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[I. A. Presentation and approval of 2022 Annual Financial Report by Weaver and Tidwell. (Brianna Fowler / Judge Deen)]
IN, UM, PARKER COUNTY'S COMMISSIONER COURT, UM, ON THE SPECIAL AGENDA ON THIS DAY, FRIDAY, JUNE 30TH, 2023 AT 8:30 AM UH, TO CONSIDER, DISCUSS, ACT UPON THE FOLLOWING.AGENDA ITEM, ITEM ONE, APPROVAL ON ITEM A, AND LET THE RECORD SHOW IT IS EIGHT 30.
UH, ITEM A PRESENTATION APPROVAL OF 2022 ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT BY WEAVER AND TIDWELL.
UM, BRIANNA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND YES.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, GOOD MORNING.
WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THE FISCAL YEAR 22 FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT, WHICH WAS PERFORMED BY OUR INDEPENDENT AUDITORS WEAVER.
UM, THIS MORNING, THE PARTNER IN ON OUR ENGAGEMENT, JACKIE GONZALEZ, WILL BE, UM, PRESENTING THE RESULTS OF THE REPORT.
SHE'LL MAKE INTRODUCTIONS OF THE AUDIT TEAM GO THROUGH THE AUDIT PROCESS AND WHAT IS INVOLVED THERE, AND THEN GO OVER WHAT YOU ALL WANT TO HEAR IS THE AUDIT RESULTS.
UM, SHE'LL ALSO PROVIDE SOME FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS AS WELL AS PROVIDE, UM, BUDGET VERSUS ACTUAL RESULTS, AND IT'S AT A HIGH LEVEL, SO I'LL GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE MORE, UM, INSIGHT ON SOME OF THOSE RESULTS.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS.
BUT AGAIN, ALONG THE WAY, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO ASK.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
UM, WE ARE EXCITED TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THE AUDIT.
MOND MENTIONED, WE ARE WEAVER, WE SERVE AS YOUR INDEPENDENT AUDITORS.
WE ARE A NATIONAL, UM, ACCOUNTING FIRM.
UM, WE OFFICE OUT OF THE FORT WORTH OFFICE, BUT, UM, I RUN OUR GOVERNMENT PRACTICE HERE IN OUR FORT WORTH OFFICE.
AND SO REALLY, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE GROWN, OUR GOVERNMENT PRACTICE STILL REMAINS ONE OF OUR LARGEST INDUSTRY GROUPS WITHIN THE FIRM.
UM, I DO SERVE AS YOUR ENGAGEMENT PARTNER.
I HAVE WITH ME JUSTINE SINGLETARY, WHO SERVES AS THE MANAGER ON YOUR ENGAGEMENT AND ALSO PRACTICES IN OUR GOVERNMENT GROUP.
IN ADDITION TO THE TWO OF US, WE ALSO HAD MELISSA KIRKLAND SERVE AS THE SENIOR ASSOCIATE, SO SHE WAS THE IN CHARGE ON THE AUDIT, KIND OF DID ALL THE DAY-TO-DAY IN AND OUTS, UM, OF THE TEST WORK FOR US.
WE DO PERFORM OUR AUDIT IN ACCORDANCE TO GENERALLY ACCEPTED AUDITING STANDARDS AS WELL AS GENERALLY ACCEPTED GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS, UM, BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL FUNDS.
SO WE ALSO PERFORM A SINGLE AUDIT, UM, OVER YOUR FEDERAL FUNDS.
AND THEN IF THE STATE FUNDS REQUIRE A STATE SINGLE AUDIT AS WELL, WE DO PERFORM A RISK-BASED APPROACH AUDIT.
SO THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF OUR PLANNING AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S GONE ON THROUGHOUT YOUR YEAR, WE DESIGN OUR PROCEDURES IN RESPONSE TO WHATEVER THOSE RISKS MAY BE.
UM, AND SO HERE YOU'LL SEE JUST BULLET POINTED A COUPLE OF THOSE RISKS THAT WE REALLY FOCUS ON, UM, LARGELY THAT REVENUE RECOGNITION CYCLE IN ANY OF THOSE RELATED RECEIVABLES THAT COME FROM THAT, AS WELL AS YOUR FEDERAL GRANT REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES, THE CAPITAL PROJECTS, PURCHASING AND COMPLIANCE WITH BIDDING PROCEDURES SURROUNDING THOSE PROJECTS, AS WELL AS YOUR LONG-TERM DEBT PAYABLES AND ACCRUED LIABILITIES, UM, PARTICULARLY THE PENSION AND OPE AND THOSE RELATED EXPENDITURES THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF OUR AUDIT.
WE ALSO, UM, DESIGN PROCEDURES IN RESPONSE TO SIGNIFICANT AND FRAUD RISKS.
NOT THAT WE BELIEVE ANY FRAUD HAS OCCURRED, BUT IN ANY TYPE OF ORGANIZATION WE DESIGN, UM, RESPONSES TO THOSE, PARTICULARLY MISAPPROPRIATION OF ASSETS MANAGEMENT, OVERRIDE OF CONTROL AND REVENUE RECOGNITION.
UM, IN OUR TEST, WE DESIGN, WE LOOK AT TOTAL CASH DISBURSEMENTS FOR THE YEARS, LOOKING FOR ANY IRREGULARITIES THAT MAY, UM, STICK OUT OR ANYTHING THAT LOOKS THAT IT IS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH COUNTY BUSINESS.
UM, WE LOOK AT PAYROLL IN A SIMILAR MANNER WHERE WE TAKE ALL OF THE PAYROLL, BREAK THAT DOWN, UM, LOOK AT RATES AND PAY FREQUENCIES, AND WE HAD NO EXCEPTIONS IN ANY OF THAT TESTING.
MOVING FORWARD TO THE AUDIT RESULTS, THIS IS A SUMMARY OF THE AUDIT RESULTS OVER THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
SO WE HAVE ISSUED AN UNMODIFIED OPINION.
UM, WE HAVE NO MATERIAL WEAKNESSES, NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES, AND NO MATTERS OF NON-COMPLIANCE MATERIAL TO OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
SO A CLEAN AUDIT, THIS IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE THAT WE AS YOUR INDEPENDENT AUDITORS CAN PROVIDE.
AS I MENTIONED, WE ALSO DO A SINGLE AUDIT.
SO THIS YEAR WE PERFORMED BOTH A FEDERAL AND STATE SINGLE AUDIT OVER THE HIGHWAY PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION GRANT.
SO WE ISSUED AN UNMODIFIED OPINION OVER YOUR COMPLIANCE FOR THAT MAJOR PROGRAM.
UM, YOU, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY MATERIAL WEAKNESSES, SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES OR FINDINGS RELATED TO COMPLIANCE ON THAT AUDIT.
YOU'LL SEE THERE, THERE'S A QUESTION.
UM, IF YOU ARE A LOW RISK AUDITEE THAT HAS, YOU CAN ONLY QUALIFY AS A LOW RISK AUDITEE IF YOU'VE HAD A SINGLE AUDIT, UM, IN AT LEAST THE TWO PREVIOUS YEARS.
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AND SO SOMETIMES YOU MEET THOSE, UM, THE LEVEL TO REQUIRE ONE AND SOMETIMES YOU DON'T.SO THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RESULT OF THE AUDIT.
UM, AND IT IS JUST HOW THE GUIDANCE IS SET FORTH.
MOVING FORWARD TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT HIGHLIGHTS OVER THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS.
SO WE HERE HAVE BROKEN OUT THE GENERAL FUND, THE LATERAL ROAD FUND, CAPITAL PROJECTS, TAX ROAD BONDS, DEBT SERVICE FUND, THE ARPA FUND, AND THEN OUR OTHER GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS.
SO ACROSS ALL OF THESE FUNDS, YOU'LL SEE FOR THE YEAR ENDED NINE 30 ASSETS TOTALED 139.5 MILLION COMPARED TO TOTAL AS LIABILITIES OF 48.2 AND DEFERRED INFLOWS OF 1.3, WHICH BROUGHT YOU TO A TOTAL FUND BALANCE OF 89.9.
IF WE LOOK JUST IN THE GENERAL FUND, YOU'LL SEE OF THAT 1 39 0.5 MILLION, ALMOST 39.9 WAS IN THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, TOTAL LIABILITIES IN THE GENERAL FUND WERE 33.56 AND THEN DEFERRED OUTFLOWS OF 1 MILLION.
SO IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT BROUGHT YOUR FUND BALANCE TO 35.2.
AND THEN IF WE LOOK AT TOTAL REVENUES, WE ENDED THE YEAR AT 93.68, OF WHICH 61 MILLION WAS IN THE GENERAL FUND, AND THEN EXPENDITURES OF 106.4 OF WHICH 40 54 0.4 WAS IN THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER FINANCING SOURCES IN USES, WHICH TOTALED 126,000, UM, FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY.
BUT IF YOU LOOK IN THAT GENERAL FUND, THERE WAS A USE OF 4.18 AND THEN THAT BRINGS YOUR TOTAL CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE, UM, TO A NEGATIVE 12.6 MILLION, UM, OF WHICH WAS A POSITIVE 2.4 IN THE GENERAL FUND.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT NEGATIVE IS REALLY COMING FROM THE CAPITAL PROJECTS, UM, FUND, WHICH OF COURSE WE EXPECTED AS THOSE EXPENDITURES ARE OCCURRING.
NEXT, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD TO THE BREAKDOWN OF THE FUND BALANCE.
SO I MENTIONED BEFORE THE TOTAL FUND BALANCE WAS 89.9, BUT IF WE BREAK THAT DOWN, YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE NONS SPENDABLE CATEGORIES, UM, WHICH ARE PRETTY SMALL THERE WITH INVENTORY AND PREPAIDS, AND THEN RESTRICTED AMOUNTS FOR YOUR DEBT SERVICE, CAPITAL PROJECTS, LATERAL ROAD, AND THEN THOSE FEDERAL, UM, AND STATE PROGRAMS, THE LARGEST OF WHICH, OF COURSE IS IN THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS, UM, WHICH IS 31.5 MILLION.
AND THEN YOU HAVE AMOUNTS COMMITTED TO STATE AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT TOTALED 1.6 FOR THE YEAR.
AND THEN THE REMAINING UNASSIGNED OF 33.5.
HERE IS THE BUDGET TO ACTUAL FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THIS IS YOUR REVENUES BROKEN DOWN BY YOUR ORIGINAL BUDGET, FINAL BUDGET, AND THE ACTUAL AMOUNT.
SO YOUR FINAL BUDGET HAD TOTAL REVENUES OF 56.5 MILLION.
YOU CAME IN AT 61 MILLION WITH A POSITIVE VARIANCE OF 4.5, ALMOST 4.6 MILLION.
IF WE LOOK AT EXPENDITURES, YOU WILL SEE THE FINAL BUDGET FOR YOUR TOTAL EXPENDITURES IN THE GENERAL FUND WAS 58.5.
ACTUAL AMOUNTS ENDED AT 54.4 FOR POSITIVE VARIANCE OF $4 MILLION.
THEN YOU HAVE THOSE OTHER FINANCING SOURCES IN USES, UM, WHICH WERE BUDGETED ON THE FINAL OF 4.2 AND CAME IN AT 4.189.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THAT TOTAL CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE, WHICH WAS BUDGETED, UM, IN THE FINAL TO BE A NEGATIVE 6.2 AND CAME IN AT A POSITIVE 2.4.
NEXT, THE LATERAL ROW FUND, YOU'LL SEE TOTAL FINAL REVENUES WERE BUDGETED AT 14.7.
ACTUALS CAME IN AT 15 MILLION, UM, FOR A POSITIVE VARIANCE AT 385,000 EXPENDITURES.
THAT FINAL BUDGET WAS 20.8 MILLION, CAME IN AT 17.9 AGAIN FOR A POSITIVE VARIANCE OF 4.45, AND THEN THAT BROUGHT YOU TO OTHER FINANCING SOURCES AND USES BUDGETED AT 4 MILLION.
CAME IN JUST OVER THAT 4 MILLION MARK.
AND THEN NET CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE BUDGETED AT NEGATIVE 2.1 AND CAME IN AT A POSITIVE 1.2 FOR A POSITIVE VARIANCE OF 3.6.
SO I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER IF YOU WANNA PROVIDE THE CONTEXT RELATED TO THOSE BUDGETED AMOUNTS.
AND THEN I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
OKAY, SO IF YOU GO TO PAGE 59 OF THE REPORT, YOU'LL SEE A DETAIL OF THE, UH, BUDGET VERSUS ACTUAL, UH, REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES.
AND IT'S BROKEN OUT INTO A LITTLE BIT, UH, DEEPER DETAIL, UM, BY ACTUAL DEPARTMENTS.
SO IF WE TAKE OUR REVENUES, UM, YOU, WE CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE A, UH, POSITIVE VARIANCE IN OUR PROPERTY TAXES.
SO PROPERTY TAXES WERE BUDGETED, UM, AT A COLLECTION RATE OF 98.5, AND WE COLLECTED ABOUT 98.8%, SO PRETTY CLOSE.
UM, BUT WHAT ALSO GOES INTO THAT NUMBER IS OUR DELINQUENT TAXES.
AND SO, UM, WHICH INCLUDES INTEREST AND PENALTIES THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THAT.
SO, UM, THAT HELPED IN THE POSITIVE VARIANCE THERE.
UM, THE LARGEST AREA YOU SEE IS SALES TAX.
SO IN, WE'VE HAD A STEADY INCREASE IN 2020.
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WE COLLECTED ABOUT 11.1 MILLION IN 2021, ABOUT 13.1 MILLION.UM, AND THEN IN 2022, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE ABOUT 15.2 MILLION.
UM, SO THAT WAS AN INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR OF ABOUT 13.9%.
UM, THE BUDGET INCREASED BY 25%.
UM, AND THEN IN NEXT YEAR'S, WELL, IN THE CURRENT BUDGET WE'RE IN, IN FISCAL YEAR 23, WE HAD INCREASED THAT TO UH, 22%.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS NEXT PART IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL, WE HAD A NEGATIVE VARIANCE THERE.
AND THAT'S, UH, PRIMARILY ATTRIBUTED TO OUR DECREASE IN US MARSHAL INMATE HOUSING.
UM, IN 2021, WE ACTUALLY HAD A FAVORABLE VARIANCE ABOUT 400,000 JUST IN THAT LINE.
BUT AS WE KNOW, UM, AS WE GOT TO THE END OF THIS, UH, FISCAL YEAR 22, WE SAW THOSE, THOSE NUMBERS DROP SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S, UM, ADDING TO THAT AS WELL AS JUST, UM, HOUSING, OTHER ACCOUNTING INMATES.
NOW WE'VE HAD A CHANGE, UH, IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR WHERE WE STARTED, UM, HOUSING SOME DETON COUNTY INMATES.
AND SO WE'LL SEE, ALTHOUGH INMATE HOUSING, US MARSHAL INMATE HOUSING HAS GONE DOWN, WE'LL SEE SOME, UM, REVENUE REVENUE IN THAT LINE.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT NEGATIVE, UM, VARIANCE IS.
AND AGAIN, SOMETIMES THESE THINGS HAPPEN DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE FISCAL YEAR THAT YOU, YOU CAN'T CONTROL.
OKAY? SO IF WE GO INTO, UH, FEES OF OFFICE, WE HAD A LITTLE OVER A MILLION, UH, FAVORABLE, FAVORABLE VARIANCE, UM, WHICH IS PRIMARILY AUTO REGISTRATION FEES, PERMITTING, COUNTY CLERK AND DISTRICT CLERK.
AND SO, UM, 420,000 OF THAT IS FROM AUTO REGISTRATION.
SO IN APRIL OF EACH YEAR, WE RECEIVE, UM, COMMISSIONS FOR, UH, SALES TAX RELATED TO AUTO REGISTRATION THAT IS COLLECTED ON BEHALF OF THE STATE.
AND SO THAT NUMBER WE'VE SEEN, UM, TREND UPWARD EACH YEAR.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHERE THAT IS COMING FROM.
UM, ANOTHER PIECE THAT WE SEE A LARGE INCREASE IS OUR INTEREST, UM, INCOME.
SO IN THE 2021, UM, BUDGET WE HAD BUDGETED 356,000, UM, WITH ACTUALS OF ONLY 37,000.
AND SO WE HAD SIGNIFICANTLY A DROPPED THAT NUMBER IN F Y 22.
IT WAS LOWER THAN WHAT WE HAD BEEN SEEING OCTOBER OF, UM, 22, OR SORRY, 21, UM, IT WAS DROPPING AS WELL.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WITH MARKET CHANGES, WE'VE SEEN GREAT POSITIVE INCREASE AS WELL AS IN FISCAL YEAR 23.
WE WILL EXPECT EVEN HIGHER NUMBERS THAN THAT.
BUT, UM, THAT'S WHAT THAT IS RELATED TO.
AND THEN IN MISCELLANEOUS, THAT'S WHERE IT'S NOT ACCOUNTED FOR.
AND JUST ONE OF THE OTHER LINES.
UM, AND SO INSURANCE SETTLEMENTS, UM, RELATED TO AUTO ACCIDENTS, UM, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 22 BUDGET, WE DON'T, UM, BUDGET THOSE CUZ WE DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CLAIM OR NOT.
AND SO ANY, ANY, UM, SETTLEMENTS WE RECEIVE JUST GOES TO ADD TO THAT POSITIVE VARIANCE.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER TWO PARTS THAT, UH, SECTIONS WHERE WE HAD A POSITIVE VARIANCE IS IN CREDIT CARD TRANSACTIONS AS WELL AS JURY REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE STATE.
AGAIN, JURY REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE STATE, WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT'S GONNA BE, SO WE DON'T, UM, WE BUDGET A VERY LOW NUMBER.
AND THEN IF WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE ANYTHING UM, OVER THAT, THEN THAT ADDS TO THE POSITIVE VARIANCE.
UM, SO AGAIN, THAT I MAKES UP ACTUALS EXCEEDING REVENUES FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
SO NOW IF WE GO INTO EXPENDITURES, IF WE JUST LOOK AT IT FROM, UM, A HIGH LEVEL, THE LARGEST AREA WHERE WE HAVE A POSITIVE VARIANCE IS IN OUR PAYROLL, PAYROLL AND, UM, BENEFITS RELATED LINES.
AND SO WHAT THIS IS RELATED TO, YOU HAVE UNFILLED POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, OR IF YOU ADD NEW POSITIONS AND THEY'RE NOT FILLED UNTIL A LITTLE BIT LATER, THAT'S ALL GOING TO, UM, ROLL OVER INTO THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY MAY NOT PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES RIGHT AT BUDGET.
SO AGAIN, ANY OF THOSE BUDGET VERSUS ACTUALS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE POSITIVE VARIANCE THERE.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE EVERY YEAR WITH INSURANCE CHANGES.
SO IF WE'VE ADD A NEW EMPLOYEE, WE BUDGET THEM AT THE HIGHEST AMOUNT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT PLAN THOSE NEW INDIVIDUALS WILL SELECT.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD BE AN OPT-OUT ON THE PLAN, THEY COULD BE A, YOU KNOW, A EMPLOYEE ONLY.
SO AGAIN, THOSE ARE GONNA ADD TO IT.
BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE THOSE CHANGES DURING THE YEAR WHERE YOU MAY HAVE AN EMPLOYEE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ON EMPLOYEE ONLY, AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, THE NEW YEAR AND BEING ABLE TO ELECT, THEY THEY COULD, THEY COULD CHANGE THAT.
SO WE HAVE IT GOING BOTH WAYS.
UM, SO THAT WAS ABOUT 1.2 MILLION OF ALL OF THOSE,
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UM, SALARY AND PAYROLL BENEFIT RELATED LINES.UM, AND THEN ANOTHER, UH, POSITIVE VARIANCE IS IN OUR ATTORNEY FEES AND TRIAL COSTS.
AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE DIFFICULT TO PROJECT WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BE.
YOU DON'T KNOW THE, UH, NUMBER OF INDIGENT DEFENSE CASES YOU DON'T KNOW APPEALS, UM, ALL OF THOSE, UM, EXPERT WITNESS FEES AND INVESTIGATIVE COSTS.
SO AGAIN, WE HAVE TO BUDGET THOSE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THOSE FUNDS DO NOT HAVE TO BE UTILIZED, BUT, YOU KNOW, THOSE CAN SIGNIFICANTLY VARY FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
AND SO IF WE ADD UP FOR ALL OF THE, THE CCL AND DISTRICT COURTS, THOSE ATTORNEY'S FEES AND TRIAL COSTS, WE HAVE A POSITIVE VARIANCE ABOUT 550,000.
UM, WE HAD A HUNDRED AND ABOUT 96,000 IN CONTRACT SERVICES THAT ROLLED OVER AND THEN 130,000, UM, IN CAP, NON CAP ITEMS. AND THEN WE HAD ONE VEHICLE ROLL OVER.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS ALL ADDS TO THAT, UM, POSITIVE VARIANCE.
UM, SO AGAIN, THAT ALL THOSE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES LEFT OUR ENDING FUND BALANCE OF 35.2 MILLION.
UM, AND FROM THE SLIDE THAT JACKIE WENT THROUGH BEFORE, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT THAT'S MADE UP OF, A PORTION OF THAT IS RESTRICTED.
SO, UM, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PORTION IS THE 1.5.
AND SO THAT IS RELATED TO OUR, UM, CAPITAL CREDITS.
AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS PREVIOUSLY AND SO I'M GONNA HAND YOU, UM, A FLYER OUT THAT I'VE GIVEN YOU BEFORE.
UM, BUT AS WE GO INTO, YOU KNOW, TO BUDGET DISCUSSIONS AND EVERYTHING, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IF WE WANT TO ESTABLISH ANY OF THE PROGRAMS UNDER THIS, UM, THAT'S WHERE THAT 1.5 CAN BE, CAN BE UTILIZED.
AND SO THAT IS RESTRICTED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS.
AND SO I HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST SOME OF, FROM A DEPARTMENT LEVEL, SOME OF THE BIG CHANGES, UM, IF YOU GUYS HAVE QUESTIONS OR WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ANY OF THOSE THAT YOU SEE ON HERE, WHAT WAS OUR FUND BALANCE LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME? DO YOU RECALL? UM, WHAT WAS IT? LET'S SEE.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN, I JUST HAD IT ON HERE.
AND AGAIN, A PORTION OF THAT WAS RESTRICTED RELATED TO THE CAPITAL CREDITS, BUT YES.
AND SO AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE ANY, UM, I'VE GONE THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE LARGE ONES WHERE THERE'S VARIANCES IN THE D IN THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, UM, FROM PAGE 59 OR 60 OR ANY OTHER GENERAL QUESTIONS 59.
I HAVE A QUESTION ON COMPARING ON, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF THIS LOOKS LIKE WE'RE IN A HEALTHY FINANCIAL POSITION, BUT SOMETIMES THAT'S THE EASIEST TO TELL WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO SIMILAR ENTITIES IN THE SAME INDUSTRY.
IS THERE ANY DATA OUT THERE ON, GIVEN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENTS AND CITY GOVERNMENTS, ET CETERA, USUALLY PUT THEIR BUDGETS ONLINE, IS THERE ANY TYPE OF DATA THAT COMPARES US AS FAR AS HOW WE'RE PERFORMING FINANCIALLY, HOW OUR FUND BALANCE MEASURES AGAINST OUR REVENUES, ET CETERA, TO WHAT THE STANDARDS ARE? I HAVE NOT, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE EVEN JACKIE FROM, UM, AUDITING OTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, WHAT, WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE.
UM, AND I KNOW I, I FEEL LIKE IT'S USUALLY DURING, UM, EITHER THE BUDGET OR DURING THIS PROCESS WITH THE RESULTS OF THE FINANCIALS IS TO DISCUSS HOW WE NEED TO UPDATE OUR, UM, FUND BALANCE POLICY.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE GOVERNMENTAL, UM, FUNDS, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT AT SHORT TERM YEAR TO YEAR, AND THEN YOU GO TO YOUR GOVERNMENT WHY THAT'S IN THERE AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR MORE LONG TERM.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I, I LOOK AT FUND BALANCE AS, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST LOOKING AT IT FROM A YEAR TO YEAR PERSPECTIVE.
WE REALLY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT IT FURTHER OUT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD MANY THINGS JUST EVEN IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF, UM, DISCUSSING, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND SO IF YOU, IF YOU CAN PLAN FOR THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AND HAVING A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE AND GROWING IS NOT A BAD THING.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE THERE'S THE DISCUSSION OF YOU'RE SITTING ON TAXPAYER SAVINGS, BUT I LOOK AT IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE ARE A GROWING, GROWING
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COUNTY WITH NEEDS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THAT WITH YOUR FUND BALANCE IS VERY IMPORTANT.SO, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR EXPENSES CONTINUE TO INCREASE, UM, YOU KNOW, HEADCOUNT, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE TO BE ABLE TO COVER THESE WITHOUT HAVING TO RAISE TAXES IS GREAT.
AND THEN ALSO WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF YOUR CAPITAL OUTLAY, RIGHT? I MEAN, JUST YOU COULD KIND OF TAKE IT IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL LIFE.
IF YOU HAVE A SAVINGS ACCOUNT AND YOUR AIR CONDITIONER GOES OUT, YOU CAN GO AND PURCHASE THAT RATHER THAN HAVING TO PAY PUT IT ON A CREDIT CARD AND, YOU KNOW, PAY THE INTEREST RELATED TO, IT'S THE SAME THING WITH NOT HAVING TO GO OUT AND SECURE FINANCING FOR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PURCHASE OF A BUILDING OR VEHICLES OR WHATEVER IT IS.
AND IF YOU CAN MANAGE THAT IN YOUR FUND BALANCE AND PAY FOR THOSE THINGS OUTRIGHT VERSUS HAVING TO, UM, FINANCE THAT YOU'RE DOING GOOD.
AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PROBABLY COUNTIES TAKE DIFFERENT APPROACH, BUT AGAIN, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE TO OUR FUND BALANCE POLICY AND THEN MANAGE THAT EACH YEAR AND LOOK AT OUR GROWTH AND WHAT WE HAVE, UM, AHEAD OF US.
BUT, UM, AND I KNOW IN THE PAST MAYBE WHAT IT'S LOOKED AT IS WHAT, WHAT IS THE MINIMUM FOR, UH, CREDIT WRITING PURPOSES? UM, BUT AGAIN, I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE METRIC THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT.
WE SHOULD REALLY LOOK AT IT FROM A LONGER TERM PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OUR EXPENSES I THINK GROW AT A HIGHER RATE THAN WHAT OUR REVENUE COLLECTIONS COME IN.
UM, AND EVEN JUST AGAIN, EVERY AS WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH IT IN THE, IN THE NEXT, UH, COUPLE MONTHS WITH BUDGET, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE ARE CUTTING THEIR BUDGETS, RIGHT? THEY'RE, UM, HAVING ADDITIONAL NEEDS, THEY'RE HAVING, UM, MORE STAFF THAT THEY NEED.
AND SO AGAIN, THAT ALL GOES BACK TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MANAGING THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH YOUR FUND BALANCE.
SO I PROBABLY DIDN'T ANSWER YOUR QUESTION FROM THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF JACKIE HAS, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL, BUT I, I, I THINK IT DOES VARY FROM WELL, AND I, I GUESS THERE'S TWO SIDES.
COUNTY TO COUNTY AS I SEE IT, I, I'M LESS CONCERNED.
UH, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO MEET MINIMUMS FOR CREDIT RATINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I WANT US TO BE AS FISCALLY PRUDENT AS WE SHOULD BE.
AT THE SAME TIME, I WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF OUR EXPENSES ARE INCREASING AT A RATE FASTER THAN NORMAL INFLATIONARY RATES.
SO CONSTRUCTION EXPENSES IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
SO WHAT WE DO TODAY IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE CHEAPER EVEN ON AN INFLATIONARY BASIS THAN DOING THAT SAME PROJECT IN 10 YEARS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE NEED TO SPEND EVERY PENNY WE HAVE NOW, BUT I THINK THE BRIDGE OVER 180 THAT WE DISCUSSED THE OTHER DAY WHERE RICK WILLIAMSON WAS, IF WE TRIED TO DO THAT BRIDGE NOW VERSUS DOING IT WHEN IT FIRST CAME UP, THOSE NUMBERS WERE VERY DIFFERENT JUST BECAUSE CONSTRUCTION PRICES ARE INCREASING AT SUCH A HIGH RATE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I'M GETTING AT WITH, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE PRUDENT, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT TO HAVE US, UH, DELAY PAYING FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT ARE GONNA BITE US IN THE REAR 20 YEARS FROM NOW OR 10 YEARS FROM NOW.
SO, UM, I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID THOUGH.
I THINK YOU'RE IN A POSITION WHERE YOUR REVENUE IS IN INCREASING AND YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF BUSINESS COME INTO THIS AREA, BUT ALSO THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION, A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION PRO PROJECTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND SO, UM, I DO THINK IT IS A BIT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO COMPARE AN ACTUAL GROWTH COUNTY TO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF YOUR SIZE, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT, BUT THAT, UM, BEING ABLE TO KEEP THAT AMOUNT OF UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND IS BASICALLY YOUR MONEY THAT YOU DECIDE, YOU KNOW, HOW THAT'S EXPENDED WHEN YOU LOOK AT LIKE PLANNED OUT DOLLARS AND THEN BOND FUNDS, WHICH YOU'VE GONE OUT AND, YOU KNOW, KNOW TAKEN ON DEBT TO EXPEND, YOU STILL HAVE AMOUNTS TO EXPEND IN THAT AMOUNT.
SO IF WE LOOK IN THAT BOND ROAD FUND, YOU KNOW, OVER 31.5 MILLION, SO I THINK COMPARATIVELY, I WOULD SAY WITH THE RATE THAT YOUR JUST GENERAL REVENUES, GENERAL FUND REVENUES CONTINUE TO INCREASE AND WE SAW THOSE POSITIVE VARIANCES, UM, AND YOUR EXPENDITURES BEING BUDGETED AND COMING IN UNDER THAT BUDGET, THERE IS A HEALTHY AMOUNT THAT IS BEING RETAINED.
AND THAT I BALANCE, I WOULD SAY COMPARED TO, UM, PROBABLY OTHER, OTHER GROWTH COUNTIES BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THE GROWTH COMES FIRST, THEY'RE TRYING TO PLAN AND THAT GROWTH, AND UP HERE WE KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN, YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO KEEP UP, IT'S COMING IN, YOU'RE GROWING, YOU'RE PLANNING THESE PROJECTS.
UM, AND SO A LOT OF TIMES IT'S HARD TO KEEP THAT REVENUE ON TREND WITH THE GROWTH AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE YOUR REVENUE HAS CONTINUED TO, TO SEE THAT UPTICK.
UM, EVEN IN PAST YEARS WHEN A LOT OF COUNTIES WEREN'T SEEING THAT, YOU KNOW, COVID HAD SUCH A GREAT IMPACT ON SOME OF THOSE LARGE, UM, MORE KIND OF URBAN TYPE COUNTIES THAT WERE GROWING AND THEY DIDN'T SEE THAT CONTINUED INFLUX OF BUSINESS.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT DOES PUT YOU IN A BIT OF A UNIQUE SITUATION.
SO I WOULD SAY COMPARATIVELY, I WOULD SAY YOU, THAT HEALTH
[00:25:01]
THAT WE'RE SEEING IS TRUE HEALTHY GROWTH IN THAT GENERAL FUND.UM, BUT LIKE YOU SAID, WE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING JUST IN INFLATION, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS, BUT I THINK YOU'VE GOT KIND OF, LIKE I SAID, THAT MONEY THAT'S SET ASIDE, SO IF YOU WANTED TO TAKE ON DEBT VERSUS, YOU KNOW, PAY FOR PART OF THAT OUT OF WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY HAD, UM, BUILT UP, THERE'S THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
SO I GUESS REPHRASING THE QUESTION FROM A, FROM A FUND BALANCE PERSPECTIVE, IS THERE ANY SIMPLE, UH, GENERAL PRINCIPLES, RULE OF THUMB, BASIC TARGET, ET CETERA, THAT WE, IF WE WANT TO BE A PRUDENT, HEALTHY COUNTY NEED TO AIM FOR IF WE NEED TO HAVE THIS MUCH MONEY? YOU KNOW, I, I THINK OF A PERSONAL BUDGET.
YOU HAVE SIX MONTHS OF, YOU KNOW, YOUR PERSONAL EXPENSES SAVED UP IN YOUR FUND BALANCE.
SO A LOT OF THAT IS, UM, FORWARD LOOKING, BUT IN THE SHORT TERM, SO, UM, DIFFERENT TYPES OF GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO HAVE AT LEAST, UM, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS, 90 DAYS OF ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, EXPENDITURES KIND OF SET ASIDE OR IN A ASSIGNED AMOUNT KIND OF PLANNING FOR THAT.
OR WE, A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT WHAT YOUR, UM, PLANNED EXPENDITURES ARE OR WHAT YOU HAVE KIND OF ENCUMBERED OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND MAKE SURE YOU AT LEAST HAVE THAT AMOUNT, UM, YOU KNOW, PLANNED OUT FOR YOUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
AND MAYBE THAT GOES INTO AN ASSIGNED PORTION OF WHAT'S NOT IN HERE.
THERE'S COMMITTED AMOUNTS, BUT THERE'S ALSO AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT THAT YOU MIGHT SEE IN SOME FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT'S CALLED ASSIGNED THAT IS JUST THAT A TEMPORARY SET ASIDE BY EITHER MANAGEMENT OR GOVERNANCE THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE RECOGNIZE WE WANT TO PUT THIS ASIDE.
SOME PEOPLE WILL DO, YOU KNOW, A 20% THAT THEY CONSIDER TO BE THAT AMOUNT IN FUND BALANCE THAT THEY'RE KIND OF SETTING ASIDE.
THEY NEVER WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THEY ALWAYS WANT TO HAVE THAT AMOUNT.
UM, BUT I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS WHERE THE UM, 33, IF WE LOOK AT THAT COMPARED TO JUST GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, SO FOR THE TOTAL YEAR, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE AT 54 MILLION AND THEN YOU TRANSFERRED OUT SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS, 4.2 MILLION AND THEN STILL HAD, YOU KNOW, THE REMAINING AMOUNTS LEFT IN FUND BALANCE FOR THE YEAR.
SO EVEN IF YOU DID ANY OF THOSE CALCULATIONS, YOU WANNA PUT, YOU KNOW, HALF YEAR ASIDE OR, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT AT LEAST THAT IN YOUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE OR THREE MONTHS.
THAT'S EASILY DOABLE WITHIN THE SET OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN GENERAL.
SO IT'S REALLY A, A KIND OF TIE ON WHAT COMMISSIONER HOLD IS KIND OF GET IN HERE ON THIS FUND FUND BALANCE POLICY, EXCUSE ME, FUND BALANCE POLICY.
THERE'S REALLY NO SCIENTIFIC METHOD TO IT, JUST ASSESSING WHAT YOUR CURRENT FINANCIAL NEEDS, YOUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND LOOKING AT WHAT THAT NUMBER WOULD, WOULD BE IN A PRUDENT, BECAUSE TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO IS FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS IS WE'VE ADOPTED A KNOWN NEW TAX RATE POLICY AND BEING VERY CONSERVATIVE WITH THAT AND TRYING TO KEEP TAXES DOWN AS WE HAVE A GROWING PROPERTY VALUE SITUATION HERE.
AND SO WE'VE MAINTAINED THAT AND I DON'T SEE YET, UM, OR HOPE AND, AND NOT SEE WHERE WE HAVE TO CHANGE THAT, BUT THERE SEEMS, THERE'S DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A A, OTHER THAN JUST AN ASSESSMENT OF WHAT WE, WE WANT TO HAVE IN, IN FUND BALANCE.
IS THAT CORRECT? I MEAN, IT'S JUST ESSENTIAL.
THERE'S NO SCIENTIFIC FORMULA, IT'S JUST WHAT WE THINK WE, OUR NEEDS ARE GONNA BE.
I MEAN, YOU WOULD SAY, I WOULD SAY SOMEWHERE IN THE, THERE'S TYPICALLY A RANGE, BUT ON PAGE 35, I BELIEVE WE HAVE KIND OF WHAT THAT OVERALL THE COUNTY'S GOAL TO ACHIEVE IN THAT FUND BALANCE WAS, I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE THAT YOU'RE WELL WITHIN THAT RANGE IT SAYS, UM, YOU SAID TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN UNASSIGNED GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 50% OF BUDGETED EXPENDITURES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, AND YOU WERE AT 54%.
I THINK WHAT THAT SAYS AND ASSIGN WAS 53% OF FINAL BUDGETED EXPENDITURES.
SO THERE IS A RANGE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN ASSESSED AND YOU'RE KINDA STAYING WITHIN THAT RANGE.
SO IS THERE SUCH A THING AS TOO HIGH OF A FUND BALANCE? LIKE IF WE HIT YES, OBVIOUSLY 300%, THAT WOULD BE TOO HIGH, BUT THAT'S AN EXTREME NUMBER IN YOUR OPINION, JUST ASKING FOR AN OPINION ONLY, WHAT PERCENTAGE, IF WE GET TO THAT PERCENTAGE, DO WE NEED TO START TO SAY, HEY, PROBABLY BETTER UTILIZATION OF PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.
IS THAT 75%? I'M, I'M NOT ASKING TO NAIL YOU ON, ON, ON, ON A SPECIFIC NUMBER, I'M JUST ASKING FOR A GENERAL FEEL.
NO, I MEAN, I WOULD THINK IF YOU HAD, WHEN I, WHAT I THINK WOULD BE THE MEASURE IS IF YOU WERE CONTINUING TO ISSUE BONDS AND TAKE OUT DEBT, DO ALL THESE CONSTRUCTION
[00:30:01]
PROJECTS, AND YOU HAD ALMOST THE EQUIVALENT OR A BUILDUP APPROACHING THOSE NUMBERS SITTING IN YOUR GENERAL FUND, THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE THEN WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS YOUR TAXPAYERS ARE, WE'VE GOT PROPERTY TAXES COMING IN AND WE'RE GOING OUT AND ISSUING BONDS TO PAY FOR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DOUBLE DIP AND BOUGHT ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY HAVE DONE THAT.BUT THAT WOULD BE, I MEAN, YOU WOULD TALK BUILD UP OVER SEVERAL YEAH.
YOU KNOW, A DECADE OF NOT REALLY EXPENDING LOTS OF MONEY COMING OUT OF THAT GENERAL FUND.
UM, WELL, BECAUSE WE'RE, AND GIVEN OUR EXPENDITURES CONTINUED TO GROW EACH YEAR AND THEY'RE NOT STAYING STAFFED, SHOULD WE HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET IN A SENSE, BUT YET IT CAN BECOME A DETRIMENT TO THE TAXPAYER WHEN YOU'RE SITTING THERE.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT A SAVINGS AND LOAN HERE.
I MEAN, THOSE DOLLARS ARE, ARE COLLECTED FOR THE SERVICES PROVIDED TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND IF WE'RE SITTING HERE STORING ALL THIS MONEY, I'M THINKING WE HAVE TO HAVE A WHOLE, THEN THERE BECOMES A A, A FINE LINE WHERE YOU'RE NOW, IT'S A DETRIMENT TO THE TAXPAYER TO WHAT SERVICES WE'RE GIVING BACK TO THEM WHEN THEIR TAXES ARE, OR EVEN EVEN AT A NO NEW TAX RATE.
THEY EXPECT CERTAIN SERVICES THAT WE SHOULD, WE'RE OBLIGATED TO GIVE AND THEN WE BECOME.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHEN IT BECOMES, YOU WOULD START, YOU KNOW, FEELING THAT IT WOULD BE EXCESSIVE IF YOU ARE NOT PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT YOUR, YOUR BUDGET AND THEN REVENUES COME IN, YOU KNOW, 10 TIMES WHAT YOU BUDGETED AND EXPENDITURES WERE RIGHT ON BUDGET.
NOW YOU'RE TALKING, YOU'RE BUILDING UP AND NOT, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING YOUR, AND JUST SAVE IT ALL BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS.
BUT I THINK AS YOU GO FORWARD, AND THAT'S KIND OF THE POINT OF GOING THROUGH AND MAKING THOSE BUDGET CHANGES AND REALLY LOOKING AT THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EXPENDITURES ARE IN LINE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THAT HEALTHY REVENUE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SALES TAXES, YOU KNOW, COMING IN AND, AND DOING THAT SO THAT YOU CAN PLAN FOR FUTURE SERVICES TO GO BACK, UM, TO THE TAXPAYERS.
BUT SO I THINK YOU WOULD BE MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE YEARS OF THAT KIND OF, WELL, WE'RE, WELL, WE'RE NOT NEAR THE EXCESSES AMOUNT.
NO, I MEAN THAT'S, AND YOU CAN SEE YOU'RE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT BUDGET, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THOSE DOLLARS COMING IN, BUT THEN THEY'RE PLANNED EXPENDITURES, LIKE YOU SAID, SOME THAT ARE SET ASIDE OR RESTRICTED.
UM, AND THEN YOU LOOK AT KIND OF WHAT THE GOAL AND MAINTENANCE IS OF WHAT YOU INTEND TO KEEP IN THAT GENERAL FUND UNASSIGNED.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT ALONG THOSE, ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO WOULD I BE CORRECT IN SAYING THAT THE UH, NUMBER IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THREE AND SIX MONTHS OF OPERATING FUNDS? WERE, WERE WITHIN THAT RANGE SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE WITHIN THAT RANGE.
AND, UH, THE, THE, UH, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LOWER THE TAX RATE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS FROM 42 CENTS TO THE 31 POINT, WHATEVER IT IS THIS YEAR.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOWER IT NEXT YEAR WITH NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE.
SO, UH, WITH THAT SAID, WE'RE ADDING TO THE FUND BALANCE, BUT WE HAVE MULTIPLE PLACES IN THIS COUNTY THAT NEED THE NEEDS FAR EXCEED.
AND SO I THINK WE'VE BEEN DONE A GOOD JOB OF BEING ABLE TO MANAGE THAT FUND BALANCE JUDGE AND, AND BRING IT UP WHERE IT IS NOW SO THAT WE CAN SPEND IT IN AREAS THAT COME UP THAT ARE NON-BUDGET PERHAPS.
SO COMMISSIONERS THAT, UH, IN THE LAST, UH, FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE, UH, A MILLION FOR EACH PRECINCT OUT OF FUND BALANCE, GENERAL FUND BALANCE AND ALLOCATE IT TO, UH, ROAD AND BRIDGE.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY AS WE WORK ON BUDGET THIS YEAR, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO SIMILAR THINGS WITH THAT, PERHAPS MORE.
YEAH, BECAUSE IF WE'RE BEHIND ON ANYTHING, IT'S ROAD AND BRIDGE.
SINCE WE GAVE UP PART OF THE TAX RATE, RIGHT.
UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO BEFORE I GOT HERE, BUT, UH, MONEY WENT FROM ROAD AND BRIDGE TO GENERAL, SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PULL MONEY BACK OUT OF GENERAL AND PUT IT BACK INTO ROAD AND BRIDGE EACH YEAR FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, I BELIEVE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? NO.
THANK YOU'ALL FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
SO WE'LL JUST NEED THE APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE F Y 22 AUDIT.
SO MOVE COMMISSIONER CONNOLLYS MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AUDIT WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER HILL, MAKING THE SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? WILL WE VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
I DO WANNA PASS FIVE, NO, SORRY.
I DO WANNA TAKE THIS TIME, UM, JUST TO THANK MY STAFF.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY DURING THE AUDIT IT'S CRUNCH TIME AND THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS OF, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THE RESULTS TOGETHER AND REPORTING OF THAT, BUT REALLY THE WORK TAKES PLACE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT OUR REVENUES, TALKING ABOUT OUR EXPENDITURES, IT'S MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
[00:35:01]
PROCESSING OUR AP AUDITING, PAYROLL, CASH RECEIPTS, GRANTS, UM, AND COMPLIANCE REPORTING, UM, AUDITING OUR, UM, FEE OFFICE OR FEES OF OFFICE, UM, ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S HAPPENING EVERY SINGLE DAY AND I COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE TEAM THAT I HAVE.UM, I FEEL VERY BLESSED FOR, UM, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK FOR ME AND THEY DO A WONDERFUL JOB.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO, UM, RECOGNIZE THEM AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR HARD WORK, UM, THAT HAPPENS EVERY DAY TO, TO GET TO THIS AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, GET A CLEAN AUDIT AND WHEN THEY'RE PULLING SAMPLES AND, UM, REVIEWING THINGS, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING, HAVING THE BACKUP THAT, THAT WE ARE DOING OUR JOB EVERY DAY.
AND SO THAT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S A TEAM EFFORT AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM, TELL YOUR STAFF, WE APPRECIATE THEM.
THANK, AGAIN, JUST A SPECIAL THANK YOU IF YOU, YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DID.
IT'S VERY THOROUGH, VERY INFORMATIVE, AND UH, EASY TO UNDERSTAND.
AND, UH, IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THESE NUMBERS AND IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THE OUTLOOK AND THE EVALUATION OF THIS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO, SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY.
THEN WE GO TO ITEM ITEM TWO UNDER AJO.
YOU HAVE A SECOND? ALL IN FAVORS, AYE.
THE RECORDS SHOW THAT WE WILL ADJOURN AT 9 0 6.