[00:00:03]
I WANNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED HERE.
IT IS 1115, UH, FOR THE PARKER COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT SPECIAL AGENDA FOR THIS TUESDAY, JANUARY 21ST, UH, 2025.
UH, AGAIN, LET THE RECORD SHOW IT AS 1115 IS WHEN WE'LL START THE MEETING TO MOVE TO CONSIDER, DISCUSS, AND ACT UPON THE FOLLOWING.
AGENDA ITEM ON ITEM A, DISCUSS AND TAKE A POSSIBLE ACTION TO ACCEPT A PETITION TO ORDER A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CREATION OF PARKER COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT NUMBER 10, WHICH LIES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF RENO.
UM, I WANT TO GO AHEAD, UH, TALK TO, UH, COUNTY ATTORNEY JOHN FOREST ON THIS AND, AND, UH, COORDINATED WITH HIM AND ALSO THE FIRE CHIEF OF THE, UH, RENO FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, THEY HAVE SUBMITTED A PETITION.
THAT PETITION HAS GONE, UH, TO, UH, THE ELECTIONS OFFICE.
IT HAS ALSO BEEN, UH, CERTIFIED WITH A RESOLUTION WITH THE CITY OF RENO, UH, CRICKET.
WOULD YOU COME UP PLEASE, JUST REAL QUICK AND JUST KIND OF CONFIRM THAT THIS PETITION DID COME TO YOU AND YOU REVIEWED IT? YES, SIR.
WE DID REVIEW IT AND WE, UH, CAME UP WITH A TOTAL OF 127 SIGNATURES THAT WERE GOOD ON THE PETITION.
AND WHAT REQUIREMENT WAS NECESSARY FOR THAT? I HAVE NO IDEA.
YOU DON'T, 100 DO WHAT? 100 0 100 WAS.
AND SO THEN SUBSEQUENTLY THEN, UM, OUR COUNTY CLERK LAIKA WENT THROUGH IT AND ALSO DID SOME VERIFICATION.
I THINK THERE WAS JUST A HANDFUL, WHICH STILL, IT IS STILL ABOVE THE NUMBER.
WE STILL HAVE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ASSIGNED THAT, WHICH MAKES IT A VALID PETITION.
UH, BEFORE I HAVE THE FIRE CHIEF COME UP, JOHN, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THIS ALSO? UH, YES.
WE, WE'D HAVE A HEARING TODAY WHETHER TO ACCEPT THIS PETITION OR NOT ACCEPT.
IT'LL BE BASED ON THEIR FI FISCAL VIABILITY, UH, WILL BE THE CRITICAL CRITERIA THAT Y'ALL CAN, UH, REVIEW THIS ON.
UH, IF Y'ALL CHOOSE TO ACCEPT THE PETITION, THERE WILL BE A, UH, ELECTION OF THE VOTERS IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA THAT THEY DESIGNATED FOR THE ESD.
QUESTIONS? ANYONE, MOSES WOULD, FOR THE RECORD, ABOUT HOW MUCH DO WE BELIEVE THIS ESD WILL TAKE IN PER YEAR? MOSES, WOULD YOU COME UP AND BE ABLE TO ADDRESS HIS QUESTIONS AND OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WOULD COME UP? ABSOLUTELY.
SO FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME'S MOSES DRUXMAN.
I'M THE FIRE CHIEF OF BRI RENO FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO THE ESTIMATE IS AROUND 300,000.
UH, RIGHT NOW IT'S 303 IS THE, THAT PERFORM TAXES COLLECTED IN THE CITY OF RENO.
AFTER THIS IS ACCEPTED AND MOVED ON, OUR INTENT IS TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE TOWARDS SALES TAX AS WELL.
AND THE ESTIMATE ON THAT'S AROUND 10 TO 15 A YEAR, OR EXCUSE ME, 10 TO 15 A MONTH THOUSAND.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMEWHERE AROUND 400 TO 500,000.
AND WHAT IS THE STATE OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE? ABSOLUTELY.
SO, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
CAN I EXPLAIN WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE EXIST? SO ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO, FOUR, EXCUSE ME, THREE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS MERGED INTO ONE DEPARTMENT.
UM, IT WAS A CITY OF PELICAN BAY AND TARRANT COUNTY, BRIAR AND UN IN TARRANT COUNTY, SD ONE, UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY, CITY OF SANCTUARY AND PARKER, AND THE CITY OF RENO AND PARKER.
AND ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, WE MADE THE DECISION THAT WE NEEDED TO GO WITH A PAID AGENCY DUE TO CALL, CALL VOLUME.
AT THAT TIME IT WAS AROUND A THOUSAND CALLS A YEAR.
THIS YEAR, WE'RE GONNA HIT A LITTLE OVER 1800.
SO THE WAY OUR ORGANIZATION CURRENTLY WORKS IS WE'RE CONTRACT.
WE'RE TECHNICALLY A 5 0 1 C FOUR THAT CONTRACTS TO THE FOUR ENTITIES.
UM, EACH ENTITY PAYS BASED UPON CALL VOLUME AND UTILIZATION COSTS PER HOUR.
SOME OF THE CITIES ARE A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.
AND WE'VE GOT PLANS IN PLACE WITH ALL OF THOSE TO MAKE INCREASES.
WE OPENED OUR SECOND STATION LAST YEAR.
ONE STATION'S IN TARRANT COUNTY, ESD ONE IN BRIAR, THAT'S STAFFED AT TWO AND A HALF PEOPLE PER DAY.
UH, THE REASON THERE'S A HALF IS TARRANT COUNTY PAYS US 667,000 A YEAR.
AND MA MAJORITY OF THAT IS FOR PERSONNEL.
SO THOSE FOLKS ARE STAFFED THERE 24 HOURS A DAY.
AND THEN RENO PAYS US APPROXIMATELY 312,000 A YEAR.
AND THEN WE BRING IN ABOUT 50,000, 55,000 A YEAR THROUGH DONATIONS FROM THE WATER DEPARTMENT.
FOLKS MAKE A DONATION ON THEIR WATER BILL EVERY MONTH IF I THINK IT'S $5 OR $3.
AND ON AVERAGE, AND DURING MY TENURE, IT'S BEEN ABOUT 45 TO 60,000.
MOSES SAID, UM, THIS EXCEPT THIS, AND THEN WE, WHICH THE CITY OF RENO ALREADY HAS.
AND SO IF THIS GOES TO A VOTE AND PASSES, UM, THE EXPECTATION THEN, UH, THE CITY OF RENO WOULD PROBABLY BE
[00:05:01]
THEN, UH, DISCONTINUED THE 300,000, WOULD THAT BE CORRECT? YES, SIR.AND I PREPARED THEM THAT, YOU KNOW, SO LONG AS THEY'RE IN EXISTENCE, WHICH WE ARE HOPEFUL FOR, UM, THE FIRST YEAR, YOU KNOW, THAT WE MAY, MAY NEED TO WORK TOGETHER ON THAT NUMBER IF WE COME IN SHORT AND THEY'RE PREPARED FOR THAT.
I DON'T ESTIMATE THAT BEING A PROBLEM.
WE'VE GOT IT BUILT INTO OUR BUDGET.
IF WE DO HAVE A SHORTFALL, WE'LL BE OKAY.
I, I GUESS THE BOTTOM, WHAT, WHAT'S THE STABILITY OF WITH THE, YOUR AGREEMENT WITH THE, UH, TARRANT COUNTY IN THAT 600,000? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, CHIEF WATSON'S BEEN WORKING WITH US OVER AT TARRANT COUNTY, SD ONE.
HE'S BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB OVER THERE, JUST GIVEN SOME ADVISEMENT.
UM, WE'RE IN A REALLY INTERESTING SPOT IN TARRANT COUNTY BECAUSE THERE'S NO ONE TO THE NORTH OF US IS WISE COUNTY TO THE SOUTH OF US IS THE CITY OF ALE.
WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH ALE.
THEY HAVE NO INTEREST OF ABSORBING THAT TARRANT COUNTY AREA.
AND TO SPEAK ON YOUR EQUIPMENT QUESTION, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T ANSWER THAT.
UM, SO WE HAVE A TANKER PUMPER THAT'S LOCATED IN RENO, WHICH IS 2018 MODEL.
AND WE HAVE A BRUSH TRUCK THAT'S OVER THERE.
AND THEN IN TARRANT COUNTY, WE HAVE A BRUSH TRUCK, AN ENGINE.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, ANOTHER BRUSH TRUCK THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY BUILDING OUT.
AND WE HAVE A SQUAD THAT'S ALSO STATIONED IN RENO, WHICH IS A MINI PUMPER.
AND THAT'S, EVERYTHING'S NEWER AS FAR AS FRONTLINE, UH, 2018 AND NEWER BRUSH TRUCKS ARE 2006 AND 2012.
AND IS THERE AN ISSUE WITH IF THERE'S A FIRE ON ONE SIDE, THE EQUIPMENT FROM BOTH SIDES CAN GO TO THAT? YES, SIR.
SO JUST LIKE IF LAHAN HAS A FIRE OR ALE, MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS ARE IN PLACE THAT WE WILL RESPOND TO THOSE AREAS.
BUT THIS, THIS FOUR TO 500,000, THAT'S, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S THE NUMBER IF EVERYTHING GOES AS GOES AS DESIRED.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE SALES TAX PASSES, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE FOLKS IN RENO ARE GONNA LOVE THE IDEA OF MORE SALES TAX
I THINK COMMISSIONER CONLEY WOULD KNOW THAT BETTER THAN I WOULD PROBABLY NOT ON THAT WATER FUND.
IS IT GONNA GO AWAY TOO IF, UH, YOU BECOME AN A SD TEAM? SO OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO ASK WHOMEVER THE NEW WATER DEPARTMENT IS, OF COURSE, TO CONTINUE THE WATER DONATION OPTION.
WELL, I DON'T MEAN IF IT, IF IT'S DI DIS DISENFRANCHISED.
I'M JUST TALKING WHEN THE CITY QUITS PAYING YOU WHAT THEY PAY YOU.
THE WATER FUND WILL GO AWAY TOO, WON'T IT? NO, IT'LL STAY IN PLACE BECAUSE IT'S A DONATION.
WE'VE ASKED THE CITY IF THEY WOULD CONTINUE THAT.
SO WHEN YOU GET YOUR WATER BILL, IT SAYS, I THINK $5 TO FIRE DEPARTMENT, SAY $2 TO IT USED TO BE ANIMAL CONTROL.
UM, NOW THAT'S GONE AWAY, BUT YOU'RE GONNA BE, YOU'RE GONNA SET YOUR RATE AT 10 CENTS.
I SUPPOSE FOR THE TIME BEING, PLUS TAKE THE WATER MONEY.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S DONATION BASED.
SO IF THEY, THEY CHOOSE TO NOT CONTINUE TO DO THAT, THAT'S OKAY.
AND THAT'S WHY WE BUILT IN, AT LEAST ON THE RENO SIDE, ABOUT A $50,000 BUFFER.
BECAUSE EACH YEAR, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GONNA GET 60,000 IN DONATIONS.
IT USUALLY GOES DOWN WHEN YOU FARM AN IS.
AND THAT WOULD BE MY ASSUMPTION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE? YEAH, SO MAYBE I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT CON CONFUSED ON KIND OF THE PURPOSE HERE.
SO WE'RE HERE TO APPROVE THIS.
IS THIS A MINISTERIAL REQUIREMENT OF US, JOHN? IT IS NOT.
SO WE'RE HERE TO APPROVE THIS THEN, IF I HEARD RIGHT, BASED OFF OF WHETHER OR NOT WE BELIEVE THIS IS FINANCIALLY VIABLE.
FEASIBLE, PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY WITHIN THAT DISTRICT.
I, I MEAN, I'M, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE DIFFICULT HERE, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO LOOK AT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY, I HAVE A COPY OF OUR BUDGET IF YOU'D LIKE ONE.
UM, WERE WE ALREADY PROVIDED THAT? NO.
NO, WE HAVE, WE HAVE NOT GOT A BUDGET.
IF I HAVEN'T SEEN HISTORICAL DATA PROJECTIONS ON VARIOUS, HEY, IF THIS GOES THROUGH, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
BUT IF THE SALES TAX DOESN'T PASS, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, STUFF BURNING DOWN AND PEOPLE SHOWING UP TO PUT OUT THE FIRE.
UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE ANY OF THAT WITH YOU.
WHEN I STARTED FIVE YEARS AGO, I STARTED, EXCUSE ME, FULL-TIME FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED HERE, OUR BUDGET WAS 289,000.
TODAY WE'RE AT RIGHT AROUND 1.4.
SO IT'S BEEN MY INTENT TO GROW THIS AGENCY SINCE I STARTED THERE.
UM, I LEFT MY FULL-TIME JOB TO COME DO THIS, WHICH IS TOTALLY OKAY.
AND IT WAS MY INTENT TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY THEIR SERVICES THAT THEY ASKED FOR.
I'LL TELL YOU, OUR BIGGEST ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE'RE ONLY AT TWO PEOPLE PER SHIFT.
AND AS MY EXPECTATION IS, UH, AS THE COMMUNITY GROWS, WE WILL GROW, WE'LL GROW TOGETHER, AND WE'LL BE AT THREE AND FOUR PER SHIFT.
AND I DON'T SEE THE GROWTH OUT THERE SLOWING DOWN.
[00:10:01]
JUST LIKE YOU HAD MENTIONED ABOUT THE WATER DONATIONS, I EXPECT WITHIN A YEAR THAT WOULD AT LEAST PROBABLY GO TO HALF.AND AVALOR TAX ABOUT INCRE, UH, INCREASE, WOULD INCREASE BY THEN TO OFFSET THAT.
TO EXPAND ON WHAT COMMISSIONER HOLT HAS ASKED, YOU HAVE A BUDGET, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT RELEVANT BECAUSE ALL THE DYNAMICS CHANGE.
IF THIS GOES TO THE VOTE AND AND PASSES, WE APPROVE THIS AND, UM, IT GOES TO THE BOAT AND AND IT DOES PASS, THEN THERE'S A 10 CENT AND THEN YOUR, YOUR, YOUR 300,000 THAT YOU'RE GETTING FROM RENO GOES AWAY.
THE STABILITY WITH TARRANT COUNTY, YOU SAY IS INTACT.
SO WHAT I THINK WE'RE, THE FOCUS FOR US IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A VITALLY FINANCIALLY STABLE ENTITY.
BECAUSE WHAT WE DO THEN, UM, IF IT PASSES, THEN THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT THEN APPROVES AND APPOINTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND THEN WE GET OUT OF THE WAY.
AND THEN, THEN YOU RUN YOUR, YOU RUN YOUR ESD, JUST LIKE ALL THE REST OF THE SEVEN I BELIEVE WE HAVE.
SO, UH, IT WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT THAN THAT.
IS IT SIX? SORRY, I DON'T MEAN TO KEEP ADDING SDS HERE, BUT, UM, IT'S THE SAME, IT'S THE SAME CONCEPT WHERE THEY WERE SINGLE ONE.
YOU KNOW, WE APPOINT THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THE, THE CONSERVATIVENESS OF THIS COURT IN THIS COUNTY, UM, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A, IT IS A THRIVING, GROWING ECONOMY.
GROWING ECONOMY, PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING UP.
AND WE, WE WISH AND, AND WOULD HOPE THAT SOMEDAY YOU COULD LOOK AT THIS BUDGET AND MAYBE VIABILITY OF, OF DROPPING THAT TAX RATE.
WE ALWAYS ASK THAT OF KEEP, KEEP AN OPEN MIND WITH THAT.
BUT WE, WE, BY COMMISSIONER HOLT'S POINT WAS, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT THE EXISTING BUDGETS THAT YOU HAVE AND YOU'VE OPERATED WITH, BUT THAT YOU'RE PREPARED AND, AND TO SHOW THAT, UM, UNDER THE, THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF WHICH IF THIS PASSES, YOU'RE GONNA LOSE, THAT IT'S A CERTAINTY THAT YOU'LL LOSE THAT FROM RENO, UH, THAT YOU'RE STILL FINANCIALLY VIABLE THROUGH THE, THE, THE TAX REVENUES THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET FROM THE PROPERTY VALUES OF THE 10 CENTS, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
AND YOU, YOU, UM, COMMISSIONER HALL, DOES THAT MEET YOUR NEED OR IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT? YEAH, I THINK, JUST TO KEEP IT REAL SIMPLE, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS MAYBE THE PAST TWO YEARS BUDGET.
AND THEN ALSO YOUR BUDGET FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND THIS, THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE TO SOME IMMENSE LEVEL OF DETAIL.
I I JUST TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR IT.
BUT THAT BUDGET, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE ABILITY TO PIVOT BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IF THE SALES TAX PASSES, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M VOTING FOR SOMETHING THAT ALL THE EGGS ARE IN THE BASKET OF SALES TAX PASSING OR NOT.
I, I'D ASK FOR A BIT MORE INFORMATION, BUT I THINK WE COULD, WELL, WE HAVE A TIME, JOHN, IF YOU WOULD SPEAK TO THAT.
AND, AND TO HAVE, UH, PROPER NOTICE THAT WOULD'VE TO BE VOTED ON TODAY FOR PROPER NOTICES TO BE PLACED IN THE NEWSPAPER.
UH, ONE ADDITIONAL, UM, REQUIREMENT IS THAT THE COURT FIND THAT IF THE TERRITORY INCLUDES MUNICIPALITY, IF THAT MUNICIPALITY WAS REMOVED FROM THAT ESD EXCLUDED, IT WOULD STILL BE FEASIBLE AND ALSO STILL PROVIDE OTHER HEALTH AND SAFETY.
AND I'LL TELL YOU GUYS, TWO YEARS AGO, WE HAD LOOKED AT THIS OPTION WHEN RENO HAD BROUGHT UP THEIR CONVERSATION, JUST INCORPORATION PREVIOUSLY AT THAT TIME, TAX VALUES WEREN'T FEASIBLE.
UM, AND WE KNEW THAT, WE KNEW THAT WAS NOT A GOOD OPTION FOR US.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, I BELIEVE THEY'VE GONE UP ABOUT 60,000 OR SO.
UM, AND THERE'S STILL QUITE A BIT OF GROWTH THAT'S NOT FINISHED OUT SOME OF THE SUBDIVISIONS.
I'VE GOTTA BRING THIS UP 'CAUSE IT'S A REALITY.
I, I'VE DEALT WITH THIS A LITTLE BIT FROM A FACT-BASED DISCUSSION BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER PARALLEL.
AND, AND THIS IS A LITTLE OFF AGENDA, BUT IT TIES IN WITH THE AGENDA ITEM THAT IF THEY DO DISIN INCORPORATE AND THEY DO GO DOWN THAT PATH, THEN THERE'S A CHANGE IN THE WAY THE GROWTH HAPPENS IN THAT AREA AND THAT WILL AFFECT PROPERTY VALUES.
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THAT? YES, SIR.
AND WHAT, AND WHAT DID YOUR CONCLUSION COME TO? SO OUR MINIMUM EXPECTATION FOR RUNNING CALLS, RESPONDING CALLS, AND IN RENO IS THAT WE NEED TO BE AT THREE PERSONS PER SHIFT.
THAT, THAT'S MY MINIMUM EXPECTATION.
UM, ONCE WE SEE AN INCREASE IN A LITTLE BIT MORE IN PROPERTY VALUES, SAY ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE IN VALOREM, WE'LL BE COMFORTABLE TO HAVE THREE FULL-TIME IN RENO.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT IT BUILT INTO OUR BUDGET FOR APPARATUS REPLACEMENT, CREATING THIS ESD.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE OTHER ENTITY IN TARRANT COUNTY.
TARRANT COUNTY CAN APPLY FOR ITS OWN GRANTS, AND RENO CAN APPLY FOR ITS OWN GRANTS.
SO THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GET POOR SERVICE GRANTS.
'CAUSE WE'LL MAINTAIN VOLUNTEER STATUS LIKE A LOT OF OTHER ENTITIES.
WHAT'S THE SCOPE OF YOUR EQUIPMENT, HOW MANY FIRE TRUCKS YOU HAVE AND SO FORTH.
WE'VE GOT THREE ENGINES, TWO BRUSH TRUCKS, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING ANOTHER ONE.
UH, WE'VE GOT A AND THEN THREE ADMINISTRATION VEHICLES.
[00:15:01]
WHAT'S YOUR STAFF? UH, MINIMUM OF FOUR STAFF PER DAY.TWO IN RENO, TWO AND A HALF IN BRIAR.
WE'RE ON AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT FIVE SOME DAYS.
WE HAVE TWO IN THE OFFICE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
AND ON CALL, WE HAVE A FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE THAT'S FULLY STAFFED WITH TWO PERSONS, MYSELF AND MY ASSISTANT CHIEF.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ANYBODY HAS? I JUST WONDERED HOW MANY REGISTERED VOTERS ARE, ARE IN THIS AREA? DOES ANYBODY HAVE A COUNT ON THAT? I MEAN, IS IT A, IS IT 500? IS IT ABOUT, IS IT JUST FOR THE CITY OF RENO OR IS IT NO, I'M, I'M ABOUT OF THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS ESD AREA.
THAT'S BEING JUST THE CITY LIMITS.
IS IT PRETTY AROUND 2,800 IS OKAY.
AND SO THEY BASICALLY, FOR THE PETITION NEEDED, HOW MANY, AGAIN? 100.
THAT'S NOT BASED ON POPULATION.
UNDERSTAND, I'M JUST POINTING THIS OUT OF WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF ME, SO, OKAY.
ANY OTHER, UH, I HAD A QUESTION THAT HAD Y'ALL DISCUSSED OR TALK TO ANY OTHER EXISTING ESDS ABOUT MAYBE MERGING WITH SOME OF THEIR EXISTING YES, SIR.
SO ES D ONE IS OUR, OUR NEIGHBOR TWO PRETTY MUCH THE NORTH, SOUTH AND THE WEST.
UM, I'VE LEARNED MANY THINGS FROM HIM, AND OUR CREWS HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM THEM.
UH, BUT BASED UPON THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED, THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY SEEMS TO APPRECIATE THIS WAS OUR BEST OPTION.
UM, WHEN THIS INCORPORATION CAME BACK UP, JUST BEING COMPLETELY BLUNT, I HATE TO KEEP BRINGING THAT UP, BUT IT'S, IT'S A REALITY THAT PROBABLY IN MAY, WILL WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
I WENT TO THE RESIDENCE, A LOT OF THEM, AND I SAID, YOU HAVE A CHOICE.
WE CAN EITHER GO TO ANOTHER ESD OR WE CAN CREATE OUR OWN.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? AND OBVIOUSLY WE HAD QUITE A FEW THAT SAID THEY WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT LOCAL AND THEIR AGENCY.
UM, IT'S THEIR CHOICE AT THE END OF THE DAY.
AND I'M HERE JUST TO BE A STEWARD OF THAT, OF COURSE.
YOU KNOW, I WANT MY ENTITY TO EXIST AND GROW AND PROSPER, OF COURSE.
BUT IF THE BEST IDEA OPTION, EXCUSE ME, IS TO GO INTO ANOTHER ESD, THEN I WOULD EXPECT THE VOTERS WOULD SAY THAT.
TO CLARIFY JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER HILL, UH, I DID TRY TO, UH, SET UP A MEETING WITH ALL THE ENTITIES JUST TO KIND OF TURN OVER THE ROCKS, MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNICATION AND, AND THEY, THEY'VE DONE THAT, THEY'VE GONE DOWN THAT PATH.
UH, I'VE TALKED TO ES D ONE ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY AND SEEN IF WE CAN'T GET A MEETING SCHEDULED.
AND THAT WAS, UH, THEY'VE ALREADY GONE DOWN THEIR PATH AND THIS IS A PATH THAT THEY WANTED TO GO WITHOUT ANY OTHER OPTION.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY THAT, THAT WE, INCLUDING JOHN POROUS, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE ALL HAD THIS, UM, CONVERSATION WITH A CONFERENCE CALL.
SO WE, WE'VE TRIED, WE'VE TRIED THAT.
WE ALWAYS WANT COLLABORATION AS, AS I WAS TELLING YOU, IT IS WORKING TOGETHER IS, IT'S NOT, WE'RE TRYING TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO, AND PLEASE DON'T CONFUSE THAT.
BUT JUST WHEN WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND THERE'S, THERE'S ADVANTAGES TO THE TAXPAYER, IF YOU WILL.
SO, UM, AND I THINK THAT IF, IF OUR ENTITY HADN'T GOTTEN UNEXPECTED GROWTH LAST YEAR FROM TARRANT COUNTY AND WHAT'S COMING FROM PELICAN BAY, I'LL BE COMPLETELY HONEST, THIS WOULD NOT MAKE SENSE AND IT WOULD NOT WORK.
BUT IT WORKS BECAUSE FOUR COMMUNITIES CAME TOGETHER AND STARTING FIVE YEARS AGO, OUR BUDGET WENT FROM 2 89 TO 1.4.
THEY SEE THE VISION, THEY SEE THE FUNCTIONALITY.
OUR RESPONSE TIMES ARE SIX AND A HALF MINUTES.
WE'RE FIRST ON, FIRST DUE ON ALL OF OUR FIRST ON FOR ALL OF OUR FIRES.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IN MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT WE'RE NOT AT THREE PER SHIFT.
IF, IF WE WERE STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY OR WE WERE STRUGGLING TO STAFF PROPERLY, I ABSOLUTELY BE THE FIRST PERSON TO TELL YOU YES, WE SHOULD LOOK AT ANOTHER OPTION.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS THIS, UH, I'M HEARING THAT THERE MAY BE A POSSIBILITY OF THE CITY GOING AWAY THIS INCORPORATED.
IS THERE IS THAT, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
AND THEN SECONDLY, WHAT IF, WHAT IF THE, THE CITY GOES AWAY AND THIS ELECTION TO ESTABLISH THIS, UH, ESD FAILS, THEN WHAT, WHAT'S THE SCENARIO THEN? NO CITY AND NO ESD.
SO IN THAT SITUATION, THERE'S, THERE'S NO OBLIGATED FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, BRINO FIRE DEPARTMENT OWNS OUR BUILDING.
WE OWN ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT AND OUR STAFF.
AND THE CITY DOES NOT OWN ANY OF THAT AT THAT POINT.
I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA BE IN A REALLY ODD SITUATION AND I'LL BE COMING TO YOU GUYS TO SAY, HEY, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? BECAUSE IF THE CITIZENS AREN'T WILLING TO PASS AN ESD, THIS COMMUNITY'S TOO BUSY WITH TOO, TOO HIGH OF A CALL VOLUME FOR JUST A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THE COMPLEXITY OF THIS, IF ONE COMMISSIONER WALDEN'S QUESTION, DO THEY DE IF THEY DEIN INCORPORATE AND THEN THIS ESD FAILS,
[00:20:01]
THEN IT'S A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME.IT DON'T, DON'T COME TO US AND, AND SAY, WHAT DO WE DO? IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE THE COMMUNITY AND WORKING TOGETHER WITH YOUR NEIGHBORING ESDS OR, OR ESD.
AND, BUT THIS IS A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME IF THAT HAPPENS.
SO IT IS, UM, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF MOVING PARTS OF THIS THING.
AND THE, AND THE UNFORTUNATE SITUATION IS, IS IT'S A VERY VOLATILE, UNSTABLE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.
AND MYSELF, THE SHERIFF, UH, THE COMMISSIONER HAS BEEN TO MEETINGS OUT THERE, UH, TO, WE CAN'T LEGALLY SAY VOTE FOR IT OR DON'T, BUT THE REALITY OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS, IS NOT ONLY WILL IT AFFECT WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE, BUT IT WILL AFFECT US AND HAVING TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO 60 MORE ROAD MILES IN PRECINCT ONE.
NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT WE WOULD THEN HAVE TO POLICE THAT AREA OUT THERE, WHICH IS, WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO OUR BUDGET.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS OF THIS.
UM, GIVEN THE PETITION OF WHAT'S YOU, YOU'RE FACED WITH, UM, COUNSELOR, IF YOU WOULD, AGAIN, JUST CLARIFY WHAT WE NEED TO DO HERE TODAY.
AND IS THERE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING WITH THIS.
UM, 'CAUSE COMMISSIONER HOLT IS NOT GONNA GET WHAT HE WANTS TODAY WITH LOOKING AT MULTIPLE HISTORICAL BUDGETS.
I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA HAVE THAT WITH YOU.
I HAVE OUR CURRENT YEAR BUDGET, 24 25.
I'LL GIVE YOU THAT TODAY, BUT I'LL EMAIL YOU THE OTHERS BEFORE THEM TODAY.
SO, UM, JUST TO CLARIFY WHAT WE NEED TO DO TODAY THAT IMPACTS THIS, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS TODAY, THEN THAT THERE IS NO ELECTION.
AND SO WHAT THE COURT HAVE TO DO TODAY IS DETERMINE THAT THIS ESD NUMBER 10 IS FEASIBLE AND WE'LL PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY, WELFARE HEALTH AND CONVENIENCE OF THE PERSONS RESIDING IN THE PROPOSED DISTRICT.
UH, ADDITIONALLY THAT IF RENO WAS EXCLUDED, IT STILL WOULD MEET THAT CRITERIA SINCE THAT'S A MUNICIPALITY WITHIN THAT DISTRICT.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE TWO FINDINGS.
YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE, THAT THEY'RE FEASIBLE AND MEET THE CRITERIA OF, OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
NUMBER TWO, IF MARINO WAS EXCLUDED, THEY WOULD STILL BE FEASIBLE AND MEET THE CRITERIA OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
IT'S REALLY THE ONLY FEASIBLE.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF THE SALES TAX PASSES, SALES TAX WILL GENERATE ABOUT A HUNDRED TO 150,000 BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ANY MORE MONEY JUST IF RENO CITY CUTS YOU OFF.
AND WHAT MONEY YOU'RE GONNA GET IS AROUND 300,000.
SO YOU'RE REALLY SHOOTING FOR THAT SALES TAX MONEY.
SO OUR CURRENT BUDGET FOR RENO IS THREE 12.
THE 55 50 ISH, WE'LL GO WITH 50,000.
THAT MONEY IS STRICTLY DONATION.
IT IS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, BUT IT'S NOT A, IT'S A, IT'S A FLEXIBLE ITEM.
IT'S, IF I HAVE TO CUT THAT OUT, THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE.
AND WE, WE ANTICIPATE THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
THE SALES TAX HELPS US GET TO THE LONG TERM GOAL OF THE COMMUNITY OF GETTING TO THE 400 TO FOUR 50 BUDGET, 300,000.
WE HAVE NO PROBLEM OPERATING AT ALL.
SO SALES TAX FAILS, YOU STILL MEET THE SERVICES? ABSOLUTELY.
OF THE CURRENT SALES TAX IS JUST A BONUS FOR US.
IF, IF, IF IT PASSES THE VOTER.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEPENDING MOSTLY ON THAT SALES TAX.
YEAH, NO, I, I DID THIS WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF NOT DOING A SALES TAX, UM, AT FIRST AND THEN NOW THAT THE CITY IS UNKNOWN WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE, THEN WE'RE GONNA GO AFTER THAT AS WELL IN NOVEMBER.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS PROBABLY NOT, NOT DIRECTED AT ANYBODY, BUT, UM, ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS THAT WE FACE HERE AS COMMISSIONERS IS, IS AN EMERGENCY.
UM, WE HAVE TO COME HERE TODAY.
WE, WE SCHEDULED A MEETING ON THURSDAY FOR AN EMERGENCY DEAL.
I MEAN, WE, WE NEED MORE TIME, WHICH WE'RE BEING TOLD WE DON'T HAVE MORE TIME.
HOW DID WE GET PUT IN THIS EMERGENCY VOTE YES OR NO TODAY SITUATION? UH, LACK OF PREPARATION, LACK OF, I'M, I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE THAT'S THE MOST DIFFICULT THING FOR ME.
YOU KNOW, UH, AS COMMISSIONER HOLT SAYS, I, I WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION AND NOW I'M BEING TOLD THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
YOU NEED TO VOTE YES OR NO RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S, THAT PUTS US IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION AS A COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
I CAN, I CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
ANYWAY, THERE WAS REQUESTED INITIALLY ON THE, WITH THE PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER'S COURT, BUT WAS TOLD THAT, UM, BY OUR, UM, COUNTY ATTORNEY THAT IT NEEDED TO GO THROUGH RENO.
UM, I GOT IT SUBSEQUENTLY THEN I WAS INFORMED THAT IT HAD NOT GONE TO RENO AND IT HAD NOT PASSED RENO.
SO I PULLED THE, APPROVE THE AGENDA, AND THEN WE FOUND OUT THAT IT ACTUALLY DID PASS, IT DID GO THROUGH RENO.
SO I, I'LL APOLOGIZE ON BEHALF
[00:25:01]
OF THAT.WELL, I, I, I WASN'T POINTING THE FINGER ASKING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO COME HERE AND IN 30 MINUTES MAKE A DECISION LIKE THIS THAT I AGREE.
YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION.
AND I'M NOT TAKING IT NEGATIVELY.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AS TO WHY IT GOT PULLED, BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD IT NEEDED TO BE.
I UNDERSTAND THERE, SINCE IT ENCOMPASSES RENO, WE HAD TO HAVE THE, I I UNDERSTAND THE VERIFICATION THAT CITY COUNCIL HAD APPROVED THAT.
AND, AND WE WERE TOLD IT DID NOT WHEN IT DID.
SO ANOTHER QUICK FOLLOW UP ON, SO YOU'VE RUN YOUR, YOUR NUMBERS TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE ON A 450,000 ISH YES, SIR.
BASIS, WELL, WE'VE GOT 300, BUT, WELL, THAT'S WHY I'D WRITTEN DOWN 300 HERE ON YOUR EXPECTATION ON THE REVENUE GENERATED.
IF RENO PASSED THE 10 CENT, WE'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT STATUS, WHICH IS TWO PEOPLE PER SHIFT.
FULL TIME MAINTENANCE OF THOSE TRUCKS, MAINTENANCE OF THE ADMINISTRATION COSTS THAT ARE IN PLAY.
UM, 'CAUSE A PERCENTAGE OF EACH ENTITY, WHAT THEY PAY IN GOES TO, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE PAYING MY SALARY.
THIS IS CHIEF SALARY, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND AS IT GROWS, YOU KNOW, WE WILL ADD STAFFING AND SUCH LIKE THAT.
SO, WELL, I KNOW THAT EQUIPMENT'S NOT CHEAP, SO, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THINKING AND PARDON MY IGNORANCE, BUT I'M JUST, I NEED TO TRY TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS JUST FOR MY CONFIDENCE HERE.
BUT SO, SO WHEN I PENCIL DEALS, I'M, I TRY TO RUN 'EM VERY CONSERVATIVE ON.
AND IF THINGS DON'T GO THE WAY THAT THEY'RE PLANNED, WHAT HAPPENS IF THE FINANCING ISN'T THERE? AND THIS SAY THAT THIS DOES GET CREATED AND THIS ESD, THIS NEW ESD IS CREATED, AND THEN THE FUNDING DOESN'T APPEAR OR DOES, IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT CASE? SO WITH THE FUNDING THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE VALOREM TAXES SET, CURRENTLY, WE'RE GONNA MAINTAIN EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE.
WE SHORT, WE COME IN SHORT, WE'VE GOT ABOUT AN $80,000, UH, GAP THERE IN OUR BUFFER ZONE IN RENO.
SO IF WE HAVE TO CUT EXPENSES, I'VE GOT ABOUT 80,000 THAT I CAN FLUCTUATE IN RENO ITSELF.
AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE OTHER ENTITIES.
AND THAT INCLUDES KNOWING YOU'RE GONNA LOSE THAT 300,000.
'CAUSE HERE'S THE THING IS WE'RE ALSO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ON TOPIC, SO YOU GUYS DO NEED TO BE AWARE OF THIS.
IN OCTOBER, THE CITY OF RENO ALSO PASSED THE DE MINIMIS RATE, WHICH RAISED THEIR TAX RATE TO I THINK, 55 CENTS.
WELL, WHEN THEY DID THAT, A PETITION WAS ALSO TURNED INTO THE CITY TO LOWER THE TAX RATE DOWN TO, I BELIEVE 32 OR 34 CENTS.
WE'RE ALREADY OPERATING ON A 34 CENT BUDGET, BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY THAT'S WHERE THEY WERE.
SO IF THEY GO, IF THEY MAINTAIN THE DIMINISH RATE, THAT'S GONNA ADD MORE TO THEIR INCOME.
I DON'T EXPECT THEM TO, I EXPECT THAT TO, TO PASS IN MAY AT THE BALLOT.
SO WE'VE BETTER GOT THE ANTICIPATION TO STAY AT THAT NUMBER.
AND THAT'S BEEN PLANNED OUT FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
I'M, I'M GONNA ASK A REALLY, UH, HOW TOUGH HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION, BUT IF THE, IF YOU THINK THE VOTERS OF OF RENO ARE GONNA PASS THAT TO, TO RETURN THE, TO ROLL BACK IN EFFECT, WHAT, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT THEY'RE GONNA VOTE TO CREATE, TO ADD 10 CENTS TO CREATE AN ESD? TWO YEARS AGO, I STARTED THIS PROJECT AND I STOPPED IT AND DID NOT TURN IT IN.
I MET THE DEADLINES, HAD THE SIGNATURES, AND I'D STOPPED BECAUSE THE CITIZENS CAME TO ME AT THAT TIME AND SAID, WE DON'T WANT TO PAY MORE TAX.
CITY WAS AT 44 OR SOMETHING SINCE LIKE THAT, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BE IN THE FIFTIES.
AND I SAID, OKAY, I'M NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING WITH IT.
NOW WE'VE GOT A LOWER TAX RATE.
THE CITIZENS HAVE SAID, WE WANT TO MAINTAIN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE LOVE OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE LOVE IT'S LOCAL, WE LOVE WHO THIS IS.
AND THE ONES THAT I'VE SPOKE TO, 140 SOMETHING IS THE APPROXIMATE NUMBER THAT WE'VE MADE CONTACT WITH, HAVE ALL SAID, ABSOLUTELY WE'LL SUPPORT THIS.
WE WILL SUPPORT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND, AND I HAVE PULLED THAT, I PROMISE YOU.
UH, I'VE BEEN IN POLITICS FOR MANY YEARS AND RAN CAMPAIGNS.
THERE, THERE IS AN ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY, THOUGH.
WE NEVER KNOW HOW ELECTIONS ARE GONNA TURN OUT.
SO AGAIN, FOR THE COMMISSIONER'S QUESTION, I THINK THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THIS, ONCE WE APPROVE THIS, IF IT GOES TO THE VOTER AND SAY IT PASSES OUR OBLIGATION IS TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS ONE, WE'RE APPOINTING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
BUT YOU'RE SUSTAINABLE IN YOUR FINANCIAL FOCUS OR VISION OF THIS FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
SO THAT'S THE CONCERN THAT WE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE HEARING AND WANTING TO SEE DOCUMENTATION OF YOUR BUDGETS AND WANTING TO SEE THAT.
AND AGAIN, MY APOLOGIES TO THIS, THIS BODY AND THIS COMMISSIONER'S COURT ON THROWING THIS ON YOU.
UM, BECAUSE IT, WE STARTED MOVING QUICKLY INTO A VACUUM OF, OF DECISION
[00:30:01]
MAKING, UH, VERY QUICKLY WHEN IT WAS, WE'RE UP AGAINST TIMELINES.SO WHEN IT INITIALLY CAME TO US, UM, WHICH IS JUST THIS LAST COUNT, THIS LAST COURT MEETING, UM, AGAIN, IT WAS PULLED FROM THE AGENDA BECAUSE IT, WE, WE DID NOT KNOW THAT IT, AND THAT WAS THEIR MAYOR THAT TOLD ME THAT IT WAS YES, SIR.
HE SAID, NO, WE DIDN'T APPROVE IT YET.
WELL, THEN I TALKED TO JOHN FOREST, HE SAID, CAN'T DO IT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GET ENOUGH INFORMATION.
WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY.
UH, WHERE I AM IS THAT LET THE 2,800 REGISTERED VOTERS DECIDE THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THE DATA THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE ASKING FOR THAT'S GONNA DO THAT IN BEFORE WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION.
DO THE CITIZENS OF RENO UNDERSTAND THAT IF THEY, IF THEY FORM AN ESD, IT'S NOT GONNA BE THEIR LITTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT ANYMORE? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? WELL, THAT'S GONNA BE, THAT'S, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE OWNED BY THE ESD.
RIGHT? NOT THE CITIZENS LIKE IT IS NOW VOLUNTEER.
WELL, SO SIMILAR TO, YOU KNOW, ESD EIGHT, THEY'VE GOT ESD EIGHT AND THEN THEY CONTRACT TO CENTRAL COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND I, AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE SOME OF YOU GUYS MAY, I DON'T KNOW IF ESD EIGHT IS THE EMPLOYER OF THE PAID STAFF THEY HAVE OUT THERE.
I KNOW THAT CENTRAL OWNS THE BUILDING, LEASES IT TO THE ESD AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE WOULD BE SET UP SIMILAR FOR NOW.
UH, OUR GROWTH IS, THE ATTENTION WITH OUR GROWTH IS THAT ESDA WOULD BE, OR EXCUSE ME, ESD 10 WOULD BE THE GOVERNING BODY FOR THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT LONG TERM.
AND WE'VE HAD PAID STAFF NOW FOR, FOR FIVE YEARS.
AND THOSE SPACES HAVE BARELY CHANGED OUR VOLUNTEERS, WE ONLY HAVE SEVEN OR EIGHT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT REALLY A VOLUN, WE'RE NOT A VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT.
WELL, ISD EIGHT, THEY STRUGGLE A LOT.
AND I KNOW IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, UH, MAYBE YEAH, TWO YEARS, THEY'VE GONE FROM STRICTLY VOLUNTEER TO, I THINK THEY'RE STAFFING NOW.
YOU MAY KNOW BETTER THAN I DO.
UM, ONE OR TWO PEOPLE PER DAY FULL TIME AROUND THE CLOCK.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT, FOR A VOTER TO GO VOTE THEMSELVES AT TAX, THEY'RE VOTING FOR 24 HOUR COVERAGE FOR THE POTENTIAL.
AND THIS IS THE, THE VOTING THAT'S IN BY THE CITIZENS IS JUST TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAVE, THERE'S NO TRUE CHANGE THAT'S GONNA OCCUR RIGHT NOW.
IT WILL GROW AND AS THE COMMUNITY GROWS, THE DEPARTMENT WILL GROW.
IF WE NEED A NEW FIRE STATION, WE'LL ADD A NEW FIRE STATION, BUY NEW EQUIPMENT JUST LIKE YOU WOULD NORMALLY DO WITH AN ENTITY.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THE PASSING OF THIS ESD MAINTAINS THE OPERATIONAL READINESS OF OUR DEPARTMENT, MAINTAINS THAT SIX AND A HALF MINUTE RESPONSE TIME, AND IT MAINTAINS THE FIRE STATION IS IN THE CITY LIMITS OF RENO CLOSE TO THE CITIZENS.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY.
YOU, EARLIER YOU HAD MENTIONED THE TARRANT COUNTY FUNDING, AND YOU'RE VERY CONFIDENT IN THAT.
SO THE TARRANT COUNTY FUNDING THAT SUBSIDIZES, THAT SUBSIDIZING Y'ALL'S YOUR PROGRAM AND BUDGET ON THE PORT PARKER COUNTY SIDE.
SO THE WAY OUR, THANKFULLY THIS YEAR WHEN WE OPENED THAT SECOND STATION, IT ACTUALLY MADE THINGS A LOT MORE SIMPLE FOR ME, UH, THANKS TO THAT FUNDING.
SO NOW, TARRANT COUNTY, ESD ONE FUNDS COVER TARRANT COUNTY, SD ONE RENO FUNDS, CITY OF SANCTUARY FUNDS, AND A PORTION OF PELICAN BAY FUNDS HELP TO COVER THE RENO STATION.
THE REASON SOME OF THE PELICAN BAY FUNDS GO THERE IS BECAUSE REALISTICALLY IT'S A MUTUAL AID DEPARTMENT TO 'EM, OR MUTUAL AID, NOT MUTUAL AID.
IT'S A FIRE STATION TO THEM THAT THEY'RE GETTING, BECAUSE THEY'RE PART OF OUR ORGANIZATION, IT, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT CLOSER THAN THE TARRANT COUNTY STATION.
SO RENO ESSENTIALLY PAYS FOR ABOUT ONE AND A HALF PERSONS, AND PELICAN BAY PAYS FOR THE OTHER HALF.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
I LOOK AT IT FROM MY POSITION HERE AND HOW I WOULD FEEL, AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO, I WANT TO ASK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
IF YOU'RE RELYING ON THAT AND THIS FINANCIAL STABILITY, I WOULD SAY THAT IT DEFINITELY GIVES US A, A FALLOUT.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF THINGS WERE TO GO NEGATIVELY AND WE HAD PROBLEMS, WE COULD ABSOLUTELY LOOK AT THAT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
BUT NO, WHEN WE OPENED THE SECOND STATION, IT ALLOWED ME TO SPLIT EVERYTHING COMPLETELY.
BECAUSE BEFORE WE HAD PAID STAFF, WE WERE RUNNING, UH, THREE A SHIFT AND EVERYBODY WAS OPERATING AT ARENA.
SO IT WAS PUTTING OUR RESPONSE TIME TO BRIAR AT ALMOST 10 MINUTES.
SO I, I'M, AND I APOLOGIZE, THIS IS, THIS IS A QUESTION YOU'VE ALREADY ANSWERED, I'M SURE, BUT I'M, I'M, I'M A VISUAL GUY.
AND SO WHEN I HEAR A BUNCH OF NUMBERS, MY, UH, MY HEAD STARTS TO SPIN.
SO THE 300,000, THAT BASE, 300,000, WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM CURRENTLY? MM-HMM
OR THE, THAT, THAT'S, ARE YOU ASKING
[00:35:01]
ABOUT THE FUNDS GENERATED OR? YES.SO RENET CITY ARENA PAYS US THREE 12.
AND THEN THROUGH THEIR WATER DONATIONS EVERY MONTH WE GET IN ABOUT 55,000.
SO CALL IT THREE SIXTY THREE SIXTY FIVE.
SO IF, OR 3 75 IF THAT, THAT AMOUNT WE'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT GOING AWAY, CORRECT.
IF THE SALES TAX DOESN'T PASS, AND IF TARRANT COUNTY DECIDES TO DO TARRANT COUNTY THINGS, WE'RE LOOKING AT 360, 370 $5,000 AS YOUR MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME AT THAT POINT OUTSIDE OF ANY DONATIONS IF YOU WERE TO GET DONATIONS.
IS THAT ACCURATE FOR RENO? YES.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE TWO SHIFTS OF TWO HERE.
WE HAVE TWO IN RENO PER DAY AND TWO IN TARRANT COUNTY PER DAY.
SO WE'RE TALKING 360,000 FOR, I, I ASSUME YOU LIKE TO GET PAID SURE.
UH, FOR, FOR Y'ALL TO BE PAID FOR YOUR TWO STAFF TO BE PAID AND FOR CAPITAL PURCHASES.
WALK ME THROUGH THAT MATH PLEASE.
SO MY POSITION HERE, AS FAR AS GETTING PAID, I SHOULD BE REAL, REAL TRANSPARENT.
I, I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT, OKAY, UH, MY, MY SALARY IS AROUND 90,000 AND IF I DON'T GET IT, THAT'S FINE WITH ME.
UH, AND THAT'S SHARED FROM EACH OF THE ENTITIES.
BUT IN RENO, FOR YOUR QUESTION, WE WOULD HAVE TO, WE ALSO GET 14,000 FROM SANCTUARY, JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE.
UM, IT COVERS THE COST OF THE STAFFING, BUT IT DOES NOT LEAVE A LOT OF ROOM FOR NEW EQUIPMENT PURCHASES.
I WISH IT WAS GIVING ME ABOUT A 20% RETURN.
IT'S MORE LIKE A SIX TO 10 BUFFER ZONE.
AND REALISTICALLY, I'LL TELL YOU GUYS, IF, IF TARRANT COUNTY PULLS THE PLUG, I MEAN, THERE'S ALWAYS A WHAT IF, RIGHT? IF TARRANT COUNTY PULLS THE PLUG ON US TODAY, THEN, AND PELICAN BAY DOES THE SAME THING, THEN I'M GONNA BE KNOCKING ON HIS DOOR AND I'M GONNA SAY, HEY, CHIEF WATSON, WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND WE'RE GONNA BE GOING TO YOU GUYS AND SAYING THIS IS THE BEST DECISION FOR THE COMMUNITY.
BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU, THE CITY OF AZEL IS NOT PREPARED TO TAKE OVER THE PE CITY OF PELICAN BAY.
THEY ARE NOT PREPARED TO TAKE OVER THE BRIAR AREA, NOR ARE THEY FINANCIALLY PREPARED TO DO THAT.
WE ARE THE ONLY ENTITY IN THAT AREA, TARRANT COUNTY, ESD ONE, IF THEY CHOSE TO GO IN AND COVER THE BRIAR AREA, THEY'D HAVE TO BUILD A FIRE STATION.
THEY'D HAVE TO BUY EQUIPMENT, PAY STAFFING, JUST FOR SAY, A 10 SQUARE MILE AREA OF, OF FIVE TO 7,000 PEOPLE.
THEY FINANCIALLY DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.
SO THAT'S WHY I FEEL SO SECURE IN THE TARRANT COUNTY SIDE OF THINGS.
AND I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHY IT WOULD BE A CONCERN IF, IF PELICAN BAY AND TARRANT COUNTY PULLED OUT.
BUT I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE TWO.
I THINK, I THINK JUST TO CLARIFY WHY THE QUESTION WAS ASKED WAS WE DON'T, WE DON'T GO, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE CONTINGENCIES ARE AND, AND EVERYTHING THAT OF COURSE, IF SOMETHING WASN'T OPTIMAL, THE OPTIMAL SITUATION, WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TELLING US HERE, WHAT IF YOU DID LOSE THOSE, WHAT'S THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THAT IN THE, THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF THAT ESD? SO, AND, AND I, I THINK YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THEY'LL NEVER DO THAT.
I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THAT GROWTH EVENTUALLY GETS OUT THERE WHERE THEY START, WHERE IT STARTS MAKING SENSE THAT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN, THAT COULD BE 20 YEARS, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I THINK AT SOME POINT THEY'LL EVENTUALLY WANNA PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHEN, AND THAT THAT COULD BE YEARS AND YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT, UM, A AGAIN, I MEAN, WHAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY IS TO VALIDATE WHAT WE FEEL LIKE IS THE, THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY AND THE, AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THIS FOR THIS TO, TO PROVIDE FIRE COVERAGE FOR, FOR AN ESD THAT'S GONNA BE CREATED THROUGH THE, TO TAKE IT TO A VOTE.
THAT'S WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
GENTLEMEN, JUDGE, IF I CAN THROW THIS OUT THERE, WE HAVE THE FIRE CHIEF FOR THE SURROUNDING ESD IN THE AUDIENCE.
WELL, THE FACT THAT, LET ME, LET ME SPEAK TO THAT.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
THE FACT THAT YOU SPOKE ON BEHALF OF ESD ONE, UH, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T HAVE ONE OF 'EM COME UP BECAUSE, UM, IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, BECAUSE ABSOLUTELY.
WHEN YOU SPOKE ON BEHALF OF, WELL, THEY CAN'T DO THIS OR THEY CAN'T DO THIS.
WOULD ONE OF Y'ALL COME UP HERE? IT OPENED THE DOOR TO THAT ON SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER ESD, I MEAN, IT'S ONLY FAIR TO HAVE THEM COME UP.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME? UH, STATE YOUR NAME SIR.
STEVEN WATSON ON THE FIRE CHIEF FOR PARKER COUNTY, ESD ONE.
UM, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COURT HAS.
I GUESS TO START WITH, IF YOU WERE AN OUR CHAIR, WHAT ARE YOU MOST CONCERNED ABOUT? AND, AND I I, I, I ASKED THAT QUESTION IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT JOHN SAID.
OUR JOB HERE TODAY IS, IS TO DETERMINE IF THIS IS FEASIBLE AND IF IT PROMOTES
[00:40:01]
PUBLIC SAFETY.AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG TASK.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL USE CHIEF MANN'S WORDS.
IF, YOU KNOW, IF TARRANT COUNTY CONTRACT WENT AWAY, THEN HE, THEY'D BE COMING TO YOU AND TO ESD ONE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
AND SO I GUESS MY CONCERN IF I WAS IN YOUR CHAIR, WOULD BE THE, THE FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY OVER THE LONG TERM THAT THE, UM, BASED ON WHAT CHIEF DRUXMAN SAID, UM, THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE, UM, IS SOMEWHAT CONTINGENT ON A TARRANT COUNTY CONTRACT.
UM, WHICH, UH, I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S SAYING REGARDING THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN TARRANT COUNTY RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SETTING UP A NEW DIVISION, A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UM, SO THAT THERE'S A LOT TO BE, I WOULD SAY THERE'S A LOT TO BE CONSIDERED THERE.
AND IF THE COURT IS SUPPOSED TO FIND, UM, THAT THAT'S FEASIBLE, YOU MAY NEED SOME TIME TO, TO ASSESS THAT FINDING TO MAKE AN INFORMED RESCISSION.
COULD, COULD Y'ALL, MAYBE BOTH OF Y'ALL, OR HOW, I'M THINKING WORST CASE SCENARIO, 'CAUSE THAT'S NORMALLY HOW I LOOK AT THINGS, BUT IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN AND TARRANT COUNTY FUNDING WENT AWAY, HOW DOES THAT WORK OUT? IF YOU DID HAVE TO GO TO ES D ONE AS AN ESD TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW THIS WORKS, HOW, HOW DOES SOMETHING LIKE THAT WORK? SO IF, IF AN ESD 10 IS CREATED, UM, AND THEN SAY IT WAS NOT FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE FOR ES D ONE TO MAINTAIN, EXCUSE ME, ESD 10 TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT IT WAS CURRENTLY PROVIDING BECAUSE IT LOST FUNDING FROM ANOTHER SOURCE MM-HMM
THEY COULD EITHER, THERE'S REALLY TWO, TWO ACTIONS THERE.
ONE IS COME TO SD ONE AND SAY, WELL, WILL YOU PROVIDE THE SERVICES FOR OUR REVENUE? WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, 250, 300,000, WHATEVER THAT IS.
OR, HEY, WE'D LIKE TO JUST CONSOLIDATE ESDS.
WELL, THAT REQUIRES AN ELECTION OF BOTH ESDS, BOTH SD BOARDS TO CALL THE ELECTION AND THE RECEIVING ESD IN THAT CASE, ESD ONE, TO ABSORB TWO BOARD MEMBERS AND LET GO TWO OF ITS EXISTING BOARD MEMBERS, WHICH WOULD KIND OF IMBALANCE YOUR GOVERNANCE OF TWO MEMBERS FROM THE TOWN OF RENO AND THREE FOR THE OTHER 300 SQUARE MILES OF PARKER COUNTY THAT THE DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, UH, PROTECTS.
SO THAT, THAT BECOMES A CO UH, UH, ALSO A VERY COMPLEX, UM, ISSUE OR HURDLE TO GET THROUGH IF THAT WERE TO EVER HAPPEN.
AND FOR US, YOU KNOW, A FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS ITS OWN BOARD DIRECTOR CURRENTLY, AND THEY'RE THE OWNERS OF THE EQUIPMENT, THE APPARATUS AND THE FIRE STATION.
AND SO I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THEIR APPROVAL TO CONSOLIDATE THAT EQUIPMENT TO ES D ONE IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO DO.
UM, AND IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THIS, I'VE TALKED TO 'EM ABOUT THAT, AND THEY SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT WILLING TO DO THAT AT THIS TIME.
THIS IS WHAT OUR RESIDENTS WANT AND MM-HMM
WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH.
SO THEN THE NEXT OPTION WOULD BE, IF IT, LET'S JUST SAY ESD ONE HAS, WHAT WAS IT, FIVE, FIVE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD.
AND IT SOUNDED LIKE THEN IF YOU CONSOLIDATED, THEN TWO WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED WITH ESD 10 BOARD MEMBERS.
IS THAT WHAT I HEARD THAT THAT'S HOW THE STATUTE READS.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, I DEFER TO THE, THE COUNSELOR, BUT, UM, THAT'S HOW 7, 7 5, I'M MAKING SURE CONSOLIDATION THE DISTRICT THAT I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS CORRECTLY.
SO IF THAT BOARD DIDN'T CHOOSE TO GO THAT ROUTE, THEN WHAT WOULD WE, WHAT WOULD BE OUR NEXT OPTION? OR Y'ALL SD TEN'S NEXT OPTION.
SORRY, I DON'T THINK THERE IS ONE.
AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE SITUATION THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE PLACED IN, UH, JUST LIKE IF THIS INCORPORATION OCCURS IN MAY MM-HMM
AND LET'S SAY THAT THAT DOES HAPPEN, AND LET'S SAY THAT THIS FAILS AT THE BALLOT BECAUSE THAT WAS ASKED EARLIER, WHICH IS A REALLY, IT IS A CONCERN, ABSOLUTELY.
I CAN PULL ALL DAY, BUT IT'S A CONCERN.
YOU MAY KNOW BETTER THAN I DO.
UM, I, MY UNDERSTANDING THERE IS IF AN ESD FAILS, THERE'S A TIME LIMIT ON WHEN IT CAN GO BACK ONTO THE BALLOT.
IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK IT'S ONE ELECTION CYCLE.
SO ONE ELECTION CYCLE, IT'D BE ALMOST A YEAR.
SO THEN IT WOULD BE BACK ON, SORRY GUYS, BUT IT'S BACK ON THE COUNTY'S, UH, DECISION OF HOW TO PROVIDE A FIRE CONNECTION BECAUSE OUR ENTITY IS A PAID ENTITY.
WE'RE NOT A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I CAN'T EXPECT THESE PEOPLE TO SHOW UP FOR FREE.
UM, SIMILAR TO OTHER AREAS UNTIL LAST YEAR, UH, YOU GUYS HAVE PAID APPROXIMATELY 20 ISH THOUSAND OR SO FOR COVERAGE AREA THAT WAS NOT IN AGAINST D COUNTY.
AND IF IT FAILED, THEN SOMEBODY HAS TO MAKE UP THAT GAP PERIOD.
WELL, I, I WOULDN'T, AND, UH, COUNSELOR JOHN FOREST MAY CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE, BUT REALLY ISN'T US TO COME TO US AND SAY, WHAT DO WE DO? IT REALLY IS FOR, TO WORK FOR THE ENTITY TO WORK TOGETHER.
AM I, AM I WRONG ABOUT THIS? AND WE, WE CAN'T JUST COME UP WITH A SOLUTION HERE.
IDEALLY, WHAT I WOULD LOVE, AND Y'ALL ALL KNOW THAT, THAT
[00:45:01]
I WANTED Y'ALL TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.UM, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT US THAT CREATES AN ENTITY.
UM, IT'S Y'ALL TO WORK TOGETHER AND TO FIND WHAT WORKS FOR THE TAXPAYER.
IT'S THEIR, IT'S AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S THEIR MONEY.
AND, UM, FOR Y'ALL TO WORK TOGETHER AND FIND A SOLUTION THAT'S GONNA BE SUSTAINABLE OVER TIME AND TO COME TO THE COURT WITH THAT, AND THEN FOR THIS COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO LOOK AT THAT AND WHAT THAT FINANCIAL VIABILITY IS, IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE, THEN WE PROVE THE PETITION.
AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S OUR ROLE HERE AND THEN APPOINT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
BUT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT THE ONE TO CREATE THAT FOR YOU.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO RECOGNIZE THAT IF, IF THE CITY GOES AWAY AND THE ESD ELECTION FAILS THAT WE'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO PAY THE ENTIRE AMOUNT, IT, IT SAYS WE'RE RESPONSIBLE.
IT DOESN'T SAY WHAT LEVEL WE'RE RESPONSIBLE TO PROVIDE THAT PROTECTION.
I I WANT YOU TO BE REALLY CLEAR ON THAT.
EXPECT THE COUNTY CONTRACT US FOR 300,000, RIGHT? MY EXPECTATION, TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH YOU, IS THAT YOU'RE GONNA CONTRACT FOR HIM FOR WHATEVER AMOUNT.
AND THEN ESD ONE WOULD AGAIN TRY TO CREATE AN SD AGAIN, THEY WOULD THEN TRY TO CREATE SD WITHIN C LIMITS IF SD WON.
AND SEE, AND, AND PLEA, AND I'M WANT TO, I WANT TO AGAIN SAY THIS, IT WAS NEVER MY INTENT TO MANIPULATE OR TO SWAY Y'ALL TO, TO ALL, WHEN, WHEN I WAS TRYING TO GET, UH, JOHN FORCE AND MYSELF WAS TRYING TO SCHEDULE A MEETING MORE ME, UH, JUST SO WE COULD JUST SIT DOWN IN A ROOM TOGETHER AND TALK WITH ALL THE ENTITIES WITH SD ONE AND YOURSELF, THAT IS THERE OPTIONS OUT THERE THAT WE'VE CONSIDERED LOOKING AT? BECAUSE ESD ONE PROVIDES SERVICE TO WHAT, 80% OF THE COUNTY.
AND SO, UM, IT JUST MADE SENSE TO ME AS A COUNTY JUDGE TO SAY, ARE WE WORKING TOGETHER HERE? IS THERE, ARE YOU GOING TO COME TO THE COURT WITH WHAT IS GOING TO BE A FINANCIAL VIABLE? AND, AND SURE ENOUGH, THE CONCERN HERE IS, IS THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF THIS SUSTAINABLE OVER TIME.
AND SO THAT WAS MY ONLY REASON FOR WANTING TO DO THAT.
SO, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS THINK ABOUT, AS YOU KNOW, WELL ESD THREE KNOW CONTRACT WITH THE CITY WATER FOR FIRE PROTECTION, UM, SD SIX CONTRACT RE IN FOUR COUNTIES TO COVER A PORTION OF THEIR DISTRICT.
SO IT'S NOT, NOT UNCOMMON FOR THAT TO OCCUR AND FOR COUNTY LINES TO GET CROSSED.
I DON'T WANT YOU GUYS TO THINK THAT I'M DOING SOMETHING JUST TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T EXIST.
WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT COULD GO WRONG, BUT LIKE COMMISSIONER WALDEN SAID, I, I THINK WE NEED TO LET THE PEOPLE VOTE.
SO I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT, UH, WE ALLOW RENO BRIAR FIRE DEPARTMENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR PETITION TO FORM ESD 10 FOR THE CITY OF RENO AREA IN PARKER COUNTY.
UH, I'VE SECONDED IT FOR THE DISCUSSION PHASE THAT COMMISSIONER CONY HAS MADE THE MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
AND THAT MOTION AGAIN, UH, TO CLARIFY, IS TO ACCEPT THE PETITION AND ORDER A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CREATION OF A PARKER COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT NUMBER 10.
AND THAT LIES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF RENO, WHETHER THAT CITY GOES AWAY OR NOT.
SO, UH, WE'RE IN THE DISCUSSION PHASE.
THE, THE PUBLIC HEARING, IS THAT GOING TO BE HELD HERE OR IS THIS GONNA BE HELD IN RENO OR WHO'S GONNA BE IN CHARGE OF RUNNING THE THEY'LL BE HELD HERE.
IS THAT COMMISSIONER'S COURT? HERE? IT WOULD BE HERE.
BEFORE YOU VOTE ON THAT, THAT MOTION, I NEED TO ADD A FEW THINGS TO THE MOTION AS WELL.
BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, UM, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? WE'RE IN THE DISCUSSION PHASE OF THIS THING.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT WORST CASE SCENARIO FOR THEIR FINANCIALS.
IF WE VOTE NO TODAY TO THIS, WHAT HAPPENS? IT DOES NOT GO TO ELECTION.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE, IT, IT DOES NOT MEET THEIR TIMELINE.
I I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER YEAR.
IS THAT RIGHT? SO IT JUST CONTINUES AS IS, WHICH IS Y'ALL'S FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND, AND WALK ME THROUGH WHAT'S BAD ABOUT THAT? OUR AGENCY CONTINUING MM-HMM
UH, REALISTICALLY IT'S THE EVER LOOMING CONCERN OF DIS INCORPORATION, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR TWO, TWO YEARS-ISH.
'CAUSE YOU CAN'T GET ADVIL ALARM.
WHAT'D YOU SAY? BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET ADVIL ALARM.
SO ONCE THIS IS DONE, WE'RE INDEPENDENT OF THE CITY OF RENO, WHICH IS THE BEST CASE SCENARIO.
MY PERSONAL OPINION, WHETHER THE CITY CONTINUES TO EXIST OR NOT, THAT CITY FOR MANY YEARS HAS SHOWED INSTABILITY BECAUSE OF LACK OF LEADERSHIP.
AND IT IS BETTER FOR US TO BE COMPLETELY SEPARATE.
SO IF WE VOTE NO TODAY, AND THEN RENO DIS INCORPORATES WHAT HAPPENS THEN?
[00:50:02]
I DON'T KNOW HOW THE STATE LAW WOULD WORK OUT.I'D REFER TO, TO JOHN OR SOMEONE WHO MAY KNOW ABOUT FUNDING.
I MEAN, AT THAT POINT, THE CITY DIS INCORPORATES, WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT A FUNDING SOURCE OPTION, UH, WHETHER THAT'S THE COUNTY OFFERING TO, TO CONTRACT WITH US OR SD ONE, BECAUSE REALISTICALLY THE CITY'S GONE.
DO WHAT? THEY TURNED IT IN TO THE CITY ALREADY AWAY.
OH, THEY HAVEN'T TURNED IT INTO YOU? WELL, THEY HAVE TO TURN IT INTO THE CITY.
I MEAN, UH, NAMES OF REGISTERED VOTERS, BUT IT HAS TO BE TURNED INTO THE CITY SECRETARY.
SO ALL THE PETITIONS HAVE TO GO THROUGH HER.
HAS THE CITY VOTED TO GO FORWARD? AND THE CITY DID.
WHAT? I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
NOW WE'VE REVERIFIED THAT MY, MY QUESTION IS THIS TO, TO, AGAIN, WHAT COMMISSIONER WALDEN'S CONCERNED, I'M SURE THE WHOLE COURT IS EVEN PUTTING IT ON THE AGENDA THAT WE HAD.
YOU'RE YOU'RE CUTTING IT AWFUL CLOSE ON THIS TIMELINE BY PRESENTING IT TO US AT THE LAST MINUTE FOR THIS COURT TO MAKE A DECISION, EVEN IF IT WENT ON THE LAST COURT, AND I, I DIDN'T PULL IT AND I DIDN'T HAVE GOOD INFORMATION, THAT IT WAS PASSED BY RENO AND WE PUT IT ON THERE.
THEY'D HAVE, THEY'D STILL HAVE THE SAME CONCERNS.
WHY? THIS WAS JUST PUT ON THEM WITHOUT ANY NOTICE.
UM, WHY, WHY THE DELAY IN THIS IN MEETING THAT TIME, I, I'M NOT BEATING ON YOU.
SO IN EARLY DECEMBER, I WAS APPROACHED AND TOLD THAT THE PETITION WOULD BE TURNED IN IN DECEMBER, AND THAT THEY HAD WELL OVER THE NUMBER OF FOLKS NEEDED FOR THAT LATE NOVEMBER, EARLY DECEMBER.
AND AT THAT POINT, I STARTED COMMUNICATING WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY NON COUNCIL TO SEE WHERE THEY WERE TO GET THEIR FEELERS.
UH, I'LL BE HONEST, I HAVE GRAVE CONCERN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PASS IF THIS WERE TO GO TO THE BALLOT.
AND I SAID, OKAY, I HAVE TO START DOING SOMETHING BECAUSE IF NOT, THEY MAY NOT HAVE A FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THIS ENTITY MAY NOT EXIST.
AND DECEMBER THE 20TH OR 23RD, I THINK IT WAS THE 23RD.
SO MONDAY IS WHEN WE RECEIVED COUNSEL APPROVAL AGAIN TO CREATE THIS ESD, AND THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED COLLECTING SIGNATURES.
SO DECEMBER 23RD THROUGH, I BELIEVE IT WAS FIRST OR SECOND WEEK OF JANUARY, WE RECEIVED IT.
UH, IF WE INDEED PASS THIS TODAY, WE'RE ORDERING A PUBLIC HEARING, IS THAT JUST A PROCEDURE OR BASED ON THE, THE, WHAT WE HEAR AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING, OR WE'RE GONNA GET MORE INFORMATION, UH, PER SE BUDGET INFORMATION THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE OUR MIND.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF WE VOTE TODAY, THAT WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING THEN IS, IS OKAYING OR GIVING PERMISSION TO HAVE THE ELECTION AND THE PUBLIC HEARING COMES AFTER THE FACT WITH NO, NO REASON TO HAVE IT.
REGARDLESS OF WHAT PEOPLE SAY, THERE'S, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
THE PUBLIC HEARING SHOULD HAVE BEEN BEFORE.
THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT'S SET UP, I'M SURE.
AND THAT, THAT'S STATUTORY, THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SET UP.
AND, UH, TODAY YOU HAVE NOTICED OF THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT WOULD PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
SO IT'D BE INFORMATIONAL ONLY, IS WHAT IT WOULD BE.
WELL, IT WOULDN'T BE TO MAKE A DECISION OR SAY, OH, THEY HEARD THINGS THAT, THAT WERE AND THEN YOU GO BACK AND REVERSE THIS.
CORRECT? UM, I WOULD'VE TO DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT'S HOW JOHN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS TODAY IS TO ACCEPT THE PETITION, FILE IT, ORDER THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE A, A, WHEN YOU HAVE THAT PUBLIC HEARING, THEN YOU'LL MAKE THE DECISION TO ORDER TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN, THEN WHAT WE'D BE DOING TODAY IS BASICALLY ACCEPTING THE PETITION.
SO WE'LL GET ANOTHER AND CREATING PETITION, YOU WILL CREATING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO IT'S GOING TO THE BALLOT, BUT WE APPROVE STILL FOR THE PETITION APPROVAL.
YOU HAVE TO FIND THAT IT'S FEASIBLE AND IT, I GOT IT HAS TO MEET THOSE OTHERS BALLOT.
I THINK WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND VOTE AGAIN.
AND THAT, AND THAT'S WHY AGAIN, AT THE END, THE PUBLIC HEARING, IF WE VOTE ON THIS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ADD THOSE ADDITIONAL VERBIAGE TO, UH, TO, LET'S HEAR BE INCLUDED.
SO, UH, TO ADD TO THE MOTION THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY MADE, UH, WE NEED TO INCLUDE THAT THE ESD IS FEASIBLE AND WILL PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY, WELFARE HEALTH, INCONVENIENCE OF THE PERSONS RESIDING IN THE PROPOSED DISTRICT.
UH, ADDITIONALLY WE NEED TO FIX THE BOUNDARY, WHICH WOULD BE THE EXHIBIT THAT WAS PRESENTED ON THE PETITION.
AND SO WE'D HAVE TO ENTER THAT, THAT'D BE PART OF THE VOTE TO ACCEPT THE ATTACHMENT TO THE PETITION, FIXING THE BOUNDARY FOR SD 10.
[00:55:01]
AND THE THIRD THING WOULD BE TO FIND THAT IT'S FEASIBLE.EVERYTHING THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY FOUND, IF YOU EXCLUDE RENO AND THE ETJ OF RENO, THAT'S THE OTHER REQUIREMENT IN THAT, THAT IT WOULD STILL BE FEASIBLE AND STILL PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
AND THEN YOU INCLUDED TO ACCEPT THE PETITION AND THEN ALSO TO ORDER A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO MOVE, I, I MADE THE SECOND FOR THAT FOR US TO BE IN THE DISCUSSION PHASE SO THAT SECOND WILL STAND.
SO JOHN, TO CLARIFY THIS, WE'RE VOTING HERE TODAY TO, UH, THAT, THAT ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IS TO ACCEPT THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED BY THE FIRE CHIEF OF RENO.
THAT THEY ARE, ARE FINANCIALLY VIABLE FOR THIS TO GO TO A ELECTION AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE FOR THIS EVEN IN CONTINGENCIES, UH, WITH WHICH DISCUSSED TARRANT COUNTY, THE CITY GOING AWAY, THE CITY BEING DIS DISSOLVED OR WHATEVER, THAT THROUGH THE ABOR TAXES THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE TELLING THIS COURT THAT IT IS FINANCIALLY VIABLE THAT YOU CAN DO THAT IF ALL THESE OTHER THINGS WENT SOUTH.
AND YOU CAN GET EACH MEMBER OF THE COURT HERE, YOUR LAST TWO YEAR BUDGET.
I'LL SHARE WITH YOU GUYS OUR LONG RANGE PLAN AS WELL.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM BEFORE WE VOTE? UM, WE DO HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE, UH, THE BOARD OF THE SD ONE YOU HAD IN MOTION SOMETHING.
DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING TO THIS AGAIN? WE, YOU BROUGHT WE BROUGHT IN THE SD ONE, OR I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD HIM SPEAK.
MY NAME'S MARK JACK, I'M PRESIDENT OF PARKER COUNTY SD ONE.
UH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU WANTED ME TO SAY, BUT NO, YOU SAID SOMETHING TO ME AND I COULDN'T READ THE LISTS.
OH NO, I WAS JUST SAYING, YOU'RE HERE TODAY TO ORDER THE PUBLIC HEARING OR ACCEPT THE PETITION OR ORDER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THEN AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING IS WHEN YOU'LL DECIDE TO ORDER THE ELECTION OR NOT ORDER THE ELECTION.
SO YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S EVEN BETTER.
THAT, THAT'S THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
FOR ME, EVEN, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S ON YOU
SO DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? TO BE COMPLETELY CLEAR, ALL TODAY'S VOTE IS ABOUT IS WHETHER OR NOT TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TO ACCEPT THE PETITION.
TO SET THE PETITION TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO TODAY WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY SAYING, YES, WE BELIEVE THIS IS FEASIBLE.
WE BELIEVE THIS PROMOTES HEALTH AND SAFETY AND ALL THAT.
I THINK FOR THOSE TWO THINGS, I THINK FOR IT TO PROCEED FORWARD, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT'S GOING TO CORRECT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO, BUT WE WE'RE GONNA VERIFY IT WHEN WE GET MORE INFORMATION.
SO THERE WILL BE ANOTHER VOTE AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ONCE YOU OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, THEN YOU WILL DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO CALL THE ELECTION OR NOT.
UH, MR. JACK, WOULD YOU STATE WHAT YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ARE, WHAT BOARDS YOU'RE ON IN THE STATE? SO, UH, BESIDES BEING PRESIDENT OF PARKER COUNTY, SD ONE, I'M ALSO PAST PRESIDENT OF THE STATE FIRE DISTRICT ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS.
AND, UH, STILL A BOARD OF DIRECTOR FOR THAT.
SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT MR. JACK TELLS US, I MEAN, IT'S IT'S VALID.
HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
SO I CAN HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL VAL VIABILITY TODAY, BUT THIS GIVES US TIME TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR Y'ALL TO GET US THE INFORMATION AND THEN WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AND STILL MEET THEIR TIMELINE.
ANY OF THE DISCUSSION? I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE, THAT IF, IF, IF THEY FAIL AND THEN THEY WANT US TO, THEY WON JOIN ESD ONE, WHY WOULD TWO OF THEIR COMMISSIONERS, NOT TWO OF OURS OFF THAT ARE ON THERE NOW? I COULD SEE ONE MAYBE, BUT WHY WOULD THEY WANT TO DO TWO? THAT'S A STATE LAW.
IF YOU CONSOLIDATE TWO ESDS EMERGENCY SERVICE DISTRICTS.
SO OF YOU GUYS OFF ESDI WOULD MYSELF, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT, BUT WE'VE DONE A LOT OF, IF IT FAILS HAVING A LONG RANGE PLAN AFTER, AFTER IT'S FORMED.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE GOTTA THINK ABOUT, SO.
IT'S ALWAYS THE CONTRACT ISSUE AS WELL, OR CONTRACT OPTION AS WELL LONG.
ALL RIGHT, WELL LET'S PROCEED ON AND YOU THE DISCUSSION, JOHN, AND, AND YES, Y'ALL WILL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE
[01:00:01]
WHETHER IT'S FEASIBLE AT THAT POINT.SO THE FINANCIALS SHOULD COME INTO Y'ALL PRIOR TO THAT, THAT PUBLIC HEARING.
AND TO THAT POINT AGAIN, UM, CHIEF, IF YOU WOULD MAKE SURE, UH, GET THOSE OUT JUST AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE TO GET WITH RICH WHO'S BUYING YOU, UH, TO GET THE EMAILS OF THESE COMMISSIONERS.
MAKE SURE IT'S IN THEIR EMAIL BOX AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING MY OFFICE AS WELL ON, ON THE PAST.
WHAT COMMISSIONER, WHAT DID YOU SAY? TWO YEARS.
I MEAN, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND THEN ALSO SOME TYPE OF GO FORWARD BUDGET THAT IS BASED OFF OF THE VARIOUS SCENARIOS OF, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IF TARRANT COUNTY PULLS A FAST, PULLS A FAST ONE ON, OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
WELL, AND I WOULD ADD TO THAT ALSO PROVIDE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR FUNDING MECHANISMS IF YOU WOULD INCLUDE THOSE IN THIS, JUST SO WE CAN OF COURSE, MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND IT.
I'LL GIVE YOU GUYS A, WE ALSO HAVE A YEAR REVIEW THAT WE'VE DONE, UH, THAT SHOWS CALL VOLUME INCREASES, SERVICES OFFERED, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
WHEN WE, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
WHEN WE HAVE THIS PUBLIC HEARING COUNSELOR, UH, WHO GETS TO TALK? ANYBODY IN PARKER COUNTY OR JUST RENO? IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING.
ANYBODY ELSE? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
UH, OCTOBER THE 14TH IS THE LAST DAY THE ORDER OF ELECTION BE ON THIS MAY BALLOT.
WHAT? FEBRUARY? WE MEAN OCTOBER
FEBRUARY THE 14TH IS THE LAST DAY OF ORDER.
SO THAT DATE IS AGAIN, FEBRUARY THE 14TH.
AND THE PUBLIC NOTICE, THE PUBLIC HEARING SHOULD BE FEBRUARY 13TH.
IT'S CUTTING IT CLOSE, BUT YES.
RICH, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? THE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING IS PROVIDED.
THE LANGUAGE DOES REFERENCE THE 13TH BUT DOESN'T SAVE TIME.
BUT I DUNNO IF YOU WANNA SET THAT NOW, CASE IT, WE WILL PUT THAT IN.
INCLUDE THAT IN THE MOTION COMMISSIONER, IF YOU WOULD, ON TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING ON FEBRUARY 13TH.
THAT, UM, WILL BE ACCEPTABLE TIME FOR THIS COURT TO MEET.
I KNOW RTC IT WAS 9:00 AM WOULD BE GOOD.
OKAY, SO, UH, WE HAVE A, A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION WE DON'T NEED TO GO ON AND JUST DO THE FIRST ONE AND THEN DO ANOTHER ONE OR WE CAN ADD IT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR.
A MAKE IT A VERBAL WHO'S, WHO'S NOT WORKING? EVERYBODY.
OH, I WOULD GO TO ITEM TWO AND THAT'S FOR A MOTION FOR AJO.
WE HAVE A RECORD SHOW THAT ADJOURN, UH, UH, AT 1217.