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UH, ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2024.
UM, WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE AND SO WE'RE GONNA PROMPTLY GET INTO THE AGENDA HERE.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND TAKING AN INTEREST IN, IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO CONSIDER DISCUSSING,
[I.A. Public Hearing on Proposed Tax Rate for FY2024-2025. (Judge Deen) PUBLIC HEARING]
ACT UPON THE FOLLOWING AGENDA ITEMS UNDER ITEM ONE APPROVAL.BEFORE WE GO INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR AUDITOR TO COME UP AND KIND OF GIVE A SUMMARY A LITTLE BIT AS WE, UH, START THIS OFF.
SO I HAVE PROVIDED YOU ALL WITH A PACKET, AND THIS IS A SUMMARY OF ALL THE CHANGES.
SO WHEN WE STARTED THE BUDGET PROCESS OFF, UM, I STARTED WITH THE RECAP OF WHERE THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS, WHERE THE TAX RATE IS, WHAT THE REVENUE GENERATION AND ALL OF THE REQUEST.
AND SO THIS SUMMARY NOW GIVES YOU WHERE WE'RE AT FROM A PROPOSED TAX RATE, UM, WHERE OUR TOTAL BUDGET STANDS TODAY, AS WELL AS A SUMMARY OF ALL OF THOSE CHANGES AND APPROVALS THAT HAVE OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THE LAST, UH, SEVERAL WEEKS.
SO THE TOP PORTION OF THIS, UM, IS THE TAX RATE.
AND SO WE LOOK AT THE CURRENT TAX RATE AS WELL AS THE PROPOSED TAX RATE AND ALL THE DIFFERENCES, AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE GENERATION FROM THAT.
AS YOU RECALL, ON THAT VERY FIRST SCHEDULE I HAD, WE HAD A $2.2 MILLION DECREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND M AND O.
AND SO THAT WAS AT A NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
AND FOR EVERYONE, JUST, JUST TO GIVE A SUMMARY, THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS TO GENERATE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TAXES AS THE YEAR BEFORE THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE FOR THE GENERAL FUND INCLUDES YOUR M AND O, WHICH IS YOUR OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS YOUR DEBT SERVICE.
SO AS YOUR DEBT SERVICE RATE INCREASES, IF YOU ARE AT THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE, THEN YOUR M AND O IS BASICALLY HAVING TO PAY FOR THAT.
WHEN YOU DO YOUR TAX RATE CALCULATION, YOU HAVE YOUR NO NEW REVENUE RATE, AND THEN YOU HAVE SEVERAL ADJUSTMENTS TO GET TO YOUR VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
UM, PART OF THAT WE TAKE A, UM, REDUCTION FOR OUR SALES TAX.
SO WE HAVE A PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION FOR SALES TAX, AND THEN WE ALSO ADD THE DEBT SERVICE, THE VOTER APPROVED DEBT SERVICE ON TOP OF THAT.
UM, SO WHEN THE COURT CAME UP WITH, WHEN YOU ALL CAME UP WITH A DETERMINATION OF WHERE THE PROPOSED RATE WAS AT, IT WAS TO HELP COVER THAT DEBT SERVICE RATE.
UM, IF NOT, THEN AGAIN, YOUR GENERAL FUND IS PAYING FOR THAT VOTER APPROVED DEBT SERVICE.
UM, THE SECOND PORTION IS THE DEBT SERVICE.
SO LAST YEAR WE HAD, UM, 11.9 MILLION IN DEBT SERVICE AND THE, FOR 2020 FIVES DEBT SERVICE, WE HAVE IT ABOUT 16 MILLION.
SO THERE WAS A BOND THAT WAS VOTED ON, UM, BY THE VOTERS AND APPROVED $130 MILLION BOND.
AND WE DREW DOWN, UH, 80 MILLION OF THAT BOND EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND SO NEXT YEAR WE HAVE THE FIRST, UM, INTEREST PAYMENT ON THAT BOND.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE SEE THAT INCREASE AS WELL AS THE, UM, THE RATE NEEDED TO PAY FOR THAT DEBT SERVICE.
UM, ONE THING THAT WE LOOKED AT IN THE DETERMINATION OF THAT DEBT RATE IS WHAT FUND BALANCE WE HAD IN THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.
AND SO WE ACTUALLY PUT IN 750,000 OF FUND BALANCE INTO, UM, USE OF THAT IN ORDER TO DECREASE THAT DEBT RATE SLIGHTLY.
SO THIS NEXT PORTION GOES TO, UM, WHERE OUR ADOPTED BUDGET WAS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN, AS WELL AS NOW WHERE WE'RE AT IN OUR PROPOSED FINAL BUDGET.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A PROPOSED FINAL BUDGET OF 86,536,930, UM, WITH 8.6 MILLION OF THAT COMING FROM FUND BALANCE TO BALANCE THAT BUDGET.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT INCLUDED IN THAT BUDGET IS A $2 MILLION CONTINGENCY.
SO AS WE'VE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, UM, IF SOMETHING OCCURS DURING THE YEAR AND IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY DETERMINED BY STATUTE, THEN THE ONLY WAY TO PULL FROM, WELL, THE ONLY WAY TO PULL FROM FUND BALANCE DURING THE YEAR IS IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY THAT MEETS THE STATUTE.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE BUDGET A CONTINGENCY IN CASE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT OCCURS THAT DOESN'T MEET THAT REQUIREMENT THAT, BUT THAT IS THE NEED FOR THE COUNTY THAT WE NEED TO PAY FOR.
SO THE UH, DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND LAST YEAR'S BUDGET CAN BE PRETTY EASILY ACCOUNTED FOR, UH, IN THE $4 MILLION ADDITIONAL, UH, MONEY THAT HAS TO GO TO DEBT SERVICE TO PAY FOR THE VOTER APPROVED TRANSPORTATION BOND.
THAT'S 4 MILLION OF IT RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN WHEN YOU TAKE THE CONTINGENCY THAT WE'VE ADDED ON THERE, THAT'S NOT MONEY THAT'S GONNA BE SPENT UNLESS THERE'S AN EMERGENCY OR WHATEVER.
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VERY, VERY CLOSE TO WHAT OUR BUDGET WAS LAST YEAR.UM, YES, BUT THESE EXPENSES IN THAT MIDDLE OR YEAH, THAT MIDDLE SECTION IS JUST GENERAL FUNDS.
SO THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE DEBT SERVICE.
BUT IF WE LOOK AT THE RATES AND THE WHERE WE'RE AT FROM THE REVENUE, YES, YES, WE HAD TO ADJUST THE RATE.
'CAUSE IF WE DON'T ADJUST THE RATE AWAY FROM THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, THEN BASICALLY YOUR M AND O IS PAYING FOR YOUR DEBT SERVICE, YOU KNOW? YEP.
THE DEBT SERVICE RATE SHOULD BE SET APPROPRIATELY.
SO THIS NEXT PORTION IS THE SUMMARY OF CHANGES.
UM, SO FOR SALARY AND BENEFITS, THERE WAS APPROVAL OF ABOUT 2.8 MILLION.
AND SO THAT'S NEW POSITIONS, PART-TIME TO FULL-TIME.
UM, THERE WAS A COLA THAT WAS, UM, PROVIDED.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING WE DO IS ANY SORT OF INSURANCE CHANGES THAT OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO WE START OUR FISCAL YEAR, OCTOBER ONE, OPEN ENROLLMENT'S JANUARY.
AND SO, UM, BECKY AND HER OFFICE GO THROUGH AND ANY INSURANCE CHANGES THAT OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE UPDATE THOSE SO THAT WAY WE'RE MORE ACCURATE ON WHAT THOSE INSURANCE COSTS ARE.
AND SO THAT IS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN THIS NUMBER.
SOME YEARS THAT GOES UP, SOME YEARS IT GOES DOWN.
UM, THE NEXT PART OF THAT IS ABOUT 485,000 FOR NEW EMPLOYEE CAP, NON CAP REQUEST.
AND SO MOST OF THAT IS VEHICLES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AND THEN ANY SORT OF, YOU KNOW, COMPUTER DESK OR SOMETHING GOING ALONG WITH THAT.
BUT THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FOR THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, THE NEXT PART IS CAP, NON CAP, AND IT ITEMS ABOUT 5.6 MILLION.
AGAIN, WE HAVE THE LIST, UM, THAT KIM HAS PROVIDED TO GO THROUGH THAT, BUT, UM, A LARGE PORTION OF THAT IS, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLES, UM, SECURITY UPGRADES AND EQUIPMENT FOR IT.
AND THEN A LOT OF, UM, IT REPLACEMENT AS WELL AS, UH, RADIO PROJECT CONTINGENCY.
UM, THE NET OPERATING EXPENSE ADJUSTMENTS OF 1.1 MILLION, THE MAJORITY OF THAT WAS FOR OUR GEL.
AS YOU RECALL, THE, UM, RATE IN OUR GEL DAILY PER DIEM RATE HAS INCREASED AS WELL AS OUR CAPACITY.
NORMALLY WE ARE, UM, NOT AT CAPACITY AT THIS POINT.
WE ARE HAVING TO SEND, UM, INMATES TO OTHER FACILITIES.
SOME OF THOSE FACILITIES CHARGE MORE THAN WHAT PARKER COUNTY CHARGES OR WHAT OUR, UM, ADMINISTRATOR CHARGES US.
AND SO WE HAD TO REVISIT THAT NUMBER, UM, AND INCREASE THAT.
AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE INCREASE THAT WAS ALREADY IN THE BUDGET, WHICH WAS WHAT WAS THE INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR, DO YOU KNOW, FOR THE GEL? 4.7.
SO AGAIN, IF WE LOOK AT THAT INCREASE, A HUGE PORTION OF THAT IS, IS THE GEL.
UM, THE NEXT PART IS ROLLOVER ITEMS AND PROJECTS OF 1.2 MILLION.
UM, THE LARGEST PROJECTS THERE ARE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW ACCOUNTING SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE RENOVATION FOR THE NEW, UM, NEWLY ACQUIRED, UH, BUILDING FOR THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, THAT CONTINGENCY THAT I MENTIONED OF $2 MILLION.
SO THAT COMES TOTAL, UM, CHANGES FROM THE PROPOSED BUDGET OF 13.1 MILLION.
YOU CAN SEE THAT NET REVENUE ADJUSTMENT.
UM, THE BIGGEST PORTION OF THAT IS ADJUSTING OVER THAT NEW, NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
UM, AND THEN THE, WE WENT BACK, UM, MY OFFICE, THEY WENT AND LOOKED AT SOME OF THE PROJECTIONS THAT WE HAD FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND INCREASED THOSE.
IT'S ON THIS NEXT PAGE, ABOUT 360,000.
UM, THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS OUR INTEREST INCOME AND THEN SOME FEES OF OFFICE.
UM, SO THEN A RECAP DOWN HERE IS BASICALLY FUND 10 APPROVALS.
AND THEN I'VE INCLUDED IN THE CAP, NON CAP, UM, TOTALS THE, SO, BUT AS YOU RECALL, UM, SB 22 IS PAYING FOR HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OF THOSE VEHICLES.
SO I LIKE TO SHOW THAT AS AN APPROVAL, BUT I WILL ACTUALLY BE, UM, BUDGETING 500,000 OF THOSE APPROVALS INTO THE SB 22 FUND.
SO AGAIN, THAT MAKES A TOTAL PRELIMINARY FINAL BUDGET OF 86.5 MILLION.
UM, HERE YOU'VE SEEN THIS SEVERAL TIMES, UM, IS THE SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND SO WHAT I'VE DONE IS I HAVE HIGHLIGHTED, UM, ANY CHANGES FROM THE LAST TIME WE MET, OR YOU MAY HAVE A APPRO APPROVED SOMETHING.
AND THEN I'VE INCLUDED THOSE NUMBERS IN THIS SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL.
AND SO THOSE ARE HIGHLIGHTED, UM, IN YELLOW.
SO LIKE ON THE SALARY PORTION, I WOULD SAY THE BIGGEST PIECE THERE WAS, UM, YOU HAD APPROVED A CRIMINAL DEPUTY CLERK FOR THE DISTRICT CLERK'S OFFICE.
AND THEN ON THE 4% COLA, UM, INSURANCE CHANGES, THAT NUMBER ACTUALLY WENT DOWN ABOUT 50,000
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FROM WHAT WAS PROJECTED IN MY PRIOR ONE.AGAIN, ONCE WE WENT IN, ONCE BECKY WENT IN AND ACTUALLY ENTERED THOSE AMOUNTS INTO EVERYTHING, AND THEN I PUT IN MY SPREADSHEET, IT WAS ACTUALLY A DECREASE FROM WHAT WAS PROJECTED.
AND THEN AGAIN, WE KIND OF WENT, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH, UH, PREVIOUSLY THE DE DEPARTMENTAL OPERATING EXPENSES.
UM, I DID INCREASE, UH, ABOUT 15,000, UM, THE CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH THE PARKER COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
SO I EMAILED TO CONFIRM THAT THAT NUMBER HAD NOT CHANGED, UM, FROM THE PRELIMINARY AMOUNT THAT I WAS GIVEN.
UM, BUT THOSE NUMBERS ARE NOT FINAL UNTIL ALL TAXING ENTITIES SET THEIR TAX RATE AND TO GET THEIR TAX LEVY.
AND SO SOMETIMES THAT CHANGES.
AND SO I ADDED JUST A SMALL CONTINGENCY IN THERE IN THE EVENT THAT IT GOES UP AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN PREVENT HAVING TO DO A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT.
UM, I ALSO RE THAT WAS A $15,000 AD, BUT I CUT 25,000, UM, FROM THE TELEPHONE LINE IN THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL EXPENSE.
UM, WE HAVE CANCELED ALL OF OUR AT AND T AND LONG DISTANCE, UM, PHONE LINES AND THEY'RE BEING WHEREVER JAMES IS HOUSED, UM, IN COUNTY.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO ELIMINATE THAT COST IN THIS BUDGET.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THOSE CHANGES, UM, UNDER CAP, NON CAP.
UM, YESTERDAY THE, UH, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UH, WORKED WITH KIM AND I, THEY HAD REFRESHED THEIR QUOTES SINCE THEY HAD BEEN A LITTLE BIT OLDER, UM, AND TO CHANGE, OR PREVIOUSLY IT WAS, UM, 12, UH, DODGE DURANGOS THAT WERE APPROVED.
AND SO, UM, IT'S SWITCHED UP NOW WHERE IT'S SIX TAHOES AND SIX DURANGOS.
THE PRICES ON THOSE ACTUALLY DECREASED.
THE OUTFITTING WENT UP SLIGHTLY.
OVERALL, IT'S STILL A, UM, DECREASE FROM WHAT WAS APPROVED.
AND SO WE HAVE UPDATED ALL OF THOSE, UM, BUDGETS ACCORDINGLY.
UM, AND THEN THE CONSTABLE ONE ALSO, UM, RECEIVED A QUOTE, UM, REFRESHED IT AND IT WAS ACTUALLY A DECREASE AS WELL.
SO WE MADE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS WITHIN THE, UM, CAP AND NON CAP.
AND SO SOME OF THOSE, YOU COULD SEE THE HIGHLIGHTING, UM, THEY, IT IMPACTED THOSE NEW EMPLOYEE CAP, NON CAP FOR THOSE VEHICLES.
AND SO THOSE HAVE BEEN UPDATED ON THE REVENUE ADJUSTMENTS AS I HAD MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.
UM, THAT LAST ITEM, IT'S 373,285.
THAT'S ACTUALLY, UM, THE INCREASE, LIKE I'D MENTIONED.
THAT'S FEES OF OFFICE INTEREST, UM, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
UM, AND THEN THE ROLLOVERS, I'VE ADDED ALL THE ROLLOVERS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
UM, THE ONLY ONE THAT IS ON HERE, UM, THAT IS ON KIM'S LIST IS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, UM, NOTIFIED US THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET IT DONE, UM, BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND SO THAT'S $2,546 THAT WILL NEED, THAT WILL NEED TO ROLL OVER.
SO THOSE ARE ALL OF THE UPDATES, UM, ON THAT.
AND THEN THIS LAST SPREADSHEET HERE BASICALLY SHOWS WHAT THE CURRENT BUDGET WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, WHAT THOSE DEPARTMENTS' BUDGETS ARE, UM, WHEN WE STARTED THE JUDGES PROPOSED BUDGET, WHERE THOSE BUDGETS WERE.
AND THEN AGAIN, AS WE'VE GONE OVER CAP, NON CAP ROLLOVERS, NEW EMPLOYEES SALARY BENEFITS, AND ANY OTHER ADJUSTMENTS, UM, TO GET TO A FINAL BUDGET, YOU CAN SEE HOW EACH OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS BUDGETS HAVE CHANGED, UM, FROM LAST YEAR AS WELL AS WHEN WE STARTED THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
I HAVE SOME OTHER ITEMS, BUT WE CAN DO THAT PROBABLY AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR BRIANNA BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARING? THANK YOU, BRIANNA.
AT THIS TIME AT, UH, THE RECORDS SHOW AT NINE 14, WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE FOR FY 24 25.
UH, WE ARE NOW IN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
NOT EVERYBODY ALL AT ONCE BREAKS UP TO THE PODIUM, BUT, UM, WOULD, UH, WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND START THIS WITH SOMEONE.
OF COURSE, RICHARD, I EXPECTED THAT TO BE YOU.
YOU'RE SITTING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROOM.
WELL, THANK YOU RICHARD HEISER, UM, 1001 THISTLE HILL TRAIL.
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A LOT OF NUMBERS.UH, A LOT OF US DON'T UNDERSTAND A LOT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO, TO DEAL WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND WE CAN APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, BUT HERE'S THE, HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE FOR US.
UH, WE HAVE A BUDGET AS WELL, AND OUR BUDGETS HAVE, HAVE CONTINUED TO, WE HAVE TO KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL.
WE KNOW WHAT OUR INCOME IS, WE KNOW WHAT WE'VE GOT COMING IN.
NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS ONLY AFFECTING THOSE THAT PAID TAXES LAST YEAR.
YOU'VE GOT NEW REVENUES COMING IN.
IT'S NOT, I, I GUESS IT'S A MISNOMER TO ME TO CALL IT A NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL INCOME ACCORDING ALSO TO YOUR, UH, SALES TAXES AND THINGS THAT YOU GET.
SO LOOKING AT A BUDGET AND LOOKING AT THOSE NUMBERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UH, I WOULD HOPE WE COULD LIVE WITH THOSE.
WE KNOW TOO THAT THINGS DO CHANGE, BUT THE PROBLEM IS, UM, EVEN WITH A, WITHOUT A NEW APPRAISAL THIS YEAR, THERE'S CAP LOSSES.
UH, PEOPLE HAVE EVEN GOTTEN NEW, UH, APPRAISALS THIS YEAR.
I'M FOR ONE, I'M ONE OF THOSE.
SO, UH, I WILL SAY THAT I, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO AS FAR AS THE DISCRETIONARY SIDE OF THIS.
YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF DISCRETION AND EVEN WHAT THE DEPARTMENTS, UH, DO.
BUT THAT'S A, THAT'S A, A LARGE NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, YOUR RESERVES, UM, ARE FAIRLY WELL, YOU'RE HEALTHY IN YOUR RESERVES, AS I UNDERSTAND.
AND THE ONE THING THAT I KNOW THAT THERE'S A BOND RATING AND EVERYTHING ELSE, YES, WE PASSED, UH, A BOND LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, FOR THE TRANSPORTATION.
AND WE DO HAVE, THAT TO ME IS NON-DISCRETIONARY.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TO COVER THOSE KINDS OF COSTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT, UH, I REALLY FEEL THAT OUR DEBT SERVICE AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS WITHIN THE RESERVES.
WHATEVER HAS TO COME OUT THAT IF YOU STAY AT THE NON-REVENUE, REVENUE OR NON NEW, NO NEW REVENUE RATE, THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE, UH, A PROBLEM TO THE COUNTY THIS TIME.
SO I'M ASKING THAT YOU STAY AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE VERSUS WHAT THE PROPOSAL IS.
IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
UH, I AGREE WITH RICHARD AND, AND ADD MY SUPPORT TO THAT.
UH, ONE THING I WANNA SAY ABOUT THE RESERVES, I'M GLAD HE BROUGHT THAT UP, IS I'VE NOTICED IN A NUMBER OF THE BUDGETS, THERE ARE EXTREMELY HEALTHY RESERVES IN MANY OF THE TAXING, UH, AUTHORITIES AROUND HERE, THOSE ENTITIES.
AND TO A CERTAIN POINT THAT JUST SHOWS WHAT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IS AND, AND ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE IT IN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET, AS I UNDERSTAND.
AND WE HAVE A $2 MILLION ADDITION TO THAT.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT RESERVES ARE FOR, IS FOR RAINY DAY, IT'S FOR THE UNEXPECTED.
SO THIS IS KIND OF LIKE A BELT AND SUSPENDERS.
WE HAVE A RAINY DAY FUND, BUT WE'RE GONNA JUST SET MORE MONEY ASIDE ANYWAY, JUST IN CASE IT'S A REALLY RAINY DAY.
BUT WHEN YOU ALREADY HAVE EXCESSIVE, ONE MIGHT SAY RESERVES OR EXTREMELY HEALTHY RESERVES, YOU KIND OF WONDER WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.
BECAUSE AS EVERY TAXING ENTITY BEGINS TO DO THAT, THAT REALLY ADDS TO THE TAX RATE FOR ALL OF US.
THE SECOND THING IS, AGAIN, ON THE TRANSPORTATION BOND, ABSOLUTELY.
WE VOTED, WE KNOW THAT WAS GONNA RAISE TAXES, WE'RE GREAT, WE'RE FABULOUS THAT YOU'RE DOING THOSE PROJECTS.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AGAIN AT WHERE SOME OF THIS MONEY IS IN THE BUDGET, WE LOOK AT SALARY INCREASES.
NOW, THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT I LOOKED AT A FEW WEEKS AGO, 'CAUSE I WENT THROUGH THE COUNTY BUDGET LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM AND SAID, THIS BUDGET IS KIND OF LIKE, THERE'S NO WAY THIS BUDGET IS FANTASY AT THIS POINT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE 1 CENT INCREASE IN ANY DEPARTMENT FOR ANY PERSONNEL COST ANYWHERE.
AND IT ZEROED OUT EXPENSES FOR LINE ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN FUNDED AND BUDGETED EVERY PREVIOUS YEAR.
AND I SAID, WHY AM I LOOKING AT THIS? THIS IS NEVER GONNA BE THE BUDGET.
SO I'D ASKED IF YOU COULD PUT THE PROPOSED BUDGET OUT, BUT SOME OF THIS STUFF IN IT.
SO AS FAR AS LONGEVITY PAY, OKAY, I'M JUST GONNA DO IT AGAIN.
I WAS HERE LAST YEAR, SPOKE ON THE SAME THING.
YOU GUYS DO A GOOD JOB, BUT YOU'RE REALLY AT THE HEIGHT, THE TOP END.
I MEAN, YOU'RE LEADING THE CHARGE FOR SIMILAR COUNTIES.
AND LONGEVITY PAY TO ME FOR AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IS SENSELESS.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THE PAY
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IS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO FILE TO RUN FOR OFFICE.SO ANYWAY, I WOULD JUST SAY, UM, CONSIDER, AGAIN, NO NEW REVENUE.
I THINK THERE'S THINGS THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
THANK, HOW YOU GUYS DOING? UH, I'M AUSTIN.
HE, I LIVE AT 1616 SOMERSET LANE IN WEATHERFORD.
AND, UH, ME AND MY FAMILY ARE, ARE PRETTY NEW TO TEXAS.
WE ACTUALLY, UH, HAD JUST MOVED FROM COLORADO, UH, AND WE ESCAPED COLORADO BECAUSE OF RISING COSTS AND, AND THE INSANE, WELL, I DON'T WANNA GET STARTED ON THE POLITICS OF COLORADO, BUT IT'S GOING CRAZY.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE MOVED TO TEXAS BECAUSE WE CONSIDERED IT A FREE MARKET BASTION.
AND WE HAVE QUICKLY DISCOVERED THE CREEPING, UH, RATE OF TAXES THAT ARE, THAT ARE HITTING US.
IT MAY NOT BE OBVIOUSLY THE STATE INCOME TAX, BUT YOU GUYS OBVIOUSLY HAVE A LOT OF, UH, RESPONSIBILITY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR CREEPING, UH, TAX RATES, OUR PROPERTY TAXES.
IT ACTUALLY IS ABOUT THE SAME AS, UH, OUR TOTAL TAXATION IN COLORADO, WHICH IS NUTS.
SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S EVEN A COMPROMISE FROM WHAT I WOULD TRULY ASK FOR.
I NEED A, I NEED CUTS BECAUSE WHAT I SEE AROUND HERE IS A LOT OF BLOAT, UM, AND RESPECT TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THESE BUDGETS.
BUT, UM, WHEN I SEE GOVERNMENT THAT'S GROWING, I SEE SOMETHING THAT'S WRONG.
AND SO WHAT I TRULY WANT IS A REDUCTION OF SPENDING A REDUCTION OF OUR RATE, RETURN THE MONEY TO THE PEOPLE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, SO I MIGHT HAVE WASTED A LOT OF MONEY IN MY TIME.
I, UH, GOT A DEGREE IN ECONOMICS OF ALL THINGS.
UH, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY WORKING OUT FOR ME ON THAT TYPE OF SIDE OF THINGS, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED WITH ART LAFFER BEFORE AND, UH, AND ART LAFFER WOULD WOULD TELL YOU THAT WHEN YOU CUT TAXES, THE ECONOMY GROWS.
AND SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS ACTUALLY FREE THE PEOPLE, FREE THE ECONOMY, AND THAT WILL INSTITUTE THE GROWTH THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.
UM, LASTLY, I'LL STAY ON THE RAINY DAY FUND IS GOD PROMISED THAT THERE WON'T BE ANOTHER FLOOD.
YOU WOULD STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
I'M DEBORAH BLACK, ALL 31 20 HARWELL LAKE ROAD.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO FOLLOW THAT.
UH, I AGREE IT, THE RATE SHOULD BE CUT AT A MINIMUM.
AND AS I SIT AND LISTEN TO THIS MORNING, THE CATCHPHRASE OF VOTER APPROVED, VOTER APPROVED, WELL, ALL OF Y'ALL ARE WHAT HUSBAND APPROVED MARRIAGES AND ON AN INCOME OR YOUR, OR YOUR WIVE'S JUST ALLOWED TO JUST KEEP ADDING TO IT AND GROWING IT AND GROWING IT REGARDLESS.
UM, AND ONE THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT LAST YEAR, PARKER COUNTY APPRAISALS, THEY ARBITRARILY WENT IN AND REMOVED AG EXEMPTIONS ON PEOPLE.
I WAS ONE OF THEM, DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHY, SHOWED UP.
I DID PROTEST IT, I WAS ABLE TO GET IT EXTENDED ANOTHER YEAR.
THAT'S IMPACTING PEOPLE ON ME.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN A $2,000 INCREASE.
Y'ALL ARE CERTAINLY FINDING AVENUES FOR REVENUE, AND I AGREE THAT IT SHOULD BE REDUCED AT A MINIMUM, NO NEW REVENUE.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS, LARRY.
MY NAME'S LARRY BARTOL AT 10 51 HARMONY CIRCLE.
AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IN THIS DEAL IS THAT WE HAD A SPEAKER THERE AT OUR, UH, PARKER COUNTY CONSERVATIVES THAT BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR FOOD COSTS HAVE GONE UP WHEN WE GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, WE WALK OUT WITH A $40 SACK OF, IN A BAG THAT FALLS APART, OKAY? BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THOSE SAME COSTS HAVE GONE UP THAT Y'ALL ARE MANDATED TO DO FOR PRISONERS FOOD AND, AND, AND, AND FEEDING THEM.
AND ALSO, THERE'S ANOTHER BIG FACT THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT BE AWARE OF, IS THAT THE STATE HAS JUST PUT Y'ALL IN THE EDUCATION BUSINESS BECAUSE THEY'VE MANDATED THIS JUVENILE FACILITY FOR KIDS THAT CAN'T FUNCTION IN A REGULAR SCHOOL.
AND THE BOARD GOES CRAZY AND WANTS TO BUILD A $700,000 FACILITY FOR SEVEN STUDENTS, AND YOU CAN SEND THEM TO TCU FOR LESS THAN THAT.
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MANDATE, AND Y'ALL'S HANDS ARE TIED AT LEAST WHEN, WELL, I WON'T SAY THIS, BUT, BUT AT LEAST WHEN MY WIFE COMES TO ME AND WANTS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE, I AT LEAST HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON AND SAY, NO, IT, WE, WE CAN'T DO THAT.AND, AND I WANT TO APPLAUD Y'ALL FOR DOING THE RESEARCH TO LOOK FOR ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE MORE COST EFFECTIVE THAN THESE TAJ MAHALS THAT THEY WANT TO BUILD.
SO, I, I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T WANT COME HERE TO PRAY CAESAR, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO BURY HIM BECAUSE Y'ALL WILL BE DIGGING ON MY PROPERTY LOOKING FOR HIM.
ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE,
UM, THIS, THIS IS MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUR INPUT AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
MY ADDRESS IS 3000 EAGLES COURT.
I'M ALSO THE REPUBLIC, UH, EXCUSE ME, REPUBLICAN PRECINCT CHAIR FOR 3, 3 5, WHICH IS THE BROCK AREA.
AND, UM, I WAS RECENTLY ELECTED ON MARCH 5TH, AND DURING MY ELECTION PERIOD, I KNOCKED ON OVER 750 DOORS, AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO, UH, MANY OF THOSE, UH, HOMES AND SPEAK WITH MY CONSTITUENTS.
AND MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE SAID THAT THEIR BIGGEST CONCERN ARE TAX INCREASES AND HOW THEY'RE GONNA PUT FOOD ON THEIR TABLE.
SO I'M ASKING YOU, AND THAT'S JUST A PERSONAL EXAMPLE FOR ME, UH, IN MY, UH, IN MY PRECINCT, HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO THE PEOPLE IN THE WEATHERFORD COMMUNITY.
DON'T KNOW IF YOU VISITED THE PARKER COUNTY, UH, CENTER OF HOPE.
I WAS THERE TWO WEEKS AGO AND I DROPPED OFF FOOD AND CLOTHING, AND I ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH ONE OF THE VOLUNTEERS.
AND I SAID, TELL ME, TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON HERE WITH YOUR CENTER.
AND SHE SAID, WE ARE FEEDING MORE PEOPLE THAN WE HAVE EVER FED BEFORE.
IN FACT, I WENT ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE, AND IF YOU'VE NOT DONE THAT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO.
UH, THIS IS WHAT, UH, THIS WAS A QUOTE THEY HAD.
UH, AND THIS WAS BACK IN AUGUST, UH, QUOTE, LAST MONTH.
WE PROVIDED OVER 2300 PEOPLE WITH A MONTH'S WORTH OF FOOD.
AND THIS MONTH, EVEN MORE FAMILIES ARE RELYING ON US.
PEOPLE ARE HURTING IN PARKER COUNTY.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T GONE TO THESE AGENCIES AND TALK WITH THE VOLUNTEERS AND LOOK AT THE EMPTY FOOD SHELVES, AND YOU CAN GO ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE, AND YOU WILL SEE THERE'S A PICTURE THERE OF THE, OF THE EMPTY SHELVES TAKEN ON SEPTEMBER 9TH.
AND THANKFULLY, THE PEOPLE OF PARKER COUNTY DID STEP UP AND THEY PROVIDED FOOD.
BUT IF THIS CONTINUES, UM, EVEN THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE FUNDING THE FOOD BANK FOR THESE CURRENTLY, UH, IN NEED, THAT IS GONNA GO AWAY AS WELL.
AND SO WE ARE AGAIN ASKING YOU NOT TO HAVE ANY NEW REVENUE RATE INCREASE.
I LIVE AT 1 0 5 PIPER COURT IN CRESCENT.
I LISTENED LAST YEAR WHEN I WAS HERE, UH, WHEN THE YOUNG LADY WAS GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET, AND SHE MENTIONED THE AUTOMOBILES AND THE CONTRACT THAT YOU GUYS HAD IN PLACE HAD, UM, BASICALLY, I GUESS, BEEN BOARDED BECAUSE THE COMPANY WAS UNABLE TO FULFILL IT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN PRICING OF THE AUTOMOBILES.
AND I NOTICED THAT THE AUTOMOBILES CAME UP AGAIN TODAY.
SO WITH THAT SAID, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S GONE ON, THERE'S NOTHING CHEAP ANYMORE.
WHEN I LISTENED TO, UM, THE YOUNG LADY, IT REMINDED ME OF THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PASSED AND WHAT WAS REALLY FOR THE PEOPLE.
AND WE FOUND OUT THERE WAS NOTHING IN IT FOR THE PEOPLE.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT ABOUT, UH, PARKER COUNTY, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS OFTENTIMES WE HAVE INFLATION THAT IS MORE LEANING, NOT TOWARD THE PEOPLE, BUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE, THAT'S NOT A HIT.
I WORKED FOR A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR
[00:30:01]
AND I SAW A LOT OF IT.SO I AM CONCERNED WITH THE BUDGET, UH, CONCERNED WITH, UM, HOW MUCH MONEY IS BEING SET ASIDE.
I LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME AND IT'S PENSION, NOT SOCIAL SECURITY.
AND I DON'T HAVE ANYONE HANDING ME ANYTHING.
I WORK AT THE FOOD BANK EVERY WEEK, TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
AND IT'S THE SAME THING THAT I JUST HEARD LORI SAY, THIS COUNTRY IS HURTING, THIS COUNTY IS HURTING.
AND WHERE I LIVE IN CRESCENT, THERE ARE A LOT OF POOR PEOPLE THERE.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU GUYS, UH, CONSIDER, CONSIDER NO NEW REVENUE RATES OR DECREASING.
ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? GOOD MORNING.
I LIVE AT 3 3 3 7 ACORN HILL TRAIL IN WEATHERFORD, UM, A PRECINCT CHAIR TWO 60.
AND I'D LIKE TO REITERATE SEVERAL POINTS MADE BY OTHERS THAT I THINK ARE REALLY RELEVANT TO THE WHOLE DISCUSSION.
UM, I MOVED HERE FROM PENNSYLVANIA TO TEXAS BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT IS A BASTION FOR, UH, CONSERVATIVE POLICIES AND FOR, UH, RESTRAINT OF, UH, PROPERTY TAXES AND FOR CONTINUATION OF FREE MARKET CAPITALISM.
BUT THE POINTS THAT, SO THAT, THAT WOULD, UH, REITERATE WHAT AUSTIN HAD SAID.
BUT, UH, DURING THE CANVASSING FOR THE RECENT CAMPAIGN, UH, I KNOCKED ON MANY DOORS AND PEOPLE ARE HURTING.
UH, ONE OF THE GREATEST CONCERNS WAS PROPERTY TAXES.
I HEARD THIS REPEATEDLY DOOR AFTER DOOR AFTER DOOR.
THE, UH, AGAIN, ON THE MESSAGE, PEOPLE ARE HURTING.
UH, LORI TRAEGER POINT ABOUT THE, UH, FOOD SHELVES IN THE, IN THE LOCAL, LIKE THE CENTER OF HOPE.
I WAS THERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, UH, WORKING TO PROVIDE A MEAL.
THE FOOD SHELF AT THAT TIME WAS TOTALLY BARE.
I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE HAVE STEPPED UP IN THE MEANTIME, BUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE SERVING JUST KEEPS GOING UP AND UP AND UP, AND PEOPLE ARE REALLY IN NEED.
UH, THEY, IN REGARD TO THE COST OF LIVING IN WEATHERFORD, IT'S A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY.
BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LONGTIME CITIZENS WHO HAVE LIVED HERE, WHO HAVE MOVED A LONGTIME PARISHIONER OF MY CHURCH, HAD TO LEAVE AND GO.
SHE MOVED TO SOUTHERN, UH, COLORADO TO A VERY LOWER, UH, YOU KNOW, POORER AREA.
SO NOT EVERYWHERE IN COLORADO IS HIGH COST, BUT SHE COULD NOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN COLORADO.
AND SHE HAD LIVED HERE FOR 25 YEARS.
AND, UH, SO AGAIN, THE MESSAGE I, I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND MAINTAINING THAT.
UH, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY.
ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? GOOD MORNING.
I LIVE AT 37 46 WILLOW CIRCLE IN THE COUNTY.
SO I AM, UH, PRECINCT FOUR, AND I'M ALSO THE PRECINCT CHAIR FOR FOUR 15.
BUT IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL THIS MORNING.
UM, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUICK COMMENTS.
I DID NOT COME WITH THE INTENTION OF SPEAKING.
UM, BUT AFTER LISTENING TO SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE COMMENTS FROM MY FELLOW COUNTY RESIDENTS, UM, I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE EMPHASIS IS NOT SO MUCH ON THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY, YES, THE COUNTY IS GROWING.
WE'RE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE'VE GROWN AT AN INCREDIBLE RATE.
WE'VE HAD LOTS OF FREEDOMS, AND WE'RE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL, UM, THAT Y'ALL HAVE LISTENED WHEN WE HAVE SPOKEN.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS THE MAIN TAKEAWAY THAT Y'ALL HAVE LISTENED WHEN WE SPOKE, AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO HEAR IT.
YES, THAT WE HAVE THIS PUBLIC HEARING, THAT WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE BUDGET FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.
[00:35:01]
THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF ISSUING THE LINE ITEMS AND FIGURING OUT EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, HOW THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE INFORMED ON ALL OF THIS.HOWEVER, WE ALSO PUT THROUGH QUITE A BIT OF EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE ISSUE IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR AS CITIZENS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE ALL OF OUR COUNTY RESIDENTS HERE, UM, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR COUNTY IS, HAS THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE THAT HAS THE LOWEST POSSIBLE AVAILABLE PROPERTY TAXES.
UM, BECAUSE WE ARE, WE ARE BEING TAXED OUT OF OUR HOUSES AND HOMES.
AND WHEN TODD GOT UP AND SPOKE TO DOOR KNOCKING IN HIS PRECINCT ON, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES DIDN'T MATTER WHO WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES THAT I RAN INTO IN MY PRECINCT OF FOUR 15 WAS PROPERTY TAXES AND HOW ALL OF THAT WAS CONTINUING TO GO UP.
AND YES, YOU HAVE WHOLE FAMILIES NOW, SO YOU'LL HAVE, YOU KNOW, MOM AND DAD AND THEIR GROWN SON AND DAUGHTER, AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF THEIR GRANDKID IN THAT SAME HOUSE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE RATES ARE SUCH THAT THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO MOVE OUT.
SO IT'S NOT THE FAULT OF A CONSERVATIVE COMMUNITY SUCH AS PARKER COUNTY, HOWEVER, WE DO IMPLORE YOU TO EX, YOU KNOW, TO LOOK AT USING THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND TO BRINGING THOSE, THOSE ISSUES TO THE FOREFRONT.
SO JACOB HOLT, WHEN HE CAME TO, UM, CAME TO PARKER COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT OR PARKER COUNTY CONSERVATIVES AND GAVE US THE PRESENTATION, WAS VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THAT.
HE DID A GREAT JOB, BUT IT INFORMED US IMMEDIATELY OF, HEY, WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DO HAVE THOSE VERY SPECIFIC BUDGETS IN OUR OWN HOMES.
AND SO WE'RE JUST ASKING THAT Y'ALL, Y'ALL PUT IT FORWARD HERE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? THIS IS YOUR TIME.
UH, MONDAY, WE DO ADOPT THE RATE.
UH, AND SO YOUR INPUT AND FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT TO US.
UM, SO THIS AGAIN IS YOUR TIME TO COME UP AND, UH, DON'T LEAVE HERE AND WISH YOU HAD COME UP AND SPOKE, UH, WHEN THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
SO IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP? I'D LIKE TO SPEAK PLEASE.
DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 12 YEARS AS COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
WHEN I STARTED, OUR TAX RATE WAS, UH, AROUND 40 CENTS.
I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS IN FRONT OF US, OF ME RIGHT NOW, BUT ABOUT 40 CENTS.
THE, THE CURRENT RATE WE HAVE IS 28, UH, 0.7.
WE, WE HAVE, UH, CONSISTENTLY BEEN THE MOST CONSERVATIVE BOARD THAT MANAGES TAX MONEY IN PARKER COUNTY.
WE'VE HAD A, A REDUCTION EVERY YEAR EXCEPT LAST YEAR.
I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE HAD I HAVE SENT OR SO LAST YEAR TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.
UH, THE, UH, THINGS THAT YOU, YOU SPEAK OF ARE THINGS THAT WE AGREE WITH.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU IS THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY AT THE WRONG PLACE BECAUSE THE COUNTY PORTION OF YOUR TAXES ARE OF AROUND 16% DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE, IF YOU LIVE IN A MUNICIPALITY OR IF YOU LIVE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF PARKER COUNTY.
AND OF THAT 16% OF YOUR TAX BILL, THIS BUDGET THAT WE HAVE HERE, IF YOU LOOK DOWN HERE, UH, ABOUT 80% OF IT GOES TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TO THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, IT GOES TO PAY FOR THAT.
UH, WE ARE SITTING HERE IN, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS WE HEAR, BUT THE FIFTH GRAD, UH, FASTEST GROWING COUNTY IN THE COUNTRY, IN THE UNITED STATES WITH TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, WE, WE FLOATED OUT IN, IN FRONT OF YOU AND PASS THE TRANSPORTATION BOND TO TRY TO BEGIN TO WORK ON THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES THAT WE ALL FACE NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, I, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WE'RE, WE'RE HERE WITH YOU.
WE UNDERSTAND WE, UH, WE WOULD LIKE FOR THIS SAME AUDIENCE, THIS SAME CROWD, TO BE AT EVERY TAXING ENTITY, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE SOMEWHERE AROUND 65% OF YOUR TOTAL TAX BILL.
AND I'M, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IT'S, WHAT I'M TELLING YOU IS IT'S NOT US.
WE'RE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO HOLD THE LINE RIGHT HERE.
AND, UH, I'LL TELL YOU AGAIN, THERE IS NO MORE, UH, CONSERVATIVE BOARD REGULATING TAXES ANYWHERE IN PARKER COUNTY.
[00:40:01]
STAND BY THAT TO, TO ANYBODY.UH, WE ARE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN AND, AND, AND OUR NEEDS ARE, ARE GREAT.
UH, SPENDING, UH, RIGHT NOW HAVE BUDGETED 8.6 MILLION OUT OUT OF THAT FUND BALANCE.
AND, UH, I'LL TELL YOU THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT GETS BUDGETED AND WHAT IS ACTUALLY SPENT, UH, WE HAVE TO BUDGET THE MAXIMUM FOR IN CASE OF THIS, IN CASE OF THAT.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO, TO OPERATE OUR BUDGET THROUGH VERY EFFICIENT DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT DON'T SPEND ALL OF THEIR BUDGET EVERY YEAR.
THAT'S HOW THAT FUND BALANCE GREW TO THE NUMBER THAT IT IS.
WE'RE, WE'RE USING A LOT OF IT, A, A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF IT TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET THIS TIME AND HOPING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING.
LARRY BARTOLI VERY, UH, ELOQUENTLY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, LAST YEAR FOR THIS, UH, J-J-A-E-P, WE HAD A BUDGET OF $860,000 THIS YEAR, 560,000 OR FIVE 50.
AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE PRETTY CLOSE FOR JUST A FEW KIDS BECAUSE THE STATE TELLS US WE'RE GONNA GET SUED IF WE DON'T DO IT.
OKAY? WE HAVE 20 INMATES, ROUGHLY 20 INMATES, AND, AND THE CHIEF CAN TELL ME EXACTLY HOUSED OUTSIDE OF OUR COUNTY BECAUSE OUR JAIL IS FULL.
OUR JAIL COSTS, YOU'LL SEE HAVE GONE UP SOMEWHERE IN THE $4 MILLION RANGE, $4.8 MILLION THO.
THOSE ARE THINGS WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT.
AND JUST LIKE YOU, EVERYTHING THAT THE COUNTY GOES TO BUY HAS HAD A TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN THE PRICE.
EVERYTHING THAT WE GO BY, I, I'M, UH, FLOORED AT THE PRICE INCREASES THAT WE HAVE WHEN WE BUY PARTS, WHEN WE BUY ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO, UH, I WANNA COMMEND YOU FOR BEING HERE, YOUR INTEREST, BUT I'M GONNA CHALLENGE YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT AT THE RIGHT PLACE.
YOU, YOU NEED TO BE AT THOSE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES WHO CONTINUOUSLY YEAR AFTER YEAR SAY, OH GOSH, WE'RE USING THE SAME TAX RATE THAT WE DID LAST YEAR, WHO ARE CONTINUOUSLY AT THE TOP OF THEIR THRESHOLD.
OKAY? WE'RE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO MANAGE THE BEST THAT WE CAN FOR NOW, FOR THIS YEAR AND FOR FUTURE YEARS.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WE, WE UNDERSTAND WE'RE THE SAME WAY THAT YOU ARE AND WE FEEL THE SAME WAY THAT YOU DO.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S SOME COMMENTS I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AS WELL.
AND, AND FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO ECHO COMMISSIONER WALDEN'S, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT YOUR PRESENCE HERE.
I'VE BEEN ON, UH, YOUR COUNTY JUDGE NOW FOR SIX PLUS YEARS AND GOING ON SEVEN YEARS.
AND I'VE BEEN VERY BLESSED TO HAVE, UM, CONTINUOUSLY A CONSERVATIVE COURT THAT OF THE FOUR OF THE PAST FIVE YEARS WE'VE ADOPTED THE NO NEW TAX RATE.
AND WITHIN ONE YEAR WE DID, AND WE DID IT ABOUT A HALF A CENT INCREASE, UH, BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO PUSH MONEY INTO YOUR ROAD SYSTEM BECAUSE IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.
I MEAN, THERE'S PEOPLE DYING ON THESE BECAUSE THESE AREN'T THE SAME ROADS THAT WE WE HAD BEFORE BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH.
AND WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE, NUMBER ONE, YOU'RE DRIVING ON THE EXISTING ROADS THAT IS SAFER THAN WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED GROWTH.
PEOPLE ARE DYING ON THESE ROADS.
AND WE, THAT'S, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT THERE'S, WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION COMING UP AND, UH, EVERYBODY'S CONSUMED WITH THAT IT SEEMS. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE'S NOT A LAYER OF GOVERNMENT THAT WILL IMPACT YOUR LIFE SO FAST AS YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
SO YOUR PRESENCE HERE, UH, IS CRITICAL.
YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, IF YOU LIVE IN A CITY, UH, THEY SET A TAX RATE.
I WANNA COMMEND THE CITY OF WEATHERFORD.
THEY SET NON NEW TAX RATE AND WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON SETTING THE PRECEDENT IN PARKER COUNTY AS BEING THAT ENTITY TO DO THAT.
AND SO, UH, CITY OF WEATHERFORD WAS ABLE TO DO THAT.
UH, AGAIN, FOR THE FIVE YEARS WE HAVE DONE THAT.
AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO TRY TO DO THAT, UH, HERE AND, AND ADOPT THAT ON MONDAY.
AND, UH, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE BE HERE WHEN WE DO THIS.
BUT AGAIN, I WANNA, AGAIN, UH, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT YOU UNDERSTAND.
WE TALK ABOUT NEW REVENUE TO THE, HOW WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS IS, IS, IS A THRIVING ECONOMY WITH SALES TAX GROWING BECAUSE A NEW BUSINESS, AND I'M A BIG ADVOCATE OF BRINGING IN HIGH WAGE JOB GROWTH AND BRINGING IN NEW REVENUE ON THE GROUND, WHICH WILL GET THE TAXES OFF YOUR BACK.
AND PLUS IT PUTS 60% OF OUR WORKFORCE ON OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM GOING EAST EVERY DAY.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO REVERSE THAT AND IT'S WORKING.
BUT A LOT OF THAT, AND I WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN
[00:45:01]
FOR YOUR PASSING OF THAT BOND TO HELP US MAKE YOUR ROADS SAFER.BUT, UM, THE LAST THING I WANNA REALLY ADD HERE IS THAT IF IT'S POSSIBLE AND WITHIN OUR POWER, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS COURT, AND I WANNA REALLY COMMEND THEM, UH, FOR BEING VERY CONSERVATIVE WITH THIS BUDGET AND MEETING THE NEEDS OF A COUNTY, AS COMMISSIONER WALTON SAID, OF THE TOP 10 IN GROWTH IN THE NATION, NOT JUST TEXAS, BUT WE STILL REMAIN IN THE BOTTOM 10% IN THE STATE, IN THE COUNTIES WITH THE LOWEST TAX RATE.
SO WHILE WE'RE BALANCING THIS GROWTH, WE'RE STILL MAINTAINING A LOW TAX RATE.
WE HAVE A, WE'RE IN THE, WE'RE IN THE BOTTOM 10, BOTTOM 10% OF, OF THE TAX RATE OF ALL COUNTIES, 254 COUNTIES IN THIS STATE.
WERE IN THE BOTTOM 10% OF THAT WITH THE FIFTH FASTEST GROWING FIFTH TO SIXTH IN THE NATION.
AND THAT'S CRITICAL THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT.
WHEN SOMEBODY TALKED ABOUT WHO WAS IT, WAS IT, I SEE HERE, JUST NOTES, LORI, IT WASN'T YOU WHEN YOU TALKED.
TALKING ABOUT YOUR OWN RESPECTIVE BUDGETS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE OUR BOSS.
WE DON'T OWN THE CHAIRS WE SIT IN, YOU DO.
AND SO AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT.
WE'RE GONNA KEEP IN MIND THAT IT IS YOUR BUDGETS, UH, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT PAYS US AND DOES, WITH THE THINGS THAT WE DO, UH, THE JOB THAT WE DO.
WE'VE EXCEEDED THE CAPACITY OF OUR, OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM.
I MAGISTRATE AT THE JAIL ONE DAY A WEEK IN ROTATION ON THE WEEKENDS.
THOSE NUMBERS ARE GROWING ASTRONOMICAL.
UM, PROBATE, GUARDIANSHIP, MENTAL HEARINGS.
UH, THESE ARE ALL DRASTIC INCREASES THAT WE'RE INCURRING, BUT WE'RE ABSORBING THOSE.
AND ONE OF THE LAST THING I WANNA SAY IS THAT OF THOSE, FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS WE'VE ABSORBED, WELL, ACTUALLY IN, IN THE LAST TWO BONDS IN 2008 AND 2016, WE'VE ABSORBED THAT WHERE IT DIDN'T IMPACT YOU THIS TIME, WE, WE CAN'T QUITE GET THERE.
AND SO IT'S A SLIGHT INCREASE ON THAT IT WAS A VOTER APPROVED BOND.
AND I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HELPING US TO MAKE YOUR ROAD SAFER AND HAVE A VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF WHAT OUR ROAD SYSTEM'S GONNA BE.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THOSE, THOSE MEETINGS AND WORKING WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS.
AND WE'LL ALSO ADD THAT THAT WAS $130 MILLION BOND.
WE'LL END UP PROBABLY GETTING OVER 200 MILLION IN MATCHING FUNDS THAT DOES NOT IMPACT YOU, BUT ADDITIONAL MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE, AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE CMAC FUNDS AND OTHERS.
I'M YOUR REPRESENTATIVE ON THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL AND IT'S MY JOB TO, TO GET THOSE FUNDS AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND I THANK YOU FOR PASSING THAT ON.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? DEBORAH BLACK ALL AGAIN, UH, 31 20 HARWELL LAKE ROAD.
UH, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT, UH, 40% OF $50 12 YEARS AGO IS, UM, LESS THAN 28% OF A HUNDRED DOLLARS TODAY.
AND WE HAVE APPRAISALS THAT GO UP 10%, WHICH SOUNDS LOW IF YOU DON'T KNOW NUMBERS VERY WELL.
BUT AS AN ENGINEER, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT MEANS YOUR HOME DOUBLES IN SEVEN YEARS AND PEOPLE ARE FORGETTING THAT THE VALUES, SO YOUR TAX BASE HAS GONE UP DRAMATICALLY.
NO ONE'S QUESTIONING IF THIS PANEL, IF THIS GROUP DOES A GOOD JOB AND BEING IN THE BOTTOM 10%, I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY Y'ALL DON'T AIM TO BE DEAD LAST WHEN IT COMES TO THE TAX RATE, BOTTOM 10% MEANS NOTHING.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE ROADS, ONE OF MY PET PEEVES, WE WOULD SPEND A LOT LESS MONEY ON OUR ROADS IF THEY WERE INSTALLED CORRECTLY.
THERE'S NO INCENTIVE TO DO THAT BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, YOU GOTTA GO FIGHT FOR THOSE DOLLARS ALL THE TIME.
IT IS NOT EVEN BEING PUT INTO CODE.
THERE ARE ROADS IN EUROPE THAT LAST COUPLE OF HUNDRED YEARS AND WE BARELY GET WHAT, TWO OR THREE OUT OF OURS THAT SERIOUSLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT.
THEY ADD WAY TOO MUCH WATER 'CAUSE IT'S EASIER AND IT'S NOT BEING INSTALLED PROPERLY.
I'D RATHER SEE MONEY BE SPENT ON MAKING SURE IT'S IN THERE SO THAT IT LASTS AND THAT WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH THAT ISSUE.
AND WE DO APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS, BUT JUST AS OUR OWN, OWN HOME BUDGETS, IT'S TIME TO GET CREATIVE.
AND I SAY AIM FOR DEAD LAST, UH, VIN BER 2126 TIMBER COVE COURT.
JUST, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
AND I WANNA SAY THAT I DO GO TO EVERY SINGLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AND I KNOW THAT BUDGET PRETTY WELL.
I DON'T COME TO THAT OFTEN BECAUSE RICHARD IS PRETTY GOOD AT TELLING US WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN DO IN YOUR FREE TIME.
IN ALL THOSE MEETINGS I GO TO WHENEVER IT'S A TAX HEARING, I'M GONNA HEAR THE SAME THING FROM EVERY SINGLE
[00:50:01]
BOARD OR COUNCIL.WE'RE NOT THE ONLY TAX ENTITY THAT'S ON YOUR BILL, IT'S NOT US.
YOU NEED TO GO TALK TO THE OTHER ONES.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE ONE OF THE LOWER ONES, BUT WHEN EVERYBODY IS PASSING THE BUCK, 'CAUSE I'M HEARING IT FROM EVERYONE, WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES.
YOU NEED TO GO TALK TO THE OTHER ONES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ALSO SAY THAT.
YOU, ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP, JUDGE, IF I MAY? SO FIRST THING I WANTED TO SAY WAS, THANK YOU.
Y'ALL ALL HAD TO GET OUTTA BED.
I KNOW RICHARD NORMALLY SLEEPS TILL ABOUT 11, SO THIS IS PRETTY, PRETTY EARLY FOR HIM.
UH, Y'ALL ALL HAD TO TAKE TIME OUTTA YOUR DAY TO COME UP HERE.
AND I WANT TO ECHO COMMISSIONER WALDEN'S POINT THAT WE ARE A VERY CONSERVATIVE GROUP FROM A FISCAL PERSPECTIVE, BUT I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT BECAUSE WE'RE CONSERVATIVE, BECAUSE YOU GUYS COME HERE AND IT WILL BE A SAD DAY IN PARKER COUNTY WHEN Y'ALL STOP COMING HERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE BECAUSE SHOWING UP LIKE THIS, WHEN WE HAVE DONE WHAT WE'VE HISTORICALLY DONE, WHICH IS USED THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE FOR THE LAST EIGHT OUT OF NINE YEARS, I BELIEVE IN SPITE OF OUR GROWTH, WE'RE ONLY GONNA KEEP THAT LEVEL OF CONSERVATISM IF Y'ALL CONTINUE TO SHOW UP.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO SAY WAS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT PRECINCT YOU'RE IN, I'M NOT TRYING TO POACH FROM THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, I PROMISE.
UH, I'M, I'M A BIT OF A SPREADSHEET NERD.
I'M HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH ANYONE.
I MIGHT ASK YOU TO DRIVE TO THE PRECINCT BARN OR MEET YOU HERE IN WEATHERFORD.
I I TRY NOT TO DRIVE OVER INTO PRECINCT, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR THREE OR ANY OF THOSE, BUT I'M HAPPY TO, TO MEET WITH ANYONE AND GO THROUGH THE BUDGET.
AND LYNN, THIS COUNTS FOR YOU TOO, LINE BY LINE BY LINE.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE BUDGET, ABOUT CERTAIN AREAS, WHY ARE YOU SPENDING THIS MUCH HERE? WHY ARE YOU SPENDING THIS MUCH THERE? I'M HAPPY TO SIT DOWN AND GO THROUGH YOU BECAUSE WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS WE'VE SPENT HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS AS A GROUP GOING THROUGH THESE LINE BY LINE BY LINE.
AND SO I CAN'T PROMISE THAT I CAN ANSWER EVERY SINGLE QUESTION IMMEDIATELY PERFECTLY, BUT IF I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, I'LL FIND IT FOR YOU.
SO YOU CAN FIND ME ON FACEBOOK IF YOU WANNA REACH OUT TO ME THERE, IF YOU WANT TO HANG AROUND AND GRAB ME AFTERWARDS, I'M HAPPY TO SET UP A TIME AND GO THROUGH IT IN AS MUCH DETAIL AS YOU WANT.
BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ANYONE? RACHEL? RACHEL HORTON PRECINCT 4 37 46 FULL CIRCLE.
I JUST HAD ONE QUICK QUESTION BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HASN'T YET BEEN ADDRESSED IS WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD FROM EVERYBODY AND WE'VE DONE THE CONGENIAL, THANK YOU.
UM, BUT I AM CURIOUS, WHAT WOULD AN ALTERNATIVE BUDGET LOOK LIKE WITH THAT? NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE SPENT HOURS AND HOURS ON THE BUDGET AND COMING THROUGH IT, UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVEN'T QUITE HEARD YET, AND WE'VE, YOU KNOW, HEARD THE COMMENTS FROM FOLKS TO BE CREATIVE AND TO BE, BUT WHAT HAVE Y'ALL CONSIDERED TO, TO THAT END? AND I'LL SIT DOWN AND LET Y'ALL ANSWER, BUT I AM VERY CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT THAT WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE, WHERE WE WOULD HAVE CUT THINGS IF WE HAD GONE WITH THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
ANYONE WANT TO TACKLE THAT? OR I'LL, I CAN, I'LL ADD JUST A COMMENT TO THAT AND ALLOW THE COURT TO PREPARE FOR THAT DISCUSSION AS WELL.
BUT OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC SAFETY IS A BIG THING FOR US IN THE JU JUDICIAL SYSTEM WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE HAVING.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO THINK THAT EVERYBODY COMING INTO THIS COUNTY IS JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST LAW ABIDING CITIZENS AND, UM, JUST DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND, UM, IT'S NOT QUITE THAT CASE.
CORRESPONDINGLY, THERE'S GONNA BE AN ELEMENT HERE THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND A VERY, UH, EXCEPTIONAL SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAT DOES THEIR JOB AS WELL AS, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND, AND THE DPS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU WITH THE GROWTH IN, IN GOING EVERY WEEK TO MAGISTRATE AT THE JAIL, THOSE NUMBERS HAVE GONE UP DRAMATICALLY OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND SO THAT'S A BIG PART OF THIS.
AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, RACHEL, AT LEAST A PART OF IT, WHAT I CAN, UH, IS TO MAINTAIN, ONE THING WE HAVE NO CHOICE ABOUT IN DEALING WITH THIS GROWTH IS THE COST OF
[00:55:01]
WHERE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE SAFE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE RESOURCES AND, AND OUR CONSTABLES AND, AND THAT PART OF IT IN OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM, THE ABILITY TO, TO PUT YOU IN A SAFE CONDITION AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU LIVE.AND THAT'S PARAMOUNT ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE.
AND THEN WE HAVE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, UH, OBVIOUSLY WITH WATER AND, AND THOSE, ALL, ALL THESE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE.
AND, AND SO, UH, THESE ARE ESSENTIALS IF, IF YOU MAY, THAT ARE JUST NON-NEGOTIABLE.
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THOSE FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE GO FORWARD.
SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS TO THAT QUESTION? IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THE ONLY THING WE CAN DO TO START LOOKING IS WHAT WE WOULD, WHAT WE WOULD DO WITHOUT IS ONE THING.
THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT OUT ARE THE, THE REQUESTS THAT WE'VE HAD THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FUNDED, UH, FOR THE REQUEST THAT WE HAD TO, UH, UH, SET A NEW SALARY SCALE FOR THE, UH, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UH, WAS ASKED FOR, WAS NOT APPROVED.
THE, UH, INCREASE OF, UH, PERSONNEL AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, DEPUTIES AND, UH, DISPATCHERS FIVE, I BELIEVE THREE DEPUTY, THREE DISPATCHERS, THREE DISPATCHERS, AND THREE DEPUTIES THAT WERE REQUESTED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, HAVE NOT, AND THE COURTHOUSE SECURITY, UH, WERE NOT APPROVED.
I CAN GIVE YOU A A A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR THAT WERE NOT APPROVED.
AND, UH, ALONG WITH THOSE DEPUTIES WOULD COME THE VEHICLES AND, UH, ALL THE OUTFITTING AND COMPUTERS AND, UH, SAFETY EQUIPMENT THAT GOES WITH IT.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WERE REQUESTED IN THE BUDGET, UH, UH, THAT WERE NOT FUNDED.
UM, SO, AND THERE'S A WHOLE LONG LIST OF OTHER THINGS.
SO WE, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO SPEND THE, THE MONEY AS WISELY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND, UH, THEY DIDN'T ASK FOR THOSE JUST 'CAUSE THEY WANTED, THEY, THEY ASKED FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY NEEDED THEM.
AND, UH, AS I'VE POINTED OUT EVERY YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, PROBABLY, UH, WE DRAW THREE CIRCLES AND THE CENTER CIRCLE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE, WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE THE CIRCLES THAT GET BIGGER OR THINGS THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE.
WE OPERATE IN THAT CENTER CIRCLE OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE, ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE.
WE CAN'T GO ANOTHER YEAR WITHOUT FUNDING, UH, THOSE ADDITIONAL DEPUTIES AND DISPATCHERS AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE PAST THIS YEAR.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT HAS TO BE.
AND SO THAT'S THE WAY WE APPROACH EVERYTHING IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
AND, UH, UH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE IN A, IN A SHORTSIGHTED UH, WORLD, I GUESS WE COULD TAKE THE REMAINDER OF THE MONEY OUT OF FUND BALANCE LEAVING US AT A, A DISADVANTAGE THERE, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
BECAUSE MOST OF THESE REQUESTS NOT JUST, ARE NOT JUST FUNDED ONE TIME, THEY ARE RECURRING COSTS.
WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU HIRE AN EMPLOYEE AND YOU, AND YOU OUTFIT THEM WITH A VEHICLE, THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT EMPLOYEE NEXT YEAR.
YOU, THAT VEHICLE IS ON A TIME CLOCK THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED.
SO SOMEBODY MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT VEHICLES, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, IF WE DON'T KEEP THAT ON A ROTATIONAL BASIS, THEN, THEN AT SOME POINT IT WILL COST TWICE AS MUCH OR THREE TIMES AS MUCH TO REPLACE THOSE.
SO I, I THINK EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO DO WHAT'S BEST WITH, UH, WITH, UH, WITH HIS BUDGET.
AND IF YOU KNEW THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WE SAID NO TO
I JUST BROUGHT THOSE UP BECAUSE THEY'RE THE MOST GLARING ONES.
WE'RE STILL IN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT IS JUDGE, CAN I ADD ONE THING TO THAT ANSWER JUST FOR MS. HORTON'S EDIFICATION? IS THAT OKAY? MM-HMM,
UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ADEQUATELY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
SO IF, IF, IF WHAT I SAY DOESN'T ANSWER IT, PLEASE TELL ME AND I'LL, I'LL TRY TO DO BETTER.
UM, EACH YEAR WE BUDGET VERY CONSERVATIVELY ON WHAT WE THINK THE REVENUE, AND I HATE THAT PHRASE FOR TAXES, BUT IT'S, IT'S WHAT WE CALL IT ON THE REVENUE SIDE WILL BE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'LL BE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, SALES TAX, THERE'S A PORTION OF OUR REVENUE THAT COMES FROM SALES TAX, BUT THAT IS A, AN UNKNOWN NUMBER.
SO WE'RE VERY CONSERVATIVE ON WHAT WE PROJECT THAT TO BE.
THEN ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, WE'RE VERY CONSERVATIVE IN A HIGH SENSE BECAUSE WE'RE LIMITED BY STATE STATUTE ON WHAT WE CAN PULL FROM FUND BALANCE MIDYEAR, THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT A SAVINGS ACCOUNT THAT WE CAN GO BORROW FROM.
IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING LIKE A NATURAL DISASTER, ET CETERA.
AND IN THE STATE STATUTE, IT TELLS US WHAT THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE.
SO WE BUDGET FOR MANDATED OBLIGATIONS.
WE'RE, WE'RE NOT LIKE, UH, WE CAN'T
[01:00:01]
GO BUILD PICKLEBALL COURTS, JUST TO USE A RECENT EXAMPLE.WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO, WE'RE NOT TOLD TO DO THAT IN THE STATE CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENTAL CODE AND ALL OF THAT.
SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE LOOK AT WHAT OUR MANDATES ARE, WHETHER THEY'RE FUNDED OR UNFUNDED, WE SET OUT HOW TO PAY FOR THOSE MANDATES.
BIGGEST ONES BEING SO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.
WE FUND THOSE TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN.
AND THEN WE PULL FROM FUND BALANCE BECAUSE WE'RE VERY CONSERVATIVE ON THE REVENUE SIDE AND ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, WE TYPICALLY DON'T USE NEARLY AS MUCH FROM FUND BALANCE AS WHAT WE PROJECT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
AND I'M HAPPY TO GO THROUGH THE EXACT NUMBERS.
I'VE GOT 'EM PULLED UP RIGHT HERE.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION VERY DIRECTLY, WHAT WOULD AN ALTERNATIVE LOOK LIKE? WE WOULD PROBABLY PULL MORE FROM FUND BALANCE THEN WHAT WE CURRENTLY ARE SAYING THAT WE'LL PULL FROM FUND BALANCE SIMPLY BECAUSE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED, WE FEEL LIKE ARE MANDATED NEEDS.
THERE AREN'T ANY WANTS IN THERE.
SO DID THAT, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
I DIDN'T WANNA LEAVE ANY, WELL, I'LL COME UP IN DIALOGUE.
BUT, UM, YES, YES, THAT DOES ANSWER MY QUESTION BECAUSE I DO APPRECIATE HAVING THE, THE BREAKDOWN ON WHAT THAT WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE IF, IF THE NO NEW REVENUE? NO.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND WHILE WE DO APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL ARE FOCUSING VERY MUCH ON THE NECESSITIES AND ON THE THINGS THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW.
SO THE, THE NOTE, THE NNR UM, IS, IS SET AT A CERTAIN LEVEL FOR OUR, FOR OUR COUNTY, FOR OUR SIZE, AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S HONESTLY WHAT WE'RE ALL HERE TO, TO DISCUSS IS WHY THAT LEVEL CAN'T SEEM TO BE QUITE MET YET.
AND WHAT THAT FUND BALANCE, I MEAN, I, TO ME THAT'S, THAT'S DEFINITELY WHERE YOU DIP INTO LAST YEAR'S SAVINGS.
UM, AND IF THERE ARE, AND I KNOW SB 22 IS A STATEWIDE GRANT THAT'S BEEN OFFERED TO SHERIFF, TO SHERIFFS FOR, UM, FOR EXTENDED, YOU KNOW, FOR ADDITIONAL COSTS AND THINGS LIKE, LIKE THAT.
AND THAT WAS MENTIONED IN THE REPORT THAT WAS GIVEN.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER, THERE ARE OTHER ALTERNATIVES TO LOOK TOWARDS FOR COURTS AND JUDICIAL SYSTEMS. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY APPLIED DIRECTLY TO THE COUNTY, BUT FROM THE STATE LEVEL, THERE ARE GRANTS THAT WOULD APPLY TO THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I'M, I'M CURIOUS, LIKE WHAT WAS IT THAT KIND OF DROVE US OVER THE NO NEW, NO NEW REVENUE RATES, AND HOW MUCH ARE WE OVER THAT RATE? SURE.
TO, TO ANSWER IT VERY, VERY QUICKLY, YES.
GROWTH IS MORE EXPENSIVE TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED SERVICES THAN THE ONE YEAR OF TAXES THAT WE GET FROM THAT FIRST YEAR OF GROWTH.
SO WHEN WE GET AN INFLUX OF CITIZENS, YES, THEY CREATE ADDITIONAL TAXES, RIGHT? THEN THE AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL TAXES THOUGH ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT PAY FOR THE INCREASED BURDEN FOR THINGS LIKE EXPANSION OF THE JAIL, NEW JUDICIAL BUILDINGS, NEW POSITIONS, NEW SHERIFFS DEPUTIES, NEW PATROL, ET CETERA.
BECAUSE IF WE HAD A HIGH ENOUGH TAX RATE THAT ONE YEAR COULD PAY FOR ALL OF THAT, WE WOULD HAVE AN EXORBITANT TAX RATE.
IT'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE INSURANCE POOLING IN THAT DEGREE.
SO, UH, BOTTOM LINE GROWTH CREATES LUMPY UPFRONT COSTS IN TERMS OF THE SERVICES POSITIONS, CAPITAL, ET CETERA, THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE AS MANDATED BY TEXAS LAW.
RIGHT? SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT NEW BUILDINGS AND SUCH, OR NEW REQUIREMENTS ON OUR FACILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IS THERE NOT A, A ROOM IN THE BUDGET TO SAY, HEY, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A BOND THAT THE PEOPLE VOTE ON, UM, FOR THOSE BUILDINGS OR FOR EXPANDING THOSE BUILDINGS OR FOR MAKING THOSE BUILDINGS? I'M SEEING SOME NODS.
SO I THINK, I THINK I'M MAKING MY POINT, BUT I MEAN, IF THERE, IF THERE IS THAT OPPORTUNITY, I THINK WE WOULD PREFER TO SEE THAT AS A SEPARATE ISSUE AS A SEPARATE ITEM THAT YOUR TAXPAYERS WOULD HAVE THAT AND, AND YOU ALL ARE TAXPAYERS TOO, UM, THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THAT INPUT ON OR THAT OPPORTUNITY TO AGAIN, NEGOTIATE AND DISCUSS.
SO YEAH, THAT ACTUALLY TO THAT POINT, THERE'LL BE MORE DISCUSSIONS TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT SOME OF THE NEEDS AND GROWTH ISSUES THAT WE HAVE.
SO YEAH, MORE TO COME WITH THAT.
I THINK TO DIRECTLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IT'S THE DEBT SERVICE THAT'S HITTING US THIS YEAR FROM THE 2023 BOND IN THIS, IN THIS PARTICULAR YEAR.
AS I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING, THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS YOUR M AND O AND YOUR DEBT SERVICE.
AND SO AS WAS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THERE'S BEEN OTHER TRANSPORTATION BONDS AND WHEN WE KEPT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, BASICALLY WE WERE PAYING
[01:05:01]
FOR THAT WITH OUR M AND O BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE SETTING IT THE SAME AND YOUR DEBT GOES UP, THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE KEEPING IT THE SAME IS YOUR M AND O IS BASICALLY EATING YOUR DEBT SERVICE.AND SO THIS YEAR, IF WE WERE AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, GENERAL FUND WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE A DECREASE ABOUT 2.2 MILLION.
AND SO OUR INCREASE FOR DEBT SERVICE IS OVER 4 MILLION.
SO THAT'S WHERE IT'S COMING FROM.
IF YOU'RE GENERATING THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER WHERE THAT REVENUE IS GOING IN THE, A BIG PORTION THIS YEAR.
UM, IT, IT'S, IT'S DEBT SERVICE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE HAD A HECK OF A RUN, I WOULD SAY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, ESPECIALLY IN TEXAS WITH CHEAP MONEY AND LOW INTEREST RATES.
SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF NEW DEVELOPMENT, NEW CONSTRUCTION ON THE GROUND.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVING TO TEXAS.
UM, I KNOW OF THE DEVELOPMENTS IN, UH, PRECINCT FOUR, SOME OF THOSE THAT WERE GUNG-HO AND WE'VE SEEN 'EM IN THE COURT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PRELIMINARY PLANNING COME IN AND AS WE'VE SEEN INFLATION AND THESE INTEREST RATES GO UP EXPONENTIALLY THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE SEEN 'EM PUMP THE BRAKES.
SO WE'RE NOT SEEING QUITE AS MUCH NEW CONSTRUCTION AND PROPERTY GETTING PUT ON THE GROUND AND CONSTRUCTED RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE THE, THE COST OF IT, THE RISK TO THESE DEVELOPERS, I BELIEVE, AND THAT'S USUALLY HELPED OFFSET WITH THAT ADDITIONAL TAX COMING IN FROM THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
SO UNLIKE A LOT OF Y'ALL, MY FINGERS ARE CROSSED WITH WHAT HAPPENS WITH OUR COUNTRY COMING UP IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
'CAUSE I THINK IT'S GONNA WEIGH, IT'S GONNA HAVE HUGE IMPACT ON ALL OF US, UH, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT CHEAPER MONEY LOWERING THE INTEREST RATES.
YOU KNOW, I, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE THE DATA COMING OUT OF WASHINGTON, SO WE'LL WAIT AND SEE.
I THINK THEY'LL PROBABLY LOWER INTEREST RATES, PROBABLY A POLITICAL MOVE, BUT THAT MAY HELP GET SOME OF THAT CONSTRUCTION MONEY FREED UP FOR SOME OF THESE DEVELOPERS THAT, THAT HELP OFFSET AND WE CAN HELP TO FUND THESE NEEDS.
THERE'S NOTHING MORE DIFFICULT IN MY LIFE RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE I'M A HUGE SUPPORTER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE SECURITY OF MY FAMILY AND US IN OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, THAT IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT UP HERE TO IDENTIFY DOWN AND PRIORITIZE AND SAY, AND WHAT HE'S BEEN, WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN REFERENCING IS ABSOLUTELY WHAT IS AN ABSOLUTE NEED HERE VERSUS A WANT.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE, WE'RE REDOING ROADS.
WE HAVE A HIGH STANDARD IN PRECINCT FOUR.
WE HAVE CONCRETE ROADS THAT ARE URBANIZING THAT THE COUNTY HAS TO PAY.
WE HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTENANCE ON THAT IN THE FUTURE.
AND THOSE ARE EXPENSIVE ROADS.
WE HAVE ADOPTED ROAD CONSTRUCTION SPECS, T DOT COG CODES.
I WAS OUT ON A DEVELOPMENT YESTERDAY FOR TWO HOURS WHEN WE'RE CALLING THEM WITH ENGINEERS PULLING LABS, WHO'S A GEOTECH, MAKING SURE THEY'RE BEING CONSTRUCTED CORRECTLY.
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT THAT FALLING BACK ON OUR TAXPAYER LAPS TO, TO FIX UP ROADS THAT WEREN'T BUILT CORRECTLY.
AT THE SAME TIME, IF WE'RE PULLING, I LIKE PERCENTAGE NUMBERS, BUT IF WE'RE PULLING IN OUT, I'LL SAY THE GENERAL FUND IS LIKE OUR HOUSEHOLD SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
WE'RE HAVING TO OP, OPERATE, SUBSIDIZING OUR OPERATIONS WITH OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT RIGHT NOW.
AND SO YOU SAY, OKAY, WHAT'S AN ACCEPTABLE PERCENTAGE OF US TO PULL OUT OF OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT TO FUND OUR OPERATIONS? WE'RE ALREADY GONE THROUGH OUR LINE ITEMS TO SAY, WE'RE CUTTING THIS OFF, THIS OFF.
WE'RE NOT HAVING NETFLIX ANYMORE, WHATEVER WE'RE DOWN TO NEEDS.
AND THIS COURT IS VERY CONSERVATIVE THAT WAY.
AND SO IT'S A BALANCE ON HOW MUCH ARE WE PULLING OUT THE SAVINGS ACCOUNT TO PUT INTO OUR OPERATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND THAT'S A STRUGGLE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT'S A, AND HAVING THAT TRANSPORTATION BOND COME OUT TO COVER THAT NEW EXPENSE FOR THE COUNTY, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A, A WANT OR EXCUSE ME, I HATE TRAFFIC AS WELL.
SO YEAH, IT'S A WANT, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY A NEED.
AND THAT'S THE, THE BALANCE UP HERE BECAUSE I COULD SEE IF WE DON'T, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE CONSTRUCT, THE NEW CONSTRUCTION COMING UP, GOING VERTICAL TO HELP OFFSET THE GROWTH AND THE INFLUX AND THE DEMANDS ON OUR, PRIMARILY ON OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM OR JUDICIAL SYSTEMS OR, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I MEAN, IT IS UNBELIEVABLE THE STRAIN THAT, THAT, UH, THEY'RE UNDER RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH.
AND IT'S, IT'S DIRECTLY CORRELATED.
[01:10:01]
PROBABLY HAVE THE SAME VALUES WHEN IT COMES TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.WE HOLD THESE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
I'M NOT FOR BOUNCING THESE PEOPLE LIKE WE SEE ON THE NEWS EVERY DAY IN OTHER, IN OTHER PLACES.
SO PRIORITIZING THESE AND DRILLING DOWN AND MAKING SURE WE'RE TRIMMING, IF THERE IS FAT, IT'S BEING USED AND ALLOCATED.
AND I, I KNOW I'M GETTING A LITTLE LONG-WINDED HERE.
I JUST, I DON WANT TO BRING THOSE, THOSE POINTS TO A HEAD HERE BECAUSE I LIKE YOU DEAL WITH THESE THINGS EVERY DAY.
AND IT, AND THESE ARE BIG DECISIONS THAT WEIGH HEAVILY.
I KNOW, NOT JUST ON ME, BUT EVERYBODY UP HERE.
AND, AND WE DO, I TAKE IT PERSONAL AND I WANT TO DO A GOOD JOB UP HERE, BUT I DO WANT TO REITERATE WHAT THEY'VE ALL SAID AND THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE AND, UM, HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER, UM, ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE COME ON UP? MIKE PHILLIPS 2004 HILLCREST COURT.
WEATHERFORD, I'M ALSO PRECINCT CHAIR FOR THREE 10.
SORRY, I THOUGHT I WAS LOUD ALREADY.
UM, MY NAME IS MIKE PHILLIPS, 2004 HILLCREST COURT.
WEATHERFORD, TEXAS, ALSO A PRECINCT CHAIR FOR A PRECINCT THREE 10.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT, UH, FISCAL RESTRAINT.
I, I'VE SEEN NOTHING, HEARD, NOTHING THAT LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT I COULD DOUBT YOUR VERACITY ON THAT COUNT.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S OUTSTANDING AND WANT TO CONTINUE THAT.
UH, A WOULD CAUTION AGAINST INCREMENTALISM.
HOWEVER, UH, IT, IT CREEPS IN.
WE NEED TO BE AWARE, WE NEED TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN.
THAT SAID, UM, MR. HOLT'S DISDAIN FOR THE TERM REVENUE NOTWITHSTANDING, I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IF WE HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO BEFORE WE START LOOKING AT TAX INCREASES, WE NEED TO LOOK AT NEW AND BETTER SOURCES AND MORE INNOVATIVE SOURCES OF REVENUE.
UH, ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT OCCURS TO ME IS, AND BY WHATEVER MEASURE YOU'RE USING, FIFTH, SIXTH, 10TH, FASTEST GROWING COUNTY IN THE COUNTRY, WELL, LET'S HARNESS THAT GROWTH.
HOW DO WE DO THAT? UH, WHAT ABOUT IMPACT FEES? WHAT ABOUT THESE DIVISIONS AND THESE, THESE, UH, BUSINESSES THAT ARE COMING IN AND PLACING DEMAND ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE? CAN WE NOT LEVY IMPACT FEES ON THOSE? AND TO WHAT DEGREE? NOW THAT MAY BE COUNTERINTUITIVE TO CONSERVATIVES TO LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCE RESOURCES, BUT IT'S IMMINENTLY FAIR.
RATHER THAN PASS THAT COST ON ALONG TO CURRENT RESIDENTS WHO DIDN'T CREATE THAT DEMAND.
WHY DON'T WE PLACE THAT DEMAND WHERE, WHERE THAT, WHERE THAT COST, WHERE THE DEMAND IS COMING FROM.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE DONE THAT.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT BUDGETARY SPECIALISTS WHO ARE, WHO ARE CHARGED WITH THAT.
BUT HAVE WE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN ALREADY TO IDENTIFY NEW REVENUE SOURCES, MATCHING FUNDS, GRANTS, WHAT HAVE YOU TO OFFSET THE COST OF THIS GROWTH? AND THERE THERE IS SOME, SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE WITH THE GROWTH.
MR. HOL MENTIONED IT, RIGHT? UH, AND THAT IS AN ONGOING REVENUE SOURCE.
THOSE, THOSE TAXES ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO BE PAID.
AND THE IMPACT UP FRONT IS WHAT I BELIEVE WAS HIS CONCERN.
WELL, LET'S LOOK AT IMPACT FEES.
LET'S MAKE THEM SHOULDER THE COST OF THAT.
ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP? WE'RE GOING BE MOVING TO CLOSING THIS OUT HERE IN JUST SHORTLY THEN.
UH, SO JUST, UM, ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP? THIS IS YOUR TIME.
'CAUSE WE ARE GOING TO, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU AND ASK THAT YOU COME BACK MONDAY, UH, WHEN WE, UH, MEET AGAIN, UH, AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE ADOPT THAT RATE.
ANYBODY ELSE? I KNEW I'D PULL SOMEBODY OUT.
IT'S GONNA BE SHORT, VERY, VERY SHORT.
I, I PROMISE LYNN BER, UH, 2126 TIMBER COVE COURT.
NONE OF YOU WANT PEOPLE IN THE CHAIRS ANYMORE THAN I DO.
AND I'M NOT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, I'M JUST A CITIZEN.
BUT I WOULD SAY, I THINK THERE HAS BEEN 100% AGREEMENT ON THIS SIDE OF THE ROOM TODAY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE NO NEW REVENUE AND THAT THERE ARE OPTIONS AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE US COME BACK.
AND IF EVERYONE THAT HAS SHOWN UP TODAY AND SPOKEN GETS SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR, THEN ALL THERE'S GONNA BE IS WHY DID WE COME BACK? WE'VE ALL BEEN HERE, WE'VE ALL GIVEN OUR INPUT.
DID IT CHANGE ANYTHING? THANK YOU.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THIS OUT HERE SHORTLY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? I JUST WANNA BE SURE I GIVE EVERYONE TIME TO NOT WALK OUT THE DOOR AND WISH YOU'D SAID SOMETHING.
ANYBODY ELSE? LAST CALL? OKAY, WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 10 15.
AND, UM, COMMISSIONERS, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
[01:15:01]
WELL, WE ACTUALLY CAN.IS THERE SOME MORE ITEMS? YEP, WE DO.
I'D, I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT IT'D BE GOOD IF WE TOOK A SHORT BREAK.
HOW'S THAT BEFORE CLOSING? PUBLIC HEARING? UM, WELL I ALREADY DID, BUT I, THIS IS, WELL JUST FOR THE RECORD, UM, AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING, IF IT, THE TAX RATE IS NOT SET, WHICH WE'RE NOT SETTING IT TODAY, IT MUST BE SET WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF THAT PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, AND THEN ANNOUNCING THE TIME AND PLACE AND LOCATION.
AND SO THE TAX RATE, ALONG WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET, UM, WILL BE ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD AT 9:00 AM HERE IN THIS ROOM.
UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A SHORT RECESS, UH, AT 10 15.
UH, LET'S GET BACK IN HERE AT 10 30.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A HEALTHY BREAK.
AND, UH, WE WILL WRAP UP WHAT'S LEFT ON THE AGENDA.
ALRIGHT, IT IS 10 38, LET THE RECORD SHOW.
WE'RE GONNA RESUME OUR MEETING AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO ITEM
[II.A. General Budget Update. (Brianna Fowler / Judge Deen)]
TWO ON THE DISCUSS APPROVED GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR 2024.2025 FISCAL YEAR, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DO ITEM, A GENERAL BUDGET UPDATE, BRIANNA.
AS I MENTIONED, THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE ROLLOVER FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY FOR THE OUTFITTING.
AND SO IF WE COULD GET THAT APPROVED, WHICH IS, UM, $2,546, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE, UH, CHANGE THERE TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S BUDGET.
WILL YOU SAY THAT AMOUNT ONE MORE TIME? UH, 2,546.
MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER WALDEN.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CONLEY.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR.
OH, AND AS WE DISCUSSED, UM, AT OUR LAST MEETING, UM, WE WERE GONNA BE USING THE REMAINING TAX NOTE, UH, PROCEEDS, UH, TO COMPLETE OUT THE MODULAR BUILDING FOR THE, THE, UM, SO FOR THE L LEVELING PARKING LOT AND THE REMAINING SETUP COSTS.
AND SO THAT NUMBER, UM, IS ACTUALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAD PRESENTED LAST TIME BECAUSE THERE WAS A CHANGE ORDER FOR, UM, PREMIER FOR THE CONSTRUCTION THAT WASN'T INCLUDED IN OUR COSTS.
AND SO NOW, UM, THE FINAL INVOICE IS BEING SUBMITTED NOT FOR MONDAY'S COURT, BUT FOR THE FOLLOWING COURT.
AND SO THAT NEW AMOUNT THAT IS AVAILABLE IS 90,000 7 0 1.
AS I MENTIONED, THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL PROCEEDS FROM THE INTEREST, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO BE PAYING, UM, ARBITRAGE ON THAT, I DON'T KNOW THE AMOUNT THAT THAT WILL BE.
SO, UM, ONCE WE HAVE ALL THAT, THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT COULD BE USED FOR OTHER, UM, COUNTY BUILDINGS OR EQUIPMENT.
BUT I WILL UPDATE THE COURT WHENEVER WE DO THAT, WHICH WON'T BE UNTIL MUCH LATER NEXT YEAR.
'CAUSE I THINK OUR FIRST PAYMENT, I WANNA SAY IT'S APRIL OF 25.
SO, SO THIS IS, THIS IS NOT AN ADDITION, IT'S JUST A CORRECT.
JUST AN, JUST AN UPDATE ON THERE OF YEAH.
I'M SUGGESTING YOU NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT OR NOT? NO, JUST INFORMATION.
I'M, I'M, UM, FINALIZING ALL THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS AND CAPITAL.
UM, ONE THING THAT I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT AT SOME POINT DURING THE BUDGET THAT, UM, DIDN'T GET ADDRESSED.
LAST COURT IS POTENTIALLY FUNDING ALL THE RADIO REQUESTS WITH ARPA FUNDS.
AND SO KIM ADDED IT UP AND IT'S ABOUT 121,000 IN RADIOS.
SO EITHER MOBILE OR IN-CAR RADIOS THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED AND HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
AND WHETHER WE WANT TO PULL THOSE OUTTA GENERAL FUND AND USE ARPA FUNDS FOR THAT.
DO WE HAVE TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW OR CAN WE DO IT LATER? UM, NO, BUT THE ONLY THING I WOULD SUGGEST IS IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO, WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT QUICKLY, ONE FOR THE OBLIGATION AND TWO ON OCTOBER ONE, IF THOSE DEPARTMENTS HAVE THAT MONEY IN THEIR BUDGET AND THEY WANT TO ORDER THEIR RADIOS, WE NEED SOME SORT OF DIRECTION TO TELL THEM YES OR NO.
WELL, I GUESS MY, MY POINT IS I DON'T WANT THEM TO SAY, OKAY, NOW WE'VE GOT THAT FREE MONEY NOW AND WE'LL TAKE OUR OTHER MONEY AND SPEND IT SOME OTHER WAY.
WELL, WE WOULD REMOVE THAT FROM THEIR BUDGET AND PUT IN ARPA WE WOULD, WE WOULD MOVE IT OUT OF THE LINES.
IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, ARE WE ABLE TO DO THAT IF THIS IS ACTIONS TAKEN AFTER TEN ONE? UM, YES.
WITH COURT'S APPROVAL, I CAN BASICALLY TAKE THAT, THOSE FUNDS AND THEN MOVE IT TO GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY OUT OF THEIR BUDGETS.
BUT I WOULD SUGGEST, UM, DOING IT EITHER THE FIRST OR SECOND QUARTER OF OCTOBER, I'LL NOT BE HERE FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF OCTOBER.
I'LL BE AT TRAINING JUST FYI
I'M JUST, I'M JUST, I I'D LIKE TO
[01:20:01]
HAVE MORE SPECIFICS AS WELL.I LIKE TO HAVE AND WE'VE ALSO, EVERY OTHER EXPENDITURE LIKE THAT WE'VE RUN THROUGH THE APA COMMITTEE AND, AND DISCUSSED IT AND THEN LOOKED AT IT IN A LITTLE BIT.
BUT I'M JUST, I'M JUST SAYING I DON'T, I WANT TO SEE DETAILS.
SO JUST FOR DIRECTION FOR US, BECAUSE IF IT'S IN THEIR BUDGET, I DON'T WANT TO TELL AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OR DEPARTMENT HEAD THAT THEY CANNOT SPEND THEIR MONEY.
SO IF IT'S THE COURT'S DESIRE TO TELL THEM THAT FOR RADIOS, THOSE ORDERS CAN'T BE PLACED UNTIL, SO HOW MUCH, WHAT'S THE TOTAL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? ABSOLUTELY A HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED, A HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE.
SO THOSE ARE IN BUDGET HAVE BEEN APPROVED CORRECT.
AND SO WE WOULD JUST BE SUBSTITUTING FOR THAT.
I DUNNO, JUDGE, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? I MEAN, WE'VE NOT RUN IT THROUGH THE ARPA COMMITTEE, BUT HOWEVER WE HAVE OTHER RADIO ISSUES.
BUT I I JUST KNOW THAT THERE MAY BE SOME, THERE'S THE RADIO CONTINGENCIES THAT WE MIGHT WANNA PAY OUT ARPA FUNDS TOO, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO EXHAUST THOSE FUNDS.
WELL THIS, WHAT THIS DOES IS ASSURE US THAT WE CAN GET THOSE ORDERED AND THEN IF WE CAN'T DO OUR PERFORMS, WE WE DO, BUT WE NEED, WE NEED A MECHANISM IN PLACE TO GET THOSE, CORRECT.
I MEAN, I JUST WANNA ADDRESS IT BECAUSE I MEAN, WE'D HAVE TO DO IT ANYWAY.
I MEAN, HOPEFULLY WE CAN, THE ONLY OTHER OTHER THING WE COULD DO, I MEAN IT'S CLEANER WHEREVER WE DO THE PURCHASE ORDER OUT OF TO RIGHT.
I MEAN, I CAN ALWAYS DO JOURNAL ENTRIES TO, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'LL UPDATE US WITH THIS, FIX IT, BUT IT'S BETTER IF IT, WE JUST PURCHASE IT WHERE WE INTEND FOR THAT EXPENSE TO LEAVE.
AND YOU'LL UPDATE US WITH ANY OF, WITH THAT AS WE YEAH, BUT I MEAN, I, UNLESS IF, IF WE WANT TO LEAVE IT IN THOSE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGETS AND WE WANT TO REVISIT IT JUST DIRECTION FROM THE COURT THAT THOSE PURCHASE ORDERS SHOULD NOT BE EXECUTED UNTIL I NEED TO HOLD TIGHT.
LEMME ASK ON THE ARPA COMMITTEE, IS THERE A POTENTIAL FOR ANY OF THOSE FUNDS TO BE FREED UP THAT WERE THERE ALLOCATED A BUT IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THERE ARE, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, HOWEVER, WE DON'T KNOW YET.
WE'VE SENT THEM A LETTER THAT, UH, SAYS YOU, YOU HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE TO US BY SEPTEMBER 30TH.
IF YOU DO NOT, YOUR FUNDS WILL BE REALLOCATED.
AND SO MOST OF THEM HAVE PAID ATTENTION AND ARE WORKING ON IT.
NOT ALL, BUT THERE'S THE POTENTIAL THAT MAY BE THE SITUATION.
SO, SO CAN WE LOOK AT THOSE DATES AND THEN MAYBE TAKE A LOOK, LOOK AT AN ACTION HERE? SO, SO THE, THE SITUATION IS WE HAVE TO HAVE, UH, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE, BY THE, BY DECEMBER 31ST.
TO WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE SPENT.
SO NOT JUST COMMITTED, I ALWAYS SAY IT, BUT
SO WHAT I, AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T, HASN'T GOT ALL THE REPORTS IN, GOT COMMITTED AND WHAT ELSE DID YOU SAY? WELL, OBLIGATED.
AND FOR OUR BENEFICIARIES, IF THEY'RE NOT OBLIGATED BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER, THEN THEN THEY'RE GONNA BE REALLOCATED BY THE COMMITTEE.
THAT'S WHY I WAS TRYING TO SEE IF WE COULD HOLD BACK JUST A LITTLE BIT AND SEE, HOWEVER, I, I'M CONFIDENT THERE'S GONNA BE THAT MUCH MONEY THAT WE WOULD BE SUBSTITUTING AND THEREFORE WE COULD, SHOULD BE REDUCE, WE COULD REDUCE THE OVERALL BUDGET BY THE RADIO AMOUNTS RIGHT.
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BY DOING THAT.
JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR TOO FOR THE BENEFICIARIES, OUR AGREEMENT WITH THOSE BENEFICIARIES OBLIGATE THOSE FUNDS UNDER THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT IS APPROVED.
BUT WHAT WE'VE ASKED IS BASICALLY FOR THEM TO PROVE THAT TO THE COUNTY BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM, IF THEY'RE NOT ACTING UNDER THAT AND THEY HAVEN'T DONE THEIR PROCUREMENT AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THE COUNTY HAS REASSURANCE THAT THOSE PROJECTS ARE ACTUALLY GONNA GET COMPLETED.
THEN, YOU KNOW, TAKE BASICALLY CLAWING THAT BACK TO THEN REAPPORTION THOSE.
AND SO WE HAVE THE BENEFICIARY PART PLUS WE HAVE THE PARKER COUNTY WATER MONEY, WHICH IS LIKE 2.7 MILLION.
AND SO I KNOW THAT, UM, THERE'S AN AGREEMENT BEING WORKED ON WITH FRIESA NICHOLS 'CAUSE THAT'S WHO WAS MM-HMM.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO EQUATE TO IT.
I, I THINK WHAT MY CONCERN IS IS THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE FOLLOWED THE RULES AND HAVE SAID, HERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL NEEDS THAT I HAVE IF THERE'S MORE MONEY AVAILABLE AND I DON'T WANT IT TO BE BLED AWAY.
JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING COMES UP AND SAY, GOSH, WE CAN SPEND ARPA MONEY ON THIS.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S A POTENTIALLY WHAT I WAS SEEING.
HOWEVER, THE, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS PROBABLY OKAY TO PASS AND, AND MOVE FORWARD ON, ON SUBSTITUTING THAT ARPA MONEY FOR THAT.
BUT I'VE JUST, EVERY TIME SOMEBODY COMES ALONG, THEY SAY, OH GOSH, CAN WE USE SOME OF THAT ARPA MONEY FOR IT? AND WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE, WHO HAVE REQUESTED THAT MONEY THAT WAS NOT APPROVED, THAT FOLLOWED THE RULES.
[01:25:01]
AND SAY, OH GOSH, CAN WE SPEND ARPA MONEY FOR THIS? AND, UH, HERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY BUY WITH ARPA MONEY WHEN WE'VE GOT PEOPLE LINED UP THAT NEED IT, THAT REQUESTED IT TO BEGIN WITH.AND THEN ONCE WE ALSO HAVE, UM, KNOWING IF THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY SHIFTING OF THOSE BENEFICIARIES OR MONEY AROUND, THEN WE NEED TO DO AN AMENDED AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE LAST AMENDMENT WAS JUST THROUGH, UM, APRIL OF 2025.
IT NEEDS TO BE THROUGH THE END OF THE GRANT PERIOD.
SO I, I THINK IF WE WANT TO, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND, UH, I THINK SO.
UH, AND IT IS OKAY TO SUPPLANT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY USING THIS, UH, ARPA FUNDING THEN TO FUND THE RADIO REQUESTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY APPROVED IN THE BUDGET.
AND WE'RE TALKING, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE RADIO.
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE RADIO CONTINGENCY AND EVERYTHING? JUST THE ACTUAL RADIOS.
THE, SO THE 1 21, WE WILL MOVE THOSE.
YOU HAVE A MOTION, MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER WALDEN, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CONING.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? I'M CURIOUS.
THE OTHER ARPA, AND AGAIN, IF WE WANT TO REVISIT THIS, I WOULD RECOMMEND EARLY OCTOBER IS WITH THE, UM, DISPATCH EXPANSION.
UM, IF WE'RE GONNA USE ARPA FUNDS FOR THAT, UM, KIM SAID THAT WE COULD GET, SHE CAN GET SOME QUOTES AND, UM, THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT ON A TIPS CONTRACT WHERE WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO OUT FOR BID TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE, YOU KNOW, A CONTRACT IN PLACE.
UM, AND FUNDS OBLIGATED BY DECEMBER 31ST.
SO I'D LIKE TO WAIT ON THAT IF WE CAN TILL, UH, TILL WE GET A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD WITH THE ARPA OKAY.
PROJECTS BECAUSE I MEAN, WE, WE MAY VERY WELL HAVE SOME FUNDS THAT ARE COME AVAILABLE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH.
SO I WILL, WE'LL MOVE ALL THE RADIOS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BUDGETED, UM, FROM GENERAL FUND TO ARPA.
SO ONE OTHER ITEM, UM, THAT WE NEED TO VISIT IN GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT THINGS, UM, AS YOU RECALL, UM, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY REQUESTED FOR THE CPS ATTORNEY THAT WAS HIRED WITH, UM, SB 22 FUNDS TO MOVE THAT TO THE GENERAL FUND AND THAT WAS APPROVED AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO GIVE SUPPLEMENTS AND SB 22.
UM, AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDS IS A GRANT, COMMISSIONER'S COURT STILL SETS ALL SALARIES FOR THESE EMPLOYEES.
THEREFORE WE NEED COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO APPROVE THESE SUPPLEMENTS.
SO I'VE PROVIDED YOU ALL, UM, BECKY HAS PUT THIS TOGETHER FOR YOU.
AND SO YOU COULD SEE THE HALL, THE HIGHLIGHTED COLUMN THAT SAYS SB 22 SUPPLEMENT PAY FOR THOSE POSITIONS.
UM, SO YOU COULD SEE THE SUPPLEMENTAL PAY AND THEN THE LAST COLUMN IS THEIR TOTAL ANNUAL SALARY.
I THINK WE'VE, UH, UH, I I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE HAD APPROVED THAT WE, I THINK WE YOU APPROVED MOVING THE EMPLOYEE, BUT IT'S STILL APPROVING THE UNDERLYING WHERE THE SUPPLEMENTS ARE GOING FOR EACH POSITION.
SO NO NEW FUNDING OTHER THAN WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
IT'S JUST RATIFYING WHAT WE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT.
'CAUSE IT WAS, THERE WERE GONNA BE SUPPLEMENTS, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE INFORMATION AS TO THE DETAIL AS TO WHERE THOSE SUPPLEMENTS WERE GOING.
SO I'M GONNA MOVE THAT WE RATIFY THE, UH, COUNTY ATTORNEY SALARY SCHEDULE AS PROVIDED TO US TODAY.
MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER WALDEN.
UH, COMMISSIONER HOLDEN, DID YOU MAKE THE SECOND? I DID.
UM, DO YOU HAVE THE DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM BEFORE WE VOTE? JUST REAL QUICK.
I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT WE DID THIS, WE DISCUSSED IT, BUT ACTUALLY I GUESS THE MOTION WAS ONLY TO, UH, TRANSFER THE FUNDING FOR THAT ONE POSITION.
ALL WE'RE DOING IS MAKING SURE THAT IT IS DONE RATIFYING THAT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? CURIOUS.
OH, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WE'VE PROVIDED JUST FOR THE RECORD OF THE COURT IS, UM, THE DA IS ALSO PAYING SUPPLEMENTS FROM SB 22.
THEY'RE NOT CHANGES FROM LAST YEAR, BUT JUST SO YOU HAVE IT, UM, OF WHERE THOSE SUPPLEMENTS ARE GOING AND WHAT THE TOTAL COST IS FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES.
TOTAL SALARY COST FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT IF THAT SB 22 MONEY DRIES UP DOWN THE ROAD, WE'RE GONNA BE YEP.
IN A BANK, WE'RE GONNA BE PAYING IT.
THAT'S, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE WHAT I WAS WORRIED ABOUT.
WELL, IT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE THAT WE COMMUNICATE TO THESE DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT GIVEN THAT WE'RE FUNDING THIS EFFECTIVELY OUT OF SB 22, IF SB 22 GOES AWAY, THESE AREN'T AUTOMATICALLY HERE TO STAY.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE MADE THAT IMPRESSION WITH THEM WHEN THE DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE BEEN UP HERE.
ARE YOU, AND WE, WE'VE REITERATED THAT THESE ARE SB 22 FUNDED POSITIONS AND THAT WHEN THOSE FUNDS DRY UP,
[01:30:01]
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE SOME HARD LOOKS AT, LOOK AT THOSE POSITIONS.AND WHAT I SHOULD SAY, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN SAYING SUPPLEMENTS AND THAT IS INCORRECT, THESE ARE SALARY INCREASES.
WE, FOR ACCOUNTING PURPOSES, THE WAY WE'RE PAYING THEM FROM SEPARATE, WE PUT IT IN OUR SYSTEM AS A SUPPLEMENT, BUT THEY'RE VERY CLEAR THAT THIS SHOULD BE TOTAL SALARY.
AND, AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, I APPRECIATE THAT.
WHAT I WOULD, WHAT I WOULD ASK FOR, AND THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DONE TODAY, TOMORROW, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT HERE WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, CAN WE GET A LIST PUT TOGETHER, AND I'M ASSUMING BECKY WOULD TAKE LEAD ON THIS OF THOSE INCREASES THAT WE'VE DONE DUE TO SB 22.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THIS, THAT'S EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE COUNTY.
SO COUNTY ATTORNEY AND THEN DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, ON THE EXCELLENT, SO COUNTY ATTORNEY ONE, BASICALLY HOW, LIKE ON THE SECOND PAGE OF HOW IT WAS UTILIZED LAST YEAR AND THEN HOW IT'S BEING UTILIZED THIS YEAR.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO DO A RESOLUTION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT JUDGE, I WOULD ASK YOU TO SEND NOTICE TO THOSE DEPARTMENT HEADS ECHOING THE THOUGHTS OF THE COURT, UM, THAT IN THE EVENT SB 22 GOES AWAY, WE'RE STARTING FROM ZERO OR WE'RE STARTING FROM OUR PRIOR POSITION ON THAT THESE AREN'T JUST AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO ROLL OVER ONTO THE TAX.
WHAT I CLARIFIED IF, IF THEY DO DRY, WELL, I, I HATE THAT WAY TO PUT THAT.
IF THESE FUNDS GO AWAY AND THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE IN YEAR TWO, YEAR THREE OR WHATEVER, THEN I THINK THAT, I THINK THERE'S A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING THAT NEEDS TO BE ARTICULATED.
AND I THINK, I THOUGHT WE DID THAT.
WE, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, UM, THESE FUNDS WILL NOT BE THERE, UH, FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT FROM THE COUNTY, IF THOSE FUNDS AREN'T AVAILABLE THROUGH SB 22, IF THEY GO AWAY, THEY GO AWAY.
THAT NEEDS TO BE THE CLEAR MESSAGE HERE BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT BE DOING THIS IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT, WE WOULDN'T EVEN BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
SO, UH, THAT CAN BE DONE RICH, IF YOU WOULD GO AHEAD AND DRAFT UP SOMETHING ON THIS AND SO WE CAN JUST LEGALLY TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM THOSE PEOPLE THAT, BECAUSE THAT YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT? WE DON'T NEED TO VOTE ON THAT? NO, NO.
I JUST WANTED TO VOTE ON THE ACTUAL, UM, SUPPLEMENTS THAT ARE BEING PAID.
I CAN'T REMEMBER IF WE JUST MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER WALDEN.
WE'RE JUST THIS FOR THE DA, WE'RE JUST RATIFYING THE, THE, THE WORK THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE RIGHT ON THE DA POSITION? MM-HMM.
SECOND ABOUT COMMISSIONER HOLT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR.
SO FOR MONDAY OBVIOUSLY IS THE ADOPTION.
AND SO I AM WORKING ON ALL THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, TRANSPORTATION, BOND, GETTING ALL THOSE, UM, BUDGETS IN THERE, FINALIZING WITH YOU ALL.
UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER, UM, ON THOSE AS WELL AS ARPA FUNDS TO GET EVERYTHING, UM, FINALIZED.
SO, UM, I WILL BE DOING THAT THE REST OF THE WEEK.
UM, AS FAR AS GENERAL FUND, IT WILL CHANGE BY THE RADIOS, REMOVING THOSE RADIOS AND MOVING THEM TO ARPA FUNDS.
UM, BUT FOR, FOR PURPOSES OF MONDAY, ALTHOUGH YOU ARE NOT VOTING ON A PROPOSED TAX RATE, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO KEEP THE REVENUES IN THE BUDGET AS THEY ARE PRESENTED TODAY?
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE GOOD THERE.
WE BACK OUT THE, AT LEAST THE RADIO.
SO WE'LL, SO IT, THE USE OF FUND BALANCE WILL DECREASE BY THE AMOUNT OF THE, THE RADIOS THAT WE REMOVE.
IT, AND THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO BACK OUT SOME OTHER THINGS PAST BUDGET ADOPTION WITH ARPA FUNDING, UH, AND TALK ABOUT THIS.
BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR OURSELVES FIRST AND, AND DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN WITH THOSE FUNDS, WHATEVER MIGHT BECOME AVAILABLE, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL KNOW AFTER THE SEPTEMBER THE 30TH.
'CAUSE IF THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR STUFF IN BY SEPTEMBER 30TH, WHICH I MEAN JUST, JUST AN FYI ABOUT THAT
TO, TO GET THE, THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE FOR THE REPORTS I'M TALKING ABOUT, BE REGISTERED WITH THE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH THEIR IAM NUMBER, ALL THE OTHER REGISTRATIONS THAT THEY HAVE TO DO AND, AND, AND, UH, UH, VERY LOW COMPLIANCE RATE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THOSE PEOPLE.
BUT BY THE END OF THE MONTH, IF IT'S NOT THERE, THEN WE MOVE THOSE FUNDS SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND THERE'S, I MEAN, JUST THINKING OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, ABOUT 650,000.
[01:35:01]
IF WE LOOK AT WHAT WAS BUDGETED FOR THE RADIO CONTINGENCIES, I WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S ABOUT HALF A MILLION.AND THEN OF COURSE IF THE DISPATCH WOULD BE ANOTHER 150, 50,000.
BUT WE'LL NEED TO REVISIT THAT VERY QUICKLY AS WE MOVE INTO THE NEW FISCAL YEAR TO ENSURE THAT IF WE MOVE ANY OF THAT, UM, WE CAN GET THOSE FUNDS OBLIGATED.
AND THEN OF COURSE, AS I MENTIONED, UM, FOR THE MOTOROLA CONTRACT TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT AND GET ANY SORT OF AMENDMENT TO THAT CONTRACT THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE? WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM THREE.
DID WE DO THESE? UH, JUDGE, I'D LIKE TO BRING UP ONE MORE THING ON THE GENERAL BUDGET UPDATE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO REVISIT AN ITEM, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO OPEN A CAN OF WORMS, BUT I, I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH THAT WE DO NEED TO REVISIT IT.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, A NUMBER OF TIMES WE'VE DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF THINGS.
I THINK THE STEP IN GRADE DISCUSSION HAS BEEN PUT TO BED.
UM, I THINK ALL OF US AS COMMISSIONERS RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK THAT THE SO DOES.
WE WOULD LOVE TO ADOPT THE NEW STEP IN GRADE.
HOWEVER, UH, CHIEF I, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU JUST ON ROUGH NUMBERS OF PERSONNEL.
AND I APOLOGIZE THAT I DID NOT PREP YOU FOR THIS AT ALL.
I THINK I HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBERS IN MY HEAD, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE ABOUT HOW MANY BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
AND I'M ASKING ALL OF THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF Y'ALL ASKED FOR THIS YEAR, THREE NEW PATROL DEPUTIES AND THREE NEW DISPATCH DISPATCH.
AND WE DID NOT GRANT ANY OF THOSE.
HOW MANY BOOTS ON THE GROUND DO YOU HAVE FOR PATROL RIGHT NOW? UH, LEMME GET INTO MY COMPUTER REAL QUICK AND I'LL TELL YOU MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S IN THE LOW FIFTIES.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M CORRECT ON THAT.
I THOUGHT I'M NOT COUNTING, UH, SENIOR STAFF OR NO PEOPLE LIKE THAT.
I'M TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTUALLY DRIVING VEHICLES ON PATROL.
PATROL SHOULD BE MORE THAN THAT.
I THOUGHT THE SHERIFF SAID 30 SOMETHING THE OTHER DAY, BUT, UH, MAYBE OF COURSE I HAD MY COMPUTER OPEN AND THEN I CLOSED IT.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT PATROL REASON, LOOK AT THAT.
THERE'S NO REASON IN THE ACTUAL PATROL DIVISION 5 63, UH, THERE'S 67 EMPLOYEES IN THAT, IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO THAT DROPS US TO 54 TAKING THOSE OUT.
IF YOU TAKE OUT 3, 7, 1 AND ONE AND ONE THAT DROPS US TO 54.
JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT'S NOT THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF STAFF THAT ARE WORKING THE ROADS.
SO FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU LOOK TODAY, WE GOT SIX PEOPLE IN IN TRAINING IN FTO, AND THAT'S ABOUT A THREE MONTH PERIOD.
SO EVERY 48 HOURS, THAT'S SIX PATROL CARS THAT ARE NOT ON THE STREET.
UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE THREE OPENINGS RIGHT NOW.
HOW MANY DISPATCHERS DO YOU HAVE? SO WITH DISPATCH, IT'S A TOTAL OF 22.
HOWEVER, THREE OF THOSE ARE CLERKS, WARRANT, CLERK, AND THEN, UM, ONE IS A, UM, HE DOES NOTHING BUT DEAL WITH COURTS, DEAL WITH BOND CONDITIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBER THAT DEALS WITH BOTH WARRANTS.
AND SO YOU GOT THREE PEOPLE WHO DON'T DO THEIR, THEIR PRIMARY JOB IS NOT DISPATCHING.
HOWEVER, THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME DISPATCHING BECAUSE WE'RE A LITTLE SHORT IN DISPATCH.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE DISPATCH SUPERVISOR.
SO IF YOU TAKE THOSE THREE OUT, THAT DROPS US TO 19, YOU TAKE THE SUPERVISOR OUT, YOU'VE GOT 18 PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY DOING THE WORK IN DISPATCH.
I'M NOT TRYING TO DISQUALIFY THE SUPERVISOR, BUT I'M JUST SAYING CORRECT.
SO YOU ASKED FOR THREE PATROL, THREE DISPATCH.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, UM, OF THE THREE DISPATCH, THE, THE FIRST POSITION OUT OF THOSE SIX POSITIONS, THE FIRST DISPATCHER IS THE MOST CRITICAL.
THE NEXT TWO DISPATCHERS WOULD BE THE LEAST CRITICAL OUT OF THOSE SIX POSITIONS.
THE, UH, THE, THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE WITH DISPATCH RIGHT NOW, OF COURSE WE'RE SHORT, WE'VE BEEN USING, UH, OVERTIME FUNDS TO PAY TO COVER SHIFTS.
UM, THESE, THESE PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN ACCUMULATING STRAIGHT OR COMP TIME.
UM, PEOPLE ARE OFF, PEOPLE ARE SICK, PEOPLE ARE HAVING BABIES.
THE THE PROBLEM I'VE GOT RIGHT NOW IS BETWEEN TWO AND SEVEN, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THERE'S ONLY TWO DISPATCHERS IN DISPATCH.
[01:40:01]
PROBLEMS. IF WE HAVE, OF COURSE THAT'S THE SLOWEST TIME OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN 2:00 PM AND 7:00 AM I'M SORRY, TWO, 2:00 AM AND 7:00 AM BUT WE DON'T STAFF FOR WHAT GENERALLY HAPPENS, WE HAVE TO STAFF FOR THE, THE BUSY TIMES WHEN THEY'RE ACTUALLY BUSY.AND IF YOU WITH THEM DISPATCHING FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, HUDSON OAKS, WILLOW PARK, UM, IF THERE'S A CRITICAL INCIDENT THAT OCCURS, IT, UH, IT TENDS TO OVERTAX DISPATCH.
THE LAST THING WE WANT IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING GOING MISSED.
THE 9 1 1 CALL, HAVING TO WAIT A MINUTE BECAUSE THERE THOSE DISPATCHERS ARE BUSY TIED UP DOING SOMETHING ELSE.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT POSITION WOULD GO.
THE FIRST DISPATCH POSITION WHEN YODA TO THE, UH, THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT.
SO JUST THROWING THIS OUT HERE, YOU ASKED FOR SIX POSITIONS.
IF WE COULD ONLY FILL TWO OF THEM, THE NEED WOULD BE A DISPATCH AND A PATROL.
THE ONE DISPATCHER, ONE DEPUTY, WE HAVE OUR, OUR, OUR PATROL SHIFTS ARE A LITTLE UNEVEN RIGHT NOW.
WE TRY TO KEEP 'EM EVEN WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON 'EM OR SAME NUMBER OF POSITIONS.
UM, THE PROBLEM IS, IS WE, DUE TO INTERDEPARTMENTAL TRANSFERS OF PHYSICIANS, WE'RE A LITTLE UNEVEN.
THAT'S WHY WE ASKED FOR THREE INSTEAD OF FOUR IS TO FILL THOSE, THOSE, UH, THOSE SHIFTS BACK UP TO EVEN, EVEN STAFFING.
SO, AND THE DISPATCH REQUIRES HOW MUCH CAP? ON CAP? UH, IT'S RELATIVELY NONE.
IT'S A BASICALLY AN AXON LICENSE.
AND THEN THE PATROL WOULD REQUIRE A VEHICLE THAT'S OUTFITTED.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS TOTAL IF WE HAVE THOSE TWO POSITIONS.
IF I'VE DONE MY MATH RIGHT, THAT'S, YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE.
THAT'S THE COST OF THE COUNTY.
SO COURT ALL I UNDERSTAND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS TO DEATH.
I'M SURE Y'ALL AREN'T, UH, LOVING THE FACT I'VE BROUGHT THIS UP, BUT I SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT THIS.
UM, I TALKED TO THE SHERIFF ABOUT IT.
UM, IF WE'RE ASKING PARKER COUNTY TAXPAYERS TO PAY TAXES, WE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE TAXES ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND GIVEN OUR RATE OF GROWTH RIGHT NOW IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 5%.
ONE PATROL PERSON IS A 2% INCREASE IN OUR PATROL STAFF.
ONE DISPATCHER IS A 5% INCREASE IN OUR DISPATCH STAFF.
SO BY US ADDING ONE AND ONE, WE'RE KEEPING PACE WITH POPULATION GROWTH ON THE DISPATCH SIDE.
WE ARE NOT KEEPING PACE EVEN ON THE PATROL SIDE, BUT WE'RE AT LEAST MAKING A DENT IN IT.
THAT'S WHY I'M GONNA ASK THE COURT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THIS IS LAST MINUTE.
UM, I'M PROBABLY GONNA GET YELLED AT BY BECKY ABOUT THIS, BUT I'M ASKING THE COURT TO ADD TO OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET, AND I UNDERSTAND THIS WILL INCREASE OUR USAGE OF FUND BALANCE.
ONE DISPATCH POSITION IN THE ANCILLARY CAP, NON CAP ONE PATROL POSITION WITH THE ANCILLARY CAP.
NON CAP MOTION IS MADE BY COMMISSIONER HOLT, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HALE.
UH, WE'RE IN THE DISCUSSION PHASE.
UH, JUST A, UH, WELL THIS IS A SEPARATE ISSUE.
I'M NOT GONNA MAKE A COMMENT ON THAT, ON THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR.
UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM BEFORE WE VOTE? WELL, I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW THE COST, THE TOTAL COST.
WOULD YOU SAY JACOB? I BELIEVE USING THE NUMBERS THAT BECKY AND KIM HAD PUT TOGETHER FOR US, IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 250,000.
WHICH THE NUMBER WOULD BE HIGHER.
SO THE ESTIMATE AT THE TIME WAS 94,291.
AND THAT WAS FOR A DISPATCH, UM, POSITION.
BUT IS THAT IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL BECAUSE THESE NUMBERS, ANYTIME WE DO THE SALARY, IT'S WHAT THOSE POSITIONS ARE PAID NOW.
SO YOU WOULD ADD A 4% COLA TO THAT SALARY, THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE, HAVE DISPARITY.
AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL, SO IT WOULD BE 94,291, BUT THAT NUMBER WOULD INCREASE WITH THAT 4% COLA.
AND THEN DOES THAT INCLUDE THE 1 95, UH, LICENSING FEE THAT THAT DOES? YES.
AND THEN FOR THE PATROL DEPUTY, UM, THE ESTIMATE AT THE TIME WAS 120,098.
BUT AGAIN, WE WOULD ADD THE 4% COLA ONTO THE SALARY AMOUNT.
AND THEN WE HAVE, I WOULD THINK THE CAR ACTUALLY MAY GO DOWN BASED ON THE QUOTES WE GOT YESTERDAY, MAYBE SLIGHTLY.
BUT IT, IT'S GONNA CHANGE FROM WHAT WAS PROVIDED BECAUSE WE CHANGED EVERYTHING YESTERDAY.
WHAT'S OUR ROUGH MATH ON THE CAR, INCLUDING OUTFITTING? UM, 120 TH OH, IT WOULD BE MORE THAN THAT.
'CAUSE IT THE CAR AND ALL THAT'S 120,098 TOTAL COST OF 230,262.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S BEFORE THE CHANGES IN COLA CAR IS 110,000.
OH, I GUESS WE'LL TAKE THE RADIO.
IF THAT'S APPROVED, WE'LL MOVE THAT RADIO TO ARPA AS WELL.
HOW MU HOW MUCH? SO, SO 120 THOU.
SO SALARY, SALARY AND BENEFITS AND BENEFITS.
110,000 1 64, THAT NUMBER WOULD INCREASE BECAUSE THE SALARY
[01:45:01]
WAS BEFORE THE COLA.SO JUST TO BE CLEAR ON THAT 20, THAT'S THE ONE 10.
AND THEN TIMES 1.04 IS THE 120,098.
NO, THEN THAT'S JUST THE SALARY PIECE.
THEN THE CAPITAL IS BODY ARMOR TRAUMA KIT JACKET, UNIFORM FLASHLIGHT, THE HANDHELD RADIO IF APPROVED, WE WOULD PUT THAT IN ARPA, UH, THE PATROL CAR OF 1 0 5 3 15 AND THEN BODY CAMERA AND TASER OF 2,170 FOR A TOTAL OF 1 20 98.
SO TOTAL COST BEFORE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS ARE 230,262.
THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE FOR THE, JUST FOR THE DEPUTY.
AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE ANOTHER A HUNDRED THOUSAND, UM, FROM THE DISPATCH.
THE DISPATCH WOULD BE 98 0 6 2 6 4.
OKAY, THAT'S THAT 94 2 9 1 TIMES 1.04.
SO 98 0 6 2 0.64 IS DISPATCH, YOU SAID THE PATROL IS 2 3 0 2 6 2 CORRECT.
I WASN'T GONNA BRING THIS OUT.
IT DOES TIE INTO THE DECISION WE'RE ABOUT TO MAKE HERE.
UM, AND SORRY, MR. BARNETT, I, LOOKING AT THIS STEPPING GRADE, I KNOW THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT UPDATING THAT AND I KNOW THAT SHERIFF ER HAS TALKED ABOUT BECAUSE IT, IT DIRECTLY TIES INTO WHAT COMMISSIONER HOLT'S MOTION IS, IS ON THIS STEPPING GRADE.
I WISH WE COULD LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE, A LITTLE BIT NEXT YEAR.
IT'S SET, IT'S WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING DOWN THAT PATH.
BUT I WOULD LIKE, I WISH WE COULD LOOK AT THAT THIS COMING YEAR AND LOOK AT THAT STEPPING GRADE BECAUSE OF THE, OF, OF THE WEIGHTED VALUES OF THIS IS, IS IN THE AREA OF THE UPPER ECHELON OR THE, THE, THE SENIOR STAFF OR THE, THE EXECUTIVE STAFF WHERE IT'S, IT DOESN'T TRANSLATE INTO MORE VALUE TO THE, THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND WHERE THE PAIN IS AND WHERE WE CONTINUE TO WANNA BE COMPETITIVE.
AND, AND THAT'S NOT EVERYTHING.
BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE EQUALITY HERE A LITTLE BIT IN, IN THE FUTURE OF THIS AS WE GO FORWARD BECAUSE IT DOES, IT IMPACTS WHAT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO ME.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE EQUALITY WITH THIS TO TRY TO INCENTIVIZE.
'CAUSE WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THOSE OFFICERS THAT ARE ON THE GROUND THAT PUT THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE EVERY DAY AS YOU ALL DO.
AND, AND, AND SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS I WANT, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SEVEN GRADE SYSTEM LOOKED AT NEXT YEAR, UH, IN THE COMING BUDGET TO LOOK AT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE EQUALITY WITH THIS AND LOOK AT THIS A LITTLE BIT CLOSER.
UH, BECAUSE THERE'S, I JUST HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT IT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS, BUT I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THAT NOW.
WE, IT'S APPROVED AND IT'S ADOPTED, BUT UH, IT DOES IMPACT, UH, THE DECISION ON THIS THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER HOLT HAS NOW GOT ON THE FLOOR JUST TO COMMENT.
I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANY ACTION ON THAT.
I'M JUST MAKING A COMMENT THAT WE NEED TO LOOK, JUST FOR THE CLARIFICATION, THE TOTAL NUMBER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS APPROXIMATELY DEPENDING ON FINALIZATION OF PRICES.
AND THAT'S FOR ONE DISPATCH AND ONE PATROL INCLUDING THE VEHICLE, BODY ARMOR, ET CETERA, FOR THE PATROL.
AND THAT'S THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER HALE HAS SECONDED IT.
SO IF I CAN MAKE A COMMENT REAL QUICK.
SO IF, IF, IF YOU DO DECIDE THAT YOU'RE GONNA GIVE US THE, THE THE DEPUTY WE CAN DO WITHOUT THE CAR.
I MEAN WE'LL JUST HAVE TO RUN ONE OF OUR CURRENT UNITS TWO SHIFTS INSTEAD OF ONE OR THREE SHIFTS INSTEAD OF TWO.
JUST KIND OF DEPENDS ON HOW THE FLEET LINE'S OUT.
WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO, UM, WE DID REALLY GOOD THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS THE REASON WHY WE, WE, WE WERE ABLE TO GET 25 PATROL CARS THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE ONLY ASKED FOR 12 IN THE UPCOMING ONE.
AND I'VE ALREADY, YESTERDAY WE SECURED THOSE 12 PATROL CARS ON THE, ON THE LOT.
THEY'RE GONNA BE, AS SOON AS WE CAN CUT THE PO, THEY'RE GONNA SHIP 'EM TO THE FENDER.
SO AS FAR AS THE VEHICLES GO, WE'RE IN FAIRLY DECENT SHAPE RIGHT NOW.
I'D LIKE TO OUT, WELL JUST POINT OUT SOMETHING ABOUT THAT YOU GOT THE 28 OR WHATEVER BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T GET 'EM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
'CAUSE THEY WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
SO THAT WAS A ROLLOVER FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS.
THE REASON YOU GOT THAT MANY VEHICLES.
YEAH, AND WE, WE, WE DID A LITTLE HORSE TRADING WITH THE, WITH OUR VENDOR AND WE REDUCED THE COST.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE ONLY BUDGETED FOR 22, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO SQUEEZE IN THREE ADDITIONAL CARS.
OF COURSE WE USED QUITE A BIT OF, UH, SEIZE ASSET FUNDS TO OUTFIT SOME OF THOSE VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, KNOW BECAUSE THE MONEY WASN'T THERE.
SO THE SHERIFF SPENT A LOT OF MONEY OUT OF HIS, UH, STATE AND FEDERAL FORFEITURE ACCOUNTS TO, TO OUTFIT THOSE VEHICLES.
BUT WE WERE ABLE TO SQUEEZE SOME MORE CARS OUT.
CHIEF, I APPRECIATE YOU POINTING THAT OUT.
I'D LIKE TO AMEND MY MOTION TO STRIP OUT THE CAP, NON CAP, UH, OF THE
[01:50:01]
VEHICLE ONLY.I ASSUME YOU DO NEED THE BODY ARMOR THOUGH.
YEAH, WE NEED THE REST OF THIS STUFF.
SO PLEASE STRIP OUT FROM THE REQUEST THE VEHICLE ONLY, WHICH SHOULD SAVE 110 ISH.
SO I'M, I'M LOOKING AT NET, UH, 328 IS WHAT WE GOT WHEN WE ADDED EVERYTHING UP THERE.
UH, THEN WE TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THAT AND WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE OUT THE, THE ROUGHLY 120,000 FOR THE RADIOS.
1 34 100, 1 34, 100 WE'LL VERIFY.
AND UH, YEAH, I WAS GONNA ASK WHAT THE RADIO, SO WE'RE DOWN TO, YEAH, WE'RE DOWN, UH, BELOW A HUNDRED THOUSAND NET IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
HOWEVER, UH, THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, WHICH EVERYBODY ALWAYS POINTS OUT, THESE ARE RECURRING COSTS.
THIS IS A, THIS IS A COST THAT'LL COME BACK NEXT YEAR THAT HAS TO BE PAID FOR.
BUT AS FAR AS THE, THE TOTAL IMPACT TO THE, TO THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO FOCUS IN ON HERE.
OKAY, SO THE NEW TALK WAS 84,000.
WHEN YOU ACCOUNT FOR THE RADIO ADJUSTMENT, ET CETERA, YOU PUT THAT IN MOTION.
I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD APPLY TO, I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO APPROVING THEM.
AND THEN WE'LL, YEAH, BUT NOW KEEP IN MIND, UH, NOW THAT 84,000, WHAT IS THAT IMPACT GOING TO BE IN THE NEXT BUDGET? I MEAN IS THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE THE KEY TO ME.
AND, AND COMING BACK AROUND NEXT YEAR, UH, WILL BE THE FULL SALARIES.
THEY'LL, AND COMING BACK AROUND NEXT YEAR, THERE'LL BE A VEHICLE THAT WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL VEHICLE THAT WILL BE NEEDED FOR THAT POSITION TOO.
PROBABLY MORE THAN LIKELY NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S WHAT I, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT ONE YEAR AT A TIME, LOOKING AT ONE YEAR AT A TIME IS A
WE HAVE TO LOOK THREE TO FIVE DOWN THE ROAD WHAT THE IMPACT'S GONNA BE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM BEFORE WE GO UP ALL ON PAPER? SO LET'S, LET'S JUST RECAP HERE.
WE'RE JUST FOR A SECOND JUDGE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON HERE IS TO ADD, UH, A DISPATCH POSITION AND A DEPUTY POSITION AT A A NET COST OF GENERAL FUND IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY $84,000.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON AND THE MONEY TO COME FROM THE, UH, UH, FUND BALANCE.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THAT'S GONNA BE IN YEAR TWO? IF YOU TAKE OUT THE RADIOS, WHAT IS THE NET IMPACT OF THIS NEXT YEAR? IT'LL BE THAT BE BE THE SALARY.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON SIDE OF ALL IN FAVOR? PASS THIS THREE, TWO.
I, I'D LIKE TO JUST, JUST MAKE A COMMENT.
THE, THE TWO THINGS, THE NET RESULTS IN YEAR TWO AND THE, THE, THE TIMING.
IF THIS WERE A WEEK AGO, I'D VOTE FOR IT.
I, I DO WANNA APOLOGIZE TO THE COURT FOR THAT.
I, I BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT BEING SO LATE, UM, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.
AND SO I DO APPRECIATE THE COURT CONSIDERING IT.
BRIANNA, ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? WE'VE
[II.B. Discuss/Vote on Special Revenue Funds and Projects. (Brianna Fowler / Judge Deen)]
DONE, UH, THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.YEAH, I PUT THAT ON THERE JUST SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, ARPA AND SB 22 ON THERE AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, LIKE I SAID, I'M WORKING WITH ANY FINALIZATIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TO UM, FINALIZE THOSE BUDGETS.
YEAH, JUST TO, JUST TO COMMENT ABOUT THE ARPA, UH, WHATEVER MONEY THAT WE CAN SET ASIDE THAT WE CAN USE, WE'RE ALL FOR, UH, IT IS AN UNUSUAL, UNUSUAL FEDERAL FUNDING IS THAT WE CAN USE THAT IN PLACE OF MONEY THAT WE WOULD BE SPENDING.
SO IT ALLOWS US TO USE IT IN PLACE JUST LIKE WE DID WITH THE RADIOS THERE.
SO, UH, MOVING FORWARD, IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO TRANSFER THOSE FUNDS TO ANOTHER BUDGETARY ITEM LIKE WE DID FOR THE RADIOS TODAY, IT'LL BE LIKE LAYING HERE IN FRONT OF YOU TO DO THAT.
BRIAN, I HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT MONDAY.
UM, SO FAR WE'VE LOOKED AT THE TAX RATE IN A BINARY SINCE OF NO NEW REVENUE OR PLUS 2 CENTS, BUT I WOULD ASSUME THAT IF THE COURT CAME TO THE CONSENSUS, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO PRESUME
[01:55:01]
THAT WE USE A HALF A CENT OR A 1 CENT, THAT IT'S ANYTHING WITHIN THAT RANGE AT THIS POINT.IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO YOU CANNOT ADOPT ANYTHING HIGHER.
[III.A. Discuss/Approve Road & Bridge Fund 50 and Precinct Funds 1-4 for Budget FY2024-2025. (Judge Deen)]
THREE ON DISCUSS APPROVED PRECINCTS FUND 50 AND FUNDS ONE THROUGH FOUR FOR BUDGET 24 4 25 FISCAL YEAR, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO.AND ITEM A DISCUSS APPROVED VOTE AND BRIDGE FUND 50 AND PRECINCT FUNDS ONE THROUGH FOUR FOR BUDGET.
AS SAID, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS OR ANY OF THEM? UH, I THINK, I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING IS RATIFYING THE, THE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE GIVEN YOU SINCE LAST COURT.
IS THAT CORRECT? UM, YEAH, I JUST PUT IT ON THERE THAT WAY IF WE NEEDED TO DISCUSS ANYTHING, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU, UM, OFFLINE TO FINALIZE YOUR BUDGETS AND SO I, FOR THE MOST PART WE'VE DONE THAT.
I WILL, UM, EITHER LATER TODAY OR TOMORROW, SEND YOU THE FINAL BUDGETS IF I HAVE AN RA OR YOU KNOW, KIND OF GETTING THOSE FINAL DISCUSSIONS WE'RE HAVING.
SO WE SAY RATIFY WE, WE DON'T NEED, IT'LL BE APPROVED ON MONDAY, BUT I'M JUST, YEAH, WE DON'T NEED TO DO ANYTHING.
I PUT IT ON THERE IF WE NEEDED TO VISIT ANY CAP OR THE BUDGETS OR ANYTHING ELSE.
THAT WAY IT ALLOWS US TO SPEAK ABOUT THOSE IF NEED.
WE'RE ASSUMING THAT EVERYTHING IS GOOD.
YOU'VE GOT ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED FROM THE PRECINCTS.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT AFTER
ALRIGHT, SO JUST CONFIRMING SOME ROLLOVER TURP STUFF.
OKAY? OKAY, THAT TAKES US TO FOUR ON ADJOURNMENT.
I'VE ASKED FOR A MOTION MOVE TO ADJOURN.
AYE ERS SHOW THAT WILL ADJOURN AT 1119.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.