Ladies and gentlemen, Denton County Commission's Court for Tuesday August 1 is now in session. This morning, their invocation will be given by Matt Richardson, Director of our Health Department. And I pledge this bill, led by Julie Luke, our county clerk. Will you please stand? Well, our father, we just thank you for sunshine and thank you for a marvelous day here in this town. Father, I thank you for these people who committed the service. Thank you for all the people that do work to make this town a better place. People who may run Netflix, which is like navigate the office and your job. Father, I just thank you for being with doing this. And I think that's why we're doing this. And I think that's why we're doing this. And I think that's why we're doing this. And I think that's why we're doing this. And I think that's why we're doing this. And I think that's why we're doing this. And I think that's why we're doing this. And I think that's why we're doing this, so we can have the strength to reflect you and the last person. We thank you for doing this, and we pray. Good morning. I feel like we used to follow a deny of faith to America I put these two of the United States of America into the Republic of Richard Chang, one nation under God, the visible liberty and justice for all. And now the Texas flag. On our Texas flag, I pledge allegiance to the Texas flag, under God and indivisible. Item one is for public comment for items not listed on the agenda. If there's any member of the public that would like to address Commissioner's Court, we ask that you please complete a public comment form. They're available on the side table. Once you're reminded, everyone please turn off cell phones, pages, and an electronic device that might be disruptive. The first public comment form I have this morning is from Mr. Wheeler-Hudsput. Mr. Hudspworth, good morning. Mr. Headsworth, I live in 623 Newton. I just check your hand and throw something at me because I can't give my watch to work. That's all right. just check your hand and throw something at me because I can't give my watch to work. One of the officers back here when I passed and say I have a gun and I just kind of... okay I'm lying I'm lying I'm lying I'm Marching you can identify with this I know for sure and probably the rest of you too. You know when your body just kind of shuts down and it says to you, hey, you need to stop doing what you're doing and we got to do something different. You're doing too much. Last Friday I had my third heat stroke. Almost. Well, when a stroke the doctor said, a stroke is when the kidneys finally just shut down and said, I'm tired, I'm through. Third, close encounter of the third kind, Friday. State and Hospital Friday and Saturday, because I just keep going and going and going and then my batteries just finally stopped. Don't you, Commissioner Marchion, when you're laying there in that bed and all the visitors of COM and they've gone and they've said all that stuff they're gonna say to go back to the little busy lives and you lay in there that sheets that gown that I don't know why they make you wear that during gown and you're just laying and you think you do get a different perspective don't you you get a different perspective of life and that's what I got this weekend. So let me just say to you commissions with this new perspective online. I've learned to compromise, to listen to other people, then evaluate what they say, evaluate what is said and then reevaluate my position. But during the evaluation process, that's what I've learned. Really evaluate what the person's saying. And then make your decision. Don't just listen, smile, and wait until they finish, inhale deeply, and then move on. You evaluate. So I've learned to do that. So is that that in mind when I say to you, you know, I've asked you for some things. And what I'm finding as I visit it with you, you know, visit with each other much and try to come up with a compromise that's good for the county. Let me tell you what I've observed. That is, too, is something I'm just sorry about. I don't know this to be true. Cop it's you these are the priorities I think you should have. I think this is me only. Count County taxpayers first then evaluate what your decisions are. The whole county, not your precinct, the whole county, then you evaluate them as a whole. Secondly, your employees, I think that's the priority. What the county needs, your county employees. I found out that there's money, well in my evaluation, the people that I've talked to said, they don't pass enough. And then I've talked to some of you and you said, well, we pay what we can pay and we can't give some to some and not some to the others. Well, they said to that, paramount. So then you say, commissioners, with with what I found out there for Slush funds if you will that you're in control of Don't you know that if you just gave them a 1% something just to say we appreciate you being here That would go a long ways from those four slush Funds and I'm going to get all the facts on those first then I'm going to tell you about them and just lay them to your feet. That doesn't know. I can tell you one, how about the money that you keep for the indigent barriers when they? You have a fund don't you? Well you're saying we should give a 1% increase instead of a 5% increase. You should give them no, I think you should give them a percent increase Whatever that is and then gives them some more money That's what I think you should do I doubt any employees are going to argue with that when your time is up, sir Okay, thank you, ma'am. Please see you The second public comment on my head is from Matt Richardson, Matt. Donna, when you find those four flush funds, let me know, would you? Okay. How long is my share? Okay, Matt. I'm not sure how to follow that. All right. My name is Matt Richardson. I live at 224 Bird Co. Lang, Nargow. I want to give the court a quick update, a snapshot of our mosquito season. It's kind of like baseball season or football season. So it's mosquito season. It's also back to school shot season. So if you want to participate in that, let us know. We have in Texas 18 human cases and one death of West Nile disease. In Denton County, we have one case of West Nile. It is a West Nile fever and it's a resident of Little Elm. And then as far as Zika, as of today, we have 19 cases in Texas and one of those cases resides in Denton County and it was important. So I think the public service message is, it's mosquito season. They're here, They're angry. Text yourself. Thank you. All right. Thank you. I think this might be an appropriate time. Joan. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Surprise surprise. I'm pleased to be here. Happy birthday to you. She didn't expect that. Okay, members item two is the consent agenda or the items on this agenda that you need to have some discussion on or do we have a motion? Motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Eads. In favor, please say aye. Aye, pose, aye. Motion is carried. Consented agenda today consists of two a, which is approval of order making appointments. We have a new hire in technology services. We have a lateral transfer in the district clerk's office. We have a new hire in the VA's office, a rehire in the VA's office, a promotion in the tax office. A new hire in the county jail, a new hire in road bridge east, a new hire in adult probation, and one new hire in juvenile detention. To be as approved, the intrad apartmental transfers to see as approval of Ward of Bid for cold mix asphalt pavement bid number 0 4172413 to quality pavement repair. Quick right companies LC 2D is approval of budget amount request 101 730 for do's and subscriptions for training education for purchasing department in the amount of $2,864. And 2E is approval of building news request from Brian Cornelius with Dominion World Outreach Ministries to use the then kind of Copeland Government Center community room on Saturday, August 26, 2017 from 4 to 8 p.m. And 3A is approval of a resolution approving the draft demco 911 district fiscal year 2018 fiscal. I'm sorry, financial plan. Pursuant to the Texas Health and Safety Code chapter 772 is amended and providing an effective day. And it's a brief resolution simply stating the resolution approving the draft. Draft demco area 911 District fiscal year 2018 financial plan, pursuant to the Texas Health and Safety Code chapter 7-7-2 as amended, and providing an effective date where as DENCO County Commissioner's Court has been presented, the DRAFT DENCO area 9-1-1 fiscal year 2018 financial plan for consideration in accordance with section 772.309 Texas Health and Safety Code as amended. Now therefore, the kind of commissioners court that county Texas hereby resolves section one, the kind of commissioners court hereby approves the financial plan to section two. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon from and after its passage. Then in open court the first day of August, 2018, I'm sorry, 2017, upon a motion by myself. Seconded by Commissioner Marchand on favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed, say nay. Motion goes carry. I pose a name, motion to carry. For A is a public hearing to consider discussing or approve of the replat. Springer acres, lot six are one and six are two block a commissioner precinct one. We need a motion for our public hearing. Motion by commissioner Eads. Seconded by commissioner Mitchell. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye, opposed, aye. Nade, motion goes carried. Is there anyone who just ended up with like to address Commissioner's Court on the issue of the repat? Anyone in attendance would like to address Commissioner's Court either in favor of or opposed to. Any members of Court have questions? I'll move to close the public hearing. Thank you. We have a motion to close the public hearing by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Marchand, do all in favor please say aye. Aye. Aye, post in in. Motion to carry. We now need a motion to approve of the refab. I move for approval. Second. Motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Marchand, all in favor please say aye. Aye. Opposed, aye. Motion is carried. 5A is approved of bill report payments from CSCD, command and inflections. TDIP shares, trainee shares, forfeiture, VIT interest and DA forfeiture funds are all presented for recording purposes only. Good morning, James Weld. Morning, Judge and commissioners. I asked approval of the bills as presented, but with noting the two deletions from the general fund that are noted on separate corrections page. And the one addition from public health fund for $150 and that would be to increase their change funds. So approval of that payment wouldn't be the formal action increase to change funds. It's all corrections I have. Thank you. Are there any questions that we have in motion? I'll throw a move. Motion by Commissioner Coleman. Second. Second by Commissioner Marchandt. Here are no questions. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. First and in motion. Currie, 6A is approval of the request from law office of Kimberly Ann Chanklin to be released from the commercial lease agreement for property located 121 Northwood or Lane Suite 104, Denton, Texas, effective Office 31st, 2017. Motion by Commissioner Mitchell, seconded by Commissioner Eans, hearing no questions. All in favor, please say aye. Aye, close in, aye. Motion carries. 6B is approval of request from Ross Law Offices to extend the commercial lease agreement. Repropably located at 121 Northwood, New Orleans, Suite 203. Motion by Commissioner Mitchell. Seconded by Commissioner Eads. On favor please say aye. Aye, post in a. Motion carries. Commissioner Eads, on favor please say aye. Aye, post in aye. Motion does carry. Six C is approval of ward of RFP 04172414. Offender specimen collection and drug testing for the Denkani CSCD to treatment assessment screening center incorporated. It's recommended by the evaluation committee and the combat 20. comment about the evaluation committee and the combat 20. Good morning. The CSEV previously contracted for the service through calling counting through a cooperative purchasing agreement and they felt like it was in their best interest to have a stand-alone contract. So we worked with them to each on RST and free evaluation process. So we did receive five proposals that the committee is unanimously recommending award to treatment assessment screening center. And this is for recording purposes only and the CSCB director will sign the contract. Thank you. Are there any questions from members of court? We have a motion. Motion by Commissioner Marchin. Seconded by Commissioner Coleman. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye, close in, aye. Motion is carried. Seven a is approval of budget amendment quest 101-720 to transfer funds from county wide technology to elections administration contract labor in the amount of $11,523. I'm moved for a plea. Motion by Commissioner Coleman. Seconded by Commissioner Marchand. On favor, please say aye. Aye, pose, aye, need. Motion does carry. Okay, seven, V is discussion and approval for posing tax rate. Do you want to do this now? Did you want to? Yes, this will be the very last thing we do assuming we finish our budget workshops today. Hold off on seven V then we'll come back to it. Approval seven C was looking back to that too. Eight A is approval of two new deputy one positions, deputy clerk positions, slot number 35 and 60 in the kind of clerk's department effect of August 9, 2017. I'm moved for approval. Motion by Commissioner Coleman. I can those upon the passports, for the passports, right? You have motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Mitchell. Further discussion? On the favor, please say aye. Aye. Posting, aye. Motion is carried. 13 a is approval of legislative policy statements and our resolutions and discussion or approval of other matters relating to the 85th legislative session should be the first extra session. Little boy, can they just not go home? Just go home. The first one I have here were actually first two. First one is, I didn't kind of oppose House Bill 3, and this should probably say in any committee substitute or House Bill 3 relating to limiting the appraisal on industrial and commercial property. While House Bill 3 is called an omnibus property tax reform bill that includes transparency, it achieves need. It does not provide for tax reform nor is it transparent. Please read the analysis prepared by the legislative budget board for House Bill 3. That will copy it in here if anybody wants to wade through it. We're clear understanding the confusing time consuming convoluted expensive and unfair requirements of the proposed legislation. It is unfair because it limits taxable value increases on commercial and should say an industrial property to 20%, which is counter to the premise that the property tax code was first created on, which is properties both taxation is supposed to be fair equal uniform and market value. Putting a limit on commercial property shifts more of the tax burden onto the homeowner. So for that, I'm taking the position of opposing House Bill 3 or any. I'll second with your proposed revision. Thank you. Any further discussion on this? Thank you. Any further discussion on this? This has not been a pretty extra session and I fear that might even go into another one. All in favor of that motion is second, the police say aye. Aye. Aye, post, any? Motion does carry. The next one I have is opposition to the Committee substitute a House bill four, which creates revenue cash for taxing entities other than school districts. And for those entities that assess more than 25 million in taxes a year, any revenue cap proposal has the potential of increasing taxes statewide is my position anyway. Committee substitute the House bill for creates revenue cast for taxing entities, other districts that assess more than 25 million in taxes each year. In addition, Committee substitute has bill for lowers the rollback rate from 8% to 5% for jurisdictions that assess more than 25 million. Denton County is opposed to revenue caps which restrict local control. Do not compromise and agree to lower the rollback rate. To do so has a potential to increase taxes statewide as it sets a new floor. Or a base amount that jurisdictions will increase to whether it is needed or not, because they will not be able to adjust in subsequent years without being forced to hold an election. On a line it reduces local control. Unfortunately to get this bill out of committee, there was a committee substitute to go instead of reducing the rowback rate from 8% to 4%, they went to 6% that it got a couple more people on the committee to buy into it, which got the bill out of committee. But you and I all know that once it hits the floor of legislature, there's going to be a amendment after amendment after amendment, and having only knows for this is going to end up. So that's why I put in all capital letters here, do not compromise an agreement or lower the rollback rate. It removes local control. So that's my motion. Seconded by Commissioner Mitchell. Further discussion or questions? Hearing none, my favorite please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed to your name? Motion carries. The next one is, there kind of opposes Senate Bill 18 and House Bill 2, the companion Bill 2L6, which relate to a limit on local government expenditures. Senate Bill 18 and House Bill 2L6 with Limit Counties expenditure growth to the annual population growth and inflation factor. Without taking into account that many counties have rates of population and inflation growth significantly higher than the state as a whole. Neither bill allows for increases in county spending without holding an election to approve additional expenditures. Between the time a tax rate is proposed and adopted, according to Texas property tax law requirements and to comply with current Texas election law, there is not time to hold an election, have the results prior to the beginning of the new budget year. While Senate bill 18 does allow for a bonded andbtedness to be covered, such as construction of a new jail, it does not take into consideration the M&O expenses of staffing that new jail. Please see a touch, you will know from Judge Horne regarding consumer price index, not being reflective of the true county expenses, and an example would be court-of-horned attorneys. That's not affected by consumer price index or population growth. So this is my motion is to oppose Senate Bill 18 and the companion bill House Bill 206. Second. Second to my motion by Commissioner Mitchell, questions or discussion? In favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed sitting. Motion is carried. And lastly, opposition to Senate Bill 13, which relates to the issuance of a permit by a political subdivision. The proposed bill for tales, local control authority in favor of one's highest fits all solutions. Senate Bill 13 does not clarify current standards or requirements, but instead imposes restrictions on timing communication and ability for counties and municipalities to issue dual permits for properties and extraterritorial jurisdictions. And we have a attached the analysis from our own county public works and I don't have a copy of that. But I think it's important to point out. I want to thank our own public works department for doing an analysis on this. It's very helpful when these departments don't need to analyze these bills as to the potential impact to Denton County, their positive or negative. And passing that information on to our legislators is very helpful for them. So they can get on the floor of the House of the Senate and argue our point. So I appreciate public works doing that. So anyway, my motion is to oppose Senate Bill 13. Motion is to oppose Senate Bill 13. Seconded by Commissioner Marchand. Any favor please say aye. Aye, opposed say nay. Motion is carried. You can sign those. Okay. 13b is acceptance of the community supervision and corrections department. Okay. 13B is acceptance of the Community Supervision and Corrections Department CSCD. Proposed initial budget for 2018-2019 is required by statute. Local Government Code Chapter 1-400.004C for reporting purposes only. Motion by Commissioner Mitchell. Thank you. Thank you. Commissioner Colin, questions or comments? Hearing none, all in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed, any motion does carry. 14A is approval of the subscription agreement between Debt with County, Texas and SOE software corporation. This is for a purchase of online poll worker training software, the funds in the amount of $64,000 to come from local elections contract funds. Other than line 9 and 4, 642, 907, 5 is recommended by the Denton County election administrator. Frank couldn't be with us today, but he sent this email that I want to share with you. He said, I along with my management staff will be in Austin, Tuesday at the Secretary of State Samuel Election Law seminar for county election officials will not be able to attend court. Should there be any questions? But would like to take a moment to tell you about this agenda placement. I'm asking to purchase online poll worker training from this company. They currently host two other products for us, Clarity, which is our website and ENR, which is the Election Night Reporting Software, where you see election results. Online poll worker training will be used to augment, not replace, in-person training. They will shoot professional quality video of us and our voting equipment to be utilized in the software. We will be able to offer different types of training in the software that is specific for election judges and clerks. In fact, we can break them out into as many modules as we choose, such as separate training for provisional voters, required paperwork, legislative changes, required voter ID, equipment specific training, et cetera. Poll workers will be allowed to complete if they're appropriate training. They will then be given a test. And then, after successful completion of the training in the test, we'll be able to print a training certificate. This will also allow them to go back as they please to review other specific issues that they feel they need more information on in their own time frame. Regarding funding of this project, this is not coming from the county budget. We'll be using contract funds, funds collected from jurisdictions who are holding their election. The first year is $36,000 and the two subsequent years are $14,000. I just thought that was important to clarify all that. So the chair is going to move for approval. Seconded by Commissioner Mitchell are there questions doing none all in favor please say aye aye Posting motion is carried 14b is approval a specific language and a design of the no overnight parking signs to be placed on real property owned by Denton County Texas to prohibit parking of motor vehicles between the hours of 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Saturday in the parking lots of the Denton County precinct three government center located at 400 North Valley Parkway, Louisville, Texas, 75067, real property located at 401 North Valley Parkway, same address, real property Located at 198 civic center looseville, Texas real probably located at night 190 North Valley Parkway historical parking lot located at 317 West Mallbury Street and Texas parking lot I'm sorry parking lot of the Denver County Joseph A. Carroll County administration building located at 401 West Hickory and two approval of authorized in the Denver County Public Facilities Department to post specific language at each of these properties to inform the public of the above parking regulations and to authorize the towing of any motor vehicle parked in violation of these parking restrictions. to the population of these parking restrictions. We were having people were just parking their cars and leaving them and didn't know who the car was and say they were for days, taking a parking place the week and talk to the civil district attorney to see if we can get something going to keep people from leaving their cars there from days and taking up needed parking places. So I'm going to move approval. Judge, I have one comment. We'll just say we have a motion by Commissioner Mitchell's, the second to the motion, seconded by Commissioner Eads now, John. We have an example of the sign that we'd like to post. And for Dick and Kenny Sheriff's office, I think that was what we decided to be the best contact numbers since they're open. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. And so we have Ditton County Sheriff's Office, so we have 940 and I would just propose that we put 349 1600 that's their main number in that way. Because facilities had a question about what number do we put in there. But, all of you all are okay with $3.416. That's what we're going to put in there. The sheriff's department is okay with that. How does he know? Wow. I don't know. Anybody here from the sheriff's department. We made all this. Commissioner Merchant, did you have a question? Yeah, I don't mean it's going to come out. It's just a little bit short-sighted. I mean, we have so many other properties. I mean, I have a guy that parks his RB in my parking lot. So you want to spray it out? Yeah, I would, I don't know if I would have meant it to include the county government center in Carrollton as well as the new government center and should be everywhere that should be ever Frisco as well as the new one in flower mound I yeah, I think the problem is is that there's been problems in some facilities And there hasn't been problems Not a problem with people I haven't seen anybody yet. Parts that are part of Frisco. I just thought the originally we wanted to do it around the square which was the historical park and the co-plant or the Carol Bidling and that's because they have people who are hanging out there and people you know leaving their stuff there. I thought, I think I told you all I agreed to with it because nothing good ever happens after midnight and I thought that would be a good time to let people park their car in there until then. Yeah, I just have neighbors in my place. I have neighbors that park there. And that's a good or bad thing. All right, That's not like Walmart where they let you park your RV. We should charge them rent. I'm a man, Phil. I'm seeing a question is whether we should expand it or not. We can expand it in another way. Let's go ahead and approve this and have some discussion with John on that. We'll see where we need to expand it. I think when we started out on this adventure we were going to try to go on a case by case basis and add the facilities as they. Okay. So we weren't really trying to be short-sighted. We originally started out with Louisville, then we had some additional concerns about some parking over near the Carroll Building. And I do agree that we need to add any other mechanic facilities where we want to regulate parking. So, it turns that you all have or any other properties that need to be added if you just let us, let us know the specific address and then for the facilities on signage. And this will be our sign for now on. Okay. We will I'll make sure that we get in contact with the sheriff's office to inform them that they will be getting these phone calls. Let's just leave it. Whatever phone number the sheriff's office is comfortable with, that's fine. Yes. All right, we have a motion in a second for the discussion or questions. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Posting, aye. Motion is carried. 14C is approval of amendment to the Billing Services Agreement between practice automation and LLC, now world source practice solutions LLC. I'm ready for approval. Motion by Commissioner Collin. Seconded by Commissioner Mitchell. Questions or comments? Hearing none, all in favor, please say aye. Aye, pose in aye. Motion is carried. 14D is approval of change order amendment one to the construction agreement contract between Denton County and TDC to LC for a total budget impact of 699 dollars and 8 cents to come from 2012 PI bonds fiber optic construction auditor mine that item 665489010 is recommended by Kevin Car Chief Information Officer. There for approval. Motion by Commissioner Marchand. Seconded by Commissioner Coleman. Questions or comments? Here none on the favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed to the name. Motion is carried. 14 E's approval of payment from FM Global insurance company to Denton County and the amount of $46,071 in 55 cents Decidile claim number 464-538 Arising from building a property damage caused by severe hair storm on March 26, 2017 at Denton County road bridge west located for 17 Old Justin road arvile road bridge west located for 17 old Justin road to Arvall. I may for approval. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. for the fish trap road improvement project with Dave Cunning, agreeing to contribute an amount which will not exceed $560,000. This fund will be transferred from FM 720 North, widening 2014, Trivo 8 PIA bond funds, auditor line M817395903, to fish trap road, pricent one auditor line item 857502903. Auditor line item 857502903 0 Still working on repairing stuff from the 100 year rains in 2015. And John just reminder, we had an agreement to fix part of this with Providence Village, but we need to make sure we cancel that portion. We're going to chip see we're going to just pay the one in Providence Village, but it made more sense just to get a contractor to do the whole thing between 424. We had another contract we probably need to cancel. Providence Village that we are going to chip seal all the way up to their crossroads. Crossroads was going to pay it so we figure make it all match up. I'm in for approval. There is one correction. Drinks and I will just notice the line item at the bottom where it's just been 85. 75.02 should be 81. Should be 81.7529030. That's correct. With that correction we have a motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Eads. Here in the further discussion on favor please say aye. Aye. I put a city motion this carry. Good catch you guys. Okay, we're going to take 14 F. I'm sorry, not F. 14 GHI and J together because they're all tax collection contracts. Interlocal agreement for tax collection and all recommended by our tax successor collector. 14G is a ton of little on, town of Providence Village, town of Bartonville, town of Detroit Club, City of Lisville, Highway 380, Municipal Management District number one. H is between Denton County and the City of Lisville for a collection of special assessments levied by Josie Lane Public Improvement District. And I is between Denton County and the Town of Detroit Club. Her collection is a special assessment levied by the following entities. Trophic Club Public Improvement District number one, Trophic Club Public Improvement District number one. This is the emergency services district and 14J is under local agreement between Dett and County and the Town of Lilliam for collection of special assessments levied. between Devin County and the tunnel in the LLM for collection of special assessments levied. This is Redmond Track Public Improvement District to Valencia Public Improvement District and three Hillsstone Point Public Improvement District number two. The chair is going to move for approval of all four agenda items. Second. Seconded by Commissioner Marchant. Only favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye, post, any motion? by Commissioner Marchand. Only favor please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed. The name motion does carry it for all four items. Okay. We are ready to go back to our budget items. Yes, we need to take a break so that we can get our books in order. Okay. I guess. Okay. Okay. We'll call on Donna and get going on our budget hearings. Go ahead, Donna. Good morning, Judge and commissioners. We have three time items today. The first item on our agenda is an equity adjustment appeal from Judge Garcia. This is for the County Court administrator. There's information in your packet on page A17. There's a memo from him as well as a budget impact statement. The impact of his request is $5,564. That's total combined with salary and benefits. Also, we'll reference that on your changes sheet. We'll be on page six. So Judge Garcia is here to make his presentation to you. Good morning. Good morning, Judge Horn, honorableorable Members of the Commission's Court. I am here as seeking an equity adjustment for a statutory counter administrator. I'm here as the local administrative judge with permission and with the approval of all these statutory counter court judges. We saw it, first of all, foremost, we saw saw it a reclassification of her position. I think if you look at the packet and I have copies of the kit here. But just what I'm showing you here, highlight and yellow is additional responsibilities other than what she used to perform or the prior sex to her kind of mystery, used to perform in the same job of responsibilities. So her job response to be was having increased, but comparable salary has not. She's currently working on four grants, three of them, the Veterans Treatment Court grants, and I always thought that grants were really easy until actually we had to start implementing them. And I'm not here to say I do any of that. I have to rely on arena and also James Wells and and on Stewart, but implementation of those grants are significant. Federal requirements, two different state court grants, Governor's grant and a Texas Veterans Commission grant. It's really labor intensive. All that labor falls on the statutory count administrator and that's one of the reasons why we're here today. We did think it would justify the reclassification but the HR decided that didn't think it was appropriate. All we're asking for today is for her to be raised to comparable court administrators who started at the same time. When we first hired her, we hired her at the 8% instead of the 16% like most of you out there, like most everyone does. We didn't know who we had and we certainly now that she's here, now that she's shown improving her ability to work and her increased responsibilities. We all feel all of our judges feel that she's deserving of the equity adjustment to keep her online with the same administrators Who started at the same time and I'll defer to any questions you might have at this time Thank you members of court to have there any questions So HR did do a JAT on this Okay So HR did do a JAT on this. Okay. Yeah. And they could have hired at 16% they did not. When okay. And we have a lot of these that they could hire a higher salary in that they they don't. And then they come back and. Well, unfortunately, and then they come back. Unfortunately. And I agree with you, a commission minister, Linda Wood and Judge Ramirez, just here last year, you had the same. And as public servants and as people who tried to use the county funds wisely, we certainly don't want to start someone at the maximum, and then they not be qualified. We'll find out later that they didn't do the job. But this has been two years now, over two and a half years. All of us feel that the performance for stats to our kind of poor demonstrator deserves to be raised at this particular board of thumb and I certainly understand your position. Unfortunately, this is the product that we're under. I wish you would change. I wish you would allow us the authority once we have an employee to be able to go ahead and gear that extra eight percent that we failed to give her initially, but that's not the system we work under. This is a system that we're given. So now we're asking for it to be adjusted accordingly. Not any more than any other administrator of the same amount of years, same amount of hours, but we have more responsibility. You know, that's not a bad recommendation that after they've been there, you can look at it. You see, you know, goes when they can be and they qualify for this and then maybe six months to a year, you do look at it. So, I'm not saying I'm in favor of it, but I understand, but we all try to be good students I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say that I'm going to say This is obviously deserved. If we didn't think she deserved this, we didn't think the position necessitated a change. I wouldn't be up here speaking behalf of all the judges. And the stop will you took all that in consideration, the additional responsibility in all that duty. All right. Thank you. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Judge. I think we're gonna wanna go through these and then come back to making decisions probably. Okay. Okay. The second item is Constable precinct for discussion. As you all know, we did include a position, the position in the recommended budget that's being discussed today. I had sent an email to Constable Birch requesting that he consider leaving the position vacant, based on workload statistics. If he was faced with that position, that's not unlike anything I do every year with our justices of the piece. We've done that for precinct one and precinct three, and they've all been willing to comply and have left positions vacant until their workload warranted. Constable Birch, after several emails to him, responded to me like last week indicating that he would not agree to that. So it was requested by Commissioner Coleman that this be placed on the agenda if he refused or did not respond to me. So that's why we're here today. And it's not that he doesn't have the workload that some of the other ones, but the statistics that we are looking at. Is lower than the other ones because he is doing work. Oh, as he is doing work, the numbers are significantly less, especially in the area of civil cases than the other precincts. He does have a higher warrant workload, but when you look at the bottom line, we use that statistical report to help analyze what staff you should be. Again, we asked that he consider leaving it vacant. And we would at the time position became vacant. We would rerun this report. We would look at the statistics. And then if the workload had changed, certainly he could have kept that position. But again, this is up to the court on how you decide to deal with this. Okay. So if he considered to leave it vacant, you know, doing a year, we'll take a look at the physics to make sure that the statistics are coming up. And we can take that, of course, he probably won't get a vacancy. He wants to, everybody wants to work. And he may not. Yeah. He may not. It was a good faith effort to treat him just exactly like I've done the justices of the piece in the past, and he refused. And you have specific items that you look at. We pull statistics straight from the Odyssey system. Okay. And we pull a civil statistics report as well as a warrant report. And I update that report every year and send it to all the constables. Okay. I did that earlier in the years well. And what you have in your packet is even more updated to include all their service for civil and warrants through June of this year. Okay. So I did recommend a position for Constable precinct 3 and precinct 6 this year based on their workload. If you would like to go to the reference section, behind the reference tab. section behind the reference tab or the on page R55. You'll see that the actually let me back up. R54. You'll see that the civil cases heard deputy for this particular precinct is 432 based on the recommended budget. Whereas precinct 6, for example, has 922 and then also precinct 3 has 764. It's all that noted in red. If you go to the next page and you look at the number of civil and warrants combined You'll see that the number shows this precinct currently has 836 civil and warrants. Oh I'm sorry. Yeah, I am 36 Compare or 669 based on current I can compare 669 based on current versus 1168, 187, precincts, 6 and 3. So in that spreadsheet, there's a formula where I've included the current staffing level, which is going to be showing on that first line. And on the second line, this is the number of civil and warrants per deputy based on a reduction of one staff member in that department. But baby, I'm sorry. R55. Okay. Okay. The second section in red. So even with changing that position from five positions to four, you'll see that the workload is a little more comparable with the other precincts. Precinct two, just for the record, had the same situation and if you look at the historical reports, his numbers are traditionally low. I think they issued some more, recently that drove that number up. But he had the same sort of situation and I contacted him during the budget process and asked him if he had a position, if he would agree to leave it vacant while we reviewed that and he was in a 100% agreement. So that's another one that I would, if the numbers consistently stayed the same, I would recommend a change in staffing in that department as well. But this year I did not address that with that precinct because he's had two individuals on approved leave time and he's already too short this current year. So that's why I did not recommend deleting a position for him as well as present for. All right. So Commissioner Mitchell, the problem is if Constable Birch does not agree to leave a position open, he can promptly fill it and then we wind up laying somebody off. I don't want to wind up laying anybody off if they want to. If through attrition that we downsize, I think that's appropriate. So my solution is if Constable Birch doesn't want to cooperate and commit to leaving a position open, that we don't reduce law enforcement in the county, but that we transfer that position and hopefully the person who's currently in that position will be picked up to whoever we transfer that position to. There are lots of, if you look statistically, there are other constables that could use the help. And our, and it's, you know, the statistics are fairly clear. We don't want to wind up in a situation where we say we get, he refuses to commit to leaving it open. Somebody leaves and he hires him again and then we're faced again the next year with having to lay somebody off. I frankly you know and I find it kind of offensive when I read some of the emails that you know he accused us of trying to lessen the amount of law enforcement in the county and said something to the effect that he would fight it with every living breath or something like that because we're trying to make rational, cool decisions. And if we want to make a rational please to the emotions, we can do that. But we're trying to be all adults and work through this manner in a good, concise system. And judiciously administer the budget. I understand that I think his letter is worth. The rhetoric, I thought, was, you know, like any bus if you're trying to take something from me, I'm going to fight it to the end. And so, but when it comes down to it, if I see that, you know, I'm going to lose that fight, then I'm going to make the best position that I can take so I can keep my employees. That's the... That includes... Yeah. ... other, accusing others of not believing in protecting our community. You got to protect what you owe us because somebody will take it away from it. And I think that's the situation. Is that... He will protect his employees and that's what he should do. But I think at the same time, if the push come to shove, you know, I'm going to lose employee rather than put in sand, then I'm going to put one, I'm a whole abacancy. I think, and I may be putting words in his mouth and his mouth, but I really do believe that he would say, okay, if this is what's going to happen, then I'm going to leave that position based. Well, that's why we invited him to commit to that. But I think he's here. He wants to tell us all the things that he do because they do work on it. It's like saying that. I'm just saying we're here to get him to commit to that and we'll see if he'll keep his word during the meeting. And we talked about, we talked about this item last week and I just wanted to say that I know that if invited, Constable Birch would have been here and it was not specific item. So he would have been here so he's not in any way avoiding the court and communicating with us. And I know that he is passionate about this. I think as Commissioner Mitchell said, any of us would be passionate about what we do. And he's devoted to our residents out in precinct four and I'll tell you as someone who's proudly represented the residents in precinct four for almost 10 years. I can tell you that I'm pleased to have him as our constable because he does do his statutory required duties. And he goes and helps our municipalities in different ways. And those may not be accurately or adequately reflected on some of these measureables that we're looking at. And I think it's really, if you look at these charts and these statistics, a lot of it depends on what you're wanting to look at. If you're wanting to look at warrants cleared, they waix seed other offices. If you look at, you know, the citations issued, you know, they do, there are large parts of the county that are on a corporate here or underserved by other municipalities. And I'm not going to get into specifics about that. But, and they do provide assistance in those regards. So I think there are some of those activities are not maybe reflected on here or focused on. But they are, they serve our citizens adequately and I'm not in favor of cutting them based on a couple of different requirements here. I'm not saying we should cut it. I'm just saying we should redistribute it based on the amount of work that's on. But you've got to, I mean to me you always offer to compromise, right? Absolutely. And if somebody doesn't want to compromise, well then they don't get to compromise. If somebody doesn't want to compromise, well then they don't get to compromise. For clarification, Donna, what's in the recommended budget? Are we left? Yes, ma'am. I recommended the position stay in the budget. I had sent an email asking if he had a vacancy if he would consider leaving it open. But then we did add a position to another office career. We did add two positions. One to present three and one to present six. Three and six. And let me also just say that I went in favor of cutting a slot that was filled with the employee. That is, that would eat me up to see someone lose their job when we're having a good year. And so it was an opportunity to do what I've just. And I appreciate that, Donna. Okay. Constable Virtus. With this morning, I want to give you an opportunity to speak. Sorry if you'd like. Thank you for being here. Good morning, members of the esteemed and honorable court. And as it is a matter of record, I also wanted stated that it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that I'm allowed to be and serve as a constable in precinct four. And I thank the Lord every day for that. I also wanted it also noted it's been brought up, Commissioner Coleman. I have never or when I served under Constable Hudson Mueller, if I was ever requested and had a time when I was supposed to be at this court, I have always been here. I have never ever refused anything. I have went above and beyond as far as providing the court with whatever documentation I could. And so when it's not a matter of rhetoric that I am standing up for my position in my office, and if I would have, I was on vacation until the 18th, I could not have made that. I was not aware of misdewards, email stating any type of time-sensitive issues to it. I was not aware of any of that. And if you read emails, it did not ever state. Could you answer this at a certain time and be available? So to be accused of violating the government code? Yes, yes, I took offense to that because we did meet with Mr. Wirt and provided her with details and supporting data. Well, let's put all that behind this. Okay. And I am. You will only commit to this. So has? Are you going to commit to this? No. You can just call it a true leader. Are you willing to commit to leaving the position open if it becomes vacant? Okay. We will get to that. It's not at the point to that. Let's get to the point to make this presentation. You all were talking stats and Mike is as a sign of a true leader, a leader acknowledges that he's only as successful as the people that are under him. I have a chief deputy that has compiled additional stats that were provided that will maybe bring light to something that you all are not aware of as far as some of the stats. I'm going to let Billett, Barry Minoff, my chief of staff present that because like I said, he has been tasked with that. He's very articulate with what he provides and if you all would give him a minute, I would appreciate it. Thank you. Go ahead, good morning, Mayor. Good morning, honorable judge, good morning, honorable commissioners. morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good I don't want separate and I got to join together. Thank you. The first thing that you guys are going to be looking at today, this report was never actually put into place by the county. Thanks to our JP Court and Kevin Carr's staff, we are actually able to see true numbers when it comes to the warrants and stuff like that. It's no big surprise that our civil papers have gone down dramatically. First thing, the reason for that number one, you had a change in the law when it came to truancy. Our office was huge when it came to dealing with truancy with the Northwest Independent School District, which was about 40% of our workload. Number two, when we had the redistricting of the county, we lost a portion of our particular precinct that there was high volumes in civil papers that are now being dispersed by the other constables offices. If you look at the true statistics that are provided by the budget office, you'll notice that the majority of the civil papers from the other consumables offices are evictions or their formally called FEDs, forced to enterable in detainers. We have a lower percentage of apartment complexes in our area. But each office is its own agency, it's its own RRI number with T-Cole. So when we noticed as an office that our civil papers were going down, we spent more time and focus on our warrants. And when I say executing the warrants, I mean actually going back, getting the people that are actually wanted by Ditton County to pay for these warrants, it does the county know good to put somebody in jail over a class C warrant. Number one, it cost you guys, it costs the taxpayers money to house these people. So what we did is we asked Kevin Carr's office to compile a list of every dollar that was brought back. And they weren't able to start it at the beginning of this budget year, October 1. They were only able to start it from January 1 of this past year. And when the report was ran, I believe it was June the 19th. Our office is based on the fact of our guys physically going on, knocking on doors, making contact with these warrant wanted subjects. And by not putting them in jail, which cost the taxpayers money, we were able to bring back $96,200 and something dollars back to the county, which if you equate it, if you want to compare apples to apples, didn't county receive $75 per paper on an FED. So you would actually be collecting over 1283 more civil papers if you wanted to compare it apples to apples instead of apples to oranges. A couple of the other stats that were I think left off when the budget office was preparing this is number one. We have the second highest court as far as the amount of bail of hours that are provided. The only other court out of the six different JP courts, the only other court that was busier than us was precinct one. So our bailiff is actually in the courtroom more, our second to most compared to the other council's office. Number three, as Commissioner Ead stated earlier, we do have a large portion of our county that's unincorporated. So we do issue traffic citations, we do issue traffic warnings. So nobody's in our office just sitting around and I understand that you guys want an agreement. I'm just trying to give you guys factual information to compare apples to apples and not apples to oranges. I mean, if you look at the number based on what Ms. Donna Stewart, she does a phenomenal job and I don't think anybody in this room wants her job, what she has to do to get one person to be vulnerable. I mean, they have a tremendous amount of task, what they're tasked for when it comes to prepare in these budgets. But I want you guys to be able to sit there and see true actual figures of what actually is being done by our office. And not based this decision on an emotion, whether who said what or who offended what or who said what. If you look at just the warrants alone based on the sheet, we're actually clearing more warrants than are actually being brought in to our office. So not only are my guys clearing everyone that's brought to them that year, we're actually clearing years, I mean the other day we had a warrant that was from 2009 that we were able to get, you know, collective warrant, bring the money back to the taxpayers. I mean you're talking close to $100,000 that was brought back to the citizens of Ditton County in a five month period. But I do appreciate you give me this opportunity to talk. I just before you guys make a decision, I want this decision to be based on, you know, true factual numbers, not on, you know, what somebody might have said, what somebody might have done to just just based on true facts, but I appreciate your time. I agree with you that this should be done based on facts and, know I have not engaged in any emotional pleas. I've read the emails that were sent and I would challenge you to say those weren't contained a lot of emotions and they weren't sent by me. I'm not accusing anybody of anything. I agree with you we should do stuff by facts but whose true facts are you saying Donna didn't criticize true facts or you're the only holder of true facts? I'm not saying anybody didn't have it. I'm just saying that number one or a report didn't exist until I asked somebody to actually prepare it. Donna has been very great to work with up until two or three years ago. We actually never even got credit for our war intense. We all got together all the cheese and all the consibles. We got together to actually see what was being cleared. I mean, I also have another report here that you guys wouldn't have access to because it's based on a law enforcement system. I provided Donna with one when we had our initial meeting, but this is the system that the sheriff's office uses. This is OSSI. This is our computer system. So this is, I have a copy of this also, and this is the most recent hazard yesterday. This will give you a breakdown of everything we responded to, whether it's responding to a traffic accident, assisting another agency. We get calls from the City of Fort Worth all the time. I don't know if you guys know or not, but there's a huge portion of our precinct that's in the City of Fort Worth. We get phone calls from the command staff of the City of Fort Worth saying, hey, would you guys mind sending somebody over to Harriet Creek subdivision because the, I don't know if none of you guys know this or not, but the area that they're covering, they're being dispatched from downtown Fort Worth. They don't have a separate patrol area that's in that immediate vicinity. So those guys might be coming from 287 or 35 W, but I'd like to provide you with the stats from the Sheriff's Office as well. I think it's better to characterize those as additional facts as opposed to the true facts. I'm sorry, sir? I think it's better to characterize that as additional facts as opposed to the true facts. I'll retract my statement and call my additional facts, sir. Thanks, because I think that's for my own con. I just like to clarify too that nothing was left off of the report. This is the same report that we've been using for years. I did meet with the constables a couple of years ago. We modified that to meet some of their needs. So this is comparing apples to apples for each precinct. I'm going to ask the Constable of Birch rather than having an employee reassign somewhere else that he would commit to having a vacancy occurs in his office leaving that vacant. At least let us look at it on next year and see where the statistics are rather than just reassigning an employee. I'm asking if you would do that. Thank you about it for two minutes end, let me know. Mr. Mitchell, you know that I have always tried to be a team player as far as county government goes. When I sent the email in response to Donna's emails to my office, of course it was passionate. Of course it was addressing what, you know, my constituents, my taxpayer citizens in my precinct have grown a custom too with us effectively managing in our office with taking care of the mandated responsibilities and then going above and beyond. And we are recognized as its own law enforcement agency. When we apply for federal grants and the things like that, it's not known as the Constable's Office. We are at law enforcement agency as well. And I would respectfully request that some of those things be taken into consideration as, the things that we do on a normal basis with the Medal of Honor escort that we provide. Nobody knows that when we were going to a state when we had fallen soldiers, my office was one they contacted and we gave them lights and siren to their appointed destinations, which still brings the tear to my eye as far as that goes. Those are some of the things that we've effectively done out of this office. And when I say that I will never support downsizing or laying off a police officer or anybody in law enforcement, I will never back off on that. I'm not asking. And I know and y'all are not asking me to do that. If it becomes necessary, yes, I would look at. If facts presented themselves, but I also respectfully request that you provide us with the everything that you're looking at as far as the formula that we need to address. You know, I'm in constant contact with different law associations trying to generate more business for this county as well as my precinct. Different things that we can, I understand. But if you could just provide us with something where we would know what that formula is, then I wouldn't go into it blind because I will take into consideration if facts were to present themselves and there were the And if if the fax present themselves as far as the number with with deputies there But if you were to take an aggregate score and remove a deputy from my from my office that same formula would be applied to one less deputy. And then you would actually have three deputies. And when you add up their stats, then you would find they're going to be right on par or more with the precincts, I believe it's three and precinct six for the amount of work that they're doing. So that's what I'm asking to make rhyme or reason out of all of this and like I say to you in that email, I met no disrespect whatsoever, but I was not, I was not in any way, nobody gave me word to be here last week. And so I'm sorry and I apologize to that and like I said, I've basically told you all that whatever I can do. So I will make it a point of record. I'll make it a point of record, yes, I'll make it a point of record. I'll never support the downsizing or laying off of any law enforcement position in my, in whatever I have control over. That's what I meant with my last dying breath, Commissioner Coleman, that you're referring to. Let's go ahead and clarify then. So does your commitment to the Court today that if you buy a trition, lose an officer, you will keep that position open until the next budget year, and then we will consider whether we need to transfer that position or eliminate it. Depending on the status, or fill it. Depending. I mean, obviously. Yeah. And it's, well, we're gonna base it on the amount of, I don't want to know that. We need to look at it. I don't think we need to, I think we need to get a commitment from him because he's providing all sorts of questions. What I'm saying is I want to tweak your comment there to say not to the budget year. This is, you know, if it's at the time, I don't think we need to wait to the next budget year to fill it. I think we need to look at it that or make it see happens. We need to look at the numbers at the time, not wait to the budget year. Well, if I get in two months, I don't think I don't think we need to wait to the next budget year to fill it or evaluate it. Well, I think this statistic show that he's got one deputy too many. We all agree we don't like land people off, particularly in a time when we have a budget surplus. We know that we need law enforcement in the county. That position may be used best elsewhere. Like Donna stated, we would like to get a commitment from him that if the position is lost through attrition, that we would reconsider it during the new budget. He may have a tremendous amount of use in the future or not. But Andy, if we assign the position to him, he can fulfill it. He can fill it whether or not we want him to or not. We can always, we can't keep him for filling in here. What I'm saying is I think the position is established. We have the ledger's ability to make. What I'm saying is I think. When the position is established, we have to let him fill in. But I believe he's committing. I believe he's committing to our request. When I think it depends on the statistics. I think it depends on what the statistics are as he sees fit. And I think we need to, and that's a time that we're looking for. And at the time, I think of said discussion, I think we need to evaluate what are those statistics we're looking at. Because if you look at which ones you're going to look at, if you look at traffic citations, if you go through all six of these, one office is 157, 249, 0, 527, which is precinct 4, 42, 0. They do different, each office operates differently. They have a baseline of basic services they provide. In each of these, have different demographics, different geographies. And if you look at his, so if you want to look at citations, he's 527ers, two other offices of the zero. I'm not criticizing them. They may be totally incorporated and they let their cities do that. So people may be focused on the first task and some people may be doing it ancillary non-practice. Right. So obviously they're doing a lot of traffic and a lot of patrol because there's a necessity in that geographic area. Other areas may not need that. So there be a nimble and adjusting to what they need to do. Just like when they gave the traffic unit back to the sheriff's department. I think we agree, my point is, I- Can I interject something new? Please, I don't think we need to commit, Judge Warren. I want to finish my point. We need to seek a commitment from the constable that if he seeks to fill the vacancy, I don't want it because that could happen at Christmas and we need to look at the numbers then. We don't need to wait all the way to the budget year. If we have a vacancy and he seeks to fill it, we need to evaluate it then. Not next summer, right? About what the numbers at the time of the vacancy. Correct. Well, I think we need to evaluate. Because it's fair if he wants, if in fact the numbers don't stack up and he can fill it anyway. There's nothing we do about that. We've learned that the hard way. We got sued and lost on that. Correct. Okay. Constable Birch is an elected official. Correct. As are we. We cannot tell him who he should or should not hire. We have only budget controls. So the commitment we have been asking him to make is should he have a vacancy due to attrition? Would he hold that open either to the next budget discussion or to spend it as a statistic set the time to determine if it's warranted to fill it or to transfer that position to another office? The question that we need to make sure that it's clear at this point is if we agree to leaving it and unless he has a vacancy and he agrees to leave it vacant until the statistics determine who decides what the, you know, who's going to make the determination that statistics do or do not warrant failing that position? The point. Are we going to agree that we make the decision or is it going to be his decision? The report that Donna gives us and we make that decision. That's not that. I just wanted to clarify that point before. A law says he makes that decision. But we would. Well, we're getting it. I think we need to agree upon what are the measurables that we're looking at because. So we look at the measurables and then does he say I believe the statistics warrant me filling this position and we go no no I don't think they do. We need a decision right now. Who's going to make that decision? He does. He gets to by law. That's what I was worried about. Hey, and I will be more than willing to work with the Court and conjunctively make that decision and let you guys know that, you know, going in because core duties, responsibilities, they are being addressed. And we also addressed in this memo that any other constable's office that was ever in need of any assistance, we have no problem if we've got our office managed effectively and we have a deputy providing, we will do that. We have senate deputy over to help bailiff court when you know when one is short, I have no problem. And I stand by that commitment as well that we will also do that during the course of this. But yes, as far as agreeing that I will take in conjunctively the stats and figures and what have you, if there is a position, then I will along with that. Yes. And will you commit to going with whatever recommendation that's made by budget at that time? I just committed you, commission I just committed and now you you you seem to be wanting to go into a warm words and I'm not going to get out I like right lines because you I've already committed and I think everybody else in the court is an understanding that I will be willing to work with you. All right so you're willing to take Donna's recommendation at that. That's the last that I want to address this please. Oh you're not I'm because you're willing to take Donna's recommendation at that? That's the last that I want to address this, please. Oh, you're not? Because you're, I just wanted to be clear that we have an understanding that that's important. I think everybody else on the Court is clear. Can we just postponement? Okay. But I think everybody understands that yes, it would be my decision by law, but I will work conjunctively with everybody, the budget office as well. So we disagree. Okay, we can agree to disagree or not. Okay, that's fine. So if we disagree, you'll make this decision. Okay, that's what our recommendation is. Okay, yes. And we'll go, you know, we'll... He's going to argue with whatever recommendation we make. I'm not going to argue with anybody. Well, of course he's going to argue, but that's fine. We'll argue and then we get down and make the decision. But I think the court is going to have to work with the budget office on what are the measureables. And let me just say, anybody who's ever brought up that we have a problem with the measureables until today. So I take offense. I know they ran reports about how much revenue they bring in and I see those numbers. They are lower than precinct three and four, but their numbers are high because of their war as I get that. But as far as the formula is concerned, the numbers are the numbers. There are actual numbers that we key into the worksheet, and if we have a six month number, we're key and end. We're pro-rating that based on the other six months. So there's no mystery or no secret to the formula. The formula is straight taking it based on the reporting period we're using. I think there's a little miscommunication on that one because I think what councilor Birch was asking for during this whole process we reached out to Colin County and Dallas County as well and they actually have, I don't want to use a theoretical or a magical number, they basically have a number what each deputy should have as far as a workload, whether it's a warrants or civil. And I think that's we were basically asking, does Denton County have a formula saying that, do we have a specific number that each guy should, or each, I don't want to say guy, each deputy or chief deputy should each person have as far as a total I think that's hard to do here in didn't county because our geographical area is so different precinct five has 54% of the geographical area the county so it takes those guys a lot longer to serve a paper You have the second largest precinct you have 24% of to serve a paper. You have the second largest precinct. You have 24% of geographical area. So I don't think a formula like that works here at the county. The final statistics that you provided every year, if I recall correctly, there was a meeting of constables, JPs to come up with the meas of goals within their- That's correct. I'm up with these statistics. His report is based exactly on what came out of that last meeting we had. But I thought I remember- Donna, do the bold, are the bolded rows, the ones that are measurable? It's basically taking the actuals and dividing it based on the number of deputies up above. Why is it Baylor-Varers and citations not bolded? I just- Other ones don't know. Does that just look like a matter of deal? It's not taken from those reports that I ran from Odyssey. They are taken directly from the departmental summaries that they submit to us during the budget process. So there's no way to verify those. The others are all taken from that report. Do they self report the bailiff? Yes, sir. Okay. And all I'm asking, Sanna, is that we know that we are tasked with legislatively responsibilities that we have to adhere to. All I'm asking is all of that be taken into consideration. Is all I'm asking. And I will most certainly review this. Our job exists because we're legislatively responsible for three things. Baylor in the court and taking care of civil process and also serving your warts. Those three things and then we go above and beyond. So I'm all I'm asking very simply is to be reflective of our mandated responsibilities. That's all I'm asking. You're also doing non-mandated activities. Because I effectively manage my office with a very good staff and deputies that I have time to do that, Commissioner Coleman. I just want to clarify that. So does he have any other constable? Exactly, but he's not asking about every other constable. He's addressing me. So I just want you to understand. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your time. Andy, Bobby, my concern is this. OK, thank you for being here. We appreciate your time. Quote mean, Judge Horne made a good point. The question is who makes a decision? I've tried to get Mr. Birch, Constable Birch, to commit to us without quibbling what would happen, right? And his response was, I'll consider the statistics and make a decision. He said he's working conjunction with the same. And I wanted him to commit that if Donna, who I think does a good job and doesn't have an extra crime and takes the statistics together comes to us and says, what? We don't need to fill that spot. He's going to come and argue and say, look, we need to fill it. No, he said that's his plan. And you're saying that's okay because he's going to be an advocate. I said that's okay for him to argue, but in the end, just like you don't argue. Ever get to make a final decision. And just like he argued about this, but he's willing to accept what has been handed to him. It's okay for an argue. But still at the bottom line is that we leave the position vacant until. I just wanted it to be clear that he would accept the decision of the budget office. I don't blame it for that. Except for the decision of the budget office. I don't blame it for the Board. I accept the decision of the budget office. If I agree with it. And I think it's, we ought to reiterate the fact that the constable offered that if he maintains the staff and if they have volume in their workload capacity to help the other agencies in the county as well. So that would be a similar situation. I think it's appropriate. I don't have a problem when they could see a presence itself. If it does this next year to run that report at that time. That's not the issue at all. Exactly. To me, I just want to kind of solve the issue, move forward, get a firm commitment. Like in a lot of mystic support, we could say, I'll be moving forward. Get a firm commitment. Yes. Like and like. Mystic supported. We say go ahead and go ahead and hire another one. They don't. And Donna has recommended we move forward and we evaluate it at the time. And that's what he's agreed to do. And that's what the court understands. And we're gonna do that. And I thank you Donna for your effort. Thank you, Donna, for everything. We gotta know. Thank you Donna for your video. Thank you Donna for everything. We got it on tape. I appreciate you. Six months from now. I'll be the first one to come. How we need a different metric. The report that I prepare will be based on what's in the majority of the costables want to see on that report. And if you need to revisit what they need to revisit that, they need to let you know. I agree. Absolutely. Okay. I'm not trying to be difficult. I just wanted to clear answer. I agree. No, and I'm going to tell you that. I agree. Yes. As I said, there are, if you look at that workload, citations, I think you need to look at that. That's reflective of a lack of other agency coverage in precinct four and I appreciate our consul in what they're doing out there to help. There's some and that's not reflective of the sheriff at all, that is from other municipalities in the way they're helping. Just we've had a closure on the bridge on your 156 and everything and I called Tim's office, they were already out, we had a major detour. Tim does with that, and they were in a construction zone, and people were, my residents were calling me, asking for the City of Justice and to help, asking for the City of Fort Worth, we were getting no response, they were there, and they'd already been working for two days. I mean, that's the kind of, and they weren't outriding tickets. They were out directing the traffic and the public in helping them get through the work zone and everything. I'm pointing to the Fibres and Corridor with Judge Mershant. I'd be objecting as to non-responsive. Okay, next we got to commit. Thank you. Okay. Our next item is the district clerk. I'll share you. Adelstein is here. We have recommended a new position in the budget for this department and Commissioner Coleman had requested that the be addressed this week. Page A197 of your packet. You'll see the original new employee request form that was submitted to our office. We have updated it with the sliding of the pay scale and the change in benefits. And then there's a letter on page A19AA from the district clerk addressing a little bit more detail about this position and how it'll be used. how it'll be used. Also on page six of the changes sheet, you'll see the total cost that's included in the recommended budget for this slot is $72,335. I guess now, Ms. Adlesquina, here that you're on board with going to the attorney portal that you've considered changing your stuff. Is that- Yeah, Julie came over and talked about it and said the new attorney portal and what she was wanting to do. And so she and I met and met with Justice D. Piazza about making the change. Getting everything set up, getting in line, of course, is going to take a little bit of time and we're going to have to address how we do with attorney web access this time. So did you also, when you said Judge D. Piazza, did you address their concern about redaction of certain information on those three points? K. Well, it's going to be their choice about what case types that they put out there. You know, as to what you said. Right now, we're just talking about criminal. Right. K. Okay, Macon, the criminal cases available. know they I knew they all got together and the reason why some some of the reason why they And that will be their choice and that's what they did with attorney web access. You know, they they let us know what cases types that they did not want to show on that. And so it would be the same thing. You have the ability to do that by office. I've been in touch with IT and I'm assuming that their offices have two to say these are what we don't want to show. Sorry, you're not going to be putting civil cases on the agenda. Well, and we're not looking at doing that because of research Texas, which I kind of addressed in here a little bit because the state is going with their statewide database and the images. So my vote's not being taken in that, but I oppose it, but that's what's happening. So they are going to be doing the civil in the family and not criminal. So they're taking care of that. So we're looking at doing the portal for the criminal. But aren't you, you could do it if you wanted to though, couldn't you? Because I know the judges currently have access to all the civil documents. And when I actually have, yeah, they have and we've got a using that attorney web access. We actually have a log in for each of the judges so they can use that from wherever they're at and still have access and they would have the same type of access to the images that they do if they're sitting on their bench. But only for criminal? The judges right now? No, I'm saying, I'm not just talking and turning, I'm saying everybody, the general public would have access to both the civil and the criminal stuff. No, the general public would have access to the civil and family on research, Texas. Right. But you don't want to do that through your office? Yeah. This is a work in progress, too. This is just what we initially met with Justice C.P.O.S. and we're talking about this. So some things can still change. You know, looking ahead about this possibly happening. One of the things that I'm doing as far as criminal right now, and we just started a couple of weeks ago is, what the saying that this is possibly probably gonna happen in the future is, there are a lot of cases out there, felony cases that are sexual assault of a child, in decency with a child, and that child's name is in that indictment. Right. And so what's name is in that indictment. Right. And so what we've actually started doing is as full of those cases, we're going through and sealing the original indictment, redacting the child's name and making that image available. So somebody could still eventually go on and pull up the indictment and look at that case and whatever's on it, but the child's name would not be available. I would have a hard time as a parent, as I'm sure most people would, to have their child's name out there, if they were in a sexual assault victim and they were a child. So, we are trying to be proactive because this is coming. I see you coming. So because of the child cases, do you want to keep all the other records closed. It's changing. But right now that's where we're at. If it's going to show up on research Texas for the public, then we're going to make the criminalists what we're looking at and doing away with the attorney web access. I guess my point to you is I'd like to see our office move forward and if you look at the United States District Courts, they pretty much realized the significant savings and labor because of the PASER system. And one of the things it's also they had a Civil Litigation Reduction Act which contributed to that significant savings. And you didn't have to hire a runner to run to Sherman to go get a pleading or have to go file an item or have your runner run to the district clerk and get something. And from what I understand, they didn't have to hire as many employees because everything was required to be filed electronically, which is what's being required now. The file pleading you have to require to get it electronically, and you have to be, I mean, you have to be required to file it electronically. I just see it's extremely ironic that you are required to file it electronically, but if you want to go get a copy of a pleading that you're not the attorney of record on, you have to physically go down and pick it up. But you don't. For a case that you're not the attorney of record on, you don't have to pay to get on and. We don't have to physically come to the office. We honor a lot of copy requests without the person physically come to the office. Our copy request forms in the middle of our web page. We get them faxed in, goes to an email, we process them. And then they email them out. Get not everybody friends to the office to get copies. So my point is you just couldn't get on at your office and pull those documents off yet. Not at the minute, no. But it's your point. It's your point. You wouldn't have a considerable amount of labor savings as a result of that. It's not a considerable amount of labor. You know, the thing is, if somebody wants to certify a copy. It doesn't matter if I'll, if I've ever document in the offices online, if they want to certify a copy, which are the vast majority of requests we get, they're still gonna have to get it from us. A human being is still gonna have to process it. So whenever you're looking at the copy requests we get for non-certified copies, it's just not, it's just not that much. It's not gonna be be that big a change. Like I said in the past, I don't think we're ever going to agree on this. I don't either. I remember last time you provided evidence that you said it was an attorney general opinion and I actually called the clerk of the Supreme Court and it turned out you were citing an editorial from your association newsletter as authority for withholding documents and I tracked that down. I even talked to the clerk of the Supreme Court He said no, no, that's not that wasn't our intent our intent is to have the documents to be public Yeah, I don't care for black Hawthorne You know it's a part of your your y'all quoted them in your editorial supporting your position so Anyway, I didn't not editorial We're remiss giving all additional employees when there can be a considerable labor savings in my opinion. Cherry, at some point in time, it looks like we're working towards making all this basically accessible to anybody that looks like that. The state's doing it. It's the state in our hands. We could do it as well. Are they doing it in such a way that social security numbers and things like that? No, the last time we talked to them a couple of weeks ago, they do not have any plans for redaction like that. But again, we're working on this actually. Julie, fair. Hey. But Julie and as a county clerk and me at this district clerk have agreed to be one of their pilot counties for this for their pilot programs. So we're going to be part of this getting it set up and just tweaking it and making sure things work right. They are looking at attorneys getting some attorneys to help test us starting in October. And so I've already spoke to a couple of local attorneys to be our test subjects on this, to get their input, and they're hoping to go live January 1st. And so they're going to start with the attorneys. And then, you know, whenever they feel like they've got it good, then they're going to open it up to the general public. You'd have to be a registered user, and it would actually be able to track, you know, if you went in as a registered user and pull up a document and looked at it, I believe just looking at it would actually track what user did that, what date and time they did it. So there's going to be, you know, they're working, they're working on it. So I just wanted to be part of the pilot, one of the pilot counties so that I could see what they were doing and be sure my two cents got added in there. There I can tell you, under the rules of practice, that's an attorney. I think it was 2007 that you were supposed to re-adact everything from that point on. And then how many cases do we still have open from 11 years ago? I don't know how many we have open, but that's irrelevant because the standard images are from 2000. No matter if they're open or not. My solution was you just have the open cases beyond the internet. And that would solve the problem of the people concerned about identity theft. There is the rule about the redaction. And of course, you have to have transparency. But not everybody follows it. And the first act of transparency. But not everybody follows it. And of course, you've got a lot of representative people representing themselves that don't know the rule. So daily, daily, we see documents coming in with Social Security numbers on. Daily. Okay. I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, anyway, do we want to talk about the actual? Well I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a second to the motion. Dies for lack of a second. Thank you. Okay, thank you for being here. We appreciate your time. Thank you. Keep his post read on the progress. I'm trying to save us money and at the same time provide transparency. Nope. Okay. Item number four, done. We also have the sheriff Do y'all want to take up that item? I know he came back from a conference and To be present for you with the additional information that he had provided to you Those here morning. I just like to say that I like all of you provided to you. Go, Sheriff. Boarding. I just like to say that I like all of you. Yeah, and we like you. He's speaking clear and unequivocal statements. Donna, yesterday's will work. Donna, what did we, I know we got to be a special. I said we were going to be a real guest last time. And then I'll do what I'm action. No. No action. No action was taken last time before. I'll pop it up. Ask for some additional scenarios for the Chief Administrator or the Director of Administration. So those scenarios are in your packet. And then you also ask for a list of positions supervised by the Chief Administrator, and that's in your packet as well. So I'm just going to answer any more questions you have. So I'm going to move. Go ahead. The chief administrator, I'll move to increase that position to 15. 15. I'll second it. I'll second it. No, we got a lot of seconds. So I just figured we can get that done. I'll second the commissioner calling me the motion. I'll second the motion, any further discussion on that item here? I think it's a good idea. Hi. Hi. Posting the motion carries. That's done. And then the other ones, I was, what are the, it was two other classifications. It was two lieutenants that I'd like to take the captain. Captain. I'm here for approval. We're not doing one more thing. Oh. I thought that's the discussion right now. Yes, we can have a discussion. Okay, let's discuss it. I'm for it. You're for it? I'll tell you Andy. Andy, so. Well, I just made a motion for it. All right. Andy made the motion. Do you want to do the motion? I did. All right, we have a motion in second. Third, the questions or discussion, Jeh, Sheriff, did you wish to interject anything? No, man, I think I covered it last week pretty well. Okay. And you have no further questions or comments on favor of the motion, please say aye. And the motion just for clarification is to take those two positions from Lieutenant to Captain. And this is on page nine of your changes sheet and the amount, dollar amount is both. It's $9,577 per each position. And so this would be slot number 138SO and slot number 083SO. Okay. So we have a motion. Second, all in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed, aye. Aye. May. Run. Where are you? You said aye. Motion carries three in favor to oppose. Thank you. She could roll on my objections run. I have good rules. I have this one. I have this one. This is like another. Hold it down, down, man. Okay. He's gone. I was like, there. It's run you want to go to next, darling. Did we forget one? No, man. I think Donna want to meet there's some things coming up about courthouse security. And I just wanted to basically brief you all that I just learned about this yesterday Senate Bill 4, which is coming out is specifically towards courthouse security. And I'm still reviewing that, but some of that entails, you have to have a some T-cold hours, they're gonna be mandated for anybody. And I don't know if that applies to our private security company that we have working and where they work. So I just wouldn't let you know that I'm looking at it, we're evaluating it, we're talking with the security company and looking at that contract. We've had some instances happen in the last couple of months that we're addressing and looking at. But I just wanted y'all to know that along with Donna and John that we're looking at the contracts. We're looking at this new Senate bill. I was at the conference yesterday and I was like, whoa, I haven't heard of that before. And it's as on our legislative of day. The legislature is a moving target right now and it's changing minute by minute. So this this Senate bill came about when the the district judge in Austin was attacked at her home. And so this is coming out where to me it's a little overreaching in some places, but we all know they can do that. So just let you know I'm looking at it. I'll be waiting it and I will I will be able to answer more questions. Make sure whatever you learn you communicate it to our reps and senators. Absolutely. And Mr. Fallon was very helpful in the DPS not charging us for our lab fees, which they took that off the table right before the sheriff's conference, which the governor showed up. That was probably a pretty good idea. They knew it was coming, didn't they? Thank you for your time, and I appreciate it. Thank you. And that particular item was number 15 on our agenda, so we just work in and give you an update if you hadn't already heard that the DPS and the governor had instructed them to remove that fee schedule. So we have to go back to the DPS discussion that we had before, but now we don't have to. Thank you. We had been working with the Sheriff's Department before that information became available from the Governor and the impact to the county was going to be somewhere around $100,000. So that's good news. Okay, Department of Public Works. Last week, there was an appeal for the new construction coordinator position at a cost of $9,450,000 to $50,000. And then there was discussion with regard to possible transfer of the positions and expenses to either a separate budget or under facilities. So we're looking for direction on that today. The court has so much fun. Well, as I stated last week, I think in the lifespan of the county, we're at currently as far as new building construction. I think that we need to adopt this position. And if it's not a permanent position, I, position, you know, I think that, I mean, I'll be here five years from now, but while we're in this building phase, I think we definitely need that. So I wouldn't move for approval of the creation of that lot. I was saying that motion. Donna, are we, are we, are you keeping up with where the money is, where we are on the money stand? Yes. I do not want to hit the pet right to go any higher. We've got some things that are going to actually bring that right down a little bit. Okay. You're in just a little bit, so I would just go, we're okay. Okay. Okay, we have a motion, just seconded for the questions or discussion? Herring none. I'll in favor of the motion. Please say aye. Aye. Aye. Posting in motion does carry. I put it under facilities. I think it's a standard facilities and. What's under engineering right now. That's under public works and I think moving forward, I think, locating the. The all work construction management under facilities would be it would be an appropriate realignment I think they should be their own department We can certainly set up their expenses as a separate department because it was tracked that way before it was meant to public works So we have a placeholder already for construction management. We did put it under facilities, but they'd had their own line items for budget fraud. But not a separate department. That's up to the court, of course. And that's really how it goes. I think I move for, that we move the construction manager out from underneath public works and under facilities. That's my motion. But I'll still have its own separate budget for tracking purposes. For tracking purposes. Yeah, second. We have a motion by Commissioner Ead, seconded by Commissioner Marchant, further questions or discussion. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Posting. Here are the fairies. one favor please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed any? No. Here are your fairies. On the top. I take time to thank Fred for having that department. I appreciate your young leadership with that. While we're on the subject of facilities, if you would mind skipping to item 16, we can address this while doing the snider is here. We just wanted to update the court and let you know there's a project that we refer to as design of courtroom ramps. That was in this year's budget. What page are you? It's on page A233 of your packet. It's on page A233 of your packet. A233. The Court in April approved an amendment to Icon's contract to redesign the courtroom ramp design at the rest of Judge Mitt Parley. We wanted to make you aware the cost of that project is unknown at this time and there is nothing included in next year's budget for it. So we may want to fund it once we know the cost through either contingency funds or our capital replacement contingency as well. So it's just something that's not in the budget and I wanted to put you all notice of that and we would put it in if we knew what the cost was. So, why ain't Snatters here if you have any questions? Is it the needed cost? I'm asking made it cost. Did we not, did we take that out of our slush fund. So many of them. So that was the way I say that. I cannot believe she actually did not have a bunch of budget. I can't believe the budget to participate. We do not have a slush fund just for the record. We don't have four of them. We have contingency funds, but we can't wait till he identifies for Sluskin. We've been looking for that money tree for years and we've got four reasons. I mean, water and it's just not. James and Donnie was hiding. Everybody thinks we do that, but. So, Donnie, do you have that on our... Do you have that on your... There's nothing on here because we don't have a number to give you, but I just wanted to update you that that is a project that's not in next year's budget. But we could do something. And if they did, we added to your ZMP project list, could we? If we, if we had an amount, we, we need a amount. I'd be off for that, but I just don't. We don't know. They haven't, they done a couple of rounds, so did they? They have. Do Wayne might want to address that situation. And do Wayne, members, I'll let you know that last week we talked about, speaking of the courts, the court reconstruction of the sidewalk. And so I had a meeting with Danny and do Wayne kind of drilling down and seeing, does it really have to be 700,000? And so part of that was ripping up the front flower beds and installing a water barrier to go down into the, so it is a significant project. I think we might be able to, we're looking at maybe ways to scale that back. And so there might be some savings there, do you think, do we? I mean, we haven't got the cost assessment. We got, we did some plan modifications. We're waiting for a cost estimate from the architects, but there might be a little room there to absorb this data. Okay, on the ramps. Seems to me, I've seen email communication where we've done what are two of those. We've done it. There was a problem with one I believe. Well, we've done them in all the court rooms. The problem is judgment parling. Fills there are tripping hazard. So he wants to widen all the ramps. Okay. I guess my question to you is what was the cost of one of those ramps? I don't know. And we have a ballpark idea of what we're talking about. I would imagine there are probably about $5,000 each for the ones that were put in. Okay. And in Judge McRiley is asking that they be white and sold possibly future. Six feet there are now three feet and there'll probably be double in size. So 10,000 dollars. Then 20. In the ramp is the mullish, the ones that are three feet while we're going to try and reuse the ones that are there and just expand on it. Expand it. How many courtrooms? Well, I think it's all of them. At $20,000, it's $240,000. Well, we better budget for something in that ballpark hoping to spend less. You don't want to include a specific amount or address that with contingency funds when we know the number. Surely it's not going to cost $20,000 a piece. Well, there's going to be some mill work and other stuff that's going to go along with the grant to serve as a handrail. We're going to extend the judges bench, benches out with the mill work that's there to create kind of a handrail. We have some budget amendments that we just decided. We're going to need to adjust those numbers down. Some mere contingencies, right, Donna? Could we not just get across those many later? And then just the core after we get the cost estimates, we make a future re-proletation on the CIP or the list of projects that Danny has. Those are all that's post spreadsheet. We just fit this into that. Maybe bump one to next year. Is Danny here? Yeah, Danny's free. I just think that we just need to be aware of it and then if the architect comes back with a certain amount then that we... That's what they're there for. I mean that's what it's there for and if it's in the 240, 250,000 dollar range we're aware of that. Do you going to have that he the architect or they're going to have that information before this budget years up? My point is, the problem is we need to if today is going to be our final look. We're going to have a side of that. I don't see anything wrong with just knowing about it and us processing a budget amendment when we know the facts and we have capital replacement contingency funds for this very thing. We have regular contingency as well. So I think that we're in good shape with the level that we have budgeted to address. I think there was funds in this year's budget that we could dedicate to it. We are not going to know the cost of believe before October 1st. Okay. That was my question. All right. Let's do that. Then take it out of contingency. Thank you. Okay. Last week you heard from Kevin Carr with regard to a reclassification request of a new position for software administrator. He asked for your approval for him to meet with human resources to review that job in that JAT that was completed. Gustavo in his office did review that and I'll let him address that with you. The Judge Commissioner is meeting with Kevin Cadlast week. We review, he's submitted a new JAT, separate by the court. We have a conference called with him and we came through the agreement that that job should be reviewed and reclass to a very good thing. Your recommendation is to do it. I'll make a motion. Thank you. I'll make a motion too. We have a motion for approval by Commissioner Marchin. And I just want to clarify. I'll say I can't the motion go ahead. We have a motion for approval by Commissioner Marchin. I just want to clarify. I'll say it at the motion. Go ahead. The main reason for the change was because when you have technology in ball, what you say is different than what you really do. In other words, what he presented as basically in writing something that a peg-ray man could do talking to him, he shows us what that job really is gonna do. And it's gonna be doing things that they use right now a peg-ray 20, 17, so. Please know what I'm doing, all those duties, so. That world just constantly evolving in them. All right, do we have a motion? Second, further discussion or questions? Could I just clarify? If we have a motion in the second, go ahead. Could I just clarify? This also includes a reduction in the county wide technology budget of the same amount, $1,186 for software maintenance. So he's offsetting that within his budget, recommended budget. Okay. It's included in the motion in the second. Yes. Okay. Further questions or discussion? Here none on favor, please say aye. Aye, pro-CNee. Motion is carried. The next item is we did talk about social service agency funding, but Judge Horn had asked that we put this back on the agenda for discussion again. Thank you, Madam. Members, I just have a problem with an agency that not only serves three counties, but in particular where my issue comes up, there are 4, 9, 90, the IRS, 4, 9, 90, and the only one that we could find online was from 2014, but it put right at 63.07% of their money taken in goes toward salaries and office expenses, things like that. I have a problem with that. I'd like to see more of what they take in go towards the cause, whatever it may be. And so for that reason, I'm asking that the court reconsider and take them off of the jury list. People still donate to them if that's what they want to do, but I guess you can say that about all of them. But I just had a problem with such a hyper-synch going to salaries and office expenses and not towards the cause. So since I voted no last time, really somebody who voted in the yes needs to make a motion to make the change to- I voted with you so I can't- I know you did. When support, Ron? You're thinking I can tell. I'm just worrying about, I mean, not worrying. I'm wondering about scrutiny. Was the same type of scrutiny done with the other agencies that we approved. If you look on the report on the list of all the different agencies that are considered for social service. For social service, all the shimines. The tobacco funds. Well, amongst the many criteria is the IRS 501C letter and they also, do they also look at the, it's it called, the 990 form? So I think the 990 information is included in the application that's given to all the social service agency committee members. Those forms. So one of the, one of the struggles is, I think the committee here to for with the courts approval has had quite a bit of discretion on what they consider in that application. They're presented all of the information, but what they use to determine their inclusion or exclusion or the amounts, that process has been open to the committee. So my two things we could, without a third coming to mind, but the two things we could do is continue that process, allowing them that flexibility, bring you the recommendation, of course, you execute that or change it at your pleasure or you could provide me some information to provide to the committee as more guidance, more structured guidance. For instance, a 990 review if you had floors or ceilings on executive director, I think that's one of the things I've heard from court members before. Some of these social service agencies, the executive director position administration is highly compensated on paper. Their budget may be larger, the percentage of that compensation versus budget. Those are all metrics that could be applied, and I think the committee right now talks those out a little bit, but there's not a written guideline. So I think that's fairly subjective based on the information. If you wanted to change that, I'm happy to take that to the committee. I think that might be good guidance for next year. Donna, where's our list of the agencies? On page S111. So behind the recommended summary tab. S111. Judge, I appreciate your sentiments. Judge, I appreciate your sentiments. And I think those are good things to look at. Where is it? Actually, S112 has the committee recommendation and then S114 shows a breakdown of what was requested and recommended. Change. requested and recommended in change. This particular request is just to be on the grand jury who will not to be part of the Social Service Committee recommendation for tobacco. Correct. No, I understand. I'm just, I'm just going to say, health services, North Texas and PD place both are recommended by the committee and they have out of the county partnerships. They have other locations outside of the county too. So I'm not understanding that. My big issue was the percentage that went to overhead for lack of better turn. I get you. You know, my point is on the jury wheel, we should only go to that required to be on there. Which is child welfare board. Right. That's the only one they should be on there. This is cry-a-fi. Yeah, there's two of them the only one they should be on the two of the two that are not recommended that are required by law or more money they should do especially right now everybody needs a money and this is about having some options to support what we did not saying that the other ones are bad. I'm just saying this signs. Are you willing to make a motion to remove them from the tree hill? I can't. I know you can. I'm asking Ron. I'm not. I'm not with you. Shoot. Okay. I don't like it but I have to accept it. Rats. Okay, the next item on the list was we were going to give another week for Yelder review the building project list. Started on page S117. Let me go back just a minute before we start another subject. Let's include the on the criteria, whether it's Grangerie Wheel or somebody. The existing names on the social service committee list that the committee makes a determination to tobacco funds. I think that 490 needs to be taken into consideration there too. But this body needs to make a determination to give Matt some guidance to pass on to the committee. What percentage are you comfortable with as far as management expense overhead versus what actually goes towards the cause? Well, part of the nature of nonprofit world is it's labor intensive. It's not a product. It is staff heavy, just like the county services. I'll product, I mean, yes, we buy road material and so forth, but it's a people business. And so I think we need to look at that. But Judge, I think it's a great idea, and I would recommend that in the spring time, Matt come forward and talk to us about the needs that he's, just like we give direction to dawn on the annual basis about our vision for the budget. I'd like for him to come talk about the state of the health and social service agencies and partnership with a dialogue with United Way and other agencies. What needs to be an emphasis, potentially for that year. It's a project they're looking at, give us an update and we have that dialogue and we give them some direction and some guidelines on an annual basis. We give them some direction of initiatives that we want the committee to look at. You know, last year we had a big conversation about homelessness. You know, we did funding then so I think that would be a good time to have that dialogue in the spring and advance of his convening the meeting. And Judge and commissioners, we are just finishing our community health assessment. It's a three year process. We're putting the finishing touches on our draft strategic plan and this fall, we're going to be holding a community health summit. So we'll have all of those documents for the spring. And so that's kind of how we're going to inform the public about health trends in Denton County. And so that's our scientific objective discussion of concerns. Here to four that has not been, honestly, that has not been included in the social service agency discussion, because that would then put them at risk. It would put existing legacy agencies at risk, and it would also open the door for those that wanted to pursue that need. It would open the door for them to be included. So that's been my hesitancy. My instruction from the Court previously has been, let's keep it as it is, which is how we've done it, with the exception of this jury pool edition, which we didn't think about a prohibition or not. We just didn't think of that. But I just want the guidance from you as the court and we will carry it out without prejudice. Thank you. Thank you. We needed to think about a percentage that were comfortable with them so that Matt can give guidance to the committee. Okay, done. So that map can give guidance to the committee. Okay, done. Building projects. page 117. page 117. page 117. Yeah, this is my thinking on this for the building stuff. Every year we go through and remodel stuff and we got requests from everything. And it seems like we're always building a reconstruction everything regardless. We get new elected officials and want to change the building to our. So what I think we need to do is we need to put a priority on preventative maintenance. And this whole deal where we are remodeling stuff because you know, we haven't we got we don't have we haven't gotten all the projects that we budgeted for last year done right then. So I mean I just think we should just except for I mean like stuff like putting panic buttons in the juvenile department right I'm for not doing any of the remodeling and just saying let's do all the preventative maintenance this year that way we get it all done. the preventative maintenance is this year that way we get it all done. Well, and I mean just because you got so much stuff going on and we we plan it all but we don't get it all done we need to get our we need to prioritize our preventative maintenance in my opinion. This is leaky leaky ceiling when it right? One of the issues with I'm saying this year, do preventative maintenance, and then except for like putting back panic buttons, and then juvenile, let's not do any of the remodel. Yeah. Just just for everyone's information, one of the reasons we didn't get a lot of those projects done this year was some of them were quite large. And you know we were trying to be good stewards with the city to go through the permitting process and it took us several several months to get the architects online. Now having said that could we have still got all those projects done by the end of the year? Probably not that was a lot of them last year. I think every project that was turned to haven't got approved This year considering this pretty lot We need we need to keep after we need to keep after if you don't you get behind well I'm not saying we don't Yeah I want to fund the for inventive maintenance one item on the remodeling is the juvenile as the cold building I think it's the panic buttons At that at the Copeland Center that's perfectly reasonable but I Think all the remodeling could wait a year so we can get the stuff we had for last year done And he why don't you keep us a routinely apprised of what you have currently and what would be next in line? Why don't you do that on a periodic basis? I can do that. Keep the court an order of these are your next projects that are coming online and it's we can kind of look at the. Would you all like to see that quarterly? Yes, okay. We can do that. Yeah. So, Donna, this is all included in the recommended quarterly? Yes, okay. We can do that. Yeah. So, Donna, this is all included in the recommended budget. Yes, City is. Everything that was done. We did make summary visions and that was based on them receiving the new hires that are in the recommended budget. Some of the projects they'll be able to do in-house. So we made some modifications, but for the most part, they're all there. there. I'm going to move that in that we remove all except for item 10 out of the remodeling out of the recommended budget. I'm going to move that we take all the items recommended except for number 10 in the remodeling area out of the budget. And just that will leave all the preventative maintenance and then we get rid of all the remodeling projects except for number 10. Yeah, which is the panning buttons for the Chief and other. And then the remainder of the remodeling we just, you know, we do all the preventative maintenance, which we got to do, right? And we've, we do all the preventative maintenance. We just don't do any remodeling this year and concentrate on finishing the remodeling. We've started last year. You know, we got to do the preventative maintenance, like clean the buildings. We got to work on a courthouse on the square because there's some preventative maintenance here. But the remodeling I suggest we wait a year on that. I'll accept right in ten. I don't think that's a good idea either to do all the remodeling. I'm not saying we don't do the preventative maintenance We got to I think we got to leave it in and have him work on a part and we We prioritize that that's before we do remodeling we do the Right right We prioritize that that's before we do remodeling. We do the correct. Correct. Correct. Yes. I mean, I didn't have that. I don't know if that's the correct remodeling. What about it? So we have the remodeling projects from the year before they weren't completed. How do we just roll those over to the following year or what? The ones that were not going to be completed, you took action on last week to run. Right forward. They were rather large projects. Yeah. They were able to do the projects that you see sort of listed on the sheet. They were able to do most of that this year. Right, Danny? This type of project. And I agree with Danny, this is significantly less than you've seen in years past. Well, that's why I'm saying because it's significantly less, it'll give us a chance to catch up. Get all the stuff we did from last year to completed this year before we start getting more reliable. The preventative maintenance we got in it, regardless. I just don't want to fund them except for the panic. A lot of the projects that are getting moved into the new budget or projects that are going to be bid out dot projects that in their their several projects in here that we would bid out like the Charlie Co. breakroom renovations. Yeah. You know, I mean, that place is horrible over there. I know. You know, I mean, it needs to be. They're just right. But it came in as a remodeling request. And that's how we kind of. Remodeling, because we didn't do preventative maintenance. I think we're not going to say that. I don't want to remove any of them. I mean, I don't know that that break room area over there's ever been touched in any of the renovation. Danny, why don't you, I suggest that we adopt this as presented and then Danny, why don't you work up a I priority schedule based on things not finished last year and adding those to the list and then we do preventative maintenance and we You work up a what you think in your professional opinion is the best case work order and then we Presented and you update that the court on that Orderly so we can give you some input if we desire and you don't want to get in your business But you don't want to make a motion because it's already approved. No, I'm not making a motion I'm just that's my record. That's my recommendation is that we will continue this. What I can do, I can get with Dailin Criss and we can get a priority list made up. Right. And then what, yes, man. And then what I can do is have Dailcon present it to court in the next month or so to give y'all an idea of just a starting point Right, and then we just get up against you know, hopefully I'll be back by then, but yeah But we'll get it we'll make it out. Okay Thank you, dude Okay, the court did take action today to release two positions from contingency for the county clerk in the Shire's budget. So we're asking that you take that same action for next year's budget and move those from an appropriated personnel contingency to the county clerk's budget. So move. Second. We have a motion by commission, a second by commission or a common questions or discussion. That's the clerk's new building. For the new building. From contingency. On favor, please say aye. Aye, post-sending, motion is carried. Sorry. Item number 10 on the agenda, I is regarding the Texas Assessor Collector's Office. They have submitted a request to reallocate funds. She just learned last week that she thought that the line item in County official bonds was a blanket crime protection bond for the entire half. When in fact, it was just for the Texas SSR collector. So she felt like that was important. So she has asked that the court reallocate funds and the amount of $3,488 within her budget. So on page eight of the changes sheet. She's transferring from four other line items office supplies, training, dues and printing material in order to increase this line item to a total of $3,488. So it's a zero impact request. I'm going to move for a problem. Seconded by Commissioner Marchand, I have a question. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed to need? Motion carries. Hey, with the refunding that was recently discussed in court with regard to debt service, on page 11 of your changes sheet. 11 of your changes sheet. We talked about this along with item 12. We can. The debt service amounts and there's a letter in your packet as well from James Wells. We are going to be able to reduce our debt service expense by 466,921 dollars. So the transfers are listed out on that page coming from the 2010 PI bonds interest, PI-2010 PI bonds principle, and the same thing for 2012. So with that, there will be a savings to the tax rate of 466,921. Right. And could we use that savings to fund the retired option that you listed? If the court so chooses, I believe you could. I asked her to discuss those two together. Yeah, I just. Okay, so item number 12, Commissioner Coleman asked if we would determine the cost if we raised the. I'm trying to the what the county matched from 220% to 225%. We ran that scenario thanks to the help of human resources and we applied that to the payroll budget. The cost of that scenario would be $174,058. And that was based on the recommended budget personnel totals. So that number's gonna vary a little bit based on the action taken today to approve new positions, reclases, etc. But that's the general idea of approximate cost of that. On page A230 is the retirement, I believe that's the return at worksheet. To the 30. Yes. I think it's an ad benefit we could give to our employee. I think now it's time to do it. So what we would be looking at effective January one, because this is based on a calendar here. The rate would go to 13.39%. What's in the recommended budget now is 13.15%. Where are we at with the other counties? We'd never recommend anything that comes through HR with you know without looking at what are other comparable counties are doing. Oh, Paso counties in two and a half. We do a survey for the counties around the Metroplex area. I know that calling counties is to be giving 2.5. I think they went down. I mean it varies. Counting is a different way all depends. Counting is, say that again, counties do what? There's different things everywhere. So I don't really have a consensus of it is at 2 or 2.5 or 2.2. Well I think we should have had one. I think that should have been serious today. To me when I saw what the budget was going to do and I saw that we're going to have some bonds savings I thought this would be a proof. I brought it up before in the past. I thought this would be an appropriate time to provide this additional benefit. Awesome. The first one, I can do a survey of the regular counties to see how much they managed. I think retiree insurance is, I mean, employee, active current employee insurance is a big deal to the employees right now, which I'm glad we're working to solve that. But also the retiree insurance is a big concern to retirees. I mean, there's a lot of benefits that we need to look at. And I would think that we would look and see what we compare everything to other counties and other agencies. And I'm surprised we didn't do that here. That's an old protocol. I didn't ask for them to compare it. So it's probably my fault. But to me, this is the time to do it if we're going to do it. It makes this more competitive as other counties, trying to get particularly those skills. Anybody know what Dallas contributed? We have a recent Dallas County employee, don't know. But I don't know. It's $180,000 to the budget. I think it's a good investment in our employees, particularly our long-term employees, which are really the backbone who runs the case. That for some of us, you know, count it, or you know, employees stay here a lot longer than the elected officials. I just think it's a good time to do it. It's a good thing to help our employees. And I'm going to make a motion to adopt it. We have a motion for adoption by Commissioner Coleman. Is there a second? Second. Seconded by Commissioner Marchion for the discussion on the issue. Are we? I will say I'm disappointed that we don't have anything comparable. I think there's an annual report we might be able to access online. We can check on that. That shows what all the counties do. If we want to take a break. Well, it's almost lunchtime too. So you want to take a break and leave the motion pending here and to get some information. Where do we? At a grieve. The beans agreeable. We're timely coming back this afternoon. What are we scared of? We don't have a specific time. So it's a specific time. I was hoping we could get this done and then all we got to do after lunch is talk about the band and best practices is that when we talk about Employee compensation the benefits if it's such a good deal. We always we always do a comparison. I understand and that's always do a comparison All right, I mean not good stop this fault though. It's mine. Okay. I asked him to put it on there. Well, it isn't I mean, not good stop this fault though, it's mine. Okay. I asked him to put it on there. Well, it isn't. Let's take a break. How far, what, Judge May ask, how long do we, what other items do we have to do? Well, we've got, we have the financial trend analysis, financial forecast. We want to talk about JP clerks at the request of Commissioner Margent and specifics about the tax rate. So we are coming back. We've got some other action we need to take, so we probably need to come back. This is coming from a substantive thing. The rest is tax-related. Tax rate, I believe. How about 130? That work? Give them time to do a little research online to get those numbers for us. Do you want to take action on the reduction on the debt service? I'll move. Some move. I'll second it. Motion by Commissioner Coleman. I'll second it. The motion. This is on the reduction of the debt service. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Posting a motion does carry. With that, we're in recess until 130. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Okay, commissioners Court is reconvened. Okay, and we'll call on Donna. Thank you, Judge. The staff will put a handout at your place to show what other counties do as far as the participation level and the matching rate. So I'll turn the floor over to him. Thank you, the staff, for doing this. The other commissioners before you, you have the additional information requested by Commissioner Leeds. So, the commissioners before you, you have the additional information requested by commissioners. So, what I did is we put together the counties that we usually survey and some additional ones. We included the positive rate which is what we take out of our paycheck as employees. And the rate which is in Denton County's case, 222%, the best thing in Denton County is eight years. The rule of 75 applies to us. And you can retire after 20 years of service. And we do not have a lump sum amount. We don't give that to retirees. We have all the other counties around us. I mean, it just varies. It's very difficult to match to see which one is better than the other. Salary plays a factor. Some of these counties that make a less matching personage, probably pay more than we do. We have some things here and there that are here for, I mean. Thank you, Gustavo, for pullments together. I think it's good for us to kind of see where we're comparing. And obviously, with our some that are higher, as far as I'm in some other lower. And one, none are right equal with us. So thank you so much for pulling it together. Okay. I guess we don't need to do my motion. True. Okay. The motion and we have a second. You still have it recorded. Okay. Further questions or comments? Oh, thank you. All right. All in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Fosie, nay. Nay. I think I'm the lone leave vote motion. All right. We want to take up the other appeals. We have the county court administrator position enough to court having the action on that. Or the first item was county court administrator Judge Garci is appeal this morning. The only question that that's with Garci is right. Right. Yes. Garcia. And you might be able to, and I should have asked him, do they rotate the administrative judge duties or who becomes administrative judge or she always does? Yeah, they do. He has a person float with them. He has not rotated in years for that court. Yeah, I know that. For that court. For that court. For that county court. District courts rotate periodically. Sometimes it's a year, sometimes it's four or five years. I know Judge McFarling at the district level has been the local administrative judge for several years, but he's going off this year and someone else will be taking it over. But I don't recall the county courts changing in recent years. Not in recent years. They have changed, but not in recent years. I don't remember when Judge Garcia was not the administrative judge. It was, yeah, it's been a while. Long time ago. My only question is, his better argument to me is equality or pay of the peers in her peer group rather than extra work because of him being an administrative judge. Because at any time they could designate another person administrative judge, and that person's court administrator will have those responsibilities. So that's the only thing that jumped out at me in that discussion. I've had such problems hiring and retaining employees at Roe Gridge and I think that the most valuable asset we had is our employer, additional knowledge. And I think it was enlightening to have Judge Garcia come and basically admit that he made a mistake by not hiring her in at the max when he had the opportunity. Favorite? Yeah, I'm not saying I'm not in favorite. That was the only question that I had. Well, we have these on a regular basis that somebody decided that they should hire at level, I mean, pay scale eight and they could get a 16. And so I don't think it's up to the court to go back and correct that mistake that they think they made. Anybody that's been on a job, anytime, is going to learn. So you would expect somebody that has been there. You don't know what you don't even know what you don't know when you first go. But then you, as you progress through the system, you learn. So I am not going to be in favor of raising this, reclassifying this because we have others that are in the same position. Well, I always try to encourage positive behavior. If we have a judge come in and say he made a mistake that's very rare. So you know that's all I have to say about that. You know, begs the question how many others do we have in the county that weren't hired at the maximum and you know, maybe remember, but there was a time before that the Department of Health would choose whatever salary and there was not really communication between the H.A.R.O.P.s and the apartment. But right now we are communicating with them. We are letting them know how much they can pay. Like somebody comes to us and I'm not going to speak for this particular case because I wasn't even in this position. I'm not really sure what happened, but we communicate with the departments now, and we have it in writing that we tell them you could pay more, and you choose to do something deeper. I mean, it's going to be a record. So now the departments know. And we try to make sure the departments are at the bottom. I think that happened in the past too. That's been my experience with it, not maybe not everybody. Somebody, yeah. That was my experience too. Probably, I mean, it was a conscious decision by whoever employed that person to begin with. All right. Any further discussion or any more questions on the issue? Do we have a motion? I may approve. It's checking. we have a motion? I may approve. Second. The motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by commission March. And somebody down here is still struggling. Any further questions? No further questions on favor? Please say aye. Aye. Aye opposed, aye. Need. Motion carries. Form favor one opposed. And stick some of the car believing. You okay? On item number two on the agenda, did there need to be any sort of motion made or are you okay with just the verbal commitment to leave that position vacant? One. The Constable for? I don't know if you wanted a motion on it. What verbal? I thought we were done with that Donna Stewart. Now I was just asking, we need a verbal commitment. I just want a lot of verbal discussion that we need clarification. And he will, if when a position become vacant, he will leave that vacant. But we ought to look at statistics that as to whether or not it should be filled. We always do. In his office or something. I have no doubt that we'll make the right decision. OK. The thing we're setting yourself up to trouble. I agree. that I mean That's given a shot so we're okay with that I mean it is it's just one in the budget as it's He agrees unless he disagrees. Yeah, exactly. The anything else we need to make in the decision on Donna? Yes. I believe that Commissioner Marchant wanted to address issue that he has with the JP clerk. Yeah. And then, and. Members, this is a, this is just something that, that I've been thinking through. And in discussion, and it does not necessarily have to affect this budget that can be done in another way as you told me it could be done. When Evergreen, now when somebody mentions Evergreen, when somebody mentions Evergreen, you kind of either, you know, you have a stroke, a streak and despair or whatever, but back when Evergreen did their assessments of court clerks, they lumped all deputy clerks into one category. And the exception and that category meant that each clerk had the opportunity within its department, like the district clerk, the county clerk, those clerks that were in that deputy clerk number one. Is that right? Number one position. In those departments, Evergreen recommended that they have a pay grade and I may be saying it all wrong but there was a deputy clerk one there's a deputy clerk two there's a deputy clerk three there then in some cases there was a chief other cases there were supervisors so there was multiple levels of of opportunities for those clerks within those departments to advance and promote up. For some reason, and Gustavo and I talked a little bit about it, was that they decided because the size of the department that maybe those, they didn't need quite that many brackets. But I will tell you some of the reasons why Judge Blancy came up here and the other JPs came up here was the frustration of them being able to keep employees because you either are a deputy one or you're are deputy one or you're deputy three and they have no latitude in moving from deputy one to deputy two to deputy three and so you have the those are your options. Those are your options that you have. And so I would like the court to consider, but necessarily have to consider in this budget, but I would really want Gustavo to look at that. And in fact, in this budget, this year's budget, Gustavo and human resources is recommending a deputy position number two for JP5. Right? So being considered by the HR department now on giving, making an exception. I don't know if it's an exception. Well, we did it this year. It was a free class. They paid five requests to the request for one of his deputy one position. We went, we did the audit, and this particular JT is based on volume. Clare III basically, to handle all the duties of a deputy Clare 3, because that prison is growing pretty fast. The volume of work is increasing all the time. So they took some of the duties of a Clare 3, and they were to a Clare 1, and because of that is what we went been in and the view that we've recommended. So my point is that I think that we need to take a very, very hard look. If it's outside of this budget cycle, very make it very, very close to looking at the possibility of giving those elected officials the opportunity as well as the employees the opportunities to move from one to two to three and then you have a chief that gives them a little bit of opportunity for those that have more it is either a deputy clerk one or a senior clerk. That's what they used to be. And there's no middle, correct? I think working as a committee them coming forward, because it's under an educational benefit. There's all different kinds of educational and certificates you could have. But if it's a bracketed position where people have a goal towards the work towards what you're saying Creighton at additional steps Is that what you're saying? That's right, which we've done in road bridge and we've been some other places. I think that's That would work Is that what you're asking? That's what I'm asking I don't want us to get into You know, okay, you've got a deputy clerk one and they go get whatever courses at county expense and now their deputy to. No, that's not what he's saying. He just at the at the title back in there. They went, they go from one to three and the two has been removed. So he's saying that's what they do now. Yeah, they go from one to a three instead of put been removed. So he's saying that's what they do now. Yeah, they go from one to a three and so that put that two back in there so they can go from a one to a two. Not to have anything but the discretion to move them from one to two. Are you saying that should be no their decision or part of the budget process? I think it needs to be part of the process. I think they should have the opportunity. For somebody may come to us with more skill and they could go into it, deputy to position. Yeah, that's true. Do you create in another position? Yeah, but you do. Possibly. Like Andy said, I like the fact that you have like a career track. And the part of the deal is I've really, really, and Gustavus has been very very helpful with this and he does a great jump where we've tried to promote from within and let people know there's a future working at the County Road and Bridge that we start off operator one operator two operator three and then other positions and that allows people to say hey if I stay here a long time gain a lot of experiences a future to work here as opposed to get here get get your commercial drivers license, take off to the old patch or new construction. Right, yeah. We've really focused on that. I can see what that would be very valuable. I know that JP's office. JP 6, I mean, we've got two ex-chief clubs here from JP Courts and I know that they had frustration on and frustrations. that they had frustration and frustrations. Frustrations that they had with moving from a one auto weight to a three and at least no opportunity for them to reward a person in a second position in a different pay grade. Because I will tell you this, I could probably count on both hands in JP-6 which I'm familiar familiar with how many we lost to other departments because of the scale and the opportunity they had to be promoted up because they had more opportunities. They just lost one to the, to the conspels office, which is a different. The first game on all the horrid, but we, I mean, we don't have time to implement this. Donna, describe to them what you described. Well, what I mentioned was if, depends on if you want to carry this process out another week, till next week, you could have HR look at that scenario or you could take you could take funds from personnel contingency during the year or after October 1 whatever you choose to do to address that. Good luck. This is my concern. When we did the original study they ranked positions. Because of the volume of work, the duties, the complexity, they decided that they needed to have this one-clare, one position and a level three position for senior level. Now we are talking about creating a level two position, but really, that will be doing a reclass but really nothing is changing. We are just creating a new step, a new position when nothing is really changing and that will be a concern to me. I understand. I think it's a concern because to me we talk about trying to get people to move steps but I mean to me we've talked about trying to get people to use that but I mean correct but I mean we are ranking positions based on the duties they are performing so you don't have a right position to go back and look at that for next budget here. We can do that. And again, what we did is there was a reclass. Yeah. The AP requested a reclass for one of his third ones because he saw the need. If any other AP wants to do a reclass, we can't review it. It doesn't mean we are going to agree, but at least we can do the process. I will prepare that we follow the process that we usually do. I don't think we can do it this day or so. I just understand that becomes a class. I mean that becomes a case by case basis. I just wonder why number two that slot was left out when they are grouped already with the deputy clerk. I wonder what the deputy clerk's across the board. And then they have a different career path, then the JPs have a different career path, but they're lumped together on the same job description. Am I saying that right? So, you know, there's no longer a court of art to put into a draft for them to run for, so then they change the title that comes to them to do the second time for that. I think back then there was a push to have fewer jobs. You have descriptions. Discriptions and titles. Well, I think it's just said it's just been an unfair process and we've tied the hand somewhat of the JPs and they're hiring in their promotion practices. Again, that's one of the biggest reasons that Blancet and the guys came to us, they were seeking a way to entice their people to stay by giving them for them taking an extra step to giving them some financial reward for them getting the certification or whatever. And I think we need to take a look at Ron placing that JP2 Quote Club 2 back in there. But the solvars are going to have to do some work on doing that. I don't think we can do it right now, but I'm not asking that. But we should do that. I just wanted to discuss about it. If I wanted to happen, I would have brought it up a lot earlier. During this time, and I should have brought it up a lot earlier if I wanted it to happen during this cycle. But I for one want that to happen. What the rest of believes sir. How about the kind of clerk and district clerk those officers Those officers They're also but they haven't already they already have them and one of the main reasons yes Then one of the main reasons because of the volume number of employees and those divisions and the complexity of the duties. Let me ask you this. Do they? I know that JP sometimes had a difficulty, but does the clerk's office have a large difficulty in filling their positions? I think so. I can, we are all on this embossed. I saw this goes. No, pretty good. We're having, we got several empty spots at Rumbridge and we had several high employees hired away. One of our foremen went to go work for the city of Sangar and he's only managing three people and he's making $15,000 more. Well, let's take a look at it for the next year. Yeah, that's the swell. This year we needed, and we did, and Gustav did a good job of prioritizing the detention officers, and that really needed to be taken care of. You should be applauded for that. You know, so how you eat now with it, one by day at a time. So I appreciate your tolerance with me, that I'm outside of the agenda. I just believe it's an area that needs to be pressed. Thank you, Ray. I'll go. I falls under it. It's not outside the agenda. It falls under number 17, huh? I agree. I think it's going to come back with a proposal. Which ones do we got left? Financial training analysis, financial forecast? We have a couple of things we just want to clarify as well. Last week when you made the motion to approve the new hires, you excluded the position for the district clerk pending her appeal today. So if you're inclined to include that position in the budget, we need to vote. Sorry. Sorry, thank you. Sorry, thank you. Sorry, thank you. Sorry, thank you. Sorry, thank you. Sorry, thank you. Sorry, thank you. Sorry, thank you. Sorry, thank you. Sorry, thank you. Sorry, thank you. Sorry, thank you. Sorry, thank you. Sorry, thank We didn't turn around and affirmatively do it. But it's already in the, it's already recommended. It's already in the budget. But you exclude the court excluded it from your vote last week when you heard all the other retirees. Now we want to need to prove the recommended price. I second it, Judge. I think we don't need to take action, guys. Let's go ahead and move Andy seconded it Any action will just kind of you know favor say aye aye opposed a new Motion carries foreign favor one opposed Well began for on record The other thing we like to get a motion on during this process is we still have two positions in the tax office in non-departmental contingency pending workload increases for the Frisco and Flower Mountain Government Centers. So I'd like a just a motion to affirm that you're in agreement with those staying in contingency for next year for now. So now, motion by Commissioner Marchion, seconded by Commissioner Coleman. On favor please say aye. Aye. Aye, post in need. Motion carries. Okay, with that I think we can talk about the financial trend analysis and the financial forecast. financial trend analysis and the financial forecast. That information can be found on page S131 of your packet. And James is going to give you a brief overview of those two documents. It's 31 S131. And wouldn't like to give you a pretty high level overview of these and certainly entertain any questions that you have, but we don't. I think you should be all familiar with these. We've done these most years for the last decade probably. Comments I would make is that these documents are really prepared mostly at the for the rating agencies and investment community. They're not just because we think they'll like them. We know they just something they think they'll like them. We know they, just something that they really, they prize, they encourage this kind of analysis and of our, and looking into the future, are a big component of our bond writing increase to triple in the natural island. The rating agencies just really prize that. They want to know that besides the intense work that's on the budget and I've scrutiny for each year that you're looking at both where you're where you've been and where you're going. And I think that's good for the court to do and to, besides looking at the current year to do some analysis of what's been going on and what the future may hold. Both of these documents are, take different approaches to try to point out potential problems early where they can be cured and be proactive rather than reactive to coin of phrase that's been used way too many times. And for both of these, again we all know that our county budget will always preach that a lot of it's mandated. We have constitutional offices. We have constitutional and statutory duties. It boils down to the court. It has not got a lot of leeway in certain things. Of course, all your non-tax revenues are by and large. Statutory set. So they do, but these do focus in. I'll try to focus in on areas that where there is discretion by the court to make some changes. The financial trend analysis, I'll show you in numerical and graphic form for those people that can read graphs. I really can't. I can't read maps or graphs. I can read numbers just fine. But again, the graph, actually that can read graphs, I really can't. I can't read maps or graphs. I can read numbers just fine. But again, the graph, actually I can read these because I can read the line, go that's pretty stable or a line that's going up. And that's generally what you want on most of these. You want your ratios. These are areas, the comparisons or areas that are recommended for analysis by the government of finance officers, association of North America. So these are deemed to be important things to be looking at. Again, none of these show ad dangerous trend. What they will show is, for the most part, that the functions of our government, our government are changing, they're increasing, but they're increasing along with population, they're increasing along with assessed valuation. evaluation there in and the components of our revenues are staying mixed at a right level. A very obvious one would be if our budget was really growing and taxes were becoming a larger and larger part of our total revenue. Basically, at some point there might be a breaking point there. Our tax, and we know all that tax revenue has increased and many of the changes and there are other changes that that per capita is obviously increased. The 2008 bond election ensured that would happen. We just know that spending per capita increased because we had a half a billion dollars to put into doing projects to better equip us to do services for our county. So again, if we see a change that looks a little skewed, we then look for the explanation in it. And again, the 2008 bond election, when you put a half a billion dollars in spending and then in increasing the debt service, anybody could have told you these changes would work expected and would probably take place. I actually think they're changing to a smaller because of our other growth in the county that's changing at a smaller rate than you might think they would be. The financial forecast begins as really a trend analysis. It basically takes historical numbers. It definitely takes historical numbers from my budget and charge a plot to do a forecast. Now for much of this, it is just an, it's an, a, a, with, a with medical function. But it's not just that because, again, what it's, we're trying to, ain't what we're trying to do here. And then is to say, here's the past we've been on. This is a logical path we'll be going on. All things being equal. So one, we know things may not be equal after the special session. Right. There may be a paradigm shift there. But all things being equal, here's where we're headed. But we all know, again, so some of that's just trend, but we also know we have some finite things. In our finances, our budgets number one tax revenue and the amount of the budget it has to fund. That is controllable by the county. Also, it's a function of the tax And also like that and also that's done into is in this mix too. We know that service is right now. It is set in stone for the next 20 years until we do another refunding or we do another debt issue and that changes that too. And this analysis actually gives you the tools to see if okay at certain at certain point, one is our budget sustainable, yes, or no, is it sustainable at the kind of tax base and tax rate growth we've had? Answers yes, there too. Does it allow us for some pretty big paradigm shifts, too? And actually the answer to that is yes, also. So that's a very high level overview. I will say that the forecast, because of when we factor in the change, again, it's just trended growth, but we also see what does is tax, is the tax levy and current tax rates is going to match that? Are we going to outstrip that where we have to have bigger tax increases in five years or in five years? And the answers know there that should be very reassuring. But I think what these analysis do, again, on a fairly, in fact, it is a pretty high level analysis. It's not just putting numbers together. But it does demonstrate that we're in the midst of the overriding goal is to get a budget adopted and tax rates adopted, that we are giving credence to. We're looking at also what is this year's budget mean for the next year and the next year and I cannot just cannot. I did not, these will be submitted to the writing agencies. They like to see them if they're not there, they really notice. So that's as much as I want to, I'll take the time up for it. If you have a question We I'll try to answer whatever questions you have or explain where the numbers came from if not I'll just you know, give these to you for your own analysis It's interesting our neck-bonded debt per capita going down that funded debt per capita going down. Well, that is a surprising one there. And it's just, you know, obviously we had a very fast growth. You know, after 2008, it really went up a lot. One population's catching up with it too. And we've about pretty much peaked at the net-minded debt actually, you know, 2007, we actually totaled it went down 2017. because we didn't do a big new issue so we actually 2017 had kind of a breather year it'll obviously go up for 2018 but again we knew that 2008 we knew that would happen but again we may think is we expect that ratio to go up to the degree and I think that I'd be a success. Is it, is it about where we thought it would be or is where it is now as anything unreasonable? And rating agencies still didn't, even though we didn't have considerable debt, their reports, which I share with you will always say it's a month we have a moderate debt load. As an individual county they'll say overall all taxing entities included in the county which include all the school districts. It's a heavy load on taxpayers as a whole but not due to the county. They'll still characterize Dent in county as moderate. So which I think is a great sign too. Thank you. Yeah. Questions. Very nice. And then this will be forwarded onto the regular basis. And they can be taken out of it. Yes, the James. That's good information. will be forwarded on to the right of emergency. And like you take matter. Yes. Yes. Yes. Good information. I think with that we are we have a bottom line figure to provide you with. I don't see anything left on our changes sheet to address. So what we're looking at we'll take this up as our separate agenda item that we haven't gotten to yet on our regular agenda, but we're looking at a rate of .237-812 tax rate. That's what we're proposing. Which is equivalent to a 1.57% increase. Yes. Yes. So it's 237-182. No. It's the. It's the. It's the. It's the. It's the. It's the. So it's two three seven one eight two. No, it's three seven eight one. I think the increase let me clarify is above the effective rate. And where was the tax rate last year? 248409. 8409. Oh, nine. Oh, nine. Absolutely. Correctness. Absolutely. Correct. Yes. I'm proud of the effective rate, correct? And when it's just to remind you when we started out, we were looking at a 2.19% increase with the recommended budget as it was presented. So with all the changes that were made, the increases and the reductions that's where we ended up today with. I want to just make one just to clarify for the record too. We are in the process of finalizing the payroll budget. So as you know, we freeze the budget when we're ready to recommend a budget, but during that time there's all cons of employee turnover. So we are in the process of updating that now. So any increases or decreases in payroll, we would propose that go either take from or add to contingency. Typically, we have extra money, a little bit of extra money that we can put in contingency because most positions have you know that are turning over have been here while and are replaced with a lower salary position. So that number may change from what we've talked about here today but that's the reason for that is we're getting it as accurate as possible as close to the beginning of the fiscal year. Our what? I do not but but I can pull up the report. Oh, it is in the slideshow. I think. I've got it here just a second. I'm sending the 10 year deal that you did for me, Donna. I just got the tax rate history and very updated the charts for me. I don't see it. I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just. I just sent it to you effective rate versus adopted rate 10 year history. Yes. So in 2007. This was a handout to us somewhere. 2007 the rate that the court adopted was 0.23. 5.8. 9.00. I just I just forwarded the 10 year comparison thing that you did for me. Yes, I got it. That's the open and it gives it 2007, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16. So if you look at 2009 it was higher in 2009 that it's being proposed today I was touched right this way we had a rate of a point to 84914 back in 2013. Back to 2008 rates. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. After conclusion of our budget workshop hearings, I think we've determined what the funding needs to be. And we're looking at a budget of approximately $2.92.1 million. And we are going to propose a rate of 0.237812, which is equal to a 1.5% increase above the effective rate. So we want to take a record vote on proposing this rate and scheduling two public hearings that would be held on Tuesday, August 22, 2017. The first one at 7pm. And the following Tuesday, we would have a second public hearing on August 29th at 10 a.m. And all the meetings would be held here in the Commissioner's Courtroom at the Courthouse on the Square. And we will place the notice in the paper, addressing this and we'll have a PowerPoint presentation to provide with you as well So that's the information we're looking for in this motion Clare Feil in this hearing one public hearing 7 p.m. August 22nd correct. Yes, ma'am the second public hearing August 29th at 10 o'clock right here That's correct. Okay. And then we would be adopting us at 10th or 5th. Yes, ma'am. That's correct. We would adopt a budget at night or it's a night meeting. The court asked to hold that at 7 o'clock that evening. How do you do it again? talk that evening. I'll be right again. The court changed that when we had our kickoff meeting in February, we had it proposed for 10 a.m. but the court changed it to 7 p.m. Are you going to attack me? You can do you going to attack me? You can do you going to attack? I'm going to be it's the 23rd through the 25th, isn't it? You have to have four members present to vote on a rate. Pardon me? September 4th. Oh, okay. Well, it's 23rd of Wednesday. We're talking August to 22nd right now, right? But it meant an evening meeting and she was going to drive to Austin or wherever that evening. Oh, you're driving? Got a class off west. So she's trying to get four people here that night. She says, you're asking. No, I was mistaken. I thought you were talking about adoption day. Adopt on September 5th, we have to have four members of the court president to vote on the right. I think as far as I know, all of us are going to be here to September 5th, is that correct? That I hope so. I've got it down. That's an evening meeting, correct? It is an evening meeting. I'm just making sure I do it at seven o'clock Yes Okay, but on the 22nd who plans to be going to tack? I will be here the evening of the 22nd anybody else Ron the evening of the 22nd. Anybody else? Ron? I can be here. I can fly out there. I think it's whatever those flexible flights from South up. I'll just switch it to early in the morning the next day. It doesn't matter to me. I'll just switch it to the next morning. Thank you. I think you could, I mean we've'll just switch it to the next morning. Thank you, Mayor. I think you could, I mean, we've had this on our calendar, but I think the court can change this if you want to make that a morning meeting. Big and a morning meeting. Have the one on the 22nd, a morning meeting, and the one on the 29th and evening meeting. Do you want it, would that be helpful? you. You can change. You can change. One on the 22nd be a 10 a.m. Yeah. And the one on the 29th be the evening meeting. Let's flip those around. Good to be in. We'll have a full court for everything. Okay. Let's do that. Cheryl, you got that? Make sure everybody's agenda's hosted correctly. All right. You want to make that too, Shazza? I think I know. Absolutely. We'll send a new appointment. Okay. Absolutely. We'll send a new appointment. Okay, I know the law is quite specific on how things are to be stated. So we've just clarified our meeting dates and our times. And then I want to clarify that our proposed rate is 0.237812, which is a 1.57% increase over the calculated effective rate. Have I covered all the bases now? Yes, ma'am. Okay. So that's my motion for the proposed rate and the dates and times of our required meetings. Is there a second to the motion? Seconded by Commissioner Marchand. Questions or comments? Very none. On favor please say aye. Aye. Posting. Motion carries. Okay. We did it. Thank you. We're done. We're done. Thank you Donna. Yay Donna. and company. Way to go guys. Alright, that concludes our business for today. We are adjourned, everybody have a great day. Great day.