Mar 30, 2021 Commissioners Court

APPRECIATE Y'ALL SUPPORT.

AND NOT TO IN A LETTER ALSO FROM OKAY.

UP IS WE HAVE WITH US TODAY FROM TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, WE HAVE RITA COACHES AND ALAN BRISTOL, AND, UH, THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A CUP.

DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER ROUTINE CORRESPONDENCE? UM, YEAH, IF I COULD JUST REAL QUICK, UM, WANTED TO SAY YESTERDAY, WE HAD, UH, OUR KAUFMAN COUNTY DAY, WHICH WE NORMALLY GO TO AUSTIN FOR.

UH, BUT, UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.

WE DID IT AT FILM ALLEY AND TERRELL, AND IT WAS VERY WELL ORGANIZED AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, UH, HAD SOME INPUT ON THAT.

WE HAD SOME GREAT SPEAKERS, UH, I WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE JUDGE.

HE WAS KIND OF THROWN INTO THE FIRE THERE AS SOON AS HE WALKED IN THE DOOR AND WAS ASKED TO MODERATE THE ENTIRE THING.

HE DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT, BUT HE DID A GREAT JOB AND IT WENT VERY WELL.

AND IF ANY OF Y'ALL ATTENDED, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, BUT, UH, WE'RE HOPING THE NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO IN PERSON AGAIN, DOWN TO AUSTIN, BUT, UH, IT WAS REALLY GOOD.

WE DID AN INTERACTIVE TYPE THING ON ZOOM ON THE BIG SCREEN.

AND, UH, THE JUDGE WAS ABOUT 12 FOOT TALL.

IT KIND OF SCARED ME, UH, BUT IT WAS

[00:05:01]

REALLY GOOD.

AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED IN PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.

CAUSE IT WENT REALLY WELL.

SO, UH, THAT'S A GREAT REPORT.

IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.

GOOD TO BE ON.

WE HAD, THEY HAD SOME THAT ORGANIZED SOME VERY HIGH-LEVEL STATE OFFICIALS FOR THAT.

UM, ALL RIGHT.

SO NEXT

[4. Rhita Koches; Presentation of the 2020 Best Practices Award to Judge Richards and Laura Hughes.]

THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS AND I GUESS I'LL COME DOWN THERE AND WE'LL DO THE SAME THING WE ALWAYS DO WITH PICTURES AND ALL THAT STUFF.

AND, UH, GIVE ME JUST ONE SECOND OTHER SIDE.

SHE WON'T WANT HOURS.

I LOOK, LET ME START WITH A LITTLE BACKGROUND AND THEN YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE AWARDS AND THE PROGRAM.

UM, UH, REALLY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS WHEN WE KICKED AROUND THE NEED FOR BRINGING ME IN SHARING MORE COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS WITH OTHER ENTITIES IN THE COUNTY, PARTICULARLY OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN CITIES, CHAMBERS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS WITH THE NO BOND ELECTION IN 19.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALIZED IS THAT WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS, NO MATTER WHAT'S GOING ON, IF IT'S AN INCIDENT OR A TRAGEDY, OR EVEN A, AN EFFORT LIKE THE BOND ELECTION, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS AND VOTERS HAVE FACTUAL INFORMATION.

SO THAT ENDED UP BECOMING, IT ENDED UP SPROUTING INTO THIS COMMUNICATIONS COALITION.

AND WE HAD, UH, AND WE STILL HAVE ABOUT 40 PARTICIPATING ENTITIES IN COFFEE COUNTY THAT THE GOAL OF THE GROUP WAS COLLABORATE AND SHARE INFORMATION.

SO EVERYONE, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE FACTS AND TO TRAIN EACH OTHER INTO BRINGING IN OUTSIDERS, TO TRAIN ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATORS TO DO YOU KNOW HOW TO WRITE A PRESS RELEASE, TO TALK ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY, TO TALK ABOUT A HAND, HOW TO MANAGE, UH, CRITICAL INCIDENTS.

AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S AN ONGOING THING.

IT JUST SO HAPPENED ABOUT THE TIME, UH, JERRY AND YOUR, UH, TONS OF WORK ON THIS.

ABOUT THE TIME WE GOT THIS RUMBLING COCONUT AND THE COMMUNICATIONS COALITION WAS A HUGE ASSET FOR US, PARTICULARLY IN THOSE EARLY FEW MONTHS, WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH TESTING AND THE SPREAD.

AND THEY WAS REALLY GREAT.

UH, SO WE, UH, WE, I ASKED JERRY, WE, WE SAW SOMETHING ON THE TAX SIDE ABOUT, UH, BEST PRACTICES, AWARDS, AND, UH, WE APPLIED AND THE GRADUAL LICENSE, UH, THE BEST PRACTICES, UH, AWARD THE TAC DOES TAKE SOME IN COUNTIES IS TO RECOGNIZE INNOVATION WITHIN A COUNTY WHERE, UH, SOMETHING'S NOT ONLY COMES UP THAT BENEFITS YOUR COUNTY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN EASILY BE DUPLICATED ACROSS THE STATE.

OTHER COUNTIES CAN DO IT.

AND, AND IT'S KIND OF AN UNARMED MOMENT FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO SAY, WHY MEAN WE DO THAT? WHY HAVEN'T WE DONE THAT? AND ESPECIALLY SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT EVEN PRE COVID HAD CERTAINLY LOTS OF VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THOSE OTHER ENTITIES TO DO STAY IN TOUCH, UH, IS, IS CERTAINLY BENEFICIAL.

BUT THEN WHEN YOU GET INTO A PANDEMIC, I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT A LIFESAVER IT WAS AND WHAT IT PROBABLY WAS, UH, THE BENEFIT TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND JUST HAVING THAT JOY FORCE OF COMMUNICATION.

SO WITH THAT IN MIND, THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES HAS SELECTED HOFFMAN COUNTY'S COMMUNICATIONS COALITION FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF COUNTY, GOVERNMENT FACILITIES, PROCESSES, AND PROGRAMS. AND THIS IS ISSUED BY THE ASSOCIATION VERY OF MARCH AND SIGNED BY SUSAN RECORD, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

YEAH, THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.

GOOD TO SEE YOU, JUDGE.

I THINK I'VE GOT YOUR EMAIL OFF, SUSAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'LL GIVE THEM, SEND THEM TO RITA.

AND SHE SAID, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, AND SO NOW I'M GONNA, I'LL TAKE THIS WITH ME.

I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK IT IS ALMOST UNHEARD OF THAT.

ACCOUNTING WOULD RECEIVE TWO BEST PRACTICES AWARD IN THE SAME

[00:10:01]

CYCLE, BUT IN THE FACT THAT WE'RE TALKING TO COUNTY AND WE WERE PROBABLY BETTER THAN ALL WE RECEIVED PRACTICE AWARD, THE OTHER ONE WAS GOING TO OUR COUNTY CLERK STAFF.

AND SO LAURA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR PROGRAM AND JUDGE, IF I MAY, YES.

THERE, THERE WERE ONLY EIGHT COUNTIES THAT RECEIVED AWARDS AND KAUFMAN GOT TO TARRANT COUNTY, GOT TO, AND TRAVIS COUNTY GOT TO, AND THE RESTAURANTS WERE SINGLES, BUT IN TIERRA COUNTIES, ODDLY ENOUGH WAS FOR HOW THEY HANDLED, UH, MARRIAGE LICENSES SO THAT WE DON'T MIND COMPETING WITH THE PARENT COUNTY.

OF JUST THE TWO OF US SO WE CAN GOT IT.

WE CAN HANDLE IT IN A VERY UNIQUE, DIFFERENT WAY, BUT I'LL LET, I'LL LET RITA, I'M GOING TO TAKE OVER THE LENDER ALTEC.

I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE.

UM, DURING THE PROCESS THAT WE ISSUED AND THAT WE HAD SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION FOR THE BEST PRACTICES AWARD WAS FOR AN ONLINE VIDEO MARRIAGE ISSUANCE.

AND BASICALLY DURING COVID, YOU KNOW, THE COURT HOUSE CLOSED.

AND A LOT OF THE CLERKS STOPPED ISSUING BEARS LICENSES BECAUSE NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO COME IN AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS REQUIRED TO GET YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE IN MY OFFICE, WE KIND OF KIND OF BRAINSTORMED IT'S LIKE, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? THIS IS A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT.

WE CAN'T STOP ISSUING BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED IT.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE NEEDED TO GET MARRIED DURING THE CRISIS FOR HEALTH INSURANCE AND OTHER REASONS.

AND SO WE BRAINSTORMED, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT'S GOING TO BE SIMPLE, QUICK AND EASY.

AND WE USED A LOT OF THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE PRESENTLY USE, UM, ZOOM DOT SIGN, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES.

UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO JUST KIND OF PUT THOSE PIECES TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH THE ABILITY TO CREATE HIS ONLINE MARRIAGE APPLICATION.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE USE THE APPLICATION, WE USE ZOOM, WE USE DOCUSIGN, PULLED IT ALL TOGETHER, AND WE WERE QUITE SUCCESSFUL IN ISSUING MARRIAGE LICENSES TO THE PEOPLE OF KAUFMAN COUNTY.

AND IT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL.

WE HAD OTHER COUNTIES.

I MEAN, I MEAN, IT'S LIKE EVERYBODY WANTED TO USE IT.

WE WERE JUST OVERWHELMED AT THAT POINT.

AND A LOT OF THE CLERKS STARTED CALLING AND SAYING, HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS? WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT DID, WHAT, WHAT PIECES HAVE YOU PUT TOGETHER AND HOW IS IT WORKING? WE ALSO HAD IT ON LISTS.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN IT AND STILL, STILL VERY SUCCESSFUL.

AND NOW I HAVE JUST, JUST SO PROUD OF MY STAFF BECAUSE THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY THE BEST AT COMING UP WITH INNOVATIVE IDEAS ON HOW DO WE MAKE THIS WORK? HOW DO WE MAKE IT BETTER IN HAVING WE, YOU KNOW, SEND IT OUT TO OTHER PEOPLE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY STAFF THAT THEY WOULD STAY UP AND I'M JUST WANTING TO SAY AGAIN, THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE BEST PRACTICES AWARDS, OR THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT OTHER COUNTIES CAN PICK UP AND DUPLICATE AT HOME.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE THINGS WAS THAT, THAT, OR TALKED ABOUT USING EXISTING TECHNOLOGY, THINGS THAT WERE ALREADY IN PLACE AND JUST LEARNING HOW TO APPLY THEM IN THAT PARTICULAR UNIQUE SITUATION THAN WE HAVE IN REDUNDANT.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT WE HAD SEVERAL VENDORS CALL US, SAY, HOW DO YOU DO THIS? BECAUSE LIKE, NOW I KNOW THERE SHOULD BE SOME, OKAY.

OH, YOU GUYS WON.

I THINK I DECLINED PUBLICLY ON THE SPOT.

THEY DON'T HAVE ANY CHOICE.

ALL THOSE CALLS.

THEY'RE LIKE, OH NO, THIS , WE NEED TO GET FIVE AND SET YOU UP HERE.

I'M GOOD.

ALL THE HARDWARE.

LET'S TAKE A PICTURE

[00:15:01]

GOT IT, GOT IT.

NOW BACK TO BUSINESS.

UM, JERRY, UH, IS HE GOING TO COME UP AND INTRODUCE US? UH WE'RE ON, BACK ON, WE WENT TO SECTION OR ITEM THREE.

AND SO JERRY, YOU WANT TO COME UP AND GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND FIRST? OH, I'M SORRY.

WELL, YEAH, LET'S DO THE CONSENT

[2. CONSENT AGENDA]

AGENDA.

ANYBODY WANT TO PULL SOMETHING OFF? IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

WE HAVE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

IS THERE A SECOND? THAT MOTION IS FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BARBER DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

OPPOSED.

NO MOTION CARRIES.

AND, UH, ONE LAST LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING.

WE DO HAVE A QUORUM TODAY.

UH, UH, COMMISSIONER KATE'S IS OUT OF TOWN THOUGH.

NOW

[3. Evergreen; Presentation of wage and classification study.]

KICK IT OFF JERRY.

SURE.

SO AS YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, UH WE'VE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH WHAT WE CALL WAGE AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY.

SO EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS IS HERE WITH US TODAY.

UH, CERTAINLY A BIG, BIG HATS OFF TO BRITTANY AND ALL THE HARD WORK SHE DID TO COORDINATE THIS.

MOST OF YOU WERE CONTACTED DIRECTLY.

SO JOINING US TODAY IS ANGELINA YAZBEK WITH EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS.

SHE'S GOING TO GO THROUGH, UM, A POWERPOINT OF, OF KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL OF WHAT THEY DID, SOME OF THEIR RESULTS AND THEN SOME, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THERE.

SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ANGELA AND LET HER TAKE IT FROM HERE.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, AND THEN I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS AT THE VERY END CAUSE ODDS ARE, AS I'M GOING THROUGH THE SLIDES, YOU MAY HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT WE'LL ANSWER ON THE VERY NEXT SLIDE.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE ARE FIRST.

I WANT TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT I'M GOING TO COVER IN THIS PRESENTATION.

SO AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE ALL HIGH LEVEL.

UM, FIRST I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE STUDY PROCESS.

AGAIN, JUST HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS AS A REFRESHER, THEN I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE DETAILS OF THE EMPLOYEE OUTREACH, WHERE I SPOKE TO ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, COMMISSIONERS, ET CETERA.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH CURRENT CONDITIONS, COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY, AS WELL AS A REVIEW OF CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION.

UH, FINALLY, UM, REVEALED A NEW PROPOSED PAY PLAN, AS WELL AS SOME PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING SET PAY PLAN.

WE HAVE COMPLETED SO FAR OUR, UM, HARTMAN HEAD INTERVIEWS.

UH, WE ALL ASKED ALL EMPLOYEES AND TO COMPLETE A JOB ASSESSMENT TOOL TO DESCRIBE TO US WHAT THEIR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WERE.

AND WE REVIEWED THEM IN DETAIL WITH EACH DEPARTMENT HEAD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A VERY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT IS THAT EACH EMPLOYEE DOES.

AND THE COUNTY RANGING FROM COUNTY CLERKS TO THE AUDITORS, ET CETERA.

UH, WE ALSO, UM, ASSESS THE CURRENT PAY SYSTEM, WHICH THERE ISN'T A FORMALIZED PAY SYSTEM, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE ADDRESSED IN THIS STUDY.

WE ALSO REVIEWED THE COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY THAT THE COUNTY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MOVING FORWARD.

UH, AS I MENTIONED, WE CONDUCTED WHAT WE CALL AN INTERNAL EQUITY REVIEW, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY JUST REVIEWING THOSE JOB ASSESSMENT TOOLS TO GET AN IDEA OF HOW WORK IS ORGANIZED AT KAUFMAN COUNTY.

WE ALSO CONDUCTED AN EXTERNAL EQUITY ANALYSIS, WHICH MEANS THAT WE CONTACTED PEER ORGANIZATIONS TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT WERE THEIR SALARY RANGE OFFERINGS, AS WELL AS THEIR BENEFITS OFFERINGS.

THAT WAS PART OF OUR STUDY AS WELL, BASED ON OUR FINDINGS FROM BOTH THE JOB ASSESSMENT TOOLS, DEPARTMENT, HEAD INTERVIEWS, AS WELL AS OUR MARKETING ANALYSIS, WE DEVELOPED A NEW PAY PLAN AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALLY ASSIGNED CLASSIFICATIONS TO VARIOUS PAY RANGES.

AND THEN WE ALSO DEVELOPED SOME APPROPRIATE METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE NEW PAY PLAN.

AND WE HAVE PRELIMINARY ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS OPTIONS.

ARE WE STILL NEED TO FORMALIZE A REPORT WHICH WE WILL SHORTLY.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO TRAIN HUMAN RESOURCES

[00:20:01]

AND STUDY METHODOLOGY.

SO IN THE FUTURE, IF THERE'S A NEW CLASSIFICATION, WE'LL GIVE THEM TRAINING ON HOW TO INPUT THOSE CLASSIFICATIONS INTO THE PAY PLAN.

AND THEN OF COURSE WE WILL REVISE JOB DESCRIPTIONS ME.

I TALKED WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND OTHER SENIOR LEADERS.

WE RECEIVED A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WORK AT KAUFMAN COUNTY, WHERE SOME STRENGTHS OR WEAKNESSES, UH, SO MANY EMPLOYEES AND SENIOR LEADERS FOUND THEIR JOBS TO BE VERY REWARDING.

THEY LOVE SERVING THE COUNTY COMMUNITY.

UM, THEY ALSO APPRECIATED THE SHORT COMMUTE FROM THEIR HOMES TO WORK, WHICH IS DEFINITELY A BIG DEAL IN THIS AREA WITH DALLAS BEING ABOUT AN HOUR AWAY, MORE SO WITH TRAFFIC, UH, BUT THERE, AND THEY ALSO CONSIDERED THE BENEFITS PACKAGE, BE VERY GENEROUS AND A HUGE REASON FOR COMING TO THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS RETAINING EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COUNTY.

A COUPLE OF CONCERNS WERE BROUGHT UP SUCH AS, UM, SALARIES, NOT BEING AS COMPETITIVE AS THEY FEEL THEY COULD BE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN SURROUNDING COUNTIES.

AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO CONCERN THAT SOUND CLASSIFICATION TITLE SHOULD BE REVISED TO BETTER REFLECT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY DO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.

SO THOSE WERE SOME KEY ISSUES THAT WE WERE FOCUSING ON THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE STUDY.

SO THE COUNTY'S CURRENT COMPENSATION PRACTICE, AND AS YOU'RE AWARE, THERE'S NOT CURRENTLY A PAY PLAN FOR THE COUNTY ON THIS CAN LEAD TO SOME ISSUES IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE KNOW FOR INSTANCE THAT WE'RE PAYING EMPLOYEES EQUITABLY FOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING? HOW DO WE KNOW WHERE THEIR SALARIES SHOULD BE MOVING FORWARD? WHAT'S AN APPROPRIATE RATE TO BRING THEM IN.

UH, SO THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE STUDY, WE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BY DEVELOPING PAY PLAN TO GIVE THE COUNTY GUIDANCE.

IN TERMS OF, FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU HAVE A CLERK IN THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, THIS IS A GOOD SALARY RANGE FOR THAT POSITION.

I REVIEWED THE COUNTY'S COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS WE PROVIDED WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR KAUFMAN COUNTY.

SO FOR INSTANCE, WE ASKED WHERE WAS THE MARKET POSITION THAT THEY WANTED TO BE? AND THE COUNTY SAID WE WOULD LIKE TO BE AT THE AVERAGE OF THE MARKET.

SO COMPETITIVE WITH PEERS.

UM, THE COUNTY ALSO INDICATED THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE EQUITABLE AND FLEXIBLE PAY PRACTICES, WHICH LED TO OUR PAY PLAN DESIGN, WHICH I'LL UNVEIL LATER ON.

AND THAT WOULD BE, UM, A PAY STRUCTURE OF AN OPEN RANGE PAY PLAN, MEANING THAT THERE ARE ESTABLISHED MINIMUMS, MIDPOINTS, AND MAXIMUMS, BUT OTHERWISE SALARIES ARE FREE TO FALL ANYWHERE WITHIN THAT RANGE, WHICH IS VERY GOOD FOR REWARDING.

AS WE GO ON TO THAT LAST CIRCLE THERE, UM, PAY FOR PERFORMANCE, UM, PAVE JUST BASED ON HOW LONG YOU HAVE BEEN WITH THE COUNTY AND YOUR POSITION, ET CETERA, AT THE OPEN RANGE PAY PLAN IS VERY GOOD FOR HAVING THAT FLEXIBILITY.

SO WITH THE CLASSIFICATION REVIEW, UH, WE REVIEWED ALL EMPLOYEES JTS, AND WE FOUND THAT WHILE SOME TITLES WORKED WELL, THERE WERE OTHERS THAT NEEDED SOME REVISION.

SO WE DID VISIT THOSE.

WE TALKED IN GREAT DETAIL WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND SENIOR LEADERS TO GET SOME CONGRUENCE ON IN TERMS OF WHAT THOSE TITLES SHOULD BE.

AND WE MADE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ON THOSE REVISED TITLES.

AND THE MAXIMUM IS 50 TO 55%.

AND THEN WE ALSO CONDUCTED, UM, A SALARY SURVEY, WHICH INCLUDES, UM, THOSE 11 MARKET PEERS THAT ARE MARKED IN RED, UP ON THE SCREEN.

AND WE SURVEYED A VARIETY OF BENCHMARK CLASSIFICATION.

SO WE DIDN'T SURVEY EACH AND EVERY POSITION CAUSE OTHERWISE NO COUNTY WOULD EVER GIVE US DATA.

THEY'D SAY THAT'S TOO MUCH WORK, GO HOME.

BUT WITH THE BENCHMARK CLASSIFICATIONS, THAT'S A REPRESENTATION ACROSS, UM, ALL POSITIONS ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS.

SO WITH THAT REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE, WE ARE THEN ABLE TO MAKE A VERY GOOD, UM, EXTRAPOLATION HYPOTHESIS ABOUT WHAT APPROPRIATE PAY RANGE WOULD BE IN COMBINATION WITH THE JOB ASSESSMENT TOOL THAT WE WERE ANALYZING.

WE ALSO CONDUCTED A BENEFIT SURVEY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR KAUFMAN COUNTY'S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES WITH THE BENEFITS PACKAGE.

UM, MANY PEERS OFFERED A PA OR A MEDICAL PLANS, AS WELL AS THE COUNTY.

THE COUNTIES, UM, PREMIUMS WERE OVERALL MORE AFFORDABLE COMPARED TO PEERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, ADDING A SPOUSE, HAVING CHILDREN, ET CETERA.

THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT COULD BE AN ISSUE FOR MANY AREAS, BUT COFFINS WERE RELATIVELY AFFORDABLE IN COMPARISON TO PEERS, UH, DENTAL AND VISION PREMIUMS WERE ALSO COMPETITIVE.

UM, THE EMPLOYER CON RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTION TO THE T CDRS WAS PERHAPS AN AREA OF IMPROVEMENT THAT THE COUNTY CAN EVALUATE MOVING FORWARD.

SO NEXT I'M GOING TO JUST GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL REVIEW OF THE PROPOSED PAY PLAN.

SO AGAIN, IT'S AN OPEN RANGE STRUCTURE, WHICH HAS AN ESTABLISHED MINIMUM POINT AND MAXIMUM WITH TWENTY-FIVE PAY GRADES THAT WILL SPAN ACROSS THE VARIOUS POSITIONS AT KAUFMAN COUNTY WITH RANGE SPREADS BEING 50 TO 55%.

SO ARRANGE SPREAD IS REALLY JUST A FANCY WAY OF SAYING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MINIMUM

[00:25:01]

SO AT THE LOWER PAY GRADES, IT'S MORE ABOUT 50 WITH HIGHER PAY GRADES AS IS COMMON PRACTICE.

THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT WIDER AND RANGE SPREAD.

AND THEN WE INDIVIDUALLY SLOTTED CLASSIFICATIONS BASED ON A COMBINATION OF THE MARKET, AS WELL AS A JOB SSESSMENT TOOL SCORES, PAYING ATTENTION TO THE INTERNAL HIERARCHY TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEREVER WE'RE SUGGESTING MAKES SENSE IN TERMS OF THE HIERARCHY WITHIN DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS UP THERE IS THE PAY PLAN ITSELF.

SO YOU DON'T NEED TO BE ABLE TO READ EACH AND EVERY NUMBER, BUT YOU WILL SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, WHERE IT'S THAT OPEN RANGE PLAN.

IT'S REALLY NICE FOR FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF PROGRESSING EMPLOYEE SALARIES BASED ON TIME AND POSITION TIME WITH THE COUNTY, UM, PERHAPS SOME PERFORMANCE IN THE FUTURE.

IT'S VERY NICE.

IT'S A VERY NICE SETUP FOR THAT KIND OF PAY PRACTICE.

YES.

WE ALSO HAVE DEVELOPED SOME METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING THIS NEW PAY PLAN.

SO A COUPLE OF OPTIONS THAT ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION INCLUDE WHAT WE CALLED MOVE TOWARD MID 0.3 TIER YEARS OF TENURE.

SO THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE A COMBINATION OF HOW LONG EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN WITH THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS, UM, HOW CLOSE THEIR SALARIES ARE TO THE PROPOSED MIDPOINT AND ACCORDINGLY MOVE THEIR SALARY CLOSER TO THE MIDPOINT.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT TIERS HERE, ONE TO THREE YEARS, THREE TO SEVEN YEARS, MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS, AN EMPLOYEE WHO HAS, HAS BEEN WITH THE COUNTY FOR SAY EIGHT YEARS, IT'S GOING TO HAVE THEIR SALARY MOVED EVEN CLOSER TO THE MID POINT COMPARED TO SOMEONE WHO'S ONLY BEEN WITH THE COUNTY FOR TWO YEARS.

SO IT'S REWARDING BASED ON THAT TIME PROGRESSION.

AND THEN ALSO THE CLOSER THE SALARY IS TOWARD THE MID POINT, THE CLOSER WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THEIR SALARIES TOWARD THAT MID POINT.

SO THE IDEA WITH THIS IMPLEMENTATION METHOD IS IT'S NICE TO HAVE A PAY PLAN, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO PROGRESS EMPLOYEE SALARIES.

SO WITH THIS METHOD, WE'RE EFFECTIVELY TRYING TO MOVE THEIR SALARIES ACROSS THE PAY RANGE A LITTLE BIT MORE SO THAT WAY THEY'RE NOT ALL CLUSTERED AT THE VERY BEGINNING, RIGHT AROUND THE MINIMUM, BECAUSE THAT CAN BE A LITTLE DEMORALIZING.

SO THAT WAS ONE OPTION THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED.

THE SECOND OPTION IS A TWO TIER OPTION.

SO THIS EFFECTIVELY DOES THE SAME THING, ALTHOUGH IT'S A LITTLE LESS AGGRESSIVE.

UM, YOU'LL SEE THIS MORE WHEN I PRESENT THE ESTIMATED COST ESTIMATES, BUT INSTEAD OF HAVING THREE TIERS, WE HAVE TWO TIERS ONE TO 10 YEARS, AND THEN MORE THAN 10 YEARS, BUT STILL THE SAME IDEA.

THE LONGER SOMEONE HAS BEEN WITH THE COUNTY, DEPENDING ON WHICH, WHERE THEIR TENURE FALLS, THE MORE AGGRESSIVELY WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THEIR SALARIES TOWARD THAT MID POINT, THERE ARE THE ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED SALARY COSTS.

NOW THESE DO NOT INCLUDE BENEFITS OR OVERTIME.

THIS IS JUST BASE SALARY ONLY.

SO YOU'LL SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE THREE TIER AND THE TWO TIER IS EFFECTIVELY HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST ANNUALLY TO IMPLEMENT THIS NEW PAY PLAN.

AND THAT CONCLUDES MY FORMAL PRESENTATION.

AT THIS TIME.

I WILL GO AHEAD AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR GO BACK OVER ANY SLIDES.

I MIGHT'VE GONE OVER TOO QUICKLY.

UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.

ONE IS ABOUT MAINTENANCE.

HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE KEEP THIS UP? UH, AND PART OF THAT SAME THING IS HOW DO WE PREVENT DRIFT? UH, SO THAT THINGS, IF IT'S NOT MAINTAINED, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, IT'LL, IT'LL BE ALL DISCOMBOBULATED.

THAT'S ONE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE MAINTAIN IT? AND THE OTHER ONE IS I'M INTERESTED.

YOU'RE THE J A T YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THAT THE JOB AF UH, EVALUATION PROCESS? HOW DID, HOW DID THAT WORK? SO ANSWER WHICHEVER ONE YOU WANT TO FIRST, OKAY.

I'LL START WITH THE MAINTENANCE.

SO WITH THE MAINTENANCE, THERE'S TWO COMPONENTS.

UM, ONE IS IN THE CONSULTING WORLD, WE SAY THAT YOU SHOULD DO WHAT WE CALL A COMPENSATION STUDY EVERY THREE YEARS.

SO THAT'S WHERE ALL YOU'RE DOING IS CONDUCTING THAT MARKET SURVEY.

SO A SALARY SURVEY WITH YOUR PEERS AND JUST SEEING WHERE ARE OUR PAY RANGES AND DO SOME TWEAKING FROM THERE EVERY FIVE YEARS, WE RECOMMEND A FULL COMPENSATION CLASSIFICATION STUDY SUCH AS WHAT WE JUST DID THIS PAST YEAR.

SO THAT'S WHERE IN ADDITION TO THE MARKET STUDY, WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT THE CLASSIFICATION AGAIN, CLASSIFICATIONS AGAIN, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE UP TO DATE ON THEIR DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES AS WE'RE WELL AWARE, SOMETIMES TECHNOLOGIES CHANGE LEGAL POLICIES, CHANGE, ET CETERA.

SO A LOT CAN CHANGE IN FIVE YEARS.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERY FIVE YEARS WE DO THE FULL COMPENSATION CLASSIFICATION STUDY.

NOW IN BETWEEN THAT EVERY YEAR, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KIND OF ASSESS COST OF LIVING.

AND IF IT IS APPROPRIATE, APPLY A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.

SO THAT WOULD BE APPLIED TO THE PAY PLAN AS WELL AS THE EMPLOYEE SALARIES.

AND THEN THE JOB ASSESSMENT TOOL, HOW DOES THAT WORK? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU USED IN ORDER TO, UH, REFINE THE CLASSIFICATIONS? IS THAT RIGHT? YES,

[00:30:01]

THAT'S CORRECT.

SO ESSENTIALLY, UM, WE ASKED EMPLOYEES TO TREAT IT LIKE A BLANK JOB DESCRIPTION.

THEY'RE THE EXPERTS AT THEIR POSITION.

AND WE WERE ASKING THEM FOR THEIR FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT THEY DO ON A REGULAR BASIS.

UM, PRIMARILY WHAT WE WERE INTERESTED IN WERE WHAT WE CALL CENTRAL FUNCTIONS.

SO THOSE WOULD BE TOP 15 DUTIES THAT THEY ARE DOING ON A REGULAR BASIS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THEIR POSITION.

WHERE WERE YOU COMPARING THOSE TWO JOB DESCRIPTIONS THAT THEY HAD THAT WE HAD ON FILE, COMPARE THEM TO THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS WE HAD ON FILE, BUT ALSO WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME OF THOSE JOB DESCRIPTIONS ARE NOT AS UP TO DATE AS THEY SHOULD BE.

AND SO BASED ON, AGAIN, OUR ASSESSMENT, THAT THOSE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, AS WELL AS HOW THEY RANK IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP, DECISION-MAKING COMPLEXITY, THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE THEN EVALUATED AND ASSIGN KIND OF LIKE A SCORE TO GO WITH EACH ONE TO GIVE US AN ASSESSMENT OF, OKAY, ROUGHLY WITHIN A FORMAL PAY GRADE OR PAY PLAN, WHERE WOULD THEY FALL ALONG THOSE PAY GRADES.

BUT WHEN IT CAME TO RETITLING PEOPLE, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THOSE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, WE LOOKED AT THEM AT THE END OF THE DAY AND SAID, DOES IT MAKE SENSE THAT THEY ARE AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT BASED ON THESE DUTIES? OR SHOULD THEY BE CALLED SOMETHING ELSE? SO FOR HIM, A LOT OF THAT, WE NEED TO DO A LOT OF ADJUSTING ON OUR JOB DESCRIPTIONS.

I WOULD SAY A LOT OF THOSE CAME WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE RELATED POSITIONS, WHICH IS NOT ENTIRELY UNCOMMON, I WOULD SAY.

SO FOR INSTANCE, SOMETIMES CLERK NEEDED TO BE CLARIFIED.

UM, I THINK ONE OF THE EXAMPLES FROM THIS PARTICULAR COUNTY WAS ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT IN THE LEGAL AREA.

LEGAL SECRETARY APPEAR TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE APPROPRIATE.

W WHERE DID YOU OWN ON THE PEERS THAT YOU USE FOR YOUR COMPENSATION SALARY SURVEY? WHERE DO YOU, WHERE DID YOU FIND THESE? DID YOU JUST ARBITRARILY PICK THEM OR ARE THEY GIVEN TO YOU OR, OR HOW'S THAT DONE? SO IT WAS ON COMBINATION OF A LIST THAT WE SUGGESTED, BUT WE ALSO GOT FEEDBACK FROM THE PROJECT TEAM.

AND, UH, YEAH, CAUSE WHAT, WHAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME IS, I MEAN, WE DON'T COMPETE WITH AMARILLO OR ABILENE, WICHITA FALLS.

THEY'RE NOT THE PEOPLE WE WERE COMPETING WITH TO MAINTAIN OUR CITIZENS ARE OUR EMPLOYEES.

SO, I MEAN, WHY WERE THEY IN THE, THE DEAL, WHAT IT SAYS RANDALL COUNTY COUNTY, I'M SORRY.

I WAS LOOKING AT COUNTIES, NOT CITY NAMES.

AND THEN SURELY THE CITY OF COTTONWOOD IS NOT OUR COTTONWOOD.

NO, THIS IS THE ONLY OTHER ONE I FOUND WAS OUT IN THE PANHANDLE.

SO, I MEAN, WHERE WERE THEY PUT IN THERE TO HELP THE MEAN? SO THERE'S A VARIETY OF REASONS THAT APPEARS WERE INCLUDED.

UM, ONE OUR PEERS THAT YOU COMPETE WITH.

SO PEERS THAT YOU'RE LOSING EMPLOYEES TOO, BUT WE ALSO INCLUDED QUOTE COMPETITORS.

SO COUNTIES A MORE SIMILAR SIZE, MORE SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHICS, SIMILAR POPULATION BEING SERVED.

SO IT'S A COMBINATION.

IT'S NOT JUST PURE COMPETITORS, BUT IT'S NOT JUST PURE COMPARITORS EITHER.

IT'S A COMBINATION.

WELL, I JUST KIND OF STOOD, STOOD OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, COMPARING AGAINST THE WEST TEXAS COUNTIES AND CITIES TO GET OUR MARKET MEANS OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, UH, REALLY THE ONLY CITY THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE ANALYSIS, THE CITY OF TERRELL.

UM, SO THAT RED, YES, THE RED WERE THE ONES INCLUDED.

YES, SIR.

RANDALL COUNTY AND TYLER COUNTY IN WISE COUNTY WISE COUNTY IS CLOSE ENOUGH.

SO, SO I'LL SCRATCH THE ECTOR COUNTY VIA IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE NOT IN RED, THAT MEANS THAT THEY WERE ON YOUR LIST, BUT THEY DIDN'T, BUT YOU WEREN'T PROVIDED DATA FROM THEM.

CORRECT.

OR IN THE CASE OF, UM, GRAYSON AND GREG, THEY DIDN'T GIVE ME A SALARY RANGES.

AND WE WERE INTERESTED IN SALARY RANGES FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING OUR PAY PLAN.

SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED IN THAT ANALYSIS.

ANY QUESTIONS? UM, UH, TH THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND TIME I'VE EVER BEEN PART OF, UH, THIS KIND OF A STUDY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE Y'ALL DID A FANTASTIC AND VERY THOROUGH JOB TO ME.

SO, AND I KNOW IT WAS HARD.

I KNOW BRITTANY, JERRY, YOU GOT SOMETHING TO ADD.

I JUST WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THAT I THINK IT WAS GOING TO REQUIRE A WORKSHOP, YOU KNOW, ON THE BACK END OF THIS REST OF THE WORKSHOP, THIS IS THE DATA SET.

THERE'S AN EXCEL FILE THAT HAS ALL THE MATH BEHIND IT, AND REALLY JUST KIND OF ANALYZE IT THE INTERNAL NEXT STEP.

ANYBODY ELSE? NO.

WELL, JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE WENT INTO THIS WITH THE IDEA THAT WE WERE GOING TO USE IT.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S HOPEFULLY BUILT YET.

I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT BEHIND THIS, YOU KNOW, AND THE REASON I ASK THE QUESTION IS I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE USING OUR COMPETITORS THAT WE'RE COMPETING.

UM, LIKE DALLAS ROCKWELL.

SO THAT'S WHY WE INCLUDED,

[00:35:01]

I KNOW THOSE WERE NAMES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP CONSISTENTLY TO ME OR PEOPLE TOO.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU THINK GENERALLY WE'D LOAD THEM TO THE OTHER COUNTIES.

I THINK WE LIVE IN THIS PRIVATE PRACTICE.

I DON'T BELIEVE, ESPECIALLY CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.

WE HAVE, I MEAN, WE CAN'T COMPETE WITH THEM.

NO, THAT'S A TREND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

EVERYONE SAYS WE LOSE TO PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION.

IT'S LIKE, WELL, I CAN'T RECOMMEND A PAY PLAN THAT YOU CAN COMPETE WITH PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION.

HOWEVER, THERE'S WAYS TO KIND OF CLOSE THE GAP WITH THIS MORE COMPETITIVE PAY PLAN.

COMPENSATION IS OUR DEAL.

IF WE EVER SHORT OUR PEOPLE WITH THE COMPENSATION, THEN WE'RE REALLY GOING TO BE HURTING.

CAUSE I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY THE THING THAT KEEPS PEOPLE WORKING HERE IS THAT SECURITY.

WE REALLY PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE THE IN-PERSON PRESENTATION.

THE FACT THAT YOU MAKE $50 AN HOUR FOR SIX MONTHS OR $25 AN HOUR FOR A STEADY PAYCHECK WITH RETIREMENT, WITH THE OTHER THING, AND THERE'S A WAY I'M A HARD TIME COMPETING WITH THAT PART.

THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.

I MEAN, SO WHEN YOU GET TO THAT POINT WHERE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE REALLY GAINING MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.

YES, SIR.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NOPE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

I THINK IT MEANS MORE TO US.

UM, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAY, UH, NEXT UP

[5. Ashley Jamison; Discuss/Consider proclaiming the month of April as Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month in Kaufman County.]

ASHLEY JAMISON.

THERE SHE IS.

UH, ASHLEY JAMESON DISCUSSED CONSIDER PROCLAIMING THE MONTH OF APRIL AS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS MONTH IN KAUFMAN COUNTY.

DO WE HAVE ANY, YEAH, PLEASE COME AND TELL US ABOUT IT.

WORK AS THEY COME FROM COUNTY CHILDREN'S SHELTER, CIRCUMS CHILDREN OF ALL AGES IN WORKS WITH CASA AND CPS OFFICES TO HELP MEET THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN IN KAUFMAN COUNTY.

I THOUGHT YOU WERE JUST READING APOCALYPSE.

NO, NO.

I WANT YOU TO TELL US ABOUT IT.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? THANK YOU, RICHARD.

JUST SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE IF YOU WILL.

AND UH, TELL US, TELL US ABOUT THE PROGRAM.

SO GOOD MORNING.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME TODAY.

UM, I'M ASHLEY JAMISON WITH LONESTAR CASA.

UM, AND I'M HERE JUST TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT APRIL STARTS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.

UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, WITH KAUFMAN COUNTY, THE GROWTH IS JUST EXPONENTIAL.

YOU'LL HAVE HAD SO MUCH GROWTH.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY WITH GROWTH, WE SEE MORE AND MORE CASES OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT.

UM, SO WE WANT TO BRING THAT AWARENESS TO THE COMMUNITY.

UH, LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND THE ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT HELPED TO, UM, HELP TO WORK WITH THOSE CHILDREN.

UM, SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, I'M WITH LONESTAR, CASA, AND WE ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE IN FOSTER CARE IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.

UM, DAVID ASHEVILLE IS HERE ALSO, UM, WHICH HE MIGHT GET TO SAY, SAY HI HERE IN JUST A MOMENT TO, UM, WITH THE CHILDREN'S SHELTER.

UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THERE'S ALSO, UM, THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER WITHIN KAUFMAN COUNTY AND THEN THE, THE RAINBOW ROOM HERE TOO.

UM, SO WE JUST WANTED TO BRING THEIR AWARENESS THAT, THAT EVENT'S HAPPENING.

WE'LL BE PUTTING PINHOLES OUT IN FRONT OF THE KAUFMAN COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UM, AS WELL AS POSTING VIDEOS.

OH, IS IT NOT WORKING? NO, IT'S OKAY.

IT'S OKAY.

IF WE CAN GET SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS HOW TO RUN A CAMERA RECORDING.

THAT'S PERFECT.

SO I'LL WE'LL JOIN ME.

I WILL READ THE PROCLAMATION.

THE COUNTY OF COFFIN PRIDES ITSELF ON GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, CONTRIBUTING TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG OUR CITIZENS AND THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER OF COMPETENT COUNTING PROVIDES JUSTICE AND HEALING FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IMPACTED BY ABUSE THROUGH ITS SUPPORT OF THE COLLABORATIVE CHILD CENTERED RESPONSE.

WHEREAS OFTEN IN THE CHILD WELFARE BOARD IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE TEXAS COUNCIL OF CHILD WELFARE BOARDS SUPPORTS KAUFMAN COUNTY'S NETWORK OF VOLUNTEERS CONCERNED WITH THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY THOSE SUFFERING FROM ABUSE AND NEGLECT

[00:40:01]

AND WHEREAS LONE STAR CASA IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE NATIONAL COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATE ASSOCIATION SPEAKS FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE JUVENILE COURTS, WHERE IT WAS MORE THAN 200 CHILDREN IN THE KAUFMAN COUNTY AREA SUFFER FROM SOME FORM OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT EACH YEAR.

WHEREAS THROUGH A NATIONAL EFFORT, KAUFMAN COUNTY COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO JOIN TOGETHER TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR THOSE CHILDREN FALLING VICTIM, TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF APRIL, WHEREAS THE WILL BE ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN, OUR COMMUNITY, AND AROUND THE COUNTRY, A CHANCE FOR A SAFE AND POSITIVE FUTURE.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED AT THE TOP OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT, HEREBY PROCLAIM, APRIL AS CHILD ABUSE, PREVENTION AND AWARENESS MOM AND POP IN COUNTY.

AND WE'LL DOING SO ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN IN A NATIONAL EFFORT TO RAISE AWARENESS AND HELP PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT DAVID 10 WHEELS OUT.

NOW I'LL HAVE TO DO IS UNCOVER MY AGENDA.

IT'S BEEN BURIED HERE.

IS, UH, HAS ASKED ME IN REGARDING ITEM SIX, HE'S ASKED THAT WE TABLE THIS ITEM, UH, JUST TO, BECAUSE HE WANTED TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT IN THE LANGUAGE.

MR. POLLSTER IS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TODAY.

I DON'T SEE HIM YET.

UM, YEAH.

UH, MIKE SLY

[6. Mike Slye; Discuss/Consider/Approve request by City of Kaufman for easement deed to North ½ of Lot 55, Harmony Estates in the City of Kaufman.]

THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY DIDN'T AGREE WITH ON THE LANGUAGE OF THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

SO IS, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO TABLE ITEM SIX AND I'LL MAKE THE MOTION MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER HUNT AND SECOND COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE OPPOSED.

NO MOTION CARRIES

[8. Constable Johnson; Presentation of Constable Pct. #2, 2020 Racial Profiling Report.]

CONSTABLE JOHNSON PRESENTATION OF CONSTABLE PRECINCT TO 2020 RACIAL PROFILING REPORT.

GOOD MORNING.

FOR ARE MOVING A LITTLE SLOW.

IT HAPPENS ANYTHING YOU ARE RACIAL PROFILING OR 20, UM, 2020, WE MADE 1,418 STOPS.

A MAJORITY OF THESE CONTEXTS WERE MADE BY MOVING VIOLATIONS.

UM, OTHER THAN THAT, UH, ABOUT A QUARTER FROM REMADE MADE BY VEHICLE VIOLATIONS THEMSELVES, BRAKE LIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, NOT RUNNING HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT TIME.

UM, THIS WAS ACCEPTED, UH, AND SUBMITTED ON FEBRUARY THE 24TH OF 2021 TO T COLE.

SO PRESENTED YOU WITH THE NUMBERS.

UM, SO THAT WAY, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE DO OVER THERE AND PRECINCT TWO, UM, IN GREAT DETAIL, WE HAVE MAJORITY OF THE RICE WAS NOT NOTIFIED, UH, OR, UH, WAS NOT IDENTIFIED PRIOR TO THE STOP.

1,371.

WE DID NOT KNOW WHO WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE.

AND A LOT OF TIMES, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT WE KNOW THAT THAT IS NOT THE CASE AT ALL.

UM, POSSIBLY ONLY 37 OF THEM WERE WELL, IT'S JUST A RACIAL PROFILE REPORT.

WELL, YOU'VE MET YOUR DUTY BY MAKING THAT PRESENTATION.

I GUESS ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CONSTABLE? IF NOT, UH, THERE'S NO ACTION CALL FOR HERE.

THAT'S THAT'S, HE'S PROVIDED IT AND WE'VE HEARD IT.

SO WE HAVE THE DOCUMENTS.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[00:45:01]

FIRST ITEM NINE, DISCUSS CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF A TEXAS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE 2021 22 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

NOW FOR A STRING OF EVENTS, RAY, ONE

[9. Raylan Smith; Discuss/Consider resolution authorizing the submission of a Texas Community Development Block Grant Program Application to the Texas Department of Agriculture for the 2021-2022 Community Development Fund.]

SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON CALCULATING THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND DOING THE INCOME SURVEY.

WE HAD A RECOMMENDATION FROM RODEN BRIDGE, NUMBER FOUR.

UM, SO ASSUMING THAT THAT PARTICULAR AREA MEETS THE INCOME REQUIREMENTS, THEN I WOULD ASK PERMISSION THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

IT WILL BE, UM, FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION ON ONE OF, UH, COMMISSIONER KATE'S, UH, PRECINCT ROADS, QUESTIONS, A ON THAT, IT SEEMED LIKE BEFORE WE'VE DONE THIS, THEN WE DO THAT A FEW YEARS AGO.

WE DID THE SAME THING AND APPLIED BOARD DOWN THERE AND THEY DIDN'T MAKE IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DO THE WHOLE THING YOU HAVE TO DO.

YEAH, IT HAS TO BE WITHIN A CERTAIN ZONE AND THE TWO WHO'S AFFECTED BY THE PROJECT.

SO IT'S PRETTY HARD FOR US TO GET A ZONE IN.

SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS, THEY WON'T CUT IT DOWN SMALL ENOUGH TO GET INTO THE RIGHT SECTION, RIGHT? SO WE'RE, WE'LL, WE'LL SAY IT IS FOR A $350,000 GRANT.

THE COUNTY PORTION WOULD BE 17,500.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE SUBMISSION OF THAT GRANT AS PRESENTED? I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT MOTION WITH COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS.

IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND COMMISSIONER BARBARA DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

DISCUSS, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE COUNTY OF COFFIN CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN, TEXAS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, BLANKETS, SAME, UM, SAME PRESENTATION.

THOSE OPPOSED? NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES NEXT ITEM.

10,

[10. Raylan Smith; Discuss/Consider approval of the County of Kaufman Citizen Participation Plan - Texas Community Development Block Grant Program.]

IT WOULD BE FOR THIS GRANT APPLICATION IN THIS IS THE PARTICIPATION PLAN AS SUBMITTED BY GRANT WORKS, OUR GRANT WRITER QUESTIONS.

UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT, UH, PARTICIPATION PLAN? I MIGHT MOTION.

WE HAVE MOTION COMMISSIONER HUNT.

IS THERE A SECOND? NO.

SECOND, SECOND COMMISSIONER BARBARA DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE OPPOSED.

NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES

[11. Raylan Smith; Discuss/Consider permission to solicit RFP 21-14: Consulting Services for American Rescue Plan Funding & FEMA Public Assistance.]

ITEM 11, DISCUSS CONSIDER PERMISSION TO SOLICIT RFP 2114 CONSULTING SERVICES FOR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING AND FEMA PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.

THIS WOULD BE JUST TO HAVE A CONSULTANT ON STAFF AS WE GO THROUGH THE FUNDING AND HAVE QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THE, UM, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING.

AND ALSO ANY PROJECTS THAT WE MAY HAVE WITH FEMA.

THERE IS NO GUARANTEED HOURS.

THERE'S NO GUARANTEE COMPENSATION.

UM, BUT WE WOULD HAVE A LIST OF PEOPLE WHO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO AS WE GO THROUGH THE NEXT TWO AND A HALF, THREE YEARS OF THE FUNDING.

AND I'VE SAID IT TIME AND TIME.

AGAIN, MY EXPERIENCES WITH FEMA ARE TERRIBLE.

AND IF YOU THINK AS AN INDIVIDUAL, IF YOU THINK YOU CAN COMPETE WITH ALL THOSE BEAN COUNTERS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, YOUR EGO GETS CHECKED REAL FAST.

SO I FIND SOMEBODY THAT'S DONE THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, SO WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

THIS IS ALL NEW GROUND, REALLY.

AND, UH, OH, FEMA IS FEMA.

THERE IS NO NEW AUDITOR.

AND I, UM, IT'S ALWAYS IN THE YOU NEVER GET TO SAY, YEAH, IT CAN BE THE SAME JOB AND NEXT WEEK SOMEBODY ELSE COMES OUT.

SO THE AUDITOR THROUGH OUR LAST ROUND OF CARES ACT, WE'RE, UH, VERY NERVOUS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT, AND STILL WORRY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD NEVER REALLY GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WHAT WE WERE DOING WAS A QUALIFIED EXPENDITURE.

AND SO THAT'S JUST, THIS IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH, WE HAVE TIME NOW TO GET SOMEBODY TO HELP US.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE WORKING ON THE FLY BEFORE, SO I THINK IT'LL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE WHAT WE GET IN THE PROPOSAL.

THE FUNDING FROM THIS PAY FOR THAT POSITION.

YEP.

UM, OTHER QUESTIONS, IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SOLICITATION OF RFP 2114? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

WE HAVE MOTION AND COMMISSIONER BARBERS OR SECOND I'LL SECOND, SECOND COMMISSIONER HUNT, DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING, I SUPPOSE.

NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES

[12. Raylan Smith; Discuss/Consider receipt, transfer, and disposal of County owned assets.]

NOW.

MY FAVORITE ITEM, ITEM 12, DISCUSS CONSIDERED RECEIPT TRANSFER AND DISPOSAL OF ACCOUNTING.

GREAT.

WE HAVE A FEW THINGS FROM RODEN BRIDGE, ONE IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAT WE ARE READY TO AUCTION.

[00:50:01]

UM, THAT WAS GOOD TO ME.

13 DISCUSSED, CONSIDER FLOOD CONTROL, STRUCTURAL REPAIR.

NO QUESTIONS THEN.

IS THERE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE RECEIPT TRANSFER AND DISPOSAL? WE HAVE A MOTION COMMISSIONER HUNTER.

SECOND, SECOND, SECOND.

COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED.

NO MOTION CARRIES

[13. Raylan Smith; Discuss/Consider Flood Control: Structural Repair Activities Cooperative Agreement LEFL3· UG-ESF-549-21 and Assurances for Lower East Fork laterals 3.]

HERE WE GO.

AGAIN, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.

I'M NOT GOING TO READ ALL THOSE NUMBERS IN A SYRINGES.

THIS HAS TO DO LOWER EAST FORK LATERALS THREE.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD HAVE WITH TSS WCB, WHICH IS THE SAME ENTITIES THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH IN THE PAST.

UM, THIS WOULD ACTUALLY NOT BID UNTIL LATER IN THE SPRING OR SUMMER.

AND SO WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU WITH AN ACTUAL CONTRACT AMOUNT.

UM, BUT JUST TO REMIND YOU THE SPONSOR, AS IT STANDS WITH THE $2 MILLION IN FUNDING, THE COUNTY WOULD BE RELAXED, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT 47,000.

HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THIS ONE IS DESIGNED, THE CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION ACTUALLY WILL PAY THE COUNTY, NOT ME THREE.

SO, UM, THE CONTRACT ADMIN WILL PAY FOR THE COUNTY SPONSORSHIP ON THAT PROGRAM QUESTIONS.

NO.

UM, OKAY.

THEN WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO THAT COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.

I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION WHERE THE MOTION COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS, IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND COMMISSIONER BARBARA DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

DISCUSS, CONSIDER THE PURCHASE OF THE 2022 MAC M D SIX DUMP TRUCK UTILIZING THE HPAC CONTRACT.

THOSE OPPOSED? NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES ITEM 14,

[14. Raylan Smith; Discuss/Consider the purchase of a 2022 MACK MD 6 DUMP TRUCK, in the amount of $81,515.20; from Bruckner Truck Sales / Grande Truck Center; utilizing HGAC Contract HT06-20 for Precinct #1.]

I'M NOT GOING TO READ THAT NUMBER.

THIS IS FOR PRECINCT ONE IN THE AMOUNT OF $81,515.

THIS IS FOR COMMISSIONER HUNT TO PURCHASE A DUMP TRUCK AND IT WILL BE PURCHASED NO FINANCE, AND WE WILL BE USING A PURCHASING COOPERATIVE QUESTIONS.

YES.

TRUCK THAT WE JUST GOT RID OF IN THE AUCTION THAT DAD DON'T MAKE.

SO YEAH, WELL I WAS TRYING TO GET ANOTHER YEAR OUT OF IT THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT.

SO NOW WE JUST NEED THE TRUCK AS, AS BOTTOM LINE.

SO TO DO OUR JOB, IF I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE PURCHASE, WE HAVE MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER HUNT FOR THE APPROVAL OF THAT PURCHASE.

SO THAT TRUCK IS RED IN 14.

IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS DISCUSSION THAT WAS IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE, THOSE OPPOSED NO MOTION CARRIES DISCUSS

[15. Raylan Smith; Discuss/Consider approval of Road Construction Contracts and Associated Funding for Precincts 3 and 4 County Road & Bridge Projects in the amount of $55,697.78]

CONSIDER APPROVAL OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS ASSOCIATED WITH FUNDING OF PRECINCT THREE AND FOUR ROAD AND BRIDGE PROJECTS.

AND THE AMOUNT OF 55,697.

THIS IS JUST TO CLEAN UP SOME FUNDING WITHIN Y'ALL'S PROJECT BUDGETS, UM, AT SOME ADDITIONAL INVOICES THAT HAVE COME IN QUESTIONS, IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE ROAD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS IN THE AMOUNT OF 55, SIX 97? WE HAVE MOTION COMMISSIONER BORROWER DISCUSSION.

OH, SECOND, SECOND, SECOND.

COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED.

NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES ITEM

[16. Raylan Smith; Discuss/Consider Agreement for Annual Lease of Real Property for R&B Precinct #4.]

16, DISCUSS, CONSIDER, UH, AGREEMENT FOR ANNUAL LEASE OF REAL PROPERTY FOR ROWAN BRIDGE PRECINCT FOUR.

UH, CURRENTLY COMMISSIONER KATES HAD A, AN AGREEMENT ON ANOTHER PIECE OF PROPERTY AND HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE PROPERTY ON US ONE 75.

UH, THIS WILL BE FOR A ONE-YEAR TERM AND IT'S FOR THE $1,500 FOR THE, FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.

SO I'M JUST ASKING THAT WE HAVE PERMISSION TO SIGN THE LEASE QUESTIONS.

IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE ANNUAL LEASE FOR THAT REAL PROPERTY ON LIKE THE MOST WE HAVE MOTION AND COMMISSIONER HUNT.

IS THERE A SECOND, NOT A SECOND SEGMENT, MR. PHILLIPS DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, THOSE OPPOSED.

NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES NEXT ITEM.

[17. Judge Richards; Discuss county elections process and duties.]

UM, I HAD ASKED, UH, I FELT THAT, UH, MS. SAMPLES WAS GOING TO BE HERE TO KICK OFF THIS THING, AND THIS IS JUST DISCUSSION ONLY.

AND JUST, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS UP TO SPEED ON WHAT, WHAT, AND I'M A PITCH THIS TO KAREN AND JUST A SECOND.

UM, UH, BRENDA HAS TOLD ME, UH, THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO CONTINUE, UH, DOING ELECTIONS IN HER OFFICE AND THAT I THINK IS HER DISCRETION.

AND SO, UM, I WANTED HER TO TELL US THAT HERSELF, BUT I GUESS MAYBE WE, SHE DIDN'T SEE THAT ON THE AGENDA, BUT WE GOT, SO WE'LL HAVE TO BE MAKING DECISIONS IN THE COMING WEEKS OR MONTHS.

AND KAREN, DO YOU WANNA TELL US ABOUT WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE? SO THE OPTIONS

[00:55:01]

ARE, IT COULD GO BACK TO THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE.

UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE DUTIES OF THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE OR, UM, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT COULD ENTER INTO AN ORDER ESTABLISHING AN ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.

AND IT WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO GO INTO A LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL ABOUT THAT? SO, UM, IF WE HADN'T, ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS ELECTIONS CODE, LET ME GET TO MY OTHER FOLDER, CHAPTER 30, ONE OF THE ELECTIONS CODE, BASICALLY IF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT DECIDED TO HAVE AN ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, THE, UM, COURT WOULD ENTER AN ORDER MAKING THAT DETERMINATION.

AND THEN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS THAT ORDER PART OF WHAT IT WOULD DO WOULD BE TO SET UP A COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION.

AND THE MEMBERS OF THAT COUNTY ELECTION WOULD BE THE COUNTY JUDGE, THE COUNTY CLERK, THE TOWN, THE COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR, AND THE COUNTY CHAIR OF EACH POLITICAL PARTY, UM, THAT MADE NOMINATIONS FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTION DURING THE LAST ELECTION.

SO THEN THAT COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION WOULD BASICALLY BY A MAJORITY VOTE, APPOINT THE COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.

AND THEN BASICALLY I'M SORT OF GIVING YOU THE CLIFF NOTES VERSION OF THIS, BUT I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT THEN THE COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR WOULD HAVE A STAFF THAT WOULD BE FUNDED BY, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY KAUFMAN COUNTY BY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.

AND THAT PERSON WOULD TAKE OVER AS THE VOTER REGISTRAR AND BASICALLY HANDLING ALL OF THE ELECTIONS FUNCTIONS THAT RIGHT NOW, BRENDA SAMPLES, A TAX ASSESSOR HANDLES.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE PRETTY MUCH THE VOTING EQUIPMENT, THE STAFF, EVERYTHING THAT ELECTIONS AND, UM, PER YOU KNOW, THE, THE COUNT PERSON COUNTY PERSONNEL THAT DESI ELECTIONS WOULD HANDLE.

AND THEN THERE ARE QUALIFICATIONS ABOUT THE PERSON THAT IS THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.

AND ONE OF THOSE IS THEY CAN'T HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE OR, OR BE REALLY INVOLVED IN POLITICS.

SO THEY TRY TO KEEP THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, YOU KNOW, SEPARATE FROM, UM, POLITICAL ISSUES.

SO THAT'S KIND OF IN A NUTSHELL, AND THEN BASICALLY IT WOULD JUST RUN AS A COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT REALLY.

AND IT WOULD BE IN, UH, THE, THAT PERSON AND THE PEOPLE IN THAT DEPARTMENT WOULD JUST BE COUNTY EMPLOYEES LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WE'D POST THE JOB AND GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

YES, YES.

THE COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR WOULD BASICALLY ACT LIKE AN, UH, A DEPARTMENT CHAIR OR DEPARTMENT HEAD OF THE COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATION.

UM, JUST AS AN ANALOGY, UM, THAT PERSON, IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM THEY COULD BE REMOVED, YOU KNOW, BY THE ELECTION COMMISSION AND THE COMMISSIONERS COURT.

UM, BUT THEY WOULD BASICALLY BE TREATED LIKE A, A COUNTY EMPLOYEE AND THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ALL OF THE COUNTY ELECTIONS, UM, PROCESSES, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT'S INVOLVED IN THE ELECTION DEPARTMENT.

BRENDA TOLD ME THAT IF, IF THE ELECTIONS WENT TO THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, THAT HER OFFICE, THE TAX OFFICE WOULD, THE TAX ASSESSOR WOULD STILL HAVE TO DO VOTER BE THE VOTER REGISTRAR.

THAT'S CORRECT.

I THINK THAT'S CORRECT.

BUT, UM, BUT ALL OF THE, OTHER THAN THE VOTER REGISTRAR, I THINK ALL THE OTHER DUTIES WOULD SHIFT, UM, TO THE, THE COUNTY CLERK AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, NEEDING STAFF AND, AND, UM, PERSONNEL AND ALL, ALL THAT GOES ON TO, TO PREPARE FOR THE ELECTIONS IN REGARDS TO ENLIST.

THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE GENTLEMEN, TH TH THE, IN REGARDS TO THE, THE BOARD THAT, THAT, UH, SELECTS OR CHOOSES THE, THE, THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.

WHAT ABOUT OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES OTHER THAN THE DEMOCRAT PARTY AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY? CAN THEY NOT, UH, CLAIM A SEAT ON THAT BOARD? THIS IS WHAT THE STATUTE ALLOWS FOR BASICALLY, AND I'LL READ IT VERBATIM THE COUNTER CHAIR OF EACH POLITICAL PARTY THAT MADE NOMINATIONS BY PRIMARY ELECTION FOR THE LAST GENERAL ELECTION FOR STATE AND COUNTY OFFICERS PRECEDING THE DATE OF THE MEETING, WHICH THE APPOINTMENT IS MADE.

SO IT'S NOT LIMITED TO REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT, BUT I JUST THINK THAT TRADITIONALLY IN TEXAS, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A LIBERTARIAN PARTY OR OTHER PARTIES THAT, UM, THAT WOULD FIT THAT CRITERIA, BUT IT'S NOT JUST LIMITED, BUT IT HAS TO FIT THAT CRITERIA UNDER, UM, 31 OH THREE, ONE D OF THE ELECTION CODE.

I'M LIKE THE THING IN

[01:00:01]

THE LAST ELECTION, IT SAYS PRECEDING THE DATE OF THE MEETING AT WHICH THE APPOINTMENT IS MADE.

SO IT WOULD BE THE LAST GENERAL ELECTION.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE EITHER, OH, THE PARTIES WEREN'T IN, IN THE LAST ELECTION AND THEN MAKE IT SPECIFIC TO THE COUNTY OR COULD, OR WHAT ABOUT IF THEY WERE IN THE PRIMARY, IN A STATE, IN THE STATE, IT SAYS FOR STATE AND COUNTY OFFICERS.

SO IT INCLUDES BOTH W W WHERE THEY'RE NOT PRIMARY.

I DON'T KNOW.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WERE PROM, IF THERE WERE OTHER PARTIES THAT HAD A PRIMARY, I BET THERE WERE, THERE, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN, I REALLY JUST DON'T KNOW TO BE HONEST, BUT, BUT THAT IS OKAY.

AWESOME.

THAT THERE WAS A ROOM IT COULD BE OPEN TO, YOU COULD HAVE MORE THAN JUST THE TWO PARTIES.

ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, BRENDA HAS ELECTION STAFF, THAT'S JUST DOES ELECTION STUFF, RIGHT? SO THAT STAFF WOULD, I MEAN, IF WE MOVE TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE OR IT WOULDN'T MOVE TO ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR, I THINK WE WOULD, I, I, MY, MY THOUGHT WOULD THOUGHT PROCESS, AND THIS IS KIND OF A JURY QUESTION THAT WE, AND NOT JUST LEGAL TOO, BUT I WOULD THINK WE WOULD WRITE NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS OR AT LEAST REVIEW THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND POST THOSE JOBS.

AND THEN PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THAT CURRENT JOB WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR THAT JOB.

AND I WOULD THINK WHOEVER THE NEW ADMINISTRATOR IS, YOU WOULD WANT THAT PERSON ON BOARD FIRST, SO THEY COULD HAVE A CHOICE IN SELECTING THEIR STAFF.

I MEAN, ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT DID LOSE THEIR JOB WELL, NOT IF THEY WERE NOT, IF THEY, I WOULD SH I WOULD ASSUME THAT THEY COULD STAY IN THE TAX OFFICE DOING OTHER FUNK.

I DON'T KNOW.

HIRED PEOPLE TO DO THAT.

IF YOU HIRED A NEW DEPARTMENT HEAD, I WOULD THINK YOU WOULD WANT THAT DEPARTMENT.

THEY HAD TO HAVE SOME SAY, THE THING ABOUT IT IS, IS THE DEPARTMENT HERE THAT WE HIRE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE JOB NOW KNOW HOW TO DO THE JOB.

AND WHAT'S REQUIRED.

THERE'LL BE MORE EDUCATED IN THE PROCESS THAN A NEW PARCEL WE HIRE FOR THE MOST PART EXPERIENCED, UNLESS IT'S AN EXPERIENCED.

AND THEN THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN THERE, I MEAN, WE'RE GIVEN A WASTE ELECTION EXPERIENCE IN HISTORY, HISTORICAL DATA.

NOT NECESSARILY.

I WOULD THINK THAT IF YOU HIRE THE RIGHT PERSON, THEY'D BE SMART ENOUGH TO A LOT OF PROBLEMS. WHEN HER BOSS ISN'T GOING IN.

LAURA, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO ADD TO THIS THREE O'CLOCK YOU WERE WILLING TO SAY SOMETHING.

MY RECOMMENDATION IS THE COUNTY SERIOUSLY CONSIDER A COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.

NOT THAT MY OFFICE CAN'T DO THE JOB, LEARN THE JOB, BUT THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR HAS HAD ELECTIONS IN THIS COUNTY TIED INTO THE VOTER REGISTRATION SINCE 1998.

THAT'S A LONG TIME.

AND THAT'S A LOT OF EXPERIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THE JOB.

IF IT WAS TO COME BACK TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE, AGAIN, YOU'RE GOING TO SPLIT UP A FUNCTIONING ELECTION OFFICE TO PUT, KEEP ON THE REGISTRATION IN BRENDA'S OFFICE.

AND I WOULD BE HIRING A WHOLE NEW CREW, AND IT WOULD BE A VERY DIFFICULT TRANSITION, AND THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

BUT MY RECOMMENDATION IS, IS THE COUNTY SERIOUSLY NEEDED TO CONSIDER WITH OUR SIZE AND WITH OUR POPULATION GROWTH, AN OFFICE THAT IS DEDICATED TO MAKE SURE THAT ELECTIONS ARE DONE CORRECTLY.

THEY HAVE A HARD TIME WITH BEES TERMINATING EMPLOYEES.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S JUST, I JUST THINK THAT AT LEAST TO THE DIRECTOR WOULD HAVE TO, I WOULD THINK KNOW IT'S ALREADY IN THE COUNTY.

I THINK IT WOULD BE THEIR JOB IF THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY THAT WE'RE DOING IT, RETRAIN THEM FIRST.

IF THEY DON'T CONFORM, THEN, THEN THAT'S THE ENDING WRAP THEM UP.

AND I'M ASKING LIKE, EVERYBODY IN THAT OFFICE.

AND ONCE AN HOUR, SOMEBODY, THEY DON'T MAKE SENSE.

WE'RE CREATING A BRAND NEW DEPARTMENT AND I WOULD JUST, YOU ALREADY HAVE, UNLESS, UNLESS THAT WAS A WHOLE BODY TRANSFER, YOU KNOW, UH, PEOPLE WHERE YOU HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BUDGETED UNDER ELECTIONS, RIGHT? THERE'S NO DIRECTOR, BUT ALL THOSE OTHER SALARIES ARE SENDING IN ALL THE, ALL THE COST OF GOODS ARE ALL SENDING IN A DEPARTMENT CODE RIGHT.

CORRECTLY.

I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT ANYBODY OUTSIDE THE ELECTIONS.

I MEAN, YOU CAN TRANSFER THOSE EMPLOYEES TO A DEPARTMENT THAT YOU CREATE BEFORE YOU HAVE A DEPARTMENT HEAD.

I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME COOPERATION FROM THE TAX ASSESSOR.

OH YEAH.

I HAVE IT, THIS AND THIS TWO OFFICES DOWN RIGHT HERE, BUDGETED.

WE'VE GIVEN HIM AN ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR POSITION BUDGETED IN THAT DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN WE MOVED THAT MONEY LAST YEAR.

CAUSE WE NEVER HEARD ABOUT

[01:05:01]

IT.

AND THEN BRENDA DOES HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES THAT ARE DUAL PURPOSE OVER THERE.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE PEOPLE NEED TO STAY WITH BRENDA BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR HEART AND SOUL OF HER DEPARTMENT TOO.

SO, BUT THERE'S SOME EMPLOYEES THAT JUST STRICTLY DO ELECTION WORK.

THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.

WERE THOSE JOB DESCRIPTIONS UPDATED IN THIS EVERGREEN STUDY? OKAY.

BECAUSE THAT WOULD, OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN HANDLE ALL THE EMPLOYEES.

I DON'T THINK SHE HAS ENOUGH WORK WHILE MOM IS FIXING TO RETIRE AND ONE ROOM AND THEN ONE FROM THE ELECTIONS RETIRED, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE ANYBODY.

WELL, WHEN WE, WELL, YEAH, I MEAN JUST A DISCUSSION ITEM, SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW.

I GUESS AT SOME POINT WE NEED TO PUT A TIMEFRAME ON THIS IS THE TIMEFRAME FOR OUR MAKING IT.

WE DON'T RUN OUT.

WE DON'T RUN OUT, BUT WE JUST DON'T WANT TO TRY TO DO IT ON THE FLY, UM, THAT YOU TELL YOU WHAT TIME CYCLE THAT COMES TO ELECT.

CAUSE WE HAVEN'T MADE AND WE HAVE A NOVEMBER.

I DON'T THINK SO WHEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT BASICALLY, UM, THE ORDER THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT WOULD ENTER WOULD STATE THE DATE OF THE CREATION OF THE POSITION.

AND THEN, UM, THE EFFECTIVE DATE MAY NOT BE LATER THAN 12 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE, THE ORDER IS ADOPTED.

AND, UM, THE ORDER MAY AUTHORIZE A COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO IMPLORE THE ADMINISTRATOR, NOT EARLIER THAN THE 90TH DAY BEFORE THE CREATION DATE OF THE POSITION.

SO YOU GOT, YOU GOT SOME TIMING ISSUES THERE, BUT, UM, BUT THAT'S UM, BUT THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST THE NORM, THE NORMAL, BUT IT'S IT'S UM, BUT THERE WAS SOME TIMING ISSUES IN, IN THE, YOU'VE GOT AN, A, YOU KNOW, A GENERAL ELECTION DAY COMING UP IN MAY, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE THERE IN MAY AND NOVEMBER.

I DIDN'T DO THAT ONE.

IT HAS TO DO WITH THE NEXT ONE.

BUT WHAT I'M JUST SPEAKING ABOUT IS IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE IN THE POSITION THERE'S SO MUCH PRE-WORK THAT IS DONE BEFORE AN ELECTION, RIGHT? AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOMEBODY OR, OR AN ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR IN PLACE IN TIME TO, TO DO THAT OR IN TIME TO AT LEAST, UM, BEGIN THE TRANSITION.

SO THAT BY THE TIME THE BUDGET BEGINS AGAIN IN OCTOBER, YOU MAYBE HAVE PEOPLE IN PLACE AND HAVE EVERYBODY TRANSFERRED AND, AND WAITING FOR THE BUDGET TO START.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ME NEXT MARCH, UNLESS THEY PUSH IT BACK OR ANYTHING TALKING ABOUT PUSHING IT BACK PROBABLY JUNE, JUNE.

SO WE'VE GOT UNTIL NEXT JUNE REPORT, WE'VE GOT SOME TIME.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST THAT THESE THINGS THEY TAKE, RIGHT, RIGHT.

THIS POINT IS JUST MAKE A DECISION WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT, BUT IT'S NOT ON HERE FOR THAT.

SO THIS ONE, BUT I'M JUST SAYING SOMETIME IN THE NEXT COMING WEEKS OR MONTH OR HOWEVER LONG WE NEED, WE NEED TO DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.

WE JUST NEED TO MAKE WORK FOR ME.

I'M JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, SHE'S QUENTIN LAURA THAT MORNING AND, UH, WHICH I UNDERSTAND THAT MEANS, UH, SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE PROCESS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE.

I MEAN, JUST THE MAP, I DON'T KNOW.

THERE'S NOT ANOTHER OPTION, THE BARS MAYBE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS OR SO WE CAN LOOK AT PUTTING IT ON THERE TO ACTUALLY VOTE ON IT, MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.

OTHER THAN THAT, THEY DO.

UH, KAREN, I WOULD, I, I GUESS I TOLD THIS TO YOU TO KIND OF DELVE INTO THAT OTHER PARTY SITUATION.

SO WE'D KNOW WHAT, WHO WOULD BE ON THAT BOARD, THE STATE, THE, THE STATE, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? UM, I WILL, I WILL.

WHO, WHO DOES THE STATE, THE CONTROL OVER THE SECRETARY TRADE? YEAH.

THERE YOU GO.

TRAIN STATE SECTOR AND FIND OUT THAT THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WOULD KNOW.

SURE.

ABSOLUTELY.

BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO REGISTER ALL THE VOTER.

SO WHAT'S NOT, WHAT'S REALLY NICE ABOUT JUST DOING THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR.

IS IT STOPS ALL THIS SUPPLEMENT DRAMA, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT WE, WE ACTUALLY DECIDED AS A COURT THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO DO SUPPLEMENTS ANYMORE AND NOW IT STOPS IT.

I MEAN, WE JUST GO IN AND HIRE SOMEBODY TO DO SPECIFIC TO THEIR JOB.

THEY TAKE CARE OF AND WE NOT TO FIGHT THAT BATTLE, YOU KNOW, SO.

NEXT ITEM 18, UH, DISCUSS, CONSIDER EXITING A REGULAR MEETING AND GOING INTO A PUBLIC HEARING.

SO AGAIN, THAT WAS JUST FOR INFORMATION DISCUSSION ONLY, UH,

[18. Judge Richards; Discuss/Consider exiting regular meeting and enter a public hearing.]

IS THERE A MOTION TO DO SO I'LL DO SO WE HAVE THAT MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS TO GO LEAVE OUR REGULAR MEETING, GO INTO A PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE A SECOND,

[01:10:01]

SECOND COMMISSION BARBER DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

ARE IN A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING NOT ALLOWING THREE TRUCKS ON THE BELOW LISTED COUNTY ROADS IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF KAUFMAN COUNTY PRECINCT TO PLACING NO THROUGH TRUCKS SIGNS ON THE FOLLOWING COUNTY ROADS, UNIVERSITY ROAD FROM FM FIVE 48 TO STEVEN'S VALLEY VIEW FROM RANCH ROAD TO NEAL ROAD AND RANCH ROAD FROM THE CITY LIMITS OF FORNEY TO UNIVERSITY, UH, COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS.

OPPOSED.

NO MOTION CARRIES.

[19. Public Hearing; to receive input from the public regarding not allowing thru trucks on the below-listed county roads, in the unincorporated area of Kaufman County Precinct 2, and placing "No Thru Trucks" signs on the following county roads: University Rd from FM 548 to Stevens Rd, Valley View from Ranch Rd to Neal Rd and Ranch Rd from City limits to University (Part 1 of 2)]

YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT? NO, WE JUST GETTING ALONG WITH TRUCK TRAFFIC AND THAT CUT THROUGH THERE TO GO AROUND WHITE OFFICERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE ROAD AND FROM ROCK ON MASS MERCER, THE NAME, THE ROCK WALL AND BACK AND FORTH.

AND IT'S JUST TIME TO CUT IT OUT.

IS ANYONE HERE WITH US HERE TODAY THAT WOULD CARE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS PROPOSED ACTION OF THE COURT? NO.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD CARE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS PROPOSAL? JUST ME, NO ONE, NO ONE COMING FORWARD.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE PUBLIC.

UH, YOU'RE NOT THE POPE, SO NO ONE COMING FORWARD.

UH, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS, UH, WE'RE GOING TO, SO ITEM

[20. Judge Richards; Discuss/Consider exiting public hearing and enter back into regular meeting.]

20, DISCUSS, CONSIDER EXITING PUBLIC HEARING, AND GOING BACK INTO A REGULAR MEETING.

IS THERE A MOTION TO DO SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

WE HAVE A MOTION TO GO BACK INTO REGULAR MEETING.

IS THERE A SECOND, STEVEN? I'LL SECOND THAT, UH, THOSE IN FAVOR, THOSE IN FAVOR.

NOTICE IT.

SHE PUT IT OUT.

IT WAS ONE 48.

THEN WE NEED TO TYPE ALL THAT ON THE CORRECT.

AFTER THE, WE CHANGED IT FROM ONE 48 TO FIVE 48 BACK 48.

WOULD BE, IS THERE A MOTION TO, UH, TABLE ITEM 19 MOTION BARBARA, IS THERE A SECOND TO TABLE ITEM 19.

UH, SO WE HAVE A MOTION.

WE DON'T HAVE A SECOND.

THERE WAS NO SECOND.

SO THAT ITEM DIED FOR FILLING OF EMOTION.

SO NEXT MOTION

IS THERE A SECOND TO TABLE ITEM 19? YEAH, WE GOT A SECOND COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS TABLE ITEM, 19.

THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED? NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES ITEM 20 DISCUSSED.

CONSIDER EXITING PUBLIC HEARING AND GOING BACK INTO A REGULAR MEETING.

WE, UH, I THINK I ALREADY DID WE EVER? YEP.

WE WENT THROUGH THAT.

DISCUSS CONSIDER, UH, I GUESS I WOULD ASK FOR HIS OR SOMEONE WANTS TO TABLE ITEM 21.

ITEM 21.

[21. Judge Richards; Discuss/Consider not allowing thru trucks on the below-listed county roads, in the unincorporated area of Kaufman County Precinct 2, and placing "No Thru Trucks" signs on the following county roads: University Rd from FM 548 to Stevens Rd, Valley View from Ranch Rd to Neal Rd and Ranch Rd from City limits to University]

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER HUTTON MOVES TO TABLE ITEM 21.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND QUESTION, BARBARA, DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING I SUPPOSE NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES ITEM 22

[22. Auditor; Discuss/Consider line item transfers]

TO THE AUDITOR DISCUSS.

CONSIDER LINE ITEM TRANSFERS.

ANY QUESTIONS ON YOUR LINE ON OR TRANSFERS I ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL AND THEN FOR NO QUESTIONS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE LINE ON OR TRANSFERS AS PRESENTED? I'LL MAKE THAT MOST TO PUBLIC.

WE HAVE MOTION COMMISSIONER BARBER TO APPROVE.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, MR. HUNT DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED NO MOTION CARRIES, UH, BILLS.

[23. Auditor; Discuss/Consider claims for payment]

YOUR CLAIMS FOR PAYMENT ARE $642,817 AND 17 CENTS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE CLAIMS FOR PAYMENT AS PRESENTED? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.

WE HAVE MOTION COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS.

IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND COMMISSIONER BARBARA DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.