[00:00:05]
UM, I'M, GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS, UH, COMMISSIONER PARKER COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT SPECIAL AGENDA MEETING TO ORDER IT RECORDS SHOW IT IS 9 0 1, AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE AND CON TO CONSIDER DISCUSSING ACT UPON THE FOLLOWING AGENDA ITEMS. I
[I. CONSENT]
WANT TO MOVE DOWN TWO ON THE AGENDA UNDER, UNDER ITEMS ONE ON THE CONSENT ON THE UNDER ITEM A ON THE AUDITOR LINE ITEM BUDGET JUMP SINCE ONE.UM, IS BRIANNA NOT HERE? NO, SHE JUST GAVE ME THOSE FOR YOU GUYS.
SO WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO, YOU HAVE THIS IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, WE NEED A MOTION FOR THAT, JUDGE.
I'M GONNA MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS AS OUTLINED IN THE, UH, LIST WE HAVE HERE TODAY.
COMMISSIONER WALDEN'S MADE THE MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THIS SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HALE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR CARRIES FIVE.
BILL, I WANNA MOVE DOWN TO ITEM D ON ACT UPON SELECTING ONE.
AND, AND, AND JUST TO CLARIFY, JUST FOR TRANSPARENCY HERE, TO MAKE SURE WE, UH, I DON'T WANT, UH, THESE INDIVIDUALS TO WAIT, UH, FOR, UH, THE CONCLUSION OF ITEM A, WHICH MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT.
SO I'M GONNA MOVE DOWN THIS AND, AND TAKE CARE OF THESE ITEMS, WHICH WILL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT.
AND THEY'RE HERE TODAY, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UH, MR. K, UH, DO WE HAVE THE DEMOCRAT HERE? OKAY.
UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO ITEM D
[II.D. Act upon selecting one or more newspapers for the purpose of public notices publication. (Commissioner Hale)]
AND ACT UPON THE SELECTING ONE OR MORE NEWSPAPERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC NOTICES, PUBLICATION.UM, RANDY, IF YOU WOULD, YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK ON THIS, UH, REAL QUICK.
WE CURRENT, WE CURRENTLY HAVE WEATHERFORD DEMOCRAT AS OUR, UH, NEWSPAPER OR NEWSPAPER, UM, OF CHOICE THAT WE DO OUR PUBLIC CASES WITH.
AND, UH, IT HAS BEEN, UH, DISCUSSED AND HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE PAST.
I THINK THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT, WHICH DOES MERIT THIS DISCUSSION.
SO RANDY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FROM THAT.
WELL, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW ME, I'M RANDY KECK.
I'M THE, UH, OWNER OF THE COMMUNITY NEWS.
UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY, OUR HEADQUARTERS IS IN ALITO.
UM, I REACHED OUT TO MIKE, UH, HE'S MY COMMISSIONER.
UH, THE COMMUNITY NEWS, UH, HAS BEEN LOCALLY OWNED FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.
UH, I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN THE OWNER AS OF MAY WILL BE 30 YEARS FOR ME.
AND, UH, WE ARE THE ONLY LOCALLY OWNED NEWSPAPER IN PARKER COUNTY.
UH, WE ARE ACTUALLY THE LARGEST, UH, BY FAR, UH, PAID CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER IN PARKER COUNTY.
AND, UM, I JUST, UH, WE, WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, SO I WANTED TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR CONSIDERATION TO BE YOUR NEWSPAPER OF RECORD.
RANDY, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING UP AND I'VE RESPECTED AND READ YOUR PAPER FOR A LONG TIME.
AND SO, UH, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO GET THIS ON THE AGENDA.
SO I'M GONNA MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE, UH, THAT WE SELECT, UH, ONE OR MORE NEWSPAPERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC NOTICES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THE COMMUNITY NEWS TO, UH, THAT LIST IN PARKER COUNTY.
COMMISSIONER ELLS MADE THE MOTION WITH COMMISSIONER CONY.
WE'RE IN THE DISCUSSION PHASE.
COUNSELOR, CAN WE HAVE BOTH ONE OR EITHER OR? THE, THE STATUTE SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT YOU CAN HAVE ONE OR MORE.
UH, AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE A PUBLICATION THROUGH OUR COUNTY WEBSITE.
SO, UH, WE CAN ADD THIS AND IF Y'ALL CHOOSE TO, TO DO SO.
I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING SINCE WE'RE IN THE DISCUSSION PHASE.
I JUST FOUND OUT YESTERDAY THAT OUR NEWSPAPER, SPRINGTOWN AZEL WAS GOING OUT OF BUSINESS.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TRY TO FIND SOMEBODY ELSE TO PUT OUR STUFF IN TOO.
SO EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT AZEL SPRINGTOWN PAPER'S GOING OUT OF BUSINESS NEXT WEEK, SO YEAH.
SO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO TO, TO KIND OF, HOPEFULLY WELL COME TAKE OVER FOR SOME OF THAT SO WE CAN KEEP THAT GOING.
WE'RE WE'RE, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO BOB BUCKLE AND OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND IN ANY OTHER DIVISION OF THIS ITEM.
YOU HAD SAID THAT YOU'RE THE, YOU HAVE THE LARGEST NUMBER OF RECIPIENTS MM-HMM
WHAT, WHAT ARE THOSE NUMBERS IF YOU HAVE 'EM OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, JUST GENERALLY? YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, OUR COMBINED PRINT
[00:05:01]
AND, UH, ONLINE CIRCULATION, PAID, PAID CIRCULATION, WHICH IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF LEGAL NOTICES, IS ABOUT 2000.UH, THE WEATHER FOR DEMOCRAT IS ABOUT 9 38, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO AGAIN, JUST TO CLARIFY THIS, EITHER OR, SO FAR, WE'VE ONLY HAD ONE AND THAT WAS IT.
SO EITHER OR OR CAN WE DESIGNATE ONE ONLY OR IS IT WE CAN EITHER OR.
WE BOTH EITHER DESIGNATE BOTH.
THAT'S THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR.
LET'S MOVE TO ITEM E ON DISCUSS,
[II.E. Discuss/Take action on approval for preliminary energy assessment by State Energy Conservation Office (SECO). (Judge Deen)]
TAKE ACTION ON APPROVAL OF PRELIMINARY ENERGY ASSESSMENT BY STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE.UM, WHO'S GONNA SPEAK ON THAT, CYNTHIA? GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
UM, SO I WAS REACHED OUT BY OUR NURSE, NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, LAURIE CLARK, UM, REGARDING, UH, UH, OPPORTUNITIES WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING MORE FUNDING TO PARKER COUNTY.
AND SO IN ONE OF THOSE TALKS, UH, SHE BROUGHT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO US, UM, ON A PRELIMINARY AND ENERGY ASSESSMENT THAT IS BEING OFFERED BY SECO, WHICH IS THE STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE.
IT'S AT NO COST TO THE COUNTY.
THEY COME, THEY COME AND ASSESS ALL OF COUNTY BUILDINGS, UM, ON ENERGY.
SAY THAT AGAIN, THE LAST SENTENCE.
NO COST TO THE COUNTY, NO COST TO THE COUNTY.
IT'S AT ZERO COST TO THE COUNTY.
THEY WILL PROVIDE THE ASSESSMENT.
THERE'S JUST A FEW, UM, ITEMS THAT ARE PART OF THIS CONTRACT OR THIS, UM, SERVICE FORM THAT NEEDS TO BE SIGNED BY COURT.
AND IT'S TO, UH, ALLOW SECCO TO COME IN AND, UM, ASSESS ALL THE COUNTY BUILDINGS, UH, ALLOW, ALLOW SECCO TO COME AND TALK TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND GIVE THEM THE ASSESSMENT AND, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SAVINGS, UM, ON ENERGY EFFICIENT, UH, WAYS TO, TO, TO SAVE ON THAT.
I SPOKE TO, UH, JOHN FORESTS REGARDING THIS.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS NO LEGAL TIES BEHIND IT OR ANYTHING.
HE MENTIONED THERE WAS A, SOMETHING PREVIOUSLY DONE SIMILAR TO IT.
UM, AND IN THE PAST, AND, AND GEOR, YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER THIS, UH, WE RETROFITTED THE COMPANY CAME IN, DID AN ASSESSMENT, RIGHT? THEY WENT BACK AND RETROFITTED A LOT OF THE FIXTURES, UH, WITH THE COST SAVINGS TO PAY FOR THAT COST OF RETROFITTING.
SO, UH, THAT'S QUITE A WHILE BACK.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH, BUILD ANY GROUNDS AND SEE WHAT THOSE SAVINGS WERE.
BUT EVERY YEAR THEY'D GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHAT THE SAVINGS WERE THAT COVERED THE COST OF THE RETROFIT, SO THAT THAT MIGHT BE SIMILAR TO WHAT THIS PROGRAM MIGHT PROVIDE US.
AND SO I DID, UM, JOHN ASKED ME TO REACH BACK OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WASN'T THE SAME PROGRAM.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
UM, THERE'S A HOUSE BILL THAT WAS ADOPTED BACK IN 2019, SO IT WAS WAY AFTER THE FIRST ASSESSMENT THAT WAS DONE HERE AT THE COUNTY.
AND, UM, SHE SAID IT WAS DIFFERENTLY.
THEY WILL, THEY WILL COME IN AND THIS IS JUST AN OPPORTUNITY THAT COMES ALONG IF THERE'S NEW PROGRAMS OR CALL FOR PROJECTS THAT COME UP AND WE'RE GONNA BE PREPARED FOR IT.
SO, UM, THERE'S, THERE WAS ALSO A REQUIREMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE, UM, UNDER THAT HOUSE BILL OF 2019, THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE REPORTINGS EVERY YEAR.
SO I TALKED TO MARK LONG AND HE KNOWS THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE REPORTED EVERY YEAR.
WITH THAT, THIS OPPORTUNITY COMES UP AND IF WE DO HAVE THIS, UH, DATA FOR COG, IT JUST, IT'S A STATE STEP FORWARD THAT WE HAVE ALREADY TO SUBMIT FOR ANY TYPE OF PROGRAMS OR FUNDING.
SO I JUST NEEDED AN APPROVAL FOR THIS.
SO ALL BE OVERSEEING THESE PEOPLE, CORRECT? HE SHOULD BE REPORTING TO WHAT ABOUT OUR, THE INVOLVEMENT OF OUR NEW HIRE WITH THE COUNTY? I WAS GONNA SAY, THAT'S GONNA TIE INTO THAT AS WELL FOR GRANT FUNDING.
SO SHE'LL BE, SHE'LL BE INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH MARK ON THIS, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, 'CAUSE I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT THIS WOULD BE KIND OF HER DEPARTMENT.
SO ONCE, ONCE I, I GET THE PROJECTS, ALL THE GRANT INFORMATION GOES DIRECTLY TO HER.
UM, THIS IS JUST THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION THAT I, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET BACKGROUND INFORMATION, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE READY JUST WHEN CALL FOR PROJECTS COME UP.
WE HAVE A MOTION SHE CAN JUMP ON.
COMMISSIONER WALDEN THE SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HALE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THANK YOU.
ALL IN FAVOR CARRIES FIVE VOTE.
[00:10:01]
MOVE BACK TO ITEM TWO[Items II.A. & II.B.]
A, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CREATION OF THE PARKER COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT NUMBER 10, WHICH LIES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF RENO.UH, THE CITY OF RENO PROPER, IF YOU WILL.
I'M GONNA OPEN THAT PUBLIC HEARING AT NINE 11 AND HAVE, UH, THIS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO COME AND SPEAK.
SO WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? I THINK, UH, MOSES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START THIS OFF MORNING COURT? HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING? MORNING.
WELL, I HAD SENT OVER SOME INFORMATION TO YOU GUYS ON JANUARY 29TH, AND CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? OKAY.
I WANTED TO READ OVER THAT LETTER THAT I'D SENT TO YOU GUYS.
I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION AND JUST GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR IT AGAIN.
GIVE THE COMMUNITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR IT AS WELL.
SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.
AND PREVIOUSLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT MAKING THIS DECISION IS NOT A LIGHT ONE, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT, UH, THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN THOROUGHLY THOUGHT THROUGH.
AND WE BELIEVE IT IS TRULY THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF PARKER COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
APPROXIMATELY EIGHT YEARS AGO, BRI ARENA FIRE DEPARTMENT DEVELOPED AS FOUR SMALL COMMUNITIES, UH, HAD ONE COMMON GOAL, EFFICIENT, COST EFFECTIVE, AND RELIABLE FIRE COVERAGE.
DURING THOSE EIGHT YEARS, THE ORGANIZATION HAS GONE FROM STRICTLY VOLUNTEER TO NEARLY 30 PAID PER STAFF MEMBERS RESPONDING TO OVER 1800 CALLS FOR SERVICE ANNUALLY.
UH, WE OPERATE TWO MAN STATIONS, ONE IN PARKER COUNTY, IN THE CITY OF RENO, AND ONE IN TARRANT COUNTY.
IN THE COMMUNITY OF BRIAR, WE OPERATE A LAW ENFORCEMENT BASED FIRE PREVENTION PROGRAM, OR EXCUSE ME, DIVISION, A COMMUNITY BASED CRISIS INTERVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH UNIT.
UH, WE'VE GOT A MULTITUDE OF SEARCH AND RESCUE CAPABILITIES, WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO EXPAND.
AND WE'VE ANTICIPATE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS OF GOING TO AN ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT.
UM, OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF AIL I'M, THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH.
WE'RE THE ONLY PARKER COUNTY AGENCY THAT RESPONDS TO LOW PRIORITY MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
UH, WE SEE THAT AS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
DUE TO THE DISTANCE OF OF AMBULANCES, UM, THE SERVICES OF OUR AGENCY AND OUR STAFFING MODEL EXCEED MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS AROUND US.
OUR FOCUS IS TRULY ON CONSERVATIVE GROWTH.
AND I THINK YOU CAN SEE THAT THROUGH OUR BUDGET, BASED UPON THE GROWTH OF THE COMMUNITY, WE CAN, WE ARE COMPLETELY EMPATHETIC.
THAT'S NOT THE GOAL OF THE COURT TO HAVE AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF ESDS IN THE COUNTY.
I'M EXTREMELY RESPECTFUL OF THAT.
BUT LIKE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THIS COUNTY, UH, AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND WHAT THE CITIZENS ARE ASKING FOR IS NOT UNCOMMON.
UM, THERE'S BEEN CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY THE COURT AND SOME CITIZENS ABOUT US SERVICING BOTH TARRANT AND PARKER COUNTY.
WELL, FOR EIGHT YEARS WE'VE DONE THAT WITH NO HICCUPS.
I'VE BEEN THE CHIEF FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR TO FIVE YEARS, AND I'VE HAD NO COMPLAINTS REGARDING THAT.
UH, IN 2024, WE OPENED OUR SECOND FIRE STATION BACK WITH PAID STAFF IN TARRANT COUNTY, AND THAT'S DONE THROUGH TARRANT COUNTY FUNDING.
UM, WHAT THAT DOES IS IT PROVIDES ANOTHER STATION TO NORTHEASTERN PARKER COUNTY, AND IT PROVIDES A STATION TO NORTHWESTERN PARKER COUNTY THAT WASN'T THERE.
AND I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION THAT SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS WITHIN YOUR COUNTY CURRENTLY OPERATE THE SAME WAY WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO ESD THREE, WHICH IS, THAT'S AN OAKS, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, IS CONTRACTED WITH THE CITY OF WEATHERFORD AND ESD SIX CONTRACTS TO CRESCENT FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS IN PARKER JOHNSON, TERRAN WISE COUNTY.
AND THEY PROVIDE SERVICES TO ALL THOSE COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE SAME WAY THAT WE'RE ASKING TO DO THE SAME.
UH, ONE OF THE CONCERNS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION IS THAT TARRANT COUNTY FUNDS ARE BEING USED TO MAN THE RENO STATION.
UNTIL LAST YEAR, TARRANT COUNTY ONLY PAID US $143,000.
WE WANNA BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT.
UH, $143,000 DOESN'T PAY FOR MUCH PAID STAFFING.
IT'S LET ALONE EXPENSES TO THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THE ONLY STATION THAT WAS MANNED AT THE TIME WAS THE RENO STATION.
SO, AT THE TIME, EXCUSE ME, CURRENT TIME, RENO PAYS US $312,000 FOR THOSE SERVICES.
PRIOR TO THE INCREASE BY TARRANT COUNTY, RENO WAS PROVIDING FOR ONE AND A HALF PERSONS PER DAY.
AND PELICAN BAY PAID FOR THE OTHER ONE PERSON.
OUR STAFFING LEVEL UNTIL 2024 WAS A MINIMUM OF TWO PERSONS PER DAY WITH THREE DURING PEAK TIMES, WILDFIRES, WEATHER INCIDENTS, ET CETERA.
UH, THE INCREASE OF FUNDING FROM TARRANT COUNTY WAS SPECIFICALLY TO REOPEN THAT FIRE STATION LOCATED IN TARRANT COUNTY.
WHEN THEY PROVIDED THE DEPARTMENT WITH THAT FUNDING SOURCE, WE BEGAN A REMODEL, WHICH CHANGED THINGS IN OUR BUDGET, ONE OF THOSE BEING, WHICH WAS MY SALARY.
UM, IN NOVEMBER, WE MOVED STAFF FULLY IN THE FACILITY FROM JULY 4TH THROUGH NOVEMBER.
[00:15:01]
WE DID OPERATE STAFF FROM THE RENO STATION FOR TARRANT COUNTY AND PELICAN BAY.SPECIFICALLY, IT'S BECAUSE THE STATION WAS BEING REMODELED AND WE STILL HAD TO RESPOND.
UM, NOW THAT THE STAFF ARE THERE, TRUTHFULLY, THE, THE STATIONS DO NOTHING BUT COMPLIMENT THEMSELVES FOR, FOR AN INCREASED NUMBER OF RESOURCES FOR OUR REGION.
UM, I SENT OVER TO YOU GUYS A COPY OF OUR BUDGET FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS IN OUR STAFFING MODEL, UM, A DAILY LIAM STAFFING MODEL AND BREAKDOWN OUTLINE OF OUR RESOURCES, OUR CURRENT RESPONSE MAP, AND AS WELL AS OUR SHORT TERM PLAN, WHICH I HOPE ALL OF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO REVIEW.
AND I WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING.
WE CURRENTLY USE TARRANT COUNTY FIRE ALARM.
THE REASON THAT WE USE TARRANT COUNTY FIRE ALARM WAS AT THE TIME OF THE MERGER OF BRIAR, RENO, BRIAR FIRE DEPARTMENT, RENO FIRE DEPARTMENT, CITY OF SANCTUARY, AND PELICAN BAY.
UM, THE COST AT THAT TIME WAS LOWER TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE AMOUNT OF CALL VOLUME.
WE HAVE AN INTERFACE CALLED ACTIVE 9 1 1 THAT WE UTILIZE, THAT TARRANT COUNTY FIRE ALARM HAS ACCESS TO, AND SO DOES OUR CREWS.
SO WHEN A EMS CALL IN RENO GOES OUT, OUR CREWS GET AN ALERT ON THEIR PHONE AND FIRE ALARM IN TARRANT COUNTY GETS AN ALERT ON THEIR PHONE AND THEY DISPATCH US WITHIN 90 SECONDS OR SO, OUR CREWS ALSO MONITOR THE CALLS IN RE YOU KNOW, OR EXCUSE ME, IN PARKER COUNTY ON A RADIO ALL THE TIME.
AND OUR AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME IS ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.
UH, LIFE CARE OR PARK COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT COMES FROM SPRINGTOWN.
AND THEIR RESPONSE TIME, DEPENDING UPON TIME OF DAY, COULD BE 10 TO 20 MINUTES.
AND DEPENDING UPON PRIORITY, OUR RESPONSE TIMES FIVE, THAT'S THE AVERAGE.
SO REGARDING THE CONSIDERATION OF A MERGER WITH ANOTHER ESD, UH, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE BRIAR, RENO FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL NOT MERGE WITH AN EXISTING ENTITY.
SO THE APPARATUS, THE EQUIPMENT, THE FIRE STATION, AND THE STAFF ARE ALL OWNED BY THE BRIAR, RENO FIRE DEPARTMENT, INCORPORATED.
IT'S AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION FROM ANY CITY.
IF ANOTHER ENTITY WERE TO ESTABLISH FIRE PROTECTION WITHIN THE CITY TO BE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE OR HIGHER, THEY WOULD HAVE TO INVEST APPROXIMATELY.
AGAIN, THIS IS APPROXIMATE NUMBERS.
IF YOU WANT TO GET THE SAME LEVEL, $7 MILLION, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO BUILD A FIRE STATION APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS BY A FIRE TRUCK, APPROXIMATELY A YEAR TO TWO YEARS, UNLESS YOU'VE GOT ONE IN RESERVE HIRE STAFF PURCHASE EQUIPMENT, IT'S ABOUT $7 MILLION.
UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I WAS QUESTIONED AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT THE SAME THING OF TARRANT COUNTY IF WE WERE GONNA LOSE OUR CONTRACT THERE.
WELL, AS FAR AS I'VE BEEN AWARE THROUGH THE COMMISSIONERS AT TARRANT COUNTY, SD ONE, THERE IS NO CONCERN FOR THAT.
UH, AND FOR THEM TO ESTABLISH A STATION IN THAT AREA, IT WOULD COST THEM ABOUT $7 MILLION AND THEIR NEW REVENUE SOURCE, I DOUBT THEY'RE GONNA DO THAT.
'CAUSE BREAR IS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT AREA OF TARRANT COUNTY SD ONE BASED UPON CALL VOLUME FISCALLY.
IT'S NOT RESPONSIBLE OR PLAUSIBLE FOR THE PARKER COUNTY RESIDENTS TO DO THAT.
WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ESD 10, IT'S GONNA GENERATE ABOUT $9,000.
WITHIN THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WE CURRENTLY RECEIVE FROM THE CITY OF RENO, WE ARE GONNA GENERATE AT THE CURRENT VALOR AMOUNT, $303,000.
WHEN FUNDS START COMING IN, WE GET PAID 312 RIGHT NOW FROM THE CITY OF RENO, AS I EXPLAINED PREVIOUSLY, THE DONATION AMOUNTS RECEIVED, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A SLUSH FUND.
WE ANTICIPATE RECEIVING THAT APPROXIMATE AMOUNT, BUT THAT'S NOT PART OF THE BUDGET WHERE WE EXPECT TO GET EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR OF THAT IN.
AS ESD 10 GROWS, WE WILL GROW.
AND OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE SEEN THAT 30% INCREASE IN ALOR TAX, INCREASE IN SALES TAX OVER A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND THE EXPECTED GENERATION, AS I'D MENTIONED, WAS 303,000.
MY ANTICIPATION IS 20 25, 20 26 WILL BE OVER 350,000.
THERE'S CURRENTLY A $70 MILLION IN PLA LAND FOR DEVELOPMENT THAT'S SET TO BE COMPLETED DURING THE NEXT YEAR AND SEVERAL OTHER LARGE PROJECTS IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.
THAT'S WITH A CITY OR WITHOUT A CITY.
OUR DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF RENO BY PROVIDING ADVISEMENT PLAN REVIEW, PLANNING OF FUTURE RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE'RE VERY WELL VERSED IN WHAT IS ANTICIPATED TO COME INTO THE CITY OF RENO, WHETHER THE CITY IS THERE OR NOT.
AS I HAD MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, IT IS OUR GOAL TO ADOPT A SALES TAX THAT IS A SEPARATE ELECTION AFTER THE ESD IS ESTABLISHED.
AND ALL OF THAT IS, IS A REALLOCATION OF FUNDS.
IT IS NOT A ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW TAX ON THE RESIDENCE.
ALL NEARLY ALL THE ESDS IN PARKER COUNTY ALREADY DO THIS, AND MANY OF 'EM ACROSS THE STATE DO THE SAME THING.
AND WE WOULD USE THIS FOR CAPITAL EXPENSES, NOT FOR EVERYDAY OPERATING.
UM, I HAD PROVIDED YOU GUYS WITH SOME INFORMATION REGARDING OUR APPARATUS.
UM, JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THAT REAL QUICK.
[00:20:02]
OUR OLDEST ENGINE IS A 20, I THINK IT'S 2012 OR 2013 THAT WE OPERATE DAILY.AND THAT IS AT IT STATION 33 IN TARRANT COUNTY.
WE HAVE A MAINTENANCE CONTRACT WITH A FLEET FACILITY COMPANY THAT COMES OUT QUITE OFTEN AND LOOKS AND MAINTAINS THAT EQUIPMENT.
AND WE'VE GOT A RESERVE ENGINE IN CASE SOMETHING GOES DOWN WITH THAT ONE.
THIS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE IN TARRAN IN PARKER COUNTY.
THE ENGINE WE HAVE IN PARKER COUNTY IS A TANKER PUMPER, AND IT'S A 2018.
THEY COME OUT, THEY MAINTENANCE THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS AS WELL.
SO IF SOMETHING GOES DOWN, WE HAVE RESERVE APPARATUS.
UM, WE'VE GOT PLANS, OR EXCUSE ME, WE ARE ALREADY APPLYING FOR GRANTS TO THE FOREST SERVICE FOR FUTURE APPARATUS.
WE ARE IN CONVERSATION WITH TARRANT COUNTY FOR APPARATUS ON THE TARRANT COUNTY SIDE.
NOW I'VE GOT TWO RESERVE ENGINES, ONE FOR THE TARRANT COUNTY SIDE, ONE FOR THE PARKER COUNTY SIDE.
RESOURCE WISE, WE'RE TWO FIRE STATIONS SPREAD OVER 28 SQUARE MILES.
DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THAT UNLESS YOU WANNA GO BUILD A THIRD AND FOURTH ONE.
AND THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WE'RE IN CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY OF PELICAN BAY ABOUT BUILDING A DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX IN THE CITY OF PELICAN BAY.
THAT'LL GIVE US A THIRD STATION, WE'LL SERVICE PELICAN BAY WITH THE STATION, BRIAR WITH THE STATION, AND RENO WITH THE STATION.
AS THE COMMUNITY GROWS, THIS DEPARTMENT WILL GROW, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR EIGHT YEARS.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE GONNA HEAR MANY THINGS.
YOU'VE GOT LOTS OF DECISIONS TO MAKE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS THE VOTER'S CHOICE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.
YOUR YOUR EQUIPMENT WOULD, SIR, WOULD YOU RATE IT AS EXCELLENT, POOR, GOOD, GOOD.
AND THE REASON I RATED IT AS GOOD IS BECAUSE THE TARRANT COUNTY ENGINE IS A 2012.
MY RENO ENGINE, THE REASON I DON'T RATE IT AS BEST IS BECAUSE THE CAB SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK ON IT.
THE REASON THE CAB SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK ON IT IS WE HAVE A DIRECT FILL THAT WE CAN DO THE, WE CAN DO FOAM THROUGH IT IF WE NEED TO.
WE HAVE OTHER APPARATUS WITH FOAM ON IT.
SAME THING WITH OUR BRUSH TRUCKS.
YOU'D MENTIONED THERE'S 30, YOU HAVE 30 EMPLOYEES THERE.
HOW, HOW IS THAT DIVIDED? LIKE HOW MANY ARE PARKER COUNTY VERSUS TARRANT? YEAH.
OR HOW IS THAT? SO TARRANT COUNTY ALLOCATED PAYS FOR TWO AND A HALF PER DAY.
AND RENO PAYS FOR ONE AND A HALF PER DAY AT THE MOMENT.
AND PELICAN BAY PAYS ABOUT FOR A PERSON A DAY.
SO WE STAFF TWO AT RENO AND THREE AT TARRANT COUNTY ON AVERAGE.
WHEN I SAY TWO AND A HALF, IT SOUNDS KIND OF SILLY, RIGHT? IT'S AN AVERAGE.
I, I JUST WAS TRYING, I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY LINE KIND OF GOES THROUGH THERE.
SO I WASN'T SURE AS FAR AS COUNTY ALLOCATION.
SO WE USE SEVEN 30 FM, SEVEN 30 AS OUR BORDERLINE, EVERYTHING ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, WHICH IS TARRANT COUNTY.
EVERYTHING ON THE WEST SIDE IS STATION 49.
UM, ON HIGHWAY 1 9 9, WE RUN A DUAL ENGINE COMPANY RESPONSE WITH ENGINE 51.
SO YOU HAVE ENGINE 51 AND ENGINE 49, AND ON SEVEN 30, A PORTION OF IT'S ENGINE 33.
AND THEN STATION FIVE TWO, WHICH IS AZEL.
AND WE JUST KIND OF BREAK THINGS DOWN BASED UPON THAT.
UH, SAY PARKER COUNTY TO TARRANT COUNTY, HOW MANY, HOW MANY RUNS DO YOU THINK? ABSOLUTELY, UH, WOULD BE PARKER COUNTY VERSUS TARRANT COUNTY? YEAH, SO THE CITY OF RENO IS ABOUT 520 CALLS A YEAR.
AND THEN WE DO ABOUT 80 TO A HUNDRED INSPECTIONS A YEAR.
UM, SO IT PUTS US RIGHT AROUND THAT 600 NUMBER IN THE CITY OF RENO.
AND THEN IN SANCTUARY, WHICH WE ALSO SERVICE AS A CONTRACT, THEY RUN ABOUT 47 TO 60 CALLS A YEAR.
SO THE SANCTUARY, THAT'S PARKER COUNTY AS WELL? YES, SIR.
SO VERSUS TARRANT COUNTY, THAT'S WHAT, YEAH.
SO, SO, SO TARRANT COUNTY, IF YOU INCLUDE PELICAN BAY AND BRIAR TOGETHER MM-HMM
IT'S A LITTLE OVER ALMOST 1100 CALLS.
SO ABOUT 1100 ON THE TARRANT COUNTY SIDE AND 600 IF YOU PUT IN CORRECT.
AND THAT'S WHY WHEN TARRANT COUNTY PROVIDED US WITH THAT FUNDING THIS YEAR, IT WAS EASIER THAN WE'VE EVER HAD TO BE ABLE TO DIVIDE THE LINE AND SAY, FANTASTIC.
STATION 33, YOU HANDLED TARRANT STATION 49, YOU HANDLED PARKER.
NOW, YESTERDAY WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
WE HAD TWO CALLS GOING IN RENO AT THE SAME TIME.
STATION 33 COMES OVER AND COVERS STATION 49 GOES TO THE OTHER CALL, JUST LIKE A LOT OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS DO.
THEY ROTATE 'EM THROUGH AS THEY NEED TO, KINDA LIKE MUTUAL AID.
TYPICALLY, UM, IN DISTRICT, FOR US, ON
[00:25:01]
AN ANNUAL ANNUAL BASIS, LESS THAN 10% OF OUR CALLS, WE HAVE TO RECEIVE ANOTHER AGENCY TO COME IN AND COVER THAT CALL, WHICH MEANS WE WEREN'T ABLE TO RESPOND.UH, THAT SHOULD GO DOWN IN MY OPINION, SINCE WE'VE GOT TWO STATIONS.
UM, AND EVERY AGENCY'S GONNA RUN THROUGH THAT.
THEY'RE ALWAYS GONNA GET MOMENTS OF GETTING SLAMMED WITH CALL VOLUME.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT RENO D ANNEXING.
BUT YOU SEEM TO THINK THAT IT'S NOT GONNA AFFECT YOU, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WHICH PART, SIR? IF THE CITY D ANNEXES? I THINK FROM A STABILITY STANDPOINT OF WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, YEAH, IT'S ABSOLUTELY GONNA AFFECT US FINANCIALLY.
I DON'T, I THINK FINANCIALLY, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT IT, YOU SEE MORE GROWTH IN AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE A MUNICIPALITY VERSUS AREAS THAT DO, BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT PLATTING RULES AND REGULATIONS THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW.
CURRENTLY THE CITY OF RENO HAS A FIRE CODE THAT WE ENFORCE.
THE, UH, THE CITY DIS INCORPORATES OR DE ANNEX, EXCUSE ME, FIRE CODE GOES AWAY.
LET'S SAY THAT THEY DO DE DISIN INCORPORATE THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENTS OUT THERE.
'CAUSE THEN YOU REMOVE ALL THE, UH, OR, OR THE DEED RESTRICTIONS, ALL THE BUILDING CODES, ALL THE, WHERE IT'S POSSIBLE, THEN YOU COULD SEE MORE, LESS OF A VALUE.
THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD TRANSLATE INTO A LESSER RE OR LESSER VALUE OF OVERALL TAXABLE VALUE.
DO YOU SEE THAT A CONCERN? I DO NOT.
WHAT'S THE I-O-I-S-O RATING THERE IN RENO? SO CURRENTLY WE'RE SITTING AT A NINE, AND THE REASON WE'RE AT A NINE IS BECAUSE I JUST FOUND OUT TWO YEARS AGO IN 20 YEARS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN RERATED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE COUNTY FOR OUR DISTRICT.
AND SO I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ISO, THE ANTICIPATION IS TO BE AROUND A FIVE.
BUT PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS DIDN'T GET THE ISO RATING REDONE.
UM, I'D STARTED WORKING WITH JEFF EDWARDS, WHO IS OUR, OUR ISO REPRESENTATIVE.
AND BASED UPON THE NUMBERS THAT I HAVE, PRELIMINARY NUMBERS THAT I GAVE HIM, WE SHOULD EXPECT A FOUR OR FIVE IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.
FOUR OR FIVE IF YOU BECOME AN ESD OR FOUR OR FIVE AS YOU CURRENTLY OPERATE, AS YOU CURRENTLY ARE AS WE CURRENTLY OPERATE.
AND THE REASON THAT WE'VE KIND OF DELAYED FINISHING THAT PROCESS WAS I WAS TRYING TO GET STAFFING LEVELS TO WHERE THEY ACTUALLY WERE.
PLUS WE WERE ADDING SOME APPARATUS.
WHEN DID YOU GET HIM THAT DATA? UH, WE MET IN NOVEMBER AND I PROVIDED THAT TO HIM.
I BELIEVE IT'D BE LATE JANUARY LAST MONTH.
BUT WE PRELIMINARY WENT OVER THAT IN NOVEMBER.
BUT YOU'VE BEEN THERE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
I'VE BEEN THE CHIEF FOR FOUR YEARS.
I FOUND OUT WHAT OUR ISO RATING WAS.
I MEAN, AND IN FOUR OR FIVE YEARS YOU'RE RIGHT, IT, IT'D BE GREAT IF IT WENT DOWN BETWEEN THEN, BUT IN FOUR OR FIVE YEARS I'VE GONE FROM STRICTLY VOLUNTEERS TO FULL STAFFING.
WE, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GROWTH.
WE'RE TAKING, WE'RE GETTING EXACTLY A LOT OF, A LOT OF GROWTH.
I'M IN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY AND I KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.
AND I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH IT PRETTY AGGRESSIVELY TRYING TO GET THAT DATA AND THAT DELAY AND THAT GAP AND THE UPDATES, BECAUSE THAT AFFECTS EVERY ONE OF US PAYING INSURANCE HOMEOWNER RATES.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT, SO I PAY FOR IT.
I MEAN, ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY.
I MEAN, THAT'S A BIG, THAT'S A BIG THING.
TALK TO ANYBODY THAT'S PAYING FOR INSURANCE RIGHT NOW IS VERY IMPORTANT.
ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR, UH, THE FIRE CHIEF? I'VE GOT A COUPLE.
UM, YOUR ENGINES ON THIS, UH, RESOURCE LIST THAT YOU PROVIDED, ENGINE 33 IS A 2010, JUST 10.
AND THEN THE RE RESERVE ENGINE ONE IS A 1998.
THAT'S ABOUT A 16-YEAR-OLD AVERAGE THERE BETWEEN THE THREE.
THEN THE BRUSH TRUCKS ARE 2006, 2012 AND 2002.
THAT'S ABOUT AN 18-YEAR-OLD AVERAGE.
SO WHEN WE HAVE EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE OPERATING ROADS ON, THE OLDER THE EQUIPMENT IS, THE MORE LIKELY IT IS TO BREAK DOWN.
THAT MEANS FOR US, WE DON'T GET TO FINISH THE ROAD LIKE WE WANT TO THAT DAY.
BUT IF YOU'RE, UH, TRYING TO GET TO A FIRE, TRYING TO PUT A FIRE OUT, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SERIOUS.
WHEN I, WHEN I LOOK AT THAT, AND THEN I LOOK AT YOUR MARGIN ANTICIPATED TO BE AT 0.1% FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND THAT ASSUMES THAT THINGS LIKE YOUR INSURANCE COSTS YEAR OVER YEAR ARE PROJECTED TO BE FLAT.
[00:30:01]
GUESS MR. HALE WOULD PROBABLY SAY THAT INSURANCE COSTS AREN'T NORMALLY FLAT.A LOT OF THE EXPENSES ON LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AND ON THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, JUST THEY LOOK FLAT OR THEY ARE FLAT.
AND PAYROLL IS 86% OF YOUR BUDGET.
I, I HAVE SOME VERY, VERY STRONG CONCERNS THAT PAYROLL IS 86% OF YOUR BUDGET WHEN THE NEXT HIGHEST ESD IN THE, IN THE COUNTY IS AT 71% AS FAR AS PAYROLL IS A PERCENTAGE OF BUDGET.
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOUR EQUIPMENT IS AS OLD AS IT IS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT GROWTH IS COMING, BUT WE KNOW VERY WELL THAT GROWTH HAPPENS BEFORE YOU COLLECT THE TAXES FOR SAID GROWTH.
THERE'S ALWAYS A LAG OF A FEW YEARS.
IF THERE WEREN'T, THIS COUNTY WOULDN'T BE IN THE PREDICAMENT THAT IT'S IN WHEN IT COMES FOR BUDGET TIME EVERY YEAR.
THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A TOUGH SITUATION BECAUSE HOW DO YOU PAY, HOW DO YOU PAY FOR NEW EQUIPMENT? HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU PAY FOR THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO WHEN YOUR MARGIN IS 0.1%? PAYROLL IS 86% AND YOUR EQUIPMENT IS 16 TO 18 YEARS OLD ON AVERAGE.
SO A COUPLE THINGS I'LL CALL, CALL TO IS, THERE'S A NOTE ON THE RESOURCE LIST THAT SAYS WE'RE IN THE PRO, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS BUILD PROCESS OF A SPARTAN ENGINE.
UM, WE STARTED THAT PROCESS BACK IN DECEMBER AND I PUT IT ON PAUSE BECAUSE OF THIS, THE PLAN FOR THAT SPARTAN ENGINE IS TO REPLACE ENGINE 33.
SO THAT BRAND NEW ENGINE WOULD GO TO THE TARRANT COUNTY SIDE, REPLACING ENGINE 33, WHICH IS A 2010, WHICH WOULD REMOVE MY 1998, WHICH WE WOULD LIQUIDATE.
2010 BECOMES YOUR NEXT RESERVE ENGINE.
WE HAVE A 20 24, 20 25 ENGINE THAT'S NOW IN PARKER COUNTY.
UM, SO THAT ELIMINATES THE ISSUE THERE WITH MY CONCERNS OVER AN ENGINE.
ENGINE 49 IS A 2018, THE LOAN PAYOFF ON THAT WILL OCCUR NEXT YEAR OR THE YEAR AFTER.
AND THE REASON THERE'S SOME FLUCTUATION IN THAT IS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THIS IS GONNA BE.
THE ANTICIPATION WAS NEXT BUDGET YEAR 20, THE 2018 ENGINE WOULD BE PAID OFF AND THEN WE WOULD BE, BEGIN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO PURCHASE ANOTHER TRUCK FOR THAT AREA.
WHAT DO YOU STILL OWE THE TOTAL? YOU GOT TWO YEARS LEFT.
AND THERE IS A TRUCK LISTED ON HERE AS SQUAD 49.
IT'S GOT A 1500 GPM PUMP, WHICH IS THE EXACT SAME CAPACITY PUMP THAT'S ON MY TANKER PUMPER.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S ONLY 300 GALLONS.
WE HAVE APPLIED FOR THE FOREST SERVICE FOR A GRANT FOR THAT.
I WISHED I HAD A BRAND NEW BRUSH TRUCK.
AND THAT'S WHY I'VE ASKED TARRANT COUNTY IN THEIR CONSIDERATIONS IN THE FUTURE, HEY, CAN YOU GET ME A NEW BRUSH TRUCK FOR THE TARRANT COUNTY SIDE? OUR OLDEST BRUSH TRUCK, WHICH IS THE 2006, IS IN TARRANT COUNTY.
AND THE NEWEST, WHICH IS THE 2012 IS IN PARKER COUNTY.
SO DOES TARRANT COUNTY SUPPLY YOU WITH EQUIPMENT THEY CURRENTLY DO NOT.
MOST AGENCIES THAT THEY PROVIDE FUNDING TO, THEY DO PROVIDE EQUIPMENT TO THEM.
SO THEY JUST PROVIDE YOU WITH MONEY.
AND YOU'VE GOTTA BUY THE EQUIPMENT.
PREVIOUSLY WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY SAID, HEY, THIS IS OUR BRUSH TRUCK.
HEY, THIS IS OUR TANKERS THAT WE PROVIDE.
WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE THIS TO YOU.
YOU OPERATE IT IN THE COUNTY AREA AND THE COUNTY AREA ONLY.
AND WE'RE RE WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
NOW THEY COULD ALSO TELL ME NO, AND I'M VERY AWARE OF THAT, AND THAT'S OKAY.
IF THEY DO, WE'LL WORK THROUGH THAT.
THAT'S WHY, AS I'D MENTIONED, MY GOAL IS TO PURCHASE THAT SPARTAN PUMPER FOR THE TARRANT COUNTY SIDE.
HOW DO YOU WORK THROUGH THAT IF TARRANT COUNTY ARE NOT GONNA PARTICIPATE? TELLS ME NO, AS FAR AS REPLACEMENT APPARATUS, WE'RE GONNA PURCHASE THAT SPARTAN BUMPER.
HOW THROUGH THE PAYOFF OF THE ENGINE 49, THE 2018.
YOUR MARGIN IS LIKE NINE GRAND.
SO WE'VE GOT, HOW MUCH IS THE SPARTAN SUPPOSED TO COST? ABOUT 900,000.
AND SO, SO THE 2018 PAYS OFF THOSE NUMBERS DON'T QUITE THE, THE 2018 PAYS OFF BETWEEN NEXT YEAR, DEPENDING UPON MM-HMM
NEXT YEAR, THE 2022 MINI PUMPER WILL PAY OFF NEXT YEAR.
IT WAS JUST PURCHASED TWO YEARS AGO.
UM, OUR APPROXIMATE PAYMENTS EVERY YEAR FOR APPARATUS IS ABOUT $67,000.
UM, OUR ADMINISTRATION VEHICLES ARE INCLUDED IN THAT AS WELL.
AND THOSE WILL BE PAID OFF IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
SO THAT FUNDING WILL BE APPLIED TO THE PAYMENT COST OF REPLACING THAT TRUCK.
AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PERSONNEL AND THE COSTS ON THAT.
THE STATISTICALLY THE AVERAGE, YOU'RE 80 TO 85% FOR PERSONNEL COSTS
[00:35:01]
IN MOST ENTITIES ACROSS THE BOARD WHEN IT LOOKS AT BUDGETS, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE A DISTRICT THAT'S GOT 71%, BUT I'M SURE THEIR BUDGET'S QUITE A BIT LARGER THAN SD ONE IS 61%.AND MY QUESTION TO YOU ON THAT IS, IS ARE THE MAJORITY OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS PROVIDING 24 HOUR COVERAGE WITH TWO PERSONS PER SHIFT? RIGHT.
I'M NOT TRYING TO ARGUE THE SPECIFIC SPECIFICS OF THAT.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU PAY FOR NEW EQUIPMENT WHEN YOUR EXPECTED MARGIN WITH A LOT OF YOUR EXPENSES PROJECTED AS FLAT IN A TIME WHEN NO EXPENSES ARE FLAT, IS 0.1%.
THAT'S JUST, THAT'S FINANCIALLY.
SO SINCE I'VE BEEN, IT'S PRETTY NERVE WRACKING TO, SO SINCE I'VE BEEN THE CHIEF, I'VE REPLACED EVERY STICK OF HOSE IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
I'VE REPLACED EVERY SINGLE THING AS FAR AS THE THERMAL IMAGING, CAMERAS, NOZZLES, HOSE.
THE ONLY THING I'VE NOT TOUCHED IS EXTRICATION EQUIPMENT.
AND EVERY SINGLE YEAR, WE HAVE FOUND IN THE BUDGET WAYS TO DO THAT, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH A GRANT, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH FUNDS IN THE BUDGET, WHETHER I USE THAT SLUSH FUND OF 50,000 IN THE BUDGET, WE'VE DONE IT.
YOU CAN WALK INTO MY STATION TODAY AND LOOK AT EQUIPMENT, BUT I WANT TO BE SURE WE STICK TO THE SPECIFICS OF COMMISSIONER HOLT'S DISCUSSION ON, ON THE TRUCK AND HOW YOU EXPECT TO PAY FOR THAT.
I, I, I APPRECIATE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE APPARATUS, BUT IF YOU WOULD ADDRESS THE, HOW YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT CONCERN THAT COMMISSIONER HOL JUST GAVE SPECIFICALLY TO THE TRUCK AND HOW YOU EXPECT TO PAY FOR THAT.
I MEAN, I'M TRYING TO CORRECTLY UNDERSTAND YOU.
I SEE YOUR, YOUR CONCERN IS THE 0.1 MARGIN, RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR ISSUE, RIGHT? YEAH.
MY CONCERN IS YOUR EQUIPMENT IS OLD AND YOUR MARGIN IS SMALL.
AND YOU'RE GROWING, BUT THE REVENUES FROM THAT GROWTH ALWAYS LAG BY A COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO IF YOU DO GROW QUITE A BIT, IF RENO DOES, UM, D ANNEX YEAH.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN A LOT OF SUBDIVISIONS POP UP, LET'S SAY THEY'RE SUBDIVISIONS THAT GENERATE A HIGH NUMBER OF CALLS.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A FEW MOBILE HOME BASED SUBDIVISIONS, YOUR CALL VOLUME IS GONNA GO UP SIGNIFICANTLY WITHOUT THE TAX BASIS TO SUPPORT IT.
UH, I'M SORRY THAT YOU FEEL THAT WAY.
UH, I HOPE YOU LOOK AT THE EQUIPMENT IN RENO IS ACTUALLY NOT OLD.
YOU HAVE A 2018 PUMPER AND A 2012 BRUSH TRUCK.
THE 2002 IS CURRENTLY A BUILD OUT.
IT WAS A GRANT GIVEN TO US BY THE FOREST SERVICE AS AN EXTRA RESOURCE.
WE HAVE OUR ENGINE AND A BRUSH TRUCK THAT ARE BOTH ONE'S.
THE OLDEST IS 12 YEARS OLD AND THE OTHER IS APPROXIMATELY, WAS IT SEVEN YEARS? NOW WE'RE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT HOW TO REPLACE THOSE BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING READY TO BE PAID OFF.
AND IF TARRANT COUNTY DECIDES TO GIVE US A TANKER OVER THERE, FANTASTIC.
I'VE ALREADY GOT A PLAN TO REPLACE THE 2010 THAT'S THERE, THAT 2010 NOW GOES TO RESERVES, THE AVERAGE EXPECTANCY ON AN ENGINE.
THEY WANT YOU TO REPLACE IT EVERY 10 YEARS.
BUT MAJORITY OF AGENCIES WITHIN THIS COUNTRY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO DO THAT.
WE, WE CAN'T DEPEND ON TARRANT COUNTY.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M NOT DOING.
THAT'S WHY I SAID THAT'S A FANTASTIC OPTION.
AS LONG AS YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT.
TARRANT COUNTY IS NOT A QUESTION IN THIS.
YOU GUYS HAVE GOTTA SEE IT FROM THE BIG PICTURE.
AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS OVER THE NUMBERS OF 0.1%, BUT LIKE PELICAN BAY CONTRIBUTES IN TO THE COST OF FUNDING IN RENO.
THAT'S WHY, HOW, HOW MUCH DOES PELICAN BAY PAY? 220,000? AND WE'RE CURRENTLY IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS BECAUSE OUR CONTRACTS ARE TWO TO THREE YEARS APIECE IN PELICAN BAY.
OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, THEY'VE GONE UP 40,000 A YEAR.
HOW MUCH DOES TARRANT COUNTY PAY YOU? 667,000, WHICH INCLUDES PERSONNEL COST.
BUT THAT REVENUE CAN'T, IS NOT BEING USED FOR THE SERVICES IN PARKER COUNTY.
SO THIS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE, UM, IF THIS GOES TO AN ELECTION, IT PASSES THE REVENUE FROM TARRANT COUNTY REALLY SHOULDN'T AND, AND IS NOT TO BE COUNTED NOR SALES TAX, BECAUSE THEN THAT'S A SEPARATE ELECTION IN ITSELF.
SO REALLY IN THE CITY OF RENO, REGARDLESS WHETHER THEY DISIN INCORPORATE OR NOT, THAT 312 TH 300, 12,303,000 CURRENTLY OKAY.
THAT, THAT REVENUE WILL GO AWAY REGARDLESS.
AND SO THEN YOU'RE LEFT WITH THE
[00:40:01]
10 CENT TAX MAXIMUM ON THE VALUE THAT YOU MENTIONED AT 303,000, THEN THE 303,000, THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT 220 FROM PELICAN BAY.IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
WHAT OTHER REVENUES OR WHAT OTHER CONTRACT, WHAT'S SANCTUARY PAID? 14,000.
SO, AND I BELIEVE THEY GO TO 15,000 THIS NEXT YEAR.
JUST, JUST TO GET A ROUGH NUMBER HERE.
JUST SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT UN UNDER 350,000 FOR A, A GUARANTEED SOURCE OF REVENUE THAT WILL EVENTUALLY, WHAT'S THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES IS WHERE THAT REVENUE WOULD THEN GO UP? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THEN, UH, ANY GRANTS OR ANY OF THAT, WE, WE CAN'T COUNT ON ANY OF THAT 'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT $350,000, CORRECT? CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, THEY'RE JUST TO BROAD VIEW HERE, THE REASON WE'RE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS, BECAUSE WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THIS DECISION AND UPON THE TAXPAYERS OF ALL OF PARKER COUNTY, NOT JUST THIS, NOT JUST THIS AREA THAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS PROPOSED ESD, IT'S THE WHAT IFS.
AND THAT, UM, THAT'S THE REASON THAT ALL THESE QUESTIONS ARE BEING ASKED.
IT'S NOT JUST THIS AREA, UH, THAT YOU'RE, UH, PROPOSING TO BE IN THE SD.
AND IF THERE'S A FAILURE, WHAT OUR POSITION IS GOING TO BE BECAUSE WE REPRESENT THE ENTIRETY OF PARKER COUNTY AND THE RIGHT, THE ENTIRE, THE, UH, TAXPAYERS OF THE ENTIRE PARKER COUNTY AND WHAT THE IMPACT COULD HAVE ON US.
SO THAT'S THE REASON THESE QUESTIONS ARE BEING ASKED.
NOT TRYING TO GRILL YOU, NOT TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT YOU HAPPEN TO BE THE GUY THERE WITH THE ANSWERS.
AND SO TOWARD THAT END, I GUESS THE, THE NEXT QUESTION IS, HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, UH, OF THE, THE CURRENT SITUATION THAT YOU HAVE, UH, UH, TO INCLUDE VEHICLES AS WELL.
SO, UH, WHAT IS THE TOTAL COST THAT YOU COULD ATTRIBUTE TO SALARIES, UH, BENEFITS AND VEHICLES ATTRIBUTED TO ADMINISTRATION FOR THE, FOR ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW? YES, SIR.
SO MY, MY SALARY IS 80,000 A YEAR.
UM, AND I, IF YOU, DO YOU MIND IF I BREAK IT DOWN THAT WAY OR DO YOU NOT AT ALL.
SO PREVIOUSLY IN COURT, I SAID THAT MY SALARY WAS AROUND $90,000.
UM, THE REASON I SAID THAT IS, AND THE 25, 26 BUDGET, I WAS ALLOCATED $90,000 WHEN WE BEGAN TO RECEIVE THE FUNDS TO REMODEL, OR EXCUSE ME, THE APPROVAL TO REMODEL THE BRIAR STATION.
LET'S TAKE $10,000 IN MY SALARY, GIVE THAT BACK TOWARDS THE BUDGET SO THAT WE CAN USE THAT FOR REMODELING AT THE NORTH STATION.
SO, SO IT'S THE SALARY THAT YOU GET, NOT THE BENEFITS ASSOCIATED.
I IS THERE INSURANCE AND I DO GET HEALTH INSURANCE AND THERE'S NO RETIREMENT MATCHING.
THERE IS NOT A RETIREMENT, BUT THERE IS SOCIAL SECURITY YES, SIR.
PAYMENTS AND ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
SO IT'S REALLY, UH, THAT 80,000 BECOMES QUITE A BIT MORE THAN THAT ACTUALLY.
SO MY SALARY IS 80,000, MY INSURANCE IS APPROXIMATELY FIVE TO 6,000 PER YEAR.
AND THE SOCIAL SECURITY COST IS ABOUT 6,000.
AND THEN MY ASSISTANT CHIEF RECEIVED 70,000 WITH 6,000 IN INSURANCE AND ABOUT 6,000 IN SOCIAL SECURITY AND SUCH.
AND THEN VEHICLES, VEHICLE, OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS.
AND THOSE WERE PURCHASED IN 2023.
UH, THE COST OF THOSE WERE ABOUT $80,000 OUTFITTED, THEY'RE HALF TONS.
WE DIDN'T DO A WHOLE LOT TO THEM.
AND THEN WE ALREADY HAD A 2017, UH, ADMINISTRATION VEHICLE THAT I HAD PREVIOUSLY DROVE, THAT I PURCHASED AND DONATED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
OUTSIDE OF THAT, UH, WE HAVE A BOOKKEEPER THAT WORKS FOR US, AN ATTORNEY ON STAFF OR ATTORNEY THAT WE CAN CALL, OF COURSE, FROM RETAINER AND A CPA WHO'S THE ATTORNEY? UM, JOHN CARLTON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE, UH, FIRE CHIEF? THANK YOU MU THANK YOU FOR THE RECORD.
WHAT'S YOUR LAST NAME? DRUXMAN.
MS.
AND, AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
AND, UH, DO I HAVE THREE AND THAT'S IT? OR IS IT LITTLE? I, I WANT TO LIMIT IT TO THREE.
WE, WE GAVE OBVIOUSLY, UM, WITH THE LEEWAY OF THE COURT'S QUESTIONS, AND SO IT CAN, IT CAN GO BEYOND THAT IF THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
BUT I'M ASKING YOU JUST TO KEEP IT, TRY TRY TO KEEP IT WITHIN THREE, UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS.
I'LL JUST, I'LL HIT A COUPLE POINTS AND THEN I'LL GO TO THE BACK AND DO THE CONCLUSION.
AND THEN I HAVE A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT.
UM, SO I, I'VE BEEN HERE 21 YEARS.
I, I TRIED TO GET US TO JOIN YOU.
I, I, I WANT US NOT TO DO THIS.
LET'S START, I DON'T WANNA DO SD 10.
[00:45:01]
UM, I, I'M THE GUY THAT SENT YOU THE EMAIL, GREG GREG ARIAS AND, UM, YESTERDAY.AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET US INTO ES D ONE SINCE 15 YEARS, PROBABLY 10 YEARS.
WHEN LINDA WAS, UH, MAYOR, NOBODY WOULD TELL ME, NOBODY WOULD TELL ME HOW TO DO THAT.
I JUST THOUGHT IT HAD TO BE THROUGH THE, THE CITY AND OR THROUGH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THEN I TALKED TO MR. DRUXMAN THE OTHER DAY, LAST SEPTEMBER, UH, THE OTHER DAY, LAST SEPTEMBER.
AND, UM, HE, HE ALSO WAS PUSHING FOR HIS AGENDA, ESD 10.
HE CONVINCED ME TO GO WITH THAT.
AND I LET IT GO, BUT IT JUST STARTED EATING AT ME.
AND SO I FINALLY CALLED CHIEF WATSON JUST 'CAUSE I, I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHY HAVEN'T WE EVER DONE THIS? AND HE FILLED ME IN AND SAID, ALL WE NEED IS A 50 PERSON PETITION.
WE COULD HAVE JOINED OURSELVES.
AND SO ALL THIS TIME I'VE BEEN DOING, YOU KNOW, SPINNING MY WHEELS, I COULD HAVE AT LEAST HELPED MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
UM, WELL, I'M, I SHOULDN'T SAY NOW.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, SO LET ME JUST REAL QUICK TOUCH A COUPLE THINGS.
UM, I QUESTION ABOUT THE FUNDING THAT THEY'RE GETTING 670 RELATIVE FROM TARRAN.
AND, UM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS WHOLE THING WITH THE TWO AND TWO I, TO ME, IF I'M A TARRANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND I'M LOOKING AT HOW I'M GETTING, GIVING MY 670 A THOUSAND A YEAR, WHY ISN'T IT THREE FIREFIGHTERS IN BRIAR IF I'M GIVING YOU THAT MUCH MONEY IN TWO IN RENO? I'M JUST, THAT'S JUST HOW I'M LOOKING AT IT.
I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST, IT'S A QUESTION I HAVE.
UM, PEOPLE THINK THEIR INSURANCE RATES ARE GONNA GO UP BECAUSE OF THE ISO RATINGS AND ALL THIS, AND HE JUST ADMITTED HIMSELF, THEY'RE NINE.
I MEAN, UH, ESD ONE IS A, IS A THREE PRETTY MUCH ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO THERE'S JUST, TO ME, THAT'S A NO BRAINER WHY WE EVEN DOING THIS.
ESD IS APPEAR IN EVERY WAY IN TERMS OF FUNDING EFFICIENCY AND RESOURCES.
CONTRACT CONTACT, SORRY, CONTRASTING ONE TO 10 SD ONE VERSUS 10 IS COMPARING APPLES AND ORANGES.
IT'S LIKE COMPARING, I CALL, I'M SORRY, BUT THE RENO 9 1 1 POLICE DEPARTMENT TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
IT'S, THEY'RE JUST TWO DI MEAN, THEY'RE JUST NOT EVEN THE SAME IN TERMS OF THEIR, THEIR ORGANIZATION AND WHAT THEY COULD PROVIDE.
UM, THE, UH, RENO IS A KIND OF AN ISOLATIONIST CULTURE.
UM, THEY'VE ALWAYS KIND OF BURNED BRIDGES WITH THE COUNTY, DIDN'T PLAY WELL WITH ANYBODY ELSE.
AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE KIND OF DOING THE SAME THING HERE WITH THE, WITH, WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, BECAUSE MOSES HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH ESD ONE, BUT HE'S REFUSED TO EVEN TALK WITH HIM.
HE DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR IT, DOESN'T WANT TO PLAY WITH ANYBODY ELSE OR BE INVOLVED WITH ANYBODY ELSE.
THERE'S A, THE, THE PROBLEM WITH THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE, UH, DISPATCH, THEY HAVE TO MAKE A PHONE CALL.
IF THEY WERE AN ESD ONE, IT'S FLAWLESS.
I MEAN IT'S, YOU KNOW, INSIDE OF PARKER COUNTY, THEY WOULD BE DISPATCHING OUTTA PARKER COUNTY.
I MEAN, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WOULD CHOOSE THAT ROUTE.
UM, IF ESD ONE IS CREATED AND WON'T SEE A 10 PENNY OF TAX MONEY UNTIL THE END OF 2026, ESD ONE HAS THE RESERVE FUNDING TO OPERATE RENAL FIRE UNTIL TAX MONEY IS REALIZED OVER A YEAR LATER WITH LACK OF FIRE PROTECTION, WITHOUT LACK OF FIRE PROTECTION.
I DO NOT BELIEVE ESD 10 HAS THE RESERVE FUNDING TO MAINTAIN PRESENT FUNCTION UNTIL WINTER 2026.
ESD ONE WOULD OFFER SUPERIOR LEVEL OF SERVICE AND BANK FOR OUR, OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
ESD TENS MODEL IS A WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY WITH UNNEEDED ADMINISTRATORS, LESS FIREFIGHTERS, NO RESERVED CAPACITY AND FUNDING ASSETS OR RESOURCES.
MOSES HIMSELF HAS ADMITTED IF HE LOSES THAT FUNDING FROM YES, FROM PARK, FROM TARRANT COUNTY, HE'S GONNA BE COMING TO CHIEF WATSON FOR HELP.
SO JUST BASED ON THAT FACT OF UNCERTAINTY, WHAT SENSE DOES IT MAKE TO APPROVE A CRAP SHOOT? I MEAN, THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
AND THEN THE, THE LAST PART OF THIS IN IS LEGAL ASPECT.
AND I'M JUST GONNA READ THIS, BUT RENA, BRI BRIAR USED COERCION TO ELICIT SIGNATURES USING FEARMONGERING TACTICS.
SO THE CITIZENS WOULD SIGN THEIR PETITION BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANNA LOSE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE EVERYBODY LOVES THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO IT'S WHEN YOU MANIPULATE PEOPLE LIKE THAT AND USE COERCION, TO ME THAT'S THE VERY LEAST ETHICALLY CHALLENGING AND QUESTIONABLE.
AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY MUCH ILLEGAL BECAUSE SOMEBODY COULD QUESTION THAT AND SAY, WELL, WE WERE BASICALLY HAD NO OTHER CHOICE AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT, BUT IT'S NOT TRUE.
THEY, THERE IS SD ONE AND AND NOBODY'S BROUGHT THAT UP.
NOBODY'S EVEN BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT WE CAN GO OTHER WAYS.
THE SKY'S CLOSE TO THREE MINUTES AND TRY TO WRAP IT UP.
THERE'S NO, SKY IS FOLLOWING RISK OF NOT HAVING A FIRE DEPARTMENT IN RENO.
[00:50:01]
RENO IS A, HAS A CONTRACT UNTIL THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.I JUST QUESTION THE PROFESSIONAL AND INTEGRITY OF ANYBODY THAT WOULD GO AROUND AND USE FEAR TO GET PEOPLE TO SIGN A PETITION.
ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? I KIND OF HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
IF, IF IT'S, IF IT'S ALLOWABLE AT THIS POINT, IT IS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FINANCIAL STABILITY IS THE, IS THE BIG, OH, HOLD ON.
I THINK YOU THE ONE THAT THE BEST ANSWER, UH, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THE FIRST TIME THAT WE WE HAD THAT YOU WERE HEARING ADDRESS THE COURT WAS A LOT OF NEW INFORMATION FOR ME.
UM, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M UNDERSTANDING WHAT I HEARD THEN AND THEN WHAT YOU HAD EMAILED AND, AND LISTENING.
NOW, UH, IF IT GOES THIS WAY AND SD 10 IS CREATED AND TARRANT COUNTY, YOU KNOW, IF I'M, IF I'M RUNNING NUMBERS AND I'M LOOKING AT WORST CASE SCENARIO, AND I HAD ASKED THIS IN THE LAST COURT YOUR PLAN OR THE, WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS IF THE FINANCIAL STABILITY GOES AWAY, YOU HAD SAID THAT WE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO TO ESD ONE IF THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF ESD 10 AS ITS WHOLE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN AT THAT POINT, OF COURSE I WOULD APPROACH ANOTHER ESD.
I'D REFERRED TO ESD ONE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE CLOSEST.
UM, I WAS NOT REFERRING TO IF TARRANT COUNTY PULLED FUNDING OR IF RENO POOL, OR EXCUSE ME, PELICAN BAY POOL FUNDING.
IT WAS SPECIFICALLY TO IF ESD 10 ITSELF COULD NOT OPERATE AND FAILED ALONE.
BUT WE KNOW IT'S, AT THIS POINT IT LOOKS VERY SKINNY.
THE NUMBERS DOING THE BUDGET IF THAT WERE THE CASE.
SO THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE THEN, AND THEN THE WAY I UNDERSTOOD IT, IF ESD ONE WAS ACCEPTABLE OR THE OTHER ESD, THEY WOULD HAVE TO VACATE AND GIVE ESD TEN TWO OF THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS SEATS.
UH, THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE ONLY OPTION THE ESDS CAN CONTRACT TO EACH OTHER JUST LIKE A FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN CONTRACT TO AN ESD.
BUT I KNOW THAT ESD, THEY SEEM TO RUN A PRETTY GOOD OPERATION AND I DON'T KNOW HOW OPEN THEY ARE TO GIVING UP TWO OF THEIR SEATS.
'CAUSE I SEE ESD AS A, THEY COVER A PRETTY LARGE REGION ALL AROUND Y'ALL.
AND GREEN WOULD BE A SMALL LITTLE STAMP.
AND I SEE THAT, THAT TO ME DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT WHEN IT'S TWO, TWO SEATS ON THE BOARD BEING GIVEN UP FOR THAT SMALL LITTLE AREA ON THE ESD ONE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LIKELIHOOD OF THAT WOULD BE.
'CAUSE I'M TRYING TO LOOK DOWN THE ROAD AND SAY, OKAY, WORST CASE SCENARIO, AND THEN IT GOES THAT ROUTE.
WHAT'S THE LIKELIHOOD OF THAT BEING AN ACTUAL REAL OPTION? AND THEN IF THAT'S NOT A REAL OPTION, THEN WHAT? SO, SO WHAT I WANNA BRING TO YOU GUYS' POINT IS THAT PARKER COUNTY AND I, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT STATISTIC, I THINK IT'S NUMBER SIX IN THE STATE AS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTIES.
UM, YOU'RE, I I'VE SPENT A LONG CAREER IN REAL ESTATE.
YOU HAVE A FINANCIAL BACKGROUND, YOU HAVE A FINANCIAL BACKGROUND IN INSURANCE.
UH, I THINK ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM ARE INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT GROWTH IS STILL GOING TO OCCUR WITHIN RENO, WHETHER, UH, WHETHER THE CITY IS THERE OR NOT.
AND IF THE DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO OPERATE AS IT CURRENTLY IS AT 312,000 AND THE ANTICIPATED PROJECTION IS 303, AND BY THE TIME WE ACTUALLY DO START COLLECTING FUNDS, IT'S WITHOUT A DOUBT WE CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE JUST FINE.
WE'RE, WE'RE ALREADY DOING IT.
WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A $9,000 DIFFERENCE.
NOW I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OVER LONGEVITY.
I HOPE THAT'S ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OPTION IS IF SD ONE DECLINED YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
'CAUSE OF THE, THE, THE BOARD.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO OPTIONS.
YOU CAN EITHER TO GO THROUGH AND MERGE THE ESDS, WHICH REQUIRES A VOTE.
OF THE TWO, OF THE TWO ESDS, OR YOU CAN CONTRACT TO 'EM.
AND AT THE POINT OF CONTRACT, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO GIVE UP COMMISSIONERS.
IT WOULD BE VERY SIMILAR TO HOW ESD THREE OPERATES WITH HUDSON OAKS, EXCUSE ME, WITH, UH, CITY OF WEATHERFORD.
SO IS THAT THE VIABLE OPTION AT THE 300, YOU KNOW, AND THROW IN 3% FOR RATE OF INFLATION, BUT NOT BETTING ON THE COME AS FAR AS FINANCING GOES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT A CONTRACT WOULD BE WITH SD ONE, UH, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THE
[00:55:01]
FINANCES.AND, AND, AND THE OTHER POINT ALONG THAT IS, IS I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S A VERY FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO GO INTO A COMMUNITY.
AND IF YOU WANNA CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SAME AMOUNT OF RESPONSE MM-HMM
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SPEND APPROXIMATELY FIVE TO $7 MILLION AT LEAST.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THE REST OF THE RESIDENTS OF PARKER COUNTY SHOULD BE SPENDING FIVE TO $7 MILLION JUST FOR THE CITY OF RENO TO HAVE FIRE PROTECTION.
IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED.
COULD I ASK A QUESTION IF, IF YOU, IF YOUR FUNDING WAS CUT BY 30%, OKAY, SO SOME OF THESE DROPPED OFF, WHATEVER, UH, HOW WOULD YOU MANAGE THE FINANCES OF THE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? ADMINISTRATION COSTS COMES OFF THE TOP FIRST, RIGHT? UH, MY GOAL FOR THIS DEPARTMENT SINCE THE BEGINNING, AND, AND THIS IS SOMETHING I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED TO YOU EARLIER, UH, A LOT OF AGENCIES, EVEN ESDS AND VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS PAID, THEY ALWAYS BUY NEWER TRUCKS FIRST.
THAT'S THEIR GOAL BECAUSE WE GOTTA GET TO THE FIRE, WE GOTTA GET TO THE SCENE.
MY GOAL WAS TO ALWAYS HAVE STAFFING.
SO I'VE BEEN THE CHIEF FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS.
BEFORE THAT, I RAN OPERATIONS AND I DID IT FOR FREE.
I DID NOT START KICKING A SALARY UNTIL THE LAST TWO YEARS.
UM, AND IN MY OPINION IS YOU NEED SEATS IN THE BUTTS TO GET TO THE FIRES.
JUST LIKE ANY OTHER CHIEFS IN THIS COUNTY WOULD.
THOSE GUYS AND THOSE GIRLS ARE THE ONES MAKING THE DIFFERENCE.
SO WE CUT ADMIN FAR BEFORE WE CUT PERSONNEL.
AND THAT COULD INCLUDE ADMINISTRATION VEHICLES THAT COULD, ALL THE BENEFITS, ALL THE THINGS.
OF COURSE, THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE IF THE, IT WAS SEVERE ENOUGH, YOU'D BE CUTTING PERSONNEL, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU CAN'T PAY FOR 'EM.
THAT'S, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S THE BIGGEST PERCENTAGE YOU'VE GOT.
AND THAT'S ALL YOU, THAT'S THE ONLY OPTION THAT YOU HAVE.
AND, AND, AND THE NUMBERS ARE SO HIGH, THE 86%, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO THINK, LAST YEAR, UM, TARRANT COUNTY WAS GIVING US 143,000, AND THEN THEY GAVE US SMALL INCREASE FOR STAFFING OF A HUNDRED AND BELIEVE 150, MAYBE 175.
AND THEN THEY GAVE US ANOTHER 300 AND SOMETHING THOUSAND.
SO OUR STAFFING NUMBERS WENT UP DRASTICALLY IN ONE YEAR COMPARED TO TO YEARS PREVIOUS.
THIS TIME LAST YEAR, I WAS OFFERING SEVEN PEOPLE, TWO PEOPLE PER SHIFT.
AND MYSELF, TODAY WE'RE AT, YOU KNOW, AN AVERAGE OF 15 FULL TIME.
AND OBVIOUSLY HERE, I'M, IT'S NOT MY AREA OF THE COUNTY.
JUST SORT OF FROM AN OUTSIDER LOOKING IN, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, FROM THE OUTSIDE THAT IT'S NOT A GOOD FINANCIAL DECISION.
IT, IT APPEARS FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN THAT IT'S, IT'S ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE BETTER.
I'M NOT TRYING TO TO SAY, BUT I'M JUST TELLING YOU HOW IT LOOKS.
FOR ANYBODY THAT'S LOOKING AT IT FROM THE OUTSIDE, THAT THIS IS, IS SOMEWHAT RISKY, UH, COMPARED WITH OTHER OPTIONS.
SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT ABSOLUTELY.
IF YOU'RE, IF SOMEBODY'S LOOKING AT THIS FROM THE OUTSIDE, REALLY DOESN'T, DOESN'T HAVE A, A STAKE IN IT OTHER THAN FOR THE REST OF THE TAXPAYERS IN PARKER COUNTY.
DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A GOOD DEAL FROM THIS, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
SO I JUST WANNA POINT THAT OUT TO YOU.
BUT IT, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S NOT THE BEST OPTION FROM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
AGAIN, I'M JUST, UH, SITTING HERE ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, AND I'M NOT, IT'S NOT A REFLECTION ON YOU OR YOUR DEPARTMENT OR ANYTHING ELSE, BUT FROM THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, THAT'S THE WAY IT LOOKS.
I, SO WE HAVE TO APPRECIATE THAT.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO, UH, RECONCILE THAT WITH WHAT THE, THE INTENT OF THE VOTERS ARE.
AND OF COURSE WE, WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO, UH, UH, TELL THE VOTERS OF THIS AREA WHAT TO DO.
SO JUST GIVING YOU MY PERSPECTIVE FROM SITTING HERE ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN AND, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE TERM APPLES AND ORANGES WAS USED EARLIER, AND THAT'S, THAT IS A VERY RELEVANT TERM TO THE SITUATION BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL I GET IT.
I MEAN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT 16 SQUARE MILES OF, YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS AND I I, I'VE JUST, YOU'VE BEEN VERY, VERY OPEN WITH ALL THE INFORMATION.
ANYBODY ELSE WOULD COME UP AND SPEAK AGAIN, WE'RE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THIS IS Y'ALL'S TIME TO SPEAK ON THIS.
UM, SO I, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION ABOUT THE FINANCIAL PART.
THE DELAY OF NOT RECEIVING FUNDS UNTIL WINTER OF 26.
IF ESD AT 10 IS CREATED, HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT GAP? WE HAVE A LINE OF CREDIT ESTABLISHED THROUGH PLAINS CAPITAL BANK OF CURRENTLY 300,000.
UM, IF WE NEED TO INCREASE THAT, I WOULD OF COURSE HAVE TO REQUEST THAT, UH, AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH THEM.
SO WHEN DOES YOUR CURRENT FUNDING RUN OUT? THE CONTRACT FOR THE CITY OF RENO CURRENTLY IS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
AND SO IF THIS E-S-D-E-S-D 10 PASSES, YOU'VE GOT A FULL YEAR THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA RECEIVE FUNDING, THAT'S WHERE THE LOC WOULD COME IN THE LINE LIKE THAT? YES, SIR.
[01:00:01]
AND WE WOULD WORK IF THE CITY IS STILL IN EXISTENCE, OF COURSE, THE CITY WOULD STILL MAINTAIN TO WORK WITH US UNTIL THOSE FUNDS ARE ESTABLISHED, AND I MADE THEM AWARE OF THAT.SO IF YOU THEN HAVE TO DRAW ON A YEAR OF OPERATIONAL COSTS FROM A LINE OF CREDIT, WOULD THAT IMPACT YOUR ABILITY TO THEN PAY FOR A FUTURE ENGINE OR BRUSH TRUCK, OR IT WOULD AFFECT ADMINISTRATION COST FIRST AND PERSONNEL AT THE ADMINISTRATION LEVEL PRIOR TO AFFECTING ANYTHING OPERATIONALLY.
BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT GOING $300,000 IN THE HOLE ON THE LINE OF CREDIT, SO, CORRECT.
WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
THEIR BANK IS GONNA HAVE TO TAKE A GAMBLE, BUT IF THEY'RE WAITING ON AVALOR TAX TO COME IN, IT'S JUST LIKE ANY OTHER MUNICIPALITY.
IT'S THE VERY BEGINNING STAGES.
ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? UM, MR. HUNTER, WERE YOU WANTING TO COME UP AND SPEAK? I THOUGHT YOU WERE GETTING, UH, I'M SORRY, I, COME AHEAD.
STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE, BEFORE YOU'RE GETTING HUNTER CITIZEN OF RENO.
UM, I REALLY WASN'T GONNA SPEAK, I WASN'T PREPARED ANYTHING, BUT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, I SPOKEN WITH MOSES.
UH, THEY RUN AN EXCELLENT FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I MEAN, WE'VE HAD 'EM COME OUT OF OUR HOUSE ON CALLS WITH, UH, WHEN MY MOTHER-IN-LAW WAS, WAS ILL.
UM, NO, NO PROBLEM WITH, WITH THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS I'D LIKE TO SEE THE CITIZENS HAVE A CHOICE.
SO IF THERE'S A WAY FOR THE CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO SAY WE WANT ONE OR 10 ON THE BALLOT, THEN THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE.
AND THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT.
AND AGAIN, NO CONCERNS WITH, WITH MOSES.
A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I'M GONNA TALK TO HIM ABOUT LATER THAT HAVE KIND OF HEIGHTENED MY LEVEL OF CONCERN WITH ESD 10, BUT, UM, I'LL, I'LL SPEAK TO HIM ON, ON THE SIDE ON THAT.
UM, HE AND I HAVE A, A GOOD, GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
BUT AGAIN, IF THERE'S A WAY TO DO IT LEGALLY ON THE BALLOT, I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO CHOOSE, DO I WANT ONE OR DO I WANT 10? UM, SO THAT, THAT'S KIND OF MY INPUT ON THAT.
I'M, I'M GONNA SUPPOSE THAT THERE'S NOT A WAY TO DO THAT.
I THINK IT, I THINK IT'S GONNA, NO, WOULD I THINK IT'S GONNA COME OUT O ON IN THE CURRENT SITUATION? THERE IS NOT, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A PETITION THAT WAS PRESENTED FOR ONE.
SO ON THIS CURRENT ELECTION CYCLE, IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.
IT COULD IF TWO PETITIONS WERE PRESENTED TO THE COURT.
ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? SOMEBODY ELSE WAS GETTING UP.
STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE, SO I DON'T GET IN TROUBLE.
I'M FIRE CHIEF FOR PARKER ESD ONE.
AND, UH, ALSO SERVING AS THE CONSULTING INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR TARRANT COUNTY SD ONE.
UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THAT, I BROUGHT, UM, SOME HANDOUTS FOR YOU.
IF IT'S OKAY IF I APPROACH THE DIOCESE TO HAND THOSE THAT PLEASE.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADDRESS, UM, THE NATURE OF, OF MY BEING UP HERE TODAY.
UM, CHIEF DRUCKMAN CONTACTED ME WHEN, UH, THE PETITION WAS FILED JUST TO LET ME KNOW THAT IT WAS FILED.
AND I INDICATED TO HIM THAT I, I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREED WITH, WITH THE APPROACH.
BUT AS ESD ONE, WE HAVE NEVER INVOLVED OURSELF, UM, IN, UH, ANY MATTERS RELATING TO ANOTHER COMMUNITY AND WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO DO WITH THEIR FIRE PROTECTION UNLESS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGES US.
AND IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY HAS HEAVILY ENGAGED US ASK, ACTUALLY CALLING AND ASKING QUESTIONS AND TRYING TO LEARN HOW THE PROCESS WORKS AND LEARN ABOUT THE CAPABILITIES OF ESD ONE, UH, IN INCLUDING EVEN MAYOR BASS HAS REACHED OUT TO US ON, ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS AND REQUESTED SOME INFORMATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, THE NATURE OF WHAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE IS THE COURT IS YOU'RE DELIBERATING ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GONNA ALLOW SOME, POTENTIALLY THE CREATION OF A NEW STANDALONE LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT HAS TAX AUTHORITY, THAT HAS GOVERNANCE APPOINTED BY THIS COURT, AND THEN MAINTAINED BY THIS COURT.
AND THAT'S A VERY SERIOUS MATTER.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ACCURATE AND WE'RE HONEST.
AND SO I WOULD CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO COMMISSIONER HILL'S QUESTION A MOMENT AGO ABOUT, UM, THE, THE NATURE OF, OF THE COMMENT IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING IN WHICH YOU ORDERED THIS HEARING ABOUT, UM, THE TARRANT COUNTY FUNDING.
AND, AND THE QUOTE, AND I SAY THIS RESPECTFULLY, BUT THE QUOTE WAS NOT IN THE CONTEXT
[01:05:01]
OF ESD 10 STANDING ON ITS OWN TWO FEET.THE QUOTE WAS, IF TARRANT COUNTY PULLS THE PLUG, WE'LL BE COMING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ESD ONE.
SO I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON WHAT THAT WAS.
AND I BELIEVE YOU CAN REFERENCE THE RECORDS OF THIS COURT, UH, TO VERIFY THAT.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S A HOST OF MATTERS I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS, IF, IF THAT'S OKAY, JUDGE.
AND, AND SO I TAKE IT YOU'RE GONNA EXCEED THAT THROUGH IT.
THIS IS IMPORTANT STUFF PROCEED IF YOU ALLOW, IF YOU ALLOW ME TO YES, SIR.
SO I, I HAVE A FEW THINGS I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS AND IF, AND IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR HANDOUT, UM, I'VE, UH, PRINTED OUT FOR YOU, UM, SOME EXCERPTS OF THE CHAPTER 7 7 5 OF THE TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE, WHICH I'M SURE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY HAS ALSO, UH, MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU.
BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT AS THE COURT, YOU HAVE THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION TO DETERMINE EACH ISSUE RELATING TO THE CREATION OF THE DISTRICT AND MAY IN ISSUE INCIDENTAL ORDERS AS YOU CONSIDER PROPER IN RELATION TO THE ISSUE BEFORE THE COURT.
AND AGAIN, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE HERE IS AFTER THE HEARING, IF THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT FINDS THAT THE CREATION OF THE DISTRICT IS FEASIBLE AND WILL PROMOTE THE PUBLIC SAFETY, WELFARE, HEALTH, AND CONVENIENCE OF PERSONS, THEN YOU WOULD, UM, YOU WOULD APPROVE THE PETITION.
BUT I'LL ALSO CALL YOU DOWN TO SUBSECTION C WHERE IT SAYS, IF THE COURT FINDS THE PROPOSED DISTRICT DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS PRESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION A, WHICH AGAIN IS FEASIBLE, UH, AND THOSE OTHER TERMS, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT SHALL DENY THE PETITION.
SO I'M JUST MAKING SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, OF COURSE, I'M NOT YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL, BUT ON, ON WHAT THE STATUTE CALLS OUT HERE MOVING FORWARD, UM, I PREPARED A, UM, A, A POSSIBLE OR HYPOTHETICAL BUDGET FOR ESD 10.
AND SOME OF THIS IS BASED ON ACTUAL RECORDS, UM, CURRENTLY, UM, THAT, UH, PAY SCALES AND SUCH THAT IS, THAT IS BEING, UH, EMPLOYED BY THE BRI RENO FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO I'D JUST KIND OF LIKE TO RUN DOWN THIS, AND I FEEL LIKE THIS HAS BEEN, UM, PUT TOGETHER A VERY MINIMAL, AND OF COURSE, IT'S AN EXAMPLE.
UM, BUT TWO FIREFIGHTERS A DAY AT 1750 AN HOUR, 24 7, 365.
AND THIS IS WITH NO BENEFIT COST OTHER THAN PAYROLL TAXES AND, UH, WORKERS' COMPENSATION, AND I, I PLUGGED IN OUR NUMBERS THAT WE PAY FOR WORKERS' COMP.
THAT'S $342,000 A YEAR JUST TO KEEP TWO FIREFIGHTERS IN SEATS IN RENO.
THIS ALREADY EXCEEDS THE $316,151 IN PROJECTED REVENUE FOR ESD 10 AT A 10 CENT PER HUNDRED AUM RATE BASED ON THE CURRENT TAX VALUE OF THE CITY OF RENO ON JULY, 2024.
CERTIFIED VALUES, IF YOU GO ON TO PLUG IN THE, THE SALARIES OF, OF THE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, THAT'S A TOTAL STAFFING COST OF 517,000.
AND I DO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT IS SHARED AMONGST CONTRACTS THAT THEY HAVE, UM, TO SERVICE OTHER COMMUNITIES.
UM, THEN THERE'S A HOST OF THINGS FROM JUST GENERAL OPERATIONAL COSTS, VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, FUEL DISPATCH FEES, TECHNOLOGY, PPE COMMUNICATIONS, SCBA COMPLIANCE BECAUSE PAID FIREFIGHTERS HAVE TO BE COMPLIANT WITH TCFP STANDARDS TRAINING.
AND THEN ALSO THE COST OF OPERATING A DISTRICT, INCLUDING YOU HAVE TO PAY THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT TO DO YOUR TAX ASSESSMENT COLLECTION.
LEGAL FEES AND ANNUAL AUDIT IS REQUIRED TO BE SUBMITTED TO THIS COURT AND CONDUCTED, UM, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA STAND UP A LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND NOT JUST BE RUNNING A PRIVATE, UM, NONPROFIT FIRE DEPARTMENT, IT'S, IT'S VERY MUCH BEST PRACTICES TO START ESTABLISHING A RESERVE FUND OF AT LEAST 17 TO 25%.
SO I PLUGGED IN A VERY SMALL AMOUNT, WHICH, UM, IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THAT NUMBER, BUT TO BEGIN ESTABLISHING THAT AND THEN YOUR CAPITAL REPLACEMENT OR DEBT, UM, A $900,000 ENGINE, AN ESD CAN ONLY FINANCE STATUTORILY, CAN ONLY FINANCE VEHICLES FOR 10 YEARS AT NO INTEREST.
UH, A BRUSH TRUCK RUNS 200 TO $250,000.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT A EASILY $125,000 A YEAR IN EITHER CAPITAL REPLACEMENT OR DEBT SERVICE TO MAINTAIN FLEET.
AND THE SAME WITH, UM, HIGHER PRICE CAPITAL ITEMS SUCH AS RADIOS, SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO I FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY MINIMAL AND VERY CONSERVATIVE TO ESTIMATE THAT THE COST TO OPERATE AN ESD TENT SPECIFICALLY SERVE THE CITIZENS OF RENO IS $900,000 AT THE PROJECTED REVENUE OF 316,000.
THAT'S A $584,000 DEFICIT IF YOU BACK OUT, UH, WHICH, WHICH CHIEF DRUCKMAN HAS GRACIOUSLY ILLUSTRATED HIS COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU BACK OUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE SALARIES, YOU STILL END UP WITH A $400,000 DEFICIT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
AND I FOUND US THAT IT SEEMS THAT WE KEEP REFERRING TO, UM,
[01:10:01]
YOU KNOW, THE TARRANT COUNTY CONTRACT.AND, AND I AGREE WITH, UM, CHIEF DRUXMAN THAT TARRANT COUNTY IS NOT A QUESTION IN THIS.
YOU'RE EVALUATING THE FEASIBILITY OF THIS DISTRICT TO STAND ON ITS OWN TWO FEET AND SUR AND BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN SERVICES FOR THE, THE INTENT IN WHICH IT WAS CREATED TO THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH IT WAS CREATED.
SO WHETHER OR NOT THAT OTHER 600 SOME ODD THOUSAND MAY GO AWAY REALLY IS NOT, SHOULDN'T BE PART OF YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, AND IT SHOULDN'T BE FACTORED INTO, UM, THE SUSTAINABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF THIS NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS TO BE CREATED.
I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD PRACTICE FOR ANYONE TO BANK THEIR DECISION ON THAT FEASIBILITY BASED ON A SUBSIDY FROM ANOTHER COUNTY.
UM, THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN YOUR HANDOUTS, HANDOUTS FOR YOUR REVIEW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT AND HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'VE ALSO, UH, INCLUDED, UM, JUST SOME INFORMATION THAT, THAT, UH, A CAPSTONE, UM, PROJECT THAT WAS DONE BY UTA AND SUBMITTED TO, UH, IN RELATION TO TARRANT COUNTY ESD ONE THAT RECOMMENDS THAT, UM, UM, CONTRACTS BE PURSUED OR INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS BE PURSUED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BRIAR AREA, UM, WITH, UH, OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ARE LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT HAVE SEPARATIONS DUTIES AND BEST PRACTICES, UM, UM, FINANCIAL STANDARDS IN PLACE.
UH, AND THAT TARRANT COUNTY IS INDEED UNDERSTUDY OF THEIR TOTAL OPERATIONAL MODEL.
UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S MY POSITION TO, TO SAY WHICH WAY THAT WOULD HEAD.
AND AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THAT REALLY THAT'S A CONSIDERATION IN YOUR DETERMINATION OF THE FEASIBILITY OF AN ESD 10.
UM, FINALLY, I WOULD DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO, I, YOU KNOW, WHILE I RESPECT THE, THE OWNERSHIP, UM, THAT CHIEF DRUXMAN AND AND HIS CREW HAVE AND WHAT THEY BUILT THERE, AND I, I THINK THEY'VE DONE A LOT WITH WHAT THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH.
UM, BUT IT DOES NOT COST $7 MILLION TO BRING SERVICES TO A COMMUNITY.
UM, WE JUST BUILT TWO BRAND NEW, VERY NICE, VERY FUNCTIONAL FIRE STATIONS IN PARKER COUNTY FOR TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS A PIECE, UH, INCLUDING FFF AND E AND THE, THE FLEET COMPONENTS AND EQUIPMENT THAT GOES IN THERE IS PROBABLY ANOTHER 1.5 MILLION.
UM, BUT IT'S STILL NOT 7 MILLION.
AND IF, IF, UM, THE NECESSITY CAME ABOUT, UM, ESD ONE AS THE WHEREWITHAL TO, TO COME IN WITH ITS RESERVE FLEET, WE MAINTAIN A, A RESERVE FLEET OF ALMOST 50% OF OUR TOTAL FLEET.
'CAUSE IT TAKES SO LONG TO GET A FIRETRUCK RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S SO EXPENSIVE TO GET ONE.
UM, IT, IT COULD BE DONE FOR FAR LESS THAN THAT, BUT I DON'T EVEN INTEND TO PITCH THIS AS A SD ONE VERSUS ESD 10, UM, CONVERSATION.
BUT AS OF, UM, THIS MORNING, WE HAVE RECEIVED A PETITION NO LESS THAN 69 PETITIONERS FROM CITIZENS OF RENO WHO TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO GO CIRCULATE PETITION FOR ANNEXATION IN THE SD ONE.
AND SO, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE PETITION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, IT WOULD BE OUR RESPECTFUL REQUEST THAT YOU GIVE THOSE, UM, VOTERS IN THE COMMUNITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.
UM, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TIME TO GET ON THE MAY BALLOT.
UM, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT AT THE EARLIEST.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT WE HAD, UH, RECEIVED THAT PETITION.
UM, AND, UH, BEYOND THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COURT HAS.
HOW MANY DID PETITIONER, DID YOU SAY YOU GOT 69 AND THE REQUIRED, UH, THE REQUIRED, UH, NUMBER OF PETITIONS IS 50 FOR ANNEXATION.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF WATSON? APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.
UM, I THINK IT'D BE, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
I'M SURE MOST OF THEM SENT AN EMAIL TO US.
I THINK WE, WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE DID, DID RECEIVE NUMEROUS EMAILS, UH, ON, ON EACH SIDE OF THIS ISSUE FROM PEOPLE.
AND, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND IF THEY'RE ABLE TO WATCH OR, AND UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR VOICE WAS HEARD.
UH, THOSE WHO EMAILED US AND PROBABLY HAD TO BE AT WORK TODAY, UH, WE RECEIVED A LOT OF THOSE TODAY.
A LOT OF 'EM WERE, UH, THE SAME, HOWEVER, YEAH.
UH, THEY DID TAKE THE TIME AND EFFORT TO, TO COMMUNICATE WITH US.
I THINK MY QUESTION BACK TO JOHN IS, UM, UH, WHERE WE STAND, I MEAN, WE OBVIOUSLY HERE HAVE A, UH, ANOTHER PETITION, UH, AND IN RELATION TO THE POTENTIAL THAT THE, THE CITY OF RENO MIGHT, UH, GO AWAY.
UH, I MEAN, IT SEEMS TO ME WHEN WOULD THAT ELECTION, IF THAT TAKES PLACE,
[01:15:01]
WHEN WOULD THAT ELECTION TAKE PLACE? UH, JUDGE, WOULD THAT BE IN MAY? MAY, MAY.OR MAY OR MAY HAS BEEN CALLED.
AND THAT'S IN SUBSECTION B OF 7, 7 5 0 1 7.
IT ASKS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THE MUNICIPALITY IS NO LONGER IN THE TERRITORY.
ARE THEY STILL FEASIBLE? SO THAT'S ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT THE COURT HAS TO VOTE ON AND DETERMINE, WHICH MEANS YOU GO BACK TO THE TAX BASE IN AN UNINCORPORATED AREA.
IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THE, THE, THE PRUDENT THING FOR THE COURT TO DO WOULD BE DELAY, UH, OR, YOU KNOW, WAIT, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE ANOTHER PETITION HERE NOW BECOMES INTO PLAY.
WE ALSO HAVE THE, THE, UH, THE QUESTION OF WHERE THE CITY'S GONNA BE IN EXISTENCE OR NOT, WHICH, WHICH, UH, PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
UH, BUT WE NEED A LEGAL OPINION ON THAT.
BUT BEFORE I GIVE THE, THE, BEFORE I YIELD, I LIKE TO SAY THAT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT, THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE, OF THE CURRENT FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, HAVE POURED THEIR, UH, HEART AND SOUL INTO MAKING THIS A A, AN ORGANIZATION THAT THEY ARE VERY PROUD OF.
UH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT AS A COURT, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT, UH, OUR DECISIONS TODAY HAVE REALLY, THAT THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN IMPACT ON IT.
WE HAVE TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR, FOR EVERYBODY HERE.
AND SO, AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH THAT DECISION NOW.
AND, AND AS WE'VE HEARD, UM, FROM MULTIPLE ENTITIES UNDER 7 7 5 0 1 7, UH, THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S HEARING IS TO SEE IF THIS IS A FEASIBLE ENTITY.
AND THE OTHER CONSIDERATION, AS YOU POINTED OUT, IF RENO GOES AWAY SINCE THAT IS ON THE, ON THE BALLOT, ARE THEY STILL FEASIBLE? SO THOSE ARE TWO CONSIDERATIONS THAT HAVE TO BE, UH, CONSIDERED BY THE COURT TODAY.
SO THE ACTION OF THE COURT TODAY WOULD BE EITHER TO GRANT THE PETITION, CALL THE ELECTION, OR DENY THE PETITION AND NOT CALL THE ELECTION.
AND THE FACT QUESTION'S GONNA COME DOWN TO FEASIBILITY, BECAUSE THE SECOND PRONG OF THAT IS WE'LL PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY, WELFARE HEALTH AND CONVENIENCE.
SO REALLY IT'S GONNA GO THAT FIRST PRONG, THAT FIRST QUESTION OF THE FEASIBILITY, AND BASED ON THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED TODAY, THAT'S WHAT'S TO BE CONSIDERED.
I DON'T KNOW THAT, I DON'T KNOW THAT, UH, I, I VOTING AS COURT TODAY TO, TO DECLINE, UH, BASED ON THE FACTORS OF, UH, THAT I'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED IS NOT THE PRUDENT THING TO DO, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME BACK.
UH, AND PERHAPS AT THE SAME TIME THAT THERE'S AN ELECTION FOR THE, YOU KNOW, HAVE TWO, TWO BALLOT OPTIONS, LIKE, LIKE THE GENTLEMAN TALKED ABOUT, UH, VOTE ON EACH OF THEM OR, OR WHETHER WE ARE AT THAT POINT, WE KNOW WHETHER THE CITY'S GOING TO BE IN BUSINESS OR NOT.
ARE WE STILL IN THE SEEMS PUBLIC HEARING, JUDGE? WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING, WE'RE GONNA STAY IN IT UNTIL THERE'S NO, WE, BECAUSE THERE'S A GENTLEMAN BACK THERE THAT'S STILL, AND I, AND I HAVEN'T IGNORED YOU, BUT I WE ARE IN THE STILL PUBLIC HEARING.
I DO WANNA POINT OUT, AND I I I PROMISE YOU, I'M GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU IN A SECOND, UM, THAT, UM, BETWEEN, UM, JOHN POR AND MYSELF, UH, DID REACH OUT TO, UM, THE ESDS THAT CURRENTLY OPERATE IN PARKER COUNTY.
UH, THERE'S NONE OF 'EM THAT, THAT IS BELOW THE 800,000 THRESHOLD OF REVENUE THAT IS SPECIFICALLY IN, IN TAXABLE VALUE.
THEN SOME, AND I THINK THERE'S SOME CONFUSION ON THE SALES TAX, BECAUSE NOT ALL ESDS HAVE SALES TAX, BUT SOME DO.
UH, BUT THE MINIMAL AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT IS GENERATED FROM THE 10 CENT, AND I BELIEVE THAT ONE THAT'S OUT SOUTH AND DONNA TILLMAN'S 56 56, SHE'LL KILL ME FOR FORGETTING THAT, UM, THAT THEY DO HAVE, UM, SALES TAX AND THAT THAT SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASES THAT NUMBER OVER.
SO THEY, THEY'RE AT THE EIGHT AND 900,000.
UM, SO THERE'S NONE THAT, THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE BELOW THAT THRESHOLD.
AND THEN ONES THAT HAVE THE SALES TAX OBVIOUSLY THEN CATAPULTS IT WELL OVER A MILLION.
SO, UM, FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE ESDS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE NOW, UM, DO HAVE AT LEAST 800,000 IN REVENUE THAT IS COMING IN TO OPERATE.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA POINT THAT OUT THAT WE DID LOOK AT THAT.
SIR, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP OR DO YOU HAVE A, I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE GENTLEMAN IF THE SIGNATURES THEN VERIFY IF YOU, IF YOU WOULD COME UP AND ASK THAT QUESTION.
I JUST, AND STATE YOUR NAME AND JUST AS YOU'RE ASKING TODAY IS NOT TO CONSIDER IF, IF ONE IS VIABLE, UH, WE'RE HERE SOLELY TO DETERMINE WHETHER
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TO GRANT THE PETITION FOR 10 RIGHT.TO PROCEED FORWARD WITH ELECTION.
I'M ED BRAUN, I'M A REGIONAL COUNSEL.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE GENTLEMAN IF THE SIGNATURES HAD BEEN VERIFIED FOR LEGITIMACY THAT, THAT WAS ALL I HAD.
WHAT WAS YOUR LAST NAME? WHAT WAS YOUR LAST NAME? RON.
I THIS DECEMBER, 2024 MONTHLY REPORT, WHO, WHO GENERATED THIS REPORT? THAT WOULD BE ME.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE A COPY OF.
I HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN A, A COPY OF WHAT THE HANDOUT WAS FROM TWO, I MEAN, I ASSUMED IT WAS YOU 'CAUSE YOUR EMAIL'S AT THE TOP, I'M SURE.
LIKE THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ALL OF IT, BUT HELP ME UNDERSTAND SOMETHING.
THE ENGINE 49, THAT'S THE PARKER COUNTY ENGINE, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
YOUR BUDGET LAST YEAR, UNDER, UNDER FLEET FLEET OPERATIONS, IT'S SPLIT BETWEEN TWO AND IT'S A TOTAL OF 20,000.
YOUR BUDGET LAST YEAR WAS $10,000.
YOUR BUDGET THAT YOU GAVE US IN LATE JANUARY ALSO SAYS $10,000.
BUT IN THIS MONTHLY REPORT, IT SAYS ENGINE 49 RECENTLY NEEDED REPAIRS TO ITS LEAF SPRINGS AFTER THEY SNAPPED IN HALF WHILE RESPONDING TO A CALL, WE'RE BEGINNING TO EVALUATE, CONTINUING TO KEEP THE ENGINE AS IT IS COSTING US ON AVERAGE OVER $35,000 PER YEAR FOR MAINTENANCE.
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, IT'S COST US $35,000 TO EXCEEDED OUR BUDGET OF 15,000.
SO ON MY BUDGET IS REFERRED TO AS MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS, AND THEY'RE TWO SEPARATE LINE ITEMS. UH, WHY IT'S THAT WAY? I CAN'T REALLY GIVE YOU A REASON, BUT THEY ARE THE SAME THING.
SO IT'S 20,000 AND YES, IT HAS EXCEEDED OUR BUDGET BY 15,000 OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS ON AVERAGE.
UM, BECAUSE WE HAD A HEAD GASKET LEAK AND A FUEL LEAK THAT I INHERITED AND DID NOT KNOW WAS AN ISSUE, AND WE HAD TO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF WORK DONE TO THE TRUCK.
SO WE ARE ABSOLUTELY EVALUATING THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS, WHETHER IT'S NECESSARY OR NOT.
WHAT'S THE AGE OF THAT TRUCK THEN? IT SAYS 28.
THE MAIN ISSUE WITH THIS APPARATUS IS THAT IT RESPONDS TO A LARGE NUMBER OF CALLS, WHICH IS PLACING A LOT OF WEAR ON THE TRUCK ITSELF.
THE TRUCK WAS DESIGNED TO BE USED AS A TANKER ONLY AND WAS NOT MADE TO OPERATE AS A DAILY USE ENGINE.
UH, CHIEF, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, YOU'RE GIVING US A BUDGET FROM LAST YEAR AND FROM THIS YEAR THAT HAS A 0.1% MARGIN, $9,000 GAP FOR THE CURRENT, AND YET THE MAINTENANCE COST ON YOUR CURRENT VEHICLE THAT YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO REPLACE FOR YEARS IS RUNNING OVER EVERY YEAR.
AND YOU SAY RIGHT HERE THAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE USED AS A TANKER ONLY AND NOT TO BE A DAILY USE ENGINE, YET IT'S THE MAIN ENGINE THAT SERVICES THE PEOPLE OF PARKER COUNTY THAT YOU SERVE.
I FEEL LIKE THAT WAS PRETTY RELEVANT INFORMATION THAT WE WERE NOT PROVIDED AND WE WERE PRETTY THOROUGH ON OUR REQUEST FOR INFORMATION.
SO LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION.
I STATED THAT IN NOVEMBER WE OPENED THE OTHER STATION AND BEGAN TO OPERATE IT DAILY.
OUR CALL VOLUME IS APPROXIMATELY 1800 CALLS A YEAR.
DISTRICT WIDE RENO IS APPROXIMATELY FIVE TO 600 OF THOSE CALLS.
THE PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE OF ENGINE 33, THE 2010 ENGINE, ENGINE 49 WAS RUNNING 1500 CALLS PER YEAR.
IT IS NOT DESIGNED TO RUN 1500 CALLS PER YEAR.
THE AMOUNT OF CALLS THAT IS REQUIRED TO RUN NOW HAS BEEN CUT BY MORE THAN HALF.
SO YES, THE COST TO REPAIR IT, JUST LIKE ANY VEHICLE THAT WE OWN, IF IT'S GET RAN EVERY SINGLE DAY INTO THE GROUND, OF COURSE THE COSTS ARE GONNA GO UP.
THAT'S WHY THERE'S AMOUNT OF FUNDS IN OUR BUDGET TO FLUCTUATE AND WORK ON THAT IF WE NEED TO.
I'VE CUT THE CALL VOLUME ON THAT ONE APPARATUS THAT YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT BY HALF.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A TOUGH SELL.
WELL, THAT'S, I RESPECTFULLY APPRECIATE THAT, COMMISSIONER.
SO AGAIN, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COURT TO REMEMBER THAT THE CITIZENS HAVE PATI PROVIDED YOU WITH A VALID PETITION FOR ESD 10.
IT'S A REQUEST TO BE ON THE BALLOT AND I RESPECT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? LAST CALL? ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO CALL? I'LL SAY ONE OTHER THING.
IT'S OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S VOICE IS HEARD.
UH, THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING OPPORTUNITY IS, IS GREAT FOR
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THAT.UH, BUT IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE VOICES OF EVERYBODY WHO'S INVOLVED IN THIS IS HEARD.
AND, UH, PAST THAT IT'S OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS ECONOMICALLY VIABLE.
I MEAN, THAT'S LAID OUT PRETTY CLEAR.
UH, AS YOU MAKE YOUR DECISIONS, I'D ASK THAT YOU LOOK AT THOSE POINTS.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 10 26.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE, ON THE FLOOR.
SIR, COULD YOU STATE YOUR MOTION? I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DENY THE PETITION BECAUSE IT'S NOT FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE TO DO SO.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CONLEY, THE SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HOLD, WHO'S SECONDED THE MOTION.
WE'RE IN THE DISCUSSION PHASE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OF THIS ITEM? ALL IN FAVOR.
I WOULD MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM IS TO ADJOURNMENT.
SECOND, LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT WE'LL ADJOURN AT 10 26.