[00:00:01]
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THE BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING TO ORDER JULY
[1. WORKSHOP: To Discuss Tax Assessor-Collector, District Attorney, JP Pet. 4, County Sheriff, County Jail, Courthouse Security, Constable Pet. 3, Constable Pet. 4, Building Maintenance, Elections, Veterans Service Officer, Human Resources, Sanitation Department, Purchasing, Emergency Management Department Budget Requests for FY 2022]
13TH, 2021.COMMISSIONERS, CAN I GET A MOTION TO SKIP THE INVOCATIONS AND PLEDGES? SO MOVED.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO SKIP INVITATION AND PLEDGES.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
MOTION CARRIES. DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THIS TIME? NO. OK, CITIZENS' COMMENTS? NO COMMENTS. NO CITIZENS' COMMENTS.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD WITH THE WORKSHOP.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS THIS MORNING REGARDING OUR HEALTH CARE WITHIN THE JAIL. THE FIRST ONE IS SOUTHERN HEALTH CARE.
SHERIFF LANE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO--I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK YOU [INAUDIBLE].
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M TECHNICALLY [INAUDIBLE] HERE, MAYBE BE OK, THERE WE GO.
ALL RIGHT, JUDGE COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS TIM QUINTON.
I'M WITH SOUTHERN HEALTH PARTNERS.
WE'RE YOUR CURRENT PARTNER IN THE JAIL RIGHT NOW.
AND WE HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE JUNE OF 2018 DOING YOUR MEDICAL SERVICE.
SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE SAVED THE COUNTY A MILLION DOLLARS IN 2020 AND TO DATE, TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN THOUSAND TO DATE, RIGHT NOW.
THOSE ARE NUMBERS THAT OUR BILL SCRUBBING SERVICES AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO.
WE CHALLENGE THE BILLS THAT COME TO CALDWELL COUNTY.
WE QUESTION THEM, WE SEND THEM BACK IF THEY'RE INCOMPLETE ORDERS, WHATEVER.
OUR STAFF AT OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS IN CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, HANDLES ALL THAT.
AND THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE SAVED THE COUNTY.
AND ONE THING ABOUT WHAT I ALWAYS LIKE TO SEE WHEN I'M IN A COMMISSIONER'S COURT IS HOW IMPORTANT TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE TO EVERYBODY.
AND THE COMMISSIONERS ARE THE STEWARD OF THOSE.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M PROUD TO BE YOUR PARTNER AS A COMPANY.
I HAVE OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF NURSING OPERATIONS HERE WITH ME, STEPHANIE SELF, THAT CAN ANSWER ANY KIND OF TECHNICAL QUESTIONS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE SAVE YOU AND WHAT IS THE QUALITY OF OUR SERVICE? AND THOSE ARE THE MAIN QUESTIONS.
AND I BELIEVE WE'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF DOING BOTH.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CHALLENGES.
THE LAST CALENDAR YEAR HAS BEEN PROBABLY THE TOUGHEST YEAR TO BE IN MEDICAL SERVICE OR LAW ENFORCEMENT OR ANYTHING.
I'M A RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT GUY, SO, YOU KNOW, THE PANDEMIC AND BEING IN MEDICAL ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LONG TERM PEOPLE.
OUR COMPANY HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS SINCE 1994, TWENTY SEVEN YEARS.
WE HAVE OVER 30 COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT WE DO SERVICE WITH.
AND WE'RE PROUD TO SAY CALDWELL COUNTY IS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS.
WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THE TRANSITION OF ADMINISTRATION AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, FROM THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION TO THE CURRENT.
AND WE'VE DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO SERVE THE COUNTY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT.
AND I HOPE THAT Y'ALL ARE AS WELL.
THE PRESENTATION IS BEHIND YOU.
I GUESS YOU ALL CAN SEE IT IN YOUR SCREENS IN FRONT.
THESE ARE OUR PRINCIPAL OWNERS.
THE LADY IN THE MIDDLE IS OUR PRESIDENT.
THE LADY ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, LACY, IS OUR COO, AN WES WILLIAMSON IS OUR VP OF SALES FOR THE NATION. AND THEN YOU SEE ME AND STEPHANIE OVER THERE ON THE SIDE POCKET.
SO WE'RE PROUD TO BE HERE AND REALLY PROUD TO BE WITH YOU GUYS.
I CLICKED THROUGH SOME OF THIS BECAUSE IT GETS A LITTLE BIT REDUNDANT.
I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A LONG DAY UP HERE, AND I WANT TO GET TO THE GOOD PART, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET TO.
LIKE I SAID, 1994, WE PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, QUALITY MEDICAL SERVICE FOR JAILS IN 14 DIFFERENT STATES EVERY DAY.
WE HAVE OVER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE FACILITIES NATIONWIDE AND WE HAVE QUITE A FEW INMATE POPULATION, AS YOU CAN SEE.
NEXT PAGE IS OUR OUR STATE LOCATION OF WHERE WE HAVE OUR PARTNERS ALL AROUND THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND THIS GIVES US CONTINUITY OF CARE, NETWORKING OF SERVICES, SUPPORT FROM OTHER AREAS. SO OUR NETWORK IS PRETTY STRONG AND WE HAVE MORE COUNTIES THAN ANY OTHER COMPANY
[00:05:06]
THAT DOES WHAT WE DO.THESE ARE SOME OF THE OVERVIEW OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER.
A LOT OF THESE ARE PRETTY STANDARD, BUT IT'S THEY'RE ALL EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, WITHDRAWAL MANAGEMENT, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE.
THE COUNTY ALSO CONSIDER ADDING TO YOUR CURRENT SERVICE, BUT YOU CAN READ THROUGH THESE.
THEY'RE PRETTY COMMON STANDARD TYPE OF DEALS THAT WE DO IN EVERY JAIL THAT WE SERVICE.
IN-SERVICE TRAINING FOR THE MEDICAL STAFF AND FOR THE CORRECTIONAL STAFF.
WE PROVIDE TRAINING TO THE DETENTION STAFF THAT GIVES THEM THEIR TCOLE CREDIT HOURS ON DIFFERENT DIFFERENT TOPICS SCHEDULES CAN BE MADE AND THAT'S FREE OF COST WITH OUR CONTRACT. THESE ARE VALUABLE TOOLS BECAUSE WHAT THIS DOES IS IT EDUCATES THE STAFF ON HOW TO HELP OUR STAFF BE BETTER AND PREVENT, YOU KNOW, INMATES BEING IN JAIL THAT DON'T GET TREATED. AND THE BETTER EDUCATED THE STAFF, THE BETTER SERVICE WE CAN PROVIDE BECAUSE WE TRULY LIKE TO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP.
TRAINING [INAUDIBLE] FOR LEADERS AND OFFICERS, KIND OF DIFFERENT THINGS, STRESS MANAGEMENT, CHRONIC CONDITIONS, THINGS THAT YOU CAN YOU CAN SEE THERE'RE A PRETTY STANDARD ISSUE. YOU KNOW, IF I TALK TOO FAST, OR WHATEVER THEY TOLD US WE HAD 10 MINUTES, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET THE GOOD STUFF, CHRONIC CARE PROGRAMS, WE'RE DOING ALL OF THIS IN CALDWELL COUNTY RIGHT NOW.
CURRENTLY, WE DO 24/7, 365 FOR THE COUNTY.
SO OUR NURSING STAFF IS THERE.
THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE FACILITY AND WE HAVE GOOD PARTNERSHIPS IN THE JAIL WITH THE EXISTING STAFF.
CAPTAIN SHORT HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.
INFECTION CONTROL, ANOTHER ONE OF OUR SLIDES HERE, THAT WE DO ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT INFECTION CONTROL AND THINGS THAT WE TRY TO PREVENT FROM SPREADING THROUGH THE FACILITY.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, LOCKED UP IN CLOSE QUARTERS.
IT'S JUST A YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A PETRI DISH IF YOU DON'T HAVE PROACTIVE, PROACTIVE HEALTH CARE IN YOUR FACILITY.
ASSESSMENT AND WITHDRAWAL SERVICES, AGAIN, DIFFERENT THINGS, DIFFERENT WAYS INMATES COME TO THE JAIL. THEY HAVE ALL KINDS OF THINGS AND THEY WANT TO GET TREATED FOR EVERYTHING.
AND WHEN THEY LEAVE, A LOT OF THEM DON'T WANT TO GET TREATED.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE JESUS. THEY FIND JESUS WHEN THEY GET THERE AND THEY LEAVE HIM WHEN THEY LEAVE. UNFORTUNATELY, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT HAPPENS.
THESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT OUR STAFF IS ALWAYS WORKING TOWARDS, ALL THESE DIFFERENT ISSUES.
MENTAL HEALTH, THAT KIND OF GOES WITHOUT SAYING.
WE'VE GOT A VERY EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM IN PLACE FOR CALDWELL COUNTY AT THIS TIME AT A REALLY GOOD COST AND GOOD SERVICE.
AND WE FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL CONTINUE IF YOU DECIDE TO STAY WITH US AND PARTNER WITH US. HERE'S OUR CURRENT STAFFING OPTION RIGHT HERE.
THIS IS WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM.
THIS IS WHAT COST CALDWELL COUNTY THE MONEY, THE STAFFING OPTIONS.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE 24/7, 365, THE DOCTOR COMING ON SITE TWO HOURS A WEEK.
AND THAT'S KIND OF THE CURRENT STAFFING MODEL.
AND THE PRICE IS GOING TO BE ON ONE OF THE NEXT SLIDES OF WHAT WE'RE CHARGING YOU ALL ANNUALLY FOR THIS KIND OF STAFFING MODEL.
THE COUNTY SEEMS TO BE HAPPY WITH IT, BUT THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AND SEE ENHANCED AND I'M GOING TO PRESENT THAT NEXT.
HERE'S THE SECOND ENHANCED MODEL.
THIS COSTS A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY, BUT THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THERE'S MORE NURSING HOURS AND MORE STAFF. WITH THE GROWTH THAT CALDWELL COUNTY HAS AND OTHER FACILITIES THIS SIZE, WE WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE COURT CONSIDER THIS MODEL TO LET US ADD SOME STAFF.
YOU SEE THE MEDICAL TEAM ADMINISTRATOR WHERE THERE'S EIGHT HOURS A DAY, 40 DAYS, 40 HOURS A WEEK. RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING THAT WITH ONE OF OUR TWELVE HOUR NURSES, BEING THE MEDICAL TEAM ADMINISTRATOR. WE'RE ASKING FOR A FULL TIME SUPERVISORY MEDICAL STAFF, MEDICAL TEAM ADMINISTRATOR AT FORTY 40 HOURS A WEEK.
AND WE PUT THE PRICING ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IN THERE AS WELL.
AND ALSO THE TWO ON THERE FOR THE PROVIDER IS LISTED.
THAT'S A TYPING ERROR, BUT WE'RE PROJECTING FOUR HOURS FOR THE PROVIDER, THE DOCTOR TO COME ON INSIDE A WEEK INSTEAD OF TWO.
WE'RE RUNNING THE STAFFING MATRIX NOW DUE TO THE PATIENT THAT'S IN CUSTODY.
SO THOSE BILL BACK HOURS THEY ARE GETTING IS TECHNICALLY FOR THIS STAFFING MATRIX NOW.
AND IT WORKS WELL. WE REALLY DO NEED A SUPERVISOR THERE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY TO WORK WITH YOUR JAIL ADMINISTRATION.
[00:10:02]
SO THAT'S WHY WE PROPOSE THE STAFFING MODEL VERSUS THE ONE THAT WE STAFFED IN 2018.AND, YOU KNOW, SINCE 2018, HAS BEEN THREE YEARS, THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND THE SERVICES THE COUNTY NEEDS AND THE GROWTH THAT THEY'VE HAD, THIS IS THE STAFFING MODEL WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU CAN CONSIDER.
NOW, ALONG WITH THAT, WE HAVE BUILT IN A FIFTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLAR COST POOL INTO OUR BASE FEE.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF YOU HAVE A BILL OUTSIDE SERVICE, THE DAY WE RENEW THE CONTRACT AND IT COST THE COUNTY $20,000.
NOBODY'S GOING TO COME BACK IN HERE AND ASK FOR AN AMENDMENT BECAUSE THAT FIFTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS WE'VE ALREADY BUILT INTO OUR BASE FEE.
AND UNTIL THAT FIFTY FOUR THOUSAND RUNS OUT, NOBODY NEEDS TO COME IN AND ASK THE COURT FOR ANY MORE MONEY. SO WE'VE ADDED THAT IN AS AN OPTION FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER.
BUT IT'S IN THE BASE FEE THAT WE'RE SUBMITTING TODAY.
THE OTHER THINGS, OTHER OPTIONS THAT YOU COULD LOOK AT, THERE'S THE TOTAL AMOUNT ON THE RIGHT AND THEN THE OTHER AMOUNT, THE BASE COMPOSITION OF WHAT WE'RE CHARGING RIGHT NOW IS ON THE LEFT, THE FOUR NUMBER AND THE FIVE NUMBER.
OTHER VALUE ADDED OPTIONS, THE QUALITY ASSESSMENT NURSE, THE MED CLERK AND THE EMR ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE THE COURT TO CONSIDER THE QUALITY ASSISTANT ASSURANCE NURSE. I'LL LET STEPHANIE SPEAK TO THOSE DETAILS, EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE IT PRINTED OUT IN THE PROPOSAL.
YEAH. SO THE REASON I ASKED CORPORATE TO ADD THAT IN IS I HAVE THAT AT A FEW OTHER FACILITIES AS FAR AS A QUALITY ASSURANCE NURSE.
AND THEY KIND OF BRIDGE THE GAP WITH YOUR CHRONIC CARE PATIENTS, WHO I CONSIDER YOUR TICKING TIME BOMBS.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE A LOT OF COMORBIDITIES, A LOT OF ISSUES.
AND THIS IS ONE PERSON THAT STRICTLY FOCUSES ON THEM.
AND THEY ALSO DO THE AUDITING TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH JAIL STANDARDS.
AND THEY ALSO BRIDGE THAT GAP WITH DISCHARGE PLANNING.
AND SOMETIMES IT REDUCES THAT RECIDIVISM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH MEDS WHEN THEY'RE DISCHARGED LIKE A THREE DAY SUPPLY, THEY'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE SPECIALTY APPOINTMENTS THAT MAY BE SET UP AND THEY GIVE THEM THAT INFORMATION AND IT KIND OF RELIEVES THE COUNTY OF THAT LIABILITY.
AND THEN THE MED CLERK IS ANOTHER THING THAT WE WOULD LIKE PUT TO THE COURT FOR CONSIDERATION, TO DO THE FILING AND DO ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT OUR NURSING STAFF IS CURRENTLY HAVING TO DO ALL OF THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT TAKES AWAY, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, A LITTLE BIT FROM NURSING HOURS.
SO WE WANT TO GIVE YOU AN OPTION TO CONSIDER ONE OR ALL THREE OF THESE.
AND THEN THIS ONE IS THE ONE THAT THE EMR IS ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS AND STORAGE.
WE PARTNER WITH [INAUDIBLE] A LOT OF OUR DIFFERENT FACILITIES THAT ARE VERY GOOD QUALITY ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS, STORAGE COMPANY.
AND THIS KIND OF REALLY PROTECTS THE COUNTY LONG TERM.
IF THE COUNTY CHOOSES TO GO WITH THIS OPTION, YOU ALL WILL OWN THIS AND WE WILL JUST BE THE CUSTODIAN OF THAT.
AND WHEN YOU NEED RECORDS, WE CAN ELECTRONICALLY RETRIEVE THEM.
IT'S AN EXTREMELY EFFICIENT WAY TO KEEP THE COUNTY OUT OF THE LIABILITY ISSUES BECAUSE SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, WHEN SOMEBODY COMES, YOU WANT TO SEE SOMEBODY AND SAY, HEY, LITTLE JOHNNY DIDN'T GET HIS MESSAGE ON JUNE THE 3RD, WE CAN PULL THIS INFORMATION UP AND SAY, YEAH, LITTLE JOHNNY GOT HIS MEDS ON JUNE 3RD AT THREE O'CLOCK, AND HERE IT IS IN THE ELECTRONIC FOOTPRINT.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'D REALLY LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER SOME OF THE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COST MATRIX.
YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, IT PUTS CERTAIN COST ON US, NOT ON THE COUNTY.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE SALARY, THE BENEFITS, ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS, THE LEGAL COSTS, THE INSURANCE, THE MALPRACTICE INSURANCE FOR THE PROVIDER, THAT ALL COMES OUT OF OUR POCKET.
ALL THE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE JAIL THERE FOR US ARE ALL ON OUR SALARY BASE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SUBMITTED, TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
THE PROPOSAL DOESN'T HAVE THE BIG TABLE ON IT, BUT THE RESPONSE TO THE RFP DOES.
ALL THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED.
AND WE'RE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
THIS PAGE RIGHT HERE INCLUDES ALL OF OUR SERVICES COVERED BY THE BASE FEE.
AND YOU CAN JUST KIND OF GO AROUND THE WHEEL THERE AND IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY. AND, YOU KNOW, THE LAST THING I WANT ANYBODY TO BE IS SURPRISED ABOUT
[00:15:02]
ANY KIND OF EXPENSE, COST OR ANYTHING.I'M REAL BIG ON PLAIN LANGUAGE AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS. AND WE I FEEL LIKE WE ARE WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE YOUR PARTNER. WE YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
AND I THINK THE SHERIFF AND THE JAIL ADMINISTRATION CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
AND THEY REALLY WOULD BE OUR BEST WITNESSES AS TO WHETHER WE DESERVE TO STAY OR NOT.
IT'S KIND OF DIFFERENT DOING A PRESENTATION WHEN YOU'RE ALREADY HERE, YOU KNOW, AND YOU DON'T REALLY NEED TO COME IN AND REINVENT THE WHEEL.
YOU JUST NEED TO TWEAK THINGS AND ADD THINGS THAT WE CAN AND PUT IT BEFORE THE COURT AND LET THEM MAKE A DECISION AS STEWARDS OF THE TAXPAYER DOLLAR.
AND I KNOW YOU GUYS AND LADIES ARE GOOD AT THAT AND THAT'S YOUR JOB.
AND, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT TO BE YOUR PARTNER.
AND, YOU KNOW, SOUTHERN HEALTH PARTNERS HAS BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
AND WE WANT TO STAY WITH YOU GUYS IF WE CAN.
ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T THINK RIGHT AT THE MOMENT, OK, IF YOU HAVE ANY THAT LAST SLIDES, GOT MY CELL PHONE ON IT AND I ANSWERED IT ALL THE TIME.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MIKE, DO WE WANT TO BRING THE OTHER PRESENTERS IN? ALL RIGHT, WE'RE WAITING ON YOU.
ALL RIGHT, OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS CORRHEALTH.
I'LL LET YOU ALL INTRODUCE YOURSELVES.
YES, SIR. HI, VICTOR HUTCHINSON, PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS, CO-FOUNDER OF CORRHEALTH.
I'M DR. BRANDON ELROD, I'M CORRHEALTH'S CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER.
TODD MURPHY, CO-FOUNDER, PRESIDENT.
OK. GOOD MORNING TO JUDGE, [INAUDIBLE], AND COMMITTEE.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE BACK IN CALDWELL COUNTY. CAN I GET YOU GET JUST A LITTLE CLOSER TO THAT MIC. WE'RE EXCITED TO BE BACK IN CALDWELL COUNTY THIS MORNING AND WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE MADE THE YOUR FINAL FINALIST, [INAUDIBLE] HEALTH SERVICES.
LET'S GO THROUGH THIS. AND I SUPPOSE YOU GUYS HAVE THIS IN FRONT OF YOU.
YES, SIR. WE CAN SEE IT ON OUR SCREENS HERE.
SO WE ARE CORRHEALTH; WE'RE YOUR PRESENTATION COMMITTEE.
THIS IS US, AND WE CAN CALL MARY ZOLD, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND [INAUDIBLE] WHO MANAGES OUR MENTAL HEALTH.
WE CAN CALL HER IF THERE'RE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH.
SHE'S CURRENTLY WITH A PATIENT, BUT WE CAN CALL HER, BUT THIS IS US.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE ALL TEXAS BASED.
AND ALL OF US, FOR THE MOST PART, HAVE ROUGHLY 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE FIELD. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DIFFERENTIATOR TO US.
THIS IS OUR LOCAL LEADERSHIP PIECE JUST SHOWING YOU WHO WE ARE, WHERE WE COME FROM AND HOW WE'LL SERVE YOU IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET THIS DONE TODAY.
YOU HAVE MYSELF, VICTOR AND DR.
YOU HAVE TO MELISSA JARRETT WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS IN WACO, AND YOU HAD THE REST OF OUR TEAM AROUND, YOU KNOW, HUTTO, WACO, THE DFW AREA AS WELL.
SO WHAT THIS SHOWS YOU IS WHERE WE ARE, OUR PROXIMITY TO CALDWELL COUNTY AND HOW WILL SERVE YOU IF WE CAN DO THIS.
AND HOPEFULLY IT ALSO SHOWS YOU THAT WE'RE PROACTIVE AND WE WILL BE HERE AS NEEDED, YOU KNOW, BE PROACTIVE, ALSO, WHEN ISSUES DO OCCUR, WE'LL BE HERE A WITHIN A MATTER OF HOURS.
IN FACT, THE GUYS DROVE DOWN JUST THIS MORNING.
[00:20:04]
AND THEN ALSO, YOU CAN SEE THE REST OF OUR TEAM AREN'T TOO FAR AWAY.OUR FOCUS IS ON FOUR STATES, TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, COLORADO, WYOMING.
AND SO WE'RE NOT A PROVIDER WHO CARES ABOUT DOCS, VOPS, OR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.
WE WANT THE RIGHT COUNTIES THAT UNDERSTAND A TRUE PARTNERSHIP WITHIN THOSE FOUR STATES.
SO, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE ROUGHLY 10 MINUTES TODAY UNLESS YOU WANT TO GIVE US MORE.
BUT SO WITH THAT, WE THOUGHT WE'D DIVE RIGHT INTO IT.
IN OUR PROPOSAL, WE PROPOSE A 24/7 COVERAGE OPTION FOR THE COUNTY.
WE DID THAT BASED ON THE RFP, BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH SHERIFF AND JAIL ADMINISTRATION AND BASED ON YOUR NEEDS.
VIC, YOU WANT TO GO OVER THE METHODOLOGY? SURE. SO, AS YOU'LL SEE ON THIS, WE HAVE THE SHIFT SUPERVISOR WE'LL HAVE AN RN/HSA, WHICH HE OR SHE WOULD BE THERE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, AND THEN WE'D HAVE YOUR LVN ON THE WEEKENDS, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AS WELL FOR THE COVERAGE.
WE ALSO HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH PERSON THERE THREE DAYS A WEEK AND THEN THE EVENINGS.
AND THIS IS, OF COURSE, BASED ON A 24/7 AND IN THE EVENINGS WILL HAVE A LVN 12 HOURS, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, AS WELL AS AN EMT COVERAGE FROM 5P-5A FOR THE OVERNIGHT COVERAGE.
WE ALSO HAVE A MEDICAL DIRECTOR TWO HOURS A WEEK, AND WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER, MID-LEVEL SIX HOURS A WEEK AND A PSYCH MID-LEVEL AT SIX HOURS A WEEK AS WELL.
AND YOU'LL SEE THE ON-CALL AND THE RELIEF AND OVERTIME FACTORS AS WELL.
AND WE DID THAT PRIMARILY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT AN AVERAGE DAILY POPULATION OF 220 WITH A 24/7 OPERATION.
SO YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE DOOR IN THE JAIL, OF COURSE.
SO WE DO THAT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S APPROPRIATE COVERAGE THERE FOR ALL SICK CALLS, INTAKES, EMERGENCIES, WHATEVER COMES UP THERE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
ANY QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THE SERVICES OR THE STAFFING THAT WE PROPOSED? NO, NONE AT THE MOMENT. SO THIS COVERAGE MATRIX OR THE COVERAGE LEVELS ARE HIGHER THAN WHAT'S CURRENTLY BEING PROVIDED IN JAIL.
AND AGAIN, THROUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH ADMINISTRATION, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S BEEN TIMES WHEN YOU RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF COVID, BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING GOING ON, IT'S DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT, RETAIN HIGH PERFORMING HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS.
AND IT'S SO IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT FOR YOUR CURRENT PROVIDER, BUT THERE'S ALSO AS VICTOR WAS STATING THERE'S A LOT GOING ON WITH THESE JAILS.
YOU HAVE INTAKES, YOU HAVE ASSESSMENTS, YOU HAVE HMPS, YOU HAVE TRANSFERS, YOU HAVE [INAUDIBLE] MED-PASS. THERE'S A LOT GOING ON THERE.
AND IT'S JUST INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR ONE NURSE TO HANDLE ON A 12 OR 16 HOUR BASIS AND ALSO TOO, YOU WANT TALK ABOUT COVERAGE AND HOW THE [INAUDIBLE].
SO, WITH US HAVING AN RN/HSA THERE, THE HIGHER DISCIPLINE AT LEAST, HE OR SHE WILL BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THE ASSESSMENTS.
14 DAY PHYSICALS ARE REQUIRED TO BE DONE BY IN OR ABOVE.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, NURSING, GENERAL 24/7 WILL GIVE US THAT ASSESSMENT FOR INTAKES, SICK CALLS OR WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE FROM THAT LEVEL AT THIS COVERAGE LEVEL DOES MEET CENTRAL PLANNING REQUIREMENTS.
WE WILL BE WORKING WITH YOUR NHMR PROVIDER.
AND AS YOU KNOW, AS YOU SEE AND HEAR, AS YOU KNOW THROUGH YOUR TRAINING, MENTAL HEALTH IS A DRIVING FACTOR FOR ALL OF US IN THESE JAILS.
SO MENTAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT TO US.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO PARTNER AND COORDINATE WITH YOUR NHMR PROVIDER.
AND YOU SEE THAT HERE IN THIS MATRIX.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? AND SO TRANSPARENCY IS ESSENTIAL TO US AND IN YOUR PROPOSAL, YOU SEE A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY IN OUR PRICING IN A PRICING MODEL. BUT THIS IS JUST SORT OF A SYNOPSIS OF WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
ROUGHLY 70 PERCENT OF OUR PROGRAM COSTS IS PEOPLE, WAGES, PERSONNEL.
AND THEN BELOW THAT, YOU SEE BENEFITS, YOU SEE LIABILITY.
YOU KNOW, THE INSURANCE MARKET IS SOMETHING THAT HAS EBBS AND FLOWS.
AND RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OF COVID, BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN FACING OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS, THE INSURANCE MARKET IS INCREDIBLY HIGH.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH THE LIABILITY POLICIES.
[00:25:02]
WE OFFER EACH OF OUR PARTNERS SIX LIABILITY POLICIES TO INCLUDE PROFESSIONAL AND GENERAL LIABILITY, WORKERS COMP, EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES, LIABILITY HIRED [INAUDIBLE] AND EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES, LIABILITY INSURANCE.AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT'S HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER PROVIDER.
YOU SEE AN AGGREGATE CAP OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND THE 100000 DOLLARS CAP IS INTENDED TO FUND THE EMR, THE ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS PROGRAM FOR ALL PHARMACEUTICALS, DENTAL, LAB X-RAY, WASTE AND EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT PRICE AT THE BOTTOM DOES NOT INCLUDE THE THREE PERCENT CONSUMER PRICE INDEX INCREASE, AND THAT'S MEANT TO COVER INFLATIONARY ITEMS SUCH AS PEOPLE BENEFITS, LIABILITY POLICIES, PHARMACEUTICALS AND SUPPLIES.
WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER [INAUDIBLE].
WE'RE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE FACT WE TRANSITIONED WASHINGTON COUNTY JUST TWO WEEKS AGO AND IN THAT FIRST WEEK, COMMISSIONER BULLOCK, WHO WAS HANDS ON, INCREDIBLY HANDS ON WITH OUR TRANSITION WITH US THROUGH THE VETTING PROCESS TO THE TRANSITION EVEN TODAY, BUT WITH OUR FOLLOW UP WITH HER, SHE ASKED US WHO ELSE WE'RE PROPOSING TO, WHO ELSE WE'RE WORKING, WE'RE WORKING WITH, TALKING WITH.
AND I TOLD HER I TOLD HER Y'ALL, AND SHE INSISTED TO WRITE THIS LETTER [INAUDIBLE].
BUT WE'RE PRETTY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE--BY THE WAY, WE ALSO TRANSITIONED TO WASHINGTON COUNTY IN LESS THAN A WEEK.
TYPICALLY, WE ASKED FOR 30 DAYS.
WE HAD TO TRANSITION TO THEM IN ONE WEEK.
BUT YOU GET A LETTER FROM THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER WITH A ONE WEEK TRANSITION AND STATING THE THINGS THAT SHE HAS IS SOMETHING WE'RE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF.
AND YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THAT REITERATED IN THE ONE OF THE SAME DOCUMENT.
BUT YOU SAW OUR LOCAL LEADERSHIP PIECE TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE LEADERSHIP SUPPORT, AND SUPPORT TEAM MEMBERS. DOCTOR, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR HANDS ON APPROACH.
YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DIFFERENTIATE US IS THAT, YOU KNOW, BEING LOCAL, BEING IN DALLAS, BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE LAYERS OF SUPPORT FOR THE LOCAL MEDICAL CARE THAT HAPPENS.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE NURSE PRACTITIONERS, A P.A.
WHO'S ON, YOU KNOW, STATE LAW, THEY HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SUPERVISION.
AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A SUPERVISOR WHO IS AVAILABLE 24/7 TO TALK TO, SOMEBODY WHO CAN COME DOWN IF THEY NEED TO SEE THE MORE COMPLICATED PATIENTS.
SO THAT'S PART OF IT AS WELL, IS THAT WHEN YOU COME ON WITH US, YOU GET LAYERS OF THAT MEDICAL CARE AND VERY, VERY MUCH SO, I'M CONSTANTLY ON THE PHONE AND TALKING WITH THE INDIVIDUALS AS THEY'RE SEEING PATIENTS.
IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, THEY CAN EMAIL ME.
ON TOP OF THAT, YOU KNOW, I DO, YOU KNOW, CONSTANT REVIEWS AND THEIR CHARGE, JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE MEDICAL DECISIONS ARE APPROPRIATE AND THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, GREAT CARE TO THE INMATES, PATIENTS WHEN THEY COME IN.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND ALSO TAKE YOU TO THE SHERIFF AND CHIEF AND CAPTAIN.
THESE GUYS WORKED HARD ON THIS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
OK, SHERIFF LANE, I PROBABLY HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I
[00:30:02]
SUSPECT ARE ON EVERYBODY'S MINDS, SO [INAUDIBLE] CHANCE TO TALK PROBABLY CAPTAIN SHORT.AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GOING TO BE A PRETTY CONSIDERABLE PRICE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO SERVICES AND WONDERING IF YOU ALL COULD GO INTO, IN YOUR MIND, WHAT BENEFITS ARE BOTH AND KIND OF WHERE YOU GUYS SEE US GOING WITH THIS.
ALL RIGHT. AND I'LL REFER TO CAPTAIN SHORT HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO EXPLAIN, TO BE HONEST, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH SOUTHERN HEALTH PARTNERS.
BUT BEING THE NEW SHERIFF, I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA SINCE IT WAS THE LAST SHERIFF THAT WENT INTO THE AGREEMENT WITH THEM THAT WE GO OUT FOR BID.
ONE IS DEFINITELY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE OTHER.
I WILL SAY THAT IF WITH THE ADDITIONAL PROPOSALS OFFERED BY SOUTHERN HEALTH PARTNERS, THAT IS GOING TO BE HIGHER AND CLOSER TO THE TO THE TOP OF CORR.
AND THAT WILL ALSO PROVIDE WHAT CORR IS COMING IN WITH AUTOMATICALLY.
OK, YOU HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR CAPTION SHORT? I DO, JUST A COUPLE. CAPTAIN, WE VISITED THE OTHER DAY, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT SORT OF CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WAS ALTHOUGH THE SECOND, CORRHEALTH IS MORE EXPENSIVE AND COMMISSIONERS, I'LL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN EVEN FIND THIS MONEY, FIRST OF ALL, BUT JUST WANT TO EXPLORE IT.
SO HOW MANY AMBULANCE RIDES OR TRANSFERS YOU GUYS DO TO THE HOSPITALS ANNUALLY, JUST ROUGHLY? 55-65.
AND WHAT DOES ONE OF THOSE COST? EVERY ONE OF THEM IS JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT; YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT AROUND THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT THREE THOUSAND? AND THEN IF IT'S TRUE EMT RIDE AND NOT JUST A TRANSFER IN OUR CARS, IS IT MORE THAN THAT? WELL, OF THE 64, WE DON'T TRACK THE NUMBER OF AMBULANCES THAT SHOW UP TO THE FACILITY.
WE HAVE STARTED TRACKING THAT NOW.
OF 64, PROBABLY 20 TO 25 WERE TAKEN BY COUNTY VEHICLE.
THEY WERE NOT IN THE CONDITION WHERE THEY NEEDED TO HAVE PARAMEDICS WORKING ON THEM IMMEDIATELY. WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
I'M SORRY. SO LIKE I SAID, PROBABLY 20 TO 25 WENT BY COUNTY VEHICLE.
IF YOU'RE CARDIAC, YOU'RE GOING BY AMBULANCE.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S MORE EXPENSIVE.
DO YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE ABOUT WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE.
SO FOR THOSE 40, WOULD IT BE SIX THOUSAND? EIGHT THOUSAND MORE? I MEAN, HOW MUCH.
YES SIR. OK, AND WHEN WERE VISITING YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WOULD BE FAR LESS AMBULANCE TRANSFERS IF WENT WITH CORRHEALTH? I BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE LESS.
YES. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE STAFFING.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY THREE MORE STAFF PER DAY IN THE JAIL, EMT, LVNS, JUST I THINK IT'S PROBABLY EIGHT POINT TWENTY FIVE PEOPLE, FULL TIME EMPLOYEES CORR WOULD HAVE VERSUS FIVE POINT TWO FIVE SOUTHERN HEALTH.
OK, BUT THAT'S ALSO BASED UPON NOT GETTING ANY OF THOSE OPTIONS, BECAUSE THERE'S ADDITIONAL OPTIONS WITH SOUTHERN HEALTH, THE QUALITY ASSURANCE NURSE, THE MEDICALLY TRAINED ASSISTANT OR THE CLERK.
SO IF YOU ADD THOSE IN THERE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CLOSE TO SIX TO SEVEN WITH SOUTHERN IF YOU ADD THOSE OPTIONS IN THERE, ARE THOSE ALREADY BUILT INTO THE OTHER [INAUDIBLE]? THE OPTIONS ARE NOT BUILT IN.
IN THE PROPOSAL, I BELIEVE IT'S ON PAGE 82, ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS ARE IN THERE.
THEY ARE INCLUDED IN CORR. THEY ARE.
OK. SO, ALL RIGHT, IF YOU TOOK EVERY OPTION WITH SOUTHERN HEALTH PARTNERS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT SEVEN HUNDRED THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
IF YOU TOOK EVERY OPTION, THAT'S THE EMR, THAT'S QUALITY ASSURANCE.
THAT WOULD HELP A LOT AS WELL.
I MEAN, THE OPTIONS TO ME SOUND LIKE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED.
THE QUALITY ASSURANCE NURSE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
WELL, AND YOU'RE GETTING THE EXTRA HOURS OF THE PHYSICIAN.
YES. BOTH OF THEM ARE GREAT OPTIONS.
ONE IS A LITTLE BIT LESS EXPENSIVE.
[00:35:01]
COMMISSIONER, I THINK WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS JUST YOURS, YOU KNOW? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO THINK ABOUT IT JUST TO GET A FEEL FOR YOUR APPETITE FOR ME TO SORT OF PURSUE THIS THIS OTHER AVENUE, IF WE CAN AFFORD IT, SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN, YOU KNOW, THE HIGH STANDARD THAT WE HAVE.OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN FALL BACK AND IT'S ADEQUATE, BUT IT'S JUST NOT AS GOOD.
SO, JUDGE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY CHIEF.
I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE MET HIM BEFORE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE HAS HAD IN HIS CAREER, HE RAN THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT AT HAYS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR 13 YEARS.
THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE I MET HIM.
I WENT TO WORK FOR HIM IN 1996 AND HE WOULD BE A WONDERFUL PERSON TO ASK QUESTIONS TO.
JOHN, WOULD YOU MIND COMING UP? GOOD AFTERNOON [CHUCKLING] GOOD MORNING WHEN WE STARTED THIS, RIGHT? I JUST WANT TO TAKE A SECOND TO LET'S LOOK AT APPLES TO APPLES WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE, YOU KNOW, ONES COMING IN VERY LOW.
AND I'M NOT UNHAPPY WITH SOUTHERN HEALTH PARTNERS AT ALL.
I DO TAKE A DIRECT INTEREST IN THAT, BECAUSE WHEN IT SAYS GREETINGS FROM THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, WE ALL GET THE LAWSUITS, THAT'S WHEN WE ALL REALLY WORRY ABOUT DO WE HAVE ENOUGH COVERAGE? DID WE DO THE RIGHT THINGS? SO IF WE LOOK AT WHAT CORE BRINGS AND WHAT SOUTHERN HEALTH BRINGS, IF WE MOVE THEM UP TO THAT SAME PLANE, THAT THE COST DIFFERENCE IS PRETTY NEGLIGIBLE.
WHAT I LIKE MYSELF IS THE MENTAL HEALTH COVERAGE THAT CORR OFFERS.
I'M NOT UNHAPPY WITH SOUTHERN HEALTH PARTNERS.
I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT I WANT US TO LOOK FORWARD OR DOWN THE ROAD TO THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO SHOOT FOR.
IF WE CAN FIND THAT MONEY, WE'RE GOING TO SAVE OURSELVES THAT TROUBLE DOWN THE ROAD IF SOMETHING BAD SHOULD HAPPEN.
YES, SIR? JUST CAN YOU GIVE JUST A REALLY SHORT SUMMARY OF WHAT DOES, IS IT SANDRA BLAND DIED IN INCARCERATION AND THE TREATMENT SHE GOT THERE DIDN'T NECESSARILY COINCIDE WITH WHAT SHE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AS FAR AS MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, WHAT WE DO HERE AND WHAT I DID OVER THERE, I WORKED CLOSELY WITH SCHEIB MENTAL HEALTH AND OPPORTUNITIES OVER THERE. HERE IT'S BLUEBONNET TRAILS.
THOSE THINGS, THOSE KIND OF SERVICES RELATED TO SANDRA BLAND WOULD HAVE HELPED US AVOID THAT SITUATION. WHAT ARE THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS? FOR OUR INTAKE? TO COMPLY WITH THE ACT.
WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT SCREENING ON INTAKE.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO IFS, ANDS OR BUTS ABOUT IT.
THEN WE NEED TO ALSO LOOK AT A LONG TERM PLAN FOR THEM WHILE THEY'RE IN THERE AND GET THEM SOME TREATMENT OR SOME TYPE OF COUNSELING.
AND THEN UPON RELEASE, WE CAN'T JUST KICK THEM BACK OUT IN PUBLIC LIKE WE DID BACK IN THE 90S. WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO REINTRODUCE THEM IN THERE AND GIVE THEM MEDICATIONS ALONG WITH THAT UP TO THREE DAYS.
IT'S NO LONGER SUFFICE TO BRING SOMEONE IN, "SIR ARE YOU SUICIDAL?" "NO." OK, GOOD.
AND THEN MOVE THEM DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT ARE THERE ANY ISSUES WITH THE CURRENT PROVIDER THAT WE'RE USING RELATED TO THAT? NO, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
I BELIEVE THE MORE COVERAGE, THE BETTER.
BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND SAY SOUTHERN HEALTH PARTNERS HAS FAILED US IN ANY WAY.
I THINK THE HOURS THAT CORR WOULD OFF WOULD BE A GREAT BENEFIT IN THE LONG TERM FOR US, REDUCED MEDICATIONS, COSTS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT AGAIN, I CAN'T FAULT SOUTHERN HEALTH PARTNERS FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE AT THIS POINT.
I'M ALWAYS LOOKING TO MOVE THAT BALL A LITTLE BIT MORE FORWARD.
OPINION. THE FIRST OPTION THAT JUST TAKES US BACK.
AND SO LOOKING I MEAN, JUST TO BOIL IT DOWN, I MEAN, THE BOTTOM LINE COST OF THESE ARE CLOSE TO THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS DIFFERENT.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ABSORB SOME OF THAT DELTA, YOU KNOW, LESS AMBULANCE RIDES, LESS MEDS, LESS ALL THAT.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WOULD HAVE TO FIND THAT MONEY.
AND I'VE BEEN HONEST WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THAT I'M NOT SURE THAT I CAN FIND THAT MONEY BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO GET ACCOMPLISHED THIS YEAR. BUT REALLY, I THINK, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM Y'ALL IS, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO EXPLORE THIS A LITTLE FURTHER AND THEN MAYBE AT THE NEXT BUDGET WORKSHOP, WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING KIND OF LOCK DOWN ON THIS AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AND, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE MORE EXTENSIVELY THEN.
I MEAN, WE'RE GETTING DOWN TO IT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE OUR OUR PRELIMINARY BUDGET DONE BY THE END OF THIS MONTH.
SO WE'RE KIND OF IN THE SHORT ROWS ON THIS THING ANYWAY.
[00:40:04]
SO JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE.GO AHEAD, NO, GO AHEAD, [INAUDIBLE] SAY SOMETHING.
WE WENT INTO THIS KNOWING THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE A BUDGETARY ISSUE.
LIKE ALL OF US HAVE SAID SO FAR, WE HAVE NO HEARTBURN WITH SOUTHERN HEALTH PARTNERS AT ALL, BUT WE WOULD NOT BE DOING OUR JOBS IF WEREN'T TRYING TO IMPROVE.
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HURT OUR FEELINGS.
THERE IS GOING TO BE NO ANIMOSITY.
THERE'S GOING TO BE NO ARGUING.
THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE BEST THAT WE CAN WITHIN THE MONEY THAT WE CAN.
WE WOULD BE PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH EITHER ONE OF THESE.
ALL RIGHT, THERE ARE A FEW LITTLE ITEMS ON HERE THAT USUALLY I JUST ASK IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WE DID OUR SAME THING WE DID LAST YEAR WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING ADDING FOUR MORE DEPUTIES, PATROL DEPUTIES, ANOTHER CID OFFICER , AND A WARRANTS CLERK.
AND SO OTHERWISE IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.
YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID THIS SINCE I LANDED IN THIS ROLE THAT I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, SLOWLY BUT SURELY WE'RE KIND OF GETTING OUR PATROL DEPUTY STAFF UP TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
YOU KNOW, I WISH WE COULD AFFORD MORE, QUITE FRANKLY, BUT WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN WITHIN OUR BUDGET CONSTRAINTS.
I THINK, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF THE STUFF WE HAVE GOING ON AND SOME OF THE AREAS OF OUR COUNTY, EXTRA PATROL IS CERTAINLY NEEDED.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER ROLAND, I SEE HIM OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE, NODDING HIS HEAD, SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ONLY DO WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE.
SO AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT AND THIS SOUTHERN HEALTH PARTNERS VERSUS CAUSE JUST SOMETHING I'M GOING TO HAVE TO WORK THROUGH.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT WE ARE PROPOSING ADDING SOME MORE STAFF IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
AND I THINK REALLY I MEAN, THOSE ARE BIG SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES.
AND, OF COURSE, EVERYTHING THAT COMES WITH SOME NEW PATROL OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, EQUIPMENT AND THAT TYPE OF THING. SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO DISCUSS, TIME RAN OUT, AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I JUST MISSED IT.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD WANTED TO DISCUSS IN REGARDS TO CID, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT A SECOND DEPUTY HERE.
FOR THAT, BECAUSE WE'RE CONSIDERING PUTTING IN A METAL DETECTOR AT THE DOOR.
AND WE HAVE TO HAVE TWO GUYS DOWN THERE AT THAT POINT.
WE TALKED ABOUT BODY WORN CAMERAS FOR THE COURT DEPUTIES.
WE TALKED ABOUT NEW COMPUTER SYSTEMS FOR THE FOR THE DETECTIVES.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS TOUCHED.
THE STANDALONE EVIDENCE STORAGE AND TRACKING SYSTEM.
I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF THAT WITH THE CURRENT BUDGET.
OK, YEARLY MAINTENANCE AND UPDATES FOR THE PHONE DUMP SYSTEM, ADDITIONAL PHONE DUMP SYSTEMS EXPANDING OUR CAPACITY.
THE COMPUTERS AND SOME ADDITIONAL CRIME SCENE EQUIPMENT.
WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE [INAUDIBLE]? CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION, JUDGE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
THE FOUR NEW DEPUTIES, JUST SO WE HAVE THE INFORMATION WHEN WE GO OUT TO COMMUNICATE, WHAT MATERIAL CHANGE WILL YOU BE ABLE TO AFFECT WITH THEM? THAT'LL BE ONE ADDITIONAL PATROL DEPUTY PER SHIFT PER SHIFT.
YES, SIR. YEAH, THAT'S GOING TO PUT MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE.
THE TWO OF THE SUBSTATIONS ARE ABOUT TO COME ONLINE.
WE'RE WAITING ON FINAL CONSTRUCTION AT THE LULING ANNEX.
AND THEN WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THE PHONE CALL OUT IN MCMAHON FOR THAT ONE.
SO ONE ADDITIONAL DEPUTY PER SHIFT AND HOW MANY DEPUTIES PER SHIFT WOULD THAT MAKE? THAT WOULD BE FIVE AND A SERGEANT.
YEAH, FIVE DEPUTIES AND ONE SERGEANT.
THANK YOU. SHERIFF, HOW DOES THE TASK FORCE, HOW DID IT MIX INTO THIS? SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME.
THE TASK FORCE, YOU KNOW, THE FORCE THAT'S GOING TO GET TOGETHER TO KIND OF HELP PATROL
[00:45:03]
IN THE IN THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, THE LOUD MUSIC AND--OH, SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT US WORKING WITH ART AND MICHAEL BELL? RIGHT. OF OK, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING ON OUR NIGHT SHIFTS WHEN WE HAVE A HOLIDAY WEEKEND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE'VE BEEN BRINGING IN SOME EXTRA DEPUTIES, PAYING OVERTIME. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH CONSTABLE VILLAREAL AND CHIEF CHANDLER.WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH MICHAEL BELL AND STEVE KINNEY.
AND THEY'VE BEEN PROVIDING THREE, I BELIEVE.
YEAH, THEY'VE BEEN PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL THREE.
AND ALL THEY'RE DOING IS TAKING THE CALLS OUT IN THAT AREA FOR LOUD MUSIC, GUNSHOTS, FIRECRACKERS, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
AND THEY ARE FOCUSING ON THOSE AREAS.
THIS WILL GIVE US AN EXTRA DEPUTY PER THE REGULAR SHIFT.
BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IS THE CALL VOLUME.
AND THAT EXTRA DEPUTY IS GOING TO BE FOR THE DAY TO DAY CALL VOLUME.
NOW, I'M GOING TO WORK WITH THE CONSTABLES AS MUCH AS I CAN TO TRY TO GET AS MANY FOLKS OUT THERE AS I CAN. AND I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN A VERY GOOD PARTNERSHIP.
ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE, COMMISSIONERS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW? ALL RIGHT, THANKS, SHERIFF.
THANK YOU ALL. UM, ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO--NOT FOR YOU GUYS, MOVING ONTO--ARE YOU NOT DONE WITH US? WE'RE DONE.
[LAUGHTER] ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS, COMMISSIONERS, I WANTED TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE'RE PROPOSING MOVING MR. B. AND MS. RAMIREZ INTO AND UNDER THE DA'S OFFICE AND THEN ADDING TO THAT TWO INVESTIGATORS WHO WOULD BE LICENSED LAW ENFORCEMENT AN ADMIN PERSON, AND WE'RE GOING TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENTAL UNIT TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. WE HAVE MONEY IN THAT BUDGET FOR PUBLIC OUTREACH.
WE HAVE MONEY IN THAT BUDGET FOR ANY KIND OF ABATEMENT/REMEDIATION THAT WE MIGHT ENCOUNTER AS WE PURSUE SOME OF THESE CASES.
WE'LL HAVE NEIL [INAUDIBLE], WHO'S WHO'S I MEAN, HE'S LIKE AN ENVIRONMENTAL GURU.
HE ACTUALLY TEACHES ENVIRONMENTAL COURSES, ENVIRONMENTAL LAW.
HE'S GOING TO BE TEACHING THIS CAPCOG DEAL THAT WE'RE ALL PLANNING ON GOING TO.
AND SO WHAT THIS THING IS INTENDED TO DO IN THE PAST, WE'D PRETTY MUCH JUST RED TAG THEM.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT ENDED.
WE'RE ALREADY DOING THIS WITH JUST NEIL AND WITH LUNA.
AND WE HAVE TWO CASES THAT ARE NOW IN COURT.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO START TAKING THIS A LITTLE MORE SERIOUSLY.
I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ADDITIONAL THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THE DA'S BUDGET TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. I'M PRETTY DETERMINED TO FIND IT.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIME IF YOU IF YOU'RE NOT A BELIEVER SOMETIME, TAKE A NICE LITTLE RIDE, GET OUT [INAUDIBLE] AND TAKE YOU FOR A RIDE AND IT'S A JAW DROPPING EXPERIENCE.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE HOW BAD IT IS IN CERTAIN AREAS.
AND SO WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO THIS.
AND SO WE WILL NOT ONLY HAVE LETTY AND MR. B. OUT THERE, BUT ALSO WE'LL HAVE TWO OFFICERS OUT THERE.
CASEY AND LETTY WENT ON ONE CALL RECENTLY WHERE THEY WERE SHOT AT AND YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T SHOOT BACK. SO WE NEED THOSE OFFICERS.
WE ALSO NEED THEM JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET OUR CASEWORK DONE RIGHT, AND IF WE HAVE TO, ARREST SOMEONE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO DO PUBLIC OUTREACH IN THE BEGINNING BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RULES AND LAWS OF OUR COUNTY ARE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO EDUCATE FIRST AND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE GIVEN.
BUT ONCE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES HAVE BEEN GIVEN, THEN WE WILL START ENFORCING OR NUISANCE ABATEMENT ORDINANCES OR OTHER ORDINANCES AND LAWS OF THE STATE TO THEIR FULLEST TO CLEAN THESE THINGS UP. HOW MUCH ARE WE PROPOSING TO PUT TOWARD AN ABATEMENT LINE ITEM? TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND, I THINK IS WHAT'S IN THERE RIGHT NOW, OK.
[00:50:06]
YEAH, I THINK IT WAS 20 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT--25, I THINK.YEAH, BUT I ALSO WANT TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BUDGET WILL BE MOVING INTO THIS LINE ITEM.
SO IT KIND OF WILL OFFSET THAT--THIS THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND IS FOR SOME THINGS THAT THEY NEED SOME EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED MAINTENANCE IN THERE.
SHOULD WE NEED IT. THE TWO NEW OFFICERS ARE IN THERE, THE ADMIN ASSISTANT'S IN THERE AND THERE IS SOME MONEY TO COMPENSATE, NEIL, AND THE TWO MISDEMEANOR ATTORNEYS FOR THE EXTRA LOAD THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE TAKING ON THAT'S BAKED INTO THIS DEAL.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT EXTRA THREE THOUSAND COMES FROM.
SO MR. B. AND LETTY, THEY'RE MOVING THEIR BUDGET OVER INTO THIS BUDGET, SO IT WON'T BE LIKE CREATING TWO NEW? NO, NO, NO.
SO, THE TOTAL COST OF THIS UNIT IS FOUR HUNDRED AND SOME ODD THOUSAND.
BUT WE'RE ALREADY WE'RE ALREADY SPENDING SOME OF THAT MONEY IN MR. B'S BUDGET. AND WE'RE COMBINING THAT WITH THE THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND TO PUT THIS UNIT TOGETHER AND GO FORWARD AND START ACTUALLY ENFORCING OUR ORDINANCES AND LAWS.
OFFICE. SO THE REASON THAT IT'S NOT IN THERE IS BECAUSE I'M WORKING WITH THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE TO HAVE THAT NEW DEPARTMENT UNDER THE DA'S OFFICE.
BUT IT'LL BE IN THERE WHEN WE DO THE BUDGET.
OK, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT CASE.
YOU GET ASKED ABOUT IT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO ASK ME ABOUT IT.
I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT WAS GOING ON.
AND I THINK THOSE WERE THE MAIN THINGS I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT AND THEN THROW IT OPEN TO YOU GUYS. ONE THING I'D LIKE TO DO, THERE'S MONEY AVAILABLE.
SO ONE THING THAT'S COMING UP AND I HAVEN'T EVEN MENTIONED THIS TO EZZY; I WAS JUST REMINDED ABOUT IT. BUT WE HAVE TO DO AN AMBULANCE REMOUNT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITIES.
SO THAT'S ABOUT EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE REMOUNT TO TAKE OUR CURRENT BOX, AND STICK IT ON A NEW VEHICLE.
SO THERE'S TWO WAYS WE CAN DO IT.
WE CAN SPLIT THE COST THIS BUDGET YEAR AND NEXT BUDGET YEAR, WHICH I WOULD PREFER TO DO BECAUSE IT'S LESS OF A HIT EACH YEAR, OR THEY DO IT ONE YEAR.
WE DO IT THE NEXT, WHICH IS KIND OF A BIG HIT BUDGET-WISE, WOULD PREFER TO SPREAD THAT.
AND I THINK THEY WOULD PREFER TO SPREAD THAT.
ONE THING THAT'S COME UP A LITTLE BIT, AS WE ALL KNOW, OUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ARE ENORMOUS DUE TO ALL THE SUBDIVISIONS THAT WE'RE GETTING.
AND THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATION AND WE'RE GETTING PRETTY LATE IN THE GAME.
SO I'M NOT SURE I WILL BE ABLE TO FIND THIS MONEY THIS YEAR AND DO THIS THIS YEAR.
BUT I WANTED TO START THE CONVERSATION AT LEAST SO WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IT FOR NEXT YEAR LIKE A CITY COUNTY PLANNER TYPE PERSON AT A MINIMUM TO HELP CASEY SEE HE'S DROWNING.
WE'VE GOT TO GET HER SOME HELP.
AND, YOU KNOW, SHE HAS POINTED OUT SHE'S GOING TO BE HERE FOR A WHILE, BUT NOT FOREVER.
AND SHE WILL BE A DIFFICULT ONE TO REPLACE.
SO WE NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT THAT.
I'M NOT SURE I CAN GET THAT ACCOMPLISHED IN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE HAVE LEFT BEFORE WE HAVE TO GET THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET OUT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THE FINAL BUDGET, JUST A PRELIMINARY BUDGET, AND I CAN EXPLORE IT.
BUT I WANTED TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT, COMMISSIONERS.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING WE NEED TO WORK TOWARD.
I THINK IT'S NOT GOING TO GET LESS BUSY--AND IT'LL SAVE US A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THE LONG RUN ONLY BECAUSE IT'LL PROVIDE THE BASIC REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN AN EXPENSE ENGINEER.
YEAH AND IT'LL PUT US BACK TO WHAT WE DID YEARS AGO WHEN SHORT FORM PLATS, FAMILY LAND GRANTS THOSE TYPE OF THINGS THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE ENGINEERING WAS ALL HANDLED THROUGH EITHER CASEY OR THE COMMISSIONERS COURT, THE COMMISSIONER ITSELF.
AND WE SHOULD TAKE ON AS FAR AS SHORT FORM PLATS GO, THEY DON'T REQUIRE ANY ENGINEERING FLOOD STUDIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE SHOULD TAKE THAT BACK ON BECAUSE WE ARE SPENDING AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE ENGINEER AND VARIANCES AND THINGS, YOU KNOW, REALLY SHOULD BE HANDLED, MY OPINION IS, THROUGH JJ, AS OUR COURT ATTORNEY, BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE THAT KNOWS THE LAW TO MAKE SURE
[00:55:07]
THAT WE DON'T GET IT WRONG VERSUS THE ENGINEER, HE'S AN ENGINEER.BUT JJ IS OUR COURT, YOU KNOW, OUR ATTORNEY FOR US.
AND SO THOSE THINGS, I FEEL, SHOULD BE COMING THROUGH HIM.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS WELL, NOT JUST THIS PERSON [INAUDIBLE] I'D LIKE TO SEE US, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET A COUNTY ENGINEER THAT CAN WORK WITH THE ROAD UNIT AS FAR AS REPAIRS ROAD AND AS WELL AS SLASH COULD BE THIS PROJECT MANAGER OR, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT MANAGER OR WHATEVER. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE UTILIZING AND I'M SURE DOUCET AND ASSOCIATES FOR EVERYTHING ELSE WE NEED OUTSIDE THE SCOPE THAT WE CAN'T DO IN THE COUNTY [INAUDIBLE] AND ALL THAT, THEY'VE BEEN A BIG ASSET, BUT WE'VE REALLY WENT OVER THAT BUDGET THAT THEY GAVE US AND WENT AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE A LOT OF GROWTH IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
AND I KNOW IT OVERLOADS HIS OFFICE AS WELL.
IT'S TAKEN HIM OVER TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE SENDING TO HIM.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST PUT THAT IN THE LITTLE HAT ITSELF AS WELL.
OK, WE CAN FIND A SLASH, YOU KNOW.
YEAH. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, IT ALWAYS BOILS DOWN TO THE BOTTOM DOLLAR, BUT I DON'T DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AT ALL.
SO I'LL PURSUE THAT SOME MORE AND SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND.
HERE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO, WE'RE GOING TO START REALLY DRILLING DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR REVENUES ARE. WE MET NOW, I THINK WE'VE HAD ALL OF OUR MEETINGS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FINISHING NON-DEPARTMENTAL.
SO, WE KNOW WHAT THE ASK IS FROM ALL DEPARTMENTS.
AND WE'VE ALREADY SAID NO TO A FEW THINGS.
YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T BE DONE; THERE'S JUST NO FUNDING FOR IT.
DENNIS AND I ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH WHAT CAN THE AMERICAN RESCUE FUND PAY FOR? WE'RE KIND OF GETTING CLOSER TO HAVING A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THAT.
SO WE'RE FEELING LIKE THAT'LL HELP US DO MATCH ON A COUPLE OF THE STATE GRANTS, GETTING PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
WE CAN'T USE IT ON FEDERAL GRANTS, BUT WE CAN USE IT ON STATE GRANTS.
AND THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY, A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WE CAN USE SOMEWHERE ELSE. THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RIGHT ABOUT IS CAN WE USE THAT TO DO CAPITAL PURCHASES FOR EQUIPMENT, FOR UNIT [INAUDIBLE], TRACTORS, SHREDDERS, [INAUDIBLE], ASPHALT SPREADERS, THAT KIND OF THING.
IF WE CAN DO THAT, THAT'LL FREE UP A LOT MORE MONEY.
SO AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO WORK THROUGH HERE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. AND WE'RE FINALLY KIND OF WE'VE GOT A MEETING NEXT WEEK TO DO THAT VERY THING, TO START WORKING THROUGH THAT AND GETTING SOLID ON WHAT WE CAN DO THAT AMERICAN RESCUE FUND MONEY FOR SO THAT WE CAN FREE UP SOME OF OUR TRADITIONAL MONEY.
BUT ALWAYS KEEPING IN MIND THAT WHAT WE USE THAT AMERICAN RESCUE FUND FOR IS ONE TRICK PONY. WE DON'T WANT TO USE IT FOR SOMETHING THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY AND WE CREATED A UNSUSTAINABLE SITUATION.
SO IT'S KIND OF A BALANCING ACT, BUT IT DOES FREE UP MONEY FOR ONE TIME PURCHASES, YOU KNOW, GRANT MATCHES AND THAT KIND OF THING FREES UP MONEY TO USE FOR OTHER THINGS.
SO, ALL RIGHT, ONE OTHER THING, THEN I SWEAR I'LL STOP TALKING.
[CHUCKLING] I KNOW WE'RE ALL GETTING TIRED, BUT WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW ENTITIES IN THE COUNTY THAT DOES NOT HAVE A PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.
AND FRANKLY, WE DON'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF TELLING OUR STORY AT ALL.
I BET IF YOU WENT AND GRABBED TEN, FIFTEEN PEOPLE ON THE STREET AND ASKED THEM WHAT WE'RE DOING INSIDE THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW AND NOT ONE OF THEM COULD ANSWER.
AND SO IT WOULD HELP, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT JUST WHAT JOE DID TODAY.
JOHN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THE GRANT OUT THERE.
WE JUST BUILT A NEW TOWER OUT HERE IN WESTERN COUNTY TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE'RE ADDING MORE NEW PATROL OFFICERS.
WE'RE DOING ALL THESE THINGS AND NOBODY KNOWS WE'RE DOING THEM.
SO IF I CAN FIND THE MONEY I'D LOVE TO PURSUE, MAYBE HIRING AT LEAST A PART TIME PIO, NOT A FULL TIME PIO TO HELP US GET THAT OUT.
I MEAN, THEY DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER SHELTON, SHE'S ON THE AGING ADVISORY COUNCIL. SHE DOES SOME PROGRAMS FOR THE COUNTY CREW FROM CAPCOG.
[01:00:02]
MR. WESTMORELAND'S ON THE AIR ADVISORY COMMITTEE CAPCOG.COMMISSIONER THERIOT'S ON CAPCOG EXECUTIVE BOARD.
AND SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS AND WHAT THAT WHAT ADVANTAGES THAT GIVES TO THE COUNTY. AND DURING COVID, YOU KNOW, JOANN GARZA-MAYBERRY DID A WONDERFUL JOB AS OUR PIO, BUT WE COULD REALLY USE THE FULL TIME PIO DURING COVID, YOU KNOW, TO TELL PEOPLE WHERE OUR VACCINE CLINICS WERE TO TELL PEOPLE WHERE THEY COULD GET TESTED, THAT KIND OF STUFF. IT WAS A REAL STRUGGLE GETTING THAT WORD OUT IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A COUPLE OF PRESS CONFERENCES, AND WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT IT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT GETTING THAT WORD OUT AND I SPENT SO MUCH TIME EMAILING AND TALKING TO CONSTITUENTS THAT WOULD CALL AND SAY, Y'ALL AREN'T DOING ANYTHING.
WE'D SAY, YES, WE ARE IS DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND SO THAT WAS FRUSTRATING AS HECK FOR ME.
AND SO IF WE CAN AFFORD IT, I'D LOVE TO DO IT NEXT YEAR.
DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO ADD OR ASK ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW? THOSE THINGS THAT WE'VE JUST GONE OVER WOULD BE ALL THE GREAT BIG TICKET ITEMS, AND I THINK WE HAD, YOU KNOW, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW MONTHS, WE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE ITEMS WE'RE ALREADY ADDRESSING.
OK, EVERYBODY ELSE GOOD FOR NOW? I'M VERY PLEASED RIGHT NOW.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, IN THAT CASE, WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM TWO, WHICH IS A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE: AYE.
MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE ADJOURNED AT 12:34.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.