Primary Department: Juvenile Probation
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Henry Gonzales
Managing Department: Juvenile Probation
Managing Department Head/Elected Official: Henry Gonzales
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Investment Memo
Investment Memo Type: Final Investment Memo
Project Name: Juvenile Probation Charter School Shuttle Bus and Nance Parking Lot Shuttle Bus
Project ID (if applicable): TBD
Vendor Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Achievement (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Incremental Authorization Requested: $380,400
Total Estimated Project Cost: $380,400
Request Summary:
title
Request for approval of a Final Investment Memo for the Juvenile Probation Charter School Shuttle Bus and Nance Parking Lot Shuttle Bus project, for an amount of $380,400 and request for approval of commercial paper funding in the amount of $385,000.
end
Project Description:
Harris County Juvenile Probation (HCJPD) is requesting commercial paper funding for the purchase of three shuttle buses. Two buses will be for The Opportunity Center, which is a charter school that provides educational and vocational training services to youth that are or were court-involved. The students come from all areas of Harris County, and Harris County does not always provide adequate transportation to address the needs of these students. The families of many of these youth also face transportation challenges which make it difficult to obtain their educational and vocational goals. The school has a capacity for eighty (80) youth, and currently there are fifty-three (53) enrolled. Over two-thirds of the youth rely on the transportation provided by The Opportunity Center, which includes 5 stops throughout Harris County. Current transportation methods include four vans, three of which are aging, need replacement, and are not adequately designed for passengers to enter and exit the vehicle quickly and safely.
The third van will be utilized to transport employees to the Juvenile Justice Center (JJC) from Harris County’s Free Parking Lot Program located at 2202 Nance Street. The shuttle operates six days a week, beginning at 5:00 am and ending at 12:30 am. HCJPD transports over 200 employees daily to JJC, most of whom are essential employees. The free parking program is considered crucial to department operations, not only in getting staff to work on time but also serves as a benefit to employees who work downtown and are adversely impacted by the rising costs of parking. Currently, the shuttle bus transportation system to and from county buildings to the Nance Parking lot is being operated by Juvenile Probation, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and Harris County Constable Pct. 1. All three departments collaborate and share vehicle resources to transport each other’s staff to their respective building locations. HCJPD will also transport other department staff, if requested, to alleviate finding adequate parking on special event days held downtown. HCJPD is currently using an aging and high mileage fifteen-passenger van that is not adequately designed for short, constant trips and allows for passengers to enter and exit the vehicle quickly and safely.
Anticipated Project Expenditures and Timeline:
Harris County Purchasing Office obtained the quotes for the shuttle buses in accordance with Harris County Purchasing Department’s policies and procedures.
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Project Scope Breakdown |
Estimated Cost |
Estimated Completion |
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2 shuttle buses for Charter School |
$253,600 |
05/2025 |
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1 shuttle bus for employee parking |
$126,800 |
05/2025 |
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Total |
$380,400 |
- |
Justification & Alternatives:
Shuttle bus purchases will provide reliable, safe transportation to youth to and from school, and will improve attendance. Staff transportation to and from the county parking lot at Nance Street addresses high downtown parking costs and congestion and provides a reliable alternative.
Anticipated Impact on Other Funds (If Applicable):
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Fund Code |
Description |
Estimated Cost |
Funding Method (Existing or Future Budget Request Required) |
Estimated Date of Needs |
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County Strategic Plan Goal: 2. Connect our community with safe, reliable, equitably distributed, and well-maintained infrastructure.
County Strategic Plan Objective: G: Expand and optimize multimodal transportation options.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): B3: Increase school-based juvenile justice diversion and other interventions.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Decision Analysis Matric Score (rubric on last page):
Previous Court Action: N/A
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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Address: Multiple
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Service Name |
Excel Academy Charter School and Pre-Adjudication Facilities |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Current Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Additional Budget Request |
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Commercial Paper |
$ |
$385,000 |
$385,000 |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$385,000 |
$385,000 |
$ |
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Total Funding Request |
$ |
$385,000 |
$385,000 |
$ |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
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- |
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Total Personnel |
- |
- |
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Anticipated Court Date: 2/6/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 5/31/2025
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Legal funding compliance confirmed by: Paige Abernathy, Assistant County Attorney, 1/22/2025.
Department Approval by: Henry Gonzales
OMB CIP Team Approval by: William McGuinness, Director - Capital Projects & Infrastructure, 1/23/2025
Commercial Paper Request (For OMB use only):
Receiving Department: Juvenile Probation
Project PeopleSoft ID: TBD
CP Series Description: Commercial Paper Series D-2 can be used for (1) construction of public works, (2) the purchase of automobiles, equipment and machinery, including computers, materials and supplies for the operation of the County’s precincts and departments (3) Professional services, including services provided by engineers, architects, attorneys, auditors, financial advisors, and fiscal agents, in connection with the contractual obligations described in (1) and (2).
Commercial Paper is being requested for the Juvenile Probation Charter School Shuttle Bus and Nance Parking Lot Shuttle Bus project and is expected to be repaid within the next three fiscal years either through bonds, budgetary means, or pay-as-you-go sources.
OMB Financial Management contact: Amy Perez, Deputy Executive Director, Office of Management and Budget