Dec 11, 2025 CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION

SURE.

[ CITY OF BAYTOWN NOTICE OF MEETING CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2025 4:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 2401 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77520 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM ]

[00:00:08]

WE'RE GOOD.

I NOW CALL ORDER THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11TH, 2025 AT 4:30 PM PM ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM AT 4:39 PM WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP WITH CITIZEN COMMENT.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGN UP TO SPEAK? NO, SIR.

OKAY.

[a. Receive a presentation from Senator Alvarado regarding legislative updates.]

MAYOR AND COUNCIL IS YOUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

I HAVE WORKED WITH YOU TO ADVANCE THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, COORDINATION OF OUR DAY AT THE CAPITAL ACTIVITIES AND ONGOING ADVOCACY WITH OUR SIX STATE LEGISLATORS AND THEIR OFFICES.

THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS EVENTFUL, THOUGH IT COULD HAVE BEEN FAR MORE CHALLENGING FOR CITIES ACROSS TEXAS WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF KEY ALLIES IN AUSTIN, INCLUDING SENATOR ALVARADO.

BAYTOWN HAS NOT HAD A STRONGER FRIEND IN AUSTIN THAN SENATOR ALVARADO.

SHE AND HER STAFF HAVE DIRECTLY ASSISTED ME ON SEVERAL PIECES OF LEGISLATION, AND THEIR PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN INVALUABLE TO US, DESPITE A BROADER ENVIRONMENT IN AUSTIN THAT OFTEN FEELS UNFAVORABLE TOWARD LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SENATOR ALVARADO ACHIEVED MEANINGFUL WINS, INCLUDING SECURING FUNDING FOR RAILROAD GRADE SEPARATION PROJECTS, WHICH SHE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FUNDING WE HOPE BAYTOWN WILL RECEIVE IN THE FUTURE.

SENATOR ALVARADO IS HERE TODAY TO SHARE HER INSIGHTS ON THE SESSION.

AND SO, SENATOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT KIND INTRODUCTION.

HELLO, HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH EVERYONE.

UH, WE'VE BEEN GOING TO THE CITIES WITHIN OUR DISTRICT TO TALK ABOUT THE SESSION, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF YOU THINK, OH, IT WAS SOME TIME AGO, BUT WE WERE THERE, UH, UNTIL THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER.

WE HAD TWO SPECIALS.

UH, WE DO, UH, A STATE OF THE DISTRICT, A COUPLE OF EVENTS INSIDE, UH, MAINLY INSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT WE GO OUT TO ALDE.

SO I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD WAY TO COME OUT TO BAYTOWN AND TO LET Y'ALL KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES THAT TOOK PLACE.

SO YOU HAVE, UH, A SLIDE PRESENTATION UP.

I HOPE EVERYONE CAN SEE IT.

SO, AS Y'ALL KNOW, WE ARE THERE EVERY OTHER YEAR, SO WE HAVE TO PASS A BUDGET THAT COVERS THAT.

TWO YEARS.

THIS YEAR, WE WENT IN WITH A $24 BILLION SURPLUS VERSUS 32 BILLION THE LAST TIME, AND WE PASSED A BUDGET OF 338 BILLION.

IT'S THE LARGEST BUDGET WE'VE PASSED IN OUR STATE'S HISTORY.

I WAS APPOINTED TO SERVE ON SENATE FINANCE, SO THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME TO BE ON THERE, WHICH WAS REALLY NICE BECAUSE I GOT TO REALLY TAKE A, A DEEP DIVE INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS.

AND I SERVED ON ARTICLE TWO, WHICH INCLUDES, UM, MOST OF THE, WELL, ALL OF THE IS, UH, AGENCIES THAT ARE UNDER HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

SO IT'S THE SECOND LARGEST ARTICLE IN THE BUDGET.

THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF BILLS THAT ARE PASSED EACH SESSION, AND ONLY, UH, A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE THAT ACTUALLY MAKE IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE THAT'S MAKING IT PAST BOTH CHAMBERS AND THEN GETTING SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR.

AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, 87, UH, A LITTLE OVER 8,700 BILLS WERE FILED, AND OF THAT ONLY 1200, 1213 WERE PASSED.

28 BILLS WERE VETOED BY THE GOVERNOR.

THANKFULLY, NONE OF THEM WERE MINE.

UH, LAST SESSION HE WAS, UH, A LITTLE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN HIS VETOES.

THERE WERE ABOUT 74 BILLS THAT WERE VETOED.

AND, UH, THAT TIME I THINK WE HAD A FEW THAT REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ME, BUT MORE, UM, THE HOUSE SPONSOR AND THEIR VOTES ON, ON VOUCHERS.

SO, UM, I WANT TO, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO HERE'S THE, UM, THE STATE BUDGET.

UM, BEING ON FINANCE, WE WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN, UH, SECURING $10 MILLION FOR THE SAN JACIN COLLEGE CENTER FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS A MASSIVE WIN FOR COLLEGE, UH, FOR COLLEGE THAT EDUCATES SO MANY IN EAST HARRIS COUNTY.

SO THAT'S A WIN FOR ALL OF US OUT IN THIS AREA.

THIS IS, UH, MORE ABOUT CREATING PATHWAYS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN HOUSTON TO ENTER HIGH PAYING HIGH TECH CAREERS IN PHARMACEUTICALS AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH RIGHT

[00:05:01]

WE ALSO BROUGHT HOME THREE $30 MILLION FOR THE MD ANDERSON INSTITUTE FOR CELL THERAPY DISCOVERY AND INNOVATION.

UH, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE ALREADY THE MEDICAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, AND THIS INVESTMENT ENSURES THAT WE STAY ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF LIFESAVING RESEARCH.

UH, WE ALSO HELPED, UH, TO, WE WORKED ON A LOT OF WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.

ONE IN PARTICULAR WAS THE LYNCHBURG PUMP STATION, WHICH IS, UM, YOU KNOW, CRITICAL PIECE OF INVESTMENT IN THE INDUSTRY ALONG THE SHIP CHANNEL AND IN HOUSTON'S DRINKING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.

60% OF THE WATER IN THE HOUSTON REGION COMES FROM THE LYNCHBURG PUMP STATION.

UM, WE WERE ALSO ACTIVE IN SECURING MONEY FOR FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS IN OUR REGION.

2.5 MILLION FOR THE LOCAL STORM WATER RETENTION AND 4.3 MILLION FOR THE GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT'S CONSTRUCTION OF COASTAL STORM SURGE BARRIERS, UM, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, , WE TALK ABOUT PROJECTS LIKE THE IKE D**E AND SO MANY, AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE INVESTING IN THE GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT.

AND I'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TO SAY ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.

SO, LOOKING AT SOME OF MY BUDGET WINS, WE, UM, HELPED TO GET, UM, A LITTLE OVER 23 MILLION TO IMPROVE THE MEDICAID PROVIDER ENROLLMENT PROCESS.

A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THERE WERE SOME GLITCHES WITH THE NEW, UM, VENDOR THAT WAS THERE, AND, UH, SOME OF IT WAS SOFTWARE.

SOME OF IT WAS PERSONNEL, BUT A LOT OF PHYSICIANS DROPPED OUT OF MEDICAID.

AND AS Y'ALL KNOW, WE'RE ONE OF JUST A, A FEW STATES IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS NOT EXPANDED MEDICAID, AND WE ALSO HAVE THE LARGEST NUMBER OF UNINSURED PEOPLE.

SO ANYTHING THAT HURTS MEDICAID, UH, OR KEEPS KICKS PEOPLE OUT, PHYSICIANS OUT, IT'S NOT GOOD.

SO WITH THIS MONEY, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO INVEST IN BETTER TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE AND THEN HIRE MORE PEOPLE SO THAT PROVIDERS CAN STAY ENROLLED.

AND PEOPLE ON MEDICAID HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO CHOOSE PHYSICIANS.

UH, $10 MILLION.

WE, WE GOT THAT.

WE ALMOST, UH, STARTED WORKING ON THAT BEFORE WE GOT TO SESSION A YEAR AGO.

YESTERDAY, THERE WAS A, A TRAGEDY AT MILBY HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS MY HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE A STUDENT NAMED GIO RODRIGUEZ WAS KILLED BY.

THERE WAS A, A STALL TRAIN UNION PACIFIC TRAIN, AND HE TRIED TO, UM, CROSS IT AND WAS, WAS KILLED BY THE TRAIN.

THIS HAS HAPPENED A LOT IN HOUSTON'S EAST COMMUNITY.

AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET $10 MILLION TO BUILD A PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK OVER OLD GALVESTON ROAD AND BROADWAY.

UH, LET'S SEE, UH, 1 MILLION FOR GRANTS TO HELP HOSPITALS TO DEVELOP ONSITE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE AS A STATE, WE'VE DONE A LOT TO, UH, RECRUIT DOCTORS.

UH, WE HAVE HAVE A NEW MEDICAL MEDICAL SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.

WE DO A LOT TO RECRUIT NOR, UH, NURSES, BUT THAT SUPPORT STAFF THAT WORK IN THE HOSPITAL.

UM, SOMETIMES A LOT OF THAT GOES OVERLOOKED.

AND SO HOPEFULLY THIS, UH, APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS THAT THIS WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO ENTER INTO THAT WORKFORCE.

LET'S GO TO, UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

ONE THING THAT THERE WERE MANY THINGS ON THE BALLOT.

UH, THERE WERE 17 ITEMS ON THE BALLOT, UH, THIS NOVEMBER, AND THANKFULLY THEY ALL PASSED.

ONE ISSUE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR SEVERAL SESSIONS IS BAIL REFORM.

AND, UM, WE FINALLY GOT ONE ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

OF COURSE, IT REQUIRED Y'ALL TO GO AND VOTE ON A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, BUT THIS ADDRESSES THE ISSUE OF VIOLENT OFFENDERS BEING LET OUT ON BOND.

IT REQUIRES THAT JUDGES DENY BAIL IN CASES OF MURDER, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH SERIOUS BODILY INJURY, AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING, AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT, TRAFFICKING, A PERSON'S INDECENCY WITH A CHILD AND OTHER SERIOUS VIOLENT FELONY FELONIES.

I WAS PROUD TO BE A CO-SPONSOR OF THAT BILL.

A COUPLE ITEMS I GOT TO WORK ON IN MY, THAT WERE MY BILLS THAT I AUTHORED IN THE ARENA OF, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY.

ONE WAS A BILL TO HELP OUR LINEMEN DURING THE BARREL STORM AND THE DEAD.

ETHEL, MANY OF OUR LINEMEN WERE ATTACKED, UH, HARASSED BY PEOPLE, AND WE UNDERSTAND RIGHTFULLY SO, PEOPLE WERE UPSET.

HOWEVER, UH, THIS WAS CAUSING SOME OF THE

[00:10:01]

WE CAN GO BACK TO LOUISIANA OR ALABAMA OR OKLAHOMA.

AND SO WHAT WE DID WITH THIS BILL IS WE PUT UTILITY WORKERS IN LINE WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND OUR, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS.

SO IF THEY ARE ASSAULTED, UH, DURING THEIR LINE OF WORK, THEN THE CRIMINAL, UH, PENALTIES AND THE PUNISHMENT IS EVEN HIGHER.

AND SHORTLY AFTER WE PASSED THIS BILL, BECAUSE, SO IT COVERS NOT ONLY LINEMEN, BUT UTILITY WORKERS.

SO THAT CAN BE, UM, PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR COMCAST CABLE.

BUT SHORTLY AFTER WE PASSED THIS BILL, THERE WAS A, UM, A UTILITY WORKER WHO WORKED FOR ONE OF THE CABLE COMPANIES THAT HAD SOME KIND OF A DISAGREEMENT WITH THE HOMEOWNER AND THE HOMEOWNER SHOT HIM NINE TIMES.

SO UNFORTUNATELY, OUR BILL WAS NOT LAW AT THAT TIME.

UH, I ALSO PASSED A BILL THAT EXPANDS WHO CAN USE A PSEUDONYM DURING COURT PROCEEDINGS.

THERE ARE CERTAIN OFFENSES, CERTAIN CRIMES THAT, UH, YOU CAN USE A PSEUDONYM AND PSEUDONYMS, UH, HELP TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD IF THEY HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF A CRIME.

AND, UM, AS WE'RE LEARNING THERE, YOU KNOW, WITH TECHNOLOGY, THERE'RE MORE CRIMES THAT ENTER INTO OUR ENVIRONMENT.

SO WE ADDED, UM, INTO THIS CATEGORY, PEOPLE WHO WERE FILMED INTIMATELY WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT AND SURVIVORS OF, UH, SEXUAL ASSAULT.

SO HOPEFULLY THIS IS, UM, BEING ABLE TO NOT USE YOUR NAME IS NOT, IS NOT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO, UH, THINK ABOUT TWICE WHEN THEY COME FORTH AND WANNA REPORT A CRIME THAT THEY WERE A VICTIM OF.

AND THEN THE LAST BILL THAT I WORKED ON, UH, WITH REPRESENTATIVE SYMIA THOMPSON, THIS ENSURES THAT SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING CAN RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR REMOVAL OF, UM, FORCED TATTOOS.

I I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THIS DURING THE SESSION, BUT VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING ARE OFTENTIMES TATTOOED AGAINST THEIR WILL BRANDED LIKE CATTLE.

AND SO WHEN, IF THEY ESCAPE THAT, THEY STILL HAVE THAT CONSTANT REMINDER ON THEIR SKIN, ON THEIR BODY, AND THEY MAY NOT HAVE THAT MONEY TO, UH, TO REMOVE IT.

SO OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO PROCESS, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND PAPERWORK THAT YOU HAVE TO SHOW.

BUT, UM, NOW THAT WILL BE ABLE TO BE REIMBURSED.

TRANSPORTATION.

UM, A LOT GOING ON THERE.

UH, AS IT RELATES TO SOME OF MY PET PROJECTS IN THE EAST END, AND I'M SURE HERE IN BAYTOWN Y'ALL CAN IDENTIFY WITH THIS, BUT TEXAS HAS A LOT OF RAILROAD CROSSINGS.

WE HAVE 9,000 MORE THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE COUNTRY.

AND IN JULY OF THIS YEAR, THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION REPORTED THAT IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS BEFORE JULY, THEY RECEIVED MORE COMPLAINTS FROM TEXAS THAN ANY OTHER STATE.

A LITTLE OVER 7321% OF THOSE REPORTS INCLUDED INSTANCES WHERE FIRST RESPONDERS WERE UNABLE TO CROSS AND GET TO THEIR, THAT DESTINATION OF AIDING SOMEONE.

25% OF HER REPORTS INCLUDED INSTANCES OF PEDESTRIANS EITHER CRAWLING OVER THE TRAIN OR UNDER IT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES IS I GOT TO WORK ON A GRANT WITH THE CHAIR OF TRANSPORTATION, SENATOR ROBERT NICHOLS.

AND THIS WAS CREATING A $250 MILLION GRANT PROGRAM THAT WILL GO TO COUNTIES, TO CITIES TO HELP FUND GRADE SEPARATIONS.

THAT CAN MEAN OVERPASSES, IT CAN MEAN UNDERPASSES OR PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK BRIDGES.

SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

I KNOW THE PROCESS IS ONGOING RIGHT NOW, BUT WE HOPE THAT ENTITIES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

PUBLIC EDUCATION CONSUMED A LOT OF OUR TIME.

UH, THERE WAS SOME GOOD THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN EDUCATION AND SOME THAT I VIEW AS NOT SO GOOD.

I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU THE, THE NOT SO GOOD ONE FIRST.

AND THAT WAS THE PASSAGE ABOUT A BILLION DOLLAR, UH, VOUCHER PROGRAM THAT WILL GO TO FAMILIES WHO WANNA PUT THEIR KIDS IN PRIVATE SCHOOL OR HOMESCHOOLING.

UH, WE LOOKED AT THIS VERY CAREFULLY AND WHAT WE SAW THAT IN OTHER STATES WHERE THIS WAS IMPLEMENTED, THE KIDS THAT WERE ALREADY IN PRIVATE SCHOOL WERE THE ONES THAT BENEFITED.

MAINLY, YOU DIDN'T REALLY, REALLY GET A LOT OF NEW KIDS THAT CAME INTO THE PRIVATE SCHOOL.

AND OVER TIME, UH, THERE WAS MORE FUNDING FOR VOUCHERS AND THEN LESS FOR PUBLIC

[00:15:01]

SO I'M SURE MANY OF, MOST OF US HERE ARE PRODUCTS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND WE ALWAYS WANNA SEE MORE INVESTMENT IN THAT.

UH, AND SPEAKING OF THAT, WE DID PUT MORE MONEY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.

WE PUT $8.5 BILLION, AND A GOOD PORTION OF THAT FOUR BUILDING WOULD GO TOWARDS, UH, AN ACROSS THE BOARD TEACHER AND STAFF PAY.

THAT'S REAL IMPORTANT, THE STAFF PART.

'CAUSE MANY OF US SAID WE DEFINITELY NEED TO GIVE OUR TEACHERS A PAY INCREASE AND THEY DESERVE MORE.

WE HAVEN'T QUITE DONE ENOUGH, BUT THE STAFF THAT SUPPORTS OUR TEACHERS, LIKE THE, UH, THE CUSTODIANS, THE BUS DRIVERS, THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE KITCHEN, ALL OF THEM HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN PAY RAISES FOR TEACHERS.

SO THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.

153 MILLION TO EXPAND CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.

430 MILLION TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL SAFETY AND 1.3 BILLION TO, UM, HELP COVER SOME OF THE RISING COSTS THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMPLAINED ABOUT SOME OPERATIONAL COSTS LIKE INSURANCE, TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITY.

SO I WAS HAPPY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THOSE TWO THINGS TO HELP OFFSET SOME OPERATIONAL COSTS AND THEN GIVE THE SUPPORT STAFF, UH, PAY RAISES AS WELL.

UM, ALSO A BILL THAT I WORKED ON CAME FROM ANOTHER TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE WE WENT INTO SESSION.

AS I SAID, THE, THE OTHER ONE WAS, UH, HIL RODRIGUEZ WHO DIED AT THE RAILROAD TRACKS.

THIS OTHER ONE WAS LANDON PEYTON, WHO WAS A STUDENT AT, IN THE NEAR NORTH SIDE AREA OF HOUSTON.

HE WAS A STUDENT AT MARSHALL MIDDLE SCHOOL.

HE COLLAPSED IN THE GYM, AND UNFORTUNATELY NO ONE KNEW CPR AND THE DEFIBRILLATORS DIDN'T WORK.

SO WE PASSED TWO BILLS.

ONE IS MAKING SURE THAT CPR TRAINING AND CARDIAC RESPONSE PLANS ARE IN PLACE.

AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NURSES HAVE TO KNOW CPR.

YOU WOULD THINK THAT WAS ALREADY A GIVEN, RIGHT? AND THE COACHES AND OTHER PERSONNEL.

AND THEN ALSO, UM, WE HAVE, WE PASSED A BILL THAT ENSURES THAT THE DEFIBRILLATORS ARE INSPECTED BY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION.

UH, WHEN, TYPICALLY WHEN FIRE INSPECTORS GO IN AND DO THEIR INSPECTIONS, THEY HAD NOT BEEN LOOKING AT THE DEFIBRILLATORS.

AND SO NOW THAT WILL BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT IS IN PLACE.

AND WE DID NAME, UM, THE BILL AFTER THE LAND IN PAYTON ACT, THE CPR BILL.

I ALSO SERVED ON NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

AND A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DID THERE WAS PASSING, UH, A FEW BILLS AS IT RELATES TO CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS MIGHT NOT BE A BIG ISSUE HERE, BUT IN THE ALDE AREA, WE HAVE MANY OF THESE THAT ARE IN CLUSTERS AND THEY ARE SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF NEIGHBORHOODS.

UH, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WE BROUGHT THE TCEQ COMMISSIONER OUT TO ALDE AND HAD HER TOUR AROUND WITH US, AND WE WERE VISITED SOMEONE'S HOME THAT WAS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM HERE TO THERE, A A CONCRETE BATCH PLANT.

AND SHE SAW ALL THE DUST ON THE HOUSE, ON THE CARS.

AND, UM, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE BEST WAY TO TRY TO CONVEY OUR MESSAGE OF WHY WE NEED MORE LAWS THAT ARE PROTECTIVE FOR PEOPLE'S, UH, SAFETY AND HEALTH.

UH, I MENTIONED THE GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT.

WE PASSED A BILL WITH REPRESENTATIVE DENNIS PAUL, AND THAT WILL MAKE SURE THAT MONEY THAT IS GIVEN FOR, UH, PROJECTS LIKE THE IKE D**E THAT ARE ALL UNDER THE GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT, THAT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN ACCOUNT AND THAT IT IS A PROTECTED ACCOUNT SO THAT MONEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GO TO FUND OTHER THINGS.

UM, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE, AGAIN, PROJECTS LIKE THE IKE D**E AND OTHERS THAT ADDRESS STORM SURGE ARE FUNDED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND THAT MONEY IS PROTECTED.

UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WAS ON THE BALLOT THAT YOU ALL WENT AND VOTED FOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT, RELATES TO THE DEMENTIA PREVENTION AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF TEXAS.

WE HAVE THIS FOR CANCER, AND IT HAS ALLOWED MANY OF OUR INSTITUTIONS TO, TO DO A LOT OF RESEARCH AND TO, UM, PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON CURE AND TREATMENTS.

BUT MOST OF US, I'M SURE, KNOW SOMEBODY THAT HAS ALZHEIMER'S.

UM, TEXAS RANKS NUMBER THREE IN THE COUNTRY ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DIAGNOSED OVER THE AGE OF 65.

THAT'S ABOUT 460,000 PEOPLE.

[00:20:02]

AGAIN, IT'S FOR SHORT, WE CALL IT DPR, BUT IT'S THE DEMENTIA PREVENTION AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF TEXAS.

UH, ANOTHER THING Y'ALL WENT TO VOTE FOR, AND I KNOW WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA TAKE UP SOMETHING RELATED TO THIS AGAIN IN THE NEXT SESSION, IS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.

WE INVESTED ABOUT 32 BILLION LAST SESSION.

THIS SESSION.

IT WAS ABOUT A $51 BILLION, BUT YOUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION WAS RAISED FROM A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO $140,000.

IF YOU ARE, UH, DISABLED OR OVER THE AGE OF 65, THAT GOES UP TO $200,000.

SO THAT, UH, KIND OF A BROAD VIEW OF SOME OF THE THINGS WE WORKED ON.

IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, WE ARE HAPPY TO, UM, ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS.

AND OF COURSE, AS WE, IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE WANNA DO NEXT SESSION.

THERE, UH, A FEW BILLS THAT I FILE EVERY YEAR, UH, BUT HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, BUT THAT'S TO ALLOW FOR, UH, ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION.

WE DO EVERYTHING ELSE ONLINE AND WOULD CERTAINLY BRING SOME COST SAVINGS TO MANY OF OUR COUNTIES.

UH, ALSO, I WANT TEXANS TO BE ABLE TO VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD HAVE A CASINO GAMING HERE.

UH, IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN, THE VOTERS HAVE TO DECIDE.

SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET ACROSS FOR EVER SINCE I GOT TO THE LEGISLATURE IN 2009.

AGAIN, IT WOULD BE DRIVEN BY THE VOTERS OF TEXAS.

IF VOTERS REJECT IT, THEN IT WON'T HAPPEN.

BUT IF VOTERS SAY YES, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD GO BACK AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT THAT WITH ESTABLISHING A RACING COMMISSION.

SO I'LL PAUSE MAYOR, COUNSEL, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

WELL, I'M GONNA START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND OF BAYTOWN.

AND, UM, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE HAD OUR VISIT TO THE CAPITOL, YOU WERE THERE.

YOU HEARD US, WE SAW SOME RESULTS FROM YOU.

WE APPRECIATE THAT.

I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING WHO YOU ARE AND BEING A FRIEND OF BAYTOWN.

YOU'RE QUITE WELCOME.

AND I ALWAYS ENJOY WHEN Y'ALL COME UP.

UH, WE TELL PEOPLE IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU SHOW UP IN PERSON AND YOU'RE THERE AND YOU HAVE YOUR BAYTOWN DAY OR WHATEVER YOUR CITY DAY IS.

UH, AND THANK YOU TOO, MAYOR, I KNOW THIS WAS PROBABLY YOUR FIRST SESSION AS MAYOR, I BELIEVE MM-HMM .

AND, UM, IT, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS, UH, A LOT OF, UM, BILLS THAT IMPEDE ON LOCAL CONTROL.

AND AS A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER IN HOUSTON, I AM A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR LOCAL CONTROL.

I THINK THAT'S WHY YOU ARE ALL ELECTED AND I THINK YOU KNOW BEST HOW TO DO YOUR JOBS.

GOOD DEAL.

WELL, I WOULD IMAGINE EVERYONE WANTS TO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, SO WE'LL START WITH OUR TEACHER.

WELL, I WAS GONNA START WITH YOU, AND THEN WE CAN WORK OUR WAY DOWN.

OKAY.

UM, SENATOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND, AND ALWAYS ADVOCATING, UM, FOR CITIES AND ALL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

AND SO, UM, I THINK THIS SESSION, UM, I, FOR US, I, I BELIEVE WAS VERY VALUABLE.

AND, UH, YOUR INSIGHT AND DIRECTION WHERE YOU WANNA GO AND WHERE YOU SEE TEXAS GOING, I THINK ALIGNS, UM, WITH SEVERAL OF US, UH, AS IT, YOU KNOW, PERTAINS TO MUNICIPAL, UH, RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, BEING MM-HMM .

COME, COMING OUT OF THE STATE.

AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND, UM, ESPECIALLY YOUR WORK WITH THE CONCRETE PLANTS AS WELL, THE CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS.

UH, PRECINCT TWO HAD A TRAINING TODAY ON HOW TO IDENTIFY THE VIOLATIONS.

MM-HMM.

UM, AND IT WAS VERY INSIGHTFUL AND THINGS TO LOOK FOR, UM, WHEN, UM, YOU KNOW, GOING TO A CONCRETE BATCH OR MAYBE LIVING NEXT DOOR TO MM-HMM.

A CONCRETE BATCH PLANT AND THINGS THAT RESIDENTS CAN DO TO, TO REPORT AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THAT'S GOOD.

I'M GLAD, GLAD TO HEAR THERE WAS THAT OCCURRED.

THANK YOU.

ABSOLUTELY.

HI, IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU TONIGHT.

THANKS FOR COMING OUT TO BAYTOWN.

UM, AS, AS THEY SAID, AS AN EDUCATOR, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, TELL YOU THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WORKING SO HARD, UM, AND BEING CREATIVE WITH OTHERS ACROSS THE AISLE ON HOW TO ENSURE THAT, UH, SOME OF THE SPENDING STAYED FOCUSED ON, UM, ON PUBLIC EDUCATION.

UM, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT ALL TEXANS GET AN EDUCATION, UM, HOW THEY SEE FIT, BUT I JUST APPRECIATE MAKING SURE THAT IT DIDN'T JUST GO ALL IN ONE DIRECTION.

AND I KNOW A LOT WENT INTO THAT MM-HMM .

UM, AND I DID LIKE THE OUTCOME.

[00:25:01]

AND, AND I KNOW THAT YOU WERE ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS BEING VERY VOCAL MM-HMM .

UM, AND SO THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A TEACHER EDUCATOR.

IT'S NOT EASY.

YEAH.

AND I, AND THE, AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU'RE, UM, THAT YOU'VE SAID IN THOSE BILLS, UM, PUBLICLY ARE, ARE TRUE, UM, FOR THE STAFF.

AND SO I WAS GLAD TO, TO SEE THE MONEY EVEN GOING TOWARDS THE EDUCATORS BECAUSE MM-HMM .

UM, WE LOSE A LOT OF THEM.

A LOT OF GOOD ONES JUST 'CAUSE OF THE MONEY.

YES.

SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

MM-HMM .

SENATOR ALVARADO, THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL FOR THREE YEARS, SO IT WAS THE FIRST TIME, UH, I'VE SEEN A TEXAS SENATOR OR STATE REP COME AND TAKE TIME TO TALK TO US AND SHARE ABOUT ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN AUSTIN THAT YOU'VE DONE.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ALSO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THE RAILROAD SITUATION IN OUR STATE AND BRINGING, AND BRINGING, UM, ATTENTION AND RESOURCES TO HELP US OUT WITH THAT.

THAT'S, I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH SOMEBODY WHO LIVES IN AND AND REPRESENTS A DISTRICT WHO'S REALLY AFFECTED BY IT.

WITH FIRST RESPONDERS GETTING TO THEIR HOMES MM-HMM .

PEOPLE GETTING STUCK IN TRAFFIC ON A REGULAR BASIS.

IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A GROWING, GROWING, GROWING PROBLEM.

AND I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME AND YOUR EFFORTS TO SUPPORT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.

KIND OF REPEAT A LITTLE BIT WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SAID.

YOU KNOW, WE, WE, THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR IN COUNCIL OF COURSE, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY HAVE, BUT APPARENTLY WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES FROM STATE COME UP HERE.

AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT AND, AND, AND FIGHTING FOR THAT AS MY WIFE ALSO WHO WORKS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ADMINISTRATION.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU INCREASING THAT, PUSHING FOR THOSE RAISES FOR THEM TO HELP THEM OUT ON THAT PART.

GOOD.

YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WOULD, AS WE SEE, WE'D LIKE TO SEE KIND OF IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, KIND OF, SOME OF OUR ADMINISTRATIONS HAVE BALLOONED ON THE TOP LEVEL.

THEY'RE VERY TOP HEAVY AND NOT TEACHER HEAVY.

RIGHT.

AND WE'D LIKE TO TRY TO SEE SOME REDUCTION IN THAT PART AND KIND OF CAPING A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.

UM, AND ALSO, I MEAN, BECOMING, I'M SORRY TO SAY THIS GUYS COMING FROM THE CONCRETE WORLD.

I ALSO UNDERSTAND SOME OF WHAT THE CONCRETE COMPANIES ARE DEALING WITH IN, IN THEIR TIME RESTRAINTS AND, AND HOW CLOSE THEY NEED TO BE TO, TO, AS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE GROWS.

RIGHT.

THEY'RE NEEDED TO BE A LITTLE CLOSER.

SO I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THOSE RESTRAINTS AND, AND CAPS ON THEM AND, AND THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR THOSE.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THAT.

AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT ON BOTH OF THESE BILLS, WE DID WORK WITH THE TRADE ASSOCIATIONS OF THE, THE CONCRETE BATCH.

AND MOST OF THE, I'D SAY, GOD, PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, 95% OF THE BAD ACTORS ARE NOT IN THE ASSOCIATIONS.

UH, BUT WE, UH, BOTH OF THESE, WE, WE COULDN'T HAVE PASSED THEM WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE CONCRETE AND AGGREGATE ASSOCIATIONS.

SO OH, I'M SURE TXI AND, AND HOUSTON READY.

THEY WERE VERY INVOLVED.

CRAZY.

WE VERY INVOLVED.

THOSE ARE VERY GOOD COMPANIES TO WORK WITH ON THAT PART.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING UP, APPRECIATE YOU LOOKING AT OUR GULF COAST AND HELPING THE PROTECTION AS THAT PART.

THAT'S A REAL BIG PART.

UH, I NOTICED YOU MENTIONED SAN JACINTO.

WE LIKE LEE COLLEGE HERE, SO WE GET SOME HELP TO LEE COLLEGE.

WE, WE WOULD LOVE THAT TOO.

AND, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I HOPE IF YOU, WE CAN WORK ON SOMETHING WITH THEM.

UM, I LIKE TO WORK A LOT ON, ON WORKFORCE AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, SO WE'D BE HAPPY TO JOIN THEM IN THAT EFFORT.

YEAH.

WE'D LOVE TO SEE OUR, OUR COLLEGE GO OVER HERE AND, AND REACHING ACROSS THE AISLE AND, AND WORKING WITH, WORKING ACROSS THE AISLE TO GET THINGS DONE.

SURE.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

DOING THAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SENATOR.

I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT.

I KNOW IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID A COUPLE TIMES, BUT I'M JUST GONNA SAY IT AGAIN.

I'VE BEEN UP HERE FOR FIVE YEARS AND YOU'RE THE FIRST, UH, UM, SENATOR OF OURS TO, TO COME OUT AND VISIT WITH US.

AND SO I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, I KNOW THOMAS MENTIONED IT, WE HAVE SIX REPRESENT, YOU KNOW, SIX, UH, REPRESENTATIVES AT THE STATE LEVEL BETWEEN, UH, THE TWO, THE TWO HOUSES AND, UH, THE TWO CHAMBERS.

AND I THINK THAT'S FOR A CITY OF OUR SIZE THAT'S PROBABLY PRETTY UNIQUE THAT WE'RE CHOPPED UP IN THAT WAY.

IT'S A LOT.

AND SO, UM, BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT.

UM, AND I, AND I'LL CHALLENGE THE OTHER FIVE TO COME AND VISIT WITH US AS WELL.

, UH, WE ENJOY COMING UP FOR BAYTOWN DAY, AND SO I THINK IT'S NICE TO HAVE YOU COME.

WELL, WE ENJOY HAVING US HERE.

WE ENJOY HAVING YOU IN OUR CHAMBERS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS ARE PROBABLY GONNA BE CHANGING.

SO I DIDN'T GET INTO ALL THAT, BUT, UH, THAT WAS THE REASON WHY WE HAD TWO SPECIAL SESSIONS.

SO.

YEAH.

AND I, I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONED THERE AT THE END THAT YOU JUST A STRONG BELIEVER IN LOCAL CONTROL.

YES.

UM, AND I KNOW THAT'S HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A CHALLENGE.

EVERY SESSION, UM, SEEMS TO BE A SLOW EROSION OF THAT LOCAL CONTROL.

AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU STANDING UP FOR THAT.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, CAROL, YOU AND I MET MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.

I KNOW .

AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING.

IT'S, IT'S NICE TO SEE, AND AS MY COLLEAGUES INDICATED, IT'S KIND OF REFRESHING THAT Y'ALL COME VISIT, YOU CAME TO VISIT US INSTEAD OF US COMING TO VISIT YOU.

SO THAT'S KIND OF REFRESHING.

I DO APPRECIATE IT.

AND YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR LOCAL CONTROL AND AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS AND, YOU

[00:30:01]

YES.

AND NOW I'M SITTING ON THE DIE, SO THINGS CHANGE.

UH, BUT, UH, I DO APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS.

YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN A, A STRONG SUPPORTER AND APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

YES, MA'AM.

WELL, WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

YES.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU.

WELL, HAPPY NEW YEAR AS WELL.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU BET.

BYE-BYE.

[b. Receive a presentation regarding the election process.]

MS. JACKSON.

HEY Y'ALL.

HI MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

HELLO.

HELLO.

HOW YOU DOING? HELLO.

HELLO.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

HOW YOU DOING TODAY? I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M GREAT.

I'M GREAT.

UM, AS YOUR CITY CLERK, I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING THE CITY ELECTION, AS YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT IT IS FAIR AND THAT IT MEET ALL THE LEGAL AND PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS.

ALSO, AS YOU'RE AWARE, THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS THAT CAME UP IN THIS PAST ELECTION THAT I'M GONNA TOUCH ON, ON, IN, IN THIS PRESENTATION A LITTLE BIT LATER.

SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GONNA TAKE YOU ON A ROAD TRIP AND GIVE YOU A GLIMPSE OF WHAT THIS ELECTION PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.

I'LL BE HIGHLIGHTING THE MOST RECENT ELECTION INFORMATION, SOME KEY STEPS, UM, BEHIND THE SCENES PROCESS AND THE AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT THAT I HAVE IDENTIFIED AND WE'LL BE OUTLINING IN OUR NEXT STEP PROCESS.

SO, BUCKLE UP AND LET'S LOOK AT SOME ELECTION INFORMATION.

AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE 42,203 REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? IS BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH OUR ELECTION PROCESS, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, UM, WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERY, THAT, I'M SORRY, IT IS IMPORTANT, UM, WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE ELECTION PROCESS, BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY VOTER HAS A RE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE.

THE NEXT NUMBER IS 1,222 CITY STREETS, INCLUDING THE LPAI WANT Y'ALL TO REMEMBER THAT NUMBER 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT LATER.

WE DO, UM, HAVE, UM, ARE LOCATED IN TWO COUNTIES, HARRIS COUNTY AND CHAMBERS COUNTY.

THIS YEAR WE HAD FIVE ELECTIONS.

THAT WAS IN HARRIS COUNTIES, THE TWO DISTRICTS, THE TWO, UM, SALES TAX INITIATIVE AND THE ONE BOND INITIATIVE, ONE BOND, WHICH HAD SIX INITIATIVES IN CHAMBERS COUNTY.

WE HAD THE FIRE CONTROL, THE TWO INITIATIVES AND THE BOND, WHICH HAD SIX, UM, INITIATIVE ALSO TO, UM, AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THERE WERE SOME CITIZEN CONCERNS BASED ON SOME INFORMATION THAT WE WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THERE WAS AN ESTIMATE 48 VOTERS THAT WAS IMPACTED ALSO, UM, AN ESTIMATE OF 28 OF THOSE 48 VOTERS, WHERE THE CITY, UM, PLAYED A ROLE IN THAT.

IT WAS ON THE, IT WAS A CITY'S ERA.

SO NEXT, UM, THE NEXT THREE SLIDES I'LL BE DISCUSSING WITH YOU, UM, IS THE ELECTION ROADMAP, THE PRE, THE DURING, AND THE POST STEPS BEFORE WE BEGAN THE ELECTION STEPS.

UM, I WANNA POINT OUT SOME KEY POINTERS HERE.

UM, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A GLIMPSE OF WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES.

THERE IS SO MUCH MORE THAT HAPPENS.

UM, ALSO THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAPPING, UM, SOME BACK AND FORTH BEFORE EVERYTHING IS FINALIZED AND ALL WITHIN A 90 DAY WINDOW, THIS HAS TO TAKE PLACE.

SO TO IDENTIFY WHO OWNS THE PROCESS, YOU WOULD SEE, UM, AT THE END OF EACH OF THOSE, UM, STATEMENTS, UM, WHO PROCESS IT BELONGS TO.

UM, AND SO IF YOU SEE HVR, THAT'S HARRIS, UM, VOTER REGISTRATION, THE COUNTY, THAT COULD

[00:35:01]

AND THE CITY IS THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.

UM, NOW, UM, BEFORE WE BEGIN, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF GLANCE THROUGH THIS BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO TOUCH ON EVERY SINGLE OF THESE, UM, ITEMS. I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THEM.

SO ONCE THAT ELECTION IS ORDERED, UM, WE DO NOTIFY THE COUNTIES THAT WE INTEND TO HOLD AN ELECTION.

UM, WE START WORKING ON THE BOND LANGUAGES, AND THEN WE ALSO GET THE STREET LISTING FROM THE VOTER REGISTER'S OFFICE, UM, CHAMBERS COUNTY, AND AS WELL AS OUR GIS SPECIALIST.

UM, AND SINCE THAT WAS AN AREA OF CONCERN, I'M GOING TO, UM, BE ADDRESSING THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE.

UM, WE THEN GO THROUGH WHAT THEY CALL AN LNA TESTING, WHICH IS LOGIC AND ACCURACY TESTING.

AND ACTUALLY IT LOOKS, UM, JUST LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO A, UM, THE POLLING PLACE, UM, AND PUTTING THAT INFORMATION IN.

AND WHAT WE'RE LISTENING FOR IS THE AUDIO TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS CORRECT, AS WELL AS THE BALLOT, THE PRECINCTS AND THE STREETS ARE CORRECT.

ONCE WE GIVE OUR FINAL APPROVAL, WE THEN SEND THE NOTICES TO THE BAYTOWN SUN AS WELL AS, UM, UM, POST SOME AT THE POLLING LOCATION.

AND MIND YOU, THOSE HAVE TO BE DONE IN FOUR DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.

SO, UM, MOVING ON.

SO WHAT IT, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR OUR, UM, MY OFFICE ACTUALLY TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS IN VERIFYING THE STREET LISTING? SO WE START WITH FOUR MEMBERS OF MY TEAM.

UM, I HAVE ONE THAT HAS THE CITY LISTING.

I HAVE ONE THAT HAS THE COUNTY LISTING.

WE HAVE ONE LOOKING AT THE GOOGLE.

UM, AND WE HAVE ONE LOOKING AT THE CITY'S GIS.

AND SO, REMEMBER THAT NUMBER I TOLD YOU, UH, THAT NUMBER EARLIER, I TOLD YOU TO REMEMBER THAT 1,222, SO TIMES THAT TIMES EIGHT.

'CAUSE THIS YEAR WE HAD EIGHT ELECTIONS.

SO, UM, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GO STREET BY STREET BY STREET, AND IT IS A MANUAL PROCESS AND WE TRY TO ENSURE ACCURACY.

BUT ON OCCASIONS, DISCREPANCY CAN OCCUR, UM, OR MISSTEPS CAN HAPPEN.

SO I WANNA GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF THINGS THAT WE LOOK FOR.

SO IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT YOUR SCREEN NOW, YOU'LL SEE THIS PARTICULAR ONE THAT SAYS BUSH ROAD.

AS YOU KNOW, ON THE LEFT SIDE OF BUSH ROAD, THAT'S DISTRICT THREE.

ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF BUSH ROAD IS DISTRICT FOUR.

NOW, WHEN WE GET THE STREET LISTING, IT HAS A RANGE.

AND THAT RANGE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THIS CASE IS 5,102 THROUGH 5,330.

WHY IS THAT, UH, IMPORTANT? AND THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE THE ODD NUMBERS ON, UM, THE LEFT SIDE, AND FOR EXAMPLE, UM, IT STARTS WITH 5 1 0 3, THAT IS IN ONE DISTRICT AND ONE PRECINCT.

BUT THEN WHEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT NUMBER, THAT'S GONNA BE IN THE, ON THE RIGHT SIDE, THAT'S GONNA BE IN A DIFFERENT DISTRICT.

SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO, UM, FOR US TO REALLY TAKE THE TIME AND LOOK THROUGH THOSE STREET LISTINGS.

SO HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE.

THIS ONE IS KIND OF RUNNING THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT AFFECTS MULTIPLE STREETS.

AND SO AGAIN, IN THAT SAME SCENARIO, UM, THERE'S COULD BE A RANGE, BUT DEPENDING UPON THAT RANGE, IT COULD BE IN DIFFERENT PRECINCTS AND IT CAN BE ALSO IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.

SO ONE OF THE ISSUES, UM, THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY ONE OF, UM, THE CITIZENS, THEIR COMPLAINTS THAT THEY HAD WAS THIS PARTICULAR STREET REFLECTION.

AND, UM, I CAN TELL YOU ONCE WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE HERE, THE SECOND DAY OF EARLY VOTING, UM, WE DID CONTACT THE HARRIS VOTES.

THEY DID, UM, UPDATE THAT INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY.

SO IT WAS FIXED RIGHT

[00:40:01]

AND HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN? SO IF WE HAVE A STREET THAT SAID ON THE CITY OF BAYTOWN SIDE, IT SAYS, UM, 4 7 0 1 BUSH ROAD, BUT THEN HARRIS COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE IT LISTED ON THEIR LIST.

WE THEN IN TURN, AGAIN, REMEMBER I TOLD YOU WE USE GOOGLE, UM, ALL OUR RESOURCES, UM, AND PULLED IT UP AND SURE ENOUGH IT'S BACKED UP TO BUSH ROAD, BUT IT'S SHOWING REFLECTION CIRCLE.

SO LOOKING AT THAT, UM, AND THEN WE IN TURN VERIFIED IT WITH HCA THAT SHOWS REFLECTION CIRCLE.

WE THEN CHANGED IT TO SAY, REFLECTION INSTEAD OF BUSH ROAD.

SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT, UM, THERE CAN BE, UM, SOME DISCREPANCIES OR SOME CONCERNS THAT CAN COME UP.

THESE IS, THIS IS HOW IT CAN ACTUALLY HAPPEN WHEN YOU SEE STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO, CONTINUING ON, UM, THIS ROAD, I HOPE YOU ALL ARE GETTING A FEW NUGGETS IN.

UM, THIS WAS ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN THAT I WANT TO ADDRESS, AND IT'S ABOUT WHO OWNS THE PROCESS.

AND SO FOR THE CITY, WE ARE MERELY, UM, JUST A SUPPORT SYSTEM.

WE'RE I MY OFFICE, I CAN TELL YOU, UM, RECEIVED ACTUALLY THREE COMPLAINTS DURING THIS PAST ELECTION.

UM, WE DID WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND A VOTER'S REGISTER'S OFFICE TO GET THOSE ISSUES RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY.

UM, ALSO, UM, WHEN WE HAVE, WHEN I SAY, UM, WE THERE TO BE A SUPPORT SYSTEM, A LOT OF CITIZENS CONTACT MY OFFICE AND ASK, HEY, WHAT DISTRICT AM I IN? WHAT IS MY POLLING LOCATION? WHAT IS THE ONE NEXT THAT I CAN GO TO? SO WE ARE THERE TO ASSIST TO GIVE THEM THAT INFORMATION.

WE ALSO TRY TO, UM, PROVIDE SAMPLE BALLOTS AS REQUESTED, UM, POST ON OUR WEBSITES LIKE FREQUENT ASK QUESTIONS, AS WELL AS, UM, LINKS WHERE THEY CAN CLICK IN TO GO TO HARRIS COUNTY, CHAMBERS COUNTY AND SO FORTH.

SO THE VOTER REGISTER'S OFFICE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT IF A CITY, IF I'M SORRY, IF UM, A PERSON IS CASTING A BALLOT, UM, THEY CAN ACTUALLY STOP RIGHT THERE AT THE POLLING LOCATION AND NOT CONTINUE AND LET THAT JUDGE KNOW, HEY, I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE JURISDICTION PIECE OF IT.

THEY WILL THEN CONTACT THE VOTER REGISTER'S OFFICE, AND THAT COULD BE REMEDIED RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT.

UM, AND AS FAR AS THE COUNTY PART OF IT, UM, IT IS TRULY THE COUNTY'S, UM, PRIMARY AND ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY, UM, TO ADDRESS ANY VOTER'S CONCERN AT THE POLLING LOCATIONS.

ALSO, IF THERE'S A NEED, THEY, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT GIVE OUT THE PROVISIONAL BALLOTS IF IT'S NEEDED.

AND SO AFTER THE ELECTION, THE COUNTY REPORTS UNOFFICIAL RESULTS, UM, TO MY OFFICE.

AND THEN I IN TURN POST THOSE NUMBERS.

SO POST-ELECTION, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AFTER ALL THE BALLOTS HAVE BEEN, UM, ACCOUNTED FOR, THE COUNTY TABULATES THE, UM, OFFICIAL RESULTS, SUBMIT THAT TO MY OFFICE AS WELL AS THE SECRETARY OF STATE COUNSEL, THEN CANVASED THAT ELECTION AND CERTIFY THE VOTES.

AND MY OFFICE THEN ARCHIVE ALL THOSE ELECTION DOCUMENTS.

SO THE NEXT STEPS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO THIS PAST ELECTION, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, WE KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE, UM, A PRETTY BIG ONE, A UNIQUE ONE FOR US.

SO WE ACTUALLY STARTED THAT PROCESS EARLY.

UM, MY OFFICE PLANNING, UM, UM, DIRECTOR MARTIN SCRIBNER AND HIS GIS SPECIALIST ALONG WITH HARRIS VOTES GOT TOGETHER, WENT THROUGH, UM, WHAT CAN WE DO IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE STREETS WILL BE ACCURATE WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR, FOR VOTING.

AND SO, LIKE I SAID, WE DID START THAT PROCESS.

WE DID FIND OUT IT IS A TEDIOUS PROCESS BECAUSE THERE ARE

[00:45:01]

UM, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE ON WITH THAT AS WELL AS, UM, WORKING WITH, UM, OUR CITY'S GIS PERSON IN ORDER TO SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME TECHNOLOGY WAYS IN ORDER TO STREAMLINE THIS PROCESS SO IT CAN ADDRESS ANY MISSING DATA, ANY DISCREPANCIES, ANY DUPLICATIONS, UM, THAT WE FEEL THAT MAY HELP IN THIS PROCESS.

AND FOR MY OFFICE, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL CHECKPOINTS, UM, BEFORE WE APPROVE ANYTHING.

AND FINALLY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH HARRIS COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ENHANCE THE ELECTION PROCESS.

SO THIS CONCLUDES, UM, MY ROAD TRIP.

AGAIN, I HOPE YOU WAS ABLE TO PICK UP SOME NUGGETS FROM THIS AND, UM, I HOPE IT, I HOPE IT HELPED AND EXPLAINED A LITTLE BIT MORE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. JACKSON.

I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO COME AND GIVE US THAT, UM, THAT ROADMAP NOW OF THE ELECTION PROCESS.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

QUESTION.

SO, KIND OF QUICK COMMENT.

SO, UH, BEFORE I WAS THIS, I WAS ACTUALLY A PRECINCT CHAIR AND RAN SIX ELECTIONS.

SO I WAS A JUDGE AND UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING.

I MEAN, LOOKING AT IT, WHETHER IT 48 VOTERS OR UNDER THE 42,000, WAS THAT ZERO 1%? WE'D LOVE TO HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT THE REALITY IS YOU DON'T.

AND THAT IS WHAT THE PROVISIONAL BALLOT IS FOR A LITTLE BIT OF THIS.

IT, THERE'S, THERE'S OTHER, THERE'S A LOT OF THIS THAT COULD ALSO HAVE BEEN HELPED OUT.

GENERALLY WHEN YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE DISTRICT, THE PRESIDING JUDGE WILL NOTIFY HARRIS COUNTY CLARK'S OFFICE AND THEY'LL SEND A EMAIL THROUGH THE EPO BOOKS TO EVERY SINGLE VOTING LOCATION IN HARRIS COUNTY.

I ASKED MULTIPLE JUDGES IN THIS, HARRIS, THAT WAS NEVER HAPPENED.

THAT NEVER HAPPENED.

THAT'S NOT ON YOU.

HARRIS COUNTY SHOULD HAVE SENT THAT OUT TO ALL THE PRECINCTS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THESE POLLING LOCA WITH THESE PRECINCTS IN THESE STREETS.

IT NEVER HAPPENED.

SO THAT IS THAT YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

I I I UNDERSTAND THAT WE WANT A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE PROVISIONAL BALLOT IS FOR.

THAT IS TO FIX THOSE, THOSE HUMAN ERRORS THAT ARE GONNA HAPPEN AT AND AT 99.9%.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

YEAH.

I JUST WANNA ECHO THAT AND SAY THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THIS AND TO YOU, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT FIRST MEETING AFTER THE ELECTION, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID, HEY, WE'RE GONNA LOOK INTO IT.

WE'LL OWN WHERE WE HAVE MISTAKES AND WE'LL FIX IT.

AND SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE.

UM, SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT YOU SAID YOU'RE GONNA DO AND PUTTING THOSE CHECKPOINTS IN PLACE FOR, TO PREVENT THIS IN THE FUTURE.

SO THANK YOU.

GOOD DEAL.

NOW WE'RE

[c. Receive a presentation from the Utility Billing (CIT) Continuous Improvement Team.]

UH, THIS BY ITSELF IS MOST LIKELY A 30 TO 40 MINUTE PRESENTATION.

OH, OKAY.

AND IF Y'ALL WANT TO HAVE 40 MINUTES OF THE UTILITY BILLING CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW, WE ARE HAPPY TO DO THAT FOR YOU.

THEY, THE TEAM IS PREPARED.

I, I DON'T THINK THERE, I DON'T THINK THE PEOPLE ARE HERE FOR .

I HAD A QUESTION THOUGH.

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ACTION EARLIER? I, I AGREE WE CAN'T DO IT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE COULD, I MEAN, WE COULD RECESS WORK SESSION AND START WORK SESSION BACK AT SIX 30.

RIGHT.

WELL, I THINK WE CAN JUST PUT THIS ON THE NEXT MEETING BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE WELL, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO ASK, IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED ACTION ON? IF WE CAN TAKE ACTION IN JANUARY TO GET THE FEES ACTIVE SOON, OR THE, THE CHANGES TO THE PROCESS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FROM THE COUNCIL AND WITHIN THE NEXT 30 TO 45 DAYS, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FROM THE COUNCIL.