[00:00:09] >> ALL RIGHT OKAY GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE APRIL 25TH MEETING OF THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. WE HAVE A QUORUM AND WE WILL GET STARTED. [33. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on a proclamation recognizing Rylen Darter as the 2026 UIL Class 4A Girls Individual State Golf Champion] BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT. , I'D LIKE TO SKIP ALL THE WAY DOWN. I'VE TALKED TO THE PEOPLE WHO'VE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. TO ITEM NUMBER 33. WE CAN DO A LITTLE CELEBRATION TO START OUR MEETING. NUMBER 33 IS DISCUSS, CONSIDER, TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING RYLAN DARTER AS THE 2026UIL CLASS FOR A GIRLS INDIVIDUAL GOLF STATE CHAMPION. ABSOLUTELY. COMMISSIONER BOLES. >> JUDGE, IT'S ALWAYS FUN WHEN WE GET TO RECOGNIZE OUR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE ACHIEVED AND HAVE LIFTED THEIR WHOLE COMMUNITY TO A NEW LEVEL. AND THAT'S WITHOUT -- THAT'S EASILY WHAT RYLAN HAS ACCOMPLISHED IN SUCH -- AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE. I WAS TALKING TO HER EARLIER AND I'M ALWAYS IMPRESSED AT HOW YOUNG EVERYBODY IS AND HOW YOUNG I'M NOT. SO RYLAN, WOULD YOU AND YOUR FAMILY -- WOULD YOU MIND COMING UP FRONT? AND I'M GOING TO READ A PROCLAMATION. JUDGE, TODAY WE ALSO HAVE RYLAND AND HER PARENTS. WE ALSO HAVE JENNIFER GARCIA THE SUPERINTENDENT WHO I MIGHT SAY ALWAYS WORKING TO ACHIEVE THE NEXT LEVEL BUT GOT AN EXCELLENT RATING ON THEIR SCHOOLS LAST WEEK AND CONGRATULATIONS. WHEREAS THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN RECOGNIZING THE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHOSE DEDICATION, CHARACTER AND PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE BRING DISTINCTION TO THEIR SCHOOLS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES PICK A STUDENT AT LEGACY EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETED AN EXTRAORDINARY FRESHMAN SEASON BY CAPTURING THE 2026UIL CLASS FOR A GIRLS INDIVIDUAL STATE GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP. WITH THE TWO DAY SCORE OF 140, THE THIRD BEST SCORE IN UIL STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY AND WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP BY AN IMPRESSIVE SEVEN STROKES. WHEREAS RYLAND EARNED HER PLACE AT THE STATE TOURNAMENT BY WINNING THE 2026 REGION THREE CHAMPIONSHIP CAPTURED TEN TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIPS INCLUDING VICTORIES AT THE INVITATIONAL AND LEXINGTON INVITATIONAL. WHEREAS RYLAND WAS NAMED THE 2026 ALL CENTRAL TEXAS GIRLS GOLFER OF THE YEAR BY THE AMERICAN STATESMAN AND FOLLOWING HER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON QUALIFIED FOR THE GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL GOLF NATIONAL INVITATIONAL AT PINE RIDGE RESULT IN NORTH CAROLINA WHERE SHE COMPETED AMONG SOME OF THE NATION'S TOP HIGH SCHOOL GOLFERS AND EARNED AN OUTSTANDING FIFTH PLACE FINISH AMONG 228 COMPETITORS. I'M GOING TO STOP RIGHT THERE AND APPLAUD THAT. RYLAND S. ACCOMPLISHMENTS EXTEND WELL BEYOND THE GOLF COURSE. SHE MAINTAINS STRAIGHT A GRADES AT LEGACY EARLY HIGH SCHOOL WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY EARNING COLLEGE CREDIT THROUGH THE SCHOOL'S EARLY COLLEGE PROGRAM. WHEREAS RYLAND'S COMMITMENT TO ACADEMICS, ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE, HARD WORK AND DISCIPLINE SERVE AS AN INSPIRING YOUNG -- EXAMPLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH WILLIAMSON COUNTY. THEREFORE BE IT PROCLAIMED WILLIAMSON COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT RECOGNIZES AND CONGRATULATES RYLAND DAUGHTER FOR HISTORIC 2026 FRESHMAN GOLF SEASON -- INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AND OUTSTANDING NATIONAL PERFORMANCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS AS A STUDENT ATHLETE. EXTENDS ITS CONGRATULATIONS TO RYLAND, HER FAMILY, COACHES, TEACHERS, TEAMMATES AND ALL WHO SUPPORTED HER ON HER JOURNEY AND WE WISH HER CONTINUED SUCCESS. THAT IS MY MOTION. >> I SECOND. >> A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BOLES SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COVEY. ALL IN FAVOR. OF COURSE THE MOTION PASSES 5-0 AND Y'ALL MIGHT NOT REALIZE THIS BUT SHE'S JUST STARTING HER SOPHOMORE YEAR. >> THAT WAS YOUR FRESHMAN YEAR. >> THE FUTURE IS SO BRIGHT AND CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE REST OF YOUR CAREER AND BEYOND -- BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL LOOKS LIKE SO CONGRATULATIONS. I WANT TO SAY ANOTHER THING. COMMISSIONER COOKE AND I WERE OUT IN TAYLOR FOR A -- AN EVENT [00:05:05] TO CELEBRATE THE MUNICIPAL PUTT PUTT GOLF COURSE AND RYLAND WAS OUT THERE BUT COMMISSIONER COOKE AND I WERE SMART ENOUGH NOT TO BE AGAINST HER ON THE COURT. AS A MATTER OF FACT I DON'T THINK COMMISSIONER COOKE AND I GOT OFF THE FIRST HOLE. WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FINISH THE FIRST HOLE. BUT CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS ALSO TO YOUR COACHES. I KNOW IT'S A GREAT SENSE OF PRIDE AND SUPERINTENDENT GARCIA, THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT YOUR GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY. I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF YOU. >> CONGRATULATIONS GREAT JOB. >> CAN YOU GET A PICTURE? WE'LL COME OVER HERE. >> ALL RIGHT. I THINK I MISSPOKE EARLIER AND SAID TODAY'S APRIL 25TH. THE SPRING AND SUMMER HAVE GONE BY QUICKLY BUT NOT THAT QUICKLY. WE ARE IN THE HOT MONTH [34. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on a proclamation recognizing Jarrell ISD’s 110 years of service.] OF AUGUST, IS AUGUST 25TH AND THE MEETING OFFICIALLY STARTED AT 9:38 A.M. THE NEXT CELEBRATION IS ITEM 34 ON YOUR AGENDA, DISCUSS, CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING 110 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. COMMISSIONER. >> CAN YOU COME FORWARD PLEASE? SUCH A MONUMENTAL OCCASION. I WAS SPEAKING TO SUPERINTENDENT HICKS BEFORE AND SHE SAID THEY ARE A LITTLE SLOW AND JUST ADDED ABOUT 200 MORE STUDENTS TO THEIR SCHOOL SYSTEM THIS YEAR THAN THEY DID LAST YEAR. I'D LIKE TO SAY GERALD HAS THE OLD ISD PROBLEMS AND THE NEW ISD PROBLEMS IN THAT THEY OF GROSS, THEY'RE FACING A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING. APPRECIATE YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND THE COURT WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE GERALD ISD'S 110 YEARS OF EDUCATION. WHEREAS IN 1916 THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT CONSTRUCTED A TWO STORY BRICK -- SCHOOL THAT BECAME THE FOUNDATION OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND GROWING AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY SERVING STUDENTS FROM KINDERGARTEN TO 12TH GRADE AND REFLECTING THE COMMUNITY'S COMMITMENT TO FUTURE GENERATIONS. ARE Y'ALL STILL USING THAT BUILDING? I'VE FOUND -- WE HAVE NUMEROUS SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE USING AS SCHOOL BUILDINGS THAT ARE WELL OVER 100 YEARS OLD. WHEREAS FOR DECADES THE 1916 SCHOOL SERVED AS MORE THAN A PLACE BUILDING GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS, FAMILIES, EDUCATOR AND RESIDENTS TOGETHER THROUGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS. GRADUATIONS, ATHLETIC EVENTS AND COMMUNITY GATHERINGS THAT CREATE LONG LASTING TRADITIONS AND CONNECTIONS. AND WHEREAS FOLLOWING THE DEVASTATING EF5 TORNADO THAT STRUCK THE 1916 SCHOOL SITE BECAME PART OF THE COMMUNITY'S RESPONSE AND RECOVERY SERVING AS A GATHERING PLACE AND REFLECTING STRENGTH, COMPASSION, UNITY AND RESILIENCE OF THE GERALD COMMUNITY. WHEREAS IN 2023 THE 1916 BUILDING HISTORIC COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED BY GRADUATES TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES THAT PRESERVED NEARLY A CENTURY OF HISTORY IN THE PRESERVATION OF REDEVELOPMENT AND THE SITE -- THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE SUPPORTED THROUGH COMMUNITY APPROVED BOND PROGRAMS. WHEREAS THE GERALD CELEBRATE TEN YEARS OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICE IN 2026 THE HISTORIC 1916 SCHOOL REMAINS A LASTING SYMBOL OF EDUCATION, PUBLIC SERVICE, COMMUNITY IDENTITY, RESILIENCE [00:10:05] AND PROGRESS. THEREFORE BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE JARRELL ISD 1916 SITE -- AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY FOR ITS PRESERVATION OF LEGACY FOR THOSE WHO ESTABLISHED IT, ATTENDED, TAUGHT IN AND SUPPORTED PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THIS COMMUNITY. BE IT FURTHER PROCLAIMED THAT WE WILL JOIN THE -- JARRELL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THEIR COMMUNITY IN CELEBRATING EDUCATIONAL SERVICE HONORING THE 1916 SCHOOL'S ENDURING CONNECTION BETWEEN HISTORY, COMMUNITY OF TODAY AND GENERATIONS YET TO COME. >> I WILL SECOND YOUR MOTION. >> THAT IS MY MOTION. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> WE WANT TO SEE THE VIDEO. HAVE A SEAT AND TELL US WHAT YOU'VE GOT GOING ON. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME TODAY AND RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 100 AND 10-YEAR OLD BUILDING WHICH IS THE HEARTBEAT OF JARRELL THE 1916 BUILDING WHICH YOU SAID HAS BEEN EDUCATING GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS AND BECAUSE WE RECENTLY REMODELED THE BUILDING WE WILL EDUCATE CONTINUED GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS FOR MANY YEARS TO COME PIERCE IS A SIGNIFICANT PLACE AS YOU SAY, A MEETING PLACE THAT -- THE MEETING PLACE WE'VE HAD FOR MANY SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN JARRELL ISD AND IN THE COMMUNITY. JARRELL COMMUNITY IS NOT A LARGE COMMUNITY SO HAVING A PLACE WHERE FOLKS CAN COME TOGETHER AND THAT THEY RECOGNIZE THIS IS SPECIAL FOR NOT JUST CHILDREN BUT ALSO ADULTS AND MEETING PLACES FOR DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT HAPPENED, IT MATTERS TO THIS COMMUNITY. SO WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO ITS FULL GLORY AND IT'S STILL OPERATING TODAY. IT IS SHOCKING WHEN I TELL PEOPLE THAT ALL THE WAY UNTIL THE YEAR 2000, IT EDUCATED K THROUGH 12. WHEN YOU SAID WE ADDED -- WE ACTUALLY ADDED 250 STUDENTS. 248 TO BE EXACT. 248 STUDENTS THIS SUMMER THAT WE NOW OF COURSE COULD NEVER EDUCATE K12 IN THAT ONE SMALL BUILDING. BUT WE'RE OVER 5000 STUDENTS NOW AND JARRELL AND IN THE YEAR 2000 ALL K12 WAS IN THAT ONE BUILDING WHICH IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY BRINGING THAT BUILDING BACK TO LIFE AND WHAT IT SERVES FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING IT AND SHARING IN THE CELEBRATION. I HAVE A SHORT VIDEO TO SHOW Y YOU. NO SOUND. YOU CAN SEE THE BUILDING'S NOT VERY LARGE AND YOU CAN SEE THAT FOWLKES -- HERE WE GO. ♪ ♪ >> THERE WE GO. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ♪ ♪ >> FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY JARRELL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO EDUCATING GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS WHILE SERVING AS THE HEART OF OUR GROWING COMMUNITY. ESTABLISHED IN 1916, JARRELL ISD BEGAN AS A RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMITTED TO PROVIDING LOCAL CHILDREN WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN, GROW AND SUCCEED. OVER THE DECADES THE DISTRICT'S EVOLVED ALONGSIDE THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES WHAT BEGAN AS A HANDFUL OF CLASSROOMS IN ONE SCHOOLHOUSE HAS GROWN INTO A THRIVING DISTRICT THAT EDUCATES THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS, OPERATES SEVEN SCHOOLS, A CHILD CARE CENTER, AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AND MAINTAINS DISTRICT OPERATIONS CENTER. THROUGH PERIODS OF CHANGE AND REMARKABLE GROWTH HAS REMAINED GROUNDED IN THE VALUES THAT HAVE DEFINED IT FOR 110 YEARS. THE DISTRICT CELEBRATED COUNTLESS MILESTONES FROM THE OPENING OF NEW CAMPUSES AND EXPANDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO CHAMPIONSHIP ATHLETIC TEAMS, AWARD WINNING FINE ARTS PROGRAMS AND INNOVATIVE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PATHWAYS. EACH ACHIEVEMENT REFLECTS THE DEDICATION OF OUR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, STAFF, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO'VE WORKED TOGETHER TO BUILD A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE. AS WE CELEBRATE OUR 110TH BIRTHDAY, WE HONOR THE GENERATIONS WHO LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR DISTRICT AND LOOK FORWARD WITH EXCITEMENT TO THE FUTURE. TOGETHER WE CONTINUE TO INSPIRE [00:15:03] LEARNERS, STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY AND BUILD ON THE LEGACY THAT MAKES JARRELL ISD A. PLACE WHERE STUDENTS THRIVE. >> COMMISSIONER BOLES AND COMMISSIONER COVEY AND MYSELF JOINED YOU AT THE HUNDRED YEAR CELEBRATION AND IT WAS AN AMAZING JOB. YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THIS BUT DR. HICKS CAMPUS IS IN ROUND ROCK ISD, SHE WAS IN CHARGE OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION IN LIBERTY HILL WHERE I MET HER AND WAS BLESSED TO WORK WITH HER FOR A FEW YEARS. NOW LEADING JARRELL ISD I. COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD. AS YOU SEE FROM THE VIDEO, SCHOOLS WERE IN COMMUNITIES TOGETHER AND YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU CONTINUING TO MOVE IT FORWARD. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> BEFORE YOU LEAVE, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORT. WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER WHEN YOU WERE -- A. LONG TIME AGO IT SEEMS BUT THAT'S WHEN I GOT TO MEET YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I DO APPRECIATE THE WORK TOGETHER. DISTRICT IS DIFFICULT IN THAT IT DOESN'T JUST ENCOMPASS JARRELL AREA, IT COMES INTO GEORGETOWN. MUCH OF SUN CITY IS ACTUALLY IN THE JARRELL SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO THAT'S COMPLICATING. YOU OPENED A NEW SCHOOL IN GEORGETOWN AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORT AND FORWARD THINKING IN WHERE SCHOOLS SHOULD GO IN WORKING WITH US TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SUPPORT. IT MAKES IT BETTER FOR EVERYBODY SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> LET'S GET A PICTURE REAL QUICK. >> TELL YOUR BOARD CONGRATS TO. JUDGE, DO YOU MIND GOING TO 57 FOR JUST A SECOND? COMMISSIONER COMMENTS I JUST WANTED TO SAY YESTERDAY WAS OUR 41ST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. SO WE'VE BEEN BLESSED, MARK AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH THREE WONDERFUL BOYS WHO NOW ALL HAVE WIVES WHO WE LOVE AND FOUR GRANDCHILDREN. SO VERY BLESSED. >> AND CAREER. >> YES, THEY ARE SELF SUPP SUPPORTIVE. THAT IS VERY GOOD. [ Public Comment Period for Agenda Items.  The Commissioners Court will conduct a Public Comment Period to allow members of the public, who have properly submitted a Public Participation Form, to address the Commissioners Court regarding specific Agenda Items that are on the Commissioners Court’s Agenda.  During such Public Comment Period, speakers shall be limited to a maximum of three (3) minutes to make his or her remarks regarding an Agenda Item. Each member of the public who appears before the Commissioners Court to address the Commissioners Court regarding more than one (1) Agenda Item on the Commissioners Court’s Agenda shall be limited to a cumulative maximum of five (5) minutes to make his or her remarks for all such Agenda Items.  The maximum overall discussion time allowed for an Agenda Item, regardless of the number of members of the public wishing to address the Court on such Agenda Item, shall be limited to thirty (30) minutes.  Speaking time, to the extent possible, will be evenly allocated among speakers should more than ten (10) speakers desire to speak on the same Agenda Item.  In matters of exceptional interest, the Commissioners Court may, by majority vote, lengthen the maximum overall public discussion time allowed on a particular Agenda Item.  The Presiding Officer of the Commissioners Court reserves the right to conduct public comment regarding an Agenda Item at the time in which the item is called for the Commissioners Court’s consideration as opposed to including such public comments during this Public Comment Period.] SO ANYWAY I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT. >> CONGRATULATIONS. AT THIS POINT WE WILL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. JIM DILLON. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING, JUDGE. I'VE GOT A PROCLAMATION. IS LORD. >> SO MOVED. >> AMEN. >> ALL RIGHT UNANIMOUS CONSENT. BUT I WON'T TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU. SORRY. NOW I NOTICED ON ALL THESE JUICY ITEMS IT'S HARD TO DECIDE WHICH TARGET TO SHOOT AT HERE. WE'VE GOT A GRAVE EMERGENCY AND A GRAVE NECESSITY. [00:20:09] AND AN EMERGENCY. BECAUSE ADDITIONAL REVENUES ARE REQUIRED FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND THE PARKS. BUT YOU KNOW, YOU MAKE IT SOUND LIKE SHELTER IN PLACE, EVERYBODY. YOU KNOW. EVACUATE NOW. MANDATORY EVACUATION. EMERGENCY. CALL 911, PLEASE, HURRY. YOU'RE TALKING THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW. YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS APPROVING MILLIONS AND MILLIONS, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND THE PARKS. BUT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT YOU'VE GOT GRAVE NECESSITY FOR ADDITIONAL REVENUES AND YOU APPROVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS, WHY DIDN'T THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT THROW THESE ITEMS IN THE BUDGET THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO VOTE ON? >> BECAUSE THE REVENUE HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED. WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE. >> ARE GOING TO BUY STUFF WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CAMP AND BUY FIREWOOD. >> HOW DOES THAT QUALIFY AS AN EMERGENCY? >> THAT'S THE WORDING FROM THE CONSTITUTION. BECAUSE WE ARE CHANGING THE BUDGET. THAT'S HOW SERIOUS IT IS TO CHANGE THE BUDGET. >> SHELTER IN PLACE COMMISSIONER COOK. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT COULD HA HAPPEN. LET'S GO TO 15. EVERY SINGLE WEEK FREE AT DATASOLUTIONS GETS 100 GRAND OR HALF A MILLION. FOR DATA SOLUTIONS. THEY MIGHT AS WELL ADMIT IT'S DATA CENTERS. WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING AT AND RUNNING ALL THEIR DATA THROUGH. AND YOU KNOW, THEIR SO CALLED SOLUTIONS WITH ALL THAT DATA THAT THEY'RE COMPILING, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN. 24 HOURS A DAY, CAMERAS EVERYWHERE. MIND CONTROL DEVICES WATCHING YOU, LISTENING. AND THAT'S NO SOLUTION AT ALL. THAT'S ENSLAVEMENT. THEIR NAME IS FREE OR FREE SOMETHING THAT'S ON AGENDA ITEM 15. THEY'RE TRYING TO ENSLAVE US WITH THEIR ONES AND ZEROS. WHY ARE WE GIVING THEM MONEY EVERY SINGLE WEEK? THIS WEEK IS JUST 100 GRAND. LAST WEEK, WEEK BEFORE PROBABLY HALF A MILLION, I FORGET. 17. THE HISTORIC COURTHOUSE UPGRADES. WHEN I WALKED IN THE FRONT DOOR THIS MORNING IT APPEARS THAT THIS BRAND NEW BUILDING, VERY EXPENSIVE, HIGH TECH. IT'S A BOX REALLY. AND THE SMELL OF FORMALDEHYDE IS OVERPOWERING. THE -- THE BRAND NEW BOX IS ONE THAT'S IN NEED OF UPGRADES. APPARENTLY THEY HAVE TO START OVER AGAIN ON THE FACADE. THEY'VE GOT THE SCAFFOLDING UP AND SOME OF THE SHEETING HAS FALLEN -- FALLEN OFF OR HAS IT BEEN REMOVED. >> I THINK IT WAS LEAD TIME ON SUPPLIES. THEY DIDN'T ALL COME IN. ALL THE PANELS WEREN'T HERE. >> THEY'RE GOING TO WANT A COUPLE OF GRAND FOR THAT AGAIN. IN ADDITION TO THE MILLIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PAID WHY DON'T THEY EAT THAT LAWSUIT? THEY DIDN'T CONSTRUCT IT PROPERLY. THEY SHOULD SUFFER THAT PENALTY. >> THANK YOU. TIME'S UP. >> CAN I GET AN EXCEPTION? TO THE POLICY. >> YOU CAN COME BACK AFTERWARDS FOR OFF AGENDA COMMENTS BUY I DON'T HAVE TIME. [00:25:01] >> THANK YOU, SIR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER MR. BILL COVER LAW. >> BILL COVER LAW, WILLIAMSON COUNTY. LAST WEEK WHILE YOU GUYS WERE HAVING YOUR SPECIAL SESSION, WE WERE IN JUNEAU, ALASKA, HAVING A NATIONAL GET TOGETHER WITH A MAC TO TALK ABOUT LOTS OF ISSUES. A FASCINATING WEEK. BUT THIS SPECIAL SESSION I DON'T THINK ANYONE REALLY KNEW ABOUT LED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TAX BREAKS. -- PAID FOR BY ACTUAL CITIZENS AND NOT CONTRACTS. THE TRANSPARENCY ISSUE WITH THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS -- IT SHOULD BE AN EASY WAY INFORMING THE CITIZENS IN A MEETING LIKE THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN. A NUMBER 18, IT'S INTERESTING HOW WE CAN REMODEL THESE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE. AT THE SAME TIME WE CAN'T SEEM TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE THESE PROSECUTE WHITE COLLAR CRIME. IT'S REALLY A STATE WIDE SYSTEMIC ETHICAL ISSUE TOO BECAUSE IT'S REALLY HAPPENS IN JUST ABOUT EVERY COUNTY OUT THERE, A SELECTIVE PROSECUTION. AND AGAIN THE EXPLANATION BEHIND IT, FOLLOW THE MONEY. WHY DON'T WE GET WHITE COLLAR PROSECUTION. ITEM 36 COUNTY WIDE SURVEY FOR 2026. WHO KAKAO, WHAT AND WHY AND CITIZEN INPUT. THEY START WITH A STATISTICAL SAMPLE BUT THE SAMPLING PROCESS I CALL KIND OF B.S. GOES ON TO MAKE ALL KINDS OF COMMENTS LIKE OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT THAT LEADERS CAN DEPEND ON. TO MAKE DATA DRIVEN DECISIONS, IMPROVE RESIDENTS LIVES. THAT WILL BE AN -- INTERESTING TO SEE HOW YOU MEASURE THAT. ASSIST IN MAKING DECISIONS. MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THE STUDY ISN'T WORTH THE TOILET PAPER IT'S WRITTEN ON. CONTAINS A LOT OF WORDS AND INFORMATION -- BASICALLY IS A PROPAGANDA DOCUMENT. ALL OF THIS IS REALLY BASED ON STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND ONE REASON WHY I DISAGREE WITH THIS, I HAVE OVER 50 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE AREA OF FINDING TRUTHS IN THESE THINGS AND MAKING STATISTICAL ANALYSIS WHEN I TOOK MY ENGINEERING DEGREE IN STATISTICS. I ACED THE FINAL. THE REST OF THE CLASS HATED ME FOR MAKING THE FINAL EXAM SINCE THERE WAS NO CURVE. BUT MY MILITARY CAREER WAS MY PRIMARY JOB TO ANALYZE THE ENEMY, LOOK AT WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND DETERMINE THE THREAT QUALITY OF THE INFORMATION AND ADVISING SENIOR MANAGEMENT ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS MESS. I DON'T LIKEN IT TO A COW PATTY THROWING CONTEST WHO CAN SWING IT THE FURTHEST -- AND HAVE PEOPLE THINK IT REALLY MEANS SOMETHING. >> THANK YOU, BILL. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOHN PELOSI. >> PELOSI, AUSTIN. TO THE COURT FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF ELECTIONS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY FOR APPROVING THAT LIST OF EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY VOTE CENTERS. SEVERAL WEEKS AGO. THESE SITES PROVIDE VOTERS WITH GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND CONVENIENCE IN THE ELECTIONS OFFICE. THEY DO A REMARKABLE JOB CONSIDERING ALL THE OBSTACLES ONE POLITICAL FACTION KEEPS [00:30:01] THROWING AT THEM. I WAS HOWEVER VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS MADE HERE AND BY WHAT I SAW ON SOCIAL MEDIA LAST WEEK. REMARKS MADE BY A FEW PEOPLE WHO OBJECTED TO ISLAMIC MOSQUES BEING USED AS VOTE SITES. WAS OBVIOUS THESE PEOPLE WERE SIMPLY TRYING TO INCITE FEAR AMONG OTHER NARROW MINDED WILLIAMSON COUNTY RESIDENTS. THEIR COMMENTS UNFAIRLY ASSOCIATED AMERICAN MUSLIMS WITH A FOREIGN LEGAL SYSTEM AND IN THAT CONTEXT IT SHOWED THEIR ANTI-MUSLIM PREJUDICE. IT HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH VOTER INTEGRITY, NOTHING TO DO WITH ELECTION SECURITY, NOTHING TO DO WITH THE VOTING PROCESS -- TO CAST THEIR BALLOT. DISGRUNTLED INDIVIDUALS CAN VOTE AT ANY ONE OF OUR SITES AT EARLY VOTING AND ANY 1 OF 74 OTHER SITES ON ELECTION DAY NOVEMBER 3RD. THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY ARE QUIET, KIND AND RESPECTFUL PEOPLE WHO HAPPEN TO PRACTICE A DIFFERENT RELIGION THAN MOST OF THE REST -- THAN MOST OF THE REST OF US AND THAT'S WONDERFUL. FREEDOM OF RELIGION WAS NEVER MEANT TO PROTECT ONLY THE RELIGIONS WE PERSONALLY GREW UP WITH OR PRACTICED NOW. FREEDOM OF RELIGION MEANS EVERY PERSON HAS THE RIGHT TO WORSHIP OR NOT ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE. OUR POLLING PLACES SHOULD WELCOME EVERY ELIGIBLE VOTER REGARDLESS OF FAITH AND JUST AS A WAY TO VALUE -- I. VALUE AND RESPECT MY MUSLIM NEIGHBORS THIS YEAR I WILL BE VOTING AT A NEARBY ISLAMIC CENTER. >> THANK YOU, JAN. >> THANK YOU, JAN. THAT IS IT FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS [1. Review and approval of minutes.] RELATED TO THE AGENDA. WE HAVE TIME LATER IN THE AGENDA FOR OFF AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENTS. WE WILL NOW GO TO AGENDA ITEM [2. Hear County Auditor concerning invoices, bills, Quick Check Report, wire transfers and electronic payments submitted for payment and take appropriate action including, but not limited to approval for payment provided said items are found by the County Auditor to be legal obligations of the county.] NUMBER 1 REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES. >> I MOVE WE APPROVE. >> I SECOND. >> MOTION -- >> THERE'S ACTUALLY 2 MINUTES. THE 20TH AND THE 17TH. >> AND YOUR MOTION IS TO APPROVE THOSE, CORRECT? ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER 2 HERE FROM THE COUNTY AUDITOR. WELCOME, NATE. >> GOOD MORNING. WILLIAMSON COUNTY AUDITOR'S OFFICE. IN THE AMOUNT OF $9,998,793.39 IN ADDITION REQUESTING APPROVAL [ CONSENT AGENDA The Consent Agenda includes non-controversial and routine items that the Court may act on with one single vote. The Judge or a Commissioner may pull any item from the consent agenda in order that the court discuss and act upon it individually as part of the Regular Agenda. (Items 3 – 32)] FOR ONE WIRE -- ONE QUICK PAYMENT, ONE -- FIVE PAYMENTS AND ONE BENEFIT PAYMENT TOTALING $903,995.95. >> THANK YOU. DO I HEAR A MOTION? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COOK SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BOLES. ALL IN FAVOR? ITEM IS APPROVED. THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 332 CONSENT AGENDA I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> I MOVE APPROVE ITEM THREE THROUGH 32. >> SECOND. >> MOTION AND SECOND. [36. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on hearing a presentation from Ryan Murray with ETC Institute on the results of the County's 2026 community-wide survey.] ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA WE DID ITEMS 33 AND 34. WE'RE PULLING ITEM 35. MOVING ON TO 36, DISCUSS CONSIDER TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON HEARING A PRESENTATION FROM RYAN MURPHY WITH ET CETERA INSTITUTE ON THE RESULTS OF THE COUNTY'S 2026 COMMUNITY WIDE SURVEY. WELCOME. >> GOOD MORNING DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND WITH ME -- HE'S GOING TO DO THE PRESENTATION ON THE COMMUNITY WIDE SURVEY. >> THANK YOU JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS FOR HAVING ME THIS MORNING IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY AGAIN. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO I WAS ABLE TO PRESENT SIMILAR SURVEY RESULTS TO DO ANOTHER COMMUNITY SURVEY FOR WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE MYSELF ORIENTED HERE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT AWARE OF THE INSTITUTE WERE ONE OF THE LEADING FIRMS FOR [00:35:04] PROVIDING RESEARCH SERVICES FOR GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND WE SPECIFICALLY WORK WITH MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS MOST FREQUENTLY. WE DO A LOT OF WORK HERE LOCALLY BUT ALSO A LOT OF WORK WITH ROUND ROCK AND GEORGETOWN AND TAYLOR AND SOME OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES AROUND WILLIAMSON COUNTY INCLUDING AUSTIN. SO NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE LOCALIZED EXPERIENCE BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF NATIONAL EXPERIENCE AS WELL. I'VE BEEN WITH THE FIRM ABOUT 20 YEARS AND THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY RESEARCH THERE AND I'M HAPPY TO PRESENT THE FINDINGS TODAY FOR THE 2026 COMMUNITY SURVEY. AS MENTIONED THE PURPOSE OF THE SURVEY IS AN OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF WHAT WE WANT TO TRY TO DO IS DIMINISH BIAS IN THE OVERALL RESPONSE. WE'RE ASKING RESPONDENTS TO RATE THEIR GENERALIZED LEVEL OF SATISFACTION SERVICES THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE OF. WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING PRIORITIES THAT THE COUNTY DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE FEEDBACK TOOL FOR RESIDENTS TO PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK TO THE COUNTY. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE WANT TO DO IS SET PRIORITIES SO WE DO THAT THROUGH DESIGN THE SURVEY. WE USE WHAT WE CALL IMPORTANT SATISFACTION ANALYSIS TO HAVE RESPONDENTS RAISE TH -- RATE THE SATISFACTION OF COUNTY SERVICES AND WE ASK RESPONDENTS TO REALLY TELL US WHICH ONES THEY WANT TO SEE MOST EMPHASIZE. WE USE BASICALLY A MATHEMATICAL EQUATION TO UNDERSTAND WHICH ITEMS HAVE BELOW AVERAGE SATISFACTION AND ABOVE AVERAGE IMPORTANCE AND WE SUGGEST BASED OVER TIME THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT WILL HAVE THE GREATEST TUG AND PULL ON PERCEPTIONS OF THE COUNTY MOVING FORWARD AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN JUST A MINUTE. WE WANT TO TRACK YOUR PERFORMANCE AGAINST OTHER COMMUNITIES PEER CONTEXTUALIZATION OF THE RESULTS IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN COMMUNITIES WHERE WE HAVE REALLY POOR RESULTS THE CONTEXTUALIZATION CAN REALLY HELP US MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT ALONE HERE IN THIS STORY. IN THIS CASE IT SHOWS HOW FAR AND ABOVE SOME COMMUNITIES CAN ACTUALLY PREPARE FOR AND ACTUALLY RECEIVE HIGH MARKS COMPARED TO SOME OF OUR NATIONAL AVERAGES BECAUSE WE DO SO MUCH WORK IN THE STATE OF TEXAS WE DO A TEXAS REGIONAL AVERAGE BUT IT'S A STATEWIDE SURVEY WE ADMINISTER EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS AND DO THAT ALONGSIDE A NATIONAL BENCHMARK SURVEY AS WELL. WE'LL SEE THE RESULTS OF THOSE COMPARED TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY 2026 RESULTS. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE PROJECT IS THE METHODOLOGY. IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WE FIRST DRAW A RANDOM SAMPLE OF HOUSEHOLDS FROM A LIST OF ALL RESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY'S BOUNDARIES. WE WORKED WITH CONNIE AND HER TEAM TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT EITHER THE APPROPRIATE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES OR AT LEAST A LIST AND WE PURCHASE A LIST BASED ON USPS MAILING LIST. TO HELP WITH OUR TARGETED FOLLOW UPS WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE FIELD FOREVER AND WE KNOW WE CAN USE RANDOM SAMPLING INSTEAD OF A FULL CENSUS TO GATHER A REPRESENTATIVE GROUP OF RESPONSES THAT ACCURATELY PORTRAYS WITH A MARGIN OF ERROR THE ACTUAL OVERALL PENDINGS OF AN ENTIRE GROUP. BY USING RANDOM SAMPLING, ENSURING THE RESULTS COLLECTED ARE REPRESENTATIVE AND GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED APPROPRIATELY AS DEMOGRAPHIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION EXISTS IN THE COUNTY, WE CAN SAY WITHIN MARGIN OF ERROR OF ABOUT 2.7% THE 95% LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT THESE RESULTS HOLD TRUE WITHIN THE 3% MARGIN OF ERROR. WITHIN THE SURVEY WE ASKED DO YOU LIKE THE COLOR GREEN AND 50% OF PEOPLE SAID YES, AND 50% OF PEOPLE SAID NO. IF I WENT OUT AND COLLECTED 1302 SURVEYS FROM RANDOMLY SELECTED RESPONDENTS THE DEMOGRAPHIC GEOGRAPHICALLY REPRESENT WILLIAMSON COUNTY AS A WHOLE WE'D SEE 50% FLUCTUATE BETWEEN 47 AND 53%, 95 OUT OF 100 TIMES. I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW WE DID A REALLY GREAT JOB OF RANDOM SAMPLING WE DID A REALLY GREAT JOB OF REPRESENTING THE RESULTS, WE CAN SEE THAT IN SOME OF THE -- DEMOGRAPHICS IN THE FULL REPORT AND THERE'S A MARGIN OF ERROR TO THE RESULTS. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A MARGIN OF ERROR BUT IT'S VERY SMALL. ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS LIKE TO DO IS USE COMPARISONS TO LOOK AT BENCHMARKS LATER IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES A SIMILARLY SIZED SURVEY. A FEW MORE PEOPLE POTENTIALLY ARE VERY SIMILAR GENERALIZED POPULATION IN TERMS OF NUMBERS BUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS A REALLY HIGH LEVEL OF RELIABILITY ON THE OVERALL RESULTS. ONE OF THE WAYS WE MANAGE AND LOOK AT THE SAMPLES BY THE LOCATION OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS. YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE POCKETS OF CONCENTRATED RESPONSES. THOSE SHOULD FLOW ALONG POPULATION LINES OR DENSITY LINES BECAUSE WE GET FURTHER INTO THE OUTER PARTS OF THE COUNTY IT BECOMES A LITTLE MORE DISPERSED. WE COLLECTED MORE SURVEYS IN 2026 AND 2024 OVERALL THE COUNTY SETS THE STANDARD FOR DELIVERY OF SERVICES. LOOKING AT THE BENCHMARK -- WHEN WE LOOK AT YOUR TRENDS, 38 OF THE AREAS FROM THE SURVEY COMPARABLE FROM 2024 TO 2028 -- 2026, 20 OF THOSE -- 53% SAW AN INCREASE IN OVERALL POSITIVE RESPONSES. THE MARGIN OF ERROR FOR ABOUT 2.7%. TALKING ABOUT SIGNIFICANT SHIFTS AS THEY EXCEED THE SURVEY'S MARGIN OF ERROR SO IT'S A TRUE AND ACTUAL DIFFERENCE IN PERCEPTIONS. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BENCHMARKING PERCEPTION OF THE COUNTY REMAINS REALLY HIGH. OVERALL YOU RATE IT ABOVE THE TEXAS AND NATIONAL AVERAGE IN 15 OF 16 AREAS THAT WERE COMPARABLE. LOOKING AT ONE AREA WAS ROAD MAINTENANCE STILL ABOVE THE NATIONAL IN TEXAS AVERAGES BUT [00:40:02] IT WASN'T SIGNIFICANT AND WHEN WE LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT ONE OF THE THINGS LAST TIME AS WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE DIDN'T KNOW YET. THE SIMILAR SURVEYS FROM ROUND ROCK AND GEORGETOWN TO TELL US THINGS WERE PROBABLY PRETTY GOOD. WE JUST WEREN'T SURE YET AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE RESULTS LAST TIME THE OVERALL CONSTRUCTION, SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS IN ROAD MAINTENANCE HIGHEST OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT CONTINUES TO BE OUR HIGH OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT. WE SEE MAJOR STRENGTHS HERE WHEN WE GET INTO PERCEPTIONS AS WELL. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OVERALL PERCEPTIONS, IT'S EXTREMELY STRONG AND ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS RESPONDENTS CONTINUED TO LIVE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY IS THE FEELING OF SAFETY WITH LOW CRIME RATES BY ABOUT 60% RESPONDENTS. A FOLLOW UP QUESTION WHEN WE ASKED WHICH OF THE ITEMS ARE MOST IMPORTANT IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS WE SEE ABOUT 60% -- THE SAME 60% RESPONDENTS INDICATE THE FEELING OF SAFETY OR LOW CRIME RATE. LOOKING AT THE IMPORTANCE OF OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS, ROAD MAINTENANCE, -- SAFETY AND TRAFFIC FLOW ACT AS PRIMARY DRIVERS AND WE SEE HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE WITH HOW FAR THEY ARE FROM THE OTHER ITEMS BUT THE PACE OF GROWTH IS ONE OF THE EMERGING TOPICS. WE CAN SEE THAT BY THE SIGNIFICANT UPTICK IN THE OVERALL SELECTION OF THE ITEM FROM 24 TO 26. LOOKING AT THE OVERALL SATISFACTION OF COUNTY SERVICES I'VE PLACED ARROWS TO INDICATE WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S SIGNIFICANT DECREASES OR INCREASES AND OVERALL SATISFACTION WITH CORE SERVICES REMAIN STRONG. EMS PARK AND ANIMAL SHELTER CONTINUE TO SEE TOP MARKS AND WE SEE ROAD CONSTRUCTION RELATED IMPROVEMENTS LIKE THAT RECEIVE HIGH LEVELS OF DISSATISFACTION CONSISTENT WITH 2024. BINDING PRIORITY IN THE FIRST SURVEY WE ASSUME THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE PRIORITIES BUT WE WANT TO SEE CONSISTENCY IN THE OVERALL RATINGS. LARGE FLUCTUATIONS ESPECIALLY TO THE NEGATIVE BUT HERE WE'VE SEEN INSISTENT RESULTS WITH EVEN SOME OF OUR LOWER RATED SATISFACTION. [INDISCERNIBLE] >> YES, AND THAT'S THE THING ABOUT THE LAST SURVEY AS WELL YOU WERE ALL INVESTING HEAVILY IN SOME OF THE OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY. WE'VE SEEN A SHIFT IN SOME OF THE MAPS, YOU MIGHT TAKE A LOOK AT THE MAPPING APPENDIX THAT COMPANIES THE FULL REPORT. >> SPEAKING OF THAT, SORRY TO INTERRUPT. IT DEPENDS HOW YOU ASK THE QUESTION. WHAT QUESTION DID YOU ASK AS FAR AS ROAD MAINTENANCE GOES. I'M CURIOUS BECAUSE IS IT THAT WE'RE NOT DOING IT ENOUGH OR WE'RE NOT DOING IT WELL? >> SIMPLY SATISFACTION OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY ROAD MAINTENANCE SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS PROVIDE GENERALIZED PERCEPTIONS OF WHAT'S GOING ON. WE KNOW NOT EVERY RESIDENT'S AN EXPERT IN ANYTHING ROAD MAINTENANCE SPECIFICALLY OR THEY MIGHT NOT BE PARKS AND REC EXPERTS BUT WE WANT TO GENERALLY UNDERSTAND THEIR UNDERSTANDINGS OR PERCEPTIONS OF THE DELIVERIES OF THOSE SERVICES AND THAT'S WHY THE BENCHMARKS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE BECAUSE IT HELPS CONTEXTUALIZE OTHER COMMUNITIES WITH SIMILAR SITUATIONS. IF WE ASKED EXPERTS WE'D HAVE A PRETTY GOOD UNDERSTANDING BUT WE KNOW WILLIAMSON COUNTY'S HIRING AND ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES WHO KNOW THE PROFESSIONAL KPIS FOR SOME OF THOSE ITEMS. >> BASED ON THE MAP A LOT OF YOUR RESPONDENTS ARE IN CITIES AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHO'S DOING WHAT. THEY JUST WANT IT DONE. ESPECIALLY IN ROADS. SO HOW DO YOU HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION THAT THEIR ANSWER IS REALLY ABOUT THE COUNTY AND NOT ABOUT THEIR CITY STREETS OR THE AREA THEY LIVE. >> I THINK THERE'S BEEN TIMES WHERE WE'VE INCLUDED DESCRIPTORS WITHIN SOME OF THESE ITEMS. I DON'T THINK WE'VE DONE THAT HERE BUT I KNOW THAT WE DO THAT IN SOME OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND SO WHAT WE'LL DO IN OTHER COMMUNITIES IS SAY FOR EXAMPLE HERE'S SOME OF THE CITY ROADS COUNTY SURVEY IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ONLY CROSSING THE COUNTY LINES BUT CITY LINES AND STATE ROADS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY SO AGAIN IT'S ONE OF THESE THINGS WHERE WE DO OUR BEST TO OBJECTIVELY ASK THESE QUESTIONS WITHOUT NECESSARILY PINPOINTING THAT RESPONDENT THE EXACT WAY WE WANT THEM TO GO SO WE'RE GENERALLY ASKING THEM ABOUT ROAD MAINTENANCE. WE HAVEN'T DONE ROUND ROCK SURVEY YET THIS YEAR BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT GEORGETOWN, IT'S A SIMILAR STORY. TRAFFIC FLOW AND ROAD MAINTENANCE ARE COMMON PRIORITIES FOR HIGH PERFORMING ORGANIZATIONS WHERE THE REASON WE WANT TO LIVE AND STAY HERE IS THE LOW CRIME RATE AND SAFETY SO POLICE SERVICES AND SHERIFF SERVICES ARE RATING VERY HIGH BUT AT THE SAME TIME RESIDENTS ARE FINDING SOMETHING TO MAYBE NITPICK AIR QUOTES. IT'S ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT WHERE WE'RE NOT SAYING WHAT IS THE MAINTENANCE OF THIS ONE COUNTY ROAD, HOW'S THE QUALITY OF THE STRIP OF ROAD THE COUNTY MAINTAINS WITH ROUND ROCK ON EITHER SIDE. IT'S MORE ABOUT GENERALLY HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE OVERALL ROAD MAINTENANCE IN THE AREA. THE BIG PIECE I TELL FOLKS AND THE REASON WHY I THINK IT'S GREAT THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICES RUN THE SURVEY IS THIS IS ONE PIECE OF A REALLY LARGE ENGAGEMENT PUZZLE THAT STAFF WILL PUT ON YEAR OVER YEAR. [00:45:02] WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS AND OTHER ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, STAFF ARE HEARING OTHER THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY. WE MIGHT UNDERSTAND FROM THE OVERALL AGGREGATE ROAD MAINTENANCE IS IMPORTANT TO RESPONDENTS BUT THERE'S AN -- ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT MEASURES THROUGH THE 311 LINE AND OTHER COMPLAINT OFFICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE CAN BEGIN TO FURTHER NARROW DOWN WHETHER THE PROBLEMS MIGHT EXIST IF THEY DO. SO THANK YOU. WE ARE GOING TO GET BACK INTO BENCHMARKING THERE. THERE WERE 16 ITEMS COMPARABLE. ONE THAT I ALWAYS TELL MY COUNTY CLIENTS IS THERE'S NOT AS MANY COMPARABLE SERVICES FOR COUNTIES AS THEY ARE FOR MUNICIPALITIES WHO DO THIS WHOLE LAUNDRY LIST OF SERVICES BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE 16 AREAS WE WERE ABLE TO ASSESS, 15 WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER AGAINST TEXAS AND NATIONAL AVERAGES. WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS SLIDE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY RESULTS STACK UP AGAINST TEXAS IN RED AND US IN YELLOW. ANYTHING THAT EXCEEDS THE MARGIN OF ERROR WILL BE CONSIDERED SIGNIFICANT. THE ONLY BENCHMARKING ITEM NOT SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE IS THE ROAD MAINTENANCE ITEM THERE AT THE BOTTOM. NOW WE CAN KIND OF SEE THROUGH CONTEXT WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES STRUGGLING WITH THAT PARTICULAR ITEM. THAT WILL BE SOMETHING KIND OF FRONT OF MIND FOR MOST RESPONDENTS BUT LOOKING AT EMS SERVICES AND COMMUNICATION OUTREACH WE'RE FAR EXCEEDING AVERAGES AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL. LOOKING AT SATISFACTION PERCEPTIONS AND AGAIN KEEPING IN MIND IT'S A PERCEPTION SURVEY, COMMISSIONER COOK MENTIONED A SNAPSHOT IN TIME LANGUAGE FOR WORKING ON STREETS DURING ADMINISTRATION THAT WILL HAVE A MUCH DIFFERENT IMPACT. WHEN WE LOOK AT RATING THE OVERALL COUNTY AS A PLACE TO LIVE AND RAISE CHILDREN AND RETIREMENT PLACE TO WORK WE SAW SIGNIFICANTLY POSITIVE RESPONSES ABOUT THE AVERAGES. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CONTEXTUALIZATIONS THE RESULTS ARE RIGHT THERE ALONG THE LINES AND WHEN WE LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT IN OUR RESULTS IT'S THE ONLY AREA WHERE WE'RE REALLY COMPARATIVE OR COMPETITIVE WITH THOSE NATIONAL REGIONAL AVERAGES. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS YEAR WITH THE SECOND SURVEY IS LOOK AT TRENDS. A TOTAL OF 38 ITEMS BETWEEN THE SURVEYS DIRECTLY COMPARABLE. WE SAW INCREASES IN POSITIVE RESPONSE IN 28 OF 38 AREAS. SIGNIFICANT INCREASES WERE HARD TO COME BY. HAD ABOUT FIVE OF THOSE AND IT EXCEEDED THE SURVEY'S MARGIN OF ERROR OF 2.7%. THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES OF 5% AND ABOVE IN THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE WE SEE THAT THERE WERE 12 AREAS THAT WERE SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE THE MARGIN OF ERROR AND THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES WHICH MEETS THE MARGIN OF ERROR OF 2.7% ALL THE WAY UP TO THE QUALITY AND AVAILABILITY OF OVERNIGHT CAMPING, WILCO EXPOSITION CENTER, A LOT OF THE HIGHER PERFORMING AREAS IN SATISFACTION SAW INCREASES IN SATISFACTION YEAR OVER YEAR. LOOKING AT DECREASES IN SATISFACTION IT'S MORE PERCEPTION RELATED SO IT'S THE IDEAS THAT THE COUNTY IS A PLACE TO WORK, ELECTION OFFICES SERVICES. UNFORTUNATELY COUNTIES HAVE THE GREAT DUTY OF COLLECTING TAXES AND IT'S ALWAYS A DIFFICULT ITEM TO ASK OF ANY RESPONDENT IN ANY COMMUNITY HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT OUR TAX OFFICE. NOT EVERYBODY THINKS IT'S UNFAIR BUT I THINK A LOT OF RESPONDENTS WHEN WE TALK TO THEM IN FOCUS GROUP THINK THAT THE PROCESS IS UNFAIR SO WE SAW A SLIGHT DECLINE IN OVERALL SATISFACTION LIKELY TO REBOUND IN A FUTURE YEAR. WE SAW OVERALL QUALITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED WITH A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE OF 3.2% WHICH SUGGESTS THERE'S PERCEPTION ISSUES THAT ARE AT WORK THAT ARE SOMEWHAT SHIFTING -- PERCEPTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY WE SEE IT WITH OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COUNTY AS IT'S A PLACE TO RAISE CHILDREN. STILL WELL ABOVE REGIONAL AND NATIONAL BENCHMARKS STILL SLIGHT DECREASES FROM 2024. WHEN WE LOOK -- ON ONE OFF. SORRY. I KNEW I WAS GOING TO DO THAT AT SOME POINT WITHOUT THE SCREEN IN FRONT OF ME. THERE'S THE SIGNIFICANT DECREASES WE CAN SEE. I WAS MENTIONING ITEMS TO THE RIGHT THERE BUT ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I MENTIONED UP FRONT IS THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE SURVEY SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO DEVELOP THE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE IMPORTANT SATISFACTION ANALYSIS. WE SAW THE SATISFACTION TREND YEAR OVER YEAR, THIS PARTICULAR CHART SHOWS WHICH OF THE ITEMS WERE SELECTED MOST BY RESPONDENTS INDICATING WHICH OF THE SERVICES DO THEY THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE. EMPHASIS AND A SECONDARY FOLLOW UP RANKING QUESTION FOR PRELUDED BY A SATISFACTION QUESTION. WE CAN SEE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES UP AT THE TOP BUT WE ALSO SEE NEW ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AS A REALLY IMPORTANT ITEM TO RESPONDENTS AS WELL AS WILLIAMSON COUNTY ROAD MAINTENANCE. ALONG WITH THE OVERALL SATISFACTION THE TWO ITEMS HAVE REALLY HIGH OVERALL LEVELS OF EMPHASIS THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED THEM BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT BASED ON IMPORTANT SATISFACTION ANALYSIS. THE ANALYSIS IS SIMPLY INDICATING WHICH ITEMS ARE BELOW AVERAGE SATISFACTION, ABOVE AVERAGE IMPORTANCE AND IT'S BASICALLY OVERTIME A WAY TO IDENTIFY WHICH SERVICES ARE LIKELY TO HAVE THE GREATEST TUG [00:50:01] AND PULL. >> COULD YOU GO BACK? YOU'VE TOLD US DECLINES OF GREAT JOBS IS OFF TAX OFFICE AND SOME VITAL STATISTICS AND ALL OF THAT IN THOSE OFFICES. BUT IN THIS SLIDE IT SHOWS IT'S NOT VERY IMPORTANT. >> IT'S NEVER IMPACTFUL. EVEN TO INCREASE SATISFACTION WITH THE TAX OFFICE MIRACULOUSLY IT'S UNLIKELY TO GO TO PUSH TO PERCEPTIONS OF THE COUNTY AS A PLACE TO LIVE. >> THE TAX OFFICE. >> THE TAX OFFICE SPECIFICALLY PICK I THINK WE HAD ONE OF THE OTHER ITEMS ELECTION OFFICE SERVICES AS WELL. 30% OF RESPONDENTS SELECTED ONE OF THE ITEMS. >> IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE OVER TIME HOW THE ADJUSTMENT -- I. THINK THE TAX OFFICE IN GENERAL HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF ACCOMMODATING WHICH NEEDS. WE'VE ALWAYS SAID IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SIT IN LINE, YOU CAN ALWAYS MAIL IT IN. PAY ONLINE. I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ASPECT. WE JUST OPENED THIS SHOP AND IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW IF ANYTHING CHANGES IN THAT AS WE GO FORWARD. >> ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS TELL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND I SIT IN MY OWN TINY COMMUNITY OF ABOUT 7000 PEOPLE IN MISSOURI AND IT'S THE SAME THING THERE. ANYTHING WE'RE ASKING MONEY FOR ARE AREAS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO FIND A LITTLE MORE DISSATISFACTION. WE DON'T RUN THE SEWER SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY BUT WE TAKE THE SEWER PAYMENTS AND WE GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT SEWERS EVEN THOUGH THE RELATIVELY WELL MAINTAINED WAY WE'VE INVESTED A LOT OF MONEY IN THEM. IT'S AN UNSEEN SERVICE AND UNLESS YOU'RE HAVING A MAJOR PROBLEM, IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU'RE NECESSARILY THINKING ABOUT UNTIL THE BILL COMES MONTHLY. THE TAX OFFICE BILL IS ONE OF THOSE. >> OR IT COMES BACK AT YOU. >> YES, VERY UNFORTUNATE IF THAT'S THE CASE. HOPEFULLY THE TAX BILLS DON'T DO THAT BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I TELL FOLKS IS THOSE ARE AREAS WHERE WE'RE OUT ASKING FOR FUNDS. IT'S JUST THE PERCEPTION OF RESPONDENTS THAT WE MAY RATE THE ITEM A LITTLE BIT DOWN BECAUSE WE CAN SEE IN THE SLIDE AS POINTED OUT IT'S NOT HAVING A GREAT IMPACT ON OUR OVERALL PERCEPTIONS OF THE COUNTY GENERALLY. IT'S NOT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS -- I'M SURE MOST IN THE SURVEY UNDERSTAND THE TUG AND PULL WE HAVE TO HAVE AT TAX OFFICES AT COUNTY. BUT GREAT POINTS AGAIN. WE CAN ALSO SEE THE RECYCLING CENTER COUNTY VITAL RECORDS, REGIONAL CENTER. MASSIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN SATISFACTION WITH THE ITEMS UNLIKELY TO RIPPLE EFFECT ACROSS THE PERCEPTION OF THE SURVEY AS WELL. LOOKING AT THIS PARTICULAR CHART THE ITEMS I JUST MENTIONED RECYCLING OFFICE, TAX OFFICE, VITAL RECORDS OFFICES, ALL AREAS WITH RELATIVE SATISFACTION EITHER HIGH OR THE OVERALL IMPORTANCE AS LOW AS WE GET INTO PARKS AND TRAILS IT'S ONE OF THE AREAS YOU'VE MADE A LOT OF INVESTMENTS IN. CONTINUING TO DO THAT AS SATISFACTION GOT HIGH AND THE IMPORTANCE OF STARTING TO RAISE. THEN WE'VE GOT ABOUT FIVE ITEMS IN THAT PALE ORANGE TO RED WHICH ARE SOME OF THE ITEMS OF EMPHASIS. YOU CAN READ ABOUT THAT IN THE METHODOLOGY OF THE OVERALL FINDINGS BUT IMPORTANT SATISFACTION RATING ABOVE -- IS CONSIDERED A HIGHER OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT. >> CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THE SHEET WORKS WITH THE DISSATISFACTION OR LOWER RATINGS OF SOME OF THESE THINGS? >> YOU CAN SEE TO THE LEFT WE'VE GOT ALL OF OUR CATEGORIES, THE OVERALL SATISFACTION CATEGORIES. TO THE RIGHT YOU WILL SEE THOSE IMPORTANT PERCENTAGES AND THE RANKINGS WHICH ARE REALLY NEGLIGIBLE TO JUST A LIST THERE. DISSATISFACTION IS THE OTHER PART OF THE ANALYSIS. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS BASICALLY TAKING THE AVERAGE OF THE SATISFACTION AND SUBTRACTING THAT FROM THE OVERALL IMPORTANCE TO A DEGREE. WE'RE COMING UP WITH A RATING OR IMPORTANT SATISFACTION RATING AND I CAN GET YOU THE EXACT MATH AFTER THIS IF YOU'D LIKE. IT'S ALSO IN THE METHODOLOGY OF THE REPORT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANT SATISFACTION ANALYSIS. WHILE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TO SAY IF WE SEE X PERCENT INCREASE IN THE OVERALL SATISFACTION IT WOULD BE ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS WE WILL SEE XY AND Z THROUGH THE SURVEY BUT WE'VE FOUND OVER TIME IF CLIENTS TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION IN TERMS OF INVESTMENTS AND PLANNING, WE DO SEE OVERALL POSITIVE RATINGS INCREASE IN OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE RATINGS, PLACES TO LIVE AND THUS IN THESE PARTICULAR RATINGS AS WELL. SO THE RATING OUT THERE SECOND COLUMN FROM THE RIGHT IS THE RATING. YOU CAN SEE THE INTENSITY OF NEW ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND ROAD MAINTENANCE IS A HIGHER PRIORITY ITEM COMPARED TO THE NEXT TIER OF AREAS WHICH IS COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH. AN IMPORTANT AREA BUT RELATIVELY HIGH SATISFACTION. >> EXCEPT THAT IT WAS ON THE LOWER SATISFACTION IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE. >> IT WAS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE WE SAW A DECREASE IN OVERALL SATISFACTION YEAR OVER YEAR. >> BUT THEY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. >> ABOUT 35% OF RESPONDENTS THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. >> SO THEY KEEP VOTING FOR THE BONDS FOR US TO KEEP DOING IT BECAUSE IF NOT THEY'RE GOING TO BE STUCK AND IT'S GOING TO BE EVEN WORSE. >> YES, AND I THINK RESPONDENTS UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THAT AT THE SAME TIME. I THINK THEY KNOW WE DON'T WANT TO SEE INCREASED TAXES BUT IF WE WANT NEW ROAD CONSTRUCTION IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY AND THAT'S WHAT THE COUNTY IS ASKING FOR, IT'S IN OUR BEST [00:55:02] INTEREST POTENTIALLY. WE KNOW THOSE ARE HIGHLY IMPORTANT ITEMS AND WE CAN USE THE INFORMATION FOR BUDGETING OR OUTREACH OR ENGAGEMENT OR FUTURE COMMUNICATION SOURCES TO MAKE SURE WE ARE KIND OF -- REALLY WHAT IT'S TELLING US IS WHERE WE HAVE EARS IN TERMS OF OVERALL SATISFACTION OR TALKING ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS AND SERVICES. IN TERMS OF YOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, CONFIDENCE IN SEVERAL ASPECTS OF OUR GOVERNMENT HAVE DECLINED IN TERMS OF OVERALL AGREEMENT RATINGS. I THINK IT'S GETTING BACK TO THE TAX OFFICE AND ELECTION OFFICE DECLINES EVEN POTENTIALLY COMMUNICATION ITEMS. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WILLIAMSON COUNTY POLLING PLACES BEING CONVENIENTLY LOCATED -- AND ACCESSIBLE WE SAW A DECLINE AND A FEW DECLINES IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL. IT MAY HAVE BEEN A CONTENTIOUS TOPIC BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE SAW AN INCREASE IN THE OVERALL WILLIAMSON COUNTY'S FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AS ADEQUATE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS JUVENILE -- OFFENDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE OTHER ITEMS SAW RELATIVELY STEEP DECLINES OR SIGNIFICANT DECLINES. THIS IS DESPITE RELATIVELY HIGH RATINGS OF SERVICE. THIS IS WHERE THE PERCEPTIONS REALLY COME INTO PLAY. WE'RE ASKING RESPONDENTS TO RATE THE LEVEL OF AGREEMENT FOR THESE PARTICULAR STATEMENTS, NOT RATING PERFORMANCE OR SURVEY DELIVERY IN THESE AREAS. >> WHEN WAS THE SURVEY TAKEN? >> IT WAS EARLIER IN THE SPRING. >> AFTER THE PRIMARY? >> IT WAS AFTER THE PRIMARY MORE LIKE MAY, JUNE. WELL AFTER THE PRIMARY. >> THAT WOULD FOLLOW WITH WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PRIMARY SO THANK YOU. >> THAT'S WHY IT'S GREAT TO HAVE CONNIE UP HERE ON THE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONER. WE DO A LOT OF WORK HERE AND WE'RE -- BASED IN KENT -- KANSAS. NEXT YEAR I'LL BE SURE TO LEAD WITH WHEN WE DID THE SURVEY AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THE CONTEXT IS THERE. I LIKE CONTEXT BUT I DIDN'T PROVIDE IT HERE. ONE OF THE LAST SLIDES I'VE GOT FOR YOU IS AGREEMENT ABOUT WHETHER IT'S FOLLOWING OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES. WE SAW ANOTHER DECLINE IN OVERALL AGREEMENT RATINGS, SOME WERE SIGNIFICANT. I WANTED TO LIST THEM OUT AND DIDN'T WANT TO PRETEND THEY WEREN'T. BUT OVERALL SUPPORT FOR THE COUNTY STRATEGIC DIRECTION REMAINS BROAD. SO I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT IS EVEN THOUGH WE SAW DECLINES, OVERALL AGREEMENT WITH THE ITEMS REMAINS REALLY HIGH. BUT A LOWER RATINGS INDICATE MAY BE A BETTER NEED TO ENGAGE AND GET WITH RESPONDENTS OR GET WITH RESIDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY TO INFORM THEM OF WHAT THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES LOOK NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE. THE STEPS TO TAKE US TO THE PARTICULAR AREAS. TO UNDERSTAND OVERALL RATINGS ARE HIGH -- WE SAW THE 2026 DARK BLUE BAR AND WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT THIS OBJECTIVELY AND SAID THESE ARE RELATIVELY HIGH RATINGS WITH TWO-THIRDS OR MORE RESPONDENTS AGREEING WITH EACH OF THOSE STATEMENTS. THERE'S A SLIGHT DECREASE IN THE OVERALL AGREEMENT RATINGS FROM TWO YEARS AGO. IN TERMS OF A SUMMARY, OVERALL THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO DELIVER HIGH QUALITY SERVICES. A DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE WITH 85% OF RESPONDENTS RATING THE COUNTY AS A GOOD OR EXCELLENT PLACE TO LIVE AND SAFETY AND LOW CRIME REMAIN THE REASONS WHY WE LIVE IN THE COUNTY, AND INTEND TO LIVE IN THE COUNTY IN THE FUTURE. TALKING ABOUT BENCHMARK YOU PERFORMED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL. USUALLY SETTING THE STANDARD FOR THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES WITH ROAD MAINTENANCE BEING THE ONE EXCEPTION. TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE REMAINS THE CLEAREST OPPORTUNITY WHERE ROAD MAINTENANCE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND THE RESULTS WERE GENERALLY STABLE WITH MOST RESPONDENTS -- MOST POSITIVE RATINGS ACTUALLY INCREASING 20 OF THE 38 COMPARABLE AREAS. SEVERAL DECLINES DESERVE ATTENTION BUT MAY BE COMMUNICATION OR OUTREACH RELATED MEANING WE NEED TO SHORE UP SOME OF THE LOOSE ENDS POTENTIALLY IN TERMS OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS OR WHAT WE'RE DOING NEXT. SUPPORT FOR ALL COUNTY STRATEGIC PRIORITIES IS REALLY HIGH STILL AND IT'S DECLINED BUT STILL VERY HIGH. THE RESULTS HOPEFULLY SUPPORT A FOCUSED PATH FORWARD. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET AT IS WE SHOULD PROTECT OUR STRENGTHS CONTINUE TO PROTECT OUR SAFETY AND SERVICES, PRIORITIZE ROAD CAPACITY AND MAINTENANCE AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNICATION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE TO HELP WITH THE BUY IN BACK TO SOME OF THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES. I'VE GOT A COPY OF THE FULL REPORT AND I DO MY BEST TO ANSWER QUESTIONS TODAY BUT IF IT'LL TAKE ME A BIT OF TIME TO RESPOND I WANT TO RESPECT YOUR TIME IN THE MEETING AND I WILL GET A WRITTEN RESPONSE BACK TO CONNIE EITHER TODAY OR TOMORROW. >> THANK YOU. [INDISCERNIBLE] >> GREAT WORK, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. [37. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on establishing the County Holiday Schedule for FY 2026/2027.] >> MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 37. DISCUSS, CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON ESTABLISHING THE COUNTY HOLIDAY SCHEDULE FOR FISCAL YEAR '26, 27. >> I'LL MOVE APPROVAL. >> MOTION TO APPROVE BY [01:00:01] COMMISSIONER -- SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COOK. ALL IN FAVOR. PASSES 5-0 AND WE WILL POST TO ALL EMPLOYEES. [INDISCERNIBLE] ITEM NUMBER 38. [38. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on approving the 2026-2027 proposed budget and direct the Budget Officer to file the proposed budget with the County Clerk and the County Auditor.] DISCUSS AND CONSIDER APPROPRIATE ACTION ON APPROVING THE 26, 27 PROPOSED BUDGET AND DIRECTED OFFICER TO FILE PROPOSED BUDGET WITH THE COUNTY CLERK AND COUNTY AUDITOR. WELCOME SARAH AND ASHLEY. >> GOOD MORNING, JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS. THERE WAS AN EMAIL SENT OUT I BELIEVE IT WAS YESTERDAY UPDATING THE SPREADSHEET WITH THE ITEMS SPONSORED FOR TODAY'S DISCUSSION. THERE'S BEEN ONE ADDITION AND IT IS -- >> CAN YOU MOVE THE MICROPHONE CLOSER TO YOU. >> SORRY ABOUT THAT. THERE WE GO. THERE'S ONE ADDITION SINCE I SENT OUT THE SPREADSHEET AND THAT'S A VEHICLE FOR THE CONSTABLE PRECINCT TWO OFFICE AND THAT WAS ADDED TO THE SHEET. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT ON THE SCREEN. SO WE CAN GET STARTED. >> HOW WAS THAT. >> 9,200,097. >> THAT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T THINK ONE THAT WAS ORDERED THIS YEAR IS GOING TO MAKE IT. BY THE END OF THE MONTH. >> YES. >> SO I THINK WE'RE STARTING WITH THE FIRST ITEM IN THE COMMISSIONERS COURT BUDGET. THIS WAS CO-SPONSORED BY -- JUDGE SNELL AND COMMISSIONER LAW. >> THE FIRST ITEM IS NEW ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL TWO POSITION B42, 150,000 PLUS COLA AND OPERATING EXPENSES FOR A TOTAL OF 211 -- $211,058.50. ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT ONE? THIS IS IN GENERAL COUNSEL. >> I MOVE WE APPROVE. >> I'LL SECOND. >> MOTION, SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THE NEXT ITEM IS REMOVED NEW RECOMMENDED PUBLIC INFORMATION, CIVIL ATTORNEY FROM BUDGET 47750 BUDGET COMMISSIONER COVEY. >> I PUT IT ON SO WE COULD HAVE A DISCUSSION. WE'RE CONTINUING TO ADD RESOURCES AND -- IN THE OFFICE AND WE'RE HIRING OUTSIDE. SO I WAS LOOKING AT WHAT MIGHT BE NEEDED. I TALKED WITH OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY AND I UNDERSTAND HE NEEDS MORE RESOURCES IN HIS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL AND MAGNITUDE OF THE PI REQUEST AND I GET THAT. BUT I THINK IN THE CONVERSATION I LEARNED THAT A LOT OF TIMES, ESPECIALLY OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE CALLING BOTH. USING RESOURCES IN BOTH. I THINK IT WARRANTS A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE POLICY ON WHO GOES WHERE. IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT THE RESOURCES INTO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THAT'S THE OFFICE THAT NEEDS TO BE USED. BECAUSE THAT JUST BURDENS THEM AS WELL AND WE CONTINUE TO ADD. >> I WILL SAY IN-HOUSE OFFICE IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST PIA THAT THEY NEED HELP WITH. THEY CAN'T -- >> I'M NOT ARGUING ABOUT THE POSITION I VOTED YES FOR. I'M SAYING IF WE'RE GOING TO -- IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PIA SET UP IN COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THEN WE SHOULD USE THAT OFFICE FOR THAT. IN OTHER WORDS THERE'S EMAILS THAT GO BACK AND FORTH THAT ARE USING BOTH. THEY'RE CALLING ONE AND THE OTHER AND I'M JUST SAYING IT SEEMS LIKE AN UNFAIR USE OF RESOURCES. THEREFORE WE ARE ADDING MORE AND MORE TO BOTH. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING HERE. I WILL PULL THIS ITEM BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY IN THE BUDGET BUT I WANTED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT IT. >> THOSE ARE GOOD COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER COVEY. I THINK IT WARRANTS MORE OF A POLICY OR ADMINISTRATIVE DISCUSSION VERSUS BUDGET. SO DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE THAT AT SOME POINT BUT DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY RESOURCES AWAY FROM OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. I THINK WE'VE SEEN AN EXPONENTIAL INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS. COMMISSIONER COVEY PULLED THIS ITEM AND THEN THE NEXT ONE'S ALSO A DUPLICATE ITEM. IS THAT RIGHT? PULLING THAT ONE TOO. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. THE NEXT ONE DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEW FELONY PROSECUTOR SALARY PLUS COLA PLUS OPERATING $174,602.61. SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER COOK. >> WHEN WE VOTED ON THE NEW COURT SEAN HAD SAID IT WILL TAKE NINE PEOPLE TO STAFF IT FOR EVERYTHING IT NEEDS. WE STAFFED IT AT A LEVEL OF EIGHT PEOPLE. [01:05:05] AND HE HAS -- HIS OFFICE HAS OVER FIVE YEARS THE 99.6% SUCCESS RATE WHEN THERE'S AN APPELLANT ATTORNEY ASSIGNED TO A COURT. THAT APPELLANT ATTORNEY STARTS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THE WHOLE PROCESS, PLANNING, MEETINGS, HEARINGS TO THE END. THOSE WHO TRY TO APPEAL ARE NOT TYPICALLY SUCCESSFUL IN APPEAL BECAUSE IT WAS DONE WELL AND YOU NEED A SENIOR PERSON TO HELP SHEPHERD THAT THROUGH. FIVE TWELVE'S DOCKET IS NOW FULL AND THEY NEED HELP AND THEY'RE TRYING TO STRETCH THREE LAWYERS TO DO FOUR COURTS NOW AND IT'S NOT WORKING WELL. IT OVERWORKED THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE AND IT'S NOT AS THOROUGH AS IF YOU HAVE ONE PERSON FOCUSED ON THAT COURT'S DOCKET AND PROCESSES. SO I'M HERE TO SUPPORT ADDING AN APPELLATE LAWYER SENIOR PERSON TO THE OFFICE FOR THE 512TH COURT. >> WHY DID YOU NOT INCLUDE IT? >> ORIGINALLY IT WAS NOT REQUESTED LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR WHEN I SPOKE TO SEAN, HE MENTIONED THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY THAT TIME. WAS DURING THE BUDGET KICKOFF WORKSHOP THAT HE BELIEVED IT WAS MORE OF A PLACEHOLDER AND WANTED IT TO BE ON THE COURT'S RADAR BUT NOT NECESSARILY FOOLPROOF NECESSARY THIS YEAR. I THINK, AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR HIM, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT CHANGED AND SOME OF HIS PROSECUTORS CAME TO HIM AND SAID WE REALLY NEED THIS POSITION THIS YEAR. SO FOR THAT REASON WE HAVE NOT REVIEWED IT OR INCLUDED THAT. OBVIOUSLY NEXT YEAR WE WOULD MOST LIKELY RECOMMEND THIS POSITION SO HE HAS AN APPELLANT ATTORNEY IN EACH COURT. >> COMMISSIONER COOKE, I WILL SECOND YOUR MOTION. THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS TALKED TO ME ABOUT THE POSITION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THEY SAID THERE'S TWO THAT ARE CRITICAL TO HIM AND IT WAS FUNNY I SAID IF YOU HAD TO PICK ONE HE SAID THAT'S LIKE ASKING IF I WANT TO CUT MY RIGHT OR LEFT ARM OFF. I KNOW WHAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE IS -- IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH STAFFING OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY AND DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. I KNOW I DON'T WANT TO SEE HIM -- WHILE IT MAY NOT BE WHERE HE WANTS TO BE, I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT FALL. I THINK IT'S A POSITION THAT MAKES SENSE. I UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF AN APPELLANT ATTORNEY BECAUSE I THINK IN THE LONG RUN HIS OFFICE AND THE COUNTY BY MAKING SURE THE CASES ARE DONE RIGHT. I SEE THE VALUE IN IT. >> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. ANY MORE DISCUSSION? >> I WILL ADD THAT I BELIEVE HE ASKED HIS LAWYERS, IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE IN THIS OR THIS WHICH IT WILL BE AND THEY LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND SAID OKAY APPELLATE. IF YOU COULD ONLY GET ONE, THEY WENT FOR THE APPELLATE. >> SO THE ONLY THING I WOULD ASK -- DOES IT START NOW IN OCTOBER 1 OR LATER. FROM YOUR INFORMATION. >> OCTOBER 1. [INDISCERNIBLE] >> APPRECIATED. SO WE'RE GOOD WITH THAT. >> I'M GOOD WITH THAT IN MY MOTION. >> FOR THOSE OF YOU -- >> SAID THAT OR NOTED... >> GO AHEAD, JUDGE. >> YOU GUYS CHEROKEE FOR PEOPLE LISTENING ONLINE THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAID HE WOULD LIKE OCTOBER 1 OR NOVEMBER 1. SO I'D JUST SAY PER YOUR MOTION, PUT A TIME ON THERE. >> I'D SAY OCTOBER 1 BECAUSE IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THEM TO GET SET UP, GO THROUGH ALL THE PAPERWORK TO UNDERSTAND THE DOCKET AND GET INVOLVED. I'D START OCTOBER 1. >> AND THAT'S YOUR SECOND. ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THANK YOU. THE NEXT ONE IS VEHICLE REPLACEMENT NOT RECEIVED BY 9:30, 2026. COMMISSIONER. >> THIS IS WHAT ASHLEY MENTIONED EARLIER, A VEHICLE THAT WE'RE HOPING WILL STILL ARRIVE BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR BUT WE'RE NOT SURE SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A BUDGET IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. >> I'LL SECOND. >> MOTION AND SECOND AND PART OF THAT DISCUSSION THE MEETING WITH CONSTABLES AND MAKING SURE THEY HAVE ALL THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO DO THEIR JOB. I KNOW THERE'S SOME OTHER PEOPLE WHO NEED TO LOOK AT THE FLEET VEHICLE REPLACEMENT PROCESS AND SO THAT'LL PROBABLY BE COMING [01:10:03] ACCORDING TO FUTURE SESSION WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT. SO -- ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NEXT IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 500000 USING OUR PUBLIC INTEREST PIER COMMISSIONER LAW. >> DISCUSSION WITH RICHARD, THERE'S -- THIS DOESN'T COVER ALL OF IT BUT THERE'S A ONE TIME ITEM THAT IS IN HIS BUDGET AND GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS THERE WERE THINGS HE HAD TO PULL BACK THAT WERE PRETTY CRITICAL TO HIS OPERATION AND HE DOESN'T ASK FOR STUFF. HE'S ASKING FOR THINGS BECAUSE OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE DEMANDING IT. SO IN CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM ADDING 500,000 OR TAKING IT OUT BECAUSE THERE'S OVERLAP WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION, WE'RE HAVING TO PAY BASICALLY FOR DOUBLE LICENSING AND IT'S A ONE TIME EXPENSE. WE DON'T GENERALLY TRY TO EVER DO OPERATIONAL MAINTENANCE. IN FACT WE HAVE A BUDGET POLICY AGAINST THAT OUT OF 1 TIME STUFF BUT THIS IS THE ONE TIME LICENSING EXPENSE WE WILL NEVER HAVE AGAIN. IT DOESN'T COVER ALL OF IT BUT IT GETS ENOUGH BACK IN THERE AND ALLOWS US TO INCLUDE SOME THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. >> SO THAT IS. >> IT'S IN CONJUNCTION -- >> THE NEXT ONE IS HOW YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT. SO I THINK WHAT HAPPENED WAS BUDGET CUTTING BACK PRETTY GOOD HAIRCUT AND WHEN HE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT IT HE SAID IF I JUST HAD 500,000 I COULD MAKE IT HAPPEN. SO THAT'S WHY I'M SUPPORTING THIS ITEM. I THINK YOUR ASK IS IT COMES TO OUR INTEREST BECAUSE THAT CORRECTLY. >> LIKE I SAID IT'S NOT -- BUT TO COVER PART OF THAT LICENSING FEE WE WOULD PAY -- FREEING UP 500. >> AND AGAIN IT'S NOT PERSONNEL, IT'S A ONE TIME THING. OUR INTEREST I CAN SUPPORT THAT. AND THE NEXT ITEM IS A DUPLICATE SO WE'LL JUST GRANT THAT ONE. >> DO WE HAVE A MOTION -- >> I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF USING 500,000 TO PAY -- >> MOTION. SECOND ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THANK YOU. WE'RE PULLING THE NEXT ITEM. THE NEXT ONE IS AUDITOR'S OFFICE SALARY PLUS FRINGE PCN0639. INCREASE OF $38,102.56 COMMISSIONER. >> I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN ITEM 39 ON THE AGENDA AND IT'S THIS ITEM BASICALLY THROUGH THE BUDGET. THIS IS THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT NEEDED. I KNOW A DISTRICT JUDGE MET RECENTLY ON THE AUDITOR'S BUDGET AND PERSONNEL AND SO IN THAT MEETING IT NEEDED TO INCREASE HER SALARY FROM WHAT WAS PROPOSED BY 381-0256 AND THAT'S MY MOTION THAT IT WOULD HAPPEN. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S 39 -- >> I JUST PUT END WE CAN MOTION APPROVE THIS BUT I'D PUT PENDING ITEM 39 APPROVAL. SINCE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE SALARY -- BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOTION. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. >> I APPRECIATE WHAT THE JUDGES ARE TRYING TO DO AND WHAT JULIE HAS DONE AS OUR COUNTY AUDITOR. THE NEXT ITEM IS ALL DISTRICT COURTS AS WELL IN THE MEETING MADE THIS ADJUSTMENT SO IT'S A- $0.5,306,322 ON THE COURT REPORTERS. SO THAT'S MY MOTION. >> I SECOND. >> WE HAVE MOTION AND SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER ACTION NEED TO BE TAKEN ON THE BUDGET TODAY? >> JUST WE NEED TO APPROVE SOMETHING TODAY, A NUMBER SO YOU CAN POST IT OR DO WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING ELSE? MY ONLY REQUEST WOULD BE THAT THE AUDITOR BECAUSE OF THE TAX RATES AND WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST WOULD COME BACK WITH SOME TAX RATE BASED ON NOW WHAT ACTION WE'VE TAKEN AND COME BACK TO US ON THAT. WITH THE CONCEPT OF DEBT BEING THE PRIORITY. >> SHIFTING WHATEVER ENDS UP IN THE GENERAL FUND OVER TO DEBT SO THAT TAX RATE -- >> AS WELL AS THE ROAD BRIDGE -- I. DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT ENOUGH BUT WE COULD ALSO SHORE UP DEBT WITH ROAD BRIDGE AND BALANCING THE CASH BECAUSE THEY HAVE CASH THAT WOULD ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN AND OUR GOAL IS TO USE UP THE CASH AND NOT INCREASE THE RATE. SO THANK YOU, JULIE. [01:15:01] >> SO WE'RE GOOD. NO MORE ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN TODAY? >> WE'RE GOOD. WE WILL FILE THIS VERSION OF THE BUDGET AS OUR PROPOSED BUDGET AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK NEXT WEEK AND WITH FINAL NUMBERS AND WE WILL TAKE A RECORD VOTE ON EACH FUND AND THEN WE'RE DONE. REVENU RE THIS POINT, TO THE THAT'S WHAT WE'VE PROPOSED, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A HEARING FOR THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S JUST ON THE BUDGET. >> WE WILL SET THE TAX RATE. >> IT'S STILL AN AGENDA ITEM WHERE PEOPLE CAN CONTACT. >> S. >> AND WE HAVE NO GRIEVANCE FILINGS? >> NO. >> E. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [39. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on the 2026-2027 salary for the County Auditor in the amount of $256,345.25.] >> THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM 39 DISCUSS CONSIDER TAKE CORPORATE ACTION ON THE 26, 27 SALARY FOR THE COUNTY AUDITOR AND THE AMOUNT OF $256,345.25. >> THAT IS MY MOTION BASED ON THE CONVERSATION I'VE HAD WITH THE DISTRICT JUDGES. THANK YOU. >> MOTION BY COMMISSIONER. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BOLES. ALL IN FAVOR. ITEM CARRIES 5-0. [40. Discuss, consider, and take appropriate action on a line-item transfer from full-time salaries to temporary salaries to facilitate employee transition.] NOW MOVING ON DISCUSS CONSIDER TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON LIGHT -- LINE ITEM TRANSFER FROM FULL TIME SALARIES TO TEMPORARY SALARIES TO FACILITATE EMPLOYEE TRANSITION IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,000. >> I WILL MOVE APPROVAL ON THIS. I THINK THE DA HAS SOMEBODY LEAVING THE OFFICE AND THIS WOULD ALLOW THE REPLACEMENT TO GET TRAINED UP FROM THE PERSON WHO HAS THE POSITION NOW TO MAKE SURE IT'S COHERENT TRANSFER. >> WE HAVE A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? >> I'LL SECOND. >> SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COOK. ANY MORE DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR. [41. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on the Tx Dept. of Public Safety Conviction Reporting Interlocal Cooperation Contract for the County Courts at Law conviction reporting by the County Clerk's office as required by DPS effective 1-1-2027.] MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THANK YOU. ITEM 41 DISCUSS CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY CONVICTION REPORTING INTERLOCAL COOPERATIVE CONTRACT FOR THE COUNTY COURTS OF LAW CONVICTION REPORTING BY THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE AS REQUIRED BY DPS EFFECTIVE 1-12027. >> THE CONTRACT IS REQUIRED. I MOVE WE APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> MOTION BY COOK SECOND BY LONG. ALL IN FAVOR. BOWLS. I'M SORRY. ALL IN FAVOR. >> PEOPLE GET US CONFUSED. [42. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on approving the Goods and Services Contract #2026-256 between Williamson County and Election Systems & Software LLC for (25) DS300 Poll Place Scanners, Tabulators and related accessories in the amount of $196,125.00 and authorizing the execution of the contract pursuant to BuyBoard Contract #710-23 (Funding Source is 01.0378.0378.005742).] >> SOMETIMES. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THANK YOU. DISCUSS ITEM 42 DISCUSS CONSIDER TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON IMPROVING GOODS AND SERVICES CONTRACT 256 BETWEEN WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND ELECTIONS SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE LLC FOR 25 DS 300 POLL PLACE SCANNERS, TABULATORS AND CONTRACTS 7-10-23 WITH THE FUNDING SOURCE LISTED. >> I MOVE APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> MOVED AND SECONDED ANY DISCUSSION? [43. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action to set a public hearing pursuant to Tex. Transp. Code § 251.152 regarding a proposed street name change in Pct. 3 for a portion of CR 255 and CR 289 (CR 254 to Ronald Reagan Blvd.) including authorization for publication in local newspapers as a notice to the public.] ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THANK YOU. DISCUSS CONSIDER TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING PURSUANT TO TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE 251-152 REGARDING A PROPOSED STREET NAME CHANGE IN PRECINCT THREE FOR A PORTION OF COUNTY ROAD 255 AND 289 WHICH RUNS FROM COUNTY ROAD 254 TO RONALD REAGAN INCLUDING AUTHORIZATION FOR PUBLIC S. -- PUBLICATION ON NEWSPAPERS AS A NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC PIER COMMISSIONER. >> I MOVE TO APPROVE. >> I SECOND. >> WE OPENED THE ROAD OFFICIALLY YESTERDAY AND IT'S A ROAD THAT HAS THREE NAMES, SO QUITE CONFUSING. THAT WOULD NOT DO WELL IN THE SURVEY AND IF WE DO ONE IN THE FUTURE SO WE'RE PROPOSING THIS AS A HEARING DAY AND THEN WE WILL HAVE -- >> YOU WOULD DO EVENING. WOULD YOU PROPOSE AN EVENING HEARING? >> IT'LL BE PART OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT BUT WE'VE HEARD FROM A GREAT DEAL OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THESE ROADS AND WE'RE -- RACHEL HAS DONE A GREAT AMOUNT AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT MORE AT THE HEARING BUT A GREAT AMOUNT OF RESEARCH ON IT. SO WE WILL COME BACK WITH A PROPOSED NAME AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT FINE. >> YOU'RE CALLING FOR THE PUBLIC TO COME WITH PROPOSALS FOR NAMES? >> WE'VE SENT OUT -- WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW IS TUCKER PARKWAY. I'LL JUST TELL YOU. WE'VE CHANGED IT FROM WHAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE PAST BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR GIS DEPARTMENT AND WE CANNOT NAME A ROAD SOMETHING THAT'S NAMED ALREADY. WE HAVE THOSE ALL OVER THE COUNTY SO WHAT WE'VE RESEARCHED BUT THAT'S WHAT THE HEARING'S ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT THAT. IF THEY WANT TO COME WITH SOME OTHER NAMES, THAT'S FINE BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. >> IS THIS WHAT WAS PROPOSED AS DANIELS TRAIL? IS THAT SOMETHING -- >> CORRECT AND WE FOUND WE COULDN'T USE THAT NAME SO. >> TO THAT POINT AND I'VE GOTTEN [01:20:06] EMAILS FROM THE COMMUNITY IN OPPOSITION THAT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GOING IN ANOTHER DIRE DIRECTION. ONE THING I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS I'VE GOT SOME PICTURES FROM THE RIBBON CUTTING YESTERDAY AND THERE'S SIGNS POSTED THAT SAY DANIELS TRAIL. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GOT AHEAD ON THAT. >> PART OF IT WAS A MESS UPON THEM DOING THAT BUT THERE'S BASICALLY THREE SEGMENTS. WE CAN GO SOUTH FROM 254 THERE'S 255. CURVES OFF SO THAT STAYS 255 FOR NOW AND BEGINS 289 THERE AND CURVES BACK TO REAGAN IN A DIFFERENT POSITION. THEN THERE'S A NEWLY CREATED ROAD THAT WE NAMED DANIELS TRAIL ONLY FOR EMS PURPOSES. SO ALL OF THAT WOULD BE CHANGED TO A NEW NAME AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT TUCKER PARKWAY. SO THAT'S WHY THAT HAPPENED. IT WAS CONFUSING BUT THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE PURPOSE IS. IT'S A CONFUSING ROUTE BECAUSE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT NAMES. >> I WAS JUST CONCERNED WE'RE PUTTING STREET SIGNS UP BEFORE WE OFFICIALLY -- >> THAT HAPPENED AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE PUBLIC ACT THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN SO WE CORRECTED THAT. ONLY ON THE NEW PART THAT NAMES THAT THAT WILL BE CHANGED. >> SO A PUBLIC HEARING TO COMMUNICATE THAT AND GET IT OUT TO THE PEOPLE AFFECTED. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. SO WE HAVE MOTION AND A SECOND. AND WE NEED TO VOTE WE'RE VOTING ON SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING. ALL IN FAVOR? 5-0. THANK YOU. 44 DISCUSS CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON ACCEPTANCE OF A -- >> BY THE WAY I THINK WE HAVE TO SET THE DATE. LET ME GET MY CALENDAR JUST TO MAKE SURE BUT I THINK THE NEXT TIME IT'S SEPTEMBER 15TH BECAUSE WE DON'T MEET ON THE EIGHTH AND WE HAVE TO GET AT LEAST TWO WEEKS. SO IT'S SEPTEMBER THE 15TH AT 10:00. IS THAT -- 10:00. >> I NEED A NEW MOTION. >> THAT'S MY MOTION IT'S SEPTEMBER 15TH AT 10:00. >> THAT'S MY SECOND. >> COMMISSIONER SECOND ALL IN FAVOR. [44. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on acceptance of a Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans' Assistance grant award in the amount of $360,000 for support of the Williamson County Veterans Treatment Court program.] MOTION CARRIES 5-0 FOR SEPTEMBER 15TH AT 10:00. 44 DISCUSS CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON ACCEPTANCE OF THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION FUND FOR VETERANS ASSISTANCE GRANT AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $360,000 TO SUPPORT THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY VETERANS TREATMENT COURT PROGRAMS. >> IT WILL ASSIST 65 WILCO VETERANS. >> THE MOTION. >> DID THE MOTION. LONG WILL DO THE SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES 5-0 AND THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR [45. Discuss, consider, and take appropriate action on a one-year renewal to the Agreement for Assessment Services with Bluebonnet Trails Community Services (BTCS) to complete assessments on potential applicants seeking participation in the Williamson County Veterans Treatment Court (WCVTC) and the misdemeanor DWI/Drug Court Program (DDCP).] VETERANS. ITEM NUMBER 45 DISCUSS CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON A ONE YEAR RENEWAL TO THE AGREEMENT FOR ASSESSMENT SERVICES WITH TRAILS COMMUNITY SERVICES TO COMPLETE ASSESSMENTS ON POTENTIAL APPLICANTS SEEKING PARTICIPATION IN THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY VETERANS TREATMENT COURT IN THE MISDEMEANOR DRUG COURT PROGRAM. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COVEY. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BOWLES. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR. [46. Discuss, consider, and take appropriate action on Contract Amendment No. 3 to the CR 458 contract executed March 19, 2024, between Williamson County and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnan, Inc. relating to the 2023 Road Bond Program.] [47. Discuss, consider, and take appropriate action on Supplemental No. 2 to Work Authorization No. 2 to the CR 458 contract executed March 19, 2024, between Williamson County and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnan, Inc. relating to the 2023 Road Bond Program. ] [48. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on the updated Standard Utility Agreement, updated Supplemental to Standard Utility Agreement and updated Joint Use Utility Agreement for use on road construction projects. These utility agreements have been updated to align with Buy America-Build America policies. ] [49. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on a Rule 11 Settlement Agreement with Samuel Scott Keyburn and Hanh My Thi Keyburn to acquire 7.084 AC and 13.52 AC needed as right of way on the East Wilco Highway project. (parcels 43 and 56). ] [50. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on a real estate contract with Georgetown-Tx-West, LLC to acquire 1.017 AC and 0.0446 AC needed as right of way on the Ronald Reagan Segment C project (Parcels 31 and 34). ] [51. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on a survey access agreement with John and Barbara Casey for survey needs on the CR 344 project. ] [52. Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on 2 claims for actual moving expenses related to right of way acquired on the Ronald Reagan Segment C project (Parcel 32). ] MOTION CARRIES 5-0. COURTS ITEMS 46 THROUGH 52 ARE ROAD AND BRIDGE ITEMS FOR PLATTING AND PAYING BILLS. TAKE A MOTION FOR ONE OR ALL ITEMS. >> I WILL MOVE TO APPROVE ITEMS 46 THROUGH 52. >> I WILL SECOND. >> MISSION -- BY COMMISSIONER COVEY AND --... BY COMMISSIONER COOK. ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. WE'RE PULLING ITEM NUMBER 53. NOT QUITE READY FOR THAT. FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION WE ARE NOT GOING TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION [57. Comments from Commissioners.] TODAY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY ITEMS. 54, 55 AND 56 TO DISCUSS. WHICH LEADS US TO 57, COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS. A COUPLE OF THINGS. NUMBER 1 WE'VE ELEVATED TO LEVEL THREE WITH THE ENVIRONMENT FOR FIRE POTENTIAL IN THE COUNTY. WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF LARGE FIRES IN AND AROUND THE AREA AND WE'RE WORKING ON ONE LAST NIGHT SO WE'RE JUST AT A HEIGHTENED SENSE OF ALERT. REMINDER THAT WE HAVE A BURN BAN IN PLACE SO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE HEAT, WITH THE WIND, WITH -- VEGETATION STARTING TO DIVE -- DIE FROM THE HEAT. THERE'S LOTS OF FUEL ON THE GROUND THAT CAN SPARK WILDFIRES SO PLEASE DO THAT. ANY MORE COMMENTS ON THAT. THE OTHER THING WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE OFFICIAL NOTICE YET BUT WE'VE GOT ONLINE [01:25:02] GOVERNOR ABBOTT APPOINTS JASON BRAMELL TO THE 425TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND THAT'S AFFECTED DECEMBER 1, 2026. LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING JASON AND SERVING THE PEOPLE OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY. >> THAT'S THE BENCH THE JUDGE JUST RESIGNED FROM AFTER 13 -- 14 YEARS? >> 14 YEARS. WE HAD A GREAT SEND OFF FOR HER AND APPRECIATE ALL HER WORK AND EFFORT THE 14 YEARS. SO WE WISH HER THE BEST IN HER NEXT ADVENTURE. >> THE JUDGE HAS BEEN AMAZING AND WE WILL MISS HER. AND HER LEADERSHIP. [58. Public Comment Period for County Matters that are not on the Agenda.  The Commissioners Court will conduct a Public Comment Period to allow members of the public, who have properly submitted a Public Participation Form, to address the Commissioners Court regarding matters pertaining to or affecting Williamson County, but that do not appear as an Agenda Item on the Commissioners Court’s Agenda.  During this Public Comment Period, speakers shall be limited to a maximum of two (2) minutes to make his or her remarks and the maximum overall discussion time allowed for this Public Comment Period, regardless of the number of members of the public wishing to address the Court during such period, shall be limited to ten (10) minutes.  Speaking time, to the extent possible, will be evenly allocated among speakers should more than five (5) speakers desire to speak during this Public Comment Period.  Please note that the members of the Court may not comment during the meeting about matters that are not on the Commissioners Court’s Agenda.] AT THIS POINT WE WILL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT ON AGENDA ITEMS. FIRST PERSON IS BILL COVER LAW. COVER LAW WILLIAMSON COUNTY RETIRED NAVY INTELLIGENCE OFFICER. NAVY CAPTAIN. THERE'S A DISCUSSION THIS MORNING ON PEOPLE'S DISPLAY OF THEIR IGNORANCE OF REALITY AND LACK OF EDUCATION. IN CONTACT -- SHARIA IN... PLUS THE AMENDMENTS 191314 AND MUCH MORE. THE FOLLOWING SHARIA LAW IS TO DESTROY THE UNITED STATES. IT'S ALSO IN VIOLATION OF THE ARTICLE ONE OF THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION. IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF THE 1992 PUBLICATION WHERE THEY CLEARLY STATED THE NORTH AMERICAN GOAL SHARIA DICTATES ONE THEOCRACY. THE RESULT IS DEATH OR SLAVERY TO THOSE WHO DISAGREE. THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE CACTUS IS 14 CENTURIES. 1400 YEARS OF DEMONSTRATED PURSUIT OF ALL THESE GOALS. ONE OF THE UNIQUE AREAS THAT'S QUOTED OR DISCUSSED IN THE QURAN IS 33 23, 24. THE CONCEPT OF TYPEKIT. SOME PEOPLE THINK IT'S JUST -- BUT IT GOES MUCH FURTHER. THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPT WHEN YOU TRANSLATE IT IS THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS WHICH INCLUDES RAPE AND MURDER. 30 YEARS STUDYING... I'VE WRITTEN ANALYSIS FOR CULTURAL BOOKS FOR THE CIA. I DEAL WITH FACTS, NOT OPINION. I EVEN HAVE A LETTER FROM THE HEAD -- EDITOR OF CI -- HEAD OF THE CIA DIRECTOR TURNER WHERE HE APPRECIATED THE ANALYSIS. WE MUST LOOK AT THE TRUTH, LOOK AT FACTS AND QUIT LISTENING TO A LOT OF UNEDUCATED OPINIONS. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PAMELA GRIFFIN. WELCOME. >> GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, WHATEVER IT IS. I COME TO TALK ABOUT THE DATA CENTERS THAT ARE BEING BUILT IN TAYLOR, TEXAS. -- WHERE ONE OF THE DATA CENTERS -- MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS A POOR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY. WE DON'T HAVE COMMUNITIES LIKE OTHER COMMUNITIES TO FIGHT THIS BIG DATA CENTER COMING INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WE'RE TRYING TO STOP THIS BECAUSE WE ARE VERY HIGHLY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR HEALTH AND OUR WAY OF LIFE. WE NEED SOME UNDERSTANDING. WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, I REMEMBER ON THE 87 ACRES OF LAND MR. BLAND A NEW CAR WAS GOING TO SAY THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE THAT LAND FOR PARKLAND ON MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD. THE CITY OF TAYLOR TOOK THAT LAND AND SOLD IT TO BE, KNOWING IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE PARKLAND. MY COMMUNITY HAS GOT TOGETHER TO TRY TO FIGHT THIS. THIS IS FRAUD BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THIS LAND WAS GIVEN TO THEM AND TO THE CITY, TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY FIRST PARKS AND REC AND THEN TEXAS PARKS AND REC. IT WENT BACK AND FORTH AND WENT BACK INTO THE HANDS OF THE CITY OF TAYLOR. THEN IT WENT TO THE EDC. WE WANT OUR PARK. WE DO NOT WANT A DATA CENTER. [01:30:01] WE'RE TRYING TO STOP THIS. WE NEED ALL THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT RIGHT BECAUSE IT HAD NO REASON TO SELL THIS PROPERTY TO A DATA CENTER. THIS IS GOING TO HARM MY COMMUNITY, NOT HELP MY COMMUNITY PICK HARM MY COMMUNITY. WE PAY TAXES JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. WE NEED Y'ALL TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE COME FROM. THERE ARE A LOT OF HANDICAPPED PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY. >> YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL LET YOU DO A CLOSING STATEMENT. >> I JUST WANT TO SAY WE NEED SOME SUPPORT WE NEED TO MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND THIS MAN --... SO I NEED SOME SUPPORT TO STOP THIS. >> YOU'RE WELCOME TO EMAIL ME YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY AS WELL. >> I WILL. >> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MISS LETICIA FLORES. >> GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. I AM -- I. RESIDE IN PRECINCT FOUR. I'M SPEAKING TODAY TO THE CRITICAL CONCERNS REGARDING PROJECT MUSTANG NOW DESIGNATED AS A POWERHOUSE -- POWER DEVELOPMENT AND RAPID PACE OF HEAVY INDUSTRIAL EXPENSE -- EXPANSION IN EASTERN WILMINGTON COUNTY. -- WILLIAMSON COUNTY. WE UNDERSTAND GROWTH IS VITAL BUT OUR COMMUNITY'S DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE COMPOUNDING PRESSURES AND DIRECT ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS THAT THESE PROJECTS BRING. PROJECT MUSTANG IS NOT SIMPLY JUST A DATA CENTER, IT INCORPORATES A PROPOSED HEAVY INDUSTRIAL NATURAL GAS POWER GENERATION PLANT. PLACING A POWER GENERATION FACILITY NEAR RESIDENTIAL AREAS BRINGS SEVERE RISKS INCLUDING LOCALIZED AIR POLLUTION, HIGH NOISE LEVELS FROM MASSIVE TURBINES, SIGNIFICANT GROUND WATER CONSUMPTION FOR COOLING AND THERMAL DISCHARGE INTO REGIONAL DRAINAGE SYSTEMS. ANOTHER CONCERN IS THE COMMUNITY HAS WITH THE BLUEPRINT DATA CENTER. IT'S SLATED FOR LAND THAT OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTOOD WAS INTENDED FOR PARK SPACE AND RECREATIONAL USE. REPLACING PUBLIC GREEN SPACE WITH INFRASTRUCTURE SEVERELY IMPACTS OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, PROPERTY VALUES AND LONG TERM PUBLIC HEALTH. MANY RESIDENTS FEEL THE LARGE SCALE ENERGY AND DATA DEVELOPMENT ARE MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT ADEQUATE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION OR TRANSPARENT PUBLIC DISCLOSURE. WE URGE -- WE'RE URGING THIS COURT TO PRIORITIZE RIVERS OVER -- ENSURE MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL TRANSPARENCY AND ACTIVELY INCLUDE LOCAL CONSTITUENT FEEDBACK -- SORRY I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS. BEFORE APPROVALS OR COUNTY LEVEL AGREEMENTS PROCEED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME FOR PROTECTING PRECINCT FOUR. >> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. THAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF OUR AGENDA. WE WILL ADJOURN TODAY'S COURT. THE TIME IS 11:10 A.M. THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.