* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the 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.] EVERYONE. 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] SESSION AT 10 0 7. 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] 20 YEARS. 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.] TO NOW, UH, REVIEW, UH, AND GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH PUBLIC COMMENTS? UH, IF YOU GUYS, I, I HOPE Y'ALL HAVE GOT A QUARTER FIGURED OUT. 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] SOLIDARITY OF THE CURRENT EMPLOYEES IN HOPES THAT WE CAN PERSUADE, PERSUADE THIS BOARD TO TERMINATE. 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] WHEN SHE, SHE WAS NOT GOING TO BE IN THE OFFICE. 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] DIANE WRATH MADE THE LAST FOUR YEARS OF MY TIME AT THE AGENCY UNTENABLE. 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] CHANGE THE FACT THAT IT IS TIME FOR THE CURRENT BOARD TO SET THE SHIP. 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.] NUMBER SEVEN IS CONSIDERED AN ITEM DISCUSSED AND EXACTLY. 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] NUMBER EIGHT, IS HIS, UH, MONTHLY AGENCY'S WRITTEN REPORT. 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] ALL RIGHT. 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.] NINE, UH, IS CONSIDERING ACT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE, UH, UH, AGENDA. 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] CONSIDERING ACT UPON RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE THIRD QUARTER 2023 FINANCIAL REPORT FROM LIO OWE 30,000 FOOT. 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] SENDING THEM ALL THE PAPERWORK AND BILLINGS THROUGH THE END OF AUGUST. 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] IS CONSIDERED AN ACT UPON RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED 2024 ACOG BUDGET. 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] THIS IS OUR AGENCY ROLLUP, WE'RE GONNA GO LINE BY LINE STARTING WITH THE FIRST COLUMN OF THE PROGRAM. 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] APPROVE THIS AND THEN COME BACK AND AMEND THE BUDGET AFTER WE NEXT MONTH. 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] WILL BE PAYING LESS AND WE SHOULD BE IN A GOOD PLACE AS AN AGENCY AT THIS TIME. STAFF WOULD LIKE TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST APPROVAL OF OUR 2024 BUDGET AT A TOTAL OF 86 MILLION AND $105,816. AND I'M AVAILABLE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. YES, SIR? UH, THE INDIRECT, UH, RATE THAT YOU CHARGED, WHEN WAS IT LAST ESTABLISHED? WHAT IS IT? YES, SIR. UH, SO IN 20 20 23 THIS YEAR, OUR CURRENT INDIRECT RATE IS 1212 0.1. OUR PROPOSED AGENCY INDIRECT RATE FOR 2024 WAS CALCULATED. THIS YEAR IT'S GONNA BE 14%. NOW THERE'S TWO REASONS FOR THAT INCREASE NUMBER IS GOING TO BE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR COGNIZANT AGENCY WHEN CALCULATED OR CALCULATING OUR COST ALLOCATION PLAN, THEY SUGGESTED THAT WE DON'T CHARGE INDIRECT ON THE FIRST $25,000 OF CONTRACTUAL EXPENDITURES, UH, TO ANYBODY WE CONTRACT WITH. THEY. SO WE MADE THAT CHANGE, WHICH INCREASED OUR INDIRECT RATE ACROSS THE BOARD. AND THE OTHER IS WE WERE CHARGING INDIRECT ON THE OCCUPANCY COSTS FOR THE DEPARTMENTS HERE FOR THE EXPENSES IN THE TITAN TOWER AND OR THE TITAN COMPLEX. SO WE STOPPED CHARGING INDIRECT ON THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CHARGE INDIRECT ON INDIRECT. SO THAT WAS ALSO AT THE BEHEST OF OUR COGNIZANT AGENCY. SO THAT ALSO INCREASED OUR INDIRECT RATE ACROSS THE BOARD. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THAT? IN OTHER WORDS, DO YOU THINK IT'S FAIR OR DO YOU THINK THAT THERE ARE WAYS IN WHICH THAT COULD BE INCREASED? I THINK WHENEVER WE LOOK AT OUR RATES AND HOW THEY ADD UP, HOW MUCH WE'RE CHARGING DEPARTMENTS AS A WHOLE, NOW EVERYBODY DOES IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. UH, IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER AGENCIES, THEY MAY HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A FACILITY ADMINISTRATIVE RATE, AND WE TECHNICALLY, WE WILL BREAK UP OUR INDIRECT RATES INTO VARIOUS RATES. WHEN I COMPARE WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A WHOLE AGAINST WHAT OTHER AGENCIES ARE DOING AS A WHOLE, I THINK WE'RE VERY IN THE BALLPARK AND VERY COMPETITIVE WITH WHAT OTHER AGENCIES ARE DOING. UH, AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T GET, WE DON'T GET TOO MANY COMPLAINTS THAT WERE, WE'RE CHARGING TOO MUCH INDIRECT. AND I THINK OUR FUNDING AGENCIES THINK, THINK IS FAIR MOTION. I SO MOVE MAYOR ROGER. MOVE SECOND. SECOND DISCUSSION. SO, SO WE'RE APPROVING THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED, KNOWING WE ARE GONNA COME BACK YES. AND AMEND IT, RIGHT? SO NOT GONNA AMEND IT BEFORE. YES. DO THE AMENDMENT. MORE DISCUSSION. CARRIED? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED. THANK YOU MR. ALRIGHT, ITEM ON [13. Consider and act upon the recommendation to approve the revised AACOG Accounting and Financial Policies. - Julio Elizondo] 13TH. CONSIDER AN ACT RECOMMENDATION, APPROVE A COUNTY FINANCIAL POLICY. ELIZONDO. GOOD MORNING AGAIN, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. SO THE FOLLOWING AGENDA ITEM CONSIST OF REVISION THE ACCOUNTING FINANCIAL POLICIES. IN YOUR PACKET, YOU WILL SEE THE DIFFERENT CHANGES IN REVISIONS THAT WERE REMOVED AND ADDED TO THE POLICIES. IT'S WHAT WE CALL A RED LINE VERSION. THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN RED INDICATE THE REMOVAL OF CERTAIN VERBIAGE OR PARAGRAPHS THAT DID NOT PERTAIN TO A AC COG. AND ITEMS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN INDICATE THE ADDITION OF LANGUAGE THAT NEEDED TO BE INCLUDED IN OUR POLICIES. THE BIGGEST ADDITION TO THE POLICIES IS THE ADDITION OF THE GSS B PRONOUNCEMENTS THAT WERE RELEASED LAST YEAR IN 2022, GSS B 87, WHICH WE, WE IMP WE IMPLEMENTED IN 2022 WAS H HOW WE RECORDED LEASES ON OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. AND GSB 96 IS THE PRONOUNCEMENT THAT SPEAKS UP, SPEAKS ABOUT SUBSCRIPTION BASED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENTS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AND HOW WE RECORD THOSE IN OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS WELL. IN ADDITION, WE'VE ALSO OUTLINED WHAT OUR INCREMENTAL BORROWING RATE, AS WELL AS IMP IMPLICIT RATES WILL BE WHEN RECORDING THOSE LEASES AND AGREEMENTS. THESE WERE ALL EX, UH, THESE ADDITIONS WERE ALL RECOMMENDED BY OUR EXTERNAL AUDITORS FOR US AND WERE DISCUSSED WITH THEM AS WELL. UH, TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE AT THIS TIME, I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. SOMEBODY ASKED A QUESTION. , I I MOVE APPROVAL. I SECOND WISH BEEN LAID ON JUDGE EVANS, SEGMENTED BY MAYOR KER TO APPROVE, UH, THE ACOG ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL POLICIES AS PRESENTED. THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? I CAN SEE MAYOR DENNIS POINTS OUT THAT MY GLASSES ARE DIRTY AND I THINK THAT I NEED 20 . ALL RIGHT. SHE'S ALWAYS HERE TO HELP. . ALL RIGHT, ITEM [14. Consider and act upon the recommendation to approve the revised AACOG Travel Policy. - Julio Elizondo] NUMBER 14, CONSIDERING ACT UPON RECOMMENDATION, APPROVE, OR REVISED AOG TRAVEL POLICY. [00:55:01] AGAIN, MR. JULIO AAND. THANK YOU. SO RAM MCNALLY IS THE SOFTWARE THAT IS THIS IN THE AOG TRAVEL POLICY, UH, AND UTILIZED BY AOG EMPLOYEES TO MAP OUT EMPLOYEE TRAVEL. UH, IT'S DISCONTINUED SERVICES AS OF A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY RECOMMENDING UTILIZING GOOGLE MAPS GOING FORWARD, UH, TO MAP OUT EMPLOYEE MILEAGE FOR TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENTS. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC GUIDANCE LISTED ON THE GSA WEBSITE FOR TRAVEL SOFTWARE AND IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE ORGANIZATION. I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY SECOND MOTION. SO MOVED. AND MOTION BY JUDGE. SECOND BY, YES. ONE QUESTION. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST KIND OF, UH, THAT POLICY THAT'S FOR BOARD MEMBERS ALSO? YES, MA'AM. IT'S, IT'S ANYBODY THAT SUBMITS MILEAGE. YES. SO IF, WHEN YOU ALL ARE ACCO BUSINESS AND SUBMITTING MILEAGE TO BE REIMBURSED, YES, HE WOULD USE GOOGLE S ALRIGHT. THANK, THANK YOU. MM-HMM. . ALL IN FAVOR. A. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED. THANK YOU. UH, [15. Consider and act upon the recommendation from the Chief Financial Officer to approve AACOG's 2024 Public Investment Policy. - Julio Elizondo] CONSIDER AN ACTIVE UPON RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER TO APPROVE A CAUSE 2024 PUBLIC INVESTMENT POLICY. OKAY. THE PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT REQUIRES THAT WE BRING AN UPDATE TO OUR BOARD, OUR INVESTMENT POLICY. THERE HAVE BEEN NO AMENDMENTS TO THE INVESTMENT ACT SINCE 2019, THEREFORE, OUR POLICY REMAIN AS IS STAFF RECOMMENDS THE APPROVAL OF THE 24 PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT POLICY, WHICH WAS LAST APPROVED AT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING LAST OCTOBER. AGAIN, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND, UM, MOTION BY MAYOR DEION, SECOND BY MAYOR WILLIAMS. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WAS, WAS THAT A QUESTION OR WAS THAT A QUESTION? MOTION? THOSE WERE MOTIONS. NO, SHE WAS PREMIER. I THINK I HAVE A QUESTION. YES. UH, THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. DO WE HAVE A PO UH, COMMITTEE FOR PO UH, FOR THE POLICY INVESTMENT? NO. WE, WE DO NOT. OH, THANKS. UM, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? CARRIED? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU JULIO. ITEM NUMBER 16, [16. Consider and act upon the Internal Audit update on 2023 completed activities and projects and the Internal Audit plan for 2024. – Jaye Wells] CONSIDERING ACT ON THE INTERNAL AUDIT UPDATE ON 2023 COMPLETED A AND PROJECT AND THE INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN FOR 2024. MR. WELLS, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MY NAME IS JAY WELLS AND I'M YOUR INTERNAL AUDITOR. THE INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION PROVIDES ASSURANCE TO ACOG BY REVIEWING ITS OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND INTERNAL CONTROLS. AND I'M HERE TO PROVIDE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE STATUS OF THE PROGRAM SO FAR THIS YEAR. SINCE I LAST PRESENTED TO YOU, I HAVE COMPLETED AUDITS OVER VETERANS DIRECTED AND DEFENSE ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE GRANT OR DA PERFORM SUB-RECIPIENT MONITORING, A SPECIAL REVIEW OF ACCOUNTING AND AN AUDIT OVER ALAMO REGIONAL TRANSIT OR ART. THE AUDIT OVER ALAMO AREA AGENCY ON AGING WAS CANCELED DUE TO MY PRIOR AUDIT OF IT IN 2022, AND IT WAS REPLACED BY A FINDING REVIEW, WHICH IS A REVIEW OF ALL OF MY PRIOR FINDINGS TO ENSURE THAT THE AGENCY IS FOLLOWING THE AGREED UPON REMEDIATION ACTION PLANS. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE TWO AUDITS UNDERWAY AND PLANNED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, AND I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY DELAYS IN THEIR COMPLETION. IN ADDITION TO THE AUDITS AND REVIEWS COMPLETED, I HAVE BEEN PROVIDING MONTHLY TRAINING FOR AGENCY STAFF, HAVE HELPED FACILITATE THE ANNUAL PHYSICAL INVENTORY AND AM WORKING ON HELPING THE AGENCY PREPARE FOR THE REPORTING FOR GASB 96. ALSO, I HAVE ATTENDED AND SCHEDULED A FEW TRAININGS TO ENSURE THAT I'M UP TO DATE ON INDUSTRY STANDARDS. I'LL NOW PROVIDE YOU A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS, OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS DISCOVERED DURING MY AUDITS OF THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND THE FULL REPORT ARE ATTACHED IN YOUR PACKETS FOR YOUR REVIEW FOR VETERANS DIRECTED. I HAD ONE OBSERVATION. THE ISSUE WAS THE PROGRAM PURCHASED $7,400 WORTH OF OFFICE EQUIPMENT, WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY CODED, BYPASSING THE CHECKS PERFORMED BY ACCOUNTING RESULTING IN THE ITEMS NOT BEING TAGGED OR RECORDED PROPERLY IN RESOLUTION. THE TRANSACTIONS WERE, WERE CORRECTED AND THE PROGRAM AND ACCOUNTING STAFF HAVE ATTENDED TRAINING. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS NO ISSUES FOR DAG OR THE SUBRECIPIENT MONITORING [01:00:01] FOR ACCOUNTING REVIEW. I HAD ONE OBSERVATION THAT OBSERVATION WAS THAT THE DOCUMENTATION OF MANAGEMENT REIMBURSEMENTS RECORDS WAS INSUFFICIENT TO ENSURE THE REALITY AND APPEARANCE OF COMPLIANCE WAS MAINTAINED. THE ACTION PLAN FOR THIS ISSUE IS FOR ACCOUNTING TO UPDATE THE EXPENSE VOUCHER FORM AND TO NOTATE AND CROSS-REFERENCE THE APPROVAL RECORDS FOR THE TRANSACTIONS GOING FORWARD. FOR THE AUDIT OVER ART, I HAD TWO FINDINGS AND THREE OBSERVATIONS. THE FIRST FINDING WAS THAT THE 2022 AUDIT ART HAD IN 2022, ART HAD PURCHASED SURVEILLANCE AND IT TRAINING EQUIPMENT THAT WAS STORED IN THE KERRVILLE MULTIMODAL FACILITY AS WELL AS THE PLAZA SERVER ROOM. AND A PORTION OF THAT EQUIPMENT WAS NOT TAGGED OR INCLUDED IN ACOG'S FIXED ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, TWO OF THE PAYMENTS FOR THAT EQUIPMENT TOTALING JUST OVER $8,000 WERE INCORRECTLY EXCLUDED FROM THE FIXED ASSET LISTING. THE REMEDIATION PLAN IS THAT THE INVENTORY WILL BE TAGGED AND INVENTORY RECORDS WILL BE UPDATED. IN ADDITION, ACCOUNTING WILL RECONCILE THE FIXED ASSET PURCHASES WITH THE FIXED ASSET LISTING TO ENSURE THAT THE ACCOUNTING RECORDS ARE ACCURATE GOING FORWARD. THE SECOND FINDING IS THE KERRVILLE MULTIMODAL FACILITY HAS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ISSUES AND THE INSTALLATION OF IT EQUIPMENT IS INCOMPLETE. TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES, OUR STAFF WILL COMPLETE THE INSTALLATION OF IT EQUIPMENT AND OUR MANAGEMENT IS DEVELOPING PLANS TO UPDATE AND UTILIZE THE FACILITY FOR USE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS. ARE THERE ANY, UM, ON THE, UH, ART PROGRAM, THE, THE EQUIPMENT, THE VEHICLES, ARE THEY EXCHANGED ON A REGULAR BASIS? THE VEHICLES ARE EXCHANGED ON ED ON A REGULAR BASIS. UM, CORRECT. THE FIRST OBSERVATION FOR ART WAS THAT THE PASSENGER SIGNATURES WERE WRITTEN IN BY THE DRIVER WITHOUT PROPER EXPLANATION. WHILE THIS WAS ALLOWED UNDER PANDEMIC PROCEDURES, THAT OPTION HAS BEEN RESCINDED TO MEDIATE. THIS ART WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRAINING TO DRIVERS AND DEVELOP PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THAT THE DRIVERS ARE AWARE OF REQUIREMENTS FROM THE FUNDING AGENTS. THE SECOND OBSERVATION WAS THAT THE SPEEDY BUCKS PREPAID TICKETS ARE NOT BEING COUNTED, ARE BEING COUNTED, CORRECT, COLLECTED. HOWEVER, WHILE NO LOSSES HAVE BEEN NOTED ARE NOT BEING CONFIRMED TO CORRECT, THIS ART STAFF WILL CONFIRM THE VALUES COLLECTED AND REVISE THE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. FINALLY, THE THIRD OBSERVATION IS THAT THE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES ARE OUTDATED AND THE ACTION PLAN IS FOR STAFF TO REVIEW THOSE SOPS AND UPDATE THEM TO REFLECT THE CURRENT PRACTICES. EVERY, EVERY OTHER YEAR. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND INTERNAL AUDIT PERFORM RISK ASSESSMENTS OF THE VARIOUS ACOG PROGRAMS TO DEVELOP A SCHEDULE FOR THE FOLLOWING TWO YEARS. THE RISK ASSESSMENT WEIGHS THE PROGRAMS ON 14 DIFFERENT FACTORS SUCH AS THE RESULTS OF MY PRIOR AUDITS FROM MYSELF AND OTHER AGENCIES. THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING EXPECTED, THE PROGRAM'S COMPLEXITY AND THE LENGTH OF TENURE OF MANAGEMENT OF THAT PROGRAM TO NAME. BUT A FEW, BREN AND I HAVE COMPLETED OUR RISK ASSESSMENT THIS YEAR. AND BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THAT ASSESSMENT, WE PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE FOR THE 2024 CALENDAR YEAR. IN SUMMARY, I HAVE NOT NOTED ANY SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING OR PROGRAMMATIC ISSUES AND I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY INFORMATION THAT SHOULD BE DISCLOSED AT THIS TIME. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MAYOR DENNIS? UH, THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. THANK YOU CHAIR. JUST BECAUSE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I WAS TRYING TO GO THROUGH THE REPORT. DO YOU REALLY TAKE CASH MONEY? THE BUS DRIVERS TAKE MONEY. CASH? YES, THEY DO. IS THAT ANTIQUATED OR ? VERY, IT, IT IS, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING AND AFTER LISTENING TO YOU, THAT'S WHY I ASKED. SEAN'S HERE FOR CONVERSATION PROPOSALS TO WORK ON THAT ACQUAINTANCE. RIGHT NOW WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO GO TO A SECURE SYSTEM THAT COULD HANDLE LIKE A CREDIT CARD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT ON THE BUS. SECOND IS IN RURAL TRANSPORTATION. IT'S PRETTY MUCH AN [01:05:01] ACCEPTED POLICY. I MEAN, SOME OF THE BIGGER AGENCIES HAVE GONE TO THAT. WHAT DO YOUR PASSENGERS ARE ANTIQUATED TO? SOMETIMES. I WASN'T GONNA SAY IT OUT LOUD. NOT OUT LOUD. CARPENTER SAID HE WAS SEEKING THE SAME THING. JUDGE, YOU JUST DIDN'T WANNA SAY THAT. , NEVERMIND. THANK YOU MARY. AS LONG AS EVERYBODY'S SHE'S GOT BACK, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GO TO A STORED VALUE SYSTEM. BE CARD. SORRY. AND SOMEDAY WE CAN HOPEFULLY GET THERE. IF I CAN UNDERSTAND THE, THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, THE INTERNAL AUDITOR REPORTS. TO WHOM? TO ACCOUNTING AND COURSE TO ME OF COURSE TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. UH, BUT'S UNDER THE OVERSEEN. BY OVERSEEN BY ACCOUNTING. AND I NOTICED IN THE REPORTS THEY'RE ADDRESSED TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RIGHT? CORRECT. THERE IS NO COMMITTEE OR SUBCOMMITTEE, UH, TO RECEIVE, UH, OR REVIEW THE AUDIT REPORTS THAT WE HAVE. DOES THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DO THAT? THE EXECUTIVE? YES. UH, IT DOES. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RE REVIEWS? YES. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DOES. WE WENT OVER LAST WEEK THAT I OH, OKAY. YEAH, THAT WAS SPECIFIC SUBCOMMITTEE TO REVIEW. INTERNAL AUDIENCE. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE A MOTION BY, UH, MAYOR CONTRERAS, SECOND BY MAYOR ENER. CAN YOU DISCUSS FINALLY, I'M RAISING MY HAND FOR A SECOND AND I'M, I DON'T HAVE THEM ON . I'LL GIVE YOU ONE SECOND. OH, IT DOES FINE. MY GLASSES. WERE DIRTY. . MAY I ASK WHO? UH, WE'VE GOT MAYOR CONTRERAS. AND MAYOR, I THANK YOU. ANY MORE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU JUDGE. UH, ITEM NUMBER [17. Consider and act upon the approval of the Quality Assurance update on 2023 completed activities and reports and the 2024 Quality Assurance Plan. - Bryn Herrera] 17, SENATOR N UPON APPROVAL QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN OR QUALITY ASSURANCE. UPDATE ON 2023 COMPLET ACTIVITIES AND REPORTS IN THE 2024 QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN. MR. HERRERA. MORNING CHAIRMAN, TEAL MEMBERS OF BOARD. MY NAME IS BRANDON HERRERA. I AM THE, THAT'S INFORMATION AND PRIVACY OFFICER HERE WITH OUR INTERNAL AUDITOR. JAY, TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR INTERNAL REVIEW INITIATIVES 2023. AS A JUST BRIEF REMINDER, THE INTENT OF ACOG QA IS TO ENSURE THAT PROGRAMS MEET AND EXCEED COMPLIANCE STANDARDS, ASSIST IN PREPARING FOR EXTERNAL MONITORS AND AUDITS, IDENTIFYING WEAKNESSES IN PROGRAM PROCESSES, AND OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS WITH A GOAL OF CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AS OF JANUARY 1ST. THIS YEAR, UH, MANAGEMENT OF OUR IT SYSTEMS AND CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN MOVED UNDER HEALTH AND I HAVE SINCE ASSUMED THE TITLE OF INFORMATION AND PRIVACY OFFICER. MY ROLE IN THIS CONTEXT IS TO REVIEW THE PHYSICAL, TECHNICAL, AND ADMINISTRATIVE SAFEGUARDS, WHICH PREVENT THE UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE OF SENSITIVE INFORMATION, BOTH PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL. ADDITIONALLY, TO COORDINATE AND IMPLEMENT IT PROJECTS AND SERVICES WITH OUR CONTRACTED VENDOR. I ALSO AIM TO PROMOTE COMPLIANCE AND PRIVACY, UH, WITH PRIVACY AND CYBERSECURITY LAWS VIA THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES. INCIDENT INVESTIGATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF VULNERABILITIES. QA IS ON TRACK TO COMPLETE ALL AREAS IN THE APPROVED 2023 SCHEDULE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. AND WITH THE REMAINING PROJECTS BEING THE 9 1 1 PROGRAM AND THE ANNUAL SECURITY AND PRIVACY REVIEW, I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY ISSUES IN COMPLETING THE REMAINING REVIEWS BY THE END OF THE YEAR. AND BASED ON THE REVIEW ACTIVITIES WHICH HAVE BEEN COMPLETED SO FAR, I FEEL THAT THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT BREACHES OF PROGRAM COMPLIANCE OR CONDUCT, WHICH WARRANT REPORTING TO TODAY. AND THIS SLIDE IS A SUMMARY OF INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS FOR 2023 ON THE INFORMATION AND PRIVACY REALM. IN MY OPINION, THE MOST MAJOR PROJECTS BOTH THIS YEAR AS WELL AS LAST, HAVE BEEN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION AND THE MIGRATION TO OFFICE 365 FOR EMAIL AND WORK APPLICATIONS. OTHER PROJECTS ARE PRIMARILY AIMED AT INCREASING ACOG'S POSTURE IN REGARD TO CYBER RESILIENCE AND PRIVACY IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE, IN MY OPINION, REALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE AND REALIZE SIGNIFICANT VALUE THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR SECURITY EVENT AND INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH HAS PROVIDED EXTRAORDINARY VISIBILITY INTO OUR ENVIRONMENT. ALTHOUGH THIS TYPE OF WORK IS NEVER DONE, AS THERE ARE ALWAYS IMPROVEMENTS, ADJUSTMENTS, AND OPTIMIZATION TO BE MADE, I WANT TO THANK ACOG LEADERSHIP FOR RECOGNIZING ITS VALUE AND IMPORTANCE AND THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT WITH SUCH INITIATIVES. HERE'S THE PROPOSED 2024 QA REVIEW SCHEDULE THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH JAY'S RISK ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY. TYPICALLY, EACH PROGRAM RECEIVES EITHER AN IA [01:10:01] OR QA VISIT EACH YEAR, THOUGH SHE AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH IN REVIEWING PROCUREMENT EARLY NEXT YEAR SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE COMPREHENSIVE MONITORING OVER THAT AREA OF THE AGENCY. HERE'S A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED 2022, UH, FOUR REVIEW SCHEDULE INCLUDED IN FOR YOUR REFERENCE IN YOUR PACKETS. SO IN SOME RECENT ACTIVITIES, CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ENHANCEMENTS TO ACOG'S COMPLIANCE, PRIVACY, AND SECURITY ENVIRONMENTS. I FEEL THAT WE ARE POSITIONED WELL AS AN ORGANIZATION TO PROACTIVELY RECOGNIZE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES THREATS AND REGULATORY CHANGES AND TO MAKE STRATEGIC DECISIONS IN THESE AREAS. AS ALWAYS, I CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN AN OPEN DOOR POLICY FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS AND STRIVE TO BE AN INTERNAL RESOURCE SO THAT WE CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY MEET OUR MISSION. FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT I-A-N-Q-A HAVE FORMED A PARTNERSHIP TO ENSURE COMPREHENSIVE INTERNAL MONITORING OVER THE AGENCY FISCAL, UM, THE BOTH THE AGENCY'S FISCAL AND PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES. JAY AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ACOG STAFF FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND FACILITATION OF OUR REVIEWS. UM, BOTH HIM AND I ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND RESPECTFULLY REQUEST REQUEST APPROVAL OF 2023, UH, I QA ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS THE PROPOSED 2024 INTERNAL REVIEW SCHEDULE. ALRIGHT, I GOT MOTION JUDGE EVANS SECOND. SECOND BY MAYOR NER . LOOK OVER THIS GLASSES TO SEE THIS BRIGHT ORANGE SWEATER. . GOTTA BE QUICK. TAKE THAT BACK. TRY. I'LL RAISE A POINT WHERE THE CHAIR CUT. HARRY? DONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. . OH MY. THANK Y'ALL FOR ALLOWING US TO HAVE A MOMENT TO LEVI. YES, WE NEED HIM. I NEED THAT. ALL RIGHT. MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS BUSINESS. PLEASE CONSIDER THAT UPON RECOMMENDATION [18. Consider and act upon the recommendation to authorize the Executive Director to apply for and accept funding from Bexar County for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) in an amount not to exceed $1.5M for public health/behavioral health. This item will not require a budget amendment. - Virginia Charles] TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO APPLY FOR AND ACCEPT FUNDING FROM BEAR COUNTY FOR AMER, UH, FROM BEAR COUNTY, FOR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, UH, ACT DOLLARS FROM THE STATE LOCAL PHYSICAL RECOVERY FUND, UH, FUND, AND THE, THE AMOUNT NOT EXCEED ONE AND HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. THIS ITEM WILL NOT REQUIRE AMENDMENT. GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN AND BOARD MEMBERS. I'M NOT VIRGINIA CHARLES TIE. UNFORTUNATELY, UH, MS. CHARLES WAS NOT ABLE TO BE WITH US THIS MORNING THIS MORNING, SO I'M STANDING IN ON HER BEHALF. UH, AS MANY OF YOU OF YOU'LL RECALL CALL ACOG SERVES AS THE LOCAL IDD AUTHORITY FOR THE BEXAR COUNTY AREA. UM, AND IN THAT ROLE IS THE PUBLIC FACING FRONT DOOR FOR SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. AND IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE SERVICES, THE INDIVIDUAL HAS TO GO THROUGH A PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION THAT CONSISTS OF, UM, AN IQ TEST AS WELL AS BEHAVIOR LEVEL ASSESSMENTS. UH, THAT'S CONDUCTED BY A PSYCHOLOGIST, UH, OF COURSE DURING C-O-V-I-D. UH, THAT ABILITY TO CONDUCT THOSE ASSESSMENTS WAS EXCEEDINGLY LIMITED, UM, BECAUSE IQ ASSESSMENTS ARE ONLY VALID WHEN DONE IN A FACE-TO-FACE SETTING, IT'S NOT CLINICALLY VALID TO DO THOSE VIA TELEHEALTH. UH, SO OUR, UH, WAIT LIST FOR THOSE ASSESSMENTS, UH, GREW SIGNIFICANTLY DURING COVID. AND THESE DOLLARS WILL ALLOW US TO PROVIDE AND TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE AN ELEVATED RESPONSE POST COVID, UH, FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, AS WELL AS PROVIDE FOLKS ACCESS TO CRISIS RESPITE SERVICES, WHICH ARE IN DESPERATE NEED CURRENTLY. UH, SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER IN YOUR QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. CAN I SEE THAT YOU WERE 1000, UH, ASSESSMENTS BEHIND? DID I READ THAT CORRECTLY? YES, SIR. UM, BETWEEN, UH, FOLKS THAT ARE, ARE SIGNING UP FOR THE STATEWIDE INTEREST LISTS, UH, REFERRAL REFERRALS FOR, UM, A SPECIFIC PROGRAM CALLED COMMUNITY FIRST CHOICE, UH, AND OTHER APPLICATION COMING IN THE FRONT DOOR. UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A WAIT LIST OF OVER A THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS AT THE FRONT DOOR. ASSUMING YOU'VE RECEIVED THIS MONEY, WHAT, HOW SOON CAN YOU WHITTLE THAT DOWN? WE ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO FULLY ELIMINATE THAT WAIT LIST, UH, BY THE END OF THE FUNDING PERIOD, WHICH IS, UH, DECEMBER, 2026. HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO WE NEED TO HIRE TO HANDLE THIS? UH, SO CURRENTLY WE, WE, UM, LAST YEAR WE RECEIVED, RECEIVED SOME AR DOLLARS FROM CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, AND WE WERE ABLE TO ONBOARD FOUR PSYCHOLOGISTS, UH, AS WELL AS AS ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS. SOME [01:15:01] OF Y'ALL MAY REMEMBER APPROVING OUR APPLICATION FOR THAT FUNDING. UH, WE ANTICIPATE, ANTICIPATE UTILIZING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DOLLARS BY THE END OF 2024. UH, SO THE BEAR COUNTY DOLLARS WOULD ALLOW US TO CONTINUE THE ELEVATED RESPONSE, UH, FROM, UH, THE BEGINNING OF 20 20 25 THROUGH 2026. SO WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU TO, YOU SAID FURTHER, YOU SAID YOU WOULD NOT, SO YOU WOULD DO ABOUT 500 A YEAR. HOW DID PER YEAR THEN? UH, YES SIR, BETWEEN THE ASSESSMENTS THAT WE'RE COMPLETING CURRENTLY, UH, AND THEN THE ASSESSMENT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COMPLETE IN 25 AND 26, WE WOULD EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETELY, UM, ELIMINATE THAT FRONT, FRONT DOOR WAIT LIST. UM, I WOULDN'T, I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO ADD JUST FOR EVERYBODY'S INFORMATION. YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT AN, NOT AN UNCOMMON, UH, SITUATION AROUND THE STATE. UH, THE, THE STATE HAS UNDERFUNDED IDD SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST DECADE. UM, THE LAST TIME OUR FUNDING WAS ADJUSTED WAS PRIOR TO 2010, AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY A FUNDING CUT THAT THE LEGISLATURE MADE IN RESPONSE TO AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN AT THE TIME. UM, SO WE ARE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO RESPOND AND TRY TO FIND LOCAL RESOURCES IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE NEED. HOW MANY, HOW MANY NEW REFERRALS DO YOU GET IN THE PERIOD IF YOUR CURRENT IS A THOUSAND? MM-HMM. . MM-HMM. . WHEN YOU, YOU SAY YOU'RE GONNA WHITTLE IT DOWN ABOUT 26. DOES THAT INCLUDE YES, SIR. THAT THAT INCLUDE INCLUDES THE, THE NEW REFERRALS? ANTICIPATE THAT, UH, ONCE THE FUNDING'S EXPECTED THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO BE CURRENT AND STAY CURRENT AT THAT TIME. DO WE NEED A MOTION? I MOTION? ALRIGHT. MOTION. MS. MARY, WANNA MAKE THE MOTION SECOND. SECOND BY, SHE GOT HER SECOND DISCUSSED, SHALL BE SURE. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. ITEM NUMBER 19, CONSIDERING [19. Consider and act upon the recommendation to authorize the Executive Director to enter into two construction contracts, with a combined total not to exceed $750,000.00, for the current DEAAG project in support of the Texas Air National Guard. This item does not require a budget amendment. - William McKnight] ACT UPON RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ENTER INTO TWO CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT COMBINED TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $750,000 FOR THE CURRENT DAG PROJECT IN SUPPORT OF TEXAS INTERNATIONAL GUARD. THIS ITEM DOES NOT REQUIRE BUDGET. MR. CHAIR, REMEMBER THE BOARDS ON WILL MC, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF AGING MILITARY AFFAIRS. ON THE 23RD OF AUGUST, AUGUST OF 2023, THE BOARD AUTHORIZED A RELEASE OF TWO REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE DAC GRANT, UH, BY THE TEXAS, TEXAS MILITARY BY MILITARY PREPAREDNESS COMMISSION COMMISSION IN SUPPORT OF TEXAS, TEXAS, A NATIONAL GUARD ONE 49TH FIGHTER WING COMMUNICATIONS ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS. AFTER CAREFULLY CONSIDERING A TOTAL OF 10 RESPONDENTS FIVE FOR EACH REQUEST THAT WE, THAT WE PUT OUT THE SELECTION PANEL CHOSE THE ELK MO MOUNTAIN TECHNOLOGY TO CONSTRUCT A NEW COMMUNICATIONS TOWER ON JBSA LACKLAND AND THE VALLEY TELEPHONE COOPERATIVE INCORPORATED TO BURY FIVE MILES OF UNDER UNDERGROUND FIBER OPTIC CABLE AT THE MCMILLAN MCMULLIN RANGE COMPLEX. THIS PROJECT WILL NOT REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. SO AS SUCH, THE STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ENTER INTO THESE TWO SEPARATE CONTRACTS, UH, WITH ELK MOUNTAIN TECHNOLOGY AND THE VALLEY TELEPHONE COOPERATIVE INCORPORATED RESPECTIVELY FOR A COMBINED TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED 750,000. I MAKE THAT MOTION PROVIDE THESE SERVICES. I MAKE THAT MOTION. YOU BET. THANK YOU. MOTION BY MAYOR WILLIAMS, SECOND BY JUDGE CAMACHO. CHRIS, DO WE HAVE THE AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACTS RIGHT NOW, THE TENTATIVE AMOUNT, AND THESE ARE BASED OFF THE ESTIMATES THAT WERE, THAT WERE SUBMITTED AND WE'RE GONNA COME UNDER FOR THE, THE CURRENT AMOUNT IS $168,000 AND WE'RE ESTIMATING FOR THE CABLES, UH, TO BURY THE CABLES. THAT'S APPROXIMATELY $305,000. SO THEY WEREN'T ACTUALLY BIDS OR WERE THEY BIDS? I'M SORRY, SIR. I'M SORRY, SIR. WHAT WERE THEY, WERE THEY BIDS? I MEAN, USUALLY OUR RFQ IS QUALIFICATIONS AND YOU, YOU HAVE COMPETITIVE SHIP. SO THE FIRST STAGE OF IT, SO THE FIRST THIS WAS TO IDENTIFY THE MOST QUALIFIED COMPANIES AND THEN BASED OFF OF THAT, THEY WOULD SUB SUBSEQUENTLY SUBMIT THEIR BIDS FOR REVIEW. OKAY, SO THEY ACTUALLY DID IT. YES, SIR. YES, SIR. TO SPECS. OKAY, LET SURE. AND AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE WELL UNDER THE 705,000, UH, 750,000, UH, GRANT THAT WE SUBMITTED THE REQUEST ON. SO THEY, THERE, IT'S JUST, IT TURNED INTO A SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT DROP BASED OFF THE INITIAL ESTIMATES THAT WE, WE [01:20:01] THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA HAVE WHEN WE CREATED THE GRANT APPLICATION. I SEE A QUESTION. I'M GONNA BE QUIET. DON'T, DON'T BE, WE DID, WELL I CAN'T REMEMBER ON THIS ONE. DID WE DO RF QS OR DID WE DO FOR, FOR THIS ONE? WE DID. WE DID RQS. CORRECT. WE'RE, BECAUSE THE BUILDING THE TOWER, WE WANTED THAT, THE COMPANY THAT WE SELECTED WITH GETTING IN OR OFF THINGS TO MAKE SURE THEY ALSO, UH, THEY, THEY, THEY BUILT THE PREVIOUS TOWER THAT'S CURRENTLY THERE AS WELL. SO IT WAS MOST IMPORTANT THAT WE IDENTIFIED THE MOST QUALIFIED COMPANIES VICE, JUST ANY, EVERY, EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY BID THE SAME SPECS? YES. YES, SIR. YES, SIR. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT, THAT, UH, VALLEY TELEPHONE COOPERATIVE IS THE ONLY CORRECT THAT SERVES THAT AREA IN MAC MULLIN COUNTY. SO THAT, THAT PROCESS, THEY JUST SAY, HEY, IT'S GONNA COST $305,000 AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE DATE, YOU KNOW, THEN THEY GO OUT AND DO THEIR PROCUREMENT PART OF IT AND, AND HIRE THEIR CONTRACTOR TO PREPARE FILE. SO THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE PHONE COOPERATIVE IS, IS THAT DATE? SO THIS ONE WAS DONE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE OF THAT SITUATION. WE DIDN'T DO AN RFP, WE DID RQQ. CORRECT. AND THAT'S JUST DETERMINE THE BEST QUALIFICATION AND SEE IF THEY WOULD COME IN WITHIN THE ANTICIPATED ESTIMATES. SO THAT'S THE WAY THAT PROCESS WAS DONE, IF I REMEMBER NOW, CORRECT. THAN OUR NORMAL PROCESS. CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ITEM MEMBER. SO [20. Consider and act upon the recommendation to authorize the Executive Director to apply for and accept funds from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) for continuation of the Economic Development District (EDD) Planning Assistance program for FY 2024-2026 in the amount of $210,000.00, and to provide a 40% match. This item will require a budget amendment to the FY2024 budget. - Claudia Mora] CONSIDER AN ACT UPON RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO APPLY FOR AND ACCEPT FUNDS FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION, EDA FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT PLANNING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR FY 24 TO 26 IN M AMOUNT, $210,000 AND PROVIDE A 40% MATCH. THIS ITEM WILL REQUIRE BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE FY 24 BUDGET. MS. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, MR. CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS, IT IS AFTERNOON. IT IS YOUR HONOR, CHECK MY WATCH. . I'M FAUD ONE OF THE REGIONAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR HERE AT ACOG. DECEMBER 31ST. 2023 MARKS THE END OF THE CURRENT THREE YEAR PARTNERSHIP PLANNING PROGRAM GRANT FROM EDA FOR ACOG'S REGIONAL PLANNING AND ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS. ACOG MIS SUBMITTED A GRANT APPLICATION FOR NEW THREE YEAR ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT PARTNERSHIP AND PLANNING GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $210,000. THE GRANT PERIOD WILL RUN FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2020 24 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2026. A HUB WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS LIKE THE PLANNING AND ZONING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ELECTED OFFICIALS WORKSHOPS ALONG WITH, UH, AT LEAST ONE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE. IN ADDITION, REGIONAL SERVICES WILL PROVIDE GRAND RESEARCH AND APPLICATION SERVICES FOR MEMBER GOVERNMENTS. THIS ITEM, THIS ITEM WILL REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE FFY 2024 BUDGET. BUDGET. STAFF RECOMMENDS THE BOARD, BOARD AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO APPLY FOR AND, AND ACCEPT FUNDS FOR THE PARTNERSHIP AND PLANNING GRANT. GRANT AND TO ENTER INTO AN, AN AGREEMENT WITH EDA FOR THE PAST. AT THIS TIME, I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. MOTION. A MOTION BY MAYOR RE SECOND BY MAYOR RO. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. UH, 2023 [21. The 2023 AACOG Board of Directors Meeting and Awards Luncheon is scheduled for Wednesday, December 6, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at the Norris Conference Center.] BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING AT BOARD'S LUNCHEON IS SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6TH, 2023, 10:30 AM CORRECT? CORRECT. CORRECT. NOT 10:00 AM 30, BUT THE CONFERENCING, UH, SU CAN YOU TELL Y'ALL WHAT THAT IS? IF YOU GOT ANY GUYS BEFORE YOU ADJOURN OR HAVE COMMENT, YOU MAY YOUR MAKE A COMMENT? YES, SIR. FIRST OF ALL, I GOTTA SIT HERE. I WANT TO TELL YOU, I SORT OF FEEL LIKE THE DOG THAT FINALLY CAUGHT THE CAR AND DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT. BUT, UH, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR TRUST AND SUPPORT THAT YOU'RE PLACING IN ME. AND I WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, DIANE BUILT A GREAT STAFF AND THAT STAFF IS STILL HERE. AND SO I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT ACOG'S MISSION. WELL, AND THE STAFF, THEY'RE ALL LISTENING, ARE GOING TO MAKE ME LOOK GOOD. I HOPE , THEY, THEY'RE A GREAT TEAM JOB. SIX MONTHS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. I APPRECIATE IT [01:25:01] VERY MUCH AND WE'LL TRY TO EARN YOUR TRUST AND SUPPORT EVERY DAY. UH, THE OTHER THING IS, IS THOSE MEMBERS OF THE NOMINATION COMMITTEE, WE HAVE A MEETING AFTER WE'RE ADJOURNED. SO THANK YOU. DOES EVERYBODY KNOW WHO'S ON THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE? THERE'S THE CHAIR. FORMER CHAIRS. ALRIGHT, SUSIE'S GONNA HELP ME WITH THIS, BUT I'M GONNA TRY TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS, WE'VE GOT, UH, JUDGE EVANS, UH, MR. HAS LOCKER JUDGE TEAL MAYOR WILLIAMS, AND OF COURSE OUR CHAIR IS MAYOR DEION. SO ALRIGHT. IF ANYBODY'S AVAILABLE. AND, UH, WE'VE GOT SELECT VICTIMS FOR THE, FOR, UH, VARIOUS POSITIONS ON A. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.