[00:00:01]
IT IS FEBRUARY 25TH, 2025. I'M GOING TO ROLL RIGHT INTO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, THE PUBLIC FORUM.
IT'S THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSIONERS COURT ABOUT ANY COUNTY MATTERS.
[2. Presentation/Update of Rockwall County Bonds, and all related issues; (Judge New)]
MISS LISA CONSTANT WILEY, AUDITOR OF ROCKWALL COUNTY.GOOD AFTERNOON. OKAY, THERE WE GO. HELLO, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE THIS THIS AFTERNOON.
I WAS TASKED WITH KIND OF PUTTING TOGETHER A PRESENTATION FOR THE COURT TO GO OVER OUR TWO MAJOR BOND PACKAGES THAT THAT WE HAVE. WE STILL HAVE MONEY.
SO LET ME GET STARTED. IN 2004, THE ROCKWALL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT STARTED A COUNTY CONSORTIUM WHICH WAS MADE UP OF COUNTY OFFICIALS AND CITY LEADERS.
THIS ALLOWS THE COUNTY TO LEVERAGE THEIR DOLLARS AND EXPEDITE FOR AND EXPEDITE PROJECTS ON ROADS.
THE KEY WORDS I'M GOING TO GO OVER TODAY I THOUGHT THAT WERE PERTINENT TO OUR DISCUSSION AUTHORIZED OR AUTHORIZATION ISSUED OR ISSUANCE. ENCUMBERED OR CONTRACTED.
ASSIGNED AND TRANSFERRED. AUTHORIZED. THIS WAS MY DEFINITION.
THE COUNTY VOTERS APPROVE THE ISSUANCE OF ROAD BONDS FOR ROAD PROJECTS AT AN ELECTION.
THIS AUTHORIZES THE COUNTY TO SELL SAID BONDS AND TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR ROAD PROJECTS.
ENCUMBERED AND OR CONTRACTED THE COMMISSIONER COURT ACTS TO APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH AN ENGINEERING FIRM OR A MUNICIPALITY FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT. THEREBY, THEY'RE ENCUMBERING THOSE FUNDS AND HOLDING THEM FOR THAT SPECIFIC PROJECT ONLY.
CONCLUSION. SOMETIMES WE EVEN HAVE HAD MONEY THAT HAS STAYED ENCUMBERED, EVEN THOUGH THE PROJECT WAS DONE, THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROJECT, THE PROCESS OF CLOSING OUT A CONTRACT BEFORE, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU'RE TOLD, OH, YOU STILL HAVE $150,000 LEFT OVER ON THIS.
TERMINATED. CORRECT. ASSIGNED. THIS IS KIND OF MY WORD.
IF IT'S CONSULTANTS WOULD WOULD NOT USE THIS WORD, BUT I, I, I'M GOING TO GIVE IT MY AUDITOR STAMP OF, OF APPROVAL. THE ASSIGN COMES FROM WHEN THE COMMISSIONERS COURT ACTS TO SELECT A SPECIFIC PROJECT FOR UPCOMING WORK, AND THEREBY THEY'RE ASSIGNING THAT PROJECT AS WORK THAT WILL BE COMPLETED.
SO FOR AN EXAMPLE, JANUARY OF 2024, THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TOOK SEVEN PROJECTS OFF OF THE TRIP 21 BOND PROGRAM AND SAID THESE ARE THE ONES WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON.
SO I TOOK THOSE SEVEN AND I ASSIGNED THE MONEY TO THOSE PROJECTS.
SO IF YOU RECALL BACK THEN IN 2024, THE WE CAME TO YOU AND SAID YOU HAVE ROUGHLY $11.3 MILLION AVAILABLE AND YOU PICKED SOME PROJECTS. THAT'S WHEN I USE THE WORD ASSIGNED.
SO TO TO IT'S PROBABLY THAT DOESN'T LEGALLY ENCUMBER THEM.
[00:05:03]
NO, SIR. INTERNAL DESIGNATION. THAT'S TRUE. AND AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT UNTIL THAT CONTRACT IS IN PLACE AND YOU HAVE ENCUMBERED IT, THAT THAT MONEY CAN BE UP FOR GRABS. BUT FOR ME, ON A SPREADSHEET, WHEN YOU ASK ME HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE AVAILABLE IN THE BOND ACCOUNT, I'M GOING TO PICK THOSE OUT BECAUSE THAT'S WHY I SAID IT'S AN AUDITOR WORD.I'M ASSIGNING THAT MONEY ALREADY. THE MINUTE THIS COURT ACTS ON ANYTHING, I ASSIGN THOSE FUNDS.
NOW TRANSFERRED ANOTHER COUNTY AUDITOR WORD. SO THAT IS COUNTY AUDITOR MOVES UNSPENT AND UNENCUMBERED MONIES WITHIN THE ROAD BOND FUND FROM ONE PROJECT TO ANOTHER. THEREBY WE TRANSFERRING AVAILABLE DOLLARS.
TRANSFERS OCCUR AFTER THE COMMISSIONERS COURT APPROVES THE AUDITOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF THIS. SO WHEN WHEN THE COURT ISSUES BOND MONIES USUALLY YOU HAVE SOME PROJECTS THAT I'M AWARE OF THAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE THAT ISSUANCE FOR.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANS WHEN I SAY TRANSFER.
IT'S NOT IT'S NOT TAKING THE MONEY FROM THAT FUND AND MOVING IT ANYWHERE ELSE.
IT'S JUST MOVING IT IN BETWEEN PROJECTS IN YOUR ROAD BOND FUND.
CAN I JUST ASK A QUESTION THEN WOULD YOU CONSIDER, LIKE WITH SOME OF THE SOME OF THE RECENT BONDS, EVEN 2008 AND AND THE TRIP 21 WHEN THERE WAS DISCRETIONARY MONEY FOR A SPECIFIC PRECINCT OR THE JUDGE IS THAT ARE YOU IS THAT THE SAME AS WHAT YOU'RE. SO WHERE DO YOU PUT WHERE DO YOU COUNT ACCOUNT FOR THAT, I GUESS.
AND SO WHEN YOU ALL DO YOUR PRECINCT MONEY, THAT'S MORE OR LESS, TO ME, A POLITICAL MOVE. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL ARE SAYING. THIS IS HOW MUCH PRECINCT FOUR IS GOING TO GET.
THIS IS HOW MUCH PRECINCT ONE IS GOING TO GET. I'M TRACKING THE MONEY.
IF IF THERE'S 12 OR $12 MILLION IN THE ACCOUNT, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU EXACTLY WHERE THAT MONEY SITS AND WHAT WHERE I HAVE IT ACCOUNTED FOR. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY, WELL, YOU HAVE 4 MILLION FOR PRECINCT FOUR.
BUT THERE'S I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE IN THE BANK.
AND TO ME, THAT'S MY JOB. NOT THE PRECINCT JOB.
NOT MY PRECINCT. OKAY. OKAY. SO IN 2004, THE VOTERS APPROVED 75% TO 25%, AUTHORIZED $17,250,000 OF POTENTIAL ROAD BONDS.
THERE ARE NO REMAINING BONDS AVAILABLE TO SELL FROM THAT AUTHORIZATION.
LISA, WHAT DOES THE 7525 MEAN? THE VOTER APPROVAL, LIKE 75% OF THE VOTERS SAID YES, 25% SAID NO.
OKAY. AND IN 2008, THE VOTERS APPROVED 62% TO 32% TO AUTHORIZE $100 MILLION OF POTENTIAL ROAD BONDS, AND THERE ARE NO REMAINING AUTHORIZATIONS AVAILABLE.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO REMAINING MONEY TO TO ISSUE FROM THAT AUTHORIZATION.
AND IN 2021, THE VOTERS AGAIN APPROVED $150 MILLION OF POTENTIAL ROAD BONDS.
THERE'S NO BONDS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED FROM THAT $150 MILLION.
SO ALL 150,000 OF THAT AUTHORIZATION IS AVAILABLE TO ISSUE.
GOT A QUESTION ON 2008. YOU SAID NO REMAINING AUTHORIZATION AVAILABLE, BUT ALL THE FUNDS HAVEN'T BEEN SPENT YET, HAVE THEY? THAT'S CORRECT, BUT THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO ISSUE.
THEY HAVE ALL THE BONDS HAVE BEEN ISSUED. CORRECT. SITTING SOMEWHERE.
THAT'S FINE. YEAH. I'LL WAIT. THANKS. YEAH. OKAY.
SO THROUGHOUT US, FROM 2004, WHEN THE VOTERS SAID TO YOU WE WANT TO USE MONEY FOR ROAD BONDS.
AND THROUGH 20, 21, EACH ONE OF THESE SERIES IS WHEN YOU'VE ISSUED BONDS.
[00:10:03]
WHEN WE'VE GONE TO THE MARKET AND SOLD BONDS AND PEOPLE HAVE INVESTED IN ROCKWALL COUNTY BONDS, THESE ARE EACH ONE IN THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS. THAT IS HOW WE TRACK IT.SOMETIMES YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE WE DO USUALLY SELL AT A PREMIUM.
SO THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE EXACT AMOUNT THAT WE RECEIVED, BUT THAT IS THE ISSUANCE AMOUNT.
OKAY. GOT IT, GOT IT. OKAY. THIS ROAD BOND SUMMARY COMES TO YOU FROM YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, HILLTOP SECURITIES. AND WITH.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S NICE ON THIS IS THAT IT SHOWS YOU WHERE YOUR ROAD BOND ISSUANCES ARE.
SO THE LAST SCREEN WHERE EACH ONE SAID 2009, 2010, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE MAY HAVE BEEN REFUNDED TO GET A LOWER INTEREST RATE, A BETTER INVESTMENT, A DOLLAR AMOUNT. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS SPREADSHEET, AND I ALSO PUT THAT IN FRONT OF YOU ON A PAPER FOR, FOR YOUR BACKUP THAT THE OUTSTANDING AMOUNT THAT'S WRITTEN IN RED IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT IS OUTSTANDING THAT WE STILL OWE TO BE PAID THE PURPOSE, IT SAYS NEW MONEY OR REFUNDING.
SO NEW MONEY, OF COURSE, IS WHAT IT MEANS. IT'S NEW MONEY REFUNDING.
SO THE IN 2020 WE REFUNDED 9.57 I MEAN 9.5 MILLION.
AND THAT WAS SERIES 2012. AND NOW WE OWE 6.6 MILLION ON IT.
I WOULD IMAGINE. YEAH. AND THIS IS JUST PAGE TWO ALSO FINISHING UP THE THE SERIES.
TO DO THE EXAMPLE ONE MORE TIME FOR ME ON THE 9.5.
OKAY. RIGHT. SO IN IN 2020 THE YEAR 2020 THAT'S WHERE THE SERIES NUMBERS COMES FROM.
THE AMOUNT OF WAS 9.5 MILLION WAS THE ORIGINAL ISSUANCE, IF YOU KNOW I'M SORRY. THAT WAS THAT WAS THE AMOUNT THAT WAS STILL AVAILABLE.
I MEAN, WE STILL OWED ON THE 16 MILLION FROM THE SERIES 2012.
SO WE WENT BACK AND SAID WE'RE GOING TO REFUND, AND WE GOT A LOWER INTEREST RATE ON SERIES 2012.
AND NOW WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING AMOUNT OF 6.6 MILLION.
I DO HAVE MARTY HSU HERE FROM HILLTOP. SO WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THE PROGRAM, I MEAN, WITH THE POWERPOINT, WE CAN ASK MORE QUESTIONS OF. OKAY. OH, I GOT AN ERROR ON THERE. SO ON THE MATURITY OF THE BONDS.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE SERIES 2013 THAT'S AN OUTSTANDING AMOUNT IS $8,085,000. AND THAT MATURES IN THE YEAR 2033.
AND THIS IS ALL COMING FROM THE SPREADSHEET THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE EVERYTHING PAID OFF ON ROAD BONDS TO DATE BY 2045.
SO SOME OF THE ROAD PROJECTS THAT WERE CONTRACTED THROUGH THE YEARS USING THE ROAD BOND FUNDS I'VE LISTED OVER TO THE LEFT YOU A LOT OF THINGS THE INTERCHANGES AND STATE ROADS, THE BIKE PLAN, THE THOROUGHFARE PLAN, CRENSHAW ROADS LISTED UP THERE, MISS MAY DRIVE. AND THEN A LOT OF OUR STATE ROADS ARE LISTED.
SO IN 2016, THE COUNTY FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED THE RECONSTRUCTION OF I-30 AND FM 549 INTERCHANGE PROJECT WITH A PASS THROUGH AGREEMENT WITH TXDOT. THE COUNTY FUNDED 33 MILLION, AND SOME OF THAT COULD HAVE INCLUDED RIGHT OF WAY EXPENSES.
AND THEN THE AND THEN THEY. THE MAXIMUM REPAYMENT THAT THEY HAVE GUARANTEED US IS $20,792,000.
[00:15:11]
TO DATE, THE ROCKWALL COUNTY HAS RECEIVED 5.7 MILLION.AND THAT WAS THROUGH FIVE PAYMENTS THAT WE RECEIVE ANNUALLY.
THE LAST ONE WAS RECEIVED IN FY 24. AND THIS REIMBURSEMENT AMOUNT MAKES UP SOME OF YOUR FUND BALANCE AT THE TIME WHEN THE CONTRACT FOR THE PASS THROUGH WAS ORIGINALLY DONE, THERE WAS DISCUSSION WHETHER WE WOULD USE IT TO REPAY BACK INTEREST OR REPAY BACK DEBT INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT TOWARDS PROJECTS, BUT I THINK THAT THE PREVIOUS COURT DECIDED TO USE IT TOWARDS NEW PROJECTS, SO IT'S AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT THAT PROBABLY SHOULD BE BROUGHT UP TO THE CONSORTIUM AT SOME POINT THAT YOU'RE USING PASS THROUGH FUNDS THAT WERE PART OF AN OLD AGREEMENT THAT WAS MADE BACK IN 2016, AND THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE TURNING BACK OVER NEW PROJECTS.
LISA? YES, SIR. SO WHEN WILL THE REMAINING 15 MILLION BE PAID BACK? AND WE GET A CHECK ONCE A YEAR? ONCE A YEAR? SO FOR 15 YEARS, THEY PAY THIS OUT? YEAH, THEY'LL PAY US. THEY'LL PAY US UNTIL WE GET TO THE 20 MILLION.
SO AND AND THE WHOLE TERM THAT WE PASS THROUGH, IS THIS, LIKE A SHADOW TOLL? SO IT'S HOW MUCH THE ROAD IS USED IS TO HOW FREQUENTLY HOW HIGH OUR PAYMENTS GO.
SO THEY'RE THEY'RE USUALLY AROUND $1,040,000.
OR THEY COULD BE 1.1 MILLION, BUT IT'S THE AVERAGE USAGE.
DO WE GET INTEREST ON IT? WE EARN INTEREST ON ALL OF THIS MONEY ON THE 15 MILLION.
THEY HAVEN'T PAID US BACK YET. NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK IT'S JUST BACK. SO. NO, NO, OVER THE COURSE OF 20 YEARS THAT IT GETS PAID BACK.
THE PRESENT VALUE IS ACTUALLY LOWER. THAT'S CORRECT.
IT'S. BUT IT'S BY THE ACTUAL TOLL ITSELF, THE SHADOW TOLL OR WHATEVER.
OKAY. AND I'VE GOT IT'S RIGHT HERE BEHIND ME TOO.
SO I BROUGHT, I BROUGHT THE A TEAM TO HELP AFTERWARDS WITH QUESTIONS THAT I CAN'T ANSWER.
OKAY. SO NOW TO TOTAL UP OF WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE BANK, TO WHAT YOU STILL OWE.
THAT'S WHERE I'M STARTING TO EDGE DOWN INTO. SO EACH OF THESE PROJECTS THAT I'VE LISTED ARE CURRENT CONTRACTS THAT ROCKWELL COUNTY HAS SIGNED AND OWES TO EACH ON EACH OF THESE PROJECTS. SO LIKE FM 552, YOU STILL $63,000.
CRENSHAW ROAD, YOU OWE $496,000. MISS MAY, YOU OWE 878,000.
CITY OF ROCKWELL, YOU OWE 2 MILLION. YOU HAVE AN INTERLOCAL WITH THEM.
CITY OF HEATH, YOU OWE 2 MILLION. YOU HAVE AN INTERLOCAL WITH THEM.
THOSE TOTAL 9.5 MILLION. SO 9.5 IS REMOVED FROM YOUR TRIAL BALANCE OF WHAT WE HAVE IN THE BANK NOW ON CRENSHAW ROAD.
THAT'S DEFINITELY AN ENCUMBERED PROJECT. THE COUNTY PAID 4 MILLION.
THE ROYSE CITY ISD PAID TO US $4 MILLION. SO TOTAL OF $8 MILLION ENCUMBERED FOR THAT PROJECT.
SO THE FUTURE AMOUNT AVAILABLE FOR CRENSHAW ROAD IS 5.9 MILLION.
SO THAT'S OF THE 8 MILLION ON THE ORIGINAL. AND IF YOU DON'T USE THE 4 MILLION ON THE FROM THE ISD, WE WOULD OF COURSE OWE THAT BACK TO THE ISD.
OKAY. NOW HERE'S WHERE WE KIND OF GET INTO THE ASSIGNED BOND MONIES.
THIS ONE IS THESE ARE NOT CONTRACTS. THESE ARE JUST FROM THAT DAY IN IN JANUARY 2024, WHEN YOU SAID THESE ARE THE SEVEN PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PRIORITIZE. AND WE THE COURT SAID LET'S GO OUT AND FIND ENGINEERING FIRMS TO DO THIS.
I DON'T WANT IT TO SOUND LIKE WE BID OUT FOR THE ROAD WORK.
WE DIDN'T DO THAT. SO ME, MYSELF AND TWO TEX-DOT EMPLOYEES, WE EVALUATED AND CAME BACK TO THE COURT ON FOUR PROJECTS AND SAID, HERE'S THE ENGINEERING FIRMS THAT WE THINK YOU SHOULD USE.
[00:20:06]
PAINE ROAD. NOW, THESE PROJECTS, WHAT I'M BEING TOLD IS THAT THEY NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDS.SO HORIZON ROAD NEEDS ANOTHER MILLION. VILLAGE DRIVE NEEDS 2 MILLION.
WE'VE ENCUMBERED THE 5.9 THAT I WAS EXPLAINING TO YOU ABOUT CRENSHAW ROAD AND THEN THE ASSIGNED PROJECTS OF WHICH I WAS SAYING THAT ARE THAT DAY THAT YOU ALL SAID, LET'S PICK SOME ENGINEERS, BUT THEY HAVEN'T WE HAVEN'T NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS TO WITH ANYONE YET AND THEN POSSIBLE PROJECTS THAT NEED MORE MONEY. I TOTALED UP THE LAST SCREEN AND THAT'S THE 5.5 MILLION.
SO ALL THAT BEING SAID, FROM THE 28.5 MILLION, YOU HAVE ABOUT $2.9 MILLION.
AND THAT DOES INCLUDE ALL THE INTEREST EARNED ON YOUR ROAD BONDS.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY IS SOLID INTEREST MONEY. THAT'S PROBABLY THE BOND MONEY ANYMORE.
THAT'S PROBABLY INTEREST THAT'S BEEN EARNED THROUGH THE YEARS.
BUT THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE. SO IF YOU, IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO PROJECTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE, THE ONES THAT I'VE HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS PRESENTATION, THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE NOT 2.9 MILLION. AND IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S MORE THAN 2.9 MILLION, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO AUTHORIZE ME TO ISSUE CERTAINLY THIS ONE OR THAT ONE.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS THAT'S ADDITIONAL TO THOSE MONIES.
WHAT? CAN SHE GO TO THE NEXT ONE? OKAY. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE, WHAT'S 1141 AT THE BOTTOM? THAT ONE? YEAH. HORIZON VILLAGE 549 AND 66. BUT I DON'T SEE ANYWHERE WHERE 1141 IS ADDED IN THAT 5.5.
I PROBABLY LEFT THAT ONE OFF. BY MISTAKE. BECAUSE IT IS IT IS ONE OF THE PROJECTS KIND OF LIKE THE STATE HIGHWAY 66. YEAH, BUT BUT IF YOU GO BACK, THAT IS 5.5 MILLION.
I THINK THAT WHAT HAPPENED WITH 1141 IS THAT WE INCLUDED IT AND THEN IT GOT TAKEN OFF.
YEAH. AND THERE IS NO THERE IS NO MONEY RIGHT NOW.
IT'S JUST HOVERING INTO THE INTO THE TO THE UNIVERSE.
YEAH, BUT BUT YOU WILL HAVE WELL, HOW MUCH WAS THE 1141 ESTIMATED MILLION.
FIVE. SO. OKAY, THAT'S BASICALLY USING YOUR 2.9.
THAT WAS MY TYPO. NO. YOU'RE FINE. NO, I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF A TYPO.
NO, WE DID WE VOTED ON IT. AND THEN TEXDOT TOOK FM 35 AND FM 1141, AND THEN THEY CAME BACK BECAUSE JOHN POLSTER CAN'T. NO. I'M KIDDING. NO. TEXDOT DECIDED THEY REDUCED SOME OF THEIR DESIGN BUDGET.
AND SO THEN 30 FM 35 STAYED AND THEN 1141 KICKED OUT.
AND SO WHEN WE WERE GOING TO DO THE ROAD BOND THAT BECAME POLITICAL THEATER LAST YEAR, IT INCLUDED $2 MILLION OR LIKE MONEY TO PUT BACK TO FOR 1141 SO THAT WE COULD BEGIN ENGINEERING IT.
OKAY. WELL, BRENDA AND JOHN ARE AGREEING, SO.
YEAH. YEAH. AND AND THIS IS WHY THIS THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD TASK.
BECAUSE WHEN WE WORKED ON THIS SPREADSHEET THAT WE'VE, WE'VE COME ACROSS WHERE THERE WAS SEVERAL TIMES THAT WE'VE LEARNED THAT WE WERE USING DIFFERENT NUMBERS. SO IT'S DEFINITELY GOOD FOR US TO BE IN, IN, IN, IN SYNC WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGETARY AMOUNTS. OKAY.
WE GOOD? YES. OKAY. NOW WE'LL GO ON TO SOME JAIL BONDS.
SO IN. IN NOVEMBER 2018, ROCKWELL COUNTY VOTERS APPROVED THE AUTHORIZATION FOR DESIGNING, EXPANDING, CONSTRUCTION, IMPROVING, EQUIPPING THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND DETENTION CENTER FACILITIES.
[00:25:06]
AND IN 2020, THE BONDS WERE ISSUED FOR THE PROJECT IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,270,000.SO DURING THAT PROJECT, THERE WAS SOME ROAD AND WATER LINE WORK THAT THE CITY SHARED IN THE COST FOR THAT, AND THAT WAS IN THE AMOUNT OF $317,500. GO BACK TO THE PRIOR SLIDE, COMMISSIONER. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE WE ARE GETTING NOW TO A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUNDS AVAILABLE.
SO I JUST WANTED IT TO BE CLEAR THAT SOME OF THESE MONIES ARE, ARE STARTING TO BLEND INTO WHERE IT'S NOT EVEN BOND MONEY, IT'S JUST MONEY WE HAVE IN THE BOND ACCOUNT. AND THEN THE INTEREST EARNED TO DATE ON THE JAIL BONDS WAS $349,000.
SO NOW THAT THE JAIL WAS CONSIDERED FINISHED AND THE COURT VOTED TO DO SOME WORK ON WEST A AND B, AND A LITTLE BIT OF REMODELING WORK THAT THEY TASKED THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT TO DO.
WE WERE CONTINUING TO CHARGE THOSE EXPENSES TO THE BOND MONEY.
THE LARGER PICTURE OF EXPENSES THAT NOW WILL BE PUT TO THE SHERIFF REMODEL PROJECT, OR AS THIS PARK HILL DESIGN OF 286,000. AND THEN THE CY CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY THAT THE COURT SELECTED.
AND THE PRE-CONSTRUCTION PHASE WAS CONTRACTED FOR 4000.
IF YOU RECALL, THOUGH, WE ALSO HAVE A BROADEST AGREEMENT, AND THAT ONE WE'RE CHARGING TO THE ARPA BECAUSE WE'RE USING SOME ARPA MONEY TO TO DO THE SHERIFF'S PROJECT, TOO. SO IT'S GOING TO GET A LITTLE CONVOLUTED FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT AS LONG AS WE STICK WITH THE PURE INTEREST, IT'S MUCH LESS CONVOLUTED. YEAH. SO THE TOTAL REMAINING WITH THE INTEREST, WITH THE MONEY FROM THE CITY AND WHATEVER REMAINING BONDS, YOU HAVE A $800,000 LEFT. IT HAS TO BE.
IT HAS TO BE USED FOR THE JAIL OF SOME WAY. YES, SIR.
USED FOR SHERIFF'S REMODEL TOO? YES. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE USING IT.
YEAH. THAT THAT IS HAS BEEN BUDGETED TO BE USED TOWARDS.
AND SOME OTHER FUNDS TO BE USED TOWARDS THAT PROJECT.
SO THAT'S IT. I WILL TURN THIS. YEAH I WILL. IF YOU'D LIKE TO ANY OF OUR CONSULTANTS TO COME UP AND AND HELP ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. YEAH. BEFORE THAT, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
THIS CAME AS THE GENESIS OF ME ASKING BECAUSE THE COMMISSIONERS REALLY JUST SIMPLY WANT TO KNOW, HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE HAVE TO DO PROJECTS? WHERE'S IT AT? WHAT'S ENCUMBERED, HOW MUCH HAS BEEN ISSUED? AND AND THOSE ARE ALL LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS.
LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS TO ASK. SO YEAH. AND I, I REALLY I'M, I DON'T WANT TO TO THAT. 1141 I'M NOT SURE IF I DON'T THINK I HAVE THAT AS AN ASSIGNED PROJECT.
AND IT WOULD PROBABLY BE SOMETHING YOU NEED FOR THAT 2.9 MILLION.
CAN YOU GIVE US THIS SOME SORT OF ELECTRONIC WAY IN REAL SIMPLE BULLETS SO WE CAN JUST SEE MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. OKAY. YEAH, I HAVE A IF YOU MY SPREADSHEET.
MY SPREADSHEET IS A IS A BEAUTIFUL MASTERPIECE THAT MARTY HSU WROTE MANY YEARS AGO IN 2009, AND I'VE BEEN KEEPING IT GOING AND AND I WHEN I GIVE IT TO PEOPLE, THEY'RE USUALLY LIKE, OH, OH MY. BUT SO THAT MIGHT I'LL TRY TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT AT LEAST WOULD YOU ALSO SHARE THIS, THIS PRESENTATION THAT YOU JUST. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT COMMISSIONERS. THERE'S NO HIDDEN AGENDA.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR FOR LISA IT'S OR HILLTOP OR PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER LEE GILBERT.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR HILLTOP. ALL RIGHT. MARTY.
THIS THIS IS A SOFTBALL QUESTION, SO I DON'T I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO TO STRUGGLE TOO MUCH.
[00:30:08]
TO BE ANY BOND THAT WE COULD JUST PAY OFF. SO IT WOULD MAKE SENSE IF WE HAVE THAT KIND OF CASH SITTING AROUND. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ASK IT EXACTLY FINANCIALLY, BUT THERE ISN'T REALLY A METHODOLOGY THAT SAYS, YEAH, WELL, I MEAN, I GUESS YOU COULD PAY OFF THIS SERIES OR THAT SERIES.I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING. AND, YES, YOU COULD USE THOSE FUNDS.
YOU DO HAVE AVAILABLE DEBT TO REPAY IF YOU WANTED TO PREPAY IT.
I WOULD SAY THAT WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE THE MOST EFFICIENT USE OF THAT MONEY, BECAUSE HISTORICALLY, YOU'VE ISSUED AT REALLY LOW RATES. SO IF YOU WERE GOING TO ISSUE TODAY, INTEREST RATES ARE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN WHERE YOU WERE ISSUING PREVIOUSLY.
BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ISSUING NEWER DEBT, POTENTIALLY AT A HIGHER RATE.
BUT IF YOU DO HAVE, WHICH IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE PLENTY OF AVAILABLE PROJECTS TO USE THAT MONEY FOR, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THAT PROBABLY MAKES MORE SENSE AT THIS JUNCTURE.
SURE. I GOT A QUESTION KIND OF FOR US AND I. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO WITH THIS? WIDE OPEN. YEAH. WIDE OPEN. THAT'S. I WANTED EVERYBODY TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND BONDS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO IF YOU GIVE ME THAT, I'LL BE HELPFUL. BUT KIND OF ON A BIGGER QUESTION.
AND I'M A NEW GUY ON THE COURT, RIGHT? BOBBY AND ME.
SO WE HAVEN'T BEEN PART OF ALL THIS. AND TO SOME EXTENT, YOU ALL WERE NEW BECAUSE 2021 WAS ISSUED BEFORE YOU WERE ELECTED, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S BEEN FOUR YEARS. WE'VE GOT 150 MILLION FUNDING AUTHORITY.
WE'VE GOT ZERO ZERO BONDS ISSUED. HOW DO WE GET THIS MOVING? AND WE'VE GOT ROADS TO FIX. WE GOT TERRIBLE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. WE GOT PEOPLE WHO COMPLAIN ALL THE TIME ABOUT TRAFFIC SO BAD.
AND I KNOW IT'S THERE'S EARMARKS AND THINGS THAT WE'VE ALLOCATED BONDS FOR, BUT WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF MONEY, AT LEAST 9 MILLION. IF I WAS COUNTING RIGHT ON THIS PRESENTATION FROM THE ORIGINAL PROJECT IN 2008.
AND WE'VE GOT $450 MILLION OF MONEY AVAILABLE FOR ROADS.
AND IT'S BEEN FOUR YEARS AND WE HAVEN'T ISSUED ANYTHING.
AND I'M REALLY I'M I'M NOT BEING CRITICAL, BUT WE GOT ROAD ISSUES.
SO HOW DO WE GET THIS BOAT GOING? HOW DO WE GET THINGS GOING? OKAY. SO I CAN ANSWER SOME OF THAT FOR FOR THE COURT MEMBERS, IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME TO.
SO REALLY AND TRULY, THERE WAS NO REASON TO ISSUE ANY OF THE 2021 AMOUNTS UNTIL YOU HAD USED, UTILIZED ALL THE AVAILABLE FUNDS THAT WE ALREADY HAD ISSUED THAT WAS IN OUR BANK ACCOUNT.
THAT HAS BEEN DONE. NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STRETCHED TO WHAT THE $2 MILLION, BASICALLY A TWO, $2.5 MILLION BALANCE THAT'S AVAILABLE. IT TAKES ABOUT 3 OR 4 MONTHS, WOULDN'T YOU SAY, MARTY, TO, TO TO TO GO OUT INTO THE MARKET AND CAN I INTERRUPT YOU? I, I DON'T KNOW THAT MY QUESTION WAS CLEAR BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND IT TAKES TIME TO ISSUE BONDS.
I UNDERSTAND WE MAY HAVE NO REASON TO ISSUE BONDS TODAY.
I'M TALKING ABOUT A BIGGER ISSUE TO THE COURT OF HOW DO WE GET ROAD PROJECTS GOING? I MEAN, YOU DON'T ISSUE BONDS UNTIL YOU'RE READY TO SPEND THE MONEY, I GET THAT.
[00:35:03]
HOW DO WE GET THINGS GOING FASTER? AND MAYBE THAT'S A JOHN POLSTER QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT JUST SEEMS AND MAYBE IT'S MY NAIVETE, BUT ALL I CAN MY ONLY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS BEFORE REALLY IN GOVERNMENT WAS WHEN WE ISSUED BONDS IN HEATH AND WE PASSED IT. WE PASSED THE BONDS, I THINK IT WAS 2014 OR 15.AND BY THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR, WE BUILT ONE ROAD TOTALLY START TO FINISH.
AND THAT'S THE ROAD BEHIND THE OLD WATER TOWER THERE.
BACK TO THE SCHOOL, BECAUSE THAT WAS WE NEEDED A ROAD THERE.
I'M JUST KIND OF THINKING WE GOT ROAD ISSUES AND WE GOT 150 MILLION OF AUTHORITY.
HOW DO WE USE IT? HOW DO WE GET GOING? YEAH, SAME.
SAME THING. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE WAS A DEFINITE NEED THEN TO GO TO THE VOTERS AND GET THIS BOND APPROVED, AND THAT'S BEEN FOUR YEARS. AND I KNOW SOME OF THE PROJECTS I THINK HAVE BEEN DONE THOUGH, WITH ZERO EIGHT BOND MONEY. CORRECT. SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT FOR, FOR 21 ACTUALLY GOT DONE WITH OTHER OTHER BOND MONEY THOUGH, DIDN'T THEY? ISN'T THAT CORRECT? YEAH. SO IT'S NOT LIKE NONE OF THE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN WORKED ON THAT 11.3 MILLION THAT WAS LEFT OVER IN JANUARY.
ALL OF THAT WAS APPLIED TO AT LEAST PROJECTS IDENTIFIED IN TRIP 21.
OKAY, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. SO, LAUREN, LIKE I LOOK AT 205, THE MIDDLE AND THE SOUTH ON OUR MOST RECENT CONSORTIUM REPORT. OKAY. AND THE TOTAL ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST FOR ALL OF 205 SOUTH, MIDDLE AND SOUTH IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE OVER 315 MILLION.
AND NOW OUR PORTION OF IT IS OBVIOUSLY A LOT LESS.
WE CAN YOU KNOW, LOOK AT WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR POSITION IS.
BUT SO THAT'S ONE ROAD THAT WE DON'T HAVE 315 MILLION TO DO THAT.
SURE WE DON'T I GET THAT. AND AND I'M NOT I'M NOT SAYING LET'S GO CHANGE OUR STRATEGY TOTALLY.
BECAUSE LOOK, IT'S A STRATEGY THAT'S WORKED TO SOME EXTENT.
AND WE HEAR PEOPLE SAY, WELL, IT'S WORKING REALLY GREAT.
LOOK HOW WE DID. AND I'VE ASKED JOHN POLLSTER THIS QUESTION.
I SAID, YOU TELL ME IT'S WORKING REALLY GREAT.
HOW DO I KNOW THAT? AND SOME OF IT IS BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO LEVERAGE FUNDS FOR TEXDOT.
BUT I'M ALMOST WONDERING, ARE THERE DO WE NEED TO STEP BACK AND REVIEW OUR STRATEGIES? AND I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER, Y'ALL. I JUST KNOW THAT WE WE NEED ROADS AND WE NEED WORK DONE.
AND WE HOW DO WE MOVE IT FORWARD? THAT'S THAT'S A VALID QUESTION.
I MEAN, WE WE'RE CERTAINLY CAPABLE OF DOING ROADS OURSELVES.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE WILLING TO, TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF THE COST.
I MEAN, WE'RE. THAT'S RIGHT. RIGHT. RIGHT NOW, WE WE PLAY THE GAME OF TRYING TO POSITION OURSELVES TO WHERE WE MOVE UP THE LINE TO GET THE TEX DOT MONEY. WELL, TEX DOT IS AGAIN A GOVERNMENT AGENCY, NOT THE MOST EFFICIENT AGENCY.
AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US MAY OR MAY NOT BE IMPORTANT TO THEM.
SO MAYBE WE WE LOOK AT SOMEWHAT OF A HYBRID METHOD OF YEAH, LET'S CONTINUE TO PLAY THAT GAME.
BUT ALSO IF WE IDENTIFY A ROAD THAT WE NEED LET LET'S DO IT OURSELVES.
I THINK I AGREE WITH YOU. AND TO SAY, LET'S AT LEAST HAVE THE CONVERSATION AS A GOOD STARTER AND COMMISSIONER STACY AND I, WE WERE OVER WITH THE FOLKS AT ROAD AND BRIDGE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, AND WE SAID, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? WHAT ROADS DO WE NEED TO FIX? HOW DO WE GET THIS DONE? BECAUSE WE GOT THE MOST COUNTY ROADS. ABSOLUTELY.
AND I KNOW THESE ARE POCKETED FOR DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT MAYBE WE START LOOKING AT HYBRID STRATEGIES AND START LOOKING AT OUR ROADS BECAUSE WE CAN'T APPARENTLY CAN'T MOVE TEXDOT ANY FASTER THAN WE CAN MOVE TEXDOT.
AND WE GOT A BIG POT OF MONEY TO DO SOMETHING WITH.
BUT MAYBE THE VOTERS WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE SMITH ROAD FIXED.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE CONNIE LANE FIXED. WE'D LIKE TO HAVE EDWARDS ROAD FIXED.
YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE THAT AGAIN.
DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS, BUT MAYBE I LIKE YOUR YOUR SUGGESTION.
MAYBE WE GOT TO LOOK AT A HYBRID STRATEGY. WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN WE DID IT IN HEATH IT WAS LIKE, WELL WE GOT TO FIX ROADS, SO ROAD.
SO LET'S GO. LET'S GO FIX THE ROAD. LET'S GO FIX THE ROADS.
YEP. RIGHT. BUT HEATH IS A SMALLER PROBLEM. AND I GET THAT IT WAS A AND IT WAS THE HEATH.
CITIZENS PAID FOR IT, AND I THINK THEY WERE ALL HAPPY TO DO SO.
[00:40:10]
BECAUSE I KNOW THIS EVERY SURVEY WE DO, DANA.ROADS, ROADS, ROADS. RIGHT. TRAFFIC. TRAFFIC.
TRAFFIC. I WOULD THINK YOU'D WANT TO GO AFTER SOME OF THE ROADS THAT HAVE THE MOST.
RIGHT. I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ROADS DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TRAFFIC ON THEM, BUT THAT'S THAT'S MY POINT WOULD BE, IS WE NEED TO STOP USING A ROAD AS WELL. WE HAVE ROADS. WE NEED TO START ACTUALLY SAYING WHAT WE NEED.
I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? THE COUPLE OF COUNTY ROADS I NEED.
I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. IT'S LIKE IF YOU WERE TO SAY, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? IT'S LIKE I WOULD WIDEN THIS ROAD AND I WOULD, YOU KNOW, DO SOME WORK ON NORTH KING ROAD.
AND I KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO. I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE HAVEN'T DONE AS A BODY IS, SAY, BOBBY, WHAT ROADS IN PRECINCT ONE DO YOU WANT DONE? WHAT ARE YOU DYING ON A VINE? LET'S START MAKING PRIORITIES.
LET'S START FIGURING OUT. BECAUSE HOW CAN WE ASK? IT'S TO GO FIGURE OUT PROBLEMS OF. WELL, GO TO COG AND GO TO TEX DOT AND GO TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND GO FOR WHAT? WHAT ROADS ARE WE SAYING HAVE TO BE DONE? I MEAN, WE KEEP SAYING 205. WELL, IT'S IN THE UTP.
SO SO WHAT DO WE WANT TO DO AND WHAT ROADS DO WE WANT TO BUILD? AND THEN HOW DO WE GO TO ITS AND SAY, HOW DO WE GET THESE ROADS BUILT? WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE? HERE'S THE PROBLEMS, HERE'S WHAT OUR CITIZENS ARE TELLING US.
AND THIS IS THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO. AND MAYBE TO YOUR POINT, IT IS STARTING TO BUILD SOME SMITH ROADS, SOME COUNTY ROADS AND SOME MONTHS AND ROADS AND STUFF LIKE THAT THAT AREN'T THESE BIG THINGS BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING ALL THESE TRAFFIC ISSUES.
I THINK THAT'S THE REASON THERE WAS DISCRETIONARY MONEY PUT IN.
I THINK JOHN POLSTER ONCE TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH ASPHALT YOU COULD SPREAD IF YOU JUST SPENT A MILLION BUCKS AND SEND IT TO YOUR ROAD AND BRIDGE CREW? I MEAN, YOU COULD DO A LOT OF WORK.
AND SO I THINK THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING CREATIVE ENOUGH IN SAYING WHAT PROBLEMS ARE SITTING BEFORE US, AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS AS A GROUP? BECAUSE WE'RE JUST SAYING, JOHN POLSTER BUILD ROADS.
WELL, HE'S, I MEAN, THERE'S THERE'S MONEY ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THERE'S ROADS ALL OVER THE PLACE GETTING ENGINEERED, GETTING DESIGNED AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS. I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO SAY, THIS IS THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND COME TOGETHER AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO. SO, I MEAN, TO MY POINT, I'M NOT SAYING TODAY, BUT I'M JUST SAYING WE NEED TO START FOCUSING IN AND COMING UP WITH A PLAN. WHETHER THAT 100% INVOLVES THE CONSORTIUM SHOULD, WHETHER IT INVOLVES US GETTING A PLAN TOGETHER AND SAYING, HERE, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO NOW, LET'S GET AS CREATIVE AS WE CAN AND FIND ALL THE FUNDING SOURCES WE CAN, AND LET'S SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. 1141 IS A BIG PROBLEM.
IT HAS A SCHOOL ON IT. WE HAVE $2.9 MILLION OF CASH.
WE LOST THE CONTRACT. I MEAN, I'M READY TO GET THAT SUCKER ENGINEERED.
I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO GET MORE. I WOULDN'T SAY CREATIVE.
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO STOP USING WORDS LIKE ROADS AND SAY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THESE SEVEN PROJECTS DONE, THESE 12 PROJECTS DONE? THESE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE YOU AND I TALKED TO THE FOLKS IN ROAD BRIDGE AND ASKED THEM TO DO IT.
BUT WE NEED TO DO IT AND IT'S GOING TO COST US MONEY.
AND BUT I'M I'VE ALWAYS BEEN CONVINCED THAT IF WE PRESENT GOOD SUGGESTIONS TO VOTERS FOR ROADS, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO FIX AND GET THINGS DONE, THEY WILL PAY TO HAVE IT DONE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT.
I AGREE AND I AGREE. I DO TOO. IT'S CALLED THE THOROUGHFARE PLAN GUYS.
BUT THIS THOROUGHFARE PLAN WAS ADOPTED FEBRUARY THE 27TH OF 2019.
[00:45:03]
HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE COME TO THIS COUNTY SINCE 2019? SO I AGREE, WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY THE PROJECTS.AND I THINK IT STARTS WITH THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT OUR CONSORTIUM, WHICH WAS BUILT ON A I THINK ON A FOUNDATION THAT SUPPORTS US, INVOLVING THEM AS WELL, AND WE SEE WHAT ROADS AND WE AND WE AND OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS PAID FOR THROUGH FREESE AND NICHOLS.
OKAY. SO THERE MAY BE OTHERS TOO, BUT WE NEED A THOROUGHFARE.
OUR THOROUGHFARE PLAN NEEDS TO BE UPDATED, GUYS.
AND I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE IMPLYING THAT BY ANY MEANS, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE IT STRATEGICALLY DONE BASED ON THE GROWTH AND THE TRAFFIC TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY. TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU, DANA. AND I THINK THAT IF WE DO THAT, AND WE THEN ARE ABLE TO ESTABLISH PRIORITIES ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT AND WHERE TRAFFIC IS AND WHICH ROADS ARE THE BUSIEST, THEN WE CAN MAKE PROGRESS. YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SAYS WHO ROB VOTERS APPROVED 61, 39, $150 MILLION.
I HAD ONE SITTING IN MY OFFICE LAST FRIDAY THAT AS AFFECTED ON 549.
AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THAT THAT CITIZEN SAID.
WHY IS 549? BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY READY TO BE LET.
BUT IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN READY TO BE LET FOR A LONG TIME.
YES, IT WAS ACTUALLY ON THE 2008 BOND AS WELL.
I MEAN, WE WE TALKED ABOUT OUR K-9 EARLIER TODAY AND WHERE IT WAS AT IN THE LIFE CYCLE.
SO, I MEAN, WE CAN WE NEED TO DO. OTHER COUNTIES DO THAT WITH THEIR ROADS.
AND THEN I AGREE. THROUGH THROUGH THE CONSORTIUM.
THAT TIES RIGHT BACK TO OUR CITIZENS QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER STACEY SAID, WE NEED TO QUIT SAYING ROADS AND SAY THESE ROADS.
I WOULD TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE.
HOW DO WE GET THESE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE AND WANT TO GO OVER HERE? HOW HOW DO WE GET THEM THERE? SO I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH IT TODAY, BUT MAYBE THE NEXT CONSORTIUM.
LET'S OPEN THE DISCUSSION. LET'S START THE CONCESSION.
MY BRAIN JUST IMMEDIATELY GOES TO THE FACT THAT 1141 WAS ON THE TABLE.
IT'S OFF THE TABLE AND WE HAVE MONEY AND THERE'S A SCHOOL ON 1141.
WELL, I THINK IT'S BACK ON THE TABLE. THAT WAS MY NOTES.
WE NEED. WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT THAT IN MARCH. BOBBY.
SO THAT BRINGS ME TO A QUESTION, GUYS. YOU SAID WE'VE GOT MONEY.
SO AND WE HAVE OUR BOND COUNSEL HERE. SO THE MONIES WE HAVE AND THE WORDING THAT WAS PUT ON THE AS FAR AS THAT, THE THE VOTERS VOTED ON, ON THE, ON THE BALLOT FOR TRIPP.
I DON'T CARE IF YOU SAY TRIPP 21 OR 2008 OR WHATEVER.
THAT WAS JUST FOR I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT I THINK WE CAN USE THAT MONEY.
THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. SO THIS IS WHERE I HAVE TO SAY.
AND THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE YOU, MARTY. THANK YOU.
SO WE HAD A LIST THAT WE TOOK THAT TOTALED 150 MILLION.
AND THEN WE HAD THE LANGUAGE ON THE BALLOT, WHICH IS 150 MILLION.
I'M NOT COMFORTABLE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING NOW.
THERE'S PLENTY OF PROJECTS TO CHOOSE FROM, BUT DOING SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ON THAT LIST.
I DON'T BELIEVE THE VOTERS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THEY VOTED FOR THAT.
IF WE WOULD HAVE JUST SAID 150 MILLION, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT IT IS.
IT WOULDN'T HAVE PASSED, FRANK. I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ASK THE VOTERS TO PAY $3 MILLION FOR CONNIE LANE, AND CONNIE LANE HAS. I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE THIS UP, OKAY.
[00:50:02]
CONNIE LANE HAS 100 RESIDENTS THAT LIVE ON THAT ROAD, SO MAYBE THREE TIMES A DAY.I AGREE. I AGREE WITH THAT. WHAT'S GOING TO BE A HARD SELL? IF WE WANTED TO USE BOND MONEY FOR CONNIE LANE, AND I USE THAT JUST AS AN EXAMPLE.
LAUREN, I WAS JUST, YOU KNOW. YEAH. BASED ON.
NO, NO, NO, I GET IT. SO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE HARD SELL TO USE BOND FUNDS FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT WAS LISTED? NO, NO I'M NOT. I'M NOT SAYING THAT I'M NOT. BUT HE'S SAYING HE WANTS TO TAKE IT BACK.
IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU, YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN ITEMIZED LIST THAT VOTERS VOTE ON.
IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY? FRANK, I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.
AND I'M OPPOSED TO THAT. AND I AM WITH AN ACTUAL LIST OF ROADS WE WANT TO DO.
I MEAN, AND WE AND THE VOTERS ENTRUST US WITH DECISION MAKING DUE TO THOSE CHANGES.
AND I THINK THIS IS ALONG THOSE LINES, AND I THINK THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE'VE DONE IT.
AND WE'VE BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL DOING THAT SINCE THEN.
OTHERWISE, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WE CAN ONLY DO THOSE PROJECTS.
SO FROM 2021 TO SAY 2026 WHEN WE'RE GETTING READY TO ISSUE THAT DEBT AND WE'VE GROWN IT 25%.
WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE VOTER FOR THAT OTHER PROJECT, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THE MONEY FOR IT, AND MAYBE WE DON'T NEED THAT MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS LISTED. IS THAT WHAT THAT ENCOURAGES IS BONDS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO A PROJECT, THAT ARE THINGS THAT DON'T GET PUT ON THE SHELF AND SIT FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS OF WE NEED CONNIE LANE.
WE NEED $3 MILLION. IF IT'S APPROVED, LET'S BUILD CONNIE LANE WHILE IT STILL ONLY COSTS $3 MILLION.
AND THAT'S OKAY FOR THOSE INSTANCES WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COUNTY ROADS THAT WE FULLY CONTROL.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WORKING WITH OTHER ENTITIES LIKE COG OR TXDOT, THAT THAT THAT DOESN'T WORK, BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN THAT WAY BECAUSE WE'RE WE'RE BUILDING ROADS THAT THAT IS ON THEIR LIST, NOT NECESSARILY OUR LIST. I MEAN, WE JUST HAD A FAIRLY COHESIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT BUILDING ROADS FOR THE CITIZENS.
SURE. AND DOING A HYBRID BECAUSE BUT WE CAN'T GO BUILD ROADS THAT THEY HAVE.
WE CAN'T GO IN OURSELVES. EXPAND THE REST OF 205.
YOU'VE NEVER AFFORD IT, AND WE CAN'T DO IT ANYWAY.
YOU'RE 100%. WE SHOULDN'T DO IT. WE CAN DO IT.
IT'D BE IT. YES. WE CAN'T BUILD A STATE HIGHWAY.
WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION. NO, NO, NO, BUT BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THERE'S A LOT MORE WE COULD BUILD. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE. IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE TO DO IT. OKAY, LET ME LET ME BEFORE WE GET INTO THIS, THIS THEORETICAL DISCUSSION. RIGHT. BECAUSE I'LL SAY A COUPLE THINGS.
I THINK LEGALLY WE CAN SPEND THE MONEY ON WHATEVER WE CAN LEGALLY SPEND IT ON.
AND BEFORE I GET INTO A DECISION OF HOW WE DECIDE TO SPEND THAT MONEY ON CONNIE LANE.
TELL US NO. THEY TELL US NO. OKAY, GREAT. THEN YOU GUYS ANSWER IS NO.
YOU WANT TO LIVE ON? YOU WANT TO DRIVE ON BAD ROADS? WE'LL LEAVE THE BAD ROADS, RIGHT? AND I'M NOT AFRAID OF THAT.
BUT I THINK WHEN YOU GET IF IF YOU SAID IF YOU WERE TO GO TO THE VOTERS AND SAY WE HAVE EIGHT PROJECTS, THREE OF THEM ARE IN PRECINCT THREE, I HAVE TO SAY THAT TWO OF THEM ARE IN PRECINCT TWO.
NO, YOU HAVE NOTHING IN. TWO OF THEM ARE IN PRECINCT FOUR.
THREE OF THEM ARE IN PRECINCT ONE, WHATEVER. AND WE SAID, HERE THEY ARE, AND WE'VE GOT TO TAKE $150 MILLION OF BONDS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED AND USED IT FOR THIS. AND THESE ARE GOOD PROJECTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET THEM DONE FAST.
I THINK THE VOTERS ARE GOING TO SAY, YES, I AGREE AND AGREE.
SO BUT BEFORE I GET INTO A BIG ARGUMENT ABOUT WHETHER I HAVE TO GO TO THE VOTERS, I WANT TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING WORTH TALKING ABOUT AND THAT WE'VE ANALYZED THIS. AND THAT'S WHY I KEEP GOING BACK TO LET'S JOHN, YOU AND I HAD THE DISCUSSION.
[00:55:08]
I WOULD RATHER TAKE SOME OF THAT MONEY AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, KEEP WORKING.IT'S LOVE YOU GUYS, BUT YOU GOT TO GET SOMETHING DONE FOR US.
AND LET'S TAKE 10 MILLION OR 12 MILLION OR WHATEVER IT IS, IS.
LET'S GO OUT AND START FIXING ROADS. I AGREE.
I AGREE. WE WORK PRETTY GOOD TOGETHER SO FAR.
DUDE. CAN I JUST INTERJECT SOMETHING? WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 2021 AND NOT ISSUING FOR THIS MANY YEARS. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU NOTICED, BUT IN THE 2004 ELECTION THAT YOU DIDN'T, THAT THERE WAS NOT A THE FIRST ISSUANCE OF MONEY WAS IN 2009. SO THERE WAS QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS IN THERE.
AND I BELIEVE IN MY, IN MY MEMORY IS THAT THE COUNTY FUNDED THAT AND THEN REIMBURSED ITSELF.
BUT SO TO TO WAIT AN AMOUNT OF TIME IS NOT A FOREIGN.
I MEAN BECAUSE WE HAD MONEY AVAILABLE. THAT'S WHY THE MONEY HASN'T BEEN ISSUED.
BUT FAIR ENOUGH. YEAH. FAIR ENOUGH. BUT BUT MY POINT IS AND THERE'S SOME THINGS, LIKE I SAID, WE CAN'T WE HAVE REAL HARD TIME ACCELERATING BECAUSE THERE'S STATE CONTROLLED AND WE CAN PUSH AS HARD AS WE WANT.
BUT THE POINT IS, IF THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO, EVERYBODY.
IF YOU TALK TO MARK TIPPETT OUT THERE, HE'S TOLD ME 20 TIMES YOU GOT A NORTH SOUTH TRAFFIC PROBLEM.
AND WE DO HAVE A NORTH SOUTH TRAFFIC PROBLEM, AND WE'RE SO HUNG UP ON, SHOULD WE HAVE THE OUTER LOOP OR SHOULDN'T WE? OR WHERE SHOULD IT GO? AND ALL THIS. BUT THERE'S WAYS WE COULD IMPROVE OUR NORTH SOUTH TRAFFIC PROBLEM RIGHT NOW WITHOUT HAVING TO DEAL WITH THAT.
BECAUSE WE GOT TO BUILD ROADS OR ELSE WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOB WELL.
AND ONE ONE LAST INTERJECTION. NOT TO BE A DOWNER, DEBBIE DOWNER, BUT JUST REMEMBER NOW THAT WE'RE THIS IS PUBLIC MONEY AND IT NEEDS TO SERVE A PUBLIC PURPOSE FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY.
WELL OF COURSE. SO WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE, ONE SMALL ROAD, THAT'S NOT A, A THOROUGHFARE KIND OF THING, LIKE A NORTH AND SOUTH.
I WOULD, I WOULD PROBABLY BE A BIT NEGATIVE ABOUT.
OF COURSE IT DOES. BUT AT THE SAME TIME I EVERY WEEK I GO TO THE SHORES FOR BAND OF BROTHERS, AND I DRIVE FROM PRECINCT THREE TO PRECINCT TWO TO PRECINCT ONE.
SO IT'S ALL WE'RE ALL GOING TO USE IT. THESE ARE ROADS THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO USE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THAT IS. IS THAT IN THE CITY OF HEATH? MARK CAN TELL YOU. YEAH, IT IS IN THE CITY OF MCLENDON-CHISHOLM AND IN THE COUNTY.
AND I'M NOT SAYING PUT IT ALL IN PRECINCT THREE.
SO THERE'S THESE DEVICES WE HAVE IN OUR HANDS, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHY IT MATTERS ON THOSE SMALL LANES OR ROADS AND WHY I DISAGREE WITH COMMISSIONER MCCULLOCH DRIVING BACK FROM AUSTIN.
TRAFFIC ON I-30 BRIDGE BACKED UP. GEEZ. SHOCKING.
I KNOW TO EVERYBODY. SO WHAT DID GOOGLE DO? IT REROUTED US, BROUGHT US UP THROUGH FORNEY ALONG CONNIE LANE, WHICH COMMISSIONER LICHTY AND I HAVE ALREADY HAD.
THIS CONVERSATION, AS I HAVE WITH MY MAYOR, IS A HORRIBLE ROAD TO DRIVE.
EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT HAPPENS. BUT IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING THAT TIRE, I WAS PASSED BY AT LEAST 2530 CARS. IT IS NOT SOME LOCAL ROAD THAT PEOPLE WHO JUST LIVE ON IT USE.
BECAUSE OF THESE. THOSE BACK ROADS TURN INTO THOROUGHFARES THAT ENABLE TRAFFIC ACROSS OUR COUNTY.
SO I WOULD JUST BE VERY CAUTIOUS OF USING A 19TH OR 19 HUNDREDTHS ANALOGY FOR A RIGHT 20TH 2020 PROBLEM. VERY DIFFERENT.
AND SO I, I MEAN, I AGREE, I, I HAVE SAT HERE AND LISTENED TO THIS COURT FOR A NUMBER OF TIMES.
[01:00:03]
I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY. EVERYTHING THAT'S SAID, I AM LIKE LOCKSTEP HERE WITH COMMISSIONER STACEY AND MY COMMISSIONER THAT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING IS, IN MY MIND, DOING FIRST A REQUIREMENTS BASED ASSESSMENT ACROSS THE BOARD.WHAT IT'S DOES, WHAT JOHN POLSTER DOES CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
BUT THAT IS A PORTION OF THE ROADS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COUNTY.
WHAT THE MAYORS AND THE CITY MANAGERS DO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, BUT THEY HAVE TO ALL CONNECT.
BUT WE HAVE YOU KNOW, OUR BEHAVIORS ARE VERY DIFFERENT TODAY.
AND I SUSPECT IF I SUSPECT IF YOU ACTUALLY DID A POLLING OF PEOPLE WHO DROVE SOME DISTANCE EVERY WEEK BECAUSE I GO TO A, I GO TO THE SAME EVENT THAT THE COMMISSIONER BROUGHT UP, I MAY DRIVE FOUR DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET TO THE SAME LOCATION EACH WEEK.
TRAFFIC DEPENDENT. BECAUSE I USE THIS DEVICE TO TELL ME THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO DO IT.
WHICH TAKES ME INTO CITY ROADS. COUNTY ROADS, STATE ROADS.
JUST DEPENDS. COMMON SCENARIOS I AVOID 205 AT ALL COSTS, BUT THAT'S A THAT'S A DIFFERENT ISSUE.
SO I THINK EVERYBODY'S WORKING HARD. BUT ARE WE WORKING IN A COLLABORATION TOGETHER.
THAT'S THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU, MR. KIPPHARDT. OKAY. SO TO SUMMARIZE ACTION PLAN GOING FORWARD FROM THIS, WE NOW HAVE $2.9 MILLION THAT WE NEED TO SPEND MAYBE ON 1141. WE'RE GOING TO BRING THAT UP IN THE NEXT CONSORTIUM.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT DOING A NEEDS BASED ASSESSMENT OF THE COUNTY SO WE CAN COME UP WITH SPECIFIC ROADS, NOT JUST WE'RE GOING TO DO ROADS, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS ROAD.
AND THEN WE CAN TAKE ONCE WE GET THAT INFORMATION, WE CAN DETERMINE THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES ONE THROUGH WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS, ONE THROUGH TEN. AND THEN WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THOSE ROADS DONE WITHOUT PLAYING THE GAME THAT WE'RE PLAYING OF WAITING ON TEXDOT.
YEP. THEN WE CAN HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT CAN THIS MONEY BE USED FOR THAT OR ARE WE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT? I'M GOING TO HAVE JOHN POLSTER COME UP A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE HE'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR WITHOUT WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SAY A WORD.
JUST ONE POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS, IS, AS YOU ALL SAW ON THOSE LIST OF PROJECTS THAT LISA GAVE YOU, THAT WE ANTICIPATED AND ESTIMATED A COST. AND THEN WHAT WE ENDED UP NEGOTIATING IN TWO CASES WERE HIGHER WITH THE FIRMS, AND ONE CASE WAS LOWER. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON HOW TO USE THAT WORD ASSIGN VERSUS ANTICIPATE.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE FINISH OUT THOSE NEGOTIATIONS, BRING THOSE.
SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH THE 2.9 WE ACTUALLY HAVE.
AND SPECIFICALLY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE BEN PAYNE, HORIZON VILLAGE, THE 549, THE ONES THAT ARE THERE'S ONE I KNOW AND BRENDA'S GOT THE DETAILS ON IT. THEY WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE 1.75 AND WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH TEXDOT.
SO WE'RE WE'RE BACK DOWN BELOW THREE. BUT IT'S STILL MORE THAN WHAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING.
SO WE'VE STILL GOT SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.
CAN YOU OR BRENDA. YES. SPECIFICALLY CAN YOU SEND US WHAT THAT LIST IS SO THAT ALL OF OUR MINDS ARE THE SAME? SO THAT THERE'S NOTHING OUT THERE THAT WE'RE.
BECAUSE I THINK I KNOW WHAT THAT LIST IS, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE AND THEN IF WE COULD GET AN UPDATE OF WHEN IS IT EXPECTED? MEANING WE EXPECT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CLOSE, WE'RE FAR AWAY, SOME SORT OF EXPECTATION OF WHERE WE ARE TO TRY TO GET THAT SHORED UP.
YES, SIR. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO DO IS BEFORE WE JUST BROUGHT YOU THESE CONTRACTS PIECEMEAL, BECAUSE WE SAW WE WERE GETTING TO THE END OF THE ACCOUNT.
[01:05:05]
BECAUSE THAT MIGHT HAVE CHANGED YOUR OPINIONS ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. SO THAT'S WHEN WE SAID WE WE STARTED WORKING CLOSELY WITH LISA ON OKAY, SOME OF THESE CONTRACTS ARE COMING IN MORE THAN WE THOUGHT.THE ANTICIPATED LIST CHANGED BECAUSE WE THOUGHT TEXTILE WAS GOING TO PICK UP TWO OF THE ONES.
WE CAME TO YOU ALL IN JANUARY ON. THEY ONLY PICKED UP ONE, SO THAT CHANGED THINGS.
SO WE'RE COMING BACK. WE HAVE NOT STARTED ON 1141 BECAUSE WE DIDN'T SEE UNTIL WE GOT TO THE END WHETHER THERE WOULD BE ANY MONEY LEFT FOR 1141 OR NOT. AND THAT WAS ORIGINALLY FROM COMMISSIONER SEVIER WANTING TO USE HIS DISCRETIONARY MONEY FROM FOR THE FUTURE ISSUANCE OF 21 FOR THAT PROJECT, BUT IT NEVER MADE IT THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO WE'LL GET THOSE TO YOU. BUT I WAS JUST SUGGESTING THAT LET'S DON'T SAY WE HAVE 2.9 TO PUT ON SOME OTHER THIRD THING UNTIL WE GET THESE CONTRACTS IN THE PIPELINE FULLY VETTED AND FULLY ENCUMBERED. FAIR ENOUGH.
SO MAYBE NOT MARCH. LET'S DO APRIL. BOBBY. NO.
ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, STATEMENTS, ANYTHING? COMMISSIONERS, I THINK THIS IS GOOD. GOOD. WORTHWHILE MEETING.
SO DO YOU THINK THE THE NEXT CONSORTIUM MEETING SHOULD WE SHOULD WE MAYBE MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT LONGER? YEAH. YEAH. YEP. SORRY. I WAS JUST ASKING IF THE NEXT CONSORTIUM MEETING COULD BE MAYBE AN HOUR LONGER SO THAT WE COULD. OR HOWEVER LONG IT NEEDS TO BE.
BUT TO REALLY ADDRESS THIS, WE CAN LEAVE THAT OPEN ENDED.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SO I'M GOING TO JUST MAKE A BIG ASSUMPTION HERE THAT WE DON'T HAVE COMMISSIONER, COURT REPORTS, SINCE I ASKED THIS VERY QUESTION NOT A COUPLE HOURS AGO.
AND I'M GOING TO SAY AT 306, WE'RE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.