* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] GOOD MORNING. [A) INVOCATION] UH, WELCOME TO ROCKWALL COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT. IT'S AUGUST 26TH, 2025. WE'VE GOT A GREAT AGENDA AHEAD OF US. BEFORE WE GET STARTED THAT, ON THAT THOUGH, I'D LIKE YOU ALL TO STAND AND WE'LL GO AHEAD, THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGES. UM, I'M GONNA GIVE THE INVOCATION TODAY, BUT, UH, BEFORE I DO, I WANNA RECOGNIZE A FORMER MEMBER OF THIS COURT, BRUCE BEATTY, WHO RECENTLY PASSED AWAY. BRUCE HAD A GREAT CAREER, DID A LOT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. HE WAS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN PRECINCT THREE FROM 1997 TO 2008, AND IT DID A LOT WHILE HE WAS ON THE COURT. SO I'D ASK YOU ALL JUST TO TAKE A MOMENT IN SILENCE. REMEMBER, BRUCE DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH THAT WE LIVE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, THAT WE HAVE TO, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE FREEDOM AND LIBERTY THAT WE DO. HELP US TO ALWAYS REMEMBER THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT TO OUR EVERYDAY LIVES, AND ALWAYS BE VIGILANT TO STAND AND FIGHT FOR IT AND UPHOLD IT. WE PRAY TODAY, LORD GOD, THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US WISDOM AS WE DELIBERATE THAT THESE DECISIONS THAT SOMETIMES SEEM MUNDANE, WE KNOW AFFECT PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY, AND HELP US TO HANDLE THOSE IN A WAY THAT WE SHOULD. AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR WILL AND YOUR PURPOSE FOR OUR COUNTY. WE ASK TODAY THAT YOU WOULD PUT YOUR HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, ESPECIALLY THE SHERIFFS, POLICE OFFICERS IN THIS COUNTY, THE FIREMEN IN THIS COUNTY, AND ALL THOSE WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE EVERY DAY TO PROTECT US AND PROTECT THE FREEDOM AND LIBERTY YOU'VE GIVEN US. FINALLY, LORD, I'D ASK THAT WE ALL REMEMBER TO SHOW YOUR LOVE TO EVERYONE WE MEET IN EVERY WAY, AND IT'S SET OUT BEFORE US TO SHOW HONOR TO WHERE THOSE WHO WERE HONOR IS DUE TO SHOW RESPECT TO EVERYONE. AND JUST TO REACH OUT TO EVERYONE IN YOUR LOVE. WE ASK ALL THIS IN THE NAME OF CHRIST OR SAVIOR. AMEN. THE PLEDGES WILL BE GIVEN TODAY BY, UH, COMMISSIONER STACEY. ALRIGHT, FIRST, THE AMERICAN FLY. I PLEDGE CHOOSE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH TO STAND, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. AND TO THE TEXAS HONOR, THE TEXAS FLAG PLEDGE, THE ALLEGIANCE TO BE TEXASES, ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AN INDIVISIBLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU MAY BE SEATED. OKAY, [a) Presentation - Amy Sanders, CPTM - Director, Zero Suicide & MHFA - North Texas Behavioral Health Authority] WE HAVE TODAY A PRESENTATION, UH, AND BY AMY SANDERS, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF ZERO SUICIDE, UH, PROGRAM WITH THE NORTH TEXAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY. UM, MS. SANDERS, THANKS FOR COMING OVER AND, UM, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. THANKS. ALL RIGHT, SO GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME IN THIS MORNING AND TALK ABOUT A VERY IMPORTANT INITIATIVE THAT WE ARE STARTING HERE IN ROCKWELL COUNTY. SO, UM, AS WAS MENTIONED, MY NAME IS AMY SANDERS. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF ZERO SUICIDE AND MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AT THE NOR TEXAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY. UM, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH NPA, WE ARE THE LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR ROCKWALL COUNTY, AS WELL AS DALLAS ELLIS HUNT. ROCKWALL, NO, LET'S SEE, ELLIS HUNT, NAVARRO AND KAUFMAN COUNTIES. SO WE'VE GOT SIX COUNTIES, UM, THAT WE SERVE. AND OF COURSE WE PROVIDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THROUGH OUR NETWORK OF PROVIDERS, UM, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY EDUCATION. SO WE OFFER FREE EDUCATION ON MENTAL HEALTH, UM, SUICIDE PREVENTION, UH, WHICH IS A BIG THING FOR ME, UM, PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. AND SO, UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS AWARE THAT WE OFFER THOSE THINGS. SO NOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THIS NEW PROGRAM THAT WE'RE OFFERING. IT'S CALLED LOSS TEAM. SO LOSS STANDS FOR LOCAL OUTREACH TO SUICIDE SURVIVORS. SO THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE PROGRAM, AND THE FACT THAT, UM, WE ARE SPECIFICALLY TARGETING, IT'S AN ACTIVE, UM, PROGRAM WHERE WE ARE GOING OUT AND VISITING WITH SURVIVORS, UM, WHO HAVE LOST SOMEONE TO SUICIDE, WHETHER IT'S A FAMILY MEMBER, A FRIEND, A COWORKER, [00:05:01] UM, WHOEVER IT MIGHT BE, SOMEONE THAT'S STRUGGLING WITH SOMETHING THAT THEY SEE, UM, ON TV PEOPLE THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW. UM, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THEM AND PROVIDE THEM WITH IMPORTANT RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED. A LOT OF TIMES, OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, UM, WHAT THEY NEED WHEN A TRAGEDY LIKE THIS OCCURS. SO WE OFFER EVERYTHING FROM RESTORATION SERVICES, UM, ALL THE WAY THROUGH CARRYING CONTACTS, UM, FOR A YEAR, MAYBE EVEN TWO YEARS. WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING THE PROGRAM TO DECIDE WHAT'S GONNA WORK BEST, UM, FOR US. SO, AS YOU SEE THERE IN YOUR PACKET, UM, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THE, UM, INFORMATION THAT WE PROVIDE TO SURVIVORS. UM, WE GIVE THEM RESOURCES, LOTS AND LOTS OF RESOURCES, BOTH LOCAL RESOURCES AND RESOURCES ON A NATIONAL LEVEL. UM, WE KNOW THAT POSTVENTION CARE, UM, FOR SUICIDE SURVIVORS IS PREVENTION. UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO HAS LOST SOMEONE TO SUICIDE, UM, THEY'RE NOW AT AN ELEVATED RISK OF, UM, ATTEMPTING OR DYING BY SUICIDE THEMSELVES. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE THEM IN AND WE TAKE CARE OF THEM, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE READY FOR IT, UM, IN THE MOMENT. UM, THE WAY THAT THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED, UM, IT'S VERY UNIQUE IN THE FACT THAT THE VOLUNTEERS THAT MAKE UP THE, THE MAJORITY OF THIS PROGRAM ARE SUICIDE SURVIVORS THEMSELVES. SO WHENEVER THEY MAKE THAT INITIAL CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS JUST LOST A CHILD OR JUST LOST, UM, A HUSBAND OR WHOEVER IT MIGHT BE, UM, THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE TALKING TO SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN IN THEIR SHOES. AND THAT CHANGES THE WHOLE PARADIGM, UM, OF THE SITUATION. AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE SUICIDES AND KNOW THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL HERE IN ROCKWELL COUNTY. UM, BUT WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT, UM, THROUGH PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO HELP US BUILD THIS PROGRAM AND WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE IN ROCKWALL COUNTY, UM, OUTTA ROSE CITY. UM, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT US WITH, UM, SOME SURVIVORS, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THESE RESOURCES WITH A CARE PACKAGE. AND IT'S JUST A BAG THAT HAS TISSUES, THAT HAS WATER, IT HAS THE RESOURCES IN THERE, UM, INFORMATION ON SUPPORT GROUPS, WHICH IS INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO CONNECT. UM, WHETHER IT'S NOW SOME PEOPLE WAIT, YOU KNOW, LATER, UM, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE NEED THEM TO CONNECT, UM, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THAT FIRST SIX MONTHS TO OTHER PEOPLE, UM, WHO THEY CAN JUST TALK TO AND LET SOME OF THE EMOTIONS AND THE FEELINGS AND THINGS OUT, UM, THAT THEY NEED TO IN ORDER TO, TO TURN, UM, IN THEIR JOURNEY AND START THE HEALING PROCESS. VERY IMPORTANT. I HAVE MY GLASSES ON AS I CAN SEE. ALL RIGHT, SO, UM, ONE OTHER THING THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE TOO THAT WE, UM, A REASON THAT WE WANT TO CONNECT, UM, WITH SURVIVORS IS TO BE ABLE TO OFFER CARE COORDINATION. UM, AND THAT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM MENTAL HEALTH CARE. UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE, UM, ESPECIALLY IF THEY LOSE A SPOUSE, THAT MAY BE THE, UM, THE INCOME EARNER FOR THE FAMILY. UM, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND MAYBE THEY NEED RENTAL ASSISTANCE. MAYBE THEY NEED, UM, OTHER ASSISTANCE THAT WE JUST DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT. UM, AND WE'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, CONNECT WITH THEM AND PROVIDE THEM THOSE RESOURCES, UM, WHERE TO GO, WHO TO TALK TO, CONNECT THEM WITH PEOPLE. THAT JUST HELPS, UM, ALONG THIS JOURNEY IN THIS PROCESS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, I MENTIONED, UM, OUR CARING CONTACT PROCESS, WHICH, UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY CONNECTED WITH THESE SURVIVORS FOR AT LEAST A YEAR. UM, I'M HOPING THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO BUILD A PROGRAM WHERE IT'S GONNA BE 18 MONTHS TO EVEN TWO YEARS. AND WHAT ULTIMATELY, ULTIMATELY WE SEE AND WE HOPE TO SEE HAPPEN IS THAT SOME OF THESE SURVIVORS WILL, UM, BE SO ENGAGED WITH THE PROCESS THAT IN TURN THEY WANT TO HELP PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SAME THING. AND THEN WE HAVE MORE SUPPORT GROUPS AVAILABLE AND MORE SURVIVORS THAT ARE ABLE TO, UM, TALK TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE IN NEED, AND THEY'VE, UM, EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF TRAGEDY. SO RIGHT NOW, UM, AS WE ROLL OUT THIS PROCESS, AND AGAIN, IT'S VERY NEW, UM, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE RELYING ON WORD OF MOUTH AND IT'S WORKING BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED, UM, JUST TO HAVE THIS PROGRAM IN, IN PLACE, UM, AND JUST HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. UM, THE SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE ARE KEY, KEY POINTS IN THAT. I MEAN, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WILL CALL ME AND SAY, WHERE ARE WE AT? WHAT CAN WE DO? IS THERE ANYTHING? CAN I PUT PACKETS TOGETHER TODAY? UM, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. UM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, I'M ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. MY DAUGHTER ATTEMPTED, UM, AND SURVIVED. AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I'M LUCKY. UM, AND I AM VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT SUICIDE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION. AND I WAS IN BANKING FOR 20 YEARS, AND THE GOOD LORD PUT ME WHERE I NEEDED TO BE TO DO THIS WORK, UM, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT. SO, AS I MENTIONED, RIGHT NOW, WE'RE DOING THE DELAYED PROCESS, UM, [00:10:01] OF REACHING OUT. SO WHEN SOMEONE CONTACTS US, UM, WE WILL REACH OUT TO SOMEONE. OR WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENED IN MOST CASES NOW, UM, ARE, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMEONE WHO HAS A CONTACT IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, THEY KNOW SOMEONE THAT'S DIED BY SUICIDE AND OR EXPERIENCED, UM, A FAMILY MEMBER OR A FRIEND THAT HAS EXPERIENCED A LOVED ONE DIED BY SUICIDE. AND, UM, THEY COME TO ME, THEY GIVE, THEY GET THE PACKET, THEY GET THE RESOURCES INFORMATION AND TAKE IT TO THEM THEMSELVES. AND THEN IF THE PERSON IS WILLING, THEY GIVE US THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION AND WE CAN REACH BACK OUT TO THEM TO START THAT CARE COORDINATION PROCESS AND THE PROCESS ON, YOU KNOW, HAVE GONE ONGOING CARE, UM, COORDINATION AND THAT CONTACT, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND WHAT, UM, THE TEAM, UH, THAT IS HELPING ME BUILD THIS IN ROY CITY. UM, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS THEY'RE READY TO GO OUT ON THE SCENE, UM, AND ACTUALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, HELP IN THE MOMENT AND MAKE THAT CONTACT IN THE MOMENT. WE KNOW THAT THAT'S THE MOST POWERFUL WAY, UM, TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION IS RIGHT THERE IN THE MOMENT. UM, IT'S CHALLENGING BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT, UM, THAT WE HA WE KNOW WE HAVE TO DO AND BE VERY CAUTIOUS OF, UM, ON THAT SIDE BECAUSE THE SCENE IS USUALLY A CRIME SCENE UNTIL, UM, YOU KNOW, UNTIL DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE, UM, THAT IT IS DECLARED A SUICIDE. UM, BUT THERE'S TRAINING THAT THE LOST TEAMS GO THROUGH, UM, TO BE ABLE TO LEARN, UM, ABOUT THE ETIQUETTE ON SCENE. UM, REALLY WHAT WHAT IT ENTAILS IS US TAKING THE SURVIVORS KIND OF AWAY AND LET THE, UM, THE POLICE, THE COUNTY, WHOEVER IT IS THAT ARE DOING THE WORK ON THE SCENE, THE INVESTIGATORS, THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THEIR PROCESS AND WE TAKE CARE OF THE FAMILY, UM, GIVE THEM THOSE RESOURCES AND, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKE THOSE CONTACTS WITH THEM AND TRY TO COMFORT THEM, UM, THE BEST THAT WE CAN IN THAT MOMENT. UM, WE'LL GET THERE HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT. UM, BUT RIGHT NOW THE DELAYED CONTACT IS WORKING VERY WELL, AND IT STILL ALLOWS US TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO PUT THESE RESOURCES IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THEM THE MOST. WHAT I ASK OF YOU, UM, IS FOR YOUR HELP IN HELPING US FURTHER IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM, UM, AS WE ARE MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING, UM, PROCEDURES FOR ON SCENE AND ALSO DELAYED RESPONSE. AND, UM, WHAT WE NEED IS JUST TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN THERE'S A SUICIDE THAT HAS OCCURRED, UM, IN THE COUNTY. SO, AS I MENTIONED, RIGHT NOW, UM, WE ARE RELYING ON WORD OF MOUTH, PEOPLE CONTACTING US, WHICH YOU SEE, WE HAVE A LOST TEAM EMAIL, WE HAVE A PHONE NUMBER THAT PEOPLE CAN CONTACT US, CONTACT ME. UM, I'M THE DEPARTMENT OF ONE RIGHT NOW. UM, BUT I HAVE LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS AND OF COURSE I A WHOLE RANGE OF, UM, PROVIDERS CARE COORDINATION THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, BACK ME UP IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO. UM, BUT WE JUST NEED HELP IN, YOU KNOW, FIGURING OUT WHAT THIS PROCESS COULD LOOK LIKE, UM, WHETHER IT'S THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY GOING OUT ON SCENE, AND THAT BEING THE FIRST CONTACT IN MIDDLE OTHEN, THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY HAS BAGS. I'VE PROVIDED THEM WITH BAGS WITH ALL THE INFORMATION, AND THEY, WHEN THEY'RE OUT ON THE SCENE AND THEY KNOW THAT IT'S A SUICIDE, UM, IF THAT CAN BE DETERMINED IN THAT MOMENT, THEN UM, THEY WILL PROVIDE THE INFORMATION TO THE FAMILY RIGHT THERE ON THE SCENE, MAKE THAT CONTACT WITH THEM, LET THEM KNOW ABOUT LOST TEAM, GIVE THEM OUR CONTACT INFORMATION, AND IF THE FAMILY SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT? JUST HAVE THEM CONTACT US, THEN WE REACH OUT TO THEM, AND THAT WORKS WELL. UM, ANOTHER THING THAT WE COULD DO IS, UM, FOR THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, UM, FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO CONTACT US AND LET US KNOW. UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ON DOWN THE PROCESS, WE CAN DECIDE, UM, DO WE JUST KEEP IT AS A DELAYED RESPONSE OR DO WE BRING OUR TEAM IN ON SCENE AND PROVIDE THOSE RESOURCES AND, AND DO THAT CARE ON SITE? SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY KIND OF LOST TEAM IN, UM, A NUTSHELL. , THERE'S A LOT TO IT, OF COURSE. UM, THAT IT IS SO IMPORTANT. LIKE I MENTIONED, IT IS, IT'S PREVENTION AND PREVENTION, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO SUICIDE IS WHAT WE NEED. AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR US TO THINK BIGGER, UM, LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW WE CAN HELP PREVENT SUICIDES IN ROCKWALL COUNTY, AND, UM, ALL PLAY A PART IN THAT, ESPECIALLY COMING UP ON SUICIDE AWARE, UH, PREVENTION AND AWARENESS MONTH, UH, IN SEPTEMBER. UH, SO I THANK YOU, UM, FOR ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND ALSO NEPA FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME IN TODAY. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER STACY, FOR HELPING ME, UM, GET ON THE AGENDA AND TALK ABOUT THIS. AND I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS, ANYTHING THAT YOU MIGHT, UH, QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE, UM, OR YOU HAVE MY CONTACT INFORMATION, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME AND, UM, I'D LOVE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, MS. SANDERS IS TO MM-HMM . THANK YOU. A VERY NECESSARY PROGRAM AND VERY DIFFICULT TIME THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH, SO MM-HMM . I WISH YOU THE BEST IN ALL YOU'RE DOING. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU OR [00:15:01] NOT. OKAY. THANKS FOR COMING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE APPRECIATE IT. AND WISH YOU THE BEST. YEAH, THANK YOU. ALSO, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU, YOU MENTIONED THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE I'D GET THEIR NAMES AND CONTACT ALL OF 'EM INDIVIDUALLY. I THINK THAT'D BE A GOOD THING FOR YOU TO DO. OKAY, THANK YOU. THANKS. ALRIGHT. UH, THE NEXT [1. PUBLIC FORUM] ITEM ON OUR AGENDA. THE FIRST ITEM ACTUALLY IS THE PUBLIC FORUM. THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT ABOUT ANY MATTERS AT ALL. I DIDN'T GET NOTICE THAT ANYONE SIGNED, BUT IN, UH, HONOR OF THE TRADITION OF OUR GREAT JUDGE, FRANK NEW, I WILL SAY, IF ANYONE HAS ANYTHING TO SPEAK, FEEL FREE TO COME UP NOW. AND WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA ASSUME NO ONE HAS ANY PUBLIC COMMENT. SO [2. Discuss/Act on North Central Texas Housing Finance Corporation ("North Central HFC") Single Family Mortgage Revenue Bonds, Series 2025, and all related issues; (Judge New)] LET'S GO TO THE NEXT ITEM TO DISCUSS AND ACT ON THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION SINGLE FAMILY MORTGAGE REVENUE BOND SERIES 2025, AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. UM, AND WE HAVE WADE GENT HERE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION. YES, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LICHTY AND GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. UH, AS THE COURT'S AWARE, I, TOGETHER WITH TREASURER PEAK, I'M, I SERVE, UH, AS ROCKWALL COUNTY'S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION. UH, SO THIS, THE ORGANIZATION IS A, IS AN HFC FOUNDED BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE THAT, UH, WHOSE GOAL IT IS TO PROMOTE HOUSING FOR MIDDLE INCOME AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE THAT MAY BE WORK IN THE COMMUNITIES, THAT CANNOT LIVE IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE BECAUSE OF THE COST PROHIBITIONS. SO WHAT I BRING TO THE COURT TODAY IS A PROPOSAL. UM, THIS IS A, A COST NEUTRAL PROPOSAL FOR THE COUNTY. IT'S NOT, IT DOES NOT INVOLVE TAX, UH, PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION OR ANYTHING REMOVING ANY PROPERTIES FROM THE TAX ROLL. WHAT IT IS, IS A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN THE FORM OF A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. SO THE PROGRAM, UH, IS, IT'S SUBJECT TO THE SAME GUIDELINES, ESSENTIALLY AS ANY FHA LOAN. UH, IT DOES WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE F-H-A-U-S-D-A, UM, VA LOANS. ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE, UH, ARE APPLICABLE EVEN IN THE CONTEXT OF USING THIS DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. SO THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION IS A TAX EXEMPT ORGANIZATION, AND WE'RE ABLE TO ISSUE BONDS, TAX FREE BONDS FOR, UH, FUNDING OF DIFFERENT HOUSING FINANCE PROJECTS. IN THIS CASE, THE BONDS THAT ARE GONNA BE ISSUED, UH, WOULD BE INTENDED FOR USE AS UP TO 3.5% DOWN PAYMENT GRANTS FOR HOME BUYERS. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE NEW CONSTRUCTION, DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ANY PARAMETERS OTHER THAN WHAT THE FHA REQUIRES, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE, UH, ADHERENCE TO CERTAIN INCOME REQUIREMENTS. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU, UH, THE GOAL IS TO TARGET LOANS THAT ARE MADE TO, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS, TEACHERS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS, HOSPITAL WORKERS, FOLKS WHOSE INCOME DOESN'T ALLOW THEM TO PURCHASE A HOME IN THE COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE COST OF LIVING HERE. UM, SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A, A, A LOW LEVEL INVESTMENT. THIS IS FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS THAT WORKS HERE, THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE. SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT BECAUSE THE BONDS THAT WE'RE ISSUING ARE TAX EXEMPT, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO NOT ONLY GIVE THE GRANT FOR THE DOWN PAYMENT, BUT ALSO OFFER THE MORTGAGE AT A REDUCED MORTGAGE RATE. SO THE IDEA IS OBVIOUSLY TO, TO ATTRACT AND TO RETAIN FOLKS WHO WORK HERE IN THOSE INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC SERVICE, BUT CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE. NOW, THE PROGRAM DOES APPLY TO ANYBODY WHO FULFILLS THE INCOME REQUIREMENTS. UH, IN ROCKWALL, THEY TOOK THE AVERAGE, SO THE HFC COVERS 10 ENTITIES. IT'S FIVE CITIES AND FIVE COUNTIES SURROUNDING DALLAS, NOT INCLUDING DALLAS. UM, BUT FOR ROCKWALL KAUFMAN ELLIS, UH, THE MEDIAN INCOME HERE IS ABOUT $117,000. SO THE GOAL IS TO FIND HOUSING THAT'S AFFORDABLE FOR FOLKS THAT MAKE THAT RANGE OF MONEY. UH, THERE'S A, UH, VOLUME CAPITALIZATION AVAILABLE FROM TDHC, A STATE OF $25 MILLION. NOW, THERE'S A LOT MORE VOLUME, BUT WE'RE ASKING FOR 25 MILLION OF THAT TO BE ALLOCATED FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS. SO THE PROGRAM WOULD BE, UH, A SUFFICIENT TO FUND, WE PREDICT ABOUT 94 DOWN PAYMENTS FOR FOLKS IN THAT INCOME RANGE, NOT NECESSARILY ALL TO BE IN ROCKWELL COUNTY. THIS WOULD APPLY FOR THE, THE AREA THAT, THAT THE HFC COVERS. UM, THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF THE LOAN THAT ARE ISSUED UNDER PROGRAMS SIMILAR TO THIS, HAS BEEN ABOUT 266,000. SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT HAS TO BE 266,000. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S PLENTY OF HOMES IN ROCKWALL COUNTY THAT ARE [00:20:01] MORE THAN THAT. MOST HOMES IN ROCKWELL COUNTY ARE MORE THAN THAT. BUT THIS IS THE AVERAGE AND WOULD BE THE AVERAGE THAT'S PREDICT PROJECTED FOR THE ENTIRE AREA. NOW, THE HFC INCLUDES CITY OF CEDAR HILL, ELLIS COUNTY, CITY OF WAXAHATCHEE, CITY OF LANCASTER, CITY OF DESOTO, KAUFMAN COUNTY, ROCKWELL COUNTY, HUNT COUNTY, NAVARRO COUNTY. SO THE AVERAGE WOULD BE THROUGHOUT THAT ENTIRE AREA. SO HOPEFULLY THERE'S, THERE'S A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF HOMES IN ROCKWELL COUNTY THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THIS, THE HFC AND THE CONSULTANTS, THE BOND, UH, COUNCIL, THE UNDERWRITERS, THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE GONNA BE THE ONES TO MARKET IT. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY NEEDS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT. IT'S NOTHING THAT THE HFC NEEDS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT, PARDON ME. UM, WE'LL MARKET IT TO, UH, LENDERS, MORTGAGE LENDERS. WE'LL MARKET IT TO REALTORS IN THE COMMUNITY, BASICALLY TO MAKE THESE FOLKS AWARE THAT THE PROGRAM EXISTS SO THAT THEY CAN THEN PROMOTE IT TO THEIR OWN CLIENTS. SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS A RESOLUTION THAT'S REQUIRED BY THIS, BY THE GUIDELINES BY THE COUNTY TO AUTHORIZE US TO GO FORWARD WITH THE ISSUANCE OF THESE TAX FREE BONDS. I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THIS DOES NOT INVOLVE REMOVING ANY PROPERTY FROM THE PROPERTY TAX RULES AT ALL. THERE'S NO LOST REVENUE TO THE COUNTY OR ANY OF THE OTHER ENTITIES IN THE COUNTY. IT'S SIMPLY A WAY TO, TO OFFER AN INCENTIVE FOR FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING HERE THAT CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE, TO BUY A HOME HERE IN, IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT I UNDERSTAND TO BE THE CASE THAT THESE BONDS ARE NOT AN OBLIGATION OF THE COUNTY AND THAT THE COUNTY HAS NO LIABILITY ON 'EM? YES. SO THE HFC IS ITSELF A QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY. MM-HMM . AND THE HFC WOULD BE THE ONES ISSUING THE BONDS UNDER OUR OWN TAX EXEMPT STATUS. IT DOES NOT AFFECT THE BOND RATING OR ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE COUNTY ITSELF. RIGHT. AND THE COUNTY HAS NO OBLIGATION FOR IT. CORRECT. SO YOU'RE JUST ASKING, THERE'S A CERTIFICATE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN OUR PACKETS. YOU'RE JUST, THAT'S GONNA BE SIGNED BY THE COUNTY JUDGE THAT YOU'RE JUST ASKING FOR US TO ISSUE THAT CERTIFICATE, I GUESS TO TELL THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THAT THE COUNTY'S BE WILLING TO SUPPORT THIS. SO THE GUIDELINES DO REQUIRE THE CONSENT OF ALL OF THE MEMBER ENTITIES OF THE HFC BEFORE WE CAN ISSUE A BOND PROGRAM LIKE THIS. SO YES, THAT'S SIMPLY ALL WE'RE ASKING. OKAY. IS THE BLESSING, BASICALLY, AND JUST, JUST FOR THE RECORD, THIS IS NOT, NOT, DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY KIND OF MULTIFAMILY, HOME MULTIFAMILY APARTMENTS AND SO FORTH. CORRECT. THIS IS FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, STRICTLY SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT WOULD SET, THAT WOULD QUALIFY FOR FHA LOANS UNDER ANY OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES SUBJECT TO THE INCOME LIMITATIONS, QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS. ALRIGHT. UM, APPRECIATE THAT. AND, UH, LISA AND THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, OR MR. PEAK AND YOUR TREASURER'S OFFICE, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? YOU'RE ALL COPACETIC. I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR WADE. UH, THE, THIS, THE ONLY IMPACT THIS DOES HAVE TO THE COUNTY IS THAT YOU ARE ISSUING DEBT AGAINST, I MEAN, IT, IT STILL COUNTS AS OVERALL DEBT TO OUR COUNTY CITIZENS. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T BELIEVE IT DOES BECAUSE THE BONDS ARE BEING ISSUED UNDER THE HEALTH, THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION ITSELF. OKAY. AND IT'S NOT, SO THAT WOULD BE DEBT FOR THE HFC, BUT NOT FOR THE MEMBER ENTITIES. OKAY. YEAH. THAT, THAT'S REAL IMPORTANT. AND THAT'S THE F WELL, THAT THE FIRST QUESTION I ASKED, IF THERE WERE ANY COUNTY LIABILITY, I WOULD VIEW THIS VERY DIFFERENTLY. SO WE'RE CLEAR, THERE'S NOT CORRECT. CORRECT. AND MR. PEAK IS NODDING HIS HEAD AND I, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LEVEL OF DEBT THAT'S ALLOWED TO BE ISSUED INSIDE OF YOUR COUNTY. AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M, I WAS JUST OKAY ASKING, OH, IS DOES THIS IMPACT, UH, BECAUSE THE SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL, ALL OF THE ENTITIES THAT ARE ALLOWED TO ISSUE DEBT PLAY INTO THE ROLE THAT IMPACTS THE COUNTY. BUT THAT'S, THAT'S NOT BECAUSE THIS, THIS, IN ADDITION TO BEING, UH, DEBT ISSUED BY THE HFC ITSELF, UH, IT'S ALSO, UH, PROGRAM THAT'S PUT FORTH BY THE STATE, THE T-D-H-C-A. AND SO THEY ALLOCATE SO MUCH MARKET CAPITALIZATION EVERY YEAR FOR PROGRAMS LIKE THIS. UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TOTAL IS, SOMETHING IN THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS I WOULD EXPECT, BUT IN THIS CASE, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE LOCAL HFC FOR THOSE 10 ENTITIES, THE AREA SURROUNDING THOSE 10 ENTITIES TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR 25 MILLION OF THAT MONEY. SO IT'S NOT ONLY, UM, [00:25:02] DEBT THAT'S BEING ISSUED BY THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION RATHER THAN THE ENTITIES THEMSELVES, IT'S ALSO SUBJECT TO THE STATE PROGRAM THAT AUTHORIZES THIS SORT OF THING. OKAY. I HAVE NO MORE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. YEAH, I THINK IT'S JUST, IT, IT, IT ADDRESSES THE GOVERNOR'S HOUSING AFFORDABILITY INITIATIVES FOR THE WHOLE STATE OF TEXAS. AND THIS IS JUST A FUNDING MECHANISM. BUT THROUGH YOUR, YOUR CORPORATION, NOT THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY, THERE MAY BE SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN QUALIFY FOR IT BASED ON THE CREDENTIALS AND, AND THE QUALIFICATIONS YOU WENT THROUGH. RIGHT. AND HISTORICALLY, THE HFC HAS, UH, INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN PROJECTS THAT INVOLVE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING AND THE COURT'S AWARE OF SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN ROCKWELL COUNTY. THIS IS NOT THAT AT ALL. THIS IS SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. THIS, THE HFC IS AUTHOR ALSO AUTHORIZED TO, UH, CREATE PROGRAMS SUCH AS THIS THAT PROMOTE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTS. AND AS THE, UH, APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE AND ALTERNATE FOR ROCKWALL COUNTY ON THE BOARD, WE, WE, UH, MR. PEAK AND I ARE BOTH AWARE OF THE COURT, THE COUNTY'S DESIRE NOT TO ENCOURAGE, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHER, OTHER TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD A SUCCESS WITH IN THE PAST. RIGHT. SO THIS IS SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, AND THE BOARD IS AWARE OF OUR POSITION, UH, IN ROCKWALL COUNTY THAT THIS IS THE SORT OF PROGRAM THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS ON. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO COURT, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE THE CERTIFICATE AND THE FORM ENCLOSED. CORRECT. I'LL THAT MOTION. UM, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACT ON THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS HOUSING FINANCE, UM, CORPORATION KNOWN AS NORTH CENTRAL HFC SINGLE FAMILY MORTGAGE REVENUE BOND SERIES 25. I'LL SECOND. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UH, PLEASE NOTE YOUR VOTE IF YOU WOULD PLEASE. OKAY. AS SOON AS I FIGURE THIS OUT, WHICH I HAVE TO STRUGGLE WITH EVERY TIME FRANK IS GONE, UM, I KEEP, I HIT THE . ANYONE GOT SOME HELP HERE? UM, I GOT SOME HELP. I'M HITTING THIS NEXT ON BUTTON, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO TURN IT ON. YOU HAVE THE THREE BUTTON. THERE WE GO. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. INDICATE YOUR VOTE AND IT PASSES BY UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF ALL IN ATTENDANCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. MR. UM, OKAY. UM, [3. Discussion of 89th Legislative Session, Update/Overview County-related bills, action on resolution in support of or opposition to any pending actions or bills, and all related issues; (Commissioners Court)] NEXT ITEM NUMBER THREE, DISCUSSION OF 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION, UPDATE AND OVERVIEW, COUNTYWIDE RELATED BILLS, ACTION ON RESOLUTION AND SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION OF ANY ACTION OR PENDING BILLS AND ALL RELATED MATTERS. WE'VE GOT AN EXCITING SECOND SPECIAL SESSION GOING, SO I AM GOING TO GO TO, UH, MR. ALANA, THE COMMISSIONER PRECINCT ONE TO START US OUT. AND THEN IF ANYONE HAS COMMENTS, WE CAN DISCUSS IT. SOUNDS GREAT. SO, YEAH, WE'RE, UH, FULL SPEED AHEAD IN THE SECOND SPECIAL SESSION. UM, I, I'LL JUST GIVE THE BRIEF HIGHLIGHTS. THE BIGGEST NEWS, OBVIOUSLY IS THAT THE REDISTRICTING MAPS HAVE PASSED BOTH THE SENATE, UH, AND THE HOUSE. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT'S LEFT IS THE GOVERNOR TO, TO SIGN THOSE AND, AND MAKE THEM OFFICIAL, WHICH WILL, UH, I'M SURE WILL HAPPEN SOON. AND, UH, THEN OUR COUNTY WILL BE PART OF THE NEW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 32, UH, WHICH WILL INCLUDE PARTS OF DALLAS, UM, FARMER'S, BRANCH ADDISON, THE ENTIRE CITY OF RICHARDSON. UM, AND THEN, UH, OVER, UH, INTO, INTO ROCKWALL AND, AND FARTHER EAST INTO COUNTIES LIKE CAMP UPSHIRE, UM, WOULD, AND PART OF HUNT COUNTY. AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT FOR US FOR SURE. UM, THE CURRENT REPRESENTATIVE OVER THAT NEW DISTRICT WHEN IT'S FORMED UNTIL THIS NEXT ELECTION, IS JULIE JOHNSON. UM, SHE'S A DEMOCRAT OUT OF, UM, FARMER'S BRANCH IS WHERE SHE LIVES. UH, SB 10, UM, IS A BILL THAT PUTS A TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT REVENUE CAP, UM, ON COUNTIES. UM, ORIGINALLY AMENDED TO LET, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY STAND, UH, ON THE OUTSIDE OF THAT CAP WITH A 1% ADDITIONAL. UM, BUT YESTERDAY ON THE FLOOR, THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS, UH, GONE . SO THERE IS NO [00:30:01] PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, UH, EXTRA MONEY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, ON THE REVENUE CAP ANY LONGER. UM, AND FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD BY COMMISSIONER STACEY, WHO HAS SOME INFORMATION HE MIGHT LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, WAS THAT PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE MADE TO THAT TWO POINT HALF PERCENT REVENUE CAP BILL FOR EVEN FOR SMALLER COUNTIES, ARE GONNA BE WIPED OUT. AND THE BILL'S GONNA STAND, UH, ON ITS OWN WITH A TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT CAP. YEAH. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SENATE BILL WILL PREVAIL OVER THE HOUSE BILL THAT WAS PASSED. YES. AND SO IT'S, IT'S IN CONFERENCE AND THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IS GONNA HAPPEN, IS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DEALING WITH A TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT REVENUE CAP. AND, AND PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHY IS THAT BAD TO CAP IT? AND WHEN YOU'RE IN AN INFLATIONARY, UM, UH, PERIOD, UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S TOUGH. AND, UH, WHEN YOU'RE A GROWING COUNTY, THAT TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT CAP, UM, IS, IS TOUGH. AND WE'LL, WE WILL MANAGE WHAT WE HAVE TO, UM, AND WE'LL, WE'LL DO WHAT'S NEEDED. BUT IT'S JUST, UH, MORE AND MORE, AUSTIN SEEMS TO BE, UH, PUTTING PARAMETERS AROUND HOW YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UM, OPERATES. AND THAT'S, UM, I MEAN, FOR MANY OF US, AND I'LL JUST KIND OF SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY THAT GOVERNMENTS DESIGNED, UH, TO WORK, IN MY OPINION. I DON'T THINK AUSTIN KNOWS WHAT'S BEST FOR ROCKWALL COUNTY. I THINK ALL OF YOU AND EVERYBODY LISTENING AND OUR CITIZENS HERE KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR ROCKWALL COUNTY. AND IF WE'RE DOING SOMETHING YOU DON'T LIKE, YOU CAN JUST VOTE US RIGHT OUTTA OFFICE. SO I THINK THAT'S, UH, THAT'S HOW WE MANAGE GOVERNMENT HERE. SO I I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU. SURE. UM, THAT IS, WHAT ARE THE LIMITS ON THAT? IT IS NOT TWO AND A HALF PERCENT JUST FLAT OUT REVENUE CAP, IS IT? WELL, IT, IT DOES INCLUDE OBVIOUSLY NEW REVENUE. RIGHT. BUT IT, BUT THAT'S THE CAP YOU CAN PUT ON EXISTING, RIGHT? YES. SO IS IT THREE AND A HALF NOW, LISA, FOR THE VOTER APPROVE RATE? SO, SO IT WAS BRINGING IT FROM THREE AND A HALF TO TWO AND A HALF, RIGHT? THAT'S WHY THE 1% FOR PUBLIC SAFETY WAS KIND OF THROWN IN THERE ON A FLOOR AMENDMENT, WAS TO TRY TO GET AS CLOSER WHILE STILL HAVING A CAP GET AS CLOSER TO WHERE IT WAS. SO JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, IF I'M RUNNING MY NUMBERS RIGHT, THIS YEAR WE ARE ADDING A NEW COURT, CORRECT. DISTRICT COURT, RIGHT? THAT'S GONNA COST ABOUT $1.7 MILLION A YEAR TO OPERATE, RIGHT? THE TWO AND A HALF PERCENT CAP WOULD BE ABOUT 1.325 MILLION. SO LITERALLY, UH, WITHOUT GROWTH, THE STATE IS SAYING THAT WE COULD NOT FUND THE NECESSARY OPERATIONS OF THAT NEW COURT, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU RIGHT. THAT'S COR THAT'S CORRECT. AND THAT'S A NEW COURT THAT THE STATE SAID THAT WE NEEDED TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE APPROPRIATELY. THAT'S RIGHT. AND SO E EVERYBODY, NO, NO ONE WANTS TAXES TO GO UP. AND I TOTALLY GET THAT. I CERTAINLY DON'T. BUT THIS IS JUST A REAL EXAMPLE. IF THIS 2.5% CAP WERE TO PASS, THEN WITHOUT GROWTH, OR IF WE ENTER, IF WE ENTER INTO A PERIOD OF DECLINING HOME VALUES, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY IS ALREADY HAPPENING AND IS GONNA HAPPEN MORE, WE LITERALLY, EVERY DOLLAR WE COULD RAISE KNEW WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THAT COURT, AND IT WOULDN'T EVEN BE ENOUGH TO COVER IT. SO THAT WOULD MEAN NO PAY RAISES, THAT WOULD MEAN NO NEW CARS. THAT WOULD MEAN ALL THOSE THINGS. SO, UH, WE GET A LOT OF INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING, UH, BUDGETS, AND WE SHOULD, YEAH. AND WE GET A LOT OF INPUT REGARDING THE DESIRE TO KEEP OUR TAXES LOW. AND I GIVE THAT INPUT MYSELF. I WANT OUR TAXES LOW, BUT THESE OUTSIDE, UH, RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE PLAYED UPON, PLACED UPON US OR EVERY COUNTY, MAKE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. AND THAT'S JUST A REAL LIFE EXAMPLE, Y'ALL, OF WHAT THIS DOES. IT IS, IT'S REALLY THE, UH, AUSTIN IS TRYING TO COME UP WITH THIS HOMOGENOUS PLAN, UM, FOR EVERY COUNTY, THAT EVERY COUNTY SHOULD OPERATE THE SAME WAY. AND AS WE KNOW, UM, THERE ARE VERY DIFFERENT PARTS OF TEXAS, EVERY COUNTY IS UNIQUE. EVERY COUNTY OPERATES IN A DIFFERENT WAY. THAT'S PART OF WHAT MAKES US GREAT IN OUR INDIVIDUALITY AND FOR THE, UH, STATE TO SLAP THIS GENERIC RULE ACROSS. AND THIS IS NOT THE ONLY ONE. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL THIS SESSION AND MORE TO COME THE NEXT SESSION, BY THE WAY. UM, IT'S VERY, IT'S VERY TOUGH TO OPERATE IN, BUT AGAIN, WE'LL, WE'LL DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AND MOVE FORWARD AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, UH, IF WE HAVE A CAP TO FUND THINGS LIKE A NEW COURT, UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK YET, BUT WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT. UM, WE'LL, WE'LL COME UP WITH A PLAN OF SOME SORT HERE. UM, WOULD THAT APPLY TO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET? THE ONE WE'RE WORKING ON? ON NO, NO, NO, NO. NEXT BUDGET. YEAH. THIS BUDGET. WE'RE OKAY. OKAY. YEAH. ADDITIONALLY, UM, THE GOVERNOR PUT A COUPLE OF NEW THINGS [00:35:01] ON THE CALL LIST FOR THE SPECIAL SESSION. SO IN A SPECIAL SESSION, THE GOVERNOR CAN ADD THINGS TO THE CALL THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SPECIAL SESSION, UM, ANYTIME HE WANTS. AND SO HE, HE ADDED A FEW NEW THINGS. THE BIGGEST THING HE ADDED WAS, UH, WAS ADDRESSING RULES, UH, FOR QUORUM BREAK. AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S THE MOST POPULAR THING THAT HE'S, UH, ADDED TO THE CALL IS, UH, THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL BILLS INTRODUCED THAT SAY, UH, CAN WE HAVE A QUORUM OF, OF, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT QUORUM RULES? SO INSTEAD OF HAVING TO HAVE TWO THIRDS, ARE WE GONNA HAVE HALF PLUS ONE? UH, WHAT'S THE QUORUM GONNA LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE? WE DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A BUNCH OF BILLS INTRODUCED, BUT I, WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THE QUORUM RULES ARE GOING TO BE ADDRESSED EITHER IN THIS SPECIAL SESSION OR WHAT IS LIKELY TO BE AT LEAST A THIRD AND MAYBE A FOURTH SPECIAL SESSION COMING UP. AND THAT THOSE RULES WILL LIKELY BE CHANGED. YEAH. THANKS, COMMISSIONER ALANA. UH, COMMISSIONER M**K. WELL, TWO OTHER, UM, OF A SPECIAL SESSION. UM, ITEMS THAT THE GOVERNOR PUT IN ALSO THAT COULD, WE MAY SEE SOMETHING ABOUT IT, UM, IS THAT HE IS REQUIRING THE TEXAS WATER BOARD, OUR WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD TO CONDUCT A GROUNDWATER STUDY OF THE EAST TEXAS AQUIFERS. SO THEY CAN LOOK AT THE GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION AND HOW THAT CAN AFFECT THE VARIOUS DISTRICTS. UM, NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL IS NOT REALLY IN THAT, BUT IT COULD BE SOMETHING WE'VE, THAT COMES FROM THAT, THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED OR LOOKED INTO FOR OUR DISTRICT AS WELL. AND ANOTHER ONE THAT HE PUT IN THAT SPECIAL SESSION, WHICH I HAD TO LOOK THIS UP AND, BUT IT WAS, IT'S, IT HAS TO DO WITH AUTH AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF IVERMECTIN AT PHARMACIES, UM, AND MAKING THAT SOMETHING, I KNOW YOU, BECAUSE THAT'S, I THINK, A SHOT. I USED TO, WE USED TO GIVE OUR COWS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND THEY'RE GOING TO DO THAT WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ANY, AND IT REMOVES ANY KIND OF LIABILITY OF A PHARMACIST, BY THE WAY. UM, THE OTHER BILLS JUST KIND OF, JUST KIND OF, THAT KIND OF FALL INTO THE, THE, THE ONE THAT WE, WE JUST SPOKE A LOT ABOUT HAS TO DO WITH, THERE WAS TWO HOUSE BILLS. THERE'S, THERE'S HOUSE BILL 46 AND THERE'S ALSO HOUSE BILL 73 46 IS, UM, THROUGH TEPPER. AND 40 73 IS WITH BI BAIL, BUT THEY'RE BOTH, AGAIN, FOLLOWING IN THE SUIT OF THE SENATE, BILL 10, WHICH IS, THEY, THEY WANNA RELATE TO, IT RELATES TO LIMITING, UM, POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS, EXPENDITURES. SO, UM, THAT THIS, IT'S IS DRAFTED, IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY END THE ABILITY TO UNDERTAKE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN TEXAS AND UNDO THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT MADE BY THE LEGISLATURE. LEGISLATURE, UM, DURING THIS REGULAR SESSION. THAT'S SUMMER, THAT'S 46 AND 73 IS, UM, RELATING TO MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS. AND IT, AGAIN, IS AN EXPENDITURE, UM, ON A, A CAP BILL. SO THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT, BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE MORE THAN LIKELY ADDRESSING ONE OF THOSE TWO BILLS. SO IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE. UM, I'M GONNA LEAVE IT AT THAT. I THINK THAT THAT'S ALL THE GOOD STUFF WE WANNA TALK ABOUT. BUT , THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S A TOTAL OF 200, THERE'S A TOTAL OF 200 AND, UM, 66 BILLS THAT HAVE COME OUT IN THIS, IN THIS SECOND SESSION. SO THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN BE FOLLOWING TO ADDRESS THE, WHAT, SEVEN ISSUES THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO FOCUS ON. WELL, THERE'S, YEAH. BUT, UM, COMMISSIONER STACY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? YEAH, DID I THOUGHT HB 16 PASSED. DID IT NOT PASS YET? 16? WHAT WAS THAT ON, BABE? THAT'S OUR COURT. OH. UM, IT'S, IT, IT'S, IT WAS, IT'S LISTED. I DID NOT SEE, UNLESS IT CAME OUT OF THAT, THAT CAME OUT OF THE, UM, SET WHERE THEY WENT. WELL, I'M, I'M LOOKING IT UP. I'M REALLY SORRY. BUT, UM, I SAW JEFF LEACH BRAGGING ABOUT IT. IT I SAW ONLINE MM-HMM . THAT IT PASSED, BUT IT DOESN'T SHOW PAST I, YEAH, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING ON THAT. I, YEAH, ME EITHER. UNLESS IT HAPPENED LATE YESTERDAY. YEAH, BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING. I'M LOOKING AT WHAT WAS SENT TO ME YESTERDAY MORNING FROM THE COUNCIL OF URBAN COUNTY, SO, OKAY. IT WAS NOT, IT MIGHT NOT HAVE PASSED YET. OKAY. OKAY. THAT, THAT, THAT'S FINE. BUT IT'S THERE. THE OMINOUS BILL HAS BEEN REFILED. YEAH. IT LIVES, IT LIVES, YES, IT DOES. . WE MIGHT HAVE A 503RD COURT. OKAY. IF NOT, WE'D SAVE 1,000,007. OKAY. UM, ANYTHING ELSE Y'ALL? OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU ALL. AND AGAIN, I'VE SAID THIS REPEATEDLY, AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN. UH, THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE WORKING SO HARD TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THIS AND INTERACT WITH OUR LEGISLATORS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WORK, AND I THINK WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF IT. ITEM NUMBER [4. Discuss/Act on updates of the Strategic Plan 2050 Implementation Management Plan, and all related issues; (Commissioner Macalik)] FOUR, DISCUSS AND ACT ON UPDATES TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN 2050 IMPLEMENTATION MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. AND THIS IS, AS EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN LISTENING KNOWS A, UH, REAL ATTENTION ITEM [00:40:01] FOR COMMISSIONER CELICK, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO HER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUST WANTED TO LET, UM, EVERYONE KNOW ON THE COURT AND HERE IN THE, IN THE, UM, COURTROOM TODAY AND LISTENING, UH, CAMMY AND I HAVE BEEN, UM, HOLDING MEETINGS ACROSS THE COUNTY WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, DEPARTMENT HEADS MANAGERS, EMPLOYEES, UM, UH, EDUCATING THEM ON THIS NEXT STEP OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. AND, UM, WHAT I HAVE JUST HANDED OUT TO MY MEMBERS ON THE COURT IS THE, IS KIND OF WHERE, WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW FROM A TIMELINE. UM, THIS IS, THIS IS THE TIMELINE WITH KEY DELIVERABLES AND THEN, UM, A THROUGH H AND AS YOU'LL SEE, YOU'LL SEE, YOU'LL SEE THAT THROUGH THE MONTH OF, UM, STARTING, WELL, ACTUALLY STARTING IN THIS MONTH IN AUGUST, BUT SEPTEMBER THROUGH MAY, YOU'LL SEE VARIOUS ITEMS THAT WE WILL BE, WE WILL BE WORKING ON AS A PROJECT TEAM, UM, AS FAR AS WHAT, WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AND WHAT THE CITIZENS CAN EXPECT AS FAR AS THE TRANSPARENCY AND THE INFORMATION BEING SHARED WITH EACH OF THE, THE GOALS AND THE KEY INITIATIVES THAT GO WITH THOSE GOALS. THE SECOND, THE SECOND, UM, PAGE THAT I GAVE YOU IS WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW WITH PROJECT STAFFING. AND, AND THIS RELATES TO THE GOALS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, THAT WE'RE, UM, APPROVED IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, AND WHO THE GOAL OWNER IS, AS YOU'LL SEE. AND THEN RIGHT NOW WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST AND WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF THE TEAMS, UM, WITH THE SPECIFIC GOALS. UM, SO YOU'LL SEE, YOU'LL SEE THOSE NAMES RIGHT NOW, UM, CAMMY AND I STILL HAVE, UM, A FEW MORE MEETINGS WITH SOME OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE, HAVE EXPRESSED THAT THEY HAVE INTEREST. AND SO WE MAY BE, WE WILL BE ADDING TO THOSE IN THOSE CERTAIN CATEGORIES AND GOALS. AND ALSO WE WILL, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL PLANNING ON HAVING THE ICE CREAM SOCIAL WHERE WE CAN IN INTRODUCE AND, UM, NOT ONLY THE NEW ANNEX BUILDING, BUT UM, AS A SIDEBAR WE'LL BE IN, UM, SHARING WITH ALL, ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY, THE STRATEGIC PLAN, WHERE THEY CAN FIND IT, HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED. AND, UM, THAT WILL BE DONE AS SOON AS THE, THE TAX ASSESSOR IS MOVED INTO THE NEW ANNEX, WHICH SHOULD BE LATER. THIS, THIS, UM, THIS, THIS MONTH. SO NO DATE YET FOR THE, THE, THE SOCIAL 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANNA JINX IT UNTIL THEY'RE MOVED IN THERE SO WE CAN SHOW OFF THE NEW ANNEX. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? OKAY. COURT, I, ANY QUESTIONS FOR COMMISSIONER M**K? I DO. THANKS FOR THE REPORT AND THANKS FOR THE UPDATE. UM, OKAY. UH, [5. Discuss/Act on updates and progress related to the Courthouse Courtroom additions 3rd floor project, and all related issues; (Commissioner Gallana)] ITEM NUMBER FIVE, DISCUSS AND ACT ON UPDATES AND PROGRESS RELATED TO THE COURTHOUSE COURTROOM EDITIONS, THIRD FLOOR PROJECT AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. AND I WILL TURN THAT OVER TO COMMISSIONER GUANA, WHICH I WILL TURN OVER TO SAL. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. UH, SO A COUPLE UPDATES. UH, THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE ABOUT, UH, DELAY IN THE DETENTION PARTITIONS FOR IT. UH, SO THOSE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DELIVERED NEXT WEEK. UH, STILL NOT EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE OVERALL OVERALL SCHEDULE. OUR, UM, SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE IS STILL SET FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY. UM, SO OVERALL DIDN'T IMPACT IT. THEY JUST KIND OF MOVED SOME STUFF AROUND AND, AND FOUND A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK. UM, THE OTHER THING THAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE IS A POTENTIAL DEDUCTIVE PCO AS WELL FOR, UM, SOME SITE REWORKING, UH, IN CASE THERE WAS DAMAGE. UM, SO THEY, UH, FACTORED IN SOME, SOME MONEY IN THERE FOR, UH, ANY LANDSCAPING OR FLAT WORK OR BALLERS THAT MIGHT HAVE NEEDED TO BE, MIGHT HAVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UM, AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE SINCE THEY'RE USING KIND OF A, UH, A SKYLIFT AND, AND GOING THROUGH THE WINDOW. SO THERE'S NO SITE DISRUPTION THAT'S HAPPENED. SO THAT'S GONNA BE MOVED OVER INTO OWNER CONTINGENCY. SO IT'S JUST ANOTHER, UH, ADDING TO THE SAFETY NET, UH, FOR THE PROJECT. BUT THAT'S ALL. YEAH. ALRIGHT. SO IT'S GOING WELL. YEAH. YES, EVERYTHING'S GOING WELL ON SCHEDULE. UM, UNDER BUDGET, DON'T, DON'T GO ANYWHERE FOR THE NEXT ITEM. YES, GOOD ON SCHEDULE, UNDER BUDGET IS GOOD AND GOING WELL IS GOOD. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, UH, FOR SAL? IF [6. Discuss/Act on the Parkhill Contract for the New Courthouse Renovation, and all related issues; (Commissioner Stacy)] NOT, LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, DISCUSS AND ACT ON PARK HILL CONTRACT FOR THE NEW COURTHOUSE RENOVATION AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. AND I WOULD TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER STACEY, EXCEPT HE'S GONNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU, SO I'M JUST, I'M NOT GONNA TURN IT OVER EXACTLY, BUT OH, OKAY. HE, HE IS HERE TO ASK ANSWER QUESTIONS. OKAY. SO WELL THEN FORGIVE ME, . NO, YOU'RE TOTALLY FINE. SO WE AUTHORIZED, UM, ROUGHLY $42,000 FOR PARK HILL TO START A SCHEMATIC, UM, IN THE NEW COURTHOUSE. THIS DOES, THIS IS NOT THE THIRD FLOOR PROJECT, UM, EVEN THOUGH THIS STUFF JUST KEEPS GOING, NEW COURTHOUSE, NEW COURTHOUSE. UM, AND WHAT THIS IS, IS THIS IS THE CONTRACT, SO THIS ISN'T AUTHORIZING ANY MORE MONEY. THIS ISN'T ALLOCATING ANY MORE MONEY THAT THE COURT VOTED ON. THIS IS JUST SAYING WE, WE AUTHORIZED TO ENTER [00:45:01] INTO THIS CONTRACT AND THIS IS THE CONTRACT. AND CRAIG AND SAL HAVE WORKED ON THIS. AND SO I JUST, OBVIOUSLY WITH HIM ON THE LAST AGENDA ITEM BEING HERE, HE IS MUCH BETTER SUITED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONTRACT THAN I AM. BUT THIS IS JUST AUTHORIZING, UM, THE EXPENDITURE. BASICALLY, THIS IS A CONTRACT FOR THE EXPENDITURE WE AUTHORIZED. UM, EXCUSE ME, WAS THE CONTRACT INCLUDED IN OUR DOCUMENTS? NO, I DIDN'T. I JUST, I DIDN'T GET IT. I DIDN'T GET IT. IT WAS SENT OUT. UM, I, I, I KNOW THAT LISA ASKED FOR IT AND I SENT IT TO HER AND THEN IT WAS SENT OUT TO THE WHOLE COURT. IF, IF NOT, WE CAN JUST MOVE IT TO THE NEXT COURT. I MEAN, THAT'S, I MEAN, IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO REVIEW, I MEAN, I, I HONESTLY DIDN'T GET IT. OKAY. WELL, WELL, AND IF IT WAS SENT OUT, I, I HAVE MISSED MAILS EMAILS IN THE PAST, SO THAT'S QUITE POSSIBLE. BUT I TRIED TO KEEP UP WITH EM. WELL, THIS WEEK HAS BEEN A FUN EMAIL WEEK, UM, BUT IT HAS BEEN A FUN EMAIL WEEK. UM, BUT, UH, THE, THE R DA'S OFFICE AND PARK HILLS' ALREADY AGREED UPON THIS, SO WE CAN JUST MOVE IT TO ANOTHER COURT. I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO DO IT ON CONTRACT. OKAY. WE'RE NOT GONNA DELAY ANYTHING BY DOING IT. I, I FOR WHERE WE ARE, I WOULDN'T REALLY THINK SO. NO, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WORK ON IT. WE'RE WORKING THROUGH PRICING AND THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN RIGHT NOW, WE'RE TRYING TO GET ON OUR END, THE CONTRACT'S DONE, WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THE COUNTY TO SIGN IT. SO NO DELAY ON OUR END. WELL, SINCE NEITHER COMMISSIONER M**K NOR I RECEIVED IT. YEAH, THAT'S, LET'S, WE'RE JUST GONNA DEFER THIS ITEM UNTIL, UM, YEAH, I'LL BRING, I'LL BRING IT BACK THE VERY NEXT TIME I CAME. OKAY. YEAH. THANKS. I APPRECIATE IT. YEAH, NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU. UM, OKAY, UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE PAST ITEM SIX THEN [7. Discuss/Act on updates and progress related to the American Rescue Plan monies and the County Annex project, and all related issues; (Commissioner Stacy)] AND MOVE ON TO ITEM SEVEN, WHICH IS DISCUSSED AND ACT ON UPDATES AND PROGRESS RELATED TO THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONIES AND THE COUNTY ANNEX PROJECT AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. COMMISSIONER STACY. YEAH, SO, UM, WE, SORRY, I'M JUST MAKING NOTES TO MAKE SURE I DON'T FORGET THE PARK HILL THING. UM, WE, UH, WE DO HAVE IT OPERATIONAL. UM, THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY SOME ODDS AND ENDS, SOME PUNCH LIST STUFF GOING ON. UM, WE'RE TR TRYING TO PUT ANOTHER FURNITURE ORDER TOGETHER AND THE TAX OFFICE STILL HASN'T QUITE MOVED. SO THE ANNEX IS IN A REALLY KIND OF WEIRD STATE. UM, BUT NICO, I'LL LET YOU, UH, ANSWER, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE HAS. BUT SO FAR I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY CLOSE. UM, I, UH, I ASKED FOR A SCHEDULE FOR THE PUNCH LIST, WHICH WE'RE WORKING ON. 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A PUNCH LIST, BUT I DON'T HAVE LIKE A TIMELINE OF WHEN WE EXPECT THOSE ITEMS TO BE COMPLETED. AND I ASKED FOR THAT YESTERDAY, SO I HAVE, UM, NOTHING TO REPORT, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE, IS DOING WHAT WE CAN TO TAKE IT OVER AND THEN GET THE TAX OFFICE MOVED IN. WE TESTED THE EQUIPMENT LAST WEEK AND TIME IS WHICH, WHICH EQUIPMENT? THE, THE TAX OFFICE EQUIPMENT. YES. LAST WEEK. AND, UH, THE DMV HAS CONFIRMED THAT IT'S ONLINE AND, AND VISIBLE TO THEM. SO, SO WE'RE TRYING TO JUST GET THEM MOVED, SCHEDULED, AND WE ARE AT THE MERCY OF THE STATE TO MOVE. IT IS REALLY HOW, HOW IS TAX OFFICE MOVED, WORKED. SO HOW WAS THE, HOW WAS THE EQUIPMENT TESTED? IS IT ALREADY IN PLACE OVER THERE? NO, I, I, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK OUT OF TURN, BUT BASICALLY WE TOOK A COMPUTER FROM THE TAX OFFICE OVER TO THE ANNEX AND PLUGGED IT IN AND MAKE SURE IT WORKED. . IT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE DID IN A VERY, VERY, VERY BASIC SENSE. THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOU GOTTA DO. I MEAN, IT'S NO OTHER WAY TO DO IT REALLY. YEAH. SO, SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID. AND THEN WE BROUGHT THE COMPUTER BACK, . BOY, IF YOU'D HAVE PLUGGED IT IN AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE WORKED, WE'D HAD PROBLEMS. WELL, WE HAVE A TECHNICIAN AND THE STATE WANTED TO MAKE THE STATE JUST BASICALLY SAID IF IT WORKS, WE'RE NOT SENDING A TECHNICIAN AND WE'LL SCHEDULE THE MOVE. AND IF IT DOESN'T, THEN UH, WE'LL GET A TECHNICIAN OUT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. . SO THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S THERE, WE'RE READY TO GO, BUT WE, WE JUST ARE WAITING, UH, FOR TEXAS TO SAY YES, WE WILL SEND A TEAM AND WE WILL GET IT MOVED. WELL, THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS CO COURT? AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS. I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, THIS HAS BEEN A BIG PROJECT AND WE'RE ALMOST DONE. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON IT. YEAH, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE. COMMISSIONER STACY, UH, WE'D BE, UH, REMISS IF WE DIDN'T THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON IT. YEAH, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, [8. Discuss/Act on the Sheriffs remodel project, and all related issues; (Commissioner Stacy)] LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, THE DISCUSS AND ACT ON THE SHERIFF'S REMODEL PROJECT AND ALL RELATED ISSUES ALL. SO DO YOU HAVE A REPORT TO SHOW? YEAH, I DO. IF WE JUST GET IT, GET IT, BUT BEFORE YOU, DO YOU REMEMBER THE LEAD? UM, WE HAVE TWO PCOS COMING TO THE NEXT COURT, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY ALREADY UNDER BUDGET AND WE'RE STILL ON SCHEDULE. SO, UM, WE'RE OFF TO A, WE'RE OFF TO A GOOD START WITH WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, NIKO. ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S VERY TRUE. UM, WELL WE FINALLY GOT STARTED, SO THAT'S GREAT NEWS. UM, THE CONTRACTOR HAS BEEN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WORKING ON DEMO DEMOLITION AND MAKE SAFE OF [00:50:01] THE ELECTRICAL. UM, THEY'VE MOBILIZED TO THE SITE AND WE ARE CURRENTLY STILL WORKING ON PERMITTING. UM, I HAVE, AND I BELIEVE WE'VE IMPROVED THE SITE BY JUST KNOCKING EVERYTHING OUT. SO I'M JUST SAYING, I JUST, YEAH, I THINK THE SHERIFF SAID IF, IF WE STOP NOW, IT WOULD LOOK IT, WE DID OUR JOB IT LOOKS BETTER THAN WHAT IT DID BEFORE. SO, UM, COULD YOU RESTATE THAT FOR THE RECORD PLEASE, ? JUST JOKING. JUST JOKING. OKAY. SO HERE'S A GLIMPSE OF, UH, PART OF THE BUDGET. OBVIOUSLY WE'RE STILL UNDER BUDGET, UM, BUT THE CONTINGENCY IS GROWING, UM, WITH THE FIRST TWO PCOS THAT COMMISSIONER STACEY MENTIONED, OUR PENDING, UM, THOSE ONE IS FOR THE, UM, THE VALUE ENGINEERING AND ALTERNATE SELECTIONS THAT WE ARE, UH, CURRENTLY MAKING. AND THEN THE OTHER IS FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF THE EVIDENCE LOCKERS, UH, WHICH IS GETTING TAKEN FROM SC I'S SCOPE AND PUTTING IN THE, THE OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY. UH, SO THAT SAVES SOME MONEY AND GREW OUR CONTINGENCY SLIGHTLY. UM, THERE ARE NO SAFETY INCIDENTS TO REPORT ON. UH, THE CONTRACTOR IS KEEPING JOB HAZARD ANALYSIS REPORTS ON SITE DAILY AND THEY ARE ENFORCING THE SITE SITE SPECIFIC SAFETY PLAN. UH, WE ARE ON SCHEDULE WITH CONSTRUCTION. UH, AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE WAITING ON THE BUILDING PERMIT, UM, BUT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT THIS WEEK OR VERY SOON. UM, SO THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE ON WITH, UH, FRAMING THE INTERIOR PARTITIONS, UH, WILL ALSO BE BEGIN OVERHEAD MECHANICAL ELECTRICAL PLUMBING. AND THEN AFTER THAT WILL BE THE, UM, THE IN-WALL MECHANICAL ELECTRICAL PLUMBING, UH, PROCUREMENT WISE, UH, WE'VE BEGIN UP THE APPROVALS, UH, NECESSARY TO PROCURE AND ISSUE PURCHASE ORDERS FOR, UH, SOME OF THE LONG LEAD ITEMS ON THIS PROJECT, UH, WHICH INCLUDES THE EVIDENCE LOCKERS, EVIDENCE SHELVING, UH, AC UNITS, AND THEN ALSO THE DISPATCH CONSOLES AND TERMS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE, QUALITY CONTROLS, UM, THERE'S NOTHING REAL MAJOR TO REPORT ON. I DID NOTICE EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT THE CURB THAT WAS AT IS AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, IS A LITTLE BUSTED UP FROM THE, THE DUMPSTER THAT WAS SET THERE AND THEM GOING BACK AND FORTH. I THINK THAT CURB WAS ALREADY IN BAD CONDITION WHEN WE GOT THERE, BUT NOW IT'S, IT'S BUSTED UP. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE DOCUMENTED AND THE, THE CONTRACTOR'S WILLING TO, TO REPAIR. UM, OTHER THAN THAT, UH, THE SITE IS SECURE. UH, THE FRONT ENTRANCE VESTIBULE WAS DEMOED OUT, UH, BUT HAS BEEN LOCKED AND BOARDED UP AND, UH, THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE OFFICE IS COMPLETELY SECURED, SO NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT IN TERMS OF THAT. UM, THAT WRAPS UP MY UPDATE. ANY QUESTIONS? UM, NOT FROM ME. ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS? NO, SIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. YEP. THANK YOU GUYS. MM-HMM . [9. Discuss/Act on approving the Election Judges for General and Special Elections, and all related issues; (Judge New- Election Administrator)] OKAY. UM, UM, UH, LET'S GO ON TO ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS DISCUSS AND ACT ON APPROVING ELECTION JUDGES FOR GENERAL AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. AND THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR HAS GIVEN EACH OF US A LIST OF THE PROPOSED ELECTION JUDGES, BUT I WILL LET HIM EXPLAIN THIS. OKAY. HEY, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. WELCOME. HEY, SO THIS IS JUST A, UH, ANNUAL SLASH SEMI-ANNUAL, UH, REQUIREMENT THAT WE'LL, WE COME HERE, SUBMIT YOU THE LIST. UM, AS SOON AS YOU GUYS ACCEPT THIS LIST, UM, I'LL HAND YOU IN THE FORMAL PAPERWORK AND SHE'LL FILE, UH, FILE IT. BUT THESE ARE THE JUDGES THAT THE TWO COUNTY CHAIRS HAVE, UH, APPROVED SLASH APPOINTED TO SERVE FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, THE MARCH ELECTION, AND THEN THE TWO ELECTIONS IN MAY. SO, UM, ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT? COMMISSIONERS? UM, THANKS FOR GETTING THIS TOGETHER AND THANKS FOR FINDING THESE FOLKS TO DO THIS. AND, UM, I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT, BUT THANKS FOR SAYING THAT. UH, THOSE ARE THE CHAIRS THAT, THAT, TRYING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE CREDIT. UH, I'M GOOD MAN. BUT, BUT I, AND, AND I REALLY WANNA, I MEAN THIS ON, AND I'M SURE ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE UP HERE, THAT TO THOSE PERSONS ON THIS LIST, WHO WE SEE YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT, MANY OF 'EM I KNOW IN LIVING IN HEATH NOW, SIR, 40 YEARS, YOU SEE THESE PEOPLE EVERY YEAR OUT THERE DOING THEIR JOB. JUST A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU. UH, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WHO ARE ACTUALLY FINDING THE, THE PEOPLE TO WORK ON IT, UH, SOME OF WHOM ARE IN THE CROWD TODAY. YES, SIR. UH, BIG THANK YOU. COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT 'EM. WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT 'EM. AND, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S PART OF THE, THE, THE BACKBONE AND FIBER OF OUR NATION. WE [00:55:01] GOTTA HAVE HONEST ELECTIONS. NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT. AND WE GOTTA HAVE PEOPLE TO WORK 'EM. SO TO ALL THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE DOING THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU CHRIS. YES, SIR, THANK YOU. CHRIS. CAN, CAN YOU, JUST FOR MY PURPOSES, WHAT IS THE, THE BB AND THE CCS BALLOT BOARD AND, UM, OH GOD, YEAH. CENTRAL COUNT. SO BALLOT BOARD IS, UH, PAT EO AND THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE LOOKING AT ALL YOUR MAIL-IN BALLOTS. AND CENTRAL, CENTRAL COUNT REFERS TO WHAT HAPPENS ON ELECTION NIGHT, WHERE MYSELF AS THE TABULATION SUPERVISOR, THE PERSON WHO'S, YOU KNOW, COUNTING VOTES, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT OPERATES VERY SIMILAR TO A POLLING LOCATION WHERE YOU'VE GOT A PRESIDING JUDGE, YOU'VE GOT AN ALTERNATE JUDGE. UM, MY DEPUTY KRISTY MYERS IS MY CENTRAL ACCOUNT MANAGER, BUT I, I'M THE PERSON THAT'S THAT TAKING THOSE ENCRYPTED THUMB DRIVES, READING 'EM INTO THAT STANDALONE COMPUTER, AND THEN PUBLISHING RESULTS AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSES. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UNLESS THERE'S OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CHRIS, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS. I'LL MAKE A MOTION, UH, THAT WE APPROVE, UH, ELECTION JUDGES FOR THE UPCOMING GENERAL AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS AS PRESENTED TO US TODAY. THERE'S A MOTION BY, UH, COMMISSIONER GOLAN. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. THERE'S A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER. STACY, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, THEN LET'S GO INTO THE BRAVE NEW WORLD OF ME TRYING TO OPERATE THIS START VOTE. SHOW YOUR VOTE. THANKS, . UH, UM, I'VE GOT WHERE WE CAN VOTE. UM, THIS ONE. OKAY, LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN. UM, UM, THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR, AND IF YOU'D LIKE, THERE'S AN EXTRA SEAT OPEN RIGHT HERE NEXT TO ME. IF YOU WANNA CONTINUE TO HELP ME AS I STRUGGLE THROUGH THIS, UH, WE WILL HAVE A REMEDIAL SESSION FOR ALL JUDGE PRO TEMS IN THE FUTURE ON HOW TO RUN THIS. OKAY. SO WE, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU. AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE SITTING IN, IN FRANK'S DEATH, IN FRANK'S SEAT, BUT ALL OF THE VOTES THAT ARE BEING CAST THAT I GUESS THAT ARE BEING RECORDED AND I'M ASKING ARE, ARE YOUR, ARE WE BEING REFLECTED AS FRANK NEW AND NO, THEY'RE BEING RECORDED AS JUDGE . OKAY. THAT'S ALL I NEEDED TO KNOW THEN. THANK YOU. BOY, FRANK WILL NEVER LEAVE AGAIN IF I GET TO CAST HIS VOTES. . OKAY, SO IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY BY ALL THOSE IN ATTENDANCE. NOW I'M GONNA HIT STOP. WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. UM, OKAY, [10. Discuss/Act on agreement(s) with Votec regarding County Election Department, and all related issues; (Commissioner Liechty - Election Administrator)] LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 10, ACTUALLY, ITEM 10, Y'ALL. UM, WE WERE, THIS IS DISCUSSED AND ACT ON AGREEMENTS WITH VO-TECH REGARDING COUNTY ELECTION DEPARTMENT, AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO MEET WITH, UM, OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, CHRIS LYNCH, PRIOR TO THE, PRIOR TO THIS MEETING. AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE HAS, WE WILL MOVE THIS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. UM, SO WE COULD, WE HAVE DONE THAT. WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT. IT'S LISTED ON THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS. UM, AND SO IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS, WE CAN DO THAT, AND IF NOT, WE CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION. UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE WANNA DISCUSS THIS? I DON'T. I, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH, TO MEET WITH CHRIS AS WELL. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, THEN CHRIS, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION, SO IF YOU WANNA DEAL WITH THIS RIGHT NOW, JUST BRIEFLY TELL US WHAT IT IS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. YEAH, SO, UM, UNDER ADVISEMENT OF, UH, LEGAL COUNSEL, UH, SPECIFICALLY CRAIG, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, I HAVE DETERMINED, UH, THAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST, UH, INTEREST OF THE COUNTY TO DISSOLVE THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD WITH TEX SINCE LIKE BACK IN OH SEVEN. AND WHAT VO-TECH PROVIDES FOR US SPECIFICALLY IS VOTER REGISTRATION. UM, THE COMPANY HAS BECOME VOLATILE, UH, AND, UH, I I JUST, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE GOING FORWARD WITH THEM. SO THE SECRETARY OF STATE PROVIDES THE SAME SERVICE AT NO COST. SO THE COUNTY WILL CLAW BACK $54,000 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WERE SCHEDULED TO PAY, UH, ON ONE OCTOBER. UH, BUT I, I, I DON'T MIND SAYING, OR I, I NEED TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ASSUMING SOME RISK AND WHEN WE SAY, AND WHEN I SAY WE, ME, UH, THE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW. SO WE'RE GONNA ENTER A BRAVE NEW WORLD WITH A A, A LOCAL ELECTION LESS THAN 60 DAYS AWAY. SO [01:00:01] I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THAT. UM, BUT I HAVE LESS CONCERN ABOUT THAT THAN I DO ABOUT GOING FORWARD WITH THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH VO-TECH. AND WHAT I WOULD REALLY FEEL, UM, BAD ABOUT IS SENDING A CHECK TO THESE PEOPLE OUT IN SAN DIEGO ON ONE OCTOBER OUTTA LISA'S OFFICE, OR DAVE'S OFFICE FOR 54,000, AND THEN THEY SHUT THE DOORS ANYWAY. AND THEN WE'RE STILL IN THE LURCH. SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING, UH, FOR HERE TODAY. UM, BUT I'LL BE BACK ON THURSDAY TO TALK ABOUT THE 13 GRAND IN PERSONNEL CHANGES THAT, THAT WE'RE GONNA, I'M GONNA ASK ABOUT, JUST SO YOU KNOW. YEAH. THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY. THAT'S OKAY. I I STILL SAID IT. YEAH. REALLOCATION OF THE FUNDS. YOU YES SIR. SAVE IS NOT ON THE AGENDA. YOU'RE RIGHT, SIR. NO. OKAY. UM, ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHRIS? NO. IF NOT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, I CAN HAVE ONE QUESTION, CRAIG. HANG. YEAH. 'CAUSE CRAIG SAID THAT WE NEED TO SPECIFICALLY SAY THAT I'M AUTHORIZED TO SIGN, SIGN THE LETTER OF, OF, UH, TERMINATION OR, OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER. CRAIG'S GONNA DRAFT IT. BUT YOU GUYS GOTTA, IN THE RESOLUTION HAS TO AUTHORIZE ME, OR IF YOU DESIRE TO BE THE, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S SOMEBODY HAS TO BE AUTHORIZED TO SIGN THE LETTER OF TERMINATION. OKAY. THAT WAS MY QUESTION WAS DO WE NEED TO SEND A LETTER OF TERMINATION? YEP. AND, AND IT'S GOTTA BE, CRAIG'S GONNA GET THAT OUT BY THE END OF THE WEEK BECAUSE WE GOT 30 DAYS IN OUR CONTRACT TO, TO TERMINATE WITH THEM. THANKS. THANKS FOR CLARIFYING THAT. THAT'S WHERE I WAS HEADED. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, TERMINATE THE AGREEMENT WITH EC AND THAT WE AUTHORIZE CHRIS LYNCH ON THE BEHALF OF THE COUNTY TO SIGN A LETTER OF TERMINATION THAT BE DELIVERED ON A TIMELY BASIS TO THEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT. SECOND, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, THEN LET'S VOTE. AND THAT PASSES BY ALL MEMBERS IN PRESENT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANKS A LOT CHRIS. I THINK I'M UP NEXT AS WELL, SO YOU CAN AVOID THE STANDOFF. I THINK I'M UP NEXT. THIS IS WHAT YOU AND I SPOKE ABOUT AS FAR AS OE THANK YOU. EACH TIME. OKAY. LOOK, ALL I SAID WAS, THANKS CHRIS. YES, SIR. OKAY. DO WE NEED TO TAKE A BREAK RIGHT NOW? COME ON, LET ME GET THROUGH MINE AND THEN I, THEN I, THEN I CAN GO TO THE OFFICE. . [11. Discuss/Act on approving an extension amendment with SOE Software for Clarity Connect, Training and Election Night Reporting software utilized by the Elections Administrator office, and all related issues; (Judge New-Auditor)] OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 11, WHICH IS DISCUSS AND ACT ON APPROVING AN EXTENSION AMENDMENT WITH SOE SOFTWARE FOR CLARITY CONNECT TRAINING AND ELECTION NIGHT REPORTING SOFTWARE UTILIZED BY THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR OFFICE AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TURN THIS OVER TO OUR ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR, MR. LYNCH? YES, SIR. SO I, I THINK IT WAS LAST MONTH WHEN YOU, YOU SPECIFICALLY HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THIS AND I WASN'T HERE. UM, BUT THIS, THIS WAS A, THIS WAS, CRAIG BROUGHT THIS UP AND IT HAD TO DO WITH UPDATING, UH, THE LANGUAGE, UH, IN OUR AGREEMENT THAT WAS KIND OF OUTDATED, KINDA LIKE BOTECH. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT PROVIDE THE SERVICE FOR US ON ELECTION NIGHT, UH, AND POWER OUR WEBSITE. YOU KNOW, I, I THINK I'M ONE OF THE ONLY DEPARTMENTS WHERE I LITERALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO MANIPULATE MY INTERNAL WEBSITE. AND SO THAT'S HOW YOU SEE RESULTS ON ELECTION NIGHT. UM, THIS IS THE COMPANY THAT WE DO BUSINESS WITH, SO WE, WE'VE BEEN WITH THEM SINCE BEFORE I GOT HERE. AND THERE'S, THIS WAS JUST SOME UPDATE TO THE LEGAL CONTRACT. IS THAT RIGHT, CRAIG? YEP. YEAH. AND THE QUESTION I HAD HAD RELATED TO THE TERMINATION DATE OF THE CONTRACT DATES. YEP. AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE OKAY WITH IT? I AM. UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN A, I I DROPPED MY QUESTION IN THE MOST BASIC SENSE. IF FOR WHATEVER REASON, UM, SOE WASN'T OPERATING ON ELECTION NIGHT, I LITERALLY COULD COORDINATE, I COULD STILL PUBLISH. I'M GONNA GET THE RESULTS OUT, UM, AT 7 0 1, LIKE EVERYONE IS ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING ON ELECTION NIGHT, NOT WHETHER WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT THOSE FOLKS ARE HELPING US. WE, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT INTERNALLY. OKAY. UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYONE? ALRIGHT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS IF SOMEONE WANTS TO MAKE IT. I'LL MAKE A MOTION. WE APPROVE AN EXTENSION AMENDMENT WITH SOE SOFTWARE FOR CLARITY CONNECT TRAINING AND ELECTION NIGHT REPORTING. I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STACY. WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER M**K. AND HERE WE GO AGAIN. [01:05:04] THREE. YOU GOT IT. THERE YOU GO. AND IT PASSES. THANK YOU ALL. HAVE A GOOD DAY, YOU. THANKS A LOT, . HAVING FUN TODAY. HAVING FUN. OKAY. UH, LET'S [12. Discuss/Act regarding approval of a Contract with Vosburg Welsh LLC for a ground penetrating radar study at the Nathan Butler Cemetery in an amount not to exceed $5,500, and all related issues; (Commissioner Liechty)] GO ON TO ITEM 12. OKAY. LET'S GO ON TO ITEM 12, WHICH IS DISCUSS AN ACT REGARDING APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT WITH VOSBERG WELSH, LLC FOR GROUND PENETRATING RADAR STUDY AT THE NATHAN BUTLER CEMETERY IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,500 IN ALL RELATED ISSUES. UM, COURT, THIS IS STEMMED FROM A MOTION THAT WAS MADE AT THE LAST ROCKWELL COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION, UM, TO APPROVE A STUDY AT THIS, UH, HISTORICAL CEMETERY, UH, WHERE THE GRAVES ARE UNMARKED, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S BURIED WHERE OR WHERE PEOPLE ARE BURIED. IT'S A HISTORICAL CEMETERY THAT A BIG PART OF THE JOB, THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION IS TO TEND TO AND CARE FOR AND IDENTIFY, UM, HISTORICAL CEMETERIES. UM, THIS WENT OUT FOR BID. UH, WE GOT A COUPLE DIFFERENT BIDS, UH, ONE OF WHICH, UH, WAS THE ONE THAT WAS ACCEPTED WAS FOR $4,800. UH, BUT THERE'S AN ADD-ON THAT THERE MAY BE SOME MORE COSTS AS THEY GET INTO IDENTIFYING ALL THE GRAVE SITES AND LOCATING THEM. UM, SO, UH, THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION AT ITS LAST MEETING APPROVED THIS CONTRACT TO BE SENT TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WITH A MAXIMUM REQUEST OF $5,500. THE REASON THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS BECAUSE THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION FOR, UM, HAS EXPENDED ALMOST ALL OF ITS MONEY ALREADY. THEY'VE GOT $4,059 REMAINING IN THEIR BUDGET, WHICH MEANS, UH, IF THIS IS $4,800, WE'LL NEED ABOUT ANOTHER $750. OR IF WE, IF IT GOES TO 5,500 TO COMPLETE THE WORK, UH, WE'LL NEED ABOUT ANOTHER $1,450. I'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE AUDITOR ABOUT THIS, AND SHE IS, UH, HAS ASSURED ME THAT THERE'S MONEY AVAILABLE FROM A COUPLE DIFFERENT SOURCES, WHICH YOU'RE WELCOME TO IDENTIFY IF YOU'D LIKE. UH, COULD SAY IT AS SIMPLE AS CONTINGENCY, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE SOURCES WE MIGHT TAKE THIS EXTRA $1,500 FROM. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE, UH, GENERAL GOVERNMENT FUNDS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE. YES. AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS, IS WHEN WILL THE ACTUAL MONEY BE? LIKE WHEN WILL THIS PROJECT BE DONE? WOULD IT POTENTIALLY GO INTO THE NEXT FY FOR IT TO COME OUT OF THE HISTORIC? IT AS MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE WILL SIGN A CONTRACT IF IT'S APPROVED TODAY, AND THE MONEY WILL BE CHARGED TO THE, TO THIS FISCAL YEAR. OKAY. FAIR ENOUGH. THANK YOU. AND, UH, THERE'S BEEN A BUDGET LINE ITEM FOR THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION FOR NEXT YEAR AND NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. AND WE, IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, FRANK IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO STAND UP HERE AND KIND OF ANSWER THEM. BUT IF NOT, WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH OSBERG WELCH, LLC FOR GROUND PENETRATING RADAR STUDY AT THE NATHAN BUTLER CEMETERY AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,500. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STACEY. I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER M**K. AND, OH MY GOODNESS, IT WORKED. PLEASE SHOW YOUR VOTES AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY BY ALL THOSE IN ATTENDANCE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FRANK. THANKS FOR COMING OUT. APPRECIATE IT. ALRIGHT, UM, [13. Discuss/Act on Constable Pet. 4 vehicle, and all related issues; (Commissioner Gallana)] LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 13, DISCUSS AND ACT ON CONSTABLE FOUR VEHICLE AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. UH, COMMISSIONER GOANA. OKAY, SO BETWEEN OUR LAST UH, BUDGET MEETING IN THIS COURT, UM, CONSTABLE PRECINCT, FOUR RANDY PARKS IS TAHOE, UM, BROKE DOWN AND THE REPAIR, WHICH WE JUST GOT THE, UH, INITIAL ESTIMATE TODAY, UH, CAPTAIN BROWN GOT THAT FOR US IS AROUND $7,000 TO REPAIR IT, WHICH I, UH, BASED ON THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE, UM, AND UH, UH, OBVIOUSLY THE WARRANTY BEING RUN OUT, I [01:10:01] WOULD ADVISE AGAINST DOING THAT REPAIR AND SURPLUS IN THE VEHICLE, WHICH MEANS WE'LL NEED TO PROVIDE ANOTHER VEHICLE, UM, FOR CONSTABLE PRECINCT FOUR. THAT'S OUR, THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION. IT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION OF COURSE. IS THERE ANOTHER VEHICLE, UM, THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED? UM, CAPTAIN BROWN, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP, YOU CAN. UM, BUT HE HAS A, UH, VEHICLE IN MIND OR RELEASE SOME IDEA. GOOD MORNING. UH, YES. WE HAVE A 2022 TAHOE RIGHT NOW WITH ABOUT 22,000 MILES ON IT THAT, UH, WE HAD DISCUSSED TO TRANSFER TO THE CONSTABLES. UH, HAVING SAID THAT, THAT OBVIOUSLY MEANS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A VEHICLE TO REPLACE THAT ONE, BUT WE HAVE THE ABILITY BECAUSE OF OUR FLEET TO, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO ACQUIRE A NEW VEHICLE AND GET IT OUTFITTED AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WHEREAS, UH, THE CONSTABLES, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT TIME NECESSARILY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANOTHER VEHICLE TO DRIVE AT THIS POINT OTHER THAN WHAT THEY'VE CURRENTLY HAD ASSIGNED TO THEM. SO, SO THIS WON'T PUT YOUR OFFICE IN A BIND AS FAR AS VEHICLES GOES? NOT RIGHT NOW, JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE CURRENTLY, UH, THREE OR FOUR POSITIONS CURRENTLY OPEN. SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF VEHICLES THAT ARE SITTING ON THE GROUND WAITING, YOU KNOW, FOR OPEN POSITIONS SO THAT WE CAN, I CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE FLEET TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THAT TIME IT WILL TAKE TO BUILD THE NEW VEHICLE TO REPLACE THAT VEHICLE. OKAY. AND WOULD WE BE NEEDING TO DO ANYTHING TO THE VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DISPOSING, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ANY EQUIPMENT OUT. DO WE NEED TO SPEND ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS ON IT? YOU WILL HAVE TO STRIP THE, UH, CONSTABLE PARKS' CURRENT VEHICLE. YEP. UH, YOU WILL HAVE, AND THAT RIGHT NOW, UM, FOR OUR VEHICLES IS CURRENTLY RUNNING AROUND $2,500 TO STRIP THE EQUIPMENT OUT OF IT. IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH EQUIPMENT IS IN IT AS TO WHAT THEY CHARGE, BUT ROUGHLY 2, 2 2500, UH, DOLLARS TO STRIP THAT VEHICLE. UH, THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT, UH, THERE WON'T BE SOME FUNDS, UH, BECAUSE WE HAD DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT HIS CA CAMERA THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE COURT LAST BUDGET, UH, THAT WILL HAVE TO BE MOVED INTO THIS VEHICLE 'CAUSE WE USE DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT. UM, AND THEN THE RADAR OUT OF HIS CURRENT VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO BE MOVED INTO THE NEW ONE. UH, SO BECAUSE WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A RADAR IN THAT VEHICLE, SO, SO BOBBY, I GUESS THE FLEET COMMITTEE IS JUST KIND OF LOOKING FOR COURT DIRECTION 'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GONNA NEED TO BRING AT LEAST SOME SORT OF ACTION ITEM BACK AND POTENTIALLY LOOK AT TRYING TO PUT ANOTHER CAR IN THE BUDGET. YEAH, THAT'S, UH, UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT'LL BE UP TO CAPTAIN BROWN'S DISCRETION, BUT I I, WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS GIVING A VERY LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE TO CONSTABLE FOR SO THAT, UM, WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT SITUATION IMMEDIATELY. UM, NOT SPEND SEVEN, IT'S GONNA, IT WILL END UP BEING MORE THAN $7,000 ON A REPAIR THAT WE DON'T WANNA SINK THAT MONEY INTO. UM, ONCE THESE THINGS START GOING OUT, THERE'S NO, NO REASON TO REPAIR THEM AND KEEP RUNNING THEM. UM, UNLESS WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO OTHER OPTION. UH, WE DO. UM, AND SO WE'VE APPROVED, UM, 10 VEHICLES. WE APPROVED NINE. NINE, OKAY. THERE'S ONE STILL IN THE BUBBLE FOR, UH, IF THE CONTRACT FOR MCLENNAN CHISHOLM GOES THROUGH. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT WOULD BE, UH, ONE THAT WOULD BE SUPPLIED BASED ON THAT CONTRACT ALSO. SO WE'LL LIKELY HAVE TO APPROVE ONE MORE VEHICLE. HOW, HOW MANY MILES WERE ON THAT CAR THAT WE'RE SURPLUS NOW OVER, UH, 70 ISH, WHICH DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT OF MILES. IT DOESN'T, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A REALLY EXTENSIVE REPAIR ON VEHICLES WITH THAT MANY MILES. AND WE DON'T GET EXTENDED WARRANTIES ON THESE. WE DON'T WELL, THE WARRANTY, I MEAN THE CAR'S WHAT, FIVE YEARS OLD? NO, THE CAR'S FIVE YEARS OLD. THE CAR, IT'S A 2019. SO IT'S JUST OUT OF WARRANTY, IT'S OUT. WE DON'T BUY ANY EXTENDED PLANS ON THEM NOW. THAT'S WHAT I MEANT. WE DON'T HAVE EXTENDED 900,000 MILES. I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF TAHOES AROUND THE SAME YEAR. THEY KIND OF, UH, CHEVROLET HAD KIND OF AN ISSUE WITH THE DR DR VALVE TRAINS IN THOSE VEHICLES. UM, THAT WE HAD TWO VEHICLES THAT DID SOME SAME SIMILAR, UH, DAMAGE TO THE VALVE TRAIN, BUT BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE THAT WE PUT ON VEHICLES, THOSE THINGS HAPPENED EARLIER ON, UH, IN THAT THE PROCESS. SO THE WARRANTY STILL COVERED THOSE. SO THOSE WERE FIXED FOR FREE. IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT THE MILEAGE THAT IT HIT WHEN THIS HAPPENED TO THE ENGINE IS JUST ABOUT SIX, EIGHT MONTHS OUTSIDE OF THE FIVE YEAR A HUNDRED THOUSAND MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY THAT WE GET. SO OF COURSE, AND THAT'S [01:15:01] WHEN IT HAPPENS. ALWAYS, ALWAYS SEEMS LIKE, BUT IT, THE SITUATION IS WHAT IT IS. UM, WE NEED TO GET, UM, CONSTABLE PARKS A VEHICLE, UM, QUICKLY, SO WE NEED TO MOVE THIS OTHER VEHICLE FROM, UM, THEIR FLEET TO THE CONSTABLES FLEET. UM, AND THEN WE NEED TO ADDRESS, UM, VEHICLE IS, IS THERE MONEY IN HIS, UH, BUDGET TO DO ALL THE EQUIPMENT FLIPPING OUT? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, CONSTABLE PARKS TOLD ME THAT HE HAS ABOUT $3,200, I BELIEVE STILL LEFT IN HIS VEHICLE BUDGET. IF THAT'S THE CASE, THAT MAY COVER THE TRANSFER OF THAT, THOSE, THAT EQUIPMENT AND THE STRIP OF HIS OLD CAR. POSSIBLY IT, IT SHOULD BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE AS, AS MUCH EQUIPMENT AS WE TYPICALLY STRIP OUT OF THEIR VEHICLES. YEAH. ALRIGHT, WELL IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO CHASE MONEY ON A CAR THAT NO, I GET THAT. THAT'S OUTTA WARRANTY. YEAH. AND, AND THAT, I MEAN, AND, AND I GUESS THE OTHER QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS THAT IN THE PAST YOU SAID THERE, THIS HAPPENED TO A COUPLE OF CARS ON, ON THE VALVES. DID IT HAPPEN AGAIN AFTER THE VALVES WERE REPLACED? NO, THEY CORRECTED THE, THE PROBLEM ONCE, ONCE THE VALVE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED IN THOSE OTHER VEHICLES. WE HAD NO MORE PROBLEMS WITH THOSE. SO I JUST WANNA GO BACK TO THE BUDGET QUESTION JUST REAL QUICK. ON, ON CONSTABLE, UM, PRECINCT FOUR UNDER, UM, UH, LINE ITEM, UM, 3 3 0 GAS, OIL AND MAINTENANCE. IS THAT, UM, RANDY, IS THAT WHERE YOU WERE THINKING YOU'VE, YOU'VE, YOU HAD, UM, HAD 6,906 $80 IN THERE. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING? YES MA'AM. I'LL HAVE, UH, I'LL NEED, UH, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER GAS. SO I THINK THERE'RE DID YOU SAY 30? Y'ALL SAID AROUND 3000, BUT, BUT YOU'RE, YOU, YOU REQUESTED 69 80, I THINK I'VE GOT 3600, 3600 LEFT. AND YOU DID I JUST SAY FIVE TO $600 FOR THE TWO MONTHS TO BE SAFE FOR MY GAS? THAT'LL BE CLOSE. UH, I'D HAVE AROUND, UH, 3000 LEFT THAT TO PUT THE CAMERA AND THE RADAR IN THIS OTHER CAR. AND UM, HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK THAT RUN BROWN? I DON'T THINK THAT, I'M NOT REAL SURE EXACTLY WHAT THAT WOULD BE. I'M SURE IT, I ASSUME THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD COVER PROBABLY, YEAH, THAT THAT'D COVER THE MAJORITY OF IT. AND, UH, SO, UH, BUT WHAT WERE Y'ALL, I DIDN'T HEAR WHAT YOU SAID WHILE AGO. YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT PUTTING IN FOR A, A NEW CAR LATER. WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT? THE, THE, THE SHERIFF'S FLEET WOULD BE SHORT A CAR, SO YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO PUT A CAR IN THE BUDGET. YEAH, BECAUSE THIS CAR WILL BE FINE FOR ME. I'VE LOOKED AT IT AND EVERYTHING IT DOES, IT'LL DO EVERYTHING THAT I NEED. COMMISSIONER ALANI, YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT AT ALL? YEAH, I MEAN, I, WE WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE FROM THE SHERIFF. YEAH, I MEAN THAT, THERE'S NO DOUBT WE HAVE TO DO THAT. I MEAN, WE CAN'T, UM, THERE ARE SOME OPEN POSITIONS RIGHT NOW LIKE CAPTAIN BROWN SAID, AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING SAVING US RIGHT NOW, REALLY WITH THIS SITUATION. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE LEAD TIME IT TAKES TO GET ONE OF THESE IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AND ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR WHEN EVERY OTHER COUNTY AND DEPARTMENT IS TRYING TO PLACE ORDERS MM-HMM . SO IT, IT, IT, IT'S ALMOST AN UNKNOWN. IT CAN TAKE THREE MONTHS, IT COULD TAKE SIX MONTHS. IT COULD THEN WE'RE IN LINE TO GET 'EM OUTFITTED, UM, WITH ALL THE GEAR THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT ON 'EM. SO IT IT, IT'S JUST A PROCESS. IT TAKES A WHILE. YEAH. AND TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, I'VE STILL GOT FOUR VEHICLES OUTSTANDING FROM, UH, THIS BUT CURRENT BUDGET THAT I'M, WE SHOULD GET THOSE BUILT RIGHT BEFORE THE END OF THE BUDGET. SO IT SOMETIMES IT JUST TAKES LONGER TO GET EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES THAN IT DOES IT, IT'S JUST KIND OF A, A HIT OR MISS THING BECAUSE THE, THE PEOPLE WHO BUILD THE CARS, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY CARS ARE COMING IN, YOU JUST GET PUT IN LINE AND WHENEVER THAT FALLS. SO YOU'RE KIND OF AT THE MERCY OF THAT. SO, AND THEN, AND THEN I HAVE A QUESTION, AND IT'S A VERY RUDIMENTARY QUESTION IS, OKAY, SO I DO UNDERSTAND THE DIRECT NEED, BUT THEN IF WE DO, WHAT'D YOU SAY? IT'S $7,000 REPAIR ON THE CAR. CORRECT. SO 7,000 IS LESS THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND. SO IF YOU REPAIR THE CAR AND PUT THE CAR BACK IN THE SHERIFF'S FLEET, WOULD THERE BE ANY USE FOR THE CAR THAT WAY? LIKE DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? 'CAUSE IT'S STILL A LOT OF MONEY. YEAH. AND, AND HOW MUCH MONEY CAN YOU SELL A BROKEN CAR FOR? UH, AND, AND SURPLUS. AND SO, SO HOW DOES THAT MATH WORK WORK ITSELF OUT TO, I MEAN, 'CAUSE THIS IS A, OBVIOUSLY IT'S AN EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCE. UM, WE STILL HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR, I MEAN, THESE TAHOES ARE NOT CHEAP WHEN WE OUTFIT THEM. SO MAYBE $110,000 THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT INTO THE BUDGET. OH, WE CAN CALL IT AN EVEN A HUNDRED GRAND. AND THEN WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOTTA SPEND TWO OR $3,000 [01:20:02] JUST TO GET THE CAR SWITCHED THEN. SO I'M JUST SAYING. AND, AND THEN WE SELL THAT CAR BROKEN WE DO. WHICH, WHICH DOESN'T GIVE US A LOT OF NECESSARY RESALE VALUE. MAYBE IT DOES, MAYBE IT DOESN'T. I DON'T KNOW. IS THERE ANY ABILITY WHATSOEVER TO, TO FIX THE ISSUE AND THEN PUT THE CAR BACK IN SERVICE EVEN WITH THE, EVEN AT THE SHERIFF'S? DOES THAT EVEN MAKE SENSE FROM A COST STANDPOINT? SO, SO JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, MY PAST HISTORY IS A REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT WITH ENTERPRISE HOLDINGS THAT OWNS A BUNCH OF RENTAL CAR COMPANIES. AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M ON THE FLEET COMMITTEE. UM, AND, AND THIS IS KIND OF THE REASON BEHIND WHY YOU DON'T REPAIR A CAR WHEN IT GETS THIS OLD, WHEN YOU'RE A FLEET, WHEN YOU'RE OWNING A FLEET, IS THE LIKELIHOOD OF ITS NEXT BREAKDOWN IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER. AND SO WE'RE ALREADY GONNA INVEST 7,000 PLUS DOLLARS OF THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY INTO SOMETHING THAT, UM, IS LIKELY, UH, MORE LIKELY TO BREAK DOWN IN THE FUTURE. THAT'S JUST THE TRUTH OF HOW THESE THINGS GO. MORE LIKELY TO BREAK DOWN IN THE FUTURE. IT'S 2019, SO IT'S ALREADY FIVE YEARS OLD, IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY. SO ANYTHING ELSE THAT BREAKS IS GONNA BE UP A HUNDRED PERCENT COST TO US. UM, COMPLETELY. AND WHEN YOU GO TO SURPLUS A VEHICLE OR, OR DISPOSE OF A VEHICLE THAT YOU HAVE, UH, USED IN YOUR FLEET AND WHEN YOU SELL IT, WHEN IT'S YES, IT NEEDS, UH, THESE, THIS REPAIR DONE, UM, IF YOU DID THE REPAIR AND THEN YOU SURPLUSED IT, YOU'D GET ABOUT A SIXTH OF THE REPAIR BACK IN YOUR INVESTMENT. SO YOU'RE BETTER OFF SURPLUS THAT VEHICLE AS IT IS AND LETTING SOMEBODY ELSE DO THE REPAIR, WHICH A DEALER OR SOMEBODY WHO BUYS THIS CAR CAN DO FOR A LOT LESS AND THEN PUT IT BACK ON THEIR LOT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT CHARGING YOU A PROFIT NOW. SO YOU, YOU REALLY, IT'S A BETTER MOVE FOR THE TAXPAYER LONG TERM RIGHT NOW, THIS YEAR. UM, IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT THE SITUATION WE WANTED TO BE IN FOR SURE, BUT YOU DON'T, 2019, UM, TO MAKE A $7,000 REPAIR TO THAT VEHICLE IS NOT, UM, NOT, UH, FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE EVEN THOUGH IT KIND OF SEEMS LIKE IT WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE THINKING IN YOUR MIND, WHY DON'T WE JUST REPAIR IT FOR SEVEN GRAND AND AVOID THIS COST OF BUYING A NEW VEHICLE? UM, BUT IN THE, IN THE LONG RUN, THIS WILL BE A MUCH BETTER MOVE, UH, FOR THE COUNTY RATHER THAN SPENDING THE MONEY TO REPAIR A VEHICLE THAT IS, UH, HAS A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF BREAKING DOWN AGAIN. AND WE WILL NOT INCREASE OUR RESIDUAL VALUE OF THIS VEHICLE BY MAKING THIS REPAIR. AND WITH IT HAVING 70,000 MILES ON IT, IF WE PUT IT IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WE MIGHT GET ONE YEAR. YOU'RE LUCKY IF, AND THEN YOU'RE BUYING ANOTHER CAR, YOU'RE LUCKY IF WE GET A YEAR AND THEN YOU'RE PUTTING THIS REPAIRED VEHICLE, UH, BACK ONTO A MUCH MORE STRENUOUS SITUATION, UM, THEN WE WOULD, UM, OTHERWISE YEAH, TOO AS WELL. IT'S GOTTA I JUST WANTED YOU TO TALK THAT OUT BECAUSE I, IT, IT JUST, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT ON THE SURFACE, YOU THINK SPEND SEVEN GRAND USE THE CAR FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. MAKES SENSE. YEP. BUT YOUR LOGIC IS I THINK SOUND AND OBVIOUSLY, UM, WE NEED TO BASICALLY COUNT ON YOUR EXPERTISE BECAUSE I'VE NEVER MANAGED A FLEET. UM, AND SO , I MEAN I'VE JUST NEVER HAVE. AND, AND SO I, I DO THINK THAT THAT THAT PART OF IT MAKES SENSE, UM, BECAUSE I MEAN, TO GIVE A, A FIVE YEAR OLD'S BASICALLY CAR THAT, THAT, LIKE I SAID, WITH THE USAGE OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, I MEAN, YOU MIGHT GET SIX, EIGHT MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD AFTER SPENDING THAT MUCH MONEY, THEN YOU'RE SPENDING IT AGAIN. SO YOU'RE ACTUALLY ADDING $7,000 RATHER THAN TRYING TO LIMP ALONG AND, UM, AND GET INTO LISA'S FAVORITE FUND 51 AND BUY A CAR. AND SHE WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE. SO I JUST HAD TO SAY THAT BEFORE SHE, SHE'S SMILING OUT THE DOOR . YEAH. SO ANYWAYS, UM, I JUST, I I GET IT. IT, IT'S AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION. RANDY DID A GREAT JOB ON TIMING, UM, , HEY, I, AFTER GOING THROUGH ALL THIS, I, I WISHED IT HAD NEVER HAPPENED , BUT UH, IT DID. AND WHEN BROWN TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD OTHER ONES HAD THE SAME THING, I FELT A LOT BETTER. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE CARD DID FINE FOR ME UP UNTIL THAT POINT. WELL, LET ME FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID, CAPTAIN BROWN, UM, BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO TWO OTHER VEHICLES, WE REPAIR THE SAME MODEL YEAR AND YOU REPAIRED 'EM AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE PROBLEM ANYMORE. ARE THEY STILL IN THE FLEET? UH, NO SIR. WE, THOSE PROBABLY HAVE BEEN CYCLED OUT AT THIS POINT TO OKAY. 'CAUSE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A EITHER AN 18 OR A 19. AND USUALLY THOSE DON'T LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS IN OUR FLEET. SO THOSE, THOSE ARE PROBABLY CYCLED OUT. I CAN GO BACK AND LOOK, BUT I DOUBT IT VERY SERIOUSLY. YEAH, I THINK THE BIG DIFFERENCE THERE IS THAT THOSE TWO INCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED HAPPENED REALLY EARLY IN THE VEHICLE'S LIFE, WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER A NORMAL WARRANTY. AND IN THAT CASE, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE REPAIR [01:25:01] THAT WAS PROBABLY YEAR THE FLEET BECAUSE WE HAVE PROTECTION. THAT WAS PROBABLY YEAR TWO OF US. YEAH. AND, AND SO WE DON'T, UM, BUT WE'RE NOT THIS TIME, UNFORTUNATELY. AND A AND A BIGGER REPAIR LIKE THAT EARLY ON IN THE VEHICLE'S LIFE IS, IS OKAY BECAUSE YOU HAVE THAT PROTECTION TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THAT. UM, YOU KNOW, THEY PROBABLY HAD 40, 30, 40,000 MILES ON 'EM AT THE TIME. I WOULD IMAGINE YOU NOT 70. ALRIGHT, SO, UM, JUDGE, EXCUSE ME, CAN I SAY SOMETHING? DEPENDS WHAT IT IS. , I, I REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S HELP ON THIS. AND TO THE SHERIFF TERRY AND CAPTAIN BROWN, THEY PUT A LOT OF WORK IN THIS AND I PROBABLY BUGGED THEM TO DEATH. BUT ANYWAY, I'M TRYING TO GET THIS OTHER CAR, THIS RESERVE CAR BACK TO THE RESERVES WHERE THEY CAN START SERVING PAPERS WITH IT. AND, BUT I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S HELP AND AND ALSO TO BOBBY GANO COMMISSIONER, HE IS DONE A LOT OF WORK. HE AND I APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. YEAH. YOU CAN ALWAYS SAY THANK YOU . SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S THE, OKAY, THERE YOU GO. SO DO WE HAVE TO ACT NOW? COMMISSIONER M**K BEAT ME TO IT. YEAH, I DUNNO THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE ANY ACTION TO TO TO MOVE THE VEHICLE FROM, UM, CAPTAIN BROWN'S FLEET TO CONSTABLE PARKS, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. THAT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO SHOW UP ON ANOTHER COURT. WELL, I THINK WE CLEARLY HAVE TO, WELL WE BUY ANY NEW, NEW CAR WE HAVE DISCUSS AN ACT ONE. WE'VE GOTTA DO IT. I THINK WE CAN DO I REALLY NEED THE COURT, THE CAR NOW, IF YOU CAN HELP ME. WELL, WELL, WELL, LISA WALKED BACK IN. WELL, I DON'T SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA ASK HER. SO, SO LISA ON THE CAR, ON MOVING THIS CAR FROM ONE FLEET TO THE OTHER AND, AND DO, DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT OR IS THAT GONNA JUST SHOW UP UNDER LIKE PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS? LIKE HOW, HOW DOES THAT MOVEMENT HAPPEN? WELL, WE CAN DO A PROPERTY, UH, DISPOSITION OF MOVING ONE CAR OVER TO THE CONSTABLE. UH, WE CAN BRING THAT TO YOU ON THE NEXT, NEXT UPCOMING COURT. GREAT. BUT IF YOU GO AHEAD AND WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO DO, OR AT LEAST GIVE THE DIRECTION THAT THE CAR CAN BE TRANSFERRED, THEN IT GETS OUT OFF OF THE SHERIFF'S NAME AND INTO, UH, CONSTABLE FORD'S NAME. SO I GAVE YOU NO ANSWER. DID I? DID I NO, YOU DID, YOU DID. YOU GAVE POLITICAL, THE LANGUAGE IS BROAD ENOUGH TO, TO ENCOMPASS THAT. YEAH. OKAY. I'M GONNA ATTEMPT TO MAKE THIS MOTION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, TRANSFER THE 2022 TAHOE, UH, WITH THE ROUND 22,000 MILES ON IT, UH, TO FROM, UH, SHERIFF FLEET TO CONSTABLE PRECINCT FOUR. BUT I'LL SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ALANA, AND WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER. STACY, PLEASE SHOW YOUR VOTE AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. SO THANK YOU. AND THAT BEING SAID, UM, IT'S ALMOST 10 30 BEFORE WE GET ONTO OUR NEXT ITEM, LET'S TAKE A 10 MINUTE RECESS. WE WILL BE BACK HERE AT 11 40 10. 10 40, I'M SORRY, . WE COULD TAKE [14. Discuss/Act on terminating the contract agreement with Trinity Services Group, Inc. for food services for Rockwall County Detention Center, and all related issues; (Commissioner Stacy -Sheriff)] AN ACT ON TERMINATING AND CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH TRINITY SERVICES GROUP FOR FOOD SERVICES AT ROCKWALL COUNTY DETENTION CENTER AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. UM, UH, UH, SHERIFF, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT, SHERIFF GARRETT? I CERTAINLY WILL, IF YOU WOULD LIKE. UM, THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT WE ENTERED INTO ABOUT A YEAR AGO WITH, UH, TRINITY, UH, TO HELP US WITH OUR FOOD SERVICE. AND THEY PROVIDED SOME THINGS. SO THE, UH, HOPES AT THE TIME WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD ALLEVIATE SOME OF OUR PERSONNEL TIME, UH, IN THE FOOD SERVICE AND MAKING SURE WE GET THE SUPPLIES THAT WE NEEDED IN THE FOOD WE NEEDED. AND THEY WERE SUPPLIED A LOT OF THINGS. UH, IT HASN'T WORKED OUT THE WAY WE HOPED AND IT STILL HAS BEEN TAKING, UH, QUITE A BIT OF OUR STAFF'S TIME IN, IN DEALING WITH SOME OF THESE THINGS AND THE GRIEVANCES THAT WE'VE HAD ON THE FOOD, UH, SUPPLY AND THE QUALITY. SO, UH, WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATION IS HERE IS TO, UH, UH, DEFUNCT THE CONTRACT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR SHERIFF GARRETT? WELL, WHAT, WHAT IS THE, YOUR, THE ALTERNATIVE OF HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HANDLE THE CONTRACT? WE'LL GO, WE'LL GO BACK TO WHAT WE WERE DOING BEFORE WHERE, WHERE, UH, STAFF IS TAKING CARE OF THE ORDERING AND IT DOES GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY, UH, WITH THE BROADLINE PROGRAM TO BE ABLE TO [01:30:01] LOOK AT ON A WEEKLY BASIS, BA BASICALLY WHO THE BEST PRICES ARE FOR WHAT WE'RE USING FOR THE KITCHEN AND THE FOOD SERVICE. AND IT, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE COMMISSARY PART, THIS IS JUST THE FOOD SERVICE THAT WE DO ON THE MEALS EVERY DAY. TOUGH JOB. AND, YEAH. AND I DID, UH, COMMISSIONER, I DID, UH, PULL OR I HAD, UH, SHERRY PULL SOME NUMBERS. UH, IT REALLY WASN'T A HUGE SAVINGS FOR THE COUNTY TO, I MEAN, THIS WAS A, A TEST RUN, SO TO SPEAK. UH, THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS WERE PRETTY COMPARABLE TO WHEN WE DID IT ON OUR OWN YEAH. TO WHERE DOING IT WITH THIS SERVICE SO WELL, AND OUR STAFF WHO'S BEEN TAKING CARE OF THE FOOD SERVICE DOES AN AWESOME JOB. AND I THINK WE CAN GET A BETTER QUALITY AND, UH, A BETTER, A BETTER PRODUCT, UH, WITH, WITH KEEPING IT IN HOUSE. IT WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL KIND OF A CONTRACT. UH, IT DIDN'T COST US ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT FOR THAT. BUT, UH, WITH THE WAY OUR STAFF WORKS THAT I THINK WE CAN, UH, CONTINUE TO DO A BETTER JOB. WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU PAYING ATTENTION TO IT AND MAKING SURE TO DO THE BEST FOR OUR COUNTY. YES, SIR. SIR, THANKS SO MUCH. UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR SHERIFF GARRE? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TERMINATE THE CON UH, THE CONTRACT WITH TRINITY SERVICE GROUP FOR FOOD SERVICES FOR THE ROCKWELL COUNTY DETENTION CENTER. ALL WE HAVE A MOTION BY, UH, COMMISSIONER STACY. SECOND. I'LL SECOND. SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER M**K. ALL IN FAVOR? YES. PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ALRIGHT, THANKS SO MUCH. UM, [15. Discuss/Act on approving policies presented by the Policy Review Committee, and all related issues; (Commissioner Stacy)] OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM, UM, 15, WHICH IS DISCUSS AND ACT ON APPROVING POLICIES PRESENTED BY THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. COMMISSIONER STACY? YEAH. UM, WE SHOULD HAVE WORKED THIS OUT. UH, COMMISSIONER LTI AND I SIT ON, UM, THE POLICY COMMITTEE, BUT WE DIDN'T REALLY WORK OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA PRESENT IT. UM, SO, UH, THERE ARE, YOU'RE JUST GONNA CONFUSE HIM. THE, I'M SORRY, I, I INTERRUPTED AND THAT'S MY APOLOGIES TO YOU. NO, YOU'RE TOTALLY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT WHAT, WHAT THE, UM, HR DIRECTOR'S HANDING OUT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAD IN OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR PACKET ANYWAY, SO IF NOT, I WANTED WHAT I WOULD'VE WANTED TO IDENTIFY ANY CHANGES. YEAH, GO AHEAD COMMISSIONER STACY. YEAH, SO WHAT WE, UM, WHAT LAUREN AND I DID, UM, ALONG WITH THE BENEFITS COMMITTEE, BUT WE'RE THE TWO COMMISSIONERS KIND OF BRINGING THIS FORWARD IS WE DID A REVIEW OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES BASICALLY WITHIN THE COUNTY OF WHAT WE MIGHT WANTED TO WORK OUT, WHAT WE WANTED TO FIGURE OUT. AND SO WE HAVE COME VIRTUALLY WITH TWO CONCEPTS, BUT THREE POLICIES. UM, ONE IS A CALL OUT AND ON-CALL COMPENSATION POLICY. UM, THE GOAL OF THIS IS FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT USE CALL OUT AND ON-CALL PROCEDURES FOR US TO WORK OUT SOMETHING THAT WOULD, COULD POTENTIALLY REDUCE OVERTIME PAYMENTS FOR, FOR THAT. UM, THIS WOULD BE FOR OUR FACILITIES MAINTENANCE, IT AND ROAD AND BRIDGE. THOSE ARE THE THREE MAIN DEPARTMENTS THAT DO CALL OUT AN ON-CALL. UM, AND WE SET UP SOME PROCEDURES ON HOW WE CAN DO COMP TIME FOR THAT. THE OTHER WOULD BE GRANDFATHERING OUR EDUCATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM, UM, AND BASICALLY STOPPING IT WITH THE GRANDFATHERING, BUT CONTINUING WITH OUR T COLE, UH, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, CERTIFICATION INCENTIVES, THOSE ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD. I DON'T KNOW IF LAUREN WANTS TO EXPAND ON THAT OR IF THE COURT HAS ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, BUT THE POLICIES WERE INCLUDED IN THE, IN THE HANDOUTS. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS FOR A WHILE AND I, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY THE BIGGEST CHANGE IN MY MIND IS, UM, GETTING, ELIMINATING THE, UH, DEGREE PROGRAM BENEFIT INCENTIVE PROGRAM BENEFIT. AND THE THINKING WAS THAT IN A LOT OF CASES, A DEGREE DOESN'T NECESSARILY PROVIDE ANYTHING SPECIAL. UM, SO, UM, WE KEPT THE T-C-O-L-E CERTIFICATION BENEFIT BECAUSE THOSE ARE BENEFITS TO THAT, TO THAT AREA OF SERVICE. AND THIS IS A FULL GRANDFATHERING. YEAH. ANYONE WHO'S RECEIVING IT AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, OR I GUESS TECHNICALLY OCTOBER 1ST BECAUSE IT'S THE WAY THE DAYS FLIP BACK AND FORTH WOULD CONTINUE TO RECEIVE IT. BUT THE POLICIES IN THERE AND THAT, THAT WAS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST CHANGE THAT WAS MADE. CORRECT. THE, THE ON THE ON-CALL CALL OUT IS, UM, IS IT IS JUST A NEW POLICY TO HELP US, UH, WITH, WITH, UM, WITH THOSE THREE DEPARTMENTS AND THE, THE EDUCATION CENTER WAS OBVIOUSLY THE BIG ONE. SO I DO HAVE [01:35:01] A QUESTION AND IT'S JUST FOR MY, UM, EDUCATION PURPOSES ON THE ON CALL AND CALL OUT COMPENSATION. IS IT FROM A GOVERNMENT STANDPOINT, IS THIS A LEGAL TO OFFER COMP TIME VERSUS OVERTIME, DID YOU SAY? IS IT LEGAL? MM-HMM . YES, IT IS LEGAL. IS IT LEGAL FOR ON ONGOING AND I KNOW THERE'S, AND WE DO THAT NOW IN COURT. OKAY. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, UM, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. WELL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE POLICIES PRESENTED BY THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, WITH A, UH, START DATE OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2025. ALRIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STACY. I WILL SECOND THAT MOTION. AND WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER M**K, PLEASE EVIDENCE YOUR VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU TO THAT COMMITTEE FOR WORKING SO HARD TO GET THIS, UH, MOVED FORWARD TO MAKE THOSE, THOSE CORRECTIONS. OKAY. ITEM [16. Discuss/Act on approving employee benefits for 2026, including medical, dental, vision, and other benefits, and all related issues; (Commissioner Stacy)] 16, DISCUSS AND ACT ON APPROVING EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FOR 2026, INCLUDING MEDICAL, DENTAL, VISION, AND OTHER BENEFITS AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. AND YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EXPLANATION OF THIS, UH, COMMISSIONERS IN YOUR PACKET THIS WEEK. MM-HMM . THAT SPECIFIED THIS. UM, BUT IF, UH, UH, SINCE CAMMIE, OUR HR DIRECTOR'S COMING TO THE MICROPHONE, UM, SHE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, GIVE US AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT'S GOING ON. SO I DID BRING PRINTOUTS IF, IF YOU NEED A PRINTOUT, I DO HAVE A CORRECTION PAGE WITHIN THIS PRESENTATION AS WELL. OKAY. DOES EVERYONE HAVE THE HANDOUT THAT, YEAH. MM-HMM . MM-HMM . THE HANDOUT CORRELATES WITH THE SLIDESHOW. UM, I RUN A THIN LINE BETWEEN BORING EVERYONE TO DEATH AND JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT I PROVIDE ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION. MY NAME IS KAMI WEBB. I'M THE HR DIRECTOR FOR ROCKWALL COUNTY. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BENEFITS COMMITTEE, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF COMMISSIONERS, LAUREN LICHTY, JOHN STACY, AND COUNTY TREASURER DAVID P AND I'M RIPPING OUT A CORRECTION PAGE SO I DON'T HAVE TO GIVE YOU THE WHOLE PACKET BECAUSE I NOTICED AT 10 O'CLOCK LAST NIGHT THAT THE NUMBERS OUR CONSULTANT GAVE US, SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS WERE INCORRECT. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. THE ROCKWELL COUNTY HEALTHCARE PLAN IS CONSIDERED A POOL THAT'S POOL FOR THOSE THAT DON'T SPEAK COUNTRY, A POOL, UH, WHERE THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS AND EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS PAY ALL OF THE CLAIMS OTHERWISE KNOWN AS A SELF-FUNDED PLAN. [01:40:01] EACH YEAR THE ROCKWELL COUNTY BENEFITS COMMITTEE REVIEWS THE PLAN WITH OUR CONSULTANT, WHICH IS GALLAGHER CONSULTING AND MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COURT FOR THE RENEWAL FOR THE NEXT YEAR, FOR 2026. THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO MAINTAIN AGREEMENTS WITH UNITED HEALTHCARE, UM, FOR THE USE OF THEIR NETWORK AND CLAIMS ADMINISTRATION MAINTAIN, UH, THE TEXAS ACES PROGRAM WITH UNITED HEALTHCARE, WHICH IS AN INTERVENTION APPROACH FOR DISEASE AND CASE MANAGEMENT FOR CONDITIONS SUCH AS DIABETES PER PERSONAL HEALTH COACHING AND CLINICAL SUPPORT TO HELP MEMBERS MANAGE THEIR CONDITIONS EFFECTIVELY. THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO MAINTAIN, UH, AN AGREEMENT WITH UNITEDHEALTHCARE FOR THEIR PHARMACY BENEFITS MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS OPTUMRX. UM, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO MAINTAIN AN AGREEMENT WITH UNITEDHEALTHCARE FOR DENTAL VISION AND FOR THE USE OF A SECURED MICRO SITE, WHICH WE USE FOR EMPLOYEES SO THAT WE CAN POST COUNTY SPECIFIC INFORMATION, UM, SUCH AS INFORMATION FOR OUR WELLNESS PROGRAM. UM, AND A FEW OTHER THINGS. I TRY TO KEEP THE COUNTY WEBSITE UP TO DATE ON ALL OF OUR BENEFITS SO THAT CANDIDATES WHO ARE CONSIDERING EMPLOYMENT WITH ROCKWELL COUNTY CAN SEE, UM, OUR GENEROUS BENEFITS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE THEIR DECISION, UM, AS FAR AS WHERE THEY WANT TO WORK. UM, ALSO NOT ONLY BASED ON OUR COMPENSATION, BUT ON OUR GENEROUS BENEFITS PACKAGE THIS YEAR IN 2025, UM, WE STARTED THE GO TO DOCTOR CAMPAIGN WHERE WE, IN, WHERE, WHERE WE IN REQUIRE EMPLOYEES AND THEIR SPOUSES TO GET AN ANNUAL PHYSICAL. UM, AND THAT WILL KEEP THEM FROM HAVING TO PAY A $50 SURCHARGE THE NEXT YEAR. SO WE ARE PROPOSING, UM, THE, THE COMMITTEE IS PROPOSING TO CONTINUE THAT INTO 2026. SO IF AN EMPLOYEE AND THEIR SPOUSE WHO ARE NOT, WHO ARE ON THE COUNTY'S HEALTHCARE PLAN, BUT THEY DO NOT GET A, A PHYSICAL WOULD PAY $50 PER PERSON PER PAYCHECK FOR THE YEAR. AND HAS EVERYONE DONE THAT? OR IS THERE NO SIR. PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING TO PAY THE SURCHARGE. SO WE JUST STARTED THE REQUIREMENT IN 2025, WHICH WOULD AFFECT 2026 EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS. RIGHT NOW WE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE LIST OF, WE HA WE HAVE ABOUT 325 MEMBERS ON OUR PLAN EMPLOYEES ON OUR PLAN. UM, 80 OF THOSE AS OF LAST WEEK HAD NOT DONE IT YET, AND THEY HAVE UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER. SO IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE EMAIL REMINDERS THAT OUR WELLNESS COORDINATOR HAS BEEN SENDING OUT, WHICH IS KATIE RUFF, UM, THE THREE OF US IN HR SPLIT THE LIST UP AND STARTED NOTIFYING WITH PHONE CALLS AND WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THEY HAVE, UM, TAKEN THE EXTRA STEP TO NOTIFY THEIR EMPLOYEES AS WELL, UM, WHETHER IT BE DURING THEIR DETAIL OR PASS ON TIME OR CONTACTING THE EMPLOYEES INDIVIDUALLY. AND IS THIS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE COUPLED WITH THE BENEFIT WE PROVIDE WITH HELPING HANDS SO THEY COULD GO TO THE HELPING HANDS CLINIC AND ABSOLUTELY. YES SIR. THEY CAN GET, UM, A LOT OF OUR, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, PERSONNEL GO TO HELPING HANDS FOR THEIR ANNUAL PHYSICAL. OKAY. WELL I I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE POINTING THIS OUT TO EVERYONE BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T THEN THERE WILL BE A BIG SHOCK ON THE FIRST PAYCHECK RIGHT. IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. AND WE WANNA AVOID THAT. WE AS AN HR WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, WE WILL TO KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING. MY GOAL IS 100% COMPLIANCE AND WE WILL PESTER YOU UNTIL YOU EITHER SAY, I'M NOT DOING IT OR, OKAY, LEAVE ME ALONE . SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUE THAT INTO NEXT YEAR. THE BENEFITS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION IS TO MAINTAIN AN AGREEMENT WITH CPI OR COBRA PROFESSIONALS INCORPORATED. UM, THIS COMPANY ADMINISTERS OUR COBRA BENEFITS AND CURRENTLY OUR FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT. UM, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO GO ALONG WITH IRS GUIDELINES, WHICH ALLOW THE FLEXIBLE MEDICAL FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT AMOUNT TO INCREASE TO 3,300 PER YEAR WITH A $660 ROLLOVER, UM, AND INCREASE THE DEPENDENT CARE FSA TO 7,500 FROM, I BELIEVE IT WAS 5,500, UM, OR FOR SINGLE, UH, MARRIED FILING JOINTLY. I'M SORRY, THE 7,500 WOULD BE FOR SINGLE MARRIED FILING JOINTLY, OR [01:45:01] 37 50 FROM MARRIED FILING SEPARATELY, WHICH IS THE IRS ALLOWABLE. UM, I'LL GET MORE INTO, UM, LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, THE RECOMMENDATION TO, UH, WORK WITH COBRA PROFESSIONALS INCORPORATED ON A HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT THAT'S FORTHCOMING. THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO MAINTAIN, UM, WHAT WE CURRENTLY OFFER AS FAR AS EMPLOYER PAID BASIC LIFE INSURANCE, UM, WHICH IS $50,000 TO CURRENT EMPLOYEES, UM, WHICH, UM, THAT BENEFIT IS REDUCED BASED ON AGE. UM, IT REDUCES BY 35% OF AGE 65 AND 50% AT AGE 70. ALSO, AN EMPLOYER PAID LONG-TERM DISABILITY, WHICH I BELIEVE WE BEGAN THAT THIS YEAR IN 2025. UM, THAT'S WHERE, UH, THE BENEFIT KICKS IN 90 DAYS FOLLOWING AN INJURY OR ILLNESS AT 60% OF THE GROWTH MONTHLY INCOME WITH A MAXIMUM OF $6,000 A MONTH. UM, THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT SUPPLEMENTAL LIFE INSURANCE BENEFIT UNIVERSAL LIFE, WHICH IS A PERMANENT TRANSFERABLE LIFE INSURANCE. UM, IT INCLUDES LIVING BENEFITS, ENSURING FINANCIAL SUPPORT IN THE EVENT OF LONG-TERM CARE. IT'S A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN SUPPLEMENTAL LIFE, BUT LIKE I SAID, IT'S, IT'S A PERMANENT BENEFIT THAT THE EMPLOYEE WOULD PAY FOR, UM, SHORT-TERM DISABILITY, UH, WHICH IS ALSO A VOLUNTARY BENEFIT, WHICH WOULD BE 100% PAID FOR BY THE EMPLOYEE. AND THAT'S WHERE, UM, IF AN EMPLOYEE NEEDS TO GO OUT ON A SHORT TERM BASIS, WHICH IS MORE THAN 14 DAYS, UM, THIS BENEFIT WOULD PAY AT 60% OF THEIR INCOME UP TO $2,000, UM, PER MY NOTES SAY A WEEK. DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT, COMMISSIONER STACY? UP TO A MAXIMUM OF $2,000 A WEEK? YES. OKAY. THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD ALSO BE TO, UM, CONTINUE OFFERING VOLUNTARY BENEFITS SUCH AS CRITICAL ILLNESS, HOSPITAL INDEMNITY AND ACCIDENT. HOWEVER, UM, THE COMMITTEE IS PROPOSING CHANGING FROM TRUSTMARK TO UNITED HEALTHCARE, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN GREATER DISCOUNTS, UM, BECAUSE THAT WOULD MEAN THAT MOST OF OUR PRODUCTS, UM, ABOUT 99% OF OUR PRODUCTS WOULD BE, UH, ADMINISTERED THROUGH UNITED HEALTHCARE AND THEY OFFER A NUMBER OF DISCOUNTS FOR DOING THAT. THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO MAINTAIN, UM, ADDITIONAL BENEFITS SUCH AS IMAGING THROUGH HUNT REGIONAL IMAGING. THIS IS WHERE THE AT NO COST TO THE EMPLOYEE OR THE MEMBER ON THE HEALTHCARE PLAN. UM, THERE'S NO OUT-OF-POCKET TO THEM. HOWEVER, HUNT REGIONAL IMAGING WOULD CHARGE ROCKWALL COUNTY THE CASH RATE FOR SUCH IMAGING. UM, AND OUR CONSULTANT LOOKS INTO THIS EVERY YEAR AND THEY SAID THAT THE COUNTY STILL BENEFITS FROM THIS AGREEMENT WITH HUNT REGIONAL IMAGING BECAUSE THE CASH RATE IS LESS THAN IF THEY WERE TO RUN IT THROUGH INSURANCE. SO IT BENEFITS BOTH THE EMPLOYEE AND THE COUNTY. UH, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO MAINTAIN, UH, AN AGREEMENT WITH HELPING HANDS WHERE OUR EMPLOYEES MAY SEE, UM, A MEMBER OF THEIR MEDICAL TEAM FOR A $25 COPAY. UM, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUE VIRTUAL CARE THROUGH UNITED HEALTHCARE, UH, MAINTAIN AN AGREEMENT FOR A BENEFITS ADVOCACY CENTER. SO THIS IS WHERE IF A MEMBER ON OUR PLAN HAS A QUESTION ABOUT ONE OF THEIR MEDICAL CLAIMS, THEY WOULD CALL THE BENEFITS ADVOCACY CENTER. AND IF THAT REPRESENTATIVE WHO WORKS FOR GALLAGHER CONSULTING DOES NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THEIR QUESTION, THEY WILL KEEP THE MEMBER ON THE LINE WHILE THEY CONFERENCE IN SOMEONE FROM UNITEDHEALTHCARE TO TRY TO GET THEIR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ANSWERED. THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO ALSO CONTINUE, UM, AN AGREEMENT WITH GALLAGHER CONSULTING FOR THE USE OF THEIR ENROLLMENT SERVICES, UM, WHICH I'LL GET MORE INTO THAT AS FAR AS WHAT THE COMMITTEE IS RECOMMENDING WITH THE PLAN CHANGES. BUT THIS YEAR, THIS OPEN ENROLLMENT IN 2025 GOING INTO 2026 WOULD BE WHAT WE CALL AN ACTIVE ENROLLMENT OR REQUIRED ENROLLMENT WHERE EVERY PERSON, EVERY EMPLOYEE WHO PLANS TO BE A MEMBER ON OUR HEALTHCARE PLAN WOULD NEED TO ENROLL AND THEY WOULD CALL AND SPEAK TO AN ENROLLER BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES UNDERSTAND OUR BENEFITS. THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO CONTINUE OFFERING [01:50:01] REFERRAL PROGRAMS FOR DETENTION OFFICERS AND VETERANS. SO THE REFERRAL PROGRAM FOR DETENTION OFFICERS, UM, AWARDS A CURRENT EMPLOYEE FOR REFERRING CANDIDATES TO THE DETENTION OFFICER POSITION WITH A $500, UM, PAYMENT OR STIPEND ONCE THE NEW HIRE COMPLETES 90 DAYS AND ANOTHER $500. ONCE THAT NEW HIRE COMPLETES 180 DAYS, AND AT THE TIME THAT THE REFERRAL STIPEND IS AWARDED, THE REFERRING EMPLOYEE MUST STILL BE EMPLOYED AND THE NEW EMPLOYEE MUST STILL BE EMPLOYED. AS FAR AS A VETERAN REFERRAL PROGRAM, UM, THE REFERRAL STIPEND IS AWARDED TO THE CURRENT EMPLOYEE FOR REFERRING CANDIDATES WHO ARE VETERANS FOR ANY JOB IN THE COUNTY. AND THIS AWARD AMOUNT WOULD BE $500 TO THE CURRENT EMPLOYEE, UM, ONCE THAT NEW HIRE COMPLETES 90 DAYS. UM, AS FAR AS RETIREMENT, UM, THAT IS ON THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM. SO BRIEFLY, AS FAR AS MAINTAINING, UH, CERTAIN CURRENT BENEFITS, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO MAINTAIN AN AGREEMENT WITH NATIONWIDE FOR THEIR DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN, WHICH IS THEIR 4 57 B. UM, WE RECOMMEND THAT WE MAINTAIN AN AGREEMENT WITH COUNTY CHOICE, WHICH IS A MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT THROUGH TRANSAMERICA A NUMBER OF YEARS. THE COURT GRANDFATHERED THE CURRENT NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS ON THAT PLAN WHERE OUR COUNTY TREASURER'S OFFICE WOULD TAKE THOSE MONTHLY CONTRIBUTIONS AND MAKE THAT PAYMENT DIRECTLY TO TRANSAMERICA FOR THE GRANDFATHERED, UM, PARTICIPANTS TO CONTINUE ON THAT SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN, CURRENTLY WE HAVE NINE GRANDFATHERED RETIREES WHO RE WHO PARTICIPATE IN THAT. AND THEN THE RECOMMENDATION IS ALSO TO ALSO TO MAINTAIN THE PRE 65 HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE, UM, WHICH WOULD BE, UH, ACCESS TO THE COUNTY'S PPO PLAN. AND ONCE I, UH, SHOW YOU THE THREE PLANS THAT THE COMMITTEE IS RECOMMENDING, UM, THE SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO ALLOW PRE 65 RETIREES TO ONLY, UH, ENROLL IN THE PPO ONE PLAN, WHICH IS OUR CURRENT PLAN. UM, ALSO THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO ENROLL IN DENTAL AND VISION. TO GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE TWO PRE 65 RETIREES WHO ARE ENROLLED IN OUR MEDICAL INSURANCE AND, UM, THREE WHO ARE ENROLLED IN DENTAL AND VISION. UM, IT'S PRETTY, IT'S A PRETTY STEEP AMOUNT, BUT IT'S COMPETITIVE AS FAR AS THE MARKET GOES. UM, SO WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD AS MANY PRE 65 RETIREES ENROLL IN OUR MEDICAL INSURANCE AS FAR AS STOP-LOSS. SO THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO MAINTAIN AN AGREEMENT WITH UNITED HEALTHCARE. UM, WE DID GO OUT FOR BID THIS YEAR FOR THIS COVERAGE. UM, BUT AGAIN, LIKE I MENTIONED, UNITEDHEALTHCARE, THEY WILL, UM, UH, GIVE, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF DISCOUNTS OR, UM, IF YOU HAVE YOUR WHOLE PACKAGE WITH THEM, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO WORK WITH YOU AS FAR AS COST. SO SPECIFIC COVERAGE, UM, JUST AS A REMINDER, SPECIFIC STOP LOSS PROTECTS THE COUNTY AGAINST EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH CLAIMS FROM ANY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL. IT KICKS IN WHEN THE CLAIMS EXCEED FOR ONE PERSON IF IT EXCEEDS 150,000. SO FOR A LARGE UNEX EXPECTED CLAIM THAT EXCEEDS, THAT HITS 200,000 IN CLAIMS STOP LOSS, UM, WOULD REIMBURSE THE COUNTY BY $50,000. AGGREGATE, UM, PROTECTS THE COUNTY FROM HIGH TOTAL CLAIMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE COVERED GROUP. SO IT KICKS IN WHEN THE TOTAL CLAIMS FOR ALL COVERED EMPLOYEES EXCEEDS $1 MILLION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, CLAIMS ACROSS THE EM, UH, EMPLOYEES. UH, IF IT WERE TO TOTAL $1.2 MILLION, THE STOP-LOSS CARRIER WOULD REIMBURSE THE COUNTY BY 200,000 AT THE END OF THE YEAR. SO AS FAR AS UPDATING THE PLAN DESIGN BEGINNING IN 2026, THE PROPOSAL IS, UM, TO OFFER THREE PLANS. CURRENTLY WE OFFER ONE PPO PLAN, WHICH IS THIS FIRST, UM, COLUMN WHERE WE HAVE, UH, AN ANNUAL DEDUCTIBLE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL AT 1,250. AND FOR THE FAMILY THE DEDUCTIBLE IS 2,500 [01:55:01] WITH OUT-OF-POCKET MAXIMUM OF 5,500 FOR AN INDIVIDUAL AND 11,000 FOR A FAMILY. UM, WE DO HAVE SOME COPAYS. UM, THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO KEEP THE REST OF THIS PLAN AS IS MAINTAINING OUR COPAYS, UM, AND HOSPITAL INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT AS 20% AFTER THE DEDUCTIBLE. BUT THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO ALSO OFFER AN HSA, WHICH IS A HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT, UM, WHERE THE EMPLOYEE WOULD PAY, UH, A BIWEEKLY PREMIUM. UM, BUT THE CONTRIBUTION AMOUNT WOULD BE $600. THE COUNTY WOULD CONTRIBUTE $600 FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR EMPLOYEE ONLY ON THE PLAN, OR $1,200 TO AN EMPLOYEE PLUS SPOUSE OR AN EMPLOYEE PLUS CHILD OR AN EMPLOYEE PLUS FAMILY. UM, THE CO-INSURANCE, UM, THE EMPLOYEE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR 20% OF THE COST OF THE CLAIMS WITH AN ANNUAL DEDUCTIBLE OF $3,500 FOR AN INDIVIDUAL AND 7,000 FOR A FAMILY. AS FAR AS OUT-OF-POCKET MAXIMUMS, IT WOULD STAY THE SAME AT 5,500 FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR 11,000 OUT OF POCKET MAXIMUM FOR A FAMILY. SO IF YOU NOTICE THESE, THIS IS CONSIDERED A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN, UM, WHICH I BELIEVE TYPICALLY COINCIDES WITH AN HSAI AM NOT SURE IF AN HSA IS EVEN OFFERED WITHOUT A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN. COMMISSIONER STACY IS MORE THE EXPERT ON, ON THIS, AND IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M PROBABLY GONNA LOOK AT HIM. . UM, THE THIRD PLAN WOULD BE ANOTHER PPO WHERE, UM, IT'S A HIGHER DEDUCTIBLE AND OUT-OF-POCKET MAXIMUM. SO, UM, EVERYTHING WOULD REMAIN THE SAME AS THE CURRENT PPO EXCEPT THAT, UH, THE DEDUCTIBLES WOULD BE HIGHER AT 2,500 FOR AN INDIVIDUAL, 5,000 FOR A FAMILY, OR 6,500 OUT-OF-POCKET MAXIMUM FOR AN INDIVIDUAL FOR THE YEAR OR 13,000 OUT-OF-POCKET MAXIMUM FOR THE YEAR FOR A FAMILY. UM, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS JUST REVIEWS BASICALLY WHAT I TOLD YOU ABOUT AT HSA, THAT THE COUNTY WOULD CONTRIBUTE 600 OR 1200 IN THE NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS OUR CURRENT PLAN, PPO WITH THE DEDUCTIBLE AT 1250. UM, YEAR TO DATE, THIS IS HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS WE HAD ENROLLED IN EACH CATEGORY, WHETHER IT BE EMPLOYEE ONLY OR EMPLOYEE SPOUSE, CHILDREN OR FAMILY. THESE ARE THE CURRENT EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS. UM, ALSO THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTIONS. SO AN EMPLOYEE ONLY WOULD CONTRIBUTE, UM, $20 AND 20 CENTS PER PAYCHECK. SO THESE ARE MONTHLY DOLLAR AMOUNTS. UM, SO WITH THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTING $40 AND 40 CENTS, THE COUNTY IS CONTRIBUTING $927 AND 95 CENTS. UM, THAT TOTAL RATE FOR THAT EMPLOYEE TO BE ON THE PLAN IS $968 AND 35 CENTS. SO TECHNICALLY THAT $927 AND 95 CENTS THAT THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTES, UM, IS CONSIDERED PART OF THE COMPENSATION PACKAGE, WHICH IS WHY I LIKE TO REFLECT THIS ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE SO THAT CANDIDATES CONSIDERING COMING TO WORK FOR ROCKWALL COUNTY CAN LOOK TO SEE WHAT THEIR MONTHLY COST IS GONNA BE FOR BENEFITS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT PAGE, THIS IS THE PAGE THAT I CORRECTED AND HANDED OUT BECAUSE I NOTICED THAT THE EMPLOYEE, EMPLOYEE EMPLOYER, UM, DELTAS WERE DIFFERENT OR THEY WERE INCORRECT AS PRESENTED. SO, SO FOR EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE CURRENT PPO PLAN, THE COMMITTEE WOULD RECOMMEND INCREASING THE MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION TO $55 AND 11 CENTS. UM, THE COST OF THE PLAN IS WOULD INCREASE AS WELL. UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION WOULD INCREASE TO 1040 $7. SO, UM, I'M, I'M NOT SURE IF Y'ALL WANT ME TO REVIEW EACH MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION, BUT THE HSA PLAN, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MONTHLY CONTRIBUTIONS ARE QUITE A BIT LESS BECAUSE THE OUT-OF-POCKET DEDUCTIBLE AND MAXIMUMS ARE MORE. HOWEVER, THIS MONTHLY [02:00:01] CONTRIBUTION ALLOWS THE MEMBER ON OUR PLAN TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE UNITED HEALTHCARE NETWORK AND TO THE NEGOTIATED RATE. UM, AS FAR AS CLAIMS AND THE EMPLOYER, ROCKWELL COUNTY WOULD CONTRIBUTE THAT 600 OR $1,200, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT WOULD GO INTO ACCOUNT IN AN ACCOUNT AND THE EMPLOYEE MAY ALSO CONTRIBUTE INTO THAT HSA ACCOUNT. UM, AND THE IRS LIMIT, THE EMPLOYEE IS NOT REQUIRED TO. NO. RIGHT. AND THEN, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE HIGH DE HIGHER DEDUCTIBLE PPO, UM, THOSE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE A LITTLE LESS THAN THE FIRST PPO OUR CURRENT PLAN. SO BASICALLY WE WOULD OFFER OUR CURRENT PLAN FOR A HIGHER EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION. WE WOULD OFFER AN HSA HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN FOR, UM, QUITE A BIT LESS AS FAR AS THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION. PLUS THERE WOULD BE A COUNTY CONTRIBUTION INTO THE HSA AND WE WOULD OFFER A SECOND PPO WITH A HIGHER DEDUCTIBLE, BUT A LOWER EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION ON A MONTHLY BASIS. AND THEN JUST SOME CONTEXT, WE DID DO A SURVEY OF EMPLOYEES, AND THIS IS IN RESPONSE OF THAT FOR MORE CHOICE AND THE ABILITY TO GO TO A HIGHER DEDUCTIBLE. LOWER COST PLAN WAS OVERWHELMINGLY, UH, UH, AN OPINION EXPRESSED BY THE EMPLOYEES. RIGHT. AND ALSO ADDING ON TO WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER STACY SAID THE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE, KAMI, BUT THE CURRENT EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION ON OUR PLAN IS, AND THE, THE PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN WHAT MOST OTHER COUNTIES COMPARABLE COUNTIES REQUIRE. CORRECT. UM, THE COUNTIES IN THE, WITHIN THE DFW METROPLEX, UM, ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES DID A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY AND SENT THE RESULTS TO US. AND IT APPEARS THAT WE, NOT ONLY DO WE OFFER EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS TO OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT IT'S QUITE A BIT LESS OUT OF POCKET TO OUR EMPLOYEES THAN THAN OUR NEIGHBORS DO. YEAH. AND I'M JUST JUMPING IN HERE. I I'M REAL EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE OTHER OPTIONS. 'CAUSE PEOPLE CAN STAY WITH WHAT THEY WANT. IT'S LIKE, UH, YOU CAN KEEP THE PLAN IF YOU WANT. IT STILL VERY REASONABLE, VERY REASONABLE OUT OF POCKETS. UM, BUT, UH, I KNOW FROM MY PRIOR EXPERIENCE WHEN WE STARTED PROVIDING AN HSA INITIALLY, THERE WAS VERY LITTLE ACCEPTANCE OF IT. AND OVER TIME, VIRTUALLY EVERYONE WENT TO IT BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A GREAT PLAN. SO, UM, I, WE REALLY ARE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEES WITH THESE OPTIONS AND FOR THOSE THAT FEEL THEY WANNA STAY WITH WHAT THEY GOT, STAY WITH WHAT YOU GOT. RIGHT. UM, WE'RE ONLY EXPANDING UPON WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER. AND THANKFULLY, UM, LIKE I SAID, COMMISSIONER STACY IS AN EXPERT ON THESE TYPES OF PLANS BECAUSE HR, WE CURRENTLY ARE NOT . WE'RE, UM, LEARNING AND WE WILL LEARN ALONGSIDE OUR COWORKERS ABOUT THE HSA PLAN. AND THANKFULLY OUR GALLAGHER CONSULTANT IS GOING TO DO OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR US THIS YEAR SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO LEARN. AND, AND, AND TO BE COMPLETELY FAIR, THE, THE GALLAGHER CONSULTANT ALSO AGREES WITH THE CONCEPT. I MEAN, WE, WE BASICALLY ASKED HIM TO GIVE US MORE OPTIONS TO GIVE US MORE THOUGHTS. AND THIS WAS CREATED BY GALLAGHER, BY OUR CONSULTANT AS FAR AS WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE, WHAT THE COPAYS ARE, WHAT, WHAT ALL THE DEDUCTIONS ARE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE, WE DISCUSSED IS WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR BASE PLAN. THE, THE PLAN WE HAVE NOW, WE NEED TO KEEP COMPLETELY INTACT. WE DON'T NEED TO BE BEATING THAT UP AND RAISING THE PRICE. SO THAT PLAN ONE AT THE 1250 IS THE EXACT SAME PLAN THAT WE'RE OFFERING TODAY, AND WE'RE JUST EXPANDING UPON OUR PLAN OFFERINGS. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE ASKED GALLAGHER TO COME UP WITH A CONCEPT. AND THIS IS THE CONCEPT THAT, THAT THEY CAME UP WITH. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY GOOD. AND, UM, IS DEFINITELY WAS THIS, THIS IS WHERE THE MARKET IS TAKING US ON THIS RIDE THROUGH HEALTHCARE. AND WE ARE, WE ARE KIND OF GETTING WITH IT SO THAT WE CAN STABILIZE RATES AND KEEP GOOD QUALITY BENEFITS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. BEFORE I GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, IF YOU JUST TAKE NOTICE OF THE TOTAL RATES FOR THAT FIRST, PPO, MAINLY THE EMPLOYEE ONLY AT 11 0 2 10 PER MONTH. UM, I'M TRYING TO GET TO THE NEXT SLIDE. OKAY. SO OUR PRE 65 RETIREES, [02:05:01] UM, THEY PAY THE FULL RATE. THERE'S NO EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION. SO THE, THE TYPICALLY WHEN A RETIREE, WHEN SOMEONE, WHEN AN EMPLOYEE RETIRES FROM THE COUNTY AND THEY'RE UNDER THE AGE OF 65, UM, THEY CHOOSE EMPLOYEE ONLY TYPICALLY. SO THEIR RATE IN 2026 WOULD INCREASE TO 1000 1 0 2 AND 10 CENTS. THE DENTAL AND VISION WOULD REMAIN THE SAME, UM, AS THIS YEAR. AND THEN, UH, THE NEXT SLIDE IS A REFLECTION OF THE COBRA PREMIUMS, AND I BELIEVE THE FEDS SET THAT RATE AT 2% ABOVE THE ACTUARIAL VALUE, WHICH IS 2% ABOVE, UM, THE FULL RATE. SO COBRA RATES WOULD INCREASE TO 1,124 AND 14 CENTS FOR AN EMPLOYEE ONLY, AND THE DENTAL AND VISION WOULD REMAIN THE SAME AT 2% ABOVE THIS CURRENT YEAR'S RATES. AND THEN FINALLY, UM, AS FAR AS FIXED COSTS, I DID NOT PUT A DOLLAR AMOUNT HERE, UM, BECAUSE IT WILL, IT WILL DEPEND ON WHETHER THE COURT VOTES FOR THE TRIPLE, UM, OFFER OR IF WE, VERSUS JUST MAINTAINING WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. BUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEES COVER EVERYTHING. UM, AS FAR AS NAVIGAR, WHICH IS PRETTY POPULAR WITH OUR EMPLOYEES, IT'S OFFERED BY UNITEDHEALTHCARE. SO IF OUR EMPLOYEES RECEIVE AN OUT OF NETWORK, UM, INVOICE, UM, THEY CAN CONTACT NAVI GUARD AND THEY WILL NEGOTIATE THAT RATE DOWN FOR THEM. UM, AND THEN THE ADMIN FEES COVER, UH, THE PHARMACEUTICAL MANAGEMENT, UM, OPTUMRX THROUGH UNITEDHEALTHCARE, UM, PAYING CPI, WHICH IS THE COBRA FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT, AND HSA ADMINISTRATION, OUR BENEFITS ADVOCACY CENTER, THE TEXAS ACES PROGRAM, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER. AND, UM, THE UHC UTILIZATION MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM WHERE THEY EVALUATE OUR, UM, CLAIMS. I, I BELIEVE IT'S TWICE A YEAR, IT'S AT LEAST ANNUALLY, BUT IT'S, THEY USUALLY STAY ON TOP OF IT, UM, TO TRY TO KEEP THOSE PHARMACEUTICAL COSTS DOWN. SO, AND ONE THING TO NOTE, AND IT'S ALREADY IN THE FIRST DRAFT, IS THAT AS FAR AS PER FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, THAT BUDGETED COST THAT YOU'LL SEE WITHIN EACH BUDGETS PAGE IS 13,000 PER BUDGETED FULL-TIME POSITION. AND THAT'S UP FROM 12,000. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, UH, THIS IS A BIG PROJECT AND A LOT OF WORK'S GONE INTO IT, AND I THINK WE'RE PROVIDING GREAT COVERAGE OPTIONS FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY, WHICH WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO. UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR KIM? I, I, I JUST WANNA REITERATE, VISION AND DENTAL RATES ARE NOT CHANGING AND THE BENEFITS ARE NOT CHANGING. SO WE'RE JUST FOCUSING ON ADDING A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL HEALTH PLANS. SO ANY OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE LISTENING, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. YEP. I WANNA GIVE OPTIONS AND NO ONE'S FORCING ANYONE TO CHANGE. ALRIGHT. UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR KAMI? IF NOT, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER STACY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? YES. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FOR 2026 FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, VISION, AND OTHER BENEFITS AS PRESENTED BY HR. ALRIGHT. WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STACY TO ACCEPT THIS. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL MAKE A SECOND. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NO. NO. ALRIGHT. THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STA IS SECOND BY ME. UM, UH, PLEASE EVIDENCE YOUR VOTE. ALL RIGHT. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. GREAT. THANKS. THANKS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK ON THIS. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. SURE. AWESOME. OKAY, UH, [17. Discuss/Act on the Rockwall County 2026 retirement benefits, and all related issues; (Commissioner Stacy)] LET'S GO TO, UM, THE NEXT ITEM 17, DISCUSS AND ACT ON THE ROCKWELL COUNTY 2026 RETIREMENT BENEFITS AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. AGAIN, IT HAS COMMISSIONER STACY HERE, UM, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER STACY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPLAIN THIS? YEAH, WE'RE GONNA TURN IT TO KAMI HAS A, UH, PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. OKAY. AGAIN, [02:10:01] I'M KAMI WEBB, I'M THE HR DIRECTOR. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BENEFITS COMMITTEE, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF COMMISSIONERS, LAUREN LICHTY, JOHN STA, AND TREASURER DAVID PEAK. UM, AS A REMINDER, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW THE COUNTY IS, UM, WE PARTICIPATE IN THE T-C-D-R-S PLAN, WHICH MOST COUNTIES, IF NOT ALL IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, PARTICIPATE WITH T-C-D-R-S TO MANAGE OUR RETIREMENT BENEFITS. UM, THERE ARE THREE WAYS TO RETIRE FROM ROCKWALL COUNTY. FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO HAVE EIGHT YEARS OF VESTING. UM, SO WHETHER THAT BE EIGHT YEARS WITH ROCKWALL COUNTY OR EIGHT YEARS WITH ANOTHER, UM, CITY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE STATE, THOSE OR MILITARY EXPERIENCE, THOSE YEARS OF SERVICE WOULD TRANSFER OVER TO T-C-D-R-S. THE MONEY STAYS WHERE IT'S AT, BUT THE YEARS OF SERVICE WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO VESTING. SO THE THREE WAYS TO RETIRE, UM, AT YOU CAN RETIRE AT AGE 60 WITH EIGHT YEARS OF SERVICE. UM, AGE PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE EQUALS 75 OR AT ANY AGE WITH 30 YEARS OF SERVICE. SO EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS AND EMPLOYEE DEPOSITS GO TOWARD FUNDING THE RETIREMENT BENEFITS CURRENTLY. AND THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO MAINTAIN THE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS AT 10% OF EACH PERSON'S SALARY, AND THE EMPLOYEE DEPOSITS WOULD REMAIN AT 7%. UM, THE EMPLOYEE DEPOSITS, I DON'T BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE, UM, THE OPTION TO CHANGE THAT AMOUNT, BUT THE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS, THE COUNTY TYPICALLY CONTRIBUTES MORE THAN IS REQUIRED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PLAN REMAINS HEALTHY. I'LL GET MORE INTO THE FUNDING RATIO EACH YEAR. T-C-D-R-S INDEPENDENT EXTERNAL CONSULTING ACTUARIES PERFORM AN ACTUARIAL VALUATION OF THE RETIREMENT PLAN, AND THE VALUATION DETERMINES THE EMPLOYER REQUIRED CONTRIBUTION RATE AND MEASURES THE FUNDED STATUS OR THE FUNDING FUNDED RATIO. THE FUNDED RATIO IS A COMPARISON OF WHAT OUR T-C-D-R-S PLAN HAS INVESTED TO WHAT ESTIMATES TO PAY FUTURE BENEFITS. SO BASICALLY IT'S A TOOL FOR MEASURING THE HEALTH OF THE PLAN EACH YEAR. T-C-D-R-S BOARD OF DIRECTORS DETERMINES WHAT COUNTIES MAY OFFER THEIR RETIREES. IN THE FORUM OF A-T-C-D-R-S COLA FOR 2026, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS DETERMINED THAT COUNTIES MAY OFFER EITHER A ONE, TWO OR 3% FLAT COLA OR A CPI COLA BETWEEN 10 AND 100%. A LITTLE BIT OF RECENT HISTORY, YOU SHOULD HAVE A HANDOUT, I'M HOPING, AND IF YOU DON'T, I BROUGHT EXTRAS, UM, I KNOW WHERE I PUT 'EM. OH, HERE THEY ARE. OKAY. DOES EVERYONE HAVE THESE? YES, I TAKE, OKAY. SOME RECENT HISTORY AS FAR AS COLAS THROUGH T-C-D-R-S ARE LISTED HERE. IT'S ALSO ON THIS SHEET. UM, AN EXTENSIVE HISTORY IS ON THIS HANDOUT AS WELL, BUT IN 2025, THE COURT APPROVED A 2% FLAT COLA. AND PRIOR TO THAT, MOST RECENTLY IN 2023, THERE WAS A 2% FLA COLA 2017, A 1% 2014, A 90% CPI, AND IN 2012, A 2% FLA COLA. SO, TO GET INTO SOME OPTIONS FOR THE COURT TO CONSIDER THE T-C-D-R-S, KEEP IN MIND, PLEASE THAT THE T-C-D-R-S MONTHLY BENEFIT PAID TO RETIREES IS SEPARATE FROM THE STIPEND THAT, THAT YOU KNOW ABOUT, WHICH IS CURRENTLY $200 PER MONTH FOR ELIGIBLE RETIREES. [02:15:01] NOT EVERY RETIREE WHO RECEIVES A-T-C-D-R-S BENEFIT IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE STIPEND. UM, THAT THE ELIGIBILITY IS BASICALLY DETERMINED ON. IT'S BASED ON WHEN THE STIPEND WENT INTO EFFECT. AND UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT AWARE OF THE YEAR THAT IT WENT INTO EFFECT, BUT IT WOULD ONLY, UM, HELP THOSE RETIREES WHO RETIRED AFTER THE COURT APPROVED THE STIPEND. IT WOULD NOT AFFECT ANYONE BEFORE THAT. UM, THAT'S BASICALLY HOW THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE. SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE 192 PERSONS RECEIVING A-T-C-D-R-S BENEFIT. THOSE, THAT GROUP, THAT 192 NOT ONLY INCLUDES RETIREES, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES BENEFICIARIES DEPENDENT ON WHAT, UM, RETIREMENT SELECTION THAT RETIREE CHOSE. SO THAT'S RETIREES AND THEIR BENEFICIARIES. THE STIPENDS, UM, THOSE ONLY GO TO RETIREES. THAT IS 94, AND I BELIEVE THE COURT GRANDFATHERED THAT NUMBER THIS YEAR. SO THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY RECEIVING IT WOULD CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE STIPEND AS LONG AS THE COURT APPROVED IT. BUT THERE ARE NO NEW RECIPIENTS ADDED TO THE PLAN. SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE 94 RECEIVING THE MONTHLY STIPEND DIRECTLY FROM THE COUNTY, AND WE HAVE 192 PEOPLE RECEIVING A-T-C-D-R-S BENEFIT. NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SHEET RIGHT HERE, THAT FIRST COLUMN, IF THE COURT WERE NOT TO GIVE A COLA, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO REMAIN WITH THE ELECTED RATE, PAYING THE ELECTED RATE OF 10% BASED ON EMPLOYEE SALARIES. NOW, THE REQUIRED RATE IS 9.25%, AND AS YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT COLUMN, BASED ON THE FIRST DRAFT, 9.25% WOULD BE 2.76 MILLION PAID INTO T-C-D-R-S. HOWEVER, LIKE I MENTIONED, THE COUNTY TYPICALLY, UM, PAYS MORE INTO THE PLAN SO THAT IT REMAINS HEALTHY. UM, AND THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO MAINTAIN IT AT 10%, WHICH BASED ON THE FIRST DRAFT, THAT WOULD BE 2.89 MILLION. UM, NOW IF THE COURT WERE TO CONSIDER A COLA, UM, A 1% FLAT COLA, AGAIN, THE REQUIRED RATE WOULD BE 9.4%, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN A REQUIRED 2.799 MILLION IN DOLLAR CONTRIBUTIONS. HOWEVER, THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO STAY AT THE 10% CONTRIBUTION AT THE 2.89. UM, THERE'S ALSO THE OPTION OF OFFERING A 2% FLAT OR A 3% FLAT. AND AGAIN, THE REQUIRED RATE FOR THE 2% IS 9.56%. THE REQUIRED RATE FOR THE 3% FLAT IS 9.71%. UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT SAYS YOUR CONTRIBUTION COST AT ELECTED 10%, THOSE ARE ALL THE SAME NUMBER, UM, BASED ON THE FIRST DRAFT. AND THEN THE REQUIRED RATE VARY BASED ON WHAT THE REQUIRED RATE WOULD BE. IF YOU REFER TO THIS HANDOUT AGAIN, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS MY LAST SLIDE ON THIS PRESENTATION, UM, THIS HANDOUT REFLECTS THAT IN 2024, THE COURT APPROVED A $300 PER MONTH PER RETIREE WHO WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THE STIPEND, UM, TO RECEIVE $300 PER MONTH. UM, AND THERE WAS NO T-C-D-R-S COLA THAT YEAR. IN 2025, THE COURT APPROVED A 2% FLAT COLA, WHICH INCREASED THAT AVERAGE MONTHLY RETIREE BENEFIT. AND IT'S ON AN AVERAGE BECAUSE T-C-D-R-S DOES NOT, UM, PROVIDE, I DON'T HAVE ANY DETAILS, UM, ON OUR RETIREES AS FAR AS DOLLAR AMOUNTS THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE. I CAN'T EXTRACT THESE 94 PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE THE STIPEND. I CAN'T EXTRACT THAT FROM THE T-C-D-R-S, UM, INFORMATION BECAUSE IT'S NOT MADE AVAILABLE TO HR ANY LONGER. BUT THE COURT APPROVED A 2% FLAT COLA, WHICH INCREASED THAT AVERAGE MONTHLY T-C-D-R-S BENEFIT TO $1,670 [02:20:01] PER MONTH FROM $1,595 PER MONTH BACK IN 2024. HOWEVER, THE COURT RE, UH, REDUCED THE STIPEND BY $100 AND REDUCED IT TO $200 PER MONTH PER ELIGIBLE RETIREE, WHICH RESULTED IN, UM, THE COUNTY'S COST OF $225,600 TO PAY EACH ELIGIBLE RETIREE A $200 PER MONTH STIPEND. THE PROPOSAL, UM, THIS YEAR IS TO, UH, GIVE THE RETIREES A FLAT COLA. AND AGAIN, THE OPTIONS FOR A ONE TWO, 3% FLAT COLA ARE LISTED THERE. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE AVERAGE MONTHLY BENEFIT THAT IT WOULD INCREASE TO, UM, IF, IF YOU WERE TO GIVE A 1% FLAT COLA, IT WOULD INCREASE THE AVERAGE MONTHLY BENEFIT TO $1,737 A 2%. FLAT COLA WOULD INCREASE THAT AVERAGE TO $1,754 AND A 3% FLAT COLA WOULD INCREASE THE AVERAGE BENEFIT TO $1,772. IN THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE BUDGET, THE JUDGE, UM, PLACED A $100 PER RETI ELIGIBLE RETIREE PER MONTH, UM, AT $112,800. SO THE GOAL, IF I MAY SAY SO ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE, IS TO TRY AND MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT THE STIPEND IS BEING REDUCED BY, UM, OFFERING A COLA TO REPLACE OR OFFSET SOME OF THAT, THAT THEY'RE LOSING IN THE STIPEND. ALSO, A COLA WOULD AFFECT MORE RECIPIENTS, LIKE I SAID, THE COLA WITH T-C-D-R-S WOULD AFFECT 192 PEOPLE. THAT'S RETIREES AND BENEFICIARIES, WHEREAS THE STIPEND ONLY BENEFITS 94 PEOPLE. RIGHT. THANKS. THE, YOU, I THINK YOU SUMMARIZED IT WELL. WHAT, WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLAN OF THE POLICY COMMITTEE AND THE HR COMMITTEE WAS THAT WE WOULD GIVE THE LARGEST ELECTED RATE, ELECTED RATE OF 10%. UM, WE ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE 9.25%, BUT WE WANT BUMP THAT TO 10%. AND WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO MAKE ANY COLA ADJUSTMENT FOR RETIREES, BUT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE DO 3%, WHICH IS THE MAXIMUM THE STATE ALLOWS. AND THESE ARE ACROSS THE BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALL RETIREES. UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE VOTING ON THE STIPEND TODAY, BUT I MADE SURE THAT IT WAS INCLUDED BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ALL PART OF THE DISCUSSION. RIGHT. BUT YEAH, IT IS. HERE, HERE, HERE'S, GO AHEAD. WHEN YOU'RE DONE, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THE STIPEND WHEN WE FINALIZE THE BUDGET. AND I KNOW WE'VE, IF I'M SURE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS LIKE ME, YOU'VE RECEIVED MULTIPLE COMMENTS ABOUT THE STIPEND. UM, THE, THERE IS 112,800 THAT JUDGE KNEW INCLUDED IN THE FIRST BUDGET. UM, IF I REMEMBER MY NUMBERS RIGHT, UH, IT'S A HUNDRED. THE REDUCTION IN THE STIPEND IS 112,800. THE INCREASE BY GOING WITH THE 10% ELECTED RATE AND THE 3% COLA IS $131,000. SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT, UH, MORE MONEY WE'RE SPENDING BY GOING THIS ROUTE. UM, IN THE PAST, I, I, I CAN'T, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IN SOME YEARS THERE WAS NO COLA. I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK FROM IN 2011, 10, THERE WAS NOTHING. 11, THERE WAS NOTHING. IT'S, UH, THE 3% FLAT COLA IS THE LARGER, IF WE, IF WE AGREE ON IT, IT WILL BE THE LARGEST COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT WE'VE, THAT'S EVER BEEN MADE BY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT. AND AGAIN, IT AFFECTS ALL RETIREES. SO. RIGHT. UM, UH, I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE. WE WILL, WE WILL BE VOTING TO APPROVE THIS TODAY AS A RECOMMENDATION GOING FORWARD SO WE CAN START GETTING THESE PLANS IN PLACE. THE STIPEND, WE CAN CERTAINLY DISCUSS IT BECAUSE IT WAS BROUGHT UP AS PART OF THIS, AND IT'S PART OF OUR RETIREMENT PACKAGE. BUT WE ARE NOT VOTING ON THAT UNTIL WE VOTE ON THE OVERALL BUDGET. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. COMMISSIONERS, FEEL FREE. I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK. UH, IT LOOKS LIKE A, A GOOD PLAN OTHER THAN THE STIPEND. AND, AND MY CONCERN IS THIS, THE PURPOSE OF A COLA ACROSS AN ENTIRE [02:25:01] PLAN IS TO ADJUST PEOPLE DUE TO INFLATION OR RISING CPI, CORRECT? MM-HMM. IF YOU'RE ONLY BALANCING WHAT YOU TOOK AWAY FROM THOSE PEOPLE THAT GET THE STIPEND WITH A COLA, YOU'RE LEAVING THEM IN WORSE POSITION THAN EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE RETIREMENT PLAN. CORRECT? UH, YOU'RE NOT PROVIDING THE FULL BENEFIT THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING TO OTHERS. SO WHY ARE THESE 94 PEOPLE BEING SINGLED OUT? FIRST OF ALL, THEY'RE NOT BEING SINGLED OUT. THEY ARE, WE'RE NOT VOTING ON IT TODAY. OKAY. BUT IN THIS PLAN THAT YOU PRESENTED, WE DID NOT MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION. YOU DIDN'T MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO REDUCE THIS STIPEND THAT IN THE JUDGE FIRST DRAFT. WELL, OKAY, I WANT TO GO ON RECORD, AND I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE I STAND WITH SAYING THAT THIS REDUCTION IN THE STIPEND WAS THE WRONG THING TO DO LAST YEAR BY THE COURT. COMPLETELY WRONG. BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T EVEN MAKE UP ALL OF WHAT THEY LOST IN YOUR COLA LAST YEAR ON THIS PLAN. AND THE COLA IS, AGAIN, TO BENEFIT PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE RETIREMENT PLAN, TO KEEP UP WITH INFLATION. AS MUCH AS WE CAN AFFORD TO DO WHAT YOU DID TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE STIPEND IS YOU DIDN'T EVEN MAKE THEM WHOLE. THEY WERE WORSE OFF AFTER LAST YEAR BECAUSE THE COLA DIDN'T MAKE UP WHAT YOU TOOK AWAY. AND THEN IF WE PLAN TO DO WHAT THE JUDGE HAS IN HERE THIS YEAR, AND WE PLAN TO TAKE ANOTHER A HUNDRED DOLLARS AWAY, THE BIGGEST COLA AT 3% JUST BARELY MAKES UP WHAT WE TOOK AWAY FROM 'EM. SO AGAIN, WE HAVEN'T HELPED THOSE 94 PEOPLE. WE HAVE STUCK THEM IN THE SAME POSITION THAT THEY WERE IN BEFORE, WHICH WAS WORSE OFF LAST YEAR. AND THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO, Y'ALL. THIS ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY FOR THE COUNTY TO BE DOING THIS TO THESE PEOPLE. THIS DOESN'T GO ON FOREVER EITHER, BY THE WAY, MOST OF THESE PEOPLE ARE OLDER AND A LOT OF THEM ARE ON FIXED INCOMES. WHEN WE GAVE THIS STIPEND TO 'EM, AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE SMILING, LAUREN, 'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT IN THIS, YOU'RE NOT IN THIS POSITION. YOU'RE NOT IN THIS POSITION. AND NEITHER AM I, THANK GOD. BUT THESE, SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE, AND YOU CAN'T, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE TARGETING OF THIS GROUP. I DON'T GET IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR WITH THIS. I DO KNOW DURING MY CAMPAIGN, I'VE MET WITH COMMISSIONERS AND TOLD THEM NOT TO DO THIS BECAUSE IT'S THE WRONG THING TO DO TO PEOPLE, BUT THEY DID IT ANYWAY. AND I HOPE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN THIS YEAR. AND THAT, THAT'S REALLY ALL I, I WANNA SAY, WAIT, I'M NOT SMILING FOR HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH A STIPEND. I, I WAS, I, AND I WANNA, I WANNA SAY IT TOO. I'M SIMPLY SMILING. OKAY. IT'S OKAY. AND, AND I DON'T REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMENT THAT'S DIRECTED TOWARD ME. YEAH. THAT YOU'RE NOT IN THE POSITION THAT SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE IN. NO, NO. THAT, THAT SOMEHOW BY SMILING, I'M MOCKING. THIS IS WHAT I TOOK YOU TO SAY. OKAY. AND IF YOU DIDN'T MEAN THAT, I APOLOGIZE, BUT I'M NOT, I TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY. WE DIDN'T MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION WET THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. I WASN'T THERE LAST YEAR. JUST LIKE YOU WEREN'T THERE LAST YEAR. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SMILE RIGHT NOW, BOBBY. GOOD. BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING FUN. WE ARE. BUT THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. IT'S, AND IF WE GOTTA LOOK AT IT SERIOUSLY, WE DO. AND SPENDING THE COUNTY'S MONEY AS SERIOUSLY, AND WHAT WE DO WITH OUR RETIREMENT PLAN IS SERIOUSLY, AND WHAT WE DID AS A RETIREMENT COMMITTEE, WHATEVER CALLED POLICY COMMITTEE, WE TRIED TO COME UP WITH THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS. WE COULD MAKE A 10% ELECTED RATE AND A 3% COLA. WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE, MAKE OUR FUND AS STRONG AS WE CAN, MAKE IT AS HEALTHY AS WE CAN MAKE IT. AND WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE THE LARGEST COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE THAT THE STATE ALLOWS US TO RETIREES. AND I AM PROUD OF THAT, FRANKLY, AS WORKING ON THIS COMMITTEE. YEAH. THE, THE, THE PLAN OUTSIDE OF THE STIPEND, AS I SAID, IS FANTASTIC. AND I LIKE IT. WE'RE ALMOST FUNDED TO 92%. THAT'S GREAT. IT'S HEALTHY. MY CONCERN IS WITH WHAT WE ARE CONSIDERING DOING TO THE STIPEND, AND I KNOW IF WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THAT TODAY, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE VOTE FOR THIS OVERALL PLAN WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE STIPEND. BUT IF THAT'S WHAT IS SAID, THEN I GUESS THAT'S OKAY. UM, BUT WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS UNTIL AFTER THE BUDGET'S PASSED. BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS, UH, THIS STIPEND IN FULL AND WHAT WE'VE DONE TO THESE PEOPLE BECAUSE WE ARE SPENDING MONEY ON SO MANY OTHER THINGS FOR A, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, UH, IN OUR BUDGET. I MEAN, FRANKLY, THESE, UH, THESE GUYS OVER HERE, AND NO OFFENSE, BUT WE SPENT 200 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS ON LEGAL FEES FOR A DIFFERENT SET OF LEGAL PEOPLE TO SIT IN OUR COURTROOM LAST FISCAL YEAR. AND WE CAN'T TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE RETIRED, THAT PUT IN THE WORK TO BE RETIRED FOR US. THAT'S JUST A SHAME. IT'S A SHAME. WE'VE GOTTA MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION THAT, AND I'M NOT, IT'S NOT DIRECTED AT ANYBODY, BUT IF WE MAKE THIS DECISION, UM, BUT WE'RE WRONG. WE'RE JUST WRONG. WELL, THE FIRST THING WE HAD TO DO WAS GRANDFATHER THE STIPEND. RIGHT. UM, BECAUSE THE STIPEND WAS WORKING US INTO A $1.3 MILLION GENERAL FUND WHOLE. UM, I, UH, I DO UNDERSTAND AND DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION. I, UH, I I LOOK AT IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN, THAN YOU DO. [02:30:01] BUT I'M NOT, UM, HOW DO YOU SAY, I'M NOT NECESSARILY 100% STUCK IN THE POSITION EITHER WHEN YOU GO YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS WITHOUT INCREASING THE COLA. UM, THE, THE, THE COURT CAN'T JUST SIT THERE AND INCREASE THE COLA, YOU KNOW, AND JUST INCREASE AND INCREASE AND INCREASE AND, AND, AND KEEP THE PLAN AS, AS HEALTHY AS IT IS, THE ACTUARIAL MONEY WE SHOULD BE SPENDING IS IN THE PLAN AND NOT IN ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS. SO I GOT THE EXACT OPPOSITE WHEN I CAMPAIGNED. I ACTUALLY HAD PEOPLE TELL ME THAT THIS STIPEND IS HERE AND THAT IT'S A PROBLEM. SO I, I THINK THAT THE, THAT THE REVIEWS ARE MIXED, IS WHAT I'M SAYING. I DO DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT IF I WAS ONE OF THESE 94 PEOPLE, I DON'T WANT ANY OF MY MONEY TO GO AWAY, EVER. UM, BUT ALSO WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT IS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AS A COMBINED, THERE'S A CHANCE THAT IF WE JUST KEEP IT AT 200,000, THE THE THE $200, THE ANSWER WOULD BE JUST TO REDUCE THE RATE AND GIVE NO ONE A COLA. AND THEREFORE THEY'RE IN THE SAME SITUATION THAT THEY'RE IN NOW. AND THERE IS NO BETTER AND THERE ARE NO WORSE. SO I THINK THAT THAT, THAT THIS IS A HUMP, THAT THAT IS GOING TO TAKE TIME, WHICH IS WHY WE DIDN'T GO FROM 300 TO ZERO. UM, AND IT'S ABOUT TRYING TO PUT ALL OF THE COURT'S MONEY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR ABILITY INTO THE PLAN TO KEEP IT AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE GOING FORWARD. BECAUSE ALL IT TAKES IS A COURT TO JUST MAKE THIS GO AWAY ANYWAY. 'CAUSE THIS IS JUST A LINE ITEM. AND, AND I DON'T THINK THAT SMART FROM A RETIREE STANDPOINT TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN EITHER. AND PURPOSEFUL COLAS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I THINK COULD WORK. NOW, ANOTHER THING THAT WE COULD LOOK AT DOING, UM, TRYING TO DO AT LEAST STRATEGICALLY WOULD BE TO, INSTEAD OF GOING FROM 300 TO 200 TO 100 IS TO ATTEMPT TO GO TO 100 FOR MULTIPLE YEARS AND HAVE THE 3% TRY TO CATCH UP IT. BUT IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE TOOLS THAT ARE GIVEN TO US TO DO THIS IN A WAY THAT, THAT, THAT DOES THAT, THAT DOESN'T, AT LEAST AS YOU SAY, NOT KEEP PEOPLE WHOLE OR DON'T GIVE THE COLA. AND, UM, AND, AND SO I, I THINK THAT THE REASON WE STARTED IT AND, AND TO DEFEND WHY THE COURT DID IT TO BEGIN WITH IS NUMBER ONE, WE HAD TO GRANDFATHER IT, WHICH OF COURSE I THINK EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS. I DON'T WANNA BELABOR THAT POINT, BUT TO KEEP THIS THING GOING, WHAT WOULD WOULD'VE BEEN REALLY, REALLY BAD FINANCIALLY FOR THE COUNTY. IT IS AN ADDITIONAL STIPEND AS OPPOSED TO THE, THE ALMOST $2.8 MILLION THAT WE PUT INTO THE PLAN. IT'S BASED UPON A PLAN THAT IS IN FACT GONE. YOU KNOW, THE, THE PLAN IS GONE AND IT'S BEING DONE WITH THE INTENT OF DOING OUR BEST TO REPLACE THE MONEY. SO IT'S NOT BEING DONE IN A SILO WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO PUNISH AND SINGLE PEOPLE OUT. WHY ARE YOU SING SINGLING PEOPLE OUT? I MEAN, THAT IS, UM, I THINK THAT IS LANGUAGE THAT YOU USE SINGLING PEOPLE OUT. WE'RE NOT SINGLING PEOPLE OUT. WE ARE TRYING TO REDUCE THE STIPEND IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE KNOW HOW FROM 300 TO ZERO, THAT'S WHAT THE COURT SET OUT TO DO FOUR YEARS AGO OR THREE YEARS AGO. UM, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S THE RIGHT IDEA. I'M NOT NECESSARILY SAYING THAT I CAN'T BE SWAYED. WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS THE INTENT WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR MONEY WAS BEING SPENT IN THE BEST POSSIBLE PLACE, WHICH IS IN THE PLAN ITSELF, NOT OUTSIDE OF THE PLAN. UM, AND SO YOU JUST SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHY THE COURT DID IT. I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT'S WHY WE DID IT. WE COULD BE WRONG, BUT YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHY. THAT THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE, WE WENT AND MOVED IN THAT DIRECTION. UM, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT IS THE BEST SPOT TO DO. AND I DO COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOUR CONTEXT OF THESE AREN'T BUBBLE VOTES. YOU, YOU, YOU WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THE, ON THE, ON THE T-C-D-R-S COMPLETELY SEPARATE THAN THE STIPEND. THESE VOTES ARE 100% LINKED. UM, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE PUSHED TO HAVE IT PRESENTED AT BUDGET TIME IS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THE CONVERSATION TRANSPARENTLY, OPENLY, AND OTHERWISE, WE DO NOT HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS ELECTION UNTIL DECEMBER. RIGHT. SO WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A VOTE TODAY. BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FACTS AND FIGURES IN ORDER TO HAVE AN ARGUMENT. AND, AND THE STIPEND WOULDN'T BE VOTED ON UNTIL THE BUDGET. WELL, YOU SAY THESE VOTES ARE 100% LINKED. AND I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN, COMMISSIONER. I I, I JUST MEANT I AGREED WITH THIS CONTEXT. TO ME, THEY'RE LINKED, UH, UH, WHATEVER I DECIDE TO DO, WHATEVER I WOULD VOTE FOR ON THE ONE, THE ZERO, THE ONE TO TWO TO 3% WOULD BE LINKED TO, IF WE'RE GONNA REDUCE THE, THE, THE STIPEND OR KEEP THE STIPEND AT $200, THEY'RE LINKED TO ME. OKAY. BUT THEY ARE SEPARATE VOTES. THEY ARE SEPARATE VOTES. AND, AND THE REASON I POINTED OUT IS, UM, [02:35:02] WHEN THIS WAS CONSIDERED AND WHEN THIS PROPOSAL WAS MADE, UM, IT WAS NOT MADE DEPENDENT UPON WHAT HAPPENS CORRECT. TO THE STIPEND. AND I AM PROUD OF THE WORK OF THIS COMMITTEE, AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE DONE TO TRY AND MAKE OUR RETIREMENT PLAN AS STRONG AS POSSIBLE. I'M PROUD THAT WE WANT TO GIVE THE HIGHEST COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT PERMITTED BY THE STATE. AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO, TO MAKE OUR RETIREES GIVE THEM GREAT BENEFITS. AND THAT'S, WHILE YOU SAY THEY'RE LINKED, THEY'RE REALLY NOT LEGALLY LINKED. THEY WILL ALL COME INTO THE BUDGET. AND, UH, BUT REGARDLESS OF THAT VOTE, I WANNA MAKE OUR RETIREMENT PLAN AS STRONG AS WE CAN. AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THIS IS A GOOD PROPOSAL. OKAY. SO WE HAVE 325 PEOPLE CURRENTLY, UM, GETTING BENEFITS FROM THIS PLAN OF WHICH, IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID BEFORE? NO, NO. I THINK WE HAVE A HUNDRED OH, 192. WHAT MAKES MY NUMBER EVEN BETTER? OF WHICH 94 ARE ON THIS STIPEND, CORRECT? CORRECT. SO NEARLY HALF OF THE PEOPLE ARE ON THE STIPEND. MM-HMM . ARE WE MAKING THE PLAN BETTER FOR HALF THE PEOPLE AND NOT THE OTHER HALF THEN? I MEAN, LISTEN, WE'RE IMPACTING A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE PLAN WITH THIS STIPEND NONSENSE THAT WE ARE DOING. AND I UNDERSTAND GRANDFATHERING IT. I A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE, BUT THE FACT IS THAT THESE PEOPLE WE'RE GIVEN THIS MONEY, DEPEND ON THIS MONEY, AND WE HAVE YET TO MAKE THEM WHOLE HALF THE PLAN, HALF OF THE PEOPLE ON THE PLAN. WE ARE. AND, AND IF WE'D DONE AN ACTUARIAL STUDY TO SEE HOW LONG THIS IS GONNA GO ON FOR, BECAUSE THIS GRANDFATHERED IN WILL NOT LAST FOREVER. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS FOREVER. HOW LONG IS IT DETERMINED BY ACTUARIALS THAT THIS IS GONNA GO ON FOR IF WE DO IT? THEY WE CAN'T BECAUSE THE STIPEND IS DONE BY US. SO, BUT IT'S LIKE WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY AN ACTUARY. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO . OKAY. UM, SO THEN WHAT ARE WE BASING THE NUMBERS ON? HOW DO I KNOW WHAT NUMBERS ARE THIS YEAR, BUT WE GET 300, THEN HOW DO YOU KNOW? WELL, I KNOW HOW YOU GET TO THOSE NUMBERS. NUMBERS, YEAH. YOU'RE JUST REDUCING IT. BUT HOW DO, HOW DO WE KNOW, HOW DO WE KNOW THE IMPACT TO THE COUNTY TRULY FINANCIALLY OVER FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS? HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT THIS IS REALLY THEN IF WE DON'T HAVE DATA? IF, IF WE NO, YOU, YOU, YOU DON'T, YOU JUST PUT THE MONEY INTO THE PLAN ITSELF RATHER THAN OUTSIDE OF THE PLAN. BUT, BUT TO, BUT TO TAKE THESE 94 PEOPLE AND RUN AN ACTUARIAL CONCEPT OF HOW LONG WOULD WE BE PAYING THEM, THE $200 AND ALL THAT STUFF, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY AN ACTUARY TO DO THAT. AND WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT. I MEAN, WE CAN GUESS. I MEAN, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE CAN EVEN GRAB THEIR AGES, UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS IS HIPAA CONTROLLED A LITTLE BIT AS FAR AS, BUT I MEAN, WE COULD, I MEAN, WE COULD DO AVERAGE LIFESPANS OF THOSE 94 PEOPLE. I MEAN, IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T PASS TO THEIR SPOUSES. SO WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE A, AN INCREASED ACTUARIAL TABLE TO, TO SAY, YOU KNOW, TO ACTUALLY DO THE MATH. BUT I MEAN, YOU COULD DO AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY VERSUS THE AGE OF THE 94 PEOPLE AND, AND COME UP WITH A, WITH A DECENT, BUT IT WOULDN'T, I MEAN, YOU CAN DO THAT, BUT IT WOULDN'T, IN MY OPINION, IT WOULDN'T BE ACTUARIAL. IT WOULD JUST BE A BETTER GUESS. BUT IT'S BETTER THAN WE'RE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW. YEAH. UM, AS LONG AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STIPEND. UM, AND TAMMY, I KNOW YOU WEREN'T HERE WHEN IT WAS STARTED, RIGHT? YES. YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS. UM, BUT I WOULD ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING FOR US SO THAT WE ALL HAVE GOOD INFORMATION. I'VE HEARD MULTIPLE REASONS WHY THE STIPEND WAS STARTED. MM-HMM . UH, COULD YOU FIND OUT, GO BACK AND CHECK WHATEVER RECORDS YOU NEED TO CHECK AND GIVE US AN ANSWER AS, AS CLEAR AS YOU CAN SO THAT WE KNOW WHY IT WAS GIVEN. IT'S, IT IS A CURIOUS, UM, BENEFIT TO SAY WE'RE GONNA GIVE ALL RETIREES AN EXTRA $300 A MONTH, AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS BASED ON. SO WHEN WE DO MAKE THAT DECISION, BUDGET TIME, WHICH IS FAST APPROACHING MM-HMM . UH, WE CAN HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN FRONT OF US. ALSO. I CAN LOOK FOR THE MINUTES. I DO, UM, RECALL THAT IT, IT'S BEEN REFERRED TO AS THE INSURANCE STIPEND, UM, TO ASSIST RETIREES IN PAYING FOR WHETHER IT BE THE COUNTY'S INSURANCE PRE 65 OR THEIR MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT OR WHATEVER PLAN THAT THEY MOVED TO. SO IT'S BEEN REFERRED TO AS THE INSURANCE STIPEND. I I'VE HEARD THAT SAME TERM AND THAT SAME REFERENCE. BUT IF YOU WOULD, IF YOU CAN TRACK DOWN AND IF THERE'S ANY LIGHT YOU CAN SHED ON WHY IT WAS ENACTED, I'D, I'D APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY. BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON IT BECAUSE, UM, AS EVERYBODY IS AWARE, IT WAS NOT, IT WAS [02:40:01] A REDUCED IN THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED. OKAY. COMMISSIONER LEAKY, UH, IT'S LISA. I, I I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT WAS AN INCENTIVE TO IN ENTICE THE RETIREES TO NOT BE ON THE COUNTY'S SELF-FUNDED PLAN SO THAT THE EXPENSE TO THE COUNTY OF HAVING THEM ON OUR PLAN, THIS WAS A, A LESSER OPTION. I WASN'T HERE BACK WHEN IT STARTED, BUT I KNOW THAT THROUGH THE YEARS OF LISTENING, IT WAS GIVE THE, GIVE THE RETIREES MONEY TO BUY INSURANCE ELSEWHERE AND NOT HAVE THEM ON THE SELF-FUNDED PLAN, WHICH WAS A LARGER EXPENSE. I, I APPRECIATE THAT. I DON'T, I I DON'T UNDERSTAND WITH TODAY'S PLAN HOW THAT WOULD WORK BECAUSE PRE 65 EMPLOYEES ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT INCUR THAT COST. CORRECT? ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? YES. UH, NO, NO. I'M SORRY. IT'S BECAUSE WHEN THIS PLAN STARTED, IT WAS A WHOLE DIFFERENT INSURANCE WORLD. THAT'S RIGHT. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO, AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, UNDERSTAND REAL CLEARLY THE BASIS WHY IT WAS DONE. BECAUSE IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID, LISA MM-HMM . IT WOULD BE JUST SOMETHING THAT WOULD APPLY TO PRE 65 EMPLOYEES IF THE, IF IT WAS TO GIVE THEM INCENTIVE NOT TO STAY ON OUR PLAN. I, I THINK IT WAS, YOU COULD STAY ON EVEN BEFORE IT WAS, IT WAS BECAUSE I, I, I'M TRYING TO STEER CLEAR OF SAYING SOMETHING DEROGATORY, BUT YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE OLDER WE ALL BECOME, THE MORE WE COST MEDICALLY. AND I THINK THAT WAS THE INCENTIVE TO, TO NOT, BECAUSE WE ARE A SELF-FUNDED PLAN. RIGHT. SO WHETHER IT WAS PRE 65 OR, OR POST 65 AND PEOPLE NOT GOING ON MEDICARE, THAT I DON'T KNOW. I APOLOGIZE. I DON'T KNOW THAT ONE. NO, BUT MY, BUT UH, GO AHEAD. SORRY. MY, MY POINT IS, IF PEOPLE RETIRE NOW, WE DON'T PAY THEIR PREMIUMS. THEY HAVE TO PAY IN IF THEY WANNA STAY ON OUR PLAN AND THE STIPEND IS DEDUCTED FROM THEIR PREMIUM. RIGHT. IF THEY'RE ON OUR PLAN, IF THEY UP UNTIL THEY'RE, AS LONG AS THEY STAY ON OUR PLAN. RIGHT. SO IN TRYING TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION ON THIS, IT, IT WOULD REALLY BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHY IT WAS DONE AND HOW IT FITS IN WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. BECAUSE I'VE HEARD THE SAME REFERENCE YOU HAVE CAMMIE, IT'S AN INSURANCE AND THAT'S KIND OF FITS IN WITH WHAT LISA'S SAYING THERE. AND AGAIN, KNOWLEDGE IS GREAT AND IF WE CAN FIND OUT HOW IT, WHAT THE PLAN WAS, HOW IT WORKED, THEN WHY IT WAS INSTITUTED AND HOW DOES THAT, HOW IS THAT IMPACT THE PLAN WE HAVE TODAY? I KNOW, UH, AS UH, COMMISSIONER GOANA NOTED I HAVE, IT DOESN'T AFFECT ME INSURANCE-WISE 'CAUSE I'M NOT ON THE COUNTY'S INSURANCE. I GET MEDICARE AND IT'S A GREAT, GREAT PROGRAM. UM, SO IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHY IT WAS INSTITUTED AND WHAT, HOW THAT, THE REASONS FOR THE INSTITUTING IT BACK THEN IF THEY'RE STILL THERE TODAY MM-HMM . AND THAT'S NOT MAKING A JUDGMENT. THAT'S NOT SAYING HOW I'M GONNA VOTE. I'M JUST TRYING TO GET INFORMATION AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ASKING FOR INFORMATION. I AGREE. AND IF I CAN, UM, COMMISSIONER TI I WAS LOOKING AT JENNIFER FOG, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND FIG LOOK AT THIS DATE AND LISTEN TO OR SEE THE MINUTES. THERE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN RECORDED, BUT SEE THE MINUTES THAT MAY HAVE MAY HAVE RECOGNIZED AND RECORDED WHAT THAT INFORMATION NO, THAT'S INFORM IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M ASKING FOR. YEAH, YEAH. I DO HAVE ACCESS TO LASER FISH IF I HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, I'LL, AND I DON'T KNOW WHO WAS THE JUDGE THEN, IF IT WAS THAT I, I WAS LOOKING BACK IF IT WAS, IT WAS JUDGE HOGAN OR IF IT WAS PRIOR TO HIM. NO, NO, I THINK IT WAS BEFORE HIM, IT WAS BEFORE JUDGE HOGAN, MAYBE BILL BELL. I WAS, I WAS LOOKING AT, AT, THAT WAS KIND OF BEHIND ME. YEAH. IT COULD HAVE BEEN BILL OLIN, BUT I'M NOT SURE. YEAH. SO ANYWAY, LET'S TRY AND GATHER SOME INFORMATION AS, AND LET'S TRY AND GET IT AND JENNIFER, IF IF YOU OR LISA COULD HELP US WITH THIS, IT'D BE HELPFUL JUST AGAIN, JUST TO GET INFORMATION ON WHY IT WAS INSTITUTED AND HOW THAT RELATES TO WHAT OUR PLANS ARE TODAY. I I WOULD IMAGINE THE ONLY ONE PROBABLY STILL AVAILABLE TO HELP US IS COMMISSIONER JERRY WIMPY. I I'M SURE HE, IT WAS PART OF SOMETHING HE WAS INVOLVED IN, SO, GREAT. YEAH. GREAT. AND THEN I JUST WANNA REITERATE, WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS TODAY. AND IT WAS MY GOAL TO GET THIS TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT AS FAST AS WE COULD SO THAT WE COULD MAKE A GOOD INFORMED DECISION AND HAVE A GOOD DEBATE AND, AND A GOOD UNDERSTANDING. SO [02:45:01] I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WAS THE INTENT WHEN WE FIRST GOT IT, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT ALL THIS, WE JUST GOT IT SO LATE THAT IT WAS HARD TO MAKE A DECISION. I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE UNDER A GUN. WE HAVE BUDGET WORKSHOPS, SO IF WE WANNA START LOOKING AT THE BUDGET IMPACT OF KEEPING IT AT 200 AT REDUCING THE FUNDING RATE, I DIDN'T WANT TO BE THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAD KIND OF THE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW ALL THESE MOVING PARTS WORKED. UM, AND SO I JUST WANNA JUST TELL THE COURT IT WASN'T MY INTENTION TO FORCE A VOTE TODAY. IT WAS MY INTENTION TO GET A REALLY GOOD LIVELY DISCUSSION ON THIS. 'CAUSE IT IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. IT AFFECTS A LOT OF PEOPLE TO SAY IT. YOU KNOW, IT ONLY AFFECTS A HUNDRED PEOPLE, I THINK IS WRONG. IT AFFECTS A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE IT AFFECTS 94 PEOPLE AND THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE. UM, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THIS ON PURPOSE AND UM, AND, AND, UH, AND AS A GROUP AND THAT WE, UH, THAT WE MAKE THE BEST DECISION POSSIBLE FOR, FOR THE COUNTY ON WHERE WE WANNA LAND ON THE NO COLA ONE, TWO, 3% AND WHERE WE WANNA LAND ON THE STIPEND. AND I JUST WANNA REMIND THE COURT WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP IT AT 10% ON THE ELECTED RATE. NO, WE CAN GO TO 9.25%. YES. THAT'S AN OPTION. IT WILL NOT. IT HELPS AND STRENGTHENS OUR FUND BY PUTTING IT TO 10%. YES, IT DOES. I AGREE TOO. AND, UH, I'M A BIG FAN OF A STRONG REQUIREMENT FUND AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT A GOOD BENEFICIARY, DON'T. AND IT IS, AND IT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION TO KEEP IT AT 10% IRREGARDLESS OF WHAT THE COURT DECIDES TO DO. BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT IS AN OPTION FOR THE COURT TO CONSIDER, WHICH IS WHY THESE SLIDES ARE IMPORTANT. SO, UH, WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M SENSING, AND IF I'M WRONG, TELL ME BECAUSE I'M READY TO VOTE ON THIS TODAY, BUT I'M SENSING THE REST OF THE COURT IS NOT READY TO VOTE ON THIS TODAY. SO THEN IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE'LL JUST DELAY IT. I'D LIKE TO. OKAY. YEP. THANK YOU. UH, AGAIN, I'M READY TO VOTE ON THE BENEFITS RETIREMENT BENEFITS PLAN, NOT ON THE STIPEND TODAY. OH, ON THE TC, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE IS READY TO VOTE ON EVEN THAT. SO WE'RE JUST GONNA TAKE THAT OFF THE AGENDA AND WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM 18. HEY CAMMIE, THANKS A LOT. GREAT JOB. SUPER JOB IN FACT, REALLY APPRECIATE IT. UM, [18. Discuss/Act on the Amendment to the Tyler Technologies Agreement removing the Fraud Guard Tyler Software as a service effective September 1, 2025, removing the payment obligation of $4,480.00, and all related issues; (Judge New - County Clerk)] WE ARE GOING TO GO TO, UH, ITEM 18, WHICH IS DISCUSS AND ACT ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE TYLER TECHNOLOGIES AGREEMENT, REMOVING THE FRAUD GUARD TYLER SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025, AND REMOVING THE PAYMENT OBLIGATION OF 4,480 AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. AND COURT, JUST SO Y'ALL WILL KNOW, UM, ITEM 19, THERE WAS A, SOME CONFUSION AND WE HAD THE SAME, UM, AMENDMENT ATTACHED TO BOTH OF THEM. SO WE'RE GONNA PASS ON ITEM 19. UM, UH, AND I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE, AND I WOULD ASK, UH, JENNIFER TO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UH, IF WE VOTE ON THIS THEN ON SEPTEMBER ONE, WE WILL BE TERMINATING THIS FRAUD GUARD AND IT MAY TAKE US, UH, A BIT TO GET A REPLACEMENT FRAUD GUARD IN PLACE. SO THERE MAY BE A GAP PERIOD THERE. CORRECT. IS THAT CORRECT, JENNIFER? THERE WILL BE A SHORT GAP PERIOD. SHORT GAP PERIOD. YES, SIR. BUT I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO BE AWARE OF THAT. DOESN'T MEAN I'M SAYING WE SHOULDN'T VOTE ON IT, DOESN'T MEAN I'M FOR IT, AGAINST IT. UM, NOT SMILING, JUST STATING THE FACTS. SO, UM, ITEM 18, JENNIFER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT? I KNOW THE TERMINATION HERE IS, IS, UH, THE AGREEMENT IS ATTACHED, SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF IT WAS REMOVED. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I NEED. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO COMMENT ON THIS OR QUESTIONS FOR JENNIFER? UH, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION THEN ON ITEM 18. DO WE WANT TO, UM, DO WE NEED TO SAY WHO NEEDS TO SIGN IT OR ARE WE GOOD JUST LOOKING AT A TERMINATION? NO, IT'S BETTER TO GIVE SOMEBODY AUTHORIZATION. WHO, WHO IS SET UP? UH, I, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER LIPKEY SIGNS IT SIGNS IN PLACE OF THE JUDGE. OKAY, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT. I WANNA MAKE A MOTION. WE, WE, UH, ACT ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE TYLER TECHNOLOGIES AGREEMENT, REMOVING THE FRAUD GUARD TYLER SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025, REMOVING THE PAVEMENT OBLIGATION OF $4,480 AND ALLOWING, UH, LAUREN LICHTY TO SIGN AS, UH, JUDGE PROTI. ALRIGHT, I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. THERE IS A MOTION BY, UH, COMMISSIONER STACEY. THERE IS A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER M**K, PLEASE VOTE NOW. I VOTED. OKAY. THERE IT IS. ALRIGHT. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. UM, WE'RE [19. Discuss/Act on approving an Amendment to the Tyler agreement for the County Clerk Land and Vitals Software, and all related issues; (Judge New-Auditor)] [02:50:01] GONNA SKIP ITEM 19. ISN'T THAT CORRECT, JENNIFER? ALRIGHT, THANKS. UM, WE'RE GONNA SKIP ITEM 19, UM, [20. Discuss/Act on setting/raising surety bond amounts for Judge New, Judge Williams, and Judge Woodward in accordance with SB387, and all related issues; (Judge New - Auditor)] AND WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM 20, UH, DISCUSS ON SETTING AND RAISING SHIRLEY BOND AMOUNTS FOR JUDGE NEW JUDGE WILLIAMS AND JUDGE WOODWARD IN ACCORDANCE WITH SENATE BILL 3 87 AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. AND, UM, LISA, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE UPDATE US ON WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. YES, SIR. SO CURRENTLY JUDGE NEW HAS A BOND, UH, THAT, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,000. AND JUDGE WILLIAMS AND JUDGE WOODWARD HAVE BONDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000. UH, ACCORDINGLY, UH, THIS NEW SENATE BILL, WHICH WAS APPROVED, IT'S, IT'S MODIFYING THE BOND REQUIREMENTS FOR JUDGES IN STATUTORY COUNTY COURTS AND COUNTY COURTS WHO PRESIDE OVER GUARDIANSHIP AND PROBATE PROCEEDINGS IN TEXAS. SO IT'S, IT AIMS TO RAISE THE MINIMUM BOND AMOUNT FOR THESE JUDGES TO NOT LESS THAN 500,000. SO YOU CAN SET IT AT ANYWHERE YOU WANT, BUT IT SAYS THE MINIMUM IS 500,000. SO I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND YOU GO TO 500,000 AND WE WILL GET NEW BONDS, UH, FOR THESE THREE. UH, THAT'S A BIG INCREASE. YES SIR. BIG INCREASE, BUT WE CAN ONLY RAISE YOUR PROPERTY TAXES 2.5%. AND I NOTICED THIS WAS IN THE, UH, REVISIONS, ONE OF THE REVISION SHEETS, THERE WAS SOME REVISIONS, KIND OF ACCOUNTING FOR SOME OF THESE INCREASED BONDS. SO WE'RE STARTING TO KIND OF LOOK AT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT, WHAT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT IS. AND THE FISCAL NOTES OF THIS PARTICULAR BILL SAID, UH, UH, FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, THE LEGISLATION IS PROJECTED TO HAVE NO SIGNIFICANT FISCAL IMPLICATION. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT IT SAID. SO USUALLY WE PAY, I THINK THE, THE COUNTY'S PORTION TO PAY FOR A BOND THAT WE GET FROM BOB ELLIS AGENCY IS ABOUT A HUNDRED DOLLARS. SO, UH, GOING UP TO THAT AMOUNT, AMOUNT, AMOUNT OF MONEY PROBABLY WILL PROBABLY BE CLOSER TO $500 PER, UH, OFFICIAL. BUT, SO I GUESS THAT'S WHAT THEY MEAN, NOT, DON'T REALLY, REALLY HAVE A CHOICE THOUGH. NO, SIR. OKAY. AND IT DOES PROTECT, UH, THE COUNTY AND THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS AS WELL? YES. I JUST, THE QUESTION WITH JUDGE NEW, HE IS GOING TO BE ASSUMING SOME NEW, UM, SOME NEW, UM, REQUIREMENTS OR SO FORTH THAT IS CAUSING HIM TO GO TO THE CLOSER TO THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND. I, I, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT. UH, HE HAS AUTHORITY TO DO CERTAIN THINGS, I DON'T KNOW, BUT HE HASN'T, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT HE'S INFORMED ME THAT HE'S PLANNING ON DOING. UM, SO I, AND HE'S BEEN TAKING CLASSES, SO I BELIEVE THAT IT'S PROBABLY PRUDENT THAT WE GO AHEAD AND INCREASE THE BOND AMOUNT. OKAY. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION COURT? ALRIGHT, UM, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UM, RAISE THE SURETY OF BOND MOUNTS FOR JUDGE NEW, UH, JUDGE WILLIAMS AND JUDGE WOODWARD TO THE RE TO THE LEVEL OF $500,000 AS REQUIRED BY LAW. I'LL SECOND. ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MYSELF AND WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STACY. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE VOTE OR A NEGATIVE PLEASE VOTE. IT'S UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY, [21. Discuss/Act on approving one-year database subscription renewals for County library patrons with EBSCO Publishing, and all related issues; (Judge New - Library Director)] UH, LET'S GO TO ITEM 21, UM, WHICH IS DISCUSS AND ACT ON APPROVING A ONE YEAR DATABASE SUBSCRIPTION RENEWALS FOR THE COUNTY LIBRARY PATRONS WITH EBSCO PUBLISHING AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. UM, THIS PACK, THERE WAS INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKET, UH, COMMISSIONERS, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS OR NOT. UM, I I JUST HAD A, A QUESTION AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, I MEAN IT'S JUST, IT FEELS LIKE THIS IS ALL WE DO IN SEPTEMBER IS APPROVE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS. UM, , IT, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ITEM. IT'S MORE PROCEDURALLY, IF WE HAVEN'T PASSED THE BUDGET, SHOULD WE PASS THE BUDGET ON SEPTEMBER 9TH BEFORE WE PASS MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS OR SHOULD WE PASS THE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS AND THEN JUST FUND THEM IN THE BUDGET? I MEAN, SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE IT'S A CART BEFORE THE HORSE SITUATION AS WE GET LATE IN AUGUST ROLLING INTO SEPTEMBER. UM, I'M, I'M KIND OF, I MEAN I, I HAD ONE WITH THE, THE JAIL THAT CAME TO ME AND I JUST ASKED TO MOVE IT AWAY JUST SO THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY FUND IT AND VOTE ON IT. THIS IS MUCH LESS IMPACTFUL THAN WHAT, THAN WHAT THE, THEN WHAT THAT PARTICULAR ONE WAS. I'M ASSUMING WE'RE ALREADY PAYING FOR THESE SERVICES NOW, SO IT'S KIND OF A CONTINUATION OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T REALLY HAVE AN ISSUE [02:55:01] WITH THIS PER SE AS MUCH AS THIS IS A TIME OF YEAR WHERE, WHEN DO WE PASS THE BUDGET AND WHEN DO WE START AGREEING TO MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS? GOOD. AND IT QUESTION JUST BECOMES REALLY DIFFICULT ON THESE NEXT COUPLE OF COURTS BECAUSE AS WE'RE KIND OF APPROVING THINGS, WE'RE WANTING TO GET THE, THE AGREEMENTS DONE, KIND OF MY PREFERENCE TO PASS A BUDGET AND START FUNDING EVERYTHING. BUT THIS IS KIND OF ALREADY IN THE BUDGET. IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALREADY FUNDING. LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT TRYING TO PICK ON THE LIBRARY, IT'S JUST THAT AS COMMISSIONERS, I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TO REALLY START LOOKING AT TRYING TO GET THE BUDGET PASSED AND THEN WE'LL WRITE THESE AGREEMENTS AND FUND THEM AND, AND, AND GET 'EM GOING. AND, AND WE, WE DO, UH, WHEN WE'LL PASS THE BUDGET ON THE NINTH ON THE, THE LAST COURT IN SEPTEMBER, IT GOES FOR THREE PAGES. WE MAKE, WE GO, WE MAKE A LOT OF PAYMENTS, UH, OUT OF FY 26 BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THE, THE, WHEN THE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT STARTS OCTOBER 1ST, THEY'RE EXPECTING THEIR PAYMENT OCTOBER 1ST AS WELL. SO, UH, WE'LL BE MAKING PAYMENTS PRIOR TO OCTOBER ON THESE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS. YES. YEAH. SO I, I'M JUST SAYING, I'M, I'M NOT PICKING ON, ON THIS ONE. LIKE I SAID, WE ALREADY HAVE IT. THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF A SERVICE WE'RE USING, SO I AM GONNA VOTE. I'M ABOUT TO MAKE A MOTION. WE APPROVE IT. I JUST WANT THE COURT TO KNOW AS WE START GETTING INTO THESE, IT'S PROBABLY BETTER AS PEOPLE COME TO APPROACH US, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S IN A NEW BUDGET OR IF IT'S SOMETHING NEW TO, TO, LET'S JUST WAIT TO PASS THE BUDGET AND GET THAT BUDGET FUNDED BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE GONNA DO A GOOD JOB AND PASS A GOOD BUDGET ON SEPTEMBER 9TH. SO, UM, WITH THAT I WILL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION. WE APPROVE A ONE YEAR DATABASE SUBSCRIPTION RENEWAL FOR THE COUNTY LIBRARY PATRONS WITH E-B-S-C-O PUBLISHING. ALRIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STACY. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER M**K, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE EVIDENCE YOUR VOTE AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. COURT, I, I AM WELL COGNIZANT OF THE TIME AND I THINK I GOT A, A GOOD ACTION TO TAKE, BUT I WANT TO GET THROUGH ITEM 22, UM, UH, BEFORE I DO THAT. OKAY. OKAY. UM, SO [22. Discuss/Act on approving the amended Rockwall County Purchasing Policy and Procedures, and all related issues; (Commissioner Liechty - Auditor)] LET'S MOVE TO ITEM 22, DISCUSS AN ACT ON APPROVING THE AMENDED ROCKWELL COUNTY PURCHASING POLICY AND PROCEDURES AND ALL RELATED ISSUES. UM, THESE PROCEDURES WERE SUBMITTED BY, UH, THE COUNTY AUDITOR. THEY WERE ORIGINALLY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. UH, THEY WERE PULLED OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA BECAUSE SOMEONE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT 'EM. UM, AND, UH, SOME ISSUES RAISED REGARDING THOSE. AND SO WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR PACKETS, UH, WERE THE LISA, WERE THE AMENDED. OH, YOU'RE CALLING ON SHERRY. I'M CALLING SHERRY UP HERE. SHE'S OUR, HER BULLPEN. OKAY. SHE'S OUR PURCHASING LADY. HERE COMES THE CLOSER . YEAH. SO THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT THESE AND THERE WAS A CIRCULATED, AT LEAST I GOT CIRCULATED YESTERDAY, A REVISED VERSION OF THESE. DID EVERYONE ELSE GET THOSE? I DID NOT. NO, YOU DID NOT. NO ONE ELSE GOT 'EM? NO SIR. OKAY. UM, WELL I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE COMMISSIONERS BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE TO VOTE ON TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON WHEN THEY DO IT. UM, WERE YOU IN AGREEMENT WITH THE I WAS CHANGES THAT WERE MADE EXCEPT FOR ONE. UM, AND I TALKED WITH, UH, CRAIG STODDARD ABOUT THIS, ABOUT THE MODIFICATIONS AFTER APPROVAL, WHICH IS ON PAGE SIX, I THINK. UM, AND CRAIG HAD PROPOSED SOME NEW LANGUAGE. UM, IF IT'S NOT NECESSARY TO DEAL WITH THIS TODAY, WHY DON'T WE MOVE IT TO THE NEXT AGENDA? UM, IF IT IS NECESSARY TO DEAL WITH THE DAY, WE CAN COME BACK AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION. NO, I'M, I'M FINE WITH PUTTING IT ON THE NEXT AGENDA. AND CRAIG, CRAIG HAD MADE A COUPLE CHANGES AND I WAS IN TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE LANGUAGE YOU HAD CIRCULATED CRAIG. UM, SO IF YOU WOULD PLEASE GET WITH HIM AND BRING THOSE TO THE NEXT COMMISSIONER'S COURT MEETING. AND FELICIA, IF YOU'D PLEASE REMEMBER TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT TIME, THEN EVERYONE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT 'EM. SURE. AND UH, I CAN DO THAT. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANYBODY THAT LOOKS AT THIS, JUST RAISE THEM WITH SHERRY AND THE AUDITOR PRIOR TO THAT. OKAY. . OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS SO MUCH. OKAY, SO WE'RE GONNA PASS ON, UH, ITEM 22. THAT GETS US TO DISCUSSION REGARDING THE BUDGET AND THEN IT GETS US INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA AND IT GETS US INTO PROPERTY AND ACQUISITIONS, BUT IT'S 1213 RIGHT NOW AND WE'VE GOT A FEW ITEMS. I DON'T EXPECT WE'LL HAVE A LONG EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT THERE ARE A FEW ITEMS WE PROBABLY WANNA DISCUSS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. IS THAT CORRECT? COMMISSIONER STACY, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT SOME THINGS ON THERE. YES. UM, AND UH, SO, UH, [28. EXECUTIVE SESSION] LET'S [03:00:01] DO THIS IF, DOES IT WORK FOR EVERYBODY? IF, UM, WE GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND RE UH, RE-ENGAGE AT ONE O'CLOCK? UH, SHOOT FOR THAT. IF WE'RE NOT DONE, WE'RE NOT DONE, BUT SHOOT FOR IT. DO YOU WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO GO TO LUNCH? YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO A LITTLE LONGER THAN THAT. THAT'S 45 MINUTES. GO TO ONE 15. YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO TO ONE 30, UH, OR ONE 15. JUST GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO GO TO LUNCH. THREE. I'M FINE WITH THAT. LET'S, UH, WE'RE GONNA RECESS AND WE'RE GONNA COME BACK INTO SESSION I GUESS AT ONE 15 AND WE'RE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT OF ROCKWELL COUNTY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO EXERT, RE 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 MEETINGS, SUBCHAPTER D UH, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, OR TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF ITS ATTORNEY. AND I DON'T HAVE TO READ THE ITEMS LISTED A THROUGH G. DO I BEST TO AT LEAST LIST THE ONES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DISCUSS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? UH, WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. A PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION AND ATTORNEY CLIENT INFORMATION. B, REAL ESTATE MATTERS, CRENSHAW ROAD PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT. C, PERSONNEL MATTERS. D ADVICE OF COUNSEL, DMDS LAND AND DR HORTON VERSUS ROCKWELL COUNTY, ET AL AND SUSTER LAW GROUP, LEGAL SERVICES AGREEMENT, AMENDMENT E RELATED OR SECURITY RELATED MATTERS F CONTRACT DELIBERATIONS, AGREEMENTS WITH VO-TECH REGARDING COUNTY ELECTION DEPARTMENT AND G ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS. WE ARE NOW IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. SURE. OKAY. [29. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION] IS ONE 15 AND I CALL THE COURT BACK INTO RECESS INTO REGULAR SESSION AND I WILL STATE FOR THE RECORD THAT NO ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. UM, BECAUSE THIS MEETING HAS TAKEN A LITTLE LONGER THAN EVERYONE EXPECTED. WE'RE GONNA MAKE A COUPLE ADJUSTMENTS HERE TO ACCOMMODATE SOME FOLKS. UM, AND WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO, UH, ITEMS, UH, 26 25. 25. WE'RE [25. PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS/DISPOSITIONS] GONNA MOVE TO ITEM 25, PROPERTY ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITIONS. UM, DISCUSS AND ACT ON APPROVING THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS OF FIXED ASSETS. THE ITEMS LISTED IN AGENDA A THROUGH K, WHICH CONSTITUTE TWO SAFES AND ITEM AND A AND THE REST ARE CARS, UH, WHICH ARE BEING CONVERTED TO SURPLUS. WHICH, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER GALANA, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA SAY ABOUT THAT OR, NO, THESE ARE ALL RECOMMENDED BY THE FLEET COMMITTEE TO BE, UM, UH, DISPOSED AND, UH, OF, AND UH, A COUPLE OF THEM HAVE SOME MAJOR MECHANICAL ISSUES AND BODY DAMAGE. OTHER THINGS, YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THESE AND THEIR MILEAGE ISN'T EXTREMELY HIGH, BUT THERE'S ISSUES AND THAT'S WHY. YEAH. OKAY. THIS HAS ALL BEEN APPROVED BY THE, THE, UH, FLEET COMMITTEE AND UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JUST JOINING US ON RADIO, UM, COMMISSIONER GUANA, WE APPRECIATE VERY MUCH YOUR EXPERIENCE IN DOING MANAGING THIS AND WHAT YOU BRING TO THE COURT ON IT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, ALRIGHT. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE, UM, PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS 25 A THROUGH K SECOND. ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STACY. WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ALANA, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTES AND WITH PASSES UNANIMOUSLY BY THOSE IN ATTENDANCE. OKAY. [26. NON-EMERGENCY BUDGET TRANSFER(S)] UH, NEXT WE ARE GOING TO GO TO ITEM, UH, 26, WHICH IS NON-EMERGENCY BUS BUDGET TRANSFERS. AND WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS LISTED WHERE WE'RE MAKING TRANSFERS. UM, UH, LISA, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN SPECIFIC THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US ON THESE POINTS? UH, NOTHING OTHER THAN I WILL HIGHLIGHT SINCE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS IS RATHER LARGE IN 2025 DASH 27, WE ARE TAKING A TRANSFER FROM FY 25 AND, AND SENDING IT TO THE INSURANCE TRUST, WHICH [03:05:01] IS THE SELF-FUNDED, UH, COUNTY INSURANCE PLAN THAT IS, UH, A BIT UNDERFUNDED THIS YEAR. AND IT WAS A RECOMMENDATION I BELIEVE AS WELL FROM THE TREASURER AND, UH, HR AND MYSELF AND AND ENDORSED BY MYSELF. YES, YES, YES. SO, UH, THE REST ARE JUST, UH, BACK AND FORTH, UH, OUT REALLOCATING ALREADY BUDGETED FUNDS. THIS IS TAKING SOME 500,000 FROM CONTINGENCY OVER TO, UH, ANOTHER FUND, WHICH IS THE SELF-FUNDED INSURANCE PLAN. AND AGAIN, THAT'S TO PROVIDE, UH, HEALTHCARE BENEFITS TO OUR EMPLOYEES. CORRECT. WHICH WE NEED A HEALTHY FUND FOR THAT. YES. SO, UH, COMMISSIONER GLAND, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING? OH, I THOUGHT, I'M SORRY, I WAS JUST GONNA MAKE A MOTION. ALRIGHT. PLEASE DO, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE NON-EMERGENCY BUDGET TRANSFERS 2025 DASH 25, 26, 27 AND 28. I'LL SECOND THAT WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GOANA, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER M**K, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY BY THOSE IN ATTENDANCE. UM, AND [27. APPROVAL OF ACCOUNTS, BILLS, CLAIMS, AND PAYROLL(S)] THEN, UH, LET'S CONTINUE ON WITH ITEM 27, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF ACCOUNTS, BILLS, CLAIMS AND PAYROLLS. AGAIN, I WILL TURN TO THE AUDITOR WHO HAS BROUGHT THESE TO US FOR OUR, OUR APPROVAL. YES SIR. THANK YOU. I'M SUBMITTING TO THE COURT PAID CLAIMS, THE AMOUNT OF $150,049 AND 8 CENTS AND I REQUEST THE COURT'S APPROVAL. ALRIGHT, MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STA A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ALANA, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ALRIGHT. NEXT. I'M ALSO SUBMITTING TO THE COURT UNPAID CLAIMS IN THE AMOUNT OF $609,230 AND 38 CENTS. AND I ARE ASKING FOR THE COURT'S APPROVAL. ALRIGHT, SO MOVED. I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER M**K SECOND, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ALANA, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AGAIN. ALRIGHT. UH, IS ONE MORE? YES SIR. UM, SPENDING TO THE COURT PAY, UH, PAYROLL REPORT FOR THE PAY PERIOD ENDING AUGUST THE 16TH, 2025 IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,082,815 AND 12 CENTS. AND I ASK FOR THE COURT'S APPROVAL. ALRIGHT, UM, MOVE TO APPROVE. THERE'S A MOTION BY, UH, COMMISSIONER ALANA SECOND AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER M**K, UNLESS THERE'S DISCUSSION, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE. AND AGAIN, IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THAT'S IT? YES SIR. OKAY, GREAT. ALRIGHT, [23. Discuss/Act on the FY2026 1st draft budget, and all related issues; (Judge New - Auditor)] SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK, UM, TO ITEM NUMBER 23, DISCUSS AN ACT ON THE FY 2026, FIRST DRAFT OF THE BUDGET AND ALL RELATED ISSUES AND, AND, UH, COMMISSIONERS. I, UM, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A, AN ITEM THAT IS LED BY THE JUDGE. HE'S NOT HERE TODAY, BUT IT'S STILL ON THE AGENDA. I KNOW THERE WAS SOME INFORMATION CIRCULATED BY THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE THAT WE ALL GOT, WHICH HELPED PROVIDE US SOME, SOME INSIGHT ON SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE DISCUSSED. NOTHING APPROVED YET, BUT SOME OF THE CHANGES WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST, UH, WORKSHOP. UM, AND UH, SO I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO DISCUSSION HERE IF THERE ARE THINGS PEOPLE WANNA MENTION, BUT I DON'T ENVISION US TAKING ANY MATERIAL ACTION WITHOUT JUDGE NEW HERE. YEAH, I, I AGREE. UH, COMMISSIONER LTE, I JUST, WE WERE TALKING BEFORE THE MEETING, THAT WOULD BE THE AUDITOR AND I ABOUT KIND OF THE PROCESS OF, OF WHAT WE WANTED TO DO. WE HAVE THIS AGENDA ITEM, THEN WE HAVE A WORKSHOP, WELL IT'S NOT A WORKSHOP. WE HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND THEN A SPECIAL MEETING ON THURSDAY. SO, UM, THERE IS A, UH, THERE'S AN IDEA THAT MAYBE WE DON'T TECHNICALLY MAKE A SECOND DRAFT OF THE BUDGET, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE IT KIND OF A GOAL OR WHATEVER TO VOTE ON SOME OF THIS STUFF AND PULL IT INTO EVEN A PROPOSED FIRST DRAFT OR AN AMENDED FIRST DRAFT. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE CALL IT. 'CAUSE IF WE DON'T, OUR SPREADSHEET'S GONNA GO ON FOREVER. AND I THINK WE KIND OF NEED TO TAKE THIS SPREADSHEET, DEAL WITH IT, AND THEN DISCUSS FURTHER AND THEN THAT'S GONNA CREATE MORE. AMEN. YOU KNOW, MORE MATH, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA DO ANYTHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW THE MATH FOR. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T WANNA NECESSARILY SAY, YEAH, WE WANNA VOTE FOR THIS AND, AND THEN WE'RE READY TO VOTE FOR IT WITHOUT REALLY SEEING IT. SO WE'RE GONNA NEED TO KIND OF GIVE DIRECTION TO THE AUDITOR'S [03:10:01] OFFICE TO COME BACK TO US. AND AT SOME POINT IT KIND OF NEEDS TO BE CONSOLIDATED INTO A DRAFT AND WE NEED TO SAY WE'RE FOUR THINGS AND AGAINST THINGS SO THAT WE DON'T, SO THAT SPREADSHEET DOESN'T BECOME EIGHT PAGES LONG AND THEN WE GO AND VOTE THEM ALL IN ON SEPTEMBER 9TH. BUT VOTES LIKE THAT, WOULD THEY KIND OF NECESSARILY BE NON-BINDING? RIGHT. THEY REALLY KIND OF ARE. 'CAUSE YOU CAN JUST BRING 'EM RIGHT BACK UP UNTIL WE VOTE ON THE BUDGET. YEAH. YEAH. BUT AT LEAST IT KIND OF SETTLES THE DUST A LITTLE BIT. CORRECT. AND GIVES AND GIVES DIRECTION TO THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE SO THAT, SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE THE UNNECESSARY AMENDMENTS INTO THE BUDGET SO THAT WE CAN THEN START FOCUSING OUR EFFORT DOWN TO SAY, OKAY, WELL HERE'S SOME THINGS I WANT TO ADD, OR HERE'S SOMEONE I WANT IN THE BUDGET, HERE'S SOMEONE I DON'T WANT IN THE BUDGET. AND, AND, AND KIND OF, AND KIND OF GET THAT AND SETTLE SOME OF THE RAISES ISSUES AND THE PAY ISSUES AND, AND, AND TRY TO, AND TRY TO GET IT DOWN. UM, BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT CAME FROM ONE MEETING AND I'M SURE WHEN WE MEET THIS WEEK, WE'RE GONNA HAVE JUST AS MUCH STUFF COME OUT OF THIS COURT. SO I, I JUST THINK KIND OF AS A GOAL I WOULD LIKE, AND, AND AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S ARBITRARY, BUT JUST THE IDEA THAT MAYBE ON TUESDAY WE HAVE ANOTHER DRAFT OF THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. UM, THAT, THAT I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD GOAL FOR US TO GET IN THE NEXT TWO DAYS, MAKE MOTIONS, VOTE ON THINGS, SUPPORT IDEAS, START TRYING TO SOLVE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS AND PUT IT INTO A DRAFT. IT'S NOT BINDING, IT'S STILL A PROPOSED DRAFT. WE CAN CALL IT DRAFT TWO OR AMENDED DRAFT ONE. WE CAN JUST, YEAH. BUT THAT WAY WE'RE KIND OF MOVING IT FORWARD AND CAN SEE IT ALL, ALL COMPILED BECAUSE THIS JUST STARTS GETTING CONFUSING AND, AND, AND IT'S APPRECIATIVE. I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY YOU'RE CONFUSING US AUDITOR'S OFFICE. UM, BUT, BUT IT'S JUST A NECESSARY THING AS WE START REALLY TRYING TO FINE TUNE WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, WHAT THE CONTINGENCIES ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE, WHAT ARE THE FUNDS GONNA LOOK LIKE, WE, WE NEED TO START SEEING SOME OF THE STUFF. SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD QUESTION-WISE TO WHAT WAS RELEASED BY THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SAY THOSE BRIEF COMMENTS IS THAT, THAT THAT WOULD KIND OF BE MY GOAL IS TO HOPE THAT WE COULD GET TO THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS TO VOTE SOME STUFF UP OR DOWN AND GET US TO SOME SORT OF AMENDED DRAFT OF THE BUDGET THAT WE CAN START REALLY LOOKING AT FOR THAT THURSDAY MEETING. AND THEN YOU GOTTA REMEMBER THEN WE'RE VOTING ON THE BUDGET, SO WE GOTTA START CLEANING SOME OF THIS STUFF UP THE BEST WE CAN. SO COMMISSIONER STACEY, I'M FOR MY CLARITY ARE, ARE YOU THINKING, ARE YOU SAYING THAT AFTER, AFTER OUR THIS THIS COMING MEETING OR EVEN BEFORE THAT YOU'RE WANTING THEM TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER LIKE THIS ON THE 2ND OF SEPTEMBER? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ANOTHER DOCUMENT PUT TOGETHER. SO EVERYTHING ELSE WILL JUST BE A AMEND AMENDMENTS TO BE PLACED INTO THE THE NEXT DRAFT. YES. THE SECOND DRAFT, YES. OKAY. OKAY. BUT THAT WOULD BE, PUT THAT TOGETHER IF WE DO THESE NON-BINDING GOALS, IF, IF WE DO THE VOTES, I'M JUST SAYING THAT THAT'S MY DESIRE AND I JUST WANT THE COURT TO KNOW COMING INTO THE MEETING ON TOMORROW, I'M GONNA START MAKING MOTIONS ON THE BUDGET TO TRY TO GET SOME STUFF MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION TO AT LEAST APPROVE THE POTENTIAL CHANGES IF, IF NOTHING ELSE, ESPECIALLY THE ONES WE KIND OF AGREE ON. YEAH. AND TRY TO GET SOME OF THOSE AGREED UPON. UM, I, I CERTAINLY HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO DO IT. I OBVIOUSLY AM GONNA LEAVE THAT UP TO JUDGE NEW SINCE HE'S, HE KIND OF DIRECTS THIS. YEP. UM, WE ALL GOT THIS THING FROM THE AUDITOR. CORRECT. UM, AND I DON'T WANNA SPEND A GET REAL BOGGED DOWN ON IT, BUT THERE, AS LONG AS WE GOT IT, THERE WAS ONE THING THAT I, I WONDERED THAT I DIDN'T SEE IN HERE. UH, MAY HAVE MISSED IT. THAT IS, THAT IS IMPORTANT. WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE GOT AN ANSWER AND THAT'S OUR PROJECTED LEGAL FEES FOR NEXT YEAR. UM, WE DIDN'T AND OH, THERE SHE IS. AND, AND WHEN I'D, I WOULD ASK YOU, WE TALKED, WE, WE NEED TO GET SOME SORT OF ESTIMATES ON WHAT LEGAL FEES ARE GONNA BE FOR NEXT YEAR. WE HAD $300,000 IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME UP WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE ROUGH AND, BUT IT'S, YOU'VE HAD A YEAR AND A HALF NOW IN OPERATIONS THAT YOU COULD KIND OF COME UP WITH SOME IDEA WHAT IT IS AND THEN WE NEED TO CHECK WITH, UH, OUR COUNSEL WHO'S HANDLING THE TWO LAWSUITS FOR US. UH, BECAUSE UH, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE NUMBERS THAT IF WE ESTIMATE IT WRONG, WE GOT A REAL PROBLEM. AND SO COULD I ASK YOU TO BEFORE OR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, HAVE YOUR FIRM COME UP WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR US? AN ESTIMATE FOR NEXT YEAR? AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S JUST AN ESTIMATE, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING WE CAN WORK OFF. AND I'LL SEND, UH, CHRIS BOWERS AN EMAIL ASKING HIM FOR THE SAME THING BECAUSE THESE ARE NUMBERS WE GOTTA HAVE AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE SIGNIF POT. THEY'RE SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS. SO, UM, I'M STILL GOING THROUGH THIS, THIS CHECKLIST [03:15:01] WAS VERY HELPFUL, UH, AUDITOR. UH, VERY HELPFUL. THANKS SO MUCH FOR DOING IT. UM, OKAY. OTHER, ANYTHING ELSE ON THE BUDGET THAT ANYBODY WANTS TO BRING UP? OKAY, I'M TAKING THAT AS A BIG NO. ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'LL MOVE ON AND WE LIKE, AS COMMISSIONER STACY MENTIONED, WE HAVE A MEETING ON TOMORROW AFTERNOON ABOUT THIS, WHICH WILL BE GOOD. [24. CONSENT AGENDA] UM, CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 24. UH, JUDGE PROTI, I WOULD LIKE TO PULL D OUT OF CONSENT AGENDA AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. WE APPROVE 24 A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I AND J. ALRIGHT. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. WE WILL REMOVE ITEM D FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. THERE'S NO MOTION ON THE FLOOR. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT. THERE'S A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CELICK, UNLESS THERE'S DISCUSSION, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [24.D. Auditor - Acknowledge for the record District Court Order setting the District Court and County Court at Law Bailiffs' compensation for Fiscal Year 2026;] AND WITH THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, STACY, YOU WANNA DISCUSS ITEM DI JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS SOME CORRECTED COURT ORDERS THAT WAS SENT OUT LATE AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE VOTING ON THE CORRECT COURT ORDERS. UM, THAT'S THE ONLY POINT. I DIDN'T WANT TO ACCIDENTALLY VOTE ON THE WRONG COURT ORDERS. THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT ON THE COURT REPORTERS TO, UM, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, I JUST WANT TO KIND OF PASS A MOTION THAT WE TAKE THE MOST RECENT COURT ORDERS. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WORKS. UM, THAT WE JUST SAY WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE MOST RECENT COURT ORDERS AND PASS THEM. BUT THERE, BUT THERE WAS SOME THAT WENT OUT LATE AFTER THE AGENDA WENT OUT, UM, THAT, THAT MOVED IT, UH, THAT, THAT MADE THEIR PAY IN LINE WITH THE 4% THAT'S IN THE PROPOSED AND, AND WHAT WAS IN OUR PACKET? THAT WASN'T CURRENT. NO, THERE WAS ONE THAT CAME OUT AFTER THE PACKET ON THOSE TWO. ON THE TWO COURT. ON THE TWO COURT REPORTER. AND ARE YOU TALKING TO, IS IT LISTED RIGHT HERE ON THE 8 8 25? IT'S THE YES, IT'S THE UPDATED COURT. THE UPDATED COURT ORDERS ARE REFLECTED IN, THEY'RE REFLECTED IN THAT. I JUST DON'T WANT, I JUST WANTED TO BE VERY CLEAR. I'M NOT HERE TO TO TO, TO DEBATE THE ORDERS. I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE VOTING ON THE MOST UPTODATE COURT ORDERS. WELL ACTUALLY I'M REALLY GLAD YOU BROUGHT THIS UP BECAUSE I, THIS, THIS CONSENT AGENDA, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE BEEN WITH ME HERE SINCE JANUARY 14TH, IS KIND OF A HEAD SCRATCHER FOR ME AS TO WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING. BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, UM, ON ITEM D, WE ARE CLEARLY NOT APPROVING IT. CORRECT. NOT BECAUSE WE DISAPPROVE IT, BUT IT'S JUST NOT OUR PLACE TO APPROVE. WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT. SO WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING RECEIPT OF THE ORDERS OF THE DISTRICT COURTS AND THE COUNTY COURTS AT LAW. AND THAT WAS IT. I'M, LIKE I SAID, SAID I'M, I'M NOT, I'M NOT TRYING TO TO MAKE ANY MORE OF IT. IT IS JUST THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE UPDATED AND THEY WEREN'T IN THE PACKET. I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING YEAH. THE MOST RECENT OR, OR MAKING SOME THE NOTATION THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. OKAY. AND I, I, I GUESS THAT WOULD ALSO, I'M APPLIED TO THE AUDITOR NUMBER C TOO 'CAUSE IT WAS LISTED ON THIS SAME, UM, 8 25. YEAH, IT'S NUM UH, C IS THE ONE THAT HAS THE COURT REPORTER. OH, C IS THE COURT REPORTER. I CIRCLED THE WRONG ONE. IT DIDN'T HAVE MY GLASSES ON. . WELL EITHER WAY. I, I APOLOGIZE. OKAY. WELL, UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THE ORDER OF THE JUDGES IN? YEAH, YEAH. I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND, AND UH, MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE AGENDA ITEM 24 D NOT APPROVE THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE. WE ACKNOWLEDGE. YEAH, THAT IS CORRECT. I AMEND MY MOTION THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, 24 D UH, AND I'LL SECOND THAT. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STACY AND A SECOND BY, UH, COMMISSIONER M**K. AND, BUT PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE AND THAT'S PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ALRIGHT. OKAY. SO THAT'S THE CONSENT AGENDA. UM, NOW AS I MENTIONED, [29. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION (Part 2 of 2)] WE HAD NO ACTION TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT ARE THERE ANY MOTIONS REGARDING ITEMS THAT WERE LISTED ON THE EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE CRENSHAW ROAD PER PURCHASE AND SELL AGREEMENT WITH BOYD V WORK. ALRIGHT. SECOND, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. OKAY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UM, THAT WE ACCEPT THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO LEGAL SERVICES [03:20:01] AGREEMENT, UH, WITH THE SUSTER LAW GROUP AND THE COUNTY OF ROCKWALL, UH, AS TO AUTHORIZE THE FIRM TO REPRESENT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN THEIR OFFICIAL AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES. AND THE COUNTY JUDGE IN HIS OFFICIAL AND HIS, HIS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORM OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO LEGAL SERVICES AGREEMENT, WHICH WAS PRESENTED TO US. I'LL SECOND. ALRIGHT, WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. UNLESS THERE'S DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE. AND THAT'S APPROVED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [30. COMMISSIONERS COURT REPORTS] AND I THINK THAT BRINGS US DOWN TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT REPORTS. UM, AND I WILL START WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER KALANA. UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, THANK EVERYBODY THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED SINCE THE INCIDENT WE HAD AT HEATH HIGH SCHOOL, UM, WITH THE ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENT WITH FLAGS BEING HUNG FROM THE SCHOOL. I'D LIKE TO THANK, I MEAN, IT REALLY, EVERYBODY HAS KIND OF COME TOGETHER, UM, TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. UM, THIS COURT, I MEAN, IT, IT'S BEEN AN OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FOR THAT COMMUNITY. UM, UH, COMMISSIONER STACY WAS INVOLVED WITH HELPING SET UP A, A RALLY LAST, UH, FRIDAY, UH, WHICH, UH, WAS VERY APPRECIATED BY THE COMMUNITY TOO, I KNOW FOR A FACT. SO JUST WANTED TO, UH, JUST TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER ALANA. COMMISSIONER M**K. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. OKAY. COMMISSIONER STACY, I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT WHEN, UM, MY TIME IS DONE AS COMMISSIONER, I WOULDN'T LISTEN TO COURT. BUT IF YOU'RE JUDGE, I WILL TUNE IN 'CAUSE YOU ARE HILARIOUS AS THE, UH, AS THE, AS THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF THE MEETING. SO I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU, YOU, YOU BROUGHT, YOU BROUGHT AN ELEMENT OF, OF WONDERFULNESS TO THIS MEETING, COMMISSIONER LICHTY AND I APPRECIATE THAT. WELL, I TAKE THAT AS A COMPLIMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, . UM, AND THAT LEAVES ME AND I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE MY SERIES OF, AS WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR 250TH YEAR IN EXISTENCE, I'VE KIND OF FOCUSED ON WHAT WAS HAPPENING 250 YEARS AGO IN 1775 ON, SO DURING THIS WEEK IN 1775, THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR WITH ENGLAND BECAME MORE REAL AS THE FLAMES OF CONFLICT BEGAN TO BURN BRIGHTER. ON AUGUST 22ND, 1775, KING GEORGE II OF GREAT BRITAIN PROCLAIMED THE AMERICAN COLONIES TO BE AN OPEN REBELLION AND ORDERED HIS OFFICIALS TO SUPPRESS THEM. THEN ON AUGUST 26TH, TODAY, 17 75, 250 YEARS AGO, TODAY, GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON SENT BRIGADIER GENERAL JOHN SULLIVAN IN A UNIT TOTALING MORE THAN 3000 MEN TO FORTIFY PLOWED HILL, WHICH PROVIDED A CLEAR SHOT AT THE BRITISH FORCES ON BUNKER HILL, WHERE THE FAMED BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL HAD BEEN FOUGHT TWO MONTHS EARLIER. A BATTLE ENSUED ON AUGUST 27TH, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AMERICAN FORCES SINKING ONE OF THE TWO BRITISH FLOATING BATTERIES, WHICH WAS SHELLING THEM AND INCAPACITATING THE OTHER, AND IS CONSIDERED A VICTORY BY OUR REVOLUTIONARY FORCES. AND WITH THAT, AT 1:36 PM WE'RE ADJOURNED. GOOD JOB. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.