Jun 24, 2025 Commissioners Court

ROUTINE

[1. ROUTINE CORRESPONDENCE]

CORRESPONDENCE.

I HAVE ONE ITEM AND THAT IS THIS.

SATURDAY AT THE POOR FARM IS THE LAST FARMER'S MARKET FROM NINE TO ONE.

SO, UH, IT'D BE A GOOD TIME TO GO.

IT WON'T START BACK UP UNTIL THE FALL.

UH, BUT THEY HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE, A LOT OF VENDORS AND, UH, INTERESTING THINGS TO SEE, ESPECIALLY TOBACCO.

ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, CORRECTIONS? NO.

[2. CONSENT AGENDA]

CONSENT AGENDA.

Y'ALL HAVE ALL HAD TIME TO LOOK AT THESE.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR YOU.

MR. PHILLIPS MAKES A MOTION TO APPROVE TO HAVE A SECOND.

CHUCK, WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS, CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE KALE COUNTY TREASURER'S MONTHLY REPORT FOR MAY OF 25.

MR. CROW MAKES A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE.

MOTION CARRIES.

MR.

[3. Chuck Mohnkern: Discuss/Consider/Approve the Kaufman County Treasurer's Monthly Report for May 2025.]

MORNING, CHUCK.

WE, UH, ENDED THE MONTH OF MAY WITH 38,388,000 6 0 8 IN THE, UH, GENERAL FUND.

THE INTEREST EARNED ON OUR MONEY IN AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK, $2,618 INTEREST EARNED ON OUR INVESTMENTS, $415,642.

OUR, UH, TOTAL INVESTED, UH, FOR THE MONTH AT THE END OF, UH, MAY $110,732,041, UH, IN AMER TAX POOL.

IT'S EARNING, UH, 4.431% AVERAGE YIELD IN TEXAS CLASS 4.4083%.

OUR TOTAL FUNDS IN AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK, 45.272 MILLION.

THE COLLATERAL THAT THE BANK HOLDS IS 50,038,000.

SO THEY HAVE US COLLATERALIZED AT 111%.

THE, UH, PERCENTAGE OF OUR FREE CASH THAT IS INVESTED AS OF THE END OF THE MONTH, 71%, UH, LEAVING 29% OF IT IN AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK, WE WROTE 439 RECEIPTS DURING THE MONTH OF MAY FOR $3,965,000.

ANY QUESTIONS? VERY GOOD.

REPORT, AS ALWAYS, CHUCK, WE APPRECIATE THE WAY YOU TAKE CARE OF OUR BUSINESS, OUR FINANCIALS.

SHANNON, SHE WANTS TO DISCUSS, CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE REPL OF LOT TWO DASH R OF THE HILBURN ADDITION LOCATED ON FARM ROAD 1565 IN PRECINCT THREE.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? CHUCK, NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.

MR. MOORE MAKES THE MOTION.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND.

MR. LANE MAKES A SECOND.

ALL FIRST FAVOR SEE A AYE.

[4. Shannon Roden: Discuss/Consider/Approve the replat of Lot 2-R of The Hilborn Addition located on FM 1565 in Precinct 3.]

GOOD MORNING, SHANNON.

SO LOT TWO R OF THE HILLBORN EDITION IS 10 ACRES AND THE OWNER SPLITTING IT INTO TWO LOT.

TWO A WILL BE SEVEN ACRES, TWO B WILL BE THREE ACRES.

IT WENT THROUGH THE APPROVAL PROCESS.

IT MET ALL THE COUNTY REQUIREMENTS.

THE REPL NOTICES WERE POSTED, PUBLISHED, AND MAILED AS REQUIRED, UH, BY TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.

AND WE JUST NEED THE COURT'S APPROVAL.

COMMISSIONER, I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

COMMISSIONER LANE MAKES A, A MOTION.

COMMISSIONER CROW MAKES A SECOND.

MS. MONIQUE, SHE WANTS TO DISCUSS, CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE RENEWAL OF ANY LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS DISTRICT IN KAUFMAN COUNTY FOR TWO YEAR TERM EFFECTIVE OCTOBER THE FIRST 25.

[5. Monique Hunter: Discuss/Consider/Approve the renewal of lnterlocal Agreement between North Central Texas Emergency Communications District and Kaufman County for a two year term effective October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2027.]

GOOD MORNING, MONIQUE.

FOR SOME OF THE SCHEMA, WHICH IS CALLED THE CODE THAT KELLY HAS TO USE.

SO THIS IS OUR CONTRACT THAT WE RENEW EVERY TWO YEARS FOR NCT, WHICH IS WHAT KELLY DOES.

YOU KNOW, SHE MAINTAINS THE DATABASE, PUTS THE ADDRESSES IN ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.

UM, THE CONTRACT IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST, UM, EXCEPT

[00:05:01]

THEY'VE CHANGED THE CODES AND SHE'S HAD TO, THOSE UPDATES ARE IN THIS CONTRACT.

THE MAIN DIFFERENCE I WANNA POINT OUT IS THAT, UM, THEY WERE SUBSIDIZING COUNTIES 35,000 A YEAR TO KEEP THAT DATABASE ACCURATE.

AND UM, IF WE HAD ERRORS THEY WOULD SUBTRACT FROM US.

UM, THEY HAVE CUT THAT IN HALF FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, SO IT WILL BE 15,000 3 85 AND THEN NEXT YEAR IT WILL GO AWAY COMPLETELY.

REALLY? YES.

SO, UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, NOW, I TELL KELLY, I SAID, SO WHY DO WE NEED THEM? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, , IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET, SHE SAYS, WELL NO, NO, WE NEED THEM.

THEY DO A LOT OF OTHER THINGS ON THE SIDE, BUT WE'VE PREPARED OURSELVES BY, UH, AN ADDRESS, UH, FEE TO COVER THAT PROGRAM.

SO WE'RE GOOD.

WILL BE ABLE TO COVER THE ENTIRE FEE, THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.

OKAY? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MONEY.

WE KNEW THIS WAS COMING 'CAUSE THEY'VE BEEN THREATENING THIS FOR A WHILE.

ALRIGHT, GOOD DEAL.

ALRIGHT, SO I'VE GOT THREE ORIGINALS HERE AND WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR YOUR APPROVAL.

I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THEN I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.

MR. CROW MAKES THE MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.

MS. PHIS MAKES A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE.

MOTION CARRIES.

SHE'S GONNA DISCUSS PRESENT THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR'S MONTHLY PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS FOR MAY OF 25.

THANK YOU MS. THERESA.

[6. Teressa Floyd: Discuss/Present the Tax Assessor-Collector's monthly Property Tax Collections report for May 2025.]

MORNING, MS. TERESA.

OKAY, SO FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, WE COLLECTED IN CURRENT TAXES 744,000 728 0 7 IN CURRENT 93,000 805 73 IN DELINQUENT FOR A TOTAL COLLECTED OF EIGHT HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY THREE EIGHTY AND DEFERRALS UNPAID OR 127,000 96 40.

AND THEN ON ROAD AND BRIDGE, THE CURRENT WE COLLECTED WAS 172,000 671 77 DELINQUENT 20,000 344 91 FOR A TOTAL COLLECTED OF 193,000 1668 AND DEFERRAL UNPAID 25,000 7 0 8 71.

AND WE DID HAVE SOME ROLLBACK IN PRECINCT ONE NINE, NEARLY TWO ACRES.

AND THEN IN PRECINCT FOUR WE HAD 10 ACRES.

SO WE HAD 36.732 ACRES IN ROLLBACK.

AND OUR COLLECTIONS LOOK REALLY GOOD.

WE'RE STILL KIND OF UP TO ABOUT THE SAME WE WERE LAST YEAR.

THAT'S GOOD.

SO THE PERCENTAGES ARE ABOUT THE SAME.

SO THAT IS THE, THE PROPERTY TAX ONE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THERESA? NO, I DO HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU AFTER THE MEETING'S OVER.

IF NOT NEED APPROVAL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR YOU.

MR. PHILLIPS MAKES THE MOTION TO APPROVE TO HAVE A SECOND.

MR. CROW MAKES A SECOND.

A MOTION CARRIES MS. THERESA ONCE AGAIN.

[7. Teressa Floyd: Discuss/Present the Tax Assessor-Collector's monthly Auto Collections report for May 2025.]

PRESENT AND DISCUSS THE TAX ASSESSORS, COLLECTORS MONTHLY AUTO COLLECTIONS FOR MAY OF 25.

SO FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, WE COLLECTED, UM, THE CURRENT YEAR, 2,806,000 793 67 IN TOTAL COLLECTIONS.

WE OF COURSE HAVE MORE TRANSACTIONS THAT I WANNA ADD UP.

I'M SURE.

SO, UM, THAT RIGHT NOW OF COURSE IS OUR BUSY, BUSY PART.

THE TAX SIDE'S COMING, BUT, UH, THE COUNTY RECEIVED 181,000 350, 1 70 OF THAT $2 MILLION.

SO IT'S NOT A GOOD PERCENTAGE DRIVE.

IT'S REALLY NOT.

BUT , SINCE BASICALLY MOST OF IT'S GOING TO THE STATE FOR THEM, THE STATE ROADS AND ALL THAT.

ANY QUESTIONS? NO, WE NEED TO TALK TO SOME REPRESENTATIVES, SEE IF WE CAN GET A BIGGER CUT OF THAT.

GOOD LUCK.

I MEAN, WE CAN ALWAYS TALK, RIGHT? WE CAN TALK, YEAH.

DIDN'T HURT TO ASK.

NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE I'LL A MOTION COMMISSIONER LAMB MAKES THE MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.

ONCE AGAIN DISCUSS, PRESENT THE ANNUAL NOTICE OF, UH, PER PARCEL COST FOR AVALOR TAX COLLECTIONS FOR 25.

MR. MOORE MAKES A SECOND.

ALL THEY FAVOR SAY AYE.

A MOTION TO CARRIE THERESA,

[8. Teressa Floyd: Discuss/Present the Annual Notice of Per Parcel Cost for Ad Valorem Tax Collections for 2025.]

YES, MA'AM.

FOR THE ANNUAL PER PARCEL COUNT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GETTING THAT TIME AGAIN THAT WE HAVE TO START PUTTING EVERYTHING OUT AND LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S GONNA COST TO COLLECT.

WE HAVE TWO MORE THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT CONTRACTING WITH US.

SO I WENT AHEAD AND UPDATED AND DID ALL MY CALCULATIONS.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS A DOLLAR 50 PER PARCEL AGAIN THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE DOING TWO 10 FOR OUT OF COUNTY PARCELS.

AND THE REASON THAT IS, IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE CONTRACTED WITH THEM TO COLLECT OUT OF, OUT OF THE COUNTY.

BUT THE DOLLAR 50, I CALLED A LOT OF COUNTIES IN OUR AREA AND WE'RE ABOUT

[00:10:01]

THE SAME AS THEM.

UH, MY CALCULATIONS COME OUT A LITTLE HIGHER, BUT I FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TRYING TO STAY WITH THE OTHER COUNTIES SURROUNDING US.

MAKES SENSE.

WE CAN'T DO IT FOR NOTHING.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THERESA? NO.

I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE.

NO, I'LL MAKE HE GOT IT.

GO AHEAD.

I'LL SECOND IT.

COMMISSIONER MOORE MADE THE FIRST, UH, SECOND FOR COMMISSIONER AL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

[9. Judge Allen: Discuss/Consider/Approve professional services contract from Human Resources Specialist Rhonda Davenport.]

NINE IS MINE.

DISCUSS, CONSIDER, UH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT FOR HU HR DIRECTOR FOR MR. RHONDA DAVENPORT.

SO RHONDA, YOU'VE LEFT YOUR STUFF UP HERE FOR EVERYONE.

IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD, TELL US YOUR NAME, WHERE YOU LIVE, AND WE HAVE YOUR, UH, ALL YOUR CREDENTIALS HERE AND, AND JUST BRIEFLY EXPLAIN TO US WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR US THAT WE CAN'T DO FOR OURSELVES.

YES, SIR.

UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, MY NAME IS ROLANDA DAVENPORT.

I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN TERRELL, UH, TEXAS.

I'VE BEEN HERE FOR, GOSH, EIGHT YEARS.

BEEN IN THE AREA FOR ABOUT 20 NOW.

UM, SO, SO COMING UP ON THAT AND, UM, YEAH, UH, WENT TO TEXAS A AND M, UH, MASTERED IN, UM, HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND HAVE PURSUED A CAREER IN HUMAN RESOURCES FOR OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS.

UH, MORE THAN HALF OF THAT HAS BEEN IN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP.

UM, I'VE DONE ALL ASPECTS OF HR THROUGHOUT MY CAREER, BUT MY PASSION REALLY LIES WITHIN EMPLOYEE RELATIONS AND RECRUITING.

UM, I FOUNDED SMART HR IN 2019 AS A MEANS TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS, UM, HAVE ACCESS TO EXECUTIVE LEVEL HR LEADERSHIP THAT THEY MAY NOT OTHERWISE HAVE ACCESS TO JUST BASED ON BUDGET CONSTRAINTS OR SIZE OF THE ORGANIZATION.

SO WITH, UM, WITH SMART HR, UH, IF YOU ALL WERE TO UTILIZE MY SERVICES FOR RECRUITING, I WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UNBIASED APPROACH TO YOUR RECRUITING NEEDS.

I WOULD UTILIZE VARIOUS METHODS OF, UH, JOB BOARDS SUCH AS INDEED AND LINKEDIN, WHICH TEND TO HAVE A GREATER RE REACH THAN, UM, JUST POSTING ON, UH, THESE NICHE SITES AND THAT SORT OF THING.

OR JUST TRADITIONAL POSTING THAT, UM, SMALLER EMPLOYERS TYPICALLY WOULD NOT DO.

UM, I USED UTILIZE AN APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEM, WHICH HAS A BROADER REACH AND ALLOWS YOU ALL TO, UM, HAVE ACCESS TO MORE CANDIDATES THAT MAYBE YOU WOULDN'T OTHERWISE HAVE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY SORT OF APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEM.

UM, THERE'S, THERE'S LOTS OF THIRD PARTY RECRUITING AGENCIES OUT THERE.

UM, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME AND THEM IS, UM, I CHARGE A FLAT FEE.

UM, THIRD PARTIES TYPICALLY CHARGE A PERCENTAGE OF BASE SALARY, WHICH CAN TEND TO BE A PROBLEM IN THE SENSE THAT, UM, THEY DON'T HAVE YOUR BEST INTEREST AT HEART.

THEY COACH CANDIDATES ON WHAT THEY WANT THEIR COMPENSATION TO BE, SO THEREFORE THEY GET 20 TO 25% OF THAT BASE.

UM, THAT'S NOT MY INTENT AT ALL.

UM, I I APPROACH IT FROM A VERY GENUINE, AUTHENTIC PLACE, UM, AS IF I WERE HIRING FOR MY OWN COMPANY AND, UM, AND REALLY WANNA FIND YOU ALL THE BEST HIRE.

UM, HAVING BEEN AN HR FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN WITH YOU ALL LOOKING FOR AN HR DIRECTOR, I I KNOW WHAT GOOD LOOKS LIKE.

I'VE BUILT WORLD CLASS HR TEAMS THROUGHOUT MY CAREER AND, UM, AND I TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN MY WORK.

UM, SO WHAT YOU WOULD BE GETTING, ESSENTIALLY, IF YOU WERE TO HIRE SMART HR IS ME, I WOULD BE YOUR DEDICATED PERSON CONDUCTING THAT SEARCH AND MAKING SURE YOU WERE SATISFIED WITH THAT HIRE.

SO IN ESSENCE, YOU WOULD TAKE ALL THE APPLICATIONS, YOU WOULD EITHER FIND THEM COME TO YOU, YOU WOULD SORT THROUGH THEM AND FIGURE OUT WHICH ONES YOU WOULD PRESENT TO US FOR POSSIBLE CANDIDATES.

YES, SIR.

SO, UM, SO I WOULD POST, I WOULD SORT THROUGH THE RESUMES, CONDUCT INITIAL VIDEO INTERVIEWS AND REALLY PARSE THAT DOWN TO THE TOP CANDIDATES AND THEN PRESENT THOSE TO YOU ALL AND HELP FACILITATE THE NEXT STEPS IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.

UH, WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO A JOB OFFER, I'M HAPPY TO ASSIST WITH THAT AS WELL, AS WELL AS CONDUCT REFERENCE CHECKS.

UM, I I REALLY CUSTOMIZE THE, UH, RECRUITING APPROACH TO WHATEVER YOU ALL NEED.

SO WHATEVER THE, THE PREFERENCE IS.

UM, AS FAR AS MULTIPLE INTERVIEWS, IF YOU'D LIKE ME PRESENT, UM, I'VE HAD, I'VE HAD CLIENTS ASK ME TO SIT IN, UH, FOR THE IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS AS WELL.

I'M, I'M HERE TO CUSTOMIZE AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE HAPPY AND GET A GREAT CANDIDATE.

DO YOU HAVE, UH, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT, YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF JOBS.

I, I SEE THAT HERE ON YOUR RESUME.

UH, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR THAT'S BEEN GOVERNMENTAL LIKE WE ARE THAT WOULD BE REFERENCE FOR US TO CHECK? THE CLOSEST THING WOULD BE WHEN I WORKED AT THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK, BUT THAT WAS MANY MOONS AGO.

I, I CAN TELL YOU THIS, UM, HUMAN RESOURCES IS HUMAN RESOURCES.

SO, SO NO, I'VE, I'VE BEEN A, IN A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIES, BUT

[00:15:01]

I, I UNDERSTAND.

LIKE THOSE STRUCTURES ARE VERY DIFFERENT.

UM, FOR EXAMPLE, MY, MY CURRENT EMPLOYER, KANE WATERS AND ASSOCIATES IS A CPA FIRM.

AND THAT'S STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY 15 PARTNERS.

SO, UM, AND THEN AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND THAT SORT OF THING IN WHICH, UM, DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE.

IT'S NOT LIKE A TRADITIONAL HIERARCHY WITHIN A CORPORATION.

SO, UM, SO I, I DO UNDERSTAND THE STRUCTURE CAN BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AND DECISION MAKING CAN, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE A DIFFERENT STATUTES.

WE, I KNOW HR IS HR MM-HMM .

STILL, WE HAVE DIFFERENT STATUTES WE HAVE TO FOLLOW SURE.

THAT A COMPANY DOESN'T MM-HMM .

HAVE TO IF THEY DON'T WANT TO.

SO, OKAY.

THAT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN SOME OF OUR ISSUES IN THE, IN THE PAST.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO, TO LEAN ON YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT IT IS YOU NEED AND HOW YOU, YOU KNOW, WOULD WANT THIS PERSON TO OPERATE.

SO, UM, SO YEAH.

HAPPY, HAPPY TO HELP.

I, I DON'T KNOW.

AND AND CANDIDLY, IF I, IF I HAD ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON AGENCIES THAT SPECIALIZED IN THAT, I WOULD CERTAINLY TELL YOU.

'CAUSE I, I MEAN, I, I LIVE IN KAUFFMAN COUNTY, SO I WANT GOOD PEOPLE.

SERVING THE COUNTY CERTAIN, CERTAINLY MM-HMM .

ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.

WE HAVE EVERYTHING HERE.

I THINK WE NEED FROM YOU.

HAVE YOUR PRICING, UH, THAT'S HERE ALSO.

UH, WE'RE GOING NEED TO DISCUSS THIS AMONGST OURSELVES.

ABSOLUTELY.

TO SEE IF WE CAN TAKE TAX PAYERS MONEY.

JUST, I MEAN, WE HAVE TO ANSWER, YOU KNOW.

I DO.

YOU'VE BETTER DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND I UNDERSTAND.

YES SIR.

YOU BET.

BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOU COMMENT.

GREAT.

VERY NICE TO MEET YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

LIKEWISE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

OKAY, MS.

[10. Auditor: Discuss/Consider line item and budget transfers/corrections.]

AUDITOR, YOU'RE UP.

NEXT LINE ITEM BUDGET TRANSFERS.

YES SIR.

SO WE HAVE ROUTINE LINE ITEM TRANSFERS AND A FEW LINE ITEM TRANSFERS AND BUDGET AMENDMENTS BASED ON SOME GRANT REVENUE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.

AND WE ASK FOR THE COURT'S APPROVAL.

Y'ALL HAD TIME LOOK THESE OVER.

ANY QUESTIONS? NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR YOU.

MR. PHIS MAKES THE MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.

MR. CROW MAKES SECOND.

ARCH, ONCE AGAIN CLAIMS FOR PAYMENT OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

A AYE.

NUMBER 11, MS.

[11. Auditor: Discuss/Consider claims for payment and/or Financial Information as provided by the County Auditor.]

THIS WEEK WE HAVE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE INVOICES TOTALING $608,711 AND 90 CENTS.

MOST OF THAT IS MADE UP OF LIKE DAM MAINTENANCE EXPENSES AND INDIGENT DEFENSE EXPENSES.

WE ALSO HAVE JUROR CHECKS OF $15,620.

AND WE HAVE A PAYROLL OF $2,051,616 AND 31 CENTS FOR A TOTAL PAYOUT THIS WEEK OF $2,675,948 AND 21 CENTS.

AND WE ASKED FOR THE COURT'S APPROVAL TO PAY.

I DID TALK TO CRYSTAL FRIDAY, YESTERDAY.

MAYBE SHE RAN A REPORT ON HOW MUCH WE'RE SPENDING ON INJURED DEFENSE ATTORNEYS.

IT WAS JUST THIS 76, 70 $7,000.

AND THIS IS EVERY TWO WEEKS.

SOMETIMES IT'S MORE.

IT HAS GROWN ASTRONOMICAL FOR SURE.

AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY I MENTIONED SOME, UH, TWO MONTHS AGO ABOUT WE'RE ABOUT OUTTA MONEY FOR THAT.

THEY'VE ALREADY EXCEEDED RIGHT AFTER, UH, TWO MONTHS AGO WAS AT 80 SOMETHING PERCENT BUDGET FOR THE YEAR.

FOR THE YEAR.

AND SO NEXT MONTH WE'LL EXCEED THE A HUNDRED PERCENT AND AS WELL FOR JURY AS WELL.

THE JURY HAS INCREASED.

A LOT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT MORE PEOPLE NOW SHOWING UP FOR JURY DUTY THAN I'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE.

WHICH IS A GOOD THING.

GOOD.

IT REALLY IS.

BUT THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT, THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING WITH THE JUDGES, SO MM-HMM .

BUT Y'ALL JUST NEED TO LOOK AT THAT CLOSELY AND SEE, UH, AND SOME OF OUR CPS CASES COST US A LOT MORE MM-HMM .

TO DEAL WITH CHILDREN.

I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.

MR. MOORE MAKES A MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.

MR. BLAINE MAKES A SECOND.

A OKAY.

BEFORE WE GET TO THE ADJOURNMENT, WE DO NEED TO GO BACK AND DISCUSS HIRING THIS PROFESSIONAL AT $20,000.

UH, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

'CAUSE I KNOW SHE, I WROTE DOWN HERE, UH, YOU USING LINKEDIN AND, UH, WHAT WAS THE GENTLEMAN? INDEED.

INDEED.

YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE SO MANY CAPABLE PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTY THAT WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND PAY SOMEBODY $20,000 AND TRY TO FIND SOMEBODY .

WHICH WE CAN DO SO WELL, I, I, I THINK PERSONALLY, I THINK, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE TOUGH TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE THAT,

[00:20:01]

I, I JUST, I, I CAN'T, I CAN'T SWALLOW THAT.

I THEN, WELL, ONLY ISSUE WE HAVE, WE HAVE A WHOLE, WE HAVE A WHOLE LEGAL STAFF THAT'S THAT WE HAVE 20 SOMETHING LAWYERS AND WE, I MEAN WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T MANAGE THE FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT.

AND, AND I THINK, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S NECESSARILY US.

I MEAN, THE PAY MIGHT BRING US A LITTLE MORE QUALIFIED PEOPLE, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, I THINK WHEN YOU DEAL WITH AS MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS, UNTIL WE GET TO A POPULATION SIZE WHERE WE'RE NOT IN THE, IN THE OFFICE FOR THEM ALL THE TIME.

IN OTHER WORDS, THAT'S HARD TO SAY, BUT WE'RE MORE DISTANT FROM HR AND THEY'RE DOING MORE OF THE JOB.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEN WE'RE DEPENDING ON THEM MORE.

AND TOO MANY OF US, YOU KNOW, AND I SAY ME, EVERYBODY ELSE, WE DO OUR OWN HIRING.

WE DO OUR OWN THING.

AND IT'S KIND OF HARD TO GET HR.

YOU FOLLOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AND THEY JUST, I, I DON'T KNOW.

WE JUST GET TOO MANY ARGUMENTS WITH 'EM.

AND I THINK, I THINK IT'S A TERRIBLE THING.

I THINK THAT WE NEED HR AND I THINK I OH YEAH.

I LET THEM DO IT.

I MEAN, I LET THEM DO ALL THE SIGNING.

IF I NEED TO TERMINATE SOMEBODY OR SOMEBODY, I GO COMPLETELY THROUGH 'EM.

NOT EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY'S FOLLOWING THESE RULES.

AND UH, UM, WELL, WE CAN LET KAREN CAN SPEAK TO ISSUES.

NOT NAMES, BUT ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH, UH, WELL, COMING FROM HR DEPARTMENT, WELL, WE, I THINK WELL ARE WE, IT'S PRETTY HARD TO SPEAK ABOUT QUALIFIED, BUT THERE'S, WELL, ONE THING I'D LIKE TO COMMENT, AND EVERYBODY'S GOT THEIR VALID POINTS ON THIS, BUT THE PROCESS WE'VE USED SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE HASN'T WORKED.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES I DO HAVE.

SECONDLY, I DO THINK WE'RE AT THAT POINT IN OUR COUNTY THAT WE ARE BIG ENOUGH THAT WE NEED TO HAVE HR IN PLACE.

I, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT SMALL ANYMORE.

NO ONE'S DISPUTING THAT.

UH, THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF US LOOKING INTO THIS, I THINK, AND WE NEED TO LOOK INTO IT, SEE IF IT'S COMPARABLE TO RATES AND EVERYTHING COMPARABLE.

WHAT ANYBODY WOULD DO THAT FOR IS A PERCENTAGE OR WHATEVER TO SEE WHAT'S THERE.

BUT THE PROCESS WE'VE USED IN THE PAST HASN'T WORKED FOR US.

AND I THINK BEING AN HR PERSON IN A COUNTY IS VERY, UH, DIFFICULT JOB TO HAVE BECAUSE YOU ARE DEALING WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS.

UH, YOU TO FIND AN HR PERSON THAT IS STRICTLY HAS COUNTY EXPERIENCE IS GONNA BE DIFFICULT TO FIND TOO.

'CAUSE ONLY THE LARGER COUNTIES ARE DOING THAT.

YOU KNOW? WELL, YEAH.

IF THEY LEAVE THE STATE, THEY'RE NOT EVEN UNDER OUR SAME RULES.

THEN SO IF YOU GET SOMEBODY FROM TENNESSEE, THEY DON'T KNOW TEXAS.

SO, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, THEN IT COMES DOWN TO KIND OF LIKE, JUST WENT THROUGH THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT WE, THEN IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT YOU FIND WITH, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU BRING IN SOMEONE, UH, FOR HR DIRECTOR, THAT'S JUST GOING TO HELP US IN THE LONG RUN WITH THE FI ESPECIALLY WITH LAWSUITS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WHAT WE'RE PAYING OUT ON THAT.

SO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE SPENDING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD HR IS VERY, THIS, THIS PRICE IS VERY SMALL COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE PAYING OUT RIGHT NOW.

SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO CONSIDER.

EVEN THE SALARY FOR AN HR PERSON IS YOU CAN'T COMPARE TO WHAT, WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND FINDING SOMEONE WITH GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE IN SOME AREA, SOME ARENA IS NOT EASY TO DO.

'CAUSE WE DON'T PAY ADEQUATELY TO GET THE QUALIFIED PEOPLE.

THAT'S ON US.

THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY ON THEM.

THE DECISIONS OVER THE YEARS HAS BEEN, UH, YOU LOOK GOOD ON PAPER.

MAYBE WE DIDN'T CHECK OUT THE REFERENCES.

I DON'T KNOW.

I WASN'T PART OF THAT.

MAYBE WE DIDN'T DO A CLOSE DIVE INTO WHERE'D YOU COME FROM, WHAT'D YOU DO? TALK TO THOSE PEOPLE.

'CAUSE SOMETIMES THEY'LL TELL YOU, YEAH, THEY DID A GREAT JOB JUST TO GET RID OF 'EM.

BUT THAT HAPPENS.

BUT STILL WE HAVE TO HAVE QUALIFIED PEOPLE.

Y'ALL GET TO DO YOUR OWN HIRING.

AND MOST LAUREN, SHE HIRES HER OWN PEOPLE.

HR DOESN'T HIRE PEOPLE FOR HER.

YOU KNOW, BRANDY, SHE GETS TO HIRE, SHE'S NOT EVEN AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, BUT SHE GETS TO HIRE HER OWN PEOPLE.

SHERIFF THE SAME WAY.

ARE A LITTLE SHORT, NOT ALL THE TIME, BUT IT CAUSES A LOT OF ANGST THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH, UH, TO GET WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

THE HIRING PART OF EMPLOYEES IS NOT THE ISSUE.

THE ISSUE COMES IN WHEN YOU HAVE TO WRITE SOMEBODY UP.

IS IT DONE CORRECTLY? IS IT DONE RIGHT TO GO FOR ALL THE STEPS TO DOCUMENT IT.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE SOMETIMES

[00:25:01]

OF COURSE WE HAVE TAC AND WE'VE NOT REALLY USED TAC TO HELP US FIND SOMEONE IN THE PAST.

UH, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THEY'RE THERE FOR ALSO.

AND OUR LEGAL, I MEAN, THANK Y'ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO.

YOU GUYS ARE LIKE, WELL BARR WITH STUFF.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE TOO IS WHAT LOOK AT PUTTING THAT BURDEN ON THEM TOO, TO TRY TO SEARCH OUT A NA UH, NATIONAL CANDIDATE.

YOU KNOW, I I I JUST THINK, LIKE I SAID, LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS OF WHAT'S GOING OUT ALREADY.

I MEAN, THAT SOUNDS BAD, BUT IF IT'LL KEEP US FROM WHAT WE'RE ALREADY CURRENTLY PAYING OUT.

I MEAN, BUT I'D LIKE TO COMPARE IT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS WHAT'S COMPARABLE TO WHAT OH, I THINK WHAT SHE SAID IS TRUE.

UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE NEGOTIATING YOUR, YOUR INCOME, THEY'RE GOING IN A PACK.

'CAUSE THEY GET A PERCENTAGE.

IF IT'S 20%, THEN YOU PAY SOMEBODY $200,000, THEY CAN GET 43RD, 40 GRAND.

BUT WE'RE NOT PAYING THAT.

BUT STILL, YEAH, I GET IT.

THAT'S HOW THEY MAKE THEIR LIVING.

AND WHAT DO YOU TWO GUYS THINK ON IT? I LIKE, I'D LIKE TO ALSO CHECK WITH TACK AND SEE WHAT THEY SAYING AND IF THEY CAN HELP US OUT POSSIBLY TOO.

BUT, UH, SHE'S VERY IMPRESSIVE.

TERRY, YOU SAY THAT? I MEAN SHE'S, I THINK SHE'S GOOD.

WELL, I, I DON'T KNOW.

I'M SURE SHE IS A SMART PERSON.

THAT'S NOT, NOT THE, THAT'S NOT THE POINT HERE.

THE POINT IS, IS IF WE THAT WHAT WE WANT NEARLY 700 PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY OR WHATEVER AND WE CAN'T HIRE SOMEBODY, SOMETHING'S WRONG.

BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THOMAS SAYS MAYBE IT'S OWN THAT IN LEGAL WOULD BE, I HATE THAT.

WOULD HATE THAT FOR THEM.

THEY HAVE TO CLEAN UP OUR MESS UP.

THEY HAVE TO CLEAN OUR MESS UP ALREADY.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID THAT.

YOU KNOW, I YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE THE ONE.

I HATE TO PUT SOMETHING ELSE ON THEIR PLATE.

WE'RE NOT ASKING THEM TO HIRE ANYBODY.

PEOPLE, I THINK ONCE WE RAISE THE PAY ENOUGH TO GET QUALIFIED PEOPLE, THEN THE APPLICATIONS ARE GONNA CHANGE FOR US.

PERIOD.

WELL, LET'S NOW I I I'M, I'M SORRY.

AND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SPENDING PART OF THE MONEY THAT WE'RE GONNA PAY 'EM.

AND YOU'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT WE'RE SHORTENING THIS AND WE'RE SHORTENING THAT, WE'RE SHORTENING THAT AND WE'RE GONNA START HIRING FROM OUTSIDE SPENDING TAXPAYER MONEY ON SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.

I MEAN, I JUST, I'M SORRY.

I JUST, I CAN'T, I I CAN'T GO ALONG WITH IT.

Y'ALL MORE THAN WELCOME TO IT.

IT IS HARD TO SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY.

BUT I JUST THINK ABOUT US HAVING TO TRY TO GO IN AND DO THAT.

OR WHO, WHO ARE WE GONNA FIND TO FIND THEM? WE'RE GONNA DO ALL THE INTERVIEWS.

WE'RE SUPPOSED TO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THAT ANYWAY.

YOU HAVE TO DO IT ANYWAY.

BUT TO WEED IT DOWN IS GONNA BE AN IF US TO DO THAT WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE IF WE GET IN A TON OF APPLICATIONS.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WELL, IN THE PAST IT WASN'T THAT, THAT LABORSOME YEAH.

IN THE PAST.

BUT WE HAVEN'T GOT WHAT WE NEEDED EITHER.

SO , WE WHO WE OR WHOEVER YEAH.

PROBABLY DIDN'T DELVE DEEP ENOUGH TO NO.

GET A TRUE PICTURE OF WHAT WE HAVE TO PAY.

LIKE STEVE SAID THAT WE'RE GOING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE QUITE A FEW MORE.

I I PROMISE YOU WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, KAREN AND OTHER PEOPLE, WE CAN, WE CAN PUT UP SOME, A BOARD TOGETHER AND THEY, THEY CAN, THEY CAN CUT THE, THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE SEE DOWN.

WELL, LET'S DO THIS FIRST.

LET'S, LET ME GET OFF THE TACK.

HALEY BEAVERS IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NORTHEAST AND UH, WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE JOB DESCRIPTION IS.

WE DON'T HAVE TO REINVENT THAT WHEEL.

AND THEN WE, WE, BRANDON AND I HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT SALARY AND OUR OTHER GUY GAVE US A SALARY RANGE.

WE ALREADY KNOW WE ONLY NEED THREE PEOPLE IN HR DEPARTMENT, BUT BASED ON OUR ACCOUNT OF EMPLOYEES THEY CAN HANDLE.

SO WE HAVE THAT NUMBER.

WE JUST NEED TO GET WITH THEM AND SAY, ALRIGHT, THE CONTACTS YOU HAVE, WHERE DO YOU THINK WE CAN GO AND GET THESE CANDIDATES FROM? WE CAN ADVERTISE ON THESE AND THE COST IS MINIMAL AND THERE'S A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE THAT THE DA USES.

RIGHT.

WE MIGHT CAN USE THAT TOO BECAUSE WE ALREADY, WE'RE ALREADY IN THAT PROGRAM.

WE'RE IN THE PROGRAM.

AND SO I THINK, WHY DON'T WE GIVE OURSELVES TWO OR THREE WEEKS, RUN THIS TRAP OURSELF AND THEN IF WE CAN'T, THEN WE COME BACK TO SOMEONE.

BUT SHE'S GONNA DO THE SAME THING THAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH INDEED AND LINKEDIN OTHER THAN SHE'S GONNA DO SOME OF THE INTERVIEWING AND, AND, UH, BACKGROUND

[00:30:01]

CHECKS.

THAT WOULD SAVE US FROM HAVING TO DO A LOT OF LEG WORK.

BUT I'M THINKING FOR 20 GRAND WE CAN WORK THIS AMONGST OURSELVES ANYWAY.

SO ALL I'M TELLING YOU IS JUST GONNA INTEREST AND SEE IF IT WORKS OUT FOR US AGAIN.

'CAUSE IT HASN'T WORKED OUT IN THE PAST.

SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIND THE DIFFERENT, THE REASON I BROUGHT THIS TO US IS IF, IF THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, WE KNEW THE PAYOUTS THAT WE'RE PAYING RIGHT NOW ON ALL THESE CLAIMS AGAINST US BECAUSE WE'RE, WE DON'T HAVE AN EFFECTIVE HR POSITION.

THIS IS MINUTE.

I MEAN IT'S A, IF IF IT IS GOING TO GET US THE RIGHT PERSON, BUT WE CAN TRY.

I MEAN, BUT I'M JUST GONNA BE INTERESTED IN WHO THIS, WHO THIS GONNA BE.

AND I DON'T WANNA PUT A BURDEN ON THEM.

THEY ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH BURDEN WITH JUST THROW TWO OR THREE IN THE OFFICE THAT TO THROW SOMETHING ELSE ON THEM, I THINKS UNFAIR.

WELL, I MEAN, I BE INTERESTED.

WELL, I'M THROW ANYTHING ON THEM.

I MIGHT, OUR INTENTIONS IS NOT PUT ANYTHING ON YEAH.

THE DA'S OFFICE.

WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE IN THE HR DEPARTMENT NOW WHO CAN GET THE APPLICATIONS.

THEY CAN COME TO US.

WE'RE GONNA REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS.

THEN WE COULD DO, THEY'LL, EACH ONE OF US CAN TAKE 'EM, DO A BACKGROUND CHECK, TALK TO PEOPLE, DON'T JUST YEAH.

EVERY RESUME YOU'VE EVER SEEN OR I'VE EVER SEEN, THEY'RE GONNA PUT DOWN THE PEOPLE ON THERE WHO'S GONNA GIVE 'EM A GOOD, A GOOD ANSWER.

THERE MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO WHO MAY HONESTLY SAY, WELL, THEY DIDN'T COME TO WORK, OR THEY WERE LAZY OR OH YEAH.

SOMETHING.

BUT IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT THEY WORK WITH THAT THEY DIDN'T PUT ON THERE.

SO WE'RE GONNA GET THE TRUE STORY.

WE'LL SEE HOW IT WORKS.

SO TANK MAY BE ABLE TO HELP US OUT TOO.

WELL, AND IF IT DOESN'T WORK, DO WE HAVE ANOTHER OUTLET? YEAH.

IT JUST, WE NEED TO GET SOMETHING DONE.

WE'RE TO THE POINT.

WHERE'RE NOT A LITTLE COUNTY ANYMORE.

NO, WE'RE NOT.

WE NEED TO HAVE SOMEBODY, AND I KNOW THE ELECTEDS AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE HAVE THAT GRANITE POWER TO US TO BE IN THE ELECTED POSITION.

BUT, AND, AND HRS CATCH FLACK FROM COUNTY.

I MEAN, WHEN WE DID THE SCHOOLS AND THE COUNTY SCHOOL STUFF THAT WE GO TO, THAT THE HR REPRESENTATIVE COME AND THEY SHOWED THE STRUGGLES THAT HR DIRECTORS HAVE WITH COUNTIES, ESPECIALLY WITH COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES BECAUSE OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.

AND, AND IT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST PART OF IT.

IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT JOB.

I, I MEAN, I WOULDN'T WANT IT JUST BECAUSE OF THE, THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT LIKE I SAID, WE'LL, OKAY, IT'S WHATEVER YOU GUYS WANTED TO, SO THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION THAT Y'ALL CAN DO WITH IT.

WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU WILL.

BUT I WOULD, I'D PUT THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION AND SEE HOW WE DO STAY IN, STAY IN HOUSE.

HUNDREDS OF APPLICATIONS.

FOR NOT MORE THAN 30 DAYS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GONNA GET QUITE AS MANY.

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LIST IT FIRST.

WELL, AFTER WE GET IT LISTED, COURT DEAL.

WANT TO, LET'S GET IT LISTED ON IT AND THEN LET'S GET IT LISTED AND SEE HOW MANY, LET'S GET IT LISTED.

LET'S GET WE'RE RUN, RUN FOR 30 DAYS AND GO FROM THERE.

SO I'VE GOT, I GOT A MOTION.

NEED A SECOND.

I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.

TERRY MADE THE MOTION.

KELLY MADE THE SECOND.

DID KELLY SECOND IT OR DID? YEAH.

KELLY.

HE, NO.

AND THE, AND THE MOTION IS GONNA BE THAT ONCE, ONCE IT'S POSTED, WE'RE GONNA LET IT RUN FOR 30 DAYS, MAKE AN EVALUATION AND THEN IF IT DOESN'T WORK OR SEEM LIKE IT'S NOT WORKING FOR US, THEN WE MAY GO BACK AND ENTERTAIN, UH, THIS PERSON HERE TO DO THE SEARCH FOR US.

IS THAT THE ONLY PERSON WE INTERVIEW ON THAT ONE COMPANY? THERE MAY BE ANOTHER COMPANY.

OR DO WE PUT A THING OUT FOR THAT? CAN YOU WORK WITH KAREN, MAKE THIS SOUND A LITTLE BIT BETTER? BECAUSE YOU JUST SAID IF YOU PUBLISH IT, STAY IN HOUSE 30 DAYS AND IF IT DOESN'T WORK, YOU'LL GO BACK TO HER.

AND THAT'S NOT, WHY DON'T WE JUST PASS THE ITEM? WE'RE GOING PASS THE ITEM.

ALRIGHT.

ALRIGHT, THEN WE'LL WORK ON IT.

ALRIGHT.

I THINK ALL FOUR OF US PROBABLY COULD.

I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

WELL, UNLESS, YEAH.

AND I, AND I'M JUST GONNA KEEP TERRY AND KELLY AS PASSING ON.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

[12. Adjourn Meeting.]

COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS.

NEED A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

MR. KROLL MAY 2ND.