[00:00:01] ALL RIGHT, WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND NOW CALL TO ORDER THE COMMISSIONERS COURT BUDGET WORKSHOP 22ND DAY OF JUNE, 2021 AT 11:14. COMMISSIONERS, CAN I GET A MOTION TO SKIP THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE, PLEASE? SO MOVED. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? NO? ANY CITIZEN'S COMMENTS? NO CITIZENS COMMENTS. NO CITIZENS COMMENTS, IN THAT CASE WILL MOVE TO THE WORKSHOP. WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS FRASIER COUNTY CLERK, DISTRICT CLERK, DISTRICT JUDGE, JP1, JP2, JP3, CONSTABLE PRECINCT ONE, COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT, COUNTY COURT LOG UNIT ROADS, GISIT COMMISSIONERS COURT AND GRANTS DEPARTMENT BUDGETS. COMMISSIONERS YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED COPIES OF ALL THOSE AND I'M CERTAIN YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH 40 PAGES LINE BY LINE. BUT I DO WANT TO ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY PORTION OF THE BUDGET. WE ARE, WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS RIGHT NOW, RECOMMENDING A THREE PERCENT RAISE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR EMPLOYEES THAT'S ABOVE COLA, WE KEPT THOSE A LITTLE LOWER LAST YEAR DUE TO COVID. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE THE GENERAL RULE. ANYTHING THAT VARIES FROM THAT, YOU'LL FIND JUSTIFICATION ATTACHED TO IT ON THE BUDGET FORM. THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, THIS MAY BE THE WORLD'S SHORTEST BUDGET WORKSHOP, I HAVE ONE QUESTION. OK. WHY IS PRECINCT FOUR CONSTABLE NOT ON HERE? WE HAVEN'T MET WITH THEM. SO THESE ARE THE OFFICES THAT WE'VE MET WITH SO FAR. SO, FOR INSTANCE, TODAY, I MEETING THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE DA'S OFFICE, AND WE HAVE MULTIPLE OTHER MEETINGS. WE'RE MEETING WITH EACH DEPARTMENT HEAD AND GOING THROUGH THEIR BUDGET LINE BY LINE, TELLING THEM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMETHING ON THERE THAT WE JUST FISCALLY CAN'T DO, THEN WE'RE TELLING THEM THAT AT THAT TIME AND OTHERWISE IT'S COMING IN HERE FOR FOR YOU GUYS TO REVIEW. IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THEN WE'LL ASSUME YOU'RE OK WITH THAT AND AND GET IT INTO THE BUDGET, BECAUSE AT THE END OF JULY, WE HAVE TO TURN IN OUR PRELIMINARY BUDGET. SO WE'RE KIND OF GETTING UP AGAINST IT, TRYING TO GET THESE THINGS FINISHED. SO THAT'S WHY, WE JUST HAVEN'T MET WITH THE COMMISSIONER. GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. NO, NO. YOU SURE? OK, YEAH. JUST VERY GENERALLY, YOU KNOW, UNIT ROAD LOOKS LIKE IT, WE'RE ABOUT ONW MILLION TWO OVER WHAT IT WAS. YES. IF I'M READING CORRECTLY, I MAY NOT BE, BUT CAN WE JUST KIND OF GET AN IDEA OF KIND OF THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT? SO UNIT ROADS HAS THEY HAVE THREE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT IN THERE. THAT'S THE MILLION. I'M TOLD, DONALD, THAT ONE OF THOSE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT IS NECESSARY IS ABOUT THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND. I TELL THEM WE'LL LEAVE THE OTHER TWO IN THERE FOR NOW, DENNIS AND I'VE BEEN WORKING TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT IF WE CAN USE SOME OF THE AMERICAN RELIEF FUNDS TO GET THOSE OTHER TWO ITEMS. SO I HAVE LEFT IT IN THE BUDGET THAT BUT IT WON'T IF WE HAVE TO DEPEND SOLELY ON [INAUDIBLE] THEN PROBABLY TWO OF THE THREE OF THOSE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT WILL GET TAKEN OUT EVENTUALLY. BUT THAT'S WHY IT LOOKS THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW. OK, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN ANY OF THESE OTHER FUNDS? NOT REALLY, SHERIFFS. SO THE BIG ONES ARE, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR, OF COURSE, ARE UNIT ROAD AND SO, SO I HAVEN'T MET WITH THE SO YET, I'M ALSO MEETING WITH THEM TODAY. AND DONALD, HIS WAS VERY MUCH THE SAME AS LAST YEAR, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THAT EQUIPMENT. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT KIND OF AN UNWRITTEN GOAL TO, YOU KNOW, PRESS FORWARD IN GETTING THESE ROADS PAVED. DONALD AND HIS CREWS DO THE BEST THEY CAN. AND WE, YOU KNOW, ADDED WHEN WE'RE NOT USING OUR MOWING CREWS, WE'RE USING THEM ON THE ROAD CREWS. SO THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. AND WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT MORE ROADS PAVED IN THE PAST YEAR OR TWO THAN WE HAVE IN A LONG TIME. IF WE COULD GET THOSE EXTRA PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, IT WOULD IT WOULD REALLY EXPEDITE [00:05:09] THE SPEED AT WHICH WE CAN GET THOSE DONE AND THE QUALITY JOB THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO. SO STAY TUNED. WE THINK THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THAT. DENNIS HAS BEEN WORKING ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN DO THOSE SORT OF CAPITAL PURCHASES THROUGH THE AMERICAN RELIEF FUND PROGRAM. AND WE THINK WE MAY BE ABLE TO, WHICH WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE THEN THE MONEY'S THERE, OTHERWISE THE MONEY WILL NOT BE THERE AND WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A COUPLE OF THOSE MACHINES OUT. OK, GO AHEAD. AND WE JUST WANT TO LET THE COMMISSIONERS KNOW THAT ANY CHANGES OR ANY DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE BEEN PUTTING NOTES ON THEIR BUDGETS IF THEY WANT TO CHANGE IT AND WHY THEY WANT TO CHANGE IT AND SO FORTH. SO THEIR JUSTIFICATION IS THERE. WE STILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ALL THE SALARIES CORRECT AND THEN WE'LL BE CORRECTING THE FICA AND RETIREMENT AND SO FORTH. SO THIS IS NOTHING THAT'S REALLY SET IN STONE RIGHT NOW. JUST LIKE JUDGE SAID, WE'RE STILL MEETING WITH DEPARTMENTS. I'M STILL TRYING TO SCHEDULE SOME OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE LEFT. AND WE'LL HAVE THOSE THAT PAPERWORK FOR YOU AT THE NEXT COMMISSIONER'S COURT AT THE BUDGET WORKSHOP THEN, OK, WE HAVE TO HAVE EVERYBODY DONE BY THE TIME WE COME TO THE NEXT WORKSHOP SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF GET DOWN TO IT AND WE'LL HAVE SOME ANSWERS FOR EVERY FINDING BY THEN. CAN I GET ONE MORE QUESTION? YES. CAN I ASK DONALD? SURE. YEAH. DONALD, WOULD YOU COME UP? AND MAKE SURE YOUR MIC IS ON DONALD, I CAN'T TELL IF IT IS OR NOT. YES, SIR, NOT ALONG THE MOWING, SO WE WENT WE'VE GONE FROM BACK FROM, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTING THAT SERVICE OUT TO DOING IT IN-HOUSE AND HOW'S THAT WORKING, I GUESS. IT'S WORKING WELL. THEY'RE OUT MOWING RIGHT NOW. THEY'RE ON THE EAST SIDE. THEY'RE FIXING TO GO THEY'RE DURING THE DALE AREA, AND THEN THEY'LL BE GOING SOUTH. BUT, YOU KNOW, EXCEPT FOR THE BREAKDOWNS, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE TRACTORS IN THE GUTTERS BREAKING DOWN. AND COMMISSIONER THERIOT, THE MONEY THAT WE ARE LIVING IN NOT AMERICAN RELIEF, AND THAT'S WHAT THAT IS FOR. AND YEAH, BASICALLY THE EQUIPMENT LIST IS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF TRACTORS AND CUTTERS AND A COUPLE OF DISTRIBUTORS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN. YOU GUYS HAVE TO BE PATIENT WITH US ON THE DUST CONTROL BECAUSE THAT DISTRIBUTOR IS OLD AND WE KEEP IT KEEPS GOING DOWN. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO DIFFERENT OPTIONS OF HOW TO GET THE DUST CONTROL OUT. SO WE'RE HOPING TO START DOING THAT NEXT WEEK. SO YOU HAVE HOW YOU PROBABLY HADN'T ADDED IT UP, BUT WHERE ARE WE ON PAVED OR SEALED COATED ROADS VERSUS GRAVEL ROADS RIGHT NOW? THE PAVED ROAD? WELL, ALL TOGETHER YOU GOT 427 MILES AND CALDWELL COUNTY 200 IS PAVED AND 227 ARE GRAVEL. SO THAT I MEAN WE'VE WE'VE DONE QUITE, QUITE A FEW OVER THE LAST YEAR. YEAH. SO THROUGH THE GRANTS THAT WAS A LOT OF THAT WAS THROUGH THE GRANTS THAT WE HAD THE THE SEARCH GRANT AND THEN WE'RE HOPING TO GET, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY AT LEAST 30, 40 MILES, HOPEFULLY TRY TO GET THIS YEAR. WE'VE GOT THE MAIN THING IS A LOT OF THESE ROADS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BASE ON IT. SO WE'VE GOT TO GET THE BASE ON THERE TO GET THAT UP AND THEN WE CAN CONSIDER PAVING THEM. BUT ONCE WE GET THAT AND IF WE GET THE DISTRIBUTORS, THEN THAT'LL HELP US PROCESS THE ROADS TO GET THEM READY TO SEAL COAT A LOT QUICKER. THIS'LL BE NICE. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTY, WE'LL HAVE MORE PAVED ROADS THAN NOT PAVED. YEAH, THAT WOULD BE A MAJOR MILESTONE. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. KNOW, LATER THIS YEAR, LIKE ON OUR BUDGET, I MEAN, I'VE GOT TO TRY TO SAVE THE MONEY UNTIL THE LAST FEW MONTHS, YOU KNOW, SO THAT REALLY SUPPORTS JUST MAINTENANCE UP UNTIL THAT POINT. AND THEN ANYTHING THAT WE CAN SAVE OVER THEN THAT ALLOWS US TO PAVE ANOTHER ROAD OR TO PUT MORE GRAVEL ON THAT ROAD, BECAUSE LIKE THIS YEAR WE'VE BEEN HAVING WITH ALL THE RAIN, WE'VE BEEN HAVING TO DO SO MUCH POTHOLING AND EVERYTHING THAT THAT TOOK A LOT OF MONEY OUT OF THAT LINE ITEM THAT WE USUALLY USE TO DO SOME PAVING. SO IT JUST IT'S KIND OF A PAVING, BUT IT'S NOT A COMPLETE PAVING. I KNOW IN MY AREA Y'ALL HAD A LOT OF ROADS WASH OUT. [00:10:02] WE HAD TO PUT CULVERTS IN AND STUFF. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. THAT SOUTH END, THAT END GOT HIT PRETTY GOOD. GOT THERE. WELL IT HELPS OUT, TOO, WHEN WE USE THE, BUT IT TAKES A LOT MORE TIME. THAT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE GOT TO BE PATIENT ABOUT, IS IF WE CAN USE THE WATER TRUCKS AND THE ROLLERS, IT DOESN'T WASH OUT NEAR AS BAD. IT'S THE ROAD HOLDS UP A LOT BETTER. SO THAT NEXT STEP IS TO GET THE MOTION ON THERE, TO HOLD THAT ROAD TOGETHER TO WHERE IT DOESN'T WASH OUT. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO START STEPPING UP AND DOING A LOT MORE. BUT I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER MOTHER NATURE. I UNDERSTAND. ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, OTHER QUESTIONS? NOW, DENNIS WANTS TO COME UP, YOU KNOW. SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. I JUST WANTED TO BRING YOU UP TO DATE AND YOU MAY RECALL ONE OF THE GRANTS WE GOT FROM THE JLO WAS THE INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT, ONE POINT FOUR MILLION. AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THEY HAVE STARTED WORKING ON POLITICAL ROAD THIS WEEK AND THEY'VE DONE THE STAKING WORK AT BLACK ANKLE AND ALSO, I BELIEVE, AT WHITTER ROAD. SOON THEY'LL DO THAT WORK ON BIGGS ROAD. SO I JUST WANT THAT WAS ONE OF THE GRANTS THAT WE HAVE. THOSE ARE FOUR ROADS THAT ARE GOING TO BE WORKED ON. BUT I'M GLAD TO REPORT THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON POLITICAL. WORK HAS STARTED ON POLITICAL ROAD THIS WEEK. AND ALSO JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, THIS IS LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD. YOU MAY RECALL ON WE SUBMITTED TO GRANT PACKAGES TO THE JLO, ONE WHICH WE DID GET FUNDING FOR THE 17 MILLION FOR THE EVACUATION SHELTER. WE ALSO SUBMITTED A GRANT TO THEM FOR OVER FORTY NINE MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS WHAT I BASICALLY WOULD DEFINE AS A ROAD PROJECT GRANT. IT WAS TO PUT IT INCLUDED THINGS LIKE LOW WATER SENSING DEVICES, BUT ALSO TO REPLACE 19 ANTIQUATED BRIDGES BUILT BEFORE 1950 BECAUSE THEY DON'T HOLD THE WEIGHT OF A FIRE TRUCK. AND TO TAKE SOME OF THE ROADS THAT ARE IN THE 2013 CALDWELL COUNTY TRANSPORTATION PLAN THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN DEALT WITH ARE INCLUDED AS A THIRD COMPONENT IN THAT FORTY NINE MILLION DOLLAR GRANT. WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD IS THE JLO IS PROBABLY LATE SUMMER OR EARLY FALL ARE GOING TO ANNOUNCE THEIR SECOND WAVE OF FUNDING. AND WHAT I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD IS THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO NEW GRANTS. THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE GRANTS THAT DIDN'T GET FUNDED THIS FIRST ROUND AND FUND THEM, WHICH MEANS THERE'S A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE WE MIGHT GET THAT 49 MILLION DOLLAR GRANT FUNDED LATE SUMMER, EARLY FALL THAT KEEP MY FINGERS CROSSED, KIND OF A KIND OF THING. BUT THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING. BUT SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ROADS, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU, BRING YOU UP TO DATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, PARTICULARLY ON POLITICAL ROAD AND BIGG ROAD, WOODY ROAD AND BLACK ANKLE ROAD AND POSSIBLY SOME MORE IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? GOING ONCE, TWICE. OK, WELL, THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MEET WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE SHOULD BE WRAPPING IT UP HERE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. AND WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER BUDGET WORKSHOP RIGHT AFTER COMMISSIONERS COURT THIS NEXT TIME AND THEN HOPE TO BRING TO YOU A PRELIMINARY BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. ALL RIGHT. CAN I ADD TO THIS? AND I THINK THE THING THAT JUST MAKES IT THE MOST DIFFICULT IS UNTIL WE DO GET THE FINAL CERTIFIED ROLLS, OBVIOUSLY, THEN WE HAVE A MUCH BETTER IDEA AS TO WHAT JUDGE HAYDEN, I KNOW WE WAIT FOR THOSE NUMBERS AND HE SITS IN THOSE MEETINGS AND WISHES HE COULD GIVE EVERYBODY EVERYTHING THEY ASK FOR. BUT TECHNICALLY, UNTIL WE GET THOSE CERTIFIED ROLLS, WHICH IS THE LARGEST PART OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, OF COURSE, THANKS TO DENNIS, HE DOES A TREMENDOUS JOB AND GETS US ALL THOSE GREAT GRANTS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S THE GENERAL FUND THAT FUNDS AND EVERYONE THAT IN THE SALES TAX IT FUNDS THE MAJORITY OF THE DEPARTMENTS IN THEIR OPERATIONS, OF COURSE. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WAITING ON TO GET THAT CERTIFIED ROLL. AND WE PROJECTED A LOT OF THE REVENUES IN [INAUDIBLE]IS THE ONE THAT KEEPS US ON TRACK. BARBARA, DO YOU HAVE TIME TO FINISH DOING THE PROJECTED REVENUES? YES, MA'AM, I DO. SO SHE'S THE ONE THAT REVENUES ON MY. [00:15:04] THAT REMINDED ME VERY QUICKLY, COMMISSIONER. SO, YOU KNOW, WE GET ASKED A LOT WHERE OF MY TAXES GOING FOR, YOU KNOW, I PAY FIVE THOUSAND AND IN [INAUDIBLE] TAXES THIS YEAR ON MY PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT BEING SNARKY OR UGLY. I TRY TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE THAT OF THAT FIVE THOUSAND, SIXTEEN PERCENT OF IT ACTUALLY COMES TO US, WHICH IS ABOUT EIGHT HUNDRED. AND FOR THAT YOU GET TWENTY FOUR SERVICES. THAT'S THE SMOKE AND GOOD DEAL. AND I TRY TO REMIND THEM OF THAT, THAT WE'RE DOING AN AWFUL LOT WITH A LITTLE. JUST IT'S A GOOD TALKING POINT WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN PEOPLE. AND THE OTHER THING THAT I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE REALIZE IS PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING UP. WHY ISN'T MY ROAD GETTING PAVED? WELL, THERE'S A YOU KNOW, THAT INVERSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROPERTY VALUE AND THE TAX RATE. AND NOW WE CAN ONLY GO TO THREE AND A HALF PERCENT CAP. AND SO, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT, LINDA, I FEEL LIKE YEARS AGO WHEN COMMISSIONER DOHERTY RAN, HE HAD THAT AD ON TV WHERE HE WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE AND HIS WIFE SAID, PLEASE ELECT HIM SO HE'LL LEAVE MY HOUSE. I THINK HE'S TALKING ABOUT ALL THE MINUTIA OF TAXES AND EVERYTHING ON THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE ADDED DINNER PARTIES AND BARBECUES. AND SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE THAT GUY, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND IT SO THEY REALIZE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE DOING WE ARE STRETCHING THAT DOLLAR AS FAR AS WE CAN, BUT OUR ENFORCEMENT AND OUR ROADS, THEY'RE TREMENDOUS PART OF THAT BUDGET AND NOW WE'RE MAKING A MAJOR PUSH FOR SOME OTHER AREAS TO HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS. AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN AND TO ACTUALLY TAKE A RISK. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I GUESS TO THE LAST FEW YEARS, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT HOW MANY, BUT OUR [INAUDIBLE] TAX RATE FOR THE COUNTY HAS ACTUALLY BEEN REDUCED. IT'S GONE DOWN A LOT. SO IT'S GONE DOWN FROM IN 2019. IT WAS 0.7725, AND IT'S SITTING AROUND POINT 0.69 NOW. SO IT'S GONE DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY. THAT'S GREAT. AND CONTINUES TO DO SO. AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS WE EXPERIENCE GROWTH AND START TO GET MORE CORPORATE INVESTMENT IN OUR COUNTY AND MORE LARGE BUSINESSES, IT'S GOING TO GO LOWER AND LOWER. YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, HAYS COUNTY'S IN THE 40S. YEAH. AND SO, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S THE HOPE, WE WANT TO YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO PROVIDE EVERY RIGHT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS CONSTITUENCY THAT WE CAN STILL PAY THE BILLS AND PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE CHARGED TO PROVIDE. AND WE GOT LIKE ELEVEN SERVICES THAT WE DO HERE IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE NOT REQUIRED OF US BY STATUTE, BUT THAT WE PROVIDE ANYWAY. AND SO AND THAT'S THAT'S OFF TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND TO OUR STAFF FOR FINDING WAYS TO STRETCH THAT MONEY. AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WE GET AN UNFUNDED MANDATE OR TWO TO THE TUNE OF A COUPLE OF MILLION DOLLARS WORTH. EVERY YEAR AND WE FIND WAYS TO PAY THOSE PEOPLE. SO IT'S THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE PEOPLE THAT WORK HERE AND TO THIS COURT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WITH THAT, I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED, NONE. MOTION CARRIES AND WE WERE ADJOURNED AT 11:32. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.