Commissioners Court - Regular Meeting

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Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hola, El Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on across our county. Now, let's take a look back at some of February's highlights. The county's second parks and recreation capital improvement bond project is now underway. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Awad Dulce improvements project. The renovations to the park includes a paved parking lot with ADA accessible spaces, a new walking trail, a water fountain, and new shelters,

which include amenities like picnic tables, benches, and waste receptacles to improve safety and accessibility throughout the park. The countyy's first ever animal shelter is one step closer to reality. As phase two of the facility's development was discussed in a community meeting, the public was presented with new design concepts inspired by the results of the first community meeting. Attendees were presented two options for the building's design and highlighted new kennels separated by a bark wall. The public was able to present their input on the new design options in person and online. The front entrance of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse was decorated in colorful messages for the third annual Talk About Love event. In recognition of teen dating violence awareness month, the Center against Sexual and Family Violence in partnership with El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez and District Attorney James Montoya invited the community to participate. Community members were encouraged to create colorful sidewalk chalk messages that promoted respect, healthy relationships, and love. This interactive event raised awareness about teen dating violence while fostering positive conversations and community engagement. That does it for this month's county connects. Until next time, let's get ready for spring and make sure to stay connected with El Paso County. He ah

ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah Hey, hey, hey. Welcome to the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, where we're dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of family law with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to excellence. As an integral part of the El Paso County Civil Court system, we strive to provide support during challenging times. We are dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and children in navigating complex issues such as custody, visitation, child support, and beyond. Whether you are recently divorced, in the midst of a custody dispute, or facing challenges with child support, we stand ready to offer compassionate guidance and unwavering support. Our mission is to assist children and families during what can be one of the most challenging times in their lives, ensuring they have the resources and assistance they need to move forward confidently. We provide services both in person and virtually, collaborating closely with judges, attorneys, and service providers to address each family's unique needs. Our

child support enforcement unit plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support necessary for their well-being. When a court orders child support, it represents not just a figure, but a commitment to a child's future. This unit consists of a team of attorneys, enforcement officers, financial specialists, legal engagement officers, parillegals, and administrative staff who assist with the collection and enforcement of child support and medical support. Domestic relations office attorneys decide what enforcement remedies will be used based on the particular facts of the case. We help enforce court orders by monitoring payments and maintaining accurate records, working with parents who have fallen behind, helping them understand their obligations and options, filing enforcement actions with the court when necessary, and helping parents modify orders if their financial situation changes significantly. Because we know life happens and fairness matters. We know that every family's situation is different. That's why our staff works with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism, helping both custodial and non-custodial parents understand the process. Live from El Paso County, Texas, the veterans capital of the USA. From inside the Alicia Chicone Commissioner's Courtroom of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse, you are watching the El Paso County Commissioner's Court Meeting. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Today is Monday, March 23rd, 2026. Commissioner's Court is meeting in

regular open session. This morning we're joined by ASL interpreters Dario Garcia, Monserat Vasana, and Stephanie Michelle.

I am turning it off. That was me in second grade being funny. Commissioner, would you like to introduce this morning's pledge?

Yes. Thank you everyone. Good morning. I'd like to welcome up to the podium Anhelica Rodriguez who is an intern with the precinct 2 office, Commissioner Stout and is also a social work student at UTP. Welcome Anhelica. Thank you so much and happy social work month. But 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.

Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible. Thank you. Thank you, Anelica. and welcome to the county. And next, we'll receive an invocation from Dvau Wakefield, chaplain at Old Glory Memorial and former veteran of the year. Good morning, Dvau. Good morning.

Today, I ask the strength from God to rise above every negative thought, every discouraging word, and every situation that tries to weigh our spirits down. Help us to keep our minds focused on what is good, hopeful, and align with your will for my life and all of our lives here. Guard our hearts from bitterness, frustration, and anything that tries to steal our peace. Lord, help us reach higher today. Lift all of us up for our perspectives so that we do get we do not get stuck in small thinking or temporary problems. remind us that with you and your guidance for all of our steps, there is always a greater purpose ahead. Give me the courage to move forward with confidence, faith, and determination. Bless our nation. Bless our leadership. Bless our commissioners and the court and the judge. Bless all other assembled here under this voice. In your precious name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Amen. Commissioner Gin, do you have some opening remarks for us this morning?

Yes, thank you. Thank you, Caesar. Uh, welcome everybody. Um, welcome to this week's Commissioner's Court meeting. We have Commissioner Stout uh participating by video today. Good morning, Commissioner. Um, and before we get started with the meeting, uh, I just want to take a moment to thank our staff for another, um, uh, 2024 capital improvement parks bond project that was completed or I'm sorry, that the groundbreaking just happened for on Friday. So, this is for improvements at Risinger Park in Fabins. Um, this court has made it a commitment to our voters to move these projects as quickly as possible, on time, and on budget. And I just want to thank our county staff for all of the incredible amount of work that they do to make sure that these projects are moving forward. Um, the voters of El Paso County trust entrusted us with $95 million to invest in all of our parks and we are definitely uh doing that. So, thank you, Norma, to you and all of the staff at public works. Um, to our Yes. to our county attorney's office because we know that this work can't be done without all of that legal review. To our county administration, Betsy Keller and Melissa, of course, our auditor, Barbara Parker, uh, purchasing Karen Davidson, and of course, our budget director, uh, Carmen Candelaretta. So, thank you to all of our staff for everything that you're doing to move these projects forward, and we look forward to having many, many more uh groundbreings and ribbon cutings in the future at all of our parks. So, thank you all. Item number four is the consent agenda composed of items 4 A through 4 P. Are there any items that members of the court of the public would like to pull for individual discussion?

No. Uh commissioner, I just uh thank you. I just want to highlight that we want to thank uh the uh project project arriva and uh the workforce solutions borderlex for again uh re uh signing on the renewal of the memorandum of understanding between El Paso County as uh promise program. So we really want to thank them for for that. And now this time make a motion to approve. We have a motion to approve from Commissioner Coronado, a second from Commissioner Butler. The voting is open. Commissioner Stout. I

vote I needed

Thank you, Commissioner. Jud Judge Sango is absent. Motion carries. Item number 5A, resolutions. Approve and adopt a resolution to designate Saturday, March 28th, 2026 as El Paso Commission for Women Hall of Fame Honores Day. This is a very very special uh resolution not only because it recognizes so many incredible dedicated women in our community um but also because of the incredible work that this organization does. But it's particularly special because um this year one of our own here at the county, our county administrator uh Betsy Keller is being inducted into the El Paso Commission for Women Hall of Fame. Um, unfortunately she couldn't be here with us, but I know that she's here in spirit. Um, so I'll go ahead and read the resolution and then I'll pass it over to Miss Howell for a few words and then just so that everyone is aware, we will be taking approximately about a 10-minute recess so that we can go take photos at the unveiling of the plaques for um the Hall of Fame. Whereas the annual El Paso Commission for Women Hall Hall of Fame recognition will be held on March 28th, 2026 to honor remarkable women who have made a significant contribution to our border community. And whereas the El Paso Commission for Women recognizes women for their efforts in business, civic leadership, education, military, professional, public service, science, healthcare, sports, athletics, volunteerism, and community activism. And whereas since its inception in 1985, the El Paso Commission for Women has continued to honor and acknowledge the impact of women in El Paso County. And whereas the El Paso Commission for Women's purpose is to pursue a positive

course of action for achieving equal rights and responsibilities for women and to provide scholarship funds for deserving El Paso women. And whereas the El Paso Commission for Women is committed to understanding and respecting the cultural and ethnic diversity of the women in our community and to serve as a model for plurality and inclusiveness. And whereas Shayla Anthony, Alana Apodaka, Baby Ruth Boswell, Isella Castion Williams, Amanda Eckery, El Paso County Chief Administrator Betsy Keller, Candace Prince, Sandra M. Marade and El Paso City Council District 7 Representative Lily Lemon join 231 women that now form the El Paso Commission for Women Hall Hall of Fame. Now, now therefore, be it resolved that the El Paso County Judge and Commissioner's Court do hereby designate Saturday, March 28th, 2026 as El Paso Commission for Women Hall of Fame Honores Day. In official recognition thereof, the commissioner's court hereby affixes their signatures this 23rd day of March, 2026.

We we have a motion from Commissioner Olen and a second from Commissioner Butler. The voting is open. My vote is I Caesar. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Stout. Motion carries. All right, another round of applause. Welcome, Anna.

Thank you. Good morning to the to the honorable judge in his absence and the commissioners of this county of the El Paso. My name is Anna Harris How and I am the president of this great organization, the El Paso Commission for Women. I want to say thank you because I I kind of heard in the roundabouts that we weren't going to get it done today, but you Commissioner Hzone made sure that it got done. So, thank you personally for making it happen. Also, uh I want to say thank you for the resolution that you presented to us today and to the amazing women that we will be honoring and and inducting on March the 28th at the El Paso Women's Hall of Fame. I feel so honored for being uh for the organization being recognized. Thank you. I have with me before I go there, I want to say um and you already recognized her. I just wanted to say one of your very very own uh Betsy Kellia is being uh recognized as well. Even though we know that she's out of town on business, we still want to give her her props. Um, I have with me today some of the some of the board members, some of past inductees, and most important some of this year's honore, but I want to recognize one in particular. Uh, she worked for this organization for over 20 years, and she gave of herself and she never complained. I stood on her shoulders for a lot of different other programs in the city, but she always worked real hard for the El Paso Women's Commission. And so this year finally when I found out that she had not been honored, I was like a little soldier running around. We we gonna make this happen some kind of way. We got to change rules, guidelines or whatever. But I thought she deserved it so much because she does so much not only just

in the city commission but all over this city. So, I just wanted to say we have city commissioner Lily Leone also being recognized this year and it is truly an honor. So, I'm going to ask all the members to come forth real quick and introduce yourselves. Morning. Uh Shalia Anthony, I am for the uh military.

Good morning. I'm Sandra Reid and I am the volunteer. Good morning everyone. Lily Lemon, city representative for district 7. I have served for over 20 years on this commission and I've seen these two women be inducted along with you, Commissioner um Alicia Chakon, many many women that are honored and recognized for achievement in a particular category. And it goes it goes beyond the job. It goes beyond doing what we are required to do. And so I am humbled that Miss Harris How um was able to change some things and allowed us to have to allow me to be recognized. And I'm I'm just I'm blessed. I'm honored and I thank you. And thank you, Commissioner. Thank you.

Congratulations. Good morning again. Dau Wakefield, veteran of the year. Um, also former inductee from last year for the women's hall of fame. Proud, very humbled again. Um, I'm here in um postumously for baby Ruth Boswell. She worked very hard in the community. She served many years working for Deloul Hospital. And she was the founder for one of the other organizations I'm a part of, the Silhouette Civic and Social Club. And with that being said, we thank you and we bless you for giving us this honor and the honor today and for Saturday. Thank you. Well, well, it is our honor to be able to honor all of you and all of the women who have been inducted into the El Paso Commission for Women Hall Hall of Fame. We have so many stories of so many incredible women who have done so much for our community. So, really, it's our honor to be able to honor all of you. Congratulations.

Thank you. Um, maybe if we could take a photo in here first. I don't know if Alexis so that we can include um Commissioner Stout in the photo and then if we can take a 10-minute recess so that we can go and take some photos with the plaques outside in the hallway. Commissioner, before the photo, we do have one public comment that was submitted from Miss Melissa Harkro that we'd like to read in. Yes, please, Caesar.

The public comment uh is as follows. Good morning, county judge and commissioners. Thank you for adopting this resolution and many congratulations to the inductees. I would like to shout out a special inductee, Sheila Anthony. Sheila is by far one of the strongest pillars of the military veteran and family community. I've seen firsthand how she tirelessly works to connect veterans with the resources they need, ensuring they feel supported and valued. Her efforts have provided crucial assistance to countless families, offering them comfort and stability. Sheila has never said no to any project I've asked for her help with. I can always count on her help. Sheila's induction into the Hall of Fame is a beautiful acknowledgement of her contributions and the positive ripple effect she has created in our community. End of public comment.

Thank you, Jessica. All right. So, if we can come up here for a quick photo um so that commit commissioner Stout can join us and then we'll step out for a brief recess. Yes,

that's perfect right there. Yes, we're here. Three, two, one.

One. One, two, three. Commissioner's Court will recess for 10 minutes. It is 9:57 a.m.

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Yow. Yow. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. back to super way before. Go ahead.

Commissioner's court has reconvened into regular open session. It is 10:09 a.m. Commissioner Algin. Welcome back everyone. Um, we just wanted to show a short video that our communications staff took of the unveiling of the plaques for the El Paso Commission for Women Hall of Fame, which is why we took a recess. So, we're just going to take a moment to watch that video. All right, let's go. Let's pull him down.

Congratulations once again to all of the women who are being inducted into this year's Hall of Fame. Thank you to our communications team for that video. Thank you guys. Great.

Okay. Item number six is public comment. We do have one speaker for public comment this morning. We have Miss Marcy Chavez. I'd like to remind all speakers that public comment is limited to 5 minutes. Everybody will be timed. Thank you, Miss Chavis. and God bless everybody. Well, my there's two subjects that I want to cover and I have brought one of them before and that's the utility cost. God only knows why the utilities keep rising and rising and I'm talking about ridiculous amounts. Like myself, I'm by myself in the House and I ran as a candidate for Congress. So, I was never home for the past three months. Then yet, I get my water bill, which is 200 or $348.

Exactly. Uh, all I did was shower, leave wherever I had to leave. The gas now is getting ridiculous like everybody else. I guess they saw the electric was making money and the water was making money. So, now I got a a what do you call it? A gas uh bill for 200 close to 248. 245 around there. So that's already total over $600 in two bills. Thank God that finally electric company got some senses in themselves because I still haven't received even though before I was receiving bills from 400 to 600 a month. Okay? Now if that doesn't tell you anything, I don't know what does. You know, it's a big scam. I don't know who's in charge of this situation, taking care of the utilities, but we need to get it down to the roots because, as I said, I do represent the people, the voice of El Paso, and I'm not going to stop just because, you know, there was cheating in the elections, but uh I will continue because I do go out to the people and I do speak to the people and I know their concerns and their concerns was of towards this major election, but I'm not getting into that one. So, the second uh subject is pigeon trapping. There's this individual that this lady had taken it to the city council and this individual is trapping all the pigeons within our county and that's 1,200 a week. What is he doing with all his pigeons? Does he have permits or what is he doing or who's paying for that? Um I did mention to him that uh I saw it on viral which this individual was cooking them killing them and cooking them and selling them as chicken you know. So what guarantees us that they're

not doing the same thing in the stores or in the restaurants because everybody wants to save money but everybody wants to take money and that's some sort of exploitation I believe and not only that but endangering the health of citizens in El Paso. So I would appreciate if any of you know anything about it or tell me who do I need to go, I will go because I like I said I do represent the people even though without a title. I'm not here to elevate my name. I don't care about titles because first of all God already gave me a title.

Okay? So I'm representing him and I will not stop. Like I said whatever I have to expose in the city. I know we all hear about wonderful stories in Disneyland, but you know what? Let's get focused on the problems, and the issues on the crisis because we do have a lot of hungry people out there, you know, and let's stop spending so much money on all these decorations too because you spend millions of dollars and then yet I hope that your mother or your grandmother is not hungry or in need. And that's what I came here to say. Thank you. God bless you.

Do we have anybody else in the audience that would like to speak in public comment commission to J Smith commissioners? Thank y'all for allowing us to speak. Uh just a quick question. Did we resolve the problem that we had with the voting machines here on the west side? I'm not sure our county attorney if you could address that. That item is coming up in a later

Yes. this afternoon. So, it wasn't the voting machines, but it was the poll pads that happened on election day. There is a item p uh published for public comment if you wish to speak on that item later, but the vendor will be here and that item is 13B. Thank you, sir. We'll be hearing more about that this afternoon. Thank you so much.

Okay, this completes public comment. Item number 7A, county administration. consider, discuss, and take appropriate action on a resolution of El Paso County, Texas, determining the costs of certain authorized improvements to be finalized to be financed by the tier dee 3 phase 6 public improvement district for phase three of said district. approving a preliminary 2026 amended and restated service plan and assessment plan for said district, including proposed assessment roles for phase number three, calling a meeting and noticing a public hearing for April 13, 2026 to consider an order levying assessments on property located within phase three of said district, directing the filing of the proposed assessment roles with the county clerk. to make available for public inspection, directing county staff to publish and mail notice of said public hearing and resolving other matters incident and related thereto contract number 2026212.

Thank you, Caesar. Good morning.

Good morning, commissioners. Gia Martinez with the County Administration Department here to provide you with an update regarding the Tiierra Dee Public Improvement District and present for your consideration the activation of phase three of the PID development. This presentation provides the final numbers detailed in the amended and restated preliminary service and assessment plan which can be found in the agenda item backup. I will provide details regarding the cost determination resolution and preliminary service and assessment plan for your review and consideration today. This pre this procedure today is prepared and presented to the court with each new phase of the development and approval of the cost determination resolution and preliminary service and assessment plan are the first steps towards formalizing the assessments for phase three. I'd first like to provide you with an overview and a recap that includes the key aspects related to the pit. This pit petition was initially submitted by the land owner Ranchos Real Land Holdings. The pit exists entirely within an unincorporated area of the county in East Montana County Precinct 1 within the city's extr territorial jurisdiction zone. This image provides a bird's eye view of the area that totals about 1,000 acres with an estimated capacity of over 3,500 single family units for development. Spec specific to today's discussion. The yellow highlighted area in the figure represents the estimated boundaries of phase three of the pit which is made up of 128 acres would implement 458 single family units as well as a park. As a reminder, here is a list of the main tenets of the initial PID establishment order approved in 2021 that laid out a process for PID review with a thoughtful approach towards ensuring county community benefits. And here is a list of benefits previously identified and formalized by the court for this specific PIN.

As a reminder, as another as an additional reminder, the final cost estimate for improvements for the entire PID has been set at $26 million. Through the cost determination resolution being pres presented today, the court would adopt a resolution that finalizes this number for phase three. You can see there on the slide in bold, the preliminary service and assessment plan would be attached to that resolution order and the call for a public hearing after 10 days notice. The preliminary service and assessment plan contains the full cost estimates, the estimated estimated levy, and was developed using an average interest rate of 5.75%. I'd particularly like to draw your attention to the estimated levy figures for phase 3, which differ from previous phases. As you can see, the annual assessment per lot would either be $662 or $799 depending on the lot type in the phase. Lot type is a classification in the preliminary service and assessment plan defined by the lot square footage which is larger in phase three or proposed to be larger in phase three than those in phases one and two. In order to ensure the cost of the authorized improvements are equitably aortioned to all lots in the PID in accordance with the PID act. The service and assessment plan proposes to levy an assessment based on the median square footage of each lot type. Please note that this process is limited to phase three of the PID as phase one and two was previously approved by the court last year and the year before. As each phase is prepared, our office will present this same procedure to the court. This slide further details the differences in lot types and the amounts of lots per phase that informs the proposed annual installment for phase three. Higher assessments for larger lot types are typical of ongoing pit developments as the usage and share of the cost of infra infrastructure is typically higher. The first table delineates the ratio between the larger lot sizes for phase three when compared

to those in the first two phases. This ratio was then used to calculate the annual installment payment per lot in the second table. As you can see, the $662 installment would apply to $322 lots in phase 3 with the $799 annual installments for 136 of the lots in the phase. The assessment methodology you see here has been reviewed by both the county's financial adviser and bond council for accuracy and compliance within pit act the pit act provisions. This table summarizes the individual costs associated with the identified improvements and benefits facilitated through the PID financing structure. Please note that the table shows the proportionate amount of funds designated to phase one, two, and three, which is being discussed for your review and consideration today. In coordination with the county's pit administrator, DTA, staff have determined that the cost of the authorized improvements shall be allocated on the basis of lot type based on the median square footage of each lot type as previously described in the last slide. Based on the estimated cost for the phase 3 improvements provided by the developer, staff has determined that the benefit to the assessed property in phase three from the phase three improvements is at least equal to the phase three assessments on such property. The tables here provide several financial estimates. Note that the term assessment is used here to refer to principal cost and installment refers to total cost. This would be a flat fee unaffected by the estimated value of the home and any variations therein. I'd like to draw your attention to the value in the bottom table. Grand total assessment principle for phase three. This represents the expected total collected in assessments by the 458 lots in phase 3 over 28 20 years. This aligns with the previous slides benefit in phase three authorized improvements.

This slide and the next shows the amortization schedule for phase 1 and two which the court approved August of 2023 and January of 2025 respectively. These slides are included for reference but are not under consideration by the court today. This table here outlines the debt service schedule for the next 20 years for the third phase of the pit. As previously mentioned, the pit is a is a is developed as a reimbursement model whereby the developer fronts the construction of all the authorized improvements and receives reimbursement from the PID as those improvements are completed and received. The PID will not issue debt in the form of bonds. The table the table outlines the annual payments that will be made to cover principal and interest rates for the pit. The county's financial adviser, Stifel, has evaluated the schedule and is in agreement with the structure and interest rate of 5.75%. That concludes my presentation today. To summarize, the actions under consideration by the court today are to one approve and adopt a cost determination resolution that outlines the cost of certain authorization authorized improvements to be financed by the de lest three phase six public improvement district. Two, approve the preliminary service and assessment plan which outlines the improvements and finance structure to create a reimbursement structure to the county. and three, calling that a public hearing be held on April 13th for the court to then consider adopting an order levying the assessments presented today on real property located within the PID and directing staff to implement all of the administrative steps necessary for the court to consider this action on the 13th. Today's recommended action does not financially obligate the county to any issuance of debt or any terms of the PID. All items being presented have been reviewed by the county's financial adviser and bond counsel who are also available on the call uh virtually. That concludes my presentation. I'm

available for any questions the court may have. The county pit administrator, financial adviser, and bond counsel are also available as well. Thank you. Thank you, Christian. Any questions?

I don't have any questions. I just wanted to thank Christian and our county attorneys and bond council and um everybody involved. um including the developer here, PID. This is um phase three of the county's first public improvement district. Um and and for those who who who um know, counties don't have a lot of um zoning authority or planning authority. Um our subdivision um order is very basic. And so being able to partner with the developer to bring enhancements to subdivisions of this scale um to bring more parks and lights and um and amenities to neighborhoods above the bare minimum that the county can can require um really does elevate the quality of life not just in the subdivision that it serves but for um for for the the communities around surrounding it. So I appreciate um the effort. I appreciate the the attention to parks and public spaces that are being um built into the public improvement district and um I hope that those who are planning on living in that area um you know um understand what the what the pit is and hopefully we'll get some people come out to the public hearing in a few weeks.

Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you. I'll make a motion to approve. I'll second. We have a motion to approve from Commissioner Butler, a second from Commissioner Coronado. The voting is open, Commissioner St. Hi, Caesar. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Motion carries. Thank you, Commissioners.

Thank you. Thank you. Item number 8A, purchasing. Approve and authorize the award recommendation of bid 260005, Sports Park parking and drainage improvements awarded to ZTEX Construction Incorporated of El Paso, Texas. Total cost of 1,333,227. Purchasing approved on March 9th, 2026. Funding is available in CP TCO23B sports park entert uh ENTRP PK improvements.

Good morning Karen.

Good morning commissioners. Karen Davidson your county purchasing agent and we're asking for you to approve and authorize the award recommend recommendation. This was a competitive bid. Um it is for sports park drainage and park improvements. the parking improvements. The award is to ZTEC Construction for 1,333,227 uh dollars. And this is um for mostly to to renovate that entire parking and add the new curbs, gutters, asphalts, striping, sidewalks, landscaping, and upgrade the drainage system there. This is a tax credit project and it is funded through the sports park um parking improvement projects. Uh I can answer any questions you might have on the procurement and then of course we have um our director of public works if you have any operational questions.

I do not have any questions. We have a motion to approve from Commissioner Gin, a second from Commissioner Butler. Voting is open. I thank you, Commissioner Stout. Motion carries. Thank you. Item number 9A from economic development discuss and take appropriate action to adopt the proposed branding and identity design provided by destination El Paso for El Paso County's Heritage Tourism Program.

Do we have anyone from economic development? Commissioner Hulge, I'm checking with Mr. Ransom now. If we can move on to another item and then we can come back to this one. That's fine. Thank you, ma'am. Well, they have two items. They have another item coming up. So, do you want to skip to number 10, public works? Yes, ma'am. If we can move to 10A, please.

Okay. Item number 10 A from public works. receive an update from the Texas&M Transportation Institute regarding the regional transit plan study and proposed future service enhancements for consideration in the fisc year 27 financial plan including anticipated local match funding strategies. We have John available. Is he online maybe? Yes. Top of the morning every commissioners.

Good morning. John Ando, executive director of transit operations, and I have the Texas Transportation Institute here to do a presentation about the regional transit studies that the Commissioner's Court approved for them to uh prepare going back to 2018. And I'm going to turn the presentation over to Michael Walk and Kelly Blue. Thank you, John. Good morning. Um, should I share my screen? Yes, please. Yes, please. Okay. Okay.

All right. Thank you.

All right. So, um, Michael and I are going to go through this presentation fairly quickly, but please feel free to ask us questions about anything that we that we bring up. Um the first part of the presentation is just going to be providing an overview of the transit services that are operating in the El Paso County region, specifically the ETA services. And the second part of the presentation will be talking about um the approach to funding and develop and estimating local contributions towards funding the transit services. So the transit services that we have in place to date and which and those that are planned for the future are really were developed in the course of five completed studies going back to a study that started in 2017. Um these are the the phase one study, the phase two study, the implementation plan, the Americans with Disabilities Act plan, the general public demand response transit plan, and then the transit development plan, which was a sixth study, or rather a plan that consolidated the findings of the previous five studies. And um I'll be giving you just a quick overview of what was in each of these studies since they're foundational um to the rest of the content of our presentation today. So the phase one study concluded in 2018. It looked at identifying transit needs within the county um existing transit services within the county and then between the two figuring out where there were gaps in between transit need and transit supply. It produced six service scenarios for improving transit service in the county and it also looked at developing different governance models for managing how transit service would be administered and delivered within the county. This study led to the formation of the El Paso Area Transportation Services Local Government Corporation or EPAT which we'll be referring to later in the presentation. And this study,

like all of the others, included a public involvement component. A phase two study ended in 2021. This study refined the analyses, forecasts, costs, and recommendations that were developed in the phase one study. It focused on two of the six study scenarios from the phase one study. Um and it develops them in the context of a higher investment scenario and a lower investment scenario with respect to the amount of service to be delivered and the cost of delivering that service. It also produced guidelines for developing um routes and other services. It developed guidelines for identifying the location for bus stops and bus shelters. And then then it took the step of actually identifying where those bus stops and bus shelters could be placed within the county. The implementation plan concluded in 2023. Um this one of the goals of the implementation plan was to go back to the phase 2 study recommendations given significant changes to the transportation environment within the county that had occurred since that previous study was completed. namely the the pandemic which impacted travel patterns with respect to like people working from home for example. Um a large amount of land development activity within the rural part of the county. Um including for example the Amazon distribution facility and then the completion of road projects that affected connectivity and mobility for for cars but also for buses and other you know transit vehicles. Um the implementation plan also looked at how the how successful the county or the the transit agency had been in implementing recent service changes like the introduction in introduction of the route 31 fixed route service. Um and it developed mode specific planning guidance for other services needed within the county. Um, one of these, um, Americans with

Disabilities Act or ADA Paired Transit Service was identified as the next step within the development of of the the county public transportation service. And with that, the next study that was completed was the Americans with Disabilities Act plan, the ADA plan, which updated the ADA wrership forecasts from the previous studies, developed specific service standards and policies for delivering ADA service. that also established the ETA access advisory committee. Um, and this is the plan that ultimately led to the formation of the ETA access service which I'll talk about in a little bit more later. The final study was the GPDRT study or general public demand response transit service which was completed this year. This was a study that looked specifically at the demand responsive components of the the recommended services in the previous studies or or basically the services that if you need you know transit you you call or you use an app you reach out to the count to the transit agency and then you can you know get a service that basically responds on demand. There's no fixed route that these transit services um follow. This particular study led to the identification of four distinct demand response services. The intent of having this this set of services would be to to meet a variety of needs of individuals within the rural county in a way that was cost-effective and and also enabled them to make choices between the types of services that would that that would best meet their needs. And I'll talk about those a bit more later in the presentation. Um, so this study also developed service standards and policies for each of those four services and proposed a more detailed implementation strategy for those services. And then as mentioned before, the transit development plan is something that was completed this year. It was a compilation of all of the

completed studies and it was completed because Sun Metro's service expansion policy requires any agency that wants to become a direct recipient of federal urban transit funding from the Federal Transit Administration um to prepare a TDP. So that that is what um that ETA the El Paso Transit Authority completed in order to to qualify for that. And currently the TDP is under review by Sun Metro and that will be moving forward soon. So just for you know background purposes you know this map shows the urbanized areas within El Paso County. Um the the red area is the city of El Paso urbanized area. Um the city of Sakoro urbanized area is a a shade of yellow and then the shade of blue is um the urb are the urbanized areas that are within ETA's um service areas. So that will be part of the focus of of the rest of the presentation but also those rural areas that aren't included within those um urbanized areas. So the existing services that are operated by ETA um are ETA PO that's the fixed route network um and there are six routes within this network um and it operates within the major transportation corridors and and it makes connections to Sun Metro transfer centers. ETA access is the ADA paratransit service. Um it's again intended to meet um the ETA's Americans with Disabilities Act paratransit obligations and as such it operates within 3/4 of a mile of the fixed route services um plus other areas that are completely surrounded by the ETF fixed routes. It's divided into three different zones and I'll show you a map on the next slide. Um, and this is a service that you, you know, you call

ahead, you make a reservation at least one day in advance, and then, um, ETA will dispatch a bus to pick you up and take you to your destinations. ET Andlay is a brand new service that was launched last year. It's a microtransit service and it's operating as a pilot service. It's based in San Alazario and Clint. Um, and it provides connections to and from Sakoro and to locations like Mission Valley Transfer Center. And microtransit is an ondemand service, meaning that you call or in the future you use an app um and you would um make you know call and you know say I I need to travel from here to to there and then a bus would be or another vehicle would be dispatched to pick you up within say half an hour. So, it's a transit services that supports more spontaneous kind of trips than ETA access does. And and again, it's operating on a pilot basis right now so that that we can learn how it works and and figure out what the best practices are for um whether and also determining if the service should be expanded into other parts of the service area. Vominos is the vanpool program that's operated by Enterprise Mobility and that operates countywide. that's been operating for a while and and very successfully. And then finally, the Gold Route is the commuter bus service that's operated um it's managed by the New Mexico Department of Transportation, operated by All Aboard America. And um to date, it's um also benefits from funding that's been provided by the Texas Department of Transportation. I'll talk a little bit more about that in a subsequent slide. Um so this is a map showing the existing ETA transit services. The fixed routes are shown with um a variety of colored lines and then around those fixed routes you see

these blue clouds or bubbles that show you the um the ADA paratransit area. So that's the area that's served by UTA access. Um and there are some slight differences like it if its integration with um the comparable service that's operated by Sun Metro that that it does allow force opportunities to travel from some of these blue shaded areas into certain parts of the Sun Metro service area as well. So the existing fleet is uh includes 34 vehicles um cutaway buses which are the small buses and and vans um and there are 11 vehicles on order four of which are going to be battery electric vehicles. Existing facilities include 126 bus stops some of which are shared with Sun Metro. 22 of these are fullfeatured bus stops or bus stops that have a bus shelter. They have seating signs, bicycle rack, trash cans, information, and solar powered lighting. And the rest of the bus stops are a mix of bus stops with seating and um bus stops that only are marked with signs. ETA's administrative offices are in El Paso, and ETA also has a lease maintenance facility that's located in El Paso as well. There are also a variety of existing opportunities to connect to other transit services within the region. Um, you know, services provided by agencies like Sun Metro. Um, uh, also agencies like Amtrak. There are inner city bus operators that provide connections throughout Texas and and ultimately throughout the US and Mexico. Um, and there are several smaller public and private providers that operate on like a nonprofit basis or or a very specialized basis. And there's addition to that is the pedestrian and bicycle network that that enables access to transit service. Now the future ETA services are um the

ones I'm going to talk about today are as they're described in the TDP. It's the again the TDP is a culmination of all the completed studies. It's also been for um impacted by you know more recent ETA staff and board discussions. Um these future services support a mix of advanced reservation and spontaneous trips. They give individuals within the county an opportunity to make choices about the types of transit service that best meets their needs. Like, can I make this trip, you know, in advance or can I wait until the same day to make this trip? Um, that's one option. And this may have an impact on the the the length of the trip, the cost of the trip. Um, so there's a lot of other considerations that come into play, but that's an opportunity again for individuals within the study within the service area to make decisions that best meet their needs. The overall goal though is to cover the ETA service area cost effectively, which means that in some cases, some particular service options are more cost-effective on a per trip basis than others. And that's something that we took into consideration as we as we developed recommendations. So right now though everything I'm going to present today is considered um preliminary because there are service negotiations that are ongoing. There are also external factors that affect the services particularly the the general public demand response transit services because for example they do depend on the participation of other transportation providers. And then there's also the ongoing development of routes 32 and 32X and how those are going to shape out. The TDP very aggressively um assumes that all the these services will be implemented in fiscal year 27 um and that the same service levels will be in place in fiscal years 27 through 29. And this is again an aggressive assumption because you know we do there are external factors that do impact our ability to actually make this happen but that something to keep in mind moving forward. So future services, we have our

existing fix six fixed routes. Two of which would be modified in order to accommodate two of the new services and there are six new fixed routes that are also planned. The 11, the 21, the 32, the 32X, the 40X, and the 48. And again, I'm happy to talk more about any of these. Um, just trying to go through the presentation quickly to um be respectful of your time. Um, so the future surfaces, here's a map. You can see the fixed trouts are are shown here with the the different colored lines. Then we also have these large shaded areas um in a sort of a blue green color. So those are actually represent the demand response zones. So um I'll talk a little bit more about the demand response services and show you a more detailed map um in a later slide. So, the future service is ETA Access. Um, right now, ETA Access is a service that's only for ADA eligible individuals. You have to be pre-screened. You have to register. You have to meet certain conditions in order to to use it. But the proposal for the future is to actually open that service up to the general public. So, you don't have to be ADA eligible in order to use the service. And this is something that's possible because of excess capacity within the current ETA access service. Um the idea is that you know this again would be an advanced reservation service available to everybody within ETA service area. Um but we would be prioritizing capacity for the ADA eligible writers to ensure that we're able to continue to meet our ADA obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. And here this map shows the the ADA, excuse me, the ETA access zones. Um this time instead of that blue green color, we have a purple color, we have an orange color, and we have a blue color. So we have three different zones. And um if you're a member of the public, really you're what you're going to see is this

larger the larger zones, the the I guess the lighter shading. Um but we've we've shown the ADA access areas on here as well just to emphasize the point that if you're ADA eligible that is with you're located within those areas and you then you meet the other requirements capacity would be prioritized for you on this service. So that may come into play. For example, if many many individuals need to be at a certain place at 8:00 a.m. in the morning, um we and we don't have enough vehicles to get everybody there at 8 a.m. in the morning, then it would be prior that that capacity would be prioritized for the ADA eligible individuals and the others would have to um accept a different travel time or maybe look at one of the other GPDRT services. Um one of those is a microtransit. So the EK on delay service, the TDP assumes that the pilot service that's currently operating based out of San Lazario and Clint would continue to operate. Um we may learn things from the pilot that would influence how the service operates. Um that's one reason why we're doing the pilot. Um in the TDP we've also um identified some potential new ADA or ETA on delay service zones that might be feasible in the future depending again on what we learned from the pilot. So we've got Canatio Horizon City and Sparks and then Sakuro as a standalone ETA zone. There are other areas like Homestead Meadows South that that may be ETA onlay zones as well. Um but they don't necessarily meet um the requirements that are that need to be in place with respect to um the the number of destinations and also these these zones were developed also with consideration of how they are impacted by the underlying fixed route services. Again, we're trying to make things cost-effective and one way we're trying to do that is by reducing service duplication.

Um, vomino fan will be a part of the future services as well. Um, we didn't recommend any changes for that. Um, the gold route, text will be discontinuing its funding of this route in May 2026. So, the gold route will no longer be part of the the ETA portfolio of transit services. Um, one of the brand new services in the GPDRC study is something called the user side subsidy program. and we would most likely come up with a more interesting name for it. But the way one of these programs works is there are a lot of existing transportation providers that already operate within the region, whether they're, you know, taxi cab companies, other public transportation providers, um, in entities like Uber and Lyft. And to the extent that someone is able to use one of those services instead of ETA access, that is actually a trip that could be provided more cost-effectively than um, than an ETA access service. depending on, you know, the location of the trip, the trip length, and other factors. So, the idea behind the subsidy program would be to incentivize eligible individuals to use one of those other provers services um and that that we would help offset their fair on those services within various conditions and and our GPDRT study spells out the conditions under which that that might operate. And another brand new service center, the GPDRT umbrella, it's a volunteer driver program. Um it's not likely that ETA would be the administer administrator of this um but rather a sponsor of this program. Um, a volunteer driver program is a program in which an organization like oftentimes it's like an area agency on aging or a nonprofit um um organizes individuals within the community who are willing to volunteer to be drivers um oftentimes in their own vehicles um to

provide trips within the study area and be reimbursed for mileage. And ETA's involvement would likely fall within the the reimbursement of mileage. And and the reason why this is this is good is because on a per trip basis, something like this can be more cost-effective than providing an ETA access trip with a you know with a larger vehicle or a bus. Um and and this is also an opportunity to for individuals to take trips that are say outside of ETA's um normal operating hours. So, it's again it's another choice for individuals within the service area and and it could work very well in the the parts of the county that are the least dense um and most remote. Another future service is Sunsen bike sharing. Bike sharing stations would be um depending on how negotiations proceed which are ongoing um in in Horizon City, San Alazario and Clint. So that's an opportunity to use a you know a bicycle instead of transit or to use a bicycle to help provide access to transit and the details of that are still being worked out. Now this is a lot of different services and it's potentially a bit overwhelming and confusing. So, one of the recommendations in the TDP and um and in the GPDRT study specifically is, you know, how do you integrate all of these services? And a key element of that is to is for ETA to hire a mobility manager. And the mobility manager's job would include coordinating um the different types of services, helping to recruit the different partners who would participate in the services. Like for example, if under the user side subsidy program, they could be reaching out to taxi cab companies and other entities to be partners within in developing that and delivering that service. Um also engaging with the public, educating the public about services, helping writers um register for services because you would have to register for UTA access

for example. um helping riders navigate and use the different services, evaluating how the services are working and then also just being a facilitator for the different stakeholders and partners that are involved. Another aspect of integration that's important is the opportunity to integrate scheduling. It's possible for scheduling software to integrate say volunteer driver program trips with ADA paratransit trips. Um and this there's also opportunities for integration in a planned um ETA app. Future facilities in the TDP are new bus stops, some of which will be the full featured bus stops with shelters and all of the other infrastructure. Um, there's an ETA, administration, operations and maintenance facilities that's currently in the design and engineering phase. Construction is planned to begin next year and the facilities plan to open in 2029. So, I'm going to conclude this first half of this presentation by just talking about the financial plan that's in the TDP. It covers three fiscal years, fiscal years 27 through 29. There are some caveats. Um, ETA is currently conducting discussions with Sakoro about microransit service and with CRM about bike sharing. Um, we're also continuing to discuss the method for calculating ETA's share of 5307 revenues, the federal funding um, shares that would be received through Sun Metro. Um and we're also um there are aspects of the of the fiscical year 27 budget now that are currently under development and are being refined and this is a very specific budget development process. So information that's coming out of that you know refined phasing of different elements of the services refined cost and revenue estimates. So that's all happening. Um, and we've also updated information, you know, since the TDP was presented to EPADS back in January, um, to remove the gold route and also to add a monthly fixed fee for the the operations contractor that's currently delivering services. And and this is also, you know, this what this financial

plan is a it's a kitchen sink financial plan. It includes like all of the services that I previously talked about. But again, as I noted before, some of these things on that's it's a very aggressive timeline that again if you have to involve partner agencies, they may not be able to work on the same timeline. So what you'll see here for fiscal year 27 28 and 29 is a is a very aggressive financial plan for operations and and um and the second half of this presentation we'll talk about um funding and revenues in a bit more detail but basically this this table is a summary of you know how much does it cost to you know purchase the transportation that we need um what are our administrative and planning costs associated with that um where do we expect to get our fair our revenues from like you different federal funding programs, state funding programs. Um, oftentimes, you know, fairs, um, right now ETA is operating on a on a on a fair free basis as a pilot. So, there aren't any fair revenues that are shown in the plan at this time. And this is the capital plan uh which includes um two new vehicles to support integrating general public trips on ETA access. Um new bus stops um the ETA operations facility and then um associated revenue revenues associated with um the operations facility and with um the potential um state and federal grants that could be available to offset capital costs. And now if Mike is available, I will turn the presentation over to him. But I can also pause for questions if you prefer.

Any questions? I don't have any questions. Are any comments as the chair?

Yes. Well, I have a lot of comments. I don't know if we should wait till the presentation is completed, but thank you so much, Kelly, for for going over that. I know it's a lot. Um and I um you know uh just want to assure the court and the public that we have a very active uh board for ETA that goes through these presentations in detail with the Texas Transportation Institute who um really is the planning arm for ETA. And I think the the big takeaway from from this presentation or at least this part of the presentation is that ETA is expanding and we are exploring every opportunity to expand transit services and access to um to residents in the county. So, um while there are many stakeholders involved in providing transit services countywide, um you know, it's it's especially challenging when we're trying to connect um the the neighborhoods and the communities outside of the city of El Paso and the Sun metro area because they're so um dispersed geographically. That raises costs. that raises um the amount of logistics involved in in trying to connect people countywide. Um uh and and we're doing it well. We're expanding. We're looking at at every option to expand, including, as you heard, microtransit and ride share type services. Um that would be more cost-effective than sending buses to every corner of the county. Um and and I think we're going to hear some of the financial planning and how this is funded and and what our projections are for the future. Um I do want to, you know, point out that that the trajectory for ETA has been to be a standalone organization outside of the county of El

Paso. Um while the county has has while transit county transit has lived under the the county of El Paso and county government um for decades now, we're really in this this new um this new life of county transit. And uh it's it's really exciting to see how much it's growing and expanding and how we're we're adding access and services for county residents that haven't existed before. Um and that's really due to the county's leadership, to the court's leadership. um of of kind of um uh making sure that this organization can can continue to grow and and be fostered within the county. Um we have an amazing executive director now, Mr. John Ando, who is who is ensuring that we're able to to take these steps again with our consultants through the Texas Transportation Institute and a lot of other partners. And just again um while um the ETA may be rolling out of the county uh soon in the next six months or so um El Paso County will still remain the largest stakeholder in county transit services. And so we'll still have a major role in making sure that the the planning and the services are are are um serving the constituents of the county primarily um and filling the gaps where they're needed the most. So um thank you very much for that very uh detailed presentation um Kelly again and I'm looking forward to this next phase of county transit. Yes. Thank you, Kelly. Are we ready for the second part of the presentation?

Now, the fun part. We're talk about the funding with Michael, right? Yes. Okay.

Hello everyone. This is Michael Walk with Texas A&M Transportation Institute or TTI. Good to speak with you today. Um, I will be walking through how the services that Kelly just talked about are funded. I'll be focusing on first just the methodology of how um we come up with the costs and how we come up with how much uh contribution needs to be provided by all members and then how we allocate that um out across members. Uh so uh Kelly, if you're still running the slideshow, you can hit the forward arrow key a couple times here. Um the thank you. Um, so it all starts with a service plan. As Kelly provided to y'all, she laid out different service plans. Ultimately, the the compilation of all the prior service plans, which was the TDP or the transit development plan submitted to Sun Metro. Um, that that is the basis for all um this all costing, right? We start with the routes that are going to be in operation, the uh different services that are going to be in operation and we turn that service into costs which really is the next step. Kelly can advance. And so for every fiscal year um we forecast the operational costs because um currently all transit services provided by ETA are um operated by a third party. Um it's relatively easy to forecast operational costs based on the contract between ETA and the provider who currently is transdev. Um we also factor in other types of costs like administrative planning and other operating expenses to manage and oversee the system. Uh next slide or next. Thank you. Um once we have the cost the next step is to walk through the revenues. Because it is public transportation there are grant revenues.

available from uh the federal government as well as state government. In particular, that's FTA, the Federal Transit Administration and Tex. Um we also forecast fair revenues and factor in applying those uh grant revenues to the costs that we previously alloc uh previously estimated so that we can figure out how much um is left over that has to be paid with local dollars. Next slide. So we just take the costs minus the fairs and the for other forecasted grants from federal and state sources and then we have how much local share or cost needs to be shared among local members and we've developed an allocation methodology to take that local share needed and allocate it among members of ETA. Um and there's a slightly there's a different method uh for fixed route for ADA paratransit and for admin and planning costs uh because we use a a different allocation basis in order to stay true to the cost drivers um of each service or cost type. I will point out here that uh El Paso County um currently assumes all of the nonassigned costs. That means costs that are not assigned to other members and you'll see these on the subsequent slides. Although there are currently negotiations underway uh between ETA and uh Sun Metro and Sakoro as well um to look at other ways to get uh funding for for those um entities funding from those entities. So, in order to show how it is done, I'll just walk through a quick um example using FY26, right? It's the fiscal year we're currently in, but it's the year where we have full, you know, dollar amounts. And so, I'm I'm showing

just a selection of slides uh that were given prior to the FY26 uh contribution amount calculations. Um, I'm hiding a lot of the detail just because there's not enough time, but I'm remember essentially when you get to this slide, we've already calculated the cost. We've already applied all the grants and the fairs. And then we're left with how much local share is needed to fund the transit services plant in FY26. And um at the beginning of FY26, that dollar amount needed was $1.6 million. Now you can see on this slide there are three different local share allocations. That 1.6 million was made up of $822,000 from fixed route bus services. Those are those colored routes that Kelly had on the map. There was $334,000 needed for ADA paratransit service and then $446,000 needed for admin planning and other um overhead costs. and we allocate that local share to each jurisdiction um based on a contribution ratio. So for fixed route bus that amounts to $12 per mile. For ADA paratransit it's $2.24 per person. Um and for admin costs it's 41 on the dollar of assigned admin and planning costs. So those are our three allocation bases for the three different cost types. Next slide. FY26 was unique in that there was a fund balance available um and so uh that was uh acred contributions that were um able to be applied to the FY26 need. So that actually dropped um the amount of local share needed uh down to 600 a little over $600,000.

And so this slide is showing you that reduced um amount. So that fixed routes 39 cents per mile, 88 pair transits 85 cents per person and admin is 15 cents on the dollar. Next slide. So once we've established what our contribution ratios are then um we start assigning the um allocating variable to each member of ETA. So if you remember fixed route was a per mile allocation basis. This slide has a lot of numbers on it, but it's showing you that we look at every single fixed route, determine how many miles each route would operate in the fiscal year, and using GIS analysis, determine how many of those miles would occur within each jurisdiction you see on the table because we need to know how many miles would occur inside each jurisdiction. So then we can allocate the per mile cost to each member. Um you can see um for there was a grand total of 83,000 uh and 652 miles forecasted for fiscal year 2026 and how many of those miles would fall inside each member's boundaries. Um the far two right columns we're showing Seordo and El Paso the city of El Paso for reference. Again those miles uh in FY26 and historically have been assigned back to the county as a part of its local contribution. Next slide. Once we have the miles per jurisdiction, we then simply multiply the miles per jurisdiction by the contribution allocation of 39 cents per mile. So for Anthony, right, it's 18,000 uh miles times 39 cents per mile. That gets us our $7,000 rounded here on the far right hand side. this column in the middle, uh the column

in the middle, the annual total operational cost is the cost allocation. That's how much the service is worth, right? So, if we're looking at um El Paso County, for instance, the bottom row of this table, uh if you add up the cost to fix route bus operating within the county, it's cost is about $3.5 million for a contribution of $257,000. uh 257,400. Next slide. We do the same work for L for for ADA paratransit. So ADA paratransit costs and contribution are allocated on a per capita basis based on the population of each entity that falls within those ADA paratransit areas or I think as Kelly called them the blue bubbles that were around the fixed routes, right? figure out how many people live within each jurisdiction and within those blue bubbles and we then come up with these population numbers. Um again provided per for reference only. Um you can go to the next slide. Once we have the population per entity, we can take that population, multiply it by the contribution amount of 85 cents per person. And again, looking at the El Paso County row at the bottom of the table, we had 113,25 people multiplied by 85 cents per person gives us the contribution of $95,900. Next slide. Admin and planning costs are the really the fixed costs of uh running the system. those are allocated to each entity based on how much fixed route and ADA parat transit cost has been assigned to them. So essentially everybody pays their their share of um overhead cost or admin and planning cost based on how much service they have, right? Um and so again uh once that cost is assigned uh

to each entity you then um each entity contributes 15 cents on the dollar um for how much the admin and planning um is attributable to their jurisdiction. Next slide. So what we did the three allocations right uh fixed route by mile ADA paratransit per person and then admin and planning right is based on that 15 cents on the dollar and so once we have that then you add all that up and here are the grand totals for FY26 um and you can see where the total allocations are total contributions are the tit the title of this says adjusted local contribution because that's after we applied the funding balance which helped to reduce how much local share was needed in FY26. Next slide. So just a couple of key takeaways. Um the FY26 contributions were reduced significantly because of the fund balance that was available to help cut down on the share local share needed. are in general every year the process has been pretty much the same in terms of determining how allocations get attributed or assigned to each member of ETA including the county uh and we use miles uh for fixed route population for ADA prairie transit and the cost of service to allocate the fixed costs. Um so the ve the numbers of like 39 cents per mile or 85 cents per person will change from year to year because it depends on how much revenue is coming in or how much grant money is available, right? Um and so those those act absolute values of the allocation variables will change annually depending on that. But the method so far has been pretty locked in um and we don't anticipate it changing unless there's a

significant uh redirection. All told the it's a nine cents on the dollar of cost. So if you go back um terms of contributions uh local shares about 9 cents per dollar of actual costs. So next slide. Now that was an example looking at FY26. So that you know um we are now moving ahead into the FY27 developing the same exact numbers we just saw for FY27. We're currently in the process of doing that. We anticipate having all of those final numbers. We're uh giving a a draft presentation uh at the uh EPADS board meeting on Wednesday. Um and things will be finalized by the end of April. And we are looking at the potential service changes and one of those key questions is um looking at FY27. Do we maintain the current levels of service? what are the financial implications of that versus implementing some or all of the services that Kelly laid out in the TDP? What will be the um financial implications of that? We're still working on finalizing those numbers. Um we're also planning to include a capital asset reserve contribution estimate for reference. So there are Kelly mentions uh you know 26 or 28 vehicles I forget the final number um that are capital assets that eventually will need to be replaced and that usually requires local share um even though there might be 80% grant funded and so we're starting to look ahead into what will that cost um the members of ETA how much uh do we need to set aside in order to be able to replace the vehicles when that comes due there also ongoing discussions to look at ways to include potential potential contributions from Sakoro and the city of El Paso. Um it's very likely that the FY27 contribution amounts will increase over FY26 even if no new services are

implemented. And that's because as I mentioned there was a fund balance available um to apply to FY26 which significantly reduced the contributions for FY26. Next slide. Um and one other key point that um we wanted to include um in this slide deck was about the fair free service. Um ETA did go fair free on uh beginning of this calendar year. Um that that meant that we did not have to ETA did not have to um buy these uh fair boxes um which was estimated $154,000 and change. Um and so that's one thing uh that may need some discussion. Will that continue into the future? We provided on this table uh the fair revenues reported by ETA over the last two fiscal years. So it's not quite fully um uh uh the fairs collected of course will be zero in FY well it'll be greatly reduced in FY26 and would be zero in FY27 if fair uh free continues. Next slide. Yeah. So, um, and I don't know if, uh, John you had anything you wanted to add or any discussions you wanted to key up, but I will turn it back over to, uh, for questions, discussions, and to John if he had any other comments.

Yeah. Top of the morning, commissioners. Um, so this concludes our presentation. Uh this was a presentation that was requested as part of the county's strategic plan to update the commissioner's court on where does transit operations stand with the studies that the commissioner's court previously adopted. So I'm happy to turn this over to um the court for any questions on that myself or TTI can answer about the future of transportation in El Paso County.

I did have a question. Um it it looked like the the fund balance that was applied to fiscal year 26 was pretty significant. It looked like it almost cut the contribution the local contribution in half. So I'm worried about next year when that fund balance isn't available. Um it seems like the local contribution will have to go up the contribution made by the small municipalities. No,

that is correct. Uh we did put in all of the interlocal agreements that we're utilizing some fund balance from previous years since it was originally the intent going back to 23 to use the local match contributions from the member agencies to leverage against the county uh owned text grants. But there was never really a plan or a mechanism to make that happen. So this is the first fiscal year where we were able to work with the county auditor's office to make that approach work to kind of get us in line with where we should be in leveraging those funds. So next year um this is something that we'll be discussing at the EPADS board on Wednesday and I'll be going to each of the member agencies to discuss what their contribution levels will be once we have an agreed upon number. But the big caveat is how much service does the board want to put out on the street in order to ensure that we have the appropriate local match to leverage those federal funds against.

Okay. Yeah. And just just to add to that, Commissioner um um we're concerned about that too. We know especially at the small municipality level um any allocation you know um uh for example for the town of Clint who has a total budget of like $2 million 2 million yeah Clint and Santa Lazaria about 2.3

you know um asking them to put in a couple of thousand dollars towards transit is a big part of is a big chunk of their budget and so um we're very cognizant of that and we did have conversations last clear about this being kind of a one-year reprieve um to help to help, you know, um add some flexibility to budgets, understanding that this year uh would would go back to previous year's levels. Um so hopefully that's being taken into account, but like I said, like like John mentioned, we do talk about this every month at the board meeting. Um and we do have I think the benefit of the ETA is we have um the flexibility and the agility to scale back services and scale back budgets depending on uh what each municipality is able to um to to provide and and contribute. And so um it is a you know it's a it's an active discussion and hopefully we'll be able to land in a spot that that everybody's comfortable with over these next few months. the um for the past uh four contributions the county is about 80 to 88% of the overall ETA budget and I envision that would still be the case. I might slightly go down should city of Sakoro and Sun Metro uh contribute into the system since the county kind of absorbs those costs presently. So we envision that the county would be the driver in the service levels particularly in the unincorporated areas and through policies that the board has adopted. We'll also need to discuss should entities not want to contribute how do we want to continue to provide service in those levels. Does the county want to continue to absorb that cost or do we follow the policies that the board has adopted and reduce services in those jurisdictions?

And I'm looking to uh we'll be bringing before to the counties later on this fiscal year on what that may look like and as part of the county's budgeting process how um the county would like to contribute to EPATS in the upcoming fiscal year. Thank you.

Yeah, I'll just add sorry commissioner um that um that's that's exactly right. the like I like I mentioned, the county is still going to be the primary contributor and driver for countywide transit. And I think the the overall goal and vision is that as our transit services are expanded, as ETA continues to grow and expand, we're able to draw down more federal and state funding for transit services and so to reduce that amount of local match. Um but obviously that's going to that's going to take some time and some um some adjustment. And so we're going through that process um now and it's it does it does rely heavily on collaboration and working together with with partners especially at Sun Metro. So um so we do rely very very strongly on a positive working relationship with Sunmetro um and uh the free fair the fair free uh for example I wanted to mention that we're we're looking at the costbenefit analysis of what you know um what is the benefit of of providing uh free fairs on on county transit and um you know we have seen an increased wrership over the last couple of months a sustained increase writership for for countywide transit, but the majority of riders on our county transit services connect to Sun Metro to to go into the city to to do whatever they need to do. And so, we're hoping that we can show a positive relationship between increased writership and our county transit services. Uh because remember, if people have to pay for a county transit bus or service, um whenever they transfer onto Sun Metro, they have to pay again. And so, um, trying to reduce costs for writers, trying to increase writership, hopefully over time will lead to increased funding for our transit services from other sources. And so, it's a long-term strategy. Um, but

hopefully it's making a positive impact. Yeah. And my question was going to be what the outlook was for the federal grants, number one. And number two is if we what is the net loss by the doing the free ride program and if we're increasing wrership then obviously the per person benefit is increasing right that we're we're providing more services to more people but you know um with with the either the same or slightly incremental cost to us right so that that was my question what's the net loss and what do you I think

well let's start with the federal funding question first. Presently the county receives federal transit administration funding through the Texas Department of Transportation and it's the rural funds and we get about 2.4 million a year and then we get about 500 to 600,000 in state funding to basically leverage those grants. We are in the process of transitioning our funding sources to the urbanized funding that is managed by Sun Metro. It is projected by TTI that we'll get about 3.2 to 3.4 million of those urban funds since ETA service is primarily now in the urbanized boundaries and a very small percentages is in the rural areas. We'll also still receive text dot rural funding on the state side as well as the pass through federal funding, but it's going to be significantly less because we're basically flipping from the rural side to the urban side. So net there's going to be a net increase in federal funding to support our operations going forward. Smetra has a policy that basically distributes those federal funds based on population and ETA is about 14% of the urbanized area population. And so that translates to the 3.2 to 3.4 million that we're anticipated to receive. We are actively in discussions with Sun Metro about changing that policy. May not, it's not going to happen this fiscal year, but hopefully it'll happen next year to where there's more of it to make it more performance-based. The county subsidizes the vanpool program, the Vamino's vanpool program, and it's a highly performing program. However, we're not going to be getting the full benefit of the passenger miles that comes from that program because of the current policy based on population. Meaning that any benefit that we gain from that vampoo program will ultimately subsidize services in the city of El Paso.

So, with us hoping to change that policy will bring will increase that 3.2 to 3.4 million amount higher because of that vamp program. regarding the fair free. Before I go there, are there any questions on the federal side? No, I'm good.

Regarding the fair free, uh, with federal funding, how the how the formula works is it takes into consideration revenue vehicle miles as well as passenger miles traveled. So, the more passengers that you have utilizing the transit system, the more federal funds that can come to the urbanized area, which in turn could be used to cover the cost of our services. That's the critical point of why we need to change the formula because even if we brought more passenger trips to the urbanized area because it's based on population, we still don't see that return that the system that the ETA system is generating. So while there is value to bringing more passenger trips to the system, in order for us to realize that cost benefit, we need to look at changing the policy. So right now we were utilizing a a basically an old allocation of funds to cover the cost of those passenger trips. It is our intent to analyze to understand can we continue to absorb that cost with the increase in federal funds that we're going to see as a result of switching to urbanized for to continue this pilot for another year and then by the time we get to federal fiscal year 27 if the policy changes being able to continue fair free for the foreseeable future. If the policy doesn't change, we may have to revert back to fair collection or ask the members are they willing to continue to subsidize that cost of free fairs. So in theory, we may have the ability to go one more year of doing this, but the next fiscal year will be the critical decision point on can we do the can we continue this or not.

All right, appreciate it. And just to give you a perspective, we used about 154,000 this fiscal year. TTI is projecting that if we collected fairs, we should be collecting about Michael, is it 217,000 or 246? I apologize. It's yeah, slightly north of 200, but I I think that's close enough for purposes. Up up up 200,000 because of the wrership increases that we're seeing. So, we need to basically find a way to cover 200,000 if we want to continue fair free. But obviously with there's a savings from not having to expend money to collect it.

There is that savings as well. So if you sub if you back out the genfare costs I mean the net cost is probably aboutund 125,000 to 150,000. That is truly what we need to generate in fair collection. Okay. Thank you.

And just just to add one point to what to what Mr. Ando mentioned is um that that the the future of our ability to provide um reduced fair or fair-free transit to county riders will hinge on a collaborative solution with Sun Metro and their transit board. Um, so the the city of El Paso, their transit board, which is city council, really is going to have to be willing to come to the table and work on a collaborative solution for for funding urbanized transit um countywide um in the next year. So, we're really hopeful that they'll be willing to do that.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, John. I know that that was that was a lot and I know we have more items on transit but I also know we have members here for economic development. Do you want to stick to transit or should we go quickly to economic development? Does anyone have a preference? I'm good with whatever. Commissioner, we do have guests in the audience for the prior two items. Okay. So, we'll switch back and then we'll go back to 9A before we continue on with transit.

Thank you. Item number 9A from economic development discuss and take appropriate action to adopt the proposed branding and identity design provided by destination El Paso for El Paso County's heritage tourism program. Good morning commissioners. Thank you so much. Um Dr. Cynthia with economic development for the record and I am presenting today with Michael Nunes from Destination El Paso. U Michael is going to start off and we're going to co-present to you today to you. So

are we still in morning? Yes. Hello. Good morning uh commissioners. How are you all today? Morning.

Thank you for having us again once again. And as mentioned, this is a follow-up to the previous presentation. Uh pardon me. I do have bad allergies. My asthma is a little bit bad. So you may hear me wheezing, I don't know. But um so just as a as a as as as a follow-up, we are bringing back this presentation with a couple of modifications that we made. We did revisit some of the tiles and um as a refresher, I will go through really quickly uh the overall idea just so we can kind of jog our memories. And um so here is a a slide kind of showcasing a little bit of the inspiration where we got it from as mentioned you know uh Native American design, Spanish architecture, Mexican-American culture, Chihuahuan desert and tala vera pottery. Okay. And looking at a quattrophoil is is basically like the root of the concept or the design. Um, as a refresher, it is it does mean u uh four leaves basically is what it comes down to. So, that's basically the the the uh foundation to the design. And uh looking at the idea, we're trying to create some unique tiles um some vibrant tiles to represent each city and township while sticking to the quadruple formula inspired by land and the and history. And then the solution that we have is uh to develop a strong mark that would both tell a story and provide a bold and colorful tile that would be modular while remaining consistent. Um so jumping right into that that tile that we wanted to kind of revisit is the communities tile. Uh there are a couple of um of things that we, you know, after digging in a little bit deeper, we we found uh some really really interesting elements that we could uh showcase to to basically bring it um a little bit more

better representing all areas of the uh county. Uh some of the elements would be you know if you remember the original one it did kind of focus on on agriculture and railroad but one of the concepts that we still wanted to stick to is the idea of trail and commerce. Um so looking at a couple of the elements um like the quail for example which uh as I've recently found out it's a a symbol of family. So it's kind of kind of cool to have that in there as well. Uh but another thing is looking at Waco tanks and some of the uh some of the plant life and that's uh common in the Chihuahuan desert and uh so quails obviously leaving trails. So that's the concept that's the connection to the trail uh idea. So let's look at it really quick. You can see that um on the corners we still kind of kept the concept of the railroad but decided to stylize it a little bit to kind of showcase those uh sand dunes patterns that you see. um that's kind of common in in the uh in the Red Sands area. And then the cotton itself, we decided to kind of stylize it a little bit different by overlapping it and creating a little bit of the uh like a leaf pattern that would be represented representative of some of the plant life. One in particular, the Gobernadora plant that is common as well. And also the pattern looks uh kind of to um abstractly kind of represent some of the uh rock uh formations that we see out in El Paso as well. You know, Waco tanks for example, the mountains and all. Um and then there's the the the quail print if you will that kind of kind of brings it all together. Um and yep, that's basically what we got there. And then um

Dr. Dia, thank you Michael.

So um as Michael mentioned the county communities tile just to quickly go back um we had individual meetings and feedback with commissioner court and this is the result of some of that feedback just to highlight that really quick with the delur pueblo um tile. So initially if you remember the original feedback had a mission trail tile. As we stepped back and looked broadly at the concept again, we were talking about communities, right? Cultures and people that make up the um the heritage of El Paso County, right? Like the many cultures and people. Thank you. that make up the culture of El Paso County. And so I this one um threw us a little bit for a loop, right? Because we called it Mission Trail and it took a lot of inspiration from Isla del Sur PBLO, from their culture, from the Isla Mission. And so I went back and reached out to um to the tribe to their cultural director and I said we have this concept. I want to run something by you really quickly. I said I completely understand and don't want to imply differently that is delud is a sovereign nation. So by using their name is I don't want to minimize that or take that away. I said but I explained the um inspiration for the tile. I said, "But we're calling it mission trail, and there's different ways that we can do mission trail, but I feel like in not acknowledging Isla's heritage." I said, "But again, I don't want to imply that they're not a sovereign nation." I said, "So, what do you think? Can you provide a little bit of direction?" And he thought about it and he said, "Call it is delud." And so, mind you, we're not labeling these in the logo itself, right? But when we have our explanation of the inspiration, the culture, history, and heritage that informed these tiles, we would say that and acknowledge it there. But we didn't

want to miss out on having a mission trail um set of tiles. And the great thing about this concept is that it is modular. So we would take the three tiles that represent Isleta, Sanelisario, and Soro and still be able to have um the mission trail concept and instead of saying El Paso County at the bottom, we would say El Paso Mission Trail. So I think that this works better for the concept. It's more inclusive. We don't want to leave anybody out, but we want to be accurate and representative of the different cultures and histories that inform our heritage tourism division and programming. Uh yes and as Dr. Dereia mentioned uh you know the fact that it is modular we are able to kind of this is a good example of how the tiles themselves can be used in different uh applications you know for different purposes. And then uh continuing on with some of the modifications that we that we uh some of the feedback that we got and and then which kind of led to some modifications uh sticking to the same color palette because it is part of the of the county brand. But we did revisit some of the color patterns as well to try to make the tiles. One of the points that was mentioned was they wanted to see a little more vibrancy in the colors. And so we did revisit that and um and here you can see the original on the left and then the updated uh version on the right. So um it it to me I think I'm very happy that we decided to revisit this because I think that it definitely did elevate the entire mark uh to a point that I think is very a lot stronger than the original where the original was strong. This is definitely uh a lot stronger. So, thank you all for your feedback and and uh input. Really

appreciate that. And so, here it is all to all put together. Um, mosaic of heritage in El Paso County. And this would be the primary mark because there's so many tiles. I think it works better in a horizontal format, but we do have a a stacked version where you can utilize it in in certain applications. So, the brand guide, which will be developed after approval, we will we'll go ahead and uh and address all of the dos and don'ts about how to use the logo and how to how to apply it to different uh different things and stuff. And that's basically what we got. So, if you have any questions, commissioners, and one more comment before we completely close, um we are still coming back to you with the individual county community tiles. We did send a highlight and sent a little note to your individual staff uh to make sure that we're getting the names right to making to make sure that we're not excluding any of the county communities. Uh so we'll circle back to make sure we have that feedback that will be included as part of the brand guide and we'll of course bring you updates today. What we're looking forward looking for is for approval on this initial concept so that we can begin implementing it. This, of course, is tied to some of our other uh heritage tourism comprehensive deliverables with Destination El Paso and other vendors, things like our website. So, we kind of need the branding to keep moving those deliverables forward as well. But, of course, if you have any questions, comments,

I'm I'm really happy with the new coloring. Uh, I, you know, I thought we we wanted something that was really going to be, you know, because that is, you know, culturally the tiles are usually something that, you know, pop out and stand out in vibrant colors. And I like this better. Thank you.

Um, I I would just like to say thank you for taking the time to to meet with me in my office and um and and ensure that that the unincorporated communities in precinct 1 are included here. I felt like we were a little bit of a disadvantage um when these were first presented uh because you know unincorporated El Paso County and Precinct One does not have any other municipality outside of the city of El Paso. And so um I initially didn't see those communities reflected here, but I do now. And thank you for spending almost a whole day with us out in in Waco Tanks and Red Sands and Montana Vista. Um and and thank you for for making these changes. I appreciate it.

Absolutely. No, and we staff learned a lot too. Can we go back to the screen where it's the three the specific to the mission trail?

Yes. Okay. So then this is the one that we can use. Just these three tiles will be used specifically when we're talking about mission trail. Yes. And then we'll also circle back and um we have the there's different ways that we can use this, right? Um we do have the mission trail special committee of the county historical commission. This is something that I want to bring to them if if approved today so that they can see it so that we can talk about different ways to use this. Of course, in our programming, if approved, moving forward, we will be adding our branding to advertise to the advertisements for tours, for our workshops, for different things. And this is an example using the mission trail. We of course, especially once we have the other unincorporated or comm county community tiles, we can make those modular as well and make it um specific to each precinct depending on the programming.

Great. Thank you. Thank you. You commissioners, could we just have your approval? Yes. We have a motion from Commissioner Gin. Do we have a second? Um, it's not coming up on my screen. I'll second. Mine's not coming up.

Okay, we we have a motion to approve by Commissioner, a second by Commissioner Butler. Building is open. Commissioner St is not on. Okay, mine's not coming up. I vote I. Thank you, Commissioner Stout is back. Thank you. Commissioner Stout is back. Sorry, having having issues with my camera, but uh I vote I thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Stout. Motion carries. Thank you, Commanders. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Item number 9B. We do have a correction to read in from the economic development department. Item 9B should read, "Approve and authorize the county judge to sign the Hotel Occupancy Tax Revenue Grant Program award agreement with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, El Paso branch for the 89th annual State Convention taking place in El Paso County, Texas from October 1st through the 3rd, 2026 in an amount not to exceed $20,000. Funds in the amount of $20,000 are available in special revenue, tourist promotion, historical events contract number 2026196. Good morning again, commissioners. Uh Dr. Cynthia for the record of economic development and I'm here with many members of the NAACP El Paso chapter and some of their collaborators. Um, commissioners, we brought this to you back on February 9th and so we want to really quickly recap that the annual Texas NAACP convention is happening in El Paso October 1st through 3rd. The estimated attendance is 350 to 500. Um, their conference hotel is the historic uh hotel Faso de Norte. And then real quick before I move back to the original request, does anyone have anything to add as far as your program? We're good. Okay. Good. Okay. Okay. So, the original request was of course um hotel occupancy funding or hot funds in the amount not to exceed $20,000. This includes um an advance of no more than half the total request. Uh we previously had a legal review. Um they the NAACP has presented eligible

expenses. They have their uh contract with the hotel and they have their local partners. One of the biggest events that is part of the conference is promotion of El Paso history and culture via the El Paso Black History Tour and their collaboration with the McCall Center and the East Central Coalition. Um so we have the contract attached. You will notice that the contract the contract is for 18,900. This is based on the budget that the organization submitted. So the contract will read funding up to 18,900 with the advance of 10,000 for the grant period that would be effective today and going through January 4th, 2027. It goes through January because we try to allow about 60 days after the event to give organizations enough time to submit reimbursements, receipts, proof of payment. Um, so that's just the way we've been trying to standardize our grant periods moving forward with the hot funds. Um, there is an additional deadline for the advance. The organization will have 30 days from the time it's advanced to submit receipts and proof of payments related to the advance. Um, based on the tax code and our policy, they will submit quarterly reports every 90 days and one final report upon completion. Any questions?

No questions from me. No questions. I move to approve. Uh, we have a motion to approve from Commissioner Butler and a second from Commissioner Gin. Voting is open. Mind coming up. I vote I. Thank you, Commissioner Coronado. Commissioner Stout. I vote as I as well. Thank you. Thank you, commissioner. Motion carries. Thank you, commissioners. Commissioners, thank you so much for the support. And I know that this isn't a resolution, but we kindly request a photo. Of course. Oh, yes. Go ahead. Good morning.

Uh once again, I want to thank you all for your support and um on this grant. you know, we're doing everything to support the community and we want to thank you for what you're doing to be able to back us because we really want to uh continue to spotlight El Paso and let the rest of the state of Texas know how great a community this is. I did want to introduce just one person uh from our group and this is our chief financial officer and her name is Miss Trudy Strowbridge and she is the person if she doesn't know it yet, she's going to get really familiar with the county auditor and the county auditor team. So I would like to point her out. All right, Mrs. Trudy Strowbridge cuz she will be our main point of contact.

Oh, good morning. I look forward to a positive relationship. Thank you. to meet

Item number 10B, receive annual update from Cam from the Camino Rial Regional Mobility Authority regarding ongoing transit projects. Top of the morning again, commissioners. Uh, John Ando, executive director of transit operations. Today I have Raymond Telus that will give a presentation on the status of the Camino Royale Regional Mobility Authority and then talk about the two projects that they're managing on behalf of El Paso County as it relates to our proposed transit operations and maintenance facility and passenger amenities. Welcome Raymond.

Morning. Thank you commissioners. Uh Raymond Teas with the Camino Rail Regional Mobility Authority. So I'm going to go through these pretty quickly. As uh Mr. Ando mentioned, he asked me to speak on three things. One uh the general status of the RMA. Uh secondly, the transit facility project and then the the additional project that we're working for the county transit side, which is the shelters and signage. Excuse me. U so as you know, the RMA is a local governmental entity. uh we are authorized to develop all types of transportation projects. So everything you see there uh including rail and fairies and pedestrian and bicycle paths and roadways and mass transit and all the all the things that move were were authorized to pursue. Incidentally this is um I shared this with you all this morning so this should be part of your backup so you can go uh a little more into detail later. Um, so far with the county, we've partnered on various projects like roadways, trails, bike share, aviation, and transit. Uh, and again, we're going to talk about two of the transit projects today. So, our background, the RMA was created back in 2007 by the city of El Paso. We have a board of directors. Uh, the chair is appointed by the governor and the remaining six are appointed by council. We have a staff of three now. Myself is the executive director, right? We're expanding. Uh, executive director is my position. We have a director of finance. And now we also have a project manager who you may remember by the name of Sal Alonso. So we're really happy to bring him on board. He's been with us a little over a month. The jurisdictional boundary of the RMA is technically the city of El Paso, but by the nature of RMAs, we're authorized to operate outside of that jurisdiction very easily. So that's how we operate into uh the county. We can operate into Mexico, New Mexico, and other adjoining uh Texas counties as well. This is our current board member lineup. We've got Joyce Wilson, former city manager, is our chair. Monica Perez, an attorney, is our vice chair. Chris Linder Linder is our treasurer. Lena Ortega, our former state

rep, is our treasurer. And then we've got Matthew Maroy, Robert Balasios, and Laura Avalos as our additional board members. I'm going through this pretty quickly. Uh I know I'm standing between you and lunch, so let me know if you want to delve into detail on any of these. Uh to date, since 2007, we've been involved in the expenditure of more than $1.5 billion. And again, that's all transportation related expenditures here in the region. We've been involved in various types of transportation projects and that's was shown on a prior slide showing our involvement in rail and bikes and roadways and shared use paths and the like. But we also play different roles in those different projects. So sometimes we provide the the financing for a project, sometimes we'll do the design, sometimes the construction, uh sometimes the whole of it. It just depends on what that project needs. And and that last um section there talks to the various partners that we've been involved with uh as we expend those significant transportation dollars including everybody from Texas all the way down to the town of Clint. So everybody in between. Here's some sample projects. I won't get into the details other than to note um the variety of them. Right? So $ 1.5 million goes a long way. There's a whole laundry list of of major projects that we've been involved in, but here are the some interesting uh types from the different modes. Uh other is a really interesting one. That's the Wiler Aerial Tram. Didn't know what to put that under. So that's uh in there as other. We've done planning projects for Horizon uh for their transit oriented development. We've we've also done a planning project for Fabman's airport uh trails and everything that you see there. So again, I'm going to skip through these. So this is the first project we're going to talk about the the transit facility project. So some time ago uh we partnered with the county uh back in 2023 um to pursue right-of-way acquisition services. So the county identified a need for a maintenance and operations facility and the first step out of the

shoot was to identify a location. The county found that location then we executed this agreement an interlocal back in 23 for the RMA to pursue to actually buy the parcel where the the facility would go. In 24 that interlocal agreement was amended uh to add a study and that study would identify what it is that the county actually needed out of this maintenance and operations facility. Then later in 24, the ILA was again amended to begin design activities on that same facility. And that's what we're going to talk about in more detail today. And then uh lastly, in 26, the item I think a couple items down after this one uh is to um to ex to expand the ILA uh to continue design. We've gotten design up to 30% so far and we're looking to go to 60, but we'll get into a little more detail. So here's here's more detail on the right ofway aspect. So we brought on uh Atkins Rialis who does a lot of our work for us on the right ofway. They've done have or will do acquisitions for us on on other county projects like John Hayes, Tier Estee, Tom Mays and Mwit as well. So uh they're the ones that were involved primarily on the acquisition for this project. In November, after we completed the environmental process back in 25, excuse me, November 25, we purchased the property that this facility will go uh that this facility will be placed at a little over $1.5 million. Everything you see there uh was included in in uh the acquisition. So, there's survey, appraisal, negotiation, closing, and deed execution. So, we own that technically, we own that property, and we'll turn that over to you all once uh the design is complete. And the purchase price was uh within budget identified by the county. In fact, it was actually much lower and we're going to talk about that here in a second because there was some savings on the rightway thankfully. Uh here's a graphic that shows uh where you all were looking to place it and we are actually placing it right there. So that's the parcel that's now owned by the RMA that

will be transferred over to the county. So the study um we brought uh HDR Engineering uh Inc. on board to complete that study that I mentioned earlier. This again was intended to identify the needs for this maintenance and operation of facility. Uh after a sharet process within that within that study, concept E2 was selected by the county. That study is complete. And here's a slide that shows you the the concept. So again, this was a concept uh that identified what the goals were, what the what the uh essential amenities were that that you all wanted to be added into the facility. Now, of course, this is the goal and then we start to shrink it down or amend it uh in the design phase uh dependent upon budgets.

Raymond, is it a five acre um lot? Do we know how Yes, ma'am. I can't remember exactly, but it is right around five. Yes, ma'am. Five acres.

So, this is the design phase, the third piece of this particular project. Uh we um HDR was brought on board to do the study and they're also doing the design as well. Atkins is is doing providing the design oversight. Uh so to date we've hit different milestones for this particular project than the design side. We've uh received environmental clearance gone through 15% design and 30% design. And those milestones we stop at each of those milestones to to regroup and make sure that we're still on target. So th those are the uh the milestones that we've hit so far. The next milestone then is 60%. So that's actually what you're going to see. I believe it's either the next or or two items later. That's a interlocal amendment that would provide additional funding to the RMA so that we can now then pursue the 60%. Um I should mention um so there's a couple of things. This is where it gets a little a little crazy. Um the funding that was provided to the RMA for ride-of-way there was actually roughly $400 some odd thousands left over. So, we're pulling what we're asking for under this interlocal agreement amendment is to pull those remaining rightaway funds over. And then, uh, there are some additional grant funds that were never allocated. We'll p pull those over. And then lastly, we're asking for an additional 167 roughly $167,000. And when we combine all of those, that should get us through the 60% design. So, that's what you're going to see under that interlocal amendment. And that would get us that would get us basically from um 30 to 60% uh EPATS and the county transit folks are looking to get from 60% to 100% through uh texttop funding and and then lastly on to get through construction. The county as you know has already been awarded $50 million for construction which is amazing. So so those are the pieces that are remaining. Uh this will

again this item will get us to to 60%. That additional sunmet uh um excuse me um text grant would get us to 100 and then lastly the 15 million um would get us through construction of this first phase. So the here's some design graphics. So that's it on the design side. So I'm going to keep running but uh again stop me if you have any questions. Then the next uh project that we're helping you all out on is the passenger shelters project. Um this one ties back to the TTI study that you saw a little while ago. TTI as part of their their planning efforts for you identified the locations for all of your your bus stops and the categories, the types of of bus stops that that you all should have for your system. And so that study was used originally by the county to identify proposed bus stops and the categories. We used that to develop design plans and then we went out and engaged a construction contractor. However, after that, the county re-evaluated some of those stops, their locations. There were uh um alignment uh changes to your routes and that sort of thing. So then that original list has been tweaked and in fact that those uh revisions were completed last week by the county and we have shared that with the contractor that we have on board and he's uh they're pricing that right now. So, we should be back hopefully before too long with a completed list and a revised budget and we'll be able to advance that uh into the construction phase. So, here's what we're looking at. Category three categories of bus stops. And I think this was touched on earlier in the TTI discussion, but very generally category one is the is the highest level. So, that's with a shelter, that's with uh trash receptacles, all those things that you see there. and you're looking at 22 of those under this particular construction project. Category two then is a lesser version without the actual shelter, but it has a bus uh a bench, bus stop sign,

platform, sidewalks, and that sort of thing. And then the category 3 is is basically just a sign. And and as you know, you all are moving from the hailing uh version to actual bus stops. So this is this is important that we get those bus stops in there. Uh category 2, then we've got 28 bus stops. The original list had 34, so we're dropping that down to 28. And that primarily relates to um route alignments where routes are no longer going. So that accounts for that drop. And then the there's been a significant increase from 53 original category 3 uh again the signs uh to 150. So that's what we're looking at um for those categories. Here's a a graphic to show you examples of the of the three categories. So that top left shows the the full category one with the shelter. Uh down below uh in the center is number two with the with the bus bench and then the third is the sign. This is uh these are your uh routes. That's a kind of an older slide but gives you a feel for what we're after. Again I mentioned uh that we have uh selected a construction contract that's Hawk Construction uh for $2.2 million to complete this this project. So I mentioned also um they are currently pricing the revised list. Once we have a a revised pricing list from them, then we will negotiate a a change order and once we uh execute that, we think it's going to take about 10 months to get through construction on this project. So that's what I have for you. I'm happy to answer any questions, but that's where we are on our two projects with y'all.

Raymond, I just wanted to make sure I have the amounts right for the facility, um the transit facility. So what is the total amount to get us to the 60%. I know 400,000 is savings from the right ofway acquisition and then you gave another amount that we're also using was that um yes ma'am grant so the interlocal amendment is for a little bit over 635,000. Okay. So to get there, we've got the rightway savings which were and I'm I'm rounding here right 452,000 and then we had u unencumbered amounts from from your grant your existing grants of just over 15,000. Okay. And that left a delta which is which the county is providing in additional funds today uh if you approve it at 167.

That's the 167. Yes ma'am. Okay. Thank you.

Did anyone else have any other questions? don't have any questions. Just thank you. Thank you, Raymond, um for your updates. Uh we we couldn't do all of this work without our partnership with the RMA. Um and I'm really excited about both the bus shelter projects and on the transit facility. And just a just a reminder, uh we currently uh house our transit um vehicles at the the depot here downtown um and pay Sun Metro for use of that space. And so we're hoping that over time there'll be cost savings um to ETA and therefore the county as well. So all of this is an investment in in a self- sustaining uh transit department um and organization that we're creating here. So thank you very much for your

Thank you all for allowing us to participate in this and I'm excited that Sal is on your team because he worked on a lot of this when he was here at the county. So he knows the bus shelters and the transit facility um and everything very intimately I'm sure. Definitely. And he's been a great addition. Yeah, we're happy. Great. Wonderful. Thank you. Thank you all. Commissioner, would you like to take the afternoon recess? Um, well, are the next two transit items are they very long, John? Can we make it short, John?

I'll do my best. Or or at at maybe we can at least do D. Yeah, maybe D. Uh, so that we can take action on the funding that and Yeah. Do you want to do that? Okay. I think that means that yours is going to be long, right? You're warning us now. Yes. Okay.

Item number 10D. Consider appropriating funding in the amount of $167,45361 from general fund feed transit 26 grant match $27,461 and general fund general administrative transfer out grant match $139,99261 to general fund TSL LGC cap project construction $167,45361 to support completion of 60% design of the future El Paso County Transit Operations Facility and should the commissioner's court approve the appropriation of funding authorized excuse me authorize the county judge to sign amendment three to the interlocal agreement with the Camino Noral Regional Mobility Authority for continued design and engineering services for the transit operations and maintenance facility including advancement of design to 60% reallocation of remaining project funds and addition of the El Paso Area Transportation Services Local Government Corporation as a party pending final legal review and approval conditional upon the approval and execution of an amendment to the interlocal local agreement between El Paso County and EPATS to recognize the additional 167,45361 as future inind match. Additionally, authorized the budget and finance department to process a budget amendment for the allocation of 27,461

from general fund fed transit 26 grant match and $139,9261 from general fund general administrative transfer out grant match for a total of $167,453. $361 to general fund TSLGC CAP project construction to support completion of 60% design upon completion of the actions presented above. Contract number 2026 0210. Top of the afternoon, commissioners. Uh John Ando, executive director of transit operations. Um I'm here today to request that the commissioner's court uh take the following actions that was uh just mentioned by Mr. Nava. Uh but to give some background uh we did discuss this at the EPATS board of directors meeting at their last meeting and uh they did recommend forwarding this recommendation to the commissioner's court for consideration. We are at a stage where we're we just finished the 30% design. We do want to get to 60%. However, there is a slight shortfall of the $167,453 that was uh uh previously mentioned. Uh we have identified funds in the county's contingency funds that could transfer over to cover this cost. Uh by doing this, if should the commissioner's court take that action, it'll get us at a 60% but it is uh ETA's desire to pursue text off funding and get us to 100%. Back in January, staff did submit as part of Tex DOT's coordinated call of application requests to get us to the 100%. So, should we be successful, we will be able to complete the design and then move to

the next phases of appropriate environmental and then ultimately procuring a vendor to construct the facility utilizing the $12 million grant that we were able to secure to construct this facility. As part of that um it does require to do an amendment to the current interlocal agreement with the Camino Rial Regional Mobility Authority. Uh we also would like to add EPAT as a party to that agreement just for the mere purposes that EPADS will be basically responsible for managing this project after the transition of transit operations from uh county administration over into EPADS. And then at the request of county administration, uh, in the current interlocal agreement between El Paso County and EPATS, we've recognized $1.5 million as potential in kind match to support transit operations. We have had we've since had conversations with Tex and they're of the opinion that we cannot necessarily use the inind match for operations, but we could potentially use it for capital needs. So by adding this hund this additional $167453 to that interlocal agreement as EPATS has to procure capital related items in the future to perhaps support this operations facility replacement buses we would work with El Paso County in recognizing that inind contribution which would then reduce the county's contribution overall to EPATS. So, I would request that uh should this commissioner court be interested to make uh to consider three separate motions. Um Mr. Nava, do you want me to read those three motions?

If you'll go ahead and go one by one so we can get the

So, I'm going to read these three motions um that I would ask this commissioner's court to consider. Motion number one, appropriate funding in the amount of 167,453 and61 cents from GFed Transit 26 grant match uh parenthesis 26,461 and GFG ADM hyphen XF out grant match $139,99261 to support completion of 60% design of the future El Paso County Transit Operations Facility and authorized the budget and finance department to process a budget amendment for the allocation of 27,461 from GF Fed Transit 26 grant match and 139,9261 from GFG ADM XFR out grant match for a total of 167,450. 53 and61. Motion number two.

Oh, I think we need to take action on each individual motion. Correct. Yes. Yes. And I do want to say as part of this motion that we did coordinate and work with the county auditor's office and the budget and finance department to come up with this uh recommendation. We have a motion from Commissioner Coronado, a second from Commissioner Olim. The voting is open. Meliss Caesar. Thank you, Commissioner Stout. As you're as you're voting, we just want to clarify the numbers. Mr. Ando, we think you might have been correct, but if they're wrong, we don't want to have to come back and clarify. So, um, Barbara or Carmen, will you clarify the numbers that are part of this motion?

Yes, thank you. Um, Carmen Adelia, budget and finance. So, I think I heard 26461. So, it is 27,461 from GFed Transit 26 grant match. So, just to clarify for the record and the motion. Did I not say that? I apologize. I think you said 26. I may have heard but the but the motion is correct on the screen. Correct. Perfect. Okay. Thank you so much.

Okay. Motion carries. All right. Um, my second request for motion number two is to authorize the county judge to sign amendment number three to the interlocal agreement with the Camino Rial Regional Mobility Authority for continued design and engineering services for the transit operations and maintenance facility, including advancement of design to 60% reallocating the remaining project funds and the addition of the El Paso Area Transportation Services Local Government Corporation as a party to the agreement. We have a motion from Commissioner Coronado, a second from Commissioner Butler. Voting is open.

All right. For me, Caesar. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Stout. Motion carries. And my last request uh for motion number three, authorize the county judge to sign an amendment to the interlocal agreement between El Paso County and EPATS to recognize the additional $167,45361 as future inind match. We have a motion from Commissioner Oin, a second from Commissioner Butler. The voting is open. Thank you, Commissioner Stout. Motion carries. Thank you very much, Commissioners. We'll see you after the break.

Would you like to recess for the afternoon? Yes, please.

Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner's Court will recess for 1 hour. It is 12:14 p.m. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N.

Heat up here. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hola, Al Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on across our county. Now, let's take a look back at some of February's highlights. The countyy's second parks and recreation capital improvement bond project is now underway. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Awad Dulce improvements project. The renovations to the park includes a paved parking lot with ADA accessible spaces, a new walking trail, a water fountain, and new shelters which include amenities like picnic tables, benches, and waste receptacles to improve safety and accessibility throughout the park. The countyy's first ever animal shelter is one step closer to reality. As phase two of the facility's development was discussed in a community meeting, the public was presented with new design concepts inspired by the results of the

first community meeting. Attendees were presented two options for the building's design and highlighted new kennels separated by a bark wall. The public was able to present their input on the new design options in person and online. The front entrance of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse was decorated in colorful messages for the third annual Talk About Love event. In recognition of teen dating violence awareness month, the Center against Sexual and Family Violence in partnership with El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez and District Attorney James Montoya invited the community to participate. Community members were encouraged to create colorful sidewalk chalk messages that promoted respect, healthy relationships, and love. This interactive event raised awareness about teen dating violence while fostering positive conversations and community engagement. That does it for this month's county connects. Until next time, let's get ready for spring and make sure to stay connected with El Paso County. He a m a mh Hey, hey, hey.

Welcome to the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, where We're dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of family law with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to excellence. As an integral part of the El Paso County Civil Court system, we strive to provide support during challenging times. We are dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and children in navigating complex issues such as custody, visitation, child support, and beyond. Whether you are recently divorced, in the midst of a custody dispute, or facing challenges with child support, we stand ready to offer compassionate guidance and unwavering support. Our mission is to assist children and families during what can be one of the most challenging times in their lives, ensuring they have the resources and assistance they need to move forward confidently. We provide services both in person and virtually, collaborating closely with judges, attorneys, and service providers to address each family's unique needs. Our child support enforcement unit plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support necessary for their well-being. When a court orders child support, it represents not just a figure, but a commitment to a child's future. This unit consists of a team of attorneys, enforcement officers, financial specialists, legal engagement officers, parillegals, and administrative staff who assist with the collection and enforcement of child support and medical support. Domestic relations office attorneys decide what enforcement remedies will be used based on the particular facts of the case. We help enforce court orders by monitoring payments and maintaining accurate records, working with parents who have fallen behind, helping them understand their obligations and options, filing enforcement actions with the court when necessary, and helping parents modify

orders if their financial situation changes significantly. Because we know life happens and fairness matters. We know that every family's situation is different. That's why our staff works with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism, helping both custodial and non-custodial parents understand the process, meet their obligations, and keep the focus where it belongs, on the children. Another one of our core responsibilities is through our family court service unit, where we support the courts in making informed child- centered decisions in custody and visitation cases. In contested custody matters, when parents can't agree on who should care for the child, judges often rely on our skilled professionals to provide objective and detailed assessments. Family court services social workers or guardian adult items are appointed by judges to conduct thorough investigations and provide reports to the court based on the interests of the children involved. Either party may request the appointment of a guardian adel item for their case. In addition, family court services staff are appointed on some adoption cases to conduct evaluations. Our cooperative parenting program provides co-parenting classes which focus on the needs of children and parents in the aftermath of separation or divorce. Topics include parent, children and the involvement in the court, positive co-parenting practices, impact of divorce and separation on child development, communication, conflict resolution, and anger management. Classes are offered both in person and virtually and are open to everyone. No court order needed. Co-parents take the classes separately to ensure participants are comfortable discussing the topics. Individuals may register for classes by either visiting the domestic relations office website or by calling the office at 9152733533

or by picking up the form inside our office. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator to discuss attendance and answer questions via email or phone. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator. Our office is dedicated to providing essential legal assistance tailored to family law issues. We empower parents to effectively enforce and modify access and possession time with their children, ensuring that their rights are upheld. For those seeking to formalize agreements, we facilitate parenting negotiation conferences that transform your arrangements into legally binding court orders. At the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, we're committed to helping families find solutions that work. So, please visit our website or give us a call today to learn how we can help you move forward. Ah! Ah!

Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Hola, El Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on across our county. Now, let's take a look back at some of February's highlights. The countyy's second parks and recreation capital improvement bond project is now underway. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Awadulce improvements project. The renovations to the park includes a paved parking lot with ADA accessible spaces, a new walking trail, a water fountain, and new shelters, which include amenities like picnic tables, benches, and waste receptacles to improve safety and accessibility throughout the park. The county's first ever animal shelter is one step closer to reality. As phase two of the facilities development was discussed in a community meeting, the public was presented with new design concepts inspired by the results of the first community meeting. Attendees were presented two options for the building's design and highlighted new kennels separated by a bark wall. The public was

able to present their input on the new design options in person and online. The front entrance of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse was decorated in colorful messages for the third annual Talk About Love event. In recognition of teen dating violence awareness month, the Center against Sexual and Family Violence in partnership with El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez and District Attorney James Montoya invited the community to participate. Community members were encouraged to create colorful sidewalk chalk messages that promoted respect, healthy relationships, and love. This interactive event raised awareness about teen dating violence while fostering positive conversations and community engagement. That does it for this month's county connects. Until next time, let's get ready for spring and make sure to stay connected with El Paso County. Heat. Hey, Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Hey,

hey, hey. Welcome to the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, where we're dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of family law with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to excellence. As an integral part of the El Paso County Civil Court system, we strive to provide support during challenging times. We are dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and children in navigating complex issues such as custody, visitation, child support, and beyond. Whether you are recently divorced, in the midst of a custody dispute, or facing challenges with child support, we stand ready to offer compassionate guidance and unwavering support. Our mission is to assist children and families during what can be one of the most challenging times in their lives, ensuring they have the resources and assistance they need to move forward confidently. We provide services both in person and virtually, collaborating closely with judges, attorneys, and service providers to address each family's unique needs. Our child support enforcement unit plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support necessary for their well-being. When a court orders child support, it represents not just a figure, but a commitment to a child's future. This unit consists of a team of attorneys, enforcement officers, financial specialists, legal engagement officers, parillegals, and administrative staff who assist with the collection and enforcement of child support and medical support. Domestic relations office attorneys decide what enforcement remedies will be used based on the particular facts of the case. We help enforce court orders by monitoring payments and maintaining accurate records. Working with parents who have fallen behind, helping them

understand their obligations and options, filing enforcement actions with the court when necessary, and helping parents modify orders if their financial situation changes significantly. Because we know life happens and fairness matters. We know that every family situation is different. That's why our staff works with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism, helping both custodial and non-custodial parents understand the process, meet their obligations, and keep the focus where it belongs, on the children. Another one of our core responsibilities is through our family court service unit where we support the courts in making informed child- centered decisions in custody and visitation cases. In contested custody matters when parents can't agree on who should care for the child. Judges often rely on our skilled professionals to provide objective and detailed assessments. Family court services social workers or guardian adult items are appointed by judges to conduct thorough investigations and provide reports to the court based on the interests of the children involved. Either party may request the appointment of a guardian adel item for their case. In addition, family court services staff are appointed on some adoption cases to conduct evaluations. Our cooperative parenting program provides co-parenting classes which focus on the needs of children and parents in the aftermath of separation or divorce. Topics include parent, children and the involvement in the court, positive co-parenting practices, impact of divorce and separation on child development, communication, conflict resolution and anger management. Classes are offered both in person and virtually and are open to everyone. No court order needed. Co-parents take the classes separately to ensure participants are comfortable

discussing the topics. Individuals may register for classes by either visiting the domestic relations office website or by calling the office at 915-2733533 or by picking up the form inside our office. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator to discuss attendance and answer questions via email or phone. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator. Our office is dedicated to providing essential legal assistance tailored to family law issues. We empower parents to effectively enforce and modify access and possession time with their children, ensuring that their rights are upheld. For those seeking to formalize agreements, we facilitate parenting negotiation conferences that transform your arrangements into legally binding court orders. At the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, we're committed to helping families find solutions that work. So, please visit our website or give us a call today to learn how we can help you move forward. Ah, hey.

Heat. Heat. Okay. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hola, Al Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on across our county. Now, let's take a look back at some of February's highlights. The countyy's second parks and recreation capital improvement bond project is now underway. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Awad Dulce improvements project. The renovations to the park includes a paved parking lot with ADA accessible spaces, a new walking trail, a water fountain, and new shelters which include amenities like picnic tables, benches, and waste receptacles to improve safety and accessibility throughout the park. The countyy's first ever animal shelter is one step closer to reality. As phase two of the facility's development was discussed in a community meeting, the public was presented with new design concepts inspired by the results of the first community meeting. Attendees were

presented two options for the building's design and highlighted new kennels separated by a bark wall. The public was able to present their input on the new design options in person and online. The front entrance of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse was decorated in colorful messages for the third annual Talk About Love event. In recognition of teen dating violence awareness month, the Center against Sexual and Family Violence in partnership with El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez and District Attorney James Montoya invited the community to participate. Community members were encouraged to create colorful sidewalk chalk messages that promoted respect, healthy relationships, and love. This interactive event raised awareness about teen dating violence while fostering positive conversations and community engagement. That does it for this month's county connects. Until next time, let's get ready for spring and make sure to stay connected with El Paso County. Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey.

Welcome to the El Paso. County Domestic Relations Office, where we're dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of family law with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to excellence. As an integral part of the El Paso County Civil Court system, we strive to provide support during challenging times. We are dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and children in navigating complex issues such as custody, visitation, child support, and beyond. Whether you are recently divorced, in the midst of a custody dispute, or facing challenges with child support, we stand ready to offer compassionate guidance and unwavering support. Our mission is to assist children and families during what can be one of the most challenging times in their lives, ensuring they have the resources and assistance they need to move forward confidently. We provide services both in person and virtually, collaborating closely with judges, attorneys, and service providers to address each family's unique needs. Our child support enforcement unit plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support necessary for their well-being. When a court orders child support, it represents not just a figure, but a commitment to a child's future. This unit consists of a team of attorneys, enforcement officers, financial specialists, legal engagement officers, parillegals, and administrative staff who assist with the collection and enforcement of child support and medical support. Domestic relations office attorneys decide what enforcement remedies will be used based on the particular facts of the case. We help enforce court orders by monitoring payments and maintaining accurate records, working with parents who have fallen behind, helping them understand their obligations and options, filing enforcement actions with the court when necessary, and helping parents modify

orders if their financial situation changes significantly. Because we know life happens and fairness matters. We know that every family's situation is different. That's why our staff works with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism, helping both custodial and non-custodial parents understand the process, meet their obligations, and keep the focus where it belongs, on the children. Another one of our core responsibilities is through our family court service unit, where we support the courts in making informed child- centered decisions in custody and visitation cases. In contested custody matters, when parents can't agree on who should care for the child, judges often rely on our skilled professionals to provide objective and detailed assessments. Family court services social workers or guardian adult items are appointed by judges to conduct thorough investigations and provide reports to the court based on the interests of the children involved. Either party may request the appointment of a guardian adel item for their case. In addition, family court services staff are appointed on some adoption cases to conduct evaluations. Our cooperative parenting program provides co-parenting classes which focus on the needs of children and parents in the aftermath of separation or divorce. Topics include parent, children and the involvement in the court, positive co-parenting practices, impact of divorce and separation on child development, communication, conflict resolution, and anger management. Classes are offered both in person and virtually and are open to everyone. No court order needed. Co-parents take the classes separately to ensure participants are comfortable discussing the topics. Individuals may register for classes by either visiting the domestic relations office website or by calling the office at 915-2733533

or by picking up the form inside our office. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator to discuss attendance and answer questions via email or phone. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator. Our office is dedicated to providing essential legal assistance tailored to family law issues. We empower parents to effectively enforce and modify access and possession time with their children, ensuring that their rights are upheld. For those seeking to formalize agreements, we facilitate parenting negotiation conferences that transform your arrangements into legally binding court orders. At the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, we're committed to helping families find solutions that work. So, please visit our website or give us a call today to learn how we can help you move forward. Heat. Hey, Heat. Ah, hey.

Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.

Heat. Heat. Heat up Hola, El Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on across our county. Now, let's take a look back at some of February's highlights. The countyy's second parks and recreation capital improvement bond project is now underway. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Awad Dulce improvements project. The renovations to the park includes a paved parking lot with ADA accessible spaces, a new walking trail, a water fountain, and new shelters, which include amenities like picnic tables, benches, and waste receptacles to improve safety and accessibility throughout the park. The county's first ever animal shelter is one step closer to reality. As phase two of the facilities development was discussed in a community meeting, the public was presented with new design concepts inspired by the results of the first community meeting. Attendees were presented two options for the building's design and highlighted new kennels separated by a bark wall. The public was

able to present their input on the new design options in person and online. The front entrance of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse was decorated in colorful messages for the third annual Talk About Love event. In recognition of teen dating violence awareness month, the Center against Sexual and Family Violence in partnership with El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez and District Attorney James Montoya invited the community to participate. Community members were encouraged to create colorful sidewalk chalk messages that promoted respect, healthy relationships, and love. This interactive event raised awareness about teen dating violence while fostering positive conversations and community engagement. That does it for this month's county connects. Until next time, let's get ready for spring and make sure to stay connected with El Paso County. Hey, hey, hey. Mat a hey a hey a hey a hey a hey a hey a hey a hey a hey hey a hey a

Welcome to the El Paso County Domestic Relations office where we're dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of family law with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to excellence. As an integral part of the El Paso County Civil Court system, we strive to provide support during challenging times. We are dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and children in navigating complex issues such as custody, visitation, child support, and beyond. Whether you are recently divorced, in the midst of a custody dispute, or facing challenges with child support, we stand ready to offer compassionate guidance and unwavering support. Our mission is to assist children and families during what can be one of the most challenging times in their lives, ensuring they have the resources and assistance they need to move forward confidently. We provide services both in person and virtually, collaborating closely with judges, attorneys, and service providers to address each family's unique needs. Our child support enforcement unit plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support necessary for their well-being. When a court orders child support, it represents not just a figure, but a commitment to a child's future. This unit consists of a team of attorneys, enforcement officers, financial specialists, legal engagement officers, parillegals, and administrative staff who assist with the collection and enforcement of child support and medical support. Domestic relations office attorneys decide what enforcement remedies will be used based on the particular facts of the case. We help enforce court orders by monitoring payments and maintaining accurate records, working with parents who have fallen behind, helping them understand their obligations and options, filing enforcement actions with the court when necessary, and helping parents modify

orders if their financial situation changes significantly. Because we know life happens and fairness matters. We know that every family situation is different. That's why our staff works with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism, helping both custodial and non-custodial parents understand the process, meet their obligations, and keep the focus where it belongs, on the children. Another one of our core responsibilities is through our family court service unit, where we support the courts in making informed child- centered decisions in custody and visitation cases. In contested custody matters, when parents can't agree on who should care for the child, judges often rely on our skilled professionals to provide objective and detailed assessments. Family court services social workers or guardian adult items are appointed by judges to conduct thorough investigations and provide reports to the court based on the interests of the children involved. Either party may request the appointment of a guardian adal item for their case. In addition, family court services staff are appointed on some adoption cases to conduct evaluations. Our cooperative parenting program provides co-parenting classes which focus on the needs of children and parents in the aftermath of separation or divorce. Topics include parent, children and the involvement in the court, positive co-parenting practices, impact of divorce and separation on child development, communication, conflict resolution and anger management. Classes are offered both in person and virtually and are open to everyone. No court order needed. Co-parents take the classes separately to ensure participants are comfortable discussing the topics. Individuals may register for classes by either visiting the domestic relations office website or by calling the office at 9152733533

or by picking up the form inside our office. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator to discuss attendance and answer questions via email or phone. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator. Our office is dedicated to providing essential legal assistance tailored to family law issues. We empower parents to effectively enforce and modify access and possession time with their children, ensuring that their rights are upheld. For those seeking to formalize agreements, we facilitate parenting negotiation conferences that transform your arrangements into legally binding court orders. At the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, we're committed to helping families find solutions that work. So, please visit our website or give us a call today to learn how we can help you move forward. Ah, hey.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat

up Hola, El Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on across our county. Now, let's take a look back at some of February's highlights. The countyy's second parks and recreation capital improvement bond project is now underway. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Awad Dulce improvements project. The renovations to the park includes a paved parking lot with ADA accessible spaces, a new walking trail, a water fountain, and new shelters which include amenities like picnic tables, benches, and waste receptacles to improve safety and accessibility throughout the park. The countyy's first ever animal shelter is one step closer to reality. As phase two of the facilities development was discussed in a community meeting, the public was presented with new design concepts inspired by the results of the first community meeting. Attendees were presented two options for the building's design and highlighted new kennels separated by a bark wall. The public was able to present their input on the new design options in person and online. The front entrance of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse was decorated in colorful messages for the third annual Talk About Love event. In recognition of teen dating violence awareness month, the Center against Sexual and Family Violence in partnership with El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez and District Attorney James Montoya invited the community to participate. Community members were encouraged to create

colorful sidewalk chalk messages that promoted respect, healthy relationships, and love. This interactive event raised awareness about teen dating violence while fostering positive conversations and community engagement. That does it for this month's county connects. Until next time, let's get ready for spring and make sure to stay connected with El Paso County. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey. Welcome to the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, where we're dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of family law with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to excellence.

As an integral part of the El Paso County Civil Court system, we strive to provide support during challenging times. We are dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and children in navigating complex issues such as custody, visitation, child support, and beyond. Whether you are recently divorced, in the midst of a custody dispute, or facing challenges with child support, we stand ready to offer compassionate guidance and unwavering support. Our mission is to assist children and families during what can be one of the most challenging times in their lives, ensuring they have the resources and assistance they need to move forward confidently. We provide services both in person and virtually, collaborating closely with judges, attorneys, and service providers to address each family's unique needs. Our child support enforcement unit plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support necessary for their well-being. When a court orders child support, it represents not just a figure, but a commitment to a child's future. This unit consists of a team of attorneys, enforcement officers, financial specialists, legal engagement officers, parillegals, and administrative staff who assist with the collection and enforcement of child support and medical support. Domestic relations office attorneys decide what enforcement remedies will be used based on the particular facts of the case. We help enforce court orders by monitoring payments and maintaining accurate records. Working with parents who have fallen behind, helping them understand their obligations and options, filing enforcement actions with the court when necessary, and helping parents modify orders if their financial situation changes significantly. Because we know life happens and fairness matters. We know that every family situation is different. That's why our

staff works with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism, helping both custodial and non-custodial parents understand the process, meet their obligations, and keep the focus where it belongs, on the children. Another one of our core responsibilities is through our family court service unit where we support the courts in making informed child- centered decisions in custody and visitation cases. In contested custody matters when parents can't agree on who should care for the child, judges often rely on our skilled professionals to provide objective and detailed assessments. Family court services social workers or guardian adult items are appointed by judges to conduct thorough investigations and provide reports to the court based on the interests of the children involved. Either party may request the appointment of a guardian adal item for their case. In addition, family court services staff are appointed on some adoption cases to conduct evaluations. Our cooperative parenting program provides co-parenting classes which focus on the needs of children and parents in the aftermath of separation or divorce. Topics include parent, children and the involvement in the court, positive co-parenting practices, impact of divorce and separation on child development, communication, conflict resolution and anger management. Classes are offered both in person and virtually and are open to everyone. No court order needed. Co-parents take the classes separately to ensure participants are comfortable discussing the topics. Individuals may register for classes by either visiting the domestic relations office website or by calling the office at 915-2733533 or by picking up the form inside our office. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual

will be contacted by the program facilitator to discuss attendance and answer questions via email or phone. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator. Our office is dedicated to providing essential legal assistance tailored to family law issues. We empower parents to effectively enforce and modify access and possession time with their children, ensuring that their rights are upheld. For those seeking to formalize agreements, we facilitate parenting negotiation conferences that transform your arrangements into legally binding court orders. At the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, we're committed to helping families find solutions that work. So, please visit our website or give us a call today to learn how we can help you move forward. Ah, hey.

Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.

Hola, El Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on across our Go ahead. Commissioner's Court has reconvened into regular open session. We're on item number 10 C. receive a presentation from the executive director of transit operations regardingformational update of the El Paso Transportation Authority, including organizational overview, transit services, recent accomplishments, and upcoming initiatives. Top of the afternoon, commissioners. John Ando, executive director of transit operations. uh per the county strategic plan, I'm here to give an update on the status of the El Paso Transportation Authority, where we've been for the last uh several months, and answer any questions. So the mission statement that the El Paso Area Transportation Services LGC adopted is shown on the screen, but the ultimate goal is to provide safe, reliable, and accessible transportation solutions that connect the rural communities of El Paso County. So, the El Paso Area Transportation Services, LGC, is a local government corporation that was created by this uh commissioner's court under Texas Transportation Code section 431. It's staffed by the El Paso County Transit Operations Department. Rio Grande Council of Governments acts as our fiscal and administrative agent and uh legal services is provided by Kent Smith. Um, our history goes all the way back to 1994 when this commissioner's court first adopted a countywide transit plan

and authorized the formation of El Paso County Transit. Uh, we've had many milestones since 1994. Um, this commissioner's court created EPATS in December of 2020 and in 2025 I was hired and we started uh to work towards u the transition of transit operations to EPADS. We have a 12 member board of directors. Three are represented by El Paso County since the county contributes the most funding to EPADS. And then we have one from each of the municipalities. Uh Sakoro is presently not participating, but they have started to engage with EPADS through appointing an exeicio along with Sun Metro. Uh we also have an exeicio from the El Paso MO and the WETP committee and we are in active negotiations with Sun Metro and Sakora about full participation in EPATS. We're budgeted for eight employees and we're currently recruiting for four. The com the board did create an access advisory committee to address transportation for persons with disabilities. All of our services are contracted to private companies. Uh this commissioner's court along with the EPADS board collectively have participated in the agreements. Uh Transdev operates PO access and undlay services. Enterprise mobility operates vomos and all aboard America through New Mexico Department of Transportation operates the New Mexico park and ride to Las Cusus. We are providing a multitude of transportation services throughout El Paso County. We operate seven days a week and we're closed on seven holidays. I'm going to go through each of the services uh one by one. Thanks to this commissioner's court, um all of ETA services are free. We're and as a result of us being free, we're seeing an increase in passenger trips. So, the program is working and is providing mobility and quality of life

opportunities to those that live outside of the city of El Paso. Our goal is to continue to build relationships with other community partners throughout the county to help promote the services and be a resource to them to help improve quality of life opportunities, getting people to recreation, shopping, educational opportunities, social service, jury duty, probation uh appointments as examples. So, we're going to start with um ETA PO. PO is our fixed route system. Uh we have six fixed routes that operate throughout the county. Uh there are four future routes being considered. We connect all cities in El Paso County and we meet Sun Metro at the west side, Mission Valley and Upper East Side transit centers. Access is our complimentary paratransit service. This is a required service for those that have a disability that cannot use traditional fixed route services. And we operate our access program within a threequarter mile radius of all of the ETA PO routes. And we also take folks into El Paso within the Sun Metro lift service area. And then Sun Metro based on an interlocal agreement does the same in reverse. They'll take people to the ETA access service area. So it doesn't require the need to transfer passengers between the two services. Unlay is our newest service. This is a pilot microtransit service. Think of it as a Uber Uber or Lift where it provides door-to-door services in San Alazario and Clint and takes those residents to Sakoro, El Paso Community College and the Mission Valley Transit Center. Uh we will send a van within 15 minutes of a ride. We combine trips with the access program to get economies of scale and we're in the process of developing an app so you can book these rides similar to lift and Uber on the app.

Domino's vanpool is a program that's solely subsidized by the county and it basically provides van pool for commuting groups throughout El Paso County and we subsidize those trips at $500 per van. As of today, there's 142 vans in operation and uh the vans could either originate in El Paso County and go out or travel within El Paso County or come into El Paso County to qualify for the subsidy. This program has been in place since 2009 and brings uh good ridership and revenue to uh to ETA. Our last program uh we do as a partnership with the New Mexico Department of Transportation. Uh this partnership is going to continue through May 2nd of this year. Uh and then uh ETA and the county will be exiting this relationship as they found an alternative funding partner to continue funding the services for the foreseeable future. However, um this service does operate between El Paso, Anthony, and Lasus, New Mexico. Connects people to New Mexico State University and UTP. and it's $3 one way to ride and operates Monday through Friday during the peak periods. This gives you a perspective of the performance of ETA. In fiscal year 25, we carried 572,000 passenger trips. Previous year, we carried 559,126 trips. So, we continue to increase in ridership over the various programs that I just mentioned. This just gives you a perspective of statistics that is reported to the Texas transportation uh dashboard. We uh collected in fiscal year 24, the last reported year. Uh 9.1 million in revenues and expenses. 54% of our budget is federally funded, 6.9 is state funded. 39% comes from county general fund and the member agencies local

matches general funds. On the expense side, we spend about 68% on purchase transportation, six on administration, 24% on capital. Uh, this program has been fully funded with a multitude of capital grants. So, it's nice to say that all of our assets in our in a state of good repair, and it's going to be several years before we'll need to replace buses and vans. And then, additionally, we'll be soon constructing a transit operations and maintenance facility and adding passenger amenities. So for a transit program to be to have very new brand new assets, it's unusual and is it's a great accomplishments of the county to get us to this st to this point. Some additional statistics um as it relates to the performance of ETA and El Paso County Transit over the past five years and and it compares to rural transit operations in the state. On the facility side, we're building passenger shelters, benches, trash cans. Uh we're in the design phase of a transit operations and maintenance facility on Windymir Avenue. Land has already been purchased and uh hopefully once design is complete uh staff was able to secure a $12 million grant in conjunction with Texot. So that will be the funds used to build this facility. And then uh on the far right is an example of what the proposed bus stop sign would look like. So people know what route they're waiting for the bus at, where it's going. They can scan the QR code and get connected to our schedules. They'll be able to also type in the ID number of the bus stop and track the bus in real time and it'll actually tell you through text messaging, through the phone or in the app exactly when the bus is going to arrive at that bus stop. So, we're starting to add more technology and make it easier to ride transit in the county. We connect to multitude of transit systems to Cororo's microtransit program, South Central to Sunland Park, New Mexico and Las Cusus. uh the New Mexico Park and Ride meets the

Roadrunner Transit in Las Cruises and then most importantly Sun Metro here in El Paso. We've uh partnered with Move It and Transit and you can use these two apps as a way to basically plan your bus trip, schedule lift and Uber rides soon be able to unlock bicycles through the Sun Cycle system. If we charge fairs, you could pay your fairs. You'll be able to book onlay rides through our future software. You'll be able to track our buses in real time. And if you look in Google Maps and Apple Maps, if you see a lot of bus icons scattered throughout the county areas outside of El Paso, those are our bus stops. And you can actually plan your trip on Google Maps and Apple Maps on transit. It'll actually tell you if you're going from, let's say, uh, Sunland Park, New Mexico to Montana Vista. It'll actually tell you which SCRTD route to ride, what Sunmetra route to ride, and then what ETA route to ride. May take you two and a half hours to do the trip, but it is now possible. We have a lot of upcoming projects coming about uh from passenger amenities to service enhancements. We've done new contracts. Uh we're pursuing federal funds in the urban area. We're pursuing partnerships with Sakuro, seeking rural transit district status from Texot, adding positions and uh building more partnerships and incorporating more technology into our operations. We've had a lot of accomplishments in the last eight months. hired staff, rebranded to ETA, completed all of our audits, seeking new funding, managing capital projects are some of the examples. Uh we got Sakoro re-engaged with transit operations. They're contributing $5,000 this year, but hopefully that number will increase in next fiscal year. Uh we're now participating on the El Paso MO's transportation policy board and their transportation advisory committee, and we're increasing our marketing efforts. That concludes my presentation about EPATS and I'm happy to answer any questions if there are any.

Thank you, John. Commissioner, I don't have any questions, but thank you very much, John, for the presentation, for your leadership, for all of the hard work you and your staff have put into uh this transformation of our transit services, especially over the last eight months. So, thank you. And I'm grateful for the support of uh chair Jackie Butler has been serving as chair for ETA for the past year and commissioner stout recently joining the board and Joel Bishop from county administration has helped us set the policy for this board. So thank you all. Thank you John. Thank you.

You Item number 11A, grant applications. We do have a correction to read in for item 11A. The item should read grant application approve and authorize the 243rd District Court Mental Health Court to apply for the fiscal year 25 BJA public safety and mental health initiative in the amount of $474,815 from October 1st, 2025 to September 30th, 2028. A county match in the amount of $173,525 is required and is being requested from general fund general administrative transfer out grant match. Further approve and authorize the county judge to sign the accompanying certificate of applicant contract number 2026211.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, commissioners. Thank you for your time. Thank you for having us here this afternoon. Uh my name is Monica de la Cruz. I am the specialty court coordinator for the 243rd Inspire Mental Health Court and I am here on behalf of Judge Jololis who's currently in trial. So she apologizes for not able to join us here this afternoon. Um we are here uh before the commissioner's court to get your approval and authorization to apply for the BJA uh public safety and mental health initiative for our mental health court which has been uh established and and I guess uh working since May 2023. Uh we are a um basically a treatment court that addresses a steadily increasing number of incarcerated and justice developed individuals who have serious mental health and co-occurring uh disorders in the El Paso County. The goal for the 243rd Inspired Treatment Court is to promote the early identification and prompt placement of these participants in the program uh by providing them with the mental health services that they need, substance abuse treatment as needed. And this uh collaboration would be in collaboration with our local mental health authority emergency health network. Uh we have been working with them and have a contract with them at the moment as of May 2023 when our court started. Um aimed as an alternative to incarceration. As I mentioned previously, Inspire addresses behavioral health and social needs um in hopes of reducing the criminal recetivism. And the implementation of the 243rd inspired treatment court is uh is community- based mental health services and um and basically this is targeted for adults individuals who have high risk high needs as identified by uh the responsivity model and this is uh done in collaboration like mentioned before with the emergency health network. Um the initiative that we are applying for one of their uh purposes of this initiative is to uh provide support coordinative services direct intervention efforts across public

safety mental health and substance use agencies which is what we're currently doing at the time providing the mental health substance abuse treatment uh community resources with our local um mental health authority emergency health network and our other contractor uh services that we have on board as well. Um since our program has started, our first milestone that our treatment court reached was in October of last year. We had our first uh program graduate. Uh although it was only one participant, it was a very significant uh milestone for our treatment court. uh letting us know that our court works uh and providing the proper skills and resources and tools that our participants need, they are able to uh complete the program successfully and and uh not reaffend and in order to have them continue uh life uh with uh with their medication and their services as needed. Currently, um the funding that we have does provide for uh my position which is the which is a coordinator and I just came on board February of 2025. The funding that we have this year or we received this year from the office of the governor's grant was significantly um reduced and it significantly impacted my salary not allowing me to work the 40 hours uh this fiscal year. Uh nevertheless, I'm grateful for this position and plan to continue here as long as our funding continues to be granted. And then we also paid for two contractor services. One of them being emergency health network which was as well significantly impacted. We had to reduce that budget by more than half of uh half of the amount that we usually allow for them on a 12-mon fiscal year. And then the second one would be with uh philosophical systems institute which provide uh cognitive behavioral therapy to our participants. They have also been on board for about a year right when I came on board. uh we had to restructure the amount of classes that were provided to our participants so that we can meet the budget that we had allowed for for this current year. Um so basically what we're trying to do is to remain actively

seeking for federal and state funding as required by the uh Texas government code of section 2025.005. Um we're being actively seeking for federal and state funding. this opportunity came about and we are here before the commissioner's court so that we can have that uh application approved and continue with the process. Um we are aware that this application does require a county match uh fund of 173,525,000. This will be for a period of three years um separated in three different years. So, we're hopeful that um that this application is is authorized so that we can continue to uh our uh provide the services that are very much needed for our mental health and and substance abuse population in El Paso County.

Miss Carmen. Yes,

thank you so much. Thank you, Miss Dela Cruz. Um Carmen Gandelia, Budget and Finance Department. So, just to give a little bit of clarification on the funding, um this is a new federal grant that we're applying for and it is for the fiscal year 2025 uh funding year and we do plan to uh apply for a grant extension uh once we uh if we are uh fortunate enough to be awarded this grant. uh that's what we rece the information that we received uh during the training seminar that we would just apply uh for an extension which would get us to the September 30th of 2029 which was the uh the date that was originally on the posting. Uh but this grant is for October 1st 2025 through September 30th 2028. So it's for three years um for a grant total grant match of 173,525. So for fiscal year 27 it would be 42,915 approximately $15 42,897 2028 and then it does go up to 87711. Given the status of our budget uh we do plan to reduce the total grant match for the county for any overages that we may uh that we may encounter. So, we're going to be looking at all of our grant matches, but we think we can accommodate this this new grant in our U grant match account for the fiscal year 2027. As I indicated, for 27, it's it's uh 42,915. And as Miss Dela Chris indicated, we are seeking any uh assistance from federal and state grants that we can to fund this particular program.

Okay. Any questions? I do not. And it's it'll fund existing staff, correct? There's no new staff. And I believe, Miss Delicus, if I'm not mistaken, I think it fully funds your position. Correct. Correct. So, as she indicated, it there was a slight reduction in this year due to funding. Thank you. We have a motion to approve by Commissioner Butler, a second from Commissioner Coronado. The voting is open. All right. Thank you, Commissioner Stout. Motion carries. Thank you. Thank you.

Item number 11B, grant application. Approve and authorize the Criminal Justice Coordination Department to apply for BJA FY225 Smart Re-entry Demonstration Program from October 1st, 2026 through September 30th, 2029 in the amount of $1 million with $946,440.13 in county match and a request for the full $250,000 federal match waiver allowed under the NOFO. All count all county match will be met through existing budgeted resources including personnel operating costs and facilities with no new fiscal impact to the county. Further approve and authorize the county judge to sign the accompanying chief executive assurance on recidivism data contract number 2026225.

Good afternoon. Good afternoon commissioners. My name is Norma Wyn. I'm a grant analyst in the budget and finance department. Um what we're presenting to you today is the El Paso Promise re-entry workforce expansion program which will request funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to expand the current El Paso Promise program which supports increasing access to educational and workforce training for justice involved individuals. The grant request includes the addition of a program navigator and a career counselor and will also fund educational related costs as such as course and exam fees, course supplies, and other costs. Um all county match for this grant will be met through existing budgeted resources including personnel, operating costs, facilities, and will have no fiscal impact to the county. Um here to speak more about the project is Miss Kathy Jones. Hello, Katherine.

Catherine,

good afternoon, commissioners. Katherine Jones, criminal justice director with your criminal justice coordination department. Um, we are seeking this grant um part of the smart re-entry program that the Department of Justice has. It would afford us a million dollars to come in and enhance the El Paso Promise program. And if you have any questions, please let me know. No, just I'm I'm really happy that you know we're really actively seeking out additional funds. Uh not only is our program gaining a lot of traction, but getting a lot of coordination now with other entities and you know, I think we have a great plan now. Thank you, Katherine, for restructuring uh the program. And I think these services really uh and you're right, they're we're we're preventing people from having to go into jail. Not uh re-entry, but pre-entry. Keeping them out.

Thank you. We have a motion from Commissioner Coronado to approve, a second from Commissioner Butler. Voting is open. Thank you, Commissioner Stout. Motion carries. Go get the money, Katherine. Thank you, everyone.

Thank you'all. Before we move into executive session, I'd like to read in item number 12E for the county attorney's office. Uh item 12E, pursuant to Texas Government Code section 551.0725. Discuss contract negotiations between the city of El Paso and the county regarding developing the proposed downtown deck plaza.

Thank you. Good afternoon, Anna Shamus, assistant county attorney. So staff is asking that item 12E be heard in executive session pursuant to Texas government code 551.0725. The county is currently in negotiations with the city of El Paso, the downtown deck deck park foundation, and the Texas Department of Transportation regarding an interlocal agreement and memorandum of understanding governing the development and design of the proposed downtown deck park. The information to be discussed includes issues involving business and financial information related to those contract negotiations, and the court must be free to discuss those issues without undermining the county's position. Therefore, Jacob Reynolds as your legal adviser has determined that deliberation and open meeting concerning these business and financial issues relating to those negotiations would have a detrimental effect on the position of the commissioner's court in negotiations. Thus, I am requesting that the commissioner's court unanimously vote that deliberations in an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the position of the commissioners court and the county in negotiations and that all said deliberations take place in close session. I would further request that the commissioner's court direct the county administration commissioners court reporter to ensure that all proceedings in close session are recorded. If the commissioner's court agrees, I need a motion and a second and a recorded vote at this time. Please, a copy of this legal memo has been provided to the county administration commissioner's court reporters to be made a part of the official court records.

We have a motion to approve from Commissioner Coronado, a second from Commissioner Gin. The voting is open. All right. Thank you, Commissioner Stout. Motion carries.

Commissioner Court will now recess into executive session to discuss items 12A through 12F pursuant to Texas Government Code section 551.071, 551.072, 551.0725, and 551.087. Commissioner's Court will reconvene to take official action. It is 1:48 p.m. Heat.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat up here. Hola, El Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on across our county. Now, let's take a look back at some of February's highlights.

The countyy's second parks and recreation capital improvement bond project is now underway. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Awad Dulce improvements project. The renovations to the park includes a paved parking lot with ADA accessible spaces, a new walking trail, a water fountain, and new shelters which include amenities like picnic tables, benches, and waste receptacles to improve safety and accessibility throughout the park. The countyy's first ever animal shelter is one step closer to reality. As phase two of the facilities development was discussed in a community meeting, the public was presented with new design concepts inspired by the results of the first community meeting. Attendees were presented two options for the building's design and highlighted new kennels separated by a bark wall. The public was able to present their input on the new design options in person and online. The front entrance of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse was decorated in colorful messages for the third annual Talk About Love event. In recognition of teen dating violence awareness month, the Center against Sexual and Family Violence in partnership with El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez and District Attorney James Montoya invited the community to participate. Community members were encouraged to create colorful sidewalk chalk messages that promoted respect, healthy relationships, and love. This interactive event raised awareness about teen dating violence while fostering positive conversations and community engagement. That does it for this month's county connects. Until next time, let's get ready for spring and make sure to stay connected with El Paso County.

He a m a Hey, hey, hey. Welcome to the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, where we're dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of family law with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to excellence. As an integral part of the El Paso County civil court system, we strive to provide support during challenging times. We are dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and children in navigating complex issues such as custody, visitation, child support, and beyond. Whether you are recently divorced, in the midst of a custody dispute, or facing challenges with child support, we stand ready to offer compassionate guidance and unwavering support. Our mission is to assist children and families during what can be one of the most challenging times in their lives, ensuring they have the resources and assistance they need to

move forward confidently. We provide services both in person and virtually, collaborating closely with judges, attorneys, and service providers to address each family's unique needs. Our child support enforcement unit plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support necessary for their well-being. When a court orders child support, it represents not just a figure, but a commitment to a child's future. This unit consists of a team of attorneys, enforcement officers, financial specialists, legal engagement officers, parillegals, and administrative staff who assist with the collection and enforcement of child support and medical support. Domestic relations office attorneys decide what enforcement remedies will be used based on the particular facts of the case. We help enforce court orders by monitoring payments and maintaining accurate records, working with parents who have fallen behind, helping them understand their obligations and options, filing enforcement actions with the court when necessary, and helping parents modify orders if their financial situation changes significantly. Because we know life happens and fairness matters. We know that every family's situation is different. That's why our staff works with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism, helping both custodial and non-custodial parents understand the process, meet their obligations, and keep the focus where it belongs, on the children. Another one of our core responsibilities is through our family court service unit, where we support the courts in making informed child- centered decisions in custody and visitation cases. In contested custody matters, when parents can't agree on who should care for the child, judges often rely on our skilled professionals to provide objective and detailed assessments. Family court services

social workers or guardian adult items are appointed by judges to conduct thorough investigations and provide reports to the court based on the interests of the children involved. Either party may request the appointment of a guardian adel item for their case. In addition, family court services staff are appointed on some adoption cases to conduct evaluations. Our cooperative parenting program provides co-parenting classes which focus on the needs of children and parents in the aftermath of separation or divorce. Topics include parent, children and the involvement in the court, positive co-parenting practices, impact of divorce and separation on child development, communication, conflict resolution, and anger management. Classes are offered both in person and virtually and are open to everyone. No court order needed. Co-parents take the classes separately to ensure participants are comfortable discussing the topics. Individuals may register for classes by either visiting the domestic relations office website or by calling the office at 9152733533 or by picking up the form inside our office. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator to discuss attendance and answer questions via email or phone. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator. Our office is dedicated to providing essential legal assistance tailored to family law issues. We empower parents to effectively enforce and modify access and possession time with their children, ensuring that their rights are upheld. For those seeking to formalize agreements, we facilitate parenting negotiation conferences that transform

your arrangements into legally binding court orders. At the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, we're committed to helping families find solutions that work. So, please visit our website or give us a call today to learn how we can help you move forward. Heat. Heat. Do you remember?

Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat.

Heat. Heat. Heat up Hola, El Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on. across our county. Now, let's take a look back at some of February's highlights. The countyy's second parks and recreation capital improvement bond project is now underway. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Awad Dulce improvements project. The renovations to the park includes a paved parking lot with ADA accessible spaces, a new walking trail, a water fountain, and new shelters, which include amenities like picnic tables, benches, and waste receptacles to improve safety and accessibility throughout the park. The county's first ever animal shelter is one step closer to reality. As phase two of the facilities development was discussed in a community meeting, the public was presented with new design concepts inspired by the results of the first community meeting. Attendees were presented two options for the building's design and highlighted new kennels separated by a bark wall. The public was

able to present their input on the new design options in person and online. The front entrance of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse was decorated in colorful messages for the third annual Talk About Love event. In recognition of teen dating violence awareness month, the Center against Sexual and Family Violence in partnership with El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez and District Attorney James Montoya invited the community to participate. Community members were encouraged to create colorful sidewalk chalk messages that promoted respect, healthy relationships, and love. This interactive event raised awareness about teen dating violence while fostering positive conversations and community engagement. That does it for this month's county connects. Until next time, let's get ready for spring and make sure to stay connected with El Paso County. He ah ah ah He ah ah a

Welcome to the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, where we're dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities is a family law with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to excellence. As an integral part of the El Paso County Civil Court system, we strive to provide support during challenging times. We are dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and children in navigating complex issues such as custody, visitation, child support, and beyond. Whether you are recently divorced, in the midst of a custody dispute, or facing challenges with child support, we stand ready to offer compassionate guidance and unwavering support. Our mission is to assist children and families during what can be one of the most challenging times in their lives, ensuring they have the resources and assistance they need to move forward confidently. We provide services both in person and virtually, collaborating closely with judges, attorneys, and service providers to address each family's unique needs. Our child support enforcement unit plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support necessary for their well-being. When a court orders child support, it represents not just a figure, but a commitment to a child's future. This unit consists of a team of attorneys, enforcement officers, financial specialists, legal engagement officers, parillegals, and administrative staff who assist with the collection and enforcement of child support and medical support. Domestic relations office attorneys decide what enforcement remedies will be used based on the particular facts of the case. We help enforce court orders by monitoring payments and maintaining accurate records, working with parents who have fallen behind, helping them understand their obligations and options, filing enforcement actions with the court when necessary, and helping parents modify

orders if their financial situation changes significantly. Because we know life happens and fairness matters. We know that every family's situation is different. That's why our staff works with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism, helping both custodial and non-custodial parents understand the process, meet their obligations, and keep the focus where it belongs, on the children. Another one of our core responsibilities is through our family court service unit, where we support the courts in making informed child- centered decisions in custody and visitation cases. In contested custody matters, when parents can't agree on who should care for the child, judges often rely on our skilled professionals to provide objective and detailed assessments. Family court services social workers or guardian adult items are appointed by judges to conduct thorough investigations and provide reports to the court based on the interests of the children involved. Either party may request the appointment of a guardian adel item for their case. In addition, family court services staff are appointed on some adoption cases to conduct evaluations. Our cooperative parenting program provides co-parenting classes which focus on the needs of children and parents in the aftermath of separation or divorce. Topics include parent, children and the involvement in the court, positive co-parenting practices, impact of divorce and separation on child development, communication, conflict resolution and anger management. Classes are offered both in person and virtually and are open to everyone. No court order needed. Co-parents take the classes separately to ensure participants are comfortable discussing the topics. Individuals may register for classes by either visiting the domestic relations office website or by calling the office at 915-2733533

or by picking up the form inside our office. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator to discuss attendance and answer questions via email or phone. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator. Our office is dedicated to providing essential legal assistance tailored to family law issues. We empower parents to effectively enforce and modify access and possession time with their children, ensuring that their rights are upheld. For those seeking to formalize agreements, we facilitate parenting negotiation conferences that transform your arrangements into legally binding court orders. At the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, we're committed to helping families find solutions that work. So, please visit our website or give us a call today to learn how we can help you move forward. Ah, hey.

Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat

Heat. Heat. Heat Heat. Heat. Hola, El Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on across our county. Now, let's take a look back at some of February's highlights. The county's second parks and recreation capital improvement bond project is now underway. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Awad Dulce improvements project. The renovations to the park includes a paved parking lot with ADA accessible spaces, a new walking trail, a water fountain, and new shelters, which include amenities like picnic tables, benches, and waste receptacles to improve safety and accessibility throughout the park. The countyy's first ever animal shelter is one step closer to reality. As phase two of the facilities development was discussed in a community meeting, the public was presented with new design concepts inspired by the results of the first community meeting. Attendees were presented two options for the building's design and highlighted new kennels separated by a bark wall. The public was

able to present their input on the new design options in person and online. The front entrance of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse was decorated in colorful messages for the third annual Talk About Love event. In recognition of teen dating violence awareness month, the Center against Sexual and Family Violence in partnership with El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez and District Attorney James Montoya invited the community to participate. Community members were encouraged to create colorful sidewalk talk messages that promoted respect, healthy relationships, and love. This interactive event raised awareness about teen dating violence while fostering positive conversations and community engagement. That does it for this month's county connects. Until next time, let's get ready for spring and make sure to stay connected with El Paso County. He a m ah. Heat. Heat. N. Hey,

hey, hey. Welcome to the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, where we're dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of family law with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to excellence. As an integral part of the El Paso County Civil Court system, we strive to provide support during challenging times. We are dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and children in navigating complex issues such as custody, visitation, child support, and beyond. Whether you are recently divorced, in the midst of a custody dispute, or facing challenges with child support, we stand ready to offer compassionate guidance and unwavering support. Our mission is to assist children and families during what can be one of the most challenging times in their lives, ensuring they have the resources and assistance they need to move forward confidently. We provide services both in person and virtually, collaborating closely with judges, attorneys, and service providers to address each family's unique needs. Our child support enforcement unit plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support necessary for their well-being. When a court orders child support, it represents not just a figure, but a commitment to a child's future. This unit consists of a team of attorneys, enforcement officers, financial specialists, legal engagement officers, parillegals, and administrative staff who assist with the collection and enforcement of child support and medical support. Domestic relations office attorneys

decide what enforcement remedies will be used based on the particular facts of the case. We help enforce court orders by monitoring payments and maintaining accurate records. Working with parents who have fallen behind, helping them understand their obligations and options, filing enforcement actions with the court when necessary, and helping parents modify orders if their financial situation changes significantly. Because we know life happens and fairness matters. We know that every family situation is different. That's why our staff works with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism, helping both custodial and non-custodial parents understand the process, meet their obligations, and keep the focus where it belongs, on the children. Another one of our core responsibilities is through our family court service unit where we support the courts in making informed child- centered decisions in custody and visitation cases. In contested custody matters when parents can agree on who should care for the child, judges often rely on our skilled professionals to provide objective and detailed assessments. Family court services social workers or guardian adult items are appointed by judges to conduct thorough investigations and provide reports to the court based on the interests of the children involved. Either party may request the appointment of a guardian adal item for their case. In addition, family court services staff are appointed on some adoption cases to conduct evaluations. Our cooperative parenting program provides co-parenting classes which focus on the needs of children and parents in the aftermath of separation or divorce. Topics include parent, children and the involvement in the court, positive co-parenting practices, impact of divorce and separation on child development, communication,

conflict resolution and anger management. Classes are offered both in person and virtually and are open to everyone. No court order needed. Co-parents take the classes separately to ensure participants are comfortable discussing the topics. Individuals may register for classes by either visiting the domestic relations office website or by calling the office at 915-2733533 or by picking up the form inside our office. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator to discuss attendance and answer questions via email or phone. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator. Our office is dedicated to providing essential legal assistance tailored to family law issues. We empower parents to effectively enforce and modify access and possession time with their children, ensuring that their rights are upheld. For those seeking to formalize agreements, we facilitate parenting negotiation conferences that transform your arrangements into legally binding court orders. At the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, we're committed to helping families find solutions that work. So, please visit our website or give us a call today to learn how we can help you move forward.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Heat. Heat.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hola, El Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on across our county. Now, let's take a look back at some of February's highlights. The county's second parks and recreation capital improvement bond project is now underway. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Awad Dulce improvements project. The renovations to the park includes a paved parking lot with ADA accessible spaces, a new walking trail, a water fountain, and new shelters, which include amenities like picnic tables, benches, and waste receptacles to improve safety and accessibility throughout the park. The countyy's first ever animal shelter is one step closer to reality. As phase two of the facility's development was discussed in a community meeting, the public was presented with new design concepts inspired by the results of the

first community meeting. Attendees were presented two options for the building's design and highlighted new kennels separated by a bark wall. The public was able to present their input on the new design options in person and online. The front entrance of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse was decorated in colorful messages for the third annual Talk About Love event. In recognition of teen dating violence awareness month, the Center against Sexual and Family Violence in partnership with El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez and District Attorney James Montoya invited the community to participate. Community members were encouraged to create colorful sidewalk chalk messages that promoted respect, healthy relationships, and love. This interactive event raised awareness about teen dating violence while fostering positive conversations and community engagement. That does it for this month's county connects. Until next time, let's get ready for spring and make sure to stay connected with El Paso County. Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey.

Welcome to the El Paso. County Domestic Relations Office, where we're dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of family law with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to excellence. As an integral part of the El Paso County Civil Court system, we strive to provide support during challenging times. We are dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and children in navigating complex issues such as custody, visitation, child support, and beyond. Whether you are recently divorced, in the midst of a custody dispute, or facing challenges with child support, we stand ready to offer compassionate guidance and unwavering support. Our mission is to assist children and families during what can be one of the most challenging times in their lives, ensuring they have the resources and assistance they need to move forward confidently. We provide services both in person and virtually, collaborating closely with judges, attorneys, and service providers to address each family's unique needs. Our child support enforcement unit plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support necessary for their well-being. When a court orders child support, it represents not just a figure, but a commitment to a child's future. This unit consists of a team of attorneys, enforcement officers, financial specialists, legal engagement officers, parillegals, and administrative staff who assist with the collection and enforcement of child support and medical support. Domestic relations office attorneys decide what enforcement remedies will be used based on the particular facts of the case. We help enforce court orders by monitoring payments and maintaining accurate records, working with parents who have fallen behind, helping them understand their obligations and options, filing enforcement actions with the court when necessary, and helping parents modify

orders if their financial situation changes significantly. Because we know life happens and fairness matters. We know that every family's situation is different. That's why our staff works with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism, helping both custodial and non-custodial parents understand the process, meet their obligations, and keep the focus where it belongs, on the children. Another one of our core responsibilities is through our family court service unit, where we support the courts in making informed child- centered decisions in custody and visitation cases. In contested custody matters, when parents can't agree on who should care for the child, judges often rely on our skilled professionals to provide objective and detailed assessments. Family court services social workers or guardian adult items are appointed by judges to conduct thorough investigations and provide reports to the court based on the interests of the children involved. Either party may request the appointment of a guardian adel item for their case. In addition, family court services staff are appointed on some adoption cases to conduct evaluations. Our cooperative parenting program provides co-parenting classes which focus on the needs of children and parents in the aftermath of separation or divorce. Topics include parent, children and the involvement in the court, positive co-parenting practices, impact of divorce and separation on child development, communication, conflict resolution, and anger management. Classes are offered both in person and virtually and are open to everyone. No court order needed. Co-parents take the classes separately to ensure participants are comfortable discussing the topics. Individuals may register for classes by either visiting the domestic relations office website or by calling the office at 915-2733533

or by picking up the form inside our office. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator to discuss attendance and answer questions via email or phone. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator. Our office is dedicated to providing essential legal assistance tailored to family law issues. We empower parents to effectively enforce and modify access and possession time with their children, ensuring that their rights are upheld. For those seeking to formalize agreements, we facilitate parenting negotiation conferences that transform your arrangements into legally binding court orders. At the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, we're committed to helping families find solutions that work. So, please visit our website or give us a call today to learn how we can help you move forward. Heat. Heat. Ah, hey.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.

Heat up Hola, El Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on across our county. Now, let's take a look back at some of February's highlights. The countyy's second parks and recreation capital improvement bond project is now underway. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Awad Dulce improvements project. The renovations to the park includes a paved parking lot with ADA accessible spaces, a new walking trail, a water fountain, and new shelters, which include amenities like picnic tables, benches, and waste receptacles to improve safety and accessibility throughout the park. The county's first ever animal shelter is one step closer to reality. As phase two of the facilities development was discussed in a community meeting, the public was presented with new design concepts inspired by the results of the first community meeting. Attendees were presented two options for the building's design and highlighted new kennels separated by a bark wall. The public was able to present their input on the new design options in person and online. The front entrance of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse was decorated in colorful messages for the third annual Talk About Love event. In recognition of teen dating violence awareness month, the Center against Sexual and Family Violence in partnership with El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez and District Attorney James Montoya invited the community to participate. Community members were encouraged to create

colorful sidewalk chalk messages that promoted respect, healthy relationships, and love. This interactive event raised awareness about teen dating violence while fostering positive conversations and community engagement. That does it for this month's county connects. Until next time, let's get ready for spring and make sure to stay connected with El Paso County. Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey. Welcome to the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, where we're dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of family law with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to excellence.

As an integral part of the El Paso County Civil Court system, we strive to provide support during challenging times. We are dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and children in navigating complex issues such as custody, visitation, child support, and beyond. Whether you are recently divorced, in the midst of a custody dispute, or facing challenges with child support, we stand ready to offer compassionate guidance and unwavering support. Our mission is to assist children and families during what can be one of the most challenging times in their lives, ensuring they have the resources and assistance they need to move forward confidently. We provide services both in person and virtually, collaborating closely with judges, attorneys, and service providers to address each family's unique needs. Our child support enforcement unit plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support necessary for their well-being. When a court orders child support, it represents not just a figure, but a commitment to a child's future. This unit consists of a team of attorneys, enforcement officers, financial specialists, legal engagement officers, parillegals, and administrative staff who assist with the collection and enforcement of child support and medical support. Domestic relations office attorneys decide what enforcement remedies will be used based on the particular facts of the case. We help enforce court orders by monitoring payments and maintaining accurate records. Working with parents who have fallen behind, helping them understand their obligations and options, filing enforcement actions with the court when necessary, and helping parents modify orders if their financial situation changes significantly. Because we know life happens and fairness matters. We know that every family situation is different. That's

why our staff works with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism, helping both custodial and non-custodial parents understand the process, meet their obligations, and keep the focus where it belongs, on the children. Another one of our core responsibilities is through our family court service unit where we support the courts in making informed child- centered decisions in custody and visitation cases. In contested custody matters when parents can't agree on who should care for the child. Judges often rely on our skilled professionals to provide objective and detailed assessments. Family court services social workers or guardian adult items are appointed by judges to conduct thorough investigations and provide reports to the court based on the interests of the children involved. Either party may request the appointment of a guardian adal item for their case. In addition, family court services staff are appointed on some adoption cases to conduct evaluations. Our cooperative parenting program provides co-parenting classes which focus on the needs of children and parents in the aftermath of separation or divorce. Topics include parent, children and the involvement in the court, positive co-parenting practices, impact of divorce and separation on child development, communication, conflict resolution and anger management. Classes are offered both in person and virtually and are open to everyone. No court order needed. Co-parents take the classes separately to ensure participants are comfortable discussing the topics. Individuals may register for classes by either visiting the domestic relations office website or by calling the office at 915-2733533 or by picking up the form inside our office. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the

registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator to discuss attendance and answer questions via email or phone. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator. Our office is dedicated to providing essential legal assistance tailored to family law issues. We empower parents to effectively enforce and modify access and possession time with their children, ensuring that their rights are upheld. For those seeking to formalize agreements, we facilitate parenting negotiation conferences that transform your arrangements into legally binding court orders. At the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, we're committed to helping families find solutions that work. So, please visit our website or give us a call today to learn how we can help you move forward. Ah, hey.

All right. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat up

here. Hola, El Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on across our county. Now, let's take a look back at some of February's highlights. The countyy's second parks and recreation capital improvement bond project is now underway. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Awad Dulce improvements project. The renovations to the park includes a paved parking lot with ADA accessible spaces, a new walking trail, a water fountain, and new shelters, which include amenities like picnic tables, benches, and waste receptacles to improve safety and accessibility throughout the park. The countyy's first ever animal shelter is one step closer to reality. As phase two of the facilities development was discussed in a community meeting, the public was presented with new design concepts inspired by the results of the first community meeting. Attendees were presented two options for the building's design and highlighted new kennels separated by a bark wall. The public was able to present their input on the new design options in person and online. The front entrance of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse was decorated in colorful messages for the third annual Talk About Love event. In recognition of teen dating violence awareness month, the Center against Sexual and Family Violence in partnership with El Paso

County Attorney Christina Sanchez and District Attorney James Montoya invited the community to participate. Community members were encouraged to create colorful sidewalk chalk messages that promoted respect, healthy relationships, and love. This interactive event raised awareness about teen dating violence while fostering positive conversations and community engagement. That does it for this month's county connects. Until next time, let's get ready for spring and make sure to stay connected with El Paso County. I ah hey Hey, hey, hey. Welcome to the El Paso County Domestic

Relations Office, where we're dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of family law with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to excellence. As an integral part of the El Paso County civil court system, we strive to provide support during challenging times. We are dedicated to supporting parents, guardians, and children in navigating complex issues such as custody, visitation, child support, and beyond. Whether you are recently divorced, in the midst of a custody dispute, or facing challenges with child support, we stand ready to offer compassionate guidance and unwavering support. Our mission is to assist children and families during what can be one of the most challenging times in their lives, ensuring they have the resources and assistance they need to move forward confidently. We provide services both in person and virtually, collaborating closely with judges, attorneys, and service providers to address each family's unique needs. Our child support enforcement unit plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support necessary for their well-being. When a court orders child support, it represents not just a figure, but a commitment to a child's future. This unit consists of a team of attorneys, enforcement officers, financial specialists, legal engagement officers, parillegals, and administrative staff who assist with the collection and enforcement of child support and medical support. Domestic relations office attorneys decide what enforcement remedies will be used based on the particular facts of the case. We help enforce court orders by monitoring payments and maintaining accurate records, working with parents who have fallen behind, helping them understand their obligations and options, filing enforcement actions with the court when necessary, and helping parents modify orders if their financial situation

changes significantly. Because we know life happens and fairness matters. We know that every family's situation is different. That's why our staff works with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism, helping both custodial and non-custodial parents understand the process, meet their obligations, and keep the focus where it belongs, on the children. Another one of our core responsibilities is through our family court service unit, where we support the courts in making informed child- centered decisions in custody and visitation cases. In contested custody matters, when parents can't agree on who should care for the child, judges often rely on our skilled professionals to provide objective and detailed assessments. Family court services social workers or guardian adult items are appointed by judges to conduct thorough investigations and provide reports to the court based on the interests of the children involved. Either party may request the appointment of a guardian adel item for their case. In addition, family court services staff are appointed on some adoption cases to conduct evaluations. Our cooperative parenting program provides co-parenting classes which focus on the needs of children and parents in the aftermath of separation or divorce. Topics include parent, children and the involvement in the court, positive co-parenting practices, impact of divorce and separation on child development, communication, conflict resolution, and anger management. Classes are offered both in person and virtually and are open to everyone. No court order needed. Co-parents take the classes separately to ensure participants are comfortable discussing the topics. Individuals may register for classes by either visiting the domestic relations office website or by calling the office at 9152733533

or by picking up the form inside our office. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator to discuss attendance and answer questions via email or phone. Class schedules can also be found on the website. Once the registration is received, the individual will be contacted by the program facilitator. Our office is dedicated to providing essential legal assistance tailored to family law issues. We empower parents to effectively enforce and modify access and possession time with their children, ensuring that their rights are upheld. For those seeking to formalize agreements, we facilitate parenting negotiation conferences that transform your arrangements into legally binding court orders. At the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, we're committed to helping families find solutions that work. So, please visit our website or give us a call today to learn how we can help you move forward. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat.

All right. Hey Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.

Heat. Heat. Hola, El Paso. Winter is almost over and El Paso County is springing into March with everything that is going on across our county. Now, let's take a look back at some of February's highlights. The countyy's second parks and recreation capital improvement bond project is now underway. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Awad Dulce improvements project. The renovations to the park Go ahead.

I don't know. Okay. Commissioner's Court has reconvened into regular open session. It is 3:10 p.m. We're on item number 13A. Discuss and take appropriate action pertaining to migrant detention centers within El Paso County. And a

Shimach isn't county attorney. We're not requesting any action at this time. Thank you all. Item number 13A, no action. Item number 13B, receive and discuss a presentation from No, inc pertaining to election check-in poll software and services, including poll pad services during the 2026 primary and future elections. And we do have several speakers signed up to speak and comment. Thank you. Thank you, Lisa.

Good afternoon, commissioners. Lisa Wisel, El Paso, County Election Administrator. Today, we're bringing this item to the court in order to provide an update from the poll vendor on the electronic poll pad disruption that affected some of our countywide vote centers on primary election day. I want to again emphasize that the electronic poll system operates completely independently of the ballot marking devices and tabulators. It is simply an electronic check-in and signature capture. The ballot marking devices and tabulators were fully functional at all sites throughout election day. The required post-election handcount audit conducted by both political parties confirmed this. Today, Mr. Steven Vickers and Mr. Steel Shippy are here from Noink, our pullpad vendor, to provide more information and answer any questions that the court may have.

Thank you. Welcome. Welcome.

Thank you. Um, thank you, Lisa. uh commissioners um appreciate the opportunity to address you today. Uh my name is Steel Shippy. I'm the chief strategy officer for uh No, Inc. We're headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. And with me today is Steven Vickers, who is our Texas state director. Steven's worked directly with El Paso County and the election team since our partnership began here. Uh we're here today because on the morning of March 3rd, our system fell short during the primary election. El Paso County voters in this court deserve a direct explanation what happened, what we've done to address it, and what we are doing to make sure it doesn't happen again. To explain what happened in a primary election, voters choose which party ballots they want to vote. Pollpad is configured to prompt pole workers to record that choice during voter check-in. On March 3rd, a majority of those devices deployed for election day did not display that prompt. Pole workers could not complete the standard check-in process and had to find alternative ways to keep the line moving. The issue was reported to us at 7:11 a.m. Our team identified the root cause and delivered a corrected update by 10:35 a.m. A disrupt a disruption window of approximately 3 and a half hours. An electronic poll book is a digital sign-in sheet. It confirms a voter a voter's identity and marks them as checked in. That's where this role ends. It's not connected to or involved in the casting of votes. With that in mind, I want to be clear about two things. First, this was a check-in display issue only. No ballot was changed. No vote was count. No vote count was altered. Every voter who checked in on the electronic system or on paper cast their ballot and had it counted. Second, I want to recognize the El Paso County Elections Department and their poll workers. They responded immediately by activating contingency

paper poll books at impacted locations. Their quick action and preparedness ensured that voters could continue to check in and cast their ballots throughout this disruption. That's is this is the exact the kind of response that makes our partnership work. This is a knowing system issue and we take full responsibility for it. El Paso County has been a knowing partner since 2018. In the past year, our system was updated to require a data field that El Paso County's original account configuration did not contain. Our system never flagged that gap. During early voting setup, the data gap ran unidentified because additional device preparation and syncing um allowed election setup to correct the gap. This allowed early voting to run successfully for 11 days. On the Saturday before election day, No, Inc. performed a standard data preparation step to consolidate all early voting data onto election day devices. That process rebuilt the election data and reintroduced the same gap. This time, nothing corrected it. The devices were deployed without the issue being detected. Our system produced an incomplete data file without surfacing a warning. We have since identified and corrected the root cause the same morning. What we've done since we've delivered a full technical briefing to your election administrator within days of the event. We have responded to every follow-up question from the SEC Texas Secretary of State's office and we have audited all customer accounts to identify and proactively correct any similar data conditions. Going forward, we have implemented the required adjustments to ensure that this particular data gap does not exist and have conducted a review of all required data points and confirm they are present moving forward. Additionally, we are updating our physical device verification steps so that even if our system were to produce an error again, there is a final check before any device reaches a polling location on election day. To reinforce our commitment to this partnership with

El Paso County, No, Inc. will provide dedicated on-site technical support for the county for the next two election cycles beginning with the May May 2nd election at no additional cost to the county. Our personnel will be on site during device preparation to jointly verify every device and on election day to provide real-time support. In closing, what happened on March 3rd fell short of the standard El Paso County and its voters deserve. We are sorry and we take full responsibility. We are here today because when the technology you depend on does not perform as expected on election day, the right response is to show up, be transparent about what occurred, and demonstrate what we're doing to address it. That's what we have done, and that's what we'll continue to do. We have supported El Paso County through more than 30 elections since 2018. This partnership matters to us. This trust the county has placed in No, Inc. is something we take seriously and something we're committed to earning back every election. Thank you for your time today. Does anyone have any questions?

Um I Well, Commissioner, go ahead. Go ahead.

I don't have any questions. I I mostly want to say thank you for coming here and providing an explanation. I know that uh we have several members of the public who want to to voice their concerns and they might have additional questions uh for you. Um, I mostly want to say thank you to our elections administrator and our elections department for um for acting as quickly as you could and and I know uh because elections fall under counties in Texas, how um how seriously we take that that role and how seriously our elections administrator and department takes that role. um and how much time and effort and emphasis goes into making sure that our elections are safe and secure and well-run. And so I I know that this was a worstc case scenario or close to one. Um and um and I I really um don't envy um the work that went into that morning from our elections department. I'm sure it was it was a um a nightmare situation and and I I um I applaud the efforts to to make this right and thank you for coming here and for taking accountability.

Thank you, Commissioner. Well, thank thank you all for coming here to explain uh the issue that happened because you what I heard on election day was a lot of uh people were blaming the county for the issues that happened and you know uh even just the fact that uh the delay in three and a half hours from the morning a lot of people want to go vote in the morning on election day. So it's the morning uh time period, lunch period and then after school where people really is when they come out to vote and in some locations uh you know going to paper wasn't it done immediately and so apart from the fact that this you're telling us that this got handled quickly I I you know any delay in having people vote and where they don't return or where they return and still the second time from what I heard from voters is that they weren't able to vote even the second time they showed up. There was a delay in then uh making sure that the uh manual uh check-in was done. So that caused a delay because of this issue. And so, you know, I just we know that uh you know, we extended the time, but I'm sure there was a lot of voters that didn't come back or couldn't come back. That to me in this day and age of what's happening countrywide with people having issues related to elections to me is just inexcusable. It is. I'm sorry, but and and I know y'all are some of the better vendors out there to do this. And my understanding was that some of the software was not

upgraded in this particular location than in others because I know in others it didn't happen. Is that correct?

Correct, sir. So, I just think going forward, I'm glad that y'all are here to do this, but going forward, what what do you tell the voters of our county in terms of what happened and that this isn't going to happen again because I'm sure, you know, disenfranchising voters, as as few as they were, there were many that couldn't return. So, I'm glad y'all are here. You're taking responsibility. I thank you for that. Assure the public that this is not going to happen again. Good. We, as to reiterate again, u our systems fell short. Uh we're sorry and um pulling back on our track record of more than 30 elections having previously supported. I I hope that we can have the opportunity to continue to earn earn that um trust moving forward in our systems and capabilities that we have. and we've gotten information because you know we asked for it that you all are one of the best vendors out there to do this.

Um so go ahead. You know we expect you to continue doing that. We will. Yes sir. Can I ask for a little bit of clarification on something that you mentioned? So you said that for the next two election cycles you would be willing to provide technical support for no additional cost. Um, so I know that our contract with you and I um perhaps Miss Wise can help me remember. I think it's 51,000 is the the amount of the contract 56. Um, so technical support would would be on top of that amount or so this technical support for no additional cost for two election cycles that you're offering that's on top of that or

Yeah. So the the number you're referencing is our annual software licensing fee. um that has been uh ongoing and hasn't changed since 2018. Um, we do for certain jurisdictions that request it or desire it provide on-site technical support um to assist with um device preparation, hardware loading, software loading um and just to to be a presence on election day to help troubleshoot with a call center or to be active and and engaged um versus a call center that um is engaged, you know, kind of remotely. So there's there's two different types of um technical support from on-site versus remote.

Okay. And so you're offering the on-site one at no additional cost. Okay. For two cycles. Okay. Um now the county did incur real costs related to the malfunction of the pole pads. Uh we had to uh uh file a suit to get the hour the extra hour of election time plus um trying to get everyone all of the supplies that they needed um to go to manual check-in. Um is there any room for negotiations to try to recover some of those real costs that the county suffered? Yeah, we're prepared to engage in any conversation or discussion uh that the county wishes to pursue on that matter to to help further rectify and um

right, you know um yeah provide um a fix to the you know this the system failure that we had. Great. Thank you. We'd appreciate that. Uh Commissioner Stout, did you have any questions? I was going to I was going to ask ask the same question. You know, we we did incur additional costs too because we had to pay um you know for the extra hour as well all the all the election judges and and and election staff I believe as well. So one other question commissioner

and and for the public to know can you tell the public exactly what percentage of the precincts had the issue related to the check-in? Um from conversations uh we know approximately the number of devices uh it's around just over 200 of like 320 devices that were impacted on election day which and I would have to defer to Lisa um the election administrator which is a substantial uh majority right about twothirds. Yes sir. Yeah. Okay. Are we ready to hear uh public comment? Does anyone have any other questions? No. Okay. Thank you. We're going to hear from the public now. Thank you. Thank you.

I'd like to call up Mr. Michael Aboud and I'd just like to remind speakers everybody is uh has five minutes to speak. Everybody will be timed. Thank you.

Hi. Thank you very much. My name is Michael Aboud. I'm the chairman of the El Paso County Republican Party, essentially a sponsor of this election. And what happened was absolutely wrong. Um the these guys say that oh you know it was just a simple software issue. Well no before software is implemented months before there's a thing called the logic and accur accuracy test that's done to make sure that this kind of thing doesn't happen yet it happened. So, what changed between the date that we had the logic and accuracies test and election day? Something was changed. It's not just a simple, oh, mishap. I don't buy it. Thousands of voters don't buy it. They're looking to you guys to correct this and stand up for them. You're their voice. You're their decision makers. I'm here bringing it to your attention. True. The county election department did a great job. There could have been things that they could have done better and sooner. That's not the problem. The problem is something happened that they had to take action. I want to know what the software program was before we had the issue during early voting. I want to know what the program and software was that got changed. And I want to know what was changed for not to work. As a sponsor of this election, my party has that right and I want to take that software to the Secretary of State so that they can take a look at it and see what happened. I don't believe that it was just a simple error. Simple errors like this don't happen. Okay? Somebody messed up. Something needs to

be corrected. And I don't care how good these guys are. It was a massive failure. And you don't keep employing someone who has massive failures. For you all to sit there and say, you know, we're going to keep you guys. I don't think the voters of El Paso are going to really appreciate that. You guys need to take action. You need to do something better. You need to make sure our system is valid. There were thousands and thousands of voters who did not get to vote just because, oh, everybody who checked in voted. Great. What about those thousands of people for three hours? Three plus hours did not get to vote. What are you going to say to those people? Oh, well, too bad. We don't care. Disenfranchised. You know, that's not the way it goes. None of you got elected that way, and none of you are going to keep your jobs if you take that attitude. The voters in El Paso have the right to have better voting than what we have now. And you all need to take some serious action. I've got candidates here that want to know why this happened, why their voters didn't get to vote. I have election workers that went through it and experienced it. And not one of them say it was a simple matter. Oh, it was just something small. Listen to what these people have to say. Listen to the people have been calling and complaining to me. that there was something serious that happened. It's not just a little simple matter and a couple bucks thrown back at us is going to solve it. That's not what solves this problem. Action actually needs to happen and it's up to you guys to take that action. Thank you.

Thank you. You all have any questions for me as the party chairman? Thank you. Next is Kelly Piliter.

Yes. Hello everybody. Um I'm a alternate judge. I've been working the elections for 21 years. It was 6 and a half hours that this happened. We turned away so many people. It was an embarrassment. There were judges that quit. Um, I just want to know what happened from Saturday to Monday. What changed so much that the machines were such a failure? That's my question.

We can have the representatives again. Yes, we're um I don't know if the county attorney's office wants to explain about public comment and our ability to engage with the public. Normally with public comment, we don't immediately respond to questions. However, we can provide answers to factual questions and so Miss Weiss or the uh vendor can provide those factual statements in response uh in lie of the elected officials once there's everyone has spoken. Thank you all.

So, we'll ask the vendors if maybe they can come up and answer some of the specific questions after we're done with public comment. Our next speaker is Hector Miguel Cababildo. Miss Butler, Miss Mr. Coronell, thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk in front of you. This is my first time running. I was running for Congress and well I it was a surprise to me that such an an important day and and and in such an a great state as is the great state of Texas that this could have happened. And to me it's important that voters see transparency and integrity in their elections. I think that's important as Americans. That's what America is based on. And the fact that the systems went out, I think it raises questions and the damages go far beyond the extra hour that had to been paid. You know, I know that the county suffered quite a good amount of damages, but also the candidates. I mean, there were hundreds of thousands of dollars poured into the campaigns in the primary, and I think it is important that if we're going to um be having um well, that in the future that we do more rigorous steps to not permit that this happens again. And I thank the representatives uh for coming out and for giving an explanation. I think it's important and I think the El Paso ones are going to appreciate that. But yet we have to take better and more decisive steps to make sure this does not happen again. Because if voters see that the integrity of our elections is not transparent, then I think that um I I don't think that's in the rights of all El Pasoans. I think El Paso deserve

better than having to go at 7:00 in the morning to go vote and not having the right to to express their suffrage. This country is built on suffrage and we need to make sure that the integrity of our elections is kept 100% intact and that we make sure that in the future we have more rigorous steps that it that the elections are foul proof. And yes, it's appreciated that, you know, the vendor is going to, you know, bring more funds or or or offer extra services, but I mean, I I do question whether should we look at other vendors as well. You know, what what should we do to make sure that this does not happen again? because it's inconceivable that when there's over hundreds of thousands of dollars invested into our elections that you know we have the um you know that discrepancy or or that level of uh of u error. So, I I mean I I'm not sure how how it would have affected the elections, but we I do know that over hundreds of thousands of dollars were poured in by candidates. And as a candidate, I feel like like we were done wrong. Not I don't know how it would have changed the results. It's not what I'm here to to fight for. I'm here to fight for the integrity of our elections. I know that it was an error, but we need to make sure that it does never happen again. And it's for the for the integrity of not only the people, candidates, but for the future of our country because and our in our county, in our state. We need to make sure that we make the proper steps and the El Paso see that we have taken the proper steps moving forward to make sure that this never happens again and that our elections keep their

integrity. Thank you. You Thank you.

Next up we have Matt Cyrunk. Good afternoon, Commissioner Butler, Commissioner Holggin, Commissioner Coronado. I appreciate you allowing me this opportunity to air my concerns. And I want to open up the discussion for the record on a much broader topic of comparing how we value election integrity versus convenience or speed. If I were to ask you what should get priority, I would hope that all of you come to the conclusion that election integrity is the most important of those three things I just said, election integrity, convenience, and speed. So if you look at those three values and you look at why we ever went to an electronic voting paradigm, only reason that you could give for that would be convenience and speed, not integrity. As a matter of fact, the case has been made that electronic voting was created designed for the purpose of fixing elections remotely so that uh election integrity would on purpose be compromised. That's a fact. This has been extremely well documented. If you look at Dybolt or Debbt, however it's pronounced, if you look at some of the very well-produced documentaries, hacking democracy, and I can mention some others from decades ago, this is

not a new problem, but we need to approach it in a new way that will prioritize election integrity over convenience and speed. We need to start with election integrity as the priority and then we backtrack from there and figure out how to get the convenience and how to get the speed. But the election integrity is absolutely non-negotiable. Okay. How we do that, who knows? Paper ballots, I don't know. We need to open up that discussion again because what we just experienced is something that is absolutely intolerable and it cannot be allowed to continue. And it is my personal opinion that the whole reason it happened in the first place was because of this valuing a convenience and speed over election integrity. And so that's what the electronic voting paradigm has basically flipped as far as our our priorities. Okay? So I want you to think about that and I want you to pray about it and I want you to ask yourself what's more important, election integrity, speed or convenience. And I want us to do the right thing from now on. You have any questions for me? All right. Thank you all very much.

Do we have Miss Dolaris Montas in the audience? Uh, next is Mr. Leonard Aros.

It's Uh, Commissioner, would you like to pull up public comment later after we do this? Yeah, later. Okay. If it's separate, we'll call you back. Okay. Thank you. Uh, Michael Apodaka.

Hello. Good afternoon, commissioners. Um, I'm Michael Abdak. I'm the chair of the El Paso County Democratic Party. So, um I do want to thank again the vendors uh here today to explain uh what occurred uh because as I've told like our party and I've told our elected officials and our candidates, you know, this is something that doesn't happen regularly in in El Paso County. Um and so for this to happen the morning of especially as a person that did go and vote that morning uh to in Anthony, Texas just to just to test out, you know, to show everybody you can vote anywhere you want to. Uh you know, we don't have any restrictions of where uh where you could go vote. Um I you know, the first thing our election judge told me, you know, the poll pads were not were not working that morning. And so, uh, this is this was really something that definitely was inconvenient to voters, um, because we don't know how many folks were disenfranchised that morning from a rec record setting uh, primary. Um, and so I guess the the thing I do want to thank is again I do want to thank the vendors uh, for being here and clarifying some of those issues, but I guess the question moving forward is going to be what's what are the reinsurances that this is not going to happen again? Uh because this is the la because the last thing we need because we know um we know there's another side uh or the other side or my counterparts on the other side and those are who are even in the farther side always have these ex uh uh conspiracy theories that the vote is taken the vote disappears or something like that. And obviously, you know, if you ever served as election judge, if you ever uh known how secure our elections are, we know that's the case that they are safe and secure. But then when it's issues like this is where it brings that public trust and that public integrity to our elections in question. And so I guess the the two questions I have for uh for for for the core to ask the vendors when

it is time to uh come back to to the vendors is one um you know next to being I know they they guarantee two years of service of making sure that their that their person is going to be here. Um but what will um is going to are they going to reinsure every single election um or is it going to be just these major elections that they will be here and also you know with that what will be the testing that will be done to ensure that when the packets are ready uh to go uh to be sent to our judges that it is going to work uh properly. Uh I guess the sec and then after that um I guess the second question after that would be were the devices that were that did have the issue were these new devices that were purchased uh maybe due to the fact that maybe some of the per some of the pads had to be replaced and they were just never updated and how can we make sure that everything is corrected with the right uh data system you know for the future. And so, you know, uh to to end my remarks, you know, again, I do want to thank uh our election department. Again, I know it was I know Lisa and I were on the phone numerous times that morning. Uh same thing with our county attorney to see what we what uh needs to be done, what could we do to ensure that people are not uh disenfranchised to see what the issue was. So, I do have to thank uh her staff on trying to to solve the solution as quickly as possible. uh because you know I could have been one of those voters uh that morning you know that was disenfranchised as you know the chair of the Democratic party um you know that's uh especially being you know and also technically the administrator of that of our primary uh to also have that issue that morning and so to make sure that we just don't have that issue because you know the thing about again we have to think about those firsttime voters this is their first ever experience uh granted I don't think there's that many 18-year-olds that went between the hours of seven and 8:00 in my opinion Uh but you know in case there was that have to go you know before work or and even that first person who's ever

participated in our primary who is who's a regular voter for them to experience to have this first experience uh would leave a negative leaves negative taste of what our what uh the integrity of our elections are and hope that you know uh and and and hopefully this won't you know u hopefully this won't question continue to question our integrity of our elections. So, thank you all and uh thank you for your time. Uh Marcy Chavez. Well, good afternoon again. God bless. Uh, as I told you earlier, I was a candidate for Congress and I'm one of the affected and I don't believe and I I say it's not acceptable what excuses or what reasons this gentleman with dual respect, you know, bring up to the table. I understand that this is a matter of dollars, you know, where the county or whomever is responsible for this for the no the support of no more cost or giving you so much time for free because of the action that was taken. So I'm here to say that what about the taxpayers? What about the voters? What about the candidates? What about the you know constituents? What about us? You know, we there was, as a matter of fact, if I can remember, I don't recall ever seeing lines for primary votes until this time, this election. And I convinced many of my supporters, you know, because they did not vote for years. They did not want to vote because they don't believe in trusting us. And I'm saying the government. And then yet they went out and vote. Then yet they had this problem, this issue. So, how do

you think they feel? Do you think they're gonna trust us again? Even though that I keep bringing the Lord, you know, in here because he's the only one with power. But what I'm saying is that there's no such thing as it's not going to happen again because they're like attorneys. They sound like attorneys. I give you 5050% that you you're not going to win. We either have in assurance that it's not going to happen or we don't. Because if I recall after the 2020 rig elections, supposedly they had already fixed all these machines because I've been working in elections too that it was not going to happen again. And then yet look at us again happened. So how are we going to fix this? And it not doesn't relate just making you all money. It's what about the people that got affected? Because see, you don't count the voters. The voters are the ones that count. when you're out there saying vote for me because then you want their vote. Once you get elected, you forget about the rest of the world because it's all about you, you and you. So, let let's get serious. And if you're not going to do your job, I suggest that you step down seriously because there's going to be accountability to all this. Even though people think they got away with whatever, no, there's not. So, that's all I got to say. Thank you. Is there anybody else in the audience who would like to speak on this item? Uh my name is Mike Nagel and I live in the north. Uh, I'm a G4 veteran and like many of the people out here, uh, I am not happy with what happened.

I didn't put my life on the line for this country for this type of stuff to happen. And I know there's a lot of debate back and forth, but I'll make it very simple for you. And I caution you, hear my words, the people are awake. They are aware and they are not happy. So I suggest you do the right thing and the simple thing is be the values of the lonear state, the only state that was its own country. And do not follow the path that they followed mistakenly when they voted this state into the Confederacy. Do the right thing. Do not mess with Texas. This is a very simple equation. Get rid of the electronic voting and go back to paper ballots. Is it speedy? Maybe not. Is it convenient? Maybe not. But it's much simpler. It's much easier to tell who voted for what. And there's it's a lot harder to cheat. Unfortunately for this country, there's a lot of cheating going on, a lot of fraud in both parties, and it doesn't matter what state it is. And if electronic voting is so convenient and so easy, then explain to me why in the past the votes used to all be counted by 10:00, 11:00 at night, no matter where you were in the country. And now you're lucky if you know the next day what the

results were. And you can call it conspiracy theory. You can say people are wearing a tinfoil hat, whatever you want to say. But the people are not stupid. They have a gut and that gut is their instinct. And they know inside their soul and their heart that things are happening that should not be happening. So again, I urge you guys who are in positions of power and authority to do the right thing. Go back to paper ballots. It'll be much harder to have problems and to cheat and you won't have to worry about conspiracy theories or tin hats or anything. And the people who are watching, and believe me, they're watching and they're not stupid. They know, they feel, they sense something isn't right. And whether they're right or wrong, it's still up to you to do the right thing. And your Lord and Creator is exposing and removing those people who are doing things in office in violation of their oath oaths that they should not be doing. And for those who will not do their job, they will be eventually removed by him. He has the power to do that. So, you will be voted out of office or exposed in some kind of corruption scandal. And when I say you, I'm not talking about the people before me. I have no idea.

But I can reasonably assume that uh hopefully you're not committing any acts of fraud or anything like that that uh go against your oath. Uh but these things are being exposed and people are awake and they are aware and believe me they are not happy at all. And what do they do when they're not happy and something happens? They start talking to each other. They talk to friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers, and the word just spreads. 30 seconds.

So, thank you for your time. Thank you for listening to me. God bless you and I pray that you get something started where we go back to paper ballots. It will not hurt us to do that. We have nothing to lose. If you love your constitution, this people, and this country, then it's an easy choice. Thank you.

Sir, please fill out a public comment form here at the front. Uh, no ma'am. Is there anybody else in the audience that would like to speak?

Mr. Shippy, would you mind coming up and maybe um addressing some of the questions that were put forth by the public? Thank you and appreciate the comments. Um if I can sum up what I heard, um questions about what happened Saturday to Sunday. Um how do we ensure it doesn't happen again? Um defining what election support looks like and then there was a qu I believe there's a questions about was there an introduction of new hardware. Um were there any other questions that um mentioned?

Uh I think just about the software maybe

what happened from Saturday to Sunday. Yeah, I'll try to c I'll capture that here. All right. So to add further context and information around Saturday to Sunday u we have to go back to pre-election and the loading of um early voting equipment. Um and this was provided um in the event briefing that to um the director but we have um EPulse is the software um the you know kind of the application that drives and runs the electronic poll book pullpad. So polepad only operates and gets its information from e- pulse. So all the election build election data um that the administrator uses as a software tool to run the pole pads is e- pulse. So I'm trying to define a terminology so everybody's has context there. Um there was a a from when we started the partnership in 2018 configuration, Stephen and his team spent a week down here making sure everything was set up so that subsequent elections could run um you know without incident and um we've no made a system change um uh middle of last year to our application um and a full audit of um the account wasn't taken into to effect. Um so that update introduced a requirement for an additional time stamp a data field um from EPulse to ensure the poll pads could operate. Um so the deficiency was um when we loaded uh the the pads uh when we helped load the pads in and early voting um that data anomaly did not happen. Um and then you have an election period of 11 days. That prompt of the party selection was available for that 11 days because the logic and accuracy proved it um uh prior to deployment of early voting. And then we get to the Saturday, we need to consolidate the high volume of activity um to condense that information down uh to deploy them to the uh election day

pads. Um and throughout that process, that's when that new data field, that timestamp requirement kicked in. Um and um you know we didn't No, Inc. didn't follow through with a full system check post that regeneration of a database um to walk through the the workflow and the prompt. So that was a step error on our part um uh to confirm that the change did not impact uh the voter workflow and um so when those devices were deployed on election day that was a you know there should have been a subsequent logic and accuracy test performed and that that did not occur. um question about to ensure it doesn't happen again. We have completed a a post audit of the required data fields for El Paso County and ensure that all data uh fields are accounted for moving forward. So um with confidence we can say that u we can build and load elections and um facilitate elections uh moving forward without uh this incident happening uh again. Um let's see question about election support and availability. um whether it's a large election or small election, special election um doesn't matter to us. We don't we don't take that factor into play. An election is an election day because for us at No, ink we service over 30 states and so almost every Tuesday is an election day for us. Um and um you know with that responsibility comes or with that footprint comes great responsibility. Uh unfortunately we missed the mark here in El Paso County, but uh we can assure you that we'll be here and we'll be ready to support you moving forward. Um, and then about hardware and devices, I might have to defer to uh Lisa because I'm um unfamiliar about any of the any recent procurement of new hardware. The only um new addition would be the introduction of a new uh PPAD application, which is an iOS uh native app um software version

4.2.1, which is certified by the Texas Secretary of State's uh office. um that is the only new introduction of a software that I'm uh that we're aware of, but if there was new hardware um it's just a different it would have been a different iPad generation. Um but it would have been that wouldn't have affected um the use of the equipment. So I I think I captured the questions and happy to answer any further ones that you commissioners might have.

Um I I just wanted to say thank you very much for some of that clarification. I hope that you um I know that you understand, but I hope it's even clearer now what um what's at stake with this technology failure um really now calls into question the integrity of our entire elections um which is really unfortunate. Would it be I mean I I feel like um it would not be unreasonable for you all to sit down with um maybe the the party chairs to to make sure that they get a full understanding and explanation of what happened. I know Mr. Aboud has some specific questions about the software. Would you be able to would you would you be open to sitting down with them? Yeah, happy to answer any questions

and going through that. Um, you know, so you can answer their specific questions and and make sure that there's no doubt remaining about the specific reason that this technology failed on election day. Um, and then I think, you know, I'm not an elections expert. I um I know that I rely heavily on the experts that we do have in our elections administrator, in our county attorney's office. um and then the entire elections infrastructure that's built around that from the state of Texas um to make sure that our elections are are secure and um and and that we we that that we have faith in the integrity of our elections. Um but um I I would guess right um about that um just as there's a risk for technology failure, there's a risk for for human error too um in paper ballots. And so um but I I I do think that now is a is a good time to to sit down and evaluate, you know, um the the costbenefit analysis of that. And and I know that um for me what's most important is um how are we going to move forward and learn from this experience? And I know um Lisa you you know we've talked a little bit about it but maybe you can address us now about what the elections department is going to do moving forward um in the case that there is a similar failure in the future which I know we're going to do everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen. But we're never going to have 100% assurance that this will never happen again. So, what are we what steps are we taking to to ensure that if it does happen again that we're able to respond more um more quickly? Commissioners Lisa Wise again, El Paso County Elections Administrator. Um there's a couple things that we're we're

actually still revisiting and and we will be revisiting um before we move into the next election cycle. One is um we talked about the paper combination forms, which we used to use before we ever had poll pads. Um, we are going to now include those in every kit. Um, we we stopped doing that because again, and I I know I said this in exact sesh, but I haven't said it in front of the public, we were getting a lot of polling sites where our judges were just moving on to using the paper p um the paper pull books rather than going onto the poll pads. We would get them sometimes completely unopened. Um and so we we ended up taking those from the kit so that we would have to disseminate them in the event that they were needed. Um so we will now include them in a sealed box um so that we're know we know who's accessing them. The other thing that we have talked about um that I've talked with our attorneys that I think we are going to be really trying hard to work into the agreements that I haven't brought forward yet is to get into the election day locations and do some setup the night before. We had tried to do this about 6 years ago. Um and the school districts had told us no. Um however, I think if we are able to just get in there for an hour, the law did change and now we can pay pole workers two hours. was one in preparation for election day where if we would have been able to go in get everything not not breaking seals and things like that, but there are things we could do that we'd be able to catch things um ahead of time if there were um something. So, we'll, you know, we'll definitely um amp up the the manual check-in process, but also hopefully get in there before so that we're not that 6:00 to 7:00 a.m. hour um before anyone is uh open is is incredibly intense and I think it

threads the needle too thin and I have for a long time. This just kind of um highlighted that. So, we are working on on doing that, working with our entities to let us access access and do some setup the night before so that if something did happen, we aren't, you know, just reacting. We're able to do something before anybody is frontward facing on the on the voters. Great. Thank you for answering that. And, uh, just one other question, um, Miss Wise. So um have you considered changing vendors or ending the relationship with no ink or have you looked at alternative vendors or alternative solutions?

So in the in the state of Texas you have to be certified to be a pullpad vendor. Um they're also certified by the EAC, the election assist assistance commission. We have about four or five vendors in in the state. Um, and frankly, a lot of the large counties have moved to this vendor because of issues they've had with other vendors. Uh, one of the vendors is no longer in business. Um, two are still pending certification. So, we h I mean, I'm not not going to say we didn't look. We haven't looked. We did a um informal survey of all of our election official counterparts. Does anybody have a vendor who they love? Overwhelmingly, it was this vendor. So, um I'm not saying I would, you know, not do that. I just I I still believe that this is the best product in this space. Um if we're going to use an electronic pole pad, um they have the best record nationally and statewide. Now, if if we want to look at not using electronic pole pads, that's a different discussion completely. Do you I mean I'm I this is a question I I'm question I'm asking myself. Would it be worthwhile revisiting the pole pad discussion maybe at a future commissioner's court meeting?

Let me just tell you what the but what doing that does and and again this is up to you as as the court. In order to be a countywide polling site where you don't aren't precinct based you have to use an electronic poll pad. So, if if the county wants to revisit using paper poll books, that's fine, but it sets in motion us returning to precinct voting, those types of things. So, it's not just happening in a vacuum, right? It it sets off a lot of things. So, you just want to keep that in mind that there's always it doesn't just happen there. Then that starts to happen affect what we do on election day, what we do during early voting. every location will still have to have um some electronic device for ADA. So those still will all be that still will all be in the space regardless of what we do. But I you know I'm I take the direction of the court and if that's something we can look at if we want to look at it we would. But it would really change the face of the election as we are now.

Well I I think that's important context right. I think um that it's important maybe occasionally to talk about why our elections look that the way that they look, you know, um how we have to balance access with um security and the use of technology when it comes to increasing access. Um, I know in in in the in where I live and in the precincts that vote in uh precinct one, what I've heard from a lot of people is they really really like the ability to vote wherever um uh voting is available. We have almost 70% of our election day turnout votes outside their precinct, right?

And we have to turn those reports in every election to the secretary of state um for their review. And so, you know, the first election it was 26%, then it was 35%, then 46%. And now we we kind of volley between 62 and 70 of our voters who are who like going wherever they want, the same access they have on during early voting.

Yeah. Either way, I think it would be good. And maybe we can talk about having maybe some town hall meetings to talk about um the election process and election integrity and how you know how that's managed here in El Paso County and the state laws that we follow um to to ensure that integrity. I think that there's an opportunity here for education, for outreach, for um for just clarification of the processes that um trying to look at the silver lining of this, right? um to to re-engage maybe community members that um feel let down and and feel like um you know suspicious now of the process. Um you know when when I know because I I I can see I can see the work that you do um how much work goes into it. The you know the the person who only engages um once every two two or four years might not have the benefit of knowing that. So um maybe we can work on that and I'm happy to do that with your office if you're open to it.

Of course. Yes. And and one of the things we have learned from this experience um is that there is a lot of um I think confusion on what each what each machine does, what each system does, what what works independently of of which system. If we go to a paper poll book, what does that look like? If we go back to precinct voting, what does that look like? Um, so there's a lot of I think um clarification and that could be made for for people that are um just seeing it on the front on the front side. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions? Um

Oh, Commissioner Commissioner, I have I have Yeah, I have a couple of comments and and questions. Um, first of all, I I just think that that we really need to be careful um about throwing around the word election integrity, our elections are secure. And um, you know, by by implying that that they're not, it gives uh people uh with with nefarious intentions reasons to further suppress voting. Um, we can make we can have a conversation about making sure people are are not disenfranchised by technical glitches, but um, let's not make any assumptions here that um, election integrity is is is um, uh, something that's there there issues with that here in El Paso County. Um, you know, I think we need to re be really careful about that. Um uh and and you know I I think that uh also we need to we need to look at um you know the state the state legislature and the and the rules and the the um the issues that we have had with with trying to increase access to voting in this community. You know, I hear uh members of the public uh asking for uh uh more integrity and less less uh issues with with with efficiency and and time uh and and complaints about not having uh paper ballots. But uh the ballots are paper. If you if you if you go vote, first of all, this wasn't an issue with our ballot machines. It was an issue with the polling pads. Um, second of all, uh, if you if you went and voted, you were handed a piece of paper, you put the piece of paper into a

machine where you selected the the the people and and the way that you wanted to vote, and then you can look at that piece of paper and check and make sure that uh, everything is hunky dory and everything is marked that you wanted the way that you wanted it to be marked. and then it is put into another machine where where uh things are are tabulated from what I understand but that paper ballot continues to be in existence correct miss wise I mean we we we don't get rid of the paper ballots if if we have an issue with with technology with the voting machines we have paper ballots

we have the paper ballots for 22 months that's that's by law so and the system has to have a paper trail audit and that's we do comply with that that has um that is that is done at the state that law was um made and we to comply with that.

Okay. Um and yeah, I I mean I would love to I would love to see uh our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, Mr. Aboud, Mr. Cyrunk, and others that that that came and spoke today. I'd love to see you all in Austin uh testifying uh against voter suppression. And I would love to see you all. I didn't see any of you all in Austin when um you know after 2020 when we uh made in my opinion huge moves to uh make sure that that more people had the opportunity to vote here in El Paso County like allowing curbside voting, extending polling hours. Um because uh whether you like it or not, if we go back to the uh uh to the to the way that that is being described um by having to use the books and and fill things out uh manually uh you are going to disenfranchise voters uh by because of the time that it's going to take. Um there were lots of lines during early voting and there were lots of lines on election day because of the sheer amount of people that came out to vote and and even even by that measure we still don't have um huge amounts of people voting in El Paso County. So if we want more people to vote we want to make sure that they are able to do so. And and when we have the state of Texas um making laws that keep us from being able to keep polls open, like having 24-hour voting or polling sites, uh uh or extended polling hours or having to go and file a lawsuit to be able to keep the polls open uh for another hour because of uh technical difficulty. Um, you know, I'd love to see you all, if you want to, if you really want to be serious about talking uh integrity and and and making sure people are are allowed to vote and are able to vote, um, let's let's make it easier instead

of harder and let's talk to the state legislature about uh about the laws. And um, and again, uh, we don't have a lot of options as a county when it comes to the vendors that that I think we just heard from Miss Wise uh, that that provide these services. even with the with the polling machines, I believe there may be two or three vendors that actually uh are allowed to provide the service when it comes to the machines here in the state of Texas. So if you really want uh to have more options and you want uh and you know if we have issues with vendors then again come with us to the state capital and advocate uh to the leadership in your party to uh to make sure that these things are are are um you know we we can take care of these things and that and that these things are easier for our communities to deal with. Um, but I but I do think that uh you know I I I lost in this election. But in in no way, shape or form am I going to am I going to claim that that uh that that there was a lack of election integrity and that my loss was due to a lack of election integrity in in in El Paso County and and the way that uh the uh you know people people may have been turned away. people it it may have been an inconvenience for them to have to come back once or twice and I understand that that is that is terrible. Uh and and of course we need to do the best that we can to make sure that this doesn't happen again. Uh but you know it's it's really important that that we um not give fodder uh to those actors that would try to take something like this and and uh and steal elections because of it. and suppress voters because of it in the future. So,

um I appreciate uh all the work that you and your team did, Miss Wise, uh to make sure that uh we were informed about what was going on, making sure in our our county attorney's office and taking action to make sure that voters had uh additional opportunity to come vote. Um, I I think I think that um uh what was done was was uh you know uh a great a great a great a great job and um I I think we we need to take this and learn from it. uh work as much as we can to to keep it from happening again and have um you know uh policies and procedures in place to uh to to make sure that things are uh it can go much more smoothly in the future if we see something like this. But um thank you again uh for the opportunity to to speak my mind.

Thank you. and and we are we are putting contingencies in place in order to respond hopefully. Obviously, we don't want this to ever happen again, but if it does um to to respond a little more quickly. Oh, yes. I'm not sure. How much time do you

mic microphone microphone please? Am I I'm sorry that I'm not sure about the public I'm not sure comment if this item is posted then commissioner stout could directly respond to her if it is in relation to the item is posted if it is something generally very broad right then then we wouldn't be able to comment back on that because it's a very broad subject I've heard different things but if it is in relation to this topic and he has knowledge as to the response then he may speak to that and is your question related to this specific topic about the pole path Okay. Can you come to the microphone please? Ma'am kind of directly to the item.

I was listening to your uh comment and my question to you was or is how much time do you spend out there with the voters or the constituents or the community of El Paso? So it has to be related to this specific item regards regards to the voters. So ask your question about the poll pads. Ask your question about the poll pad. the pull pad item.

Okay. The reason why I asked that question, I'm going to turn it around, is because us as people, as out there in the community, I know that you are supposed to be our representatives. Uh it's not the same as making my own I'm going to say understanding than what people you want people to understand. And I'm talking about voters. And it's very hard because like I said earlier, many had given away of voting. you know, they don't want to vote anymore because they know their voice doesn't count. So now you convince people to have hope again to vote and you know, we're talking about voters and they go ahead and line up and then this uh this this accountability of this mistake, nobody can assure you that it's never going to happen again. So my my point to all this is that there's always has to be accountability. Anytime there's a mistake, anytime there's an error, there's always con consequences. And see, we cannot just let it go and say, "Okay, what happened? What happened?" No, a lot of people got affected by this because they were expecting some individuals winning and removing others that we don't want no longer in office. and she is just like telling us, well, sorry, go to Austin and you know, just keep on going to meetings and meetings because you know that I always do and I'm willing to go to a Austin. So, you tell me the date and I will bring this issue up there. I just wanted to make that comment to you. Thank you. Well, I wanted to thank everyone.

Um, can we return? My mic is off, but the policy is five minutes as written. But you all, it's your choice. But if you do, then you all would likely need to extend it to everyone if they so chose.

Do we know how much time Mr. Aboud used? Three and a half minutes. So you have a minute and a half. Again, my name is Michael Booth, chairman of El Paso Republican Party. Just a little bit of my history. I have been a election clerk and election judge. I've known Lisa Weiss for years. Um, I've done the combination of forms and the polls. Okay? I've not advocated for either. My issue is this OS system that is being used and the software needs to be changed. This system I I took computer programming when I first went to college. This system needs to be changed. The check-in system needs to be changed. While I like the speed of it and was there when it first got implemented, you know, first it was a little bit tough, but we got used to it and I like it. However, this OS system and hardware needs to be changed and I hope the vendors will start using a better system than what they have now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Aboud. Well, I want to thank um all of you all for coming out and making your public comment. Um this is exactly why we placed this item on the agenda because we wanted the public to hear directly from the vendor. I want to thank No Inc. for making the trip to El Paso to be able to address our voters um and the commissioner's corps directly. Um, this item uh does is not scheduled for action today, but certainly that's why we're here to hear everyone's comments and to continue to have these discussions because of course none of us want anything like this to ever happen again. Um, so thank you for taking the time out of your day. I know how difficult that is on a Monday afternoon. Many of you have been here all day. Um, so thank you for that and please rest assured that we're going to continue to have these discussions and um uh and and take all of your concerns into consideration.

Thank you, Caesar. Um, the other public item that we have, do you want to reopen public? Should we reopen public comment now? Sure. Going back to item number six, public comment. Mr. Leonard Aros.

How you doing, commissioners?

Uh my name is Leo Aros and uh I just want to bring forward a very serious and urgent concern to the commissioner's court. Our county is facing significant budget uh challenges that are now putting us on the brink of for low county employees. It has come to my attention that as of this morning, employees may be at risk losing their income due to this decision. These are hardworking individuals who show up every day to serve this community. They rely on their paychecks to support their family just like anyone in this room. Placing them in this position where they may be for is not just a financial issue. It is a direct hardship of household across El Paso County. This raises a a critical question. What actions will commissioner court take to prevent this happening? I strongly encourage you to prioritize solutions that protect county employees from bearing the consequence of these budget shortfalls. A county must also be part of this conversation. If four laws move forward, I recommend the commissioner's court and the chief administrator share that sacrifice, but continue their work without pay until the crisis is resolved and without retroactive compensation. Leadership must be willing to stand alongside the workers during these times of hardship. The people of El Paso are paying close attention, very, very close attention. I sincerely hope that you act with urgency, responsibility, and commitment to ensure no county employee is forced into fortlow. We need to open our eyes and fix this issue. That's why we're on the situation that we're in. It needs to be fixed. That's why two of the commissioners got voted out because we are mismanagement of this budget. We shouldn't be mismanagement over $600

million a year. We should not have employees looking for other jobs because they're about to be fortl low. That's unacceptable. Thank you.

Thank you. Back to item number 13 C. discuss and take appropriate action to authorize the county judge or his designate to execute a purchase and sale agreement, a development agreement, and any related closing documents with Sakoro Logistics Land 2 LLC for the acquisition of approximately 18.25 25 acres within block 5, Sakoro Grant, El Paso County, Texas, in the amount of 3,497,868 for the SSA1 regional detention pond project funded through the Texas Water Development Board Flood Infrastructure Fund. Further authorized the county auditor to issue payment in accordance with the purchase and sale agreement. Funding is available in CP stormwater 22 land contract number 2026139. Good afternoon commissioners. Monzar Surj with the public works planning and development department. As discussed earlier in executive session, this item is to authorize us to move forward with purchase of the land that's needed to construct the storm water basin. This project is funded by Texas Water Development Board. We have received the uh the funds a few years ago. We received $13.8 million in grant, 20.72 million in loan, zero interest loan over 30 years. The location of this property is in far east El Paso off of uh in No

Way Tanks Road basically south of the new Amazon warehouse area. Uh this project is part of the list of projects listed on our storm water master plan that was adopted and approved by commissioner's court a few years ago. The project will serve as capture the runoff from the entire stream north area. Uh this is the location of the uh of the pond where it's going to be in the yellow area and the watershed area and uh the land needed is 18.25 acres. We're going to we're proposing to purchase it from the Sakoro Logist logistics land LLC. Purchase price as negotiated and based on the two appraisal we received is 3.497862 4978623,497,868. Um the timeline is uh we acquired the land in 2026, hopefully closing in on April 2026 of this year. Uh we anticipate construction completion uh November of 2027 of next year. We asked the the commissioner's court to approve the kitum as read previously approve the purchase of the sales agreement. also approved the development agreement which is exhibit B of the purchase sales agreement and al also authorize the county judge to execute all necessary document pertain to this uh sale as well as authorize the county auditor's office to issue payment to pay for the land acquisition and I'm here available to answer any questions you have

questions I do now thank you mener thank you commissioners We have a motion to approve from Commissioner Olgim, a second from Commissioner Coronado. The voting is open. For me, Caesar, thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Motion carries. Thank you, Mensor. Thank you, Commissioner. also would like to thank county attorney's office for their help on this project. Thank you. Thank you. This completes all the items on our agenda, Commissioner.

Great. Well, thank you everyone. Um, everyone have a a wonderful rest of your Monday afternoon. Thank you. This concludes today's meeting.

Thanks, Commissioner. This concludes today's meeting at 4:26 p.m.