[00:00:03]
WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED ON OUR, ON OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS WILL TAKE VERY LONG. I'M JUST, I JUST WANT TO HEAR FROM COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF IF YOU'D LIKE BEFORE WE START OUR MEETINGS, JUST IF THERE'S ANY JUST OVERARCHING PRIORITIES.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER THURSDAY, MAY 28TH, 2026 AT I CAN GET MY PHONE ON. 10:01 AM.
COMMISSIONERS, COULD I GET A MOTION TO SKIP THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE? SO MOVE.
AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER TERRIO, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HORN.
AYE. ANY CITIZENS' COMMENTS? NONE. NO CITIZENS' COMMENTS.
[F.1 To discuss current and future Caldwell County budgetary needs in anticipation of the upcoming Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budgeting process. ]
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GO TO ITEM F1. DISCUSS CURRENT AND FUTURE CALDWELL COUNTY BUDGETARY NEEDS IN ANTICIPATION OF UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027. AND, AND, GO AHEAD, IZZY.JUST WANT TO REMIND THE COURT, AND ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT I DO HAVE ALREADY SOME DEPARTMENTS SCHEDULED FOR BUDGET TALKS, SO THEY'VE ALREADY UPLOADED THEIR FISCAL YEAR-END PROJECTION, YEAR-END PROJECTIONS, AND THE DEPARTMENT REQUESTED FOR '27. SO WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF DEPARTMENTS SCHEDULED ALREADY. IF YOU AS COMMISSIONERS WANT TO JOIN ANY OF YOUR PRECINCT BUDGET TALKS, JUST GIVE ME A CALL, ASK ME, BECAUSE I HAVE SCHEDULED SO MANY I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO HAS ALL DONE IT OR NOT.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO JOIN EITHER ONE OF YOUR CONSTABLE OR YOUR JP BUDGET MEETINGS, I CAN FORWARD THOSE MEETINGS TO YOU AS I SCHEDULE THEM.
OKAY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START, COMMISSIONERS. ONE ITEM THAT I, THAT I AM GOING TO ASK YOU FOR THIS YEAR, JUST GIVEN THE, GENERAL OVERALL CIVIL UNREST THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING IN, IN THE COUNTRY, IN THE STATE, AND EVEN IN THE COUNTY, I'M GOING TO PLACE INTO THE BUDGET TO ANYWHERE WHERE THERE'S A COURTROOM IN THE JP'S OFFICES OR HERE WE'VE ALREADY GOT THE COURTROOMS COVERED OVER AT THE JUSTICE CENTER, BUT PUTTING IN METAL DETECTORS, WHICH WILL REQUIRE ALSO HIRING SOME EXTRA CONSTABLES I MEAN, EXTRA DEPUTIES FOR THE SO FOR BAILIFFS, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO, ONE AT THE METAL DETECTOR, ONE BACK WHERE THEY NORMALLY SIT HERE, AND THE SAME FOR THE OTHER PRECINCT OFFICES.
YOU KNOW, AND THE REASON FOR THAT, I THINK, SHOULD BE CLEAR. I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE WIDE OPEN IN THIS BUILDING AND IN THE OTHER BUILDINGS. YOU KNOW, I'LL USE PRECINCT 2 AS AN EXAMPLE.
IF CONSTABLE EASTERLING AND HIS DEPUTY HAPPEN TO BE OUT, THERE'S NO SECURITY IN THAT BUILDING AT ALL. HERE WE HAVE ONE PERSON BETWEEN EVERYBODY IN THIS BUILDING AND ANYBODY WITH BAD INTENTIONS.
IN ANY OTHER COUNTY, YOU GO TO THEIR MEETINGS.
I MEAN, THEY'RE YEAH, YOU KNOW, I JUST WENT THROUGH BASTROP COUNTY AND I HAD TO WALK THROUGH TWO METAL DETECTORS TO GET TO JUDGE KLAUS. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE DID THIS.
THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST THERE'S BEEN SOME PUSHBACK, BUT, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY THAT DOESN'T AGREE THAT WE LIVE IN A DANGEROUS WORLD NOW IS KIDDING THEMSELVES. AND I FEEL PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE IN OUR BUILDINGS. AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU COME TO WORK, YOU FEEL SAFE AND YOU FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMEBODY STANDING BETWEEN YOU AND SOMEBODY WITH BAD INTENTIONS.
AND THE VERY LEAST WE CAN DO IS TAKE AWAY POCKET KNIVES AND GUNS AT THE DOOR. SO WE'RE GOING TO HOPEFULLY DO THAT.
WE'VE KIND OF DONE A PRELIMINARY STAB AT THE BUDGET.
WE SHOULD WE'RE ANTICIPATING ABOUT $1.5 MILLION MORE THIS YEAR. SO THERE'S SOME MONEY TO WORK WITH.
I HAVEN'T GOTTEN WITH PURCHASING AT ALL TO EVEN SEE WHAT WHAT A METAL DETECTOR COSTS. I KNOW WHAT THE BAILIFFS COST, SO THAT, THAT'D BE FAIRLY EASY. BUT, AND WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE TO ADD STAFF.
ANOTHER ROUTE TO GO WOULD BE TO, YOU KNOW, IF THE CONSTABLE, WE WANT TO HIRE DEPUTY CONSTABLES TO DO THE PRECINCT OFFICES AND A BAILIFF HERE. BUT I'LL HAVE TO TALK THAT OVER WITH SHERIFF LANE AND SEE WHICH WAY HE WANTS TO JUMP.
BUT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, I JUST FEEL THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, AND THE TIME HAS COME FOR US TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF MY PRIORITIES THAT I'D LIKE TO GET DONE THIS YEAR,
[00:05:01]
IN ADDITION TO ALL THE NORMAL FUNDING STUFF. I'VE GOT A FEW THINGS, BUT NO, GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER. I DON'T HAVE MUCH.I APPLAUD THE EFFORT, JUDGE, ON THE SECURITY TOO. I DON'T, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANY DISAGREEMENT OUT OF ME ON THAT. THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I THOUGHT, WE DISCUSSED THIS LAST YEAR A LITTLE BIT, AND I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT STANDS, JUST ON THE, JUST LOOKING FORWARD ON ANY, I KNOW THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE REALLY BUDGETARY RELATED, ON WHERE WE'RE GOING FOR OFFICE SPACE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO I'VE BEEN TALKING TO A PLACE CALLED AMERICAS, AND I GOT THIS IDEA FROM WE WERE REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE AT CONFERENCE AND JUDGE JIMMY SILVA, THEY WENT OUT, THEY HAD TO GO OUT FOR AN RFQ AND THEY ENDED UP HIRING THIS COMPANY CALLED AMERICAS. AND IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE ROAD BOND WHERE YOU HIRE A GENERAL ENGINEERING CONSULTANT.
YOU CAN HIRE A GENERAL CONSULTANT AND THEY WOULD THEN, ONCE WE GOT THEM, THEY WOULD DO ALL THE PROCUREMENT HIRE THE CONTRACTORS, AND IT SPEEDS THE PROCESS ALONG QUITE A BIT.
AND SO THEY CAN GO OUT AND DO THIS PROCUREMENT IN A WAY THAT IT WOULD BE DONE OUTSIDE OF THE GOVERNMENTAL WORLD.
CHAMBERS COUNTY DID THIS ON THEIR JAIL, AND IT BROUGHT THE JAIL IN UNDER BUDGET AND EARLY. AND SO I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.
WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO DO AN RFQ FOR THAT CONSULTANT, WHOEVER THAT WOUND UP BEING.
THERE'S NOT, HONESTLY, NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THAT SPACE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES IN TEXAS REALLY DOING IT, BUT WE STILL NEED TO GO OUT AND SEEK SOMEBODY.
BUT BY DOING THAT, THEY WOULD HIRE AN ARCHITECT, THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE ARCHITECTS AND THE CONTRACTORS AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
BUT WE COULD THEN START LOOKING AT WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST FOR A JAIL? WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST FOR EXTRA OFFICE SPACE OVER AT THE JUSTICE CENTER? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT PIECE OF LAND THERE AND WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION. I DID HAVE AN ARCHITECTURE FIRM, ARCHITECTURAL FIRM TAKE A FIRST STAB AT THAT.
AND THEY KIND OF DESIGNED THE TAJ MAHAL. IT WAS $45 MILLION.
AND I SAID, I WILL BE BURNED IN EFFIGY ON THE COURTHOUSE LAWN IF I EVEN SUGGEST THAT.
SO WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING LESS FANCY. IT WAS REALLY NICE. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RODEO ARENA AND A SHOW BARN OUT AT THE EXPO CENTER.
I CAN THINK OF A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED.
ANIMAL SHELTER. ANIMAL SHELTER.
THANK YOU. I WAS LIKE, I'M FORGETTING SOMETHING. I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP RAMBLING UNTIL IT COMES TO ME.
THANK YOU. THAT WAS IT. AND BUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN THEN GET THE COST ON THOSE.
WE CAN PRIORITIZE THEM, DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED TO DO CAN DO IT WITH THE CO OR IF WE NEED TO GO OUT FOR BONDS.
BUT I THINK UNTIL WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND HIRE A FIRM TO HELP US WITH THAT, THEN WE'RE JUST GOING TO KIND OF SIT HERE AND SPIN OUR WHEELS. AND THIS WAY WE CAN GET SOME HARD COST ASSIGNED TO IT.
PRIORITIZE IT DURING THIS BUDGET SESSION AND THEN FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO TACKLE IT. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, JAIL PROBABLY LOOKING AT $150 MILLION EASY. THE THAT BUILDING OVER AT THE, AT THE, JUSTICE CENTER, I'M GONNA GUESS, WOULD BE ABOUT $30 MILLION.
THE RODEO ARENA, SO BARRING PROBABLY LOOKING AT $10 MILLION BY THE TIME ALL IN BY THE TIME YOU DO THAT.
ANIMAL SHELTER. I CAN'T REMEMBER.
I GOT SOMEBODY LOOK AT THAT, COMMISSIONER, AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT CAME IN AT.
BUT IT SEEMED LIKE $15 TO $20 MILLION. YEAH, $15, $20 MILLION.
AND SO, BUT WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE NEED ALL THESE THINGS. AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY WAY TO START IS TO FIRST FIGURE OUT WHAT THE COST IS GOING TO BE AND PUT AN ESCALATOR ON THEM SO THAT WE KNOW THAT IF WE KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, EVERY YEAR WE KICK THAT CAN, IT GETS MORE EXPENSIVE.
THERE'S NEVER ANY TIME CHEAPER THAN RIGHT NOW TO BUILD SOMETHING.
AND I KNOW I SOUND JUST LIKE A GENERAL CONTRACTOR, BECAUSE I AM, BUT IT'S TRUE.
COST OF MONEY TODAY IS LESS THAN THE COST OF MONEY IS GOING TO BE THIS TIME NEXT YEAR. SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE CAN GET THAT IN THE BUDGET.
AND GET THE RFQ DONE IN OCTOBER AND KIND OF START DOWN THIS PATH. I MEAN, WE COULD START THE RFQ NOW, YOU KNOW, AND AT LEAST GET SOMEBODY TEED UP.
[00:10:01]
IN THE BUDGET, THEN WE CAN DO THAT.SOMETHING ELSE THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO AN RFQ FOR THIS AS WELL, BUT WE NEED A STRATEGIC PLAN IN THIS COUNTY. WE DON'T HAVE ONE. WE FLY BY THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS.
IT'S PRETTY MUCH WHATEVER POPS IN MY HEAD AND GOES INTO THE BUDGET IS WHAT WE DO EVERY YEAR. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY WIFE WOULD TELL YOU THAT THAT'S A TERRIBLE IDEA. AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THAT STUFF JUST RESIDES IN MY HEAD.
YOU KNOW, IF I STEP OFF THE CURB AND GET RUN OVER BY THE BEER TRUCK, I MEAN, WE GOT A GREAT STAFF, BUT, YOU KNOW, I TALK TO PEOPLE ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, AND I DON'T ALWAYS SHARE EVERYTHING WITH THE STAFF. AND SO I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS AROUND WHAT A STRATEGIC PLAN WOULD LOOK LIKE AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST. THEY'RE NOT INEXPENSIVE, BUT I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH ONE FIRM, AND, YOU KNOW, TO GET A GOOD SOLID 5-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, PROBABLY LOOKING AT A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS.
TO DO IT. OF COURSE, WE'LL GO OUT FOR RFQ ON THAT AND SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT OTHER FIRMS HAVE TO SAY.
BUT I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
THE CITY OF LOCKHART HAS A STRATEGIC PLAN. I GUARANTEE YOU MOST, MOST OF THE COUNTIES IN OUR MSA HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND ALONG THOSE LINES, I'M ALSO GOING TO SUGGEST I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD CALL IT, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR POSITION, SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD WORK HAND IN HAND WITH RICHARD AND I AND DANNY AND PURCHASING AND GRANTS SO THAT THERE IS CONTINUITY.
IF I LOSE THE ELECTION, SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME OR ANY FUTURE JUDGE, YOU HAVE THAT PERSON THERE THAT'S THAT'S SORT OF APOLITICAL.
THEY DON'TĀ THEY'RE NOT AFFILIATED WITH A PARTY. THEIR JOB IS JUST TO MANAGE THE BUDGET, MANAGE THE PROCUREMENT, MANAGE ALL THOSE THINGS, AND WORK WITH STAFF IN BOTH AUDITOR AND LEGAL AND PURCHASING AND GRANTS.
AND THEY WOULD ALWAYS BE THERE, AND THEY WOULD BE A CONSISTENT PERSON BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE LOSE ELECTIONS OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING HAPPENS TO PEOPLE. SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, 2 YEARS COMMISSIONER TERRIO, GOD BLESS HIM, IS GOING TO RETIRE, AT LEAST FROM THIS. I DOUBT HE'LL QUIT WORKING, BUT HE'S GOING TO RETIRE FROM THIS.
BUT SAME HERE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS FOREVER. I LIKE MY JOB, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT SOME GRANDKIDS I'D LIKE TO SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME WITH. SO SOMEDAY I'M GOING TO THEY STOP.
SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, THAT POSITION. SO I'M GOING TO BRING IT FORWARD, AND IT'S UP AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, AS ALWAYS, COMMISSIONERS, IT'S UP TO YOU GUYS WHETHER OR NOT WE DO THAT.
AND SO THOSE ARE SOME, SOME MORE OF MINE THAT I'M CONSIDERING.
DONALD, WHERE ARE WE AT ON THE MILES OF ROAD THAT ARE STILL UNPAVED? WITH THE ONES THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF, ONCE WE GET THOSE PAVED, WE'LL BE DOWN TO 18. 18? 18 MILES.
WE'RE SO CLOSE TO DONE, WE CAN TASTE IT.
AND THE RAIN'S BEEN SLOWING US DOWN A LITTLE BIT. IF EVERYTHING GOES GOOD, I'M HOPING BY THE END OF SUMMER THE WEATHER HOLDS UP, WE SHOULD BE JUST ABOUT DONE.
OKAY, BUT THEN WE GOT A BUNCH OF ROADS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START REHABBING AND, UH, LEVEL UP AND THEN CHIP SEAL.
AND THAT'S A PROBABLY I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SWITCH OVER FROM, YOU KNOW, DUMP TRUCKS HAULING GRAVEL TO ROADS TO ASPHALT ZIPPERS AND AND PAVERS AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE GOTTA WE'RE GONNA SAVE SOME MONEY, BUT WE'RE JUST MOVING IT AROUND. WE'RE SWAPPING SPITS, SO TO SPEAK, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BUY SOME DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT.
YEAH, A COUPLE OF THE BRUSH CUTTERS ARE LIKE 10 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE HAVING TROUBLES WITH THEM. SO THAT'S THOSE YEAH, CUT THE BRUSH OFF THE SIDES, KEEP IT BACK. I KNOW WE BOTH OF THEM WERE IN THE SHOP THIS YEAR, AND ONE OF THEM, THE BACKHOE THERE WAS LIKE 3 OR 4 PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT'S MAJOR EXPENSES.
OKAY, WOULD YOU JUST DO ME A FAVOR AND WORK WITH PURCHASING
[00:15:02]
AND GET SOME QUOTES ON THOSE SO THAT WHEN WE GET INTO OUR BUDGET MEETINGS, WE CAN KIND OF HAVE A LIST OF THOSE THINGS AND TRY TO PRIORITIZE THEM AND GET YOU WHAT YOU NEED. ALL RIGHT, SO, SO, DONNIE, SO WITH, WITH THE ROADS IN EACH PRECINCT, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE ROADS HAS BEEN DONE IN THAT SPECIFIC PRECINCT? LIKE 80% PRECINCT 4, 90%? DO YOU HAVE THAT ABILITY? UH, ALL OF THEM SHOULD BE. I MEAN, RIGHT NOW RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT 28.AND LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT LIKE THE ONES THAT ARE ALMOST READY.
THE LONGEST ONES ARE MY PRECINCT.
YEAH. WE HAVE BIGGS AND SALT FLAT. YEAH, WE'RE JUST WITH THE RAIN, WE'RE FINISHING TOUCHING THEM UP AND THEN WE GOT TO OIL THEM AND THEN CHIP SEAL THEM.
WE'VE GOT THE ROCK AND EVERYTHING. SO THEN LIKE I SAID, THAT LEAVES ONE IN EACH PRECINCT THAT'S OVER A MILE. YEAH, WELL, TWO.
AND BJ WANTS US TO DO HIS LAUGH. SO, PROBABLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER, IT'S HARD TO PUT A PERCENTAGE ON IT, BUT I'D SAY THEY'RE ALL ABOUT 95% DONE. I KNOW THEY DOING A GOOD JOB.
YES, SIR. I MEAN, BY THE END OF THE YEAR FOR SURE, EVERY ONE OF THEM WILL BE PAVED.
BUT THAT, BY THE WAY, THAT'S QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT, DONALD.
THANK YOU. IF THE WEATHER HOLDS OUT, LIKE I SAID, HOPEFULLY THEY SHOULD BE DONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR, BY THE END OF THE SUMMER. HOW MANY MILES WERE UNPAVED WHEN WE STARTED THIS? IT WAS NORTH OF 200, RIGHT? UH, WHEN I STARTED, WE HAD 200 AND 230, 240 THAT WERE GRAVEL ROADS.
NOW WE'RE DOWN TO 18, AND THAT'S BEEN ABOUT 5 YEARS.
PRETTY GOOD. THAT'S BEEN A MIGHTY EFFORT.
ABOUT THE LAST 2 AND A HALF YEARS, I THINK THIS YEAR HERE WE'VE GOTTEN ALMOST 60 MILES SO FAR. THAT'S GREAT. AND THAT EQUIPMENT THAT YOU GOT US, THE NEW CHIP SPREADER, THE DISTRIBUTORS, THAT MADE OUR JOB A LOT EASIER TO GET THEM DONE A LOT QUICKER.
GOOD. WELL, HOPEFULLY WE CAN KEEP GETTING YOU THE EQUIPMENT THAT YOU NEED SO WE CAN MAINTAIN THEM. NOW THAT WE'VE DONE ALL THAT WORK, WE'VE GOT TO MAINTAIN THEM.
SO, AND THOSE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT WE'LL STILL BE USING BECAUSE ONCE WE LEVEL UP THE ROADS AND WE'LL BE CHIP SEALING THEM AFTER THAT TO PUT A GOOD FRESH COAT ON TOP. GOOD DEAL. ALL RIGHT, YEAH, THE OTHER, ITEM AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING REALISTIC, BUT LOOKING AT THE REVENUE SIDE OF THE BUDGET, IT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GET SOME WINDFALLS, YOU KNOW, AS THESE BIG THINGS COME IN, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE.
AND THAT HAS A BIG IMPACT ON OUR TAX RATE, YOU KNOW, OR CAN. YEAH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE IT'LL JUST GO DOWN NORMALLY BECAUSE OF THE 312 AGREEMENTS. YEAH, BUT, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BRING IT UP, IS WE'RE RAPIDLY REACHING THE POINT BECAUSE WE'VE DONE SOME 312 AGREEMENTS WITH PILOT PAYMENTS BACK, JUST THE TWO THAT WE'VE DONE, THE PILOT PAYMENTS BACK ARE GOING TO BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $20 MILLION A YEAR.
WE WON'T REAL, PRIME WILL START GETTING THOSE PAYMENTS, BUT THAT'S A SMALL AMOUNT, AND IT'S JUST DEPENDING ON WHEN THEY START. AND WE STILL WE'RE MAKING SOME CHANGES TO THAT 312, SO IT'S YET TO COME THROUGH COURT.
AND WELL, IF WE IF I THINK IF WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE START SEEING THOSE MID-BUDGET CYCLE, I'LL NEED TO CHECK TO SEE WHAT THE PROCESS IS, UH, IF WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO START GETTING THESE, THESE PAYMENTS.
BUT MORE THAN LIKELY, THOSE PILOT PAYMENTS ARE GOING TO BE JUST LIKE WHEN WE GET OUR TAX PAYMENTS, AND WE'LL GET THEM IN JANUARY.
IN THE LUMP SUM. AND SO WE'LL HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WE'D HAVE TO WAIT TO BUDGET FOR THAT TILL THE NEXT CYCLE.
BUT I WILL SAY, WITH ALL THAT SAID, IF PRIME WERE TO START TOMORROW, WE WOULD PROBABLY IN JANUARY BE LOOKING AT GETTING A PRETTY CHUNKY CHECK, A COUPLE MILLION EXTRA DOLLARS.
AND THEN GOING FORWARD, THEIRS IS A SMALLER PORTION OF THAT $20 MILLION THAN, SAY, EDGE WOULD BE. BUT THEIRS
[00:20:02]
DOESN'T SAY STARTING UPON COMMENCEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION.HOWEVER, WE'RE ALSO WAITING AROUND FOR THEM TO CLOSE. SO, BUT THEIR PILOT PAYMENTS WOULD BEGIN, THOUGH, WHEN THEY COMPLETE YOU KNOW, A BUILDING, AND THEIRS ARE SIGNIFICANT.
IT'S ABOUT $14 MILLION NEIGHBORHOOD EVERY YEAR. SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PUSHBACK ABOUT DATA CENTERS, BUT I GUESS THIS IS ONE OF THE PROS OF THEM, IS THAT THEY DO SPIN OFF A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF REVENUE WITH VERY LITTLE DRAIN ON ON COUNTY RESOURCES. AND I UNDERSTAND CITIZENS CONCERNS ABOUT HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND HOPEFULLY THOSE WILL GET ADDRESSED AT THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR, AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THOSE ARE HERE, AND WE'VE DONE AGREEMENTS WITH THEM. SO I WAS THINKING MAYBE I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THE STRATEGIC PLAN COULD ADDRESS BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE'RE NOT DOING 312 AGREEMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, PLANNING IN ADVANCE HOW TO MINIMIZE THAT FINANCIAL IMPACT TO US, BECAUSE I MEAN, CALDWELL COUNTY, YOU KNOW, IS LIKE IT OR NOT, IT'S A GOING TO BE UNDER THAT TYPE OF GROWTH PRESSURE, NOT NECESSARILY FROM THOSE SPECIFIC USES, BUT MANUFACTURING TYPE USES.
AND HAVING A PLAN, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD ON THE REVENUE SIDE, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE USEFUL ON FIGURING OUT AND PLANNING FOR FOR OUR BUDGET.
YEAH, AND SO, AND I DO PLAN TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH JENNIFER RITTER THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THOSE PILOT PAYMENTS STARTING. ONCE THOSE START IN EARNEST AND WE'RE SEEING $20 MILLION A YEAR, THEN THE PRESSURE FOR A 3-12 AGREEMENT GOES DOWN AS FAR AS THE TAX REVENUE SIDE SOMEWHAT, BUT AND IT WOULD BE REALLY BENEFICIAL TO OUR TAXPAYERS BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE A MUCH LOWER RATE AND WE'D STILL BE REALIZING SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCOME. SO, BUT HAVING SAID THAT, THEY MAY STILL BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE UNLESS SOMETHING HAPPENS AT THE LEGISLATURE AND TO GIVE US MORE LOCAL CONTROL, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO BRING A BILL THROUGH, I'M GOING TO SPEND ALL DAY IN AUSTIN FRIDAY TROTTING AROUND THE CAPITOL WITH ONE IN MY HAND TRYING TO GET SUPPORT.
BUT UNLESS WE GET THAT LOCAL CONTROL, WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE TO GET THEM INTO THE DAS TO GET THE THINGS WE'RE GETTING. AND SO IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET SOMEBODY TO GO DOWN THAT DA PATH WITHOUT GIVING SOME CONCESSIONS ON APPOINTMENTS. IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S JUST, IT'S GOING TO, THIS, THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THIS STATE IN PROBABLY 100 YEARS. AND, YOU KNOW, SO DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS THERE, WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'LL KIND OF DIRECT OUR COURSE AND WE WON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL MAY OF '27, IF WE EVEN KNOW IT THEN.
THERE MAY BE SPECIAL SESSION AFTER SPECIAL SESSION. SO, AND IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THERE WILL BE ANY SPECIAL SESSION CALLED PRIOR TO THE START OF THE REGULAR SESSION ON DATA CENTERS OR, ANYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW. AND THEY I GOT A LOT OF FLACK FOR EVEN BRINGING IT UP, BUT IN OUR REGION, WHICH IS THE AUSTIN MSA, AND WE ARE PART OF THAT THERE ARE TWO USERS THAT SAMSUNG USES 5.5 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER A YEAR, AND TESLA USES 500 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER A YEAR. WE'RE HOLDING DATA CENTERS TO 20,000 A MONTH, SO THAT'S 200, AND IF THERE'S 10 OF THEM, THAT'S 2 MILLION.
IF THERE'S 20 OF THEM, THAT'S 4 MILLION.
SO COMPARED TO TESLA AND SAMSUNG AND WHAT MICRON WOULD HAVE USED MIGHT, WHEN MICRON WAS LOOKING HERE AND WE WERE COURTING THEM AND NOBODY PROTESTED MICRON, 7 MILLION GALLONS A DAY WAS GOING TO BE THEIR WATER USAGE. AND SO AND CHIP MANUFACTURER IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY. I THINK DATA CENTERS WILL GET SOME
[00:25:02]
GUARDRAILS PUT AROUND THEM, HOPEFULLY DURING THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.BUT IT WILL BE AROUND WATER USAGE AND POWER USAGE AND TRANSPARENCY. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE WHAT YOU SEE IS THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO TELL THEM, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TELL US HOW MUCH WATER YOU PLAN TO USE AND HOW MUCH POWER YOU PLAN TO USE.
AND I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT'S ALL THAT'S GOING TO COME FROM IT.
BUT THAT'S BETTER THAN NOTHING.
SO THE LAST THING I HAD WAS TO, I THINK MAKE SURE WE'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE MATCHES FOR THESE POTENTIAL GRANTS.
WE'VE GOT THAT SAFE STREETS GRANT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT MAYBE $1 MILLION ON A MATCH. AND SO IF THAT, I THINK, CAN COME OUT OF A BOND, OUR BOND PROCEEDS.
BUT, WE'LL NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COORDINATED ON THAT. AND THEN THE 2720 PROJECT, THAT'LL, THAT'LL HAVE A MATCH ASSOCIATED WITH IT ALSO. I KNOW THERE'S SOME MONEY THAT WE'VE COLLECTED FROM PRIVATE ENTITIES.
YEAH, WE HAVE ABOUT $15 MILLION COMING FROM TRAC TO HELP, BUT THAT'S DROPPING THE BUCKET COMPARED TO THAT. WHOLE PROJECT, BUT STILL IT COULD HELP WITH OUR MATCH A LOT. SO, AND THEN THERE IT LOOKS LIKE LIKELY THAT THE MOVING PROJECT ON 183 AT MAGNOLIA, WE MIGHT GET A LATE FUNDING ON THAT LATER THIS YEAR.
SO COULD THAT BE THROUGH CAMPO? THAT'S TRUE, CAMPO. OKAY, THAT'S ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION, AND, SO WE'LL HAVE A MATCH ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. OKAY, ALL RIGHT.
AND I THINK MOST ALL THOSE MATCHES CAN COME FROM THE BOND, BUT STILL WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE ACCOUNTING FOR THAT DURING THE PROCESS. WHAT ELSE, COMMISSIONERS? ANYTHING? OKAY, WELL, IF NOT, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. I'LL MOVE TO ADJOURN.
MOTION TO ADJOURN BY COMMISSIONER WESTMORELAND. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? NOT. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.
OPPOSED? HEARING NONE, WE'RE ADJOURNED AT 10:28.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.