[00:00:01]
APOLOGIZE. OH, NO. THAT'S OKAY. NO, NO, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW I WAS ON. I COULDN'T HEAR
[Commissioners' Court Public Meeting on February 10, 2025]
YOU GUYS EARLIER. OKAY, IF WE COULD JUST GET AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT SO WE CAN GET AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT. AND I'VE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED ABOUT THE PROCESS AND WHERE WE'RE AT.WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING, AND WE'RE AT 90% OF DESIGN PLANS. WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO 100%. AND WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING PHASE OF THE ACQUISITION, WHICH WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT OF ENTRY FORMS FOR THE SURVEYS. AND IF WE WOULD NEED TO ACQUIRE ANY LAND USE, IT WOULD GO BY THE URA REQUIREMENTS. BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT. YES, MA'AM. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TAKING THE EXISTING DRAINAGE CHANNELS THAT RUN, WE'RE CALLING. THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS. ONE OF THEM WE'RE CALLING HALF DRAINAGE CHANNEL. AND IT IT RUNS CLOSER TO THE CITY OF TAB, WHICH IS WHY IT GOT ITS NAME. AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER CHANNEL. IT'S CALLED THE SINTON CHANNEL. AND SO THE GOAL OF BOTH PROJECTS IS TO PROVIDE FLOODING RELIEF TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE LOCATED. NEAR. AND AROUND BOTH OF THESE, THESE CHANNELS. SO THERE'S AN EXISTING DRAINAGE DISTRICT CHANNEL. CAN I SHARE MY SCREEN? YES. OR DO YOU WANT ME TO JUST KIND OF YOU CAN SHARE YOUR SCREEN. YOU HAVE SHARING PRIVILEGES. OKAY. THANKS. OKAY. CAN YOU SEE THAT? YES, WE CAN SEE IT ON THE BOARD. OKAY. SO THE TAFT CHANNEL IS GOING TO RUN FROM 181 AND GO SOUTH AND CUT THROUGH THIS NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT UP TO THIS ROADWAY HERE, 1944. AND SO WE'RE TAKING THIS EXISTING CHANNEL AND WIDENING THE CHANNEL ALL THROUGH HERE, THROUGH THIS AREA. WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WHERE WE DO OUR WIDENING, THAT WE'RE AVOIDING ANY MAJOR STRUCTURES AND SO FORTH. SO WE'LL WIDEN TO ONE SIDE AND THEN BRING IT BACK TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE CHANNEL. AND SO WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO FOR NOW, THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS GOING TO PROVIDE FLOODING RELIEF FOR THE FARMERS IN THIS AREA TOO. BUT MOST MOSTLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD. OR A SMALLER STORM EVENT FOR TEN YEARS. AND THAT'S BECAUSE. IN THE FUTURE. WE HAVE A LOT OF WILL BE ABLE TO 100 YEAR, WHICH IS NOT INCLUDED AS PART OF THIS GRANT. AND SO, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST GOING TO WIDEN THE CHANNELS. YOU AND GET READY FOR A NEW ONE. AND THAT IS. THE ONE THAT WILL BE. FOR THE 25 YEAR PLAN. AND. WE'LL GET A LOT OF GOOD MAYBE IN SOME CASES. SO THIS INITIAL PROJECT AND WITH THAT. BUT YOU WON'T BE ABLE. TO BE AGAIN FOR. A SMALLER. AND. MORE OFTEN. AND SO THEN WE HAVE. THE 17. AND THAT'S THE SAME SCENARIO FOLLOWING THE CURRENT DRAINAGE DISTRICT AND ALL THAT EXISTS TODAY. WITH MY NAME ON 88 TO 19 ONE. AND THEN ALL THE WAY TO THIS. POINT IS THAT. AND THEN AND SO. SO. YOU KNOW, WE'RE WINDING THROUGH HERE. WE HAVE SOME HERE. AND THIS IS NOT PART OF THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. AND THEN I CAN GO BACK OUT AND THEN YOU CAN SEE YOUR WAY THROUGH HERE. THE NICE THING ABOUT THIS ONE IS THAT THE ONE ONE BRIDGE IS WIDE ENOUGH TO TAKE THE WIDENING CHANNEL. AND ALL THE ADDITIONAL WATER THAT COMES INTO THIS CHANNEL. ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HERE. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO WIDEN. THIS EXISTING. REALLY IMPORTANT. AND SO. SO THIS WHOLE AREA. WILL BE ABOUT
[00:05:15]
25 YEARS LONGER THAN THAT. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SECOND HALF. IN SOME PLACES. AND AS WELL AS ALL OF THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS. AND, AND THE PROPERTY ALONG HERE AND ALSO WE'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND PROPERTY THAT WAS. AND THEN AND THEN THERE'S BEEN SOME DESIGN PLANS AND SOME DEVELOPMENT. AND EVEN THOSE HERE THAT HAVE YET. BUT I THINK THAT.OR WHEN HE SIGNED IN AS FAR AS YOU KNOW. WE ARE TAKING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT. AND SO IT IS BEING DESIGNED FOR, FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AS WELL. SO WITH THESE TWO, WITH THESE TWO PROJECTS, WE'RE HOPING TO SORRY, WE'RE HOPING TO ALLEVIATE THE FLOODING PROBLEMS. AND WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED ON THAT. THEY'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD TO TRY AND COME UP WITH THOSE ANSWERS. WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE JUDGE ON THESE PROJECTS IN THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A FEW POINTS REAL QUICK. THIS IS A COUNTY LED PROJECT, SO WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO GET SOME RESULTS.
HERE WE ARE AT THE BEGINNING STAGES OF LOOKING AT THE BOUNDARIES, THE LINES, THE EASEMENTS AND WHERE THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO OVERFLOW TO. SO WE DO NEED THOSE RIGHT OF ENTRY FORMS BACK SO WE CAN GET SOME SURVEYS OUT THERE. IT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE ALL ACCESS TO YOUR PROPERTY. WE'LL STILL GIVE YOU A CALL AND LET YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST RUN RAMPANT ON THERE, BUT THAT WILL GIVE US THE SURVEYS AND THE INFORMATION WE NEED SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. THIS IS TO BE A FAST PACED PROJECT. IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT. WE HAVE FEDERAL FUNDS. THESE FUNDS EXPIRE WITHIN TWO YEARS. IT'S USE IT OR LOSE IT. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO IMPROVE THAT DRAINAGE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP THIS PROJECT MOVING. THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE WE DO FORESEE CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING WITHIN AS SOON AS WE CAN GET CONSTRUCTION GOING WITHIN A YEAR, SO WE CAN GET THIS UP AND RUNNING. THAT WAY WE CAN PREVENT AND MITIGATE FROM FUTURE DISASTERS. IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS PROJECT? SO BASICALLY ALL YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IS ACTUALLY WE'RE LOOKING RIGHT NOW. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE ACCESS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND SURVEY, SEE WHERE THE BOUNDARIES ARE, AND SEE IF WE'RE GOING TO NEED WHAT LAND AREAS WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO MAKE THIS PROJECT WORK, WORKING WITH OUR ENGINEERING COMPANY TO GET THAT INFORMATION. SO WE DO NEED THAT ACCESS SO WE CAN PROVIDE A FAIR AND ACCURATE ASSESSMENT. ANNOUNCED BASED ON THAT. SO THIS ISN'T THIS IS NOT A STATE LED PROJECT. THIS IS WE'RE NOT WORKING WITH. WELL, WE ARE WORKING WITH TXDOT IN THE FUTURE FOR THE WIDENING OF THAT 181. BUT THIS IS A COUNTY RUN PROJECT. SO THIS IS THIS IS GOING TO BE SEPARATE FROM THE TXDOT PROJECT. I WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION GOING ON WITH THESE SEPARATE PROJECTS. THIS IS A SEPARATE PROJECT WITH THE COUNTY THAT WE ARE WORKING ON. WELL, I GUESS MY POINT IS, IF SOMEBODY WAS IN THERE DOING A SURVEY. BECAUSE THEY WERE SURVEYING AND THEY WERE SURVEYING THE DITCH, DRAINAGE DITCHES. UP THERE, AND HE POINTED OUT, WHICH IS NOT FOR US, IT'S SOMEBODY WHO'S GOT OUT THERE TO GET THE FUNDING TO POINT THE FINGER UP THERE WITH THE TRAINING. WE HAVE THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT. AND, YOU KNOW, IF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN OUT THERE DOING SURVEYING ON AREAS OR HAVE YOU ALL ONLY DONE THAT IF WE HAD THE RIGHT OF ENTRY FORM ON THIS PROJECT? YES, YES. I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S BEEN ANY SURVEYS FROM THIS PROJECT IN THOSE AREAS YET, OR WAS THAT ONLY CONTINGENT ON RECEIVING THE RIGHT OF ENTRY FORM? IT SHOULD BE ONLY ON THE SEASONS. SO ON THIS PROJECT WE HAVE NOT HAD SURVEYS. IF YOU HAVE NOT RETURNED YOUR FORM. YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE. FROM THE SURVEY FORMS AND THE SUBSEQUENT PROPERTY OWNERS. BUT WE ONLY RECOMMEND PEOPLE TO GET IN. ON THIS. OH, OKAY. I KNOW WHAT WE'RE OUT THERE SURVEYING THE DITCH AND WE'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW. I TALKED TO THEM OUT OF MY FLAT WITH PICKUP IN MARCH AND CAME OUT. OKAY. WELL, I'LL GIVE YOU MY CARD. IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES,
[00:10:04]
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME. WE DON'T WANT TO CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS OR ANY DISTURBANCES. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING FAIR, ACCURATE AND RIGHT AND GIVING YOU THE INFORMATION UP FRONT. WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO DO THIS. WE DON'T WANT WE DON'T WANT TO CAUSE ANY ISSUES.HERE. YOU GOT BACK THERE, BUT IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS AGO NOW. SO THE QUESTION. HE HE INFORMED ME IT WAS FUNNY FOR EXPANSION. AND FEATURES SURVEY. OKAY. I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. SO THAT WAS GOOD. SO YEAH I WASN'T THIS PROJECT WASN'T ACTIVE AT THAT TIME AND I WASN'T HERE. SO I CAN'T SPEAK ON THAT. BUT I DO APOLOGIZE IF SOMEBODY WENT ON TO YOUR PROPERTY WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION. THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY. OKAY. IF WE COULD JUST HELP GET THE WORD OUT TO THE NEIGHBORS AND THE PEOPLE AROUND AND SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME OF THOSE FORMS IN AND GET SOME ACCESS OR GET IF WE CAN WORK WITH US TO WHERE WE CAN GET THESE EASEMENTS AND RIGHT OF WAYS, AND MAKE SURE IF WE DO GO INTO YOUR PROPERTY, THERE'S JUST COMPENSATION OR WE WORK SOMETHING OUT AHEAD OF TIME, WE ARE ON THE URA REQUIREMENTS. WE'RE GOING TO HOLD TRUE TO THAT. AND WE WANT TO WORK WITH EVERYBODY HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND RESOLVE A LOT OF THESE ISSUES WE'VE HAD WITH FLOODING. I KNOW THE GROUND'S REAL DRY RIGHT NOW. WE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT HERE RECENTLY, BUT WHENEVER IT DOES COME, IT'S GOING. IT'S GOING TO BE HARD, ESPECIALLY WITH THAT GROUND AS DRY AS IT IS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP AS MANY RESIDENTS DRY AS WE CAN.
WE HAVE A LITTLE SPRINKLE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT DOES COME AND IT POURS, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT RUSH. AND WE'RE HOPING TO GET THIS MITIGATION PROJECT COMPLETED BY THEN TO WHERE WE SEE SOME RELIEF HERE IN THIS COUNTY. WHAT DO YOU HAVE FOR MANY, MANY 188 THAT'S THE TAFT OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE TAFT PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO SINTON? CAN YOU SPEAK ON THAT WHILE WE STOP AT 188 AND SINTON? THAT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL. GRANT APPLICATION AND SOME OTHER ENGINEERING. SO I'M NOT SURE WHY THEY DIDN'T STOP THERE ANYMORE. I'M SURE THEY WORK WITH THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT AND THE PEOPLE HERE IN THE COUNTY AND THE FLOOD PLAINS. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER DRAINAGE PROJECTS THAT WE ARE. WE ARE WAITING FOR FUNDING ON. WE'RE LOOKING FOR FUNDING, AND PART OF THESE HAVE ALL BEEN WORKED IN TOGETHER INTO A MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN TO WHERE WE CAN REALLY MAKE SOME GOOD EFFORT HERE IN THE COUNTY. SO IT'S ALL WITHIN THE MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN.
AND AS FUNDING COMES AVAILABLE, THESE PROJECTS SHOULD FLOW IN A PRIORITY ORDER TO WHERE WE COMPLETE THEM AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE, TO WHERE WE GET THAT RELIEF THAT WE NEED IN THE AREAS OF THE COUNTY THAT ARE OF CONCERN. WELL, WHAT CAN I DO FOR. THE 3000? AND NOT WORTH ENOUGH FROM 183 FOR THE TWO OF YOU? WELL, I THINK THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS, IS HOW MUCH MONEY PEOPLE GET. SO MUCH MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THE NEXT 15 MINUTES, NO ONE GOES ON TO SAY WHAT THAT NUMBER TEN. FINE. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I KNOW I MEAN, YOU CAN GIVE ME MONEY ON THAT, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE. SO DO YOU WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY? YOU CAN INCREASE THE VOLUME, YOU BEEN HELPING THEMSELVES. THEY DID. THEY HAD A AN ENGINEERING COMPANY COME DOWN AND DO THE MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN. AND THEY LOOKED AT THESE FLOWS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND HOW THE WATER WAS GOING TO FLOW. SO THEY DID GO INTO THIS. AND LOOK, I AM NOT THE EXPERT ON THESE MATTERS. SO BUT I KNOW WE HAD EXPERTS LOOK AT IT. WE'VE HAD 2 OR 3 DIFFERENT ENGINEERING COMPANIES COME IN, AND THEY'VE ALSO WORKED WITH THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT AND WITH OUR COUNTY ENGINEER AND WITH OUR FLOODPLAIN MANAGER IN THESE SOLUTIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED WERE PROVIDED FOR THE OVERALL PLAN OF EVERYTHING TO FLOW TOGETHER. AND THESE PROJECTS, THIS ONE WILL BE THE FIRST KICK OFF PROJECT. SO THIS IS THE FIRST ONE YOU ARE SEEING. BUT THEN WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER PROJECTS FOLLOWING WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, WHICH WE HAVE. WE HAVE NOT PHYSICALLY RECEIVED THE FUNDING, BUT WE HAVE BEEN GRANTED THE FUNDING AND WE SHOULD RECEIVE THAT FUNDING HERE WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS. AND AS THESE PROJECTS LINK TOGETHER, YOU SHOULD SEE THE BENEFIT IN DIFFERENT THINGS. I CAN GET YOU A COPY OF THE MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN SO YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER PROJECTS IN THE COUNTY AREA, AND MAYBE THAT WILL HELP WITH THE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE WATER IS GOING TO FLOW. BUT WE HAVE SAT DOWN AND HAD THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT AND
[00:15:05]
WITH THE ENGINEERING, AND THEY'VE DONE THEIR DATA DESIGNS AND ALL THAT, ALL THE DATA AND INFORMATION TO BACK UP THE PROJECTS THAT ARE MOVING FORWARD AND DO IT ALL AT ONE TIME. WE WOULD LOVE THAT. BUT RIGHT NOW. $25 MILLION COME AND GOES ON AND ON AND ON. ALL RIGHT. JOHN.YEAH. AND THIS IS THIS IS THE FIRST OF THE PROJECTS. SO AND AS THESE FLOW TOGETHER I THE WATER AS THE PROJECTS COME TOGETHER, THE WATER FLOW SHOULD FLOW TO WHERE WE GET THAT RELIEF AND THAT DRAINAGE THAT WE NEED HERE IN THE COUNTY. THEY HAVE THEY HAVE ALL LOOKED AT IT. THE NUMBERS HAVE COME BACK GOOD. IT'S A CONTINUOUS WORK IN PROGRESS. WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT'S THE FINAL. THAT'S IT. WE'RE CONTINUALLY WORKING WITH THIS AND WE'RE WORKING WITH IT.
AND WE WILL ADDRESS YOUR CONCERN. AND WE'LL LOOK AT IT IN THE WHOLE SCHEME OF THINGS AND MAKE SURE WE GET THAT MARKED DOWN. AND BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PASS THAT BACK TO THE EXPERTS THAT DID THE STUDIES AND THEN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. WELL, THIS QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED BEFORE AND I, I REMEM I GREW UP PLAYING ON THIS DURING MY. IT'S PROBABLY BEEN 40 YEARS. BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT SO WHEN I WAS YOUNGER THAT THEY WOULD FILL UP, IT WAS MUCH SMALLER THAN IT IS NOW AND THAT THEY JUST CUT THROUGH THE FINGER. IT'S DARN NEAR TWICE THE SIZE OF WHEN I WAS A CHILD, BUT CONTINUED. SO LIKE I SAID, MY LIFE IS A BIG PROBLEM. WHEN YOU FARM ALONG THE DRAINAGE FISH YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT THE WATER WHERE IT WANTS TO GO AND TRY TO KEEP ANY CHANGES MADE. I MEAN, IT MIGHT BE. AN EXTREMELY LARGE CONSEQUENTIAL MIGHT BE OKAY, THIS IS A CONSTANT WORK. EVERY YEAR WE DO SOME WORK TO DEAL WITH THE. LOSING PROPERTY TO THE DRAINAGE.
HERE WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT TO KEEP IT IN CHECK. MOST OF THIS IS AT OUR EXPENSE. SO WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT COMING IN AND MAKING THIS LIKE BIGGER. WATERS GOING AROUND THE BACK. AND MA'AM, I'M NOT AN EXPERT, BUT GROWING UP LISTENING TO HIM AND MY GRANDFATHER TOLD ME THEY WOULD DRAIN LAND. AND SO I MEAN. IT JUST IT APPEARS TO ME GULF DRAINAGE IS STARTING RIGHT HERE. IF I GO TO THE COURTHOUSE DOWN, THEY BUILT THAT THING AND HOLD. I GREW UP UNDERSTANDING.
WE BUILT. GREAT. AND THEN I PUT THE GOOD MONEY BY THE WATER. Y'ALL ARE DOING FOR ANNEX OVER HERE. AND HOLD. AND WANTED TO DRAIN AFTER THE FACT. THIS IS NATURAL DRAINAGE ALREADY. THIS IS AS BIG AS IT IS. WE FARM ON BOTH SIDES OF IT. WE ARE LANDLOCKED AS YOU CAN TELL IN THE MAP, THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT CAME IN AND PUT A WATER CROSSING. AND THEN WHEN I WAS.
1112, IT WAS NOT GETTING IT HAS NOT GOTTEN ANY LARGER. OUR FARMERS HAVE GOTTEN MUCH LARGER.
WE TEAR UP EQUIPMENT GOING ACROSS, BUT IT'S JUST PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH THINGS. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A MAJOR DEAL TO US. WE WERE TOLD THAT NORTH OF 188 IS NATURAL DRAINAGE. SO BASICALLY YOU'RE PUTTING A THREE INCH HOSE ON A ONE INCH HOLE, AND WHEN YOU GET ONE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FLOW WATER ANY FASTER THAN WATER CAN FLOW THROUGH THAT PROCESS. OKAY. WHEN THEY CAN GO IN THERE AND DO SOMETHING WITH THAT, THIS IS LARGE ENOUGH ALREADY TO HANDLE THE FLOW. SO.
I THINK ONCE YOU GET TO ONE AND GET YOU'VE GOT BRUSH IN THAT BIG, WHETHER THEY CAN CLAIM IT OR NOT IS NOT MY, MY ISSUE IS EVERY TIME THEY COME THROUGH US, THEY CLEAN THIS DITCH OUT.
THEY'VE GOTTEN INTO A SALT WATER STRESS. THEY PUT THAT FIRE TRUCK ON TOP OF THAT EACH TIME IT RAINS AND WASH AND DRESS SALT YOU. THAT WON'T HAPPEN ON THIS PROJECT. THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN ON THIS PROJECT. THEY WILL REMOVE THE DIRT WHEN THEY GO AND CLEAN OUT. OH, IF YOU WANT THE DIRT, THEN YEAH, WE'LL LEAVE IT FOR YOU. BUT YOU. BUT WE WOULD NEED TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING TO WHERE IT DOESN'T GO RIGHT BACK IN THERE IF WE CLEAN IT OUT, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST GOING TO RUN OVER MY ENTIRE LIFE. ALL MY BOYS WILL GO HOME. WE FINALLY GOT THEM TO START PUTTING IT BEHIND THE DRAG LINE WHERE IT'S NOT ON TOP OF THE HILL WASHING YOUR CAR, BUT EVERY TIME YOU WANT TO DRAG LINES, DO THEM TO DO THAT. YEAH, BECAUSE IT'S NOT FARMABLE, DOESN'T CREATE INCOME. WE STILL PAY TAXES ON THAT WOULD IF IT DOES AFFECT YOUR LAND, IT WOULD BE PART OF THE ACQUISITION. WE DON'T WANT TO AFFECT YOUR LAND. IT WOULD BE PART OF THAT WITH COMPENSATION FOR THOSE THOSE LOSSES. SO THAT'S THAT'S THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO SAY. NO. AND WE WILL WORK WITH YOU. I'D
[00:20:07]
LIKE TO, TO GET WITH YOU AND WE CAN SET UP ANOTHER MEETING. I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT INVOLVED. WE WORKED HEAVILY WITH THEM AND LOOK AT THESE CONCERNS AND ADDRESS THEM, BECAUSE WE ARE HERE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND DO THE BEST WE CAN TO MAKE THINGS BETTER. WELL, I WORK WITH THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT, SO I PERSONALLY WE DON'T. WELL, THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN HEAVILY LOOKED OVER BY THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT AS WELL. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE WENT ROGUE ON. WE'RE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR DRAINAGE DISTRICT. SO THEY'RE THEY HAVE LOOKED OVER THIS, APPROVED THIS, AND WE WON'T MOVE FORWARD UNTIL THEY APPROVE THE 100% PLANS THAT THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO WORK TOGETHER AND MAKE, MAKE A POSITIVE CHANGE. FOR YEARS. AND. I DON'T GIVE YOU ANY INFORMATION ON THAT. AND YOU. LET ME KNOW ABOUT THOSE. IF WHEN WE GET TO THE LINES AND DO THE SURVEY, THOSE ARE SOME THINGS YOU SHOULD ADDRESS DURING THE ACQUISITION PHASE. SO WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AND THE COMPENSATION THAT WOULD BE NEEDED. BUT WE WILL WORK WITH YOU. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO JUST LET YOU ALL KNOW TODAY.WE'RE HERE TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS. AND WE DON'T WANT WE WANT TO MAKE THIS PROJECT WORK. AND NOT A LOT OF YOU WORK. YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO WORRY ABOUT THIS, RIGHT? BUT. I SAID WHEN YOU COME OUT HERE AND BUILD THE HOUSE AND IN THE IN THE LETTER Y'ALL WROTE TO HIM SAYING, Y'ALL DO THIS TO PROTECT THE PROPERTY AND HUMAN LIVES AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO WHAT Y'ALL ARE ASKING IS BECAUSE THEY BUILT THIS PLACE AND A WHOLE LOT HERE. YOU WANT US TO GIVE UP PROPERTY, RIGHT? WELL, AND. IT'S MY I LIKE I SAID, I'M 60 YEARS OLD. I WAS BORN, RAISED. SO WE'VE BEEN IN THIS FAMILY. IT'S BEEN IN THIS RELATIONSHIP FOR YEARS, BUT I KNOW AND YOU KNOW THEY WIDENED THIS THIS LIKE I SAID, THE DRAINAGE FROM TWICE IN MY LIFETIME. AND THEY KEEP ASKING FOR MORE. SO I JUST THE ONLY FORWARD. LIKE I SAID WE FINANCIALLY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE DRAINAGE ITSELF FROM OUR FARM IN THE DRAINAGE DITCH. THE BIGGER IT IS, THE BIGGER PROBLEM. AND I COME HOME, THAT'S FINANCIAL PART TIME. AND YET Y'ALL ARE ASKING US TO GIVE UP LAND BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE BUILDING HOUSES IN THE HOPE. I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THESE THIS IS FEDERALLY FUNDED AND THESE PLANS DID COME ABOUT. THEY STARTED THE APPLICATION PROCESS PROBABLY FIVE YEARS AGO AND PUT IN THE APPLICATION, AND THEN IT WENT THROUGH A 2 TO 3 YEAR APPROVAL PROCESS BEFORE THE FUNDING WAS RECEIVED. THIS IS A PROJECT FROM HARVEY FROM THE EFFECTS OF HARVEY. SO THIS PROJECT WAS BROUGHT FORTH BEFORE A LOT OF THESE OTHER PROJECTS.
THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A WHILE. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS GRANT FUNDING TAKES A LONG TIME TO GET. AND WE'RE FINALLY AT THE PHASE TO WHERE WE'VE GOT THE MONEY AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. BUT THIS PROJECT ACTUALLY STARTED BACK ABOUT 5 OR 6 YEARS AGO FOR TIMING TIMING WISE, FOR YOUR FOR JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT WAS ABOUT THE TIME I GOT MY. OKAY. I LOST A BIG CHUNK OF MY HOUSE. OUT OF MY HOUSE, BUT BUT I DIDN'T COME TO YOU ALL AND OKAY, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY THAT HAD MY INSURANCE COMPANY OR PORTION OF IT THAT CAME OUT OF MY HEART. I JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO UNDERSTAND Y'ALL ARE ASKING US TO GIVE UP A. AMERICA'S FUTURE. DOESN'T MATTER. THIS MAN'S BODY, YOU PAPERS. I'M FINE WITH THAT.
EVERY TWO INCHES YOU TAKE IS TWO INCHES LESS. BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE A PROMISE. AND THIS I SAY. YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO LIVE OFF MY PLATE. WELL, WE DON'T KNOW YET HOW MUCH WE'RE LOOKING AT. AND UNTIL WE GET THE SURVEYS DONE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO KNOW SOMEBODY WAS GONE FIVE YEARS AGO? 4 OR 5 YEARS AGO, I CAUGHT THE MAN ON THE PLACE. I UNDERSTAND YOU CAUGHT A MAN ON HIS SURVEYS OUT THERE. WE DON'T KNOW IF HE'S RIGHT. WE DON'T KNOW IF HE'S WORKING FOR ANOTHER AGENCY. BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE CAN GET INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS RIGHT OF ENTRY TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY SURVEY A PROPERTY. WELL, SIR, THERE'S FLAGS IN THE BOTTOM THAT MAKES YOU THINK THEY GREW THERE. NO, SIR, I DON'T THINK THEY DO THERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW. THERE'S OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE DOING THAT. THAT'S THE WORST. BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF. I MEAN, I WAS NOT THE COMMISSIONER BACK THERE FIVE YEARS AGO. FOUR YEARS AGO. I DON'T KNOW WHICH
[00:25:05]
COMPANY WAS IN. THERE IS ACTUALLY A SURVEY TO FIND OUT WHO WAS WORKING FOR. NO, SIR.THERE'S NO REASON WHY I REMEMBER MY FATHER, I. HE'S NOBODY TO ME. I DID NOT HIRE A SURVEYOR AND WE DON'T HAVE SURVEY. I DON'T THINK AG3 HAS. WE DON'T HAVE SURVEYS AT THIS TIME. THE SURVEYOR WAS LOOKING FOR. I DON'T KNOW, IT'S. BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A WARM LAND. WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT? WELL, WE GOT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT. WE GOT TO LOOK AT THE SURVEYS TO SEE WHERE WE DO TOUCH UP AGAIN. I'M GOING TO THE, THE HUD. YOUR REQUIREMENTS ARE IN EFFECT. SO IF WE DO NEED TO TAKE IF WE DO NEED LAND FOR THIS PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD, WE WOULD LOOK AT IT. THEN WE WOULD WE WOULD LOOK AT IT. WE'D HAVE TWO SURVEYS DONE AND THEN WE WOULD SEND SEND AN OFFER. AND THEN YOU HAVE RIGHTS UNDER THE URA REQUIREMENT AND WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD IN THAT WAY. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE FEDERAL PROCESS BECAUSE IT IS FEDERAL FUNDS. THAT'S HOW WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS WHOLE THIS WHOLE PROJECT. BUT WE DO NEED SURVEYING OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT TOUCHING YOUR LAND, BECAUSE IF WE TOUCH YOUR LAND ON THIS PROJECT, WE HAVE TO COMPENSATE YOU FOR IT. OH, Y'ALL, Y'ALL ARE JUST LOOKING FOR IT RIGHT THERE, RIGHT THERE, RIGHT TO ENTER. AND THEN AND THEN WE WILL BE UPFRONT WITH YOU. WE'LL LET YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY COME BACK AND TELL US. AND THEN WE CAN WORK THINGS OUT AND WORK TOGETHER AND SEE WHAT THE BEST SOLUTION IS. SOMETIMES SOME PEOPLE WON'T HAVE ANY ACQUISITION. MAYBE IT'S TO MOVE THE LINE A LITTLE BIT THIS WAY, MOVE IT THAT WAY. BUT WE NEED TO WORK WITH THE RESIDENTS TO COME UP WITH THE SOLUTIONS. WHY YOU ALL DON'T MAKE THE. YOUR TUNNEL? YEAH, THEY COME OUT FOR.
SMALL BOBCAT TO GO IN AND CLEAN IT AND ON TOP YOU DON'T HAVE YOU KNOW. THAT'S RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IT. YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT TRYING TO MOVE ANYTHING ELSE. THEY'RE ALL GOING TO DO IS MAKE ENTRY SO WE CAN SURVEY IT SO WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING. AND SO. STAY WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THIS BLUE LINE. WE. DID YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA STAY IN THE BOUNDARIES OF I BELIEVE THAT SUGGESTION UNTIL WE GET THE SURVEYS AND THE INFORMATION WE NEED, I DON'T THINK WE CAN COMMIT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER TILL WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT. AND WITHOUT THE SURVEYS AND THE EASEMENTS AND THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION AND LIMITS, WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THAT. YEAH. WE NEED TO GET IT SO THAT WE CAN AND. NOT MANY WHERE THE PROPERTY LINES ARE. AND THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. WE'RE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING ON THAT RIGHT NOW, AND WE CAN GET A BETTER LINE ONCE WE GET THAT INFORMATION. START BUILDING THE HOUSE. WE GOTTA GET THE ENTRY AND TRY TO DO IT AT ALL. WELL, AND BE RIGHTEOUS ABOUT ACTUALLY GOING OUT TO GET YOUR PERMISSION SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO RUN US OFF. WELL, SIR, I'VE GOT SO MANY PEOPLE ON THIS PLACE AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU HOW MANY YEARS, BUT. I HAVE AN INJURY, AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT I DON'T KNOW. ALL BEFORE THEY PUT A. POINT, YOU KNOW, TOWN ON US AND.
SOME REASON I THINK IT'S A COUNTY ROAD, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO TRESPASSING SIGNS DECIDED, YOU KNOW, NO TRESPASSING. THERE'S NO MEANING. LIKE PEOPLE DRIVE RIGHT BY ANGLICAN. YOUR EMPLOYEES DOING BUSINESS AS WELL. SO RIGHT OF ENTRY. YOU KNOW I LIVE I KNOW I'VE DEALT WITH BAILOUTS AND OTHER THINGS OUT THERE. I'M A FIRM BELIEVER. PRIVACY. IT'S BELONGS TO US, RETIRES US. SO WHEN Y'ALL COME TO US WITH WHERE YOU WANT TO ENTER, WHAT GROUNDS YOU WANT TO GO OVER, THEN WE'LL PROBABLY KILL THEM. RIGHT NOW, I JUST THE ONLY WAY WE'RE NOT GAINING RIGHT NOW. OKAY, SO YOU REQUEST FOR US TO SAY WHERE WE WANT TO ENTER IN. AND WHAT WAS THE OTHER WHERE YOU WANT TO ENTER? YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE. TO STAY WITHIN YOUR FAMILY. OKAY, WE CAN LOOK INTO GETTING SOMETHING. OUR ROADS ARE NOT THERE. OKAY. THAT'S THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. WE'LL NOTE THAT AND LOOK INTO IT. WHEN YOU SAY MY GUYS ARE COMING ON THE PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, INCREASING ONE WORKER CAN STILL BE COMING OUT THERE OR DEPARTMENT AND OCEAN DEPARTMENT COMES ON THERE.
WHEN I ASK THEM TO MOVE PEOPLE. THAT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND IT. BUT YOU'RE SAYING YOU MIGHT BE SAYING, YES, SIR, I AM. NO IDEA I WHAT I'M ASKING YOU IS WHY PEOPLE ARE COMING OVER THERE AND
[00:30:01]
VIOLATING YOUR RIGHTS AND COMING ON YOUR PROPERTY. WHY? TALK TO ME? WELL, YOU WEREN'T YOU WEREN'T MAKING. NO, NO, WE DON'T YOU DON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE YOU MY FIRST PHONE NUMBER.YOU GIVE ME A CALL. AND I MEAN, I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY THOSE TWO WOULD BE ON THE PROPERTY.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU MY CARD IF YOU SEE ANYTHING TO WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE SOMEBODY OUT THERE, THEY SHOULDN'T BE OUT THERE. GIVE US A CALL AND WE'LL GET DOWN TO THE BOTTOM AND LET YOU KNOW IF IT'S OUR PEOPLE, OKAY? YEAH. NO, NO, THAT'S FINE, BUT WE'LL WE'RE AVAILABLE. WE'RE AVAILABLE IN HERE TO. THIS IS. YES. CALLING CONTACT AND HOW WE ARRANGE THEM WHEN WE GET THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT OF ENTRY. WE HAVE THE PHONE NUMBER AND THERE IS A PHONE CALL BEFORE WE ENTER ONTO THE PROPERTY. FROM THERE WE HAVE A WE HAVE A SPREADSHEET FOR ALL THE ONES WE HAVE, AND WE PUT THEIR PHONE NUMBER AND THEIR INFORMATION IN THERE AND CALL FOR ACCESS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO AT THIS TIME, IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED ONE, THEN WE DON'T HAVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER OR KNOW WHERE TO CALL OR WHAT TO DO. I'M SURE I HAVE THE RIGHT OF ENTRY. GRANTED, ONCE WE FIND THE ENTRY POINT AND WE CAN WORK WITH YOU, WE CAN. WE CAN WORK WITH YOU AND MAKE IT TO WHERE IT'S DOABLE.
YES. THANK YOU. MANAGEABLE. LET ME GIVE YOU MY CARD. WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE YOU GIVE HIM ANOTHER. I DON'T KNOW WHY IT TOOK ME THREE YEARS TO BUY INTO HIM, BUT IT TOOK ME THREE YEARS TO BUY INTO HIM AND GET HIM. HERE YOU GO. THAT WE ALL BOTH HAVE A COPY? NO. OKAY. YOU GOT IT FROM YOU. THANK. YOU. THAT CAN ALWAYS BE THE WHOLE CHURCH. YOU CAN ALWAYS GET AHOLD OF ME AT CHURCH ON SUNDAY. SO. WELL, THANK YOU GUYS. IS THERE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING WE CAN DO? OKAY. WELL, WE'RE HERE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU ON YOU. AND IF YOU SEE SOME ADDRESSES ON THERE AND YOUR NEIGHBORS, PLEASE TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO TRY AND GET THIS PROJECT MOVING AND OFF THE GROUND BECAUSE IT'S A USE IT OR LOSE IT DEAL. AND WE WANT TO TRY AND GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. SO. THANK YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GENTLEMEN.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.