>>> CHANNEL 2 INVESTIGATES LEARNED THAT HARRIS COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS COULD PULL THE
PLUG ON THE POP-UP MEDICAL
SHELTER AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK.
>> THAT SITE SINCE EMPTY HAS A
POTENTIAL PRICE TAG OF
$60 MILLION AND A NIGHT
INVESTIGATOR MARIO DIAZ TAKES A
CLOSER LOOK AT THE EXPENSES YOU
THE TAXPAYER WILL SUFFER.
>> AS FAR AS THE ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA, THE LARGEST ONE IS THE
NRG EFFORT, WHICH IS
$60 MILLION.
$60 MILLION. >> IT HAS BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE A
250 BED MEDICAL SHELTER STARTED
CONSTRUCTION AT NRG.
THE FACILITY WENT UP WITHIN A
MATTER OF DAYS.
THERE WAS EVEN A SPLASHY TOUR
WITH THE MEDIA.
HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE MAKING HER
MESSAGE HEARD THAT DAY.
>> WE DON’T WANT TO BE CAUGHT
FLATFOOTED, WE’RE WORKING TO
STAY AHEAD OF THIS.
>> THERE HAVE BEEN NO PARTIES,
ACCORDING TO THE COUNTY.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
YOUR HARD-EARNED DOLLARS ARE
PAYING FOR IT.
CHANNEL 2 INVESTIGATES OBTAINED
THE FULL CONTRACT FROM THE
COUNTY.
COUNTY. THE DEAR PARK COMPANY BUILDING
THE FACILITY LISTS HIGHLY
COMPENSATED PERSONNEL RANKING
FROM VARIOUS SAFETY OFFICERS
RECEIVING DAY RATES OF HIS
2,875, 2300 AND $2,012 A DAY.
ALSO IN THE MIX, A FINANCE
SECTION CHIEF WITH A DAILY RATE
OF $2,875.
OF $2,875. >> FOR A FINANCE CHIEF, ARE THEY
GOING TO HAVE A BANK IN THE
HOSPITAL?
HOSPITAL? >> ALSO LIMITED, TWO PUBLIC
INFORMATION OFFICERS AT $2,012 A
DAY.
DAY. EVEN THOUGH THE CONTRACT THE
COUNTY SIGNED CLEARLY STATES
CONTACT WITH THE NEWS MEDIA
CITIZENS OF HARRIS COUNTY OR
GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES SHALL BE
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
COUNTY.
COUNTY. >> OBVIOUSLY THE COUNTY HAS A
LOT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION
OFFICERS THAT COULD BE GIVEN
THIS TASK.
THIS TASK. >> THE FORMER COUNTY JUDGE FOR
HARRIS COUNTY AND CHANNEL 2’S
POLITICAL ANALYST LOOKED AT THE
CONTRACT AND SCOPE OFt, WORK.
HIS TAKE.
HIS TAKE. >> IT’S A LOT OF MONEY, YOU
KNOW, $60 MILLION, DOES THAT
MAKE SENSE.
MAKE SENSE. >> HOW THIS DEAL CAME ABOUT IS
INTRIGUING CONSIDER THANK JUST
24 HOURS AGO, THE JUDGE
DESCRIBED HER DECISION-MAKING
PROCESS.
PROCESS. >> I DON’T MAKE DECISIONS BASED
ON POLITICS.
ON POLITICS. I MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON
SCIENCE, BASED ON DATA.
>> SHA WAS THE JUDGE YESTERDAY.
KEEP IN MIND, 24 HOURS BEFORE
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPROVED
THE $60 MILLION PROJECT ON APRIL
SYLVESTER TURNER MADE ONE THING
CLEAR.
CLEAR. >> WE ARE STILL WITHIN THE
HOSPITAL’S ABILITY TO HANDLE THE
LOAD.
LOAD. >> SO FAR, MAYOR TURNER’S
ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN ACCURATE AND
AT THE TIME, TWO NATIONAL DATA
BASES PREDICTED THERE WOULD NOT
BE ANY STRAIN ON OUR RESOURCES,
THOUGH WE WERE STILL A FEW WEEKS
FROM OTHER PEAK.
BACK ON APRIL 7, JUDGE HIDALGO
TOLD CHANNEL 2 INVESTIGATES THE
DEAL WELL CAME DOWN TO JUDGE
IT’S PRETTY MUCH THE LAST
MEDICAL SHELTER WE COULD HAVE
ACCESS TO.
ACCESS TO. THIS WEREN’T ANY OTHERS AND IT
WAS TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.
>> WE HAD TWO DURING VIEWS SET
YOU THE TODAY WITH THE VICE
PRESIDENT WHOSE NAME IS ON THE
CONTRACT BUT BOTH TIMES HE HAD
TO CANCEL.
TO CANCEL. WE TRIED TO EXPERIENCE HIS
EXPERIENCE AT BUILDING HOSPITALS
IN THE FIELD AND HOW MANY THEY
HAVE DONE NATIONWIDE BUT A P.R.
PERSON HASN’T RESPONDED TO US.
>>> SOME LIKE DENVER ARE
BECOMING SMALLER OR IN THE CASE
OF SEATTLE, THEY HAVE ALL RIGHT
BEEN DISMANTLED.
BEEN DISMANTLED. ONE THING THEY ALL HAVE IN
COMMON, THEY COST TAXPAYERS
MILLIONS.
MILLIONS. LOCALLY, THE FACILITY IS GETTING
MIXED REVIEWS FROM THOSE PAYING
THE RUNNING TAB.
>> WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE READY.
WE DO NOT ONE PEOPLE TO NEED THE
CARE AND NOT ABLE TO GET IT.
>> DON’T NEED TO WASTE ANYBODY’S
TIME SITTING THERE FOR NO
REASON.
REASON. >> IT WOULD BE NICE IF NOBODY
STEPPED IN THE HOSPITAL.
>> IF THE TEMPORARY SHELTER IS
HUSBAND DOWN AND NOBODY EVER
SETS FOOD INSIDE OF IT, THE
COUNTY WILL BE ON THE HOOK FOR
$17 MILLION WITH PLANS FOR THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO REIMBURSE
75% OF THE COST.