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COFFIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT IS CALLED TO ORDER.IT IS ONE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON, UH, ON AUGUST THE 12TH, WE'RE IN THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT MEETING ROOM IN THE COURTHOUSE ANNEX.
AND, UH, WE'LL GET STARTED, UH, ASK A COUPLE OF THINGS, JUST REALLY PRELIMINARY THINGS.
ONE OF THEM IS, UM, THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY, WHEN WE SAY LET'S CHANGE THIS, CHANGE THAT CHANGE, THIS CHANGE THAT, UM, I MEAN, THEY JUST DON'T GO BACK THERE AND CLICK ON A COUPLE OF NUMBERS AND THEN GO HOME.
IT'S UH, I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF, UH, THEY, THEY PUTTING IN A LOT OF WORK IN, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, AND THEN I ASKED THERESA, OUR TEXAS SAYS HER TO COME UP AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, WHAT SHE NEEDS FROM US.
AND SO I DON'T WORK THERE SHE IS.
SO, YEAH, IT'S BURIED, IT'S BURIED IN HERE SOMEWHERE.
SO I'M HERE BECAUSE AS MY DUTIES REQUIRE, I HAVE TO DO THE TAX COLLECTIONS OR CALCULATIONS FOR THE TAX RIGHTS.
SO ONE OF MY OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES IS, IS THAT I HAVE TO POST THEM ON A WEBSITE, BUT I CAN'T DO THAT UNTIL YOU GUYS APPROVE IT HERE.
SO FOR THE PROPERTY CODE, UH, 26.04, WE DO HAVE TO GET THAT POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AS SOON AS PRACTICAL PRACTICABLE.
UM, SO, UM, WE'LL BRING THIS TO YOU GUYS.
SO IF Y'ALL WILL, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TODAY OR ANYTIME BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT TUESDAY, I'M ON THE AGENDA.
SO THAT MIGHT BE, YOU GUYS CAN GO AHEAD AND APPROVE AT LEAST THE CALCULATIONS SO THAT I CAN GET THEM ON THE WEBSITE.
I JUST WANTED Y'ALL TO HEAR THAT.
UH, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU, TERESA, I KNOW, I HOPE I HAVE ENOUGH COPIES CAUSE I HAVE A BUDGET CALENDAR TO PASS OUT.
AND, UM, SO THE, THE, THE BUDGET HAS TO BE POSTED BY, OR WE HAVE TO BE DONE WITH THE BUDGET OF SEPTEMBER THE 30TH.
UH, AND I GUESS IF WE'RE NOT DONE BY SEPTEMBER THE 30TH, THEN, OH, THANK YOU.
IF WE'RE NOT DONE WITH SEPTEMBER THE 30TH, THEN WE JUST POST LAST YEAR, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND THAT'S THE END OF IT.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD PROCESS.
UM, SO SEPTEMBER 30TH THOUGH IS NOT REALLY SEPTEMBER THE 30TH BECAUSE WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE GOT ENOUGH HERE.
UM, WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE IT IN THE NEWSPAPER RECORD, WHICH IS CALLED FROM HAROLD.
AND THEN YOU'VE ONLY GOT ONE YES AND THREE.
SO IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THAT, I JUST SHARED, UM, THEY ONLY PUBLISH ON THURSDAYS, SO THAT'S A LITTLE COMPLICATED.
WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR STUFF INTO THEM.
I THINK DAN AND BILL SAID ON MONDAY, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE TO HAVE, WE HAVE TO SEND THE NOTICES TO LIKE AN OFFICIALS, UH, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET.
SO THIS IS SO WE'RE, WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME AND, UH, WE NEED THE FINAL TAX RATE CALCULATION BY AUGUST THE 19TH.
AND BASICALLY YOU HAVE IT, IF YOU APPROVE IT, ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS PICK YOUR TAX.
I MEAN, THAT IS YOUR CALCULATIONS THAT WE HANDED YOU.
SO BASICALLY ONCE YOU APPROVE THAT, THE CALCULATIONS LOOK GOOD.
YOU GUYS HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, PICK THE TAX RATE THEN.
SO, UM, I'LL AUTHORIZE THE CALCULATION FOR HER THIS, OKAY.
SO, UM, THE OTHER THING I HAVE TO GIVE YOU, AND THEN I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A RECAP OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN, AND THEN I'M GONNA ASK, I'M GONNA ASK A REALLY POINTED QUESTION TO EVERYBODY.
I JUST GOT THIS OFF OF THE BUDGET AND I SENT IT KAREN AND I ASKED THEM TO COME IN.
THIS IS JUST KIND OF THE TAX REVENUE SIDE.
I SENT IT TO KAREN AND THEY CHECK MY MATH AND I NEVER HEARD BACK FROM THEM.
DID YOU USE A CALCULATOR OR YOU USE AN ABACUS? OH GOD, IT'S WRONG YET.
SO I WROTE THIS DOWN JUST SO I COULD COVER THE, THE HISTORY OR WHERE WE'VE BEEN.
AND THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE A QUESTION AT THE END OF IT.
[00:05:01]
SO WE STARTED OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS.I PROPOSED INCREASING OUR GENERAL FUND AND RODEN BRIDGE TAXES ADDED TOGETHER BY 3.2 MILLION, WHICH WOULD HAVE REQUIRED A 7% INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES.
THAT PROPOSAL DIDN'T GET ANY SUPPORT FROM THE COMMISSIONERS.
AND THEN, UH, WE GOT INTO A LOT OF DISCUSSION AFTER THAT ABOUT EMPLOYEE RAISES.
WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD, UM, GIVE A 5% ACROSS THE BOARD COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, EXCEPT LAW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEES WHO WERE GOING TO GET A $5,000 RAISE.
THEN WE ASKED THE AUDITOR TO CALCULATE WHAT IT WOULD COST TO MOVE ALL EMPLOYEES TO THE WAGE STUDY, THE EVERGREEN WAGE STUDY MIDPOINT.
AND AFTER WE SAW THE NUMBERS, THE COURT DECIDED TO MEET IN OUR CONVERSATIONS THAT DAY WAS WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT MUCH OF AN INCREASE.
SO FOR AUDITOR STAFF, SO WE ASKED THE AUDITOR STAFF TO CALCULATE WHAT WOULD IT COST TO MOVE ALL EMPLOYEES TO A POINT HALFWAY BETWEEN THE WAGE STUDY MINIMUM AND THE WAGE STUDY MIDPOINT.
THEY PUT ALL THAT IN THE FORM OF A BUDGET OR WHATEVER, AND GAVE IT TO US.
THERE WERE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES WHO DID NOT RECEIVE A WAGE ADJUSTMENT BECAUSE THEIR WAGE WAS ALREADY BEYOND THAT MID, MID POINT THAT WE CALLED.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO HERE IS TO, WE WEREN'T DOING RAISES, I THINK IS BETTER, MORE ACCURATE TO SAY WE WERE TRYING TO ADJUST WAGES BASED ON WHAT THE STUDY HAD SHOWN.
SO SINCE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES WEREN'T GETTING ANY INCREASE, THEN THE QUESTION CAME UP, ASKED THE AUDITOR TO CALCULATE AGAIN, WHAT THE COSTS WOULD BE TO MOVE ALL EMPLOYEES TO THE MIDPOINT.
AND THE CONSENSUS WAS THAT WE IN THE DISCUSSION HERE WAS THAT WE WOULD MOVE.
WE WOULD SEE WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE TO MOVE EVERYBODY TO THE MID POINT.
BUT LIKE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, ANYBODY GETTING 5,000 OR MORE, WOULDN'T GET THE COLA ON TOP OF THAT.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE SPREADSHEET THAT I DID, I JUST HANDED YOU THE IMPACT OF THIS LATER REVISION TO THE BUDGET IS AN INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND AND RODEN BRIDGE TAXES HAVE BEEN ADDING THOSE TOGETHER FOR SIMPLICITY IS 11 MILLION, $900,000 OR 21 AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE IN TAX REVENUE IN 23, OVER 22, THIS WILL ALSO INCREASE OUR GENERAL FUND ROAD AND BRIDGE TAX RATES.
ACCORDING TO MY CALCULATIONS AT A TIME WHEN MOST COUNTIES ARE REQUIRED TO LIMIT THEIR PROPERTY TAX INCREASES TO THREE AND A HALF PERCENT.
THIS BUDGET THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT WILL INCREASE OUR TAXES BY SIX TIMES AT THREE AND A HALF PERCENT.
SO MY PROPOSAL TODAY IS THAT WE SHOULD REDUCE, THIS IS MY PROPOSAL.
WE SHOULD REDUCE OUR EXPENSES TO LIMIT OUR TAX INCREASES TO NO MORE THAN 15%.
I WAS ORIGINALLY SEVEN, AND NOW I'M SAYING 15, AND WE CLEARLY WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT AFFECTING THESE WAGE ADJUSTMENTS, WE'D HAVE TO LOWER OUR WAGE ADJUSTMENTS.
AND THIS QUESTION IS REALLY BASED ON THIS CALENDAR.
WE'VE GOT TO MOVE ON IF IT'S THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSIONERS IS INDICATED TODAY IN OUR DISCUSSION TO ACCEPT THIS BUDGET THAT YOU'VE GOT BEFORE YOU WITH THE 22 AND A HALF PERCENT, WE GOT TO MOVE ON, YOU SEE THE CALENDAR IN, TIME'S RUNNING OUT.
SO MY QUESTION FOR EACH OF YOU, RODNEY ON, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO ANSWER YES OR NO IS, DO YOU WANT TO ADOPT, OR DO YOU WANT TO PURSUE AND PROCEED WITH THIS BUDGET WITH A 22 AND A HALF PERCENT OR 11 MILLION? OR DO YOU WANT TO RECALCULATE DOWN BACK DOWN TO 15%? THAT'S MY PROPOSAL.
SO W WE JUST NEED TO MAKE A DECISION.
SO MIKE, YOU WANT TO TELL US WHAT YOUR OPINION IS? UM, WELL, OUR CURRENT TAX RATE LAST YEAR WAS WHAT 0.4, 6 1, 1 71.
AND THIS TOLD HER THE WAY WE'RE SITTING RIGHT NOW, OUR TAX RATE WILL GO DOWN TO 0.40 6, 7 5 8.
UH, I DIDN'T CALCULATE THE INS IN THERE.
THE ONLY THING I'VE GOT IN THERE IS I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, BUT THE STUFF YOU JUST GAVE ME.
THE STEP I'VE GOT IN THERE, BRIDGE AND GENERAL FUND DOESN'T
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INCLUDE ANY SALES TAX RATES.I MEAN, I DON'T, THERE'S NO POINT IN, I I'VE ALWAYS FELT LIKE IN CARRY DEGREES, WE DON'T NEED TO EVEN DISCUSS THE INS.
BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
IT IT'S PART OF THE WHOLE TAX RATE COMMISSIONER, BUT WE SAID IT AT 0.0 6, 5, 5 8 TO GET ENOUGH DEBT TO PAY ALL OF THE BONDS.
AND THAT'S WHAT SHE CALCULATED OFF.
SO I WORKED WITH HER OFFICE VERY CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE THIS, AND I GUESS, MADAM AUDITOR, YOU FEEL CONFIDENT THAT IF WE GO WITH THIS, THAT WE'LL BE OKAY, YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET OURSELVES IN A BIND, UNLESS THINGS JUST TOTALLY FALL OFF IN THE WORLD.
I MEAN, NOW NOTICE, YOU'RE JUST GUESSING ON SOME OF THIS STUFF, BUT I WANTED TO, UM, SHARE WITH YOU THAT, UM, THE POWER CENTER AND THE TERRELL TIF WENT UP.
SO I HAD TO INCREASE THAT BUDGET TO COVER IT.
ALSO COUNTY COURT AT LAW GOT NEW LEGISLATION AND JUDGE RICH AND JUDGE GRAIN'S SALARIES WENT UP, BUT ALSO THE REVENUE THAT I'LL GET FROM THE STATE TO COVER IT.
SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE A WASH, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU KNEW IT.
THEN, UM, IN FUND 20 WHERE THE ROAD AND BRIDGE IS, I SPLIT IT OUT ROAD AND BRIDGE ONE 26% PRECINCT TO 14% PRECINCT, THREE 25% PRECINCT, 4 35 TO MAKE THE HUNDRED.
SO THOSE ARE THE CHANGES I HAD.
AND I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU SOME OTHER CHANGES THAT I DON'T KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO REALLY CHANGE IT, UNLESS YOU SAY SO.
BUT I GOT SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS THAT CAME IN AND SENT, ASKING FOR PAY GRADES AND STUFF TO BE CHANGED.
AND IT'S NEVER BEEN ADDRESSED, REALLY, JUST TALKING ABOUT MOVING TO THE MIDPOINT.
WE WENT BACK TO THE MID, MID POINT, WHICH WE CALL QUARTER POINT SHOWED YOU HOW WE CALCULATED IT.
AND Y'ALL STILL WANTED TO DO DIFFERENT, TO GIVE MORE PEOPLE RAISES.
SO THEN WE WENT BACK TO THE MID POINT.
NOW ON THIS BUDGET, THERE'S NO CONTINGENCY, BUT THERE IS 4.2 MILLION WORTH OF FUND BALANCED.
THAT'S BEING USED TO BALANCE IT.
I'M NOT GOING TO HIDE THAT FROM YOU.
UH, I WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT THOUGH, I'VE MADE BEFORE KAREN, AS LONG AS THAT, THAT $4.2 MILLION, THIS MONEY THAT WE COLLECTED THIS YEAR, MORE REVENUE THAN WE PROJECTED, AND WE SPENT LESS THAN WE PROJECTED.
SO THOSE ARE TEXTS DOLLARS THIS YEAR THAT WERE GIVEN BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS.
3.2 IS WHAT WE, I SAID WE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE BACK A MILLION, CAME FROM THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET, HIS SELF WHEN HE CUT IT.
SO THAT'S WHAT MADE UP THE $4 MILLION.
MY ONLY QUESTION IS IF WE DID THE 15, WHAT WOULD THAT DO TO THE EMPLOYEE SALARIES? HOW MUCH WOULD THAT AFFECT? I HAVEN'T CALCULATED THAT NUMBER, BUT IT WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON IT.
YOU WANT TO BRING THEM BACK DOWN PRETTY MUCH TO THE QUARTER.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
THEN I'M OKAY WITH THIS BUDGET THE WAY IT IS.
THERE'S NOBODY IN THIS COUNTY THAT IS NO CITIZEN.
THAT'S GETTING A 22%, PARDON ME, A 22% PLUS UP IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY CAN SPEND.
NOW, CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF.
I'M ALL FOR SUPPORTING OUR EMPLOYEES WITH REASONABLE AND SUSTAINABLE RAISES.
BUT A 22% PLUS UP TO, TO REVENUE IS A HUGE TAX INCREASE.
AND THE TAXPAYERS PAY FOR THIS.
EVEN THIS 4.2 MILLION, WHICH IS MONEY.
WE TOOK OUT OF THE TAXPAYER'S POCKET FOR STATED PURPOSES THAT WE DIDN'T SPEND.
WE SHOULD BE GIVING THAT MONEY BACK TO TAXPAYERS.
WE SHOULD BE GIVEN THAT MONEY BACK TO THEM IN THE FORM OF TAX CUTS, BECAUSE EVEN LOWERING THE TAX RATE IS NOT A TAX CUT, PARTICULARLY IN THIS TIME WHERE PROPERTY APPRAISALS ARE A HUNDRED
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PERCENT, 200% UP OVER WHAT THEY WERE.AND I URGE EVERYONE AND EVERY CITIZEN IN THIS COUNTY TO LOOK AT THE ACTUAL IMPACT, BELIEVE ME, I, I AGREE THAT THERE ARE TARGETED EMPLOYEES IN THIS COUNTY THAT NEED THAT KNEE RAISES AND ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES DESERVE A REASONABLE SALARY INCREASE, BUT IT IS POOR MANAGEMENT TO TRY TO PLAY CATCH-UP IN ONE YEAR.
THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO RUN AN ORGANIZATION ON A FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN TO DO THESE THINGS IN A SUSTAINABLE, INCREMENTAL FASHION.
AND THAT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO IF YOU START TO DRILL DOWN ON THIS 21 AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO BENEFIT, OR THE COMMISSIONERS, THE COMMISSIONERS ARE ALL GONNA GET A $10,000 A YEAR RAISE.
SO ARE THE JPS HUGE RAISES TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY MAKING THE MOST MONEY IN THIS COUNTY? AND SO WHAT'S YOUR PURPOSE? WHAT'S YOUR PURPOSE IN TRYING TO RAISE, UH, EMPLOYEE SALARY, OBVIOUSLY IT'S TO TRY TO SUPPORT THE EMPLOYEE IN A, IN A SUSTAINABLE FASHION, BUT WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A SUSTAINABLE FASHION JUDGE BECAUSE WE'RE USING $4 MILLION THAT WE SHOULD GIVE BACK TO THE TAXPAYER TO BE ABLE TO FUND THIS.
AND I ALSO REMIND THIS ENTIRE COUNTY THAT SALARY INCREASES ARE NOT A ONE-OFF EXPENSE.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE BUYING A DUMP TRUCK.
YOU'RE GOING TO PAY THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY NEXT YEAR AND THE YEAR AFTER AND THE YEAR AFTER.
AND SO WHEN, WHEN ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE GOING TO MAKE 10 AND 12 AND, AND, UH, UH, THE COUNTY JUDGES SALARIES ARE GOING TO IS A $20,000 SALARY ADJUSTED.
NO, I'M JUST SAYING ACCORDING TO THESE DOCUMENTS, ACCORDING TO THE PROPOSALS.
AND, AND WE ARE LARGELY ACTING TO LIMIT OURSELVES BY OUR OWN HAND.
WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE WITH JUST A LOW POINT MIDPOINT HOT POINT FOR AN EVERGREEN STUDY.
WE COULD ESTABLISH STEPPED AND REASONABLE AND SUSTAINABLE PAY RATES THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
UM, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, YOU GOTTA BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THIS STUFF.
22%, THAT THERE'S A REASON THE LEGISLATURE PUT A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT REVENUE CAP ON IT.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE PROPERTY TAXES ARE ALREADY OPPRESSIVE.
YOU KNOW, WE ALL SET RIGHT IN HERE LAST YEAR AND HAD OUR STATE REP COME HERE AND GIVE AND COMMEND US AND GIVE US A CERTIFICATE ABOUT HOW WE WERE JUDICIOUS IN OUR TAX RATES.
I'M GOING TO BET WE DON'T GET THAT RECOMMENDATION THIS YEAR, NOT AT 22%.
SO I COULD SAY MORE JUDGE, BUT I'M TELLING YOU THE DEEP, THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS ON THESE DOLLARS.
UH, IF WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT GENUINELY, AND WE DO HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT GENUINELY NEED SALARY INCREASES, WE SHOULD MAKE THOSE AS SPECIFIED AND TARGETED AND RAISES TO HELP WITH RECRUITMENT, TO HELP WITH RETENTION, BUT A BLANKET RATES OF BLANKET RAISE IN REVENUE OF THIS MAGNITUDE IS NOT SUPPORTABLE.
I REALIZED YOU WERE STILL STANDING THERE.
I MAY, I MAY SEE YOU AT THAT OTHER MEETING, BUT I DON'T KNOW YET.
UH, SO WE HAVE SOME Y'ALL WANT TO TALK TO US OR ARE YOU JUST HERE FOR ENTERTAINMENT VALUE? OKAY.
I HAD IT IN MY BUDGET REQUESTS, A REQUEST TO INCREASE OR MOVE UP, UH, ROBERT LONG FROM PART-TIME TO FULL-TIME HE'S PROVEN TO BE AN EXTREMELY GOOD, UH, EMPLOYEE, VERY FAST LEARNER.
AND HE IS ACTUALLY ALREADY LEARNED HOW TO DO THE PAYROLL.
UM, WITH HIM, WE'VE GOT OUR STAFFING AT A POINT NOW THAT WE CAN MEET AUDITING STANDARDS TO WHERE NOBODY IS DOING SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY SHOULDN'T BE BECAUSE, UH, FOR INSTANCE, SOMEBODY THAT'S HANDLING MONEY DEPOSITS, UH, OR RECEDING FOR CERTAIN ACCOUNTS IS NOT DOING THE RECONCILIATIONS FOR THOSE BANK ACCOUNTS NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE THE WAY TO GET ALL OF THIS
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SEPARATED.AND SO I ASKED TO MOVE HIM UP TO A FULL TIME AND I HAVEN'T HEARD, UH, WHETHER OR NOT YOU'VE ADDRESSED THAT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO CHECK TO SEE IF THAT I DON'T REMEMBER THE DISCUSSION, BUT I DON'T RECALL IF WE EVER TOOK ANY ACTION OR, OR NOT.
WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE CONSIDERATION ON THE AGENDA TODAY, BUT WOULD YOU LIKE FOR US TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION ON TUESDAY? UM, IF YOU WOULD, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
UM, SO WHAT DO YOU NEED NOW? KAREN? I GOT THREE YEARS AND ONE NOTE AND I DON'T HAVE YOURS.
WE'RE JUST GETTING IT FOR CONSENSUS.
I NEED TO KNOW WHAT Y'ALL WANT ME TO DO.
WELL, I THINK WHAT THE THREE THAT SAID YES, WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO DO IS TO FLESH OUT THE REST OF THIS, WHATEVER IT HAS TO BE DONE TO FLESH THIS OUT.
THE SHERIFF SAID, AND HE JUST SAID YOU DIDN'T SOME, AND I'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED MINE TO THE JUDGE'S OFFICE.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE, AND I'M LOOKING FOR ANOTHER, YES, WE ARE STICKING TO THIS CALENDAR.
WE'RE GOING TO STICK TO THIS CALENDAR, RIGHT? UM, OH, I WILL, UH, SCHEDULE BUDGET MEETINGS AS REQUIRED TO MEET THIS CALENDAR.
SO MONDAY IS STILL KNOWN AS MIGHTY.
BEFORE YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION, W WHERE DID WE FINALLY LAND SINCE IT'S, SINCE, UH, THIS WAS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE EVERGREEN STUDY, WHERE HAVE WE LANDED ON SHERIFF DEPARTMENT RAISES $5,000, NO COMPRESS THE $5,000, NO COLA.
AND THEN MAKING THAT CHANGE IN THE, UH, STEP BY STEP TYPE.
THAT WAS FOR ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT THOUGH, RIGHT? I'M SORRY.
IT USED TO BE, AND I, SINCE I HAVEN'T REALLY HAD A CHANCE TO STUDY IT, KAREN, WHAT WE AGREED ON WAS ANYBODY THAT WAS GETTING FI ANYBODY IN THE CIVILIAN POPULATION GETTING $5,000 OR MORE DOES NOT GET THE COAL.
IS THAT WHAT THESE NUMBERS ARE DOING? YES.
UM, BACK TO MONDAY, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA ASK YOU, KAREN, DO YOU FEEL LIKE WE PROBABLY SHOULD LEAVE THAT ON THE, WE PROBABLY SHOULD LEAVE THAT AGENDA ITEM OPEN FOR MONDAY IN CASE THERE'S SOME, WHENEVER Y'ALL START NOODLING AROUND THEM AND YOUR NUMBERS OR SOMETHING.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE CAN CANCEL THAT MEETING UP TO THE LAST MINUTE.
UM, WHAT NUMBERS, I DON'T WANT YOU TO CHANGE ANYTHING.
I'M JUST ASKING IF YOU, I ASSUME SINCE I'VE DONE THIS AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED THAT YOU I'M GUESSING THAT YOU PROBABLY IN US TOO, WE'D PROBABLY LIKE TO GO THROUGH SHEET BY SHEET AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WELL, I WON'T TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED, SUGGEST, AND THEN Y'ALL TELL ME IF YOU WANT ME TO, UH, YOU DON'T WANT SHERRY AND GREASE.
HE DOESN'T WANT HIS INCREASE, BUT YOU'RE ONLY HERE FOR THREE MONTHS.
I SAID, JUST TAKE IT THREE MONTHS, WAIT, PUT IT IN THE CONTINGENCY LINE ITEM.
AND THEN IF THE NEW PERSON COMING IN OFFICE DOESN'T WANT IT EITHER WE CAN MOVE THE REST OF IT TO CONTINGENCY IS THAT I DON'T THINK YOU CAN MAKE ANY CHANGES.
I DON'T THINK THERE CAN BE ANY CHANGES MADE TO THE WAGES ONCE THAT SAID, I MEAN, WE CAN TALK, I CAN LOOK INTO THAT.
WE CAN LOOK CLOSER, BUT MY, MY POSITION IS, UM, I FEEL LIKE, I FEEL LIKE THE COUNTY JUDGE IN OUR COUNTY IS PRETTY WELL COMPENSATED.
UM, I FEEL LIKE MY COMPENSATION IS SUFFICIENT.
I MEAN, I I'M AT I'M AT THE MID RANGE.
SO ONE THING I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY OF TOO, IS THAT OFTEN ELECTED OFFICIALS DECLINED THE RAISE FOR ALMOST LAST FIVE YEARS.
SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW TOO.
THAT WAS EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THIS COUNTY HAD NOT TAKEN A RAISE FROM LAST NIGHT, ALMOST EVERY, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, I DON'T, THEY DECLINE, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO SEMANTICS, BUT, BUT MAN, WE
[00:25:01]
DIDN'T, IT WASN'T THAT THEY DECLINED IT.THE COMMISSIONERS GORDON DIDN'T OFFER AND THE WASTE DIDN'T GIVE IT TO HIM.
DID HE GIVE IT TO THEM? THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
WE HAD A RACE FOR FIVE YEARS, SO I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.
I WANTED TO, UM, ADDRESS ALSO MY FIRST ASSISTANCE SALARY THING BECAUSE SHE'S NOT CLASSIFIED CORRECTLY.
WHY DON'T YOU PUT THAT IN YOUR NOODLING AS I CALL IT FOR WHENEVER WE MEET BACK ON MONDAY AND I'M SURE THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME THERE, NO OFFENSE, BUT THERE'S GOTTA BE SOME MISTAKES IN HERE SOMEWHERE.
UM, WELL, YOU KNOW, NOBODY'S PERFECT.
SO, UH, SO LET'S LEAVE IT ON THE AGENDA FOR MONDAY.
WE'LL PULL THE TRIGGER ON THAT NO LATER THAN 10.
AND IF, IF KAREN, IF THEY'RE NOT READY OR THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO TALK TO US ABOUT OR WHATEVER, AND WE'LL SCRATCH MONDAY, I THINK IS PRETTY GOOD CHANCE WE'LL SCRATCH MONDAY.
AND THEN WE'LL JUST MEET AT THE END OF THE REGULAR MEETING ON TUESDAY AND TUESDAY WILL BE THE 16TH ON IT.
SO TICK TALK, WE'LL PROBABLY, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL S WE'LL GO AHEAD AND I'LL GET ANNABEL TO GO AHEAD AND POST THE AGENDAS FOR ALL THE REST OF THESE AND GET HER ADVERTISEMENT READY AND ALL THAT STUFF.
AND I'LL GET HER TO GO AHEAD AND I'LL GET HER TO GO AHEAD AND WORK WITH THE ATTORNEYS AND GO IN AND LIKE WE ALWAYS DO AND GO AHEAD AND GET THAT STUFF ALL WRITTEN UP AND READY TO GO.
CAUSE IT'S GOT TO BE IN FOR THE PIPE, BUT WHAT A WEEK HE SAID A WEEK AHEAD OF TIME, BASICALLY.
I MEAN, IT SEEMS IT'S TRIGGERED IN HERE SOMEWHERE ON OTHER, GOING WITH, UH, THE TAX ASSESSOR'S RECOMMENDED RIGHTS.
WELL, THE RIGHTS CALCULATED, UNLESS I'M WRONG ABOUT SOMETHING, WHATEVER THAT THE RATE IS A FUNCTION OF PROPERTY TAX VALUES AND WHAT THE, THE COLLECTION, THE TOTAL COLLECTIONS THAT WE GOT HERE.
BUT I HAVE TO HAVE THAT SHEET WITH ALL THE VALUES AND HOW I COME UP WITH THAT NUMBER.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE OFF WHEN I DO THAT.
I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO GET TO THE PENNY THAT YOU HAVE ON THERE.
UM, UM, I UNDERSTAND I'M NOT THE PENNY IS NOT RELATIVE, BUT I THINK AS LONG AS IT'S, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE A LITTLE BIT FOR SURE.
I JUST WANT TO ASK WHY THE CLERKS ARE, OUR PAY GRADE IS 1 0 4 WHEN WE'RE CARTOONS, WHICH SHOULD BE A 1 0 5, BUT ON OUR SHEET WHERE, UH, AND WE WERE ASKED ME TO PUT UP TO THE MID POINT ON THE EVERGREEN STUDY, WHICH WE SHOULD BE ALL, UH, AS A 1 0 5, BUT ON A SHEET WE'VE GOT A 1 0 4.
AND I THINK, I MEAN, EVEN THE LIBRARY OR 1, 1 0 2, I CAN READ A BOOK.
I MEAN, I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST LIBRARY PEOPLE, BUT I THINK OUR CLERKS SHOULD BE THE 1 0 5 AND NOT THE ONE OH FOURS.
AND ON THE ONE WE HAD TO GO BACK, YOU SENT OUT A THING FOR US TO GO BACK AND RE FILL UP, FILL THEM OUT.
AND WE SIT IN OUR, I THINK, LARSON HERS AGAIN, MARY SENT HERS IN AND WE WENT AND MOVED THEM UP TO THE ONE OH, FIVES, WHICH I'M SORRY.
UH, I GUESS FOR ME, I WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT CLERKS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE WHAT WE WOULD, WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND WE, WE DIDN'T MAKE THAT MUCH PROGRESS ON IT, BUT WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT A CLERK ONE IN YOUR OFFICE IS MAKING THE SAME THING AS A CLERK, ONE IN ANOTHER OFFICE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT ALL CLASSIFIED THE SAME.
I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL, EVEN THEIR MIDPOINT IS THEIR STARTING SALARY IS MORE THAN WHAT WE START AT, BUT THAT'S THAT THAT'S ALL TIED UP IN THE CLASS.
IN WHAT CLASS ARE YOU IN? RIGHT? YEAH.
THE MID, THE, THE RANGES ARE ALL TIED TO THE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE ONE OH FOURS CAME FROM AND WHO SAID WHAT? WHO WAS A 1 0 4 AND WHO WAS 1 0 5, BUT OUR MIDPOINT SHOULD BE AT THE 1 0 5, NOT THE 1 0 4, UH, THE CLERK TO CLERK TO, UH, I THINK WHAT I'LL DO IS ASK THE, UH, I'LL ASK THE HR DIRECTOR.
I'LL ASK CHUCK IF HE'LL GET HIS PEOPLE TO RESEARCH ALL THAT AND GIVE US A CONSOLIDATED OR, YOU KNOW, A REPORT HAS, I UNDERSTAND KKR IS SAYING I'M A TAXPAYER TOO.
I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TECH, THE MONEY SHOULD GO BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS.
I'M A TECH, I'M A BIG TAXPAYER.
I MEAN, MATTER OF FACT, I'M APPEALING MY TAXES CAUSE, UM, I MEAN, MINE IS JUST WAY OVER MY HEAD.
UH, SO I'M A TAXPAYER TOO, AND I'M ONE OF THOSE THAT HAD HAD RES, BUT I'M ALL FOR
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MY EMPLOYEES.AND I THINK THEY SHOULD BE FAIRLY COMPENSATED.
I MEAN, THEY CAN GO WORK SOMEWHERE AND GO TO MCDONALD'S AND MAKE THE $38,000 IF THEY WANTED TO DO THAT.
MCDONALD'S MAKE MORE THAN WE DO.
I'M SURE THEY, I SAW A MANAGERS SIGN A MANAGER POSITION OVER $17 A THING, BUT THEY DON'T GET INSURANCE IN RETIREMENT.
I DON'T WAS, DON'T GET INTO THAT.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING, I THINK, I THINK OUR CLERKS SHOULD BE CLERKED TWOS.
WELL, AND I THINK EVERYBODY UP HERE REALLY HEARS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS JUST, THERE'S SOME FALLACIES THAT WE'RE REALLY FIGHTING WITH THE SURVEY AT THE TIME TO COMPENSATE EVERYBODY.
BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT TO THE POINT NOW WHERE THE SHIP IS PRETTY MUCH ALREADY SAILED, BUT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE A POINT THAT NEXT YEAR THAT WE UPDATE THE SURVEY FROM THE 2020 INFORMATION THAT THE SURVEY IS BASED ON, THAT SHOWS THE MID POINTS.
ARE EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING WAY OUT OF WHACK.
I KNOW GOODWILL WILL NEVER, EVER, PROBABLY EVER BE ABLE TO REACH THE REAL NUMBERS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE REAL NUMBERS WITH DATA, THIRD PARTY THAT WE'RE NOT OTHER INVOLVED IN OTHER THAN JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND LET THEM SET IT UP FOR US.
AND THEN WE CAN DO WHAT WE HIT, WHAT WE CAN DO TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
BUT I THINK OVER TIME WE FELL BEHIND WITH A PERCENT AND A PERCENT AND A HALF OR NO RAISES THAT WE JUST GOT WAY OUT OF WHACK.
AND, AND IT JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING HAS SOME TYPE OF FALLACY, BUT I SAID, WE JUST NEED TO WORK ON, GET IT OUT ALL CORRECTED NEXT YEAR, FOR SURE.
UH, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE EVERGREEN STUDY FIRST, FIRST, I THINK WE SHOULD ALL RECOGNIZE.
AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SOMETHING TOTALLY OBJECTIVE SALARIES, JOB CLASSIFICATIONS.
WE WANT OUR, THIS CLERK TO BE CLASSIFIED THE SAME IN YOUR OFFICE THAT IS CLASSIFIED IN LAURA'S OFFICE.
AND THAT'S A WORTHY GOAL, BUT IT'S NOT REALITY.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT AN OBJECTIVE THING THAT WHAT THE PEOPLE DO IS ACTUALLY DIFFERENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE PERFECT, BUT NOBODY IN THE COUNTY HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE RESEARCH THAT EVERYONE DID.
THEY CAME BACK TO US A COUPLE OF TIMES AND UPDATED THIS, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY HAD A TIME, SH THEY HAD A TIMESCALE AS TO WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE AVAILABLE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT, UH, THEY, THEY, THEY HAD TROUBLE GETTING THE INFORMATION THEY HAD.
I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY, BUT ONLY ABOUT A FOURTH OF THE PEOPLE.
THEY TRIED TO GET INFORMATION OUT OF REALLY SUPPORTING THEIR EFFORT.
SO MAYBE THAT CAN BE BETTER IN THE NEXT ROUND, BUT, UM, IT'LL NEVER BE, YOU KNOW, IT'LL, IT'LL ALWAYS BE SUBJECTIVE TO SOME EXTENT, BUT IT CAN BE BETTER THAN NOTHING.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT NOTHING BOTTOM LINE IS, I MEAN, THE STORY IS, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE A CLERK AND SOMEBODY ELSE HAS A CLERK, THE TWO CLERKS ARE, YEAH.
BUT THEY'RE STILL, THEY COULD BE DOING DIFFERENT TYPES OF JOBS.
UM, AND IN EVERGREEN, I'M NOT TAKING UP FOR THEM, BUT MAYBE IN THEIR PROCESS AND WHATEVER THEY DID, THEY SAID THIS JOB IS MORE, YOU KNOW, UM, DIFFICULT OR MAYBE THEY HAVE SOME
I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THEY PROBABLY CAME UP WITH DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
I'M NOT DEFENDING THEM, I'M THIS SAYING THE WAY IT HAPPENED AND THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN NEVER DO THAT.
AND IT JUST, IT IS WITH HRS HELP AND EVERGREENS THAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO INCLUDE EACH YEAR, THEM PASSING WORK ALONG TO THE HR DEPARTMENT, THE HR DEPARTMENT UPDATING THEM ON DIFFERENT THINGS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AND THEN, THEN MY KNOWLEDGE RUNS OUT ON THIS DEAL, YOU KNOW? AND, AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO GO.
WE HAVE TO GO BY WHAT WE HAVE AT THIS MOMENT.
AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE STUDY.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, W W WE'LL JUST HAVE TO, I'M APPOINT TO THE GUY IN THE BLUE SHIRT.
I'D HAVE TO LOOK AND RECOGNIZE HIM.
SO WHEN YOU SEE HIM NEXT TIME, YOU CAN
AND THAT'S WHERE THEY WOULD COME UP.
IT'S JUST LIKE AN EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, WHATEVER EQUIPMENT OPERATION, NOT THE SAME, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, BUT THEY'RE ALL EQUIPMENT OPERATORS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, BUT SOME OF THEM CAN DRIVE A JUST LIKE OUR OFFICE, BUT WE HAVE DIFFERENT SKILLS, DO DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT I MEAN, FOR INSTANCE, AND I'M NOT PICKING ON THE, UH,
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DON'T, I MEAN, LIBRARY CLERK ASSISTANT THERE 1 0 6 AND WELL, SHE MIGHT BE, SHE MIGHT BE STUDYING ALSO, OR SHE MIGHT BE RECEIVING LIBRARIAN CERTIFICATE AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE LAW EVERY DAY, KEEPING THE COUNTY, I'M NOT ARGUING, MAN.I'M JUST SAYING MY OFFICE, TAKE THESE OFF HERE.
I TEACH A PERSON OVER THERE TO DO X, THIS, THIS, AND THIS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT THEY'RE KIND OF QUALIFIED OR KNOW WHAT TO DO THEN MAYBE THEY'RE NOT THE SAME AS THE NEXT CLERK YOU HAVE THAT CAN DO 85 OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS.
YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? I HAVE A REAL GOOD SUGGESTION THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.
IF YOU ONLY I'M TALKING NOW, IF YOU'LL GO TO JOHNSON, COUNTY'S WEBSITE AND LOOK AT THEIR BUDGET, THEY HAVE A REALLY, REALLY, UM, IMPRESSIVE.
THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT, WHERE THEY HAVE JOB CLASSIFICATIONS AND WAGE RANGES.
AND A LOT OF IT'S KIND OF WHAT COMMISSIONER
THEY DON'T HAVE JUST A LOW, MID, AND HIGH.
THEY'VE GOT A REALLY WELL ORGANIZED, UM, UH, WAGE SCALE THING.
AND, UH, THAT'S A, THAT'S A, IF YOU WANT TO SEE SOMEBODY, THAT'S REALLY, THEY'RE NOT REALLY DOING A GOOD JOB.
THEY ARE REALLY DOING A GREAT JOB.
AND THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY COUNTY THAT HAS THAT.
BUT I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT, I'VE LOOKED AT SEVERAL, BUT THEY'RE THE ONES, THEY WERE THE ONES THAT THE RUN, I'M SORRY, WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, WE SHOULD DO PAID, TACK A LOT OF MONEY.
AND WHEN THEY DO A SALARY SURVEY, IT'S ONLY ON ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE OFFICIALS, WHY CAN'T THEY DO SOMETHING AND GIVE US SOME KIND OF RANGE WE PUT, I MEAN, OUT OF 254 COUNTIES, THEY ALL PAY.
IF YOU, IF YOU COMPARE, IF YOU COMPARE, IF YOU COMPARED KAUFMAN COUNTY, THE CLERK WAGES, OR THAT'S NOT A GOOD EXAMPLE, IF YOU COMPARED, UH, AN EQUIPMENT OPERATOR IN KAUFMAN COUNTY TO AN EQUIPMENT OPERATOR IN TAKE US COUNTY OR SOMETHING.
I MEAN, WHEN YOU START GETTING AWAY FROM THE METROPLEX, I THINK IT, IT KIND OF OUR COMPETITION.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
OUR COMPETITION FOR PEOPLE IS IN THE METROPLEX, NOT, NOT ALL OVER THIS, I WAS GOING TO SAY THE SAME THING I WAS GOING TO SAY, YOU CAN'T GO TO CAUSE THAT I ASKED HIM THE SAME THING.
WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE EVERGREEN STUDY AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS I ASKED WHEN I CAN'T TAKE HELP.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE ANSWERS THEY GAVE WAS IT'S VERY SIMPLE, 254 COUNTIES, 254 DIFFERENT EXAMPLES AND ENDED UP IN A BIG RANGE OF THE WAY THE COUNTIES OPERATE IN THEIR, AND THAT'S THE SAME WAY WITH GETTING IN TROUBLE WITH LESSORS LEGISLATION IS THAT THEY PASSED THAT LEGISLATION FOR HARRIS COUNTY AND IT AFFECTS ALL OF US.
AND WE, WE DON'T OPERATE THIS.
WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A GOOD STARTING POINT WHEN WE DID THE SALARY STUFF.
EVERGREEN REALLY DIDN'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE JOB DUTIES AND STUFF.
THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT WHO IN CO COUNTY AUDITOR WAS WHO THEY ANSWER TO AND WHAT THE STAFF REQUIREMENTS WAS WHEN ONCE ACCORDING TO, YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION AND STUFF LIKE THAT, I WOULD IMAGINE SOME OF THOSE ARE CLASSIFIED WRONG, BUT WE NEEDED A STARTING POINT AT LEAST TO GET SOMETHING DONE.
WE FOUND VERY FEW COUNTIES WHO HAD EVER DONE THIS RIGHT THERE.
UH, I, I DON'T THINK THERE WERE FIVE COUNTIES THAT I RAN ACROSS AND WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, IN EVERGREEN, ONE OF US TO HELP THEM FIND COUNTIES WHO, WHO HAD WORKING WAGE AND CLASSIFICATION, UH, PROGRAMS. AND THEY COULDN'T, THERE WAS HARDLY ANY THAT DONE IT.
AND, AND A COUPLE OF THE ONES I TALKED TO, I THINK I CAN REMEMBER WHAT COUNTY IT WAS THAT IN WEST TEXAS, THEY SAID, YEAH, WE, YEAH, WE DID WANT TO FOUR, FIVE YEARS AGO.
WE NEVER HAVE LOOKED AT IT SINCE THEN.
NOBODY PAID ANY ATTENTION TO IT.
I, ON THAT YOU MADE YOU ACTUALLY, I THINK MADE MY POINT THAT, THAT, UH, I AGREE THAT THERE ARE EMPLOYEES IN THIS COUNTY THAT WE NEED TO HAVE TARGETED FOCUS ON THAT NEED, UH, THE APPROPRIATE ADJUSTMENT, BUT A BROAD BRUSH, 22% RAISE.
I DO NOT BELIEVE IS GOOD FOR THE TAXPAYERS IN THIS COUNTY.
I'LL ALSO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE INTANGIBLES, UH, THAT NEED TO BE AT LEAST RECOGNIZED, UM, WHERE, WHETHER IT'S A GOOD COMMENT OR NOT.
I MADE A CAREER 35 YEARS WORKING IN THE, IN THE GOVERNMENT.
AND THERE WAS A GENERALIZED ACCEPTANCE THAT YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET RICH WORKING IN THE GOVERNMENT.
WE TRADE OFF, YOU TRADE OFF THE SALARY LEVELS THAT, THAT PRIVATE INDUSTRY PAYS FOR THE SECURITY OF A GOVERNMENT JOB FOR THE RETIREMENT BENEFITS, UH, THE RELIABILITY, UH,
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AND, AND, UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF INTANGIBLES, NOT NECESSARILY IN YOUR OFFICE, TAKING A TAKE-HOME POLICE CARS ARE A GREAT BENEFIT, BUT IT'S NOT REFLECTED IN YOUR SALARY.SO THERE ARE LOTS OF INTANGIBLE REASONS WHY, WHY GOVERNMENT SALARIES ARE TYPICALLY LOWER THAN, THAN THEIR, UH, PRIVATE INDUSTRY COMPONENTS.
I ASSURE YOU THAT THERE'S, UH, TAKE, TAKE FOR INSTANCE, ATTORNEYS, ATTORNEYS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE OR IN CORPORATE PRACTICE, MAKE A LOT MORE MONEY THAN ATTORNEYS THAT WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT.
BUT THERE, THERE ARE TRADE OFFS.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE IN PRIVATE PRACTICE, YOU'RE UP THERE TILL NINE AND 10 AND 11 O'CLOCK EVERY NIGHT.
ALTHOUGH DEB, BONNER'S PROBABLY DONE THAT A TIME OR TWO HERSELF.
UH, SO IT'S NOT JUST, IT CAN'T ONLY BE DOLLARS.
IT REQUIRES JUDGMENT AND JUDICIOUS CONSIDERATION.
AND THAT'S WHY THERE ARE TARGETED EMPLOYEES.
W WHETHER IT IS EMPLOYEES THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS FOR RECRUITMENT PURPOSES OR EMPLOYEES THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS FOR RETENTION PURPOSES, BUT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAY MATH DOESN'T LIE, YOU KNOW, THREE AND FOUR AND 5% VACANCY RATES THAT DOESN'T REALLY SPEAK TO A COUNTY, AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS JUST DESPERATELY LOSING EMPLOYEES, WILLY NILLY.
SO OUR VACANCY RATES ARE NOT OFF THE CHART.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT OFF THE CHART.
AND, AND IT IS, IT IS AN IMPROPER IMPRESSION TO BELIEVE THAT OUR SALARY STRUCTURE IS SO OUT OF WHACK, THAT WE CAN'T KEEP EMPLOYEES.
THAT THAT IS NOT THE CASE, BUT WE DO CLEARLY HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
AND THAT WERE DEFICIENT, LONGTIME DEFICIENT IN DOING THAT.
ALTHOUGH I THINK WE'VE MADE SOME INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMMISSIONERS RECALL, BUT ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, WE DID RESTRUCTURE THE ROAD AND BRIDGE PROGRAM.
SO WE DO NOW HAVE A RESIDENT WITH HR, UH, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR LEVEL TWO EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, LEVEL THREE, AND WE MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT SALARY ADJUSTMENTS.
I'M SURE THESE GUYS WILL RECALL IT NOW ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO IN THE ROAD AND BRIDGE PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT WE NEED TO MAKE IN TARGETED VOCATIONS AND OCCUPATIONS IN THIS COUNTY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR OUT MY OFFICE.
AND I THINK LAURA'S DONE THE SAME THING.
WE'VE RESTRUCTURED OUR OFFICE.
AND TERESA, AND I THINK MAYBE MARRIED IT TOO.
WE, WE USED TO RESTRUCTURE OUR OFFICE TO PUT THEM UP TO THE MID POINT THAT WE'RE GOING BACK, BUT YEAH.
RHONDA, WOULD YOU SEE FLEXIBILITY OR WOULD YOU SAY, UM, WOULD YOU SEE BENEFIT TO YOU MANAGING YOUR DEPARTMENT IF YOU HAD, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT NOW, I'M TALKING ABOUT IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU, IF THE COUNTY SAID, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THIS MUCH MONEY FOR RAISES, AND WE WANT EVERYBODY TO GET AT LEAST 5% COLA, BUT YOU'VE GOT THIS MUCH MONEY LEFT OVER TO ALLOCATE TO YOUR EMPLOYEES BASED ON WHAT YOU THINK THEIR VALUE IS.
WOULD YOU WANT THAT RESPONSIBILITY? YES.
BECAUSE SEE, THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
ONE OF THE THINGS, THE WAY WE DO IT IS, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHICH OF YOUR EMPLOYEES, NONE OF US KNOW WHICH OF YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE REALLY OUTSTANDING AND REALLY, UH, HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE.
I MEAN, YOU MAY, I'M SURE YOU HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES THAT DO, THEY DO A GOOD JOB OR A WORK ON TIME, BUT THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T GO THE EXTRA MILE OR, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE OTHER THINGS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU IF MY, MY OFFICE GOES THE EXTRA MILE.
BUT I'M TALKING, BUT YOU'VE GOT SOME THAT YOU GOT, SOME ARE RUN FASTER THAN OTHERS PROBLEMS. I DO SOME RUN FASTER THAN ME, BUT DON'T GET INTO THAT.
I GUESS IT WOULD JUST SIT HERE.
SO SOMEBODY SAYS, WELL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
THE MEETING COMMISSIONER, PHYLLIS MOVES TO JOURNEY'S OR SECOND, SECOND, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER CAGE.
IS THERE A THIRD? OH, NEVERMIND.