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SO THE TIME IS TEN OH EIGHT AND WE OFFICIALLY CALL THIS, UH, MEETING TO ORDER.
LET'S DO THE PLEDGE REAL QUICK.
FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC RELIGIOUS HANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL ON THE TEXAS SIDE, HAVE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO BE TEXAS.
WHAT'S THAT MICROPHONE? I DON'T, I KNOW.
SO I, I'M UNDER STRICT ORDERS TO MAKE SURE IF YOU'RE TALKING, YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE, THIS MICROPHONE.
THAT ONE'S NOT WORKING VERY WELL.
[1. Discuss and take appropriate action regarding the 2026-2027 budget to include policy, procedure, goals, philosophies, timelines, compensation benefits and/or objectives/priorities.]
DAYS.YOU GUYS KNOW THE COUNTY, UH, PERFORMS VERY IMPORTANT WORK AND SERVICES FOR THE PEOPLE OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
UM, AND AS WE GROW, WE WILL NEED, UM, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TO DO THE TASK AT HAND.
I THINK ON THE, UH, BUDGET SHEET THAT ASHLEY PRESENTED, JUST IN PERSONNEL ALONE, THE ASKS THIS YEAR, AND I'M SURE THEY'RE NOT, DON'T INCLUDE EVERY SINGLE POSITION, BUT WE'RE IN A 17 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE JUST WITH NEW POSITIONS, RIGHT? AND THAT'S NOT RAISES AND THAT'S NOT STUFF, AND THAT'S NOT INDIVIDUAL BUDGET.
SO, UM, I JUST PUT THAT, WHAT'S THAT? NOT COMPUTERS.
NOT, NOT FOR A LICENSE, NOT STUFF.
UM, I'M SURE, UH, LARRY, IF YOU GET THE MICROPHONE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN ANY VALUES COME THROUGH OR ASSESSED ANY OF THOSE VALUES.
I KNOW I GOT MINE, RIGHT? AND MY INDIVIDUAL HOUSE IS WAY DOWN.
SO, UM, WE'LL SEE HOW THAT SHAKES OUT, UM, WITH ALL THE TAXI ENTITIES AND WHAT OUR REVENUE LOOKS LIKE.
UM, AND THEN HAVE TALKED A LITTLE BIT AND LOOKED JUST BRIEFLY AT SOME OF THE THINGS OUR STATE AND LEGISLATURE ARE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF TAX REFORM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'LL KEEP THE MAIN THING, THE MAIN THING AND FOCUS ON BUDGET TODAY.
AND THIS IS JUST ONE STEP IN THE PROCESS.
UM, AND WE'LL FOCUS ON OUR PRIORITIES AND BIG ROCKS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
BUT I KNOW EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAVE NEEDS.
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING THOSE.
'CAUSE IF YOU DON'T TELL US AND EXPLAIN IT, THEN WE DON'T KNOW KNOW.
SO I'LL UH, START WITH JUST THE COMMISSIONERS, IF THEY HAVE ANY OPENING COMMENTS.
LONG, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I'LL JUST SAVE IT FOR THE END.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL SAVE IT FOR THE END.
ALRIGHT, WELL THEN I'M GONNA COME AROUND HERE AND WE'LL START WITH HOW, HOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY BUDGET REQUEST.
PASS THE MIC TO THE BEST SHERIFF IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COURT FOR OUR RAISES THAT WE GOT LAST YEAR.
THEY GAVE US QUITE A BIT OF MONEY TO, UH, HELP US RETAIN THE TALENT THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH, UH, HIRING SOMEONE IN THE JAIL.
WE SEND 'EM THROUGH AN ACADEMY.
EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT COMES IN AND BRINGS PRISONERS ARE RECRUITING THEM TO COME TO WORK AROUND ROCK PARK IN GEORGETOWN.
SO THAT HELPS US KEEP THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF MONEY AND TIME INVESTED IN THEM BEFORE THEY'RE READY TO GO OUT ON THE STREET AS A DEPUTY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT MONEY.
UH, LAST YEAR WE ASKED FOR 37 FTES, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE HAVE.
UH, THEY GRACIOUSLY GRANTED US NINE OUT OF THOSE NINE TO THREE WERE TO REPLACE, UH, ARA FUNDS.
AND TWO WERE FOR BAILIFF FOR THE NEW FIVE 12 COURT THAT WAS GIVEN TO, UH, THE COUNTY BY THE STATE.
UH, ONE OF THOSE WAS A RECLASSIFICATION, I BELIEVE FROM AN EXISTING OPENING IN THE JAIL.
THAT'S LIKE TAKING A DOLLAR OUT MY RIGHT POCKET, PUT IT IN MY LEFT AND TELL ME HE GAVE ME A DOLLAR.
BUT IN ANY CASE, WE'RE PROUD TO, UH, HAVE THAT THIS YEAR.
WE'RE ASKING FOR, UH, 28 ADDITIONAL PEOPLE.
BUT OUR, UH, FULL STRENGTH IS AT 5 78.
WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE, WE INHERITED ABOUT 20 VACANCIES.
WE'RE STILL AT ABOUT 20 VACANCIES, BUT I AM HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT OUR PATROL SHIFTS ARE FOR ONCE FULLY STAFFED.
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THAT'S, THAT'S A REALLY IMPRESSIVE, THE JAIL'S A TOUGH PLACE TO WORK WHILE PEOPLE COMING TO WORK AT THE JAIL, THEY DON'T REALIZE WHAT THEY'RE GETTING INTO.THEY CAN QUIT IN 15 MINUTES, TAKES US SIX MONTHS TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO REPLACE THEM.
SO OUR TRAINING STAFF IS WORKING CONTINUOUSLY TO, UH, TRY TO KEEP US FULLY STAFFED.
BUT OUTTA THOSE 28 PEOPLE THAT WE'RE REQUESTING THIS YEAR, UH, 17 ARE ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE, AND 11 ARE IN CORRECTIONS.
10 OUT OF 11 ARE CORRECTIONS OFFICERS.
AND OUT OF THOSE 17 ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE, UH, 12, WERE PATROL DEPUTIES THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO CREATE, UH, AN ADDITIONAL SHIFT, THREE TO THREE EIGHT.
UM, THAT WOULD CUT DOWN ON OVERTIME FROM OUR DAY SHIFTS.
OUR OVERTIME BUDGET AND PATROL WE'RE OVER.
UH, WE SPENT OVER HALF OF THAT, WELL OVER HALF OF THAT THIS YEAR.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE SHORT.
UM, FROM TIME TO TIME, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE 20 VACANCIES, THERE'S PROBABLY 40 ADDITIONAL PEOPLE THAT ARE ON SOME TYPE OF LEAVE, UH, MILITARY LEAVE, ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE, WORKERS' COMPENSATION.
SO, UM, WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY IN OVERTIME TRYING TO KEEP THOSE SHIPS FULL.
OUR JAIL REQUIRES 37 EMPLOYEES FOR MENTAL STAFFING.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT MANY TO MAKE IT WORK.
LAST WEEK, ONE DAY WE HAD FIVE INMATES IN THE HOSPITAL, SO WE HAD TO HAVE THE GUARD WITH EACH OF THEM.
AND, UH, OUR BUDGETS THIS YEAR FOR FOOD SERVICE, PHARMACEUTICALS, AND MEDICAL WE'RE, UH, SPENDING AN ABSORBENT AMOUNT OF MONEY ON, UH, MEDICAL, HAVING PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL.
AND OUR PHARMACEUTICAL BUDGET HAS, UH, SPENT WELL OVER HALF THIS YEAR THE PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS THAT WE'RE GIVING TO PEOPLE, COURT ORDERED, UH, MEDICATION FOR REALLY UP OUR BUDGET IN THAT REGARD.
SO I'D ASK THAT WE HAVE A SET DOWN AND TALK ABOUT EXPANDING THOSE BUDGETS FOR NEXT YEAR.
UH, OUR TOTAL ASK IS THIS YEAR WITH OVER $3 MILLION FOR THOSE PERSONNEL AND THEIR BENEFITS.
AND, UM, I KNOW YOU ALL ARE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY FOR WILLIAMS COUNTY.
UM, WE JUST NEED THE TOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
YOU SAID THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS AT FULL STRENGTH AT 578.
THAT'S THE, UH, NUMBER OF POSITIONS WE HAVE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU.
UM, LAST YEAR WE CLOSED TWO POSITIONS.
JUST FOR THE SAKE OF EVERYBODY THAT MIGHT NOT KNOW EVERYBODY, YOU'LL INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND KIND OF WHAT DEPARTMENT OR, YEAH, APOLOGIES.
AUGUST WITH THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF DISTRICT COURT ADMINISTRATIONS, UH, LAST YEAR WE REQUESTED TWO POSITIONS AND UNFORTUNATELY WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY THIS YEAR WITH THE ADDITION OF THE REPORT OF FIVE 12 CAME, WE'RE REQUESTING ONE SPECIALTY COURT PROGRAM MANAGER.
AND LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT THAT ONE IS FIRST.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A FAMILY COURT, FAMILY RECOVERY COURT PROGRAM.
IT COMES TO AN END IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, IT, WE LOSE THAT GRANT, WE LOSE THAT POSITION AND WOULD SUPPORT ABOUT DEPOSITION, DEPOSITION NOT ONLY HANDLING THE, THAT GRANT COURT, BUT ALSO THAT POSITION IS ALSO VERY INTEGRATED INTO THE COALITION, COMMUNITY COALITION THAT THE DISTRICT COURTS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF JUDGE HAS STARTED, WHICH IS MORE, IT'S HUGE.
SO WHAT THAT COALITION DOES IS IT REACHES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S ASKING ALL THE NONPROFITS TO COME IN AND HELP US SO WE CAN HELP THESE FOLKS THAT ARE INCARCERATED OR JUVENILES OR PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE GOING DOWN THAT PATH TO HELP US NOT GET THEM THERE TO BE JAIL AND WHATNOT.
SO, UM, THERE'S ABOUT A HUNDRED AND I WOULD SAY ABOUT 185 PARTICIPANTS.
SO THIS PERSON WILL ALSO HANDLE REACHING OUT TO THOSE RESOURCES.
SO WE DON'T PUT A BURDEN ON THE COUNTY FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT WE NEED.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING, COUNSELING, RIDES.
SO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IF WE LOSE THAT GRANT POSITION? UM, FAMILY COURT, FAMILY RECOVERY COURT WILL CEASE TO EXIST.
AND IF THE COALITION WILL PROBABLY CEASE TO EXIST AS WELL, WE WON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO HELP WITH THAT SITUATION.
SO THE OTHER ONE IS, WE'RE ASKING FOR FIVE COURT OPERATION ADMINS.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE TWO THAT ARE HELPING WITH SEVEN COURTS.
THE SITUATION THERE IS WE'RE TAXING ON TWO PERSONNEL TO ASSIST.
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WHEN A COUPLE OF COURT ADMINS ARE OUT, EITHER SICK OR WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THEIR TRAINING, ONE PERSON CANNOT HANDLESO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DEAL WITH THAT FOR A WHILE.
WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS WE'RE TAXING THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS QUITE A BIT.
NOW THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS HAVE A LOT OF, UH, INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
THEY WORKED IN THE JAIL, THEY WORKED IN PROBATION, AND NOW THEY'RE IN THE COURT SYSTEM TO, IF WE LOSE ONE OF THESE TO REPLACE IT, THAT POSITION WOULD BE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU WOULD FIND SOMEONE LIKE THAT.
SO THE OTHER PIECE OF IT TOO IS IF WE LOSE A SENIOR COURT ADMIN RIGHT NOW TO RETIREMENT, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO STEP UP INTO THAT ROLE TO COVER THAT.
IT'S LIKE WE DON'T HAVE A BULLPEN.
WE'RE NOT TRAINING PEOPLE TO ASSUME THOSE GOALS.
UM, CAN WE GET SOMEONE FROM A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT? YOU GET THE BODY, BUT THE KNOWLEDGE IS GONNA BE VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE SOMEONE STEP INTO A COURT, A FELONY COURT, AND TRY TO RUN THINGS.
THEY NOT ONLY WORK WITH THE JUDGES, BUT THEY ALSO WORK WITH THE DA STAFF, WITH THE DISTRICT CLERK STAFF, PROBATION PRE-TRIAL.
SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE OPERATING AND RELY ON THESE FOLKS, UM, TO BE WITH US.
SO HOPEFULLY WE PUT IN FOR IT.
IF WE GET SOME RELIEF, I THINK IT'LL HELP THE COURT SYSTEM AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW.
UH, WE'RE GONNA NEED SOME, SOME HELP.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, APPRECIATE YOUR LISTENING, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, LET ME KNOW.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? I'LL HAVE A COMMENT.
WE ARE REALLY EFFECTIVE, I THINK IN, BECAUSE WE HAVE, YEAH, WE HAVE REALLY SKILLED STAFF AND THAT POOL IS REALLY SMALL TO, TO GET SOMETHING FROM.
SO IF THE RULE DILEMMA, I, WE, IT IS, JUDGE.
GOOD MORNING, JOY SIMONTON, COUNTY PURCHASING AGENT.
AND, UH, FOLLOWING THESE TWO GENTLEMEN SETTLEMENTS, THANK YOU TO THE COURT FOR OUR COLA AND OUR MERIT.
IT'S CRITICAL FOR OUR RETENTION.
WE'RE ALSO IN THE SALARY STUDY CYCLE, THIS CYCLE.
AND, UM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR RETENTION.
WE DO LOSE PEOPLE TO COMPETING AGENCIES.
AND, UH, AFTER INVESTING, YOU KNOW, 12, 18 MONTHS INTO SOMEBODY, THAT'S, THAT'S CERTAINLY HARD TO DO.
WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR ANYONE THIS YEAR.
UH, YOU WERE GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO GRANT US OUR FLEET SPECIALIST LAST YEAR.
WE'RE RAMPING THAT INDIVIDUAL.
AND THAT WAS, UM, A, A REALLY BIG GESTURE.
OUR FOCUS IS THIS COMING YEAR ARE OUR MOVE TO THE HEADQUARTERS BUILDING AND OUR TRANSITION TO WORKDAY.
SO THAT WILL BE OUR COMING YEAR.
AND SO NO FT REQUESTS, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA HOLD THE LINE.
IT'S COMING IN THE FUTURE, BUT THIS YEAR WE'RE GONNA HOLD.
SO, UH, VICKY CHANCE, CONSTABLE PRECINCT.
WE WERE FORTUNATE LAST YEAR, WHICH REALLY HELPED US OUT.
WE'RE POSITION, UH, JEFF ANDERSON.
UH, THANK Y'ALL FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
WHOEVER IS THE BRANCH OUT OF THAT, UM, LAST YEAR WE, UH, ASKED FOR A DEPUTY.
WE DO APPRECIATE THAT THIS YEAR WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
UH, THE ONLY THING I'M GONNA ASK FOR IS, UH, A RECLASSIFICATION, UH, FROM DEPUTY TO, UH, SERGEANT INVESTIGATOR FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES.
UH, THERE'S EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATIONS THAT GO INTO THAT.
AND NOT ONLY THAT MESS, SO WE WILL BE ASKING FOR THAT RECLASSIFICATION.
UH, THE OTHER IS A, UH, A DRONE THAT HAS THERMAL CAPABILITIES AND ALSO MEASUREMENT CAPABILITIES.
UH, THE, THE DRONE HELP US WITH THE MEASUREMENTS ON THE, UH, DEBRIS OR THE TRASH, UH, THAT, THAT YOU GET OUT THERE.
UH, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT, UH, BASED ON WEIGHT OR THE AMOUNT OF TRASH ENHANCES IT TO, UH, WHATEVER
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
I DO HAVE A TRUCK I NEED TO REPLACE.
OKAY, PAUL, NOW CONSTABLE FOR THE BEST PRECINCT IN ALL OF WINSTON COUNTY PRECINCT COURT.
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UH, FOR, UH, THE RAISES TO OUR PERSONNEL LAST YEAR.LAST YEAR YOU, YOU DID GIVE ME A, UH, PERSON AS WELL.
SO WE APPRECIATE THAT THIS YEAR WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL EITHER.
UM, BUT WE ARE ASKING FOR TASER REPLACEMENTS.
I THINK YOU GUYS WERE MADE AWARE OF THAT ALREADY.
UH, OUR TASERS, WHEN IT, WHEN WE HIT SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, OUR TASERS WILL HIT THE END OF THEIR LIFE, UH, WARRANTY.
AND, UH, WE CAN NO LONGER HAVE THEM SERVICED OR GET REPLACEMENT CARTRIDGES FOR THEM.
AND SO, UH, WE NEED TO REPLACE 13 TASERS.
UH, THE TOTAL COST FOR THAT IS GONNA BE $77,332.
WE APPRECIATE IF YOU WILL APPROVE THAT 'CAUSE THEY, UH, ARE NEEDED DESPERATELY.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE THE TASER? UH, NOT VERY OFTEN, BUT THEY ARE A, UH, LET ME, LET ME RECLASSIFY THAT.
DEPLOYING IT AND ACTUALLY USING IT ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO IT'S A, IT IS A HUGE, WHEN WE, WHEN WHEN YOU HAVE A LASER POINTED AT YOU THAT DISCOURAGES YOUR BEHAVIOR.
AND SO A LOT OF TIMES THAT IT'S USED MORE IN THAT TYPE OF FASHION, JUST SAYING, I'M GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA RIDE THE LIGHTNING IF YOU DON'T SETTLE DOWN.
UH, AND WHEN YOU SEE THAT LASER POINTED AT YOUR, YOU KNOW, AT YOUR TORSO, THAT GETS YOU TO COMPLY YOUR ATTENTION, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, SO ACTUALLY TASING SOMEBODY AND POINTING IT AT SOMEBODY ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
OKAY? SO IT, BUT WITHOUT IT, YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE IT.
IT'S EITHER THAT OR GOING HANDS ON OR SHOOTING 'EM WITH A BEANBAG GUN.
UH, WHICH WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO DO ARE GOING BACK TO AN ASK, WHICH WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO DO.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DEPLOY.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF IT IS OVER PRETTY FAST, IF WE DO TASE 'EM, IT'S A FIVE SECOND RIDE.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN PULL THE, THE DARTS OUT OURSELVES AND, AND IT, IT'S EFFECTIVE.
UH, WHAT'S THAT LIABILITY PUSH? WELL, YEAH, IT'S THE, YOU KNOW, IT IT, IT IS A, IT IS A VERY EFFECTIVE TOOL.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO, SO TO TELL YOU, IF PROBABLY GETS, UH, REMOVED FROM ITS CARRIER PROBABLY A COUPLE DOZEN TIMES A YEAR, UH, BUT ACTUALLY GETS DARTS INTO A, A, A VIOLATOR VERY FEW TIMES BECAUSE USUALLY WE DEAL WITH HABITUAL VIOLATORS OF PEOPLE.
AND, UH, BUT, AND THEY KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE 'CAUSE THEY'VE BEEN TASED BEFORE AND THEY DON'T WANT IT.
I, WE HAVE TO BE TASED, UH, IN ORDER TO CARRY ONE.
IT'S THE ONLY TIME IN MY LIFE THAT I'VE ACTUALLY TOLD GOD I'M READY TO DIE.
UH, BECAUSE THE PAIN IS SO EXCRUCIATING THAT I'VE SAID TO MYSELF, I, I WANT THIS TO STOP.
UH, BECAUSE IT IS SO, IT'S A CRAMP FROM YOUR HEAD TO YOUR TOES AND YOU WANT IT TO STOP SO BAD.
UH, AND SO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TASED DON'T WANT IT AGAIN.
IS THERE A VIDEO OF YOU BEING TAED? YES, THERE IS.
YOU'VE ALSO GIVEN US A NEW SAYING TODAY.
I DON'T SAY THAT THERE, I JUST, I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID IT HERE EITHER.
KEVIN WILKEY, CONSTABLE PRECINCT THREE.
FIRST OF ALL, WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, POSITIONS.
AND LIKE I'VE MENTIONED TO COMMISSIONER COLBY WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, YOU'RE NEVER GONNA HEAR ME ASK FOR POSITIONS OR THINGS THAT I DON'T NEED THAT I CAN'T JUSTIFY.
'CAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WE TAKE CARE OF THE TAXPAYER MONEY.
SO WITH THAT SAID, UM, THE SAME THING WITH TASERS.
SO WE'RE, AND WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH ASHLEY, UH, AS SOON AS WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS, SO THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY SURPRISES, BUT IT IS, AGAIN, IT'S GONNA BE THE 70,000 PLUS TO REPLACE OUR TASERS.
UM, AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT WE'RE GETTING HIT WITH ON THE EQUIPMENT SIDE IS WE HAVE FOUR OF OUR VESTS THAT ARE HITTING THEIR EXPIRATION DATE.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA NEED TO ORDER A VEST AND, AND A CARRIER BREACH FOR THE FOUR DEPUTIES.
AND THAT'S GONNA COME OUT TO A TOTAL OF ABOUT $6,300 FOR ALL FOUR OF THOSE TOTAL.
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ANY RECLASSIFICATIONS AT THIS TIME.WE MAY LOOK AT THAT, UH, THE NEXT GO AROUND WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL DEPUTY.
UH, AS HIS CASES HAVE REALLY, UM, THE WORK THAT HE'S DOING AND HIS INVESTIGATIONS HAVE REALLY INCREASED.
WE WILL MOST LIKELY BE LOOKING AT TRYING TO GET A DRONE FOR THE SAME REASONS THAT, UH, JEFF MENTIONED AS WELL.
ALSO FOR IN OUR AREA WITH A LOT OF THE RURAL AREAS WE HAVE WHEN WE'RE GOING UP TO DO RID OF POSSESSIONS, WHICH ARE THE EVICTIONS.
SOMETIMES IT'S A LONG ROAD UP TO, TO A HOUSE OR A TRAILER WITH MULTIPLE BUILDINGS.
AND I WOULD MUCH RATHER BE ABLE TO SEND SOMETHING OVER TO TAKE A LOOK AND HAVE DEPUTIES WALK IN OR DRIVING DOWN THE THESE ROADS, WHICH CAN LEAD TO AN AMBUSH.
UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE EQUIPMENT, THE TRAINING, THE SUPPORT, THE RELATIONSHIPS.
AND THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE FOR PRECINCT THREE, UH, CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ALL.
ACTUALLY, HOLIDAY BUDGET OFFICE.
I WISH I'D KNOWN THE BRIGHT, THE LIGHTNING WHEN MY KIDS WERE LITTLE.
NOTHING MIGHT HAVE, UH, AFFECTED THEM DIFFERENTLY.
UH, BUDGET OFFICE WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE COURT FOR OUR COURT POSITION, OUR ANALYST LAST YEAR.
IT HAS BEEN A LIFESAVER, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.
OUR BUDGET WILL BE STATUS QUO NEXT YEAR.
YOU SHOULD NOT SEE ANY MAJOR EVEN MINOR INCREASES.
BRUCE CLEMENTS, UH, DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND I'M GONNA BE REPORTING OUT ON BEHALF OF EMERGENCY SERVICES.
UH, SO FOR THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, THERE'S A REQUEST TO RECLASSIFY THE CURRENT PROJECT OFFICER POSITION TO A DEPUTY SENIOR DIRECTOR POSITION.
AND THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL PROJECTS FOR THE EMERGENCY SERVICES OPERATIONS, UH, CENTER BUILDING, INCLUDING UPGRADING THE FENCES IN THE BACK OF THAT BUILDING FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL FENCES.
UH, ON THE EMS SIDE, THERE ARE TWO NEW INITIATIVES.
ONE IN NORTHWEST LOCO AND THAT'S THE EMS FOUR COMMAND, WHICH IS ONE TAHOE AND THREE COMMANDER LEVEL POSITIONS, AND ONE IN GERALD, WHICH IS A SECOND SQUAD, ONE EMS EXPLORER AND THREE PARAMEDIC LEVEL POSITIONS.
UH, THE ADDITIONAL STAFF THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED INCLUDE FOUR PART-TIME PARAMEDICS, THREE CLINICAL LIEUTENANT PARAMEDICS, THREE FULL-TIME PARAMEDICS, UM, ONE FULL-TIME OUTREACH STAFF MEMBER AND ONE PART-TIME OUTREACH STAFF MEMBER, UH, FULL-TIME WAREHOUSE ASSOCIATE, A STAFFING SPECIALIST, AND ONE FULL-TIME COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER FOR THE COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM.
ALL TOLD A DMS IS REQUESTING 16 FULL-TIME POSITIONS AND FIVE PART-TIME POSITIONS.
UH, AND AS FAR AS VEHICLE VEHICLES ARE CONCERNED, IN ADDITION TO THE TAHOE AND EXPLORER PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE HAVE, UH, A REQUEST FOR TWO ADDITIONAL TAHOE TAHOES AND WE'RE STILL DETERMINING THE NUMBER OF AMBULANCES BASED ON INCOMING AVAILABLE INVENTORY.
UM, AND THEN ALSO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS BUILDING THAT WE'RE IN, UH, BEHIND THE EMS HEADQUARTERS BUILDING.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UH, HAVING SOME ADDITIONAL COVERED PARKING TO PROTECT POOL VEHICLES FROM THE DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH EXTREME HEAT WEATHER.
UM, AND THAT'S IT FOR EMS, UM, FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, UH, ONE TAHOE IS UP FOR REPLACEMENT.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT WE HAVE THREE HAZMAT DUALLY TRUCKS, UH, THAT ARE GOING TO BE POSITIONED AROUND THE COUNTY WITH THE HAZMAT TEAMS TO PULL HAZMAT RESPONSE TRAILERS.
UH, AND IN ADDITION, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME REQUESTS REPLACING SOME AGING AND OBSOLETE HAZMAT EQUIPMENT MONITORS AND CPE AND THEN ONTO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS.
THEY'RE REQUESTING SIX CALL TAKERS AND TWO SUPERVISORS.
AND THEN OEM WE'RE REPLACING TWO OF OUR RESPONSE VEHICLES, UH, TWO PICKUP TRUCKS THAT ARE HAULING VEHICLES THAT PULL OUR TRAILERS.
UH, ALSO WE'RE BEGINNING THIS YEAR, UH, WORK ON THE UPDATE TO THE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN, BUT WE'RE SEEING THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FINISHED.
SO I WILL BE REQUESTING THAT'S A $70,000 PROJECT, WHICH A PORTION OF THAT I'LL BE REQUESTING FOR NEXT YEAR SO THAT WE CAN CARRY ON AND COMPLETE THAT PROJECT.
ONE THING I WAS GOING TO REQUEST THAT I'M NOT GOING TO REQUEST NOW IS THE, THE REWRITE OF THE COMMUNITY FLOOD PROTECTION PLAN.
THAT GIVEN THE ONE $1 MILLION THAT TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD IS GIVING US, WE'RE ACTUALLY LEVERAGING THAT TO UPDATE, UH, MUCH OF THAT PLANNING PROCESS AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THAT IN HOUSE AND NOT HAVE TO CONTRACT THAT OUT.
ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING, TW DIMAN, NEW LOCAL PARKS DIRECTOR.
UH, REALLY NO CHANGES TO OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA SEE A SLIGHT REDUCTION OPERATING BUDGET AS WE BRING SOME OF THE FACILITY ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS TO FRUITION.
NO ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE, UH, ROUGHLY 38 FTS, UH, BUDGETED WITH FOUR PART-TIME, FOUR PART-TIME BUDGET.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE VACANCIES, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BONUS.
NEIL BUTLER, FACILITIES DIRECTOR.
UH, JUST, UH, CURRENTLY HELPING TRACK CI, UH, REQUEST
[00:25:01]
THAT CAME IN FROM SOME OF Y'ALL, UM, NOT A WHOLE LOT THIS YEAR, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE THINK.UM, SO WE HELPED PRICE SOME OF THOSE AND PASSED THEM ON BUDGET.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR OWN VEST OF LIFE LIFECYCLE REPLACEMENT, UM, ITEMS THAT WILL TURN IN AND PRIORITIZE AGAIN, UH, TO BUDGET.
SO THAT'S COMING SOON AND PASS THAT ALONG.
UM, AS FAR AS POSITIONS GO, WE'RE REQUESTING TWO FTES.
ONE IS, UM, WHAT WE TITLE LANDSCAPE MANAGER.
SO WE HAVE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO CONTRACTS MANAGERS, UM, THAT MANAGE, UM, ABOUT, UH, 65 CONTRACTS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN IMAGINE TWO PEOPLE, 65 CONTRACTS.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO, FOR THEM TO SPEND MUCH TIME ON ANY INDIVIDUAL ONE CONTRACT.
UM, SOME OF THOSE ARE VERY LARGE, LIKE JANITORIAL OR, UH, IN THIS CASE THE LONG CARE CONTRACT.
UM, WE GET IT DONE, BUT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO GO TO SITES, YOU KNOW, LIKE THIS CAMPUS AND ACTUALLY DO ASSESSMENTS AND WALKS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK FOR PROBLEMS. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO IS STAY ON TOP OF VERSUS PREVENTATIVE.
UM, BE MORE PROACTIVE, MORE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, UM, AND ACTUALLY GUIDE THESE CONTRACTS AND MANAGE THEM, UM, BEFORE THINGS GO WRONG AND COST US MORE TO REPAIR.
UM, SO LANDSCAPE MANAGER, THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD OBVIOUSLY MANAGE THE LANDSCAPE CONTRACT ONE, BUT ALSO THEY WOULD, UH, PUT THE BEST MANAGEMENT CONTRACT UNDER THEM AS WELL.
AND THEN OVER TIME, AS WE ALWAYS DO, WE WOULD FILE 'EM SOME MORE UNDER THEM ONCE THEY GET, UH, GET THEIR FEET WET.
UM, THE OTHER POSITION IS ANOTHER ACCESS CONTROL TECH.
AND AS MOST OF YOU PROBABLY SEEN, WE'VE BEEN ADDING A WHOLE LOT OF CAR READERS AROUND THE COUNTY.
UM, CAR READERS IS NOT ALL THAT THEY DO, BUT, UM, IT'S A BIG PART OF IT.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE ACCESS CONTROL TECHS.
REALLY, WE HAVE TWO AND A SUPERVISOR, BUT OUR SUPERVISORS A WORKING SUPERVISOR.
UM, SO JUST SINCE 2025 I THINK WE'VE ADDED, UM, WE'VE ADDED, UM, ABOUT, WELL SAY IN 2020 WE HAD 636 CARD READERS.
UM, IN 2026 WE HAD, WE NOW HAD 1,434 CARD READERS.
UM, AND SO AN INCREASE OF 125% IN THE LAST SIX YEARS AND NO INCREASE IN CREW TO KEEP THOSE MAINTAINED.
UM, AND AGAIN, THEY DO OTHER THINGS.
I MEAN, EVERY DOOR IN THE COUNTY, THEY HAVE TO MAINTAIN, UH, THE CORRECTIONAL LOCKS AT THE JAIL, JUVENILE.
THERE'S ALWAYS A LONG LIST OF THINGS, UM, THAT THEY'RE BACKED UP ON.
SO THAT WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT ONE AS WELL.
OTHER THAN THAT, I'M JUST TAKING SOME NOTES BECAUSE I HEAR, UH, THESE FACILITIES RELATED FROM Y'ALL TODAY.
SO THANK YOU, UM, SEAN DICK, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, I'M GONNA START THIS OFF A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN I NORMALLY DO.
SO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER PORTER.
UM, ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, I THINK WE SAT IN ONE OF THESE MEETINGS, I'M THINKING IT WAS ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND I ASKED Y'ALL AT THIS TIME, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF PLANNING ROADS LONG TERM, AND I JUST WANTED TO HEAR Y'ALL TALK ABOUT JUSTICE, THE WAY THAT WE TALK ABOUT ROADS AND WE PLAN FOR THE LONG TERM OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
AND Y'ALL HAVE NOT ONLY INVESTED YOUR RESOURCES INTO IT, BUT YOUR TIME, UH, INTO JUSTICE.
AND WE HAD A LONG TERM, UH, YOU KNOW, PLANNING GROUP MEET.
UH, WE MEET AS A JUSTICE WORKING GROUP EVERY MONTH.
UH, YOU'VE NOW INVESTED OUR OUR TREASURER INTO LAND, UM, TO GET A BUILDING GOING.
I, I REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL TAKING THE JUSTICE SYSTEM SERIOUSLY AND MAKING IT A TOP PRIORITY, UM, AND LONG TERM PLANNING IT LIKE YOU'VE DONE, UH, SO WELL WITH ROADS AND AND PARK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN THAT.
UH, IN PARTICULAR, I REALLY WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER COBY.
UM, SHE HAS REALLY DUG IN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS, AND SHE WORKS TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE SYSTEM, WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T AFFORD, AND HOW WE CAN DO IT.
UM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE LAST FOUR YEARS OF WORKING WITH COMMISSIONER COBY ON THIS PROJECT AS WELL AS EVERYBODY IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
[00:30:02]
UM, I ALSO HAVE TO THANK ALWAYS ASHLEY.UM, SO IS MY TWO YEARS UP YET? NO
SO I WANT TO SAY TWO YEARS AGO I PROMISED HER I WOULDN'T BOTHER HER AT ALL FOR TWO YEARS.
UM, AND SHE'S GOT MY SIGNED NOTE UP IN HER OFFICE.
SO I APPRECIATE HER, HER WORKING WITH ME EVEN WHEN THINGS, I WOULDN'T CALL 'EM PROBLEMS, BUT CHALLENGES HAVE ARISEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
BUT, UM, ASHLEY'S BEEN REALLY GOOD, UH, TO US AND, AND HELPED WORK THROUGH THAT.
UH, ONE OF THOSE CHALLENGES THIS YEAR IS YOU, Y'ALL REMEMBER MY INVESTIGATOR CAR WITH THE GOLDEN TRANSMISSION? UH, WELL, IT OFFICIALLY DIED THIS YEAR.
IT STILL WASN'T TECHNICALLY READY FOR REPLACEMENT.
UH, BUT KEVIN HAD HAD SAID THAT THERE'S NO SENSE IN SPENDING ANY MORE MONEY ON THIS VEHICLE, AND WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO COME TO Y'ALL TO ASK FOR 10 OVER $10,000 AGAIN TO FIX THAT VEHICLE.
SO ASHLEY AND KEVIN WORKED TOGETHER TO GET US, UH, SORT OF A LOANER VEHICLE TO GET US THROUGH THIS BUDGET YEAR.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ASK FOR REPLACEMENT FOR THAT VEHICLE.
UM, AND I DO HAVE, UM, TWO OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAVE REACHED THEIR LIFECYCLE REPLACEMENT FOR INVESTIGATORS.
SO THAT'S SOME OF THE BIGGER REQUESTS IN OUR, IN OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR.
I ALSO WANNA THANK DALE AND HIS TEAM.
UM, THEY HAVE BEEN AWESOME, GO INTO ALL THESE SITE VISITS LOOKING AT, AT EVERYTHING, UH, HELPING US WITH THE TRANSITION AND TRYING TO MOVE INTO NEW SPACE.
UH, I KNOW THEY HAVE VERY LIMITED TIME AND VERY LIMITED RESOURCES, BUT THEY'VE BEEN A GREAT PARTNER TO WORK WITH FOR OUR OFFICE AND I JUST REALLY WANNA THANK DALE AND HIS TEAM AS WELL.
SO, UM, BUT I WOULD START WITH THANK YOUS THIS YEAR SINCE IT USUALLY FEELS LIKE I'M STARTING WITH ALL THESE CHALLENGES.
UM, THE BIG BUDGET ITEMS, LIKE I TALKED ABOUT IT IS JUST REALLY THE THREE REPLACEMENT VEHICLES.
I HAVE REQUESTED FOUR POSITIONS, AND IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THINGS LIKE A PUBLIC INTEGRITY, UH, PERSON OR STAFF LIKE I'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST.
IT DOESN'T INCLUDE ADDITIONAL SEX CRIMES PROSECUTORS, WHICH WE NEED THOSE TWO.
UH, BUT I WANTED TO PUT FOUR POSITIONS ON YOUR RADAR.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT LAST YEAR WE GOT EIGHT NEW POSITIONS FOR THE NEW COURT.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE NEEDS OF OF EVERYONE ELSE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT THESE POSITIONS OUT THERE ON THE RADAR.
UH, WE CAN ALWAYS USE THEM, WE ALWAYS NEED 'EM, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND, UH, WE GOT THE EIGHT POSITIONS LAST YEAR FOR THE NEW COURT.
UH, BUT ONE OF THOSE WOULD BE AN APPELLATE LAWYER FOR THE FIVE 12.
SO WHEN THE FIVE 12 COURT WAS CREATED, WE ALWAYS SAID THAT WE HAD A NINTH POSITION ATTACHED TO THAT COURT.
BUT BECAUSE ITS APPEALS AND WE KNEW WE WOULDN'T BE TRYING MANY CASES IN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET YEAR, BUT BY THE TIME WE CRANKED UP, UH, NEXT BUDGET CYCLE, UH, WE ANTICIPATE TRYING A LOT OF CASES IN FRONT OF JUDGE MOORE.
UH, AND OUR APPELLATE LAWYERS NOT ONLY HANDLE THE CASE ON THE BACK END, BUT THEY WORK WITH THE TRIAL TEAMS ON THE FRONT END TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE CHALLENGES LATER ON.
AND SO OUR CONVICTION RATE AND SECURING THOSE CONVICTIONS IS VERY HIGH.
UM, AND IT, IT REALLY, UH, REDUCES THE RISK OF A FALSE, UM, A FALSE CONVICTION OR, UM, ANY SORT OF, UH, OVERTURN ON APPEAL.
AND SO, UM, HAVING THAT ADDITIONAL APPELLATE PROSECUTOR WOULD BE HELPFUL, UM, TO JUST COMPLETE THAT TEAM FOR THE NEW FIVE 12 DISTRICT COURT.
THE OTHER THING IS, WE NOW WITH FOUR COURTS, WE'RE STARTING TO RUN INTO A CHALLENGE BECAUSE WE HAVE A SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT PROSECUTOR ASSIGNED TO EACH COURT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF TO SUPPORT THOSE PROSECUTORS ACROSS ALL FOUR COURTS.
I'VE GOT ONE STAFF MEMBER FOR, FOR ALL THE, THE SPECIAL VICTIMS PROSECUTORS.
I'VE GOT FIVE SPECIAL VICTIMS PROSECUTORS NOT COUNTING THEIR BOSS, THEIR CHIEF, UH, BUT I'VE ONLY GOT ONE INVESTIGATOR FOR THEM AND I ONLY HAVE ONE VICTIM ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR FOR 'EM.
SO SPLITTING UP THEIR TIME ACROSS COURT COURTS HAS BECOME MORE CHALLENGING.
UM, AND SO I WOULD SAY IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, I WOULD NEED A SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT COORDINATOR.
UM, AND THEN I THINK WE'RE MANAGING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A FLOATING INVESTIGATOR, BUT WE COULD USE AN ADDITIONAL SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT INVESTIGATOR ALSO.
UM, JUST WITH THE, WITH ALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS, WITH ADDING ALL THESE EMPLOYEES OVER TIME.
UH, WE'VE PUT IN A REQUEST FROM AN ADDITIONAL ADMIN JUST TO KIND OF HELP WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT TASKS AROUND THE OFFICE.
SO THOSE ARE THE, THOSE ARE THE POSITIONS OF NOTE.
UM, ALSO IN OUR BUDGET, I KNOW THE, THE THINGS THAT ARE USUALLY PRETTY, UH, EXPENSIVE.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT'S OUR SALARY, SO THAT'S THE MOST OF THE BIGGEST PORTION OF OUR BUDGET.
UH, BUT THE OTHER, UH, EXPENSIVE PORTIONS ARE THE TRAINING BUDGET.
UM, THE BUDGET OFFICE HAS ALWAYS DONE THIS, DONE A GOOD JOB OF PROVIDING US WITH TRAINING DOLLARS.
UH, 'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S HOW WE KEEP OURSELVES OUT OF TROUBLE.
WE KEEP OUR, UH, HIGHLY EDUCATED, STAFF EDUCATED, UH, KEEPING THEM CURRENT ON THE CURRENT LAWS.
AND I THINK TRAINING IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT.
UH, TWO OF THE BIG CHALLENGES IN OUR BUDGET, UH, ARE REALLY, WE HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH COMPUTER STORAGE, UM, DEVICES.
[00:35:01]
WE'VE TALKED, WE'VE WORKED WITH ALLISON AND RICHARD OVER THE YEARS.UM, BUT IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE CHALLENGING.
I WORK ON THE, UM, JUNETEENTH CASE.
I'M ONE OF THE THREE LAWYERS TRYING.
CASE DIMS IS GREAT TO GO IN AND PULL WHAT YOU NEED, BUT IT TAKES TIME TO DOWNLOAD THINGS.
SO WE TRY TO TAKE ALL THAT INFORMATION ON A CASE THAT WE'RE TRYING.
WE NEED TO PUT IT ON SOME KIND OF SEPARATE HARD DRIVE.
UM, BUT ALSO THERE'S A LOT OF PHONE DUMPS THAT REALLY DON'T WORK WELL THROUGH THE DUMP SYSTEM AND WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO DEFENSE LAWYERS.
SO WE END UP SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON THESE SORT OF PORTABLE STORAGE DEVICES, WHETHER THEY'RE TWO TERABYTES OR, OR WAY MORE THAN THE TWO TERABYTE DEVICES.
UH, BUT THAT ADDS UP TO QUITE A BIT OF MONEY.
BUT I THINK AS WE GO PAPERLESS, UM, THOSE DEVICES ARE REALLY KIND OF CRITICAL RIGHT NOW TO US SHARING INFORMATION.
UM, AND ALSO JUST USING IT IN OUR, IN OUR, UM, OWN TRIALS, IN OUR OWN WORK HABITS.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGER EXPENSES.
THE OTHER ONE, UH, I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY HAD TO COME BACK TO THE COURT THIS YEAR TO TRANSFER SOME MONEY OVER.
TRIAL EXPENSES ARE REALLY DIFFICULT TO PROJECT 18 MONTHS OUT.
UH, WE HAD TWO REALLY BIG TRIALS HIT THIS YEAR.
UM, WE HAD THE, THE DEATH OF A 6-YEAR-OLD JEREMY DIAZ, UH, WHO WAS BEATEN, UH, WITH A BASEBALL BAT BY HIS NEIGHBOR WHO TURNED OUT TO BE INSANE.
UH, BUT WE WEREN'T JUST GONNA ROLL OVER AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE, WE LOOKED AT EVERY ASPECT POSSIBLE.
WE HIRED OUR OWN EXPERTS, UH, TO, TO REVIEW THE DEFENDANT.
IN THIS CASE, THE DEFENSE HIRED EXPERTS THAT, UH, WAS A, UH, A LONG PROCESS AND, AND COST A LOT OF MONEY.
THE OTHER ONE IS WE HAD THREE CEDAR PARK POLICE OFFICERS THAT WERE SHOT DURING A, UH, KIDNAPPING, UM, ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO NOW THAT DEFENDANT HAD SOME MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
UH, THERE WERE THREE EXPERTS ON THAT CASE ALL BATTLING FOR TWO WEEKS IN A TRIAL.
UM, AND THAT JUST COST A LOT OF MONEY.
SO, TIP TO ANYONE WHO HAS KIDS, SEND THEM INTO FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY.
UM, WHAT A GREAT WAY TO MAKE A LIVING BECAUSE THEY, THEY MAKE A LOT OF MONEY.
UM, SO OUR TRIAL EXPENSES ARE, ARE SIGNIFICANT.
UH, TODAY WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRYING TWO CASES THIS WEEK, AN SEX ASSAULT OF A CHILD.
WE'RE ABOUT TO START ANOTHER TRIAL AND OUR SEX ASSAULT OF A CHILD THIS MORNING.
UH, AND WE HAVE A FENTANYL MURDER CASE THAT'S BEING TRIED.
THE FENTANYL MURDER CASE IS, IS ALSO COSTING A LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE THE TOXICOLOGY WORK WAS SHIPPED OFF TO NMS, WHICH I THINK OF IN NEW JERSEY.
UH, BUT THEY USED FOUR PEOPLE IN THEIR CHAIN OF CUSTODY.
AND TO PROVE THAT UP IN TRIAL, YOU HAVE TO FLY IN FOUR WITNESSES TO PROVE UP THAT CHAIN OF CUSTODY.
AND YOU GOTTA BRING 'EM IN FROM, I THINK IT'S NEW JERSEY.
UM, THAT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY.
AND SO IF WE WANT TO PROSECUTE CASES, UNFORTUNATELY THESE TRIALS ARE STARTING TO BECOME MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE.
IT'S HARD TO PREDICT, BUT WE'RE ASKING FOR A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE, UM, IN OUR TRIAL EXPENSE BUDGET.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE IN OUR BUDGET.
UM, SO THE DEMS, I I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT DEMS 2.0 FOR ABOUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS NOW TOO.
UH, DIGITAL EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IS THE WAY THAT WE SHARE INFORMATION WITH POLICE DEPARTMENTS, DEFENSE LAWYERS, EACH OTHER.
UM, OUR OWN STAFF CAN REVIEW FILES THROUGH THERE.
AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF WORKING GROUPS WORKING ON THIS.
AND THE THE TYPICAL DISCUSSION IS USUALLY AROUND FUNDING, UM, AND TIME.
'CAUSE I KNOW IT HAS A NUMBER OF PROJECTS GOING ON TOO.
UH, BUT THIS REALLY HAS TO BE A PRIORITY.
UM, IT SLOWS EVERYTHING DOWN TREMENDOUSLY, AND IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THINGS RIGHT.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES WE'RE ON THE VERGE OF TRIAL.
WE'RE ABOUT TO GO TO TRIAL, AND THERE'S SOME GLITCH THAT SOMETHING DIDN'T GET IN DEPTHS THE RIGHT WAY OR WASN'T, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, DESCRIBED THE RIGHT WAY.
UM, AND IT SLOWS THAT PROCESS DOWN AND MAKES US HAVE TO RESET THE TRIAL AND START AGAIN.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO MISS EVIDENCE.
I DON'T WANT TO MISS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE IN THAT SYSTEM.
AND THEN WE GET OURSELVES IN TROUBLE LIKE MICHAEL MORTON OR, UH, GREG KELLY.
SO, UM, SO I JUST URGE, AGAIN, LIKE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO, TO HELP WITH DES 2.0.
UH, ANOTHER IDEA THAT MY INVESTIGATORS HAD WAS, UM, JUST SO OUR VEHICLES, WHEN THEY DO GO DOWN, OR EVEN WHEN THEY JUST GO IN THE SHOP FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, OFTEN IT CAN BE DAYS OR WEEKS BEFORE WE CAN GET OUR VEHICLES BACK.
SO, UM, JUST IF THERE'S A WAY TO MAYBE HAVE A FEW MORE LOANERS AVAILABLE THROUGH FLEET FOR ANYONE WHO'S, WHO'S OFF, WHOSE VEHICLES ARE IN THE SHOP, UM, EVEN IF THEY'RE OLD VEHICLES THAT WE JUST STILL KEEP, UH, BUT JUST A WAY TO HAVE SOME LOANERS THAT, UH, FLEET CAN, CAN LEND OUT WHILE THEY'RE WORKING ON THE VEHICLES FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
UM, UH, THIS IS A PRETTY SIMPLE REQUEST.
I'M JUST GONNA ADD ASK TO ADD TO THE BUDGET ORDER.
[00:40:01]
THIS YEAR PASS THE BOARD CERTIFICATION FOR CRIMINAL LAW, UH, AS A PARALEGAL.SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE STATE THAT DID IT THIS YEAR.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO ADD A STIPEND TO HER AND I'LL DO THAT OUT OF ASSET FORFEITURE LIKE I'VE DONE FOR OUR PROSECUTORS.
UH, BUT I KNOW THAT'S A REQUEST TO CHANGE THE BUDDY ORDER TO ADD THAT IN.
UM, ALSO, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT AN ME'S OFFICE.
UH, WE'RE JUST HAVING A LOT OF CHALLENGES, UM, WITH HILL COUNTRY FORENSICS AND, UM, HOW ALL THIS WORKS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FENTANYL MURDER TRIAL'S A GOOD EXAMPLE.
SO, UH, PUT IN MY 2 CENTS TO HELP SUPPORT AN ME'S OFFICE.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO THINK AT SOME POINT, THE OTHER THING I REALLY HAVE APPRECIATED IS JUDGE SNELL, UM, YOUR DESIRE TO HAVE WORKSHOPS.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE MAYBE HAVING SOME WORKSHOPS AROUND SOME OF THESE ISSUES AND SOME JUSTICE ISSUES BECAUSE IT'S A GOOD WAY FOR US TO REALLY TALK BACK AND FORTH AND UNDERSTAND OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE LIMITATIONS COULD BE, BUT ALSO TO REALLY EXPRESS WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
UM, BUT ONE OF THOSE AREAS THAT I DO THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS SERIOUSLY IS, UM, I THINK THERE'S ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS.
THERE'S PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS AROUND HAVING COUNTY IT, UM, HANDLE IT FOR THE DA'S OFFICE, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I REALLY DO THINK WE NEED TO EXPLORE, UM, SEPARATING THOSE FUNCTIONS OUT FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, IT IS, IN MY OPINION, IT IS, IT'S NOT A GREAT IDEA TO HAVE ALL THOSE CONNECTED, UM, IN ONE DEPARTMENT.
I'LL LET DEE OR THE SHERIFF SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, BUT I THINK IT IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE, UH, THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANNA SUPPORT A COUPLE PEOPLE.
SO I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 10 YEARS AND EVERY YEAR I'VE WATCHED THE SHERIFF ASK FOR DOZENS OF POSITIONS.
UM, AND EVERY YEAR THE SHERIFF GETS LIKE TWO OR THREE POSITIONS.
UM, IN MY OPINION, AND I'M JUST SPEAKING FOR ME, IT DOESN'T HELP 'EM IF THEY NEED TO START A WHOLE NEW SHIFT TO GIVE FIVE PEOPLE.
WELL, THEY CAN'T START A WHOLE NEW SHIFT.
THEY NEED 12 PEOPLE TO START THAT SHIFT.
UM, AND SO I I DO THINK, UH, WE'VE GOT A GREAT SHERIFF, THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
IT IS TIME TO CONSIDER THEIR REQUEST TO ADD SIGNIFICANT PERSONNEL TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UH, TO BE ABLE TO FULLY STAFF A SHIFT OR WHATEVER ELSE THEY NEED.
AND OBVIOUSLY SINCE DALE'S DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB, I SUPPORT THAT
B JUST, UH, FIRST OF ALL, UM, SEAN, THANK YOU.
UM, ONE THING YOU MENTIONED WAS THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE.
AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD, AND, AND I DON'T THINK THE WHOLE ROOM KNOWS THE, THE SITUATION THAT WE HAD WITH ONE OF OUR, OUR PARTNERS IN, UH, AUTOPSIES.
I THINK WE HAVE A MEETING COMING UP IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND THIS TAKES US SO MUCH TIME TO GET EVERYBODY IN THE SAME ROOM.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT CONVERSATION, BUT I WANTED YOU IN THE ROOM TO KNOW WE MENTIONED IT, UH, OR I MENTIONED IT AT THE LAST MEETING.
I'VE ASKED, UH, OUR COUNTY MANAGER, REBECCA CLEMONS, TO UM, GIVE, BRING ME ALL THE DATA ABOUT A MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE ISSUE.
KNOW WE'VE GOT THE CAPITAL EXPENSES, WE'VE GOT THE EQUIPMENT SUPPLY EXPENSES, WE'VE GOT THE PERSONAL EXPENSES, WHAT ALL THAT ENTAILS, HOW MUCH THAT OFFICE WOULD NEED, WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR A COUNTY OF OUR SIZE BASED ON THE DATA OF DEATH INQUEST AND, AND AUTOPSIES NEEDED.
UM, AND THERE'S LOTS OF, DEPENDING ON THE DEATH AND THE CAUSE OF DEATH, THERE'S LOTS OF NUANCES TO THAT.
SO IT'S LIKE THE LIST WILL NEVER END, RIGHT.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO POSSIBLE PARTNER WITH OTHER COUNTIES TO SHARE THE COST OF THAT.
NOT SURE HOW THAT WOULD WORK, BUT, BUT THAT IS IN THE WORKS.
AND I DON'T SEE ANYONE FROM ANY JUSTICES LEASE, UM, HERE TODAY.
UM, SO I KNOW THEY HAVE SOME CONCERNS TOO, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE CHARGED WITH THE OVERALL BUDGET, RIGHT? AND SO, BUT WE ALSO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE COUNTY.
SO, SO TOTALLY GET IT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND MY MENTALITY IS, IS HOW MUCH IS NEEDED, NOT WANTED, BUT HOW MUCH IS NEEDED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, FOR THE DA, FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, FOR THE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE? 'CAUSE AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S ONE OF OUR VERY CORE FUNCTION.
IF WE'RE NOT A SAFE COUNTY, THEN EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING FALLS APART.
SO APPRECIATE ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE ROOM, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENTS WHAT, WHAT THEY DO.
EVERYTHING'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE, ESPECIALLY THE STUFF, THE VEHICLES, ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH MONEY.
SO, SO THE FOCUS, UM, THIS YEAR AND EVERY YEAR REALLY NEEDS TO BE DIGGING DOWN ON THOSE NEEDS.
AND WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEED IF YOU DON'T TELL US.
THANK YOU JUDGE DE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE D HOBBS COUNTY ATTORNEY AND
[00:45:01]
I DON'T KNOW, SEAN THREW ME OFF BY THINKING EVERYBODY IS KIND A WEIRD TRYING TO MOVE ON.UH, NO, I JUST, I'M JUST GIVING HIM A HARD TIME.
UM, BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT WHAT HE SAID, AND I WANT TO KIND OF ECHO THAT, BUT IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY.
SO I JOINED THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY FAMILY IN OH ONE WHEN I TOOK AN ENTRY LEVEL POSITION WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF DYNAMICS OF THE COUNTY THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AS WE'VE GROWN, AS PEOPLE COME ON, AS PEOPLE HAVE RETIRED OR LEFT OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
AND I'VE, I'VE HINTED AT THIS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT I REALLY WANT TO BRING IT TO THE FOREFRONT HERE, IS I, I DON'T REMEMBER A TIME WHEN WE AS A GROUP BETWEEN ELECTED OFFICIALS, DEPARTMENT HEADS AND EVERYBODY ELSE HAVE COLLABORATED MORE, WORK TOGETHER MORE.
UM, IT HAS BEEN ASTONISHING COURT, UM, WHAT I HAVE SEEN.
AND WE INTERACT WITH A LOT OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND A LOT OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND IT'S, IT IS JUST NICE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD WHEN A COUNTY IS GROWING AS FAST AS WE ARE IN THE NEEDS THAT YOU HAVE.
BUT WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE EVERYBODY'S IN THE BOAT WITH YOU ROLLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION, IT, THERE IS COMFORT IN THAT.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE DIET, YOU KNOW, UM, OFTEN IT IS NOT THAT WE DON'T GET WHAT WE WANT, IT'S OFTEN IN THE PAST YEARS THAT WE FELT NO ONE WAS LISTENING.
AND I KNOW THAT BUDGET OFFICE MADE A HUGE IMPACT WITH Y'ALL SETTING UP THE MEETINGS AND LETTING US TALK TO Y'ALL, REALLY LAY OFF THE PLAN.
AND SO THAT I FEEL COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT THAT Y'ALL UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM ON OUR NEEDS.
AND FOR THE LONGEST TIME, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THE DIOCESE REALLY KNEW WHAT OUR NEEDS WERE.
I DIDN'T KNOW THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BUDGET AND Y'ALL OR US.
BUT I CAN SAY HERE RECENTLY, AND ESPECIALLY IN THIS LAST YEAR, I'VE WORKED WITH EACH ONE OF Y'ALL ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS OR DIFFERENT THINGS.
COMMISSIONER COVEY, NOT ONLY WERE YOU HELPING WITH THE JUSTICE CENTER, BUT YOU SAVED OUR BACON WHEN IT CAME TO DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND WITH WHATEVER WAS GOING, EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON THERE.
AND WHERE WE STARTED WHEN YOU GOT THE WORKING GROUP TOGETHER AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY IS AMAZING.
BUT VISITING WITH EACH ONE OF Y'ALL AND THE QUESTIONS YOU'VE ASKED, KIND OF AT LEAST MAKES IT FEEL THAT WE'RE HEARD AND THAT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.
I GAVE Y'ALL A PIECE OF PAPER SO THAT I DON'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME.
'CAUSE MY ASK IS, AS IT HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, IS, IS PEOPLE, THE REST OF THE BUDGET IS PRETTY STATIC WITH JUST MINOR ADJUSTMENTS HERE AND THERE.
I GAVE YOU SOME STATS THERE THAT DOESN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBERS BEHIND THEM OR WHY THERE'S SO MANY FACTORS COMING TOGETHER RIGHT NOW, OTHER THAN JUST INCREASE IN WORKLOAD.
THERE ARE PRESSURES FROM THE STATE TO NOT ONLY DO WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT DO IT FASTER AND WITH FEWER MISTAKES.
AND THOSE TWO DON'T NORMALLY GO TOGETHER.
YOU WANT US TO DO IT FASTER, BUT YOU WANT US TO DO IT WITH LESS.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE US ABILITY TO MAKE A MISTAKE.
AND SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO INTO THIS ASK, AND Y'ALL HAVE BEEN, AND I DON'T WANT THIS ASK TO SEEM LIKE I'M SAYING Y'ALL HAVE IGNORED ME.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE NOT, Y'ALL HAVE HELPED ME, Y'ALL HAVE KEPT ME OUT OF THE FIERY PITS OF DESPAIR.
BUT WITH PROSECUTION, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, MAKE SURE THAT SOMETHING'S NOT A ONE OFF.
THAT THERE'S A TREND, THAT THIS IS A PATTERN.
AND THAT'S WHY I GAVE YOU A FEW YEARS TO LOOK AT HERE.
AND HISTORICALLY SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THE COUNTY, THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICES HAVE TO LAG BEHIND.
THEY HAVE TO, SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT ARE WE REALLY SEEING, THE INCREASE THAT WE'RE SEEING.
BUT THEN AT SOME POINT, THERE'S A HUGE SNAPBACK THAT HAS TO HAPPEN.
AND IN YEARS PAST, THE FIRST ONE, I WAS A PART OF THE OFFICE DOUBLE AT THAT POINT.
AND SO AT SOME POINT THERE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE THAT SNAPBACK THAT, THAT, THAT CATCH UP.
UM, SO THAT WE CONTINUE TO SERVE ALL THE AREAS IN THE COUNTY, BUT I DIDN'T WANT ANYONE TO SEE THAT.
I'M ASKING FOR 17, SO Y'ALL HAVE A PIECE OF PAPER SO EVERYBODY KNOWS.
I'M ASKING FOR 17 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE, THE ENTIRE OFFICE.
UM, AND I'LL BE GLAD TO SIT DOWN WITH Y'ALL AND GO INTO MORE DETAIL, BUT I DID GIVE YOU SOME OF THE STATS SO THAT I KNOW THAT I WAS IN A MEETING WITH THE COUNTY JUDGE AND HE, I SAID SOMETHING OFFHAND AND I WAS ASKING FOR 17.
HE GOES, ARE YOU BEING SARCASTIC? ARE YOU BEING, ARE YOU, ARE YOU, UH, ARE YOU EXAGGERATING TO MAKE A POINT? NO, THAT, NO JUDGE, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS MY ASS THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, AGAIN, I CAN GO OVER THAT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY MORE TIME UP TO DATE.
BUT OTHER THAN SAY THANK YOU, AND I WILL PUT A PLUG IN FOR IT, BECAUSE THE EFFICIENCIES THAT WE DO HAVE IS BECAUSE THEY WORK REALLY GOOD WITH US ON SOME CRAZY IDEAS AND, UM, AND PUTTING IN, ESPECIALLY AUTHORIZING USE OF AI AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING.
SO NOT ONLY AM I ASKING FOR PEOPLE, BUT WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO SQUEEZE OUT, UH, EFFICIENCIES.
AND JUST SO YOU'LL KNOW, FOR THE LONGEST TIME, OUR OFFICE WAS ENDING UP IN THE HIGH TURNOVER AREA.
AND JUDGE ASKED ME THIS WHEN WE WERE IN THAT MEETING, WELL, HOW MANY OPENINGS DO YOU HAVE? AT THAT TIME, ONE YOUNG LADY HAD PUT IN HER NOTICE TO MOVE CLOSER BACK TO FAMILY, BUT SHE HADN'T LEFT.
AND SO THIS IS AN IDEA FOR PERSONNEL AFTER I KNOW WHAT WE COULD DO WHEN WE ARE FULLY STAFFED.
[00:50:01]
Y'ALL.UM, JAMESON PENTON, UH, COMMUNITY SUPERVISION AND CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT, EXCUSE ME, ALSO KNOWN AS ADULT PROBATION, UM, OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS TO KIND OF SPREAD THE THANK YOUS AROUND FOR SURE.
UM, THE AGENCY HAS REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON INCREASING INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WHEN I CAME ON, I FELT WAS LACKING FOR VARIOUS REASONS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.
AND I WANT TO THANK SO MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WHO HAVE REALLY CONTRIBUTED TO US REACHING SOME OF THOSE GOALS AND CONTINUING TO HELP US AS WE, UM, REALLY FORMALIZE SOME PROCESSES AND GET THOSE THINGS DONE.
AS OF THIS MORNING, THE CSED IS SUPERVISING 4,534 CRIMINAL CASES, UM, TASKED TO OUR DEPARTMENT TO SUPERVISE IN THE COUNTY AND OUTSIDE THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE SEVEN LOCATIONS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, UH, INCLUDING CENTRAL TEXAS FREEDOM CENTER AT THE END OF MAY.
UM, WITHIN ALL THOSE LOCATIONS, I'M GONNA HAVE ONE OFFICE SPACE LEFT.
UM, WE'RE SEEING INCREASES OF ROUGHLY 30 TO 32 ADDITIONAL CASES PLACED ON SUPERVISION EACH MONTH.
THAT INCLUDES THE PEOPLE BEING DISCHARGED AND THE PEOPLE BEING ADDED ON.
UM, I HAVE A, A DEEP CONCERN THAT WE ARE GOING TO RUN OUT OF SPACE.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED TO BE CREATIVE WITH.
UM, WE, WE'VE DONE THINGS OVER THE PAST AS FAR AS, UH, ONE OF MY GOALS WAS ALSO SHRINKING ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND STAFF.
UH, WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN DOING THAT TO ENSURE THAT OUR RESOURCES ARE BEING IMPORTANT IN THE FIELD WHERE I FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE THE BEST IMPACT ON POSITIVELY IMPACTING PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, WHILE I WISH THE STATE WOULD STEP UP AND DO THEIR JOB, UM, THEY DON'T ALWAYS DO THAT.
WE HAVE FOUND WAYS, UM, TRANSPARENTLY AND ETHICALLY TO BE VERY CREATIVE WITH THE CSP BUDGET TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY AND BEING ABLE TO DO OUR JOB, UH, ACROSS THE COUNTY TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING APPROPRIATE SUPERVISION TO THESE INDIVIDUALS.
WE'RE TASKED WITH SUPERVISING.
UM, AND I THINK THAT ALSO SPEAKS TOWARDS THE, OUR, OUR SUCCESS RATES.
WE ARE ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CSDS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT IS THANKS TO DISTRICT ATTORNEY, COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS WHO HAVE THEIR HANDS IN THAT.
SO WE'RE EXTREMELY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
UH, RIGHT NOW MY ASK IS SPACE.
UM, I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS SPACE, AND I KNOW SPACE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MONEY, UM, AT, WITH WHERE WE ARE SITTING AS A COUNTY RIGHT NOW.
AND I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HAD, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THOSE THINGS ARE GONNA GET DONE MOVING FORWARD.
AS I SAID, UM, AS A TAXPAYER IN WILLIAMS COUNTY, I WISH THE STATE WOULD STEP UP AND, AND BE ABLE TO, UM, CHANGE THE ARCHAIC.
AND IN SAME WAY, THE CSDS ARE FUNDED ACROSS THE STATE.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE NOT PREPARED OR NOT WILLING TO DO THAT.
UM, I KNOW THAT OTHER COUNTIES THAT WE OFTEN, UM, NOT NEAR O OTHER COUNTIES THAT WE OFTEN USE, COLIN, UM, FORT BEND, MONTGOMERY, UH, WHEN, WHEN THEIR POPULATIONS BEGAN INCREASING AS WE'RE SEEING HERE IN WILLIAMS COUNTY, THOSE COUNTIES DID STEP IN AND PROVIDED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO CSS IN ADDITION TO THE STATUTORY OBLIGATED RESOURCES THAT THE COUNTIES ARE ABLE TO DO.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THAT AT THIS TIME.
WE ARE, WE'RE REMAINING CREATIVE AND, AND DOING THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO MAINTAIN THOSE THINGS OURSELF, BUT I DO BELIEVE IN THE FUTURE THAT THAT WILL PROBABLY BECOME NECESSARY IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SAME AMOUNT OF SERVICES WE'RE CURRENTLY.
WE ARE ASKING FOR TWO IN OUR BUDGET.
AND THEN OUR MAIN FOCUS, AS JOY MENTIONED, IS THE WORKDAY PROJECT.
THAT'S GONNA BRING A LOT OF CHANGE ACROSS THE COUNTY.
AND SO I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK EACH OF YOU WHO HAVE OFFERED UP A STAFF PERSON IN YOUR OFFICE TO BE A CHANGE MANAGEMENT CHAMPION ON THAT PROJECT.
THERE'S ABOUT 25 OR 26 ACROSS THE COUNTY THAT RICHARD SENT AN EMAIL OUT TO, AND I KNOW THEY'LL BE MEETING SOON.
UM, THIS, I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD BITS AND PIECES.
WE GAVE A REPORT RICHARD AND I DID TO THE COURT LAST, UH, LAST WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO.
UH, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS.
THIS IS NOT REPLACING THE TIMEKEEPING SYSTEM, BUT IT IS REPLACING HOW YOU DO YOUR EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT, HOW YOU DO OPEN ENROLLMENT, HOW YOU'LL DO YOUR ONBOARDING TASKS IN HR, JUST TO NAME A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT TOUCH EACH ONE OF YOU EVERY DAY.
JOY, I, THE LAST THREE DAYS HAVE BEEN BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IN THE IT BUILDING, UH, WITH MUCH OF OUR TEAMS. UH, SOME MORE OF THOSE MEETINGS NEXT WEEK, AND THE BIG PUSH WILL START IN MID-JULY TO THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
[00:55:03]
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR JULIE? ALRIGHT, WELL GOOD MORNING.I'M THE DIRECTOR OF JUVENILE SERVICES.
AND, UH, JUST I THINK THE THEME FOR TODAY IS GIVEN GRATITUDE AND, UH, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT, THAT HEART FOR, UH, UH, FOR THAT, FOR THAT TOPIC.
UH, RAY WILEY, HUBBARD, GREAT COUNTRY MUSIC CENTER, SAYS, UH, THE DAYS I KEEP MY GRATITUDE HIGHER THAN MY EXPECTATIONS.
I HAVE REALLY GOOD DAYS AND I TRY TO, TRY TO FOLLOW THAT.
UM, SO I WANT TO FOLLOW THE SAME THING AND SAY THANK YOU, UH, TO Y'ALL FOR THE SUPPORT THAT YOU PROVIDE JUVENILE SERVICES YEAR OVER YEAR.
WE ARE, UH, BLESSED HERE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
UH, I, I LOOK AROUND THE STATE AND THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE SAME SUPPORT FROM COMMISSIONER'S COURT OR EVEN FROM JUVENILE BOARD IN A LOT OF CASES.
AND THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO POURS INTO US, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, IT DALE OVER THERE, FACILITIES, VIRTUALLY EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, I HAVE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR THINGS AS YOU ALL KNOW.
WE, WE'VE GOT THE EXPANSION, UH, COMING ON AND IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT NEXT MARCH OR APRIL, UM, WE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE OUT OF OUR EXISTING FACILITY, WHICH IS GOING TO BE UNDER A REMODEL INTO THE NEW PART OF THE FACILITY.
UM, WHEN THAT COMES, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CONTROL ROOM THAT'S GONNA BE UPDATED AND WE WANT TO HAVE DESIGNATED STAFF OF THAT CONTROL ROOM.
AND SO WE'RE ASKING FOR SUPERVISOR AND FOR STAFF TO, TO MAN THAT CONTROL ROOM.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE WAY WE HAVE IT NOW, IT'S 24 YEARS OLD AND IT'S A, IT'S A, UH, UH, THE HOLD AREA IS THERE, THE INTAKE AREA IS THERE, THE PUBLIC COMES IN, YOU'RE WATCHING KIDS THAT ARE IN HOLD, YOU'RE WATCHING CAMERAS.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A DESIGNATED, UH, CONTROL ROOM THE WAY IT SHOULD BE, LIKE OVER AT THE, AT THE, AT THE JAIL.
UM, SO THAT'S OUR BIGGEST ASK AND WE WON'T REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL NEED, NEED THAT FOR HALF THE YEAR.
UM, AND THEN ONCE THE REMODEL OCCURS, THEN WE'LL BE ASKING FOR MORE STAFF AS WE EXPAND.
YOU KNOW, EXPAND OUT OVER TIME IS AN ISSUE FOR US.
WE HAD, UH, I THINK $225,000 IN OVERTIME THIS YEAR WITH WORKERS' COMP, FMLA.
UH, WE HAVE AT THE FRONT END OF OUR SYSTEM IN FACILITIES, WE HAVE ABOUT 85 EMPLOYEES.
THERE'S ABOUT FIVE OR SIX THAT ARE ALWAYS VACANT, THAT WE'RE ROTATING.
WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, ENTRY LEVEL STUFF.
UH, SO WITH THOSE, THOSE NUMBERS OUT, OVERTIME GOES UP.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT.
UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR LETTING US APPLY FOR GRANTS.
UH, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL GET SOME GRANTS TO HELP IMPROVE SOME OF OUR, UH, SERVICES TO YOUTH AND EXPAND SOME OF OUR SERVICES IF THOSE COME THROUGH.
UM, WE HAVE SOME AUDIO VISUAL ISSUES WITH OUR TRAINING ROOM.
UH, IT'S NOT COMPATIBLE TO A LOT OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT PEOPLE BRING IN FOR TRAINING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT UH, REQUESTING FUNDS FOR, UH, THE REPLACEMENT OF THAT.
UM, IF WE DON'T GET IT, WE'LL, WE'LL WIN ALONG, WE'LL MAKE, WE'LL MAKE DUE.
UM, BUT THAT'S REALLY OUR ASK.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S, UM, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS OUR, OUR MEDICAL STAFF.
THAT'S REALLY HARD RIGHT NOW TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH NURSES, UH, WITH, WITH THIS, WITH THE DEMAND THAT'S OUT THERE.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S A LIABILITY FOR US.
WE, WE NEED SOME FOLKS THAT ARE GONNA STAY AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, WITH THAT, I'LL YIELD AND PASS IT ON.
GOOD MORNING, AMY HOFFMAN, RISK MANAGEMENT, AND WE HAVE NO MAJOR NEEDS.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL FERNANDEZ AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF VETERAN SERVICES.
SO, I FIRST WANT TO JUST KIND OF CONTINUE ON THE APPRECIATION FOR THE COLLABORATION.
I, I'VE REACHED OUT TO, I'VE BEEN THE DIRECTOR SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2023.
I'VE REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS AND I'VE NEVER RECEIVED ANY RESISTANCE.
SO, ONCE AGAIN, WE NEED TO COMMEND OURSELVES AND OUR STAFF FOR JUST HAVING THAT OPEN AND WILLINGNESS TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
'CAUSE INDIVIDUALLY WE CAN DO SOME GOOD THINGS, BUT TOGETHER WE CAN DO SOME GREAT THINGS.
AND SO I WANT TO CONTINUE ON WITH THANKING THE COMMISSIONER'S FOR, FOR Y'ALL'S CONTINUED SUPPORT OF VETERAN SERVICES WITH NOT ONLY YOUR WORDS, BUT WITH YOUR ACTIONS.
UH, SO, SO FOR US, WE HAVE TWO FTE REQUESTS.
UM, INITIALLY WHEN I MET WITH SOME OF THE COURT MEMBERS, I HAD KIND OF DISCUSSED POTENTIALLY SUBMITTING FOUR REQUESTS, BUT JUST REEVALUATING THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY AND WHAT WAS EFFICIENT FOR OUR, OR APPROPRIATE FOR OUR OFFICE.
I DECREASED THAT TO ONE, UH, TWO FTE REQUESTS, ONE VETERAN SUPPORT SPECIALIST, AND ONE ASSISTANT VETERAN SERVICE OFFICER.
AND THAT HELPS US HAVE A PROACTIVE APPROACH AND NOT A REACTIVE APPROACH.
WHAT IS OUR WILMINGTON COUNTY VETERAN COMMUNITY HAS COME TO EXPECT? AS MANY OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE ROOM KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE A GREAT REPUTATION,
[01:00:01]
WE NOW HAVE ONE OF THE BEST REPUTATIONS, NOT ONLY IN THE STATE, BUT IN THE NATION.ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, I WAS IN THE HILL IN DC HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH SEVERAL OTHER DIRECTORS OF VETERAN SERVICES ALONG WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE DA, THE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE VA, AND THE UNDERSECRETARY OF THE VA.
AND THEY REALLY COMMENDED WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
SO IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THAT GREAT WORK, YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED THOSE NEW BODIES.
UM, I MET WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UH, CHRISTOPHER MEYER EARLIER LAST YEAR, AND WE, WE WERE ABLE TO SOLIDIFY THE NEW VA CLINIC THAT WILL BE OPENING UP IN ROUND ROCK FALL 2027.
THAT'S A $44 MILLION PROJECT THAT THE COUNTY DOES, REALLY DOES NOT HAVE TO INVEST IN THE INITIALLY JUST SUPPORTIVE SERVICES IS REALLY WHAT THE VA'S KIND OF LOOKING FOR.
AND I, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH THE COURT AND HAVING THOSE CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS.
UM, EACH BOARD MEMBER HAS PROVIDED DIRECT SUPPORT.
I MEAN, COMMISSIONER COBY, WE WENT TO THE CAPITOL TO GO TESTIFY FOR OUR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE GRANT, AND WE GOT IT $300,000 FOR OUR WILLING COUNTY VETERAN COMMUNITY.
SO THAT BRINGS A TOTAL, SINCE WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR THREE YEARS OF OVER $700,000 BROUGHT INTO WILLIAMSON COUNTY COMMUNITY.
SO TO CONTINUE THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR GREAT WORK THAT THE STAFF HAS DONE, BECAUSE INDIVIDUALLY WE'RE GOOD, BUT TOGETHER WE'RE GREAT.
UH, WE HAVE A STILL A 99% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RATE, AND THAT'S BEING REPORTED BY THE VETERAN COMMUNITY.
WOULD BY STAFF ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE GIVE THOSE THE COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US FEEDBACK.
HOW WELL ARE WE DOING OR WHAT CAN WE IMPROVE ON? AND THEY DO GIVE US THAT FEEDBACK.
RIGHT NOW, WE STILL HAVE A 99% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RATE.
AND IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THAT, WE DO NEED THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE COURT WITH THESE BODIES.
UM, LIKE MANY INDIVIDUALS, I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCIAL, UH, IMPACT RIGHT ON THE TAXPAYERS.
AND I DO NOT TAKE THAT LIGHTLY.
UM, ESPECIALLY I'M A TAXPAYER AS WELL, AND I'M ALSO THAT.
AND SO FOR ME, ONCE AGAIN, UH, I, FOR US TO BE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, AND TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS COME TO EXPECT, I HUMBLY ASK FOR, FOR Y'ALL TO LOOK FOR THOSE POSITIONS.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MYSELF? THANK YOU.
UM, I'M JAMIE BREW, THE DIRECTOR FOR PRETRIAL SERVICES.
UM, I DID WANNA THANK COMMISSIONER COURT FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
I, I'VE MADE IT TO MY TWO YEARS.
UM, AND SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, WE'VE, I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM, UM, COMMISSIONER COURT AND A LOT OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UM, IN THIS ROOM.
UM, FOR PRETRIAL SERVICES, WE HAVE TWO REQUESTS.
UM, THE FIRST ONE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS RELATED TO OUR ALCOHOL MONITORING PROGRAM.
UM, FOR FY 25, YOU ALL HAD APPROVED A POSITION FOR US, FOR A PRETRIAL OFFICER FOR THE COUNTY COURT TO LAW TO HELP THEM.
UM, WITH THAT ALCOHOL MONITORING PROGRAM AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE COURTS WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, UM, WE QUICKLY FOUND OUT AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT WE NEEDED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
AND SO, UM, THIS YEAR YOU HAD ALLOWED US TO RECLASSIFY TWO OF OUR PRETRIAL SPECIALISTS, TWO PRETRIAL OFFICERS BECAUSE OF THE, THE DUTIES IS NOT ADMINISTRATIVE, IT'S MORE SUPERVISION.
AND THOSE, THOSE OFFICERS ARE ACTUALLY INVOLVED WITH CONTACTING THE DEFENDANT, FINDING OUT FIGURE, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE, WHY THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE, AND TRY TO GET THEM BACK ON TRACK.
SO THERE'S MORE SUPERVISION BEING, UM, OR COMMUNICATION BEING DONE WITH THE DEFENDANT.
WE HAVE ONE MORE PRETRIAL SPECIALIST POSITION THAT WE WANT TO RECLASSIFY FOR FY 27 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING FOR IT THIS YEAR.
AND SET THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE REQUESTS.
UM, I WILL SAY THIS, MY STAFF IS AWESOME.
UM, I COULD NOT RUN THE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT THEM, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING PAID FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND SO IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE PERFORMING DUTIES AS AN OFFICER, PRETRIAL OFFICER, THEN THAT POSITION SHOULD BE RECLASSED AS SUCH.
UM, THE OTHER REQUEST THAT I HAVE IS FOR AN OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR.
UM, SO WE NEED SOMEONE THAT CAN HELP OUT WITH, UH, PROCESS PROCESSING THE PCARDS, DOING A LOT OF THE, THE INVOICING, UM, HELPING WITH THE BUDGET AND ALL OF THAT.
ADD THOSE TWO, I WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO TRY TO GET THAT PRETRIAL SPECIALIST RECLASS TO A PRETRIAL OFFICER.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? ALL RIGHT.
UM, I WANNA START WITH GRATITUDE AS WELL, AND THANK THE COURT FOR OUR NEW BUILDING.
WE ARE VERY, VERY EXCITED TO BE MOVING INTO THE NEW ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, PARTICULARLY THE STUDIO, WHICH IS GONNA PROVIDE US MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR DOING,
[01:05:01]
UM, VIDEOS AND VIDEO WORK.UM, KIND OF CONNECTED TO THAT, UH, MY ASK FOR THIS YEAR IS FOR A GRAPHIC DESIGNER, BECAUSE MY MULTIMEDIA SPECIALIST WHO DOES VIDEOS, SPENDS A GOOD DEAL OF HIS TIME DOING GRAPHICS.
UM, AND WHILE HE CAN DO BOTH, UH, IT IS TAKING AWAY TIME THAT HE COULD BE DOING VIDEOS AND OTHER THINGS.
AND AS, UM, THERE ARE MORE REQUESTS FROM DEPARTMENTS FOR A VARIETY OF DESIGN TYPES OF NEEDS, UM, A GRAPHIC DESIGNER COULD HELP WITH, WITH A LOT OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, WE'RE ASKING TO HELP WITH SIGNAGE TYPES OF THINGS.
UM, WE'RE DOING A LOT FOR INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS WITH MESSAGE BOARDS, KIOSKS AND THINGS.
AND SO, UM, SOMEBODY WITH A DESIGN BACKGROUND THAT CAN HELP WITH A LOT OF THESE THINGS WILL BE HELPFUL.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE HAVE THE NEW A DA, UM, ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
UM, WE'RE FINDING OUT MORE AND MORE HOW MUCH THAT IS IMPACTING.
UM, EVERYTHING THAT TOUCHES THE AGENDA, UH, IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE AADA A ACCESSIBLE BECAUSE IT IS ONLINE.
ANYTHING THAT'S DIGITAL, UM, NEEDS TO BE A DA ACCESSIBLE.
AND SO AS WE GET MORE AND MORE INTO THAT WITH FINDING MORE AND MORE PLACES THAT, THAT IS, IS, UM, BECOMING, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE ALL NEED TO LEARN.
UM, BUT, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE THE FINAL KIND OF CHECKS AND BALANCES ON THAT.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS REALLY IT FOR, UM, FOR AS FAR AS PERSONNEL, UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT TRYING TO UPDATE OUR CAMERA EQUIPMENT, AND SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT AND INCLUDING THAT.
IT'S NOT A HUGE ASK LIKE SOME THINGS LIKE THE COST OF TASERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT IS UPGRADING OUR HAMMER EQUIPMENT, UM, AND SOME LIGHTING FOR THE STUDIO.
CONNIE, UM, ON THE TOPIC OF A DA WHILE YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.
LET ME TAKE A QUICK, LIKE 60,000 FOOT OVERVIEW IN CASE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE IT AFFECTS EVERY SINGLE PERSON HERE AND WHAT THEY PUT OUT ON THEIR WEBSITE.
SO, UM, THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED THAT, UM, IN ORDER TO HELP ALL OF OUR PUBLIC UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT THAT GOVERNMENT IS DOING, UM, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENTS ARE REQUIRING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT IS DIGITALLY ACCESSIBLE, EVERYTHING ON OUR WEBSITE IS A DA ACCESSIBLE.
AND SO THAT MEANS PEOPLE THAT ARE BLIND CAN USE READERS, UM, ON THE WEBSITE, AND THAT THE READERS WILL ACCURATELY READ BACK TO SOMEONE WHAT IS ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, THAT IMPACTS THINGS LIKE YOUR HEADERS ON YOUR WEBSITE.
IT IMPACTS IMAGES THAT YOU PUT OUT.
SO YOU NEED TO HAVE ALL TEXT ON IMAGES, UM, YOUR PDFS AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE ARE ABLE TO BE, UM, READ, UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE COLORBLIND, UM, MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE CORRECT COLOR CONTRAST ON ANYTHING THAT YOU DESIGN SO THAT PEOPLE WHO, UM, HAVE COLORBLINDNESS ARE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT INFORMATION.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HELPING ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS DOING.
UM, AND SO IT'S THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD A HIGH FOCUS ON IN THE PAST, BUT ARE BEING REQUIRED.
AND THAT REQUIREMENT STARTS APRIL 24TH.
AND SO THAT'S ANYTHING THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH AND, UM, CHECKING THE WEBSITE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SITEIMPROVE, WHO IS A CONSULTANT THAT'S HELPING US WITH THINGS ON THE WEBSITE, BUT IT ALSO HELPS IF, AS YOU PUT THINGS ON THE WEBSITE THAT WE ARE DESIGNING THEM FOR A DA ACCESSIBILITY IN THE FUTURE INCLUDES ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.
AND SO WE'VE STARTED DOING TRAININGS ON THESE VARIOUS TOPICS.
WE'VE HAD ONE ALREADY ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, WE HAD ONE YESTERDAY THAT WAS UNFORTUNATELY VERY TECHNICAL
WE TRIED TO, UM, BREAK THAT DOWN AND WE'RE PROVIDING SOME MORE STEP-BY-STEP TYPES OF THINGS FOR PEOPLE SO THAT IT'S EASIER TO FOLLOW SOME OF THE SIMPLE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE YOUR DOCUMENTS MORE A DA ACCESSIBLE.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE TRAININGS.
BUT IT IS EFFECTIVE APRIL 24TH.
AND WE DO HAVE A, A PAGE ON THE WEBSITE THAT SAYS, IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE ACCESSING ANYTHING, PLEASE CONTACT US.
WE CAN, WE CAN ACCOMMODATE YOU IF YOU ARE HAVING ANY ISSUES.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT IS KIND OF A SAFETY NET.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE BIG PROBLEM IS THAT WE COULD BE SUED, UH, FOR NOT HAVING THINGS ACCESSIBLE.
UM, AND SO WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO, TO DO THAT AND TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO EVERYBODY SO THAT AS YOU CREATE YOUR DOCUMENTS, YOU'RE JUST BUILDING A DA ACCESSIBILITY INTO THEM.
AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT, UH, THAT WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP ON FIXING AFTER THE FACT.
UM, IT IS JUST SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF A NEW PROCESS THAT WE ALL NEED TO GET USED TO.
AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO MAKE THAT AS EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND TO DO AS POSSIBLE.
UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AADA? A ACCESSIBILITY PART? IS, IS ALL THAT AVAILABLE TO GO BACK AND WATCH
[01:10:01]
ONLINE? SO THE, THE TWO WEBINARS THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR INTERNALLY ARE AVAILABLE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT, UM, THE ONE YESTERDAY WE KIND OF FELT THAT WAS DONE BY OUR CONSULTANT AND IT WAS WAY TOO TECHNICAL.AND SO WE DO HAVE JUST A SUMMARY SHEET THAT HAS BEEN SENT OUT THAT PEOPLE COULD GO BACK.
AND IT DOES GET STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS JUST ON SIMPLE THINGS LIKE MAKING SURE YOU'RE SETTING YOUR, UM, HEADERS UP CORRECTLY IN A DOCUMENT, BUT YOU'RE USING THE HEADER STYLES THAT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, SETTING TABLES UP CORRECTLY SO THAT THEY CAN BE READ BY A SCREEN READER.
UM, AND SO WE WILL HAVE ALL OF THAT AVAILABLE.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT HAVING A SHAREPOINT PAGE FOR ALL OF THAT AS WELL, SO THAT PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO GO TO ONE SPOT TO GET A DA ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION.
AND ANDY GROVE, OUR UM, WEB CONTENT PERSON IS OUR SPECIALIST ON IT, AND HE'S AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THEN? DEADLINE COMING UP 20 APRIL 24TH.
THAT INCLUDES OTHER APPLICATIONS TOO, THE PUBLIC FACING TO WEBSITE, NOT JUST THE WEBSITE.
AND SO I KNOW IT'S BEEN WORKING VERY HARD ON THAT PART OF IT.
UM, ANY OF THOSE ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS THAT, THAT YOU ALL HAVE THAT TIE INTO THE WEBSITE, IT APPLIES TO THEM TOO.
SO IT'S ALL DIGITAL COMMUNICATION THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE A DA ACCESSIBLE.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THOSE VENDORS ON AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE GUARANTEEING THAT, UM, WHAT THEY PROVIDE IS A DA ACCESSIBLE TOO.
UM, I'M ALEXIS FINE, OBVIOUSLY NOT MISTY.
UM, SO WE HAVE THREE ASKS AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
I'M THE OPERATIONS MANAGER THERE.
UM, ONE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, WHICH IS A CUSTOMER SERVICE SPECIALIST POSITION.
UH, WE GET ABOUT 20,000 OR MORE CALLS A YEAR TO THE SHELTER.
AND OUR MOST FREQUENT COMPLAINT IS THAT THERE IS NO ONE TO ANSWER BECAUSE THE STAFF ON SITE ARE ALL HELPING THE PEOPLE AT THE, THAT ARE PHYSICALLY AT THE SHELTER.
UM, SO THIS POSITION WILL HELP STRENGTHEN COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC AND RESIDENTS AND GET THEM ISSUES RESOLVED BEFORE THEY HAVE TO COME TO THE SHELTER.
UM, WE'RE ALSO ASKING FOR A NEW VAN, UH, ONE OF OUR VEHICLES.
IT'S NOT BEEN RETIRED BY FLEET, HOWEVER, IT'S A 2007, I BELIEVE, AND THE ROOF IS COMPLETELY RUSTED.
AND SO WATER IS GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE, UM, ON THE DASHBOARD AND THINGS.
SO IT'S PROBABLY ONLY A MATTER OF TIME.
UM, AND IT BREAKS DOWN RATHER FREQUENTLY, SO WE TEND TO ONLY BE ABLE TO USE IT VERY LOCALLY.
UM, THE OTHER THING WE'RE ASKING FOR IS, UH, FACILITIES HAS PROVIDED A LIST OF REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE SINKS FOR THE SHELTER THAT NEED TO BE COMPLETED IN THE NEXT YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS? JUST THAT WE ARE, YOU MIGHT MENTION THE ADDITIONAL, UH, THE ADD-ON SPACE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, WE ARE WORKING TO ADD ON A NEW BUILDING OF KENNELS.
I BELIEVE IT'S LIKE A HUNDRED LARGE DOGS.
UM, THERE'S A LITTLE MEDIUM DOG AREA.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER IN THAT ROOM RIGHT NOW.
BUT, UM, HOPEFULLY WE'RE TRYING TO GET BREAK GROUND SOONER
'CAUSE WE DEFINITELY NEED THAT SPACE NOW.
UM, BUT WE'RE EXCITED FOR THAT, UH, COMING UP AND YEAH, I'LL JUST SAY, OH, SO YOU GOTTA DO THAT WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FULL, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE? YES.
WE'RE WE ARE TRYING TO DO THAT, YES.
YES, BECAUSE, UH, THIS IS BECAUSE WE, UH, JOINED FORCES WITH GEORGETOWN MM-HMM
AND GEORGETOWN IS PAYING FOR THIS, THIS PROJECT JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS.
AND WHEN WE DID MERGE, UM, WE ALREADY HAVE POSITIONS WE ADDED FOR OUR SATELLITE LOCATION, WHICH IS AT THE OLD GEORGETOWN SHELTER.
I BELIEVE IT'S SEVEN OR EIGHT EMPLOYEES THAT WERE ADDED FOR THAT.
AND SO ONCE WE'RE ALL AT ONE LOCATION, THEY WILL MOVE OVER AND WE'LL BE ASSISTING WITH OPERATIONS AT THE MAIN SHELTER.
AND GEORGETOWN PAID MORE, UH, OPERATIONALLY BECAUSE OF THIS INCREASE OF PERSONNEL.
SO EVERYBODY WOULD KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING TO, UM, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BREAK GROUND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WHICH MEANS HOPEFULLY THIS YEAR OR THE FIRST OF NEXT YEAH.
LARRY G UH, TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR, WELCOME TO THE TAX COMP 1 0 1.
UH, I'D LIKE TO PREFACE MY CONVERSATION, UH, REAL QUICK WITH JUST SOME INFORMATION FOR THE ROOM.
NOT SO MUCH FOR COMMISSIONER'S COURT, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE PRESSURE THAT COMMISSIONER'S COURT IS UNDER.
[01:15:01]
AND THIS IS, UH, MY GRATITUDE FOR, FOR WHAT COMMISSIONER'S COURT HAS TO DO EVERY YEAR.UH, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE SAYS THAT, UH, THE COUNTY CAN'T GET MORE THAN 3.5% MORE, UH, ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAN WHAT THEY HAD LAST YEAR.
UH, SO JUST KEEP IN MIND, UH, IN THAT REVENUE, UH, RESTRICTION BY THE LEGISLATURE IS ON THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ALL BEEN ASKING FOR AROUND THIS TABLE.
IT'S PEOPLE, IT'S TASERS, IT'S CARS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, WHEN THEY HAVE TO CONSIDER THESE THINGS, AND ASHLEY TOO, AND, AND JULIE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS, UH, THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHAT CAN WE AFFORD WITHOUT, UM, HAVING TO ADOPT A TAX RATE THAT GENERATES MORE THAN 3.5% IN THAT MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS REVENUE.
SO, UM, WHAT I'M HOPEFUL FOR THIS YEAR IS THAT THERE IS ENOUGH VALUE, EVEN THOUGH YOUR HOME VALUE MAY HAVE GONE DOWN, THAT THERE'S ENOUGH NEW IMPROVEMENT AND TOTAL VALUE INCREASES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THAT YOU CAN HOPEFULLY CONSIDER A TAX RATE THAT'S EITHER THE SAME OR MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN, UH, THAN WHAT WE ADOPTED, UH, LAST YEAR.
AND THAT THERE'S VALUE THERE TO SUPPORT THAT AND THE ABILITY TO GIVE EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM SOMETHING OF WHAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR.
SO, UH, FINGERS CROSSED ON THAT.
UM, SO YES, THE COUNTY IS GROWING.
UM, 750,000 RESIDENTS IN THE COUNTY, APPROXIMATELY RIGHT NOW, 250,000 OF THOSE PEOPLE COME INTO MY OFFICE THAT'S NOT DOES BUSINESS WITH MY OFFICE.
THAT'S COMES INTO MY OFFICE, 250,000 PEOPLE, UH, EVERY YEAR COMES INTO MY FOUR OFFICES.
SO WITH THAT, UH, I AM ASKING FOR, UM, TO KEEP IN MIND, AND I'VE NOT ASKED FOR IT IN THE BUDGET, IT'S KIND OF IN THE PLANS.
WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, BUT TO PLEASE FIND, UM, SOMETHING FOR THE TAYLOR OFFICE.
IT, IT HAD A REMODEL ON THE BOOKS.
THERE WERE PLANS DRAWN UP FOR WHAT THAT REMODEL WAS GONNA LOOK LIKE, AND THEY'VE GOT, UH, PUSHED ASIDE AND PUT IN THE TRASH CAN.
THANK YOU, DALE, FOR CONTINUING TO LOOK AT OUR OPTIONS ON WHAT WE CAN DO IN TAYLOR, UH, THAT OFFICE SORELY NEEDS, UH, LARGER LOBBY SPACE AND, AND THE ABILITY TO PUT ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER THERE, UH, IN, IN THE TAYLOR AREA TO ACCOMMODATE THE GROWTH IN THAT AREA OF THE COUNTY.
AND AGAIN, NOT IN MY BUDGET REQUEST OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I'LL ASK AGAIN FOR THE COURT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE LIBERTY HILL AREA WILL SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, WILL NEED, UH, AN OFFICE TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXPLOSION OF GROWTH THAT'S GOING ON IN THAT AREA OF THE COUNTY.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT, THOSE ARE BIG THINGS, RIGHT? THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE BUILDINGS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND THE ROADS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY.
I WANT TO ADD, THERE'S ONLY TWO OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT HAS MORE DEBT, OUTSTANDING DEBT THAN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
SO WE HAVE FUNDED THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE, THE ROADS, UH, AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE COUNTY HAS HAS PUT ON THE GROUND.
WE FUNDED THAT MOSTLY BY DEBT.
AND THERE'S ONLY TWO OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT HAS MORE DEBT THAN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
THAT'S BEAR COUNTY AND HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, UH, WE'RE NUMBER THREE ON THE LIST FOR DEBT.
AND, UH, SO THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONERS FOR IT.
AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S A COMMITMENT TO GET THINGS DONE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND, UH, SOME FORESIGHT TO, UH, TO HANDLE THE GROWTH THAT HAS BEEN COMING OUR WAY FOR MANY YEARS.
UH, BUT IT IS ALSO A RESTRICTION ON OUR ABILITY TO DO THINGS WITH THE M AND O SIDE.
UH, BUT LIBERTY HILL OFFICE, TAYLOR OFFICE, UM, THE OTHER THING WE'RE ASKING FOR IS AN ACCOUNTING STAFF MEMBER FOR MY ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT.
I HAVE SEVEN PEOPLE IN THAT DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.
THOSE SEVEN PEOPLE HANDLE WELL OVER 2 MILLION INDIVIDUAL TRANSACTIONS THAT HAPPEN IN MY OFFICE.
THAT IS, UH, PAYMENTS OF PROPERTY TAXES, THAT IS REGISTERING VEHICLES, TITLING VEHICLES, ALL THE THINGS THAT, THAT PEOPLE WRITE CHECKS TO ME FOR.
UH, IT IS OVER 2 MILLION TRANSACTIONS.
IT'S $3 BILLION EVERY YEAR THAT MY SEVEN PEOPLE MOVE, BRING IN, PUT INTO MY ACCOUNT, AND THEN PUSH OUT EITHER TO COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE TAX, DMV OVER THE ONE OF 150 TAXING UNITS THAT TAX PROPERTIES IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
SO THEY HAVE A TREMENDOUS JOB, UH, TO DO IN HANDLING AND A TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY IN HANDLING THOSE $3 BILLION.
UH, THE REASON YOU WRITE A CHECK TO LARRY GADDIS OR THAT YOU CAN WRITE A CHECK TO LARRY GADDIS IS BECAUSE I CAN, I PUT THAT MONEY INTO AN ACCOUNT WITH MY NAME ON IT UNTIL MY ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT DETERMINES WHERE THAT MONEY NEEDS TO BE DISPERSED TO WHILE IT'S
[01:20:01]
IN MY POSSESSION.I HAVE PERSONAL LIABILITY FOR THOSE FUNDS, UNLIKE THE COUNTY TREASURER OR ANY OTHER, UH, OFFICE THAT HANDLES MONEY IN THE COUNTY.
I MEAN, SEAN DICK CAN CHARGE ME WITH, UH, WITH, UM, WITH A CRIME IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THAT MONEY, I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE OPINION OF IT.
IT COULD JUST SIMPLY BE A DERELICTION OF DUTY THAT I DIDN'T HAVE CONTROLS IN PLACE SO THAT MY OFFICE, UH, APPROPRIATELY HANDLES THAT MONEY AND I CAN BE CHARGED WITH A CRIME FOR NOT HAVING THOSE CONTROLS IN PLACE, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T TAKE A SINGLE PENNY.
UM, SO WITH THAT, MY ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT IS, IS DROWNING IN WORK.
WE'VE SEEN SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE TO DO JUST IN THE PAST YEAR, UM, BASED ON REQUESTS COMING INTO MY OFFICE FOR INFORMATION COMPANIES THAT, UM, THAT MAKE MONEY ON THE BACKS OF TAXPAYERS BY FILING HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS OR, UM, UH, TELLING THEM THAT FOR 10% OF YOUR REFUND THEY'LL FIND A REFUND FOR YOU THAT'S DUE TO A TAXPAYER AND THEN CHARGE YOU 10, 25, 50% OF THAT REFUND.
SO THE REQUESTS COME INTO MY OFFICE, GIMME A LIST OF EVERYTHING THAT'S, OF EVERY REFUND THAT'S DUE, UH, TO A TAXPAYER.
GIVE ME, UH, A, A REQUEST FOR HUNDREDS OF ACCOUNTS OF THE AMOUNTS THAT ARE DUE WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE PAID, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO ALL OF THESE REQUESTS, NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE TO ANSWER THEM.
NUMBER TWO, IT IS, UH, INCREASINGLY CONSUMING OUR TIME.
AND IT'S BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY HIT ALL THE LARGER COUNTIES IN THE STATE.
AND, UH, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE MADE ALL THEIR MONEY AND NOW THEY'RE, WE'RE JUST IN THE NEXT PECKING ORDER OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY'S NUMBER 12 ON THE LIST OF MOST POPULOUS COUNTIES IN THE STATE.
THEY'RE, THEY'VE WORKED THROUGH ONE THROUGH 10, ONE THROUGH 11 ALREADY, AND THEY'RE GETTING US, WE'VE SEEN THAT, UH, THAT, THAT EXPLOSION OF REQUESTS, UH, COMING INTO MY OFFICE AND IT'S COSTING MY ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT TIME.
UH, BUT I NEED A PERSON THERE TO TAKE THE, THE, THE STRESS AND PRESSURE OFF OF A SMALL, UH, ACCOUNTING STAFF THAT IS, UM, DOING A LOT OF WORK AND RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF MONEY.
IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO THAT MONEY, NOT ONLY AM I LIABLE FOR THAT, THE COUNTY COULD BE LIABLE FOR THAT AS WELL.
THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE, UH, SMITH COUNTY, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, A HACKER TOOK ALMOST $400,000 OF TAXING UNIT MONEY FROM A PROPERTY TAX ACCOUNT.
AND THE COUNTY HAD TO, UM, FILL THE VOID AND REIMBURSE THOSE, THE MONEY THAT WAS DUE TO THOSE TAXING UNITS.
SO THE COUNTY'S LIABLE FOR THAT TOO.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT TAXPAYER FUNDS ARE HANDED, HANDLED APPROPRIATELY BY A STAFF THAT IS NOT UNDER AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE AND STRESS, UM, DUE TO THE WORKLOAD THAT THEY HAVE.
SO THAT ONE, ACCOUNTING STAFF, I'VE GOT THREE, UH, REQUESTS FOR MOTOR VEHICLE STAFF MEMBERS.
UH, ONE WOULD GO INTO TAYLOR IF WE CAN FIND AN OFFICE THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER, UH, TO, TO HANDLE THE TAYLOR, UM, UH, FLOW OF CUSTOMERS THAT WE'VE GOT A REQUEST IN FOR THAT.
WE'VE GOT TWO FOR OUR GEORGETOWN COUNTER.
UM, EVEN THOUGH IT DOES AS MANY TRANSACTIONS AS MY ROUND ROCK AND AND CEDAR PARK OFFICE, THEY HAVE TWO FEWER STAFF MEMBERS ON THE COUNTER IN GEORGETOWN THAN WE DO IN THOSE OTHER OFFICES.
AND THEY DO THE SAME AMOUNT OF WORK.
UH, AND THEN WE'VE GOT ONE IN THE BOOKS FOR THE DRIVE-THROUGH THAT'S BEING ADDED TO THE NEW BUILDING, UH, IN TO OUR NEW HEADQUARTERS, UH, ON INTER LOOP THAT DRIVE-THROUGH TAKES ANOTHER PERSON TO REMOVE SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTER AND PUT THEM AT THE DRIVE-THRU.
JUST KEEPS THE STRESS ON THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE LOBBY.
AND, UH, AND WE'LL SLOW DOWN THROUGHPUT, UH, FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE LOBBY.
AND I DO WANNA REITERATE, UH, I BELIEVE SEAN, YOU MAY HAVE IN MENTIONED, UH, JUST, UH, A VEHICLE OR TWO EVEN USED VEHICLES FOR FLEET THAT WE CAN, COULD POSSIBLY USE.
THAT USED TO BE A PROGRAM THAT I COULD GO TO FLEET SERVICES AND, AND GET A, WE CALLED THAT, I THINK WE WERE, IT WAS A JUDY VAN.
UM, SORRY, I'VE USED THE JUDY, SORRY.
UH, WE'D USED THE JUDY VAN, A LITTLE EMBARRASSING, PULLING UP TO THE CONFERENCE PARKING LOT, YOU KNOW, AND GETTING, NOT EVERYBODY HOING OUT OF THAT THING, BUT IT GOT ALL OF US THERE, UH, TOGETHER.
AND, UH, AND IN, AND IN ONE PIECE, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE DO IN MY OFFICE THAT ONCE A MONTH, UH, OR ONCE EVERY MONTH AND A HALF OR SO, LOAD UP LICENSE PLATES AND MOVE THEM AROUND.
AND I ACTUALLY BORROW MY SON'S TRUCK TO GET THAT DONE.
UM, SO I'D MUCH RATHER BE ABLE TO GO AND CHECK OUT A, A VEHICLE THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE ME LOADING UP SOME,
[01:25:01]
SOME HEAVY LICENSE PLATES TO DO THAT.SO THAT WAS A GREAT SUGGESTION, SEAN.
OTHER THAN ASHLEY, I HAVE REQUESTED A 2.3% DECREASE IN MY OPERATING BUDGET.
SO, UM, I HAVE TRIED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ACT RESPONSIBLY WITH TAXPAYER FUNDS AND ACTUALLY HAVE REQUESTED LESS IN MY OPERATING BUDGET THAN WHAT I WAS APPROVED FOR LAST YEAR IN THE HOPES THAT YOUR APPROVE THOSE PEOPLE.
ANY QUESTIONS? WHAT'S THE TOTAL COUNT OF PETE? REPEAT FOUR PEOPLE.
UH, THREE TOTAL TO BE SPREAD OUT IN VARIOUS FUNCTIONS FOR MY MOTOR VEHICLE OFFICE, AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HANDLE 90% OF THOSE 250,000, UH, CUSTOMERS THAT ARE IN MY OFFICES.
90% OF THOSE FOLKS ARE IN MY OFFICE TO, TO DEAL WITH, UH, MOTOR VEHICLE TRANSACTION STUFF, NOT PROPERTY TAX.
THERE'S TWO BUSINESSES WITHIN MY OFFICE.
THERE'S THE PROPERTY TAX SIDE AND THE MOTOR VEHICLE SIDE.
AND TO SILO AND CREATE A SEPARATION OF DUTIES IN MY, UH, ACCOUNTING STAFF FOR TWO SEPARATE BUSINESSES TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SET THOSE SEPARATION OF DUTIES FOR CASH HANDLING PURPOSES.
IT'S DIFFICULT THAT THAT ADDITIONAL ACCOUNTING PERSON WILL HELP WITH THAT.
LARRY, IT MIGHT BE TOO EARLY TO TO SAY, BUT HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT THE TOTAL TAXABLE VALUE FOR THE COUNTY? TOO EARLY TO SAY? IT LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW, JUST WITH THE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S ABOUT, UM, $8 BILLION INCREASE IN TAXABLE VALUE.
THAT THAT IS A VERY, VERY PRELIMINARY NUMBER.
UM, THE BY MAY 1ST THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT IS REQUIRED TO ISSUE AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT THEY THINK THE VALUE WILL BE AFTER EVERYTHING'S BEEN SAID AND DONE PROTESTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO I, I'LL HAVE A MUCH BETTER IDEA NEAR THE END OF APRIL, UH, BEFORE MAY 1ST OF WHAT THAT NUMBER MIGHT BE AND BE ABLE TO RUN, UM, RUN ESTIMATES ON, ON THAT NUMBER RIGHT NOW.
I COULD DO THAT, BUT MINOR FLUCTUATIONS IN, IN THE DATA COULD SKEW THE NUMBERS ENOUGH TO WHERE THAT, THAT AN ESTIMATE TODAY BECOMES WORTHLESS.
WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT, COMPARE THAT TO LAST YEAR.
SO PEOPLE HAVE PERSPECTIVE, UH, LAST YEAR, UH, ONE, UH, $142 BILLION IN TAXABLE VALUE FOR THE COUNTY, UH, ON ABOUT 300,000 ACCOUNTS.
UH, AND THIS YEAR, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE SITTING AT APPROXIMATELY $150 BILLION IN TAXABLE VALUE.
WHAT THAT DOESN'T DO, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME ACCOUNTS THAT ARE ADDED TO THAT FOR BPP.
UH, BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY ACCOUNTS GET ADDED TO THAT BECAUSE THEY, THEY JUST COME IN, THAT DATA COMES IN A LITTLE BIT LATER.
UM, SO THAT THOSE WILL BE ADDED, BUT THEN AS PEOPLE PROTEST, THEIR VALUE AND VALUE GETS, GETS LOWERED ON INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS.
THEN THERE, THERE'S THIS, EACH DAY THERE'S ANOTHER, A DIFFERENT NUMBER OF WHAT, WHAT THAT TOTAL VALUE'S GONNA BE.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S SITTING AT $150 BILLION.
THERE'S SOME LEGISLATION THAT HAS CAUSED A DECREASE IN THAT NUMBER TOO.
UM, IF YOU OWN A BUSINESS, LET'S SAY IT'S LARRY'S LANDSCAPING, AND I'VE GOT, UH, THREE LAWNMOWERS IN A COUPLE OF WEED YEARS IN, IN THE BACK OF A TRAILER, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, I MIGHT HAVE BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY OF $10,000.
I USED TO BE ABLE TO GET, I USED TO GET A TAX BILL ON THOSE LAWNMOWERS AND WEED EATERS AND STUFF IN THAT TRAILER BECAUSE THAT WAS MY BUSINESS.
UH, AND, AND EQUIPMENT USED TO GENERATE INCOME FOR MY BUSINESS.
ANYTHING LESS THAN $2,500 WOULD NOT GET TAXED BY 10,000.
I'M GETTING A TAX BILL ON THAT.
HB NINE PASSED IN, UH, THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
IT EXEMPTS $125,000 WORTH OF BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY.
SO, UM, BARBER SHOPS, LANDS, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE, UH, EQUIPMENT, FURNITURE FIXTURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S LESS THAN $125,000 AREN'T GONNA SHOW UP ON THE ROLL.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE TO THE TUNE OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ACCOUNTS WHERE THAT VALUE HAS BEEN WIPED OFF.
UM, AND, AND WE'LL SEE THAT THAT'LL BE AN IMPACT.
DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS.
IT'S AN APPRAISAL DISTRICT QUESTION.
UH, BUT THAT'LL IMPACT, UH, VALUES AS WELL.
BUT RIGHT NOW, NEW IMPROVEMENT VALUE AND, UH, PROBABLY COMMERCIAL AND VACANT LAND VALUE INCREASES HAVE PUT US, UH, UH, OVER LAST YEAR.
I, FREDERICK, CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER FROM TAX COLLECTOR
[01:30:01]
TO HR, WHICH IS THIS MEETING'S TWO WORST GUYS IN THE ROOM LOOKING AT ALL THE ASKS TODAY.UM, QUITE A FEW PERSONNEL BEING ASKED FOR, SO I'M GONNA NEED SOME MORE PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THAT EVEN MORE THAN I, UH, ASKED FOR.
I THINK, UM, I REQUESTED TWO POSITIONS.
ONE, AN HR GENERALIST TWO AND ANOTHER IS AN HR ANALYST TWO.
UM, WE VISITED WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE AND, UH, KIND OF WENT THROUGH DATA AND STATISTICS ON THAT.
AND, UM, THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
I DON'T WANT TO GET OFF IN THE WEEDS OF IT, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS FOR THE HR GENERALIST TOO, WE'VE GOT TWO HR GENERALIST MANAGERS THAT ARE, UH, PRETTY DUE TO THEIR POSITIONS.
AND IN THEIR MOVE UP TO THE MANAGER POSITION, THEY HAVE KEPT SOME TASK, UM, SUPPORTING SOME DEPARTMENTS IN THE HR GENERALIST ROLE THAT THEY WERE DOING.
SO WE CAN'T BE VERY STRATEGIC, UH, WITH THAT, WITH THEM HOLDING ONTO IT AND BE MANAGERS EFFICIENTLY LIKE WE NEED TO BE.
UM, THE REQUESTS ARE TWOFOLD, UH, JUST DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE'VE GOT INCREASED, UH, THE NUMBER OF FMLA CASES AND THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS ISSUES HAVE DRAMATICALLY INCREASED.
AND IN THAT WE, UM, HAVE TO PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO THAT TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS PROTECTING THE COUNTY.
SO, UM, IF WE NEED TO DISCUSS MORE OF THAT, WE CAN DO IT OFFLINE.
BUT I LOOK BACK AND WE'VE NOT GOT AN INCREASE IN HEAD COUNT IN FIVE YEARS.
SO IN THAT FIVE YEARS, A LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
THE WORKLOAD HAS DEFINITELY INCREASED.
THE NATURE OF THE WORKLOAD HAS GOTTEN MORE COMPLICATED.
AND, UM, FOR THE HR GENERALIST TOO, WE NEED THAT INDIVIDUAL TO HELP SUPPORT THAT.
AND OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY EXPERIENCED IN SAYING THAT.
UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH LONGER SOME OF THEM, INCLUDING MYSELF, MAY BE AROUND.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT A BENCH TO KEEP SUPPORTING THE COUNTY.
AND THANK Y'ALL FOR THE SUPPORT THAT Y'ALL HAVE GIVEN US.
UH, I THINK OUR WORK RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPROVING WEEKLY.
UM, THANK Y'ALL FOR REACHING OUT AND ASKING US FOR HELP.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE MORE INVOLVED WITH Y'ALL TO HELP Y'ALL IN MANAGING YOUR DEPARTMENTS AND THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED.
UM, SO ON THE HR GENERALIST TWO POSITION, THAT'S KIND OF THE SUPPORT FOR THAT.
THE HR ANALYST POSITION THAT WE'RE REQUESTING WOULD BE IN THE COMPENSATION GROUP.
UM, WE'VE GOT KAYLA, WHO'S THE COMPENSATION MANAGER.
SHE AND ONE OTHER PERSON ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING ALL OF THE SALARY STUDIES AND DIGGING INTO THOSE AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE ARE DONE ACCURATELY.
AND KAYLYN AS MANAGERS ACTUALLY HAVING TO TAKE A LARGE AMOUNT OF HER TIME TO DO THOSE AS WELL, SINCE WE'VE ONLY GOT ONE MORE PERSON DOING IT.
UM, THE WORKLOAD, THERE'S INCREASED, UM, PART OF OUR INITIATIVE TO DECREASE THE SALARY STUDY TIMEFRAME.
IF WE GOT AN ADDITIONAL PERSON, WE CAN MOVE THAT FROM THREE YEARS TO TWO YEARS.
AND I THINK, UH, WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT AND THE IMPACT IT WOULD HELP US, UM, YEARLY LOOKING AT MERITS AND, UH, SO INCREASES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN THE RIGHT POSITIONS.
SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST NEED FOR THAT POSITION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING UP.
LIKE WE NEED TO BE ON THE SALARY STUDIES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE BEING PAID APPROPRIATELY AND KEEPING UP WITH ALL OF OUR COMPETITORS.
THANK YOU'ALL, REBECCA CLEMENS, UH, COUNTY MANAGER.
UM, EVERYBODY KIND OF SEGUED INTO WHAT I NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
AND SO JUST TO TOUCH BASE FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, OUR OFFICE IS INVOLVED WITH SEVERAL LARGE SCALE PROJECTS AROUND, ALONG ABOUT IN THE COUNTY.
UH, WE'VE GOT THE PRECINCT FOUR PROJECT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WE'RE DOING SOME FACILITY PLANNING AND BUILDING CONSOLIDATION OVER HERE THAT LARRY
[01:35:01]
HAD MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT HIS TAX OFFICE.UM, TALKING ABOUT A FUTURE ME'S OFFICE AND PLANNING THAT AND RESEARCHING THAT AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, THE JUSTICE COMPLEX PROGRAM, WHICH WE ARE CURRENTLY IN PHASE TWO OF OUR PROGRAMMING FOR THAT.
AND THEN THE INTERIM SPACE, SPACE PLANNING FOR THE JUSTICE.
I KNOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE HEARD NUMBERS, LIKE SEVEN MORE PEOPLE, 17 PEOPLE, FOUR PEOPLE.
THE JUSTICE CENTER, UM, CURRENTLY IS OUT OF SPACE.
THEY'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF RELIEF WHENEVER THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, UM, MOVES OUT OF THE BASEMENT.
AND, UM, THAT, THAT SPACE IS ALREADY PRETTY MUCH BEEN ALLOCATED.
AND SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT.
UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF POSITION REQUESTS IN THE BUDGET.
UM, THOSE POSITION REQUESTS ARE ALL EITHER RELATED TO TASK TRANSITIONING OVER TO MY OFFICE FROM OTHER OFFICES, HELPING WITH THE CURRENT PROJECT WORKLOAD, HELPING WITH NEW PROJECTS THAT ARE ASSIGNED, OR, UM, NEW DEPARTMENTS THAT MIGHT POTENTIALLY BE DESIGNED, BE TRANSFERRED OVER.
AND THEN FOR DEPARTMENT SUPPORT AND MANAGEMENT WORKLOAD FOR THE EXISTING, UM, 10 DEPARTMENTS, I EITHER HAVE OVERSIGHT OR MANAGEMENT OVER AND 14 DIRECT REPORTS.
I'M SHELLY FRANKLIN EXTENSION SERVICE.
UM, A LOT OF YOU PROBABLY ARE UNAWARE OF, OF SOME OF THE THINGS WE DO.
UM, WE HAVE ASKED, UH, FOR ANOTHER POSITION, UH, FOR THIS YEAR.
SO I WANT TO BRIEFLY GO OVER SOME NUMBERS AND HOW THAT POSITION, UH, WOULD ASSIST IN AND HELP US IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
WE CURRENTLY VALIDATE ALL THE ANIMALS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY, WHETHER YOU'RE A FOUR H OR FFA MEMBER TO PARTICIPATE IN MAJOR SHOWS.
AND BASICALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS 981 ANIMALS COME THROUGH OUR OFFICE.
WE PROCESS ALL OF THE ORDERS FOR THAT MATERIAL.
WE TAKE IN ALL OF THAT MATERIAL, AND THEN WE PHYSICALLY GO, UH, TO SEVERAL LOCATIONS.
AND THOSE ANIMALS COME TO US ON TRAILERS AND WE, UM, WE FACILITATE THAT VALIDATION.
THAT INCLUDES TAGGING THOSE ANIMALS, PHYSICALLY, TAGGING THEM, COLLECTING DNA.
SOME ANIMALS ARE TATTOOED AND NOSE PRINTED, SOME WE READ EAR NOTCHES.
AND THEN ALL OF THAT MATERIAL IS A COLLECTED, UH, SIGNATURES ARE TAKEN FROM, UH, THE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS AND THEIR AG TEACHERS OR EXTENSION AGENTS.
AND THEN WE PROCESS ALL OF THAT AND TURN THAT INTO, UH, THE STATE OFFICES.
IN WINTON COUNTY FOUR H ITSELF, WE HAVE 623 MEMBERS, UH, FROM THIRD TO, FROM THIRD TO 12TH GRADE.
THOSE KIDS, 104 OF THEM EXHIBITED PRO UH, PROJECTS AT THE WINGS COUNTY ANIMAL, AT THE WINGS COUNTY LIVESTOCK ASSOCIATION SHOW IN DECEMBER, WHICH IS ALSO CALLED OUR COUNTY SHOW.
AND THEN FOR THE MAJORS, WHICH INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM SEPTEMBER STATE FAIR ALL THE WAY THROUGH A RODEO, AUSTIN, WHICH WAS THE LAST DAY OF MARCH, WE HAVE 429 LIVESTOCK PROJECTS THAT ARE EXHIBITORS AT THE MAJORS BY THOSE FOUR HS AND 263 CONTEST PARTICIPANTS.
NOW, WHAT THAT MEANS TO US IN THE OFFICE IS FOR THOSE KIDS TO PARTICIPATE.
UH, WE NOT ONLY PROCESS THEIR ENTRIES, ALL OF THAT GOES THROUGH OUR SYSTEM.
WE, AGAIN, TAKE THEIR MONEY, UM, WE WRITE CHECKS, WE DO ALL THE ENTRY ONLINE, AND THEN WE PROCESS ALL OF THAT AND SEND IT IN.
WE ALSO, UH, AGENTS SERVE AS ADJUNCT FACULTY.
AND SO ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS, FOR ALL 429 OF THOSE, UH, EXHIBITS, WE HAVE TO PROCESS THEIR UIL ELIGIBILITY.
SO IN OUR OFFICE, WE SEND PAPERWORK TO ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT COULD BE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALL THE WAY UP TO A HIGH SCHOOL REQUESTING FOR THEIR GRADES TO BE CHECKED SO THAT THOSE STUDENTS CAN BE COUNTED, UM, APPROPRIATELY ABSENT FROM THEIR SCHOOL.
UM, THROUGH THOSE UIL RULES, AN AGENT IS REQUIRED TO BE PRESENT ON THE GROUNDS.
AND SO, UM, I AM THERE, YOU WON'T SEE ME FROM ABOUT JANUARY 15TH THROUGH THE END OF MARCH BECAUSE I'M PHYSICALLY THERE AT THE SHOWS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE KIDS ARE THERE, UH, TAKING CARE OF THEIR ANIMALS AND DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO, TO BE OUTTA SCHOOL.
UM, MOST OF THESE MAJOR SHOWS ALSO HAVE, UH, MUCH TO THE CHAGRIN OF STUDENTS.
THEY NOW HAVE, UH, FACILITIES WHERE THE KIDS CAN GO AND STUDY SINCE UH, SO MUCH CAN BE COMPLETED ONLINE.
NOW, UH, THIS WORKLOAD IS CURRENTLY SP SPLIT BETWEEN THREE OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT STAFF.
BUT FOR CONSISTENCY AND FOR US TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS AND KEEP THEIR WORKLOAD APPROPRIATE, WE REALLY NEED HELP.
IF WE MESS UP SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, EITHER WITH VALIDATION OR ENTRY, IT COULD CAUSE EITHER THAT ANIMAL TO NOT BE VALID AT ALL FOR, FOR, UM, EXHIBITION, WHICH COULD BE, I MEAN, WE HAVE STUDENTS SPENDING, UM, ANYWHERE FROM PROBABLY 500 WOULD BE THE LEAST EXPENSIVE ANIMAL TO, UH, WE PROBABLY HAVE A FEW KIDS THAT ARE SPENDING 30 AND $40,000 ON ONE ANIMAL TO BE, UM, EXHIBITED AT A LIVESTOCK SHOW.
IF WE MESS UP, UH, THAT COULD MEAN THAT THAT STUDENT COULD NOT PARTICIPATE, WHICH IS WHY YOU'LL SEE ME AT THE OFFICE LATE AT NIGHT WHEN THOSE THINGS ARE DUE AT VARIOUS TIMES OF THE YEAR BECAUSE I WANT TO GET IT RIGHT.
UH, IF WE ALSO, IF WE MESS UP WITH THEIR ENTRIES, THEY COULD GET TO THE SHOW.
[01:40:01]
AND IF WE NEED A LATE ENTRY, THAT COULD BE A $500 ASSESSMENT FOR THAT STUDENT.SO BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TAKE A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DIVVIED UP AND PUT IT ON ONE PERSON, NOT PUT IT ON ONE PERSON, HAVE ONE PERSON ASSIST ME TO STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS, UM, AND JUST MAKE IT EASIER ON THE WORKLOAD FOR OUR ENTIRE STAFF.
SO IF ANY OF YOU'RE INTERESTED,
SO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE, UM, THE POSITIVES OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT THROUGH LIVESTOCK PROJECTS AND FOUR H AND FFA, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR MAJOR FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, BRIDGE ESCOVEDO ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.
UM, I WANNA THANK THE COURT, UH, FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT THAT THEY'VE OFFERED THE ALEXIS DEPARTMENT, MY STAFF, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
IT DEFINITELY HELPS TO KEEP THE MORALE HIGH AND KEEP THE STAFF ENGAGED.
I AM GENERALLY SURPRISED WHEN THEY WALK BACK THROUGH THE DOOR EACH MORNING AND I SEE THEM, I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY KEEP COMING BACK.
UM, I AM ASKING FOR THREE POSITIONS AND DIS NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.
UM, TWO VOTER REGISTRATION COORDINATORS.
I CURRENTLY HAVE ONE FULL-TIME COORDINATOR AND ONE PART-TIME COORDINATOR THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT 458,000 REGISTERED VOTERS.
UM, MY OFFICE RELIES A LOT ON TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS, UM, BUT WE'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF PII, SO IT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT TO, UM, HAVE THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND THAT ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
UH, IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENTERING A REGISTERED VOTER AS AS A CITIZEN AND OR A NON-CITIZEN.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WORK.
UM, WE HAVE ADDED OVER 22,000 REGISTERED VOTERS, UH, IN THE LAST YEAR, AND I AM ANTICIPATING A HUGE INCREASE AHEAD OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTION THIS YEAR.
UM, THE OTHER POSITION I'M ASKING FOR IS A VOTING SYSTEM ANALYST AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROGRAMMING THE BALLOT, UH, MANAGING THE ELECTRONIC POLL BOOKS, COUNTING THE BALLOTS.
UM, IT'S A TWO PERSON TEAM RIGHT NOW, AND THEY ARE CONSISTENTLY WORKING BETWEEN 14 AND 16 HOURS EVERY DAY.
UH, ONE OF MY EMPLOYEES CONSISTENTLY HOVERS AT THE 240 COMP TIME MAX, UH, AND WE HAVE TO SEND HIM HOME.
AND, UH, THAT'S REALLY DIFFICULT WHEN WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF ELECTION AND WE HAVE TO SEND HIM HOME.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE THE THREE POSITIONS THAT I'M ASKING FOR.
UM, THE BIGGEST ASK, UM, THAT I AM ASKING FOR AT INCREASE IN MY BUDGET IS SB 27 53, WHICH IS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE.
IT COMPLETELY CHANGES THE VOTING PERIOD.
IT WILL ELIMINATE THE GAP BETWEEN THE EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY PERIOD.
SO CURRENTLY WE USE THAT FOUR DAY PERIOD TO TURN OVER, UM, ALL OF OUR POLLING LOCATIONS.
WE TRAIN THE, UH, SEND OUT OUR ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT, UH, AND THAT GAP IS GOING BE ELIMINATED.
AND SO THAT SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGES A LOT OF THINGS.
UM, BECAUSE LOGISTICS TRAINING INCREASE IN INSECURITY, EQUIPMENT PERSONNEL ARE ALL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED.
UM, THE BIGGEST INCREASE TO THE BUDGET, UH, IS SECURITY.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WE SPENT 75,000 IN LAW ENFORCEMENT COSTS IN JUST THE PRIMARY ELECTION ALONE.
UM, THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE IS UNKNOWN.
SO BECAUSE THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE COUNTY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IS READY TO ROLL THIS NEW, UM, TYPE OF VOTING OUT, UM, THEY MUST GO TO EACH COUNTY AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FULLY READY TO IMPLEMENT THIS.
AND SO, UM, IT'S NOT REALLY KNOWN WHEN, UH, THIS WILL TAKE EFFECT.
I'M THINKING IN MAY OF 2027 IT, WHICH WAS JULY THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, THE OTHER, UH, BIGGEST ASK THAT I'M ASKING FOR IS AN INCREASE TO OUR POLL WORKERS.
WE CURRENTLY, UH, PAY THEM 17 AND $15 AN HOUR, UH, WHICH IS, UM, NOT MUCH.
YOU CAN GO WORK AT FAST FOOD RESTAURANT AND MAKE MORE.
UM, SO WE WANNA BE COMPETITIVE.
WE WANNA RETAIN THE CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I CONSISTENTLY HEAR FROM OUR POLL WORKERS.
THEY CONSISTENTLY GIMME FEEDBACK THAT THEY WOULD, UH, LIKE A RAISE.
UH, AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THAT TO THEM.
UM, THE LAST INCREASE WAS IN 2022.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANKS BRIDGET.
SHE, UH, Y'ALL PROBABLY ALL KNOW ME, BUT I'LL INTRODUCE FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEW AND DON'T KNOW ME, I'M NANCY, ER, WILLIAMSON COUNTY CLERK IN JUNE.
SO I'VE BEEN THROUGH A FEW COUNTY JUDGES AND A FEW SHERIFFS.
UM, AND LET ME DO THE SAME THING THAT SOME OF THE OTHERS HAVE DONE.
AND THANK Y'ALL FOR THE
[01:45:01]
CAN'T FUNCTION AND TURNOVER IS, IS AN ISSUE WE'VE ALWAYS HAD, YOU KNOW, OUR HAND ON THE SALARY CAP AND TRY TO, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT OVERPAY PEOPLE, BUT THIS WORLD IS CHANGING AND THEY DON'T SEEM TO CARE.THEY WANT MONEY IN THEIR POCKET.
THEY DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE RETIREMENT, THEY DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE BENEFITS SO MUCH.
AND WE DO AS YOU'RE OLDER, AS YOU GET OLDER, YOU UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.
UH, I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UM, A FEW PEOPLE WHO I'VE WORKED WITH OVER THE YEARS SINCE THIS IS MY LAST BUDGET YEAR.
UM, ASHLEY, SHE AND I WORKED TOGETHER A LONG TIME.
NOW, JULIE AS WELL, ANOTHER HARD WORKER.
UM, AND THEN CONNIE HAS BEEN ON BOARD FOR A LONG TIME.
DEBORAH HUNT AND I WERE ON THE COMMITTEE WHO SUGGESTED HIRING HER.
SO THESE ARE ALL FOLKS THAT HAVE A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY AND HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OVER THE YEARS.
AND IT IS SO NICE TO BE ABLE TO, TO GO TO PEOPLE THAT YOU TRUST.
UM, I'VE ONLY ASKED FOR FOUR PEOPLE THIS YEAR, BUT OUT OF RESPECT FOR, AS BEING A TAXPAYER AS WELL, ONLY, UM, NOT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, THIS IS OUT OF OUR OTHER FUNDING.
IF ANYTHING, THIS IS, I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AS I'VE SEEN EVERY SHERIFF COME FORWARD AND ASK FOR MORE PEOPLE.
AND LIKE THEY'VE SAID, A LITTLE BIT, A TRICKLE, NOT ENOUGH, AND NOT THE WAY OUR WORLD HAS TURNED INTO.
SO, YOU KNOW, PLEASE LISTEN TO OUR SHERIFF.
HE IS ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED AND MOST PROFESSIONAL SHERIFFS WE'VE EVER HAD.
SO Y'ALL NEED TO RESPECT HIS OPINION.
NOT TO SAY THE CONSTABLES AREN'T, BUT THEY HAVE THEIR PORTION OF THE JOB AND A LOT OF 'EM HAVE BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH TO, TO GET THEIR STAFFS UP, UP AND DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO AS WELL.
UM, YOU ALSO NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CLONE SHANNON AT LEAST THREE, RIGHT? HAL? YES.
UM, I'VE WORKED WITH HER FOR MANY YEARS AND WE CAN'T DO WITHOUT HER.
AND Y'ALL NEED TO APPRECIATE HER AND THE WORK THAT SHE DOES.
UM, THIS A DA THING THAT CONNIE JUST BROUGHT UP IS JUST, UH, ANOTHER RIDICULOUS THING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE REPORTS FROM OCA THAT THIS IS THE FORMAT THEY REQUIRE OF US.
OCA IS ALSO SUPPORT ADMINISTRATION FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THEIR RULES.
OKAY? SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GONNA WORK OUT GOING OUT.
UM, I APPRECIATE OVER, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE YEARS THE THINGS WE'VE LEARNED.
UM, I NEVER KNEW THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAD TO DEAL WITH.
UH, Y'ALL ARE MY FAVORITE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD NOW.
UM, Y'ALL SUSTAINED COMMISSIONERS
Y'ALL HAVE A LOT OF STUFF YOU PUT UP WITH AS WELL, AND, UH, WE SEE IT.
UM, AND OUR, AND OUR WORLD HAS CHANGED AS WELL.
UM, THE WHOLE THING IS, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO GET MOVED, BUT THERE ARE
[01:50:01]
SOME THINGS THAT I'M SEEING THEY ALL THAT ARE GONNA NEED TO BE CHANGED IN THE NEW BUILDING ALREADY.UM, SOMEONE THAT I WON'T MENTION, UH, DECIDED THAT FOUR CUBICLES CAN SHARE ELECTRICAL OUTPUT.
I'M SORRY, THAT IS NOT ENOUGH.
UH, SO THERE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE SOME WIRING CHANGES AS SOON AS WE GET THERE.
OR ELSE I'M GONNA HAVE TO SPACE PEOPLE EVERY TWO OR THREE, UM, CASHIERS POSITIONS SO THAT THEY DON'T SHUT DOWN THE ELECTRICITY IN THE BUILDING.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE THAT DURING COMMISSIONER'S COURT?
SO, UM, OUR PRINTERS, AND I KNOW ALLISON KNOWS THIS AND RICHARD ISN'T HERE, BUT YOU CANNOT GO TO COPIERS FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
WE PROVIDE BIRTH CERTIFICATES AND DEATH CERTIFICATES ON SPECIALIZED PAPER REQUIRED BY THE STATE MARRIAGE LICENSE.
REALLY? YOU WANT THAT COMING FROM A COPY MACHINE? SO NO, WE HAVE TO HAVE PRINTERS.
SO YOU KNOW, THE DRAW AND THE ELECTRICITY AND THE OUTLETS, UM, IT'S GOTTA BE ENOUGH.
UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE SPECIALIZED PRINTERS AS WELL.
SO, AND TONE SO THAT THE PRINTING CAN'T GET SCRAPED OFF OF THE DOCUMENTS.
THEY'RE KIND OF IMPORTANT, DON'T YOU THINK? UM, ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE PROSECUTORS.
UM, I COULDN'T DO YOUR JOB, DON'T WANT YOUR DOG, BUT WE'LL SUPPORT YOU AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
I'LL NEVER FORGIVE SHAWN FOR TAKING MORGAN BACK NOW.
SO YOU STARTED IN THE LAST CENTURY.
IS THAT ACCURATE? AND Y'ALL MIGHT NOT KNOW THIS 1900, BUT NANCY IS LEAVING THE COUNTY ON DECEMBER 31ST.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR THREE DECADES ALMOST OF SERVICE AND ALL THE DEDICATION YOU'VE SHOWN.
I'M ALLISON LISA AND I'M THE DEPUTY CIO.
UH, RICHARD CALLED ME LAST NIGHT TO ATTEND THIS MEETING.
AND I'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME TOO.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR OVER 25 YEARS AND I'VE SEEN THE GROWTH AND I, I WILL SAY THIS PAST YEAR, CURRENT YEAR IN THE UPCOMING YEARS TO COME UP, WE ARE GONNA BE TREMENDOUSLY BUSY, TREMENDOUSLY BUSY, AND OUR ORGANIZATION IS TRULY A SERVICE ORGANIZATION TO YOU GUYS.
WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR BUSINESS PROCESS, MAKE THEM MORE EFFICIENT, MORE TRANSPARENT, UM, AND ALSO WITH THE PUBLIC TO PROVIDE THE TOOLS THEY NEED.
SO EVERYTHING WE ASK FOR IS TO SUPPORT YOU GUYS AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC.
SO BEING WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, WE ARE ASKING FOR EIGHT NEW PEOPLE.
UM, JUST THIS YEAR WITH, AND WORKDAY IS HUGE.
WE HAVE INTEGRATIONS TO MULTIPLE SYSTEMS, OUTSIDE VENDORS, BUSINESS PROCESSES.
AND WE ALSO, THE PUBLIC SAFETY, WE'RE GOING OUT WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, APPLICATION AS WELL.
WE'RE ALSO MOVING OUR DOMAIN, WHICH IS HOPEFULLY A ONCE IN A LIFETIME THING.
I'VE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE, SO HOPEFULLY THIS IS THE LAST TIME.
UM, AND SO WE ARE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO HELP SUPPORT US.
PRICES IN HARDWARE STORAGE SPACE HAVE GONE UP TREMENDOUSLY.
SO WE ARE ASKING THAT OUR GENERAL FUND OR OUR OPERATING FUND'S GONNA GO UP ABOUT 20, 25%.
SO, BUT AGAIN, SOME OF THESE INITIATIVES ARE JUST SHORT TERM TO GET US THROUGH THE, OF ALL THESE NEW SYSTEMS NEED COMING OUT.
HER LAST DAY WITH THE COUNTY IS MAY THE FIRST.
YOU HAVE, UH, MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, SAVED OUR BACON ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS, UM, IN THE IT WORLD.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE.
[01:55:02]
DID WE MISS ANYBODY? ALRIGHT, NOW WE'LL[2. Comments from Commissioners.]
GIVE, UH, COMMISSIONERS A CHANCE AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ASHLEY AND YOUR WHOLE CREW, UM, WHO'S HERE TODAY.Y'ALL HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB AT END.
THIS IS A MASSIVE BUDGET, SO THANK YOU FOR THE MANY HOURS YOU'VE SPENT, UM, ON ALL COORDINATING ALL THIS INFORMATION.
ALRIGHT, WE WILL START WITH PRECINCT ONE, TERRY COOK.
UM, MY QUESTION GOES TO REBECCA.
UM, YOUR DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES SAYS IT'S GONNA HAVE STAFF REPORTING TO IT.
WHAT DO YOU SEE THAT AS THAT'S NOT ON THE ASK.
SO MOST OF MY PERSONNEL REQUESTS, UM, THERE IS A LOT OF DISCLAIMERS THAT SAY TO BE DETERMINED.
UM, WHAT THOSE PROJECTS WOULD BE IF I HIRE A PERSON WITH CAPABILITIES WITHIN A CERTAIN AREA BECAUSE THAT HAVE SUCH A VARIETY OF OFFICES THAT REPORT TO ME.
SO ALL OF THAT IS KIND OF GONNA BE TO BE DETERMINED THROUGH THIS PROCESS AS WE SEE OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE ASSIGNED OR WHAT POSITIONS MAY BE GIVEN.
UM, SO THE EXACT DEPARTMENTS REPORTED TO THEM HAVE NOT BEEN DETERMINED YET.
UM, ALLISON, YOU SAID EIGHT NEW POSITIONS, BUT THERE'S SIX LISTED HERE.
IT PROBABLY IS AT 5 0 3 BECAUSE WE HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND WIRELESS.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO INCREASING OUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE ASK AS WELL.
UM, I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR, UM, COMING TOGETHER TODAY.
I KNOW, UM, LISTENING TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON, IT MIGHT NOT IMPACT YOUR PARTICULAR OFFICE.
THE GOAL AS Y'ALL KNOW OF THIS MEETING IS FOR EVERYBODY TO HEAR THE ASKS FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS SO THAT YOU KIND OF GET TO SEE THIS IS YOUR SHOT TO SEE THE BIG PICTURE THE WAY WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE.
I KNOW IT'S A COUPLE HOURS OUT OF YOUR MORNING, UM, BUT I, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S INPUT, UM, TODAY AND JUST THE, UM, THE TIME YOU'VE TAKEN TO, TO BE HERE.
AND ALSO A SHOUT OUT TO ASHLEY AND HER TEAM, UM, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY MEET WITH 'EM.
UM, AND HOW MANY MEETINGS DO Y'ALL END UP HAVING? ROUGHLY 60 ISH OR SO? YES.
UM, WITH, WITH EACH DEPARTMENT AND, UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SUPPORTING VARIOUS DIFFERENT OFFICES AND, UM, WE, WE, WE HEAR THAT LOUD AND CLEAR.
UM, BUT UH, YOU KNOW, YOU ALSO HEARD, UM, LARRY AND TALKING ABOUT REVENUE FORECASTS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO, TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, BUT AGAIN, JUST THANKS FOR EVERYBODY TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, UH, I'M GOING TO START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER WONG, WHO IS, IT'S HER LAST BUDGET.
AND SO WORKING ON, ON FINISHING HER 20TH YEAR HERE WITH THE COUNTY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
I'LL, UM, I'LL JUST MENTION A FEW THINGS THAT, AND KIND OF ADD ON TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE, WERE DISCUSSED TODAY.
YOU KNOW, UH, APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR ASK.
I APPRECIATE THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE, UH, IN, IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM YEAR TO YEAR, WE, WE TRY TO LOOK AT ALL OF THEM AND BALANCE 'EM.
I KNOW THAT'S WHAT THE, THE BUDGET OFFICE DOES AND, UH, AND PRIORITIZE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT ASKS BECAUSE, UM, BASED ON WHAT LARRY HAS, HAS TALKED, HAS TALKED ABOUT TODAY, AND JUST TRUTH, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY HAS ASKED FOR, BUT WE TRY TO PRIORITIZE.
IN ADDITION, WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON OTHER THINGS, NOT JUST PEOPLE AND AND STUFF.
UM, AND I THINK YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS.
THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER SPENDING ABOUT $98 MILLION ON EXPANDING THAT, UH, SHOULD BE OPEN NEXT YEAR.
UH, THE ADMINISTRATION, THE HEADQUARTERS IS OVER $90 MILLION.
AND AGAIN, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE OPEN THIS,
[02:00:01]
THIS SUMMER.I THINK Y'ALL ARE MOVING IN JUNE.
SO WE'LL HAVE OUR BIG HOORAH, UH, THE TUESDAY AFTER, I THINK IT'S THE 14TH OF JULY.
UM, WE ALSO BOUGHT A LAKE CRE, A BUILDING, UH, WE CALL IT LAKE CREEK.
IT'S OVER ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF THE COUNTY.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, OUR TRAINING FACILITY FOR 9 1 1, GIVING THEM MORE SPACE IN THE CURRENT BUILDING, BUT ALSO, UH, WE WILL SERVE AS A BACKUP 9 1 1 CENTER IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO THIS BUILDING.
AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT POSSIBLY MOVING SOME OF THE SHERIFF'S, UH, OPERATIONS IN THAT BUILDING TEMPORARILY UNTIL THE NEW JUSTICE COMPLEX IS COMPLETE.
GIVING HIM, UH, NOT JUST MORE SPACE, BUT BETTER SPACE.
WHEN YOU, WE'VE LEARNED THAT WHEN YOU PUT, UM, INMATES OVER OUR FOLKS, IT DOESN'T WORK WELL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S WATER INVOLVED.
UM, SO THAT IS, UH, AND I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME, BUT IT'S, IT'S A $10 MILLION EASY, UH, LIFT ON THAT.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT PRECINCT FOUR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE LOOKING AT A CAMPUS STYLE.
REBECCA'S WORKING ON THAT WITH COMMISSIONER BOWLES, OF COURSE.
AND THAT'S, UM, TO, TO HELP OUT, NOT JUST THE, THE CONSTABLE AND THE JP, WHICH HAS NEEDED HELP FOR A WHILE, BUT ALSO, UM, THE TAX OFFICE AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT MORE THAN JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS GOING INTO THAT CAMPUS, PERHAPS EVEN IN INCLUDING OUR EMS FACILITIES, BECAUSE WE HAVE 41 AND 42 OVER THERE.
UM, THE, UM, THE ERP SYSTEM, HUGE DEAL.
LOT, LOT OF PEOPLE, I SIT IN THOSE MEETINGS, A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED.
SO FOR YOUR DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UM, AND, AND TELL YOUR, YOUR PEEPS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH BECAUSE THEY'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT, BUT THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN'T GET WRONG BECAUSE, UM, THEY INVOLVED REALLY OUR INTERNAL OPERATIONS, UM, MANY, MANY DEPARTMENTS AND WE HAVE TO GET IT RIGHT.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT STARTING THAT NEXT YEAR, UH, YOU KNOW, GOING LIVE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HAPPENS, STARTING THE NEW BUDGET YEAR IN OCTOBER AND GETTING IT RIGHT FOR THE AUDITORS, OUTSIDE AUDITORS GETTING IT RIGHT FOR, YOU KNOW, AND ALL THE STUFF YOU WANNA BUY, PURCHASING HAS TO BE RIGHT.
I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THAT.
SO THANK THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THAT.
'CAUSE IT'S A BIG LIFT, UH, NEW CAD SYSTEM.
THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER VERY EXPENSIVE AND VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT, UM, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
AND SO THERE, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A FLAVOR OF, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE WHOLE DOWNTOWN CONCEPT OF WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO DOWN THERE.
UH, WE HAVE A MEETING ON, ON MAY 4TH THAT REBECCA IS GOING TO, UH, LEAD A DISCUSSION, AND I HOPE IT'S A WORKSHOP.
SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, TIME TO DISCUSS MORE, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF THINGS, INTERIM PLANS, YOU KNOW, WE BOUGHT THE LAND FOR THE DUE JUSTICE COMPLEX.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN, WE HAVEN'T FINALIZED IT.
WE'RE IN DUE DILIGENCE JUST FOR THE RECORD, BUT, UH, WHICH IS A SHORT TURNAROUND, 75 DAYS OF WHICH WE'RE ALREADY SEVERAL WEEKS INTO THAT, BUT, UM, IT WAS 75 MILLION ISH, UH, TO BUY THAT LAND.
AND IT WILL COST A LOT OF MONEY TO PUT A JAIL, NEW JAIL AND JUSTICE CENTER THERE.
UH, THE COURT HAS NOT VOTED ON THAT.
WE'VE DISCUSSED IT A LOT, BUT WE, UH, WE HAVE HIRED A GROUP TO HELP US LEAD THAT DISCUSSION, THOSE EFFORTS.
AND SO THOSE, THE MONEY FOR THOSE THINGS ARE STILL IN PLAY.
AND THE FIVE OF US HAVEN'T VOTED ON ON THOSE THINGS WE'VE JUST SAID YES TO LAND.
AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE, THE, UH, PROGRAMMING.
A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT THERE'S WHAT, 17 NOW ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE, IN THE JAIL AND JUSTICE CENTER.
AND SO A LOT OF MEETINGS HAPPENING WITH THEM, UH, AND OUR PROGRAMMING TEAM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BETTER WAY TO DO THINGS.
WE'RE TAKING TRIPS TO GO LOOK AT OTHER, UM, OTHER JAIL AND JUSTICE CENTERS SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO MAKE THE BEST THING HAPPEN.
NOW WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU BUILD A HOUSE, WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU DO? YOU GO, IN MY NEXT HOUSE, I'M GONNA DO THIS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A, A, A REALLY EXPENSIVE VENTURE.
UH, AND THEN WHAT WE DO WITH THE DOWNTOWN LAND, AGAIN, THE COURT HAS NOT VOTED ON ANY OF THAT OTHER THAN THE, THE HISTORIC JAIL, WHICH WE HAVE UNDER CONTRACT FOR, UM, PURCHASE ON THAT, WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE WHOLE BLOCK WHERE THE HISTORIC JAIL IS, WHICH WILL REMAIN.
AND THEN THREE QUARTERS OF THE HALF BLOCK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MAIN STREET THAT THE COUNTY OWNS, THAT'S ALL UNDER CONTRACT.
SO I WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT.
IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE PAPER ON THAT.
UM, OH, BY THE WAY, ON THE JUSTICE COMPLEX, THIS ROOM RIGHT HERE WILL BE, WE'LL HOLD POST A MEETING ON APRIL THE 21ST, UH, FOR ANYONE THAT WANTS TO COME.
[02:05:01]
THE WORD OUT TO ALL THE POTENTIALLY, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WOULD CARE ABOUT IT, THAT ARE GONNA BE RIGHT DOWN HERE.BY THE WAY, I THINK YOU PROBABLY KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT SEVERAL TIMES, BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD US, WE, SOME OF THESE ASPECTS THAT WE WOULD BE MOVING HAVE TO BE IN GEORGETOWN.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE NOT STICKING IT WAY OUT SOMEWHERE IN THE HINDER LANDS.
AND, UM, WE FELT THAT THE, THE LAND, THE SHERIFF WAS ON BOARD WITH THIS PURCHASE AND WANTED IT CLOSE TO STUFF.
AND YOU WERE GONNA BE CLOSE TO NEIGHBORS WHEN WE DO THAT.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MEETING, WE'RE GONNA ALLOW THE PUBLIC HOPEFULLY TO COME.
WE'VE GOTTEN THE WORD OUT TO AS MANY NEIGHBORHOODS AS WE CAN TO LET THEM COME AND TALK ABOUT IT.
UM, OF COURSE THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT BEFORE WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, GO FORWARD.
BUT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
UH, THE, THE JUSTICE WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN MEETING EVERY MONTH FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND WE ARE TRYING TO WORK IT, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT GO FORWARD, UH, SO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE OUT OF SPACE, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE ASKED FOR MORE PEOPLE IN THOSE BUILDINGS, NOT SURE WHERE WE PUT THEM, BUT, UM, BUT ANYWAY, THOSE ARE THE, SOME OF THE NEEDS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE ANIMAL SHELTER, THAT'S ANOTHER, ANOTHER BUILDING.
THE COUNTY IS WORK, IS IS RUNNING THAT PROGRAM, BUT THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN WILL BE PAYING FOR IT.
SO ANYWAY, THOSE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON.
UM, BESIDES THE, THE ONWARD WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN MENTAL HEALTH AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
SO APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP US ACCOMPLISH THESE VERY IMPORTANT THINGS.
COMMISSIONER COBY, TELL ME, TELL ME WHAT YOU MEAN.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND ABOUT, UH, HAVING A PUBLIC WORKSHOP ON DOWNTOWN.
I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN, WHEN REBECCA COMES ON THE, UM, ON THE AGENDA ITEM.
SHE WAS COMING BACK ON MAY THE, THE FOURTH.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S, YEAH, I'M TALKING ABOUT INNER SPACE DOWNTOWN.
THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
NO, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT, UM, IF, IF IT COULD BE MORE OF A, WHERE WE HAVE MORE TIME THAN JUST AN AGENDA ITEM, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
'CAUSE I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A, A BIG, YOU KNOW, A BIGGER DISCUSSION THAN JUST ONE OR TWO THINGS.
I THINK SHE KEEPS ADDING TO THE LIST OF IT.
IT, IT'S GROWING THINGS TO DISCUSS.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO WRITE IT ON THE BOARD THOUGH, SO THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHY I WAS JUST ASKING FOR THAT.
YEAH, IT DON'T COME ON THE FOURTH.
UH, THIS IS IMPORTANT, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE PLENTY, PLENTY OF THINGS TO DO, UH, IN ADDITION TO BEING HERE.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL TELLING US WHAT YOU TOLD US.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY WHEN I, WHEN I GET A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH DIFFERENT ONES OF Y'ALL, IT IS, HEY, LOOK AT THIS INFORMATION.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW FROM WHERE I SIT, LIKE, I THINK YOU'RE ALL RIGHT.
RIGHT? AND SO PLEASE DON'T, DON'T THINK WELL, YEAH, THEY DON'T VALUE WHAT I SAID OR THEY THINK I'M WRONG.
I I, I THINK YOU'RE ALL RIGHT.
AND THE PROBLEM IS, I JUST, WE JUST DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR ALL THE RIGHTNESS THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, I'VE LIVED, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT BOTHERS ME THAT I CAN SAY THIS, BUT I'VE LIVED IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY 50 YEARS AND I HAVE BEEN THROUGH DIFFERENT GROWTH, MAN, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
I MEAN, I, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND, UH, AND SO YOU NEED TO KNOW THE THINGS THAT, THAT YOU'RE STRUGGLING WITH OR HAVE CHALLENGES.
AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY TRACKED BEFORE.
I THINK AS A COUNTY, WE'RE IN NEW, NEW TERRITORY.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE EXAMPLE IS THE CENSUS BUREAU COMES OUT IN JANUARY EACH YEAR, AND THEY GIVE AN ESTIMATED POPULATION OF EVERYTHING, INCLUDING WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
AND SO IN 2025, THEY CAME OUT WITH AN ESTIMATED POPULATION IN JANUARY OF 715,000 PEOPLE.
THIS LAST YEAR, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR, THEY CAME BACK AND READJUSTED IT BY 35,000 PEOPLE AND PUT US UP CLOSER TO 750,000 PEOPLE.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, LIKE MOST OF THE COUNTIES IN TEXAS DON'T HAVE 35,000 PEOPLE IN IT.
THEY MADE A MISTAKE MORE THAN AN ENTIRE COUNTY.
AND, AND SO THE PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE AND THAT REQUIRES MORE SERVICES ALL THE WAY AROUND.
AND WINSTON COUNTY IS DIFFERENT AND IS SPECIAL.
AND MAN, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO I NEED TO TELL AND POINT THIS OUT TO, BUT HERE'S HOW WE'RE SPECIAL.
UH, WE HAVE 750,000 PEOPLE THAT, UNLIKE MOST OF THE COUNTIES WITH AT OUR POPULATION
[02:10:01]
OR MORE, WE DON'T HAVE A DOMINANT CITY.WE DON'T HAVE AN EL PASO, A DALLAS, HOUSTON FORT WORTH, THAT, OTHER COUNTIES OF THAT SPOT THAT SIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY GET TO, THEY GET TO KIND OF UNLOAD SOME OF THE SERVICES OR THEY, YOU KNOW, ONTO, ONTO AND, AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
AND SO THAT MAKES US DIFFERENT.
THERE'S ONLY ABOUT THREE OR FOUR COUNTIES THAT ARE KIND OF IN OUR SPOT.
AND, UH, I LIKE TO SAY WE DOGE EVERY YEAR.
I, I SEND OUR BUDGET TO ALL THE, OUR LEGISLATORS EVERY YEAR.
AND I ASK THEM, PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO CUT.
AND I'M STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK.
UH, AND, AND I LOOK AT THE GOVERNOR'S NEW, UH, TAX MANAGEMENT PLAN AND IT DECREASES THE MULTIPLIER INSIDE OUR FORMULA FROM 3.5% TO TWO POINT HALF PERCENT.
AND, AND HE'S GOT A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION, BUT IT'S ALWAYS, HE'S ALWAYS REFERENCING HARRIS COUNTY OR DALLAS OR SOME PLACES NOT HERE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
AND I KEEP, AND YOU KNOW, THEY TRUST ABOUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND THEN I KEEP THINKING, MAN, WE WILLIAMSON COUNTY, WE HAVE TO FIND SOME BETTER FRIENDS TO HANG OUT WITH, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE BEING COMPARED TO THOSE COUNTIES BECAUSE WE DON'T OPERATE THAT WAY.
AND I'M TRYING TO, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE, YOU KNOW, HOW WE IMPRESS THAT UPON THE LEGISLATORS 'CAUSE THEY REALLY DO CONTROL US.
BUT JUST KNOW THAT, I MEAN, I, I SEE IT, I FEEL IT.
AND UH, AND, AND THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF IN FRONT OF US.
A LOT OF THE ASK THAT YOU ASK TODAY, YOU'RE LIKE, HEY MAN, THIS IS JUST KEEPING MY NOSE ABOVE THE WATER.
I'M NOT EVEN GETTING A CHANCE TO LEAN FORWARD.
AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT I KNOW.
THE LONG TERM, WHEN WE CAN LEAN FORWARD AND GET OUT AHEAD, THAT SAVES, YOU KNOW, OUR TAXPAYERS MONEY.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT TODAY, BUT IN THE DECADES AHEAD IT DOES.
AND I, SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, I, I HEAR YOU.
AND, AND I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
UM, THERE'S JUST, IT'S, IT IS WHERE WE'RE AT.
THERE'S ALWAYS, ALWAYS CHALLENGE.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE AND THANKS TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
ONE THING I, I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON WHAT COMMISSIONER BOWLES SAID, WITH OUR POPULATION INCREASING, I THINK IN THE NEXT 25 YEARS, IT'S GOING TO INCREASE TO 1.5 MILLION.
IS THAT ACCURATE ESTIMATION? SO YOU THINK ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO WHEN WE'RE AT THE YEAR 2000, WHAT WAS THE POPULATION WE ENCOUNTERED? YEAH, SO WE'VE INCREASED BY HALF MILLION AND WE WILL INCREASE BY ANOTHER MILLION OR 750,000 IN THE NEXT 25 YEARS TO COME.
SO WE'RE GONNA NEED A LOT MORE THINGS.
SO, UM, ONE THING I WOULD LIKE THE COURT TO CONSIDER ARE PLANS TO RAMP UP ALL OF OUR SERVICE DEPARTMENTS FOR THE NEXT 25 YEARS SO WE CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
SO WE'RE NOT, AND YOU KNOW, LIKE, LIKE THE CLERK SAID, YOU KNOW, THE SHERIFF NEEDS A LOT OF OFFICERS AND WE JUST GET A LITTLE, WELL, AT SOME POINT WE'RE GONNA GET TO THE PLACE WHERE WE'RE NOT RESPONDING TO CALLS AND LIFE IS IN JEOPARDY 'CAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE THOSE PEOPLE, UM, TO HANDLE IT.
OR THEY'RE, OR THEY'RE RESPONDING TO ANOTHER CALL, YOU KNOW, WHERE A FIRE'S NOT PUT OUT OR EMERGENCY'S NOT PUT OUT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE, UM, TO HANDLE THAT.
SO DEFINITELY LOOKING AT THE NEEDS AND THE ASK FOR THE SERVICES WE HAVE TO PROVIDE TO OUR COUNTY IS GONNA BE CRITICAL.
ONE THING TOO, IN TEXAS, IT'S NOT JUST WILLIAMSON COUNTY, RIGHT? THE TEXAS TRIANGLE BETWEEN DALLAS, HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, AND OF COURSE AUSTIN WILLIAMSON COUNTY WILL INCREASE BY 9 MILLION DURING THAT SAME TIME.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT BUDGETS, ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ABOUT AND THE GOVERNOR IN THE SCHOOL BUSINESS, WHEN YOU'RE A FAST GROWING SCHOOL, YOU HAVE THE SAME, UM, FINANCIAL EQUATION AND FUNDING AS EVERYBODY, WHETHER YOU'RE FAST GROWTH OR NOT.
SO YOU MIGHT GET FUNDED FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF KIDS FOR THE YEAR, BUT YOU GROW, LIKE WHEN I WAS IN LIBERTY HILL, WE GREW BY A THOUSAND EVERY YEAR AND THOSE EXTRA KIDS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE FUNDING FORMULA.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE A FAST GROWING COUNTY THAT'S GOING TO MEET COUNTY SERVICES, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME KIND OF DIFFERENT FUNDING FORM FORMULA OR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FORMULA THAT FAST GROWTH COUNTIES CAN CONSIDER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THEIR CITIZENS.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD BE, BUT UH, WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO FIGHT FOR, FOR WILLIAMSON COUNTY, UM, AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO, UH, AS WE WORK TOGETHER, UM, AS A COMMISSIONER'S COURT, DEFINITELY COME UP WITH THOSE PRIORITIES AND TRY TO FUND ACCORDINGLY.
UM, LARRY, WE WILL, WE'LL SEE WHAT THE, THE TAX REVENUE SHOWS.
IF THERE IS A WAY TO INCREASE SERVICES AMONGST ALL OUR DEPARTMENTS AND LOWER TAXES FOR THE INDIVIDUALS,
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MAN, WHAT A WIN THAT WOULD BE FOR WILLIAMSON COUNTY.SO, UM, WE'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND 'CAUSE AS WE TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, LIKE I'M LOOKING ACROSS THE TABLE AND
SO WORKING HARD TO GET THOSE GRANTS, WE NEED PEOPLE TO HELP US WITH GRANTS.
WORKING HARD TO GET THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
WHATEVER STONE WE CAN UNCOVER IS GONNA BE AS CRITICAL AS FIGURING OUT WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE GOING FORWARD.
AND BY THE WAY, I KNOW EVERYONE MIGHT LIKE A LITTLE MORE MONEY IN THEIR PAYCHECK GOING FORWARD AS WELL.
SO BALANCING ALL THOSE THINGS WITH THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT COMMISSIONER COBY MENTIONED, WE'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON IN THIS COUNTY, BUT IT'S A GREAT COUNTY TO BE A PART OF AND I'M GLAD WE ALL WORK TOGETHER ON THIS LEADERSHIP TEAM.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE.
ALRIGHT, IT IS, UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE.
1224 AND WE ARE OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED.