Commissioners John Wiley Price and Andrew Sommerman had a brief showdown Tuesday during the latest Dallas County Commissioners Court meeting.
The court’s meeting on March 5 included a discussion of the 30-month service price agreements for the Dallas County Juvenile Department (DCJD).
The first of these service price agreements, item No.3 on the agenda of Request for Proposal services (RFPS), encompassed juvenile non-residential treatment services for the department provided by Big Thought — a program that has drawn criticism in the past — for $50,000. It also included the K16 Ready Society Inc. dba Texas Initiative Programs for $950,000, MY GIRLS Inc. for $270,000, K-Nation Group for $10,000, Southwest Key Programs Inc. for $10,000, Youth Conversion Inc. for $260,000, and Youth Advocate Programs Inc. for an estimated $700,000 — for a total of $2,250,000.
The second of these service price agreements, item No.4 on the RFPS agenda, comprised prices for residential services for the department provided by Athletes for Change for $460,000, The Center for Success and Independence for $40,000, Pegasus Schools Inc. for $625,000, Shoreline Inc. for $275,000, and Gulf Coast Trades Center for $400,000 — for a total of $1,800,000.
Both agreements would function through June 19, 2026.
Sommerman asked to pull both agenda items to address responses that the court received from a query sent to DCJD. However, Sommerman claimed that the responses made “no sense,” particularly the recidivism rate for K16, one of the largest providers.
A presentation illustrated that K16’s recidivism rates were 73%, 78%, and 79% in 2021, 2022, and 2023, respectively.
“This is terrible. If that is a true statement, this is a disaster of a program and we should not approve it,” said Sommerman.
Sommerman added that he believed these numbers were inaccurate, as they mirrored the numbers for the entity’s completion rates.
“It looks like K16 Ready Society has fumbled the ball in terms of responding,” said Sommerman.
Sommerman expressed similar concerns within the second agreement, particularly with Athletes for Change, noting that the organization did not have an answer for its recidivism rates. Sommerman said that the juvenile department has been lacking in its communication.
“I need answers,” said Sommerman.
County Judge Clay Jenkins suggested that the items be passed for a period of a year instead of 30 months and that assistance be offered to the entities that were unable to provide accurate responses.
After more deliberation, the commissioners agreed to amend both items to include shorter terms with decreased funds.
Sommerman proposed a new amendment for a 12-month agreement for Athletes for Change at $150,000 (a difference of $310,000), Pegasus Schools Inc. at $205,000 (a difference of $420,000), Center for Success and Independence at $28,000 (a difference of $12,000), Gulf Coast Trades Centers at $120,000 (a difference of $280,000), and Shoreline Inc. at $80,000 (a difference of $195,000) to run from March 4, 2024 through March 3, 2025 — for a total of $583,000.
Sommerman also proposed a similar 12-month agreement with adjusted pricing for Big Thought at $16,000 (a difference of $34,000), K-Nation Group at $5,000 (a difference of $5,000), K16 Ready Society at $350,000 (a difference of $600,000), My Girls Inc. at $90,000 (a difference of $180,000), Southwest Key Programs Inc. at $5,000 (a difference of $5,000), Youth Advocate Programs Inc. at $235,000 (a difference of $465,000), and Youth Conversion Inc. at $86,000 (a difference of $174,000) — for a total of $787,000.
Commissioner Price said standard vendor performance scorecards for each entity would be needed. However, Sommerman said what is needed is DCJD’s help, expressing frustration at the department’s apparent lack of communication.
“They know who went through the program and whether it was successful or not. And I’ve tried to engage [the] juvenile [department] over and over and over again, saying please answer, and I get silence back. I need engagement. This is what we have to have,” said Sommerman.
Price suggested that Sommerman had received no responses because the juvenile department does not trust him, to which Sommerman responded that Price should attempt to reach them.
“You get it. They trust you. Get it for me,” said Sommerman.
“Well, dammit, that’s part of the problem, and I don’t blame them. They don’t trust you,” shouted Price.
“Are y’all done?” asked Jenkins.
Commissioner Sommerman’s relationship with the juvenile department has been tenuous since replacing Price in the juvenile court. DCJD sued the court last year following an order prompted by Sommerman to hand over records on juvenile tenure in solitary confinement, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Shortly after this heated exchange, both amended agenda items were approved four to one, with Price voting against them.
