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ALRIGHT.[Call to Order]
LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE HERE TO OUR REGULAR COMMISSIONER'S COURT MEETING.HERE IT IS AUGUST THE 26TH OF 2025.
WE ARE IN THE COMMISSIONER'S COURTROOM HERE AT THE ANNEX.
WE'RE GONNA BEGIN THIS MORNING WITH A INVOCATION LED BY COMMISSIONER LANE, AND THEN COMMISSIONER MOORE IS GONNA LEAD US IN OUR PLEDGES.
IF YOU JOIN ME AND STAND PLEASE.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY BEING HERE TODAY.
MAY WE PRAY, LORD, WATCH OVERS.
LORD, THANK YOU FOR OUR TAXPAYERS SHOWING UP TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND OUR MIL MILITARY AND ALL OUR CA COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
LORD, HELP US DO TODAY IN YOUR NAME WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND KEEP US SAFE, CHRIST AND WE PRAY.
TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
[1. ROUTINE CORRESPONDENCE]
CORRESPONDENCE.ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING THIS MORNING? I, I HAVE A COUPLE.
THE FIRST ONE BEING, UH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE THIRD FROM 11 TO 1230 IS A COMMUNITY PET FOOD PANTRY AT THE KAMAN COUNTY SOUTH CAMPUS, THE OLD JAIL.
SO IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO BRING FOR OUR, UH, PETS, THAT WOULD BE THE PLACE TO DROP IT OFF.
THEN THE NEXT CORRESPONDENCE WOULD BE, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE SHOWING UP TODAY.
I WISH WE HAD Y'ALL HERE EVERY WEEK.
UH, IT'S, IT'S ENCOURAGING TO SEE YOU HERE.
UH, BUT GIVE JUST A SHORT HISTORY LESSON.
UH, COMMISSIONER PHIS AND I ARE THE COURSE, THE OLDEST TWO ON THE COURT.
LONG, LONGEVITY WISE, HE ALWAYS BRINGS THAT UP THAT I'M THE OLDEST.
AND 2015 WHEN WE GOT HERE, THE TAX RATE WAS ALMOST 58 CENTS.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE HERE SHORTLY, BUT IT'LL BE THE SAME THIS COMING YEAR AS IT WAS THE PRIOR YEAR.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LOT ON FACEBOOK AND SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT NOTHING'S CHANGING.
SO ANYWAY, JUST NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE VALUES.
[Remarks from Visitors]
THIS TIME WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.IF I CALL YOUR NAME, IF YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD, YOU CAN, IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, UH, THEN THE CLERK IN THE BACK WILL TAKE CARE OF THE TIME.
COME FORWARD IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK.
MR. JAMES, IF YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE, SIR? YES, SIR.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT'S TOMMY L JAMES.
29 32 WEST ALAMOSA DRIVE HERE IN TERRELL.
WE'RE A MEMBER OF THE WINTER CIRCLE COMMUNITY.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO ADDRESS THIS COMMISSION THIS MORNING AND MY FELLOW RESIDENTS HERE IN THE COUNTY OF KAUFMAN.
UH, I AM THE PRESIDENT OF A COMPANY THAT RELOCATED TO TEXAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
UH, ONE OF THE OVERWHELMING FACTORS ABOUT MAKING THAT DECISION TO COME HERE, EVEN THOUGH I WAS ASKED BY THE GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA NOT TO DO IT, WAS TAX TEXAS IS WELL KNOWN FOR, UH, AFFORDING TAX SAVINGS AND REDUCED TAXES FOR PERSONAL INCOME.
WHEN I'VE HEARD ABOUT THE PROPOSED INCREASE IN TAX BASED ON VALUES, THAT'S A CONCERN FOR ME.
I'M 68 YEARS OLD, 28 YEAR MILITARY VETERAN, AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FOUR YEARS I PLAN TO RETIRE.
SO I'M SAYING WHAT A LOT OF FOLKS IN TEXAS AND MY COMMUNITY AND OTHER COMMUNITIES FEEL RIGHT NOW THAT AN INCREASE IN TAX BASED ON AN INCREASE IN VALUES IS JUST NOT SOMETHING WE WANT TO HAVE, BE PART OF OUR LIFE AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT.
AND SO I'LL BE VERY SHORT AND SAY THAT WE WOULD ASK THE COMMISSIONERS, ALL OF YOU TO CONSIDER THIS VERY CAREFULLY WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO OR ASSESS THE NEED TO INCREASE TAXES.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS A $758,000, UH, SURPLUS IN 2024 GOING INTO 2025.
THAT SURPLUS WILL PROBABLY INCREASE THREE OR FOUR FOLD WITH THE NEW BUSINESSES THAT ARE COMING HERE, THE NEW RESIDENTS THAT ARE BEING BUILT.
SO I'LL CLOSE IN SAYING PLEASE CONSIDER THIS, UH, NOT INCREASING TAXES WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS REFERENDUM.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE SCOTT CHESHIRE.
UH, IS IT BRIANNA EDWARDS? YES, SIR.
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WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME FORWARD? PLEASE, MA'AM.I'M AT DOG PATCH DRIVE, ABNER AKER.
AND, UM, I'M IN CONGRUENCE WITH WHAT MR. JENNINGS JUST SAID.
I AM 64 YEARS OLD, MARRIED TO A MILITARY, RETIRED MILITARY VETERAN, AND FEEL THAT THE TAX INCREASES HAVE, I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 2006 AND THE TAX INCREASES HAVE GONE UP EVERY YEAR.
AND I KNOW YOU SAID THE TAX INCREASES OR THE TAX BASE HAS STAYED THE SAME, BUT THE APPRAISED VALUES ARE, UM, I, I FEEL LIKE OUT OF LINE WITH THE, THE TAXING.
SO ANYWAY, I WOULD ASK THE SAME THING AS HIM THAT THE TAXES BE LOOKED AT AND NOT RAISED.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, I'M AN ER NURSE.
I'M STILL WORKING TO PAY TAXES AND INSURANCE ON MY PROPERTY.
UM, I'VE WORKED HARD ALL MY LIFE AND JUST LIKE MR. JENNINGS, SOME OF US WANNA RETIRE.
ANNAPOLIS, I LIVE AT 40 49 GEORGES BEND IN CRANDALL, TEXAS.
AND, UH, MY FORM, I, SO WE'RE SPEAKING FOR ALL THE AGENDAS BETWEEN, UH, I THINK SEVEN AND, AND 21.
I'M ACTUALLY, I JUST WANT, I WAS IN HERE LAST TUESDAY'S MEETING AND YOU VOTED ON CERTAIN ITEMS, AGENDA ITEMS. I'D JUST LIKE TO HAVE A, FOR YOU TO HAVE A BRIEF DISCUSSION OR SYNOPSIS OF WHAT EACH AGENDA IS.
YOU ASKED THE, THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS IF THERE WAS, UH, ANY DISCUSSION.
THEY SAID NO, HE VOTED FOR ANYTHING AND, AND WE'D LIKE, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, UH, NUMBER 13, WHY IS HE APPLYING FOR A REPL? IS THERE AN NOR? IS HE VIOLATING AN ORDINANCE AND HE WANTS TO REPL THE, THE LOT OR WHATEVER.
THEY'RE JUST FOLLOWING THE DEVELOPMENT RULES IS ALL THEY'RE DOING.
SEE, I, WE DON'T KNOW WHY HE WANTS TO REPL OR JUST AS, LIKE I SAID, A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN ANY OF THE AGENDAS.
AND CHRISTOPHER COX? GOOD MORNING.
CHRIS COX LAKE, UH, 1148 COUNTY ROAD 2 7 9, KAUFFMAN, TEXAS, CITY OF POST OAK BEND.
UM, ALSO ON THE COUNCIL AS, UH, PROTE MAYOR.
UM, BUT I WASN'T GONNA SPEAK TILL YOU MADE A COMMENT OF THAT'S NOT US, THAT'S ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE HEAR THAT ALL THE TIME.
I GO PROTEST MY TAXES EVERY YEAR AND I EVERY YEAR I GET, WELL, THAT'S NOT US.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS IF WE'RE GONNA KEEP GETTING PROPERTY INCREASES, LET'S HAVE A TOWN MEETING WHERE EVERYBODY'S THERE.
Y'ALL ARE OVER HERE, ISDS HERE, APPRAISAL OFFICE HERE.
AND LET'S TALK ABOUT IT THAT WAY.
YOU CAN'T DO THE BLAME GAME OF, WELL THAT'S NOT MY DEPARTMENT, THAT'S SOMEBODY ELSE.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S COOL.
WE AS A CITY CAN'T, WE WANNA DO AN ALVAR, HOWEVER YOU SAY IT, TAX TO OUR PEOPLE.
BUT WE CAN'T BECAUSE I WORK AT COTTON PICKING FULL TIME JOB TAXES TAKEN OUT LIKE CRAZY.
NOT FOR JUST COUNTY TAX, STATE TAX, ALL THAT, THAT COME COMBINE US TOGETHER.
AND I THINK I DO PRETTY GOOD, BUT BY THE TIME IT'S ALL DONE, HOW MUCH DO I GET TO TAKE HOME? SO IF I MAKE 80,000 A YEAR, BY THE TIME EVERYTHING'S TAKEN OUT, SO YOU CALL IT GROSS PAY AND NET PAY, WHAT'S LEFT, IT'S A LOT LESS.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU, I THINK WE NEED TO QUIT DOING IT SO NONCHALANTLY OF SETTING TAX RATES AND PROPERTY VALUES AND ALL THIS OTHER, AND LET'S TAKE A BIG LOOK AT IT.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO PULL A TOWN HALL MEETING TO WHERE WE GET EVERYBODY IN THERE THAT WANTS TO HAVE A DECISION IN
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WHAT WE PAY EVERY YEAR AND WHAT WE GET TAXED ON EVERY YEAR.UM, AND JUST HAVE A BIG HARD LOOK AT IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY BECAUSE THAT KIND OF STUFF JUST GETS IN MY CRAWL ABOUT EVERYBODY DOING THE BLAME GAME OF, WELL THAT'S NOT US, THAT'S THEM, THAT'S NOT ME, THAT'S THEM.
UM, AND WE GET THAT ALL THE TIME, EVERY TIME WE GO TO COME TO, UH, PROTEST OUR TAXES.
THAT'S WHAT WE GET EVERY YEAR FROM THE, UH, TAX OFFICE.
AND I THINK THAT KIND OF THING NEEDS TO BE NIPPED.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WE ARE SETTING JUST THE COUNTY TAX RATE TODAY.
WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTIES.
I'VE PROTESTED MY PROPERTIES TOO.
YOU MIND IF I SHARE SOMETHING AFTER YOU DO WHENEVER YOU GET DONE.
UH, I'M GONNA GIVE Y'ALL JUST A QUICK EXAMPLE.
WHEN I COME INTO THIS OFFICE, A VALOREM TAXES THIS WEEK, THE NEWSPAPER PUT INTO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURSE GOING, UH, APPROVE A A VALOREM TAX.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ONE MY WHOLE LIFE.
ALL COUNTIES TAX ON PROPERTY VALUES.
OKAY? SO THAT'S NOT SOMETHING NEW.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN PROVEN FOR YEARS.
EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IN THIS NATION, THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO IS PROP.
WE CAN'T DO SALES TAX, WE CAN'T DO HOTEL TAX, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THE COUNTY CAN FUNCTION IS OFF OF THAT TAX.
IT'S BEEN AROUND LONGER THAN I HAVE BEEN AROUND.
UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY IS TO, WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE TAX.
RIGHT? THE CITY OF KAUFMAN WAS SOMEBODY WHO SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THEY COULD BE CHANGE MAKING SOME CHANGES.
UH, WE'VE KEPT THE TAX RATE THE SAME THE LAST THREE YEARS.
WE HAVE NOT RAISED THAT TAX RATE.
UNFORTUNATELY, BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, WE COULD HAVE OUR APPRAISAL DISTRICT, UH, SET OUR VALUES ON OUR HOUSE.
SO TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, IN 2018, MY 1982 HOUSE SITTING ON FOUR ACRES WAS VALUED AT 178,000.
THIS YEAR THEY PUT ME AT 400,000.
I DON'T WANNA PAY TAXES EITHER, BUT WE'RE, THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS PULLED THAT AWAY FROM US.
WHERE PEOPLE THINK THAT SHOULDN'T SAY KAUFFMAN COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT SHOULD SAY STATE OF TEXAS BECAUSE THEY SET THOSE VALUES AND WE'RE LIKE, THEY'RE KILLING US.
I MEAN, I'M WITH YOU GUYS OKAY ON THAT.
BUT WHEN WE SAY IT'S NOT OUR ISSUE, THAT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE WASHING IT UNDER THE TABLE.
IT'S JUST WHEN I GOT INTO THIS JOB, I COME IN HERE THINKING, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M GONNA FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
THEN YOU FIND OUT, WOW, OKAY, THIS DOESN'T WORK THE WAY I THOUGHT IT DOES.
UH, SO WE AS THE COURTS GOING TO KEEP THE TAX RATE THE SAME.
WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE TAX RATE.
AND WE'VE DONE THAT THE LAST THREE YEARS.
UH, TO GIVE A QUICK EXAMPLE, JUDGE, I'LL BE QUIET HERE.
UH, IF WE GET 10,000 NEW HOMES HERE NEXT YEAR.
LAST YEAR HAD, THE FIRST YEAR I COME TO OFFICE, WE HAD 14,000.
THIS YEAR WE HAD 4,900 NEW TAXABLE PEOPLE COMING TO THIS COUNTY.
PEOPLE ARE LIKE, LOOK ALL THIS MONEY.
BUT THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT IF YOU BRING 10,000 HOUSES HERE, NOW WE HAVE 20,002 CARS PER HOUSED, MINIMUM 20,000 NEW REGISTRATIONS COMING INTO OUR OFFICES.
AND OUR CLERKS ARE LIKE, WE'RE OVERWHELMED.
THE SHERIFF'S GOT MORE CALLS, THE COURT'S GOT MORE DIVORCES, MORE CRIMINAL CASE.
SO IT'S WHAT WHAT GROWTH COMES PAIN AND WE'RE ALL FEELING IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I TOOK PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.
I WENT FROM 178,000 TO 400,005 YEARS.
AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO REDUCE THAT FOR YOU GUYS.
BUT, AND THEN CHRIS, I KNOW CHRIS BACK THERE.
ONE OF MY FRIENDS IN HIGH SCHOOL, THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS SPEAKING UP HERE, RIGHT? AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU SOMETHING, I I, I LIKED THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ALL HERE TODAY.
'CAUSE I WILL TALK YOU TO DEATH.
YEAH, YOUR THREE MINUTES ARE UP
BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU GUYS SOMETHING.
AND I TELL THIS TO THE LEADERSHIP CLASS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE SCHOOL BOARDS, ESDS, ALL THESE TAXI ENTITIES THAT'S ON YOUR BILL, THAT, THAT THEY ASK US AS A COUNTY TO SEND YOU TO ONE BILL.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE STATE MANDATES ON US.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM RUN FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD, RUN FOR THE ESSD RUN FOR WE NEED YOU GUYS, WE NEED CONSERVATIVE PEOPLE WHO CARE ON THESE BOARDS.
SO, UH, IF, IF YOU'RE UPSET WITH THE SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL BOARD IS
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WHERE WE NEED PEOPLE.YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND ALL THESE THINGS.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
BUT LETTING YOU KNOW A VALLARTA THAT IS NOT THE NEWSPAPER MADE IT SOUND LIKE IT'S A NEW THING.
IT'S BEEN AROUND LONGER THAN I HAVE.
I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN TAXING THAT WAY FOR YEARS AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE AT THAT POINT NOW WHERE YOU WE'RE GONNA SEE IT KIND OF MELLOW OFF BECAUSE, UH, IN 2019, SARAH CURTIS COME HERE TO FIX A PROBLEM BECAUSE THE STATE SAID THAT OUR VALUES WAS NOT WITHIN THE VALUES OF WHAT THE STATE SAID THEY SHOULD BE.
AND SHE HAD TO GET THAT IN CHECK.
AND IT WAS A BEATING FOR ALL OF US.
BUT NOW HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE THE OLD SCHOOL WHERE THERE'S GONNA BE SOME VALUE CHANGE IN THERE, BUT HOPEFULLY IT'S MINUTE COMPARED TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING, THAT'S FOR ME TOO.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME TALK YOU TO DEATH.
WHAT? YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING?
I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA ADDRESS HIM DIRECTLY BECAUSE THAT'S A VIOLATION.
BUT AT 65 YEARS OLD, YOUR TAXES FREEZE.
YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE TAX OFFICE, FILL OUT A PAPER, AND YOUR TAXES ARE FROZEN.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THAT OR NOT.
AND IF ANY VETERANS HERE, IF YOU HAVE A DISABILITY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, GO TO THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, FILL OUT THE PAPERS, 'CAUSE YOUR TAXES WILL DROP.
YES, WE DO HAVE COURSES FOR THAT THAT DO LOWER TAXES FOR PEOPLE.
AND IT DOES FREEZE YOU AT 65 YEARS OLD.
THEY'RE THE SAME PRICE THEY WERE LAST YEAR.
NOW THERE, IF YOU DON'T MIND ME THROWING SOMETHING IN THERE, IF YOU ARE 65 YEARS OR OLDER AND YOUR PROPERTY IS FROZEN, IF YOU DO ANY UPGRADES, THAT PROPERTY, SAY LET'S SAY YOU'RE 75 RIGHT? AND YOU'VE BEEN FROZEN FOR 10 YEARS AND YOU BUILD A NEW SHOP ON YOUR PROPERTY, OR YOU LET A DAUGHTER MOVE A HOUSE ON THE BACK OF YOUR PROPERTY, THEY WILL THANK YOU THAT YEAR YOU GET REASSESSED AT THAT CURRENT YEAR'S VALUE AND THEN IT'S FROZEN AGAIN.
SO IF YOU ARE 65, IT WILL RAISE.
IF YOU DO ANY UPGRADES LIKE THAT, THEY WILL GET YOU.
EVEN THOUGH THAT IS THE BIGGEST TAX, THE REST OF THEM DON'T FREEZE.
AND, AND A LOT OF IT, LIKE I SAID, SO YOU WOULD LIKE, THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT WILL CATCH YOU ON THAT.
IT'S JUST YOUR HOMESTEAD AS WELL.
IF YOU OWN ANY OTHER PROPERTY, IT'S, IT'S STILL GONNA ELEVATE.
ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON? OKAY.
[2. CONSENT AGENDA]
THEN THE CONSENT AGENDA.WE HAVE TWO ITEMS DISCUSS EXCEPT THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT MEETINGS FOR AUGUST THE 19TH.
AND TO DISCUSS, ACCEPT THE OFFICER'S MONTH REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF JULY OF 25.
ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, CHANGES? MM-HMM.
COMMISSIONER SMITH MAKES MOTION TO ACCEPT TO HAVE A SECOND.
COMMISSIONER CROW MAKES SECOND.
[3. Judge Allen: Discuss/Consider exiting the regular meeting and enter a public hearing.]
DISCUSS, CONSIDER EXITING A REGULAR MEETING AND ENTERING TO A PUBLIC HEARING.[4. Public Hearing: on proposed budget for FY 2025-26.]
WE ARE INTO A PUBLIC HEARING AND A PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FY 25 AND 26.OF ALL SEEING EVERYTHING, WE HAVE ALL NUMBERS, CORRECTIONS, COMMENTS, ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? YES, MA'AM.
IF YOU JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
HI, MY NAME IS MISTY CAMPBELL.
UM, I LIVE AT 1-841-TWO-ACRE LANE IN KEMP.
UM, MY QUESTION, I KNOW WE CAME IN A LITTLE BIT LATE, BUT WE CAME HERE TODAY FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF WHAT WE SAW TOO ON FACEBOOK WITH THE TAXES.
MY QUESTION IS, UH, ABBOTT JUST PASSED A LAW FOR THE TAXES TO BASICALLY FREEZE.
AND THEY DID THEY RAISE, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO RAISE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
AS LONG AS WE VOTE YES FOR THOSE FOUR PROPOSITIONS IN NOVEMBER, WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON, HOW WILL THAT AFFECT, HOW WILL, HOW WILL THAT AFFECT HOW OUR TAXES ARE RAISED HERE? OKAY.
IS THERESA STILL IN HERE? DO YOU WANT THAT? YES, PLEASE.
A TAX ASSESSOR? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION FOR HER.
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SHE'S THE ONE THAT SENDS OUT THE BILLS.WELL, I MEAN, I, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S IN HERE, BUT IT'LL, IT'LL, WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IS ON SCHOOL TAX.
SO THAT'S, WELL, THEY, THEY WILL LOWER THE SCHOOL TAX JUST LIKE THEY DID.
IT'S NOT GONNA AFFECT THE COUNTY TAX.
YOU KNOW, WE DO OUR BUDGET AND OUR BUDGET'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.
I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT, BUT OUR BUDGET PRETTY MUCH STAYS ALMOST IDENTICAL.
ONLY THING WE ADD IS POLICE OFFICERS POPULATION GROWS THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO START ADDING A JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER, WHICH EVERYBODY VOTED THAT IN.
AND SO WHEN YOU VOTE THAT IN, THAT DOES GIVE US, YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT.
SO EVERYBODY ALWAYS HAS TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND I DON'T KNOW, IN NOVEMBER, HOLD ON.
HOLD ON, THERESA, COME FORWARD.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T GET OFF QUEUE HERE.
SHE HAS A QUESTION ABOUT IF THE, THE PROPOSITION IS PASSED IN NOVEMBER WITH ABBOTT AND WITH THE GOING TO THE ONE 40 EXEMPTION.
HOW DOES THAT AFFECT WHEN THEY GET THEIR BILLS AND STUFF LIKE THAT? OKAY.
THAT WILL BE ON YOUR SCHOOL TAXES.
SO THAT IT ONLY AFFECTS THE SCHOOL TAXES.
IT WILL, ALL IN ALL, YOU'LL BE GETTING A 200,000 OFF OF THE SCHOOL TAX VALUE.
AND AGAIN, SO YOUR BILL, IF SAY YOUR HOUSE IS 199,000 AND IT'S A HOMESTEAD, YOU SCHOOL TAXES WOULD BE ZERO BECAUSE YOUR EXEMPTIONS ARE HIGHER THAN YOUR VALUE.
SO THAT IS HOW THAT WILL WORK.
BUT, BUT CAN'T Y'ALL KEEP CONTINUING TO RAISE THE TAXES AND RAISE WHAT OUR HOMES ARE WORTH? OR DOES IT CAP OUT AT 2.5%, WHICH IS WHAT I, WELL, AGAIN, THAT IS THE VALUES ARE DONE AT THIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
UM, SO WHAT THEY DO WITH THE VALUES, WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH.
WHAT WE DO IS WE SET THE RATES.
EACH INDIVIDUAL ENTITY SETS THEIR OWN RATES.
OKAY? WE APPLY THE RATES TO THE VALUE THAT THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT GETS US, AND WE BILL IT AND COLLECT IT.
SO MY QUE ONE QUESTION I'VE ALWAYS HAD IS WHO DOES, WHO DOES THE CAD'S OFFICE, WHO DO THEY ANSWER TO? THE STATE.
THAT WAS ONE QUESTION I HAD TO, OKAY.
AND I BELIEVE WE OWE PEOPLE, I DON'T NEED ANYBODY TO LEAVE.
AND I'M, I, I WANNA SHARE SOMETHING AND I'M SORRY, JUDGE, YOU'RE GONNA GET ME IN A MINUTE.
THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, EVERYBODY LAUGH WHEN WE SAY IT'S THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT'S FAULT.
BUT HERE'S HOW IT USED TO WORK.
WE USED TO, AS A PEOPLE SET OUR VALUES, OKAY? AND THEN WHEN THE, THEY COME IN AND SAID THE STATE'S LIKE, WELL THIS IS MESSED UP.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE LOBBYISTS AND, UH, AUSTIN SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, TOMMY, I'M GONNA USE YOU MY EXAMPLE.
HE BOUGHT A 1982 HOUSE AND HE COMES DOWN TO THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, YOUR HOUSE IS WORTH 200,000.
I GOT 1982 DOORS, CABINETS, PANELING, AND EVEN THE GREEN CARPET FROM THE SEVENTIES.
AND THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, WELL WE'LL LEAVE IT AT 170.
OKAY? WELL, WHAT HAPPENS IS, IS THE INSURANCE COMPANIES LIKE, NO, WE'RE TIRED OF THIS.
WE'RE INSURANCE COMPANIES DON'T PAY THAT EXTRA CAPITAL ON YOUR INSURANCE IF IT BURNS DOWN.
BECAUSE WHEN THAT 1982 HOUSE BURNS DOWN, I'M AT THE INSURANCE COMPANY WANTING A BRAND NEW HOUSE, OKAY? AND THEY'RE LIKE, THAT IT'S GONNA COST US 280,000 TO REBUILD.
AND HIS INSURANCE CLAIM IS ONLY FOR $178,000.
SO, THROUGH LOBBYING IN AUSTIN AND EVERY TWO YEARS, WE HAVE A SESSION THEY'VE CREATED TO NOW WHERE THE VALUES COME OUT, THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE THROUGH TEXAS UNIVERSITY.
AND IT COMES HERE SAYING, HERE'S WHAT A HOUSE SHOULD BE WORTH IN KAUFFMAN COUNTY.
SO THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, WHICH IS A STATE AGENCY, SAYS, HERE'S YOUR VALUE.
SO WE WAIT EVERY YEAR FOR THE NUMBERS TO COME TO US AS WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO ADJUST OUR BUDGET TO THOSE VALUES.
SO IT'S NOT, WHEN WE REALLY TELL YOU, WE HAVE NO SAY OVER IT.
WE REALLY DON'T ON THE VALUES, OR IF IT DID, MY HOUSE WOULDN'T BE WORTH 400,000 RIGHT NOW.
SO JUST LETTING Y'ALL KNOW WE'RE NOT LYING TO YOU.
I HAVE A, A POINT, UH, ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, MA'AM.
MAY I APPROACH? YES, PLEASE, PLEASE.
NOBODY TALK FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
IF YOU WANT TO TALK, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME FORWARD.
UH, TRACE CAMPBELL AND I'M AT 1-841-TWO-ACRE LANE.
UM, AND I THINK THE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL UNDERSTAND WE'RE GONNA PAY TAXES PART OF IT.
UH, BUT I THINK IT'S THE AMOUNT OF TAX THAT WE'RE HAVING TO PAY MORE AND MORE OF, MORE, MORE COMMONLY.
AND TO, TO SEVERAL POINTS OUT HERE, WHEN YOU'RE GETTING TAX FROM HERE AND HERE AND HERE AND HERE, IT ALL, IT ALL ADDS UP.
NONE OF US ARE AGAINST PAYING THOSE TAXES.
BUT I THINK SOME PEOPLE MAY FEEL LIKE WE LIVE ON THE OUTSKIRTS.
WE LIVE IN KEMP, DOWN BY LIVELY.
AND MR. MOORE, WE'VE SPOKEN WITH YOU MANY,
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MANY TIMES.AND WE SPOKE WITH YOU THREE YEARS AGO ABOUT OUR ROADS MM-HMM
AND YOU, YOU HAD, UH, MENTIONED YOU HAD A PLAN WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, THREE YEARS LATER.
AND WE SEE NOTHING, UH, EXCEPT FOR SOME POTHOLES BEING FILLED.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE MAIN WATER OR MAIN SEWER.
WE DON'T HAVE THINGS THAT PEOPLE IN THE CITY HAVE.
UH, OUR GUTTERS, OUR RAIN GUTTERS, OUR DITCHES ARE LEVEL WITH THE ROADS.
SO EVERY TIME IT RAINS, THE ROADS FLOOD.
WE HAVE MOSQUITOES LIKE CRAZY BECAUSE OF THE POOLS THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE GOOD DRAINAGE.
UM, I THINK FOR US, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL THAT PAYING THOSE TAXES THAT ARE GOING UP EVERY YEAR AREN'T JUSTIFIED BECAUSE WE ARE NOT SEEING ANYTHING CHANGING WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE UNDERSTAND THE SCHOOLS AND WE UNDERSTAND THOSE TAXES ARE GOING UP FOR, FOR REASONS OF BOOKKEEPING AND EMPLOYEES AND STATE.
BUT, BUT AS A TAXPAYER, I WOULD HONESTLY LIKE TO SEE YOUR PLAN.
WELL, AND, AND SOMETHING ELSE I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU, SIR, IS THAT'S PEOPLE COME IN TO SEE ME.
BANK, THE GOOD THING DO YOU'LL SEE HIM 1 0 1.
AND, AND, AND TO YOUR, TO YOUR CREDIT.
AND, UH, WE NEVER GOT TOGETHER ON IT.
BUT I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, HEARING A PLAN IS GREAT, BUT SEEING A PLAN WOULD BE EVEN BETTER.
I JUST, I WARN YOU THOUGH, IF YOU DO COME SEE ME, WE'LL GO RIDE AROUND.
I'M GONNA TALK YOU TO DEATH, BUT, WELL, YOU MAY HAVE, HAVE ANOTHER PASSENGER IN YOUR CAR AS WELL.
HEY, HE, HE'LL FEED YOU BARBECUE TOO.
WE'LL HAVE TO GET THAT MEETING TOGETHER THEN.
I'LL GIVE YOU SOME OF YOUR MONEY BACK.
ANYONE ELSE? ONE ADDRESS THE YES MA'AM.
IF YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
TIFFANY BURDEN 1 5 0 7 7 RUTLEDGE LANE MORNING.
UM, TO HIS POINT, HE SAID THAT YOU WERE GETTING SOMETHING FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY WERE, WELL THEY WERE GETTING SOMETHING FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND SAYING THESE VALUES AREN'T RIGHT.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE THEM RIGHT.
WELL, I'M NOT SURE HOW TRUE THAT COULD BE.
BEING THAT INSURANCE IS BASED OFF REPLACEMENT VALUE AND OUR HOMES OR APPRAISED THAT MARKET VALUE AND ENTRANCE DOESN'T COVER YOUR LAND.
SO THAT MARKET VALUE IS GONNA INCLUDE THE LAND, WHEREAS THE ENTRANCE IS NOT.
IF THERE'S A SURPLUS, ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT CAME BEFORE ME, IF THERE'S A SURPLUS, THEN YOU'RE LEAVING IT THE SAME AND OUR VALUES ARE INCREASING, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME WHEN IT COMES TO YOU, THEN WHY CAN'T YOU LOWER THE TAX RATE? SEE, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT STAYING THE SAME.
YOU ARE STILL GETTING AN INCREASE.
SO IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN WHY NOT LOWER THE TAXES? WELL, YOU HAVE TO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION, WE ADD NEW EMPLOYEES, WE ADD NEW COURTS.
WHEN YOU DO THAT, THE SURPLUS IS GONE BEFORE IT EVER GETS TO THE END OF THE BUDGET.
AT THE END OF EACH YEAR, IF WE'VE BUDGET, SAY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THIS SPECIFIC ACCOUNT, WE'RE BUYING WIDGETS, WHATEVER.
THAT EXTRA 20 GOES BACK INTO OUR, UH, KINDA LIKE A RAINY DAY FUND.
WE CALL IT OUR CONTINGENCY FUND.
'CAUSE WE HAVE THINGS COME UP JUST LIKE IN YOUR HOME.
WE CAN'T GO BACK TO THE TAX TAXPAYER.
WE NEED TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF THREE MONTHS IN RESERVES IN CASE THE ECONOMY GOES BAD LIKE IT DID IN 2008, 2009.
ANYONE HERE, REMEMBER THOSE DAYS? YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY HAD TO, PEOPLE HAD TO TAKE DAYS OFF WITHOUT PAY, NO PROMOTIONS, NOTHING.
UH, SOME PEOPLE HAD TO RETIRE EARLY TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE IN OUR FUND, BALANCE A MINIMUM OF THREE MONTHS TO KEEP OUR BOND RATINGS UP.
I PREFER TO HAVE MORE THAN THAT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THAT MONEY'S USED FOR.
SO THAT EXCESS MONEY, LET'S SAY YOU SAY THERE'S 700,000, YOU SPREAD THAT OVER, UH, A HUNDRED SOMETHING THOUSAND PROPERTIES.
I MEAN, BUT POINT THAT DOESN'T WORK THE WAY WE THINK IT WOULD WORK.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT YOU'RE SAYING FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, I KNOW PROPERTY MARK PROPERTY VALUES HAVE INCREASED CONTIN.
RIGHT? YOU'VE KEPT IT THE SAME.
SO THAT SURPLUS IS THERE FOR THREE YEARS.
AND WITH ALL THE ROOFS BEING BUILT AND ALL THE COMPANIES THAT ARE COMING TO THIS COUNTY, NOT NECESSARILY IN KAUFMAN OR A SPECIFIC CITY OR FORNEY TO THIS COUNTY, THAT'S MORE MONEY COMING IN.
IF THEY'RE GETTING TAX BREAKS,
[00:30:01]
IT, IT'S NOT GONNA HELP.BECAUSE IF WE CAN'T SPEND OUR MONEY IN THOSE BUSINESSES, BECAUSE WE CAN'T EVEN PAY OUR PROPERTY TAXES OR OUR INSURANCE OR OUR MORTGAGE BECAUSE IT'S SOMETIMES IT'S ALL ESCROWED TOGETHER.
WHO'S GONNA, WHO'S GONNA BE AT THOSE BUSINESSES SPENDING MONEY? NO ONE.
WELL, WE HAVE WITH INSURANCE AND TAXES, AGAIN, IF THERE'S SUCH A SURPLUS AND YOUR, YOUR MONEY IS INCREASING BECAUSE OUR VALUES ARE INCREASING AND MORE HOMES ARE COMING IN FOR YOU TO SERVICE, I GET THAT.
BUT YOU STILL HAVE THAT MONEY COMING IN, IN EXCESS BECAUSE OUR HOMES ARE APPRAISED OR AT OVER APPRAISED, I SHOULD SAY.
WHY DON'T YOU LOWER THE TAX RATE AS OPPOSED TO LEAVING IT THE SAME? OKAY.
IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR THREE YEARS.
EVERYBODY'S LIKE, OKAY, IT'S OKAY.
IT'S NOT RAISING, IT'S NOT RAISING, IT'S NOT RAISING, BUT IT'S NOT HELPING US IF IT'S STAYING THE SAME, BECAUSE THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
SO IF IT'S STAYING THE SAME AND WE'RE HERE AND WE'RE STILL PROTESTING, CONSIDER LOWERING IT.
SO HOW DO WE HIRE NEW SHERIFF DEPUTIES, CONSTABLE DEPUTIES, COURT REPORTERS, COURT CLERKS? HOW DO WE PAY FOR THAT IF WE DID? AGAIN, YOUR MONEY IS INCREASING.
IF IT'S STAYING THE SAME, NOT, BUT OUR VALUES ARE GOING UP, THAT MEANS YOU'RE TAXING ON MORE VALUE.
YOUR SURPLUS IS STILL INCREASING.
AND, AND, AND I THANK I CAN, SO AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I UNDERSTAND WITH MORE PEOPLE MOVING IN, YEAH.
YOU HAVE TO EMPLOY MORE PROTECTION.
BUT YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, THE PEOPLE MOVING IN, HOWEVER, WHEN THEY'RE MOVING IN, YOU'RE STILL GETTING MORE MONEY.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE, THEY'RE MOVING IN AND WE ARE GETTING MORE MONEY.
AND IS GETTING MORE MONEY ON THAT APPRAISAL BEING HIGHER THAN IT SHOULD BE? THAT'S MORE MONEY.
IF THERE'S MORE MONEY, YOU'RE GETTING MORE SURPLUS THREE YEARS OVER, CONSIDER LOWERING THE TAXES.
AND I THINK ALSO TO HELP WITH THAT, JUDGE, HERE'S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE HAVE ALSO IS WHAT WE CALL TAX INCREMENT REVITALIZATION ZONE.
SO TO GIVE YOU EXAMPLE, ALL THE DEVELOPMENTS GOING UP AROUND CROWN RIGHT NOW IS WHAT'S CALLED A TURS.
OKAY? SO LIKE THE TURS THAT WAS CREATED YEARS AGO FOR THAT, UH, CRANDALL AREA FOR THAT GROWTH TO BRING THAT DEVELOPER THERE IS LIKE, HEY, WE WILL GIVE YOU 50% OF THE TAXES PAID OUTTA THAT DEVELOPMENT FOR 30 YEARS.
SO WHENEVER SAY THIS YEAR, ALL THE TAXES COME IN FROM ALL THE NEW HOUSES AROUND CRANDALL, WHEN THEY COME IN, OUR AUDITOR HAS TO WRITE HALF THE CHECK BACK TO 'EM.
SO HALF THE MONEY THAT WAS COLLECTED ON THOSE VALUES HAS TO GO BACK TO THE DEVELOPER BECAUSE THE DEVELOPER WOULDN'T HAVE COME HERE UNLESS THEY GOT THAT TYPE OF A TAX BREAK.
SOME OF THEM, THAT'S NOT THE DEAL YOU MADE.
I'M NOT SAYING SOME OF 'EM AROUND, BUT THAT'S NOT THE DEAL.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT DON'T WELL, WE HAVE NOT APPROVED ANY TURS.
WE HAVE NOT APPROVED ANY TURS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? WE HAVEN'T, BUT WE'VE NOT, THIS WAS DONE IN PRIOR YEARS.
BUT WE'RE HUNG WITH YOU FOR THE NEXT 30.
THERE'S OUR ATTORNEY RIGHT THERE.
SO YOU'RE SAYING FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS IF A DEVELOPER COMES HERE, HE GETS 50%? NO, HE'S ALREADY HERE.
THEY'RE ALREADY HERE BEFORE US.
THEY WERE, THAT WAS DECISION IN THE PAST.
THAT IS SAID BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.
AND THE PRIOR COURTS, WHEN YOU DO THOSE SORT OF THINGS, YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT.
WE'RE THE ONES THAT INHERITED DECISIONS OF THE PAST THERE.
SO, SO WE DON'T GET A HUNDRED PERCENT OF ALL THE TAX MONEY THAT COMES IN.
THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM TO ON COMPRESSED.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THOSE HOMES ARE STILL PAYING TAXES.
THAT DOES NOT, THEY GET 50% OF THEIRS BACK.
THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RESIDENTS NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, MOST EM ARE IN MUD DISTRICT.
MOST OF 'EM ARE IN MUD DISTRICT AND THEY COLLECT THEIR OWN TAX.
WE'RE THE CHEAPEST TAX ON YOUR TAX BILL.
I MEAN WE'RE, WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM.
LISTEN, WE ARE HERE TO SAY ANYTHING HELPS BOTTOM.
SO IF YOU CAN LOWER IT, IT'S STILL GONNA HELP OUR OVERALL BILL.
IF, IF WE COULD, IF WE COULD LOWER IT AND PAY OUR BILLS, WE WOULD DO THAT.
WELL, IF YOU COULD LOWER IT AND WE CAN PAY OUR BILLS, THAT'LL HELP TOO.
YOU NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE, SIR.
I LIVE IN, UH, 52 0 2 COUNTY ROAD 41 0 2.
SO TO ADD TO HER POINT, THE MORE HOUSES YOU YOU BUILD HERE, THE MORE MONEY YOU GUYS GET.
SO THAT SHOULD OFFSET THE COST OF EMPLOYING NEW PEOPLE.
SO THAT SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU MORE MONEY OR, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU GUYS SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOWER THE TAXES WITH THAT EXCESS MONEY.
YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE THE CASE, BUT
[00:35:01]
IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.YOU HAVE EXPENSES THAT YOU DON'T SEE, SUCH AS BUILDINGS AND, AND, BUT LET'S, LET'S LOOK AT COMMON MATH.
OKAY? WE BUILT A SMALL SUBDIVISION ON, ON OUR COUNTY ROAD.
MY PROPERTY TAX WAS $1,200 WITH AG.
OKAY? WE HAVE EIGHT HOUSES THERE.
EACH HOUSE NOW PAYS $8,000 IN TAXES PER YEAR.
THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO EMPLOY ONE PERSON A YEAR, RIGHT? NO, EIGHT.
BUT YOU GOT INSURANCE BUSINESS AVERAGE EMPLOYEE THAT MAKES 70,000 A YEAR ACTUALLY COST US WITH 150,000.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE SMALL SUBDIVISION.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE COMING IN, BUT WE DON'T GET FOR 8,000 HOMES, BUT WE DON'T GET ALL YOUR $8,000.
YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S, THE COUNTY DOESN'T GET IT.
BUT WHEN YOU ADD 4,000 PEOPLE TO THE COUNTY OR 4,000 HOMES TO THE COUNTY, THAT'S MORE THAN ENOUGH MONEY TO EMPLOY ONE, ONE OR TWO PEOPLE.
SO YOU SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH ACCESS TO EMPLOY THEM AND TO GIVE SOME MONEY BACK TO THE HOMEOWNERS.
IF WE HAD ACCESS, WE WOULD'VE ALREADY LOWERED THE TAX RATE TO THAT POINT.
BUT THE REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE TO HAVE IN RESERVE TO MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE SUBDIVISION.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S HOW MANY SUBDIVISIONS WE HAVE, WILDCAT.
WE HAVE, UH, THERE'S A BUNCH OF OH, THERE'S BUNCH.
THEY'RE ALL EVERYWHERE COMING IN.
SO THERE, THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH ACCESS FOR, FOR TAX TO BE REDUCED.
WELL, WHAT ELSE? I'M, I'M JUST LOOKING AT COMMON MATH
I, LIKE I SAID, I WAS JUST TRYING TO ADD TO HER POINT, SURE.
UH, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT THE ACCESS EXCESS THAT ONE WOULD THINK THAT'S HERE.
EVEN WITH ALL THE NUMBERS, THERE'S SO MANY VARIABLES THAT COME IN ON THE ACCOUNTING SYSTEM.
THERE'S OUR AUDITOR OUT THERE, SHE CAN TESTIFY.
AND WITH OUR LAST TWO RATINGS OF OUTSIDE AUDITS, WE WERE CONSIDERED EXTREMELY CONSERVATIVE.
OUR RATINGS WENT UP TO AA, WHICH WE HADN'T BEEN THERE IN A LONG TIME.
AND IT'S BECAUSE WE WATCH OUR DOLLARS.
WE'RE NOT FRIVOLOUS WITH THE MONEY WE HAVE.
UH, A LOT OF THE PROJECTS YOU SEE GOING AROUND RIGHT NOW ARE NOT PAID FOR BY TAX DOLLARS TO PAY FAR BY THE, UH, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONEY THAT WE'VE HELD BACK TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO KEEP THE TAXPAYERS FROM HAVING TO PAY MORE MONEY IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE.
AND SO WE DO EVERYTHING WE DO AND WE GET ALL KINDS OF GRANTS.
UH, THE SHERIFF GETS HALF A MILLION DOLLAR GRANT A YEAR TO HELP BUY EQUIPMENT THAT KEEPS THE TAXPAYERS FROM HAVING TO BUY.
UH, WE PROBABLY GET A COUPLE OF MILLION A YEAR IN DIFFERENT OTHER, UH, GRANTS TO HELP WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
THAT'S NOT A BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYERS.
I LOOK FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN GET TO HELP THE COUNTY.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT I DO OR THE COURT DOES THAT WE APPROVE.
THAT IS THINGS THAT WE DON'T NEED.
WE ONLY BUY AND DO STUFF WE NEED.
WE'RE AN EXTREMELY CONSERVATIVE COURT.
MORE SO THAN PROBABLY ANY THAT'S BEEN HERE IN A WHILE.
I WISH I HAD BETTER NEWS FOR YOU.
WE WERE TRYING, WE, WE ALWAYS, WE HAD THE NEWS.
WE ALL PAY TAXES LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
AND IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE NECESSARY EVILS, I'M AFRAID.
UM, I THINK A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF, SOME OF THESE PLACES HAVE MUD TAXES AND THAT'S LIKE DOUBLING THEIR TAXES.
SO WHAT I'M HERE TO SAY IS, IS THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO THESE MUD, MUD GROUPS AND LETTING THEM COME IN.
AND MAYBE THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN CRANDALL.
AND IS THAT WHERE THE TECHS, WE CAN'T CONTROL MUD DISTRICTS.
WE DON'T LET 'EM COME IN THE STATE DISTRICT.
WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO FIGHT 'EM, KEEP 'EM OUT IN THE STATE CIRCLE.
YOU JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE FIGHT THESE.
AND THAT'S A REAL PET PEEVE OF ME.
IF YOU LIVE IN A MUD DISTRICT, IT'S FILLING THESE PEOPLE IN TAXES.
BUT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY CALL, THE FIRST PERSON THEY CALL IS THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
AND WHEN THEY MOVE INTO A MUD DISTRICT AND THEY GET THEIR TAX BILL AND THEY SAY, WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS THIS MUD TAX? WHAT IS THIS FRESH WATER DISTRICT TAX? WHAT IS THAT? I SAID, I'M SORRY, BUT YOU DIDN'T READ YOUR CLOSING PAPERS.
AND I SAID, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT OUR FAULT.
I SAID, WE DON'T PUT THOSE IN.
[00:40:01]
LEGISLATOR ALLOWED THOSE TO COME TO A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION.AND, AND YOU PAY WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT THEM, THERE'S SO MANY OF THEY IN THE CITY, YOU PAY DOUBLE THAT THEY'RE ALLOWING.
AND SO HOW DO YOU STOP THAT? BECAUSE, I MEAN, FORNEY HAS JUST, OH, YOU DON'T GONE CRAZY WITH THEM.
NOW THERE'S SOME COMING AROUND WHERE WE ARE AND I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT GOOD.
WELL, I CAN THROW A ROCK, HIT 'EM BEHIND MY HOUSE NOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN I, I KNOW.
BUT THAT JUST BRINGS IN OTHER MESSAGE TO, IT'D BE NOTHING BUT COWS AND THINGS BEHIND ME NOW.
YOU KNOW, IF WE COULD KEEP THEM FROM COMING, WE WOULD, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HELP THE COUNTY.
AND I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO, THEY HAVE NO CITY COUNCIL.
THEY HAVE, THEY'RE NOT A REAL GOVERNMENT.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT, THAT DOESN'T AFFECT ME.
BUT I KNOW IT AFFECTS A LOT OF THE TAXPAYERS.
WHAT I AM CURIOUS ABOUT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE 50% ON THOSE SUBDIVISIONS, THOSE DEVELOPERS, WHY ARE DEVELOPERS NOT BEING CHARGED TO COME INTO OUR COUNTY AND NOT, NOT YOU'RE PAYING THEM TO COME TO OUR COUNTY.
WHY ARE THEY NOT PAYING TO HAVE ALL THE ROADS DONE AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF? THEY ARE PAYING THEIR OWN ROADS INSIDE THEIR OWN HOUSING CONDITION.
THERE'S A THING CALLED PERSONAL OR PRIVATE RIGHTS ON PROPERTY THAT THE LEGISLATURE SAYS YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR PROPERTY.
WHAT YOU WANNA DO WITH, AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T AFFECT SOMEONE ELSE, THEY'RE NOT AFFECTING ANYONE ELSE.
SO THEY COME IN AND BILL THESE SUBDIVISIONS, THEN THEY GET A PERMIT FROM, UH, TCEQ TO BILL THESE THINGS.
AND WE CAN'T STOP THAT EITHER.
WE HAVE HEARINGS, BUT WHY ARE THEY GETTING MONEY BACK? THAT'S PART AGREEMENT OF THESE MUD DISTRICTS TO COME IN TO HELP PAY
SO IT WAS A MUD DIS IT WAS A MUD DISTRICT THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT MUDS.
BUT WE, WE DON'T APPROVE ANY HERE.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THESE WERE APPROVED BEFORE Y'ALL CAME? OH, YES.
BUT THERE'S STILL SOME ON THE BOOKS NOW THAT I, WE ARE TRYING TO FIGHT, RIGHT? YES.
WE HAVE NOT APPROVED ONE IN SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE THE LAST, NOT IN THREE YEARS.
WE WILL, I DO NOT SUPPORT THEM.
'CAUSE I ALREADY SEE THE DAMAGE.
WE'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH THAT NOW WITH, WE CAN'T COMPRESS THE TAX RATE BECAUSE DECISIONS MADE IN THE PAST THAT WE, NOW WE'RE ONES HAVING TO DEAL WITH THAT.
SO WE'VE BEEN VERY CONSERVATIVE ON THIS COURT LAST THREE YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE THAT WE ARE NOT DOING ANY OF THESE AND WE DON'T.
SO EXCEPT, WELL, I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE MOORE FARM.
AND WE'RE NOT GIVEN, UH, TAX ABATEMENTS TO SOLAR FARMS. WIND FARMS. NO.
AND THE OTHER QUE THE OTHER ONE LAST THING.
THESE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE, THEY HIRE PEOPLE FOR THE R BOARD TO HELP WITH YOUR TAXES.
AND THE R BOARD NEEDS PEOPLE TO COME AND WORK FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET VOLUNTEERS TO DO IT.
IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO DO IT.
UM, IF YOU HAVE A JOB, OBVIOUSLY.
BUT IF YOU CAN TAKE THOSE THREE MONTHS OUT TO WORK ON THE R BOARD, IT REALLY DOES HELP.
AND IT MAKES YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR TAXES.
NEED STATEMENT NAME AGAIN, PLEASE, SIR? TOMMY JAMES.
29 32 WEST ALAMOSA DRIVE, UH, HERE IN, IN, UH, TERRELL.
UH, THIS QUESTION, THE COMMISSION MAY NOT ANSWER, IT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER, BUT I WANTED TO BRING IT TOO BECAUSE IT'S A LINE ITEM THAT AFFECTS THE BUDGET AND ULTIMATELY AFFECTS US IS TAXPAYERS.
UM, A CONTRACT WAS GIVEN FOR HIGHWAY 1 75.
THE ORIGINAL BUDGET FOR THAT CONTRACT WAS $50,000.
UH, WHEN THE CONTRACT WAS LED, AGAIN, IT WENT FROM 50,000 TO 2 88.
MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT A SINGLE YEAR OR IS THAT MULTIPLE YEARS OF THE SAME VENDOR PERFORMING THAT TASK? OR, AND HOW IS THAT AUDITED? I'M NOT SURE I'M FAMILIAR WITH WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I'D LOVE TO ANSWER PROBABLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT WE DO IS WE PASS THE BOND AND THE BOND.
WE PAY LIKE $50,000 TO DO THE ENGINEERING.
IT COMES OUT AS IT PRODUCED FOR US.
'CAUSE THE STATE PICKS UP THAT ALL THAT OTHER MONEY THAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT.
AND SO AT THE END OF IT, IT SAYS THAT WE GAINED $275 MILLION OR $275,000 FOR OUR 50 50,000 BECAUSE WE WENT OUT AND PUSHED THE ISSUE FURTHER TO GET THE HIGHWAY HERE QUICKER.
THAT'S WHERE THAT MONEY COMES FROM.
THE TAXPAYERS DON'T PAY THAT THE STATE DOES.
DO WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT WE HIRED TO DO THAT FOR US? I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S A SOLE THING.
[00:45:01]
DID JUST THE OTHER DAY.UH, AGAIN, RIGHT NOW I GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
THE NEW BYPASS AND CRANDALL, YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF THE NEW BRIDGE THERE.
THE COUNTY PUT LIKE, WHAT WAS IT, 1.7 MILLION THERE.
AND BETWEEN THE STATE ON FED FEDERAL FUNDS AND THE COG IT, THEY PICKED THAT PROJECT UP.
IT'S A $68 MILLION PROJECT GOING ON RIGHT THERE.
WE INVESTED 2 MILLION OF YOUR BOND MONEY IN THAT TO RECEIVE A $68 MILLION PROJECT NOW, NOT 10 YEARS FROM NOW.
SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THAT WORKS.
ON, ON THE BOND, LIKE ON THE BOND ELECTION, THE LAST BOND ELECTION, I DIDN'T PUT MONEY ON COUNTY ROADS IN MY PRECINCT.
I PUT IT ALL ON FARM TO MARKET ROADS.
SO THAT, SO NOW 5 48, 4 60, 7 40, ALL THAT IS 10 YEARS EARLIER THAN IT WOULD'VE BEEN WITH THE STATE.
SO THEY'RE ALL STARTING TO BE WORTH 80.
ALL THIS STUFF IS, IS MOVING FORWARD QUICKER.
I KNOW PEOPLE DON'T, DON'T SEE THAT.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT UNTIL I ACTUALLY GOT IN OFFICE.
IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY NINE YEARS FROM THE DAY THEY EVEN START A PROJECT TO EVEN GET IT OPEN JUST TO START PUTTING STREETS DOWN.
AND, AND, AND PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO UNDERSTAND THAT I STARTED SOMETHING 10 YEARS AGO THAT THEY'RE JUST NOW LETTING OUT, WHICH IS THE PROJECT BETWEEN 80 AND WINDMILL FARM BOULEVARD.
IT'S FIXING TO BE, YOU KNOW, MULTI-LANE.
THEY'RE FIXING ALL THAT'S LET OUT THIS YEAR.
SO THEY'RE GONNA START WORKING ON IT 5 48 GOING ACROSS 20.
1648, I MEAN 1641 WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN, YOU SEE ALL THE GAS LINES BEING MOVED.
GUESS WHO PAID FOR THAT? WE DID IN OUR BOND MONEY TO SPEED IT UP.
AND WHEN YOU SPEED IT UP LIKE THAT, THEN TXDOT PUTS ALL THAT MONEY OVER ON.
AND THAT'S WHERE ALL THAT BIG GAIN COMES FROM.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE GAINED ALL THAT MONEY.
WE DIDN'T REALLY GAIN ALL THE MONEY, BUT, BUT THEY'RE PAYING FOR IT FOR US AND MOVING IT FORWARD.
AND SO I HOPE THAT KIND OF EXPLAINED IT.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY FIRST QUESTIONS WAS WHEN THEY ASKED THAT, I SAID, I SAID, WELL WHAT IF EVERYBODY DOES THE SAME THING WE DO AND WE STILL IN THE SAME SPOT,
AND SURE ENOUGH THEY DON'T DO THAT BECAUSE THE POPULATION, THE POPULATION HAS TO BE HERE TO GET THE ROADS HERE.
AND, AND AND TXDOT DOESN'T CONSIDER A HIGHWAY BEING CROWDED UNTIL 24 7.
YOU GET UP AND DOWN AND IF IT'S, IF IT'S FROM EIGHT IN THE MORNING, I MEAN SIX IN THE MORNING TILL EIGHT IN THE MORNING, THEY, AND IT'S A TRAFFIC JAM AND IT'S BUMPER AND BUMPER.
THEY SAY, HEY, THAT'S JUST A TRAFFIC JAM.
THEY DON'T SAY THAT'S, THAT'S A ROAD THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED YET.
IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT THE WAY THEY SEE IT, THE WAY THEY SEE IT, YOU KNOW, AND ALL WE SEE IS IT BACKS UP TRAFFIC INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND SO WHEN THEY PICKED THAT PROJECT UP, A LOT OF TIMES THEY BUY BACK WHAT WE SPENT.
AND SO THAT'S THE REASON THERE WAS IMPROVEMENT ON LIKE LAKE RAY, HARVARD THIS YEAR.
THAT'S HOW I MADE A THIRD LANE IS 'CAUSE THEY PICKED THE MONEY BACK UP.
THEY GAVE ME MY MONEY BACK THAT I PUT ON THE MOVING OF THE UTILITIES.
I KNOW PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT AS SOON AS THEY PICK IT UP, THEY GENERALLY FUND YOU BACK.
AND SO WE MAKE A LOT OF MONIES OFF, OFF THE DOLLAR THAT YOU SPENT.
BELIEVE ME, YOU, YOU, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALLY KNOW HOW CONSERVATIVE WE'RE BEING.
I MEAN, AND I DON'T KNOW OF A WAY THAT YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD ANY MORE THAN WE ARE DOING IT.
UM, 'CAUSE WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE.
WE'VE HIRED THE BEST ENGINEERS THAT YOU CAN HIRE.
WE'VE HIRED EVERYTHING TO DO RIGHT.
WELL I, AND THEN SOMETIMES THEY DON'T GET PICKED UP AND SOMETIMES THEY JUST SIT THERE, YOU KNOW, UH, THEY JUST SIT AND THEY SIT AND THEY SIT.
'CAUSE TDOT, YOU KNOW, WE WENT TO A MEETING, I'M GONNA SHARE THIS WITH EVERYBODY AND THIS TERRIBLE THING, UH, AT TDOT AUSTIN.
AND WE'RE ALL SITTING IN THIS MEETING AND THIS WAS FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO AND MAYBE SIX, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER.
AND THEY SAID, OH, WE DON'T, WE HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY TO BUILD THE ROAD.
AND I SAID, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? AND WE, WE GOT MORE MONEY THAN WE CAN STAND, BUILD THE ROAD.
WE DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE, WE CAN'T ALLOCATE THE JOBS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO ASSIGN THE JOBS OUT.
AND THEY LOOKED, THEY DOESN'T SAID, IF YOU WANT SOMETHING, YOU GO BACK ACROSS THE STREET, WHICH HE IS TALKING ABOUT THE CAPITAL AND TELL
[00:50:01]
THOSE PEOPLE, WE NEED PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THIS MONEY.THEY CAN GIVE US ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD WE HAVE AND WANT, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE, WE CAN'T SPEND THE MONEY.
AND I THOUGHT, BOY IS THIS SYSTEM MESSED UP
YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE BOTTOM FEEDERS.
WE'RE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST.
THE ONLY, WE HAVE A LAW BOOK ON THERE.
SHE DON'T HAVE ONE, BUT SHE CAN HOLD IT UP.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE CAN DO IS WHAT EXACTLY WHAT THAT LAW BOOK TELLS US THAT WE CAN DO.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE LEGISLATOR, WE'RE NOT A CITY COUNCIL.
WE CAN'T MAKE UP RULES FOR OURSELF.
THE STATE MAKES UP ALL OF OUR RULES AND ALL WE CAN DO IS FOLLOW 'EM.
WELL THAT'S, THAT SORT OF LEADS TO PART TOO.
I WANTED TO GET CLARIFICATION ON PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS.
SO THAT'S COMING FROM GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S OFFICE.
IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTAND? WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE SAYING IT'S GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S OFFICE, BUT YES, THE CENTRAL APPRAISAL.
BUT THAT DISTRICT REPORTS TO, THAT'S THE GOVERNOR'S STATE AGENCY.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT YOU, THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT'S A SEPARATE, TOTAL POLITICAL THING ALL BY ITSELF THAT THE STATE HIRES BASICALLY.
AND THEY HAVE A BOARD AND THEY HAVE A BOARD.
THAT BOARD IS IN AUSTIN, IS THAT CORRECT? NO, IS HERE, THE BOARD IS COUNTY FOR EACH COUNTY.
AND THEN THEY HAVE HOW DOES, HOW DO I AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN APPEAR? THAT BOARD, IF YOU GO TO THEIR BOARD, IF YOU GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, IT'LL TELL YOU WHO THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE.
OR YOU CAN CALL UP THERE AND THEY'LL TELL YOU WHO THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE.
EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT, CITY HAS REPRESENTATIVES.
EVERY, EVERY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION HAS A REPRESENTATIVE.
'CAUSE SOME OF 'EM TOO SMALL SCHOOL BOARD CITIES, EVERYBODY HAS A REPRESENTATIVE.
WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE, OURS IS A, AN ACTUAL BANK PRESIDENT THAT, THAT UH, UH, HIS UNDER GRADUATE DEGREE WAS AN APPRAISAL.
SO WE APPOINTED HIM TO THE BOARD.
BUT THEY STILL ANSWER TO THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.
AND IF YOU DON'T APPRAISE THE VALUE AT, WHAT IS IT, 99 5 TO 105% OF WHAT THE STATE SAYS.
IF YOU DON'T, THEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LOSES MONEY.
THEY TAKE, THEY FIND A MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
LIKE MY VALUES WENT FROM 1 78 TO 400,000 OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
UH, THE, WHAT HAPPENS IS WE, THE STATE WAS SAYING MY HOUSE WAS WORTH MORE IN 2019, 2020.
AND THEY'RE LIKE, IF YOU DON'T MISS SARAH, SARAH WAS THE ONE THAT WAS SITTING HERE TO CORRECT ALL THIS.
AND SHE'S DONE HER JOB, BUT SHE PUT EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY WITHIN 9,500, 5% OR THE STATE WAS GONNA DEFUND ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS BY THAT VALUE.
SO THAT'S HOW, WHY SHE CAME HERE TO PUT US IN.
UH, AND THEN HOPEFULLY NOW IT'LL BE LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, IF YOU PULL YOUR LAST 15 YEARS OF TAX STATEMENTS, IF YOU LIVED HERE THAT LONG, YOU'LL SEE LIKE YOUR TAXES MAYBE 60, $80 A YEAR IN SOME PLACES IF YOU'RE IN SOME OF THESE LARGER CITIES MADE MORE, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'RE BACK TO THAT.
NOT THESE TREMENDOUS GAINS THAT'S EVEN HAPPENED TO ME IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
SO JUST, BUT THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, EVERYBODY THINKS THAT WE ACTUALLY CONTROL THAT.
I WISH, AND I, I'D SAY ONE MORE GOOD THING ABOUT THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, IT WORKS IN REVERSE TOO.
SO LIKE LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR, A LOT OF PEOPLE, LIKE IN THE FOREIGN AREA, THEIR TAXES ACTUALLY WENT DOWN.
A LOT OF 'EM THIS YEAR IS GOING DOWN AGAIN BECAUSE THE APPRAISALS WENT DOWN IN FORNEY IN THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
NOT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, DID ANYBODY HERE KNOW THAT THEIRS WENT DOWN OR DID OR WENT UP? SOMEBODY'S WENT UP, YEAH.
DID THEY? THE UH, UM, BUT A LOT OF 'EM WENT DOWN IN FORNEY.
I'M, I'M NOT SAYING EVERYBODY'S, I'M JUST SAYING A LOT OF PEOPLES IN FORNEY'S DID GO DOWN.
'CAUSE I PULLED QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S NUMBERS THAT CALLED ME AND LOOKED AT THEIR APP PRAISE VALUE.
AND I'VE GOT A GOOD FRIEND AND THEY CALLED AND THEY WERE RAISING KANE OVER OFF HELMS TRAIL.
AND THERE'S, WELL, YOU, YOU CAN SHAKE YOUR HEAD, BUT IT'S TRUE.
THEIRS WENT DOWN BY ABOUT $20,000 IN VALUE IN LAND VALUE.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY, THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE IT WENT DOWN WAS LAND VALUE.
NOT, NOT IN, NOT IN BUILDING COST BAY.
WELL I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE TODAY IS HERE TO BEAT UP ON YOU GUYS.
IT'S JUST THAT I THINK I CAN SPEAK, UNDERSTAND EVERYONE HERE IS THAT TAXES ARE A CONCERN.
THEY'RE A CONCERN WITH EVERYBODY.
YOU KNOW, AND WHEN YOU GET A PERSONAL TAX BILL AND IT'S $800,000 AND YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTRY TODAY, THAT'S A REAL HARD PILL TO SWALLOW.
AND THAT'S MY ACTUAL PERSONAL TAX
[00:55:01]
BILL FOR LAST YEAR.AND SO I LEAVE YOU WITH, I'M GONNA DO WHAT I HAVE TO DO WITH THE GOVERNOR TO GET BEFORE HIM AND GET BEFORE THIS COMMUNITY TO TALK ABOUT TAXES.
BECAUSE IN EVERY STATE, NOT JUST TEXAS, IN EVERY STATE, THE SAME ISSUE IS BEING HEARD OVER AND OVER.
AND NO MATTER WHAT STATE I GO TO, I HEAR THE EXACT SAME THING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN.
WELL, THAT'S, I THINK YOU ALSO, I THINK THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY SAYS TO THE GOVERNOR AND THAT'S WHY THEY KEEP COMING BACK AND LOWERING THE SCHOOL TAX IS BECAUSE OF THAT.
BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF YOUR BILL AFTER BELONG TO THE SCHOOL.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, AND MY KIDS DON'T GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, MY SON JUST RELOCATED FROM GERMANY A MONTH AGO.
HE HAS THREE KIDS AND THEY'RE GOING TO FORNEY, ISDI THINK FORNEY.
IT'S, IT IS A GORGEOUS, WE'VE GOT THE STATE OF THE ART SCHOOLS.
YOUR CONCERN AND YOUR, UH, WILLINGNESS TO BE HERE TODAY TO SHARE AND TO HELP US AND TO HELP ALL THE FOLKS HERE TO UNDERSTAND.
BUT THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
[5. Public Hearing: on proposed tax rate for FY 2025-26.]
ON TO NUMBER FIVE AS A PUBLIC HEARING ON A PROPOSED TAX RATE FOR FY 25 26.AND THAT TAX RATE IS THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.
ANY COMMENTS ON THE TAX RATE? WE ALL KNOW WE WANT IT TO BE LOWER.
[6. Judge Allen: Discuss/Consider exiting public hearings and enter back into a regular meeting.]
NUMBER SIX, DISCUSS CONSIDERING PUBLIC HEARING.ENTER BACK TO A REGULAR MEETING.
NEED A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
[7. Judge Allen: Discuss/Consider setting salaries, expenses and other allowances for all elected county and precinct officers.]
DISCUSS CONSIDER SETTING SALARIES, EXPENSES, AND OTHER ALLOWANCES FOR ALL ELECTED COUNTY AND PRECINCT OFFICERS.ARE THERE ANY OTHER CHANGES THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE THAT WAS NOT ALREADY PUBLISHED IN THE PAPER? IT'S ALL PUBLIC INFORMATION.
AND SOME OF THOSE IN THERE I'VE HAD COMMENTS THAT WOW, THEY GOT A BIG RAISE.
UH, SOME OF THOSE ARE, ARE PAID BY THE STATE.
THEY'RE NOT PAID BY THE COUNTY.
UH, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO PUT IN THERE.
WHO PAYS WHAT, BUT THE BIG INCREASES ARE ALL PAID BY THE STATE.
'CAUSE A LOT OF OUR JUDGES HADN'T HAD A RAISE IN I THINK SEVEN YEARS.
SO THE STATE CAME IN AND SAID THAT WE CAN'T GO ABOVE IT OR BELOW IT.
SO, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? NO CHANGES.
ANY A MOTION TO ACCEPT? I'LL MAKE A MOTION PLEASE.
MR. PHIPPS MAKES THE MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.
[8. Judge Allen: Discuss/Consider adopting the budget of record for FY 2025-26 and take a record vote.]
US TO DISCUSS, CONSIDERED ADOPTING THE BUDGET OF RECORD FOR 25 26.THAT MEANS EACH ONE OF US VOTE INDIVIDUALLY.
MR. START WITH THE COMMISSIONER.
[9. Judge Allen: Discuss/Consider setting the debt service tax rate 0.056752 and operations tax rate as 0.277726 and the road and bridge tax rate as 0.080635 for 2025-26.]
NINE, DISCUSS.CONSIDER SETTING A DEBT SERVICE RATE OF 0.0 5 6 7 5 2.
AND AN OPERATIONS TAX RATE IS 0.2 7 7 7 2 6.
AND THE ROAD BRIDGE TAX IS 0.0 8 0 6 3 5 FOR FY 25 26.
ANY COMMENTS? CHANGES? CORRECTIONS NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE.
I MAKE THE MOTION MR. MOORE MAKES THE MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.
[10. Judge Allen: Discuss/Consider adopting the total tax rate for FY 2025-26 as 0.415113.]
DISCUSS.CONSIDER ADOPTING A TOTAL TAX RATE FOR FY 25.
THE VERY SAME AS IT WAS LAST YEAR.
IF NOT, NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE.
MR. LA MAKES A MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.
LET ME SIGN THESE PAPERS QUICK.
[01:00:01]
OKAY.ON NUMBER 10, I JUST READ ALL THAT FOR YOU.
SO YOU'VE GOT THE, THE AMOUNTS.
IF YOU, YOU CAN GO THROUGH A WEBSITE AND YOU CAN FIND THE TOTAL AMOUNTS IF YOU'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THEM OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A COPY, WE'LL GIVE YOU A COPY YOU CAN TAKE HOME WITH YOU TODAY IF YOU LIKE IT 'CAUSE.
[11. Chuck Mohnkern: Discuss/Consider/Approve the Treasurer's Monthly Report for July 202S.]
11.MR. CHUCK, ARE YOU GOING TO DISCUSS, CONSIDER AND APPROVE OF THE TREASURER'S MONTHLY REPORT FOR JULY OF 25.
UH, IN FUND TO 10, WE STARTED, UH, THE MONTH OF JULY WITH $33.6 MILLION AND UH, WE HAD RECEIPTS OF 8.3 MILLION DISBURSEMENTS OF 13.8 MILLION ENDING THE MONTH WITH A CASH BALANCE OF $28.2 MILLION.
WE EARNED INTEREST IN AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK OF $2,109 DURING THE MONTH.
OUR EARNINGS ON OUR TEXT POOL AND TEXAS CLASS INVESTMENTS $388,149 FOR TOTAL EARNINGS.
DURING THE MONTH OF 390,258, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 8,238,000 INVESTED IN TECH POOL.
UH, 90,000,027 INVESTED IN TEXAS CLASS.
THE, UH, AVERAGE YIELD ON TEPO DURING THE MONTH, 4.4193999999999996%.
THE AVERAGE YIELD ON TEXAS CLASS 4.4065%.
THE, UH, TOTAL COUNTY FUNDS IN AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK AT THE END OF THE MONTH, 36.8 MILLION.
THE VALUE OF COLLATERAL 46 MILLION.
SO WE'RE COLLATERALIZED AT 125%, WHICH IS QUITE GOOD.
UH, OUR TOTAL, UH, RECEIPTS DURING THE MONTH.
3,306,000 AND WE WROTE 444 RECEIPTS DURING THE MONTH.
HOW'S THE INTEREST RATES HOLDING? INTEREST RATES ARE HOLDING? UH, WE'LL PROBABLY SEE HIM GO DOWN A QUARTER OF A PERCENT IN, UH, ABOUT MID-SEPTEMBER WHEN THE FED BASE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR TREASURER? NOPE.
NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
[12. Shannon Roden: Discuss/Consider a motion to approve the final plat of Quarry Lake located on CR 334 in Precinct 3.]
12, MS. SHANNON.WE'RE GOING DISCUSS, CONSIDER A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FINAL PLAT FOR QUA LAKE LOCATED ON COUNTY ROAD 3 34 IN PRECINCT THREE.
SO THIS, AND FOR THE GENTLEMAN, I'M SORRY, HERE, IF YOU WOULD EXPLAIN KIND OF WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.
UM, SO ALL, ALL CAN'T UNDERSTAND.
UM, SO WE HAVE A, A PROPERTY THAT IS BEING SPLIT INTO 10 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOTS.
AND THAT GOES THROUGH A PROCESS WHERE IT HAS TO GET ALL OF THE REQUIRED APPROVALS BEFORE WE BRING IT HERE TODAY TO GET THE FINAL APPROVAL FROM THE COURT.
SO THIS PROPERTY IS ABOUT 65 ACRES.
UM, IT'S BEING SPLIT AGAIN INTO 10 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOTS.
THEY RANGE FROM THREE TO 15 ACRES AND IT HAS RECEIVED ALL OF THE REQUIRED APPROVALS, WHICH WERE SUBMITTED WITH THE AGENDA PACKET.
AND WE JUST NEED THE COURT'S APPROVAL.
IN PRECINCT NUMBER THREE, WHAT DO YOU SAY? YES SIR.
COMMISSIONER LANE, DO I HAVE A SECOND? NO, SIR.
COMMISSIONER MOORE MAKES A SECOND.
[13. Fabi Carillo: Discuss/Consider a motion to approve the re plat of part of lot 42 and all of lot 56 of Kaufman Estates located on Reese Road in Precinct 1.]
CONSIDER A MOTION TO APPROVE A REPL, A PART OF LOT 42 AND ALL OF LOT 56 AND KAUFMAN ESTATES LOCATED ON REESE ROAD IN PRECINCT ONE.IF YOU GIVE THE SAME EXPLANATION ALSO.
THIS HOMEOWNER IS, UH, SPLITTING THEIR PROPERTY INTO THREE LOTS.
IT'S A FIVE ACRE PROPERTY AND THEY'RE SPLITTING IT INTO THREE LOTS.
IT'S GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS AND WE'RE JUST HERE WANTING AN APPROVAL.
UH, I OWN LOT 42, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THIS UHHUH
TO WHAT EFFECT IS IT GONNA HAVE ON MY NOTHING AT ALL.
YOU, WE ARE, THEY'RE JUST INCLUDING PART OF LOT 42.
CAN MR, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IN YOUR PRECINCT? WHO'S COMMISSIONER CROW MOTION? MR. CROW MAKES THE MOTION.
HAVE A SECOND AND I'LL SECOND.
AND I KNOW SHE'S LOOKING PUZZLED OUT THERE.
[01:05:01]
PROCESS 10 YEARS AGO.I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A REDHEADED WOMAN BEHIND YOU BACK THERE.
THAT'S OVER THIS WHOLE DEPARTMENT AND THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT.
THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT'S BEEN PUT IN IN THESE YEARS BECAUSE USED TO, THEY JUST CAME TO A COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE AND THEY SAID OKAY.
AND NOBODY EVEN KNEW IT WAS HAPPENING.
NOW ALL THIS HAS PROCEDURES AND THEY FOLLOW EVERY SINGLE THING.
THEY GET CLEARANCE FROM THE WATER COMPANY FROM ANYBODY THAT THEY NEED.
IF THEY HAD SEWER, THEY'D GET PERMISSION FROM THAT.
THEY'D GET PERMISSION FROM THE WATER QUALITY PEOPLE.
EVERYBODY THEY GET PERMISSION FROM, THEY GET COMMISSION FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, FROM THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE REGULATIONS ARE BEING FOLLOWED.
AND PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, ROLAND COUNTY, YOU TOO.
WE'RE JUST A GROWING COUNTY AND THIS IS, THIS IS HELP FOR YOU.
THIS IS TRYING TO PROTECT YOU BECAUSE WE HAD PEOPLE COME IN AND THEY DEVELOP AREAS.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN PUT THE ROAD IN THAT THEY, THEY DIDN'T EVEN PUT, THERE YOU GO.
AND SO NOW THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING OR ENOUGH USABLE SPACE.
SO THREE COUNTIES ON WHAT WAS LIKE 56? SO KAUFMAN COUNTY HAS A ONE NET ACRE OF USABLE SPACE PER HOME PERCEPT.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ENOUGH SPACE.
UH, THEY HAVE A FIVE ACRE LOT WITH THE PIECE THAT YOU SOLD THEM WAS 0.8 SOMETHING.
BUT WITH THE FIVE ACRES, THEY'RE PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER AND NOW THEY'RE CREATING THREE LOTS THAT ARE BIG ENOUGH FOR THE SPACE WITH THE SEWER FOR THE SEPTICS.
SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTIONS AND MAYBE, UH, ROLAND YES.
DID DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? THIS WHAT HAPPENS EVERY WEEK THEY COME IN AND DO THIS MM-HMM
WELL I BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY LIKE IN 98 OR 99, BUT WHEN WE WENT TO CLOSE ON IT, THEY SAID THE UH, LOT 52 I GUESS OR LOT YOUR LOT 56 WAS NOT A FULL FIVE ACRES.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY TOOK PART OF OUR LOT.
BACK THEN WHEN WE PURCHASED IT.
TO MAKE UP THAT FIVE ACRES, THEY HAVE FIVE ACRES AND THEN WE SOLD THEM FOR EIGHT.
WE STILL GOT A VOTE? STILL VOTE FIRST AND SECOND.
[14. Steve Howie: Discuss/Consider issuance of a Proclamation for September 2025 as National Preparedness Month in Kaufman County.]
14.MR. STEVE HUEY, DISCUSS, CONSIDER AN ISSUANCE OF A PROCLAMATION FOR SEPTEMBER OF 25 FOR NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH IN KAMAN COUNTY.
CASEY, I GOTTA HAVE HELP THESE DAYS.
WE'VE DONE IT FOR PROBABLY ABOUT 15 YEARS NOW.
WE TRY TO USE THE MONTH OF, UH, SEPTEMBER TO GET EVERYBODY TO BE PREPARED FOR DISASTERS WHEN THEY OCCUR.
AND UH, THIS YEAR IS NO DIFFERENT.
IN ADDITION TO THE PROCLAMATION, WE DO HAVE A PREPAREDNESS FESTIVAL AND I'M GONNA LET TIFFANY SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
SO WE ARE HAVING A KAUFFMAN COUNTY PREPAREDNESS FESTIVAL SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH.
UM, IT'S GOING TO BE IN MAYBANK THIS YEAR AT THE MAYBANK PAVILION.
UM, IT IS TO SHOWCASE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND AGENCIES AND, UH, TEACH THE COMMUNITY AND OTHER PEOPLE ON HOW TO BE PREPARED AND MORE RESILIENT, UM, FOR THEIR HOMES AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BUNCH OF LIKE DEMONSTRATIONS THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE GONNA DO.
WE ARE GONNA HAVE THE BOMB SQUAD COME OUT AND DO A ROBOT DEMONSTRATION.
UM, SO IT UH, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS WELL.
SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL BE OUT THERE OF COURSE.
UM, AND OTHER DIFFERENT AGENCIES AS WELL.
CARE FLAT, UM, UT HEALTH WILL ALSO BE THERE AND CHRISTUS CMS WILL ALSO BE THERE.
UM, VERY LARGE EVENT THIS YEAR, PROBABLY 30 40 VENDORS AND WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING VENDORS TOO.
THE ONLY THING VENDORS CANNOT DO IS SELL.
'CAUSE THIS IS A FREE EVENT TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEING A VENDOR, YOU CAN CALL OUR OFFICE AND WE'LL GET YOU SET UP.
WELL THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY MUCH NEEDED AND ESPECIALLY AFTER THE FLOODS IN SOUTH TEXAS.
I CALLED STEVE THE NEXT NEXT WEEK AND TOLD HIM, UH, WE NEED A A SYSTEM.
HE SAYS, WELL I'VE GOT A BOOK HERE ABOUT 3000 PAGES THAT WE WANT SOMETHING SHORT, SWEET TO THE POINT.
IF A DISASTER HAPPENS, WE NEED TO MOVE QUICK.
AND SO YOU'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT? STILL WORKING ON THAT.
[01:10:01]
A DUE DATE I DIDN'T THINK.BUT SO ANYWAY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
'CAUSE IF EVERYTHING SHOULD GO DOWN, TORNADO PROBABLY NOT GONNA HAVE ANY FLOODS HERE, BUT TORNADOES MAY BE FIRE.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SERVICE OUR CITIZENS AND OTHER CITIES COME IN TO HELP.
BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A PROCESS AND KNOW WHO TO CALL TO MAKE IT WORK FOR.
IT'S A SAFETY, IT'S A BIG SAFETY ISSUE.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR DOING THIS AND WE HOPE A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO MAYBANK, UH, IN SEPTEMBER AND TAKE PART IN THIS.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE THIS PROCLAMATION NEED A MOTION TO DO THAT.
MR. LAMB MAKES A MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.
A MOTION CARRIES MR. TR RAMSEY.
[15. Trenis Ramsey: Discuss/Consider/Approve a contract with Scott Matthews to be a consultant for the Juvenile Probation Department and the Kaufman County Juvenile Board during the building of the Juvenile Detention Center.]
WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS, CONSIDER AND APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH SCOTT MATTHEWS TO BE A CONSULTANT FOR THE JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT AND THE CARLTON COUNTY JUVENILE BOARD DURING THE BUILDING OF THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER.UH, BASICALLY SCOTT MATTHEWS IS WITH, UH, WILLIAMSON COUNTY JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT.
HE'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THERE AT THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT AND ALSO HE WAS ON THE BOARD AT TJJD THAT GOVERNS US AT THE STATE LEVEL.
AND UH, HE HAS 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE HE BUILT ON AND BUILT ON AND NOW THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN THE BUILT PROJECT AGAIN.
SO WHEN AFTER THE BOND WAS PASSED, I GOT TO THINKING WHAT CAN WE DO TO ENSURE THAT UH, WE DO EVERYTHING APPROPRIATELY AND CORRECTLY SO WE DON'T HAVE MISTAKES.
SO I REACHED OUT TO HIM AND ASKED HIM WOULD HE MIND COMING ON BEING A CONSULTANT TO HELP US MAKE SURE WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN ORDER SO WE CAN ADEQUATELY BUILD THIS DETENTION CENTER PROPERLY.
SO I DISCUSSED IT WITH THE JUVENILE BOARD BACK IN JULY AND THEY AGREED TO IT.
SO I HAD TO BRING IT BEFORE YOU GUYS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN DO THAT.
THE THING IS, I'M GOING TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF MY BUDGET SO IT WON'T BE NO COST TO THE COUNTY.
THE $15,000 THAT HE JUST HAD ONE FLAT RATE.
AND ESPECIALLY IF THAT'S A, A BLUE RIBBON OPERATION THERE THAT MOST PEOPLE GO TO.
THEY MEET ALL THE STATE SPECS.
UH, EVERYONE WANTS TO PATTERN THEIRSELVES AFTER THIS FACILITY.
AND SO I THINK IT'S ONLY EXTREMELY WISE THAT WE USE HIS KNOWLEDGE TO HELP US MM-HMM
AND I THINK THAT'S JUST IMPORTANT GUYS.
NEED A MOTION, KAREN? OH, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY WE'RE ASKING THE COURT TODAY TO APPROVE THIS CONTRACT WITH UM, SCOTT MATTHEWS.
I BELIEVE BEFORE WE'VE TALKED IN THE COURT ABOUT HIRING HIM, THE PRICE WILL BE $15,000 AND I'M FINALIZING THAT CONTRACT.
WE'RE JUST BASICALLY FINALIZING THE SCOPE OF SERVICES AND THEN BY PASSING THIS ITEM, IT'LL GIVE JUDGE ALLEN THE ABILITY TO SIGN THE CONTRACT WITH SCOTT MATTHEWS ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
OKAY, MS. LORENA, SHE WANTS TO DISCUSS,
[16. Lorena Diaz: Discuss/Consider/Approve the award of Invitation for Bid 2025-004: 2 Inmate Transport Vans to High Level Enterprise, Inc.]
CONSIDER AN APPROVE AWARD OF INVITATION FOR BID 2025 DASH OH OH FOUR TO TWO INMATE TRANSPORT FANS TO HIGH LEVEL ENTERPRISES INC.SO WE'VE RECEIVED FIVE DIFFERENT RESPONSES.
HIGH LEVEL ENTERPRISE WAS THE LOWEST BIDDER AT 180 6.
IT, UH, OFFERS THE FASTEST LEAD TIME OF 120 DAYS TURNAROUND.
I RECOMMEND AWARDING THE CONTRACT TO HIGH LEVEL ENTERPRISE.
SHERIFF COMMAND SAYS, YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE DO.
WE ALSO, WE DON'T USE TAXPAYERS MONEY.
I USE THE COMMISSARY FUND TO PAY FOR THIS.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE GONNA LET THE INMATES PAY FOR THEIR OWN TRANSPORT.
ANY OTHER MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
COMMISSIONER LANE MAKES A MOTION.
CARRIE REINA, ONCE AGAIN DISCUSS, CONSIDER AN APPROVE
[17. Lorena Diaz: Discuss/Consider/Approve entering into a Construction Manager-Agent contract with Kitchell CEM for the Juvenile Probation facility, Task Order #2.]
ENTERING INTO A MANAGEMENT, UH, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AGENT CONTRACT WITH KITCHELL CEM FOR THE JUVENILE PROBATION FACILITY TASK ORDER NUMBER TWO.SO WE CURRENTLY ALREADY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH KITCHELL.
IT WAS REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY LEGAL EARLIER THIS YEAR.
THIS IS A, AN ADDITIONAL TASK ORDER THAT WE WOULD BE PUTTING UNDER THE AGREEMENT.
UM, KITCHELL WILL SERVE AS A COOP OUR COUNTY'S OWNERS REP REPRESENTATIVE PROVIDING COORDINATION
[01:15:01]
MANAGEMENT ACROSS ALL PHASES, WHICH WOULD BE PRE-CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN, PROCUREMENT AND CONSTRUCTION CLOSEOUT.UM, I RECOMMEND AWARDING TASK NUMBER TWO TO KITCHELL AT $1,270,730.
NOW EXPLAIN TO ALL THE GUYS IF, IF YOU WANNA COME FORWARD, THE ADVANTAGE OF US DOING THIS.
AND SOME OF 'EM HAD NOT PROBABLY HEARD THAT.
THIS IS CAMERON GLASS AT KIEL.
UH, I'M WORKING WITH YOU GUYS CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW.
UM, WHAT WE'VE KIND OF TALKED WITH SOME OF Y'ALL IS BRINGING US ON BOARD TO BASICALLY BE YOUR OWNER'S REPRESENTATIVE, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AGENT.
WE'LL HELP BRING ON THE CONTRACTORS, WE'LL HELP BRING ON ARCHITECTS, WE'LL MANAGE THE CONSTRUCTION, MAKE SURE IT'S BUILT LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
BASICALLY EYES AND EARS, BOOTS ON THE GROUND FOR YOU ALL, EVERY SINGLE DAY, UM, FOR THE DURATION OF THIS PROJECT.
SO, UM, TAYLOR'S YOUR, YOUR EXPERIENCE ON HOW MANY OF THESE YOU'VE BEEN OH SURE.
SO I MYSELF, 25 YEARS, UH, EXPERIENCE BUILDING JUSTICE FACILITIES.
WE ARE CURRENTLY THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE STATES TWO NEW ACTUALLY JUVENILE FACILITIES THAT ARE BEING BUILT, UH, AS WE SPEAK.
ONE OF 'EM IS GONNA BE BUILDING IN ELLIS COUNTY AND THE OTHER ONE'S DOWN IN, UH, BRAZORIA AREA.
UM, KITCHELL AS AN ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 75 YEARS AND I HAVE 50, 60 JUVENILE FACILITIES THAT WE'VE DONE ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.
SO, UH, WE BRING A RICH HISTORY IN THIS.
I HAVE A, A VERY LONG BACKGROUND IN DOING THIS KIND OF WORK.
UH, VERY SPECIFICALLY THIS, THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS.
SO, AND IT'S AN INCUMBENT ON US TO BRING IN SOMEONE WHO KNOWS ALL THE INS AND OUTS WHO'S DONE IT.
THEY HAVE A PROVEN TRACK RECORD.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN RECOMMENDED HIGHLY, UH, BY FOLKS WHO'VE USED THEM.
AND SO SINCE WE'RE NOT EXPERTS AND WE DON'T HAVE ONE ON BOARD THAT IS, IT'S ONLY, UH, ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US TO, TO DO THIS I THINK.
SO THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION ALSO.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR HIM OR FOR LORENA? NO.
I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THEN I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR YOU.
MR. PHIPPS MAKES THE MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.
THANK YOU GUYS BE THANK YOU MR. LORENA.
[18. Lorena Diaz: Discuss/Consider/Approve the award of RFP 2025-006 Bank Depository, to American National Bank of Texas.]
DISCUSS AND APPROVE THE AWARD OF RFP 2025 DASH OH OH SIX BANK DEPOSITORY TO AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK OF TEXAS.SO WE RECEIVED ONE RESPONSE AND THAT WAS FROM AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK OF TEXAS.
CHUCK HAS REVIEWED THE PROPOSAL AND IS SATISFIED WITH THE TERMS. UM, THIS IS A BANK THAT WE'VE BANKED WITH FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND SO I'M RECOMMENDING MOVING FORWARD WITH THE CONTRACT WITH, UH, AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK OF TEXAS.
ANY QUESTIONS? NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
MR. LANE MAKES THE MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.
A MOTION CARRIES MS. LOREN ONCE
[19. Lorena Diaz: Discuss/Report the adoption of SB 1173 to raise the competitive bidding thresholds from $50,000 to $100,000 effective September Pt, 2025.]
AGAIN DISCUSS AND REPORT THE ADOPTION OF SENATE BILL 1173 TO RAISE THE, THE, UH, COMPETITIVE BIDDING THRESHOLD FROM 50,000 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER THE FIRST OF THIS YEAR.SO I'M BRINGING THIS TO COURT TODAY SO THAT WE COULD JUST MAKE SURE THAT AS SOON AS SEPTEMBER 1ST COMES IN, WE COULD ADOPT THAT AND UM, WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL OUR POLICY GETS UPDATED.
SO IT'S JUST US BRINGING IT TO, TO COURT JUST SO THAT WE COULD APPLY THAT ON SEPTEMBER 1ST.
YOU KNOW, THIS CAN BE A GREAT HELP TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
THEY'RE BUYING SO MUCH MATERIALS THAT YOU CAN'T BUY MUCH FOR 50,000 ANYMORE.
SO YES, WE WILL DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THIS AND AND DEFINITELY USE IT MORE OFTEN.
COMMISSIONER MOORE MAKES THE MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.
[20. Auditor: Discuss/Consider line item and budget transfers/corrections.]
AND CONSIDER LINE ITEM AND BUDGET TRANSFERS.SO THESE WERE, UM, SENT OUT PRIOR.
WE HAVE SEVERAL ROUTINE LINE ITEM TRANSFERS, UM, BETWEEN EXPENDITURE LINE ITEMS AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, SEVERAL BUDGET AMENDMENTS, RECORDING GRANT REVENUE AND THAT SORT OF THING THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
AND WE ASKED FOR THE COURT'S APPROVAL.
Y'ALL GOT THESE LAST WEEK IF WE HAD TIME TO REVIEW THEM.
ANY QUESTIONS? NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR YOU.
MR. PHILLIPS MAKES MOTION TO I HAVE A SECOND.
OKAY, MS. HONOR, ONCE AGAIN DISCUSS.
[21. Auditor: Discuss/Consider claims for payment and/or Financial Information as provided by the County Auditor.]
CONSIDER CLAIMS FOR PAYMENT WE HAVE THIS WEEK FOR PAYMENT.WE ARE HAVING, UH, WE HAVE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE INVOICES TOTALING $5,506,963 AND 71 CENTS.
AND MOST OF THAT IS MADE UP OF OUR, UM, DEBT PAYMENTS.
AND WE ASK FOR THE COURT'S APPROVAL.
[01:20:01]
CORRECTIONS NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.COMMISSIONER LANE MAKES A MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.
[22. Judge Allen: Discuss/Consider exiting regular meeting and enter an executive session pursuant to Texas Government Code 551.071, the Commissioners Court will meet in closed session to consult with counsel regarding pending or contemplated litigation, subjects, or settlement offers, including but not limited to: 1. Price v. White; Case 3:24-CV-1387-L; 2. Bates v. Kaufman County; Case 116800-489; 3. Toombs v. Kaufman County; Case 3:24·CV00892-B; 4. Almo v. Kaufman County; Case 112165-CC 5. Kaufman County, Texas v. Texas General Mechanical et al., Case 119216-86; 6. Opioid Litigation; 7. Construction Law Matters; and 8. Potential claims involving EEOC, Civil Rights, county issues.]
IS BY DISCUSS.CONSIDER AN EXITED REGULAR MEETING AND ENTERING EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS CODE 5 5 1 0.071.
THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WILL MEET ENCLOSED SESSION TO CONSULT WITH COUNSEL REGARDING PENDING AND CONTEMPT OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION SUBJECTS OR SETTLEMENT OFFERS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO.
THERE'S EIGHT DIFFERENT ITEMS THERE.
AND SO AT THIS TIME WE NEED A MOTION
[Entering into Executive Session]
TO EXIT THE REGULAR MEETING AND ENTERING INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.I'LL MAKE THE MOTION MR. MOORE MAKES THE MOTION.
COMMISSIONER LANE MAKES A SECOND.
THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
YOU'RE WELCOME AT ANY ANY OF OUR MEETINGS.