[00:00:02]
UH, GOOD MORNING.WE'RE GONNA, UH, GO AHEAD AND CALL
[Call to Order]
THIS MEETING TO ORDER.UH, LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
IT IS 9:00 AM ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2023.
UH, FOR THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT BUDGET AGENDA, UM, THE CONSIDER AND DISCUSS AND ACT UPON THE FOLLOWING AGENDA ITEMS. UM,
[I.A. Hear presentation from Skorburg Company.]
ITEM ONE, ITEM A, UH, AS I UNDERSTAND, COMMISSIONER HALE, THAT'S, WE'RE GONNA TAKE NO ACTION ON THAT ONE AND DEFER THAT OUT UNTIL WE HEAR THAT.[II.A. Discuss/Take action on Economic Development Services Agreement between Economic Development Council of Parker County and Parker County. (Part 1 of 2)]
TWO ON, UH, ITEM A.WE WILL GO TO DISCUSS, TAKE ACTION ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, PARKER COUNTY AND, UH, AND THE PARKER COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, IF YOU WOULD COME ON UP, CHRIS.
UH, WELL, THANKS FOR, UH, TAKING THE TIME WITH ME THIS MORNING TO, UH, GO OVER THIS.
DID YOU JUST WANT ME TO WALK THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS AND KIND OF EXPLAIN WHAT THOSE ARE? YEAH, JUST A SHORT YEAH.
'CAUSE WE'VE ALREADY, WE'VE ALREADY, I THINK, DONE SOME OF THAT ALREADY, SO, RIGHT.
AND SO I'LL JUST, I'LL HIT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA BE DOING, LIKE WE DISCUSSED BEFORE, IS WE GETTING, AS WE'RE GETTING THESE, UH, REQUESTS FOR PROPOSAL REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION FROM CONSULTANTS OR COMPANIES, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE RESPONDING TO THOSE ON THE, UH, THE COUNTY'S BEHALF.
UH, WITH REAL ESTATE, WE'RE GONNA DEVELOP A, UM, A WAREHOUSE OF INFORMATION AROUND DIFFERENT, UH, INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE SO THAT WE CAN MARKET THOSE, UH, FOR THE COUNTY AS WE GO OUT TO THE DIFFERENT TRADE SHOWS AND SITE CONSULTANT EVENTS.
AND AGAIN, AS WE'RE GETTING THOSE RFPS AND, AND THINGS BACK IN, ALSO GOING TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE COMPANIES, UH, AND WITH, UH, MR. FOREST, UH, TALKING ABOUT INCENTIVE NEGOTIATIONS AND CONTRACTS.
SO WE'LL BE, UH, REPRESENTING THE COUNTY AND IN SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
UH, AND THEN, UH, ULTIMATELY PRESENTING TO YOU, UH, WHAT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS MIGHT BE FOR, FOR INCENTIVES.
UH, ALSO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, UH, WORKING WITH, UH, THE, THE DIFFERENT, UH, CHAMBERS, UH, AROUND THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO DISCUSS, UH, A BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION PROGRAM.
AND WHAT THAT IS, IS GOING OUT AND MEETING WITH OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEIR BUSINESSES AND THEIR RESOURCES THAT WE CAN BRING TO THEM TO HELP THEM GROW THEIR COMPANIES.
UH, AND THEN LASTLY, UM, WE JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE'LL BE PROVIDING SOME MONTHLY UPDATES.
SO YOU'VE SEEN ME MORE SO MAYBE, UH, EVERY OTHER MEETING, YOU KNOW, I'LL COME IN AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE, UH, BREAKDOWN OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON OVER THE LAST MONTH AND SOME OF THE SUCCESSES THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING.
OH, AND THEN ALSO, UH, I'LL BE MAKING SOME, UH, POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE WITH THE INCENTIVE POLICY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO MAYBE TARGET BETTER TOWARDS THOSE, UH, INDUSTRIES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE FIND, UH, STRATEGIC FOR THE GROWTH OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THEN I'LL BE MAKING SOME POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW WE CAN, UM, IMPROVE UPON WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE TO BE MORE ATTRACTIVE AND COMPETITIVE WITH THOSE COMPANIES.
ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FOR MR. STRAYER? OKAY.
NEVER EVERYTHING GOING GOOD ON MY, THE PROJECT OUT IN PRECINCT ONE.
TALKED TO HIM ON FRIDAY AND, UH, LET HIM KNOW THAT WE WERE WORKING THROUGH THE CONTRACT.
UH, AND SO WORKING WITH MR. FORREST ON THAT.
AND SO WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE RIGHT THERE.
I'LL BE, WE'LL, WE'LL BE BACK, UH, OKAY.
TO TALK ABOUT, UH, THAT CONTRACT TO HAVE YOU REVIEW THAT BEFORE WE ACTUALLY GIVE IT TO HIM, BUT YEAH.
BUT MR. FORT AND I ARE WORKING ON THAT.
AND YOU'LL BE DOING THAT WITH EACH COMMISSIONER IN RESPECT, PRECINCTS OF WHERE THE PROJECTS ARE? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO DO HERE? NO.
BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND WE'VE ALREADY GOT IT APPROVED, SO, UH, YEP.
SO, JOHN, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO DO ON THIS? AND BASICALLY THE REASON THAT WE HAVE THIS AGREEMENT IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T JUST ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE E D C.
SO CHRIS IS GOING, HE'S CONTRACTED WITH THE COUNTY AT $15,000 A YEAR ANNUALLY TO CONDUCT, UM, EXPIRATION FOR BUSINESSES COMING INTO PARKER COUNTY TO NEGOTIATE WITH THEM AND THEN BRING THOSE NEGOTIATIONS TO THE, THE COURT.
SO IT'S CLEARLY DEFINED WHAT HIS DUTIES ARE IN THIS CONTRACT, THAT'S WHAT HE'S BEING PAID FOR, RIGHT, SPECIFICALLY.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE ABILITY FOR TWO REPRESENTATIVES TO GO SIT ON, NOT AS A MEMBER, BUT TO PARTICIPATE WITH E D C.
UH, AS FAR AS THE BOX COMPANY, WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM LAST WEEK AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET 'EM AN ADDRESS THAT THAT WAS BEING HELD UP DUE TO THE FACT THEY HAD AN EXCHANGE OF PROPERTY.
SO I SIT DOWN AND VISIT WITH HIM, WORK THROUGH THAT.
WE FOUND AN EXCEPTION THAT ALLOWED HIM TO GET AN ADDRESS THAT WOULDN'T DUMP HIM OUT ONTO 1 99.
CHRIS, WHAT I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU IS, UM, EITHER ON A MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY BASIS, UH, THE COURT CAN, UH, GIVE INPUT ON THAT OR YOURSELF, UH, TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE.
JUST A GENERAL UPDATE, UH, IS, IS OBVIOUSLY WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THERE'S SOME CONFIDENTIALITY OF THAT AND SOME OF IT MAY BE EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT, UH, WAS TO PROVIDE EITHER ON A QUARTERLY OR, OR MONTHLY BASIS, UM, TO THE COUNTY, KIND OF AN UPDATE, JUST GENERAL DIRECTION OF WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOING ON AND YOU KNOW, HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
[00:05:01]
SO, ABSOLUTELY.WE, I WAS JUST GONNA MENTION ALSO JUST FOR THE RECORD, UM, THAT AS WE'VE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, IT CAN BE PAID FOR WITH THE, UH, UNCLAIMED CAPITAL CREDITS FROM, UM, ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.
SO RATHER THAN HAVING JUST TO COME STRAIGHT FROM OUR GENERAL FUND, WE CAN USE THOSE FUNDS TO, UH, PAY FOR THIS CONTRACT.
THEY'RE VERY SPECIFIC, UH, WHAT USES.
AND, UM, IN TALKING WITH JOHN, WE BOTH AGREE THAT THIS WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE USE IF THE COURT CHOOSES TO DO THAT.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE DOWN THE, THE, UH, MAGENTA HERE
[III. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
AND GO TO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 4 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, RESERVING THE RIGHT TO, UH, CONVENE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER ITEM A DISCUSS, TAKE ACTION INTERVIEWS FOR OPEN PERMITTING DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR THE DIRECTOR POSITION.UM, THE RECORD SHOW THAT WE'LL MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 9 0 6.
WE'RE GONNA RETURN FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 9 25.
WE WILL MOVE TO THE ACTION TAKEN IN THERE AND WE WILL TAKE NO ACTION AT THIS TIME ON ITEM A.
[II.A. Discuss/Take action on Economic Development Services Agreement between Economic Development Council of Parker County and Parker County. (Part 2 of 2)]
WILL, UM, UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE E D C, WHICH IS AN AGENDA ITEM.AND, UH, I DID NOT ASK, IS THERE SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON WHAT WAS RECENTLY, UM, UH, THE FIRST TOPIC WE DISCUSSED? UH, LARRY, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO COME UP AND SAY? A, ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I COME ON UP.
MY NAME'S LARRY BAR AND ON ITEM TWO A, AS WE GO INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WE ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO COME ALONG, WE DO NOT NEED TO GIVE INCENTIVES OR HAVE 'EM THROW THIS IN OUR FACE, THAT WE'LL TAKE OUR BATTING BALL UP THE STREET.
IF THEY WANT TO COME BE A PART OF WEATHERFORD, BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY, THEN THEY NEED TO STEP UP AND BE UNDER THE SAME PLAN THAT WE ARE ON.
'CAUSE SO MANY TIMES WE'VE SEEN IN SHERMAN AND DENISON WHERE THEY'VE GIVEN ABATEMENTS AND INCENTIVES TO CORPORATIONS, AND AT THE END OF THE 10 YEAR PERIOD, THEY SHUT DOWN, LEAVE TOWN, AND THEN, UH, THEN WE GET STUCK WITH, UH, UH, A BUILDING TO PAY FOR AND SOME OTHER, AND, AND ALL THE OTHER DEBT.
AND WHEN THEY COME IN, WE GIVE INCENTIVES AWAY, BUT THEY MAY HIRE 25 PEOPLE LOCALLY AND BRING IN 200 FROM THEIR OWN BRANCHES TO SET UP SHOP.
THAT IMPACTS OUR, OUR, OUR HOSPITALS.
IT IMPACTS THE ENTIRE COUNTY WHEN WE GIVE AWAY ECONOMIC INCENTIVES.
AND I JUST NEED TO HAVE THAT IN THE, UH, IN THE RECORD THAT NOT THAT, NOT THE, THE ECONOMIC INCENTIVES THEY NEED TO STEP ON OUR STEP ON OUR TEAM.
[II.B. Discuss/Approve reimbursement of Precinct 4 staff up to $ 150.00 for boots for FY 2023- 2024.]
ITEM TWO B, DISCUSS APPROVED REIMBURSEMENT OF PRECINCT FOUR STAFF UP TO $150 FOR BOOTS FOR FY 2023 AND 2024.NOW THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I HAD SUBMITTED AND I, I HAD THOUGHT THAT IT WENT UNDER UNIFORMS IN OUR BUDGET, SO IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED IN MY BUDGET, BUT IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY BEING MS. FOWLER OR MS. RES THAT IT'S NEEDS TO BE THROUGH THEIR PAYROLL.
THAT'S THE ONLY REASON IT'S ON THIS AGENDA TODAY.
SO, YEAH, UM, WE ACTUALLY WENT BACK THROUGH THE WORKBOOKS AND WE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT IT, SO THAT'S WHY WE ASKED FOR IT TO BE PART OF THE AGENDA TODAY.
SO BASICALLY, PRECINCT FOUR IS WISHING TO DO THE BOOT ALLOWANCE AS PRECINCT THREE DOES.
UM, IT'S $150 BOOT ALLOWANCE FOR 17 PEOPLE.
UM, IT'S $2,550 TOTAL ALLOWANCE.
UH, BECAUSE IT DOES GO THROUGH PAYROLL, IT WILL BE TAXED IN RETIREMENT FOR A TOTAL COST OF 3,258.
AND I BELIEVE THE WAY THAT THAT WORKS IS THE EMPLOYEE WILL ACTUALLY PURCHASE, UM, THE BOOTS.
THEY TURN IN A RECEIPT, THEN PAPERWORK IS TURNED INTO PAYROLL, AND THEN WE WILL PUT THAT SUM ON THAT PAYROLL CHECK.
SO IF THE EMPLOYEE DOESN'T PURCHASE ANY BOOTS, THEY DO NOT RECEIVE THE FUNDS, BUT WE BUDGET IT AS IF EVERYONE DOES.
[00:10:02]
I'D LIKE A, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REIMBURSEMENT ON THE BOOT ALLOWANCE.WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HALE, UH, FOR APPROVAL, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CONLEY.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM FINDING COMES FROM YOUR BUDGET? SURE.
FINDING FINDING WILL COME FROM YOUR BUDGET.
UH, MR. BARATO, YOU RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE'RE IN DISCUSSION PHASE ITEM B, ITEM B I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION AND, AND I MAY NOT UNDERSTAND ALL THE INFORMATION, BUT DOES THE, THE PRECINCTS ONE, TWO AND THREE WEAR FLIP FLOPS OR DO THEY HAVE BOOTS? HOW ARE THEIR BOOTS REIMBURSED? I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S OTHER PRECINCTS THAT HAVE THAT ALLOWANCE OR THAT REIMBURSEMENT.
SO MY EMPLOYEES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN GETTING THAT OR HAD BEEN, HAD ASKED FOR THAT EARLIER IN THE YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT IT WAS ADDRESSED IN OUR, IN THE BUDGET THAT I HAD SUBMITTED ALREADY.
OKAY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? PASS FIVE.
[II.C. Discuss/Take action on Weatherford Police Department building purchase agreement.]
ACTION ON WHETHER FOR POLICE DEPARTMENT BUILDING PURCHASE AGREEMENT.SO WE HAD ORIGINALLY, UM, ASKED TO HAVE THIS ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME, UM, I GUESS MISCOMMUNICATION OF US HAVING TO PROVIDE AN ESCROW PAYMENT.
AND SO WE NEEDED APPROVAL FROM THAT.
BUT WEATHERFORD IS, UM, WAIVING THAT ESCROW PAYMENT.
AND SO ONCE THE UM, BUILDING IS PURCHASED, IT'LL JUST INCLUDE THE TOTAL.
UM, BUT ONE THING THAT HAS NOT BEEN BUDGETED IS THE CLOSING COSTS RELATED TO THIS TRANSACTION.
SO I HAVE ASKED THE TITLE COMPANY TO, UH, PUT THOSE COSTS TOGETHER.
AND SO WHEN WE DO THE UPDATE ON FRIDAY, UM, THAT WILL BE IN THERE.
AND SO PER THE CONTRACT, THE CLOSING COSTS ARE TWO TO AND BE INCURRED BY THE PURCHASER.
SO WE, AND SPECIFIC TO THE CLOSING COSTS OF WHAT THAT COST IS GONNA BE, WHEN YOU SAID WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE THAT, WHO DOES THAT? UM, I, I HAVE REACHED OUT, I'VE REACHED OUT TO THE TITLE COMPANY TO ASK THEM.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHO HAD REACHED OUT ABOUT THE ESCROW PAYMENT, SO I FIGURED I COULD GET THAT INFORMATION FROM THEM.
SO I'LL INCLUDE IT FOR FRIDAY.
SO NO ACTION TAKEN AT THIS TIME ON THAT ONE.
WE'LL GONNA TO GET ITEM FOUR AND DISCUSS AN APPRO HOLD ON, MAKE SURE THIS REAL QUICK.
ALRIGHT, JUST WANNA BE SURE I'M NOT OVERLOOKING ANYTHING.
[IV.A. Public Hearing on Proposed Tax Rate for FY2023-2024.]
AND DISCUSS, APPROVE THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR 20 23, 24, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO.AND WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM A ON THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PROPOSED TAX RATE FOR F Y 23, 20 23, AND 2024.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 9 32.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON, UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE'RE NOW IN ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ADOPTED? COME ON UP.
I'M GENE MARTIN, UH, LIVE IN RURAL PARK.
ONLY BEEN THERE ABOUT 36 YEARS.
UM, AND I HAVE A STATEMENT I THINK JUST IN CASE I STUTTER.
SO I'M GONNA MAKE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
UH, SENATE OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY TAX RATE IS COMPLICATED READING, LET ALONE UNDERSTANDING THE 10 PAGE 2023 TAX RATE CALCULATION WORKSHEET IS A DAUNTING EXPERIENCE.
I APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS TO MANAGE TWO OF THESE CALCULATIONS SIMULTANEOUSLY.
ONE FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND ONE FOR LATERAL ROADS.
HOWEVER, EXPECTING THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR DISCUSSIONS ADDRESS THESE TWO SEPARATE RATES AS A SINGLE CALCULATION MAY BE CONSIDERED DISINGENUOUS.
WHILE IT MAY SEEM TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS, IT MAY SERVE TO OBFUSCATE THE REALITY.
NOTE THAT PUBLISHING THESE WORKSHEETS IN TEXT READABLE FORMAT WOULD ENHANCE TRANSPARENCY IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE WHEN YOU PULL THEM UP ONLINE TRYING TO FIND INFORMATION OFF OF THEM.
UNLESS YOU'VE MEMORIZED WHAT THOSE TAX WORKSHEETS ARE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ANYTHING OUT OF IT.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THIS PROCESS IS DRIVEN BY AVERAGES.
FOR INSTANCE, IN THE 2023 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX INCREASE, YOU CLAIM A DECREASE OF 8.08% BELOW THE TOTAL 2022 TAX RATE.
IT'D BE FAIR TO NOTE THAT THAT DECREASE IS PRIMARILY DRIVEN
[00:15:01]
BY SOME SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY ASSESSMENT.INCREASES MOST OF US RECEIVE THIS YEAR, AVERAGES CREATE WINNERS AND LOSERS.
UH, AND THERE'S SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
FOR EXAMPLE, RESIDENTS OF WILLOW PARK WILL BE AFFECTED BY AN ABOVE AVERAGE IN AN, IN AN ABOVE MANNER AVERAGE.
UH, THE COUNCIL APPROVED MINOR REDUCTIONS IN CITY TAX AND THAT WAS NICE, BUT IT'LL BE NOTABLY ERASED BY THE ADDITION OF THE E S D ONE TAX ENTITY BECAUSE WE OFFLOADED OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND I GUESS LONG TERM THAT'S GONNA BE A GOOD IDEA.
AND I DO RECALL THAT, UH, VOTING FOR THAT PROPOSITION IN 2022 WAS ENDORSED BY AS A BENEFICIAL CHANGE BY JUDGE DEAN.
AND MANY MATURE VOTERS SUCH AS MYSELF, WILL ONLY SEE THE E S D ONE ADDITION BECAUSE OUR FROZEN TAXES WILL NOT SEE THE MINOR REDUCTION IN THE CITY RATE.
UM, ON TO SPECIFICS, THE GENERAL FUND INCREASE OF 3 CENTS PROPOSED BY COMMISSIONER CONLEY TO THE 2023 FROM THE 2023 TAX RATE CALCULATION WORKSHEET CALCULATES AN INCREASE OF 19.2% ABOVE THE N N R FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION RATE.
IF YOU ADD IN THE DEBT SERVICE RATE TO FIGURE OUT THAT PERCENTAGE INCREASE, THAT'S SOMEWHAT DISINGENUOUS BECAUSE THE DEBT SERVICE RATE IS NON-DISCRETIONARY.
THE ONLY DISCRETIONARY PART IS YOUR M AND O, RIGHT? SO I'D ASSUME THAT EVERY CITIZEN THAT ALSO GOT A 19% SALARY INCREASE THIS YEAR OR HIGHER WILL PROBABLY BE IN FAVOR OF THAT.
I DIDN'T GET A RAISE LIKE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM GOT A RAISE LIKE THAT.
UH, PLEASE CONSIDER THAT A ONCE CENT INCREASE MIGHT BE MORE APPROPRIATE.
THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD CALCULATE TO A SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN 6% RAISE FOR THE COUNTY COFFERS.
THE HALF CENT INCREASE IN THE LATERAL ROADS RATE POSED BY COMMISSIONER HALT AND APPROVED BY A VOTE OF FOUR ONE IS ONLY A 9.744% INCREASE ABOVE THE N N R FOR THE LATERAL ROADS M AND O.
AND THERE'S NO DEBT SERVICE IN THE LATERAL ROADS CALCULATION.
UM, BUT I TOOK A LOOK AT THE 2023 TAX RATE CALCULATION WORKSHEET FOR THE LATERAL ROADS.
AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE AND THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS ONLY 0.18 CENTS.
SO A HALF CENT RAISE IN THAT RATE EXCEEDS THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
SO COMBINING THE LATERAL ROADS AND THE GENERAL FUND INTO ONE RATE KIND OF HIDES THAT LITTLE DIFFERENCE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF, IF YOU ACTUALLY RAISE THE LATERAL ROADS RATE BY HALF A PENNY AND EXCEED THE V A R BY THE CALCULATION WORKSHEETS, WHETHER YOU HAVE TO PUT THAT ON THE BALLOT FOR VOTER APPROVAL, REGARDLESS IF YOU DO COMBINE THOSE, THE PROPOSED INCREASES OF THREE AND SEPARATELY A HALF CENT CALCULATE TO A 16.88% INCREASE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER WHETHER THAT'S FAIR.
I WILL NOTE, AND THIS ISN'T ON THIS SHEET, BUT, UM, WE'VE BEEN PROUD OF YOU GUYS THE LAST COUPLE YEARS KEEPING IT AT THE N N R, NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
UM, BUT IN THE INFLATIONARY ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE IN, THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT THING FOR YOU TO DO.
UM, 'CAUSE THE COUNTY FUNDING HAS FALLEN BEHIND NEEDS.
SO I KNOW THAT, BUT I'D PREFER THAT YOU DIDN'T I CORRECT THAT DEFICIENCY ALL IN ONE STEP THIS YEAR.
I KNOW YOU CAN'T ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'D BE HAPPY TO.
DO YOU WANT TO, DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE COMMENT ON THIS?
[00:20:03]
OH, LET IT IT, GO AHEAD.WE'LL, WE'LL LET BRIANNA COME UP AT BRIANNA COME UP AFTER EVERYBODY SPOKE.
RICHARD HEISER, UH, LIVE HERE IN WEATHERFORD 1001 THISTLE HILL TRAIL.
WELL, IF ANY OF YOU SAW YOUR TAX RATE, UH, NOTICE IN THE PAPER YOU COULDN'T READ IT.
AND I EVEN GOT MY MAGNIFYING GLASS AND I STILL COULDN'T READ IT.
SO, BUT I ACCIDENTALLY WAS HERE AND I HEARD, YOU KNOW, THE DISCUSSION AT LEAST ON WHAT THE PARTICULAR RATE WAS GONNA BE.
BUT HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY.
UM, SUPPOSEDLY ON AN AVERAGE HOME, THE, UH, AVERAGE PROPERTY APPRAISAL HAD GONE UP 16%.
THE PROPOSED TAX RATE OF, UH, 3 CENTS PER HUNDRED WAS THE ONLY ONE SHOWN.
AND I THINK AS JEAN HAD INDICATED, UH, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME REAL LAYOUT OF, OKAY, WHAT ARE THE PROPOSALS FOR EACH OF THE RATES THAT YOU HAVE? BECAUSE YOU DO, YOU DO HAVE, IN FACT, YOU'VE GOT TWO OF MY SIX TAXING ENTITY RATES IN IN MY TAX, UH, UH, BILL.
THE, UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE NOTE OF A FEW THINGS.
THERE WERE SOME SUBSTANTIAL PAY INCREASES IN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET.
UH, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THE BOND ITSELF, UH, AND I'M WORKING DILIGENTLY AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THE TRANSPORTATION BOND THAT IS ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.
BUT THE EFFECT OF IT AGAINST, UH, THE RATE ITSELF AND WHAT THE COSTS AND THINGS ARE INVOLVED.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THAT IS.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING TO GET MORE SPACE, UH, THE POLICE STATION, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND THE COST, OF COURSE, ARE, ARE COMING ALONG AND I KNOW IT'S GONNA HIT THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET, UH, THIS YEAR, UM, OVER THE NEW, UH, NEW REV, THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
UH, OF COURSE YOU DO RECEIVE SALES TAXES AND FROM ALL OF US YOU DO.
AND THEN ALL OF THE NEW REVENUES.
SO MY THING IS, AND I'VE ALWAYS LOOKED AT IT, THAT WE ALWAYS START WITH THAT AND WE MAKE SURE, AND WE STAY ON THAT NEW, NEVER NEW, NO NEW REVENUE RATE UNTIL, OKAY, THOSE PARTICULAR IN THAT PARTICULAR INCOME CAN'T, UH, YOU CAN'T LIVE ON THAT PARTICULAR RATE.
SO THEN IT COMES DOWN TO, OKAY, RAISING TAXES, IF YOU WILL.
AND I GUESS I WOULD BASICALLY SAY I WOULD, I WOULD HOPE THAT, UH, YOU DON'T GO UP THE, I THINK THEY, I THINK IT SHOWED HERE THAT IT WAS JUST A 6% INCREASE ON THE AVERAGE HOME AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE TWO RATE ENTITIES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT ENDS UP AS.
BUT MY REQUEST IS THAT YOU STAY ABSOLUTELY AS CLOSE TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN.
MY NAME IS WANDA SCARBOROUGH AND I LIVE ON RENT STREET.
AND, UM, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FANCY NUMBERS TO GIVE YOU.
ALL I HAVE IS WHAT COMES FROM MY HEART.
AND, UM, WE ALL KNOW WHAT OUR ECONOMY HAS BEEN LIKE FOR EVERYONE.
PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING FROM INCREASES EVERYWHERE.
IT'S ESPECIALLY HARD ON THE ELDERLY WHO GET DRIVEN OUT OF THEIR HOMES WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY AFTER PAYING TAXES, AFTER FOOD, MEDICAL, GAS, ET CETERA, INCREASES.
I'M ASKING THAT THE COUNTY BEGAN TO TIGHTEN THEIR BELTS LIKE WE ARE HAVING TO DO DAILY, LIKE BUYING NEW VEHICLES, BUILDING BRAND NEW BUILDINGS, WHERE THE BEST OF EVERYTHING IS USED, THE FINEST MATERIALS WHEN I CAN'T EVEN GET MY OWN HOME REPAIRED BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN MATERIALS AND LABOR, IT IS TIME TO TAKE YOUR EYES OFF YOURSELVES AS A COUNTY AND BEGIN TO GOVERN AND LOOK OUT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HIRE YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? SURE.
[00:25:05]
MY NAME'S LARRY BARTOLI AND I'VE GOT TWO POINTS.ONE IS THAT THEY'RE BOTH BUDGET ISSUES.
ONE IS OUR ELECTION PROCESS AND OUR BALLOTS.
I CALLED THE ELECTION OFFICE LAST FRIDAY AND ASKED, WERE NUMBERED, WERE PRE-NUMBERED BALLOTS IN THE ELECTIONS BUDGET.
AND I WAS TOLD THAT THAT WAS RULED OUT BY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT, WHICH SITTING HERE, I NEVER HEARD THAT, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT WASN'T IN THE BUDGET, BUT THE FACT AND WAS TOLD THAT WE'RE GONNA USE OUR EXISTING, OUR EXISTING BALLOTS.
WELL, THE FACT IS, YOU CAN'T LEGALLY USE UNUSED BALLOTS BECAUSE IN THE NEXT ELECTIONS, THOSE MUST BE SAVED FOR 22 MONTHS.
IF YOU HAVE 50,000 BALLOTS AND YOU USE 45,000 OF THEM, THOSE 5,000 BALLOTS CANNOT BE USED IN ANOTHER ELECTION LEGALLY, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE AN AUDIT FOR AN AUDIT, YOU HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR THOSE 45,000 BALLOTS AND YOU GOTTA ACCOUNT FOR THE 5,000 THAT ARE UNUSED AND THEY HAVE TO BE STORED FOR 22 MONTHS ACCORDING TO THE LAW.
FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, PARKER COUNTY HAD TWO ELECTION RECOUNTS LAST YEAR.
BOTH CONTESTS, THE COUNT CHANGED FROM ELECTION NIGHT RESULTS.
MIKE ALCOTT INCREASED BY 19 VOTES.
GLEN ROGERS INCREASED BY SEVEN VOTES.
IT DID NOT CHANGE THE, UH, ELECTION RESULTS, BUT THERE WERE 12 VOTES THAT WERE SHUFFLED INTO THE NUMBERS THAT THEY COULD NOT MAKE THE ELECTRONICS, THEY COULD NOT MAKE THE PAPER MATCH THE ELECTRONICS, WHICH WAS WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO, TRYING TO GET.
THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER, UH, COMMISSIONER'S RACE THAT WAS AUDITED, THAT THERE WERE SOME DISCREPANCIES IN THE, IN THE MATCH VERSUS, VERSUS THE PAPER.
THE COMPUTER PUTTING A NUMBER ON IT DOES IT, IT DOES NOT, DOES NOT GIVE YOU THE INTEGRITY OF PRE-NUMBERED BALLOTS THAT YOU CAN COUNT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, KNOW WHERE THEY WENT, TO WHAT PRECINCT, HOW MANY TO TO WHAT ELECTION SITE, HOW MANY WERE COUNT USED, HOW MANY WERE LEFT OVER.
YOU HAVE AN, UH, UH, ELECTION INTEGRITY AND WITHOUT ELECTION INTEGRITY, THE CITIZENS OF PARKER COUNTY CANNOT HAVE TRUST IN THE ELECTION OFFICIALS OR THE PROJECTS FOR THE TAXPAYERS OF PARKER COUNTY PAST SECRETARY OF STATE WAIVERS ARE NOT LAW AND THEY ARE NOT MANDATES.
OUR SECRETARY OF STATE IN AUSTIN ISSUED WAIVERS THAT A LOT OF THE COUNTY SAID, UH, WE, THEY SAID, AUSTIN SAID, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
WELL, THAT WASN'T, THAT WASN'T THE LAW.
THEIR UPCOMING BOND ELECTIONS THAT COULD BE CHALLENGED BECAUSE OF A TAX INCREASE FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT RATE NEXT WEEK, IN ADDITION TO THE BOND ISSUANCE DEBT, COULD RESULT IN ADDITIONAL TAX INCREASE, IF NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT FUNDED BY GRANTS AND OTHER SOURCES.
SO THOSE BONDS THAT YOU, THAT WE NEED, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THOSE, UH, THAT THAT ELECTION INTEGRITY ON THAT PROJECT IS THERE.
'CAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT AREN'T GONNA LIKE AN INCREASE IN TAXES AND SO FORTH.
WHAT YOU HAVE IS AN ELECTION SLEEPING BEAR.
THE SLEEPING BARREL COME OUT OF THE CAVE GENTLY YAWNING AND STRETCHING ON HIS OWN, OR HE'LL BE POKED WITH A STICK BY THE VOTERS IN PARKER COUNTY.
WHILE IN THE CAVE, THERE'S A SAYING, DON'T POKE THE BEAR
AND I'VE HEARD THAT SEVERAL TIMES FOR NOW ON TAX INCREASE.
I'VE GOT JUST A SHORT STATEMENT.
OUR PREVIOUS PARKER COUNTY ASSET TAX EVALUATION WAS 20 BILLION THIS YEAR.
THAT'S A 25% INCREASE IN THE TAX BASE.
NOW, UH, YOU ADD A PROPOSED 2.5% INCREASE TO THAT, THAT BECOMES A 30% TAX INCREASE BASED ON THE INCREASE VALUE PLUS A THEORETICAL PROPOSED 2.5% INCREASE.
SO THAT TURNS INTO A 30% INCREASE.
IF YOU TOOK THAT 30% INCREASE AND YOU GAVE SOMEBODY A
[00:30:02]
5% INFLATION ADJUSTMENT, THEN OUR RATE SH OUR EXISTING RATES SHOULD STILL GO DOWN 20% BECAUSE OF THE 30%, UH, 30% INCREASE, IT SHOULD STILL GO DOWN, UH, UH, 20% FROM THE EXISTING TAX RATE.AND I DIDN'T BRING ALL THE BIG MO PENCILS AND BIG CHIEF TABLETS, BUT I THINK Y'ALL CAN DO THE MATH.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE JOB YOU DO.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? IT'S AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS FOR, FOR YOU.
UH, MY NAME'S RUBY SMITH AND I LIVE IN THE, UH, ORIGINAL TOP TOWN OF WEATHERFORD.
UM, I WANTED TO SAY THAT WHEN I WENT AND VOTED THE LAST TIME, AND THERE WAS A, AT THE CHURCH, UM, ON SANTA FE THAT DID THE ELECTIONS, I WAS TOLD, I, I LOOKED AT THE CLOCK AND IT WAS AN HOUR OFF.
AND I ASKED THE GUY, I SAYS, IF THIS IS COUNTING VOTES, I SAYS, AND IT'S SHOWING SIX O'CLOCK WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SEVEN O'CLOCK.
I SAID, UM, I SAID, WHAT? I SAYS THAT INVALIDATES A LOT OF THIS, THIS BOTHER, THIS BOTHERS ME.
HE SAYS, AH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
HE SAID, WE JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THAT TIME CHANGE.
BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT MY HOUSE, IT'S IN OLD, I'M IN, I'M DISABLED AND I'M, UH, ELDERLY.
I'M 71 AND I'M NOT GONNA BE WORKING ANYMORE.
AND EVERYTHING HAS GONE UP SO MUCH, UH, FOR, UH, EIGHT YEARS.
UH, MY, THE PROPERTY ON MY HOUSE, UH, THE LAND WAS 15,000 LAST YEAR AT THE HEIGHT OF ALL THIS CRAP THAT WAS GOING ON.
AND I THINK IT WAS INITIATED BY SOME REALLY RICH PEOPLE.
AND MY PROPERTY VALUE WENT UP TO 40,000.
SO NOW ALL THE TAXES ARE GONNA BE BASED ON THE PROPERTY, UH, GOING UP.
SO THAT MAKES MY INSURANCE GO UP.
AND BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO MATCH WHAT THE STATE, WHAT THE CITY SAYS MY HOUSE IS VALUED AT.
SO INSTEAD OF A $50,000 HOUSE, WHICH I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WOULDN'T PAY IT, BUT ANYWAY, UH, THEY HAVE IT AT 120, 180,000 FOR MY PROPERTY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I, WITH THE RATE INCREASE, IF IT'S A LITTLE, UM, EVEN IT'S, EVEN IF IT'S EVEN, IT'S GOING TO BE MARKEDLY MORE FOR ME BECAUSE, UM, IT'S BASED ON PROPERTY VALUES.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? COME ON UP, SIR.
I'M A RESIDENT, 20 YEAR RESIDENT OF PRECINCT TWO.
TALKED TO JACOB OVER THE PHONE, EMAILED BACK AND FORTH IN REGARD TO THIS BUDGET.
FIRST OF ALL, I SPENT SEVERAL HOURS GOING THROUGH THE 441 PAGES OF THE BUDGET.
I DON'T ENVY YOU ALL AT ALL OF HAVING TO DO THAT AND APPROVE IT.
I TOLD JACOB, I SAID, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO.
AND I MEAN THAT FOR EVERY ONE OF YOU.
BUT AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE STATED, AND I'M JUST GONNA REITERATE THIS PAST YEAR WITH THE DEVELOPMENT THE PAST FEW YEARS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA OUT IN WHERE I LIVE IN PRE, YOU KNOW, PRECINCT TWO RANCH LAND BEING TURNED INTO TWO ACRE TRACKS WITH SIGNIFICANT HOUSING ON THEM, SIGNIFICANT VALUE, UH, THAT'S INCREASED THE TAX BASE
[00:35:01]
AND THEN THE SPRING WITH THE REAPPRAISAL, WHICH HIT ALL OF US.3% DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT, BUT IT IS A LOT ON TOP OF THAT, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR A LIVING EVERY DAY AND AREN'T HERE AT THIS MEETING BECAUSE THEY'RE AT WORK EARNING THAT MONEY THAT'S GONNA PAY THAT BILL.
Y'ALL REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK AT THIS TIME? AGAIN, THIS IS YOUR TIME, THIS IS YOUR MEETING, AND THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING BASED ON SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT, UM, WE'RE ABOUT TO DO IS TO APPROVE A TAX RATE, UH, FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE AUDITOR TO SPEAK NOW? UH, WELL, I WAS KIND OF WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE KIND OF RUN THROUGH THIS.
WHY DON'T YOU COME ON UP, BRIANNA, WHILE PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT IT.
JUST CLEAR UP SOME OF THE MISCONCEPTIONS IF YOU WOULD.
SO YES, THE NOTICE THAT GOES INTO THE NEWSPAPER DOES INCLUDE ALL RATES.
UM, BUT I THINK SPEAK FOR MYSELF AND, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THIS A LOT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TAX RATE AND WE ALWAYS REITERATE THAT IT IS THREE SEPARATE TAX RATES.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S ALSO CALCULATED SEPARATELY.
SO AGAIN, WE HAVE OUR M AND O, WHICH IS OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, WHICH FUND THE GENERAL FUND.
WE HAVE OUR, I I N SS, OUR INTEREST IN SINKING, WHICH IS OUR, UH, DEBT FUND THAT PAYS FOR ALL OF OUR LONG-TERM DEBT.
SO BONDS, UM, LONG-TERM DEBT LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THERE'S ROAD AND BRIDGE.
AND SO ALL OF THOSE ARE, UM, ANALYZED, VOTED ON, DISCUSSED SEPARATELY BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY ARE SEPARATE TAX RATES.
UM, AND EVEN WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, AND THEN THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE USING THE UNUSED INCREMENTAL, AGAIN, THOSE ARE SEPARATE.
AND SO I HAD MENTIONED, UM, EVEN WITH THE UNUSED INCREMENTAL RATE THAT, UM, MYSELF AS WELL AS THE CHIEF APPRAISER, UM, FOR THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, WE KEEP, UM, SPREADSHEETS BECAUSE THE SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY THAT THEY USE THAT'S SENT OUT FROM THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, IT COMBINES EVERYTHING.
BUT AGAIN, BECAUSE THEY ARE SEPARATE RATES, WE CALCULATE THINGS, UM, SEPARATELY AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT THE TOTAL DOES AGREE TO EVERYTHING.
UM, BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE UNUSED INCREMENTAL RATE, AND SO FOR SOME THAT MAY NOT BE, UM, FAMILIAR WITH THAT, WHAT THAT IS IS IT'S THE RATE THAT CAN BE BANKED EACH YEAR.
SO IT'S, UM, A THREE YEAR LOOK BACK.
AND SO IT'S BETWEEN THE RATE THAT THE ENTITY ADOPTS UP TO THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
SO BECAUSE THE COUNTY HAS BEEN ADOPTING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, OUR UNUSED INCREMENTAL RATE IS MUCH HIGHER THAN WHAT YOU MAY SEE IN OTHER ENTITIES.
SO, UM, WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN AND A HALF OR 7.8 SINCE BANKED.
SO WHEN IT MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE, WE ARE ABOVE THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
WELL, THERE'S, THERE'S DIFFERENCES.
SO AGAIN, UM, THE TAX RATE CALCULATION IS CONFUSING.
IT'S SENT OUT BY THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.
IT'S BASED ON STATUTE AND THERE'S 80 LINES.
SO IT IS A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT IF YOU LOOK TOWARDS THE END OF THAT CALCULATION, WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR VOTER APPROVAL RATE, THEN THERE'S THE WHOLE CALCULATION BY YEAR OF THE UNUSED INCREMENTAL RATE.
SO ALTHOUGH THE ROAD AND BRIDGE RATE IS ABOVE THE, WHAT WE CALL VOTER APPROVAL RATE, IT'S NOT ABOVE THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE USING THE UNUSED INCREMENTAL.
AND SO WHAT THAT ALLOWS, UM, ENTITIES TO DO IS USE THOSE IN FUTURE YEARS WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU NEED IT.
UM, SO WHEN THE LEGISLATURE CHANGE AND IT CAPPED IT, IT CHANGED THE CAP FROM 8% TO 3.5%.
UM, THEY IMPLEMENTED THE UNUSED INCREMENTAL.
SO THEN THAT WAY IF YOU'RE NOT USING UP TO THAT 3.5% EACH YEAR, YOU COULD USE IT THEN IN FUTURE YEARS, UM, TO OPERATE, TO FUND PROJECTS FOR WHATEVER NEED THAT THE ENTITY, UM, SEES THAT THEY NEED TO DO.
AND SO I, I GIVE THE COURT, UM, PROJECTIONS, UM, THAT BREAKS ALL THOSE THREE RATES OUT.
AND SO WHEN YOU ALL VOTED ON THE PROPOSED, UH, TAX RATE, AGAIN, WE HAD ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT RATES AND HOW THEY FALL INTO THE TOTAL.
AND SO, UM, YES, THE, THE NOTICE PUTS IT ALL IN, IN, IN ONE NOTICE.
AND THAT'S JUST HOW THE COMPTROLLER'S NOTICE IS WHENEVER IT'S VOTED ON, WE SEND IT TO THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, THEY PUT THAT INTO THE SYSTEM, AND THEN IT GENERATES THE NOTICE AND THEN WE ENSURE THAT THE NOTICE NOTICES CORRECT.
BUT THAT'S JUST HOW, HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS.
BUT AGAIN, ALL OF THOSE ARE VOTED ON AND LOOKED AT SEPARATELY.
[00:40:01]
THAT YOU CANNOT TAKE THE TOTAL AND MOVE THINGS AROUND.AND THAT'S WHY WE, WE DISCUSS THEM SEPARATELY.
IT'S VOTED ON SEPARATELY, AND THEN WHEN THE TAX RATE IS SET, IT'LL BE SET, UM, SEPARATELY FOR EACH OF THOSE, UM, TAX RATES.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU DIDN'T, IF YOU GUYS HAVE A QUESTION, ANY QUESTIONS? UM, COME ON UP, SIR.
YEAH, I GUESS WHAT STRUCK ME WAS THE, TO TO ACTUALLY ADOPT THE PROPOSED RATES THAT Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT, YOU WOULD'VE TO SLIDE MONEY OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND INTO THE LATERAL RHODES FUND TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT TO ME.
AND I'LL POINT OUT ONE OTHER THING.
EVERY ONE OF YOU, UH, I THINK WAS ELECTED THROUGH THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.
UM, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE TEXAS, UH, REPUBLICAN PLATFORM PLANK 91 SUBSECTION D, IT SAYS REPEAL THE UNUSED INCREMENT RATE.
OH, I'LL JUST, YEP, I THINK THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE.
AND YOU MOVED AROUND AND THEN WE DIDN'T ALWAYS GOT FIT ON THE
UH, ONE OTHER THING THAT I DO WANT TO MENTION IS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TAXABLE VALUE, AGAIN, YOU CANNOT JUST TAKE THIS YEAR, LAST YEAR AND THEN DO CALCULATIONS.
IT'S 80 LINES TO CALCULATE IT.
AND IT, THERE ARE ADJUSTMENTS OF WHEN YOU'RE GETTING TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, IT'S WHAT TAX RATE WILL GENERATE THE SAME AMOUNT OF LEVY AS THE YEAR BEFORE WITH THOSE SAME PROPERTIES.
SO THOSE PROPERTIES CAN CHANGE AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S THE DIFFERENT, UM, ADJUSTMENTS AND CALCULATIONS.
SO YOU, YOU CANNOT TAKE JUST THE RAW DATA AND TRY TO GENERATE A RATE OR PERCENTAGES BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL 80 LINES IN ORDER TO CALCULATE THAT.
AND YES, WE DO COLLECT A SALES TAX, BUT WE ALSO TAKE A PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION RELATED TO THAT SALES TAX, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THERE.
UM, AND ANOTHER THING WHICH WE'VE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, UM, THE COUNTY HAS BEEN ADOPTING A NO NEW REVENUE RATE, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE HAD DEBT SERVICE INCREASES RELATED TO DRAW DOWN OF BONDS.
SO EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS BOND ISSUANCE AND ADDITIONAL DEBT THAT WAS PAID FOR USING, STAYING AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, UM, AND THIS YEAR FOR DEBT SERVICE, THE COUNTY COULD ADOPT A HIGHER RATE.
HOWEVER, WE LOOKED AT WHAT WE HAVE IN FUND BALANCE FOR COLLECTIONS RELATED TO DEBT SERVICE, UM, AND REDUCED THAT.
SO ABOUT 1.75 MILLION WAS USED FROM THE DEBT SERVICE FUND BALANCE IN ORDER TO REDUCE THAT DEBT RATE.
I HAD A, A PROBLEM WITH THE, UM, WITH THE ELECTRIC COMPANY AND THEIR, UH, ALGORITHMS FROM THEIR MAP, UH, WAS REALLY WASN'T CHECKED AS WELL AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
WAS, WAS THERE A, UH, CHECK AND BALANCE ON THE RATES? I MEAN, DID SOMEBODY ELSE CHECK THE, THE FORMULA, THE ALGORITHM RHYTHM THAT CREATED ALL THIS? I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
I'M NOT THE CERTIFIED OFFICER THAT CALCULATES THE TAX RATE, BUT I DO, UH, WORK WITH THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT IN LOOKING AT THAT, BUT I CAN'T SPEAK ON THAT.
AND IT'S ALSO THE COMPTROLLER'S WEBSITE AND SOFTWARE, BUT I KNOW HE ACTUALLY USES TWO SEPARATE DIFFERENT SOFTWARES AND THEN WE LOOK AT THOSE AND COMPARE 'EM TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S GENERATING THE SAME CALCULATION.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK AT THIS TIME? COME ON UP, MAN.
[00:45:01]
IN CRESCENT.DID YOU SAY DEBORAH HENSLEY? DEBORAH HENSLEY.
UM, THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR SOLD FOR 1.5 MILLION AND WE CONSIDERED PUTTING OUR HOUSE UP FOR SALE.
AND THIS GOES BACK TO THE LADY THAT JUST YIELDED THE FLOOR.
AND I NOTICED THIS YEAR WHEN THE TAX, UM, INFORMATION CAME OUT, OUR HOUSE HAD DOUBLED.
AND I SAY THAT TO, UH, REITERATE WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID.
THAT SNAPSHOT THAT WAS TAKEN AT THAT TIME, THERE WERE SEVERAL HOUSES FOR SALE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THOSE HOUSES ARE NOT SELLING, NO ONE'S BUYING THEM, BUT THAT RATE IS STILL THERE.
SO WHEN MY INSURANCE WENT UP, TAXES GO UP, I CAN'T SELL MY HOME, AND I WAS ABOUT TO PUT MY HOME UP FOR SALE FOR 1.2 MILLION, AND IMMEDIATELY THE BOTTOM FELL OUT.
SO IT GOES BACK TO WHAT SHE SAID, WE ARE KIND OF IN A CRISIS, NOT JUST IN PARKER COUNTY, THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE OF OMICS OR WHATEVER WE WANT TO CALL IT, IS IMPOSING A BURDEN THAT LIKE I'VE NEVER SEEN IN MY YEARS HERE ON THIS EARTH.
AND I SUSPECT WE ARE HEADED TO A, UH, DEPRESSION, NOT JUST A RECESSION, BUT A DEPRESSION.
AND I WOULD ASK THIS, UH, COUNCIL THAT YOU GUYS CONSIDER WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING, IT, IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN PEOPLE GETTING RAISES AND AS MANY OF US ARE RETIRED, WE DON'T GET RAISES ON OUR PENSIONS AND, UM, SOCIAL SECURITY, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE SAY ABOUT THAT? UH, SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU GUYS CONSIDER THIS.
AND, AND GOING BACK TO WHAT LARRY WAS SAYING ABOUT ELECTIONS, UH, OR OUR, UM, VOTING, I PULLED THE, UH, CAST VOTE RECORD FOR PARKER COUNTY FOR THE YEAR 2020.
AND, UM, THE REPUBLICAN SIDE LOST VOTES.
THERE WAS 3,614 VOTES MOVED ON AN AG ALGORITHM.
SO THERE'S THINGS GOING ON IN THE SYSTEM, UH, THAT ARE NOT RIGHT.
AND ALTHOUGH I WORKED, UH, THE VOTING BOOTH LAST YEAR, I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING OBVIOUS, BUT WE KNOW THAT THINGS ARE GOING ON.
AND FOR 3,600 VOTES TO BE MOVED IN PARKER COUNTY, FROM REPUBLICANS TO DEMOCRATS, UH, AND ALL OVER TEXAS, WE SAW THE SAME THING.
I THINK HARRIS COUNTY LOST LIKE 135,000 VOTES FROM REPUBLICANS TO DEMOCRATS.
SO THERE'S THINGS GOING ON, AND I WOULD ASK THAT WE ENSURE THAT OUR ELECTIONS ARE SECURE IN THIS COUNTY.
COME ON UP, COME ON, COME ON UP, MA'AM.
I HAVE ONE MORE THING TO SAY, AND THAT IS, IF YOU GET UP AND YOU, WHEN YOU GO TO THE DIFFERENT STORES AND STUFF, I AM SEEING MORE AND MORE ELDERLY PEOPLE THAT ARE RETIRED THAT ARE HAVING TO GO BACK TO WORK.
PEOPLE HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE.
IT'S TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE.
AND I WANNA GO BACK TO PAPER BALLOTS.
ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? I APPRECIATE THE INPUT.
I APPRECIATE THE, UH, ENGAGEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY AND IN COMING HERE CARING ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LISTEN TO EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE SAYING BECAUSE OF WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US.
SO, UH, DON'T WALK OUTTA HERE.
AND, AND AGAIN, THIS IS YOUR TIME.
UH, WE'VE BEEN IN A PUBLIC HEARING SINCE I'M 32, WHICH IS A LENGTHY TIME.
BUT, UH, THAT TELLS ME THAT, UH, WE HAVE AN ENGAGED COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS, DON'T, DON'T WALK OUTTA HERE AND THINK OF SOMETHING YOU WISH YOU WOULD'VE SAID.
UH, SO IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK BEFORE I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? I APPRECIATE AGAIN YOUR INPUT.
UM, I'M ABOUT TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, THE LAST CALL.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, LET THE RECORD SHOW AT 10 0 9 AND GO TO THE ITEM WHICH WOULD BE ON
[IV.B. Discuss Proposed Tax Rate for FY2023-2024.]
ITEM B, DISCUSS THE[00:50:01]
PROPOSED TAX RATE FOR F Y 2324.I'M SORRY, I SAID IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS IT, THAT'S FINE, BUT THE ACTUAL SETTING OF THE TAX RATE WILL NOT OCCUR UNTIL, YEAH, I JUST REALIZED THAT.
YEAH, I WAS THINKING THANK YOU.
I, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I, I WISH WE HAD A WAY OF CALCULATING THE NUMBER OF, OF MAN HOURS THAT IT TAKES TO GET, UH, BUDGET TO THIS POINT.
THE, THE TAX RATE CALCULATIONS, UH, TO THIS POINT, BECAUSE IT'S, UH, IT'S A DAUNTING TASK AND IT, IT TAKES THE WORK OF, OF MANY PEOPLE OTHER THAN COMMISSIONERS AND THE JUDGE TO GET HERE.
UH, BUT I DON'T WANNA MINIMIZE WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A LARGE TASK AND ONE THAT I THINK EVERYBODY HERE TAKES VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND THE, THE, THE INDIVIDUALS HERE FROM THE AUDITOR TO PURCHASING TO THE TREASURER, UH, SLASH HR, THAT, THAT PUT THE INFORMATION TOGETHER THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE JUDGE TO MAKE THESE CRITICAL DECISIONS IS, IS, UH, THE BIGGEST TASK THAT WE HAVE OF THE YEAR.
AND ONE THAT EVERY ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, INCLUDING COMMISSIONERS AND THE JUDGE TAKE, UH, AS OUR MOST IMPORTANT JOB OF THE YEAR.
AND, UH, I I JUST WANT TO, UH, POINT OUT HOW MUCH WORK IT TAKES.
I WISH WE HAD A, WISH WE HAD A TIME CLOCK TO, TO KEEP TRACK OF THE AMOUNT OF MAN HOURS IT TAKES TO DO THAT.
BUT, UH, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS THE LARGEST TASK THAT WE HAVE OF THE YEAR, AND I WANNA CONGRATULATE THOSE AND THANK THOSE FOR THE PROFESSIONALISM THAT THEY HAVE PUT FORTH TO, UH, BRING US TO THIS POINT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS SIDE? OKAY.
ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE AUDIENCE? OKAY.
WELL, I THINK A LOT HAS BEEN SAID.
I THINK YOU'VE COMMUNICATED YOUR POSITION WELL, UM, COMMISSIONERS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT BEFORE I MOVE ON? SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE MIGHT BENEFIT FROM HAVING, UH, UH, MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE CALENDAR OF WHAT TAKES PLACE FROM HERE.
IF, IF, IF CYNTHIA WOULD HAVE THAT INFORMATION OR WITH, OR WITH, UH, JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE, THE DECISIONS COME ALONG LATER.
WE'RE IN THE STILL IN THE REVIEW PROCESS.
CYNTHIA, YOU'D LIKE TO COME ON UP OR WHOEVER.
I MEAN, WE, WE, WE, UH, WE HAVE A CALENDAR THAT, THAT ENDS ON THE 28TH, I BELIEVE.
I'LL TRY TO
WHAT IS IT EXACTLY? DO YOU WANT ME? IT, IT ENDS ON, UH, SEPTEMBER 25TH, WHICH IS THE ADOPTION OF THE FFY 2024.
IF YOU COULD JUST GO THROUGH THE IMPORTANT, UH, MEETINGS AND DATES THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN AND SPEAK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, CYNTHIA.
SO TODAY, UM, THE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST, UM, UH, THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO MEET, UM, ACCORDING TO OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT CO UM, CODE IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE TAX RATE.
THE NEXT THING WE HAVE TO DO ON SEPTEMBER 25TH IS VOTE TO ADOPT THE F Y 2024 COUNTY BUDGET, SET A TAX RATE, UM, AND SET THE ELECTED OFFICIALS SALARIES PER L G C 11 1 1 1 1 0.068.
AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THERE WILL BE A REQUESTED BUDGET AGENDA ON THIS FRIDAY THAT WAS, UH, REQUESTED PER 9:00 AM.
OKAY, SO FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND AT 9:00 AM WE'LL HAVE OUR BUDGET OR BUDGET COURT PRIOR TO ADOPTION OF THE F Y 2024 BUDGET
[00:55:01]
ADOPTION.IT FRIDAY IS, FRIDAY IS JUST TO GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE, FINAL NUMBERS, ALL OF THAT, UM, BEFORE ACTUAL ADOPTION ON MONDAY, SO THAT WAY YOU'RE NOT GETTING AN UPDATE THE SAME DAY YOU'RE ADOPTING THE BUDGET.
AND SO, UM, FOR THE ITEMS WE HAVE LEFT TODAY, IT'S ALSO IF ONCE WE GO BACK AND START ACTUALLY INPUTTING THOSE INTO THE BUDGET AND ALL OF THAT, IF WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR ANY CLARIFICATION, IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT COURT DATE HELPS US IN THE EVENT THAT OCCURS.
WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AT IS WE HAVE A MEETING ON FRIDAY TO CLEAN UP SOME THINGS, AND THEN WE HAVE AN ADOPTION ON MONDAY THE 28TH.
SO 25TH, RIGHT? AND SO FRIDAY IS THE HOPE IS JUST TO PROVIDE YOU ALL, HERE'S, HERE'S THE FINAL NUMBERS, BUT ALL, YOU KNOW, REST OF THE DECISIONS WE MADE TODAY.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT ITEM? OKAY, ITEM
[IV.C. Discuss/Approve General Fund Budget for FY2023-2024.]
C ON DISCUSS APPROVED GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR F Y 2023 AND 2024 THERE.ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? SO THE SPREADSHEET SHOULD LOOK FAMILIAR.
UM, WHAT THIS IS, IT'S THE SUMMARY OF CHANGES FROM THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO AT THE TIME THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS FILED, ANY SORT OF APPROVALS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE SINCE THEN ARE DETAILED HERE, UM, ON THE SPREADSHEET.
AND SO THERE ARE A COUPLE ITEMS THAT I WANTED TO BRING TO YOU, UM, YOUR ATTENTION UNDER THE MIDDLE SECTION, THAT BLUE SECTION, WHICH IS THE DEPARTMENTAL OPERATING ADJUSTMENTS.
UM, IF THE COURT WOULD LIKE TO, I HAVE REDUCED, UH, THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR, UM, A PROPERTY TAX REBATE OF 45,000 IN LOOKING AT THE UNCLAIMED CAPITAL CREDITS AND, UH, THE STATUTE RELATED TO THAT, UM, THAT COULD BE PAID UNDER THOSE FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE COMPTROLLER RATHER THAN HAVING TO PAY THAT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THAT WOULD BE A REDUCTION OF 45,000.
UM, AGAIN, IF THERE'S BEEN, UH, DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE COME TO ME AS WE'RE GETTING TO THE END OF THE YEAR, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SEEING, OH, I'M OVER POSTAGE LINE OR SOME OF THESE THINGS, UM, THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
I'VE, I'VE MADE THOSE ADJUST ADJUSTMENTS HERE.
UM, THERE WAS OH, ONE OTHER FOR BUILDING AND GROUNDS, BUT BEFORE WE LEAVE THAT THE, UH, $45,000, WHERE'S THAT MONEY GOING? UH, THAT WILL BE PAID OUT OF THE UNCLAIMED CAPITAL CREDITS.
I UNDERSTAND, BUT WHERE TO WHERE? 15, 15,000 OF IT TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? WELL, 15, THAT'S, THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THIS, SO I DIDN'T PUT IT IN HERE BECAUSE THIS SUMMARY OF CHANGES IS ONLY FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, AND SO IT IS GENERAL FUND, BUT I HAVE A LIABILITY LINE THAT SITS ON THE BALANCE SHEET.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT'S SHOWING.
SO THAT WOULD JUST REDUCE, UM, THE BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL FUND BY 45,000 RELATED TO THAT.
UM, AND FOR BUILDING AND GROUNDS, I'VE REDUCED AND, AND I SPOKE TO, UH, MARK WONG ABOUT THIS, UH, PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
UH, BUT THERE IS A SPECIAL FUND THAT WAS CREATED, UM, IT WAS EFFECTIVE 1 1 22 AND IT WAS, UH, PART OF THE CIVIL FEE CHANGES AND IT CREATED THE COURT FACILITY FUND.
UM, AND THOSE FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR RESTORATION CONSTRUCTION, UM, FOR COURT BUILDINGS.
AND SO, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S, I WOULD SAY REMODELING OF THE FOUR 15TH DISTRICT COURT IN LOOKING AT THAT STATUTE, UM, WE CAN USE THAT FUND TO PAY FOR, FOR THAT CONTRACT.
AND SO I'VE REDUCED, UH, BUILDING AND GROUNDS AGAIN, AND I SPOKE TO MARK ABOUT THAT BY 35,000.
AND THEN, UH, KIM WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR CAP, NON CAP.
BUT, UM, THERE'S BEEN SOME ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON, UH, VEHICLES AND SUCH THAT WE THOUGHT WE'D HAVE TO ROLL OVER INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED, UM, AS WELL AS ANY ADJUSTMENTS FOR CHANGES IN QUOTES THAT WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING FOR VEHICLES.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE TWO AT THE BOTTOM, IT SHOWS, UM, AGAIN, THE JUDGE'S PROPOSED BUDGET
[01:00:01]
WAS FILED WITH A NO NEW REVENUE RATE.AND SO BASED ON EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN APPROVED THUS FAR, IT WOULD REQUIRE USING 10 POINT, ALMOST 5 MILLION OF FUND BALANCE.
UH, BUT IF WE ADJUST THAT FOR, UM, THE PROPOSED INCREASE IN THE PROPERTY TAX RATE, THEN UM, WE WOULD ONLY HAVE TO USE FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT 3.7 MILLION.
AND SO IT'S JUST A SUMMARY OF WHAT THE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS, WHAT THE TOTAL APPROVALS ARE, AND THEN TO GET TO THE TOTAL ADJUSTED BUDGET AND THEN ALSO HOW THAT COMPARES TO THE CURRENT BUDGET THAT WE'RE IN.
SO IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY, IF WE KEEP THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE WITH THE EXPENSES THAT WE'VE APPROVED TO DATE AS A COURT, AS AS WOULD HAVE TO USE 10 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF FUND BALANCE? CORRECT.
WHAT'S OUR CURRENT ESTIMATED FUND BALANCE? THAT'S UNASSIGNED.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS, BUT UM, WHEN I DID THE ESTIMATE, WE STILL HAD A QUARTER LEFT AND I KNOW THAT HAS SHIFTED SO MUCH WITH ALL OF THE ROLLOVERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT, UM, I CAN LOOK AT IT, BUT I WANTED TO SAY IF YOU LOOKED AT WHAT WAS UNASSIGNED, BECAUSE A PORTION OF IT IS RESTRICTED, I WANNA SAY IT WAS ABOUT 29 30 MILLION.
AND AGAIN, IF WE, IF WE LOOK AT UM, YOU KNOW, A PERCENTAGE OF FUND BALANCE AS OUR BUDGET GROWS AND YOU LOOK AT A PERCENTAGE OF FUND BALANCE OF WHAT YOU NEED TO KEEP IN RESERVES, IF YOU USED, AND AGAIN, IF WE, WE USED ALL OF IT, THEN IT WOULD BRING US BELOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF OUR MINIMUM OPERATING WOULD BE.
AND SO AS WE GO INTO THE NEXT YEAR, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY SHOULD DO.
AND I KNOW I'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT REALLY HAVING A FUND BALANCE POLICY AND LOOKING, LOOKING AT THAT.
SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU CORRECTLY, WE WOULD BE SOMEWHERE AROUND $19 MILLION IN REMAINING FUND BALANCE IF WE KEEP THE NO NEW REVENUE WITH THE EXPENSES APPROVED SO FAR IN ALL THE TIME THAT COMMISSIONER WALDEN REFERENCED THAT WE'VE SPENT ON THIS AND THAT 19 MILLION WOULD PROBABLY BE BELOW WHAT WE AS A COURT, MY GUESS IS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH IN TERMS OF WHAT'S FISCALLY PRUDENT FOR THE COUNTY.
AND WHEN YOU'RE OUTSIDE, CREDIT AGENCIES ARE LOOKING AT THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY ALWAYS LOOK AT ARE HAVE YOU BUDGETED ANY SIGNIFICANT, UM, DECREASES IN FUND BALANCE AND THAT ABSOLUTELY WOULD BE, I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING ALMOST ONE THIRD OF FUND BALANCE.
SO THAT APPRECIATE THAT WOULD BE BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE LOOKED UP.
AT SOME POINT, PERHAPS BY FRIDAY, UH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW OF THE, UH, THE ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, APPROVED SO FAR, WHAT THE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE ARE, WHAT THE NUMBER IS THAT, THAT ARE GOING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO THAT WOULD MEAN POSITIONS APPROVED, UH, SALARY INCREASES, UH, VEHICLES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UH, 'CAUSE I SUSPECT IT'S A, A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE ARE, ARE HEADED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT ON THERE.
SO IF WE COULD, BY THE TIME WE WRAP THOSE UP, COULD WE ON FRIDAY MAYBE KNOW WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A HIGH PERCENTAGE.
SO I, I RAN THESE TRAPS AND THESE ARE NOT NEARLY AS PRECISE AS WHAT I'M SURE KIM AND BRIANNA WILL GET US, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE LAW ENFORCEMENT OF THE PROPOSED INCREASE IN OUR BUDGET LAW ENFORCEMENT IS ABOUT HALF RIGHT AT 50% ROAD AND BRIDGE IS ABOUT 26% E M S AND FIRE IS ABOUT 8%.
GENERAL HEALTH AND WELFARE IS ABOUT 1%.
SO IF YOU ADD ALL THAT UP, ABOUT 90% OF OUR INCREASES ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO SOME TYPE OF PUBLIC SAFETY, SOME TYPE OF PUBLIC WELFARE AND ROADIN BRIDGE.
LAW ENFORCEMENT TO INCLUDE JUDICIAL AS WELL.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT ITEM? OKAY, WE'LL GO TO ITEM E ON ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE SALARY REQUESTS AND OR NEW, DID YOU DO DELTA? DID YOU SAY D OR D? I'M SORRY.
[IV.D. Capital & Non-Capital Budget Requests Updates.]
SORRY.YEAH, NO CAPITAL, NON-CAPITAL BUDGET REQUEST UPDATES.
SO IF YOU'LL GO TO THE FIRST LARGE SPREADSHEET IN THE BUNDLE I GAVE YOU A COUPLE OF THE, UM,
[01:05:01]
DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROCURE AND, AND SECURE, UM, AND PICK UP A COUPLE OF VEHICLES THAT HAD IT INITIALLY BEEN LISTED ON THE ROLLOVER, UM, AMOUNTS.AND SO, UH, WE'VE REMOVED, UH, WELL PRECINCT THREE, CONSTABLE THREE AND CONSTABLE FOUR ARE BOTH PICKED UP VEHICLES THAT THEY HAD ORIGINALLY PUT ON THE ROLLOVER.
SO THOSE ITEMS HAVE BEEN REMOVED.
UM, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAD TWO VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN, THEIR ORDERS FOR EXPLORERS HAD BEEN CANCELED BY FORD.
AND SINCE THEN WE HAVE FOUND, UM, ALSO SOME VEHICLE TWO VEHICLES FOR THEM THAT THEY HAVE ALSO PICKED UP.
SO THOSE AMOUNTS HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE F Y 23 ROLLOVER.
UM, SOME ALSO SOME NUMBERS ON TAHOES HAVE CHANGED.
UM, WE, THE MANUFACTURER HAS INCREASED THE AMOUNT FOR THOSE TAHOES ABOUT $3,500 EACH.
SO, UM, THE PRICE INCREASE FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TAHOES FOR 19 TAHOES EQUATES TO 66,500.
THAT'S FOR EXISTING, UM, NOT NEW EMPLOYEE VEHICLES.
AND THEN THE TWO, OR I'M SORRY, THE FOUR FOR NEW EMPLOYEES, IT'S ACTUALLY TWO.
THEY ONLY GOT TWO FOR NEW EMPLOYEES, CORRECT.
THAT'S 7,000 PLUS THE TAHOE FOR THE LIEUTENANT POSITION, UM, WOULD BE 3,500.
SO THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL 10,500 FOR THE NEW EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? THE LIEUTENANT, YES.
SO, UM, WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME ADJUSTMENTS, ADJUSTMENTS, UM, TO THE REQUEST FOR VEHICLES FOR CONSTABLE ONE, CONSTABLE TWO, AND THE FIRE MARSHAL.
UM, WE'VE FOUND SOME ALSO THAT WERE ON THE LOT FROM THE SAME DEALERSHIP AND IT'S REDUCED THE AMOUNT THAT THEY NEED, UM, FOR VEHICLES.
SO CONSTABLE, I'M SORRY FOR FIRE MARSHAL, THEIR ORIGINAL REQUEST FOR AN AUTOMOBILE WAS 40 52,000, AND YOU ALL HAD APPROVED 46,784.
THAT VEHICLE, I'M SORRY, THE NEW NEW PRICE IS THE 46 784.
AND THE EQUIPMENT AND OUTFITTING ON THAT, UH, IS 39,972.
ORIGINALLY YOU HAD APPROVED $108,020 FOR TWO FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE.
UM, TAHOES, WE HAVE FOUND SOME FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE PICKUPS THAT WILL WORK FOR THEM.
AND SO THAT'S REDUCED THAT LINE TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND AND THE OUTFITTING FOR THOSE VEHICLES FROM 51,826 TO 22,000 SIGNIFICANT INCREASES BY THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
SOME ITEMS THAT STILL NEED TO BE VOTED ON OTHER THAN THE INCREASES OF THOSE TAHOES INCLUDE, UM, OUTFITTING FOR SHERIFF PATROL, THE 17,900.
WHICH PAGE YOU, YOU HAVE THE THIRD PAGE OF THE FIRST THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS.
THIRD PAGE IN THE GOLD SECTION WITH THE BLUE.
SO THE OUTFITTING FOR THE TWO VEHICLES, UM, THAT WERE ROLLOVERS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO PROCURE THIS PAST WEEK.
WE STILL NEED TO OUTFIT $17,900 WORTH OF OUTFITTING FOR THOSE TWO VEHICLES.
WE HAD ROLLOVER ITEMS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED YET THAT WERE ADDED SINCE THE LAST, UH, APPROVAL ROUNDS.
THAT WAS AGAIN FOR THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.
A LOT OF THAT WAS MOTOROLA RADIO EQUIPMENT, VEHICLE CHARGERS, SIX-WAY RADIO CHARGERS, RADIO PROGRAMMING AND PROGRAMMING CABLES FOR THE RADIOS.
UM, WE ALSO HAD SHERIFF PATROL STRAPPING FOR 10 VEHICLES, UM, FOR $475 EACH.
AND THEN STOPPING FOR ANIMAL CONTROL, UH, FOR, I'M SORRY, THAT WAS 475.
AND THEN OUTFITTING FOR THE EMMY'S OFFICE.
ALL OF THOSE EXPENSES THAT NEED TO ROLL OVER FROM THE CURRENT BUDGET, THEY WERE ALREADY BUDGETED FROM THIS PA THE CURRENT YEAR TO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR TOTAL UP A 30,000 338 42.
AND YOU'LL NEED TO VOTE ON THAT TO APPROVE THE ROLLOVER.
AND THOSE WERE, THOSE WERE ALREADY FUNDED.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT.
MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER HALE FOR, UH, APPROVAL AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CONLEY.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? PASS FIVE.
OH, THEN YOU NEED TO VOTE ON THE INCREASE OF THE TAHOES, THE 66 5 PLUS THE 10,500
[01:10:02]
FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE VEHICLES WE'RE SET.AND THAT WOULD BE THE NEW BUDGET? THAT'S IN THE NEW BUDGET AND MM-HMM.
$66,500 FOR PATROL CURRENT, NOT NEW EMPLOYEES.
IT'S VEHICLES THAT ARE, IT'S TAHOES THAT THEY, THE MANUFACTURERS INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF THE VEHICLE BY $3,500.
FOR, FOR 19 OF TO REPLACE EXISTING VEHICLES AND THEN THREE NEW POSITIONS.
SO IT'S 66 5 FOR THE EXISTING VEHICLES TO REPLACE.
AND THREE TAHOES AT THE 3,500 FOR 10,500.
DID YOUR PRICE INCREASES IN VEHICLES THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY ORDERED OR NO? YEAH, THEY'LL BE ORDERED WITHIN THE NEW BUDGET, BUT MARKER IN FOR THEM THAT ARE COMING.
AND TO REPLACE EXISTING VEHICLES.
YOU APPROVED THE VEHICLES ORIGINALLY AT, AT A LOWER AMOUNT, BUT IT'S INCREASED 3,500.
AND WITH THE U AAW STRIKE GOING ON, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FROM THIS POINT FORWARD.
JUST WORRY ABOUT, I GUESS AT THIS POINT WHAT WE, OUR NEEDS ARE AND HOPEFULLY THAT'LL RESOLVE ITSELF.
UM, SO TO CLARIFY, WE'VE APPROVED THE, THE NUMBER BUT NOT THE INCREASE.
AND THAT INCREASE AGAIN IS 66 5 FOR EXISTING TO REPLACE EXISTING VEHICLES AND 10,500 TO ADD THE INCREASE FOR THE THREE NEW VEHICLES.
SO THE 10,000, THAT'S THE INCREASE.
MR. COLLINS MADE THE MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
UH, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WALDEN.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? UM, SO WE ALSO, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL WANNA VOTE ON THIS TODAY OR WAIT OFF, UM, THE $150,000 FOR THE JUSTICE CENTER MASTER STUDY ARCHITECT THAT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED AS OF YET.
SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY ON FRIDAY TO YES.
I WOULD PREFER NOT TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT MEANS, I'M HOPING FRIDAY IS JUST GIVING YOU GUYS THE TOTAL 'CAUSE AGAIN, THAT MEANS I HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE BUDGET AND INCREASE AND BALANCE AND DO ALL THESE CHECKS AND BALANCES.
AND I WOULD PREFER NOT DOING IT LAST MINUTE.
YEAH, I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE DEFERRED OFF ENOUGH.
I THINK WE, WE UNDERSTAND AND HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT.
UM, IT'S CERTAINLY A CRITICAL NEED.
UM, IT'S SO PREVIOUSLY THAT, THAT HAS COME UP, PREVIOUSLY IT HAS AND BUDGET TALKS.
AND UM, WE'VE DISCUSSED IT THOROUGHLY.
UM, THE 150,000 THAT YOU STATE DID THAT JUST CAME FROM ONE COMPANY THOUGH, IS THAT CORRECT? I'VE GOTTEN, UM, INFORMATION FROM SEVERAL ENGINEERS, ENGINEER ENGINEERING FIRMS THAT HAD, WERE NOT PART OF THE LIST THAT PROPOSED THAT HAVE SAID TO EXPECT THAT TO BE.
THAT'S KIND OF THE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT, 150, PROBABLY CLOSER TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
IT WE NEED TO PUT THAT OFF FOR MAYBE NEXT YEAR.
WE KNOW WE HAVE, WE KNOW WE HAVE THE NEED, BUT WE DON'T HAVE IT TODAY.
UM, AND I GUESS THAT'S IT FOR CAP.
WE'LL MOVE DO OF ME ON ADDITIONAL
[IV.E. Additional Employee Salary Requests and/or New Positions.]
EMPLOYEE SALARY REQUESTS AND OR NEW POSITIONS.I GAVE EACH OF YOU A SHEET EARLIER THAT'S JUST KIND OF A CLEANUP FROM LAST WEEK.
UH, WHEN THERE WAS SOME ADDITIONAL RAISES ASKED FOR SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS, THE QUESTION CAME UP, WILL THEY GET 3% ON TOP OF THE RAISE? I HAVE EVERYTHING HIGHLIGHTED OUT FOR Y'ALL TO SHOW THE TOTAL COST OF WHAT WAS APPROVED LAST WEEK, AS WELL AS WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, THEIR SALARY IF THEY WERE TO RECEIVE THE 3% RAISE ON TOP OF IT.
UM, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THE COUNTY CLERK OFFICE DOES HAVE A POSITION ON HERE THAT IS HER SPECIAL FUNDS.
THIS IS, UM, REP, SHE PAYS THIS SALARY OUT OF REVENUES FROM, FROM OTHER THINGS IN HER OFFICE.
UM, THE LAST ONE ON THE LIST THAT IS THE FIRE MARSHAL SECRETARY.
SO SHE HAS BEEN APPROVED THE 3% KOHLER RAISE THAT WAS APPROVED EARLIER DURING BUDGET TALKS, BUT
[01:15:01]
THEY DID HAVE A REQUEST TO, FOR HER TO RECEIVE A 5% RAISE.AND SO THAT LAST LINE AND KIND OF THE BROWN WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE SALARY REQUEST WAS INITIALLY FOR 50,820.
SO SHE'S BEEN APPROVED TO 49,852.
AND I KNOW SEAN IS HERE IF Y'ALL LIKE TO TALK TO HIM.
GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS.
UM, YES, WE HAD INITIALLY REQUESTED A $2,000, UH, STEP FOR THIS POSITION.
UM, VERY IMPORTANT POSITION WITHIN MY OFFICE WITH BOTH DEPARTMENTS.
UM, I'M SURE THAT YOU HAVE, UH, ADMINS IN YOUR OFFICE THAT ARE, UH, PROBABLY KEEP YOU RUNNING AND KEEP YOU ON SCHEDULE AND KEEP EVERYTHING MOVING IN YOUR OFFICE.
UH, CURRENTLY THAT POSITION IS AT THE BOTTOM, TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, UH, OF SIMILAR POSITIONS WITHIN THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, WE HAD A $2,000, UH, STEP BUMP, UH, IN THERE SINCE UH, BUDGET WAS SUBMITTED AND WE'D, UH, UH, ASK THE COURT TO, TO, UH, PROVIDE THAT STEP INSTEAD OF A PERCENT.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR HER? THAT IS THE ONLY, UH, THAT IS THE ONLY REQUEST THAT WAS IN, IN MY BUDGETS WAS FOR THAT ONE POSITION.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THIS PERSON DOES AND HOW IT, HOW THIS PERSON ASSISTS YOU WITH THE E M S AND FIRE, ET CETERA, THE POSITION THAT YOU PREFER FOR, FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND, AND THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE? UM, SHE BASICALLY RUNS THE OFFICE, UM, DAILY.
SHE DOES, UH, THE BURN BAND, UH, NOT ONLY WITH FACEBOOK, BUT ALSO WITH, UH, THE TELEPHONE, UH, CHANGING THE TELEPHONE MESSAGE, OUTGOING EVERY MORNING ABOUT SEVEN 30.
UH, SHE ALSO HANDLES FACEBOOK HANDLES BUDGET FOR THIS OFFICE.
UM, DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES, MAKING SURE OUR BILLS GET PAID ON TIME, UM, HANDLES, WALK-INS, PHONE CALLS, UH, WHENEVER WE'RE OUT OF THE OFFICE, UH, SUPPLIES US WELL.
SO WHEN YOU SAY WALK-INS, SHE MAY BE THE ONLY PERSON THERE OR THEY MAY BE THE ONLY PERSON THERE? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND THAT'S KIND OF THE FACE OF THE OFFICE FOR WALK-IN PEOPLE WHEN, AND, UH, I'VE GOT A VERY, VERY GOOD ADMIN AND, UH, SHE'S VERY WELL DESERVED, VERY EFFICIENT, VERY HARD WORKER BECAUSE, WELL, UH, YOU HAVE A LOT OF WALK-IN PEOPLE.
WE, WE HAVE MORE, UM, SINCE THE MEDICAL EXAMINERS HAVE MOVED TO, TO THAT BUILDING AS WELL, THERE IS MORE WALK-IN TRAFFIC.
UM, SHE IS THE FACE, SHE'S NOT UNDER THAT BUDGET, BUT SHE IS THE INITIAL CONTACT FOR THAT OFFICE AS WELL WHEN FOLKS WALK IN.
SO SHE'S KIND OF, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT REALLY AN ISSUE 'CAUSE SHE'S THERE, BUT, BUT, UH, THAT TRAFFIC HAS INCREASED.
WAS SAYING, JUST THINKING THROUGH THIS, THERE COULD BE SOME COLLABORATION WITHIN MY OFFICE ON, 'CAUSE WE'RE DOING FACEBOOK.
I MEAN, WE PROBABLY COULD HELP WITH SOME OF THAT TO TRY TO, WE CAN'T HELP YOU WITH THE WALK-IN SO.
WELL, AND, AND THE FACEBOOK IS, IS DONE AT 7 7 15 TO SEVEN 30 EVERY MORNING.
IT IS DONE EARLY AND IT'S DONE SEVEN.
LIKE I SAY, WE CAN'T HELP YOU WITH THAT.
AND IT'S DONE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
IT, IT, SHE GETS IT DONE 99.9% OF THE TIME.
WITHIN THAT, SOMETIMES THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY, BUT NOT MUCH.
MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THIS REQUEST MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER HOLT FOR APPROVAL.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND MADE BY COMMISSIONER CONLEY.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM BEFORE WE VOTE? SO THIS IS ON THE SINGLE POSITION, SIR.
TELL ME WHAT, SIR, TELL ME WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TO GIVE HER A STEP OF $2,000 AS A, WHICH IS AN ADDITION OF HOW MUCH MONEY RIGHT NOW TO, FROM WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
SO ORIGINALLY HE REQUESTED $50,820.
SO IN SALARY THAT'S $2,420 FOR A TOTAL COST OF 29 40.
SO THE QUESTION IS YOU, THAT'S THE SALARY THAT YOU WANT.
'CAUSE SHE'D ALREADY BEEN APPROVED AT 3%, WHICH WOULD'VE BROUGHT HER, BROUGHT HER TO 49 852.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT A LITTLE BIT AROUND A THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE TO GO FOR THE REQUEST.
AND THEN IF THERE WAS, DO YOU WANT THE, ARE YOU ASKING FOR THE 3% ON TOP OF THE YES.
SO THEN OVER ON THE, SO HE IS ASKING FOR THE SALARY TO BE $52,345.
[01:20:02]
SO IT'S THAT STEP UP AND PAY THAT YOU REQUESTED PLUS THE 3% CALL UP.I HAD REQUESTED THE, THE, THE, THE $2,000, NOT KNOWING WHAT COST OF LIVING WOULD BE, BUT YES.
TO INCLUDE ANY COST OF LIVING EQUIPMENT.
AND THAT'S GET THIS PERSON MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT SIMILAR POSITIONS IN THE COUNTY.
UH, BECKY, DO YOU MIND JUST COMMENTING BRIEFLY ON HOW THIS COMPARES TO SIMILAR POSITIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY? YEAH, I THINK IF YOU EVEN LOOK ON HERE WHERE THERE'S ANOTHER POSITION AS THE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE RECEPTIONIST.
THIS IS PUTTING THAT POSITION IN LINE WITH THE CLERKS AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WHICH WE JUST ADJUSTED THAT SALARY YOU DID ON THAT.
IS THAT PARODY WITH THAT POSITION WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ON THE RECEPTIONIST? UM, I MEAN, I'M SURE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SEES PROBABLY A LOT MORE WALK-IN TRAFFIC.
PROBABLY DOES HAVE MORE PHONE CALLS.
BUT, UM, I MEAN IT'S, HE'S BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS POSITION UP FOR A LONG TIME AND HONESTLY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE RECEPTIONIST POSITION HAS BEEN UNDERPAID FOR A WHILE.
SO THE COURT GOT HANDLED THAT AND GOT THAT UP.
SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S COMPARABLE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION.
LALA, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK ON YOUR SPECIAL FUND? UM, YES.
UM, WELL, OKAY, BEFORE WE GO ON, UH, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? ON ITEM? UM, ON ITEM E? YES.
UM, SO ON THERE IS, UM, FROM FUND 71, I BELIEVE.
UH, WE HAD A PRE, WE HAD, UM, WE HAD PREVIOUSLY VOTED ON A, A RAISE.
IT WAS IN MY, UH, ARCHIVE FUNDS.
AND SO WE BROUGHT THAT POSITION UP TO 67,450.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HAVE THE 3% COAL APPLIED TO THAT ALSO.
AND THIS COMES FROM, UH, FUNDS THAT WE COLLECT IN RECORDS AND DEEDS.
SO IT WOULD BRING HER ON THE SAME LEVEL AS THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE SAME POSITION.
AND WHO IS, I'M SORRY, WHO IS THIS AGAIN? IT'S THE POSITION.
OKAY, SO IT'S THE NEW POSITION? YES.
SO THIS IS HER SPECIAL REVENUE FUND THAT SHE, YOU KNOW, HAS HAD THAT BUDGET ALREADY APPROVED THROUGH THE COURT THROUGH BUDGET SESSION.
SO, BUT NOW SHE'S ASKING FOR THE COLA MOVE TO APPROVE THAT ITEM MOTION MEAN BY COMMISSIONER COLLEY 1 71.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WALDEN.
WE'RE IN THE DISCUSSION PHASE AGAIN.
I'M SORRY, I'M, I'M TRYING TO JUST UNDERSTAND THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, SO IT'S ALREADY APPROVED, IT'S JUST CORRECT.
IT'S JUST THE ADJUSTMENT TO BRING IT UP AT PARITY WITH RIGHT.
AND SO THE, UH, YOU'RE ASKING, YOU'RE ASKING FOR THE ADDITIONAL 3% TO BE APPLIED AS WELL? CORRECT.
JUST BRIEFLY TELL US WHAT THAT IS.
FUND 71 IS A SPECIAL ARCHIVE FUND AND IT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR, UH, CERTAIN THINGS.
FOR INSTANCE, SO THIS EMPLOYEE ACTUALLY, THERE'S THREE EMPLOYEES THAT GET PAID FROM SPECIAL FUNDS.
SO IT DOES NOT COME FROM THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND.
SO THESE ARE FEES WE COLLECT OVER THE COUNTER WHEN WE RECORD A, A DEEDED, UH, BIRTH.
AND SO IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T COST THE COUNTY, IT'S FROM SPECIAL FUNDS.
IT'S MONEY THAT YOU COLLECT THAT FROM THE YES, ABSOLUTELY.
FROM THE ACTIVITIES OF THE OFFICE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR.
ANYTHING ELSE? ANY OTHER SECTION Y'ALL WANNA TALK ABOUT? OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON.
THE ONLY OTHER THING, AND THIS ISN'T A MONEY REQUEST, IT'S JUST ANY TIME THERE'S ANY SORT OF MOVE IN SALARY LINES OR CHANGING IN SALARY LINES FOR THE BUDGET, WE LIKE TO HAVE THOSE APPROVED THROUGH COURT.
AND SO OUR IT DIRECTOR RIGHT NOW, HE HAS, LIKE, IF YOU LOOK AT HIS BUDGET, HE HAS LIKE DIFFERENT POSITIONS IN THE BUDGET.
UM, I WISH EVERYBODY WOULD DO THIS, BUT HE WANTS TO MOVE IT ALL 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL JUST NETWORK TECHNICIANS.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE NOT, IT'S NOT ASKING FOR ANY MORE MONEY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST WE'RE GONNA CHANGE DISTRIBUTION LINES, THE SALARY LINES IN THE BUDGET TO MAKE THAT ALL OUT OF NETWORK TECHNICIAN.
IT'S JUST MORE REALLY OF A NOTIFICATION THAT THE AUDITOR, YOU KNOW, LIKES TO SEE.
UM, 'CAUSE THIS IS TYPICALLY SOMETHING THAT WE DO NOT, WE ONLY DO DURING BUDGET SESSIONS.
WE DON'T LIKE TO DO THIS MIDYEAR.
[01:25:02]
AND, AND BEFORE, AND I HONEST FOR MY DEPARTMENT, MINE IS SEPARATED AS WELL.I CALL ALL OF MY STAFF ASSISTANT COUNTY TREASURERS.
I'M ASKING THE SAME REQUEST AGAIN, NOT ASKING FOR MORE MONEY, IT'S JUST A ACCOUNTING CLEANUP.
BUT JUST A NOTIFICATION, YOU'RE JUST CORRECT.
WHENEVER WE GO TO A NEW SYSTEM, I PLAN ON DOING THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE? UM, NOT ON THAT, NO.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE REGARDING, UM, SO ORIGINALLY THE 3% COLA WAS GIVEN TO ALL NON-ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHICH INCLUDED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE STILL ASKED FOR A NEW PAY SCALE.
SO THE PAY SCALE WAS APPROVED IN THE LAST BUDGET COURTS.
BUT IT KIND OF CREATED A PROBLEM BECAUSE IF YOU LOOKED AT THE PAY SCALE, THERE'S SOME EMPLOYEES ON THE PAY SCALE THAT GET LESS THAN 3% INCREASES.
THERE'S SOME EMPLOYEES THAT GET ZERO.
SO AS A BUDGETING STANDPOINT, I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO PUT THEIR SALARY.
SO IS IT A 3% OR IS IT THE PAY SCALE? SO I GAVE YOU ALL SHEETS LAST WEEK, UM, THAT DID A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THE 3% DID, WHAT THE NEW PAY SCALE DID.
SO IF YOU ADD THOSE TWO FIGURES TOGETHER, THAT 600 AND ALMOST $653,000.
NOW I KNOW THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WANTED THE BASELINE TO BE THE NEW PAY SCALE AND THEN A 3%, 5%.
AND EVEN THE SHERIFF DISCUSSED A 10% AS WELL.
SO THE NEW PAY SCALE PLUS 3% IS A TOTAL COST OF ABOUT $613,000.
OR THE NEW PAY SCALE PLUS 5% IS ALMOST $764,000.
SO I JUST REALLY NEED DIRECTION FROM COURTS 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO PUT SOME OF THEIR SALARIES.
IT'S PROBABLY PROBABLY BE A GOOD TIME TO TAKE A BREAK.
HOW ABOUT THAT? OKAY, WE'LL RECESS AT 10 46.
LET'S PROMPTLY COME BACK AT TRY TO, LET'S PROMPTLY COME BACK AT BY 11.
CAN YOU GIVE US A COPY, SIR? IT'S SAYS SURE.
UM, I'M TRYING TO GET BACK TO OUR MEETING HERE.
UH, LET THE RECORD SHOW WE'RE GONNA RETURN AT 1102.
UH, WE'RE ON ITEM E, ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE SALARY REQUESTS AND OUR NEW POSITIONS.
SHERIFF'S OFFICE, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DO THE NEW PAY SCALE PLUS 3% FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE MOTION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO GET INTO DISCUSSION MODE? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE AND, AND CAN'T HEAR.
WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF THE NEW PAY SCALE COMPARED TO JUST THE 3% COLA? THE 3%, AND THIS IS 3% THAT ONLY AFFECTED THE PAY SCALE.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S MORE PEOPLE IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAN JUST THIS.
SO THE TOTAL COST OF THE 3% PERCENT IS 2 66, 2 20.
THE NEW PAY SCALE WAS 3 86, 2 82 0 5.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS AFFECTS THEIR INSURANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S GONNA ADD UP TO 6 52 4 25.
SO THE NEW PAY SCALE PLUS 3%, AND AGAIN, THIS IS GONNA BE PROBABLY HARD TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED OVER THESE NUMBERS AS MUCH AS I HAVE, BUT NEW PAY SCALE PLUS 3% IS ACTUALLY LESS THAN WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED IN A 3%, 3% AND A NEW PAY SCALE.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE THE NEW PAY SCALE FOR SOME OF THE, FOR A LOT OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS LESS THAN 3%.
SO NOW WE'RE KIND OF START THE BASE AT THE NEW PAY SCALE AND NOW WE'RE GONNA PUT 3% ON TOP OF THAT.
SO NOW DOES THAT MEAN SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ARE GONNA GET, YOU KNOW, SUBSTANTIALLY MORE THAN 3%? YES, IT DOES.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE
[01:30:01]
COMPARES AND LOOKS, AND I KNOW I'VE HAD NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AS WELL AS I THINK SOME OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE AS WELL ABOUT TRYING TO STAY COMPETITIVE.AND SADLY IN A TIME THAT THOSE ARE THE HARDEST POSITIONS TO GET FULL IS, YOU KNOW, TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS IS YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT POSITIONS.
SO, UM, THEY'RE TRYING TO STAY COMPETITIVE.
UM, BUT WITHOUT GOING TOO OVERBOARD.
YOU CLARIFIED, YOU CLARIFIED THAT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? AGAIN, WE'RE IN THE DISCUSSION PHASE, BUT AGAIN, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE LOOKED AT THIS FORWARDS AND BACKWARDS, BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR OBSERVATIONS EVEN REGARDING WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR IF WE DO THE NEW PAYSCALE PLUS THREE FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE NOT, UM, POSITIVELY AFFECTED? I MEAN, I THINK, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY I CAN THINK OF ONE PERSON ON THE PAY SCALE THAT IS GETTING ZERO.
SO THE FACT THAT ZERO PLUS THREE MEANS THAT PERSON'S GONNA RECEIVE A 3% RAISE NOW.
SO ANY OTHER POSITION YOU'RE LOOKING AT, BUT HE GOT RAISES BEFORE HE, HE'S AWARE THAT HE'S NOT GONNA GET ANYTHING.
THIS GUY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? YES, EVIDENTLY, AND IT'S, IT'S LIKE I SAID BEFORE, BUT NOW HE'LL GET 3%.
I WOULD HATE TO HAVE TO GET UP IN THE MORNING AND PUT ON A BULLETPROOF VEST BEFORE I GO TO WORK.
AND I WAS ACTUALLY QUITE PLEASED THAT A LOT OF THE THINGS THEY TALKED ABOUT PARKER COUNTY ALREADY DOES.
SO I THINK THE THING THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, NOW YOU HAVE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IS THE CITY AND COMPARING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE APPLYING FOR A CITY POLICE OFFICER JOB, ARE YOU ALSO GONNA APPLY FOR A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY JOB? AND IF THERE'S $10,000 DIFFERENCE IN PAY, WHICH ONE ARE YOU GONNA APPLY FOR? SO I KNOW THEY'RE TRYING TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE.
UM, YES, THERE'S GONNA BE PEOPLE ON THIS PAY SCALE, YOU KNOW, RECEIVE SUBSTANTIAL RAISES.
UM, I HAVE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT TRYING TO, BECAUSE THOSE POSITIONS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
THEY'VE WORKED HERE A LONG TIME.
THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, VERY TENURED, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEES HERE.
UM, TRYING TO FOCUS MORE ON THAT LOWER END OF THE PAY SCALE AND THAT RECRUITMENT PROCESS COMING IN.
UM, THE SHERIFF, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS STANDS FIRM ON THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE PROBLEMS HIRING ANYONE, BUT IT'S GETTING THEM TO STAY IN THAT TWO TO THREE YEAR MARK.
I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT HE WOULD SAY IF HE WAS STANDING HERE.
THIS MONEY NEEDS TO GO TO WHERE THE PAIN IS OR WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE AN OBJECTIVE OF, OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR OUR OFFICERS.
UM, AND WE CAN ONLY GO SO FAR.
AND WE, AND WE'VE CERTAINLY DONE THAT HERE IN, IN TRYING TO MATCH WHAT A CITY DOES, UM, HERE, UH, WITH WEATHERFORD, WHO DEFINITELY TAKES CARE OF THEIR, THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, MY CONCERN IS HERE THAT UH, THOSE, WHEN YOU CALL SUBSTANTIAL RAISES ARE GOING INTO THOSE AREAS THAT WE'RE NOT AT RISK.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT AT RISK OF LOSING THOSE OFFICERS OR THOSE, WE, THE LEADERSHIP OF THAT, UH, WE NEED THIS MONEY NEEDS TO BE WHERE, UH, THE RETENTION IS A FOCUS AND, AND TRYING TO, AND AS YOU SAY, COMPETE.
THAT'S MY CONCERN WITH THIS IS THAT, THAT THOSE DOLLARS NEED TO GO TO, UH, THOSE WHERE THE, UH, WE CAN ACHIEVE THOSE OBJECTIVES.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS, IS SUSTAINABILITY AND, AND, AND RETENTION, BUT NOT TO, UH, I I, IT JUST CONCERNS ME WITH THAT WORD SUBSTANTIAL AND IT JUST, UM, THOSE THAT, WHERE THAT MONEY DOESN'T NEED TO GO.
UM, THAT'S MY CONCERN WITH THIS.
WELL, THE SHERIFF NEEDS TO MANAGE THAT HIMSELF WHERE IT GOES.
I'M, I'M, UM, THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE SHERIFF, YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE CORRECT.
BUT THE WAY THE MOTION STANDS RIGHT NOW, THIS IS THE MOTION THAT'S GONNA GIVE UNLESS SOMETHING'S DIFFERENT WITH THAT.
WE, WE APPROVED THE NEW PAY SCALE THAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
AND YOU COULD JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT, THAT IT'S JUST THE PAY SCALE AND DON'T PUT ANYTHING ON TOP OF IT.
THAT'S WHAT I JUST NEED THAT CLARIFICATION IN THE MINUTES.
'CAUSE LIKE I SAID, IF I TRY TO PUT A 3% AND THEN WORK IN THE PAY SCALE, THEY WORK AGAINST EACH OTHER.
WELL, AND ONE LAST, LAST COMMENT.
ONE LAST COMMENT IS WE DON'T DO THAT.
UH, THAT WE FIND OURSELVES POSSIBLY IN A YEAR TO TWO YEARS AND WE'RE BACK IN A GOOD
[01:35:01]
POSITION AGAIN AND BEING LESS COMPETITIVE.AND SO THIS CERTAINLY GETS US TO MAINTAIN AT THAT CURVE.
I JUST, I THINK WE'RE JUST, UH, WE CERTAINLY NOT TRYING TO TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM THE, THE LEADERSHIP TIDE OR WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THOSE DOLLARS MAY GO WHERE WE CAN AND HELP US THE MOST, BUT, UM, WE JUST RELY ON SHERIFF ER TO WORK THESE DOLLARS AND TRY TO WORK THIS INTO WHERE WE'RE COMPETITIVE AND WE CAN RETAIN THESE OFFICERS.
SO IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? SO THE MOTION IS TO ADD 3% COLA INCREASE ON TOP OF CORRECT.
THE REQUESTED PAY SCALE? THAT'S CORRECT.
HE WANTED FIVE OR 10, BUT WE'RE GONNA GIVE HIM VERY, MAYBE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER, ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, ALL NEW PAPER MOTION PASSES.
[IV.F. Discuss/Approve Special Revenue Funds.]
F.WE'LL DISCUSS APPROVED SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
I HAVE ONE ON THE GENERAL FUNDS, OR I GUESS IT, WE COULD ACTUALLY DO IT UNDER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
UM, ONE DECISION THAT HAS NOT BEEN MADE AND VOTED ON YET IS THE J J A E P.
WHAT IS IT? YOU WANT TO KNOW? WELL, IF, I MEAN, THERE HAS TO BE A BUDGET APPROVED FOR IT.
SO AT THIS POINT THERE'S BEEN NO DECISIONS TO PROVIDE ANY FUNDING FOR IT.
AND SO FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO CREATE THE FUND AND LINES AND ALL OF THAT SORT OF THING I NEED, THEY DIDN'T GIVE US A A SET, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT.
WE NEEDED TO APPROPRIATE AROUND $850,000.
IS THAT CORRECT, JUDGE? WELL, BUT THEY MIGHT NOT USE IT ALL.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS HERE IS THAT THEY'VE GIVEN US A NUMBER UNDER THE WORST CASE SCENARIO IS THAT WE GET NO SUPPORT FROM THE ISDS, WHICH WE WILL.
UM, BUT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO APPROVE A BUDGET AMOUNT AND THEN, THEN THEY DON'T.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO WITH, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING, I GUESS.
BUT WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION I WOULD SAY IS TO, AND I'M ON THAT BOARD, UH, IS TO TAKE THEM OUT THAT THEY'RE GIVING US AND BEGIN THIS PROCESS AND WORK WITH THESE ISDS ON THE SUPPORT AND, AND THE FACT THAT WE BUDGET THIS, UH, WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND IT AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT NUMBER WILL BE DRASTICALLY LESS.
IN FACT, I MEAN THERE'S UH, THERE'S CONSIDERATIONS ON OTHER ALTERNATIVES THAT WE CAN DO FROM A STANDPOINT OF WHERE THEY GO, BUT THE FOCUS HERE ON THE BUDGET IS, IS THE RESOURCES THAT'S GONNA BE NEEDED TO, TO GET THIS THING OFF THE GROUND.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND I THINK THE ISDS UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, WE'RE WE'RE COMING INTO THIS THING WITH, WITH GOOD INTENTIONS AND TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND GET THIS GOING, UH, AS WHAT'S BEEN REQUIRED OF US NOW THAT WE UNDERSTAND.
UH, BUT I DO THINK THE ISDS ARE GONNA SUPPORT THIS, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A CHOICE TOO MUCH HERE THAT, BUT TO TAKE THE RECOMMENDED AMOUNT OF 850, I BELIEVE IS THE AMOUNT NUMBER THAT THEY GAVE US, I BELIEVE 8 48 I RATE DOWN, BUT IT DIDN'T HAVE THAT INCORRECT 840 IS BASED OFF OF THEIR STATEMENT THAT THEY HAD 80 STUDENTS IN A CALENDAR YEAR, BUT WE'VE GOT 10.
YEAH, ACCORDING TO THE NUMBERS THAT WE RECEIVED, IT'S ACTUALLY 10.
I THINK WHAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IS FOR US TO DROP THE AMOUNT THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING SUBSTANTIALLY BECAUSE WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE OUR BUDGET'S EXTREMELY CONSTRAINED.
UM, AND I I, I MEAN NO DISRESPECT TO THE J J A E P, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF WE HAVE 10 MANDATORY STUDENTS RIGHT NOW AND THEIR BUDGET REQUEST WAS BASED OFF OF 80 FOR 800,000, 840,000, THAT'S ABOUT 10,000 A STUDENT.
SHOULDN'T WE PAIR THAT DOWN? ABSOLUTELY.
BUT WASN'T IT 30 OR I DON'T, I DON'T REMEMBER THE 80.
WELL, 27 IS WHAT WE WERE TOLD AT ONE TIME AND AND ANOTHER TIME IT WAS BASED ON 75 TO 80.
WE HAVE 10 TODAY AT THE 840 UH THOUSAND.
WE COULD SEND THEM ALL TO T C U.
JUDGE DEAN, YOU BEING ON THAT BOARD, WHAT DO YOU, REALISTICALLY, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE INCENTIVE IS FOR THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PARTICIPATE ON ALL THESE THAT HAVE ZERO STUDENTS THAT ARE MANDATORY MANDATED? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
[01:40:01]
I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.I THINK THAT'S THEIR ATTITUDE.
UM, UNANIMOUSLY I WOULD SAY ALMOST, UM, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF US.
IN FACT, THAT NUMBER AND TO COM COMMISSIONER HOLT'S POINT, UM, AND THIS IS DELICATE.
I'M, I'M PROBABLY GONNA HAVE TO ABSTAIN FROM THIS, BUT THAT I'M, I'M, I'M THE MESSENGER ON THIS, THAT THIS IS WHAT THE NUMBER IS COMING TO US FROM THEM.
AND SO WE HAVE TO, WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE TO APPROVE IT, BUT WE HAVE TO RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, UH, FROM JUDGE QUISENBERRY THAT HAS GIVEN US, UH, THE NUMBER ON BEHALF OF THAT JUVENILE BOARD.
UM, SO WHAT WE CAN DO IS, IS PROCEED WITH THIS, UH, WITH A MUCH LESS NUMBER IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.
AND WITH THE ANTICIPATION THAT THE ISDS ARE GONNA BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AND, AND COLLABORATE WITH US AND WORK TOGETHER ON SHARING RESOURCES, UH, WE CAN TO THE POINT TO GET THAT NUMBER DOWN.
I WOULD SAY THAT THAT NUMBER WOULD BE EASILY CUT IN HALF OR LESS.
UH, IF WE GET THE COLLABORATION ONE, MY CONCERN IS, IS IF WE DON'T, UM, WE'RE JUST TAKING THE NUMBER THAT THEY HAVE GIVEN US AND RESPECT THAT.
BUT MY, BRIANNA, I HAVE A QUESTION.
IF WE CREATE A FUND FOR THIS AND LET'S SAY WE PASS WITH A CERTAIN NUMBER TODAY AND WE COME ACROSS INFORMATION LATER IN THE YEAR, CAN WE INCREASE THAT NUMBER FROM THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IF WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO? NO, NOT DURING THE YEAR.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO BUDGET IT IN CONTINGENCY, BUT IT COULD COME FROM CONTINGENCY, RIGHT? SO WE WOULD HAVE TO, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IS YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT WE'RE GONNA BUDGET IN CONTINGENCY.
SO I'M GONNA MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE SET ASIDE $150,000 FOR THE J J A E P FOR THIS YEAR.
I'LL, I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION.
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT THE EXPENDITURES NEED TO COME BEFORE COURT BEFORE THEY'RE APPROVED.
THE REASON THAT I'M PUTTING THAT NUMBER OUT THERE IS I'D, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE ISDS STEP UP WITH HELP WITH FUNDING AND THEY'VE INDICATED THAT THEY WANT TO, I THINK THAT IF WE PUT OUT TOO MUCH AT THE BEGINNING, THAT DISINCENTIVIZES THEM TO, UH, STEP UP AS WELL.
SO WOULD THE FAIR MOTION FOR ME TO RECORD THAT, UH, YOUR MOTION IS TO SET ASIDE $150,000 IN EXPENSES HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE COURT? YES MA'AM.
TO, TO CLARIFY, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND WE DISCUSSION PHASE HERE AND TO COMMISSIONER WALDEN'S POINT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE JUVENILE BOARD WILL FACILITATE AND RUN THIS FACILITY IN COORDINATION WITH THE ISDS, BUT AS THE COURT THAT MANAGES THE FUNDING, THE BUDGET, UH, FOR THOSE RESOURCES.
SO THIS MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO YEAH, WE'RE GONNA PROCEED WITH THIS, BUT WITH THE, THE, I GUESS WITH THE ABILITY TO INCREASE THIS IF THE WORST CASE SCENARIO HAPPENS, THAT'S MY CONCERN.
WELL, AND WHAT WE COULD DO, UM, IS BUDGET A TRANSFER, LIKE TO THIS FUND.
SO SAY BUDGET, HOWEVER MUCH OF THE TRANSFER AND THEN DEPENDING ON WHAT THE ACTUAL EXPENDITURES ARE, YOU JUST TRANSFER THE AMOUNT OF THE ACTUAL EXPENDITURE SO YOU CAN SET IT HIGHER AND THEN IT WOULDN'T ACTUALLY BE TRANSFERRED OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND UNTIL, YOU KNOW, THE END OF THAT FISCAL YEAR.
WE, WE DO THAT WITH, UM, THE COUNTY, UM, PORTION OF ADULT AND JUVENILE CURRENTLY FOR THOSE PORTIONS AT THE COUNTY FUND.
SO THIS COULD BE SET UP THE SAME WAY YOU APPROVE A TRANSFER AMOUNT BUT THEN YOU DON'T ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD, YOU KNOW, TRANSFER THAT FULL AMOUNT UNLESS ALL THOSE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE STATE'S MAKING THE COUNTIES BECOME DAYCARE PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE PAST THAT AT THIS POINT.
UM, WE HIT THAT TRIGGER UM, PROBABLY FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS AGO AND UH, AND UH, UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T KNOW THIS UNTIL NOW ACTUALLY.
UM, SO WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
SOMEBODY HAD TO KNOW BEFORE NOW THEY DID AND, AND UM, IT WAS NOT ARTICULATED TO THE BOARD OF WHICH I'VE BEEN ON NOW FOR OVER FIVE YEARS.
UM, SO, UM, TO THE POINT HERE AT HAND, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? IS VILLE, I SAW THAT THEY'RE BLANK HERE TODAY.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW ANY STATUS ON THEM? NO.
REACHED TO ALL THE ISDS AND THEY'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN'T REACH BACK OUT.
ACTUALLY I SAID, UM, I SURE TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN MANDATORY AND DISCRETIONARY, THEY ALL REACHED OUT EXCEPT FOR, UH, I'M GONNA ASSUME THEIR NUMBER'S ZERO.
SO ONE, ONE OTHER THING IN THIS MOTION, UM, IS THAT REGARDLESS OF WHEREVER WE THEY GO, THERE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE SOME, SOME LEVEL OF PREPARATION ON OUR PART.
UH, BECAUSE THE ONE THING THAT WE SOLELY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IS THE FACILITY.
SO, UH, FOCUS ON, I GUESS IN THIS MOTION IS THAT WILL THAT COVER THE PREPARATION IN GETTING THIS, THIS FACILITY?
[01:45:01]
AND WE'RE NOT SAYING IT'S GONNA GO IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHETHER FOR PD BUILDING OR ANYWHERE ELSE, BUT THERE IS GONNA HAVE TO BE SOME FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE BUILDING TO BE READY FOR THESE STUDENTS TO COME INTO.JUST AND OTHER THAN SITTING HERE IN COURT, I HAVEN'T HAD, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW THAT A DETAIL, THE ONE THING, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
BUT I BELIEVE WHEN THEY HAVE COME, THE REASON WHY THOSE NUMBERS IS HIGHER IS BECAUSE OF THE STARTUP COST RELATED TO IT, NOT NECESSARILY THE ONGOING OPERATING COST.
RIGHT? THE ONE THING I THINK IS IMPORTANT HERE IS TO, UH, GET A MEETING SCHEDULED WITH THE I S D SUPERINTENDENTS, UM, WITH MYSELF AND, AND SOMEBODY THAT COMMISSIONER WALDEN, YOU'VE BEEN A SUPERINTENDENT BEFORE AND, AND POSSIBLY A, A MEMBER HERE, UM, OF THE COURT TO MEET WITH THEM TO DISCUSS THIS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENTS.
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT MEETING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AND HAVE IT SOON.
SO THAT NEEDS TO BE SET UP, UH, WITH THE MOTION HERE, WITH THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE GONNA NEED SOME SUPPORT WITH THAT.
SO, UM, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION PASSES THREE TO TWO AGAIN, JUST TO CLARIFY MY ABSTAINING ON THIS, UH, I'M ON THAT BOARD.
UM, IT'S A BIT OF A CONFLICT HERE, UM, WITH THIS AND SO I JUST, I ELIMINATED THAT WITH THAT.
UH, THE OTHER ITEM, AND IF WE COULD JUST GO TO CAP, NON CAP THAT HASN'T BEEN OR ANY BUDGET APPROPRIATED TOWARDS IS THE RENOVATIONS FOR, UM, THE PD BUILDING.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S GONNA DEPEND ON WHO'S GOING IN THAT BUILDING, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHO'S GOING IN THAT BUILDING, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME COST RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, GETTING IT TO FUNCTION FOR THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE THERE.
AND SO AGAIN, MONEY HAS TO BE APPROPRIATED IF WE'RE GOING GOING TO DO THAT.
WELL I THINK WE JUST SENT A MESSAGE THAT, THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TO THAT BUILDING.
WELL I'M NOT EVEN SPEAKING TO ANY SPECIFICS, BUT IN GENERAL THERE ARE GONNA BE COUNTY PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA OCCUPY THE BUILDING AND IT FROM CONVERSATIONS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S GONNA BE HALF SOME SORT OF BUDGET RELATED TO REMODELING.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA DEPEND ON WHO'S GOING IN THERE, BUT YEAH, REGARDLESS WHO'S GONNA GO IN, IT'S GONNA NEED RENOVATION.
SO WE'VE BEEN THERE AND HAD SOME SIDE TRIPS SINCE IT IS COULD BE SUBSTANTIAL.
SO AGAIN, IF IT, IF NOTHING IS APPROPRIATED, THEN WE, WHOEVER GOES IN IT WILL BE GOING INTO IT AS IS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUOTES AT THIS POINT FROM BUILDING AND GROUNDS ON WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE? I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT LAST TIME WE WERE WAITING ON IT.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE ESTIMATE PER SQUARE FOOT WOULD BE AROUND THREE 50 A SQUARE FOOT.
BUT JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, IT DEPENDS ON WHO, WHO GOES THERE ON WHO'S TO ME USING IT, WHAT'S TUNNEL, WHO'S ME USING IT? AND THE EXTENT OF THE RENOVATIONS.
AND HOW MUCH IS DONE IN HOUSE AND HOW MUCH IS CONTRACTED OUT? WELL, WE'VE GOTTA DESIGNATE SOMETHING BECAUSE THE BUILDING CAN'T JUST SIT THERE EMPTY.
I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, IT, IT MIGHT NOT BE POSSIBLE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT, THAT WE FORESEE IN ONE YEAR.
BUT I THINK WE CAN MAKE IT WHERE IT'S USABLE, UH, FOR A LOT LESS THAN WHAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO SOME OF THOSE THINGS IN HOUSE.
AND UH, I'M GONNA MOVE THAT WE, UH, APPROPRIATE 500,000 TO THE, UH, RENOVATION OF THAT BUILDING MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER WALDEN, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CONLEY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? I'M SORRY.
OH, ANYTHING ELSE? UH, NO WE CAN GO TO
[IV.G. Discuss/Approve Precincts Fund 50 and Funds 1 -4 for Budget 2023-2024 fiscal year.]
APPROVED PRECINCT FUNDS.50 AND FUNDS ONE THROUGH FOUR FOR BUDGET.
OKAY, SO, UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS ON ROAD AND BRIDGE.
UM, THERE'S BEEN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TRANSFER FROM FUND BALANCE OR USING ROAD AND BRIDGE FUND BALANCE.
UH, SO WE NEED SOME DISCUSSION ON THAT.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS AT THE PROPOSED TAX RATE, THAT OBVIOUSLY INCREASES THE AMOUNT THAT'S GOING INTO ROAD AND BRIDGE FOR
[01:50:01]
ALLOCATION.SO SHOULD I ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS ACCORDING TO THE FORMULA OR SHALL I PUT IT INTO CONTINGENCY AND THEN DISCUSS? I JUST NEED, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID ON FRIDAY THE PLAN IS TO HAVE HERE'S, YOU KNOW, FINAL BUDGETS AND SOME OF THOSE INCLUDE THE PRECINCT BUDGETS.
AND SO I KNOW I'VE SENT YOU ALL, UM, PRELIMINARY BUDGETS AND ASKED QUESTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO GET THOSE TO FINAL.
AND SO I NEED TO KNOW ARE WE ALLOCATING ADDITIONAL FUNDS, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE OR HOW DO I PROCEED WITH THAT? WELL THROW SOMETHING OUT FOR A SUGGESTION.
WE HAVE THE 1.5 MILLION THAT IS IN EFFECT IN A FUND BALANCE THERE.
WE'VE ALREADY, UH, DISTRIBUTED THE, THE 1 MILLION TO THE TWO PRECINCTS.
WHAT IF WE WERE TO TAKE THE UH, ENTIRE TWO AND A HALF AND DIVIDE IT BY FOUR, THAT WOULD GIVE US ALL ABOUT 625, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING STILL TAKE GENERAL FUND? MM-HMM.
WELL ONE OTHER THING, AND I HAD TALKED TO CHRIS BOSCO ABOUT THIS.
UM, WE WERE RECONCILING BOND EXPENSES AND SO THERE HAD BEEN CONTINGENCIES SET UP FOR RIGHT AWAY.
UM, THAT NOW I, IN TALKING TO HIM AND I ASKED HIM, HEY, IF I PRESENT THIS, ARE YOU GOOD WITH IT? AND HE SAID YES, IS THERE'S A 2 MILLION FROM BOND FUNDS THAT COULD BE ALLOCATED AS DISCRETIONARY FUNDS ONCE HE CLOSED IT IS NOT THE GENERAL ONCE WE CLOSE THAT OUT INSTEAD OF RIGHT.
INSTEAD OF TAKING FROM GENERAL FUND.
AND AND THERE'S A, UH, I MEAN I, I'VE GOT SOMETHING SITTING OUT THERE THAT I'VE GOT A BUY RIGHT OF AWAY FOR A BRIDGE.
UH, IF WE'RE GONNA GET IT, THAT'S GONNA COME FROM MY BUDGET.
IT'S NOT JUST A, YOU KNOW, A MATCH EQUAL MATCH.
I'VE GOT A BUY RIGHT OF WAY FOR THIS BRIDGE.
JUST LIKE COMMISSIONER CONNOLLY IS YOU, HOW YOU'RE FUNDING, HOW ARE YOU FUNDING YOUR UH, RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION THERE, COMMISSIONER? SO MY MONEY THE FROM YOUR, FROM YOUR COUNTY PRECINCT MONEY, RIGHT? YEAH.
BUT I, I STILL THINK THAT WOULD BE A BETTER IDEA IF WE GIVE THAT MILLION BACK TO GENERAL FUND AND TAKE A MILLION FROM WHAT'S LEFT OVER IN THAT OTHER RIGHT.
SO THERE'S ROAD AND BRIDGE FUND BALANCE AND THEN THERE'S ALSO, AND WE STILL SPLIT THAT PORTION OF RIGHT OF AWAY, THAT WAS A CONTINGENT RIGHT AWAY, UM, IN THE CURRENT BOND THAT UM, CHRIS FELT LIKE WOULD PROBABLY THEN GET ALLOCATED AND PLUS THERE'S STILL 4 MILLION THAT IS SITTING IN ANOTHER FUND THAT'S HAS NOT BEEN TOUCHED AT THIS POINT YET.
AND AGAIN, THEN THERE'S STILL ARPA FUNDS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN UNDESIGNATED TO PROJECTS.
BUT I THINK TO UH, EQUAL LAST YEAR'S A FUNDING AMOUNT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THE TWO AND A HALF MILLION PLUS THE ADDITIONAL, UH, TAX RATE INCREMENT TO GET TO OUR, ON THIS SIDE OF THE TABLE.
THERE'S ADD ON THAT THERE'S STILL FUNDING.
IT'S JUST COMING FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES.
SO JUST JUST TO RECAP, 'CAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT, AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, WE HAVE A $1 MILLION TRANSFER FROM GENERAL FUND.
THAT WE'VE SPLIT, UM, HALF BETWEEN Y'ALL TWO, UM, AND ZERO ON THIS SIDE.
I'M JUST MAKING MAKING SURE THAT POINT'S REAL CLEAR.
UH, WE HAVE THE INCREASE FROM THE POTENTIAL, THE POTENTIAL INCREASE FROM THE HALF CENT ON THE ROAD AND BRIDGE.
CORRECT? WE HAVE TWO AND A HALF MILLION YOU SAID FROM TWO TWO, SORRY, 2 MILLION FROM THE, IS THAT THE 2016 BOND? RIGHT.
IT WAS A CONTINGENCY CONTINGENCY IN THE 2016 OR THE 2016 BOND.
AND THEN WE HAVE A MILLION AND A HALF THAT'S SITTING OUT THERE IN THE ROAD AND BRIDGE CONTINGENCIES.
THAT COULD BE OUT APPROPRIATED FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND AND YOU WOULD SAY APPROPRIATED NEXT YEAR? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? WELL, IT, IT'S, IT'S IN FUND BALANCE AND SO IN ORDER TO USE IT YOU HAVE TO APPROPRIATE IT.
SO IT COULD BE APPROPRIATED FOR NEXT YEAR.
BRIANNA, HOW MUCH HAVE WE IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, HOW MUCH HAVE WE TAKEN OUT OF FUND BALANCE FOR RUG BRIDGE? WELL, AT LEAST IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, I CAN'T REMEMBER PRIOR TO THAT I DON'T, I DON'T RECALL THAT THERE WERE TRANSFERS, BUT THERE'S BEEN $18 MILLION THAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED TO ROAD AND BRIDGE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR GENERAL GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES.
SO 4 MILLION FROM GENERAL FUND, UM, IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET, 4 MILLION THE PRIOR YEAR AND THEN 10 MILLION FOR ARPA, WHICH WAS UNDER THE LOSS REVENUE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR ANYTHING THAT A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY IS ALLOWED TO SPEND BY LAW.
SO THAT'S $18 MILLION IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
BUT IN THE, IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, UH, COMMISSIONER CONLEY LIKES TO REMIND US THAT 1 CENT WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM ROAD AND BRIDGE ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO AND NEVER, NEVER RE REPLACED.
WELL I BELIEVE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN PAID
[01:55:01]
BACK BECAUSE THAT WOULD'VE ONLY BEEN FOR ONE YEAR.SO IT WOULD'VE BEEN WHATEVER THAT ONE YEAR WAS.
SO MAYBE THAT WAS A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
IT GETS EIGHT YEARS, IT GETS CALCULATED EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
SO IT WOULD'VE ONLY MATTERED THAT ONE YEAR.
THAT IS THE ONLY YEAR THAT IT EVER MATTERED AND IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
WE SHOULD'VE NEVER EVEN TOOK THAT.
WHEN WHEN WILL THAT IT WOULD SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE ROAD AGAIN, THEY'RE SEPARATE TAX RIGHT RATES AND SO THERE SHOULD'VE NEVER BEEN ANYTHING GOING TO THE GENERAL FUND.
IT SHOULD'VE BEEN SET APPROPRIATELY THAT YEAR, BUT IT ONLY WOULD'VE AFFECTED THAT ONE YEAR AND I WOULD SAY IT WAS NOT $8 MILLION.
LET ME, LET ME ASK YOU THIS, BRIANNA, WHEN WILL THAT, UH, 2016 $2 MILLION BOND CONTINGENCY FUND, WHEN WILL THOSE FUNDS BE AVAILABLE OR ARE THEY AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW? UM, WE WERE RECONCILING EXPENSES LAST WEEK.
UM, AND SO CHRIS IS GOING THROUGH FROM WHAT I'VE SENT HIM AND SO HE'LL FINALIZE THAT.
SO I MEAN I WOULD THINK, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY THE FIRST QUARTER REALLY 'CAUSE THAT THAT WAS SITTING THERE A CONTINGENCY AND THERE'S NOT ANY ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY TO BE ACQUIRED.
I BELIEVE THERE'S ONE STILL PENDING THING RELATED TO RIGHT OF AWAY.
UM, AND SO THERE WAS ACTUALLY 3 MILLION DESIGNATED AND SO WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT, WE SAID LET'S HOLD THE 1 MILLION BACK BASED ON WHERE THE ONE FINAL ONE IS A NEGOTIATION.
AND SO HE FELT LIKE THE 2 MILLION COULD BE APPROPRIATED JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, DO YOU MEAN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE FISCAL YEAR OR FISCAL YEAR? NEXT CALENDAR YEAR.
AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IF THE BOND PASSES THEN THERE'S I BELIEVE 15 MILLION IN DISCRETIONARY FUNDS.
SO THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE REASON WHY I SUGGESTED A HALF CENT INCREASE TO THE ROAD AND BRIDGE IS BECAUSE I THINK AS MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS UP HERE WILL ATTEST, THE GROWTH IN THE COUNTY HAS ABSOLUTELY HAMMERED OUR ROADS AND IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP UP WITH THAT GROWTH.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE ROAD AND BRIDGE STAND ON ITS OWN.
I ALSO THINK THAT WE'VE GOT TO STOP AT SOME POINT GETTING MONEY OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
I UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE BEHIND WHY WE DID.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT WAS WRONG, BUT I'M SAYING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WE NEED TO PREVENT THAT GOING FORWARD IN MY OPINION.
SO I'D BE INTERESTED IN PURSUING THIS ONE AND A HALF MILLION THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN ROAD AND BRIDGE FUND BALANCE AND GETTING AWAY FROM THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
OR IF WE DO THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER, UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE LAST YEAR WE DO IT.
WE'VE GOTTA GET OUT OF THAT HABIT.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT ONE AND A HALF MILLION THAT WE'RE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT USING, THERE WILL BE A ONETIME, IT'S IN A FUND BALANCE AND UH, WHATEVER YOU'RE SPENDING IT FOR THIS ONE THIS YEAR, IF IT'S A RECURRING COST, IT WILL NOT BE THERE NEXT YEAR.
THIS WE HAVE THIS FUND BALANCE THAT'S BUILT UP AT THAT ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR RATE, BUT, BUT THAT'S OVER, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS THAT THAT'S ACCUMULATED, BUT THAT'LL BE A ONE TIME, ONE TIME TRANSFER EACH YEAR YOU GUYS SET A ROAD AND BRIDGE TAX RATE.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST, YOU KNOW, RECOMMEND LOOKING AT THAT TAX RATE EVERY YEAR AND LOOKING AT WHAT ADDITIONAL REVENUE CAN BE GENERATED FROM THAT.
BECAUSE ROAD AND BRIDGE HAS BEEN AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, SO IT COULD HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED TO PAY FOR, YOU KNOW, A PORTION OF SOME OF THESE TRANSFERS.
WE DON'T HAVE ABOUT HALF OF WHAT WE NEED TO GET THE JOB THAT WE NEED TO DO.
IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER AREAS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HIRING THIS WORKOUT THAT WE'RE DOING OURSELVES.
WE'RE SITTING HERE NOT IMPROVING ROADS, NOT DOING ROAD WORK 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT.
AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT COMES UP HERE TELLS US ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE THAT THEY CAN'T OPERATE WITHOUT IT.
YET WHEN IT COMES TO ROAD AND BRIDGE, WE BECOME THE STEPCHILD THAT GETS LESS AND WE SIT HERE AND WE FEEL BAD BECAUSE WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON EVERYBODY, ON ON, WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON OURSELVES, ON OUR PRECINCTS AND WE'RE MADE TO FEEL THAT WAY AND THAT'S WRONG.
THIS SHOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE DO RIGHT UP, RIGHT UP THERE WITH ALL THE OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY THINGS THAT, THAT ARE IN OUR BUDGET.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED, UH, I I I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO DO WHAT'S NECESSARY SO THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO EVEN HAVE AS MUCH MONEY AS WE HAD THIS YEAR COMMISSIONER IN OUR BUDGET.
UH, AND WE NEED THAT EVERY YEAR, NOT JUST AS A ONE-TIME TRANSFER.
WE NEED ALL WE CAN GET, AGAIN, I'LL JUST REMIND YOU FOR GENERAL FUND, IF THERE'S NOT FUNDING IN FUTURE YEARS TO DO THINGS, IT'LL EITHER BE RAISING RIGHT THE M AND O RATE OR ACQUIRING DEBT TO PAY FOR THESE THINGS.
I'M GONNA MOVE THAT WE TAKE THE, UH, $2 MILLION IN, UH, THE BOND CONTINGENCY MONEY PLUS THE ONE AND A HALF MILLION THAT, UH, IS IN A FUND BALANCE FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE AND DIVIDE THAT EQUALLY AMONG THE FOUR PRECINCTS MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER WALDEN.
[02:00:01]
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THAT OTHER MILLION BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.YOU'LL IT'LL BE MORE THAN THAT.
YOU'LL YOU'LL BE GETTING MORE THAN WHAT WELL YEAH, WE'LL GET THE ADDITIONAL, YOU'LL GET THE ADDITIONAL MILLION BACK TO GENERAL FUND.
PART OF THE MOTION JUST SO IT'S ALL OF THOSE THREE THINGS.
SO JUST SO THAT I'M CLEAR, WE'RE SPLITTING UP THAT THREE AND A HALF EQUALLY FOUR WAYS AND NOT TAKING FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
AND WE'RE TAKING, WE'RE STILL GONNA GET 500 FOR EACH PRECINCT FROM THE GENERAL NO, NO.
HE'S SAYING THAT WE DO NOT DO THE 500 FOR Y'ALL TWO.
WE SPLIT THE THREE AND A HALF EQUALLY.
MOTION AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER.
COLLEEN, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WELL YOU CAN MAKE AN ADDITIONAL MOTION AFTER THIS.
NO, THE, BUT THE AUDITOR REALLY WANTS THAT MILLION DOLLARS BACK IN GENERAL FUND FROM WHAT I'M GATHERING.
WE'RE DOING THAT AND WE'RE DOING THAT.
CAN I READ THE MOTION BACK PLEASE? UH, SO, UH, YOUR MOTION WAS TO UH, TAKE THE $2 MILLION IN THE BOND CONTINGENCY PLUS $1.5 MILLION FROM FUND BALANCE AND DIVIDE EQUALLY AND I ROAD AND BRIDGE FUND BALANCE.
DIVIDED EQUALLY AMONG THE FOUR PRECINCTS.
OKAY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? RESEND THE GENERAL FUND MILLION THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR PASS FIVE.
AND THEN WE DON'T NEED ANY LOUD NOISES LIKE THIS.
WELL YOUR, YOUR TOMMY WAS IMPECCABLE
SO THE LAST, UM, INFORMATION I JUST NEED FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE AGAIN BECAUSE THERE'S A PROPOSED TAX RATE ABOVE THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
DO I ALLOCATE THAT AS PART OF THE FORMULA? DO YOU WANT ME TO JUST PUT IT IN A ROAD AND BRIDGE CONTINGENCY? UM, MY CONCERN IS, ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL AREN'T SETTING THE TAX RATE UNTIL MONDAY.
IF IT CHANGES AND I ALLOCATE IT, THAT CHANGES EVERYONE'S BUDGET, THAT CHANGES FUND 50.
THAT YOU CAN PUT IT IN CONTINGENCY, THEN WE CAN YEAH.
I WILL PROVIDE YOU GUYS WITH UPDATES ON ALL OF THIS SO THAT WAY YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
UM, OKAY, BRIANNA, ANYTHING ELSE ON, ON THAT ITEM? NO, I THINK WE COVERED IT PRETTY WELL.
YES, I KNOW YOU OUGHT TO WANT TO DO THIS, BUT WE WILL GO TO ITEM FIVE AND I ASK FOR A MOTION.
A AYE RECORD SHOW WILL ADJOURN AT 1137.