[00:00:01]
NO SOUND. NOW WE GOT SOUND. ALL RIGHT. OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP,
[A. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
TUESDAY, JULY 8TH, 2025 AT 10:01. COMMISSIONERS, COULD I GET A MOTION FOR THIS MEETING TO SKIP THE INVITATION AND THE PLEDGE? SECOND. BY COMMISSIONER THOMAS. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.AYE. OPPOSED? HEARING NONE. MOTION CARRIES. ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? NOPE? NO. CITIZENS COMMENTS? NO CITIZEN COMMENTS.
OKAY, ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO STRAIGHT TO THE WORKSHOP.
[F.1 To discuss current and future Caldwell County budgetary needs in anticipation of the upcoming FY 2025-2026 budgeting process. Speaker: Judge Haden/Danie Teltow; Backup: 99; Cost: $0.00]
DISCUSS CURRENT AND FUTURE CALDWELL COUNTY BUDGETARY NEEDS IN ANTICIPATION OF THE UPCOMING FY 2025-2026 BUDGETING PROCESS.COMMISSIONERS, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD, AND WE CAN BACK UP IN A LITTLE BIT, AND GO THROUGH ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ON THE REST OF THE BUDGET. I WILL TELL YOU THAT IN PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS WITH A LOT OF THE STAFF, I HAD BEEN HOLDING THE LINE AT 3%. I HAD A CHANCE TO GO IN AND KIND OF CHECK SOME MATH.
AND I FEEL LIKE WE CAN DO 5% RAISES. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH THAT AS LONG AS MY MATH´S RIGHT.
AND AS LONG AS THE TAX RATE TURNS OUT TO BE WHAT I THINK IT'S GOING TO TURN OUT TO BE.
SO THERE WILL BE A 5% COST OF LIVING RAISE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
HAVING SAID THAT, I WANT TO JUMP TO THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
THERE'S A QUITE AN INCREASE ON SALARIES IN PARTICULAR.
SO, CHIEF, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING UP. SO WE CAN KIND OF HAVE A CONVERSATION SURROUNDING THIS.
I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. I WANT TO JUST GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF REAL QUICK NUMBERS.
THESE ARE TOTAL NUMBERS FOR COURTHOUSE, SECURITY, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, JAIL.
IN 2024-25, THE TOTAL WAS $6,000,005.57. 25-26, WE DID 3% COLA, WHICH BUMPED THAT UP TO 6754. THIS PAST YEAR, 5% COLA, WHICH BUMPED THAT UP TO 6885208. THEN WE DID. THESE ARE JUST THE PROJECTIONS.
AND THEN THE INCREASE THAT WE WENT TO 8% COLA WOULD BE $7,081,000.
AND THEN SO IS PROPOSING FY 2025-26 OF $7,000,468.876, THAT'S INCLUDING MEDICAL, WHICH WOULD BE ANOTHER MILLION.
SO AND THEN WITH THE BENEFITS AND ALL THAT STUFF, THAT COMES UNDER THE VARIOUS SCENARIOS UNDER THE PROPOSED WOULD BE. CAN'T READ THAT IN THE [INAUDIBLE].
I CAN, YOU KNOW, CHIEF, WITH, I KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS DO IS DIFFICULT.
I KNOW YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE HIRING PEOPLE. BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE 1.7 MILLION EXTRA DOLLARS.
IT JUST DOESN'T EXIST. YES, SIR. SO WHAT WE DO NEED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT, THOUGH, IS WHAT DO WE HAVE? WHAT CAN WE AFFORD TO DO AND GET YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO HIRE PEOPLE AND DO YOUR JOBS? ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT I'VE HEARD IS YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT POSSIBLY DOING THE 8% COLA ACROSS THE BOARD FOR Y'ALL. THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING WE COULD SWING IF WE DO IT.
NOT THE REST OF THE COURT. IS DOING THAT DELTA ON THE NUMBERS AND THEN ALLOWING YOU GUYS TO DISTRIBUTE THAT DELTA AS YOU SEE FIT WITHIN YOUR BUDGET, AND THEN BRINGING IT BACK TO US AND TELLING US HOW YOU DISTRIBUTED IT, AND THEN WE'LL PUT IT IN THE BUDGET. BUT IF YOU TAKE 8% INCREASE IN COLA, WHICH IS $524,587.28, AND THEN ADD YOUR SB 22 TO THAT, WHICH IS ANOTHER, I BELIEVE IT'S
[00:05:08]
$350,000, IS THAT RIGHT? NO, SIR, THAT'S INCORRECT.IT WAS ABOUT $176,000 IS WHAT WE FIGURED. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET WITH THE GRANTS FOLKS YET, BUT THAT WAS OUR STIPENDS. AND LIEUTENANT HARRISON'S PAY CAME OUT OF THAT.
THAT'S CORRECT, SIR. YES, SIR. FRESH $350,000.
YES, SIR. COMBINED WITH $524,587. YES, SIR. COMES TO AROUND $900,000.
YES, SIR. IN PAY INCREASES. YES, SIR. WHICH I WOULD, IF THE COURT'S INTERESTED IN GOING THAT ROUTE ,OR HOWEVER YOU DECIDE TO DISTRIBUTE THAT SB 22 MONEY, I'D BE INTERESTED IN HEARING IT.
OF COURSE, COURT WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE IT, BUT IT'S AVAILABLE.
YES, SIR. PLUS ANOTHER 524,008% IS DARN NEAR $1 MILLION.
AND I FEEL LIKE, IF WE GIVE THAT TO YOU TO DISTRIBUTE.
YOU'VE GOT EIGHT EMPTY SPOTS AND YOU'RE ASKING FOR FOUR MORE, AND THAT WOULD STILL ALLOW YOU TO DO SOME WORK WITHIN YOUR BUDGET TO GIVE OTHERS RAISES, TOO. YES, SIR. SO THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION TO THE COURT.
INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ON THE $911,000, WHICH IS WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED RIGHT NOW. I KNOW THAT WE CAN GO THROUGH THEM ITEM BY ITEM.
RIGHT NOW, THE SHERIFF IS ASKING TO BE RAISED FROM $93,000 TO $137,000.
CHIEF DEPUTY FROM $85,270 TO 125. CAPTAINS WOULD GO.
THIS IS WHAT YOU'VE REQUESTED. CAPTAINS WOULD GO FROM $123,782 TO $204,380.
CUMULATIVE NUMBER IS $477,100. IN THE CURRENT BUDGET, THAT WOULD JUMP TO 540.
AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. DISPATCHERS ARE CURRENTLY AT $446,615.
THAT´D JUMP TO 519. DETECTIVES ARE SITTING AT $255,111.
THAT JUMPS TO $302,867. AND THEN WE'RE ASKING FOR, IS THIS ANOTHER NEW DETECTIVE POSITION IN CID? THAT'S CORRECT SIR. OKAY. IN ADDITION TO THE ONE LAST YEAR.
YES, SIR. OKAY. I'M JUST CHECKING. THEN PATROL DEPUTIES WOULD JUMP FROM $807,426 TO $1,128,009.23. SO THAT'S GETTING RAISES TO THE EIGHT EMPTY SPOTS, PLUS THE ONES THAT ARE FILLED, PLUS FOUR MORE.
CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. AND THEN CLERICAL ASSISTANTS IS 192.
CURRENTLY THAT JUMPS TO 202. LIEUTENANT IS CURRENTLY 75.
AND CHANGE THAT WOULD JUMP TO 92 AND CHANGE, WHICH IS ABOUT WHAT SHERIFF MAKES NOW.
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS, I DID HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS ONE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE SITTING AT $93,571, AND THAT DROPPED OF WHAT'S PUNCHED IN IS $49,125, WHICH DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT.
WE'RE NOT GETTING RID OF ANYBODY. YEAH, WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT. THAT MAY INCLUDE A CORPORAL THAT SOMEHOW GOT ADDED OR SOMETHING GOT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO CHECK THAT NUMBER BECAUSE WE'LL DO THAT.
WE'LL CHECK THAT LATER. BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WEREN'T ELIMINATING AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER.
THEN 2024-2025 $127,555 FOR CORPORALS, THAT GOES TO $147,388 AND THEN THE REST IS LONGEVITY AND STUFF. SO BUT AT 8% WE CAN RUN THOSE NUMBERS.
BUT THE TOTAL INCREASE IN SALARIES. WHERE'S MY CALCULATOR?
[00:10:08]
WOULD GO FROM 6 MILLION.TO 708? BEAR WITH ME, I DIDN'T PUNCH A NUMBER IN RIGHT.
SHOULD GO TO ABOUT SEVEN ONE. THEY'D GO TO 7 MILLION.
081928. SO THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL INCREASE IN SALARIES TO BE DISTRIBUTED OF $524,587. THAT'S WITHOUT BENEFITS.
WITH BENEFITS IT'S ABOUT $566,600. OKAY. AND THEN PLUS YOUR SB 22 MONEY. AND 300.
BRINGS IT TO $874,587. SO THAT WOULD BE WHAT YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE TO DISTRIBUTE TO YOUR STAFF AS YOU SEE FIT AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO US, IF WE DID THE 8% PLUS THE SB 22, YES, SIR.
WHICH WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION, BUT I WANT TO THROW IT OPEN TO THE COURT AND TO YOU, CHIEF, TO SEE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT. MAY I APPROACH HIM? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
COMMISSIONERS, AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS STOOD BEFORE THIS COURT FOR YEARS, ADVOCATING NOT JUST FOR BETTER PAY FOR HIS OFFICE, BUT FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
BUT WHAT MANY MAY NOT REALIZE IS HOW LONG HE'S BEEN FIGHTING FOR EVEN THE BASICS LIKE OVERTIME PAY, UNIFORM ALLOWANCES FOR OUR DEPUTIES. WHEN HE WAS PROMOTED TO A PATROL SERGEANT IN 2002, THERE WERE TWO DEPUTIES AND HIMSELF WORKING A SHIFT, TAKING CALLS. FAST FORWARD TODAY. DESPITE OUR GROWING POPULATION AND SKYROCKETING CALL VOLUME, IT IS STILL JUST A SERGEANT AND TWO DEPUTIES COVERING THE STREETS ON MANY SHIFTS.
WE'VE ADDED POSITIONS OVER THE YEARS, YES, BUT WE CAN'T KEEP THEM FILLED.
BEFORE THAT, WE WERE STUCK IN A BROKEN COMP TIME SYSTEM.
IT WAS UNSUSTAINABLE. THEN IN 2017-2018 BUDGET, AFTER ANOTHER LONG BATTLE, WE FINALLY RECEIVED UNIFORM ALLOWANCE, SOMETHING OTHER CALDWELL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS HAD FOR YEARS.
SO WHY BRING UP THESE PAST BATTLES? BECAUSE EVERY HARD WON STEP OF PROGRESS OVER TIME, UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN ONE TIED TO A CORE ISSUE OF FAIR PAY. AND WHILE I SINCERELY THANK THE COURT FOR THE PROGRESS MADE, WE ARE NEARLY $1 MILLION BEHIND AND WE NEED TO BE FAIRLY COMPENSATED TO RETAIN OUR STAFF.
TODAY I'M ASKING YOU TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP. FOR THE JAIL, LEAVE THE BASE PAY AS IS.
IMPLEMENT A STEP IN GRADE SYSTEM TO REWARD EXPERIENCE AND TENURE.
RAISE A STARTING PAY FROM $61,162 TO $66,830 TO MATCH LOCKHART PD.
IMPLEMENTING A STEP AND GRADE SCHOOL MODELED AFTER LOCKHART'S.
THAT IS WHERE THESE NUMBERS COME FROM. TOTAL COST, JUST OVER $700,000.
TOTAL COST, JUST UNDER A MILLION. YES, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT REQUEST.
BUT HERE'S THE TRUTH. WE USED TO RETAIN STAFF BECAUSE OF STRONG LEADERSHIP AND DEPARTMENT CULTURE.
[00:15:02]
RECRUITING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IS ALREADY CHALLENGING IN TODAY'S CLIMATE. ADD IN LOW PAY AND NO CLEAR PATH TO ADVANCEMENT, WE ARE SIMPLY OUTMATCHED. LET ME BE CLEAR. I'M NOT ASKING FOR THE MOON AND STARS.I'M ASKING YOU TO MATCH LOCKHART PD, A DEPARTMENT RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN COUNTY.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT COMPARING US TO OTHER MAJOR CITIES OR COUNTIES.
MY DATA IS FOCUSED ENTIRELY WITHIN CALDWELL COUNTY.
I'M ASKING YOU TO MATCH THE SECOND LARGEST AGENCY IN THE COUNTY, AND WE ARE STILL BEHIND.
SOME CALLS THAT I DO FROM FRUSTRATED RESIDENTS UPSET ABOUT SLOW RESPONSE TIMES, TRAFFIC CONCERNS, UNSERVED WARRANTS. THIS ISN'T A MATTER OF EFFORT.
IT'S A MATTER OF STAFFING. OUR DEPUTIES ARE WORKING HARD.
WE SIMPLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OF THEM. EVERY TIME COMMISSIONER´S COURT APPROVES A NEW SUBDIVISION, OUR CALL VOLUME GOES UP, BUT NOT OUR STAFFING.
BUT THE PAY STOPS THEM IN THEIR TRACKS. I CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE, IF YOU APPROVE THIS PLAN, WE WILL BE FILLING POSITIONS IMMEDIATELY. AND YES, THE MONEY IS THERE.
THAT IS EQUIVALENT TO 11 MONTHS OF OPERATING COST OR OUR SO-CALLED RAINY DAY FUND.
MOST FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS RECOMMEND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MAINTAIN 3 TO 6 MONTHS IN RESERVE.
COMMISSIONERS, IT'S TIME. LET'S MATCH LOCKHART PD.
NOT A REACTIVE FORCE SCRAMBLING TO COVER SHIFTS, BUT A PROACTIVE, COMMUNITY FIRST AGENCY.
WE SHOULD BE BUILDING SPECIALIZED UNITS, INCLUDING TRAFFIC, WARRANTS, COMMUNITY POLICING.
NOT WONDERING WHO'S GOING TO MAKE IT IN TONIGHT.
I KNOW THESE PROBLEMS DIDN'T START WITH YOU, BUT NOW THEY'RE YOURS TO FIX.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING.
SIGNED, SHERIFF MIKE LANE. OKAY. I WANT TO ADDRESS THE THE FUND BALANCE.
WHEN THE DISASTER IS OVER IN KERR COUNTY, THAT WILL BE ABOUT $20 MILLION WORTH OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS TO BE FIXED RIGHT NOW. AND THEY WILL WAIT FOR FIVE YEARS TO GET THE FEMA MONEY.
SO TO POINT AT THAT FUND BALANCE AND SAY IT'S EXCESSIVE IS NOT TRUE.
WE ARE ONE FLOOD AWAY FROM DEPLETING THAT FUND BALANCE DOWN TO LESS THAN SIX MONTHS.
YOU'VE GOT ABSOLUTE DEVASTATION THERE. WE'VE HAD IT HERE BEFORE.
WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, HARVEY HAD DEPLETED OUR FUND BALANCE DOWN TO $4 MILLION.
THAT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO. SO, YOU ADD INFLATION ON TOP OF THAT, AND WE WOULD WIPE OUR FUND BALANCE OUT WITH ONE GOOD NATURAL DISASTER RIGHT NOW.
SO TO SUGGEST GOING INTO THAT FUND BALANCE FOR SALARIES AND NOT BE ABLE TO SERVICE OUR CITIZENS OF OUR COUNTY AND FIX ROADS AND DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO KEEP SCHOOL BUSSES MOVING, TO KEEP YOU GUYS MOVING, TO KEEP AMBULANCES MOVING, TO KEEP ALL THOSE THINGS MOVING AFTER A DISASTER IS JUST SIMPLY NOT TRUE. YES, SIR. SO, BACK TO OUR SUGGESTION.
WE'RE OFFERING UP $524,000 WITHOUT FIGURING IN BENEFITS PLUS SB 22 MONEY, WHICH IS $1 MILLION. I JUST SUMMARIZE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SUGGESTING? SO BASICALLY, RIGHT NOW WITH THE 8% COLA, WITH BENEFITS IS FIVE.
YOUR BUDGET'S AT EIGHT, SIX, 8 MILLION, 656. WHAT SHERIFF LANE AND SO PROPOSED IN THEIR BUDGET, IT'S ABOUT 9 MILLION WITH BENEFITS. WITH THE 8%, YOU'RE AT $566,600, WHICH, PLUS THE $350,000 PUTS YOU AT $916,000 INCREASE.
[00:20:07]
AND YOU GUYS ARE PROPOSING $984,000, SO YOU'RE ONLY $64,000 SHY OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE PROPOSING WITH WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING, WHICH IS $64,001 POSITION. THAT'S CORRECT. HOWEVER, IF WE USE ALL THAT STIPEND MONEY, THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO WITHDRAW ALL OF OUR ADVANCEMENT MONEY FOR OUR CERTIFICATION PAYS, OUR HIGHER CERTIFICATION, OUR EDUCATION PAYS.THAT'S IN YOUR BUDGET ALREADY. I'M SORRY? THAT'S ALREADY IN YOUR BUDGET.
THAT'S IN THE SENATE BILL COMES OUT HOW MUCH IS LEFT OUT OF THAT STIPEND? ABOUT THAT WOULD STILL BE GIVING YOU ALMOST $700,000 INCREASE.
AND THAT MIGHT MEAN THAT SHERIFF LANE DOESN'T GET A $49,000 RAISE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF YOUR DEPUTIES AND YOUR STAFF BELOW THAT LEVEL.
THAT FRUSTRATES ME. THEN DON'T PUT IT IN THE BUDGET.
WELL. AND, YOU KNOW, AND I WALK AROUND HERE GETTING THE STINK EYE BY PEOPLE.
SO I'M GETTING A LITTLE TIRED OF THAT GAME. AND YOU COULD PROBABLY TELL, BRING A REAL BUDGET.
BRING A BUDGET THAT YOU KNOW WE CAN DO, PUSH IT SOME.
AMEN. WE HAVE PUSHED IT SOME RIGHT HERE WITH WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING.
I'M JUST I'M SORRY, BUT IT'S JUST WE ALSO DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR PEOPLE TO EVEN OFFICE.
WE'RE SITTING ON TOP OF EACH OTHER RIGHT NOW.
WE NEED BUILDINGS. WE'VE GOT A ROAD BOND THAT'S GOING TO GET US THROUGH DESIGN AND THAT'S IT.
LAW ENFORCEMENT, IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT IT IS NOT THE ONLY THING.
AND WE HAVE A FINITE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THE BUDGET, AND WE HAVE GOTTEN THAT BUDGET BUILT UP.
IT'S TAKEN EIGHT YEARS TO BUILD THAT FUND BALANCE.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE BUILT THAT OVERNIGHT. BUT DOING THIS, WHAT INCREASE WE SEE IN REVENUE WILL BE SOAKED UP BY THIS, BY BY ONE DEPARTMENT. YES, SIR.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE EXACT NUMBER IS, BUT IT'S ENORMOUS.
AND I WAS A COMMISSIONER IN 2017, AND I WAS THE ONE THAT WENT OVER THERE AND SAW THE POWER SHIRTS SITTING IN THE BUILDING THAT'S NOW PASTOR HARDAWAY'S CHURCH BUILDING. AND I WAS TOLD BY MIKE THAT THAT POLISHED CHURCH WAS WHERE Y'ALL GOT YOUR UNIFORMS, AND I WAS THE ONE THAT FOUGHT DURING THAT BUDGET CYCLE TO GET YOU GUYS UNIFORMS. BUT I WAS JUST ONE COMMISSIONER THEN. I WASN'T THE BUDGET OFFICER.
SINCE THEN, WE HAVE IF YOU GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF RAISES THAT Y'ALL HAVE GOTTEN, YOU'VE GOTTEN WAY MORE THAN ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTY.
SO, TO SUGGEST THAT THE SINS OF THE PAST HAVEN'T BEEN RECTIFIED IN THE LAST 6 TO 8 YEARS.
KIND OF INSULTING TO ME. AND I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY, SIR.
YOU GUYS HAVE DONE WELL WITH GIVING US MONEY.
IT IS ULTIMATELY WHAT IT IS AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, JUST TO HAVE PARITY WITHIN OUR OWN COUNTY.
MY ADMINISTRATORS ARE OUT ON THE ROAD COVERING BECAUSE WE HAVE NO PATROL DEPUTIES.
WE'RE GOING TO FILL IN. SO WE UNDERSTAND THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE STEPPED UP IN THE PAST.
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, I'VE DONE MOST OF THE TALKING. WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK?
[00:25:08]
WELL. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. I REVIEWED THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT PROPOSAL ALSO, FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. AND I THINK I WAS ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS OR THE COMMISSIONER THAT WAS LOOKING AT A COMPROMISE OF TRYING TO GET TO 8%.I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
JUST LOOKING AT THE BASE SALARIES OF A DEPUTY IS 61, 70, 79.
THAT'S CORRECT, SIR. AND LOCKHART WAS $66,800 AND LULING WAS $63,200 WITH THAT 8%, THAT WOULD BRING US LEVEL WITH LOCKHART AND ABOVE LULING.
THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GO UP ALSO. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT MAY BE DIFFERENT.
BUT YOU KNOW, I RECALL IT WAS ALMOST EIGHT YEARS AGO, I GUESS WHEN HOPPY AND I BOTH CAME ON, THAT WAS A PRIORITY, TRYING TO GET THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BUDGET HIGHER.
I RECALL THAT THE SHERIFF HIMSELF WAS ONE OF THE LOWER PAID ELECTED OFFICIALS, ALONG WITH THE JUDGE, AND WE PUSHED THE SHERIFF AND THE JUDGE POSITIONS UP TO BE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DISTRICT COURT AND THE DA'S OFFICE AND THOSE THAT THE HIGHER PAY FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, I LIKE THE IDEA THAT THE JUDGES SUGGESTED THAT, LET THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT GO BACK AND LOOK AT A BUCKET OF MONEY AND SEE HOW BEST TO DISTRIBUTE THAT.
MAYBE IT'S IT'S BEST TO POUR MONEY INTO THE NEW THE INCOMING DEPUTIES TO INCENTIVIZE TRYING TO GET SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS FILLED. BUT THIS CAN BE A MULTIYEAR THING.
YOU KNOW, CATCHING UP IS TOUGH, AND IT'S PROBABLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DO IN, IN ONE YEAR.
SO YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK, AT MAKE A DENT IN IT THIS TIME, AND WORK TOWARDS GETTING IT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE IN THE FUTURE.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT AN 8%, JUDGE. OKAY. COMMISSIONER THOMAS, THOUGHTS? COMMISSIONER HORNE, GO AHEAD. JUDGE, I WOULD SUPPORT THE 8%.
OKAY. AND THEN YOU TAKE IT TO HIM AND BRING IT BACK AND LET US LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHERE THEY'RE AT.
WHERE ARE WE GOING? I WOULD SUPPORT THAT ONE.
OKAY. COMMISSIONER HORNE? YOU KNOW, I'M TOTALLY AGREEING.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE $100,000 SHORT FROM HIS 965 OF ON WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO.
ALL OF THEM, PLUS THEIR BENEFITS AND ALL THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD DO WITH THIS, IRV, BUT I MEAN, GIVE THEM THE DIFFERENCE OF THE MONEY OF WHAT HE WANTS AND LET HIM DISTRIBUTE HOW HE SEES FITS, YOU KNOW, WITH EMAILS, AND THIS IS HOW HE COULD WORK UP ON HIS STEP AND GRADE TOO.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE STEP AND GRADE IS JUST NOT ALL.
HOW MANY YEARS YOU'VE BEEN IN SERVICE? YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALSO EVALS THAT SHOULD GO WITH THAT AND ALL THAT, SO. YES, SIR. THAT'S HOW I LOOK AT IT. CHIEF, DO Y'ALL DO EVALUATIONS? WE DO, SIR. OKAY. YEARLY. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, IF WE COULD SEE THOSE SOMETIME.
OKAY. YES, SIR. ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION TOO.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE FINDING GRANTS. WE'RE FINDING OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME TO HELP FUND THINGS.
BUT THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR EVERY HOMEOWNER IN THIS COUNTY WENT UP BY $40,000.
THAT MEANS $40,000 LESS TO US TO USE. THE TAX RATE IS, THE PROPERTY VALUES WENT DOWN IN THIS COUNTY
[00:30:02]
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG.SO THAT MEANS THERE MIGHT EVEN BE A SLIGHT UPTICK IN THE RATE.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE TAX RATE, BUT THAT ALSO MEANS LESS MONEY IN AVALANCHE TAX.
AND SO WE'RE FACED WITH TRYING TO COME UP WITH $1 MILLION OR $800,000 OR WHATEVER THIS NUMBER COMES TO, WHILE OUR TAX RATE IS GOING DOWN. AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN ONLY POINT TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE, THEY'RE TRYING TO HELP TAXPAYERS OUT. BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY DO THAT, THAT IMPACTS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE HAVE HERE TO USE.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT THAT.
THAT I'M TRYING TO TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO GIVE A DECENT COST OF LIVING RAISE TO ALL EMPLOYEES AND AT THE SAME TIME HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS. AND THAT'S WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS DO.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE AUDITOR'S DOING. WE'VE SPENT SINCE MAY HAVING MEETINGS WITH PEOPLE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO GET THEM EXTRA PEOPLE. WE'VE GOTTEN EXTRA PEOPLE FOR SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS THAT NEED THEM.
WE'VE ADDED DEPARTMENTS. SO WE'RE DOING A LOT WITH THE LITTLE AND, WE'VE ALSO MANAGED TO SAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COUNTY IS SAFE AND SOUND.
AND SO THAT, FOR THOSE THINGS, I'M PROUD, ACTUALLY.
BUT I THINK 8% IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN START WITH THIS YEAR AND ALLOW YOU GUYS TO DISTRIBUTE IT AND THEN COME BACK TO US AND SAY, THIS IS HOW WE DISTRIBUTED IT, AND WE WILL PUT WE THAT IN THE BUDGET.
YES, SIR. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT ONE? OKAY.
THANK YOU FOLKS. CHIEF HOW LONG ARE YOU HAVE ONE.
WELL THAT'S DISPATCH, BUT YOU HAVE ONE, TWO THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT OPENINGS.
NINE. REALLY, HOW LONG HAVE THOSE BEEN OPEN? AT LEAST A YEAR.
THEY COME AND GO. WE GO UP AND DOWN. WE EBB AND FLOW.
RIGHT. IT JUST DEPENDS LIKE, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SOME ABOUT TO GRADUATE THE ACADEMY.
IT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT THEY STILL HAVE TO MAKE IT THROUGH FTO.
THEY STILL HAVE TO DO ALL THESE THINGS THAT REQUIRE.
SO WE DON'T EVEN COUNT THEM. BUT IT'S EBB AND FLOW.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE, COMMISSIONERS? CHIEF? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. I APPRECIATE IT. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE GOT TIME TO GO THROUGH THIS, LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD A NOTE TO. THIS IS VERY EARLY TO REVIEW THIS.
WE HAVEN'T EVEN PUT THE REVENUES INSIDE THE BUDGET, SO MOSTLY THE ONLY THING THAT'S BEEN ADDED IS THE DEPARTMENT EXPENSES AND THE SALARIES AT THIS POINT. SO I KNOW THAT JUDGE AND I STILL HAVE TO MEET ON NON-DEPARTMENTAL, THE REVENUES, AND WE TRY NOT TO REALLY SET IN STONE ANYTHING UNTIL WE GET OUR CERTIFIED TOTALS, WHICH SHOULD BE AT THE 25TH OF THIS MONTH, SO. SO WE'LL HAVE A WORKSHOP. IF NOT I'M PROBABLY GOING TO CALL A SPECIAL WORKSHOP RIGHT AFTER WE GET THE VALUES SO THAT WE CAN GO THROUGH AND SEE WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY AT. BECAUSE IF WE'RE RUNNING A DEFICIT, THEN WE GET TO GO THROUGH AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'VE PUT IN HERE NEEDS TO BE CUT. IF WE'RE RUNNING A SURPLUS, WE CAN DO MORE FOR FOLKS, BUT SO WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE ONE SPECIAL WORKSHOP.
I THINK WE'VE GOT TO POST THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET ON THE 31ST.
SO PROBABLY LOOKING AT SOMETIME AROUND THE 27TH, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT'S A WEEKDAY, BUT SOMETIME AROUND THERE WE'LL HAVE A SPECIAL WORKSHOP WITH ALL THE NUMBERS IN. AND WE GOT ALL OF AUGUST TOO.
BUT TO GET TO THAT PRELIMINARY WHICH WE'RE STATUTORILY REQUIRED TO DO, I'D LIKE TO HAVE ONE WORKSHOP IN BETWEEN THE 22ND COURT AND THE 31ST, JUST TO KIND OF GO OVER IT ONE MORE TIME.
AND WE CAN HAVE ONE ON THE 22ND. WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE THE REVENUES THOUGH.
SO IT'S BASICALLY GOING TO BE THE SAME THING YOU'RE LOOKING AT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NON-DEPARTMENTAL, WHICH IS MY BUDGET. SO WE CAN GO OVER MINE ON THE 22ND IF YOU'D LIKE.
[00:35:02]
BUT WE'VE MET WITH EVERYBODY ELSE. YEAH, PLEASE.WE'VE ALWAYS STRUGGLED WITH OUR FUNDING FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
ON FINDING AN EQUITABLE WAY TO PAY OUR SHARE OF THAT ACTIVITY. I KNOW THE CITY OF LOCKHART HAS TRIED TO COME UP WITH PRICES PER ANIMAL AND WHERE THAT ANIMAL COMES FROM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S , I DON'T THINK A TRUE MEASURE OF WHERE THOSE ANIMALS ACTUALLY COME FROM AND THE COST PER ANIMAL TO MAINTAIN THOSE IN THE SHELTER.
I LOOKED AT THE LOCKHART BUDGET FOR LAST YEAR OR ARE THIS CURRENT YEAR THAT THEY'RE IN RIGHT NOW, AND THEY HAVE $514,053 IN THE BUDGET. DO YOU WANT TO PAUSE? WE CAN'T HEAR YOU UNTIL THEY ALL LEAVE. I'M SORRY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'VE SPENT ON THAT. THAT WAS JUST THEIR BUDGET THAT THEY PROPOSED.
I THINK IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET, WE'RE PROPOSING $300,000.
RIGHT NOW WE'VE JUST SPENT JUST SHY OF UNDER 300.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE, IS RATHER THAN TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF MEASURE BASED ON ANIMALS AND WHERE THEY COME FROM, JUST BASE IT OFF WHAT THEIR LAST FISCAL YEAR.
BUDGET WISE, WHICH WOULD BE THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR THAT 514,053.
AND BUDGET, 75% OF THAT, I THINK, WOULD BE A FAIR POLICY.
AND THAT WOULD BE ROUGHLY 375 FOR OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THAT.
AND I THINK THREE QUARTERS OF THE BUDGET IS FAIR.
I KNOW THEY GET A LOT OF VOLUNTEER DONATION MONEY THAT THEY PUT INTO THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THAT DONATION COMES OUT OF THE COUNTY ALSO.
AND I JUST WANT TO KEEP THAT RELATIONSHIP SOLID.
AND THAT'S WHAT I´D LIKE TO PROPOSE. OKAY, AND I DON'T REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, COMMISSIONER, AT ALL. BUT ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT, THOUGH, BECAUSE I'VE PORED OVER THAT BUDGET AND PORED OVER THAT BUDGET AND ANALYZED IT, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUMPS OFF THE PAGE, OF THAT $514,000 IS ALMOST ALL SALARIES.
IT'S ALL WHAT? SALARIES. SALARIES? YEAH. SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
THEY HAVE THREE FOR JUST THE CITY OF LOCKHART.
AND I LOOK AT THAT AND I'M LIKE, THAT SEEMS EXCESSIVE TO ME.
SO WHILE I DON'T MIND THE 75% YOU KNOW, PAYING 75% OF THE BUDGET, IT WOULD BE NICE IF THEY WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR EXPENSES AND.
YEAH. NECESSARILY THE INTAKE PEOPLE AND ONE. YEAH. ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER. YOU KNOW, THEY MAY HAVE OTHER BUDGETED.
SO THAT'S WHAT I MEAN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY SPEND.
YEAH. AND SO THAT. MAYBE WE COULD LOOK AT WHAT THEY END UP PROJECTING THEIR EXPENDITURES WILL BE.
RIGHT NOW THEY'RE SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO BE THREE QUARTERS OF $1 MILLION.
WELL, THAT LAST YEAR WAS THIS 500 SOMETHING. THEY'RE PROJECTING 700 SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY ALSO WANT TO REDO THE SHELTER. AND THAT'S WHERE I START HAVING HEARTBURN BECAUSE THAT'S NOT OUR ASSET.
WE'RE LEASING SPACE THERE TO THE TUNE OF $375,000.
IT'S JUST LIKE SOMEBODY RENTING THE HOUSE. IF I DECIDE TO GO IN AND PUT A NEW ROOF ON THE HOUSE, I CAN'T RAISE THEIR RENT TO COVER THE COST OF THE NEW ROOF, SO I DON'T MIND.
THIS IS NOT AN OUTRAGEOUS NUMBER, AND WE CAN DO IT.
[00:40:03]
YOU KNOW, HERE'S OUR EXPENSES, HERE'S OUR REVENUES.I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REVENUES ARE OR WHERE THEY COME FROM EVEN NOW.
AND I'VE ASKED FOR IT. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING SORT OF AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST AND HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT.
I DID AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST AND NEVER RECEIVED ANYTHING.
YEAH. SO IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY THERE, AND.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
DO WE WANT TO CREATE JUST A SEPARATE LINE ITEM THAT SAYS ANIMAL SHELTER? AND THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TRYING TO FIND IT IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OR ANYTHING? YEAH, AND I THINK IT'S IN MY BUDGET. I THINK WE'VE GOT A LINE ITEM FOR IT.
SO BUT, YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT. IF WE DON'T, WE CAN.
OR IF WE NEED TO COMBINE A COUPLE TO JUST HAVE ONE NUMBER.
I'M GOOD WITH THAT, TOO. WE'LL JUST GO BACK IN AND LOOK.
WHAT ELSE, COMMISSIONERS? OKAY. OKAY. WELL, GOOD.
WE HAVE ADDED A FEW STAFF PEOPLE IN SOME DEPARTMENTS.
WE ADDED A NEW DEPARTMENT THIS BUDGET CYCLE. SO THAT WAS BUDGETED FOR.
AND SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL, YOU KNOW, AS THE COUNTY GROWS, WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW WITH IT.
OH, AND ONE OTHER THING. WE DID BRING THE CONSTABLES UP, EVERYBODY UP TO $50,000.
THE CONSTABLES THEMSELVES. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE EVERYBODY AWARE OF THAT.
YEAH, IT WAS AROUND LIKE A 10 OR 11% INCREASE.
SO I THINK IT'S WELL EARNED. SO WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL, WITH THE STIPEND THAT WE HAVE.
WE'VE ADDED WE DID ADD A POSITION TO PRECINCT FOUR COMMISSIONERS.
IS THAT YOUR QUESTION? WE ADDED A POSITION OF STIPENDS.
WAS THAT JUST A STIPEND FOR THE CONSTABLES THAT.
BUT WE BUDGETED FOR IT FOR THEIR DEPUTIES. WE JUST INCREASED THE ELECTED OFFICIAL TO $50,000.
I THINK WITH THE 5% COLA WAS GOING TO BE AROUND, LIKE 47,750.
SO JUST MOVED IT UP TO 50,000 ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE HAD MADE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO KEEP THE SHERIFF AND THE COUNTY JUDGE AT LEVEL WITH EACH OTHER AS THE HIGHEST PAID ELECTED OFFICIALS OUTSIDE OF THE JUDGE´S OR DA'S OFFICE.
WHATEVER AMOUNT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ENDS UP COMING UP WITH FOR THE SHERIFF ITSELF.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO KEEP THE COUNTY JUDGE'S SALARY EQUAL TO THAT.
I MEAN, YOU MAY NOT WANT THAT HAPPY, BUT IT'S NOT JUST FOR YOU.
WELL, I WON'T BE THE JUDGE FOREVER, SO. I HOPE NOT.
THAT'S A HORRIBLE THOUGHT. AND YOU KNOW, I AGREE THAT HOPEFULLY THAT MONEY THAT WE JUST ISSUED THEM WILL GO TO STAFF.
I WOULD HOPE SO. THAT WOULD BE MY HOPE. WE'LL SEE.
I'M NOT COMFORTABLE THE SHERIFF MAKING $20,000 MORE THAN THE JUDGE.
NO, I DON'T THINK HE SHOULD GET A $40,000 RAISE.
IN FACT, I KNOW HE'S NOT, BECAUSE HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD HOPE THAT WHAT WE JUST DID WITH THE 8% RAISE AND WHATEVER'S AVAILABLE, WHICH IS ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND OUT OF THE SB 22 MONEY WOULD GO TO GETTING PATROL DEPUTIES POSITIONS FILLED FIRST AND THEN WE'LL SEE ABOUT OTHERS.
[00:45:07]
BUT AS CID SEEMS TO BE FAIRLY STABLE. I HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT A LOT OF PEOPLE LEAVING CID.SO I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT MONEY GETS DISTRIBUTED THAT WAY.
YEAH, BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU, WHEN WE DID THAT, WHEN WE BROUGHT MY POSITION IN THE SHERIFF'S POSITION UP. I CAUGHT A LOT OF FLACK ABOUT THAT.
SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE READY TO HEAR IF IT'S A BIG JOB, I CERTAINLY DON'T NEED IT. I THINK WHAT I MAKE IS PRETTY FAIR COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTY JUDGES.
A LOT OF THEM TAKE THE STIPEND, WHICH I DON'T.
THE COUNTY JUDGE THAT WAS IN OFFICE WAS TAKING THAT STIPEND OR.
HAD IT IN THE AND SO THIS WAS TRYING TO OFFSET TO WHERE THE COUNTY JUDGE LIKE, WOULDN'T HAVE TO LOOK TOWARDS THAT STIPEND TO.
YEAH, AND THE RULES HAVE CHANGED SINCE THEN. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT IF I OR WHOEVER DOES THIS JOB AFTER I'M GONE, IT'S A FULL TIME JOB. AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TIME TO BE HERE IN PROBATE CASES AND GUARDIANSHIP CASES.
IT'S, IF YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT AND IF YOU'RE DEALING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND YOU'RE DEALING WITH DEVELOPERS AND YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE BUDGET AND ALL THE THINGS THAT COME WITH IT, GOING TO THE LEGISLATURE WHEN THEY'RE IN SESSION, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO TAKE THAT STIPEND.
AND SO, YEAH, WE´VE GOT TO CONSIDER THAT COMPENSATION BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF MY FELLOW JUDGES GET WHAT I GET IN A SALARY, AND THEN THEY TAKE THE STIPEND.
BUT IN FAIRNESS, IN MOST OF THEIR COUNTIES, YOU KNOW, LIKE GONZALES COUNTY OR OUT OF SCOTIA COUNTY, THEY DON'T HAVE A COUNTY COURT LAW, SO THEY KIND OF HAVE TO SEW IN.
BUT THEY ALSO DON'T HAVE THE MASSIVE GROWTH SITUATION THAT WE HAVE GOING ON HERE.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO DECIDE HOW WE HANDLE IT HERE.
AND TAKE A LOOK, SEE WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING AND TRY TO LEARN FROM IT.
BUT I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO OPERATE IN A SILO EITHER, SO IT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER HORNE? GOOD? COMMISSIONER THOMAS, YOU'RE GOOD? ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD. I HAVE ONE THING TO ADD.
UNDER HIS TENURE, IT IS MANDATED NOW OR APPROVED BY LEGISLATION THAT HIS NEW SALARY IS NOWHERE, IT'S GOT TO BE MET WITH STATE AND COUNTY MATCH.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT PRETTY BIG JUMP IN THERE. YEAH.
AND THAT IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE GOT TO ADOPT.
SO. YEP. THEY CALL THEM UNFUNDED MANDATES. YES.
ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? IF WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, THEN I WOULD LOOK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SO MOVED. MOTION TO ADJOURN BY COMMISSIONER THERIOT.
SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER THOMAS.
ANY DISCUSSION? NOT ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.
OPPOSED? HEARING NONE. MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 10:51.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.