[Houston Forensic Science Center: Board of Directors Meeting on November 14, 2025.]
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PARTNER ORDER.WE MAY HAVE A FEW PEOPLE COMING IN LATE.
IF ANYBODY CAME DOWN ALLEN PARKWAY, UM, OTHER THAN JONI AND MYSELF, THEY'LL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
ANYWAY, CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE? YES, MADAM CHAIR.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE ROLL CALL.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE MAY PROCEED.
WITH THAT, LET'S PROCEED TO, UH, AGENDA ITEM THREE, WHICH IS MY REPORT.
I'D LIKE TO BEGIN, AND UNFORTUNATELY SHE'S NOT HERE, BUT I WILL TELL HER I, I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING DIRECTOR CORRALES FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE VEB TOUR AT THE END OF OCTOBER.
I HOPE THOSE WHO WENT ON AND ENJOYED IT AND FOUND IT TO BE VERY INFORMATIVE, WE APPRECIATE EACH OF YOU TAKING AN INTEREST IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE DO AND THE WORK THAT'S DONE HERE AT HFSC.
AND I'M SURE THE STAFF DOES TOO.
IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO TOUR THE VEP, PLEASE LET OUR BOARD SECRETARY, MS. VC HALEY KNOW.
NEXT I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON A TOPIC THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING IN PREVIOUS ME MEETINGS, WHICH IS HOW THE BOARD CAN ACT AS AN ADVOCATE FOR HFSC AND HELP EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT OUR WORK.
UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND INFLUENCERS, BUT PERHAPS THEY'RE NOT AS COMFORTABLE EXPLAINING WHAT WE DO TO THEM, AND PARTICULARLY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMING UP TO BUDGET TIME AND GOING IN AND TALKING WITH THEM AND INFLUENCING THEM TO VOTE WITH US.
SO THAT'S THE PURPOSE FOR THESE DISCUSSIONS.
ONE OF THE TOOLS WE DISCUSSED WAS CREATING A ONE PAGER WITH FACTS ABOUT HFSC TO HELP THE BOARD UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION, AND IN TURN, PROVIDE THOSE FACTS TO PEOPLE IN OUR CIRCLES.
MS. MORGAN, OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST, WAS ABLE TO CREATE THAT DOCUMENT FOR US.
AND YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY IN YOUR SEATS.
DO YOU HAVE A COPY IN YOUR SEATS? YES.
THIS IS JUST ONE WAY TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HFSC IS DOING.
WE HAVE OTHER IDEAS ABOUT HOW YOU CAN HELP, AND WE'RE WORKING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND TOOLS FOR THE BOARD.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY PROVIDING A TRAINING FOR BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING WITH MORE FORMAL SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS.
WE GET A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, AND PETER CAN ONLY COVER SO MANY OF THEM.
SO IT'D BE HELPFUL IF WE HAD OTHERS ON THE BOARD WHO WERE EDUCATED IN THE PROCESS AND FELT COMFORTABLE GOING OUT AND SPEAKING TRULY, THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO SUPPORT HFSC IN THIS WAY.
BUT FOR NOW, PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE ONE PAGER AND GET MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE INFORMATION THERE.
IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO USE THE ONE PAGER SOON, PLEASE REACH OUT TO MS. MORGAN AND SHE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A FEW POINTERS AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
LASTLY, AS YOU KNOW, TODAY IS OUR LAST MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW IF I KNEW THAT, BUT TODAY IS THE LAST MEETING FOR THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
I, WELL, IT SAYS HERE, I CAN'T BELIEVE WE ARE READY ALREADY THIS FAR ALONG IN THE YEAR, BUT HERE WE ARE.
I WANNA TAKE THE TIME TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO HFSC.
I APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS DURING OUR MEETINGS, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST STAFF WITH VARIOUS ISSUES WHEN NEEDED, AND YOUR COLLEGIALITY.
I TRULY ENJOY WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU, AND I'M PROUD OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE TOGETHER THIS YEAR, INCLUDING OF COURSE, BOARD AND STAFF.
WE STILL HAVE CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR, UH, OF US.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING US TAKE THOSE CHALLENGES ON WITH THE SAME COMMITMENT IN 2026.
I HOPE WE ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? THAT CONCLUDES THE CHAIR'S REPORT.
NOW WE'LL PROCEED TO ITEM FOUR.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND INVITE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THAT
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WISHES TO SPEAK TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND ADDRESS THE BOARD.WE ASK ALL SPEAKERS TO SIGN IN AT THE FRONT OF THE ROOM SO WE'RE AWARE OF YOUR PRESENCE AND THAT ALL COMMENTS BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.
YOU MAY SPEAK ON ANY MATTER CONCERNING THE BOARD AND HFSC AT THIS TIME.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO HAS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NO MEMBERS OF PUBLIC IN OUR AUDIENCE TODAY WHO HAVE SIGNED UP FOR COMMENT, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
NOW WE'LL CONSIDER MEETING MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2025 BOARD MEETING.
DOES ANYONE HAVE CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED AT THIS TIME? WE WILL CONDUCT A VOICE VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SO MOVED.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION, PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR MICS AT THIS TIME FOR THE VOICE VOTE.
THE MOTION CARRIES AND PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
NOW WE'LL PROCEED TO AGENDA ITEM SIX.
Y'ALL PROMISE I WILL KEEP THIS RELATIVELY SHORT 'CAUSE I KNOW AS MY COMMENTS GO, SO GOES THE LENGTH OF THE MEETING
SO A FEW THINGS JUST TO UPDATE.
AND I PUT THIS TOGETHER TO, UM, BASICALLY DOVETAIL WITH WHAT DAVID'S TALKING ABOUT OF THE FINANCIAL SUMMARY ACROSS THE YEAR SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT WE SPENT.
HE HE'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE SPENT MONEY ON.
I'M TELLING YOU WHAT WE'VE BASICALLY ACCOMPLISHED IN THE LAST YEAR.
UH, BEFORE I GET TOO CARRIED AWAY THOUGH, I DID WANT TO INTRODUCE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME OVER HERE.
UM, ASHLEY HENRY, AS YOU AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CHANGES IN, UH, CRIME SCENE.
ASHLEY, ACTUALLY, SINCE, SINCE THE BOARD IS KIND OF FAMILIAR WITH YOU, YOU WANNA COME UP HERE AND INTRODUCE THE OTHERS IN YOUR TEAM THERE.
UM, I KNOW Y'ALL 'CAUSE ASHLEY'S BEEN ACTING SECRETARY FOR THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY.
SHE IS NOW OUR SENIOR MANAGER, WELL WILL BE SOON, SENIOR MANAGER FOR CRIME SCENE.
SO ASHLEY, UH, GOOD MORNING BOARD.
THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
SO, UH, I WANNA INTRODUCE, UH, JACQUELINE MILLHOLLAND.
SHE'S GOING TO BE, OR SHE IS CURRENTLY OUR CRIME SCENE UNIT MANAGER C UH, SCENE MANAGER.
SO SHE'S THE MANAGER OF ALL SCENE FUNCTIONS FOR THE CRIME SCENE UNIT.
AND THEN WE HAVE JORDAN SOLIS AND SHE IS THE CRIME SCENE UNIT ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER.
YEAH, IT'S BEEN, WE, WE, WE ALL MISS KARINA.
KARINA HAS A MARVELOUS OPPORTUNITY BACK IN NORTH CAROLINA TO GET BACK WHERE FAMILY'S AT, BUT, UH, WE'VE, AS I AS I'VE TOLD ALL THREE OF THEM, I SLEEP BETTER AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT THE THREE OF THEM HAVE BEEN WILLING TO TAKE THIS ON.
BUT IT'S, IT'S A BIG CHALLENGE FOR 'EM.
UM, OTHER ONE I DID WANNA MENTION IS OUR NEW SENIOR ATTORNEY, HOPE SMITH, WHO'S JUST JOINED US ON, WELL, I GUESS THAT WAS WHAT MONDAY? UM, TO HELP AKILA OUT.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON STUFF, BUT IT'S BEEN GREAT.
WE HAVE BEEN MAKING PROGRESS ON THE CONSTRUCTION, UM, AND WE HAVE A NEW, WHAT WE'VE CALLED TRANSITION TEAM.
WE'VE GOT FIVE PEOPLE THAT ARE TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES AS WE STILL SORT OUT WHAT WILL BE THE BUDGETARY ARRANGEMENT AROUND PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT.
BUT THOSE PEOPLE ARE THERE TO CREATE THE CAPACITY TO START MOVING THE EVIDENCE OUT OF 1200 WASHINGTON.
UM, SO THEY'RE ON BOARD, THEY'VE BEEN GETTING GOING.
UM, THAT'S BEEN A REALLY NICE ADDITION THERE.
AND THEN THE, WE HAVE ONLY TALKED ABOUT Q TOS, THE TANDEM MASS SPECTROMETRY, TIME OF FLIGHT, ACCURATE HIGH RESOLUTION MASS SPEC INSTRUMENTATION FOR 11 YEARS.
THEY ARE NOW ALMOST INSTALLED.
I THINK ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY IS INSTALLED AND IS OPERATIONAL NOW.
THAT MEANS WE'VE GOT A LOT OF VALIDATION WORK TO DO BEFORE THEY'RE ACTUALLY IN OPERATION AND WORKING ON CASE WORK.
THE TOXICOLOGY ONE IS IN THE PROCESS.
UH, SO I SHOWED YOU THIS ONE LAST WEEK OF WHERE WE HAD GOTTEN TO HERE IS WHERE WE'RE AT NOW IN THAT SAME PLACE.
SO THE SHELVING'S ALL IN PLACE LIGHTING'S THERE, SECURITY SYSTEMS ARE THERE.
SLOW TO LOAD, UH, THE CRIME SCENE SPACE.
SO WE'VE GOT NEW SPACE FOR CRIME SCENE TO COME INTO.
UH, THEY WILL START MOVING HERE IMMINENTLY I THINK REALLY SOON ONCE WE GET THE SECURITY SYSTEMS. WE, WE'VE GOT
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ONE, I THINK FINAL FIRE INSPECTION TO GET DONE, BUT THEY'VE GOT A LOT MORE SPACE TO BE ABLE TO LAY OUT STORE, UH, EQUIPMENT AND ALSO POINTED OUT WE GOT 'EM A SHOWER THIS TIME.SO THEY'VE GOT A PLACE THEY CAN CLEAN UP BEFORE THEY HEAD HOME AFTER BEING ON NASTY SCENES.
AND THEN THERE'S THE TOXICOLOGY SIDE, QOF GETTING INSTALLED, UH, A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THIS MONTH.
UM, I GUESS THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUT SOMETHING THAT IS THE SAME VALUE AS A REALLY NICE HOUSE IN A WOOD BOX.
IT COMES WITH ITS OWN LITTLE LIFT TRUCK TO LIFT IT ONTO THE TABLE.
UM, SO THAT ONE'S GETTING INSTALLED.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE, WE CAN TALK MORE AS THEY COME ONLINE, WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US.
BUT REALLY IT MEANS A BETTER ABILITY TO SCREEN FOR MORE COMPOUNDS THAT WE NEED IN BOTH TOXICOLOGY AND SEIZE DRUGS.
JED, SO ARE YOU ARE, WHEN THIS IS COMPLETE AND YOU FINISHED YOUR VALIDATION, WILL YOU BE ABLE TO SCREEN BLOOD FOR, UM, DRUG LEVELS OTHER THAN ETHANOL? OH, WE ALREADY, WE ALREADY DO THAT NOW MM-HMM
UH, WHAT THE QOF WILL ALLOW US TO DO THIS, RIGHT, RIGHT NOW, MOST OF THE SCREENING.
SO THE, THE FIRST STAGE OF TESTING WE DO BY IMMUNOASSAYS AND MORE GENERIC GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY, MASS SPEC SCREENS FOR QUALITATIVE FOR FOR MORE QUALITATIVE RESULTS.
AND THEN THAT GOES ON FOR THE CONFIRMATION TESTING AND A QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION ON THE LCQ IN TRIPLE QUADS THAT WE HAVE.
SO YOU'LL DO THE, YOU'LL DO BOTH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE? WE, WE RIGHT.
BUT WE'RE REPLACING, YOU CAN THINK OF IT THAT WE'RE GONNA REPLACE THE IMMUNOASSAYS WITH THE QTOF.
AND THIS HAS BEEN KIND OF THE GROWING TREND IN PARTICULAR TOXICOLOGY OVER THE LAST, EH, FIVE TO EIGHT YEARS.
Q OS GIVE AN ABILITY TO HAVE A MUCH LESS SPECIFIC, SO MUCH BROADER ABILITY TO DETECT COMPOUNDS.
AND SO SHIFTING TO THAT AS A MORE SCREENING TEST, IF YOU, SORRY, WE'RE NERD.
BUT YEAH, IT'S, IT WILL GIVE A BETTER ABILITY TO DEAL WITH THE WIDER RANGE OF COMPOUNDS THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DETECT IN BOTH DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE CASES AS WELL AS DRUG FACILITATED SEXUAL ASSAULT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY TAKEN US 11 YEARS TO GET 'EM IN PLACE, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT.
UH, SO FOR THE LAST, THESE ARE THE, JUST MENTION ON THE BIG BACKLOGS, UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS, UM, REALLY KIND OF POINT OUT 'CAUSE IT'S NICE.
WE, WE GET KIND OF MIRED IN THE DAY-TO-DAY FIRES.
THIS, THAT, THE OTHER, THAT ALWAYS SEEM TO BE THE THINGS THAT DISTRACT US.
BUT WHEN WE STOP AND LOOK AT IT, REALLY IT'S GOING PRETTY GOOD FOR THE NON-SEXUAL ASSAULT KIT BACKLOGS.
ALL THE OTHER STUFF OTHER THAN SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS, WE HAVE REDUCED THAT BACKLOG IN THE LAST CALENDAR YEAR BY NEARLY 60%.
UH, THE BACKLOG OF THOSE IS NOW FLOATING AROUND 200 ISH.
SO IT'S REALLY COME A LONG WAY.
AND AS AMY HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, AMY'S IN A REALLY GOOD PLACE TO ANSWER.
BUT BASICALLY WE ARE NOW GETTING TO THE PLACE TO START TRANSITIONING WHAT WE HAVE BEEN OUTSOURCING TO START TO WORK THAT STUFF INTERNALLY, WHICH HAS BEEN THE PLAN ACROSS THE BASICALLY FIVE YEAR PLAN OF HOW WE SHIFT FROM BEING DEPENDENT ON OUTSOURCING TO BEING ABLE TO DO THIS STUFF INTERNALLY.
SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE PEOPLE, GET PEOPLE TRAINED.
IT'S BASICALLY GOING TO PLAN AS WE HEADED OUT THERE.
IT'S KIND OF NICE TO SEE A PLAN WORK.
UH, THE SEXUAL ASSAULT KIT BACKLOGGED, THE SAK KIT BACKLOG IS EFFECTIVELY GONE.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF DOZEN KITS OUT THERE THAT ARE OVER 90 DAYS AND REMEMBER, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT BULGE THERE.
AND I POINTED OUT ON THE GRAPH WHERE WE HAD TO PAUSE THE OUTSOURCING BECAUSE OF THE WHOLE KAIGEN REAGENT ISSUE.
UH, AND IT'S GONE BASICALLY LIKE WE PREDICTED THAT THERE WAS, WE HAD A BULGE IN TURNAROUND TIME.
SO THAT'S, NOW COME BACK DOWN.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT BIOLOGY? I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
SO IT'S CHEAPER TO DO THESE THINGS IN-HOUSE THAN OUTSOURCE THEM BY A LOT.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A REAL BALANCE ON THINGS.
OUTSOURCING WILL PROBABLY ALWAYS BE PART OF THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED BECAUSE STUFF GOES WRONG.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY.
WE AT LEAST HAVE THAT IN BIOLOGY, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, YEAH, IT'S CHEAPER FOR US TO DO IT INTERNALLY.
PETER, WHEN WAS IT? I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT YEAR IT WAS WHEN WE HAD I THINK FIVE OR 6,000 RAPE KIT BACKLOG.
OH, AMY, YOU WORKED ALL OF THAT ABOUT 2013.
HI, AMY CASTILLO, CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER.
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BEEN A ROLLER COASTERUM, AND WE WORKED ON THAT PROJECT THROUGH 2014 2015.
UM, I, WE STOPPED OUTSOURCING TOO SOON AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
AND SO WE BUILT ANOTHER BACKLOG THAT WE CLEARED OVER ABOUT A YEAR.
AND THEN WE'VE HAD SOME OTHER ISSUES COME INTO THE LAB SIMILAR TO KAYE AND ISSUE, BUT OTHER THINGS, RIGHT, WHERE WE'VE HAD TO REWORK CASES FROM STAFF, THE FBI POP STATS ISSUE WHERE THEY SAID OUR STATS WERE CALCULATED WRONG.
SO WE ALSO BUILT BACKLOGS DURING THOSE TIMES THAT WE HAVE CLEARED.
UM, SO THERE'S BEEN A FEW
'CAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A STRUGGLE TOO, IS BALANCING THE, THE LEGISLATION AND THE NEED FOR QUICK TESTING ON SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS WITH ALL THE OTHER CASES THAT WE GET IN FROM HOMICIDES, VIOLENT CRIMES, PROPERTY CRIMES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, I WOULD SAY THIS GRAPH IS PROBABLY THE CLOSEST WE'VE GOTTEN
SO I'M ALSO KNOCKING ON WOOD BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN A ROLLER COASTER.
I, I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS, AND WORKING WITH THE ARY WOMEN'S CENTER.
SO IT WAS REALLY MY PASSION AND THE NUMBERS WERE SO EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH AND IT WAS LIKE A DREAM THAT WE COULD BRING IT DOWN.
SO THANK YOU AND EVERYBODY WHO'S INVOLVED, UM, THANK YOU.
AND, AND WE, WE ALSO ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT NOT MAKING, ESPECIALLY VICTIMS THAT HAVE HAD THOSE KITS COLLECTED WEIGHT MORE THAN THEY NEED TO TO GET THOSE RESULTS.
AND, AND SINCE I KNOW AMY WON'T TOOT HER OWN HORN, I WILL TOOT IT FOR HER THAT AMY IS ON THE STATE'S SEXUAL ASSAULT TASK FORCE, UM, AND IS ALSO HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAM HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY.
AND AMY HAS, I'LL SAY IT PRETTY MUCH SINGLE-HANDEDLY HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY, BEEN A HUGE DRIVER BEHIND WHY SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS GET PROCESSED SO MUCH BETTER HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY AND ALSO STATEWIDE.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON BIOLOGY? SO, DRUGS, PILLS, POWDERS, GREEN LEAFIES IDENTIFICATION OF, IS THERE A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE THERE? WE HAD THREE NEW ANALYSTS THAT GOT SIGNED OFF, UH, IN MAY OF 2025.
AND AGAIN, THE INCENTIVE PLANS AND THINGS THAT WE'VE HAD IN PLACE, WE ARE SEEING THAT BACKLOG START TO COME DOWN.
LIKE WE WOULD FIGURE IT WOULD.
UH, WE HAVE THREE THAT ARE IN TRAINING CURRENTLY.
AND AS THOSE GET SIGNED OFF, I MEAN THIS, THIS BACKLOG WILL ULTIMATELY RESOLVE, UM, PROBABLY A MATTER OF M MONTHS TO YEARISH OR, SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT.
I DON'T WANNA PUT TOO HARD AND ENDPOINT ON IT, BUT IT'S COMING DOWN.
UM, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THC IS GONNA DO TO US.
YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN NEWS THAT IN THE FEDERAL BUDGET BILL, THERE'S A WHOLE NEW TANGLE TO THC IN THERE.
NO CLUE WHAT THAT'S GONNA DO FOR US ON THE GROUND HERE.
UM, LABS ARE ASKING ME QUESTIONS ABOUT, I, I REALLY CANNOT SAY, I CAN'T SAY IF IT'S GONNA CHANGE THINGS IN DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS, IF IT'S GONNA CHANGE THINGS AT ALL, WHAT IT'S GONNA MEAN.
UM, WHICH STILL PUTS ME AT THE PLACE OF, I DON'T SEE IT AS RESPONSIBLE INVESTING MORE IN THE ANALYSIS OF THC UNTIL LEGISLATORS BOTH AT THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL CAN MAKE UP THEIR MINDS AND TELL US WHAT TO DO.
UM, SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE OTHER STUFF THAT WE KNOW IS KILLING PEOPLE WHILE THEY MAKE UP THEIR MINDS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON SEIZES DRUG STUFF? ALL RIGHT.
SO THAT LEAVES THE ONE THAT IS THE BIGGEST PAIN POINT JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY AND CERTAINLY RIGHT HERE IS FIREARMS. REMEMBER I WALKED THROUGH THIS GRAPH LAST TIME THAT WE KNEW THIS WAS COMING BACK IN ABOUT 2020.
WE COULD SEE THE CONFLUENCE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA MEET TO HAVE US WITH THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'VE GOT.
ALSO POINT OUT THAT WE WERE PREDICTING THAT OUR BACKLOG WOULD PROBABLY BE IN EXCESS OF ABOUT 700 REQUESTS.
AND THROUGH ME PRETTY MUCH HEROIC WORK OF THE TEAM AND HOW WE HAVE SHIFTED AROUND RESOURCES.
BUT YEAH, THE BACKLOG AND FIREARMS IS STILL BIG.
UM, THEY ARE MANAGING TO HOLD IT RELATIVELY STEADY.
AND THAT RIGHT THERE IS A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT WHEN YOU FIGURE WE HAVE FIVE NEW EXAMINERS THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING HIRING AND WE'VE GOT THE, UM, CONTRACT OUT FOR THAT TRAINING.
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ME, HAVE FIVE THAT YOU'VE INTERVIEWED JUST SLOTS FOR FIVE.WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT SLOTS FOR FIVE THAT WE WILL HIRE.
WE'VE JUST FINISHED UP THE, UH, WELL AMY, I SEE YOU JUMPING UP THERE.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS OUT NOW FOR, UM, OUTSIDE TRAINING TO COME IN AND HELP WITH THAT TRAINING.
THERE'S TWO VERY DISTINCT OPTIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN.
ONE IS BE WHAT WE'VE TYPICALLY DONE, WHICH IS PEOPLE COMING ON SITE TO TRAIN THE STAFF, BUT THERE'S ALSO A POTENTIAL OPTION TO SEND PEOPLE AWAY FOR TRAINING.
AND THAT'S GONNA DEPEND, THAT'S GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE OF HOW WE HIRE THE SPECIFIC PEOPLE BECAUSE WE DO MORE OF A, UM, UM, THE WORDS LOSING MY, LEAVING MY MIND LIKE AN APPRENTICESHIP, RIGHT? MORE PAY LEVEL IF WE HAVE TO SEND THEM OFF BECAUSE THAT ALSO HAS EXPENSE FOR US.
SO AS SOON AS WE MAKE THE VENDOR SELECTION, THEN WE'RE GONNA POST FOR THOSE STAFF MEMBERS AND GET THEM HIRED IN, BUT BE ABLE TO TELL THEM AT THAT TIME, UM, IF THEY'RE GETTING HIRED IN AND ANTICIPATE THAT THEY'RE GONNA GO TO MISSISSIPPI FOR A FEW MONTHS OR ANTICIPATE THAT ALL THE GONNA HAPPEN ON SITE.
AND WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS PLENTY OF TIMES, BUT PART OF THE CHALLENGE OF TRYING TO EXPAND THE UNIT IS THAT TRAINING DEMAND BECAUSE IT IS OUR CURRENT FIREARMS EXAMINERS WHO ARE SIGNED OFF AND DO CASEWORK THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MUCH OF THAT TRAINING.
SO IF WE CAN OFFLOAD SOME OF THAT TRAINING ELSEWHERE, IT HELPS US WITH CASEWORK.
AND FOR PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE FIVE EXAMINERS, THREE OF WHICH ARE INVOLVED IN TRAINING, MEANING WE BASICALLY HAVE TWO FULL-TIME EXAMINERS AND STATEWIDE, THERE ARE A GRAND TOTAL OF 72 LICENSED FIREARMS EXAMINERS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, ONE OF WHICH IS PART-TIME AND TALKING WITH A LABORATORY YESTERDAY.
ONE IS GOING OUT ON LONG-TERM LEAVE.
SO THERE WILL BE 70 LICENSED FIREARMS EXAMINERS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS HERE SHORTLY.
THIS IS WHERE WE'RE HOW MANY FIREARMS? IT'S, IT'S, IT DOES NOT ADD UP EITHER AT THE STATE LEVEL OR THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
NATIONALLY IN 2020 THERE WERE 101,000 BACKLOGGED FIREARMS REQUESTS.
THAT IS SOMETHING PROBABLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THREE TO 5 MILLION LABOR HOURS.
AND IN THE US THERE ARE MAYBE 800 FIREARMS EXAMINERS.
SO THE FACT THAT THEY'VE MANAGED TO KEEP THIS RELATIVELY STABLE IS PRETTY HEROIC RIGHT THERE ON WHAT WE'VE GOT AND TRYING TO TRAIN WITH THE EXAMINERS THAT WE'VE GOT IN PROCESS.
A LOT OF THIS DEPENDS ON THE WORK THAT WE DO EVERY WEEK WITH HPD AND THE DA'S OFFICE TRYING TO HELP MEET THE DEMANDS THAT ARE IN COURT AND SLOT THINGS IN SO THAT WE TRY TO KEEP THE SYSTEM AT LARGE WORKING.
AND I GOTTA SAY, I MEAN, IT HAS BEEN IMMENSELY HELPFUL.
I'VE GOTTA GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO BOTH HPD AND THE DA'S OFFICE FOR STICKING IN THIS MESS OF TRYING TO WORK THROUGH HOW DO WE USE WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, INCLUDING THE LIMITED SMALL AMOUNT OF OUTSOURCING THAT WE CAN DO UP TO TARRANT COUNTY.
ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER ON FIREARMS STUFF? I HAVE A QUE I'M JUST CURIOUS, WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH FIREARMS? IS IT JUST THAT WE HAVE SO MANY AND THERE'S SO MANY SHOOTINGS GOING ON? IS THAT WHAT IT IS? AND THE, THE WAY I TRY TO EXPLAIN IT TO PEOPLE IS IF YOU THINK ABOUT, I MEAN HARRIS COUNTY MAYBE IS A LITTLE MORE STRAINED THAN ELSEWHERE AROUND THE COUNTRY, BUT IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO HARRIS COUNTY.
THE ENTIRE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS UNDERWATER.
IT IS STRAINING TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND THAT'S THERE.
BASICALLY EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY IS STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH VIOLENT CRIME AGAINST PERSON CASES.
WELL, HOW PEOPLE GET HOLES POKED IN THEM IN THIS COUNTRY IS WITH A GUN.
SO WHAT THE COURTS AND THE SYSTEM IS MOST INTERESTED IN IS FIREARMS EVIDENCE.
'CAUSE IT IS THE BASIS OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CASES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
SO WHEN YOU SAY HUNDRED THOUSANDS CASES, DO WE HAVE A WAY TO PRIORITIZE THEM OR CLASSIFY THE KIND OF, WE KNOW EACH CASE, THESE ARE IMPORTANT CASES, BUT I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A WAY TO
SO WE, WE HAVE A PRIORITY REQUEST SYSTEM THAT ADAS MAKE THOSE REQUESTS.
AND ACTUALLY AKILA AND AMY WORK ON THIS WEEKLY.
UH, THERE'S A SERIES OF WEEKLY MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE DA'S OFFICE AND WITH HPD THAT WE MEET WITH THEM TO HELP DETERMINE OF THESE REQUESTS ACROSS ALL OF YOUR ADAS, WHICH ONES REALLY ARE THOSE PRIORITIES THAT HAVE
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COURT DATES COMING UP ARE SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO PURSUE.SO THAT, 'CAUSE WE CAN'T SEE ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO WE WORK WITH THEM FOR THAT INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO PUT THOSE CASES IN AN ORDER TO TRY AND MEET WHAT WE CAN.
SO FOR THE BACKLOG, IS THERE A WAY TO KIND OF SEPARATE THE ACHIEVEMENT WE ACCOMPLISH FOR THOSE HIGH PRIORITY KIND OF CASE AND THE, SOME OF THE CASES THAT MAYBE THEY ARE KIND OF CAN BE, CAN BE HANGING THERE FOR A LONGER TIME? YEAH.
HOWEVER, OF THE BACKLOG THAT WE HAVE OF ABOUT 400 CASES, ALMOST ALL OF THOSE ARE A HOMICIDE WITH A GUN.
THAT'S THE KIND OF DECISION THAT WE'RE HAVING TO MAKE AS A SYSTEM.
I MEAN IT'S, AND THIS IS, I GET, I GET CALLS FROM OTHER LABS IN TEXAS, DO YOU HAVE ANY FIREARMS CAPACITY? EVERYBODY IN THE STATE IS HAVING TO STRUGGLE WITH THIS.
THE JUST AREN'T ENOUGH FIREARMS EXAMINERS, THEY TAKE A VERY LONG TIME TO TRAIN.
AND THEN STACKED ON TOP OF THAT ARE SOME VERY REAL, VERY SIGNIFICANT CRITICISM CHALLENGES OF THE PRACTICE, WHICH IS STACKED ON TOP OF THESE SAME PRACTITIONERS THAT ARE TRYING TO JUST KEEP UP WITH CASEWORK.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT'S WHAT I'VE GOT RELATIVELY QUICK.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME? OKAY.
THE NEXT TWO AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU.
THE NEXT TWO AGENDA ITEMS WILL COVER A FEW OF THE BOARD'S ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
FIRST, MR. LEACH WILL PRESENT THE ANNUAL AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS REQUIRED BY OUR BYLAWS.
PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT NEED A VOTE ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
THEN WE'LL RECEIVE AN OVERVIEW OF HSCS FINANCIAL STANDING FROM THE PREVIOUS FIN FISCAL YEAR THAT CONCLUDED IN JUNE, 2025.
MR. LEACH, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
UH, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE ENTIRE AUDIT REPORT.
IF YOU ACTUALLY READ THE WHOLE THING, LET ME KNOW.
I'LL GIVE YOU A GOLD STAR OR SOMETHING
I HIT THE, WE, WE DID AS WELL AS YOU CAN DO IN AN AUDIT REPORT.
THE PART I HIGHLIGHTED SAYS THE ACCOMPANYING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS REFERRED TO ABOVE PRESENT, FAIRLY IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT FROM AN AUDIT REPORT.
IF YOU WANNA READ THROUGH ALL OF IT AND WANT MORE INFORMATION, DETAILS ARE IN THERE.
UM, BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DID A GOOD JOB.
THE COMPANY DID A GOOD JOB ON THAT.
THERE IS ONE THING THAT IS UNUSUAL ABOUT THIS YEAR IS IN PRIOR YEARS WE HAVE TWO PARTS AUDITED.
YOU HAVE YOUR TRADITIONAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT, AND THEN THE FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE GOVERNMENT, UH, GRANTS ARE AUDITED ALSO.
THAT DID NOT HAPPEN THIS YEAR YET BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT HASN'T ISSUED THE RULES ON WHICH THE AUDIT HAS TO OCCUR.
SO THE SECOND PART OF THE REPORT, WHICH, UH, THIS IS A COPY OF WHAT WAS ISSUED LAST YEAR.
IN PRIOR YEARS, UH, THAT HASN'T HAPPENED YET.
WHEN THE GOVERNMENT GETS AROUND TO TELLING THE AUDITORS WHAT THE RULES ARE ON WHICH THEY HAVE TO DO THE AUDIT, UM, THEY'LL COME BACK AND THEY'LL DO THAT WORK.
THEY'RE ASSUMING IT WILL BE THE SAME TYPE OF WORK.
SO THEY'VE ALREADY DONE THE WORK, BUT UNTIL THE, YOU KNOW, UNTIL THE FINAL RULES ARE ISSUED, THEY CAN'T ISSUE THE FINAL REPORT.
UM, I'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THAT WHEN THAT IS ACTUALLY COMPLETED.
BUT I, THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY ISSUES.
UM, THE, THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE.
THE TESTING'S BEEN DONE, WE SHOULD BE IN GOOD SHAPE.
CAN YOU GO TO THE, UH, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AUDIT REPORT BEFORE WE CLOSE THAT UP? AND THAT'S ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE, THE AUDIT REPORT.
AND I CAN GET YOU A COPY OF IT IF, IF YOU WANT IT, UH, IF YOU DON'T FIND IT ON THE WEBSITE.
SO, UM, AS WAS STATED, THIS IS THE TIME PERIOD FROM JULY 1ST, 2024 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2025.
THE NUMBERS THAT ARE IMPORTANT ARE THE NUMBERS THAT DR. STOUT JUST WENT OVER.
THOSE ARE THE OPERATIONAL NUMBERS, BUT THIS IS THE MONEY, RIGHT? THAT SUPPORTS ALL THE OPERATIONAL NUMBERS.
OKAY? SO A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT ON THIS.
UH, REALLY THE BUSINESS IS VERY CONSISTENT.
MOST OF THE MONEY THAT WE SPEND IS ON, ON OUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET, THE PEOPLE DOING THE WORK.
THAT'S ABOUT 66% OF WHERE WE SPEND THE MONEY SERVICES, WHICH YOU'LL SEE THE DETAIL OF THAT.
THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF THE SERVICES IS OUTSOURCING.
THAT WILL BE THE BIGGEST SINGLE INDIVIDUAL PART OF THAT.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ACCOUNTS THAT GO INTO THAT MAKE UP ABOUT A QUARTER
[00:30:01]
OF IT.AND THEN SUPPLIES ARE SMALLER.
UM, CAPITAL, UH, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CAPITAL AND NON-CAPITAL IS IT LASTS MORE THAN A YEAR, BUT IT'S GREATER THAN $5,000.
IF IT'S UNDER $5,000, WE JUST EXPENSE IT.
SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE THERE.
WHAT HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, BECAUSE THESE MACHINES ARE 200,000 ON THE LOW SIDE, YOU KNOW, HALF A MILLION ON THE HIGH SIDE, WE LEASE THEM.
SO THE, THESE ARE WHEN WE INCUR AND YOU GUYS APPROVE FOR US TO GET THESE MASS SPECS AND THESE OTHER THINGS.
WE'RE ENTERING, ENTERING INTO LEASES BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, YOU KNOW, TO LAY OUT FOR A COUPLE MACHINES, A MILLION DOLLARS IN A YEAR, WE GO AHEAD AND ENTER INTO FIVE YEAR LEASES ON 'EM.
SO THOSE ARE ONGOING, BUT THEY'RE CAPITALIZED.
OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE BIGGER PICTURE? THAT'S VERY CONSISTENT WITH PRIOR YEARS WHERE THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN FALLING PROBABLY FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, KIND OF AS WE'VE ESTABLISHED A NORMALIZED POSITION AS AN ORGANIZATION.
OKAY, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE.
YOU CAN SEE, UH, JUST THE CHANGE YEAR OVER YEAR BETWEEN THE MAJOR CATEGORIES.
JUST, UH, IF YOU NOTICE THE CITY OF HOUSTON REVENUE WENT UP.
THE MONEY THAT WE GET FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THAT WAS IN, IN THE LAST BUDGET, THE 2025 BUDGET, THEY GAVE US AN EXTRA TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO DEVOTE TOWARDS BIOLOGY.
OKAY? WHICH YOU, YOU'VE SEEN THE RESULTS OF THAT, THAT, THAT IS, THAT IS GOING TOWARDS OUTSOURCING.
AND THEN AS WE CAN HIRE NEW HEAD COUNT, WE MOVE IT FROM OUTSOURCING TO PEOPLE.
IDEALLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT ENTIRE MOUNT OVER TO PEOPLE.
WE CAN GET MORE DONE WITH THAT.
BUT THERE'S A BALANCE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RESTRAINTS THAT ARE TALKED ABOUT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT OTHER SOURCES, RIGHT? COVID ENDED.
WE DON'T GET THAT MONEY ANYMORE.
AND WE HAD A DIP IN HOW MUCH WE GET WE RECEIVED IN, UM, DOJ GRANTS THAT YEAR.
THE NET OF THOSE TWO CHANGES BASICALLY WASHED.
SO TOTAL REVENUE WAS CONSISTENT YEAR OVER YEAR, BUT IT, IT CHANGED, UH, SOURCES.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT PAYROLL IS GOING UP, WE'RE HIRING MORE PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK, AND THEN THE ONLY, THE OTHERS ARE PRETTY CONSISTENT.
BUT WHAT YOU WOULD ALSO SEE A LITTLE BIT IS THE OUTSOURCE EXPENSES GOING UP.
E EVERYTHING OTHER THAN THAT IS MOVING, YOU KNOW, 5% OR LESS AS INFLATION AND THINGS GO LIKE THAT.
BUT THOSE, THOSE ARE THE MOVERS OF THE BUSINESS.
OKAY? HERE YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE SPEND MONEY BY DEPARTMENT.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST THE OPERATIONAL DEPARTMENTS, UM, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, UH, BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSE OF BIOLOGY AND HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY ARE THERE ARE IN THE DEPARTMENT, IT GETS THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF THE MONEY SPENT.
UM, CAPITAL EQUIPMENT, OTHER THINGS IS NUMBER TWO.
BUT YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE MONEY IS ALLOCATED BY DEPARTMENT.
UM, ON THIS ONE, ALL OF THE RED MAKES UP 66%, AND THAT'S WHAT I JUST SHOWED YOU.
BUT THERE'S ALSO EXECUTIVE, THERE'S FINANCE, THERE'S LEGAL THERE.
THIS IS A TOTAL PICTURE OF EVERYTHING.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM AN ACCOUNTING PERSPECTIVE, YOU HAVE THE OPERATIONAL EXPENSES, WHICH YOU WANT TO BE AS BIG AS POSSIBLE.
YOU WANT THAT TO BE AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE, BUT THE OVERHEAD IS NECESSARY TO RUN THE BUSINESS.
SO THERE YOU CAN SEE THAT 66% OF THE MONEY GOES DIRECTLY TOWARDS DOING LAB WORK, CASE WORK.
AND THEN, UH, ALL THE SUPPORT FUNCTIONS MAKE UP THE OTHER PIECE OF IT.
AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE IT THERE.
I HAVEN'T SHOWN YOU THAT CHART BEFORE, BUT, UH, THOUGHT IT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE TOTAL PICTURE OF WHERE WE SPEND THE MONEY.
AND THEN, UH, GIVE YOU AN EIGHT YEAR TREND, UH, OF THE, THE HISTORY BY REVENUE AND PAYROLL.
WHAT, WHAT YOU'LL NOTICE IN THAT IS REALLY THE REVENUE HAS CHANGED, IT'S GROWN, THANKFULLY.
UM, WE'RE GETTING MORE AND MORE SUPPORT TO HELP US, UH, FULFILL THE WORK.
UH, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, PAYROLL IS GOING UP.
THAT'S, THAT'S OUR BIGGEST DRIVER.
UH, THE OTHER ONE IS SERVICES, WHICH IS OUTSOURCING.
OTHER THAN THAT WE'RE CONSISTENT.
IT, IT MOVES A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOT MUCH.
THOSE ARE THE DRIVERS OF THE BUSINESS.
PAYROLL BEING THE, THE MOST IMPORTANT.
HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN WE HAVE SITTING ON THE BENCH DOING THE WORK? OKAY? UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REALLY WANT TO GEEK OUT ON THIS STUFF, THIS IS ALL THE DETAIL BEHIND THE CHARTS.
LEMME JUST SHOW YOU A COUPLE THINGS.
SO IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT IT THE WAY THAT THIS WORKS, YOU HAVE A COMPARISON IN THE FIRST CALL.
THIS IS, THIS IS PER LINE ITEM OF WHAT YOU GUYS APPROVE FOR THE BUDGET.
EVERY LINE ITEM, YOU GUYS APPROVE IN THE BUDGET.
AND THEN ONCE A YEAR I'LL COME IN AND SAY, HEY GUYS, I NEED YOU TO APPROVE US MOVING THINGS AROUND.
LIKE IF WE DECIDE TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE AND WE DON'T HAVE TO OUTSOURCE AS MUCH, OR WE LOST SOME PEOPLE, SO THEREFORE WE NEED TO TAKE SOME MONEY AND APPLY IT TO OUTSOURCING OR OTHER CHANGES.
WE JUST MOVE THINGS AROUND WITHIN THE TOTAL THAT YOU GUYS HAVE APPROVED.
[00:35:01]
A, A COUPLE THINGS ON THIS IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT IT.THE FIRST COLUMN IS THE 2024 EXPENSES.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE 25 EXPENSES.
YOU HAVE THE DELTA, THE CHANGE BETWEEN THE YEAR AND THEN THE PERCENT OF THE CHANGE.
SO IF YOU LOOK DOWN AT TOTAL INCOME, IT DIDN'T MOVE RIGHT AT 0%, IT'S ONLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND ON, ON THE TOTAL AMOUNT.
BUT IF YOU WANNA NOTICE, YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGE BETWEEN THE INCREASE THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE CITY, RIGHT? VERSUS HOW MUCH WE LOST FROM ARPA AND FEDERAL.
SO YOU BIGGER PICTURE IT STAYED THE SAME, BUT IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE MOVEMENT WITHIN, YOU CAN SEE IT ON THIS CHART.
UH, ANOTHER EXAMPLE, UH, THIS ONE IS, UH, PAYROLL.
SO YOU CAN SEE, UM, HOW PAYROLL HAS GONE UP BY 13%.
UM, SERVICE SUPPLIES IS SUCH A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL.
THOSE NUMBERS AREN'T MEANINGFUL INDIVIDUALLY.
IT MIGHT BE A BIG PERCENTAGE, BUT IN THE TOTAL PIECE OF THE PIE, IT'S A VERY SMALL PIECE.
UM, AND THEN WHEN WE LOOK AT, LEMME GET TO THE NEXT ONE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT SERVICES, THE BIG NUMBER IS CALLED MEDICAL, DENTAL, AND LABORATORY.
YOU SEE THAT IT DROPPED 440, THAT'S BECAUSE WE DIDN'T RECEIVE, WE, WE HAD RECEIVED PREVIOUSLY A LOT OF MONEY FROM ARPA TO DO THIS, RIGHT? AND COVID.
AND THEN ALSO AS WE'RE AMY'S ABLE TO BRING ON MORE PEOPLE, THAT MONEY MOVES UP TO PAYROLL AND MOVES AWAY FROM OUTSOURCING.
SO THERE ARE THE DETAILS, RIGHT? HOW YOU WOULD LOOK AT THIS CHART IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT LINE BY LINE.
AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS NOW OR IN THE FUTURE, SAY, HEY DAVID, WHY DID FILL IN THE BLANK CHANGE BY THIS AMOUNT? I CAN GIVE YOU THE DETAIL BEHIND THAT.
THAT IS A REVIEW OF LAST YEAR'S FINANCIAL RESULTS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST HAVE A COMMENT.
BUT YOU DO SUCH A GREAT JOB ON THIS.
YOU MAKE IT, IT'S A COMPLEX, UM, SITUATION, BUT YOU MAKE IT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I I AGREE VERY MUCH, UM, WITH THE VICE CHAIR AND PARTICULARLY SINCE MY LATE HUSBAND WAS THE CPAI REMEMBER, I'M SORRY, GOING THROUGH SOME OF THIS AND
NO, I DON'T HAVE AN ABILITY TO EXPLAIN IT, BUT NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.
UM, PROCEDURE AGENDA ITEM NINE.
UM, FOR, UH, JACKIE MORRELL QUALITY DIRECTOR WILL NOW GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE QUALITY.
SO TODAY I WANTED TO GIVE YOU, I WANTED TO START MY PRESENTATION WITH A COUPLE OF QUALITY UPDATES FOR MY FIRST, FOR MY FIRST UPDATE.
UH, OUR CLIENT SERVICES CASE MANAGEMENT SECTION HAS THEIR ACCREDITATION REASSESSMENT SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK OF, OR SORRY, FOR THE DAY OF DECEMBER THE 10TH.
NOW, CSCM, JUST AS A LITTLE HISTORICAL RECAP, UM, BECAME THE FIRST EVIDENCE UNIT TO BE ACCREDITED IN THE AAB B'S, UM, PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE PROGRAM THAT WAS CREATED AND LAUNCHED BACK IN 2023.
THEY BECAME ACCREDITED IN DECEMBER, 2023.
UH, THIS ACCREDITATION PROGRAM RUNS IN A TWO YEAR CYCLE, MEANING THAT NOW BEING ALMOST DECEMBER, 2025, WE ARE ON THE LATTER END OF THAT TWO YEAR CYCLE, RIGHT? AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY A NAB HAS TO COME HERE ON SITE AND REASSESS ON OVER 77 OF THESE ACCREDITATION CLAUSE.
UM, THEY HAVE TO COME AND REASSESS AND TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE STILL CONFORMING TO ALL OF THE ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS PROGRAM.
AND WITH THAT, UM, VERIFICATION, THEN THAT WOULD LEAD INTO THE CONTINUATION OF OUR ACCREDITATION AND US CONTINUING INTO ANOTHER TWO YEAR, UH, CYCLE ACCREDITATION.
NOW ON OUR END, BOTH CSEM AND OUR QUALITY DIVISION ARE RARELY PREPARED FOR THIS ONSITE ASSESSMENT, RIGHT? WE'VE ALREADY GOT TOGETHER WITH CSEM, WE HAVE ALREADY COMPILED AND DOCUMENTED ALL THE AREAS FOR ALL OF THESE REQUIREMENTS, HOW WE ARE CONFORMING TO THEM.
AND THEY'VE COMPILED ALL OF THEIR DOCUMENTS AND UPLOADED THESE AND SENT THEM TO A NAB, RIGHT? ALL THESE DOCUMENTS AND RECORDS OF CONFORMANCE CAN BE LIKE
[00:40:01]
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, TRAINING PROGRAM, WORKSHEETS, FORMS, CHAIN OF CUSTODY, QUALITY CONTROL, UM, BALANCE CHECKS OR WHATNOT AS VERIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE.SO THEY CAN REVIEW START FAMILIARIZING THEMSELVES OFF, UM, OFF SITE FOR THIS.
SO THEY CAN BE, THIS LEAD ASSESSOR CAN BE READY WHEN THEY COME ON SITE ON DECEMBER THE 10TH FOR THIS ASSESSMENT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE ON TO MY NEXT UPDATE? UH, FOR THE NEXT UPDATE? UM, IT'S MORE OF AN INTERNAL AUDIT.
WE RECENTLY, LAST MONTH CONCLUDED ON DURING OCTOBER 20TH TO THE 24TH, OUR SAFETY, SECURITY AND FACILITIES INTERNAL AUDIT.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE KIND OF, UM, SEPARATED THESE OUT AND, UM, WE USUALLY DO THEM AT THE SAME TIME.
AND I'VE SEPARATED OUT WHAT THE AUDIT RESULTS WERE.
AS YOU CAN SEE FOR SAFETY AND FACILITIES.
WE HAD NO NON-CONFORMANCES NOTED, BUT WE DID HAVE FIVE NON-CONFORMANCES FOR THE AREA OF SECURITY.
NOW, NONE OF THESE NON-CONFORMANCES, THERE WERE MINOR, THERE WERE NONE OF THEM THAT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF CONCERN IS JUST LITTLE AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO POLISH MAYBE, UM, WHAT WE SAY IN OUR POLICIES.
SO THEY MATCHED OUR PROCESSES.
NOW, IN ADDITION, I ALSO WENT AHEAD AND LISTED, UM, FOR ALL OF THESE SAFETY, SECURITY AND FACILITIES AREAS THAT WE HAD SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT NOTED, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.
UM, WHILE THEY'RE NOT NONCONFORMANCES, UM, THERE ARE AREAS THAT WE MAY SEE DURING THIS INTERNAL AUDIT THAT WHILE WE ARE CONFORMING, IF WE CONTINUE TO GOING THAT DOWN THAT ROAD AND WE DON'T MAKE THESE TWEAKS, WE COULD POSSIBLY PUT OURSELVES IN A POSITION OF A FUTURE NON-CONFORMANCE, RIGHT? SO WE DEFINITELY WANNA, WE ARE WORKING WITH THESE DIFFERENT SECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THOSE UPDATES.
WE'RE READY FOR OUR 17 OH TO FIVE REASSESSMENT, WHICH IS GOING TO BE NEXT YEAR FOR OUR OTHER ACCREDITATION PROGRAM.
NOW ON MY NEXT TOPIC AND MY LAST ONE FOR TODAY, UM, IT'S ON THE TFSC DISCLOSURES.
THE TEXAS FORENSIC SCIENCE COMMISSION HAD THEIR LATEST QUARTERLY MEETING.
UM, THEY HELD THIS ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER THE 24TH.
AND THERE WAS ONE DISCLOSURE THAT WHILE IT WAS NOT OURS, IT WAS INDIRECTLY AFFECTED OUR CASE WORK.
AND, UM, SO OUR SIGNATURE SCIENCES, OUR OUTSOURCED LABORATORY FOR OUR FORENSIC BIOLOGY UNIT, UM, MADE US AWARE OF A SITUATION THAT THEY WERE DISCLOSING TO THE TEXAS FORENSIC SCIENCE COMMISSION, WHERE, UH, THEY HAD AN INVENTORY TECHNICIAN THAT DURING AN INTERNAL REVIEW, THEY NOTED THAT THIS TECHNICIAN HAD A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN NORMAL LEVELS OF INACCURACIES OR LITTLE ADMINISTRATIVE ERRORS, UM, JUST A HIGHER THAN NORMAL LACK TO ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
AND, UM, SO THEY LET US KNOW FOR US TO INFORM OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
NOW, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE FAMILIARIZATION, IN CASE YOU WEREN'T HERE AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, UM, FOR THIS ONE, UH, FOR THIS DISCLOSURE, UH, FOR SIGNATURE SCIENCE HIGH LEVEL, THEIR PROCESS IS, UH, THEY HAVE AN INTAKE, RIGHT? WHERE THEY HAVE THESE EVIDENCE TECHNICIANS BASICALLY DOCUMENT AND INVENTORY ON THEIR NOTES WHAT THE DESCRIPTION OF THE SEXUAL ASSAULT KIT SWAP BOXES AND WHATNOT.
UM, THEY RELAYED ON THE, THEY RELAY THIS ONTO NOTES AND THEY GO AHEAD AND THEY CUT THESE SWABS IN HALF, RIGHT? ONE PORTION PROCEEDS FOR A IT FOR A DNA ANALYSIS, WHILE THE OTHER IS PRESERVED FOR FUTURE TESTING.
NOW, UM, THE NEXT PHASE OF THEIR ANALYTICAL WORK, IN THIS CASE, THIS IS WHERE THE ANALYTICAL WORKFLOW STARTS, RIGHT? THEY COULD EITHER GO THROUGH SEROLOGY OR WHAT THEY CALL SCREENING.
AND THEN THAT MOVES ON INTO WHAT, INTO THE EXTRACTION QUANTITATION AMPLIFICATION OF THAT DNA AND FROM THAT, THE DNA ANALYST, KIND OF THAT DATA DESERT, THE CONCLUSIONS, AND THEY REPORT THIS OUT, UM, FROM WHAT THEY EXPLAINED TO US IS THAT THIS TECHNICIAN AT NO TIME HAD ANY PART OF THE ANALYTICAL WORKFLOW, RIGHT? IT WAS JUST AT THE INTAKE PORTION.
AND THE REASON WHY THEY WERE JUST LETTING US KNOW TO INFORM OUR STAKEHOLDERS WAS IN CASE THERE WAS, IN CASE THERE WAS A CASE OR A SITUATION WHERE THEY JUST WANTED US TO SEND BACK THE EVIDENCE FOR THEM, FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY VERIFY THAT THE INVENTORY NOTES WERE ACCURATE, RIGHT? THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY INCONSISTENCIES.
SO THAT WAS MORE OF THE, THE MATTER OF THE NOTIFICATION FOR US.
NOW, THIS DISCLOSURE WAS REVIEWED BY THE COMMISSIONERS AND THEY SAID, AND THEY VOTED THIS AS TO TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION NEEDED, MEANING THAT THEY THOUGHT CIG SAI HAD DID AN APPROPRIATE ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS AND IT IMPLEMENTED, UM, APPROPRIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION, UM, APPROPRIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION MEASURES.
RIGHT? IN THIS INSTANCE, THIS INVENTORY TECHNICIAN WAS PERMANENTLY REMOVED FROM THE FORENSIC SIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? SO IN ORDER TO, UH, PREVENT THIS FROM REOCCURRING.
AND WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION.
THERE IS MORE INFORMATION AND DETAILED DATA.
UM, AND DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS?
[00:45:02]
NO.EXCEPT I DO WANNA MENTION THAT WE HAVE THESE CUTE LITTLE PACKAGES IN FRONT OF US.
THE BOARD MEMBERS DO, APPARENTLY FROM THE STAFF.
AND SO I WANNA THANK, THANK YOU ALL.
IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE TICKING, SO I THINK IT'S PROBABLY, IT'S PROBABLY GOOD.
WELCOME, AND WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY HOLIDAY, UH, SEASON AND WHATEVER YOU'RE CELEBRATING.