[1. Call to Order.] [00:00:06] GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. IT IS TIME. 1 P.M. I CALL TO ORDER FORT BEND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. REGULAR MEETING TODAY IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2025. AND WELCOME TO OUR COURTROOM AND THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ARE JOINING US VIA LIVE STREAM. PLEASE BE ADVISED WE HAVE A PRESENCE OF A QUORUM. ADDITIONALLY, THIS NOTICE OF COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS BEEN POSTED ONLINE UNDER LEGAL NOTICES FOR AT LEAST THREE BUSINESS DAYS. THE NEW REQUIREMENT PURSUANT TO TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, CHAPTER 551, PLEASE STAND AS COMMISSIONER ANDY MEYERS LEAD US IN PRAYER, FOLLOWED BY INVOCATION TO OUR FLAG. WELCOME TO COMMISSIONERS COURT. JOIN ME IN PRAYER, PLEASE. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE JUST COME INTO YOUR PRESENCE ASKING AND PRAISING YOU FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS YOU HAVE BESTOWED ON US AND ASKING THAT YOU CONTINUE THOSE BLESSINGS. ASKING THAT YOU BRING PEACE AND UNITY TO OUR COUNTRY. FATHER, AS WE CONSIDER THE ISSUES BEFORE US TODAY, WE ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM. AND WE ASK FOR THE COURAGE TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S YOUR NAME, WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. WILL YOU JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE? FIRST TO THE US FLAG, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE TO THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. TO THE TEXAS FLAG. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE. TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. WE'LL MOVE ON. [3. Approve minutes of regular meeting held on September 9, 2025.] ITEM NUMBER THREE APPROVE. MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING HELD ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2025. MOVE. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. SECOND. AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. AND ITEM NUMBER FOUR. PUBLIC AGENDA REGARDING AGENDA ANNOUNCEMENT. [4. Public Comments regarding the Agenda and Announcements.] THE FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT IS. FORT BEND COUNTY OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2025, IN OBSERVANCE OF FORT BEND COUNTY FAIR DAY. A DESIGNATED COUNTY HOLIDAY. REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS WILL RESUME ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH. AND I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A PROCLAMATION AND WHO WILL BE READING. OKAY. PLEASE COME FORWARD. STEPHANIE, FROM THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY JUDGE AND ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSIONERS, THE PROCLAMATION READS AS FOLLOWS. WHEREAS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REMAINS A PERVASIVE ISSUE THAT AFFECTS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ACROSS ALL COMMUNITIES IN FORT BEND COUNTY STANDS UNITED IN SUPPORTING THOSE IMPACTED BY THIS CRISIS. AND WHEREAS, SINCE 1980, THE FORT BEND WOMEN'S CENTER HAS BEEN THE SOLE PROVIDER OF EMERGENCY SHELTER AND A 24 HOUR CRISIS HOTLINE FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IN FORT BEND COUNTY, SERVING MORE THAN 3322 SURVIVORS, INCLUDING 831 CHILDREN IN THIS PAST YEAR ALONE. AND WHEREAS THE CENTER'S MISSION IS GROUNDED IN THE PILLARS OF SURVIVE, REVIVE AND THRIVE EMPOWERING SURVIVORS TO SURVIVE CRISIS THROUGH SAFETY AND SHELTER, REVIVE HOPE THROUGH COUNSELING AND ADVOCACY, AND THRIVE THROUGH EDUCATION, INDEPENDENCE, AND LONG TERM EMPOWERMENT. AND WHEREAS, FOR 45 YEARS, THE FORT BEND WOMEN'S CENTER HAS REMAINED A STEADFAST SOURCE OF HEALING, ADVOCACY AND PROTECTION FOR THOSE FLEEING VIOLENCE AND CONTINUES TO LEAD WITH COMPASSION, EXPERTISE AND VISION. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT KP GEORGE, FORT BEND COUNTY JUDGE AND THE COMMISSIONERS COURT OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE THIS 23RD DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025 AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH IN FORT BEND COUNTY AND EXTENDS ITS DEEP APPRECIATION TO THE FORT BEND WOMEN'S CENTER FOR ITS ENDURING LEADERSHIP, DEDICATION, AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO BREAKING THE CYCLE OF ABUSE. AND IF WE CAN, PLEASE HAVE MISS HENRIETTA AND HER TEAM COME UP TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH JUDGE IN COURT. AND THEY DO WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. PROCLAMATION, PLEASE. THANK YOU JUDGE. AND ON BEHALF OF FORT BEND WOMEN'S CENTER AND OUR CEO JOSH BROWN, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND AND RECOGNIZING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOR OCTOBER, DUE TO YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A LITTLE SOMETHING WE LIKE TO GIVE YOU TO REPRESENT FORT BEND WOMEN'S CENTER. ON OUR THRIFT WISE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US IN OUR BUDGETING. AND THE PURPLE BAG REPRESENTS ON PURPLE DAY ON THURSDAY, [00:05:01] EVERYTHING YOU CAN FIT IN THE BAG IS 50% OFF. SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN COME AND SHOP AT OUR FORT BEND WOMEN'S CENTER THRIFT WISE. AND AGAIN, WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO VIDA GOODELL WHO MANY IN THE COURTROOM MAY KNOW WHO RETIRED THIS YEAR. FINALLY. CONGRATULATIONS ON HER ON A JOB WELL DONE IN SERVING AND HELPING TO GROW THIS ORGANIZATION. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION. COMMISSIONERS. IF YOU COULD JOIN IN THE FUN. GOT IT. ONE MORE. THANK YOU. ONCE AGAIN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE DID GOOD. SO. AND. SO DO YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? WE WILL MOVE ON. OTHERWISE, NO. YEAH. I JUST HAD TWO BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENTS. REALLY EXCITED. WE ARE ALMOST DONE WITH THE FRONT STREET MOBILITY PROJECT. THEY. IF YOU IF YOU PASS THROUGH THERE THEY DID THE LAST BIG, BIG MAJOR POUR OF CONCRETE LAST WEEK. THEY'RE PLANNING TO DO SOME OTHER WORK. THEY'RE GOING TO BE SWITCHING TRAFFIC HERE, I THINK, IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. SO YOU'LL BE DRIVING ON THE NEWER NEW PAVEMENT WHILE THEY DO ALL THE STRIPING AND CURBS AND ALL THAT STUFF AND DRIVEWAYS ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO REALLY APPRECIATIVE FOR OUR ENGINEERING TEAM AND THEIR DILIGENCE AND, YOU KNOW, BEATING PEOPLE OVER THE HEAD TO GET THAT PROJECT MOVING. REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE HOPE TO BE DONE. COMPLETELY DONE WITH THAT. AT THE VERY LATEST BY THE END OF NEXT MONTH, WHETHER DEPENDING AND THEN ALSO, PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OCTOBER 25TH AT 10 A.M.. THAT IS A VERY SPECIAL DAY WHEN WE WILL BE DEDICATING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONUMENT OUT IN BATES ALLEN PARK. WE ARE HAVE REACHED SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION FOR THIS PHASE OF THE WORK. REALLY PROUD OF THE TEAM THAT HAS MADE THIS HAPPEN. SO PLEASE COME OUT. IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER GREAT MOMENT TO CELEBRATE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONUMENT AGAIN OCTOBER 25TH. THAT'S A SATURDAY AT 10 A.M. AND THEN ON NOVEMBER 4TH AT 9:30 A.M., WILL BE BACK AT BATES ALLEN PARK FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING OF THE BLACK COWBOY MUSEUM. SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BOTH THOSE PROJECTS AND WOULD LOVE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT. I'LL BE ANNOUNCING IT EVERY COMMISSIONERS CAUGHT BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, JUST TO REMIND YOU, BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE PLANNED TO GET THAT ON THEIR CALENDARS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER? OTHERWISE WE WILL MOVE ON. SECTION NUMBER TWO OF TODAY'S AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PUBLIC HEARING. IT IS IF I MAY INTERRUPT, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF PUBLIC SPEAKERS. OH WE HAVE OKAY. SO PLEASE I'M SORRY. THAT'S MY BAD. AND SO PLEASE INVITE THEM. YES. THE FIRST ONE IS EDWIN VAUGHT WITH AGENDA ITEM 39. OKAY. PLEASE COME ON UP, SIR. YOU STICK ME IN A POT LIKE THAT? YOU JUST THREW ME UNDER THE BUS LIKE THAT. GOOD AFTERNOON. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSIONERS COUNTY JUDGE AND OUR SHERIFF FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 39. MY NAME IS EDWIN VAUGHT. I WORKED FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. I'M A SERGEANT ASSIGNED TO THE TRAINING ACADEMY. I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR ALMOST THREE DECADES. AND I WANT TO SAY. I GOTTA PUT MY NOTES UP. I WASN'T READY TO GO FIRST. FIRST OF ALL, I'M NOT A PUBLIC SPEAKER NOR A POLITICIAN. AND AT THIS MOMENT IN MY LIFE, I DON'T HAVE ANY AMBITIONS TO BE EITHER. A REALLY GOOD JOB RIGHT NOW. AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE FORT BEND COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF'S SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION. WHEN WE TOOK IT OVER, MYSELF, THE PRESIDENT, MICHAEL ALEXANDER, WE WERE ABOUT 203 MEMBERS. WE ARE NOW ALMOST 500 AND GROWING. SO I FIRST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PAY ADJUSTMENT THAT YOU GAVE US LAST YEAR. [00:10:04] WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE. ALL THE COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE RAISE THAT WE'VE GOTTEN. AND SPEAKING TODAY, IT REMINDS ME OF A JOKE THAT I HEARD THAT I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND OR GRASP THE GRAVITY OF. AND THE JOKE GOES, WHAT DO YOU CALL A MEDICAL STUDENT WHO GOT ALL D'S IN MED SCHOOL? YOU CALL HIM A DOCTOR? AND I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT UNTIL I STARTED WORKING IN THE TRAINING DIVISION AT THE ACADEMY. AND I SEE THE CANDIDATES THAT WE HAVE COME THROUGH THE ACADEMY AND THAT WE GET TO CHOOSE FROM. AND THEN I SEE THE CANDIDATES THAT WE GET FROM SUGAR LAND AND ROSENBERG, MISSOURI CITY, AND THE TALENT THAT IS ATTRACTED BY THOSE AGENCIES. AND NOT THAT I AM DOWNPLAYING ANY OF THE DEPUTIES THAT WE HAVE HERE. IT'S IF WE HAVE A BIGGER POOL TO CHOOSE FROM, THE BETTER CANDIDATES THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET AND THE BETTER QUALITY OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET. AND AGAIN, WITH THE WITH THE MEDICAL STUDENT, WHICH DOCTOR DO YOU WANT WORKING ON YOUR HEALTH PROBLEMS? A DOCTOR THAT SCORED VERY HIGH IN HIS MARKS OR ONE WHO JUST BARELY MADE IT THROUGH. AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE WHEN YOU CALL THE POLICE, IT'S A TIME OF NEED. WHEN YOU NEED SOMEONE THERE AND YOU WANT SOMEONE THERE WHO IS ACTUALLY GOING TO KNOW THE LAW, KNOW HOW TO APPLY THE LAW, AND SO THAT YOU HAVE A FAIR CHANCE, BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH LIFE AND DEATH MATTERS AND A MATTER OF YOUR FREEDOM. WHO DO YOU WANT? THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO CLEAR UP IS THE MEDIA PUT OUT LAST TIME THAT OUR STARTING PAY FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WAS $81,000. AND I WANTED TO BE HERE TODAY TO SAY THAT THAT IS NOT THE TRUTH. LOOKING OVER OUR RECORDS, THE STARTING PAY FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS $68,000. AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME THINGS WE'VE GOTTEN RAISES OVER IN THE PAST, BUT WE ARE JUST COMING UP TO MARKET VALUE. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SUGARLAND, THEY'RE GOING TO ROSENBERG, THEY'RE GOING TO THESE HIGHER PAYING AGENCIES BECAUSE IT'S MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR THEM TO GO THERE. AGAIN, I KNOW I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME. I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. I KNOW I'VE HAD GREAT CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMISSIONER MCCOY AND COMMISSIONER MORALES, AND YOUR TEAM. AND YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN HELPING US ACHIEVE WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED SO FAR. BUT WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND IF YOU CAN HELP US AND TAKE US INTO CONSIDERATION AND WE CAN DO WHAT WE CAN DO AND ATTRACT THE PEOPLE THAT WE NEED TO BE TO ATTRACT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SIR. WHO'S THE NEXT? THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSIE MATTHEWS. I'M SORRY. SUMITA GHOSH. EXCUSE ME. 22 A. 22 A. DANIEL, CAN YOU BRING IT UP? IT'S IT'S THAT ONE. THIS ONE, MA'AM. RIGHT HERE. THAT'S NOT WHAT I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO SPEAK. WHAT ITEM ARE YOU SPEAKING ON? I THOUGHT IT WAS THE APPOINTMENT OF SOMEONE FOR THE. THAT'S ON THE ADDENDUM AGENDA ONE. OH, IS IT 21 OKAY. AGENDA ITEM ONE ON THE ADDENDUM. IS THAT THE ONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? YES. OKAY. MISS GHOSH, HAS CHOSEN THE WRONG ONE. SHE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON YOUR ADDENDUM AGENDA ITEM ONE. WHICH IS THE APPOINTMENT? YES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. OKAY. SORRY. SO I APOLOGIZE. I WAS READING TOO FAST, BUT SUMITA GHOSH, FORT BEND COUNTY RESIDENT, PRECINCT THREE. I DID WANT TO COMMEND THE WORK THAT THE EXISTING REDISTRICTING COMMISSION HAS DONE. I TRIED TO ATTEND AS MANY OF THEM, AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY INFORMATIVE AND ENLIGHTENING. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A REAPPOINTMENT OF SOMEONE TO THE COMMISSION TODAY AT THE REQUEST OF JUDGE GEORGE. AND I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IT WAS INTERESTING SPEAKING TO SOMEONE FROM AUSTIN WHO HAD BEEN ON THEIR APPOINTMENTS FOR THEIR REDISTRICTING COMMISSION. THE THE NAME OF THE COMMISSION, I BELIEVE, IS THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE FOR REDISTRICTING. AND I REALLY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE, NOT REFLECTING THE DIVERSITY OF FORT BEND COUNTY. THANK YOU TO MR. COMMISSIONER MCCOY AND COMMISSIONER PRESTAGE FOR TRYING TO BRING IN A TRUE REPRESENTATIVE OF REPRESENTATION IN THE COMMITTEE. I LOOKED UP WHO THIS APPOINTEE IS, AND I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEMS WITH HIM, EXCEPT HE IS TECHNICALLY THE FIELD REPRESENTATIVE FOR MY US HOUSE OF [00:15:07] REPRESENTATIVE. QUOTE IN QUOTES, BECAUSE I HAVE YET TO EVER SEE HIM AT A TOWN HALL. HE WORKS HIS BY PROFESSION. HE'S A REPRESENTATIVE FOR TROY NEHLS. AND I HAVE REAL ISSUES WITH THAT CONFLICT OF INTEREST THERE. AND I DON'T THINK HE IS REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE, WE ESPECIALLY AS AN ASIAN AMERICAN WITH AN ASIAN AMERICAN JUDGE APPOINTING SOMEONE, I WOULD HAVE HOPED THAT IT WOULD BE SOMEONE WHO REFLECTS THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE ARE 25% OF FORT BEND COUNTY. AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT FAIRNESS. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT. AND UNDERLYING ALL OF THIS IS THAT I KNOW THAT THERE'S ISSUES WITH OUR COUNTY WHATEVER OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY AND I WANTED TO ASK AGAIN, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TO LOOK AT THE MINUTES, LOOK AT WHAT WAS SAID DURING THIS PROCESS IN 2021. AND REALLY, I LOOKED AT THE MINUTES. BUT I ACTUALLY WANT THEM TO LOOK AT THE VIDEO AND PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE 2021 HEARING, WHICH WAS THE BASIS FOR THE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW, AND LET THE PUBLIC KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WORDS WERE STATED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE DAIS. I KNOW THAT PERJURY IS NOT AN ISSUE. COMMISSIONERS ARE ALLOWED TO PERJURE THEMSELVES DURING COURT, I BELIEVE. AND SO I JUST WANTED A REAL ANSWER FACTUALLY ABOUT WHAT WAS STATED DURING THE 2021 HEARINGS AS THE BASIS FOR REDISTRICTING, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT WAS THE ONUS FOR DOING ALL OF THIS. AND I THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND WE WILL MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE. WE HAVE WE HAVE ONE. ONE MORE, ONE MORE. YES, SIR. OH, YOU SAID TWO. JESSE. MATTHEW ON 22 A ALSO. OKAY. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY JUDGE. WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ACTUALLY, IS IT ON THE AGENDA ANYMORE? BUT 22 A IS IT 22 A IS THE ITEM IN FRONT OF YOU? OKAY. BECAUSE IT SAYS FORT BEND COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT. SO I GOT CONFUSED BY THAT. BUT A RESOLUTION TO NOMINATE CANDIDATES TO THIS BOARD. OKAY. SO I WANT TO SAY I, I BELIEVE IT. SO WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE MEAT THAT WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THE CITIZENS REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE? THAT'S THE APPOINTMENT YOU WERE WANTING TO CHANGE. I'M AGAINST THAT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PERSON YOU WANT TO APPOINT IS SOMEONE WHO'S MORE FAVORABLE TO REDISTRICTING. AND I'M AGAINST THAT APPOINTMENT BECAUSE I AM AGAINST REDISTRICTING. I BELIEVE THAT ONCE AGAIN, YOU NEED TO STOP THAT WHOLE PLAN. THIS IS NOT WHAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WANT. AND AS A PUBLIC SERVANT, IT IS YOUR JOB TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WITH INTEGRITY AND WITHOUT ULTERIOR MOTIVES. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. OKAY, GOOD. OKAY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO SECTION TWO. ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PUBLIC HEARING. [A. Budget & Finance: Conduct Public Hearing on the Proposed FY2026 budget for Fort Bend County, pursuant to Texas Local Government Code Section 111.067.] IT IS TIME. 118 CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING AND TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION ON THE FOLLOWING MATTERS. ITEM FIVE A BUDGET AND FINANCE. CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR AT 2026. BUDGET FOR FORT BEND COUNTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 111.067. DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? THIS IS THE TIME TO STEP FORWARD. SEEING NO ONE HAS COME FORWARD, AND WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REQUEST TO SPEAK ON, COMMENT ON THIS ITEM AND I WILL NOW CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND THIS ITEM WILL BE ADDRESSED LATER IN THE AGENDA. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO FIVE B ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND THE [B. Environmental Health: Conduct Public Hearing to Amend the existing Order Setting Fees for Regulations for Food Establishments in Fort Bend County.] EXISTING ORDER SETTING FEES FOR REGULATIONS FOR FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS IN FORT BEND COUNTY. THE SAME EXERCISE. DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING ITEM? PLEASE COME FORWARD. SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, HAS COME FORWARD AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REQUEST TO COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. I WILL NOW CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM FIVE. [C. Engineering: Hold public hearing for acceptance of the following traffic control plans: a. Fulshear Lakes Creekside Section 5, Precinct 1; b. Jordan Ranch Section 51, Precinct 1; c. Jordan Ranch Section 54, Precinct 1; d. Jordan Ranch Street Dedication No 14 and Reserves, Precinct 1; e. Sienna Section 69B, Precinct 2; f. Olympia Fields Section 1, Precinct 2; g. Olympia Falls Section 5, Precinct 2; h. The 1824 at Austin Point Section 1, Precinct 2; i. The 1824 at Austin Point Section 2, Precinct 2; j. The 1824 at Austin Point Section 4, Precinct 2; k. Austin Point Boothline Road Street Dedication Section 1, Precinct 2; l. Austin Point Foundation Way Street Dedication Section 1, Precinct 2; and m. Arabella at the Prairie Section 5, Precinct 4.] AND THIS ALSO WILL BE ADDRESSED LATER IN THE AGENDA. THERE IS NO ACTION NEEDED AT THE MOMENT. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO FIVE C ENGINEERING. HOLD PUBLIC HEARING FOR ACCEPTANCE OF FOLLOWING TRAFFIC CONTROL PLANS 5CA FULL SHARE LAKES CREEK SECTION FIVE PRECINCT ONE B JORDAN RANCH. [00:20:06] SECTION 51 PRECINCT ONE C JORDAN RANCH. SECTION 54 PRECINCT ONE D JORDAN RANCH STREET. DEDICATION NUMBER 14 AND RESERVES SECTION, RESERVE PRECINCT ONE E, SECTION 16 AND BE PRECINCT TWO F, OLYMPIA FIELD. SECTION ONE, PRECINCT TWO G, OLYMPIA FALLS. SECTION FIVE, PRECINCT TWO AND H. THE 1824 AT AUSTIN POINT. SECTION TWO, PRECINCT TWO J. THE 1824. SO I, I SORRY I. THE 1824 AT AUSTIN POINT. SECTION TWO PRECINCT TWO. J THE 1824 AT AUSTIN POINT. SECTION FOUR PRECINCT TWO K AUSTIN POINT. BOOTH LINE ROAD. STREET DEDICATION. SECTION ONE PRECINCT TWO L AUSTIN POINT FOUNDATION WAY. FOUNDATION WAY. STREET DEDICATION. SECTION ONE. PRECINCT TWO. AND THE LAST ONE M ARABELLA AT THE PRAIRIE. SECTION FOUR. PRISON FOUR. DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS. AND SORRY, JUST ONE CORRECTION THAT SHOULD READ ARABELLA ON THE PRAIRIE. SECTION FIVE, PRECINCT FOUR NOT AT THE PRAIRIE. OKAY, JUST ONE CORRECTION ON THE. IT'S ON. ON THE PRAIRIE. OKAY. SO CAN YOU PLEASE MAKE THAT CORRECTION? OKAY. IT'S WRITTEN AT. OKAY. WITH THAT CORRECTION. ARABELLA. ON THE PRAIRIE, SECTION FIVE, PRECINCT FOUR. SEEING. NO ONE HAS COME FORWARD, AND WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY REQUESTS TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS. NOW, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. AT THE ABOVE PUBLIC HEARING, I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT AGENDA ITEM 5CA THROUGH M ARE READY FOR ACTION. DO I HAVE A MOTION? YES, JUDGE. I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT FIVE C THROUGH M WITH THE CORRECTION. SECOND. AND IF YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO CONSENT AGENDA. [ CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS: (6-21) ] NOW, I PRESENT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. ITEMS SIX THROUGH 21. I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY CHANGES. DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM SIX THROUGH 21 AS PRESENTED? SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON CONSENT AGENDA. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SECTION. [A. Take all appropriate action on Resolution of the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court nominating candidates for the Fort Bend Central Appraisal District Board of Directors. ] SECTION THREE. THE DISCUSSION ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE PRESENTED BY COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION ON RESOLUTION OF THE FORT BEND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT NOMINATING CANDIDATES FOR FORT BEND CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS. IT IS MENTIONED PAUL STAMATIS, JUNIOR VICE CHAIRMAN, AND PAMELA GASKIN, DIRECTOR. DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOVE. APPROVAL OF THE ITEM AS PRESENTED. SECOND. AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING. NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM B HAS BEEN PULLED. [A. Take all appropriate action to assign vehicles to Fort Bend County Departments and Offices as presented on FY2026 Fleet Management. ] NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO TODAY'S MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER 23 BUDGET AND FINANCE. AND I THINK THESE ITEMS NEED TO BE READ PROPERLY. AND SO PLEASE GO AHEAD AND READ. FIRST ITEM. WE WILL TAKE ONE AT A TIME. BEFORE WE BEGIN, I BELIEVE PAMELA WANTED TO DO A SMALL PRESENTATION FOR ALL OF YOU. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YES. GOOD AFTERNOON. AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT THIS BEFORE WE START OUR ITEMS. SO FOR. OKAY, SO THE TOTAL BUDGET, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED OUT WITH GETTING THE TAXABLE VALUES IN JULY, AND THOSE AMOUNTS HAD INCREASED COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAD INITIALLY THOUGHT WHEN WE HAD OUR PRELIMINARY HEARINGS. THE VALUES FOR 2025 THAT WERE CERTIFIED WERE FOR THE FORT BEND COUNTY WAS $129.3 $29.3 BILLION, WHICH WAS A 5.74% INCREASE, AND THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT WAS 128.4 BILLION, WHICH WAS A FIVE POINT ALMOST 5.8% INCREASE. THAT WAS A CHANGE FROM WHAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY RECEIVED AS OUR PRELIMINARY VALUES, WHICH WAS SHOWING US THAT WE WERE AT ABOUT A 1.8% INCREASE. AND THAT'S WHAT LED OUR BUDGET PROCESS THROUGH THE YEAR, THROUGH THE SUMMER. WHAT WE ENDED UP IS WITH WITH THAT INCREASED VALUE, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TODAY IS A TAX RATE THAT IS THE SAME AS THE 2025 THE 2025 TAX, [00:25:05] I'M SORRY, THE 2024 TAX RATE, WHICH IS A 41.2 CENTS FOR FORT BEND COUNTY AND $0.01 FOR THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT, WHICH TOTALS 42.2 $0.02. THAT IS THE SAME TAX RATE THAT WE ADOPTED IN TAX YEAR 2024. SO FOR EACH OF THOSE IT'S A ONE. EACH CENT IS APPROXIMATELY $12.6 MILLION IN REVENUE. SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE IDEA OF WHERE WE ARE IN TRUTH AND TAXATION, THE PROPOSED TAX RATE FOR FORT BEND COUNTY AT 41.2 CENTS IS LESS THAN THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WHICH WAS THE 41.8 CENTS. THEREFORE, OUR EFFECTIVE WHICH EFFECTIVELY DECREASES OUR REVENUES BY 1.58%. ALSO FOR THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT, OUR PROPOSED TAX RATE AT $0.01, OUR NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS 0.010121. SO IT IS LESS THAN THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, EFFECTIVELY DECREASING OUR REVENUES BY 1.2%. SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE IDEA ON WHERE WE ARE FOR THE AVERAGE HOMESTEAD, I KNOW A LOT OF YOU ARE USUALLY INTERESTED. WHAT IS THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER GOING TO BE PAYING TAXES THIS YEAR? THE AVERAGE HOMESTEAD THIS YEAR IS FOR THE VALUE IS $423,166. THAT ON THE $0.42 WOULD AVERAGE TAXPAYER WOULD BE PAYING $1,743, WHICH IS A $28 INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR. THAT'S FOR FORT BEND COUNTY, FOR THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT, SAME AVERAGE HOMESTEAD VALUE AT $423,166. AT $0.01, THE TAXES PAID WOULD BE $42 AND CHANGE. AND IT'S A VARIANCE OF $1. SO FOR BOTH FORT BEND COUNTY AND DRAINAGE DISTRICT, THE TAXPAYER WITH THE AVERAGE HOMESTEAD AT 423,000 IS GOING TO BE PAYING $29 MORE THIS COMING YEAR IN TAXES. SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET, THE TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FORT BEND COUNTY AND DRAINAGE DISTRICT IS $760 MILLION. FORT BEND COUNTY ALONE IS THIS YEAR. YOU KNOW, AS THE TWO DIFFERENT TAX TAXING ENTITIES, YOU'LL BE APPROVING THESE SEPARATELY, ONE FOR FORT BEND COUNTY AND ONE FOR DRAINAGE DISTRICT. SO I'VE SEPARATED THEM OUT HERE. FORT BEND COUNTY IS $474 MILLION, AND THAT'S A 3.9% INCREASE OVER THE 2025 BUDGET. AND FOR THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT, IT'S AT A LITTLE OVER $13 MILLION, WHICH IS A 5.6% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. YOU'LL SEE THAT THE I'VE LISTED HERE THE THE BUDGETS BY GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION. YOU WILL HAVE A THE LARGEST INCREASE WE SEE HERE IS IN PARKS AND RECREATION. HOWEVER, THAT'S ALSO ONE OF THE SMALLER BUDGETS AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE BUDGET. THE LARGEST BUDGET WE'LL SEE IS IN GENERAL ADMINISTRATION. GO AHEAD. SO FOR THE FINANCE SUMMARY, JUST LOOKING AT GENERAL FUND HERE, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF OUR THAT IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST BUDGETS IN THE GENERAL FUND. WE HAD A BEGINNING BALANCE OF $194 MILLION. WHAT WE STARTED OUT WITH, WE EXPECT TO START OUT WITH IN 2026. WE ADD A TOTAL REVENUE OF 425.2 MILLION, AND OUR EXPENSE BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS 464.6 MILLION. THEREFORE, THAT CHANGE, WE ARE GOING TO BE USING $39 MILLION OF OUR FUND BALANCE FOR FY 2026, IN THE GENERAL FUND. HOWEVER, THAT WILL LEAVE US WITH AN ENDING BALANCE OF 154.7 MILLION, WHICH IS A 33% ENDING FUND BALANCE. THAT'S A 33% OF OUR BUDGET. AS YOU RECALL, IN OUR BUDGET POLICY, WE HAVE THAT WE WILL KEEP A 30% ENDING FUND BALANCE FOR EMERGENCIES THAT OCCUR. THIS YEAR I'VE PROJECTED IT A LITTLE BIT HIGHER. I'VE SO THAT IN ANTICIPATION OF ANY LOWERED VALUES THAT WERE COMING, BECAUSE AS YOU ALL HEARD, WE WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT DURING FINAL BUDGET HEARINGS, WE'VE SEEN A TREND IN OUR VALUES DECREASING EACH YEAR. SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A FUND BALANCE THAT WOULD SUSTAIN US INTO NEXT YEAR. SHOULD THAT OCCUR NEXT YEAR WITH THE LOWERED VALUES. AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR TAX RATE FOR THE FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS 27.8 CENTS. GO AHEAD PLEASE. SO THE 2026 BUDGET INCLUDES 77 NEW POSITIONS. [00:30:05] YOU'LL SEE HERE THAT FOR EACH OF THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTIONS, WE HAVE 25 NEW POSITIONS IN AND ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. 21 OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE IN RELATION TO THE TWO NEW DISTRICT COURTS. CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT, IS ONE NEW POSITION. FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO GET TWO NEW POSITIONS. GENERAL ADMIN FIVE NEW POSITIONS. HEALTH AND WELFARE IS 17, PARKS AND RECREATION IS TWO. AND PUBLIC SAFETY 25. NEW POSITIONS FOR A TOTAL OF THAT 77 NEW POSITIONS AT $7.8 MILLION. PLEASE GO AHEAD. SO SOME BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS THAT I WANT TO JUST KIND OF POINT OUT THIS YEAR INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET IS A 3% COLA FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES THAT WERE HIRED BEFORE JULY 1ST OF THIS YEAR. THE BUDGET INCLUDES TWO NEW DISTRICT COURTS, 501 AND 502, WHICH IS 21 POSITIONS, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES THE EIGHT ASSOCIATE JUDGES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE BUDGET. IN 2025 23. LAST YEAR WE FROZE 58 POSITIONS IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THIS YEAR WE'RE UNFREEZING 23 OF THOSE POSITIONS. OTHER HIGHLIGHTS ARE WE HAD AN INCREASE IN THE COURT DUTY, SUPPLEMENTAL PAY MS LIEUTENANTS AND HAZMATS. THERE WAS A RECLASSIFICATION THAT THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WENT THROUGH, AND THAT WAS KIND OF ONE OF THE JOBS THAT SHE REVIEWED THIS YEAR AND RECLASSIFIED THOSE DRAINAGE DISTRICT AND ROAD AND BRIDGE BOTH HAD INCREASES IN THEIR OPERATING MATERIALS BECAUSE OF THE INCREASES IN COSTS FOR THOSE ROAD MATERIALS AND SUCH. NEW THIS YEAR IS THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX BUDGET, AND THAT'S UNDER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY DEPARTMENT, WE INCLUDED. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT DURING FINAL BUDGET HEARINGS THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO INCLUDE AN OPEB THE OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFIT CONTRIBUTIONS. HOWEVER, WITH SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE HAD, WE WERE ABLE TO INCLUDE A $10.2 MILLION FOR OUR OPEB CONTRIBUTION, NOT EXACTLY THE 25 THAT WE HAD BEEN DOING IN THE PAST, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP QUITE SUBSTANTIALLY. ALSO WE HAD A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN OUR TERS BUDGET REIMBURSEMENT AND THEN FOR CAPITAL ITEMS THAT WE'RE FINANCING, WE HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT IN THERE FOR A NEW ERP AND BUDGET SOFTWARE. AND ALSO WE HAVE INCLUDED 125 REPLACEMENT VEHICLES AND WHICH INCLUDES 20 AND 20 ADDITIONS TO THE FLEET. AND THAT IS ALL. SO WITH THAT, WE CAN START WITH LETTER A, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. BEFORE WE BEGIN, GO AHEAD OF 23 A AS PRESENTED. YEAH, SO I THOUGHT COMMISSIONER READ IT BECAUSE THIS IS A SPECIAL. ALL RIGHT, OLGA, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND READ IT, PLEASE. 23 A TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ASSIGN VEHICLES TO FORT BEND COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES, AS PRESENTED ON FY 2026. FLEET MANAGEMENT. OKAY. MOVE. MOVE. APPROVAL. YEAH. MOTION SECOND. DO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING. NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. OH. 23 B TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION ON LIST OF TAKE HOME VEHICLES FOR FY [B. Take all appropriate action on list of take-home vehicles for FY2026, pursuant to County Employee Information Manual, Policy 612. ] 2026 PURSUANT TO COUNTY EMPLOYEE INFORMATION MANUAL POLICY 612 MOVE APPROVAL ITEM B IS PRESENTED. SECOND, YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ANY DISCUSSION HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. SEE TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ADOPT THE 2025 TAX RATE FOR FORT BEND COUNTY AND TAKE A [C. Take all appropriate action to adopt the 2025 Tax Rate for Fort Bend County, and take a record vote, pursuant to Property Tax Code 26.05 as follows: Proposed General Fund Tax Rate: 0.278000; Proposed Road & Bridge Fund: 0.024000; Proposed Interest & Sinking Fund: 0.110000; and Total Proposed Tax Rate: 0.412000.] RECORDED VOTE. PURSUANT TO PROPERTY TAX CODE 26.05 AS PRESENTED. MOVE APPROVAL AS PRESENTED. SECOND. THIS ONE HAS TO HAVE A SPECIAL MOTION. OH, YEAH. AND I I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE DECREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF $0.278000 FOR THE GENERAL FUND, $0.0240 FOR THE ROAD AND BRIDGE FUND, AND $0.110 FOR THE INTEREST AND SINKING FUND FOR TOTAL FORT BEND COUNTY TAX RATE OF $0.4120, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 1.58% DECREASE IN THE TAX RATE. [00:35:04] SECOND. AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND ANY DISCUSSION. THIS IS A RECORD VOTE. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. I MEAN, THERE SHOULD BE A DISCUSSION AND I HAVE A STATEMENT TO MAKE. I WANT TO THANK THE BUDGET OFFICE FOR THEIR HARD WORK IN PRESENTING TODAY'S BUDGET. AND THIS IS A LOT OF WORK. OUR OFFICE WAS VERY CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH DOING THIS OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS. THAT'S ALL I CAN TALK ABOUT, BECAUSE IN 2019, FORT BEND COUNTY'S BUDGET WAS $382 MILLION. TODAY'S PROPOSED BUDGET IS $760 MILLION. THAT IS DOUBLING. FORT BEND COUNTY BUDGET. AND I AM COMPLETELY AWARE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE GROWTH AND WE HAVE OUR COUNTY GREW, BUT NOT DOUBLING AND NEARLY DOUBLING THE BUDGET IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. LATEST PROPOSAL REFLECT THAT EVEN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IS MORE THAN $30 MILLION COMPARED TO 2025 BUDGET. I RECOGNIZE THE THE CONTINUED GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COUNTY, AND I BELIEVE THAT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY MUST REMAIN OUR TOP PRIORITY. FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS, I MADE MY INTENTION VERY CLEAR WE NEED TO ADOPT A FLAT BUDGET TO AVOID ANY FUTURE LAYOFFS OF OUR EMPLOYEES OR ANY PAINFUL CUTS. AND WE WILL WE WILL EVENTUALLY FORCE TO IMPLEMENT. AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING IN HARRIS COUNTY. AT LEAST I KNOW TWO PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR JOB IN THIS PROCESS, WHICH IS VERY PAINFUL. AND IT IS HAPPENING. AS I MENTIONED IN HARRIS COUNTY RIGHT NOW, THE PEOPLE OF FORT BEND COUNTY DESERVE A GOVERNMENT THAT IS AS DISCIPLINED WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS AS FAMILIES ARE WITH THEIR OWN BUDGET. THAT MEANS HOLDING THE LINE AND SPENDING TREND RISK OUTPACING SUSTAINABLE GROWTH. WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO CLOSE TO THAT, AND I AM COMMITTED TO ADVOCATING FOR A FLAT, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE BUDGET THAT PRESERVE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, HONORS OUR OBLIGATIONS, AND KEEP FORT BEND COUNTY ON A SOUND FINANCIAL PATH WITHOUT ADDING FURTHER BURDEN TO TAXPAYERS. SO I WANTED TO TELL YOU, I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS BUDGET, AND SO WE WILL MOVE ON WITH VOTING. PLEASE GO AHEAD. WELL, I I'LL ADD MY $0.02. I TOO AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE GROWTH IN THE BUDGET AND PARTICULARLY THE GROWTH IN OUR DEBT. HOWEVER, IF ONE MORE NO VOTE COMES ABOUT THE YOU HAVE TO HAVE FOUR VOTES, AS I RECALL, TO PASS THE BUDGET AND TAX RATE. SO SINCE WE ARE HOW MANY DAYS AWAY FROM THE START OF OUR FISCAL YEAR. WE'RE A LITTLE LATE IN THE DAY. SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE TAX RATE IN THE BUDGET RELUCTANTLY, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE FISCAL DISCIPLINE. GO AHEAD WITH THE VOTE. COMMISSIONER MORALES, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES, COMMISSIONER PRESTIDGE. HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES, COMMISSIONER MEYERS, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES, COMMISSIONER MCCOY, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES, JUDGE GEORGE, HOW DO YOU VOTE? NO MOTION PASSES. OKAY, NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM D D TAKE ALL [D. Take all appropriate action to approve the Fort Bend County Capital Acquisitions and Capital Improvement Projects to be financed for FY2026. ] APPROPRIATE ACTION TO APPROVE THE FORT BEND COUNTY CAPITAL ACQUISITIONS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TO BE FINANCED FOR FY 2026. YES. YOUR HONOR, I MOVE THE LIST OF CAPITAL ACQUISITIONS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TO BE FINANCED IN FY 2026 BUDGET AS PRESENTED. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES FOUR ONE. [E. Take all appropriate action to adopt FY2026 Proposed Positions for Fort Bend County. ] NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM E. E, TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ADOPT FY 2026 PROPOSED POSITIONS FOR FORT BEND COUNTY. YOUR HONOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PROPOSED POSITIONS FOR THE FY 2026 BUDGET AS PRESENTED. SECOND. DO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES FOR ONE F TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION TO SET FY 2026 [F. Take all appropriate action to set FY2026 Salaries for Elected Officials of Fort Bend County, pursuant to Texas Local Government Code Sec 152.011. ] SALARIES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS OF FORT BEND COUNTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 152.011. YES, YOUR HONOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE SCHEDULE OF SALARIES FOR FORT BEND COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR FY 2026 BUDGET AS PRESENTED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. [00:40:01] ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AND THAT IS ALSO THE MOTION CARRIES FOUR ONE. THE FOLLOWING AGENDA ITEM G IS NOT FOR A VOTE, BUT IT IS JUST FOR REVIEW. OKAY, I CAN READ IT OR WE CAN CONTINUE. YES. OKAY. H TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ADOPT THE FY 2026 BUDGET FOR FORT BEND COUNTY [H. Take all appropriate action to adopt the FY2026 Budget for Fort Bend County, and take a record vote, pursuant to Texas Local Government Code Section 111.068.] AND TAKE RECORD VOTE PURSUANT TO TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 111.68. YES, I MOVE THAT THE BUDGET PROPOSED BUDGET BE APPROVED AS FILED ON SEPTEMBER 15TH AT $447,051,725, OR WITH THE CHANGE DETAILED BELOW. IT'S ONE CHANGE, AND THAT IS PART OF MY MOTION AS TO INCREASE THE FY 2026 BUDGET BY $250,000. THE RESIDUAL BALANCE FROM FY 2025 YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM BUDGET AND ALLOCATE THE FUNDS TO THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR ONE FULL TIME POSITION. SECOND, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? YES I HAVE. GO AHEAD. WE HAVE A MEMO. MAYBE IN THIS REQUIRES A VOTE. IF IT'S LESS THAN FOUR VOTES, IT DOESN'T PASS. BUT WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO IT THAT'S BEEN ADDED THAT MAKES IT KIND OF AN ISSUE. I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE THING, BUT I DO HAVE SOME ISSUES. WITH REGARD TO THE ADDENDUM. COMMISSIONER. I'M PREPARED TO SUPPORT YOUR DEAL FOR ONE YEAR AS YOU GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER AND THAT IN THE FUTURE, THIS PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NEEDS TO BE FUNDED WITH NON COUNTY ASSETS. AND YOU INDICATED THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO WORK TOWARDS. SO I'M WILLING TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. WELL I'M SAYING WITH NOT FROM AD VALOREM TAXES, BUT THERE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES. LET ME LET ME MAKE MYSELF CLEAR AGAIN. I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM IF IT'S USING COUNTY ASSETS. MY UNDERSTANDING WAS YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE THE ATTEMPT TO GET OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CORPORATIONS AND OTHER AREAS. I COMMEND YOU ON THAT EFFORT. BUT I'M TRYING TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND HERE. WHAT I'M WILLING TO SUPPORT. WHAT I'M NOT WILLING TO SUPPORT. IT THAT WE COULD TAKE THE. SO THE NEW WITH THE $250,000 THAT COMMISSIONER PRESTON JUST MADE A MOTION FOR, THE NEW TOTAL FOR THE FY 2026 BUDGET IS $747,301,725. WELL IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO RAISE $1 MILLION FROM PRIVATE SOURCES. IT'S THAT'S NOT A REASONABLE REQUEST. AND I CAN'T LIE AND SAY YES, OKAY, I CAN'T, I CAN'T, I CAN'T DURING OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS AND SOME OTHER DELIBERATIONS, WE TALKED ABOUT THE ABILITY TO RAISE MONEY FROM SOME OTHER SOURCES, NOT FROM AD VALOREM TAXES. I'M TOTALLY COMMITTED TO THAT. THIS IS A VERY BENEFICIAL PROGRAM. IN FIVE YEARS, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT CONTINUE. I THINK WE'VE CHANGED A LOT OF LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY. AND I WILL DO WHAT I CAN TO RAISE THE MONEY AS MUCH FROM PRIVATE SOURCES AS I CAN. BUT TO SAY NONE FROM ANY PUBLIC MONEY FROM THE COUNTY IS NOT REASONABLE. IT'S NOT REASONABLE. THAT'S THAT'S JUST NOT NOT REASONABLE TO DO THAT IN ONE YEAR. SO I ASK YOU TO FIND IT IN YOUR HEART TO CHANGE YOUR MIND AND GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO RAISE THE MONEY. COUNTY HAS A LOT OF NEEDS. IN MY OPINION, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE CORE SERVICES THAT THE COUNTY PROVIDES. AND IF WE HAVE YOU KNOW, EXTRA FUNDS, WE CAN DO EXTRA THINGS WITH IT, BUT. WELL, AGAIN, WE HAVE CHALLENGES. NOT NOT, I SEE, NOT FROM AD VALOREM TAXES. AND I'LL GO ONE STEP FURTHER AND NOT FROM TAXES. YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH THE TIME IT COMES UP. OR TRY TO. I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THE FOR THE MOTION. I'VE GOT TO BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO VOTE AGAINST IT. IF I DON'T VOTE FOR IT, THEN THE BUDGET DOESN'T PASS AND WE HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM. HE WAS HE WAS HE TOLD US HE'S NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR IT. I THINK IT'S A SIMPLE MAJORITY. [00:45:01] I'M LOOKING IT UP RIGHT NOW. IF I COULD PLEASE ASK THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. PURSUANT TO TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 8106, THREE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT CONSTITUTE A QUORUM FOR CONDUCTING BUSINESS EXCEPT THE LEVYING OF A COUNTY TAX. SECTION B, A COUNTY TAX MAY BE LEVIED AT ANY REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE COURT WHEN AT LEAST FOUR MEMBERS OF THE COURT ARE PRESENT. SECTION C A COUNTY MAY NOT LEVY A TAX UNLESS AT LEAST THREE MEMBERS OF THE COURT VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE LEVY. SO YOU MUST HAVE FOUR TO CONSTITUTE A QUORUM, BUT THREE VOTES WILL ALLOW THE ACTION TO PASS PURSUANT TO 81.006 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. THANK YOU. SO. SO, COMMISSIONER, I WILL WORK TO TRY TO FIND THE MONEY FROM NOT FROM PROPERTY TAXES AND NOT FROM COUNTY ASSISTANCE. DISTRICT TAXES. AND I WILL JUST SAY WE HAD A VERY FRUITFUL CONVERSATION YESTERDAY WITH THE GULF COAST WORKFORCE BOARD THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THEIR TEAM THAT RUNS THEIR ENTIRE GULF COAST YOUTH PROGRAM. THAT IS PROMISING TO BE A PARTNERSHIP TO HELP TO SOME MAGNITUDE. AND I'M COMMITTED TO TRY TO HELP FIND OTHER WAYS AS WELL, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROGRAM STAYS ALIVE AND THE SUPERMAJORITY IS REQUIRED FOR ADOPTING THE TAX RATE, BUT IT IS NOT REQUIRED FOR ADOPTING THE BUDGET. AS MISS LAWSON, YOU'RE CORRECT. AND I WAS INCORRECT ON THAT PARTICULAR DEAL. OKAY. AT THIS POINT PLEASE GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE RECORD. COMMISSIONER MORALES, HOW DO YOU VOTE? VOTE? YES. AND I DO AGREE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT OTHER SOURCES. AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. COMMISSIONER MCCOY IS ALREADY ACTIVELY DOING THAT. SO AT THE TIME THAT IT MAY BE BROUGHT FORWARD. WE'LL MAKE THAT DECISION. BUT AT THIS POINT, I'LL SUPPORT MOVING THE PROGRAM FORWARD. YES, COMMISSIONER. PRESTIDGE. HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. COMMISSIONER MYERS, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. COMMISSIONER MCCOY, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. JUDGE GEORGE, HOW DO YOU VOTE? NO. MOTION PASSES. WE WILL MOVE ON. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT THIS SECTION TO PAMELA AND YOUR TEAM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE. EVERYONE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A ONE PAGER THIS YEAR. THAT LAID OUT BEAUTIFULLY SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS BUDGET. YOUR TEAM WORKED PRETTY HARD ON THAT. THANK YOU TO YOUR PROJECT MANAGER WHO HELPED ORGANIZE AND PULL THAT TOGETHER. AND FOR ALL THE BUDGET HEARINGS AND PUBLIC WORKSHOPS THAT YOU HELPED US TO FACILITATE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THANKS TO TAX OFFICE FOR HELPING US TO GET ALL OF THE RIGHT VALUES TOGETHER. I KNOW THAT TAKES A LOT OF WORK AND THEY WORK REALLY HARD TO GET THAT TO YOU QUICKLY. SO A LOT WENT INTO MAKING THIS BUDGET, A LOT OF PUBLIC FEEDBACK AND COMMENT AND WORK BY MY COLLEAGUES AND I, AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LISTENING TO WHAT OUR RESIDENTS NEED. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THIS, THIS, THIS HAPPEN AND EXCITED FOR WHAT'S AHEAD. THANK YOU. AND I ALSO WANTED TO ADD YOU KNOW, BUDGET OFFICER IS ONLY A MESSENGER. SO WHEN YOU GO AND TALK A LITTLE MORE GENTLE WITH OUR BUDGET OFFICER, SHE ABSOLUTELY WORKED TIRELESSLY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL. AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK. WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO NEXT ITEM. [ Take all appropriate action on Affiliation Agreement between Fort Bend County and the University of Houston-Clear Lake for student practicum course experience and hands-on learning experience effective through December 31, 2025.] ITEM 24. OKAY. OKAY. NOW WE ARE GETTING BACK TO THE BUSINESS AGENDA. I PRESENTED THE AGENDA ITEM 24 PRESENTED BY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT. ITEM 24 AS PRESENTED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 25, PRESENTED BY FORT BEND COUNTY ATTORNEY'S [A. Take all appropriate action on Resolution establishing non-business days in accordance with the Texas Public Information Act Calendar Year 2025.] OFFICE. MOVE! I MADE ENOUGH MOTIONS. YOU. OKAY. MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF AGENDA ITEM 25 A AS PRESENTED. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH. CAN I GUESS I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OR WHOMEVER TO EXPLAIN FOR THE PUBLIC JUST WHY WE'RE TAKING THIS ACTION TODAY. SURE, THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE LAW, AND I WILL LET GENERAL COUNSEL CHIEF LARRY EXPLAIN AS IT RELATES TO PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT. GOOD AFTERNOON. THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2023. THEY CHANGED THE WAY THAT WE DO NON-BUSINESS DAYS FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT. SO IT USED TO BE WHENEVER THE COUNTY WOULD BE CLOSED, WE COULD STATE THAT WE'RE CLOSED AND WE DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT PUBLIC INFORMATION. HOWEVER, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SWITCHED THAT TO STATE AND IT WAS BASED ON A LAWSUIT THEY WERE SUED ON TO STATE THAT IT HAS TO BE A STATE OR NATIONAL HOLIDAY. AND SO DAYS LIKE THE COUNTY FAIR DAY, WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE HERE AND AVAILABLE TO PROCESS OPEN RECORDS. SO THEY ALLOW US TO DECLARE TEN BUSINESS DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR WHERE WE CAN DECLARE THAT [00:50:04] THIS IS A CLOSURE DATE FOR THE COUNTY, AND WE DO NOT HAVE TO RESPOND FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION. SO THIS IS JUST A LIST THAT LISTED THE HOLIDAYS THAT WE RECOGNIZE. AND IT ALSO PUTS THE COUNTY FAIR DAY IN THERE TO SAY THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE A COUNTY CLOSURE DATE, AND SO THAT NO COUNTY DEPARTMENT, NO ELECTED OFFICIAL WOULD HAVE TO RESPOND TO THAT PUBLIC INFORMATION ON THAT DATE. GOT IT, GOT IT. AND JUST FOR GENERAL AWARENESS, HOW DOES THAT WORK IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY? IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY, IT'S GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT. SO SAY LIKE FOR HURRICANE BURRELL THE LAW ACTUALLY WENT INTO EFFECT RIGHT AFTER THAT. AND WE CONSIDERED WE WERE CLOSED FOR THE WHOLE WEEK AND WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THAT. SO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL GAVE ALL THE COUNTIES A GRACE ON THAT. OTHERWISE, WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY DO A PUBLIC POSTING AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CLOSED FOR EACH DAY WHEN THERE'S AN EMERGENCY. SO BUT THIS IF WE CAN ANTICIPATE IT, WE CAN PUT IT AS OUR TEN DAYS. BUT OF COURSE, WE CAN'T ANTICIPATE WHAT A STORM IS GOING TO HIT. SO THIS IS THE ONE DAY WHERE WE KNOW IT ALSO INCLUDES THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT A RECOGNIZED HOLIDAY AND IT INCLUDES OUR CHRISTMAS EXTRA CHRISTMAS DAY. SO ONE QUICK QUESTION. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT YEAR? YOU HAD TO DO IT AGAIN. WE HAVE TO DO IT EVERY YEAR, EACH YEAR, EACH YEAR. WE WERE HOPING THAT BY THIS TIME THE LEGISLATURE WOULD CHANGE IT AFTER ENOUGH PUSHBACK. BUT IT HASN'T BECAUSE IT IS SAYING 2025 CALENDAR YEAR. YEAH, YEAH. ASSUMING NO OTHER QUESTION. ALL IN FAVOR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 25 B. IT IS IT IS A RECORD VOTE. RIGHT. PLEASE GO AHEAD AND READ THAT. [B. Take all appropriate action on Corrected Resolution and Order decreeing the Acquisition of Property to be a Public Necessity and Authorizing the Acquisition and Payment of Compensation by Record Vote for the Koeblen Road, Project No. 20107, Precinct 4. (Fund: Mobility Bonds)] 25 B TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION ON CORRECTED RESOLUTION AND ORDER, DECREEING THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY TO BE A PUBLIC NECESSITY AND AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION AND PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION BY RECORD. VOTE FOR THE COPELAND ROAD PROJECT NUMBER 20107 PRECINCT FOUR FUND MOBILITY BONDS. YES. I MOVE THAT THE FORT BEND THAT FORT BEND COUNTY BY RECORD VOTE AUTHORIZED THE USE OF THE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE ALL NEEDED RIGHT OF WAY FOR THE COPELAND ROAD SEGMENT ONE PROJECT NUMBER 20107, PRECINCT FOUR, IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, AS DEPICTED IN THE CORRECTED EXHIBIT A, ATTACHED TO THE PROPOSED ORDER HEREIN BY ADOPTION OF THE CORRECTED RESOLUTION AND ORDER. DECREEING THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY TO BE A PUBLIC NECESSITY, AND AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION AND PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION FOR THE PUBLIC PURPOSE OF LOCATION IMPROVEMENT, ALIGNMENT, CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE FOR THE COPELAND ROAD SEGMENT ONE PROJECT NUMBER 20107, INCLUDING APPURTENANT, DRAINAGE AND DETENTION REQUIRED FOR SAID PROJECT. THIS MOTION APPLIES TO ANY AND ALL PARCELS OF LAND AND OR ASSOCIATED IMPROVEMENTS THAT MUST BE CONDEMNED ALONG THE COPELAND ROAD SEGMENT. ONE PROJECT NUMBER 20107 TYPEKIT YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE VOTE. COMMISSIONER MORALES, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES, COMMISSIONER PRESTIDGE, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. COMMISSIONER MEYERS, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. COMMISSIONER MCCOY, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES, JUDGE GEORGE, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. MOTION PASSES. OKAY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 26. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT A AND B HAS BEEN PULLED. [27. ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATION:] AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 27 PRESENTED BY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATION. MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF AGENDA ITEM 27 A AND BE AS PRESENTED. SECOND. SO I SEE CHASE HERE. CHASE, THIS IS THE ITEM WE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION. RIGHT. OKAY. OKAY. YEAH. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. AND. OH, AND YOU HAVE TWO ITEM THAT WAS AMD. RIGHT? YES. A AND B A AND B AND B. RIGHT. OKAY. NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 28 A THROUGH M PRESENTED BY ENGINEERING [28. ENGINEERING:] DEPARTMENT. MOVE APPROVAL OF ITEM 28 A THROUGH M B O THROUGH M AS PRESENTED. SECOND. AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON AGENDA ITEM 28 A THROUGH M. ANY DISCUSSION? I DID HAVE A CLARIFICATION. COMMISSIONER. I MEANT TO ASK YOU BEFORE COURT. ON E RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WE'RE BUYING LAND FOR. JUNIOR PRECINCT. RENTAL ASSISTANCE. YEAH. SO I'M TRYING TO THINK THAT'S. THAT'S A COST TO CURE. I'M SORRY. THAT'S A COST TO CURE. A COST TO CURE? YEAH. OKAY. AM I GETTING DISPLACED? OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. ANY OTHER. JUST HAVE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE. [00:55:01] YOU KNOW WHAT? I HADN'T EITHER. SO. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 29 A AND B, [29. FACILITIES MANAGEMENT & PLANNING:] PRESENTED BY FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT. MOVE APPROVAL OF 29 A AND B IS PRESENTED. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING. NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. [ Take all appropriate action to terminate the current Fire Service Agreement between Fairchilds Volunteer Fire Department and the Fort Bend County Fire Marshal's Office, effective September 30, 2025.] ITEM NUMBER 30, PRESENTED BY FORT BEND COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL. MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 30. AS PRESENTED. SECOND. DO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON AGENDA ITEM 30. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. [31. FORT BEND COUNTY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY & GRAND PARKWAY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY: The Board of Directors of the Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority and Fort Bend County Grand Parkway Toll Road Authority reviewed the following items at their regular board meeting held on September 15, 2025, and makes the following recommendations to Commissioners Court:] NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 31 A AND B, PRESENTED BY FORT BEND COUNTY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY AND GRAND PARKWAY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY. MOVE APPROVAL. 31 A AND B AS PRESENTED. SECOND. AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? YES. I JUST IS DAVID HERE? GARNETT. GUESS NOT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR ON THE RECORD. I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, WE'VE WE'VE HAD WE'VE SEEN GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN OUR TOLL ROAD SYSTEM HERE IN FORT BEND COUNTY. AND I'M EXCITED FOR ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP TO IMPROVE MOBILITY MOVING FORWARD. ONE THING THAT I WILL CONTINUE TO COMPEL THE TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING FRONT AND CENTER IS HOW WE'RE ACQUIRING REQUISITE RIGHT OF WAY, NOT JUST FOR INCREASING LANES FOR OUR PERSONAL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, BUT ENSURING THAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR WHAT MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION LOOKS LIKE IN FORT BEND COUNTY AND IN THIS REGION. WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT MANAGE LANES LOOK LIKE ON OUR SYSTEM FOR THINGS LIKE BUS RAPID TRANSIT FOR YOU KNOW, MANAGE LANES FOR OUR COMMUTER BUSSES THAT TAKE PEOPLE INTO THE CORE OF OF, OF, OF OUR REGION. AND WE'VE GOT TO, GOT TO, GOT TO BE THINKING ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE JUST ADDING MORE CONCRETE FOR OUR PERSONAL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE OUR MOBILITY PROBLEMS LONG TERM. AND WE HAVE TO BE FUTURE FOCUSED WITH OUR MOBILITY. AND CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON JUST WHAT WE FOCUSED ON IS NOT GOING TO WORK MOVING FORWARD. SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL SEE SOME FORWARD MOMENTUM ON THAT. AND I ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO BE ENGAGED IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS WELL. AND ALSO, COMMISSIONER MORALES, IN THE OTHER DAY, I WAS DRIVING KATIE AND THAT ROAD. THEY CHANGED IT DRAMATICALLY. RIGHT? YEAH. AND SO I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THIS. THIS IS ONE TWO ENTITY. IT'S NOT TAXPAYER FUNDED. IT IS USER FUNDED ENTITIES. SO JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, AND WITH THAT ASSUMING NO OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. [32. GRANTS ADMINISTRATION:] NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 32 A AND B PRESENTED BY GRANTS ADMINISTRATION. MOVE APPROVAL 32 A AND B AS PRESENTED. SECOND. AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. [33. HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES:] NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO. YOU SAID THERE IS A CORRECTION ON 33. WOULD YOU PLEASE, PLEASE READ THE ITEM? WHAT IS THE CORRECT 33? HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. THIS ITEM, JUST FOR THE RECORD, IS THIS ITEM THAT IS TIED TO YOUR PUBLIC HEARING FIVE B AND WE LEFT OUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON THIS ITEM. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CORRECT ON THE RECORD. SO 33 SHOULD READ ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION ON ORDER SETTING FEES FOR REGULATIONS FOR FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS IN FORT BEND COUNTY AS PRESENTED. OKAY. SO MOVED. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THIS ITEM WITH THE CORRECTION. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO 34. [ Take all appropriate action on Memorandum of Understanding between ASAR Training and Response Inc. and Fort Bend County to allow ASAR to respond during disasters and assist with Animal Services.] PRESENTED BY HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF AGENDA ITEM 34, AS PRESENTED. SECOND. YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON AGENDA ITEM 34. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 35, PRESENTED BY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. [ Take all appropriate action on request for transfer in the amount of $77,391 from Non-Departmental Contingency to the Information Technology Fees to allocate funds for an Enterprise Asset Management Software for various departments. ] MOVE. APPROVAL OF 35 AS PRESENTED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING. NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. AND THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 36 A AND B PRESENTED BY PARKS AND RECREATION [36. PARKS & RECREATION:] DEPARTMENT. MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF AGENDA ITEM 36 A AND B AS PRESENTED. [01:00:01] SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL COME ON TO AGENDA ITEM 37 A THROUGH R, [37. PURCHASING:] BUT I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT THERE IS A CORRECTION WITH 37 G. WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THAT FOR CLARIFICATION? 37 G. TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION ON FIRST AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH AIG TECHNICAL SERVICES, LLC, TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF 464,918. AND $0.20 FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED, AND THE CORRECT AMOUNT SHOULD BE 1,369,837 AND $0.40. REGARDING ROGERS ROAD SEGMENT TWO MOBILITY BOND PROJECT NUMBER 23114 PRECINCT ONE FUND MOBILITY BONDS. OKAY, SO ZERO OUGHT TO BE A PERIOD. SO IT WAS A PERIOD. THERE WAS A MISSING PERIOD OKAY. OKAY. SO WITH THAT CORRECTION I PRESENT 36 A SORRY 37 A THROUGH R. MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 37 A THROUGH R WITH THE NOTED CORRECTION TO ITEM G SECOND AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 38 PRESENTED BY RISK MANAGEMENT. [ Take all appropriate action on employee, retiree under 65, leave of absence, and COBRA rates for the Fort Bend County Medical, Dental, and Vision Plans effective January 1, 2026.] ANY MOVE FOR APPROVAL. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, DO WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND, HE MADE A MOTION. I MADE A SECOND. OH SORRY I DIDN'T HEAR. OKAY. AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW EXCUSE ME. WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 39, [ Take all appropriate action regarding the review of salaries and benefits within the Sheriff’s Office.] PRESENTED BY FORT BEND COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. GO AHEAD. SHERIFF. GOOD EVENING. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO PASS OUT ALL THIS TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS SINCE THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, THAT QUESTION AND ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS. FIRST, I DO WANT TO SAY, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR IS PRETTY MUCH DONE. AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT JOB. BUT THE I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SAY THAT THE PROTECTION OF THE PEOPLE OF FORT BEND COUNTY SHOULD BE OUR UTMOST, UTMOST THING WE THINK ABOUT. AND TO DO THAT, I NEED THE MEN AND WOMEN OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AT MY AGENCY TO BE HERE. WHEN I CAME LAST TIME, I SAID THAT THERE WAS A $20,000 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OTHER AGENCIES AND OURS, MEANING MOSTLY HARRIS COUNTY, MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND HPD. THESE AGENCIES ARE CLOSE TO US. I ALSO TRY TO EXPLAIN TO YOU ALL THAT THE IT'S NOT JUST THE PAY, BUT ITS BENEFITS THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT BENEFITS, THAT IS 81,000 STARTING PAY AND THEN 68,000 WITH US. BUT BENEFITS LIKE EDUCATIONAL PAY ALL THE WAY UP TO DOCTORAL TECO PAY FOR CERTIFICATION. ALSO PAY FOR SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL. ALSO PAY WITH CLOTHING ALLOWANCE. TUITION REIMBURSEMENTS, PAID TIME OFF. PHYSICAL FITNESS. ANNUAL PATROL. INCENTIVE PAY. INVESTIGATION. INCENTIVE PAY. FIELD TRAINING OFFICERS. INCENTIVE PAY. EDUCATIONAL ALLOWANCE. PUBLIC SERVICE. KEEP GOING. SORRY. PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAMS. COMM COMP TIME. THEY HAVE 48 480 HOURS WHERE WE HAVE EIGHT 80 HOURS. ALL THIS PUT TOGETHER BRINGS THAT THERE'S A STARTING. [01:05:02] OFFICERS PAY THEIR TO $95,142, NOT THE $81,000 THAT IS SAID WHERE MY OFFICERS ARE AT 68,000 WHEN I CAME TO SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I WAS TRYING TO GET US UP TO THE MEDIUM WITH. COMPARED TO OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE MARKETS. NOT ALL PUBLIC MARKETS, BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT MARKETS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE BACK PAGE HERE, IT WILL SHOW YOU THE RAISES THAT THAT THIS AGENCY GOT DURING THE TIME BEFORE I WAS HERE IN 2017, A 3.4%, 2018 2.95. THEN 2019 3%, THEN 2020 00.9, THEN IN 2021 ZERO, 2022 ZERO. THEN WITH YOUR HELP, WE GOT A RAISE OF 15.93% IN 2020 FOR 2%, AND THEN IN 2025, A ZERO 21.9% ON AVERAGE ON AVERAGE OVER THE PAST DECADE. IF YOU AVERAGE EVERYTHING, IT'S A 4.9% RAISE THAT MY AGENCY RECEIVED OVER OVER THESE YEARS. WE HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH THE MARKET IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND THE FBI SAYS STATISTIC FOR EVERY 1000 PERSONS, EVERY 1000 CITIZENS IN YOUR AREA, YOU NEED THREE OFFICERS. WE HAD A MILLION. WE HAD A MILLION. THE CENSUS SAYS 900. BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE DON'T FILL OUT THE CENSUS. SO WE ACTUALLY ADD A MILLION HERE. SO THAT MEANS WE NEED 3000. WE DON'T HAVE THAT HERE. THAT'S COUNTING MY AGENCY, THE CONSTABLES AGENCIES AS WELL. WE DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER. SO TECHNICALLY WE DON'T HAVE THE FORCE TO KEEP THE PEOPLE IN FORT BEND COUNTY SAFE. I'M NOT ASKING, AS I SAID LAST TIME, FOR PARITY. I'M ASKING TO BE IN, TO BE COMPETITIVE. TO BE COMPETITIVE, WE NEED TO HAVE A COMPETITIVE SALARY. I WAS VERY GLAD TO HEAR IF YOU LOOK ON THE SECOND PAGE, I WAS VERY GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU WERE GOING TO RELEASE 23 OPENINGS. 23 POSITIONS FROM THE 58 THAT WE FROZE. COMMISSIONER MYERS GAVE ME A WARNING. SAID BE VERY CAREFUL GIVING UP THOSE 58 POSITIONS. YOU MAY NOT GET THEM BACK. WELL, I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO YOU. SO. BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I SAID WHEN I WAS ASKING FOR THOSE RAISES THAT I CAN FILL THOSE POSITIONS. WHEN I CAME TO YOU FOR THOSE RAISES, WE WERE 166 PEOPLE SHORT WHEN I GOT THE RAISE. WE'RE NOW AT 26 POSITIONS FROM 166 TO 26. THAT SHOWS YOU THAT IT IS THE PAY. IT IS THE PAY. BUT WITH 23 OPENINGS YOU'RE GOING TO ALLOW ME TO HAVE. THAT BRINGS IT DOWN TO 11. SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED HERE IN FORT BEND COUNTY IN OVER 30 YEARS. I HAVE 29 PEOPLE IN THE ACADEMY. 12 OF THOSE 29 ARE COMING TO US. IF I HAVE THOSE OPENINGS. WE'LL HAVE A FULLY STAFFED SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. FULLY STAFFED? NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. WE CAN DO THAT. I'M ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO BRING US UP TO A COMPETITIVE WAGE WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES. THAT'S WHY ALL THESE OTHER SHERIFF DEPUTIES ARE HERE NOW TO TO SUPPORT THAT. THE SERGEANT THAT WAS HERE TALKING TO YOU EARLIER, HIS WIFE WORKED FOR MY AGENCY. SHE WAS ONE OF THE BEST INVESTIGATORS I HAD, LOOKING AT THE CHILD ABUSE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SHE LEFT MY AGENCY NOT BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T LIKE IT HERE. SHE TOLD ME TO MY FACE THAT. SHERIFF, I'M GOING TO THIS ISD FOR BETTER PAY TO HELP WITH. WITH TO HELP OUR FAMILY. I HAD DEPUTIES TELLING ME THEY COULDN'T LIVE HERE IN FORT BEND COUNTY. THEY COULDN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN FORT BEND COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE PAY. THESE TYPES OF THINGS ARE HEARTBREAKING TO ME. I HAVE PEOPLE WHO LEFT THIS AGENCY THAT CAME BACK BECAUSE YOU ALL HELPED ME GET THAT RAISE. WHERE I HAVE PEOPLE WHO LEFT, I WANT TO BRING BACK AGAIN TO HAVE THAT COMPETITIVE WAGE. SO I'M ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I KNOW THIS BUDGET IS OVER, BUT I'M ASKING YOU FOR NEXT YEAR TO THINK ABOUT THIS. LOOK AT THE PAPERWORK I GAVE YOU, THE THE THE ACTUAL NUMBERS, THE ACTUAL NUMBERS AND THE BENEFITS. [01:10:05] IF WE CAN JUST GET THE BENEFITS LIKE BILINGUAL PAY, EDUCATIONAL PAY, THAT WOULD HELP. THAT WOULD HELP IMMENSELY. SO CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? YES. I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTING THIS INFORMATION. AND I HAVE A QUESTION FOR PAMELA. 2021 2022. AND I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, OKAY. I'M NOT QUESTIONING. YES. AND 2024, ESPECIALLY 21 AND 22, IT SHOWS ZERO PAY INCREASE FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I'M I WILL HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT. I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S INCORRECT. I JUST I DON'T I GOT A SUGGESTION. I GOT A SUGGESTION. WHAT IT MIGHT BE. THAT MIGHT BE THE OUTLAY FROM THE GENERAL FUND. DURING THAT TIME, DURING COVID, WE RECEIVED A LOT OF MONEY FEDERAL MONEY THAT WAS USED TO SUPPLEMENT. I MEAN, THAT MIGHT BE A JUST A I'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT. I KNOW THAT THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT HAS A LIST OF ALL THE COLAS THAT WERE GIVEN. SO I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE IT'S LIKE INCLUDES THE COLA OR NOT. IT'S FROM OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT JUST FOR THE DEPUTY'S PAY. SO THE INFORMATION CAME FROM THERE. IT IS JUST FOR THE, THE DEPUTY. SO THAT INFORMATION JUST FOR THE DEPUTIES, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR, SHERIFF. AGAIN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT. I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN ALSO, PAMELA, IT SHOWS 2020 IS 0.009%. THAT MEANS LESS THAN 1%. AND EVEN IF WE GIVE COLA ADJUSTMENT, IT IS MUCH HIGHER. SO WE LIKE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT. IF WE DIDN'T GIVE ANY PAY INCREASE FOR TWO YEARS FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT WHAT HAPPENED. YES. AND THE OTHER THING WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE THE COST OF LIVING, WHEN WE WHEN WE GET THESE COLA RAISES, INSURANCE GO UP. SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE AVERAGES OUT. YOU GET YOUR INSURANCE GO UP. THEY ACTUALLY DIDN'T GET A RAISE. THEY ACTUALLY DIDN'T GET A RAISE. THESE MEN AND WOMEN. I'M FROM THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. I USED TO SAY IT WAS THE BEST AGENCY AROUND COMPARED TO ANYBODY. UNTIL I CAME HERE, WHEN WE HAD THAT BIG FREEZE. THE BIG FREEZE? NO OTHER AGENCY CAN SAY WHAT I CAN SAY ABOUT MY DEPARTMENT. EVERY ONE OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN CAME TO WORK. I HAD 100% PATROL. THEY CAME TO WORK. EVERY ONE OF THEM. THEY CAME TO WORK. SOME OF THEM HAD BUSTED PIPES AT THEIR HOMES, BUT THEY CAME IN TO WORK. SO THEY CARE ABOUT THIS, THIS COUNTY. I JUST WANT US TO CARE ABOUT THEM THE SAME WAY. SO I'M ASKING. AND WHICH I KNOW JUDGE GEORGE, WHEN I FIRST CAME AND ASKED YOU TO COME AND SIT DOWN AND TALK TO MY. YOU ACTUALLY CAME AND SAT DOWN AND TALKED TO HIM. THAT MEANT A LOT TO THOSE MEN. THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. YOU ALL CAME TO THE JAIL AND DID A TOUR. THAT NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. SO THEY RECOGNIZED THAT. SO I WANT THEM TO RECOGNIZE AGAIN THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SUPPORT THEM IN GIVING THEM A WAGE, THAT THEY DESERVE TO HAVE TO BE COMPETITIVE, TO BRING THE PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE HERE TO FORT BEND COUNTY. SHERIFF, I WANTED TO COMMEND TO YOU FOR THAT, BECAUSE FROM DAY ONE YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS, AND THAT IS WONDERFUL, AND I'M SURE YOUR OFFICERS APPRECIATE IT. AND I KNOW OBVIOUSLY THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT GOOD WORK. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN WE REQUESTED A SALARY SURVEY REVIEW FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT INCLUDED IN THAT WAS A REQUEST TO DO AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE COMPENSATION. HAVE YOU SAT DOWN WITH OUR HR DEPARTMENT AND GONE THROUGH AN ANNUAL REVIEW WITH THEM TO YOU KNOW, SEE WHERE WE'RE AT, ETC.. YEAH. WELL, WHEN WE DID THAT, WE THOUGHT THAT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS GOING TO KEEP UP WITH THE WITH THE MARKETPLACE. PERSONALLY, I KNOW I'M BE TRUTHFUL. NO, I HAVEN'T PERSONALLY, BUT WE THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING TO BE DONE. I HAVE I HAVE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON. I UNDERSTAND. I JUST I'M JUST CURIOUS. I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT SHE IS GOING TO, TO DO THAT. SO I'D SUGGEST, I HOPE THAT WORK WITH HER OFFICE AND SEE TO IT THAT WE YOU KNOW, YOU I APPRECIATE THE REVIEW, BUT IT'S ONLY ONE AGENCY. WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY MULTIPLE AGENCIES AROUND. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE SALARY SURVEY DOES IS IT COMPARES AN AVERAGE OF MULTIPLE AGENCIES. YES. SO YOU KNOW, WE CAN WE CAN REPEAT THE SURVEY IF NECESSARY. IF IT'S JUST A REVIEW IS NOT SUFFICIENT. [01:15:01] YEAH, YEAH. AND THE SURVEY ABOUT THE OTHER AGENCIES. I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO REALIZE, LET'S DO THE AGENCIES THAT ARE CLOSE BY. I MEAN, MY PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO GO TO TRAP, MOVE DOWN TO TRAVIS COUNTY, TO SAN ANTONIO. THEY'RE GOING TO MONTGOMERY, THEY'RE GOING TO WALLER, THEY'RE GOING TO HOUSTON, SUGARLAND, MISSOURI. THEY'RE GOING TO THESE AGENCIES. NOT SURE WHY THEY WOULD LEAVE PARADISE TO GO SOMEPLACE. WELL, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE MOVING WITHIN THE COUNTY. YES. WE HAVE A PROBLEM. YES, WE HAVE A PROBLEM. I GOT A SUGGESTION BECAUSE WHAT I FEAR IS THAT WE'LL HAVE THIS NICE PRESENTATION AND WE'RE ALL LEANING IN TOWARDS THIS THING. AND IF NOTHING'S HAPPENED IF NOTHING HAPPENS RIGHT AWAY, BUDGET TIME IS GOING TO ROLL AROUND, AND IT'S GOING TO BE TOO LATE AGAIN. I WANT I WANT TO JUST PUT OUT SOMETHING. IT'S NOT A MOTION, BUT I WANT TO SUGGEST THIS BECAUSE THIS IS POSTED FOR ACTION THAT WE HAVE A I'M GOING TO CALL IT A BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE. OKAY. THAT WILL BE CONSIST OF A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE BUDGET OFFICE. REPRESENTATIVE FROM HR, FROM THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE. RISK MANAGEMENT. AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT COLLECTIVELY JUST WANT SOMEBODY THAT WE ALL TRUST THAT WE CAN ON THIS COMMITTEE AND WE DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT. AND WE HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE JUDICIAL BRANCH OF THE COUNTY, PROBABLY THE BOARD OF JUDGES WILL SEND SOMEBODY EITHER JUDGE OR ASSOCIATE JUDGE OR SOME TRUSTED REPRESENTATIVE. THAT'S SEVEN MEMBERS GET TOGETHER AND LOOK AT THE PAY. YES, BUT THE FRINGES AND THE ANCILLARY THINGS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT. YES. AND YOU LISTED A WHOLE LOT OF THEM WITH SHIFTER AND PAY WITH BILINGUAL PAY WITH HAZARDOUS DUTY, THOSE KIND OF THINGS REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. YES. AND THERE COULD BE SOME VARIATIONS IN COMPENSATION FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE ON THE TOUGH TASK OR WHO GO THE EXTRA MILE TO GET EDUCATED ON SPECIAL TRAINING. MATT? YES. AND THAT'S NOT A MOTION. I'M PUTTING IT OUT THERE. I'M JUST SAYING I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THAT. AND SO DO WE NEED TO BE PART OF THAT COMMITTEE? MAYBE NOT. I THINK WE HAVE TO, BECAUSE WE ARE THE BUDGETARY BODY. BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO BRING IT. WELL, AND I KNOW WHO I'M GOING TO PUT ON THAT COMMITTEE. I'M LOOKING AT IT RIGHT THERE. IT'S A RED TIE. BECAUSE, BECAUSE, BECAUSE AT SOME POINT IN TIME ALL THIS COMES DOWN TO THE SHORT STRAW. WELL, BECAUSE YOU'RE A SUPERSTAR. YOU KNOW, SO ALL THIS COMES DOWN TO DOLLARS AND CENTS, AND I THINK THAT SOMEONE FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT HAS TO WEIGH IN. THE BUDGET OFFICE WILL BE THERE TO. THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE WILL BE THERE. THEY HAVE A CONTROL. BUT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT MEMBER OR DESIGNEE WILL HAVE A SPECIAL INSIGHT AS TO THE POLITICS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUNDING. OKAY. YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO PASS? WHAT'S NOT OKAY. AND I TRUST EVERY MEMBER OF THIS PANEL TO TO MAKE THAT KIND OF DECISION. I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE A MOTION. WE CAN SAY THIS FOR THE NEXT MEETING, BUT I WANT TO PUT THAT OUT AS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DISCUSS, THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE A POSITIVE STEP TOWARDS DEALING WITH IT. AND I HATE TO DEAL WITH OTHER AGENCIES OR OTHER ELECTED BODIES HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH WITH A BIG PUBLIC SPECTACLE OVER THIS, THAT WE TAKE A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH AND HAVE ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED THAT CAN MAKE SOME GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET OR SOME INTERIM RECOMMENDATION. OKAY, THAT'S JUST MY SUGGESTION. I WANT TO ASK JUDGE IF YOU WOULD POST SOMETHING FOR THE OCTOBER 9TH MEETING AND WE COULD WORK THAT. I MEAN, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY, BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS WHEN WE COME TOGETHER AND DISCUSS, THERE'S ALWAYS A SOLUTION WE CAN FIND. AND SO THERE IS ALWAYS AND ALL THAT'S RELEVANT PEOPLE. THIS IS MY OPINION. I DON'T I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU. AND SO THAT, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AS YOU MENTIONED AND ALSO I WILL I LIKE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS TOO, BECAUSE IF WE MISSED IT, THAT'D BE THAT'D BE JOB NUMBER ONE. YEAH, BECAUSE WE MISSED THE SALARY INCREASE FOR THIS MANY AT LEAST THREE YEARS. AND WE NEED TO KNOW WELL, ESTABLISHING WHAT THE FACTS ARE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GET A GOOD ANSWER. SO SO IF YOU WOULD POST IT AGAIN THE SAME WAY I'LL CRAFT AN AGENDA ITEM AND YOU KNOW, AND GIVE IT SOME MORE THOUGHT ON HOW IT NEEDS TO BE STRUCTURED. OKAY. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT EFFORT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, I ENJOY EVERY TIME I GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE DEPUTIES. THEY THEY BRING SOME I'M NOT IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, SO THERE ARE THINGS I DON'T KNOW. RIGHT? AND I ONLY HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, ONE OF WHOM YOU'VE WORKED WITH IN HPD. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET THAT ON THE GROUND KNOWLEDGE. AND THERE ARE SOME DATA AND STATISTICS THAT ABOUT OUR FORCE AND DEPLOYMENT OF PATROL THAT I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZE. AND SO I THINK THESE ARE DEFINITELY THINGS WE NEED TO FOCUS ON. I DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ESTABLISH THE FACTS. BECAUSE I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER THERE WERE PAY INCREASES FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES THAT YEAR, [01:20:04] AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ILLEGAL FOR US TO ASK THIS BODY TO EXCLUDE LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM THAT. SO IF Y'ALL ARE, YOU KNOW, AVERAGING THAT OUT IN SOME WAY BECAUSE OF BENEFITS INCREASES AND WHAT HAVE YOU, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS SO THAT THE PUBLIC IS ALSO OPERATING FROM THE SAME FACTS. I DON'T I SEE SOME REPORTERS IN HERE. I DON'T WANT THEM GOING AND PRINTING THAT. FORT BEND COUNTY DID NOT GIVE A RAISE FOR THREE YEARS, IF THAT INDEED IS NOT FACTUAL. ALSO, THIS 3000 FIGURE DOES THAT TAKE. THIS IS WHAT YOU NOTED FOR HOW LARGE THE FORCE SHOULD BE, GIVEN OUR POPULATION SIZE. YEAH, THAT'S THE FBI. IF YOU GO ON TO STATISTICS FOR EVERY 1000 PERSONS, YOU NEED THREE OFFICERS. US BEING AT A MILLION, THAT'LL BE 3000. BUT I'M NOT JUST SAYING MY AGENCY. I'M SAYING COMBINED WITH THE THE FOUR CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, MY OFFICE WAS NOWHERE NEAR THAT. YOU HAVE TO INCLUDE THE CITY, THE CITIES. YEAH, THE CITIES TOO, BUT AND AND AND MAYBE EVEN THE ISD'S. THAT'S AWESOME. NO, I'M NOT GOING TO INCLUDE THEM. NO, BUT BUT BUT NO OFFENSE, I-S-D'S, BUT NO, THEY DON'T PATROL. BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW, LIKE, WHAT IS THAT FULL PICTURE LOOK LIKE? YES. SO THAT OUR PUBLIC CAN KNOW WHERE IS OUR DEFICIT, BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT. I THINK Y'ALL HAVE DONE SOME GREAT WORK IN WORKING WITH HR TO INNOVATE THE RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES. AND WE'VE SEEN CLEARLY RESULTS OF THAT, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE THAT. BUT I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER PRESTWICH'S SUGGESTION. I THINK, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY LET'S BRING IT BACK. BUT THERE DOES NEED TO BE CONCRETE ACTION FROM THIS COURT TO DEMONSTRATE A DESIRE AND TRUE COMMITMENT TO DOING SOME WORK ON THIS. I KNOW YOU CALLED ME ABOUT THAT THIS WEEK. THE LAST WEEK. ABOUT THAT. I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT. IF THERE ARE OTHER SUGGESTIONS THAT MEMBERS HAVE ABOUT THE COMPOSITION OF THAT. I WAS FINE WITH EXACTLY HOW IT WAS SUGGESTED, BUT PERHAPS THERE ARE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE PART OF THAT. I SUPPORT THAT AND THINK THAT SHOULD COME BACK IN THE NEXT WEEK. AND I JUST I WOULD JUST SAY IT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE. PRESENT DAY IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, NOT BEING AN EXEMPLAR OF HOW WORK GETS DONE HERE IN FORT BEND COUNTY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS COURT IS VERY COLLABORATIVE WITH OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS. WE SETTLE IT IN THIS ROOM. AND I DON'T YOU KNOW, I WAS KIND OF CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY THE PRESS CONFERENCE THAT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS AN URGENT, PRESSING NEED. BUT WE SHOULD WORK THESE THINGS OUT TOGETHER, BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE'RE CREATING AN ACRIMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP THAT JUST ISN'T PRODUCTIVE. SO THAT WOULD JUST BE MY PETITION MOVING FORWARD. I CAN'T CONTROL WHAT HARRIS COUNTY DOES. AND THAT KIND OF POPPED UP OUT OF NOWHERE AND HOUSTON FOR EVERYBODY. AND SO I GET THE URGENCY THERE. BUT I THINK WE WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE SOLUTION FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT WHAT'S THE SOLUTION FOR THE NEXT FIVE, TEN YEARS, WHAT WE CAN ANTICIPATE OUR PARTNERS MIGHT DO IN THE MARKET MOVING FORWARD. SO THANKS SO MUCH FOR FOR SUGGESTING. AND THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU. TALKING TO NICOLE AND HR, SHE IS LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS AS WELL. SO I KNOW THAT IT HAS BEEN THOUGHT ABOUT AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT TALKING TO HER THAT SHE'LL BE PRESENTING IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. APPRECIATE IT. WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION YET, RIGHT? NO, I JUST THOUGHT WE THINK IT THROUGH A LITTLE MORE AND HAVE IT COME BACK ON THE NINTH. SO DON'T ACT ON THIS BACK ON OCTOBER THE 9TH. YES, SIR. OKAY, SO WE WILL TABLE THIS ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 39. [40. Approve Bills.] [41. Ratify the release of time-sensitive disbursements made on September 18, 2025.] [42. Ratify the release of time-sensitive disbursements made on October 2, 2025, to be ratified by Commissioners Court on October 9, 2025. ] AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 40, 41 AND 42. ED GO AHEAD SIR. ALONG WITH THE TIME TIME SENSITIVE BILLS TO BE CONSIDERED, TOTALING 27,614,006, 77 AND 42 SUBMIT FOR COURT APPROVAL BILLS TOTALING 19,426,365 AND 33. 35, WHICH INCLUDES ROUTINE DISBURSEMENTS OF 17,047,681 AND 13. MOVED TO APPROVE 40, 41 AND 42. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE ADDENDUM ITEM PRESENTED BY COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. AND I JUST WANTED TO SIMPLY SAY THIS. ROBERT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND A FEW OF THE UPCOMING MEETINGS. THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE ARE MAKING THIS CHANGE. SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVAL? DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON ADDENDUM? HIS ADDENDUM ITEM. HE'S CHANGING HIS APPOINTEE TO THE CITIZEN COMMITTEE. YEAH. A SECOND. SECOND. YEAH. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? AND SO WE HAVE A30 VOTE AND TWO ABSTAINED. [01:25:03] OKAY. TWO ABSTAINED. THREE FOUR AND TWO ABSTAINED. AND SO IT'S A MOTION CARRIES. WHO WAS THE OTHER WHO ABSTAINED? COMMISSIONER. OH, OKAY. COMMISSIONER. OH. I'M SORRY. THAT'S MY BAD. SO FOR ONE ABSTAINED. I WAS ADDED UP AND I WOULD. YOU COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU WERE COMING FROM. SORRY. MY BAD, MY BAD. OKAY, SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO NOW. [43. WORKSHOP:] OKAY. NOW WE HAVE A WORKSHOP. AND SO WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THAT ITEM I WILL ASK COUNTY ATTORNEYS ADVICE ON THIS. THIS IS PUT BY COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER REQUEST. WE TAKE IT A CLOSED SESSION. I'M SORRY. SAY AGAIN. I WAS GOING TO THERE'S SENSITIVE ISSUES. LEGAL ISSUES. I WANTED TO TAKE A CLOSED SESSION. YES, SIR. 551.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY. WE'LL TAKE IT INTO CLOSED. THANK YOU. OLGA, MAKE A NOTE OF IT. THAT ITEM, THAT WORKSHOP IS BEING TAKEN OUT. TAKEN INTO CLOSED SESSION. GO AHEAD AND READ THE REST. [44. Meet in Closed Session to deliberate the following matters as authorized by the Texas Government Code:] 44 MEETING CLOSED SESSIONS AND DELIBERATE THE FOLLOWING MATTERS AS AUTHORIZED BY THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE A SECTION 551.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY ONE CAUSE NUMBER 25 KV 077506 FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS VERSUS CAROL ANN MCCANN MERRILL TRUST, ET AL. WALLACE STREET PROJECT NUMBER 20305. PARCEL 36, SIX. PRECINCT ONE. NUMBER TWO HAS BEEN PULLED. THREE ELECTION ELECTIONS. PREPARATIONS FOR HAS BEEN PULLED. B FOUR IS ALSO PULLED FOR HAS ALSO BEEN PULLED. YES. B SECTION 551.087. DELIBERATION REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS ONE. FORT BEND COUNTY EPICENTER TWO. PROJECT 2025013 GRAND PARKWAY TOLLWAY PRIMACY. AT THIS TIME, FORT BEND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT GENERAL SESSION MEETING IS GOING TO STAND IN RECESS FOR CLOSED SESSION. NOW WE WILL TURN OUR ATTENTION TO FORT BEND COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS. MEETING TIME IS 227. I CALL TO ORDER FORT BEND COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING. TODAY IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2025. AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO. APPROVE MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON SEPTEMBER 9TH. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. SECOND. AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS COMMISSIONER MCCOY IS GOING TO COME BACK OR. OH, OKAY. SO WE ARE TAKING DRAINAGE ITEM NUMBER TWO, AND WE HAVE A MOTION. ALL IN FAVOR? ITEM NUMBER TWO. AND THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC HEARING ITEM NUMBER THREE, CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET FOR DRAINAGE DISTRICT PURSUANT TO TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 111.067. IF ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING ITEM. THIS IS THE TIME TO STEP FORWARD. SEEING NO ONE HAS COME FORWARD, AND WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REQUEST TO SPEAK ON OR COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. I WILL NOW CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA. WE WILL TAKE ACTION LATER ON THIS ITEM. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM FOUR FROM THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT. I THINK LAST TIME YOU ASKED ME TO GO AHEAD AND READ. SO FOR TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ASSIGN VEHICLES TO THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT DEPARTMENT AS PRESENTED ON THE FY 2026 DRAINAGE DISTRICT. FLEET MANAGEMENT. MOVE APPROVAL OF THE TO APPROVE THE FY 2026 FLEET MANAGEMENT SCHEDULE AS PRESENTED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM FIVE. PLEASE GO AHEAD AND READ IT. FIVE TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION ON THE LIST OF TAKE HOME VEHICLES FOR THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT FOR FY 2026, PURSUANT TO COUNTY EMPLOYEE INFORMATION MANUAL POLICY 612, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE LIST OF TAKE HOME VEHICLES FOR FY 2026 AS PRESENTED. [01:30:04] SECOND. AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. SIX TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ADOPT THE 2025 TAX RATE FOR THE FORT BEND COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT AND TAKE A RECORD VOTE PURSUANT TO PROPERTY TAX CODE 26.05. AS PRESENTED, I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE DECREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF $0.0080 FOR THE DRAINAGE, DISTRICT MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION FUND AND $0.0020 FOR THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT, WITH THE DRAINAGE INTEREST AND SINKING FUND, FOR A TOTAL DRAINAGE DISTRICT TAX RATE OF $0.0100, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 1.2% DECREASE IN THE TAX RATE. SECOND, AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE RECORD. COMMISSIONER MORALES, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESTIDGE, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. COMMISSIONER MEYERS, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. COMMISSIONER MCCOY, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. JUDGE GEORGE, HOW DO YOU VOTE? NO MOTION PASSES. AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA. ITEM SEVEN IS ONLY FOR REVIEW AS WELL. IF WE HAVE YOUR PERMISSION, I CAN KEEP GOING. YES. YES. NUMBER EIGHT, TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ADOPT THE FY 2026 PROPOSED POSITIONS FOR THE FORT BEND DRAINAGE DISTRICT. I MOVE THAT THE LIST TO APPROVE THE LIST OF POSITIONS FOR FY 2026 BUDGET AS PRESENTED. SECOND. AND THIS IS ALSO A RECORD VOTE, RIGHT? NO. WHICH ITEM IS THAT? THIS IS ITEM EIGHT. OH, SORRY. SORRY. ASSUMING THERE IS NO DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NINE. PLEASE GO AHEAD AND READ NINE. TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ADOPT THE FY 2026 BUDGET FOR THE FORT BEND COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT. AND TAKE A RECORD VOTE PURSUANT TO TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 111.068, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FY 2026 DRAINAGE DISTRICT BUDGET AS FILED ON SEPTEMBER 15TH AT $13,006,506. AND NO SENSE. SECOND, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE RECORD. COMMISSIONER MORALES, HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESTIDGE. HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. COMMISSIONER MYERS. HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. COMMISSIONER MCCOY. HOW DO YOU VOTE? YES. JUDGE GEORGE, HOW DO YOU VOTE? I VOTE NO. MOTION PASSES AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TEN. OKAY. TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION TO APPROVE THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT, CAPITAL ACQUISITIONS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TO BE FINANCED FOR FY 2026. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE LIST OF CAPITAL ACQUISITIONS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TO BE FINANCED IN FY 2026 AS PRESENTED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES FOUR ONE. AND NOW WE WILL. WITH THAT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? DRAINAGE MEETING WITH NO OBJECTION. THIS FORT BEND COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO, TURN OUR ATTENTION TO FORT BEND COUNTY, JOINED ASSISTANT DISTRICT NUMBER TWO, FIVE, SIX, NINE AND 11 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING. AND THIS IS A JOINT MEETING, CORRECT? AND SO OUR TIME IS 234. TODAY IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2025. AND AT THIS POINT WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, APPROVE MINUTES FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. SECOND, AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON APPROVAL OF MINUTES. ANY DISCUSSION HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM THREE. DO YOU WANT ME TO READ IT? READ IT. OKAY. THREE. TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ALLOCATE FUNDS IN THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF 126,000 FOR SALARY SLASH FRINGE BENEFITS, AND A ONE TIME COST FOR EQUIPMENT SLASH SUPPLIES TO FUND A POSITION PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE FORT BEND COUNTY ASSISTANT DISTRICT NUMBER FIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON AUGUST 26TH, 2025, WITH THE POSITION FUNDING BEING ADJUSTED ANNUALLY FOR COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT INCREASES. OH THAT'S ME. I'M NUMBER FIVE. MOVE. [01:35:02] APPROVAL. I SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING. NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM FOUR. YES. MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR AS PRESENTED. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON AGENDA ITEM FOUR. ANY DISCUSSION? YES. THIS IS REGARDING OUR PHYSICAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS INITIATIVE. I'M REALLY PROUD THAT WE HAVE HAD GREAT IMPACT IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS PROGRAM. WE HAVE 94 CONSISTENT WALKERS WALKING IN OUR VARIOUS WALKING GROUPS. WE HAVE SEEN AN ESTIMATED ALMOST 500 PEOPLE ATTEND SOME OF THE EVENTS ORGANIZED. AND I AM ALSO PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT A MAJOR IMPROVEMENT THAT CAME AS A RESULT OF AN AUDIT OF THIS OF OUR PARKS FROM THIS PARTNERSHIP. WE HAVE IMPROVED THE TRAILS AT FOUR CORNERS PARK, WHICH WE WILL BE CUTTING THE RIBBON ON ON NOVEMBER 1ST. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST. WE INVITE THE PUBLIC TO COME OUT. WE WILL ALSO BE UNVEILING FINALLY OUR TRICYCLE LIBRARY AT FOUR CORNERS PARK AS WELL. THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE THE, THE THE WITH FIT HOUSTON WITH THE DIABETES AND HEART ASSOCIATION AND WE'VE GOTTEN REALLY, REALLY STRONG DATA. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM. DO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVE TO ADJOURN WITH NO OBJECTION. THIS FORT BEND COUNTY JOINT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF FORT BEND COUNTY ASSISTANT DISTRICTS TWO, FIVE, SIX, NINE, AND 11 IS NOW ADJOURNED. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO. AT THIS TIME THE GENERAL SESSION OF COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL STAND IN REASON. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT WE HAVE PLEDGED TO SIGN, AND WE WILL STAND ON RECESS FOR CLOSED SESSION. THANK YOU. WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION. [B. Take all appropriate action on the administration and processing of the Professional Services Agreement between Fort Bend County and Quinn Development, LLC.] GO AHEAD AND READ AGENDA ITEM 26 B. RIGHT. IS THAT WHICH ONE IS IT? 26 B 26 B. GO AHEAD. AND WE ARE GOING TO REVISIT THAT. WE SAID IT'S ALREADY PULLED, BUT WE ARE GOING TO REVISIT THAT ITEM AND READ IT SO THAT WE WILL TAKE ACTION. 26 B TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION ON THE ADMINISTRATION AND PROCESSING OF THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN FORT BEND COUNTY AND QUINN DEVELOPMENT, LLC. YES, I MOVE THAT WE TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION ON FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING ADVISORY SERVICES WITH QUINN DEVELOPMENT TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $450,000, FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $650,000. FUND. IT'S NOT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FEES, IT'S A GENERAL FUND ITEM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT DEPARTMENT. NO, IT'S IT MUST BE IN IT MUST BE IN WHAT'S THAT? THE BIG BUDGET. IT'S NOT COMING FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. IT'S NOT. I KNOW THAT FOR SURE. THANK YOU. OKAY. GO AHEAD. AND I'M ALSO HERE, SO. YEAH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING BUT IT'S IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS WAS A GENERAL FUND ITEM. THERE HAS BEEN A QUESTION OF WHETHER CDBG FUNDS COULD POTENTIALLY BE USED, BUT WE STILL NEED TO EXPLORE HOW THE CONTRACT WAS PROCURED TO SEE IF IT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT. RIGHT NOW, THE FUNDING IS THERE FOR IT. RIGHT NOW THERE'S A BUDGET ESTABLISHED FOR THIS TO PAY THIS INVOICE. CORRECT. MOVING FORWARD, NOT SO MUCH. OKAY. SO. SO. RIGHT. OKAY. SO BUT TO FINISH MY MOTION. LINDA. FUNDING IS FOR THE COUNTY GENERAL FUND. OKAY, OKAY. NO. DEPARTMENT NON-DEPARTMENTAL. NON-DEPARTMENTAL NON-DEPARTMENTAL. CONTINGENCY. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW, I KNOW, GOTTA COME FROM SOME PLACE. CONTINGENCY? YEAH, IT TOLD ME THERE'S CONTINGENCY. HOW? THE MONEY. IT TOLD ME WHEN HE WALKED OUT THAT THIS IS FUNDED ALREADY. IT'S JUST WE HAVEN'T PROCESSED IT. YEAH. THIS WAS INITIATED BY THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE. I'M SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR YOU. THIS WAS INITIATED BY THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, SO THEY MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. YEAH. AND SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A HALF A MILLION. CLOSE TO HALF $1 MILLION. IT IS. AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S SUSTAINABLE MOVING FORWARD. BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THAT SERVICE HAS BEEN RENDERED AND WE OWE IT A LONG TIME. OKAY. SO SO AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT'S BEEN EXTENDED MONTHS BEFORE WE PROCESS THE. BUT I WILL ASK YOU, PLEASE GET ON TOP OF I MEAN, YOU JUST CAME IN ADD TO THE MOTION FUNDING AS DESIGNATED BY THE COUNTY AUDITOR, AS DESIGNATED BY THE COUNTY AUDITOR. [01:40:01] YEAH, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THIS SITUATION AGAIN. SO PLEASE CONSULT WITH PEOPLE AND, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER YOU NEED TO AND SO YOU CAN BRING IT. CORRECT. THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE HELP OF DOCTOR ADAMS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING. OKAY. OKAY. BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. YOU'RE YOU'RE WITH US, RIGHT? OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND SO WE HAVE A MOTION. AND DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON 26. OH, YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. 26. YES. 27. MOTION AND A SECOND ON A REGULAR AGENDA. ITEM 26 B. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. OKAY. DID YOU START WITH THE FIRST ONE WE TOOK INSIDE? ITEM. AGENDA ITEM 4343 WORKSHOP. YEAH. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. OKAY. 43 WORKSHOP. CONDUCT WORKSHOP TO RECEIVE STANDARD PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT REQUESTS FOR COMMISSIONERS COURT MEMBERS COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER ELECTED COUNTY OFFICIALS. OKAY, THIS THIS WAS ONLY FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES. THERE IS NO ACTION. OKAY. [45. Reconvene Open Session and consider taking action on the following matters:] 45. RECONVENE, OPEN SESSION AND CONSIDER TAKING ACTION ON THE FOLLOWING MATTERS. A SECTION 551.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY. ONE CAUSE NUMBER 20 5-077506 FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS VERSUS CAROLE ANN MCCANN. MARITAL TRUST AND ALL WALLACE STREET PROJECT NUMBER 20305, PARCEL 36, PRECINCT ONE. YES, I MOVE THAT. SORRY, I MOVE THAT IN 25 KV 077506 FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS VERSUS CAROLE ANN MCCANN MARSHALL TRUST. I'M SORRY. MARITAL. TRUST. MARITAL. OH, MARITAL. I'M SORRY. ALRIGHT. MARITAL TRUST AT ALL. WALLACE STREET PROJECT 2305. PARCEL 36, X. PRECINCT ONE BRIDGET SMITH, LAWSON, COUNTY ATTORNEY OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS. BE AUTHORIZED TO INCUR LITIGATION EXPENSES FOR ANY AND ALL COSTS OF PRETRIAL TRIAL APPEAL AND INCIDENTAL COSTS, INCLUDING POTENTIAL AD LITEM FEES. CITATION BY PUBLICATION FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $15,000, AND THAT MOBILITY BONDS BE DESIGNATED AS THE FUNDING SOURCE. SECOND, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THIS ITEM? ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. AGENDA ITEM 45 A2 HAS BEEN PULLED. 45. A3 ELECTIONS PREPARATIONS. THAT IS AN ACTION. WE HAVE A MOTION. ACTION ITEM. RIGHT? I'M SORRY. MOVE THAT. WE TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION ON AGREEMENT BETWEEN FORT BEND COUNTY AND THE NEXT ELECTIONS LICENSE SERVICES, LLC, AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $200,000. FUND ELECTION ADMINISTRATION SECOND. DO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THIS ITEM? ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. 45 A-4 HAS BEEN PULLED. 45 B, SECTION 551.087 DELIBERATION REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS ONE FORT BEND COUNTY EPICENTER. IT IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES. THERE WAS. THERE IS NO ACTION. TWO PROJECT 202501. IT'S BEEN PULLED. PULLED, PULLED. OKAY, THREE GRAND PARKWAY TOLLWAY PRIMACY. IT WAS ONLY FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES. THERE IS NO ACTION WITH THAT, DO I? MOTION TO ADJOURN. ADJOURNED. WITH NO OBJECTION. THIS FORT BEND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. IT IS 354. THANK YOU ALL. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.