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[1. To Discuss the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget.]
THIS WORKSHOP MEETING SPECIAL WORKSHOP MEETING THE COFFIN COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT IS CALLED TO ORDER.IT'S A ONE 30 IN THE AFTERNOON ON JULY THE 20TH.
AND, UM, WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, WE GOT FIVE PEOPLE, FIVE DEPARTMENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME SPEAK WITH US.
WILEY'S HERE, NATHAN FROM IT, YASMINE FROM THE LIBRARY, RHONDA FROM DISTRICT CLERK AND, UH, THERESA FLOYD FROM THE TAX ASSESSOR.
AND THEN IN BETWEEN, WHEN WE GET TO A GAP OR SOMETHING, I WANT TO TALK, GO BACK TO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, TAX LIVY.
CAUSE I THINK WE'VE KIND OF GOTTEN OFF OF THAT AND WE NEVER REALLY HAVE SET THE GROUND FOR WHAT KIND OF TAX LEVY WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO JUDGE WILA YOU WANT TO KICK US OFF? OH, THANK YOU, KAREN.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO OPEN PRAYER OR ANYTHING.
YOU CAN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH, WE'LL NEED A LOT OPERATOR.
SO THESE ARE, THESE ARE ALL CHANGES.
EVERY TIME IT'S SOMETHING I HEARD HER, HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL HAD ALL THIS HISTORY AND MY, MY EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND URINE.
DID YOU JUST DO, DID YOU JUST DO STRAIGHT THE NINE TIMES 12? GOT OUR OWN FORMULA.
THERE'S SOME, I CAN'T DO THAT WITH, I HAVE TO DO IT A CERTAIN WAY.
I'LL GIVE YOU THIS ESTIMATE, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
UH Y'ALL I MADE A VERY SIMPLE FOLDER.
WE COULD, I COULD BEAT YOU DOWN WITH GRAPHS AND NUMBERS AND I CAN SUPPORT AND BRING THOSE NUMBERS TO YOU.
AS WE TALK, I'LL MAKE NOTE TO WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHY WE'RE ASKING, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE TOUCH, WHAT MAKES OUR BUDGET GO UP FOR SOME OF YOU GUYS, SINCE YOU DO A LOT OF ROADS, YOU LOOK AT ROADS AND GROWTH AND HOUSES AND ALL THOSE.
WE LOOK AT CASES, NUMBERS OF CASES, WE ALL KNOW THE POPULATION, BUT HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE CASES? HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE WORK THAT WE DID? AND THIS ISN'T EVEN AS ACCURATE AS I'D LIKED, BUT TODAY WAS MY DAY.
I JUST PICKED A, I PICKED A, A POINT IN TIME OF FIVE YEARS.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE COVID IN THE MIDDLE, BUT AGAIN, Y'ALL CAN RATE AND DON'T NEED ME TO READ IT TO YOU, BUT WE'RE OBVIOUSLY 20% BASICALLY OF WHERE WE WERE PROJECTED TO FINISH OUT IN 22 WITH THE AMOUNT OF CASES COVID WAS A DECREASE, BUT THE CASE HAS GONE UP AND TOTAL OF CRIMINAL CASES.
I'M SPEAKING OF THAT, DOESN'T INCLUDE THE WORK YOU GUYS TOUCH, WHICH IS ALL THE LAWSUITS, THE OTHER CIVIL MATTERS, THE REPRESENTATION WE DO IN OTHER LITIGATION.
BUT THOSE ARE THE CASES WE HANDLE THAT BASICALLY INCLUDES MISDEMEANORS AND FELONY CASES.
UNFORTUNATELY, AS YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD, CAUSE YOU LIKE TO HEAR FROM, UM, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT WE CAN SEE IF YOU GO OVER TO THAT SECOND PAGE, I WANTED THAT BREAKDOWN AGAIN.
I DON'T KNOW HOW I MEAN, NOT WITHIN THE CASE TO THE SPECIFIC, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE SEEING THAT TREND WITH MORE SERIOUS CASES OVER TIME, WE USED TO HAVE MORE MISDEMEANORS AND THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS WE CAN LOOK AT, BUT WE ARE SEEING THAT TREND AS WE LOOK AT DIVIDING THE CASES AND WE ARE, IF I WERE YOU, YOUR QUESTION WOULD BE WILL HAVEN'T.
WE ALREADY ADDED SOME POSITIONS WITH THAT INCREASE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, WE DON'T ADD POSITIONS UNTIL WE GET COURTS GENERALLY.
BUT THE ONLY POSITION WE ADDED WAS A GRANT POSITION THAT WE DID ADD.
AND OF COURSE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ASSUME THAT BECAUSE WE COULD ALREADY SEE THAT THE SPECIALTY COURT OF FAMILY VIOLENCE WAS GOING TO NEED THAT KIND OF LOOKING AT.
SO WE HAVE NOT ADDED COURT POSITIONS AND THAT IS KIND OF FACTORED IN TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AT THE INCREASE.
I THINK THE CASE COUNT AFFECTS EVERY DEPARTMENT I SUPERVISE.
SO I WANTED TO LEAD WITH THAT.
AND LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T MAKE A BIG OLD BINDER WITH A BUNCH OF NUMBERS, BUT I'M GLAD TO GIVE IT TO I'D LIKE TO, BECAUSE I SUPERVISE LYNN TO LEAD OFF AS THE NEXT THING AFTER BEHIND THE CASE COUNT IS COLLECTION.
AND SHE'S GOING TO KEEP ME ON TRACK.
IF I SAY SOMETHING WRONG AND WHY THERE WAS AN ASK IN HER DEPARTMENT.
I JUST USED, I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE NOT SMART, JUST A BIG PIECE OF PAPER.
I SAY SOME OF Y'ALL WITH YOUR BIFOCALS.
I THOUGHT IT'D BE EASIER TO LOOK AT.
AND SOMETIMES WE ALL NEED A LITTLE HELP.
WHAT ARE WE ASKING FOR AND COLLECTION.
AND THEN YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL, WHY DO YOU NEED THAT? THERE'S A LOT OF WORDS BEHIND THERE.
IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS WITH THE LAND, OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST REASON THAT SHE NEEDS MORE HELP US.
THAT'S JUST A REASONABLE DEDUCTION.
THAT'S WHY I PUT THE CASES ON TOP A SUPERVISOR.
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SHE HAS RIGHT NOW TO SUPPORT.UM, AND THE THREE IS THE LEVEL OF, OF LEVEL OF SUPPORT PERSON.
AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND WE CAN COME BACK TO THOSE QUESTIONS WHEN WE DIG INTO THE CRIMINAL AND NON-CRIMINAL CIVIL SUPPORT AND ATTORNEYS AND WHAT THAT MEANS, WHAT DO WE NEED IN COLLECTION? WHAT ARE WE ASKING FOR? WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SALVERS, WE'RE LOOKING AT A STABILIZATION IN THE SUPERVISOR AND WHAT SHE DOES, ONE OF THE THINGS SHE AND I TALKED ABOUT, AND OF COURSE IT IS YOUR CHOICE.
ANOTHER COMMISSIONER'S COURT PUT THAT BECAUSE THE STATUTE ALLOWS MYSELF TO BE ONE OF THOSE ELECTEDS TO SUPERVISE HER, TO HAVE HER CONTINUE TO BE UNDER ME.
OR IF YOUR OFFICE ALWAYS REMEMBER, WANTS TO HAVE HER BE A STANDALONE.
IF THAT'S, I MEAN, I HEARD Y'ALL IN COURTS AND NOT ONE MORE THING TO MANAGE IF IT'S NOT DON'T FIX IT, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING WE DID A LITTLE RESEARCH.
WHAT ARE OTHER COUNTIES DOING? UH, LYNN, I THINK, WOULD SAY IT'S PROBABLY A 50, 50 SPLIT.
SOME COUNTIES HAVE STANDALONE COLLECTION THAT REPORTS JUST LIKE SHE DOES, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER LAYER BETWEEN Y'ALL AND HER.
SHE CAN GIVE YOU THE EXACT NUMBER.
WE'RE PRETTY GOOD AT COLLECTION.
WE DID PRETTY GOOD IN COVID COLLECTING.
SO THAT'S, UH, A REVENUE ITEM THAT WE GET AND THESE LADIES CAN TELL YOU HOW MUCH GOES THERE.
WHAT ARE WE NOT DOING? AND SHE GIVES A LOT.
SHE TELLS YOU WHAT COLLECTION DOES IF YOU'VE FORGOTTEN OR IF YOUR MIGHT ME, WASN'T IMPORTANT TO KNOW THERE'S A TWO PAGE HANDOUT.
I ASKED HER TO LOOK AND TELL YOU WHAT HER GOALS ARE, WHAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
I WANT HER TO TELL ME, SO I KNOW WHY I ASKED Y'ALL WHY DO WE NEED ANOTHER PERSON? AND I WANT HER TO WRITE THAT FOR ME.
I THINK THE FOUR HANDOUT OR STANDOUT THINGS FOR ME IS THAT WITH COLLECTION AND Y'ALL KNOW THIS, UH, FROM, IF NOT YOURSELF, FOR OTHERS, COLLECTION'S MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN YOU CONTINUE TO CALL NOT SAYING HOUND, IT'S AGAINST THE LAW TO, TO DO THAT, BUT CONTINUE TO HOUND AND FOLLOW UP.
OH, I DID SAY HOUNDING AT ME, BUT IT'S, IT'S A PROBLEM.
IF YOU NOT, WE'RE NOT WORKING OUR BACKLOG.
THEY'RE ABLE TO MANAGE THE DOOR, THE WINDOW.
SO WE COULD PROBABLY MAXIMIZE WITH ANOTHER PERSON.
I THINK THAT PERSON WOULD PAY FOR THEMSELVES IN THE COLLECTION.
WHEN YOU HAVE A THREE PERSON OFFICE, IF ONE PERSON'S OUT SICK, WE WANT EVERYBODY TO TAKE THEIR SICK AND VACATION.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S JUST NOT EFFICIENT.
SHE BROUGHT THE POINT TO ME THAT WE'VE NEEDED THIS PERSON FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT BECAUSE OF SPACING, IT JUST WASN'T PRACTICAL.
AND SHE ALSO BRINGS OUT THE POINT THAT, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE COULD, LIKE I SAID, ALWAYS LOOK AT, DO WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING ELSE WORKING WITH THE COURTS IS A DO.
AND ANOTHER THING ELSE, THE SHOW CAUSE HEARINGS TO GET THOSE SET, TO ALSO PUSH THOSE PEOPLE TO PAY.
AND SO I THINK COLLECTION, WE CAN PUSH THAT OFF RIGHT OFF THE TOP, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE IT THAT WAY? WE'RE HERE TO BUDGET EARLY, UNDER MY SUPERVISION, UNDERSTANDING THE HER QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR HER, HER SPECIFIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS A SUPERVISOR AND THEN THE NEED FOR THE OTHER PERSON.
AND I THINK AS WE GET INTO SALARY STABILIZATION, THAT'LL COVER ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AND MIGHT WANT TO SAVE THOSE QUESTIONS TO THE END, BUT I'LL TAKE THEM WHEN YOU WANT TO.
SO THAT'S THE COLLECTION PIECE IN MY OFFICE.
DID I LEAVE ANYTHING OUT LYNN? OKAY.
DID Y'ALL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR HER? UH, I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW HOW THAT STRUCTURED IN OTHER COUNTIES.
I ALWAYS THINK IT'S VALUABLE TO LOOK AT WHAT OTHER COUNTIES.
SO WHEN THAT INFORMATION PROVIDED ME ON THE BREAKDOWN THAT COUNTIES, CAN YOU SEND THAT BACK TO ME AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE COUNTY JUDGE.
CAUSE WE ALREADY DID THAT WORK.
I WILL TELL YOU THEY GET PAID A LOT MORE.
IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING JUDGE, CAN ANY COLLECTIONS BE AUTOMATED? UM, YEAH, BUT YOU GET 20% LESS.
AND PART OF THEM ARE AUTOMATED IN THE SENSE THAT WE HAVE THAT CALLING.
WE DON'T, WE HAVE SOME AUTOMATED CALLING SYSTEMS. YEAH.
YOU KNOW, THOSE UNFUNDED STATE MANDATES OF HOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THINGS.
AND THEN THEY TELL US TO DO IT AND THEN THEY DON'T GIVE US THE MONEY.
ONE OF THE THINGS I CAN TELL YOU, AND I'LL BE HONEST.
I THINK I WORKED WITH LYNN THEN A LITTLE BIT WHEN I WAS A JUDGE.
I KNOW LAURA IS HERE IN THE BACK.
I DIDN'T REALLY APPRECIATE THE FINESSE.
HONESTLY, OF A COLLECTION DEPARTMENT.
THE LAW HAS CHANGED QUITE A BIT IN THAT HAPPENED WITH BELL REFORM.
LITERALLY WE USED TO DO SHOW CAUSE HEARINGS AND LETTERS.
PEOPLE SHOW UP, THEY DIDN'T PAY.
I DIDN'T THREATEN, BUT I IN FACT PUT THEM IN JAIL.
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YOU CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE.WHAT I WAS DOING, YOU CAN'T DO.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FINDING AND THE JUDGES FOR ALL GOOD REASONS, DON'T WANT THEM DON'T WANT TO.
IT'S NOT, THEY DON'T WANT TO MESS WITH IT.
IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T PRODUCE ANYTHING FOR THEIR TIME.
ALSO, WE WERE HAD A WIDE OPEN CONVERSATION THIS MORNING AT EIGHT O'CLOCK WITH THE OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE COUNTY.
AND BECAUSE OF THE LIABILITY THAT SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS, WE'VE ALSO LOST THAT TOOL BECAUSE THE SHERIFF DOES NOT WANT TO IN CUSTODY PEOPLE THAT FAILED PAY THEIR COURT COSTS.
SO IMAGINE YOU'VE GOT AN OFFENSE WE'VE ASSESSED.
YOU PAID A LITTLE BIT WITH, WE KNOW YOU GOT A GOOD JOB AND THEN YOU JUST QUIT PAYING.
SO BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, WHICH I DON'T THINK IS THAT LONG AGO, WE'D HAVE A SHOW CAUSE WOULD BRING YOU DOWN.
I'D SAY, LOOKS LIKE YOU NEED TO GET ON THE PHONE BUDDY.
RIGHT? THAT WAS ONE TIME I FOUND MONEY AND I LEAVE HIM IN THE JURY BOX.
SO THEY FOUND IT PAPER WE'RE USING.
I GO, YOU CAN USE YOUR CELL PHONE IN COURT.
AND WE WOULD COLLECT THAT DAY.
WE HAD A SHOW CAUSE YOU KNOW, AT LEAST 50% WHO DOES THAT.
BUT AGAIN, I HAD A GREAT TOOL.
I WAS GONNA PUT YOU IN JAIL AND THE JAIL WASN'T AS FULL AND JUDGE
AND SO THEN WE KINDA MOVED ON TO HAVING HEARINGS ABOUT INTERNET, SEE BEFORE.
BUT THE PLAY, THE REAL PLAY NOW IS SETTING UP PAYMENT PLANS AND CODDLING THEM INTO PAY, GOES AGAINST MY GRAIN, BUT IT WORKS.
AND SHE HAS THE TOOLS AND THE SYSTEMS. THE CONVENIENCE OF BEING IN MY OFFICE IS THAT SOME OF THE TOOLS I HAVE BECAUSE LEN DIFFERENT THAN IF SHE WAS A COLLECTION STANDALONE, SHE WOULDN'T BE SEIZURES.
CAUSE I COULDN'T TAKE THE LIABILITY.
SO I'VE GOT SOME TOOLS THAT SHE CAN USE.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND IT'S, IT'S LONG, AS LONG AS WE'RE IN COMPLIANT, SHE HAS THAT BECAUSE SHE'S LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE CAN'T THREATEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A COMPLAINT YET.
SO, BUT WE WILL MAKE SURE WE GET YOU THAT INFORMATION AND TO LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT ONES AND MAKE SURE YOU TAG THIS HOURS ON, PUT THIS HOURS TO HELP.
WAS IT TO DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BY ME COLLECTION OR WING LETTER, GO BACK OVER THERE AND TRY TO COLLECT THINKING.
WHEN YOU FLIP OVER TO ME AGAIN, IT WAS A REAL BROAD, A NICE TOPIC IS AN AND THESE ARE SOME TITLES THAT I CAME UP WITH.
YOU CAN DO IT ANY WAY YOU WANT.
YOU CAN LAY THESE TWO PIECES OF PAPER DOWN TOGETHER BECAUSE IT'S, IF YOU, WE USED TO DO THAT ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, BUT IF YOU LAY MY OFFICE DOWN TOGETHER, I'M STANDING HERE IN THE MIDDLE, ON THE RIGHT AND ON THE LEFT IS THE CRIMINAL AND THE CIVIL IN THE ROOM RIGHT NOW.
YOU'VE GOT THE EXECUTIVE ADA, IT'S A TITLE I'VE KIND OF BEEN PLAYING AROUND WITH.
I MEAN, I SHOULD JUST GET A FIRST ASSISTANT, BUT I ACTUALLY CAN'T AFFORD ONE.
SO YOU'VE GOT THE EXECUTIVE ADA THAT'S KAREN, THAT'S OVERALL A CIVIL, YOU HAVE MARK.
AND UNDER THAT, YOU'VE GOT, I'M GOING BACK TO THE CRIMINAL.
YOU'VE GOT COURT, ADA CHIEFS OR COURT SHEETS, ADA.
WE ARE LEAN ADMINISTRATIVELY IN THAT THEY HAVE THESE TITLES, BUT EVERYBODY HAS A CASELOAD.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, EVERYBODY'S INDIVIDUAL CASELOAD, WHICH IS AGAINST, YOU KNOW, ABA, WE'RE OUT OF COMPLIANCE.
UM, WHAT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING TODAY IS WHEN I GOT THE CASE COUNT FROM MY CHILD ABUSE PROSECUTOR, I'M ASKING FOR ONE, SHE HAS, UH, I THINK SHE HAS ACTIVE 104 CHILD ABUSE CASES.
AND SHE HAS 40 TO 50 IN INTAKE.
WALK WALL HAS 40 TO SIX 60 DALLAS HAS 40 TO 60 AND COLLIN HAS, UH, EVEN LESS 40.
SO WE'RE OPERATING AT TWO AND A HALF BEST PRACTICES ON THE KID CASES THAT TAKE A LOT MORE TIME.
SO YOU COULD HANDLE A HUNDRED REGULAR CASES, BUT YOU SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE HALF OF THAT.
AND SO WE'VE ALREADY GOT, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO HIRE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AND WE WE'VE, WE FOUND SOMEONE THAT'S GOING TO BE GREAT.
AND I THINK THE SPOUSE IS GOING TO WORK IN DISPATCH.
THAT'S GOING TO COME IN AND WORK AS OUR, UM, CHILD ABUSE INVESTIGATOR.
SO I WENT AHEAD AND PUT THE NEED RIGHT THERE AT WHAT WE ASKED FOR IN THE SHEET THAT
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YOU GUYS ALREADY HAD THAT KAREN HANDED OUT.BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU THE VISUAL, THE SOUR STABILIZATION WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR POSITIONS, THE ADDITIONAL CHILD ABUSE PROSECUTOR AND A VAC ON THE CIVIL SIDE, IF WE CAN STAY FULLY STAFFED, WE'VE GOT KAREN THAT'S THE EXECUTIVE, WE'VE GOT THE CIVIL AND COMMISSIONERS COURT.
AND THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL PEOPLE WITH A STAFF OF THREE, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH WE GROW.
SOME OF THE JUVENILE AND CPS PEOPLE CAN DOUBLE, I DIDN'T EVEN PUT MENTAL HEALTH ON HERE, WHICH IS ANOTHER AREA THAT'S COVERED.
WE DO THE CASEWORK, BUT SOMETHING THAT'S AND IT'S, IT'S NOT AN INTANGIBLE, BUT IT'S UNMEASURABLE THAN THE CASES IS THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
OUR BIGGEST SERVICES, NOT ON THIS SHEET IS PROTECTIVE ORDERS OR PROTECTIVE ORDER.
DEPENDS ON THE MOON IS FULL AND WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND THEN COMMUNITY, WE COULD HAVE FOUR DAY, IF YOU HAVE A REGULAR CASE LOAD AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE FOUR CITIZENS, USUALLY FEMALES THAT HAVE A FAMILY VIOLENCE SITUATION, THEY'RE IN THE HALLS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT BETTER WHEN WE GO OUT.
WHEN PEOPLE FIGURE OUT WHERE WE ARE, WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PUSH SOME OF THAT IN AND HAVE A ROTATING ATTORNEY THAT COULD GO INTO OUR COMMUNITIES TO OFFER THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE STAFF DIDN'T EVEN ASK FOR IT FOR THE CYCLE, BUT WE PROBABLY DO NEED AN ADDITIONAL FAMILY VIOLENCE ON TOP OF WHAT WE'VE GOT, BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT UPTAKING COVID AND NEVER CAME DOWN.
SO IN A GOOD WEEK, WE GET ONE A DAY AND A BAD WEEK.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING, JUST GO OUT IN THE HALL.
THERE'S USUALLY THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE DATE IN TWO WEEKS, THERE'LL BE BACK WITH AFFIDAVITS AND NON-PROSECUTION, AND IT'S JUST, THAT'S HOW IT GOES.
WE PROSECUTE THOSE CASES, BUT THAT TAKES TIME.
WE DON'T MIND TAKING THE TIME THAT EVERY, THAT PERSON THAT'S AN UNPLANNED VISIT.
OCCASIONALLY Y'ALL GET PEOPLE THAT COME IN THAT ARE UPSET WITHOUT, UH, WITHOUT HAVING, YOU KNOW, OCCASIONALLY, OCCASIONALLY.
WELL, YEAH, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WE, CAN'T JUST, YOU GOT TO SPEND TIME WITH THEM.
Y'ALL Y'ALL CAN IMAGINE WITHOUT WALKING THROUGH YOUR PROTECTIVE ORDER WITH YOU, HOW MUCH TIME THAT TAKES.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE GOT THE CASE COUNT DOESN'T EVEN COUNT FOR WHAT, WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING.
JUST, JUST SO YOU'LL KIND OF KNOW, BUT I THINK THE HARD WORK IS THAT LAST SHEET.
AND THAT'S WHAT I PUT IN THERE LAST IS, AND I'LL TELL YOU, I WENT BACK AND FORTH AND AGAIN, IF ANYBODY WANTS IT, I REACHED OUT TO OTHER COUNTIES.
BUT WHEN I CAME BACK OUR, OUR EVERGREEN STUDY AND THIS IS WHAT I USED.
AND MAY THOSE PROPOSED PAY GRADES FOR THE EVERGREEN STUDY WAS VERY CLOSE TO WHAT OTHER COUNTIES HAD.
SOME DIDN'T MOST OF THEM DIDN'T INCLUDE LONGEVITY.
I MEAN, I THINK OUR PEOPLE, IF THEY MATCHED UP THAT THAT MIGHT GIVE UP THEIR LONGEVITY.
THAT'S NOT A DECISION FOR INDIVIDUALS.
I, I THREW IN PROPOSED NUMBERS.
UM, AND I WENT WITH THE EVERGREEN AFTER I DID THE BUDGET REQUESTS AFTER HEARING Y'ALL AND COMMISSIONERS COURT WITH SOME THAT Y'ALL REALLY WANTED TO LEAN BACK INTO THE EVERGREEN STUDY, UM, BECAUSE IT HAD ALREADY BEEN PREPARED.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
I CAN GIVE YOU SOME RAW NUMBERS.
UH, IF YOU WANT ANY NAMES TO GO WITH THAT, I CAN GIVE YOU THE NAMES OF THOSE PEOPLE IN THOSE POSITIONS.
IF YOU WERE LOOKING, JUST FOR EXAMPLE, THE ASK FOR US, I BELIEVE WAS 2 65.
I MAY BE WRONG ABOUT THAT, BUT I GOT THE NUMBER LADY OVER THERE.
IF WE DID NOT SAYING THAT ANYBODY'S SAID THIS, BUT I THINK I'VE HEARD THIS TOO.
IF YOU DID A 10,000 AND YOU INCLUDED ON THE BASE, IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE MORE AT 360,000, AS OPPOSED TO THE, WHAT I REQUESTED.
IF YOU USE YOUR OWN STUDY AND YOU WENT ON THE GRID AND WENT YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE PAY SCALES THAT WE PROPOSE, AND THOSE WERE OURS PROPOSED, AND THAT IS NOT EVERYTHING THAT EVERGREEN SAID.
IT WAS WHEN WE MET AND SAID, LET'S GO BACK AND LOOK AT THEIR SKILLSETS AND WHAT THEY FIT IN.
AND WE KIND OF GOT HALFWAY AND THEN FINISH IT.
SO SOMEBODY MIGHT DISAGREE WITH THE PROPOSED PAY GRADE.
I MADE FOR PEOPLE THAT WITH YEARS OF SERVICE WAS 426,000 USER IN YOUR OWN STUDY, IF YOU, WHICH WHAT I THINK MORE REALISTIC AND THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK WE FINALLY LANDED ON WHEN WE LEFT A COUPLE OF MEETINGS ON THE SALARY IS TO GO MEN MID MAX AND KIND OF GET AWAY FROM THE YEARS OF SERVICE IF I REMEMBER.
AND SO IF YOU HIT THE MID, WE'RE TALKING 370,000, AGAIN, MAY ASKING FOR 2 65 TO 96
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ON THE SALARY TO STABILIZE AND THE POSITION I BELIEVE.SO JUST KIND OF GET, AND I PLAYED WITH THOSE NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT.
I CAN SHOW YOU WITH THE SUPPORTING NUMBERS, BUT IT CAME OFF OF YOUR STUDY, THOSE NUMBERS.
AND THOSE ARE THE, WHEN I HAVE THE MEN MED MAX, NOBODY DID I MAX, UM, FOR THE SENIOR PEOPLE.
AND AGAIN, I'M SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT, UH, THE COURT CHIEFS AND EXECUTIVE.
I WENT TO THE MID, THE LOWER, IT WAS JUST BRINGING PEOPLE UP TO MED MINIMUM.
UM, FELONY ONE MEANS A PERSON WITH MORE EXPERIENCE AND TWO.
SO ONE IS YOUR PERSON WITH MORE EXPERIENCE AND THE NUMBER TWO, UM, THE SAME WITH THE PARALEGAL, THERE'S THREE RANKINGS.
I DID SOMETHING THAT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
THE PARALEGAL ONE 10 IS JUST TO GIVE YOU A COROLLARY IS A COURT COORDINATOR, A POSITION THAT WE ALREADY HAVE KNOWING THAT'S A PERSON THAT DEALS DIRECTLY WITH THE COURT.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TWO STELLAR EXAMPLES OF HOW THEY CAN LEAVE MY OFFICE FROM A, FROM A FELONY OR MISDEMEANOR DESK, AND THEN BECOME THE JUDGES COURT COORDINATORS HAPPENS AT LEAST TWICE, PROBABLY MORE SO WE HAD THAT WITH ANGELA AND SONNY BEFORE HER.
SO I THINK IT'S A FAIR PARALLEL.
I WOULD PUT HER IN A CLOSER CATEGORY WITH LYNN WHO RUNS THE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE SHE DOES THE TAXES.
SHE'S THE PERSON THAT HELPS MAKE SURE THAT I GET THE AGEE SEIZURE AND FORFEITURE TOGETHER.
AND SHE'S GOING TO HELP MANAGE EVERY SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS CIVIL CRIMINAL PARALEGALS AND OUR COLLECTION.
SO THAT WAS HOW THOSE NUMBERS WERE INPUTTED.
I THINK YOUR EXECUTIVE PEOPLE DON'T GET PAID ENOUGH.
I GO TO LUNCH LAST WEEKEND AND I SEE FAITH JOHNSON.
SHE SAYS, WELL, IF I GET TO BE JUDGED ON THAT'S DALLAS, WHICH I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE AN UPHILL, I'M GOING TO BRING MARK MOFFITT BACK.
SHE GOES, YOU KNOW, SHE JUST LOVES THE TORMENT ME.
SHE GOES, WHY YOU, HE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T, I CAN'T, I CAN PAY HIM MORE.
SHE SAYS TO ME AS ELECTED, I CAN PAY YOU MORE AS A FIRST ASSISTANT DALLAS.
AND YOU'RE MAKING, AS I SAID, OKAY, I GOT IT, BUT I AM WORKING FOR YOU.
AND SO WE KNOW THIS IS A LIVE FEED.
SO IF SHE HEARS ABOUT IT, SHE'LL LAUGH.
SO IS IT AN EXAMPLE? WE CAN'T KEEP UP.
WE DON'T WANT TO, THE LIVING OUT HERE IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE HASSLE MARK DROVE BACK AND FORTH.
AND I DID TO, UM, LIVE IN DALLAS MYSELF FOR A WHILE, BUT COMING BACK HOME, IT WAS NOT NEAR THE TRAFFIC.
AND SO I, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC'S ON OUR SIDE TO KEEP PEOPLE HERE, BUT PEOPLE WILL MAKE THAT CHANGE.
AND WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT THAT.
SO BEATING THAT DEAD HORSE IS NOT IMPORTANT UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO, AND I CAN WHIP ON IT A LITTLE BIT.
Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THE LITTLE, THE SOMETHING, MAKING SOMETHING.
I THINK THAT COULD BE A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX, JUST SIMPLE AND BREAKING IT DOWN IN THOSE CATEGORIES AND PLAYING WITH SOME OF THE MATH THAT Y'ALL GAVE US, WALK YOUR NUMBERS.
WELL, I LIKE YOUR NUMBERS BETTER THAN MINE.
ONE TIME I GREW UP WITH Y'ALL I, BUT I HONESTLY, I DON'T THINK IT'S REALISTIC.
AND I THINK YOU GUYS HAD ALREADY REACHED THAT POINT WITH THE YEARS OF SERVICE.
I THINK YOU'D ALREADY TAKEN THAT OUT.
AND I THINK THE MEN, MEN, MID MAX IS WHAT WE LEFT WITH AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, FOR THE SALARIES TO BE SUSTAINABLE.
UM, FOR PEOPLE IT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON IT'S Y'ALL'S DECISION CLEARLY, BUT THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, LEGS IT'D BE BETTER TO TAKE LESS THAN, THAN ALWAYS ATTACHED TO YOUR SALARY AND NOT JUST A LUMP SUM, SOME SORT.
I HAD ANOTHER, UM, JUST THOUGHT THAT I HAVE A SHEET ON IT IF YOU WANT.
IT WAS JUST SOMETHING BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION LAST WEEK.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING, UM, MAYBE WHEN, UM, IF, IF, UH, ONE OF THE JUDGES COME BACK, I WAS IN A MEETING WITH A COUPLE OF JUDGES ABOUT A MENTAL HEALTH, AND I SAY, SHERIFF COMING IN, WHO'S ALWAYS ON TIME.
AND, UM, THE CONVERSATION HAD COME UP ON THE MENTAL HEALTH SITUATION.
I THINK ULTIMATELY THAT'S SHOULD BE UNDER THE JUDGE'S PURVIEW AND NOT MINE BECAUSE AT ONE POINT SOMEBODY GOES, DO YOU NEED THAT PERSON? I'M LIKE, NAH, I DON'T NEED THAT PERSON.
BUT WHAT I, I THINK WE MIGHT'VE LANDED ON.
AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT AT THE RIGHT TIME, IF WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH COORDINATOR FOR THE COUNTY, HYPOTHETICALLY, THAT MENTAL HEALTH COORDINATOR, WE HOPE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DECREASE BY MONITORING DEFENDANTS AND, AND KIND OF BIRD-DOGGING THOSE CASES AND MOVING THEM IF WE CAN, AS SOON AS
[00:25:01]
THEY'RE CONFIDENT TO COURT AND MAKING THESE MOVES, WHICH ULTIMATELY WILL SAVE MONEY.I THINK THE PROBLEM THAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING IN TALKING TO A COUPLE OF THE JUDGES, NOT ALL OF THEM, IT'S NOT A CONSENSUS BY ANY IT'S JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT IS THAT PERHAPS AS I ADD THE VAC, SOMETHING WE'LL NEED TO KNOW FOR OCTOBER, COULD WE CREATE A DUAL FUNCTIONING POSITION WHERE I HAVE AT LEAST SOMEBODY IN MY OFFICE THAT COORDINATES, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY ENTIRE CASELOAD FOR A PARALEGAL TO SUPPORT, BUT TO HELP AS THEY REACH OUT FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AS THEY REACH OUT FROM THIS NEW MENTAL HEALTH COORDINATOR AND MAKE SURE OUR OFFICE IS AWARE OF THAT INSTEAD OF RUNNING AROUND, FIGURING OUT WHICH COURT HAD SAID, OF COURSE THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THAT IS IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT QUALIFIED PERSON, THEY NEED TO AT LEAST BE A MASTER'S LEVEL.
THEY NEED TO HAVE A BACKGROUND AT SOMETHING.
SO IF I TOOK AN EXISTING POSITION, I'D HAVE TO ADD SOMETHING TO IT BECAUSE OF THOSE QUALIFICATIONS FOR A MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER.
SO, AND IT'S NOT A TO PROVIDE SERVICES, TO PROVIDE COORDINATION.
IT'S GREAT IF WE HAVE A PERSON THAT COORDINATES WITH THE COUNTY, BUT I DON'T WANT HIM TO HIT A WALL WHEN THEY CALL OUR OFFICE AND SAY, OH, YOU NEED TO REACH THIS PERSON.
OH, WELL, THEY'RE IN COURT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL LEAVE A MESSAGE AND THAT'S ON A VOICEMAIL AND THEY'RE IN TRIAL FOR FOUR DAYS.
SO JUST SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT, IF YOU GET DOWN THAT ROAD AND I'VE GOT SOME IDEAS ABOUT HOW MY OFFICE CAN HELP, UH, DON'T THINK I NEED TO ASSUME THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT TRYING TO GET OUT THERE FIRST, BUT I DID SAY AT FIRST THAT Y'ALL, DON'T NEED ME TO DO THAT.
SO, UM, ANY THOUGHTS, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST THING ABOUT THAT.
THE WHOLE MENTAL HEALTH THING IS THAT THE STRUCTURE AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, PARTICULARLY AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH THINGS, UH, MENTAL HEALTH CARE IS JUST A HOLY MESS.
AND IT'S THE, THE, THE STRUCTURE AND THE WAY THAT STUFF IS FUNDED IS SO BIZARRE THAT IT IT'S, IT'S GONNA, IT'S HARD FOR US TO EVER REALLY FIX IT.
UM, THE EXAMPLE THAT I USE THAT I LEARNED ABOUT A YEAR OR SO AGO, THAT IF SOMEONE, YOU HAVE AN 18 YEAR OLD PERSON THAT IS, UM, THAT WAS BORN WITH A, UH, BORN WITH A MENTAL, MENTAL DEFECT, AND THERE'S ANOTHER PERSON, THE SAME AGE THAT WAS, THAT HAS EXACTLY THE SAME MENTAL DEFECT FROM AN INJURY.
IT'S THE AGENCY THAT SERVICES, THE PERSON THAT WAS BORN THAT WAY, CAN'T GET FUNDING TO DEAL WITH THE PERSON WHO WAS, WHO BECAME THAT WAY THROUGH AN ACCIDENT.
I MEAN, HE JUST, THERE'S A MILLION THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, UH, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO IT.
I THINK PEOPLE THAT ARE OUTSIDE THAT LOOP, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAKES THINGS HARDER.
THE OTHER THING ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH THING IS THAT WE SPEND SO MUCH MONEY IN THIS.
WE INCUR SO MUCH COSTS IN THE COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE OR THE POOR WAY THAT MENTAL HEALTH CARE IS ADMINISTERED.
JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE STATE FUNDING AND ALL THAT.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT IS.
SO HOW MUCH DO WE SPEND INCARCERATING SOMEBODY IN THE JAIL DOING WHATEVER TREATMENT FOR HOWEVER LONG THEY HAVE TO BE TO GET PROVEN, ABLE TO STAND TRIAL, OR THEY GET RE THEY GET RELEASED.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE CYCLE.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW HOW MUCH THAT COST, BUT IT'S HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
IT'S NOT ON THE BOOKS ANYWHERE.
NO, BUT, AND, AND I KNOW THAT WE, DON'T ALWAYS, WE'RE TALKING DOLLARS AND CENTS THE INHUMANITY OF WHAT HAPPENS.
I MEAN, IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, BUT I ACTUALLY THINK THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU A NUMBER OF, NOT FOR EVERYBODY.
WE COULD PICK TWO OR THREE OR FOUR CLASSIC EXAMPLES.
IF WE COULD EVEN HAVE BAD TURNOVER IN 30, 60, OR 90 DAYS, AS OPPOSED TO 800 DAYS, IT'S COSTING US $48,000 IN INMATE WAITING FOR A BED OR VERNON THAT'S A YEAR AND IT'S TAKEN 800 DAYS TO GET SOMEBODY IN A BED.
SO THAT'S EASY, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR THIS ALL THE TIME.
I MEAN, WE ALL TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT IT'S LIKE, I DON'T, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE'S ANY, SO ONE THING, ONE THING I, I THINK WHEN WE DID MEET JUST INFORMALLY, WE KIND OF GET WHERE WE GET RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, WE GET A LITTLE LOT, CAUSE IT'S SUCH A BIG PROBLEM.
[00:30:01]
THERE'S A PROBLEM, BUT I THINK THE FIRST THING WE CAN DO IS WE DON'T EAT.WE'RE USING OUR 96,000 TO WAREHOUSE AND INDIVIDUALLY, I'M NOT SAYING THERE'S A BETTER ANSWER, BUT IF YOU HAVE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE DEDICATE AND THE COUNTY PUSHING THOSE LEVERS, WE MIGHT NOT GET HIM TO A HUNDRED DAYS, BUT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PUSH THAT BACK TO A YEAR BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT I BELIEVE.
UNFORTUNATELY, FROM BEING IN GOVERNMENT, THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE GREASE AND WE HAVE TO LEASE START WITH PEOPLE THAT THEIR JOB, WHERE AT THAT POINT IS TO CALL AND WEAR OUT PEOPLE TO THEY COME GET THEM.
AND I DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO THAT.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO THAT AND HE'S NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
AND SO WHEN THEY WERE BRAINSTORMING ABOUT THIS THING, I THOUGHT, WELL, HECK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
WE'LL HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH COORDINATOR.
THEN THEY'RE GOING TO CALL MY OFFICE AND SAY, I'M GOING TO DROP IN A BLACK HOLE.
SO WHEN I GO OVER THERE, I'M GOING TO SAY, IF Y'ALL ARE GOING TO ADOPT THIS, AND I THINK WE SHOULD MEASURE IT IN A YEAR, I DON'T THINK IT'S LIKE, LET'S JUST KEEP DOING IT.
LET'S JUST TAKE A RAW NUMBER AND GO, WHAT'S OUR COMMITMENT WITHIN LIKE, AND IF WE CAN SHOW THAT OUR DIAMONDS, CUSTODY, NOT COMMITMENT, OUR CUSTODY OF, OF PEOPLE THAT FALL IN THOSE CATEGORIES HAS COME DOWN 20%, THEN WE KNOW WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
AND THEN WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT PROBLEM WITH IT, WHICH YOU KNOW, WILL BE BEYOND ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM'S CAREER.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I BROUGHT IT UP BECAUSE I COULD, IF WE'RE MOVING DOWN THAT TRACK, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MY PIECE OF IT DOESN'T GET DROPPED.
AND IT'S LIKE, WELL, WE'VE GOT A COORDINATOR EVERY TIME I CALLED THE DA'S OFFICE, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN ATTORNEY BECAUSE ATTORNEYS COSTS MORE THAN PARALEGALS NEEDED TO VOTE THEIR DAYS TO 10 CASES.
THAT'S AN INEFFICIENT WASTE OF TIME.
SO IF I COULD, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT'S JUST MY, MY LAME THOUGHT FOR THE, FOR THE DAY.
WELL, IT'S A DAUNTING CHALLENGE AND YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE.
Y'ALL JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION.
NO, I DIDN'T PUT ANYTHING IN THERE OR ANYBODY ELSE DID EITHER.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT US LIKE, WOW, WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I DID.
I MADE ONE OF THOSE BIG, OLD PIECES OF PAPER.
CAUSE I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO START.
BUT I THOUGHT I PUT A LITTLE ASTERISK.
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH JUDGE RICH AND THE, IN THE COURTS, MENTAL COORDINATOR.
AND I SHOULD HAVE PUT COUNTIES MINIMAL BECAUSE IT'S NOT A IT'S ONE.
I'M JUST SAYING IF THAT GETS PUSHED OVER BECAUSE OF A KNEE, JUST REMEMBER THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE HAS DR.
I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY THAT'S MENTAL HEALTH QUALIFIED.
SO THERE'S NOT A FLIP SIDE ON MY SIDE TO DEAL WITH IT.
WE ALL HAVE INDIVIDUAL PROSECUTORS.
SO THERE'S NOT AN ASK AT THIS POINT BECAUSE I'M NOT SEEING IN THE LOAN ON THIS, BUT AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, I DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF A PROBLEM.
I KNOW THAT THAT THE SHERIFF HAS A GREAT LIEUTENANT, RIGHT? THAT'S WORKING IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
EVERYBODY'S STARTING TO GET SOME MONEY.
I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY.
UH, I I'M SURE I COULD FIND SOMEBODY, BUT THOSE PEOPLE, UM, ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, YOU GOTTA PAY A LITTLE BIT IF THEY'VE GOT A MASTER'S LEVEL AND THEN IF WE WANT TO DO AN LPC, WE GOTTA PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE.
ARE THEY GOING TO DO THERAPY? I MEAN, I W WE, ALL THE DA'S OFFICE PROBABLY COULD USE SOME THERAPY, BUT, BUT ARE THEY GONNA DO, I CAN'T DO THERAPY WITH THE DEFENDANT BECAUSE HE HAS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, BUT COULD THEY GO DOWN A TREATMENT COURT AND BE THERE WITH THE PROSECUTORS AS THE JUDGE IS GOING THROUGH JUDGE GIBBS TREATMENT COURT? SURE.
COULD THEY HELP US SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF WHAT ALL THOSE OTHER PEOPLE LIKE TO USE AN ACRONYMS TO KIND OF LIKE MAKE, YOU KNOW, SO THEY SPEAK THEIR OWN LANGUAGE.
SO I'LL, I'LL PASS OUT THAT LITTLE PIECE OF PAPER, GIVE IT TO KAREN AND GIVE YOU ALL, JUST KNOW THAT IF Y'ALL GO THAT WAY, DON'T FORGET THAT WE NEED A COROLLARY OR SOMETHING TO RECIPROCATE IN MY OFFICE.
AND I WOULD NOT, LIKE I SAID, THINK AN ATTORNEY IS THE RIGHT ANSWER.
OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NATHAN PRESENTER.
UH, SO I WAS, UM, I WANTED TO TAKE THIS TIME TO TALK ABOUT MY BUDGET IN GENERAL, BUT UM, MORE
[00:35:01]
SPECIFICALLY THE TWO, UH, POSITIONS THAT I PUT DOWN HERE, UM, TO ADD TO OUR DEPARTMENT.UM, ONE OF THEM I'LL, I'LL SPEAK TO THE POSITIONS.
ONE OF THEM IS JUST, WHAT'S CALLED AN IT TECHNICIAN.
SO HE'S JUST A DESKTOP BOOTS ON THE GROUND TYPE PERSON.
UM, I DO FEEL THAT WE STRONGLY NEED ONE OTHER PERSON, UM, AS A BOOTS ON THE GROUND GUY THAT WILL GO OUT AND, AND, UH, WORK ON OUR TICKETS.
UM, ONE WITH THE NEW JUSTICE CENTER COMING UP.
UM, THAT'S ANOTHER BUILDING WE'LL SERVE OVER THERE.
UM, AND JUST ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS IN GENERAL, I HAVE THREE MAIN GUYS THAT GOES OUT AND DO THOSE TICKETS.
SO I'M JUST REQUESTING A FOURTH ONE.
AND THEN THE OTHER POSITION, UM, WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY A LOT OF THE COURT'S OFFICES, JP OFFICES, UM, UH, OTHER COURTS OFFICES IS HAVING KIND OF A TYLER TECHNOLOGIES POSITION, UH, A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ON THE TYLER PRODUCTS.
SO JUST TO KIND OF GIVE A REMINDER OR JUST AN FYI, UM, FOR Y'ALL FOR TYLER TECHNOLOGIES, WE NOW HAVE ODYSSEY.
UM, WE HAVE TYLER JURY, UM, TYLER EAGLE, AND WE'RE MOVING TO, UM, THE ERP SYSTEM WITH TYLER.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PRODUCTS FOR JUST TYLER TECHNOLOGIES.
SO WHAT THIS PERSON WOULD, WOULD DO WOULD BE THE GO-TO PERSON FOR TYLER TECHNOLOGIES, BUT THAT PERSON WOULD ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY KIND OF UPDATES THAT WE NEED TO DO WITH ODYSSEY OR ANY OF THOSE PRODUCTS.
UM, AND TO WORK WITH A TEAM OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN EACH DEPARTMENT.
SO I DON'T WANT THIS PERSON DOING ALL THE TYLER TICKETS AND EVERYTHING FOR EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT.
I WANT THIS PERSON TO ALSO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH A TEAM OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO THE IDEA THAT PERSON WOULD BE A TRAIN, THE TRAINER, KIND OF A PERSON THEY'D SPEND A LOT OF THEIR TIME TEACHING SOMEBODY THAT'S USING A PARTICULAR TYLER APPLICATION AND TRYING TO GET SOMEBODY IN THAT DEPARTMENT WOULD BE SORT OF THE GO-TO PERSON WHENEVER THEY HAVE A PROBLEM.
BUT I, I, I WANT TO REITERATE, THIS IS NOT KIND OF A TEMPORARY, UH, I DIDN'T SEE IT AS KIND OF A TEMPORARY POSITION TO TRAIN THE TRAINERS AND THEN, AND THEN WE'RE DONE WITH IT.
I CAN SEE IT BEING A BUSY ENOUGH, UM, POSITIONED TO BE ONGOING, UM, WHETHER WE UPGRADE ANY OF THE PRODUCTS OR, OR JUST THAT PERSON THAT THEY KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE HAVE TURNOVER OR WHATEVER IN EACH DEPARTMENT, THAT PERSON IS ALWAYS THERE.
UM, FOR ANY OF OUR DEPARTMENTS TO KNOW THEY CAN GO THERE FIRST TO GET SOMEBODY THAT CAN HELP WITH OUR PRODUCTS.
I MEAN, WHENEVER YOU HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE TODDLER PROGRAMS, IT JUST TOTALLY MESSES UP THE EFFICIENCY OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT USE IT, BECAUSE I'VE GOTTEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO SOLVE MY TODDLER PROBLEMS AND ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO IF WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT IS THE EXPERT AND ENSURE, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO TRAIN JUST FROM EXPERIENCE, THEY'RE GOING TO GET WHERE THEY CAN SOLVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS HIMSELF.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED SOMEBODY THERE ALL THE TIME.
AND MY DESKTOP TECHNICIANS, THEY KNOW HOW TO FIX A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THESE PRODUCTS, BUT THOSE ISSUES DON'T GO PAST GETTING THEIR PRINTER SET UP ON THE APPLICATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THE DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES THAT'S BEING DONE WITH THIS SOFTWARE OR THESE SOFTWARES.
UM, I DON'T EXPECT ALL MY DESKTOP TECHNICIANS TO KNOW HOW TO DO THE DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES AND ALL THESE APPLICATIONS THAT WOULD JUST, THAT'S NOT FEASIBLE IN MY OPINION, FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT.
SO THIS PERSON WOULD KNOW THE DAY TO DAY, THEY'D TAKE ALL THE TYLER COURSES THAT'S OFFERED ON TYLER UNIVERSITY, UM, FOR ALL THE SOFTWARES AND FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN GENERAL, WHEN WE DO THESE UPGRADES, THIS PERSON WOULD BE THE GO-TO PERSON TO TRAIN THOSE SMES IN EACH DEPARTMENT.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE WAS A LOT OF CHANGES IN MY BUDGET FOR OTHER ITEMS. UM, HAD A LOT OF SOFTWARE ADDED, UM, AND CHANGES.
I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY QUESTIONS FROM Y'ALL ON ANY OF THE CHANGES THAT I'VE MADE IN BOTH MY BUDGETS TO 6 99 AND 6 97.
I HAD A LOT OF NOTES ON MY, ON THE, ON MY NOTES COLUMN, UM, THAT HOPEFULLY
[00:40:01]
EXPLAINED A LOT OF IT, BUT I, I WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO SEE IF THERE WAS SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL HAD.GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE RICHARD TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
UM, I FIRST WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR MY VERY RED EYES.
THEY'RE JUST ALLERGIES, SO IT'S NOT LIKE THEY WERE VERY RED TODAY.
UM, I AM ASKING TO INCREASE, UM, MY PART-TIME MERS THREE PART-TIMERS HOURLY RATE.
I'M ASKING, NOT ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY, BUT WORKING WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT I HAVE FOR MY EXTRA PART-TIME HELP.
THERE'S A LINE ITEM THAT IS FOR, UM, OUR EXTRA HELP, UM, WHICH COVERS THEIR, UH, ALL OF OUR PART-TIMERS WORK LIKE 20 HOURS A WEEK.
WE USUALLY DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH TURNOVER IN THE LIBRARY, BUT AS PEOPLE HAVE RETIRED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS AND DEATH, WE HAVE FILLED THOSE POSITIONS.
PEOPLE HAVE LEFT AND WE HAVE REFILLED THEM AGAIN.
SO THE BASE FOR THE LAST ONE THEY CAME IN WAS LIKE $10 AND 94 CENTS.
SO I'M ASKING TO, UM, THOSE THAT WILL HIT A YEAR IN AUGUST TO BUMP THEM UP TO LIKE $14 AN HOUR.
AND WE HAVE ONE PART-TIMER, THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR 12 YEARS TO BUMP HER UP TO $16 AN HOUR FROM 11 FROM 1161.
SO, AND, UM, SO DOING ALL OF THAT, THAT WOULD MAKE THAT PART OF THE BUDGET TO $45,760.
UM, DUE IN THAT LINE ITEM ALREADY IS I THINK ALLOCATED FOR THE PART-TIMERS IS $50,000, $50,000, $50,787,000 FOR OUR PART-TIMERS.
UM, THEY DO, UM, TAKE OUT FOR THE RETIREMENT.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MEDICAL BENEFITS, BUT WE DO TAKE OUT FOR WORKERS' COMP AND WE TAKE OUT AND FOR UNEMPLOYMENT, WHICH BRINGS US BENEFITS TO 59, ALMOST $60,000.
SO IF WE DO, IF WE, IF YOU DO GRANT THAT FOR THEM TO GO UP, IT WOULD BE $45,000, $45,760 TO BUMP THEM UP, WHICH WOULD BE WITHIN THAT LINE ITEM.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS ACROSS THE BOARD FOR, UM, THE TRS AND ALL OF THAT, OR IF THAT WOULD STILL COVER ALL OF THAT.
SO IT WOULD HAVE TO GET WITH THE AUDITORS, BUT IT SOUNDS, SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD JUST BALANCE OUT IF WE DO THAT AND HAVE A GIANT SPREADSHEET THAT THEY PUT, I CANNOT GET THAT PRINTED OUT.
I TOLD BRANDY, I TRIED AND IT WAS LIKE SO TINY.
SO, BUT, AND ALSO MORE SO, UM, BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE'RE DOING THINGS DIFFERENT IN THE LIBRARY, WE'RE STILL OUR BREAD AND BUTTER IS CHECKING OUT BOOKS, ANYBODY THAT COMES IN HELPING THEM ON THE COMPUTERS AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
BUT NOW THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT USE OUR EBOOKS AND AUDIOS.
SO WE'RE HELPING THEM REMOTELY.
WE MAY NOT SEE THOSE PATRONS, BUT EVERY TWO YEARS WHEN THEY COME IN TO RENEW THEIR LIBRARY CARD, UM, OUR FAXING IS DOWN WHERE, BUT WE'RE DOING MORE SCANNING AND UPLOADING.
SO WE'RE ASKING THOSE PART-TIMERS TO DO MORE ON THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE, THE WIRELESS PRINTING.
SO THE PROCESS HAS BEEN DIFFERENT.
UM, WE ADDED A POSITION BEFORE COVID TWO FOR PART-TIMERS, BUT WHEN WE WENT INTO COVID, WE DIDN'T NEED THAT BECAUSE WE HAD REDUCED SOME OF OUR HOURS, WE WERE DOING MORE, UM, REMOTELY AND ONLINE FOR THEM.
SO WE DID HAVE NOT HAD TO DO THAT.
SO WE'VE BEEN KIND OF JUST TIGHTENING UP ON OUR PROCESSES AND, UM, YEAH, SO THAT'S THAT, SO THAT WOULD BE MY REQUEST.
I'M ASSUMING WHEN THEY WORK REMOTELY WITH PEOPLE OR THEY HELP PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING, DOING REMOTE, YOU KNOW, EBOOKS AND THAT SORT OF THING, THEY PROBABLY CAN.
IT PROBABLY DOESN'T TAKE AS LONG AS IF SOMEBODY IS SITTING THERE.
AND WE DO STILL HAVE SOME THAT BRING THEIR DEVICES ARE KINDLE CRNAS SO BRINGING THEIR LAPTOPS IN FOR US TO HELP, BUT WE'RE ABLE TO, IF THEY CALL US, WE'RE ABLE TO WALK THEM THROUGH IT.
THOSE HELP QUESTIONS FROM OUR EBOOKS COME DIRECTLY TO ME.
AND IF I CAN'T DO IT, THEN I SEND THEM ON TO THE VENDOR TO HELP US WORK THROUGH THEM.
UM, BUT YEAH, SO THE PROCESS ARE DIFFERENT.
AS FAR AS PEOPLE WORKING REMOTELY, WE'RE ABLE TO DO THE LIBRARY CARDS ONLINE SO PEOPLE CAN EMAIL US, THEY CAN SEND IT IN WE'RE UPLOADING THOSE APPLICATIONS, NOT KEEPING EVERYBODY'S PERSONAL INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, HOUSING IT FOR THREE TO FIVE YEARS ON ALL OF THAT.
[00:45:01]
SHRED AND KEEP THAT CLEAN TOO.SO THAT, THAT IS ON MY ONLY REQUEST AS FAR AS SALARIES GOES, BUT HAVING QUESTIONS FOR YOU AS WELL.
UM, MY, UM, I'M HERE BECAUSE OF MY REQUEST FOR MY TWO NEW EMPLOYEES.
UH, I'M ASKING FOR TWO DEPUTIES, ONE FOR OUR PASSPORTS, PASSPORTS ARE OUT THE ROOF.
I MEAN, IF YOU RIDE AROUND THE COURTHOUSE ANY MORNING, YOU CAN SEE THE LINE OUT THE DOOR AND IT'S TAKING THREE TO FOUR PEOPLE AT A TIME TO HELP OUR PASSPORT PEOPLE AT, FOR, AS A FAMILY.
UM, IF I COULD HAVE ONE MORE DEPUTY, WHICH THAT WAY WE CAN KEEP OUR E-FILING GOING OUR OTHER CIVIL WORK, UH, GOING RIGHT NOW FROM NINE 15 TO 3 15, 3 30, ALL WE'RE DOING IS PASSPORTS.
SO ALL OUR OTHER WORK IS JUST SITTING THERE AND BECAUSE IT TAKES, IT'S TAKEN US, EVERYBODY TO GET THEM IN AND GET THEM OUT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM DONE BY THAT DAY.
IF WE PROCESSED THAT DAY, HAD TO GO OUT THAT DAY.
SO IT'S TAKING A PERSON FROM THEIR DESK ALL DAY, UH, ON AVERAGE, IT TAKES ABOUT 15 MINUTES PER PERSON TO PROCESS THE APPLICATION.
AND THEY'RE NOT JUST FROM KAUFMAN COUNTY, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOT SOME FROM SAN ANTONIO, HOUSTON.
I MEAN, THEY'RE SOMEWHERE ON LINE.
IT'S SOMEONE THERE, YOU COME TO CALM, COMMON COUNTY AND WALK IN AND GET A PASSPORT AND IT'S KILLING US, BUT LEAVING THE COUNTRY OR SOMETHING, EVERYBODY, WE DON'T KNOW, THEY KNOW SOMETHING.
SO I'M ASKING FOR A NEW EMPLOYEE FOR THAT.
AND I'M ALSO ASKING ONE FOR OUR JURY.
UH, LIKE NATHAN SAID, WE'RE GETTING GOING TO A NEW JURY SYSTEM.
AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE EVERY MONDAY WE CALL IN AT LEAST 500 CITIZENS ON AN AVERAGE, A HUNDRED SHOWS UP.
AND SO SOME MONDAYS WE HAVE TWO JURIES AT A TIME.
SO WHEN WE DO THAT, WE HAVE TO CLOSE OUR OFFICE IN ORDER TO GET PROCESSED ALL OUR, UM, JURY PEOPLE.
SO I'M ASKING FOR TWO MORE CLERKS FOR THAT.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY I'VE ASKED, ASK FOR THOSE, UH, EMPLOYEES.
I'VE GOT WHERE, WHERE I'VE HAD IT AND HOW MUCH IT WOULD BE.
BUT ON OUR PASSPORTS ALONE, I COULD COVER THAT IF, IF THAT MONEY DIDN'T GO INTO THE GENERAL BUDGET, JUST THE LAST SIX AND A HALF MONTHS, I'VE COLLECTED $116,000 JUST IN PASSPORTS, OUR SHARE THAT'S YOUR SHARE.
AND THAT GOES TO THE GENERAL BUDGET.
SO, I MEAN, WITH THAT ALONE, I COULD COVER IF THAT WAS IN MY BUDGET, I COULD COVER, UH, TWO EMPLOYEES.
SO, UM, I'M STILL, I STILL AM JUST, IT JUST SEEMED VERY ODD THAT WE GET THOSE PEOPLE THAT COME FROM ALL OVER UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE COME IN FROM DALLAS.
BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT VERY EASY TO GET PAST SOME OF THE PAST WEEK AND YOU DON'T VERY FRIENDLY THERE.
WELL, THE OFFICERS THAT TAKE PASSPORTS, THEY TAKE APPOINTMENTS ONLY LIKE ROCK WALL.
THE POSTDOCTORAL SENTARA IS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.
AND THEY ONLY DO A FEW A DAY AT THE POST OFFICE.
NO, THEY ALL COME HERE BECAUSE WE TAKE WALK-INS.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY GOES AS A 41.
NO, NOT ALL THE POST OFFICES DO.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THE, THE UPS, THE DOOR FOR ME DOES IT TOO.
BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT CAUSE THEY'LL TURN YOU AWAY.
AND WE DON'T TURN ANYONE AWAY UNLESS IT'S AFTER THREE 30 AND THAT'S, WE JUST HAVE TO, WHEN YOU CLOSE FOR JURY, I CAN DON'T YOU HAVE PEOPLE SHOWING UP THAT WARRANT.
THEY WENT OUT, THEY WAIT IN THE HALLWAY.
THEY'RE WAITING ON US TO OPEN THIS.
IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE LITTLE, HAVE A LITTLE MORE ROOM.
RIGHT? THEY'LL HAVE A, WE'LL HAVE A LOT MORE ROOM.
I MEAN, AT LEAST, AT LEAST IT'LL BE, UH, NOT IN FRONT OF ALL THE COURTROOM.
YOU HAVE SCREAMING JUDGE COMING OUT ASKING, CAN YOU GO AND GET THEM IN THERE? SO IF I HAD THAT PERSON, THAT PERSON WOULD BE ABLE TO DO PASSPORTS ALL DAY AND NOT TAKE AWAY FROM OUR OTHER WORK.
I MEAN, DID YOU SAY YOU DID ON AVERAGE, ON AVERAGE WE DO 25 A DAY 45.
AND THAT'S WHY SINCE THE FIRST YEAR, THAT'S WHY SOME DAYS YOU MIGHT'VE DONE 40.
AT THE BEGINNING WE WERE DOING ABOUT 40, 45.
BUT NOW IT SOUNDED ABOUT 25 A DAY, 20, 25 A DAY.
IS IT BECAUSE IT PRUDENT TO GO TO AN APPOINTMENT SYSTEM?
[00:50:01]
WE TRIED THAT.AND EVEN WITH THE APPOINTMENTS, THERE ARE SOME THAT, WELL, I DROVE 40 MILES AND I'M HERE AND YOU'RE OPEN AND WE DON'T TURN THEM DOWN.
I MEAN, I WOULDN'T TURN DOWN MONEY FOR THE COUNTY.
WHERE ARE YOU AT THE END OF THE DAY? THEY JUST SIT THERE UNTIL YOU CLEAN THE LINE.
NOW WE DO KNOW, YOU GOTTA HAVE, YOU GOTTA BE DONE BY THREE 30 TO BE DONE BY THREE 30.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU WON'T TAKE ANYBODY AFTER THREE.
AND THE BAILIFF ONLY DID THE SECURITY WHILE ANYBODY.
AND IF YOU'RE COMING FOR A PASSPORT AND THEN THEY WILL JUST CALL THEM ARE IN THERE.
IF THEY'RE IN, IF THEY GET IN THE BUILDING BEFORE THREE 30, WE'LL TAKE THEM.
WE HAD 20 PEOPLE COME IN AT 3 29.
YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THEM OFF.
MOST OFFICERS WOULD KICK THEM OUT.
WHEN WE DON'T SAY THE LAST NUMBER IS ALREADY TAKEN, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GET IN AND GET ON OUR LIST.
WE TAKE THEM, YOU KNOW, DRIVER'S LICENSE BUREAU, PLACES.
IF THEY'RE ALL BOOKED UP, IT'S TOO BAD.
AND NOW WE'LL TAKE THEM MOST PLACES.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING HER TO COME HERE.
UM, AND THEN WE JUST ADVERTISED IT.
UH IS THAT MONEY IDENTIFIED IN ANY WAY? JUST CURIOUS.
DO WE IDENTIFY THAT MONEY THAT COMES FROM PASSPORTS? IS THAT IN A SEPARATE ACCOUNT AND HER MONTHLY RATE, HER MONTHLY COLLECTIONS AND HER REVENUE LINE ITEMS ARE OKAY.
IT DOESN'T SAY JUST PASSPORTS.
CAUSE SHE COLLECTS OTHER FEES ALSO.
IT'LL SAY I DON'T THINK I HAVE A PRINTOUT.
MA'AM AND I THINK THE WAY IT READS ON THE, UH, REPORT, IT'LL SAY, UM, EXECUTION, UH, I THINK IT'S WHAT IT SAYS.
HOW HAS THIS, HERS IS LUMP SUM IN OFFICIALS FEES ON THE SUMMARY SHEET, BUT THE ACTUAL BREAKDOWN WILL SAY DISTRICT CLERK FEES IN HER, HER ONE LINE ITEM AND WHERE YOU SEE WHERE'S HIS ACCOUNT.
THAT'S NOT PR THAT'S NOT PEOPLE.
THAT'S A RECEIPTS THAT WE WROTE OUT OF.
WE BUDGETED $390,000 WORTH OF REVENUES FOR HER.
AND AS OF MARCH NOW THAT'S ONLY A HALF A YEAR.
SHE'S ALREADY COLLECTED 224,000.
SO IF, IF TWO PEOPLE W HOW DID THAT WORK TO, IF THERE'S TWO PEOPLE, IT'S A FAMILY OF TWO, IT'LL JUST SHOW ONE RECEIPT.
SO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WOULD BE MORE THAN THAT? YES.
YOU MIGHT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR RHONDA.
IT SEEMS LIKE SHE COULD PAY FOR HER EMPLOYEES.
WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU SOLD A PASSPORT? WHEN I WALKED OUT THE OFFICE, SHE GRABBED HER ALL HANDS ON DECK, GRABBED HER PASSPORT TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.
THE BASIC THING THAT I WAS ASKING FOR, I'M NOT ASKING FOR EXTRA PEOPLE.
UM, AT THIS TIME I HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO COVER WHAT WE HAVE.
I KNOW THAT WITH GROWTH, I WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO, BUT NOT THIS YEAR.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO THOUGH, I THINK ON MY SHEET IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR TWO OF THEM, MY EMPLOYEES HAVE TAKEN EDUCATIONAL COURSES.
THEY TOOK THEM SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND THEY HAVE TO KEEP UP THEIR CES.
AND THEY ARE THE TWO LADIES THAT DO THE TAX RIGHTS.
THEY DO THE T AND T THAT IS REQUIRED EVERY YEAR, YOU KNOW, FOR BUDGET, THEY, AND FOR EVERY ENTITY THAT, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTS WITH US, WE NORMALLY WILL CALCULATE THEIR TAX RATES FOR THEM.
AND WITHOUT THESE COURSES, THESE LADIES COULDN'T DO THIS JOB, YOU KNOW, AND IT IS AN EXTRA DUTY FOR THEM.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO, TO SEE
[00:55:01]
IF WE COULD NOT GET THE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME EXTRA MONEY TO, YOU KNOW, TO AT LEAST PAY FOR THE DUTIES THAT THEY'RE DOING.UM, SO THEY'RE, THEY HAVE CERTIFICATION, THEY SURE DO.
WHAT'S THAT CALLED? IT'S THE, UH, TAC CERTIFICATION.
SO BASICALLY IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN TACK UP.
WE GO TO, WE ALL WENT TO THE COURSES.
YOU GO, YOU GO A WEEK, YOU GO TO CLASSES AT THE END OF THE WEEK, YOU TAKE LIKE A 50 QUESTION TEST.
YOU HAVE TO PASS IT, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO RECEIVE YOUR CERTIFICATION.
AND WE GET LICENSED, WE HAVE A LICENSE THAT WE CARRY WITH US, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, OR A SONDA NUMBER.
SO, BUT WITHOUT THESE COURSES, YOU CANNOT DO THE TNT.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T, AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS.
THESE TWO LADIES HAVE CALCULATED THE TAX RIGHTS FOR MANY YEARS, AND THEY'VE NOT BEEN COMPENSATED SEPARATELY OR, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL LEASE, I SHOULD SAY FOR THAT SERVICE.
BUT THEY DO ADD TH THAT IS AN ADDED DUTY TO THEIR REGULAR DUTIES.
I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT THEY DO, THEY CALCULATE TAX RATES FOR OTHER AGENCIES.
THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY MAKE A MISTAKE.
I MEAN, IS THAT, WELL, THEY CHECK IT JUST LIKE THE COUNTY DOES GO OVER IT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY COME TO US.
IF THEY, WE SEND IT TO THEM FOR APPROVAL.
SO THEY HAVE TO SIGN OFF ON IT, YOU KNOW, UH, WE JUST CALCULATED, THEY DOUBLE CHECK IT, BUT THEY DO LIKE US TO DO THEIR TAX RATES FOR THEM, BECAUSE BASICALLY WE'VE GO TO SCHOOL TO DO THAT.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO SEND ANYBODY TO SCHOOL TO DO THAT NOW, YOU KNOW, SO I LIVE, PROBABLY HAVE PROGRAMS SOMEWHERE.
I'M STUCK, THERE'S IN AND FIGURED THERE, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT HELPS US WITH IT, BUT LIKE I SAID, YOU CANNOT DO THE TAX RIGHTS WITHOUT THE, THE EDUCATION AND THE EXTRA COURSES TO DO IT TO THE BIGGER JURISDICTIONS, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, VERY COMPLEX, I'M SORRY, BIGGER JURISDICTIONS, THE CITIES SCHOOL DISTRICTS, DO THEY DO THEIR OWN TAX CALCULATIONS? SOME DO SOME DO.
A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS DO THEIR OWN, BUT WE DO, WE DO A LOT.
AND WE COLLECT FOR 50, I THINK, 50 PLUS ENTITIES.
AND, UH, WE DO QUITE A BIT OF THEIR COLLECTIONS IN THERE.
UH, I MEAN THEIR CALCULATIONS FOR THEM, I GUESS, ALL ANYBODY THAT WOULD COLLECT THE TAXES FOR THE SMALL ONES LIKE POSTDOC BEN OR SOMEBODY THEY'D PROBABLY ASK, YOU KNOW, JOHN DOES IT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, HE FIGURES THE TAX RATE.
THERE'S DON'T DO THERE, BUT, AND I'M SURE YOU PROBABLY DON'T DO TERRELL'S OR THEY ALL HAVE A CFO AND THE CFO OF ALL THOSE BIG STONE DISTRICTS DO THEIR OWN.
BUT I COULDN'T SEE, I COULDN'T SEE WHERE PENALTY OR FOLKS DON'T BE IN THERE.
AND THE MEDS AND ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, YEAH.
THAT THERESA SOME I KNOW IN DALLAS COUNTY, ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS GOES ON OTHER PLACES, THERE ARE RETAIL STORES, GROCERY STORES IN THIS SORT OF THING THAT DO WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO AND REGISTER THEIR VEHICLES.
HOW DOES THAT WORK? AND, AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOMEDAY? I MEAN, I'M THINKING ABOUT ALL THE LINES OF PEOPLE THAT I SEE ALL THE TIME THAT ARE IN THE VEHICLE LINE.
UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE USE, UH, SUBCONTRACTORS IS WHAT THAT IS, IS WHERE THEY GO OUT TO GROCERY STORES OR DIFFERENT PLACES.
NOW IT WOULD BE THE COUNTY THAT GOES OUT AND CONTRACTS WITH THE STORES BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PUSH, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN EMPLOYEE THAT YOU PUT THERE.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE SPACE FOR THAT.
IT HAS TO BE A COUNTY EMPLOYEE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE.
YEAH, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE USING STICKERS.
YOU KNOW, ALL OF IT IS YOU LOSE MONEY TOO, BECAUSE MOST OF THE STORES DO IT CHARGE YOU A SPACE.
WELL, I DIDN'T HAVE, I WASN'T.
UM, MAYBE THEY WERE CONTRACTING WITH THE STATE DIRECTOR.
AND THAT, AND THE MAIN THING THAT, THAT HELPS OUT, IT HELPS OUT WITH LINES, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT GETS REALLY, REALLY BUSY.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK WE TRIED IT ONE TIME AND A LOT OF THE STORES DOES DON'T WANT YOU IN THERE BECAUSE IT IS, IT'S LIKE YOU SAY, IT TAKES UP A LOT OF THEIR SPACE AND THEN YOU HAVE TO PUT AN EMPLOYEE IN THERE.
YOU ALSO HAVE, UM, INVENTORY IN THERE THAT SCOTT DATES, MONEY INVENTORY, AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PLACE TO LOCK THAT UP, YOU KNOW, AND I MEAN, I THOUGHT IF IT WAS, I MEAN, I WAS JUST CURIOUS, I, I JUST ASSUMED OR THOUGHT THAT MAYBE THE STATE WAS, AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO HAPPEN.
THAT THAT WOULD CAUSE IT'S A REAL CONVENIENCE.
IT'S A REAL CONTRAST TO NOT HAVE TO GO TO A DALLAS COUNTY OFFICE OR THEY CAN JUST GO TO THE TOM THUMB OR WHATEVER.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD HAS TO DO WITH, UM, WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ABOUT NOT IN THIS BUDGET YEAR, BUT WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ABOUT TECHNOLOGY.
[01:00:02]
LIKE I SEE TAX, YOU KNOW, WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO KIOSK KIND OF WHAT THEIR, I GUESS, HER PAYING TAXES HERE ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING WHEN WE WENT AND LOOKED AT THE, JUST, OR THE COURTS BUILDING IN, UM, WHEN THE BRONCOS, WHEREVER WE WENT THAT, UH, WE LOOKED AT A FAIRLY NEW COURTS BUILDING JUST TO KIND OF, THEY WERE, THEIR TAX OFFICE HAD KIOSKS, LIKE THE LOBBY SORT OF LIKE, IT LOOKED LIKE AN ATM, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE DO? AND, AND, AND IT JUST, IT, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY TALK, THEY SAY, YEAH, PEOPLE COME IN AND THEY DO THE, THEY CAN DO THEIR TAX BUSINESS WITH THESE KIOSKS AND NOT HAVE TO GO AND WAIT IN LINE.THE ONLY THING THAT I COULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE AS IF THEY COULD GO IN AND HAVE AN ACCOUNT NUMBER AND PUT IT IN, AND THEN IT MIGHT BE ABLE TO DETECT THEIR CREDIT CARD AT THAT TIME, NOT, WELL, I THINK THEY WERE PAYING TAXES, RIGHT? TAXES WOULD BE ABOUT ALL THEY COULD DO.
CAUSE YOU CAN'T JUST PRINT A STICKER OUT LIKE THAT.
BUT, BUT TAXES, IF IT'S LIKE THAT, THE KIOSK WOULD PROBABLY BE SOMETHING, LIKE I SAID, WHERE THEY WOULD GO IN, GET THEIR ACCOUNT NUMBER OFF OF THEIR RECEIPT, TYPE IT IN AND THEN PRINT UP THE AMOUNT AND THEN MAYBE USE A CREDIT CARD TO PAY FOR IT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEN IT WOULD BE PAID, BUT THEY DO THAT ONLINE.
I MEAN, I MEAN, I GUESS THAT'S, I WOULD LOOK FOR US TO, I MEAN, THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT, UM, AUTOMATE AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE THINGS EASILY, MAYBE DOWN THE LINE.
I MEAN, RIGHT NOW A LOT OF PEOPLE PAY ONLINE ALREADY WITH A CREDIT CARD, YOU KNOW? SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK WE'D HAVE TO HAVE A LOT MORE GROWTH.
I COULD SEE DALLAS COUNTY, YOU KNOW, TRAVIS COUNTY, ALL OF THEM USING THAT.
COUNTY'S BIGGER THAN US, BUT AS FAR AS THE KIOSK, GOD, I DON'T SEE HIM.
THAT'S GOING THERE REALLY TOO SOON.
THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE OF, THERE'S REALLY SEVERAL BUSY SEASONS FOR US.
AND WHEN THEY'RE BUSY, THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY BUSY, BUT WE HAVE EVERYBODY CROSS.
AND SO IT DOES HELP WITH THE LINES.
WE, YOU KNOW, SO WHEN IT'S REAL BUSY, WE HAVE, LIKE I SAID, EVERYBODY PULLS GETS UP THERE AND DOES WORK AND IT GETS IT ALL, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY COLLECTED AND GETS THEM OUT OF THERE.
SO WHAT'S OUR PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT PAY THEIR TAXES ON.
I DON'T HAVE A PERCENTAGE THAT RIGHT NOW I CAN GET BACK WITH YOU ON THAT.
I'LL GET THAT FOR YOUR PERCENTAGE OF WHO PAYS ONLINE.
IT'D BE, BE A LOT LESS BURDEN ON NO IN PERSON SERVICE.
WE DO HAVE CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR.
I THINK WE GET MORE, BUT UM, THEY PAY REALLY REGULAR ON THEIR WEEK.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE PEOPLE PAYING ONLINE EVERY DAY WE RUN.
WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT WORKS ON EVERY DAY, WHICH W WHICH WAY IS THE BIGGEST IS, IS STALE BY MAIL.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IN THE MAN, I MEAN, I GET IT, BUT MOST PEOPLE MAIL IT.
YOU KNOW, I STILL MAIL MINE, YOU KNOW, I PUT IT IN, I'LL PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER.
I PUT IT IN ENVELOPE AND BRING IT TO THE TAX OFFICE NOW, BECAUSE I HAVE ONE THERE
HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE OVER THERE? WE HAVE IN, IN TOTAL ABOUT 22 EMPLOYEES, I BELIEVE.
UM, DID YOU HAVE YOURS BROKE DOWN? LIKE WE DID ROAD AND BRIDGE WHERE WE HAVE LIKE, YOU KNOW, A CATEGORY, WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY WORK IN, WHAT THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION IS FOR THAT.
AND THEN WE HAVE A, UH, STARTING A MIDDLE AND ENDING SALARY OR A HIGH SALARY.
WE DO ALREADY HAVE BASICALLY A, UH, A STRUCTURE.
SO, UM, THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS TOO I WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT BECAUSE I HAVE, UM, I HAVE CLERK, ONE CLERK, TOES, AND CLERK, THREES, CLERK, THREES ARE LIKE THE, THE LEADS OUT ON THE FLOOR.
THEY, THEY KNOW A LOT MORE THAN MOST CLERK, TWOS HAD BEEN HERE A WHILE.
THEY KNOW MORE PEOPLE GO TO THEM AS WELL.
AND THEN I HAVE A CLERK ONES, AND THERE'S MORE CLERK ONES IN THERE ALREADY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE TOO, SO THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND SO WE DID HIRE A NEW PERSON IN THERE AT THE START.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE UP TO A CLERK, TWO POSITION, AND I DO HAVE THE MONEY LEFT OVER FROM MOVING PEOPLE AROUND THAT I COULD MOVE TWO PEOPLE UP TO CLERK, TWO POSITIONS, AND I WOULD LIKE PERMISSION TO DO THAT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, UM, BUDGET PROCESS, OR NOW I, LIKE I SAID, I HAVE IT ALREADY IN MY BUDGET.
I JUST, WHEN I HIRED A NEW PERSON, THAT WAS WHAT WAS LEFT OVER, UM, BECAUSE HE STARTED STARTING SALARY.
AND SO I HAD SOME MONEY IN THERE.
SO, AND THEN THE TWO LADIES THAT YOU WANT TO GIVE A RAISE TO THIS, NOT THESE TWO, RIGHT.
IT'S TWO OTHER LADIES THAT ARE ARTISTS.
[01:05:01]
PRETTY WELL TOPPED OUT WHERE THEY'RE AT NOW.SO I'D LIKE TO MOVE THEM TO THE CLERK LEVEL TWO.
SHE HAD ASKED ME ABOUT IT AND I SAID, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT, BUT YOU HAD TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR A RESTRUCTURE TO GET THE COURT TO PROVE IT.
WHAT YOU WANT TO DEAL WITH THROUGH REGULAR COURT COURT? Y'ALL WANT ME TO BRING THE ISSUE, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WENT DOWN THE DRAIN.
AND WHILE I'M IN HERE, IT DOESN'T HURT TO ASK IF WE CAN GET LIKE 10% ACROSS THE BOARD, THAT WOULD BE REALLY NICE.
YOU DON'T WANT 15 ANYMORE 10, RIGHT? YOU HAVE A, SOME RANGE THERE.
NOW, TO REBOOT THE CONVERSATION, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOTTEN COMPLETELY OFF TRACK IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, EXPENDITURES AND, AND RAISES AND, AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
BUT I FEEL LIKE THE FIRST THING YOU DO IN A BUDGET IS YOU FIGURE OUT, YOU, YOU DECIDE HOW MUCH IN OUR CASE, HOW MUCH TAX LEVY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE YOU START OFF HOW MUCH MONEY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE.
AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE, WE WE'VE, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
AND WE GOT TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION TODAY.
UM, AND SO WHAT I DID IS I JUST MADE UP, I JUST HAVE A NUMBER TO GIVE YOU, UM, OF AS FAR AS AN INCREASE AND, AND I'M, I'M GROUPING TOGETHER, UH, M AND O AND ROAD AND BRIDGE BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO DECIDE HOW TO SEPARATE THAT LATER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE BASICALLY HAVE, THAT'S REALLY ALL GENERAL FUND MONEY, AND THEN WE SPLIT OUT ROAD AND BRIDGE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THOUGH, IN TERMS OF A TOTAL AND THE, AND THEN I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS SHEET THAT KAREN GAVE US.
SO THE FIRST THING I'M GOING TO DO IS BECAUSE KAREN, UH, MESSED ME UP BY GIVING ME THIS NUMBER THAT WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE I FIGURED, PROBABLY GOT THE RIGHT NUMBER THOUGH.
SHE, I DON'T, I DON'T DOUBT THAT SHE'S GOT THE RIGHT NUMBER.
UH, SO I JUST DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO BE CONFUSED, BUT WHAT I'M SHOWING HERE AND SHE DIDN'T SEND THAT TO ME AHEAD OF TIME.
AH, OR BRANDY DID, NOTHING WAS PROBABLY BRITTANY'S FAULT.
NO, BRANDY DIDN'T HEAR NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
ONE THING SHE'LL BLAME ME FOR SOMETHING LATER, BRANDY.
ANYWAY, I GUESS PROBABLY CHRIS YOU'RE BUYING CRYSTAL.
SO I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH THIS LINE BY LINE AND THEN I WANT, UH, THEN WE HAVE, UH, I HAVE TO ASK, UH, KAREN A QUESTION ABOUT FUND BALANCE.
SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAX, AND I DIDN'T LEAVE YOU OUT BRANDY LUNCH, SOMEBODY GIVE YESTERDAY.
AND I'VE TOLD YOU ALL, I SAID SOMETHING ABOUT NOT USING PERCENTAGES, BUT I CAN'T HAVE MONEY CONVERSATIONS WITHOUT USING PERCENTAGES.
UM, SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP ABOVE THAT BLACK LINE THERE, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR TOTAL TAX LEVY FOR THIS YEAR IS 55 MILLION, $680,687.
WHAT I PLUGGED IN THERE IS A 3.8 MILLION, WELL ALMOST $4 MILLION PROPOSED INCREASE IN TAX REVENUE.
IT'S A FUNKY NUMBER LIKE THAT IS THAT IT'S EXACTLY 7%.
WHERE'D I GET 7%, 7% IS TWICE WHAT COUNTIES, MOST COUNTIES ARE SUBJECT TO THE 3.5% TAX CAP.
AND SO IT MAKES SENSE TO ME THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FUNCTION WITH TWICE, WHATEVER A LOT OF THOSE OTHER COUNTIES ARE FUNCTIONED WITH.
WE'RE DIFFERENT THAN EVERYBODY ELSE,
[01:10:01]
BUT THERE ARE OTHER COUNTIES THAT ARE GROWING LIKE THIS.SO THAT'S WHERE THE 7% COME FROM.
THAT'S WHERE THE FOUR POINT MEAN 3.9 OR $4 MILLION COMES FROM.
DO YOU ADD THAT THAT INCREASES OUR TAX LEVY FOR THE 2023 BUDGET.
SO IT WOULD BE UP $4 MILLION FROM LAST YEAR.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THE RAISES.
SO OUT OF THAT $4 MILLION, WE COULD USE WHATEVER EXTENT THAT WE WANTED TO FOR RAISES UNDERSTANDING THAT IF WE USE THAT, WHATEVER WE USE FOR RAISES ARE NOT GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO BUY PENCILS AND PAPER AND STUFF.
NOW THE, THE 3 MILLION, 293 THAT I WROTE IN BLUE DOWN THERE, UM, THIS IS KAREN'S PROJECTION NOW.
SO THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE FOR KAREN, IT REALLY IS THAT IF OUR FUND BALANCE THAT WE HAVE NOW IS SUFFICIENT TO SATISFY, YOU KNOW, FOR GOOD ACCOUNTING PRACTICES, WE THERE, AND THIS IS, THESE ARE TAX DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED THIS YEAR, OR THIS YEAR IN THE PAST YEAR, THIS IS MONEY THAT THIS IS TAX ALL THE, ALL THIS IS TAX YOUR DOLLARS THAT WE'VE COLLECTED TO BE SPENT IN, IN THIS YEAR.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULDN'T ADD THAT MONEY IN, YOU KNOW, OUR JOB IS TAKE TAX MONEY FROM PEOPLE AND TURN IT INTO SERVICES.
WHEN I DON'T, WE'RE NOT, I DON'T THINK WE'RE IN THE BANKING BUSINESS.
WE NEED TO, WE HAVE TO HAVE A RESERVE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE AN ADEQUATE FUND BALANCE, BUT DEPENDING ON WHAT KAREN SAYS ABOUT THAT OR WHAT HER OPINION IS, UM, IF WE CAN USE THAT MONEY AND APPLY IT TO, UM, TO FUND OPERATIONS AND FUND SALARIES AND OPERATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR, I DON'T SEE ANY REASON NOT TO DO THAT.
WE ACTUALLY, WE ACTUALLY INTENDED TO DO THAT IN THIS BUDGET YEAR WITH THE RADIO TOWER AND ALL THAT STUFF.
SO WE THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALREADY BUDGETED OR PLANNED TO DO ONCE.
AND I THINK WE COULD DO IT AGAIN.
SO, KAREN, WHAT ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE? WHAT DO YOU THINK W WHERE ARE WE GOING TO BE ON FUND BALANCE AND WHAT ARE YOU TO CALL? OKAY.
AT THE BEGINNING FUND BALANCE, IS IT 14 MILLION? FOUR? AND I DID MY PROJECTIONS AND THEY HAVE 90 DAYS WORTH OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL PROBABLY ADD PROBABLY CLOSE TO ANOTHER 4 MILLION, THREE TO 4 MILLION DEPENDENT ON WHAT SPENT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND I'M JUST SHOWING HOW MUCH WE'RE NOT SPENDING, I'M NOT SHOWING HOW MUCH WE HAVE COLLECTED OVER WHAT WE PUT.
SO, SO WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE, YOU KNOW, ON THE OTHER VENUE WE'VE BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR, LIKE A LITTLE BIT OVER 2 MILLION.
AND THEN WE ADDED TO IT BECAUSE OF SOME OTHER THINGS THAT THEY BROUGHT TO Y'ALL, WE'VE GOT 4 MILLION JUST IN THE SELL A PROPERTY THAT I HAVEN'T EVEN PUT IN THE BUDGET IS JUST IN THE EXCESS REVENUE RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE SITTING PRETTY GOOD THAT WE COULD, WE COULD TAKE THREE, THREE AND A HALF MILLION OF FUND BALANCE AND NOT REALLY HURT FUND BALANCE IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
UH, AGAIN, I FELT LIKE THE STARTING POINT FOR OUR BUDGET DISCUSSION SHOULD BE HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH TAX REVENUE ARE WE GOING TO HAVE.
AND WE'VE GOT OTHER REVENUES UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, OUR BIG, THE BIG THING, REALLY, FOR US AS TAX REVENUE, HOW MUCH TAX REVENUE DO WE HAVE, WHAT IS OUR SPENDING REQUEST? AND WE'VE GOT TO MATCH THOSE TWO THINGS UP.
IN SOME CASES, WE PROBABLY HAVE TO SQUEEZE DOWN SOME OF THE SPENDING REQUESTS TO MAKE THEM FIT.
SO, UM, I AM INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT, UH, WHAT ANYBODY HAS TO SAY ABOUT THE NUMBER THAT THEY THINK WE SHOULD BE USING IN OUR BUDGET DISCUSSION, BUT THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN WANTING TO SEE, JUST, YOU KNOW, GOOD STARTING POINT.
I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY, UH, SO YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR US TO START LOOKING AND FIGURING WHAT WE CAN DO.
UM, I'M GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN.
I THINK SOME OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT I'VE TALKED TO OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS, IF WE COULD GIVE A, A REALLY DECENT AND GOOD RAISE TO THE EMPLOYEES, THEY'D BE WANTING TO CUT BACK ON SOME OF THEIR REQUESTS.
AND, UM, I THINK THEY, THEY THINK THEY COULD WORK, MAKE IT WORK BETTER, YOU KNOW? WELL, YOU SEE THE COMMENTARY LINE THAT I HAVE UNDER THERE.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE, THE YEARS THAT I'VE DONE MY BUDGET, THE, WHAT, I'VE ALWAYS USED TO PROJECT MY BUDGET FOR
[01:15:01]
THE NEXT YEAR, I'VE I REALLY JUST LOOKED AT WHAT MY PREVIOUS YEAR'S BUDGET WAS.I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I USED TO COMPARE WITH.
I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS TAKE THIS INFORMATION THAT KAREN GAVE US AND SEND THAT BACK TO THE DEPARTMENTS AND SAY, WOULD YOU LOOK NOT AT WHAT YOUR BUDGET, YOUR 22 BUDGET WAS, BUT WHAT, UH, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND THIS YEAR AND USE THAT AS YOUR BASELINE INSTEAD OF YOUR BUDGET? I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S A PRACTICE WE'VE ALL HAD, AND IT'S PROBABLY, MAYBE WE SHOULD RETHINK THAT.
AND SO OUR, UM, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
I BELIEVE THAT THE STARTING POINT FOR GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS IS HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO RUN THE BUDGET? I MEAN, I'M SORRY TO RUN THE COUNTY TO THE LEVEL THAT WE DEEM IT NECESSARY.
THAT'S ONE NUMBER THAT SHOULD BE EMPIRICALLY DETERMINED.
AND, AND, UH, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF FLEX IN THAT BASED ON HOW, HOW PEOPLE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF IT IS PURELY SUBJECTIVE, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH MORE SUPPLIES THEY NEED, HOW MUCH MORE, HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE THEY NEED, BUT, UH, IN THE END THAT THAT SORTING, YOU KNOW, GETS DONE AT THIS LEVEL.
BUT, UH, UH, I BELIEVE THAT, THAT THERE SHOULD BE A DETERMINATION MADE.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO RUN KAUFMAN COUNTY, TO THE LEVEL WE DEEM IT NECESSARY TO OPERATE AT, AND THEN FIND THAT MONEY, UH, ASSUMING THAT IT FITS WITHIN OUR, WITHIN OUR REVENUE FIND THAT MONEY.
BUT, BUT I THINK WE START WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS PROBABLY, AND I, UH, WILL ACTUALLY LIKE THE COUNTY CLERK, NOBODY ELSE IS IN A POSITION TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? NOW? I DO HAVE TO SAY, I GOT AN EMAIL, A COPY OF AN EMAIL TODAY THAT THE COUNTY CLERK SENT TO THE AUDITOR.
I GUESS SHE'S HEARD ALL THIS DISCUSSION UP HERE.
AND SHE MADE REQUESTS FOR TWO ADDITIONAL PEOPLE.
AND SHE SENT AN EMAIL TO THE AUDITOR TODAY SAYING SHE'S WITHDRAWING THOSE PEOPLE.
SHE'LL JUST, SHE'LL JUST MAKE IT WORK WITH THE PEOPLE THAT SHE'S GOT.
AND I THINK, UH, I THINK THAT A LOT OF THAT WAS BASED ON THE FACT THAT SHE'S HOPING THAT THAT'LL HELP US WITH RAISES FOR THE EXISTING PERSONNEL THAT SHE'S GOT.
AND I THINK LAW APPRECIATION, I THINK THAT SHE WANTS TO HIRE WILL BE COMING FROM RECORDS MANAGEMENT FUND.
THAT WAS THE OTHER PART OF IT TOO, RIGHT? LAURA? YES.
I THOUGHT I HAD READ IT RIGHT.
SO ANYWAY, JUST TO FINISH UP, BUT, BUT REGARDLESS OF MY PARTICULAR PERSONAL PREFERENCE, IF, I MEAN, I THINK YOUR 7% FIGURE IS A VALID, UH, A VALID DETERMINATION.
AND, UH, SO I, I WOULD SAY THE NEXT QUESTION IS HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO RUN THE GOVERNMENT WITH, UH, IF WE'RE GOING TO ASSUME THAT NO, ONE'S GOING TO SAY NO TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND NO, ONE'S GOING TO SAY NO TO NATHAN.
AND, UH, SO HOW MUCH IS THAT? HOW MUCH IS THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT? AND THEN HOW MUCH OF THIS 3.2 MILLION IS LEFT? WELL, I THINK WE START, WE START WITH IN, MAYBE WE CAN EVEN ARRIVE AT THAT CONVERSATION TODAY.
I THINK WE START WITH, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO TACK ON FOR TAX REVENUE? AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION I THINK IS WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO IN TERMS OF RACES? UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW ANY MORE.
I MEAN, WE CAN KEEP KICKING THIS DOWN THE ROAD FOR ANOTHER WEEK OR WHATEVER, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANY MORE, ANY MORE INFORMATION TO MAKE THAT DECISION THAN WE HAVE TODAY.
I THINK KAREN'S PROVIDED US WITH THE NUMBERS AND SHE'S IN AGREEMENT THAT, THAT, THAT THIS EXCESS, THAT, THAT, WE'RE NOT THAT WE DON'T LOOK LIKE WE'RE GOING TO SPIN THIS YEAR IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD USE TO FUND THE BUDGET.
AND THAT GIVES US A, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL, ALL OF THE SALARY INCREASES FOR GENERAL FUND THAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR THE POSITIONS AND THEN WHERE WE'RE OVER ON THE BUDGET, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH REVENUES YET.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT $11 MILLION.
WE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WORK IN IT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SQUEEZE IT DOWN.
OKAY, WELL HERE, LET ME TAKE MY OWN REQUEST REPORT.
THE EXTRA POSSESSION REQUESTED FOR THIS YEAR AND THE EXTRA MONEY.
I THINK IF WE CAN REALLY WORK HARD AND TRY TO, TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON THEIR SALARIES,
[01:20:02]
THAT SOME OF THOSE REQUESTS LIKE TERRY SAID WILL GO AWAY.I MEAN, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A NEED.
AND I JUST THINK THAT IF WE REALLY TRY REALLY, REALLY HARD TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THEIR SALARIES, A MEANINGFUL INCREASE OF THEIR SALARY, THAT A LOT OF THESE REQUESTS WILL GO AWAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO LIVE AND SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.
AND IF THEY CAN DO THAT, THEN THEY'LL WORK A LITTLE BIT HARDER MULTITASKING OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT I TAKE CARE OF MY HOME.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UH, I, I JUST, I, I, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY NUMBERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, CAUSE I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY, BUT YOU JUST NEED TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S MEANINGFUL FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
AND I THINK A LOT OF THESE RUBRICS WILL GO AWAY, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE NEED, SOMEHOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND ELIMINATE A LOT OF THESE THINGS, BUT I THINK WE START WITH, HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE ON TOP? AND THEN THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS SAYING IS KIND OF MY $10.
IF I'M GOING TO GO TO ELMO OR NOT.
I MEAN, I GOT TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE GOT TO SPEND BEFORE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN I GOT TO MAKE A DECISION I'M GOING TO SPIN.
WELL, I THINK ANOTHER THING TOO, I WANT US TO CONSIDER HERE A COUPLE OF THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, IF, UH, I THINK THAT IF AN EMPLOYEE RECEIVED A RAISE AFTER WE DECIDED BUDGET STUFF, THIS LAST TIME THAT, THAT, THAT SHOULD BE DEDUCTED FROM THE AMOUNT.
I DON'T THINK THAT THEY SHOULD GET A RATE AND ANOTHER RAISE OUT OF THIS DEAL.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE THAT BEFORE.
REFRESH NOW, WHICH ONES ARE WE? I DON'T REALLY NEED SOME, HELP ME REMEMBER WHAT WE DID.
UH, WELL, I, FOR EXAMPLE, IF LET'S SAY SOMEBODY GOT A $500 RAISE AND MIDTERM HERE, THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUDGET TIME AND THE SALARY ADJUSTMENT.
THE DA'S OFFICE HAS ASKED US WHAT WE CAN DO IN BROAD BRUSH, RIGHT? NO, NO, NO.
SO THOSE FOLKS THAT GOT THAT ALREADY, I THINK TO BE FAIR, REALLY, WE SHOULD DEDUCT THAT FROM THE AMOUNT THAT THEY WOULD NORMALLY GET.
AND IF THEY HADN'T GOT THAT, THEY WERE GIVING EVERYBODY ELSE.
THAT'S ONE THING I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER ANOTHER THING.
LET'S LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE.
INSTEAD OF STARTING THIS OCTOBER ONE.
WHAT IF WE STARTED JANUARY ONE? HOW MUCH I KNOW ALL OUT OF JAIL, IT'S PAYROLL MAINTENANCE.
IS IT OKAY? I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WOULD MAKE ENOUGH DIFFERENCE OR THEY ALWAYS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE, BUT IT WAS, UM, THIS, YOU KNOW, ON THESE CROSS, THE BOARD RAISES NUMBERS.
WE, WE'RE NOT FIGURING ACROSS THE BOARD RACES FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE PAID BY THE STATE AND THE COUNTY, THOSE, THEY WERE PULLED OUT OF THIS NUMBER.
I MEAN, THERE'S SOME BOYS LIKE ACRA LIFE AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T KNOW HOW THE PAROLE, IT WAS JUST BASED ON OUR SALARY.
THAT'S JUST BASED ON ALREADY PAID.
IT'S WHATEVER'S IN THIS SPREADSHEET.
HI, I'M GETTING A, IN BOTH EARS HERE.
WE DON'T COUNT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY BECAUSE SHE STAYED EMPLOYED THE DISTRICT JUDGES OR THE COUNTY COURT LAW JUDGES.
WE DON'T, WE DIDN'T INCLUDE THEM IN, IN THERE, BUT EVERYBODY ELSE IS INCLUDED.
SO WE PAY 25% OR GIVE A STAFF AND TO SAY, AGRILIFE, YOU FIGURED IF YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION, IT'S IN THERE.
IF YOU WANT TO DO IT, IF YOU DON'T TO BE ON THE PART THAT WE PAY, NOT ON, WELL, IF YOU'RE GIVING THEM A PERCENTAGE AND TO GET A FLAT RATE, YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
I GUESS THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
SO IF YOU TAKE AN APARTMENT, UH, UH, JUVENILE PROBATION OR AGRILIFE OR WHATEVER THAT PART OF THEIR WAGES COME FROM THE STATE, IF WE WERE DOING A THOUSAND DOLLARS RAISE AND THE STATE WAS PAYING 25% OF THE MONEY, WE PROBABLY, THEY WOULD GET 75.
SO IT'D BE FLAT FLAT RATE THAT WOULDN'T REALLY APPLY.
WE'RE PAYING THEM 15,000 A YEAR.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE PAYING 25,000 HERE AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING A RAISE FROM THE STATE AT THE SAME TIME.
SO MEAN WE HAVEN'T SET IT OUT LOUD, BUT I THINK IT STILL DOES NEED TO BE, AT LEAST IN YOUR MIND THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T LIKE JUST BUYING A CAR BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO PAY THIS AMOUNT THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR AND THE YEAR AFTER AND THE YEAR AFTER NO PROBLEM PAYING MORE NEXT YEAR MORE.
IT'S NOT, I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING WE DO IS GOING TO GO DOWN.
I HAVE A BAD FEELING ABOUT THAT, EXCEPT EXCEPT FOR YOUR PROFIT OR YOUR INTEREST RATE THAT YOU'RE COLLECTING ON THAT.
I THINK, I THINK EVERYTHING ELSE IS GOING TO GO UP.
UH, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND GIVE THEM REASONABLE RAISES, BUT 30% RAISES
[01:25:01]
40% RAISES THAT THOSE ARE UNHEARD OF NUMBERS.WELL, WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT GOING TO AFFORD IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO ASK OUR DEPARTMENTS TO RE-LOOK AT THEIR BUDGETS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE FUNDED OTHER THAN JUST WAGES THAT ARE GOING TO GO UP.
SOMETHING FUEL FUEL WOULD BE ONE EXAMPLE.
AND IF WE KEEP DOING 1%, ONE AND A HALF PERCENT, 1% IN JANUARY AND ANOTHER ONE AND HALF PERCENT IN APRIL, I MEAN, WE JUST CAN'T KEEP THINKING.
WE'VE ALREADY MADE OUR DECISION ON, THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO A FLAT, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE MEANINGFUL.
I MEAN, CPI FOR SOCIAL SECURITY FOR THE ENTIRE AMERICA IS, YOU KNOW, AVERAGE IS 3, 2, 3, 5.
WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT AND THEY HAVE MORE MONEY THAN WE DO.
BUT LOOK HOW THEY SPEND THEIR MONEY TOO.
I THINK WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB THAN THEY ARE.
YOU KNOW, SOCIAL SECURITY, I THINK WENT 10 YEARS WITHOUT A SINGLE YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT 30 AND 40% RAISES ARE NOT RIGHT.
WELL, YEAH, IT'S NOT, IF YOU, IF YOU START WITH THAT TOP NUMBER, THAT'S ALL THERE IS.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO FIT IT IN.
SO QUESTION, UM, USING THIS FUND BALANCE NUMBER, ADDING THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER, THAT'LL THAT THAT'S THAT'S THAT SHOULD GIVE US PLENTY OF ROOM FOR A COST OF LIVING INCREASE.
AND THAT SHOULD GIVE US PLENTY OF ROOM.
WE MAY NOT HAVE TO USE IT ALL, BUT THAT SHOULD GIVE US PLENTY OF ROOM TO MEET THE ADJUSTED NEEDS OF DEPARTMENTS COME BACK WITH.
AND IF YOU DON'T EAT IT, YOU DON'T HAVE IN THE NUMBER ON YOUR SHEET THAT WHAT THE OTHER MONEY IS WE BRING IN, RIGHT? NO, THIS IS JUST, THIS IS JUST THIS TAX REVENUE, BECAUSE IF SOMEONE MAKES SURE BECAUSE YEAH, IT'S BECAUSE WE DO BRING OTHER THINGS IN AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ALL THE FUNDS THAT WE DEAL WITH.
A LOT OF THE FUNDS ARE SORT OF ON AUTOPILOT.
I MEAN, WE DON'T REALLY MEAN IT'S KIND OF SELF-GENERATED STUFF.
IT'S GENERAL ROAD AND BRIDGE AND DEPTH THAT WE USUALLY HAVE REALLY WORRY ABOUT.
AND THERE'S NOTHING IN HERE ABOUT INS BECAUSE THAT, THAT NUMBER JUST IS THE MAIN, I HAVE TO REDUCE THAT RATE.
I CAN'T COLLECT WHAT WE SAID IT 700,000 IS WHAT YOU 700,000.
AS FAR AS OUR EMPLOYEES AND SALARIES FOR EACH PERCENT THAT WE GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES WHAT DOLLAR AMOUNT? 1000071%, 7 77.
I SAY, I HAVEN'T DONE LIKE 775 POUNDS SOMEWHERE IN THERE BEFORE 1% FOR 1%.
WHAT'S THE, UH, WHAT'S THE IMPACT ON, UH, ON A RETIREMENT FUND LIABILITIES FOR SOME OF THESE PERCENTAGES? WELL, WE, OURS, OURS IS THE EMPLOYEE WOULD PAY THE 7% AND WE'LL, YOU WOULD BE PAYING, UH, WHAT'S ABOUT A 16% FOR ALL OF OUR BENEFITS, RIGHT? 10.72, UH, FOR THREE MONTHS AND 9.83, IT WENT DOWN.
SO ABOUT NINE, EIGHT BUT THAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT COST NUMBERS, THAT $750,000 FOR A 1% THAT'S THAT INCLUDES EVERYTHING IN THIS SPREADSHEET, RIGHT.
EVERYTHING IN THAT SPREADSHEET.
AND THAT'S WHERE THAT NUMBER COMES FROM.
WELL, JUST THROW SOMETHING ELSE IN THE MIX HERE.
SPEAKING OF RETIREMENT, UH, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE HAD A INCREASE IN OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE RETIREES, UM, MONEY THAT TWO YEARS, YEARS AGO, HOW MUCH WAS THE LUMP SUM? OKAY.
REMEMBER IT WAS 200 OR 300,000.
AND, UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO ADD FOR THE FOLLOWING YEARS BECAUSE THE LIABILITY WENT DOWN THAT MADE OUR FEET THINK OF DAMN GOOD.
WE'VE DONE THAT TWICE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE WITH, OKAY.
SO KAREN, HOW DO WE SHOW, HOW WOULD WE, IF WE'RE GOING TO USE MONEY OUT OF THE CARRY OVER FROM THIS YEAR, HOW DO WE DO THAT? DO WE, HOW DO WE DO THAT IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET? WHERE DOES IT GO? WE JUST INTO FUND BALANCE THE MONEY.
LIKE WE, IF WE DECIDE WE'RE GOING TO USE SOME OF THE UNSPENT REVENUE, THE UNSPENT, THE UNSPENT MONEY, I THINK WE HAD A CONTINGENT DO THAT.
WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING YOU.
WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? AND WHERE DOES IT GO? OKAY.
[01:30:01]
ON PAGE NINE OF YOUR LANDSCAPE SHEET SHEET OR NOT, IT WILL BE CALLED CONTINGENCY FROM GENERAL FUND BALANCE WOULD BE THE FIFTH LINE DOWN.OH 1 0 7 9 9 9 4 0 9 40 2 MILLION 675, 5 PAGE SIX.
UH, THE REVISED BUDGET IS 2.2 MILLION 675,000.
NOW YOU'RE GOING TO REVISE THAT BALANCE THE BUDGET.
BUT IF YOU LOOK, I HAVEN'T USED THAT AND THAT YOU USED ANY OF THAT MONEY, KIND OF GENERIC TERRY, AND YOU CARRY THIS OVER TO IT, THIS FUND BALANCE THROUGH THAT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THEN WE'LL USE THAT REALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING, SCRUTINY, WHATEVER WE NEED, WE BLOOD THAT AMOUNT BALANCED THE BUDGET, RIGHT.
IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS IT'S TO BE.
AND THEN IT'S LIKE THE RAINY DAY FUND FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND THEY DO THE SAME THING WITH IT MELTS, BUT JUST JUDGE.
AND WE CAN ACTUALLY INCREASE THAT NUMBER OF THIS AND NOT NECESSARILY EVEN EVER USE IT BECAUSE OF THE EXTRA MONEY THAT WE ACTUALLY COMES THAT EXTRA NEXT YEAR ENDED UP IN, EVEN THE GRINDER FOR ME, ONE THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SAY, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYBODY WOULD UNDERSTAND IS THAT WE'RE NOT, OR CRYSTAL DID HER.
WE'RE STILL MAINTAINING PROPER RESERVES.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TALKING ABOUT EXTENDING TAX MONEY THAT WE'VE COLLECTED THIS YEAR, BUT HAVING SPENT AND USING IT TO FUND EXPENDITURES IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, BECAUSE WE'VE EITHER BEEN FRUGAL OR LEANED OVER BUDGET IN THE HABIT, BECAUSE IF SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN, WE CAN RUN.
WE STILL GOTTA HAVE THE HELP THAT WE'RE HAVING.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT, UM, I THINK NEXT STEPS IS, WOULD BE TO GO FOR ME TO GO BACK TO THE EMAIL, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS THIS AFTERNOON, IT'S LIKE A COPY OF THAT SPREADSHEET AND SAY, WILL YOU PLEASE LOOK AT WHAT YOUR PROJECTED EXPENDITURES ARE AND REVISE YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET TO BE MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU EXPECT TO ACTUALLY SPEND RATHER THAN WHAT YOU BUDGETED LAST YEAR? UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW QUICKLY THEY CAN GET THAT DONE IT, UH, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THEM DON'T HAVE LAUNCHCODE BUDGETS.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO ASK KAREN ABOUT, I GUESS, I'M ON THE ROAD AND BRIDGE.
I NOTICED THAT, AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN SOMETHING THAT I DID IN MY, UH, CALCULATIONS TOO.
ON MY END, I NOTICED THAT, UM, MY BUDGET NUMBERS WERE HIGHER THAN MY EX FOR EXAMPLE.
AND HE HAS MORE MILES OF ROAD THAN I DO.
THAT IS BECAUSE HOLD ON, I JUST HAD THAT SHEET.
I BROUGHT IT WITH ME BACK AND 2020, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT AGREED ON SOME PERCENTAGES, HER ROAD MILES THAT GAVE PRECINCT TO LESS MONEY AND HE COULD NOT OPERATE.
AND IT WOUND UP BEING 2.5% FOR PRECINCT.
ONE 13.4 FOR PRECINCT 2 25 0.5 FOR PRECINCT THREE AND 35.6 FOR PRECINCT FULL.
THOSE PERCENTAGES HADN'T BEEN MATCHED.
THAT'S WHY I TRIED TO SHOW Y'ALL THAT THE HISTORY HAD BEEN CHANGED BECAUSE IT WASN'T ADHERED TO BECAUSE YOU DID IT IN 20 AND PEOPLE THAT WERE DOING IT DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
SO IT REALLY WASN'T THEIR FAULT.
SO SOME ROAD AND BRIDGE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE.
AND SOME DID DID GOT LESS BECAUSE OF THAT LITTLE PERCENTAGE DIFFERENCE.
WHAT I NEED IS I HAVE A FORMULA THAT'S AUTOMATICALLY PLUGGED IN HERE, BUT I NEED CURRENT ROAD MILES.
SO WE CAN FIX THOSE PERCENTAGES FOR THE NEW YEAR.
IF Y'ALL CAN HELP ME DO THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO CALCULATE IT FOR YOU.
MY MOST RECENT ROAD REPORT, WE HAVE THAT NUMBER ON IT SO I CAN GET THAT TO YOU.
CAUSE RIGHT THERE, IT'S GOT YOU AT 199%.
I MEAN 199, UM, PRECINCT FOREST GOT A 273 SKIS
[01:35:01]
GOT 53 AND MIKE'S GOT 1 96, BUT SAY SO IT'S LIKE 2 28.WELL, THEY NOW NEED TO TELL ME AND I CAN THINK WE'LL DO THAT.
WE'LL FIX Y'ALL'S PERCENTAGES AND BRINGING US BACK SO Y'ALL CAN SEE THE UPDATE ON IT.
WELL, OKAY, LAURA, SINCE Y'ALL DID THAT REDISTRICT, THEN I, I HADN'T BEEN TOLD ANYTHING.
SEE, WE THOUGHT YOU KNEW EVERYTHING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND CORRECT THE PERCENTAGES TOO, THAT WE MISSED A YEAR ON.
ARE WE AGREED ON WE'LL GET THE NEW ROAD MILES IN TO CHANGE THE PERCENTAGES, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR THREE HOURS.
I FINALLY FIGURED SOMETHING OUT.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR TWO HOURS AND I JUST FINALLY FIGURED SOMETHING OUT WHICH DAY, ANOTHER COUPLE OF HOURS.
I WAS DIGGING FOR IT AND I MISSED HALF THE CONVERSATION.
SO THAT'S MY ASSIGNMENT RIGHT NOW IS TO DO THAT, IS TO SEND THAT TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND ASK THEM IF THEY'LL GET THEIR CALCULATORS OUT.
AND, UM, HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GENERATE THAT TO HAVE US FOR WE'LL HAVE IT TOMORROW.
LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION TO SEND IT TO YOU AND ME.
UM, JUDGE, UM, JUDGE WILEY JUST TEXTED ME.
AND SHE SAID TO TELL YOU THAT WHATEVER, ACROSS THE BOARD OR FLAT RATE, Y'ALL DECIDE TO GIVE THAT WE WOULD NEED TO COMPARE IT BECAUSE SHE'D WANT WHATEVER THE HIGHER ONE IS FOR HER EMPLOYEES, BECAUSE THEY'RE LISTENING TO, SO THEY WANT AS MUCH AS I CAN GET.
I'M SURE I'M NOT TELLING HER I'M TOO.
THAT'S WHERE THEIR PEOPLE, BUT I LIKED HER NUMBER BETTER THOUGH.
WHENEVER YOU SENT THIS STUFF OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT, AS YOU, DID YOU GET, SEND THEM A TEMPLATE TO FILL IN OR DID THEY JUST, SO IF YOU WANT THEM TO MODIFY, YEAH.
SEND ME THAT IN A WHERE YOU SEND THAT TO ME, THE EXCEL SPREADSHEET, THE ONE THAT I SENT YOU THAT YOU FILLED IN, UH, THIS ONE.
OH, I SAY IT UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME.
WELL, IT STARTED WITH ME MY, IF YOU'LL SEND THAT, SO FILL IT IN IF YOU'LL SEND THAT SO THEY CAN JUST FILL IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU HAVE THE CHANCES CHANGE.
WHICH ONE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, JUDGE? WELL, ACTUALLY THAT'S PROBABLY DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
CAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK TO THEIR SPREADSHEET THAT THEY'VE GOT.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THEIR SPREADSHEET AND CHANGE, WHATEVER NUMBERS ARE GOING TO, BASED ON THEIR ACTUAL EXPENDITURES.
AND THEN SEND THAT BACK TO THE AUDIT.
THEY HAVE TO BE SUBMITTING THE
BE RESUBMITTING THIS IN A REVISED.
IS THAT GOING TO SAY THE OTHER ONE YOU WERE HOLDING UP? I DO IT ON VISION AND IT'S GOT SPECIAL FORMULA SO NOBODY COULD FIGURE IT OUT.
I JUST HIT THE BUTTON AND IT DOES IT FOR ME.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL GO DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT? OH REALLY? WOW.
YOU HAVE TO WAIT ONE MORE MINUTE.
BEFORE WE LEAVE, THEN WE'LL GO TALK TO YOU.
I GUESS SHE PROBABLY TEXTED ME, BUT I WOULDN'T PAY ANY ATTENTION YOU COULD, UNLESS YOU KILLED A MINUTE.
YOU KILL A MINUTE WALKING UP HERE TO TALK, BUT YOU WANT TO GO BACK AND REVISE IT BEFORE YOU COME UP HERE.
SO, UH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME, BUT YOU HAVE TO STAND HERE FOR ANOTHER, WELL, NO, IT'S THREE 10.
ANNABEL TEXTED ME THAT AND I'M SORRY.
IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR EXTRA EMPLOYEES AND YOU'RE GOING TO SHOOT DOWN, EVERYBODY'S RAISES IN THE COUNTY AND NEAR TARGETS ON YOUR BACK'S GOING TO BE, I'M NOT ASKING FOR NEW EMPLOYEES.
THAT'S A GOOD, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
I DID LAST YEAR, BUT I PULLED THAT BACK OUT THIS YEAR.
AND WHAT I'M DOING IS I'M CONCENTRATING ON SALARY ADJUSTMENTS FOR MYSELF, MY DEPUTY AND ASSISTANT, SO THAT THEY'RE MORE IN LINE WITH OTHER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN THE REGION AND THE STATE BECAUSE WE ARE WAY BELOW EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND WHAT I ASKED FOR IN MY SUBMITTED BUDGET WAS ABOUT $2,000 ABOVE THE MIDPOINT, WHICH IS WHAT I WAS OF THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COURT HAD WANTED EVERYBODY TO TRY AND GET TO.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO, GET US UP BECAUSE AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, DEBBIE RESIGNED AND I'VE GOT AN
[01:40:01]
OPENING THAT I CAN'T GET ANYBODY FOR, WHAT SHE WAS BEING PAID, WHICH IS ACTUALLY BELOW THE MINIMUM IN THE, UH, EVERGREEN WAGE AND BENEFITS STUDY.SO, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO TRY AND GET THOSE UP WHERE THEY'RE CLOSER TO OTHER EMERGENCY MANAGERS IN THE REGION.
AND THEREFORE WE'LL BE ABLE TO DRAW IN, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE WITH THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE THAT WE NEED AS A COUNTY WHEN WHENEVER THE TIME COMES FOR ME TO RETIRE OR WHATEVER, IF WE'RE OUR SALARIES, AREN'T THERE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE BEST PEOPLE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT IT TO YOU TO, TO TRY AND GET THOSE WHERE, WHERE THEY ARE.
AND I'M NOT CALLING THEM A RAISE BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT IS KIND OF, IT'S AN ADJUSTMENT IN OUR SALARIES TO BRING THEM MORE IN LINE WITH OTHERS.
UH, I ASKED YOU TO GIVE US THAT IN TERMS OF RESEARCH, DID YOU BRING, DID YOU BRING IT WITH YOU? YES, SIR.
I SENT IT TO YOU AN EMAIL TOO, SO, OKAY.
I DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT HERE, BUT IF YOU'VE GOT IT PRINTED, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, UH, I DID BRING ALL OF THAT.
I DIDN'T MAKE A LOT OF COPIES CAUSE KIND OF LAST MINUTE.
UM, AND YOU SPECIFICALLY, I ASKED ABOUT PARKER COUNTY JOHNSON COUNTY, ELLIS COUNTY, ROCKWALL COUNTY, AND HUNT COUNTY.
EVERY ONE OF THEM PAYS MORE THAN WE DO, UH, PARKER COUNTY.
I SAID ROCKWELL COUNTY, CAUSE I NEVER COMPARE US WRONG.
OH, WELL I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD, BUT I TEND THERE ANYWAY PARK.
AND THIS WAS JUST THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR.
PARKER COUNTY IS 88,000 JOHNSON COUNTY IS 70 2001 20 ELLIS COUNTY, 78,007 50 HUNT COUNTY, 70 1003 46.
AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, ROCKWALL IS 78,500.
AND UH, SOME OF THE CITIES AROUND I'VE GOT THOSE TOO.
UM, MOST OF THE CITIES ARE BETWEEN 90 AND $110,000.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CITY'S AMP SALES TAX COUNTIES ARE MORE, MUCH MORE RELEVANT TO US IN THE CITIES BECAUSE THE SCOPE OF THE JOB IS DIFFERENT AND THAT'S FINE.
SO WHAT ARE WE ASKING ABOUT 10, $11,000 BELOW THE LOWEST OTHER COUNTY.
AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET US, YOU KNOW, JUST A LITTLE ABOVE THE MID POINT, ACCORDING TO OUR EVERGREEN STUDY.
WELL, HOW DID THOSE NUMBERS ALIGN WITH THE, WHAT, THE BRACKETS, WHERE THE ANTHROPOCENE STUDY KIND OF, HOW DID THE, THE NUMBERS THAT YOU SHOWED THERE, HOW DID THEY ALIGN WITH WHAT THE BRACKETS WERE? THE EVERGREEN STUDIES SHOW WHERE THEY'RE PRETTY CLOSE, THEY'RE LOW.
THE EVERGREEN NUMBERS ARE LOW A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT LOW, A TWO YEAR OLD DATA TOO, BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT LOW.
AND I DO KNOW THAT A LOT OF THESE CHANGED IN THIS BUDGET YEAR FROM LAST.
SO IF EVERGREEN'S TWO YEARS OLD AND YES, THAT'S ALL NEW NUMBERS.
SO CONTINUE ON WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENT, THE OTHER POSITIONS, UM, THE DEPUTY COORDINATORS, UH, UM, WE'RE UH, ELLIS COUNTY IS 57,000 7, 49 95.
I COULD NOT GET ANYTHING ON PARKER AND JOHNSON FOR THEIR DEPUTY COORDINATORS.
DO THEY HAVE ONE? UH, YES, BUT, UH, THE LADY I TALKED TO AND ONE OF THEM SAID THAT SHE DIDN'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
THE OTHER ONE SAID THEY WOULD GET IT TO ME, BUT I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT.
UH, HUNT COUNTY, THEIR DEPUTY IS 51, 3 97.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAD ON, ON THE DEPUTY POSITION, DEPUTY POSITION.
UH, OUR DEPUTY IS, UH, 43,117.
DOES THAT COUNT LONGEVITY OR JUST HIT VICE PI BASE PAY? SHE HADN'T BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH TO PICK UP.
WELL, I MEAN WE KNOW DEBBIE JUST LEFT, RIGHT? YEAH.
UH, AND THE EVERGREEN HAD IT AT, UH,
[01:45:03]
WHERE IS IT? EVERGREEN HEADED AT 50 POINT WAS 57, 6 46 ADDED 2000 TO THAT TO MAKE IT 59,000 6, 46 73.SO THEIR MIDPOINT WAS 57 FOR THE DEPUTY THAT IT WAS OURS ON NEIGHBOR GREEN ON THE EVERGREEN STUDY.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE THOUGH.
AND, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T NOTICE ONE THING WE DID SOME BUILT BEFORE AND STUDIES AND WE GOT THE NUMBERS AND WHEN YOU LOOK ON THEIR BUDGETS, JUST LIKE OUR BUDGET, YOU LOOK OUT THERE AND YOU DON'T REALIZE IT WAS THE TOTAL AMOUNT.
UM, EVERYTHING WAS THEIR PRICE.
AND SO IF YOU COME BACK AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT THEIR SALARY IS, IF MY NOT REALLY BEEN THEIR BASE BASE AREA AND WE WAS TRYING TO COMPARE IT TO A BASE BASE, YOU FOLLOW WHAT I'M SAYING? YEAH.
AND IT, AND IT MADE QUITE A BIT OF DIFFERENCE.
YOU DON'T PICK IT UP IF YOU PICK IT UP OFF SOMEBODY'S WEB PAGE AND ON THEIR SIDE, DID YOU GET THAT CLARIFICATION ON THOSE NUMBERS FROM THOSE OTHER COUNTIES? IS THAT BASE OR IS THAT, THAT IS THEIR BASE.
AND IF IT, I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE OUT OF WHACK, BUT, UH, DIDN'T, COUNTY'S EMERGENCY MANAGER IS 125,000 TO 10 AND THEIR DEPUTY IS 79, 8 23 WITH A MUCH BIGGER COUNTY.
BUT I DIDN'T ASK YOU TO LOOK AT IT.
BUT I THOUGHT I'D THROW IT IN HERE.
WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST GO IN DALLAS COUNTY, ASKED ALEX COUNTY.
I DON'T THAT WAS COUNTY SELECTIONS COME FROM, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN DOING EVER SINCE I'VE STARTED.
UH, THOSE COUNTIES ARE SIMILAR TO US IN A LOT OF WAYS.
THEY'RE ALL BOUNDARY COUNTIES TO METROPLEX.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THEY'RE GOOD FOR COMPARISON.
THE ONE THING YOU DO HAVE TO KNOW, OR MAYBE YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS IS, UH, TH THE REAL THING THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED AS THE TOTAL BENEFIT PACKAGE, BECAUSE DO OTHER COUNTIES, FOR INSTANCE, DO THEY, DOES ELLIS COUNTY PAY EMPLOYEES INSURANCE? WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
I KNOW THAT THEY ALL PARTICIPATE IN THE TAC.
OH, THAT'S JUST, THAT'S A DETERMINATION THAT EACH COUNTY MAKES.
WELL, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
I JUST KNEW THAT THEY WERE ALL PART OF TAC HAD THEIR INSURANCE THROUGH THEM.
YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S A DISCUSSION THAT I HAVE WITH EVERY TIME I TRY TO HIRE A MOTOR GRADER OPERATOR, LIKE, WELL, I CAN MAKE 88,000 OVER IN DALLAS.
BUT OUR TOTAL PACKAGE IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU, YOU KNOW, THEN YOU'RE NOT COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES.
YOU'RE COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES.
SO, UH, THE REAL, THE REAL, THE REAL COMPENSATION IS, IS THAT LAST NUMBER IS WHAT THE TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE IS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE OUGHT TO BE COMPARING BECAUSE, UH, AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWERS, STEVE, I MEAN, OUR BENEFITS, THE SAME.
IF THE BENEFITS ARE THE SAME, THEN, THEN THAT'S VALID.
IF THEY'RE NOT, THAT REQUIRES AN ADJUSTMENT AND YOU'RE GETTING ALL THIS INFORMATION CONVERSATIONALLY, RIGHT? YES.
I'M TALKING TO, UH, THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATORS.
SOME OF IT, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO VERIFY THROUGH THEIR BUDGET PROCESS PROCESS, POSTED ON THE INTERNET TO MAKE SURE TO VERIFY WHAT THEY WERE TELLING YOU ALWAYS VERIFY, MAKE SURE THAT I'M TELLING YOU THE INFORMATION.
UH, AND THEN YOU HAVE ONE OTHER POSITION, RIGHT? THAT'S MY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT AND SAME THING.
I'M TRYING TO GET THEM UP TO THE MID POINT OR A LITTLE BIT ABOVE AND SO THAT, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECENT LIVING.
AND, UH, WHY DON'T YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT? YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CHANGING THAT OR USING THAT TITLE IS OFFICE MANAGER IN THE COUNTY BECAUSE MOST OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS ARE REALLY OFFICE MANAGERS.
UH, WHY WOULD YOUR POSITION BE ANY DIFFERENT THAN THAT? AS FAR AS WELL, ACTUALLY IN, IN THE FUTURE PROBABLY NEXT YEAR, I'M LOOKING AT TRYING TO CHANGE THAT TO, UH, AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST POSITION, WHICH WOULD BE MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING AS FAR AS THEIR DAY TO DAY DUTIES.
IS THAT THE STRUCTURE IN OTHER COUNTIES? YES, SIR.
UM, IF YOU WILL SHARE THAT SPREADSHEET WITH ME AND KAREN WE'LL INCLUDE THEM IN OUR DOCUMENT PACKAGE.
YOU SAID YOU'D ALREADY SENT TO YES, SIR.
I'LL, I'LL SEND IT TO YOU AGAIN AND SEND IT TO KAREN AS SOON AS I GET BACK TO THE OFFICE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STEVE? NO.
[01:50:02]
UH, SHADE IS ON OUR FIRE SITUATION.UH, LAST UPDATE IS STILL 40% ON THE, UH, EAST COUNTY LINE FIRE.
THEY STARTED THEIR SECOND SHIFT, UH, AT ABOUT TWO O'CLOCK AND, UH, IT'S JUST EMBEDDED IN A TREE LINE AREA WHERE THEY'RE HARD TO GET TO FORESTRY SERVICE IS STILL ON LOCATION WITH TWO DOZER CREWS WORKING IT, UH, ROTATING FIVE BRUSH TRUCKS, OR TYPE SIX ENGINES AND A COUPLE OF TENDERS EVERY CYCLE.
MARSHALL WAS OUT THERE MANAGING THE SCENE.
WHAT ABOUT, UH, ARE THEY STILL BRING AN AIR AIRCRAFT? IT'S GOING TO SOMERVILLE COUNTY RIGHT NOW FOR SOME REASON, 6,000 ACRES IN HOMES.
SO OVER THERE, UH, AND THAT, UH, GOSPEL ASIA FOR GOSPEL, SHE HAD ONE THAT WAS REAL CLOSE.
BUT WE HAVEN'T LOST ANY AND LOST ANY.
WE'VE HAD SOME VERY CLOSE CALLS, NO BALLOONS, ANY HAY, HAY BALES.
UH, WE'VE HAD A BUNCH OF HAY BALES GO, UH, NOT A LOT OF THEM, BUT UH, SOME OF THEM OUT THERE WHERE HAY BALES, YOU'RE PROBABLY STILL, HE'S STILL BURNING.
WELL, THEY ARE BECAUSE THE DIRECTION THAT THEY HAVE IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE LINES SO THAT IT DOES NOT EXTEND ANY FURTHER.
AND IF IT'S IN THE BLACK, THEY DON'T WANT ANYBODY TOUCHING IT.
IT'LL BE EASIER TO PUT OUT WHEN IT COMES TIME.
WELL, HOPEFULLY THE WEATHER MAN IS HALFWAY, RIGHT? A COUPLE OF DAYS WE'LL BE IN THAT 20% RANGE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
I THOUGHT WE HAD LIKE A, MAYBE A 5% CHANCE TOMORROW.
AND IT INCREASES BY TOMORROW NIGHT, I THINK THE NEXT DAY.
SO HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY THEY'RE RIGHT.
AND I HOPE WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE 500 ACRE GRASS FIRES.
I DO TOO, I GUESS, WITH, I'M GOING DECEMBER ACADIA TO WORRY ABOUT SOMEONE, CALL HER FOR A TANKER AND A TINDER, GETTING THEM MIXED UP MIGHT GET A LITTLE WET, RIGHT? YEAH.
YOU STEVEN, YOU CALLED ME YESTERDAY.
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT COORDINATING WITH, YOU KNOW, WE BOUGHT OUR, OUR OIL AND GAS FROM WHAT WAS IT? UM, IT ALMOST BORDER BORDERS.
I MEAN, MAYBE WE NEED TO WORK OUT SOMETHING WITH THEM WHERE WE EITHER HAVE EMERGENCY CONTACT.
CAUSE I COULDN'T GET AHOLD OF ANYBODY WHEN YOU CALLED ME YESTERDAY, PAUL CALLED ME LAST NIGHT AND I JUST, I CALLED RAELYNN AND TOLD HER TO CALL HIM.
CAUSE HE WAS LOOKING, HE NEEDED A CAR, I GUESS HE HAD SOMEBODY TO DELIVER, BUT HE NEEDED TO PAY FOR IT SOMEWHERE.
WELL, IT WAS SOME ADDITIVE FOR YOUR MOTOR GRADERS.
SHE GAVE HIM A CREDIT CARD OR I THINK, WELL, HE CAME AND ASKED ME AND I SAID, WELL, I DON'T HAVE ONE.
SO, UH, HE GOT IN TOUCH WITH REILAND.
UH, I DO THANK YOU FOR THE MOTOR GRADERS.
AND THEY DID GREAT WORK, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE FUEL, TALK TO SOMEBODY I MET AT THE CONFERENCE, WHICH IS CALLED SUNCOAST AND THEY DO EMERGENCY FUELING.
AND IF Y'ALL ARE WILLING TO GO ALONG WITH IT, I THINK WE CAN DO A CONTINGENCY CONTRACT WITH THEM.
SO IN EMERGENCIES THEY COULD BRING IT OUT AND THEY DO IT 24 7.
THAT'D BE GOOD, WHICH WOULD HELP US OUT FIRE MARSHALL.
WELL WHAT ABOUT, I MEAN LIKE, WELL, WE DID TERRIBLE.
I MEAN, WE JUST KNOW WHAT THE TURTLE, WE JUST, WE BROUGHT YOU WHAT, TWO TRUCKS, TWO PICKUP TRUCKS, THE TANKS FILLED UP ALL THE AGENTS WITH FUEL.
OF COURSE IT WAS TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THAT, THAT WORKED OUT FINE TOO.
I MEAN YOU SAW, I MEAN, WE ALL HAVE FUEL TANKS IN THE BACK OF OUR TRUCKS OR TRAIN OR FUEL TANK.
WE JUST WENT OUT THERE AND WE TOPPED OFF EVERY PUMPING ENGINE AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT NEEDED FUEL AND THEN STOOD BY FOR AWHILE.
ANY, ANYTHING IS APPRECIATED, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY START GETTING LOW.
WELL, WATER TRUCK NOW WE'LL HAVE WRITERS.
BUT YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT TENDERS, MAN.
THAT LOOK LIKE A MATCHBOX TO WHERE YOU CAN PRAY BACK ON THE PART THAT IT HADN'T MADE TO MAKE IT WET.
WELL, EVERYBODY I'VE TALKED TO IN THAT AREA OUT THERE, SO THEY SAW Y'ALL HUSTLING AND DOING A GREAT JOB.
SO I NEED TO GO SEND THAT EMAIL OUT AND I'M LOOKING AT YOU SKIED.
WELL, I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
THIS MEETING HE MOVES TO ADJOURN.
IS THERE COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS, WINTER JARS ARE SECOND, SECOND, SECOND.
COMMISSIONER BARBARA DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.