our budget uh can look technically balanced even as the county's flexibility shrinks right before our eyes. So, uh, if if the county adopts a tax rate low, no new revenue, will we generate enough
recurring revenue to cover personnel costs without having to terminate employees or dismantle more departments or use cash carry for or the fund balance to balance the operating budget.
>> So, I will not be able to answer that until we receive the no new revenue rate. So then which will be July 25th when we get the certified tax values and then we can calculate the no new revenue then we can then start balancing to what projected cost will be. >> So what I would like for you all to do
is to give us scenarios. Give us a scenario that says if you keep the rate at the current uh rate this is this is what you're looking like. This is what the budget's going to look like. If you go below the
known new revenue rate by this couple of points or this few points, this is what it looks like. >> Instead of giving us, hey, below the known new revenue rate, this is it. What does it
look like staying at the current rate? What does it look like going below no new revenue? So, that's that's what I would like for you to to um show the court. Um,
all right. I I've got lots more. I'll I'll get you in uh to to talk to you about it. Um, but but I do want to ask you this. What range of liquidity and reserve positions does Hilltop suggest
would raise concerns for our rating? >> So best practice, which is GFOA standard, is 16.7%. >> Excuse me. Uh Hilltop will have us consider our total overall fund balance, not just our reserve balance. That's what goes into the the crediting the crediting agencies.
>> So 10% uh recommended is sufficient by Hilltop. And remind me where are we at today relative to that >> to our reserves balance? >> It's going to be 12. I think it's either 13.7 or 12.7. I can't remember off top of my head. >> Okay. >> Yes, ma'am.
>> All right. All right. Thank you so much. >> Absolutely. >> Thanks, ma'am. >> All right. Anybody else have any questions? >> All right. Next is briefing on the Tarant County Election Integrity Unit Task Force. So per um per Commissioner Simmons
request, we had reached out to the DA and the sheriff's office uh in order to provide uh complimentary briefings on this. Uh we received word back from the sheriff's office and the DA's office that with the uh shortage of time of the notice to present uh that they would not
be able to present at this meeting. But if they were requested to um brief at a future meeting where they had more time to adequately prepare, they'd be willing to do that. >> Okay. Um well, we sent questions over, so it should have been easy for them to
to come and brief us on it. This is um a function of the county. I guess it functions daily or I I don't I don't know. Um, it's unfortunate because I do have questions. Like I said, we sent questions over and I think routine
oversight requires information and residents deserve to know how this task force is operating, what it has accomplished and how it works to serve the public. And as a county created body operating
under the authority of the county government, its activity should be transparent and accountable. and subject to public review. Um, since this task force was created three years ago,
um, this court hasn't received a briefing or an update or report or any analysis or anything. Um, if staff were present, I would like to be briefed on the work of this task force, the progress made to date, and
any next steps moving forward, like what's it doing? Um, what specific activities has the task force undertaken since its creation?
How many complaints, referrals, or cases has the task force reviewed? Does anybody do you know? >> I I don't ma'am. >> No. Does it DA's office? I mean, who who has
the data? It should be it it should not be three years later and you get a request to brief the court and you still don't have data. I mean, the data ought to be at the touch of a fingertip. and doesn't have
to be the DA, but the person we're paying good money to to run the election integrity task force ought to be able to come over here and spout out um a report uh for this commissioner's court and and
the public. Um does a task force meet? How often does it meet? How is its work documented? Um, is there a public reporting standard
that the task force follows? Where's the dashboard? Where's the public facing dashboard? Heck, where's the dashboard for commissioners? Um, what resources, staffing, or county
funds support the task force work? what safeguards exist to ensure the task force operates independently, objectively, and within the scope of law. Um, just, you know, just what y'all
doing after three years? I mean, really, and who can't run somebody over here to brief us? We're making room for the DA's office, spending all this money, giving them extra space. They've got lots of people, investigators. they have a task force
and we can't get a report uh briefing. So, um as of June 2024, we're in 2026 now. The public was told there were 82 complaints
and zero charges. As of October 2025, we were told two cases have been referred but not accepted by the state. What has changed since then? Can they provide some case numbers,
anonymize tracking identifiers for each referral? What is going on over there? Uh, and the state already has an election complaint process through the SEC Secretary of State's office. What evidence showed and shows that
Taran County needs a separate locally branded task force led by three elected officials rather than a standard complaint referral process? How much does the task force cost the county in dollar value?
Um, let's remember that existing staff salaries are still public money and opportunity cost as well. So, so I mean if they're scared to come brief, I I just ran down most of my questions. They can we can email them
over. They can watch the video. It's not a scary proposition. Just come come tell us what what you're doing. So, all right. Anything else? All right. Now, we go to announcements and comments. Do we have any
announcements or comments from commissioners? One simple comment on the election integrity unit and task force. I think there is value and I think it's important to do what in the words of an old preacher I know who says in inspect
what you expect. I think there's value in being able to inspect and critically um review the information to make sure that it's meeting this court's expectations and this community's expectations. I don't
think that's too much to ask. >> Okay. >> I was just going to ask one thing. You were wanting to recognize some students a little earlier, but they weren't in here. Are they in here now? >> I bet those children are back. >> No, they are all I was making sure. But thank you though.
>> All right. The court will now recess the open session and proceed to close session to discuss items exempt under sections 551071, 072, 074, 076, 087, and 0725 of the Texas Government Code.
Executive session will begin at 2:15 p.m. We are now in recess. We are back from recess and we have four items that we could take action on. The first is
9B1, consideration of request for variance from the Tarant County Development Regulations Manual, Harmony Park Precinct 2. Do we have a motion? >> Move approval. We have a motion to approve. Do we have a second? >> Second. We have a second. Any
discussion? >> Are you going to put this up? >> Huh? Not not on mine. >> There it is. Okay. All right. We have a motion, a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, is Commissioner Ramirez out?
>> Okay. All right. All right. It passes three to one with one abstension. Uh, next item is 9D6. 96 is consideration of changes to the table of organization county administrator intergovernmental
relations. Do we have a motion to approve this? >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All right. Please cast your vote. >> I was hitting my >> passes unanimously.
Next up is item 9D7. Consideration of a change to the table of organization criminal DA. Move for approval. >> Second. >> Now we have a motion and a second. Any discussion here. Uh cast your vote. Passes unanimously. And
next is item 9E20. 9E20 is consideration of contract for SAP license upgrade to S4 Hannah-in information technology- SAP America Inc. I will move to approve
>> second >> this contract so long as the only change to the contract is the phrase that you shared with us and closed. >> Correct. >> Is that enough?
Okay. All right. Mo, that's my motion. Do we have a second? >> Yep. >> Okay. Have a second. Any discussion? >> Yes. Yep. Yep. Yep. Um, Andre, >> yeah, >> I have talked to you about this
recently, so I want my colleagues to know this is a concern. Um, or a desire. It's a desire. Um, I am interested in having a constituent communications
module in that SAP package. So, we're going through all of this upgrading, modernization, and absent is a constituent communication model
where um constituents can contact us online in in an app. Um I've visited with SAP folks, executives months ago. they showed me that they do
have that module how easy it would it would be to integrate. Um, so and I thought it was something basic and so I was pretty surprised that it was not included in the bundle.
Um when I came on board, I asked the county the IT department if they had a way for um you know constituents to reach out to us for us to log constituents that did
reach out all of that. They did not went to conferences and saw that there were constituent um relationship um models and uh management uh programs.
And so told my chief of staff, hey, get with it. Let's see if we can purchase this. And it you weren't here, said we can we can develop that. We can create it. So we have a rudimentary uh CRM
um platform. Uh it's not robust. You know, the citizens can't reach out to our office via that platform, but it would be good for every department in the county. And so I'm just I would love
to see a CRM um product in the in the SAP package. >> So I imagine that would take a long time to go back and rebid and all that stuff. Um so I need you to tell me at some
point how we can get that not just for precinct 2, uh but for the entire county. when I look at other cities >> and counties and I can I can show them. >> Uh it's just want to report a pothole, click here, drop down, you enter your
information, the location, just all of that. >> And uh we we should have that. It's it's 2026. Um we we just don't need to keep being as antiquated as we are. So I'm excited
about the SAP upgrade. Um, but I want to go on record and I'm going to show them what that looks like. Um, and so you're going to make it happen. Might not be SAP, might be something else, I guess.
Uh, but let us know. And what is your timeline for creating an executive steering committee uh for implementation of this this whole platform? >> So, we are going for RFPs for the implementation. um starting effectively
today because you guys approved that uh that RFP. Um and I've already been working on a document that basically lays out three different committees. Um I have not shared with my colleagues and so I want to do that before I send it to
anybody else outside. But basically in my experience implementing ERPs and largecale legacy migrations, you really need three layers of of committees. one that is operational and meets on a daily basis and is composed of people in the
front lines and then the people that are effectively executing the implementation normally called an operational committee. Um then you have an executive committee which is going to be composed of the senior staff in IT and the senior staff in the functional areas that are
most affected by the upgrade. Uh and those will meet on a weekly basis. um well bi-weekly to start with and then moving to weekly uh the moment that we start getting into crucial decision making and into crucial implementation steps. And finally, a sponsorship
committee that meets every month and that is used to decide any particular um items that might be contentious in terms of direction of the project and to keep the senior leadership of the county appraised of this very important pro uh
process and of the progress that is being obtained. And that will include, you know, a a certain number of elected officials. um you guys will be able to determine that because you don't want this group to be too big, >> right? >> But you want this group to have uh you
know some say so in terms of the the progress and to keep monitoring the progress so that we can make sure that we don't have any deviations from the course. uh the document that I'm preparing I'll be presenting to the senior leadership in the county for approval changes and so on so forth and
they will be approved for submitted for your consideration >> and SAP the software vendor will have representation on this on the what executive committee which committee >> the the implementation group will have
representation >> yes >> uh in the two lower groups but not in the top one they will be eventually asked to present on a regular basis but they will not be represented officially in that body. >> So you said the implementation group right
>> in the implementation group there will be people from the implementation company. I didn't ask about the implementation group. I asked about SAP that that our vendor will they be represented? >> The vendor will be represented but the people who are really driving the
implementation changes will be the people from the consulting company that we select to do the implementation. >> I understand. But the people we're we're buying this software from. >> Oh, they'll be represented. >> They need to be represented. >> They will be they will be at the table. Absolutely. >> Okay. That didn't that didn't that
didn't come out clear enough. >> My apologies for that. No, they will they will be at the table. But the implementation group that we select our group will be a group that will have large experience in doing exactly what we're doing. >> Yes. >> Right. >> Uh and and that's the reason why we will
eventually select them. Yeah. >> Okay. Yes, I know that. I just want to make sure the vendor >> Oh, absolutely. >> is always there. >> Absolutely. >> All right. Anything else? Um may I address the CRM question ever so briefly? >> Yes.
>> So uh CRM is um you know a a very unique specialty >> and although every vendor will come and tell you yes we can do that. Okay. If you were to ask me as you have uh to implement a CRM system for the entire
county I would not consider SAP to be a frontr runner in that. Uh there are at least three or four organizations out there um that have better products uh and that have demonstrated their ability to operate uh not only within organizations uh you know in the private
sector but also with counties and states and cities >> and they have very good track record. Um and so my suggestion would be that we do a landscape review go out for RFPs on that >> uh and then and then make a selection
based on uh on their capabilities and the price points and everything else. But uh but I I would venture to say that I don't want to go to Oracle for a CRM. I don't want to go to uh to SAP for an SR CRM that is not you know in their
wheelhouse at the the level of performance that I would consider to be appropriate and because those systems have little to no integration uh with uh you know with the typical SAP underlying core functions uh is not a big deal. >> Okay.
>> So and so uh that would be my suggestion. >> Okay. Uh that's fine. I would be concerned that some outside firm would not um be compatible with SAP, but you're saying it doesn't have to be.
>> Well, in in the parts that we decide that we should be, it shouldn't be a problem. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you. >> Does that answer your question? >> Yes. I look forward to your landscape study and all that good stuff. >> Absolutely. Anybody else have anything? >> All right. We have a motion, a second.
All votes are in. passes four to zero. Those are all the items we have for today. Thank you for watching. Hope you have a happy July 4th and celebrate America. We are adjourned.