Okay, let us pray. Most gracious Father in Heaven, we ask that you be with us and God is God, this body of the commissioner's court that they, that all of us who are responsible for, for maintaining peace and safety and security for this county and with a well-being being of the county That we make the right decisions with wisdom knowledge and understanding We know Lord that this is the day that you have made and we rejoice in it. We're glad in it no matter the circumstance And we know that you're with us even today and as and always thank you. We praise this in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you, Lord. Do you have a place? I'll play the lead to this to the flag of the United States America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation and a God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. On the Texas flag, I pledge to be in just the mid-to-6th, one state under God, one in individual. Thank you, gentlemen. Item one is for public input. For items not on the agenda, if there's any member that would like to address any attendance who would like to address to Mr. McCart, we ask that you please complete a public comment form. They're available on the side table. When to remind everyone please turn off your cell phones and pages. I find you if it goes off. Okay. We've got quite a few guests with us this morning in consideration of everyone's time and we also have a special event with our Office of History and Culture. So the first thing we're going to do is do item 3D on the agenda. This is a proof of a resolution recognizing Carolyn. Hello. And a rello. Am I seeing that correctly? She's here I think. It's coming. Not yet, but she's coming right? Oh, did I have that wrong? Oh, I beg your pardon. Okay. you party okay let's come back to it okay I'm kind of hold on a second here Sarah Boss yes come on up to the podium please we like to look at the people that were honoring right there then you're on camera. A great, to great. OK, this is item 3E on the agenda. This is a resolution honoring Sarah Voss for 14 years of service to Denton County. Denton County commissioners Court, Denton County, Texas during the regular session on the 21st day of October 2014 considered the following resolution. Whereas Sarah Voss detention officer for the Dettn County Sheriff's Office since April 19, 2000, will retire in October 31, 2014 after a 14-year career with Dettn County. And whereas Sarah began her employment with the Sheriff's Office at the front desk, and was later transferred to classifications where she was known for for thoroughness in her work and for training new officers and whereas during her time with them kind of Sheriff's Office Sarah continued training to achieve advanced knowledge of her job duties and whereas Sarah has faithfully and diligently distarts the duties and obligations of the office and trusted to her worked well with her co-workers and implemented the policies of the sheriff's office in an honorable and responsible manner, with vigilance for the safety and security of the families and citizens in Debt and County. And whereas the citizens of Debt and County are grateful to Sarah Boss for answering the call to service, for her commitment to duty and for the service she has rendered during her law enforcement career in tenure with Denton County. Now therefore be it resolved Denton County Commission's Court Denton County, Texas, that's here by extend this air bus, our sincere and grateful appreciation for her dedicated service to Denton County. We congratulate, sir, on her well earned retirement and extend our best wishes to her for continued success, happiness and good health in the years to come. And in open court this 21st day of October 2014, the chair also moved. Seconded by Commissioner Mitchell, all in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed, Cine? Very messy. Carrizy, Natalie. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You have a lot of support here today. You have a lot of nice support here today. We wish you a happy retirement. Is there anything that you wanted to say? I take no big sense you walked away. You're welcome too if you'd like. Okay. Well happy retirement anyway. All right. We do have another one here. Judy Stone's retirement. Judy, if you'll come on up to the podium please. And both of you, I feel, wait just a few minutes. We're gonna have a nice framed signed copy of your resolution for you. It's me. Yes, please. This is an resolution honoring Judy Stone for 13 years of service to Ditton County. The Ditton County Commission's Court Ditton County Texas during a regular session on the 21st day of October of 2014. Consider the following resolution. Whereas duty stone, Deputy Clerk 1 retired on October the 17th, 2014 after completing more than 13 years of exceptional service to Denton County Clark's office and whereas Judy Stone was hired by Denton County on August 1st of 2001 and for the last 13 years has served the citizens of Denton County with an exceptional level of customer service. Over the years Judy became an established vital statistics clerk who has been part of an award-winning team and recognized by the Department of State Health Services. Whereas Judy devoted employee has provided an outstanding level of valuable service in many, many laughs for the Ditton County clerk's office with her talent and charming personality, which has earned her the admiration of all that have had the opportunity to work with her. Judy also took pride in her work in that of the department. Whereas during all the time and said service with the Denton County Court's office, Judy has faithfully and diligently carried out her duties. And obligations while maintaining a high level of excellence and is conducted herself in a responsible manner as a representative of the department. Whereas Judy Stone's dedication to the Dinton County Courts Office has been appreciated and respected by all. She has been dependable and all around joy to work with and she will be greatly missed. And whereas Judy plans to enjoy the retirement by moving to Connecticut, excuse me, in spending time with her family. Now therefore be it resolved that didn't County Commissioner's Court didn't county Texas does hereby extend to Judy Stone, our sincere thanks, and grateful appreciation for her dedicated service to Dinton County. We congratulate Judy on her well-earned retirement and extend our best wishes to her for continued success, happiness, and good health in the years to come, made by motion of myself. Thank you. We have a motion by Commissioner Marchand. Seconded by Commissioner Coleman. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed, sitting. Motion to carry unanimously. You know, a lot of shy, retirees who come back up here. Come on up here, Judy. We're not done with you. Come on back up. Ron has something to do. Judy's been around the building and you always knew when Judy was around the building. I'm very happy to see you, James, the government center because of her laugh. And when we truly say that she had wonderful customer servers, you were the epitome of what a customer server's driven department and person looks like. And I've had a lot of fun with you, scaring you as you come around corners. And you know you're moving to Connecticut and leaving us Texans behind. But I'm gonna present to you a flag that has flown over the government center where you work for so many years and to take Texas to Connecticut and remind you every day in those Connecticut, Connecticut, whatever you call them, those flag that I want to present. That's nice. That's great. Okay. We're going to do one more thing and then we're going to go on to the Office of History and Culture event. Item 13A on the agenda is a presentation about the US Army Corps of Engineers of the Lake Louisville Booy plan. And we have a guest with us this morning. Where did he go? There he is. Come on up to the podium if you would please. Good morning. I'm going to hold you to it. He said he wasn't going to take long. So no, not at all. We don't mean to rush you, but... No, my mind understand completely. I've worked with cities that we've leased parts out to, marinas that we've leased those areas out to, as well as text.inttia on working on putting together a buoy plan around Lake Lewisville. So today you guys have the maps in front of you and so those are the areas that we'd like to have you guys approve our buoy plan so that not only the county or the county boats, the game warden boats and various city law enforcement that works on Lake, they'll be able to enforce those buoy plans or the buoys that are out there. They range from no wake buoys to restricted areas, especially those intakes along the dam. There's a couple hazard areas. There's some swim areas that we want to keep boats completely out of. Allow people swim in air, unambated. So we're just asking that to present this to you if you guys will approve this, look over it. Let us know if you have anything. I assume our sheriff is in his staff have looked over all this. No, ma'am, I just finished this up last week. Oh, okay. So, and the buoys are either placed out by the Corps of Engineers, text.intTA, the marinas, or the cities that lease those boat ramps from us. Nothing's put out by the county or the state. If you've visited with the cities on what this post plan is? Yes, sir. They actually presented their maps to me. I incorporated them into our core of engineering maps. I was looking here at little lamb and their new initiative and their new tours around there. Yes, sir. Yeah, that's why there is this kind of, it goes over to the new bridge now because their boat ramps over there So yeah, the cities have all worked with me as well as text out in those other entities Okay, are there any other questions from members of the court? All right, I believe we need a motion for approval Motion by Commissioner Marchant Chair will second the motion hearing no further questions or comments. All in favor please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed, Sen. Motion does carry. Thank you for your time, sir. Thank you. Jumping around here a little bit today. We're going to now go to item 3a on the agenda, which is presentation of ribbon cutting ceremony of the new exhibit at the courthouse on the square museum made in Denton County. And did you want to speak before we get some? I'm going to say something and then Peggy's going to say. We'll turn it over to Commissioner H. E. Well good morning. We have a great exhibit planned this morning because If you think about it, what does Cornmeal, bricks, lingerie, Sausage, superbow rings all have them common. They're all made in Ditton County. That's exactly right. And so we have a wonderful exhibit That's opening here in just a few moments. And before we do, I would like to thank some of the folks that help make this exhibit possible. We have some special guests here in the audience. First of all, I think Peggy Caff, she's an attendant. She's our past chair of the DCHC and our museum committee. Thank you, Peggy. We have Beth Stribling. She's our current chair of the DCHC. Peggy Riddle, our Office of History and Culture Director, Ross Shelton, where are you? Ross is here, if y'all please stand. Come on Peggy. Kim Cupid, our manager of collections, Joe Duncan's, our creative brain trust, and he's our creator of the exhibits. Gretel LaRue, Gretel is here. She manages our volunteers, and and is a wonderful job of recruiting our volunteers. And our docents Sharon Hubert is here. She, those of you are Sharon, thank you. Members of the DCHC, if y'all please stand, that are here. We have lots of guests from the DCHC. Connie Baker, he's on our Museum's committee. I'd like to, let's give all these people a big hand. I'd like to thank each and every one of you for your time and attention and loneliness items, giving us items, giving us narratives. We're very excited about this exhibit. We have so much to be proud of here in Ditton County, and especially our commercial enterprises. And these were stuff that were made in Ditton County. We're telling the stories of those businesses and those enterprises. And later this year we'll be talking about other retail merchants, longstanding merchants that have been here and actually sold some of these goods. But this is about manufacturing in Ditton County and Peggy's got some other thoughts. Yes, and I want to recognize the folks who came out this morning that helped us with this exhibit. It wouldn't have been possible without you. Our friends from Rabbit Hole, brewery, y'all stand up. Our friends, great, great place, Justin, wonderful tour. Our wonderful friends from Atmeigh brick one of Denton counties, oldest companies. Y'all please stand. And they are so gracious, they have loaned us baby clay today, which y'all are all going to have your picture made for. And then we have our representatives from Jostons. And did I miss anybody else? Applause. All right, let's let the board. The festivities begin. All right. Peggy, I don't know if you know this or not, but Jostons started in my home town. Oh. In all town in Minnesota, like two blocks away from where I grew up. Oh, see there's a connection. They followed me down here. Okay, we're going to take a little recess and court members they want us to climb up on baby clay out here for some picture taking. You for that? Okay, we're in recess. Okay. Okay. Commissioners Court is reconvened. Members, we'll go in sequence now. Item two is the consent agenda. The item's on the consent agenda that she needs to have some discussion on. I do need to pull item two B. There'll be no action on that because we have no inter-departmental transfers today. Do we have a motion? Motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Marchandall. In favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed, sen. Motion carries. Consent agenda today consists of 2A, which is approval of the ordermaking appointments. We have a new hire in the tax office. We have two new hires in the county jail, two promotions in the county jail. D-motion in communications and a promotion in public health clinical. Two C is approval payroll, two D is approval of building use requests from faith United Methodist Church for use of the court has done the square law in Sunday, December 14, 2014 from 430 to 630 PM. In connection with the with sponsoring a holiday fund that razor event for the Cumberland Children Center. To E is approval of building use request from Denton County Democrat Party to use the south side of the court has on the square lawn and parking spaces for a truck rally campaign event for Senator Latisha, Band of Pute for Lieutenant Governor on October 21, 2014 from 12 to 2 p.m. And 2F is approval of building new square lawn and on Saturday, December 6, 2014 from 2 to 6 p.m. in connection with sponsoring loss of S. Sandshop and possible performance groups on the line. All right, 3b is discussion and approval of a resolution supporting the legislative change to provide the sheriff's duties to apply for certification and to enforce the commercial motor vehicle safety standards act. You had lots of information in your backup. Do you have any questions or is there anything anybody wants to add? We have a motion for approval by Commissioner Mitchell. Seconded by Commissioner Marchon hearing no. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed, in any motion? Ms. Carrey, we have quite a few more retirement resolutions. I would just want to make sure that nobody else showed up. Correct? Okay, let's come back to those. Since we have some other business here, let's go to 4a, which is a public hearing approval, the replat of Denton. Northwest, the states, lots for our 1 and 14 are 1. Block D, this is in Commissioner precinct 1. First, we need a motion for our public hearing. Motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Mitchell. All in favor, please say aye. Aye, opposed, aye. Motion carries. Good morning, Stephen. Judge, commissioners. Public hearing has considered a replat in the Denton Northwest of states. The lot line between lots four and lot 14 is shifting over. Both lots will continue to conform to Denton County standards. We received two responses, both those in favor. This plate is recommended for approval by the DSE. Thank you. Is there anyone in attendance who would like to address Commissioner's Court on the issue either in favor of or oppose to the replat? Hearing none, do we have a motion to close the public hearing? Motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Marchant. On favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed, Cine? Motion carries. Do we have a motion to approve the replay? Thank you. We have a motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Marchant. On favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed, Cine? Motion carries. 5A is approval of the bill report. Payments from CSCD, Community Corrections, TAIQ. Sheriff's Training, Sheriff's Forfeiture, VIT, Interest, DA, CheckP and DA, Forfeiture Funds are all presented for recording purposes only good morning, James Swells. Or in Judge and Commissioners, I asked approval bills as presented with the five editions noted on a separate page and really, that's to expedite some P card payments. That's to expedite some P-card payments. And actually the last three are all service fees from the adult probation fund to the county. Thank you. Are there any questions from members of the party? I move for approval. Thank you. We have a motion by Commissioner Coleman. Seconded by Commissioner Mitchell. Hearing the questions on favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed to any? Motion carries. Six A is approval of exemption from bidding for the sole source purchase of taser brand conducted. Conducted electrical weapons products from taser international incorporated according to the provisions of section 262.024A7A of the local government code. We have motion by Commissioner Marchin. Seconded by Commissioner Eads, are there any questions or comments? I here none on favor please say aye. Opposed, Sainin? Motion carries. Eight a is approval of salary adjustment for Sina Monsby to correct a clerical error. The chair is going to move for approval. Seconded by Commissioner Eads, questions. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye opposed, Sinene. Motion is carried. 10 a.m. approval of the final flat for Harbor Village at Providence phase 6b. This is in Commissioner Prisntewan. I move for approval. Motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Marchant. Here in no discussion, all in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye opposed, aye. Nene. Motion does carry. 12 a.m. April of the 2014, 2015. Texas 1033 surplus property program application for the sheriff's office to participate in the Texas 1033 surplus property program. We have a motion by Commissioner Mitchell, seconded by Commissioner Eads, other questions or comments. You are none all in favor, please say aye. Aye, pose an aye. Motion does carry. 12b is approval, but then number five to the food services contract between Denton County, Texas and Aremark Correctional Services LLC is recommended by the purchasing department to sheriff's office and the juvenile probation department We have a motion for approval by Commissioner Marchand seconded by Commissioner Coleman other questions or comments You're not only favorfully say aye. Aye. Posting. Motion does carry. 12C is discussion in approval of a method pursuant to section 170.002. This Texas government code for the purchase of a firearm by honorably retired law enforcement officer in which one the purchase price shall be the price listed in the blue book of gun values to the firearm shall be purchased by an officer who qualifies under the act. Three, the sheriff's office and county purchasing department shall document the purchase and transfer the ownership by the firearm to the qualified honorably retired county law enforcement officer. Motion by Commissioner Mitchell. The chair will second the motion. I think this is a great idea This this is the Weapon that they carried with them while they were in county service and there are law enforcement career It is an opportunity to Take take that as a momentum of other years of service. I think it's nice Okay, here no further discussion. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Okay, 13B on the agenda is discussion and possible approval of requests for retroactively reacting personal information from commissioners court agenda packets. Yeah, go ahead, commissioners. We have a part of building policy that we have an application. Is your microphone on? Yes, sir. Okay. That member is part of the policy of the building use policy is that we receive an application from the applicant. That usually is, even if it's typed to fill in the blanks, there is a signature at the bottom of the page with the applicant's phone number as well as their address. We've had one particular constituent that had some trouble with that. And what happens is that if that's backup material provided to us for an agenda item, all the material is scanned then incorporated into that public document. When she went to scan to see if it got approved, I mean when she went to look at the if it got approved. I mean, when she went to look at the agenda and the documents associated with it and saw that it got approved, she also saw where her signature was also in the public document as well as her address. And so she did not like that. And I somewhat don't blame her for not liking that and said that she could be a prime candidate for some kind of identity theft. I think someone would have to look pretty deep into those documents to get there, but she has asked her multiple occasions even though we've given her legal answer about the redaction that is already public record. And John has given us an opinion that even though it's public, since it is public record, it's already been an agenda item. It's already been approved that it now becomes part of the permanent record. And to go back and redact that he didn't believe was, I don't want to say legal, but he didn't believe that we could officially do that or legally do that. We have talked about this in the Building Use Committee and I think we've got an answer to it of the application itself and having a separate signature page that a person will sign their name, give the pertinent information and then not include that signature page within the agenda. I think from here going forward we have an answer to that unless we all excuse me for acting that we already redact the social security number. Can't could we not do the address also? Add I don't know that we've gone back and forth. I'm talking about in future applications. Yeah, I think that if that's on the signature page or whatever we choose to redact at that time, but once it's placed on the agenda, and then it's moved on by this body, then it becomes part of a permanent record. Is that correct, John? Oh, yes, Mr. The backup materials are entered into the public record and maintain the County Clarks office. They're there forever. Going forward, I think you're correct. If you want to be able to redact it out of the backup material before it's acted upon. It probably only, the only satisfactory thing you could do in this instance would be pulling things down offline, I mean online. And you could take things off online, you could take things off, you could take things, remove things from being online that are currently there, but otherwise these records are still going to be available to the public upon request and available in the County clerks office. There's no way to make them redact information from these documents. And I think the lady that's involved in this situation understands, makes she understands there's no way to make them redact information from these documents. And I think the lady that's involved in this situation understands, makes she understands the fact that they're public records and that they're available somewhere. I think her issues seems to come along. Well, can this body, through an action by this body What can this body through an action by this body ask that that particular page of that document be pulled down off the Internet site? I think the court can take action to limit whatever it is you decide to place online under your website. I think we really got two questions here. One is what's already been done. Are we not going to do something about that? Then the second question is, from this point going forward, which is an easier one, make a policy change that the address, we already redact the Social Security number, but the signature also, maybe we need to make that a separate page and just not submit it with the backup material that gets posted on Commission's Port of Jenna. But the big question at this point is what we do about what's already public record and what we have authority to do. Other member having any kind of thing you can do anything about stuff in the past. It's already there. Go with the county clerk that's on the Internet. That's really up to the county clerk. Our agenda is posted online and then all the backup. Our agenda is posted back up. And I don't think you can post, you know. Even if it's not a record, just feel public record, you know. Yeah, it's still public record. Let me, let me. If you're a doctor, it's altered. You can't alter it. Yeah, you can't. That's right. Let me ask this question. Have you talked to Kevin Carr about I mean, obviously the record is permanent record with a kind of class office, but as far as availability online, have you talked to Kevin Carr about pulling a section of what's available on it? I have it because I didn't believe that that was possible. I don't know. It's like a lot of work. And frankly, if somebody wants to find your phone number and home address, it's pretty easy. You just get on the CAD and home address. It's pretty easy. You just get on CAD and public data. I don't think the address is the issue is the the the actual signature of the person. That's what she had the biggest problem with is that her actual signature that someone could take offline and then duplicate that signature at any time. There are key other sources where people can find copies of your signature depending on what transactions you've been engaged in and if they're recorded and that's the public record, especially real estate records. We know that. I don't think a lot of effort, but it's also our boards and committees, they all, the forms that they side. I Use that all those all have original contact people because you want to talk to your board memory go through their application by the contact information There's signatures So what I'm hearing hearing being said is that if If we do it for one will need to do it for all and and that would probably be so prohibitive as far as, wow, yeah, that's a lot of work. And I would like just to point out as well, we have our current online system from 1998 forward, but we also have paper vision which goes backwards. So I know that I have found records up to 1965 on paper vision and all of that is available online. So it is, you know, whatever you guys want us to do, but it's also how do we do it? I think right now, the main thing is, from this point forward forward to have some protections there for the signature and the address and of course the Social Security number and phone number. At the same time, because it makes me wonder, you pass on the applications to the department heads and elected officials to be interviewing these people. And if you don't have the phone number, how are you going to do that? So maybe we need to rethink about putting those applications. Okay, where it's kind of sticky wicket because it needs to be in the backup material for a commissioners court but it doesn't need to be part of the public record. and they were right through everything online. And that's the problem. Long time ago, they lived in a line, so you didn't have to worry about it. But then everything was online, so I don't think you get around with this because you kind of look aboard the side of the system when I go to really mind, give me a kiss at the time. Okay, let me ask a question. When we have something that goes through the purchasing process, the bid information, that's a confidential agenda. So maybe the confidential until the bid is made. Well, that's true. The information is not understanding it from Beth, but purchasing is the way our system works. She's able to mark the information so it is not online until after contracting basically. And it's from contracting forward that it becomes part of public record in that way. The other process just to think about is if we have a confidential agenda for every time there needs to be a board appointment or a building usage, that's every agenda would require a public one as well as a confidential one. So it's not an impossibility. It's just we would need to know the exact direction the court would like to go because we have set up the policy and the procedures based on what the court wants. So how, you know, we just need to know at what point to put what online. It's not that we haven't given an answer. What we believe to be a definitive answer to this person that she's just somewhat adamant and, you know, and has a legitimate concern. I believe about her signature but not having a full knowledge that would be placed in online and that's part of the transparency of government that we all work for. But I'm not for going, I believe that we do it for this particular person. We're going to have to redact and set ourselves up for going back to the 60s. Yeah. So we, we, and the reason we, I, we put it on the genders that because she's very, very persistent about it and wanted some kind, Wanted it, wanted instead of us saying no, she wanted someone higher up if it was going to be said no. So. Any reporters? Okay. I think we are unanimous in our thinking as far as not going back, but I think we need to take further look at going forward to make sure that we're addressing those concerns. So documents that we know would be on an agenda, everything we do is public but not documents that people are signing, board applications and disclosures and those have a notation on the bottom. This is part of the agenda packet, which is public. I think you just said this is part of a agenda packet, which is public record. I mean, just to disclose that, I think that would be a... I think that's a good idea. I don't want to start not disclosing that. I agree. Edo, who's applying to do stuff on the square? Let's get together with Amy to see if there's maybe a better way we can do the applications as far as being part of the department. Climate application. It's appointments for a board. Oh, you just have board appointments. I beg you pardon me. Okay. Are you sure people's employment files, except for other stuff, are open records? HR backup that shows their resume and all that. That's on the page. Employment files certainly are open records with certain restrictions and the applications have some of that information on them. They're not required to be part of the court record. But I've sent to the departments and they're sent to you for your information, but we don't post them online for that reason, because they're security, no persons. I'll bet. New I saw them, I just would have heard. But if there was an open record request of the HR backup, is that excluded? It's just not part of the standard agenda packet. We would redact the information that's not public record. Answer your question. Yes. Okay. Okay. Okay. I guess we don't need formal action on that or do we? Not really. I think it's a little matter of policy. But I think on the document itself you can say this is a public record. Yeah, I think so. We do for sure. We need to do that. Okay. I'm sure we need to do that. Okay, living right on to item 13c on the agenda, which is discussion in approval of any appropriate action. We're not in Ebola in North Texas region, and we have a PowerPoint presentation this morning. Morning, Matt. Thank you for waiting. Good morning, Judge and commissioners. Chief Gonzalez is gonna be assisting me, I think in this presentation, as he's been an important part of the response his staff as well. I'm going to move through these slides, but obviously feel free to ask any questions as we go through. I'll try to respect your time. But if I don't give sufficient detail, stop me and we'll hit the highlights. efficient detail stop me and we'll hit the highlights. This is actually a situation report as sit rep on the Ebola response with Dintin County in particular, but we are gonna talk about some general topics. Ebola is an infection of a virus. It's a filovera day. It's an Ebola virus. The one that has been detected in this current outbreak since 2012 that did in fact come to the US and to Texas. Is Ebola virus? It's the Zaire Ebola virus. That is the most common Ebola virus globally. This current outbreak is a 99% match to the African Ebola virus. As best scientists can tell, that matches is almost precise. Ebola viruses were first discovered in 1976 around the Ebola river, hence the name. This last bullet on this slide is what scientists are still debating and that is the reservoir host. They believe that it is in bats in Western Africa and it transmits to humans and humans are then the most efficient reservoir and can pass it human to human very efficiently as we've seen. These are the signs and symptoms. You can see why this is an issue because those first four are flu-like illness. So whenever you hear about flu-like illness, there they are. Those last signs and symptoms are the GI components that progress with an Ebola infection and really in fact are responsible for half of the mortality. Where are Ebola outbreaks currently? These are large outbreaks. When we say West Africa, we actually mean three countries. We mean Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Nigeria was associated. we'll talk about that in a minute, but that is no longer the case, as we'll see, that outbreak has burned through and is no longer active. But these are the countries. And so when we talk about travel to West Africa, and this has been a really difficult thing to hammer home, I think, in the public media, because the continent of Africa has been, I think, in the public media, because the continent of Africa has been, I think, targeted when it comes to travel. These countries are where current outbreaks are occurring, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia. And so when we talk about a case definition of Ebola, that is one of the elements, recent travel to those three countries. If there are active cases or an active outbreak in another country, we'll add it. But that is not the case as of this morning. Okay, I don't know if you can see this. I apologize for the font. I took this directly off the CDC website. These are the case counts of Ebola as of yesterday from the CDC's website in conjunction with the WHO, the World Health Organization. Countries with widespread transmission. This is just what I discussed. The three Western African countries. You're going to see there, 8,973 total cases, 4484 deaths. So you've got a case fatality rate of right at 50% when you aggregate all three countries. As you can imagine, when it comes to a communicable or infectious disease that is unprecedented. Having a one out of two fatality rate is shocking and it is critical being an understatement. Countries with travel associated cases, meaning someone went to that country, but there has not been a human transmission in that country, is Senegal and Spain, and then countries with localized transmission and imported case, if you will, from West Africa. Nigeria had 20 of those and they had eight deaths. Nigeria is now no longer on the list. We have not continued sustained transmission. So they're their contact tracing basically the monitoring the monitoring period in Nigeria has expired and we no longer collectively believe that Nigeria is a country where there is continuing human to human transmission. The United States, we are on the clock, we have three cases, and we are still monitoring those contacts of those three cases. And we're going to talk about when those monitoring timelines expire. But we are on the clock with localized transmission. When those timelines expire, we'll be taking off this list as the United States pending no additional cases. Okay, again, I apologize for the size of the text, but I really believe this is some of the best, the best description of the timeline for Mr. Duncan, the implicated case in Dallas County. I'm not going to read all of the text, but I am going to note that at the beginning of your timeline, you see September 19th, Mr. Duncan departed Liberia. And he did have, he did have contact with an active case of Ebola. He arrives in Dallas to visit relatives. He feels ill, begins displaying signs of symptoms on the 24th. On the 25th, he went to Dallas Presbyterian. On the 28th, he returned to Dallas Presbyterian, where he had been excused just a few days before he returns. He's admitted under strict isolation. He is then tested, and the contact tracing really began the day before September 30. But the contact tracing began whenever they submitted his blood for testing. And then you see between September 30th when he was tested to October 8th, his disease progressed aggressively and he did die on October the 8th. One of the reasons we want to lay this as a foundation in index case in modern epidemiology is critical. The more we know about the first case and how they got it, the more we understand the transmission moving forward, which explains some of our next steps. Whenever that blood was tested, sent for testing, I spoke with the Commissioner of Health. For the State of Texas, Dr. David Lakey spoke with the Assisted Commissioner of Health, David Gruber. We really talked about a Metroplex approach to contact tracing and finding these contacts of this index case. We also talked about case definitions and adhering to those. We talked about following the science. And that's what this slide is. So we see this first bullet cannot be emphasized enough. You're going to hear me say it more than once, and that's on purpose, because I think repetition is the mother of mastery on this. You cannot transmit a disease from a contact to a contact. To get a disease, you have to be in contact with an actual case. That is critical. And as we talk about when the media and when we talk about the hype, really the panic and pandemonium has been the misunderstanding of this first bullet. And by the way, the science of this has not changed. This has been consistent and has been born out, I think, through the development of this outbreak and this cluster of disease in the US. Ebola is not known to be airborne. I put that in red. That is on purpose. The World Health Organization, CDC, and Doctors Without Borders confirmed this point that within this outbreak from 2012 to today in Western Africa and even born out in the United States, we do not believe that this disease is airborne. That is further highlighted and underscored by the fact that the family members of Mr. Duncan who lived with him in an enclosed space for several days did not contract Ebola. So let that sink in. That again highlights it is not airborne. Now I always offer the caveat that science can change, and viruses can change, but that has not happened here to four. Since 1976 until today, the science is consistent, and that is very, very important to the first point. A contact of a contact can't give it to you. It's not airborne as well. Federal and State Communications have led to public misunderstanding, I think. Locally, we focus on this science and the current situation. When the science changes, then our interventions will change. In our application of strict isolation and quarantine will change. But until the science changes, the public health law and the application of it will not. Quarantine isolation are only demonstrated for direct contact and signs and symptoms with fever. So that is consistent with tuberculosis. It's consistent with any communicable or infectious disease that you must have signs and symptoms and be a direct contact before we will quarantine and isolate you. And there are some exceptions. The current contacts of the active Ebola cases are under voluntary quarantine. They are under some verbal commitments that was requested by the State Health Department. And it's bound on that map. Yes, so the contacts have been asked. But if they're not voluntary. If they are not voluntary, we do that bottom point, so I appreciate that question. So the bottom point, and really this voluntary access is for us to monitor the contacts. Our health department is currently monitoring 21 in my presentation I have 20 because the number was 20 last evening this morning that changed to 21. One of the local jurisdictions turned over a resident to us for continued monitoring that we were previously unaware of so that number now 21. But if they do not comply with our verbal requests and if they do not offer us access to them for monitoring We submit a control order by the health authority that is Authorizing us as a local health agency and section 81 Also the powers abdicated to us in section 121 of the Texas Health and Safety Code So we provide a control order if those individuals break the control order and continue to not comply, we then apply a court order. Obviously, if the court order is violated, then they can be detained. You put a finer point on the monitoring. How it went to voluntary, that too in another slide, but that monitoring consists of minimum of two phone calls per day from the Denton County Health Department staff asking for temperature checks and for signs and symptoms and then for some of the contacts we require if they were a high or a low risk designation, we actually do a face-to-face communication, we actually go and interview the patient face-to-face and we have actually do a face-to-face communication, we actually go and interview the patient face-to-face, and we have them do a temperature check in our presence, we read that temperature, we log that, we send it to the state health department, and the Centers for Disease Control, and we do that daily. As you can imagine, that takes a lot of work by our staff, but we do that, we have done that in other instances, TB being a very good example where we do directly observe therapy where we hand them a pill with a contact to Ebola. We don't hand a pill. We actually watch them take their temperature. We monitor them for signs of symptoms, put it in a log, submit the log to the state health department and the CDC daily. And that does happen daily until the end of monitoring. Okay, so this is an important slide and we may come back to this slide. Here is the outbreak and again this is, it's a lot of small text. I apologize for the font but it was a great, it was a great slide because it shows you the timeline in the blue of Mr. Duncan. He is our index case. He's the first case. And then you see the two red lines which are the nurses who were involved in his care, particularly at the end of his life. At the end of an Ebola patients life, and I don't have a slide for this, but the viral load of a patient becomes exponential. So as each day progresses, and actually in each hour progresses, the viral load probably doubles or quadruples. And so the patient becomes much, much, much more infectious and contagious. And in fact, by the end of their life, because of the manner of their illness, including the sometimes uncontrolled bleeding, the hemorrhaging, this hebole is a viral hemorrhagic fever. So there is bleeding, there is vomiting, there is diarrhea. All of those things contributing to a very, very difficult clinical space. The patient is difficult to take care of, and they have a very, very high viral load, and those fluids contain lots and lots of viral particles. And as the patient worsens those viruses, those viral particles again are increasing. And so at the end of a patient's life, at the most serious critical point of their life in this disease, they are the most contagious. And you actually see that borne out in the science here. Both Nina Fam, the nurse, and Amber Vincent attended to Mr. Duncan at the end of his life, and they were in fact exposed. Nina Fam, then you see she was exposed on or about the 10th to the 12th. Again, that direct time of exposure and the direct way of exposure remains unknown. And then there's an incubation period. That incubation period, and I say exposed on 10th or 12th, that's not right. Exposed on the 5th through the 8th prior to Mr. Duncan's death. So that exposure happens, you see the incubation period, and then nurse fam becomes symptomatic on the 9th or 10th, and then you see she's tested, and then November the 4th will be the last day. That's when the monitoring for people who have come in contact with nurse fam on November the 4th is the last day those contacts, that's the last day their monitoring will take place. So their monitoring will expire on November 4th. And I've got a slide for that. Amber Vincent, same thing. There's some discussion about when she was symptomatic as well and this flight, we did pick up 14 contacts from the flights. I will tell you that when we talk about the science, those flights are very, very minimal. When we talk about risk, there are lots of reasons for that. One, remember, it's not airborne. So just because you were on and enclosed aircraft with a contact of a case. Remember, at that point, she was a contact of a case. Remember at that point, she was a contact. She was not symptomatic. There's some discussion of she was symptomatic on the return flight. But she was not symptomatic on the outbound flight. The return flight is symptomatic. She does have a low grade fever. Her viral load is to assume to be very, very low. But again, not airborne. So we're talking about people who may have had direct contact with her. However, the CDC under public pressure and pressure from the State Health Department in Texas has included everyone on those airplanes to be assumed as a contact. Because of that assumption, we now have 14 contact from that flight, including the one that we got this morning. Okay, so that's the timeline of the known cases of Ebola in the United States. People testing positive for Ebola. What does the Health Department do? The disease detective work, our epidemiology, that's the science of epidemics and tracing communicable infectious diseases. All right, what we do in public health with the assistance of other agencies, we do contact tracing. This has gotten a lot of press. We talk to the Ebola patient and we talk about who you've been in direct contact. We then monitor the contacts. That monitoring, as we've discussed today, consists of two phone calls and depending on the level of contact, it may involve a health department employee one of our nurses or one of our epidemiologists to come to your house, take your temperature and do the sign and symptom screen in person. We monitor those contacts for 21 days. People ask, where do we get the 21 days? The science of contracting this disease, we have evidence of contracting it as soon as two days after contact with an Ebola case and as long as three weeks. There has never been a case since 1976 of Ebola virus for someone contracting the disease longer than 21 days of exposure. In fact, it's very much most often seven to ten days. By the way, both of all three of the cases fell within a seven to ten day incubation period in the U.S. That seven to ten day is critical. But in a theoretical scientific sense, it is possible theoretically to get Ebola as far out as 21 days. That definition, as of this morning, has not changed. Should there be a demonstrated documented case, we will elongate that monitoring period. But to date, that's not the case. If no symptoms after 21 days, they're not at risk. Again, that's the science as of this morning. Contact tracing process repeats with each new patient. If we identify an additional case of Ebola from the contacts that we've identified, we will then find their contacts. We will continue the process until there are no cases. By the way, that has happened in Nigeria. There are no new cases. They are finished with their contact tracing. They're 21 days of expired on every case for every contact so they're done. We hope to have that happen in Texas and in the United States quickly and I will show you how quickly. This is a slide about all of the contacts, SANT contacts, SANS the one for this morning. So don't forget this morning we did add a contact so we are now at 21. I don't have the information for you for the last date of monitoring of this morning's contact. I think our staff was interviewing that patient and we were getting records from another jurisdiction. The green is the good part. Those are two healthcare workers who have passed their monitoring period. That's really, really good. We like the green. So the green has already passed. who have passed their monitoring period? That's really, really good. We like the green. So the green has already passed, you see. What is next is Halloween, so that khaki color. Those are the flight contacts that will, their monitoring period will pass on Halloween, so on November 1st, they will no longer be at risk. Again, meeting the definition. And then you see the blue blue the first week in November We have additional both healthcare workers and flight contacts because they were on that that return flight Those contacts their monitoring will expire on November the third and then you see in red That's the date currently we're pursuing. November the fifth will represent the cessation of all monitoring of any Dinton County resident for Ebola if we do not have any additional cases. Does that make sense? Okay. Did it in county response? In general, this is what's happened with people talking about preparedness. This was some of the preparedness efforts that have been ongoing since 2002, really, until this week. So these are some general preparedness topics after the anthrax attacks in 01. So after October of 2001, the CDC and local health departments along with the state health department identified what we call category A agents. Viral hemorrhagic fevers are a category A agent. Those were agents that were potential agents for bioterrorism. We identified well over a decade ago that Viral hemorrhagic fevers Ebola, last of fever, Marburg, there are some VHFs that could be used, and Ebola was identified as one of these. We used Ebola transmission concepts and response and planning. You'll see that. We really talked about isolation and quarantine elements in those plans. We talked about personal protective equipment, PPE, and how to deal with that. We talked about advanced disaster life support training. We exercised for category A agents. You may remember smallpox was thought to be one of the most serious. It still is, but we do see now Ebola with a fatality rate of 50% certainly rivals that of smallpox. And then we began, local health departments really began this coordinated effort with reporting and communicating about communicable and infectious diseases. That had happened prior to anthrax, but that really stepped up. And we really took a lot of time as a department and as an agency and as a discipline in public health to work with hospitals and talk about this instantaneous communication when there was an event. All right, I'm going to turn over to Chief Gonzalez. He's going to hit some of these topics. You'll see some of the dates and some of the things that we did. We'll let him guide you through that. Thank you, Dr. Ritchie. One of the things that, you know, between Dent County Health Department and and emergency services and for that matter, the didn't can't share a department. It's been a fantastic collaboration between those three organizations. Myself and Dr. Richardson's been in probably contact five, six times per day since these dates on here. But one of the local response to dates is very early on, October 1st, local health positions help alerts updates on a positive abolication of Texas. That's done through several systems through the health department and statewide systems. On October 2nd, that's when we started ramping up to all 911 operators and dispatch locations in the county. That's all 911 centers with the assistance of DINCO. Make sure that they had the proper triage guidance for symptoms related to Ebola and that a flu-like symptom so that folks that called in were able to get, they were able to ask the appropriate questions for someone that called 911 to understand what Ebola was and to actually ask the appropriate questions. And then moving forward on October 3rd meeting, Twin Health Department and Emergency Services are staffed to really look at goals, objectives, and tactics and how it didn't count. It was going to move forward between our organizations. Back to October 4th, we notified our first, notified our first in county resident. Ebola contact, not patient, but a contact monitoring was established at the same day. On October 7th, meeting with Health Department Emergency Services and Sheriff's Department, a set response criteria and again operational tactics related to a response between fire law enforcement and the health department. On October 8th, in case resident reported to Dallas Presby from Frisco, is a declared contact test for both negative results. And that's one way all did see throughout the television that was at the care now they're located in Frisco. That's a question about the test. Do they have to go to Austin, like we test West Nile virus, all of them is going to go to Austin because it's something that's done in that facility right there. Does it go offside to Austin? No, so that test is very specific. It's a DNA test. It's what we call PCR testing. It's that DNA fingerprinting, PCR polymerase chain reaction. But it's where you take a viral particle and that machine amplifies it so that it can be detected. That's about a two to three hour test that happens in Austin now and they send a second sample concurrently to Atlanta. There's some discussion now of localizing that testing capacity, but for Ebola, both the Austin State Lab and Atlanta were one of the few labs that were outfitted to test for that viral particle. And so that's happening. There is some discussion, I don't believe it's happened yet, but there's some discussion of bringing that to Dallas for the laboratory response in the network at the Dallas County Health Department. They have a bio-terrorism lab. If you do it noon on the day, what's the turnaround time? I believe they're transporting that same day and actually we, I think these last tests happened within 12 hours. So they're transporting to Austin, they're getting a preliminary positive and we're treating any test. If we make the decision to test, we treat that as a presumptive positive until it's negative. And that has happened in every case. Okay. Okay. Okay, Ford, October 14th was, you know, where we came together again and met between emergency services, health department, different staff members because this is an ever evolving situation. This is a very fluid situation and when actually the CDC guidance is changing, as it's changing, we have to change and we have to continually meet, we have to continually collaborate with our partners and different municipalities to understand those changes. Again, October 15th, we did have a countywide meeting with all our fire chiefs and EMS chiefs throughout the county and EMS providers for situational update and response briefing. We held that at the elections conference room. It was a very important meeting to get that information to those healthcare providers in the pre hospital care of how we're going to care for our constituents from home to the facility of health care. That's one of the important issues that we have. I'll let that off so we. On preparedness, one of the things that we've continually done is maintain direct communication with our regional partners. We looked at this as a regional event. This was a significant situation that was not only impact Dallas County, but impacted the entire region, especially the four core counties. So we maintained that communication through multiple conference calls daily. We had local conference calls and statewide conference calls review and implemented CDC and dishes guidelines in order to implement emergency operation objectives and tactics. So a lot of our operational tactics had to change to our emergency management plan, things like this type of disease is something that's very new to the entire region and the United States. Communicated with the county emergency management work and group fire chiefs and CDC and Dishes on CDC and Dishes guidelines, conducted meetings with the county fire chiefs and CDC and on CDC and dishes guidelines. Conductive meetings with the county fire chiefs as we mentioned before. And then conductive meetings with the county sheriff's office for law enforcement response and their guidance and policy creation because that is an aspect of this that we have to understand and really plan for because you know we've got the law enforcement or we've got the fire in EMS side but really the law enforcement side on a situation that may occur We needed the policies. Joe, that's for you sir. Are we letting the 911 operators know who are the people with the contacts so that if in fact somebody's dispatched or something they'll be able to give the fellows responding the heads up? And so the the current method and the current protocol on those contacts each one of those contacts is Dr. Richardson mentioned, have been set forth by our call twice a day by the health department. Their protocol, number one protocol is if they have a fever, they are to contact their epidemiologist at the didn't kind of health department. That's for number one protocol. So they're not to call 911. They're not to call, they're to call their epidemiologist contact at the health department. That's their primary call to minute that takes back of 99 degree fever. Correct. Yes, ma'am. And really to add to that, one of the reasons we're not disseminating this is public information to response agencies. We're talking about names and addresses of contacts specifically, is that we don't do that on any other communicable or infectious disease. For instance, TB. I don't notify first responders, fire police, EMS of a TB patient, even though that patient is assumed to be communicable and having infectious disease. We don't do that with hepatitis C. We don't do that with HIV. We don't do that in a lot of instances where someone can be communicable or infectious. And so this science, we're trying to follow this very same science. And by the way, these are contacts. They're not active cases. So not only do we not do that with active cases of a communicable or infectious disease, we certainly wouldn't do that typically with a contact. And we're trying to follow an application and a consistent message that these people are not a threat to the general public, particularly because we're monitoring them daily. If they are absent from that monitoring, their status becomes unknown, then we step up that the health authority control order can move to a court order, then can move to detainment. But the difference is the death rate. And if the first responder, if people did not follow the protocol, and they called, or they got sick, and they loved one called, 9-1-1 on their behalf, and then you have an unknowing, unknowledgeable first responder, a paramedic show up. And if we know the protocol is you're treating these people, you're being full hazmat gear. And they show up without, I think that's we're putting our, the first response, first responders at risk. If we know that those addresses and especially with the death rate and- And again, we're not talking about cases. We're talking about contacts. The cases are isolated and hospitalized. You don't get to be a case until you're in contact. And if someone did not follow the protocol and they're voluntary and you know and that they got sick or their family they got sick overnight and their family called on their behalf because they weren't able to call and then you have a fire fighter showing up and I think that's that's a problem. But like TB all those other things they don't have as quick from symptom to, you know, they're not as quick as the carcinogen type disease. I mean, you can have TB for years. You can have AIDS for years. You sure? Dr. Ebola, you can be dead in two weeks. And I think, I do think that it's important to talk about cases in contacts. And then it's also important to talk about the EMT, EMS response. They are given guidelines. We communicated those guidelines very early about response. And those are universal precautions that they should be taking regardless. And the science says that those universal precautions will protect them at the beginning of a contact. Don't forget, we're talking about a contact. So in this theoretical instance, what we're talking about is a response to someone who would be positive for a disease that we would have monitored for them the day before at the latest. They would have become symptomatic within 12 hours, the very low viral load, and that contact precaution is assumed to be on every call for every responder for every disease. Anyway, those precautions, my understanding is those didn't change by the CDC. So we're talking about the preparedness level that EMTs and first responders already have and should already comply with is deemed to be acceptable. And again, we're following that from everywhere from the World Health Organization, the CDC, to the State Health Department, and in our application of that. And then obviously we were in contact with the DA's office to talk about our ability to disclose publicly information about a contact to a disease. That's different than a case, so the state law and the Texas Health and Safety Code is very clear about notifying first responders of a case. But notifying about a contact of a case goes back to my slide before. Those people are not communicable or infectious. But, man, I don't expect you have a full grasp of the Open Public Information Act, but disclosing from one agency to another is not as public disclosure of information. That's not a public disclosure. If you give it from one agency to another. And I'd have to defer to Mr. Felt, but I know that with when it comes to communicable infectious disease disclosures that there are some intricacies to that. So I'm going to defer to an expert. My understanding has been giving that information, and I'll be honest, one of the concerns we had is that that release of information could then be detrimental to a potential contact. Now, let me give you an example. If there was a delay in a response, because of a concern about a communicable infectious disease, but that person needed immediate attention in an emergency situation, in public health, we've talked about the negative effects of disclosing contacts, not cases, but contacts and the potential detriment. And that's been, that's been discussed statewide and that's a real concern for us as well. It sounds like, okay, so you're saying you just don't trust them? No, I'm saying that that release of information, the more broadly that happens, the rumor mill starts and that communication, and we've already seen it. I think U.S. commissioners have already seen the rumor mill of a contact and this idea that that actually, that that individual poses a threat to the public's health. And we're trying to minimize that pandemonium and panic. And that's part of it, that this contact, the potential contact, poses a risk and a threat. And to date, because of the monitoring, that's not the case. I got to rely on the science that we know of. Three, for me. To move on real quickly to emergency response and the collaboration with the DINC and Fire Chiefs and EMS agencies to create a a didn't county EMS response protocol guidelines. And that may answer some of your questions, because EMS and fire is moving forward, regardless about contacts. They're moving forward with the proper intelligence information that is gathered at the 911 center by the pre-screening questions, and then prior to access to a patient that met the screening requirements, they will be in full gear. Because we don't know that this is a contact or this is a brand new patient that's a health care worker that came straight from library or one of the Western African countries. So that is not on anyone's radar. So if it's a new patient similar to Mr. Duncan in Denton County, we have put together a response protocols and guidelines county wide for those far cheese and EMS personnel that win five chiefs in the M.S. personal that when the 911 operators answer the screening questions and those questions are answered correctly to alert the M.S. The M.S. crews then move into their protocols and response and that protocols are actually a five sheet document that has gone out to each M.S. provider county wide already. That's key right there. Okay. And then, and then, creating, there's the thing that we've done in the last week and half is create the infectious disease response task force approach to field responses. So we're not utilizing if this situation happens to come out in the singer or a crumb, maybe Justin, that we have a put together a task force approach that can respond to these type of incidents utilizing multiple agencies to respond. So we have a certain ambulance that we have a couple of three amuses that we're using for this specific reason. We've also got Hazard's Terels Team, the contamination, additional equipment that's being brought to that actual location. And then from that location, we'll go to the hospital that is the choice of transport by the health department. So that's what we're moving forward to with that task force type approach. So we know that some of our smaller agencies do not have the resources to deal with that. So we're putting together task force approach to that utilizing multiple jurisdictions. Is the state, and I've read different things about this, is the state planning to have a designated hospital that's willing to accept these patients that's prepared to dress it before they go shift out? What's the receiving plan? So that question is still in flux. The situation as of today is that Texas Presbyterian Dallas is still willing to take additional cases. And that would be elective on the part of both the patient and the EMS service provider. So they're still willing to take cases and they're assumed to have the most experience in Texas. And that would be arguably so that they could do that. Now at the same time, there is also the discussion that all of our hospitals have this basic level of preparedness. Now there's a lot of debate about this, there's a lot of media coverage about preparedness and what it means. I will just offer the professional public health opinion that any large hospital has the technical capacity and ability to respond in this situation. There are obviously going to be mistakes, biology, biology's hard, sickness is hard, and these types of infectious and communicable diseases are very difficult to treat, particularly the very first case in the U.S. that walked in the door. You know, they talk about Emory and Bethesda. We talk about Nebraska. Those are containment units. And those units have been specifically trained and even have spent lots and lots of money on containment. And the heads up that they get is a patient is coming. Texas Presby Dallas didn't have that heads up. And that's the real difference. And so when we talk about preparedness, what you're going to see is there are some designated hospitals in the US that are containment units. And then there's everybody else. And everybody else does have and possess this technical capacity to be sick. And that's hard to reconcile. Certainly, it's hard to reconcile on TV. It's hard to reconcile, even as a responder. But yes, hospitals can technically respond. Denton County hospitals are technically prepared. Yes, Dallas County has been designated as basically a voluntary triage site. Texas Presby Dallas has voluntarily said that they would take those patients, but that is as of today. That could change tomorrow. And if it changes tomorrow, then everybody's on their own. And then hospital system is in there. And also, that's right. Texas Health Resources operates several hospitals, obviously you know, across the Metroplex, and they have an intra-hospital transfer agreement. So, for instance, if Denton Presby would have the option of transferring them to Dallas, I think Denton Regional might have that same option today that may not continue through the weeks and months. I know we're trying to get done here, but one of the things that emergency management response before is logistics for the health department. One of the things that we identified very early on was the PPE personal protective equipment was flying out the shelf very quickly. So with the PPE that we did currently have in stock, we went ahead and procured about $3,500 more worth of PPE, very click and did receive it within two days. So one of the things that that did was provide 18 sets of level B, level B is the type, level A is the highest, level B is the medium level C is the lowest. So we went to level B for field response to put 18 sets together of level B equipment. That's the full face mask, the the cartridge respirators, the boots, the gloves, everything that you needed for one person in a backpack times 18. That was we saw a very significant need from that and Frisco's response. We also got contact from multiple law enforcement agencies and fire agencies that says we didn't have the equipment. We have a lower level of equipment. We didn't have this level B type equipment that's needed. So we went and purchased those 18 units. And we have additional sets of level C, which is still appropriate level equipment to wear in an infectious disease situation. But all that PPE is staged with our own call DCES personnel. So we're probably at about 28 sets that we're keeping it in on our own call status right now, so that we can respond anywhere in the county with that equipment and provide its law enforcement fire EMS crews wherever it may be. So it is again available for fire law enforcement and it's available for to all countywide agencies. The thing is as we had to quickly identify decontamination efforts that was one of the lessons learned we could quickly found on decontaminating some of the things that you put into a suit. We believe that decontamination is what we call doffing of equipment is the one of the places that has materials technicians typically get exposed to chemicals. There's no different than healthcare workers getting exposed to infectious disease. And doffing is one of the areas that we have been conducting training on in the last two weeks and additional training on that doffing for emergency responders and our healthcare workers and our health department staff as well. And that's one of the key things that we're trying to consider and understand is that where you take that equipment off and that's where you get that's where you're highest likelihood of getting into contact with infectious disease or hazardous chemicals in our world. So, for that. And I'm going to back up one or two slides. Just talk about some of our responses. I know commissioners and judges, you have had some calls and I suspect that some of these agencies have communicated with you, but we've been in, we've really been in constant contact with school districts, public works, departments, universities, individual municipalities. I'm actually presenting to the Denton City Council this afternoon, the same presentation. We'll review that because they requested this. I've done some of that, I know Jody has done some of that through the last few weeks. Hospitals, again, constant communication, they've had, it hasn't been, I think, identified in the press as much, but hospitals almost daily will have a scare if you want to call it that. Someone reporting travel, it might be a country that's not on the watch list, but it's from the continent of Africa and they'll have a fever and obviously we're all dealing with the effects of the concern and the criticality of this disease, but also the information flow. You see, private and corporate businesses have had several conversations with large businesses in the county about what we're doing about contacts. And again, trying to talk about contacts of contacts, family members of a contact that they went to dinner with the night before or not a case a Contact of a contact and how that you don't need to exclude them from work You don't need to exclude them from school. You don't need to exclude them from church This is not this is not transmitted from an asymptomatic a non-symptom having person to another person It's just not the way it works And so we've we've had hundreds of calls. My staff has really worked from Gondel Dusk on answering these calls. And there's a lot of fear. Controlling the fear with facts has been one of our largest challenges. And we struggle, I think nationally with that, we struggle in the state with that, and even in Denton County, is trying to fight fear with the facts as we know them. And really demonstrating that the facts have been consistent. And we see inconsistent, let's see highlighted, and I think we all have examples of that. Well, we don't see as the consistency that's highlighted, and the success, the fact that it's not airborne, the fact that you don't get transmission from a contact of a contact. That continues to be confirmed every day. If that ever is not confirmed, and we start talking about the what-ifs and people will use terminology like, we need to be cautious and we need to have an overabundance of care or caution. Many times what that means is taking a step that's not indicated by science. And I've had to argue this this last week that when you do that, you don't know where to stop. When you start adding layers of control or basically the restriction of someone's liberty, when we get away from the science as a government, we don't know where to stop doing that. And that's one of my concerns, which is why I talked to Mr. Felt, why we speak with the Health department at the state daily, is to make sure that we're on the same page with statute, and make sure we're on the same page with operation and administration of these control orders. And that's a struggle because this restriction of liberty is so sensitive,, sir. And Matt, so yesterday I visited a friend who's wife was being had surgery on her net at a spinal center, not a dock in the box but a hospital on the box. And they had the front door shut and directed everyone to go to the emergency room. and directed everyone to go to the emergency room. And you had to ring a bell to get into the hospital and then they did triage on you before you ever stepped into the hospital, asking if you've been in, how the country have you traveled, took my temperature and all that. Now, is that their response as a private business rather than a response that the CDC or the Texas Health, I mean, what, sure, again, through that? It's both. So the CDC recommends those triage questions. So in an emergency department, when you receive someone into a healthcare facility, we do that at the health department, by the way. We've added the question to you, flew like symptoms. If so, have you had travel, recent international travel? A lot of times we leave it open-ended because sometimes people will just lie. I'm just going to be honest. So, if you say, have you been to XYZ? Sometimes they will say yes. But if you leave the question open-ended, have you had recent international travel in the last 21 days? Let them fill in that blank for you. That really helps. But yes, that is a CDC recommendation for a triage asking those questions. And then it's the facilities responsibility to operationalize it. And how they do that is their business. And it sounds like they've done a good job. If it's a bizzard like this. Yes, in fact, I had a friend, I had some friends there. Nine month old had heart surgery at Children's in Dallas. I went to see him and I was greeted at the door. Do you have any signs of symptoms of the flu? I'd sign, so there was a basically an assumption that I would tell the truth, but I signed. And then they said, by the way, if you had recent travel to Africa, and I told them, I said, thanks for asking. No, I've been here doing this, but yeah. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. And thank you, staff. I know they've been going over time here lately. And thank all of you. I know I've been in communication with you as well. And I appreciate your assistance in moving through some of these agency discussions. Thank you. Appreciate it. And I know you'll keep it posted. Will you put this on the website. Yes, we can put it would you prefer it on the splash page or do you want it to help the apartment? We can do either. Both? Okay, we'll do both. I think it's important to keep it really accessible. Thank you. Okay, let's move right along here. 14A is approval of 2015 in a local cooperation agreements for library services between Den County, Texas and one the little on public library, town of little on to the colony public library, the city of the colony. Motion by Commissioner Marchant. Second, I'm going to buy Commissioner Coleman. The only favor please say aye. Aye. Opposed to the name? Motion carries. 14v is approval of the 2014, in a local cooperation agreement for a property tax collection between Denk and Kind of Texas and the City of Aubrey's recommended by the Denk and Kind of Texas Tesser Collector, the Chair and Move for approval. Seconded by Commissioner Mitchell, all in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed to the name? Motion carries. 14C is approval of the agreement between County Texas and GFC contracting. This is RFP 08142265 from the Marion-Johant-Germis Center that didn't county courts building remodeling projects in the amount of $66,544.80 funding for the projects to come from the building remodeling expense. Let's list the breakdown. I'm gonna try and shorten things here a little bit. Do we have any questions on this item? Or do we have a motion? Motion by Commissioner Marchin. I can't buy a commissioner. Common hearing no questions. All in favor, please say aye. Aye, opposed to the name. Motion carries. 14D is approval in agreement. She den County, Texas, and void construction, RFP 08142266 for the construction of a screen wall. The den County prison for government center for a man in the amount of $108,996. The for approval. This is inclusive of $7,000 in contingency allowance. We have a motion for approval by Commissioner Eads, seconded by Commissioner Mitchell. Other questions? Any none on favor, please say aye. Aye, opposed, senine? Motion carries. We need to go back and do these retirement resolutions, but remind me of them later. Let's go ahead and do an executive session. And I also, before I forget forget one more thing under future meetings. The Veterans holiday is November 11th that has to be a Tuesday. So there will be the ceremony on the lawn but it is a county holiday. So we need to have a little discussion if we want to meet on a different day or pay bills at Friday or what would you like to do? Monday, we can just skip it. We can. Half to meet. We can skip that week. We do need to pay bills. So yeah, we could meet on the seventh at Friday. Or Another day, what works for you all. Part of general discussion just real quick. That's real real quick. Why? If that if if why do we why do other counties? Why do other counties have County Commissioner Court every other week and they still pay their bills? Well, they just set it up that way. Well, James isn't here right now, but... No, whatever. They talk about they only meet two times a month. There are times that we just skip a week. I don't know where this falls on the paper, but. That's just a general question. I mean, is it, do you pay bills every day? Where are James go? He had something to go to. Okay, well, I'll tell you what, we don't need to make a decision on this one now. But let's talk to James about that and see if we can just skip the 11th or if we need to meet, you know, Friday the 7th to pay bills or something like that. But let's talk to James about that and see what would be helpful to him. And then Thanksgiving, the week of Thanksgiving is everybody going to be here? Anybody? Okay. I just want to make sure everybody is. Maybe gone a week of Thanksgiving, but. Let us know if I'll- I will. Okay. Item 15 is executive session 15A is under Texas Government Code 551.0711A consultation with attorney in a closed meeting. When the government bodies seek the advice of its attorney about pending litigation with regard to Matthew Rollins and Carl Gardner in that 158th district court of Denton County with that we are in an executive session Commissions. Commission's court is reconvened from executive session. Under 15A there will be no action. Under 15B this is my motion. To assign legal representation in the civil action style, Johnson versus World Tribal at all currently pending in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas Sherman Division to the law office of Matthew Stein Schills. Pierce not Eden and Davis LLP and authorized the Daily County Judge to sign a contract of employment with Matthew Stein Schills. Pierce not Eden in Davis LLP and that's my motion. I beg your pardon, that's item 15A. And then there was no action on 15B. So I'm sorry, this is second motion by Commissioner Marchin. On favor please say aye. Aye opposed, sene. Motion does carry. Now, let's, real quickly, go back to our other retirees. I do not want to misdoing this. Okay, let's go to 3C, which is approval resolution. Recognize an Angie Hanby's retirement? You don't wanna read it don't want to read it? What did you read it? This is a resolution honoring Angela Angie Hanby. For 23 years of service to Ditton County, the Ditton County Commissioner's Court, Ditton County, Texas during a regular session on the 21st day of October 2014, considered the following resolution. Whereas Angie Hambe began her career with Didn County on July 9, 1991 and retired on October 13, 2014 after completing 23 years of dedicated service. Whereas Angie worked in a county clerk's office for eight years, the juvenile probation department for three years and in the district attorney's office for 12 years. And whereas while working for the district attorney's office, Angie was promoted as administrative manager in the intake grand jury division and as a result of her diligent work ethic, professional integrity and demonstrated ability. And whereas Angie was a valued volunteer on the Dittany County employee service awards picnic committee as the photographer, providing memories for fellow co-workers. And whereas Angie has exhibited the attributes of an ideal employee, earned the admiration and respect of her colleagues through her hard work and enthusiasm, while consistently maintaining a high level of professionalism in her dealings with law enforcement agencies and the citizens of Ditton County. And whereas Angie's dedication and devotion to the Ditton County criminal district attorney's office and the citizens of Ditton County is greatly appreciated. Now therefore, it will be resolved that Ditton County Commissioner's Court didn't county, Texas. This hereby extend to Angie, handby our sincere and grateful appreciation for her dedicated service to Ditton County. We congratulate Angie on her well-earned retirement and extend our best wishes for her continued success, happiness and good health in the years to come made by motion by myself. Thank you. We have motion by Commissioner Eid, seconded by Commissioner Mitchell. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed to say aye. Motion does carry. Next we have three D and Commissioner Mitchell is going to read this one. This is a resolution honoring Carolyn Tenerello for 15 years of service to Den County. Whereas Carolyn Tenerello, a administrative manager will be retired on October 31, 2014, after completing more than 15 years of exceptional service to Den County Hospital, precinct one department. And whereas Carolyn was hired by the Den County Human Resource Department as an HR clerk on February 26, 1999 and was promoted to administrative manager and Constable Precinct 1 on June 9, 1999, where she spent the next 15 years working for the late Constable Jim Dotson and Constable Jesse Flores. And whereas, Carolyn and devoted employee has provided an outstanding level of valuable service to the costable precinct one department with her expertise, leadership and integrity, which has earned her the respect of all who have worked with her. Carlisn always took pride in her work and that of the department. And whereas doing all the time of her service with the costable precinct one department, Carlisn has faithfully and diligently carried out her duties and obligations while maintaining a high level of excellence. She has conducted herself in a responsible manner with vigilance to maintain the highest level of integrity for Constable Precinct One. And whereas Carolyn's dedication to Den County Council Precinct One has been appreciated and respected by all, she has been dependable and trustworthy and she will be greatly missed. Anne Horace, Carolyn plans to endure her retirement, years traveling, antique shopping, and spending more time with friends and family, including her two grandchildren. Now therefore, we have resolved the DIN County Commission's Court, DIN County, Texas. Does hereby extend to Carolyn Can Aurelio a sincere and grateful appreciation for her dedicated service to Den County. We congratulate Kirlins on her well-earned retirement and extend our best wishes to her for continued success, happiness, and good health in the years to come. Done in open court this 21st day of October 2014 upon a motion made by myself. Thank you. Motion by Commissioner Mitchell, seconded by Commissioner Eads. All in favor please say aye. Aye. Opposed to the name? Motion does carry. Three F is round. Okay, that was you. This is a resolution honoring Don Britt for 25 years of service to Denton County. The Denton County Commission's Court Denton County Texas during a regular session. On the 21st day of October 2014, consider the following resolution. Whereas Don Britt, CID investigator for the Denton County Sheriff's Office, was hired on October 17 of 1989 will retire on October 31 of 2014 after a 25 year career with the Dint and County Sheriff's Department. Whereas Don achieved both master jail or master peace offer status and has received numerous letters of accommodation and whereas during his time with the Dint and County Sheriff's Office, gone worked in patrol and CID, where he was respected for his ability to evaluate cases, develop new leads as well as his outstanding performance and professionalism. Whereas Don is safely and diligently discharged the duties and obligations of the office is entrusted to him, worked well with his co-workers and implemented the policies of the Sheriff's Office in an honorable and responsible manner with vigilance for the safety and security of the families and citizens of Denton County. Whereas the citizens of Denton County are grateful to Don for answering the call to the service for his commitment to do the service he has rendered during his law enforcement career in tenure with Denton County. Now therefore be it resolved that Denton County Commission's court Denton County Texas does hereby extend to Donbrett our sincere and grateful appreciation for his dedicated service to Denton County. We congratulate Don on his well earned retirement and extend our best wishes to him for continued success, happiness and good health and years to come. Done in open court by motion by myself. Thank you. We have a motion by Commissioner Marchand, seconded by Commissioner Coleman, the only favorite please say aye. Aye. Aye. A pose to me. Motion is carried. And 3G, Commissioner Coleman. This is a real loose and honoring defender of those who have been here before. You'll step up to serve the committee. You'll step up to the microphone, please. Yes. We're at the standard. This detention officer for the Denton County Sheriff's Office from June, 2004, will retire in October 2014 after a 10-year career with Denton County. And whereas Cassandra service to Denton County consisted of 10 years in detention where she intrigued the level of a FTO. Cassandra continued training to achieve advanced knowledge of her job duties. And whereas during her time with the Ditton County SO's office, she was highly respected for her ability to control her pod and the inmates. And whereas Cassandra has faithfully and diligently discharged the duties and obligations of the officers and trusted to her work well with her co-workers and implemented the policies of the Sheriff's Office in an honorable and responsible manner with diligence for the safety and security of the families and the citizens of Denton County. And whereas the citizens of Denton County are grateful to her for answering the call to service for her commitment to duty and for the service she res rendered during her law enforcement career in Tinier, Dinton County, be it resolved that the Dinton County Commissioner's Court does hereby extend to Cassandra our sincere and grateful appreciation for her dedicated service to Dinton County. We congratulate her on her well earned retirement and extend our best wishes to her for continued success happiness and good health in the years to come. Done this day, the 21st day of October, an emotion made by me. Thank you. We have a motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Marchand. On favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed any? Motion does carry unanimously. We wish all our retirees happy retirement. Okay, three things. There's other things going around that we need to be concerned about. So wash your hands. Go get your flu shot and remember to go vote. Okay, we're adjourned. Have a great day.