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FOR, UH, F Y BUDGET FOR THE WORKSHOP AGENDA.
THAT IS, UH, FRIDAY, JULY 14TH, 2023.
LET THE RECORD SHOW IT IS 9 0 3, AND WE'RE GOING TO, UH, MOVE TO CONSIDER, DISCUSS, AND ACT UPON THE FOLLOWING AGENDA ITEMS. AND WE'LL START WITH ITEM
[I.A. Discussion/Presentation on Department 464 Justice of the Peace #4 budget requests. (Judge Mendolia / Judge Deen)]
ONE, A, UH, DISCUSSION PRESENTATION ON DEPARTMENT 4 64.THIS IS THE PIECE NUMBER FOUR, BUDGET REQUEST.
UH, WE DO HAVE A COMMISSIONER THAT IS ON HIS WAY AND WILL BE HERE IN JUST A, A BRIEF MOMENT.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND START IT SINCE WE DO HAVE AN AUDIENCE AND, AND TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH YOUR TIMELINES AND RESPECT WHAT YOUR WORK SCHEDULE IS.
SO, UH, PRECINCT FOUR, IF YOU WOULD COME ON UP AND, AND, UH, WE'LL GET STARTED.
FORGIVE WHAT QUESTION YOU MIGHT HAVE, WHAT YOU WISH FOR ME TO, OH, WELL, JUST TO KIND OF LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS, BASICALLY, UH, JUDGE WILL, UH, JUST STATE SOMETHING THAT, THAT NEEDS THAT YOU HAVE, AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A UNIQUE SITUATION WITH YOU, THAT YOU HAVE A NEW COURTROOM AND, UM, A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED.
THERE COULD BE THINGS THAT, UM, THAT ARE NEEDED THAT WE DIDN'T NOTE, UM, BUT TO ASSESS KIND OF WHAT YOUR NEEDS ARE AND TO, UH, WE, WE GO ON A, UH, ASSESSMENT OF WHAT IS REQUIRED AND WHAT WE HAVE TO HAVE, AND THEN WE GO TO AND LOOK AT FROM AN ASSESSMENT STANDPOINT OF WHAT, YOU KNOW, A WISHLIST, IF YOU WILL.
BUT, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY DETERMINE WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY ARE BASED ON THE DEPARTMENT.
JUST, UM, RELAX AND JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH WHAT YOU GOT AND WHAT YOUR, SOME OF THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT YOU SEE FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT, AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
SO THE ONLY THING AS FAR AS THE BUILDING IS CONCERNED THAT WE HAVE ASKED FOR WITHIN OUR BUDGET IS THE INSTALLATION OF A DOOR, UM, THAT GOES DIRECTLY FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE INTO THE COURTROOM.
UM, THE WAY THE, THE BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED, THERE IS NO ACCESS DIRECTLY FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO THE COURTROOM.
UM, THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR FUNCTIONALITY OF OUR, OF OUR COURT BUSINESS.
UM, THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN WE ARE HAVING COURT IN PROCESS WHERE I'M NOT ON THE BENCH, AND, AND THE DIFFERENCE IS RIGHT NOW, THE CLERKS HAVE TO GO FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE THROUGH MY COORDINATOR'S OFFICE, THROUGH MY OFFICE TO THE, UM, TO THE COURTROOM.
UM, AND WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS A DOOR TO WHERE THEY CAN ACCESS THE COURTROOM DIRECTLY FROM THEIR OFFICE.
AND WE, WE ASKED FOR THAT WHEN THE BUILDING WAS BEING CONSTRUCTED.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, AT THAT POINT WE WERE TOLD THERE WERE NO MORE CHANGE ORDERS.
THE BUILDING WAS CORRECT OVER BUDGET, AND SO THEY WEREN'T GOING TO APPROVE ANY MORE CHANGE ORDERS.
UM, I ASKED ORIGINALLY THAT THIS BE DONE THROUGH BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE.
UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING LYNN JOHNSON JUST MOVED INTO OUR OLD COURTROOM AND HAD A DOOR PUT IN SO SHE COULD ACCESS BATHROOMS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE LOBBY, UM, FROM HER OFFICE TO THE BATHROOM, TO THE BACK HALL, TO THE BATHROOMS. UM, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WAS DONE THROUGH BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE.
UM, AND THAT WAS DONE FOR, UM, LESS THAN $2,000 TO CUT A HOLE, PUT A DOOR FRAME, PUT A DOOR IN, LET ME, AND, AND, AND RATHER THAN TRYING TO COMPARE FROM ONE COURT TO ANOTHER, UH, WE, UH, ARE AWARE OF THE NEEDS OF THAT AND, AND, AND, AND MARK LONG, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUILDING AND GROUNDS IS AWARE OF THIS.
AND SO WE'RE KIND OF WORKING THROUGH THIS.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, AND WE'RE GONNA WORK THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, JUDGE.
AND SO YEAH, WE'RE AWARE OF THAT AND, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY GONNA ADDRESS THAT.
WELL, AND AGAIN, I, SO I WAS TOLD NO, YOU NEED TO PUT IT IN YOUR BUDGET.
SO THAT'S THE, AND, AND YOU, AND YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
THAT $10,000 TO ME SEEMS OUTRAGEOUS TO PUT A DOOR IN A WALL.
AND WE ALSO WANT A WINDOW CUT SO THAT MY COORDINATOR CAN SEE INTO THE CLERK'S AREA.
UM, IN TALKING TO MARK, HE SAID MAINTENANCE CAN DO IT FOR UNDER $3,000, BUT THIS 10,000 WAS A QUOTE MARK RECEIVED WITH, HE SAID SOME OVERAGE IN CASE THERE'S ISSUES INVOLVED, UM, THAT HE RECEIVED FROM AN OUTSIDE VENDOR.
UM, SO THERE'S, THAT'S, THERE'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN MY OPINION, VERSUS GOING, USING BUILDING UNDERSTOOD MAINTENANCE PEOPLE, LABOR, WHATNOT.
AND AT THAT POINT, I THINK THE, YOU KNOW, THE 2000, $3,000
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IS SIMPLY FOR THE DOOR FRAME.UM, WE HAVE A DOOR, THERE WAS AN EXTRA DOOR THAT, UM, WAS GIVEN THE BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE FROM OUR BUILDING THAT WASN'T USED.
UM, SO THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO PURCHASE THE DOOR, THEY JUST HAVE TO HAVE THE FRAME AND THEN THE FRAME FOR THE WINDOW.
SO, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE A WHOLE LOT MORE EFFICIENT TO DO IT THROUGH THE BUILDING AND, UM, MAINTENANCE.
BUT AGAIN, THE QUOTE THAT WE, UH, I'VE JUST GOT THE QUOTE, MARK GOT IT, GAVE IT TO ME, AND WE PUT IT IN THERE AND THEN, AND MARK IS WORKING ON THAT.
AND WE'LL WORK WITH THE COURT ON WHAT THE NEEDS ARE OF THE, I GUESS SOME OF THE, I'M SAY TWEAKS, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PROBABLY COULD HAVE BEEN DONE DIFFERENTLY IN CONSTRUCTION MM-HMM.
WHAT ELSE? WHAT ELSE YOU GOT? THE ONLY, UM, OTHER DIFFERENCES IN, UM, WE ADDED IT TO THE SALARY, AND THIS IS KIND ALL OF THE, UM, JPS HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER.
AND, UM, WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ALL ASKING ALL FOUR OF THE OFFICES FOR CERTIFICATION PAY FOR OUR COURT CLERKS.
UM, IT'S BASED UPON THE SAME MODEL THAT THE SHERIFF'S SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT USES AS FAR AS CERTIFICATION FOR OFFICERS.
BUT BOTTOM LINE, IT'S A TRAINING CERTIFICATION.
THERE'S A CLERK ONE LEVEL, AND THERE'S A MASTER CLERK LEVEL.
UM, AND WE'RE ASKING THAT WE GET, UM, $500 FOR, FOR EACH THAT HAVE RECEIVED OR ARE GOING TO RECEIVE THE CLERK ONE UPON ONCE THEY RECEIVE IT, AND THEN ANOTHER 500 WHEN THEY RECEIVE THE MASTER CLERK CERTIFICATIONS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT THINGS FOR THIS.
WE BELIEVE IT IN ENCOURAGES THE STAFF TO SEEK THIS TRAINING.
UM, YOU KNOW, ABOVE AND BEYOND THE STATE MINIMUMS. UM, WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S, AND WE SUBMITTED THIS, UM, WITH OUR, UM, REQUEST.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT IT, UM, SAFEGUARDS THE COURTS AND THE COUNTY, BUT CULTIVATING A PROFESSIONAL WORK ENVIRONMENT, UM, WHICH, UM, ELIMINATES ERRORS, UM, AND HELPS THAT SITUATION.
UM, WE BELIEVE IT HELPS RETAIN EXPERIENCE PERSONNEL, UM, TO KEEP THE COURTS RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND TIMELY.
UM, AND IT PROVIDES OUR CONSTITUENTS WITH A MORE ADVANCED INTERTRAIN STAFF.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THIS VERY SMALL AMOUNT, AND WHEN I SAID $500, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A 500 FOR THE YEAR, A THOUSAND FOR THE YEAR WHEN THEY MEET THOSE CRITERIA.
UM, CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, MY, AND THE, MY STAFF I KNOW PAYS FOR THAT CERTIFICATION THEMSELVES TO GO GET THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING FOR IT.
BUT, BUT THEY, THEY WANT TO DO THAT.
AND, UM, I BELIEVE THAT IT, THAT IT HELPS THE FUNCTIONALITY OF OUR OFFICE FOR THOSE, FOR THE STAFF TO BE CERTIFIED, UM, AND MOVE UP AS HIGH AS THEY CAN IN CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING.
SO, UM, WE ARE ALL ASKING FOR, UM, THAT INCREASE.
UM, ALL THE, WHEN I SAY ALL, ALL THE JPS ARE ASKING FOR THAT VERY SAME INCREASE FOR US COUNTYWIDE.
AND AGAIN, IT'S NOTHING NEW TO THE COUNTY AS THAT'S BEING DONE RIGHT NOW FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE OFFICERS FOR CERTIFICATION TRAINING AS WELL.
SO, UM, IT'S JUST AN EXTENSION OF THAT BEING BROUGHT TO THE JP CLERK'S OFFICES, UM, COUNTYWIDE.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER ADDITION IN, IN THE ENTIRE BUDGET THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS A, UM, CELL PHONE ALLOWANCE.
FOR MYSELF, I AM ON CALL 24 7 FOR WARRANTS.
UM, NOT ONLY BLOOD WARRANTS, BUT ANY OTHER TYPES OF WARRANTS.
UM, MY CELL PHONE STAYS ON, MY CELL PHONE IS USED, MY PERSONAL CELL PHONE PHONE, UM, FOR THAT BY OFFICERS THAT CALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT CALL WHENEVER.
UM, SO I, I ASKED FOR $900 IN, UM, CELL PHONE, UM, EXPENSE TO BE ADDED.
UM, THOSE ARE THE ONLY THREE ISSUES IN THE BUDGET THAT ARE NEW, UM, IN THE ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, IN, IN EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE SUBMITTED.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU GOT? NO, SIR.
DO, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD OR NO, SIR.
[I.B. Discussion/Presentation on Department 461 Justice of the Peace #1 budget requests. (Judge Miles / Judge Deen)]
WE'LL GO TO ITEM B ON DISCUSSION, PRESENTATION ON DEPARTMENT 4 61.JUST TO THE PIECE ONE BUDGET REQUEST.
UH, JUDGE MILES, YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE JUDGE MILES.
UM, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME, SO LIKE YOU SAID, DO, DO I JUST GO DOWN THE BUDGET? IT'S INFORMAL.
UH, WHAT I'M SURE YOU COORDINATED WITH JUDGE MILES WHO COULDN'T BE HERE, AND SO, UH, YES.
SO THAT'S, UM, I GUESS ON OUR DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS, IT'S ABOUT THE
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SAME FROM LAST YEAR.OUR TRAVEL REQUEST, UM, CYNTHIA AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT SHE WANTED TO PUT A DOLLAR AMOUNT ON IT, SO IT DOES VARY FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
UM, I THINK I'VE ALREADY GOT BUDGETED FROM LAST YEAR ABOUT TO COVER THAT SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT, SO NOTHING REALLY NEW ON THAT.
UM, ON BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS, UH, JUST KIND OF FOLLOWED SUIT, WHAT JENNY HAD PUT DOWN ABOUT THE ACOUSTIC PANELS MM-HMM.
UM, AND THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE HAVE, HAVE INCREASED.
AND THEN THE SAME ON WHAT JUDGE MENDOLA HAD COVERED WAS THE, THE CERTIFICATION PAY FOR THE CLERKS.
UM, AND I DON'T, I WASN'T SURE IF THEY WERE STILL GOING TO REQUEST THE BILINGUAL PAY.
WHERE DID Y'ALL DISCUSS THAT? OKAY.
THEN I GUESS, CAN YOU, CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT BILINGUAL PAY? WHAT DO YOU MEAN WITH THAT? UM, FOR A CLERK THAT'S BILINGUAL THOUGH, SHE CAN SPEAK TO THEM, UM, JUST TO HAVE, GIVE HER A LITTLE, YOU KNOW.
I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE HAD TO COVER FUND 57.
I MEAN, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING NEW FOR IT, BUT 57 OTHER, OUR DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE THE SAME.
WE DO HAVE TRAVEL IN THAT AS WELL IF WE GO TO CONFERENCE, BUT WE HAVEN'T GONE TO CONFERENCE IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S IT.
WELL, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T REALLY GIVE THE COURT MUCH OF A CHANCE LAST TIME.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I'M SORRY, FROM THE COURT BEFORE WE LET YOU SIT DOWN.
UH, I HAD A QUICK QUESTION NOW ON THE BILINGUAL PAY BUMP, WHAT WERE YOU LOOKING FOR? HOW MUCH WOULD THAT BE? I'M SORRY.
OH, THAT'S ON THE INTERPRETER.
I THINK MAYBE THAT THOU THE THOUSAND FOR THE INTERPRETER.
THE BILINGUAL, UM, THE BILINGUAL PAY JUST TO BUMP HER, UM, WOULD BE $500.
SO IF YOU DID THAT, YOU WOULDN'T NEED THE INTERPRETER OR IS THAT INTERPRETING SOMETHING ELSE? NO, CAUSE ON AN INTERPRETER SHE HAS TO BE CERTIFIED.
THE DIFFERENCE IN THE INTERPRETER IS THAT THE INTERPRETER IS FOR COURT PROCEEDINGS.
I'M SORRY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE AN INTERPRETER NOW? NO, WE DON'T HAVE AN INTERPRETER.
A REVOLVING LINE ITEM FOR INTERPRETER.
I'M JUST SAYING IF AS A COURT, IF THE COURT NECESSITATES IT, IF THE DEFENDANT OR ACCUSTOM TO IT, REQUEST AN INTERPRETER.
WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO ASK FOR DURING A, DURING A PROCEEDING AND THAT PERSON HAS TO BE CERTIFIED THROUGH THE STATE, ET CETERA, AND THEY'RE, THEY HAVE THEIR SEPARATE FEES THAT THEY, THEY CHARGE.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT INTERPRETER LINE IS FOR.
SO LIKE A SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE, UM, INTERPRETER, THE ENGLISH SPANISH, THE LINE ITEM WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE SIGN LANGUAGE OR, YEAH.
ANYTHING ELSE IN THE COURT? THANK YOU.
[I.C. Discussion/Presentation on Department 462 Justice of the Peace #2 budget requests. (Judge Green / Judge Deen)]
TO ITEM C ON DISCUSSION PRESENTATION ON DEPARTMENT 4 62.JUSTICE OF THE PEACE NUMBER TWO.
WE SAVED ALL THE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
I'LL ANSWER TODAY AND BE GONE TOMORROW.
OKAY, LET'S START WITH THE EASY STUFF.
HOW ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA GO IN WITH YOU.
HERE'S, HERE'S THE ITEMS WE WANT TO WITHDRAW SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT I'M, I'M, I'M JOKING.
SO THAT'S ALREADY, SO I'M STARTING OFF SAVING MONEY.
WE HAD A REQUEST FOR A LEAD CLERK POSITION.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE JUST WANT TO ADDRESS NEXT YEAR AND REVIEW IT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER.
SO WE'RE GONNA WITHDRAW THE, UH, REQUEST FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.
ALSO HAD A REQUEST IN THERE FOR EXTRA MONEY IN THE TRAVEL LINE TO, UH, COVER THE EXPENSES OF THE ADDITIONAL MILEAGE THAT WAS GONNA BE, UH, INVOLVED IN COMPLYING WITH SOME LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES THAT WERE IN AUSTIN.
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HOW ARE THOSE INITIATIVES DID NOT PASS SO THAT ADDITIONAL TRAVEL'S NOT GONNA BE NECESSARY.SO WE DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
SO JUST JUST FOR THE RECORD, JUDGE, I THINK, I THINK TAKING AWAY SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T HAVE ALREADY IS NOT REALLY A REDUCTION.
WELL, I'M WITHDRAWING SOME OF THE REQUESTS, SO MY REQUESTS ARE GENTLY COMING DOWN.
WELL LET'S GET TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE.
BUT IT'S, ITS OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT I ACTUALLY, WE DO JUDGE.
WE, WE WANT KEEP IT LIVE HERE WITH THE 1500 UHHUH, SINCE IT WAS INPUT INTO S STW INTO THE TRAVEL LINE.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND REDUCE THAT.
THAT'S, UH, AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT REDUCING MORE THAN WE ADDED.
NO, I WILL, THAT'S, I WILL JUST REDUCE THE INCREASE THEN.
I THINK, UH, AND OUR, UH, NEW AND SUSPICIOUS JUSTICE OF THE PEACE FOR PRECINCT FOR HAS ALREADY EXPRESSED OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE, UH, CERTIFICATE PAY.
UH, I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
UH, I THINK IT'S A, UH, GOOD PLAN BECAUSE AGAIN, IT ENCOURAGES TRAINING ON YOUR OWN.
UH, THIS IS NOT, THESE ARE NOT EASY CERTIFICATES TO OBTAIN.
THIS ISN'T LIKE A FOUR HOUR ONLINE COURSE THAT YOU CAN SIT THERE AND WATCH NETFLIX WHILE YOU SCROLL THROUGH IT.
UH, THESE, UH, CERTIFICATES ARE ACTUALLY OVERSEEN BY THE, UH, JUSTICE COURT TRAINING CENTER AND, UM, IS THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR.
AND, UH, THERE'S SOME SIGNIFICANT EDUCATIONAL TESTING AND SOME, UH, IN THE MASTER CLERK, THERE'S SOME, UH, TIME ON THE JOB REQUIREMENTS.
UH, SO THESE ARE NOT FOLKS THAT ARE JUST GONNA WALK IN AND SAY, HEY, I'M ELIGIBLE FOR THAT ALREADY.
I MEAN, THIS IS STUFF THAT HAS TO BE EARNED DOWN THE ROAD.
NOW WHEN WE DO HAVE OUR CLERKS GO TO SCHOOL TO BECOME CLERKS ONE AND THEN, AND THEN, UH, EVENTUALLY, UH, MASTER CLERK, I MEAN THEY'RE INVESTING A LOT OF THEIR OWN TIME AND, UH, RESOURCES INTO GETTING THESE CERTIFICATIONS.
IT DOES HELP US IN THE FACT THAT IN THE PROCESS OF OBTAINING THESE CERTIFICATES, THEY'RE IN ESSENCE CROSS-TRAINING THEMSELVES SO THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S OUT WHEN WE DO HAVE, UH, SHORTAGES IN ONE AREA, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN STEP UP AND FILL THE VOID UNTIL WE CAN GET THOSE ISSUES ADDRESSED.
ANYBODY WANNA ADDRESS THAT OR ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? WELL, JUST GENERAL INFORMATION, CUZ I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA.
WHERE DO THEY OBTAIN THOSE CERTIFICATIONS? I MEAN, IS IT ONLINE THROUGH THE TEXAS JUSTICE COURT COURT TRAINING CENTER? IS IT ONLINE AND, UH, THEY HAVE TO GO IN PERSON TO DO THE TESTING? IT'S NOT ALL ONLINE, BUT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO IT ONLINE AND THEN DO THE TESTING IN PERSON.
I THINK MOST OF THE CLASSES ARE CLASSES THAT THEY TAKE AT THE CLERK TRAINING SEMINARS.
BUT, UM, MOSTLY TRADITIONALLY IT'S ALL BEEN IN CLASS AND THEN IN IN PERSON TESTING, PROCTOR TESTING.
THESE CERTIFICATES ARE SOMETHING THAT THEY DO EXTRA THAT THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED.
IT IS SOMETHING THEY DO EXTRA.
POTENTIALLY HOW MANY, UH, PEOPLE IN YOUR OFFICE WOULD EARN THIS IF, IF, IF THEY, IF EVERYBODY, I'VE GOT AT LEAST ONE MASTER CLERK AND PROBABLY TWO CERTIFIED ONES.
ALTHOUGH IF IT GOES THROUGH, I'M SURE EVERYBODY ELSE WILL BE EXCITED ABOUT TAKING THE ADDITIONAL TRAINING.
HOW MANY WOULD BE IN YOUR, JUST LIKE THE, UH, ALL THOSE THREE.
JUST LIKE THE EXTRA MONEY YOU GET WHEN YOU FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMS AND THEY YES, SIR.
ANYTIME YOU THROW SOME CASH AT PEOPLE, THEY'RE, UH, EXCITED ABOUT DOING EXTRA.
YEAH, I WAS JUST LOOKING TO SEE WHAT THE TOTAL MIGHT BE FOR EACH, EACH OFFICE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? IS THAT, IS THAT NUMBER GENERALLY CONSISTENT? JUDGE LIA FOR YOUR OFFICE? WE HAVE THREE MASTERS RIGHT NOW.
THEY HAVEN'T EVEN FIRST AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE, SO WE'RE TALKING APPROXIMATELY THREE TO FIVE EACH OFFICE.
SAME FOR, WE HAVE TOTAL OF FOUR.
SO THREE TO FOUR PER PRECINCT WOULD BE STANDARD WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AS FAR AS OUR BUILDING IS CONCERNED, OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT IT COULD PROBABLY JUST USE A NEW BUILDING UNDERNEATH IT, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE OUR BREAK
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ROOM OVERHAULED A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE IT A MORE SANITARY SITUATION THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.I MEAN, PEOPLE EAT LUNCH OR PEOPLE MAKE A SNACK, PEOPLE DO ANYTHING AT THE OFFICE.
WE'RE WASHING DISHES IN THE BATHROOM SINK AND I MEAN, IT'S BARELY A HAND SINK.
IT'S NOT REALLY THE, UM, PROPER FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH IT.
AND THE HOT WATER HEATER THEY HAVE IS SOMEWHERE IN THE ATTIC AND D P S AND, YOU KNOW, HOT WATER HEATER IS PROBABLY A LITTLE MISNOMER AS LIKE A WARM WATER AND ENCOURAGER IS PROBABLY CLOSER TO WHAT IT REALLY IS.
UH, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS IN OUR BREAK ROOM, ADD A SINK, A DEEP SINK THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY USE FOR WASHING, UH, A TANKLESS HOT WATER HEATER, PROVIDE HOT WATER FOR THAT AND MAKE THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER SITUATION.
AS FAR AS KEEPING THINGS CLEAN AROUND THE OFFICE, UH, WE SUBMITTED INFORMATION TO BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS.
UH, I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION ON WHO'S SUPPOSED TO GET QUOTES FOR WHAT THEY ASK US IF WE HAD QUOTES.
AND I, I HAVE NO IDEA WHO THE VENDORS ARE FOR THOSE TYPES OF MATERIALS.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY WAY TO GET QUOTES, BUT I'M SURE IF YOU GOT WITH THEM, THEY COULD PROVIDE YOU WITH THE NECESSARY INFORMATION AS FAR AS, UH, HOW MUCH THAT'S GONNA COST.
AND AGAIN, US UTILIZING, UH, COUNTY RESOURCES, I THINK ALL REALLY GONNA BE OUT IS JUST THE MATERIALS.
AND IT SHOULDN'T BE TOO ATROCIOUS.
UH, THERE'S DRAINAGE AND PIPING CLOSE BY.
IT SHOULDN'T BE TOO HARD TO GET TO.
UM, AGAIN, WITH THAT PEX TUBING THEY HAVE NOW, YOU CAN RUN THE WATER ANYWHERE.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? WELL, BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU PRICE FOR THAT.
WELL, WE'VE SENT EMAILS AND I GUESS WITH THE BUDGET CRUNCH, THEY HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO GET BACK TO OUR ISSUE ON THAT YET.
SO I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE.
IT MAY BE IN MY INBOX RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE REAL BUSY THIS TIME OF THE YEAR WITH EVERYBODY ELSE'S REQUESTS AND EVERYBODY'S GOT THINGS GOING ON.
SO TO CLARIFY, YES SIR, THAT IS COMPLETELY TRUE.
SO TO CLARIFY, THERE'S, YOU HAVE NO LEAKAGE ISSUES.
THOSE HAVE BEEN RESOLVED NOT SO FAR THIS YEAR.
UH, HAVEN'T HAD A WHOLE LOT OF RAIN TO TEST THE THEORY.
UH, BUT NO LEAKAGE ANYWHERE IN THE BUILDING, NOTHING INTERNAL.
AND I THINK ALL THE EXTERNAL, UH, SOURCES OF RAINWATER HAVE BEEN PATCHED.
THE BIG THING WAS THE FOUNDATION CRACK WHEN THEY DUG DOWN AND FOUND THAT FOUNDATION CRACK, WHICH WAS A REMIND REMAINDER FROM THAT TRUCK THAT HIT THE BUILDING, UH, BACK WHEN JUDGE CHO WAS IN OFFICE, UH, THAT ACTUALLY HAD CRACKED THE FOUNDATION CLEANED THROUGH AND NOBODY REALIZED IT.
AND SO THEY FOUND THAT, PATCHED IT UP AND I THINK THEY RESOLVED ALL THE LEAKS FOR THE TIME BEING TILL WE GET GOPHER MOLES OR SOMETHING.
ANYTHING ELSE? UH, I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM Y'ALL? I'M GOOD.
OTHER THAN THAT, EVERYTHING'S PLUGGED ALL ALONG SMOOTH.
WE NOT ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL THIS YEAR.
UH, OBVIOUSLY BUDGET'S TIGHT, EVERYBODY'S TIGHT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, PRECINCT TWO'S GROWING.
UH, COMMISSIONER HOLT CAN TEST TO THAT, UH, GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS.
AND WHEN THE POPULATION IS JUMPING AS HIGH A PERCENTAGE AS IT'S JUMPING EACH YEAR, UH, THE FILINGS AND THE COURTS ARE GOING TO ALSO JUMP.
EVENTUALLY WE'LL START GETTING TROOPERS BACK FROM THE BORDER AND FROM AUSTIN AND WE'LL START HAVING MORE TICKETS AGAIN.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE MAINTAINING WITH WHAT WE HAVE, SO WE DIDN'T THINK WE NEEDED TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
AND, UH, BUT WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT CLOSER NEXT YEAR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M GOOD MAN.
I'M GONNA START COMING EARLY EVERY YEAR.
YOU GUYS ARE EASY IN THE MORNINGS.
[I.D. Discussion/Presentation on Department 463 Justice of the Peace #3 budget requests. (Judge Grissom / Judge Deen)]
MOVE TO ITEM D ON DISCUSSION, PRESENTATION ON DEPARTMENT 4 63.JUST AT THE PEACE PROCEED, OR, OR JUST AT THE PEACE NUMBER THREE.
GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I'M RANDALL GRIS, JUSTICE PEACE PRECINCT THREE FOR THE COURT RECORD.
UH, HERE FOR BUDGET REQUEST, FOR THE MOST PART, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE VERY SIMILAR AND THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.
UH, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF SMALL ITEMS THAT, UH, THAT UH, WE HAVE PUT IN THE REQUEST THIS YEAR.
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UH, SHREDDING FOR DOCUMENTS, WHICH I BELIEVE THE DISTRICT COURT OR DISTRICT CLERK IS ALREADY USING A VENDOR.AND WE JUST WANTED TO, TO USE THAT SAME VENDOR.
AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY GONNA LOOK AT AN EXPENSE OF LIKE $150 ADDITIONAL FOR THAT SHREDDING SERVICE.
SO WE CAN GET A LOT OF IT DONE AT ONE TIME INSTEAD OF A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME.
UH, WE HAVE ANOTHER REQUEST FOR SOME, UH, BUILDING ISSUES, GROUNDS BUILDING, BUILDING AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE ISSUES.
AND IT'S SECURING OUR CLARK AREA A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
WE HAVE A LITTLE HALF SWINGING PONY DOOR THAT SEPARATES OUR CLERK AREA FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC AREA.
AND I WANT TO GET THAT MORE SECURED WITH SOME KIND OF A FULL DOOR, A SPLIT DOOR OF SOME, SOME TYPE.
I'VE SPOKE WITH, UH, BUILDING AND GROUNDS ABOUT THAT BASICALLY SINCE I COME INTO OFFICE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND, UH, WE STILL HAVE NOT GOT THAT RESOLVED.
AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE MR. GREEN SAYS THAT THEY'RE EXTREMELY BUSY, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM OVER GETTING THIS, UM, MY, MY ISSUE WITH THIS IS IT'S A SECURITY ISSUE FOR MY STAFF AND WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
SO WHEN PEOPLE COME IN TO PAY TICKETS OR TO WHATEVER, WHATEVER OR WHATEVER THERE, THERE'S, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S ONLY A, A SWINGING DOOR THAT SEPARATES THEM FROM THE REST OF YOUR STUFF? THAT IS CORRECT.
THERE'S NOTHING TO KEEP 'EM FROM JUMPING OVER IT.
WE'VE GOT GLASS PARTITIONS ON THE COUNTERS SEPARATING THEM, BUT THEN THERE'S JUST AN OPEN LITTLE SWINGING DOOR THAT, THAT, UH, SO IT'S A SECURITY ISSUE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, STAY IN THIS TIME, IT'S IMPORTANT.
WHEN YOU WALK IN, YOU HAVE A GLASS, THERE'S NO EXCESS AT ALL.
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THEY'RE COMING, THEY'RE, THEY'RE COMING INTO YOUR OFFICE AND THEN TO GO FURTHER, THERE'S ONLY A SWING THAT SWINGING DOOR.
SO I JUST WANT SOMETHING MORE OF A LEGIBLE SECURE TYPE DOOR THAT IT'S A SPLIT DOOR THOUGH.
SO CUZ WE'RE SO CRAMPED FOR, FOR ROOM UP THERE IN THE FRONT ANYWAY FOR WHERE OUR CLERKS ARE SOMETIMES I'VE GOT FOUR CLERKS UP THERE TRYING TO HELP DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN A TWO CLERK SPOT.
SO I WANT TO TAKE LIKE THAT SECURE DOOR, BUT IT'D BE LIKE A, A, I CALL IT A MR. ED DOOR, LIKE YOU REMEMBER ON THE HORSES TO WHERE IT'S A SPLIT DOOR TO WHERE WE COULD JUST OPEN THE TOP IF WE NEEDED TO.
UH, SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, BUT TO WHERE IT CAN BE MORE SECURE, MR. ED SOUNDS BETTER THAN I KIND OF THOUGHT.
SO, SO I REMEMBER THAT STUFF, YOU KNOW,
UH, SO, UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, WE'RE WORKING WITH BUILDING AND GROUNDS ON THAT AND SEE WHEN WE CAN GET THAT DONE.
UH, THERE WAS SOME TALK ABOUT WILL IT STILL BE ADA COMPLIANT? UH, I'VE MEASURED IT AND I THINK BY THE TIME WE PUT THE FRAME IN THERE, WE'RE GONNA GET CLOSE, BUT I THINK WE CAN GET IT ACCOMPLISHED.
UH, WHY DOES, DOES, WHY DOES THAT DOOR HAVE TO BE ADA? CAUSE MR. CONLEY, I'M NOT REAL SURE THAT CAME UP IN A CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF, UH, THE MAINTENANCE GUYS ABOUT WILL IT MEET A D A COMPLIANCE, IT'S NOT A ACCESS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
SO IT WOULD, IT IT WOULD NOT BE IF IT'S NOT, IF THERE'S NO ACCESS ALLOWED FOR THE PUBLIC.
I'M, I'M NOT BURST IN THAT, THAT PART OF THE LAW AND REQUIREMENTS THAT JUST CAME UP.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, CLERKS AT THIS TIME THAT WOULD NEED, YOU KNOW, THAT ADA COMPLIANT TYPE SITUATION.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE JUST WANT TO, WE, WE ARE REQUESTING THAT WE PUT IT IN OUR BUDGET.
UH, IT'S ACTUALLY OUT OF OUR SECURITY LINE.
I BELIEVE IT'S WHERE WE PUT IT IN THE BUDGET.
SO IT'S NOT IN THE GENERAL BUDGET.
IT'S IN OUR SECURITY LINE THAT WE'LL BE PAYING FOR IT OUT OF THAT FUND.
I WAS GONNA ACTUALLY BRING THAT UP CUZ I'M NOT SURE THAT IT WOULD, EVEN THOUGH IT'S CALLED THE SECURITY FUND.
UM, THE STATUTE LAYS OUT EXACTLY WHAT YOU CAN SPEND IT ON AND I'M NOT SURE THE DOOR, AS YOU'VE EXPLAINED, WOULD FALL UNDER THAT.
UM, I KNOW WE HAVE PAID, UM, CUZ IT HAS TO BE IN A BUILDING IF WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT REGULAR SECURITY FUND OR JP SECURITY FUND, YOU KNOW, THAT HOUSES THE JP COURT OR ANOTHER COURT.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE USED THE FUNDS FOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE REDID ALL THE SWIPE, THE ELECTRONIC LOCKING SYSTEM.
UM, WE DID PAY FOR THAT, BUT THAT'S SPECIFICALLY IN THERE SO WE CAN LOOK AT IT.
BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT JUST THE DOOR WOULD QUALIFY UNDER, YOU KNOW, THE SPECIFICS THAT IT STATES UNDER THE STATUTE.
SO I LOOKED AT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE STATUTE FROM YOUR, UH, REQUEST JUST BECAUSE IT WAS IN THE SECURITY FUND.
BUT WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.
WELL, I'M NOT SURE THAT IT WOULD QUALIFY.
WE, WE WOULD, IF IF WE, IF IT QUALIFIES UNDER THE LAW, WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF THAT FUND LINE.
YOU KNOW, IT'D HAVE TO BE PAID OUT OF WHATEVER IT FITS WITHIN THE LAW.
[00:30:01]
WE JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE WOULD, IF WE CAN, WE'D BE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF THERE.UH, SO AND THEN THE LAST ITEM, AND IT'S KIND OF ON THE, UH, COATTAILS OF JUDGE GREEN.
AS I WAS WALKING IN, I BELIEVE WE WERE TALKING, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE INCENTIVE PAY CERTIFICATION PAY FOR THE CLERKS AND IT'S FOR THE MASTER CLERK AND FOR THE, UH, CLERK ONE CERTIFICATION, UH, WE HAD PUT IN A REQUEST FOR A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE MASTER CLERK, WHICH IS THE UPPER TIER OF THAT CERTIFICATION.
AND THEN FOR THE CLERK ONE CERTIFICATION, IT'S 500 A YEARLY GOING FORWARD EVERY YEAR.
UH, THIS IS A, UH, ALL FOUR OF US JUDGES HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER PREVIOUSLY AND SPOKE ABOUT THIS.
WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, IT'S NOT ONLY NEEDED FOR THE PROFESSIONAL THAT IT'S GONNA BRING TO THE PUBLIC, GENERAL PUBLIC COMING IN.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, AS, AS UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND LEADERS, WE SHOULD EXPECT NOTHING BUT THE BEST OUT OF OUR STAFF.
AND WE NEED TO, UH, GIVE THEM EVERY AVENUE POSSIBLE, UH, TO MEET THOSE EXPECTATIONS.
I EXPECT MY CLERKS TO BE PROFESSIONAL EVERY DAY TO KNOW THE LAW.
UH, IT'S NOT MANDATED THAT THEY HAVE TO, BUT IT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING HERE IN PARKER COUNTY AND IT'S WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
UH, CUZ WE'RE A VERY BUSY OFFICE LIKE ALL THE OTHERS ARE.
AND TIMELINESS IS VERY IMPORTANT IN GETTING THE PEOPLE IN, UH, PROCESSING THEM, SERVING THEM AS THEY NEED TO BE SERVED.
WHETHER IT'S TICKETS, FILING CASES, AND THEN GET THEM BACK OUT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT OTHER PEOPLE IN LINE.
THERE ARE DAYS THAT WE, WE SIMULATE ALMOST A LOT OF REGISTRATION IN THE ANNEX.
WE'VE GOT PEOPLE LINED OUT THE DOOR AND WAITING IN THE LOBBY TO BE ABLE TO GET IN.
SO WE NEED CLERKS TO BE AT THE ULTIMATE TOP OF THEIR GAME, KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND NOT HAVE TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME RESEARCHING THROUGH STUFF AND, AND KNOW IT.
AND THROUGH THESE CERTIFICATIONS, IT'S REQUIRED BY THE STATE THAT THEY KNOW AT THE PASS.
'EM, UM, I THINK SOME OF THESE LADIES HERE THAT HAS THAT CERTIFICATION LEVEL FOR MASTER CLERK, IT'S NOT EASY GETTING IT.
UH, THE JPS IS A GREAT MELTING POT OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAW.
IT'S A VERY, VERY BROAD SPECTRUM AND NOT EVERYTHING IS LINEAR IN IT.
THERE'S DIFFERENT, EVEN ON A TICKET, SOMEBODY COMING IN TO PAY A TICKET, THEY'RE, IT'S JUST NOT BLACK AND WHITE.
WHAT WAS GOING ON THAT DAY? WAS IT A WORK ZONE? WERE WORKERS PRESENT WHAT THE RECORDS LOOK LIKE? DO THEY, CAN THEY TAKE DEFENSIVE DRIVING CLASSES? I MEAN THERE'S A LOT THAT THESE CLERKS HAVE TO KNOW.
AND UH, SO FOR THEM GOING FORWARD AND THEM ACHIEVING THESE AND US CHALLENGING THEM TO GET THESE CERTIFICATIONS, IT DOES NOTHING BUT MAKE US MORE PROFESSIONAL.
AND SERVING THE CITIZENS OF PARKER COUNTY AND EVEN OTHER CITIZENS JUST COMING IN THAT'S PAYING TICKETS FROM OUTTA COUNTY, UH, IT HELPS US SERVICE AND MAKE US LOOK A LOT MORE PROFESSIONAL.
I BELIEVE PARKER COUNTY NEEDS TO BE THE LEADER IN THE STATE OF ALL COUNTIES.
AND UH, I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER COUNTIES ARE DOING THIS.
I DON'T WORRY ABOUT IF OTHER COUNTIES ARE DOING THIS FOR THEIR CLERKS.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE THE LEADER AND WE NEED TO BE TAKING THE STEPS AND MOVING FORWARD TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR OUR PEOPLE THAT PUT US IN OFFICE AND FOR OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WORK FOR US AND A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THEM TAKING IT UP ON THEIR OWN TO GO FORWARD AND TAKE THESE TESTS, WHICH ARE NOT EASY.
AGAIN, IT REQUIRES A LOT OF STUDYING ON THEIR TIME TO DO THESE.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS TAKING CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR PEOPLE COMING IN.
UH, THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS, IS I WOULD, WE ARE REQUESTING BILINGUAL PAY FOR OUR CLERKS AT $500 YEARLY.
UH, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE OTHER COURSE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU IN PRECINCT THREE THERE IS A LARGE PART OF THE CITIZENS THAT ARE COMING IN THAT ARE NOT ENGLISH SPEAKING CITIZENS.
THEY'RE SPANISH SPEAKING CITIZENS.
AND WE DO HAVE A CLERK THAT IS, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DO WITHOUT HER BECAUSE SHE DOES SPEAK SPANISH AND ANYTIME SHE'S OUT WE'RE JUST KIND OF, UH, WE'RE UNABLE TO HELP THESE PEOPLE CUZ WE CAN'T COMMUNICATE WITH THEM.
SO IT IS CRITICAL AND I CAN SEE A TIME SOMEWHERE IN THE FUTURE, IT MAY BE MANDATED BY THE STATE THAT WE HAVE TO PUB, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE ONE IN OUR OFFICE TO HELP THE PUBLIC.
BUT, UH, AT THIS TIME IT'S, IT'S A VERY ESSENTIAL TO HAVE THAT.
AND I'M VERY THANKFUL TO HAVE THAT INDIVIDUAL.
CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DO WITHOUT IT.
AND FOR THAT ABILITY TO BE BILINGUAL AND SHE IS HAVING TO STEP OUTSIDE HER NORMAL DUTIES, UH, TO HELP WHETHER IT'S, SHE'S PRIMARILY A CRIMINAL CLERK, BUT SHE HAS TO COME OVER AND CIVIL, SHE HAS TO COME INTO THE COURTROOM AND HELP ME TO TRANSLATE IN THE COURTROOM.
[00:35:01]
PAY DIFFERENCE FOR BILINGUAL PAY, UH, IS ESSENTIALLY THE COUNTY CUZ IT'S SAVING YOU MONEY.BECAUSE IF I HAVE TO HIRE AN OUTSIDE SERVICE TO BRING IN A SPANISH SPEAKING INDIVIDUAL TO SET IN COURT, WHICH WE HAVE TO SUPPLY, IF SOMEBODY REQUESTED THAT'S AT THE TUNE TO $300 MINIMUM EVERY TIME THEY COME OVER FROM DALLAS TO SET IN THERE FOR A 30 MINUTE HEARING.
SO IN A YEAR'S TIME, UH, IF WE HAD TO DO THAT TWICE, THAT $500, UH, REQUEST THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN FOR THE BILINGUAL PAY, WE'RE ALREADY DOING THE RIGHT THING AND IT'S SAVING THE COUNTY MONEY.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, IF THEY GET THIS, UH, BILINGUAL CERT, WILL THEY THEN BE QUALIFIED TO BE A TRANSLATOR IN YOUR COURT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THEY, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY A CERTIFIED TRANSLATOR BY THE LETTER OF THE LAW OF WHAT IT STATES.
UH, OUR ONLY OTHER OPTION IS A PHONE CALL LINE THAT THE, THAT WE HAVE THAT IS NOT, THAT DOES NOT WORK VERY WELL.
CAUSE THE INDIVIDUAL ON THE OTHER END IS NOT VERY WELL VERSED IN WHAT THE LAW IS.
UH, I'VE HAD TO USE THAT AT THE JAIL MANY TIMES AND IT'S JUST NOT THAT USER-FRIENDLY.
UH, AND OR HIRE AN OUTSIDE SERVICE THAT DOES SEND SOMEBODY OVER.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S LIKE 300 BUCKS JUST FOR THEM TO COME OVER.
THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING FOR SOME CLARIFICATION CUZ I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN THAT.
YEAH, I MEAN WE, WE HAD SOMEBODY IN A WHILE BACK THAT NEEDED, UH, UH, A FRENCH INTERPRETER AND, UH, IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND A FRENCH INTERPRETER EVEN ON TO WHERE YOU PAY SOMEBODY TO COME IN.
SO I ACTUALLY HAD TO LINE SOMEBODY UP THAT I KNEW IT NEVER WENT IT, THEY CANCELED OUT RIGHT BEFORE COURT AND COME TO A SETTLEMENT.
SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO USE THAT INDIVIDUAL, BUT I HAD TO TRY TO FIND SOMEBODY TO FACILITATE A DEFENDANT IN COURT THAT COULD SPEAK A, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT POP UP PERIODICALLY AND UH, UH, OF COURSE THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FRENCH PART OF IT.
THAT'S JUST A, AN EXAMPLE, A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN OUR COURT SOMETIMES.
AND, UH, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AT THAT, AT THAT, UH, WHAT I WOULD CALL IT, IT'S BILINGUAL PAY.
IT'S NOT CERT PAY, BUT THE BILINGUAL PAY BUMP A 500 A YEAR.
UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
AND AGAIN, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW A COURT OPERATES WITHOUT HAVING SOMEBODY THAT CAN TRANSLATE, ESPECIALLY NOWADAYS AS MANY, UH, SPANISH SPEAKING CITIZENS WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY AND COMING INTO THE COURTS.
BRIANNA, THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU ON THE, UH, IT STAFF HERE HAS, IT'S COME OUT OF HIS AND GO INTO IT.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING RELATED, COMPUTERS, MONITOR, SCANNERS, ANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT WILL BE PULLED OUT INTO YEAH.
PROVIDE THE COURT WITH A CONSOLIDATED LIST OF, RIGHT.
EACH, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENTS' REQUEST.
I WAS JUST HAVE SEE IT IN HERE AND I WAS RECOGNIZING YOU NEEDED TO GO TO IT.
MR. WALDEN, I THINK WE JUST PUT THAT IN THERE BECAUSE WE JUST NEVER KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE A COMPUTER FAIL ON US.
UH, UM, THINGS HAPPEN SO WE JUST KIND OF PUT THAT IN THERE SURE.
SO I'LL, I'LL, I'LL MAKE THE, THIS THAT'S ALL OF THE JPS AND UM, SINCE WE'VE GOT SOME NEW FOLKS HERE, I'LL MAKE THIS SPEECH.
WE HAVE, WE'RE SITTING HERE TODAY ON, UH, 14TH DAY OF JULY AND WE DON'T HAVE A CERTIFIED TAX ROLE YET.
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH.
BUT WE'LL GET A LETTER FROM THEM, I GUESS THE FIRST WEEK IN AUGUST, TELLING US WHAT THE CERTIFIED TAX ROLE IS AND, AND INFORMATION FROM THEM REGARDING THE TAX RATE.
SO WE'RE SITTING HERE TAKING REQUESTS AND, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE NOT ASKING MORE QUESTIONS IS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, BASIS FOR MAKING DECISIONS YET.
IT, IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR THAT TO OCCUR.
SO JUST, JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW WHY WE'RE NOT SAYING YES, YOU CAN DO THIS.
YES, WE CAN APPROVE THIS CUZ WE HAVE NO CLUE AS WHERE WE'RE SITTING FINANCIALLY, UH, UNTIL WE GET THAT INFORMATION FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
COMMISSIONER K THEY'RE PROBABLY THINKING WE'RE NOT RESPONDING.
YEAH, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE JUST LISTENING.
YEAH, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE JUST TAKING INFORMATION AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO, IT'S A LENGTHY PROCESS AND THE REST OF THE PROCESS WILL COME ABOUT AT A LATER DATE.
WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
[I.E. Discussion/Presentation on Department 475 County Attorney budget requests. (John Forrest / Judge Deen)]
GO.ITEM ME ON DISCUSSION, PRESENTATION ON DEPARTMENT 4 75 COUNTY ATTORNEY BUDGET.
CAUSE I DON'T, IS ANYBODY HERE FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE? I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN TEXTING.
I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANYTHING BACK YET.
[I.F. Discussion/Presentation on Departments 601 911 Addressing & 630 Permitting budget requests. (Ryen Mowrey / Judge Deen) (Part 1 of 1)]
TO ITEM ME HOW ANOTHER JP HEY, WE GOT, WE GOT, UH, JP, UH, JP CONSTABLE TOO.YEAH, WE, WELL WE JUST FOLLOW THIS.
WE DON'T HAVE RYAN HERE EITHER.
[00:40:01]
SO TO YOUR POINT, LET'S JUST MOVE DOWN TO WHO WE DO HAVE HERE.BACK HERE AND HE'D BE WILLING TO STEP FORWARD.
UH, AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS HOW QUICK WE'RE GONNA BE OR RIGHT.
HOW THAT THANK YOU FOR COMING.
THERE'S SOME, YEAH, JOHN'S HERE.
OF COURSE YOU HEAR ME? HE'S OUT IN THE HALL CAMPAIGNING.
NO, YOU'RE NOT BORROWING, BORROWING.
JOHN, YOU TELL US WHEN YOU'RE READY.
OKAY, WE'RE GO, WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM E ON, UH, THE DISCUSSION PRESENTATION ON DEPARTMENT 4 75 ON THE COUNTY ATTORNEY BUDGET REQUEST.
UH, WE DO HAVE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY HERE PRESENT.
AND, UH, UM, JOHN, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I GUESS PARTICULARLY ON MY BUDGET, UM, SOME OF THE CHANGES I MIGHT HAVE, I'M REQUESTING ADDITIONAL SECRETARIAL POSITION AND THAT'S GONNA BE SPECIFICALLY FOR C P S AND WHAT THAT INDIVIDUAL, WHAT THAT WOULD ENTAIL IS DOING DISCOVERY, UH, GETTING ALL THE DOCUMENTS TOGETHER AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ON TRACK WITH CPS.
UH, CPS WAS REORGANIZED WITH O C O K.
IT'S MORE OF LUMINOUS, UH, THE WORKERS THAT THE STATE PROVIDE.
WE, WE ACTUALLY PERFORM THE DUTIES HERE IN PARKER COUNTY.
THERE'S SEVERAL COUNTIES THAT HAVE REGIONAL ATTORNEYS THAT PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO THE COUNTY.
AND SO HERE IN PARKER COUNTY, WE ACTUALLY REPRESENT CPS.
SO, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE OTHER COUNTY ATTORNEY POSITIONS AROUND THE STATE, THEY'RE NOT EQUAL.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T LOOK AT 'EM AND SEE, UH, THAT THEY HAVE A COUNTY ATTORNEY POSITION.
SOME COUNTIES, THE ONLY THING THE COUNTY ATTORNEY DOES IN THAT COUNTY IS MISDEMEANOR.
UH, PROSECUTION DOESN'T DO ANY PROTECTIVE ORDERS, MENTAL COMMITMENTS, CPS, CIVIL, THEY JUST DO THE BARE BASIC A, B, AND C MISDEMEANORS.
AND SO GETTING BACK ON TRACK WITH THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT SECRETARIAL POSITION TO ASSIST.
CPS CASES HAVE GONE UP IN NUMBER HERE IN PARKER COUNTY AS WE'VE HAD GROWTH.
UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE STAFF MEMBER AND TWO CPS ATTORNEYS.
SO, UH, WE'RE GETTING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 180 CASES.
AND THAT'S JUST, THAT'S CASES THAT ARE COMING THROUGH COURT WITH O C O K.
A LOT OF THESE CASES DON'T EVEN COME THROUGH COURT.
THEY'RE JUST ON SERVICE PLANS THAT THE FAMILY MEMBERS ARE ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN.
AND IF THAT POINT, IF SOMETHING GOES AWRY, THEN THEY COME INTO COURT, WE PUT 'EM INTO A REMOVAL.
UH, CPS IS ONE OF THOSE PARTICULAR PRACTICE OF LAW THAT YOU DON'T LEAVE IT AT THE DOOR WHEN YOU LEAVE AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
THESE THINGS HAPPEN AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK.
THEY HAVE EMERGENCY REMOVALS, THEY HAPPEN ON THE WEEKENDS.
AND SO THESE ATTORNEYS ARE ON CALL 24 7.
AND THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE THE STAFF TO BE ON CALL AS WELL.
SO WE CAN PREPARE PAPERWORK TO GET 'EM IN AND MAKE A DETERMINATION OF A TERMINATION REUNIFICATION OR WORKING A SERVICE PLAN OUTSIDE OF GOING THROUGH COURT.
UM, I'VE HAD COURT, ONE OF THE JUDGES CALL AND BASICALLY TELL ME I NEED ANOTHER ATTORNEY, UH, THAT THE ATTORNEYS THAT I DO HAVE ARE SNOWED UNDER.
SO WITH THAT STAFF, I'M ASKING FOR AN ATTORNEY AS WELL.
AND ONE THING I WAS LOOKING AT, I KNOW LAST YEAR I GOT A RAISE, UH, THAT I DID NOT REQUEST.
UH, AND SO I WANT TO DEFER A LITTLE BIT OF THAT TOWARDS THAT, THAT SALARY.
SO I'VE MADE A REQUEST, BUT THE SALARY TO GET A GOOD ATTORNEY, I'M GONNA NEED PROBABLY MORE THAN I REQUESTED.
THAT'S WHY I'LL DEFER A LITTLE BIT OF MY SALARY TO KIND OF UP THAT.
SO I'LL BE, I SPOKE WITH BRIANNA BRIEFLY ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY, ABOUT POTENTIALLY OH, SHE USUALLY SIT BACK THERE.
WELL, WONDER WHY, LOOKING BACK THERE, SO DO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT AND OFFERING A DEFERMENT OF SOME OF YOUR SALARY TO, TO ACCOMMODATE THIS? AND TO BE CLEAR, IT'S A SUPPLEMENT, NOT IT'S A SUPPLEMENT, NOT THE SALARY THAT I'VE REQUESTED.
I'M GONNA TAKE SOME OF MY SUPPLEMENT AND PUSH IT OVER THERE.
SO I, I WILL TAKE A, A REDUCTION IN PAY, UH, THROUGH DIVERTING SOME OF THAT SUPPLEMENT IN THE PAST, I, YOU KNOW, I'VE DEFERRED QUITE A BIT OF THAT SUPPLEMENT OVER THE YEARS AND YOU
[00:45:01]
KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE YEARS THAT I'VE DEFERRED IT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING SIX, $700,000.SO WHAT'S YOUR SAYING IS OVER 23 YEARS, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT LIKE A STARTING PAY FOR THIS POSITION AND ARE YOU SAYING IT, IT, IT REQUIRES FOR THIS POSITION TO MAKE MORE? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THEY'RE, THEY'RE DIFFICULT POSITIONS TO FILL.
UH, YOU CAN'T JUST HIRE AN ATTORNEY STRAIGHT OUT OF LAW SCHOOL.
IT, IT REQUIRES SOME EXPERTISE.
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS POTENTIALLY GET A SALARY WHERE I CAN PIRATE SOMEBODY THAT HAS SOME EXPERIENCE.
I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WHOMEVER I HIRE, THE JOB DESCRIPTION WILL INCLUDE THAT THEY HAVE A MINIMUM OF FIVE YEARS EXPERIENCE IN CPS, WHICH PRETTY MUCH LIMITS THE, THE NUMBER OF ATTORNEYS YOU CAN HIRE.
AND THAT'S A NECESSITY WITH AS IMPORTANT AS THIS POSITION IS, THEN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE QUALIFIED REPRESENTING THESE CHILDREN IN COURT.
I'M, I'M GONNA MAKE IT A, A HIGHER PAID POSITION.
AND AS I HAVE, I HAVE A FEW ATTORNEYS I KNOW POTENTIALLY GONNA RETIRE IN THE NEXT YEAR, WHICH WILL ALLOW ME TO JUGGLE SALARIES, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE MORE EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS.
SO HOW MANY ASSISTANCES DO YOU HAVE AT THIS MOMENT? I HAVE NINE.
NINE WITH WITH TWO IN CPS, TWO IN CPS, TWO IN CPS.
SO IN DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY AND THE IMPORTANCE, CPS, THE HIGHEST CPS WOULD BE THE HIGHEST? ABSOLUTELY, A HUNDRED PERCENT.
BECAUSE FORTUNATELY, KNOCK ON WOOD HERE IN PARKER COUNTY, WE'VE NEVER HAD A CHILD THAT'S IN CPS CARE AND GOING THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM, NO FATALITIES, YOU CAN'T SAY THAT THROUGHOUT THE STATE THERE ARE FATALITIES, UH, ON THESE CHILDREN BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, THEY'RE OF AN AGE THAT THEY CAN'T GET UP AND JUST LEAVE A HOUSE.
THEY'RE STUCK WITH THE PARENTS THAT THEY'RE WITH.
AND THE TREND WE'RE SEEING NOW, WHICH IS SCARY, IS A LOT OF THESE FAMILIES ARE LIVING IN RVS.
AND SO I YOU HAVE FIVE PEOPLE IN A BUMPER POOL, THOSE AREN'T GREAT LIVING CONDITIONS.
ONE OF THE LAST ONES THAT WE JUST DID A REMOVAL ON, UH, THREE KIDS IN A BUNKER POOL, NO RUNNING WATER AND ELECTRICITY WAS INTERMITTENT.
AND SO WE, WE DID A REMOVAL AND ACTUALLY THAT WAS A SERVICE PLAN, BUT WE FORCED OR PUSHED FOR REMOVAL.
UH, AFTER THE REMOVAL, WE HAD THE KIDS DRUG TESTED.
ONE OF THE KIDS TESTED POSITIVE FOR METH METHAMPHETAMINES JUST FROM BEING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO METH USERS.
SO I KNOW WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE ANY DECISIONS ON THIS TODAY, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, AND BUT I THINK ONCE YOU DO THAT, I THINK YOU OPEN PANDORA'S BOX TO, YOU KNOW, ADJUSTING SALARIES AND THEN OFFSETTING THAT.
AND I'M, I'M, I'M JUST GONNA SAY I'M NOT, I THINK YOU HIRE THE PERSON THAT YOU NEED WITH THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT YOU NEED AND TO PAY 'EM ACCORDINGLY BASED ON THAT PARTICULAR POSITION.
I THINK ONCE YOU START TRYING TO JUGGLE SALARIES, WHERE DOES IT END? AND I THINK ONCE YOU OPEN THAT DOOR, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO SHUT IT AND IT'S, WELL, THAT, THAT'S WHAT MY SUPPLEMENT'S FOR.
AND SO I HAVE THAT DISCRETION WITH, WITH THOSE FUNDS.
AND IT'LL BE, IT'LL WE'LL ADDRESS IT AND COVER IT.
AND I KNOW TODAY WE'RE NOT MAKING THOSE DECISIONS, BUT, UH, JUST, JUST MY PERSONAL THOUGHT ON THAT AND, BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOU, YOUR COMMITMENT AND YOUR DEDICATION TO WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO TO SOLVE THIS SERIOUS ISSUE.
I MEAN, WE KIND OF DEALT WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT THIS WEEK AND, UM, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, AND, UM, AND IT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND THE PROBLEM YOU GET WITH CPS, IF YOU REMOVE A CHILD FROM A HOME AND YOU EVENTUALLY REUNIFY THE FAMILY, YOU KNOW, THE FAMILY THEN IS ANGRY THAT YOU TOOK THEIR CHILD.
IF YOU DON'T REMOVE A CHILD AND SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENS TO THAT CHILD, THEN THE COMMUNITY'S UPSET THAT YOU DIDN'T REMOVE THE CHILD.
SO IT'S, IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT JOB TO BALANCE, YOU KNOW, WHAT POINT DO YOU GO IN AND, AND REMOVE A CHILD FROM A FAMILY AND PUT THEM IN FOSTER CARE BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH FOSTER CARE IS BETTER THAN THEIR HOME LIFE, IT'S STILL NOT A GOOD SOLUTION FOR THE KID.
SO ULTIMATELY ON THOSE TYPE OF CASES, WE WANT TO GET TO A POINT WHERE IF WE'RE NOT GONNA REUNIFY THE, THE PARENTS, WE NEED TERMINATION SO THEY CAN BE ADOPTED.
AND THE SALARY AND SALARY THAT WE'RE REQUESTING FOR THAT POSITION IS 95.
THE, UH, CPS PARALEGAL IS 60,000.
AND SO, UM, WITH NEW ATTORNEYS COMING IN, WE USED TO HAVE AGREEMENTS THAT DISCOVERY WOULDN'T BE PUT ON US AND WE WOULD JUST PROVIDE ALL THE DOCUMENTS WITH NEW ATTORNEYS COMING IN, WE'RE GETTING MORE REQUESTS FOR DISCOVERY, WHICH MEANS
[00:50:01]
YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY, THEY'VE ASKED AND INTERROGATORIES.AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE A HANDSHAKE WITH THE LOCAL ATTORNEYS AND SAY, WE'RE GONNA GET ALL THE INFORMATION TO YOU.
WE JUST WANT THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD.
NOW WE HAVE ATTORNEYS COMING IN FROM OUTSIDE OF, OF OUR, OUR COUNTY THAT THEY JUST PLASTER YOU WITH PAPERWORK AND SO YOU HAVE TO GENERATE THIS PAPERWORK.
IT'S KINDA LIKE THE OPEN RECORDS THAT WE'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU HAVE TO ANSWER IT.
EVEN THOUGH BEFORE WE WOULD'VE OPENLY SAID, HERE ARE THE DOCUMENTS.
NOW WE HAVE TO FORMALLY ANSWER 'EM WHERE YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT WRITTEN AND PROVIDE THAT, THAT DOCUMENTATION.
WHAT ELSE YOU GOT? UH, THE, UH, AND, AND BRIAN, I WENT OVER AND I WENT OVER ANOTHER, I THINK THAT WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SHORT IN OUR TRAVELING TRAINING.
SO I THINK THERE'S $4,000 HE'S BE ADJUSTED YES, BY ADJUSTED BY 3,500.
BUT THEN, UM, IN THE CONTRACT SERVICES, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S ABOUT 11,300 THAT IS OVER BUDGETED.
CAUSE IT'S BUDGETED IN OTHER LINES.
AND SO, UM, WE CAN REDUCE THAT BY 11,000 AND THEN ADJUST THE OTHER BY 3,500.
SO I'LL WORK WITH YOUR OFFICE TO FINALIZE THOSE NUMBERS, BUT OVERALL IT WOULD STILL BE A, A DECREASE.
I'D LIKE TO CREATE A LINE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
I DON'T WANNA PUT, I, I, I THINK BRIAN AND I SPOKE ABOUT PUTTING 500 AND THAT'S FOR THE TREE OF ANGELS.
AND SO EVERY YEAR AT THE DOS CENTER WE HAVE AN EVENT AND I'LL FUND IT.
IF NOT, THAT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.
BUT WHAT IT ALLOWS, IT ALLOWS VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME TO COME IN AND THEY'VE LOST LOVED ONES.
THEY'LL PUT AN ORNAMENT ON A TREE, REMEMBER THOSE LOVED ONES AND JUST HAVE A SPECIAL EVENT.
WE ALWAYS HAVE A CHOIR COME IN, SING.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S A GOOD EVENT.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE AN ART CONTEST AND IT RAISES AWARENESS FOR ASSAULT FAMILY VIOLENCE.
SO WE DO THE PROTECTIVE ORDERS AND JUST TO RAISE AWARENESS BECAUSE NOW YOU CAN HAVE PROTECTIVE ORDERS FOR KIDS IN SCHOOL FOR DATING.
AND SO WE'VE SEEN THAT IN SOME OF THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WHERE FAMILIES WERE ASKING FOR PROTECTIVE ORDERS AGAINST SOMEONE THEY'VE BEEN DATING.
SO THEY'VE EXPANDED THAT STATUTE TO ALLOW FOR THAT.
VERY WELL, ANY QUESTIONS FOR WHAT, WHAT WAS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT ON THE SPECIAL EVENTS REQUEST? IT'D BE 500.
LIKE I SAID, IT, IT'S NOT CRITICAL I'LL FUND IT IF NOT, I MEAN I JUST, I WASN'T SEEING IT SO I WANTED TO ASK IT.
UH, THAT'S WHAT BRIANNA AND I DISCUSSED THAT I DIDN'T HAVE IT IN THERE IN THE PAST.
WE'VE ASKED FOR, UM, SOME FUNDING FOR THOSE EVENTS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF IT'S NOT GONNA END THE EVENT, IF WE DON'T GET IT, UNDERSTAND RIGHT.
AND THE REASON WHY WE HAD TALKED ABOUT HAVING A SPECIFIC LINE, CUZ IF WE LOOK AT JUST, YOU KNOW, SUPPLIES AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, IT REALLY SHOULD BE FOR THE OPERATING EXPENSE FOR THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF THAT DEPARTMENT.
AND SO IF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PAYING FOR THINGS OUTSIDE OF THAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER JUST AS IN, YOU KNOW, REQUESTING FOR, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY JUDGE OF SOMETHING THAT'S JUST OUTSIDE THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF THAT DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN THAT WAY IT'S DISCUSSED IN COURT, IT'S APPROVING THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS.
UM, SO THERE'S NO QUESTION THEN WHEN SOMETHING COMES WHERE NORMALLY WE WOULDN'T PAY FOR THAT AS THE COUNTY, BUT AT THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, THE COURT HAS DETERMINED IT SERVES A PUBLIC PURPOSE AND SO IT REALLY HELPS PURCHASING AS WELL AS MY OFFICE.
JUST, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MANAGE THOSE REQUESTS THAT IT'S ALREADY BEEN, YOU KNOW, APPROVED BY COURT CUZ IT'S IN THAT LINE.
AND THE USE OF THE FUNDS HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED IN COURT.
SO IT'S NOT A QUESTION WHERE WE'RE THEN MAKING A DECISION WHETHER IT'S A PUBLIC PURPOSE, WHEN REALLY THAT'S, THAT'S UP TO THE COURT.
TREE OF ANGELS IS A PUBLIC PURPOSE.
WELL, T TREE OF ANGELS IS A PUBLIC PURPOSE AND THAT EVENT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS NOW.
SO IT'S IT WHEN YOU SEE THE VICTIMS THERE, AND I KNOW A LOT OF Y'ALL HAVE ATTENDED THAT, UH, IT MEANS A LOT TO THOSE VICTIMS. AND ONCE AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, IT'S, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS REGARDLESS WHETHER WE HAVE TO GET SPONSORS OR, AND THIS, THIS WON'T COVER THE, THE COMPLETE COST, BUT IT, IT WOULD HELP A LITTLE BIT ON, ON SOME OF THE, UH, COST THAT WE DO INCUR ON THAT.
SO I HAVE SOME GREAT PEOPLE THAT, UM, GIMME DISCOUNT PRICE ON COOKIES OR REFRESHMENTS OR ORNAMENTS THAT THEY NEED UP THERE.
SO, AND IF ANYBODY HERE WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT, UH, WE LOOK FOR SPONSORS.
SO THAT MIGHT, MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL TOO AS WELL.
BUT I DIDN'T WANNA GO BACK ON, ON THE, UH, CPS.
I'VE, I'VE DELAYED AS LONG AS I CAN ON GETTING ANOTHER ATTORNEY.
UH, WHEN I WAS AN ASSISTANT BACK 24 YEARS AGO, I WAS THE ONLY ATTORNEY ON CPS AND I, I HANDLED ABOUT 35 CASES.
UH, NOW WE HAVE 180, BUT I ALSO HAD OTHER DUTIES.
BUT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT 180 AND THIS
[00:55:01]
IS, YOU KNOW, 24 YEARS LATER AND WE ONLY HAVE TWO ATTORNEYS.SO, AND SINCE IN THAT TIME THE COUNTY'S DOUBLED IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, WE'VE GONE FROM 80,000 TO 160,000 PEOPLE HERE IN PARKER COUNTY.
AND WITH THAT IT BRINGS PROBLEMS. I MEAN, IT REALLY DOES.
AND WE LIKE TO THINK THAT PARKER COUNTY IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO LIVE, WHICH IT IS.
BUT WE STILL HAVE THE SAME ISSUES THAT THE BIGGER CITIES DO WHERE, UH, KIDS ARE GETTING ABUSED PHYSICALLY, SEXUALLY, AND, YOU KNOW, BEING EXPOSED TO DRUGS.
WELL, THE, THE CAP WOULD BE IF, IF WE, UH, END UP GETTING THOSE ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS, THEN WE WOULD, UM, OBVIOUSLY HAVE COMPUTER COSTS AND ALL THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO YOU HAVE WORKSTATIONS FOR THEM.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE MAIN THING THAT I WOULD SEE THERE.
AND WHAT DO YOU RIGHT, UM, AS FAR AS ONE VEHICLE.
OH, WELL, I MEAN IT'S, I DO HAVE IT.
I JUST THOUGHT THAT SINCE IT WAS PRESENTED IN THERE AS FAR AS THE VEHICLE, UM, WE HAVE ONE, THE MILEAGE ON ONE OF THE VEHICLES WILL ROTATE IT OUT OF OUR, OUR FLEET AND THEN PUT THIS NEW ONE IN.
BUT WE WOULD'VE TO HAVE THE LIGHTS, UM, RADIO, A LOT OF THAT STUFF WILL TRANSFER OVER SO WE'D BE ABLE TO JUST TRANSFER IT OVER.
BUT THERE'D STILL BE A COST FOR DOING THAT.
YEAH, SO FILING CABINETS, WE, WE'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF THOSE FOR FREE.
UH, ANYTIME THEY COME UP AS FAR AS, UH, SURPLUS, WE'RE TRYING TO PUT A CLAIM IN ON THOSE.
SO WE DO HAVE SOME THAT WE'D LIKE TO PURCHASE IF WE CAN'T GET THOSE REPLACED THROUGH SURPLUS.
UM, OFFICE FURNITURE, THE BE FOR THE NEW HIRE, THE CHAIR COMPUTERS, LIKE I SAID, JUST WHATEVER COST THAT THEY WOULD HAVE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
UM, REPLACEMENT ON TIRES, ON EXISTING VEHICLES, UH, THEY HAVE OVER 60,000 MILES ON THE CURRENT SET OF TIRES, WHICH IS ABOUT THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THOSE TIRES.
UH, WE HAVE A LAPTOP COMPUTER THAT WE WANNA PUT IN ONE OF THE INVESTIGATOR'S COMPUTERS OR CARS THAT HE GOES OUT ON SITE TO MAKE ARREST.
IT ALLOW HIM TO HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION THAT A DEPUTY WOULD HAVE.
SO IF HE APPROACHES A DOOR, HE KNOWS IF THE INDIVIDUAL HAS WARRANTS FOR HIS ARREST, IF HE'S A FELON, IF HE'S A VIOLENT CRIMINAL.
SO WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT CUZ WE, WHAT WE STARTED DOING WITH DPS AND ALL THE OTHER AGENCIES, A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL MAKE AN ARREST AND IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T GET ARRESTED THAT EVENING, THEY PUT A WARRANT OUT FOR THIS GUY'S ARREST.
WELL, NO ONE'S SERVING THE WARRANTS BECAUSE THEIR MISDEMEANORS.
WHAT I'VE DONE IS ALLOWED, MY INVESTIGATORS KIND OF CREATED A, A SYSTEM WHERE THEY WILL GO OUT AND WORK WITH THE LOCAL, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO LET'S SAY SOMEONE GETS ARRESTED BY DPS ON THE INTERSTATE THAT LIVE IN SPRINGTOWN.
THE GUY GOES TO THE HOSPITAL AND THEY DON'T ARREST HIM, PUT HIM IN JAIL THAT EVENING, THEY GET A WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST.
WELL THEN WE HAVE TO GO PICK HIM UP.
SO WE HAVE TO GET THAT WARRANT SERVED AND SO I'M ALLOWING MY INVESTIGATORS TO GO OUT AND PICK THESE GUYS UP, BECAUSE OTHERWISE THESE CASES JUST FLOUNDER.
THEY SIT OUT THERE FOREVER UNTIL THE INDIVIDUAL GETS PICKED UP.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE GETTING PICKED UP.
THE OTHER ONE THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL THAT WE'RE GOING OUT AND PICKING THESE UP, AND THESE ARE PRIORITY, ARE INDIVIDUALS WITH THE ASSAULT, PAIN, VIOLENCE.
SO IF SOMEONE HAS A WARRANT FOR ASSAULT, PAIN, VIOLENCE, AND THEY LIVE IN THE COUNTY, WE'RE GOING AND WORKING WITH THE AGENCIES, AND I'VE HAD MY INVESTIGATOR GO OUT AND PICK THOSE GUYS UP AND GET THEM UNDER ARREST SO WE CAN GET BOND CONDITIONS ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
UH, BECAUSE IF THEY'RE SITTING OUT THERE AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ARRESTED, THEY HAVE NO BOND CONDITIONS, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE GONNA STILL CONTACT THE VICTIM THAT THEY MAY HAVE ASSAULTED.
KEEP ADD, KEEP ADDING ON TO IT.
AND THIS JUST GOES THROUGH THE, THE DUAL MONITORS AND ONCE AGAIN, JUST EQUIPMENT FOR REPLACEMENT PER IT.
SO THESE ARE REPLACEMENTS BASED ON REQUEST FROM IT, A LAPTOP.
THEY'RE SAYING THAT THOSE EIGHT OUT.
[01:00:01]
GET OLDER COMPUTERS, I THINK WHAT THEY'VE DESCRIBED TO US IS THEY'RE MORE VULNERABLE TO ATTACK.SO, UM, THEY'VE SUGGESTED THAT WE REPLACE THOSE.
UH, AS FAR AS COMPUTERS, SAME THING.
SO DESKTOP COM COMPUTERS WOULD BE THE SAME, UH, DESK SCANNING CAPABILITY AS WE GET MORE INTO PAPERLESS, UH, OPERATIONS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE SCANNERS TO SCAN THE DOCUMENTS IN AND THEN PUSH 'EM OVER AND ZOOM.
I'D HOPE THAT THAT WOULD GO AWAY.
BUT, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, OR FORTUNATELY, WHO KNOWS, WE'RE STILL DOING SOME ZOOM HEARINGS AND SO WE NEED SOME CAMERAS, UH, FOR A COUPLE OF THE ATTORNEYS THAT HAVE THOSE TYPE OF HEARINGS.
AND THOSE, THOSE ARE NOT LARGE AMOUNTS.
THERE'S NOT ANYTHING THAT'S REALLY PRESSING AS FAR AS A HIGH AMOUNT, HIGH DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT'S BEING REQUESTED.
SO I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 10 YEARS, THE SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO DEPARTMENT AFTER DEPARTMENT COME IN AND MAKE REQUESTS.
AND THERE'S ONE THAT STANDS OUT THAT SAYS, I DON'T ASK FOR ANYTHING UNLESS I NEED IT, AND I CAN PROBABLY GET BY WITH SOMETHING LESS.
AND IT'S, IT'S JOHN FORREST AT THIS, AT HIS DEPARTMENT AND I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE, UH, AS EVERYBODY ELSE KNOWS HERE, WE HAVE TO OPERATE MANY TIMES IN THE HAVE TO HAVE AREA, THE MUST HAVE AREA OF, OF HOW WE SPEND THE, THE COUNTY'S MONEY.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE AND, UH, GIVING US SOLUTIONS.
BUT IF YOU ASK FOR SOMETHING, I'M TELL YOU, THIS GROUP KNOWS THAT YOU NEED IT.
AND I STARTED A LONG TIME AGO DOING A A ZERO BASED BUDGET BECAUSE IN THE PAST I SAW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS PEOPLE WOULD ROLL OVER BUDGET LINES FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS, USE THAT FLUFF TO DO TRANSFERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WHICH I DON'T AGREE WITH.
I THINK IF AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, IF YOU NEED IT, YOU, YOU REQUEST IT.
IF YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T JUST PAD YOUR, YOUR BUDGET WITH PREVIOUS.
AND AN EXAMPLE OF THAT, YOU SEE, PEOPLE HAD ASKED FOR COMPUTERS AND YOU'D HAVE 20,000 IN A LINE.
THEY BOUGHT THE COMPUTERS THE YEAR BEFORE IT ROLLED OVER TO THE NEXT YEAR, THEN THEY TRANSFERRED IT INTO A DIFFERENT LINE.
SO I TRY TO NOT MAKE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS THE BEST THAT I CAN.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I, WHEN I DO, IT'S CUZ I MAY BE UNDERESTIMATED A LINE, BUT I'M NOT GONNA LEAVE THE FLUFFING THERE.
I'M GONNA START THE ZERO AND THEN BUDGET OUT WHAT MY NEEDS ARE.
UH, YOU SOLD ME A HUNDRED PERCENT ON THE NEED FOR ANOTHER CPS ATTORNEY, BUT ONE THING THAT I WASN'T QUITE CLEAR ON WAS IT, IT SOUNDED LIKE, AND I MAY HAVE MISHEARD YOU, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT THAT 95 MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH.
WHAT REASONABLY SPEAKING DO YOU THINK WOULD BE ENOUGH? CUZ THAT IS, THAT IS A VERY TOUGH POSITION.
YOU'RE ASKING FOR EXPERIENCE, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A VERY DIFFICULT AREA OF, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S A HARD JOB TO DO.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK MIGHT BE ENOUGH IF YOU JUST HAD TO GUESS? I WAS GONNA TRY TO, LIKE I SAID, MOVE SOME FUNDING OVER, MAYBE GET IT AROUND 1 0 5, 1 0 5.
AND, AND SO WHAT I WAS SAYING, UH, PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, MY ATTORNEYS WERE BASED LIKE, I HAVE A CHIEF, YOU KNOW, HE MAY, HE SUGGESTED HE MIGHT RE RETIRE JANUARY.
WELL, WHEN I GO TO HIRE A NEW PERSON, THAT PERSON MAY MOVE INTO THAT SALARY LINE.
AND SO THAT WAY I COULD GO AHEAD AND KEEP THAT SALARY AT A HIGHER LEVEL.
BUT AS YOU KNOW, I GET BURNOUT ON CPS.
IF YOU LOOK AT ANY DEPARTMENT ACROSS THE STATE, THERE IS HIGH BURNOUT ON THAT.
IF YOU LOOK AT CPS WORKERS, THERE'S HIGH BURNOUT.
YOU GET TURNOVER JUST CONSTANTLY.
AND THAT, THAT COMES BACK TO THE LEGAL ASSISTANT.
YOU KNOW, I NEED SOMEBODY IN THERE THAT'S PRETTY STATIC.
BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE TURNOVER IN CPS AND THEY'RE WORKING A PARTICULAR CASE, AND NOW YOU'RE STARTING FROM SCRATCH WITH A NEW INDIVIDUAL AND THEY'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE FACTS OF THAT PARTICULAR CASE.
IF I HAVE SOMEBODY IN MY OFFICE, IT'S A LEGAL ASSISTANT, THEY'RE GONNA BE FAMILIAR FROM BEGINNING TO END.
AND SO IF I CAN KEEP THAT PERSON STATIC, I JUST, AND, AND I KNOW THAT THE LEGAL ASSISTANT, I HAVE SOMEONE IN MIND, UH, FOR THAT POSITION.
I MEAN, I'M GONNA POST IT AND IF SOMEBODY BETTER IS OUT THERE, I'LL HIRE THE BETTER PERSON.
BUT RIGHT NOW I KNOW THAT I COULD HIRE SOMEONE OF QUALITY FOR THAT POSITION AT THAT, THAT SALARY.
UH, THE 95, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I'M GONNA, I'LL JUGGLE NUMBERS UNTIL I FIND SOMEONE THAT WILL BE PERFECT FOR US HERE IN PARKER COUNTY.
WELL, AND ECHOING COMMISSIONER WALDEN'S COMMENTS
[01:05:01]
ON YOUR, UH, FRUGALITY THAT EVERYTHING WE DO, I FEEL LIKE IS IMPORTANT, BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S HARD TO ARGUE THAT THERE'S ANYTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT.SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE AWARE OF WHAT THAT NUMBER NEEDS TO BE TO GET WHO YOU FEEL LIKE IS GONNA DO THE BEST JOB FOR THE KIDS IN PARKER COUNTY.
AND THEN WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO GET THERE.
US AS A COURT, NOT JUST PUTTING NOT ALL ON YOU.
ANYBODY BE ANYTHING ELSE? SORRY, I WAS SORRY YOU WERE EARLY.
AND THANK Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL'S CONSIDERATION.
AND, UH, JUST GIMME THE TIME TO EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS OUR NEEDS ARE AND, YOU KNOW, WHERE I SEE PARKER COUNTY'S NEEDS ARE.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO SERVE THE COUNTY AND OUR CONSTITUENTS, UH, AS FRUGALLY AS WE CAN AND AS RESPONSIBLY.
SO WE DON'T NEED TO BE TOO FRUGAL AND NOT RESPONSIBLY PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE NEED.
WE DON'T NEED TO OVERESTIMATE WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE AND NOT PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE SAYING WE'LL PROVIDE.
IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING, ABSOLUTELY FEEL FREE TO GET, GET IN TOUCH WITH ME.
AND THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO TAKE A BREAK, JUDGE.
TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK AND RETURN AT 10 20.
IS THAT, IS THAT GOOD? OKAY, Y'ALL TAKE YOUR LUNCH.
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
RECORD SHOW IT'S 10 22, WE'LL RETURN FROM RECESS.
[I.G. Discussion/Presentation on Departments 403 & 404 County Clerk budget requests. (Lila Deakle / Judge Deen)]
G.DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION, PRESENTATION ON DEPARTMENTS 4 0 3 AND 4 0 4 COUNTY CLERK BUDGET PROCESS, UH, LALA DECO.
I'LL JUST DO IT FROM HERE IF YOU GUYS DON'T MIND.
UM, THE FIRST SECTION I WANNA GO OVER, UM, IS LINE 4 0 4.
IT'S DES AND RECORDS I GAVE YOU, UM, THIS HANDOUT EARLIER THAT YOU HAVE HERE.
SO DES AND RECORDS THAT INCLUDES ALL LAND RELATED DOCUMENTS, BIRTH DEATHS, MARRIAGES, UH, T A B C POWERS, ATTORNEY DBAS.
LAST YEAR WE PROCESSED 43,633 LAND DOCUMENTS.
AND OF THOSE 8,325 WERE IN PERSON.
WE PROCESSED 5,219 DEATH, BIRTH, AND MARRIAGES OVER THE COUNTER, WHICH GENERATED A REVENUE OF $2,346,441 AND 63 CENTS.
SO THOSE FUNDS JUST ABOUT 1.4 MILLION WENT INTO FUND 10, AND THE REMAINING WENT INTO SPECIAL DEDICATED FUNDS.
SO LATER ON, UM, IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, I'LL PRESENT, UH, THE ARCHIVE PLAN FOR THE WHOLE YEAR, AND THAT WILL INCLUDE ALL THOSE SPECIAL AND DEDICATED FUNDS.
SO I WANTED TO SHOW YOU GUYS, UM, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE SAY WE WORK FROM HOME BECAUSE, UM, ON OUR IT REQUEST, I'M ASKING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF BETTER EQUIPMENT THAN WE NORMALLY HAVE.
SO ON THAT NEXT PAGE, YOU SEE THIS, UM, THIS PAGE HERE, THIS IS THE WHOLE WEEK THAT THE COUNTY WAS CLOSED, UH, DUE TO THE FREEZE.
SO THAT WAS FOUR DAYS OF THE BUILDING WAS CLOSED, BUT WE STILL WORK FROM HOME.
SO THAT WEEK WHEN EVERYTHING WAS CLOSED, UM, OUR TOTAL REVENUE WAS, UM, A LITTLE OVER $18,000.
THAT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, JANUARY 29TH.
SO IT TAKES THREE PEOPLE TO PROCESS, UM, THESE, AND WE CAN DO IT REMOTELY.
AND THEN THE NEXT FEW JOURNALS, THIS IS WHEN WE HAD THE FLOOD IN OUR BUILDING.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE VERY FIRST WEEK NOW, THIS IS CHRISTMAS, SO IT'S STILL A SLOW WEEK.
WE, UH, GENERATED 20 1001 WEEK, 28,000 THE NEXT WEEK, AND 30,000 THE FOLLOWING WEEK.
SO DEEDS AND RECORDS, WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WORKING, UH, FROM HOME OR WORKING REMOTELY, UM, WE CAN, WE CAN ALL OF OUR BUSINESS AND DEEDS AND RECORDS.
[01:10:01]
ELECTRONICALLY AND THE REST OF IT IS DONE OVER THE COUNTER.SO, UM, WHEN WE GET INTO IT, I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE WORK REMOTELY.
SO, GETTING INTO THIS, SO DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS, IT STAYS ABOUT THE SAME AS IT DID LAST YEAR.
UM, WE ARE IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT ASSOCIATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, LAND RECORDS THAT COVERS A LOT OF STUFF.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE IN THE URBAN RECORDERS ALLIANCE AND OF COURSE THE COUNTY AND DISTRICT CLERKS ASSOCIATION IN TEXAS.
AND WE'RE ALSO A MEMBER OF PRIYA.
AND PRIYA IS PROPERTY RECORDS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION IN WHICH IS, UH, A NATIONWIDE THAT COVERS LIKE ALL THE LAWS WITH, UM, NOTARIES.
IT'S LIKE A NATIONWIDE ON BASICALLY LAND, LAND RECORDS BECAUSE WE DON'T DEAL WITH JUST TEXAS MORTGAGE COMPANIES.
WE DEAL WITH MORTGAGE COMPANIES THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE UNITED STATES.
OUR TRAVEL AND TRAINING, IT WENT UP SOME, BUT HERE'S WHY.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SPECIAL AND DEDICATED FUNDS, I ALSO HAVE TRAVEL LINES THERE, BUT THEY'RE VERY STRICT ON HOW YOU USE THEM.
SO FOR INSTANCE, IF IT'S A CONFERENCE, JUST CIRCUIT AROUND, UM, LAND RECORDS.
I CAN USE A SPECIAL AND DEDICATED FUND, BUT I CAN'T DO THAT EVERY YEAR.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE AGENDA IS.
SO I WAS ABLE TO USE SOME SPECIAL AND DEDICATED FUNDS LAST YEAR, BUT I ALSO HAD TO DO A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT THIS YEAR.
UM, BECAUSE I, I COULDN'T USE AS MUCH AS I WANTED TO OUT OF THERE FOR OUR OFFICE.
UH, MAINTENANCE, WE WERE ASKING FOR, UM, AND DEANS AND RECORDS.
AFTER THE FLOOD, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE OUR PUBLIC TERMINALS FROM THE BACK OF OUR OFFICE AND MOVE THEM TO THE FRONT OF THE OFFICE.
SO THAT KEEPS THE PUBLIC FROM, YOU KNOW, WALKING BACK AND FORTH, UH, TO THE BACK OF THE OFFICE AND BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS DID A BEAUTIFUL JOB ON THAT.
BUT NOW WE'RE JUST GONNA ASK THAT THEY EXTEND THAT WALL A LITTLE BIT AND PUT LIKE A LITTLE GATE THERE JUST TO KEEP THE PUBLIC IN THE FRONT AND NOT WALK IN, UM, TO THE BACK OF THE OFFICE ON OUR NON CAP EQUIPMENT.
I'M ASKING FOR A FIREPROOF OFFICE SAFE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN, HOW WELL YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURE THAT WE, UM, SUBMITTED, BUT WE'VE OUTGROWN OUR SAFE, UM, THAT SAFE HOLDS OUR SECURE PAPER FOR OUR MARRIAGE AND DEATH, OUR, OUR DEATH LIGHT, OUR CERTIFICATES, BUT IT ALSO HOLDS OUR WILLS AND SAFEKEEPING.
UM, THAT'S A SERVICE WE PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, PER THE ESTATE CODE FOR CITIZENS OF PARKER COUNTY, WE ACTUALLY HOLD THEIR WILLS, THEIR ORIGINAL WILL, UM, UNTIL IT'S WITHDRAWN.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE COMPLETELY OUT OF ROOM.
AND IF I COULD GET THE BIGGER SAFE, I COULD ORDER MORE SECURE PAPER AT A DISCOUNT INSTEAD OF JUST ORDERING WHAT I CAN HOLD.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF PAPER WE HAVE IN OUR OFFICE, IS THAT SECURE PAPER.
UM, AND IT HAS TO, IT'S A REQUIREMENT.
AND YOU CAN SEE I ATTACH THE PICTURE OF OUR, OUR SAFE.
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS HAS DONE AMAZING, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO KEEP IT TOGETHER.
BUT WE DO NEED A NEW SAFE ON OUR, UH, IT EQUIPMENT.
UM, WE ARE ASKING, YOU KNOW, WE WORKED WITH JAMES, UM, AND WE'VE ONLY ASKED FOR WHAT HE SAYS WE NEED TO REPLACE, BUT WE'RE ASKING FOR BETTER MONITORS, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LOOK AT 'EM ALL DAY LONG.
UH, AND WE FOUND SOME MUCH NICER.
THEY'RE LARGER, UH, THE QUALITY IS MUCH BETTER.
SO, SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, UM, OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS NICER MONITORS.
UM, AND ALSO WHEN THEY WORK REMOTELY, WE TAKE THESE MONITORS HOME WITH US BECAUSE YOU NEED TWO SCREENS WHEN YOU'RE PROCESSING, UH, THE LAND RECORDS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL ABOUT THAT? IS JAMES HERE? NO, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE MIGHT BE ANY RESIDUAL VALUE ON THE MONITORS THAT YOU'RE REPLACING.
SO THOSE, THOSE MONITORS OVER THE YEARS AS WE REPLACE OUR COMPUTERS, WE DON'T REPLACE OUR MONITORS.
AND, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE PRETTY BAD.
OKAY, SO FOR 4 0 4, I'M SO HAPPY JOHN FORREST IS STILL HERE BECAUSE EVERYTHING JOHN TOLD YOU, IT TRICKLES DOWN TO US.
SO IF JOHN HAS A COMPLICATED CPS CASE, SO DO WE.
IF THERE'S ORDERS ISSUED THAT COMES TO US.
SO I COULD NOT THINK OF A BETTER TIMING.
[01:15:01]
DO THIS EVERY YEAR.SO, UM, FOR 4 0 4, THIS IS, THIS INCLUDES, UH, COUNTY COURT AT LAW, ONE AND TWO, CIVIL CRIMINAL PROBATE, MENTAL HEALTH AND GUARDIANSHIP CASES.
SO IN 4 0 4 THIS YEAR, I'M ASKING FOR ONE NEW EMPLOYEE.
UM, AND I'VE KIND OF DONE THIS IN REVERSE.
I'M, I'M SHORT A CRIMINAL CLERK BECAUSE I TOOK A CRIMINAL CLERK AND MOVED THEM TO PROBATE.
UM, SO WITH, WITH PROBATE AND MENTAL HEALTH, THE THING ABOUT THOSE IS THEY'RE SO TIME SENSITIVE.
UM, SO SINCE I'VE MOVED THE ONE PERSON, WE'VE ALL KIND OF SHARED THE DUTIES OF, OF TRYING TO KEEP THE, THE CRIMINAL CLERKS UP AND RUNNING, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SU SUSTAIN THAT BECAUSE NOW WITH JUDGE JOHNSON'S COURT OUT IN LITTLE PARK, I'M TOO SHORT.
I HAVE PEOPLE RUNNING BACK AND FORTH.
THERE'S NO SPACE OUT THERE FOR US.
SO WE HAVE TO DRIVE OUT THERE, DO COURT DRIVE BACK.
SO WE'RE MISSING A LOT OF DOWNTIME, UM, DUE TO THAT.
SO THIS IS WHAT I WANTED TO SHOW YOU OF WHY WE NEED, WHY I HAD TO MOVE, UH, SOMEONE OVER TO PROBATE MENTAL HEALTH.
SO YOU SEE THIS GRAPH HERE I GAVE YOU.
SO THIS LINE, YOU CAN SEE THE GROWTH OF, UH, PROBATE THAT DARK D THAT DARK BLUE LINE THAT'S ACTUAL PROBATES.
UM, THESE ARE, UH, IN JUDGE DEAN'S COURT.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE GROWTH, YOU CAN SEE IN 2021, I THINK THAT WAS MAINLY DUE TO COVID THE, THE 540.
AND THEN LAST YEAR IT CAME TO ABOUT 523.
OUR NEXT, UH, COLUMN IS GUARDIANSHIPS.
SO THE GUARDIANSHIPS, THE THING ABOUT THEM, WHEN YOU DO A PROBATE, WHEN THEY LEAVE COURT, THEY'RE BA THEY'RE BASICALLY DONE.
THEY, THEY'VE GOT ABOUT EVERYTHING THEY HAD TO DO.
BUT WITH GUARDIANSHIPS THAT, UM, WE HAVE ACTIONS TO DO THE WHOLE LIFE OF THAT GUARDIANSHIP.
SO THERE'S ANNUAL REPORTS, UM, IF ANY, IF THEY WANNA SELL THE MINOR'S PROPERTIES, IT'S ONGOING.
IT REALLY DOESN'T END UNTIL THE GUARDIANSHIP ENDS.
AND EVERYTHING IN THAT IS VERY TIME SENSITIVE, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A TEMPORARY GUARDIANSHIP, THAT MEANS IT'S AN EMERGENCY.
THE, THE THING THAT'S REALLY, UM, WORRISOME ON US NOW ARE MENTAL HEALTH CASES.
AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, IN 2017 IT, IT WAS KIND OF GROWING.
UM, AND THEN LAST YEAR IT KIND OF SKYROCKETED AGAIN.
AND WE'RE GONNA SURPASS LAST YEAR BY, BY QUITE A BIT.
SO THE PROBLEM WITH MENTAL HEALTH TO REFER TO THIS CHART AS SCRAMBLED EGGS MM-HMM.
AND THE REASON I DID THIS IS I WANT, I WANT YOU TO SEE HOW THE PROBATE MENTAL HEALTH OFFICE, EVERY SINGLE MOVE IT COMES BACK TO US.
SO IT STARTS IN THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
YOU CAN SEE THEY INITIATED IT COMES TO US, BUT HOW, HOW IT, EVERYTHING COMES BACK TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
SO EVERY ACTION IT TAKES AFTER THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, YOU KNOW, FILES IT WITH US.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED YOU TO SEE IS THE AMOUNT OF, OF COORDINATING AND MOVING BACK AND FORTH IT TAKES ON A MENTAL HEALTH CASE.
AND AGAIN, THE PROBLEM WOULD BE IS THEY'RE SO, THEY'RE SO, UH, TIME SENSITIVE.
SO, UM, THAT'S MY SCRAMBLED EGGS, BUSY, BUSY CHART.
UH, SO, SO DEON'S DESCRIPTIONS, UM, THAT'S JUST OUR ASSOCIATION FEES BECAUSE I'M NOT THE ONLY MEMBER.
I ALSO HAVE EMPLOYEES, UM, THAT I PAY A, A FEE FOR OUR TRAINING AND TRAVEL.
UH, WE DID MOVE IT UP A LITTLE BIT JUST TO ACCOUNT FOR COST.
AND AGAIN, WHEN I'M ABLE TO, I USE OUR SPECIAL AND DEDICATED FUNDS, UM, FOR THOSE, OUR OFFICE MAINTENANCE.
UM, WE PROBABLY WON'T NEED THIS BECAUSE IT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD TODAY, THEY'RE OVER HERE REPAIRING THE CARPET AND CCL TWO AND I THINK THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO, UH, DO THE CARPET OVER HERE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO THIS WILL, WILL GO AWAY WAY, UM, THE PAPERWORK ATTACHED HERE, THIS IS FOR THE NEW EMPLOYEE THAT I, UH, TOLD YOU ABOUT AND THE JOB DESCRIPTION IS ATTACHED ON IT.
UH, AGAIN, WE COORDINATED WITH JAMES.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIAL OR NEW NEEDS.
HE'S JUST GONNA REPLACE EVERYTHING THAT'S OLD, UH, YOU KNOW, ON ITS NORMAL ROTATION.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY THERE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL? I HAD ONE QUICK QUESTION.
I UNDERSTAND ON, AND I'M LOOKING AT PROBATE MENTAL HEALTH.
I'M LOOKING AT THIS CHART YES.
OH, WELL GOOD
[01:20:01]
AND A SLIGHT DECREASE FROM 2019 TO 2020.CUZ COVID, WHAT EXPLAINS THE DECREASE FROM 21 TO 22? WAS 21 JUST ARTIFICIALLY HIGH FROM SQUEEZING SO MUCH FROM 20 OVER? I THINK SO.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING I CAN FIGURE.
UH, THE ONLY OTHER PART I DIDN'T COVER ON THERE IS TRANSFERS.
AND SO AS OUR POPULATION GROWS, SO DO OUR GUARDIANSHIPS.
SO WE HAVE FAMILIES MOVING FROM LARGER CITIES, OTHER STATES, BUT THEY BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY.
AND SO, UM, THE ELDERLY PARENTS, THERE'S, THERE'S MORE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TAKING GUARDIANSHIP OF THEIR PARENTS, UM, AND THEY'RE JUST, UH, TRANS TRANSFERS IN AND OUT.
UM, THERE'S A NEW LEGISLATIVE THAT JUST WENT INTO EFFECT THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO DO THOSE WITHIN 10 DAYS THAT THAT'S THE LAW.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE, THIS PART THAT'S THE EASY PART.
THAT IT'S, AND ALSO TOO, WHEN I, UM, MOVED THE PERSON, I LEFT THAT CLERK IN THIS BUILDING, SO THAT PERSON ATTENDS ALL THE MENTAL HEARINGS.
UH, YOU'LL SEE ON THERE, SOME ARE HELD HERE, SOME ARE HELD WITH A JP COURT.
SO INSTEAD OF MY CLERKS FROM THE ANNEX RUNNING BACK AND FORTH, THAT PERSON'S IN THIS BUILDING.
AND REGARDLESS, YOUR NUMBERS 5 23 VERSUS ALL THE YEARS OTHER THAN 2021, THAT'S STILL AT LEAST A 20% INCREASE.
SO IT'S STILL A BIG, BIG NUMBER.
ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL? YOU TALKED ABOUT THE KIDS TAKING OVER THE PARENTS STUFF.
I THINK MY KIDS HAVE STARTED A LITTLE EARLY
CAN I GET THE PAPERWORK? I'LL FIND YOU THE BEST PROFESSIONAL GUARDIAN THERE IS.
I THINK HIS KIDS ALREADY HAVE THE PAPERWORK.
OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR LILA BEFORE WE MOVE ON? THANK YOU LYLA.
OKAY, WE HAVE OUR CONSTABLES HERE, UH, WITH
[I.I. Discussion/Presentation on Departments 551, 552, 553, & 554 Constable Precincts #1, #2, #3, & #4 budget requests. (Constable Wright / Constable Harris / Constable Praytor / Constable Jones / Judge Deen)]
DISCUSSION.WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO ITEM I ON THE DISCUSSION PRESENTATION ON DEPARTMENTS 5 51 52, 53, 54 CONSTABLE PRECINCTS, 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR BUDGET REQUESTS.
UH, I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO Y'ALL, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO COME UP AND ORGANIZE IT.
UH, YOU WANNA COME ON UP? GOOD MORNING.
LADIES, I HOPE EVERYBODY'S DOING WELL THIS MORNING.
UH, MY BUDGET FROM LAST YEAR ON THE BASIC BUDGET IS NOT A LOT OF INCREASE OR DIFFERENCES.
UH, INCREASING MY POSTAGE ABOUT $300 DUE TO INCREASE IN COST ON CERTIFIED MAIL.
UM, LOT OF STUFF WE DO HAS TO BE DONE TO CERTIFIED MAIL, PARTICULARLY OUT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL.
SO THAT'S THE REASON I'M ASKING FOR THE INCREASE THERE.
UM, ALSO ANOTHER SMALL, UH, INCREASE, UH, IN OUR, UH, AUTO EQUIPMENT LINE.
THE CONSTABLES VAULT HAD A LINE.
WE'VE HAD $5,000 IN, I BELIEVE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
SOME REASON MINE ENDED UP AT 4,000 THIS PAST YEAR.
UH, PROBABLY A REASON FOR THAT, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER.
BUT I'D LIKE TO BRING THAT UP.
A THOUSAND BACK UP TO THE 5,000 THAT WE USED IN CASE OF EMERGENCIES.
NOW, I GUESS COMES THE BIG PART.
I'D LIKE TO ADD A NEW DEPUTY CONSTABLE IN SAYING THAT, UH, WHAT I AM PROPOSING AND I HAVE TALKED TO THE FIRE MARSHAL AND THE CONSTABLE PRECINCT FOR, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THIS DEPUTY AND USE HIM AS ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER FOR FOUR AND HELP MY OFFICER IN ONE.
WE HAVE OVERABUNDANCE OF PROBLEMS AS THE COMMISSIONER CAN VERIFY IN OUR PRECINCT.
AND I CAN ALSO USE HIM IN CIVIL PROCESS AS WELL.
UH, THAT'S, UH, SALARY ON THAT BE ABOUT 63 7.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD BE THE SALARY ON THAT PARTICULAR DEAL.
UH, SAY I'VE TALKED WITH THE FIRE MARSHAL AND UH, HE'S IN AGREEANCE WITH IT.
HE'S GETTING MORE FIRE CALLS AND STUFF.
HE NEEDS HIS PERSON ASSIGNED TO ENVIRONMENTALIST TIME TO DO THAT JOB.
SO I CAN DO WHAT I'M WANTING TO DO.
SO IS FOUR GONNA DO AWAY WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL GUY AND YOU'RE GONNA TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT.
THAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL GUY UNDERSTANDING.
I THINK WE HAVE ONE COMMISSIONER.
AND IN, IN THE PAST, UH, WELL THE SHERIFF USED TO DO IT YEARS AGO, BUT IN THE PAST, UH, THE
[01:25:01]
DEPUTY THAT WORKS FOR PRECINCT FOUR WORKS FOR THE FIRE MARSHAL.MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT RAY WOULD LIKE HIM, OR MAYBE NOT THAT GUY SPECIFICALLY, BUT A DEPUTY TO WORK FOR HIM TO HELP HIM WITH HIS CIVIL PROCESS OUT THERE AND DO THE ENVIRONMENTAL OVER PRECINCT FOUR FAR.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE GUY WORKS FOR ME DOING ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMES OVER AND HELPS RAY DOING CIVIL PROCESS OR IF HE WANTS TO WORK FOR RAY.
I, I JUST ASSUME HE WORKED FOR CONSTABLE WRIGHT.
THERE'S NOT A GREAT AS, AS GREAT A NEED IN, AS I UNDERSTAND FROM TALKING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICERS OVER MANY YEARS NOW.
THERE'S NOT AS GREAT A NEED IN PRECINCT FOUR AS THERE IS ELSEWHERE.
AND IF IT, IF, IF RAY WANTS TO PUT THE GUY ON AND HE COMES AND HELPS OUT IN FORTH, IT'S FINE BY ME.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
LIKE I SAY THAT, THAT'S THE BASIS OF IT.
IT'S, NO, IT'S AN INCREASE OF ONE PERSON THAT COMES TO ME AND STILL BEING IN FOUR.
UM, OF COURSE COMES THAT WOULD COME A NEW VEHICLE.
UH, I GOT BIDS ON ONE FOR ABOUT 54,000 SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, OUTFIT.
AND IT'S GONNA COST ABOUT 8,500.
THAT'S, THAT'S BARE MINIMUM LIGHTS AND SUCH LIKE THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE.
THIS, UH, THIS IS WHERE I COME INTO A SLIGHT PROBLEM THAT I'LL HAVE TO INDULGE THOSE PATIENTS FOR A SECOND.
UH, RADIOS NOWADAYS ARE GONNA COST ABOUT $9,000 OR SO.
SO IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, I DID NOT PUT THAT IN THE BUDGET CAUSE I THOUGHT I HAD IT COVERED, WHICH I DIDN'T.
WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS THAT I COME WITH THE MONEY OUT OF THE CURRENT BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO GET THE PO AND GET THE RADIO ORDERED AND THEN COMMISSIONERS ROLL THAT INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
CAUSE IT'S ABOUT A SEVEN MONTH WAIT TO GET THE RADIO.
IF I DON'T DO IT THAT WAY, THEN WE'RE TALKING, ADDING IT TO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ADDING TO WAIT EXTRA TIME AND TO GET IT, WHICH BE NINE MONTHS, 10 MONTHS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY REQUEST THAT I'D GO AHEAD WITH THE BUDGET AT THIS TIME AND SEE IF I CAN FIND THE MONEY IN MY CURRENT BUDGET AND ENROLL IT INTO NEXT YEAR TO TAKE CARE OF THE RADIO SO I CAN GO AHEAD AND GET IT ORDERED AND GET HERE QUICKER.
UM, AND THEN, UH, CLOTHING, UH, A NEW VEST FOR THE NEW OFFICERS GONNA COST ABOUT $1,200.
NOW IF THE COURT WILL REMEMBER, UH, THIS PAST YEAR, I HAD A DEPUTY CONSTABLE THAT LEFT AND WE WERE ABLE TO SELL HIS BEST WITH HIM AND WE RECOUPED $800 OF THAT TO PUT BACK INTO THE LINE.
SO WE RECOVERED THAT MUCH MONEY FROM THAT TRANSITION.
UM, UH, OTHER THAN THAT, GENTLEMEN, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING I'VE GOT.
EVERYTHING ELSE STAYS THE SAME.
WELL I KNOW THE, THE JP BUILDING IS QUITE SMALL.
WHERE YOU GONNA PUT THIS NEW GUY? YOU GOT ROOM? I'VE GOT ONE CLOSET LEFT.
I, I HAVE ONE PLACE I HAVE HIM.
THERE WILL BE NO ROOM FOR NOBODY TO COME VISIT, BUT I'VE GOT IT.
I'M HOPING, I'M HOPING IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO THAT, OR THREE OR FOUR THAT THAT WILL CHANGE.
ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU GENTLEMEN FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M JUST KINDA LEAVING IT UP TO Y'ALL HOW YOU WANT TO, OH, OKAY.
I JUST FIGURED WE GO IN ORDER.
IT'S, UH, WOULD LIKE TO HIT ON SOMETHING REAL QUICK.
UM, RAY JUST SAID THE OUTFITTING OF THE VEHICLE WAS ABOUT 8,500.
I JUST GOT A QUOTE THE OTHER DAY.
IT'S ABOUT 10,000 AND THAT'S FOR THE BARE MINIMUM PACKAGE THAT THEY OFFER.
AND BY THE TIME Y'ALL REALLY NEED THE STUFF, IT'S GONNA BE HIGHER THAN THAT.
I KNOW WE PUT IN FOR ONE OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR AND I JUST RECEIVED IT THE OTHER DAY.
AND THEN NOW TO GET THE QUOTE, UM, THERE'S REALLY NO TELLING HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE TO GET IT IN AND ACTUALLY GET IT OUTFITTED.
SO LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, THEY'RE STACKED UP AND BEHIND.
UM, IN MY BUDGET THIS YEAR, UM, THE MAIN BUDGET ITSELF IS GONNA STAY PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.
LIKE RAY SAID, THE POSTAGE WILL GO UP AFTER TAKING ON THE TAX SALE.
A LOT OF, UH, CERTIFIED LETTERS GO OUT.
[01:30:01]
THAT'S PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST THING IS A CERTIFIED LETTER.SO IT'S, I'VE HAD TO INCREASE IT BY QUITE A BIT.
OUR TRAVEL AND TRAINING, UM, I DID GO UP ON THAT, UM, JUST BECAUSE OF THE, THE EXTRA DUTIES THAT WE'VE TAKEN ON TRYING TO GET INTO SOME MORE SCHOOLS AND STUFF.
MAKE SURE ALL OF MY GUYS ARE TRAINED UP.
I THINK THE BIG ITEMS, UH, TWO, I'M REQUESTING TWO VEHICLES THIS YEAR.
UH, TO REPLACE, LET'S SEE, I HAVE ONE VEHICLE WITH 149,000 MILES.
ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH 203,000 ANOTHER WITH 1 56, 180 2, AND ONE 50.
MY LOWEST MILE IS THE ONE I JUST RECEIVED.
THE NEXT ONE AFTER THAT'S 80,000.
UM, I THINK THE VEHICLE, THE, THE TWO VEHICLES THAT I'M REQUESTING ARE GONNA BE USED, UH, FOR THE TRANSPORTS THAT WE DO ON THE, ON THE RID OF ATTACHMENTS FOR THE MENTAL PATIENTS.
UH, CURRENTLY THOSE ARE BEING DONE IN 180,000 MILE, 200,000 MILE CARS.
UH, IF WE BREAK DOWN THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH A PATIENT NOT GONNA BE THE BEST.
UM, WE'RE TRANSPORTING THESE FOLKS TO ABILENE.
DENTON COULD BE ANYWHERE IN THE STATE.
SO IT'S, SO BOTH OF THESE VEHICLES, SUVS OR ONE TRUCK, ONE SUV.
I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA TRY FOR TAHOES BOTH TAHOES.
UH, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE BEST, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORT VEHICLE CUZ THEY'LL HAVE TO HAVE A CAGE.
SO THAT $10,000 PRICE ON THE OUTFITTING, THAT'LL BE LIKE JUST THE BARE MINIMUM LIGHTS.
UM, NO CONSOLE, UM, AND A CAGE.
SO IT MIGHT GO UP JUST A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF THE CAGE.
UH, THE QUOTE THAT I RECEIVED.
AND THERE I'VE HAD TWO DIFFERENT QUOTES.
UM, THE ONE THAT YOU GAVE ME, KIM, ON HOLIDAY, THOSE QUOTES, NOW I WAS FIXING TO SAY, THEY GO UP AND DOWN, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT THE NUMBER.
IT NOW THAT'S A FULL, FULL THAT A FULL PATROL VEHICLE.
SO LIKE I SAID, THE BARE MINIMUM WAS 10, THE FULL ONE WAS 25.
IT'LL BE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT.
I DON'T HAVE A EXACT NUMBER BECAUSE YOU KNOW, PRICING IS JUST UP AND DOWN EVERY DAY.
I MEAN, WHEN WE BOTH GOT THE QUOTES, THAT WAS WHEN WE SUBMITTED THE BUDGET, IT WAS 85.
I JUST GOT ONE AND IT WAS RIGHT AT 10.
SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, STUFF'S GOING UP.
UM, THE CAR FROM, I GUESS IT WAS ON THE BUY BOARD.
I'VE HAD TWO DIFFERENT PRICES.
ONE WAS 69,000 FOR THE CAR AND THE OTHER WAS 54.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE, WHICH ONE WE'RE GOING WITH.
I GUESS ONE OF THEM, ONE OF THEM WAS THE ONE WHERE YOU GET THE OUTFITTING DONE.
SO THEY SELL IT AS A HOLE, IT'S, OR YOU CAN BUY IT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THEN, THEN YOU HAVE TO WAIT TO GET IT OUTFITTED.
I'M TRYING TO SEE WHAT ELSE WAS, OH, OFFICE FURNITURE.
UM, SINCE WE ADDED THE DEPUTY LAST YEAR OR LAST BUDGET, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE SOME NEW DESKS SO THAT WE COULD BETTER FIT EVERYONE IN OUR, AS RAY CALLED IT A CLOSET.
UH, IT'S HARD, HARD TO SAY YOUR OFFICE IS EVEN SMALLER THAN HIS.
I HAVE, I CURRENTLY HAVE THREE DEPUTIES IN ONE, UH, ONE OFFICE, WHICH IS MY OLD OFFICE.
THERE'S THREE PEOPLE IN THERE NOW.
AND SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, I THINK IF WE GET DIFFERENT DESKS, I THINK WE CAN MAKE THE SPACE WORK, UH, A LOT BETTER.
THE FURNITURE WE HAVE, THEY'RE BIG AND BULKY.
AND IF I CAN GET SOMETHING THAT HAS A RISER WITH MORE, YOU KNOW, UP AGAINST THE WALL AND MORE ORGANIZATION, WE CAN SLIM DOWN THE DESK TO MAKE ROOM.
BRIANNA KNOWS SHE'S BEEN IN THERE QUITE A BIT, SQUEEZED IN.
SO, UM, I THINK THOSE WERE 600 A PIECE.
UM, AND THEN ON THE BATTERIES FROM MY, UH, RADIOS, THOSE ARE $141 A PIECE.
UM, I HAVE THE MONEY CURRENTLY, BUT IT'S THE TIMELINE OF WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE HERE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT TO IF WE WANT TO JUST MOVE, ROLL IT TO NEXT YEAR OR HOWEVER YOU SUGGEST THAT.
WELL, KIND OF HOW I DISCUSS WITH RAY ON SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, WE ASK IF, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GONNA COME IN BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR THAT YOU WAIT, YOU KNOW, UNTIL THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR.
IF THERE IS A NEED FOR SOMETHING WHERE IF YOU KNOW YOU'RE IN NEED OF A RADIO, IT'S GOING TO TAKE SEVEN MONTHS
[01:35:01]
TO DO TO, TO RECEIVE IT.YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT THAT OFF IF THERE'S THAT NEED AND, YOU KNOW, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY REASONS.
UM, SO IN THAT CASE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHY I HAD TALKED TO, UM, RIGHT EARLIER THIS WEEK IS TO, TO SAY THAT TO THE COURT AND THEN THAT WAY THERE'S NOT THE, YOU KNOW, SURPRISE OF HEY, WE NEED TO ROLL OVER THESE FUNDS.
AND SO AS LONG AS WE HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION AND KNOWING EARLY, WHERE IT BECOMES DIFFICULT IS WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO FINALIZE THE BUDGET AND WE HAVE ALL THESE NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF CHANGING AND, AND NOT KNOWING OR SOMEONE DOESN'T COMMUNICATE ABOUT IT.
AND YOU KNOW THAT, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE ISSUES, RIGHT.
SO AS LONG AS WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, UPFRONT AND IF THERE IS A LONG LAG FOR SOMETHING, THEN YOU KNOW WHERE IT MAKES SENSE AND ASKED OF THE COURT THEN, YOU KNOW.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TOUCH ON ONE OTHER THING.
I DID NOT, WE DID NOT PUT IN THE BUDGET, BUT UM, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE DID HAVE A MEETING WITH, UM, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND HE SPOKE TO Y'ALL ABOUT CPS CASES.
UM, THOSE COME WITH RID OF ATTACHMENTS.
UM, I BELIEVE HIS INVESTIGATORS MAY HAVE BEEN DOING SOME OF THOSE.
UH, AND NOW THOSE WILL REVERT TO US.
I DON'T KNOW THE FULL NUMBER YET ON HOW THAT'S GONNA GO, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE A 24 HOUR THING, UH, COULD CALL US IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, GO FROM THERE.
SO I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO, I PUT THIS OUT THERE.
I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY AT THE MOMENT, SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, SEE KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT ON NUMBERS FOR THOSE AND THEN COME BACK IF I NEED TO REQUEST AN ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE.
WHERE ARE YOU GONNA PUT IT? UH, WHO'S THAT CLOSET? WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
IF I HAVE TO GIVE UP MY OFFICE, THEN I'LL DOUBLE DECK.
LIKE I SAID, IF I HAVE TO GIVE UP MY OFFICE, I WILL.
I'LL PUT, YOU KNOW, REARRANGE IT TO, WHERE WAS THAT? MAKE IT WORK.
ARE YOU REFERENCING THAT? THAT EMPLOYEE THAT WAS OVER AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND NOW HE'S OUT AT YOURS.
SO YES, HE CAME OVER, THAT'S WHEN WE TOOK THE TAX SALE AND SOME, AND SOME OF THE, THE WR OF ATTACHMENTS FOR THE MENTAL STUFF.
HE WAS ALSO, HE'S BEING SHARED AMONGST, UM, THE FOUR OF US ON LIKE RID OF, UH, AT RID OF EXECUTIONS AND SUCH.
IT WAS JUST A, A MOVE OVER TO US.
UM, THIS IS THE, WHAT JOHN WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE CPS HAVING TO ADD THE EXTRA ATTORNEY AND, AND ALL THAT.
SO THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT YOU WERE REFERENCING, I JUST WANTED TO VERIFY.
THIS IS, THIS IS HAVING TO DO WITH CPS.
SO ON THE ROOT OF ATTACHMENTS WHERE WE WOULD ACTUALLY GO OUT AND REMOVE THE CHILD FROM THE, FROM THE HOME, UM, WE WOULD GO OUT WITH, WITH JOHN AND THEM AND CPS.
UM, IN YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS, DO YOU, ARE YOU STILL LOOKING AT QUICKBOOKS? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO ADD FOR THE TAX SALE? YES.
SO LET'S, WE'LL GET TOGETHER AND SEE WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS AND GET THAT IN THERE.
CAUSE I DID NOT SEE IT IN YOUR, UM, OKAY.
IT DIDN'T MAKE IT ONTO THIS FORM.
WE'LL GET TOGETHER OUTSIDE OF COURT AND ADJUST THAT FOR THE PROPOSED.
EVERYTHING ELSE SHOULD STAY THE SAME.
ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CONSTABLE? THANK YOU.
UM, WE HAVE GLENN, YOU WANNA COME UP? GOOD MORNING.
UH, BASICALLY, I GUESS MINE PRETTY WELL STAYS THE SAME.
UH, THERE WAS ONE GLITCH WE HAD PUT IN FOR A NEW VEHICLE LAST YEAR.
WE HADN'T RECEIVED IT AS OF THIS TIME.
WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO PUT IT BACK IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
UH, WE DID CHECK YESTERDAY OR THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY, AND THEY KEEP SAYING ANY DAY NOW.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE NEW VEHICLE COMES IN, BUT PRIMARILY, UH, ACTUALLY IT'S A LITTLE LESS THAN OUR BUDGET WAS LAST YEAR AND WE'RE NOT REALLY ASKING FOR ANYTHING ELSE, UH, TO OPERATE OUR OFFICE.
WELL, ONE GOOD THING WAS CAUSE OF FLOOD.
WE GOT A LOT OF NEW FURNITURE LAST TIME, SO YEAH.
BUT PRIMARILY IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S ACTUALLY MAYBE A THOUSAND $1,200 LESS THAN WHAT THE BUDGET WAS LAST YEAR.
[01:40:04]
VERY GOOD.ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING OR? NOPE, I HAVE ONE.
I'D LIKE TO JUST ASK THE COURT IF I MAY, UH, IN REGARDS TO VEHICLES, UH, AND I DON'T MEAN THIS IN A BAD WAY, BUT, UH, IS THERE ANY, UH, CHANCE MAYBE ELECTED OFFICIALS COULD POSSIBLY HAVE THEIR OWN VEHICLES? UH, I KNOW SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONAL VEHICLES, BUT USE THEM FOR COUNTY USE.
BEING IN A LAW ENFORCEMENT SITUATION, I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF ALLOWANCE OR I DON'T KNOW IF IT'D EVEN BE FEASIBLE, YOU KNOW, FOR ME TO, OR THE COURT TO EVEN CONSIDER IT.
BUT I'D BE OPEN, YOU KNOW, AND ENTERTAIN ANY IDEAS THAT MIGHT, Y'ALL MIGHT COME UP WITH THAT MIGHT BE, IF, IF THAT'S COUNSELOR'S QUESTION, MAYBE IT'S AN AUDITOR QUESTION TO AUDITOR.
WELL, IT'S ALSO A LEGAL, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF LIABILITY, YOU CANNOT, WELL IT'S PUTTING PUBLIC, USING PUBLIC FUNDS ON PRIVATE VEHICLES AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU'RE PUTTING LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE, IF YOU'RE MOUNTING A RADIO, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR PERSONAL VEHICLE THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S WHERE IT BECOMES, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, FROM THE COUNTY VEHICLE THAT YOU'RE DRIVING AND ALL OF THE OUTFITTING THAT IS PUT ON TO THAT VEHICLE, THAT OUTFITTING WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PUT ON TO A PERSONAL VEHICLE BECAUSE AGAIN, THEN YOU'RE USING PUBLIC FUNDS FOR A PRIVATE PURPOSE.
AND, AND THAT QUESTION CAME UP PREVIOUSLY, YOU CAN'T DO THAT LINE, YOU RUN, GET APPROVAL.
SO IF IT WAS APPROVED BY THE COURT AS A WHOLE TO SURVEY PUBLIC PURPOSE, THEN YOU COULD PLACE THAT.
IF NOT, THEN YOU, YOU COULD NOT, SO YOU COULDN'T DO IT OUT OF A BUDGET LINE AND THEN GO AHEAD AND RETROFIT YOUR OWN PERSONAL VEHICLE.
BUT IF IT'S SERVES A, SERVES A PUBLIC PURPOSE, THEN THE COURT WOULD'VE TO APPROVE THAT FOR YOUR PRIVATE VEHICLE AND THEN THEY WOULD BE USING THAT ALLOWANCE TO THEN OUTFIT.
BUT IT WOULD, IT'D HAVE TO BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURT AND IT'D BE IDENTIFIED AND ARTICULATED AS A PUBLIC PURPOSE.
AND THE COURT CAN MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
NOT THE CLEANEST WAY, BUT IT, IT'S POSSIBLE TO DO IT THAT WAY.
GLENN, ANYTHING ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? THAT'S ALL I HAVE, SIR.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR CONSTABLE? THANK YOU.
WE GOT ITEM H ON DISCUSSION PRESENTATION ON DEPARTMENT 4 39, COUNTY COURT OF LAW TWO.
DID THAT, THAT'S ON PURPOSE AND YOU'RE MY HOSPITAL.
UM, EARLIER WHEN COMMISSIONER WALDEN WAS EXPRESSING HIS SENTIMENTS TOWARDS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, UH, I AGREE WITH HIM 100%, I'LL SAY THAT.
UH, BUT AT FIRST, HONESTLY, I THOUGHT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT ME.
IN FACT, I HAD TO, I HAD TO STOP MY DEPUTY FROM STANDING UP AND CLAPPING.
BUT, UH, ANYWAY, UM, IF YOU LIKED, UH, GLENN PRADER, YOU'D LIKE MINE.
I'M, I'M LOOKING LIKE I'M GONNA NEED ABOUT 150 BUCKS BY MY CALCULATION.
UM, WELL I THINK GLEN'S WAS LESS OKAY, JUST, JUST
ANYWAY, THE REDUCTION CAME DOWN TO ABOUT $2,350.
BUT I'M ASKING FOR TWO THINGS THAT I'M REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE, UH, AND I'VE BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ABOUT 40 YEARS.
I WORKED FOR THE STATE BEFORE I RETIRED AND THEY HAD PARITY WHERE, YOU KNOW, DPS, TROOPERS AND T ABC AGENTS AND GAME WARDENS WERE ON A SCHEDULE C SALARY.
THEY ALL MADE THE SAME MONEY, BENEFITS, ALL THAT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UM, A MAN OR A WOMAN WHEN THEY PIN A BADGE ON THEIR SHIRT AND PUT A GUN ON THEIR HIP, YOU KNOW, UH, THEY ALL ASSUME A, A, A GOOD AMOUNT OF RISK IN IN CARRYING OUT THOSE DUTIES.
AND I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE BADGE IS WORTH ANY LESS THAN ANOTHER.
AND, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS A, A, A LARGER UNIFORM ALLOWANCE THAN, THAN, UH, SAY THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.
UH, I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S $1,200 PER DEPUTY.
UM, I'VE ALLOWED IN THE YEARS PAST $500
[01:45:01]
FOR EACH OF MY TWO DEPUTIES.IF WE INCREASE THAT TO 1200 FOR EACH OF MY TWO DEPUTIES, THAT'S $2,400.
I'VE HAD A, I'VE IN THE PAST, I HAVE HAD AN, AN ADDITIONAL $500 IN CASE, UH, I NEEDED TO PURCHASE SOMETHING FOR MY THREE RESERVE, UH, DEPUTIES THAT I HAVE.
UH, I THINK IT'S THE LEASE WE CAN DO, THEY DON'T GET COMPENSATED IN ANY WAY.
IF I CAN BUY 'EM A UNIFORM SHIRT OR A BADGE OR A NAME TAG OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SO BE IT.
BUT IF YOU TOOK, IF YOU KEPT THE $500, UH, BUFFER FROM MY RESERVE DEPUTIES, UH, AND IN THE EVENT I MAY NEED AN ITEM, A SHIRT OR SOMETHING, AND THEN YOU ADDED THE 1200 FOR EACH OF MY TWO FULL-TIME DEPUTIES, IT COMES UP TO $2,900.
SO, UH, THERE'S ABOUT A $1,900 INCREASE THERE.
AND UH, AND THEN I WAS WANTING AN INCREASE IN THEIR CELL PHONE ALLOWANCE.
I, I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE RECEIVES A LARGER ALLOWANCE THERE THAT, SO I ALLOWED A, A $600 INCREASE THERE, UM, WHICH WORKS OUT TO ABOUT $25 A MONTH FOR EACH OF MY TWO DEPUTIES.
BUT ANYWAY, ALL THAT BEING SAID AND DONE, THERE'S ABOUT $150 DIFFERENCE THERE.
YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT, THAT I WOULD NEED AN INCREASE IN MY BUDGET, UM, BY, BY THE MATH THAT I'M DOING.
AND WHILE I'M TALKING ABOUT MY DEPUTIES, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY, UH, PROUD OF, UH, OF THE PEOPLE I HAVE WORKING FOR ME AS WELL AS THE RESERVES.
THERE'S, I HAVE MYSELF, TWO FULL-TIME DEPUTIES AND THREE RESERVE DEPUTIES.
EVERY ONE OF US HAS SERVED IN THE MILITARY.
EVERY ONE OF US HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE.
EVERY ONE OF US HAVE THE HIGHEST LEVEL CREDENTIALS THAT YOU COULD HAVE IN THIS PROFESSION.
AND IT'S SOMETHING I'M REALLY PROUD OF.
UM, THE, UH, AS FAR AS THE EFFICIENCY OF MY BUDGET, MYSELF AND MY DEPUTY TOM KELLY HERE, WE'RE BOTH RETIRED MILITARY AND ONE OF MY RESERVES IS AS WELL, BUT WE DON'T TAKE MEDICAL INSURANCE FROM THE COUNTY.
IT SAVES OVER $50,000 A YEAR TO THE COUNTY BY US NOT TAKING ANY MEDICAL INSURANCE.
YOU KNOW, KNOW, UH, SAME WITH LILA DELE THERE, UM, FELLOW CHIEF PETTY OFFICER BY THE WAY.
BUT, UH, BUT, UH, ANYWAY, UM, SO ABOUT 150 BUCKS BY MY CALCULATION NOT TO MENTION THE CAR THAT'S BEEN ROLLED OVER.
NOW I'VE LOST TRACK OF HOW MANY TIMES WE'VE ROLLED THAT CAR FORWARD, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, IT'S A, IT'S A PROBLEM.
WE CAN'T GET CARS, YOU KNOW, UH, BUT SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A CAR IN THERE IN THE MIX AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL GET IT THIS YEAR.
I DON'T BELIEVE I WILL, BUT HOPEFULLY, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WILL COME IN NEXT YEAR.
I WANT SOMETHING SUITABLE FOR THE, FOR THE, UH, FOR THE POSITION.
AND, UH, SO FAR THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED ARE NOT VEHICLES THAT I FEEL WOULD BE ADEQUATE FOR THE TYPE OF WORK THAT WE DO OR WE'RE EXPECTED TO DO.
WE ALL DRIVE MARKED CARS AND WEAR UNIFORMS. I KNOW MY CONSTITUENTS APPRECIATE THE PATROLS THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN WE'RE OUT AND ABOUT SERVING OUR PAPERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE VISIBILITY IS, IS SOMETHING THAT THINK IS IMPORTANT.
YOU CAN'T MEASURE THAT DETERRENCE, YOU KNOW, AND IF, AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT WE NEED TO RESPOND TO IT, THEN WE'RE GONNA DO SO.
UM, BUT UH, SO I WANT A PROPER VEHICLE, A POLICE TYPE VEHICLE.
AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA WEAR UNIFORMS AND THAT'S WHY I WANT THE INCREASE IN THE UNIFORM ALLOWANCE.
AND NOTHING MORE THAN ANY, THAN MY COUNTERPARTS HAVE AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN ANYONE ELSE.
ANY QUESTIONS? I'D LIKE TO JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR THE YES, SIR, FOR THE HELP AND SUPPORT AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN OUR PRECINCT AND FOR HELPING OUR EMPLOYEE.
IMMENSELY WITH SOME OF THE ROAD PROJECTS WE'VE HAD LATELY.
I KNOW Y'ALL'S PRESENCE HAS MADE A, A BIG IMPACT WITH THEM.
SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE THE JOB THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
[I.H. Discussion/Presentation on Department 439 County Court at Law #2 budget requests. (Judge Johnson / Judge Deen)]
H ON THE DISCUSSION, PRESENTATION ON DEPARTMENT 4 39 COUNTY COURT OF LAW NUMBER TWO.I THINK SHE, I THINK SHE LEFT JUDGE.
SAY I'M IN FAVOR OF ALL THOSE GUYS WEARING SHIRTS, SO IF I GOTTA CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR FUND FOR CLOTHING.
YEAH, WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, CONSTABLE CALENDARS AROUND HERE.
I'M SO YOU SNEAK BACK IN, I THOUGHT YOU LEFT.
WELL I WENT TO GO SEE MY OFFICE BECAUSE I HAVE A CALCULATOR AT THE, AT THE OTHER PLACE, BUT I LEFT THE PLUG HERE AND SO I WAS TOO CHEAP TO GO SO I'M GONNA HAVE TO GO FIND ME A CALCULATOR AT THE HOUSE.
SO ANYWAY, IT'S VERY DUSTY UP THERE.
UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A WHOLE LOT.
I DON'T THINK THAT I'M REALLY ASKING FOR MUCH ANYTHING.
MOST OF MINE ARE RELATED TO JUST THE OPERATIONS.
I THINK PROBABLY THE BIGGER TICKET TICKET ITEM HAS TO DO WITH THE SOFTWARE UP UPDATES FOR THE SOUND SYSTEM IN UPSTAIRS.
APPARENTLY COMMUNICATION CONCEPTS IS ADDING NEW SOFTWARE AND THAT'S A PRETTY BIG TICKET ITEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE OTHER COURTS HAVE CONTEMPLATED THAT.
I KNOW WE CALLED THEM BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE COST WOULD BE TO TURN US BACK ON COME THE END OF THE YEAR.
[01:50:01]
THAT'S WHEN WE WERE ADVISED THAT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A FIRMWARE AND SOFTWARE UPDATE OF ABOUT 12 GRAND JUST TO GET THAT SYSTEM FUNCTIONAL.UH, AND SO I KNOW THAT CCL ONE AND THE DISTRICT COURTS USE IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ON THEIR BUDGET, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE AN INQUIRY BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S GONNA COST US 12 AND THAT'S JUST THE ESTIMATE.
SO THAT'S JUST A HEADS UP ON THAT.
AND THAT'S JUST TO KEEP THE SYSTEM UP AND RUNNING AND MAINTAINED BY COMMUNICATION CONCEPTS.
WHO WAS THE VENDOR FOR I THINK ALL OF OUR COURTS AND MAYBE EVEN FOR YOU AS WELL IN HERE.
UH, IN ADDITION, UH, WE'RE JUST, WE WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET A MONITOR FOR THE WITNESS STAND AND THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING WE'VE CARRIED ON OUR BUDGET NOW FOR A COUPLE YEARS.
WE HAVEN'T SPENT IT, WE DIDN'T WANNA SPEND IT THIS PAST YEAR BECAUSE WE WERE GONNA DO THE, ALL THE CHANGES IN THE COURTROOM AND WE DIDN'T WANNA HAVE THAT EQUIPMENT DAMAGED IN ANY WAY.
SO IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO PUT IT UP.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN HERE FOR ANY KIND OF IT, EXCEPT I THINK THERE'S A GENERALIZED REQUEST FOR UPGRADES AND ALL THE COMPUTERS.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE THE GUINEA PIGS FOR THE NEW WEBCAM THAT IT IS GONNA DO.
IT'S NOT IN OUR BUDGET CAUSE I THINK THEY'RE PAYING FOR IT, SO IT'S OUT OF SOMEBODY ELSE'S BUDGET.
SO WE'RE STILL PAYING FOR IT, BUT IT'S NOT IN MY LINE ITEM.
I THINK THE ONLY OTHER ADDITION I HAVE IS JUST TRYING TO GET MY BAILIFF UH, WARDROBE ALLOWANCES, UH, UNIFORM ALLOWANCE UP COMMENSURATE WITH WHAT YOU PAY SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES.
AND I WOULD CONCUR WITH ALL THE CONSTABLES THAT WERE HERE.
I JUST THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE PARITY SO THAT WE'RE REQUIRING, UH, OUR ELECTED AND THOSE WHO WORK FOR US TO WEAR UNIFORMS. AND I DON'T, DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OR IN THE COURT SYSTEM AS A BAILIFF OR IN THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, THEY ALL SHOULD BE RECEIVING THE SAME WARDROBE ALLOWANCE.
IF YOU'RE UNIFORM, I THINK IT'S 12 AND IF YOU'RE NON-UNIFORM, I THINK IT'S SIX OR EIGHT.
AND I JUST THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD GET THE SAME.
EVERYBODY'S GOTTA WEAR CLOTHES, EVERYBODY'S GOTTA BUY 'EM AND THEY'RE NOT CHEAP ANYMORE.
AND YOU WANT 'EM TO LOOK PROFESSIONAL AND I JUST THINK IT'S FAIR.
NO, THERE'S NOT SHORTEST SPEECH EVERY DAY.
NO, I ONLY COME TO YOU WHEN I NEED SOMETHING.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING I'VE GOT, I NEED, I MEAN WE, Y'ALL, Y'ALL HELP ME OUT TRY TO GET THIS STUFFED OUT AT THE NEW LOCATION.
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A FRAT HOUSE.
WE'RE HAVING SOME INTERNET ISSUES.
SO I WE'RE, UM, I WAS NOT HAPPY BECAUSE WE HAD CPS ALL DAY YESTERDAY AND THE INTERNET WENT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF MY HEARINGS AND SO WHAT, WHAT WE MAY HAVE TO BUY OUT OF OUR CURRENT BUDGET, SOME OF THOSE HOTSPOTS OR SOMETHING.
CUZ IT WAS, IT WAS NOT, IT WAS NOT GOOD.
AND SO THAT WAS THAT, THAT PREVENTS US FROM FUNCTIONING.
CUZ IT SHUT US DOWN AND I'M THE HOST AND SO WHEN I CAN'T HEAR 'EM AND I CAN'T SEE 'EM, IT'S A REAL PROBLEM.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS, THAT WAS AN ISSUE.
BUT EXCEPT FOR THAT, EVERYBODY, IT'S BEEN GOING REALLY WELL.
BUILDING AND GROUNDS HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL.
UM, AND UH, IF THERE'S NOT ANYTHING I HAVE TO SAY ANY QUESTIONS.
WHAT'S THAT? WE GOT THREE, SO, ALL RIGHT.
I GUESS NINE ONE ONE'S NOT COMING.
CYNTHIA, IF YOU WOULD, UM, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO, UH, COULD YOU DO HAVE AN UPDATE AND COORDINATED WITH RYAN MAORI WHO'S THE 9 1 1 CONTACT HERE ON THE DISCUSSION.
[I.F. Discussion/Presentation on Departments 601 911 Addressing & 630 Permitting budget requests. (Ryen Mowrey / Judge Deen) (Part 2 of 2)]
F, DISCUSSION PRESENTATION ON DEPARTMENT 6 0 1 9 11 ADDRESSING AT SIX 30 PERMITTING BUDGET REQUEST.IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD IF YOU WOULD GO OVER THAT.
WITH THE ABSENCE OF RON MOWRY.
SO, UM, BRIAN MOWRY HAS THE 9 1 1 ADDRESSING AND THE ONLY INCREASE THAT, UH, HE SHOWED WAS A $500 SUPPLIES AS WELL AS FOR DEPARTMENT SIX 30, WHICH IS COUNTY PERMITTING.
HE HAD AN INCREASE OF $500, UM, ON SUPPLIES AS WELL.
SO BRIANNA, DO YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING TO THAT? THAT WAS THE ONLY INCREASE I HAD.
YEAH, THERE, THERE WAS NOTHING INPUT INTO THE BUDGET REQUEST FORMS AND UM, JUST THE CHANGES THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST WHAT WE SEE ON TW, BUT OTHER THAN THAT I'VE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING AND I'M, THEY SUBMITTED A FORM, BUT NOTHING ON IT.
AND THEN I'LL UH, IF I CAN COMMENT ON THAT, I DON'T THINK THIS APPLIES TO THIS UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR AT ALL, BUT I JUST WANNA PUT A BUG IN EVERYBODY'S EAR THAT WITH SOME OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING ON THE SUBDIVISION REGULATION STUFF, ESPECIALLY IF WE START TO LOOK AT RV PARKS AND REGULATE THOSE LIKE SOME OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES DO, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME TRAVEL AND PERMITTING OBLIGATIONS.
IS THIS ON? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN HEAR YOU BETTER NOW.
SO WITH, WITH THAT, UM, AGAIN, I DON'T ANTICIPATE
[01:55:01]
IT FOR THE 2324 BUDGET YEAR, BUT IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME AT ALL IF HE COMES IN AND 24, 25 AND SAYS I NEED HELP, I NEED ANOTHER PERSON.IF WE START TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT PERMITTING AND ALL OF THAT FOR ESPECIALLY RV PARKS, LOOKING AT THE SEPTIC AND MONITORING IT AND ALL OF THAT.
JUST PUTTING THE BUG OUT THERE.
ANYTHING ELSE, CYNTHIA? THAT'S IT.
ANY QUESTION? I WILL ADD THOSE NOTES.
COMMISSIONER, ANY, ANY S OR COMMENTS FOR CYNTHIA? THANK YOU CYNTHIA.
[I.J. Discussion/Presentation on General Budget updates. (Brianna Fowler / Judge Deen)]
UM, YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA PRESENT? OKAY.UH, AT THAT POINT I GONNA MOVE TO ITEM TWO ON ADJOURNMENT AND ASK FOR A MOTION.
DID I SEE CONLEY POP UP THERE? YES.
WELL, WHY TO GO AWAY SO QUICK.
YOU GOTTA BE DECISIVE IN THESE THINGS.
I THOUGHT I SAW JU UH, COMMISSIONER WALDEN TOO, THAT HE WENT AWAY.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT? AYE.
UH, THE RECORD SHOW WILL ADJOURN AT 1111.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND SPENDING TIME TO DO THIS.