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Huh? I think he just said they're coming. There. There you are. Good morning. Welcome to what is today? Tuesday, August 4th, Tarant County Commissioner's Court meeting. I now call the meeting to order. >> Tim O'Hare, County Judge,

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>> present. >> Rodri Miles, Jr., commissioner, precinct one, >> here. >> Alisa Simmons, commissioner, precinct 2, >> here. >> Matt Krauss, commissioner, precinct 3, >> here. >> Manny Ramirez, commissioner precinct 4 >> here. >> Thank you. Today's invocation will be

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led by Chaplain Frank Lidkey of the Sheriff's Office. Please rise for the invocation and pledges of allegiance. Shall we pray? Father, we're so thankful that we continue to live in a country that still honors you. Lord, I pray that we would

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be one nation under God and and submit to the authorities that you have established. We pray this day for Judge O'Hare and the commissioners. We pray that you'd give wisdom to them as they lead us. We also pray, Lord, for the sheriff. We pray for the officers that

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are out on the street. We ask that you'd watch over them. And then those who are working in confinement. We thank you for these people who who put themselves between us and and evildoers. We pray for them. Father, we thank you for this

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day. We ask your guidance and give wisdom to the leaders this day. We ask these things in Jesus name. Amen. >> Amen. >> Thank you chapl. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance to our flag. I pledge algiance to the flag of the

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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 Texas flag. I pledge algiance

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to thee, Texas. One state under God, one and indivisible. >> Thank you. You may be seated. All right. Agenda announcements. Mr. Merritt. Good morning, court members. Just a couple of announcements this morning. We have several items which have been

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pulled from the consent agenda. Uh those items are as follows. Items C1 and C2 under the administrator section. Items Q4, Q5, Q10, Q11,

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Q12, Q16, all under the purchasing section and court members under the tax assessor collector section S4. Uh and finally under commissioner precinct 2, U1, U2, not to be confused

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with the band, U3 and U4. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. All right. Announcements from the commissioners. Do we have any? >> Yes. So, I am excited to announce that on

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Thursday, we will have a groundbreaking in precinct 2 uh for an affordable housing development that we've been working on for a couple of years. Uh the county had property on Second Avenue in

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Mansfield, Texas for decades and decades and decades that we had been mowing uh for that long. And um so this court approved uh a year and a half ago uh allowing that property property to be

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used for an affordable housing development for workforce development or workforce um uh uh housing uh for teachers, firefighters and uh so it's it will be

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30 units. it. There will be six I think six of the units that are um live work and so people with small businesses uh can uh purchase the homes these are

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mortgages and um have their business down below and their residents up above. So we're very proud of that. The name of the uh development is going to be the L.

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Clifford Davis on second development and uh that is in honor of Judge El Clifford Davis who integrated Mansville public schools. So uh you all are invited to that groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday

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at 9:00 a.m. And thanks so much to um uh Mr. James McClinton, the housing channel, uh Mr. McClinton from our community development uh department for all of the work that went into getting

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us to this this uh place. Um, also want to thank uh our budget director and deputy director Helen G and Matthew Jones for our budget town hall that we had at the Arlington sub courthouse

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in July. And so we had uh good attendance, good attendance um on Facebook Live and so people were able to ask their questions about the county budget. And so I appreciate Helen and Matthew for their attendance and taking

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the tough questions. Upcoming we have a precinct 2 town hall um sometime this month. I think we'll be able to announce it next meeting. It's an update on that Southeast connector project which um the traffic pattern

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change has driven me crazy um because I almost missed my exit to get to downtown still. And so, uh, South Point Connectors and Tech Stop will will be doing our town hall this, uh, August. And um also

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in the month of June and I like to take this opportunity um during announcements because I have no other opportunity to do this um is to

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acknowledge the individuals that were in our custody in our jail that lost their lives. And so in July, June, June, we had four deaths

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in three days. Four in custody, three in custody deaths in four days. And then seven days later, we had a fourth death. And so, um, it has been very, very interesting. Um,

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two of those deaths the court was notified about. to other deaths. We were not notified about the families reached out to me and um I tried to get as much information for them as possible.

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But it's it's a sad day when these lives are lost in our custody and these families cannot get a response from the government um that had their folks in custody. Um

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it's a sad day when they don't get responses from uh the sheriff's office. And so I try to support them and get them the information I can. Um

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as best I can and um so it's just you know it's it's just a sad it's it's a sad um occurrence. So, the the um people that lost their lives in June,

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four people, James Kent Johnson died on June 15th in custody. Carl Avery McCrae died on June 16th in our custody. Matt Greer died

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June 18th in our custody. And Victor Reynolds died on June 25th. So, four lives were lost in our custody in just 10 days. Four families grieving and they deserve clear answers about

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what happened to their loved ones. If those answers come from sheriff's office, JPS, um they deserve answers. Five months ago in March, this court received a briefing on

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the decline in jails. Today, that number has gone up. Five months later, more families grieving, more questions remain unanswered. We just cannot accept this as normal.

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So asking questions, us asking questions is part of our oversight responsibility and I hope that all of that all of us will take that more seriously. That's all I have. >> Anybody else have anything? Yeah, just a

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a reminder of our precinct one Alzheimer's education seminar is coming up on August the 22nd. It will be held at Taran County College Trinity River campus just down the street uh from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The theme of this

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year's event is supporting families and inspiring hope. As someone who's lost a loved one to Alzheimer's and dementia, this work is important to be able to let caregivers know that they are not alone.

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They are not walking this journey by themselves. There are people here who are ready to support, to fill in those gaps, and to provide comfort and aid where needed and necessary. I'd like to just close my comments by

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saying this. We can hold space in two places. It doesn't have to be either or. We can grieve, but we can also rejoice. We can we can grieve the reality that

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the loved ones that who've been in integral parts of our lives are disappearing right before our eyes. But we can also rejoice in the fact that God has allowed us to have the time that we had with him. And we need to remember

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the good stuff. So you can feel both things. You can feel loss and grief, but you can also feel gratitude. And I just want people to know that it's okay to not be okay.

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It really is. It's okay to hurt and to verbalize the hurt that you feel, but it's vitally important to remember what we had and what we still have. Right before my father passed,

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I remember it vividly. We were in a nursing home, a skilled nursing facility, and my father was a pastor, and he loved gospel music. And so one of the things that we did while we were there, he was he had gotten to

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the point in his disease where he could no longer speak. Um, and we were in the in the little foyer area and I had my phone and we were listening to gospel music, some of the fa his favorite songs.

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And I remember my father mustering up the words to say these words to me. I love you, son. Those are the last words

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I ever heard from my father. But I rejoice and I thank God that the last words I'll ever remember out of all of the things that my father shared with me was that he loved me and that he was proud of me.

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So although I was grieving, I still made space to be thankful and grateful for what God gave me. So, I just wanted to encourage you today if you want to learn how you can hold

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space in two places at the same time, get the support from people who are walking the same walk you're walking and get resources. I encourage you to register and sign up for our 11th annual Alzheimer's caregiver and education seminar. It will bless your life. Thank

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you. >> Thank you. Yeah, that was a beautiful tribute, Commissioner Miles, and it's nice to know one day you're going to hear that voice again when he welcomes you home uh to your eternal home. So, um but following up on that, uh Judge O'Hare and I, uh we're going to be hosting

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again Empowering Seniors, uh October 1st. And so, we would love for you to uh go to empowering seniors.com, check out how you can be a part of that. It would be a great follow-up. Go to Commissioner Miles, uh symposium, and then come on over to Empowering Seniors in October. Uh it's free. Everything about it is

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free. We're gonna have lots of vendors, lots of help, lots of resources. Uh I remember last year, uh a couple of the ladies told me this is the the best healthcare day they have all year. And so, um we're going to have a great time, but please be a part of it. Uh we'd love for you to use it as a resource. Tell people about it. If you want to sponsor

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it, uh we'd love to have you do that as well. But again, Will Rogers October 1st, empowering seniors. Would love to have you there. And again, from Taran County Precinct 4, we'll be offering free bus rides to get out to Empowering Seniors. Uh it's an incredible event and and everybody

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always has a great time. Uh judge, commissioners, I I just I like to say one thing when we start the meeting and hopefully we can close uh in honor uh of US Representative K Granger. Uh we lost her over the weekend uh at 83 years old. Uh, and I and I think about precinct 4

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in Tarant County and I think about northwestern Tarant County, North Texas and Texas in general. Um, everybody says that K Granger was a trailblazer and that's true. The first female mayor of Fort Worth, Texas. Uh, the first female Republican to represent Texas in

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Congress, the first female Republican chairwoman of appropriations. Uh, she broke ground everywhere she went, but she was a force of nature. uh and she left an incredible mark uh on North Texas and Texas and I would say the nation through her support of our

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defense industry and making sure that Fort Worth and Texas led the way in keeping America safe. Um and so we're praying for her family right now. Uh and we're praying for comfort and peace for all those who loved and cared about her. Uh but ultimately we lost an incredible partner for North Texas. We lost a great

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partner for precinct 4 and Tarant County lost a great partner. So hopefully we can close in in Congresswoman K. Granger's memory. >> Absolutely. >> All right. Thank you, Commissioner Ramirez. And last but not least, uh the employee picnic for 2026. Tickets are

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now live. Uh you have two options. Uh Ranger game on Friday, September 18th or Saturday, September 19th. Um last day for ticket sales, September 8th. And this year, unlike uh I guess last couple of years,

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the the Rangers are in the middle of a pennet race. They've had a little slide here. the last week, but uh this could be a uh some pivotal games here leading up to the end of the season. So, September 18th, September 19th, I hope everyone will come out. And with that,

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uh we now turn to public comment for proclamations, resolutions, and presentations. There are a number of people who have signed up. So, two things. One, your time is one minute.

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Uh two, there are some names on these lists that I am not going to read out the full name uh because I suspect they are not actual names, but I will try to uh say them in a way you can be

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identified if it actually is your name. So, uh just be listening if you get a last name only or a first name and an initial. Uh, and with that, uh, we have Donna Collins

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and then Carol Raburn. And we have a spillover. Correct. Okay. I'm going to go through a list of these and then I'm going to come back. So Vicky Goodwin, Daniel Sharer, Glenn Sharer,

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Hillary Rael, Danny Mittton, Sarah Chavez, Reckling, Reed Bills, So, uh, Vicky Goodwin, please come up. You're up. Uh, for our folks down here, I think you have gone past some names. I'm going to

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I was going to read them again since we have a spillover room. Can you get me back to the top? >> Why? their name to exit out of their name. >> Okay. Well, don't click their name until I tell you we're passing them.

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>> Yes. >> Good morning. You ready for me? >> Yes. >> Good morning, uh, judge and commissioners. I am Representative Vicki Goodwin. Voting is our most fundamental right. And I have learned that with an increase

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of 80,000 new registered voters in Tarant County, y'all are getting ready to take a vote on cutting down the number of polling locations for this next election. >> So, pause for one moment. I'm going to let you continue, but you've signed up

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under the wrong section. So, this is for resolutions only. This will be the last one that I let speak to this item or any agenda item in this section. So, if you signed up for that, you're not going to get to speak during the proclamation side, but please

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continue. >> I appreciate you letting me speak on this issue. I think this is such a fundamental issue of letting people have their voice heard at the ballot box, and going from over 300 polling locations on election day to 176

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is what I hear is proposed seems illogical. and our democracy is worth every penny that it costs. I hope that y'all will take more time to make sure that you are making the right decisions and keeping as many polling locations open for election day and early voting.

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To be comparable to 2022, the last midterm election because we know that with more registered voters, there will be more voters. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Who was the first how many names have been removed? >> Who's the first name? >> Is Donna Collins present? I'm going to

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defer to my All right. Carol Raburn, >> can I defer? >> Sure. >> Uh, Daniel Sharer, Glenn Sharer, Hillary Raer,

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Danny Mitten. >> Can I defer Danny Mittton? meaning you want to speak to an agenda item. That's what defer means. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Sarah Chavez reckling then read bills. >> I would also like to defer to an agenda

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item. >> Okay. And you are >> something. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Reed Bills then Sandra Culie. >> Mr. Krauss, shame on you for sullying

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the heroic acts of Corporal Graves in order to tout your political agenda. This brave soldier was not fighting the Nazis and socialism in World War II. He was defending the United States against

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the Japanese at Eoima. Your rhetoric is not only offensive, it is patently incorrect. I trust your fellow commissioners will recognize this political grandstanding and vote against your resolution and then prepare a

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proper accurate resolution to honor Corporal Graves. Sandra Culie, saya Ali, Betty Taylor, Kathy Aroka, >> Nelie Cardinis. Following Miss Cardinus is Joanne

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Gonzalez. >> Uh good morning. Uh first, uh thank you Corporal Don Graves for your service wherever you may be. Um I am not against the honoring of the corporal, but I am against the fifth through 8th where assasses that Commissioner Krauss used

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to describe his own political crap in this proclamation. This abuse of power is also godless ideology. using your words. Um, you actually cause more class warfare by doing things like cutting voting sites, exercising

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God-given rights. What are those? Because your actions of most of you on this board do not allow people to actually exercise those. Christ fought and was disgusted with the Pharisees because of how they use their power to

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abuse others. In your case, writing where asses like that and cutting polling sites is clearly being a Pharisee. Stop being Pharisees. >> It's Joanne Gonzalez present. Kate Brennan, Linda Ford,

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Ken Martin, Ben Wickler. Is there anybody here named Mao? We're now to the one I'm not reading the last name. Although I will give them credit for clever. Uh I'm quite sure there's no one

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here named Ligma. And if you read the last name, you'll know there's no one here by that name. Is there a John Luke present? John Luke. How about Michaela

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Moajerani? Did I call this person's name? Okay. Would you like to speak on one of these resolution items? >> What do you want to speak on? >> Um the budget. >> Okay, that'll be next. >> Okay.

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Is there a Mr. Ro, this one's possible. Uh, >> is there a Mr. File? >> You're like a radio DJ. >> Yeah. Uh, now I'm reading normal names and trying to figure out what it means. Uh, is

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Harold Parky. Okay. Following Mr. Parky almost got me on that one. >> Good morning. Morning. In 1942, my father was sent to the

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illusions to fight the Imperial Japanese forces. In 1943, he was sent to the European theater for the Italian campaign. In 1970, the ar the the army sent me to Vietnam. The common thread with both events was

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that we were told that our efforts and sacrifices were to preserve the American way of life. In my father's case, that was true. In my case, it was not. In my case, the government raised the false threats of communism and socialism to justify the continuence of an

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unjustified war. The Vietnam War was framed as a defense of cap the capitalist and democratic free world against total totalitarian expansion. We lost that war as we should have. I stand here as a veteran of the Vietnam War and

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a member of the Democratic Socialist of America. What you're doing through this resolution is promoting a lie. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. >> I'm skipping some names there. How about Addison McConnell Jr.?

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I guess there could be somebody named Ben Franklin. >> Are you raising your hand like, "Are you Ben Franklin?" >> No. >> Okay. Um, >> say it one more time. >> Okay. Come on up.

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>> Hello. >> Hello. >> Good morning. Morning. My name is Michaela Mahaji Orvani. I'm a resident of Tarant County. I'm a move Texas member and I'm here today to speak against the re reduction of polling locations in Tarant County earlier this year. >> Ma'am, you're you're in the wrong spot.

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>> Oh. >> So, we can move you to the regular comments. Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. All right. Leavonne Cochril, Amy Super. Uh, following Miss Super, we have a Helen

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High stand. He stand. >> Judge O'Hare. County Commissioners. As the wife of a US Marine Corps veteran and the granddaughter of a World War II veteran who was in the skies above Normandy on D-Day, I appreciate the worthy recognition of US Marine Corps

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veteran Corporal Don Graves. For those of you have commented here and on social media, taking issue with semantics, taking issue with historical context, please set aside your obvious political agenda based bias and allow this amazing

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patriot to be honored today. Thank you. >> Thank you. Is Helen here, Allison Ho, and Merl Glascock? All right. >> Okay. >> Thank you.

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>> All right. That's it for public comment on proclamations, resolutions, presentations, which now takes us to our first, which is employee recognition. And we have a number

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of employees here with us today and we have a list of those and as we normally do uh I'm going to read the names uh in groups of five-year employees. If you are here please stand so we can all at

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once so we can recognize you our five-year employees. Gwindelyn Baker Lissa Carol. Yeah, if that's you are you? No. Okay. Were you confused and thought you were Gwindelin or Okay. Uh, Lissa Carroll, Chenica Davis, Walter

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Davis, Denver Dobs, Anastasia Frame, Ethan Franklin, Patricia Garcia, Johnny Guerrero, Brian Johnson, Patricia Marshall,

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Stanley Mangi, Theopelis, Theopilus, uh, Nauma, Michelle Parr, Kim Perkins, Elizabeth Pike, Aaron Peor, Mariloo Kwispy, Laura Sanchez, Nora

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Velasquez, Jimmy Via, Chelsea Walton, Amber Wilhight, Jennifer Wilson, Tom Zapata, and Gabriel Zavala. For all of you, thank you for your five

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years. We appreciate you VERY for our tenure employees. Please uh rise if you are present today as I call your name. Christian Acasta Andradi, Xavier Alexander, Cassandra Avalos,

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Matthew Biles, Ashley Castillo, Thuan Dwang, Anthony Ferrara, Alexandria Flores,

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Richard Hatcher, Janelle Holt, Kurban Cukage, Anne Pena, Steven Spurlock, Jennifer Umzor.

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What a pretty spelling of your first name. Is that how did I pronounce your first name right? >> Yeah, that's really cool. Uh Christian Vigil, Ashley Williams. Okay, that's our 10 years. Thank you all

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very much for your dedicated service. Okay, now for our 15-year employees. Please stand as I call your name. Rachel Cardell, D. Estraa, Jason Franklin, Ivonne Galvan,

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Beverly Hancomp, Mark Lewis, Felisa Manning, Brenda Ramirez, Rodrigo Robas,

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Robels, Robas, Maria Cerna, Derek Smith, senior, and Julie Ta. Thank you for 15 years. We appreciate you. Now, for our 20-year employees, please

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stand as I call your name. Two decades of service to Tarant County. Kimberly Bramblelet, NDA Casiotti, Judith Estrada, Mark Evans,

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Jamie Frasier, Martha Guerrero, Susan Lebert, Frank Lopez, Paul Perez, Beth Pollus, Judge Beth Pollus, Kyle Russell,

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Kyle Ston, and Marcus WAC. Thank you all for 20 years. We appreciate you. All right. Now for our 25-year employees and we have one, two, three, four, five, six of those.

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First is Aaron Barnes. Is Aaron with us today? >> Hi Aaron, how are you? >> Uh lead systems administrator of cloud infrastructure operations. That sounds important. Yeah. Um >> grew up in rural Indiana Hooser and

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moved to Texas as a young adult. Uh married with two kids. He enjoys doing a lot of do-it-yourself projects around the house, going for short hikes in the DFW area, going to the gym, and spending time with family. He started out with the county doing desktop support and he

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visited many different departments and got familiar with many county operations. Then he went to server administration, then later to cloud infrastructure operations. uh most memorable moment first couple of years here he got to meet and talk with Tom Vandergriff who

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was county judge at the time very personable and always interested in what he was working on it's been amazing to see how the rapid advancement of technology over the years has led the county to be able to offer so many of its services remotely none of this would have been possible without the expertise of people across many departments making

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the effort to modernize the very specialized applications we use and what he likes the most it's been great to watch how much downtown Fort Worth and Tarant County as a whole has grown over the last couple of decades. The work at Tarant County is very unique, requires a lot of specialized skill sets uh for the

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services and many of the people he's gotten over the years have made this a really wonderful workplace. Uh how about a big round of applause for Aaron Barnes? We appreciate All right. Next, I have

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Make sure I have this right. Yeah, Rachel Calderon. I do not have a form for Rachel, but Rachel, uh, are you present with us today? Well, wherever you are, we appreciate your 25 years. Let's give her a round of applause.

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Next up, we have Justin Davis. Justin is an assistant records manager. How are you? Uh, born in Fort Worth, went to a high school, Granberry. In fact, no one knows about him. He hosted three vintage market shows at

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Lake Granberry Convention Center with his mom. Um, what he likes to do for fun, visit flea markets, attend occasional concerts, uh, spend time with family and friends. He's a foodie and loves traveling to try new restaurants, especially barbecue. Okay. Okay. Well, I got to put you on

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the spot. What's your favorite barbecue place? >> Fort. >> Sure. >> Okay. What What is it outside of this area? >> Truth barbecue used to play. >> Okay, cool. Um he him and his dad used

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to drive all over the state to try Texas Monthly top 50 barbecue locations, a tradition he now does with his mom and girlfriend. Very cool. other job titles he's had with county research clerk, evidence clerk, technical criminal administrator. Most memorable moment,

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the Shantae Mard trial with so much international media coverage. Also, the biker gang trial with so many DPS officers posted all over the justice center and outside just in case any rival gangs showed up to cause issues. What he likes the most, all the lifelong

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friends he has made here over the past 25 years and being able to build a career here without a college degree. He started at the lowest grade in our department and moved up to assistant manager. Justin, we appreciate you very much. Thank you for 25 years. Uh, next we have, and I don't believe we

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have a form for him, John Eers, NIT. Is John here? >> Okay. Well, John, we appreciate you. Let's give him a round of applause for 25 years. Next we have Teresa Leon. Hello. How are you?

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>> Good. Um, your title is Wick Gawk 4. >> General office. >> General office clerk. Four. Okay. And born in Witchah Falls, Texas. Went to Witchaw Falls High School. Were you

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there during the tornado? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Pretty scary, huh? So went to college at Mansfield Business School, has three children. She loves to dance and sing, and she has agreed to dance for us today. Uh her most memorable moment is becoming

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friends with many of her co-workers and what she likes the most, spending time with friends and family. Teresa, thank you for your 25 years. We appreciate you. All right. And last on our 25-y year list, we have uh who do we have? Sherrod Poe Jr. Uh is

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Sherrod here? Okay. Well, Sherrod, thank you for your 25 years. Let's give him a round of applause. Okay. Now, we have two 30-year employees to recognize. Is Julie, is it pronounced Kramer? >> Kramer. Kramer. Oh, it is pronounced Kmer. Okay, that's what it says. I

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should have said that. Uh, 30 years. You're a legal specialist. Born in Fort Worth, went to Pascal High School, went to Arlington Court Reporting College, and got a certificate as a certified parillegal. One son, three daughters.

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Glad it worked out for you. Um, in fact, no one knows about her. After 10 years in the mortgage loan industry, she was laid off. She spent one weekend in tears and then brushed herself off. Decided to go back to school full full-time for her dream job to become a parillegal. Well,

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good for you. What she likes to do for fun, travel, go to estate sales, and help her 82-year-old mom buy and sell on Marketplace. Is Is she here? >> That's your mom?

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>> She is 82 years old. Wow. >> Well, WOW. >> RUTH, can you get a list from her of what she eats and drinks? So, um, all right. That's pretty cool. Uh, most memorable

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moment. One office represents JPS, the county hospital. Do you mean our office? Is that what that means? Yeah. Um, and one area of responsibility in the office is the collection of hospital leans on liability accounts. In 2019, she was

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part of the legal team that collected $5 million, including the largest individual settlement ever of $1 million. Wow. And what she likes the most uh is the integrity and friendship of the two attorneys she works with on a

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daily basis, Courtney Taylor and Joey Fabella. This makes the job easy and the work just falls into place. Thank you for giving credit to them and thank you for three decades of service. We appreciate you very much. They came today to cate.

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>> Okay, good. What is your mom's name? >> Mary. And she started raised in the country. My husband built her house on our property in the country. She said she's return to her root. She's our cook. She can do all >> Well, even though we normally recognize

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employees for zero years of service, thank you, Mayor. All right. Uh, I don't believe we have a form, but another 30-year employee with the sheriff's office, Maria Rivas. Is Hi, how are you? three decades. Anything you'd like to

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share with us or you'd like to keep it low-key? >> You did. Why don't we have that? Teresa. Teresa. Where? Where is Teresa? Uh, well, since I don't have it in front of

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me, you are welcome to come up to the microphone and tell us anything you want about yourself. Um, yeah. years a lot of people on here come in close contact with um

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she actually has us in the middle of it transportation. One of my most memorable moments is when I got selected couch back California. >> That was an experience. We didn't do a normal transerson. >> Yeah. Well, thank you for three decades

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of keeping us safe. We appreciate you very much. And last but not least is Sheila Washington here. >> And before we get to Sheila Washington, Maria Rivas form has arrived. So,

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sergeant over middle warrants, born in Fort Worth, went to Trimbletech High School. Uh, two sons, one daughter, one son and daughter in law enforcement, one currently a captain in the Marine Corps. uh fact facts no one knows about her.

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She enjoys playing the piano and crocheting when time allows. Um what she likes to do for fun, spend time with her family, especially her four grandkids. She's worked at Green Bay Jail, the back door at the correction center, patrol, mental warrants, supervisor and transportation

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extradition unit, and currently supervisor mental warrants as we said. And what she likes the most is the friendship she has made over the years. Those friendships have grown into something much deeper. They're no longer just friends. They are family. And working with people she can trust,

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depend on, and share life and work experiences with has been the most rewarding part of her journey. One more round of applause for Maria. Thank you. Now, Sheila. All right. 35 years. Uh 35 years. um a

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legal assistant, born in Fort Worth, went to OD Wyatt High School. >> Go Sha. >> Uh is that where you went? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Uh we have we have yet to have one from RL Turner High School. Uh Mansfield Business School diploma and office specialist, a Tarant County College

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associate degree in business and University of North Texas parallegal certificate. Uh one daughter Michaela. fact no one knows about you is that you like country music. Who who are your

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favorite alltime country music artists >> and who? >> Jelly Roll no I said country music >> what she likes to do for fun. travel, watch movies and reality shows, and

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admire God's sunsets and sunrises. Other job titles she's had with county secretary in juvenile services department, legal secretary in the DA's office. Most memorable moment after moving into the new juvenile court building. She was the first one to lock

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herself out of the DA's office. and what she uh cherishes the most. I would say she has been blessed to have been married to her husband for 32 years who she met on a blind date 35 years ago. >> Um she enjoys working in the juvenile

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division of the DA's office with a wonderful group of co-workers and she loves to laugh. Sheila, thank you so much for 35 years. We are grateful. And I will now make a motion to receive and file the employee recognition. >> Second. >> May have a motion and a second.

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>> Any discussion? >> All right. Please cast your vote. All right. Passes unanimously. Uh as usual, we have a reception in your honor. This one is on the third floor. So, uh feel free, you're welcome to stay, of course, but if you are going to

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the reception, feel free to uh get up and leave now on the third floor. One more round of applause for our employees. >> I'm going to hand Okay. Oh, shoot. Where's the actual agenda?

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All right. Now we move to our next agenda item which is a memorial resolution. We now move to a memorial resolution in remembrance of Johnny Lewis. Commissioner Miles.

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Thank you. Judge, the Fort Worth community and the Taran County family has lost a great advocate and community leader and county employee. Mr. Johnny Lewis worked for Tarant County CSC

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for over I think it was like 25 years. He was a great probation officer, a great man, um a great friend and mentor. One of the unique things about Mr. Lewis is you never had to guess where you

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stood with him. He would tell you and he had no problem telling you. He was very direct, uh unashamed and tell it like it is. So I I would phrase

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it like this. It's like taking medicine. >> You take your medicine and then your parent would sue you on the back after you took the nasty medicine. Mr. Lewis would rip you upside the head real good and then afterwards he'd pull you to the side and say, "It's okay. We're going to be all right." Um he was a great

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champion of the community that he loved dearly, the historic Southside. He believed in the beauty and the greatness of the historic southside and he really wanted to see the resurgence

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and renaissance of the historic southside. One of his colleagues uh Reverend Cle Benson went to visit him at his bedside before he passed and the thing that he kept saying to Mr. Benson, "Have I done

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enough? Have I done enough? And I sit here today to tell Mr. Lewis and all of those who follow in his footsteps, Mr. Lewis, you did enough. And we're going to take it from here. So with that, I'll read this memorial

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resolution. Whereas the family and friends of Johnny Lewis were deeply saddened by his death on Sunday, July the 12th of 2026. And whereas the passing of Johnny Lewis took from our community a beloved son,

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trailblazer, exceptional civic leader, public servant, husband, and father who worked diligently to preserve the history of and improve the quality of life for residents in Taran County. And whereas Johnny Lewis, the cherished

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member of our community, was born on December 18th, 1947 in Atlanta, Georgia, and whose life was marked by kindness, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to helping others. And whereas Johnny Lewis served with distinction throughout

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a long and dedicated career as a probation supervisor with the Tarant County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, where he demonstrated steadfast commitment, professionalism, and compassion, and leaving behind a legacy of service that

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continues to resonate within the department and the community at large. And whereas Johnny Lewis, a strong pillar of his community, served on numerous boards, including the Keen Group, Meds for Africa, American

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Association of Retired Persons, the Sierra Club, and the National Association of Blacks and Criminal Justice. And whereas Johnny Lewis received numerous awards including United Way volunteer of the year award, soldier of

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the year award, and was the proud recipient of the city of Fort Worth District 8 award and neighborhood award for historic southside. And whereas Johnny Lewis devoted his time, energy, and talents to strengthening the bonds of fellowship,

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supporting neighbors in need, and uplifting the lives of countless individuals through his generous spirit. And whereas Johnny Lewis's legacy of service and friendship will continue to inspire those who had the privilege of knowing him as well as future

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generations who will benefit from the example he set. And whereas Johnny Lewis leaves cherished memories as he has survived by his loving daughter Aaron and a host of extended family, other loving relatives, and many friends.

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Now therefore, be it resolved that we, the Commissioner's Court of Tarant County, pay tribute to the life and legacy of a beloved and honorable man, recognize the contributions he has made to Fort Worth Southside in Tarant County, and extend our deepest sympathy

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to the members of his family and his many friends for their great loss. and witness whereof we have here unto set our hands and caused the seal of Taran County to be affixed this fourth day of August 2026 and this is for ratification only. I move approval.

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>> Second. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. Motion from Commissioner Miles, second from Commissioner Ramirez. Okay, the we go. All right, any discussion? All right, please cast your

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vote. Passes unanimously. Brings us to item three, which is a memorial resolution honoring the life and service of Councilman Anthony Bernard Cook. Commissioner Miles. >> Thank you, Judge.

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Anthony Bernard Cook was a bright light in the Forest Hill community and he was a proud alumnest of the Oscar Dean Wyatt High School of Mighty Sha. And there are

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members of the OD Wyatt Alumni Assoc Association in the court today. If you would stand. Their presence underscores the impact and influence that Anthony had on all of us.

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You could always find Anthony at homecoming at the tailgate and he was a self-proclaimed barbecue expert. I I recall people saying that Anthony would would ch folks who said that they

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could make really good barbecue and they had good barbecue sauce and Anthony would say, "You ain't cooking good barbecue if you got to use barbecue sauce. You need to be able to taste the meat." His his loss is yet tragic and we will

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miss him deeply in the Forest Hill community. So, I will read this memorial resolution into the record >> and >> Yes. Hey, >> we will miss him deeply at precinct 2 cuz he worked uh for precinct 2 road and

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bridge >> and his barbecue was great. >> Thank you, Commissioner Simmons. That is right. He was a part of the maintenance team in precinct 2. It was a county employee. Whereas the family and friends of Councilman Anthony Bernard Cook were

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deeply saddened by his death on Thursday, July 16th, 2026. And whereas the passing of Councilman Cook took from our community an exceptional public servant, husband, and loyal friend who touched the lives of

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many and who worked diligently to improve lives of citizens in the city of Forest Hill, Texas. And whereas Councilman Cook faithfully served the city of Forest Hill with distinction, devoting his time, energy, and talents

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to strengthening neighborhoods, supporting local initiatives, and ensuring that every resident had a voice in the future of the city. And whereas throughout his tenure, Councilman Cook was recognized for his t tire tireless

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advocacy, thoughtful decisionmaking, and unw unwavering dedication to improving public safety, expanding community programs, and fostering collaboration among civic organizations. And whereas

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his past Councilman Cook brought to his role a deep sense of compassion and responsibility, engaging directly with citizens, listening to their concerns, and championing policies that reflected fairness, equity, and opportunity for

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all. And whereas his passing leaves a profound void in the Forest Steel community, but his legacy of service, kindness, and commitment will continue to inspire future leaders and residents for generations to come. Whereas

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Councilman Anthony Bernard Cook leaves a legacy of love as he has survived by his beloved wife, Tara, and a host of other relatives and family and friends. Now therefore, be it resolved that we, the Commissioner's Court of Tarant County,

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pay tribute to the memory and legacy of a beloved and honorable man of Tarant County, who was truly the embodiment of kindness, and extend our deepest sympathy to the members of his family, his colleagues, and his many friends for their great loss. and witness whereof,

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we have here to set our hands and cause the seal of Taran County to be affixed this fourth day of August, 2026. This is also for ratification only, and I move its approval. >> Second. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion?

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All right, please cast your vote. All right, passes unanimously. Next brings us to item four, a resolution honoring Prairie View&M University on its 150th anniversary. Commissioner Simmons. >> Thank you, sir. It is with immense pride

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that I bring this resolution congratulating Purview University on its 150th anniversary. 150 years. That's a lot of resilience and determination to succeed.

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So the proclamation reads as follows. Resolution reads as follows. Whereas Prey View&M was established by the Texas Legislature on August 14th, 1876

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as the Alta Vista Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas for Colored Youth. And whereas it opened with eight students on March 11th, 1878, becoming the second oldest public

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institution of higher education in Texas. Whereas PV is one of the nation's largest historically black colleges and universities and was recently designated a Carnegie R2 institution reflecting its

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significant research grant awards and doctoral degrees conferred. And whereas PV boasts an enrollment of more than 10,000 students and 85,000 alumni and continues to advance its land grant

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mission through excellence in research, teaching, and service. And whereas its alumni and staff have profoundly impacted Taran County, including Isaiah Milligan, I am Terrell, who led Fort Worth's first public school for

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African-Americans. And he later served from 1915 to 1918 as Praview's fifth principal and Reby Kerry, the first black person elected to the Fort Worth School Board, who later served in the Texas House of

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Representatives. And whereas PV has expanded educational opportunity and prepared leaders across numerous professions. Now therefore be it resolved that we the commissioner's court of Taran County do hereby celebrate Preview A&M University on its

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150th anniversary and commend its president Dr. Tomia P. Lrand for continuing its motto pray produces productive people. In witness whereof, we have here to set our hands and cause the seal of Tarant County to be affixed

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this fourth day of August, 2026. I move approval. >> Second. >> All right. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All right. Please cast your vote. All right. Passes unanimously.

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>> I am excited to have with us preview. I see you in the purple&m alumni association Fort Worth chapter president is it Kalia Taylor? >> Yes. >> All right. Board members Jonathan

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Tamplin, Robert Evans, Michelle Muckroy, and also joining us today are former Fort Worth alumni chapter presidents Dr. Tania White, Mr. Alvin Scott, Mr. Ricky Howard, and member M. Andrea Johnson. Is

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that correct? So, if y'all will join me down front and it looks like I also have um Praview University agricultural extension agents here. They are. Are

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they here? They Jordan Peliaak region regional 4 specialist with the preview&M cooperative extension program. >> Sansancy Hall 4 agent with preview&M's

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cooperative extension program in Tarant County. Turn your light off. >> Chelsea Lily, community and economic development agent with preview&M's cooperative extension program in Tarant County. If you could all come down for a photo, that would be great. We'll get the uh photo first with the PV alumni

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association members, then past presidents, then we'll get a photo with our PV Agricultural Extension agents. And Miss Taylor, once we take this p picture, you can have a few words if you'd like. Let me see.

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You hand this to me. How are you? >> You're I'm happy to hand it to you. That's good. Happy birthday. >> There's my There's my P.

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Everybody's cheeks are good and sore. >> Thank you. Congratulations. Good morning. On behalf of Purview A&M University Fort Worth Alumni Chapter, thank you to Commissioner Simmons and the Tarant County Commissioner's Court for this meaningful resolution recognizing

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150 years of Prairie View&M University. This honor is about more than just a milestone. It is a celebration of resilience, excellence, and transformative power in education. For 150 years, Purview has opened doors of opportunity, empowering generations of

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African-Americans and citizens of all races and nationalities to lead, serve, innovate, and shape communities across Texas and beyond. Here in Fort Worth, our alumni chapter has proudly carried that mission forward for more than 55

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years, serving students, supporting scholarships, mentoring future leaders, and strengthening our community. We stand on the shoulders of trailblazers whose lives remind us that education is the catalyst for change. We honor distinguished alumni and community

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leaders such as I am Terrell, Reby Kerry, Jimmy Ross, our past presidents who sit with us here today, Dr. Tanya White, Ricky Howard, Alvin Scott, our chaplain, Michelle Muckaroy, our financial secretary, Jonathan Tamplin,

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and then of course we thank Albert for giving us opportunity and making opportunities for us to um have access to Commissioner Simmons and get this resolution done today. Their work has helped expand educational opportunities, strengthen civic engagement, and advance

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the fundamental right to vote. rights that generations before us fought tirelessly to secure. As we celebrate this 150 years of Prairie View and University and more than and many, many years of service for Fort Worth alumni chapter, we recommmit ourselves to

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ensuring that every generation has the opportunity to learn, lead, vote, and leave a legacy of excellence. Thank you again for this incredible recognition. We are proud to represent Prairie View A&M University where excellence lives

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here. It lives on and our legacy continues because we know Prairie View produces productive people. PV >> you know. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next, we have a resolution

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recognizing Corporal Don Graves for his defense of liberty and for his role in defeating socialism and related ideologies, Commissioner Krauss. >> Uh, thank you, Judge O'Hare. I'm incredibly excited and honored to be able to uh bring this resolution today honoring one of America's true heroes in

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Corporal Don Graves. Uh, and a couple of months back, you know, um, especially on the national scene, I started seeing a lot more candidates, a lot more uh, parties talking about socialism. And uh for a long time, at least in our country, it seemed like we understood

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the lessons that socialism and communism taught us, which were they were anti-freedom, they were anti-lberty, they brought death and destruction wherever they went. But there was this growing trend, it seemed like in America, that uh socialism was kind of back on the rise, that it was seen as maybe a good alternative to what was

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going on uh in our country. And I certainly understand the frustration and disappointment uh but socialism, communism are never the answer. And so it started alarming me when I started seeing candidates uh in some of our major parties start winning primaries,

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start uh touting that message on on a large stage and it actually being uh accepted by some. And so thought about doing a a resolution in Texas. I think that is a road we never want to go down in Tarant County. We always want to stand against those uh insidious

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ideologies that take away freedom, take away liberty. And so I thought we need to have a resolution that says Taran County does not believe in those values, does not stand with those values. Uh and uh the majority overwhelming majority of people in Taran County refuse uh to live

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by those um by by those values and principles. And so as we were doing that, you know, usually when we do a resolution, when we uh bring something in this court, there's usually somebody to accept that resolution, that that proclamation. And so we started talking about it with our office. who who would

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be good to uh represent that or or have that presented to and the person we kept coming back to was Don Graves because he has seen on literally the front lines of battle uh the insidious nature of socialism, authoritarianism, fascism and

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uh his work in Eoima and other places allowed us to have the freedoms and liberties that we have today. And so, uh, as we as we talked about him and and thought about him coming out, we thought, well, then it needs to be more than just a a statement against socialism, against communism, against

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those forms of government, it needs to be something in celebration of a, uh, truly truly American hero. And so, uh, I'm going to read this resolution that, uh, not only, uh, talks about the values and principles that we hold dear in Tarant County and and rejecting the, uh,

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terrible awful ideologies of communism, socialism, and others, but will honor the man, uh, who represents many, many other men and women who have fought so valiantly to make sure that we don't have to live under those uh, dictator-like systems. And so, uh, I'm

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ready to uh, read these resolutions. Uh whereas at the age of 19, US Marine Corps veteran Corporal Don Graves valiantly fought against the ideologies of socialism, authoritarianism, and fascism in the World War II battle of

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Euima, a 36-day fight that is known today as the bloodiest battle in Marine Corps history with 6,821 US service members killed and nearly 20,000 wounded. And whereas Corporal Graves enlisted in the Marine Corps at

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the age of 17, and upon landing on Eoima with the mission to secure the island, carried a 72 pound flamethrower into battle, and after the battle concluded, was one of 18 men left out of 335 surviving in his unit when he left the

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island. And whereas Corporal Graves witnessed the raising of the American flag on Mount Sarabachi, now forever memorialized in the iconic photo raising the flag on Euoima. And whereas Corporal Graves along with those which he served in the United States Armed Forces

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successfully fought and defeat and defeated these ideologies in the National Socialist German Workers Party, also known as the Nazi regime, Italian fascism and Japanese authoritarianism, paving the path for the United States to beat the communist evil empire of the

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Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, also known as the USSR in the late 20th century. And whereas historical implementations of socialism and related ideologies have consistently led to economic collapse, widespread shortages,

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authoritarian rule, and an explicit rejection of our creator, resulting in the imprisonment of at least 10 million people in goologs and in the deaths of over a 100 million people worldwide through famines and mass murders. And whereas our American ideals of individual liberty, as enshrined in the

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Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, and as fought and died for by countless service members throughout our shared American history, empowered citizens to innovate, create, and prosper through personal initiative, and furthermore, serve as a shield against

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socialist principles that advocate for government redistribution of wealth and the forcible transfer of property. And whereas modern-day socialist organizations in the United States, which have encouraged class warfare between Americans, have no other goal than to forcibly impose a socialistic

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regime upon this great nation, throwing up the US Constitution and destroying the hard-fought legacy Corporal Graves and his fellow service members have left to us. And whereas Corporal Graves role in fighting the godless ideology of socialism serves as a reminder to our

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shared commitment to constitutional principles, economic opportunity for all, and the timeless truth that free people exercising their god-given rights build stronger, more prosperous, and more just societies than any other authoritarian collectivist alternative.

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Now therefore, be it resolved that the Tarant County Commissioner's Court on our 250th anniversary as a nation do hereby recognize Corporal Don Graves for his central role in defending American liberty and defeating socialism. And be it further resolved that the Tarant County Commissioner's Court reject the

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evils of socialism in all its forms and opposes any implementation of socialism in the United States. In witness whereof, we have hereto set our hands and cause the seal of Tarant County to be affixed this fourth day of August, 2026. I move adoption. I'll second.

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We have a motion and a second. >> I have comments. >> Any discussion? >> Yes. So, f first, um, I want to honor Mr. graves for his valor and his

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service to our great country. Thank you, sir, for your courage and your patriotism. They stand on their own. So, my next statement statements are to Commissioner Krauss.

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Um, when I read the the I was stunned by the ideological inaccuracies used to promote division here and I think he started off he just

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admitted he wanted to make an ideological statement and then looked for someone to use to do that. So either this resolution

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recognizes Mr. Graves um or it doesn't why sully this monumental moment where this county can celebrate Mr. Graves courage sacrifice his service at

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Euima with this unmistakably political grandstanding. Why? >> Why? >> The next person that speaks out, excuse me, the next person speaks out will be removed. This is not your time to speak out and yell out on things you agree or

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disagree with. It will not be tolerated in this room. I would like to share some um replacement language. Um I'm going to vote, you know, vote to recognize Mr. Graves

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whether this is accepted or not. But my suggested language is whereas at the age of 19, US Marine Corps veteran Corporal Don Graves valiantly fought against the Japanese forces in the World War II battle of

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Euima. A 36-day fight that is known today as the bloodiest battle in Marine Corps history with 600 6,821 US service members killed and nearly 20,000 wounded. And whereas Corporal Corporal Graves enlisted in the Marine

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Corps at the age of 17 and upon upon landing on Euima with a mission to secure the island, carried a 72lb flamethrower into battle and after the battle concluded was one of 18 men left out of 335

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surviving in his unit when he left the island. That's phenomenal. Whereas Corporal Graves along with whom uh along with those with whom he served in the United States Armed Forces successfully

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fought and defeated the Japanese forces on Euima. And whereas Corporal Graves witnessed the raising of the American flag on Mount Sherbachi, now forever memorialized in the iconic

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photo raising the flag on Euima. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Taran County Commissioner's Court on our 250th anniversary as a nation do hereby recognize Corporal Don Graves for his central role in defending American liberty. I'd like to offer that uh

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language as opposed to what >> is that a motion to amend. >> I it's I move to amend >> Okay. >> the resolution the language. >> So hang hang on just a second. >> Go ahead. I'm just curious what part of

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the rest of the resolution do you find uh objectionable? >> The entire resolution is about liberty and calling out socialism. Do you find objectionable? >> I am not endorsing the historical

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inaccuracies, the conflation of distinct ideologies or the present- day political commentary that you have added to this resolution. It's partisan and divisive. >> It's not partisan. Have you heard? There's many Democrats that have come

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out lately and said, "Man, I am very nervous and concerned yourself in introducing the resolution. You talked about the partisanship." So, >> no, not the partisansship, the ideology. Let's let's go one at a time here. >> Let's just recognize Mr. Mr. Graves. My

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>> We have We have a motion. >> My son, too, is a he's a captain in the Marine Corps. >> Right. We have a motion to amend. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion on the amendment? Leave this as is. We'll take

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a hand vote. Any further discussion on the amendment? All right, seeing none. If you are in favor of the amendment, raise your hand. If you are opposed to the amendment, raise your hand. All right, so the amendment fails two to three. Takes us

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back to our original motion. There's a motion and a second. Any further discussion? >> All right, seeing >> and I would just say we do have Don Graves here uh to present uh the award. What one thing that makes it incredible, I think uh Corporal Graves has told me

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flamethrowers averaged about a lifespan of uh 8 minutes uh in battle uh because they always tried to take them out uh specifically because they knew how much damage they would do. So for him to survive that battle of Euima, especially with the position that he had and what

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the task he was given to do is certainly just incredible. So I'm honored that you would be here today after we vote for this. Uh want to invite you to come up and and uh accept the resolution. Okay, we have a motion, a second. Any further discussion? All right, seeing none, please cast your

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vote. Passes unanimously. 5-0. Uh Mr. Graves, can you make your way here and let's give you a ROUND OF APPLAUSE. THANK YOU. Get you right here in the middle. Welldeserved. >> I just I want to say there's a couple of

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decisions I made in my life. One was to receive the Lord Jesus Christ. The second one I moved to Texas. And then I would like to encourage you.

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We got to take care of we got to take care of our state. Thank you. Thank you. walk downtown with this. First time I ever saw him, he was running for judge. Oh, he had a Oh, his

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shirt was all wrinkled. And we had a big dinner there and he was working hard. And then all of a sudden someone said, "He's over there sitting there. He's eating right over there." Thank you.

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All right, that concludes our proclamations, resolutions, and presentation section. The time is 11:26. We will go into recess and reconvene uh at 11:35 sharp. We are now in recess.

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I can't get this right. straight. Good. All right, we are back from recess. The first item is agenda public comment. Uh,

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please respect the time when I ask you to move away from the microphone. Please do not continue to try to speak. Everybody gets one minute. And I'm going to start with the names of the people who were signed up in the other item.

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So, first is Donna Collins. And because I just handcribbled names, I may get your name wrong. But after Miss Collins, Carol is it looks like Raheem. Rayburn. Boy, that is not how I wrote

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that, but okay. Donna Collins, Carol Raburn, Danny Mitten. Donna Collins, I signed up for this time, too. Um, the purpose of government is to protect the rights of citizens. In doing so, I applaud you for uh this entity for maintaining no new revenue

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rates for the last three years, and I wish to encourage you to be fiscal fiscally responsible in doing so again this year. Um, I have questions about the community grants for precinct 2. It appears from my reading looks like 17,000 in GR 17,000 in grants across

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four organizations to be used in the next two months. Does this mean that there's a surplus of money in the road and bridge account for precinct 2? If so, this looks like a typical use it or lose it budget ploy that can result wasteful wasteful spending year after year. I'm not saying that the causes are

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bad, but where were their needs last October or in January? If this is the case of use it and lose its spending, I ask that that these requests be denied. Um, on elections, I don't think I'm going to get there. Thank you for your time. God bless.

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>> Thank you, Carol Raburn, I believe, is what we said. It's Carol Raburn here. uh Danny Mitten. Following Mr. Mitten, we have I wrote Sarah Chavez wrecking, but I feel like

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that was one letter off. Sorry, this is a little bit low here. Um I remember my very first time to vote was when I was in college. It was a big moment in my life. I went to the student union and proudly cast my vote where I became what I considered a very proud

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citizen of this country. I am sickened by the fact that we have made the laws more difficult so that we actually have to close these polls at our schools and disenfranchise our our children from being able to start to become the American citizens we want them to be. Um

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I implore you to not close these polling places. Um this does not look good. the optics are horrid and as as a person running for Congress, I'm trying to to change people's lives for the better, not making it harder for them to practice being an American citizen.

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Thank you. >> Thank you. Is Carol Rurn present? >> So Sarah Chavez, is it wrecking? >> No. >> Okay, my apologies. >> That's okay. >> Then Kathy Aroka

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All right. Thank you so much for the opportunity to speak. Um, I am a resident here in precinct 4 and I am speaking on the elections administration for the voting locations. Um, it's interesting to me that Fort Worth has just been named this spring the 10th

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largest city in the United States. And within this county, as we've been named the 10th largest city, somehow we are reducing the locations to vote. um that logistically does not make sense to me. And as someone who Fort Worth is my

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hometown, I love this city and this county and I want to see people be able to easily access voting and be able to use their freedom and right to vote. I would ask that you consider not only keeping our current polling places, but

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possibly even expanding it because I do think it is a very important access for all of our residents to have. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. Following Miss Aroka, we have Nancy Murphy. >> Arocha. Okay. Good morning, commissioners. Thank

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you for your physical discipline over the past three years. Keeping the budget below the new the no new uh revenue rate. The restraint has mattered to the taxpayers of this county and has not gone unnoticed. As you prepare to adopt this year's budget ceiling and

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preliminary tax rate, I'm asking you continue that same discipline. Families and businesses in this county are still stretched thin. Every dollar this court asked is a dollar from taken from a household budget. I'm also asking for full transparency on all county expenditures, including the community

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grants from Commissioner Simmons proposals that were tabled last meeting for lack of documentation. Taxpayers deserve to know exactly how their money is spent, who receives it, and why. Documentation isn't a burden, and it shouldn't be vague. It's basic

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accountability. Thank you. >> Thank you. Is Nancy Murphy here? Uh Michaela. >> Hello. Good morning. My name is Michaela Moadriani. I am a resident of Tarant County. I'm a Move Texas member and I'm

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here today to speak against the reduction of polling locations in Tarant County. Earlier this year during the primaries, we again had record numbers of voter turnout. I cannot tell you how exciting that is to see as a young voter. So imagine my frustration to hear that my county is considering cutting

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polling locations by nearly 50%. By decreasing the amount of polling locations, you will be disenfranchising eligible voters from being able to exercise their rights. The county commissioner's corps should want to meet that energy by keeping these polling locations open. Campus polling locations

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are essential to activating young voters for lifelong civic engagement as well as being accessible to the surrounding community. Students with heavy course loads, busy parents, elders in the community, people with disabilities, young voters, Democrats, Republicans, and people somewhere in the middle, all being disenfranchised under the guise of

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cutting costs. A good government doesn't cut the cost in the back of its people. The people of Tarant County want their voices to be heard to use their rights participoto. >> Good morning. I'm opposed to reducing polling locations because too many people in Taran County are already

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hurting. Kaiser Health News ranked Taran County number one among the nation's 20 largest counties for the concentration of medical debt after $800 million was pulled from JPS by this court. Childhood asthma were number one. Onethird of our

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residents carry significant medical debt. Almost $1,000 per person for the 2 million people who live here. One in five adults under age 60 have no health insurance in this county. Please don't add more pain by making people wait in line in possible inclement weather and

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no seating. As the voice of the field of dreams whispered, "Ease the pain. Ease the pain of the elderly standing in line like me. The exhausted working person rushing from work. Ease the pain of the exhausted election worker that I have done just ease the pain. Additionally,

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the program of your 4,000 a week salary with one monthly public meeting might be considered a form of socialism." >> Thank you. So I'm I won't repeat this again. So if people applaud the speakers, speak out, say things, you're

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going to be removed. That's the last warning. That Mr. Shimamoto Fore Shimamoto is Blaine Tulle. When I heard that this body was planning to reduce further the number of polling places they had already reduced last

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year, I was reminded of something my father said the before I cast my first ballot 50 years ago. Son, you must vote whenever you have the opportunity to. If you don't, you lose your right to complain. Now, that was a joke, but it

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contained a gram of truth. The ability to decide how and by whom we will be governed defines us as citizens. This latest attempt to silence the voices of Taran County voters reminds me

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of a line from my father's favorite television show of all time, the Army McCarthy hearings. Have you, sir, at long last no sense of decency? The question stands.

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>> Blaine Tulle. Following Mr. Tulle, we have Candace Swanson. >> Good morning, everyone. Tarant County has a population of over 2.2 million residents, 1.4 million registered voters, with Fort Worth having officially just become the 10th largest city in the country this May. With this

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year's primary having uh having the highest voter turnout in recent memory, why are we cutting polling locations in half? Money. because the sheriff forgot how to budget for overtime, so the county had to scramble to cover it? Was it the garbage staffing contract that didn't fix any of the problems? Are we out of money because of the wrongful death loot death wrongful death lawsuit

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from the county jails? Was it lawsuits over gerrymandering? Or is someone just scared of losing their job? Because this is blatant voter suppression. Don't jerk us around. You can find the money. Open up the polls. Let the people speak because it's time for a Jim Crow hair to go. Thank you. Have a happy day.

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>> Thank you. Following Miss Swanson, we have Steven Lawrence. >> Thank you. This country was built on the radical idea that power flows up from the people, not down from a dictator or a king. Voters in Tarant County understand that a handful of people who

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cannot win an honest argument are suppressing the vote in order to win. They know there are more of us than there are of them, and they fear us. Activists will be fighting to protect access. But Tarant voters, you need to use the superpower that the founders

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gave you. Make a plan to vote. Invite a neighbor to vote with you. Encourage your circle of friends to vote. If you can volunteer, volunteer to drive people to the vote to the polls. And when you encounter long lines at the polls, stay in line. Stay in line. Do not give up

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your power to these people. Together, we can do this. Following Mr. Lawrence, we have a Mary Callaway. >> Hi, my name my name is Stephen Lawrence. I live on Valentine Street near Railhead Barbecue. I'm a lawyer in Fort Worth and

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the past two times I tried to vote. We're in the special election at Tomo Community Center. One time the parking lot was full and I had to wait. Both times I had to wait in line. the people in my neighborhood uh not all of them have vehicles and they are all

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workingclass people who have to go to work more than once a month. So reducing number of bowling locations increasing the lines at a time when the county is growing and we have historic participation is hard to come up with an

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explanation for. Furthermore, I'm the founder of Clear Rule of Law, and both the lack of speaking time and the lack of voting opportunity will be on our fall scorecard. So, consider what you do wisely because our creator is watching

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and so is Darren County. >> Thank you. Then we have Katherine Godby. >> Hello, my name is Emory Callaway. the vice president of the Tarant County Young Democrats. Tim O'Hare and Tarant County are once again choosing to make voting harder at the expense and in the

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name of fiscal responsibility at the expense of voters access to the ballot with higher turnout expected. You are proposing just 176 polling locations for election day in November. In March of this year, a primary, mind you, we had 199. And now for a general election that will bring even higher turnout. You want

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to make that number to 176. Let's be real. You're asking voters to accept even fewer locations in the biggest election of the cycle. And you expect it to run efficiently and effectively? I think not. This is a slap in the face to voters. It's a slap in the face of students who cannot vote on their college campus. And you are taking that

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right away from us. But this isn't just about the number of polling locations. If you look at the burden, the poorest, 25% of Tarant County, have an increase of 52.5% in their average travel time to the earliest polling location on election day. The wealthiest have 3.8%. Do better. Do what is right. Restore the

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polling locations. We need more rights. >> Following Miss Godby, we have Kevin Burge. >> Katherine Godby speaking to the majority members here. People have fought and died for the right to vote. Over 600,000

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people dead to end the evil of slavery. 6,500 documented deaths from racial terror lynchings. The bloody Sunday march in Selma, the assassinations, the right to vote, access to the polls, is a recognition of equal humanity. Every

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vote cast honors the life and death struggle to have America finally say, "My God, yes, we see you. And yes, you are equal to your white neighbors. America is the right to vote. It is wrong to suppress that. You're on the

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wrong side of history. You're dishonoring what it means to be an American. And more than that, you're losing your humanity. >> Following Mr. Burge, we have Dartha Polite. Now, ironically, this site plan

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presented here today will make it more difficult to vote even for the people who elected you. In an election where every state office is on the ballot just after congressional redistricting and when voters choose their next US senator, we would have fewer voting

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places than we did in November of 2025, which is an offcycle low turnout election. Now, I wonder why that is. We don't know because the elections department hasn't published the methodology. I ask you to table this vote for at least one week. Do not vote for this plan and create a plan that is

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practical and sufficient. I'm a Marine Corps veteran. I fought for a democracy overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. I believe in freedom. I've handed the folded flag to grieving mothers when their sons also fought for democracy.

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From what I've seen today, I can't I can't tell if you still believe in democracy. The choice is yours. Make a wise one. >> Following Miss Polite, we have Carla Morgan. Good morning, Judge O'Hare and

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commissioners. My name is Dartha Polite and I'm here representing the Texas Civil Rights Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to protecting access to the ballot for all voters. I'm here to oppose the proposed cut to election

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day polling locations, which would effectively heavily burden voters during a midterm general election. As we wrote in our letter to this court last week, we are concerned over the lack of legal authority for this action. The only statute cited by this court clearly

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contemplates combination with the precent lines change after a redistricting. But this county last redistrict over a year ago. And even still, the statute only allows those changes to avoid unreasonable costs. But

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costs necessary to put on an election so people can vote are not unreasonable. Finally, there is no justification for this move which is unconscionable and not low turnout and not low cost. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.

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>> Miss Raburn. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. I'm Carol Raburn. I'm an Arlington resident for 45 years. I'm a retired UTA mechanical engineer. I worked the elections for many years and

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dropping the locations that we have to by 140 locations makes a severe impact on the locations who are left. I worked the election day for the primary at the subcourthouse. I was the judge. We started at 7 a.m. We didn't finish

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voting people until 9:30 that night. We had over 200 people in the overflow area when we locked the doors. We had about 250 students from UTA. 40 to 50 of them were not in the poll pad correctly and had to stay another two hours after they

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had already waited in the line to get their information updated on the poll pad. But they voted. We were not going to let them get out the door. We had a long line, an hour to two hours long all day. Don't do that to us again. Put one

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at UTA, please, on day of election. >> Thank you. Don't know if I read this name yet or not. Carla Morgan. Uh, Representative Goodwin is already gone. Katherine Cano

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and then Gwen Bude. Is Miss Cano here or Miss Barude here? All right. Next we have >> is it Gwen Bar? Uh, yes, you can go. >> Hi, I'm here representing Texans Defending Democracy, a nonpartisan

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nonprofit dedicated to ensure that every Texan has a voice free from voter suppression. Taran County is booming. Since the last midterm, we've grown from by over 1.2 million registered voters to now over 1.3 million registered voters.

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Yet as the population surges, you are proposing slashing access to the polls. If the majority of this court use the growth to the population growth to justify mid district redistricting, why is that same logic not applied to

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polling access? The math ain't mathing because if a growing electorate justify gerrymandering, it also justifies expanding and not restricting voter access. And we're told this is a cost-saving measure, but defending these cuts in courts will cost court cost

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taxpayers far more in legal fees. So, and for those voters who are feeling discouraged, as the saying goes, those >> Thank you. Please step away from the microphone. >> Thank you. So next we have Daniel Sharer,

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Francis Charlie, Daniel Sharer a second time unless that's a junior George Dodson EJ Carryon. Following Mr. Carry on. We have Buff Kaiser. >> All right. So, I want to let everyone

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know this is a win-win. All right. A win if they don't vote for this. So, we make our lives easier to vote. A win. We still have a historic November election. Commissioner Simmons, I don't think they get it. So many of us started showing up after the racial gerrymander. All this

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new talent, people running against you, Commissioner Ramirez. We have a great candidate with Nidia Cardinus who showed up because of the same fights you guys are trying to do today in August. And so what happened in June created the March signal. And what's happening in August

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will create a historic November. You guys are so desperate that Matt Krauss is picking in his bucket down to Truth Social Rumble and just saying socialism, AUTHORITARIANISM, Y'ALL COME AND help us, please. And Manny, you said you're

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all about cooling the temperature and yet you vote for this extremist All of your >> Remove him immediately from the room. >> I'm walking out this morning. >> Uh, you have disrupted this meeting. We are now in you are disrupting the meeting.

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We are now in recess. Amen. All right, let me make a couple of announcements. Number one, we are going to I am going to conduct this court and this proceeding and every

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other proceeding in an orderly, professional manner. This is the business meeting of the Tarant County Commissioner's Court. This is not a political rally. For those of you who follow the rules, which is an

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overwhelming majority of you, thank you. For those that do not, if we have another outburst of any kind like that, I am clearing the chamber of all nonmp employees. We will bring you

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in one at a time. You will get your opportunity to speak, but it's not going to be in front of an audience. I don't want to have to do that. I will not make this warning again. If there's an outburst from anyone in this audience, we will clear it and bring you in one at

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a time. So, think I've made that very clear. That's exactly what I will do if it happens. My hope is that it won't and everybody will get up and be respectful and follow the rules and follow the instructions of the court. With that, I believe we are to Buff

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Kaiser. Following Mr. Kaiser, we have Janet Matter. >> Thank you. I'm Buff Kaiser and we applaud the commissioners for moving on from Haidider Garcia as our election administrator and there have been some

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improvements. Thank you. But while Denton and Colling counties have long since adopted handmarked paper ballots that are optically scanned and fully auditable, Tarant continues using hard equipment that failed logic and

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accuracy test and was successfully hacked during a county test. And we still often ignore chain of custody records, tagging, and security. And our procedures for analyzing and

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riveting mail-in ballot issues fall wolffully short of those that Denton uses. Finally, we are refusing to provide Castro vote records by day and early voting location as Texas law requires.

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And um >> thank you sir. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Uh Miss Madden is next. Following Miss Matter is Lori Stellis. My name is Janet Matan. I'm the

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president of the League of Women Voters of Tarant County. The SOS guidance for combining of precincts and reducing poll location states, "Prioritize voter access. Your main consideration when combining precincts is to ensure every

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voter is adequately served. Balance costs. Combining is designed to avoid an unreasonable spend, but only if cutting costs provides a substantial benefit to your voters.

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When choosing between saving money and adding polling locations, always lean towards the option that best serves your community. Oppose any reduction of poll locations.

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Put your voters first. >> Thank you. Uh Lori, I'm sorry. How do I pronounce your last name? >> Stelis. >> Stelgis. Okay. Following Miss Stelgis, we have Bob Willoughby. The court is considering making another cut to polling locations from 304 to

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176. The primary had more voting locations than we might have for the midterms despite the fact that voters at our location had a 1 to2 hour wait to vote. Wait time is about to get much worse because there will be three to four times the number of voters who vote

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in the midterm than in the primary. How are election clerks supposed to manage voters frustrated by long lines? Clint claims some sites should be able to handle 130 voters per hour. During this past primary, we were lucky to handle a fraction of that because the ballot was

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long and our location only had three duos per party. The November ballot will be equally long and casting a vote a ballot just takes time. It is your responsibility to make sure we have enough locations and equipment to accommodate our voters. How are

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disenfranchised voters supposed to fill? You've made it harder to vote, not easier. Convince all of us that you will act responsibly by voting against these cuts. >> Thank you. Following Mr. Willoughby, we have Jake Murphy. >> Tim, thank you for going back two times

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a month with this. You're going to go three times a month. You're going to give us a minute. I'm going to need three meetings to get this out. Um, most people hear about the voting polls being shorted. That's that's important. Yes. There's something more important. The tally room. Uh in 2023 a video came out

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from a whistleblower. None of the questions were asked about how administrator Garcia resigned. Presiding judge of early voting ballot Catherine Curtino I can't say her name resigned at the same time and then she came out publicly and said made a public

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announcement that she is bipolar and a radical leftwing Democrat. Now this is the presiding judge. She's back in there again. Why is what I want to know. With over two million in Tarant County, we could not find one quality person to

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replace replace administrator Garcia. So, we had to bring Clint Woodwit from Wyoming here to do the job. I don't understand that he doesn't answer questions. He's squirrely. He's never answered me since the first time I can answer. Thank you, sir. One minute is not enough time, you know.

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>> Thank you, sir. Jake Murphy is next. Is Mr. Murphy present? >> Next, we have Ebony Turner. Following Miss Turner, we have Reed Bills. >> Ebony Turner, Democratic nominee for Texas House District 96. And obviously,

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I'm here in opposition to cutting any polling locations and in favor of increasing them. But I'm also here to set the record straight. Y'all stop lying on Tarant County and saying it's the last urban red county. What it is is a voter suppressed, racially gerrymandered, poll cutting, sending

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letters to alive folks telling them they're dead and can't vote county all because they can see what's coming. Because the latest poll numbers between Avid and Hinosa and Tal Rico and Paxton and the March primary was definitely a foreshadowing of November with record numbers of Democrats turning out every

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single day. Why? Because our motto is when we vote, we win. Your motto is can't we can't win unless we cheat. So since we're doing silly resolutions today now therefore be it resolved that that we the citizens of Tarant County will vote these cheaters out in October

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and November. Thank you. >> Following Miss Mr. Bills we have Lisa >> Yanni Yani Mr. Bills here. >> Okay. Oh is this which one is this?

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>> Which one are we on? This is Reed Bills. Okay. >> Yep. Yeah, >> I don't I didn't write it down. >> I am here to report a violation to the election integrity task force. The

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elections administrator is attempting to disenfranchise young and minority voters by limiting polling places in communities where this population lives and attends college. This action should be investigated. It's a blatant voter

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suppression and should be prosecuted. >> Next, we have Lisa Yani. And then Jolen Patenza. >> Hi there. I was born in Fort Worth and celebrated my 60th birthday here. I've also lived in Asel, Bedford, and Keller and am familiar with voting in those

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precincts. I've voted for Republicans, Democrats, and independents. Voting should be easy for everyone. Fair elections are fundamental to freedom and part of that fairness is access to polling places. To cut polling places from 316 to 176 on election day in

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November is a 45% cut in addition to proposed cuts in early voting locations. That's for 1.4 million registered voters. I don't have to tell you that that would reduce voter turnout. Y'all know that it would it would create longer lines and longer drives for many

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citizens, which is unfair. City and county governments exist to serve the people, not the feds or special interests or fascism. On behalf of my family and friends, I respectfully ask this court to reject these proposals and add more voting locations. Page 87 of

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the budget anticipate. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. So, all right, that one's already gone. So, Jolen Patenza. Next is Israel Gonzalez. Gabe Gonzalez.

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Do we still have a spillover room? Two rooms still. Nate Smith. But they can all see who is coming. So, okay. Cammy Johnson. Good morning. My name is Izzy Gonzalez.

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I'm a member of Move Texas and a former forth ISD educator. I'm here to simply call out what this budget cut really is, which is voter suppression, corruption, and uh just an act out of your own fear. 42% of citizens in Texas are 30 years

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old or younger. Uh you fear the youth of Texas turning this county blue. It seems to me that you are just clutching on to what little power you have. Unfortunately for you, the citizens of Tarant County, hold more power. Let's say you do have a real need to save money for this county. Going after a

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public service that empowers United States citizens is cruel. Attempting to take away one of the most patriotic acts a citizen can perform is wrong. the list. >> I guess. Okay.

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>> Okay. Why did we click on her name? >> Okay. So, since they're all going away so fast, Cammy Johnson was the last name up, but there were two different names very similar to his.

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You can't move this fast. I gota I got to be able to see them. >> Yes. And then who was the one just after that that I just said her name? >> My name is Gabe Gonzalez. I am a move Texas leader and a north side resident of Fort Worth. I believe cutting the

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budget and reducing polling locations is disenfranchising the people of this city the opportunity to vote. Taran County showed up in record numbers in the spring and this county should be proud of those numbers. Instead, it feels like you fear them with this proposed budget cut. The invitation to exercise our

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freedom to vote should be met with more polling locations, not less. The residents of the city deserve more, not less. Please put Texans fundamental right to vote ahead of budget savings. Invest in our democracy. Keep every polling location open.

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All right. Cammy Johnson. Is there a Cammy Johnson? All right. Next, Selena Vasquez. Following Miss Vasquez is Diala Musa. >> Good afternoon, county judge. Good afternoon, commissioners. My name is

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Selena Vasquez. I am proudly Diego's mom, a community volunteer, and a resident of Arlington. These are the boys that I spend time with all the time. The winners of James Martin High School talent show. And these are the

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boys that will be affected with the cuts if y'all cut the voting locations. I ask you respectfully, please do not reduce the voting locations because it's going to make it harder for my son Diego and his friends, the winners of the James

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Martin Idol contest to vote. Reducing voting locations is unpatriotic. Reducing voting locations is unamerican. I ask you all to please reconsider and not cut the opportunity and create more

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barriers for my son Diego Fernando Vasquez and his friends at James Martin High School. Thank you very much commissioners and judge. >> Thank you Dalam Musa Charles bills.

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Following Mr. bills is Ambika Chararma. >> One thing is you could be honest. You could just go ahead and say that you are closing these uh uh election uh polling locations because you don't want people to vote. It's not about saving money. If

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it was last year, you wasted a bunch of money trying to replace the uh ballots with ballots that had serial numbers that you didn't end up using. So any claims that you're fiscally

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responsible are false. >> Thank you. >> So Ambika Sharma Okay. >> Okay. >> Um, last week I attended the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor, which is equivalent to this commissioner's court. Here's what I witnessed. Number one,

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they meet every week. Two, agenda is available in four languages. You can speak uh you can dial in and speak via phone. You can also sign up to speak in person in real time. You don't have to sign up a day in advance. Uh, interpreters are available to translate public comments and real-time translation is available via headsets

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and an app called worldly AI. I was in a state of shock to witness a human- centered approach to public access. Now, let's compare to this court. You meet once a month. Public comments can only be in person, not via phone or virtual. Speaking time is based on the number of people who have signed up, not number of

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people who showed up. People are removed for clapping. You people are removed for speaking out. People are treated like a disruption instead of the reason this government exists. You keep telling us not to California, my Texas, while in reality you keep Russia, my Texas. You three boys from the GP.

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>> Hang on. That that's it. Uh we're going to clear the entire chambers now. Uh you'll get your 10 seconds left. I I told you how it was going to go. So we are in recess until the chambers are cleared. >> Okay. >> Take that one. Remove him from the

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building. Remove him. remove. All right. This So >> in these uh do you know in these rooms and people hear what I have to say

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>> or All right. So, we go live now. >> Are we able to go live here or back from recess? >> Yes. Okay. >> All right. All right. We are back from this recess.

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So, how we're going to handle this is we're going to invite people in one at a time. uh after a person has spoken, they can rem they can remain in the courtroom so long as we don't have any other

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disruptions. If we have more disruptions, we're going to do it again. There are more sheriff's deputies here in the building. There are more sheriff's deputies here in the room. And for people that disrupt the meetings, be warned.

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It is a crime from my understanding to disrupt a public meeting and I believe the sheriff's department is going to start making arrests for those who have outbursts and disrupt public meetings. My hope is that no one is arrested the

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rest of this day. My hope is that we do this in a peaceful, orderly uh civil fashion. But again, that will be up to the people that are coming into the room. So, Miss Chararma, I believe, probably has 10

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seconds left. Following Miss Chararma, we have Tara Maldonado Wilson. I think what I'm going to do is I'm going to call names and as anyone gets to that outside door, we'll bring them in. Okay. Do we need any sheriff's

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personnel to know that's the >> We've given them manual copies of the list. So, they're going to try to the staff's going to try to call names out there ahead of time and they've been briefed that you're allowing folks to stay in the room. >> Do not start any clock on any names. Uh I'm going to read these the following

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names. >> Can I get a question clarification? So, are people in the overflows or those are clear? >> They're all over the building. There's nobody was cleared from overflows. >> Okay. or they shouldn't have been. >> There's two overflow rooms. There's one in 504C. That's primary. Secondary is

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down on the second floor where the employee uh rest area is. We have screens and audio at both of those locations. We also have list up there so people can see who's in there. We also have staff there with manualist calling names ahead of time to try to make the things move. >> Okay. >> So, but to my knowledge, no one's been cleared from the building.

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>> Okay. >> All right. We have Ambika Chararma, Tara Maldonado Wilson, Aaron Blackwell, Jaden Martinez, Bob Harper, Tiffany Burks. Any of those you can

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bring forward. Huh? >> My name is Bob Harper. I was one of the names. >> Hang on. Hang on. Yep. Just a second here. So, just You don't have to clear names. I can scroll up and down and see names.

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Just do a timer off of their name. Don't do it on their names. Can we do that? >> Okay. Okay. Am I clear to speak? >> No. Give us just a second here. Okay. >> Thank you, Judge O'Hare and uh honorable

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commissioners, my name is Bob Harper and I am the election day judge at the Brookside Center in Hurst. and my comments have solely are solely about that center. I don't have information

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about any of these other places. But what I wanted to respectfully ask you to do is to return Brookside Center not only on election day but also to the early list. Many many people in Hurst

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vote at Brookside. And what will happen is they if there's no early voting there, they'll wait until election day. Instead of having 13 days to vote them, we'll have one. So, uh it may be a little selfish on my part, but my my

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crew will handle whatever happens, but we would certainly appreciate if you would consider opening uh Brookside again for early voting. Thank you. >> Thank you. And you can remain in the room if you choose to do so. Who is this person? Junior design.

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>> I called this name out. >> You did? >> Or they somebody outside did >> Well, I didn't call his name. >> Not yet. >> Okay. Okay. >> Okay. So, do we have Tara Maldonado

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Wilson, Aaron Blackwell, Jaden Martinez, Bob Harper, Tiffany Burks? >> Yep. Jack McGee, do you have a way to remove Bob Harper or No.

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>> Okay. Jack McGee, Fran Rhodess, Bishop Kirkland, Harriet Harold. Do we have any of those? >> Have you not already spoken? >> Oh, you're the one that had 10 seconds left. Okay, come on up.

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>> You don't need to start any clock. I'll deal with it. >> Okay, let me know when. Go ahead. >> Okay. Um, so I'll finish. Uh, you keep telling us to not California my Texas while in reality you keep Russia my Texas. You three elected officials from

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the GOP shut down descent as Putin does and you just did. The ability to speak to power is >> all right. Who has who has entered the room that I have called your name? >> Tiffany Burks. >> Okay. Tiffany Burks. Go ahead and step up.

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Good afternoon, Tiffany Burks. The worst type of election fraud is one that does violence to our constitution. I am in my 29th year as a criminal attorney and in 1997 I took an oath to uphold the constitution and protect the

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rights of its citizens. Three of you that sit on this dis have also taken the oath. careers as attorneys and and those who wore the badge. You have built your careers and your public identities on a single promise that you will follow the

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law that you will protect it and that the rule of law is sacred. So I want to ask all of you directly where is that principle today. Selective devotion to the law is not integrity. It is corruption dressed up as a principle.

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Please do not sit before your community as guardians of the law and then use the machinery of government to make things harder. Manny, I know you work with you. >> Thank you. All right. So, please remove Miss Burks. Miss Burks, you can stay in

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the room if you choose to do so. Uh, >> okay. Tara Maldonado Wilson, >> what's your question? >> Is the YouTube feed back? I'm getting texts that the YouTube feed is not up. >> My staff says it is, but I'm checking it

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myself right now. >> You may proceed. >> Hello, commissioners. Tara Maldonado Wilson, Precinct One residents. Um, I'm here because we got to talk about the facts. The facts of the matter is is that this this body cut our tax rate down to the bone. And when we hear you

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talk about the fiscal ability to hold elections fairly, it is because you did that to yourselves. You did that to our right and our ability to vote. So I speak to all voters who hear my voice today in this court and far and beyond that. We have a duty to show up in November to vote to vote at the top of

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the ticket for state representatives who have fought for our right to vote at the state level to fight for commissioner and vote for Commissioner Simmons who has been fighting for us in this court. Invite for all the other count candidates down ballot because you will have more than 50 choices on your 50 races or more on your ballot to vote in

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November. So, while you wait in line for your right to vote, also while you're in the poll booth, make sure that you start at the top and you go all the way down to the bottom and you pick those people that have been fighting for your right to vote and have been standing up so that you can use your voice effectively. Thank you. >> Thank you.

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>> Is Mr. Blackwell here? Jaden Martinez. >> Yeah, I will call them as I call them. Please take a seat. I know. Please take a seat. Uh, Jack McGee, Fran Rhodess,

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Bishop Kirkland, Harriet Harrell, Joe Walker, >> Colin Kilpatrick, please state your name, sir. Name is Aaron Blackwell. Okay. >> Hello. I'm here to talk about the

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proposed reduction in voting locations. I believe that it should be the default opinion to create as many opportunities for these constituents to vote, your constituents. If diminishing our ability to vote for the sake of ease or monetary gain were as simple a solution as you have made it out to be, then the advice

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that I would offer to you is not to stifle the many voices of Tarant County purely because it is simple and easy. >> As Christians, how can we love thy neighbor when we're silencing them in the same breath? How can a public vote in good conscience for people who are

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taking their rights away and the rights of all they love? To Tim O'Hare, I know that Tim O'Hare claims that most voters are unaware of what is even on the ballot. But it is not your place to dictate the rights of the people based on your assumptions of their knowledge.

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And to Commissioner Krauss, if you say that you are against authoritarianism, then you should be against limiting voter rights. Thank you. >> Got it. Okay. All right. So, I don't remember calling it, but I'll take everybody else's word for it. Nate

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Smith. >> All right. My presumed reason our election administrator is for site closures is a need to save money. Setting aside that budget has nothing to do with his role, Republican commissioners have also cited saving money as a reason for past voting site cuts. I don't buy that narrative. This

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is an obvious attempt at voter suppression to win as republic an election as Republicans are headed into the toilet. But let me suspend disbelief and engage in the fantasy that this is budget driven. Here are the facts. Republican commissioners voted through the county's irresponsible tax cuts of

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the last several years. Republican commissioners provided the state's most incompetent and often sued district clerk a salary bonus. Republican commissioners have refused to insist on any reforms in a jail that often ends up in expensive inmate deaths. If there is a budget crisis driving these closures,

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it's of Republicans own making. They should not tax the time of working people, forcing them to drive further and wait longer to vote due to their own fiscal incompetence. Uh, is Jaden Martinez in the room? Mr. Martinez,

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>> and you are welcome to stay in the room after you speak if you choose to do so. >> All right. Our rights mean something. Do you want to set the example of taking away voting rights for your political opponents to copy? How are you going to j gerrymander away people's voices and on top of that take away locations for

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people's voices to be heard? Would you ever want to be on the receiving end of the actions you do onto others? Do your actions say what do your actions say about what the state stands for? What all of us stand for? Do we stand for fairness and opportunity or do we stand for placing hurdles and barriers in front of our neighbors fundamental

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rights? You say the main reasoning for limiting voter locations is lower v voter turnout. But voter turnout has increased. We need more voter locations if anything. How is a democracy supposed to function when the most fundamental right, our right to vote is being diminished, suppressed with all the

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barriers being put in front of it. There is only one group of people who make this world always a worse place. And that is people who value power over the humanity of our neighbors. My time. >> So is Mr. McGee here.

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Miss Rhodess, Mr. Kirkland, Miss Harold, Mr. Walker, there's Bishop Kirkland, Mr. Walker, then Colin Kilpatrick, then

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Bass Migo, Donna Collins has already gone. You can take that name off the list. And then Junior is here three or four down. Okay. All right. You may proceed and you can stay in the meeting if you choose to do so.

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>> Thank you, Joe. The print of the Constitution. You promised me life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. You lied. The Constitution promised me a bill of rights, in particular, my first amendment right. Then you threw me out the court. You lied. Uh you deem me, the

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Constitution deemed me three-fifths of a man. You lied. No matter how hard you try, I'm a whole man. 1965, you promised me an equitable bill of rights. You lied to Ellis Islands, you promised me, give me your tired, your weary, your huddle

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masses, yearning to be free. You lied. I made a promise to my country. I promise to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Gentlemen, that includes you. I've heard a million times in this

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chamber for people to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. But what happens when they don't have straps or boots from which to pull up? You are denying these people right to vote. You takes my you take my tax dollars. Hear my voice. >> Thank you, sir.

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>> Thank you. It's >> Mr. McGee present. >> No, Miss Rhodess. I did not see her in any of these rooms today. I know who she is. I would say take her off the list. Take Donna Collins off the list. She's

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already gone. Do we have anybody else whose name I have called in the room? All right, we will now go to, forgive me if I don't pronounce it correctly, Junior Een Ezanu. >> Uh,

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Mr. Izanu, you can go after this speaker here. >> Harriet Herrell. Clearly, you can see that this proposal before you is being perceived by citizens as morally reprehensible. Here are just a few of the questions

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that we have. Why reduce election day vote centers from 316 to 16 176 while the population continues to grow? Who made these decisions? What criteria were used? Why wasn't there citizen input?

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What's the impact on voters? Which sites were eliminated? And why was there any equity analysis conducted? How do you justify vast swaths of the county with no voting place? Judge O'Hare, Commissioners Manny Ramirez and Matt

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Krauss, with no rationale, you leave us no choice but to assume that you are afraid of Tarant County voters. Please prove us wrong and reject this proposal.

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>> All right. I would say at this point, remove obviously Dr. Harold. I would remove Jack McGee. I'm getting a list printed for me where I can go back and look at the names. Uh, Mr. Izzanu, please proceed. Here we go.

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>> Good afternoon, commissioners and judge. Thank you for your service. Thank you for the time to speak today about the proposed reduction of voting sites in Taran County. My name is Junior Ezanu. I recently won my election, my primary election to serve as the next state representative for district 101.

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UTA is in my district. UTA was the first location I ever voted at when I was a 19-year-old college student going to UT Arlington. To see that UTA was pulled off the early voting sites for the first time in a decade. To see that nearly half of our election day sites have been

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eliminated is shameful. It's an act of voter suppression, plain and simple. So, I'm here today to urge each and every one of you, all five of you today, to vote against this reduction in election day sites and early voting sites. I want you all to know that those who decide

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today to use your privilege, your vote to strip Taran County residents of their rights will be remembered in November. Pole taxes, literacy tests, and acts of violence didn't stop us back in the 50s and 60s. This won't either.

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>> Thank you. >> All right. I have Joe Walker, Colin Kilpatrick, Bass Migo, William Winston, Darren Hector, Nathan Johnson. >> Okay.

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All right. So, I'm here today to talk about the fact that uh we are proposing to ch to close a bunch of polling locations. Now, the amount of registered voters in Tarant County has increased 30% since the last midterms four years ago. And to be closing polling locations is just a very blatant act of voter

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suppression. And especially doing so after racist gerrymanding and redistricting happened. You know, when I joined the United States Navy, I swore an oath to defend the Constitution, the United States of America, from enemies foreign and domestic. And when people try to take away our right to vote in America, they start looking like enemies

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domestic. talking to you comrades. >> Thank you. >> Did he just say what I thought he said? >> Did he say what I thought he said? >> No. Okay, maybe not. I couldn't couldn't quite hear it. Um, all right. We have

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now I'm going to say at this point removed Joe Walker from the list. I thought I'd said that. Uh, Bass Migo, William Winston, Darren Hector, Nathan Johnson, Billy Wilson. Yes, sir.

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>> Come on up. Republican members of this body want to cut polling locations again. And if your reasoning is consistent with the one-sided last year, it's due to cost and lower turnout outside of presidential elections. But in March, both parties had the largest primary turnout in the last few elections with Democrats doubling their ballots cast

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here and in three other counties. For the first time since 2020, Democrats suppressed Republicans. Last year, to justify more cuts for the 17 constitutional amendments, Mr. O'Hare said the public 99% of the public couldn't name a single one. So, what does that say when you want to cut more polling locations and te as Texas has

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one of the most recognized gubernatorial and senate races in the country? You can say it's about costs, but in June, as reported, there was 4.8 8 million in discretionary funds. Then in 2024, you tried and failed to close eight centers on college campuses, and we know where they lean. This county is the third largest in the state with growth largely

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driven by black, Hispanic, and Asian residents whose population doubled over 20 years. One can't help but notice where these cuts are concentrated. And the cost I care about more than the most is discourage American who doesn't understand why their government would make it harder for them to vote. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thanks. >> All right. I'm going to say at this point, take unless he's in the room,

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base MIGO off. That's not you, is it? Oh, come on up. >> And and then we're going to take him off. Yeah. So, >> Camp Pendleton, >> Big E, you know what I'm talking about, Mr. Graves.

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>> Please set the microphone down, sir. >> Sir, >> please set the microphone down. >> A month ago, of reasonable accommodation, I submitted this to this court. It was approved. I set precedent at last meeting and use the speaking technique.

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Now you're trying to challenge me on this a month later of my speaking technique that was already approved. >> I'm not sure what you're referring to. You can excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me. I spoke with >> I don't want to speak over you. >> I mean to interrupt you when you could have done a private side a private meeting to address this.

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>> Please remove him from the room. >> This is ridiculous. >> I don't want to speak over you. >> Mr. Great. I was here to honor you and disres they're disrespecting you through the social antisocial agenda they're pushing.

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>> All right. William Winston, Nathan Johnson, Billy Wilson, Lydia Bean. Did Nidia Cardinis not already go? >> No. Okay. >> I know each speaker at a public meeting. So I And those people I represent today

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want to go on record as opposing any reduction of the polling places in Tarant County for the midterm elections. You will have heard all the secular reasons for retaining the current polling places. So as a Christian priest, I will focus on your oath of

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office that you swore so help you God. You swore to uphold the letter and spirit of the national and state constitutions. You did not swear to defend or protect partisan politics. And as you know very well the political and secular reasons why some of you are bent

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on reducing the polling places in Tarant County. What you seem to forget is that you violate the oath of office when you intentionally de deny or impede registered voters of Tarant County quick and easy access to the polls. God will

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not be walked. So be blessed or cursed not because of the actions you take today but because of the action. >> Thank you sir. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> Is that was Mr. Winston. So now Mr. Johnson, Mr. Wilson, Miss Bean, Miss

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Cardinis, Mr. Hudson. >> Uh thank you. My name is Nathan Johnson. I'm a state senator from Dallas County. I'm the Democratic nominee in the Texas Attorney General's race. I'm here with great concern about the decision of this court to reduce the number of polling locations. I don't have answers today. I do have questions. One question is after

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40 years of Republican control of this court with an emphasis on efficiency and cutting waste. Have you concluded that your predecessors had twice as many polling locations as were necessary? Is this really about efficiency? How much money are you going to save? Because the whole function of this court is not to

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save as much money as possible. It's to make sure that you carry out the functions of government and the legitimacy of your seats depends on people voting. There's a concept of corruption, a historical concept that it's the deformationation of political institutions to elevate private interests or power over the public

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interest that may be happening here. I got to question why. Is it because of the political drift that's happening in Tar County right now? I do hope you all pulled this off. I hope it's a great election, but if not, we're going to have some really important questions. And I really wonder about a court that confuses.

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>> Thank you, sir. Thank Mr. Wilson. Did I just see him? Mr. Wilson. And if you are welcome to stay in the room after you speak, if you choose to do so. >> Billy Wilson, precinct 2. Happy Black August. Power to the people. I had

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cognitive dissonance. I actually was agreeing with Tim O'Hare. But then my mind got straight. He said, "This election is the most important election in Taran County. This most important county. I fully agree with you." My mind was straightened though when I remember why your goal is to turn count turn

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county red and support the MAGA uh Republicans and Donald Trump. It is important to us because we want a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. George Washington warned us against people like you who would use your political parties to consolidate power in a few and against

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the majority. As the president said, if we get this right, you won't even have to worry about voting anymore. So here we stand in resistance saying this is the most important election because the threat of democracy has never been greater. So we say wake up HB, wake up Ben Brookke, wake up Al. Your Republican

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politicians are selling you out of white national interest. They are actively engaged in voter suppression, not just in precincts one and two, but throughout county. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh, we have Lydia Bean, Nidia Cardinis,

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David Hudson, Jane Collins, Melissa Solarzano. >> Good afternoon. My name is Lydia Bean and I'm running for the honor of serving as the next county clerk of Tarant County and I'm here to speak out against this push to close almost half of our

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voting locations for the November 2026 elections. This is a naked attempt to make it harder to vote. We know that this list of polls did not come from consulting with the community because the list specifically targets workingclass black and Latino

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neighborhoods. And you know, we've been here time and time again reminding you why it's important for working people to have an accessible place to vote. Folks who can't take off time to work, who have small kids, who may not have a car. Our communities have told you. And

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that's why we have to ask if perhaps the county judge is putting political pressure on our elections administrator behind the scenes just like he did with our last elections administrator. We need local officials to stand up for our access to the ballot. Thank you.

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>> Thank you Nidia Cardinis, David Hudson, Jane Collins, Melissa Solarzano, and Danette Allen. And again, you may stay in the room if you choose to do so after you speak. Should I go like this? Because it feels like that's what one has to do to stay

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in this room. Um, my name is Nidia Cardinas and now >> you just have to not scream out, yell, and jump up. That's all you have to do. >> You're using my time. So, um, I've been coming to commissioner's court since you racially jerrymandered uh, our precincts. And Commissioner Ramirez, maybe you would like to know why I decided to run against you. And voter

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suppression is just one of the many reasons. Uh today we have yet another example of our incompetent leadership when what Taran County deserves is excellence. Excellent leadership would know that to be a good steward of our collective future, the question we should be answering is how to be elected

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leaders who inspire people to participate in our democracy. Not oh, voter suppression is a way to save money. Let's do it. No matter what hurdles you put in place, we will organize. We will vote. And we will elect excellent leadership that listens and works for the people. And if this room was full of people, they would all

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be standing up right now when I say, "Who's ready for a new commissioner's court?" >> Okay. David Hudson, Jane Collins, Melissa Solarano, Danette Allen. >> I was an election judge a number of

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times in my precinct before the days of vote centers. I was always skeptical of these vote centers. Uh I was here in 2020 when a different commissioner's court, completely different members went to vote centers in Tarant County

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for the first time and it was said over and over again that they're only increasing flexibility and convenience. There's going to be no reduction in access or proximity to the voters. I saw enough confusion when there was a

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simple rule that you voted in your precinct. Most people knew where to go, but some people didn't. And when those people didn't, we would at least give them a clear answer. This is where you're to vote. This is the first time that Tarant

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County is making a reduction 45%. I don't see that being justified in the numbers. Thank you. >> Thank you, sir, Miss Collins. Then Melissa Solarzano, Danette Allen, Anthony Tomu, Noini,

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Patrice Jones. >> Okay. Uh I I want to be speaking against uh reducing the voting places because I think it's really important for people to have at least this one chance to

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influence what's happening. And I I saw Judge O'Hare on a TV interview and you were saying, "Well, the reason that we uh went supported redistricting is because we're a cons we have

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conservative values here in Tarant County." Well, I know I don't and I can't speak for everybody, but I don't I'm I'm for public education, affordable housing, mental health care, living

501
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wages, and public transportation. I'm willing to pay taxes for those kind of things. What I am against is privatizing everything so that only certain people can afford. >> Thank you.

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Is Melissa Solarzano here? All right. I've called that one several times. Danette Allen, Anthony Tamu, Noini, Patrice Jones, Dr. Dr. Michael Bell, Katherine Olirri, Lon Bnham, Daniel

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Olyri, Sabrina Ball. >> You are >> Danette Allen. >> Okay. Got it. County uh County Judge O'Hare, Commissioner Krauss, and members of this court. My name is Danette Allen, resident of precinct 3, and I'm here to oppose the proposed cuts to our polling

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locations. While you say this is about cutting costs, with every polling place eliminated, costs are added to your constituents in gas, time, and long wait lines, falling hardest on working people, seniors, students, and caregivers. The same people who can't be here today. Every barrier you add does

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not just inconvenience people, it creates non- voters and that harms our democracy ra despite party. This follows the court's decisions to end the free bus program that got low-income residents to the polls. >> Jojo Hair, you said it isn't government's responsibility to get

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people to the polls. I disagree respectfully but firmly. It is the fundamental sacred duty of county government to protect, facilitate, and defend every eligible citizen's right to vote. That duty doesn't end at the ballot's existence. It means making sure people can actually reach it.

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Commissioner Krauss, your constituents are watching. >> All right. Is Anthony Tom Yunoini here? Patrice Jones? Dr. Michael Bell. >> Please state your name. Cutting polling locations and growing communities is

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voter suppression gift wrapped in white supremacy and desperation. Fear has a funny way of revealing itself. And right now it's written all over your actions and your faces. As you continue making it harder for working families, seniors students, and

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03:18:48.960 --> 03:19:03.920
black and brown voters to exercise our most fundamental right in democracy. May this await our communities to see that if our votes did not matter, y'all wouldn't be working overtime make to make voting feel like an obstacle course. Huey P. Newton said, "The young

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always inherit the revolution. Our young people are watching, organizing, and taking notes. So trust and believe the receipts will be saved." Here is a community call to action. Register every student, organize every block and neighborhood. Turn out every family and

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let's unseat every elected official who supported limiting our access to the ballot box. We have the opportunity to make history here in Taran County by electing our first black female county judge. >> Thank you. Uh Anthony Tomini,

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>> uh Dr. Michael Bell, Katherine Olirri. Hi, my name is Katherine Olri. I'm a retired physics teacher from Fort Worth ISD and a Tarant County voter. I was a poll worker during the 2026 primary where there was only two Democratic voting machines whereas versus there

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were 10 Republican. We were fortunate to get 10 three additional voting machines, but there were two-hour waits at other locations. My point is the law requires polling places for all voters to be able to vote closest to their precinct. The state previously required to have polling

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place near each precinct. Taran County currently has 77 precincts, some as few as seven or 14 people to 5,000. So, it doesn't make any sense that we have less places to vote. I

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haven't discussed the number of items on the ballot, which takes the voter longer, which is why our lines are longer, which is why we need more polling places. I haven't even talked about revoking the polling place at Asian Times Square for election day when you had it there for early voting. That

516
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is a big representation. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Is Dr. Michael Bell present? All right. Lon Burnham then Daniel Olirri Sabrina Ball Robert Barrett Tanner Tras Deborah Kratkkey

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thank you comrades. Thank you for the many many Christmas pre Christmas gift presents you have given us to celebrate the amazing disrespect that this administration and court have for public participation.

518
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I have nine hours graduate level in public participation and let me tell you for the last couple of years now all we have seen is total disrespect for the public. I know

519
03:21:43.200 --> 03:21:58.800
it doesn't matter a wit what we say when it comes to facts and information. You even totally disrespected Dr. Baze Migo for disallowing his ADA request when he picked up the microphone and turned

520
03:21:58.800 --> 03:22:16.239
around because he has issues. He's on the spectrum. He needs respect. >> Mr. basic human rights down, >> please remove him. >> We will go into recess because you're

521
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disrupting the meeting again. >> All right, we're in recess. What? Okay, we are now back from recess. I'll call out the following names.

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Dr. Michael Bell, Daniel Olirri, Sabrina Ball. Are you Mr. Olirri? All right, come on up. Sabrina Ball, Robert Barrett, Tanner Tras, Deborah Kratkkey, Margie Gogggins, and you are welcome to

523
03:35:02.080 --> 03:35:21.040
stay in the room after you speak if you choose to do so. Hi, I'm Daniel Olri, a retired engineer from Loheed Martin and General Dynamics, as well as a Tarant County voter who opposes reducing polling locations. My wife and I were pollers in the November runoff. We witnessed the value of

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physical presence at the polls to increase voter turnout. Texas was previously required by law to have polling place in each precinct. Tarant currently has 707 precincts, some as small as 17 voters, thanks to this court's gerrymandering. Reducing polling locations further makes no sense

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03:35:36.800 --> 03:35:52.160
considering a population increase since the last election. Our polling place is very close but never has extremely long lines I see in the areas from which this court is trying to remove polling access. Is this because of the number of judges in my neighborhood? Don't know. The US Constitution gives us the right

526
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to vote regardless of the cost. Voters are supposed to choose their elected representation. Stop taking actions that will allow politicians to choose the voters who are allowed to participate in democracy. Commissioners, we're watching you. Thank you. >> Thank you.

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>> Uh, all right. I'm going to say at this point to remove Dr. Bell's name from the list. Sabrina Ball. This morning I saw on the local news it said Fort Worth commissioners will vote to close polling locations. Not maybe, not consider that you will. I could come

528
03:36:27.279 --> 03:36:43.840
up here and give you a rational argument, but you know, I know the local news knows you don't serve the people of Tarant County. If you did, you'd get your sheriff in line. People wouldn't be dying in our jails of hunger or thirst or beaten to death. You'd be working on public health and affordability. Our taxes would actually serve us. You'd

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03:36:43.840 --> 03:36:59.600
make sure we had more access to the polls. You would have nothing to fear from our vote. But the people see you now. They've watched you serve yourselves, and their lives have not improved. They know what you know that this county is the key to Texas and the country and they will wait in whatever

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03:36:59.600 --> 03:37:14.960
line, jump through whatever hoop because they know what a real public servant looks like. She's sitting to your right. All right, we have Robert Barrett, Tanner Tras, Deborah Krakkey, Margie

531
03:37:14.960 --> 03:37:37.520
Gogggins, Marquetta Clayton, Hunter Griffin, Laura Leman, Russ Sykes, Pam Durham, Charles Weedmire, Aisha Hassan, Shay Griffin. Could you please state your name for us?

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03:37:37.520 --> 03:37:53.040
>> My name is Robert Barrett. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I'm a My name is Robert Barrett. Like I said, I'm a lifelong Taran County resident and I have to say at this point, I have never felt more embarrassed to be a part of this community. I honestly appreciate uh this move that mainstream Republicans in the

533
03:37:53.040 --> 03:38:08.239
state are doing because you guys are all but admitting that you've lost on the when it comes to ideas and now you're doing whatever backhanded tactic it takes to maintain your power and take it away from working people like me. I took the day off to be here because I have a real job that provides value to my

534
03:38:08.239 --> 03:38:25.040
community. Unlike you people who meet once a month to pretend and grandstand like you're doing something great whereas you do nothing. You bring 35 deputies in here because you're a little scared of the opposition that you're facing. I think frankly that is pathetic. And I appreciate the eye contact you're maintaining with me

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because I hope this hits you somewhere deep in your heart if you still have one. Okay. This idea of cutting polling locations to limit the power of the vote for people like me, working-class people, and also my brothers and sisters of color, it is ridiculous, and you guys

536
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ought to be ashamed of yourself. Thanks, sir. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Tras, Miss Kratkkey, Miss Gogggins, >> Miss Clayton. A reminder, if you speak, you're welcome to stay in the room at this point.

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>> All right. Do we have any of those? Uh, state your name for us, sir. >> Wrong one. Tanner Tras. >> Okay. So, my name is Tanner Tras and I am the minister at Westside minister and training at Westside Unitarian Universalist Church here in Fort Worth,

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03:39:20.000 --> 03:39:36.560
Texas in Commissioner Miles's district and I have lived in Tarant County since I was 12 years old. I currently live in district 4, Commissioner Ramirez's district. Others have already gone over the number of lower polling locations and a lot of feelings they have about that. I tend to agree because Tarant

539
03:39:36.560 --> 03:39:53.439
County's population has grown by over 100,000 people in the intervening years since 2022. We have more people living here. We have more people registered to vote. There is no good reason to reduce polling locations. So, that only leaves bad reasons. And those of you who are

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03:39:53.439 --> 03:40:10.160
planning to vote for these proposals know that what you are doing is wrong. You know that what you are doing violates your vote of your oath of office. You know that what you are doing breaks the covenant between you and your constituents. It is not too late to change this. Voting is a sacred right

541
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and defending voting rights is a sacred duty. >> Thank you, Miss Krat. In Arlington, the zip code with the highest poverty rate is 76010. Let's say that Carol lives on West Fourth Street and has no car. She can currently walk

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03:40:30.800 --> 03:40:46.399
to her polling site at the UT campus just a few blocks away. If that site is eliminated, she would have to walk 1.3 miles to the nearest uh site on East Lancaster and then walk 1.3 miles home. But what about Fort Worth? On a larger level, let's look at polling sites in

543
03:40:46.399 --> 03:41:02.000
the Rosemont area that are being eliminated. The Rosemont neighborhood in South Fort Worth loses walkable access to to the vote because all three of the historically walkable places are eliminated under this proposal. Within this area, three walkable posts are

544
03:41:02.000 --> 03:41:18.960
being removed. Rosemont Middle School, South Hills Elementary, and South Christian Episcopal Church. I find the discussion of socialism today ironic since this is how socialism works. >> All right. Is Miss Gogggins present?

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>> Miss Clayton present? >> Are you Miss Gogggins? >> Are you Miss Gogggins? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Hi, good morning. Uh, thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to speak this morning. Um, my father was a veteran of World War II and I'm a proud native of

546
03:41:34.880 --> 03:41:49.680
Fort Worth. When I was a little girl, he would always take me to the polls with him because he wanted me to know how important it was to defend our right to vote as Americans. At the time, I thought it was perfectly normal that we would pay a pole tax in order to vote. It was only later that I learned that

547
03:41:49.680 --> 03:42:06.960
that was an act of voter suppression. I find it ironic today that we opened with a celebration of a gentleman who risked his life to defend America. One of the primary values of America is the right for people to vote. This is an effort to deny people the right to vote. I think

548
03:42:06.960 --> 03:42:23.520
you all know that very well. You don't need to hear it from me. I would ask you to listen to your better angels. Serve the people. Serve the Constitution. Serve your country. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Is Miss Clayton present? Uh then we have Hunter Griffin, Laura

549
03:42:23.520 --> 03:42:41.120
Leman, Russ Sykes, and you're welcome to stay in the room after you speak. >> Okay. Good afternoon. I'm Marquita Clayton. I'm your judicial candidate for the 371st District Court. I think it goes without saying that closing 140 polling locations is not a

550
03:42:41.120 --> 03:42:56.399
physical responsibility. It's voter suppression dressed up as a budget decision. The court found money for jail staffing contract that's cost us nearly $1.2 million canceled just a few months later while the jail still remains

551
03:42:56.399 --> 03:43:12.080
severely understaffed. Yet now when democracy requests an investment, suddenly money becomes the priority. This is a part of the pattern. The county ended free rides to the polls. It attempted to remove college voting locations. It redrrew precinct lines mid

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03:43:12.080 --> 03:43:28.560
decade, now proposing to make voting harder by eliminating nearly half of our polling places. Polling places are not wasteful expenses. They are doors through which citizens enter democracy. Commissioner Ramirez, you previously stood with stood against removing college locations today. Will you stand

553
03:43:28.560 --> 03:43:43.840
for voter access or will you close the doors? >> Thank you. All right. Is Hunter Griffin present? Mr. Griffin, then Laura Leman, Russ Sykes, Pam Durham, Charles Weedmire, Aisha Hassan, and Shay Griffin. >> My name is Hunter Griffin. Uh I live and

554
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work inside Tarant County. And I have a few words about where my tax dollars are going and how this court is run. It's run like a circus. As you can see, we have people in vans being held down to the jail. We have people getting pulled out all the way downtown so they can sit in a jail cell tonight. And we know how

555
03:44:00.399 --> 03:44:16.560
this court feels about jail cells. They want people to die in them. So, what is this a strategy to Mohare by you to kill your opponents? That's my question for you. These polling locations should be open. If you care about free and fair elections, why are you trying to cut corners and save money on elections? Do

556
03:44:16.560 --> 03:44:33.040
we care about elections? Do we care about them being safe and secure? I would agree with you that no, y'all don't. So, please keep these voting locations open. It's the least you can do because all the other BS that y'all put up here and make us vote on or make y'all vote on is terrible. So, how about

557
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instead of giving y'all a raise and let working less, how about you help out us for once? How about that? Thank you. Is Miss Leman present? All right. How about Russ Sykes? Well, the more I've heard, the less I actually have to say. But I did hear Mr.

558
03:44:54.319 --> 03:45:10.319
Krauss speak about freedom and democracy earlier this morning. I trust you all support our democracy and want to foster it. It beggars the imagination to think that closing half of the voting places would help with that. I consider it a form of sabotage against the

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institutions we have and treason against the spirit of democracy itself. And we will be watching. We will come for you with our votes. >> Thank you. >> So Lehman and Sykes, you're taken off the list, right?

560
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>> All right. Pam Durham, Charles Weedmire, Aisha Hassan, Shay Griffin, Justine Allah. Didn't Did Kathy Aroach already go? Did she go during this? Okay, you can take

561
03:45:44.160 --> 03:46:00.960
Kathy Arocha off. All right. Pam Durham, Charles Weedmire, Aisha Hassan, Sha Griffin, Justine Allah, Allah, Marisella Aramino, Meredith Thomas, Estella Williams,

562
03:46:00.960 --> 03:46:20.640
Harold Parky, did he already go? Take him off. Is Betto here? Is that somebody signed that up? >> Hi. >> Come on up. Good afternoon. On behalf of my boss,

563
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State Representative Chris Turner, I'm reading the statement. On behalf of his nearly 200,000 constituents in House District 101, I'm submitting the statement to express unequivocal opposition to proposed early voting in election day voting locations being considered by the court today. Today's proposal will drastically reduce ED

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voting locations by nearly half from 316 polling places available in the 2022 midterms to only 176 sites in 2026. The proposal also significantly reduces EV voting locations from 50 to 42 sites. There's simply no justifiable reason for this ill-advised plan. Closing nearly

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50% of voting locations will lead Taran County voters facing transportation barriers, greater travel times to polls, and longer lines to cast their ballot, limiting their ability to participate in one of the most fundamental rights guaranteed under the constitution. Slashing polling locations will disproportionately harm seniors, working families, communities of color, students, and residents with limited

566
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transportation. Terrence County has seen repeated challenges in recent election cycles related to long lines. Reducing locations now would exacerbate those problems and create avoidable barriers to participation at a time when our population continues to grow and when public confidence and election administration >> Thank you. >> Thank you.

567
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>> Pam Durham, Charles Weedmire, Aisha Hassan. Are you Miss Hassan? Yeah. Come on up. Since Commissioner Ramirez seems to have flown mostly under the radar, I'll be

568
03:47:42.560 --> 03:47:58.560
addressing you directly. Build roads before rooftops. According to Commissioner Manny Ramirez, that's the recipe for smart, sustainable growth. That well, that's not the only recipe commissioner Ramirez seems to know and use to impact our communities in

569
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precinct 4. Cut the polls before the election takes a toll. That is the recipe Commissioner Ramirez is using along with the conservative majority on this court. Let's call this what it is. Another recipe where the ingredients are fewer voting sites, longer lines, and

570
03:48:15.600 --> 03:48:31.199
communities pushed further from the ballot box. Commissioner Ramirez, you do not get to build a smart growth brand in public while quietly making it harder for the people in your growing precinct and county to vote. Precinct 4 and Taran County deserves more than your weak

571
03:48:31.199 --> 03:48:46.880
leadership. It deserves a commissioner who grows access to democracy, not one who shuts it down. It deserves a media. >> Thank you, Pam Durham. I'm going to go ahead and say remove Pam Durham from the list. Ken Shimamoto is already gone.

572
03:48:46.880 --> 03:49:33.199
I don't know. >> I don't know what just happened there. >> Okay, where is this thing? So she did you say Durham? All right.

573
03:49:33.199 --> 03:49:59.920
>> Are you just at the back at the top? >> Well, I can probably just scroll down here. >> Okay. >> Just give me a second here. >> Who? >> So, so we just So, we're take So, As far as I'm concerned, you don't have

574
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to take anybody off a list. I can just look at the names, call them out. If you have a way to clock it without tying it into the speaker, that seems such so simpler to me. Uh Pam Durham, we've said that one a number of times. There's no Pam Durham. Charles

575
03:50:16.960 --> 03:50:32.960
Weedmire, he doesn't seem to be here. Shay Griffin. Then Justine Alla. Kathy Aroka, if you can take Aroka Arocha off. Take that off. Okay.

576
03:50:32.960 --> 03:50:48.319
>> My name is Shay Griffin and I live and work as an attorney in Tarant County. This is my first time addressing this court. I'm also about to be a first-time parent, which is informing a lot of my thinking these days. I find myself frequently asking, would I want my child

577
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to see me do this? Would they be proud of me? Shutting down polling locations would not be fair, just, or equitable. I don't think it's responsible to close down polling locations without a plan in place for how people in those areas can vote. I think there has to be some

578
03:51:03.760 --> 03:51:18.640
substitution that is equally as convenient for these closures to be constitutionally and ethically permissible. In law, we call this an adequate alternative remedy. I invite you today to consider your legacy and your children. Humans are not

579
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inflexible. Redemption is always on the table. I believe we should all strive to leave the world or even just our county better than we found it. Lastly, gerrymandering and closing polls is not the American way. No taxation without

580
03:51:33.760 --> 03:51:55.279
representation. >> All right. Is Justine Are you Justine? Okay. Are you not able to take Kathy off the list? >> I'm Justine Angelo Alla. Oh, there.

581
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Okay. Hi, I'm Justine Angelo Alla. 176. 176 compared to 316 voting sites during the 2022 midterms. 1.3 million registered voters. Is this a joke? Is

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this a joke? This reduction in voting sites is an insult to us, the residents of Taran County and democracy. Apparently, the reason for this is all about efficiency. I don't think so. I think there are only two reasonable explanations for this.

583
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Either one, this is meant to make it harder for people to vote, creating long lines, confusion, and chaos. Or two, this reduction under the excuse of saving money is an admission of fiscal fail. No, sorry. Gen general failure. We

584
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need to encourage more people to participate in democracy, not discourage it. Don't close the voting sites. Thank you. Thank you. So, Marisella Aramino, >> she went. >> Okay. Meredith Thomas,

585
03:53:04.239 --> 03:53:21.279
Estella Williams, Harold Parky. >> Who did >> Parky went? Okay. Are you Mr. Parky? >> Did he already go? >> No, I'm right here.

586
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>> Okay. >> You haven't spoken already today, have you? >> You have spoken today. >> Okay. I think Yeah, I think your time is already over. Go ahead. >> I'm Estella Williams, president of the Fort Tarant County branch and NAACP.

587
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So many deterrence, pole taxes, a lack of transportation, aptitude tests that are required, compassion for humankind, a respect of laws, rights, and regulations, and today voter suppression. The plan to close over hundreds of election day polling

588
03:53:53.199 --> 03:54:09.120
sites, a deterrent. Commissioners, remove your fears and allow human and legal rights to be sustained and all voting sites to be maintained. Thank you. >> Thank you. So,

589
03:54:09.120 --> 03:54:25.439
just so I'm clear, Marisella, please take a seat, sir. Marisella Aramino, >> yes. >> Has gone. Meredith Thomas has not gone. And you're Harold Parky and you spoke on the resolution section and you took up

590
03:54:25.439 --> 03:54:41.120
the full minute, did you not? >> Yes. >> Yes. So, you don't get a chance to speak. You don't get a chance to speak again. Once you use your minute, your minute is done. So, I don't think Betto is here. Uh, Josh Lucas

591
03:54:41.120 --> 03:55:08.720
and Diane Simons. >> I'm going to guess Terarico is not actually here. >> Marsha Melo is probably not a real name. Unless it's a stripper. All right.

592
03:55:08.720 --> 03:55:25.199
>> I'm Josh Lucas. >> Is that Am I next? >> Yeah. >> Okay, >> cool. So, what y'all are doing is not conservative. You can go to the website stormerforex.com under the tab wasting our money to see the millions of dollars

593
03:55:25.199 --> 03:55:41.760
that have been wasted by the majority on this commissioner's court. Your attempt to rig the election is unnecessarily exposing Tarant County taxpayers to yet another lawsuit. This is not conservative. Um by catering to the billionaires and

594
03:55:41.760 --> 03:55:57.120
extremist base of the GOP rigg and rigging the system to benefit yourself. The cutting of polling places began when Senator Taylor Reette won in a landslide victory against Republican extremists. Then Democratic judicial candidates won

595
03:55:57.120 --> 03:56:12.880
25 to 30% more voted for them than the Republican incumbent opponents. No other large county in Texas is cutting polling places. They're increasing them. So you you were interested in saving money. You wouldn't be wasting the millions of

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dollars. >> All right. Dian's is Meredith Thomas remind me has gone. >> No. Okay. Meredith Thomas, Diane Simons, and you're welcome to stay in the room if you have spoken and choose to do so.

597
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Meredith Thomas, Diane Simons, Frank Stein. Who is that one right here? Dick Bender. They got me on that one. Uh, I'm gonna not say the next one or the next one or

598
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the next one. All right. Hi, I'm Diane Simons. Let me take off my glasses here. Um, reducing voting locations by 45% would make it harder for many people to participate in our democracy. Fewer polling places can mean longer lines, more traffic, and greater

599
03:57:06.239 --> 03:57:22.560
travel distances. Especially for seniors, people with disabilities, working families, and those who rely on public transportation. Every additional barrier increases the chance that someone simply won't be able to cast a ballot. Our election should be accessible, efficient, and trusted.

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Cutting nearly half of the voting locations risk creating unnecessary delays and frustrations for voters and elected workers alike. No eligible voter should have to choose between going to work, caring for their family, or exercising their right to vote. Regardless of political party or

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03:57:39.279 --> 03:57:54.479
candidate, every voter deserves a fair and reasonable opportunity to participate. Instead of reducing access, we should be looking for ways to strengthen our election system, shorten weight times, and make voting more convenient for everyone. Protecting access to the

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ballot box protects our democracy. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Please state your name, sir. >> Stephen Sanchez. Did I call that name? Stephen Sanchez. Did I call Stephen Sanchez? >> I don't believe I called your name, sir.

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>> Yeah, we're not going back to 10 10 a.m. So, >> all right, let me >> Yeah. So, where are we here? Palmer. >> Joe Palmer. >> And then where are we? Where is Joe

604
03:58:42.160 --> 03:58:58.680
Palmer? Then I've skipped a few. Missed one of them. Rodrik, you didn't slip that one in there, did you? All right. So Joe Palmer, not gonna do that one or that one.

605
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Then we've got Katie O'Brien. Dan. Okay, I'm now trying to read them so carefully to figure out what it says before I say it. Sorry. >> Good afternoon. I'm Katie O'Brien

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Duzanne, a proud Tarant County resident and running to represent the people of House District 94 in the Texas Legislature. I urge you to vote for Tarant County residents, taxpayers, and working people who all deserve fair

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access to the ballot box on election day. Their time and voice is more precious than your fragile power. Vote against this corrupt and honestly desperate move to cut over 40% of voting locations in my district. Do your job

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that we're paying you over $200,000 each year to do. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Sanchez. My apologies. I did not remember saying your name. Anna Fender. >> Time is precious. It's something a lot

609
04:00:10.319 --> 04:00:26.880
of us try to hold on to as much as possible. Some of us have a terrible time managing it. Uh some of us are really, really good at it. Um some say time is a luxury. Um, some people say time is money and I kind of agree with that. I do charge by the

610
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hour for my business. Um, time is really something that's everybody's grasping for and to leave everybody out or lots of people out of the time they have or

611
04:00:44.720 --> 04:01:01.680
allotted to to vote is super unnecessary. And I feel like I feel like you've already made your decisions and we're just kind of here to have you push the gavvel down onto the

612
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wood. So shameful. >> Thank you. >> All right. I've called Joe Palmer. Now I can't imagine those are real names. Did you tell me this one is real?

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>> Yes. Claudie Busby. Not gonna read that. I'm not gonna read that. >> Is that Claudos? >> And then Jimmy Blackwell, Governor Abbott's going to show up today. How about that? All right. You ready?

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Okay. Um, good afternoon. We back here again with the same issue. Requation calling closing polling places. I would like to speak to the public who's not attending the meeting because our commissioners feel there's all they have all power. I was scheduled to the runoff

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04:01:59.279 --> 04:02:15.520
election this past May and my polling place was closed. As a worker with short notification, I didn't know my place was closed. How how the ping people who vote going to know the polling places are closed? This polling place has been a polling place where I voted for 30 years

616
04:02:15.520 --> 04:02:31.600
and they closed it and no one's going to know. I So I took initiative and put a sign out there that our location is closed so people know where to go. This wasn't just for Democratic party members. It wasn't just it was for both parties. I took consideration that we need to have a people to be able to

617
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vote. Closing polling places doesn't make any sense whatsoever. I guess the next thing we're going to have no elections whatsoever. All right. Thank you, sir. Mr. Blackwell, Elizabeth Miller, Andrew Miller,

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Stacy Melo, Brisha Stern. Is that a real name? Brisha. Brisha Stern. Brisha Stern. Allison Compalo. Is there a Mr. or Mrs. Worku?

619
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Isac Waru. I hate having to be back here to look at y'all again, but um I must say it's pretty laughable to me to see y'all up there. Um y'all are a very entertaining bunch because what I when I look at the

620
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three of y'all, all I see is three little boys that are so afraid of voters, of any push back. Oh, you didn't like that, Manny, did you? Um but it it's the truth. Y'all are so scared of any push back and it's just laughable to

621
04:03:56.000 --> 04:04:12.560
me. Um, if you were real men, if you were grown men, you would just say it in front of everyone that you're scared. Go ahead, just say it. Go ahead. Just admit to us the truth that you're scared of getting voted out. In particular, you Tim O'Hare and you,

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Manny. Y'all are terrified of it. And I think it's laughable that you're over here calling all these recesses because people are clapping. Oh my gosh, people are clapping. Meanwhile, you are the most disrespectful person in this room because it is a slap in the face to

623
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Tarant County voters that you are trying to >> Please have a seat. Thank you. >> Please have a seat. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Remove her from the building, please. >> All right. Let's see here. Jimmy Blackwell,

624
04:04:53.040 --> 04:05:09.359
Elizabeth Miller, Andrew Miller, Stacy. That was that girl. Is that her? >> Who was that? >> That was who? >> Do y'all know who that was? Okay. I

625
04:05:09.359 --> 04:05:25.439
think that's that name. >> Okay. >> I think >> Hello, Bisha Stern. >> Thank you. as register. >> Go ahead, >> Ben. >> Yes, >> thank you. In 25, commissioners court reduced more than 100 election day

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04:05:25.439 --> 04:05:42.800
polling locations and early voting sites for certain elections. That burden rarely falls on the able. It falls on those who can least afford it. To make voting access difficult is wicked to say the least. To continue to move the line is blatant cruelty. It is appalling to

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04:05:42.800 --> 04:05:58.720
continuously watch the ring being kissed. I stand here as a warning. One day, we will all have to answer for the life that we've lived. Not the title we held, not the money we have, not the excuses that we made, not the asses that we kissed, not the choices we made when

628
04:05:58.720 --> 04:06:14.319
we had the opportunity to do what we know is right. >> Like demonstrating true compassion of Christ for all people. Real justice, not just us. No. WWJD.

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No, really. What would Jesus do? I yield my time. >> Mr. Blackwell, Miss Miller, Mr. Miller, Miss Compalo, Miss

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04:06:29.840 --> 04:06:47.600
and Mr. Worku. >> Hello everybody. My name's Alison Campolo. Um, I think a lot of the other speakers have really said a lot of what needed to be said today. Uh, so I want to address what I think is going to happen once you guys get to this agenda item and you take the vote. Um,

631
04:06:47.600 --> 04:07:04.399
historically I've seen that this body likes to kind of do like this, right? You like to point at each other and not take accountability. So I think Commissioner Ramirez is maybe going to be quiet on this one. Uh, Commissioner Krauss, my guess is you'll say, "But this is legal, so it's fine. You can try

632
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to sue us, but you won't win." And judge, I think you'll say, "Well, the elections administration submitted this list, so this is fine. I mean, this is all we have because they submitted. It's not my fault." And to that, I say section 43 of election code says y'all are in charge. So, the election administrator can recommend things to

633
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you. And let's be clear, every single county employee has been threatened with their jobs to keep a budget under a very tight line, but y'all are in charge. And uh the the buck stops with you, and you don't get to point like this anymore. Thanks. Thank you. Okay,

634
04:07:36.880 --> 04:07:52.000
we're now Mr. Blackwell, Miss Miller, Mr. Miller. I think everything from there up you can remove WorkU. And then is that next name real? Dr. Obama Hinty. Yeah, I think I

635
04:07:52.000 --> 04:08:10.960
remember that one. And Pam Hardwick is Orcu running for House District 91. Look at this empty room at the empty chairs. This room isn't empty because no one showed up, but because there are too many of us that did. That is the whole issue. Every time we show up, you shut it down. This room or the polls, the

636
04:08:10.960 --> 04:08:26.160
fear is the same. You're scared from hearing from us. You don't stand with us and we don't stand with you. You should open all the polls, but you won't. Our words don't matter. Then we'll vote and you'll still lose cuz you don't matter. This court doesn't give us the vote. The

637
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Constitution does. You won't take our vote. You won't take our speech. Your threats mean nothing. So cry while you can because this November we'll have the power to kick you out this room. I yield my time. >> Thank you. >> All right. Now we have Dr. Obama Hinty,

638
04:08:43.760 --> 04:09:13.120
Pam Hardwick, Susan Anderson, CJ Johnson. >> All right, Mr. Blackwell, you can go on up. Judge O'Hara, I rise in strong opposition

639
04:09:13.120 --> 04:09:29.439
to any further tampering with reducing voter sites ahead of the November election, especially when this action is racially motivated and driven by evil intents

640
04:09:29.439 --> 04:09:44.319
to disenfranchise black and brown voters. This is an abomination to the voters of this county and city. This action needs to be defeated

641
04:09:44.319 --> 04:10:05.120
by all means necessary. All right, Mr. Miller, Miss Miller, Dr. Obama Hinty, Pam Hardwick, Susan Anderson, CJ Johnson. Do we have anybody else those names in

642
04:10:05.120 --> 04:10:22.960
the room? How many people are still in the spillover? >> Uh, probably about 25 or 30. >> Okay. So, here's what we're going to do right now. We're going to take probably we'll take a 10-minute recess. We'll

643
04:10:22.960 --> 04:10:40.640
make it 11. No, what is it? We'll make it 12. So that's 2:15. 11. It's now 20:04. Everyone that is in the building that wants to come back in this room can come in the room. Everybody that's in a spillover room, come back in the room. Contrary to what

644
04:10:40.640 --> 04:10:57.680
some of you may think, I have no interest whatsoever in throwing people out of a room. I have no interest whatsoever in having any disruptions. But if we have more disruptions, we're going to do it again. We're going to clear it out. Why don't we all avoid

645
04:10:57.680 --> 04:23:11.680
that? So, we will now reconvene at 2:15 with anyone and everyone in the building or outside that wants to come in the room. We're in recess. this thing. >> Okay. So, find them for me.

646
04:23:11.680 --> 04:25:03.760
>> So, >> when you say they got deferred like >> they will That is funny. ate a piece of chicken. Yeah, >> I they didn't bring me. Huh? All right, back from recess. We have a

647
04:25:03.760 --> 04:25:20.800
handful of people who uh were may have been on the list, may have been on the earlier list and deferred. There's at least one person saying they're on the list that's not on the list. So, I'm going to call the names of those that I know are on the list

648
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while we look up one more. Uh Kate Brennan, Thomas Brennan, Brennan, Allison Hoy, then Amy Super has 15 seconds. And then Linda Ford. >> Good afternoon. I'm Kate Brennan. I'm a

649
04:25:40.800 --> 04:25:57.840
Grapevine resident, a lifelong Texan, a pole worker, and the Democratic candidate for House District 98. I am speaking today in opposition of cutting the polling places throughout Tarant County. HD98 would see a net loss of

650
04:25:57.840 --> 04:26:16.479
nine polling places. Uh six of those are in Ulis and as you likely know, Ulis is a heavily uh more dense than other areas in House District 98. It's a dense population with a lot of people of color. This makes no sense. Grape Vine,

651
04:26:16.479 --> 04:26:32.560
loss of three polling places. Again, another higher density city within my district and with lots of apartments and people of color. Again, it doesn't make sense. Collieville plus one. Go figure.

652
04:26:32.560 --> 04:26:48.800
Um, if you proceed with this action, it will likely lead to an expensive lawsuit. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right, Alice. Uh, yes. Allison Hoy, then Amy Super, then Linda Ford.

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04:26:48.800 --> 04:27:05.040
Ruth, what about that last name? >> Okay, got it. >> Didn't speak >> for 45 seconds. >> My name is Allison Hoy. I'm a 15-year resident of Fort Worth and a volunteer deputy registar here in Tarant County. I'm also an unemployed former flight

654
04:27:05.040 --> 04:27:21.120
attendant who lost my job and my health insurance because of the current executive administration's geopolitical misadventures and my current legislative representatives unwillingness to stop them. I, like so many other working-class people slowly rotting in this K-shaped economy, am desperate for change via the most legal, sane, and

655
04:27:21.120 --> 04:27:36.560
effective outlet through which I can obtain it, the ballot box. I spent hours and hours this year phone banking and door knockocking to try to drive voter turnout by telling people that their right to vote is sacred, immutable, and precious, that they can elect politicians who do care and do work for them. And watching elected officials currently in office work to

656
04:27:36.560 --> 04:27:52.399
disenfranchise those very voters, is to put it as politely as I can. Exasperating voters in the state already battle resignation and hopelessness on their way to the polls and to place further barriers in their way is a dereliction of duty. If I may offer alternatives, you could actually increase the number of polling places.

657
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You could offer higher pay to pole workers to improve staffing. >> Thank you. All right, Miss Super, you have 15 seconds. And then Linda Ford, >> 12 consecutive days, 123 hours, same

658
04:28:12.239 --> 04:28:29.439
number of machines cast to cast your vote during early voting. Please approve as submitted the list. That's it. All right. Thank you. All right. That's it for the speakers. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Um >> Oh, you're the one. Okay. Go ahead. I

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called you. Yes. >> Yes, you did. Hi, I'm Linda Ford. Um I'm in precinct 2. This morning, Commissioner Simmons, your supporters were overheard saying they were being reimbursed for their parking today. Whether that money is personal or public

660
04:28:45.520 --> 04:29:02.000
funds, this is deceptive. When people are paid to show up, it distorts what public support actually looks like. >> Neither this board nor the public can know how many of these attendees would be here if they paid their own way

661
04:29:02.000 --> 04:29:17.040
uh or whether they st their stated opinions were shaped by that payment. What looks like grassroots support, grassroots support may simply be subsidized attendance. This raises real questions. Commissioner Simmons, how

662
04:29:17.040 --> 04:29:33.840
long have you been doing this? What is the budget for the for it? Where does the money come from? Will you open your books? You're running for county judge. The public deserves straight answers. Why should we trust you? >> All right. Thank you. All right. We now

663
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move to the consent agenda as amended. Do we have any discussion? Motion on the consent agenda as amended. >> So moved. >> Second. Quiet in the back. All right, we have a motion and a second

664
04:29:49.760 --> 04:30:09.279
to approve the consent agenda as amended. Any discussion? All right, please cast your votes. Passes unanimously. All right. Now we go to item C1, removed from consent, consideration of a

665
04:30:09.279 --> 04:30:25.279
resolution of the Commission Court of Tarant County, Texas, determining the cost of certain authorized improvements to be financed within the Bonds Ranch public improvement district. Approving a preliminary service and assessment plan, including proposed assessment roles for improvement area number one in the major

666
04:30:25.279 --> 04:30:40.720
improvement area. Noticing a public hearing for September 1st, 2026 to consider an order levying assessments on property located within the Bonds Ranch Public Improvement District, directing the filing of the proposed assessment roles with the tax assessor collector to

667
04:30:40.720 --> 04:30:58.159
make available for public inspection, directing county staff to publish and mail notice of said public hearing, and resolving other matters incident and related thereto. Motion, questions, or discussion. >> Move approval. >> Second. >> All right, we have a motion, a second to approve. Discussion. Yeah, I have a

668
04:30:58.159 --> 04:31:14.159
couple questions. Uh, how many utility districts are there so far in Bonds Ranch in that Bonds Ranch edition? >> Uh, there's just one for this particular for a PID. This is the only PID for >> there's already a PID. We didn't do a

669
04:31:14.159 --> 04:31:29.920
water I thought we did. >> There are two mud districts. We just utils that are located. They're freshwater supply districts that then go into >> So, a pit and two muds. >> Yes, ma'am.

670
04:31:29.920 --> 04:31:46.239
>> Um, we did not do a water. The mud is We didn't do a water district. >> No. >> And so, this is a another pit. >> This is a public improvement district. The only one for Bonds Ranch that we have done. >> Okay.

671
04:31:46.239 --> 04:32:03.520
Um, what what do y'all anticipate the average home will sell for out there? Good afternoon, Commissioner. Judge Mary Petty, P3 Works. We're the county's pit administrator. We um have information from a separate independent appraisal

672
04:32:03.520 --> 04:32:21.840
that they are targeting between $600,000 and upwards towards a million dollars in the larger lots. That's a recommendation from the appraisal and an estimate from the developer. >> Okay. How many utility assessments do y'all think total there might be out

673
04:32:21.840 --> 04:32:36.640
there? >> There'll be one pit assessment on the first phase and then there will be future assessments on future phases as they develop >> such as >> phase two when it comes online.

674
04:32:36.640 --> 04:32:54.800
>> Those assessments would pay for the improvements that are installed that benefit that phase. >> Okay, gotcha. Um I have a question about conflict of interest. Have all elected officials,

675
04:32:54.800 --> 04:33:11.680
county personnel, consultants, financial advisors, bond counsel, pit administrators, underwriters, and other participants disclosed financial campaign, business or professional relationships with the developer, its

676
04:33:11.680 --> 04:33:33.199
principles, and the other entities being paid through this transaction. Yeah, the 1295 forms were completed, but I'm gonna have to defer to >> I can't hear you. >> I'm gonna have to defer to legal on that. But they did complete the 1295 forms when their contracts were approved

677
04:33:33.199 --> 04:33:50.400
originally through court. >> Commissioner, under the uh local government code, if there is a business interest or other familial relationship, then there is a requirement to file a uh disclosure notice. Uh I'm not aware of any having been filed in this instance.

678
04:33:50.400 --> 04:34:06.561
>> You're not aware? >> I'm not aware of any having been filed in this instance. >> Okay. All right. Uh because I know that two members of this court have received campaign contributions. So, um I was just wondering if that has been

679
04:34:06.561 --> 04:34:22.879
disclosed. >> Under the local government code, it's limited to business interests and uh certain types of family relationships. >> Okay. All right. All right. Thank you. >> All right. We have a motion and a second

680
04:34:22.879 --> 04:34:43.119
on C1. Any further discussion? All right. Please cast your vote. All right. Passes four to one. Next is item C2, consideration of the issuance of series 2026 hospital revenue refunding bonds in one or more series by the Tarant County Cultural Education

681
04:34:43.119 --> 04:35:00.080
Facilities Finance Corporation for Hendrickk Medical Center in an amount not to exceed $300 million. >> Move approval. >> All right, I'll second it. It's a motion and a second. Any discussion? >> So Megan, you No, I always have the I

682
04:35:00.080 --> 04:35:16.000
guess the same question. One day I'll get >> sure. Yes, ma'am. >> What's the public value and benefit specifically for Tarant County residents? >> So, I don't know about Tarant County residents specifically, but because Tarant County sponsors the issuing

683
04:35:16.000 --> 04:35:31.439
corporation, which is the Tarant County Cultural Education Facilities Finance Corp., um we must approve the commissioner's court must approve the bond issuance. So, it's required even when the finance facilities are located outside of the county with the approval of the other

684
04:35:31.439 --> 04:35:47.680
counties which have approved this in this case. >> So, what do we get out of the deal? >> We get um an application fee out of this which we've already received for this issue. >> $10,000. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. >> Any other comments or questions?

685
04:35:47.680 --> 04:36:04.000
>> Uh yeah. So on the attached June 18th board minutes, >> Stephen Parks, Shelley Hverson, Kevin Stadler, and Pat McDow were listed as being in attendance,

686
04:36:04.000 --> 04:36:21.199
but the same minutes say the motion was made by Kevin Statatler and seconded by Toby Jackson, even though Jackson is not listed among those in attend. attendance which which part the minutes is correct.

687
04:36:21.199 --> 04:36:36.639
>> So Mr. Dean is here. Mr. Dean is over the Tarant County Cultural Education Facilities Finance Corp. So I'm going to let him speak to that. >> Thank you. >> Good afternoon commissioner Randle Dean. I'm uh issue a council on behalf of Tar County Culture Facility Finance

688
04:36:36.639 --> 04:36:53.039
Corporation. And to answer your question, um if the minutes are inaccurate, they need to be amended. Um there should be uh the the course of members present should be the members that made the motion and seconded it. Uh there were two issues on the um uh

689
04:36:53.039 --> 04:37:09.439
matter for uh both THR and Hendrickk and so that may mean need to be amended uh and corrected. >> Okay. Well, I'm not comfortable approving a $300 million transaction on minutes that contradict themselves um on

690
04:37:09.439 --> 04:37:26.240
who participated in. I can assure you that I was at the meeting and a there was a quorum uh and there was a first motion, a second motion and a unanimous approval at the meeting of the members present. >> All right. So I I think it needs to be

691
04:37:26.240 --> 04:37:48.959
corrected before this court relies on the current board action, but that's that's just me. >> All right. Anybody else have anything on this item? All right, cast your vote. Passes three to two. Next up is item Q4,

692
04:37:48.959 --> 04:38:05.680
annual contract for family support and after care program Juvenile Services, Lena Pope Home exercise second and final option for renewal. I'll move to approve. >> Second. >> We have a motion, a second discussion. So supporting youth after residential

693
04:38:05.680 --> 04:38:19.920
placement is really a very important investment um that we can make to improve public safety and strengthen families as we consider this final renewal. It's important that we understand not only

694
04:38:19.920 --> 04:38:39.279
the services being provided but also the measurable outcomes being achieved for youth and families that we serve. So, um, is Riley here? >> He's not. No, he's not here this week.

695
04:38:39.279 --> 04:38:55.920
>> Okay. I just don't think you'll be able to handle all these. >> There's his assistant here. >> Oh, okay. Oh, I was about to say, >> Judge, commissioners, Greg Ster, deputy director. >> Hi, Greg. Good to see you again. Good to

696
04:38:55.920 --> 04:39:12.879
see you. Uh uh what can you talk about some success measures like what specific performance measures does juvenile services use to evaluate this program? >> So within our contract we do have some measures of success. I do not have those

697
04:39:12.879 --> 04:39:28.400
numbers for you today but can get them to you quickly. >> Okay. Do you know how many youth have participated under this contract since it began in August 2024? >> I can get you those numbers as well. I

698
04:39:28.400 --> 04:39:43.920
can tell you that in the last year around 30 families and youth were a part of this contract. >> What's the recidivism rate? >> I can get you those numbers. >> Okay. All right. All right. Um the the

699
04:39:43.920 --> 04:40:01.520
backup documentation I'm skipping a bunch of my questions. It's like you're going to have to get back to me. The backup states that uh Juvenile Services is pleased with the vendor. Um can you describe the specific performance indicator supporting that conclusion?

700
04:40:01.520 --> 04:40:17.200
>> So they're working with families once a youth is referred to a residential setting. They are working in the home with the families preparing them for the youth's successful return. And then they begin to work with the youth once they

701
04:40:17.200 --> 04:40:37.200
return to the home. >> All right. Um yeah, we'll we'll probably just have to have a meeting. Um do you know what the county's plan is once this renewal expires in 27? >> We would like we think it is successful.

702
04:40:37.200 --> 04:40:55.920
Uh what we're doing is preparing. While we we have great success with youth going to residential and making changes, uh this offers us the opportunity to work with the families to make those changes for when the youth returns. So, we would likely uh put this

703
04:40:55.920 --> 04:41:11.840
out for bid again. >> Okay. All right. All right. I I appreciate the work being done to support young people and families. So, thank you. I'll schedule a meeting. >> Thank you. Any other questions or comments? All right, we have a motion and a

704
04:41:11.840 --> 04:41:27.280
second. Cast your vote. >> I'm trying. >> All right, passes unanimously. Now we go to Q5, which is an annual contract for janitorial services and facilities management exercise first option for

705
04:41:27.280 --> 04:41:42.798
renewal. Questions, comments, or motion? >> Yeah, I have some um comments. Um, I asked that this be pulled from consent just to ask a few questions about this uh contract and the contractors who

706
04:41:42.798 --> 04:42:00.320
execute it. What are the county's primary requisites for this contract? Is and is this a light duty or a heavy duty commercial cleaning contract? So, what are your what are your

707
04:42:00.320 --> 04:42:15.920
requisites for this contract? So the the to maintain the cleaniness of all of our offices and all of our public spaces. Um the heavy duty meaning cleaning restrooms.

708
04:42:15.920 --> 04:42:37.120
Um so every aspect of each one of our properties. >> All right. Um what what changes in language, substantative content or service

709
04:42:37.120 --> 04:42:52.878
requisites have we required in this contract over the past say decade? Have we increased the responsibilities, number of buildings or sites, types of cleanings such as COVID compliant cleanings back then?

710
04:42:52.878 --> 04:43:08.878
um over the past 5 years. >> So we um required more cleaning during CO. So we removed that aspect away from this bid. That was no longer needed. Um we have reduced the amount of days that

711
04:43:08.878 --> 04:43:25.120
um are required to clean public spaces. So offices are cleaned every single day. Public spaces are only cleaned uh twice twice a week. >> Twice a week. >> Okay. And how much has the value of this contract changed over the past five

712
04:43:25.120 --> 04:43:40.000
years? >> Um, how much do you pay for janitorial services? >> We well, we set the wage rate. So, the wage rate may have gone up um, a couple of dollars since the last time we bid

713
04:43:40.000 --> 04:43:56.400
it, which was just last year. So, I would say that would would have been a change >> to the wages that they pay the employees. Okay, that was that's my next that's where I'm going to next. It So, we set the wage rate, not Pritchard.

714
04:43:56.400 --> 04:44:11.200
>> We do. >> Okay. >> Um, so I'm wondering how much does Pritcharder pay their employees per hour? >> So, that's listed in the um back >> Okay. >> of the core communicate. Um, it's I

715
04:44:11.200 --> 04:44:28.718
would say I'm just guessing uh 14ish. >> Yeah. and for basic employees. Um, and then more I'm not sure how much more, but more for maybe someone more in a supervisor role. >> I forgot what they called it. The position exactly.

716
04:44:28.718 --> 04:44:44.638
>> Do they offer medical insurance? >> Yes. That's um a line item in the spreadsheet as well. >> Huh. Okay. Uh, do they offer retirement? Do you know? >> I I don't know. >> Okay.

717
04:44:44.638 --> 04:45:04.240
Do they offer benefit, sick days, holidays, that type of >> Yeah, holiday pay is included. >> Okay. Um, so my my concern is whether or not

718
04:45:04.240 --> 04:45:21.440
they're keeping up with the living wage. Um, you know, for a single person with no children in Tarant County, it's a little more than $23 an hour. And these companies are paying their employees about 134

719
04:45:21.440 --> 04:45:37.760
an hour. In my own buildings, the Mansfield and Arlington subcourouses, I've seen these contractors employees come to work sick because they won't get paid if they're off.

720
04:45:37.760 --> 04:45:54.320
is what they've told me. I've seen an employee be off while pregnant and we've had to pass the pass the hat in order to help her get by and I just think we're better than that. Um,

721
04:45:54.320 --> 04:46:10.160
I'm interested to see what type of benefits those people that do the janitorial in my buildings or all of our all of our facilities

722
04:46:10.160 --> 04:46:27.360
um get. Um, you know, it's uh it's sad to see their hours cut and all of this. Um, I've sat down with them throughout the years and um, I've told them, "Oh, I missed the

723
04:46:27.360 --> 04:46:43.200
janitorial contract, so I didn't want to miss it this time." Uh, and so I really want some, you know, solid answers about their benefits,

724
04:46:43.200 --> 04:47:00.080
uh, what it would look like to get them closer to a a living wage. Um, so I, you know, I move that we table a vote on renewing the contract. I want us to meet with the janitorial

725
04:47:00.080 --> 04:47:15.280
providers to see if we can better understand their industry and how we can encourage payment of uh, living wage. I don't know if that's us or Pritchard. Um, so at first I thought it was Pritchard, but you said we set we set the wage rate.

726
04:47:15.280 --> 04:47:32.160
>> We set the rate. So, I mean, I think if Walmart and Target can be encouraged to do this, then these companies might be encouraged to do the same thing or we might be encouraged to do the same thing. I I move that we table this contract until we we get some more

727
04:47:32.160 --> 04:47:48.958
details. >> So, we have a motion to table the contract. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> All right, we have a second. Any further discussion? All right, cast your vote. All right. Fails two to three. Do we have a motion to approve this? >> Move for approval. >> Second.

728
04:47:48.958 --> 04:48:12.480
>> All right. We have a motion to approve and a second. Any discussion? >> All right. Cast your vote. >> Nay. >> All right. It passes three to two. Now we go to item

729
04:48:12.480 --> 04:48:32.798
Q16. No, that's not true. >> Q10. >> We go to Q10, which is >> soul source renewal of Tyler technology civil process software and services. >> I got my answers to Q 10, 11, and 12.

730
04:48:32.798 --> 04:49:00.160
>> Does anyone have a motion on 10? >> Move approve. >> Second. >> We have a motion to approve and a second. Any discussion? All right. Please cast your vote. All right. Is that a yes? All right. It passes unanimously. We go to

731
04:49:00.160 --> 04:49:18.440
Q1. Tyler Technologies Enterprise Jury Manager Products and Services Soul Source renewal. Do we have a motion on this? >> Move approval. >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second on this item. Any discussion? All right, cast your vote.

732
04:49:21.120 --> 04:49:37.360
All right, passes unanimously. Item Q2, Tyler Technologies, Tyler Courts and Justice Division, Software and Services, uh, Soul Source Renewal. Do we have a motion on this? >> Move approval. >> I have a motion and a second.

733
04:49:37.360 --> 04:49:56.798
>> Any discussion? All right. Seeing none, cast your vote here. Are you a yay? >> Yay. >> All right. Passes 5-0. Now we go to Q16. Q16 is consideration of Tarant County

734
04:49:56.798 --> 04:50:12.958
purchasing policies and procedures manual revisions amendments of section 21 and 29. I'll move to approve. >> Second. >> Second. Any discussion? So, thank you for cleaning up the word flow of the original policy. I do have a

735
04:50:12.958 --> 04:50:29.600
concern with the new language which states that a justification letter from the county department with technical knowledge of the industry to justify the soul source purchase must be generated, signed, and placed in the procurement file.

736
04:50:29.600 --> 04:50:45.360
As written, this standard is too subjective. It doesn't define who qualifies as having technical knowledge. Um does it who has technical knowledge? You know, is there a definition?

737
04:50:45.360 --> 04:51:03.638
>> The wording came from um a audit review from the DOJ and the statement from them included the techn technical knowledge of the industry to justify any non-competitive procurement and not rely on statements from the vendor.

738
04:51:05.120 --> 04:51:21.360
Um okay because what the way we submit our soul sources we submit a soul source letter to justify the portion that is um soul source and we vet it to make sure that what's written in the letter from

739
04:51:21.360 --> 04:51:38.080
the vendor is what's really the sole source. And so this new uh process that came from this audit is to now receive a letter from the department also um justifying the the soul source. And

740
04:51:38.080 --> 04:51:55.680
since the department knows the product, it would be the right thing to include a letter from them to support the soul source. >> Okay. I I just think there's a gap that could create a real risk. Any department

741
04:51:55.680 --> 04:52:11.600
head could sign off on a sole source justification for a vendor of their choosing simply by asserting familiarity with the industry. Um to use my own example, I have some technical knowledge of road

742
04:52:11.600 --> 04:52:29.120
and bridge now, right after these three and a half years road maintenance. But that shouldn't qualify me to unilaterally select our asphalt vendor. Uh so technical knowledge and procurement authority are not the same thing and this policy

743
04:52:29.120 --> 04:52:43.840
currently conflates them in my estimation. So before we adopt this language, I'd like to see an object an objective standard idealia rubric that defines the qualifications, experience or

744
04:52:43.840 --> 04:53:01.680
credentials required before someone can sign a sole source justification letter because as it stands it seems like anybody in the department can. Um, and then that gives the policy a defensible auditable standard instead of a

745
04:53:01.680 --> 04:53:21.360
self-certification. So my motion is I'm >> there's already a motion on the floor. >> Sure. So when it comes to soul source in our organizations commissioner um when we

746
04:53:21.360 --> 04:53:37.200
look and we go to purchasing and saying we believe the vendor this is a soul source they I will say purchasing extremely vets and calls and looks across the country everywhere to make sure if we're claiming a sole source

747
04:53:37.200 --> 04:53:53.840
product that there's nobody else out there and we're forced to go bid. So, I I hear what you're saying, but just know in the purchasing side, they literally get on the phone and they vet everywhere trying to find is there a vendor similar to what you're trying to accomplish and

748
04:53:53.840 --> 04:54:09.680
then it goes out to bid. And that's my experience with it. So at my 18 years at the Tarant County 911 district, I was a purchasing agent. >> And so I am frequently confused here

749
04:54:09.680 --> 04:54:25.280
about what this county considers sole source. uh for for example um your um um civil court um >> Tyler

750
04:54:25.280 --> 04:54:43.360
>> Tyler that we just approved. So, um, Tyler does that, somebody else does it, right? There are other vendors, right? So, Tyler's not a soul source or, um, so I, you know, when I see that all

751
04:54:43.360 --> 04:54:59.040
the time here and I'm like, there are other companies that provide that service. Just because company X um you know has a a blue thing instead of a red one does not make it soul

752
04:54:59.040 --> 04:55:16.400
source. So it absolutely confounds me here that we call everything that damn near everything that we purchase soul source here. >> And so I think the product owner Tyler with what the contract was was it maintenance? Was that it? >> Oh I Yeah, I just used them as

753
04:55:16.400 --> 04:55:33.360
>> Yeah. So you mean and that specifically they're not going to open up an API somebody maintain their product but you know just so you know I mean they do a high level of vetting before we get to say I'm telling you it's soul source that's just mine thank you

754
04:55:33.360 --> 04:55:53.680
all right we have a motion we have a second any other discussion all right seeing none cast your vote all right passes three to two. Now we go to S4, which is receive and file the Tarant County appraisal role for the tax year 26 and the anticipated

755
04:55:53.680 --> 04:56:15.040
collection rate forecast. >> Move for approval. >> All right, I'll second that. We have a motion to second. Discussion. All right, seeing none, please cast your vote. All right, passes unanimously.

756
04:56:15.040 --> 04:56:35.240
That takes us to items U1, UT2, U3, and U4. And I ask for these items to be removed. And you will certainly get your opportunity to speak on these items and why you want them approved. But so

757
04:56:35.520 --> 04:56:50.878
I think taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent. last meeting, which I know you had a medical situation for someone else. Um, there was no material given that said

758
04:56:50.878 --> 04:57:08.798
where any of this money goes or how it or where it's going. Yes. How it's going to be used. I think there was a comment from one person on this dis, well, I trust the commissioner to vet these things. So then someone from your

759
04:57:08.798 --> 04:57:23.760
office reached out to my office and said, "What is it exactly that the judge is needing?" I didn't read the response, but I think the response was something along the lines of when I asked the HFC

760
04:57:23.760 --> 04:57:40.320
to provide a $10,000 uh grant to the Asthma Foundation to put the emergency asthma medication in every school in Taran County that didn't have it. I believe we submitted 15 pages about this organization,

761
04:57:40.320 --> 04:57:55.040
exactly what the money would be used, how it would be used. We got almost nothing back until late yesterday afternoon. Something came in, but still didn't say how the money would be spent. It said what the subject was. So,

762
04:57:55.040 --> 04:58:12.080
I know you're familiar with this taped conversation between you and your employee. I don't your former employee. And in that taped conversation regarding a person that you had given

763
04:58:12.080 --> 04:58:29.440
from your funds $25,000 to. This was the exchange between you and your former employee regarding that $25,000. Speaking of the recipient, I've already told him we're trying to figure out the

764
04:58:29.440 --> 04:58:46.560
grant process that they want us to have. You reply, "Yeah, that's so." He adds, "Yeah, he really wants another $10,000 when he just got $10,000 this summer." You say, 'Yeah, then handle that. Your employee says, 'I don't know what this program is, honestly.' And you replied, "Yeah, me neither." Further in that

765
04:58:46.560 --> 04:59:01.920
conversation, it was said by your employee commissioner was upset at going to the second one she went to this year because apparently what this gentleman does is get elected officials in front of children with the

766
04:59:01.920 --> 04:59:20.878
$25,000 you gave him. And you respond, "So he wants more money. He wants you to come out again because that's his only program that he has for these kids is lining up elected officials to talk to them. This is the finding me academy.

767
04:59:20.878 --> 04:59:37.920
I know I haven't been invited to speak there. I don't know if anyone else on this das has been invited to speak there, but when I am asked to send funds out, and I said this to Commissioner Miles uh at the last meeting, I do not

768
04:59:37.920 --> 04:59:52.480
trust that it's just okay. If you say it's good, send it. Uh and and you wanted to talk about campaign donations earlier today and whether or not someone discloses them. Well, every campaign donation I've ever received has been disclosed on a campaign finance record

769
04:59:52.480 --> 05:00:10.000
as required by law. Um, but this person that you're giving, you gave $25,000 of taxpayer funds to is all over your website with your shirt, your signs, and you don't even know what they do. So, forgive me if I don't trust that y'all

770
05:00:10.000 --> 05:00:26.160
properly vet it and that you use taxpayer funds in a responsible manner. I don't uh but I would love to hear you explain how that one you messed up and now you've learned to do this better and

771
05:00:26.160 --> 05:00:41.280
it's not going to be the same mistake again. >> Well, that one did not get messed up. Um, so all of the money that we have given out there

772
05:00:41.280 --> 05:00:57.920
is the DA's office, our DA's office and the administrator's office has a reporting requirement. So everything Finding Me Academy did is spelled out every penny it spent.

773
05:00:57.920 --> 05:01:13.120
>> Tell us what they did. at every school school district. It has um long-standing relationship with Arlington school district. Every time I've gone to speak to the children, it has been in an

774
05:01:13.120 --> 05:01:29.440
Arlington school. Um, one of the reasons I said the main reason I said I didn't know what he did is because twice

775
05:01:29.440 --> 05:01:46.080
I went to visit and this is judgmental and there were three children when I shook their hands they didn't look me in the eye. So I went and asked him about that. What are you teaching the children?

776
05:01:46.080 --> 05:02:02.320
Two were from abusive families. One was recently diagnosed autistic. So I asked, "All right." >> After you sent the money to them, you didn't know what you were sending the money. >> No, no, no, no, no. What are you What are you talking about? Yes.

777
05:02:02.320 --> 05:02:18.160
>> I'm just reading your words on the transcription of the conversation that you guys recorded. >> Do you want to hear me or you want to talk over me? >> I I'll listen. >> Okay. So I just explained to you the reason for that comment in the transcript

778
05:02:18.160 --> 05:02:34.798
there. When I learned in our first year in office I had 150,000 in county project each of us had something different. Y'all remember that? Okay. And so we came out here,

779
05:02:34.798 --> 05:02:50.958
touched and agreed that each commissioner would give 50,000 for their community projects each court member. All right. So we have that has occurred. We've given out the money. Everything I

780
05:02:50.958 --> 05:03:06.480
do goes through the district attorney's office. I asked day one where is the application proc? What is the application process? They had

781
05:03:06.480 --> 05:03:24.400
nothing. So we created our own application. There is a reporting requirement. I make my grant rece grantees report October one not November. I don't

782
05:03:24.400 --> 05:03:41.200
want any rush. They spell out each penny they spend each program. So, it's there. Um, I have nothing to hide. All of this is available for you to see. The district

783
05:03:41.200 --> 05:03:56.560
attorney signs off on it. On two of these, you've approved them uh before. Save families um for children. that is the um uh organization that intervenes before

784
05:03:56.560 --> 05:04:12.878
children have to go into foster care. They have all of them have very detailed report. The Arlington alumni chapter of Delta Sigma Theta uh their human trafficking program they have had for at least a

785
05:04:12.878 --> 05:04:27.520
decade that >> Could you detail what they do in the human trafficking program >> that our sheriff's department works with? Could you detail what they do in the human trafficking program? Cuz the materials submitted don't say anything about what they do in the program. >> Okay. Well, we will give you their end

786
05:04:27.520 --> 05:04:43.200
of the year report. That's why my staff called over. We get that end of the year report and it details everything and everything. >> I understand your staff called over. We told them what we would like to see and then we didn't see it. But at the end of the day, your own words, they're there

787
05:04:43.200 --> 05:04:59.200
for anyone to see. your own words. You don't know what they do with it either. That's what you you you said you didn't know what they did. >> I just explained that. >> And so, well, I don't think it was a very good explanation, but >> Okay. >> You you are welcome to send my office

788
05:04:59.200 --> 05:05:16.000
and the rest of this court detailed information on how the money is spent. You don't on the one for your sorority. >> Send it yours to me either >> on the because I don't have one of these. Uh, I don't >> You have $50,000.

789
05:05:16.000 --> 05:05:33.360
>> I most certainly do not. Uh, I most certainly do not. >> We only gave it to the court members and not the commissioners. And I >> I have I have never a single time in three and a half years taken any taxpayer money and given it to an

790
05:05:33.360 --> 05:05:51.040
organization. Anything that I have given to any nonprofit organization comes from donations and ticket sales and sponsorship to I'm sorry to >> senior synergy now uh empowering seniors

791
05:05:51.040 --> 05:06:06.958
and to our national day of prayer event. But regardless that was in the budget, right? >> I'm not denying that it's in the budget. What I'm saying is you're sending out money not knowing what what it's going to be used for. You didn't know what that one was going to be used for.

792
05:06:06.958 --> 05:06:22.638
>> I have the reports >> and then then provide it to us. >> They're at the DS office. Well, we asked for information to detail what it >> we called you and asked exactly what you wanted >> and okay, we asked I'm asking you now

793
05:06:22.638 --> 05:06:39.840
here in front of everybody else. give us detailed information on what each one of these organizations is going to do with the money and and lay it out there for us and then maybe I'll vote for it. At this point, I can't.

794
05:06:39.840 --> 05:06:56.240
Would you like to hear from them? >> Uh, no. I want to get the detailed information. I want to see it. I want to read it. I want to look at >> and and and let me say this. We also went and looked at the other commissioners who have had these grant

795
05:06:56.240 --> 05:07:13.040
requests on the agenda and been approved. >> Nobody has a 15page document. None of them that we have approved up here. So you're setting a different standard >> including including your own. >> You're setting a different standard for me. That's what it sounds like because

796
05:07:13.040 --> 05:07:29.120
you've been approving them >> and once I found out you didn't even know where it went. I don't want to improve it anymore. So, it's that >> I know exactly where it went. >> Well, you didn't know where the other one was. So, why should we believe you know? >> I know exactly where it went. >> Okay. Well, I can't support it until I

797
05:07:29.120 --> 05:07:44.080
get more information. >> Everybody Everybody up here needs to give you a 15page document. Or or is it just me? >> You're the one that asked our office what we would like. No, >> you are the one that asked. >> We spouted that off last time and you said the one that you're the one that

798
05:07:44.080 --> 05:07:59.200
asked our office what we would like to see. You want it to be 15. >> We said what we would like to see. No, we didn't say it had to be 15 pages. We said what we would like to see last week. We said it today. >> And now you want it approved without providing what we asked for. So other people can vote how they want. I'm not

799
05:07:59.200 --> 05:08:14.160
going to support it. If you want to pull it off, bring back detailed stuff we can look at. I may support it. So do we have a motion on this on U1? >> I'm with approval for U1. >> All right. We have a motion and a

800
05:08:14.160 --> 05:08:31.480
second. Any dis further discussion on U1 >> and we've given U1 money. This would be the third year. >> Please cast your votes. >> All right. Passes four to one. All right. We have U2.

801
05:08:31.520 --> 05:08:55.120
>> I move approval for uh U2. >> All right. We have a motion to approve U2. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> All right. All right. Any discussion? All right. Passes 4 to one. Item U3. Move approval for U3. Second.

802
05:08:55.120 --> 05:09:11.680
>> We have a motion to approve U3. We have a second. Any discussion? My only question on this one, this one, I'm trying to be very consistent. Mine mine's always on. Are you going to use that money for partisanship purposes, not just for community purposes? First

803
05:09:11.680 --> 05:09:28.878
two organizations. I thought were fantastic. Um, this one you you look them up, they get involved in pretty partisan issues, which is great. I I understand why sorities do that. Is is there a uh is there an assurance that none of these funds will be used for

804
05:09:28.878 --> 05:09:46.480
partisanship purposes uh as that money is is is given to them. >> Well, just clarification, being a member of the Divine Nine, none of our organizations are part partisan. We can't be. >> All of our organ organizations are nonpartisan by our constitution and

805
05:09:46.480 --> 05:10:05.120
bylaws. We cannot be. >> So y'all don't participate in any partisanship activities? >> No, we do not. >> Okay. That was my question. >> All right. We have a motion. We have a second. >> You a yay? >> Yes. >> All right. Passes four to one.

806
05:10:05.120 --> 05:10:29.520
>> And item U4. >> Move approval. Second. >> All right. All right, we have a motion and a second to approve U4. Any discussion there? All right, it passes 4 to one. Brings us

807
05:10:29.520 --> 05:10:46.560
to item V1. No, it doesn't. That was the end of the removed consent items, I believe. Yeah, I believe >> U1, U2, U3, U4. Okay, now we move to

808
05:10:46.560 --> 05:11:05.680
the regular portion of the agenda. First item up is a public hearing to consider authorizing the installation of a stop sign within the Southwood Estate subdivision in precinct 2 uh with other action to follow depending

809
05:11:05.680 --> 05:11:34.320
on the outcome of the public hearing. So I now open the public hearing. Is there anyone who wishes to speak to this item? Commissioner Simmons, I want to thank you for this item and the items you continue to do within your precinct to be able to

810
05:11:34.320 --> 05:11:52.400
help improve the life and safety of the Tarant County residents within precinct 2. I wanted to take this opportunity with this public hearing to just be able to say that this is just another example of sometimes it's small, sometimes it's big. A lot of people try to stop you.

811
05:11:52.400 --> 05:12:08.080
You're focus on trying to make sure to do things like installing efforts like this stop sign to help transportation, to help the public, and no matter what O'Hare, Manny, and Krauss try to do, they will not stop you becoming the next

812
05:12:08.080 --> 05:12:24.958
county judge in this county. So, thank you so much for your leadership and I look forward to the people voting out. Tim O'Hare and many other >> You can take a seat now. You're not talking about this agenda item. Take a seat. All right. Anybody else wish to speak to this item?

813
05:12:24.958 --> 05:12:40.320
>> All right. Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion to close the public hearing. >> Move. >> Move approval. >> Second. >> We have a motion second to close the public hearing. Uh now, do we have a motion to authorize uh Did we vote? No, we didn't vote. >> No. >> Uh All right. Uh, cast your vote on the

814
05:12:40.320 --> 05:12:55.600
public hearing closure. Passes unanimously. Now, does anyone wish to make a motion to authorize the installation of a stop sign within the Southwood estate subdivision? >> Some second. >> All right, we have a motion, a second on that item. Any discussion? All right, seeing none, please cast your

815
05:12:55.600 --> 05:13:11.280
votes. All right, passes unanimously. Next up is a public hearing to consider authorizing the installation of a stop sign within the waterboard Eustace Hill Stanfield subdivision precinct 4. Public hearing is now open.

816
05:13:11.280 --> 05:13:26.718
Is there anyone who wishes to speak to this item? All right. Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion to close the public hearing. >> So move. >> Second. >> We have a motion to close the public hearing and a second. Any discussion on that?

817
05:13:26.718 --> 05:13:42.400
I think it's a motion from Ramirez and a second on Krauss is what I heard, but I'll There we go. All right. Cast your vote. All right. Passes unanimously. The public hearing is now closed. Do we have

818
05:13:42.400 --> 05:14:01.920
a motion to considerate to authorize the installation of the stop sign? So move. Second. Second. All right. We have a motion and a second on this. Any discussion here? All right, cast your vote. All right, passes unanimously. Takes us

819
05:14:01.920 --> 05:14:19.920
to item 11 A1, consideration of out of state travel requests. >> Move for approval. >> Second. >> All right, we have a motion and a second on this item. Any discussion? All right, seeing none, please cast your vote.

820
05:14:19.920 --> 05:14:36.320
All right, passes unanimously. Next is consideration of an acception of the travel policy commissioner precinct 2. Do we have a motion on this? >> Approval. >> Second. >> All right. We have a motion and a second on this item. Any discussion? All right. Please cast your vote.

821
05:14:36.320 --> 05:14:51.440
Passes unanimously. All right. Now we come to the first item regarding elections which is consideration to approve an order calling a general election on November 3rd, 2026. Move >> approval. Second. >> All right. We have a motion and a second

822
05:14:51.440 --> 05:15:08.400
to approve item B1. Any discussion here? >> Sure. Clint, what's the document before us for approval? >> That's it's just the order calling the elections required by statute. >> Is the version we're voting on today? The same version that will be signed,

823
05:15:08.400 --> 05:15:25.040
published, and posted for the public. >> I I don't see what's in the communic case, so I couldn't tell you what you're looking at right now. How? What? >> But there's there's been an order submitted to be signed. >> Okay. >> All right. Because I'm I'm asking

824
05:15:25.040 --> 05:15:40.480
because an election order should clearly identify the election date, the offices or measures to be voted on, the main early vote location, the early vote clerk's contact information,

825
05:15:40.480 --> 05:15:57.200
the applicable early vote schedule. All that should be >> this is just simply calling the election. The rest of it comes we've got further items to approve that then that all gets generated and put into what is finally posted online when we notify of

826
05:15:57.200 --> 05:16:16.638
the election. >> Okay. Okay. >> All right. We have a motion a second on item B1. Any other discussion on that? All right. Seeing none, please cast your vote. All right, passes unanimously. Next, we

827
05:16:16.638 --> 05:16:35.440
come to item two, consideration of approval to combine election precincts uh pursuant to Texas election code section 42.051. >> Move for approval. >> Second. >> We have a motion, a second on that. Um

828
05:16:35.440 --> 05:16:50.560
if you have questions specific to this item, ask away. then we will get to the election day and early voting sites here in a moment. Any questions or comments on item two? >> Yeah, let's see.

829
05:16:50.560 --> 05:17:16.560
So, I I want to draw a clear distinction between B2 and B3 because they do two different things, right? Um >> B2 does not approve the 176 election day locations. That's the

830
05:17:16.560 --> 05:17:31.680
next item. >> That's the next item. Yes. >> Nor the early voting. >> Right. What B2 does is change the calculation that makes 176 locations legally possible. >> Correct. >> Correct. >> All right.

831
05:17:31.680 --> 05:17:47.440
>> Change the calculation. Can you explain that? So what it does is currently we have 707 voting precincts. >> Uhhuh. >> With in the statute you because we are countywide polling, we're allowed to have 50% of our precincts. What the statute allows you to do is combine the

832
05:17:47.440 --> 05:18:04.000
precincts first, then take 50% of that. By combining and getting to the 340, then you take the 50% of that. That means legally we're required to have 170 polling locations on election day. >> All right. I want to go ahead and continue because I have some comments here. Okay.

833
05:18:04.000 --> 05:18:19.760
So, like you said, Taran County currently has 77 election precincts. >> Correct. >> The proposal that you're bringing this court combines them into 340 election day precincts.

834
05:18:19.760 --> 05:18:37.040
>> It Yes, it does, but it doesn't change the election numbers, nor will it change any reporting. So, all precincts are still reported as the individual precinct number. Um, so it doesn't It just affects the calculation when it

835
05:18:37.040 --> 05:18:53.200
comes to polling locations or if we had been precinct based that would be the 340 precincts that we would have to those combined precincts that geographic area would be where we would have to have a polling location. So, let me ask you this on that one, just so I'm clear.

836
05:18:53.200 --> 05:19:10.718
If we wanted additional sites either time, passing number two does not affect our ability here in a moment on choosing sites. Is that correct? >> No, it it basically sets what is

837
05:19:10.718 --> 05:19:26.560
required by law that we must meet. >> Okay. But after that if we wanted 177 or 297 or whatever we are free to do that. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> So under that >> do you do you agree with that? >> Yes. This so what what the item you're

838
05:19:26.560 --> 05:19:42.638
considering now does is combine election precincts and then you set polling locations based on the number of combined precincts. Yes. >> So I have one more question on that. >> I have a question. >> If we are to add additional polling locations. Let let me just say it this way instead

839
05:19:42.638 --> 05:19:58.718
of trying to deal with item two before we because we got items three and four. If anyone on election uh early voting, I'm fine with it. If it you add a few here and there, I'm fine with it. If

840
05:19:58.718 --> 05:20:15.920
anyone had come to me and asked me if I was okay with 176 voting locations on election day, I would have said no. Um, my guess is, since I know you didn't come ask me if I was okay with it, my guess is you didn't ask anybody else

841
05:20:15.920 --> 05:20:32.958
here if they were okay with that number. >> No. >> So, contrary to popular opinion, um, you didn't get any direction from me on what number polling location have on election day or anyone else here on this dis. >> No. >> Okay. I can tell you I'm not comfortable

842
05:20:32.958 --> 05:20:51.040
with 176 election sites. found out this number. I want to say it was Thursday or Friday. Um, I'm not okay with it. Never would have been okay with it. Not okay with it now. I think that's way too large a cut. So, knowing that, I

843
05:20:51.040 --> 05:21:06.240
just want to make sure voting on number two does not hinder in any way, shape, or form any additional sites that may be added on either election day or early voting.

844
05:21:06.240 --> 05:21:23.280
No, it won't hinder going up. It just keeps us from going down. >> Say that again. >> It won't hinder going up. It just keeps you from going down. That's kind of the floor. >> It sets the floor, not the ceiling. Got it. Right. >> Okay. >> All right. I'm I'm going to finish. I

845
05:21:23.280 --> 05:21:42.638
had the floor, but Okay. So, under the countywide vote center rules, the minimum number of election day locations is calculated after eligible precincts have been combined. Right. Correct. >> All right. With 707 election precincts, the minimum

846
05:21:42.638 --> 05:21:59.920
would be 354 election day locations. Once that number is reduced to 340, the minimum falls to 170 >> correct locations. Then under B3, this court will be asked to approve 176 locations only six above

847
05:21:59.920 --> 05:22:15.680
that newly lowered minimum. Right. >> Correct. So, let me say in plain language, okay? If if B2 is approved, it has the effect of lowering the minimum number of election day locations the county must

848
05:22:15.680 --> 05:22:39.440
provide from 354 to 170. >> Yes. Lowers the floor. >> Okay. All right. State law may allow eligible precincts to be combined, but this alone does not

849
05:22:39.440 --> 05:22:58.240
establish that these particular combinations are justified. >> I'm talking about in three and four. >> Well, yeah. >> I I guess I don't I'm not following Commissioner. So state laws allows your

850
05:22:58.240 --> 05:23:16.120
eligible precincts to be combined, right? >> Correct. >> But it does not establish that these particular combinations are justified. I mean, you can

851
05:23:17.440 --> 05:23:34.638
I mean, there's rules to what can be combined. It's not you can't just combine stuff to get to a number. So that you've got to have um the precinct that's got to be under 3,000. When it's combined with other precincts, they can't go over 5,000. They've they must be contiguous. It can't be stuff from

852
05:23:34.638 --> 05:23:49.520
all over the county. So there's there's rules that get to the combining, which is why you you got to the we got to 34. The court still has to determine whether the combinations meet the statutory requirements and remain within that 5,000

853
05:23:49.520 --> 05:24:07.840
uh vote limit voter limit are supported by an actual cost analysis and have been reviewed for voting rights um concerns. Right. Nope. So they fit within the

854
05:24:07.840 --> 05:24:23.040
they fit within the rules of the election code. The combining does the map that was submitted. All the numbers on there showed you the number of registered voters in every one of those combined precincts. None of them went over the 5,000. And the the combination

855
05:24:23.040 --> 05:24:39.280
because we are countywide. We are not limited to where the polling locations go based on precincts. It's based on what you all decide on where you want them. So this this isn't affect number three or four. Well, actually

856
05:24:39.280 --> 05:24:57.200
number it's really number three that this ties into. It doesn't affect number three other than saying when you approve them, you cannot go lower than 170. >> Right. Sets the floor, not the ceiling. >> All right. So

857
05:24:57.200 --> 05:25:13.120
who came up with this? you, your team, did you involve citizens? Uh, the party, >> the combining of the polling locations, that was myself and my team. Obviously, we just took the rules that were there,

858
05:25:13.120 --> 05:25:37.520
followed them, used our GIS mapping people to figure it out, precinct numbers, and got the combined precincts. And you have a precinct by precinct analysis of how you

859
05:25:37.520 --> 05:25:54.080
what I don't have is your methodology. You know >> the methodology is the election code and I did give that to your staff. >> Okay. >> I'm going to tell you what Okay. Go ahead. Clint, other than reducing the number of sites, what what other advantage is there to

860
05:25:54.080 --> 05:26:08.958
combining these precincts, is there any any reduction in burden on your staff in reporting or anything? Or is the only reason to combine them in order to set a lower floor so you can reduce the sites? >> It by by setting the lower floor,

861
05:26:08.958 --> 05:26:26.080
reducing the sites, it is meant for two things. A they understand that finding a polling location in every single precinct when you have a a precinct with as many as 14 people may not be feasible. It also goes into reducing the overall cost and burden on the courts when it comes to the number of

862
05:26:26.080 --> 05:26:43.120
locations. Um and then the logistical part of trying to get everything to the locations where they're located. So, it takes having a polling location in a a precinct of 14 people that's next to a precinct of 2,000. Instead of having two

863
05:26:43.120 --> 05:27:03.440
polling locations, now you can have one. >> You Why' you cut polling places? >> So, I was going to explain number three when we got to it. Is that we want to do that now? >> Well, why don't we why don't we do this? Why don't we ask all the questions we want to ask on number two? There's a

864
05:27:03.440 --> 05:27:18.878
motion on the floor. Ask your questions, make your comments, whatever you're doing, and then we'll take a vote and then we will move to the next item. >> Why'd you cut polling places? >> Yeah, that's not part of number two.

865
05:27:18.878 --> 05:27:34.480
>> Well, you just said just ask all your questions. Yeah, that's just number just number two is not doing anything other than allowing them the ability to have less than basically 350 something

866
05:27:34.480 --> 05:27:55.280
locations. If you want 350 locations, okay, then vote against it. >> Would you like so or we don't like this idea? you want to give your whole presentation on the whole thing on whatever it is you wanted to say about your methodology and how you came up with numbers.

867
05:27:55.280 --> 05:28:12.558
>> I've got two questions before we get to that if I may. >> Okay. >> Uh the first one is will the consolidation in uh this item impact the party chair the precinct chairs for each party? No, it's it again it's

868
05:28:12.558 --> 05:28:28.480
it's very hard. It's almost other than the fact that it's used to calculate the number of location because if we were precinct based then possibly it could because now you're you're defining that geographical area where you must have a polling location because we are countywide. We are not limited to

869
05:28:28.480 --> 05:28:44.480
any one of those defined areas. So it basically it just creates a method to do the math that sets the floor, but we can still place the polling locations. And again, all the precinct numbers, everything else by law, they all still

870
05:28:44.480 --> 05:28:59.200
have to be reported. So all reporting will still be by all 77 precincts. >> So So with this with this item, you won't have to update the maps or anything like that, right? >> No. >> Okay. >> Yeah. This is just a statutory

871
05:28:59.200 --> 05:29:15.200
requirement that he has to do and then once we get over this hurdle then we can start talking about all the actual precinct or voting sites and all that. >> Was it statutoily required to combine the precincts?

872
05:29:15.200 --> 05:29:30.240
>> The the commissioner court may combine the precincts. You can choose not to combine the precincts. >> May. >> Yeah. I I I misspoke. I wasn't saying you had to do this. I'm just saying this was part of statutory code. It just didn't have to do with what he came out with with the voting sites.

873
05:29:30.240 --> 05:29:51.120
>> Okay. What what what is the ramification of not voting for number two? >> Then it just means that the minimum number of locations that we would have to have is the 3 54. >> Right. Okay. >> So if you want 354,

874
05:29:51.120 --> 05:30:08.400
>> vote no. >> Clinton. >> If you want a lower number, vote yes. And then we'll get to that here in just a minute to go talk about numbers of polling locations. >> Clint, did our number of precincts increase to 700 or was it 700 during the

875
05:30:08.400 --> 05:30:23.680
last election? >> As of January 1st, it was 707. So all of the new redistricting went into place on January 1 and that's when um we went to 707 from 694 I believe is what we were at. the last election we

876
05:30:23.680 --> 05:30:40.080
only had 314 sites. So we didn't meet what what was what was the justification for not having a 50% threshold then? >> So there was the 50% threshold the going back through how election day

877
05:30:40.080 --> 05:30:55.440
sites were done. What I realized is is what I had taken over. They had always done the combining. If you go back to when we were precinct based and we had 315 locations or 300 and something in 2017,

878
05:30:55.440 --> 05:31:10.240
there was a combining that had to do to get to that 315. It just never came in front of the court for approval. It was still done. Then when we switched from precinct based to countywide polling, they kept doing that. Then when I looked and saw and read the election code and

879
05:31:10.240 --> 05:31:28.718
said, "Wait a second. This this says commissioner court. This needs to go in front of the court." So instead of continuing the process that I had taken over, I brought it in front of the court for approval because that's the right process. >> All right. Anything on else on this before we get to the actual locations?

880
05:31:28.718 --> 05:31:44.240
The last thing I'll say is Clint, it sounds like going forward before you make any decisions like this, you need to meet with each commissioner and the judge to tell them what your plan is to get our input. >> Understand?

881
05:31:44.240 --> 05:32:01.920
>> Because we could have we could have bypassed all of this if we' have had a conversation on the front end. >> Yeah. I told everybody that uh that that reached out to me, when did you see the sites? I said, I saw them when they posted on the agenda. >> Right. >> And that shouldn't be that way. CL

882
05:32:01.920 --> 05:32:16.958
should not. >> And what was the trigger? >> What was what what triggered you to do this >> to do the combining? >> Yeah, >> the combining has always been done. It's

883
05:32:16.958 --> 05:32:33.760
just the trigger was when I realized that it had never been brought before the court before and that it should have been brought before the court. So, it's >> I thought you were going to say redistricting, but okay. >> All right. So, on this item two, all the votes are in. Anything else anybody

884
05:32:33.760 --> 05:32:49.680
wants to say before we move to the actual sites discussion? All right. Seeing none, the votes are in. It's 3 to two. So, this passes. Now, I got a recommendation. I think we're going to have more

885
05:32:49.680 --> 05:33:06.718
discussion on election day probably than we are early voting. Can we attempt to Well, I don't care what order we go in. I just I'm trying to think of how to move stuff along. I was thinking move four up, but we can keep it in order. I don't care.

886
05:33:06.718 --> 05:33:20.958
Uh, number three is consideration to approve election day voting sites for the general election to be conducted November 3rd, 2026. as I stated a few minutes ago, which I was not going to say till we got to three. Um, A, I

887
05:33:20.958 --> 05:33:38.558
appreciate your hard work. B, uh, I think this one on this one, you missed the mark a little bit. Um, the notion or the idea that this is some conspiracy or something that people are doing, hey,

888
05:33:38.558 --> 05:33:52.958
people are going to say what they're going to say. It's utter and complete total nonsense. There's no one here you talk to. You didn't talk to me. I don't even know what the legalities are of you running around to each one and saying, "What do you want?" beforehand. My guess

889
05:33:52.958 --> 05:34:10.638
is there's some issues with that. Um, having said that, I think the number is too low. I do not think it would be fruitful or productive for this group sitting here to attempt to say

890
05:34:10.638 --> 05:34:28.080
when the reduction is so significant and again people pick and choose their stats and their numbers where they get them from. Um the law that was passed in 2023 that required a jump in the number of

891
05:34:28.080 --> 05:34:43.200
voting sites. uh they amended it and changed it. So that requirement doesn't exist. Um looking back at several election site I mean at elections um I do think we need more on this one

892
05:34:43.200 --> 05:34:57.920
and I do not think there's any way shape or form the five of us can sit up here and say please add these 10, please add these seven. Please add these nine. I want this two. Um before we get into that, can you walk

893
05:34:57.920 --> 05:35:14.400
through your criteria, how you came up with this, what you did, um what your basis and analysis for coming up with all these sites was. >> Yes, judge. So on the election day sites, obviously we had to figure out

894
05:35:14.400 --> 05:35:29.200
what what the number was that we had to meet. So we did the combining to see, okay, this is what the law requires. Then I went back and looked at turnout from 2022 because generally what we do is we compare like elections. The last like election was 2022.

895
05:35:29.200 --> 05:35:45.360
Usually we'll add a 10 or 15% increase in turnout as this is what we expect to see and then do calculations. But because we had seen such a dramatic increase in turnout during the primaries, I actually went to a 40% increase in turnout, which is more in line with the increase that we saw

896
05:35:45.360 --> 05:36:01.200
during the primaries, not the usual 10 or 15%. So, I increased the potential of turnout by 40%. Then calculated, okay, based on that, in a 12-h hour day, how many polling locations is it going to take to process that many voters in

897
05:36:01.200 --> 05:36:19.520
12 hours? That number is 136, which is still below the 170 to process the number of voters in the 12-h hour day that we have. So, that takes us to the 170, but 170 is the floor, and it does not leave any room if anything were to happen. So then it's also one of the

898
05:36:19.520 --> 05:36:35.200
goals is to try to balance across the commissioner precincts. There's four. So you need a number divisible by four. That would have put 172, but again there's time things happen. It's Texas polling sites could go. So then we jumped it up one more to the 176. With

899
05:36:35.200 --> 05:36:52.240
the 176 then we we focused on each commissioner precinct and we started with where do the voters want to vote because they've been telling us it's turnout. And so we went with all the high turnout locations that we have on election day. And then once we utilized those, we looked at, okay, where on the maps do we have holes? Can we find

900
05:36:52.240 --> 05:37:09.120
places that we can add to get to a more even distribution to allow access? What ended up resulted is you've got 44 in each commissioner precinct, which is the 176. We have an average distance between polling locations on election day of 1.3

901
05:37:09.120 --> 05:37:24.958
miles. So on average, if you lived the farthest away you could live from a polling location would be smack dab in the middle of two, right? Because otherwise you're closer to one than the other. That puts you at about just over a half mile away, about a 15minute walk from a polling location on average

902
05:37:24.958 --> 05:37:41.280
across the county on election day. 28 of those locations are within 1,000 ft of a bus stop. And so and we we did not focus on targeting anything near bus stops to eliminate. We kept a lot of those locations that were on the bus routes

903
05:37:41.280 --> 05:37:57.920
and that's how we got to the 176 locations that we have now. >> And now that's all on that's all election day which is what we're talking about at the moment on this item. >> So I want to go back to the thing that you

904
05:37:57.920 --> 05:38:13.760
said that there is not a single voting site or was this an average? There's not a single voting site in Tarant County that's less than 1.5 miles from another voting site. >> No, that's the average. We do have areas that are barren on the other side of lake. So that creates distance. So

905
05:38:13.760 --> 05:38:29.920
that's that's the average. >> So when you say So if that's the average Okay. What's the farthest? >> The farthest I don't know off the top of my head on a election day because we had so many sites. >> And what's the closest?

906
05:38:29.920 --> 05:38:46.000
>> The less they're less than a mile apart. >> Okay. So, I will tell you for one, I applaud you're looking at this with an actual formula and a way of trying to create it as opposed to just well here and there and everywhere else. I also

907
05:38:46.000 --> 05:39:02.638
know that you're dealing with some difficulties of some sites that have been in the past don't want to do it anymore. Some sites legally cannot do it anymore uh based on requirements passed by the state. Uh, I still think it's it's too low, but I appreciate that you

908
05:39:02.638 --> 05:39:19.280
had a formula and went about doing it in a manner that showed some semblance of attempts to do it in a way with something that made sense. I still think you're too low. Uh,

909
05:39:19.280 --> 05:39:34.400
on the average weight times, how far did you go back to each election on weight times? How did that factor in? Did you have that as a factor other than average 1.5 miles?

910
05:39:34.400 --> 05:39:51.600
>> So the the average weight times we we've been doing that since the the presidential election 2024. So I look back at those and reflect and see if if what we're doing accurately reflects and in our elections it's it has been consistent in that on election day and

911
05:39:51.600 --> 05:40:07.600
this is election day because we're speaking about election day only is up until about 400 p.m. the polls are slow. There's there's no wait times. Then at about 400 p.m. across about 20 30 locations depending on the election they

912
05:40:07.600 --> 05:40:22.798
start those elections start getting or those polling locations start getting a lot of voters and then so the wait times increase from 4 to 5 they increase again from 5 to 6 and then from 6 to 7 they start to come down again but it's a

913
05:40:22.798 --> 05:40:38.958
small group of the overall polling locations that that happens. Um, off the top of my head, I think I think it was last November, we had at least 36 locations that had

914
05:40:38.958 --> 05:40:57.120
absolutely no wait time all day long and it was somewhere in the neighborhood ofund almost 160. I think that the wait times all day were less than than 10 minutes. Um there were it's just those few locations like the Keller Town Halls,

915
05:40:57.120 --> 05:41:12.958
the subcourouses that everybody just shows up to instead of going to the other they on election day they probably drove past a location that wasn't as busy to get to the the Keller Town Halls, the Mansfield subcourthouse. Obviously they would

916
05:41:12.958 --> 05:41:29.520
drive past Vernon Newsome Stadium coming down Broad Street. Um, so that's why we've started using the weight times applications. We made a concerted effort to push it. Um, between then and now, we've created a or we've got orange A-frames that have a big sign

917
05:41:29.520 --> 05:41:44.160
mounted to it that say don't want to wait in line. Got a hund of them for our busiest locations with instructions for the judges. Hey, put this out where the lines form instead of wait a person waiting until they get to the door that shows the nearest polling locations. So

918
05:41:44.160 --> 05:42:00.638
before they ever get in line and get committed to standing in the line, they can find somewhere else to go. So we are doing some things to try to disperse to bring down the overall average weight times and utilize some of these underutilized locations. >> All right. One of the things that I also

919
05:42:00.638 --> 05:42:17.040
will applaud you for, and I'm assuming this was part of what you did, was we I think you gave us a presentation, if I remember correctly, before choosing the voting locations for the 2025 constitutional amendment and special election, I think, is when you

920
05:42:17.040 --> 05:42:31.920
did that. You may remember better than me. Or it may be after the 24 election, you provided it to us. I don't remember, but I seem to remember it was up here. But we had some locations that I think on election day had singledigit voters

921
05:42:31.920 --> 05:42:47.600
show up or if it wasn't single digits, it was like 12 or 13 people showed up in an entire day. And so it's thousands of dollars to run those. Um, and when there are alternatives, that makes no sense to

922
05:42:47.600 --> 05:43:02.400
me to do. So I appreciate that you've gone through and done that, which I'm assuming you have. >> Yes, >> sure. I'm assuming that's part of this now. That certainly wasn't a majority of the locations, but it was quite a few locations. Um,

923
05:43:02.400 --> 05:43:20.480
the other thing that I want to ask you, our lawyer, is when is the deadline to pick this? >> That was my question. >> Judge, there is no specific legal deadline to designate polling places,

924
05:43:20.480 --> 05:43:37.200
>> but there are are two things to keep in mind here. One is that there's a practical issue with elections being able to >> okay >> make sure that the places work. But then the second is that >> there is a notice that must be given out uh 5 days before early voting starts and

925
05:43:37.200 --> 05:43:53.040
then 21 days before >> about where all the locations are. >> Where all the locations are. Yeah. >> So now realistically assuming we don't want to go pick these things six days before early voting starts which we don't when do when would you say

926
05:43:53.040 --> 05:44:08.718
I really need these things approved by when? >> First week of September. >> Okay. >> So that would allow us time we have to get programming done, public tests done because then we have to obviously 45 the

927
05:44:08.718 --> 05:44:25.520
the biggest thing that drives is election starts when the 45day out we must have a completed ballot to put in the mail to federal overseas voters. Yeah, >> in order to do that, we have to have completed all of the other things to get to that point.

928
05:44:25.520 --> 05:44:41.440
>> Okay. I know others have questions. So, what I'm going to do is move to table this item so you can go back and find additional voting locations. >> Second, >> uh to make sure that >> somebody take a picture of that board.

929
05:44:41.440 --> 05:44:58.878
You can go through this and provide more locations and if it is legally permissible and only if it is legally permissible, if you want to go visit with all the commissioners, uh I I don't think that I don't know if that's legal or

930
05:44:58.878 --> 05:45:15.680
not, but I want you that's my motion is to table this item to bring it back and I don't think you'll have enough time to deal with this in two weeks. So I would say to bring it back to the first meeting in September >> September 1st >> friendly amendment >> judge

931
05:45:15.680 --> 05:45:32.400
>> that we include four with three three and four. >> Now I'm I'm not willing to go there but you can make that motion. >> Okay. >> Okay. Can I ask a question legal question first Mr. Crowavville? Now that we've discussed this in open court, had a chance to vet it, talked

932
05:45:32.400 --> 05:45:49.200
about it, is that something that now we can talk about amongst ourselves without being in any kind of violation of the open meetings act or since it's still going to come before the court in September, we still h can't have I would I would always recommend against the members of the commissioner's court

933
05:45:49.200 --> 05:46:05.120
discussing something in a quorum. >> So if are you making an amending motion? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Second. Uh, we have a motion and and I I would say well I'll discuss that in a minute. We have a motion and a second to amend to include the early voting sites.

934
05:46:05.120 --> 05:46:20.798
Now discussion. Here's my discussion. I'd like to have the discussion first before we do this and we haven't talked about early voting sites at all. So maybe we can get that one done, maybe we can't. Uh that's why I'm against the idea. Uh I would say deal with this one.

935
05:46:20.798 --> 05:46:36.958
Let's go to that one. Anybody else have anything they want to say on that item? Clinton, I know your timeline is different for early voting versus election day. Were you saying September one was good enough for election day, >> but early voting is not or would you tell me your timeline there?

936
05:46:36.958 --> 05:46:53.520
>> As long as we have all the sites by the first week of September, we can get it done. >> Okay, another question. I think I got clarification on this um our staff did a day or two ago. If we approve a certain number of sites, there's always uh

937
05:46:53.520 --> 05:47:09.600
chances because we we are talking about some that have been historically there that you've told us can't do it now because of security reasons, locked doors, whatever. If we approve and authorize a site for you to go vet and explore that site, >> and it turns out to not be feasible or

938
05:47:09.600 --> 05:47:26.558
or not workable, um what's your process there on taking it off the list? as long as you have it off the list by time you post notice. Is is that how it works? >> So, I probably the best example of of something like this would have been the ice storms because that's when we were

939
05:47:26.558 --> 05:47:41.360
losing polling locations during voting and the requirement is to post the notice that the the location is no longer available. So, after you've approved it, we're required to post the notice on the location saying this location is not available for voting and then we can go. So, as long as I have

940
05:47:41.360 --> 05:48:00.160
enough time to post notice, um, it'll work. >> Okay. So, at the moment, we have a motion, an amending an amendment to the original motion to include in the tableabling of election day

941
05:48:00.160 --> 05:48:17.040
voting sites to also table early voting sites. We have a second on that. Any discussion on that item? before we go to the original motion. All right. Seeing none, do it by show of

942
05:48:17.040 --> 05:48:34.558
hands. I think we have to on this. Uh if you are for including early voting in the >> what's it called? >> Uh table. >> Motion to table. >> Uh the motion to table. Then raise your hand.

943
05:48:34.558 --> 05:48:50.558
Okay. If you are opposed raise your hand. Okay. So that motion fails two to three. So now we go back to the motion. >> All right. >> Of moving to table election day voting

944
05:48:50.558 --> 05:49:10.320
sites until the first meeting of September. We have a motion and a second. >> I have >> discussion. Yeah. >> Motion. Second. Clint. >> Yes, ma'am.

945
05:49:10.320 --> 05:49:26.160
>> Answer my question. Why did you decrease the number of polling places? Look here. Here. >> I went with the math. >> I'm sorry.

946
05:49:26.160 --> 05:49:44.638
>> I went with the math. So we >> So I explained what we did to get to the numbers of of locations. >> You're not you're you're explaining it now. You I have a basic question

947
05:49:44.638 --> 05:50:04.320
and it's why because we had a a midterm that had great turnout. You had a constitutional amendment election. that had surprisingly high turnout.

948
05:50:04.320 --> 05:50:23.360
Um, you on your own, you're saying you didn't or he's saying you didn't talk to him. Did you talk to any other court member? >> I did not talk to court members. I kept it completely subjective to the numbers

949
05:50:23.360 --> 05:50:40.080
and the math and left the who's the what'ss the people the politics were were not a consideration in it. It was simply what do we need? How do we go above and beyond that? Does does that fit into creating an even distribution

950
05:50:40.080 --> 05:50:56.120
so that we're going to have access be able to run a secure election and then bring that number forward. If the polling locations, if the math had come out and said we needed 440, I would be standing here saying we needed 440.

951
05:50:56.320 --> 05:51:15.040
So, as long as I've been here, I've heard you say, and I can roll the tape that you always need more polling places. That tape is from prior to 2024

952
05:51:15.040 --> 05:51:30.558
when the legislature changed the law and it had upped the number that we had and we were drastically behind and even meeting the minimum requirement. And so yes, I did actually at that time went from precinct to precinct to meet

953
05:51:30.558 --> 05:51:52.878
with each commissioner try tried to find more in order to meet the statute. >> You got no input from this court. You had a 22 2022 midterm election. It had 316 election day vote centers.

954
05:51:52.878 --> 05:52:17.920
You're proposing 176. You got no community input, no party input, no nothing. As much as you want to call it, whatever you're calling it, this is a deliberate

955
05:52:17.920 --> 05:52:36.160
a deliberate act to reduce voter access. Um, and you you really haven't given a you haven't given a good reason for it because nobody on your court

956
05:52:36.160 --> 05:52:55.360
according to you ask you to do it. Um, >> so I'm going to have to disagree with the deliberate act. >> It's done. >> It wasn't deliberate. It was simply following the math. >> Yeah, I I think I would say that would

957
05:52:55.360 --> 05:53:12.000
be a mischaracterization. I think Clint's doing exactly what we've tked him to do. I know there's conversations that could have been had at the outset, but his job is to look at what state statute says, look at the population, look at the precincts, come up with the number, and as one of the uh people in

958
05:53:12.000 --> 05:53:27.280
the earlier public comment said, his job isn't to set that. It's to recommend that to us, and then he comes and brings it to us, and then we can adjust it up, down, left, right, however we want to. And so, um, I think it's a huge mischaracter mischaracterization to say it's a deliberate attack on people

959
05:53:27.280 --> 05:53:43.920
having access to the polls when he's just giving us the recommendation, then we get to act on it. So, um, >> like he said, the statute said the code says he he made and he went to the barebone minimum.

960
05:53:43.920 --> 05:54:06.000
um you know, >> and then we can adjust it upwards if if we think that we should. >> And and Clint did respond. I'm looking at at my email. Um he's his focus is that he could not find

961
05:54:06.000 --> 05:54:22.400
adequate poll location sites. This this this is not a rationale supported by Texas statutes to combine precincts. It is his job to identify and secure pole locations. Does he need additional staff to perform

962
05:54:22.400 --> 05:54:38.080
this critical function for our county? If so, hire personnel, ask community organizations to provide recommendations. If sites are not up to state requirements, we should work with those locations to add a locked door or election room or whatever.

963
05:54:38.080 --> 05:54:55.360
uh the per per statutes combining may be done to reduce costs. This should not be an issue here since the election has been known for quite some time and should be adequately funded in the county budget.

964
05:54:55.360 --> 05:55:12.480
Um the only other reason to combine precincts is if voter precincts contain territory and more than one commissioner court precinct. It's just you have not given you've not answered my question.

965
05:55:12.480 --> 05:55:29.040
Why did you do this? It was not you did not have to get down to 170 sites. Um I think you were influenced but that's

966
05:55:29.040 --> 05:55:43.840
me. >> Well obviously if you remember I think I believe the first time I brought up polling locations when I brought forth um just all the locations because these are all the locations we'd always always used. There was a resounding response

967
05:55:43.840 --> 05:56:00.718
from the court that they wanted me to do the math. You all wanted me to do the analysis and to look at what we needed and not just come with this is what we've always used and those changes have that was heard and the changes were made the math this time obviously the numbers

968
05:56:00.718 --> 05:56:16.920
got a little bit lower than than what everybody's comfortable with. I will go back take feedback and we will come forward with a number that everybody's more comfortable with. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. Any other discussion?

969
05:56:17.440 --> 05:56:34.400
All right, seeing none, cast your votes. It's moving to table. All right, so that passes five to zero. Now we go to consideration to approve early voting sites for the general election on November 3rd, 2026. >> Yeah. So, this one seemed a little bit

970
05:56:34.400 --> 05:56:50.798
simpler because you only reduced what, eight or nine, >> correct? >> And the ones that I had concerns with, uh, I'm comfortable just going and adding them back if possible. Um and then having the early voting sites that we've had historically. So

971
05:56:50.798 --> 05:57:06.878
>> what table sites that were used in 2022, not all of those were are even still available to be sites. Um some of them have told us no, they're not going to be sites anymore. Um well, a lot some of the the difference in the 50 to what we

972
05:57:06.878 --> 05:57:21.680
have now. Currently, what we had available that we know could be a polling location. There were 46 locations that that we know for sure could have could have been a polling location. Um

973
05:57:21.680 --> 05:57:39.840
those that was the Diamond Hill um which again we've done the math. We have the ability with the current sites to process 800,000 voters during the early voting period. We're not going to get 8 100,000 voters to show up during early voting. We have passed before it but

974
05:57:39.840 --> 05:57:57.360
it's not going to happen. And the the reason it came out that high is because I focused on the last day of early voting because that tends to be the busiest. And how do we keep the weight times from getting too drastic on the last day and what how many sites do we need to process that many voters on that

975
05:57:57.360 --> 05:58:12.878
day? And that's >> go ahead and do this the same way you went through your criteria on election day. Do the same thing on the early voting sites. >> So yeah, it was very very similar. Again, I I focused on the last day of early voting. I built I baked in a 40%

976
05:58:12.878 --> 05:58:30.320
increase. Again, not a 10 or 15, but a 40% increase. That number came out to roughly 72,000 based on 42 locations. 78,000 in in 12 hours is is the ability to process that. But that's just in the one day. We have 12 days. So that

977
05:58:30.320 --> 05:58:44.400
capacity every day, the number of hours that we have, that comes out to the if everybody were to show up every day, we could process 800,000. We know they don't do that. Generally, they show up the first day, some the second day, and

978
05:58:44.400 --> 05:59:02.320
then we we see an influx some the day prior to the last day and then the last day is by far the busiest day. So, in order to keep the the weight times down on that last day when we seen the majority of voters, we went with a higher number of polling locations. Again, we started with all of our high

979
05:59:02.320 --> 05:59:18.958
turnout locations. Where are those locations? Um, what's what is utilized the most and looked at, okay, we had the 46. We knew 42 would meet it. Looked at areas where we had a clump of locations. Northeast is is one of those

980
05:59:18.958 --> 05:59:35.120
areas where we've got five locations that are within not even a 5 mile radius of each other. Um and so we took and would move like Brookside Community Center which generally has in the area it's lower turnout but it's better turnout than

981
05:59:35.120 --> 05:59:52.400
what Ail PD gets but as PD is the only thing we have up in the northwest corner so we left Ail we swap put ASL PD there. Um, like I'm aware that Everman is a big hole in the map. We contacted the city of Everman. The polling location that they normally

982
05:59:52.400 --> 06:00:09.440
allow us to use is not available because they're remodeling the city hall and they're moving all their people into the polling location. So, I don't have a polling location in Everman. That was it. And so, it's not available and and we just don't have anything there. Um, and so that's that's how we got to it.

983
06:00:09.440 --> 06:00:25.760
on during early voting, a full third of the polling locations lie within 1600 ft of a bus stop during early voting. And again, the the average distance is the 3.1 miles, which is over a mile shorter than it was last

984
06:00:25.760 --> 06:00:42.878
November during early voting. And the longest distance is the 10 miles because of AEL up in the north northwest corner. >> What's 10 miles? >> Ail because it's up in the northwest corner all by itself. >> Yeah. 10 miles from the nearest other location. Y >> that's a long way. >> I move to table.

985
06:00:42.878 --> 06:00:59.600
>> So we have a motion to table. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> We have a second. All right. Further questions, comments, or discussion? >> Question. >> I I do. >> Go ahead. >> Question. >> Everman is not available because they're in transition. What about the Forest

986
06:00:59.600 --> 06:01:16.718
Hill Civic Center? >> The Forest Hill Civic Center. We've been told no on using that one as well. Forest Hill doesn't want to use that. They only want to use their city hall. >> They only want to use the city hall. >> Correct. >> So in your math, what

987
06:01:16.718 --> 06:01:33.680
are you using as the number of minutes it should take a voter to vote? >> The there's not a number of minutes. I simply went back to the last day of early voting and calculated the number of voters we were able to I have in our poll e- pole software. I can see how

988
06:01:33.680 --> 06:01:49.920
many voters were in that 12-h hour period and just divide it by 12 and it tells me what the average per hour is that we process across all of our polling locations. So that accounts for our large locations that can process more than that and then our smaller locations that can't. We include all of

989
06:01:49.920 --> 06:02:05.440
them in the calculation to determine an average. >> All right. Because you you you kept saying that but you haven't said the number you use to determine the rest5 >> rest of the map. Okay.

990
06:02:05.440 --> 06:02:20.718
>> Okay. >> Glenn Glenn, I'll say, and I'm not going to use this form to to public address you down or anything, but I wish we would have had a conversation before. Um, because some of the sites that historically have been used as early voting sites, um, colleges, TCU, UNL

991
06:02:20.718 --> 06:02:36.400
Science Center, I think there could have been a lot more effort put out to try to accommodate them early voting. I mean, perhaps we help them install a lock. we do whatever we need to to fit within the statute. And I'm not saying we do that for every single site. What I'm saying is the ones that have historically done

992
06:02:36.400 --> 06:02:51.920
it that may say, "Oh, we didn't know the law changed. Now we won't be able to provide that." Perhaps we work with them uh instead of just writing it off of the list. Uh because again, to me, you you know, well, now you know uh how important that is. >> We don't we don't just write them off,

993
06:02:51.920 --> 06:03:08.798
Commissioner. We we do continue to ask. We ask if there's another space available. Is there some can we come out do another survey on another location? like we do ask in in in the case of TCU what was told is we cannot support you for 12 days. They just told us we can't do it. Um we got a similar response from

994
06:03:08.798 --> 06:03:25.040
UTA. Now UTA did reach out to the office this morning. So we'll get back in contact with them to see what that was. Um but they've told us the same thing. In fact, when we reached back um and using commissioner the commissioner

995
06:03:25.040 --> 06:03:44.558
staff went and tried to get them to move from the Maverick Center, we were told null again. So, we we don't just they say, "Hey, we're not available." We ask if there's anything else that we can do um to make them available. >> All right. We have a motion to table. We

996
06:03:44.558 --> 06:04:05.040
have a second. Uh any other discussion on this? All right, seeing none, start your cast your vote. I thought I pressed that. All right. So, all right. That one is tabled. Passes five to zero. All right. Now brings us

997
06:04:05.040 --> 06:04:25.680
to purchasing um items one through a lot. Items one through 19. Does anyone have any questions on any of the items in one

998
06:04:25.680 --> 06:04:41.280
through 19? >> I move for approval. >> Second. We have a motion to approve items 1 through 19. Please be quiet as you leave. Thank you. >> In a second. >> I got to get back to my notes. >> We have a motion and a second to approve

999
06:04:41.280 --> 06:05:10.400
purchasing items 1 through 19. >> Okay. Motion to second. Any discussion? All right. Seeing none, please cast your votes. passes unanimously. Brings us to item 20. One, permission to

1000
06:05:10.400 --> 06:05:27.360
take bid and RFPs. >> Move for approval. >> We have a motion, a second on item 20. >> Uh, any discussion. All right, please cast your vote. Passes unanimously. Item D1,

1001
06:05:27.360 --> 06:05:43.600
consideration to submit a fiscal year 2026 model cities initiative application to the US Department of Justice in support of Tarant County public safety initiatives. I move to >> Go ahead. You go ahead. >> Move for approval. >> I'll second it. Second over here,

1002
06:05:43.600 --> 06:06:00.160
Commissioner Ramirez. Any discussion? All right. Cast your vote. Passes unanimously. Item E3, consideration to approve acceptance of donations for monument to the Alamo letter funds, labor, or both for

1003
06:06:00.160 --> 06:06:20.878
monument implementation expenses from the Alamo Letter Society, Inc. >> I'll move for approval. >> Second. >> I will. Yeah. Okay. Motion and a second. Any discussion there? All right. Seeing none, cast your vote. All right. That passes 4 to one.

1004
06:06:20.878 --> 06:06:39.840
Do we have any board or commission appointments? All right. Now, there are two briefing items. One is a briefing on the Tarant County Election Integrity Task Force. Is there who is briefing that? I see our district

1005
06:06:39.840 --> 06:07:04.480
attorney. Try not to kill yourself, Rick. >> Yeah. >> What's that? >> Rick was just stumbling all over the back of the room. >> Oh, >> I walk in, he walks out. >> Yeah. >> Good afternoon. >> Afternoon. >> Afternoon.

1006
06:07:04.480 --> 06:07:20.320
>> Good afternoon. >> So, I was asked to come and talk to y'all about the election integrity task force. I'm going to talk to you today about its purpose, its performance, and the public value that it has. Um, the Election Integrity Task Force is made up of two prosecutors and two

1007
06:07:20.320 --> 06:07:36.718
investigators. One investigator in the DA's ops and one investigator in the sheriff's department. It was established to provide a clear, consistent, and professional process to receive, review, and investigate alleged viol violations of the Texas election

1008
06:07:36.718 --> 06:07:52.480
laws. And the task force ensures that election related complaints are evaluated according to the evidence and the law. Its mission is not a specific number of prosecutions. Its mission is to determine whether the facts establish a violation of Texas law

1009
06:07:52.480 --> 06:08:08.160
and merit prosecution. The task force reviews all potential criminal violations arising under the Texas election code. Its work extends beyond allegations commonly described as voter fraud and includes matters involving illegal

1010
06:08:08.160 --> 06:08:23.120
voting or voting by an ineligible person, double voting, misuse of a voter registration or voter identification information, campaign finance reporting, personal financial statement violations,

1011
06:08:23.120 --> 06:08:39.280
candidate or office holder misconduct, election administration, and other conduct made criminal under the Texas election laws. Texas law contains about 80 different election related criminal statutes. Every complaints evaluated under the

1012
06:08:39.280 --> 06:08:56.000
relevant statute and the available evidence. So why was this task force created? If you can remember back, we've talked about this before in 2022. Matt, you probably remember this. Commissioner Krauss that, you know, the Steven STE case um ruled that the

1013
06:08:56.000 --> 06:09:13.040
attorney general lacked independent authority to prosecute election law offenses. That made it increasingly important that local prosecutors have a clear process to evaluate election related complaints. task force compli uh provides a specific place for citizens,

1014
06:09:13.040 --> 06:09:29.280
election officials, law enforcement agencies, and candidates alike to submit complaints knowing that they will receive an objective review. The Alex integrity task force operates on the same ethical and legal standards governing every

1015
06:09:29.280 --> 06:09:45.520
criminal case that comes into my office. Every complaint deserves an objective review. Every person is presumed innocent. Political affiliation plays no roles in the investigation or charging decisions. Investigations are driven by evidence,

1016
06:09:45.520 --> 06:10:02.240
not speculation, not public pressure or politics. Criminal charges are filed only when supported by probable cause and admissible evidence. Closing a case after a proper investigation is proper when the evidence doesn't establish a criminal

1017
06:10:02.240 --> 06:10:20.638
offense. We don't go forward. The task force exists to deterine to determine whether a crime has occurred, not to manufacture prosecutions. So during the last three and a half years, my office has reviewed about 193

1018
06:10:20.638 --> 06:10:36.240
election related matters. To put that in context, in the same period of time, my office has reviewed about 175,000 other criminal matters. So what we're talking about is about less than onetenth of 1% of cases that might come

1019
06:10:36.240 --> 06:10:52.400
into my office. What kind of cases are there? And I'm going to let you know some of these cases of those 193 cases. One case is currently under indictment for making a false statement to get on the ballot. One matter is expected to be presented

1020
06:10:52.400 --> 06:11:09.440
to a grand jury uh soon about making a false statement uh on a personal financial statement. There are 18 allegations involved involving double voting. Now, the double voting, there are two ways that that I've seen that this happens. One, you've

1021
06:11:09.440 --> 06:11:25.760
got senior citizens that go and vote early and they're still getting this notification to go vote and they're still getting information that there's an election and they go on election day and they want to vote and there are some circumstance the election judge has allowed them to vote, not cast a

1022
06:11:25.760 --> 06:11:42.718
provisional ballot, but to vote. We're not going to charge them with a criminal offense because they're confused. I mean, we're going to evaluate it and if that's what we believe, we're not going to charge them with a criminal offense. The other way that it happens is we're electronic. You

1023
06:11:42.718 --> 06:11:59.520
think about electronics, sometimes they go down. Our polling book goes down. Have you ever been to a polling place where the poll book went down? Well, here's how things happen. You go and you check in through the poll book. Now you're get in line to vote and the

1024
06:11:59.520 --> 06:12:16.080
system all goes down. What are you going to do? You're going to wait there? No. There's a polling location not far away. So you leave and you go somewhere else. And since that other polling location, it's not online.

1025
06:12:16.080 --> 06:12:31.920
You can vote over there even though you didn't vote over here. So then when the other election when both of them get online, it's going to show that you checked in at two different locations, but you only voted at one. So really, you only voted once, but it's going to look like you had a double vote, but that takes investigation to make that

1026
06:12:31.920 --> 06:12:48.558
determination. Uh let's see, double voting. You have we had uh 12 allegations involving a duplicate voter unique identification number, a void. So that's what the state gives everybody when you look at the number on your voter registration card.

1027
06:12:48.558 --> 06:13:04.080
There's a long like a 10 11digit number. It's your vuid. So what we investigate these because people are looking at these our our roles and saying well that person's registered twice. Well what'll happen and they're not

1028
06:13:04.080 --> 06:13:20.080
looking at the county. They're looking at the state. So they're seeing the state voting roles that this person is twice same name, same date of birth to VOIDs. So a student goes from here goes to UT or whatever school and registered

1029
06:13:20.080 --> 06:13:35.520
to vote at that school for whatever reason. I'm not picking on UT just because somehow I went to UT. I'm just just somewhere, you know, they went somewhere and when they registered to vote their school or at that in that county, for whatever reason, Secretary

1030
06:13:35.520 --> 06:13:52.798
of State gave them a new void. So now they have two numbers. So we've investigated that and we've got the Secretary of State to merge those. So now they're just down to one. Again, not a crime, but something that need to be evaluated and solved.

1031
06:13:52.798 --> 06:14:09.280
Uh 11 matters involve personal financial statements. Um we all have to file them. Um now what happens with those? The Mary Louise sends me notice. If you don't file if a candidate doesn't file a personal financial statement on time, I'm going to get notice from Mary

1032
06:14:09.280 --> 06:14:24.320
Louise. If they don't file it and they're required to file at the state level, I'm going to get it from the Secretary of State. What are we going to do with that? We're going to investigate. we're going to send a letter saying, "Hey, you need to file and you and maybe you're late, but you

1033
06:14:24.320 --> 06:14:41.760
file it." So, again, people are thinking that those aren't um things that should be investigated or that that should be a crime. It's not a crime. It's some It could be oversight. Whatever it is, uh we have to solve it so that we get everything done right.

1034
06:14:41.760 --> 06:14:59.440
Um 145 allegations involve registration of noncitizens that may or may not have cast a vote. Some of them cast a vote, some of them didn't. Where do we get those? Where do we get the 145? We got those. The Secretary of State sent out the list to all the different counties.

1035
06:14:59.440 --> 06:15:15.040
Send it to our elections office. We got it from the elections office. We are still investigating whether they are citizens or not citizens. So, we haven't come to a resolution on those 145 cases yet. We're still waiting on some data from the federal government uh to

1036
06:15:15.040 --> 06:15:32.160
determine whether they are in fact non-citizens. Of these cases that we've talked about, 43 of them been closed um and the ones that are still open basically or most of those are the non-citizens. These statistics re reflect complaints

1037
06:15:32.160 --> 06:15:48.718
received and reviewed by the task force. They don't establish that criminal conduct occurred. So, how do we measure success? Uh, some people would say it's, "Well, how many indictments have you returned?" That's not the measure of success. The

1038
06:15:48.718 --> 06:16:04.718
measure of success is justice served, and that's what we're tasked to do. Um, does the task force um provide a clear place to report election related concerns? It does.

1039
06:16:04.718 --> 06:16:21.760
Uh the the uh task force ensures complaints are reviewed by experienced prosecutors and investigators familiar with Texas election laws. We sent our two lawyers down to Austin to a seminar to learn about election law. It's not that it just comes in the into my office

1040
06:16:21.760 --> 06:16:38.558
and then it just goes out to any prosecutor. It's going to go to the election integrity task force because they have the expertise. Just like human trafficking is going to go to our human trafficking attorney, our special victims, they're going to go to our special victims unit. No different in

1041
06:16:38.558 --> 06:16:55.200
these kind of cases. Uh we measure success or if are we able to distinguish criminal conduct from administrative mistakes, misunderstandings or unsupported allegations. We protect the innocent individuals from unwarranted criminal prosecution. It

1042
06:16:55.200 --> 06:17:10.320
would be easy just, oh, the case, somebody wants to file a case. Well, we'll just file an indictment or we'll file an information if it's a misdemeanor and now you're charged with a crime. No, we're going to investigate it before we go that far.

1043
06:17:10.320 --> 06:17:27.120
Uh, it ensures the fact that there is one central place. It ensures that there is a consistent enforcement of the Texas election laws. Uh this strengthens public confidence that the election complaints will neither be ignored nor prosecuted without sufficient evidence.

1044
06:17:27.120 --> 06:17:43.280
Success should be evaluated by the quality and integrity of the review rather than by indictment totals. The appropriate question is not how many people were indicted. The better question is were election related complaints evaluated fairly, thoroughly

1045
06:17:43.280 --> 06:18:00.000
and according to the law. Justice is mattered by making the correct decision, not by filing the greatest number of cases. What about other counties? Do they do anything regarding election integrity? Well, Dallas County, Harris County, they

1046
06:18:00.000 --> 06:18:15.520
both maintain specialized public integrity units that investigate election law violations along with other matters involving governmental integrity. The election integrity task force serves a comparable function by assigning experienced prosecutors and investigators to review election related

1047
06:18:15.520 --> 06:18:30.638
allegations in a coordinated and consistent manner. The election integrity task force exists to ensure that alleged violation of the Texas election laws are handled professionally, consistently, and according to the evidence.

1048
06:18:30.638 --> 06:18:47.680
It neither assumes every complaint is criminal nor ignores complaints because they may be controversial. Instead, every allegation is reviewed objectively. Every allegation follows the facts. Every charging decision is based upon the evidence and the law.

1049
06:18:47.680 --> 06:19:05.440
Public confidence is strengthened when citizens know that their complaints will not be ignored. Innocent victims will not be prosecuted and legitimate violations of election laws will be addressed fairly and impartially. That's the purpose and the continuing value of the election integrity task force.

1050
06:19:05.440 --> 06:19:22.480
>> Questions for Mr. Sorrels. >> Yes. Um, how how often does this task force meet? Does it meet? And is there a So, let me ask you that they

1051
06:19:22.480 --> 06:19:38.320
>> How often do they meet? >> Uhhuh. >> Well, they don't really meet. They just meet. Well, they just when they get cases in. So, you got an investigator in the sheriff's office. You got investigator in my office that do intake. So, they're going to get the intake. I I think some people will think

1052
06:19:38.320 --> 06:19:53.440
that, oh, the election integrity task force, well, there's an like like there's an office somewhere that they have. My lawyer, these the two lawyers that I have, they have 125 cases each of other matters, matters that are not

1053
06:19:53.440 --> 06:20:10.000
related to the election integrity task force. >> They do white collar, they do um fraud. So, they do they do lots of things. So, they don't really meet. >> Okay. Is there a public reporting standard for the task force? Like, uh,

1054
06:20:10.000 --> 06:20:25.840
is there a dashboard? Is there something that the the public can see? Because I'm often asked, you know, how many cases has the election integrity task force received? How many have they investigated, filed? Uh, you know, I

1055
06:20:25.840 --> 06:20:41.200
don't know, unless I send something to your office, >> right? I just gave you the 193 that we've reviewed. Um, we don't really put out how many cases we receive. I can I can tell you when I go look up those stats, but no, we don't put out a dashboard of what we're investigating.

1056
06:20:41.200 --> 06:20:56.638
Um, who we're investigating. I mean, that would be improper that we put out, oh, we're investigating a certain person and then so now their names on your dashboard that you suggest and now, >> well, maybe >> the evidence doesn't show anything, but

1057
06:20:56.638 --> 06:21:13.520
you can't put that skunk smell back in the skunk. Once it's out there, it's too late. If you've been accused of something, it's too late. >> Well, maybe not the names, but the types of violations. Uh there's no public facing.

1058
06:21:13.520 --> 06:21:28.878
>> No, we we don't we don't there's not a public facing thing about any of the charges that we have in my office that are going to say how many murders, how many um a robberies, how many sexual assaults. There's no nothing online anywhere that you're going to find um

1059
06:21:28.878 --> 06:21:47.440
those totals. So 193 allegations or cases. >> No matter I would consider them matters. >> Matters. Oh okay. Um

1060
06:21:47.440 --> 06:22:04.320
18 allegations of double voting. One falsified finance report. There was one something else that had to do with the candidate and 12 duplicate vids. Right. >> Well, you got 11 matters. Personal financial statements. I mean, all we all

1061
06:22:04.320 --> 06:22:19.280
know about personal financial statements. We have to file them. So, >> okay. So, it doesn't sound like there is a lot of work is what I'm trying to get to. There there are not a lot of cases or

1062
06:22:19.280 --> 06:22:35.040
u crimes of >> less than onetenth of 1%. >> Right. So, is there a need for the election integrity task force? >> Absolutely. There are 80 laws that are criminal in our code >> and

1063
06:22:35.040 --> 06:22:49.760
>> who's going to investigate those cases? If we don't have anybody to investigate them, we just say election laws don't matter in Tarant County. >> Well, no, that's what I was about to ask. Before the election integrity task force was established, who was looking

1064
06:22:49.760 --> 06:23:05.680
into those cases? your office or the DA's office was looking into allegations, right? >> I can tell you what started in 2023 >> was the election integrity task force. That's when I started the DA's office. So >> I know but you know the history of the

1065
06:23:05.680 --> 06:23:21.200
DA's office of course. Um so >> how how Sharon uh looked at election integrity, how Tim how Joe Shannon looked at it. Yeah. I I can't tell you that. You would have to ask them how they established and what they did with

1066
06:23:21.200 --> 06:23:41.200
these election matters. >> That's a good point. I can only tell you how my office handles them. >> Oh, seems to me you'd have some historical background. >> Well, I I mean >> um about that office before you went into it, but okay. Well, if I ask you

1067
06:23:41.200 --> 06:23:56.638
about how Miss Divine, how how your predecessors operated, you would be able to tell me how they operated in county commissioner precinct too? >> I would on the details. >> I I would be able to tell you some general how uh Commissioner Allen and

1068
06:23:56.638 --> 06:24:12.798
Commissioner Wyn operated. >> I I couldn't go back to M. >> I can tell you they treat it like a criminal case. >> I'm sorry. >> I can tell you generally how they handle it. If you say all we want are generalities, they handled them like any criminal case. >> Okay. Well, that's that's what I was

1069
06:24:12.798 --> 06:24:28.638
asking. So, there was not necessarily a need for an election integrity task force. If something if there were if there were an allegation, it was going to be investigated by the DA's office. Correct. Well, what I what I told you at the beginning is if you remember when I referenced Commissioner Krauss when we

1070
06:24:28.638 --> 06:24:45.360
talked about 2022, the Stevens case at the Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that the attorney general no longer had that authority. There were so many laws passed in 2021, 2022 that was really going to put all the election laws and

1071
06:24:45.360 --> 06:25:01.840
the enforcement of them into the attorney general's office. So that it didn't matter what county it was in, the attorney general was going to handle it. And that's what I mean. It was all over. Everybody thought, well, this is where we go. If we have an election related offense, we go to the attorney general's office. The court of

1072
06:25:01.840 --> 06:25:18.240
criminal appeals says, no, that's wrong. uh those laws are not correct. So it it now means it goes back to the local prosecutor. So now there's confusion out there. Do we go to the attorney general or where do we go? And

1073
06:25:18.240 --> 06:25:33.280
so we wanted to make sure look Tarant County here is an office. Here's a phone number. Here's a email address that you can call or email if you have an election concern and we will investigate it.

1074
06:25:33.280 --> 06:25:49.840
>> Okay. So you should be or you are under the of the opinion that Taran County elections are safe and secure. >> Safe and secure. >> Mhm. >> Define safe and secure.

1075
06:25:49.840 --> 06:26:05.680
>> You know what safe and secure elections are. You're you're the DA. You're the investigator. You're the judge. You know what that they are. We don't have a problem. Do we have a problem with election integrity here in Taran County? >> Well, I can tell you we're investigating

1076
06:26:05.680 --> 06:26:21.840
145 noncitizens on our roles. I I find that problematic. I find that >> we have how many citizens? >> Well, we have over 1.3 million people in our county. >> 22 point

1077
06:26:21.840 --> 06:26:36.958
>> 2. So 105 2.2 million >> 2. Well, depends on who you talk to, I guess. Over two million people. How about we go with that? There's over two million people in our county. >> Okay. Um,

1078
06:26:36.958 --> 06:26:53.120
>> how many illegal votes are too many? >> That's the question. It's a good question. >> Um, how many voters are pressed votes are too many? So, good question. So, um, can you tell me about the, um,

1079
06:26:53.120 --> 06:27:10.240
it was back, uh, was it last year, the was in Mansfield, the an Angel Hillgo case, did that, why did that never get investigated? >> I'm not going to talk to you about

1080
06:27:10.240 --> 06:27:28.240
specific cases that aren't indicted. Did you investigate it? >> I'm not going to talk to you about cases that have that were not indicted. >> Okay, >> as we talked about before, we could bring up names of people

1081
06:27:28.240 --> 06:27:45.040
that are not charged with criminal conduct by the mere bringing up somebody the public may assume that they're guilty of something. And I'm not going to engage in that type of behavior. every day people are in the paper or in your

1082
06:27:45.040 --> 06:28:00.160
>> Well, you can get the paper to print that name in that comment, but I'm not going to print it or say it >> in your uh Twitter post and may not be >> my Twitter post will tell you about people that are convicted. >> All right. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you for the

1083
06:28:00.160 --> 06:28:17.280
Thank you for actually coming. >> All right. Does anyone else have any questions for Mr. Sorrels? >> No, I just have one brief comment. I I think you've hit the nail on the head when you say the success of the task force isn't about indictments. It's about investigation and making sure uh we don't have voter fraud going on in

1084
06:28:17.280 --> 06:28:34.000
Tarant County. I remember on the campaign trail, you talked a lot about we ought to investigate it. Nothing comes up, great. That gives more people confidence in the system. If something does come up, we can prosecute them and do what we need to do according to Texas law. So, I think you're taking the right approach. I appreciate what you're doing. And because those investigators

1085
06:28:34.000 --> 06:28:50.958
and prosecutors work on a whole bunch of other cases, you you're not dedicating funds to somebody to just do election integrity. Correct. Okay. >> All right. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Sorls. Uh, next we have a briefing on Rakana

1086
06:28:50.958 --> 06:29:20.958
Solutions LLC. >> Good afternoon, judge, commissioners. I just have one brief slide to talk about the total expenditures for reconna6 approximately 5 and a half months. During that five and a half months, the total amount invoiced and paid by Tarant

1087
06:29:20.958 --> 06:29:36.958
County was approximately 2.3 million. uh of that oper in operations with the jail. I believe they had a max about 34 people operating in the jail at one time uh for a couple of months and then after we uh severed the contract we did retain

1088
06:29:36.958 --> 06:29:53.920
I think 25 20 25 >> we kept about 22 of those uh individuals from Roana that they brought to us. Um so that's all I have to present. If you have any questions I'd be happy to answer. >> Yeah, I have a question for you. How many

1089
06:29:53.920 --> 06:30:08.638
we have seen and maybe this is a question for you Shannon. We saw at least a couple years ago 220 something um detention officer positions unfilled. I know you guys have worked very hard to

1090
06:30:08.638 --> 06:30:24.718
get those filled in addition to well you told us about the 22. How many uh current vacancies are there for detention officers? >> Okay. Uh be glad to answer that. uh judge commissioners. Uh operationally,

1091
06:30:24.718 --> 06:30:41.760
we had no issues with Rakana. Uh their staff were eager to learn, professional, and they they uh uh there were no issues. Not >> I'll get to that one in a minute. Okay. Go ahead and answer that one for me. >> So, uh when I got here in January, we had 202 vacancies. As of today, we're

1092
06:30:41.760 --> 06:30:56.638
down to 92. >> 92. Yes, sir. >> Uh so, the great work. The question on Rakana, >> were they paid any money of any kind or are they due to be paid any money of any

1093
06:30:56.638 --> 06:31:14.478
kind for work not performed? >> That I can answer. >> Can you answer that? >> I can say yes sir. I can say they've been fully paid for all >> work. So when people are running around saying 1.3 million was wasted or whatever the case may be, that is money

1094
06:31:14.478 --> 06:31:31.360
paid for people working in the jail for those services. Is that accurate? >> Yes, sir. >> There was no penalty. There was no payment for anything related to anything other than actual time worked in the jail. >> It was all what was contractually obligated.

1095
06:31:31.360 --> 06:31:46.718
>> That's a different answer to my question. The way the contract was written is that we at a minimum they were supposed to provide 50 uh employees in the jail. >> Okay. >> Uh they could not meet that minimum 50 requirement. >> Okay. >> And during that time we negotiated a

1096
06:31:46.718 --> 06:32:02.240
cost for those 50 that they could not uh to cover their administrative burden. >> Okay. >> So that the uh contractor would not be harmed. But when the contract was cancelled, we did not the county did not have to

1097
06:32:02.240 --> 06:32:17.920
pay Raana for time not worked. >> No, sir. >> Okay. All right. That's what I have. Thank you. >> All right. Um, how many correctional or detention officers did Rakana Solutions recruit in

1098
06:32:17.920 --> 06:32:35.760
place during the life of the contract? >> That I don't have. Commissioner, I don't know how many they brought, but I think 34 was the maximum number that we reached. They of the 50 they got to 34. >> Okay.

1099
06:32:35.760 --> 06:32:52.478
Of the 50, they got to 34. >> And how many of So, so 34 successfully completed on boarding and remained employed through the termination of the agreement.

1100
06:32:52.478 --> 06:33:10.958
>> I believe so. Okay. And you've been able to keep after the termination, you've been able to hire >> some of them. Yes, ma'am. >> How many? 20. >> I can get you the exact number, but I know I think it's about 22.

1101
06:33:10.958 --> 06:33:28.240
>> So, what measurable benefits did the county receive from this contract while it was in effect? Well, for those 34, we definitely didn't have the extra overtime, but uh not being able to meet the 50, we still had incurred overtime

1102
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to meet the 1 to 48 ratio. And so, Matt, what you're saying that the total amount paid to Rakana over the life of the contract was uh 2.39. >> Yes, ma'am. Because last year we had an

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last not year, month we had an appropriation adjustment for two 2.4 million. What was what was that? I was absent. >> We did 2.4 just in We didn't have the final invoice. So we didn't know how much that final invoice was going to be. That was a projected amount. So that's

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why we did 2.4 so we would not have to come back for some additional money through another appropriation. >> So had we not paid them at all? >> Oh, we had. There was just a final invoice for June that we had not received from the vendor to be paid

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and that invoice was approximately $300,000. So there was an invoice for 700,000. >> Uh I believe that's a combined invoice, but yes, ma'am. >> Okay. There isn't >> Are these POS or

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then there was one for 476? >> Uh I'm not I I can get with you to make sure we're speaking the same numbers, but those are not matching to what I see paid to the vendor. >> 413 >> 413 is April.

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There were some uh discrepancies when Rakana sent us the first invoice. Uh we had the sheriff's office review to make sure to their rosters that they were performing or on site to be paid. And so we did have a few invoices that we had to send back to get revised. So that that may be the ones that you're

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speaking of. >> Okay. because yeah, I got four dollar amounts >> and I on that shorter sometimes those are just estimates not necessarily what was actually paid. >> Okay. Um I don't know who to ask this to.

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Maybe Mr. Katavville. At what at what point are are we going to be able to talk about why this contract was terminated? Because

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I believe we didn't have to pay this amount because we didn't get >> all of the services that we should have received. Commissioner, that that would be uh an answer for another uh another attorney in our office would have to give to you. That's not something I

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>> Well, ask that question. Did we get all the services that we were that we paid for? >> Uh we did to the contract. Yes, sir. Because we the contract again guaranteed a 50 person minimum and we had to negotiate that price down for the the services that they could provide. >> Well, let let me say this. We we

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terminated this contract for a reason. We know that. We we we know that we terminated this contract for a reason. Um even though we came out here and said we didn't um and so

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uh not any fault of our sheriff, not any fault of this court. Um so I just don't think we should have it was the fault of Raana. So I don't think we should pay that full amount. We should I don't think we should have paid that full

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amount is what I'm getting to. And at what point I just don't think it's a smart decision >> based on what if if they if they put the people in and we had a contract to pay them for putting people in, what basis

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do we have to not pay them for putting people in? >> Because they it was not a termination for convenience. there was a termination of the contract for a cause and so we shouldn't have I don't think we should

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have we should have paid >> which would have subjected us to being sued for not paying and subjected us to nope >> not only the damages but also attorney's fees court costs and interest >> n for cause we should have terminated for

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cause and not convenience >> okay what was the cause we should have terminated for >> we discussed that in closed session that's why I was asking if it could be discussed out here. He's going to check with a different >> Did you have any problem with the way they performed? >> No, sir. >> Okay. Did they do all the things they

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were supposed to do >> that we asked them to do? Yes. Did they did they did they certify the did they certify the detention officers that we had a problem with certification TCO certification

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>> at the speed of getting them through the process is where we had issues. >> Okay. They sent us folks that were not TCO certified. So that's that's cause Um so all right uh thank you. I just hey we should have made a different decision

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from the beginning. Uh we should have made a different decision at the end so we would not have had to pay this uh full amount. Uh because they failed us. Uh but this court or some people disagree.

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>> All right. Thank you both. >> How well how did they fail us? That's I guess I still haven't I still don't understand anything. >> I told you >> what how did they fail us? >> They they sent us detention officers that they did not get Tulsa >> and by contract did they have to do that? >> Yes, you have to send

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>> by Well, let's let's get the answer to that. By contract, I'm asking you two a question. Did they have to send us TCOL certified people to work in the jail? >> Yes. >> Okay. And did they not send us TCL certified people?

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>> 34 certified people. Yes, >> they were all certified that worked in >> and the contract was terminated for what? >> Convenience. >> No. >> So, all right. >> Thank you. Anybody else have any questions for Shannon or Matt? >> Shannon, one question. I don't know if

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you quantify it. We're doing other places, but what is the approximate cost >> to recruit, train, and then deploy one sheriff's deputy jailer? >> Anywhere from 7 to$15,000 per Seven 7 to 15 per person. Includes equipment, time,

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everything. Training. >> Training. Whole nine yards. Yep. >> Okay. >> All right. Any other questions? All right. Seeing none, we now move to announcements and comments. Anybody have any announcements or comments? >> Yes, I do have a a comment. I want to

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congratulate the purchasing department on it 2026 achievement of excellence and procurement award that they received. So kudos to Melissa and her team. >> All right. Anybody have anything else? >> Yes. I would like to take this

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opportunity to thank all of the citizens that came out today. Um you guys are impactful. Um thank you for taking the time to out of your day to come down here um and engage with your Tarant County Commissioner's Court.

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>> Anybody else have anything? All right, seeing none, 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

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Texas Government Code. Executive session will begin at 4:45. We are now in recess. We're good. All right. All right. We're back from closed session. No action to be taken. We are now officially adjourned.