* 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. READY? YES, SIR. [00:00:04] GOOD [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. HI. IT IS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST THE 28TH, 2024. IT'S 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING IN THE ALAMO AREA. COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS IS NOW IN SESSION. UM, WHEN I ASK SUZIE IF YOU WOULD CONDUCT A ROLL CALL, OH, AND FOR THOSE THAT YOU DON'T, DON'T RECOGNIZE ME. THIS IS AUGUST. THERE'S NO TIE, NO JACKET, . IT'S EVERY DAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. JUDGE KELLY. HERE. MAYOR DENNIS. HERE. COMMISSIONER CALVERT. AMY PUTNEY FOR COMMISSIONER CALVERT. JUDGE CAMACHO. HERE. COMMISSIONER CARPENTER? YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES, MARK SMITH, OR COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES. JUDGE COUD. COMMISSIONER GILLESPIE. PRE CO MAYOR DODGEN IS EXCUSED. JUDGE EVANS. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN RO GARCIA. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN GATO. MR. HASLAUER. HERE. JUDGE PEGGY IS EXCUSED. MAYOR HERRING. DALTON RICE FOR MAYOR HERRING. JUDGE JONES. HERE, JUDGE RAEY. HERE. MS. LEWIS. ANGELA RODRIGUEZ. FOR LISA LEWIS. JUDGE LUKES COMMISSIONER CASTELLA FOR LUTS. SENATOR MENENDEZ S FOR SENATOR MENENDEZ. COMMISSIONER MOODY. REPRESENTATIVE MURR COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN AYAS. MAYOR RILEY. PHILLIP CAMPOS FOR MAYOR RILEY. MAYOR SCHROER. HERE. COUNCILMAN BRADLEY. HERE. JUDGE LAR IS EXCUSED. MAYOR JUAREZ. HERE, JUDGE TEAL IS EXCUSED TO MR. VALVIA. MR. VASQUEZ? HERE, JUDGE WHITMAN. HERE. REPRESENTATIVE MR. HOFFMAN. JOHN. AND FOR MR. HOFFMAN, REPRESENTATIVE HOFFMAN. SENATOR ZINI, WE HAVE A FLOOR. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGES. THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND REPUBLIC, WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, LIBERTY, ALL HONOR I ONE STATE GOD. ONE INDIVISIBLE. PLEASE BE SEATED. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? DO NO PUBLIC COMMENTS? MR. DO WE HAVE ANY DEC DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST? THERE BEING NONE. THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO, [6. LiftFund - Amy Hereford, President & CEO] UH, OUR PRESENTATIONS. THIS IS THE LIFT FUND. THIS IS MS. AMY HEREFORD. YES, SIR. YES, SIR. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME. THANK YOU ALL HAVING ME HERE. I'M AMY HERFORD. I'M THE PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT, CEO OF LIFT FUND. LIFT FUND IS ONE OF THE NATION'S LARGEST AND OLDEST MICRO LENDERS FOR SMALL BUSINESS. WE ARE HEADQUARTERED HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. NUMBER YOU MIGHT KNOW MY FRIEND, FRIEND AND FORMER FOUNDER OF LIFT FUND IS DAN BARRA. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY BECAUSE LIFT FUND FUND CARES ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITIES VERY MUCH. AND WE, WE UNDERSTAND WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY. RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITIES. THE ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL, SMALL BUSINESSES IN YOUR COMMUNITY ARE IMPORTANT TO US. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT WE DO WITH, UH, LARGER METROPOLITAN AREAS THAT I BELIEVE ARE IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL TO BE AWARE OF, TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD SERVE YOUR COMMUNITIES. LET'S SEE. SO I'LL RUN THROUGH THIS QUICKLY BECAUSE I DO WANNA LEAVE TIME FOR QUESTION AND ANSWERS. LIFT FUND'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE CREDIT AND SERVICES TO SMALL BUSINESSES THAT CANNOT ACCESS THEM FROM MAINSTREAM BANKS. THAT'S THE SYNOPSIS. YOU CAN SEE OUR VALUES. I WON'T READ THE ENTIRE SLIDE TO YOU. THIS IS WHERE WE ARE. WE'RE IN 15 STATES, MOSTLY ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST. YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR, UH, CONCENTRATION, WE HELP LOW TO MODERATE INCOME. THAT INCLUDES RURAL. 84% OF OUR CLIENTS ARE MINORITY. 25% ARE STARTUPS. SO FAR WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 30 YEARS. 46% FEMALE, 13% VETERAN. OUR IMPACT, WE'VE DONE A BILLION IN ACCESS TO CAPITAL OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, ALMOST 30,000 LOANS, 6 BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT. IT SAYS CDFI LENDING ONLY. OUR LOANS RANGE FROM $500 TO $5 MILLION. THE AVERAGE SIZED LOAN THAT WE DO IS $30,000. WE HAVE ALSO A BUSINESS SUPPORT CENTER. WE COACH BUSINESSES UP ON WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO INCREASE THEIR, UH, LIKELIHOOD TO BE ACCEPTED INTO MAINSTREAM FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. AGAIN, WE ARE NOT COMPETITORS [00:05:01] TO BANKS. WE'RE ACTUALLY A PIPELINE TO THE BANKS. UH, WE ARE ALSO, WHO COMPETES WITH US IS PREDATORY LENDERS. THAT'S WHAT THE GOAL IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET SMALL BUSINESSES AWAY FROM THE PREDATORY LENDING. SO NOT ENOUGH FOLKS KNOW THAT THERE ARE NONPROFIT LENDERS OUT THERE. LIFTFUND BEING ONE OF THE LARGEST. AND YOU CAN SEE WE'VE CREATED AND RETAINED ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND JOBS IN OUR HISTORY. SO ONE PROGRAM THAT A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES REALLY, UH, ENGAGE IN WITH US IS SOMETHING CALLED THE DREAM MAKERS FUND. THE DREAM MAKERS FUND IS A POT OF MONEY DEVOTED JUST TO YOUR COMMUNITY FOR LOAN CAPITAL. SO I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. CORPUS CHRISTI WOULDN'T MIND ME TELLING YOU BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONE FIRST ONES TO START IT. AND THEY LIKE TO REMIND ME THAT CORPUS CHRISTI HAS PUT $3 MILLION INTO THEIR DREAM MAKERS FUND. THAT IS 3 MILLION THAT REVOLVES IN PERPETUITY FOREVER AND EVER. FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES OF CORPUS CHRISTI. THERE WILL NEVER BE A TIME FOR CORPUS CHRISTI SMALL BUSINESSES TO SAY WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO LOAN CAPITAL. BECAUSE CORPUS CHRISTI, THE CITY INVESTED THAT MONEY. AND EVERY TIME A CORPUS CHRISTI SIT, UH, SMALL BUSINESS PAYS US BACK. THAT MONEY IS READY FOR THE NEXT SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEUR IN CORPUS CHRISTI TO COME AND GET IT. IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO GET IT FROM BANKS, THAT'S THE DREAM MAKER'S FUND. THEN ANOTHER VERY POPULAR ONE IS THE INTEREST BUY DOWN LOAN PROGRAM. WE'VE DONE THIS WITH COUNTIES AND CITIES ALL OVER TEXAS. IN FACT, THIS IS NOW GETTING FEDERAL ATTENTION. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD LIKE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THIS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. LIFT FUND IS THE FIRST CDFI, THAT'S A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN THE UNITED STATES TO DO THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME. AND WHAT IT IS, IS A GRANT TO LIFT FUND WHERE THE COMMUNITY BUYS DOWN THE INTEREST RATE TO 0%, USUALLY 0%. SOME COMMUNITIES DO 5% OR 3%, MOST POPULARLY 0%, SO THAT THEIR SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE CAPITAL THAT WAY. WHAT WE NOTICE IN OUR DATA OVER 30 YEARS IS THE SMALL BUSINESSES PAY BACK THAT CAPITAL. THEY PRIORITIZE THAT LOAN FIRST OVER ALL THEIR OTHER DEBT, AND THAT IS GRADUATING THEM ON TO THE MAINSTREAM FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS QUICKER. THEY'RE GETTING HEALTHIER AND IT'S MAKING THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM, THE ECONOMY, UH, BETTER FOR ALL, UH, EVERYONE ACROSS THE ECONOMY. SO THAT PARTICULAR ONE IS BEING STUDIED BY THE ASPEN INSTITUTE, HARVARD. THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM IS INCREDIBLE ACCESS TO CAPITAL THAT REALLY ENERGIZES THE ECONOMY. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE ACCESSIBILITY, I'M JUST GONNA HIGHLIGHT THE OUTCOMES AND GOALS. WHEN WE'RE DOING ECONOMIC GROWTH, WHAT WE'RE TRYING FOR IS LOWER INTEREST RATES TO MAKE LOANS MORE ACCESSIBLE. WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT BUSINESS GROWTH, JOB CREATION, ECONOMIC STABILITY. THIS IS THE METRICS THAT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR IN OUR DATA. WE'RE BUILDING STRONG INFRASTRUCTURE FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE LEND. WE KNOW, AND THIS STUDY IS PROBABLY OUTDATED NOW, SO WE NEED A GRANT TO UPDATE IT. AT LEAST SIX YEARS AGO, IT WAS $14. IT'S PROBABLY MORE. EVERY DOLLAR LENT IS A $14 IMPACT ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY. THEN THE SUSTAINABILITY WE'RE TRACKING TO MAKE SURE THOSE BUSINESSES STAY OPEN. WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO GIVE DONOR MONEY OUT TO BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALREADY FLEDGLING AND DYING ON THE VINE. THIS IS GOING TO BE EITHER AN INJECTION TO SAVE AND OR HELP THEM THRIVE. DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE THE CHIEF GRANT ADMINISTRATORS FOR PANDEMIC RELIEF MONEY IN THE UNITED STATES. WE DID OVER 134 MILLION IN RELIEF GRANTS. SO WHAT THAT MEANS TO YOU IS YOUR COMMUNITIES MAY NOT WANNA BECOME GRANT ADMINISTRATORS WITHIN YOUR, UH, OFFICES, RIGHT? THERE'S A LOT OF FRAUD THAT GOES INTO GRANTS. ANYTIME THAT WE POST A GRANT PROGRAM. EVEN LOCAL, VERY SMALL ONES, THOSE ARE SENT ON GOOGLE ALERTS ACROSS THE WORLD. THE WAY WE KNOW THIS IS BECAUSE LIFTFUND HAS BEEN DETECTING. WE HAVE A VERY STRONG FRAUD DETECTION DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAVE SEEN WHEN THE PANDEMIC CAME ALL THE WAY FROM RUSSIA, AFRICA, CHINA, PRETTY MUCH ANY COUNTRY, ANY MAJOR COUNTRY HAD TRIED TO PRETEND TO BE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WERE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO GRAB THAT GRANT MONEY. AND WE WERE THE ONES WHO WERE ABLE TO DETECT THE FRAUD AND SHUT IT DOWN. YOU'VE HEARD OTHER FOLKS WERE NOT SO LUCKY ON THE FRAUD IN THE CDFI INDUSTRY. BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DONE REMARKABLY WELL AT LIFTFUND. SO WE DO GRANT ADMINISTRATION AND WE OFFER THAT TO COMMUNITIES. SHOULD YOU WANNA OFFER GRANTS AND DON'T WANT TO TAKE ON THE LIABILITY, YOU'RE WELCOME TO CALL LIFT FUND AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU THERE. SO HOW DO YOU BEST SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF SOMETHING LIKE A LIFT FUND THAT IS TRYING TO PROTECT SMALL BUSINESSES FROM PREDATORY LENDERS AND BRIDGE THE WEALTH GAP THAT COMES, UH, FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE IN THE UNITED STATES? THIS IS WHAT WE NEED. WE OBVIOUSLY NEED OPERATIONS LIKE ANY NONPROFIT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS TO HELP US COACH THEM UP. THE DREAM MAKERS FUND, WE MENTIONED THAT THAT'S THE LOAN [00:10:01] CAPITAL THAT YOU'D RESERVE FOR IN PERPETUITY FOR YOUR COMMUNITIES. THE GRANT ADMINISTRATION PARTNERSHIPS, WE MAKE A TINY BIT OF ADMINISTRATIVE DOLLARS FROM THAT LOAN LOSS RESERVE. IF YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR AREA WHERE IT STRUGGLES FROM GETTING ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND THE BANKS AND OTHER LENDERS WON'T HELP. WHAT WE NEED THEN IS A LOAN LOSS RESERVE TO SAY IF THIS PARTICULAR COMMUNITY OR NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S USUALLY A SMALLER NEIGHBORHOOD WITHIN A COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS AN INJECTION, THEN THE COMMUNITIES WILL SET UP A LOAN LOSS RESERVE TO SAY IF IT WALKS ON YOU LIFT FUND, YOU GET TO, IT'S A GUARANTEE. YOU GET TO TAKE THIS RESERVED MONEY AND GET IT READY FOR THE NEXT PERSON INTEREST BUY DOWN PARTNERSHIPS, WE'VE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT THAT. IT AND MARKETING GRANTS ARE ALWAYS NECESSARY, ESPECIALLY THAT MARKETING. THAT'S HOW WE'RE GONNA STAY AHEAD OF THE PREDATORY LENDERS 'CAUSE THEY'VE GOT GREAT MARKETING DOLLARS. AS YOU CAN PROBABLY RATTLE OFF SOME, UM, HOUSEHOLD NAMES FOR SOME OF THESE TITLE COMPANIES AND SO ON. AND THEN LOW COST INVESTMENT FUNDING. SO DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY GIVE A SUM OF MONEY TO LIFTFUND AND THEN TAKE IT BACK OVER THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS WITH INTEREST? USUALLY OUR INTEREST THAT WE'RE PAYING INVESTORS IS BETWEEN TWO AND 6%, BUT THE MINIMUM INVESTMENT WE TAKE IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. SO MOST BIG BANKS, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW DID A LIFTFUND EVEN GET STARTED, IT'S THE LARGEST BANKS THAT YOU CAN NAME. THOSE ARE ALL INVESTORS IN THIS IN LIFT FUND. SO WE PAY THEM A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY EVERY QUARTER THAT COMES AROUND, UH, BEFORE THEIR INVESTMENTS. BUT THAT HELPS US HAVE MONEY TO LEND OUT. AND THEN HERE'S A VIDEO. I DON'T KNOW IF OUR IT FRIEND, MY NEIGHBORS, UH, AND I OWN ORGANICALLY BATH AND BEAUTY. MY NAME IS JAMIE ROMO. I AM THE BUSINESS OWNER TO MS. C CHOCOLATIER, MY HUSBAND, MY CHILDREN. WE ALL WORK TOGETHER. WE, UH, OPERATE A FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. UH, MY FAMILY BUSINESS IS RUN BY MYSELF AND MY SON. THE BEST THING I LIKE ABOUT OUR FAMILY BUSINESS IS THE MORE TIME WE GET TO SPEND TOGETHER. WELL, MY BUSINESS IS ALL ABOUT MAKING ORGANIC VEGAN BATH AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS. SO WE MAKE EVERYTHING FOR THE BODY. HAVING THE, UM, FUNDING FROM LIFTFUND REALLY HELPED US TO PAY FOR THE DEPOSIT FOR THE BRICK AND MORTAR, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S, THAT'S A HUGE THING. AND SO TO PAY FOR SIGNAGE, THOSE THINGS ARE NOT SMALL. AND SO, UM, THAT REALLY HELPED US MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR BUSINESS. THE BUSINESS, UH, DEALS WITH NOTHING BUT CHOCOLATE. BUT WE ALSO DO A VARIETY OF CONFECTIONS, LIFTFUND, OF COURSE, THE, THE FUNDS FINANCIALLY ARE TREMENDOUS. I MEAN, THEY EXTENDED THEIR, UH, FINANCING TO WHAT I CALLED, UH, THE LITTLE C CHOCOLA CHAIR THAT COULD. WE WERE LACKING INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS. WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT TOOL SET. SO, UM, WHEN WE WENT INTO LIFT FUND, THAT'S WHAT WE INITIALLY WENT IN FOR. IT'S ACTUALLY FOR CLASSES. AND LEARNING ABOUT OUR CREDIT, LEARNING ABOUT BUILDING THE BUSINESS, UM, REALLY HELPED US BE ABLE TO GET PAST THOSE HURDLES. ONE THING WE'RE GONNA LEAVE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND GET TO OUR CHILDREN IS, YOU KNOW, GREATER OPPORTUNITIES, UM, LESS, UH, STRUGGLES. AND REALLY HAS HELPED IN THAT WAY. AND SO, UH, OUR LEGACY HAS CHANGED. IT. IT REALLY HAS. THEY, UH, THEY'RE ALWAYS THERE AS FAR AS THEIR MENTORSHIP, THEIR GUIDANCE, AND ALWAYS, NO MATTER WHAT, JUST CALL THEM AND THEY WILL GUIDE YOU. I, I COULDN'T EVEN DESCRIBE IT. IT'S LIKE EXHILARATING. I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY. BECAUSE IT LIFTS SO MUCH OFF YOUR BACK. UH, IT GIVES YOU PEACE OF MIND TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND NOT HAVE THAT ROADBLOCK. AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE MONEY, IT'S ABOUT BEING ABLE TO REACH THESE PEOPLE AND THEY WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOU. SO I'LL JUST THANK NOT YET. SORRY, . THANK YOU. SO I'LL JUST LEAVE YOU WITH TWO OTHER THINGS. OUR REPAYMENT RATE IS 96%, WHICH IS VERY HIGH. IT'S CALLED THE IMPOSSIBLE. THEN. NO ONE THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS POSSIBLE. WE KNOW HOW TO VET AND DO IT IN CREATIVE WAYS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE GIVING IT TO SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WE KNOW WILL PAY OR TRAINING THEM UP SO WELL THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'LL GET TO A PLACE WHERE THEY WILL PAY US BACK SO THAT THE NEXT SMALL BUSINESSES CAN GET IT. ALSO, I WANNA MENTION IF YOU ARE IN A STORM COMMUNITY, A DISASTER AREA, UH, BUT IT DOES, THAT HAS TO BE RELATED TO WEATHER. WHETHER THAT'S POWER OUTAGES OR OTHERS. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA PROTECT SMALL BUSINESSES AGAINST BECAUSE 40% OF SMALL BUSINESSES WILL DIE ACCORDING TO FEMA IF YOU DON'T HELP THEM VERY QUICKLY WITH CAPITAL WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK. SO, IF ANYTHING, PLEASE JUST REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE NONPROFIT LENDERS OUT THERE, LIFT FUND RIGHT HERE IN YOUR BACKYARD. I'VE LEFT SOME SWAG TO HELP YOU REMEMBER RIGHT HERE. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO SOME FOLDERS. THERE WE GO WITH SUSIE IN THE BACK THAT HAVE EXACTLY ABOUT THE, UH, TWO MAJOR PROGRAMS OF DREAM MAKERS FUND AND THE INTEREST BUYDOWN THAT YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN. I'LL LEAVE ANY QUESTIONS, [00:15:02] ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. SOMEONE MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO ABOUT CLASSES. SO DO YOUR PART, THOSE WHO ARE COMING, THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A COURSE OR SOME TYPE OF TRAINING BEFORE. IT'S NOT A MANDATORY, THE BEST TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT WE GET, THE MOST EFFECTIVE IS WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH EVERY SINGLE BORROWER AND WILL LET THEM KNOW THIS IS, WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON YOUR CREDIT SCORE. THERE IS A CLASS THAT WE HAVE BEFORE YOU'RE ABLE TO GET THE LOAN, YOU'LL NEED TO GET TO THIS CLASS. BUT IT'S NOT MANDATORY FOR EVERY SINGLE, NOT ALL OF 'EM COME TO US. YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JUDGE. SO WHAT CLASSES DO YOU HAVE AVAILABLE TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND HOW DO THEY ACCESS THAT? IS IT INSTRUCTOR LED ONLINE? IT'S A HYBRID. THERE'S BOTH ONLINE. IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE, THERE ARE ONLINE MODULES THEY CAN DO. ALSO, THERE'S LIVE CLASSES THAT WE ALSO PARTNER WITH OTHER GROUPS, GEEKDOM SCORE AND SO ON. WHERE WE ARE WORKING AS A NETWORK, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE STRIVING TO DO TO. BUT IT'S ANY CLASS YOU CAN THINK OF FROM HOW DO YOU LEGALLY SET UP TO, HOW DO YOU CREATE A BUSINESS PLAN TO HOW DO I DO MY BOOKS AND ACCOUNTING? AND SO, AND, AND KNOW THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES. EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, A MOM AND POP THAT HAS NEVER PUT ACCOUNTING ON PAPER. WE'RE ABLE TO HELP TRAIN THEM UP AND GIVE THEM, BE ABLE TO DO THAT TO VERY ESTABLISHED BUSINESSES. THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, HOUSEHOLD NAME RESTAURANTS AROUND SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE IT'S A WIDE, BROAD AREA OF WHO'S NOT ABLE TO GET BANK LOANS AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME. THE ECONOMY, RIGHT? THAT'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT CAN ACCESS STARTUPS AND SO ON. THAT'S COMMON. YES. SO IF YOU HAD A CITY LIKE CASPER THAT YES. UH, IS OUTSIDE OF THE KIND OF THE CORE POPULATION YES. UM, THAT WANTS TO PARTNER UP WITH YOU. YES. UM, ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO LIKE SATELLITE LOCATIONS AND UM, DO WE HAVE OR DO YOU HAVE THE STAFFING TO HELP OUT WITH, UH, DEALING WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE, WHERE WE MIGHT PROVIDE A FACILITY, UH, AND CLASSROOM SPACE? YES, WE HAVE DONE THAT WHERE WE WILL SEND STAFF INTO COMMUNITIES FOR A PARTICULAR AMOUNT OF TIME. RIGHT. ONE DAY A MONTH OR WHATNOT. AND WE WILL DO INFECTIONS OF HERE'S SOME SMALL BUSINESS EDUCATION. EDUCATION. THAT'S RIGHT. AND I'LL MENTION BECAUSE CASTORVILLE IS THINKING ABOUT IT. YOU CAN TELL WHAT I'LL JUST TELL YOU. MIDLAND ODESSA CALLED, THEY'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. UH, LET ME SAY MIDLAND CALLED, THEY ASKED ME, PLEASE DON'T TELL ODESSA JUST YET. . BECAUSE WHAT IS HAPPENING IS ONE COMMUNITY WILL DO 0%. THE NEXT DOOR COMMUNITY WHO DIDN'T HAVE IT, BECAUSE IT'S RESTRICTED TO THE RESIDENTS WILL CALL ME AND SAY, WHY CAN'T WE ALSO SAY THAT COMMUNITY 0%? THEY'LL SAY WE WANT A 0%. SO WE'VE HAD IT WHERE ONE COMMUNITY WILL START LOSING BUSINESSES TO THE ONE THAT IS GIVING THE 0% PERCENT. SO FYI THAT HAPPENS IN OUR EXPERIENCE. YES. POSITIVE PEER PRESSURE. YES. IT'S POSITIVE PEER PRESSURE THERE. WELL, BEING FROM MIDLAND, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND . YEAH. IF I MAY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD A LITTLE BIT TO WHAT AMY SAID. I, I FIRST MET, UM, AMY SEVERAL MONTHS BACK FROM, UH, COUNCILMAN AYAS REFERRED HER TO ACOG. AND THE REASON I'VE ASKED HER TO GIVE HER HIS PRESENTATION, OF COURSE SHE'S GLAD TO DO IT, IS BECAUSE IN TALKING TO AMY, SHE WAS TELLING ME THAT THEIR PRIMARY CORE BUSINESS IS JUST WHAT, UH, THE MAYOR WAS SAYING IS THE CORE POPULATION HERE IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA. AND SHE WANTS TO INCREASE HER OUTREACH TO THE RURAL COMMUNITIES. AND SO THAT'S WHY I, UH, THINK HER PRESENTATION IS SO TIMELY FOR THIS GROUP. UH, BUT I WANTED TO POINT OUT AND GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING I THINK YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESSES IN YOUR, IN YOUR COMMUNITY, THAT USDA FUND THAT HAS, I'VE MENTIONED IT BEFORE, BUT I JUST WANNA BRING IT BACK TO YOUR, UH, FOR YOUR, YOU KNOW, TOP OF MIND AWARENESS IS, UM, A-U-S-D-A PROGRAM HAS $10,000 AVAILABLE FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESSES FOR THAT'S VERY FLEXIBLE TO USE FOR OWN ALMOST ANY PURPOSE TO BENEFIT THEIR BUSINESS. AND SO YOU CAN TAKE THAT 10, YOUR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO TAKE THAT $10,000 AND USE IT TO LEVERAGE A LOAN FROM AMY'S ORGANIZATION TO HELP THEM GROW AND THRIVE. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT LINK, THAT THOSE TWO PROGRAMS TOGETHER, UH, TO SHOW HOW THIS MIGHT BE A BENEFIT TO YOUR COMMUNITY. AND SO, AMY, WHEN WE, AND AMY AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT A POSSIBLE PARTNERSHIP TO SOME SORT OF OUTREACH THAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER IN, IN THE SMALLER COMMUNITIES TO GET THE WORD OUT. AND SO, UH, IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. I THINK THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE WITH THOSE TWO PROGRAMS TOGETHER TO REALLY HELP YOUR SMALLER BUSINESSES. JUDGE, I HAVE A QUESTION. WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THE TWO, UM, BUSINESSES FROM THE VIDEO? 'CAUSE I LIKE TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES. CUTE. THANK YOU. ONE IS MISS CHOCOLATIER. THE OTHER ONES I BELIEVE WAS CALLED ORGANICALLY THE NAME ON THE DOOR. IT WAS ORGANICALLY. IT'S ORGANICALLY THE DOOR BATH ON THE DOOR. YEAH. THANK YOU. I'M SORRY. ORGANICALLY. WHAT IS THE NAME OF IT? THAT'S IT. OKAY. IT ORGANIC. THERE'S ANOTHER WORD. BUT IS IT ON [00:20:01] BROADWAY? YES. ON BROADWAY. EXACTLY. YES. THEY'RE A LOVELY FAMILY. THAT'S BATH. BATH AND BODY. WASN'T IT? ORGANIC BATH AND BODY? NO, NOT BATH AND BODY . BUT THE SAME EFFECT THOUGH. , THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SMALL BUSINESS. YES. THE USDA DOES GREAT WORK AND WE ARE PARTNERS WITH THE USDA, BUT JUST TO TELL YOU HOW INFLUENTIAL WE ALL ARE TOGETHER, RIGHT. SVA, UH, USDA, THE VICE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE, WHOEVER'S ADMINISTRATION, DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THAT'S USUALLY THE OFFICE THAT IS, UH, CONNECTED TO THE BUSINESSES. THEY HAVE ALL CONSULTED AND WE CONSULT WITH THEM ON BUSINESS BECAUSE YOU CAN IMAGINE WE HAVE 30 YEARS OF DATA BANKS DON'T HAVE. SO THAT'S THE WINDOW INTO WHAT'S GOING ON IN THAT ECONOMY. SO WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT, SO THE USDA HAS GREAT LOAN PROGRAMS AS WELL. THEY HAVE THE SIMILAR UPHILL BATTLE THOUGH, TO TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT RIGHT. AND SO, UH, BEING RIGHT HERE IN TEXAS, I WANNA MAKE SURE THE TEXANS KNOW THAT LIFT FUND IS HERE AS WELL. AND WE WORK TOGETHER WITH USDA, JUDGE GROIN. YOU MENTIONED SMALL BUSINESSES. IS THAT ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO, UH, OTHER NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS? YES. YES. WE, WE OTHER NONPROFITS AS WELL. AND THEN YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT YOUR AVERAGE LOAN AMOUNT IS 30,000. IS THERE A CAP THAT YOU HAVE? NO. NO. WELL, I MEAN, OUR AVERAGE, OUR MICRO LOANS ARE TECHNICALLY WHAT THE US, THE SB A'S DEFINITION UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND. BUT WE HAVE OTHERS, LIKE HOTELS WON'T BE FULLY FUNDED BY BANKS. OFTEN I'M PICKING ON HOTELS BECAUSE BANKS GET HESITANT ABOUT, UH, THE TOURISM INDUSTRY SOMETIMES. SO LIFT FUND NEEDS TO COME THROUGH AND WE'LL DO THE MILLION DOLLAR GAP BETWEEN THE BANK AND WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THE DEALS DONE. SO WE GO ALL THE WAY UP TO 5 MILLION DEALS. YES. THANK YOU. YES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. THE [7. Executive Director’s Monthly Report - Cliff Herberg A. Staffing Updates: B. Program Status and Operational Updates: Agency Contract Performance Report (CPR) Aging Services Alamo Regional Transit (ART) Public Affairs & Communications Intellectual & Developmental Disability Services Natural Resources Public Safety Regional Services Environmental Conservation Military & Veterans Affairs Weatherization Assistance Program C. Organizational and General Administration Updates: Building Update Administration Policy Review Chief Financial Officer General Counsel] EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT MY TURN. YES. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. UH, NOTHING BEGAN. OH, THANK YOU. LET ME BEGIN WITH MY STAFFING UPDATES ON THE FLEX SCHEDULE. IT APPEARS THAT OUR NUMBER EMPLOYEES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FLEX SCHEDULE IS LEVELING OFF, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE 72 WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE WORK FROM HOME SCHEDULE, TAKING EITHER ONE OR TWO REMOTE DAYS. AND AS YOU RECALL, WE, THE MAXIMUM WE PERMIT UNDER THE PROGRAM NOW IS TWO DAYS. THIS REPRESENTS 22% OF ACOG'S FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES. AND TO DATE, WE HAVE HAD NO REPORTED ISSUES. SO IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING WELL SO FAR, UM, ON OUR PROGRAM AND OPERATIONAL UPDATES AND OUR AGING PROGRAM, ACOG'S VETERANS DIRECTIVE CARE AND CARE SERVICES COORDINATION PROGRAM, ALONG WITH UT HEALTH DENTAL SCHOOL AND ENABLED DENTAL, A MOBILE DENTAL SERVICE PROVIDED PRESENTATIONS ON BEST PRACTICES AT THE ANNUAL AGING IN TEXAS CONFERENCE, WHICH WAS HELD IN AUSTIN, UM, OVER JULY. AND, UM, JULY 31ST THROUGH AUGUST THE SECOND. AND IT EXAMINED THE NEEDS OF DENTAL CARE IN OUR RURAL AREAS. THESE PRESENTATIONS WELL RECEIVED AND SERVED AS GREAT EXAMPLES OF PARTNERSHIP AT WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I WANTED TO POINT OUT ENABLE DENTAL AS A MOBILE DENTAL SERVICE FOR YOUR AGING COMMUNITY. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED. AND, UH, THEIR MISSION IS TO REACH OUT TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE HOME BOUND AND PROVIDE DENTAL CARE. UH, AND OF COURSE, AND AS I SAID, THEY EVEN IN THE RURAL AREA, SO, UH, A GOOD SERVICE, GREAT SERVICE IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION. UH, WE ARE PLEASED WITH THE EXCELLENT TURNOUT AT THE ILLEGAL DUMPING WORKSHOP HELD AT THE SOUTH TEXAS REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER IN HONDO ON AUGUST THE 16TH, WE HAD 35 PARTICIPANTS REPRESENTING VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS THROUGHOUT THE ALAMO REGION. AND THE REGISTRATION FEE THAT WAS, UH, PAID WAS USED TO PROVIDE A FREE COPY OF THE 2024 EDITION OF THE TEXAS OFFICERS GUIDE ON ILLEGAL DUMPING ENFORCEMENT. SO THEY CAME AWAY WITH A GIFT AS PART OF THEIR FEE. UM, AND OUR IDD DISABILITY SERVICES, OUR VOCATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, CELEBRATED THE COMPLETION OF ITS SPRING SUMMER ROTATION ON AUGUST THE NINTH. AND WELCOME 12 NEW APPRENTICES FOR THE FALL WINTER ROTATION ON AUGUST THE 21ST. I THINK, UH, YOU'VE HEARD ME MENTION THIS PROGRAM, THE APPRENTICES ARE PLACED AT LANCER WORLDWIDE AND THE THE STUDENTS AND THE APPRENTICES ARE LEARNING, UH, THE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT. AND THIS PROGRAM IS TO GIVE THEM THE GOALS AND I MEAN, GIVE THEM THE SKILLS TO FUNCTION IN THE WORKPLACE. IN OUR MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS PROGRAM, UH, MILITARY AND VETERAN AFFAIRS STAFF, ALONG WITH UTSA'S VETERAN AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, ARE PARTNERING TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE WEBPAGE FOR VETERANS, CAREGIVERS AND VETERAN SERVICES OFFICERS. THIS [00:25:01] RESOURCE WILL OFFER VETTED FREE SERVICES AND VITAL INFORMATION IN SUPPORT OF VETERAN RELATED ACTIVITIES IN THE ALAMO REGION. WE HOPE TO LAUNCH THE WEBSITE NO LATER THAN JANUARY OF 2025, UM, ON AUGUST THE SEVENTH REGARDING ONE OF OUR, ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS, THE TEXAS RANGERS AT THE TEXAS RANGERS VERSUS HOUSTON ASTROS GAME. VICTOR SALAZAR, WHO IS OUR VETERANS NETWORK PROGRAM COORDINATOR AND A US ARMY PURPLE HEART RECIPIENT, WAS HONORED FOR HIS SERVICE AS PART OF THE PURPLE HEART DAY. VICTOR WAS INJURED ON DECEMBER 20TH, 2004, WHILE SERVING IRAQ WITH HIS QUICK REACTION CON. WHEN HIS QUICK REACTION CONVOY FORCE WAS ATTACKED, UH, IN NATURAL RESOURCES. THE CITY OF CONVERSE ADOPTED THE PACE PROGRAM, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH WILSON COUNTY TO ADOPT THE, THE PROGRAM. SHORTLY IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET THAT YOU RECEIVED EARLIER THIS WEEK, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT WE ANTICIPATED WILSON COUNTY WOULD ADOPT IT, UH, THIS WEEK. BUT THERE WAS A, UH, CLERICAL ERROR ON THE, AND A, THERE'S A REQUIREMENT FOR A PUBLIC HEARING THAT HAD NOT YET BEEN SCHEDULED. ONCE THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED, THE PATH WILL BE CLEAR FOR AN ADOPTION BY WILSON COUNTY, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVE THEM ADOPT THE THE PROGRAM. UM, PACE IS A PROGRAM I WANNA REMIND YOU ABOUT PACE. IT'S A PROGRAM THAT OFFERS LOW COST CLEAN ENERGY FINANCING FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS SECURED BY A PROPERTY ASSESSMENT LIEN. UH, THE PRIMARY BENEFIT OF THE PROGRAM IS TO ALLOW THE FINANCING OF CAPITAL INTENSIVE EQUIPMENT PROJECTS AMORTIZED OVER THE USEFUL LIFE OF THE EQUIPMENT RATHER THAN A TYPICAL FIVE YEAR FINANCING PLAN. THIS IMPROVES CASH FLOW AND MAKES IT ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE TO INSTALL MODERN ENERGY EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT. AND THIS IS AN ECONOMIC, AN EXCELLENT ECONOMIC TOOL TO DEVELOP AND ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT IN YOUR DOWNTOWN'S REVITALIZATION. UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY RECALL, OUR REGION HAD THE LARGEST PROGRAM IN THE STATE WITH THE FINANCING OF THE NEW HOTEL, UH, AT THE HEMISPHERE AREA OF DOWNTOWN. AND SINCE THEN, THEY'VE GOT A LARGER PROJECT, BUT AT THE TIME, IT WAS THE LARGEST IN THE STATE. IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM FOR REVITALIZATION. UH, ON SEPTEMBER 16TH AT 6:30 PM ACOG WILL BE PRESENTING PACE AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT 10 COMMUNITY MEETING LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST SENIOR SIT-IN CENTER AT 41 30 5,000 OAKS DRIVE. AND FINALLY, IN REGIONAL SERVICES, I MEAN, PARDON ME, IN NATURAL RESOURCES, UM, THE HYDROGEN PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL MEET FOR THE THIRD TIME ON SEPTEMBER 24TH AT 2:00 PM HERE AT ACOG, THE FOCUS OF THE MEETING WILL BE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY. THE PURPOSE OF HPAC IS TO CONVENE REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL CHALLENGES WITH HYDROGEN. THESE DISCUSSIONS WILL INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF SAFETY WORKFORCE AND EQUITY GUIDELINES FOR THE RESPONSIBLE PLACEMENT OF HYDROGEN FUELING INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THE ACOG REGION IN OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT. A ROAD SHOW WAS HELD IN KERR COUNTY ON AUGUST 23RD, UH, AT THE DOYLE COMMUNITY CENTER. THE NEXT ROAD SHOW WILL TAKE PLACE SEPTEMBER 17TH, BETWEEN 10:00 AM AND 2:00 PM AT THE SOUTH TEXAS REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER IN MEDINA COUNTY. ALSO, THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CONVENED AUGUST THE 26TH TO DISCUSS PLANS FOR REGIONAL AWARDS. THE CALL FOR NOMINATIONS PERIOD WILL OPEN THIS FRIDAY, UH, ON AUGUST THE 30TH. PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE WORD AS WE SEEK TO RECOGNIZE MORE OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS IN OUR REGION. SO PLEASE GET YOUR NOMINATIONS IN. WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE THE ASSISTANCE IN PUBLIC SAFETY. UH, OUR HOMELAND SECURITY COORDINATOR, JUSTIN MONEZ, WILL HOST AN ACTIVE SHOOTING MANAGEMENT COURSE ON SEPTEMBER THE 17TH THROUGH THE 19TH IN THE ACOG BOARDROOM. THIS ADVANCED COURSE IS AVAILABLE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE AND EMS DISPATCH, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL, AND HELICOPTER PILOTS. I GUESS OTHER PILOTS AREN'T ALLOWED, BUT HELICOPTER PILOTS ARE IN. UH, SO CONTACT JUSTIN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MORE INFORMATION. AND HIS, UH, EMAIL IS IN YOUR PACKET. UH, I WANNA REMIND YOU AGAIN, IN OUR REGIONAL SERVICES, WE'RE OFFERING GRANT WRITING SERVICES. I WANT TO CONTINUE TO STRESS THAT AND JUST BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DEVELOP THAT FUNCTION HERE AT ACOG. OUR, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASPECTS, UM, CAN REALLY THRIVE IF WE CAN GET MORE INTEREST FROM OUR COMMUNITIES TO USE OUR SERVICES AND WOULD BE A GREAT BENEFIT TO ACOG AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES IF WE CAN GET A LARGER GRANT WRITING TEAM THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE. SO WE WILL BE GLAD TO WORK WITH YOU IN ANY WAY TO, TO, UM, ARRANGE A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL, UM, PROCESS AND AND REIMBURSEMENT TO ACOG FOR EVERYTHING FROM GRANT WRITING TO GRANT ADMINISTRATION TO FINAL CLOSEOUT OF THE GRANT. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU ABOUT THOSE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE HERE AT ACOG. AND FINALLY, IN OUR [00:30:01] WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN JULY, OUR WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM ACHIEVED A MILESTONE WITH 13 INDIVIDUALS EARNING OSHA 10 CERTIFICATION AND 10 OF OUR CREW LEADERS COMPLETING OSHA 30 CERTIFICATION. THESE SAFETY CREDENTIALS UNDERSCORE OUR COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING OUR TEAM AND CLIENTS AND ENSURING RIGOROUS SAFETY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON OUR JOB SITES. AND SO, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, WE HAVE A STRONG COMMITMENT TO GETTING THE CERTIFICATIONS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND KEEPING THEM TRAINED AND UP TO UP TO DATE ON CURRENT STANDARDS AND ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. AND THIS IS JUST A ONE REFLECTION OF THAT AND WHAT THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT FOR THIS MONTH. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, BE GLAD TO ANSWER 'EM ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [ 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.] MOVING ON. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. UM, A MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND, WHO IS THE SECOND? ROGER? OKAY, THANK YOU. WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A AYE. OPPOSED APPROVE. THANK YOU. UH, MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS WILL BE ITEM [13. Consider and act upon the recommendation to authorize the Executive Director to enter into a renewal lease agreement for the Public Safety Division Wetmore facility for three years for the period of March 1, 2025 – February 28, 2028. This item will not require a budget amendment. – Marcela Medina] 13. CONSIDER AND ACT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ENTER INTO A RENEWAL LEASE AGREEMENT FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIVISION WETMORE FACILITY FOR THREE YEARS FOR THE PERIOD OF MARCH 1ST, 2025 THROUGH FEBRUARY 28TH, 2028. AND THIS ITEM WILL NOT REQUIRE BUDGET AMENDMENT MARCELLO MEDINA. GOOD MORNING BOARD CHAIR MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MARCELLA MEDINA. I'M THE PUBLIC SAFETY MANAGER AND FINANCIAL ANALYST. THIS I REQUEST APPROVAL TO ENTER INTO A LEASE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH EAST GROUP PROPERTIES FOR A THREE YEAR PERIOD, BECAME MARCH, 2025 AND ENDING FEBRUARY 20TH, 2028. THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIVISION DIVISION HAS BEEN LOCATED AT THE WETMORE FACILITY SINCE 2015 AND HAS UNDERGONE TWO LEASE AGREEMENT RENEWALS WITH THIS THIRD PROPOSED LEASE AGREEMENT. THE RENT WILL INCREASE ABOUT 5.5% AND WILL INCREASE 4% THEREAFTER IN THIS PROPOSED LEASE LEASE AGREEMENT, THE LANDLORD WILL PAY FOR A FENCED-IN AREA FOR THE POLICE VEHICLES. AS OUR VEHICLES HAVE RECENTLY BEEN TARGETED AND DAMAGED, UH, DUE TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, I HAVE PROVIDED A TICKET TABLE THAT SHOWS INCREASE IN RENT, COMMON AREA MAINTENANCE IN THE FINANCIAL SECTION OF THE MEMO FOR YOU TO SEE HOW IT, WHAT IT WAS IN THE PAST, AND HOW IT WILL INCREASE OVER TIME. ATTACHED IS THE PROPOSED LEASE AGREEMENT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. ARE THEY GONNA INSTALL CAMERAS OUT THERE? WE, WE DO HAVE, WE, WE HAD TO INVEST IN CAMERAS AND WE DID INSTALL CAMERAS. CAMERAS. UM, THE TYPE OF CAMERAS THAT WE HAD COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE LICENSE PLATE, SO WE UPGRADED THE PARTICULAR CAMERAS THAT WERE SURVEYING THE VEHICLES. SO NOW IF THEY, IF THEY COME BACK, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, TO, TO HAVE A BETTER IDENTIFICATION OF WHO THEY ARE. OKAY. WE DID, WE DID DISCUSS THIS ISSUE WITH THE LANDLORD, WHICH IS WHY THEY AGREED, UH, AGREED TO TO PAY FOR THE FENCED IN AREA. OTHER TENANTS HAVE FENCE, FENCE IN AREAS. WE HAVE CARRIER, UH, RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO US, UM, WHO HAVE, HAVE A BIG FENCED IN YARD WITH A BUNCH, BUNCH OF ACS, BUNCH OF COPPER IN THERE. I'M SURE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'VE HAD SOME ISSUES IN THE PAST AS WELL. WELL, IT'S FAIRLY HIDDEN. UM, BUT, UH, ONCE THEY FIND YOU, THEY FIND YOU. SO, UM, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT FENCED IN AREA OPTION. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BEEN OUT TO OUR WETMORE FACILITY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND WE CAN, UM, SCHEDULE A TOUR, UH, FOR YOU TO COME. WE, WE WILL, UH, TASING IS NOT INCLUDED, INCLUDED, IF YOU WANT THAT, IT'S EXTRA, UM, THOSE SPRAY AS WELL. BUT WE, WE WOULD LOVE TO GIVE YOU A TOUR OF THE FACILITY. MOVE. GO AHEAD. I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UH, MR. HOCKER, THE, UH, WE HAD ASKED TO PUT A FENCE AROUND OUR BUILDING VEHICLES IN THE PAST AND THEY WOULDN'T LET US DO IT. AND IT WAS FINALLY AFTER THE VANDALISM, THEY SAID, OH, WELL NOW THAT YOU'VE HAD A LOSS, YOU CAN HAVE A FENCE. SO I WONDERED, YEAH, WE TRIED TO BE PROACTIVE, BUT THEY WOULDN'T LET US DO A, A FENCE. BUT NOW, NOW IT'S APPROVED. OKAY, MOVE APPROVAL SECOND MS. SECOND MS. SECOND. OKAY. SECOND FOR COMMISSIONER RES. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? AND THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AGAINST. MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER [14. Consider and act upon the recommendation to ratify the Executive Director's acceptance of the State Fiscal Year 2025 Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services Biennial Performance Contract funding with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) for the approximate amount of $5,600,000. This item will not require a budget amendment.- Virginia Charles ] 14, CONSIDER, DISCUSS AND ACT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION TO RATIFY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE STATE FISCAL YEAR 2025 INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SERVICES, BIENNIAL PERFORMANCE [00:35:01] CONTRACT FUNDING WITH THE, UH, TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION FOR THE APPROXIMATE AMOUNT OF $5,600,000, THIS ITEM WILL NOT REQUIRE BUDGET AMENDMENT. MS. CHARLES. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. I'M VIRGINIA CHARLES, SENIOR DIRECTOR OVER INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY SERVICES. ACOM SERVES AS THE LOCAL AUTHORITY FOR PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL, INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES HERE IN MAY COUNTY. IN THAT ROLE, OUR IDD SERVICES DEPARTMENT PROVIDES INTAKE AND ELIGIBILITY CASE MANAGEMENT AND REHABILITATION COORDINATION ACTIVITIES TO ENSURE INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IN BEAR COUNTY RECEIVE NECESSARY AND QUALITY SERVICES. THESE CASE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ARE FUNDED THROUGH MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT REVENUES. THE CONTRACT FUNDS FOR STATE FISCAL YEAR 2025 WILL ALLOW ACOG TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY SAFETY NET FOR PERSONS LIVING IN THEIR OWN HOMES, FAMILY HOMES, GROUP HOMES, AND IN NURSING FACILITIES. THE PROJECTED HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION FUNDING WAS INCLUDED IN THE ACOG 2024 BUDGET. THEREFORE, THERE IS NO FINANCIAL IMPACT AND THIS ITEM DOES NOT REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. ACOG RECEIVED THE CONTRACT FROM HHSC MID-AUGUST WITH A REQUEST TO FORWARD PROCESS EXPEDITIOUSLY. THEREFORE, DUE TO THE TIMING ISSUE, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL TO RATIFY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S ACCEPTANCE FOR STATE FISCAL YEAR 2025 FOR IDD SERVICES PERFORMANCE CONTRACT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,600,000. I'LL ENTERTAIN YOUR QUESTIONS, MS. CHARLES. MR. JUDGE? YES MA'AM. HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE STATE? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT RAISING THOSE? THE RATE OF MONEY THAT WE GET FOR IDD UH, CLIENTS? UM, NO. NOT DO, THERE WASN'T A HEARING BUT, UM, YESTERDAY ON THE 28TH, BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, UH, PERFORMANCE CONTRACT IS BEEN PRETTY LEVEL. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. MM-HMM. I WOULD ADD THEY DID HAVE, AS VIRGINIA MENTIONED, THEY HAD A HEARING AT HHSC YESTERDAY. UH, AND AUSTIN JACOB, UM, PARTICIPATED BY, UH, REMOTELY TO WATCH THE HEARING. HE CAN ANSWER MORE OF YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT THEY ARE AWARE THAT BASICALLY IT'S A SYSTEM THAT'S COLLAPSING FOR LACK OF FUNDING. YEAH. AND SO, UH, JACOB UH, TOLD ME YESTERDAY THAT HE THINKS THAT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE RECEPTIVE. SO HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE SOME INCREASE IN SOME OF THE FUNDING FOR AT LEAST THE AT-HOME CAREGIVERS IN THAT TYPE OF, UH, I THINK THE INCREASE, I THINK THEIR CURRENT HOURLY WAGE IS SOMETHING LIKE $10 AND 81 CENTS. DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT? VIRGINIA COURT. AND SO THEY'RE TRYING, I'M SORRY. YES. THE DIRECT SUPPORT. YES. AND SO WE'RE TRYING, THEY'RE TRYING TO, UH, THE EFFORT FROM THE COMMUNITY IS TO RAISE THAT RATE CLOSER TO 15 OR $16 AN HOUR, IF I RECALL. AND, UM, AND TO, I GUESS PIGGYBACK ONTO THAT, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR CASE MANAGERS GET AN INCREASE BECAUSE THE CASE MANAGERS, QUITE FRANKLY HAVE A LOT MORE RESPONSIBILITY THAN THE AT-HOME CAREGIVERS AS FAR AS, UH, THE, UH, TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT. AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT IF WE CAN SEE THE AT-HOME CAREGIVERS GET THAT 15 OR $16 AN HOUR, WE WILL, IT WILL, AS A PRACTICAL MATTER CREATE WAGE COMPRESSION AND HOPEFULLY THE LEGISLATURE WILL RESPOND BY INCREASING OUR CASE MANAGER MANAGER'S WAGE AS WELL. SO THERE IS AN EFFORT UNDERWAY, WHETHER IT'LL BE SUCCESSFUL OR NOT, REMAINS TO BE SEEN. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR. I MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. OKAY. MS. CAMACHO GOT THE SECOND JUDGE CAMACHO. JUDGE CAMACHO SECOND. OKAY. UM, AND THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM [15. Consider and act upon the recommendation to ratify the Executive Director's acceptance of funding from Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) for the approximate amount of $102,000 for the Employment Services-Employment Navigator pilot program. This item will require a budget amendment.- Virginia Charles ] 15, CONSIDER AND ACT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION TO RATIFY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE FUNDING FROM THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION FOR THE APPROXIMATE AMOUNT OF $102,000 FOR THE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES EMPLOYMENT NAVIGATOR PILOT PROGRAM. THIS IS AN ITEM, UH, THAT WILL REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. MS. CHARLES JUDGE 20 ONCE AGAIN IN THE ROLE OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITY FOR PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, ACO PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT SERVICES. THE IBD SERVICES DEPARTMENT PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT SERVICES THROUGH A PROJECT FUNDED BY THE TEXAS HEALTH HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION THROUGH MONEY FOSTER. A PERSON FUNDING THIS AWARD IS FOR AN EMPLOYMENT NAVIGATOR PILOT PROGRAM THAT WILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO INCREASE EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE RELATED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES WITH APPROPRIATE [00:40:01] PARTNER AGENCIES SUCH AS TEXAS HEALTH HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THE PI PROGRAM WILL FURTHER EMPLOYMENT FIRST OBJECTIVES FOR PERSONS WITH IDD TO PROVIDE TRANSFERABLE SKILLS THAT MAY LEAD TO FUTURE INTEGRATED AND COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT. THERE IS A FINANCIAL IMPACT AND THIS ITEM WILL REQUIRE AMENDMENT TO THE A O 2024 BUDGET. A O RECEIVED THE CONTRACT FROM HHSC LATE JULY WITH A REQUEST TO FORWARD PROCESS. THEREFORE, DUE TO THIS TIMING ISSUE, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL TO RAT BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S ACCEPTANCE FOR FUNDING FROM THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION FOR EMPLOYMENT NAVIGATOR PILOT PROGRAM IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $102,000. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I GUESS? YES, SIR. SO CLIFF, YOU SIGNED IT? YES. SO THERE, HERE IS AN EXACT, EXACT AMOUNT. YEAH. ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 102,000 OR IT'S VIRGINIA. IS THAT IT'S, UH, IT'S $101,375 SOMETHING CENTS 35. SO YOU SAID THAT YEAH. SEEMS LIKE WE'VE BEEN RATIFYING A LOT OF THINGS WITH HHSC. THEY SEND IT AND THEY WANT IT TURNED AROUND. YES. NOT A GOOD WAY TO DO BUSINESS, BUT I GUESS IT IS. AUSTIN SAY NO MORE. THAT'S WHY WE LIVE HERE. ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? OKAY. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AS A SECOND. UH, THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. OKAY, I THINK WE'VE GOT ONE MORE FOR YOU. RIGHT. OKAY. ITEM 16. [16. Consider and act upon the recommendation to authorize the Executive Director to execute a contract for Medicaid Administrative Claiming (MAC) funding from Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). This item will not require a budget amendment. - Virginia Charles] CONSIDER AN ACT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR THE MEDI MEDICAID ADMINISTRATIVE CLAIMING, UH, FUNDING FROM THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION ITEM WILL NOT REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. MS. CHARLES? GOOD MORNING. THE PURPOSE OF THE MEDICAID ADMINISTRATIVE CLAIMING PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE STATE AFFILIATED PUBLIC AGENCIES IN TEXAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT REIMBURSEMENT CLAIMS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT THE MEDICAID PROGRAM. ACOM AS THE LOCAL AUTHORITY FOR PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IN BEX COUNTY HAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION TO IMPLEMENT THE MEDICAID ADMINISTRATIVE CLAIM. THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP, A COUPLE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT MEDICAID RECIPIENTS WITH IDD TO HAVE BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES. AS NOTED IN THE MEMO, THE CONTRACT DRAWS DOWN APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION IN ANNUAL EQUITY. THERE IS NO FINANCIAL IMPACT AND THIS ITEM DOES NOT, DOES NOT REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT BECAUSE THE PRO THE PROJECTED MEDICAID ADMINISTRATIVE CLAIMING FUNDING HAS BEEN BEEN INCLUDED IN THE ACOG 2024 BUDGET. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO CON TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH HEALTH REVIEW SERVICES COMMISSION FOR MEDICAID ADMINISTRATIVE CLAIMING. I'LL ENTERTAIN YOUR QUESTION. MOVE APPROVAL MED A MOTION SECOND? YES, MA'AM. I HAVE A QUESTION. UM, ARE WE SURE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THIS WAS, THIS IS, WE'RE GETTING REIMBURSED ESSENTIALLY, RIGHT? MM-HMM. FOR 21, 22, AND 23. ARE WE SURE THAT, UM, EVERYBODY STAYED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF, OF THE CONTRACT PARAMETERS? THERE'S VERY SPECIFIC ONES IN THERE. UM, AND I WAS, AS I WAS REVIEWING IT, I LIKE, ARE WE EXTRA SURE THAT WE'RE GONNA GET THIS MONEY BACK IF THERE NO ONE WAS IN VIOLATION OF SOME OF THOSE AREAS? UH, YES. ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, WE TRAIN THE STAFF THAT HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR THE RAPID MOMENT TIME STUDY. OKAY. WE TRAIN THEM, WE ENSURE THAT THEY GET THEIR, THEIR MOMENT BECAUSE IT'S AUTOMATICALLY THROUGH THE SYSTEM. AND THEN WE PROVIDE SUPPORT THROUGH THAT PROCESS. AND SO WE, WE FOLLOWED THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL CLAIMS HAVE BEEN, UM, PROPERLY ENTERED TO THE SYSTEM AND THEREFORE WE ARE REIMBURSED ACCORDINGLY. GOT IT. THERE WAS, UM, ONE PARTICULAR ITEM IN THERE THAT I WAS LIKE, I WONDER IF THEY, IF THEY CAN KIND OF SAY THAT WE CAN'T GET REIMBURSED. IT WASN'T PARTICULAR, UM, ABOUT COVID VACCINES. AND SO, BUT AGAIN, SINCE THIS IS 21, 22 AND 23, I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE WAS A WAY THAT THEY'RE GONNA SAY YOU CAN'T GET THIS MONEY BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED BACK THEN. OKAY. NO, THAT HAS NO IMPACT ON. OKAY. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THIS MOTION? YES. SECOND. VERY GOOD. JUDGE CAMACHO. VERY WELL. AND THOSE IN FAVOR [00:45:01] SAY AYE. A AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. MOVING ON. THANK YOU MS. CHARLES. ITEM [17. Consider and act upon the recommendation to authorize the Executive Director to purchase software development in the approximate amount of $59,900 to implement and enhance an electronic interface between AACOG’s electronic health record MyEvolv (provided by Netsmart) and deploy Mobile Caregiver+. This item will not require a budget amendment. - William McKnight] 17. CONSIDER AND ACT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO PURCHASE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT IN THE APPROXIMATE AMOUNT OF $59,900 TO IMPLEMENT AND ENHANCE AN ELECTRONIC INTERFACE BETWEEN ACOG'S ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD BY EVOLVE, UH, PROVIDED BY NETSMART AND DEPLOY MOBILE CAREGIVER. PLUS, THIS ITEM WILL NOT REQUIRE BUDGET AMENDMENT. MR. MCKNIGHT, MR. CHAIR MEMBERS, THE BOARD, AND WILL MCKNIGHT TEAM DIRECTOR , UH, AREAS THAT ARE UNDER MY DIRECT SUPERVISION OR YOUR ALAMO BEAR AGING WEATHERIZATION PROGRAMS IN YOUR MILITARY VETERANS AFFAIRS PROGRAM PROGRAMS? I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR MILITARY VETERANS AFFAIRS PROGRAM. THE MOBILE CAREGIVER PLUS IS A HIPAA COMPLIANT ELECTRONIC VISIT VERIFICATION SOLUTION FOR PERSONNEL AND HOME HEALTHCARE DELIVERY. THIS PLAN INTEGRATION BETWEEN MOBILE CARE PLUS AND MY EVOLVE WILL IMPROVE COMMUNICATION AND DATA SHARE BETWEEN OUR HEALTH RECORD SYSTEM AND THE MOBILE PLATFORM. IMPROVING CARE COORDINATION, REALTIME UPDATES, PATIENT CARE MONITORING IN SUPPORT OF OUR VETERANS. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THIS FORM OUR VETERANS DIRECT CARE PROGRAM SERVING A TOTAL OF 608 VETERANS, WE ARE THE LARGEST VETERANS DIRECTED CARE PROGRAM IN THE UNITED STATES. WHAT DOES THIS ACTUALLY MEAN? THE ONLY THING I'M ASKING FOR IS A MOBILE TIME CARD. THAT'S WHAT MY EVOLVE PLUS IS. IT'S A MOBILE TIME CARD, SO I WANTED TO JUST MAKE SURE WE HAVE A, A SHARED UNDERSTANDING IN REGARDS TO WHAT THE REQUEST IS. SO THIS IS A ONE YEAR CONTRACT, INCLUDES IMPLEMENTATION AND LICENSES BASED OFF A POPULATION OF A TOTAL OF 650 USERS. NOW, WHAT HAPPENS WITH VETERANS DIRECT TO CARE MONTHLY? WE PICK UP NEW CLIENTS AND UNFORTUNATELY JUST DUE TO THE THE PROGRAM, WE HAVE VETERANS THAT DIE OFF. SO WE HAVE THAT EBB AND FLOW. SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS ESTABLISH A BASELINE AS PER THIS REQUEST FOR A TOTAL OF 650 USERS. NOW WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT NUMBER WILL EBB AND FLOW. UH, PRIME EXAMPLE, LAST MONTH I WAS UP TO 625 VETERANS. THIS MONTH I'M DOWN TO 608. SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE AMOUNT OF PARTICIPANTS WE HAVE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE PROGRAM. THAT BEING SAID, UH, FINANCIAL IMPACT, THIS PROPO PROPOSED PROCUREMENT WILL NOT REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. UH, SO AS SUCH, STAFF RECOMMENDS AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO PROCEED WITH THE $59,900 PROCUREMENT FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT WITH NETSMART. THANK YOU FOR ANY, UH, FOR YOUR ATTENTION AT THIS TIME. AND IF THERE ANYONE HAS ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM OR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS THOSE. OKAY. DO WE HAVE TO BID THIS OUT SILVER 50,000? I DON'T KNOW. GO AHEAD. IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT TO BID IT OUT 'CAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE BY ALL, WHICH IS A PROGRAM. SO IT'S REALLY JUST AN ADDITION TO THE CURRENT SYSTEM WE HAVE IN PLACE WITH THE EXACT SAME PROVIDER. AND IT'S, WHAT IT IS, IS JUST AS WILL SAID, IT ALLOWS THE AT-HOME CAREGIVER TO ENTER THEIR TIME AND ALLOWS US TO PROCESS EVERYTHING ELECTRONICALLY. AND IT'S A, UH, UH, A CURRENT, IT'S A VAST IMPROVEMENT TO OUR CURRENT SYSTEM, WHICH EVERYTHING IS MANUALLY DONE ON PAPER RIGHT NOW. I, TO GIVE YOU A GRADE EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW, I'M RECEIVING TIME SHEETS. WELL, I, I I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S ESSENTIALLY A SOLD, I'M JUST WORRIED ABOUT IT'S OVER 50,000. YES SIR. SIR, YOU BID IT IS ADDITION TO THE CONTRACT, BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY A SOLE SOURCE. IS THERE, IT'S THE ONLY MODULE AVAILABLE TO LINK TO OUR, MY EVOLVE. SO SOURCE, THEY'LL THEY'LL BE OKAY UNDER, UNDER THE SOLE SOURCE, EVEN, EVEN IF IT WAS STANDALONE. BUT IF IT'S ALREADY PART OF A SYSTEM AND THEY'RE ADDING ONTO IT, IT, WE MEET THE CRITERIA. IT'S JUST AN ANCILLARY UPGRADE. OKAY. GOT IT. OKAY. MOTION DISCUSSION. MOTION TO APPROVE. PARDON? MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. SECOND . I SAID, OH, OKAY. SO I, YOU GUYS SAY WE HEARD TICKETS OVER WHILE. OKAY. SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION THAT SECOND. ANY DISCUSS ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A OPPOSED? CARRIES. ITEM 18. [18. Consider and act upon the recommendation to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Community Council of South Central Texas to provide weatherization services and community engagement activities with funds from EPA Community Change Grants, if awarded, for an amount not to exceed $5,000,000. This item will not require a budget amendment. - Lyle Hufstetler] YOU CONSIDER AN ACT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS TO PROVIDE WEATHERIZATION SERVICES AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES WITH FUNDS FROM EPA COMMUNITY CHANGE GRANTS IF AWARDED FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5 MILLION, THIS ITEM WILL NOT REQUIRE BUDGET AMENDMENT THIS TRUST SETTLER LER. OKAY. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. BOTH [00:50:01] MEMBERS, I LEFT LER YOUR NATURAL RESOURCES PROJECT ADMINISTRATOR. THE PROPOSED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS BETWEEN ACOG AND THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS OR C-C-S-C-T AND IS A REQUIRED ELEMENT OF THE EPA COMMUNITY CHANGE GRANT APPLICATION. RECALL THAT BACK IN JUNE, UH, UH, THE BOARD VOTED TO APPROVE APPLYING FOR THIS APPLICATION FOR UP TO TWO SUBMITTALS OF UP TO $20 MILLION EACH. SO A TOTAL OF $40 MILLION POTENTIALLY ACOG IS PROPOSING TO PARTNER WITH C-C-S-C-T ON BOTH APPLICATIONS AND ALLOCATING TO THEM A COMBINED AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5 MILLION, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE BRINGING IT BEFORE YOU TODAY. THIS ITEM WILL NOT REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. JUST FOR SOME BACKGROUND, UH, COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS IS A COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY. WE WERE FOUNDED IN 1965, AND THEY OPERATE A LOT OF THE SAME SOCIAL SERVICES THAT WE DO, BUT FOR A, A, A MUCH, UH, LARGER REGION GOING, UH, ALMOST ALL THE WAY TO EL PASO AND COVERING A LOT OF THE BORDER AREA DEL RIO EAGLE PASS AND POINTS IN BETWEEN. UH, THEY PROVIDE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE. UM, UH, THEY'RE THE, UH, UH, FOOD STAMPS, UH, COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UH, VETERANS PROGRAMS, HEAD START, AND, UH, VARIOUS COVID-19 RELIEF PROGRAMS. SO THE FIRST EPA APPLICATION IS GOING TO BE, UH, BOOSTING ENERGY RESILIENCE, UH, BY RETROFITTING THREE COMMUNITY ASSETS INTO RESILIENCE HUBS IN FREO, CARNES, AND WILSON COUNTIES. AND WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE EXPANDING OUR WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO BE ABLE TO PROCESS MORE HOMES ACROSS THE ENTIRE AC CALL REGION. UH, SOME OF Y'ALL MAY BE AWARE THAT OUR, OUR DEFERRAL RATE, UH, FOR 2024 IS 55%. THAT'S 55% OF APPLICATIONS. THEY MAY HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THE INCOME, BUT THEIR HOME IS STRUCTURALLY DEFICIENT OR THEY'RE LACKING A, HE A HEATING SOURCE, WHICH ARE REQUIRED, UM, UH, ELEMENTS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE. SO THE POINT OF THIS FUNDING WILL BE TO REPAIR THOSE DEFERRED HOMES AND GET THEM TO A POINT WHERE THEY CAN THEN RECEIVE OUR, OUR, OUR STANDARD WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE FUNDING ALLOCATED TO THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL WILL BE USED TO INCREASE WEATHER, UH, TO IMPROVE WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE AND THE PORTION OF THEIR SERVICE AREA NOT SERVED BY ACOG. AND THEN, UH, WE WILL ALSO BE, UH, ASSISTING WITH OUTREACH INTO THE COMMUNITIES, UH, WHERE THESE HUBS ARE GOING SO THAT WE CAN, UH, GET, UH, RESIDENT FEEDBACK ON WHAT SORT OF PROGRAMMING WE WANT THESE HUBS TO, UH, TO HAVE ONCE THEY'RE ESTABLISHED AND WHAT KIND OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RESILIENCE FEATURES THAT THEY WANT TO SEE. THE SECOND E-P-A-A-P-A APPLICATION IS REQUESTING FUNDING TO INSTALL AND IMPROVE, UH, DRINKING AND STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE IN AND AROUND THE CITY OF PEARSALL AND THE COMMUNITY OF DERBY. ALL ACTIVITIES IN THIS APPLICATION WILL BENEFIT COLON, WHICH ARE, UH, SMALL, USUALLY UNINCORPORATED AREAS DESIGNATED EITHER BY, UH, HOUSING IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT OR THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL. UH, THESE ARE AREAS WHERE THERE'S A, A, A SEVERE LACK OF, UH, BASIC UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER IT'S WATER OR SEWER, ELECTRICAL, TRANSPORTATION, UH, YOU NAME IT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, LACKING IN THESE SORT OF BASIC UTILITIES. AND SO FUNDING ALLOCATED TO THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL WILL SUPPORT OUTREACH AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT WATER CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES, AND THEN EDUCATING RESIDENTS ABOUT THE PROPOSED WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND, UH, KEEPING THEM INFORMED AS AS CONSTRUCTION PROGRESSES. AND SO, WITH THAT SAID, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL ENTERING THIS, UH, UH, PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY CHANGE GRANT APPLICATION. UH, AN AMOUNT EXCEED $5 MILLION. AND I'LL TAKE THE QUESTION IF I MAY ADD. I WAS GONNA SAY, UH, I THINK LYLE TALKED ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THIS PARTNER. THEY COVER 31 COUNTIES, AND SO WE THINK THAT THIS WILL GREATLY STRENGTHEN OUR CHANCES OF AN APPROVAL BECAUSE IT HAS SUCH A BROAD IMPACT ON THE STATE. UH, SO WE THINK THEY'RE A GREAT PARTNER FOR US AS WELL AS OF COURSE, THEIR WEATHERIZATION ASPECTS OF THIS GRANT WILL HIT ALL OF OUR 12 OF OUR RURAL COUNTIES OR, OR OUTSIDE THE BEXAR COUNTY AREA, I SHOULD SAY. AND, UM, UH, ALL SO, UH, GIVE US, LIKE I SAY, THE STRENGTH TO PUT IN A STRONG APPLICATION BECAUSE OF THEIR EFFECTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE 31 COUNTY REGION. AND IN ADDITION, UM, THEY'RE DOING THE OUTREACH SERVICES, UH, TO THAT PEARSALL COMMUNITY AND THOSE COLONIALS, WHICH ARE A TARGET FOR THESE GRANTS, THEY WANT TO HIT THE LARGELY UNDERSERVED, UM, UH, DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES. AND SO WE THINK WE'VE GOT STRONG APPLICATIONS BY TARGETING THE SERVICES TO, AT SOME OF THESE COLONIAL THAT ARE IN OUR REGION. THANK YOU FOR ADDING THAT. THERE IS A SET ASIDE, UH, TO, TO, UM, FOR PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT COLONIAL. SO YEAH, WE THINK IT WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS. [00:55:03] JUDGE. YES. CLIFF, IS THERE AN ACTUAL COMMITTEE? IS THERE ACTUAL, IS THERE AN ACTUAL COMMITTEE? A COMMITTEE FOR LIKE, FOR US TO HAVE A PRESENCE ON THIS COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF SOUTH TEXAS? THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES. YEAH. THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE A SEPARATE, UH, ENTITY FROM ACOG. THEY, UM, RIGHT. UH, BEEN AROUND FOR SEVERAL DECADES. UM, I BELIEVE, YEAH, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, ADDING TO THEIR, TO THEIR TERRITORY THAT THEY COVER, COVER, UH, I GUESS THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, A, A MATTER FOR THEM TO DECIDE. IT'S, IT'S INDEPENDENT FROM, THEY'RE REALLY JUST A PARTNER IN PUTTING THE, IN, IN EXECUTING THE GRANT FUNCTIONS AND THE WEATHERIZATION. THAT'S REALLY THEIR, THEIR ASPECT. THEY ARE REQUIRED UNDER THE GRANT APPLICATIONS, WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A NONPROFIT PARTNER. AND SO WE, WE SEARCHED OUT VARIOUS, WELL, I SHOULD SAY LYLE DID THE WORK ON IT, AND LYLE SEARCHED OUT VARIOUS SUITABLE PARTNERS AND THEY WERE REALLY DEEMED THE BEST ONE. AND THEY HAVE A STRONG INTEREST IN PARTICIPATION, SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THEM. YOU KNOW, THIS THING HAS STRUGGLED FOR YEARS. YEARS, BUT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, UH, PROBABLY MY FIRST TIME AROUND, UM, LISTENING SOME OF THIS STUFF IN THE EIGHTIES AND THEN FAST FORWARD. BUT, UH, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. I APPLAUD YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR REACHING OUT TO TRY TO GET THIS DONE. AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE A WIN FOR ACOG FOR OUR TEAM AND TO BE ABLE TO HELP THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED THE HELP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH, VIOL AND, AND THE TEAM IN VIRGINIA, THEY'VE ALL WORKED ON IT VERY HARD. THIS IS, I WILL SAY THIS SIZE OF THIS GRANT HAS, AND THIS GETS BACK TO WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, ABOUT TRYING TO INCREASE OUR GRANT, UH, WRITING CAPABILITY. THIS GRANT HAS REALLY STRESSED OUR CAPACITY BECAUSE, UH, CLAUDIA'S WORKED ON IT, LYLE'S WORKED ON IT, VIRGINIA'S BEEN WORKING ON IT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET TOGETHER SOMETIME TO WHERE WE HAVE A TRUE SIZABLE GRANT WRITING TEAM THAT CAN HANDLE MULTIPLE GRANTS OF THIS TYPE. AND SO THEY'VE PUT IN A YEOMAN'S EFFORT TO, TO, UH, GET THESE, THESE APPLICATIONS READY TIMELY. AND COUPLE THAT WITH THE TESLA GRANTS AND THE OTHER, UH, EV GRANTS YOU HEARD ABOUT LAST MONTH, IT'S PUT QUITE A STRESS ON OUR CAPABILITIES AND THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS, JUDGE. SO WE'LL BE THE GRANTEE. ACOG WILL BE THE GRANTEE. CORRECT. AND THEN WE THEN WE GIVE THEM 5 MILLION OF THE, OF THE PROPOSED 20. CORRECT. OKAY. AND THEN THEY, AND THEY WORK AND THEY, AND, AND THEN THEY WORK THE WEATHERIZATION SERVICES IN THEIR 31 COUNTIES THAT DO NOT, THAT ARE SEPARATE AND APART FROM ACOG 12. SO ACOG WILL HANDLE THE WEATHERIZATION WITHIN ITS 12 COUNTY REGION. THEY WILL TAKE, UH, WEATHERIZATION INTO THEIR REMAINING PORTION THAT THEY COVER. AND WE'RE GONNA MANAGE THE GRANT. YES. YEAH, WE WE'RE RESPONSIBLE, WE'RE ON THE HOOK FOR IT. AS MANY TIMES AS JUDGE EVANS HAS HAD TO LISTEN TO THIS, HE OUGHT TO MAKE THE MOTION. AND I'LL SECOND IT. , I, I JUST, IN THE OLD DAYS, THERE WAS SOME ISSUES WITH COMMUNITY COUNCIL PERFORMANCE. NICE. MAKE SURE WE, WE HAVE CONTROL OVER WHAT HAPPENS. YES, YES. YOU MADE THE MOTION. I'LL SECOND IT. WE APPROVAL. OKAY. , I'LL SECOND. WE'VE GOT THE MOTION IN THE SECOND. UH, ANY ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I DO THINK THIS IS TIMELY, UH, WITH THE, UH, THE BORDER ISSUES THAT ARE BEING PUBLICLY DISCUSSED THESE DAYS. SO I THINK IT SEEMS PRETTY GOOD POSITION TO MAYBE GET THIS ONE. YES, SIR. WITH THAT, THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. OH, YOU'VE GOT THE NEXT ONE TOO. RIGHT. OKAY. NUMBER [19. Consider and act upon the recommendation to authorize the Executive Director to accept year three of funding from the State Energy Conservation Office in the amount of $100,000 to continue operating AACOG's Regional Energy Management Program. This item will not require a budget amendment. - Lyle Hufstetler] 19, CONSIDER AND ACT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ACCEPT YEAR THREE OF FUNDING FROM THE STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE IN THE AMOUNT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO CONTINUE OPERATING ACOG'S REGIONAL ENERGY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. THIS ITEM WILL NOT REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. MR. HUFF SETTLE. THANK YOU. THIS ITEM IS SIMILAR TO ONE ANY OF Y'ALL HAVE SEEN BEFORE, AS THIS IS REQUESTING APPROVAL FOR A THIRD, THIRD YEAR OF FUNDING AND THE AMOUNT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM THE STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE. UH, SINCE 2022, NATURAL RESOURCES STAFF HAS BEEN HOSTING WORKSHOPS, WEBINARS, UH, ROUND TABLES AND OTHER EVENTS, INVITING LOCAL GOVERNMENT STAFF TO LEARN ABOUT, UH, DIFFERENT ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RESILIENCE TOPICS. I WOULD SAY LATELY OUR ROUNDTABLES HAVE BEEN PRETTY HIGHLY ATTENDED AND VERY ENGAGING, PARTICULARLY OUR, UH, ENERGY CODE ENFORCEMENT ROUNDTABLE IN JULY. AND WE HAD ONE LAST WEEK, UH, FOR WEATHERIZATION [01:00:01] ASSISTANCE. UH, THE AGENDA ITEM IN YOUR PACKET, DELIVERABLES REQUIRED O FUNDING, UH, FOR YOUR, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, BELABOR THAT POINT EXCEPT TO STRESS THAT, UM, LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, BEAR COVAL, GUADALUPE AND WILSON COUNTIES ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT, UH, BY STATE STATUTE THEIR ANNUAL ENERGY USAGE TO CCO BY THE BEGINNING, BEGINNING OF MARCH FOR THE PROCEEDING YEAR. AND PART OF ACOG'S OBLIGATION, UH, WITH THE CCO CONTRACT IS TO GET MORE ENTITIES TO REPORT. WE'LL BE REACHING OUT TO Y'ALL, UH, IN A FEW MONTHS, SAYS IT'S TIME TO, TO START, START PULLING THAT ENERGY USAGE DATA. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL OVER THE NEXT YEAR TO, TO BOOST OUR REPORTING RATE REGION AND CONTINUE TO BRING Y'ALL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, UH, FOR, FOR ENERGY MANAGEMENT. AND SO I ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL TO, TO, UH, APPROVE YOUR FREE OF CCO FUNDING AND AMOUNT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. AND THAT IS AN EXACT AMOUNT. I'LL TAKE YOUR QUESTION. IF I MAY, JUST ADD, YOU KNOW, JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY, CCO IS THE COUNTERPART FOR, UH, TO PACE. PACE IS FOR PRIVATE ENTERPRISE. CCO IS FOR GOVERNMENT ENTITIES TO APPLY FOR LOW INTEREST FINANCING FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES TO YOUR FACILITIES. IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM. AS YOU REMEMBER, WE DID THE CHILLER AND EVERYTHING ELSE HERE ON OUR $1.7 MILLION LOAN WAS THROUGH CCO TO DO ALL THE LIGHTING, THE CHILLERS, THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, UH, THAT WE'VE INSTALLED OVER THE LAST YEAR HERE IN THE BUILDING. IT'S 2% MONEY OVER THE COURSE OF A LOAN. THAT'S, UH, OUR, OUR LOAN IS 15 YEARS, SO I DON'T THINK YOU'LL FIND A BETTER DEAL THAN 2% AT 15 FOR 15 YEARS. SO IF YOU NEED SOME ENERGY UPGRADES FOR YOUR FACILITIES, IT'S THE GREAT PROGRAM. MOVE APPROVAL. SECOND. DID YOU GET HIM COMMISSIONER CLAY FLO SECOND. THANK YOU. I'LL SAY MY NAME FROM NOW ON. NO, SORRY. YOU CAN'T SEE ME. I KNOW. THANK YOU. OKAY. I KNOW YOUR VOICE. I, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU LAU. THANK YOU. ITEM [20. Consider and act upon the recommendation to approve an interlocal agreement for the month-to-month operation of public transportation within the City of New Braunfels not to exceed $85,000 per month. This item will not require a budget amendment - Duane Evans] NUMBER 20, CONSIDER AN ACTIVE ON THE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR THE MONTH TO MONTH OPERATION OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE CITY OF NEW BRAUNFELS NOT TO EXCEED $85,000 PER MONTH. THIS ITEM WILL NOT REQUIRE BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR EVIDENCE. GOOD MORNING CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS DWAYNE EVANS. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION FOR ADAM AIR CONSTABLE. DUE TO THE NEWLY FORMED FROM BRAUNFELS UC AND IN FEL URBAN TRANSIT DISTRICT, THE CITY OF NEW BRAUNFELS IS TAKING THE TIME TO EVALUATE WHAT TYPE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES THEY WILL OFFER IN THE FUTURE. THE AGENDA I DO FOR YOU IS TO ENTER INTO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN ACCO AND THE CITY OF NEW BRAUNFELS FOR ALAMO REGIONAL TRANSIT TO CONTINUE PROVIDING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF NEW BRAUNFELS. THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES THE CITY OF NEW BRAUNFELS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE PROVIDING A CURRENT LEVEL OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WHILE THEY PLAN AND PREPARE FOR HOW THEY WILL MOVE FORWARD. DISAGREEMENT IS BASED UPON AN HOURLY RATE OF SERVICE PROVIDED EACH MONTH. THE AGREEMENT IS NOT TO EXCEED 80 5K PER MONTH. THIS HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE 2024 BUDGET AND IT DOES NOT REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT OR ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER FOR YOU. ANY COMMENTS? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE COMMENT. I'M COUNCILMAN S BRADLEY FROM CITY OF NEW BRAUNFELS. SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE OR WE WILL CREATE OUR OWN TRANSIT AND SO WE'RE KIND OF IN A TRANSITION PHASE, SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING FROM AN ILA THAT LASTS FOR A YEAR TO THE MONTH TO MONTH. AND SO WE'RE GONNA SLOWLY WIN OURSELF FROM THE SERVICES OF ACOG AND THEN GO FORWARD THAT WAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR OBSERVATIONS? OKAY. UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO, WE GOT THE MOTION AND A SECOND. I SECOND. OKAY THEN THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. A OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NEXT ONE IS ALSO YOURS. UH, [21. Consider and act upon the recommendation to authorize the Executive Director to apply for and accept 5339 funding in an approximate amount of $3,600,000 for replacement of low emission buses. This item will not require a budget amendment. - Duane Evans] CONSIDER AN ACT ON THE RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO APPLY FOR AND ACCEPT 53 39 FUNDING IN AN APPROXIMATE AMOUNT OF 3,600,000 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF LOW EMISSION BUSES. THIS ITEM WILL NOT REQUIRE BUDGET AMENDMENT. THIS ITEM FOR TODAY IS TO APPLY FOR AND ACCEPT 53 39 FUNDING FROM PURCHASE UP TO 18 LOW EMISSION REPLACEMENT TRANSIT VEHICLES. OUR PRIMARY NEEDED AT THIS TIME IS TO UPGRADE OUR OLDER REVENUE VEHICLES TO NEW ONE THAT ARE MORE EFFICIENT AND LESS COSTLY TO MAINTAIN. [01:05:01] THIS WILL NOT REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT TO THE 2024 BUDGET. IS THERE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY SAY, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE BUSES THAT YOU HAVE NOW? UM, CURRENTLY, UM, LIFE, YES SIR. NORMALLY ABOUT 150,000 MILES. UM, SO ROUGHLY FIVE YEARS OR SO. UM, WE NORMALLY FLIP TO ONE 50, NORMALLY ABOUT TWO OR THREE YEARS, BUT WE CONTINUE TO UTILIZE THOSE WITH THE PROPER MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES AND EVERYTHING. KEEP THOSE, UM, VEHICLES ON THE ROAD AND PERFORM GOOD SERVICE, NATURAL GAS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WHAT KIND OF FUEL? FUEL, EXCUSE ME. WHAT KIND OF FUEL LOW EMISSION AT THIS TIME WE'RE, UM, RETARDANT PROPANE. OKAY. HOW'S THAT GONNA, HOW'S THAT GONNA AFFECT THE BUSES THAT ARE IN THE OUTLYING COUNTIES? THERE'S NOT PROPANE AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE. THAT'S CORRECT. SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THE SERVICE THERE, THAT WE PUT THESE PROPANE VEHICLES, HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICE AND HAVE THE SERVICE, UM, AVAILABILITY FOR THE TIME DURATION THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED FOR IT. SO WE'RE GONNA PUT THE VEHICLES IN PLACES THAT HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THE PROPANE, THE FUEL SYSTEMS. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. FOR APPROVAL? OKAY, MAYOR BRADLEY MADE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. COMMISSIONER CLAY FLOODS. VERY GOOD. WE HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND. ANY, ALL ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A. AYE. OPPOSED? CARRIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, MS. MORRON, YOUR FIRST ITEM IS, UH, ITEM ITEM 22. [22. Consider and act upon the recommendation to authorize the Executive Director to execute the administration and professional services agreement with Frio County to provide grant writing and administration services for Frio County's Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Method of Distribution (MOD) grant. This item will not require a budget amendment. - Claudia Mora] CONSIDER AND ACT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE THE ADMINISTRATION AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH RIO COUNTY TO PROVIDE GRANT WRITING AND ADMINISTRATION SERVICES FOR RIO COUNTY'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MITIGATION METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION GRANT, THIS ITEM WILL NOT REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT PROCEED. THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. CHAIRMAN, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I'M CLAUDIA MODA, THE REGIONAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR HERE AT ACOG. UH, WE WANT TO ASSIST OUR MEMBER GOVERNMENTS IMPROVE ACCESS TO STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING. UH, AS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT, ON JUNE 28TH, STAFF RESPONDED TO A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL SOLICITATION FROM REO COUNTY TO PROVIDE ADMINISTRATION AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MITIGATION METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION, UH, ALSO KNOWN AS CITY CDBG MIT MOD. ON AUGUST 13TH, THE RIO COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT SELECTED ACOG TO PROVIDE ADMINISTRATION AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR THEIR CDBG MIT MOD GRANT. AS PART OF THE SERVICES ACOG WILL PROVIDE, RIO COUNTY STAFF WILL PREPARE AND SUBMIT THE COUNTY'S APPLICATION TO THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE IN THE ALLOCATED AMOUNT OF $2,184,200. IN ADDITION, ACOG WILL WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO SELECT AN ENGINEER AND A CONTRACTOR TO PERFORM THE CONSTRUCTION WORK ASSOCIATED WITH ITS PROPOSED WATER AND DRAINAGE PROJECT ALONG WITH GENERAL GRANT AND FISCAL ADMINISTRATION. THE ADMINISTRATION AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN ACOG AND FRILL COUNTY WILL COVER APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS. ACOG'S FEES FOR THIS AGREEMENT IS $60,000. CURRENTLY THERE IS NO IMPACT TO THE FY 2024 BUDGET. STAFF RECOMMENDS THE BOARD AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH RIO COUNTY. AND AT THIS TIME I WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS APPROVE OF APPROVAL. SECOND. OKAY. MR. HAS, MR. HAS LOCKER AND MAYOR SCHROEDER, WE HAVE A MOTION. AND THE SECOND, THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A AYE. OPPOSED? ABSTAIN. MOTION CARRIES. I'M GONNA ABSTAIN. PARDON? I'M GONNA ABSTAIN YOU. YOU OKAY? AND JUDGE CAMACHO ABSTAIN. YEAH. AND THANK YOU ALL. THIS LOOKS LIKE A GOOD START TO THE GRANT WRITING. I HOPE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I TELL YOU, YEAH, HE'S REALLY DID A GOOD JOB REMINDING YOU OF WHAT WE WERE CAPABLE OF , OR LEAST WHAT HE HOPES WE'RE CAPABLE OF. . WELL, WE'VE GOT A GOOD, UH, GRANT WRITER IN KIRK COUNTY. NOW I MEET THAT PERSON. , I HAVE A QUESTION. SO, HAS ACOG WORKED WITH UM, CBG FUNDING BEFORE? YES. YES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ADMINISTER THROUGH REGIONAL SERVICES IS THE TEXAS CPG GRANT GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH BASICALLY HAS THE SAME SOURCE OF FUNDING, UH, AND THE BOARD, UH, EVERY TWO YEARS SELECTS THE PRIORITIES THAT THEY, THEY WANT [01:10:01] THE FUNDS TO GO TOWARDS. AND TYPICALLY IT'S WATER WASTE MANAGEMENT, UM, WASTE MANAGEMENT PROJECTS. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. MM-HMM? . OKAY. YOU NEED A MOTION? WE ALREADY GOT IT. WE ALREADY GOT IT. OH, WE NEED TO GO TO 23. YES. NO, WE GOTTA VOTE. GOTTA VOTE. OKAY. THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. MOVING ON TO ITEM 23. [23. Consider and act upon the recommendation to authorize the executive director to execute an agreement with Halff Associates, Inc. to provide engineering services for broadband project development. This item will not require a budget amendment. - Claudia Mora] CONSIDER AN ACT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH, UH, HALF ASSOCIATES INC. TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR BROADBAND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT. THIS ITEM WILL NOT REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. MS. MAURA? THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. BOARD MEMBERS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES HAVE IMPROVED ACCESS TO BROADBAND AND WE WANNA WORK WITH OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. A NUMBER OF STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES LIKE THE TEXAS BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION AGENCY AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN OR WILL BE ALLOCATED ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR BROADBAND PROJECTS TO DEVELOP PROJECTS AND GRANT APPLICATIONS TO MEET SUBMISSION DEADLINES. IT COVER THESE REQUEST PROPOSALS TO SOLICIT BROADBAND VENDORS AND CONSULTANTS TO WORK WITH ACOG AND MEMBER GOVERNMENT IN PREPARING STRATEGIES, DEVELOP PROJECTS AND WRITE GRANT APPLICATIONS. WE RECEIVED FIVE PROPOSALS FOR CONSULTANTS TO PERFORM THE GRANT WRITING AND ENGINEERING SERVICES. AFTER REVIEW, STAFF SELECTED HALF ASSOCIATES, INC TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES. CURRENTLY THERE'S NO IMPACT TO THE ACOG FY 2024 BUDGET. STAFF RECOMMENDS THE BOARD AUTHORIZED THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH HALF ASSOCIATES INC. AND AT THIS TIME, UH, ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS? WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED? THEY HAVE AN OFFICE HERE, SAN ANTONIO, BUT THEY'RE PRIMARILY OUT OF THE OFFICE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE A MOTION MOVE FOR APPROVAL TO REBECCA CLAY. COMMISSIONER CLAY . GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? CARRIES. UH, THANK YOU. YES. JUST A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE WE ADJOURN. UH, FOR THE MEMBERS THAT ARE PRESENT, WE HAVE THE, UH, 9 1 1 MEETING AND THE ART TRANSPORTATION POLICY FORWARD MEETING FOLLOW UP. WE'RE HERE FOR THAT. PLEASE DON'T GET OUT THE DOOR AND FORGET ABOUT US. WHEN DOES THAT START? DOES THAT START RIGHT NOW? START, YEAH. 11 39 1 1 40 12. OKAY, SO ART POSTED FOR 1130. YES. AND 9 1 1 IS AT NOON. IT'S BEEN POSTED AT 12. 12. I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT. DISPATCH. VERY WELL. UH, THEN [24. Next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at AACOG.] ITEM 24, THE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2024 AT 10:00 AM UH, AND WITH THAT WE ARE ADJOURNED. * 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.