Remarks by Vicki L. Lopez
190 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 7 of 8
- Play at 39:50
“Both directors are recognized to answer any questions of the committee members.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 43:11
“You can certainly make a motion, and if there's a second, I'd like to give at least Commissioner Gonzales and anyone else who just has a comment. But if you're making a motion, what would your motion exactly be?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 43:52
“Second. So we have a motion by Senator Garcia, a second by Commissioner Millian-Orbis. Under discussion, Commissioner Gonzalez, are you continuing, please, your line of questioning?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 44:20
“Okay, so I think in the interest of time, if you don't mind getting with the administration on some of your questions. If there's any other, do you have, so I know that Commissioner Cohen-Higgins wanted to have a comment as well.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 49:03
“No, and I appreciate that. I believe that there's so much confusion right now, and clearly amongst the committee members here, I hear your concerns, and I certainly hear the Senator's concerns about so many things. I think there's a laundry list now, but here's what I would say. In the interest of time, because there appears to be lots of questions about this, we need to get our answers, and I think the Senator's motion actually directs the administration to answer these questions. So I guess I would say, with all the questions that everyone seems to have, maybe what we can do is submit your…”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 51:50
“And I guess I would respond that I... see a process problem here and potentially an ongoing process problem of which maybe this item should have been directed to the Transportation Committee to discuss fully transportation issues because now we have now we have an offer to with the current vendor to potentially do better and we have the RFP that you know went out and seemingly appears to be flawed from what the administration says so that I think I would have moved this item to transportation, and I know the chair's here, and he probably would disagree with me or agree with me. But out of…”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 57:37
“So we have a motion on the floor and a second to move the item to the full board without recommendation, I believe. Senator, are you good without a recommendation? I'm told by the county attorneys that if we move that motion, we have to clean it up a little bit.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 58:01
“Let's hear from the county attorney. Bruce, you're recognized.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 59:35
“Let me just ask real quick, is the maker of the motion in agreement with what was read into the record? Okay, and is the second, who seconded the item? Commissioner, Vice Chairwoman, I'm sorry. The maker of the motion agrees to the amended language that was read into the record by Bruce. Are you good with that? I'm good with it, yeah.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:00:07
“Yes, I understood that. I think the maker of the motion understands that, but I think there might be some question on the committee. Sorry, Commissioner Cohen-Higgins.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:02:44
“Hang on for a second, if you would, Bruce, because I think Commissioner Gonzales has a few remarks and so does Vice Chairwoman Millian-Orbis. Commissioner Gonzales, you're recognized.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:03:15
“And Commissioner, that was one of the reasons why I thought this should rightfully go to the Transportation Committee to sort out all of those details before it came to this committee. Because I think the Vice Chairwoman is right. It has to do with money, but there is a process issue here. And we're now going to ask the board to go through, really, a whole selection, which I'm not certain, in fact, is something that I want to support.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:03:53
“Yeah, no, of course. And I think it would have been a committee that all of this would have been flushed out. I'm afraid flushing this completely out now, because now it's like all of the people who responded to the RFP. And in a fact, we'll become the de facto selection committee. And we're going to spend commission time actually going through the process the administration should have gone through. And I know that, Commissioner, are you done with your comments? I'm sorry, I didn't want to cut you off, because I know Vice Chairwoman Milian Orbis wanted to say a few comments.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:05:51
“Before we move forward, the commission chairman has joined us, and I want to recognize him, Commissioner.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:08:02
“We appreciate you, Mr. Chairman, for clarifying the committee structure and its roles. Let me just, I think we had a motion on the floor. The seconder wants to amend the motion, and she is wanting to amend the motion to have all of this be discussed at our next committee meeting. Is that correct, Vice Chairwoman? So does the maker of the motion agree with that?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:08:30
“Are you withdrawing your motion then if you don't agree with the amendment that the seconder made?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:09:05
“I believe it does, but it also includes any questions that the committee has that they will forward to the administration. Because I don't know if that language encompasses all of the questions that Commissioner Gonzalez has. So, yes, a report that at least includes that and other items.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:09:45
“It does that, but it also should include the process. Yes, that's right. How we got here, which is what Commissioner Gonzalez is trying to do. He's trying to trace how we actually got here to this point where there is so much confusion.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:10:14
“We, I would appreciate if we would, you know, we have a committee of the whole meeting that is scheduled for immediately following this, and we're already over time. So I want to just make sure, because we also have a public hearing item that still needs to be heard before we adjourn. So I believe, Commissioner, Senator Garcia, are you withdrawing your motion? No. You'll keep the motion? Okay, so the amended motion is exactly, Bruce, what you had anticipated. Can you please clarify the motion, Bruce, so that everyone knows what they're voting for?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:11:32
“Okay, so that's the motion and we have a second. Any further discussion? Those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:11:41
“Commissioner Gonzales is a no. Thank you. So we're going to move to the public hearing item. I do not have any speaker.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:12:15
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:12:52
“I'm sorry, we need a roll call on a public hearing. My apologies. If the clerk would please call the roll call.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:13:13
“Thank you. We have one final item of importance. It's a discussion item. I want to go through just really quickly what has happened with Senate Bill 1134 that we know as the DEI bill. So the bill was in fact signed by the governor a couple weeks ago. The bill broadly prohibits counties and municipalities from funding or promoting directly or indirectly or taking official action as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion. For purposes of the bill, diversity, equity, and inclusion generally means county action, preferences, benefits, training, programming, or activities tied to race,…”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:18:13
“I can answer this question. It's not in the name. It's in the activity. And it's not any activity. It's the activity that would be funded with taxpayers' dollars or any kind of funding from a county. Yes, there would have to be due diligence on our part, and the bill does speak to a certification by those who receive the funds that they will not spend that money on any activity that is not allowable under the bill.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026