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 Michigan. Father, I thank you for these people who committed to serve. Thank you for all the people who worked and make it a better place. People who may run like this, and they navigate the obstacles and the jobs. Father, I just thank you was a friendly, a family, a neighbor. The people that are estranged and lost. Probably a physical time. And you know, several of them. I know all of us, these three new old fellow people, who are struggling right now. So we ask to teach them conflict on them. If you and your family are in it, probably we thank you for another day. So we can do you real quick, so we can I'm going to ask you to be a member of united space to the mayor and to the Republic for which it's changed one nation under God, the visible liberty and justice for all. And now the Texas flag? On our Texas flag of collegial legions to the Texas flag and the state under water 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. First public comment form I have this morning. So Mr. Wheeler had spits. Mr. Hadspworth, good morning. Mr. Smith, my name is Willie Headsworth. I live at 623 Newton. I just just shake your hand and throw something at me because I can't give my watch to work. It's alright. One of the officers back here because I can't give my watch to work. It's alright. One of the officers back here when I passed them say, I have a gun and I just kind of... Okay, I'm lying. I lie. I lie. Commissioner Marchin, 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. Stayed in 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 going to say to go back to the little busy lives and you lay in there. That gun sheets that gown that I don't know why they make you wear that during gown. And you're just laying there 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 at other people, then evaluate what they say, evaluate what is said and then re- 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 you 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 is money, well in my employees. I found out that there is money, well in my evaluation, the people that I've talked to said, they don't pay us 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 to some to the others. Well, they said to that, paramount. So then you say, commissions, with what? I found out there are four slush funds, if you will, that you are 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 we should give a 1% increase instead of a 5% increase? You should give them, no, I think you should give them a 1% 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, Lily. Your time is up, sir. Okay, thank you, ma'am. Appreciate it. The second public comment from my head heavens from Matt Richardson, Matt. Donna, when you find those four-flush funds, let me know, would you? Okay. How long am I here? Okay, Matt. I'm not sure how to follow that. All right, my name is Matt Richardson. I live at 224 Bird Co. Lang, NargGO. 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. 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 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. Check yourself. All right, thank you. I think this might be an appropriate time. Joan. Happy birthday. I'm sorry. Surprise. Happy birthday, Jim. She didn't expect that. Okay, members, item two is the consent agenda. Are the items on this agenda that you need to have some discussion on? Or do we have a motion? I'll show move. Motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by commissioner Eads. In favor, please say aye. Aye, post-signing. 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 re-higher in the VA's office, a promotion 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 and bridge east, a new hire in adult probation, and one new hire in juvenile detention. 2B is approved of the Intra Departmental Transfers, 2C is approved of Ward of Bid for Cold Mix of bid for cold mix asphalt pavement bid number 0 4172413 to quality pavement repair. Quick right companies LC 2D is approval of budget demand request 1 1 730 for duez and subscriptions for training education for purchasing department in the amount of $2,864.2. And 2E is approval of building news request from Brian Cornelius with Dominion World Outreach Ministries to use a dental kind of Copeland government center community room on Saturday, August 26, 2017 from four 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 stating the resolution approving the draft, DENCO area 9-1-1 District Fiscal Year 2018 Financial Plan pursuant to the Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 772 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 the court and Swiss section 772.309 Texas Health and Safety Code is amended. Now therefore, that kind of commissioners court, that county Texas here by Resolve section one, that kind of commissioners court here by approves the financial plan to section two. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon from and after its passage. Done in open court the first day of August, 2017, upon a motion by myself. Seconded by Commissioner Marchand. On favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed, say nay. Motion goes carry. I pose a name, motion does 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. Opposed say nay. Motion goes carried. Is there anyone who just ended up with like to address Commissioner's Court on the issue of the replat? 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. questions? I move to close the public hearing. Thank you. We have a motion to close the public hearing by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Marchand, all in favor please say aye. Aye. Aye. I, pro-Senain, 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 I'll in favor please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed, aye. Motion is carried. 5A is approval of bill report payments from CSCD. Command and infections. TAP, shares, drainage, 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 a formal action increase their change fund. It's all corrections I have. Thank you. Are there any questions that we have in motion? I'll show move. Motion by Commissioner Cullen. Second. Second by Commissioner Marchandt. Here are no questions. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed to the name. Motion carries. Six A is approval of the request from law office of Kimberly Ann Shanklin to be released from the commercial lease agreement for property located 121 Northwood or Lane Suite 104 in Texas effective Office 31 2017 motion by Commissioner Mitchell second by Commissioner Eans hearing no questions on favorite please say aye. Aye, post in aid. Motion carries. Six B is approval of request from Ross Law Offices to extend the commercial lease agreement or properly located at 121 Northwood, or Lane Suite 203. Motion by Commissioner Mitchell. Seconded by Commissioner Eads. On favor please say aye. Aye, post in aid. Motion does carry. 6C is approval of ward of RFP 0 4172414. Offender, specimen collection and drug testing for the Den County CSCD to treatment assessment screening center incorporated. It's recommended by the evaluation committee in the combat planning. Good morning. The CSCD previously contracted for this 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 issue an RFP and a 3D evaluation process. So we did receive five proposals for the unanimously recommending award to Treatment Assessment Screening Center. And this is for recording purposes on the CSCD Director Wilson the Concert. Thank you. Any questions from members of court? We have a motion. Motion by Commissioner Marchin. Seconded by Commissioner Coleman. I'll in favor, please say aye. Aye. We have a motion. Motion by Commissioner Marchin. Seconded by Commissioner Coleman. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye, close and in. Motion is carried. Seven a is approval of budget amendment quest one on one, seven to zero to transfer funds from county wide technology to elections administration contract labor in the amount of $11,523. I'm voting for a free motion by Commissioner523 dollars motion by Commissioner Coleman seconded by Commissioner Marchin on favor please say aye I post in aid motion does carry okay seven b is discussion and approval for posing tax rate for you want to do this narrative you want to yes This will be the very last thing we do assuming we finish our budget workshops today. We'll hold off on 7B then we'll come back to it approval 7C was looking back to that too 8 a is approval of 2 new deputy one positions deputy clerk positions slot number 35 and 60 in the kind of clerk's department effective August 9, 2017. I'm moved for approval. Motion by Commissioner Coleman. I can move upon the passports. For the passports, right? You have motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissionerports for the passports, right? You have a motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Mitchell for the discussion. On the favor, please say aye. Aye. Posting, aye. Motion is carried. 13A 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. Oh boy, can they just not go home? Just go home. The first one I have here, actually first two. First one is, didn't kind of opposing House Bill 3, and I 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 neither. 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'll copy it in here if anybody wants to. Wade Thread. We're clear understanding the confusing time consuming convoluted expensive and unfair requirements of this proposed legislation. It is unfair because it limits taxable value increases on commercial and I 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 bothation is supposed to be fair equal uniform and market value. Putting the 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 of 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 each 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 than districts that assess more than 25 million in taxes each year. In addition, Committee substitute House bill for lowers the roll record 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 stay wide 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 mind it reduces local control. Unfortunately, to get this bill out of committee, there was a committee substitute to go instead of reducing the rollback rate from 8% to 4%, they went to 6% that had 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 amendment after amendment after amendment and having only knows where this is going to end up. So that's why I put in all capital letters here do not compromise an agree or lower the rowback 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, they kind of opposes Senate Bill 18 and House Bill 2, the companion Bill 2, O.S. Which relate to a limit on local government expenditures. Senate Bill 18 and House Bill 206 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. Well Senate bill 18 does allow for a bonded indebtedness 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 email from Judge Horn regarding consumer price index not being reflective of the true county expenses in an example would be court appointed 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. On 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 curtail local control authority in favor of one size 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, we attach 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 counties or 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 Says second by Commissioner Marchin. Any favor please say aye. Aye, opposed any? Motion is carried. You can sign those. 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, 4, 0.004c for recording purposes only. Motion by Commissioner Mitchell. 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. So the subscription agreement between Denton County, Texas and SOE, software corporation. This is where 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, 6, 4, 2, 9, 0, 10, 7, 5, I would recommend of I, 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 an Austin and Tuesday at the Secretary of State's Annual 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 at their appropriate training. They will then be given a test and then after successful completion of the training and the test will 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 to 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? Hearing none, all in favor, please say aye. Aye, Posting, Aye. Motion does carry. 14b is approval of specific language and 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 property located in the 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 and violation 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 there were for days taking a parking place the week, talked to the civil district attorney to see if we could 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 had one comment. We have a motion by Commissioner Mitchell's 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. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a.m. 24 a. Because facilities had a question about what number we put in there. But, all of you all are okay with $3.4, $1,600. That's what we're going to put in there. The Sheriff's Department is okay with that. Far as you know. Wow. I don't know. Anybody here from the Sheriff's Department? We might not ask. Commissioner Merchant, did you have a question? Yeah, I don't mean this way it's gonna 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 RV in my parking lot. Are you, so you want to spray it out? Yeah, I would, I don't know if I would amend it to include the, the, didn't kind of government center in Carrollton, as well as the new government center in. Should be everywhere. That should be everywhere that should be ever their properties Frisco as well as the new one in flower mound I I yeah, I think the problem is is that there's been problems in some facilities And there hasn't been problems Probably I haven't seen anybody yet. Parked their farm first go. I just thought the originally we wanted to do it around the stuff around the square which was the historical park and the co-plant or the Carroll building and that's because they have people who are hanging out there and people leaving their stuff there. I thought, I think I told you all I agreed to with it because nothing good ever happened after midnight and I thought that was a good time to let people park their car there until then. Yeah, I just have neighbors in my place. I have neighbors that park there. Is that good or bad? That's good. I thought Walmart weren't like Walmart where they let you park your RV. We should charge them rent. You may have thought 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're really trying to be shortsighted. We originally started out with Lewis Bill 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's ours 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, 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. Yeah. 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. Aye. Posting. 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 move 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 a change order amendment one to the construction agreement contract between Denton County and TDC to LC for a total budget impact of $650 and $59.8 to come from 2012 PI bonds fiber optic construction auditor mine item 6667548.0 is recommended by Kevin Car Chief Information Officer. Thank you for approval. Motion by Commissioner Marchand. I'll second. 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 dollars and 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'm made 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. Texas for the fish trap road improvement project with Dave County agreeing to contribute in amount which will not exceed $560,000. This fund to be transferred from FM 720 North widening 2014 triple eight PIA bond funds auditor line M817399030. Still working on repairing stuff from the 100 year reigns 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 seat, 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 4.24. We had another contract. We probably need a 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're going to make it all match up. I'm going to move for approval. There is one correction. I was just noticing the line at the bottom where it just spent 85. It should be 81. It should be 81. 7502 9030. That's correct. With that correction, we have a motion by Commissioner Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Eads. Here in the further discussion, all in favor, please say aye. Aye. I put the city motion. That's carried. 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, G is a town a little down, town a province village, town a Bartonville, town a trophy club, city of Lisville, highway 380 municipal management district number one. H is between Denton County and the city of Lisville. For collection of special assessments levied by Josie Lane Public Improvement District. And I is between Denton County and the town a trophy club. For collections of special assessments 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 Dillon County and the tunnel LLM for collection of special assessments levied. This is Rudman 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. Opposed to the name? Motion does carry it for all four items. OK, we are ready to go back to our budget items. Take a little break. Yes, we need to take a break so that we can get our books in order. OK. I guess, over. Okay. 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 Seacon and Equity Adjustment for a statutory counteradministrator. I'm here as the local administrative judge with permission and with the approval of all of these statutory counter court judges. We saw it, first of all, foremost, we saw there a reclassification of her position. I think if you look at the packet and I have copies of you to it 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 a 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 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 we 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% and instead of the 16% like most of you out, 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. And they could have hired at 16% they did not. When okay. And we have a lot of these that they could hire the 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, the Commissioner of Toronto and General Mears has had 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 statutory kind of what the administrator deserves to be raised at this particular board of time and I certainly understand your position. Unfortunately, this is the product that was assistant that we're under. I wish you would change. I wish you would allow us the authority, once we have an employee, you'd be able to go ahead and gear that extra 8% 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 know, it goes when they come in, you know, they call it by for this, and then maybe six months, so to a year you do look at it, so. Not saying I'm in favor of it, but... I understand, but we all try to'm in favor of it, but- I understand, but we all try to be good stewards of taxpayer money, and I know all of you included. And that's the reason why we decided that the 8% were first came in. But also with the increased responsibilities, we think this is obviously deserved. If we didn't think she deserved this, we didn't think the position necessitated this change. I wouldn't be up here speaking behalf of all the judges. And Gustavo, you took all that in consideration, the additional responsibilities and all that. 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 a 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 because he is doing work. Oh, 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 staffing should be. Again, we asked that he consider leaving it vacant. So, 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, you 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 it was a good faith effort to treat him just exactly like I've done the justices of the peace in the past and he refused. And you have specific items that you look at. We pull statistics straight from the Odyssey system. 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. 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. Good. So I did recommend a position for Constable precinct three and precinct six this year based on their workload. If you would like to go to the reference 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 per deputy for this particular precinct, just 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'm 36 Compare or 669 based on current Okay. Compare 669 based on current versus 1168 and 187 for 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 predepity based on a reduction of one staff member in that department. But they view out and 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. Pre-sinct 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 become vacant, 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 a leading 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 understand that. 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 pleas 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, over the time. 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, 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 includes, yeah. Other, accusing others of not believing in protecting our community. You got to protect what you always, because somebody will take it away from it if you don't. And I think that's the situation is that 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 with you know I'm going to lose employee rather than put in saying that 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 vacant. Well, that's why we invited him 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 who keep his word during the ban. And we talked about, we talked about this item last week and I just want 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 these, 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 of 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 adequately or adequately reflected on some of these measurables 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 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 clear. They waix seed other offices. If you look at, you know, the citations issued, you know, they do, there are large parts of the Canada 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 or 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. For clarification, Donna, what's in the recommended budget? We left. Yes ma'am, I recommended the position state 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 precinct three and one to precinct six. Three and six. And, you know, let me also just say that I went in favor of cutting a slot that was filled with an 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, a virtue. With this 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 Bueller, 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 misstuarts, email stating any type of time-sensitive issues to it. I was not aware of any of that. And if you read the 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. Can you only commit to the last? No, you can give 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. Y'all were talking stats and 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 y'all are not aware of as far as some of the stats. I'm gonna let John Bullitt, you know, 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 y'all would give him a minute, I would sure appreciate it. Thank you. Go ahead, good morning, Mayor. Good morning, honorable judge, 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 morning, good morning, good morning, good I'm all separate and they got joined together. One more. 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, you know, the reason for that number one, you had to change them along when it came to truancy. Our office was, you know, 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 and 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 they're 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, 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 no 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 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 costs 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 the apples, Ditton County received $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 bailiff 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 constables 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. One person will be valuable. I don't either. Yeah. I mean, they have a tremendous amount of task, what they're task for when it comes to preparing 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 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, collect the 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 that 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've 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 attempts. We all got together all the chiefs and all the consuls. 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 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 35W, but I'd like to provide you with the stats from the sheriff's office. 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. I just like to clarify to 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. Good on your mic. I did. I'm going to ask the Constable of Birch, rather than having an employee reassign somewhere else that he would commit to having, and if 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. Think about it for two minutes and then 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 my constituents, my text pain citizens in my precinct have grown accustomed to 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 a 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. And I know and y'all are not asking me to do that. If it becomes necessary, yes, I would look at. Can you say that? 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 facts 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 stated 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 apologized in that and like I said, I've basically told y'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, and ever 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. Dependent on the statistics or fill it. Dependent. Dependent on the statistics. Obviously. Yeah. And it's, well, we're gonna base it on the amount of, I don't want to see that. I don't think we need to, I think we need to get a commitment from him because he's providing all sorts of, what I'm saying is I want to tweak your comment there to say that 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 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 we need to wait to the next budget year to fill it or evaluate it. Well, I think the statistics 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 to let him fill in. If he does ours, we bring it. I believe he's committing to our request. When I think it depends on the statistics. I think it's not the same thing as the statistics. 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- Which ones are we going to focus on? For the first task and some people may be doing it in 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, you? 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 it 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? We evaluate 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. Right. Okay. Constable Birch is an elected official. Right. 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 at 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 is 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. I just wanted to clarify that point. 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. But 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 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 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, a commissional comment. I just committed you a 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 all right. I think everybody else on the court is clear. Commissioner Coleman. 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. And if we disagree. Okay, we can agree to disagree. You and I, okay, that's fine. So if we disagree, you'll make this decision whether what our recommendation is. Okay, yes, then we'll go, you know, we'll, he's gonna argue with whatever recommendation we make with anybody. Well, of course he's gonna argue, but that's, that's fine. We'll argue and then we get down and make the decision. But I think the court is gonna have to work with the budget office on what are the measureables. And let me just say, nobody'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 DIM County. Down to the statistics that you provided every year, if I recall correctly, there was a meeting of constables, JPs to come up with the majorables within their district. That's correct. I'm up with the measure of goals within their... That's correct. Come up with these statistics. This report is based exactly on what came out of that last meeting we had. But I... I... I'm not sure if you remember. Donna, do the bold... Are the bolded... Rose... The ones that are... Measureable. It's basically taking the actuals and dividing it based on the number of deputies up above. Why is it bail of hours and citations not bolded? I just- Other ones don't know how to do that. Is that just the format of the deal? It's not taken from those reports that I run 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, Donna, 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 for your time. Andy, Bobby, my concern is this. Okay. Thank you for being here. We appreciate your time. I think. Quote me, Judge Horne made a good point. The question is who makes the 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 grind and takes his his sticks together comes to us and says look we don't need to fill that spot he's gonna 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 gonna be an advocate. It's okay for him to argue but in the end just like you know I'll give you. Ever get to make a final decision? Just like in the he argued about this, but he's willing to accept What has been handed to him and 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 And I don't accept the but the decision of the budget office. I think he's the word of it. I don't agree with the word of it. I accept the decision of the budget office. If I agree with it. Yeah. And I think it's, we ought to reiterate the fact that the constable offered that if he maintains a staff and that 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'll do situation. I think it's appropriate. I don't have a problem when the vacancy it presents 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 while, just to support it, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm tape. I appreciate you. Six months from now. I'll be the first one about how we need a different metric. The report that I prepare will be based on what the majority of the constables want to see on that report. Okay. 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'll read down. No, and I'm going to tell you that. I agree. That is. 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 and 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 a way they're helping. Just we went a closure on a bridge on your 156 and everything and I called Tim's office. They were already out there. We had a major detour. Tim does, and they were, in a construction zone, and people were, my residents were calling me, asking for the city of Justin to help, asking for the city of Fort Worth, we were getting no response, they were there, they'd already been working for two days. I mean, that's the kind of, that's the kind of other and they weren't outriding tickets they were out directing the traffic and public in helping them get through the work zone and everything. I'm pointing to the Fibosan Corps with Judge Mershant. I'd be objecting as to non-responsive. Okay, next we got a commitment. Thank you. Okay, our next item is the district clerk. Sherry Adelstein is here. We had 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 A198A from the district clerk addressing a little bit more detail about this position and how it'll be used. Also on page 6 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 just the D. P. Osza did you address their concern about redaction of certain information on those three. Well, it's going to be their their choice about what case types that they put out there. Okay. You know, it is to what I know that right now we're just talking about criminal right. Okay, Mac and the criminal cases available. I 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 with 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 we 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 boat's not being taken in that, but I oppose it, but that's what's happening. So they're 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 at turnings. 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? No. 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. Some things can still change. 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, with the saying that this is possibly probably going to 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 we 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 unsure most people would to have their child's name out there you know if they were in a sexual assault victim and they were a child so that we are trying to be proactive because I this is coming. I see you coming. Because of the child cases, 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 criminals what we're looking at and doing away with the attorney way back says. 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 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. If you 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 webpage, we get them faxed in, goes to an email, we process them, 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. And 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 ever document in the office is online. They want a certified copy, which are the best majority of requests we get. They're still going to have to get it from us. A human being is still going to have to process it. So whenever you're looking at the copy request we get for non-certified copies, it's just not that much. It's not going to be that big of 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 fine. That wasn't our intent our intent is to have the documents to be public Yeah, don't care for black Hawthorne You know it's a part of your y'all quoted him in your editorial supporting your position so Anyway, I just think that editorial we 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 just being taken out of 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. Really fair. Hey. But Julie and as a county clerk, community district clerk have agreed to be one of their pilot counties for this, for their pilot program. So we're gonna 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 pulled 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 gonna be you know they're working they're working on it so I just wanted to be part of the part one of the pilot county 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, as an attorney, I think it was 2007 that you were supposed to redact 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 scan 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 the first half of transparency. But not everybody follows it. And the redaction, transparent. 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 members on. Daily. So. OK. I'm a, I'm a. Anyway, do we want to talk about the actual? Well, yeah, I mean, to I think you know based on this they have adequate staff that should reassign somebody within their office I'm a I'll move not to I'll move to remove this employee from that recommended budget Well emotion is there a second to the motion? So a second to the motion dies for lack of a second Thank you. Okay. Thank you for being here lack of a second. Thank you. Thank you for being here. 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 Be present for you with the additional information that he had provided to you Those sure morning. I just like to say that I like all of you provided to you. Go, Sheriff. Morning. I'd just like to say that I like all of you. Yeah, and we like you. You speaking clear and unequivocal statements. Donna, yes, we know. We'll work. Donna, what did we, I know you got your question. I said we had three of these last time. And then I'll do what I'm action. No. No action. No action was taken last time. And then I'll do what I'm action. No. No action. No action was taken last time before. 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 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. Yeah. I'll say that 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. Aye. Aye. Aye. Opposing. Any motion carries? That's done. And any other ones? Where here? I was, what are the, it was a two other classifications. It was two lieutenants that I'd like to take to Captain. Captain. I'll move for approval. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Do you want to do motion? I did. All right, we have a motion. The second, heard the questions or discussion? Joe Sheriff, did you wish to interject anything? No, ma'am, I think I covered it last week pretty well. OK. 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 about $9,577 per each position. 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, say nay. Nay. Run. Where are you? You said aye. Motion carries three in favor, two opposed. Thank you. a little more fun with you just invite constable birds back. I have a good rule. I have a good rule. Hold it down there. This one you want to go to next. I think Donna wanted me, 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 some T-cold hours that are 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 wanna 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 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, I was like, whoa, I've been hard of that before and it's as on our legislative of the day. The legislature is a moving target right now and it's changing. Right. Minute by minute. This this Senate bill came about when the the district judge in Austin was attacked at her home. Right. 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 Governor showed up. They knew it was coming. Thank you for your time and I appreciate it. That particular item was number 15 on our agenda, so we just were going to 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 can go back to the DPS discussion that we had before, but now we don't have to. 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 $9,400,000 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. 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 you know, position, you know, I think that may not 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 second to that motion. Donna, are we, are you keeping up with the money where we are on the mine span? Yes. I do not want to hit that pegs 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, where's your okay? Okay. Okay, we have a motion. Is there any other further questions or discussion? Herring none, I'll in favor of the motion. Please say aye. Aye. Opposing. Nene. Motion does carry. I'm going to put it under facilities. I think it should stay under facilities. What's under engineering right now? That's under public works. And I think moving forward, I think, locating the all work construction management under facilities would be a 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. So we did put it under facilities, but they'd have their own line items for budget fraud. But not a separate department head. That's up to the court, of course. And that's really a good problem. 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. Yes, second. We have a motion by Commissioner Ead, seconded by Commissioner Marcheant, further questions or discussion. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed, any? Here are your carries. in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed, any? Any other areas? OK. We're on the top. I take time to thank Fred for having that the part of our pre-shake 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 is 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. A233. A233. The Court in April approved an amendment to Icon's contract to redesign the courtroom ramp design at the rest of Judge McParley. 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 we would put it in if we knew what the cost was so Wayne Snatters here if you have any questions if it questions if the needed cost We're not, did we take that out of our slush fund? So many of them. So many of them. I can't not believe she actually said that. 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 until he identifies for us. We've been looking for that money tree for years and we've been looking for that money tree for years and we've been looking for that money tree for years and we've been looking for that money tree for years and we've been looking for that money tree for years and we've been looking for that money tree for years and we've been looking for that money tree for years and we've been looking for that money tree for years and we've been? 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 this. Haven't they done the couple of grants? The couple of grants. The CIP project list. Could we, if we, if we had an amount, we, we need an amount. I'd be off for that, but I just don't. We don't have it. They've done a couple of ramps over there. 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, is it really have to be 700,000. And so part of that was ripping up the front flower beds and installing the water barrier to goes 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, Duane? I mean, we haven't got the cost estimate. We, 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 courtrooms. The problem is judgment-parallel. 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. 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 and six feet. There are now three feet and there'll probably be double in size. So 10,000 dollars. Then 20. You're going to get 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. Spend 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 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 brand 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 so we just decided we're going to need to adjust those numbers down. Some of your contingencies right, Donna? Could we not just get the cost estimates, we make a future reprioritization on the CIP or the list of projects that Danny has. Those all that's the whole spreadsheet, we just get this into that. Maybe bump one to next year. Is Danny here? Yeah, Danny's big. Well, we're going to have to just seems like. 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 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 workshop. What are the other 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. It's we are not going to know the cost of believe before October 1st because that was my question. All right. Let's just do that and 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 a software administrator. He asked for your approval for him to meet with human resources to review that job and 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 read mad with Kevin Cadlast week. We review he submitted a new JAT separately by the court. We have a conference called with him and we came to the agreement that that job should be reviewed and reclassed to a take-off thing. Your recommendation is to do it. I'll make a motion. I'll make a motion. We have a motion for approval by Commissioner Marchin. And I just want to clarify. I'll say that the motion go ahead. We have a motion for approval by Commissioner Marchin. I just want to clarify. I'll say that 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-raye 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 Pagrae 20. So, please know what I'm doing, all those duties. That world just constantly evolving in them. All right, do we have a motion? Second, further discussion or questions? Could I just clarify? Do we have a motion in the second? Go ahead. Could I just clarify? This also includes a reduction in the countywide 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, pose, any motion, this 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 a 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 remember that. I know you did. When support, Ron? I voted with you so I can't. I know you did. I'm in 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. Oh, what's your name? The tobacco funds. Well, amongst the many criteria is the IRS 501C letter. And they also, Matt, do they also look at the, it's a call of 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 S1 11. So behind the recommended summary tab. S1 11. Judge, I appreciate your sentiments. And I think those are good things to look at. Where is our? Actually, S112 has the committee recommendation and then S114 shows a breakdown of what was requested and recommended in change. requested and recommended it. Change. This particular request is just to be on the grand jury who will not 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 this with required to be on there. Which is shall well for a board. Right. That's the only one they should be on the two of the two that are recommended that are required by law or more 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 sign. I get it. Are you willing to make the motion to remove them from the tree? I can't. I know you can. I'm asking right now. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. 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 Yaldere E. The Building Project list. Started on page S117. Let me go back just a minute before we start another subject. Let me go back just a minute before we start another subject. Let's include the on the criteria, whether it's grand jury 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. Our 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 an 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 the United Way and other agencies. What needs to be an emphasis potentially for that year? As 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. So we give them some direction of initiatives that we want the committee to look at. Last year we had a big conversation about homelessness. 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 that. But I just want the guidance from you as the court and we will carry it out without prejudice. Thank you. You need to be thinking about a percentage that we're comfortable with so that Matt 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 job. 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 accept 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 all the preventative maintenance is this year, that way we get it all done. And, I mean, just cause you got so much stuff going on and 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 Prior to do preventative maintenance and then except for like putting back panic buttons and the juvenile let's not do any of the remodel Yeah Just just For everyone's that permission 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 have got approved This year considering this pretty loud 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 preventative maintenance. One item on the remodeling is the juvenile as the cold building I Gets the panic buttons Oh, yeah 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 I don't know. Any 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 on an order of these are your next projects that are coming online and then we can kind of look at the. Would y'all like to see that quarterly? Yes. Okay. We can do that. Yeah. So Donna, this is We can do that. Yeah. So, Donna, this is all included in the recommended budget. Yes, City of- 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. The 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. 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 panic buttons for the Chima. 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 do all the preventative maintenance. We just don't do any remodeling this year and concentrate on finishing the remodeling. We started last year. 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 ride in 10. 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. I don't like the remodeling of the bus, but I guess it's a pandemic. I think we ought to leave it in and have him work on a... It's prioritized. We prioritize that. Before we do remodeling we do the Right right So we have the remodeling projects from the year before they weren't completed how do we we just roll those over to the following year or The ones that were not going to be completed you took action on last week to run 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 completed this year before we start more reliable. The preventative maintenance we got today, regardless. maintenance we got to do regardless. I just don't want to fund them except for the panic button. A lot of the projects that are getting moved into the new budget or projects that are going to be bid out dot projects it and there's there's several projects in here that we would bid out like the Charlie Co. break Room renovations. Yeah. You know, I mean, that that that place is horrible over there. I know. You know, I mean, it needs to be the they're 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 they're 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 as as presented and then Danny, why don't you work up a priority schedule based on things not finished last year and adding those to the list and then we do prevent of maintenance and we you work up what you think in your professional opinion is the best case work order and then we proceed 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 recommendation is that we will continue this. What I can do, I can get with Thelon Chris and we can get a priority list made up. And then what, yes, man. And then what I can do is have bail come present at the court in the next month or so to give you all an idea Just a starting point right and then we just get up. Yeah, you know, hopefully I'll be back by then 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 and the sheriffs 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. I'll second. We have a motion by commission. Eid seconded by commissioner Coleman. Questions or discussion. That's the clerk's new building. For the new building. From contingency. On favor please say aye. Aye. Opposing. Motion to scary. Sorry. Item number 10 on the agenda 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 government. 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. Aye. Opposed to the need? Motion carries. Aye. With the refunding that was recently discussed in court with regard to debt service, on page 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. So the transfers are listed out on that page coming from the 2010 PI bonds interest, 2010 PI bonds principle in the same thing for 2012. So with that, there'll be a savings to the tax rate of 466,000, or 21. 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, Bob. Yeah, I just... Okay, so item number 12, Commissioner Coleman asked if we would determine the cost if we raised the So 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 in benefit we could give to our employees. 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 never recommend anything that comes through HR with you know without looking at what our other comparable counties are doing. I'll pass the counties into the hand. around the Metroplex area. I know that calling county just to be giving 2.5 I think they went down. I mean it varies. County is doing differently all the time. County say that again. County's do what? There's different things everywhere. So I don't really have a consensus of it is at two or 2.5 or 2.2. Well I think we should have had one. I think that should have been for us today. To me when I saw what the budget was going to do and I saw that we're going to have some bon savings I thought this would be a proof. I've 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'd like to finish. I think retiree insurance is, I mean, employee, active current employee insurance is a big deal to employees right now, in 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. Just a whole more protocol. I didn't ask for them to compare it. So probably my fault. But to me, this is the time to do it if we're going to do it. It makes us 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 more 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 Marchiont for the discussion on the issue. Are we? I will say I'm disappointed that we don't have anything comparable. What do you want with? 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 till we get some information. Where do we? At a grieve. Games agreeable. What time are we coming back this afternoon? What are we schedule? 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 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 it We always do a comparison All right, I mean not good stopless fault though. It's mine. Okay. I asked him to put it on there. Well, he doesn't I mean, not good stop this fault though, it's mine. Okay. I asked him to put it on there. Well, he doesn't. Let's take a break. How much, how far, what, I mean, Judge May ask, how long do we, what other items 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. Do we have to come in? We probably need to go. We've got some other action we need to take. So we probably need to come back. This is kind of a lot of substantive thing. The rest is tax-related, tax-related. 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 leave. Somebody. I'll second it. Motion by Commissioner Coleman. I'll say the motion. This is on the reduction of the debt service. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Posting. Aye. Motion does carry. With that, we're in recess until 130. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Okay. Commission's Court is reconvened. Okay. And we're calling Donna. Thank you you Judge. Um, I think 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 commissioners before you do have the additional information requested by Commissioner Heads. 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 in Denton County's case, 223%. 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 know how to lump some amount. We don't give that to retirees. You have all the other counties around that. 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 for all the pay more than we do. We have some things here and there that are here for, I mean. Thank you, Gustavo, for pulling us together. I think it's just good for us to kind of see where we're comparing. And obviously, there's 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. True. I have a motion and we have a second. You still have it recorded. Okay. Further questions or comments? Oh, thank you. All right. All right. All in favor of the motion. Please say aye. Aye. Oh, see me. Me. I think I'm the lone need vote. Motion goes to the 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. For the first item was county court administrator Judge Garcia's appeal this morning. The only question I, that's with Garcia, 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? Yeah, they do. They do. He has a very long, he has a rotation float with them. He has not rotated in years for that court. 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 McFarland 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 but there 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. Uh, because at any time they could designate another person administrative judge, and that person's court administrator, I mean, will have those responsibilities. And so that, that's the only thing that jumped out at me in that discussion. I've had such problems hiring and retaining employees at Roam Gridge and I think that the most valuable asset we have is our employer, institutional 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. I'm not in favor it. 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 for scale eight and they could get a sixteen. And so I don't think it's up to the court to go for a ten-year-old. I don't think that's the right thing to do. I think that's the right thing to do. I think that's the right thing to do. I think that's the right thing to decided that they should hire at level, I mean, pay for 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 know. You don't know what you don't know when you first told it. But then 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 brothers that are in the same position. I always try to encourage positive behavior. If we have a judge come in and say a man of a state 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 I wouldn't. You know, maybe it, maybe it, uh, means that we should address our hearing practices. And we are addressing that. So that we don't continue to get into this position. I don't know if you remember, but there was, there was time before that the apartment heads 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. So I don't, I'm not really sure what happened. So we communicate with the departments now. We have it in writing that we tell them you could pay more and they choose to do something different. I mean, it's going to be a record. So now the departments know. We try to make sure the departments are at the right time. I think that happened in the past too. That's been my experience with it, maybe not everybody. Somebody, that was my experience too. 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 have heard through you. Second. There's a motion? I may approve. Second. There's a motion by Commissioner Coleman seconded by Commissioner Marche. And somebody down here is still struggling. Any further questions? No further questions on favor? Please say aye. Aye. Aye opposed, aye. Need. Aye. Motion carries. Form favor, one opposed. I oppose to me. Motion carries. Foreign favor one opposed. Let's stick some of the car believing. You're good 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. Constable for. I didn't know if he wanted a motion on it. What verbal? So we're done with that Donna Stewart. Now I just asking that we need the verbal discussion. I just want to give you a lot of verbal discussion that we need to clarify. And he will, if, if an 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 somebody else. I have no doubt that we'll make the right decision. Okay. I think we're setting ourselves up to trouble. I agree that I mean That's given a shot so we're okay with that I mean it is that's when you're in the budget as it stands He agrees unless he disagrees exactly the I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.P. Clark. And then. Members, this is 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 ask for 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 JP's came up here was the frustration of them being able to keep employees because you either are a 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. So being considered by the HR department now on giving, making an exception. I don't know if it's exception. Well, we did it this year was a free class. JT5 requested a request for one of his deputy one positions. We went, we did the audit, and this particular JT is based on Boggen. The third three basically couldn't handle all the duties of a deputy chief. He had three 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 third three, instead of a third one. And because of that is what we run in and give you the work and we recommend it. 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 that's what you're saying Creighton at additional steps. So you're saying? That's right. Which we've done in road bridge and we've been some other places and I think that's that would work. Is that what you're asking? That's what I'm asking. That's what you're 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 kind of 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 three and put that two back in there so they can go from a one to a two. Not having any of that. 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's 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, absolutely. So you're creating another position? Yeah, what you do. Possibly. Like Andy said, I like the fact that you have a career track. And the part of the deal is I've really, really, and Gustavos have been very, very helpful with this. He does a great job where we've tried to promote from within and let people know there's a future working at the County Road and Bridge that you 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 all of my experiences a future to work here, as opposed to get here, get your commercial drivers license, take off to the old patch or new construction. Right, yeah, and I really focused on that. I can see well that would be very valuable. I know that JP's office. JP 6, I mean we've got two ex-chief clerks 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 it is, I could probably count on both hands in JP6, which'm 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 just they just lost one to the, to the conspels office, which is a different. The first game on all four of the week. I mean, we don't have time to implement this year. Do you? Donna, describe to them what you described. Well, what I mentioned was it depends on if you want to carry this process out another week until next week. You could have HR look at that scenario or you could take funds from personnel contingency during the year or after October 1, whatever you choose to do to address that deadline. This is my concern. When we did the original study, they ranked the. 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 and new position when nothing is really changing and that will be concerned to me. I understand. I think it's concerning because to me we talk about trying to get people to use that 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 rank for that rank? I kind of find it a position two. Okay I mean. So you could 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 J.P. requested a reclass for one of his third ones because he saw the need. If any other J.P. wants to do a reclass, we can't review it. It doesn't mean we are going to agree. But at, 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 year. 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 clerkks across the board. And so, 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? I think back then there was a push to have your job. You have descriptions. Correct. Descriptions and titles. Well, I think it's just said it's just been an unfair process and we've tied the hands 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 a certification or whatever. And I think we need to take a look at Ron placing that JP2 or Quirk Club 2 back in there. The software is 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 a ballot. 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 court believes, sir. How about the kind of clerk and district clerk those officers? Those officers have to be able to apply to them also. But they haven't already. They already have them and one of the main reasons, yes. One of the main reasons is because of the volume, number of employees on 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? Something, so I can, we are all on this emboss. That's all this does. No, pretty. 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 next year. Yeah, that's it. Well, 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 do you eat now with it? One bite at a time. So I appreciate your tolerance within that outside of the agenda. And I just believe it's an area that needs to be addressed. Thank you, Ray. I agree. I falls under, 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. I think it's already been voted on but I'm going to make a motion to approve. I think we already had a motion on it. But you might as well just for clarity. The motion was to delete. I thought. I knew we didn't turn around and affirmatively do it. But it's already in the. It's already in the. I'm sorry. But you exclude the court excluded it from your vote last week when you put all the other. I'm terrible. Now we want to need to prove what you bring it up recommended. I second it judge. I think we don't need to take action guys. Any second it. Judge I think we don't need to take action guys Let's go ahead and move Andy seconded it Take any action we'll just kind of you know Favorite say aye aye Opposed in you who motion carries foreign favor one opposed Well began it man 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 and Hound 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. So now, motion by Commissioner Marchion, seconded by Commissioner Coleman. On favor please say aye. Aye. Opposed to any 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 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 and they're not and 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 they really, they prize, they encourage this kind of analysis and of our, and looking into the future, are a big component of our, mind-rating increase to triple, the natural analysis just really prize that. They want to know that besides the intense work that's on the budget, and I've spoken for each year, that you're looking at both 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 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 Nance Officers Association of North America. So these are deemed to be important things to be looking at. Again, none of these show a dangerous trend. What they will show is for the most part that the functions of our government, our changing, they're increasing, but they're increasing along with population, they're increasing along with assessed valuation. 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 may 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 has 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 in 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 at a half a, 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 smaller because of our other growth in the county, they're changing in a smaller rate than you might think it 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 isn't a with arithmetical function. But it's not just that because, again, what we're trying to do here and then is to say, here's the past we've been on. This is the logical path we'll be going on, all things being equal. So one, we know things may not be equal after the special session. 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 are budgets number one tax revenue and the pursuit from the amount of the budget it has to fund that is controllable by the by the county it also it's a function of the tax based growth too but and also like and also that's done in two is in this mix two. 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 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 it 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, 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 net bonded debt per capita going down our net bonded 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 net bonded debt actually to 2007 we actually totaled it went down in 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, my thing is, we expect that ratio to go up to the degree. 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 on to the regular basis. They do take matter. Yes,wing agencies. Like you take matter. Yes. Yes, the James. That's 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, which is equivalent to a 1.57% increase. So again. .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. It's 237-812. And the increase, let me clarify, is above the effective rate. So it's two three seven one eight two. No, it's three seven eight one. And the increase let me clarify is above the effective rate. And where was the tax rate last year? Two four eight four oh nine. Eight four 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 two. 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 wait, I can pull up the report. Oh, it is in the slideshow. I think. I've got you just said. I'm sending the 10 year deal that you did for me, Donna. I just don't have a tax rate history and very updated the charts for me. I don't see it. We typically just add the public hearing process on the right. That may be what you're thinking. 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. 9.9.0. 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. The percentage. So if you look at 2009, it was higher in 2009 than it's being proposed today I was attached right this way we had a rate of a point two eight four nine one four back in 2013. Back to 2008 rates. the okay down a bylaw don't we need to specifically yes the based on our item seven B that's on the regular agenda after conclusion of our budget workshop hearings I think we've determined what the funding needs to be. We're looking at a budget of approximately $2.92.19. 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 7 p.m. 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 commissioners courtroom at the courthouse on the square. 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. There is a clarification on 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 September 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. clock that evening. I'll be here 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 want 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 23rds of Wednesday. We're talking August the 22nd right now, right? September 5. Oh, okay. Well, it's 23rds 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. Are you driving? Got a class off west. So she's trying to get four people here that night. She says, rest. No, I was mistaken. I thought you were talking about adoption day. Adopt one 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 September 5. Is that correct? Got a hoax. 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 of the evening of the 22nd. Anybody else? Ron? I mean, I can be here. I'm planning to fly out there tonight, but I can change. I think that whatever those flexible slides from Southland. Well, I'll just switch it to early in the morning the next day. If that matter to me, I mean, I'll just switch it till 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 is for the night meeting. Have the one on the 22nd, a morning meeting in the one on the 29th and evening meeting. Do you want it? Would that be helpful? Yeah. Thank you. You can change. You can change. One on the 20 second be a 10 a.m. Yeah. And the one on the 29th be the evening meeting. Let's flip those around. Good to be. And then 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, who shows up? Yeah. I think I know. Absolutely. We'll send a new appointment. OK. 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. Thank you Donna. Yay Donna. Yeah. And company. How did it go, guys? All right. That concludes our business week today. We are adjourned. Everybody have a great day.