Nov 17, 2021 Special City Council Meeting

[ 5:00 p.m. - The City Council Convenes in City Council Chambers in Work Session regarding items for presentation and discussion on such issues that may require in-depth consideration by the City Council. This is a joint meeting with the Lubbock County Commissioners Court, and members of the County Commissioners Court may participate in the discussion. No action will be taken by the City Council in Work Session.]

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GOOD AFTERNOON. WELCOME TO CITIZENS TOWER.

I'LL CALL THE LUBBOCK CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER IN A SPECIAL MEETING THIS AFTERNOON.

JUDGE, I'LL CALL THE ORDER LUBBOCK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT.

WE'RE SITTING IN REGULAR SESSION AND A QUORUM IS PRESENT.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. I WANT TO WELCOME OUR FRIENDS FROM THE COUNTY.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE, SIR.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME. BOB GOODWIN, WHO SORT OF SERVES AS THE HONORABLE HISTORIAN, SAID THE LAST TIME THIS GROUP MET IT WAS THE LEADERS WERE CICERO, PLATO, LENGTH, LANGSTON AND MACBETH, I THINK. YEAH, YEAH.

SO ANYWAY, SO SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, BUT IT'S IT'S GOOD TO BE TOGETHER TODAY WITH YOU GUYS. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE CITIZENS TOWER.

I THINK OUR GOAL IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS IS TO HAVE A HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSION.

ABOUT WHAT IS, I THINK, A GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR FOR OUR COMMUNITY, OUR COUNTY, OUR CITY AND.

WE BOTH HAVE TAKEN SOME ACTION IN SPINNING ARPA FUNDS, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR DOLLARS REMAIN UNCOMMITTED AND WE FEEL LIKE TOGETHER WE HAVE A CHANCE TO TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT. AND SO I WANT TO GIVE YIELD TO YOU, A JUDGE AND LET YOU MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND WE'LL GET GET ON THE ROAD.

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO THIS INCREDIBLE FACILITY BEEN IN BEEN IN THIS ROOM A FEW TIMES.

BUT FOR THIS VERY HISTORIC MEETING, I LIKE YOU.

WE WERE KIND OF LOOKING THROUGH THE RECORDS.

WE HAVE NOT MET THE CITY AND THE COUNTY IN THIS CENTURY, SO THIS IS DEFINITELY A AND I HOPE THE FIRST OF MANY MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET TOGETHER SAID EARLIER THAT GOVERNMENT WORKS BEST, THAT GOVERNMENT WORKS TOGETHER.

AND I THINK WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, ESPECIALLY WITH THESE ARPA FUNDS.

TO REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT TOGETHER IN OUR COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, THE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, WE'VE RECEIVED ABOUT $156 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WE'RE TASKED TO SPIN THAT HERE IN LUBBOCK ON ON PROJECTS WITHIN THE CITY OF LUBBOCK AND THE COUNTY OF LUBBOCK TO TO BE ABLE TO PUT THAT MONEY BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. AND I KNOW IT'S THE GOAL OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE.

ABSOLUTELY DO THAT.

AND SO FROM TALKING WITH THE MAYOR AND MAYOR AND I'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ARPA MONEY WE WERE LOOKING, AND AS WE MADE THESE CONVERSATIONS, WE SAID, WELL, WHERE COULD WE PARTNER TOGETHER? WHERE CAN WE MAXIMIZE THIS MONEY INTO OUR COMMUNITIES? AND SO AS WE WERE TALKING AND COMING UP WITH IDEAS AND LISTENING TO FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY, WE SAID, WELL, MAYBE THE NATURAL THING FOR US TO DO IS JUST HAVE A JOINT MEETING WHERE WE CAN HEAR FROM FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT PROJECTS THAT WE CAN.

WE BEING THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, POOL OUR RESOURCES TOGETHER FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF LUBBOCK COUNTY, THE CITY, THE COUNTY AND EVEN OUR OUR SMALL RURAL COMMUNITIES WITHIN LUBBOCK COUNTY AS WELL.

AND I KNOW TODAY WE'VE GOT FOLKS FROM OUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE HERE.

WE'VE GOT FOLKS FROM SPAG HERE.

WE'VE GOT SOME FOLKS FROM THE HOSPITAL HERE.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THIS PROCESS IN HELPING US TO RETURN THIS MONEY TO THE PEOPLE OF LUBBOCK AND LUBBOCK COUNTY.

YEAH, WELL, SAID, JUDGE, I WANT TO SPECIALLY WELCOME OUR OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT, CITIZENS THAT ARE WITH US, YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU TALKED ABOUT HEALTH CARE LEADERS, MENTAL HEALTH LEADERS.

IT'S GOT QUITE A GATHERING HERE OF PEOPLE WHO REALLY CARE ABOUT LUBBOCK.

AND I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO TO BE EFFICIENT WITH OUR TIME TONIGHT.

WE'VE SLATED A COUPLE OF HOURS FOR THIS.

SO IF THAT BEING THE CASE, WE WILL DOVE INTO FIVE TOPICS.

WE'LL HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION ON EACH ONE OF THEM AND THEN WE WILL HAVE SOME DISCUSSION NOW. VERY WELL MAY BE THAT TONIGHT'S MEETING LEADS TO SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS OF OF OF THIS GROUP AND WE'LL SEE HOW THAT THAT PLAYS OUT, BUT I THINK WE'LL GET STARTED.

[1. Hear and discuss potential American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) topics for possible joint participation by the City of Lubbock and Lubbock County.]

HE'S GOING TO HE'S GOING TO HELP US WITH TIMEKEEPING TONIGHT.

HE'LL ALSO HELP US IN AN EFFORT TO TRY TO TIE SOME OF THESE ITEMS UP AND KEEP US

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AND IF THERE'S NO IF THERE'S.

[4. Homelessness]

SO. I'LL LET MR. ATKINSON TEE THAT ONE UP.

JARRETT THANK YOU, MAYOR.

CITY COUNCIL JUDGE COMMISSIONERS MS. KAREN MURPHY IS GOING TO MAKE HER WAY UP, ALONG WITH MR. BILL HOWERTON JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON A COUPLE OF THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HOLD EACH OF THESE SESSIONS TO 25 MINUTES OR LESS.

THE BELL WILL GO OFF WHEN WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.

BY THEN, THAT CONVERSATION WILL BE IN Y'ALL'S HANDS AND THAT'LL GET YOU TIME TO KIND OF WRAP THAT UP. KAREN'S GOING TO START US INTO THE PRESENTATION.

MR. HORTON'S GOT A FEW REMARKS.

WE'LL TAKE IT BACK UP TO THE DAIS AND GO FROM THERE.

KAREN, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS AND COUNCIL.

I'M GOING TO DO A REAL SHORT SYNOPSIS OF WHAT HOMELESSNESS.

AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WELL, AS LONG AS HOMELESSNESS HAS BEEN AROUND, PROBABLY.

BUT THE FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND WHAT IS COMING DOWN THROUGH CARES ACT AND OUR AND DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES.

CURRENTLY, FUNDING STATUS WITH THE CITY, AND THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING.

WE ARE AN ENTITLEMENT CITY, SO WE ARE A PARTICIPATING JURISDICTION THROUGH THE CITY OF LUBBOCK, SO WE RECEIVE HEAD FEDERAL GRANTS THAT ARE ANNUALLY WITH FORMS OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.

THE EMERGENCY SOLUTION, GRANT AND OUR HOME PARTNERSHIP GRANT, THOSE ARE ENTITLEMENT GRANTS WE RECEIVE EVERY YEAR.

AVAILABLE FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN THROUGH FOR THE EMERGENCY SOLUTION, GRANT.

WE HAVE THAT FOUR ALLOCATED TO SHELTERS THAT PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO PERSONS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS.

WE NORMALLY GET AROUND 180 TO $200000 A YEAR THIS YEAR FOR 2021, OUR EMERGENCY SOLUTION GRANT IS EXPECTED TO BE ABOUT 185.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT OVER THAT 180.

AND THEN WE ALSO RECEIVED LAST YEAR IN 2020, THE OF CORONA OF RELIEF FUNDS OF TWO MILLION SEVENTEEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SEVEN.

WE RECEIVED THAT AND STARTED EXPANDING AS FAST AS WE COULD BECAUSE WE HAD TO MEET SOME TIME FRAMES IN PERCENTAGES OF EXPENDITURES.

SO WE'VE ALREADY EXPENDED ABOUT $600000 OF THAT FUNDING, AND THAT WAS TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY SHELTER AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS.

OUR DEADLINE TO EXPEND ALL OF THIS FUNDING IS SEPTEMBER 30TH TO TWENTY TWENTY TWO.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE RECEIVED WHERE HUD WE'RE RECEIVING THIS, THE AARP MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE ALSO RECEIVE HUD RECEIVES THAT FUNDING ALSO, AND THEY PUSH IT DOWN TO THE STATES IN PARTICIPATING JURISDICTIONS OR ENTITLEMENT CITIES LIKE US.

SO OUR HOME GRANT, WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED THREE MILLION SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN DOLLARS, FIVE SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY DOLLARS THAT IS STILL IN THE PLANNING STAGES.

WHAT WE ARE? WE MUST USE THAT FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FROM QUALIFIED QUALIFYING POPULATIONS, AND THAT IS BASICALLY HOMELESSNESS.

SO IT WOULD BE FOR HOMELESS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT WOULD BE FOR HOMELESS PREVENTION, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.

OR AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS.

SO THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN PROVIDING THROUGH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY AND THEN ALSO OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, SO OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MONEY, THOSE KIND OF THINGS WE'VE ALREADY FOR EVICTION DIVERSION.

SO THAT WOULD WHAT WE LOOK AT IS HOMELESS PREVENTION IS OVER UP TO A MILLION DOLLARS AND PROBABLY OVER.

WE'VE EXPENDED MULTIPLE GRANTS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND WE'VE ASSISTED.

PROBABLY CLOSE TO 4000, I THINK, WAS OUR LAST COUNT TODAY OF UN DUPLICATED RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS.

WE ALSO WITH THIS HOMELESS PREVENTION, WE WOULD ASSIST PERSONS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE HOMELESS ARE IN IMMEDIATE RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS, AND WE CAN PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WITH UTILITY ASSISTANCE AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, AND WE CAN HELP WITH

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AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE EMERGENCY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE.

AND SO THAT IS ALSO UP TO SIX MONTHS OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HOMEOWNERS, AND THAT WOULD BE A HELPING FAMILIES AND HOMEOWNERS AVOID FORECLOSURE.

SO WE LOOK AT THAT AS A HOMELESS PREVENTION ALSO.

SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT IS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM THAT HUD HAS.

AND ACCORDING TO HEAD, THE S.O.S.

IS A COMMUNITY PLAN TO ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE AND DELIVER HOUSING AND SERVICES TO MEET THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS.

THE S.O.S. IS DESIGNATED TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY WIDE COMMITMENT TO END HOMELESSNESS, PROVIDE FUNDING TO NONPROFIT PROVIDERS TO QUICKLY REHOUSE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS FAMILIES AND PROMOTE ACCESS TO MAINSTREAM PROGRAMS AND OPTIMIZE SELF-SUFFICIENCY AMONG INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

HAD SAYS IF YOU IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE, THEY'RE NO LONGER HOMELESS, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE TO JUST HAVING SHELTER, EITHER IT'S EMERGENCY TRANSITIONAL.

IF IT'S PERMANENT, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WE STILL HAVE THAT CONTINUUM OF CARE.

HOW DO THEY GET A JOB IF THEY NEED MEDICATION, IF THEY HAVE DISABILITIES OR ISSUES THAT THEY NEED ASSISTANCE WITH? JUST BECAUSE YOU PUT THEM IN A HOUSE DOESN'T MEAN THEY CAN BE SELF-SUFFICIENT.

RIGHT NOW, THE CITY OF LUBBOCK AND LUBBOCK COUNTY ARE CURRENTLY UNDER THE CONTINUUM OF CARE BALANCE OF STATE, SO THAT MEANS WE'RE UNDER THE STATE OF TEXAS.

SO STATE OF TEXAS RECEIVES THREE THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING COMMUNITY AFFAIRS IN TEXAS HOMELESS NETWORK.

THEY RECEIVE FUNDING FROM HUD FOR CONTINUUM OF CARE THAT IS BROKEN OUT IN REGIONS AND COUNTIES LUBBOCK COUNTY IS IN.

FRONT OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, MANY WOULD BE DUMPED INTO THE BALANCE OF STATE UNDER THE STATE OF TEXAS, SO THEY'RE IN CONTROL OF THAT.

SO THEY WOULD TAKE THE APPLICATION AND THEY WOULD ACTUALLY.

DETERMINE THE ALLOCATION OF THAT FUNDING.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS ESTABLISHING THE OUR OWN CONTINUUM OF CARE, SO IT IT'LL BE A LOCAL CONTINUUM OF CARE.

IT WOULD BE ADDRESSING LOCAL UNDER A LOCAL BASIS INSTEAD OF HAVING IT AS STATEWIDE AND STATEWIDE. I GUESS BARRIERS, HOW TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, WHAT MIGHT WORK IN AUSTIN, DALLAS, HOUSTON DOESN'T WORK NECESSARILY FOR LUBBOCK.

LUBBOCK IS A SMALLER COMMUNITY.

WE'RE BIG ENOUGH TO GET NOTIFICATION, GET RECOGNITION AND BEING ABLE TO BE ENTITLEMENT CITY. BUT WE'RE SMALL ENOUGH THAT WE COULD HAVE THESE LOCAL MORE COMMUNITY NEEDS THAT MAYBE A LARGER COMMUNITY DOESN'T HAVE.

OR MAYBE EVEN THOSE RESOURCES.

SO THE WAY THAT WE ESTABLISH THIS CONTINUUM OF CARE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GROUP.

AND SO THAT IS A GROUP THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING OUT THE DUTIES DEFINED IN AN INTERIM ROLE. SO THAT WOULD BE OUR INTIMAN RULE THAT WE WOULD DEVELOP HERE LOCALLY.

IT WOULDN'T BE UNDER THE STATE.

WE WOULD ADOPT AND FOLLOW WRITTEN PROCEDURES.

IT WOULD JUST BASICALLY BE FORMING WHAT WE WANT THIS GROUP TO DO IS WHAT THE CONTINUUM OF CARE WANTS TO BE THE COMPOSITION OF THE GROUP.

NUMBER TWO WOULD BE COMPOSED OF REPRESENTATIVES, RELATIVE ORGANIZATIONS WITH A GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE.

SO THAT WOULD WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING IS LUBBOCK COUNTY.

AND THEN THE BOARD APPOINTMENT, THAT CONTINUUM OF CARE BOARD WOULD BE APPOINTED BY THE WHATEVER GOVERNING BOARD THAT WE DECIDE WOULD BE OVER, THAT IT COULD BE A JOINT EFFORT UNDER COMMISSIONERS AND THE COUNCIL.

IT'S HOWEVER, WE WANT TO DEVELOP THAT.

AND THEN THE DESIGNATION AS THE HMAS LEAD AGENCY THAT IS A HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM RIGHT NOW THAT IS MANAGED UNDER HCA TEXAS HOMELESS NETWORK, AND THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO WHAT IT IS IS BASICALLY GATHERING INFORMATION ON HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS THAT WE CAN TRACK AND BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT THEY'RE NOT SLIPPING THROUGH THE CRACKS AND WE CAN FIND OUT THE GAPS AND FIGURE IT OUT WHICH DIRECTION THEY NEED TO GO.

DO THEY NEED JOB TRAINING? AS SIMPLE AS JUST A HOUSE, DO THEY NEED ASSISTANCE WITH MEDICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH, THOSE KIND OF THINGS? AND SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH OUR OWN.

WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE WOULD DO THAT AS A LEAD AGENCY HERE, SO WE COULD DO THAT ON A DAILY BASIS AND OVERSEE THAT INFORMATION.

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THAT COLLABORATIVE APPLICATION WOULD BE A COMMUNITY WIDE, WIDE APPLICATION TO HEAD FOR THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDING.

RIGHT NOW, LUBBOCK COUNTY UP TO ONE POINT SIX MILLION DOLLARS IS AVAILABLE, BUT THAT HAS TO BE ESTABLISHED PROGRAMING AS A COMMUNITY WIDE EFFORT.

AND THEN THAT THAT CONTINUUM OF CARE BOARD WOULD BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE THAT FUNDING OUT.

AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO FORM ADDITIONAL WORK GROUPS, SO THAT COULD BE SUBCOMMITTEES SUCH AS WE COULD HAVE COORDINATED ENTRY, WHICH WE ALREADY HAVE.

BUT IT STILL GOES THROUGH OUR STATE ENTITY UNDER BALANCE OF STATE, BUT WE WOULD HAVE OUR COORDINATED ENTRY HERE.

WE'D HAVE CASE CONFERENCING.

WE COULD HAVE SUBCOMMITTEES THAT COULD ACTUALLY LOOK AT CONNECTING MAYBE A MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC OR MAYBE A MEDICAL CLINIC, THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT JUST WHATEVER THE CONTINUUM OF CARE DECIDES ON A LOCAL BASIS THAT WE COULD DO, AND IT ACTUALLY WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY THE CONTINUUM OF CARE AND NOT JUST HAVE INDIVIDUAL ENTITIES OUT THERE DOING IT ON THEIR OWN AND TRYING TO.

NOT WORK WITH IN THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND USING ALL THE RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU, MR. MURPHY. MR HOWARD, DO YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO ADD? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR DODGE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT JUST HAVE A REAL QUICK COUPLE OF COMMENTS STATEMENT TO MAKE.

THEN WE'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MR. ATKINSON AND START CONVERSATION AND QUESTIONS AT THAT POINT.

THE CITY OF LUBBOCK HAS WORKED VERY HARD TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE HOMELESS IN THIS IN OUR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA.

WE HAVE PARTNERS IN PLACE THAT WE WORK WITH, BOTH DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY THAT PROVIDE SERVICES IN OUR CITY.

AS A GROUP, WE HAVE DONE WELL, BUT PERSONALLY, I THINK WE CAN ACTUALLY DO BETTER.

TO DATE, LIMITED FUNDING AND THE LACK OF COORDINATION BETWEEN PROVIDERS HAS KEPT US FROM MAXIMIZING THE CARE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF US.

I BELIEVE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN PROVIDING FOR THE HOMELESS.

SPECIFICALLY, I'M REFERRING TO THE CONTINUUM OF CARE THAT MS. MURPHY WAS DISCUSSING JUST NOW.

WE VIEW THE CREATION OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE AS A BENEFIT TO ALL ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE TO THE HOMELESS IN NO WAY.

WITH THE CREATION OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, SEEK TO TAKE OVER OR ELIMINATE ANY PROGRAM THAT IS CURRENTLY OFFERED WITHIN OUR CITY.

THE GOALS ARE THE CONTINUUM OF CARE WOULD BE TO MAXIMIZE COORDINATION BETWEEN PROVIDERS AND TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING WITHIN OUR TOWN.

AN ADDITIONAL POSITIVE ASPECT OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE WILL HELP TO ELIMINATE THE DUPLICATION OF SERVICES.

THAT ALONE WILL ALLOW FOR MORE EFFICIENT PROVISION OF SERVICES TO THOSE THAT ARE NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I WAS IT BACK TO JARRETT NOW? THANK YOU, BILL KAREN, BOTH OF YOU.

BILL, I THINK THAT'S WELL SAID, THE CONTINUUM OF CARE CONCEPT.

IT'S NOT THE FINAL STEP.

IT'S LIKELY THE NEXT STEP.

IT'S SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE TODAY, SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING ON.

IT REALLY WILL MAXIMIZE THE RESOURCES, THE COORDINATION, NOT BY REPLACING ANYTHING WE HAVE, BUT BY SUPPLEMENTING IT AND ENHANCING IT.

I'M GOING TO HAND THIS OVER TO MAYOR POPE AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER JOY TO KIND OF KICK OFF THE DISCUSSION HERE AT THE DAIS.

BOTH BODIES, IF YOU WOULD, THE QUESTION THAT WE WOULD LOOK TOWARDS IS AT THE END OF THE DISCUSSION, IS THIS A CONCEPT THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN? AND IS THIS A CONCEPT FOR WHICH YOU WOULD CONSIDER POTENTIALLY RESERVING FUNDS WITH THAT? MAYOR POPE THANK YOU.

MR. ATKINSON I.

I THOUGHT I WOULD START WITH MS. JOY. SHE, SHE AND I HAD A CHANCE OF SIX WEEKS OR SO AGO TO VISIT HOUSTON, EXCUSE ME, FORT WORTH AND SAN ANTONIO, AND WE SPENT A REMARKABLE AMOUNT OF TIME IN FORT WORTH ON THIS CONTINUUM OF CARE CONCEPT, AND I'LL I'LL DEFER TO LATRELLE LET HER MAKE SOME COMMENTS ON THIS. AND MANY OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT THIS HOMELESSNESS EFFORT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

THINK BACK TO THE TENT CITY AT AVENUE Q AND BROADWAY.

AND SO THROUGH THE YEARS, IT HAS KIND OF MORPHED INTO DIFFERENT, LET'S CALL IT, VENTURES.

AND SO WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS AFTER.

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WE FOUND.

ARE STARTED WHAT WE CALL A CONSORTIUM, WHICH WAS A GROUP OF ALL THE PROVIDERS FOR ALL OF THE HOMELESS PEOPLE.

EVERY ONE OF THEM AND THEY FUNCTIONED AS A GROUP, BUT THEY HAD NO LEADER.

THERE WAS NO ONE WHO COULD TELL THEM THAT WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.

AND SO WHAT WE FOUND WAS AMONG THESE PROVIDERS THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY COMPETING SOMETIMES FOR THE SAME FUNDING, WHICH DOESN'T MAKE FOR GOOD PARTNERS.

SO WHEN WE WENT TO FORT WORTH, WE VISITED A PLACE CALLED TRUE WORTH AND THEY HAD THEIR CONTINUED CARE ACTUALLY FOR FORT WORTH AND ARLINGTON.

AND WHAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR CONTINUUM OF CARE, THEY HAVE A PERSON THAT THAT IS THEIR JOB IS TO ORGANIZE, NOT TO RUN, NOT TO DO WHAT THE PROVIDERS DO.

AND THEN THEY OPERATE WITH THAT PERSON WHO IS HIRED BY A BOARD.

THE BOARD IS COMPRISED OF CITY LEADERS, COUNTY LEADERS AND AND INDIVIDUALS. AND THEN THERE IS ANOTHER COMMITTEE THAT IS COMPOSED OF ALL OF THE PROVIDERS. WE'VE SPENT THE WHOLE DAY WITH THIS WONDERFUL LADY.

IT'S HER JOB TO TO ORGANIZE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS FUNCTIONING.

THEY THEY RUN A LOT OF IT OUT OF WHAT I WOULD CALL THEIR DAY CENTER.

BUT SHE.

EXPLAINED IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD WHY IT WOULD WORK BECAUSE SHE'S NOT COMPETING FOR ANY FUNDS.

THAT'S NOT HER JOB.

HER JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NEEDS ARE BEING MET BY THE PROVIDERS.

SHE CAN SAY YES, NO, WHATEVER.

BUT SHE IS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE BASICALLY IS WHAT SHE IS.

AND SO WE FELT LIKE BASED UPON THAT VISIT THAT THAT WAS A CONCEPT THAT WORKS.

WE CLEARLY NEED THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FOR LUBBOCK.

AMARILLO HAS ITS OWN CONTINUUM OF CARE.

AND WHEN MS. MURPHY WAS TALKING ABOUT BALANCE OF STATE, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE LARGER CITIES GET THEIR MONIES DIRECT AND THEN THE REST OF US ARE REFERRED TO AS BALANCE OF STATE. AND MOST OF US ARE.

UH, WEST OF I-35, SO.

IT WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE CITY OF LUBBOCK HAVE THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, AND THAT WORK TO DO THAT HAS ALREADY STARTED.

IT STARTED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND SO IT WOULD BE A BENEFIT.

NOT FOR THE CITY, IT DOESN'T BENEFIT US IN ANY WAY OTHER THAN HELP THE PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP. AND SO I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THAT THE CONTINUUM OF CARE WITH A PERSON WHO HAS A JOB OF MAKING SURE IT WORKS AND A BOARD TO OPERATE AND THEN YOU CAN ALWAYS HAVE COMMITTEES AND THAT SORT OF THING.

BUT THAT WILL WORK.

IT HAS WORKED WELL IN FORT WORTH AND ARLINGTON.

WE SAW IT SUCCESSFUL.

AND AS MS. MURPHY POINTED OUT, IT'S JUST THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS ANY OTHER THING, BUT WE MUST GET OUR PROVIDERS TOGETHER AND NOT HAVE THEM COMPETING WITH ONE ANOTHER FOR FUNDING.

THE HMS SYSTEM IS IMPERATIVE BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE KEEP UP WITH OUR HOMELESS PEOPLE.

WHERE HAVE THEY BEEN? WHAT SERVICES HAVE THEY RECEIVED? ARE WE DUPLICATING IT? ARE THEY JUST SO FRUSTRATED WITH HOW IT WORKS THAT THEY GIVE UP? AND SO OUR HMAS SYSTEM WILL TRACK THAT AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS. MAYOR, THANK YOU, MISS JOY, MISS MURPHY.

GIVE US A QUICK TIMEFRAME ON THAT CONTINUUM OF CARE APPLICATION AND THAT PROCESS WHERE WE ARE ON THAT. IT WILL TAKE PROBABLY BECAUSE OF COVID AND EVERYTHING DELAYING BECAUSE IT'LL TAKE PROBABLY ANOTHER A YEAR JUST TO GIVE THE PLANNING BECAUSE ONCE WE HAVE FUNDING AVAILABLE ALREADY TO START THAT FUNDING OR THE PLANNING PART.

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THANK YOU, MS. MURPHY. OK, I'LL I'LL GO TO JUDGE PARRISH NIXON AND THEN ASK ANY OTHER MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO PRESS THEIR BUTTON, AND WE'LL IDENTIFY A JUDGE AND MS. MURPHY JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT ON ON THE TIME FRAME.

WHOSE DECISION IS THAT TO TO DESIGNATE LUBBOCK LUBBOCK COUNTY A S.O.S.

IS IT DOES THAT COME FROM HUD OR COME FROM THE STATE? IT COMES FROM THE HEAD.

WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY MAKE THE APPLICATION TO HAD TO SAY THAT WE WANT TO FOR A LACK OF BETTER TERM DIVORCE, THE BALANCE OF STATE.

WE WANT TO MOVE OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE BALANCE OF STATE AND BECOME OUR OWN CONTINUUM OF CARE. SO HEAD WOULD DO THAT, YES.

THE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.

I THINK I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.

MS. PATTERSON HARRIS, THANK YOU.

I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS IF YOU WILL OBLIGE ME.

MS. MURPHY, YOU TALKED ABOUT ONE OF THOSE PIECES WAS PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

GET INTO THAT AND EXPLAIN TO US WHAT THAT IS, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS BENEFIT FROM THAT.

SO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS THROUGH ALL OF OUR GRANTS SO WE CAN USE OUR HOME DOLLARS FOR THAT, WE CAN USE CDBG FOR THAT.

AND THAT WOULD BE ANYWHERE FROM WORKING WITH NON-PROFITS.

JUST JUST A GOOD EXAMPLE THAT THE COUNCIL KNOWS ABOUT IS OUR COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION WITH IRB OR COMMUNITY HOUSING RESOURCE BOARD THAT THEY ACTUALLY PURCHASE. HOUSES ARE ACQUISITION AND REHAB OF HOUSING, AND THEN THEY KEEP THAT HOUSE AT AN AFFORDABLE RENT.

FOR WHATEVER AMOUNT THEY SPEND, IT HAS TO BE WITHIN THAT AFFORDABILITY PERIOD FOR 20 YEARS OR HOWEVER, SO THOSE RENTS ARE SET BY HEAD.

THEY LOOK AT THAT THROUGH.

THEY GO THROUGH IT AS A NATION AND THEN THEY GO IT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE ACTUAL PARTICIPATING JURISDICTION, THE CITY.

SO THOSE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE OUT THERE.

WE CAN GO THROUGH AS FAR AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR AFFORDABLE RENTS.

AGAIN, THAT'S ESTABLISHED BY HUD.

SO THEN THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT THINGS WORKING WITH HAVING A HOUSING COORDINATOR, WHICH THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN THE NEAR FUTURE, JUST ABOUT WORKING THROUGH WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE. WE SEE THAT THAT CAN BE VERY ADVANTAGEOUS TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS WORKS BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE WHEN YOU'RE SAYING WE'LL PAY THEIR RENT FOR SIX MONTHS OR WE'LL PAY IT UP TO A YEAR UNTIL THEY BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT.

SO THAT'S EXPLAINING THAT TO THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS AND THOSE LANDLORDS.

SO KEEPING THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT MIGHT NOT BE THEIR RENT COULD BE NOT AFFORDABLE, BUT WE COULD SUPPLEMENT IT AND MAKE IT AFFORDABLE.

SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT HOMEOWNERSHIP, ARE YOU? WE CAN.

WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

WE WOULD START OUT PROBABLY WITH RIGHT NOW.

AT ONE POINT WE WERE DOING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS HOMEOWNERSHIP.

BUT I THINK AS WE DEVELOP THIS, IT WOULD BE TO THE POINT THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT A TRULY CONTINUUM OF CARE, IT WOULD BE ALL THE WAY TO IF SOMEONE COULD STAY IN THEIR HOME AND HELPING THEM.

NOT STAY IN THEIR HOME AS FAR AS AS OWNERSHIP, SO ASSISTING THEM WITH MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE OR HELPING THEM WITH CREDIT COUNSELING HAD CREDITS.

WE HAVE CERTIFIED CREDIT COUNSELING HUD CERTIFIED CREDIT COUNSELING IN OUR DEPARTMENT NOW. SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT ALSO.

AND JUST BEING ABLE TO DO THAT CONTINUUM OF CARE AND ALL LEVELS FOR THEM TO STAY SELF-SUFFICIENT. SO AS A COMMUNITY HOUSING AGENCY, THE ONLY AGENCY THAT THE CITY WORKS WITH ARE IN THIS SETUP CAN WORK WITH AT THIS TIME THE MOST.

YES, IN THE RECENT YEARS, BUT LUBBOCK HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS NOW TAKEN 72 UNITS.

AS YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE, THEY'VE ACQUISITION THROUGH THEIR NONPROFIT IN THEIR REHABBING THOSE AND THERE WILL BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

ALSO, THEY'RE GOING TO BE A LOT OF LUBBOCK HOUSING AUTHORITY IS ONE OF THOSE.

THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER HOUSING AGENCIES OUT THERE.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE CONTRACTORS THERE OUT THERE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN BUILDING RENTAL, AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING IN CERTAIN AREAS.

SO WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THAT TOO.

ARE WE LOOKING AT WORKING WITH SOME OF THESE ADDITIONAL FOLKS WHO HAVE THE INTEREST IN

[00:30:03]

WE HAVE JUST A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME.

I WANT TO GET SOME OTHER FOLKS.

JUST ONE MORE QUESTION, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE AS SOMEONE ELSE TO MAKE.

GO TO MR. CORLEY. I'VE MADE IT.

YOU HAVE. I WAS JUST GOING TO BE FUNNY TO SAY, IF YOU LET ME ASK ALL THE MIND WHEN NOBODY HAVE TO ASK ANY, BUT I WANT TO MOVE ON WITH REGARD TO THE CONTINUUM OF CARE MAKING LUBBOCK CREATING LUBBOCK OWN CONTINUUM OF CARE.

WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR THOSE OTHER AGENCIES WHO HAVE IN THE BEFORE BEEN MAKING APPLICATION TO THE STATE FOR FUNDING? WILL THE CITY PROVIDE FUNDING TO THOSE OTHER AGENCIES, OR WILL YOU JUST CHANNEL FOLKS WHO ARE WITHIN THE HOMELESS CYCLE TOWARD THOSE AGENCIES? OK, I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU INDICATED THEY BOTH, ACTUALLY, BUT I THINK WHEN YOU'RE SAYING THE ALLOCATION OF THE FUNDING WOULD BE MORE OF A COMMUNITY DERIVED RESOURCE.

SO I THINK THAT CONTINUUM OF CARE IT WOULD BE MORE OF NOT JUST A COMPETITIVE GRANT LOCALLY IS THE WAY I'M LOOKING AT IT.

IT'D BE MORE COMPETITIVE WITH WITH HUD, BUT IT'S NOT COMPETITIVE AT A LOCAL LEVEL, NOT WHEN THE CONTINUUM OF CARE WITH CARE.

WE'LL TALK. YES, MA'AM.

THANK YOU. MS. PATTERSON HARRIS MR. CALLING. WELL, YES, MA'AM.

I HAD ONE QUESTION THAT WAS INTENDED TO BE A COUNTY WIDE PROGRAM.

HOW WILL THIS PROGRAM INTERACT WITH THE OTHER SEVEN MUNICIPALITIES INSIDE A LUBBOCK COUNTY? SO RIGHT NOW, LUBBOCK HAS THE MAJOR RESOURCE FOR HOSPITALS, THOSE KIND OF THINGS, SO WE WOULD WORK WITH THEM ON A LOCAL LEVEL, ALSO IN THOSE OTHER AND COUNTY WIDE.

AND ACTUALLY, RIGHT NOW, WE WORK WITH THE COUNTY WIDE ON OTHER RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND OTHER UTILITY SYSTEMS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE CONNECTIONS.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY THAT'S IN LEVEL LAND.

I KNOW THAT'S NOT OUT, BUT THAT'S KIND OF HELPING US REACH OUT AND MAKING THOSE SMALLER COMMUNITIES TO. AND THEN WE CAN ALSO WORK WITH SPAG AND OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES THAT WORK OUT INTO THE COUNTY.

IN MR. COUNTY, IN TARRANT COUNTY, IT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING.

THEY HAD A PRETTY WELL DEFINED LEADERSHIP.

SO NOT ONLY THE JUDGE AND THE MAYOR, BUT YOU HAD OUR MAYOR OF ARLINGTON.

AND THEN HE HAD THEY HAD A BUNCH OF MUNICIPALITIES THAT WERE AT THE TABLE AND THEY THEY DEFINED THAT GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE, WHICH CERTAINLY IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO DO AS YOU SET IT UP. BUT I THINK THERE'S A WAY, A WAY TO DO THAT FOR SURE.

YES. YEAH. IN A SYSTEM LIKE THAT, HOW DO YOU? THERE'S ALWAYS MORE NEEDS AND RESOURCES.

HOW DO WE DETERMINE? I MEAN, I'M SURE, I'M SURE YOU HAVE A NUMBER IN MIND A CAP ON HOW MANY PEOPLE THIS PROGRAM WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH A GIVEN AMOUNT OF DOLLARS.

WHAT KIND OF NUMBERS WERE YOU EXPECTING AS FAR AS PER PERSON OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED, NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED? RIGHT NOW, I THINK OUR ACCOUNT FOR HOMELESSNESS IS ABOUT.

TWO. IT FLUCTUATES ALL THE TIME, AND IT ALL IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A CASE BY CASE BASIS, SO IT'S REALLY HARD TO TO PINPOINT AN AMOUNT.

BUT I KNOW JUST LOOKING AT RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR SOMEONE THAT'S ABOUT FOR SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR, WE'RE LOOKING AT ANYWHERE FROM $10000.

THAT'S FOR THAT FULL YEAR FOR HOUSING ONLY.

SO IT JUST DEPENDS REALLY CASE BY CASE OF WHERE THEY'RE AT IN THAT LEVEL OF CARE THAT THEY NEED OR SERVICES THEY NEED.

THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO I KNOW THAT MR., CHADIS, MR. AND CHRISTIAN RECEIVED BOTH WANTS TO TALK.

I THINK WE WE'RE GOING TO CUT THIS OFF RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS THE BEGINNING ON THIS ONE.

WE THIS IS A LITTLE BIT LIKE THE OTHER, UNLIKE THE OTHER FOUR WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT.

THERE'S NOT A SPECIFIC REQUEST TONIGHT.

I THINK IT'S MORE OF AN EDUCATION PROCESS.

AND SO THAT BEING THE CASE, MR. ATKINSON. LET'S LET'S MOVE TO ITEM ONE ONE, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE.

[1. Public Health - Joint City/County Public Health Operation & Facility]

MISS WELLS, IF YOU WOULD MAKE YOUR WAY UP.

NEXT ITEM FOR DISCUSSION.

PUBLIC HEALTH. AND A PROPOSAL TO DISCUSS CREATING A JOINT CITY, COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICT, SOMETHING SIMILAR DID EXIST MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.

WHAT ABOUT THE LAST TIME THERE WAS A JOINT MEETING? AND WE'D LIKE TO THROW OUT SOME THOUGHTS TODAY.

I THINK WE'VE ALL SEEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 20 MONTHS THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND CERTAINLY THE COUNTY'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS PARTNER WITH THE CITY AS WE'VE MOVED

[00:35:04]

CATHERINE, GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE ALL OF YOU UP HERE ON THE DAIS.

MANY MORE PEOPLE THAN I'M USED TO PRESENTING TO AND MANY MORE PEOPLE BACK HERE IN THE AUDIENCE. AGAIN, I'M KATHERINE WELLS AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF LUBBOCK HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND THE PROPOSAL WE'RE COMING TO YOU TONIGHT WITH IS ACTUALLY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICT THAT WOULD SERVE BOTH LUBBOCK RESIDENTS, LUBBOCK CITY RESIDENTS AND ALSO BE EXTENDED OUT TO THE COUNTY.

THIS DISTRICT WOULD REALLY ALLOW US TO FORMALIZE THE EXISTING SYSTEM AND ENSURE THE BENEFITS OF LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH ARE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE WHO LIVES IN LUBBOCK.

OVER THE LAST 20 MONTHS, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S BEEN SUPPORTING A LOT OF THE WORK OUT IN THE COUNTY, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES THAT ARE DIFFERENT AND WHAT AUTHORITY IS WHERE AND WHO'S ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE DOING CERTAIN WORK, AND THIS WOULD REALLY ALLOW US TO STRENGTHEN THAT SYSTEM.

AS I PREPARED FOR THIS PRESENTATION, I REALLY THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT HOW AM I GOING TO EXPLAIN TO THIS GROUP WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH IS? A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THEIR NOTIONS OF WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH DOES BASED ON THE COVID EPIDEMIC. HOWEVER, THIS HAS BEEN A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN HERE IN LUBBOCK THAT WE'VE BEEN STRENGTHENING YEAR AFTER YEAR SINCE I STARTED AS PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR IN 2015, AND I WANTED TO JUST FIRST DEFINE WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH IS AND THE GOAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS REALLY WHAT WE DO AS A SOCIETY OR A COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE CAN BE HEALTHY.

SO WE'RE LOOKING MUCH BROADER THAN HEALTH CARE.

WE ARE LOOKING AT ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, ACCESS TO PARKS AND STREETS AND ENVIRONMENT, EVERYTHING THAT KIND OF CONTRIBUTES TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

WE WANT TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.

PUBLIC HEALTH IS VERY ABOUT WORK, VERY MUCH ABOUT WORKING UPSTREAM TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO CREATE HEALTH AND AND IMPROVE AND TO AND TO PREVENT POOR HEALTH, AND A REALLY A HEALTHY COMMUNITY IS VIBRANT.

IT HAS A STRONG WORKFORCE.

IT SUPPORTS FAMILIES AND IT IS RESILIENT IN TIMES OF CRISIS.

AND I THINK MANY OF US CAN AGREE THAT THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IN LUBBOCK COUNTY.

IN THE PAST, THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM HAS REALLY HAD AN IDENTITY CRISIS, AND ESPECIALLY HERE WE'VE HAD EBBS AND FLOWS OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT GETTING BIGGER AND SMALLER AND BUDGET CUTS.

AND I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS NOT A REAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE BENEFITS OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ALSO A CONFUSION BETWEEN WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH DOES VERSUS MEDICINE.

OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES PROVIDE SOME SAFETY NET SERVICES.

HOWEVER, IT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU'RE THAN WHAT THE PHYSICIANS IN THE HOSPITALS ARE PROVIDING. WHEN YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL.

IF YOU HAVE DIABETES, THEY'RE GOING TO DO BLOOD TESTS.

THEY'LL PROBABLY PRESCRIBE YOU MEDICATION.

THEY WILL SEE YOU FOR A FOLLOW UP.

THEY MIGHT EDUCATE YOU ON EATING HEALTHIER FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE.

OUR GOAL IS TO LOOK AT WHY WE HAVE LOTS OF DIABETES IN OUR COMMUNITY OR IN A CERTAIN AREA OF TOWN, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT INTERVENTIONS THAT HELP CAN HELP PREVENT DIABETES FROM COMING IN THE FIRST PLACE.

ANOTHER FOCUS OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS ALSO.

I'M SORRY, IS LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE AND FOCUSING ON HOW TO PREVENT DISEASE OUTBREAKS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND BRING GROUPS TOGETHER TO FIND SOLUTIONS.

A RECENT EXAMPLE OF WHEN THIS WAS DONE WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO WE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED A RARE HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATED INFECTION AMONG MULTIPLE RESIDENTS IN LUBBOCK COUNTY.

THESE ARE RESIDENTS THAT HAD BEEN IN OUR NURSING HOMES AND OUR HOSPITALS, AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT BROUGHT TOGETHER NURSING HOMES, HOSPITALS TO LEARN TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT ORGANISM WAS.

WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IN EXPERTS TO IMPROVE INFECTION CONTROL PROCESSES IN OUR NURSING HOMES, PROVIDE EDUCATION AND START SCREENING PROTOCOLS THAT ARE HOSPITALS THAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE THE OCCURRENCE OF THAT ORGANISM.

SO THERE'S LOTS OF BEHIND THE SCENE WORK THAT DOESN'T HIT THE NEWS THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS WORKING AND BRINGING TOGETHER GROUPS TO COLLABORATE.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TEXAS PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM IN TEXAS, WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING

[00:40:02]

AND THE TEXAS PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM IS ACTUALLY A DECENTRALIZED SYSTEM.

SO THAT MEANS THAT EACH JURISDICTION DECIDES WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THEY WANT TO OFFER.

THE STATE HAS AN AGENCY IN CHARGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THEY FILL IN PUBLIC HEALTH GAPS AND PROVIDE SOME MINIMAL SERVICES IN AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

AND THEY ALSO PROVIDE FUNDING TO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES.

THIS IS IN CONTRAST TO A STATE LIKE FLORIDA AND FLORIDA.

YOU'LL HAVE EACH COUNTY HAS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT HEALTH DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR REPORTS TO THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH AND EVERYTHING SET AND THE SAME COUNTY TO COUNTY IN TEXAS.

WE HAVE DIFFERENCES AND DIFFERENT ACCESS POINTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE.

THIS CAN BE THIS CAN BE A CHALLENGE BECAUSE IT REQUIRES LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS IN TEXAS TO HAVE SOME LOCAL FUNDING.

HOWEVER, THAT ALSO ALLOWS US AS A LOCAL COMMUNITY TO MAKE DECISIONS ON OUR PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITIES AND HOW WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

TEXAS PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND HEALTH AUTHORITIES ARE SET THROUGH THE TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE CHAPTER ONE TWENTY ONE, AND THIS IS OUR BASIS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH IN TEXAS.

IT DEFINES BOTH WHAT A PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITY DOES, WHAT THOSE PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES DUTIES ARE AND SETS WHAT THE DEFINITION OF A LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

CURRENTLY, THE CITY OF LUBBOCK HAS A CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

HOWEVER, THE TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE ALLOWS US TO EXPAND THAT TO A DISTRICT AND A DISTRICT IS WHEN MORE THAN TWO GOVERNMENT ENTITIES COME TOGETHER TO PROVIDE THOSE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES. SO OUR PROPOSAL FOR A LUBBOCK CITY, LUBBOCK COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICT, WOULD BE CREATING A DISTRICT THAT WOULD SERVE THE LUBBOCK COMMUNITY.

WE REALLY WANT TO WORK TO FORMALIZE AND STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM.

TECHNICALLY. IF YOU'RE NOT INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, ANYBODY THAT NEEDS PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES IS REACHING OUT TO THE STATE TO GET THOSE SERVICES.

THIS WOULD ALLOW THIS WOULD ALLOW LOCAL RESIDENTS TO COME TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR THOSE SERVICES, SO IT WOULD INCREASE SERVICES AVAILABLE OUT IN THE COUNTY.

IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW US TO IMPROVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOLS.

ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS WE HAVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS LIKE FRIENDSHIP OR LUBBOCK COOPER THAT HAVE SCHOOLS INSIDE THE CITY AND OUTSIDE THE CITY.

TECHNICALLY, IF THEY HAVE A MEASLES OUTBREAK IN A CITY, IN A SCHOOL THAT'S OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, THAT'S ACTUALLY THE JURISDICTION OF THE STATE.

WHEREAS IF IT WAS INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, THEN WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH THEM IN PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT. SO THIS WOULD ALLOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HAVE ONE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO BE REPORTING TO. THE SAME THING WITH MEDICAL PROVIDERS, IT WOULD ALLOW MEDICAL PROVIDERS TO HAVE A KNOWN HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT THEM IN ANY OF THEIR PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS.

ALSO CREATING A DISTRICT WOULD ALLOW US TO DRAW DOWN SOME FUNDING, BOTH BASED ON INCREASING THE POPULATION SERVED BECAUSE SOME OF THE FUNDING IS FORMULA ALLOCATED BASED ON POPULATION.

AND IT WILL ALSO ALLOW US TO REACH INTO SOME FUNDING THAT'S SET ASIDE FOR RURAL AREAS.

SO THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY TO PARTNERSHIP WITH A RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICT WITHIN LUBBOCK AND OBTAIN FUNDING FOR EDUCATION OR SOME PREVENTION ACTIVITY WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY'LL HAVE THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT THEM.

AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DISTRICT WOULD BE TO MAINTAIN A FULL HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS DEFINED IN CHAPTER ONE TWENTY ONE.

THE DISTRICT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION.

WE WOULD ALSO PROVIDE IMMUNIZATION SERVICES, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR BOTH MOBILE IMMUNIZATION SERVICES OUT TO RURAL COMMUNITIES, TO OUR OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, PLUS SERVICES WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

BUILDING BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND THEN PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. AND WITH THIS, WE WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN MEDICAL PROVIDERS AND OUR LONG TERM CARE AND SCHOOLS AND CONGREGATE SETTINGS, ALL OF THOSE GROUP.

ALL OF THOSE GROUPS THAT TEND TO COME TO PUBLIC HEALTH FOR HELP OR ADVICE, WE CAN PROVIDE BETTER SUPPORT FOR THOSE.

WE'LL BE ABLE TO SERVE AS A HUB FOR PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH.

[00:45:01]

AND THEN IT WOULD ALSO PROVIDE SEARCH FOR FUNDING FROM BOTH STATE, FEDERAL AND PRIVATE PARTNERS. WE ALSO HAVE A BOARD OF HEALTH FOR THE CITY OF LUBBOCK, SO IF WE MADE THE CHANGE TO THE DISTRICT AND WE WOULD CHANGE THE COMPOSITION OF THAT BOARD OF HEALTH AND THE BOARD OF HEALTH HAS NINE MEMBERS.

ALL OF THOSE MEMBERS ARE CURRENTLY APPOINTED BY LUBBOCK CITY COUNCIL IN THIS PROPOSAL.

IF ACCEPTED, WE WOULD CHANGE THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD SO THAT SIX MEMBERS WERE APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL AND THEN THREE MEMBERS WOULD BE APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. AND THIS IS AN ADVISORY BOARD, SO THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MEET SOME OF OUR GRANT DELIVERABLES BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE ADVISORY BOARDS. THEY COULD HELP ADVISE ANY OF THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ON ANY PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE. AND THEN ANOTHER PART OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM IS THE PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITY.

CURRENTLY, WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES WITHIN LUBBOCK COUNTY.

SO DR. RON COOK SERVES AS THE HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR THE CITY OF LUBBOCK HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND DR. DOUG KLEPPER SERVES AS THE HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR THE COUNTY WITH THIS PROPOSAL.

THE COUNTY AND THE CITY COULD SELECT OR APPOINT SEPARATE HEALTH AUTHORITIES.

THEY WOULD BOTH BE REQUIRED TO WORK WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IF THEY EVER HAD TO EXECUTE ANY OF THEIR DUTIES.

AND THEN THE FUNDING PROPOSAL FOR THIS FOR THIS JOINT CITY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT WOULD BE LOOKING AT A SPLIT BASED ON CITY COUNTY POPULATION, AND I'LL MOVE TO THIS NEXT SLIDE TO GIVE YOU THE FULL PROPOSAL.

SO THE PROPOSAL IS FOR USING SOME OF THE ARPA FUNDS TO SUPPORT A NEW FACILITY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH HERE IN LUBBOCK, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS CURRENTLY IN RENTAL BUILDING AND WE DESPERATELY NEED ADDITIONAL SPACE, ADDITIONAL CLINIC SPACE AND ADDITIONAL OFFICE SPACE FOR OUR STAFF. THE ESTIMATED PURCH COST OF THE BUILDING PURCHASE AND THE RENOVATION IS $11 MILLION AND WE'RE PROPOSING A CITY COUNTY SPLIT WHERE THE CITY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EIGHT MILLION.

THE COUNTY WOULD CONTRIBUTE THREE MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THIS WOULD BE AN INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES.

SO BY THE COUNTY PUTTING UP FRONT THE $3.2 MILLION THAT WOULD BE PURCHASING SEVEN YEARS OF PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, THAT WOULD BE FORGIVEN ANNUALLY AT FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.

AND THEN AFTER THAT SEVEN YEAR PERIOD, THE CITY AND COUNTY WOULD NEGOTIATE ON AN ONGOING CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH MOVING FORWARD.

AND THAT CONCLUDES THAT PRESENTATION.

OK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS WALES FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

I JUST WOULD NOTE THAT THAT $8 MILLION THAT YOU MENTIONED IN THE CITY PART OF THAT CONTRIBUTION IS FUNDED AND IS ACTUALLY FUNDED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WITH ARPA DOLLARS.

IS THAT NOT CORRECT? MR. ATKINSON. BILLIONS IN THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET, AND THAT DOES REPRESENT A PORTION OF THE CITY'S ARPA DOLLARS.

THANK YOU. OK. MR. CALLING. AS WELL AS THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP DURING DURING COVID PANDEMIC, YOU'RE VERY HELPFUL TO ME, ANSWERED A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT I WAS RECEIVING FROM CONSTITUENTS THAT RESIDED WITHIN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF PRECINCT TWO, AS WELL AS THE CITY OF SLATEN, BUFFALO LAKE AND RANSOM CANYON.

YOU SAID THAT YOU NEEDED TWO ENTITIES TO CREATE A DISTRICT.

CAN YOU DO IT WITH MULTIPLE ENTITIES IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE CITIES IN THE SAME COUNTY? YES, SOME OF THOSE EXAMPLES IS LIKE WILLIAMSON COUNTY HEALTH DISTRICT.

THEY RECEIVE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ALL OF THEIR MUNICIPALITIES, IN ADDITION TO THE COUNTY TO CREATE THAT HEALTH DISTRICT.

OH, I GOTCHA. SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE COULD EXTEND TO OTHER TO THE OTHER SEVEN MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL.

YES, THANK YOU.

MR., SEE? YES, MISS WELLS, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

YOU HAD MENTIONED GOING FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM TO A PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICT.

WOULD THAT BE SIMILAR TO LIKE AN ESD EMERGENCY SERVICE DISTRICT? SIMILAR. SO YOU WOULD HAVE YOU WOULD HAVE A HEALTH AUTHORITY AND A HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT

[00:50:05]

SO LIKE WITH THE ESD, THEY ACTUALLY ARE A TAX RAISING ENTITY.

ARE YOU PROPOSING THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE A TAX BASE? NO, I'M SORRY. I MISUNDERSTOOD YOUR QUESTION THIS.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO COMPARE.

WE'RE GOING FROM A A HEALTH SYSTEM TO A HEALTH DISTRICT.

AND USUALLY THAT MEANS JUST LIKE WE HAVE OUR WATER DISTRICTS, THEY ARE A TAXING ENTITY.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT SUGGESTING THAT, NO, THIS IS NOT A TAXING ENTITY.

THIS IS FUNDED WITH A COMBINATION OF BOTH.

RIGHT NOW, IT'S FUNDED WITH CITY DOLLARS AND THEN WE HAVE UP TO $4 MILLION RIGHT NOW, A YEAR OF GRANT FUNDING THAT ALSO SUPPORTS THAT PUBLIC HEALTH WORK.

THANK YOU. AND JUST TO REINFORCE THAT THERE IS NO AUTHORITY WHATSOEVER IN THE HEALTH CODE TO EVEN CONTEMPLATE CREATING A TAXING ENTITY HERE.

MS. PATTERSON HARRIS, THANK YOU, MS. WALES, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT CREATING A HEALTH DISTRICT.

HOW MUCH DOES THE CITIZENS IN THE OTHER OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN THE COUNTY BE SERVED WHAT THEY STILL HAVE TO FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO HERE THE LUBBOCK? OR ARE WE SENDING MOBILE UNITS OR THEY'RE USING SCHOOLS? HOW ARE THEY ACTUALLY BEING SERVED WITH SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE HERE AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT? IT WOULD BE A MIX.

WE SEE LOTS OF INDIVIDUALS FROM THE COUNTY COME INTO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR SERVICES, ESPECIALLY NOW WITH OUR VACCINE HUB.

WE SEE PEOPLE FROM LUBBOCK COUNTY AND EVEN OUTSIDE THE COUNTY COMING IN FOR THAT SERVICE.

THIS WOULD GIVE US THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO SEND THOSE HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF OUT TO THOSE COMMUNITIES.

ONE OF THE GREAT OUTREACHES WE DO FOR CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATIONS, WE GO INTO SOME OF THE POORER SCHOOLS WITHIN LUBBOCK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE THOSE IMMUNIZATIONS TO CHILDREN ON SITE.

THE PARENTS ARE ABLE TO SIGN A PERMISSION SLIP THAT MAKES SURE THE KIDS CAN STAY IN SCHOOL, DON'T GET REMOVED OUT OF SCHOOL FOR MEETING THOSE REQUIREMENTS.

SO THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO PARTNER WITH SLATEN OR IDA BLUE ISDS TO PROVIDE THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES. THANK YOU, MS. PATTERSON HARRIS. OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, MR. CALLER YOUR LIGHTS STILL ON, YOU HAVEN'T YOU HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT? OH NO QUESTION YOU, COMMISSIONER SEEING ANSWERED MY QUESTION.

THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM.

MS. PATTERSON HARRIS, BUT WE COULD IT MIGHT BE ONE HECK OF A GOOD IDEA TO INVEST IN SOME TYPE OF HEALTH BUBBLE HEALTH VAN OR WHATEVER.

WE ARE ACTUALLY WORKING.

I'M JUST THROWING A MOBILE UNIT THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BAD BATTING PRACTICE FASTBALL.

YEAH, YEAH. I'M LOOKING FOR WORK RIGHT NOW THAT WAS ON MY DESK TO APPROVE THE ARTWORK ON THE VAN. I JUST THINK THAT THINGS LIKE THAT ARE REALLY HELPFUL AND INVITING FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE PART AND UTILIZE THE SERVICES THAT OPERATE OUT OF SUCH A UNIT.

SO THANK YOU. I THINK THERE'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH BOTH UMC AND COVENANT WHO DO OUTREACH ALSO.

AND I KNOW YOU'VE GOT GOOD RELATIONSHIPS THERE, BUT THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TO EVEN FURTHER THAT RELATIONSHIP.

ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS? SO JUST AS A REMINDER, WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR ANY ACTION TONIGHT.

THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL AND DISCUSSION, AND SO BOTH BOARDS WILL GO BACK TO OR BOTH THESE GOVERNING BOARDS GO BACK TO THEIR MEETINGS AND HAVE THEIR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.

BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE JUDGE AND I HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN SORT OF A CONCEPT FOR THE LAST NUMBER OF MONTHS, AND WE WANTED TO TEE IT UP TODAY.

THANK YOU, MISS WELLS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. OK, WE'LL MOVE NOW.

I'M GOING TO TAKE THE NEXT ONE, AND THEN THE JUDGE IS GOING TO FACILITATE THE LAST TWO.

WE'LL GO TO ITEM ONE, TOO.

[2. Broadband Availability to Non-Served or Under-Served Areas]

MR. ATKINSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

GOT A GOT A GREAT TREAT, I THINK FOR THE GROUP HERE.

OF COURSE, BROADBAND HAS BEEN A HUGE TOPIC.

LOCALLY, REGIONALLY, STATE, NATIONAL.

WE'VE GOT FOR THE FIRST PART TODAY MS. GABIRO WITH THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY AND MS. ROE IS THE LEADING EXPERT IN HOW TO BEGIN SOLVING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.

I THINK I SAID THAT, CORRECT.

SO GABY, IF YOU DON'T MIND STARTING MR., BROWN WILL PICK UP WHERE YOU LEAVE OFF AND WE'LL PUT IT BACK IN FRONT OF THE TWO BODIES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, JUDGE COMMISSIONERS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT.

[00:55:01]

AND AS THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY OPERATION CONNECTIVITY WAS FORMED BY A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN GOV.

ABBOTT, THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, SEVERAL OF OUR LEGISLATORS, AS WELL AS ESC REGION FOUR, WITH THE PRIMARY GOAL OF ENSURING THAT ALL 5.5 MILLION PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS ARE ABLE TO FIRST HAVE A LAPTOP COMPUTER.

BUT SECOND, TO HAVE HIGH SPEED INTERNET IN THEIR HOMES SUFFICIENT FOR LEARNING AND THOSE WHO STAY AROUND CONNECTIVITY A LOT KNOW THAT A LOT OF SPEEDS AND NUMBERS GET PUT ALONG WITH CONNECTIVITY, AND WE SPECIFICALLY CHOSE NOT TO DO THAT BECAUSE WHAT WE WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING IS THE END RESULT, WHICH IS THAT A CHILD CAN LEARN BOTH SYNCHRONOUSLY AND ASYNCHRONOUSLY IN THEIR HOME, AND MULTIPLE CHILDREN CAN DO THAT IN A HOME.

AND SO WE HAVE EMBARKED IN A THREE PHASE PROCESS THAT BEGAN IN MAY OF 2020.

IT BEGAN WITH DEPLOYING 4.6 MILLION DEVICES IN THE SECOND HALF OF 2020 INTO THE HANDS OF OUR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE OF WHICH WE HAVE 3.3 MILLION AND THEN DEVELOPED IN PHASE TWO, A PROGRAM TO MAKE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE BROADBAND AVAILABLE TO TO THOSE WHO COULD ACCESS IT AT A BULK DISCOUNTED PRICE AND HELP THOSE FAMILIES AND THOSE COMMUNITIES THROUGH THEIR SCHOOLS ADOPT THAT CONNECTIVITY.

BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT PHASE THREE OF OPERATION CONNECTIVITY, WHICH IS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE ONE MILLION ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS AND THEIR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES WHO ARE EITHER UNDERSERVED OR COMPLETELY UNDERSERVED ACROSS THOSE THAT THIS STATE.

WE HAVE A MAP IN FRONT OF YOU THAT THAT WE BUILT AT OPERATION CONNECTIVITY THAT SHOWS THE 828 CENSUS BLOCKS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT ARE MOST UNSERVED.

THAT MEANS THAT IN THOSE CENSUS BLOCKS.

90 TO 100 PERCENT OF THE FAMILIES IN THE RESIDENTS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES HAVE NO CONNECTION. THESE ARE THE EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY NINE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY NINE ALMOST 890000 MOST UNSERVED HOUSEHOLDS IN THE STATE, AND THEY REPRESENT ALMOST FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE THOUSAND MEMBERS OF OUR STATEWIDE COMMUNITY.

THIS DOES NOT REPRESENT A SOME HAVE ASKED ME.

OUR OPEN UNINHABITED LANDS IN THIS STATE.

THESE ARE COMMUNITIES WITH HOMES, WITH BUSINESSES, WITH CHILDREN, WITH ELDERS, WITH OPPORTUNITY. YOUTH WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP OUR COMMUNITIES.

IF YOU ZONE IN ON THAT MAP AND YOU LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT LUBBOCK, YOU SEE THAT THERE ARE QUITE A FEW DOTS.

AND THOSE AGAIN REPRESENT CENSUS BLOCKS.

THIS DOES NOT REPRESENT EVERY CHILD THAT IS NOT CONNECTED.

THIS JUST REPRESENTS THOSE CENSUS BLOCKS THAT ARE COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED.

AND AS YOU'LL SEE IN IN, THERE ARE THREE AREAS THAT PARTICULARLY STAND OUT.

ONE IN PARTICULAR ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE CITY AND OVER INTO THE COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF DISCONNECTED POPULATION, AS WELL AS REPRESENTING THE MOST ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.

THERE HAPPENS TO BE A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY THAT IS NOW AVAILABLE WITH THE FUNDING, DIFFERENT POOLS OF FUNDING THAT ARE COMING TO US FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ONE OF THOSE THAT WE HAVE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO RIGHT NOW IS THE CORONAVIRUS CAPITAL PROJECT FUND.

AND I AM HERE SPECIFICALLY TO TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THAT AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT THE POTENTIAL USES OF THAT COULD BE.

BUT $500 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED TO THE STATE OF TEXAS UNDER THE CORONAVIRUS CAPITAL PROJECT FUND. THERE WAS ONE ENTITY IN EACH STATE THAT WAS ALLOWED TO ALLOWED TO CLAIM THAT FUNDING THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE CLAIMED IT AND THE LEGISLATION.

LEGISLATURE VOTED TO ALLOCATE ALL OF THAT FUNDING TO THE NEWLY DEVELOPED BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE UNDER THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.

OF THAT, SEVENTY FIVE MILLION WILL BE ALLOCATED TO PULL REPLACEMENT, THE REST OF THAT MONEY IS TO BE ALLOCATED TO PROJECTS THAT WILL SPECIFICALLY BRING CONNECTIVITY TO UNSERVED POPULATIONS ACROSS OUR STATE, PARTICULARLY UNSERVED POPULATIONS WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM INCREASES IN EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND RELATED WORK.

PARTICULARLY OUR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED POPULATIONS.

BECAUSE THE BDO, THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE IS NEWLY FORMED, IT IS AN OFFICE OF ONE

[01:00:05]

THEY MUST BEGIN TO ALLOCATE THIS FUNDING IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR WITH A PREFERENCE TO DO SO BY THE JANUARY FEBRUARY TIMEFRAME.

THAT MEANS THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE A MEANS TO DO THAT.

THEY'VE REACHED OUT TO OTHER STATE AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE DEA, TO ASK THAT WE SUBMIT APPLICATIONS ON BEHALF OF PROJECTS THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING THAT WOULD MEET THESE CRITERIA.

FORTUNATELY, IN OUR PHASE THREE, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME. SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIX PILOTS UNDERWAY, ONE IN AMARILLO THAT IS CALLED AMARILLO CONNECTED AND THEN BROADENS OUT TO ULTIMATELY CONNECT THE ENTIRE PANHANDLE AND IS CALLED PANHANDLE CONNECTED.

THAT IS A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN REGION 16, THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND THE COUNTY.

EL PASO, WE ARE DOING THREE PROJECTS THERE, ONE IN FABIAN'S, ONE IN TORNILLO, ONE IN THE SEGUNDA BARRIO IN EL PASO, AFFECTING A TOTAL OF ABOUT 15000 ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS. THOSE PROJECTS ARE AGAIN BEING DONE IN A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE REGION, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE COUNTY AND THE CITY.

AGAIN, WE'RE DOING ANOTHER PROJECT IN ECTOR COUNTY THAT IS GOING TO ACTUALLY COVER SERVICE FOR THE ENTIRE ECTOR COUNTY, AND WE'RE DOING THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE REGION AND PARTICULARLY ECTOR COUNTY ISD.

PASADENA ISD, THE CITY OF PASADENA AND HARRIS COUNTY, ARE DOING OUR ONE URBAN PROJECT WHERE WE ARE ADDRESSING A CONNECTIVITY DESERT IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.

AND AGAIN, AS A JOINT EFFORT TO COVER ABOUT 5000 HOUSEHOLDS, BROWNSVILLE AND LAREDO ARE TWO PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING FORMED AGAIN.

THOSE ARE PRIMARILY BEING DONE WITH THE CITIES, BUT WE NOW HAVE COUNTY INVOLVEMENT AND SCHOOL DISTRICT INVOLVEMENT.

AND IN EAST TEXAS, WHERE I HAVE DISCOVERED PINE TREES DO WORSE THINGS FOR CONNECTIVITY THAN ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE.

WE ARE ACTUALLY LAUNCHING A NEW FORM OF TECHNOLOGY IN 12 DIFFERENT CENSUS BLOCK GROUPS BEFORE LAUNCHING A FULL PILOT TO ENSURE THAT THAT TECHNOLOGY WILL IN FACT WORK.

SO THAT IS WHERE OPERATION CONNECTIVITY IS.

THAT IS WHERE WE ARE THINKING OF ALLOCATING FUNDING, AND AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO TURN OVER THE MICROPHONE.

TA TA TA MR. BROWN, AND THEN I WILL, OF COURSE, STEP BACK FOR QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AFTERWARDS.

THANK YOU, MR POPE. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING. EVEN MR BROWN.

JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF SLIDES TO GO THROUGH HERE, I THINK MS. ROW HAS DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF DOCUMENTING THE NEED AROUND THE AREA AND AROUND THE STATE. AND WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD WORKING GROUP TOGETHER WITH SOME LOCAL PARTNERS, WHICH WILL HIGHLIGHT IN A SLIDE OR TWO.

BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH HER GUIDANCE IS WE'VE IDENTIFIED THREE POTENTIAL PILOT AREAS FOR A PROJECT TO BROADEN BROADBAND AVAILABILITY TO UNDERSERVED AREAS.

SO WHAT WE'VE LOOKED AT WAS PILOT ONE IS IN THE NORTH NORTHEAST SIDE OF LUBBOCK, AS SHE HIGHLIGHTED THAT AREA HAS HOUSEHOLDS UNDER TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND HOUSEHOLDS IN IT.

MANY OF THEM ARE ALL IN THAT LOW TO MEDIUM INCOME.

CENSUS BLOCK GROUP, AND THEY ALSO HAVE A LOT OF DISCONNECTED HOUSEHOLDS, EITHER UNDERSERVED OR THEY MAY BE SERVED WITH THINGS, THEY'RE JUST NOT AFFORDABLE.

SO THOSE TWO THINGS GO HAND IN HAND.

WE'RE LOOKING AT AN AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF JUST UNDER $46000, SO IT COULD BE A CHALLENGE FOR A LOT OF THESE HOUSEHOLDS TO AFFORD BROADBAND IF IT WERE AVAILABLE.

SO OUR LOCAL AND REGIONAL PARTNERS, WE HAVE A GOOD LIST HERE.

THEY'RE VERY ENGAGED GROUP.

THEY HAVE VERY BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN HELPING US IDENTIFY THESE AREAS, HELPING US IDENTIFY ASSETS THAT WE CAN BUILD THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE TO REDUCE OUR COSTS AND TO SPEED TIME TO BRING IN A SOLUTION TO THE PUBLIC AND HELP BRIDGE THIS GAP, IF YOU WILL.

AND AS WE LOOK AT POTENTIAL PILOT PROJECT, WE LOOK AT OPTIONS ONE IS TO BUILD A BROADBAND NETWORK. THE OTHER IS TO INCENTIVIZE INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS AND OR SUBSIDIZED HOUSEHOLDS, SO WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING, BUT WE'VE REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON INITIALLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS OF BUILDING OUT THAT BROADBAND NETWORK. AND YOU'LL SEE THE COST THERE FOR THE PILOT PROJECT WILL PUT THE PILOT PROJECT IN PLACE. THE TECHNOLOGY STACK THAT WE'LL DO THAT WILL SERVE THE WHOLE REGION.

SO THERE'S THAT INITIAL COST TO BUILD THAT OUT, AND THEN IT'S A NOMINAL COST TO ADD RADIOS AND SCIENCE AS WE GO OUT FROM THERE.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A COST OF SIX TO EIGHT MILLION FOR THAT INITIAL BUILD OUT TO ASK OF

[01:05:07]

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR A REMAINDER OF THE FUNDING IN A TWO TO THREE MILLION DOLLAR RANGE. IF WE BUILD IT OURSELVES.

SO I THINK OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD, PARTICULARLY READING 17.

I THINK THEY'RE ALL HERE TONIGHT, BY THE WAY.

SO SHOWING SUPPORT FOR THIS.

IF YOU WANT TO OR JUST WANT TO ADD THAT THAT COST ALSO COVERS THE 2000 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVING A YEAR'S WORTH OF FREE CONNECTIVITY, AS WELL AS A LAPTOP COMPUTER, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES FIVE YEARS OF MAINTENANCE, INSTALLATION AND THE ONE 800.

MY INTERNET DOESN'T WORK NO FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS.

YEAH, AND I WOULD ADD TO LYSED AND SOUTH PLAYING COLLEGE HAVE STEPPED UP, AND THEY'RE WILLING TO DO SOME WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ALONG WITH THIS TO HELP BUILD THAT WORKFORCE TO DO THAT. SOME OF THOSE BREAK FIX TYPE DEALS IN ROLLING TRUCKS AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

SO WE HAVE REALLY GOOD ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR PARTNERS.

MR. BROWN, IT'S BEEN A MINUTE AND JUST TALK ABOUT HOW THE THIS JUST THE TECHNOLOGY.

I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, THERE'S PEOPLE ON THE DICE THAT WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE GOING TO HOW YOU HOW YOU DO THIS WITH THE PILOT.

CERTAINLY. I MEAN, WE'RE BASICALLY USING THE SAME TECHNOLOGIES, IF YOU WILL, AS THE EXISTING CELL PHONE CARRIERS.

IT'S REALLY THE SAME STUFF FOR A SMALL DEVICE THAT'S INSTALLED ON THE HOME THAT RECEIVES THE WIRELESS TRANSMISSION AND THEN GOES INTO THE HOUSE.

SO IT'S A VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD YOU MAY WANT TO ADD A LITTLE BIT WELL TO IT.

UNLIKE A PURE MOBILE TOWER, IT ALSO USES EXISTING FIBER IN THE GROUND AND DARK FIBER THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN LIT UP YET.

AND SO IT CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR LOCAL ISPS TO TO LIGHT UP FIBER AND HAVE AN EXTRA REVENUE STREAM. IT ALSO ALLOWS ENTITIES LIKE OUR LOCAL ESX THAT HAVE BUILT FIBER RINGS OVER THE YEARS TO SERVE THEIR SCHOOLS TO TAKE A PORTION OF THAT FIBER AND RECEIVE LEASING FEES FOR THAT AS WELL.

AND SO IT IS A LONG TERM, SUSTAINABLE NETWORK THAT MIMICS WHAT AN ISP WOULD PUT IN PLACE.

AND OF COURSE, CAN YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT IS BEING DONE IN IN THREE OF THOSE OTHER PILOTS, AND IT'S BEING STOOD UP SPECIFICALLY WITH THE INTENTION OF BEING SOLD TO AN ISP TO TAKE OVER ONCE THE THE THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS HAVE SET THE RULES.

AND ONE OF MY FAVORITE DESCRIPTORS OF THIS CAME OUT OF A DIFFERENT COUNTY COURT WHERE THEY SAID IT IS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS WE'VE BEEN NEGOTIATING WITH ISPS AND THEY SET THE RULES AND IT HASN'T GONE PARTICULARLY WELL IN SOME INSTANCES.

THIS IS A WAY FOR US TO SET THE RULES AND SIT BACK DOWN TO THAT SAME NEGOTIATING TABLE.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE BIG ASSETS WE DO HAVE MORE TO DO, THIS GROUP THAT WE HAVE ASSEMBLED IS THERE'S A LOT OF FIBER IN THE GROUND AND THOSE ASSETS ARE THERE THAT WE CAN CAPITALIZE ON TO REDUCE SOME COST.

OK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GUYS BOTH.

LET'S GO TO MR. MR. CALLIE, SO THE ISDS WILL BE THE ONES SETTING UP THESE NETWORKS WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE.

I ASSUME WE WILL BE IN SOME CASES USING SOME OF THE ISD ASSETS.

YES. OK, SO BUT THEY WON'T BE SETTING UP WELL.

I ASSUME THEIR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT BE THE ONES INSTALLING.

BUT THE QUESTION WOULD BE WILL THIS COMPETE DIRECTLY WITH PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANIES THAT ARE ALREADY IN THESE AREAS? WELL, THIS HAS BEEN DESIGNED AND THIS HAS BEEN TRUE OF ALL OF THE PILOTS TO BE NONCOMPETITIVE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS, THE PURPOSE OF THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT FUNDING, IS TO GO INTO CENSUS BLOCKS WHERE THERE IS CURRENTLY NOT SERVICE.

AND IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT MAP, YOU'LL SEE IN THE BACKGROUND THOSE BUBBLES THAT POP UP.

THOSE ARE ACTUALLY COMPLETELY CURRENTLY UNSERVED AREAS.

AND AS IS THE CASE IN MANY COMMUNITIES, THERE IS AN OVERLAP BETWEEN UNSERVED AREAS AND HIGH DENSITY, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED POPULATIONS.

WHEN YOU SAY THEY'RE UNSERVED, I'M LOOKING AT THESE AREAS AND I'M WELL AWARE THAT A VERIZON HOTSPOT WILL WORK IN MOST OF THEM, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT HAVE JUST WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IN THIS AREA.

THEY HAVE BROADBAND INTERNET AVAILABLE BY CELL PHONE TOWER.

WELL, WE HAVE ACTUALLY DONE A MAPPING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CONNECTED NATION AND THE AND THEY HAVE THE FCC MAPS FOR ALL THE PROVIDERS.

THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE WIRELESS MOBILE HOTSPOTS.

OUR FOR THE PTAS PERSPECTIVE.

WE ARE LOOKING TO HAVE FIXED BROADBAND SERVICE IN HOMES THAT IS SUFFICIENT FOR LEARNING.

THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCOMPLISH WITH A WITH A MOBILE HOTSPOT AND CAN ALSO BE VERY COST PROHIBITIVE FOR THE FIXED SERVICE.

IT HAS TO BE A MINIMUM OF 50 FIVE.

AND MANY OF THESE JURISDICTIONS, IF THEY DO HAVE ANYTHING, DO NOT HAVE 55 SERVICE

[01:10:02]

THESE ARE INEXACT MAPS IN THAT IN THAT MR. BROWN WAS TAKING MY MAP AND OVERLAYING IT ON HIS MAP AND WE CAN SHOW YOU.

BUT THE PROPORTION OF THOSE BUBBLES ARE CORRECT.

THOSE ARE UNSERVED CITIZENS THAT CANNOT HAVE SERVICE OF THIS NATURE IF THEY WANTED IT.

I WOULD ADD TO THAT TO IT IN THE DEFINITION OF BROADBAND IS 100 MEGABITS UP 100 MEGABITS DOWN. THAT'S REALLY HARD TO GET WITH HOTSPOTS AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS YOU MAY GET.

YOU MAY GET TO 100, BUT YOU DON'T GET IT DOWN.

SO FOR PURPOSES OF THIS PROJECT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

THAT'S THE FEDERAL DEFINITION OF MINIMUM.

WE DID SUDDENLY GET ANOTHER CARRIER ALSO COME COME VISIT WITH SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR PROJECTS, THEY WERE PROPOSING A TWENTY FIVE PERCENT MATCH ON FUNDING. WAS THERE ANY SORT OF MATCH OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT WOULD GO ALONG WITH THIS THAT WE COULD MATCH WITH ARPA FUNDS TO EXPAND BROADBAND WITH WITH WITH THE WITH THE PROVIDERS, WITH WORK WITH WORKING WITH YOURSELVES AND YOUR YOUR ORGANIZATION, WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING HERE. I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU MEAN BY MATCH.

WE'RE GOING FOR FUNDING FROM THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, WHICH WOULD ACTUALLY BE EVEN MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE WE WOULD BE PROPOSING THAT BOTH THE CITY AND COUNTY WOULD COME UP. HOW MUCH ARE THEY? OH, HOW MUCH WOULD THEY PROPOSE TO TO PUT FORTH? WELL, IF YOU PUT UP THE IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT, THE WHOLE COST OF THAT FIRST PILOT WOULD BE SIX TO EIGHT MILLION.

WE ARE ACTUALLY FOR THE FOUR PILOTS TOGETHER ASKING THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE FOR CLOSE TO A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.

LET'S SEE. SO THE LUBBOCK AREA, WE'D BE LOOKING AT SIX TO EIGHT.

AND THAT IS BASED ON FEASIBILITY OF WHAT YOU HAVE THE APPETITE TO DO.

AS I SAID IN AMARILLO, THEY WE ARE ACTUALLY ASKING FOR $20 MILLION BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING A FULL PANHANDLE CONNECTED.

LET'S SEE. THANK YOU.

AND I WOULD SAY WE'RE VERY EARLY ON TO SO IT DOESN'T GO ONE WAY OR ANOTHER THAT.

OK. MR. FLOWERS, MR. BROWN, DEBBIE ROWE, BELIEVE YOU KIND OF HIT A REAL.

SOFT SPOT HERE AND IN MY PRECINCT, THE BIGGEST BUBBLE YOU HAVE THERE, PILOT ONE IS ALL OF NORTH. CENTRAL LUBBOCK, ALL HARRIS LUBBOCK, I BELIEVE YOU TOUCHED UP ABOUT, I WOULD SAY, 90 PERCENT OF MY PRECINCT.

SO I KNOW WE HAVE AN ISSUE THERE.

I KNOW WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

MY CONCERN IS BECAUSE OF LACK OF COMMUNICATION THERE.

HOW WOULD YOU? ADVERTISING, IF YOU WILL.

OUT TO THESE FAMILIES THAT YOU HAVE THIS SERVICE AVAILABLE.

HOW WOULD YOU ASK THEM TO APPLY? WHO WOULD QUALIFY AND WHO WOULDN'T? IS THERE AN AGE GROUP OF KIDS? ARE YOU GOING TO TARGET OR ARE YOU GOING TO TARGET THE HOUSEHOLD PERIOD? WELL, ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THE TA IS DEVELOPED HAVE ALL BEEN HOUSEHOLD DRIVEN BECAUSE THE RESEARCH HAS TOLD US THAT IF CHILDREN ARE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET AND THE REST OF THE HOUSEHOLD IS CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET, THE ECONOMIC EARNING POWER OF THE WHOLE FAMILY GOES UP, WHICH BENEFITS THE CHILD.

SO NONE OF THE CONNECTIONS WE ARE MAKING SHOULD BE WE SUGGEST VPN TO ONLY TO THE CHILD.

THEY SHOULD BE AVAILABLE PROPERLY PROTECTED WITH FILTERING, BUT OPEN TO THE HOUSEHOLD.

BUT ADOPTION IS A HUGE CHALLENGE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INTERNET AND SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN GRAPPLING WITH ACROSS THE STATE.

SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FORMAL ADOPTION PROGRAM SET UP CALLED TO CONNECT TEXAS, AND IT INVOLVES DIRECT BOTH DIRECT SIGN UP FROM PARENTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTICIPATION.

IT IS A MULTILINGUAL PROGRAM THAT HAS ALSO PARTNERED WITH LOCAL FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND NGOS, SO THAT FIVE MINUTES SO THAT WE CAN ALL BLANKET COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, NOT JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY, SERVICE, THE QUALITY, BUT TALK ABOUT WHAT THE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, THE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, THE ACCESS TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ACCELERATED LEARNING CAN MEAN TO AN ENTIRE FAMILY AND TO AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

THE THE SOME OF THESE FAMILIES ARE MULTIPLE FAMILIES.

YOU HAVE THREE OR FOUR KIDS THERE.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THREE OR FOUR KIDS FIGHT FOR A LAPTOP? IT'S NOT. IT'S NOT.

SO ARE YOU GOING TO PROVIDE ONE? LET'S HEY, LET'S TALK LAPTOP.

SO ARE YOU GOING TO PROVIDE ONE LAPTOP PER FAMILY OR ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION? THERE'S THREE KIDS IN THAT FAMILY.

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHO MAY ALREADY BE GIVING A LAPTOP TO EACH ONE OF THE CHILDREN.

WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS FOR ONLY THE CHILDREN IN THE HOUSEHOLD TO HAVE A LAPTOP, EVEN IF THEY'RE ALREADY ONE TO ONE WITH THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THEN HAVE THE PARENTS HAVE A VPN AND PRIVATE LAPTOP THAT THEY CAN'T DO THINGS LIKE HEALTH CARE AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. SO THE INTENTION OF THAT LAPTOP IS TO REALLY BE SOMETHING FOR THE WHOLE

[01:15:01]

BUT BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WE WILL BE ENCOURAGING THEM TO CONTINUE TO USE THOSE 4.6 MILLION DEVICES THAT WE GOT OUT INTO THE INTO THE COMMUNITY LAST YEAR AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON TO USE THOSE FOUR SO THAT EACH STUDENT CAN HAVE THEIR OWN DEVICE.

OK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, MR FLORES.

OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.

MS., PATTERSON, HARRIS, ABC.COM AND I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY I APPRECIATE. NOT YET, AT LEAST, RIGHT? IT COULD BUBBLE UP AT ANY MOMENT.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY A GREAT BIG THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION.

I DIDN'T REALIZE TO THE DEGREE THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE UNTIL I UNTIL COVID HIT, WHICH CHANGED US ALL AND BEGAN HAVING GETTING CALLS FROM SOME OF MY CONSTITUENTS SAYING, HELP US, PLEASE.

AND IN THAT I JUST COULDN'T VISUALIZE WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE A KIDDO TRYING TO STAND IN FRONT OF A PHONE TO GET HOMEWORK DONE OR THAT PARENT EVEN HAVING TO DO IT.

ENROLLMENT ON THAT, ON THAT PHONE FOR THAT KID THAT HAS SO MANY QUESTIONS.

IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT I JUST HEARD THAT 3G WILL NO LONGER WORK AFTER JANUARY ONE.

THAT'S CORRECT. AND SO THINGS LIKE THAT THAT IMPACT COMMUNITIES THAT WE NEVER EVEN THINK ABOUT. SO I JUST APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK.

MORE THAN ANYTHING, MR. JEFF BE THE HARDEST MAN WORKING IN SHOW BUSINESS.

HE KNOWS EXACTLY HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO ME BECAUSE WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS AND AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK. SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.

THIS IS BIG STUFF.

WELL, WHAT COUNCILWOMAN? I WILL ADD THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF COVID ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, TWO OF OUR THREE POINT THREE MILLION ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS WERE NOT ABLE TO LEARN REMOTELY EITHER BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LAPTOP OR CONNECTIVITY OR BOTH.

AND OUR BELIEF IS THAT WE STILL HAVE WELL OVER A MILLION OF THOSE STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE WHO DO NOT HAVE CONNECTIVITY IN THEIR HOMES.

SO THIS IS A A A PRESENT CHALLENGE THAT THAT WE HOPE WILL UNDER OUR TENURE AT OPERATION CONNECTIVITY, WE WILL WE WILL WORK WITH COMMUNITIES TO SOLVE THE MS..

PALESTINIANS WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE GROUP THAT WE HAVE WORKING TOGETHER WITH AS THEY'VE DONE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK MUCH MORE THAN I HAVE.

SO THEY'RE ACTIVELY ENGAGED AND EXCITED ABOUT A POTENTIAL PROJECT.

SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.

BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT PROJECT, METRO, YOU MADE SOME COMMENTS.

FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS EDUCATIONAL FOR NEARLY EVERYBODY ON THE STYE.

ONLY ONLY A FEW OF US HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH YOU, AND THIS WORK IS GOING ON TRULY AS WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.

BUT YOU MADE A COMMENT ABOUT WHERE TEXAS WAS COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY WHEN YOU WERE HERE 10 DAYS OR SO AGO.

I THINK THE I THINK THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE FOLKS IN THE GALLERY WOULD ENJOY HEARING THAT. AND YOU YEAH, BUT YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HERE A LONG TIME YOURSELF.

SO YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING THIS AS SOMEWHAT OF ONE OF US THAT, YOU KNOW, GREW UP IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD. WELL, I WILL SAY THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS, TEXAS WAS ONE OF THE WORST ONE TO ONE STATES IN THE COUNTRY.

WE WERE IN THE BOTTOM FIVE.

THAT MEANT THAT WE WERE ONE OF THE WORST STATES TO IN OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS, PROVIDE A DEVICE TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR CHILDREN.

AND AT THE END OF THE FIRST PHASE OF OUR OPERATION CONNECTIVITY, WE JUMPED ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP FIVE. AND THAT PROGRESS IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING TO MAINTAIN.

OUR BELIEF IS THAT WE ALL WANT TO TRY TO GET TO ONE TO TWO INSTEAD OF ONE TO ONE.

SO EVERY CHILD HAS THAT DEVICE AT HOME.

EVERY CHILD HAS THAT DEVICE IN SCHOOL, BUT ADDITIONALLY DARK FIBER, WHICH I REFERENCED EARLIER, WHICH MEANS FIBER THAT WAS PAID FOR YEARS AGO, HAS GONE INTO THE GROUND.

AN ISP APPLIED FOR FUNDING FOR IT.

THEY BUILT IT. THEY PUT IT IN THE GROUND, AND THEY WERE WAITING TO LIGHT IT UP UNTIL THERE WAS A COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO DO SO.

TEXAS HAS MORE DARK FIBER THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER STATE IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE NEED TO PUT A LOT OF FIBER INTO THE GROUND, WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS BRANCH LINES OFF OF TRUNK FIBER TO GO INTO INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLDS.

AND THAT'S WHERE THINGS BECOME CHALLENGING BECAUSE AN ISP IS, IN MOST INSTANCES, JUST LIKE A SUPERMARKET ONLY GOING TO GO INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN ECONOMICALLY MAKE IT WORTH THEIR WHILE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO FIND OPPORTUNITY AND ECONOMIC GAIN WITHIN A COMMUNITY, THEY MOVE OUT OF THAT COMMUNITY.

BUT THE COMMUNITY ITSELF ITSELF STAYS IN ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY AND CONTINUES TO BE UNDERSERVED.

AND SO WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ASSETS WE ALREADY HAVE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE COMMENTS.

IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO TO TO IN THIS.

[01:20:03]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

I'LL TURN IT OVER TO AS WE MOVE TO ITEM ONE THREE ALTERNATIVE TO JUDGE HARRIS JUDGE.

[3. Mental Health Collaborative]

JUST LIKE TO SAY THE GENESIS OF THIS DISCUSSION ACTUALLY BEGAN PROBABLY FOUR PLUS YEARS AGO, WHEN FOLKS FROM THE CITY, THE COUNTY STARK HEAR TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY, TEXAS TECH HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, UMC COVENANT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ALL GOT TOGETHER TO LOOK AT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN LUBBOCK AND LUBBOCK COUNTY THROUGH THAT COLLABORATIVE FOUR YEARS AGO. WE CONTRACTED WITH THE MEADOWS FOUNDATION TO DO A SURVEY, A A REPORT ON HOW WE'RE DOING HERE IN LUBBOCK COUNTY REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH.

THROUGH THAT WHOLE PROCESS, ONCE ONCE THAT REPORT WAS WAS ISSUED.

THE FOLKS SAID, HEY, WE STILL GOT TO STAY TOGETHER.

WE FOUND VERY QUICKLY THAT WE WORK BETTER TOGETHER.

AND SO THAT MENTAL HEALTH COLLABORATIVE HAS CONTINUED WITH NANCY TREVINO NOW HEADING THAT. AND SO DR.

TREVINO, THANK YOU FOR FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR US.

BUT ONE OF THE ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT HAS COME UP THROUGH OUR MENTAL HEALTH COLLABORATIVE IS THIS IDEA OF A DIVERSION CENTER.

AND SO THE MAYOR AND I IN MEETING TALKING ABOUT OUR ARPA FUNDS AND AND TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN BEST WORK TOGETHER, CITY AND COUNTY.

THIS ISSUE OF A DIVERSION CENTER COME UP.

SO AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO WANT TO KIND OF FIRST MAYBE TURN OVER TO JARRETT ATKINSON TO KIND OF TEE THIS UP FOR US AND HAVE HIM INTRODUCE BETH LAWSON TO US, IF YOU WILL.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. GLAD TO DO THAT.

AND I THINK THE BEST AND EASIEST WAY TO DO SO IS TO CALL ON MS. BETH LAWSON, CEO OF STAR CARE.

SHE'S GOT A GREAT PRESENTATION FOR THE TWO BODIES TO LOOK AT TONIGHT AND SOME DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW. BETH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS A SPIRAL BOUND DOCUMENT CALLED THE HOPE CENTER FOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING? YES.

YES. MA'AM. GREAT. GREAT.

MY NAME IS BETH LAWSON.

I'M THE CEO OF STAR CARE SPECIALTY HEALTH SYSTEM, AND I WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU, JUDGE PARRISH AND MAYOR POPE, OUR CITY COUNCIL AND OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR HAVING ME TODAY. THIS IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHARE SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AS A COLLABORATIVE.

I'M HONORED TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND EAGER TO PARTNER WITH YOU AS WE MOVE INTO THE NEXT PHASES OF WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR CITIZENS IN LUBBOCK AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING ACUTE MENTAL HEALTH CRISES.

FIRST, I WANTED TO SPEND JUST A QUICK SECOND TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHOSE STAR CARE IS AND WHAT WE DO.

STAR CARE IS A STATUTORILY CREATED UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND AND I PUT UP THERE ALREADY. WE DO NOT HAVE TAXING AUTHORITY AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT OF EMINENT DOMAIN BECAUSE IF WE DID, I WOULD ALREADY HAVE A LOT MORE.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

WE ARE THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY, THE INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY AUTHORITY AND THE SUBSTANCE USE AUTHORITY FOR LUBBOCK AND FOR COUNTIES CONTIGUOUS TO LUBBOCK.

HOWEVER, CRISIS KNOWS NO BOUND OF COUNTY.

IF THEY'RE IN OUR AREA AND THEY'RE IN CRISIS, WE SERVE PEOPLE.

WE WERE ACTUALLY CODIFIED IN LAW TO PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE TO INSTITUTIONAL CARE.

IN THE SIXTIES, YOU REALIZE WITH PRESIDENT KENNEDY HE HAD AN AUNT WHO HAD AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY, AND HE REALIZED THAT A LOT OF FAMILIES WERE SEPARATED FROM THEIR LOVED ONES.

AND SO THERE WAS A LOT OF INSTITUTION BASED CARE.

THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES WERE ACTUALLY CREATED IN THE NINETEEN SIXTIES TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO COMMUNITY BASED CARE, KNOWING THAT SERVICES CLOSER TO HOME ARE MORE ECONOMICAL AND THEY HAVE BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE AND FOR FAMILIES.

WE WE IN ADDITION TO MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE STAY OUT OF STATE HOSPITALS OR WHAT USED TO BE REFERRED TO IN THE OLDEN DAYS AS ASYLUMS OR STATE SUPPORTED LIVING CENTERS, WE PLAY A PRIMARY ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, HELPING KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF HIGHER COSTS, LESS APPROPRIATE ALTERNATIVES LIKE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS AND JAILS AND OTHER PHYSICAL MEDICINE HOSPITALS.

YOU SEE, YOU SAW BEHIND ME BEFORE HE HAD TO LEAVE.

WE HAD THE HEADS OF THE TWO BIGGEST HOSPITAL SYSTEMS IN LUBBOCK BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE

[01:25:03]

BUT AT STARK CARE, WE PRIORITIZE HOPE, WELLNESS, INDIVIDUAL WORTH RESPECT AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND GRATITUDE IN OUR ACTIONS, ESPECIALLY AS WE ARE SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED OR MARGINALIZED BECAUSE OF THEIR HEALTH CHALLENGES.

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FOR A LONG TIME STIGMATIZED BY A DIAGNOSIS OF MENTAL HEALTH OR A MENTAL DISABILITY. WHAT I LIKE TO SAY THE ONLY SHAME IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IS NOT GETTING THE MEDICAL CARE YOU NEED TO ADDRESS IT.

SO IN CLOSING ABOUT STAR CARE, I JUST LIKE TO SAY WE IMAGINE A COMMUNITY WHERE ALL PEOPLE WITH WITHOUT REGARD TO DIAGNOSIS OR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OR ANY OTHER OF THE.

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO FULFILL THEIR THEIR BEST LIFE FOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. SO JUDGE PARRISH ALREADY TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WEST TEXAS MENTAL HEALTH COLLABORATIVE, SO WE'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR THREE YEARS NOW.

YOU SEE THE THE FOUNDING PARTIES HERE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE SO MANY OF OUR FOUNDING PARTNERS HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROPOSAL.

IN ADDITION, THERE'S ONE SPECIAL PARTNER THAT IS NOT LISTED UP HERE AS AN OFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE COLLABORATIVE, AND THAT'S THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF WEST TEXAS, WHO HAS BEEN OUR FACILITATOR THE ENTIRE THREE YEARS.

AND SO THANK YOU, STEVE AND TAMI FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

SO THE THE JUDGE ALREADY TOLD YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMMISSIONING OF THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, WE ALL KNEW OUR PARTNERS KNEW ANECDOTALLY WHAT THE NEEDS WERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ALSO KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER FOR US IF WE WERE GOING TO THE LEGISLATURE OR TO A GRANT, OR THAT IF WE HAD AN OBJECTIVE THIRD PARTY WHO WAS ABLE TO VALIDATE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALL KNEW INTUITIVELY.

SO WE COMMISSIONED THE MEADOWS MENTAL HEALTH POLICY INSTITUTE TO DO A COMMUNITY WIDE NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

WE LIKE TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY SAID JUST IN THE OVERVIEW OF THEIR NEEDS ASSESSMENT, AND THAT IS THAT LUBBOCK AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS OF LUBBOCK HAVE A REALLY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY IN THAT THERE IS A HIGH LEVEL OF COMMITMENT TO COLLABORATION AND THAT WE ARE SMALL ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY GET THINGS DONE AND THAT OUR LEADERSHIP FROM POLITICAL AND OTHER SECTORS AND BUSINESS SECTORS ARE ACTUALLY.

I KNOW THE NAMES OF PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH.

I HAVE CELL PHONE NUMBERS OF THE HEADS OF THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS AND THE AND THE COUNTY JUDGE. BUT YET WE'RE ALSO BIG ENOUGH TO HAVE ACCESS TO REALLY HIGH QUALITY HEALTH CARE AND REALLY HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH BASED, EVIDENCE BASED CARE.

SO IT'S REALLY THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.

ANOTHER THING WE LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE MEADOW'S POLICY INSTITUTE SAID, IS THAT A PLANNING GROUP LIKE OURS THAT IS GOING TO FOCUS ON ADULT MENTAL HEALTH AND GENERAL HEALTH BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A BRAIN IS PART OF YOUR BODY, IT'S JUST LIKE YOUR KIDNEY OR YOUR HEART OR YOUR LEG.

YOU CAN'T SEPARATE YOUR BRAIN FROM YOUR BODY AND THAT ANY GROUP THAT IS WORKING ON MENTAL HEALTH AND GENERAL HEALTH ISSUES SHOULD FOCUS ON CRISIS AND COMMUNITY CARE CAPACITY AS ALTERNATIVES FROM HIGHER COST, LESS APPROPRIATE INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS JAIL, EMERGENCY ROOM AND INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALIZATION.

I ALWAYS LIKE TO POINT OUT, HOWEVER, THAT THERE IS A TIME FOR JAIL.

THERE IS A TIME FOR AN EMERGENCY ROOM.

THERE'S TIME FOR AN INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALIZATION, BUT THAT'S PART OF WHAT'S CALLED A CONTINUUM OF CARE.

WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS A DEFAULT CARE.

PEOPLE GO TO AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE TO GO.

YOU'VE ALL HEARD IT FOR YEARS AND YEARS WHERE PEOPLE GO TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM FOR PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, PINK EYE OR BRONCHITIS, WHEN REALLY IF THEY HAD ACCESS TO SUBACUTE CARE, IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER FOR EVERYONE.

SO ENTER THE DIVERSION CENTER MODEL OF CARE TO BE NAMED THE HOPE CENTER FOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. WE KNOW THAT DIVERSION IS KIND OF A WEIRD TERM.

IT DOESN'T EXPLAIN ITSELF.

IT DOESN'T. IT'S NOT A DESCRIPTOR OF WHAT IT IS.

SO LET ME JUST SAY IT IS DIVERTING CARE FROM HIGH COST, LESS APPROPRIATE ALTERNATIVES TO THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND THE RIGHT AMOUNT.

AND WHAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO IS HAVE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO AND RECEIVE ACUTE MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION AND AVOID EMERGENCY ROOM JAIL AND INPATIENT HOSPITAL WHEN IT'S

[01:30:04]

OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT IS VERY CLINICALLY APPROPRIATE TO AND ALSO CRIMINALLY APPROPRIATE TO INTERFACE WITH THOSE WITH THOSE ENTITIES.

THE THE DIVERSION CENTER MODEL OF CARE IS VERY WELL STUDIED.

IT'S EVIDENCE BASED AND THERE ARE LOTS AND LOTS OF REALLY GOOD EXAMPLES FAR AND WIDE.

JUDGE LAUFMAN OUT OF MIAMI-DADE IN FLORIDA IS KIND OF THE PIONEER OF SOME OF THIS.

YOU SEE PROFESSOR BRIAN SHANNON BACK THERE WHO IS ON OUR BOARD.

HE'S FRIENDS WITH JUDGE LAUFMAN AND HAS BROUGHT HIM TO OUR COMMUNITY A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TIMES TO TALK ABOUT HOW WELL THIS SERVES PEOPLE AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL OUTCOMES AND ALSO COMMUNITIES AND A LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME.

WE HAVE THE EMMETT CENTER IN HARRIS COUNTY, THE SHERIFF OF STAFF AND SOME OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND I HAVE BEEN TO THE EMMETT CENTER IN AND HOUSTON AND THEN ALSO IN TARRANT COUNTY, IS NOW ROLLING OUT WITH SOME OF THEIR ARPA FUNDING, THE TARRANT COUNTY DIVERSION CENTER AS WELL. SO WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD EXAMPLES AND THAT AND IT'S FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT EVEN AS INTERTWINED WITH EACH OTHER AS WE ARE COLLECTIVELY AS A PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONALS.

SO TO START WITH WHAT SERVICES WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN OUR DIVERSION CENTER, OUR DIVERSION CENTER WOULD INCLUDE 24-7 ACCESS TO WALK IN CRISIS SERVICES, TWENTY FOUR SEVEN ACCESS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TO DROP OFF PATIENTS.

THIS IS A VERY BIG DEAL.

I WAS JUST IN A MEETING TODAY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ONE OF OUR HOSPITALS WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A POLICE OFFICER THAT WAS OFF THE BEAT FOR OVER SIX HOURS BECAUSE THEY WERE IN AN EMERGENCY ROOM WITH A PERSON WITH A PSYCHIATRIC CRISIS.

I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO DESCRIBE FOR YOU THE CASCADING EFFECT OF WHAT THAT MEANS, PARTICULARLY OUT IN OUR SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES AND AT IN OUR FARTHER REACHES OF THE COUNTY. ALSO, TWENTY FOUR SEVEN ON SITE SECURITY.

THAT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE AND THEN ALSO EVERY SINGLE DAY. THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE DAYS OF THE YEAR, WE WILL OPERATE A TWENTY THREE HOUR OBSERVATION UNIT.

THERE ARE TIMES PEOPLE COME TO US IN PSYCHIATRIC CRISIS, AND IT IS VERY UNCLEAR IF THEY ARE IN NEED OF INPATIENT HOSPITALIZATION TO RESOLVE SYMPTOMS OR IF THEY ARE IN A DRUG INDUCED PSYCHOSIS STATE AND NEED JUST A FEW HOURS OF SOBERING UP AND STABILIZATION.

AND THAT 23 HOUR OBSERVATION IS REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL.

IF YOU CAN STAY 23 HOURS IN ONE PLACE AS OPPOSED TO THREE DAYS IN AN INPATIENT HOSPITAL, IT'S IT'S MUCH MORE ECONOMICAL FOR THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S BETTER FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR FAMILIES. IN ADDITION TO THE INFORMATION, IN ADDITION TO THE SERVICES THAT WE WILL BEGIN, I HAVE COMMITMENTS FROM OUR OTHER PARTNERS THAT WE WILL BEGIN TO CO-LOCATE SERVICES THAT MAKE SENSE ON SITE MEDICAL CLEARANCE.

SUNRISE CANYON HOSPITAL THAT STAR CARE OPERATES NOW IS ACTUALLY ON THE SITE WHERE THE DIVERSION CENTER IS BEING PROPOSED.

WE ARE A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL.

WE DO LOW LEVEL PHYSICAL MEDICINE INTERVENTIONS.

WE CAN HANDLE PEOPLE WITH HYPERTENSION OR DIABETES, BUT WE DO NOT HANDLE THE REAL HIGH END MEDICAL ISSUES, AND WE ALWAYS NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE IS MEDICALLY STABLE IN THEIR BODY BEFORE THEY ARE ADMITTED INTO OUR UNIT.

AND SO THAT IS THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR MEDICAL CLEARANCE. SO WE'RE PARTNERING AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH COVENANT HEALTH SYSTEM AND UMC HEALTH SYSTEM TO THINK ABOUT ONSITE MEDICAL CLEARANCE, WHICH THEN SAVES TIME FOR THE PATIENT, SAVES MONEY FOR THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND IT SAVES TIME FOR THE EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO TRANSPORT SOMEONE BACK AND FORTH, AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER DOESN'T HAVE TO TAKE THE PERSON TO DIFFERENT PLACES.

INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT SERVICES ARE ALSO BEING DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LEAVING A HOSPITAL LIKE SUNRISE CANYON OR POST JAIL RELEASE.

THERE ARE TIMES WHERE IT TAKES A MINUTE FOR PEOPLE TO GET THEIR BENEFITS APPLICATIONS AND GET THEIR ID RESTORED IN TERMS OF MAYBE THEY'VE LOST THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND THEIR IDS, THERE'LL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PARTNER WITH OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDERS AT THAT ONE LOCATION TO HELP PEOPLE POST RELEASE FROM JAIL AND HOSPITAL AND THE LIKE.

THE ESTIMATES THAT WE HAVE PULLED TOGETHER ARE ABOUT $6 MILLION, AND I'D LIKE TO I'D LIKE TO STRATIFY THAT BETWEEN PATIENT CARE SPACE, OFFICE SPACE LOBBY SPACE.

I WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT IN JUST ONE SECOND ABOUT SOME CONNECTIVITY THAT WE ARE PROPOSING

[01:35:03]

SUNRISE CANYON HOSPITAL CURRENTLY HAS CAPACITY FOR 30 BEDS AND WE KNOW THROUGH THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND ALSO ANECDOTALLY THAT WE ARE SENDING MANY, MANY, MANY PEOPLE OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY TO PRIVATE HOSPITALS ACROSS WEST TEXAS AND THE CHARLES PERRY.

SENATOR PERRY WORKED REALLY HARD AND REALLY LONG TO HELP US ACCESS $15 MILLION TO EXPAND FROM 30 A CAPACITY OF 30 TO CAPACITY OF 45.

I'M PROPOSING THAT WE LEVERAGE AND GET ECONOMIES OF SCALE WITH THE STATES ARPA FUNDING AND PUTTING IN THINGS LIKE CORRIDORS THAT WILL THEN BE ABLE TO HAVE PATIENTS IF THEY NEED TO GO FROM THE DIVERSION CENTER TO THE HOSPITAL, HAVE SMOOTH TRANSITIONS BACK AND FORTH SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE FOR ONE REASON.

SO YOU'LL SEE CONNECTING CORRIDORS, FURNITURE, FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT AND THEN PARKING SIGNAGE IN THE LANDSCAPE.

LIKE ANY GOOD BUSINESS WOMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT SOME CAVEATS ON MY NUMBERS AND THAT I WILL TELL YOU THAT THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE WHAT I BELIEVE WILL NEED TO BE SOME UPGRADES TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND STREETS.

RIGHT NOW, ASPEN LEADS FROM EAST 19TH STREET TO SUNRISE CANYON, AND IT IS THE RICKETY RACKETY ROAD. AND I JUST DON'T THINK WITH ALL OF THE THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AND THE EXPANSION AND SERVICES THAT THAT ROAD WILL DO WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO FOR US. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'M NOT SURE THAT OUR ELECTRICITY AND OUR WATER AND I WON'T TALK TO ANYBODY HERE ABOUT GAS.

I'LL CALL MY FRIEND BECKY PALMER ABOUT GAS, BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOME ENHANCEMENTS ON OUR PUBLIC UTILITIES.

SO JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.

AND THEN FINALLY, I ALSO NEED TO TELL YOU THAT THESE COSTS AND ESTIMATES PER SQUARE FOOT ARE BASED UPON ESTIMATES THAT WERE IN EFFECT AS OF OCTOBER TWENTY TWENTY ONE.

YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE'RE ON A BUBBLE WITH HOUSING AND ALL KINDS OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, AND SO IT COULD AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY A CONTINUATION OF INFLATION AND SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.

AND THEN FINALLY, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

WE ARE IN THE PROCESS AS BOTH A COLLABORATIVE AND THEN AS AN INDIVIDUAL COMPANY OF AS OF OBTAINING OTHER RESOURCES AND LEVERAGING WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY BOTH, WELL, THREE WAYS IN KIND, REALLY EASY TO HAVE SOME IN-KIND SUPPORT WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS, WE ALREADY HAVE IN-KIND SUPPORT WITH SOME UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SYSTEM, UMC HEALTH SYSTEM AND THEN ALSO MONETARY INVESTMENTS.

THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT STAR CARE CAN FUND THROUGH ITS ALLOCATIONS THAT IT RECEIVES AND ALSO FEE FOR SERVICE BUSINESS THAT WE BUILD MEDICAID AND MEDICAID FOR.

AND THEN ALSO, I THINK I MENTIONED EARLIER THE LOCATION OF SERVICES OF THAT SUPPORT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN OUR CARE.

AND SO I TALKED A MINUTE AGO ABOUT THE CONCURRENT BUILDING PROJECTS AND THE EXPECTED ECONOMIES OF SCALE WITH A $15 MILLION INVESTMENT INTO AN EXISTING LOCATION THAT'S ALREADY OUT IN DISTRICT TWO.

AND AND IN YOUR DISTRICT, ACTUALLY WE ARE WE ARE LOOKING TO TO COMBINE FORCES WITH ARCHITECT AND ENGINEERING WORK AND CONSTRUCTION, PURCHASING MATERIALS, PURCHASING CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.

AND IN MY OPINION, BY BEING ABLE TO COMBINE THIS $6 MILLION PROJECT WITH A $15 MILLION PROJECT, WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE BOTH INVESTMENTS GO FARTHER BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIES OF SCALE. THE TIMELINE THAT I AM PUTTING FORTH TODAY, A COURSE IS AND YOU SEE AGAIN, A CAVEAT THAT IS CONTINGENT UPON THE AVAILABILITY OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS CONTRACTOR WORKFORCE AND ASSUMES VERY LIMITED INTERRUPTION WAS SECONDARY TO SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS KIND OF A THING FOR THE NATION RIGHT NOW.

AND AT ANY GIVEN TIME, WE MIGHT NEED TO COME BACK TO YOU ALL AS OFFICIALS TO RENEGOTIATE THIS TIMELINE. HOWEVER, IF AWARDED, WE WOULD LIKE TO RELEASE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR ARCHITECT AND ENGINEERING SERVICES IN DECEMBER.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE A UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

WE FOLLOW ALL THE STATE'S PROCUREMENT RULES JUST LIKE EACH OF YOU WILL.

AND ONCE THAT'S DONE AND WE HAVE AN R&D FIRM ON ON THE HOOK, WE WOULD LIKE TO THEN RELEASE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR CONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

AND THEN WE ARE PROPOSING THAT HOPEFULLY BY APRIL, WE WILL BE ABLE TO FINALIZE OUR SITE

[01:40:03]

WE'RE ESTIMATING ABOUT A YEAR'S WORTH OF CONSTRUCTION IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL.

AND THEN IT HAVE THE SUMMER TO MOVE IN, RAMP UP, WORK ON THE COMMUNITY, EDUCATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, ET CETERA.

AND THEN WITH THE PROPOSED OPENING DATE OF SEPTEMBER ONE TWENTY THREE.

SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT OUR FRIENDS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE AT TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY.

IT'S AMAZING THE PARTNERS THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER FOR THIS.

SO DR. ZOOK AND HER STUDENTS HAVE DONE THIS RENDERING OF WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE TO EXPAND SUNRISE CANYON.

SO YOU SEE ON YOUR ON YOUR SLIDE THE VERY BEAUTIFUL BUILDING AND THE BEAUTIFUL LOCATION OUT IN EAST 19TH STREET AND ASPEN.

AND WHAT ARE WE ARE LOOKING AT IS AT THE NORTH AND EAST SECTION OF OUR PROPERTY, WHERE WE HAVE 80 ACRES AND BOTH FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE HOSPITAL AND THE ADDITION OF THE DIVERSION CENTER.

THIS, TO ME, IS PICTORIALLY WHAT THE FUTURE OF HEALTH CARE AND OUR COMMUNITY CAN LOOK LIKE. FIVE MINUTES.

AND THEN FINALLY, HOW IS IT GOOD? ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

I HAVE ONE MORE SLIDE.

EXCEPT FOR MY THANK YOU.

I THINK IT'S ALWAYS REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE VERY CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT WHAT I'M ASKING FOR, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU'RE ASKING FOR MONEY.

AND SO ON BEHALF OF THE STAR CARE, ESPECIALLY HEALTH SYSTEM BOARD OF TRUSTEES, THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM STAFF, CLIENTS AND FAMILIES WE SUPPORT AND IN THE INTEREST OF BETTER SERVING AND COORDINATING CRISIS, MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR CITIZENS OF LUBBOCK COMMUNITY AND THEREBY REDUCING COSTS TO OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES.

I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT LUBBOCK COUNTY AND THE CITY OF LUBBOCK EACH DESIGNATE $3 MILLION OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDING FOR A TOTAL OF $6 MILLION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOPE CENTER FOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, AS DESCRIBED IN MY PRESENTATION. AND THEN FINALLY, I FURTHER, FURTHER AND RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT EACH OF THE COUNTY AND THE CITY CONTRIBUTE IN-KIND INVESTMENTS TO OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN THE FORM OF PUBLIC STREETS, UTILITY UPGRADES AND THE LIKE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF THAT KNOWN SITE OR THAT SITE KNOWN AS CINRYZE CANYON HOSPITAL, WHERE THE HOPE CENTER WILL BE LOCATED. AND WITH THAT, I WILL JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE HERE TODAY.

AS YOU CAN TELL, I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT SUPPORTING PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT DOING IT IN A WAY THAT IS COORDINATED AND EFFICIENT AND VERY EFFECTIVE FOR THOSE WHO ARE PAYING FOR IT AND THOSE WHO ARE RECEIVING IT.

BETH, THANK YOU. IN FACT, THERE'S NOT A THERE'S NOT ENOUGH WORDS TO SAY THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND LEADING OUR COMMUNITY IN MENTAL HEALTH.

YOU ARE A REAL JEWEL AND A GREAT ASSET TO LUBBOCK.

SO THANK YOU, MY HONOR.

I REMEMBER TALKING FIRST ABOUT DIVERSION CENTER AND REALLY NOT BEING ABLE TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THAT BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE THE WORD VERY MUCH.

IT'S IT'S GOT A LOT OF WEIRDNESS TO IT FOR ME.

BUT IT WAS EXPLAINED VERY SIMPLY THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU BREAK YOUR ARM, YOU GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. BUT IF SOMETHING'S BROKEN UP HERE IN YOUR HEAD, WHERE DO YOU GO? THIS IS AN EMERGENCY ROOM FOR MENTAL HEALTH.

YES. AND AND AND IT WILL ONCE THIS IS FULLY BUILT AND FULLY STAFFED.

I KNOW TALKING WITH THE SHERIFF, I KNOW WE HAD CODY SCOTT, WHO WAS HERE EARLIER.

OUR JAIL ADMINISTRATOR.

THEY ARE 100 PERCENT ON BOARD WITH THIS BECAUSE OF BECAUSE OF HOW THIS HELPS OUR DETENTION CENTER AND THAT THAT ALONE GOT ME IN 100 PERCENT.

BUT I WILL SAY THANK YOU.

AND WITH THAT, I WILL ASK, OH, HERE WE GO.

COUNCILMAN CHRISTIAN, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YOU STOLE MY QUESTION. JEFF.

OK. HOW YOU DOING? I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT YOU HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SHERIFF AND COUNTY DETENTION CENTER.

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THIS FACILITY WOULD HAVE ON JAIL POPULATION AND ACTUALLY HAVING A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COULD GO TO PRETTY MUCH INSTANTLY GET HELP INSTEAD OF BEING BOOKED INTO JAIL? AND I'VE TALKED TO THE SHERIFF BEFORE, AND THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE HAV HAVING PSYCHOTIC EPISODES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT THIS MAKES MUCH MORE SENSE THAN THEM GOING TO JAIL.

THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD FOR YOU IS THE EXTENDED OBSERVATION UNIT AND ALSO KIND OF DOVETAILS INTO THE PSYCHIATRIC CRISIS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'M A I'M A DRUG OVERDOSE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

HOW WOULD HOW WOULD THAT WORK WITH WITH PEOPLE THAT MIGHT COME TO THIS FACILITY THAT MAY HAVE MAYBE HAVING A PSYCHOTIC EPISODE, BUT IT ALSO IS INVOLVED DRUGS AND ALL?

[01:45:04]

SO THE SERVICES THAT I DESCRIBED ALREADY WITH THE TWENTY THREE HOUR OBSERVATION, WE HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR FOUR PEOPLE AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

TWENTY FOUR SEVEN.

THIS WOULD EXPAND THAT CAPACITY SO WE COULD SUPPORT MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE WE ARE THE OUTREACH SCREENING ASSESSMENT AND REFERRAL, THE SUBSTANCE USE AUTHORITY IN OUR AREA.

ACTUALLY, IT'S A FORTY ONE COUNTY AREA.

WE PARTNER WITH ALL OF THE SUBSTANCE ADDICTION PROVIDERS AND IN PARTICULAR WITH THE CITY OF LUBBOCK, WITH MS. WELLS IN THE PROVIDER NETWORK THAT THEY MANAGE IN THAT FOR US.

WE HAVE WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE LATEST WITH NARCAN AND WE WORK.

WE WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH PEOPLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THAT PERSON IS INEBRIATED OR INTOXICATED OR IF THEY'RE HAVING PSYCHOSIS BECAUSE OF A HISTORY OF THEIR BRAIN.

AND SO FOR THAT, THIS WOULD EXPAND OUR ABILITY TO DO MORE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR CALLING.

YES, MR. LAWSON, WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT OCCUPANCY RIGHT NOW? I'M SORRY, HOW MANY BEDS DO YOU HAVE? LET ME START THERE IN OUR HOSPITAL, WE HAVE 30 BEDS AND WE HAVE AN EXTENDED OBSERVATION UNIT. WE HAVE CAPACITY FOR NINE, BUT WE HAVE FUNDING FOR FOUR.

GOTCHA. OK. SO THIS WOULD EXPAND YOU TO FORTY FIVE PEOPLE PER DAY.

THIS ACTUALLY, THIS PROPOSAL IS A SEPARATE EXPANSION FROM THE HOSPITAL.

THE HOSPITAL WOULD BE EXPANDED FROM 30 BEDS TO 45 BEDS, MEANING WE COULD SERVE FORTY FIVE PEOPLE A DAY.

THAT'S ALREADY THAT'S THAT'S A DONE DEAL.

THE STATE'S ALREADY DONE IT.

IT'S CODIFIED IN LAW.

THIS DIVERSION CENTER ITSELF IS MORE OF A SUBACUTE MEANING.

PEOPLE WOULD COME THERE.

THEY WOULD GET SERVICES FOR TWENTY THREE HOURS AND THEN THEY WOULD LEAVE.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE ARE SEEKING FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL SLOTS.

THIS REQUEST IS INFRASTRUCTURE ONLY.

IT IS NOT FOR ONGOING OPERATIONS.

SO MY FUNDING THAT I HAVE FOR FOUR BEDS TODAY WOULD GO INTO THAT BUILDING.

BUT I DO HAVE COMMITMENTS FROM THE HOSPITAL DISTRICTS HERE AND FROM A PRIVATE HOSPITAL HERE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FUNDING ADDITIONAL CAPACITY.

BUT YOU CURRENTLY DO ALLOW LAW ENFORCEMENT TO, YOU KNOW, BRING SOMEONE TO YOU RIGHT NOW.

SO THIS WOULD HOW MANY CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MANY A DAY RIGHT NOW? WHAT'S AN AVERAGE THAT YOU ALL RECEIVE? OH, GOSH. WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S FEAST OR FAMINE FOR US COMMISSIONER IN THAT THERE WILL BE A DAY THAT IT'S JUST QUIET AS ALL GET OUT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE FOUR PEOPLE COME IN ALL AT ONE TIME. WE HAVE A MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM THAT SUPPORTS ALL OF OUR SERVICE DELIVERY AREA AS WELL. AND AGAIN, IT'S THE SAME.

AND SO FOR US, OUR AVERAGE DAILY CENSUS PRE-COVID, WE WERE RUNNING 28 29 AND OUR HOSPITAL EVERY SINGLE DAY.

WHAT I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT OUR DIVERSION CENTER, WHICH IS THE THE BIGGER DIVERSION CENTER, BUT OUR DIVERSION ACTIVITY IN THE EXTENDED OBSERVATION UNIT PRE-COVID, WE WOULD SERVE OVER SIX HUNDRED PEOPLE A YEAR.

AND OUT OF THAT, SIX HUNDRED PEOPLE, FEWER THAN TWO HUNDRED EVER WOUND UP GOING INPATIENT. AND SO IT WAS A REALLY GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

I GOT YOU. HOW LONG DO YOU THINK? 30 BEING ABLE TO TAKE 30 TO FORTY FIVE PEOPLE? HOW MANY YEARS DO YOU THINK THAT WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR UNTIL WOULD BE NEEDING EXPANSION? WE'VE HAD 30 BEDS.

WE'VE HAD THE CAPACITY FOR 30 BEDS SINCE THE EARLY 90S.

THE HOSPITAL WAS CREATED IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 90S AND REALLY OPEN TO FULL CAPACITY IN ABOUT NINETEEN. NINETY SIX STARTED ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.

WE WERE RUNNING OVER AND AGAIN BEING A BUSINESSWOMAN.

WHAT I HAVE PLANNED TO DO WITH OUR $15 MILLION IS BUILD ENOUGH SPACE FOR 30 ADDITIONAL PEOPLE, BUT FUNDING IT FOR THE 15 THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS COMMITTED.

SO EVEN IF WE RUN OUT IN 20 YEARS, I'VE GOT IN MY MIND A PLAN FOR AN ADDITIONAL 15 ON TOP OF THE 15 THAT WE GOT JUST NOW.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU.

CALLIE COUNCIL MEMBER PATTERSON HARRIS.

THANK YOU, HARRIS BETH.

HELLO. I I UNDERSTAND THE VERSION HAVING WORKED IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ACTUALLY WORKED WITH STAR CARE IN SOME PILOT PROGRAMS THAT TURNED INTO SOMETHING LONG TERM. TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE DIVERSION.

I KNOW THAT IT WOULD SERVE AS A MEANS FROM PREVENTING PEOPLE ARE REROUTING OR DIVERTING THEM FROM ENTERING TO THE COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY.

BUT WHAT HELP COULD IT BE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN THAT DETENTION FACILITY, BUT MAY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAVE A LITTLE BIT EARLY OR BE PROVIDED WITH SERVICES AS THEY LEAVE THAT PLACE? THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD TALKING POINT IN QUESTION FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT THERE'S A CONTINUUM I TALKED TO EARLIER ABOUT.

THERE'S A ROLE FOR COMMUNITY BASED PROVIDERS.

THERE'S A ROLE FOR JAIL, THAT'S A ROLE FOR HOSPITAL AND THERE'S A ROLE FOR EMERGENCY

[01:50:03]

THEN THAT CONTINUUM AND AND THE WORDING WOULD BE PRE-BOOKING DIVERSION.

IT WOULD BE POST-RELEASE REENGAGEMENT.

THE WORD IS REINTEGRATION INTO THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN TALKING WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT HAVING AN ABILITY FOR IF SOMEONE ARRIVES AT THE COUNTY DETENTION CENTER THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO PRE BOOKING DIVERSION.

BUT THEN IF SOMEBODY HAS TO GO IN TO THE JAIL AND THEY GET BOOKED IN, WE WE HAVE JUST RECENTLY BEEN CONTRACTED TO PROVIDE THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE INSIDE THE LUBBOCK COUNTY DETENTION CENTER, AND THAT ALLOWS FOR THE CONTINUITY OF CARE BOTH FROM OUTSIDE THE JAIL, INSIDE THE JAIL AND THEN AFTER RELEASE.

AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIVERSION CENTER AS BEING A PLACE FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN OUR CONTINUUM FOR POST-RELEASE BOTH FROM INPATIENT HOSPITALS AND FROM JAIL, BECAUSE WE KNOW THE SOONER YOU CAN SUPPORT PEOPLE AFTER THEY'RE RELEASED FROM A HOSPITAL OR A JAIL THAT LESSENS THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY WILL RETURN TO EITHER PLACE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON, BETH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THIS IS JUST A BEGINNING OF OUR CONVERSATIONS HERE.

WE WILL EACH FOR THE CITY COUNCIL AND FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WILL TAKE THIS BACK TO OUR RESPECTIVE BODIES TO TO TALK SOME MORE.

SO I'M SURE THAT YOU'LL BE PRESENTING LATER TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT AT SOME TIME AS WELL AS THE CITY BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS.

I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DIFFERENTIATE THAT THIS IS NOT A.

HOMELESS LATRELLE, IT'S NOT FOCUSED ON THE HOMELESS POPULATION, HOWEVER, IT'S NOT TO SAY IT'S NOT PART OF A SOLUTION.

WITH WITH OUR HOMELESSNESS, BECAUSE SOME OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH, SOME OF OUR MANY OF OUR HOMELESS CITIZENS HAD MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND SO IT MAY BE CONNECTED TO SOME OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, BUT THIS IS THIS STANDS ON ITS OWN AS AS WELL AND A PLACE WHERE WHEN SOMEBODY IS BROUGHT IN, WHETHER THEY BE HOMELESS OR NOT, IF THEY'RE HOMELESS BROUGHT INTO THIS PLACE, THEN THIS IS THE THIS IS THE GATEWAY TO THESE COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER WITH HOMELESS SHELTERS, ET CETERA.

BUT IT IS NOT A HOMELESS SHELTER.

YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION.

STAR CARE IS A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, WHICH IS MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AUTHORITY.

WE ARE NOT IN THE HOMELESS BUSINESS.

WE PARTNER WITH PEOPLE WHO DO THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE DO WHAT WE DO.

AND BECAUSE WE DO THAT WELL AND THEY DO WHAT THEY DO BECAUSE THEY DO THAT WELL.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

BETH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

[5. Potential ARPA Funded Micro-Grant Programs, including but not limited to small business grants]

I ASKED THAT WE INCLUDE THIS ON OUR AGENDA.

I KNOW WITH TALKING WITH THE COMMISSIONERS COURT HAVE A REAL HEART AND A REAL NEED TO LOOK AFTER OUR SMALL BUSINESSES IN ALL OF LUBBOCK COUNTY AND AND THE IMPACT THAT THIS PAST 20 MONTHS HAVE HAD ON OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ALL OVER THE COUNTY.

AND SO WITH THIS CONVERSATION, OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE HAVE LOOKED AT HOLDING ON TO OR AT LEAST DESIGNATING SOME OF OUR ARPA MONEY TO HELP OUT SOME OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTY TO RECOVER FROM AND TO RESTORE SOME OF THEIR LOST REVENUE OVER THE LAST 20 MONTHS. TO THAT END, CONVERSATIONS WERE HAD WITH THE MAYOR WITH MR. ATKINSON ABOUT HOW DO WE DO THAT? HOW HOW DOES THE COUNTY PARTNER IN WITH THE CITY AND WITH ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN LUBBOCK COUNTY AND PROVIDING HELP TO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES? BACK LAST SUMMER, THE CITY OF LUBBOCK RECEIVED SOME MONEY FROM THE CARES ACT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO THEN HELP OUT SMALL BUSINESSES.

DURING THAT TIME, LUBBOCK COUNTY RECEIVED A MUCH SMALLER AMOUNT, AND SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO HELP OUT SMALL BUSINESSES AT THAT TIME.

BUT NOW WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

SO I'VE ASKED MR. ATKINSON. I'VE ASKED MAYOR POPE FOR TWO TO HELP THE COUNTY IF IT WERE IN HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES. AND SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THIS OVER TO MR. ATKINSON TO TO EXPLAIN THE PROCESS THAT YOU GO THROUGH THAT YOU WENT THROUGH SPECIFICALLY

[01:55:04]

IF Y'ALL WOULD DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SCREENS.

APPRECIATE THE LEAD IN IT WAS WELL DONE.

I'LL TAKE US BACK FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.

CERTAINLY THEY WERE HERE.

THEY WERE THE ONES WHO PUT THIS PROGRAM TOGETHER AND APPROVED IT.

IN JUNE OF 2009, THE CITY PUT TOGETHER A EXCUSE ME CITY PUT TOGETHER A PROGRAM USING WHAT AT THE TIME WAS CALLED CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUND DOLLARS TO PROVIDE MICRO GRANTS FOR CATEGORIES. ONE SET ASIDE TO PROVIDE RENT AND UTILITY SERVICES PARTNERED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE. TO DO THAT, THEY ALSO DO OUR REGULAR PROGRAMS THROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. SECOND PROGRAM WAS FOR MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES WORKING THROUGH LUBBOCK HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.

THEY ALSO ARE A STANDING PARTNER.

THE THIRD WAS CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE.

THAT WAS A HUGE NEED EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC.

WE PARTNERED WITH THE YWCA.

ALSO A LONG STANDING PARTNER DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB.

THE FINAL WAS A MILLION DOLLARS SPECIFICALLY TO BE PROVIDED TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS.

WE PARTNERED WITH MARKET LUBBOCK INC TO DO THAT, AND I'LL GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM THE CITY COUNCIL PUT TOGETHER.

THE LIST OF ELIGIBILITY IN A LIST OF MAXIMUM GRANTS, SO THE MAXIMUM GRANT WAS $4000 APIECE AS THE COUNTY IS, THE JUDGE MENTIONED.

THAT FIRST ROUND OF MONEY THAT CAME THROUGH WAS NOT NEAR WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY, BUT WE PUT A MILLION DOLLARS MAXIMUM GRANT OF $4000 FOR TWO TWO CATEGORIES.

SOLE PROPRIETORS OR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS OR A WORKER.

A WORKER WHO LOST THEIR INCOME OR HAD THEIR INCOME REDUCED BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

THIS PROGRAM WAS SPECIFICALLY STRUCTURED TO DO TWO THINGS.

PROVIDE SOME LEVEL OF HELP TO ELIGIBLE PARTIES WHO DID NOT RECEIVE ANY OF THE OTHER BENEFITS THAT HAD BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD AT THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

AND SECONDLY, IT WAS DESIGNED TO HAVE MORE INDIVIDUAL GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE AT THE LOWEST END OF THE SCALE.

SO IT WAS NOT A SIMPLE $1 MILLION POOL.

IT WAS DIVIDED 40 PERCENT OF THAT WENT TO THOSE WITH TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND OR LESS IN GROSS REVENUE OR EARNINGS.

WE HAD A THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS POOL IF THEY WERE BETWEEN 25 AND 50 THOUSAND AND A $250000 POOL FOR APPLICANTS FROM FIFTY TO SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND.

IT WAS A PROGRAM THAT MOVED VERY QUICKLY.

THIS WAS APPROVED ON JUNE THE 9TH BY THE LUBBOCK CITY COUNCIL.

THERE WAS A HUGE MEDIA AND MARKETING SPLASH.

THERE WERE PRESS CONFERENCES HELD IN THE LOBBY OF THIS BUILDING.

WE OPENED A SEVEN DAY APPLICATION PERIOD AND THAT WAS DESIGNED TO BE THE INITIAL APPLICATION PERIOD.

JUST GO QUICK, HELP THOSE THAT COULD GET TO US QUICK AND THEN WE GO BACK AND DO A SECOND ONE. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN THAT SEVEN DAYS.

WE HAD SUCH A RESPONSE.

THERE WAS SO MUCH NEED THAT THE ENTIRETY OF THAT POOL WAS SPOKEN TO.

ALL THE APPLICATIONS WERE TAKEN IN.

THEY WERE VERIFIED. THE APPROPRIATE AFFIDAVITS WERE DONE, CAME BACK TO THE CITY AND THE FUNDS WERE DISPERSED IN 15 DAYS FROM WHEN THAT PROGRAM LAUNCHED.

SO AS YOU MENTIONED, NEED AND THIS SHOWED IT.

WE THOUGHT SEVEN DAY PERIOD, WE'LL GET THE FIRST ROUND OF MONEY OUT THE DOOR.

WE'LL OPEN IT BACK UP FOR SEVEN DAYS.

WE'LL GET THE NEXT. IT WAS GONE SEVEN DAYS.

THE MECHANICS OF THAT PROGRAM, SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COUNCIL.

THE ACTUAL CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDS DID NOT LEAVE THE CITY OF LUBBOCK UNTIL THEY WERE HANDED TO THAT ELIGIBLE RECIPIENT.

OUR CONTRACT WITH MARKET LUBBOCK PUT THEM ON THE HOOK TO DO THE MEDIA, TO DO THE MARKETING. THEY HAD TO RECEIVE PROCESS AND RANK ALL THE APPLICATIONS.

THOSE WERE SENT BACK OVER HERE TO OUR FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENTS.

THAT WAS VERIFIED.

CHECKS WERE PRODUCED.

WE ACTUALLY OPENED WHAT TODAY YOU'RE ABLE TO PAY YOUR UTILITY BILLS OUT, BUT WE USE THAT RECEPTION DESK AND ACTUALLY MET THE FOLKS HERE IN THE LOBBY AT THE DOOR AND WE'RE ABLE TO HANDLE THEM, HAND THEM THOSE DOLLARS.

IT WAS A IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.

IT WAS VERY QUICK. IT CONSUMED THE DOLLARS THE CITY HAD AVAILABLE TO THEM AT THAT PERIOD OF TIME. BUT I THINK IT'S A MODEL THAT WOULD WORK.

SO THAT WAS HOW WE DID IT.

I THINK DEPENDING ON WHAT ULTIMATELY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE TOTAL.

[02:00:03]

I'VE ALSO BEEN CONTACTED BY A VERY WELL-KNOWN GROUP HERE IN TOWN, IN THE REGION THAT COULD ALSO HELP DO THAT IF NEED BE JUDGE.

WITH THAT, I'LL STOP AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS YOU MAY HAVE.

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL OR FROM COMMISSIONERS? I DO HOPE.

I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD AND PUSH YOUR BUTTON THERE SO WE CAN HEAR YOU.

JUST HOLD IT DOWN. I DON'T THINK A MILLION DOLLARS IS GOING TO HELP VERY MUCH.

I DON'T THINK THAT $4000 MAX FOR A BUSINESS TO APPLY FOR THAT WILL PAY UTILITIES AND THAT'S ABOUT IT. I WAS LOOKING MORE ON THE COUNTY SIDE.

IT'S MORE LIKE $5 MILLION, NOT A MILLION DOLLARS.

YES, SIR. SIXTY ONE MILLION DOLLARS AND ONLY ONE MILLION WILL GO TO SMALL BUSINESSES.

NOW WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST, THE PPP MONEY DID NOT GO TO SMALL BUSINESSES.

SOME OF THE EXTRA MONEY I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A LIST OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT WE HELP ALL THE CITY HELPED. SEE HOW MANY MINORITY BUSINESSES THAT ARE WORKING WITH MONEY THAT THEY HAD IN SAVINGS ACCOUNTS JUST TO STAY OPEN ONE MORE YEAR.

I CAN MENTION 10 OF THEM RIGHT NOW, AND I WILL EVENTUALLY I THAT'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO HELP OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.

I WAS IN BUSINESS, MY GOD, 30 YEARS.

FOUR THOUSAND. MY GOD, THAT'S A SALARY FOR ONE, FOR ONE PARTS MEN.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WAS IN THE OUTER FOUR.

THAT'S THAT'S JUST NOT THAT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH.

WELL, IN COMMISSIONER, YOU KNOW THAT WHEN WE WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, WE WE DID AGREE AS A COMMISSIONERS COURT TO SET ASIDE THAT $5 MILLION.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY, THOUGH, IS WHAT STRUCTURE? HOW DO WE GET THAT FIVE MILLION TO SMALL BUSINESSES? BUT I DON'T.

I WANT TO START WITH $5 MILLION.

AS FAR AS THE COUNTY INPUT IS NOT, NOT NOT A MILLION DOLLARS.

THERE'S NO WAY, NO WAY I WOULD SUPPORT ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

WE KNOW, WE KNOW THERE'S JUDGES, A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE HURTING RIGHT NOW, REAL BAD. THAT NEVER GOT HELPED.

AND I MENTIONED SEVERAL OF THEM TO YOU THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO START RIGHT? LET'S LET'S START, RIGHT? THIS IS WHAT THE MONEY WAS EARMARKED FOR BUSINESSES THAT SUFFERED DURING THE COVID INCIDENT. SO I FROM ONE, I'M TELLING YOU, THAT'S JUST WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER, SEE ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS THAT I HAVE WITH VISITING WITH OUR AUDITOR. THESE ARE GOING TO BE FEDERAL DOLLARS.

WE HAVE TO BE SPENDING.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FOLLOW FEMA GUIDELINES, WHICH ARE A LOT MORE INTENSE.

I'M AFRAID THAT THE AVERAGE BUSINESS PERSON IS NOT GOING TO REALIZE HOW MUCH PAPERWORK THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GENERATE AND GO THROUGH THE HOOPS FOR SO.

ON THESE SMALLER GRANTS, ARE WE GOING TO ESTABLISH SOMETHING TO HELP THESE PEOPLE TO FILL OUT THEIR PAPERWORK BECAUSE IT IS MUCH MORE INTENSE THAN JUST WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST? CORRECT. AND THEN ARE WE GOING TO BE FUNDING SOMEBODY TO DO THIS? LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WE MENTION LUBBOCK MARKET.

ARE THEY JUST GOING TO DO THIS FOR FREE AND HAVE A WHOLE LOT MORE PAPERWORK THAT THEY HAVE TO GENERATE BACK TO THE COUNTY? BECAUSE IF WE DON'T SPEND THESE CORRECTLY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THIS BACK.

UNDERSTOOD. NO, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT FOR NOTHING.

WELL, I WOULD NOT EXPECT THEM TO.

AS FAR AS THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS, WE SET THE LAST ONE UP.

PUSHED IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH BOTH THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL AUDITS, AND IT WORKED.

SO I THINK WE CAN SET IT UP AND DO IT THE SAME WAY THOSE PEOPLE CAME IN.

IF THEY CHOSE TO, THEY COULD DO IT ONLINE.

MANY FOLKS CAME IN AND PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER.

A PERSON SITTING THERE, THERE WERE FOUR PEOPLE DESIGNATED TO DO IT.

AND IF THAT'S ULTIMATELY WHAT'S DECIDED, WE CAN DO SOMETHING SIMILAR.

THAT'S THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE.

WELL, IT'S A VALID ONE.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THESE TWO BODIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF THE DOLLARS, AND THOSE THAT DON'T MEET MUSTER WILL BE REPAID.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE RPA GUIDELINES ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE FEMA GUIDELINES IS, IS THAT NOT THE CASE? MR. ATKINSON THEY'RE DIFFERENT THAN FEMA.

THERE'S SOME SIMILARITIES, THOUGH.

THIS THIS PROGRAM HAS GREATER FLEXIBILITY THAN WHAT WE SAW A YEAR AGO, BUT THE RECORDKEEPING AND THE REPORTING IS VERY SIGNIFICANT.

BUT THAT'S ON US, THAT'S ON US.

THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT ON THE END USER THAT BUSINESS THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED, RIGHT? CORRECT. WE'LL JUST HAVE TO ENSURE WE GET THE JUSTIFICATION FROM THOSE PEOPLE BEFORE WE ISSUE THE DOLLARS. HOW DOES THE CITY HAVE A PROPOSED AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU GUYS ARE

[02:05:07]

WE'VE TALKED MORE ABOUT BUCKETS.

THIS IS ONE OF OUR BUCKETS, BUT WE HAVE WE HAVE MR. QUARTERLY. WE HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER.

IT WAS FOR US.

YOUR LIGHT WAS ON AND I WAS OK.

COUNCIL MEMBER CHADIS THANK YOU, JUDGE.

I'M A TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH COMMISSIONER FLORES.

I DON'T THINK A MILLION DOLLARS IS A DROP IN THE BUCKET FOR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

NO, AGAIN, WE AS THE COUNCIL HAVE NOT HAD THE DISCUSSION YET.

TO BE DONE IN THE FUTURE.

BUT I THINK THE ONE MILLION.

IT'S NOT GOING TO DO THE JOB.

MY IT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER PATTERSON HARRIS, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FLORES WAS ASKING THE QUESTION OF THE BREAKDOWN OF THE RECIPIENTS OF THE GRANTS THAT THE CITY DID.

DO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE THAT? AND IF SO, AND IF WHAT WE INTEND TO DO BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE? WHAT DO WE INTEND TO DO OR HOW CAN WE DO THINGS SO THAT WE GET WORD OUT A LITTLE BIT BETTER? THIS GO ROUND THAT WE DID LAST TIME BECAUSE AS YOU NOTICE THAT AFTER WE GOT ALL THOSE FUNDS DISTRIBUTED, WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE KNOCKING AT THE DOOR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN AND USE THOSE FUNDS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD CREATE A OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO DID NOT RECEIVE FUNDS THE FIRST TIME TO COME IN AND THEN THOSE WHO APPLY AFTER THAT THAT MAY HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED FUNDS. THE FIRST GO ROUND WITH US TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE SAME.

I'M JUST POSING THE QUESTION.

ALL GOOD QUESTIONS.

TAKE THEM IN A LITTLE MIXED ORDER THERE.

THE CHALLENGE WITH THE LAST ONE, IN MY OPINION, WAS NOT IN GETTING THE WORD OUT.

IT WAS IN HAVING ENOUGH MONEY.

I MEAN THAT IT WENT SO QUICK.

AND YES, THERE WERE PEOPLE AT THE END AND COUNCIL.

YOU MAY RECALL WHEN WE ESTABLISHED THAT PROGRAM, YOU ALLOWED US TO MOVE MONEY.

IF ONE OF THOSE TIERS WASN'T BEING TAKEN UP, WE COULD SHIFT IT AND SHIFT IT AND SHIFT IT.

SO IT WAS A LACK OF ENOUGH MONEY TO MAKE A BIG ENOUGH DIFFERENCE RATHER THAN THAN HOW TO GET THE WORD OUT. I THINK WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO THAT.

THE REST OF THAT, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT BOTH BODIES WANT TO PROCEED, WE'VE GOT A FRAMEWORK. AND I THINK THE FRAMEWORK ITSELF IS GOOD.

WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT THE TOTAL.

I ABSOLUTELY THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT AGAIN.

WE FIRST STARTED OFF IF YOU DIDN'T GET PGP OR EDL OR ANY OF THOSE.

SO IT WAS IT WAS A SMALL AMOUNT, BUT IT WAS REALLY DESIGNED TO HIT THE FOLKS THAT DID NOT GET ANYTHING. I STILL THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUALIFIER.

I STILL THINK IT IS WHAT WOULD BE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNTS, ARE YOU GOING TO PUT AN INCOME LIMIT OR A GROSS REVENUE LIMIT ON IT? ALL OF THOSE, IF THE TWO BODIES CHOOSE TO DO THIS, WE ESTABLISH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WILL BE ABLE TO USE TO DO THE PROGRAM, TAKE THAT EXISTING FRAMEWORK THAT WE HAVE.

FILL IN THE BLANKS. WE'LL DO IT LIKE WE DID LAST TIME.

IF YOU REMEMBER, WE CAME TO THE COUNCIL TWICE, SAID, HERE'S KIND OF SOME DIVISIONS.

WE ULTIMATELY SETTLED IT, YOU KNOW, AND MOVE FORWARD.

AND I THINK WE CAN DO THAT.

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT EASIER THAN THE LAST TIME BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOMETHING TO START WITH AS FAR AS BREAKDOWNS ON THE INDIVIDUALS THAT RECEIVE THE FUNDING THE FIRST TIME WE CAN PROVIDE THAT.

GLAD TO DO SO.

THERE WILL BE CERTAIN PARTS OF THAT INFORMATION THAT'S NOT SUBJECT TO PUBLIC RELEASE.

AND SO THEREFORE THE BIG MONEY WIN, EXCUSE ME, THAT'S WHAT THE BIG MONEY WENT.

WAS THAT THE MONEY THAT YOU CANNOT? MAKE PUBLIC. I DO I STAND TO BE CORRECTED THAT YOU HAD OF THE MONEY, YOU HAD ABOUT $30 MILLION THAT YOU HELP OUT WITH WAS THAT THE AMOUNT THAT WE, THE CITY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION. THE WHAT YOU SAW TODAY WAS WAS NOT A PROPOSAL.

THAT WAS A RECAP OF WHAT WAS DONE A YEAR AGO, THE CIVIC CEREMONY THAT THE CITY RECEIVED THE SECOND TIME AROUND.

NOT THAT POPE MONEY, BUT THE CARE MONEY.

HOW MUCH WAS THAT FOR FOURTEEN POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS TOTAL? THE. ALL.

WELL, THE COMMISSIONER CALLING DIRTY SAID THE THE PORTION THAT THE INFORMATION THAT COULD NOT GIVE OUT, WOULD THAT BE REFERRING TO PEOPLE'S PERSONAL INFORMATION IDENTIFYING

[02:10:02]

DEMOGRAPHICS IS SOMETHING WE COULD LOOK AT, THOUGH.

I BELIEVE SO. COMMISSIONER FLORES PURPOSES? THANK YOU. SURE. MR. ATKINSON, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR OFFERING THE SERVICES OF THE CITY TO TO HELP ALL OF US IN LUBBOCK COUNTY.

WE WILL CERTAINLY BE LOOKING AT AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND AND I, FOR ONE, APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THIS CITY DID IN HELPING ALL OF OUR CITIZENS GET THROUGH LAST SUMMER. WE WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO HAVE BEEN MORE.

BUT NOW WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOW WITH WITH OUR ARPA MONEY, WHICH IS HISTORIC IN ITS AMOUNT TO TO COME BACK AND TO REEXAMINE OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND HOW WE TAKE CARE OF THOSE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ANY OTHER STATEMENTS, ANY OTHER WORDS THAT WE NEED REGARDING SMALL BUSINESS? YOU KNOW, I MIGHT JUST FURTHER ANSWER THE QUESTION MR. FORCE ASK ABOUT THE CARES FUND THAT FOURTEEN POINT ONE MILLION THAT WE RECEIVED, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT SOMEWHERE NORTH OF $11 MILLION OF THAT WAS SPENT DIRECTLY ON PANDEMIC RESPONSE. SO FIRST RESPONDERS, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, VACCINATION CLINIC, THE LIKE.

WE'VE GOT A FULL BREAKDOWN OF THAT.

IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PUBLICLY.

SO THERE'S. BUT THAT WAS THAT'S HOW THAT THAT'S HOW THE MONEY WAS SPENT.

SOME OF THE MONEY MR. ATKINSON TALKED ABOUT IN THAT MOMENT AGO WAS.

BUT DOLLARS THAT WE RECEIVED, IN ADDITION TO THE CARES FUND, CRF FUNDS THAT CAME TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THEY WERE ABLE TO USE FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE, MORTGAGE AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE. THOSE WERE THOSE WERE SPECIFIC BUCKETS.

CORRECT. THE THREE MILLION THAT THE COUNCIL SET OUT THAT WAS IN THIS PRESENTATION, THAT WAS ALL CRF MONEY, THE OTHER 10 WAS DIRECT EXPENSE AND THEN PUBLIC HEALTH BUILDING AND THE TOTAL OF THE 14.

AND THEN WE ALSO WENT INTO RESERVES FOR WHAT, TWO MILLION DOLLARS CORRECT FOR FOUR BIDS FOR BUSINESS RELIEF ALSO.

THAT'S CORRECT. THANK YOU.

YES, IT'S THREE MILLION TOTAL IS WHAT WE SPENT.

YES. OK. SO MAKE SURE.

YEAH, THEY GOT. YEAH, SO I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA.

JUST I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST ITEM, THE HOMELESSNESS PIECE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT CONTINUUM OF CARE AND TRY TO PUT TOGETHER MORE OF A PROPOSAL FOR YOU GUYS, FOR THE COMMISSIONERS COURT.

I THINK THE REST OF THESE ITEMS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THERE'S A AT LEAST ON ONE ONE AND ONE THREE, THERE'S A SPECIFIC ASK ONE TO THE BROADBAND PIECE IS BEING DEVELOPED AS WE IT'LL GET MORE AND MORE CLEAR AND, YOU KNOW, FINALIZED ON A DAILY BASIS.

AND THEN AND THEN FINALLY, WE NEED BOTH GROUPS NEED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BUSINESS GRANTS AND TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH JUDGE AND THEN MAYBE SOME GUIDELINES AROUND MAX, YOU KNOW, MAX GRANT, SOME OF THOSE TYPE THINGS, WHICH CERTAINLY THAT'S WITHIN OUR WITHIN OUR PURVIEW. YEAH.

AND SO FOR OUR CONTINUING CONVERSATION AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, WE WILL BE WE'VE ALREADY DETERMINED TO MEET ON A WEEKLY BASIS THAT WE WILL BE OUR FIRST.

OUR FIRST MEETING ON OUR WEEKLY MEETINGS WILL HAPPEN MONDAY, THIS UPCOMING MONDAY AT NINE A.M., WHERE WE WILL START TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THESE ITEMS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HOW MUCH LUBBOCK COUNTY WILL BE PROVIDING FOR THESE PARTICULAR PROJECTS.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

AND AS WE GO FORWARD, THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE OPPORTUNITIES.

MR. FLORES FOR US TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS.

AND AND WHILE I AGREE WITH YOU, MILLION'S NOT ENOUGH.

LUBBOCK COUNTY'S ALREADY SAID, WE'RE LOOKING AT FIVE AND AND SO WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE COMMUNITY TO TO HELP US OUT, COME TO US OR COME TO OUR PARTNERS HERE AT THE CITY.

BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU, MAYOR FOUR, FOR GETTING THIS MEETING SET UP TONIGHT.

WAS THIS NOT WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO SEE THESE TWO GOVERNMENTAL BODIES WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF LUBBOCK? THAT IS AMAZING.

YOU CAN APPLAUD. YOU BET.

THANK YOU. AND MY PRAYER IS THIS IS THE FIRST OF MANY, MANY MEETINGS TO COME, SO THANK

[02:15:08]

WE'VE LOVED HAVING YOU GUYS AND I'D OPEN THE FLOOR FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

LUBBOCK SEEING COUNCIL IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.