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TO FIGURE OUT WHAT.IT IS 9:00 AM IT IS MAY 27TH, 2025.
WE ARE AT THE ROCKWELL COUNTY HISTORIC COURTHOUSE.
I'M CALLING TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
[A) INVOCATION]
ASK COMMISSIONER ALANA TO LEAD US IN OUR INVOCATION.THEN I'LL LEAD US IN OUR PLEDGES.
LORD, THANK YOU FOR THIS A BEAUTIFUL DAY.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO GATHER AND, UH, DO THE BUSINESS OF THE PEOPLE OF ROCKWALL COUNTY.
UH, LET US ALL WORK, UH, TOGETHER, UH, FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE WHOLE, UH, BE WITH US TODAY.
UH, AS WE MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, UH, PLEASE PROTECT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN ABROAD.
UM, AND AS WE JUST, UM, GOT THROUGH WITH MEMORIAL DAY, PLEASE BE WITH THOSE FAMILIES THAT LOST LOVED ONES, UH, THAT MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
JOIN TO THE AMERICAN I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WHO NOW THE TEXAS HONOR, THE TEXAS FLAG? I PLEDGE CITY, TEXAS.
[D) RECOGNITION OF GUESTS]
NOW, UNDER RECOGNITION OF GUEST, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL GUEST HERE.WE HAVE CONSTABLE PRECINCT THREE, DAN OTTO, WHO IS RETIRING AT THE END OF THE MONTH AFTER SERVING ROCKWALL COUNTY FOR 32 YEARS.
SO, CONSTABLE OTTO, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, THE COUNTY THANK YOU.
THANKS YOU, THE OTHER CONSTABLES.
'CAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS WORK TOGETHER AS A TIGHT KNIT TEAM, SO THANK YOU, SIR.
WE, WE APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, THE PUBLIC FORUM.
THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT ANY COUNTY MATTERS.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP, BUT THAT DOES NOT PREVENT YOU FROM SPEAKING.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COURT SCENE? NO.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COURT IF I CAN, VIA THE PUBLIC FORUM.
WELL, IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, AND SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD PREFER THAT I WAIT UNTIL THE COMMISSIONER'S, UM, COURT UPDATES THAT WE DO AT THE END OF THIS.
[2. Discussion of 89th Legislative Session Update/Overview County-related bills, and all related issues; (Commissioners Court) ]
ITEM TWO, DISCUSSION OF THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION, UPDATE SLASH OVERVIEW, COUNTY RELATED BILLS AND ALL RELATED ISSUES.MR. ALANA, I'M GONNA LET, UH, COMMISSIONER M**K GO FIRST TODAY, SINCE SHE'S GOT A WHOLE LIST PREPARED OVER THERE, AND THEN I'LL FOLLOW UP.
I, I DON'T WANNA TAKE ALL THE CREDIT FOR THE FULL LIST
UM, THERE HAS BEEN A, AS MOST PEOPLE IN THE ROOM KNOW AND APPEAR ON THE DIOCESE, THAT THERE'S BEEN A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING COLLECTIVELY TO FOLLOW A NUMBER OF BILLS, UM, BOTH IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, UM, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL, SEVERAL MONTHS.
AND SO, UM, I'M GONNA GIVE JUST A QUICK UPDATE OF SOME OF THE FLOOR VOTES THAT HAPPENED PRIMARILY PRIOR TO SUNDAY AND, AND, UM, ARE SCHEDULED POSSIBLY FOR TODAY.
SO, UM, UM, THE, UM, SENATE BILL 7 85, WHICH WAS RELATING TO THE REGULATION OF NEW HUD CODED MANUFACTURING HOUSING, UM, THAT ONE WAS APPROVED BY THE SENATE.
UM, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE HOUSE FLOOR YESTERDAY, I BELIEVE.
SO DON'T HAVE AN, AN ANSWER ON THAT ONE TO YOU.
UM, ANOTHER ONE THAT I THINK RE UM, CAN, CAN AFFECT COUNTIES WITH SENATE BILL 27 0 3.
THIS ONE WAS APPROVED BY THE SENATE AS WELL, AND THAT'S RELATING TO THE AUTHORITY OF A MUNICIPALITY OR A COUNTY TO REGULATE CONDOMINIUMS. SO THAT ONE WAS APPROVED, UM, WHAT WAS IT? IT'S SENATE BILL 27 0 3, UM, A BRACKET BILL THAT, UM, I THINK HAD A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, CON IT, IT HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS.
BOTH, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR AND AGAINST WAS SENATE BILL 27 24 77.
AND THAT RELATES TO CERTAIN MUNICIPAL REGULATION OF CONVERSION OF OFFICE BUILDINGS TO MIXED
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USE AND MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL OCCUPANCY.THAT IS ONE THAT THEY ULTIMATELY APPROVED AS A BRACKET BILL.
BUT I THINK THAT, UM, THAT'S ONE THAT, THAT CONCERNS BECAUSE IF IT'S A BRACKET BILL, NOW, UM, NEXT SESSION WE MAY SEE SOMETHING ELSE WITH IT.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS, THESE WERE ALL JUST APPROVED BY THE SENATE AND THEY'VE BEEN MOVED TO THE, THE HOUSE FLOOR, BUT THESE WERE ONES THAT WE OPPOSE, OKAY.
ROCKWELL COUNTY AND THE GROUP.
UM, AND THEN, UM, THE SECOND READING FOR SOME.
AND, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY KNOW IF I HAVE ONE THAT'S, I MEAN, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE LAST MEETING THAT WAS, UM, SENATE BILL 1883.
WE OPPOSED IT, WE STILL OPPOSED IT.
IT DID GET A, IT DID GET A SECOND READING, BUT THAT'S RELATING TO THE APPROVAL OF LAND USE ASSUMPTIONS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS, AND IMPACT FEES.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT'S AT.
THIS ONE WAS SENT TO THE GOVERNOR, UM, 1882.
THAT'S, UM, THE IMPOSITION OF A MUNICIPALITY OF A MORATORIUM ON PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND THE COMPANION BILL TO THAT WAS HOUSE BILL 25 59.
SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS, UM, AN UPDATE ON THOSE.
IT'S, AS WE KNOW, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF THE
UM, I THINK WE WILL SEE, UM, BOTH IN THE HOUSE THIS WEEK AND THEN MAYBE BACK AND FORTH LATE NIGHTS WITH THE HOUSE AND GET SENDING THINGS BACK TO THE SENATE, WE MAY SEE A FEW MORE THINGS, UM, BILLS THAT WE ARE OPPOSING THAT EITHER WILL COME OUT GOOD FOR US IN THE HOUSE AND SEND IT BACK TO THE SENATE, OR THAT THEY'LL DIE.
MOST LIKELY MOST OF 'EM ARE GONNA DIE.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BAD BILL DYING, RIGHT, COMMISSIONER? WE CAN, WE CAN ONLY HOPE FOR SOME OF THESE REALLY BAD BILLS TO DIE
SO I'LL GIVE YOU, I FEEL LIKE I'M ALWAYS GIVING BAD NEWS ON THIS PART OF THE, WE NEED SOMETHING HAPPIER, MAYBE SOMEWHERE ON THE AGENDA, BUT, OH, SO THE LEGISLATURE IS CONTINUING ITS MARCH TO STRIP POWERS AWAY FROM MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES, AND IT'S BECOMING VERY, VERY APPARENT AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE END THAT THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
UM, SENATE BILL 6 73 IS THE FAMOUS, UH, ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT BILL.
UM, WHERE, UH, IN ITS CURRENT VERSION, WE HAVE BEEN BRACKETED OUT IN ROCKWALL COUNTY, OR THOUGH THE LANGUAGE, UM, WE'RE NOT REALLY BRACKETED OUT.
SO IT, IT'S TOUGH WHEN YOU SEE SOME OF THESE THINGS COME ACROSS AND YOU MAY HEAR FROM YOUR LEGISLATORS THAT, HEY, WE BRACKETED ROCKWALL COUNTY OUT, AND THAT'S A WIN.
AND WE'VE DONE, UH, WE'VE DONE THIS WONDERFUL THING.
AND WHEN YOU READ THE LANGUAGE, UM, WE'RE NOT REALLY BRACKETED OUT.
AND SOME PEOPLE THINK, WELL, THE BRACKET EVEN IS SOMETHING TERRIBLE TO GO AFTER, BECAUSE EVENTUALLY THE NEXT SESSION WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO, UH, THE BRACKET'S PROBABLY GONNA DISAPPEAR.
IT'S IS KIND OF THE MARCH THAT LEGISLATURES HAVE DONE IN OTHER STATES.
AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'M WILLING TO LIVE WITH THE BRACKET IF IT MEANS IT DOESN'T GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL THE NEXT SESSION FOR ROCKWALL COUNTY, BECAUSE AT AT LEAST IT GIVES US ANOTHER COUPLE YEARS TO FIGHT.
AND IT, UH, IT, IT, RATHER THAN THROWING OUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR ON, FOR INSTANCE, ON SENATE BILL 6 73 AND SAYING, WE'RE GONNA ASK THE GOVERNOR TO VETO IT, OR WE'RE GOING TO, UH, ASK OUR, UH, REPRESENTATIVE TO VOTE AGAINST IT.
I MEAN, FIRST OF ALL, THE GOVERNOR IS NOT GONNA VETO THIS BILL.
UM, AND IF OUR REP VOTES AGAINST IT, GREAT.
I HOPE THAT, UH, SHE CAN, I HOPE SHE DOES.
UM, EVEN IF SHE KNOWS THIS BILL IS GONNA PASS, SHE OUGHT TO DO WHAT THE ROCKWALL COUNTY PEOPLE WANT AND VOTE AGAINST THIS TERRIBLE BILL.
BUT EITHER WAY, IT'S GOING TO PASS AND WE NEED THE BRACKET ON IT, AND THE BRACKET IS GONNA REQUIRE THIS COURT TO DO SOME WORK FOR IT TO GO INTO EFFECT.
AND I BELIEVE WE'LL DO THAT TOGETHER.
UM, BUT WE NEED TO, UM, WE JUST NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT.
MY MAIN THING THAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT, AND THERE'S SOME OTHER REALLY BAD BILLS OUT THERE.
THERE'S, UH, SENATE BILL EIGHT 40, THAT'S PRETTY TERRIBLE.
IT'S GONNA STRIP AWAY A LOT OF POWERS, UM, UH, FROM THE COUNTY.
AND AS FAR AS REGULATING REALLY ANYTHING TO DO WITH, WITH LOT SIZE SETBACKS, REALLY ANYTHING AT ALL, UM, IT'S GONNA STRIP THOSE POWERS, UH, AWAY FOR NOW.
UM, AND, AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, HOUSE BILL 28, I MEAN, SORRY, SENATE BILL 28 58, WHICH ACTUALLY IMPOSES PENALTIES ON COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES WHEN THEY TRY TO CHALLENGE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF, UH, CODE VIOLATIONS BY DEVELOPERS.
AND IT PUTS US IN A REALLY PRECARIOUS POSITION WHEN WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS ON A COURT OR ON A CITY COUNCIL, UM, TO CHALLENGE SOMETHING WE BELIEVE IS WRONG WHEN THEY'RE GONNA TELL YOU THINGS LIKE, IF YOU CHALLENGE THIS, WE COULD TAKE AWAY YOUR SALES TAX REVENUE.
WE COULD, UM, WE COULD MAKE IT TO WHERE YOU, UM, PERMANENTLY LOSE FUNDS OUT OF, UH, OUT
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OF YOUR SALES TAX REVENUE, AND THEY GO TO THE STATE.SO TAXES THAT ARE PAID IN HERE, SALES TAX REVENUE THAT ARE PAID INTO ROCKWALL COUNTY COULD BE LOST TO THE STATE SIMPLY BECAUSE WE CHALLENGE SOMETHING WE BELIEVE TO BE UNTRUE.
SO WHAT THE STATE IS TRYING TO DO IS THREATEN US ALL, THREATEN THE COURT THREATEN MUNICIPALITIES TO SAY THAT, DON'T CHALLENGE THESE THINGS.
EVEN IF YOU BELIEVE THEY'RE NOT RIGHT FOR YOUR PEOPLE.
JUST DO WHAT WE TELL YOU TO DO AND BE QUIET ABOUT IT.
AND WE'RE JUST NOT GONNA DO THAT HERE.
AND THEY ALSO PIERCE THE VEIL OF, UH, PROTECTION, RIGHT.
THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE, RIGHT? THEY ALSO HAVE SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE, UH, ABOUT THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
YOU CAN'T ADOPT A TAX RATE THAT EXCEEDS THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, RIGHT? UH, IT, IT, IT TRULY IS, UH, JUST AN INVERSION GIVING ALL THE AUTHORITY TO, TO THE DEVELOPER AND, AND REMOVING AUTHORITY AND ADDING LIABILITY TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND, AND WHEN THIS SESSION IS OVER, I AM HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL HAVE A WORK SESSION OF SOME SORT, UM, UH, THE COURT, THE LEADERSHIP, UH, OF OUR, OF OUR COUNTY, UM, AND WE'LL WALK THROUGH ALL OF THESE THINGS.
BUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS, IS WE NEED TO HOLD OUR PEOPLE IN AUSTIN ACCOUNTABLE AFTER THIS THING IS ALMOST OVER NOW.
UM, BUT WHEN THIS IS DONE AND, AND WE KNOW WHAT REALLY HAPPENS, UH, DOWN THERE, WE REALLY NEED TO EDUCATE OURSELVES ON THE IMPACT.
AND THEN WE NEED TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
AND IF, IF THE PEOPLE, UM, IN AUSTIN DON'T DECIDE, UM, TO ACT ON THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ELECTED 'EM, THEN SOMETHING SHOULD CHANGE.
I WOULD JUST, I WOULD JUST ALSO ADD, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S EASY TO BE ARM ARMCHAIR QUARTERBACKING AFTER THE FACT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR, AS WE MOVE INTO THE, TO, TO PREPARE PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT, THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, I THOUGHT THAT WHAT WE ENDED UP WITH, WITH A GROUP OF MAYORS AND OTHER, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE VERY DEDICATED TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ROCKWALL AND TO THIS COMMISSIONER'S COURT, THAT WE HAVE A, A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A FORMAL PROCESS AND MAYBE INVOLVE OTHERS BECAUSE THE MORE, THE MORE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN IT AND, UM, AND KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WANT AND HAVE, HAVE, HAVE THE SAY, THAT REALLY HELPS A LOT OF WHAT, UM, COMMISSIONER ALANA WAS SAYING TOO, I DON'T HAVE THE INTERNET, SO THAT'S WHY HE'S STANDING RIGHT HERE.
AND THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONERS M**K AND ALANA.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID.
YOU KNOW, I STARTED THIS WEEKEND, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND.
IT'S, I WENT TO BAND OF BROTHERS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AT A GREAT TIME.
SATURDAY WE WENT TO CARRY THE LOAD.
AND THEN SUNDAY MORNING I READ A TEXT AND I THOUGHT, GEE, THE HAWKING ABOUT BRACKETING SENATE BILL 6 73.
AND I THOUGHT, GEE, I'M GONNA LOOK AT THIS BECAUSE I'VE NEVER LIKED THESE BRACKETS.
AND I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BOBBY, SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA LIVE WITH IT, BUT I DON'T LIKE 'EM.
SO WHAT I'D HEARD UP UNTIL THIS POINT IS, GEE, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE SUBJECT TO 6 73.
SO I READ THAT BRACKET AND IT RUINED MY DAY UNTIL I GOT MY EMOTIONS UNDER CONTROL, BUT IT RUINED MY DAY.
BECAUSE WHAT THAT BRACKET DOES IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR OUR COUNTY, NOTHING FOR OUR MUNICIPALITIES.
IT ENSURES THAT IF THAT BILL PASSES, THERE WILL BE ADUS IN ROCKWELL COUNTY.
AND VERY SIGNIFICANTLY, NOT ONLY THAT ENSURES THAT YOU CAN RENT THEM.
SO EVERYBODY CAN HAVE A RENTAL PROPERTY IN THEIR BACKYARD UNLESS YOUR HOA OR YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS PROHIBITED.
AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS ALSO THE SAME LEGISLATURE THAT TWO YEARS AGO WAS TELLING US HOW BAD HOAS WERE, AND NOW WE'RE TO RELY ON THEM.
SO, UM, I LOOKED AT THE AGENDA AND IT SAYS, DISCUSSION OF 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND I'LL ASK OUR ATTORNEY, CAN WE PASS A RESOLUTION HERE TODAY ON THAT? I, NO.
WELL THEN, IN THAT CASE, THANKS.
I APPRECIATE IT, AND I APPRECIATE THE SUCCINCTNESS OF YOUR RESPONSE.
IT'S A VERY LONG-WINDED ANSWER.
UM, BUT WHAT I WOULD DO IS I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY THAT'S LISTENING TO THIS, EITHER IN THIS COURTROOM OR IF YOU'RE LISTENING ONLINE, TO DO WHAT I DID THIS WEEKEND AND SEND A VERY DETAILED EMAIL TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, BECAUSE IT HASN'T GONE TO THE HOUSE FLOOR YET.
IT WAS, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA GO YESTERDAY, IT DIDN'T.
UM, AND URGE REPRESENTATIVE PEARSON TO VOTE AGAINST THIS.
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TO THE SENATE, THEN SEND AN EMAIL TO SENATOR BOB HALL AND URGE HIM TO VOTE AGAINST THIS.THIS IS REALLY A BAD BILL ALL, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BILLS THAT INCITED SO MUCH ANGER IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, UM, AGAINST OUR THEN REPRESENTATIVE.
AND WE SHOULD HAVE THE SAME ANGER.
NOW, THIS IS REALLY A BAD BILL, SO PLEASE URGE YOUR REP AND SENATOR TO VOTE AGAINST IT.
AND THEN I'VE GOT ONE MORE THING I'D LIKE TO SAY.
UM, BOBBY, YOU'RE KIND OF LEADING THE CHARGE FOR US ON THIS, AND YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
I WOULD ASK THAT WHEN THIS SESSION'S OVER, WOULD YOU PLEASE SEND US A LIST OF BILLS WE WERE OPPOSED TO WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM AND HOW EACH OF OUR STATE SENATOR AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE VOTED ON THOSE BILLS? YEAH, I, I'M GONNA DO BETTER THAN THAT, BUT YES, I I WILL DO THAT FOR SURE.
BUT IN ADDITION, UM, WE'RE GONNA TALK, SOME THINGS SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS THAT WE DIDN'T OPPOSE, UM, TOO, BECAUSE THEY HAPPEN SO QUICKLY.
UM, WE'LL TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE IMPACTS TO COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS AND HOW OUR REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATOR VOTED THANK YOU.
BECAUSE I KNOW EACH OF US RUNS FOR OFFICE.
AND WHEN WE'RE OUT ON A CAMPAIGN TRAIL, WE ALL LISTEN TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND I KNOW WE ALL TRY TO REPRESENT THEM IN THE VOTES THAT WE TAKE HERE.
AND OUR STATE REP AND OUR STATE SENATOR SHOULD DO THE SAME THING.
AND IF THEY DID, WE, WE OWE THEM A BIG THANK YOU AND A BIG HOORAY.
AND IF THEY DIDN'T, WE NEED TO ASK 'EM WHY.
SO IF YOU COULD DO THAT FOR US, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
AND I AM NOW OFF MY SOAPBOX FOR AT LEAST NOW.
SO, IN REGARDS TO THE SENATE BILL 6 73, I DID GO, UM, TO AUSTIN LAST WEEK, AND I OPPOSED IT.
AND I, BECAUSE THIS, THESE, THESE ACCESSORY DOLING UNITS REALLY STARTED A WHOLE LOT IN THE AUSTIN AREA BECAUSE THE AUSTIN FOLKS, THEY'RE DIFFERENT GROUP.
THEY'RE A LITTLE MORE LIBERAL THAN ROCKWALL COUNTY, AND THEY LIKED IT.
AND THEY LOVE HAVING SQUATTERS IN THEIR BACKYARD.
OKAY? SO I SAID, DON'T AUSTIN, MY ROCKWALL COUNTY.
AND SO THEY CAN JUST PUT PRETTY MUCH SAY WHATEVER THEY WANT TO, BUT THEN END IT WITH, DON'T AUSTIN, MY ROCKWALL COUNTY.
WELL, AND WHAT I'M SO TIRED OF HEARING IS, WELL, GEE, WOULDN'T IT BE NICE FOR YOU TO HAVE A LITTLE HOUSE FOR YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW? THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
THAT ALWAYS GOES TO LITTLE MA THAT YOU JUST WANT TO HAVE HER CLOSE TO THE FAMILY, BUT IN REALITY THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE PUSHING FOR.
AND, AND I WOULD, BY THE WAY, I'D GIVE, UH, PROPS TO THE CITY I LIVE IN, WHICH IS HEATH, WHERE THEY DO ALLOW ADUS, BUT THEY PROHIBIT ANY RENTALS OF THEM.
AND WHEN I BUILT MY GUEST HOUSE, WE HAD TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT THAT SAID WE WOULDN'T RENT IT.
THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME, BECAUSE NOW IT IS FOR YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW OR WHOEVER YOU WANNA PUT IN THERE.
BUT WHAT THIS BILL DOES, IT, IT CREATES A NEW BUSINESS AND IT CREATES A BUSINESS FOR ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO RENT THEIR, UH, FIFTH WHEEL, PUT IT IN THE BACKYARD.
IT'S NOT ONLY THAT CAN GET, CAN GET 1500 A MONTH FOR RENTING OUT A MOBILE HOME BACK THERE.
IT'S ALSO WHY, WHY, WHY IS THE DEVELOPER INDUSTRY FIGHTING SO HARD FOR THIS? IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO COME BUILD 800 SQUARE FOOT UNITS IN EVERYONE'S BACKYARD.
'CAUSE THAT'S NOT THE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA MAKE A BUNCH OF MONEY DOING THAT.
YOU KNOW WHY IT IS? IMAGINE A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD BEING BUILT.
IT WAS ONE OF THESE IN EVERY BACKYARD.
AND NOW, AND IT'S NOT ONLY FOR THAT, BUT IT'S UNDER THIS GUISE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO QUALIFY FOR A MORTGAGE WHEN YOU CAN RENT A UNIT IN YOUR BACKYARD FOR $900 OR A THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT CHANGES THE GAME FOR EVERYTHING.
WELL, AND ON TOP OF THAT, BOBBY, THERE WAS, THERE'S A PROVISION IN THERE, ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE'RE NOT BRACKETED OUT OF, BY THE WAY, THAT SAYS, A CITY CAN'T REQUIRE THE OWNER TO LIVE IN THE PRIMARY DWELLING.
RIGHT? SO YOU COULD HAVE TWO RENTAL PROPERTIES, TWO RENTALS ON ONE LOT, AND YOU NOT EVEN LIVE THERE.
THIS IS NOT WHAT THE PEOPLE OF ROCKWALL COUNTY WANT.
AND, UM, SO THE, THE, THE GROUP THAT, UM, WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH, WE ARE GONNA DO WHAT THEY'RE CALLING A HOT WASH.
UH, I, I'M TERMING IT AN AF AFTER INCIDENT REPORT.
AND ONE OF THE, THE THINGS THAT I'VE ASKED FOR IS WHEN THIS SESSION IS OVER, EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THAT GROUP, I WANT THE NUMBER OF HOURS THEY SPENT.
UM, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A SHOCKING NUMBER.
UH, AND, AND, AND I'M GOING TO REPORT IT.
YOU, IT, IT IS GOING TO JUST BE A SHOCKING THE AMOUNT THAT THIS GROUP, THE NUMBER OF HOURS WE'VE SPENT ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN CHANGE, AMEND BAD BILLS, AND,
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AND ADVOCATE FOR GOOD BILLS, AND, AND THE RESULTS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ARE GONNA BE FRUSTRATING.UH, BUT, BUT THERE IS, THE DATA IS, IS COMING.
UH, I THINK WE OWE IT TO THE CITIZENS TO, TO SHOW THEM EXACTLY THE EFFORT WE PUT INTO THIS AND WHAT THE OUTCOME IS.
UH, I WANNA JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT MUD BILLS, MUD REFORM.
UH, THERE IS NO MUD REFORM COMING FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UH, WE HAVE ASKED FOR, UM, THINGS THAT ARE NOT ASKING FOR TOO MUCH.
UH, WE'VE ASKED FOR DEVELOPERS TO MAKE SAFE DEVELOPMENTS.
UH, THE FACT THAT THERE'S RESISTANCE IN AUSTIN THAT IS BACKED BY THE FINANCIAL MIGHT OF THE DEVELOPERS TO NOT REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE A SAFE DEVELOPMENT.
I, I I CALL IT WHAT HAPPENS, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CALL 9 1 1? THAT THAT'S, THAT'S NOT ASKING TOO MUCH IN OUR COUNTY TO KNOW WHO'S GONNA PUT OUT THE FIRE.
WHO'S GONNA COME STOP THE BURGLAR? WHO'S GONNA COME ROUND UP THE DOG? WHERE'S THE TRASH GOING? ARE YOU DUMPING SEWER INTO THE CREEK? ARE YOU TREATING IT PROPERLY? THAT'S NOT ASKING TOO MUCH.
UH, THAT BILL BILLS, THERE'S SEVERAL, NEVER HAD A CHANCE.
UM, THERE, THERE WAS A BILL REQUIRING DEVELOPERS TO DO A TRAFFIC STUDY.
AGAIN, THAT IS NOT ASKING TOO MUCH.
WE ARE NOT REACHING FOR THE MOON HERE.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THE WORLD DO A TRAFFIC STUDY.
I MEAN, DON'T, DON'T OVER OVERRUN OUR ROADS THAT BILL'S DEAD.
THERE'S A DOZEN DIFFERENT MUD BILLS THAT ARE DEAD, THE ONE THAT GOT THROUGH SB 1 0 2.
AND IF THE GOVERNOR SIGNS IT, WE'LL ALLOW THIS COURT TO GIVE A WRITTEN OPINION IF WE SO CHOOSE.
NOW, THERE IS NO MECHANISM FOR THE TCEQ WHEN THEY GET OUR WRITTEN OPINION TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT OTHER THAN CONSIDER IT.
IF THE DEVELOPER HAS MET THE CHECKLIST, IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT OUR OPINION SAYS.
MY FRUSTRATION IS WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR TOO MUCH.
WE WE'RE ASKING FOR SAFE COMMUNITIES.
WE'RE ASKING FOR THINGS THAT DON'T OVERRUN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'RE ASKING IF YOU'RE GONNA BUILD A CITY, TELL US HOW YOU'RE GONNA MANAGE THAT.
LIKE A CITY, PEOPLE HAVE THE EXPECTATIONS THAT THEY LIVE IN A CITY, BUT THAT RELIEF IS NOT COMING.
AND, AND, AND THEY'VE HIDDEN BEHIND SB 1 0 2 AND ARE NOW, I FEAR GOING TO CLAIM THAT THEY'VE STARTED SOME SORT OF MUD REFORM.
IT, IT, IT'S KIND OF AMAZING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE JUST TUNING INTO COURT OR IF YOU'RE OUT HERE, YOU PROBABLY THINK, MAN, THESE GUYS REALLY HATE DEVELOPERS.
WE, WE, WE WANT RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.
AND ONE OF THESE MUD REFORM BILLS SIMPLY SAID, A FIRETRUCK OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO TURN AROUND AND LEAVE THE AREA, BASICALLY TO BE ABLE TO NOT GET TRAPPED IN THE STREET.
IT COULD BE NOT GET TRAPPED IN THE STREET.
AND DEVELOPERS LOBBIED TO KILL THAT.
WHY? WHY? IF THEY CLAIM TO CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE THEY'RE BUILDING HOMES FOR, WHY WOULD THEY KILL A BILL THAT SAYS A FIRETRUCK JUST NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO GET DOWN THE ROAD? EVEN TDOT WAS IN SUPPORT.
I MEAN, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE GUY AT, UH, NT COG THAT RUNS IT.
AND HE WAS, UH, DOWN THERE ON OUR BEHALF, UH, HELPING US WITH THIS BILL SAYING, THIS IS A GREAT BILL.
WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR TOO MUCH.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT FROM A DENSITY STANDPOINT, THAT'S GOING TO PROBABLY PASS WHERE WE'RE, WE MAY NOT HAVE THE CONTROL OF DENSITY.
YOU THINK ABOUT ONE PERSON'S HOUSE CATCHING ON FIRE, IT WILL NOT TAKE LONG FOR THAT FIRE TO REACH THE OTHER HOMES AROUND IT BECAUSE OF THE HOW HIGH THE DENSITY IS.
UM, SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE PEOPLE WAVING A FLAG AND SENDING OUT MAILERS THAT SAYS, I FOUGHT FOR MUD REFORM.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT, WE COULD HAVE SENT THAT SAME LETTER WITHOUT THAT LEGISLATION.
CERTAINLY COULD HAVE, WE COULD HAVE SENT THAT SAME LETTER WITHOUT THAT LEGISLATION.
AND FOR ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE SUCH BIG FANS OF ELECTION REFORM, WHICH BY THE WAY, EVERY ONE OF US IN THIS ROOM, WE BELIEVE WE GOTTA HAVE HONEST AND FAIR RE ELECTIONS.
WHERE'S THE ELECTION REFORM IN MUDDY ELECTIONS, WHICH YOU FOUGHT SO HARD FOR JUDGE.
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COURT IS FIGHTING FOR IN LITIGATION RIGHT NOW.AND Y'ALL KNOW I'M NOT A HUGE FAN OF LITIGATION, BUT WHERE'S, WHERE'S THE ELECTION REFORM THAT EVERYBODY WAVES THEIR FLAG ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO MUDDY ELECTIONS? I DON'T SEE IT.
AND, AND JUST TO CLOSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHENEVER OUR LEGISLATORS HAVE WHAT THEY CALL AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF A BILL AND THEY DON'T REMEDY THAT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE, THE VERY NEXT SESSION, YOU, YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT CONSEQUENCE WAS NOT UNINTENDED.
IT, IT VERY LIKELY WAS THE INTENDED CONSEQUENCE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WILL BE DONE WITH AGENDA ITEM TWO, AND
[3. Discuss/ Act on updates and progress related to the Courthouse Courtroom add it ions 3rd floor project, and all related issues; (Commissioner Ga Ilana) ]
WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM THREE, DISCUSS AND ACT ON UPDATES AND PROGRESS RELATED TO COURTHOUSE, COURTROOM ADDITIONS, THIRD FLOOR PROJECT, AND ALL RELATED ISSUES.SO CAN YOU GIVE US SOME GOOD NEWS? GOOD NEWS.
NUMBER THREE WAS, UH, SUBMITTED LAST WEEK.
UM, SO EVERYTHING HAS BEEN GOING ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE.
THERE'S, UH, WE'RE NOT OFF SCHEDULE.
THERE'S NO SURPRISES THIS TIME WITH THE, UH, THE FIRE SUPPRESSION.
UM, THE ONLY THING WE HAVE EXPECTING ARE TWO PCOS THAT ARE KIND OF GONNA SPLIT UP THE ELEVATOR CREDIT.
SO IT'S A CREDIT BACK, BUT THEY'RE GONNA BE SPLIT UP INTO TWO DIFFERENT TRADES.
SO, UM, THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE'RE WAITING ON.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, NO NEWS MEANS THAT THEY'RE ON SCHEDULE AND UNDER BUDGET.
THAT'S A GOOD ONE TO, GOOD ONE TO END ON.
[4. Discuss/ Act on updates and progress related to the American Rescue Plan monies and the planned County Annex project, and all related issues; (Commissioner Stacy) ]
US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSS AN ACT ON UPDATES AND PROGRESS RELATED TO THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONIES AND THE PLANNED COUNTY ANNEX PROJECT AND ALL RELATED ISSUES.JUST GET THIS PLUGGED UP REAL QUICK.
SIMILAR TO SAL, UH, THERE'S NOT ANY MAJOR UPDATES FOR TODAY, UH, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS.
UH, TO START OFF WITH SAFETY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES ON SITE.
UH, THE DAILY INSPECTIONS, UH, CONTINUE.
UM, AND THE SAFETY PLAN IS BEING ENFORCED.
UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER BUDGET.
THERE ARE A FEW PCOS ON TODAY'S AGENDA, UM, TWO WHICH HAVE BEEN ALREADY SIGNED DUE TO COST AVOIDANCE.
UM, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET THOSE EXECUTED TO AVOID ANY ADDITIONAL COST AS THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY CRANKING AWAY AND GETTING CLOSE.
UM, THEY'RE CL UM, DOING TAPE BED AND PAINT.
SO, UH, THE MORE LAYERS OF, OF PAINT, THE MORE LAYERS OF, OF MUD THAT GOES UP BEFORE WE MAKE THESE CHANGES, UH, THE MORE COSTLY IT BECOMES.
SO, UH, THAT'S THE REASON FOR THAT.
UM, WE ARE ON SCHEDULE, UH, WITH CONSTRUCTION.
THERE IS A MINOR DELAY DUE TO FURNITURE PROCUREMENT, WHICH MAY PUSH OUT OUR SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION BY A FEW WEEKS.
UH, HOWEVER, CONSTRUCTION IS STILL VERY MUCH SO ON SCHEDULE.
UM, THE PAST FEW WEEKS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, UH, COMPLETING OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL.
A LOT OF CEILING WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
UM, THE BATHROOMS ARE LARGELY COMPLETE.
ALL THE, THE, UM, PLUMBING FIXTURES ARE SET.
THE POLISHED CONCRETE FLOORS, UH, HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
UH, THE FORM AND REINFORCEMENT OF THE SIDEWALKS HAS STARTED.
UH, THE PHASE ONE, I BELIEVE THEY HAVE ONE MORE PHASE TO DO.
UH, THEY'RE BATTLING THE RAIN, OBVIOUSLY ON COMPLETING THAT.
UM, BUT WE HAVE STARTED SIDEWALKS, WHICH IS GREAT.
THE LANDSCAPE BED PREP HAS, HAS STARTED AS WELL.
I I SEEN LAST WEEK THAT SOME TREES ARRIVED ON SITE.
MIGHT HAVE A PICTURE OR TWO, BUT, UM, THINGS ARE GOING WELL.
UH, THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL CONTINUE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT I JUST MENTIONED THAT HAVEN'T FULLY COMPLETED.
[00:30:01]
UM, AND THERE'S, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT LEFT.UH, RESILIENT FLOORING WILL START SOON.
UH, SO WE'LL SEE THE LVT GOING IN AND THE CORRIDORS, UH, AGAIN, LIGHTING, TRIM OUT, THE LANDSCAPING IS COMING.
UH, AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE.
UM, PROCUREMENT WISE, UH, FURNITURE IS, IS NOW IN FABRICATION.
UH, WE HAVE JUNE SHIP DATES FOR THAT.
UH, AGAIN, LANDSCAPING TREES WE'RE ON SITE LAST WEEK.
UM, AS FAR AS QUALITY CONTROL, HILL AND WILKINSON, THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING, UH, KIND OF A COMPLETE COMPLETION CHECKLIST WHERE THEY LOG THEIR OPEN, UH, ACTION ITEMS FOR, UH, QUALITY CONTROL, UM, BASED OFF THE INSPECTIONS THAT ARE PERFORMED REGULARLY.
AND THEY, THEY UPDATE THAT IN THEIR, THEIR PMIS SOFTWARE PROJECT SITE.
UM, AND THEY ARE ACTIVELY CLOSING THINGS OUT.
AND, UH, THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS AS FAR AS QUALITY CONTROL WISE.
UH, JUST TO GET TO A COUPLE OF PICTURES, YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE FIRST PICTURE, UH, THE FORM WORK FOR THE SIDEWALKS, UH, JUST FINISHING UP SOME OF THE, UH, THE STONE VENEER.
UH, THERE'S THE BATHROOM FIXTURES, THEY'RE ALL TESTED WITH WATER AND EVERYTHING.
YOU CAN SEE THE CEILINGS AND THE PAINT.
UH, SO YEAH, THINGS ARE GOING VERY SMOOTHLY ON SITE.
ANY QUESTIONS? NICO, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE FURNITURE WAS, UM, KIND OF GONNA HOLD BACK.
THE, UH, DID YOU SAY TWO WEEKS? I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR THAT.
YEAH, A FEW WEEKS AND THAT THE, THE DATES WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.
BUT, UH, YEAH, THERE WAS JUST A SMALL DELAY IN OKAY.
HOLDING THE FURNITURE, BUT NOTHING THAT WILL DELAY US VERY MUCH SO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR NICO? ALL RIGHT.
[5. Discuss/Act on the Sheriffs remodel project, and all related issues; (Commissioner Stacy) ]
THIS BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM FIVE, DISCUSS AND ACT ON THE SHERIFF'S REMODEL PROJECT AND ALL RELATED ISSUES.SO THE SHERIFF OFFICE, AGAIN, NOT MUCH OF AN UPDATE.
WE'RE JUST CONTINUALLY, UH, WORKING ON THE FINAL GMP CONTRACT.
LAST WEEK WE GOT THE SUBCONTRACTOR BIDS BACK, UH, WITH, WITH THE GC.
SO WE'VE BEEN REVIEWING THEM, UH, WE'RE GOING OVER SUB BID TABULATION CARDS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CHOOSING THE BEST VALUE FOR THE COUNTY FOR EACH ONE.
UM, AND SO WE'LL REVIEW THAT, GET IT SIGNED BY COMMISSIONER STACY.
AND WE ARE WORKING ON, UM, ISSUING THE ACTUAL CONTRACT FOR THE GMP, UH, WHICH WILL BE ON THE NEXT, NEXT COURT AGENDA, IS WHAT THE PLAN IS.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR NICO? MIGHT BE A, A GOOD TIME TO SAY, COMMISSIONER STACY IS NOT WITH US TODAY.
UH, HE IS AT HIS SON'S GRADUATION.
UH, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM AND SAFE TRAVELS.
[6. Presentation/Discussion of the 4-H Interpretive Report on youth focus and accomplishments for 2024-2025 presented by County Agent Todd Williams, and all related issues; (Commissioner Macalik - County Agent) ]
TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, PRESENTATION SLASH DISCUSSION OF THE FOUR H INTERPRETIVE REPORT ON YOUTH FOCUS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 20 24, 20 25, PRESENTED BY COUNTY AGENT TODD WILLIAMS IN ALL RELATED ISSUES.COMMISSIONER M**K TODD UP THERE.
GOOD TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE EXTENSION PROGRAM IN OUR COUNTY AS WELL AS ACROSS THE STATE.
UM, SO I COME TO YOU TODAY WITH JUST A, A QUICK REPORT OF SOME OF THE YOUTH ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON.
UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, SOME OF YOU ARE OUT AT THE ROCKWALL YOUTH FAIR THIS YEAR, AND I APOLOGIZE, I DID NOT GET TO TALK WITH YOU BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY NEW THINGS GOING ON THAT, UH, I WAS HAVING TO DIRECT MY ATTENTION ELSEWHERE.
UH, AND SO, BUT WITH THAT, FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE ROCKWALL YOUTH FAIR AND THE AVAILABILITY OF THE GROUNDS AT THE COURTHOUSE IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH WITH THE, UH, BUILDING OF THE ANNEX THAT WAS NOT, EXCUSE ME, A FEASIBLE PROCESS.
WE LOOKED AT SOME DIFFERENT THINGS AND WE WERE ABLE, UH, TO COME UP WITH HAVING IT AND HOSTING IT OUT AT TATE FARMS, WHICH ACTUALLY TURNED OUT TO BE A REALLY, UM, POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE WEATHER, UH, THAT WE HAD THAT PARTICULAR WEEKEND, UH, AT FIVE 30 THAT MORNING ON SATURDAY MORNING, UM, IT WAS RAINING AND I WAS IN THE BARN, AND GOD SAID, ARE YOU READY TO SEE WHAT I CAN DO? AND I'M LIKE, OKAY.
AND SO HE CRANKED IT UP A LITTLE BIT AND HE GOES, NOW, ARE YOU READY? I'M LIKE, OKAY.
HE CRANKED IT UP SOME MORE, AND NOW HE SAID, NOW I'M GONNA LET YOU HAVE IT.
[00:35:01]
AT THAT TIME, WE WERE UNLOADING PIGS.UH, AND SO IT WAS AN INTERESTING, UH, THING TO JUST GET EVERYTHING IN THE BARN, BUT JUST THE, UH, GREAT, UH, THING OF HAVING A BARN AS OPPOSED TO THE TENTS, WHICH WE WERE ALL GRATEFUL FOR.
BUT AS YOU GUYS PROBABLY KNOW, IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD TO HAVE THE, UH, TENT PEOPLE COME BACK AND SET, RESET THE TENTS.
AND SO, UM, JUST THE SECURITY OF, OF BEING DRY THAT DAY WAS A GREAT THING.
SO, AND THEN AGAIN, UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER ALANI, I KNOW COMMISSIONER M**K WAS OUT THERE, COMMISSIONER LTI, WERE YOU THERE? I APOLOGIZE.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU WEREN'T THERE, THERE, YOU JUST ASKING THIS QUESTION TO EMBARRASS ME.
I I, I DID NOT WANT TO NOT RECOGNIZE YOU BY WAY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I GOT AN EMAIL FROM YOU TELLING ME WHAT TIME IT WAS.
I'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET AN EMAIL NEXT TIME.
MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT BEING THERE.
RAISED PIGS, BUT NOT PLANTED POTATOES AND WHEAT AND CORN AND ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
SO I, MY DEEPEST APOLOGIES FOR MISSING, WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.
UH, PUBLIC FLOGGING OVER WITH
UH, BUT ONE THING THAT YOU BRING TO THAT POINT, COMMISSIONER LICHTY, IS THAT THESE OPPORTUNITIES ALLOW YOUNG PEOPLE TO TOUCH LIFE.
AND I REMEMBER WE HAD A, A, A PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER WHO MADE THAT STATEMENT, AND IT BECOMES SO MUCH MORE OBVIOUS AND RELEVANT AS WE HAVE MORE GENERATIONS REMOVED FROM THE FARM.
AND THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT I TAKE FOR GRANTED, AND THAT YOU PROBABLY TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT INSIGHT OR UNDERSTAND THOSE THINGS.
AND WE'RE SEEING THAT NOT JUST WITH OUR YOUTH, BUT WE'RE SEEING THAT WITH OUR INSTRUCTORS IN THE SCHOOLS AS WELL.
AND SO THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY OF PROVIDING THAT JUST REALLY OPENS EYES.
AND SO I'M GONNA START WITH THE REPORT, UH, ON THAT THEN AS WELL.
AND SO WE DID HAVE OUR ROCKWELL YOUTH FAIR.
WE HAD THE HIGHEST GROSSING CELL THIS YEAR.
AND SO THAT WAS A, A GREAT, UH, A THING AS WELL.
AND, AND THE FUNDS THAT ARE PROVIDED FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, THE YOUTH DO DIFFERENT THINGS WITH THEM.
AND I JUST WANT TO, UH, LET YOU GUYS KNOW SOME OF THE THINGS THEY DO, SOME OF THEM REINVEST FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SOME OF THEM ALREADY HAD PROJECTS FOR THE NEXT YEAR BEFORE WE EVEN GOT TO THIS POINT.
UH, SOME OF THEM WILL USE IT, UH, AS SAVINGS FOR COLLEGE.
SOME OF THEM THAT WILL BE THEIR INVESTMENT FOR THEIR VEHICLE.
AND SO HOW ALL OF THESE POINTS CONNECT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON, UH, FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE.
YOU WERE ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED.
YOU KNOW, DID YOU MAKE THAT CONNECTION? UH, AS YOU GO OUT AND YOU MEET PEOPLE, DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS? AND WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON THAT TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THEIR POINTS OF INFLUENCE AND THE POINTS OF THE INFLUENCERS WHO THEY COME INTO CONTACT WITH.
SO THAT'S REALLY A COOL THING.
UM, AND WITH THAT, UM, THE YOUTH HAVE ALREADY STARTED PREPARING FOR NEXT YEAR.
AS I SAID, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE ARE, ARE SET RIGHT NOW FOR STATE COMPETITIONS THROUGH THE SUMMER.
WE HAVE 12 GRADUATING SENIORS IN THE FOUR H PROGRAM THIS YEAR.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, COMING UP AS WELL.
BUT I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WITH THOSE 12 SENIORS RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE AN ESTIMATED $50,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS, 12 SENIORS, 50,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS RIGHT NOW.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE THOSE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE STILL COMING IN.
IN FACT, ONE YOUNG LADY, UH, WHO IS, WHO'S HOMESCHOOLED, UH, HER FAMILY HAS BEEN IN THE CATTLE INDUSTRY WORKING, UH, FOR ON, ON THE SHOW CIRCUIT.
SHE WAS IN OUR COUNTY EARLY IN LIFE, AND THEN THEY MOVED AWAY UP TO THE PANHANDLE.
AND SHE'S COME BACK TO US HERE IN THE PAST TWO OR THREE YEARS.
UH, SHE TOOK IT ON AS HER JOB TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT SHE DID ON THE DAILY BASIS, WAS COMPLETE THOSE SCHOLARSHIPS.
AND TO GET THOSE SCHOLARSHIPS, SHE, UH, DID SOME COMPETITIONS AT HEART OF TEXAS, UH, FAIR, WHICH WAS, UM, SPEAKING OUT FOR AGRICULTURE.
UH, SHE WAS IN THE TOP THREE, GOT A SCHOLARSHIP FROM THAT, HAS COME BACK, GOT ANOTHER LARGER SCHOLARSHIP FROM HEART OF TEXAS FAIR, UH, HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO GIVES A, A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS TO NON AGRICULTURE, UH, IN THE VALUE OF 20,000.
SHE WAS ONE OF THOSE FEW TO RECEIVE THAT ONE THAT WAS NON-AG AGRICULTURE RELATED.
[00:40:01]
SO THAT WAS PRETTY, UH, EXCITING AS SHE CONTINUES TO DO THAT.AND, AND JUST TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT, SHE GETS IT.
SHE PAID ATTENTION AS HER PARENTS, UH, ENGAGED WITH OTHER PEOPLE, AND SHE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE INDUSTRY, AND SHE SAW HOW ALL OF THAT WORKED TOGETHER.
AND SO THAT'S PRETTY COOL TO SEE THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHEN THEY GET THAT, UH, IN OUR CURRICULUM, RICHMOND AREA, UH, IN A, WITH THE ADDITION OF OUR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ASSISTANT, UH, THIS PAST YEAR, AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR THAT.
UH, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND MORE EFFICIENT, UH, WITH OUR SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS.
AND SO THIS PAST YEAR WE WERE WORKING WITH THE FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS AT ROCKWELL ISD WITH OUR WATER CONSERVATION ISSUES.
WE WERE IN EIGHT SCHOOLS ON THAT ONE.
OUR FOURTH GRADERS AT ROY CITY JUST WENT THROUGH THEIR AG DAYS, UH, I GUESS IT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND WE HAD A COUPLE OF, UH, BOOTHS OVER THERE TALKING ABOUT WATER CONSERVATION AND, UH, INSECTS AND ENTOMOLOGY.
UH, AND THEN WE ALSO JUST FINISHED UP, UH, OUR EMBRYO TO LIFE SCIENCES PROJECT IN 10 ELEMENTARIES IN THE ROCKWALL ISD, WHERE THEY GET TO ACTUALLY TAKE THE EGGS IN 21 DAY PROCESS, LEARNING THE DEVELOPMENT STAGES, UH, THAT THAT GOES TO, AND THEN HAVE CHICKS AT THE END.
AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THAT ONE IS THAT EVERYONE IN THE SCHOOL IS INVOLVED.
AND SO IT'S JUST AN EXCITEMENT THAT GOES THROUGH ALL THE SCHOOL.
AND FOR A LOT OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, IT'S THEIR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS A LIFE PROCESS.
NOW, I'LL TELL YOU THAT SOME OF THOSE AREN'T ALWAYS AS WE WOULD WANT THEM TO BE.
UH, BECAUSE
AND THOSE ARE ONES THAT WERE NEVER FERTILIZED AND THEY NEVER DEVELOP.
WE HAVE QUITTERS THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY DID NOT MAKE IT THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
AND THEN WE HAVE WINNERS, THOSE WHO ACTUALLY COME OUT AND, AND THEY'RE CHICKS.
UH, AND SO, BUT JUST UNDERSTANDING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, AGAIN, AS WE TALK ABOUT TOUCHING LIFE, IS THAT THERE'S NOTHING THAT THEY DID WRONG THAT CAUSED THAT EFFECT TO HAPPEN.
AND SO WE SEE THAT AS WE GET MOVED, UH, AS WE'RE MORE OF A POPULATION THAT MOVES AROUND, MORE SO WITH OUR FAMILIES, WE DON'T HAVE THAT CONNECTION WITH THE INTERGENERATIONAL AND THE OLDER GENERATIONS.
AND SO THEY MAY NEVER ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE A DEATH UNTIL LATER IN LIFE, EVEN INTO THE JUNIOR HIGH YEARS.
AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO PROCESS IT AND COPE WITH THAT.
AND SO, ONE THING THAT I TELL PEOPLE A LOT IS THAT WE TEACH LIFE SKILLS IN FOUR H DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO QUANTITATE OR QUALITATE A LIFE SKILL? BECAUSE WE TAKE 'EM FOR GRANTED UNTIL WE DON'T HAVE THEM.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I JUST WANNA LET TODD KNOW THAT MY THIRD GRADE GRANDSON AT, UM, DOBBS ELEMENTARY, HE DID GET TO EXPERIENCE FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, AND HE JUST THINKS THAT, THAT WATCHING THE, THE EGGS AND FINALLY THE LITTLE CHICKS COME OUT, HE THOUGHT THAT WAS JUST SO COOL.
THANK YOU FOR THAT LIFE SKILL.
[7. Discuss/Act on approving the service call rate increase in regards to the current lnterlocal Agreement with the City of Wylie for Fire Protection and EMS Services within the corporate limits of the County, effective January ist, 2026, and all related issues; (Commissioner Gallana) ]
RIGHT.THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, DISCUSS AN ACT ON APPROVING THE SERVICE CALL RATE INCREASE IN REGARDS TO THE CURRENT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF WILEY FOR FIRE PROTECTION AND EMS SERVICES WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE COUNTY, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2026, AND ALL RELATED ISSUES, COMMISSIONER GOANA.
SO THIS IS THAT LITTLE AREA, UM, OF WILEY THAT WE DON'T REALLY SERVICE WITH ANYTHING.
AND SO, UM, I A LITTLE CONFUSED AND I'LL ASK, I'LL PROBABLY ASK YOU, LISA, DOESN'T, IT SAYS RATE INCREASE, BUT WHEN I'M LOOKING AT ONE OF THESE, UH, BACKUP DOCUMENTS THAT I RECEIVED, IT, IT COST PER CALL SEEMS TO BE THE SAME IF, IF NOT ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT LESS FROM ON THE TIMELINE OF COST CHANGES.
DO YOU SEE THAT? DO YOU HAVE THIS FORM? I AM NOT SURE.
THIS ONE FIRST QUARTER, I JUST WANNA BE SURE THAT WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH THIS IS INCREASING BECAUSE SOME OF THESE DOCUMENTS ARE, UH, DON'T ACTUALLY SHOW THAT WE HAVE AN INCREASE, UH, ON THAT FORM AT LEAST.
AND THAT CAME FROM JIM KNICKERBOCKER JUST TODAY WHEN I WALKED IN COURT, I, I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT, WHAT JIM'S DOCUMENT IS, IS
[00:45:01]
TELLING YOU ON THIS TIMELINE OF COST CHANGES, KIND OF WHERE I'M AT.WHAT, WHAT, WHAT YOU HAVE, WHAT ARE WE INCREASING FROM INTO, BECAUSE I HAVE TWO DIFFERENT, IT'S, I HAVE TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS RIGHT NOW.
UH, IT'S 23, 33 AND 10 CENTS PER CALL STARTING JANUARY 1ST.
AND WHAT ARE WE PAYING NOW? UH, 2195, I BELIEVE.
UH, I, I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME, SO, UH, OKAY.
I MEAN, WE CAN PULL THIS COMMISSIONER AND, AND WAIT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT CHANGING UNTIL JANUARY.
WE'LL JUST NEED TO DO IT BEFORE BUDGET TIME.
BUT YEAH, IT'S JUST A LITTLE, UH, I THINK IN THE PAST, UH, THE CITY OF WILEY HAS SAT DOWN WITH, WITH US YEAH.
AND DISCUSSED WHAT THEIR REASONING IS FOR THE, FOR THE INCREASE, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN INCREASING EVERY YEAR, EVERY YEAR AT A PRETTY GOOD CLICK.
AND I THINK THAT'S, WHEN I WROTE TO YOU, I WAS LIKE, WOW.
SINCE, YOU KNOW, I WAS GONE THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
I THINK I'D RATHER IF IT, IT'S OKAY WITH THE COURT, HAVE A LITTLE TIME TO DISCUSS THIS WITH CITY OF WILEY, UM, SINCE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF CONFUSING DOCUMENTS AND JUST PULL THIS, WE HAVE A LITTLE TIME ANYWAY.
YEAH, NO, I, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT AND WE CAN TALK TO, UH, ROCKWALL MEDIC BECAUSE THEY SERVICE THE AREA AS WELL.
I MEAN, THIS IS JUST IN THAT SCENARIO WHERE THE CITY OF WILEY GETS THERE BEFORE, BEFORE ROCKWALL COUNTY.
BE BEFORE WE MOVE ON, UM, BOBBY, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER GUANA.
UM, SO ONE THING I NOTICED IS THIS IS AN AGREEMENT.
WE'VE ONLY GOT ONE YEAR LEFT TO GO ON, AND I, I READ IT ALL AND THEY GOT A RIGHT TO RAISE OUR, THE RATES AND IT'S, IT'S NOT MUCH WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
AND I'M THERE, I APPRECIATE WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO HELP US.
BUT ONE THING I THINK THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON, SINCE WE'VE ONLY GOT ONE YEAR LEFT IN THE CONTRACT, IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO NEGOTIATE GOING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT CONTRACT.
WE GOT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THIS ONE EXPIRES, ARE WE GONNA CONTINUE NEGOTIATING WITH THEM? WHAT ARE WE GONNA PUT IN THE CONTRACT? WHAT THINGS SHOULD WE INCLUDE IF WE DO, OR CAN WE TALK TO OUR EMS TO SEE IF THEY CAN HANDLE IT THEMSELVES? JUST PERSPECTIVE PLANNING, NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RATE INCREASE, UH, REALLY.
BUT JUST PERSPECTIVE PLANNING.
LET'S BE THINKING ABOUT WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH ONE YEAR LEFT ON THE CONTRACT.
I, I, I PLAN TO TALK TO EMS, CHIEF OBE AND, AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHY WE'RE, I GET THAT THE CALL VOLUME OUT THERE IS KIND OF LOW, AND THAT MIGHT BE WHY OUT OF POSITIONING FOR MM-HMM
UH, EMS VEHICLES, WHY WE'RE SOMETIMES OUT OF POSITION MAYBE AND CAN'T SERVICE THAT, UH, MAKES SENSE TO ME.
BUT, BUT AS THEIR CALL VOLUME CONTINUES TO GROW OUT THERE, AT WHAT POINT DO WE REACH A, A POINT WHERE WE DON'T NEED TO RELY ON THE CITY OF WILEY ANYMORE AND THEIR EVER INCREASING RATES? SO I, I, I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE'LL FIND OUT.
WELL, AND IT MAY BE THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS PERFECTLY FAIR, BE I DON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO THINK IT'S NOT.
I I JUST READ THE CONTRACT AND THEY GOT IT.
I JUST NOTICED WE GOT ONE YEAR LEFT, SO LET'S MAKE SURE WE LOOK AT ALL OUR OPTIONS GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR.
WE WILL TAKE NO ACTION ON THAT.
[8. Discuss/ Act on approving the Fifth Amendment to the Master Services agreement with Secu rus Technologies, Inc., and all related issues; (Judge New - Sheriff Garrett) ]
MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM EIGHT TO DISCUSS AND ACT ON APPROVING THE FIFTH AMENDMENT TO THE MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH SECURUS TECHNOLOGIES INC.UH, MAJOR CULKINS, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THIS? I
I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU ON A WHILE.
UM, THIS IS A AMENDMENT TO, UH, ADD TEXT CONNECT TO THE TABLETS IN THE FACILITY.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE FCC HAS MADE SOME, UH, UH, ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AMOUNT OF, UH, REVENUE WE CAN GENERATE WHEN IT COMES TO PHONE CALLS.
IT'S AFFECTING ALL JAILS IN THE UNITED STATES.
UH, SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THE TEXT CONNECT OPTION TO, UH, SUPPLANT THAT, UH, REVENUE LOSS.
SO WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH WE'RE GONNA DO, BUT THE, THESE INDIVIDUALS LIKE TO TEXT MORE THAN I LIKE TO TALK ANYWAYS, COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS.
I, UM, THIS WOULD BE PART OF THE 20, THE FY 26 BUDGET.
UM, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE KIND OF PRESENTING TO US NOW, OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS TO GO INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS THEY, AS SOON AS YOU APPROVE THE AMENDMENT, IT WOULD GO INTO EFFECT.
[00:50:01]
I GUESS THE FUNDS ARE, ARE THERE FOR IT IMMEDIATELY OR, WELL, THERE'S, WE'RE NOT PAYING, WE'RE NOT PAYING FOR ANYTHING.WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY THESE FEES, THESE TRANSACTION FEES OR ANYTHING? NO, MA'AM.
THEY COME TO US FROM THE USE OF THE INMATES ON THE, UH, TABLETS.
IT'S, UM, JUST ONE, A QUICK QUESTION.
DID OUR, OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE REVIEW THIS CONTRACT? YES, SIR.
AND IF NOT, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE FIFTH AMENDMENT TO THE MASTER OF SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH SECURUS TECHNOLOGIES INC.
GOT A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ALANA, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF YOU'LL REGISTER YOUR VOTES NOW IT PASSES FOUR TO ZERO.
[9. Discuss/Act on approving the County Librarian to hire a temporary Library Assistant at $15 per hour, 21 hours per week for 8 weeks, and all related issues; (Judge New - County Librarian) ]
THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, DISCUSS AND ACT ON APPROVING THE COUNTY LIBRARIAN TO HIRE A TEMPORARY LIBRARY ASSISTANT AT $15 PER HOUR, 21 HOURS PER WEEK FOR EIGHT WEEKS, AND ALL RELATED ISSUES.UM, AS YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE LIBRARY CIRCULATION STAFF ARE PART-TIME AND THEY WORK 21 HOURS A WEEK.
I HAVE RECENTLY LEARNED THAT THREE OF THEM PLANNED TO BE OUT FOR MULTIPLE WEEKS THIS SUMMER DUE TO HEALTH ISSUES.
AND I SPOKE WITH CAMMY ABOUT IT, AND SHE SUGGESTED THAT I ASK YOU IF I COULD BRING IN SUBSTITUTES, WHO WOULD BE PAID THE MONEY, THAT MY PEOPLE WOULD'VE BEEN PAID HAD THEY COME TO WORK, BECAUSE THERE ARE NO BENEFITS FOR THE PART-TIME CIRCULATION STAFF.
UM, I DO THIS ALREADY WITH PART-TIME LIBRARIANS.
I HAVE THREE SUBSTITUTES THAT I CAN CALL IN IF ONE OF THEM SAYS SHE CANNOT WORK THE WEEKEND THAT IS ASSIGNED TO HER.
AND THAT HAS WORKED WELL WITH THE BUDGET.
I STARTED THAT I BELIEVE LAST YEAR.
UM, SO I AM ASKING ACTUALLY FOR TWO SUBSTITUTE BODIES TO COME IN AND BE PAID THE MONEY THAT'S ALREADY BUDGETED AND INTENDED FOR THAT PURPOSE SO THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH THE SUMMER, WHICH SOME OF YOU'RE KIND OF NEW.
SUMMER IS CRAZY AT THE LIBRARY.
SOMETIMES A THOUSAND PEOPLE A DAY.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.
SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR TWO PEOPLE, FOR TWO PEOPLE TO TAKE MONEY THAT WAS ALREADY GONNA BE PAID TO OTHER PEOPLE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE HIRING TWO TEMPORARY LIBRARY ASSISTANCE AT $15 AN HOUR FOR A TOTAL OF 21 HOURS A WEEK FOR EIGHT WEEKS TO WORK WITH YOU DURING THE SUMMER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE FABULOUS SERVICE ABSOLUTELY FOR WONDERFUL RESIDENTS OF ROCKWALL COUNTY.
A VERY FLOWERY MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LICHTY.
WE GOTTA SECOND BY COMMISSIONER.
ICK, IF YOU'LL REGISTER YOUR VOTES NOW THAT IS APPROVED FOUR TO ZERO.
[10. Discuss/Act on acceptance of gifts from the Friends of the Library in the aggregate amount of $27,500, and from the Friday Study Club in the amount of $750.00, and all related issues; (Commissioner Liechty- County Librarian) ]
UH, THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 10, DISCUSS AND ACT ON ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS FROM FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY IN THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF 27,500 AND FROM THE FRIDAY STUDY CLUB IN THE AMOUNT OF $750 IN ALL RELATED ISSUES.COMMISSIONER LICHTY, I'M SORRY, MARCINE, I SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU TO HOLD UP.
WE'VE HAD, UH, WE HAVE SUCH GREAT SUPPORT FOR OUR LIBRARY AND THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY DO SUCH A GREAT JOB.
UM, UH, IN ADDITION TO FAILING TO GO TO THE AG WEEK THIS YEAR, I'VE FAILED TO ASK MARCINE TO HAVE THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY COME IN TODAY.
SO WE WILL, UM, NEXT WEEK OR AT THE NEXT AGENDA, WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING A RESOLUTION TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE.
BUT THEY'VE GIVEN US OVER $27,000 TO THE LIBRARY THIS YEAR.
THEY DO JUST DO A FABULOUS JOB.
AND THEN THE FRIDAY STUDY CLUB HAS PROVIDED $750, AND THIS IS JUST TO ACCEPT THOSE DONATIONS.
AND I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT, UM, I, I GUESS THAT WE WILL ACCEPT THE, UM, I'M TRYING TO SEE HOW WE WANNA WORD THAT.
WHERE IS IT THAT WE, THAT WE ACCEPTED GIFT THE, THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE GIFTS FROM THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY IN THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF 27,500 AND FROM THE FRIDAY STUDY CLUB IN THE AMOUNT OF $750.
[00:55:02]
GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER M**K.I WILL SECOND THAT SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LICHTY.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YOU'LL REGISTER YOUR VOTES PASSES FOUR TO ZERO.
[11. Discuss/ Act on engaging Consor engineering to prepare an application for a grant from United States Department of Transportation to perform a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan based upon a county-wide safety study for a fee not to exceed $13,000, and all related issues; (Commissioner Liechty) ]
THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 11, DISCUSS AND ACT ON ENGAGING CONTOUR ENGINEERING TO PREPARE AN APPLICATION FOR A GRANT FROM UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO PERFORM A COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY ACTION PLAN BASED ON A COUNTYWIDE SAFETY STUDY FOR A FEE NOT TO EXCEED $13,000 AND ALL RELATED ISSUES.UM, CONTOUR ENGINEERING IS A, ONE OF OUR PRE-APPROVED ENGINEERING COMPANIES, AND I MET WITH THEM TO DISCUSS THINGS THAT THEY COULD DO TO HELP US GET ROAD, ROAD WORK DONE AND IMPROVE OUR ROADS.
I'M A BIG FAN OF FIXING ROADS, AND WE GOT INTO A DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES THAT GO INTO THIS, BUT I ASKED THEM IF THEY WOULD COME, UH, AND MAKE A PRESENTATION TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, APPLY FOR A GRANT TO DO A COUNTYWIDE SAFETY STUDY.
UH, THE FUNDS WOULD COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, THEY CAN SPEAK TO THE LIKELIHOOD OF IT.
UM, AND JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS UPFRONT THE FUNDS FOR THIS APPLICATION, IT'S A, THEIR, THEIR FEE.
WE SET UP TO 13,000, BUT THEY SAID 10 TO 13.
SO I'M THINKING IT'LL BE 10, PROBABLY MORE THAN 13, BUT WE COVER OURSELVES.
UM, AND SO THEY'RE GONNA MAKE A PRESENTATION AND EXPLAIN ABOUT THIS AND EXPLAIN HOW WHAT THEY CAN DO.
THIS WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT OF CONTINGENCY BECAUSE BOND FUNDS CANNOT BE SPENT FOR THIS APPLICATION.
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO THEM AND THEN, UH, IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD AT THE END, I WILL.
BUT I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WORTHY OF DISCUSSING FOR US.
MY NAME IS BRIAN CLARK AND I AM THE OFFICE LEAD WITH CONSER ENGINEERS IN DALLAS.
I BROUGHT TWO OF OUR EXPERTS, UH, TRAFFIC AND MUNICIPAL.
I HAVE A LOCAL RESIDENT WITH GLEN THURGOOD, AND AS THESE RAMEN WHO COMES TO CONSULAR WITH, WITH PREVIOUSLY WITH THE CITY OF FORT WORTH.
THEY BOTH HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THE TOPIC THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY, AND THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS MAY HAVE.
LET SEE IF WE CAN QUEUE THIS UP REAL QUICK HERE.
SO WE'RE BOTH IS WHAT WE'RE WITNESSING RIGHT HERE.
SO WHAT WE WANNA TALK TO Y'ALL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TODAY IS THIS, THIS GRANT PROGRAM THAT COMMISSIONER LTI REFERRED, REFERRED TO.
IT'S CALLED SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL SS FOUR A IS THE COMMON ACRONYM.
IT'S A PROGRAM THAT WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF OVERVIEW KIND OF THINGS THAT WE THINK IT MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR YOU ALL TO USE HERE IN ROCKWALL AND JUST TALK ABOUT THE APPLICATION STEPS AND THINGS.
AND, AND FEEL FREE TO INTERRUPT, YOU KNOW, AS WE WE GO THROUGH THIS.
UM, SO START WITH A QUICK OVERVIEW.
BASICALLY, THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WAS CREATED WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT BACK IN 2021.
AND IT ESTABLISHED A, A SAFE STREETS AND RURAL SS FOUR, A COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM.
IT'S GOT $5 BILLION IN FUNDING, AND IT'S GOT A FIVE YEAR PROGRAM.
THE FIRST GRANT PROGRAM WAS IN 2022.
YOU'LL HAVE ONE MORE YEAR AFTER THIS NEXT YEAR.
IT, AND IT'S BASICALLY TARGETED TO FUND REGIONAL, LOCAL, AND, AND TRIBAL IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVES, PARTICULARLY FOCUSING ON SAFETY, LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE YOUR HIGH INJURY CRASH NETWORK AND FINDING WAYS TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, UH, FOR, FOR ALL ROAD USERS, MOTORISTS, PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF GRANTS UNDER AVAILABLE UNDER THIS PROGRAM.
THE ONE WE'RE GONNA KIND OF TALK ABOUT TODAY IS PLANNING AND DEMONSTRATION.
AND THIS ALLOWS YOU TO BASICALLY FIRST STEP IS DEVELOP AND UPDATE AN ACTION PLAN, A SAFETY ACTION PLAN.
WHAT THAT ESSENTIALLY DOES IS LOOKS AT THE A A A REGION OR A COUNTY OR A, YOU KNOW, A LARGE SCALE, UH, TYPE OF AN AREA.
WE'RE NOT FOCUSED ON ONE PARTICULAR INTERSECTION OR CORRIDOR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT, BUT LOOK AT YOUR REGIONAL ISSUES, YOUR HIGH, HIGH INJURY CRASH NETWORKS, AND IDENTIFY HOTSPOTS, CONCERNS AND STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE THOSE.
UM, THERE'S, UH, SOME SUPPLEMENTAL PLANNING ACTIVITIES AS WELL THAT GOES, THAT CAN GO WITH, WITH THAT PROGRAM THAT ALLOW YOU TO DO SOME SUPPLEMENTAL PLANNING ON WHAT THEY CALL DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITIES, WHICH MAY SAY, HEY, WE'VE IDENTIFIED A COUPLE OF CRITICAL CORRIDORS THAT HAVE MAJOR PEDESTRIAN ISSUES, OR, OR, OR BIKE BIKE MOTORIST CONFLICTS.
AND WE WANT TO DEPLOY SOME STRATEGIES ON THOSE QUARTERS
[01:00:01]
TO SEE IF THAT SOLVES OUR ISSUES.GENERALLY THIS YEAR, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ANTICIPATES 400 TO 700 AWARDS.
UM, THOSE ARE GONNA BE ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND TO 5 MILLION.
UH, FOR A CANADA SIZE OF ROCKWELL, THAT'S GONNA BE ON THE LOW END OF THAT, THEY CAP IT AT 5 MILLION.
UM, NCT COG GOT AWARDS IN THAT RANGE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT FOR ROCKWALL COUNTY, WE EXPECT IT TO BE, YOU KNOW, ON THE LOWER END THERE'S ALSO IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS AND YOU'RE ELIGIBLE TO DO AN IMPLEMENTATION GRANT ONCE YOU'VE COMPLETED THIS SAFETY ACTION PLAN.
UM, THOSE IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS ARE, ARE ELIGIBLE TO FUND LOW COST SAFETY TREATMENTS, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS, SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, UM, SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES, INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS, A A LITTLE WIDER VARIETY OF THINGS THAN THE, THE PLANNING GRANT IS AVAILABLE TO, TO, TO UTILIZE.
THEY EXPECT, UH, U-S-D-O-T AND FHW EXPECT TO AWARD 40 TO 70 OF THOSE, UH, SO FEWER AWARDS, BUT THE AWARD AMOUNT IS GENERALLY HIGHER, 2.5 MILLION UP TO 25 MILLION.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT, WE'LL GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE RECEIVED SOME OF THOSE, BOTH, BOTH VERSIONS OF THOSE AWARDS.
THE GRANT PRIORITIES PROMOTE SAFETY, PREVENT FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURIES ON THE ROADWAYS, EMPLOY LOW COST, HIGH IMPACT STRATEGIES.
WHAT KIND OF THE LOW HANGING FRUIT? WHAT CAN WE DO TO SOLVE OUR, OUR, OUR ISSUES, YOU KNOW, SPOT IMPROVEMENTS, LOOKING AT INTERSECTIONS, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, ANOTHER, ANOTHER KEY POINT, EQUITABLE INVESTMENT IN THE SAFE NEEDS OF THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, WHICH INCLUDES UNDERSERVED, URBAN, AND RURAL COMMUNITIES.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT A LOT THERE IS VULNERABLE ROAD USERS.
OUR BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS WHO ARE VULNERABLE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE MORE VULNERABLE FOLKS WHEN IT COMES TO THE RISK OF INJURY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE OUT ON THE ROADWAYS, OBVIOUSLY DON'T HAVE THE PROTECTION OF A MOTOR VEHICLE.
UM, THE OTHER, THE OTHER KEY FOCUS IS, IS EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES.
THIS IS A DATA DI DATA-DRIVEN TYPE OF APPROACH.
IDENTIFY WHERE, YOU KNOW, INTENDED TO BE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, OBJECTIVE, SO TO SPEAK.
IDENTIFY WHERE OUR ISSUES ARE IN THE COUNTY AND FIND WAYS TO SOLVE THOSE.
AND IT DOES ENCOURAGE ENGAGEMENT OF A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS.
SO IN THE, IN THE COUNTY'S CASE, REACHING OUT TO THE CITIES AND, AND HAVING THEM PROVIDE INPUT AND, AND ENGAGEMENT AND, AND, UH, SUPPORT FOR THAT PROCESS.
UH, THE PLANNING ACTIVITIES THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD START WITH IS, IS DEVELOPING THIS COMPREHENSIVE SAFE SAFETY ACTION PLAN.
THE CSAP IS, IS WHAT IT'S CALLED A LOT OF TIMES AROUND THE METROPLEX YOU HERE REFERRED TO AS A VISION ZERO PLAN.
YOU KNOW, CITY OF DALLAS OR, OR CITY OF FORT WORTH HAVE DONE THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, MIDLAND, UH, DID A KIND OF COMBINED CITY OF MIDLAND, MIDLAND COUNTY PROJECT HERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
UH, AND AGAIN, THE FOCUS IS ON REDUCING THOSE, THOSE FATAL AND INJURY CRASHES FOR ALL THE USERS OF THE ROADWAYS.
UH, WE WANT TO ENGAGE THE COUNTYWIDE STAKEHOLDERS, IDENTIFY PROJECTS AND STRATEGIES THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT AND, AND THEN, AND REALLY SET SOME GOALS AND TIMEFRAMES TO DO THAT.
SAY, WE WANT TO DO THIS WITHIN, WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.
SOME OF THE CITIES IN THE, IN THE METROPLEX, FORT WORTH HAS COMPLETED ONE OF THESE.
UM, DALLAS HAS DONE A, YOU'VE ACTUALLY PERHAPS SEEN SOME NEWS REPORTS ABOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THEIR VISION ZERO PLAN.
SOME OF THE THINGS THEY'RE DOING ON, THERE WAS A REPORT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ON THE NEWS ABOUT, UH, NORTHWEST HIGHWAY, UH, LOOP 12 IN SOUTH DALLAS.
SOME OF THE THINGS THEY'RE DOING, WE MENTIONED MIDLAND.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO DO SOME SUPPLEMENTAL PLANNING ACTIVITIES AS WELL WITH THESE SAME PLANNING GRANTS, RIGHT? UH, THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE ROAD SAFETY AUDITS, UH, ADDITIONAL DATA COLLECTION, SAFETY ANALYSIS, MORE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND, AND SAFETY PLANNING, UM, DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITIES.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEING A, A SORT OF A SUBSET OF THESE PLANNING GRANTS.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO GO OUT AND DEPLOY SOME STRATEGIES.
SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT ARE M-U-T-C-D ENGINEERING STUDIES.
THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE SIGNAL WARRANT ANALYSIS FOR YOUR TRAFFIC SIGNALS AROUND THE COUNTY, UM, SPEED STUDIES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, DEPLOYING NEW TECHNOLOGIES.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE CITY OF RICHARDSON IS DOING IS THEY'RE GOING TO EMPLOY, UH, EMERGENCY VEHICLE PREEMPTION ON THEIR TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
TRY SOME NEW GPS BASED EMERGENCY VEHICLE PREEMPTION ON, ON THEIR SIGNALS.
UH, CITY OF FRISCO IS LOOKING AT UPGRADING THEIR TECHNOLOGY ON THEIR SIGNAL SYSTEM AS WELL.
UH, SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITIES.
HERE'S JUST A, SOME, THESE, THESE ARE ALL THE AWARDEES IN NORTH TEXAS IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF THIS CYCLE.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE SOME OF THE CITIES, SEE THE, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNTS GENERALLY YOU'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, DENTON, GRAND PRAIRIE, GRAPEVINE, LEWISVILLE, THOSE, THOSE AWARDS WERE IN THE THREE TO 500,000 RANGE.
THAT'S ABOUT WHAT IT, WHAT IT TAKES TO DO A SAFETY PLAN.
AND SOME OF THESE DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITIES.
UH, THE BIGGER NUMBERS ARE FROM NCT COG.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT A MAXIMUM AWARD LAST YEAR IN 2024 OR $5 MILLION, UH, 4 MILLION THE YEAR BEFORE.
UM, ARLINGTON, YOU'LL NOTICE, HAS APPLIED ALL THREE YEARS.
IT'S BEEN AWARDED PROJECTS ALL THREE YEARS.
WHAT THEY ARE DOING THIS YEAR WITH THEIR AWARD IS DOING A, A SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR ALL OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE CITY.
THERE'S LIKE 97 SCHOOLS IN ARLINGTON.
AND SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING THAT WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR AWARD.
IN CONTRAST, THESE ARE THE IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS
[01:05:01]
AWARDED.YOU CAN SEE A LOT FEWER, UM, A LOT BIGGER NUMBERS.
DALLAS, EL PASO, AUSTIN, HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO.
SO THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGER NUMBERS.
AND, AND WITH THAT COMES A BIGGER MATCH SHARE AS WELL.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE THE, THE FOLKS AT CITY OF DALLAS HAS ACTUALLY GOTTEN AWARDS THE LAST TWO YEARS, TOTALING ABOUT $38 MILLION TO, TO DO SOME, UH, SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AROUND THE CITY.
UH, AND THEN THE QUESTION COMES AS WE'RE TALKING TO COMMISSIONER LTI ABOUT WHAT IF WE, IF WE DO OUR PLAN, HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES? AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF PATHS.
UH, NUMBER ONE IS THERE'S A SUB, THERE'S ONE MORE YEAR IN THE PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN PURSUE AN IMPLEMENTATION GRANT TO IMPLEMENT THOSE THINGS.
TIMEFRAME MIGHT BE TIGHT TO GET THE SAFETY PLAN DONE.
AND SO YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE IT DONE BEFORE YOU APPLY NEXT YEAR.
AND SO THERE ARE SOME OTHER OPTIONS.
HOW WOULD WE GO ABOUT IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THESE THINGS TO IDENTIFY NEEDS AND, AND WAYS TO SOLVE THOSE ISSUES? WHAT MIGHT WE DO TO IMPLEMENT 'EM? THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT GRANT PROGRAMS HERE.
WE'VE LISTED HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IS PROBABLY ONE THAT IS MAYBE THE MOST FAMILIAR TO EVERYBODY THAT'S ADMINISTERED THROUGH TXDOT, UH, PROVIDES SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS IN, IN VARIOUS, VARIOUS, UH, LOCATIONS AROUND THE STATE.
TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES IS ALSO A FEDERAL PROGRAM TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT OP OPTIONS FOR, FOR, UH, SOLVING OUR TRANSPORTATION MULTIMODAL DISCRETIONARY GRANTS.
UM, THOSE ARE, ARE, ARE AVAILABLE TO, TO DIFFERENT FOLKS.
AND THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT SUBCATEGORIES OF THOSE GRANTS.
ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IS TARGETED MORE TO THE BICYCLE PEDESTRIANS, THE FOLKS THAT ARE DOING THAT.
ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION BUILD GRANTS, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR 20 YEARS.
IT USED TO BE CALLED A TIGER GRANT.
AND THAT WAS CALLED RAISE GRANT.
BUT IT'S BASICALLY A DISCRETIONARY PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IN, IN THE, THROUGHOUT THE US.
SO DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT PURSUE, UH, TO, TO IMPLEMENT THESE THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT MIGHT BE IDENTIFIED HERE IN THE COUNTY.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE MIGHT LOOK AT IN ROCKWELL COUNTY TO ADDRESS INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AND MITIGATION? OUR INTERSECTIONS ARE OUR MOST HAZARDOUS LOCATIONS.
THAT'S WHERE MOST OF OUR CRASHES ARE.
UH, WHAT WE DO TO MITIGATE THOSE ISSUES, WHETHER THAT BE ADDING PERHAPS A SIGNAL, SOME TURN LANES, WHATEVER, TO, TO MITIGATE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, A LOT OF THE, A LOT OF THE ROADS AROUND THE COUNTY, WERE, WERE A GROWING COUNTY, OBVIOUSLY, AND OUR, OUR FM ROADS ARE OFTEN TWO LANE NARROW ROADS.
NO SHOULDERS, NO NO SIDEWALKS, NO ROOM FOR FOR BICYCLISTS, PEDESTRIANS, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROVIDE SOME A DA RAMPS, SOME SHARED USE PATHS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT MIGHT HELP US ON STREET BICYCLE FACILITIES.
UM, I MENTIONED SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL.
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT UPGRADES OUR CROSSWALKS PROVIDES FUNDING FOR CROSSING GUARDS, UH, UH, PROVIDE SOME SPEED STUDIES, SPEED MITIGATION, AND THEN KINDA THE TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE DO TO UPGRADE OUR TECHNOLOGY EMERGENCY VEHICLE PREEMPTION, OUR SIGNAL TIMING PROGRESSION THROUGH, THROUGH THE, THE URBAN AREAS.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT MIGHT BE A CONSIDERATION TO ADDRESS.
AND THEN I WANTED TO KIND OF FINISH WITH WHAT THE, THE PROCESS INVOLVES TO, TO APPLY AND, AND, AND PURSUE THIS GRANT.
SO GRANT APPLICATIONS ARE DUE ON JUNE 26TH.
THIS, UH, THE NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY HAS BEEN OPEN FOR, FOR A MONTH OR SO, UH, DUE IN JUNE 26TH.
THERE'S ONLY ONE APPLICATION PERIOD THIS YEAR.
IN PAST YEARS, THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE, UH, THE GOAL WOULD BE TO REQUEST FUNDING TO COMPLETE A COUNTYWIDE C SAP AND SOME DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.
UH, WE EXPECT THAT GRANT REQUEST, AS YOU SAW WITH, WITH OTHER CITIES, WOULD BE UNDER A MILLION.
IT'S PROBABLY IN THE THREE TO 500,000 ISH RANGE OR SOMETHING.
WE WOULD DEFINE WHAT THAT WOULD BE DURING THE, BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE 26TH, WHAT, WHAT AMOUNT YOU WOULD WANT TO REQUEST.
AND IT DOES REQUIRE A, A 20% LOCAL MATCH.
ONCE YOU RECEIVE THE GRANT, YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE 20% LOCAL MATCH.
AND THERE'S A, A COUPLE WEBSITES QR CODE THAT GIVES YOU MORE DETAILS ON THE PROGRAM WEBSITE.
AND I, I THINK I SHARED SOME STUFF WITH, WITH LAUREN THE OTHER DAY.
BUT THAT'S BASICALLY THE PROCESS TO, TO APPLY FOR THESE THINGS.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION THAT, THAT WAS RAISED IS, WELL, WHAT'S THE SCHEDULE FOR DISPERSING THE, THE FUNDING? WHAT HAPPENS? UM, THESE GRANTS ARE USUALLY ANNOUNCED THE AWARDEES COUPLE ONE TO ONE TO FIVE MONTHS.
IN RECENT YEARS, IT'S BEEN ABOUT TWO TO THREE MONTHS AFTER THE APP.
SO AFTER JUNE 26TH, YOU'LL GET A RESPONSE IN AUGUST, SEPTEMBER-ISH, PERHAPS WHETHER YOU'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
THE SUCCESS RATE FOR THE PLANNING GRANTS IS FAIRLY HIGH.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE HEARD, I HAVEN'T GONE, IT'S IN THE 50 TO 70% RANGE FOR SUCCESS.
UM, UH, AND THEN, AND THEN AFTER THAT, YOU PROCEED WITH YOUR, YOUR, YOUR CONS, YOUR, YOUR ACTION PLAN.
UM, SO YOU HAVE TO, ONCE YOU'RE AWARDED, YOU HAVE TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH U-S-D-O-T, WHICH WILL TAKE A COUPLE MONTHS, AND THEN YOU PROCEED WITH YOUR C SAP.
SO YOU CAN KINDA SEE THE TIMELINE MIGHT MAKE IT TOUGH FOR NEXT YEAR TO PURSUE AN IMPLEMENTATION GRANT TO GET ALL THOSE THINGS DONE BY THOSE STEPS.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S GENERALLY THE PROCESS.
[01:10:01]
UM, WITH THAT, THAT'S KIND OF THE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU HAVE, HAVE, HAS YOUR COMPANY HAS CONCERT ENGINEERING APPLIED FOR AN ENTITY AND ACTUALLY RECEIVED ONE OF THESE GRANTS? WE HAVE, YEAH.WE HAVE HELPED, HELPED A, A FEW ENTITIES APPLY AND RECEIVE THESE GRANTS.
UM, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, ONE OF THOSE, UH, A FEW IN COLORADO, ONE ONES WE'VE GENERALLY APPLIED FOR ARE THE IMPLEMENTATION.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS A LITTLE MORE ROBUST, BUT WE'VE APPLIED AND RECEIVED THE IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS FOR A COUPLE OF, OF THESE ENTITIES.
HAVE, HAVE YOU HELPED ANY COUNTIES? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE HELPED ANY COUNTIES WITH, I REALIZE WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE, LITTLE BIT UNIQUE THAT, THAT WE'RE SMALL ENOUGH AND, AND ADJACENT TO THE BIG METROPLEX THAT WE, AND I SAY IT ALL THE TIME, WE DO FUNCTION MORE LIKE A BIG CITY THAN, THAN WE DO A COUNTY.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY KIND OF COUNTIES THAT WE'VE PARTICULARLY APPLIED FOR OF SIMILAR, AND THERE'S NOT A, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIST, THERE'S NOT A TON OF COUNTIES IN TEXAS THAT HAVE APPLIED FOR THEM.
A LOT OF 'EM IS THE CITIES AND, AND THE MPOS.
I'M GONNA ASK YOU A REALLY UNFAIR QUESTION.
OKAY? UH, AND, AND I KNOW THAT GOING IN
I, I, I WOULD SAY IT'S ABOVE 50%.
I THINK I KIND OF SHARED THAT NUMBER.
FOR THE PLANNING GRANT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, I, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE ANY MORE SPECIFIC THAN THAT.
I, I, I REALIZE ASKING AN ENGINEER A A LIKELIHOOD QUESTION IS, IS NOT A FAIR QUESTION.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS? WELL, I, I DO.
UM, SO WE HAVE TO HAVE, BE ABLE TO SUBMIT EVERYTHING YOU SAID BY JUNE 26TH.
SO WE'RE TALKING, WE'VE GOT RIGHT AT ONE MONTH, ONE MONTH, RIGHT? MM-HMM
AND THEN, BECAUSE YOU, YOU, YOU POINTED OUT THAT MOST OF, MOST OF YOUR CLIENTS OR HAVE BEEN CITIES, UM, A LOT OF THE ROADS THAT I'M THINKING OF THAT COULD FIT INTO A COUPLE OF THOSE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT, THEY ARE PRO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WITHIN OUR CITIES.
SO DO, ARE YOU ENVISIONING THAT WE DO THIS IN A CONCERTED EFFORT, MAYBE THROUGH THE CONSORTIUM? UH, IF WE SELECT SOMETHING THAT'S IN THE CITY OF ROCKWELL, I'M GONNA USE THAT, OR THE CITY OF HEATH AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, IS THAT KIND OF WHAT, WHAT THE THOUGHT PLAN IS HERE? WELL, I, I'M GONNA LET I GLEN SPEAK TO THAT.
BUT WHEN WE, WHEN WE DISCUSS THIS, THIS IS A COUNTYWIDE SAFETY GRANT, SO IT WILL DEAL WITH MATTERS IN THE CITIES OUTSIDE OF CITIES.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY CAUGHT MY ATTENTION ABOUT IT IS, AGAIN, THE MAKEUP OF MY PRECINCT.
AND THIS WOULDN'T JUST BE PRECINCT THREE, IT'S ALL FOUR PRECINCTS.
BUT SINCE JANUARY 1ST, UM, I'VE HAD MULTIPLE CALLS AND INQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAFETY.
AND IN FACT, WE HAVE GONE TO T DOT AND STARTED TWO WARRANT STUDIES FOR SAFETY LIGHTS ON IN PRECINCT THREE, JUST SINCE JANUARY 1ST.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THIS IS AN ENTIRE COUNTYWIDE DEAL, RIGHT? AND IT COULD INCLUDE CITIES, IT COULD INCLUDE COUNTIES, IT'LL BE GRANT MONEY.
I'M GONNA LET YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION BEFORE I GET TO MY NEXT QUESTION.
YOU MIGHT HAVE TO REPEAT THE QUESTION AGAIN FOR ME.
TELL ME, MY QUESTION REALLY WAS IS WE'VE GOT 30 DAYS TO COME UP WITH WHAT WE WANNA SUBMIT AND, AND WHAT THAT WOULD INVOLVE.
AND I THINK SAFETY IS, IS, IS THAT I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT, WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WE'VE GOT SEVERAL PLACES, I THINK WITHIN THE COUNTY THAT, THAT THERE ARE SOME, THERE ARE SOME SAFETY ISSUES THAT THIS WOULD WORK FOR, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PROBABLY PICK, I MEAN, CAN WE, CAN WE JUST PUT IN A NUMBER OF THEM? OR DO WE HAVE TO SELECT ONE THAT WE'VE GOTTA HONE IN ON, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS? AND SO, NO.
SO IN, IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO IDENTIFY YOUR, YOUR ISSUES OF CONCERN.
YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TO DO THAT OTHER THAN ON A, ON A VERY HIGH LEVEL, SAY, HERE'S OUR HIGH INJURY CRASH NETWORK.
BASICALLY THE, THE ONE PIECE OF DATA THAT THEY, THAT THEY REQUEST IS TELL ME YOUR FATALITY RATE IN THE COUNTY AS COMPARED TO THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE.
AND SO THERE'S SOME, SOME CALCULATIONS THERE ON WHAT ARE OUR FA FOR THE FIVE YEAR CRASH HISTORY, WHAT YOU PULL THAT DATA FROM TXDOT.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE, THE ONE PIECE OF HARD DATA TO SAY, TELL US YOUR FATALITY RATE AND SHOW US SOME OF YOUR HIGH INJURY CRASH LOCATIONS.
SO THAT'S THE EXTENT OF THE DATA THAT'S REQUIRED.
YOU WOULD, IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS, WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT YOU GO OUT AND GET LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM YOUR CITIES, UM, PROBABLY FROM YOUR, FROM REPRESENTATIVE FALLON, HIS OFFICE AS WELL.
AND I KNOW I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH MS. VIRGINIA ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, AND, AND, AND THAT'S BASE, THEN THERE'S A TWO PAGE NARRATIVE THAT DESCRIBES THE DATA.
SO THE APPLICATION PROCESS ITSELF IS NOT PARTICULARLY ROBUST.
UH, AND WE, WE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT, HEY, CAN WE GET THIS DONE? CAN WE
[01:15:01]
PROVIDE A, A, A PROPER QUALITY APPLICATION IN 30 DAYS TO ESSENTIALLY 30 DAYS? AND WE DO THINK THAT WE CAN DO THAT.UH, THANK, SO YEAH, THAT'S, IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR, I THINK THAT WAS WHAT MY, BEFORE YOU ASK YOUR QUESTION, I THINK LISA HAD A QUESTION.
UM, OKAY, I, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS HOW IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, UH, OF THE AWARD DETERMINED? ARE WE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF MAYBE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR A MILLION DOLLARS IF WE HAVE THIS 20% MATCH? HOW, HOW, UH, DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HOW THEY DETERMINE THAT? SO WE, WE WOULD REQUEST AN AMOUNT.
THE COUNTY WOULD REQUEST AN AMOUNT AND, AND, AND SAY, AND WE ARE PREPARED TO PROVIDE THAT 20% MATCH FOR, LET'S TAKE 300,000.
WE'RE GONNA, WE WOULD REQUEST $300,000 THE COUNTY'S COMMITTED TO PROVIDE THAT MATCH OF, OF 60,000, 30% OR 20%.
AND THEY WILL AWARD EITHER AWARD OR NOT THAT AMOUNT.
SO THEY GENERALLY DON'T SAY, WELL, YOU'VE ASKED FOR A MILLION AND WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU HALF.
I MEAN, THEY, IT'S KIND OF A, IT'S A YES OR NO.
AND WHO DETERMINES THAT AMOUNT THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR? WOULD IT BE COMM SOURCE THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS? WE'D WORK WITH YOU ALL ON PROBABLY THE ROAD CONSORTIUM TO SAY, HEY, HERE'S WHAT WE THINK IT BASED ON IN OUR KIND OF EXPERIENCE AND HISTORY.
THIS IS WHAT I THINK YOU SHOULD REQUEST.
SO LIKE, UH, WHEN IF WE MOVE FARTHER, WE CAN SAY THAT INTO THE MICROPHONE.
IF WE MOVE FARTHER WITH THIS APPLICATION, THEN WE ARE GONNA DISCUSS AGAIN WITH YOU ALL, LIKE, WHAT WOULD BE THE SCOPE, WHAT YOU WANT.
LIKE, IT'S GONNA BE ONLY LIKE A COUNTRYWIDE OR LIKE ALL CITIES OR INCORPORATED PORTION OF THE, LIKE, UH, CITIES, MEANING THE COUNTY, UH, RESPONSIBILITY.
SO BASED ON THAT, WE GONNA DO A, UH, ESTIMATION FOR THE LEVEL OF EFFORT WE GONNA DISCUSS AND THEN SEE IF YOU AGREE WITH THAT ESTIMATION.
THEN WE GONNA PUT THAT IN THE APPLICATION, THAT NUMBER.
AND, UM, ARE, SO IF THEY DO ROCKWELL COUNTY AND THEN SOME, SOMETHING IS ACTUALLY IN THE CITY, WOULD WE BE ALLOWED SUB TO, IS TO DO A SUB OR SUB-GRANTEE, UH, THAT WE COULD GIVE OUR MONEY OR AS PART OF OUR MONEY TO A CITY? YES.
I THINK, UH, N CITY COG DOES THE SAME THING.
SO N CITY CO, WHEN YOU SEE THERE, THEY APPLIED FOR LIKE 4 MILLION.
THAT'S NOT LIKE FOR MULTIPLE CITIES.
SO THEY CAN TAKE CARE FOR THE CITIES REGIONWIDE, OR THEY CAN AWARD IT TO THE, LIKE A CITY LEVEL.
SO I THINK FOR BED COUNT, UH, IS, I THINK HOUSTON, THEY, UH, H-G-H-G-A-C, THEY GOT LIKE SIMILAR 4 MILLION.
THEY HAVE LIKE 11 CITIES THERE.
THEY AWARDED TO EACH CITIES TO DO THEIR, UH, LIKE, UM, SAFETY ACTION PLAN.
'CAUSE THIS IS GONNA BE MORE DETAILED IF THEY DO BY THEMSELF, IF THE REGIONWIDE, IT'S LIKE LESS DETAIL.
SO THEY'RE BEEN FURTHER A STUDY NEEDED, MEANING THAT IT'LL BE SUPPLEMENTAL STUDY.
AND THEN, UM, DOES, UH, CONS ACTUALLY ADMINISTRATE THE GRANT AS A PART OF THE UP TO 13,000? OR IS IT 13,000 JUST FOR THE APPLICATION ITSELF? THAT'S THE, THAT'S WHAT WE THINK THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE NEXT MONTH WILL TAKE 10 TO 13 TO, TO PREPARE THAT APPLICATION.
BUT THEN ROCKWELL COUNTY, MY, MY OFFICE WOULD BE ADMINISTRATIVE.
THE GRANT, ONCE YOU RECEIVE THE GRANT, YEAH, YOU, YOUR OFFICE WOULD, WOULD ADMINISTER THAT GRANT.
HOW RESTRICTIVE ARE THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES INTO THIS GRANT? BECAUSE NORMALLY IN THE PAST, THE COUNTY'S BEEN KIND OF LEERY OF, OF FEDERAL FUNDING BECAUSE OF ALL THE RESTRICTIONS, UH, REQUIRED BY IT.
UH, CAN YOU HIGHLIGHT ON ANY OF THAT OR, YEAH, SO I'VE, SO I'VE HEARD THAT FROM OTHER AGENCIES.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE FEDERAL MONEY CAN COME WITH SOME STRINGS ATTACHED, RIGHT? UM, THIS, THIS PARTICULAR GRANT IS, THE STRINGS ARE MOSTLY IN THE SENSE OF WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT USE IT FOR.
UH, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOTTA BE A, IT'S GOTTA BE A REGIONWIDE ACTIVITY.
UM, SO FOR, I GUESS FOR EXAMPLE, YOU, YOU COULDN'T GRAB THE, RECEIVE THE GRANT, SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE WANNA DIVERT ALL THAT MONEY TO IMPROVE ONE CORRIDOR RATHER THAN DOING OUR SAFETY ACTION PLAN.
UM, BUT THEY REALLY SAY, AS LONG AS YOUR PROCESS IS REGIONWIDE, AS LONG AS YOU'RE, IT'S A DATA-DRIVEN PROCESS.
YOU'VE GOT COLLABORATION FROM, FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC, AND, AND YOU MEET THESE, THIS SAFETY FOCUS, YOU'RE ABLE TO, WITHIN THE SAFETY FOCUS, YOU HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES.
CRAIG, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? WELL, I WAS JUST GONNA WHISPER IT TO LISA, BUT WOULD, WOULD THE GRANT OR GRANTS THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR, UH, ALLOW US TO PAY FOR A THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR OF THOSE GRANTS? POTENTIALLY? YEAH.
YEAH, YOU COULD CERTAINLY DO THAT.
WHAT CONSORT THAT GOT THE AUDITOR NODDING REAL QUICK.
[01:20:01]
CRAIG KNOWS THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS.
UH, ONE THING I DISCUSSED WITH THEM, AND I WANNA ASK HERE, 'CAUSE THIS TO ME IS NOT A 10 TO $13,000 DECISION.
THIS IS A DECISION WHERE WE'RE HAVING TO SAY, RIGHT NOW, IF WE GET A $300,000 GRANT, WE NEED TO BE PREPARED TO SPEND 20%, YOU KNOW, SO COME UP WITH 60,000.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE EACH OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE JUDGE WHEN WE MAKE OUR VOTE TO REALIZE THAT THAT 10,000 OR 13, AND WHAT DO WE HAVE IN OUR CONTINGENCY? YOU TOLD ME THERE'S PLENTY.
THERE IS, WE WOULD CHARGE THIS EXPENSE TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES YEAH.
AND THEN OFFSET IT WITH CONTINGENCY, WHICH I BELIEVE IS STILL IN THE 400 YEAH.
SO, SO WE'VE GOTTEN PLENTY MONEY IN OUR CONTINGENCY, BUT THIS JUST NOT A $13,000 DECISION.
AND IF, TO ME, IF WE DO THIS AND WE GET THE GRANT, HE SAYS IN ONE TO THREE MONTHS, THAT MEANS HOPEFULLY BY BUDGET SEASON, WE'RE INTO THE NEXT BUDGET, WE'RE INTO THE NEXT BUDGET.
SO WE NEED TO BE PREPARED IF WE'RE DOING THIS TO BE THINKING, OKAY, IF WE GET A $300,000 GRANT, WE ALL GOTTA LOOK AT OURSELVES AND SAY, ARE WE GONNA BE READY TO SPEND $60,000 TO MATCH IT TO DO THIS STUDY? TO ME, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD INVESTMENT BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUES.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, LIKE I SAID, I'VE HAD MULTIPLE CALLS IN MY PRECINCT ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES.
UH, WE'RE DOING TWO TRAFFIC WARRANT STUDIES RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE, I COULD TAKE YOU TO STREETS IN PRECINCT THREE, WHERE, WHERE FRANKLY, I, I WOULD BE AFRAID TO WALK ON 'EM, BUT PEOPLE WALK ON 'EM ALL THE TIME.
UM, AND JUST THINGS WE CAN DO TO, TO MAKE OUR, OUR COUNTY SAFER.
AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST PRECINCT THREE, IT'S EVERYBODY.
SO, AND WORKING WITH THE CITIES HOPEFULLY CAN IDENTIFY THOSE.
BUT I WOULD JUST, UH, THE QUESTION I'M GETTING TO GLEN IS, UM, YOU SAID IT'S A TIGHT TIMEFRAME NOT TO DO THE JUNE 26TH, THAT'S TYPE TWO.
BUT TO GET IT NOW, DO A STUDY AND DO ANOTHER APPLICATION NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE IF WE DO A 300,000, GET A 300,000 GRANT, WE DO A STUDY AND WE IDENTIFY THREE PROJECTS THAT WE WANNA TRY AND GET A GRANT FOR.
WE'VE GOT ONE MORE YEAR TO DO A GRANT, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO WE'VE GOTTA DO THAT ALL IN THE NEXT YEAR.
YOU SAID THAT'S TIGHT, BUT IS IT UNWORKABLE? CAN WE DO IT? I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S SOME VARIABLES THERE.
DO THEY AWARD THE GRANT? HOW QUICKLY CAN YOU EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT WITH U-S-D-O-T AND THEN YOU HAVE THE SAFETY STATE TO BE COMPLETED.
AND SO IF YOU SAY, WE'RE SITTING HERE, LET'S SAY WE HAVE ONE YEAR, WE DON'T, WE DON'T KNOW.
THE APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS MOVED THROUGHOUT THE CALENDAR YEAR FOR THESE GRANTS MM-HMM
BUT LET'S ASSUME IT'S A YEAR FROM NOW.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE MONTHS TO GET AN AWARD, A COUPLE MORE MONTHS, MAYBE WITH USOT, THAT'S FOUR MONTHS, THEN YOU'VE GOT, THEN YOU'RE DOWN TO EIGHT MONTHS.
THEY, U-S-D-O-T KIND OF GIVES YOU SOME GUIDANCE.
THEY SAY DON'T PLAN ON BEING ABLE TO APPLY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION THE NEXT CALENDAR YEAR, BECAUSE THAT'S TOUGH TO GET THE SAFETY STUDY DONE.
NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SMALLER, YOU KNOW, ROCKWELL COUNTY, SMALLEST COUNTY IN TEXAS, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CITY OF DALLAS OR FORT WORTH OR SOME OF THOSE THINGS IN TERMS OF SCALE AND MAGNITUDE.
I THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY I COULD SAY IT.
IS IT UNWORKABLE? IS IT IMPOSSIBLE? NO, IT'S NOT.
WELL, LET ME PERSONALIZE IT A LITTLE BIT.
IS YOUR COMPANY WILLING TO SAY THAT IF WE GET A GRANT, YOU'LL PUT IN THE EFFORT TO MAKE US TO GET IT DONE SO THAT WE CAN APPLY FOR AN IMPLEMENTATION GRANT THE NEXT YEAR? YES.
YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT? LET ME, I'LL LET THE BIG MAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M HERE.
I I'M HERE TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.
AND SOME OF THE TIMING IS OUT OF OUR HANDS ON WHEN WE, WE, WE HAVE THESE ESTIMATED TIMELINES WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET APPROVALS, WHEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE DOT, ET CETERA.
THE ONE THING THAT I'VE, UM, I THINK THAT ROCKWELL COUNTY HAS IN ITS FAVOR IS THE CONSORTIUM THAT MEETS MONTHLY.
I'VE, IT'S BEEN A WHILE FOR ME PERSONALLY.
AND, UH, BUT I, I'VE BEEN ATTENDING THOSE SINCE 2008.
SO WE MEET EVERY OTHER MONTH IN JULY.
WE GO BACK TO MEETING MONTHLY.
SO THERE IS, UM, A CONCERTED EFFORT THERE.
UH, THEY KEEP IT TOP OF MIND TO ENSURE THAT EACH OF THE UNI MUNICIPALITIES SUPPORT
[01:25:01]
OUR, UM, REQUESTS FOR MEETINGS AND INFORMATION AND COORDINATING WITH WHOMEVER WE NEED TO.SO I, THIS IS A LONG-WINDED EXPLANATION TO SAY THAT YES, IT CAN BE DONE AS LONG AS WE WORK TOGETHER.
AND, AND I THINK TO YOUR QUESTION, WE WILL DO ALL WE CAN CORRECT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WILLING TO DO THAT AND PUT FORTH THAT EFFORT AND MAINTAIN THAT SCHEDULE AND BE VERY DILIGENT IN OUR SCHEDULING AND OUR COORDINATION TO, TO DO ALL WE CAN TO CONTROL THE SCHEDULE ON OUR END.
AND TO, TO MY COLLEAGUES, I'D SAY THIS IS A DISCUSSION I HAD WITH THEM EARLIER LAST WEEK.
AND IF WE WERE TO GET A GRANT AND WE WERE TO DO A COMMUNITY-WIDE STUDY, IT'S IF WE DON'T APPLY FOR A GRANT IN THE NEXT TIME FOR IMPLEMENTATION, WE'VE STILL GOT SOMETHING THAT'S VALUABLE.
BUT IN MY OPINION, IF WE DO THIS AND WE GET A GRANT, WE SHOULD EXERT EVERYTHING WE CAN TO APPLY FOR THE NEXT IMPLEMENTATION GRANT.
BECAUSE IF THE FEDS ARE WILLING TO SAY, WE'LL GIVE, WE'LL PAY 80%, I THINK WE SHOULD JUMP ON SAYING WE'LL PAY 20.
JUST, JUST TO ADD, LIKE, THERE ARE MORE OPPORTUNITIES, EVEN IF WE CANNOT GET SS FOUR A NEXT TIME, THEY'RE LIKE, TA, GRANT, HSIP GRANT.
ONCE YOU HAVE THE PROJECT IDENTIFIED COST AND THOSE, YOU CAN ALWAYS, UH, TAP INTO THOSE FUNDS.
SO THE FIRST THING IS TO NEED TO THE LEAST OF THE PROJECT AND THE COST.
THAT WAS MY QUESTION IS ONCE WE HAVE OUR FOOT IN THE DOOR, YEAH.
I THINK THIS COULD LEAD TO OTHER FUNDING YEAH.
MECHANISMS IN THIS PROJECT WITH ANY OF THESE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
IT WOULD BE A POINT IN YOUR FAVOR.
YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT WE KNOW WHAT OUR PRIORITY ISSUES ARE.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH, LOOKED AT OUR, OUR AREAS OF CONCERN.
NOW WE NEED HELP ENACTING THEM.
SO I THINK IT'S IT'S HELPFUL EITHER WAY, RIGHT? YEAH.
LIKE HSIP NEXT SEPTEMBER IT'LL BE OPEN FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
AND TA GRANT, THAT WILL BE JANUARY.
SO IT CAN BE HA HAVE ANOTHER CALL COMPARED TO THAT NEXT.
AND THOSE, SO THEY HAVE LIKE ROTATION.
THOSE ARE CONTINUAL ONGOING PROGRAMS. THEY'RE NOT LIMITED TO FIVE YEARS OR ANYTHING.
AND WOULD YOU SAY THAT SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS, UM, ARE ONES THAT NT COG WOULD SOMETIMES SOME OF THEIR FUNDING IS, IS, IS FROM ONE OF THESE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES? AND THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT THE COUNTY COULD HAVE WITH NT COG ALSO AS ANOTHER, AS ANOTHER VIABLE OPTION FOR US TO APPLY WHAT THEY'RE APPLYING FOR.
WE GIVE THEM SOME OF THE RESULTS WE HAVE, RIGHT? BASICALLY SAY, HEY, WE'VE GOT SOME PRIORITIES.
CAN YOU HELP US? NCT COG IN DOING THIS? AND RIGHT.
THIS LAST WEEK AFTER WE TALKED WITH COMMISSIONER LTI, UH, WE REACHED OUT TO NCT COG AND JUST KIND OF QUIZ THEM AND SAY, HEY, WHERE ARE YOU AT WITH THE PROGRAM? WHAT WOULD YOU THINK IF ROCKWELL COUNTY WERE TO PURSUE THIS? AND THEY WERE SAID, HEY, GREAT, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL DO ANYTHING WE CAN TO HELP.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE CONTOUR ENGINEERING TO PREPARE AN APPLICATION FOR A GRANT FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO PERFORM A COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY ACTION PLAN BASED UPON A COUNTYWIDE SAFETY STUDY FOR A FEE NOT TO EXCEED $13,000 THAT WE WILL BE TAKING FROM CONTINGENCY FUNDS.
GOT A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LTE.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HAVE ONE, SIR.
WILL THERE BE A CONTRACT THAT YOU WILL BRING BACK TO US FOR, FOR THIS? YES.
SO JUST, DO YOU WANT THAT CONTRACT TO COME BACK TO THE COURT OR HOW, HOW DO YOU WANNA HANDLE THAT? NO, I WOULD SAY LET'S SEND IT TO LEGAL PER OUR NORMAL, AND THEN IF LEGAL'S OKAY WITH IT, JUST, JUST PUT IT ON THE NEXT CONSENT.
WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LTE, IF YOU'LL REGISTER YOUR VOTES NOW IT PASSES FOUR TO ZERO.
UH, JUDGE, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY ON THE COURT FOR DOING THIS.
I, I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A REAL POSITIVE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR OUR COUNTY AND FOR MAKING PROGRESS AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS TO GET IT DONE.
AND COMMISSIONER, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT.
AND THANK YOU GENTLEMEN FOR WAITING PATIENTLY.
[12. Discuss/ Act on approving a Crossing Agreement with Farmers Electric Cooperative {FEC} for overhead utility lines across Edwards Road between poles 120985 and 120986 which is approximately 1457 ft southeast of FM 550 in Rockwall County to install new pole to provide service, and all related issues; {Commissioner Liechty) ]
BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 12, DISCUSS AND ACT ON APPROVING A CROSSING AGREEMENT WITH FARMERS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE FOR THE OVERHEAD UTILITY LINES ACROSS EDWARD ROAD, EDWARDS ROAD BETWEEN POLLS 1 2 0 9 8 5 AND 1 2 0 9 8 6, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 1,457 FEET SOUTHEAST OF FM FIVE 50 IN ROCKWALL COUNTY TO INSTALL NEW POLE TO PROVIDE SERVICE IN ALL RELATED ISSUES.COMMISSIONER LICHTY? UM, YEAH.
THIS IS, UH, A REQUEST THAT WE GO THROUGH
[01:30:01]
WHEN WE HAVE TO CROSS A ROAD OR WHEN THE UTILITY COMPANIES DO.THIS IS BEING DONE TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO A RESIDENCE.
UM, IT IS NOT IN CITY LIMITS IN THE UN, IT'S IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY.
UM, THAT SERVICE WILL INITIALLY BE TEMPORARY AND THEN IT WILL BE TRANSITIONED TO PERMANENT SERVICE.
UH, THE WORK WILL BE SUPERVISED PER THE CONTRACT BY OUR ROAD AND BRIDGE DEPARTMENT, AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE APPROVE THIS.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE A CROSSING AGREEMENT WITH FARMERS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE FOR OVERHEAD UTILITY LINES ACROSS EDWARDS ROAD BETWEEN POLES 1 2 0 9 8 5 AND 1 2 0 9 8 6, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 1,457 FEET SOUTHEAST OF FM FIVE 50 IN ROCKWALL COUNTY TO INSTALL NEW POLL TO PROVIDE SERVICE.
GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LTI.
M**K, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF YOU'LL REGISTER YOUR VOTES NOW, PLEASE.
[13. CONSENT AGENDA ]
AND THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 13, CONSENT AGENDA.UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS.
UM, DID WE GET THE MINUTES CHANGED? I HAD SENT YOU, I KNOW I SENT IT LATE.
OR DO, SHALL WE PULL 'EM TILL THE NEXT TIME? THE MARCH THE, THE 12TH AND THE 21ST THAT YOU SENT YESTERDAY? UM, I WAS CHECKED OUT OVER THE WEEKEND AND DID NOT WORK ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN LEGISLATION.
I KNOW, AND I, I SENT IT LATE.
SO WHATEVER Y'ALL WANNA DO, SHE WOULD JUST PULL THOSE.
UH, THEN I'D ASK THAT WE PULL ITEM A FROM THIS, AT LEAST FOR MAY 12TH.
ARE THERE OTHERS THAT WERE APPROVING? MAY 12TH IS THE ONE I THAT WERE COMMENTS ON.
THERE WERE QUITE A FEW THAT I SAID.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS B-C-D-E-F-G-H, AND I GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER M**K SECOND.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS IF YOU'LL REGISTER YOUR VOTES NOW THAT PASSES FOUR TO ZERO.
UH, AND OF COURSE, AGENDA ITEM A IS GONNA COME BACK LATER.
[14. PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS/DISPOSITIONS]
US TO AGENDA ITEM 14, PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS, DISPOSITIONS FROM DISCUSS AND ACT ON APPROVING THE FOLLOWING, PROPERTY ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION, A MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION TRANSFER TO SURPLUS, A 20 OR 2004 CHEVY SILVERADO TRUCK AND ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, CHAPTER 19, FUND TO PURCHASE FROM CAPITAL OUTLAY RICO I 81 70.DOCUMENT SCANNER AT A QUOTE, COST $962 AND 49 CENTS.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION, UM, THAT WE APPROVE THE PROPERTY.
ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITION, AS YOU JUST DESCRIBED.
GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LTY SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GOLAN, IF YOU'LL REGISTER YOUR VOTES.
[15. NON-EMERGENCY BUDGET TRANSFER(S}]
TO ZERO.THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 15, NON-EMERGENCY BUDGET TRANSFERS, DISCUSS AND ACT ON APPROVING THE FOLLOWING, NON-EMERGENCY BUDGET TRANSFERS, 2 0 2 5 DASH 11 AND 2 0 2 5 DASH 12.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, APPROVE THE NON-EMERGENCY BUDGET TRANSFERS, TRANSFERS, 2025 DASH 11 AND 2025 DASH 12 AS DESCRIBED IN THE AGENDA.
GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LICHTY.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER M**K, IF YOU'LL REGISTER YOUR VOTES.
[16. APPROVAL OF ACCOUNTS, BILLS, CLAIMS, AND PAVROLL(S ]
TO ZERO.THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 16, APPROVAL OF ACCOUNTS, BILLS, CLAIMS AND PAYROLLS.
I'M SUBMITTING TO THE COURT PAID CLAIMS IN THE AMOUNT OF $87,569 AND 1 CENT, AND I ASK FOR THE COURT'S APPROVAL.
GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GOANA.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER M**K, YOUR REGISTER, YOUR VOTES PASSES FOUR TO ZERO.
I'M ALSO SUBMITTING UNPAID CLAIMS IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,112,259 AND 38 CENTS.
AND I ASK FOR THE COURT'S APPROVAL.
GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER M**K.
IF YOU'LL REGISTER YOUR VOTES THAT PASSES FOUR TO ZERO.
I'M SUBMITTING TO YOU A PAYROLL REPORT FOR THE PAY PERIOD ENDING MAY THE 10TH, 2025 IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,114,257
[01:35:03]
AND 64 CENTS.AND I ASK FOR THE COURT'S APPROVAL.
GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GOANA.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER M**K, IF YOU'LL REGISTER YOUR VOTES, THAT PASSES FOUR TO ZERO.
[17. EXECUTIVE SESSION ]
BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 17, EXECUTIVE SESSION COMMISSIONER'S COURT, EXCUSE ME, COMMISSIONER'S COURT OF ROCKWALL COUNTY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT ANY TIME DURING THE COURSE OF THIS MEETING TO DISCUSS ANY OF THE MATTERS LISTED IN THIS AGENDA.ITEM IN THE ORDER DEEMED APPROPRIATE AS AUTHORIZED BY CHAPTER 5 51 OPEN MEETING, SUB CHAPTER D TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, OR TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF ITS ATTORNEY.
WE ARE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON PERSONNEL MATTERS TO DISCUSS THE RETIREMENT OF ELECTED OFFICIAL EFFECTIVE MAY 31ST, 2025, AND FILLING THE VACANCY OF AN UNEXPIRED TERM OF CONSTABLE PRECINCT THREE.
AND UNDER THE ADVICE OF COUNSEL, THE PLATS RESUBMITTED FOR RIVER ROCK TRAILS AT 10 36.
[18. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION ]
ALL RIGHT EVERYONE.WE'RE GONNA RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION PURSUANT TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, CHAPTER 5 5 1 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.001.
THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WILL RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION TO TAKE ANY ACTION NECESSARY ON MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I'M GONNA MOVE THAT THE COURT APPOINT STEVE FRAZIER TO SERVE AS CONSTABLE PRECINCT.
THREE, PURSUANT TO TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION EIGHT 7.041, SUBJECT TO MR. FRAZIER MEETING THE LEGAL QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENT EFFECTIVE ON JUNE 1ST, 2025.
WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ALANA, IF YOU'LL REGISTER YOUR VOTES NOW THAT PASSES FOUR TO ZERO WHEN MS. WEBB WILL GET IN TOUCH WITH HIM AND LET HIM
[19. COMMISSIONERS COURT REPORTS ]
KNOW.THAT BRINGS US TO THE MUCH ANTICIPATED COMMISSIONER COURT REPORTS.
LANA, UH, I JUST WANNA, UH, REITERATE, UH, MY THANKS FOR OUR, UH, MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN, UM, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES, UH, IN SERVICE TO OUR GREAT NATION AND TO EXPRESS OUR DEEP GRATITUDE FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
AND I'M JUST REALLY GONNA SECOND THAT ONE AS WELL, BECAUSE IT IT WAS SUCH A GREAT WEEKEND.
UM, AND YESTERDAY AS WELL AS ON SUN SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FOR EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND SEEING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED THOSE EVENTS JUST SPEAK SO MUCH ABOUT WHO ROCKWELL REALLY IS AND HOW WE DO SUPPORT THAT.
YEAH, YOU YOU HAD ANOTHER THING.
YOU TRIED TO START, START THE MEETING WITH ANOTHER THING.
SINCE IT'S MY TURN, I'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
UM, WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO VISIT WITH, BECAUSE WE, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE IT ON THE, UM, AGENDA, SO TO SPEAK, BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE BUDGETING PROCESS.
AND IN THE PAST, UM, AND I WANNA APPLAUD FRANK FOR YOU, JUDGE, FOR WANTING US TO KIND OF SOMEHOW HAVE SOME TRANSPARENCY, BUT ALSO HAVE SOME COLLABORATION BETWEEN ALL OF US.
UM, IT WASN'T REALLY UNTIL WE STARTED GETTING THE, I DON'T KNOW, EIGHT OR NINE DIFFERENT, UM, UM, UM, I'M AGENDA, UH, CALENDAR INVITES.
IT BECAME, IT KIND OF BECAME, I STARTED THINKING ABOUT IT AND ALTHOUGH I, I, I, I LIKE THE CREATION OF IT.
I, I DO BELIEVE THAT, THAT THERE'S A PART OF ME THAT I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING THESE AS OPEN MEETINGS MM-HMM
UM, WHEREAS IN THE PAST, I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF VALUE TO YOU MEETING INDIVIDUALLY WITH THE, THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND SO THAT DISCUSSIONS COULD BE HAD, AND IT'S NOT LIKE, I'M TRYING TO SAY THAT, THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT WAS NOT BEING SHARED WITH THE, WITH THE CITIZENS AS A, AS A WHOLE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST EVEN ON A, ON OUR OWN PUBLIC, ON OUR OWN PRIVATE, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I, WHEN WE MAYBE PUT A BUDGET TOGETHER OR WE MAKE DECISIONS ON CERTAIN THINGS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE LIKE TO TRY TO DO, YOU KNOW, COLLECTIVELY BETWEEN THE UNIT.
AND THEN WE CAN THEN MAKE THOSE, THOSE OPEN IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, GROUPS THAT WE SUPPORT AND, AND LET THEM KNOW THAT.
AND I'M, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO, WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS I, I DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, UM, NOW THAT I'VE HAD TIME TO ABSORB IT.
AND, UM, I, I, I GUESS I'M JUST THINKING THAT IT WOULD BE BEST IF WE MAYBE SIT IN ANOTHER, PERHAPS IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AS A COURT AND WE TALK ABOUT REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH MEETING, UM, WITH EACH ONE OF THE, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THE DEPARTMENT SPECIFICALLY,
[01:40:01]
AND DOING IT IN AN OPEN, IN AN OPEN, UM, SESSION AND, AND INVOLVING ALL FIVE OF US EACH AND EVERY TIME.AND I UNDERSTAND THE, THE LEGALITY REASON OF THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT IF WE GET A QUORUM MM-HMM
UM, AND I, SO I'M NOT, I'M, I'M, I GUESS I'M JUST, I'M KIND OF HAVING SOME SECOND, SECOND, UH, I, I CAN I THINK, ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
SO THE, THE REASONING BEHIND IT WAS TYPICALLY THE AUDITOR AND I MEET WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD, AND THIS GOES ON FOR A MONTH MORE.
UH, AND THEN IT, WE, WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE WE EVEN GET OUR CERTIFIED TAX VALUES.
AND SO THEN WE GO BACK AND HAVE TO MAKE THE REQUEST FIT INTO THE CERTIFIED TAX VALUES.
AND THEN I COME PRESENT IT TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT, WHERE RIGHTFULLY SO EVERYONE SAYS, HEY, WHY DID YOU DO THIS? OR WHY DID YOU LEAVE OUT THIS? BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE DEPARTMENT HEAD STARTS SINGLING, UH, EACH MEMBER OUT FROM THE HERD TO, TO GIVE THEIR SALES PITCH FOR WHAT THEY NEED.
AND IT FORCES ME EITHER TO GO BACK TO MY NOTES, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN THE BINDER I HAVE AT THE END OF A BUDGET.
IT'S, IT'S ABOUT 12, 12 INCHES TALL OF JUST NOTES AND FORCES ME TO COME BACK AND DEFEND WHY I DID OR DIDN'T DO SOMETHING WHEN THEY SHOULD BE PRESENTING IT TO THE COURT TO YOU DIRECTLY.
NOW, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR ANALOGY OF, OF YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND HAVING THE PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS.
I WOULDN'T WANT MY BUDGET OUT IN THE OPEN EITHER, BUT WE'RE SPENDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
SO WHAT I'VE TOLD MANY DEPARTMENT HEADS IS, WHEN YOU COME PRESENT, YOU'RE NOT ONLY PRESENTING TO THE COURT, YOU'RE PRESENTING TO THE CITIZENS OF ROCKWALL COUNTY.
AND THAT WILL ALLOW THE CITIZENS TO APPLY PRESSURE TO US AND ALLOW THEM TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE CITIZENS.
UH, THERE, THERE'S OTHER COUNTIES THAT DO IT THIS WAY, AND IT IS ME HAVING AN OPEN DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS.
UH, SO IT, IT IS JUST GETTING, GETTING IT ALL OUT ON THE TABLE RIGHT UP FRONT.
I WASN'T AWARE THERE WERE OTHER COUNTIES DOING IT.
SO THAT YOU, YOU'VE ANSWERED ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
WHAT COUNTIES ARE YOU DOING? THE KAUFMAN COUNTY IS THE ONE THAT, THAT DOES IT THIS WAY.
AND WHEN THEY GET THROUGH THE WORKSHOPS, THE, THE BUDGET'S DONE.
I MEAN, THEY'VE HAD ALL THE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, AND THIS WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO TALK DIRECTLY TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT HERE'S WHAT I NEED, HERE'S WHY I NEED IT.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW, I THOUGHT THERE WAS A CODE, UM, THAT SAID THAT THE JUDGE WAS, WAS THE PERSON.
THE, THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE BUDGET WILL BE MINE AND THE AUDITOR'S DRAFT, AND IT, MY DRAFT, THE AUDITOR HAS TO CERTIFY, YES, WE HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO THIS, TO DO THIS.
SO THE FIRST DRAFT WILL STILL BE MINE, BUT YOU, BUT IT'LL, AFTER ALL OF THESE, AFTER ALL OF THESE, YOU WILL HAVE HEARD THE SAME THING I HEARD.
YEAH, I THINK WE COULD, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DO IT.
IT MAY BE A QUICK WORKSHOP, UM, JUST TO DISCUSS HOW THIS PROCESS IS GONNA GO SINCE IT'LL BE NEW FOR US.
BUT I'M IN A A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREEMENT WITH YOU, JUDGE.
I, I MEAN, I, WHEN I CAMPAIGNED FOR THIS ROLE, IT PARTLY, PART OF IT WAS ON THIS, I WANTED A MORE TRANSPARENT BUDGET PROCESS, AND I WANTED THE DEPARTMENTS TO COME TO US AND, AND EXPLAIN WHAT THEY WERE ASKING FOR.
UM, SO THAT WE GOT AWAY FROM THIS, I'M GONNA ASK FOR MORE THAN I NEED STUFF, AND I'M GONNA SPEND ALL THAT I HAVE, SO I GET IT BACK NEXT YEAR'S STUFF, BECAUSE THAT'S DISINGENUOUS TO OUR TAXPAYERS.
AND SO I WANT A PROCESS THAT, UM, PUTS PEOPLE IN A POSITION TO HAVE TO STREAMLINE WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR, WHERE IT'S NOT ALL THE PRESSURE IS NOT ON, AND NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT, BUT ALL THE PRESSURE IS NOT ON YOU TO PRODUCE A FIRST BUDGET THAT EVERYBODY CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT.
WE'VE ALL HEARD THE INPUT THAT GOES INTO THAT NOW, AND WE'VE ALL HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT, OR THE ABILITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING INTO THAT FIRST RUN.
UM, SO THAT WE'RE NOT, UM, STARTING FROM A PLACE THAT'S, UH, MAYBE AMBIGUOUS TO SOME OF US, UM, AND REQUIRES A WHOLE LOT OF BACK AND FORTH.
NOW WE CAN START WITH A GOOD, WHAT I HOPE TO BE A REALLY GOOD FIRST BUDGET AND JUST TIGHTEN THE SCREWS FROM THERE A LITTLE BIT.
THAT'S MY HOPE AS WELL, THAT IT, IT CONDENSES.
AND, AND, AND, AND I THINK THE GREAT THING, BECAUSE I GO BACK TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, IS THAT THERE IS A NUMBER OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEIR BUDGET THAT IS TIED TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND SOME OF THE INITIATIVES AND THE, THE GOALS AND INITIATIVES OF THAT.
[01:45:01]
OF WHERE I, WHERE WHERE I WAS GOING.I JUST GUESS THAT, UM, I WOULD, I DON'T HAVE A GOOD FEELING ABOUT WHAT THE PRO PROCESS IS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO START THESE IN ABOUT A WEEK FROM NOW.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I WAS COMING.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY HOW THE PROCESS AND WHAT IS EXPECTED.
SO YEAH, I GUESS MAYBE THAT'S WITH ME HAVING GONE THROUGH TWO WHERE I'M THE POINT AND THEY'RE PRESENTING TO ME, IT, IT TRULY IS THAT SIMPLE.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY BRING IN THEIR REQUEST AND, UH, SOME, UH, WILL MAKE, AS YOU'LL SEE AN EMOTIONAL REQUEST, OTHERS WILL MAKE A, A DATA DRIVEN REQUEST OF HERE'S WHAT I NEED, HERE'S OUR PROJECTIONS, HERE'S WHERE I'M GOING.
UH, AND OTHERS WILL SAY, HERE'S WHAT I'VE USED.
I DIDN'T SPEND IT, AND I'M NOT GONNA ASK FOR IT.
SO YOU, YOU, YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE THE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES IN, IN PRESENTING.
UM, SO, UM, AND, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE A WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS IT IF, IF WE WANT TO.
I THINK SINCE WE START IN ABOUT A WEEK, UH, WE, WE'LL, WE'LL, UH, WE WILL FIGURE IT OUT.
IT, I, I WILL TELL YOU, IT'S NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF.
UM, IT, IT, IT, IT IS, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH, A LOT OF WHY DO, DO, DO YOU NEED, I MEAN, WHY DO WE NEED THIS? WHY, WHY AREN'T WE ASKING FOR THIS? I MEAN, YES, MA'AM.
SO I, I THINK, UH, KIND OF JUST TO WALK YOU THROUGH WHEN IN THE PAST WHEN PEOPLE HAVE MET WITH THE JUDGE, THE JUDGE, WE, WE GIVE THEM THEIR PAPERWORK.
WE BEING THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, GIVE THEM THEIR, THEIR BLANK PAPERWORK FOR FY 26.
WE GIVE THEM SIX MONTHS WORTH OF THEIR CURRENT, THE BUDGET YEAR THAT THEY'RE IN, WHICH IS FY 25.
SO THEY CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE TRENDING OF.
SO WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO GET THEM UP HERE AT THE PODIUM TO SPEAK TO YOU, THEY'RE GOING TO BRING THAT SHEET OF PAPER IN TO YOU THAT SHOWS THE, THE LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS.
UH, IT'LL SHOW A COUPLE OF YEARS, UH, LIKE LET'S SAY OFFICE SUPPLIES $5,000.
AND IT'LL SHOW HISTORICALLY WHETHER THEY HAVE SPENT THAT MUCH OR NOT SPENT THAT MUCH.
AND THEN THEY'LL, THEY'LL GIVE YOU A REASON, UH, WHY THEY NEED MORE.
OR MAYBE WITH TRAVEL AND TRAINING, THEY'LL SAY, HEY, I'VE GOT THREE PEOPLE NOW THAT I'M TRYING TO GET CERTIFIED FOR THIS, SO I NEED $3,000 MORE TRAVEL MONEY.
UM, SO YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
UM, HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE IT UP ON THE SCREEN, BUT YOU'LL HAVE SOMETHING TO COMPARE WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT YOU CAN SEE IT BLACK AND WHITE.
PROBABLY THE BEST THING TO BRING WITH YOU ALL IS YOUR FY 25 BUDGET, UH, TO SEE WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY GIVEN.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEE WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR IN THE PAST TO WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD ABOUT THAT, BUT EXCEPT THAT WITH ALL THE EMAILS I GOT LAST WEEK, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP, LET'S DO IT COMBINED WITH ONE OF THOSE
THERE'S A LOT OF WORKSHOPS TALK ABOUT HOW WE GONNA GONNA DO WORKSHOPS YEP.
BUT, BUT I, I CONCUR EXACTLY WITH WHAT, UH, BOTH COMMISSIONER, UH, GOANA AND COMMISSIONER M**K SAID, UH, THANKING THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES TO GIVE US FREEDOM AND, AND THANKING OUR COUNTY FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB OF RECOGNIZING THOSE FOLKS AND SERVICEMEN AND VETERANS IN GENERAL.
UM, SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE, UH, CARRY THE LOAD, I DON'T KNOW, I THINK YOU WERE THERE, UH, COMMISSIONER.
UM, BUT THE GENTLEMAN THAT SPOKE SAID SOMETHING THAT REALLY HAD AN IMPACT.
HE SAID, WHEN YOU DIE IN BATTLE, YOU DIE TWICE.
HE SAID, YOU DIE WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR LIFE IN THE BATTLE, AND THEN YOU DIE WHEN PEOPLE NO LONGER SPEAK YOUR NAME.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THE NAMES OF TWO PEOPLE THAT WERE FROM MY HOMETOWN, UM, RAYMOND CHOS, WHO WAS, UM, MY UNCLE'S BEST FRIEND DIED IN WORLD WAR II.
UM, AND LYLE JOHANNES, WHO WAS A BROTHER OF A CLASSMATE OF MINE, DIED IN VIETNAM.
[01:50:01]
I TOO AM GOING TO ECHO, UM, NOT ONLY THE STATEMENTS, BUT WHAT COMMISSIONER LICHTY SAID.IT IS, UM, HEARTWARMING THAT OUR COUNTY TAKES, UH, IT SO SERIOUSLY, UH, AND DOES SUCH A FANTASTIC JOB HONORING THOSE.
UM, AND I'M GOING TO FINISH BY SAYING WE HAVE A THREE O'CLOCK, NOT A WORKSHOP, BUT AN ANNEX TOUR TODAY.
UH, THE PUBLIC IS NOT WELCOME TO IT, BUT WE ARE TOURING THE NEW ANNEX.
WE'RE FAR ENOUGH ALONG THAT, THAT IT'S, IT'S TIME TO TOUR IT, SO THAT, THAT'S EXCITING.
UH, AND AT 1206, WE ARE ADJOURNED.