[00:00:05]
DID THEY, THEY WOULDN'T LET YOU? UH, SOMEBODY'S NOT.
COMMISSIONER ROWDEN, WILL YOU PUT US UP THIS MORNING? PLEASE LET PRAY GRACIOUS.
FOLLOW WE THANK THEY FOR THE PRIVILEGE AND OPPORTUNITY OF GATHERING TOGETHER TO DO THE BUSINESS OF THE COUNTY TODAY.
THEY LOOK DOWN UPON US WITH FAVOR AND GIVE US THE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING TO MAKE THE CORRECT, UH, DECISION.
UH, AS USUAL, LOOK DOWN UPON OUR TROOPS WITH FAVOR AND PROTECT THEM.
BRING THEM HOME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WE ALSO THANK THEY FOR THE MANY BLESSING THAT THOU HAS GIVEN US THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UH, AS BEAUTIFUL WEATHER.
AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE STILL NEED SOME RAIN, BUT, UH, ALL THIS WE ASK IN JESUS NAME, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA REPUBLIC, WHO STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL HONOR, I BELIEVE TO BE TEXAS.
ONE UNDER GOD, ONE AN INDIVIDUAL.
Y'ALL PREVIOUSLY HAVE TO PROVIDE A COPY OF THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS? ARE CORRECTIONS? IF THERE ARE NONE, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE AS PRESENTED.
MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER ROWDEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CLARK.
THAT'S FROM THE IN, UH, TASK FORCE.
UM, I VISITED WITH, UH, THESE PEOPLE LAST WEEK.
BUT, UH, WHO Y'ALL, WHO YOU ALL USE IN THIS TRAINING OR IF YOU EVER USE ANYBODY, BUT, UH, ARLINGTON.
UT ARLINGTON HAS A, UH, HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS TOOL AND HE SAID THEY'LL MAKE YOU A GREAT DEAL.
IF Y'ALL WOULDN'T SEND ANY OF THE OPERATORS, YOU'LL TO LEARN HOW TO DO IT.
ALSO ON THE BRIEFING, UH, FROM JIM ALLISON BROUGHT Y'ALL A COPY OF HIS, UH, BRIEF PRESENTATION.
THOSE ARE MY NOTES AT THE TOP THERE.
UH, THERE'S A DISTRICT CLERK, UH, FEE, $5 ARCHIVE FEE.
AND, UH, IF THE COURT, IF THE COUNTY'S GONNA PARTICIPATE IN THAT, IT HAS TO, UH, BE DONE BUDGET AGENDA THIS MORNING.
UH, FIRST WE HAVE UP THIS MORNING DEMONSTRATION OF TRAFFIC, UH, PAYMENT DO COM.
WOULD IT BE ALRIGHT IF I PASSED OUT? NO, WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
WELL THEN I'LL JUST HAVE AND DANCE LOUDER.
I DID HAVE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO SIT UP.
SO WHAT, I'M JUST GONNA WALK THROUGH THIS AND HOPEFULLY MAKE IT AS ENTERTAINING AS POSSIBLE FOR YOU.
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JOHNNY? WHERE'S JOHNNY? JOHN, YOU HAVE ANOTHER ATTORNEY?MS. HANSMAN IS THE, UH, BURGUNDY.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION TO YOU.
MY NAME IS LEE SIDES AND I'M WITH A COMPANY CALLED TRAFFIC PAYMENT.COM.
WE'RE LOCATED IN ADDISON, TEXAS AND HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR SIX YEARS, PROVIDING, UH, PAYMENT, UH, OPTIONS FOR COURTS AND IN CITIES AND COUNTIES THROUGHOUT TEXAS.
AND WE HAVE A FEW IN, UH, OKLAHOMA AND, UM, COLORADO AS WELL.
UM, WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, DEFENDANTS, UH, VIOLATORS TO PAY THEIR TRAFFIC CITATIONS IN, UH, AN OPTIONAL MANNER OTHER THAN COMING INTO THE COURT OR MAILING THEIR MONEY IN.
UM, THEY CAN GO ONLINE UNDER, UH, TRAFFIC PAYMENT.COM.
OFTEN WE PLACE A LINK ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY.
THE DEFENDANT CAN CLICK ON IT.
WE'LL OPEN UP A WINDOW ON OUR WEBSITE THAT IS DESIGNATED FOR THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, WHEN IT'S THE CASE OF A COUNTY WITH THE NUMBER OF JPS, THERE IS A LIST OF EACH JP AND, UH, A STRONG WARNING OR NOTE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE SELECTING THE CORRECT JP, JUST TO AVOID ANY, UH, CONFUSION.
AND THEY CAN CLICK ON THAT AND PAY THEIR CITATION WITH A CREDIT CARD OR A DEBIT CARD.
AND FOR THOSE WHO STILL, UH, WANT TO HAVE THE OPTION OF NOT COMING INTO THE COURT OR PAY, UM, THEY CAN ALSO CALL OUR TOLL FREE NUMBER.
AND WE HAVE OPERATORS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH WHO ACCEPT THAT CREDIT CARD OR DEBIT CARD INFORMATION OVER THE TELEPHONE.
UM, AND WE'LL, I, I WON'T GO THROUGH EACH, I'LL JUST TRY TO KIND OF TOUCH ON THESE POINTS.
UM, I TALKED TO A NUMBER OF OUR CLIENTS WHO HAVE BEEN WITH US, AND, UH, AND OUR CLIENTS INCLUDE ELLIS COUNTY, GRAYSON COUNTY, GREG COUNTY.
WE JUST ADDED PARKER COUNTY AND BOWIE COUNTY, UH, AND A NUMBER OF COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE NORTH TEXAS AREA.
WE ALSO SERVE THE CITY OF ARLINGTON, PALMER, WILMER HUTCHINS, UM, WHITE OAK FERRIS.
UM, AND AGAIN, SO ON AND SO FORTH AROUND THERE.
UM, HU COUNTY ALSO IS ANOTHER WITNESS.
UM, AND I CALLED THIS, UH, COURT CLERKS WHO WORK WITH US AND ASK THEM ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE.
SINCE THERE'S NO TRAINING USING OUR SERVICE, IT WAS VERY EASY TO IMPLEMENT.
IT DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH THEIR WEBSITE.
SO, UH, THERE IS NO COST AT ALL TO THE COURT TO HAVE OUR SERVICE, UH, IMPLEMENTED RIGHT AWAY.
AND, UM, THE, THEY NOTICED AN INCREASE IN REVENUE AND A DECREASE IN OUTSTANDING, UH, COLLECTIONS.
UM, THAT BEING, BECAUSE EACH TIME THERE IS A OPTIONAL PAYMENT METHODS OR ADDITIONAL PAYMENT METHODS PROVIDED FOR DEFENDANTS AND VIOLATORS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO MAY RECEIVE A CITATION AND THEY LIVE OUT OF COUNTY OR OUT OF STATE, THEY HAVE A VERY EASY, SIMPLE WAY TO PAY.
AND, UM, THEY PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.
IF YOU SEE, I ALSO, UH, PUT A ORANGE STICKERS ON THE, ON THE LAST, THOSE WERE A SAMPLE OF WHAT WE PLACE ON, UH, EITHER A SERVICE PAGE THAT'S GIVEN TO THE DEFENDANT OR ON THE TICKETS.
OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TICKET WRITERS.
OUR WEBSITE CAN BE PUT ON THERE AS WELL.
AND SO WE HAVE FOUND, UH, OVER THE SIX YEARS THAT THIS HAS BEEN EXTREMELY, UH, EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING OUTSTANDING COLLECTIONS, MEANING THAT THE COUNTY RECEIVES 100% OF THE CITATIONS THAT ARE DUE THEM.
AND SINCE THERE'S NO COST TO THE COUNTY FOR OUR SERVICE, WE ACTUALLY SEE OURSELVES AS PARTNERS WITH THE COUNTY PROVIDING, UM, A SERVICE AT NO COST TO YOU, IT PROVIDES A SERVICE TO THE DEFENDANT.
UM, I DO HAVE A LIST OF OUR FEES.
AN AVERAGE FEE THAT A DEFENDANT WOULD PAY FOR A $200 TICKET IS 13 9 5, WHICH IS ABOUT 6.7%.
SO WE ARE COLLECTING THE CREDIT CARD FEES.
UM, WE ACTUALLY LOSE A LITTLE BIT ON THE AMERICAN SPREADS BECAUSE IT'S 5%.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE JUST DON'T DO VERY WELL
[00:10:01]
ON THAT.WE HAVE TO TAKE ONLINE FEES TO HAVE OUR WEBSITE, UH, GATEWAY FEES AND WHATNOT.
SO I SEE THIS AS A WIN WIN WIN SITUATION.
WE'RE PROVIDING A, AN OPTION FOR THE COURT THAT WOULD DECREASE THEIR COLLECTIONS, INCREASE THEIR REVENUE.
UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES ADDITIONAL, UH, SERVICE SO THE COURT CLERKS CAN SPEND THEIR TIME DOING OTHER THINGS.
UM, AND IT TYPICALLY, WE DO ABOUT 20 TO 25% OF THE BUSINESS FOR A COURT THAT WE TAKE ON.
AND THEN IT PROVIDES THAT OPTION FOR A DEFENDANT.
UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO WARRANT ROUNDUPS.
THERE SEEMS TO BE A HUMAN NATURE FACTOR IN THAT, UH, THOSE FOLKS DON'T WANT TO COME IN TO THE COURT AND PAY THEIR TICKETS, BUT THEY DON'T MIND GOING ONLINE.
SO IT'S SOMEWHAT OF A, A GREAT WAY TO HAVE THEM GO ONLINE AND, UH, INVISIBLY IN A SENSE PAY THEIR CITATIONS WELL.
AND OF COURSE, IT PROVIDES JOBS FOR OUR BUSINESS.
AND, UM, THAT'S A WIN SITUATION TOO.
UM, SO THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO CHARGES FOR OUR SERVICE.
WE ARE GIVING FOLKS AN OPTIONAL WAY TO PAY.
UM, WE HAVE AN IMMEDIATE ONLINE PRESENCE FOR KAUFMAN COUNTY.
I DON'T HAVE MY COMPUTER UP, BUT, UM, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT, UH, THOSE RESTRICTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, JUVENILES HAVE TO COME INTO THE COURT.
UH, IF IT'S A, A DRINK, AN ALCOHOL OFFENSE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO COME INTO COURT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE RESTRICTIONS ARE.
MOST OF THEM ARE VERY, UH, WELL MODELED BY THE COUNTY AND, AND PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, PUT THE SAME THING.
UH, THE PERSON THAT'S PAYING BY DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD, ONCE THEY'VE MADE THAT PAYMENT, UH, AN EMAIL IS SENT IMMEDIATELY TO THE COURT CLERK.
SO THEY'RE NOTIFIED THAT THAT PERSON HAS PAID THEIR ACCOUNT.
AND, UH, WE, FROM MONDAY, MIDNIGHT TO SUNDAY AT MIDNIGHT, UH, ALL OF THOSE PAYMENTS ARE TAKEN AND WE MAKE A DIRECT DEPOSIT OR PAY BY CHECK.
ALTHOUGH DIRECT DEPOSIT IS QUICKER INTO THAT, UH, ACCOUNT FOR THE COUNTY.
UH, THIS GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CORRECTIONS TO BE MADE ON THE PAYMENTS.
HUMAN ERROR IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO HAPPEN.
THERE MAY BE A $10 OVERAGE, A $10 UNDERAGE, AND THEN THAT PERSON, ESPECIALLY IF THEY PAID UNDER, WOULD STILL HAVE A WARRANT OUT FOR THEIR ARREST.
SO THE COURT CLERK CAN IMMEDIATELY EMAIL OUR SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WE CHASE DOWN THE DEFENDANT AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU DIDN'T PAY ALL OF THAT.
YOU NEED TO GET BACK ON AND YOU HAVE A WARRANT OUT FOR YOUR ARREST.
AND SO WE HANDLE ALL OF THE SERVICE CORRECTIONS.
UH, WE'RE A SMALL FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS.
AND, UM, UH, ACTUALLY THE BUSINESS, THE COMPANY THAT I REFER AS A FATHER SON, AND, UH, THEY'RE THE, I LIKE TO SAY SOME OF THE KINDEST PEOPLE THAT I'VE WORKED WITH, AND THEY HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF INTEGRITY AND, UM, ARE VERY, VERY CUSTOMER SERVICE ORIENTED.
I, I'VE SEEN THEM TAKE HITS, UH, PERSONALLY, PERSONAL FINANCIAL HITS, JUST BECAUSE IT WAS THE RIGHT THING THERE IN OUR BUSINESS ONE TIME WE HAD, WE DID HAVE A FRAUDULENT, UM, SOMEONE WHO TRIED TO PAY WITH, WHO STOLEN CREDIT CARD, AND WE WENT AHEAD AND TOOK THE THOUSAND DOLLAR
YOU GET ANY PROBLEMS FROM THE CONSTABLE OR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ABOUT HAVING TO CARE THESE AND PUT 'EM ON, OR IS THAT, UH, NO, WE HAVEN'T.
UM, UH, I THINK THAT THEY'RE ALSO HAPPY TO KNOW THAT THERE IS AN OPTIONAL WAY TO PAY.
UM, WE, IF IT'S A, A CASE OF HAVING A TICKETS PRINTED OUT, THEY WOULDN'T, THEY DON'T NEED TO PUT THOSE ON.
UM, BUT AT THIS POINT, THAT HASN'T BEEN AN ISSUE.
AND WE PROVIDE, UM, EACH, UH, COURT WITH AS MANY OF THOSE CITATIONS AND YOU, THEY'RE PRETTY EASY TO SEE
UM, AND, UH, WE ALSO PROVIDE AN ADMINISTRATIVE PORTION OF OUR WEBSITE FOR THE COURT CLERKS.
THEY CAN, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PASSWORD AND LOG IN, AND EACH DAY THEY CAN OPEN UP AND SEE WHO PAID THE NIGHT BEFORE.
MANY OF THEM LIKE TO GO IN EACH MORNING AND FIND OUT HOW MANY TICKETS WERE PAID THE NIGHT BEFORE.
UM, AND, UH, I'M TRYING TO LOOK UP HERE AND SEE IF WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
I'M NOT FOLLOWING MY, I THINK, DOES THAT GIVE YOU YES.
IS THE ONLY WAY TO TO PAY YOU IS ONLINE, UM, THE RIGHT OR BY TELEPHONE? WE HAVE AN 800 NUMBER, AND WE HAVE OPERATORS WHO ANSWER THE PHONE, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE WHO MAY RECEIVE A CITATION, AND LET'S SAY THEY'RE, THEY LIVE DOWN IN SOUTH TEXAS AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA COME BACK UP HERE, THEY WOULD CALL, BUT LET'S SAY THEY SPEAK SPANISH, WE HAVE A SPANISH OPERATOR, AND, UM, THEY CAN PAY THEIR CREDIT CARD AND DEBIT CARD THROUGH THE OPERATOR.
THE OPERATORS ACTUALLY GO ONLINE AND FILL OUT THE INFORMATION SO THAT EVERY TIME THE COURT CLERKS OPEN UP THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE, EVERYONE WHO'S PAID, WHETHER IT WAS BY TELEPHONE OR ONLINE, WILL BE LISTED.
[00:15:02]
WHO TRAINS THE CLERKS TO INPUT THIS? UH, THE, THE CLERKS DON'T REALLY HAVE TO INPUT IT.THERE'S ONLY NO TRAINING INVOLVED.
WE, SINCE THEY, ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS GO TO A WEBSITE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, LOG AND PASSWORD, THEY JUST GO TO THAT WEBSITE AND THEY PRINT THOSE OUT, AND THEN THEY CHECK THEM OFF AND THEIR FLOW ACTUALLY GOES ON JUST AS IF THEY HAD TAKEN THE PAYMENT AT THE WINDOW.
SO THE JP CLERK WILL JUST GO TO YOUR WEBSITE, TYPE IN THE GUY'S NAME, HIS CITATION NUMBER WON'T EVEN HAVE TO DO THAT.
THEY JUST HIT A REPORT AFTER THEY'VE SIGNED IN KAUFMAN COUNTY, JP THREE, YOU KNOW, AND WHATEVER THEIR, UH, PASSWORD IS, IT OPENS UP THE WINDOW.
THEY CAN CLICK A, A BUTTON THAT SAYS REPORT AND EVERYTHING COMES UP.
AND THEY'LL SEE THE LATEST ONES THAT PAY, WHO INPUTS THESE TICKETS IN THEIR STORE.
UM, THE, THE DEFENDANT, WHEN THEY GO TO PAY, THEY ARE INPUTTING ALL THE INFORMATION.
SO THEY PUT THEIR CITATION INFORMATION, THEY PUT IN THE AMOUNT, AND WE ALSO ARE, WILL ONLY ACCEPT CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS WITH COMPLETE VERIFICATION, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO HAVE NOT JUST A ZIP CODE, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE ACTUAL ADDRESS THAT WOULD VERIFY THE CREDIT CARD, WHICH ALSO HELPS YOU WITH YOUR RECORDS, BECAUSE THEN WE HAVE THE MOST UPDATED, UM, ADDRESSES AND, AND ZIP CODES FOR THE DEFENDANT AND TELEPHONE NUMBER.
SO THAT CONTACT INFORMATION ALSO BECOMES VERY VALUABLE TO THE COURT CLERKS AND TO THE COURT AS WELL.
AND SPEAKING OF, OF OUR SITE AND TAKING THAT INFORMATION, WE HAVE, UH, CONTINUALLY UPDATED FIREWALL.
WE EVER HAVEN'T EVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
AND WHEN WE TAKE THAT 16 DIGIT CREDIT CARD NUMBER, UH, ONLY THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF THAT CREDIT CARD NUMBER ARE ACTUALLY RECORDED ON OUR SITE.
SO OUR SITE NEVER, IF SOMEBODY DID HACK INTO, THEY COULD NEVER GET THAT PERSON'S CREDIT CARD NUMBER.
ABOUT 90%, I'D SAY, OR MORE OF THE TICKETS THAT COME UP IN JP COURT WRITTEN BY THE HIGHWAY PATROLMAN.
DOES D PS THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH CARRYING THESE AROUND WITH THEM AND PUTTING THEM ON THE TICKET, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT, UH, MR. HE, YES.
I'M ASKING ABOUT THE HIGHWAY PATROL.
UH, I HAVEN'T, UH, HEARD OF ANY PROBLEMS. I KNOW THAT IN PALMER, UH, THAT SMALL TOWN, PALMER, THEY, THEY ISSUE A NUMBER OF TICKETS.
UM, AND, UH, THEY HAVE A, UH, COURTESY LETTER THAT THEY GIVE OUT.
AND I IMAGINE, AND IS THAT THE CITY POLICE DOOR, OR IS THAT HOW THE PATROL OH, UM, I APOLOGIZE.
I JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THEY, THEY GAVE A COURTESY LETTER AND THE, SOMEONE HAS PUT THOSE STICKERS ON, I BELIEVE, BEFORE THEY'VE GONE OUT.
UM, WOULD IT BE, DO, DOES THE HIGHWAY PATROL ALSO HAVE A COURTESY LETTER THAT THEY GIVE WITH THE CITATIONS? DO YOU KNOW? I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE GOT COURTESY OBJECT.
WE PROVIDE HIGHWAY PATROL AND, AND THE, UH, SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
SO WE CAN JUST PUT THAT ON, ADDED TO THE PRE, UH, A DONATION TO RIGHT.
AND THAT CAN BE PRINTED ON TOO, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO PUT THE STICKERS ON MANUALLY.
COULD PUT A, UH, A ONE 800 NUMBER.
AND PAY YOUR TICKET SO THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY EXTRA WORK THEN ON THE PATROL.
GEORGE, UH, YOU BROUGHT THIS ITEM UP.
ANY COMMENT YOU WANNA MAKE? UM, I THINK IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, UH, INTEREST OF THE HIGHWAY PATROL, THE COUNTY'S INVOLVED, WE HAVE PARKER COUNTY AND I THINK A FEW OTHER COUNTIES, RIGHT.
WE MIGHT WANT TO CHECK WITH THOSE FOLKS, YOU KNOW, CHECK WITH THAT COUNTY THERE, JP CLARK, WE HAVE A JP CLERK WITH US HERE TODAY.
UM, AND WE COULD, UH, I GUESS DO A HOMEWORK, TALK TO THOSE CANDIDATES.
WELL, AND, AND ON THAT NOTE, I HAVE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FLOW FOR THE COURT CLERKS AND HOW DOES THIS WORK SINCE IT'S RATHER EASY? I AM, I HAVE, UH, AND THE OLD, I CAN REFER YOU TO THE SECOND PAGE HERE.
ALL OF OUR CLIENTS ARE ACTUALLY VERY HAPPY WITH OUR SERVICES.
SO WE HAVE CLIENTS IN, IN ANY NUMBER OF PLACES.
CERTAINLY ELLIS COUNTY IS CLOSE BY.
WE HAVE SOME JPS IN HUNT COUNTY.
UM, AND THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO SAY, OH, YOU KNOW, WELL THIS IS WHAT WE DO.
AND I'VE CALLED THEM, ALSO GOTTEN SOME, UM, AND IDEA OF THEIR FLOW WHEN THEY OPEN UP THAT WEBSITE AND HOW THEY CHECK OFF THE ONES THAT ARE PAID AND SET THAT ASIDE.
UH, BECAUSE SINCE WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR SIX YEARS, HAVE WORKED OUT, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THE BUGS ON, ON MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS A VIABLE SYSTEM AND THAT DOESN'T CAUSE ADDITIONAL WORK FOR THE COURTS.
BUT IN, IN FACT, YOU KNOW, MAKES IT EASIER IF YOU READ THESE, UH, COMMENTS.
I ACTUALLY JUST CALLED THESE FOLKS TWO WEEKS AGO.
SO THESE ARE OLD COMMENTS AND, UM, THERE ARE COUNTIES ON HERE AND THEN, UH, AND THEN TWO CITIES, ODESSA AND THE ONE IN, IN OKLAHOMA.
AND THEIR COMMENT WAS HOW EASY
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IT WAS TO IMPLEMENT OUR SYSTEM.AND YOU'RE JUST DOING TRAFFIC TICKETS? UH, RIGHT NOW, AT THIS TIME WE ARE JUST DOING TRAFFIC TICKETS.
WE ARE ACTUALLY, UM, BECAUSE IT'S MADE SENSE, WE'LL BE IN ABOUT THREE OR FOUR WEEKS OPENING UP A, A DIVISION THAT WILL HANDLE TAXES, PERMITS, UM, UTILITIES FOR BOTH COUNTIES AND CITIES.
SO WE WILL OFFER FULL SERVICE PAYMENT OPTIONS ONLINE.
IT'LL BE CALLED THE PAYMENT GROUP.
AND I DO HAVE INFORMATION, UM, ELECTRONICALLY IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
THE REASON I WANTED, UH, MR. JUDGMENT IN HERE, HE'S IN CHARGE OF COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, OF COURSE HE DOESN'T DO THE JPS YET.
YEAH, WELL, JP TRAFFIC TICKETS, BECAUSE BEFORE GOT THE DEFENDANTS UP THERE IN COURT OR COMING DOWN, THEY CAME OUT THERE, THEY CREDIT CARD.
SO I THINK SHE ON JDS TRAFFIC TICKETS, ALTHOUGH IN THE FUTURE WE LOOK TO OFFER ADDITIONAL OPTIONS EVEN IN THE COLLECTIONS REALM.
SO, UM, BECAUSE IT'S JUST MADE SENSE AS WE'VE LOOKED AT COUNTIES AND CITIES, UM, I BE BEGAN HAVING REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL PAYMENT OPTIONS AS PEOPLE ARE PAYING ONLINE.
JUDGE RJ P CLARK IS, IS HERE, UH, JAN DERS NOT HERE BACK.
I KNOW THEY CAME BACK IN THIS WEEK.
JAN, HAVE YOU GOT ANY QUESTIONS? MAKE SURE YOU GET ONE OF YOUR CARDS SO YOU CAN CALL HER AND ASK HER ABOUT IT.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT COLLECTIONS.
SO SOMEBODY'S ON A PAYMENT PLAN, CAN THEY CALL IN, CAN THEY USE THIS SERVICE TO MAKE THAT PAYMENT ON THE PAYMENT PLAN? YES.
SO THAT, BECAUSE WHERE WE ARE, WE GET A WHOLE LOT OF THE DALLAS TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, HOME TO DALLAS.
AND THEY CAN'T GET IN TO OUR OFFICE BECAUSE WE PLUG BEFORE THEY'RE BACK INTO OUR AREA.
AND SO THEREFORE THEY GET A LITTLE FRUSTRATED THAT THEY CAN PLAN, MAKE A PAYMENT OR WHATEVER, SO THEY CAN USE THIS FOR THE COLLECTIONS.
AND ACTUALLY WE CAN HAVE A SEPARATE LINK THAT SAYS EITHER PAYMENT PLANS OR COLLECTIONS.
WE DO A NUMBER OF PAYMENT PLANS FOR COUNTIES AND CITIES, AND THE EASIEST WAY TO DO IT IS WE JUST DIVIDE IT BY PAYMENT ONE AND THEN SAY, OH, IS THIS PAYMENT ONE OR PAYMENT TWO? AND THEN WE'LL HAVE IT TOO IN OUR RECORDS.
OH, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU, YOU HAVE TO PAY PAYMENT THREE.
SO YEAH, WE ACTUALLY DO, AND WE NOTATE THAT WHERE THAT COMMUNICATION IS TAKING PLACE BETWEEN US AND THEN THEY GET A PRINT OFF ON THEIR MM-HMM
THEIR END OF WHAT THEY MADE AND YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WHEN WE, UH, COMPLETE A PAYMENT, WHETHER IT IS A PAYMENT FOR THE COURT FOR THE, FOR ONE TRAFFIC CITATION OR A COLLECTIONS OR A PAYMENT PLAN, UM, THAT DEFENDANT IMMEDIATELY RECEIVES AN EMAIL, YOU ALL IMMEDIATELY RECEIVE AN EMAIL.
SO THAT WE HAVE COVERED OUR BASES, THERE WOULD BE NO CONFUSION.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, WE HAVE A RECORD OF IT IN TWO PLACES ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO WHEN THAT PERSON PAYS, WE HAVE RECORDS OF IT, EVERYBODY'S BEEN TOUCHED.
SO THERE'S NO EVER, EVER ANY CONFUSION LIKE, WELL, WE DIDN'T GET YOUR MONEY.
WELL, IT APPEARS THERE'S NO COST TO THE COUNTY, AND, UH, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, HOPEFULLY NOT ANY MORE, UH, PAPERWORK THAN NORMAL.
NO, IT SOUNDS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD DEAL.
AND REPORT BACK AND THEN WE PUT BACK ON THE AGENDA WHEN GEORGE GIVES US THE REPORT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, MR. YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SOME OF THESE OTHER COUNTIES? NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA THIS MORNING IS, UH, RICHARD MURPHY.
HE WANTS TO DISCUSS, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE INITIAL ANNUAL AND SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENTS AND COMPUTER INFORMATION CONCEPT INC FOR THE ACQUISITION OF THE TAX OFFICE BOOKKEEPING SYSTEM.
JUDGE, WE TABLED IT LAST TIME BECAUSE, UM, JOHN WAS GONNA APPROVE THE CONTRACT AND WE WOULD IDENTIFY ANY FURTHER COSTS.
UM, WE'VE IDENTIFIED WITH ABOUT SIX, $700 WORTH OF COSTS TO GET READY FOR THE SOFTWARE AND LOOKING AT THE EXISTING CONTRACT WITH SOME QUESTION AS USER LICENSE FOR
[00:25:01]
SCANNING OR JUST ACCESS.AND WE NOW KNOW THAT THOSE COSTS IN THAT CONTRACT ARE THE COSTS, THE NO ADDITIONAL COSTS.
SO FROM THIS POINT, IT'S JUST ABOUT $700 OF THINGS TO GET THE PCS FOR THOSE USERS THAT ARE GONNA USE IT UP TO THE CONDITION WHERE THEY CAN USE THEIR SOFTWARE.
NOW, IS THIS GOING INTERFACE WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HE DOES IN THAT OFFICE? IT'S NOT
IT INTEGRATES WITH TRUE AUTOMATION COLLECTIONS MODULE AND, UH, PRETTY MUCH, UH, WHAT, AND I THINK WE'RE WAITING FOR JOHN.
I THINK JOHN SENT OUT AN EMAIL TO SOME OF YOU FOLKS.
SO WHAT DOES NOW SAY ABOUT THE MONEY? UH, IT'S IN, IT'S IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AND ALL THE PAYMENTS ARE IN NEXT YEAR'S TIMEFRAME.
THERE'S NO PAYMENT UNTIL OCTOBER, BUT IT IS OKAY.
THIS WAS AN ITEM WE SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS THAT HE DESPERATE NEEDS IN THE COUNTY SYSTEM, HELPING WITH BANK RECONCI AND THAT SOME PROBLEM AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE.
AS I RECALL, THE BANK RECONCILIATIONS IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT THE AUDITOR, WILL THERE BE A CONTINUING COST GOING ON IN THIS IN THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET? IN NEXT YEAR, YOU MEAN YEAR AFTER NEXT? IT'S IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
IT'S IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT IT'S ALREADY IN THERE.
WELL, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
UH, COMMISSIONER DUN MAKES THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE IT.
ALL IN FAIR? A MOTION CARRIES.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE GEORGE, DON'T RUN OFF.
WE HAVE GEORGE YORK AND HE'S GONNA DISCUSS USING JOHN BILL TO AUDIT PHONE BILLS, CONDUCT TRAFFIC STUDY, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SERVICE AND IMPROVEMENT.
UH, JUDGE, ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, WE USED ON MAIL TO GO THROUGH OUR AUDIT, OUR PHONE BILLS, AND WE WERE ABLE TO RECOVER COSTS FROM STATE FED ON, RECEIVED QUITE A LOT OF FUNDS.
WE HAD IT ON, UH, IT WAS, I GUESS LAST WEEK'S AGENDA AND WE TABLED IT.
UH, JOHN WANTED TO CLEAN UP SOME LANGUAGE IN THIS AGREEMENT.
UM, HE'S SINCE DONE, SO HE'S RESUBMITTED IT.
ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, AND WE'LL LET JOHN SPEAK TO IT, IS WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS SOME, UH, ONGOING CALICO COSTS.
DO YOU HAVE COPY AND BEYOND WHAT WE DID FIVE YEARS AGO? HE'S GONNA MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS OF, UH, CONSOLIDATING THE WAY WE DO BILLING, YOU KNOW, TO KIND OF CLEAN THINGS UP.
SO THERE AREN'T SO MANY BILLS, BUT I'LL LET DON, UH, SPEAK TO THAT IF IT'S OKAY.
IN, IN THE LAST AUDIT, WHEN WE, WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT, IT WAS PRIMARILY LOOKING AT TAXES AND FEES AND PHONE LINES THAT JUST WEREN'T BEING USED.
AND, UH, SINCE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, TARIFFS HAVE CHANGED.
THE REGULATION OF THE INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED.
THERE'S NEW FEES THAT THAT COUNTIES ARE NOW EXEMPT FROM.
UH, WHAT I FOUND, I CAME AND DID A CURSORY AUDIT.
I I CAME TO SPEND A COUPLE OF DAYS WITH HOUSE TEAM AND JUST LOOKED THROUGH PHONE BILLS FOR, FOR ABOUT TWO DAYS.
AND, UH, THE AMOUNT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT HERE, AROUND $42,000 IS WHAT I FOUND IN THAT, IN THAT, YOU KNOW, IN JUST IN THOSE, UH, COUPLE OF DAYS, UH, THIS IS JUST A CURSORY REVIEW.
WHAT I WAS EXPLAINING TO GEORGE AND HOW, AND PURCHASING IN THE JACK WAS THAT THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S POTENTIALLY ANOTHER 20,000, BUT $30,000 YOU HAVE IN THE COUNTY.
YOU HAVE CIRCUITS, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A TECHNICAL DISCUSSION, BUT YOU HAVE CIRCUITS AND PHONE LINES, AND YOU HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR.
THESE ARE ACTIVE LINES, THEY'RE COMMUNICATION LINES PEOPLE ARE USING, BUT YOU'RE ALREADY PAYING FOR A SERVICE THAT YOU CAN COLLAPSE ALL OF THESE SERVICES ONTO AND, AND REMOVE A LOT OF THOSE EXTRANEOUS LINES.
THE OTHER AREA THAT I FOUND, UH, THAT REALLY JUMPED OUT AT ME WAS THE NUMBER OF PROVIDERS THAT YOU HAVE.
UH, YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, JUST THE WAY COURTS APPROVE THINGS BASED UPON COST.
YOU FIND YOURSELF MANAGING THREE AND FOUR DIFFERENT PROVIDERS ALL AT DIFFERENT RATES RIGHT NOW.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, IN YOUR LONG DISTANCE, JUST ONE BILLING STATEMENT, YOU COULD SAVE ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH ON JUST ONE STATEMENT.
UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S BY WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THESE CONTRACTS HAVE JUST ROLLED OVER INTO, UH, THE WAY THAT, THE WAY THAT,
[00:30:01]
UH, THE TELCOS DO IT IS THEY'LL PUT A LITTLE BLURB IN AN INVOICE STATEMENT, THEY WON'T TELL YOU ANYTHING, AND THEY JUST, THESE THINGS JUST HAPPEN.AND UNLESS YOU'RE MONITORING THIS IN A CERTAIN WAY, UNLESS YOU HAVE THE BACKGROUND AND NOT LOOK AT IT, YOU JUST, YOU JUST HARD TO MISS OR HARD TO SEE.
IS THAT WHAT WE CALL A SLAM? I, I WOULD CALL IT, I WOULDN'T CALL IT A SLAM BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE, THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT THESE PROVIDERS ARE DEFINITELY, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ENTITIES THAT YOU NEED TO COMMUNICATE.
UH, YOU JUST HAVE TO, TO, TO PUT THEM INTO CONTROL.
SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS BASICALLY YOU'RE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN ONE LONG DISTANCE BILL, YOU'RE PAYING 90 CENTS A MINUTE.
I MEAN, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD BE PAYING FOUR TO 5 CENTS A MINUTE.
SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT JUST STAND OUT.
UH, THERE'S, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, ITEMS ON HERE LIKE, UH, WHICH IS GREAT.
UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU HAVE, UH, DEPARTMENTS, THE WAY DEPARTMENTS ARE BILLING, UH, AND THIS IS WHAT GEORGE WAS SAYING, HOW YOU'RE PAYING YOUR BILLS, FOR EXAMPLE.
WE CAN, I CAN HELP WITH THAT AND LOOK AT THAT AND HOW OTHER COUNTIES DO IT, BUT, UH, YOU MAY HAVE A PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT THAT HAS INDIVIDUAL BILLING AND BUT THEY DIDN'T USE ANY LONG DISTANCE AT ALL.
WELL, YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD HAVE A ZERO CHARGE, BUT THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT THE WAY THE TELCO HAS THE CONTRACT ARRANGE THAT YOU'RE PAYING $20 AND 95 CENTS EVERY MONTH THAT THAT PERSON DOESN'T USE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MINUTES.
UH, SO THAT'S JUST TWO SHORT EXAMPLES OF THINGS.
UH, BUT WHAT WE, WHAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND DOING IS DOING A, UH, A TRAFFIC STUDY, BASICALLY LOOKING AT ALL THE PHONE LINES, ALL THE SERVICES, COMING BACK WITH A BIGGER PLAN.
I KNOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT PHONE SYSTEMS, UH, DOWN THE ROAD.
YOU NEED TO BE LOOKING AT YOUR SERVICES BEFORE YOU LOOK AT PHONE SYSTEMS. LET'S CLEAN THIS UP, CONDENSE IT, COLLAPSE IT.
HAVE FEWER PROVIDERS MAYBE THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH, HAVE MORE TO NEGOTIATE WITH.
AND YOUR CONTRACTS DO COME UP FOR RENEWAL.
AND, UH, YOU SHOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY ENT AMOUNTS OF MONEY FOR SERVICES.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU DO A LOT OF, YOU DO A LOT OF BUSINESS WITH THESE PROVIDERS, AND I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE GONNA CONDENSE 'EM DOWN TO ONE OR TWO.
UH, BUT YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA, I DON'T THINK YOU'LL GET 'EM DOWN TO ONE OR TWO, BUT YOU JUST WANT TO CONDENSE AND COLLAPSES DOWN, ESPECIALLY QUESTIONS.
HAVE WE USED THEM ONCE BEFORE, GEORGE? YES.
DON IS A CONSULTANT NOW WITH TAX COUNTY INFORMATION RESOURCES AGENCY, SIERRA.
THESE ARE THE MAIN TELEPHONES BECAUSE WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH, UH, AT THE JAIL, RIGHT? NOT THE JAIL CONTRACT.
WE WON, WE WON'T TOUCH 9 1 1 OR THE JAIL SYSTEM.
THESE ARE JUST, JUST OF THE BUSINESS PHONES OR THE COUNTY.
UH, A LOT OF THE REMOTE UNIT, WE, I IDENTIFIED A LOT OF REMOTE FOLKS, YOU KNOW, WAY WE BUILT, WE BUILT PERSON DOES THEIR OWN SET BILL.
LEMME CLARIFY, WE, WE HAVE A CONTRACT FOR THE INMATES.
YOUR INMATE PHONE SYSTEM IS NOT PART OF THIS, BUT YOU'LL STILL DO THE, UH, DO THE JAIL PHONE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE, IN, IN THE PD DEPARTMENT, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, YOU'RE PAYING FOR METRO LINE, BUT YOU'RE ALSO PAYING FOR LONG DISTANCE FOR 40 AND GRAND IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND, AND THAT EQUATES, IF YOU ADD ALL THAT UP, IT EQUATES ABOUT THREE TO $500 A MONTH FOR METRO LINE.
WELL, THE ANALYSIS WOULD LOOK LIKE, WE COULD LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN GET LONG DISTANCE RATES DOWN TO FOUR OR 5 CENTS A MINUTE AND THEN DO AN ANALYSIS ON IT.
YOU MAY NOT NEED TO PAY THAT MUCH MONEY FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE TYPES OF LINES.
THEN AGAIN, YOU MAY, I, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW.
BUT THE $42,000 IS JUST WHAT REALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S THE EASY PART.
THE, THE REST OF IT, THE 20, $30,000 GONNA GET A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK.
AND, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, JUST, YOU SHOULD BE PAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS REALLY TO ME IS APPARENTLY SHOULD BE PAYING THIS.
WE, THE LAST AUDIT, WE CLEANED UP A LOT OF SERVICES.
A LOT OF THOSE FEES AND TAXES HOUSE, UH, TEAM HAVE KEPT, THOSE ARE NOT REAPPEARING ON THE BILL.
SO THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, DONE A GREAT JOB IN, IN MAINTAINING WHAT WE DID BEFORE.
BUT THESE ARE JUST, THESE ARE JUST NEW THINGS.
COUNTIES CHANGED, YOU KNOW, OVER THE, OVER THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD OF COUNTY JUST CHANGED YOUR FEE BE A THOUSAND A MONTH FOR EIGHT MONTHS.
AND, AND THE REASON WE DID TALKED ABOUT THAT, I WANTED TO DISTRIBUTE THAT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THE REASON THAT I WANT TO DO THAT IS BECAUSE IT WOULD TAKE, ONCE YOU, ONCE YOU, WE DO THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT FOR 30, 45 DAYS AND YOU SUBMIT A CHANGE TO A PROVIDER, IT MAY TAKE FOR IT TO SEE IT BACK ON THE BILLING STATEMENT.
IT MAY TAKE 30, IT MAY TAKE TWO BILLING SIGNS.
SO, AND IF THEY DON'T GET IT ON THE FIRST ONE, THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE NEXT ONE TO GET IT.
SO MY, MY, MY ROLE HERE WOULD BE, UH, LOOKING AT THE WHOLE PROCESS, NOT JUST WE WANT TO DO A COMPLETE STUDY, MAKING SURE YOU'RE PAYING FOR WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AND REDUCE THAT, BUT CONTINUE TO AUDIT THROUGH THAT EIGHT MONTH PERIOD OF FINDING NEW THINGS, LOOKING FOR OTHER CHALLENGES, UH, WORK
[00:35:01]
WITH GEORGE, UH, AND IT DEPARTMENT, UH, IF THEY'RE LOOKING FOR CONTRACT NEGOTIATION, RFP SUPPORT, ANY OF THOSE KIND OF THINGS, I WOULD COMMIT TO DO THOSE THINGS, UH, THROUGH THAT PERIOD OF TIME AND, UH, AND HELP THE COUNTY IN ANY WAY THAT YOU GUYS WOULD NEED.THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT YOU COULD, YOU'LL START ACHIEVING SAVINGS WITHIN ABOUT 60, I'M GUESSING WITHIN 60 TO NINE DAYS, YOU'LL ACTUALLY START SEEING MONEY THAT YOU'RE NOT PAYING.
WE'LL COME BACK TO THE BUDGET AND THEN, UH, PROBABLY WITHIN, UH, FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS OF SEEING EVERYTHING PRETTY MUCH CLEARED UP AND THEN THE LAST, YOU KNOW, THE LAST PART OF THAT BEING LET'S JUST KEEP WATCHING ON IT AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT IT'S, IT'S NOT CHANGING AT ALL.
KYLE, YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THAT? NO, I JUST APPRECIATE DON'S WORK AND YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY TECHNICAL, UH, EFFORT TO STAY UP WITH THIS AND DON'S BEEN REAL HELPFUL WITH, WITH SHOWING PEOPLE IN MY OFFICE WHAT TO LOOK FOR AND, AND, BUT YOU KNOW, AS AS OFFICES CHANGE AND, AND WE, YOU OPEN AN OFFICE HERE OR THERE, SOUTH CAMPUS, ET CETERA, THINGS CREEP IN AND, AND IT'S REALLY TOO TECHNICAL FOR ME OR MY PEOPLE STAY TOP OF.
I APPRECIATE DON'S HELP WITH THAT.
I THINK IT COULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO THE COUNTY.
ANY OTHER QUESTION? I I AGREE.
$8,000 SAVE 40 THOUSAND'S, KIND OF A NO BRAINER.
AND THEN IT'S, THE CONTRACT IS WRITTEN WHERE IF NOTHING HAPPENS, IT COULD BE CANCELED DAYS OR WHATEVER.
IF WE GET IN FIRST 30, 45 DAYS, WE'LL PREPARE A PROJECT PLAN.
UH, I'LL DO MONTHLY STATUS REPORTS TO THE COURT AS WE'RE SEEING THOSE SAVINGS.
SO IF AT ANY POINT WE FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE JUST NOT GONNA SEE THOSE SAVINGS, WE'LL KNOW RIGHT UP, WE'LL KNOW WITHIN THE FIRST, UH, 45, 60 DAYS WHETHER ANYTHING'S GONNA HAPPEN.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY ROADBLOCKS, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE DONE.
I THINK COMMISSIONER DE MAKES A MOTION THAT WE, UM, BRING, UM, DON ON BOARD FOR THIS SECOND COMMISSIONER JACKSON DISCUSSION.
I WAS GOING TO ASK, UH, ALL KNOW ABOUT TELEPHONE BASICALLY IS PICKING UP
DO YOU GOT ANY QUESTIONS WITH DENNY THAT SOME INTELLIGENT QUESTIONS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ASK? YEAH, I MIGHT MENTION ABOUT DENNY BEFORE HE'S HITTING THE FLOOR.
WE ARE, WE HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT'S LOOKING AT NEW PHONE SYSTEMS. WE HAVE ALREADY LOOKED AT HIS PHONE SYSTEM, SO MOVING INTO THIS, GETTING EVERYTHING CLEANED UP AND STRAIGHTENED OUT WOULD BE A LOT EASIER TO MOVE INTO A NEW PROCESS.
WE'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT THIS PRODUCT AND A FEW OTHERS.
I DO HAVE TO INTERFACE SOMEHOW DOWN THE ROAD.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS ALL, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THE UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT, I MEAN, I DO THIS FOR RANGE COUNTY CARE, ALL THE PHONES IN RANGE COUNTY, WE JUST DID THIS, SAVED THEM $12,000 A YEAR.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN IT'S OUT THERE.
IT HAPPENS BECAUSE YOU GOT SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS ORDERING, SUPPLYING THINGS AND THINGS GET CHANGED, TARIFFS GET CHANGED, UH, THE READING CHANGES, THEIR RATES CHANGE AND THEY DON'T TAKE LIKE YOUR CREDIT CARD.
AND FOR HIM BEING ABLE TO GO THROUGH, BECAUSE AS LONG AS HE GIVES YOU A PROGRESSIVE REPORT AND SHOWS, OKAY, HERE'S WHAT I WAS ABLE TO DO, THEN YOUR MONEY'S WELL SPENT BECAUSE HE'S ALREADY GIVEN YOU A PRELIMINARY FIGURE.
IF HE'S STAND BEHIND THAT FIGURE, THEN THE COUNTY TENDS TO GAIN FROM WHAT HE'S GONNA DO.
SO YEAH, HE'S, HE, HE, AND HE'S DONE IT 45 YEARS AGO AND, UH, AS WE MOVE INTO THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW, IT'LL BENEFIT EVERYBODY'S CONCERN BECAUSE WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
NEXT ITEM, UH, DISCUSSION, SIR.
THE BUDGET DEDUCTIONS APPLIED TO THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAVE A LITTLE LIST HERE.
OTHER PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THAT MATTER.
EDDIE, YOU WANT TO PULL UP AND FIRST OFF, LET ME, I'M SURE Y'ALL WERE TOLD LAST WEEK WHEN YOU WERE HERE THAT, UH, IN PREPARATION OF THIS YEAR PLEDGE, WE FOUND OURSELVES WITH OVER $3 MILLION SHORT AND, UH, WE LOOKED EVERYWHERE TO TRY AND MAKE SOME CUTS TO COME UP WITH $3 MILLION WITHOUT INCREASING TAXES.
AND THE COURT, UH, HAD DEFINITELY SET THEIR FOOT IN, IN, IN THE GROUND SAYING WE'RE NOT GOING TO INCREASE TAXES.
SO WANT YOU, JOHN, AND EVERYONE IN HERE TO KNOW THAT THAT'S WHERE THIS, THIS COMES FROM.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK THANK YOU JUDGE, AND ALLOW, BE HERE TO DISCUSS MY SIDE OF IT, I GUESS, UM, FOR SOME THAT WASN'T IN HERE LAST,
[00:40:01]
UH, I GUESS LAST COMMISSIONER'S MEETING, WE DO HAVE TWO CONTRACTS.ONE WAS THE COUNTY ONE, THE FIRE DISTRICT.
ONE OF 'EM WAS SIGNED IN MAY 28TH, 1985 BY JUDGE DARON AND ATTEST BY JIMMY GRANT.
UH, THE SECOND ONE WAS THE RURAL FIRE DISTRICT IN JUNE 18TH, 1991.
THAT'S THE TWO, TWO CONTRACTS I'VE GOT THAT'S STILL OUTTA EFFECT.
UM, OUR DEPARTMENT NOW SPEAKING AS PART OF THE
UH, WE COVER 110 SQUARE MILES.
UM, AND WE PROTECT $436,088,591 WORTH OF TAXABLE EXCESS, JUST, JUST IN OUR KSID OR BULL PARK DISTRICT.
THAT'S HOW MUCH MONEY THAT WE, UH, WE TRIED TO PROTECT.
UM, FOR UNFORTUNATELY WHEN WE FIRST FORMED THIS THAT Y'ALL SAY WE FORMED IT BACK IN 1991, BACK THEN YOU COULD ONLY RAISE THE RULE FIRE TAX THREE SENTENCES.
YOU COULDN'T GO TO 10, ONLY THREE IS THE HIGHEST YOU CAN GET.
AND, UH, WHICH WE DID AND WE PASSED, UH, UNFORTUNATELY TRYING TO PASS SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, UH, IT IS UNHEARD OF.
I'M, I'M SORRY TO SAY IT REALLY IS OVER HERE ON THE SOUTH END.
I TALKED TO THE RURAL FIRE DISTRICT BOARD, THEY, THEY'RE THE SAME WAY.
THEY SAID THERE'S NO WAY THEY CAN, IT PASSED, NOT ABOUT NOW, BUT THE TIMES AND WELL, WE'RE LIKE YOU JUST SAID, UH, BUDGET FRONTS AND YOU CAN ALREADY SEE THE, THE OUTFALL OF THAT.
SO, UH, THERE'S NO ONE GOING RAISE TAXES, THAT'S FOR SURE.
YOU JUST, YOU JUST INTEGRATED IT.
AND SO, UH, US TRYING TO RAISE, THAT'S JUST, JUST, UH, UNHEARD OF.
WE ONLY DRAW A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER, UH, UH, ON THE VALUATION OF THIS AND, UH, WHICH JUST AMOUNTED TO ABOUT 130,000 826 58 TO PAY TO DEPARTMENTS.
THAT'S IF YOU COLLECT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
WE ALL KNOW THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN EITHER.
WE DON'T GET A HUNDRED PERCENT, I'M GOING TO SAY MAYBE IN BETWEEN 90 MAYBE OR 94 OR SOMEWHERE IN THAT AREA THAT YOU PROBABLY COLLECT FOR THAT 130,000 AND IT'S SPREAD OUT BETWEEN TWO DEPARTMENTS AND THAT DISTRICT.
SO THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH TAPPED TO WHERE THEY'RE AT NOW.
UM, I AND THAT, THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO BAD FOR US OUT.
WE GET $50,000 FROM THE RURAL FIRE DISTRICT AND, UH, $49,165 IS IN DEBT AND INSURANCE JUST FROM THE FIRE DISTRICT OUTTA THAT 50,000 THAT DON'T LEAVE ME WITH $800.
I USE WHAT Y'ALL GIVE ME TO MAINTAIN THIS EQUIPMENT THAT WE'VE GOT, WHICH WE'VE GOT GOOD EQUIPMENT AND UH, BUT I'M PAYING FOR IT.
BUT, UH, WE'VE GOT GOOD EQUIPMENT.
I HAVE NO WAY OF MAINTAINING IS, IS IT YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME OF THE DISTRICTS THAT WHEN THEY WERE, WERE SET UP, WERE SET UP AT 10 CENTS THAT THEY CAN GO TO THAT 10 CENTS WITHOUT GOING OUT FOR AN ELECTION? IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THEY, UM, BUT OF COURSE THE, THE NORTH ENDS A LITTLE BIT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE DIFFERENT THAN, UH, THAN US.
THEY HAVE THE GROWTH, THEY HAVE THE ROOFTOPS, THEY HAVE THE POWER PLANTS, THEY HAVE, AND THEN THE MATERIAL AREA'S GOT, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT 10 CENTS, UH, THAT THEY VOTED IN PRIOR TO ALL OF THIS ECONOMY DOWNFALL AND GOT IT PASSED AND, BUT THEY'RE NOT SITTING AT SIX SAND.
SO YEAH, AND I DON'T MEAN TO MAKE, MAKE IT BAD FOR THEIR SIDE, BUT, UH, I'VE GOTTA LOOK AT MY SIDE.
MY, I'M UP AGAINST THE WALL OVER HERE AND, UH, WITHOUT ANY FUNDING, I'VE GOT TURN AROUND AND GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE SERVICES I PROVIDE.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE, WE PROVIDE SOME SERVICE.
MINE CONTRACTS ONLY CALLED FOR FIRE PROTECTION ONLY.
UM, I'VE GOT, WE, WE DO GO OUT AND HELP EMS AND THE REASON WE DO THAT EVERY NOW AND THEN, IT'S A SIMPLE REASON WE TRY TO KEPT THEM TO WHERE THEY DON'T RAISE OUR SUBSIDIES HERE IN THE COUNTY, CITIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I MEAN, THEY HAD THEY TURNED CHARGES SUBSIDY, WE'LL ALL BE IN TROUBLE AGAIN.
WE'LL BE HUNTING MONEY FOR THAT.
SO WE TRY TO TRY TO SUPPLEMENT A LITTLE BIT FOR THAT.
THAT'S NOT A FIRE PROTECTION THING.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TAKE PEOPLE OUT OF THESE VEHICLES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UH, THESE ARE, THESE ARE THINGS, CONTROL BARN MUTUAL AID.
WE MIGHT END UP HAVING TO STAY IN OUR OWN DISTRICT, NOT EVEN MOVE IT BECAUSE WE HADN'T GOT THE, WE JUST WE'RE, WE JUST HADN'T GOT IT TO GO.
[00:45:01]
OUT THINGS.UH, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO IF, IF THIS IS, UH, SET IN STONE.
UH, UH, I, I'M, AGAIN, I DON'T, I'M NOT HERE TO THREATEN NOBODY.
I'M CERTAINLY NOT HERE TO THREATEN THE CITIZENS.
UH, I CARE JUST AS MUCH ABOUT THE CITIZENS CANADA DO ANYWHERE ELSE.
I GOT LOTS OF FRIENDS OUT HERE, SO, UH, BUT ARE Y'ALL STILL SET AT THREE, 3 CENTS, WHICH WAS THE MAXIMUM ON BOARD? I WAS ON INITIAL BOARD INITIAL, AND THAT'S THE REASON WE HAD THAT OTHER CONTRACTS TO TRY TO SUPPLEMENT WHAT WE HAD BECAUSE WE KNEW WE WASN'T GONNA DRAW BACK IN.
I WENT BACK TO 1990 AND WE WASN'T, UH, THE, THE TAXES THAT WE PROTECTED IN KSID WASN'T, BUT ABOUT TWO, LET'S JUST SAY 238 MILLION BACK THEN.
I, I'M JUST SHOOTING FROM THE HIP HERE.
I'VE GOT SOME FIGURES HERE, BUT I'M NOT GOING DIG THROUGH 'EM JUST ABOUT THAT, ABOUT HALF WHAT IT IS NOW.
WELL, MANY OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS AT SIX OR EIGHT OR 10, NO, NO, NO.
THEY COME AT, SAY WE WERE RURAL FIRE DISTRICT.
WHEN SOME OF THESE CAME IN, THEY, THEY CAME IN AS A EMERGENCY SERVICE DISTRICT AND THEY, AND THEY CHANGED LAW IN BETWEEN THAT, THAT RAISED THIS TO 10 CENTS.
ARE YOU SAYING THOUGH, THAT THEY COULD GO TO SIX WITH JUST A VOTE FROM THEIR BOARD WITHOUT HAVING TO GO OUT FOR AN ELECTION? WELL, JUST THE 10 CENTS, IF THEY'RE AT 10 CENTS, I DON'T KNOW IF AT WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE, IF THEY VOTED VOTERS VOTED IN 10 CENTS, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF THEY DID.
THEY ALL THREE, ALL THREE TO SIX.
THEY CAN, THE BOARD CAN GO UP TO THAT.
UH, EVEN IF THEY'RE AT SIX, THEY COULD GO TO SIX WITHOUT, WITHOUT HAVING A VOTE.
IS THAT STANDING, WHATEVER THEY SET IT IN AT? I DON'T, I DON'T.
KATHY WHAT, KATHY, WHAT YEAR WAS THAT? THAT, UH, THEY CHANGED OVER? THEY LOOKED AT IT LAST YEAR, FIFTH.
AND THEY COULDN'T RAISE IT WITHOUT AN ELECTION WITHOUT GOING FOR THE, I MEAN WHAT YEAR WAS THE, THE EMERGENCY SERVICE SERVICES, UH, DISTRICT SCHEME INTO BEING? UM, SOMETIME IT WAS AFTER NINE 11, PROBABLY TWO, AT LEAST TWO, THREE YEARS AFTER NINE 11 WHEN POSSIBLY.
AND, UH, THANK, I HAD TO DO A, A SURVEY OF THE, THE TAX RIGHTS FOR THE ASDS FOR THE STATE NOT LONG AGO.
AND IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, RANDALL'S THE ONLY ONE AT SIX.
THAT I WAS, AND UH, I'M NOT SURE IF KEMP DID IT OR NOT.
NO, JUST THE TWO DIFFERENT 3 CENTS.
EVERYBODY'S AT THREE EXCEPT FOR CAROL CR THERE SIX.
UH, BUT I, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF IT DEPENDED ON WHAT THAT DISTRICT VOTED IN AT THAT TIME.
THEY MIGHT HAVE VOTED IN 10, BUT THE FACT 10 CENTS, BUT THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE, THEY CHOSE TO BE SIX.
SO IF THEY CHOSE IT TO BE SIX, THEY 10 RAISE ITS 10.
WITHOUT GOING BACK TO VOTERS, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO VOTERS AGAIN IF THEY RAISED IT AT 10 TOGETHER.
YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? I THINK IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO BEFORE VOTERS.
WELL, THEY CAN GO UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 10 CENTS, BUT EVERY INCREASE HAS TO BE ON ABOUT THE VOTERS.
WELL, THE BOARD CAN SET THE TAX RATE THAT YEAH, THEY CAN SET THE TAX RATE ONCE IT'S VOTED IN 10 CI GOT A LOT OF HITCH SHAKING BACK THERE AT THE BACK AND I THINK, I THINK IT IS IF YOU GO IN AT 10 AND JUST CHARGE SIX AND WITH THE ABILITY TO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO VOTERS AGAIN.
I, SO WHY WOULD YOU VOTE AT N 10 TO START WITH THEN? WELL, I KNOW IT'S JUST AN OPTION YOU HAVE.
SO WHAT WE HAVE BASICALLY SITUATIONS WHERE EITHER THROUGH FIRE DISTRICT OR THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS OR
SO WE'VE GOTTA CHOOSE BETWEEN THE TWO.
AND I, I, I GUESS YOU COULD LOOK AT IT THAT WAY, BUT UH, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY THE THE REAL FIRE DISTRICT ONE OR, OR SOME DISTRICT ONE, HOW MUCH HAS IN RESERVE, I KNOW THEY CARRY ONE YEAR'S OPERATING BUDGET'S.
WHAT THEY TRY TO DO, WHATEVER THAT IS.
SO I KNOW WE THOUSAND OR SOMETHING.
YEAH, I KNOW THEY GET, UH, UH, THEY GIVE US 50, THEY GIVE COMO 40 AND THEN IF THEY, IF DEPENDING ON HOW THE COLLECTIONS COME IN, THEY CAN GIVE US A REQUEST, A SPECIAL REQUEST MONEY IF THEY GET IT.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
JUST DEPENDS HOW QUICK FLEXION RATES THEY GET.
BUT I KNOW OUR, OUR TAX ASSETS THIS YEAR WENT DOWN FROM LAST YEAR.
I WHAT PUT US IN THIS SITUATION.
[00:50:01]
THAT DIDN'T HELP US SOONER.UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY THOUGH, IT UH, IF, IF, IF IT IS WRITTEN IN STONE THIS AND IT IS THE WAY IT'S GOING BE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE NO CHOICE.
LOOK THE BUDGET AND SEE WHAT'S GOT TO GO.
I MEAN, YOU DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY WHAT WE CUT COMPANY, ADAM REMEMBER? UH, 20%? YEAH.
I, WE FOUR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE CUT Y 4,000 SOMETHING AND THE BOARD SITTING OVER 120,000.
YOU DON'T THINK THEY ANOTHER 4,000 JOE? I KNOW IF THEY WOULD OR NOT.
IT JUST SEEMS BE THERE, IT WOULD BE EASIER FOR THEM TO COME UP WITH 4,000.
IF THEY'VE GOT 120,000 IN THE BANK.
LIKE CERTAINLY ASK THEM WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT YEAR THOUGH AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT BOTHERS ME.
UH, I KNOW I'VE GOT SEVEN YEARS LEFT ON DEBT.
NOW THAT'S THE REASON I'M TELLING YOU THIS.
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AFTER THIS YEAR, BUT I'M, I'M FACED WITH IT NEXT YEAR AND SEVERAL YEARS UNTIL THOSE TRUCKS ARE PAID OFF AND I'VE GOTTA KEEP PAYING INSURANCE STUFF, LIABILITY, I'M REQUIRED BY THE DISTRICT TO CARRY ALL THAT.
AND, UH, NOT ALL THAT ENDS UP TO BIGGEST CHUNK AND THERE'S NO, WHAT THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO ROOFTOP FLYING UP BACK HERE TO, TO TRY TO WHERE OUR TAXES IS GOING UP TO TRY TO OFFSET SOME OF THIS.
AND UH, WELL I DIDN'T REALLY GET CLEAR OF WHETHER CAN THOSE OTHER DISTRICTS GO UP WITHOUT GOING OUT FOR A VOTE OR CAN THEY NOT? I STILL, I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
WELL, YOU CAN CALL, YOU CAN CALL AUSTIN TO FIND OUT, BUT WHY WOULD YOU RAISE IT 10 CENTS TO THE BOULDERS AND YOU CAN'T GO UP ON IT.
I MEAN, IF YOU'RE SET, IF YOU, IF YOU BOWL 10 CENTS THE HIGHEST NUMBER, BUT YOUR BOARD SITS IN SIX, THEY CAN REDUCE IT DOWN IF THEY WANTED TO AFTER AN ELECTION AND NOT IF THEY'RE SET IN AT A HIGH RATE.
I'M TELLING YOU, YOU CALL, BUT IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE IF THEY COULDN'T.
I MEAN, IF YOU VOTED IN IT IS 10 AND YOU'RE SAYING YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO ELECTION, UH, THE, THE VOTERS TO RAISE IT TO 10 AGAIN.
I MEAN SAY THEY VOTED IN AT SIX THAT AFFECTED, YOU'RE GONNA GO TO THE VOTERS AGAIN AFTER YOU'VE DONE DONE IT ONCE AND DO IT AGAIN.
I THINK THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHY THEY DO THAT.
THEY, THAT ALLOWS THEM TO ADOPT TEXAS, UH, I MEAN ADOPT EFFECTIVE TAX RATE OF WHATEVER IT TAKES TO COVER THE COST OF THE, THE SERVICE ONCE IT'S VOTED IN.
BUT YOU CAN CERTAIN TO FIND OUT, UH, IF, IF IT IS REMAIN, PLEASE LEMME KNOW IF NOTHING HAS TO BE DONE, I CAN TALK TO THE RURAL DISTRICT BOARD.
YEAH, UH, UH, BUT I, I NEED TO KNOW ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
UH, IF YOU CAN, YOU CAN'T, I'LL GO TO THEM AND UH, CAN'T GET IT FROM THEM.
EVEN IF I DO GET IT FROM THEM, MAYBE IT'LL COVER THIS YEAR.
UH, BUT I GOTTA WORRY ABOUT NEXT YEAR, THE YEAR AFTER AND RUMORS FLY.
THAT, THAT THE, THE MONEY THAT THE COUNTY ISSUES, UH, THE RURAL FIRE DISTRICTS WAS, I MEAN, ISSUE, THE RURAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE JUST GOING AWAY, PERIOD.
AND UH, IF THAT'S THE CASE AT SOME POINT THE WAY WE'RE GOING, OURS IS NOT GOING UP WITHIN THAT FRAME.
I GOTTA PAY FOR THIS VEHICLE NATURE YEAR.
SO, WELL, WE'LL SAY ONE THING JUDGE.
WE, WE OBVIOUSLY HAD TO CUT BUDGETS SOMEWHERE AND WE WORKED ON EVERYBODY, UH, ALL DEPARTMENT HEADS IN THERE HAD THEIR BUDGETS CUT, UH, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAD THEIR BUDGET.
I THINK WE PROBABLY HAD OUR Y'ALL DID TOO.
BUT I, THEIR TOTAL BUDGET, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAD THEIR TOTAL BUDGET CUT 20%.
I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING FOR LAST YEAR.
THAT COULD BE RIGHT, BUT MOST OF 'EM WERE CUT THREE OR FOUR OR 5%, MAYBE SIX.
SO ANYWAY, THEY, THEY, I THINK WE DID, THERE'S A LITTLE HEAVIER AND I WAS STILL, I'M STILL CONFUSED ABOUT THIS, WHETHER THE, WHETHER YOU CAN RAISE YOURS TO SIX, YOU CAN'T RAISE VOTED IN AT 6 CENTS, BUT WHERE ANY OF THESE OTHERS COULD RAISE THEIRS TO SIX WITHOUT HAVING TO GO, WELL, IF YOU VOTED IN AT 6 CENTS, THAT'S, THAT'S HIGHEST AS YOU CAN GO WITHOUT IT GOING BACK TO THE VOTERS.
WHATEVER YOU VOTED IN AT, THAT'S WHERE IT STOPS.
I I DON'T HAVE THAT CHAPTER 75 FROM, BUT I, BUT I DID DO A LOT OF RESEARCH
[00:55:01]
ON IT IN THE PAST.I WANT TO BET THAT IT PROBABLY SAYS SOMETHING LIKE, UH, THE TAX RATE MAY NOT EXCEED 10 CENTS.
AND, AND IT MAY NOT EXCEED 10 CENTS.
SO YOU, YOU CAN GO UP TO 10 CENTS WITH VOTER'S APPROVAL.
SO EVERYBODY WENT IN INSTRUC WITH IT, 3 CENTS AND THEN I GUESS MCC WENT TO THE APPROVAL, WENT SIX WITH A VOTE NO, SIX.
WELL I THOUGHT THEY EFFECTIVE TAX RATE IS SIX EFFECTIVE TAX RATE HAVE TO DO WITH IT.
THEY, THEY CAN'T GO NO HIGHER.
WELL YEAH, BUT THE LAW SAYS YOU GO UP TWO 10 CENTS OKAY.
THIS ISSUE WAS BROUGHT UP LAST YEAR.
SPRING TRIED TO INCREASE FROM 3 CENTS TO 6 CENTS.
OUR TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR TOLD 'EM THEY COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT GOING BACK TO THE VOTERS TO HAVE A RIGHT.
AND YOU CAN CAP IT AT 10 CENTS.
BUT BUT THEY JUST ASK RAISE IT.
YOU CANNOT RAISE IT WITHOUT HAVING I STAND CORRECTED.
IF YOU DID GO AT 10, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO VOTE IN UH, A TAX RATE OF 10.
BUT I'M GONNA SUGGEST WE COME IN TUESDAY AROUND 10 AND DO SOME WORKSHOPS ON DIFFERENT ITEMS. HOW'S GOT A LIST? UH, I'M OUT TOWN TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, BUT I GOT LIST.
YOU DON'T HAVE IT WHEN YOU'RE NOT THERE.
YOU KNOW, MY IMPRESS WOULD BE IF, IF WE WANT MAKE ANY DECISIONS TO DEVIATE FROM WHAT WE HAVE IN WRITING ALREADY IS WHERE IS THE MONEY GONNA COME FROM? THAT'S WHERE WE GONNA MEET YOU.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE HERE TUESDAY, THURSDAY,
I'LL BE HERE WEEK FROM TOMORROW.
I'M TALKING ABOUT UH, THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY.
THAT'S UH, TUESDAY THE EIGHTH.
I JUST, I KNOW WE GOT SEVERAL MORE PEOPLE TO TALK, BUT Y'ALL BE THINKING ABOUT WHEN YOU'D LIKE TO WORKSHOP THIS OR IF Y'ALL VOTE ON IT TODAY WHILE AND TELL US HOW MUCH HAVE TO INCREASE TAXES, GET THE MONEY OF WHERE GONNA COME FROM TAXES.
OKAY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND LISTEN TO THE NEXT ONE.
IS THAT CLOSE? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
I'M WITH THE, UH, LL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT AND UH, CLARIFY THE ISSUE.
WE ARE AT 6 CENTS ON THE HUNDRED IS WHAT WE RECEIVED FROM AREA D.
AND APOLOGIES, Y'ALL NOT PREPARED TO SPEAK, DID NOT REALLY EXPECT YOU TODAY, BUT I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD REPRESENT THE NORTH END.
UH, WITH SD WE RECEIVE ABOUT 87,000 A YEAR TO PROTECT, LACKING THE CITY OF CARROLL, ABOUT 110 SQUARE MILES IN THE COUNTY.
UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY FIGURES IN FRONT OF ME HERE FOR THE TAXABLE APPRAISAL VALUE.
UH, I DID GET SOME FIGURES LAST TIME I SPOKE HERE AND A SD CANNOT GIVE US THIS MONEY BACK.
THEY'RE REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE ONE YEAR'S OPERATING BUDGET IN RESERVE.
UH, IF WE LOSE THE COUNTY MONEY, WE WILL BE CRIPPLED.
WE'LL HAVE TO CUT SERVICE AND IT'S A PLACE I CAN CUT, CAN'T CUT THE LIGHTS OFF, CAN'T CLOSE THE DOORS AS IT IS.
WE'RE STRUGGLING JUST TO KEEP EQUIPMENT IN, IN SHAPE.
WE'VE NEVER BEEN A FRIVOLOUS DEPARTMENT AND SOME OF THAT EQUIPMENT WE HAVE IS VERY OPEN.
[01:00:01]
WAS IN 1995.IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT YOU PLACE THESE ENGINES EVERY 10 YEARS.
I GUESS THAT'S ALL I ALREADY HAVE.
JUST WANTED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE FROM THREE OR JURY.
Y'ALL ARE AT SIX, BUT YOU CAN'T GO UP ANY HIGHER WITHOUT A VOTE.
THE LAST VOTE FROM THREE SIX PASSED BY THREE VOTES.
I DON'T SEE THIS INCREASE RIGHT NOW.
HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU GET FROM ESD? I CAN THEY SHARE SOME OF THAT WITH ANOTHER DEPARTMENT OR TWO? YES, WE SHARE IT WITH, THEY ALL KNOW WITH LAKE SPRINGS AND WITH A SMALL PIECE OF, AND WE GET 87.
AND HOW MUCH DO YOU HAVE IN RESERVE? DSD HAS IN RESERVE LAST TIME, LAST MONTH.
THEY SHOULD HAVE, DID YOU SAY BY LAW THEY CANNOT AUGMENT Y'ALL'S BROTHER OUT OF THIS 63? THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO, BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING AND I'M NOT A LAWYER, IS THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE ONE YEAR'S OPERATING BUDGET HELD IN RESERVE.
AND YOU SAID BY LAW WHILE AGO YOU SAID, IS THAT THEIR, YOU SAYING THAT'S BY STATUTE OR IS THAT THEIR DESIRE TO DO IT? IS THAT WHAT THEY'RE WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHAT THE STATE OF TEXAS REQUIRES OTHER AN ESD TO HAVE HUNDRED OPERATING THE BUDGET THAT WE'VE GOT.
AND SOME OF 'EM ARE NOT FOLLOW LAW IN BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT KEEPING THAT MUCH RESERVE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF, UH, CASEY? THANK YOU.
DOWN IN THE LOWER PART OF THE COUNTY, JIM S PRECINCT.
HE DOES A GREAT JOB FOR US OUT THERE.
UH, JUST AS, UH, COMMISSIONER ROWDEN, UM, ASKED IN THE OPENING PRAYER FOR FAVOR FROM GOD, WE'RE ASKING FROM FAVOR FROM Y'ALL.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE NUMBERS OR ANYTHING.
I'M NOT HERE TO TALK NUMBERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, UH, WE REPRESENT THE FIREMEN HERE TODAY REPRESENT A LOT OF FIREMEN.
WE ALL HAVE JOBS, WE ALL HAVE BUSINESSES THAT WE'VE LEARNED AND WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE NOT WORKING, THESE LITTLE PAGERS GO OFF.
NO MATTER IF WE'RE SLEEPING AT A BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR OUR CHILDREN, WHATEVER, UM, WE GO OUT AND WE SERVE THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, WE DON'T ASK FOR ANYTHING FOR THAT.
I DON'T GET PAID FOR MY GAS, THE WEAR AND TEAR ON MY CAR, TIME AWAY FROM MY FAMILY.
UM, AND WE DEPEND ON, PART OF THE MONEY THAT WE GET IS FOR INSURANCE.
IF I GET HURT, I'M SELF-EMPLOYED.
IF I GET HURT FIGHTING FIRE AT YOUR HOUSE.
WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE WORK COMP INSURANCE, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CUT.
HOW DOES THAT AFFECT MY FAMILY? WOULD I HAVE TO GO ON WELFARE, WHICH COST THE STATE, THE COUNTY MONEY? UH, SO I'M ASKING THAT YOU LOOK AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UH, OF THE COUNTY.
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, IT'S EASIER FOR THEM TO CUT THINGS OUT OF THEIR BUDGET THAN FROM US.
WE CAN'T CUT DOWN DIFFERENT THINGS BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING AT A BARE MINIMUM AS IT IS.
AND WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO DRAW.
WE'RE NOT A REVENUE SOURCE FOR THE COUNTY WHERE YOU CAN LOOK AT THESE OTHER, OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE GONNA DECREASE THE MONEY THAT Y'ALL HAVE TO PAY ON PHONE SYSTEMS OR TICKET COLLECTION, WHICH FREES UP THE CLERKS
[01:05:01]
AND WHERE THEY CAN DO THINGS THAT ARE BENEFICIAL TO THE COUNTY.EXCUSE ME, SHERIFF, HOW MUCH MONEY DID YOU GIVE UP BY THIS? ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS, WASN'T IT? I THINK A LITTLE OVER A MILLION.
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT CAN GO UP THERE AND WRITE MORE TICKETS FOR ALL THE CARS THAT ARE GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR DOWN.
OR DOWN 1388 OR THESE ROCK HAULERS THAT ARE COMING DOWN AROUND HERE TEARING OUR ROADS UP.
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T GENERATE INCOME FROM THAT.
WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR, TO HELP US SAVE THE COUNTY, THE STATE, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MONEY BY SAVING PEOPLE'S HOUSES FROM BURNING DOWN, CUTTING 'EM OUT OF CARS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, LIKE EDDIE SAID HE'S NOT REQUIRED TO GO OUT AND THERE'S A CAR WRECK, CUT SOMEBODY OUTTA THAT CAR AND SAVE THEIR LIFE.
YOU KNOW? UH, SO WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR HELP TO PROTECT US, TO PROTECT THE, THE COUNTY, THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, WE DID HAVE AN ELECTION HERE WHERE OUR TAXES RATES ARE AT THREE.
WE HAD AN ELECTION AND IT DID NOT PASS.
AND SO WE'RE OUT THERE BASICALLY GONNA HAVE TO BEG FOR MONEY.
WE'RE GONNA DO A FUNDRAISER OCTOBER 24TH AT CURR ROSS HIGH SCHOOL.
THE WARSAW'S BEEN DOING THAT FOR YEARS BECAUSE THEY DON'T PAY ANY TAXES.
THEY'RE NOT IN A FIRE DISTRICT.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO, AND WE CAN, WE ARE VERY LIMITED ON WHAT WE CAN DO THAT.
SO WE'RE JUST ASKING YOU TO LOOK AT US AS A FIRE DEPARTMENT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN SOME OTHER THINGS.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, UH, I KNOW MY WIFE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THAT PAGER GOES OFF, SHE DOESN'T LIKE ME GOING OUT THAT DOOR.
I STILL GOT FIVE CHILDREN THAT STILL LIVE IN THE HOME AND SHE'S CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
AND SO WE'RE, WE NEED THIS MONEY JUST TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT US.
WE, IF WE NEED NEW BUMPER GEAR, WE NEED TRAINING AND THAT SORT OF THING.
THAT'S WHAT OUR MONEY GOES FOR.
AND THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING IS, IS TO, TO, UH, HELP US BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
BECAUSE IF WE CAN'T, WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T WANNA LOSE SOME FIREFIGHTERS BECAUSE THAT, THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP AT TWO TRAINING MEETINGS AGO.
UH, WE HAD A LITTLE DISCUSSION ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON, ABOUT POLICY, ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES AND STUFF.
AND A LOT OF OUR GUYS ARE REALLY CONCERNED THAT IF THEY GET HURT, THEY'RE THE SOLE BREADWINNERS IN THEIR FAMILY.
IF THEY GET HURT, DO WE HAVE WORK COMP INSURANCE THAT'LL COVER THAT? DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO HELP THEM OUT AND, AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT? THAT'S, THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR TO BUY NEW TRUCKS, NEW TAHOES, NEW ANY BUILDINGS OR ANYTHING.
JUST THE BASIC OPERATING EXPENSE.
HOW MUCH IS THE HOE, YOU KNOW? I DON'T KNOW.
10,000, 10,000 WORKER'S COMP, THE INSURANCE ON OUR TRUCKS.
AND THEN WE HAD TO GET A SEPARATE CLAUSE FOR SOMEBODY'S HAD A HOUSE FIRE.
THEY FALL DOWN WITH A HEART ATTACK OR STROKE TO COVER THAT ALSO.
BUT OUR INSURANCE IS, IS A LITTLE OVER 10,000.
WE HAD A STRUCTURE FIRE ON THE OAK CIRCLE AND, UH, WE'RE FIGHTING AT THAT.
THAT HOUSE IS JUST ROLLING AND HE FALLS THROUGH THE FLOOR.
LUCKILY HE DIDN'T GET HURT, YOU KNOW, GOOD THING IT WASN'T THE ROOF THAT FELL ON IT.
SO WE, WE GOT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE INSURANCE FOR VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS, THEN YOU'RE GONNA LOSE A LOT OF THEM.
YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOUR FIRE DISTRICT HAS IN THE RESERVE? ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THEY ONLY KEEP A THOUSAND DOLLARS IN RESERVE JUST FOR, JUST FOR EMERGENCY.
JUST IN CASE, YOU KNOW, A SMALL PUMP BREAK DOWN.
AND, AND THE REASON WHY THEY DID THAT IS THEY, THEY, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET US MORE MONEY SO WE CAN OPERATE OUR, LIKE OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS ABOUT 28,000.
AND I BELIEVE OUR OFFICER GET 10,000 FROM THE FIRE DISTRICT.
AND, AND LIKE US, WE HAVE AN $18,000 ENGINE PAYMENT THAT WE BOUGHT 2000 WITH FROM A 15 YEAR NOTE.
WE HAVE A $10,000 ENGINE PAYMENT AND THEN WE HAVE AN $8,000 LAND AND BUILDING PAYMENT.
AND SO OUR WHOLE FIRE INDUSTRY CHECK GOES TO INSURANCE, LAND PAYMENT AND ENGINE PAYMENT.
AND, AND THE ONLY THING WE SURVIVE ON IS 11,000.
WE, THAT'S WHAT PAYS FOR ALL OF OUR GAS AND, AND WHAT LITTLE BIT OF EQUIPMENT WE'RE ALLOWED TO BUY.
AND OTHER THAN THAT, WE HAVE TO GET GRANTS.
AND, AND ONLY WAY WE CAN GET GRAND IS IF YOU HAVE 10% OF THE MONEY UP FRONT.
SO IF YOU GO OUT TO GET A A $70,000
[01:10:01]
PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE $7,000 SOMEWHERE.SO THE ONLY THING WE DO IS WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE SAY EVERYTHING WE CAN FROM THE MONEY WE GET FROM THE COUNTY PLUS THE, THE DONATION, YOU KNOW, AND THE STATE LIMITS US TO THAT IS TO TWO FUNDRAISING UNIT, UH, EVENTS A YEAR.
SO, AND YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AREN'T GIVING US MONEY LIKE THEY USED TO.
SO I'M JUST ASKING FROM FIREFIGHTERS $2,500 OR WHATEVER OUR CUT IS.
2,500, 3000 MAY NOT SEEM LIKE MUCH, BUT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU OPERATE ALL YOUR FUEL AND EVERYTHING ON THE $11,000, 2,500 IS A LOT, MR.
I BELIEVE THAT WILL HELP A LITTLE BIT.
THE VOLUNTARY FIRE DEPARTMENTS, IF WAS PURSUE BY Y'ALL, Y'ALL ARE NOT GONNA HAVE TO PAY SALES OR PAY TAXES ON YOUR FIELD FOR THE COMING YEAR.
THAT'S NOT GONNA MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE IN IT, BUT THAT, BUT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY SOME ANOTHER THAT, UH, THROUGH SOME TYPE OF A ATTACK OR SOME KIND.
COULD, COULD WE COVER, COULD WE PICKED UP COMP? I CAN COUNTY EMPLOYEE.
UH, IS MARGARET MOFFITT STILL HERE? MARGARET, COME ON UP.
YOU, YOU'VE BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING.
UH, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR NEXT ITEM, YOU WANT TO, I WANNA GET A PICTURE OF YOU SIGNING THAT PROCLAMATION.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UH, THE JUDGE IS VERY KIND.
UH, AND HE SIGNS A PROCLAMATION FOR, UH, MY DAR CHAPTER, WHICH IS RICHARD BARD OUT MESQUITE.
UH, KAUFMAN COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE A DAR CHAPTER, SO, UH, WE HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
BUT, UH, WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTHDAY OF THE CONSTITUTION EVERY YEAR, UH, FOR CONSTITUTION WEEK, WHICH IS SEPTEMBER THE 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD.
AND THIS IS THE 222ND BIRTHDAY OF THE CONSTITUTION.
UH, ALSO NOT OUR CONGRESSMAN, BUT CONGRESSMAN RALPH HALL PROVIDED, UH, A LOT OF, UH, LITTLE BOOKLETS THAT HAVE THE CONSTITUTION IN IT.
AND WE HAVE A DISPLAY AT THE LIBRARY.
SO IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED GETTING A COPY OR SEEING THE DISPLAY, IT WILL BE AT THE LIBRARY STARTING TOMORROW.
LEMME READ THE PROCLAMATION, PROCLAMATION CONSTITUTION WEEK 2009, WHERE SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2009 MARKS THE 222ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE DRAFTING OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY THE CONSTITUTION CONVENTION.
AND WHERE IT IS FITTING AND PROPER TO OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE THIS MAGNIFICENT DOCUMENT AND THE ANNIVERSARY OF ITS CREATION AND WHERE IT, IT IT, WHEREAS IT IS FITTING AND PROPER TO OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE THE PATRIOTIC CELEBRATION FOR WHICH COMMEMORATIVE COMMEMORATE THE OCCASION AND JUAREZ PUBLIC LAW.
NINE 15 GUARANTEES THE ISSUING OF A PROCLAMATION EACH YEAR BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS DESIGNATED SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH 23RD AS CONSTITUTIONAL WEEK.
THEREFORE, I COUNTY JUDGE CALLED COUNTY HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH 23RD, 2009, TO BE CONSTITUTION WEEK IN COLTON COUNTY, AND ASKED OUR CITIZENS TO REAFFIRM THE IDEALS THE FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION HAD IN QUESTION.
MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER CLARK, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ROWDEN.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WERE YOU THERE WHEN THAT WAS SIGNED? SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE YOU BRING YOUR SEAL WITH YOU.
NO, YOU DID NOT, BUT I'LL HAVE.
[01:15:01]
THANK YOU.UH, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA TO ACCEPT A PETITION FOR AND CONSIDER CREATING THE KAUFFMAN COUNTY PARKS DISTRICT.
WELL, UM, I THOUGHT MAYBE Y'ALL WORKSHOP THAT.
GO AHEAD AND YEAH, WE'LL GO BACK TO THAT.
UH, I WENT, I WENT FROM THE TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AND GOT EVERY ONE OF THE DEDUCTIONS AND THE TAXABLE VALUE OF EVERY ESD IN THE COUNTY.
AND THE CHIEF THAT SPOKE FROM KAUFMAN SAID IT CORRECTLY.
THE NORTH SOUTH ISSUE IS A BIG PROBLEM.
THE BIG PROBLEM IS WHEN WE CUT 20% FROM THE COUNTY'S DISTRIBUTION TO A LARGE ESD, IT'S ONLY A PERCENTAGE.
A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF YOUR BUDGET.
1%, MAYBE LESS THAN 1%, BUT WHEN WE CUT 20% OUT OF THE COUNTY'S DONATION TO THE SMALLER DISTRICT, WHICH JUST HAPPENS TO BE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY SCURRY ROSTER, KIM MAYBANK, IT'S A BIG PORTION OF THEIR BUDGET.
I MEAN, IT IS A BIG PORTION OF THEIR BUDGET.
UH, I WOULD LIKE, AND IF WE HAVE A MOTION TO, THERE'S NO MOTION, MOTION WE WORKSHOP.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A WORKSHOP TASK THE AUDITOR, TASK THE AUDITOR TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT, I KNOW WE WORKED HARD ON THIS BUDGET.
I'D JUST LIKE TO GO OVER IT ONE MORE TIME TO SEE IF WE CAN REPLACE AT LEAST A PART.
SEE IF WE CAN AT LEAST COME UP WITH SOME WAY SOMEHOW.
UH, I KNOW IT'S A CHALLENGE AND I KNOW THE AUDITOR WILL HATE ME WHEN I'M DONE HERE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST VISIT THIS ISSUE.
UH, I, I GUESS THAT'S ABOUT THE EASIEST WAY I CAN SAY IT.
YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE TO TAKE THE BLAME ON THE COMBINE.
UH, WE CUT COMBINE COMBINE'S, NOT AN ESD COMBINE, HAS A VERY SMALL REVENUE SOURCE.
UH, AND THAT'S PART OF ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT I, THAT THE AUDITOR WANTS TO TALK ABOUT.
'CAUSE I HAD REQUESTED THAT THAT BE PUT BACK IN BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A REVENUE SOURCE.
BUT IN WHAT I'VE HEARD TODAY, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK, THROW IT ALL BACK ON.
HAL, NEED TO DO A YEAH, WE ALL SHOULD.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY COMMISSIONERS TOOK ABOUT A MILLION, A MILLION DOLLAR HIT IN OUR BUDGET.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EMPATHY PATHETIC.
IS THAT A GOOD WORD? TO WHAT, WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH? UH, BUT IT, IT COMES TO A LITTLE MORE LIGHT NOW THAN I I'VE HEARD SOME INPUT.
I'M GONNA PROMISE YOU ANYTHING, BUT I, I, ONE THING I WILL PROMISE YOU IS WE'LL LOOK REAL HARD, UH, TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
UH, EDDIE, I NEVER DID GET AROUND TO ANSWER ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
UH, YOU SAID THAT THERE WAS RUMOR GOING AROUND THAT
UH, IF YOU'LL RECALL BACK IN 1991, WHEN THE VERY FIRST RURAL FIRE DISTRICT WAS, WAS BORN, UH, THE, ONE OF THE SELLING POINTS TO THE BOULDER WAS, IS THAT EVENTUALLY THE COUNTY WOULD GET OUT OF IT AND, UH, THAT THE FIRE DISTRICTS WOULD TAKE OVER AND FUND ALL THE OPERATION OF THE FIRE DIS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
NOW SO FAR, NO COMMISSIONER'S COURT HAS PURSUED THAT.
AND I DON'T THINK ANY COMMISSIONER'S COURT WILL PURSUE IT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
SO, YOU KNOW, LET THAT CASE, THAT
[01:20:01]
ONE.SO, WELL, I'M SAYING THAT AT THE BEGINNING, UH, IN NINE ONE, THE IDEA WAS CREATE FIRE DISTRICTS ALL OVER THE COUNTY AND WITH, AND LET THAT FIRE DISTRICT FUND THOSE FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND NOT THE COUNTY.
AND THAT, THAT'S BEEN THE IDEA SINCE DAY ONE IN NINE ONE.
NOW, BUT I'M SAYING THAT NO COMMISSIONER'S COURT SINCE THEN HAS TAKEN THAT APPROACH.
AND I'VE NOT HEARD IT FROM ANY OF THESE GUYS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE THAT APPROACH OTHER THAN WE'RE TRYING TO GET THIS BUDGET DONE WITHOUT INCREASING ANY TAXES.
WE'RE GOING, BELIEVE ME, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE TO INCREASE TAXES TO GET Y'ALL MORE MONEY, IF WE HAVE TO INCREASE TAXES TO GET THE SHERIFF MORE, WE HAVE TO INCREASE TAXES TO GET THE DISTRICT CLERK MORE MONEY, OR THE COUNTY CLERK OR THE CONSTABLES.
THE COURT HERE GETS THE BLAME FOR INCREASING TAXES TO HELP THESE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO THEY WERE DETERMINED THIS YEAR THERE WILL BE NO INCREASE IN TAXES AND WE HAVEN'T POSTED ANY, SO THERE WILL NOT BE AN INCREASE IN TAXES THIS YEAR.
ALL WE CAN DO NOW IS IF WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE SPENDING, WE CAN, ALL WE CAN DO IS JUST GET SOME, THE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE THIS BUDGET WAS, WAS CUT EX.
BUT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT THE RUMOR, YOU HEARD THAT WE'RE GETTING OUT OF IT ALL TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE THIS COMMISSIONER'S COURT DOING ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
ESD, YOU KNOW, A 200,000 HOUSE, LIKE IN BOUGHT $60 A YEAR, THAT'S A BARGAIN.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY'S GONNA TO PAY $60 A YEAR FOR YOUR INSURANCE TO KEEP THEIR HOUSE FROM BURNING DOWN.
BUT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE KIND OF WANT WE RUSH, DIDN'T RUSH THIS THING, WAS THAT IN CASE WE WERE HURTING YOU, WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE OPTION TO GO OUT FOR A TAX INCREASE.
BUT I'M KIND OF TAX INCREASES.
JUST LIKE IF WE EQUIP ONE FOR ANYTHING, IT'S GONNA BE, IT'S A REAL TOUGH SELL.
TODAY'S MARKET, I'LL GET TO THAT.
BUT WANT, IF YOU GOING HAVE A TAX INCREASE GONNA BE ON THE AGENDA FROM NOVEMBER BALLOT, THAT, THAT'S KIND THE OPTION WHERE WE'RE HOPING THAT IF YOU HAD TO HAVE IT, THAT YOU COULD USE, AND IT MIGHT BE A SELLING POINT TO YOU WHEN YOU GO OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND SAY, LOOK, WE'VE GOT THAT.
WE WERE IN THE HOPES THAT
BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN THE SOUTH END.
WELL, DURING, DURING THIS DISCUSSION ON CUTTING, CUTTING THE, THE DONATIONS TO THE ESD, THE REQUIREMENT THAT WE SAID WAS WE'VE GOT TO GIVE THE ES DS TIME TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TIME TO GET IT ON THE BALLOT TO REQUEST AN INCREASE.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT VERY FUNNY BECAUSE, UH, SCURRY JUST LOST A ONE INCREASE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S REALLY MORE DIFFICULT THAN WE THOUGHT.
AND AT THAT TIME, I DIDN'T REALIZE THE SECURITY JUST LOST THE 1 CENT IN VOTING.
SO, UH, WE NEED, WE NEED TO NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE, A LITTLE I PASS, BUT YEAH, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT WAY THE COUNTY IS RIGHT NOW, IF WE, WE'D HAVE A I'M SURE YOU WOULD.
AND THAT WAS THE RIGHT AT THIS POINT, THAT'S WHY YOU GOT THE LETTER WHEN YOU DID, BECAUSE WHEN THE JUDGE SAYS WE NEED TO NOTIFY HIM, I SAID, YOU GOTTA DO IT.
BECAUSE TOMORROW DAY AFTER TOMORROW, THE 2ND OF SEPTEMBER IS THE LA LAST DATE THAT YOU CAN GET IT ON THE BALLOT.
SEPTEMBER 2ND, UH, GET IT ON THE BALLOT.
SO RIGHT NOW, I KNOW, UH, I WENT TO THE MAYBANK HEARING MAYBANK JUST SET THEIR, THEIR RATE, BUT, UH, TERRY THOMAS TOLD ME THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA RAISE.
BUT THERE IS STILL A NEED AND I DON'T THINK IT WOULD PASS.
BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK A, A TAX.
I THINK AT SOME POINT IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO GO AT.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT, THE TIME IS NOT RIGHT TO TRY TO TRY TO GO OUT HERE.
AND I I, I'M REALIZING THAT MORE EVERY DAY.
I SAID WE'RE GONNA HAVE WORKSHOP EITHER THEN, UNLESS Y'ALL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION NOW, HAVE A WORKSHOP.
NO, WE SET THE WORKSHOP WITHOUT A MOTION.
I'D LIKE KNOW WHERE THE MONEY'S COMING FROM.
I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT'S COMING.
THE OTHER VOTES ARE, PUT IT ALL BACK IN IF YOU WANT.
[01:25:04]
OKAY.ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE FIRE DISTRICTS AT THIS TIME? VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT SIGNED.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PARTS DISTRICT.
HAVE A COUPLE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THAT.
[01:33:51]
SO WHEN YOU'REDO WE HAVE A PETITION? YES, SIR.
WALK US THROUGH ALL THESE BITS AND BOUNDS IF YOU PLEASE LITERALLY WALK YOU THROUGH THAT.
UM, JUDGE, I'M DARREN ROOSEVELT, UH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF FOUR.
NOW THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIVE IN THE CITY OF FOUR, BUT DO LIVE IN THIS PROPOSED DISTRICT THAT LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY, GOING BASICALLY LIVE INSIDE THE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I DUNNO IF YOU WANNA HAND DIRECTLY TO YOU OR, YEAH.
IS THIS THE ORIGINAL PETITION? UM, THIS PETITION DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO BE, UH, WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH A FORMAL PETITION PROCESS.
I ASKED HIM BEFORE WE CAN PUT THIS ON AGENDA TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO CALL EVICTION BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T GONNA HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ACTUALLY VALIDATE THESE PEOPLE.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD, IF THEY DID HAVE ENOUGH TIME THAT THEY COULD HAVE DONE THE NUMBER.
WE WERE, WE'RE NOT SAYING THIS IS VALID ON
[01:35:01]
DISTRICT GONNA, UH, HAVE A COPY OF THIS MORNING, MANY PAPERWORK, WANTING TO CALL THE ELECTION.IF WE HAD GONE THROUGH THE, SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION.
IF WE HAD GONE THROUGH THE FORMAL PETITION PROCESS, THE NUMBER WE WOULD'VE NEEDED TO HIT, I BELIEVE WAS 1 46 SOUNDS RIGHT.
SO WE WANTED TO AT LEAST PUT THE EFFORT FORWARD TO GET ENOUGH SIGNATURES TO BE BEYOND THAT MARK, UM, KIND OF FOR A COMFORT LEVEL FOR THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND FOR OUR COMMISSIONER TO LET 'EM KNOW THAT THERE WAS A LEVEL OF SUPPORT OUT THERE FOR PARK DISTRICT.
UM, DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH INFORMATION YOU WANT AS FAR AS BACKGROUND ON THIS DISTRICT OR WHY WE'RE EVEN PROPOSING IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF MR IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON IT OR WE NEED, WE NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT.
I DUNNO IF, UH, MR. CLARK WANTS TO SPEAK ABOUT IT OR YOU GO AHEAD WHILE YOU'VE GOT THE MICROPHONE THERE.
UM, I'M ASSUMING MOST FOLKS ARE AWARE, AND HOPEFULLY SOME OF YOU HAVE SEEN THE NEW PARK THAT WAS OPEN AT FOUR 40 COMMUNITY PARK.
THERE, THERE WAS A BOND ELECTION HELD IN THE FALL OF 2006.
UH, SOME ROAD PROJECTS, A NEW JUSTICE BUILDING.
AND THESE, THIS PARK, UM, THE PARK PASSED TWO TO ONE BY THE CITY OF NEY VOTERS.
NOW, THAT WAS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PARK.
THE MAINTENANCE OF THE PARK WAS A SEPARATE MATTER.
WE CAN'T, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T USE BOND FUNDS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE PARK.
UH, THE PARK HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED.
THE PARK WAS OPENED IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
ABOUT, DURING ONE OF OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS IN THE SUMMER OF 2007, UH, OUR PARKS DIRECTOR, RICHARD CURRY, WAS GOING OVER SOME NUMBERS WITH US AND EXPLAINED TO US THAT THIS WAS TRULY GOING TO BE A COMMUNITY PARK AND NOT JUST A CITY PARK.
'CAUSE AT THAT TIME, THE NUMBER OF, UH, CHILDREN USING OUR SPORTS FACILITIES RAN ABOUT 70% OF THOSE LIVING OUTSIDE THE CITY.
WELL, IT WAS BACK IN OH SEVEN.
WE BEGAN THINKING AS A COUNCIL, WELL HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE HANDLE THIS? BECAUSE IT'S NOT QUITE RIGHT FOR SOMEBODY IN THE CITY TO BE PAYING FOR ATRIAL AND ALSO PAYING FOR FREE OTHERS TO USE THAT PARK WHEN THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE CITY AREN'T PAYING.
I KNOW A LOT OF PARKS HAVE DONE THAT, BUT THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT TRYING TO CREATE A SPECIAL DISTRICT, A PARKS DISTRICT, UM, BECAUSE THAT, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO ADDRESS NOT ONLY THE SPORT USAGE FEES, BUT ALSO THE MAINTENANCE OF THE FACILITY.
UH, THAT'S WHERE THIS THING STARTED.
UH, I GUESS YOU'D SAY THE DETERMINATION OF IT.
UM, WHAT WE'VE DONE NOW IS WE'VE HAD A BILL THAT WAS DRAFTED AND PASSED.
SAME THING AS THE, THE FIRE MENTIONING NOW IS A, A DIFFICULT TIME TO BE CONSIDERING TALKING ABOUT RAISING ANYBODY'S TAXES.
UH, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING WITH THIS, ACTUALLY, THIS IS GONNA BE A TWO STEP PROCESS.
WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU TO DO NOW IS TO ALLOW THIS TO BE PLACED ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.
THIS WILL GIVE THE VOTERS IN THE FORNEY SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS THE BOUNDARY OF THIS PARKS DISTRICT, MINUS THOSE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY, BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY APPROVED BONDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PARK.
SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS NOVEMBER FOR THEM TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE YES OR NO, WE WANT TO CREATE THIS DISTRICT, OR WE DO NOT WANT TO CREATE THIS DISTRICT.
THEN IF THE DISTRICT IS SORRY ABOUT THAT, NOT QUITE THAT LOUD.
ONE OF THESE DAYS WE MAY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO IMPROVE OUR SOUND SYSTEM.
I'M ASSUMING UNTIL THEN WE YOU CUT THAT OUT OF YOUR BUDGET, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
UH, AGAIN, IT IT IS GONNA BE A TWO STEP PROCESS.
THIS WOULD BE, THIS IS NOT BY YOU PUTTING THIS ON A NOVEMBER BALLOT.
YOU'RE NOT SAYING THAT YOU WANT ANYBODY'S TAXES TO GO UP.
WHAT WE'RE ASKING, WHAT YOU WOULD BE SAYING BY PLACING THIS ON A NOVEMBER BALLOT IS OKAY, WE WANT THE PEOPLE IN THIS EFFECTIVE DISTRICT TO TELL US WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT THE DISTRICT.
NOW IN NOVEMBER, IF IT WERE TO PASS AND THEY APPROVE THE DISTRICT, THEN WE WOULD HAVE ANOTHER ELECTION PROBABLY IN THE SPRING OR, UM, IT EITHER BE MARCH OR MAY.
MAY, MAY BE IN MAY OF, UH, 2010.
THERE WOULD BE ELECTION THEN ON A TAX RATE.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE INTERIM IS IF THIS WERE APPROVED, THEN THIS WOULD CREATE THE DISTRICT, IT WOULD ALLOW THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO APPOINT A BOARD.
THAT BOARD WOULD WORK TO SET THE TAX RATE.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS BE THE CITY OF FORNEY TELLING PEOPLE WHAT THEIR TAX RATE'S GOING TO BE.
NOW OBVIOUSLY THAT BOARD IS GONNA NEED SOME INPUT FROM THE CITY OF FORNEY, FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
BUT THE BOARD THAT WOULD BE INITIALLY APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WOULD BE THE ONES THAT WOULD SET THE TAX RATE, SET THAT OUT THERE TO BE VOTED ON AGAIN, BY THE VOTERS IN THIS DISTRICT AND EITHER WROTE THAT TAX RATE UP OR DOWN IN MAY OF 2010.
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY.
[01:40:02]
VERY GOOD.ANY QUESTIONS? I THOUGHT WE HAD NOTHING.
PAULA, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK? SHE, SEVERAL PEOPLE WANNA SPEAK.
THERE'S SEVERAL US THAT WANNA SPEAK.
I'M WAIT TILL THE MAYOR GETS, SEVERAL PEOPLE WANNA SPEAK.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THE MAYOR, WHILE HE'S HERE WHILE YOU'RE ASKING IS US TO GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO, UH, PUT THIS OUT TO THE PEOPLE TO VOTE ON IT TO SEE IF THEY WANT.
BUT I, I BELIEVE THAT'S THE FAIR THING.
IT IT IS NOT RIGHT FOR YOU TO PLACE THIS ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER BECAUSE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF FORNEY, OR BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE FROM FORNEY SPOKE FOR IT AND ASKED YOU TO DO IT.
IT'S NOT RIGHT FOR YOU TO NOT PLACE IT ON THE BALLOT.
BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE SPOKE AND SAID, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, THE IMPARTIAL THING TO DO, PLACE IT ON THE BALLOT, HAVE IT THERE IN NOVEMBER, LET THE VOTERS DECIDE IT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'LL, I'LL BE GLAD AND COME BACK UP.
UH, FIRST PERSON WE'VE HAD SIGN UP FOR SPEAK ON THAT IS HOWARD CARLIN OFFER ALLOW ME TO SPEAK.
UH, YOU LIVE I LIVE IN OR DO YOU LIVE? I LIVE IN THE COUNTY.
IT'D BE, IT WOULD BE PEOPLE THE DISTRICT BE IN, I WOULD BE BE IN, YES.
THE, UM, YOU GUYS WERE JUST DISCUSSING A BUDGET ISSUE ON, UH, YOU KNOW, TAX WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO PASS A TAX.
UH, THE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S A NECESSITY.
THESE PARK DISTRICTS, THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE.
NOW, THE CITY OF FORNEY DID THE RIGHT THING AND WENT TO THEIR PEOPLE AND VOTED IN A BOND ELECTION TO BUILD A PARK.
THE IDEA THAT 70% OF THE PEOPLE THAT USE THE PARK COME FROM OUT.
NOW THAT'S ONLY ON THE SPORTS FACILITIES AND THAT THOSE PEOPLE PAY PLAY IN THOSE SPORTS, UH, LEADS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE
AS FAR AS THE PARK ITSELF GOES, THAT'S STILL PROBABLY CONTROLLED BY THE CITY OF THE, THE, THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY.
THEY LIVE CLOSER TO THE PARK AND USE THESE OTHER PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE AREAS LIKE LINGO FARMS, TRAVIS RANCH, WE HAVE OUR OWN PARKS THAT DEVELOPERS HAVE PUT IN AND, UH, THAT ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE STAY IN OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS, THE FRESHWATER SUPPLY DISTRICTS IN THESE AREAS.
IF WE NEED TO BUILD PARKS, THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO GO TO THE PEOPLE IN THEIR DISTRICT AND TALK TO 'EM ABOUT DOING BONDS TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN, UH, PARK FACILITIES OR RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, BE IT BASEBALL FIELDS, SWIMMING POOLS, WHATNOT.
SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER BUREAUCRATIC GROUP ON TOP OF ANOTHER BUREAUCRATIC GROUP.
YOU KNOW, IT IS, YOU'RE JUST PILING ON, UH, TO CREATE AN AREA THAT CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, CAUSE THE INFLICT TAXES ON, ON PEOPLE.
THE, UH, ANOTHER ISSUE IS A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE DO SHOPPING IN FORNEY AND HAS INCREASED FOREIGN TAX REVENUE, SALES, TAX REVENUE QUITE A BIT SINCE MOSTLY GROWTH HAS BEEN IN THAT AREA IN THE COUNTY.
AND THAT MONEY, IF THEY WERE GONNA EXPAND SOMETHING, THEY EXPANDED A PARK.
WHY CAN'T THEY USE THAT MONEY TO FACILITATE THE, UH, COVERAGE OF THE PARK? YOU KNOW, TAXES SHOULD BE COVERED FOR NEEDS OF THE, OF, OF THE AREA.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, FIRE AND POLICE AND ROADS, YOU KNOW, THAT THOSE ARE NEEDS THAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS.
BUT THIS PARK THAT FORNEY HAS BUILT, AND THEN THEY BUILT A PARK AND THEN THAT THEY DECIDED AFTER THE FACT THAT THEY NEED ANOTHER WAY TO PAY FOR IT.
I JUST DON'T THINK THAT IT'S VERY FAIR.
AND 156 PEOPLE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO CONSIDER THIS IN AN AREA THAT HAS QUITE A BIT MORE THAN THAT IS, IS I DON'T THINK A FAIR PETITION NUMBER.
ANY QUESTIONS, MR. I'LL ASK SOME, SOME OTHER PEOPLE.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE PAULA HOPPER.
AND FOR THE RECORD, YOU FOR THE RECORD.
[01:45:01]
I LIVE IN WOOD MILL FARMS, SO I DO FOLLOW WITHIN THE DISTRICT.UM, I'M REQUESTING THAT, UM, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT NOT PROCEED WITH A MOTION FOR A CONFIRMATION ELECTION.
IF THIS GOES FORWARD, IT NEEDS TO GO FORWARD BECAUSE CITIZENS WITHIN THE DIVINE AREA CARED ENOUGH ABOUT GETTING A PETITION FILED WITH THE COURT IN A TIMELY MANNER.
THAT WAY A HEARING CAN BE CALLED.
AND THIS MATTER CAN BE DISCUSSED AND NOT RUSHED THROUGH PRIOR TO A CONFIRMATION ELECTION.
I'M NOT IN SUPPORT OF THIS DISTRICT.
WE, Y'ALL ALREADY HEARD ABOUT THE 70%.
WHEN NEY WENT TO AUSTIN, THEY SAID 70% OF THE PARK USERS LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF FORNEY.
BUT 100% OF THE FUNDING COMES FROM CITY TAXPAYER.
AND THIS CAUSES AN INEQUITABLE BURDEN.
AND NOW THEY'RE TELLING Y'ALL THAT THE 70% IS SPORTS RELATED.
THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHILDREN BEING ENROLLED IN SPORTS ACTIVITIES AND PARK USERS.
MY CHILD IS NOT ENROLLED IN ANY OF THE SPORTS ACTIVITIES, AND I DO NOT WANT A FURTHER TAX BURDEN PLACED UPON ME BECAUSE A PARK WAS CREATED THAT I HAD NO SAY IN.
THERE'S ANOTHER WAY THAT FORNEY COULD GO ABOUT DOING THIS.
THEY CAN CHARGE THE KIDS THAT LIVE OUTSIDE THE COUNTY USER THEIR FEES, AND THEN THOSE THAT USE THE PART OUTSIDE THE COUNTY CAN PACE THE PART.
I SHOULD NOT BE BURDENED FURTHER WITH MORE TAXES.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE CREATION OF ANOTHER SPECIAL TAXING DISTRICT, WHICH WOULD CREATE A LARGE AMOUNT OF BOND DEBT THAT WOULD NOT BE PAID OFF FOR 20 PLUS YEARS IS A PRUDENT ACTION, ESPECIALLY FOR THE EXPANSION AND MAINTENANCE OF PARK.
AND ESPECIALLY AFTER HEARING ABOUT OUR RURAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
I FALL WITHIN AN EDSI ALSO AM IN THE FRESHWATER SUPPLY DISTRICT.
THAT DISTRICT HAS THE RIGHT TO RAISE MY RATE WITHOUT A VOTE BECAUSE OF THE WAY A PETITION, A MOTION, A SPECIAL DISTRICT WAS TAXED.
I HAVE HEARD THAT THEY'VE HAD A PUBLIC MEETING AND THEY WILL BE RAISING MY RATE 20 CENTS FOR A NECESSITY.
BECAUSE IF THEY CANNOT PAY THEIR BILLS FOR THE WATER, FOR THE ROADS, THEY HAVE TO TACK IT ONTO MY WATER BILL.
THEY'RE GOING TO GET THEIR MONEY FROM ME ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
WHEN YOU ADD ON THAT 20 CENTS THAT TAX ME OVER THE $3, THE TOTAL $3 VALUE THAT I'LL BE PAYING ON TAXES, I'VE HEARD HEARD NUMBERS THROWN AROUND THAT THE CITY WANTS, UM, POSSIBLY 10 CENTS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW ACCURATE THAT IS.
THAT PUTS ME AT $3 AND 14 CENTS.
IF PEOPLE WANT THEIR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS PARK, THEY SHOULD SHOULDER THAT BURDEN.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE ALSO AWARE OF IT, BUT CITIZENS IN THE CITY OF
AND I'M NOT TOO SURE THEY'RE GONNA BE HAPPY ABOUT HAVING TO PAY TAXES TO THE CITY OF MESQUITE FOR A PARK AND ALSO TO THIS PARKS DISTRICT.
UM, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY, ALL THE OTHER HOUSEHOLDS IN AMERICA, WE'RE ALL HAVING TO LOOK AT OUR BUDGET.
UM, WE ARE A ONE INCOME FAMILY.
I HELP MY HUSBAND WITH HIS BUSINESS.
I HAVE HAD TO TELL MY DAUGHTER, YOU CANNOT DO CERTAIN THINGS.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME OTHER PEOPLE START TELLING THEIR KIDS, YOU CANNOT DO THIS.
I'M SORRY, I CAN'T AFFORD FOR YOU TO PLAY SPORTS BECAUSE OF THE USAGE FEES AT 40.
YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD WILD FIGURES ABOUT USAGE FEES AND, UH, I, I THINK THIS IS WRONG.
UM, I DO NOT WANT TO BE IN ANOTHER SPECIAL TAXING DISTRICT.
UM, THE GUYS ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEY GOT CAPPED AT 10 CENTS, 10 CENTS FOR A NECESSITY.
FORNEY WENT AND LOBBIED AND GOT THEIR CAP AT 35 CENTS FOR EVERY $100 ON THE VALUE OF MY HOME.
NOW, I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE THE STARTING RATE.
WHERE DOES THE RATE START? WHERE DOES THE RATE STOP? I WANT A HEARING ON THIS.
THEY NEVER CAME TO OUR FRESH WATER SUPPLY DISTRICTS AND SAID, HEY, WE NEED HELP PAYING FOR THIS PARK THAT WE VOTED FOR THAT SOME OF YOUR CITIZENS ARE USING.
[01:50:01]
THEY COULDN'T, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, THEY DIDN'T GET A PETITION FILED WITH Y'ALL ON TIME TO HAVE A HEARING.AND NOW THEY'RE WANTING Y'ALL TO PUT IT ON BECAUSE 146 PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR IT.
I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THOSE 146 PEOPLE DIDN'T BOTHER TO READ THIS HOUSE BILL, AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEIR FUTURE TAXES ARE GONNA BE RAISED TO.
I'M ALREADY LOOKING AT 20 CENTS BECAUSE OF A SPECIAL DISTRICT, AND I DON'T HAVE A SAY IN THAT.
AND NOW, NOW THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SLAP ON ANOTHER 10 CENTS JUST 'CAUSE THEY WANT THEIR KID TO BE ABLE TO PLAY IN THAT PART.
BUT YOU WOULD HAVE A SAY IN THIS ONE, RIGHT? YOU WOULD'VE, YOU WOULD'VE TWO VOTES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS BE PUT BEFORE THE PEOPLE.
BUT THIS BILL SAYS THERE IS TWO WAYS THAT THIS CAN GO ABOUT ON THE COMMISSIONER'S OWN MOTION, OR AFTER THE FILING OF A WRITTEN PETITION SIGNED BY A NUMBER OF THE REGISTERED VOTERS WHO RESIDE IN THE AREA OF THE PROPOSED DISTRICT, EQUAL TO AT LEAST 5% OF THE VOTES RECEIVED IN THAT AREA IN THE MOST RECENT
THEN IT GOES DOWN TO A NOTICE OF HEARING.
IF A PETITION IS FILED UNDER SECTION DA DA, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT SHALL SET A DATE FOR A HEARING ON THE PETITION THAT IS AFTER THE 20TH DAY.
BUT ON OR BEFORE THE 40TH DAY, AFTER THE DATE, THE PETITION IS FILED, IT GOES ON TO SAY THAT A HEARING WILL BE HELD, BOTH SIDES WILL BE, UM, WILL LISTEN.
AND THEN, UM, THERE'S A PART ON HERE, AND I'VE TALKED WITH MR. CLARK ABOUT IT.
UM, Y'ALL HAVE TO FIND THAT THE DISTRICT INCLUDES ANY AREA A AFTER THIS PETITION, IT SAYS THE COURT SHALL GRANT THE PETITION, THE HEARING MAY BE ADJOURNED.
LET'S SEE, AT THE HEARING, EVIDENCE SHALL BE TAKEN AS IN CIVIL CASES IN THE COUNTY COURT.
THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT SHALL HEAR ALL THE ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST CONFIRMING THE CREATION OF THE DISTRICT.
THE HEARING MAY BE ADJOURNED FROM TIME TO TIME ON GOOD CAUSE SHOWN THE COMMISSIONER COURT SHALL GRANT THE PETITION AND ORDER THE ELECTION ON THE ISSUE OF CONFIRMING THE CREATION OF THE DISTRICT.
IF THE COMMISSIONER COURT FINDS THAT THE PETITION IS SIGNED BY THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS, THE DISTRICT WILL SERVE THE PURPOSES FOR PRESCRIBED BY SECTIONS.
AND IT LISTS THOSE, AND THE DISTRICT INCLUDES ANY AREA WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY THAT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS NO AREA IN THE CITY OF IT IS ALL OUTSIDE.
THIS WAS RUSHED THROUGH SO THAT IT COULD BE PUT ON A NOVEMBER BALLOT AND NOT ALL THE FACTS COULD BE BROUGHT FORTH IN A TIMELY MANNER.
AND THAT IS WRONG IF YOU WANNA PUT IT BEFORE THE VOTERS.
LET THE VOTERS DECIDE, BUT LET IT BE DONE THE WAY THAT THIS CALLS FOR IT, NOT BECAUSE YOU APPROVED A PETITION THAT WASN'T FILED IN TIME TO HAVE A HEARING.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANNA SPEAK? THAT'S ALL THAT'S SIGNED UP ANYWAY.
NO, WE HAVE ONE MORE GUY I SHOULD BE ON THERE.
UM, AND ATTACHED, I APOLOGIZE AND SAME PLACE YOU LIVE.
UM, I AM IN THE TRAVIS RANCH SUBDIVISION, WHICH IS, UH, WITHIN FORNEY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, ACTUALLY, BUT NOT IN FORNEY, NOT INSIDE OF FORNEY.
UH, TRAVIS RANCH IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE CITY OF FORNEY.
IT'S ACTUALLY SPLIT BETWEEN FORNEY AND ROCKWALL.
ISDS OF THE NORTHERN PORTION OF TRAVIS RANCH IS IN THE ROCKWALL SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE SOUTHERN, UH, TWO THIRDS OF WHAT'S CURRENTLY BUILT FOR TRAVIS RANCH IS IN FOUR DISTRICT.
UM, AND I LIVE IN THAT PORTION.
UM, ALSO EXPRESSING MY CONCERN ABOUT THE, UM, CURRENTLY DRAFTED BILL GOING, UM, GOING BEFORE THE VOTERS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY I HAVE ONE CHILD HERE.
I HAVE ANOTHER ONE WHO'S ACTUALLY IN THE FORNEY SCHOOLS.
UM, I'LL ADMIT THAT I DO AND HAVE GONE TO THE COMMUNITY PARK.
AND I RIGHT NOW DON'T PAY ANY TAXES TO USE THAT PARK.
I'LL PRE ADMIT THAT I DO UNDERSTAND THE ARGUMENT FROM THE CITY OF WANTING AND NEEDING MONEY FROM RESIDENTS WHO ARE WITHIN THE PROPOSED PARK DISTRICT TO FUND OPERATIONS WITHIN THAT PARK.
MY CONCERN IS ACTUALLY WITH THE HOUSE RESOLUTION, THE WAY IT'S CURRENTLY DRAFTED, PARDON ME.
UM, PRIMARILY WITH SECTION TWO.
UM, SECTION TWO, WHICH IS WHAT ESTABLISHES THE, UM, AND THIS IS ON HOUSE RESOLUTION.
[01:55:03]
UM, SO THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION THOUGH FOR THIS PROPOSAL, UM, SECTION TWO, THE WORDING OF IT ESTABLISHES THE BOUNDARIES AS BEING THE FOUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, EXCLUSIVE OF THE CITY OF FORNEY AS IT IS ON THE DATE OF THIS ACT.SO IN OTHER WORDS, ON THE DATE THAT AS FAR AS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO READ IT ON THE DATE THAT THE, UH, LEGISLATIVE ACT IN ESSENCE BECAME ACTIVE, THERE'S NO STIPULATION IN THE RESOLUTION ARE IN THE BILL AT ALL.
LET'S SAY 10, 15 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
THIS IS THINKING PRETTY FAR OUT.
BUT AT THAT POINT, THE PARK DISTRICT WILL LIKELY STILL BE IN EXISTENCE IF IT WERE TO BE APPROVED.
WHAT HAPPENS IF NEY DECIDES TO ANNEX TRAVIS RANCH OR WHEN NO FARMS? THE WAY THAT, UM, SECTION TWO IS CURRENTLY WORDED, THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE THAT ADDRESSES THAT.
IN ESSENCE, SAY TRAVIS RANCH IS ANNEXED IN, WE ACTUALLY DO WANT OUR SOUTHERN BORDER TOUCH THE CITY OF FORNEY.
IF WE'RE ANNEXED IN THE WAY THE BILL'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN, WE'D BE PAYING TAXES TO BOTH THE CITY OF FORNEY AND HAVE TO CONTINUE PAYING FOR THE PARKS DISTRICT.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THE BILL THAT STATES WHAT HAPPENS IF WE'RE ANNEXED TRAVIS RANCHERS AND IS WHERE I LIVE.
WE ALSO HAVE TWO OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE RIGHTS OF ANNEXATION FOR THE TRAVIS RANCH SUBDIVISION.
UH, ON OUR NORTHERN SIDE, WE TOUCHED THE CITY OF HEATH, AND ON OUR EASTERN SIDE, WE TOUCHED, OR WESTERN SIDE, I APOLOGIZE, WE TOUCH THE CITY OF PARIS.
SO AT ANY POINT, TRAVIS RANCH COULD BE ANNEXED BY EITHER KEITH DALLAS OR FOR NOW.
CHANCES ARE THAT WON'T HAPPEN IN THE EARLIEST FOR 15 OR 20 YEARS UNTIL THE BONDS THAT WERE BUILT, UH, BY THE, BY THE, BY THE MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER SIX, ARE ACTUALLY PAID DOWN.
SO, I MEAN, REALISTICALLY, WE WOULDN'T BE LOOKING AT BEING ANNEXED FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
BUT AS I SAID, LOOKING FORWARD, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CURRENT BILL THAT ADDRESSES WHAT HAPPENS IF AND IN COMMUNITIES AREN'T ANNEXED.
AND THAT'S WHY I ASK YOU TODAY, AT LEAST THE WAY THAT THE BILL IS CURRENTLY DRAFTED, I DON'T THINK THAT IT SHOULD GO BEFORE THE VOTERS.
I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS RUSHED THROUGH.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST WAS FOR THAT ONE.
TO ME, THAT'S A LARGE GAPING HOLE IN THE BILL.
AND TRUTHFULLY, I SAT DOWN WITH MY WIFE A FEW DAYS AGO AND AND DISCUSSED WITH HER.
THAT WAS ADDRESSED IN THE BILL SPECIFICALLY.
I MIGHT ACTUALLY BE INCLINED TO VOTE FOR IT.
AND I KNOW THAT TO MY TWO COUNTERPARTS BACK THERE.
THEY PROBABLY DO AGREE WITH ME.
BUT AS I SAID, I DO HAVE CHILDREN TO USE THE FALLBACK.
NOW, I WOULD NOT AT THAT POINT BE WANTING THE TAXES TO BE GOING EASILY.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A TWO STAGE PROCESS.
THE FIRST STAGE IS JUST SIMPLY TO, IN ESSENCE, ENTERTAIN THE IDEA OF HAVING THE DISTRICT CREATED.
AS I SAID, RIGHT NOW, THE WAY THAT IT'S CURRENTLY DRAFTED, I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE CREATED.
IF IT WERE, IF THE, UH, WORDING AND THE BILL WERE CHANGED, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THIS LITTLE WIGGLE WORM IS DISTRACTING ME.
BUT THAT'S, THAT IS WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, FIRST OFF, YOU DON'T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE.
THAT'S NO PROBLEM THAT EVERYBODY, UH, THAT'S EVERYBODY THAT HAS SIGNED UP.
MR. CLARK, THIS IS IN YOUR PRECINCT.
YOU, YES, THIS IS VERY VALID POINTS.
TALKED TO PAUL, YOU KNOW, QUITE A BIT THERE AT THE OFFICE ABOUT IT.
UH, THIS BILL BE, IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS LY GRABBING.
UH, IT'S GOT A LOT OF HOLES IN IT.
AND TALKING WITH, UH, OUR ATTORNEY, ONE OF THE REASONS, PAUL, THAT WE, THAT, UH, WE'RE PROHIBITED FROM HAVING A PETITION TO CREATE THIS DISTRICT, ACCORDING TO OUR ATTORNEY, THAT LANGUAGE IN THERE, IF YOU BROUGHT A PETITION UP HERE WITH 5,000 PEOPLE ON IT, WE COULDN'T CALL THE ELECTION BECAUSE OF THE WORDING THAT SAYS IT'S IN THE CITY.
NOT ALL WE COULD, WE COULD NOT DO THAT.
SO THE REASON I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA AFTER I TALKED TO HIM WAS ALLOW YOU THE CHOICE AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED THAT PETITION.
AND, UH, WE'VE GOT LETTERS OF SUPPORT HERE FROM, UH, THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, FROM NEY MESSENGER, FROM PEEWEE ASSOCIATION, FROM THE SOCCER ASSOCIATION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO, FOR THIS, TO GO OUT FOR A VOTE.
AND I THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE A VOICE IN IT, BUT THAT YOU DO NEED TO HAVE VOICE IN IT.
A LOT OF THE ISSUES, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'M READ TO YOU, WHAT, UH, WHAT RICHARD BROUGHT IN WAS A VERY GOOD POINT THAT PAUL AND I DIDN'T
[02:00:01]
CATCH WHEN WE WERE READING THIS THING.I DIDN'T PICK UP ON THAT PART THAT YOU COULD BE TAXED AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
BUT THIS IS FROM OUR ATTORNEY.
IT, I UNDERSTAND THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT IS NOT VOTING TO APPROVE A PARKS DISTRICT, BUT RATHER SIMPLY TO ALLOW A VOTE TO GO FORWARD ON THE ISSUE.
IF THE VOTE FAILS, THEN THERE'S NOTHING MORE TO DO ON THE ISSUE FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THE COUNTY.
IF THE VOTE SUCCEEDS, THEN THERE IS FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THE SPECIFIC TERMS OF A PARK DISTRICT.
IF THAT EVENT OCCURS, THEN I'M SURE THAT MY REVIEW WILL BE MORE DETAIL AND I WILL NEED TO SEE THE PROPOSED DOCUMENT AND HAVE SOME TIME TO MEET AND DISCUSS IT IN DETAIL.
UH, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT, I KNOW, UH, THERE'S SEVERAL OF Y'ALL.
I HAD, UH, QUITE A FEW TELEPHONE CALLS ON THIS, UH, EMAILS OVER THE LAST, UH, FOUR OR FIVE DAYS.
UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE AGAINST IT.
BUT THEN THERE'S QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE FOR, OR, OR I CAN'T SAY THEY MAY NOT, BUT IT MAY BE FOR, IT MAY NOT BE FOR WHAT THEY'RE WANTING TO HAVE AN ELECTION TO HAVE THE CHOICE.
AND IT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION, ANYTIME THAT YOU'VE GOT A CHOICE, I'M NOT GONNA RAISE YOUR TAXES UP BECAUSE YOU'RE ALREADY IN THE SITUATION RIGHT NOW WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE THE CHOICE THAT YOUR TAX IS GONNA BE READ.
YOU WOULD'VE A CHOICE IN THIS ONE.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT IN HERE, WHEN IT CALLS FOR A HEARING, THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT CANNOT DO? Y'ALL CANNOT GRANT A HEARING PRIOR TO AN ELECTION OR PRIOR TO PLACING IT ON A BALLOT FOR AN ELECTION.
I SUPPOSE WE PROBABLY COULD HERE IT'S NOT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WORDING IN THE BILL SAYS THAT, UH, TWO WAYS TO DO IT BY PETITION, WHICH CAN'T BE DONE BECAUSE, BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE MESSED THAT DEAL UP.
THE SECOND THING IS WE CAN JUST MAKE A MOTION TO CALL IT, TO CALL THE CONFIRMATION ELECTION.
AND YOU'RE SAYING THE PETITION IS YOU'RE, YOU'RE SAYING THE PETITION'S ILLEGAL? NO, THE PETITION, THE PETITION PROCESS IS ILLEGAL IN REFERENCE TO THIS.
I CAN'T SAY THE PETITION PROCESS IS ILLEGAL, BUT THE PETITION WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO CALL THE ELECTION.
ACTUALLY, IF YOU HAD A PETITION, BECAUSE THE WORDING IN THERE, BECAUSE SOMEBODY PUT THE NEGATIVE IN THERE, THEN IT WOULD'VE PROHIBITED US FROM CALLING THE ELECTION.
SO THIS, THE PETITION IS NOT AN OPTION, BUT IF Y'ALL ARE LOOKING AT IT, WHAT TO CONSIDER PLACING IT ON THE BALLOT, WE'RE LOOKING, PLACING IT ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE OF AN ILLEGAL PETITION? NO, NO.
THAT THE PETITION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
THE ONLY WAY THIS THING COULD BE PUT ON THE BALLOT IS BY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT ON MOTION.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT THIS BILL COULD BE PRESENTED, OR THIS SELECTION COULD BE CALLED BECAUSE OF THE SNAFU AND OFFICIAL PROCESS.
AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE WILLING TO PUT A BILL ON PRO VOTE THAT, YOU KNOW HAS A LOT OF HOLES IN IT AND THAT IS FAULTY.
NO, I'M, I'M JUST, I'M ASKING YOU'RE WILLING TO DO THAT.
WILLING TO CALL FOR AN ELECTION? YES MA'AM.
I'M WILLING TO CALL FOR AN ELECTION.
ANYTIME IT GIVES YOU AN OPTION TO RAISE YOUR TAXES, YOU SHOULD HAVE A SAY SO IN THAT.
IF THE ELECTION PASSES, THE ATTORNEY WILL GO BACK THROUGH THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN THERE THAT, UH, WE'RE DE ON THE SURFACE OF BEING UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHAT THE BILL SAYS.
IT CAN'T NOT CORRECT THAT JUDGE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE ON THIS.
AND I WISH IT WAS A LOT CLEANER THING.
BUT MY INPUT IS THAT I'M SURE WANT YOU, BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE SAYING THAT THESE OTHER 150 PEOPLE RIGHT HERE SHOULDN'T HAVE A SAY SO EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A SAY.
SO THIS, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S GONNA BE A HARD SALE.
IT'S LIKE THOSE GUYS SITTING RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF THE, TO THIS IS GONNA BE A HARD SALE THING TO DO.
IF IT WAS GRANTED PEOPLE LIKE YOU WOULD SET THE TAX RATE.
WELL, YOU KNOW, IF THOSE 150 PEOPLE HAD SENT THE LOBBYIST, I PROBABLY WHEN BE HAVING A PROBLEM, IT WAS 40 THAT SENT THE LOBBYIST.
IT WAS 40 THAT DRAFTED A BILL OR HAD A BILL DRAFTED THROUGH THEIR LOBBYIST.
AND I'M WONDERING HOW MANY OF THOSE 150 PEOPLE HAVE LIVED THROUGH MILL FARMS TO SPECIAL TAXING HISTORY? YOU'RE PROBABLY RIGHT.
AND YOU'RE PROBABLY HIT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND THEY, I BET YOU HIT THE NAIL ON HEAVY AND THAT'S FINE.
I BET NONE OF THEM READ THE BILL.
I'M NOT, I WAS ASKED TO SIGN THE PETITION AND NO ONE HANDED ME A BILL TO SIGN THAT PETITION.
SO I'M WILLING TO BAT, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE NEVER EVEN SEEN THIS PETITION.
I SIGNED A HEARD, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE POSITION THAT YOU'RE IN AND IF THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
I'VE SIGNED A LOT PETITIONS FOR ELECTIONS KNOWING I'M NOT GONNA VOTE FOR, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE TO SAY, SO THAT'S FINE.
[02:05:01]
THANK YOU FOR HEARING US OUT.WE'LL JUST CONTINUE OUR ARGUMENT ELECTION.
YEAH, YOU'VE GOT THE PUBLIC FORUM TO GO THROUGH AND YOU, YOU, YOU SHOULD HAVE A SAY SO, WHICH YOU DO HAVE A SAY SO IN, AND THEN EVERYBODY ELSE SHOULD HAVE A SAY.
SO ALSO, I HOPE I'M CORRECTING THAT.
I MEAN, I HOPE I'M EXPLAINING MYSELF PROPERLY.
NO, YOU'RE, CAN YOU GET A COPY OF THAT DOCUMENT THAT YOU'RE GIVEN, THAT PACKET THAT YOU HAVE THAT HAS THE THE BILL IN IT? YEAH.
WITH THE, WITH THE BOUNDARIES AND EVERYTHING.
HOW WE GO ABOUT GETTING THAT? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THAT? WE WANT A COPY OF IT.
AND THE BIGGEST PART OF THIS IS THAT THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION, I THINK PAGE UP IS THE MIX AND BOUNDS.
IT HAS TO BE DONE ACCORDING LONG.
UH, IT'S GOT A COPY OF THE ACT.
YOU, BUT, UH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME BY MY OFFICE AND GET THIS.
I DON'T THINK YOU WANT ALL THE MIX AND BOUNDS PART OF IT.
NO, ALL THE LATITUDE S MINUTES AND EVERYTHING.
NO, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO HAVE ANY, ALL THIS.
IT SHOWS, THERE'S A ONE PAGE ON THERE THAT SHOWS THE OUTLINE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
ALL WE'RE STILL DOING IS JUST GIVING YOU THE RIGHT TO ASK FOR AN ELECTION.
WE'RE NOT SETTING UP ANY DISTRICT, WE'RE NOT SETTING UP JUDGE.
IF I MAY, I MEAN, I, I DON'T WANT TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO I TOLD YOU, I'D GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AFTER WE HEARD FROM OKAY.
I THAT LONG HONOR, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND TALK NOW IF THERE, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE THAT SIGN UP TO SPEAK.
UM, I, I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO NECESSARILY REBUT ANY, ANYTHING THAT WAS SAID, BUT I THINK IT JUST, IT JUST MAKES THE CASE THAT, UM, AS FAR AS THE BILL, UH, MAYBE THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS WITH THIS BILL.
UH, THIS WAS THE FIRST LEGISLATION THAT THE CITY OF FORNEY HAS PROPOSED TO THE STATE.
UM, SO WE, WE HAD SOME HELP FROM OUR REPRESENTATIVE AND OUR SENATOR.
WE ALSO CONTACTED A CONSULTANT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T, WE WEREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS, BUT I SERIOUSLY DOUBT IF THIS IS THE FIRST BILL PRODUCED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT HAS HAD A LOOPHOLE OR TWO OR MAYBE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
THAT'S WHY THERE WERE TWO WAYS TO CALL THIS ELECTION FORWARD.
ONE BY SIMPLE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER'S COURT, AND THEN TWO BY THE PETITION PROCESS.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE WENT ONE OF THOSE ROUTES.
BUT AS FAR AS THE, UH, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED, I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY THE TYPE OF DISCUSSION THAT WILL COME UP DURING THE TIME BETWEEN CALLING FOR AN ELECTION AND HAVING AN ELECTION.
I AGREE WITH WHAT COMMISSIONER CLARK SAID ABOUT YOU'RE NOT RAISING THE TAXES, YOU'RE GONNA LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE, UH, THANKFUL THAT SO THE FOLKS ON THE OPPOSITION REALIZE COMMISSIONER CLARK'S POSITION AND THAT WHEN AN ELECTION, HOW CAN THAT BE A WRONG THING? UM, BUT I WOULD SIMPLY LIKE TO MAKE THE POINT THAT THERE MAY BE AN ISSUE OR TWO WITH THIS BILL, BUT I DON'T WANT US TO LOSE FACT OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR COMMUNITY WIDE OR FOR THIS DISTRICT.
THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF DEVELOPERS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
A LOT OF THE MUD THAT DEVELOPED AROUND US, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PARKS.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE ARE BALL FIELDS, SOCCER FIELDS, THINGS THAT GET OUR YOUTH INVOLVED, NOT JUST IN THE CITY, BUT IN THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THE REASON THAT IT WAS BROUGHT UP, UM, I WILL, WE'LL MAKE ONE POINT JUST JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, JUST SO YOU CAN KIND OF UNDERSTAND THE INFORMATION WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUT THERE.
THAT 70% NUMBER, THE REASON WE'RE FOCUSING SO MUCH ON THE CHILDREN THAT PARTICIPATE IN OUR ORGANIZED SPORTS IS BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY WAY WE HAVE OF TRACKING THE PARTICIPATION.
UH, MR. EVANS SAID THAT HE GOES OUT TO THE PARK ONCE IN A WHILE, MAYBE WALKS AROUND THE TRAILS AND THINGS.
WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO TRACK THAT.
THERE'S NO GATE OR THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO PUNCH CARD THERE TO SEE IF SOMEBODY FROM CRANDALL OR THAT TRAVIS RANCH IS OVER, UM, IN THE PARK.
THERE'S NO WAY TO TRAFFIC SOMEBODY FROM MESQUITE.
I'VE SEEN BUSES FROM DAYCARES OVER IN MESQUITE THE PARK.
SO THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO TRACK THAT.
THE REASON WE WENT BACK ON THE SPORTS, THIS IS NOT JUST THE SPORTS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE PARK, BUT THE SPORTS IS THE EASIEST WAY FOR US TO TRACK AND NUMBER, HAVE AN ADDRESS TO IT IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING YOU SAID.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR ME? MORE QUESTIONS OF THE MAYOR? NO, I I GUESS THIS IS THE REASON IT'S CALLED THE HOUSE BILL AND NOT AN ACT, NOT A CHAPTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE IS BECAUSE OF THE VOTE IN THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE.
IS THAT PROBABLY WHY IT AFFECTED ONE SEPTEMBER? IS THAT WHY THAT'S IT'S NOT A, BECAUSE I, WHEN
[02:10:01]
I RESEARCHED THIS, I, I WENT THROUGH PARKS AND RECREATION AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S CHAPTER, UH, THREE 20 A LOCAL GOVERNOR.AND THIS IS COMPLETELY FOREIGN TO ME.
IT'S SOMETHING I'VE NEVER SEEN.
UH, AND I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO STUDY IT EITHER.
THE FIRST ONE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS UNDERSTAND WHAT'S PROBABLY WHY I IS FOREIGN AND PROBABLY WHAT THERE'S SO MANY MISTAKES THERE.
WELL, DOES IT MATTER TO US WHETHER THEIR MISTAKES IN IT OR NOT? ALL WE'RE DO IS GIVING THEM THE RIGHT TO DO IT.
IF THEIR MISTAKES IN IT, THEN THEY NEED TO CORRECT THE MISTAKES.
JUST SAYING, HEY, IT'S OKAY WITH US IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A VOTE, WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN SET IN THIS PARK DISTRICT, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA HAVE A VOTE.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA HAVE TO CORRECT WHATEVER THE, THE PROBLEMS ARE IN THERE.
WE'RE JUST SAYING THAT IT'S OKAY.
THE PROBLEMS CAN'T BE CORRECTED.
IT WILL BE VOTED IN THIS FORMAT.
IT'LL BE BO IT'LL BE VOTED ON THIS.
THIS IS THE LAW BECAUSE OF THE VOTE IN THE SENATE.
NEXT, DON'T, DON'T BE GOVERNOR OR ANYBODY ELSE'S.
WELL, AN EXAMPLE OF, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE BILL THOUGH WAS THE PETITION PROCESS.
WELL, IF THIS DISTRICT IS CREATED, IF IT PASSES AND CREATES, WELL YES, THERE'S STILL THAT PROBLEM THERE WITH THE PETITION PROCESS, BUT THAT'S NO LONGER GONNA BE AN APPLICABLE PART OF THE BILL 'CAUSE THE DISTRICT WOULD'VE ALREADY BEEN CREATED.
AND I DON'T WANT TO GET HUNG UP ON THE FACT THAT THE PETITION PROCESS HAD A PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE WERE TWO WAYS FOR THIS TO BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT.
THAT'S NOT THE ONLY ISSUE THOUGH.
I, BUT NOW THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY.
WOULD YOU MIND IF I ASK? I WANNA ASK HIM A QUESTION ABOUT THAT, BUT NO, NO, NO, NO.
I WOULDN'T, I WANTED TO ASK HIM A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
'CAUSE I WONDERED THIS MAY NOT BE THE APPROPRIATE PLACE TO ASK A QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD GET AN ANSWER IN THIS ROOM.
BUT THE SCENARIO THAT, THAT THEY DESCRIBED, UM, LET'S SAY WE USE, WE USE TRAVIS RANCH.
TRAVIS RANCH IS NOT IN THE CITY LIMITS.
TRAVIS RANCH IS IN THIS PROPOSED PARKS DISTRICT AREA.
20 YEARS FROM NOW, THE CITY OF PONY DECIDES TO ANNEX TRAVIS RANCH.
TRAVIS RANCH IS NOW IN THE CITY OF PO.
THE THE QUESTION THAT THEY RAISE, AND IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, AND I I DON'T KNOW IF IT CAN BE ANSWERED HERE, IF WE'D HAVE CHECK WITH THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, BUT AT THAT POINT, IF THEY, IF THE DISTRICT IS, IF THIS PARKS DISTRICT IS THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT, MINUS THE CITY LIMITS, AT SOME POINT, IF THAT CITY LIMITS WERE TO EXPAND, TRAVIS RANCH IS NOW IN THE CITY LIMITS.
A FOUR WOULD NOT, THE TAXING CODE SET BY THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT DETERMINE THAT, OKAY, THIS HOUSEHOLD NOW PAYS CITY FORNEY TAXES AND DOES NOT PAY THE SPECIAL DISTRICT.
I IT'S SET BY THE TIME OF THIS BOUNDARY.
IT'S SET AT THE TIME OF THE VOTE.
EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICTS WORK THAT WAY.
ALSO, ACTUALLY, LET ME GO BACK.
SO YOU SET PROBLEM SERVICES IN THERE, RIGHT? I'M SORRY? THIS IS BRIAN BROOKS, STATE MANAGER 20.
UH, IT, IT, IT IS A GREAT QUESTION ACTUALLY, ONE THAT WE ASKED THE, UH, THE LEGISLATURE WHEN THEY WERE DRAFTING IT.
UH, IT, IT WORKS THE SAME AS THE MERCH SERVICES DISTRICT.
AND, AND THAT'S KIND OF HOW THIS WAS DRAFTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
MERC SERVICES DISTRICT, UH, IT'S PROVIDING SERVICE THAT CAN BE PROVIDED BY SOMEBODY ELSE, IT AUTOMATICALLY DROPS OUT, WHICH IS THE CASE.
THE MESQUITE DROPPED OUT OF, OF THE EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT, UH, LAST, UH, THIS YEAR AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN THEY, OR LAST YEAR WHEN ANNEXED.
SO THE ASSUMPTION IS IT WOULD STILL BE DROPPING OUT.
NOW, THAT IS A QUESTION WE WANT, WE'LL ARGUE WITH A, A LEGAL CLARIFICATION ON WHEN WE WILL WALK WITH JOHN ON GETTING THAT DONE.
UH, BUT I THINK, I MEAN, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, AND ONE WILL WE PROBABLY NEED TO VET OUT SPECIFICALLY, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS WHAT, AND THE, THE INSTRUCTIONS WE GAVE, WE ASKED OUR REPRESENTATIVE, BETTY BROWN AND OUR SENATOR BOB, TO DRAFT SOMETHING THAT SORT OF MIRRORS THE CREATION.
UH, AND THE TAX ALREADY BEEN ESD, UH, FOR THAT EXACT REASON BECAUSE WE HAVE ESDS IN THIS COUNTY.
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND ESDS THAT WORKED WELL.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS, THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, COMMONALITY BETWEEN THE TWO.
BUT ESDS ARE VOTED BY CITY ETJ AND UNINCORPORATED AREAS.
UH, THE SD FOR, UH, AROUND, UH, CITY OF FOREIGN, WHICH IS I THINK IS ESD THREE TWO.
THAT ACTUALLY VOTED JUST LIKE THE PARK DISTRICT PROPOSED.
CITIZENS OF FOUR DO NOT VOTE FOR THAT.
IF, IF, IF THEY ARE REQUESTED TO VOTE IN THE ESD.
THEY CAN TAKE A VOTE, BUT THEY WANT TO BE IN OR UP.
AND IF THE, IF THE ESD WANT TO EXPAND BEYOND THE E THE ETJ, THEY GET THE OPTION TO VOTE, CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND THAT, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU'RE TRYING, WHAT THE, WHAT COLLECTION
[02:15:01]
IS DOING IS ESTABLISHING THAT THESE PEOPLE WANT TO BE A PART OF A PARKS DISTRICT, NOT ONE TO BE, TO JOIN.IT'S JUST A PARKS DISTRICT THAT, THAT BRINGS UP THIS, YOU GOT A LITTLE SPOT WITHIN THE CITY THAT'S NOT IN THE CITY LIMITS.
YOU TALKING ABOUT ON THE MAP, THE DONUT HOLES AS WE CALL THE DONUT, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE AREAS THAT HAVE WHERE WE'VE ANNEXED AROUND THEM THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ANN.
UH, AND ACTUALLY THOSE DONUT HOLES WERE CREATED OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS BECAUSE OF VOLUNTEERING ANNEXATIONS ON EITHER SIDE OF THEM.
SO THEY ARE, THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THE DISTRICT AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY INCLUDED THE EMERGENCY SERVICES AS WELL.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION OR REALLY STATE CONCERN? YOU, YOU'LL LET HIM TALK.
I, I UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY HAVING A RIGHT TO VOTE, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO STOP THAT BY, BY ANY MEANS, BUT I HAVE LIVED IN WINDMILL FARMS AND I LIVE IN PHASE TWO, AND I KNOW PHASE ONE WENT THROUGH LAWSUITS.
THEY WENT THROUGH A LOT OF PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF A POORLY DRAFTED PIECE OF LEGISLATION, LEGISLATION, LAWSUITS CAME OUT OF THAT.
THEY'RE STILL ONGOING, BUT I'M SETTLED YET.
WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY FORNEY DIDN'T COME TO OUR PARKS DISTRICT, DIDN'T COME TO US AND START HAVING TOWN HALLS, TOWN MEETINGS, FORUM GROUPS, ALL OF THAT STUFF.
I, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE PUSHING THIS THROUGH WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD TO GET ANYTHING PASSED, IT'S NEAR IMPOSSIBLE.
I SAY LET A VOTE HAPPEN, BUT LET A VOTE HAPPEN ON SOMETHING THAT IS SOLID, NOT FULL OF HOLES, NOT FULL OF LIABILITIES.
SO YOU HAVE TO WAIT A LITTLE WHILE, CHARGE USER FEES.
I MEAN, IF NY IS WANTING TO BLAZE THROUGH TRAILS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN DONE, LET 'EM DO IT THE RIGHT WAY AND IN THE MEANTIME, CHARGE THE USER FEES THAT IT IS GONNA TAKE FOR THEM TO GET THIS DONE TO PAY FOR THE MAINTENANCE.
I DON'T WANNA PAY FOR AN EXPANSION OF AFFORDING PARTS.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR THEIR EXPANSION.
IF THEY WANT AN EXPANSION, THOSE CITIZENS NEED TO PAY FOR IT BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER PRESENTED TO ME FOR A VOTE.
IF THEY NEED MONEY BECAUSE KIDS ARE USING IT THAT LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, THAT'S FINE.
LET THEM GO BACK, LET THEM COME TO THE CITY, LET THEM COME TO OUR FRESH WATER SU UH, SUPPLY DISTRICTS AND SIT DOWN AND HAMMER SOMETHING OUT THAT IS TRULY GONNA BE BENEFICIAL FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE THE MAKINGS OF WINDMILL FARM TOO, RIGHT HERE.
I DON'T WANT TO LIVE THROUGH THAT AGAIN, WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT THIS PARKS DISTRICT IS ELECTED OFFICIALS NOT, I HAVE NOT A PRIVATELY INSTALLED BOARD.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ELECTIONS, UH, BOARDS, WHO'S GONNA UPON, I I LIVE ON THAT.
THOSE FIVE PEOPLE SET CONTRACTS THAT ARE IN STONE.
THE, THE FIVE PEOPLE THAT I GUESS Y'ALL APPOINTED THEM FOR THE FRESHWATER SUPPLY DISTRICT ONE C, SOMEONE APPOINTED THEM THAT BOARD THAT THEY APPOINTED, PUT IN CONTRACTS AND SET IN MOTIONS THAT I CANNOT VOTE ON MY TAX INCREASE.
THAT'S WHY YOU MENTIONED WHY DID WE NOT GO OUTSIDE THE CITY OF FORNEY AND TALK AND WE DID TALK TO OUR SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS, BUT THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE HERE.
THERE'S NO ORGANIZED, THERE'S NO PARKS DISTRICT FOR THE CITY OF FORNEY TO GO TO AND HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS.
HE SAID THEY CAN DO IT UNDER THAT.
BUT I'M TRYING TO, WHAT WE'RE TRYING, OKAY, WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE GETTING.
WE'VE ALREADY HEARD EVERYTHING.
THE ONLY THING, THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE, MAYOR, MAYOR, SIR, THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU HERE FOR TODAY? WHAT ARE YOU ASKING THIS COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO DO TODAY? WE WOULD LIKE, UM, WELL I WAS TRYING TO FIND THE SECTION IN THE BILL, UM, SECTION 3 8 7 3 0.08 DASH 3 8 7 3 TO 0.050.
ONE OF THE WAYS TO GET THIS ON THE BALLOT THERE IS TO A PETITION PROCESS OR FOR THE COMMISSION'S COURT TO SEND THE GRANT ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.
WE'RE REQUESTING THAT THE COMMISSION'S COURT GRANT,
[02:20:01]
THE ELECTION OF A CREATION OF A CO COUNTY PARTIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BE CREATED ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.UH, THE WAY IT'S ON THE AGENDA, EXCEPT THE PETITION PART CONSIDERED CREATING THE COLTON COUNTY PARKS DISTRICT, WE CANNOT ORDER THE ELECTION ON THAT.
WE CAN PUT IT BACK ON THE AGENDA OF OUR NEXT MEETING, WHICH WOULD BE THE 14TH OF SEPTEMBER.
UH, JUDGE, IF YOU DO THAT, THEN YOU ARE IN A SENSE MISSING THE S TIME FOR YOUR FORMULATION.
BUT IF WE ORDER THE ELECTION, WE GO TO JAIL.
YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S NOT AN APPROVED NO, IT A PETITION TO ACCEPT THE PETITION FOR AND CONSIDER CREATING.
SEE, YOU DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CREATE NO.
YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO PLACE IT ON A BALLOT OR THE ELECTION.
WOULD THAT TAKE IT INTO, WHEN'S THE NEXT ONE? MAY THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY FIRST WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? JUST YOU HAVE WEEK.
WELL, IT'S A TWO STEP PROCESS AND THAT, THAT WAS, THAT WAS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAD.
I MEAN, STEP ONE IS, IS JUST CHRISTIAN DISTRICT SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE REPRESENTATIVES TO PROPOSE A TAX RATE.
SO WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU PUSHING OFF ANOTHER ELECTION CYCLE, UM, AND PUSHING BACK FURTHER, FURTHER.
WELL, I THINK THE CITIZEN WELL, IN MEANTIME GOT FULL FISCAL YEAR COLLECTING NO MONIES.
BUT I, I THINK THE CITIZEN CONCERN IS SEEM LIKE YOU, YOU RUSHING THROUGH IT AND MAY NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO EXAMINE AS WELL.
SO, UH, WELL, I THINK PROCESSING OFF THE JUDGE HAS MADE UP A VERY, I, I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE A CHOICE.
IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, USED TO, UH, IF YOU DID SOMETHING THAT WAS CLOSE OR NOT EVEN ON THE AGENDA USED TO ON THE ONLY REPERCUSSION WAS IS THAT ON A LOSS, AGAIN, FILING, BE KICKED OUT, WHATEVER ACTION THE COMMISSIONER COURT TOOK.
BUT AG NOW SAYS THAT THAT'S A CRIMINAL ACT.
SO IT'S, IF IT'S NOT WORDED CORRECTLY, WE CAN ONLY VOTE ON WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA TO ACCEPT THE PETITION FORM AND CONSIDER CREATING, CREATING THE, YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO CREATE THE DISTRICT.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TAKING A BREAK.
JUDGE, THIS NEXT ONE SAYS TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER INSTALL COVER IN THE CITY.
IS EVERYONE SCURRY TALK ABOUT IT?
I DON'T THINK WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT IT.
CONSIDERING STONE CODE FOR THE CITY OF YES SIR.
I HAVE GIVEN SCURRY A COST, TIME AND MATERIAL.
I DUNNO IF IT'S IN, IS IT IN YOUR IT'S UH, IT'S ONLY ABOUT TWO 90 OR SOMETHING FOR, FOR THE CULVERT AND A HUNDRED DOLLARS TO PUT IT IN, WHICH IS ABOUT A YARD OF MATERIAL IN THE CULVERT.
WHAT WE DO TO, TO MAKE IT CHEAPER FOR THE CITY IS WE DON'T BUY THE SAFETY ENDS.
WE BUY IT FOUR FEET TOO LONG AND CUT IT INTO SAFETY END.
YEAH, BECAUSE THE SAFETY ENDS COST JUST AS MUCH AS A CUL.
AND I, I'VE TALKED WITH THE MAYOR AND HE SAID THAT'S FINE.
UH, SO I MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE INSTALL A COVER.
SECOND MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER DO, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ROWING.
DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACCEPTING THE PROPOSAL FROM NICK CATER INDICATOR OF DESIGN INK FOR THE REPAIR OF THE ROOF AT, UH, TON COUNTY SOUTH CAMPUS.
WHERE DID JACK GO? JACK'S NOT HERE, BUT I'LL JUST GO OVER FOR HIM.
UH, HE MUST'VE GONE OUTSIDE BECAUSE HIS GLASSES, GLASSES WAS COMING HERE.
UH, JUDGE THAT'S BEEN LEAKING OUT THERE OVER THE, UH, J'S OFFICE AND THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.
UM, SO I CALL THESE PEOPLE THAT HAD DONE THIS BEFORE FOR US OUT THERE
[02:25:01]
AND THEY CAME BACK IN AND WENT, SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT IT.AND WHAT HE SAYS IS, UH, HE, YOU SEE THIS FORM THAT YOU GOT THERE UP THERE AT THE VERY TOP SIZE AND COST PATCH 11,000 SQUARE FEET.
A DOLLAR HE THINKS THEY CAN DO.
JACK, DO YOU WANT TO GO OVER THIS TECHNIQUE THING OUT THERE ON THE JAIL? YES, SIR.
JUDGE, YOU CAME OUT AND GOT AND GOT ON THE ROOF AND LOOKED AND, UH, WHO SEEMED TO THINK THAT, UH, THE FIRST STAB OF IT WOULD BE TO, UH, DO THIS FIRST PORTION.
HE THINKS THAT WILL, UH, UH, MIGHT SOLVE A PROBLEM.
HE DOESN'T THINK IT'S AS MUCH AS THE ROOF AND IT DOESN'T SEAM AROUND THE ROOF AROUND THE BUILDING.
AND HE THINKS THAT MAY VERY WELL TAKE OF THE PROBLEM.
HIS RECOMMENDATION WAS TO DO THAT FIRST.
THAT HE WOULD DEDUCT THAT FROM THE TOTAL PACKAGE.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE TOLD ME AFTER, TALKED TO HIM, YOU KNOW, IT'S MORE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE, UH, GUTTER AND UH, THAT'S ALSO AN ISSUE.
SO HE DO IT WHEN WE FIRST REMODEL THAT HE DID THE, HE DID THE, UH, UH, OLD JAIL PORTION IN NOT BUILDING.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE CALLED HIM BECAUSE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH, WELL, HE'S DONE THIS ONE ACROSS BUILDING, RIGHT? UH, I WAS HAVING LEAKS.
I PUT TWO ROOFS ON THEM, TAR AND CONCRETE AND, AND, AND, UH, ROCKS WORK DIDN'T WORK AND IT LEAKED UNTIL I GOT, AND THAT'S BEEN 15 MORE THAN 15 YEARS AGO.
O OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, HE ROOF PROBABLY USE THE WHOLE WHOLE THING, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST EXPERIENCING THE LEAKAGE AROUND THE HOUR PORTION OF THE BUILDING AND I NEED CENTER PART OF IT.
AND YOU RECOMMEND THAT? YES, SIR.
JUDGE, DO YOU DON'T COMMENT SECOND.
COMMISSIONER JACKSON WILL SECOND IT.
YOU SAID THE FIRST PART DOESN'T WORK.
DEDUCT 13 FILES OFF THE SECOND NUMBER.
YEAH, HE GONNA TAKE OFF OF THAT RIGHT THERE.
LET SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR IF IT WORKS, HE, THAT, THAT HIGHER FIGURE INCLUDES THIS, THIS FIRST ATTEMPT WAGE LATE TO ME.
THAT THAT SYSTEM, I GUESS THE, UH, UH, THE 34,009 THAT ACTUALLY INCLUDES THE, UH, THE 13,500.
IF WE JUST DO ALL OF THIS AT ONE TIME.
THAT'S A LITTLE AMBIGUOUS TO ME ON THERE, BUT I THINK YOU OUGHT TO GET THAT CLARIFIED.
I LOOK AT THAT, THAT WAS SENT TO ME.
TRY IT AND THEN COME BACK TO PAGE 35 TO FIX IT.
WELL, AND, AND I CALLED HIM OFF.
IT LOOKED KIND OF STRANGE TO ME AND HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT, THAT FIRST OF ALL, HE SAVES THE 13TH FIVE.
WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT BECAUSE IT'S MORE, IT'S NOT REALLY A PROBLEM WITH ME LEAKING IN THE CENTER OF THE BUILDING.
IT'S JUST AROUND THE EDGES AND HE THINKS I'LL FIX IT.
BUT I THOUGHT THAT THE SAME THING I THOUGHT.
BUT HE DID SAY THAT IT WOULD TAKE THAT 13 FIVE OFF OF THAT IF THAT DIDN'T WORK.
SO WHAT EXPLAINED TO ME, COMMISSIONER, WAS IF HE HAD COME BACK AND DO SOME MORE WORK ON THE ROOF, UH, THE WHOLE ENTIRE ROOF THAT UH, HE DUCT 13 500 OFF OF 34 9.
HOW ABOUT JUST NOW? JUST APPROVING THE 13 FIVE I I THINK THAT DO TODAY.
CONSIDER COUNTY JUDGE PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACT WITH ION PORT TO PERFORM CONSTRUCTION, REPAIR, MANAGE ET ET WE A COPY OF THAT.
I THINK RAY AND THE JUDGE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY HE A PERSONAL SERVICE
[02:30:02]
EMPLOYEE.WELL, ONE THING IN PERSONAL SERVICE WE DON'T.
WELL HE'S DRAWING $31 AN HOUR KNOWS NOBODY'S GETTING RAISE.
I THINK THAT WAS ONE I WAS CONCERN WAS THE CONTRACT WAS JUST BLANK.
THAT'S, IT WAS JUST THOUGHT MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS JUDGE COMMISSIONER.
IS THAT, WHAT IS THAT SAME, THAT WAS THE YEAR BEFORE THAT.
DID IT GO UP ANY LAST YEAR OVER THE YEAR BEFORE? DO YOU REMEMBER? IT WENT UP 3% LAST YEAR.
JUST LIKE EVERYBODY'S YEAH, 3%, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE'S.
$63,000 IS AN AWFUL LOT TO PAY A CARPENTER WORKING EIGHT HOURS A DAY, FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
HE ONLY WORKS WHEN Y'ALL GOTTA WORK FOR HIM.
YES, ANYTIME MY PLACE, HE'S ALWAYS OVER PRECINCT THREE
WELL, YOU KNOW MR. PORTER IS PUSHING 90 YEARS OLD.
SO IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
Y BECAUSE I, HE'S DONE ALL THE WORK I NEED BEFORE ME.
WHICH, WHICH HE FINISHED UP ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO.
DIDN'T YOU HAVE WELL THE, UH, WHO YOU SAID IT WORKS FOR US.
DO Y REQUEST HIM TO COME DO SOMETHING OR DOES, DOES IT LOOK LIKE THEY REQUEST IT FROM YOU OR DO YOU TELL 'EM DON'T DO IT OR THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEEN DONE? Y PEOPLE BEEN REQUESTING IT THEMSELVES AND IF IT'S SOMETHING, IF IT'S SOMETHING MAJOR, NOT SOMETHING THAT HE CAN JUST DO MINOR, YOU KNOW, MINOR DEAL, THEN HE COMES TO ME AND ASKS ME IF, IF HE NEEDS TO UH, GET PERMISSION, CAN HE GO AHEAD AND DO IT? I GUESS JUST CONVENIENCE TOO.
WE'VE BEEN, I MEAN, UH, HOW DID WE PAY HIM? 53,000 LAST YEAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? LIKE WAS THAT LAST YEAR, WAS THAT OR WAS IT THIS YEAR? THAT'S THIS YEAR.
WHEN THAT, THIS YEAR WILL BE ABOUT 40, 45.
SOMEWHERE IN DO WE HAVE ANY LIABILITY OF HIS AGE BY HIMSELF BACK THERE? CONTRACT IT'S HUNDRED.
WELL, YOU KNOW MR. COURT HARD WHEN RAY BOX WAS SITTING OVER THERE.
SO WHAT DO WE HAVE A WHAT KIND OF AN OUT WE HAVE ON THIS? WELL, THE CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
BUT JUDGE, HE THE SAME AS THE YARD MAN.
ANY OF THOSE, IF HE DOESN'T HAVE WORKMAN'S COMP AND WHOEVER'S WORKING FOR HIM GETS HURT, THEY CAN SUE US, BUT NOBODY WORKS FOR HIM.
THEY DON'T SAY I DON'T HAVE A DOG IN HIS SPOT.
IF WE DON'T USE THEM, WE HAVE TO FIND SOMEBODY ELSE.
EITHER THAT OR WANTS MONEY COMES OUT A BUILDING FUND.
I MEAN THERE'S MONEY IN THERE TO DO WITH.
[02:35:02]
JACK HAD SOME KIND OF IDEA.THIS LEADS IN THAT CONVERSATION OR NOT ABOUT HAVING A, SOME IN THE FUTURE MAKE WE GOT THIS TYPE THE TIME TO DISCUSS THAT.
WELL, IT'S IN, IT'S IN WHETHER WE RENEW THIS CONTRACT.
IF Y'ALL LOOK AT THAT INSTEAD OF RENEWING THE CONTRACT.
IF WE'RE NOT GONNA RENEW IT THOUGH, I THINK WE GIVE HIM 30 DAYS NOTICE, WHICH WILL BE TOMORROW.
IS IS THIS, UH, THE YEARLY CONTRACT, DIDN'T HE, ARE YOU READY FOR TO PROPOSAL ON THAT? YOU READY? GIVE US ANY KIND OF PROPOSAL ON THAT? NOT YET.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S NOT LOADED ON THE AGENDA.
AND RIGHT NOW EVERY PARTNERS PICKED UP PHONE CALLS, CALLS FOLKS OUT THERE.
DOES THE SHERIFF HAVE THREE MAINTENANCE PEOPLE FROM THAT? UH, I THINK THREE.
YEAH, IT'S TOO LATE TO, IF, IF WE RENEW HIS CONTRACT, THAT NECESSARILY MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO BECAUSE WE'RE USING THAT AS NEEDED.
SO IF IT DOESN'T WORK FOR MONTHS, TWO MONTHS, 12 MONTH CONTRACT, WHAT IS MY CONTRACT? YEAH, IT'S USUALLY CONTRACT.
BUT HE DON'T, HE DOESN'T WORK ALL THE TIME.
HE JUST, HE ONLY WORKS WHEN SOMEBODY MY HE CAME AND PAID MY MONTH BACK.
WE'RE JUST KIND OF TALKING ABOUT IT.
UH, NO ONE MORE AFRAID SUPPORT NINE.
BUT WHEN YOU PAYING HIM, IT'S NOT PAID TWO GUARDS TO WATCH TWO, THREE PEOPLE.
I DUNNO HOW, HOW, HOW WISE THAT MONEY SPENT.
WELL, IT'S LIKE HE HAS SAID IT'S CHEAPER FOR HIM TO HIRE A HELPER THAN IT IS TO HAVE THE SHERIFF PUT TWO PEOPLE ON TRUSTEE.
AND HE'S RECOMMENDED THAT IF THE SHERIFF IS GONNA SEND UH, A DEPUTY WITH EACH WORKER, IT'S NOT WORKING.
WE WE THAT'S A, THAT'S A PROBLEM WITH PERSONAL SERVICES CONTRACT.
THAT'S A PROBLEM WITH PERSONAL SERVICES.
RIGHT? HE SOMEBODY THAT'S A PROBLEM.
IT'S NO LONGER PERSONAL SERVICES.
I THINK THE COURT HAS EXPANDED, DOESN'T APPROVE FOR ANOTHER FIRST YEAR.
WE, UH, YOU KNOW, HE'S HIS AGE.
HE WOULD'VE HURT HIS FEELINGS IF NEXT YEAR OR THIS YEAR WE DON'T RENEW HIS CONTRACT.
BUT IF WE RENEW HIS CONTRACT AND THEN WE DECIDE NOT TO USE IT, WE JUST DON'T USE IT.
WE JUST DON'T USE IT DOESN'T, YEAH.
WHAT IF WE NEED SOMETHING DONE? CAN YOU USE SOMEBODY UP? UH, IF YOU HAVE A PERSONAL, IF IT'S OVER 50,000, YOU'LL HAVE, Y'ALL KNOW THAT HE'S RETIRED FROM, FROM A SCS.
SO THAT'S BEEN FOR PROBABLY BEEN RETIRED YEARS.
HE DID THE, THE UH, THE WHOLE COURTHOUSE OVER THE MAIN COURTHOUSE.
HE ALL THE FORTIES AT THE COURTHOUSE TOO.
YEAH, JUDGE, IT'D BE NICE IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOMEBODY TO WORK WITH HIM AS A HIRING WIFE.
SO IF HE JUST WANTED DECIDED HE DIDN'T WANT COME TO WORK.
IF WE HAD HE ON THE ROPES, THAT'S GONNA COME UP.
I GUESS IF I SENT ONE OF MY GUYS OVER TO WORK WITH HIM, HE'S ALREADY AN EMPLOYEE.
UNLESS YOU'RE WORKING ON YOUR SHOP, RIGHT? YEAH.
YOU CAN'T SEND SOMEBODY JUST ANYTHING,
[02:40:02]
YOU KNOW, I WAS NO, I SAID I WAS SURPRISED THAT HE CAME BACK AFTER THIS LAST I, I THOUGHT, UH, THAT HE, WHEN HE CAME IN THAT DAY AND VISITED WITH ME AND I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA COME IN AND TELL ME THAT HE JUST, UH, READY IT UP INSTEAD.HE SAID, I'M READY TO GO TO WORK.
WELL JUDGE, I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO READ, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION IF IT'S, SO IF IT APPROPRIATE THAT WE REVIEW HIS CONTRACT AND IF WE DECIDE TO DO SOMETHING ELSE, WE JUST AT THE SAME RATE AS LAST YEAR.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CLARK ALL AND WE'LL DISCUSS IT ALL IN FAVOR.
AND IF Y'ALL FOR A LITTLE BUG IN THE EAR THAT THE COURT'S GOING TO BE LOOKING AT MAYBE CREATING A MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY OR RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT FREDDY.
AND AND MOST OF THE STUFF YOU TALKING ABOUT AIR CONDITIONER, MOST OF THE AIR CONDITIONING, THEY, IF IT'S IN THE MAIN COURT HOUSE BECAUSE WE CALL FRED.
UH, BUT UH, YOU KNOW, WE MAY BE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE BIG ENOUGH TO HAVE, MIGHT BE MY OWN DEPARTMENT TO COVER THE WHOLE COUNTY SINCE WE DO HAVE SO MANY BUILDING.
I THINK GEORGE NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
DISCUSS, CONSIDER PROVING RECEIVING THE RENEWAL CRATER FROM TEXAS COUNTY'S HEALTH EMPLOYEE BENEFITS POOL.
MAYBE YOU CAN USE THAT FOR THE FIRE PEOPLE.
FOR OUR UH, FOR THIS COMING YEAR.
UH, KAUFFMAN COUNTY FOR THE MOVES MEDIA IS GETTING CREDIT FOR 220 1003 55 ON OUR HEALTH INSURANCE DUE TO US BEING A MEMBER OF THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY'S HEALTH AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS POOL.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN BE THE PREMIUM ARE REDUCED.
RIGHT? THE PREMIUM FOR NEXT YEAR WILL BE THAT MUCH LESS THAN WHAT IT HAS BEEN THIS PAST YEAR.
I MISSED THE FIRST AND SECOND.
HUH? DID WE FIRST AND SECOND THAT? NO, I MISSED IT.
AGAIN, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT OVER THAT MANY TIMES WHEN I WAS
DID SHE MISS IT THAT MANY TIMES? GOSH, YES.
COMMISSIONER MADE THE MOTION AND COMMISSIONER JACKSON SECONDED.
AND I THINK ALL VOTED FOR BUDGET YEARS.
WE, THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT INCREASED OFFICE SUPPLIES 5,000 COMMUNICATION, 8,000 INION PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT INCREASED KNOWLEDGE 2000 UNIFORM BETWEEN COURT COURTS ON, ON ATTORNEYS TO INCREASE THE 86 DISTRICT TO 20,004.
22ND DISTRICT 8,000 IN CONDUCTION OF CPS.
THE EXTENSION SERVICE INCREASED HOWARD COUNTY ATION 2007 47 WITH REDUCTION IN TRAINING, EDUCATION, CONFERENCES AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS IN ROAD BRIDGE PRECINCT ONE, INCREASED PARTS AND REPAIRS.
4,000 IN PRODUCTION OF CONTRACT LABOR ROAD BRIDGE PRECINCT FOUR, INCREASED PARTS AND REPAIRS.
2000 IN PRODUCTION OF CONTRACT LABOR.
AND WE HAVE SOME, UH, LINE ITEM
[02:45:01]
TRANSFERS FOR THE STATE FUNDS IN PROBATION AND REVIEW TRANSPORT REQUEST MOTIONED BY COMMISSIONER JACKSON.ALL IN FAVOR SAY MOTION CARRIED.
THE BILL FOR DO REMEMBER THAT GUY? THE END OF THE RING? UH, ITP.
YOU EVER NEED ANYTHING DIFFERE TRANSMISSION? THAT GUY DIDN'T THAT STUFF TODAY BECAUSE HE, IT LOOKS IT.
THAT PURPLE STUFF DIDN'T SEEM I'M GONNA WAIT TO DO DOWN THERE.
I THINK WE'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT USED OIL.
HERE'S THE OIL WE USE ONE MILE RAY, 10,500, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THAT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YEAH, BUT YOU ONLY DIDN'T YOU GO BACK TO 180 BARRELS INSTEAD OF 360? WELL, YEAH, FOR A, FOR A ROAD THAT HAS NEVER HAD ANY COIL ON IT.
YEAH, BUT JUST TO SWEETEN IT UP, IT'S HUNDRED 80.
HOW ABOUT
LOOK AT, DON'T SPEND IT ALL ONE PLACE.
[02:50:21]
CAN I? THAT'S ABOUT IT.CARE JUDGE, YOU MENTIONED JAIL A WHILE AGO.
DID GOOD BECAUSE THE DIRECTIONS.
TELL YOU I GET A RACETRACK PRETTY CHEAP.
IS THAT HOW YOU WANNA DO IT? WELL, ALREADY TOLD ME THAT.
BECAUSE IN THE PAST I USED TO PUT EXPENDITURES OUT, YOU KNOW, MANAGEMENT ON THE JUDGES SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE HAVE LOOKED AT IT TAKEN.
WHICH IS FINE BECAUSE IT, YEAH, I JUST, I THINK I'M GONNA PUT THE, THE E-FILING OFF THOUGH UNTIL I'M HAVING A HARD I KNOW, I WAS JUST THINKING, UM, DO YOU AND I ASKED HIM ABOUT THAT.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, I TALK TO YOU HOW HE WANTS TO HANDLE THAT BECAUSE OH YEAH.
[02:55:03]
I MEAN THERE'S ONE OF THOSE HE'S TALKING ABOUT ALL.WE BEAT YOU JERRY ON THURSDAY.
THIS FRIDAY, 10 WORKSHOP HERE.
UH, AND PROBABLY ONLY THING WE'VE GOTTA DECIDE A FEW THINGS THAT I GOT LISTED IN THAT, UH, SOME FIRE.
OKAY, Y'ALL, I DUNNO, I DON'T ANY, WE, WE GOT A HUNDRED DOLLARS FROM THE TELEPHONE PHONE THAT'S START.
BY THE WAY, HOW'S YOUR MOTHER? THE SAME? UH, DO I GET A TODAY? NO, NOT TODAY.
OH, MATTER OF FACT, WE'VE ALREADY TOLD THE LADY, I SAID I DON'T WANNA WAIT FOUR YEARS OR TWO YEARS TO GET THIS, THIS COURT'S PICTURE MADE.
SO SHE'S GOING SHE'LL 30 WEEKS.
SHELL LET US KNOW A FEW WEEKS AHEAD OF NOT EVERYBODY HAS PEANUT GALLERY.
YOU, I GOT 20 YEARS AFTER NEXT YEAR I'LL HAVE 20 YEARS.
I'M ALMOST AS OLD AS JERRY AND, UH, THAN, I MEAN OLDER THAN YOU.
BUT I'M ONLY GONNA WORK ABOUT TWO DAYS A WEEK.
IT'S GONNA BE OUR FIRST ARE YOU DOUBLING THE TIME OR WHAT? ARE YOU GONNA DOUBLE UP, MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
[03:04:03]
OKAY.[03:06:03]
DID YOUR DAY GO YESTERDAY? IT WAS, IT WAS OKAY.I MEAN, WELL TO BE EXPECTED ONCE, YES.
ONCE WE, UM, IT WAS MUCH MORE BUILT UP THAN IT WAS BECAUSE ONCE WE GOT TO THE SCHOOL, LIKE THIS FOURTH GREEN SHIRT JUST DESCENDED UPON THE TRUCK AND EVERYTHING WAS UP IN THE ROOM.
AND THE LONGEST THING WAS TO PUT THE CARPET DOWN.
WHERE DO YOU SIGN GO? UNIVERSITY OF HOME TEXAS.
AND UM, SO I MEAN, IT WAS JUST LIKE, IT WAS LIKE IN THE ROOM AND HIS ROOMMATE WAS THERE AND I GOT THE CARPET DOWN.
HIS ROOMMATE WAS PUTTING HIS STUFF AWAY AND YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST TOOK WHEELS.
BUT I KNOW, YOU KNOW, HE'S WHERE HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
HE'S DOING WHAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
HE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF ANSWERED PRAYERS, SO I KNOW IT'S STILL FRUSTRATING THOUGH.
AND I JUST WISH HE WOULD TEXT, WANTED TO GROW UP.
IT'S LIKE, MY HUSBAND WAS LIKE, ARE YOU SURPRISED AT THIS? I'M LIKE, NO, I'M NOT SURPRISED AT IT.
I JUST, JUST LIKE FAST, YOU KNOW? AND, UH, BUT THAT, THAT'S COOL.
YOU SAID HE HAD HIS ROOMMATE THERE AND THEY JUMPED IN AND.