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YOU WANT TO SEE IF YOU CAN HEAR JERRY, THIS
[1. To Discuss the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Budget.]
WORKSHOP MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT IS CALLED TO ORDER.TODAY IS THURSDAY, AUGUST 19TH, 2021 AT ONE O'CLOCK WE'RE IN THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT MEETING ROOM IN THE COURTHOUSE ANNEX.
UM, I DON'T WANT TO LEAD YOU INTO TODAY IS DISCUSS THE FISCAL YEAR 2122 BUDGET.
I SET THIS MEETING REALLY, UH, WITH THE IDEA THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING, UH, KNOWING THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO DISCUSS SOMETHING ABOUT ORGANIZATION, HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT THE BUDGET ON ORGANIZATION OF THE FIRE MARSHAL'S DEPARTMENT.
BUT, UM, ANYWAY, SO, UH, DO YOU WANT TO START WITH THAT, GARY? WE CAN.
I JUST KIND OF KNEW KIND OF WHERE WE ARE ON THE BUDGET.
EVERYTHING'S BALANCED AS IT SETS.
SO EVERYTHING IS IN THERE AND BALANCED A COUPLE OF ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE KNOW OR ARE PROBABLE IS, IS THE TIPS.
SO WE'RE STILL TRUING UP THOSE TIPS WITH THE CITIES TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT THE APPROPRIATE RATES IN FOR NEXT YEAR.
KAREN'S IN THE FINAL STAGES OF THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL TRUE UP OUR YEAR ON ENGINE INDIGENT HEALTHCARE.
SO WE ALWAYS HAVE AN ADJUSTMENT THERE.
SO THAT'S RUNNING A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.
SO WE MAY NEED TO MAKE A SMALL ADJUSTMENT TO INDIGENOUS HEALTH CARE ON THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTION PIECE OF THAT.
SO OUTSIDE OF THAT, ALL THE OTHER FUNDS ARE THERE.
I DID WANT TO TEE UP, UM, THIS, THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE PUBLIC WORKS AND WITH FIRE MARSHALL'S OFFICE AND GET SOME DIALOGUE AROUND THAT NEW STRUCTURE AND WHAT THAT RESTRUCTURE STRUCTURE COULD LOOK LIKE.
I'VE GOT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS I CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, CAN JUST KIND OF SHARE AN OVERARCHING ORG CHART.
WE CAN START THERE AND SEE IF THAT, HOW THAT, HOW THAT LOOKS.
AND THEN FROM THERE WE CAN GET INTO SOME DIALOGUE ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FROM A COSTING STRUCTURE.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO THAT'S WHAT I DID FOR 37 YEARS AS FAR AS SLOWLY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE TAKEN AN ACTIVE PART IN DECIDING HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THIS OR HAVE SOME INPUT INTO THAT.
NOT, I MEAN, I DON'T MIND DOING STUFF, JUST DRAGGING IT OUT WITH A BUNCH OF CONVERSATION HERE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AM I GOING TO HEAR WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO REC RECOMMEND, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE MORE BE INVOLVED WITH IT MORE.
AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THE CITIES OF OUR COUNTY, THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS OF OUR COUNTY, AND TO SEE WHAT ARE THEIR EXPECTATIONS OF A COUNTY, WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE FROM THEIR COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL, RIGHT.
ARE THEY SATISFIED WITH WHAT WE WERE DOING? DO THEY NEED MORE? DO THEY NEED LESS? BUT I MEAN, THAT WAY WE CAN SERVE THOSE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND THE CITY'S HELP THEM AND GET SOME OF THEIR INPUT ALSO.
SO THE DOLLARS CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE, BUT IF WE HAVE THE DOLLARS ALREADY IN THE BUDGET FOR WHAT WE DID DO, AND THEN WHATEVER HAPPENS THAT WE'VE MOVED TO, IT'LL PROBABLY STILL FIT IN THAT SAME FRAMEWORK.
I MEAN, AS FAR AS THE FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK.
SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S A BIG RUSH TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS FAR AS THE MATH CONCERNED, UH, AND, AND THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS.
SO WE CURRENTLY BETWEEN ALL OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
SO YOU HAVE THREE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE KIND OF INVOLVED IN THIS.
SO YOU HAVE FAR MARSHALL'S OFFICE, YOU HAVE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, YOU HAVE THE ENGINEER, THOSE, ALL THOSE POSITIONS COMBINED RIGHT NOW IS 18 PEOPLE IN THE PROPOSAL THAT I'VE JUST BEEN WORKING THROUGH.
AND AGAIN, I WORKED WITH RANDY BEFORE HE LEFT AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MONIQUE IT'S 18 PEOPLE.
SO IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME AS 18 BODIES.
UH, THE TODDLES WOULD CHANGE OR THE PAY FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE 18 PEOPLE MAY CHANGE.
UM, BUT WHEN IT WAS ALL SAID AND DONE IN THIS FIRST BLUSH OF MATH, THE MATH WAS ACTUALLY ABOUT $40,000, LESS THAN WHAT'S IN THE CURRENT BUDGET.
AND THAT HAS TO BE TRUED UP WHEN YOU PUT TAXES AND BENEFITS.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VERY, VERY, VERY CLOSE.
AND, AND I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, THAT WE CAN STILL SERVE OUR FOLKS, LIKE WHAT THEY NEED AND OUT THAT WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO THEM AS TO WHAT THEIR EXPECTATIONS ARE FROM US AS A COUNTY.
AND NOW SOME OF THE LARGER CITIES OR SOMETHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, FORNEY OR TERRELL AND MY SIDE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT OUR OWN LITTLE WORLD AND WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT.
AND WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR ANYTHING FROM YOU, ALL, WHICH IS FINE, BUT YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS OR SMALLER CITIES LIKE CAMP OR MAE BANK, OR, YOU KNOW, IN THE INCORPORATED AREAS, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR MORE, SO ARE THE SDS.
SO I JUST THINK THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE SOME INPUT IN THE PROCESS ALSO.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND I HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL OF THEM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S SOMEBODY OR WHATEVER, WITH ALL THE ENTITIES IN THE COUNTY.
SO, SO I'D JUST LIKE TO, TO POINT OUT THAT WHILE I DON'T DISAGREE WITH, WITH THE CANVASSING, THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS, THERE'S, THERE'S CERTAINLY, UH, AN IMMEDIATE
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NEED, I THINK, TO GO FORWARD WITH, FOR SURE, THE ONE POSITION WE KNOW THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE, AND THAT'S A FIRE MARSHALL POSITION.SO I SEE NO REASON WHY WE COULDN'T AT LEAST MOVE FORWARD FROM A PERSONNEL STANDPOINT AND IN TRYING TO SEEK A QUALIFIED CANDIDATE FOR FIRE MARSHALL, AS OPPOSED TO, UH, WAITING.
AND SECONDLY, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST POINT OUT THAT WHILE, UH, WHILE ALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAVE, UH, AN INTEREST IN THE, IN THE FIRE SIDE OF THE FIRE MARSHALL'S FUNCTION, THAT THERE'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, A COMPLETELY, UH, SEPARATE SIDE OF THAT BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, ARSON INVESTIGATION SIDE.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO SERVICING THAT NEED.
YEAH, WELL, UM, I'M NOT CERTIFIED ANYMORE CAUSE IT LED ALL OF IT LABS SINCE I STARTED LIVING ANOTHER LIFE, BUT I WAS CAUSING ORIGIN.
I WASN'T A PEACE OFFICER, SO IT WASN'T ARSON, BUT I DID THE THING AUSTIN, AUSTIN INVESTIGATOR DOES EXCEPT I COULDN'T ARREST PEOPLE.
SO, AND THEN FROM THAT, THERE'S ALSO A BUSINESS STANDPOINT SIDE OF THAT WHERE, BECAUSE THEY INTERACT WITH ALL THE BUSINESSES AND STUFF IN THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, FOR THE FIRE CODE IS EYES ALL REALLY, WE, WE INTERACT CAUSE WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THE BUILDING PART OF IT WITH ANOTHER AVENUE, BUT THEY STILL GOT, IT WAS TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT AND PLANTS REVIEW AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND, AND REALLY FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT, I MEAN REALLY APPEARED THAT THE ONLY BUSINESSMAN WE'VE GOT IS SKEET, NO DISRESPECT EXCEPT FROM THE JUDGE.
AND IT'S JUST CAUSE, I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S STILL THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT WE WANT TO SEE FOR THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, FROM A BUSINESS OWNERS MENTALITY AND, AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH THEM IN EXCITING, YOU KNOW, YOU DEAL WITH THEM, YOUR DEPARTMENTS AND YOUR BUSINESSES, YOU'VE DEALT WITH THEM WITH YOUR BUSINESS.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT SOME OF THE THINGS THEY REQUIRE AND THEN HOW THEY DO IT AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO IS THERE A REASON, IS THERE ANY REASON FOR US TO NOT GO AHEAD AND POST THE FARM MARSHALL'S JOB? YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GONNA, THAT'S A POSITION WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FEEL.
I MEAN, IF WE HAD 50 APPLICANTS FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY, THAT WOULD BE GOOD, BUT YEAH.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RESTRUCTURE, BUT THERE'S NO REASON NONE OF US HERE.
I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT AT ALL.
I MEAN, AS LONG AS THAT'S WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO IN THE RESTRUCTURE THAT WAS STILL GOING TO HAVE, I MEAN, THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE'RE SAYING THE MONEY'S THERE, THE DEPARTMENT'S THERE AND WE'LL JUST POST THE JOB.
AND THEN WE'LL DEAL WITH ALL THIS, BUT WHATEVER WE DO, I MEAN, I'D LIKE TO BE INVOLVED WITH, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO ANY KIND OF RESTRUCTURE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, ALL THAT GOES OUT, I'D LIKE TO BE INVOLVED AS WELL.
I THINK PROBABLY THE WHOLE COURT SHOULD BE INVOLVED.
UM, MAY I ASK YOU WHY AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, THE FIRE MARSHALL, OKAY.
UH, AS FAR AS THE FIRE, MARSHALL GOES IMMEDIATELY, DOES IT HAVE TO BE, DO THEY HAVE TO HAVE A LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPONENT IN THERE OR CAN THAT, THAT PART OF IT BE SOMETHING THAT'S HANDLED THROUGH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, MAYBE IF THERE'S AN ACTUAL CASE TO BE FILED OR ARREST TO BE MADE, UH, CAN WE JUST HAVE LIKE AN INVESTIGATOR THAT THEY INVESTIGATE THE CASE AND THEN IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE TURNED OVER TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OF THE DA, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE, THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, EVERY DEPARTMENT I'VE EVER WORKED FOR IN ALL THE PROFESSIONAL DEPARTMENTS THAT I WAS INVOLVED WITH, THEY ALWAYS HAD A FIRE MARSHAL AND THE FIRE MARSHALL WAS ALWAYS THE PEACE OFFICER.
AS FAR AS THE PARTICULAR QUESTION, IS THAT A REQUIREMENT, KAREN, THAT THE FIRE MARSHALL, THE COUNTY FARMERS WILL BE A PEACE OFFICER OR DO YOU KNOW, HE HAS TO BE ABLE TO WRITE A TICKET AND HE HAS TO BE ABLE TO ARREST CARSON, ARSON INVESTIGATION PIECES.
I DO THINK YOU HAVE TO BE A PEACE OFFICER.
YOU HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THE STATUTE, BUT COMMON SENSE.
I'M ALMOST POSITIVE THAT YOU HAVE TO BE A PEACE OFFICER.
AND IT'S KIND OF HARD TO CALL HIM A FIRE MARSHALL WITHOUT TYPE OF LAW.
NOW YOU CAN HAVE IN INVESTIGATORS WAS LIKE WHAT I WAS AND WE RAN IT THE WAY WE RAN IT, WHERE I WAS AT IS AS A BATTALION CHIEF, WE WENT OUT THERE, YOU HAD YOUR FIRES, YOU PUT IT OUT AND YOU WERE THE FIRST ONES TO TRY TO FIND THE PROBABLE CAUSE IF IT WAS NOT SUSPICIOUS, THEN I DID THE REPORT IS ALL PART OF THE REPORT AND CALLED THE FIRE MARSHALL.
AND IT WAS KNOWN, BUT IF IT WAS SUSPICIOUS, THEN WE CALL IT THE FIRE MARSHALL IN, BUT WE WERE MAINTAINING THE SCENE INTEGRITY AND Y'ALL KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, MAINTAIN THE SCENE INTEGRITY AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF UNTIL SOMEONE GETS THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST NEEDS TO BE, I DON'T, I DON'T, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO END UP MODIFYING IT, BUT YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS SERVED WHAT THEY NEED.
I WILL SAY THIS, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE IS THERE, BUT THERE'S LIKE FOUR OR FIVE FOR THE WHOLE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND I DO KNOW THIS, THAT WE DIDN'T CALL THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.
SO IF WE, ANYTHING, WE HAD TIES WITH ATF.
IF WE HAD SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY BIG
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THEN, AND ATF WAS ALWAYS HURTING TO PRACTICE.SO THEY WOULD COME IN AND THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, UNLIMITED RESOURCES THAT THEY WOULD COME IN IF YOU HAD LIKE A CHURCH FIRE OR WHATEVER, WHICH COULD BE VERY WELL THERE'S FEDERAL AT ONE POINT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SO WE UTILIZE THEM INSTEAD OF THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE BECAUSE THEY'RE SPREAD SO THIN AND THEY WANTED TO, WELL, OKAY, WELL, I WAS, UH, I WAS AN ATF CAUSE AND ORIGIN SPECIALIST, UH, ON THE NATIONAL RESPONSE TEAM FOR 10 YEARS.
AND SO MY, MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT, UH, IT WAS, UH, A VERY BENEFICIAL THING TO HAVE A PEACE OFFICER, FIRE MARSHALL, UH, PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AREAS BECAUSE, UH, WHEN ATF DID GET CALLED IN THOSE GUYS ALREADY KNEW THE INS AND OUTS OF MAINTAINING THE SCENE AND, AND, UH, UH, INTEGRITY OF THE EVIDENCE AND CHAIN OF CUSTODY AND ALL THAT RELATED LAW ENFORCEMENT STUFF.
SO, SO I THINK WE'D BE, UH, I THINK WE'D BE IN, IN, ON SOLID GROUND TO MAINTAIN THAT THE FIRE MARSHALL FOR THIS COUNTY, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO BE A PEACE OFFICER.
AND IT'S ALL PAID OUT OF THE FIRE CODE.
RIGHT? PEACE OFFICER DIDN'T WE, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT BACK.
SOME OF THE MAY WOULDN'T JUDGE WAS SOME OF THESE SUPPLEMENTS ARE YEAH, YEAH.
ALL THE EXTRA LOT OF THE EXTRA PAY THAT, AND IT WAS ALL PAID OUT OF THE FIRE CODE, THE FIRE CODE.
I I'VE READ, I'VE READ THE FIRE CODE, THE FIRE CODE THAT SAYS THIS AND THE SALARY WAS TOO, YOU CAN USE THE FIRE CODE FOR THE ADMINISTRATING AND COLLECTING A FEE.
SO THE FEES THAT YOU USE FOR THESE BUILDING INSPECTIONS, THAT MONEY THEN COULD BE USED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE DOLLARS TO DO THAT PROCESS.
SO, SO THAT PIECE OF THE FUNCTION OF THOSE, OF THOSE JOBS, YOU CAN USE THE FIRE CODE FUND TO PAY FOR IT, TO JUST KIND OF REITERATE WHAT COMMISSIONER HUNT STARTED OUT WITH.
SO IT COMES IN, IN THESE, IN THESE TWO, TWO AVENUES, IF YOU WILL.
SO COUNTY DEVELOPMENT AND THAT DEVELOPMENT PIECE OF IT IS, IS MEETING WITH, WITH DEVELOPERS AND INDIVIDUAL BUILDERS WHO ARE BUILDING A BUILDING.
AND IF THAT BUILDING IS A SUBDIVISION, THEN THAT SUBDIVISION WOULD GO THROUGH SUBDIVISION, RECS AND SUBDIVISION PLAT REVIEW.
BUT IF THAT SUBDIVISION HAS A COMMUNITY CENTER, THAT COMMUNITY CENTER HAS TO BE FIRE INSPECTED.
AND SO IF IT'S A CERTAIN SIZE, IF IT'S A CERTAIN SIZE AND IT HAS CERTAIN MANY OF PEOPLE, SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW, AND THE WAY IT WORKS NOW IS YOU DO THE PLAT REVIEW AND THOSE PIECES FOR THE SUBDIVISION.
AND THEN YOU GO TO THE FIRE MARSHALL'S OFFICE FOR THE, FOR THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE PREMISE OF THAT ONE STOP SHOP IS NOW IT'S KIND OF A TWO STOP SHOP IF YOU WILL.
SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS, I THINK THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO REEVALUATE, BUT TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, THE TOTAL MATH AND TOTAL POSITIONS ARE BASICALLY THE SAME.
WE DID GET REQUESTS FROM BOTH DEPARTMENTS ORIGINALLY, UM, TO ADD FIVE POSITIONS AND WE TABLED THOSE AND KIND OF, THIS IS THE END TO KIND OF REWORKED IT AS TO HOW, HOW IT COULD BE RESTRUCTURED, WHERE WHEN IT DOES AT THE END OF THE DAY OF ALL OF THIS, THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME NEED FOR SOME, SOME POTENTIALLY MORE SUPPORTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.
BUT JUST BECAUSE THAT PIECE OF IT IS GETTING, IT'S GETTING PRETTY HEAVY AND, AND THE COMPLICATIONS OF WHERE YOU FALL AND DOING DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND THEN JUST, AND JUST BOOTS ON THE GROUND IF YOU WILL, FOR INSPECTIONS.
SO MAKING SURE THAT, THAT, THAT LEVELS OUT, LET ME INTERJECT HERE.
I JUST STARTED STATUTE THE FIRE MARSHALL WAS NOT REQUIRED TO BE A PEACE OFFICER UNDER THE QUALIFICATIONS, BUT UNDER THE JOB RESPONSIBILITIES, IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO THE COUNTY.
IF THE FARMERS WILL GO A LICENSED PIECE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE CLEAR ON THAT.
NO, BECAUSE I'M SURE THERE'S PROBABLY SMALL ONES.
THEY DON'T HAVE A PEACE OFFICER.
THEY JUST HAVE NOT EVER, THEY DON'T HAVE AN INSPECTOR THAT IN OTHER WORDS, THEY DON'T HAVE YOUR JOB THAT WAS IN THE FIREWALL, BY THE WORDS, HE'S THE ONLY PERSON THEY HAD.
NOT EVERY COUNTY HAS A FAR MORE THAN THAT.
EVERY COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE ONE.
I MEAN, WHENEVER YOU'RE GROWING AS FAST AS WE ARE, AND THEN MORE AND MORE BUSINESSES COMING IN, YOU KNOW, THEN WE DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY.
I THINK THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT WE REALLY DO NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT, TO THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
AND, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT, I'M GOING TO SAY ANYTHING BAD ABOUT THAT.
I, THEN WE CAN, I MEAN, JERRY'S ALREADY TALKED ABOUT UTILIZING INSPECTORS.
I MEAN, HE'S EVEN HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH ME DOING THE SAME CERTIFICATION I HAVE.
THEY CAN ACTUALLY INVESTIGATE A FIRE.
IT'S JUST THAT I NEEDED SOMEBODY WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO TAKE IT FURTHER IF IT WAS SUSPICIOUS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN MAKE THE DYNAMICS STILL WORK.
BUT THE MAIN THING FOR ME IS I WANNA, I JUST DON'T WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CUT SHORT, ANY KIND OF SERVICE OR EXPECTATIONS WE HAVE FROM, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE KIND OF ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THESE INCORPORATED AREAS.
CITIZENS, SERVANTS, VOLUNTEERS ARE TRUE.
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COMPENSATED, THEY'RE NOT GETTING PAID.THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THE EXPERTISE WITH THE TRAINING.
THEY GET SOME, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO, THEY CAN'T HAVE SOMETHING ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO A PROSECUTION OR GETTING SOMETHING TO HURLEY.
SO, I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE DON'T CUT OFF THE SERVICE, THEIR EXPECTATIONS, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE DECIDE TO DO.
IF WE CONDENSE IT TOO MUCH, WE CAN HURT THAT.
YOU KNOW? AND, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE STILL REACHING OUT.
SO, OH, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND TRULY WHAT THE REAL WORKLOAD IS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, A REAL, YOU KNOW, A REAL, A NO JOKE ANALYSIS OF HOW MANY, HOW MANY PROSECUTIONS HAVE BEEN FILED, FILED IN THE ARSON REALM, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY GENUINE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO, YEAH, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING TO, TO WANT WHAT YOU WANT IN A PERFECT WORLD.
IT'S ANOTHER THING TO BE ABLE TO SERVE IT.
I WILL SAY THIS, THAT IN DUNCANVILLE, WHEN I STARTED IN DUNCANVILLE, IT'S LIKE THE HIGHLAND PARK OF SOUTH DALLAS.
THERE WAS A LOT OF ARSON THERE.
WASN'T A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF STUFF AS TIME WENT ON AS THE CITY GOT OLDER, THEN ALL OF THAT STUFF.
I MEAN, IT ESCALATED, ESCALATE.
IT GOT, WHEREAS A BATTALION CHIEF, I WASN'T EVEN SLEEPING IN THAT.
SO, I MEAN, SO I MEAN, IT, IT'S, IT GOT THAT BUSY AND IT STILL IS.
SO THINGS CHANGE OVER TIME AND WE GET ALL THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN HERE.
AND AS WE KEEP GETTING PEOPLE PACKED IN HERE AND AS THINGS GET OLDER AND THEN THEY, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THINK IS KIND OF RUN DOWN OR THEY TURN INTO LEASE PROPERTY AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THE DYNAMICS CHANGE, AND THEN THE SERVICE WOULD GO UP.
SO YOU SAVE SOME, WE DON'T DON'T HAVE IT MAYBE TWO OR THREE A YEAR NOW.
WHENEVER THEY STARTED BURNING IN THE LATE EIGHTIES, WHEN THINGS WENT DOWN, WE WERE, WE HAD ALL KINDS OF ARSON.
SO IT, YOU KNOW, SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU CAN LOOK AT FIGURES NOW, BUT THANKS CHANGE.
I GUESS THE OTHER QUESTION I WOULD HAVE WITH THE COURT IS, IS THIS POSITION OF FIRE MARSHALL.
UH, TYPICALLY WE'D ASK THE COURT FOR A SALARY RANGE OR A SALARY RECOMMENDATION AS WELL.
SO IF I COULD JUST GET A RANGE, THEN I CAN POST A JOB FOR A RANGE.
AND I CAN BUDGET THAT ACCORDINGLY, IF YOU USE YOUR EXISTING, UH, SALARIES THAT WE HAVE IN THERE, THAT POSITION HAD HAD SUPPLEMENTS WITH IT.
SO IT HAD A BASE PLUS SUPPLEMENTS AND IT'S IN THAT SHEET.
I THINK THE BASE WAS 55 AND ABOUT 30 AND SUPPLEMENTS.
I WAS ABOUT, UH, ABOUT AN $85,000 TOTAL COMPENSATION IN THAT ARENA.
THEY'RE GOING TO GET THEIR SUPPLEMENTS ON THE DIFFERENT THING.
LET'S TALK ABOUT, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND.
I DON'T, I THINK, UH, THE JOB ITSELF PAY, I THINK WE PAY THIS, THIS PERSON SHOULD BE, UM, AND I THINK MAYBE THIS IS WHERE WE GOT A LITTLE OFF TRACK BEFORE.
I THINK THIS PERSON, EVEN THOUGH HE'S, HE'S A PEACE OFFICER, HE DOESN'T NEED TO BE DOING STEP PAYS FOR TRAFFIC STOPS AND ALL THAT STUFF.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO JUST PUT THIS PERSON IN AT A SALARY AND NOT SUBJECT TO THE STEP PAY AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE, IF YOU GET YOUR MASTERPIECE OUT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PAY EXTRA PRICE.
CAUSE HE'S FIRE MARSHALL AND THAT'S IT.
SO, SO BACK TO THE SALARY RANGE, IF YOU AGREE WITH THAT, WE HAVE KNOW, THAT'S WHY I WAS SAYING THAT IF YOU, AND THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING WITH IT, I'M SORRY.
WELL, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO IF YOU TAKE HIS STEP PAYS AND STUFF, HE MIGHT GET UP IN LINE WITH WHAT A FIRE MARSHALL.
CAUSE IF YOU HIRE SOMEBODY OUT OF DALLAS OR TARRANT COUNTY OR SOME BIG FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT MAY BE IS A RETIRED GUY AND HE'S STILL YOUNG ENOUGH TO BE HERE FOR 10 YEARS OR WHATEVER, AND, AND BE IN GOOD SHAPE, HE'S NOT ON WORK FOR 40,000, BUT HE GONNA WORK FOR 85,000.
SO WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF INCLUDE THIS PAGE BEFORE WE EVEN START PRO DOWN A RANGE.
BENEFITS WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 65 AND $85,000.
WELL, YOUR BASE NOW IS 55, 3 AND BENEFITS ALL IN PUSH THIS TO ONE 15.
YEAH, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST BASE SALARY.
YOU WERE SAYING BASE SALARY, 65 TO 85, BUT THE SURVEY SAY
I MEAN, THEY WEREN'T, THEY WEREN'T INCLUDED, I DIDN'T INCLUDE SEMINARY RESEARCH, BUT I DID A SEARCH.
AND I THINK, I THINK COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS IS SPOT ON IN MY PRELIMINARY RESEARCH.
WOULD IT BE EXACTLY THE RANGE? YEAH.
AND I DID PULL UP SOME COUNTIES AND STUFF AROUND AND, AND THEY RANGED EVERYWHERE FROM, AND THERE WAS SOME BELOW 60, BUT MOST OF THEM WENT BETWEEN 65 AND 85 WITH SOMEBODY I'M GOOD WITH THAT, YOU KNOW? AND I AGREE.
AND THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN WE WERE, BUT THE ONES THAT WERE ABOUT OUR SIDE WERE IN THE SEVENTIES RINGS, UH, IF THAT DOESN'T WORK OUT, THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT, ALRIGHT, WELL WE HAVE AN EXISTING, UM, UM,
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JOB DESCRIPTION, BUT IF THE COURT WOULD LACK, I COULD RESOCIALIZE THAT AND LET THEM TAKE A COUPLE OF ROUNDS, THE WHOLE COURT, TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT IT COVERED FOR THE JOB INVOLVED IN THAT FROM THE BEGINNING, BECAUSE I'M SURE THERE'S NO, I THINK, OKAY, WE'LL DO THAT.WE'LL GET THAT SENT OUT AND THEN WE'LL TRY TO GET IT POSTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THAT, BUT A LOT OF THAT POSTING IS GOING TO BE DICTATED BY WHAT THE STATUTE SAYS.
BUT YEAH, THAT'S, WHAT'S THERE NOW.
IT'S KIND OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION THAT YOU HAVE.
YOU HAVE A STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE THAT KIND OF SAYS, THIS IS THE DESCRIPTION OF A FIRE MARSHALL, IF YOU WILL.
AND I THINK SOME OF IT IS FROM THE DESCRIPTION WOULD FIT FAN.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY CENTERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, FIRE MARSHALL REALLY DIDN'T HAVE TO GO IN AND MAKE THAT AS INSPECTORS FOR THAT.
SO YOU HAVE BILL NOT INSPECTION, FIRE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A FIRE.
MARSHALL GO INSPECT THE WATER SYSTEM.
SO I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SO IF YOU HAVE THE FIELD PICTURES, GO DO THAT PART FIVE.
I THINK THE WAY IT IS NOW, I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL FAR MARSHALS OR BICYCLE LEDS, YOU KNOW? SO I MEAN, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY UTILIZE THEM THE SAME WAY.
BUT IF WE DO GO TO THAT WHERE INSPECTORS, JUST GO AHEAD AND TAKE CARE OF, THEY HAVE A LIST OF INSPECTIONS THAT TO DO, AND THEY GO TO THE, IF THEY'VE RUN INTO PROBLEMS OR THEY NEED ANY KIND OF ENFORCEMENT, THEN YOU HAVE SOME, WHEN HE COMES BACK TO THE BOSS, YOU ONLY NEED ONE TICKET RIDER.
WE'LL WORK ON GETTING THAT WHAT YOU NEED.
UH, START, DID YOU JUST COME HERE FOR ENTERTAINMENT OR DID YOU WANT TO TALK TO US ABOUT SOMETHING COULDN'T COME FROM SENIOR CADET? AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
CAUSE I DIDN'T THINK HE CAME FOR ENTERTAINMENT.
MY KIDS ARE GOING TO BE ANCHORED WITH PIGS.
I WANT TO GET SNACKS WHEN I GET HOME.
Y'ALL MAY ALREADY HAVE SOME OF THIS, BUT HOPE IT KIND OF HELPS WITH WHAT I'M TELLING Y'ALL BECAUSE I KNOW OPPORTUNITY EARLY, LIKE PIZZA BUDDY, WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR INVITING US.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL KNEW I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF SENIOR CONNECT.
UM, AND UH, I UNDERSTAND BRIAN MARTIN, OUR INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CAME AND BROUGHT YOU GUYS REQUEST, UH, FOR SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT THE COUNTY, UH, TYPICALLY GIVES.
AND I KNOW Y'ALL HAD SOME QUESTIONS.
UM, THE BIGGEST QUESTION, AND I'VE SPOKEN WITH A FEW Y'ALL INDIVIDUALLY, BUT, UM, THE BIGGEST QUESTION IS WHY DO WE NEED THE MONEY NOW? UM, IT'S KIND OF A LONG STORY, BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS, IS WE GET OUR FUNDING FROM THE AREA AGENCY AREA AGENCY ON AGING, AAA, UM, AND THEY GET THEIR FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE BACKLOG IN, WHEN THEY PAY US, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF MEALS WE SERVE IS RUNNING ABOUT 90 DAYS, I BELIEVE 90 TO SIX, 90 TO 120 DAYS.
UM, THAT ALL KIND OF STARTED DURING THE COVID PROCESS.
TYPICALLY WE WOULD SUBMIT TO THEM WITH HOW MUCH, UH, HOW MANY MEALS WE SERVED AND THEY'D PAY US $6 AND 59 CENTS, UM, FOR EVERY CONGREGATE MEAL AND ALL THE SITES WE HAVE AROUND THE COUNTY AND $5 AND 31 CENTS FOR EVERY MEALS ON WHEELS OR HOME DELIVERED MEAL THAT WE HAVE, UM, WITH, WITH COVID AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND I WAS HAVING TO SHUT DOWN THE CONGREGATE SITES FOR ALMOST AN ENTIRE YEAR IN 2020.
AND, UM, THE LATE PAYS THAT AAA IS DOING WHAT HAS ENDED UP HAPPENING IN ORDER TO MAKE PAYROLL, UM, AND ALL THE OTHER INSURANCE PAYMENTS AND EQUIPMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD TO KEEP THAT GOING.
WHAT HAPPENS IS WE, WE HAVE A FOOD SERVICE PROVIDER, CISCO AND CISCO USED TO GIVE US A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME AS A WAIT UNTIL THEY GET PAID.
WELL, THEY'VE MOVED THAT TIME UP TO 60 DAYS IN WHICH THE WAY WHERE YOU'RE PAID BY AAA WE'RE ALWAYS, WE NEVER HAVE THE MONEY WHEN THE BILL COMES DUE.
SO, UM, WHAT WE WERE ASKING IS FOR THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE US A ONE TIME INJECTION OF FUNDS IN ORDER TO HAVE A FLOAT PERIOD.
SO WE'RE NOT GETTING PHONE CALLS FROM CISCO GOING, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DELIVER YOU GUYS ANY MORE FOOD BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE TOO LATE.
UM, WE'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO BEG THESE FOLKS, UM, TO BRING US A TRUCK AND AAA IS PIPE PAYMENT.
UM, WE HAD TO GET ASSURANCES FROM, UH, KEITH BELL'S OFFICE THAT THEY WOULD TALK TO AAA, UM, AND, AND GET OUR MONEY TO US.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT, BUT THAT'S WHY WE NEEDED THE MONEY.
WE SERVE 500 MEALS A DAY TO SENIORS ALL OVER THE COUNTY.
[00:25:01]
UM, I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA END UP DOING ABOUT 200,000 MEALS THIS YEAR.EACH OF THE CONGREGATE SITES ARE NOW OPEN.
UH, THE SENIORS ARE COMING BACK IN, UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, WE, WE, AS AN ORGANIZATION HAVE LOOKED INTO MAKING SOME SERIOUS REORGANIZING TO TRY TO CURTAIL SOME ISSUES.
FOR INSTANCE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING A CENTRALIZED KITCHEN SO WE CAN CUT DOWN PAYROLL AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN, UM, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE WERE ASKING YOU GUYS FOR THE MONEY.
UM, I'M HERE MORE TO ANSWER Y'ALL'S QUESTIONS THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, SO PLEASE ASK US WHAT YOU NEED TO, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS.
UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ON OCCASION TO DO MEALS ON WHEELS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE FOLKS ARE ALL REALLY NEEDY.
I MEAN, I NEVER, I MEAN, IT WAS, UH, ALWAYS KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE WHAT, WHAT Y'ALL DO AND APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE VOLUNTEERING YOUR TIME.
I KNOW IT MEANS A LOT, BUT I FELT LIKE THAT, WELL, WE UNDERSTOOD THE MISSION.
THE ISSUE WAS THAT IT WAS CASHFLOW PROBLEM.
AND SO, UH, KEN SUGGESTED THAT WE AND THE AUDITOR AGREED THAT WHAT WE DO IS JUST FRONT THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS UP FRONT.
AND I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE CASHFLOW PROBLEM.
WELL, IT'S KINDA LIKE IT'S KINDA LIKE GETTING PAID AT A JOB OR OUR BUDGET IS 1.3 MILLION, HISTORICALLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND OF THAT COMES FROM YOU GUYS.
SO IF I'VE GOT A JOB WHERE I'M PAID $50,000, IF I GET PAID $50,000 UPFRONT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, JANUARY THROUGH WHENEVER I'VE GOT A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WHAT I'M AFRAID OF IS WHEN WE GET TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR AND IT'S NOT THERE ANYMORE, WE'RE BACK TO WHERE WE WERE, YOU KNOW, BACK OCTOBER, NOVEMBER SITUATION, UH, BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THAT DOES HELP US, IT WOULD HELP FOR THE SHORT TERM.
UM, IT DOESN'T HELP CREATE A SYSTEM.
UM, CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHEN TRIPLE IS GOING TO GO BACK TO WHERE THEY'RE AT, UH, PAY IT ON TIME.
UH, I PRESUME WITH THE PANDEMIC, PICK IT BACK UP AGAIN.
WE MAY, IT MAY BE LIKE THIS FOR AWHILE, UM, BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TENDS TO SHUT DOWN EVERY TIME ANYTHING HAPPENED.
SO I TALKED TO MIKE EASTLAND DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY, I GUESS IT WAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COG AND HE FELT, I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN HIS MOUTH, BUT HE FELT LIKE AFTER, AFTER THEY GOT KEITH BELL EYES OVER THERE AT, UH, TRIPLE A, YOU KNOW, AFTER KEITH WEIGHED IN ON THE THING, I THINK HE FELT LIKE THAT IT MIGHT BE GETTING BETTER, THAT HE GOT THEIR ATTENTION.
SO THAT MIGHT ADDRESS THE LONG DELAY THING, BUT, AND THEN I'M GOING TO, THE LAST THING I'D SAY IS, UH, IN SOME OF THIS IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN OUR BUDGET NEXT YEAR.
UM, WE, BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH IN THE COUNTY, IN ALL OF THE NEW POSITIONS THAT WE'VE CREATED IN THE COUNTY, WE'RE FUNDING $2 MILLION OF NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET OUT OF CURRENT THIS YEAR, CURRENT FUNDS.
AND SO IF Y'ALL RAN SHORT NEXT YEAR, HOPEFULLY WE WOULD, UH, WE'D BE IN THE BLACK AND THAT WE COULD CONSIDER DOING A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THAT.
BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S, UH, AND ON EVERY CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION THAT WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAC, CASA, THE CHILD WELFARE BOARD OF THE CHILDREN'S SHELTER AND THE DESERET AND HER OPERATION, THE INDIGENT HEALTH CARE, NONE OF THEM, I MEAN, THEY ALL ARE STRUGGLING TO MEET IN CAUSE YOU JUST SO MUCH NEED.
SO ANYWAY, SO THAT'S, I DON'T THINK ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT, BUT WE, WE DON'T, I, IN MY, FROM WHERE I SIT FROM THE BUDGET POSITION, WE DON'T HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, SO, WELL IT'S NOT AN ALL OR NOTHING.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE OTHER PARTICULAR ISSUE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ONE THING KEITH BELL CAN'T FIX, UM, UNTIL THEY GET IN SESSION AGAIN, NEXT TERM IS HOW MUCH THEY PAY US FOR THE MEALS.
THE FACT IS THE PRICE OF FOOD HAS GONE UP, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED PERCENT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AND SO, UM, IT'S NOT A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL UNLESS WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET SOME HELP WE'VE PRIVATELY RAISED, UH, IN THE LAST CAMPAIGN,
[00:30:01]
$25,000, WE'RE OWED $25,000 BY THE UNITED WAY OF FORNEY.UM, SO IF YOU GUYS KNOW SOME FOLKS OVER THERE THAT GRATIS A CHECK, THAT'D BE FANTASTIC.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, IF WE DON'T FIGURE THIS WAY OUT OF THIS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SHUT DOWN SOME CONGREGATE SITES, UM, THAT DON'T PRODUCE ENOUGH.
UH, THE ONES PROBABLY MOST LIKELY ARE TERRIBLE AT KEMP RIGHT NOW BECAUSE TERRELL HAS THE MOST NUMBER OF, UH, HOME DELIVERY, BUT THEY HAVE THE LEAST NUMBER OF PEOPLE SHOW UP AT THE CAR GETS CENTER, UM, CAMP, UH, THE RENT OVER THERE IS A LITTLE BIT HIGH.
WHAT WERE THEN WE'RE HAVING TO PAY.
UM, AND THE TURNOUT WE CAN'T JUSTIFY IF WE HAVE TO MAKE FURTHER CUTS.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE, AND I KNOW, I KNOW Y'ALL MOVE SO MANY, I'VE DONE MEALS ON WHEELS.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL BEEN TO THE CONGREGATE SITES, BUT THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A PLACE TO GO GET FED.
I MEAN, THIS IS, THIS IS WHERE THESE ARE SENIORS, HANG OUT, THEY PLAY BRIDGE, THEY DO WHATEVER.
UM, AND THIS IS A SERVICE SENIOR CONNECT PROVIDES FOR COUNTY CITIZENS.
UM, AND WE'RE NOT A COUNTY, THAT'S GOT A LOT OF, UH, CENTERS FOR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW? UM, SO ZERO ZERO, IF, IF WE FRONTED THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S, YOU'RE GOING TO BE GOOD TO GO FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME, SIX MONTHS, NINE MONTHS OR WHATEVER I WOULD BE.
UH, I MEAN, I, HOPEFULLY WE WOULD BE FRUGAL THROUGH THE BUDGET YEAR AND WE WOULD HAVE PHONES AVAILABLE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE WHEN I SAY WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUDGET MONEY, WHICH ISN'T REAL MONEY.
I MEAN, THIS IS JUST OUR BEST, OUR BEST GUESTS.
BUT WOULD YOU, WOULD THAT BE A POSSIBILITY THAT Y'ALL WOULD COME TO US IF HE'D GOT TO THE POINT THAT, THAT, AND I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE COST OF MEALS, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S FIVE, YOU GUYS HAVE ALL GONE TO THE GROCERY STORE, CORRECT.
FIVE AND A QUARTER 5 75 THAT YOU'RE BEING REIMBURSED FOR IS, I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY FOR BRIDAL.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IS THAT A POSSIBILITY THAT WE COULD? SURE, SURE.
THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND WILL HELP JANUARY 1ST WHEN I ROLLS AROUND, YOU KNOW, UM, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE PROVISIONS TO GET BETWEEN HERE AND THERE.
I MEAN, I'D HAVE BRONZE MORE FAMILIAR, BUT WE HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP THOSE CENTERS OPEN BETWEEN NOW AND JANUARY 1ST WITH, WITHOUT SOME INSURANCES, CISCO WITH A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS UPFRONT, I'M SORRY, WITH A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN ON OCTOBER, THE FIRST IT WOULD KEEP THE COUPLE CENTER DUMPING MAYBE TILL THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT.
SO THAT'S WHERE I'D HAVE TO SEE SOME MORE NUMBERS ON THAT.
A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ONLY RUN YOU THREE MONTHS.
SO IT'S PAYROLL IS ABOUT A 30 YEAR BUDGET PAY ROUGHLY, BUT THE FOOD'S BEING REIMBURSED HOPEFULLY SOONER THAN 90 DAYS WHENEVER.
AND YOUR ANALOGY, YOUR ANALOGY ABOUT GETTING, IF YOU MAKE $50,000 A YEAR, THAT'S AN ARTFUL ANALOGY, BUT A TRUE ANALOGY.
BUT THE MISSING COMPONENT IS THAT, UH, IF YOU MADE $50,000 A YEAR AND THROUGH THE REST OF THE YEAR, YOU BEGAN TO BE REIMBURSED FOR YOUR EXPENSES.
UH, YOU MIGHT NOT BE OUT OF MONEY AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S THE COMPONENT THAT'S LEFT OUT OF THAT STORY.
I THINK YOU DO HAVE REIMBURSEMENT.
I THINK WHY WAS IT NOT UPFRONT TO BE GOOD ENOUGH? AND, UM, THE, THE, THE MONEY Y'ALL ARE GIVING US SPOKEN FOR.
THAT'S BASED ON BUDGETS THAT WE'VE HAD YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, THAT THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND Y'ALL GIVE US WHILE WE APPRECIATE IT FROM THE TAXPAYERS.
AND WE UNDERSTAND IT'S VERY GENEROUS, THAT MONEY IS SPOKEN FOR THAT.
DOESN'T HELP WITH THE 50 OR $60,000, WE WILL OWE CISCO ON AND ON AND ON AND ON.
YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE NOT, IF WE'RE NOT, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE REVENUE THAN WE DO THAT SHORTFALL IS GOING TO BE THERE.
JUST, IT'S JUST A CONTINUOUS REVISE, LIKE A CREDIT CARD THAT YOU PAY A BLADE.
AND IT KEEPS COMING IN FOR AN EXTRA A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THIS YEAR.
BUT, BUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TELLS ME THAT THAT'S, EVEN IF WE GAVE A $200,000 CONTRIBUTION THIS YEAR, YOU'RE GONNA NOT GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK FOR $200,000 NEXT YEAR.
NOW WHAT I'M SAYING IS IT'LL GET US CAUGHT UP WHERE WE DON'T NEED TO DO THAT ANYMORE.
IT'LL IT'LL WHEN WE GET, WHEN WE, WE PAY CISCO, WHAT THEY'RE OWED, AND THEN WHEN WE GET THE MONEY FROM COG, THEN WE HAVE A SURPLUS WHEN
[00:35:01]
WE GET THE NEXT BILL, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT.IF THAT MAKES CISCO NOW ABOUT THIRD, HOW MUCH REAL CISCO NOW? UH, TODAY IT'S A LITTLE, THAT TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN WE HAD, WE WERE APPROACHING 63 DAYS WITHOUT BEING PAID FROM AAA, WE OWED CISCO $38,000 AND WE WERE EXPECTING 37 TO COME IN.
SO DID IT COME IN OR MAYBE 60 DAYS TO GET PAID? SO IT'S SIMPLY THAT MONEY WENT IN TO OUR ACCOUNT, THEN IT SHIFTED OVER TO CISCO.
AND THEN, BUT AS I'M SURE THIS WEEK, WE'RE AT PROBABLY ANOTHER 20, 30 GRAND, BUT IT JUST KEEPS GOING UP BECAUSE EVERY WEEK YOU'RE GETTING IN TROUBLE AT FIVE CENTERS.
I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD'S TRYING TO SAY.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU HAVE YOUR REGULAR BILLS AND WE'RE PART OF THE REGULAR PAYMENT, IF YOU LOSE YOUR REGULAR PAYMENT, BECAUSE HE'S USING THE MONEY, THEY CATCH UP, THEN HE'S NOT GOING TO HANDLE THE PAYMENT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? JUST CASHFLOW IS CASHFLOW.
THAT'S A NON-PROFIT THAT THE COUNTY IS NOT YOUR SOLE SOURCE NEVER WAS INTENDED.
I'M SURE YOUR BOARD NEVER INTENDED THAT THE COUNTY BE YOUR SOLE SOURCE OF REVENUE.
NOW, IN FACT, ONE OF MY MAJOR THINGS, UH, THAT I WANTED TO, UM, GET INTO WHEN I BECAME PRESIDENT BEFORE COVID ED WAS TO, UH, TRY TO BE LESS DEPENDENT ON GOVERNMENT FUNDS FOR THESE THINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT AT SOME POINT, BUT WE'RE JUST NOT AT THAT POINT YET.
UM, WE ACTUALLY HAD SCHEDULED TWO OR THREE FUNDRAISER PROGRAMS, UM, THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE COMING IN TO DO THOSE HAVE CANCELED BECAUSE OF COVID THEY DON'T WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THESE THINGS.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE GOING TO GET CREATIVE, UM, AND TRY TO DO WHAT WE CAN, UM, FOR EVERYBODY.
AND, UH, MR. CATE'S POINT IS THAT YOU'RE CORRECT.
I DON'T WANT THE COMMISSIONERS TO FEEL LIKE WE'RE ONLY COMING TO YOU GUYS FOR A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.
WE'RE SHAKING EVERY CORNER TO TRY TO FIX THIS USING REPRESENTATIVE BELL AND SENATOR HALL AND THEIR OFFICES, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE LEARNING IS OUR SITUATION IS NOT OSCILLATED.
THIS IS GOING ON ACROSS EVERY COUNTY AND EVERY AGENCY WE'RE DEALING WITH THIS FOR THE AAA.
SO ARE YOU ASKING REPRESENTATIVE BELL AND I'M SORRY, I SAID, ARE YOU ASKING REPRESENTATIVE BELL AND SHATTERED HER HALL FOR FU FOR FUNDING, OR YOU JUST ASK THEM FOR LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT? SO WE'RE ASKING THEM FOR, TO PUT THE PRESSURE ON AAA, NOT TO SIT ON MONEY LIKE THAT.
THEY SAY THEY'RE WAITING ON FOR HHS PROGRAMS. IF I BILL HHS DIRECTLY, I'M GETTING PAID IN 14 DAYS.
IF I BILL AAA, I'M WAITING 90 TO 120 DAYS AND LIKE STANDING ON THAT MONEY.
SO I, I HATE TO BE THE, I'M SORRY, A RATING.
THAT'S GOING TO COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO.
IT HURT PEOPLE THAT WERE LOOKING TO YOU TO HELP US WITH THIS PROBLEM, ALL OF THEM.
AND I DON'T WANT Y'ALL TO LIKE THE BRUNT OF IT, WHERE WE'RE JUST TRYING TO ASK EVERYBODY FOR, TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO HELP WITH THIS SITUATION SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO STOP.
SO, UH, THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM HAS TO DO WITH SOME OF YOUR HISTORICAL PROBLEMS AS WELL.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT, UH, MODERATELY, BUT, UH, I THINK I, I THINK I EXPRESSED A CONCERN THAT, WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
WELL, LET ME JUST FINISH MY STATEMENT.
I THINK I EXPRESSED A CONCERN THAT, UM, THAT, UH, THE CURRENT PAYMENT SYSTEM THAT THE COUNTY HAS USED STILL GIVES THE COUNTY, UH, AND THE PUBLIC FUNDS, UH, SOME, SOME MODICUM OF CONTROL OVER THAT MONEY.
SHOULD THERE BE AN IMPROPRIETY, SHOULD THAT HAPPEN? UM, THE, I THINK IT'S ON THE FAITH AND CREDIT, IF YOU WILL, OF THE BOARD THAT THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
AND CERTAINLY I, THIS IS HOW I FEEL IS WILLING TO TAKE THAT EXTRA STEP OUT ON, ON THE LIMB AND RELEASE CONTROL OF THE ENTIRE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, UH, AT THE OUTSET.
AND THAT'S IN A GENUINE EFFORT TO TRY TO SUPPORT YOUR PROGRAM.
UM, BUT WE ALSO, WE ALSO HAD AT LEAST A RESERVATION EXPRESSED BY OUR AUDITOR ABOUT THE COUNTIES, THE LEGALITY.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE ACTUALLY EVER EXPLORED THIS, BUT THE LEGALITY
[00:40:01]
OF THE COUNTIES FUNCTIONING, UH, REALLY IN A CASH RESERVE ROLE.UM, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE CAN WORDSMITH THAT, THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS ADDITIONAL FUNDING, BUT I KNOW THAT THAT, UH, THAT, THAT FUNCTION IS REALLY WHERE WE'RE AT IS THAT THE, THE COUNTY'S BEING ASKED TO BE THE CASH RESERVE.
AND, UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IN YOUR FINANCIALS.
UM, BUT, BUT I'M, I'M STILL, I STILL HAVE A BIT OF A CONCERN AND MAYBE YOU CAN ADDRESS IT ABOUT YOUR INTERNAL CONTROLS, UH, SO THAT WE WON'T HAVE ANY REPEATS OF FINANCIAL IMPROPRIETY.
WELL, WE'RE NOT UNLIKE ANY ORGANIZATION THAT HAS A LARGE BUDGET AND HAS A BOARD NOT UNLIKE YOURSELVES.
WE, WE HAD AN ISSUE, UH, WHERE OUR FORMER DIRECTOR, UM, WAS OPERATING IN A SITUATION THAT WAS, UM, TO THE BOARD'S DISCRETION, UH, NOT IN GOOD STANDING AND GOOD, THE BEST INTEREST OF SENIOR CONNECT.
WHEN THE BOARD FOUND OUT ABOUT IT, THE BOARD TOOK CARE OF IT.
WE RELIEVED THE PERSON OF THE POSITION WE MOVED ON.
WE ADDED STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ISSUES DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN, NOT UNLIKE YOU FOLKS DID NOT THAT LONG AGO.
SO THE, THE SYSTEM AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOARD AND THE DIRECTOR WORKED JUST LIKE IT WORKED IN LOTS OF ORGANIZATIONS.
I, I'M NOT GONNA SIT HERE AND PROMISE Y'ALL THAT, UM, NOTHING IS, IS EVER GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT THE ISSUES THAT DID TAKE PLACE WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
I KNOW Y'ALL GOT A LETTER FROM THE AREA ON AGING.
UM, THERE WERE SOME ISSUES WITH, UH, MEALS BEING REPORTED, UM, THAT DIDN'T ACTUALLY GET SERVED.
UM, THEY WANTED US TO GIVE BACK ABOUT $6,000 FOR THAT, UM, AND A PROGRAM, UM, THAT WAS A GRANT WAS APPLIED FOR, THAT WAS NEVER, UH, DONE.
SO WE'VE GOT TO PAY BACK ABOUT 6,000 IN THE BIG SCHEME OF THINGS.
UM, I HAVE DEFENDED AND PROSECUTED FOLKS THAT HAVE STOLEN AND, UH, HAD MS. PROPRIETIES ARE MUCH, MUCH, MUCH, MUCH, MUCH LARGER PORTIONS.
UM, I CAN'T FIX WHAT HAPPENED, THE ISSUES ON WHETHER THE, THE FREEZER AND COFFEE YOU CAN GET OUT FROM THE INSIDE OR THE CIGARETTE BUTTS OR WHATEVER ELSE.
I'M SORRY, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, UM, THOSE THINGS COME UP, BUT, UH, I THINK BRIAN COULD SPEAK TO, I BELIEVE EVERYTHING ON THE LETTER THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED, UM, HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AT THIS POINT.
BRIAN, DO YOU KNOW, ON THAT AND THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, WHICH, UM, THAT WAS NOT DONE APPROPRIATELY.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH AAA, UM, TO START THAT OVER AGAIN, UH, THAT COULD SAY THAT COULD POTENTIALLY MEAN THAT WE WON'T BE WITH CISCO MUCH LONGER ANYWAY, UH, WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT COMPLETELY BACK OUT TO BID BECAUSE IT WAS NOT DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATUES THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
SO WE WERE HAVING TO START THAT PROCESS OVER AGAIN.
UM, AND THEY ARE WELL AWARE THAT THAT MIGHT NOT BE COMPLETED BY THE SEPTEMBER 30TH DEADLINE, BUT AS THEY TOLD ME YESTERDAY, UM, THAT LETTER WAS NOT INTENDED AS AN INDICTMENT ON OUR AGENCY OR THE LEADERSHIP, BUT RATHER A, UM, UH, FINDINGS OF WHAT WAS INHERITED AND WHAT WE'VE GOT TO FIX.
THESE ARE ALL PEOPLE YOU FOLKS KNOW.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY ON THERE IS A COMMUNITY LEADER.
UM, IF Y'ALL, DON'T HAVE CONFIDENCE IN US AS A BOARD TO HANDLE OUR BUSINESS, UM, THEN THAT'S A DECISION Y'ALL HAVE TO MAKE.
UM, BUT I FEEL LIKE SENIOR CONNECT HAS PROVIDED MEALS FOR FOLKS IN THIS COUNTY, UH, THAT OTHERWISE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO EAT AND WE'VE DONE IT, UH, IN AS EFFICIENT A MANNER AS WE KNOW HOW, AND WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT.
UM, I MEAN, IN THE BIG SCHEME OF THINGS, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, ISN'T THAT MUCH MONEY IN MY OPINION, BUT I KNOW WE'RE KIND OF TIGHT ON THINGS RIGHT NOW, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF OUR AUDITOR COULD HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO IT BECAUSE SHE IS REALLY GOOD AT FINDING THEM.
ACTUALLY, WE STARTED GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK COMING THROUGH THE, UH, SO WE HAD TO, OH, YOU HAD TO TURN HER OFF.
I THINK SO WHILE SHE'S DOING THAT, I'D JUST LIKE TO RESPOND TO WHAT, ONE THING YOU SAID AGAIN, I JUST LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT I THINK IT IS ON THE FAITH AND CREDIT THAT WE VEST IN YOUR BOARD THAT WE MADE, THE
[00:45:01]
INITIAL DECISION WE MADE, WHICH WAS TO FRONT YOU A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.SO I THINK THAT, AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND I KNOW Y'ALL ARE, I KNOW EVERYBODY'S ASKING Y'ALL FOR MONEY.
AND IT WAS GIVING Y'ALL FEEDBACK.
UM, COMMISSIONER BARBER IS HERE AND HE, AND WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM SCOTT GRAY WITH SENIOR CONNECT AND COMMISSIONER BARBARA HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR, AND THEN JUST A FEW MINUTES, HE'LL TALK.
HELLO, KAREN, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, SIR.
I WAS JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, I KNOW THINGS ARE TIGHT.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY EXTRA MONEY WE COULD FIND.
AND YOU'RE REALLY GOOD ABOUT DOING THAT.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WITH THESE FOLKS.
IS THERE ANY WAY POSSIBLE YOU COULD DIG THAT UP? UH, W I JUST GOT ALL OF THE FINANCIALS IN COPIES OF AUDITS.
I HAVE TALKED WITH, UM, MS. DONNIE GREEN FROM NET COCK, AND I READ THE LETTERS FROM, UM, HE FELL AND HIS ASSISTANT TO THE STATE, AND IT WAS ALMOST LIKE ONE AGENCY POINTING HIS FINGER AT THE OTHER AGENCY ON REIMBURSEMENT.
AND I'VE LOOKED AT THE SCHEDULE.
SOMETIMES THEY DID NOT GET THEIR REIMBURSEMENT.
SHE, I DID ASK ABOUT THE LETTER OF THE FURNITURE CHARGES, AND SHE SAID THEY, UH, HAD BEEN SATISFIED AND THAT SINCE, UM, MR. BRYANT HAD TAKEN A HOLD OF IT, AND THE LADY HE'S GOT IN THEIR FINANCE POSITION, THAT THEY WERE WORKING REALLY GOOD TOGETHER.
SHE SAID THE SHORTEST TERM THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET THE MONEY BACK AS 45 DAYS IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE OVER THAT BECAUSE IT'S TWO AGENCIES AND IT HAS TO BE SUBMITTED IN ONE PAGE THE OTHER.
THEN THEY TURN AROUND AND SEND THE MONEY TO, UH, THE SENIOR CONNECT.
SO WHERE ARE WE AT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, FINDING A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS? IS THAT EVEN A POSSIBILITY OR NOT? UM, WELL, WE ALREADY COULD A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN THE BUDGET AS A THOUGHT TOBER FIRST.
RIGHT? AND YOU THINK IT WAS COMMISSIONER KATE OR THE JUDGE HAD ASKED ME IF I COULD CUT A CHECK FOR THE FULL AMOUNT.
CAUSE I WAS PAYING IT 25 POUNDS PER QUARTER AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH QUARTER, BUT I DON'T MIND PAYING THE HUNDREDS.
AND I LIKED THAT SUGGESTION, UH, THAT JUDGE RICHARDS MATE, THAT THEY COULD COME BACK LATER.
AND IF WE HAVE SOME EXTRA MONEY, WE COULD WANT TO HELP HIM IF POSSIBLE.
THAT, THAT'S KIND OF THE DIRECTION I WAS GOING TO GO WITH THIS.
IF, IF, IF THE MONEY IS JUST NOT THERE RIGHT NOW, I DID LIKE THAT SUGGESTION AS WELL.
I MEAN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT, THREE MONTHS HERE.
UM, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, MAYBE FOR, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SHUTTING DOWN CENTERS, WE'RE GONNA KNOW IN SIX WEEKS, THE DECISION THAT THE COURT AND SENIOR CONNECT COULD MAKE AN AGREEMENT THAT THEY WOULD COME OUT AND GIVE A REPORT.
I DID NOTICE THAT THEIR FINANCE, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THEY ALL LOOKED REALLY GOOD.
AND IN ORDER I HAVEN'T FINISHED REVIEWING THEM.
I JUST GOT THEM YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
UM, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, 2020 IS WHERE THE MONEY WENT DOWN AND THEN WENT INTO A HOLE.
AND THAT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE OF, COVID NOT HAVING THE FUNDRAISERS AND THE COST OF FOOD.
AND I DON'T WANT TO JUDGE RICHARDS OUT TO GO BUY GROCERIES EVERY WEEK.
SO WHATEVER Y'ALL NEED ME TO DO, I'LL BE HAPPY TO CUT ONE CHECK, WHATEVER Y'ALL WANT TO DO.
LET ME, LET ME JUST THROW THIS OUT THERE.
WHAT, WHAT IF, WHEN WOULD THE FIRST 25 TEST SITE SAY WE DECIDED AS A COURT TO GIVE THEM THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
AND THEN WE STARTED PAYING QUARTERLY.
WELL, THAT'S THE FIRST I ALWAYS PAID.
IT ALWAYS PAID IT AT THE FIRST QUARTER OCTOBER, THEY'D GET 25,000 JANUARY.
THE 25,000 WAS FOR OCTOBER, NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.
SO WHAT IF WE KNEW WHERE THEY'D GET ANOTHER 25 AND THAT WAS FOR THE NEXT THREE MINUTES THAT DOESN'T, I MEAN, IT'S STILL, IT'S STILL LOOK, YOUR, YOUR SUGGESTION IS SHE'LL BE $200,000.
SO YEAH, I'M IN THE BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET, BUT WE WOULDN'T DO IT UNTIL REVENUES TAX REVENUES STARTED COMING IN REALLY WELL.
IT'S NOT, I DON'T THINK IT'S A CASHFLOW THING FOR US AS MUCH AS IT IS, UM, WHERE WE'RE BORROWING ALREADY FROM THIS YEAR INTO NEXT YEAR.
WELL, AS FAR AS, UH, COMMISSIONER PAINTS, HIS STATEMENT THAT I SAID WAS THAT THE COUNTY
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CANNOT BE IN THE POSITION OF BEING A BANK AND LOAN IN MONEY TO ANYBODY IT'S ILLEGAL.SO THAT'S WHAT I MEANT BY THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT ALONE.
MY MOTHER TRIED TO KEEP FROM HELPING ANYBODY.
THE LAW SAYS THAT COUNTY CAN NOT BE THE BIKER HE'S OKAY.
FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, A DONATION IS A DONATION ENTITY SIZE TO USE IT A DONATION.
BUT WHAT IF WE CONSIDER, WHAT HAVE WE JUST CONSIDER IT, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE THAT WE MAKE OUR, OUR DONATION TO SENIOR CONNECT.
IF WE RAISE IT TO 125,000, I KNOW THAT'S NOT ALL THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, BUT IT'S 25,000 MORE THAN, THAN WE HAD BUDGETED.
AND WE STILL AGREE TO PAY THAT IN A LUMP SUM.
WOULD THAT BE, UM, SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE A BENEFICIAL BRIDGE, WHATEVER THE TAXPAYERS CAN DO, UM, TO HELP EVERYBODY UH WE'RE WE'RE UM, BUT YEAH, IT WOULD, IT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP.
CAN WE JUST SETTLE ON THAT THEN, BUT YOU CAN COME JANUARY OR YEAH, WHATEVER.
WHAT ARE THEY PAYMENT WOULD'VE NORMALLY BEEN? IF Y'ALL ARE NOT OUT OF THE HOME, YOU CAN DEFINITELY COME BACK HERE AND TALK.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HERE WOULD, WE WANT TO SEE ONE OF THESE FACILITIES SHUT DOWN AND I WOULD WELCOME ONE OF YOU TO, TO COME TO OUR BOARD MEETINGS OR EARLY.
AND WHEN WE GO OVER THIS STUFF AND SIT THERE SO Y'ALL COULD LISTEN, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
AND I THINK IT'D ALSO BE BENEFICIAL IF SENIOR CONNECT WOULD PERIODICALLY COME IN AND, YOU KNOW, GIVE US SOME FEEDBACK ON HOW OUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE OR YEAH.
SO OUR INSTRUCTIONS TO JERRY, OR TO CHANGE THAT HARM THOUSAND DOLLARS IN HIS, ON HIS OPENGOV TO 1 25.
AND IT'S STILL GOING TO BE OPEN AND YEAH.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YESTERDAY, JUDGE RICHARD, YES.
I MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT MAYBE THEY SUBMIT THEIR QUARTERLY FINANCIALS FOR US TO REVIEW AND THEIR ANNUAL AUDIT BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER BEEN.
GIVEN FINANCIALS ARE AN AUDIT TO REVIEW WOULD HELP THAT WAY.
WE COULD SEE THAT KIND OF STUFF MAYBE AND SAY, OH, Y'ALL NOT HAVING ENOUGH MONEY.
WE NEED TO HELP GET SOME MORE MONEY OR WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION.
IF Y'ALL CAN IN AND, UH, BRANCH OVER HERE, NOT HE'S SHAKING HIS HEAD, BUT HE'S SAYING, YES, WE NEED ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET.
SO, YEAH, I, UH, WHEN I ASKED FARM, I GOT THEM PROBABLY IN ABOUT 10 OR 15 MINUTES CAUSE HE WAS IN MEETING AND THE LADY AT NET CALLED MS. DONEK.
SHE DID NOTHING BUT BRAG ABOUT HOW GOOD HE HAS BEEN TO WORK WITH RIGHT NOW.
I'LL JUST SAY THAT MUCH AND I'M SHUTTING UP.
CAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL TIRED OF HEARING ME.
KAREN, MIKE, HANG UP WHEN YOU WANT TO GO.
SO WE'LL LET HIM HANG UP ON YOU AGAIN.
NO, I HAD FEEDBACK BECAUSE I COULDN'T HARDLY HEAR AND I WAS TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT Y'ALL NEED HERE.
IT WAS, WE WERE GETTING THAT FEEDBACK TO DO THAT.
SCOTT, I THINK WE SHOULD DOUBLE YOUR SALARY.
THAT USED TO BE A JOKE IN THE CITY COUNCIL WORLD, AS WE ALL KNOW, TALKING ABOUT DOUBLING OUR SALARIES AND HONESTLY, I'M, I, YOU KNOW, I GET ASKED TO BE ON BOARDS AND I GENERALLY SAY NO, UH, BUT THIS IS ONE NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
AND, AND AGAIN, UH, I KNOW BRIAN FEELS THE SAME WAY AND THE BOARD FEELS THE SAME WAY YOU GUYS ARE GIVING US $125,000, A LOT OF MONEY.
I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU THAT IT'S ABOUT IT'S WAY BIGGER THAN WE DONATE.
AND THAT'S WHY, UH, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, UM, YOU GUYS SHOULD, WE ARE AN OPEN BOOK.
YOU ALL SHOULD GO TO WELCOME TO ANY KIND OF BOARD MEETING WE HAVE OR PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE AND THOSE THINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW Y'ALL BEEN TO SOME OF THESE, BUT, UM, THE CENTERS ARE THE CENTER OF THESE FOLKS' LIVES.
AND SO WE WANT TO TRY AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP THEM OPEN.
THANK YOU ALL, BOTH FOR COMING.
WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR
JUST GIVE UP YOUR TIME ALL THE TIME FOR SOMETHING.
WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU BRO, THE SECOND YEAR AS PRESIDENT.
AND IT WAS BASICALLY BECAUSE I DIDN'T SHOW UP TO THE LAST VOTING.
THERE'S A LESSON IN THAT, RIGHT? YEAH.
BACK TO JERRY, I HAVEN'T GOT YOUR INSTRUCTIONS ON THAT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED SORT OF REMIND THE COURT THAT NEXT TUESDAY WILL BE A VOTE, SO WE'LL NEED TO HAVE THE QUORUM.
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UH, WE NEED TO HAVE A QUORUM OF, FOR MANY, I HAVE A MINUTE, NO MAJORITY VOTE ON THAT.RIGHT? SO WE'LL VOTE, UH, FIRST VOTE, VOTE ON THE, ON THE TAX RATE AND THEN WE WILL VOTE ON THE BUDGET.
UH, I WILL PREPARE DOCUMENTS FOR THE COURT TO, TO HIGHLIGHT BOTH OF THOSE.
I WILL HAVE A COMPLETE BUDGET BOOK THAT WILL THEN BE FILED.
I HAVE, THERE'S A FEW CERTIFICATES THAT HAPPEN DURING THE COURT MEETING THAT GO IN THE BOOK.
SO I WON'T HAVE THE FINAL FINAL UNTIL AFTER THE, AFTER THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE SOLID, UH, SIGNED AND STAMPED, AND THEN I'LL INCLUDE THOSE IN THE BOOK AND THAT'S WHAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE CLERK.
I COMPLETE PACKET OF ALL THE INFORMATION.
WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL GET PRINTED OUT.
I'LL SEND IT TO YOU IN ADVANCE AND THEN I'LL HAVE A PRINTED COPY.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND I'LL PUT TOGETHER, I'LL WORK WITH THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
Y'ALL LAST YEAR WE DID THE BOOKS INTERNALLY AND IT WAS A LOT OF HEAVY LIFT AND WE MAY, I MAY LET THE AUDITOR PRINT THEM, BUT I'LL HAVE ALL, ALL THAT PUT TOGETHER INTO ONE DOCUMENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE COUPLE OF CERTIFICATES THAT REQUIRE YOUR SIGNATURES.
SKEET, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY, I'D SAY LESS THAN DURING THIS MEETING, IS THAT A MOTION? THAT'S A MOTION COMMISSIONER.
SECOND BY MR. BARBER DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
OPPOSED? NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES WE'RE OUT OF HERE.