Mar 01, 2022 Commissioners Court

[00:00:01]

YES, SIR.

YES, SIR.

NO PROBLEM.

THIS REGULAR MEETING

[Call to Order]

UH, TODAY IS MARCH 1ST, 2022.

IT'S A 9:00 AM.

AND WE ARE IN THE KOMORI COMMISSIONER'S COURT MEETING ROOM, LOCATED IN THE COURTHOUSE, ANNEX AND COFFIN.

UH, WE WILL START OUR MEETING TODAY WITH AN INVOCATION AND PLEDGE TO OUR FLAGS.

COMMISSIONER KATES WILL LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION AND COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS IN THE PLEDGES, RIGHT WITH YOUR LORD.

WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR THE SUNSHINE TODAY.

WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE FREEDOM THAT WE ENJOY IN THIS COUNTRY.

AS WE SEE ON OUR TELEVISION SCREENS, FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.

LORD HELP US TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS TO MAINTAIN THAT, THAT WAY OF LIFE, HELP US TO BE HUMBLE AND GENEROUS AND CARING PEOPLE.

LORD, WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS ON ALL THOSE THAT ARE IN JEOPARDY.

ALSO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR MILITARY, AND OUR COUNTRY AND OUR STATE AND YOUR NAME.

WE PRAY.

AMEN.

THE FLAG STATES OF AMERICA, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL ONE SAY UNDER GOD.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE A FULL HOUSE.

I FEEL, I FEEL REALLY SAFE IN HERE TODAY BASED ON WHO WE'VE GOT IN THE, IN THE ROOM.

UM, JUST, UH, I GUESS I'LL JUST TAKE THE LIBERTY OF MAKING ONE LITTLE COMMENT, UH, BASED ON WHAT COMMISSIONER KAY SAID IN HIS PRAYER.

I THINK WE HAVE ELECTION DAY TODAY AND YOU KNOW, WE, THEY'RE NOT HAVING AN ELECTION DAY AND UKRAINE TODAY OR ANYTHING NORMAL, EVERYTHING THEY'RE LIVING WITH IS CATASTROPHE.

SO THOSE REVIEW ARE INCLINED TO DO SO.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO PRAY FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE THERE AND THAT PART OF THE WORLD.

UM, SO FIRST

[1. ROUTINE CORRESPONDENCE.]

I HAVE ONE ITEM.

UM, I GOT A LETTER FROM THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON JAIL STANDARDS THAT OUGHT TO STOP YOUR HEART A LITTLE BIT.

UM, AND IT BASICALLY I'LL READ IS A BIT I'LL PARAPHRASE IT, BUT IT SAYS THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON JAIL STANDARDS WISHES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXCELLENT WORK OF THE COFFIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE FOR THE COFFIN COUNTY JAIL, THE MOST RECENT INSPECTION OF YOUR FACILITY ON FEBRUARY 11TH BY THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON JAIL STANDARDS, INSPECTOR MICHAEL GRAVITT HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT YOUR FACILITY IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH TEXAS MINIMUM JAIL STANDARDS AND SHERIFF, I THINK THE TERM MINIMUM JAIL STANDARDS DOESN'T REALLY EXPLAIN.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD CALL US JAIL STANDARDS MINIMUM BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT, ARE THEY, I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SERIES, IT'S SERIOUS ABOUT ITS MINIMUM AMOUNT OF COMPARED TO OTHER STANDARD FEDERAL.

AND AS LONG AS WE MEET THE MINIMUM AND IT HELPS ME WITH MY ATTORNEYS WHO REPRESENTED US, THAT WE HAVE MET THAT MINIMUM.

BUT AS YOU KNOW, WE EXPECT, YEAH, IT'S A MINIMUM, BUT IT'S A MINIMUM IT'S WAY UP HERE.

YES, SIR.

YEP.

UH, IN THE LAST, IT SAYS A CERTIFICATE OF CLIENTS DEMONSTRATE YOUR OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND THE DILIGENT WORK OF YOUR STAFF AND COMPLYING WITH MINIMUM JAIL STANDARDS.

UM, HE, HE JUST, HE GOES ON AND HE FINALLY, HE CONCLUDES WITH THE CITIZENS OF COFFIN COUNTY SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOUR COMBINED EFFORTS AS IS THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON JAIL STANDARDS.

SO, SHERIFF, I GUESS IF I WERE GOING TO SAY, CONGRATULATIONS, I'D SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR TEAM FIRST.

UH, CAUSE I THINK THEY, UH, THEY CARRY THE WATER FOR YOU OVER THERE, BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU TOO.

I APPRECIATE THEM.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'RE ONLY AS GOOD AS WHAT YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH AND I'M BLESSED AND BEING SHORTHANDED, MANY PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO WORK.

THEY'VE DONE OUTSTANDING.

YEAH.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UH, IS ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER ROUTINE CORRESPONDENCE? OKAY.

THEN MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO.

THE

[2. CONSENT AGENDA]

UH, DOES ANYONE CARE TO TAKE ANYTHING OFF OF THAT FOR INDIVIDUAL DISCUSSION? IF NOT AS OUR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED, I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.

WE HAVE THE MOTION COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS.

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

AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED NO MOTION CARRIES ITEM THREE,

[3. Judge Richards; Discuss the next issuance of road bonds.]

UM,

[00:05:01]

UM, AND AFTER THAT, UH, JOHN POLLSTER, WHO IS OUR CONSULTANT WITH ITS KIND OF STARTED THIS, WE KIND OF STARTED THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE OUR ROAD BOND COMMITMENTS THAT WE MADE TO THE VOTER.

SO, UM, I HAVE, SO WE HAVE WITH US TODAY TO TALK ABOUT OUR SCHEDULE FOR ISSUING THE LAST TRANCHE OF OUR ROAD BONDS.

WE HAVE GEORGE WILLIFORD AND, UH, JOHN POLLSTER WILL, Y'ALL BOTH COME UP AND I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE OF YOU WANTS TO GO FIRST.

UM, I THINK JOHN, MIGHT YOU GO AHEAD AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AND THEN GEORGE CAN EXPLAIN, TALK ABOUT FUNDING? WELL, I WAS THINKING WE WERE GOING TO DO IT BY REPUTATION AND PROFESSIONALISM.

GEORGE SHOULD GO FIRST.

I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT ALL DO YOUR WAY.

OKAY.

SO WHILE BACK, YOU'LL SEE ONE OF THE CONTRACTS WE HAVE TODAY COME FOR YOU, UH, FOR SOME INTERCHANGES AS ON 1 75 AND A CAMP AREA.

WE, UH, WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON A LOT OF IN PRECINCT TO THIS TIME.

UH, WE SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF OUR FIRST ISSUANCE AND A LOT OF OUR SECOND ISSUANCE ON COUNTY ROADS.

UH, AND WE ARE AT A POINT NOW WHERE WITH THE OUTER LOOP COMING ON IN THESE INTERCHANGES AND THESE CONTRACTS THAT, UH, RIGHT NOW I'VE GOT ABOUT $13 MILLION WORTH OF, UH, ISSUED FUNDS.

AND I NEED ABOUT $22 MILLION OF FUNDING TO GET IT DONE WITH.

IT'S NOT THAT THE PROJECTS ARE NEW, OTHER THAN THE OUTER LOOP IT'S THAT WE ARE MOVING FASTER WITH THEM THAN WE ANTICIPATED.

SO THE ISSUANCE IS, ARE NEEDING TO BECOME A LITTLE BIT QUICKER THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATE.

SO, UM, I WENT THROUGH WITH THE JUDGE ON LIKE 1641.

WE HAVE SUPPLEMENTAL BECAUSE WE MOVED OFF OF THAT, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD AND HAD TO MOVE THAT WATER LINE, BUT WE'RE DOING A 7 41 AT A 1 75.

WE'RE DOING A 5 48, UH, 4 67 40.

IT WAS JUST A LOT OF PROJECTS.

WE HAVE COMING DOWN THE PIKE AND UH, THOSE CONTRACTS ARE COMING IN, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE OVER WHAT WE ANTICIPATED, BUT PRETTY CLOSE.

AND SO WHEN I LOOKED AT IT, UH, AND THEN WE GOT THE BAGGAGE ROAD FOR THE GOVERNMENT CENTER, UM, I CAME TO THE JUDGE AND SAYS, I'VE GOT A CASHFLOW PROBLEM.

YOU'VE GOT THE MONEY TO DO THE WORK, BUT WITHOUT ISSUING THE REMAINING BOND FUNDS THAT, UH, I'VE GOT TO TRY AND FIND A WAY TO GET KAREN HAPPY.

AND I DON'T THINK I CAN DO THAT WITH WHAT I HAVE IS THAT CLOSE ENOUGH? YOU'RE ALWAYS, YOU'RE ALWAYS THE BRUNT OF HIS COMMENTS.

KAREN, TAKE A BEATING.

WELL, SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE OTHER DAY AND, UM, THE CONGRESS PASSED A TRILLION DOLLAR INFRASTRUCTURE FUND, RIGHT? UH, FAR AS I KNOW, THERE'S NO MONEY HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO STEPS TO THAT.

THEY, THEY PASS THE LAW AND THEN THE NEXT THING IS THEY GOT TO START FIGURING OUT AND THEY'LL, THEY WILL EVENTUALLY START FIGURING OUT HOW TO START SENDING THAT MONEY TO THE STATES AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND ALL THAT.

SO THAT MONEY IS GOING TO BE COMING DOWN.

CORRECT.

AND ALWAYS IN THE PAST PROJECTS THAT WERE SHOVEL-READY.

I MEAN, THEY THEY'RE GONNA, THEY, THAT MONEY SPENT BECAUSE IT'S, UH, ECON, IT'S, IT, IT STIMULATES THE ECONOMY, IT PROVIDES JOBS.

AND SO THEY TYPICALLY HAVE ALWAYS IN THE PAST ONE OF THAT MONEY SPENT.

AND IF YOU ARE READY, IF YOU'VE GOT A PROJECT READY, SO IT'S COMING TO IT'S COMING IN TWO WAYS.

THE FIRST WAY IS THEY HAVE A CERTAIN DOLLAR ABOUT 167 BILLION THAT WILL COME TO THE STATES BY FORMULA.

AND THOSE ARE ALREADY IN THE PIPELINE.

SO YOU'RE ALREADY TARGETING THOSE AND THEY DID INCREASE THE FORMULA ALLOCATION FOR THE DONOR STATES BECAUSE THERE'S 20 STATES THAT PUT IN MORE THAN THEY GET A TEXAS ONE OF THOSE.

SO THEY DID INCREASE THE PERCENTAGES FOR THE DONOR STATES IN THIS, IN THIS ONE-TIME TRAUNCH.

AND SO THAT WILL RESULT IN SPECIFIC DOLLAR MATCH THAT YOU CAN CALCULATE.

THEY'LL COME TO NORTH TEXAS AND THE NORTH TEXAS FOLKS ARE ALREADY GEARING UP FOR THOSE PROJECTS.

AND, AND WHAT WE DO IS THEY LOOK AT THOSE PROJECTS THAT WEREN'T ANTICIPATED TO BE READY, CAUSE REMEMBER LAVISHED ON YOUR LAST YEAR TEXTS THAT HAD ABOUT NINE MONTH PERIOD WHERE THEY HAD TO TAKE ALL THEIR DEVELOP AUTHORITY AND PUT IT INTO CONSTRUCTION.

[00:10:01]

AND THOSE OF US WHO WORKED OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM AND KEPT DONATING AND MOVING FORWARD ON THESE PROJECTS, OUR PROJECT IS GOING TO HIT THAT GAP.

THE NEW MONEY WILL COME IN FROM THE FORMULA ALLOCATION.

AND THEN THE SECOND TRAUNCH WILL BE, I JUST HAD A BRIEFING ON FRIDAY ON IT.

THERE IS A TON OF MONEY AVAILABLE, BUT YOU HAVE TO GO AND APPLY FOR IT GRANT WISE.

AND SO EVERYBODY'S SCRAMBLING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT IS.

SO THAT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO SEE HOW OUR PROJECTS, UH, FIT INTO THOSE, THOSE CATEGORIES WITH THOSE SHIRTS MORE, YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND DO IT.

SO THOSE OF US WHO ARE DO THIS FOR A LIVING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LEG UP ON, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GONNA HAVE TO TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT THAT PROCESS ON THEIR OWN.

WE CAN'T BE PREPARED.

WE CAN'T EVER PROJECTS SOMEWHAT ADVANCED THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT.

AND ALL OF THESE PROJECTS, WE ARE SELECTING THESE FIRMS FROM WHAT I CALL CRADLE TO GRAVE, RIGHT FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMATIC DESIGN, UH, CONSTRUCTION, UH, ENGINEERING IF NEEDED.

UH, BUT WE'LL ONLY GIVE THEM NOTICE INITIALLY FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND THE SCHEMATIC, BECAUSE ONCE THE PROJECT IS CLEARED, THEN IT MOVES OVER INTO ANOTHER CATEGORY FOR A DISTRICT DEVELOP AUTHORITY WHERE THEN IT DOESN'T COUNT TOWARDS THEIR BUDGET.

THEY CAN GO BUY THE RIGHT-OF-WAY AND MOVE THE UTILITY AND ALL THAT WORK.

UH, AND IT DOESN'T COST.

IT DIDN'T, IT DOESN'T HIT THEIR CONSTRUCTION BUDGET.

AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO GET TO IS READY TO LET, WHERE THE ENGINEERING'S DONE.

ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE HAS DONE THE RIGHT ALWAYS BOUGHT AND UTILITIES RELOCATED.

SO HOW BRING A LOT OF THESE CONTRACTS UP? UH, WE GOT MATT WITH THE HALF HERE WITH ONE FIVES WHERE I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING NEXT CYCLE OR THE 7 44 60.

WE GOT THAT NEGOTIATED WITH ATKINS.

AND THERE'S ONE OTHER ONE THAT'S SKIPPING MY MIND, BUT, UH, WE'LL GET IT IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OR SO THE 48, 5 48 PK, I THINK.

RIGHT? YEAH.

AND THE SOUTHBOUND FURNITURE WHAT'S HOLDING UP THAT ISN'T JOSIE CARTER, IT'S THE, BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNMENT FACILITY THERE AND HOW WE TIE INTO THE, TO THE INTERNET TO MAKE IT SAFER, MAYBE DOING THAT A DIVERGENT DIAMOND, WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING THEM A SCOPE THAT COMES CLOSE TO WHAT IT IS WE WANT THEM TO TRY TO DO.

YEAH.

SO THAT'S ALL THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON THAT'S BEING HELD UP IS THAT THAT'S THE TARGET IS MOVING A LITTLE BIT ON, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT THE THINKS PART OF THIS, NONE OF US HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL, BUT CERTAINLY THE TRAJECTORY WE'RE ON IN THE ECONOMY IS FOR CONSTRUCTION COSTS TO GO UP.

AND I, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THAT WILL LAST, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THIS SOONER THAT WE COULD GET OURSELVES IN A POSITION TO BUILD PROJECTS OR, YEAH, I THINK THAT WE'RE ON A, WE'VE GOT PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE ALREADY.

UH, AND SO LIKE 1 48 BYPASS WE'VE, WE'VE GOT A FAIRLY STRONG, UH, COMMITMENT THAT CAUSE THAT PROJECTS READY TO GO IN THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR MONTHS.

AND IT'S, IT'S LITERALLY, SHOVEL-READY THE RATTLE IS A CARD AND UTILITIES ARE MOVED.

IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT DESIGNED.

IT'S JUST, UH, WAITING FOR THE, I THINK WE'VE GOT 2 MILLION AND WE NEED 31.

SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A BIG LEAP NOT BEING LATE.

SO, UH, I GUESS QUESTIONS FOR JOHN, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO TALK ABOUT THE, WHAT THE, THE IMPACT AND THE PLAN MIGHT BE TO ISSUE THE LAST OF THOSE BONDS THAT THE VOTERS APPROVED.

ANYBODY IN THE QUESTIONS FOR JOHN? WELL, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE THE COMMENT THAT, THAT, UH, ALL THESE PROJECTS, UM, I MEAN THEY'RE CRITICAL.

THEY ARE THEY'RE PROJECTS THAT, UH, PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED DECADES AGO.

YEAH.

I WAS GOING TO SAY THEY WERE CRITICAL 10 YEARS.

RIGHT, EXACTLY.

RIGHT.

AND, UH, THE COST IS ONLY GOING TO GO UP AND, UH, WITH, PARTICULARLY WITH THE EMPHASIS ON 1 75, UH, IN THE CAMP AND MAYBANK AREA, THE SAFETY ISSUES DOWN THERE, EVEN THOUGH THE STATE HAS, UH, WITH KEITH, BELL'S HELP OUR REPRESENTATIVE, UH, AND JOHN'S HELP, UH, WE HAVE THE STATE PUTTING UP SOME WARNING SIGNALS DOWN THERE AND TRYING TO, TRYING TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE DANGERS BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED TRAFFIC, BUT ULTIMATELY THOSE GRADE SEPARATIONS, THE FINISHING OF 1 75, THAT'S THE ONLY ANSWER.

AND THAT'S WHY THESE PROJECTS HAVE GOT TO GO FORWARD AND THEY NOT ONLY ARE, IS IT A SAFETY ISSUE? IT JUST SUPPORTS DESIRABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTY.

AND ON THAT NOTE, JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE DID GET CONFIRMATION LAST WEEK THAT TXDOT IS AS HAS HIRED A BGE

[00:15:01]

AND THEY TOLD US THAT THEY'D HAVE THEM ON CONTRACT IN MARCH.

AND I WAS GOING TO WORK WITH THE JUDGE ON IT, GETTING THE GROUP BACK TOGETHER, THAT CARES ABOUT THAT ROAD AND JUST A PRESENT BGE TO THOSE GUYS AND START, UM, YOU DID PIN THEM DOWN THERE TO MY, THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET TOGETHER AND I'M IN DEBT.

THEY'RE GOING TO DO THIS IN MARCH AT 22.

RIGHT.

OKAY.

SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I JUST WANTED TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT, THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL HAD ASKED US TO GET DONE.

AND THAT'S THAT'S THAT ALLOWS US TO FLEX SOME OF THAT MONEY TO THE OUTER LOOP, TO COVER PART OF THAT IN THE SHORT TERM OR THE BACKWARDS ROAD, BECAUSE REMEMBER WE'RE GOING TO PICK WHATEVER PROJECT THE COURT WANTS TO DO.

UM, CAUSE THAT'S SEVEN POINT WHATEVER WE DID ON HDR, IT'S GOING TO GET PAID BACK TO US BY FEDERAL DOLLARS BY CONGRESS PUTTING THAT MONEY ON A, ON SYSTEM PROJECT IN OUR COUNTY.

AND IT'S ALREADY IN THE TIP.

IT'S JUST, IF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT WAS, UH, 8 MILLION, BUT THE PROJECT NAME IS TBD RIGHT NOW.

SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO THE IT.

OKAY.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PLAN, THE FINANCE PLAN AND ALL THAT STUFF.

GEORGE WILLIFORD.

GOOD MORNING.

WELL MORNING JUDGE.

COMMISSIONER'S GOOD TO BE BACK UP.

YOU SHOULD EACH HAVE A PIECE OF HANDED OUT AND, UH, UH, JUDGE RICHARDS CALLED NOT THAT LONG AGO, UH, TIED TO EVERYTHING THAT JOHN JUST WENT OVER AND, UH, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.

I'D, I'D RATHER PROJECT WHERE COSTS ARE GOING THAN INTEREST RATES, BUT, UH, JUST LIKE JOHN'S SAYING COSTS ARE GOING TO KEEP GOING UP.

I THINK WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE LIKELIHOOD IS THAT INTEREST RATES ARE GOING TO, THEY HAVE BEEN HEADED UPWARD, UH, AND THERE'S A LOT OF INSTABILITY, BUT I THINK LONG-TERM, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL.

AND SO A JUDGE ASKED, YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT ISSUING THE REMAINING, UH, AUTHORIZATION? AND IF YOU RECALL, LAST YEAR WHEN WE ISSUED THE 55 PLUS MILLION, WE HAD IT KIND OF STRETCHED OVER TO SUBSEQUENT ISSUES.

BUT, UH, WHAT I DID IS TRIED TO KIND OF MODEL AND COMPARE, UH, WHAT IF WE GO AHEAD AND ISSUE THE FULL 38.95 MILLION THAT'S REMAINING AND ON THE FIRST PAGE BEHIND THE COVER, JUST, JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE GOING BACK, AS YOU'LL SEE TO WHEN THE ELECTION WAS HELD IN 2019, AND THIS IS ALL PREDICATED ON WHAT WE WERE ASSUMING ABOUT INTEREST RATES FOR ISSUES OUT OVER SEVERAL YEAR PERIOD, PLUS PROJECTING TAXABLE VALUE.

AND THAT'S THE BENEFIT AND BLESSING THAT YOU'VE HAD IS THE GROWTH THAT YOU HAVE THE TAXABLE VALUE HAS AND LOOKS LIKE IT'LL CONTINUE TO SURPASS EVEN WHAT WE HAD PROJECTED MAN, TO BE CONSERVATIVE AND SO ON.

BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT, UH, AT THE TIME OF THE ELECTION AND WHAT WAS EVERYTHING WAS BASED ON IS THAT THE ULTIMATE RATE FOR DEBT SERVICE WOULD NOT HIT OR EXCEED 8 CENTS.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO MODEL 7.91 CENT MAXIMUM RATE AT WHATEVER POINT, BUT THE ISSUES WERE STRETCHED OUT THROUGH 2028.

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FINAL THEN AFTER WE DID THE FIRST ISSUANCE KEPT THAT SAME KIND OF PATTERN, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO SAY, WELL, WE THINK WE PULLED THE RIGHT DOWN, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, BY CLOSE TO 10 CENT MAXIMUM AND SO ON.

AND THEN LAST YEAR WHEN WE ISSUED VALUES HAD GROWN AND SO ON, AND WE WERE PROJECTING THE MAXIMUM TAX RATE THAT WOULD BE HIT WOULD BE 7.77 CENTS.

BUT YOU COULD CONCLUDE THE ISSUANCE IN 2024.

AND SO IF YOU MOVED TO THIS FAR RIGHT-HAND SIDE, UH, THIS SAYS, OKAY, IF WE DO IT ALL NOW, THE 38.95, WHAT YOU SEE IS WE CAN STILL PROJECT THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE MAX THINGS PROJECTED, RIGHT? THE PAGE BEHIND THAT IT'S VERY DETAILED.

THAT'S THE SCHEDULE THAT SHOWS THIS ASSUMED ISSUANCE OR, OR MODELED ISSUANCE OF THE FULL 38.95.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT WHAT WE'RE USING IS THE ACTUAL VALUE YOU HAVE FOR THIS YEAR TYPES OF 13.2, 9 BILLION.

AND THEN WE'RE ASSUMING 10% GROWTH FOR NEXT YEAR, 14.6, UH, AND THEN TWO MORE YEARS, BUT THEN IT STARTS DROPPING OFF.

WE'RE NOT, UH, ASSUMING THAT, UH, HIGH OF GROWTH, UH, THERE ON, AND YOU'LL NOTICE ON COLUMN F THAT 38.95, RIGHT NOW WE'RE, UH, SHOWING A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT INTEREST RATE ON THAT.

THAT'S STILL A LITTLE HIGH

[00:20:01]

UH, CURRENTLY IT'S JUST WHEN WE'RE TALKING A MONTH OUT, UH, I DON'T WANT TO ASSUME THAT IT WILL BE, YOU KNOW, DOWN AT 3% OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT WHILE WE STILL HAVE SOME CUSHION IN INTEREST RATES.

THE NEXT PAGE IS SHOWING YOU EXACTLY WHAT WE SENT IN MY LAST YEAR AFTER WE'D DONE THE 2021 ISSUE.

AND WHAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT TWO THINGS IS, UH, THE TAXABLE VALUE WHEN IT CAME IN AND CERTIFIED WAS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, 230 MILLION ABOUT, UH, ABOVE WHAT WE WERE PROJECTED FOR THIS YEAR IS VALUE.

SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS ALLUDING TO EARLIER AND TALK IN A YEAR OR A YEAR AND A HALF OUT.

WE WERE ASSUMING THIS 30, THE 30 MILLION THAT CONCEIVABLY BE ISSUED THIS YEAR BE AT FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT.

SO WE'VE ALREADY GAINED A HUNDRED BASIS POINTS IN OUR MODELING AND HOPEFULLY A LITTLE MORE.

SO THE MAXIMUM IS 7.77 IN BOTH CASES AND IN ALL LIKELY HOOD, HOPEFULLY THAT WOULDN'T EVEN BE HIT.

IF WE SEE THE VALUES, FOR INSTANCE, THIS YEAR COME IN A LITTLE HIGHER.

AND SO ON BEHIND THAT IS A CALENDAR.

UH, IF THE COURT'S PLEASURE IS SAY, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD AND SO ON.

WELL, THIS IS KIND OF THE MOST EXPEDITED, UH, TIMETABLE WE COULD BE ON.

AND, UH, I MET WITH BOND COUNSEL AND THEY TALKED WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND CONFIRMED THAT APRIL 12TH IS A, A REGULAR ESTABLISHED MEETING DATE.

AND YOU HAVE TO DO THAT, UH, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS COUNTIES CAN ONLY AUTHORIZE DEAD ON, ON REGULARLY ESTABLISHED, UH, COURT MEETING DATES.

BUT IF THE COURT TODAY SAID MOVE FORWARD WOULD BE BASICALLY HAVE EVERYTHING IN PROCESS.

UH, I'M LAST, I WILL PUT A CAVEAT ON THAT.

IF OUR UNDERWRITERS AND UNDERWRITERS, WE ARE GOING TO DEAL WITH SAY THAT'S INCOME TAX WEEK AND THINGS GET A LITTLE HINKY OR WHATEVER WE MAY RECOMMEND.

LET'S PUSH THAT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT ANY ADVERSE SHORT-TERM IMPACT ON RIGHTS, BUT ASSUMING THAT WE COULD STAY ON THIS SCHEDULE SO THAT THE BONDS COULD BE OFFERED, UH, ON MONDAY PROCEEDING YOUR COURT MEETING ON THE 12TH AND BROUGHT TO YOU AND, AND, UH, THE WHOLE ISSUE BE WRAPPED UP.

AND I PUT SOME INFORMATION BEHIND THAT.

THIS IS REALLY JUST FOR YOU TO SEE AND VISUALIZE THE FIRST PAGE SHOWS, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST, UH, UH, 10 PLUS YEARS, WHAT INTEREST RATES HAVE DONE.

AND YOU CAN SEE WE'RE STILL AT A VERY LOW HISTORIC RIGHT LEVEL, BUT YOU CAN SEE KIND OF ON THAT FAR RIGHT-HAND TAIL AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, REITS ARE STARTED UP.

AND THEN IF YOU'LL LOOK AT THE NEXT PAGE, THAT'S THE BOND BUYER INDEX OVER THE LAST FOUR WEEKS, WE CAN SEE THAT THEY'VE CREPT UP.

AND THEN THE VERY LAST PAGE I PUT IN THERE, UH, TO ME HAS MEANING BECAUSE, UH, YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS IS THE WEEKLY BOND BAR INDEX.

UH, IT'S VERY BUSY PAGE OF NUMBERS, BUT THE FAR RIGHT HAND INDEX RIGHT LAST WEEK WAS 2.5, 4%.

IF YOU MOVE TO THE LEFT, JUST OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, YOU KNOW, FOURS, AND, AND IN SOME CASES, 5%, UH, RATES, AND ALSO WE'RE, IT'S NOT AT ALL UNREAL TO IMAGINE THAT THE LONGER YOU MIGHT WAIT, INTEREST RATES COULD GO BACK TO MORE.

WHAT, AT ONE POINT, NOT THAT LONG AGO WAS MORE NORMAL, BUT I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND, UH, ANYTHING THAT COMPLIMENT WHAT JOHN'S PRESENTING.

I MEAN, I CAN RELATE IF YOU'LL RECALL BACK, UH, YOU KNOW, I, THE FINANCIAL CRISIS WHEN THEY STARTED, UH, HAVING FEDERAL MONEY AVAILABLE FOR PROJECTS AND STIMULUS AND THIS AND THAT, IT WAS THE IMPORTANT FACTOR OF BEING SEVERAL READY, READY TO CONTRACT, READY TO PROCEED.

AND YOU CAN'T CONTRACT UNTIL THE FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE.

YEAH, NONE OF OUR CONTRACTORS OR ENGINEERING COMPANIES WORK ON CREDIT, DO THEY? THEY PROBABLY DON'T EVEN ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR GEORGE, GEORGE? THANK YOU.

I THOUGHT THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU MADE THAT PRETTY CLEAR, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR PRESENTATION WHEN YOU CONSIDER LOTS OF NUMBERS AND STUFF.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THIS WAS A COURSE THAT THERE'S A DISCUSSION ITEM TODAY.

AND, UM, IF I GUESS WHAT I WILL PLAN IS I'LL PLAN FOR US TO HAVE THIS COMING UP ON A DISCUSSING CONSIDER EVERYBODY REALLY HAS A CHANCE TO LOOK OVER IT.

OKAY.

I THINK YOU SHOULD DO THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

JEFF WE'LL HAVE IT ON THE AGENDA NEXT WEEK.

UH, NEXT UP,

[4. Dan Romo; Present/Accept the 2021 Annual JP Court's Collection report.]

[00:25:01]

ALRIGHT, JUDGE RICHARDS COMMISSIONERS.

THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE THIS MORNING.

UH, MY NAME IS DOUG BURNSIDE.

I'M A PARTNER WITH PURDUE BRANDON FIELD OR COLLINS AND MOTT WITH ME TODAY ARE DAN ROMO, OUR DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND MELISSA PACE, WHO IS OUR CLIENT LIAISON FOR KAUFMAN COUNTY, WHERE WE'RE HERE TODAY IS TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE AND REPORT ON OUR COLLECTIONS FOR THE JP COURTS.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON YOUR SECOND PAGE, UM, WE'VE GOT A DIFFERENT FORMAT FOR OUR REPORT THIS YEAR AND PROVIDES A LOT MORE INFORMATION, A LOT MORE USEFUL INFORMATION, IN MY OPINION, UM, THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION ON, SO I'M GOING TO KIND OF POINT OUT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF IT AND WHAT, WHAT WE, WHAT I LOOK AT WHEN I LOOK AT THIS.

UM, THE BIGGEST NUMBER WE HAVE IS THE AMOUNT LIQUIDATE.

THE AMOUNT TURNED OVER FOR THE LIFE OF THE CONTRACT, WHICH IS JUST UNDER $18 MILLION.

AND FOR REFERENCE, WE STARTED COLLECTING FOR JP COURTS ONE AND TWO IN 2015 AND THREE AND FOUR IN 2016.

SO IN THAT TIME, JUST UNDER $18 MILLION HAS BEEN TURNED OVER TO US FOR COLLECTIONS AND OF THAT AMOUNT WE HAVE, UH, RESOLVED OR LIQUIDATED JUST UNDER $8 MILLION OF THAT 8000005.6 HAS BEEN ACTUALLY COLLECTED.

AND THEN 2.3, OR WHAT WE CALL AMOUNTS RESOLVED, WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY THINGS THAT ARE WRITTEN OFF BY FIND REDUCTIONS, DISMISSALS, JAIL CREDITS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, OR CASES THAT ARE RECALLED BY THE COURT.

UM, AND SO THAT TOTAL RESOLUTION NUMBER OF 44.7 IS ONE OF THE KEY NUMBERS THAT WE LOOK AT.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EACH YEAR AS WE'RE DOING THESE REPORTS, THAT THAT NUMBER IS GOING UP.

AND IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A YEAR SINCE WE'VE DONE A REPORT FOR YOU.

AND SINCE THAT TIME, THAT NUMBER HAS GONE UP FROM PERCENT TO 44.7%.

SO THAT'S A PRETTY BIG INCREASE IN ONE YEAR.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONSTANTLY GETTING NEW TICKETS TURNED OVER TO US FOR COLLECTIONS, CONSTANTLY GETTING NEW, FINE FEE AMOUNTS.

SO THIS NUMBER IS ALWAYS EVOLVING, BUT W WHAT WE WANT TO LOOK FOR AND WHAT YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR IN OUR PERFORMANCE IS THAT THAT NUMBER IS ALWAYS GOING UP.

UM, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OUTSTANDING BALANCE NUMBER IS GOING DOWN AND THAT'S HARD TO ACCOMPLISH IN OUR BUSINESS BECAUSE THERE'S NEW STUFF BEING TURNOVER, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'RE CONSISTENTLY MOVING IT DOWN.

SO THAT'S SOME OF THE KEY THINGS WE LOOK AT.

UM, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, BREAKS IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND TALKS ABOUT SOME OF OUR COLLECTION ACTIVITIES.

YOU KNOW, THE LIFE OF CONTRACT WE'VE MAILED MORE THAN 300,000 LETTERS ON BEHALF OF KAUFMAN COUNTY.

UH, IN THE LAST, JUST OVER LAST YEAR, IT'S BEEN ABOUT 50,000 LETTERS HAVE BEEN MAILED.

UM, WE'VE, WE'VE VERBALLY CONTACTED 67,000 DEBTORS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE'VE COLLECTED THE FIVE POINT JUST UNDER $5.7 MILLION FOR THE COUNTY.

UM, AND THEN THIS IS JUST A PIE CHART THAT KIND OF BREAKS DOWN AND SHOWS THAT SAME INFORMATION THAT WE WENT OVER EARLIER.

IF WE GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, THESE NEXT TWO PAGES, WELL, I'M NOT SURE THE, THE USEFULNESS OF THE INFORMATION.

I THINK IT'S A VERY INTERESTING ASPECT OF WHAT WE DO THE FIRST PAGE TALKS ABOUT OR SHOWS WHERE THE TOP DEBTORS ARE BY ZIP CODE AND AS WOULD BE EXPECTED, THE THREE HIGHEST ZIP CODES ARE RIGHT HERE IN KAUFMAN COUNTY, IN, IN TERRELL, IN FORNEY AND IN KAUFFMAN, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WHERE YOUR LARGEST POPULATION BASES, THAT'S WHERE THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF TICKETS IS GOING TO COME FROM.

BUT INTERESTINGLY PRECINCT FOUR DOES NOT.

THE, THE ZIP CODE FOR PRECINCT FOUR IS ABOUT 10TH OF ALL OF OUR DEBTORS.

WHEREAS SOUTH DALLAS, OBVIOUSLY THE PEOPLE COMING OUT OF DALLAS FROM ON 80 AND 71, 75 AND 20 THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF YOUR TICKETS ARE COMING FROM ALSO.

UM, AND SO THAT'S JUST AN INTERESTING REPRESENTATION OF WHERE IT'S AT.

UM, THE NEXT PAGE, IT JUST TALKS ABOUT ALL ACCOUNTS AND WHERE THE DEBTORS ARE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

UM, I THINK KAUFMAN COUNTY NEEDS DO A BETTER JOB OF, OF MARKETING VISITING FROM MONTANA BECAUSE IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE'VE GOT A SINGLE TICKET IN THE STATE OF MONTANA, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, AND SOME OF THE FAR NORTHEAST IT'S FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SO WE'RE DOING COLLECTIONS NATIONWIDE RIGHT NOW.

DAN IS GONNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR CASE RESOLUTION PROJECT, WHICH WE'VE JUST GOTTEN UNDERWAY, WHICH YOU MIGHT USED TO BE KNOWN AS THE WARRANT ROUNDUP MORNING, EVERYBODY.

AND, UH, JUST TO KIND OF MAKE A COMMENT ON THE LAST THING, IT GOES TO SHOW YOU THAT WHEN WE'RE WORKING TICKETS, THEY'RE ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, SOMETIMES IT CAN BE VERY CHALLENGING BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF SOMEBODY LIVES IN ANOTHER STATE OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEN OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T FEEL THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CONSTABLE'S GOING TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO CALIFORNIA TO GO COLLECT ON THESE THINGS.

SO WE, WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY ENGAGE AND, AND, AND KEEP REMINDING DEFENDANTS AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO, TO, TO PAY ON THESE TICKETS.

UM, OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF NO HAMMER AND WARREN TRYING TO ARREST SOMEBODY FROM ANOTHER STATE.

UM, AND SO I'D LIKE TO TALK TODAY ABOUT, UM, OUR CASE RESOLUTION MAILING CAMPAIGN THAT WE DO FOR EACH OF THE, THE JP COURTS TO SPECIALIZE MAILING, WHERE WE, UH, SEND OUT A BRIGHTLY COLORED POSTCARD TO KIND OF REMIND EVERYBODY, UM, AKA BACK IN THE DAY, USED TO BE CALLED WARRANT ROUNDUP.

WE KIND OF REBRANDED, UH, TO CASE RESOLUTION BECAUSE THE DAY OF CON THE WARRANT ROUNDUP AND ARRESTING PEOPLE AND PUTTING CLASS

[00:30:01]

AND SO IT'S KIND OF A NEW APPROACH THAT WE HAVE TAKEN, UH, ALONG WITH THE COURTS AND, AND TRYING TO OFFER A RESOLUTION FOR DEFENDANTS TO HAVE THEM, UH, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR MATTER WITH THE COURT, UH, BEFORE FURTHER COURT ACTION IS IN PLACED ON THE DEFENDANT.

AND SO WE FIND THAT THAT IS WORKING BETTER.

DEFENDANTS ARE FINDING THAT MAYBE THE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO COURT AND THINK THEY'RE GOING TO GET ARRESTED AND ALL THOSE THINGS.

AND SO WE'RE FINDING THAT APPROACH.

UH, IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL, UH, LIKE, UM, DOUG WAS MENTIONING LAST YEAR, ACTUALLY OUR NUMBERS LAST YEAR FOR OUR CASE RESOLUTION WERE VERY WELL, UH, WENT VERY WELL.

OBVIOUSLY FOLKS ARE GETTING THEIR STIMULUS CHECKS ARE GETTING UNEMPLOYMENT.

AND SO THE NUMBERS WERE REALLY GOOD LAST YEAR.

AND SO, UM, DURING OUR CAMPAIGN, AGAIN, WE ARE MAILING ON EVERY SINGLE, YOU KNOW, GOOD ADDRESS THAT WE HAVE WE'RE MAILING FOR ALL FOUR OF THE COURTS.

UM, ALSO TO SUPPORT OUR CAMPAIGN.

WE ALSO PROVIDE PUBLIC PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS WITH EACH OF THE PAPERS, THE KAUFMAN HERALD, THE FORNEY MESSENGER, THE TERRIBLE TRIBUNE, THE MODERN NEWSPAPER RUNNING NEWSPAPER ADS AND WEB APPS TO CREATE PUBLIC AWARENESS FOR THE COMMUNITY HERE TO, HEY GUYS, COME IN AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR TICKETS.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE SPECIALIZED DOLLAR CAMPAIGNS WHERE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, UM, CALLING FOLKS, UH, IN THE EVENING ON SATURDAYS, AGAIN, REMINDING THEM, THIS IS A GOOD TIME.

THIS IS THE, YOU KNOW, TAX SEASON TIME.

THIS IS THE REASON WHY THE WARRANT ROUNDUP CAMPAIGNS WERE TYPICALLY DONE DURING THIS PART OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE INFLUX OF MONEY.

AND IT'S JUST A GOOD TIME FOR THEM TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR OBLIGATIONS WITH THE JP COURTS.

AND SO WE'RE WORKING, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR EFFORTS WITH THE JP COURTS AND WITH THE MAILING, WITH THE CAMPAIGN.

AND SO THE JP COURTS, YOU KNOW, BLESS THEIR HEART.

THEY'RE ABOUT TO BE INUNDATED WITH A LOT OF WORK OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, BUT YEAH, HOPEFULLY, UM, WE HOPE THAT, UH, THIS YEAR WILL BE AS GOOD AS LAST YEAR.

WE WERE KIND OF SURPRISED, OBVIOUSLY 2020 WITH COVID STARTING THE NUMBERS, EVERYONE NUMBERS DOWN TO ACROSS THE STATE.

UH, BUT LAST YEAR, SURPRISINGLY, THE NUMBERS WERE, WERE, WERE PRETTY WELL.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THE, THE NUMBERS WILL CONTINUE.

OBVIOUSLY I KNOW WITH A LOT OF THE ECONOMIC STUFF GOING ON, WE'RE HOPING THE BOTTOM DOESN'T FALL OUT, UM, HERE AND THAT, UH, PEOPLE WILL, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO KAUFMAN COUNTY.

BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS JOE MAY HAVE FOR US.

THANK YOU GENTLEMEN, VERY MUCH.

AND THANK YOU.

AND ALSO I THINK THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THE JUDGES HERE, IF Y'ALL WANT TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE AVAILABLE TOO AS WELL, JUDGES, GOOD MORNING LADIES.

AND, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF OUR ASSOCIATION WITH PURDUE.

UH, I CAME ON IN 2016 ALONG, WHICH I JUST MET AND KAREN CAN ATTEST TO WHAT HAPPENED AFTER WE TOOK, UH, AFTER WE TOOK THEM ON TO COLLECT OUR FINES AND FEES.

OUR COLLECTIONS WENT THROUGH THE ROOF.

I MEAN, IT WAS JUST PHENOMENAL OF WHAT THEY DID FOR THE JPS, UH, TO DO THAT.

UH, THEY'RE STILL WORKING DILIGENTLY.

WE KEEP IN CONTACT WITH THEM JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY.

MELISSA IS OUR LIAISON WITH THE COUNTY.

WE DON'T TALK TO THEM, THEY IN THAT MUCH, BUT, UH, IT IS JUST AMAZING AS TO WHAT THEY CAN DO AS FAR AS COLLECTIONS, FINES AND FEES.

WELL, DAN, I DO WANT TO CORRECT YOU WITH SOMETHING.

IT'S NOT THAT WHERE WE'RE FIXING TO BE IN AND DATED BEFORE WE'RE IN, BUT I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH DAN ROMO FOR OH GOSH, 13, 14 YEARS.

UH, EVEN BEFORE I WAS THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE HERE.

WHEN I WAS A MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE, HE'S NEVER FAILED ME.

AND THAT'S WHY I WAS HAPPY AND PLEASED AT THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.

UH, BACK IN 2015, SAID YES TO THEM.

UH, WE HOPE WE CONTINUE WITH THEM FOREVER AND EVER.

THEY DID A GREAT JOB FOR US.

THANKS TO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

OKAY.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

UH, WE HAVE BEFORE US TO, UH, ACTION TO, UH, LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE 2021 ANNUAL JP COURTS COLLECTION REPORT, IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVE, WE HAD THAT MOTION COMMISSIONED CASE.

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

AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED.

NO MOTION CARRIES ITEM FIVE BACK

[5. John Polster; Discuss/Accept Professional Services Agreement between Kaufman County and Ha Iff Associates for the US 175 Grade Separations Project]

AND HERE HE COMES BACK.

THEY CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF, YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ME.

RIGHT.

I'LL GOOD.

GOOD.

WELL, SO I'M HERE TODAY.

JOHN POLSTER, INNOVATIVE TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS.

UH, YOU HAVE A CONTRACT IN FRONT OF YOU THAT WAS NEGOTIATED

[00:35:01]

AND, UH, THIS IS, UH, YOUR THEY'VE BEEN SELECTED AS MOST QUALIFIED FOR EVERYTHING.

AND THIS IS TO DO THE EA AND SCHEMATIC INITIALLY.

AND AS WE MOVE ON INTO THE PROJECT, WE'LL EITHER COME BACK TO YOU FOR DESIGN OR WE'LL GET TEXTS OUT TO DO IT DEPENDING ON WHICH IS FASTER FOR THE PROJECTS.

SO I'M RAKING RECOMMENDATION TO THE COURTYARD, CONSIDER APPROVING THIS CONTRACT QUESTIONS.

I THINK, UH, AGAIN, JUST TO ADD TO MY PREVIOUS COMMENTS, THESE GREAT SEPARATIONS ARE CRITICAL, NOT ONLY FOR SAFETY, BUT GUYS FOR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT THAT WERE, WERE HAVING HORRIBLE TRAFFIC ISSUES, UH, IN THE CITY OF CRANDALL AND OTHER PLACES.

SO IT'S TO A CRITICAL MOVE FORWARD.

WELL, WE, AND WE'VE TALKED AT OUR EXPORTATION GROUP MEETING AND WE'LL RECONVENE THAT GROUP HOPE SOON.

UM, 1 75 IS REALLY OUR ONLY, OR IS THE MOST FREE FLOWING ROUTE IN AND OUT OF THE METRO PLATES RIGHT NOW.

BUT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON, WE DON'T DO SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY'VE DONE IN DALLAS COUNTY TO THE DEAD MAN SQUARE, WHERE YOU'RE NOT DYING ANYMORE.

YEAH, YEAH, IT WAS.

UH, SO IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS OR OTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, IS THERE A MOTION TO X TO APPROVE THAT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN COFFIN COUNTY AND HALF ASSOCIATES I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO IT? WE HAVE THAT MOTION COMMISSIONER CATES.

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

THOSE OPPOSED? NO, THAT MOTION CARRIES.

WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE? OR I WAS WAITING FOR THE VOTE.

UH, WE'LL GET WITH HALF REAL QUICK AFTER THIS, GET HIM SET UP, GET A KICKOFF MEETING DOWN IN THE CAMP AREA FOR THREE STAKEHOLDERS IN YOUR OFFICE AND GET THEM, GET THEM ROLLING ON IT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU, JOHN.

VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU, SIR.

UH, NEXT STEP

[6. Gallagher Construction / Ray I an Smith; Receive Construction Updates for the Pet Adoption Center and Justice Center.]

UH, RAYLAND HAS GOT OUR NAME ON THIS, UH, RECEIVE CONSTRUCTION UPDATES FOR THE PET ADOPTION CENTER AND JUSTICE CENTER.

YEAH, WHAT WE HAVE TODAY IS JUST AN UPDATE ON THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON OUT THERE BY SHERIFF FEVERS.

UM, THE LAST PAGE OF YOUR PACKET IS ALSO AN UPDATE ON THE BUDGET.

SO GREG IS HERE WITH GALLAGHER TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON OUT THERE.

YOU CAN TELL BY THE PICTURES, THERE'S A THOUGHT, GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

GOOD MORNING.

WE'LL START WITH THE PET ADOPTION CENTER.

I KNOW SOME OF Y'ALL HAD BEEN OUT.

I SAW YOUR TRUCK OUT OF THE PARKING LOT YESTERDAY OR DAY BEFORE.

YES, SIR.

UM, PET ADOPTION CENTER ESSENTIALLY IS ALMOST DONE THE LAST PUZZLE.

LAST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.

WE'VE BEEN WAITING ON WHERE THE KENNEL CAGES, WHICH IS CRITICAL FOR A PET CENTER.

I'M JUST RUNNING AROUND.

LIKE I TOLD THE GUY IT'S LIKE A BUCKY'S WITHOUT GAS PUMPS OR RESTROOM.

SO ANYWAY, THEY FINALLY SHOWED UP AND BEING INSTALLED CURRENTLY.

UH, REST OF THE BUILDING IS ESSENTIALLY DONE.

WE'RE WORKING ON THE ARCHITECT'S PUNCH LIST RIGHT NOW, A SUPERINTENDENT HE'S PROBABLY ABOUT 90% DONE WITH IT.

SO END OF THIS WEEK, WE'RE GOING TO BE REALLY CLOSE WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE CONSTRUCTION TO BE SOME LITTLE CLEAN UP STUFF, YOU KNOW, INTO THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS PUNCH LIST ITEMS, BUT IT ESSENTIALLY LOOKS REALLY GOOD.

AND IF ANYBODY'S BEEN BUYING TO VERY, VERY BEAUTIFUL BUILDING ARCHITECT, I THINK HE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB DESIGNING.

IT REALLY STANDS OUT REALLY WELL OUT THERE ON THE HIGHWAY.

SO, YEP.

WELL THAT WAS PART OF THE INTENTION OF LOCATING IT ON THAT SIDE.

THERE WAS A, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFICULT SITE TO BUILD ON, BUT IT'LL BE A PERPETUAL BILLBOARD FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT IT'S THERE.

I HAPPENED TO DRIVE BY THERE LAST WEEKEND AT NIGHT AND IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOT THE SIGN LOAD UP AND EVERYTHING IT'S, YOU CAN, IT'S GOT A LOT OF REALLY GREAT VISIBILITY.

YES.

UM, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, WE HAVE HAD TO TURN A FEW PEOPLE AWAY, EITHER BRINGING PETS IN OR LOOKING TO ADOPT.

SO THERE, THERE, THERE, IT HAS GOTTEN PEOPLE'S ATTENTION.

SO WE HAD ABOUT TWO OR THREE YESTERDAY THAT SHOWED UP THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

SO WE'RE PUTTING A SIGN UP ON THE DOOR TEMPORARILY RIGHT NOW.

SO THEN TEMPORARILY, YEAH.

ANY CELL SPACE.

I JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT YOU'RE RIGHT.

I I'VE BEEN OUT THERE A COUPLE OF TIMES AND, UH, UM, THAT IT'S REALLY AN INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENT

[00:40:01]

AND, AND, UH, AS YOU'RE POINTING OUT, WE'RE ALREADY SEEING SUCH INCREDIBLE INTEREST IN, IN GETTING THE THING OPEN AND RUNNING.

LAST WEEK, WE WERE ACTUALLY MEETING WITH SOME OTHER, UH, RELATED SORT OF, UH, UH, ANIMAL RESCUE TYPE PLACES THAT WERE, ARE NOW DOING WHAT WE DID, TRYING TO LOOK AT OUR, AT OUR FACILITY AS A TEMPLATE FOR, FOR THEIR GROWTH AND THEIR NEW CONSTRUCTION.

SO, UH, I THINK WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, HIT A HOME RUN WITH THAT, WITH THAT FACILITY.

AND, UH, BECAUSE I OCCASIONALLY POST ABOUT IT, MAN, I'D GET SO MANY PEOPLE ON WHEN CAN THEY DROP OFF THEIR CATS AND WHEN CAN THEY, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY MEANINGFUL, POSITIVE CHANGE FOR THIS COUNTY.

SO THANK YOU.

BEFORE WE LEAVE THE PARADOXES CENTER, WE MAY HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS ALREADY, BUT THEY HAD A JOB FAIR OUT THERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, A FEW WEEKS AGO.

AND, UM, THIS IS A COFFIN COUNTY PROUD THING.

THEY WERE, I DON'T, THEY WERE JUST ASTOUNDED AT THE NUMBER AND QUALITY OF JOB APPLICANTS THAT THEY HAD.

YOU KNOW, THEY'VE THEY'RE, THIS IS THE SIXTH FACILITY.

I THINK THAT THERE'LL BE RUNNING IN THE METROPLEX AND THEY, THEY S UH, SUSAN OR NELDA SAID SOMETHING TO ME.

LIKE THEY DON'T, THEY'VE NOT SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THE QUALITY OF APPLICANTS AT ANY OF THEIR OTHER LOCATIONS, LIKE THEY HAD HERE IN KAUFMAN COUNTY.

SO IT'S PRETTY GREAT INTERVIEWS THERE IN THE FACILITY AND ACTUALLY GOT ALL OF THEIR HIRING COMPLETE THAT DAY.

THEY HAD A STACK OF POSITION AND SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO WENT AHEAD AND SIGNED UP FOR VOLUNTEERS, AND IT WAS A GOOD TURNOUT JUST FOR A ONE DAY JOB.

WELL, IT JUST SHOWS YOU HOW GORGEOUS THE BUILDING IS INSIDE.

I MEAN, PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC HAD, THEY HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE INSIDE.

IT'S GORGEOUS, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN OUT THERE AND HE'S TAKING ME ON TOURS AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT IS THIS.

YEAH.

I THINK SHE'S GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL PLAY, 30 TO 40 APPLICANTS COME THROUGH THAT SHORT PERIOD THAT ONE DAY.