Oct 25, 2023 Board of Directors Meeting

[00:00:09]

GOOD MORNING,

[1. Meeting called to Order The AACOG Board of Directors is meeting in accordance with Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code (Open Meetings Act). As such, the Board of Directors reserves the right to retire into executive session concerning any of the items listed on this Agenda whenever it is considered necessary and legally justified under the Texas Open Meetings Act.]

MORNING.

UH, WELCOME TO THE AMO AREA COUNCIL GOVERNMENT'S, UH, REGULAR SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING.

TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25TH, 2023.

THIS CALL IS MEETING.

SUZIE, CAN YOU CALL THE ROLL FOR ME, PLEASE? YES, SIR.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

JUDGE TEAL.

HERE.

JUDGE KELLY.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

AMY PUTNEY FOR COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

JUDGE CAMACHO.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER CARPENTER.

PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES.

HERE.

MAYOR CONTRERAS.

HERE.

JUDGE CO.

HERE.

MAYOR DELEON.

HERE.

MAYOR DENNIS.

HERE.

JUDGE EVANS.

HERE.

JUDGE.

I'M SORRY.

MAYOR EICHNER.

HERE.

COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA.

HERE.

COUNCILWOMAN DTO.

MR. HAS LOCKER.

ANITA FERNANDEZ FOR MR. HAS LOCKER.

JUDGE HEKE.

HERE.

JUDGE JONES.

HERE.

JUDGE RAEY.

HERE.

MS. LEWIS.

HERE.

JUDGE LUS.

HERE.

SENATOR MENENDEZ.

PERMISSION MOODY.

HERE.

REPRESENTATIVE MURR.

COUNCILMAN ELIAS.

PAT WALLACE FOR COUNCILMAN ELIAS.

MAYOR SCHROER.

HERE.

COUNCILMAN BRADLEY.

HERE.

OBJECTION TO LAR SAFETY.

MR. GERALD LOPEZ FOR, UH, SYLVESTER VASQUEZ.

MR. VALDIVIA, JUDGE WHITMAN, COMMISSIONER AKENS, SITTING FOR JUDGE WHITMAN.

MAYOR WILLIAMS. HERE.

REPRESENTATIVE IAN ROBERT.

TODAY THE REPRESENTATIVE, MR. HOFFMAN.

HERE, REPRESENTATIVE TEMPLE.

SENATOR ZINI.

WE HAVE A QUORUM.

THANK YOU.

SUZIE, I NEED TO ASK THE AUDIENCE, UH, BEFORE WE DO THE PLEDGE, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME OKAY IN THE BACK? I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE CAN HEAR ME WAY BACK THERE.

THUMBS UP.

EVERYBODY'S OKAY? GOOD DEAL.

GOOD DEAL.

I CAN TURN THIS MICROPHONE ON, BUT, UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IF THERE'S ANYBODY, UH, Y'ALL JUST RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU CANNOT HEAR WHAT I'M SAYING.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY DOES.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

WILL DO.

PLEASE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, 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 ALLEGIANCE TO TEXAS ONE STATE, ONE INDIVISIBLE REQUEST.

YES.

YES.

THAT ARE HERE.

IF YOU HAVE NOT SIGNED AGAIN AS A GUEST BEFORE YOU LEAVE, PLEASE SIGN OR SIGN IN.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

UM, SO ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS PUBLIC COMMENT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE HERE THAT WANT TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AND I WANT YOU TO MAKE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.

OKAY? I DO BELIEVE, THOUGH, IN THE TIME, BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE HAVE A FULL, WE HAVE A FULL AGENDA, THEN WE HAVE A MEETING AFTERWARDS.

UH, WHAT I BELIEVE THAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND GET OVER PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS POINT, AND I DO NOT WANT YOU TO LEAVE.

I I'M ASKING YOU TO, TO JUST HOLD ON YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.

I'M, I'M GOING TO ASK IF THERE ARE ANY DECLARATIONS OF, IN, IN, UH, CONFLICT OF INTEREST FROM ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD FOR ANY REASON.

READ.

OKAY.

THERE.

NONE.

I WANT TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE

[ Executive Session]

IT WILL BE A VERY SHORT, BRIEF EXECUTIVE SESSION.

I WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO STAY AND YOUR COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD.

EACH ONE OF YOU WILL GET YOUR COMMENTS.

YOU, YOU HAVE MY WORD ON THAT, BUT IF YOU'LL LET ME GO INTO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, GET, UH, GET THIS TENDED TO WHEN WE COME OUT, YOU WILL HAVE A, A, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE.

OKAY? ALRIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

UH, IF I COULD CLEAR THE ROOM AT, AT 10, 0, 10 0 8 IS WHAT I'VE GOT.

[00:05:04]

HERE WE GO.

WHAT STATION IS THAT? WHAT STATION IS THAT? SUSIE? I'VE GOT, UH, 1125 COMING BACK INTO OPEN SESSION.

IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

IS THAT, IS THAT PROMISED FOLKS? UH, I REALLY DIDN'T EXPECT IT TAKE LONG, BUT IT, IT DID.

SO WE'RE BACK IN OPEN SESSION NOW IN ALMO AREA COUNCIL, GOVERNOR, REGULAR BOARD MEETING.

UM, I WOULD LIKE

[4. Public Comments This time is for anyone to comment to the Board of Directors on issues and items of concern. There will be no Board of Directors deliberation or action on these comments. Time allowed is at the discretion of the Chairman; with three (3) minutes being customary.]

UH OH.

SO, MIGUEL, TELL US WHICH, UH, WHAT ORDER AND, AND IF YOU COULD, GUYS, IF Y'ALL WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU ON TIME, BUT OUTTA RESPECT, PLEASE.

LET'S, LET'S TRY THREE MINUTES.

I WANT TO, I WANNA REALLY, REALLY TRY TO HOLD YOU TO THAT SO WE CAN, UH, MAKE THIS MEETING FLOW.

AND THEN ONCE YOU'RE DONE, UH, ONCE, ONCE WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT OUR HEARD, THEN WE'LL WE'LL, UH, TAKE ACTION ON WHAT WE'VE DONE.

SO, UH, ANYWAY, MIGUEL, WHO DO WE HAVE UP FIRST? YES, CHAIR.

FIRST WE HAVE MS. UH, SHERRY HUCKABEE.

MS. HUCKABEE.

GOOD MORNING, MS. HPE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS SHERRY HUCK.

I BEGAN MY CAREER HERE AT ACOG IN 2006 THROUGH 2015.

I WAS THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES AT THE TIME THAT DIANE WAS HIRED IN 2014.

SOME OF YOUR FACES ARE FAMILIAR TO ME.

I ONBOARDED MS. WRATH PERSONALLY, AND I CAN ATTEST THAT DIANE WAS ILL SUITED FOR THE POSITION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FROM DAY ONE.

HER DEMEANOR AND TEMPERAMENT SHOWED ME EARLY ON THAT SHE LACKED SELF-CONTROL AND LEADERSHIP.

WITHIN WEEKS OF HER EMPLOYEE, DIANE WAS ON A MISSION, MISSION TO TERMINATE TWO DEPARTMENT HITS IN VIOLATION OF ACOM POLICY AND PROCEDURE.

THESE TWO DIRECTORS WOULD BE THE FIRST OF MANY TO COME.

OTHER DIRECTORS WHO WERE NOT TARGETED FOR TERMINATION WERE RIDICULED, HARASSED, BULLIED, DEMOTED INTO SUBMISSION OR RESIGNATION.

IN DIANE'S FIRST MONTH ON THE JOB, SHE CALLED ME A NAZI TO MY FACE.

NOW THINK ABOUT THAT FOR JUST A MINUTE.

THE HR DIRECTOR, HE CALLED A NAZI HR DIRECTOR, IS THE PERSON THAT'S SUPPOSED TO KEEP SOME LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM INTO CO OFF AND EVERYBODY PLAYING NICE IN THE WORKPLACE.

BUT DIANE FELT SO, SO COMFORTABLE IN THE WORKPLACE THAT SHE COULD JUST LOSE ALL SELF-CONTROL AND RESORT TO NAME CALLING.

IF SHE WOULD CALL THE HR DIRECTOR A NAZI, I'VE OFTEN WONDERED WHAT SHE WOULD CALL OTHER EMPLOYEES.

I DID FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE BOARD, BUT DIANE, DIANE CAME AWAY FROM THE INCIDENT UNSCATHED AND UNDETERRED.

SHORTLY AFTER MY, AFTER MY COMPLAINT, DIANE BEGAN A CAMPAIGN OF RETALIATION TOWARD ME, WHERE SHE, WHERE SHE WOULD MOCK ME, RIDICULED ME BOTH PRIVATELY AND PUBLICLY.

I HAD NO CHOICE, BUT YOU RESIGN.

CURRENTLY, THERE ARE MORE RECENT COMPLAINTS BEFORE THE BOARD REGARDING DIANE'S BEHAVIOR.

I DO NOT NEED TO READ THAT REPORT BECAUSE I HAVE LIVED IT.

I WITNESSED IT.

SOME THINGS HAVE CHANGED, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE MS. RA'S BEHAVIOR HAS CHANGED.

SO MANY ACOG EMPLOYEES PAST AND PRESENT HAVE ENDURED DIANE'S IRRATIONAL AND RIDICULOUS BEHAVIOR.

SO MANY CAREERS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED AND FINANCIAL GROWING.

THE PERSONAL COST TO ALL OF US ARE LEGION, BUT DIANE'S TENURE COMES WITH A HEFTY PRICE TAG TO THIS ORGANIZATION AS WELL.

MY STORY IS NOT THE, IS NOT THE ONLY ONE YOU WILL HEAR THE TODAY WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY,

[00:10:01]

AND NO SEVERANCE.

NO SEVERANCE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. H.

NEXT STEP.

WE HAVE, UH, RENEE CHADDOCK, MS. CHADDOCK, GOOD.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS RENEE CHADDOCK, AND I WAS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE ACOG FAMILY FROM TWO, FROM 2009 TO 2015.

I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT, ABOUT THE END OF MY TENURE HERE, WORKING WITH DIANE.

DIANE AS THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING, HOUSING, AND ENERGY CONSERVATION.

WAS IT BEST ERRATIC AND UNPREDICTABLE? AT THE WORST, IT WAS NIGHTMARES.

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, SHE WOULD RAISE HER VOICE TO VOLUMES, UNPROFESSIONAL AND UNNECESSARY IN AN OFFICE SETTING, MAKING BELI COMMENTS, INSISTING THAT TASKS, REPORTS, ACTIONS, OR OUTCOMES BE MADE TO HAPPEN.

ACCORDING TO SOME ARBITRARY DEADLINE SHE CREATED, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SAID ACTIONS WERE RATIONAL, FEASIBLE, LOGICAL, ETHICAL, OR A TABLE, TO PUT IT, CC, SUCCINCTLY, SHE MADE LIFE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR ME AS A PROGRAM MANAGER AND AS A PERSON, AS DIFFICULT AS SHE, SHE MADE IT FOR ME.

I WAS FORTUNATE BECAUSE I HAD A GREAT, GREAT STAFF AND STRONG RAPPORT WITH MY PRIMARY FUNDING AGENCY AND AN EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT PARTNERSHIP WITH MY SENIOR DIRECTOR WHO RAN INTERFERENCE BETWEEN MATH AND THE DIRECTOR LEVEL STAFF.

UNFORTUNATELY, ONCE THAT BUFFER WAS NO LONGER IN PLACE, I FEARED THAT I WOULD, I WOULD BE RETALIATED AGAINST BY RAP BECAUSE I WAS ONE OF THE, OF THE FOUR ORIGINAL EMPLOYEES WHO SIGNED A COMPLAINT, SIGNED A COMPLAINT AGAINST HER IN 2015 FOR THE SAME SITUATION.

I KNEW THAT I HAD NO, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO LEAVE EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT FULLY VESTED IN MY EMPLOYMENT, IN MY RETIREMENT PLAN.

RETIREMENT PLAN HAS HAPPENED TO SO MANY, SO MANY OTHER LOYAL ACOG EMPLOYEES.

I LOST IN THE BLINK, THE BLINK OF AN EYE.

WHAT I HAD SPENT YEARS TRYING TO ACHIEVE ALL OF THIS DUE TO THAT WAS DUE TO THE HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT DIANE RATH CREATED.

THAT WAS, WAS ALMOST NINE YEARS AGO.

THE WRITING WAS ON THE WALL THEN, BUT NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT.

HISTORY HAS CONTINUED TO REPEAT ITSELF.

VALUABLE EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN DRIVEN OUT OF THIS AGENCY AT GREAT COST TO THE AGENCY THIS TIME.

HOPEFULLY, THE WHITE WRITING IS IN BOLDFACE TYPE WRATH WAS THE WRONG CHOICE, THE WRONG CHOICE FOR ACOG THEN, AND SHE'S MOST ASSUREDLY THE WRONG CHOICE NOW.

SO FOR THE SAKE OF AC OF ACOG EMPLOYEES ASKED, PRESENT AND FUTURE, FUTURE, I ASKED RESPECTFULLY, RESPECTFULLY, THAT YOU AS THE BOARD TERMINATE THE EMPLOYMENT OF DIANE WRATH WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF SEVERANCE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

THANK YOU.

THANKS.

WE HAVE MR. MARK MUELLER.

MR. MU, GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS MARK MULLEN.

I WAS EMPLOYED AT A CALL FROM 2002 2016.

AT THE TIME OF MY TURN, I WAS THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES OVERSEEING THE PROCUREMENT AND IT DEPARTMENT, IN ADDITION TO MYSELF, THE IT DEPARTMENT, FOUR TECHNICIANS IN ONE PROGRAM PRIOR TO MS. RAF JOINING THE FEEDBACK I RECEIVED REGARDING THE IT STAFF, STAFF WAS OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE FROM EMPLOYEES AND MANAGE MANAGEMENT.

I WAS TOLD THEY WERE EFFICIENT, QUICK, AND WILLING, WILLING TO GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO ASSIST WHERE THEY COULD.

NOT LONG AFTER MS. RAF BECAME THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, I HEARD FROM OTHERS THAT, THAT SHE WOULD COMPLAIN ABOUT THE IT STAFF.

SHE NEVER SAID ANYTHING, SAID ANYTHING DIRECTLY TO ME, AND NO SPECIFICS WERE GIVEN FOR ME TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION ON.

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, I HEARD COMMENTS DIRECTLY SHE MADE TO OTHERS SAYING SOME OF MY TECH TECHNICIANS WERE IDIOTS AND INCOMPETENT, BUT AGAIN, SHE NEVER SAID ANYTHING, SAID ANYTHING DIRECTLY TO ME OR GAVE ANY SPECIFICS THAT I COULD CORRECT.

OVER TIME, MY STAFF STARTED SHOWING, SHOWING SIGNS OF RELUCTANCE TO RESPOND TO SERVICE TICKETS.

FOR HER IT ISSUES.

THEY WOULD, WOULD ASK EACH OTHER TO GO IN THEIR PLACE OR COME TO ME DIRECTLY AND ASKED IF I WOULD SERVE THAT TICKET.

WE STARTED COORDINATING WITH HER ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO SCHEDULE SUPPORT, SUPPORT ACTIVITIES

[00:15:01]

THIS GAVE ME THE IMPRESSION, IMPRESSION THAT THEY WERE UNCOMFORTABLE BEING AROUND AROUND HER.

IN OCTOBER OF 2016, A MEETING WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE ENTIRE IT STAFF.

WHEN WE ARRIVED IN THE ROOM, MS. RAF, MR. HERBERT, AND THERE, ALONG WITH, UH, THE HR STAFF STAFF, MS. RAF INFORMED US THAT WE WERE BEING LET GO AS A COST SAVING MEASURE FOR THE AGENCY.

WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO WRITE DOWN ALL ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOUNTS AFTERWARDS THAT WE KNEW AND WERE TOLD THAT FAILURE, FAILURE TO DIVULGE ALL ACCOUNTS COULD LEAD TO OUR NOT RECEIVING ANY SEVERANCE AND POSSIBLY FACING LITIGATION.

WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE UNTIL WE HAD PROVIDED THAT LI AFTER COMPLETING THE EXIT PAPERWORK, WE WERE ESCORTED, ESCORTED TO OUR DESKS TO COLLECT OUR PERSONAL ITEMS, ITEMS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM HR AND THEN ESCORTED OUT OF THE BUILDING.

I HAD PARTICIPATED DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY IN SEVERAL LAYOFFS.

IN ALL INSTANCES EXCEPT THIS ONE, THE STAFF BEING LET GO, WERE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY.

THE ONLY TIME I HAVE WIT EMPLOYEES BEING TREATED, THE WAY STAFF WERE ON THAT DAY WAS THE TERMINATION FOR CAUSE.

I FELT LIKE WE WERE BEING TREATED AS IF WE HAD COMMITTED SOME OFFENSE TOWARDS THE AGENCY.

IT WAS HUMILIATING AND DEGRADING, AND IN MY OPINION, IT WAS HANDLED IN AN UNPROFESSIONAL MANNER.

THE LEADERSHIP OF MS. RYAN, I URGE YOU TO TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION AS YOU DELIBERATE HER.

CONTINUED ROLE DIRECTOR.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SIR.

GOOD MORNING.

UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UM, BLANCA TAPIA AND I RECENTLY RETIRED AS, UH, ACCO CONTROLLER.

I WORKED FROM 1987 TO 2023, AND I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY THE LONGEST THERE YOU'VE EVER HEARD OF.

UM, AU WAS 26 YEARS.

I WAS THE CONTROLLER FOR ACCO.

I HAD THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF WORKING FOR TWO GREAT, GREAT ADMINISTRATIONS, WHICH MR. KNON AND GLORIA .

I KNOW MOST OF YOU MAYBE REMEMBER THEM.

REMEMBER THEM.

I LOOKED FORWARD TO COMING TO WORK.

I LOVED MY JOB, JOB.

WE HAD TENURED EMPLOYEES.

UM, NEVER EVER DID WE HAVE FEAR TO COME TO WORK.

UM, I'M PLEASED THAT THE BOARD IS ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT HAD BEEN REPORTED, THAT REPORTED THE ISSUES AND, AND THE COMPLAINTS ON HER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

I WANNA SAY THAT THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE LEADERSHIP AND FOR THE MORE POSITIVE, UM, WHICH WILL INCREASE EMPLOYEE MORALE CONFIDENCE, UH, EMPLOYEE DRIVE, EMPLOYEE CONFIDENCE, I SAID THAT ALREADY.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE RETENTION OF GOOD EMPLOYEES.

SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE, WELL, SINCE 2014, I'VE SEEN VERY, VERY GOOD EMPLOYEES HAVE TO LEAVE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES WITH, WITH DIANE AND HOW THEY DID NOT LIKE THE WAY SHE WAS TREATING EVERYBODY.

I DO, MY COMMENTS ARE NOT LONG.

UM, I WAS ABLE TO RETIRE IN MARCH OF 2023.

I THINK MY WORST YEAR WAS 2021.

BUT ANYWAY, MY FINAL COMMENT IS THAT BEFORE THE BOARD CONSIDERS A SEVERANCE PAY THAT YOU REFER TO C FFR 200.431 COMPENSATION FRINGE BENEFITS.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT ACOG COMPLY WITH THE CFR AND I WILL GIVE THIS TO YOUR CURRENT CFO JULIO ELIZONDO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU BLANCA.

NEXT IS MS. TIFFANY HARRIS.

TIFFANY MORNING, MS. HARRIS.

GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING.

CHAIRMAN TEAL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS TIFFANY HARRIS AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT CURRENT AND FORMER ACOG STAFF.

AS WE FINALLY STAND UP TO DIANE WRATH, IT IS AN EXTREMELY LONG TIME COMING.

I WAS HIRED AS THE ORIGINAL.

UH, I WAS HIRED BY THE ORIGINAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AL NASON IN 2001, AND DEDICATED 17 YEARS OF MY LIFE TO THIS AGENCY.

AS A COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR, I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD RETIRE HERE UNTIL

[00:20:01]

SHE CREATED AN EXTREMELY TOXIC WORK, WORK ENVIRONMENT FROM THE DAY SHE STARTED IN 2014, REGULARLY DEMEANING AND HUMILIATING DIRECTORS AND VERBALLY ABUSING AND MOCKING EMPLOYEES.

I HAVE ALSO WITNESSED HER INSULT AND BO AND MOCK BOARD MEMBERS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, UH, BECAUSE I WAS A LONGTIME EMPLOYEE, I WAS ON DIANE'S HIT LIST, SO SHE BROUGHT HER WRATH DOWN ON ME DAILY.

IN MARCH, 2018, I WAS TOLD THAT SHE MADE THE DECISION TO MAKE MY ASSISTANT, UM, A, A MAN WHO HAD BEEN WITH THE AGENCY FOR SIX MONTHS, MY BOSS.

THAT DAY I MADE THE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT DECISION TO SALVAGE THE LAST SHRED OF DIGNITY I HAD LEFT AND RESIGN.

I AGREED TO STAY FOR ONE MONTH IN ORDER TO ATTEMPT TO TRAIN MY FORMER ASSISTANT TO DO MY JOB.

I WAS ASKED TO STAY LONGER BUT REFUSED DESPITE HAVING NO JOB LINED UP.

FOUR MONTHS LATER, I WAS EXCITED TO SECURE A JOB AS THE BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT MANAGER FOR WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ALAMO.

A FEW DAYS INTO MY JOB, I WAS CALLED IN BY MY NEW BOSS AND THE CURRENT CEO GEORGE HEMPY, AND THEY SHOWED ME AN EMAIL WRITTEN BY DIANE TO GEORGE AND THE WSA BOARD.

THE LETTER BASICALLY SAID, HOW DARE GEORGE HIRE ONE OF HER FORMER EMPLOYEES WITHOUT CHECKING WITH HER FIRST? UH, ESSENTIALLY THE EMAIL INSINUATED THAT I HAD BEEN FIRED FROM MY POSITION FOR PERFORMANCE ISSUES DESPITE HER ATTEMPTS TO BLACKBALL ME.

GEORGE THANKFULLY TOOK A CHANCE ON ME AND KEPT ME ON.

I WANTED TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT BUT DIDN'T BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID SHE WOULD FURTHER RETALIATE AGAINST ME.

IN 2020, I LEFT WSA AND BLOCKED HER ON ALL MY SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS AND TOOK A JOB OUTSIDE OF THE REGION OUT OF FEAR THAT SHE WOULD FIND OUT WHERE I WAS CURRENTLY WORKING AND AGAIN, ATTEMPT TO BLACKBALL ME.

I NOW WORK FOR A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION WHERE THE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT STAFF, AND I'M SO THANKFUL I MADE THE DECISION TO BELIEVE I WON'T SHARE EXACTLY WHERE I WORK BECAUSE I STILL HAVE FEARS THAT DIANE WILL RETALIATE AGAINST ME.

AGAIN, I PRAY THAT YOU DON'T DISMISS THE STAFF COMPLAINT MENTIONED IN THE PAPER AS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT BECAUSE I PROMISE YOU IT IS NOT.

IF YOU LET THIS SLIDE, SHE WILL RETALIATE AGAINST THE EMPLOYEES WHO SPOKE OUT.

SHE HAS, SHE IS VINDICTIVE AND HAS PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT SHE'S CAPABLE AND WILLING TO EXACT HER RETRIBUTION AGAINST ANYONE WHO SPEAKS OUT AGAINST HER.

SHE SHOULD BE TERMINATED AND NOT RECEIVE ANY SEVERANCE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU MS. HARRIS.

THANKS.

WE HAVE MS. MARTHA PINKS.

GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS MARTHA SPINS.

I WAS THE DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR OF BEAR AREA AGENCY ON AGING FOR FIVE AND A HALF YEARS.

DIANE WRATH FIRED ME THREE WEEKS AFTER SHE CAME TO ACOG.

THE FIRST TIME SHE LAID EYES ON ME IN MID-DECEMBER 2014, SHE CAME AT ME LIKE AN ATTACK DOG, ANGRY AND CONDESCENDING.

FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS, SHE HARASSED ME OVER THE MOST PETTY AND TRIFLING DETAILS AND THEN FIRED ME BEFORE MY TERMINATION.

I ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD CHAIR.

HE REFUSED TO MEET ME, AND I WAS TOLD ACOG HAS NO GRIEVANCE POLICY.

I SUED ACOG AND WON A SETTLEMENT FOR $90,000 TWO YEARS LATER.

WOULD ANYONE ON THE BOARD CARE TO TAKE A GUESS ON HOW MANY DIRECTORS THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING HAS HAD SINCE I LEFT EIGHT YEARS AGO? SEVEN, SEVEN DIRECTORS IN EIGHT YEARS, MANY OF THEM WITH SOLID REPUTATIONS AND SUBSTANTIAL RESUMES.

PRIOR TO JOINING ACOG FOR 23 YEARS, I HAVE SERVED NON-PROFIT AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AS AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, A PROGRAM DIRECTOR, AND A CONSULTANT, AND I WORKED WITH THEIR BOARDS OF DIRECTORS AND I KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT HOW ORGANIZATIONS SUCCEED AND HOW THEY FAIL.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS CAN THROTTLE INFORMATION SO BOARDS DON'T KNOW ABOUT PROBLEMS. BUT FOR DIANE RATH TO GET AWAY WITH THAT FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS, THE BOARD HAS TO BE PASSIVE OR COMPLICIT.

JUDGE TEAL, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN THE CHAIR THROUGH THIS ENTIRE HISTORY, AND I KNOW THAT THE BOARD MEMBERSHIP HAS CHANGED OVER TIME, BUT THAT DOESN'T

[00:25:01]

RIGHT.

WRITING THE SHIP STARTS WITH MS. WRATHS TERMINATION, BUT THE BOARD HAS TO GO FORWARD TO DETERMINE, TO CHOOSE THE NEXT DIRECTOR OF OBJECTIVELY AND TO COMMIT TO YOUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES.

I IMPLORE YOU TO REMEMBER THIS, THE BOARD AND ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF 350 LOYAL EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS PREVIOUS EMPLOYEES WHOSE TALENT AND DEDICATION HAVE ENSURED THE CONTINUITY OF ACOG.

EVEN AS THE LEADERSHIP HAS MASSIVELY FAILED, THE BOARD OWES IT TO THE EMPLOYEES TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT MS. WRATH THAT IS COMMENSURATE WITH THE WAY SHE HAS TREATED EMPLOYEES.

SHE SHOULD BE TERMINATED, SHE SHOULD NOT RECEIVE ANY FORM OF SEVERANCE.

AND I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR FINALLY TAKING UP THIS MATTER.

THANK YOU, MS. BANKS.

CHAIRMAN, WE DID HAVE A SEPARATE SIGN-IN SHEET, AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF NAMES ON THERE.

UH, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT MEANT TO SIGN IN FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND SIGNED IN ON THE SEPARATE SIGN-IN SHEET THAT HAS NOT SPOKEN YET? IF YOU'D LIKE YOUR THREE MINUTES, I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO, TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ANYBODY THAT SIGNED UP FROM THE PUBLIC.

MORE PUBLIC.

ALRIGHT.

HOW MANY, HOW MANY TOTAL WAS THAT FOR? SIX.

SIX.

SIX.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR ALL RIGHT.

UH, ITEM

[7. Consider and act upon the items discussed in executive session.]

I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME AND WE'VE HAD, UH, EXTENSIVE, UH, DISCUSSIONS BACK AND FORTH WITH MS. RAP AND HER ATTORNEY.

AND MY MOTION IS THAT SINCE MS. WR HAS INDICATED HER DESIRE TO RETIRE FROM ACOG EFFECTI TODAY, I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT HER RETIREMENT REQUEST AND APPROVE A RETIREMENT AGREEMENT WHEREBY SHE'S PAID THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, RECEIVES HER UNUSED VACATION PAY OTHER NON-MONETARY TERMS AS NEGOTIATED BY OUR ACCOUNT RESPECT TO COUNSEL, INCLUDING A, A MUTUAL WAIVER OF ANY AND ALL CLAIMS. JUDGE, I SECOND THAT MOTION.

ALRIGHT, WE'VE GOT A, WE GOT A MOTION BY JUDGE KELLY, SECOND BY JUDGE CO.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO MAKE ANOTHER MOTION THAT IS THAT, UH, WE HIRE CLIFF HERBERG SERVED AS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UH, WITH A 10% INCREASE IN HIS CURRENT SALARY.

AND, UH, REVIEW IS SIX MONTHS.

OKAY? WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY JUDGE KELLY.

GOT A SECOND BY MAYOR TRAVIS.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? YES.

UH, IS, IS THIS, THIS IS NOT INTERIM, IS THIS JUST APPOINTMENT? IT IS, IT IS NOT AN INTERIM POSITION, NO.

BUT THERE IS A SIX MONTH REVIEW.

THERE IS A SIX MONTH REVIEW? THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY.

WILL THAT OFFER BE ACCEPTED? IT WILL BE .

OKAY.

SEE, IT'S ALREADY IMPORTANT.

ALRIGHT.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I'VE GOT A MOTION.

DO A SECOND.

I, I DO, YOUR HONOR.

YES.

MAYOR, CHAIR.

I APOLOGIZE.

ALRIGHT.

UH, ANY MORE DISCUSSION, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? HEARING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR? A.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

CONGRATULATIONS MR. HERFORD.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, UM, MOVING ON TO ITEM

[8. Monthly Agency Written Report A. Staffing Updates B. Program Status and Operational Updates Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) Alamo Regional Transit (ART) External Affairs & Communications Intellectual & Developmental Disability Services (IDDS) Military and Veterans Affairs Natural Resources Public Safety Regional Services Environmental Conservation Weatherization Assistance Program C. Organizational Updates Building Update General Administration Policy Review Chief Financial Officer General Counsel]

UH, SIR, CAN WE DELIVER? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

AS, AS, AS THE VISITORS LEAVE, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING IN, TAKING YOUR TIME AND SPEAKING WITH US.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[00:30:04]

UH, ITEM NUMBER

[ Consent Agenda The consent agenda consists of items considered being of a routine nature and contains items recommended for approval by the Executive Committee or by the Board Chair and the minutes from previous Board of Directors meetings. These items will be enacted in one motion, or any member of the Board may request that items be removed from the consent agenda and considered separately for purposes of discussion and voting.]

AGENDA.

I'LL MAKE THAT VOTE SECOND.

WE GOT A MOTION BY, UH, COMMISSIONER EVANS.

SECOND BY AYE.

COMMISSIONER JUDGE EVANS SECOND BY JUDGE LUS.

ANY DISCUSSION? I CARRIED NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

A AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED.

ITEM NUMBER NINE, CONSIDERING MICROPHONE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.

MINUTES.

SO MOVED.

CONSIDERED 10 MINUTES.

GET I'LL GET WITH A MINUTE.

YOU'VE HAD A ROUGH MONTH, ? YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

UH, I REMEMBER 11

[11. Consider and act upon the recommendation to approve the 3rd Quarter 2023 financial report. - Julio Elizondo A. Dashboard B. Balance Sheet C. Revenue and Expenditures D. Administrative Budgets E. Quarterly Investment Report]

EVERYONE CONSENT.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

MY FAULT.

NO, IT'S FINE.

IT WENT REALLY QUICK.

GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MY NAME IS JULIO ELIZONDO.

I AM YOUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, AND TODAY I'LL BE GIVING YOU ALL A THIRD QUARTER UPDATE.

ON THE OVER THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, WE WILL GO OVER OUR FINANCIAL DASHBOARD, OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, BOTH THE BALANCE SHEET STATEMENT OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES GO INTO DETAIL OF THE CASH INVESTMENTS AND ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES, AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGETS.

HERE WE HAVE OUR FINANCIAL DASHBOARD THAT WE PRESENT TO YOU ON A MONTHLY BASIS.

UH, LOTS OF METRICS HERE THAT SUMMARIZE OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR Y'ALL TO GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT VIEW.

THE TWO THAT, THE TWO THAT I USUALLY LIKE TO POINT OUT, EXCUSE ME, ARE THE AGED ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT AND THE PERCENTAGE EARNED AND SPEND UP AT THE TOP LEFT.

AS YOU CAN SEE AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, WE ARE CURRENTLY AT $10.7 MILLION, AND I WILL GO OVER THAT, THAT DETAIL IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL IN A FEW MORE SLIDES.

AND AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER, WE'RE AT 72% SPENT ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, TYPICALLY THIRD QUARTER, YOU'D LIKE TO SEE 75% SPENT.

UM, BUT WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVING SOME TIMING DIFFERENCES WITH A COUPLE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT IN A FEW MORE SLIDES AS WELL.

OUR BALANCE SHEET AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, WE ARE CURRENTLY SITTING AT $46.7 MILLION.

UH, AN INCREASE FROM THE SEPTEMBER 22 ASSETS OF ABOUT $5 MILLION.

THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS IN FIXED ASSETS.

AND THEN AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, WE HAVE $1.2 MILLION IN REVENUE OVER EXPENDITURES.

HERE WE HAVE OUR SU A SUMMARIZED VIEW OF OUR FUND BALANCE, BOTH UNRESTRICTED AND RESTRICTED.

YOU CAN SEE WE ARE CURRENTLY SITTING AT ABOUT EIGHT POINT, UH, $2 MILLION AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER FROM 6.7 AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR.

THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS DUE TO MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS.

PARTICULAR, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE VETERANS DIRECTOR PROGRAM.

AS WE'VE MENTIONED, UH, THE ENTIRE, ALMOST THE ENTIRE YEAR, CASH AND INVESTMENTS.

WE ARE SITTING IN A, IN A VERY, UH, SOLID FINANCIAL POSITION, CURRENTLY SITTING AT $6.9 MILLION AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

UH, A HUGE INCREASE FROM WHERE WE ARE AT A YEAR AGO TODAY.

OUR INVESTMENT SUMMARY, WE SUMMARIZE ALL OF OUR MONEY MARKETS, INVESTMENT POOLS, BOTH TAX POOL, LONE STAR, SHOW YOU THE RATES HERE, AS WELL AS THE INTEREST EARNED.

AND OUR CDS, YOU CAN SEE AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, THE TOTAL INTEREST EARNED HAS BEEN ABOUT $50,000.

THAT'S A GREAT, UH, UH, GREAT RATES THAT THEY'RE OFFERING RIGHT NOW.

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, THE, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC, UH, FOR US HERE AT ACOG.

THE LARGEST OPEN RECEIVABLE THAT WE HAVE IS VETERANS DIRECTED.

AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S NORMAL BUSINESS AS, AS USUAL, THAT'S CURRENT.

UH, THERE'S NORMAL OPERATIONS GOING THERE.

TXDOT.

I'M VERY PLEASED TO SAY AS OF LAST WEEK, WE, THEY'VE PAID US 1.5 MILLION DO, OR YEAH, $1.6 MILLION.

SO WE ARE PRETTY, THAT, THAT ENTIRE BILL OVER 90 IS WIPED OUT AS OF NEXT MONTH.

YOU WON'T SEE THAT ANYMORE GOING FORWARD.

WE'VE BUILT A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP OF LEARN THEIR NEW SOFTWARE IGX.

SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE ANY MORE HICCUPS COMING IN THE FUTURE UNLESS THEY CHANGE POR UH, SOFTWARES AGAIN, WHICH, WHICH IN THAT CASE WE'LL HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO YOU ALL WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.

BEAR AGING, ALIMO AGING, WE'RE CURRENT, UH, CURRENT THERE VIA METRO.

AGAIN, WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION NOW FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

UH, WE DID RECEIVE A PAYMENT OF $90,000 EARLIER THIS MONTH FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.

BILLINGS.

WE ARE UP TO DATE IN TERMS OF

[00:35:01]

UH, AGAIN, JUST CURRENTLY WAITING ON THEM FOR THE, FOR, FOR THEM TO APPROVE AND SE SEND US OUR MONEY.

UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS THE, THE OVER 90 IN ALL OTHER ACCOUNTS, 632,000.

UH, PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE RECEIVED 216,000 OF THAT EARLIER THIS MONTH.

UM, SO ALL IN ALL, THE OVER 90 FOR NEXT MONTH SHOULD BE IN, IN BALLPARK OF ABOUT 600,000, WHICH IS A GREAT POSITION.

KNOWING THAT WE WERE JUST EARLIER THIS YEAR WAS CLOSE TO $2 MILLION.

SO AGAIN, WE ARE GONNA STAY AGGRESSIVE WITH ACCOUNTS SEALABLE AND CONTINUE TO JUST TRY TO, TO COLLECT AS FASTLY AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

STATEMENT OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, WE ARE SITTING AT $1.2 MILLION AND TOTAL EXPENDITURES, UH, SLIGHTLY UNDER BUDGET.

AGAIN, I'LL GET INTO THAT DETAIL HERE.

UM, I'M NOT GONNA COVER ANY OF THESE.

ARTS IS CURRENTLY SITTING AT A 490, 90 $6,000 SURPLUS FOR THE, FOR THE YEAR.

UH, PROGRAM DOES INTEND TO USE THESE FUNDS, UH, ON OPERATIONS THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO YOU'LL SEE THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT THREE MONTHS START TO, UH, DECREASE.

IDD CURRENTLY SITTING AT A $507,000 DEFICIT.

AGAIN, SAME STORY THAT WE'VE MENTIONED ALL YEAR.

UH, THIS WAS A DUE TO, UH, THE RETENTION BONUSES THAT WERE PAID OUT TO STAFF AS WELL AS A SHORTAGE IN MEDICAID REVENUES, PUBLIC SAFETY, CURRENTLY $653,000 BELOW BUDGET.

THIS IS A TIMING DIFFERENCE WITH THE INTEROPS TOWER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

THAT'S A MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.

UH, IT WAS BUDGETED FOR IN AUGUST, BUT WILL BE DONE COMPLETED BY NOVEMBER.

AND THEIR WEATHERIZATION IS CURRENTLY $313,000 BELOW BUDGET.

UH, THAT'S DUE TO LIHEAP AND DOE.

THE PROGRAM CURRENTLY IS UNDER BUDGET AND UNITS COMPLETED, UH, BUT DOES NOT, I MEAN, BUT DOESN'T ANTICIPATE TO SPEND ALL THOSE FUNDS BEFORE THE END OF THE GRAND YEAR.

ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE, WE ARE 7% UNDER BUDGET.

UH, THAT'S A GREAT POSITION TO BE AT.

WE DO PROJECT THE CARRY FORWARD INTO NEXT YEAR ON OVER RECOVERY.

THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AS JOHN'S GONNA MENTION IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION OF BUDGETS, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE FORECASTING A UNDER AN UNDER RECOVERY FOR NEXT YEAR.

SO IT'S GONNA NET OUT WITH EACH OTHER.

AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

I'D BE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL HAVE AT THIS TIME.

ALRIGHT? YES, MA'AM.

UM, LAST WEEK, AN EXECUTIVE, UH, MEETING, I ASKED ABOUT VIA MM-HMM.

WE ALL CHARGE OF INTEREST, BUT THE LATE PAYMENT, WE, WE CAN CHARGE.

WE CAN'T CHARGE INTEREST.

WE, WE LOOKED INTO IT, WE CAN'T.

WE, WE DEFINITELY CAN'T.

OKAY.

THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.

SINCE IT'S NOTORIOUSLY LATE, WE'LL CALL HIM AND LET HIM KNOW.

OKAY? YEAH.

INTEREST, INTEREST.

I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

SORRY.

CREDIT CARD INTEREST .

I, UH, I'VE GOT A MOTION BY MAYOR DE LEON, SECOND, 25% JUDGE HEAD.

ANY DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, MOVING ON.

ITEM NUMBER 12

[12. Consider and act upon the recommendation to approve the proposed 2024 AACOG Budget as follows: - Jhoan Torres A. AACOG Organizational Chart B. 2024 Annual Budget Summaries and Spreadsheets 1. 2024 Agency Roll Up 2. 2024 Program and Titan Complex Budgets 3. 2024 Administrative Budgets (Indirect) 4. 2024 General Fund/Unrestricted Budgets]

AS FOLLOW, MR. TORE? GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN.

MORNING CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF BOARD.

MY NAME IS JOHN, I'M THE CONTROLLER, THE R AOG.

ADAM, I'M BRINGING ME FOR YOU.

TODAY IS GOING TO BE OUR 2024 PROPOSED AGENCY BUDGET.

THIS IS A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE CURRENTLY STAND AS OF THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

THAT'S AT $86.9 MILLION.

AT THIS TIME, WE'RE PROPOSING A 2024 PROPOSED BUDGET OF 86.1 MILLION.

HERE WE ARE, HAVE AN AGENCY ROLL UP.

BEFORE WE GET GOING INTO THIS SLIDE, I WANNA FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION TO THE TOP RIGHT CORNER WHERE YOU'RE GONNA SEE A REFERENCE PAGES AND SS SIX THROUGH EIGHT IN YOUR PACKET, YOU HAVE A ROLLUP THAT DETAILS OUT EVERY BUDGET BY LINE ITEM.

UM, SO THE REFERENCE PAGES ARE GONNA BE A HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY AND THE SS IS GOING TO BE DOWN TO THE EACH INDIVIDUAL OBJECT CODE.

SO GETTING INTO THE ROLLUP, UH, DETAILING OUT THE $86 MILLION BUDGET, 77.3 MILLION OF THAT IS GONNA BE PROGRAMMATIC.

THAT'S GONNA BE ANYTHING PROGRAM FUNDED BY GRANTS AND PROGRAM INCOME.

MOVING OVER TO THE RIGHT, TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE INDIRECT, THAT'S GOING TO BE $5.4 MILLION.

THOSE ARE GOING TO BE OUR SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS, HUMAN RESOURCES, ACCOUNTING, PROCUREMENT, IT.

MOVING OVER TO THE GENERAL FUND, THAT'S GOING TO BE $1.2 MILLION.

AND THAT'S ANYTHING FUNDED BY MEMBERSHIP DUES AND EMS SHIRTS, ADMINISTRATIVE FEES.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE THE TITAN COMPLEX.

GENERALLY, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE GENERAL FUND, BUT FOR PRESENTATION PURPOSES, WE LIKE TO BREAK IT UP FOR THE BOARD.

THOSE EXPENDITURES ARE LOOKING TO BE ABOUT $2.2 MILLION.

AND THO THOSE EXPENSES AS THEY PERTAIN TO ACOG PROGRAMS, THEY'RE FUNDED BY PROGRAM, PRO RATA SHARE OF EXPENSES.

AND OUR THIRD PARTY TENANTS,

[00:40:04]

SO OUR BEGINNING, OUR FUND BALANCE GOING INTO 2024 IS GOING TO BE $8.2 MILLION.

IN 2024, WE'RE PROJECTED TO HAVE TOTAL REVENUES OF $78.7 MILLION TOTAL EXPENDITURES AND INDIRECT OF 77.3 FOR A NET REVENUE OR EXPENDITURE OF $1.4 MILLION, GIVING US AN ENDING FUND BALANCE, A PROJECTED ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $9.6 MILLION.

MOVING OVER TO ADMINISTRATIVE INDIRECT, LIKE JULIO MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE PROJECTING TO HAVE A CARRY FORWARD GOING INTO 2024 OF ABOUT $216,000.

WE'RE PROJECTING TO SPEND ABOUT $5.4 MILLION IN ADMIN DEPARTMENTS AND RECOVER ABOUT 5, 2 5.

THAT'S GONNA GIVE US AN UNDER RECOVERY OF $152,000.

SO WE'RE GONNA WHITTLE DOWN THAT DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

AND, UM, WE'LL GO FROM THERE.

MOVING OVER TO OUR GENERAL FUND, THAT NUMBER IS 25.2 GOING INTO 2024.

NOW, IF THAT NUMBER SEEMS A LITTLE BIT HIGH, IT'S BECAUSE WE DID A CAPITAL INLAY WHENEVER WE PURCHASED A BUILDING, AND THAT'S IN THERE AS WELL AS ANY CAPITAL ASSETS THAT WE HAVE THERE.

OUR TOTAL REVENUES IS ABOUT 1.2 MILLION TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF IN INTERACTIVE, ABOUT 1.2 MILLION AS WELL.

FOR A TOTAL NET REVENUE OR EXPENDITURE OF NEGATIVE $20,000 FOR THE COMPLEX TOTAL REVENUES, 1.8 TOTAL EXPENDITURES, 2.2 MILLION FOR NET REVENUE OR EXPENDITURES OF $377,000 UNDER OR LOSS.

ALL IN ALL, OUR ENDING FUND BALANCE AND CARRY FORWARD GOING INTO 2025 WOULD BE $34.5 MILLION.

THIS IS A PROGRAMMATIC SUMMARY.

I WON'T GO LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM, BUT I WILL DETAIL OUT SOME OF THE I AMOUNTS THAT DRIVE THIS NET DIFFERENCE GOING INTO 2024.

SO OUR TOTAL REVENUES ARE 78.7 MILLION, EXPENDITURE, 77.3 FOR A NET REVENUE OR EXPENDITURE OF $1.4 MILLION.

THE MAIN DRIVER FOR THAT IS GOING TO BE OUR MILITARY AND VETERAN AFFAIR DEPARTMENTS, AND THAT IS MAINLY DRIVEN BY OUR VETERANS DIRECTED PROGRAM, WHICH CONTINUES TO, THEY CONTINUE TO DO WELL, WHICH ADDS TO OUR BOTTOM LINE, WHICH WE CAN USE FOR OTHER PROGRAMMATIC PURPOSES.

MOVING OVER TO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGETS, OUR 2023 FORECAST IS 4.9 MILLION BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'RE PROJECTING ABOUT A 10% INCREASE GOING FOR NEXT YEAR.

I, THE MAIN REASON FOR ALL THESE INCREASES ARE MAINLY GOING TO BE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS AND MERIT INCREASES, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THESE TWO PROGRAMS THAT I HAVE HIGHLIGHTED HERE.

UM, STARTING WITH ACCOUNTING, THE REASON FOR THE ADDITIONAL INCREASE IN THAT BUDGET IS WE ARE PROJECTING TO BRING IN SOME TRAVEL SOFTWARE AND BUDGETING SOFTWARE.

AS THE AGENCY HAS GROWN, WE'VE NOTICED AN INCREASED NEED TO BRING THESE ADDITIONAL CAPABILITIES TO REALLY IMPROVE OUR, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE HERE.

SO WE'RE EXPECTING TO GET THOSE GOING IN 2024.

AND THE OTHER IS OUR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BUDGET AT ABOUT $1.5 MILLION.

THAT'S ABOUT A $200,000 INCREASE.

AND THAT IS JUST GOING TO BE, THEY'RE PROJECTING TO HAVE A LOT OF, UH, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FIREWALL INCREASES.

THEY'RE JUST REALLY IMPROVING OUR SECURITY POSTURE AND, AND TODAY'S, UH, QUICKLY MOVING ENVIRONMENT.

THAT'S JUST SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE AHEAD OF MOVING OVER TO OUR GENERAL FUND.

YES, SIR.

WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, CLIFF'S BUDGET THAT HE USED TO HAVE.

WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH THAT? UM, SO I FIGURED AFTER WITH THE RECENT DEVELOPMENT WE DISCUSSED, THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA HAVE TO GO AS A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE BOARD.

SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CUT TO DISCUSS WHAT THE PLAN IS GOING TO BE IN TERMS OF HAVING AN AGENCY, GENERAL COUNSEL, AND THEN ONCE THAT DECISION IS MADE BY THE BOARD, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADJUST THE BUDGET AS WE, WHAT WE COULD, WHAT WE COULD ALSO DO IS, IS PRIOR TO OR GOING TO THE DECEMBER COUNCIL, ADJUST THE BUDGETS DOWN ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE, IF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE AND PRESENT IT THAT, THAT WAY DURING THE COUNT DECISION.

SO IT'S, IT IS GONNA IMPACT YOUR FTES ALSO, RIGHT? SO, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE A CHANGE, BUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE WILL OVERALL DECREASE IF YOU ALL WANT US TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.

WE CAN, RATHER THAN WAITING UNTIL NEXT YEAR WE'RE DECEMBER, WE JUST, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THAT BUDGET ANYMORE, RIGHT? YEP.

IT WON'T BE THE EXACT SAME BUDGET, THAT'S FOR SURE.

IT'LL BE OUTSIDE COUNSEL.

SO WE TAKE, WE TAKE ALL THE BENEFITS THAT GO WITH YOUR SALARY AND ROLL THAT WHOLE THING INTO THE CONTRACT LEGAL SERVICES OR WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? I'M HOPING THAT WE WON'T HAVE A LOT OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL ISSUES BECAUSE THERE'S CONFLICT ISSUES, THAT TYPE OF THING.

UH, SO I'M HOPING WE CAN SAVE SOME MONEY ON THAT.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO THE BOARD ABOUT, UH, REDIRECTING SOME OF THAT FUNDS TO A LITTLE DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE AS WELL.

AND SO WE HAVE RE INCORPORATE THAT MONEY SO WE

[00:45:01]

UM, I THINK WE COULD, ONCE WE HAVE A, A CLEAR OUTLOOK SO WE CAN MEET LATER ON THIS WEEK NEXT AND REALLY GET THAT DETAILED OUT.

AND BECAUSE WHENEVER WE TAKE THE BOARD TO THE COUNCIL IN DECEMBER, WE CAN DEFINITELY MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON WHATEVER YOUR DECISION IS.

260,000 FOR HOUSE OUTSIDE COUNCILS, RIGHT? NO, IT WON'T BE THAT MUCH.

YOU BETTER NOT NEED THAT QUESTION, .

HOPEFULLY NOT.

I HOPE IT'D BE A LOT LESS THAN THAT.

NOT YOUR SIX MONTH REVIEW MIGHT NOT BE GOOD.

SIX MINUTE.

DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO DISCUSS ON THIS SLIDE BEFORE WE MOVE ON, SIR? NO, SIR.

MOVING OVER TO OUR GENERAL FUND AND UNRESTRICTED BUDGET SUMMARY, OUR 2023 FORECAST IS $1.2 MILLION IN REVENUES, UM, AND ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN EXPENDITURES FOR $179,000 SHOPPING TO THE BOTTOM LINE.

NOW, I HAVE HIGHLIGHTED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES HERE IN OUR 2024 BUDGET.

SO WE'RE PROJECTING ABOUT $1.2 MILLION IN REVENUES.

NOW THAT'S ABOUT A $60,000 DECREASE FROM THIS YEAR, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE DID NOT BUDGET FOR PACE REVENUES.

NOW, PACE REVENUES ARE SOMETHING THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT'S DOING VERY WELL, BUT THOSE, UM, THEY'RE DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT BECAUSE IT'S, IT MAY TAKE A LONG TIME.

SO ONCE THOSE BECOME A LITTLE BIT MORE SOLIDIFIED, WE'LL BRING THOSE TO THE BOARD AND WE'LL MAKE THOSE AMENDMENTS AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE OR AS INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE TO US.

UH, THE OTHER THAT I WANTED TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO WOULD BE THE GENERAL FUND.

SO THERE'S, UM, ABOUT A $70,000, $80,000 INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND.

AND THE MAIN REASON FOR THAT IS THAT THIS GENERAL FUND UNRESTRICTED BUDGET HAS TO CARRY ANY SALARY THAT EXCEEDS THE FEDERAL SALARY CAP.

SO IF THERE'S A SALARY CAP AND WE HAVE, UH, EMPLOYEES WHO EXCEED THAT, WE HAVE TO CALCULATE ANY EXCESS THERE AND WE HAVE TO PAY IT OUT OF UNRESTRICTED, WE CANNOT CHARGE IT TO OUR INDIRECT DEPARTMENTS.

SO THOSE ARE IN HERE.

SO I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION JUST TO DO, DO THE INCREASE IN THAT BUDGET.

THIS SIDE IS, UM, A WALKTHROUGH OF WHERE WE STAND AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER IN TERMS OF FUND BALANCE, WHERE WE WILL GO AT THE END OF THE FOURTH QUARTER AND HOW IT WILL CHANGE DEPENDING ON OUR 2025 PROJECTIONS.

OUR CURRENT FUND BALANCE IS $33.3 MILLION AS AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, 2023.

WE'RE FORECASTING $124,000 INCREASE TO FUND BALANCE.

NOW THIS NUMBER STICKS OUT TO ME, SO I FIGURED I WOULD EXPLAIN IT.

THE MAIN REASON FOR THAT IS THAT ALAMO REGIONAL TRANSIT HAS A LOT OF RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE THAT THEY NEED TO USE UP BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO IT'S, IT'S AN EXPECTED EXPENDITURE, BUT IT'S JUST KIND OF HOW IT'S PLAYED OUT.

OUR PROJECTED FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF 2023 WOULD BE $33.4 MILLION.

WITH OUR PROJECTED BUDGET FOR 2024, WE'RE PROJECTING AN INCREASE TO FUND BALANCE OF $1 MILLION.

THE MAIN TWO DRIVERS THERE ARE GOING TO BE, UH, $1.3 MILLION IN OUR MVA DEPARTMENT, WHICH I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, UH, MAINLY DUE TO VETERANS DIRECTED.

AND THE OTHER IS GOING TO BE OUR GENERAL FUND.

NOW THAT'S GONNA BE OUR $377,000 LOSS IN TITAN AS WELL AS THE $20,000 LOSS FROM THE LAST SITE.

BUT LIKE I MENTIONED, THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE PACE.

SO AS THOSE BECOME MORE AVAILABLE, THAT'S GONNA CUT INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT AT THE END OF 2024, OUR PROJECTED FUND BALANCE, IF THE STANCE WOULD BE ABOUT $34.45 MILLION.

HERE WE HAVE, UM, A SLIDE JUST KIND OF TO REFLECT HOW MUCH OUR PROGRAMS ARE PAYING PER SQUARE FOOT HERE.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TITAN COMPLEX AND ABOUT OUR MOVE HERE.

OUR PROGRAMS PAY A PRO RAT A SHARE OF OUR ALLOWABLE EXPENDITURES.

NOW THOSE EXPENDITURES ARE OPERATING EXPENSES, INTEREST DEPRECIATION, OTHER ALLOWABLE COSTS PER THE CFR.

ONCE WE PASS THOSE COSTS DOWN TO OUR PROGRAM, THEY'RE PAYING ABOUT $16 AND 71 CENTS A SQUARE FOOT, WHICH IF COMPARED TO HOW MUCH THEY WERE PAYING PER SQUARE FOOT AT THE DE SORO BUILDING, THAT NUMBER WOULD BE CLOSER TO $20 AND 51 CENTS A SQUARE FOOT.

SO ON THE PROGRAM SIDE, THERE ARE MORE MONEY THAT WE ARE AVAILABLE TO DO USE FOR SERVICES.

THE DIFFERENCES THAT ANY EXCESS EXPENDITURES OVER REVENUES HAVE TO COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.

NOW, WHAT'S GOING TO CLOSE THAT GAP IS AS WE LEASE UP THE BUILDING, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE WORKING ON FILLING UP THAT SIX FLOOR VACANCY, AND ONCE THAT'S FILLED UP, WE WOULD HOPEFULLY BE AT LEAST BREAKING, EVEN IF NOT MAKING SOME REVENUE.

AND WHEN THAT BECOMES THE CASE, THEN PROGRAM

[00:50:01]

STAFF WOULD LIKE TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST APPROVAL OF OUR 2024 BUDGET AT A TOTAL OF 86 MILLION AND $105,816.