[To discuss the Amendments to the Personnel Policy.]
[00:00:04]
OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO RESUME THIS MORNING CALL TO ORDER.
IT'S TO DISCUSS THE, UH, PERSONNEL MANUAL FOR THE COUNTY OF KAUFMAN.
AND SO Y'ALL ALL HAVE A COPY OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES IN FRONT OF YOU THERE.
SO, UH, MR. HUNT, WE'RE GOING TO START, GO THIS WAY.
WHAT WE DOING?
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT A WHILE AGO.
I THOUGHT IT WAS ALL IN THE SAME THING.
AND IT WASN'T A, I FORGOT PERSONNEL MANUAL.
YOU GOT A COPY OF THE CHANGES.
I MUST HAVE SLEPT THROUGH THAT ONE.
UH, WELL, MY COURT COORDINATOR'S GONE.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, WHO IS IT FROM? UH, FROM KAREN.
GIVE A COPY RIGHT THERE REAL QUICK.
BUT YOU WHAT, WHO SENT THE EMAIL? WHO SENT IT? UH, IT CAME COME IN.
OH, THE WORK, THE WORKSHOP AGENDA? YEAH.
WELL I DIDN'T, I DON'T I DON'T THINK SHE HAD IT ON THERE THOUGH, DID IT? I THINK IT WAS THE ORIGINAL EMAIL FROM TWO WEEKS AGO.
YEAH, I THINK PACKET MIGHT HAVE SENT IT.
ANYWAY, YEAH, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH MAKING, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY, I SAW, I SAW THE AGENDA DEAL, THAT EDITION, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION WITH IT.
MAKE TWO, IF YOU WILL, PLEASE.
SHE JUST TOOK ME TO THE OFFICE.
WELL, IF IT'S, UH, I HAVE, IT'S IN LAST WEEK, SO I CAN GO BACK TO HER.
BRAD, DO YOU HAVE A COPY? I'VE GOT ONE LAST NOTES AS WELL.
WANTED TO COME IN AND SAY SOMETHING.
I LEFT MINE ON MY DESK THOUGH.
I, I, I MEAN, I DIDN'T HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH IT.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS UNDER THING.
REMEMBER WE SKIPPED IT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
LET'S SEE IF I CAN FIND IT IN HERE.
YEAH, I GOT THE, I GOT THE, DID YOU GET THE UPDATED VERSION FROM THE DA'S OFFICE THAT THEY SENT? IT WASN'T WITH IT.
IT WAS JUST A A, A NOTICE THAT WE HAD A MEETING AFTER THIS.
THEY WOULD'VE SENT, BUT IT DIDNT, I DON'T HAVE ANY EMAILS FROM, SHOULD HAVE GOT SOMETHING FROM ASH YET.
THEY DIDN'T SEND A COPY OF IT WITH THAT.
IT CAME FROM SEVEN TWO CAME FROM KAREN, I THINK.
WELL, WE'LL SOLVE THE PROBLEM NO MATTER WHAT, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
CAN'T BE FIXED EXCEPT THAT'S RIGHT.
I THOUGHT YOU WAS SENDING ME SOMETHING MENTAL TO EMPATHY.
WELL, IT WAS BOUNCING OFF IS WHAT HE WAS DOING.
I WAS LIKE, I GOT THAT CALL FROM A GUY.
HE SENT ME PICTURES OF GETTING ALL THEM TREES OUTTA THE ROADS.
WELL, HAVE YOU TALKED TO 'EM? NO, I'M JUST SITTING HERE.
WELL, DUKE
'CAUSE THEY ALL GOT IN THE TRUCK AND PULLED OVER, BUT THEY WEREN'T OVER ENOUGH.
SO, BUT THEY'RE ALL STARING AT EACH OTHER TRYING TO COMMUNICATE.
[00:05:01]
I DUNNO WHERE IT'S DIDN'T COME THROUGH REAL GOOD, DID IT? WHAT COPY? YEAH, IT'S OUR AND DIM.
I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM.
SO LAST YEAR WE HAD TACK COME UP AND GO OVER OUR PERSONNEL MANUAL AND THEN I'VE BEEN UPDATED IN YEARS.
AND SO WE SPENT ABOUT, UH, I DON'T KNOW, THREE HOURS GOING THROUGH IT WITH, UH, HALEY FROM T AND THEN IT WAS SEVERAL MONTHS LATER WE GOT THE MANUAL OUT.
AND IT'S SOMEWHAT CONFUSING 'CAUSE IN SOME PLACES THEY GOT TIME SHEETS HERE.
THEN LATER ON THEY GOT PAY PERIODS AND WORK SCHEDULES AND INSTEAD OF IT ALL BEING TOGETHER.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, PUT IT TOGETHER SO IT'S NOT, PEOPLE READ ON PAGE ONE, ONE THING AND PAGE THREE'S GOT SOMETHING ELSE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
THE FIRST THING IS TIME SHEETS.
'CAUSE SOME PEOPLE, UH, UH, ACCORDING TO IT ARE CHECK IT IN ON THEIR LAPTOPS FROM HOME, THEN DRIVE IT TO WORK.
SO WHEN YOU CHANGE THAT TO, UNLESS YOU'RE ON A SHIFT TO WORK OR SOMETHING LIKE YOU'RE ON A SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT, THERE'S ALWAYS THOSE, BUT IT'S UP TO THE SUPERVISOR ANYWAY.
BUT IF THE SUPERVISOR'S NOT AWARE OF IT OR THE ELECTED OFFICIAL, UH, I MEAN, YOU'RE ACTUALLY STEALING TIME FROM THE COUNTY.
I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE TO DRIVE 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR AWAY.
AND SO THE IDEAL THING IS CHECK IN AT YOUR WORK STATION, AT WORK WHEREVER YOUR DUTY IS.
BUT THERE ARE SOME THAT CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE THEIR ASSIGNMENTS ARE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
NUMBER TWO, UH, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU COME TO WORK, IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, TALK IN AND OUT FOR BREAKS AND STUFF.
THAT, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
WHO'S GONNA KEEP UP WITH ALL THAT? NO ONE IS, UH, I KNOW AT THE JUSTICE CENTER AND ONE GETS AN HOUR LUNCH BREAK, BUT IT'S HARD TO GET FROM THE JUSTICE CENTER TO TOWN AND BACK TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT.
AND SO WE HAVE SOME VENDORS COMING, BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE TAKING THAT OTHER TIME AS COMP TIME.
WELL, THAT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING.
YOU GET AN HOUR, YOU WANNA SLEEP, TAKE A BREAK, GO WALKING, WHATEVER.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE GIVING OUT A LOT OF COMP TIME THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE GIVING OUT.
OR TAKING REMIND EMPLOYEES, YOU HAVE AN HOUR, DO SOMETHING.
UH, THE UH, TIME TIMEKEEPING IS SO IMPORTANT 'CAUSE THAT THAT AFFECTS US.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THAT'S GOING ON.
IT COULD BE, BUT YOU GOTTA WATCH IT.
UH, WORK SCHEDULES THE WHATEVER WORK SCHEDULE FOR THE COUNTY.
AND THE POLICY IS EIGHT TO FIVE.
UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF, I KNOW, UH, PRECINCT OVER HERE.
MINE DOESN'T, ONE DOES IT FOUR DAY, WEEK ONE DOES FOUR DAYS A WEEK.
BUT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS.
ROAD CREWS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT 'CAUSE OF THE WEATHER.
UH, MEAN EIGHT TO FIVE, YOU'RE RIGHT THERE IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY.
BUT YOU NEED THAT OTHER DAY TO RECUPERATE FROM THE HEAT AND FROM THE COLD.
BUT FOR REGULAR OFFICE, IT SHOULD BE EIGHT TO FIVE CITIZENS ARE COMING IN.
THEY NEED TO SEE SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTY THERE.
UH, I'M NOT REALLY A FAN OF FOUR DAY WORK WEEK.
I KNOW WE JUST LET ONE DEPARTMENT DO THAT AND WE, UH, NEED TO DISCUSS IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO OR BRING THEM BACK TO AN EIGHT TO FIVE.
WE'LL HAVE THAT ON NEXT WEEK'S AGENDA.
UH, THE NEXT THING, WORKING FROM HOME, UH, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THAT CAN BE POSSIBLE.
UH, IF YOU'RE SICK, DEPENDS ON WHAT YOUR JOB IS.
OR IF YOU'VE GOT A MEDICAL CONDITION, AN A DA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I KNOW THE DA'S OFFICE HAS ONE PERSON THAT HAS TO WEAR A MASK BECAUSE OF IMMUNE DEFICIENT IMMUNE DISORDER.
BUT FOR REGULAR EMPLOYEE, UH, IF MY GIRLS WANT TO WORK FROM HOME, SOMEONE COME IN THE OFFICE, I'M NOT THERE.
WHO ARE THEY GONNA SEE THE CITIZENS NEED TO SEE AN EMPLOYEE THERE, WHAT WE PAY 'EM FOR.
[00:10:01]
SO THOSE ARE THE REALLY THE THREE MAIN THINGS THAT ARE FOUR MAIN THINGS WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.SO, SO FOR DISCUSSION, I THINK, I THINK THE ONLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST OBJECTIONS I'VE ALWAYS HAD, AND BACK WHEN ME AND YOU CAME INTO THE OFFICE, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST TOPICS.
UH, I THINK THE LAST QUARTER, THE, THE PREVIOUS PEOPLE THAT WAS GOING OUT PUT IN THE EFFECT THAT THEY COULDN'T PUNCH IN ON THEIR PHONES.
I I, I JUST, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, YOU COME TO WORK IF, IF, IF YOUR JOB IS A CLERK IN THE OFFICE HERE, YOU NEED TO PUNCH IN HERE.
IF THEY'RE A PROFESSIONAL PERSON OR THEY'RE A POLICE OFFICER THAT THEY GET IN THEIR CAR AND THEY, THE MINUTE THEY GET IN THEIR SQUAD CAR, 'CAUSE THEY DRIVE THEIR SQUAD CARS HOME, THEY CAN GET IN THEIR LAPTOP AND THEIR COMPUTER IN THEIR CAR AND PUNCH IN BECAUSE THEY'RE ON DUTY.
THEY HAVE, THEY'RE TOTING THEIR PISTOL.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, WELL, Y'ALL BEEN THERE, Y'ALL KNOW.
I MEAN, IF YOU SEE A FELONY HAPPENING OR YOU SEE SOMETHING HAPPENING, YOU CAN PULL 'EM OVER.
I MEAN, 'CAUSE YOU'RE ON WORK.
BUT IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE NOT ON THE JOB, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M NOT GONNA ALLOW MY ROAD CREW TO PUNCH IN FROM HOME.
I MEAN, AND I DON'T EXPECT ANY OTHER OFFICE TO DO THAT.
AND I, I KNOW OF SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DOING IT AND THAT THAT UPSETS ME, THAT THEY PUNCH IN AND THEY'RE NOT THERE.
I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS JOB IS ABOUT, IS HIRING PEOPLE TO WORK FOR THE COUNTY TO WORK FROM HOME.
NOW, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT TELLING ANYBODY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT, IF THEY'RE, UH, ELECTED OFFICIAL OR WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO.
IF THEY WANT TO TELL THEIR EMPLOYEE TO WORK FROM HOME, I GUESS THEY HAVE THE, ACCORDING TO STATE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.
AND THAT'S PERFECTLY ALL RIGHT.
NONE OF MY BUSINESS, THAT'S NOT MY CONCERN.
UM, BUT CLERKS AND UH, PEOPLE THAT REPORT IN THESE OFFICES, THAT IS MY CONCERN.
BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE THEY CAN DO THEIR JOB.
THEY CAN'T DO IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
YOU KNOW, MY ASSISTANT, IF I WANNA LET HER STAY HOME FOR A DAY BECAUSE SHE'S SICK AND SHE CAN WORK FROM HOME, THAT IF SHE HAS A LAPTOP, THAT'S WHAT SHE HAS IT FOR.
SHE CAN SURE, SURE ENOUGH, DO THAT.
BUT I DON'T WANT HER DOING IT FIVE DAYS A WEEK BECAUSE I WANT SOMEBODY IN MY OFFICE SO THAT WHEN SOMEBODY COMES IN THERE, IF I'M NOT THERE BECAUSE SHE'S NOT THERE, I'M IN THE OFFICE.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS WITH ME.
I DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, I RAN MY COMPANY THE SAME WAY.
I DIDN'T USE A ANSWER MACHINE.
I DIDN'T USE ANY, THE SERVICES.
UH, SOMEBODY ALWAYS TALK TO SOMEBODY.
THERE ALWAYS SOMEBODY THERE TO TALK TO.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S THE WAY YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, MAKE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S THE WAY YOU TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS.
THAT'S THE WAY YOU TREAT THE TAXPAYERS.
UH, SO IF SOMEBODY'S ALWAYS IN YOUR OFFICE, I BET SOMEBODY'S ALWAYS IN CHUCK'S OFFICE IN THERE.
AND THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST WHAT YOU DO.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THE WHOLE COUNTY'S NOT DOING THAT, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT'S TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT.
AND, UH, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ANYBODY UP HERE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT OFFICES AND CLERKS.
AND, UH, I'VE LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THAT.
SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT'S JUST WHAT IT IS.
IF, IF YOU GOING TO PAY SOMEBODY, LET 'EM COME TO WORK.
I MEAN, THEY GET A LOT OF TIME OFF.
I MEAN, NOT, YOU KNOW, OFFICE WORKS DON'T GENERALLY GET COMP TIME.
WE GET A LOT OF VACATION TIME.
UH, WE, WE GIVE A LOT OF HOLIDAYS AND WE ARE ONLY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, YOU KNOW, EXCEPT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
LAW ENFORCEMENT'S A DIFFERENT BREED.
Y'ALL HAVE TO WORK HOLIDAYS, Y'ALL HAVE TO WORK NIGHTS.
Y'ALL HAVE TO WORK IN BAD WEATHER, ICE DAYS, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE CAREER THEY CHOSE.
SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THEY GET REPAID AND THEY GET, THEY GET COMP TIME, THEY GET, THEY GET PAID FOR IT.
SO, UM, THAT'S JUST KIND OF THE WAY I FEEL.
SO I DON'T SEE MUCH WRONG WITH THE POLICY.
I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE LAP, THAT HAVE LAPTOPS THAT ARE ISSUED, THOSE, THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO WORK FROM HOME FOR SOME
[00:15:01]
REASON OR ANOTHER, THAT'S DIFFERENT PUNCHING IN.BUT IF YOU HAVE TO PUNCH IN ON THE PHONE, THEN WE NEED TO DISCUSS IT.
I KNOW, BUT I MEAN, UH, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE A LAPTOP AT THEIR DESK.
THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT, UH, UH, NEED ONE TO GO HOME SHOULDN'T HAVE THEM.
OTHER THAN THAT, EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A STANDARD COMPUTER BASICALLY.
I KNOW, UH, ONE THING I DO WANT TO COMMENT ON WHEN THIS FIRST COME OUT, I WAS KIND OF FLUSTERED AT THE, THE CONCEPT OF THE POLICY CHANGE ITSELF, BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE CONFUSION TO ME HERE WITH WHY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT IS ACTUALLY DEALING WITH THE POLICY.
'CAUSE MOST CITIES, STATES AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES THAT HAVE A HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, NORMALLY HUMAN RESOURCES HANDLES THE POLICY CHANGES.
UH, THEY KEEP THE SCOPE OF THE POLICY VERY OPEN AND, AND POLICIES WRITTEN KIND OF LIKE THE LAW.
AND BRAD CAN, THERE IS, IF YOU EVER READ THE PENAL CODE OR CODE OF CODE PROCEDURE, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN IS VERY CONFUSING TO THE AVERAGE PERSON THAT READS IT.
BUT IT'S WRITTEN SO THAT IN LAW, THAT WHOEVER'S IN POWER, IT HAS FLEXIBILITY.
OKAY? WHOEVER'S THE COMMISSIONERS, WHOEVER'S THE DEPARTMENT HEAD, AND IT'S WRITTEN IN A BROAD SCOPE THAT COVERS EVERYTHING.
AND I THINK IF WE GO IN AND START SINGLING OUT LITTLE INDIVIDUAL THINGS, AND IT MAKES THE POLICY USELESS BECAUSE THEN YOU CREATE, UH, YOU CREATE OFFENSES AGAINST THE POLICY, THEN NOBODY PAYS ATTENTION TO IT.
SO, ESPECIALLY YOU GUYS, YOU FROM THE FIRE POLICY'S A BIG THING.
I I WASN'T A PRIVATE BUSINESS OWNER.
I DIDN'T WORK IN THE CIVILIAN WAR LONG, BUT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT FROM GOING INTO THE MARINE CORPS.
WHEN I WAS 18 COMING OUT, I WAS A CIVILIAN FOR THREE YEARS.
SO I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AROUND POLICY.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AROUND POLICY MANUALS, THE WAY THE CITIES WRITE 'EM.
SO THE FIRST QUESTION I WOULD SAY IS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CONFLICT HERE BETWEEN US AND HUMAN RESOURCES.
IF WE HAVE A HUMAN RESOURCES, WHY IS THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT TRYING TO PLAY POLICY MANAGERS WHEN THAT DUTY IS ON THE HR DEPARTMENT? AND THEN WE HAVE A CONFLICT BETWEEN US, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN CREATED.
AND I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED FIRST IS WHY.
THE FIRST QUESTION I WOULD ASK TODAY IS, WHY ARE WE CHANGING THIS POLICY AND WHY IS HR NOT INVOLVED IN THIS POLICY CHANGE? AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION THAT WE NEED TO COVER.
SO I THINK I CAN ANSWER PART OF THAT.
THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT'S IN CHARGE OF THE POLICY PERIOD OF WHAT'S APPROVED.
WELL, EVERYBODY ELSE IN HR NORMALLY, NORMALLY HR, HR CONTROLS THAT.
SO WHY IS THE COMMISSIONER TAKING THAT POWER FROM HR, THE COMMISSIONER? WE'RE NOT TAKING THE POWER.
WE'RE JUST MAKING SURE THAT ANYTHING THAT WE OVERLOOKED WHEN WE REWROTE THIS MANUAL A YEAR AGO, THAT'S CORRECTED.
AND THE REASON THIS COMES UP NOW, SOME THINGS WERE GOING ON WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.
UH, AND SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIX THAT.
WE'RE NOT TELLING THEM WHAT TO DO, BUT WE DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE THE POLICY.
UH, WE APPROVED, BUT THAT'S GOING, THAT'S THE FIRST THING I HAVE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN, YEAH, A CITY COUNCIL OR A COMMISSIONER COURT ACTUALLY TRY TO RUN DEPOSIT MANUAL.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE HR DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF FOR NEXT WEEK DEAL TOO.
BUT ANOTHER CONCERN I HAD WAS ON LIKE THE STEALING TIME LY.
WE'VE HAD FROM THE COMMENT WELL AGO, THAT'S PEOPLE POSSIBLY STEALING TIME BY CLOCKING IN AT THE HOUSE, GOING TO WORK FIRST.
THAT'S A DISCIPLINARY PROBLEM, NOT A POLICY PROBLEM.
SO WHOEVER THAT DEPARTMENT HEAD IS OR WHATEVER NEEDS TO ADDRESS THAT.
SO BY MAKING, WHEN WE START NICK ON DIAMOND, THE POLICY, AND YOU CAN VOUCH FOR IT AS WELL, OUR ATTORNEY AND ANY OF THESE GUYS, YOU MAKE THE PO WE MAKE THE POLICY USELESS.
SO IF YOU, I'M GONNA GIVE AN EXAMPLE TO EVERYBODY HERE.
OKAY? ON THE FIRST PARAGRAPH HERE, IT SAYS, ALL EMPLOYEES ARE EXPECTED TO ACCURATELY, ACCURATELY RECORD THEIR WORK HOURS BY USING THE COUNTY'S DESIGNATED TIMEKEEPING SYSTEM.
THE FOLLOWING PRACTICES APPLY, AND IT GOES INTO ALL FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES.
ALL OF THIS, IT GIVES A LIST OF ALL OF THE DETAILS OF TIME SHEETS.
BUT WHAT WAS ADDED IN THERE WAS ALL NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES MUST CLOCK IN AT THE TIMEKEEPING SYSTEM AND THE EMPLOYEE'S ACTUAL WORK LOCATION.
SO WE CAN SIT THERE AND SAY, WELL, THERE'S, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CLERKS IN THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, BUT WE HAVE ROAD AND BRIDGE GUYS THAT GET CALLED OUT.
WE GOT LIKE, MY SUPERVISOR, HE'S, HE'S NOT COMING OUT ON ALL CALL OUTS, BUT HE'S MAKING THESE DECISIONS FROM HOME.
OKAY? I'M NOT GONNA REQUIRE HIM TO GO TO THE OFFICE TO CLOCK IN SO HE CAN TELL THE GUYS WHAT'S
[00:20:01]
GOING ON ON THE WEEKEND AND DEAL.SO IF YOU LOOK AT, WITHOUT THE CHANGE IN IT, IT MAKES THE SCOPE OF THE POLICY WIDE ENOUGH WHERE EACH DEPARTMENT IN ITS OWN RESPECT WILL MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS ACCORDINGLY.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS IN SOME PLACE.
WE HAVE, UH, DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS, TO MAKE THIS STUFF HAPPEN.
SO IF WE'RE NOT TAKING THAT AWAY, I KNOW, BUT BY CHANGING THAT, WE'RE STARTING TO, WE'RE SPECIFYING NON-EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, OR, UH, NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES.
AND I THINK THE POLICY'S ALREADY WRITTEN AND, AND AND APPROVED BY OF BEING THE PROPER SCOPE THAT IT COVERS EVERYBODY.
IT COVERS EVERYBODY FROM ROAD AND BRIDGE TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE, TO THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
BUT WHEN WE START MAKING THESE CHANGES, WE'RE GONNA START SINGLING OUT.
JUST LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 10 HOUR DAYS.
WE'VE GOT EXEMPTIONS IN THERE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN IT WRITTEN IN POLICY WHERE, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO EXEMPT ROAD AND BRIDGE ONE, THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
AND THIS, I HAVE NEVER OUT OF 25 YEARS OF BEING INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT AND EVER SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT WRITTEN IN POLICY.
AGAIN, WE'RE TAKING AWAY FROM THE SCOPE OF THE POLICY AND WE'RE MAKING IT TOO.
WE'RE STARTING TO NICK ON D WHICH IS GOING TO MESS US UP.
'CAUSE IT'S GONNA MAKE OUR POLICY USELESS.
IT'S GONNA SET US UP FOR LAWSUITS.
DANNY, THE POLICY I'VE ALREADY WRITTEN, READ IT WITHOUT THE CHANGES.
IT'S ALREADY WRITTEN PROPERLY.
NOW, IF SOMEBODY IS, SAY FOR INSTANCE, I'M GONNA USE, UH, A PRECINCT, UH, TWO FOR EXAMPLE, IF, OR A PRECINCT FOUR OR THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
IF THAT'S WHY I LIKE THE SHERIFF, FOR INSTANCE, I'LL USE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
THEY HAVE ANOTHER SPECIFIC POLICY, JUST LIKE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD ONE, JUST LIKE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD ONE, YOU HAD THE CITY THAT HAD THE GENERAL OPEN SCOPE POLICY THAT WAS NORMALLY MANAGED BY HR AND APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONERS COURT.
DID THEY DO ALL THE WORK, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S IN LINE WITH THE WALL AND THING.
AND THEN YOU HAD, EACH DEPARTMENT HAD THEIR OWN POLICY.
SO THAT'S WHEN I CAME HERE, I REMEMBER I WAS STICKING TALKING TO SKE AND THE REASON I SAID PRECINCT TWO, I GO, I REMEMBER I COME HERE LIKE I'M GONNA WRITE MY OWN POLICY.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, WELL WE DON'T, THEN I CIRCLE AROUND.
WE DON'T HAVE OUR OWN SEPARATE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS THEIR OWN SEPARATE POLICY IS THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
SO LIKE, IF, IF I HAD A SPECIFIC THING THAT I DID NOT LIKE, I WILL MAKE MY OWN POLICY TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THEY MAY DO THIS IN PRECINCT ONE, THREE AND YOU KNOW, TWO, BUT WE'RE NOT DOING THIS IN PRECINCT FOUR.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND THAT'S HOW COMING FROM A GOVERNMENT BACKGROUND, I UM, DO Y'ALL AGREE ON THAT? I MEAN, EVERYBODY HAD THEIR, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD THEIR SPECIFICS.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO LEAVE THE POLICY OPEN AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE PERSONALLY.
UH, WE CAN GO INTO, UH, WORKING FROM HOME.
UH, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF, UH, MY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT IS LIKE, LAST YEAR WE HAD SNOWMAGEDDON COME ALONG.
EVERYBODY WAS GOING HOME, RIGHT? I CAN'T WORK GUYS, IT'S FREE AND THAT'S NORMAL BAD WEATHER DAYS.
BUT WE HAD TO INVENTING KEMP LAST YEAR THAT, THIS IS WHERE I PUT THIS IN A TEST.
WE WERE CAPABLE OF WORKING REMOTELY FROM THE COVID-19 ERA.
I, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS.
Y'ALL MAY HAVE A OLD DESKTOP ON YOUR DESK, BUT I HAVE A LAPTOP THAT PLUGS INTO A MONITOR THAT'S MY COMPUTER.
SO IT'S CAPABLE OF BEING MOVED HOME WHEREVER DURING COVID-19.
SO ANYWAY, BACK, UH, BACK IN THE SPRING, I DON'T KNOW IF, WE DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS LIGHTNING THAT HIT THE TOWER IN CAMP, BUT WE WAS OUT OF POWER THIS BEFORE THE COURTS MOVED.
WE WAS OUT OF POWER FOR LIKE THREE OR FOUR DAYS DOWN THERE.
SO GUESS WHAT? THE COURT CLERKS AND YEP.
AIN'T NO POWER AND PHONES DON'T WORK.
I MEAN, I MEAN YOU'RE JUST SITTING THERE, RIGHT? CANTLEY PICKS HER LAPTOP UP AND WE HAD CEASED, WE NEVER STOPPED OPERATIONS THAT WEEK.
SHE WAS STILL DOING WORK ORDERS.
SHE SAID, 'CAUSE WE WERE CAPABLE OF LEAVING THAT AREA AND WORKING FROM HOME.
NONE OF THE ORDER NEVER STOPPED.
NOTHING EVER HAPPENED EVEN THOUGH SIT DOWN.
SO EVEN THE JUDGE MADE A COMMENT LIKE LAST WEEK ABOUT, HEY, SOMETIMES THE POWER GOES OUT TO COURTHOUSE.
WE NEED A BETTER GENERATOR SYSTEM.
I MEAN, WE CAN'T GO THREE DAYS WITHOUT POWER.
THAT'S A GOOD TIME TO BE A REMOTE DEAL.
SO ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN, IN WORKING WITH HUMAN RESOURCES, THE TANK OFFICER ON THE, WHEN THEY DO THE BIG GOVERNMENT, WE NEED A REMOTE POLICY ADDED IN THERE.
I MEAN, A POSITIVE REMOTE POSITIVE NOT TO GET RID OF IT BECAUSE IT WORKS.
SO I WAS STILL TO GET EFFICIENCY OUT OF IT.
I EVEN WORKED WITH, UH, MY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT THIS SUMMER AND LET HER WORK SOME REMOTE DAYS.
BUT I TOLD HER, I SAID, HERE'S THE DEAL.
IF THIS AIN'T GONNA WORK, THAT THAT SHE'S SUPERED I HAVE IT ALL DOCUMENTED, UH, THAT I CAN SHOW YOU EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED.
AND, AND AND WHAT, WHAT SHE DID TO SHOW YOU THAT SHE WORKED JUST ACTUALLY SHE WORKED HARDER AT HOME DURING THOSE TIMES.
[00:25:01]
'CAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO FAIL ME OR FAIL THE CREW THAT SHE WORKED HARD.SO I THINK IN TODAY'S DAY AND TIME, UH, IF I HAD TO SEND WITH THE MODERN TECHNOLOGY, WE USE DOCUSIGN, WE USE, UH, ALL THE COMPUTER STUFF WHERE SHE CAN LINK STRAIGHT INTO, I CAN LINK INTO THE COUNTY.
I CAN BE IN AUSTIN AND SIGN DOCUMENTS FROM AUSTIN.
I MEAN, WE USE ALL THE MODERN TECHNOLOGY TO DO THAT.
NOW, IF I HAD A, IF WE WAS DOING IT IN THERE WITH FILE CABINETS AND PAPER FILES, I COULDN'T LOAD UP FILE CABINETS AND TAKE THEM WHEREVER THEY'RE AT.
SO WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY HERE.
IT, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON, UH, IT STUFF.
UH, AND WE HAVE THAT ABILITY TO WORK AS OTHER PEOPLE DO IN, IN 2024.
UH, REMOTE'S NOT A A TO ME IS IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE OR WE CAN USE IT TO BENEFIT THE COUNTY LIKE THAT AND TO KEEP THE SYSTEM GOING IN 2024, THE WORD REMOTE'S NOT FOREIGN TO PEOPLE.
I MEAN, SINCE COVID-19, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS GOOD, BUT THE POINT IS, WORKING EVERY DAY REMOTE, WHEN YOU COME TO MY OFFICE OR YOUR OFFICE, SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE THERE.
NOT THAT YOU CAN'T GET WORK DONE 'CAUSE WE CAN, 'CAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE I GOT IPADS.
WELL THAT'S, WE'RE ALL BEHIND THE SECURITY DOOR.
SO, BUT STILL, YOU KNOW, NO ONE'S GONNA JUST WALK IN THE DOOR LIKE A, YOU KNOW, BUT IS THIS, IS THIS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM? I DON'T THINK SO.
WELL, I, AND I THINK IF WE KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM, BUT IN A SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT, THEN THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
A SPECIFIC PROBLEM WAS WHEN HIS LADY TOLD THE OTHER GIRL SHE'S WORKING FROM HOME ALL SUMMER.
WELL, THEY WANNA WORK FROM HOME TOO.
THEN WE GOT OTHER DEPARTMENTS GET WIND OF IT.
WELL, CAN I WORK FROM HOME? MM-HMM.
WELL, PRETTY SOON HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE, IF ALL THE OFFICES YEAH.
AND EVERYBODY CAN GET A LAPTOP OR IPAD AND GO HOME.
AND THEN, AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS, AND MY EARLIER YOU SAID THERE'S NOBODY UP HERE, BUT, UH, YES, IT WAS IS ME.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I MEAN, POLICE ARE WORKS AT HOME TOO.
YEAH, WE DID THE COVID, WE HAD NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER.
NOT STOPPED ANY PRODUCTIVITY WHATSOEVER DURING COVID AND THEN AFTER TYPE SITUATION.
WELL, YEAH, WELL I KNOW, BUT AFTER THE COVID, I MEAN, SHE COMES IN AT SIX O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING TO BE WITH THE GUYS.
IT'S NOT EIGHT TO FIVE WITH HER.
SHE COMES IN SIX O'CLOCK SO THAT SHE CAN DEAL WITH ALL THE PERSONNEL STUFF, INSURANCE QUESTIONS, EVERYTHING THE GUYS HAVE IN THE MORNING.
SO THEY'RE NOT MAKING TRIPS TO HER OFFICE DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY AND STOPPING PRODUCTIVITY.
SO SHE COMES IN EARLY AND SHE, SHE GETS OFF AT FOUR BECAUSE SHE COMES IN EARLY, SHE DEALS WITH ALL THE IN-HOUSE PROBLEMS, PAPERWORK AND STUFF.
SO, AND THEN ON FRIDAYS SHE WORKS HALF A DAY AT HOME.
YOU KNOW, SO, I MEAN, 'CAUSE NOBODY CAME TO THE OFFICE ON FRIDAYS AND ONCE WE LEARNED WE COULD DO THAT.
WE WERE DOING THAT, SITTING AROUND LOOKING AT EACH OTHER ON FRIDAYS.
BUT ONCE WE DID THE COVID DEAL, WE REALIZED WE DIDN'T LOSE ANYTHING.
SHE WORKS ON FRIDAYS INSTEAD OF DRIVING ALL THE WAY IN FOR FOUR HOURS.
YOU KNOW, SO IT IS, IT'S, UH, I IT IT WORKS OUT.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT DOING IT ALL THE TIME, BUT IT'S A DECISION I MADE AS A MANAGER AND WE'RE STILL BEING, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO, AND WE'RE STILL TALKING TO PEOPLE ON THE PHONE AND WE'RE STILL BEING, THAT'S THE SAME THING WITH, AND USUALLY I'M THERE, USUALLY I'M THERE ON FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE LIVE CLUB.
AND THEN WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONE IN THE AFTERNOON.
SO, AND WE'VE GOT GOOD EMPLOYEES HERE.
UH, AND LIKE ME, I I, IF I, ANYBODY'S GONNA BE THE CRITIC OF IT, IT'D BE ME.
I MEAN, THAT'S TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE ALL THIS DOCUMENTED WRITTEN OUT.
I CAN SHOW YOU EVERYTHING SHE'S DONE IN THE LAST EIGHT WEEKS BECAUSE SHE UH, UH, I DON'T WANNA GET HER BUSINESS ON, UH, THAT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING.
UH, BUT SHE NEEDED, I WANNA WORK WITH HER.
I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GONNA TRY THIS.
'CAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY PROVED TO ME WITH ELECTRICAL OUTAGE, EVERYTHING, IT CAN BE DONE.
I SPOKE TO LEGAL ABOUT IT, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS ON, UP AND UP.
BUT IF IT DON'T WORK, IT'S DONE.
IT'S HONESTLY, I, I'LL, I'LL STAND HERE AND BACK WITH ALL MY DOCUMENTATION.
SHE DONE MORE AT HOME THAN SHE DID THAT, THAT SHE COULD TAKE, GET DONE AT WORK.
BECAUSE ONE THING THAT SHE MADE THE COMMENT TO IS, I, THIS WAS A BENEFIT FOR ME AND MY CHILDREN AND I WAS NOT GOING TO FAIL YOU.
AND, AND, AND I, AND WHY WOULD I WANT TO EVER LOSE AN EMPLOYEE LIKE THAT? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO MY DEAL IS, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT WAS ONLY FOR A SHORT PERIOD REST TIME.
BUT I MEAN, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT, SHOW IT TO ME.
UH, YOU KNOW, HEY, YOU GUYS WANNA GO TO 10 HOUR SHIFTS, YOU GOT TO PROVE TO ME YOU'LL MAKE THIS WORK.
I MEAN THAT'S WHAT, 'CAUSE I WAS, I WAS LIKE, JAKEY, I I WAS NOT A FAN OF 10 HOURS, 10 HOUR DAYS.
YOU KNOW, ALL I CARE ABOUT IS THE PRODUCTIVITY.
GET THE JOB DONE AND THEY'RE HAPPIER AND THEY PREFER OKAY.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE SITUATIONS I UNDERSTAND LIKE COURT,
[00:30:01]
YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY WANTS SOMETHING, HANDS 'EM THEIR TITLE OR I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THEIR SITUATIONS AND THAT'S WHY I, THE POLICY, THE REASON I WANTED TO DEFEND THE POLICY IS IT'S WRITTEN HERE, IS IT GIVES THAT SCOPE OF WHETHER YOU'RE, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, WHETHER YOU'RE THE HR, WHETHER YOU'RE THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT, WHETHER YOU'RE ROAD AND BRIDGE, WHETHER YOU'RE THE DA'S OFFICE, IT GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR PEOPLE ARE, WE HAVE GREAT EMPLOYEES HERE.I MEAN, I MEAN VERY, I MEAN, I AIN'T BLESSED TO WORK HERE WITH THESE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO, YOU KNOW, AND IF WE HAVE SOMETHING IN PROBLEM, WE, WE'VE PUT IN CHECK.
I MEAN THE JUDGE HAS DONE THAT WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
LIKE, HEY, SOMETHING'S GOING ON ON, WE DON'T LIKE THIS.
YOU KNOW? UH, BUT I THINK THE SCOPE, THE WHOLE PURPOSE, I'M TRYING TO SAY HERE IS THE WAY THE POLICY'S DESIGNED TO BE WRITTEN, IT NEEDS THAT BROAD SCOPE.
AND IF YOU WANT TO NARROW THAT WITHIN YOUR ORGANIZATION OR YOUR DEPARTMENT, YOU CAN DO THAT.
AND, AND I THINK THAT'S ACCEPTABLE AS LONG AS IT'S RUN THROUGH, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE IT'S LEGALLY ACCEPTABLE.
YOU KNOW? WELL, I MEAN THIS, THIS, THIS CAME FROM TAG.
SO IT'S, IT'S A BROAD OVERVIEW THAT CAN BE DEFENDED LEGALLY.
IF THERE'S THE GENERAL POLICY, THE GENERAL POLICY.
SO I MEAN THE GENERAL, IT'S ALL BEEN VETTED THAT WE'RE BETTER OFF TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S VETTED THROUGH TAC FOR LEGAL PURPOSES.
I MEAN, UM, SO THE GENERAL POLICY, UH, DID YOU KNOW WAS THEIR BEST PRACTICES GUIDE THAT WAS THEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ORIGINAL POLICY HAS ADOPTED, HAD SOME CHANGES, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
AND UH, REGARDING, UH, WE'RE STILL IN AT CIVIL UM, DIVISION.
WE'RE STILL DISCUSSING THAT YESTERDAY WE WERE DISCUSSING THAT PERHAPS THE WORDING OF ANY CHANGES SHOULD BE THAT, UH, IT'S PRESUMED THAT THE SCHEDULE IS EIGHT TO FIVE.
AND THAT ALSO IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT YOU NEED TO GET THAT, THE DETAILS OF THAT IN WRITING AND GET THAT TO HR SO THAT IF THERE'S A YOU, LIKE YOU NEEDED TO DO A DISCIPLINARY ACTION LATER ON, THAT THE EXPECTATIONS OF THIS PERSON AND THEIR, THEIR ROLE AND ALL THAT WAS CLEARLY DOCUMENTED FOR BOTH OF YOU AND FOR THE EMPLOYEE.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OTHER PARTS OF THE POLICY TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FAILURE TO MEET THESE STANDARDS WILL RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY.
SO IF YOU'RE GONNA CHANGE KIND OF THE, THE STANDARD, IF YOU WILL, WE SHOULD PROBABLY AT LEAST DOCUMENT WHAT THOSE CHANGES ARE SO EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE OF WHAT IT IS.
BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S GOING BACK.
THE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE GREAT LATITUDE IN HOW THEY'VE ORGANIZED THEIR PEOPLE.
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IF THEY HAVE ALL THE LATITUDE.
YEAH, I MEAN, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THE, THE RECOURSE THERE IS THE, YOU KNOW, THE VOTERS, IF THE VOTERS FIND THAT THAT PERSON'S NOT RESPONSIVE, THAT'S THE RECOURSE.
AND, BUT YOU KNOW, TO LOOK AT EACH PERSON INDIVIDUALLY, LIKE LOOK AT THE JOBS.
SO I MEAN, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S WRITTEN IN THE BROAD SCOPE.
'CAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY DIVERSE GROUPS HERE IN THE COUNTY.
I'M TALKING ABOUT DEPARTMENTS.
THAT'S WHY IT'S WRITTEN BROADLY.
AND I THINK TO START NICK AND DIAMOND, WE CREATE OURSELVES OFFENSES WHICH SET US UP FOR LAWSUITS SO THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE TO TERMINATE SOMEBODY TO GO BACK IN THERE LIKE, HEY LOOK, JOHNNY WAS DOING THIS AGAIN.
IT HAS TO BE THE BROADER, THE SCOPE, THE BETTER, ESPECIALLY ON THE HUMAN RESOURCES SIDE TO DEFEND US IN THESE CASES.
THAT'S HOW IT'S ALWAYS BEEN LAID OUT.
WELL, IF YOU GET TOO BROAD, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH TO STAND ON TOO.
IT JUST, IT'S NOT THE INTERPRETATION AT THAT POINT.
HE KNOWS FROM LAW SCHOOL AND US GREEN LAW OR LESS, IT'S MADE, WHOEVER'S IN POWER HAS THAT FLEXIBILITY.
SO IT'S, AND THAT'S WHY LAW'S WRITTEN THE WAY IT IS.
SO, BUT MY DEAL IS, IS I THINK LIKE 10 HOUR DAYS.
ANOTHER SUBJECT HERE I'M PRO 10 HOUR DAYS.
I WORKED 10 HOUR DAYS FOR 10 YEARS FOR THE MESQUITE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND, AND AND THE TRADITIONAL EIGHT TO FIVE, I UNDERSTAND.
SOME PEOPLE MAY SAY, I JUST LIKE IT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE ALL HAVE OUR OPINIONS.
WELL, EVERY DEPARTMENT IS DIFFERENT.
TOTALLY DIFFERENT BIRD THAN Y'ALL.
WE CAN CHANGE THIS TO EIGHT TO FIVE BUSINESS.
WE'RE GONNA VIOLATE IT TOMORROW.
BUT IF YOU, IF YOU, IF YOU START TELLING PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN WORK 10 HOUR DAYS AND THE COUNTY'S NOT EVEN OPEN FOR THOSE 10 HOUR DAYS, WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO? WELL THAT'S WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
IF, IF SOMEBODY SAYS NO, THE DEPARTMENT HEAD WORKS FOR US.
NO, WHAT I'M SAYING, SAME ROAD AND BRIDGE MY GUYS, IF YOU CHANGE IT TOMORROW, THE HOURS OF THE COUNTY'S EIGHT TO FIVE WILL VIOLATE IT IN THE MORNING.
JUST LETTING YOU KNOW BECAUSE MY GUYS SHOW UP AT 6 55, GET OFF AT THREE 30 EVERY DAY.
SO WE, ME AND YOU WOULD VIOLATE THAT POLICY TOMORROW MORNING? NO, BECAUSE BRIDGE IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT NOW.
BUT THEN WE'RE NICKEL AND DIAMOND WHEN IT COMES TO EMPLOYEES.
IF WE, THE PROBLEM, I TELL YOU WHAT I TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE GOING IN CIRCLES.
SO I DISAGREE WITH WE NEED TO ADJOURN THIS.
HOW ABOUT WHEN? WELL WHAT'S THE, WHAT WHAT WAS OUR PURPOSE HERE? WE'RE DISCUSS DISCUSSION.
THAT'S WHAT WAS ON THE DISCUSSION.
[00:35:01]
BEEN DISCUSSING.I AIN'T DONE HE HE KIND LISTEN YOUR DISCUSSION.
NO, I HAVE MORE DIFFERENT SUBJECT.
I CAN CHANGE IT TO WELL GO FOR IT.
AND THE, UH, LEMME SEE WHERE ELSE GO.
BETTER PUT THE GLASSES BACK ON
NO, I HAVE IT WRITTEN BIG HERE.
THEY AIN'T NEED TO PUT 'EM BACK ON.
AND SOMETHING ELSE TOO IS UH, UH, THE MAIN THING I WAS GONNA EMPHASIZE ON IS BASICALLY, UH, I DON'T THINK THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT NEED TO BE MICROMANAGERS OF THE POLICY MANUAL.
I THINK WE HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT'S ACCEPTABLE BY ALL GOVERNMENTS IN THE CITIES THAT THE HR DEPARTMENT ALONG WITH TAC AND THE, OUR CIVIL ATTORNEYS GOVERN THAT.
THEN AFTER THEY BRING IT TO US AND WE APPROVE IT, THAT'S OUR JOB.
I THINK WE'RE, I THINK OUR JOB IS, WHAT IS DESCRIBED ON OUR INTERNET IS WE DEAL WITH THE BUDGET TAX RATES AND WE DEAL WITH KEEPING UP WITH COUNTY FACILITIES.
AND I THINK WE'RE OVERSTEPPING OUR BOUNDS BY TRYING TO PLAY HR AT THE SAME TIME.
IF WE'RE NOT GONNA USE HR, WHY HAVE HR? I MEAN THAT'S WHERE I'M AT ON THAT.
THAT'S KIND OF, I MEAN, SKI JUST SAID THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
YOU KNOW THAT I ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE CAN BE OUR OWN HR.
WE'RE FOOLS FOR NOT USING THE RESOURCE THAT WE HAVE.
THAT'S TO PROTECT THIS, OUR LIABILITY SIDE OF IT.
SO IT'S UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S NO BRAINER THERE ON THAT, THAT ONE THAT'S RIGHT.
IT'S YOUR, IT'S YOUR DISCRETION.
THE CONSTITUTION'S SET UP THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
THAT'S WHY WHEN WE HIRE A HR PERSON OR OR A VETERANS AFFAIR PERSON, ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS I ASK 'EM, HOW YOU GOING TO DEAL WITH 27 ELECTED OFFICIALS BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER 'EM.
YOU CAN'T MAKE, HR CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES.
'CAUSE YOU ARE YOUR HR UNDER THIS CONSTITUTIONAL AND THAT'S WHY HRS AND, UH, COUNTIES NORMALLY, BUT WE DO IT VOLUNTARILY.
BUT IF WE DON'T VOLUNTARILY KIND OF ALL COME TO THE SAME KIND OF AGREEMENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, LISTEN, IF WE DON'T KIND OF MAKE AN AGREEMENT AND YOU DECIDE TO PAY YOUR GUYS MORE THAN I'M PAYING MY GUYS AND MY GUYS WANT TO GO TO WORK FOR YOU AND I CAN DO THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF SILLY.
SO IF YOU DON'T COME TO SOME KIND OF AGREEMENT AND, AND, AND LIKE YOU SAID, I DIDN'T SAY IT, BUT IF YOU SAID IT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU ALLOW YOUR PEOPLE TO DO ONE THING, AH, WELL YOU CAN WORK FROM HOME FROM NOW OR WHATEVER, OR SOMEBODY ELSE, THEN EVERYBODY ELSE WANTS TO DO THAT.
AND IF YOU START, I MEAN IF YOU JUST START THAT, THEN IT'S JUST A CHAIN YOUR ACTION.
EVERYBODY KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE MAKES.
EVERYTHING WE DO IS AN OPEN RECORD.
IF WE CAN'T COME UNDER SOME KIND OF CONSTITUENTS ON JUST DOING THE EVEN KIND OF THING, THEN WE'RE IN TROUBLE.
WHETHER YOU THINK IT'S MICROMANAGEMENT, I DON'T LISTEN.
I DON'T I TOLD YOU, I TOLD YOU PERSONALLY, I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU DO WITH YOUR WIFE.
I DON'T CARE WHAT MIKE DOES WITH HIS DEPARTMENT.
BUT I DON'T, I'M NOT TRYING TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO.
SO I MEAN, I'M, I'M DEFINITELY NOT THE ONE TELLING YOU ANYTHING.
I'M, I'M JUST SAYING THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE.
WE ALL PEOPLE, WE ALL JUST HAVE ENOUGH COMMON SENSE TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE AND TREAT OUR EMPLOYEES EQUAL.
THE WHAT YOU'RE TREATING YOUR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL ON THE SAME TAXPAYER BASED EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE PEOPLE IN POWER BACK THERE TO MANAGE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE UP HERE TODAY.
I DON'T BELIEVE I'M TRYING TO MANAGE ANYTHING.
SO US, WE SUPPOSED TO BE THE WISE MEN.
THAT AFTER THEY'RE DONE AND THEY DO EVERYTHING THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, THEY BRING IT TO US AND WE DO AN OVERVIEW OF IT AND THAT.
BUT I THINK WHEN WE START INTERJECTING OURSELVES AND TO THE BUSINESS OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, IT CREATES A PROBLEM.
ONLY WHEN WE SEE AREAS OF CONCERN.
IT, THEY DON'T SEE THOSE 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT IN THE FIELD LIKE WE ARE.
AND SO THEN IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY, HEY, WE'VE GOT A SITUATION HERE WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO AT THAT POINT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
LET THEM DO WHAT THEY SUPPOSED TO DO.
YOU KNOW? SO I'M DONE ON THAT.
I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME TALK A LITTLE LONGER, BUT
[00:40:01]
NO, NO.I MEAN, MIKE
THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HEARING SO MUCH FROM HIM DOWN THERE.
OH, I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MR. PHILLIPS MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.