[A. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
[00:00:02]
OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP AND CALL IT TO ORDER.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 22ND, 2025 AT 10:23 A.M. CAN I GET A MOTION TO SKIP THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGES, PLEASE? SO MOVED. A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HORNE AND SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER THERIOT. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? HEARING NONE MOTION CARRIES.
ANNOUNCEMENTS. NO ANNOUNCEMENTS. CITIZENS COMMENTS.
NO CITIZENS COMMENTS. OKAY, WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO 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: 97; Cost: $0.00]
TO DISCUSS AND CURRENT AND FUTURE CALDWELL COUNTY BUDGETARY NEEDS.AND IN ANTICIPATION OF UPCOMING FY 2025 2026 BUDGETING PROCESS.
AND I THINK SHERIFF LANE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT A PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE SO.
GOOD MORNING. I'M GOING TO PASS SOMETHING OUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN HEAR ME OR NOT YEAH. YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT. WAIT TILL YOU GET UP TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE, SO THEY CAN HEAR YOU.
ALL RIGHT GOOD MORNING. THE LAST COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING JUDGE, YOU OFFERED, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M READING THIS RIGHT $566,606.72. YEAH, I DID 8% AND MADE AVAILABLE I THINK IT'S $200,000 OF THE SB 22.
$157,659. VERY GOOD. SO THAT GIVES ME A TOTAL OF $724,266 AVAILABLE.
YES. THE BUDGET IT GOES AWAY. I UNDERSTAND. OKAY. SO WHAT I'M PROPOSING IS BASICALLY A THIS FIRST PAGE THAT YOU ALL HAVE THAT IS A BREAKDOWN PER POSITION, PER HOUR AND PER YEAR OF SERVICE FOR EVERY POSITION.
THIS BUDGET ALLOWS ME TO ALSO GIVE A 5% RAISE TO MY KITCHEN STAFF AND MY ADMIN STAFF.
I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING FOR A COUNTYWIDE RAISE. IS THAT CORRECT? YES IT IS.
OKAY SO THIS IS ALSO INCLUDES THAT 5%. FOR THOSE FOLKS THE.
INCLUDED IN THE HANDOUT I'VE PROVIDED THE PROPOSED HOURLY RATES FOR EACH POSITION RECEIVED, RECEIVING THE STEP IN GREAT ADJUSTMENT. A BREAKDOWN OF PROJECTED PAY FOR CURRENT EMPLOYEES AND A 5% RAISE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE AND KITCHEN STAFF IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RAISES PROVIDED TO OTHER COUNTY EMPLOYEES. THE TOTAL PROJECT I'M SORRY.
THE BLACK NUMBERS ARE THE CURRENT NUMBERS. THE RED NUMBERS ARE WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
AND THEN BELOW THAT IT TALKS. IT HAS THE BREAKDOWN OF THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTION, THE SENATE BILL CONTRIBUTION, THE TOTAL AMOUNT, THE INCREASE AND WHAT'S LEFT ON THAT FINAL PAGE.
THE WHAT BASICALLY I'M ASKING IS THAT YOU WILL ADOPT IN THIS BUDGET THAT HOURLY BREAKDOWN.
THAT WAY MOVING FORWARD, ANY PERCENTAGE RAISES THAT YOU GIVE WILL GO TO THAT PERCENTAGE.
AND SO YOU HAD AVAILABLE TO YOU $724,266 AND YOU'RE ASKING FOR $677,813.
SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME. YOU HAD AVAILABLE TO YOU $724,266.
YES. AND THEN HERE IT SAYS THAT AND YOU'RE ASKING FOR AN INCREASE OF ONLY $677,813.
[00:05:08]
YES BUT IF YOU LOOK THAT WILL ALLOW ME THE $46,453.WHAT I CAN USE WITH THAT IS THE OPEN POSITIONS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
IF I CAN HIRE SOMEONE IN THAT HAS THE EXPERIENCE, THEN I CAN BRING THEM IN AT THAT PAY RATE.
IT'S A LATERAL TRANSFER TYPE SITUATION. THAT WAY THEY'RE NOT STARTING AT A BEGINNING SALARY.
RIGHT. SO YOU JUST BRING THEM UP AND I'M ASSUMING THESE NUMBERS ARE BASED ON TOTAL YEARS OF SERVICE, NOT JUST HERE BUT AS AN OFFICER. YES. OKAY SO IF YOU BROUGHT SOMEBODY IN, THEY HAD FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE ALREADY THEY WOULD COME IN AT. PATROL DEPUTY WOULD COME IN AT WITH FIVE YEARS' EXPERIENCE.
THEY WOULD COME IN AT $31, $38 AN HOUR. OKAY ALL RIGHT.
SO JUST TO. CAN I JUST CLARIFY FOR A SECOND JUDGE? OUT OF IT AND LEAVE YOURSELF WITH THE $46,453 AT YOUR DISCRETION, TO ATTRACT IF.
YES. OKAY. SO IT WOULD STILL BE IN THE. IN THE IN THE SALARY BUDGET LINE ITEMS. OKAY. AND THEN I COULD READJUST IT AS WE'RE BRINGING UP.
THAT GIVES ME A LITTLE BIT OF WIGGLE ROOM WHEN WE'RE HIRING NEW FOLKS.
OKAY. I REALLY, REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THIS.
JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT, TO ADD THAT SHERIFF'S ASKING FOR $119,995.
AND I'M GOING TO BE REAL RELUCTANT TO TAKE THAT FOR ME AS A LEVEL UP.
SO MAY I SPEAK ON THAT AS WELL? YEAH. I UNDERSTAND THAT'S A BIG PAY RAISE FOR ME AND I'M NOT HERE TO MAKE MONEY. BUT WHAT I AM HERE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT I GET MY JOB DONE, AND I DO IT FAIRLY.
I HAVE A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITIES THAT LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS DON'T HAVE.
JUST RECENTLY HOUSE BILL 33 WE HAVE TO COME. FROM LEGISLATION WE HAVE TO I AM RESPONSIBLE.
FOR CONDUCTING TABLETOP DRILLS ON EVERY ODD YEAR FOR ACTIVE SHOOTER EVENTS WITH EVERY SCHOOL, EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT, EVERY FIRE AND EMS DEPARTMENT THAT IS FALLING TO MY SHOULDERS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, SENATE BILL 8 WE HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 287 G PROGRAM.
WE HAVE NO OPTIONS. AND ALL OF THAT IS UNFUNDED.
ABOVE AND BEYOND. THE WHAT THE POLICE CHIEFS AND STUFF HAVE I HAVE A JAIL DIVISION, INCLUDING KITCHEN COMMISSARY, EDUCATION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING LIKE AA, WE HAVE A TRANSPORT DIVISION.
ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE, I HAVE COURT SECURITY TRAINING, DRONES, CIVIL.
AND THEN AGAIN, ALL THE HB 33 AND SB 8 REQUIREMENTS.
AND THAT'S JUST WHAT I COULD THINK OF WHILE I'M SITTING HERE. I KNOW, BUT YOU'VE ALWAYS HAD MOST OF THOSE EXCEPT FOR THE TWO PIECES OF LEGISLATION SPEAKERS]. AGREE, I ALWAYS I ALWAYS HAVE THOSE THAT AND YOU'RE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AND WE'RE SUBJECT TO A LITTLE DIFFERENT STANDARD THAN OUR EMPLOYEES ARE AS FAR AS WHAT WE MAKE.
OH, NO, I TOTALLY AGREE. OKAY.
SO I GUESS, MIKE, YOU WEREN'T HERE LAST MEETING, BUT WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT I CAN'T HEAR YOU. YEAH I'M SORRY THAT A LITTLE CLOSER.
LAST COURT MEETING, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT WAY BACK IN 2017 OR 18, I GUESS WE MADE AN EFFORT TO MOVE UP BOTH THE SHERIFF AND THE JUDGE TO BE AT AN EQUAL PAY RATE.
RIGHT. GOING UP SO WE DISCUSSED HOW THAT MIGHT WORK IN THIS CONTEXT.
I GUESS GOING UP TO $119,000 FROM $93,000. IT'S ABOUT ROUGHLY $27,000.
YEAH. DO YOU KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE THAT IS? I DON'T I WAS JUST GOING OFF OF THE NUMBERS FROM.
AND THIS SETUP IS COMPARED TO LULING POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT.
THE ORIGINAL WAS ON LOCKHART BASED ON THEIR BASE PAY.
YEAH. THIS IS ON LULING. DANIE, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS?
[00:10:10]
22%.24% OKAY. AND THE OTHER POSITIONS ARE REPRESENTING ROUGHLY AN 8% OR ARE LET ME GO BACK TO I DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES ON SO FORGIVE ME.
SO SOME OF MY JAIL SALARY IS GOING TO BASE SALARY IS GOING TO STAY THE SAME THAT IT CURRENTLY IS.
THAT IS A VERY REASONABLE STARTING SALARY. MY PATROL SALARY IS GOING TO GO UP BEGINNING OR STARTING OFF WE'LL GO UP TO LESS THAN $2,000. SOME OF THEM, LET'S SEE.
I HAVE A SERGEANT'S STARTING PAID GOING UP BECAUSE OF HIS TIME ON THE JOB.
GOING UP $10,000. I HAVE ANOTHER SERGEANT WHO'S NOT.
DOESN'T HAVE AS MUCH TIME, HIS IS GOING UP ROUGHLY $4,000.
IT'S TRULY DEPENDENT ON YEARS OF SERVICE. FOR THE INCREASE FROM HERE TO THE PROPOSED FOR 27.5% I CAN UNDERSTAND YOU KNOW, HAVING YOU AT A LEVEL THAT ALLOWS I KNOW THAT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT, BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND IT.
YOU KNOW, YOU WANT YOUR CHIEF AND CAPTAIN, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE ROOM TO BE IN BETWEEN THAT AND YOUR PATROL DEPUTY SALARIES.
BUT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SHERIFF AND THE JUDGE MAINTAIN THE SAME I CAN UNDERSTAND HOPPY BEING RELUCTANT FOR THAT.
I CAN TOO, BUT I WILL TELL YOU, THAT MAN DESERVES A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.
I WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GIVING MYSELF A RAISE THAT BIG.
NO, YOU GUYS CAN OUTVOTE ME, BUT I'M GOING TO VOTE NO.
SO, JUDGE, MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION? YES. WHY DO YOU WANT TO NOT RAISE YOUR SALARY? BECAUSE YOU CERTAINLY PUT IN THE HOURS AND THE WORK.
I DO BUT I KNEW WHAT THIS JOB PAID WHEN I TOOK IT.
AND I'VE GOTTEN A $25,000 RAISE SINCE I'VE HAD THIS JOB ABOVE WHAT I WAS MAKING BEFORE.
AND I'VE GOTTEN THE SAME COLOR RAISE AS EVERY EMPLOYEE HERE YEAR AFTER YEAR.
IN FACT, I GOT MORE SOME YEARS BECAUSE WE DID THAT FIVE-YEAR INCREASE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR ME, IT'S AN ETHICAL AND A MORAL CONSIDERATION THAT I DON'T THINK THAT I SHOULD TAKE A RAISE THAT BIG WHEN I'M SITTING HERE DOING IT ON TAXPAYERS MONEY.
AND THE TAXPAYERS ELECTED ME AT A CERTAIN RATE.
AND THEN SINCE THEN, I'VE GOTTEN THE OTHER RAISES JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
MAY I PUT AN ASTERISK NEXT TO YOUR $25,000 RAISE?
[00:15:05]
THE SHERIFF, TWO YEARS AHEAD OF THAT, I BELIEVE, GOT THAT RAISE.AND I BELIEVE YOU SAID ON THE YOU WERE COMMISSIONER PRECINCT 1 AND THE JUDGE HAD YEAH, YEAH. TO GIVE HIM YEAH. AND THEN THE COMMISSIONERS SAW THE JOB THAT YOU WERE DOING AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENED.
YES. AND THEY LEVELED ME UP TO THE SHERIFF SALARY.
IT WAS ALSO TO COMPENSATE FOR NOT TAKING THE STIPEND.
YEAH, IT ABSOLUTELY WAS. AND I STILL DON'T, I NEVER WILL, BUT.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT ALL OF US APPRECIATE THAT.
YEAH. AND EVEN NOW, IT'S 18%. I MEAN, I COULD GO TO TREY TOMORROW AND GO, HEY, I WANT TO DO SIX PROBATE AND TWO GUARDIANSHIPS A MONTH, AND I WOULD MEET THAT STANDARD.
IT'S A VERY LOW BAR. RIGHT [LAUGHTER]. THE LEGISLATURE IS SET, BUT I HAVE NO INTENTION OF DOING THAT BECAUSE THIS JOB, IF YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT, MY JOB IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I JUST [LAUGHTER] DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING. IF YOU'RE IN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE IN ONE OF THE SMALLER COUNTIES WEST OF HERE, YOU'RE NOT EXPERIENCING A LOT OF GROWTH. YOU PROBABLY GOT ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD TO DO PROBATES, BUT I DON'T. THERE'S NO WAY I COULD DO THAT. DO A GOOD JOB AT THE REST OF IT.
YEAH I GUESS THAT'S A BATTLE. THAT'S A WEST THEY COULD TAKE UP [LAUGHTER].
IN A COUNTY OUR SIZE BIGGER COUNTIES HAVE ADMINISTRATOR.
LIKE A CITY HAS A CITY MANAGER. A BIGGER COUNTIES WILL HAVE A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
AND IN OUR SIZE WE DON'T HAVE THAT. SO THE JUDGE FULFILLS THAT ROLE.
AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW CITY MANAGERS EVEN IN SMALLER TOWNS OR.
THEY MAKE GOOD MONEY. ANYWHERE FROM OVER $200,000 DOWN TO $150,000.
ALL RIGHT. I AGREE AND I WOULDN'T MIND HIM MAKING A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.
HE DOES A LOT OF WORK AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I THANK Y'ALL.
I JUST FOR ME, IT'S A. AND I'M GOING TO THROW SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT OFFEND.
AND IT IS NOT INTENDED TO. MANY WELL, SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE.
THIS IS NOT YOUR PRIMARY JOB, I THINK JUDGE, THIS IS PROBABLY YOUR PRIMARY JOB, DO I? [LAUGHTER] YEAH, BUT YOU HAVE OTHER INCOME.
I HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS THAT I PAY MYSELF $400 A MONTH OUT OF.
AND THEN THIS IS MY JOB. YEAH, SAME. BUT I ALSO WORK 16 HOURS A DAY, EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. YES, SIR. SO. YEAH OH, YEAH.
AS LONG AS MY PHONE IS ON ME, I'M WORKING, I'M AT WORK WORKING 16 HOURS A DAY. JUST TO KEEP UP.
I DO EIGHT HOURS HERE AND EIGHT HOURS OF MY OTHER BUSINESS.
YEAH, YEAH TWO FULL TIME JOBS. YES AND IT'S MY CHOICE.
I CHOOSE THAT. ABSOLUTELY. THEY CHOOSE THEIR ROLE AND THEIR SALARY.
YOU CHOOSE YOUR ROLE AND YOUR SALARY. IT'S A CHOICE THAT WE ALL MAKE.
YES, SIR. I'M OPEN TO DISCUSSION. I MEAN, I'M GOING TO.
I'LL PUT IT IN. HOWEVER, I DECIDE TO PUT IT IN.
IF YOU GUYS WANT TO VOTE DIFFERENTLY WHEN IT COMES TIME TO VOTE.
THEN WE'LL VOTE. I MEAN, IT'S JUST A WORKSHOP.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS HERE THIS MORNING BUT.
BUT WE ARE PUTTING THIS IN THE I THINK TO. I THINK I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, NOT TO YOU GUYS.
NO I THINK TO DECOUPLE THAT CONVERSATION JUST FOR A SECOND.
YEAH. WHEN IT COMES TO JUST WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED BY SHERIFF LANE, I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH WHAT HAS BEEN PUT BEFORE US AT THIS POINT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET AT THAT POINT. I DON'T HAVE ANY HEARTBURN WHATSOEVER NO AND I DO APPRECIATE I KNOW SOME WORK WENT INTO THIS [LAUGHTER].
SO I APPRECIATE IT. I APPRECIATE THAT EFFORT.
AGAIN, MY BIGGEST THING IS WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR THE BUDGET, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO VOTE IN THE HOURLY BREAKDOWN, THE STEP IN GRADE, SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
[00:20:03]
I WOULD EVENTUALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT ON A COUNTYWIDE BASIS, BUT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT BEING HARD TO FILL ANYWAY, PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AS MUCH.THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO BUILD THIS AS BEST I CAN.
AND I WOULD I THINK IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER IF IT WAS VOTED IN AS A SO I DO HAVE ONE THING TO SAY ABOUT THAT THOUGH.
IF YOU DO THAT, THEN I MEAN, THIS IS TO RIGHT NOW WE'RE LEVELING EVERYBODY UP TO IF YOU AND THEN NEXT YEAR WE DECIDE TO DO A 4% COLA, IS THE 4% GOING TO GET APPLIED TO THAT NUMBER? OR IS THAT GOING TO BE? I WANT TO BE CLEAR. I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS, I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BRING SOMEBODY IN AT YEAR TEN SERVICE LEVEL AND THEN GIVE THEM AND DO IT THIS TIME OF YEAR AND THEN GIVE THEM A BIG FAT COLA RAISE ON TOP OF THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN HERE SERVING THE COUNTY.
IT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO KEEP UP WITH. BUT THAT'S JUST MY PERSPECTIVE.
WELL YEAH. THAT WAY IT'S ALL IT ALL MOVES TOGETHER.
THAT LEADS US TO ANOTHER POINT IS, HOPEFULLY THIS WILL FILL ALL THOSE EMPTY POSITIONS.
IF IT DOESN'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO FOR YOU.
BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO FOR YOU.
BECAUSE THIS WILL BE THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW THAT WE'VE GIVEN HUGE RAISES IF IT DOESN'T END.
AND RIGHT NOW, WITH WHAT YOU GOT AT THE LOW END OF YOUR SALARY, IS WITHIN ABOUT LESS THAN $1,000 OF WHAT LOCKHART HAS ADVERTISED FOR SOMEBODY THAT WAS 6 TO 8 YEARS EXPERIENCE RIGHT NOW, SHE GOT $64,000 FOR A 6 TO 8 YEAR EXPERIENCE PERSON ON THEIR WEBSITE.
THEY DO MY POINT IS THIS GETS YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO BE.
HOPEFULLY IT'LL FILL ALL THOSE POSITIONS AND WE WON'T HAVE OVERTIME.
BUT WHERE I'M GOING WITH THAT WHOLE THING IS THIS DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR OT AT ALL.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE AN OVERTIME LINE ITEM IN THERE THAT SOMEHOW ACCOUNTS FOR OVERTIME.
THAT THAT DESCENDS AS WE BEGIN TO FILL THESE POSITIONS.
THAT'S JUST SOMETHING WE GOT TO DO THE MATH ON.
IF A COMMITTEE NEEDS TO BE FORMED, IF YOU KNOW SOME KIND OF AGREEMENT OR POLICY THAT NEEDS TO BE ADOPTED BY THE COURT, NEEDS TO MAYBE BE, AND THAT CAN HAPPEN WITHIN ANY TIME OF THE YOUR FISCAL YEAR.
THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DONE WITHIN THIS NEXT MONTH. YEAH I MEAN, THAT'S I THINK THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING SHERIFF IS I'M OKAY WITH ADOPTING THESE SALARIES THIS YEAR. BUT THE STEP IN GRADE PROGRAM, I'D LIKE TO PUT IT INTO A POLICY, A FORMAL ABSOLUTELY. BEFORE WE ADOPT THESE NUMBERS. ABSOLUTELY AND JUST SO EVERYONE IS AWARE, WE ALSO HAVE A COMPUTER PROGRAM WHERE WE DO OUR FIELD TRAINING AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF.
BUT WE ALSO DO EVERY YEAR WE DO A, MY WORDS ARE LEAVING ME, EVERY EMPLOYEE. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO VERY MUCH TO PUT THAT IN THERE AS WELL.
BUT I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET NUMBERS TOGETHER AND TRY TO GET THIS DONE.
NO, I APPRECIATE IT. SO I THINK IF IT'S ALL RIGHT WITH YOU AND THE REST OF YOUR OFFICE WILL ADOPT THE SALARIES AS IS, AND THEN WE'LL WORK TOGETHER TO FORM A COMMITTEE AND GET SOME SORT OF FORMALIZATION OF THESE OTHER NUMBERS.
OKAY, I'M GOOD WITH THAT. OKAY ALL RIGHT. AWESOME THANK YOU GENTLEMEN, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND ALL OF YOUR EFFORT. OKAY YES, SIR WE APPRECIATE YOURS. ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO COME UP AND TALK BEFORE WE START GETTING INTO WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS MAY HAVE QUESTIONS ON? I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE A NOTE. I KNOW THAT JUDGE AND I SAT DOWN LAST WEEK AND EVALUATED ALL THE ADMIN POSITIONS ACROSS THE BOARD, AND WE DID DO SOME ADJUSTING. I KNOW WE DID SOME WITH THE DISTRICT CLERK AND THE COUNTY CLERK, BUT THEN THAT MADE US, YOU KNOW, WANT TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND ANYBODY THAT WE SAW UNDER $45,000, THEY DID GET THE 5% PLUS $2,000 ON TOP OF THAT SO.
[00:25:03]
YEAH AND WE'RE DOING THAT TO TRY TO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO LIVE NOWADAYS.AND WHEN I START THINKING OF SOMEBODY THAT'S ONLY MAKING $40,000 A YEAR SUDDENLY FINDING THEMSELVES BY THEMSELVES AND TRYING TO MAKE A MORTGAGE PAYMENT OR A RENT PAYMENT AND BUY FOOD AND PAY THEIR LIGHT BILL, THAT IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY. YEAH, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THESE EMPLOYEES. I MEAN, THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR 10, 15, 20 YEARS. YES SO WE JUST WENT THROUGH WE WENT THROUGH DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT. WE SORT OF BASED IT OUT ON WHAT WE DID WITH THE DISTRICT CLERK AND THE COUNTY CLERK.
AND THEN WE WENT BACK AND TOOK A LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, AND THEY WERE STILL VERY, VERY LOW COMPARED TO THE ADJUSTMENT THAT WE MADE FOR THOSE TWO OFFICES.
AND SO WE ADJUSTED SOME SALARIES BASED ON THAT BECAUSE OUR STAFF WAS TAKING ON EXTRA WORK.
AND TERESA'S WE HAD A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT LOOK AT IT.
COME ON UP, JUANITA, IF YOU WANT TO. SO, ANYWAY, THAT'S WHERE WE WOUND UP.
AND WERE ONLY MAKING LIKE $40,000. AND YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE.
I'D LOVE TO SEE THIS GET FORMALIZED. WE SAID LAST YEAR WE DIDN'T GET IT DONE.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF A RARE POSITION TO BE IN.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO GET THIS SOMEWHAT SETTLED DOWN SALARY WISE, THIS GO AROUND AND THEN WORK WITH HR TO COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF A STANDARDIZED EVALUATION SHEET THAT WE USE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
OBVIOUSLY LAW ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT WE COULD STILL DO A STANDARDIZED VALUATION SHEET BETWEEN THE SO AND THE [INAUDIBLE] OFFICES. AND THEN HOW PEOPLE DO THOSE EVALUATE YOUR STAFF, SET GOALS FOR YOUR STAFF.
WHEN I WAS AT DBRA AND LCRA, WE HAD TO SET WE HAD A JOB DESCRIPTION.
WE WERE EXPECTED TO DO THE DO THE DUTIES OF THAT JOB DESCRIPTION, AND WE WOULD GET A COLA RAISE.
YOU DIDN'T JUST GET A COLA RAISE, YOU KNOW, IF COLA IS 3% YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET YOUR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DO JUST ENOUGH TO, TO STAY EMPLOYED, THEN YOU GET A COLA RAISE, YOU WANT TO GET MORE THAN THE COLA RAISE.
YOU GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO GET IT. YOU GOT TO EARN IT.
YOU GOT TO GO OUT AND CREATE A NEW PROCESS. YOU GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO SAVE THE COUNTY MONEY.
YOU GOTTA COME UP WITH A WAY TO STRETCH DOLLARS FURTHER.
YOU DON'T JUST GET IT BECAUSE YOU MANAGE TO STAY THERE WITHOUT LOSING YOUR JOB [LAUGHTER].
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT THE COLA ADJUSTMENTS' FOR. AND SO AT LCRA, IF I WANT FOR INSTANCE, IF I WANTED TO GET A RAISE ABOVE THE COLA RAISE, I HAD TO SET SOME SORT OF GOAL. I HAD TO SAY I WAS GOING TO GO BACK TO COLLEGE.
I HAD TO SAY I WAS GOING TO CREATE A SYSTEM WHEREBY I SAVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY AT LCRA $100,000 A YEAR TO GET AN EXTRA FIVE. I HAD TO JUSTIFY IT, AND IT HAD TO BE PROFITABLE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT I WORKED FOR.
IN OUR CASE, IT HAS TO BE PROFITABLE FOR THE TAXPAYERS.
AND IF I MAY, I WAS JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED ON THAT.
SO I'M LOSING A POSITION TO BRING MY $40,000 STAFF UP TO THE $47,000 $49,000.
IS THAT? MAKING ONLY $40,000. AND THEY'RE NOT RECEIVING A $9,000, $10,000 RAISE.
THEY'RE WITH A 5% AND THE EXTRA 2 IS MAYBE LIKE $4,000, $5,000.
[00:30:07]
MORE THAN THEIR CURRENT FOUR YEARS ARE NOW GIVING A SUBSTANTIAL LARGER ONE THAN WHAT THE OTHER ADMIN POSITIONS ARE GETTING.IF I WAS UNDER AND YOU SAID 47,000, THEY WERE BEING BROUGHT UP? AND THERE WAS ONLY A FEW I BELIEVE A COUPLE PEOPLE IN THE DA'S OFFICE THAT HAD BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
THEY WERE IN THE MID TO LOW $40,000 RANGE. AND I CAN GO THROUGH THEIR I HAVE IT ALL BY EVERY EMPLOYEE, BUT THEY AREN'T GETTING A $9,500 AND SOMETHING DOLLAR RAISE.
THEY'RE GETTING A 5% PLUS $2,000 WHICH. IF SO $40,000 EMPLOYEE IS GOING TO COME UP TO $44,000.
YEAH. AND THOSE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY.
THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO GIVE IN SOME OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS WHERE THERE'S A VACANCY, THEY'RE ALL FULLY STAFFED, SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET.
RIGHT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. IT'S JUST MY STAFF ARE RECEIVING EXTRA LOAD THERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SPOKE WITH YOU ALL BEFORE, I'VE GONE OVER WITH THEM SEVERAL TIMES MAKING SURE, BECAUSE THE PRIORITY IS THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE OVERWHELMED.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO BE OVERWHELMED IN MY OFFICE.
I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB AND BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE SALARY THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO.
THEY SHOULD RECEIVE WITH THE WORK THEY DO. AND SO THAT'S WHY I CAME AND INITIATED LOSING A POSITION AFTER TWO WEEKS WORTH OF TALKING WITH MY STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT THE COMMUNITY, IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT ANY WORK THAT'S COMING IN.
AND SO THEY ARE WORKING EXTRA HARD. THEY ARE WORKING EXTRA HARD.
AND THAT'S WHY I CAME IN AND SPOKE WITH MY STAFF, CAME IN AND SPOKE WITH YOU ALL TO SEE, TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE DID DO THIS, IF WE DID LOSE IT, THEN THEY WERE OKAY, AND I BROUGHT THE BREAKDOWN OF THEIR JOB DUTIES AND EVERYBODY IS OKAY ON IT.
IN ALL FAIRNESS. OKAY THANK YOU, I WAS MAKING SURE TO ME I THOUGHT I READ THAT'S CRAZY [LAUGHTER]. THEY'RE MAKING A LOT LESS. I MEAN, THERE'S IT'S ABOUT $3,500 A YEAR LESS, EVEN FOR THE ONES WE'RE BRINGING UP. SO THEY'RE MAKING A LOT LESS, TOO.
AND THEY'VE BEEN HERE A LOT BUT WE'RE I'M LOSING A POSITION IF AND I JUST EXPLAINED TO YOU THAT YOUR STAFF IS GOING TO BE MAKING EXTREMELY, MUCH MORE THAN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING THE 5% PLUS THE $2,000.
AND DUE TO THEIR WORK, WHAT THEY DO AND THE WORK YES AND SO THEY'RE GETTING COMPENSATED MORE THAN THE OTHERS.
YES. BUT THEY ALSO TAKE ON JUST AS MUCH, JUST MAKING THAT CLEAR.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK WE'VE KIND OF LAID OUT IN SOME OF THAT STUFF'S NOT IN HERE YET.
BY THE WAY, SOME OF THOSE RAISE BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF IT BEFORE WE PUNCH IT IN, AND THEN SOMEBODY DOESN'T LIKE IT.
WE HAVE TO PUNCH IT IN AGAIN [LAUGHTER]. AND SO WE'RE.
AND BY ALL MEANS, LET'S DO IT. OKAY. I THINK FOR MY PART, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE INCORPORATED IN THERE AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL AND THEN I'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AT THAT POINT, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO THAT'S GOING TO CREATE SOME SUBSTANTIVE DIFFERENTIAL I WOULD IMAGINE SO. IT'S THERE'S MORE MONEY SO IT'S ALWAYS A MATTER OF [LAUGHTER] HAVING TO FIND THE MONEY.
YEAH. YOU KNOW, ONE THING I DO WANT TO SPEAK TO BECAUSE IT'S COME UP, IT'S BEEN THE PAPER LATELY.
[00:35:06]
IT'S THE UNENCUMBERED FUND BALANCE. I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS.IT'S NOT JUST $24 MILLION SITTING AROUND THERE WITH THAT'S NOT EARMARKED FOR ANYTHING.
WE HAVE A NEED FOR BUILDINGS COMING UP. WE'RE OUT OF SPACE.
NOBODY'S GOING TO GIVE US THAT MONEY. AND IF AND WE'RE IN SPECIAL SESSION AGAIN AND THE SAME OLD BILLS ALMOST COST THE SAME OLD BILLS ARE THERE AGAIN FOR CONSIDERATION, EVENTUALLY THEY'RE GOING TO PASS.
AND SO YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO DO BONDS EXCEPT IN NOVEMBER.
BECAUSE THE COMPETITION IS GOING TO BE CRAZY, BECAUSE WE CAN'T SPREAD IT AROUND.
YOU CAN'T PICK YOUR TIME. THE OTHER THING IS, CEOS I GUARANTEE YOU, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THERE'S ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES IS ABOUT TO ISSUE SOMETHING LIKE $255 MILLION WORTH OF CEOS WHILE THEIR BONDS BEING CONSIDERED IN DISTRICT COURT AS THESE LARGER COUNTIES CONTINUE TO DO THAT, THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO TAKE AWAY OUR ABILITY.
THAT'S COMING. I GUARANTEE YOU, IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN THIS SESSION, IT WILL HAPPEN NEXT SESSION.
IT VERY NEARLY PASSED THIS SESSION. SO THAT MEANS IF YOU WANT TO BUILD A $5 MILLION BUILDING, YOU BETTER HAVE $5 MILLION IN YOUR UNENCUMBERED FUND BALANCE.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO SAY TO ME, WELL, YOU'LL GET FEMA.
WELL, MAYBE IT'S IF IT'S $55 MILLION AGGREGATE FOR THE WHOLE STATE BEFORE FEMA EVEN KICKS IN, UNLESS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SAYS, I DECLARE IT BE A FEDERAL DISASTER.
SO MAYBE LET'S ASSUME THAT YOU GET FEMA. IT WAS SEVEN YEARS AFTER HARVEY BEFORE WE GOT OUR FEMA MONEY. AND YOU GOTTA FIX THE ROADS RIGHT NOW OR IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH WE PAY LAW ENFORCEMENT, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY THE ESD'S GET FOR AMBULANCE SERVICE AND FIRE SERVICES THAT THEY CAN'T GET ACROSS EVERY LOW WATER CROSSING IN THIS COUNTY, WHICH IS WHAT KERRVILLE IS EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW.
THEY CAN'T GET TO YOU AND THEY CAN'T SERVE YOU.
I DON'T CARE WHAT WE PAY THEM OR HOW MANY CARS WE BUY.
SO WE HAVE TO FIX THOSE RIGHT NOW, IMMEDIATELY.
AND THAT WOULD LITERALLY EAT UP EVERY DIME THAT'S IN THAT FUND BALANCE ALL BY ITSELF.
WE'RE GOING TO EARMARK IT. SO MUCH FOR EMERGENCY, SO MUCH FOR BUILDINGS, SO MUCH FOR THIS, SO MUCH FOR THAT. SO THAT PEOPLE CLEARLY UNDERSTAND.
$24 MILLION SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY.
IT'S LESS THAN ONE YEAR OF OPERATING EXPERIENCE FOR THIS OPERATING EXPENSE FOR THIS COUNTY.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT'S ABOUT AND THAT WHEN I'M WHEN IT SAID THAT, I'M PUSHING BACK. I AM PUSHING BACK BECAUSE THAT'S THERE FOR A REASON IS PROTECT EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTY.
OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. IF NOT, I THINK WE CAN MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
I'LL MOVE WE ADJOURN [LAUGHTER]. THANK YOU WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN BY COMMISSIONER WESTMORELAND.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HORNE.
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. WE'RE ADJOURNED AT 11:02.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.