Department: County Administration
Department Head/Elected Official: Diana Ramirez, County Administrator
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Position
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for approval of one position effective January 11, 2025.
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Background and Discussion:
A mandate of the ODonnell Federal Consent Decree is to enhance and promote compliance through ongoing training to the County Criminal Courts at Law Judges and Defendants' agents and Harris County employees whose work is necessary to implementing Local Rule 9, including both public defenders and private appointed counsel. Previously, the County has contracted external trainers to develop and implement required training. Based on feedback from required participants, the Justice Innovation team will develop an internal training through a learning management system to be used for a refresher and onboarding resource. To accommodate the training requirement and additional ODonnell and Justice Innovation team needs, the external contract opportunity will become an internal full-time position.
The ODonnell Consent Decree Monitors were advised of this request and provided support. The position will be funded from ODonnell funds and fringe from the departmental budget. ODonnell funding is available for two years.
Expected Impact: N/A
It is anticipated that the quality and continuity of the work can be better performed by dedicated staff with the available funding, rather than consulting dollars expended on an ad hoc basis. The Justice Innovation Team wants to build out a process and training modules that will be serviceable for years past the consent decree period.
The person in this position will assist in fulfilling multiple consent decree mandates to include -
• Developing, in collaboration with stakeholders, an online refresher course for required attorneys and judges.
• Developing training materials to accommodate the online training.
• Manage the implementation of nonappearance recommendations.
• Assist with required ODonnell public meetings and requests.
The training course and materials will be developed to accommodate onboarding and training requests beyond the seven-year mandate. Agencies and departments will be able to use the training to educate and inform new hires and newly elected officials.
Alternative Options:
Return to the option of hiring outside consultants to develop and implement training. The consultants would only be able to assist with the training, not other ODonnell requirements, losing some economies of scale in being able to leverage this position in other aspects of the consent decree.
Alignment with Goal(s):
X Justice and Safety
_ Economic Opportunity
_ Housing
_ Public Health
_ Transportation
_ Flooding
_ Environment
X Governance and Customer Service
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Location:
Address (if applicable): N/A
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Non-Labor |
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Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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1000 - General Fund |
$135,135.08 |
$0 |
$0 |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
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$ |
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Total Current Budget |
$135,135.08 |
$0 |
$0 |
$ |
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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Funding Request |
$135,135.08 |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
10 |
- |
- |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
1 |
- |
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- |
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Total Personnel |
11 |
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Anticipated Court Date: 1/9/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 1/11/2025
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Tonya Mills, Justice Innovation Managing Director, Office of County Administration
Attachments (if applicable): Job Description and 3441