[OPENING COURT]
          [00:00:08]
          AND WELCOME TO OUR MEETING. THIS IS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE ELLIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, AND WE HAVE PUBLISHED NOTICES OF THE OF THIS MEETING THAT THEY HAVE BEEN LEGALLY POSTED PURSUANT TO THE TEXAS OPEN OPEN MEETINGS ACT, WHICH IS FOUND AT TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551. UNLESS THERE IS AN OBJECTION, I WOULD LIKE TO OFFICIALLY GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE MEETING. OKAY. I WOULD NOW LIKE TO ASK COMMISSIONER PRECINCT FOUR, KYLE BUTLER, TO LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE STAND. LET US PRAY. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, AS ALWAYS, WE JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BEING OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. LORD, PRAYERS ALWAYS GO OUT TO TO OUR MEN AND WOMEN THAT WATCH OVER AND PROTECT THIS GREAT NATION AND RIGHT HERE AT HOME AS WELL. LORD, I PRAY YOU JUST TAKE THEM BY THE HAND AND GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE CHAOS AND ALL THE BAD THAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. AND KEEP THEM. 
          KEEP THEM SAFE. LORD, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW YOU, I PRAY THEY FIND YOUR EVERLASTING LOVE AND AMAZING GRACE. LORD, I ASK YOU, BE WITH THE COURT TODAY. DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE. LORD, JUST LET IT BE YOUR WILL. JESUS NAME. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE. TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. THANK YOU ALL. AND AGAIN WELCOME. AND AND FOR THOSE OF US JOINING US ONLINE, WE WELCOME YOU AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE HAVE A YOU'RE WELCOME TO MAKE THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO MAKE COMMENTS ON ANY AGENDA ITEM. WE DO HAVE A PROCESS FOR DOING SO THAT WE ASK THAT YOU JOIN US IN. AND THERE IS A FORM OUTSIDE IN THE HALLWAY BEHIND THE DOOR TO MY RIGHT, WHICH WOULD BE TO YOUR LEFT IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COMPLETE THAT FORM AND THEN HAND IT TO OUR COUNTY CLERK, CRYSTAL VALDEZ. SHE WILL THEN GIVE IT TO ME, AND WE'LL BE SURE TO CALL UPON YOU WHEN YOUR 
          [RECOGNITIONS]
AGENDA ITEM IS CALLED UP FOR CONSIDERATION. OKAY. WE WOULD FIRST LIKE TO TAKE UP A RECOGNITION WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM R1. THAT'S A RECOGNITION FOR THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ELLIS COUNTY WOMAN'S BUILDING ON FEBRUARY 11TH, 2026. AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYONE HERE FROM THE WOMAN'S BUILDING GROUP, DO WE? OKAY. VERY GOOD. I WILL GO AHEAD AND READ THE RESOLUTION JUST TO HONOR THAT FACILITY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE BEFORE I DO SO THAT THE WOMAN'S BUILDING IS HAVING AN OPEN HOUSE, I BELIEVE NEXT WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH. 
          CORRECT. THAT'S THE 11 TO 2:00, 2 TO 4 P.M. SO THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO ATTEND THAT EVENT. 
          IT'S A GREAT FACILITY AND IT'S CELEBRATING ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY. SO HERE'S THE RESOLUTION. THE WOMAN'S BUILDING STANDS AS A LASTING SYMBOL OF SERVICE, CIVIC LEADERSHIP AND THE ENDURING CONTRIBUTIONS OF WOMEN IN ELLIS COUNTY. DESIGNED BY DALLAS ARCHITECT BERTRAM C HILL AND CONSTRUCTED IN 1925 THROUGH 1926 ON LAND DEEDED BY QUINCY DAVIS, GETZENDANNER, THE BUILDING WAS ESTABLISHED TO SERVE RURAL WOMEN AND FAMILIES, VISITING TOWN ON MARKET DAYS, AND TO HONOR THE LEGACY OF MRS. GETZENDANNER PARENTS. THE BUILDING INCLUDES DAVIS HALL, AN AUDITORIUM MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY, COUNTY, AND LOCAL WOMEN'S CLUBS, AND DISPLAYS DISTINCTIVE TUDOR REVIVAL ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES SUCH AS ARCHED ENTRYWAYS, CROSS GABLES, CASEMENT WINDOWS, AND PATTERNED BRICKWORK. FOR 100 YEARS, THE WOMEN'S BUILDING HAS SERVED AS A GATHERING PLACE FOR EDUCATION, CULTURE, CIVIC INVOLVEMENT AND COMMUNITY SERVICE, REFLECTING THE VISION AND LEADERSHIP OF THE WOMEN WHO CHAMPIONED ITS CREATION AND PRESERVATION. NOW, THEREFORE, THE ELLIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT PROUDLY RECOGNIZES THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WOMAN'S BUILDING, HONORING ITS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND CELEBRATING A CENTURY OF SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF ELLIS COUNTY. THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE, PLEASE STOP BY THERE. NEXT 
          [CONSENT AGENDA]
WEDNESDAY ON THE 11TH. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALL ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION. HOWEVER, ANY COMMISSIONER MAY ASK TO PULL AN ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION AND VOTING. THE CONSENT AGENDA TODAY CONSISTS OF ITEMS A1 THROUGH A12 AND F1 AND F2. IF THERE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS A1 THROUGH A12 AND F1 AND F2. SO MOVED. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE AGENDA ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER AND A 
          [00:05:01]
SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY I, I DOES ANYONE CARE TO VOTE? NO HEARING, NO OPPOSITIONS TO CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS A1 THROUGH A12 AND F1 AND F2 PASS 
          [1.1 Discussion, consideration, and action on a variance request to Volume I, Section IV (A) regarding the minimum paved public road frontage requirements for Parcel ID 181743 on Weakley Branch Road. This ± 20-acre site is located at northeast corner of the intersection of FM 66 and Weakley Branch Road, Maypearl, Road and Bridge Precinct No. 3.]
UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA AND WE WILL FIRST START WITH ITEM 1.1 FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT. AND ALBERTO MARTINEZ, OUR DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT, WILL COME UP AND SHARE SOME INFORMATION ON THIS ITEM. 1.1 WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION ON A VARIANCE REQUEST TO VOLUME ONE SECTION FOR A. REGARDING THE MINIMUM PAVED PUBLIC ROAD FRONTAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR PARCEL ID 181743 ON WEAKLEY BRANCH ROAD. THIS IS A 20 ACRE AND APPROXIMATELY 20 ACRE SITE THAT IS LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF FM 66 AND WEAKLEY BRANCH ROAD, MAPLE ROAD AND BRIDGE PRECINCT NUMBER THREE. ALBERTO. YES, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. GOOD AFTERNOON. THE APPLICANT IS LOOKING TO DEVELOP THIS 20 ACRE SITE INTO TEN LOTS. THERE'LL BE TWO LOTS OFF OF FM 66 AND EIGHT OFF OF A WEEKLY BRANCH. RIGHT NOW THE REQUIREMENT IS 150FT OF PAVED PUBLIC ROAD FRONTAGE. WEAKLEY BRANCH IS NOT A PAVED ROAD, IT'S ABOUT 1200 FEET THE DISTANCE THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING. THERE ARE SEVERAL STEPS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS A PAVED PUBLIC ROAD IN ORDER TO GET THEM TO GET TO THE PLANNING PROCESS. THE VARIANCE. THIS VARIANCE IS STEP ONE. WE DID SEND OUT EIGHT LETTERS OF NOTIFICATION BACK ON THE 23RD OF JANUARY, AND STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL SUBJECT TO SIX CONDITIONS. AND THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE ONE WE HAD EARLIER, I SHOULD SAY LATE LAST YEAR ON JUDY'S LANE. I'LL READ THESE CONDITIONS VERBATIM. CONDITION ONE THE APPLICANT PROPERTY OWNER DEVELOPER SHALL PLACE THE COST OF APPROVED MATERIALS OR SUPPLIES AND OR ASSOCIATED LABOR AS DETERMINED BY THE COUNTY, IN AN ESCROW ACCOUNT APPROVED BY THE COUNTY. 
          THIS AMOUNT MAY BE RELEASED FOR THE ROAD PROJECT ONCE THE SUBDIVISION IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE, AS ESTABLISHED IN A SUBSEQUENT ASSOCIATED AGREEMENT TO BE VOTED ON BY THE COMMISSIONERS COURT CONDITION NUMBER TWO. PRIOR TO THE SUBMITTAL OF THE PRELIMINARY PLAT AND AFTER APPROVAL OF THE ASSOCIATED AGREEMENT, THE ROAD PROJECTS SHALL BE PLACED ON THE COUNTY SCHEDULE FOR ROAD REPAIR AND WORK ONCE THESE. ONCE THESE ITEMS OCCUR, THE APPLICANT CAN FILE FOR A PRELIMINARY PLAT CONDITION NUMBER THREE PRIOR TO THE SUBMITTAL OF A FINAL PLAT AND AFTER APPROVAL OF THE ASSOCIATED CIVIL PLANS, THIS ROAD PROJECT SHALL BE COMPLETE, BUILT AND INSPECTED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE PRECINCT COMMISSIONER OR COUNTY ENGINEER. 
          CONDITIONS FOUR THROUGH SIX ARE STANDARD CONDITIONS THAT WE'VE ISSUED FROM BEFORE, SO STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALBERTO, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL SUBJECT TO THE TO THE CONDITIONS NOTED. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO WE HAVE ANYBODY? NO. PUBLIC. YEAH. THIS IS LIKE WE DID ON JUDY'S LANE. WE GOT THE THE DEVELOPER HAS GIVEN A VERBAL AGREEMENT TO PAY FOR THE COST OF US GOING IN AND CHIP SEALING THAT ROAD. SO I'M GOOD WITH GOING FORWARD. SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH CONDITIONS STATED. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER TO APPROVE ITEM 1.1. 
          SUBJECT TO THOSE CONDITIONS. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I, I, I. DOES ANYONE VOTE? NO. HEARING NO. 
          OPPOSITION. ITEM 1.1 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALBERTO. ALBERTO. THANK 
          [2.1 Discussion, consideration, and action regarding an exemption under Texas Local Government Code §262.024 (a) (7) for Super Slurry Mix and Services from Martin Marietta, Inc. as the sole source.]
YOU. OKAY, WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE PURCHASING PORTION OF OUR AGENDA, WHICH CONTAINS SEVERAL ITEMS. WE'LL ASK EJ HARBIN, OUR DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING, TO COME UP AND SHARE INFORMATION WITH US ON THESE ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE IS ITEM 2.1 WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION REGARDING AN EXEMPTION UNDER TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 262.024, SUBSECTION A7 FOR SUPER SLURRY MIX AND SERVICES FROM MARTIN MARIETTA, INC. AS THE SOLE SOURCE EJ. GOOD AFTERNOON JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. WE DID REVIEW THE REQUEST AND AFTER RESEARCH HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE SUPER SLURRY MIX IS STILL PROPRIETARY TO MARTIN MARIETTA, WE'RE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE SOLE SOURCE. OKAY. WE HAVE A AN ITEM HERE TO APPROVE A SOLE SOURCE. AND IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS FOR EJ. SO MOVED. SECOND, OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 2.1 FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER GRAYSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. I IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION, 
          [2.2 Discussion, consideration, and action to renew the agreement with Martin Marietta Inc. for a one-year period for the purchase of Super Slurry and Services using the approved Sole Source Exemption.]
ITEM 2.1 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'LL NOW TAKE UP ITEM 2.2, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION TO RENEW THE AGREEMENT WITH MARTIN MARIETTA, INC. FOR A ONE YEAR PERIOD FOR THE PURCHASE. EXCUSE ME. PURCHASE OF SUPER SLURRY SERVICES AND SERVICES USING THE APPROVED SOLE SOURCE EXEMPTION. EJ, WITH YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM, WE'LL PROCEED TO UPDATE 
          [00:10:06]
THE BID BOOK SHEETS WITH CONTACT INFORMATION AND PRICING, AND WE'LL GET THAT OUT TO THE PRECINCT. SO IT WILL BE FULLY AVAILABLE FOR USE. SAME PRESENT. YES. SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 2.2 FROM COMMISSIONER GRAYSON AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. I IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION, ITEM 2.2 
          [2.3 Discussion, consideration, and action to award Bid Number RFB-2026-003 Wholesale Gas & Diesel to: • Avenue Fuel Distributors for Line One (1)-87 Unleaded Fuel, Line Four (4) - Diesel Fuel #2 Low Sulfur and Line Five (5) - Red Dyed Diesel Global Montello Group Corporation for Line Two (2) - 89 Unleaded Fuel and Line Three (3) - 93 Unleaded Fuel and authorization for the County Judge to execute the contracts upon final legal review.]
PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, AND WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM 2.3, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION TO AWARD BID NUMBER RFB DASH 2020 SIX. DASH 003 WHOLESALE GAS AND DIESEL TO FIRST AVENUE. DUAL AVENUE FUEL DISTRIBUTORS FOR LINE ONE DASH 87 UNLEADED FUEL LINE FOR DIESEL FUEL NUMBER TWO LOW SULFUR AND LINE FIVE RED DYE DIESEL AND THEN SECONDARILY TO GLOBAL MONTALVO GROUP CORPORATION FOR LINE 289 UNLEADED FUEL AND LINE 393 UNLEADED FUEL, AND FOR AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY JUDGE TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACTS. 
          UPON FINAL LEGAL REVIEW. EJ RFP 2026 003 WAS RELEASED ON DECEMBER 15TH AND ADVERTISED TWICE IN THE NEWSPAPER AS REQUIRED. IN ADDITION, PURCHASING SENT COPIES OF THE REQUEST FOR BID TO THE EXISTING VENDOR CURRENTLY BEING USED. THE BIDS WERE OPENED ON JANUARY 14TH. THERE WAS A MODERATE INCREASE OF $0.03 PER GALLON FOR 87 OCTANE FUEL. NUMBER TWO LOW SULFUR DIESEL AND RED DYE DIESEL FROM AVENUE FUEL FROM THE PREVIOUS BID, GLOBAL MONTICELLO GROUP. MONTELLO GROUP PROVIDED A $0.06 PER GALLON DISCOUNT ON 89 OCTANE UNLEADED AND A 20 CENT PER GALLON DISCOUNT ON 93 OCTANE GAS FROM THE PREVIOUS BID. 
          PRICING STAFF IS REQUESTING APPROVAL. OKAY, MOVE. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 2.3 FROM COMMISSIONER GRAYSON. IS THERE? THERE'S A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STENSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. I IS ANYONE OPPOSED HEARING NO OPPOSITION? ITEM 2.3 PASSES 
          [2.4 Approval to cancel the award and terminate the contract for RFB-2025-010 Extermination Pest Control and Bee Removal Services with Bandit Busters, LLC.]
UNANIMOUSLY. WE'LL NOW TAKE UP ITEM 2.4, WHICH IS APPROVAL TO CANCEL THE AWARD AND TERMINATE THE CONTRACT FOR RFB DASH 2025 ZERO TEN EXTERMINATION, PEST CONTROL AND B REMOVAL SERVICES WITH BANDIT BUSTERS, LLC. BANDIT BUSTER LLC REQUESTED TO TERMINATE THEIR CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY SINCE THEY WERE NOT AWARDED THE OVERALL CONTRACT, AND ONLY SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDED WERE LOWER IN THAT AREA THAT THEY THEY PRICED ON. THERE IS A SECOND AWARD IN PLACE FOR THESE SERVICES, SO IT WILL BE NO EFFECT TO THE COUNTY. SO STAFF IS REQUESTING APPROVAL TO GO AHEAD AND REMOVE THEM FROM THE CONTRACT. IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY, THEY BACKED OUT. BUT WE HAVE COVERAGE UNDER THIS OTHER CURRENT CONTRACT. OKAY. YES, SIR. I WAS WONDERING WHAT WE WERE DOING HERE TODAY. I DIDN'T CATCH THAT. SO THEY BACKED OUT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET THE WHOLE THING. THAT'S IT. THAT'S UNFORTUNATE. YES IT IS. SO MOVED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 2.4 FROM COMMISSIONER GRAYSON AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I. I. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION. ITEM 2.4 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'LL NOW TAKE UP ITEM 2.5, WHICH IS 
          [2.5 Discussion, consideration, and action to for the County Judge to execute lease agreements with American National Leasing for:  • One 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 Elevation for Texas AgriLife #3836c in the total amount of $42,375.00   • One 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 Elevation for Department of Development #3837c in the total amount of $43,650.00   • One 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 Elevation for Department of Development #3841c in the total amount of $43,150.00   • One 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 Elevation for Department of Development #3842c in the total amount of $43,650.00   • One 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 Elevation for Department of Development #3843c in the total amount of $43,650.00]
DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION FOR THE COUNTY JUDGE TO EXECUTE LEASE AGREEMENTS WITH AMERICAN NATIONAL LEASING FOR FIVE SEPARATE GMC SIERRA 1500 ELEVATION VEHICLES. 20 2026 MODELS. THE FIRST ONE IS FOR TEXAS AGRILIFE NUMBER 3836C, AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $42,375. 
          THE SECOND IS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF OF DEVELOPMENT NUMBER 3837 C, AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $43,650. THE THIRD ONE IS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT UNDER NUMBER SEVEN, UNDER NUMBER 3841 C, AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF 41,000, I'M SORRY, $43,150. THE FOURTH ONE IS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT UNDER NUMBER 3842 C, AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $43,650. 
          AND THE LAST ONE IS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT UNDER NUMBER 3843 C, AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $43,650. EJ UNDER AMERICAN NATIONAL LEASING, THEY WILL FUND THE LEASE FOR AGRILIFE, THE AGRILIFE PICKUP TRUCK UNDER THE AGREEMENT WITH A $5,000 DOWN PAYMENT. AND THEN A $3,500 DOWN PAYMENT ON EACH OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT TRUCKS. THE AGRILIFE AND DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT TRUCKS WILL BE LEASED FOR A FIVE YEAR TERM AT 5.53% INTEREST. STAFF IS REQUESTING APPROVAL. THIS DOES ALSO COMPLETE FOR THE 
          [00:15:04]
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT THE APPROVAL THAT Y'ALL GAVE IN BUDGET FOR THEIR VEHICLES. SO THIS TAKES CARE OF THIS? YEAH. I GOT SOMETHING I WANT TO ASK ABOUT FIRST. ALL RIGHT. NOW, I ASKED FOR A COPY OF WHAT WE APPROVED THROUGH THE BUDGET. AND ON THAT ON THAT COPY, THERE WAS ACTUALLY THREE VEHICLES APPROVED FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT IN THIS BUDGET. NOW, THERE WAS ONE THAT DIDN'T GET BOUGHT IN THE LAST BUDGET BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS WITH COVID AND THE EFFECTS THAT IT HAS HAD ON OUR AUTO INDUSTRY. BUT THEY WERE RANGER PICKUPS AND THEY THEY WERE SOMEWHERE AROUND $28,000 APIECE. THESE ARE $43,000 APIECE, WHICH ARE SIX CYLINDERS. WHAT I UNDERSTAND ARE IN THE TRUCKS IS SIX CYLINDERS. YES, SIR. AND WE DO HAVE SOME GUYS THAT ARE PRETTY GOOD SIZE GUYS THAT DRIVE SOME OF THESE RANGERS. SO I, I AGREE WITH THE POINT THAT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN ONE ONE PARTICULAR ONE WE GOT HE'S TALL AND HE'S WIDE SHOULDERED. AND HE DOES HAVE A TOUGH TIME IN THE VEHICLE. WE GOT US MORE THAT ARE SIX TWO YOU KNOW TALLER GUYS. SO I THINK THE RANGERS ARE FINE WITH WHAT WHAT Y'ALL WHAT THEY DO WITH THEM FOR CERTAIN SIZE PERSON. BUT THEN AGAIN WE'RE PAYING $15,000 MORE THAN WHAT WE BUDGETED THIS YEAR FOR THEM. SO BY THE TIME YOU PUT PENCIL TO IT, IT'S $60,000 TO THE BUDGET THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE. I'VE TALKED TO ALBERTO. NOW, ONE OF THESE IS 100. THEY'RE ALL 2016, 17, 2017. I BELIEVE ONE OF THEM HAS 185,000 MILES ON IT. THAT ONE'S STARTING TO GIVE US SOME PROBLEMS WITH MAINTENANCE. THE OTHERS ARE HOLDING TOGETHER PRETTY WELL. SO MY CONSIDERATION WOULD BE IF WE COULD, IF WE TAKE TWO OF THEM AND POSSIBLY WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR AND COME BACK ON THEM, OR EITHER TAKE THREE OF THEM AND STILL WAIT ON, YOU KNOW, THE ONE THAT WAS IN THE BUDGET THE YEAR PRIOR WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT, BECAUSE FOUR OF THEM HAVE, RIGHT AT 100,000 OR 100,009 ON THEM, AND THEY'RE STILL OPERATING FINE. WHICH BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER POINT THAT WHEN WE STARTED DOING LEASING, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT IT WAS FOR SHERIFF'S VEHICLES BECAUSE THEY'RE TREATED A LOT ROUGHER. 
          YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT ON THEM AT THE SAME TIME. THERE'S A LOT OF UPFIT ON THOSE. SO WE'RE WE'RE SCRATCHING OUR HEADS ON THAT NOW TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE GET LONGEVITY OUT OF THOSE. YOU KNOW, THE UP FITS. WE'RE TOLD THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR SOME THAT ARE USED, WHICH MAY BE GOOD, BUT ARE THEY WILLING TO PAY FOR THE UPFIT THE EXTRA FOR THE UPFIT THAT WE THAT WE'VE GOT IN THEM BY TURNING THEM BACK EVERY 2 TO 3 YEARS? BUT NOW IT'S GOT TO WHERE THAT EVERY DEPARTMENT, WHEN WE BUY A VEHICLE, IT GOES ON LEASE. NOW THE THE INTEREST RATES ARE AT 5.585.6. WHEN YOU ADD THAT UP ON ON LIKE A TAHOE OR A PICKUP THAT'S OUTFITTED, YOU'RE TALKING $10,000 INTEREST ON IT OVER THE PERIOD THAT WE HAVE THAT TRUCK. I JUST I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO MAKE LEASING WORK WHEN I WAS IN BUSINESS BECAUSE THE MILEAGE ON IT AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE CAP ON THE MILEAGE IS ON THE ONES THAT WE'RE USING. THERE IS NO CAP ON MILEAGE. THIS IS SO IT'S JUST DRIVE IT UNTIL THE UNTIL THE THE YEAR IS UP ON IT. LIKE WHAT ARE THEY ALL ON THREE YEARS. THESE ARE ON FIVE YEARS. AND THEN THEY HAVE A $10,000 BUYOUT ON THE END. OR ELSE WE CAN TURN THEM BACK IN AND THEN RELEASE AT THAT TIME, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO THE VEHICLE TO TURN IT IN OR GO AHEAD AND AUCTION IT AND THEN PAY OFF THE 10,000. OKAY. SO THERE ARE FIVE YEARS THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE GOING TO RUN THOSE THAT WE'RE LEASING IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. YES, THESE ARE THE ONES FOR DEPARTMENT FOR LIKE SAY DOD OR DA'S OFFICE OR WHATEVER DEPARTMENT THAT THEY'VE GOT THEM FOR THOSE VEHICLES WE USED TO RUN THOSE LIKE ALBERTO'S GOT ONE NOW AT 185,000 MILES. IT'S STILL RUNNING CAUSING HIM A LITTLE BIT OF PROBLEMS WITH IT. SO I AGREE IT NEEDS TO BE TRADED OUT, BUT LOTS OF TIMES 100,000 MILES IS NOT A LOT ON A CAR. IF YOU MAINTAIN IT AND TAKE CARE OF IT TODAY FOR DEPARTMENTS TO DRIVE. I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S A SAFETY ISSUE AS FAR AS OUT THERE ON THE ROAD, ON THE FREEWAY WITH SOMEBODY TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, GET AWAY FROM YOU. AND IF WE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THE VEHICLE AT THE END OF THAT LEASE, BECAUSE SOME OF THEM DO HAVE LOW MILES, THEN WE DO HAVE THE OPTION TO GO AHEAD AND PAY THE 10,000, KEEP THE VEHICLE IN THE FLEET AND JUST MAKE IT PERMANENT. I KNOW IT'S LIKE GOING TO GOING AND PAYING FOR EVERYTHING WITH A CREDIT CARD GETS A LITTLE EASIER. DO WITH 
          [00:20:01]
THE CREDIT CARD WHEN YOU'RE LEASING. TO ME IT LOOKS LIKE SORT OF THE SAME THING. IT'S A LOT EASIER. IT'S NOT AS MUCH OUT OF THE POCKET, BUT YET YOU'RE CONSTANTLY ROLLING TRUCKS OUT THAT REALLY WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET ENOUGH RESIDUAL TO COVER THE THE MAJOR HIT THAT WE'RE TAKING ON THEM. SO I JUST THINK WE OUGHT TO START, YOU KNOW, PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO IT. I MEAN, I'VE SORT OF BEEN SCRATCHING MY HEAD ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE OWE ON VEHICLES AND YOU KNOW, WHERE OUR BUDGETS ARE GOING. AND I THINK THOSE ARE FAIR POINTS. 
          AND EJ DOES, YOU KNOW, IN THE CURRENT BUDGET CYCLE, HE HAS A NEW EMPLOYEE, FLEET MANAGER, DESIGNATED FLEET MANAGER. AND THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS KIND OF ANALYZING WHETHER WE'RE GETTING A GOOD VALUE OUT OF THE LEASING PROGRAMS, AND I THINK WE'VE HAD ENOUGH EXPERIENCE FOR A FEW YEARS NOW WITH A COUPLE OF THE LEASING COMPANIES TO KIND OF DETERMINE WHETHER WHETHER THAT'S APPROPRIATE. AND IT'S A GOOD POINT THAT THE POLICE PURSUIT VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY FREQUENTLY RUN ALL DAY, 16 HOURS A DAY, MAYBE 24 HOURS A DAY. SO THEY ARE KIND OF A DIFFERENT ANIMAL. BUT I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT AND POSSIBLY TAKE DIFFERENT ACTION DURING THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE. DO YOU DO YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE THAT SHOWS WHAT THE BUDGET HAD IN IT THIS YEAR, THE AMOUNT OF VEHICLES. AND I WAS SENT OVER A A LIST OF VEHICLES THAT WERE APPROVED. AND SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT MATCHES UP BECAUSE WHEN I HAD WE WE ASKED THAT QUESTION, WHAT IS APPROVED TO GO OUT AND PURCHASE. AND SO IT DID HAVE FOR FOR DOD ON THERE. SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS ON THERE THAT IT SAYS $28,000 FOR A RANGER, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BUY AN ELEVATION FOR 43. LET US KNOW THAT, BECAUSE IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGETING FOR IT. SO IT SHOULD BE IN THE PACKET. AND WE DIDN'T. AND I I'M NOT SURE WHERE THOSE NUMBERS CAME FROM BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SAME THING ON SOME OF THE SITUATION, THE SMALLER TRUCKS RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE FORD HAD THE ISSUE WITH THE RECALLS, AND THESE WERE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE RANGERS AND ACTUALLY THE FOUR WHEEL RIGHT NOW THAT'S A PREMIUM TRUCK FOR FORD. SO WE ACTUALLY GOT A BETTER DEAL ON THESE WITH A FULL SIZE, BECAUSE THE PRICE IS HIGHER THAN WHAT WAS REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET. AND SO WE'LL TRY TO WITH RANGER RIGHT NOW IS MORE THAN TO BUY ONE OF THESE ELEVATIONS WITH A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. YES. BECAUSE THESE WERE ALL FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. 
          WE APPROVED FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. YEAH. DOD THEY'RE GOING. YEAH, WE DID WITH DOD. YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T GO OUT. WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO GET IN AND OUT OF. YEAH OKAY. THAT'S MY WONDERING IS WHY WHY WE DIDN'T GO WITH THE RANGER AS OPPOSED TO THE. AND THAT'S WHAT IT WAS ACTUALLY MORE EXPENSIVE. THAT'S WHAT WE FOUND BECAUSE FORD HAD A AND THEY'RE STILL GOING THROUGH A MAJOR RECALL ON THOSE VEHICLES NOW. SO WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT FORD'S THAT'S HOW WE ENDED UP WITH GMC INSTEAD OF CHEVROLET INSTEAD OF FORD. FORD F-150 USED TO BE MORE IN THE TWO 50S, WERE MORE REASONABLE AND A COMPARABLE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BUY OFF OF A CONTRACT. YEAH. SO THAT'S WHAT IN THIS CASE, THE GMCS WERE ACTUALLY A BETTER DEAL AT 43,000 THAN WHAT WE COULD GET THE RANGERS FOR. SO YOU'VE KIND OF RUN THAT TRAP AND I MY OWN. YOU KNOW, THIS IS ANECDOTAL, BUT IT APPEARS THAT THESE THE SMALLER TRUCKS, THE FORD RANGER, THE GMC EQUIVALENT, THEY'RE THEY'RE MORE POPULAR NOW. AND I THINK THE MANUFACTURERS ARE CHARGING MORE FOR THEM. DID YOU CHECK PRICES ON THEM, ERIC. ON THE ON THE RANGERS. DID YOU CHECK PRICES? NOT THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVES. SO I CAN'T JUST. PRICE 28,000, BUT TO BUY A RANGER FOR $27,700 WITHOUT FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. FORD'S NOT GOING TO TELL ME THAT I'M GOING TO PAY $15,000 MORE FOR FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ON A RANGER, THAT 28,000 WAS A PREVIOUS BEFORE THE RECALLS AND BEFORE EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON. AND AS THE JUDGE MENTIONED BEFORE, THEY WERE POPULAR BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WERE FINDING IS THAT THEY EXCEED NOW THE SMALLER TRUCK WITH THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WITH WHAT FORD IS RELEASING, THAT'S NOT THEY HAD TRUCKS THAT WERE PUT BACK THAT THEY WERE. AND I'LL GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, JUST SO YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY WERE COMING FROM. WHAT THEY DID IS THE TRUCKS THAT WERE ON THE LOT THAT WERE RECALLED, THEY MOVED THEM TO THE TO THE BACK, AND THEY JUST HELD THOSE PENDING WHEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THE RECALL COMPLETED. THE NEW TRUCKS HAD A PREMIUM PRICE BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE AVAILABLE AND PEOPLE WANTED THEM. SO IT WAS KIND OF RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST YOU'D SAY THE WORST TIME TO BUY A RANGER OR A CANYON, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT IS WHEN ONE GOT POPULAR, THE OTHER ONE 
          [00:25:04]
WENT UP ALSO. SO RIGHT NOW THE FULL SIZE WAS ACTUALLY A BETTER DEAL FOR US THAN THE. AND WE HAD DELIVERY BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE DELIVERY TO OF ALL THE VEHICLES AND GET THEM LOCKED DOWN. SO NEXT YEAR DURING BUDGET WE WILL DO WITH WITH ISAAC ON BOARD NOW WORKING WITH FLEET, WE'LL GO THROUGH AND WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE MANUFACTURERS AND TRYING TO ANTICIPATE BETTER BECAUSE WE WOULD PUT A BUDGETARY PRICE IN THERE BEFORE. BUT LIKE ERIC SAID, IT WAS A TWO WHEEL DRIVE, BUT THEY GOT TO HAVE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. AND THEN THAT WAS A MAY HAVE BEEN A BASE MODEL BECAUSE WE HAD THE PRICE THAT THEY WERE GIVING US. BUT WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE DEALERS TO SAY, WELL, WHAT CAN WE ACTUALLY GET IT FOR? BECAUSE AS YOU NOTICE, SOME OF THOSE VEHICLES EVEN CAME IN WITH A SEPARATE DOLLAR AMOUNT. 143 650 THE OTHER 43 650 BUT YOU HAD THE ONE THAT WAS 41. AND SO FOR SOME REASON THEY MANUFACTURE THAT ONE WITH A LITTLE LESS SOMETHING, BUT MECHANICALLY THEY WERE ALL THE SAME. BUT IT WAS WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM NOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NUMBERS THAT COME THROUGH BUDGET ARE SOMETHING YOU CAN RELY ON. RIGHT. WELL, IF I CAN'T BUY A RANGER WITH FOUR WHEEL DRIVE IN IT, I'LL BET YOU I COULD BUY A BO, A COLORADO OR WHATEVER FROM FROM GMC, OR WITH A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE FOR LESS THAN 15,000 OVER WHAT A TWO WHEEL DRIVE COST. RIGHT NOW. THAT'S HOW THESE WERE ACTUALLY THE MOST AFFORDABLE. I MEAN, WE HEARD THE CHIP DEAL DURING COVID AND WE ALL GOT HOSED FOR MSRP PLUS 5000 ON THEM. I MEAN, THESE DEALERSHIPS AND THESE MANUFACTURERS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THAT'S HOW THEY MAKE MONEY. WELL, ONE THING I'LL SAY THIS TOO, NOW WITH ISAAC ON BOARD AND THEN GOING THROUGH THE BUDGETARY PROCESS, ONCE WE HAVE THE LIST, WE'LL TRY TO GET THAT EARLY IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE CUT OFF DATES, BECAUSE IF WE CAN ORDER THEM FROM THE FACTORY, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO LOCATE THEM THROUGH DEALERS THAT HAVE THE CONTRACTS, THEN WE CAN GET A BETTER PRICE BECAUSE WE SECURE IT AT THE MANUFACTURER'S PRICE. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO THIS YEAR. SO WE CAN ORDER ON THE BUILD OUT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO WAIT A WHOLE NOTHER YEAR TO GET THE THE AUTOMOBILE THE. YES, THAT IS CORRECT. I'M LIKE COMMISSIONER STINSON AND JUDGE ON ON THIS NEXT BUDGET. WE'VE KIND OF GOT OFF A TASK ON THE LEASE. MY OPINION IT WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE SET UP FOR SHERIFF AND POSSIBLY CONSTABLES, AND THEN BUY OUT. RIGHT. SO LOOK TO ME LIKE, IF YOU IF YOU SET A BUDGET FOR CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS NOW, WE ALL OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO TO BUY NEW ONES WHEN, WHEN THEY COME AVAILABLE OF A NEED I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY. BUT WITH THE LEASE THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST 3 OR 4 YEARS NOW, MOST ALL DEPARTMENTS SHOULD BE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE WITH WHERE WE'RE AT FOR LOW MILEAGE VEHICLES. SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT WHEN WE. YEAH, I THINK THIS NEXT BUDGET YEAR WHEN WE BUT I AGREE WITH MR. SIMPSON TOO, THAT IT'S A LOT EASIER FOR YOU ALL TO JUST GET ON THE PHONE OR THE INTERNET AND THROW IT OUT THERE TO WHATEVER LEASING COMPANY, AND THEN THEY DO ALL THE FOOTWORK AND HUNT SOMEBODY TO FIND A TRUCK FROM, AND THEY'RE BUYING THEM FROM DEALERSHIPS OR WHEREVER THEY'RE GETTING THEM. AND THEN THEY'RE MAKING A MARKUP AND THEN THE DEALERSHIPS MAKING A MARKUP FOR SELLING IT TO THEM, OR THEY'D RATHER SELL IT STRAIGHT TO YOU. RIGHT. AND EVERY TIME Y'ALL GOT ME A PRICE ON A TRUCK, I WENT AND BOUGHT THAT TRUCK FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS LESS, JUST BUYING IT FROM A DEALERSHIP THAT DOES ALSO DO FLEET, WHICH ALLOWS US TO BUY FROM THEM JUST THE SAME AS WE DO LEASING COMPANY. WELL, WE CAN WE CAN BID THEM OUT. BUT I HAVE TO GET ON THE PHONE OR I HAVE TO GET ON THE INTERNET AND I HAVE TO DO THE RESEARCH, AND THEY EVEN DELIVER THEM FROM NEW BRUNSWICK OR WHEREVER I'M BUYING THEM FROM. I CAN GET THEM WARRANTIED RIGHT HERE FROM ANYBODY. BUT YEAH, IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER FOR Y'ALL TO NOT HAVE TO DO THAT. AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHERE WE'VE WENT IS WE'RE WHERE WE'RE JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE ON THE INTERNET AND WELL, THAT'S YOUR PRICE. I CAN TELL YOU WE DO KNOW, BUT I CAN BUY IT FOR 63 DOWN HERE. WE DO TRY TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE LOWEST PRICE AND THE BEST VALUE FOR THE COUNTY, BECAUSE WE REACH OUT TO ALL THE CONTRACTS, ALL THE DEALERS THAT ARE UNDER CONTRACT, IF, IF IN CERTAIN CASES, WE WILL GIVE IF A DEPARTMENT ASKS FOR A DEALER THAT'S UNDER CONTRACT TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE, THEN THEY WOULD GO OVER THERE AS AN EXAMPLE. WHEN THE D.A. WENT AND LOOKED AT THE FORD EXPLORER. BUT WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE UNDER CONTRACT. SO WE'RE GETTING A CONTRACTED PRICE THROUGH THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS BY BOARD. SO THE PRICE IS LOCKED ON THE VEHICLES. IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S AND I ALWAYS SAY THIS AND I'M VERY HONEST, 
          [00:30:03]
SOMETIMES WE'RE GOVERNMENT. AND IF YOU GO BUY SOMETHING AND YOU COULD GET A PRICE TODAY YOU COULD GET ONE OFF, BUT SAY ON VEHICLES, IF WE GO OUT AND WE SAY WE BID IT AND YOU HAVE TO HOLD THAT PRICE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONTRACT TO PURCHASE A VEHICLE, THEN SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST NATURALLY YOU, YOU PUT MORE INTO THAT COST UNDER CONTRACT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPLY THAT VEHICLE WHEN WE ASK FOR IT AT THAT PRICE. SO SOMETIMES IF WE BID THINGS CURRENTLY, IT ACTUALLY GETS US A BETTER PRICE. RIGHT NOW IT'S BEEN A PAIN BECAUSE FORD HAS, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING. IF ISAAC AND I'M NOT JOKING, HE HAD A STACK OF RECALLS SITTING ON THE DESK LIKE THAT FOR FORD. AND WE'VE GOTTEN SOME FOR GM, BUT THE MAJORITY RIGHT NOW FOR FORD, THE DODGE, NOTHING SO FAR. AND SO I WAS GOING TO SAY, WE HAVE TO START A WAR. YES. BUT THAT THAT'S JUST YEAH, BUT WE DO WATCH THESE AND WE DO USE A CONTRACT. SO THEY HAVE BEEN LEGALLY BID THAT BID PRICE THAT THEY HAVE. THEY CAN LOWER THAT PRICE. THEY JUST CAN'T GO OVER IT. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. THE DEALERSHIPS ARE BEATING THEIR BID PRICE. SO WHEN YOU FIND ONE REAL QUICK I WAS I JUST GRABBED MY PHONE AND STARTED LOOKING UP PRICES. AND WHAT I'M FINDING IS, IS THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVES THAT THE DEALERS CARRY. THEY'RE LOADED. THEY'VE GOT EVERYTHING ON THEM. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE 40 SOMETHING, $50,000. WHY CAN'T WE ASK WHOEVER IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUY THROUGH? WE WANT A PLAIN JANE, FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, RANGER, CHEVY, WHATEVER. IF WE NEED FOUR WHEEL DRIVE AND NOT GET ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES THAT DRIVE THE PRICE UP TEN, $15,000, CAN WE NOT DO THAT? AND THAT WE CAN DO THROUGH A BID OR WE CAN DO AND AS THE COMMISSIONER SAID, THEY HAVE AN ORDER. TELL THEM WE NEED WATER BANK OPENED FIVE JUST LIKE THIS AND LET US KNOW WHEN YOU GET THEM IN. AND THEN THEY PLACE THE ORDER AND WE TAKE THEM AND WE CAN DO. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK CLOSER WITH, BECAUSE USUALLY THE ORDER BANK, THE WAY IT'S BEEN SET, HAS BEEN CLOSING BEFORE WE GET TO THE END OF OUR BUDGET. SO WORKING CLOSER WITH Y'ALL, IF WE KNOW WHAT'S IN YOUR MIND, KIND OF WHAT'S YOU'RE LEANING TOWARDS, WE CAN GET TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PLACE A PRELIMINARY ORDER LIKE WE DO FOR THE TAHOES BEFORE THE ORDER BANK CLOSES. THEN WE GET TO SPECIFY WHAT'S ON THE VEHICLE. INSTEAD OF HAVING TO PICK SOMETHING THAT'S UNDER CONTRACT. THAT'S. YES. SO, COMMISSIONER STINSON, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS ERIC TEST AND I WILL GET TOGETHER WITH EJ AND THE FLEET MANAGER, ISAAC, AND DO A LITTLE BIT OF INVESTIGATION ON WHETHER WE'RE STAYING ON MISSION RELATIVE TO LEASING VERSUS BUYING. AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO ATTEND. I'VE TALKED TO DEPARTMENT OF DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. AND HE'S HE'S GOOD WITH, YOU KNOW, PICKING UP TWO TRUCKS AT THIS TIME AND KEEPING TWO OF THE LOWER MILEAGE ONES THAT HE'S GOT UNTIL WE CAN GET THIS WORKED OUT. OKAY. AND LOOK AT. 
          WELL, DO YOU I'M NOT TRYING TO TO SQUELCH ANY DISCUSSION, BUT. SO YOU WOULD IF YOU WERE TO MAKE A MOTION TO THAT POINT, YOU WOULD APPROVE. YOU GOT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. OH, THAT'S A SECOND. YEAH. WELL THAT MOTION WOULD BE TO APPROVE. BUT IF YOU WANT TO MODIFY, WE NEED TO WITHDRAW THAT MOTION BECAUSE YOU'RE ASKING IF HE WANTS TO LET ME LET ME. SINCE WE DO HAVE A PENDING MOTION, DOES ANYONE COMMISSIONER GRAYSON HAS MOVED TO APPROVE ITEM 2.5 AS PRESENTED. DOES ANYONE CARE TO SECOND THAT MOTION? NO. OKAY, WE'LL LET THAT FAIL. OKAY. AND NOW WE CAN MODIFY. YEAH, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO BUY TWO AT THIS TIME. AND THEN TO LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO IF WE GO TO A, IF WE GO TO COLORADO WITH FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. SO COMMISSIONER FIND ONE THAT YOU CAN BUY OR TWO THAT YOU CAN BUY. THEN WE'LL GO WITH THAT. 
          COMMISSIONER WOULD SAVE US $30,000. CAN WE SPECIFY THE TWO BECAUSE WE GOT ONE AT 42, THREE, 75 AND ONE AT 43, 150. THE OTHER THREE ARE 43, 650. I THINK THEY'RE ALL THE SAME PRICE. BUY THE TWO CHEAPEST ONES. YEAH, WELL ONE OF THEM'S FOR THE WELL, THEY'RE ALL LOADED THE SAME WAY. CORRECT. THE FIRST ONE, THERE'S ONE THAT'S ACTUALLY CHEAPER. YEAH. 
          IT'S TRYING TO TO CLARIFY WE ACTUALLY HAVE FIVE PRESENTED. THE FIRST ONE IS FOR THE AGRILIFE. OKAY. AND THEN WE THEN IF I'M HEARING YOU CORRECTLY, COMMISSIONER STINSON, YOU WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO APPROVE THE ONE FOR THE AGRILIFE AS WELL AS THE TWO LOWEST PRICED ELEVATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT. YEAH. OKAY. SO EVERYONE UNDERSTAND? YES. COMMISSIONERS MOTION, WE'LL GIVE THE CLERK A NUMBER. YEAH. SHE CAN. VERY GOOD. YEAH. 3843. ONE, TWO AND THREE. OKAY. WHICH ONES IS IT. WELL THE THE CHEAPEST ONE WOULD BE 3841 C FOR 43,150. AND THEN ONE OF THE OTHERS, THEN JUST ONE OF THE OTHERS. WE'LL JUST 
          [00:35:05]
PICK THE FIRST ONE. JUST TAKE THE TOP THREE. YEAH. THE TOP ONE FOR THE NEXT TWO. YEAH. FOR DOD. PERFECT. THAT KEEPS IT SIMPLE. SO YOU GOOD THUMBS UP DOWN THERE OKAY. ALL RIGHT OKAY. 
          SO JUST JUST FOR CLARIFICATION ONE MORE TIME. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION. COMMISSIONER STINSON IS MOVING TO APPROVE ITEM 2.5 WITH THE FIRST THREE BULLET POINTED VEHICLES APPROVED. AND THOSE THREE ONLY IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. I IS ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY. HEARING NO OPPOSITION. ITEM 2.5 PASSES WITH THOSE THREE VEHICLES. I'D LIKE TO MAKE JUST A FOLLOW UP SINCE WE'RE DONE. AND THAT WAS SO COMMISSIONER STINSON BRINGS THAT UP, AND WE CERTAINLY ALL AGREE THAT WE NEED TO RUN THOSE. BUT IN THE BEGINNING, THE LEASE WAS JUST A BOMB. IT WAS AWESOME. 
          IT WAS IT WAS ABSOLUTELY THE WAY TO GO. I'VE NEVER DONE IT BECAUSE I RUN MORE MILES ON MINE. WE GET GOOD MAINTENANCE, ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO NOT EVERY DEPARTMENT JUST I JUST THIS IS JUST FOR PUBLIC. I JUST WANT TO GET THIS OUT. RIGHT. BECAUSE HE BRINGS A GREAT POINT AND I TOTALLY AGREE. BUT NOT EVERY DEPARTMENT DOES THAT. I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO THE SHERIFF MULTIPLE TIMES AND IT WAS THE BEST THING FOR HIM. IT'S THE BEST THING FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BUT OTHERS, SPECIFICALLY R&B GUYS, WE RUN THE WHEELS OFF OF THOSE THINGS AND WE NEVER DID DO THAT. A LOT OF US DID NOT. SOME DID EVENTUALLY, BUT I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT NOT EVERY DEPARTMENT JUST GOES BUYS IN. WE ALL LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE BEST VALUE OUT OF THE EQUIPMENT FOR OUR INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS, AND IT'S INCUMBENT ON EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD TO DO THE SAME. AND I HOPE THAT YOUR DISCUSSIONS WILL INVOLVE COMMISSIONER STINSON, AND WE CAN EVALUATE THAT AND LET EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL COST IS, WHEN THE LEASE PAYMENT IS WAY DOWN HERE, OR WHAT IT IS WHEN IT BEGINS TO EXPAND, AS IT HAS DONE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHEN IT STARTED, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE COULD HAVE GOT WHAT WE GOT WITHOUT THAT LEASE AGREEMENT. 
          AND AND I THINK OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE WOULD AGREE THAT IT WAS IT WORKED AT THAT TIME. AND AND MOST LIKELY IT STILL IS AT THIS TIME BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE PUTTING SOME HARD, HARD MILES ON THERE. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT COMMENT IN CASE ANYBODY IS THINKING WE'RE NOT JUST WE'RE NOT JUST ALL RIDING IN A SHIP AND WE JUST KIND OF OFF OFF THE TRACK. MAYBE IT'S JUST TIME TO EVALUATE. YEAH, PULL IT BACK IN AND GET BACK ON TRACK. YEAH. WHICH IS REALLY JUST A FUNCTION OF THE GROWTH OF THE COUNTY. EXACTLY. EXACTLY WHAT? OUR FLEET MANAGER. WE'LL TIGHTEN THAT UP AND TAKE A LOOK. OKAY. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER GRAYSON. THANK YOU EJ. THANK 
          [3.1 Introduction of the 504th District Court Judge Greg Wilhelm to Commissioners Court. - County Judge John Wray ]
YOU ALL VERY MUCH. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE PORTION OF OUR AGENDA. AND WE'LL FIRST TAKE UP ITEM 3.1 WHICH IS INTRODUCTION OF THE 504TH DISTRICT COURT JUDGE GREG WILHELM TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE NOW HAVE A FOURTH DISTRICT COURT THAT HAS BEEN CREATED BY THE LEGISLATURE FOR ELLIS COUNTY. IT'S DESIGNATED AS THE 504TH DISTRICT COURT. COME ON UP, JUDGE WILHELM, AND FEEL FREE TO. YEAH. THERE AT THE MICROPHONE. SO EVERYBODY JOINING US ONLINE CAN HEAR HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. BUT JUDGE WILHELM HAS BEEN APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT AS THE JUDGE OF THIS COURT. AND WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE BENCH INTO ELLIS COUNTY. AND PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. THANK YOU. 
          JUDGE, I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR OVER 25 YEARS AND HAVING KNOWN THE DIFFERENT COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY JUDGES HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS BLESSING. ONE OF THE OTHER HONORS THAT WE'VE HAD, INSTEAD OF RECENTLY REPRESENTING THE COMMISSIONERS COURT ON SOME OF THE CIVIL MATTERS, IS OUR PRO BONO WORK THAT WE DID FOR THE COMMISSIONERS IN WORKING AND NEGOTIATING AND DRAFTING THE CONTRACT FOR FIRST LOOK CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTER. AND IT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS IN YOUR CAREER THAT YOU LOOK BACK ON AND YOU SAY, I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT. AND THAT IS ONE OF THEM THAT IS JUST TREMENDOUSLY STELLAR. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'VE ALSO HAD OVER THE YEARS, AND FOR THE HONOR OF HAVING BEEN ABLE TO REPRESENT THIS COURT. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU AND THE CITIZENS OF ELLIS COUNTY AS JUDGE OF THE 504 DISTRICT COURT. AND JUST THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JUDGE WILHELM. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I HOPE YOU'RE SETTLING INTO YOUR YOUR NEW SPOT. WE ARE. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. CONGRATS. OKAY. WE WILL NOW 
          [3.2 Discussion, consideration, and possible action for the county judge to sign a symbolic 'Sister County' agreement with   the Pardubice Region in the Czech Republic in honor of our Czech Heritage. - County Judge John Wray ]
TAKE UP ITEM 3.2 WHICH IS DISCUSSION CONSIDERATION AND AND POSSIBLE ACTION FOR THE COUNTY JUDGE TO SIGN A SYMBOLIC SISTER COUNTY AGREEMENT WITH THE PARDUBICE REGION OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN HONOR OF OUR COUNTY'S CZECH HERITAGE. AND LEO MARTINEC IS GOING TO FIRST MAKE A FEW COMMENTS. HELLO EVERYONE! AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, I AM HEAVILY OF CZECH DESCENT. IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW ME PRIOR TO WORKING HERE, YOU KNEW EITHER MY FATHER OR ONE OF MY OTHER THOUSAND FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE LOCATED IN ELLIS COUNTY, AND I'M NOT 
          [00:40:03]
EXAGGERATING ON THAT. WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, I WAS SUPER HAPPY TO KIND OF PUSH IT FORWARD BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A REALLY COOL THING. IT'S 100% SYMBOLIC, AND I DO HAVE WE WANTED TO TRY TO PUSH THIS THROUGH PRIOR TO THE THIS YEAR'S NATIONAL POLKA FESTIVAL, WHICH IS HELD IN ENNIS EVERY YEAR. THIS IS GOING TO BE THEIR 60TH YEAR. SO I HAVE THE DIRECTOR HERE WITH ME TODAY, MR. JOHN PAUL, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC A LITTLE BIT, MR. PAUL, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND GIVE A LITTLE GUIDANCE, I BELIEVE WHAT WE WOULD DO IS IF YOU IF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT APPROVES OF THE AGREEMENT, THEN AT SOME POINT LATER WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A PRESENTATION. AND THE AGREEMENT WOULD BE PRESENTED IN BOTH ENGLISH AND IN CZECH, I BELIEVE, AT THAT TIME, AND I HOPE SOMEONE ELSE WILL READ THE CZECH IF THAT'S NECESSARY. BUT ANYWAY, YES, AT THIS TIME, IF YOU ALL AGREE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AGREEMENT, WE DO HAVE JUST A RECOGNITION OF AGREEMENT FOR TO BE SIGNED TODAY, AND THEN THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT WILL BE SIGNED IN APRIL OR MAY, WHENEVER THEY ACTUALLY COME OVER FROM THE CZECH REPUBLIC, THEY WILL BRING A CZECH COPY. 
          OUR LEGAL WILL REVIEW IT FOR EVERYBODY AND THEN Y'ALL WILL ACTUALLY SIGN IT AT THAT POINT. 
          IT'S SYMBOLIC ANYWAY. CORRECT. MR. PAUL, COME ON UP. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR GIVING US THIS ATTENTION TODAY AND PUTTING THIS ON YOUR AGENDA. WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT. MY NAME IS JOHN PAUL BEEBE. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL POLKA FESTIVAL AND HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, AND WE THIS TODAY BRINGS THIS IS THIS IS THE PEAK OF A FOUR YEAR JOURNEY THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNOR MARTIN NETOLICKY THERE OF WE HAVE HAD KIND OF SOME EBBS AND FLOWS IN GOING THROUGH THIS AS MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND FOLKS HAVE CHANGED POSITIONS. BUT I'M REALLY GLAD TO BE HERE. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO ESPECIALLY THANK LEAH FOR HER HELP IN GETTING US TO THIS. 
          SO WE JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE CONTEXT ON THE HISTORY OF THIS AND THE CZECH HERITAGE IN TEXAS IN GENERAL, ASIDE FROM ELLIS COUNTY AND THE NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL BEING HOSTED IN IN US, WE THERE'S A DEEPER CONTEXT THAT EXTENDS FAR BEYOND ENNIS AND ELLIS COUNTY, AND THAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF CZECH HERITAGE IN TEXAS. AS RECENTLY AS THE 1990S, CZECH WAS THE THIRD MOST SPOKEN LANGUAGE IN THIS STATE, AND TODAY MORE THAN 800,000 TEXANS ARE OF CZECH DESCENT. GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT FORMALLY RECOGNIZES CZECH TEXANS EACH YEAR FOR THEIR CULTURAL AND CIVIC CONTRIBUTIONS. THEIR INFLUENCE CAN BE SEEN ACROSS TEXAS AND AGRICULTURE, MUSIC, EDUCATION, CRAFTSMANSHIP, FAITH AND COMMUNITY LIFE. AND THIS RELATIONSHIP IS NOT JUST HISTORICAL, IT'S ACTIVE AND MEANINGFUL. WHEN THE KERRVILLE FLOODS HAPPENED LAST YEAR, THE CZECH REPUBLIC SENT A RESCUE AND RECOVERY TEAM TO ASSIST TEXANS. AND THAT KIND OF RESPONSE ONLY HAPPENS WHEN A RELATIONSHIP IS DEEP AND ENDURING. EXTENDING INTO ELLIS COUNTY. THIS IS MANY OF THOSE 800,000 DESCENDANTS LIVE IN THIS COUNTY. THERE'S A LARGE CONTINGENT. AND, YOU KNOW, STATEWIDE, WE ALL KNOW THAT EVERYONE'S HEARD OF A KOLACHE MANY OF YOU, YOU KNOW, JUST AS I HAVE THE MICROPHONE HERE, THEY THEY DON'T HAVE MEAT IN THEM. CALLUSES DO NOT HAVE MEAT. SO THAT'S A THAT'S A PLURAL WORD. DIFFERENT THING. ONE IS A COLLAGE. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT SINGULAR IS KOLACHE AND KOLACHI IS PLURAL. SO IF YOU ADD THE S IT'S A DOUBLE NEGATIVE THERE. SO ANYWAY, THIS SISTER CITY OPPORTUNITY WITH WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT TALKS. GOVERNOR NETOLITZKY HAS BEEN FANTASTIC TO WORK WITH. THE PART OF GOVERNMENT WILL BE ATTENDING THE NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL THIS YEAR AT THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY, AND WE LOOK TO HAVE SOME FORMAL SIGNING WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE. 
          AND HERE IN THE COUNTRY THAT WE'RE THIS DEEP CONNECTION, WE HOPE IT WILL. THIS WILL DRIVE THINGS FORWARD AND JUST KIND OF THE PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THIS SISTER RELATIONSHIP IS THIS SISTER COUNTY, SISTER REGION RELATIONSHIP IS INTENDED TO BE CEREMONIAL AND CULTURAL IN NATURE ONLY. THERE ARE NO FINANCIAL OR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS. IT IS A MEANINGFUL SYMBOL OF UNITY AND SHARED HERITAGE, ALONG WITH MUTUAL PRIDE OF THE STATE AND OF THE GOVERNMENT. 
          AND AS THIS RELATIONSHIP CONTINUES TO GROW, WE HOPE THAT FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES DO COME UP. 
          STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAMS. OPPORTUNITIES FOR ELLIS COUNTY STUDENTS TO STUDY MUSIC AT THE CONSERVATORY, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT THIS COULD BRING. BUT YEAH, AND AS GIVING ELLIS COUNTY THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE FIRST IN THIS TO OUR RESEARCH, THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST COUNTY TO HAVE A 
          [00:45:05]
SISTER INTERNATIONAL SISTER RELATIONSHIP. SO THAT THANK YOU, MR. BEEBE, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS IN PRESERVING THE CZECH HERITAGE FOR OUR COUNTY, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COUNTY AND FOR VARIOUS REALLY THROUGHOUT CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE AREA OF TEXAS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT FOR FOR US ALL. 
          AND DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DIDN'T YOU HAVE A DELEGATION ALREADY? MAKE MAKE A TRIP OVER. AND WE HAVE YES. THERE THE GOVERNOR NETOLITZKY AND HE'S BROUGHT IN EXCHANGE STUDENTS AT THE NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL EVERY OTHER YEAR. WE TYPICALLY HAVE INTERNATIONAL MUSICIANS COME OVER THE LAST SINCE 2018. 2018 WAS GOVERNOR NETOLITZKY FIRST TRIP HERE. AND THEY HAVE JUST BEEN BLOWN AWAY WITH THE CULTURE, THE PRESERVATION OF THE CULTURE HERE BECAUSE AS YOU CAN EXPECT, TIME MOVES ON, THINGS CHANGE. AND OVER THERE THEY DON'T QUITE CELEBRATE THE SAME CULTURE THAT WAS CELEBRATED HERE IN THE MID 1800S BY THE CZECHS THAT IMMIGRATED HERE. SO YES, THIS IS THIS WILL BE THEIR FOURTH TRIP. AND YEAH, IT'S WE GET A CHANCE TO SEE HIM. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. WELL HE WILL BE PRESENT AT THE SIGNING. YES. OKAY. VERY GOOD. INVITE HIM TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. ABSOLUTELY. 
          ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. WOULD ANYONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM THREE. SO MOVED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.2 FROM COMMISSIONER GRAYSON AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. I. DOES ANYONE OPPOSED HEARING NO OPPOSITION? ITEM 3.2 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY. WE'LL 
          [3.3 Discussion,  consideration  and  action  regarding  a  resolution  in  support  of  a  natural  stone  bench  on  the  Historic   Courthouse  grounds  to  commemorate  the  250th  anniversary  of  the  signing  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence   sponsored by the Chapter 70 Sons of the American Revolution. -County Judge John Wray]
NOW TAKE UP ITEM 3.3, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION REGARDING A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF A NATURAL STONE BENCH ON THE HISTORIC COURTHOUSE GROUNDS TO COMMEMORATE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 
          SPONSORED BY THE CHAPTER NUMBER 70 OF THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. COMMISSIONER. SO TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND, AND WE DO HAVE DAVID HILL HERE FROM THE FROM THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. BUT I THINK I CAN LEAD ON THIS, AS YOU MAY KNOW, OR AS YOU DO KNOW, 2026 MARKS THE SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL IS WHAT IT'S CALLED OF THE SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. I BELIEVE THAT'S THE OFFICIAL THAT'S THAT'S A MOUTHFUL. IT'S CALLED IT'S CALLED THE SEMICU FOR SHORT. AND YOU'LL PROBABLY BE HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT AS WE GET CLOSER TO JULY 4TH. BUT IN RECOGNITION OF THE SEMICU, OUR 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION HAVE HAVE GENEROUSLY OFFERED TO DONATE A MARBLE BENCH THAT WILL BE LOCATED SOMEWHERE ON THE COURTHOUSE GROUNDS. I THINK, MR. SASHA, DID YOU KIND OF HAVE A REPRESENTATION OF IT OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE? WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND SHOW? OH, THAT'S OKAY, I DO HAVE SOME. WELL, WHAT WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE IS THERE WILL BE A MARBLE BENCH THAT WILL HAVE AN INSCRIPTION HONORING THE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. OBVIOUSLY, A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD. AND THIS, OF COURSE, PLACEMENT OF SOMETHING ON THE COURTHOUSE GROUNDS REQUIRES APPROVAL OF THE FROM THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION. THAT'S WHAT THE PURPOSE OF OUR OUR VOTE HERE TODAY IS TO SIGNAL THAT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT IS IN FAVOR OF THAT. AND THEN IT WILL, OF COURSE, REQUIRE HISTORICAL COMMISSION APPROVAL. BUT THE HISTORIC COMMISSION DOESN'T WANT TO CONSIDER IT BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE APPROVED. WOULD YOU LIKE TO? YES, AGAIN, MY NAME IS DAVID, AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE ELLIS COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION. JUDGE RAY DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF SUMMARIZING WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY PREPARED REMARKS. I DO HAVE THE PACKET THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY THE BY DAVID HILL. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM ABOUT THAT, IF YOU ALL MIGHT RECALL, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE WENT THROUGH A SIMILAR PROCESS FOR THE ALAMO LETTER THAT WAS PLACED HERE ON THE COURTHOUSE GROUNDS, I BELIEVE, IN THAT CORNER OF OF THE COURTHOUSE GROUNDS AND ANY IMPROVEMENTS OR ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE COURTHOUSE OR ITS GROUNDS NEED TO BE APPROVED BY THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION. AND AS THE COUNTY AGENCY FOR THAT, MR. HILL APPROACHED US. AND SIMILAR TO THE ALAMO LETTER, WE PASSED A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE PLACEMENT OF THE MARKER, AND I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE IN THAT. IS IT IN THAT I THINK IT'S THAT DIRECTION IF I OH, THAT OKAY OVER THERE. I'M SORRY, I'M A BIT TURNED AROUND. SO THE STEPS HERE WOULD BE, AFTER YOUR ALL'S 
          [00:50:06]
CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL, THEN I WOULD COMPLETE AN APPLICATION FOR AN ANTIQUITIES PERMIT FROM TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION THAT WOULD BE SENT ON TO THEM TO GIVE FINAL APPROVAL FOR THE PLACEMENT OF THAT STONE BENCH. AND I BELIEVE THE PLAN IS THAT THAT ALL CAN BE DONE BY JULY 4TH. AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A DEDICATION EVENT, RIGHT. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR WANT TO SEE THIS PACKET, WE WOULD WE WOULD PROBABLY SEE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM TO HAVE A MORE CELEBRATORY ITEM OF THE BOTH THE RIGHT, A MORE CELEBRATORY EVENT OF THE SIGNING AS WELL AS THE PLACEMENT OF THE BENCH. BUT THIS IS REALLY JUST OUR INITIAL ACTION TO SAY THAT WE DO, IN FACT, SUPPORT THE PLACEMENT OF THE OF THE BENCH. SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO DO THAT. MOTION TO APPROVE. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.3 FROM COMMISSIONER GRAYSON AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED HEARING NO OPPOSITION. ITEM 3.3 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I HAVE TO NOTE THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS EASIER TO PRONOUNCE PARTY THAN IT IS TO PRONOUNCE SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL. ANYWAY, WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM 3.4, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, 
          [3.4 Discussion, consideration, and action to adopt a policy for political signs on Ellis County owned property that is being   used as a polling place. - Elections Administrator Jana Onyon]
CONSIDERATION AND ACTION TO ADOPT A POLICY FOR POLITICAL SIGNS ON ELLIS COUNTY OWNED PROPERTY THAT IS BEING USED AS A POLLING PLACE. AND OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, JANE ONION, WILL SPEAK TO US ABOUT THIS ITEM. 3.4 JANA. HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS. 
          JUDGE, I'M BRINGING THIS POLICY TO YOU TODAY TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SAFETY, FAIRNESS AND PROTECTING THE COUNTY PROPERTY WHILE STILL ALLOWING THE RIGHT FOR POLITICAL ELECTIONEERING TO HAPPEN AT THE POLLING PLACES. THIS POLICY, IF YOU SHOULD APPROVE IT TODAY, WILL BE FOR CURRENT POLLING LOCATIONS AT THE COUNTY OWNED OR FUTURE POLLING LOCATIONS. 
          CURRENTLY, WE HAVE THE ELLIS COUNTY COURTHOUSE PRECINCT ONE IN ENNIS THAT WE USE FOR ALL OF EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY. AND THEN WE HAVE THE ELLIS COUNTY COURTHOUSE, PRECINCT TWO IN WAXAHACHIE THAT WE'VE BEEN USING JUST ON ELECTION DAY. SO THIS POLICY IS BROUGHT TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE OVER TIME, WE HAVE SEEN THE SIZES OF SIGNS AND THE QUANTITY OF SIGNS INCREASE AND PLACE ON THESE AT THESE POLLING LOCATIONS. MANY OF THESE SIGNS ALSO HAVE BEEN USING METAL LIKE T POST DRIVEN INTO THE GROUND, AND THAT COULD CREATE SOME RISK FOR ANY ELECTRICAL OR WATER LINES THAT LAY ON THE GROUND. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT THE COUNTY PROPERTY WITH THAT. AND THEN IT ALSO HAS RAISED PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS. EVEN THOSE THOSE SIGNS MIGHT NOT BE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY. THEY'RE SO LARGE AND SO MANY THAT THE POLLING LOCATIONS, IT'S VERY HARD TO EXIT OR ENTER THOSE LOCATIONS FOR VEHICLES OR EVEN PEOPLE WALKING AND STUFF. 
          AND SO WE'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY I'VE BROUGHT THIS POLICY TO YOU TODAY. BUT WE ALSO WANT ALL THESE POLLING LOCATIONS TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO THE OTHER COUNTY SERVICES FOR THE FOR THE PUBLIC AND STILL HAVE VOTING. SO WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE BOTH OF THOSE EFFECTS. I WANT TO MENTION A FEW THINGS THAT'S IN THIS POLICY, JUST TO MENTION A FEW OF THEM. IT WOULD ALLOW US FOR THE PLACEMENT OF THE SIGNS UP TO 72 HOURS PRIOR TO THE VOTING PERIOD AT THAT LOCATION, AND THEN HAVE THE CANDIDATES PICK UP THEIR SIGNS 72 HOURS AFTER ELECTION DAY. IT WOULD LIMIT THE SIGNS TO TWO SIGNS PER CANDIDATE OR MEASURE. 
          IT WOULD LIMIT THE SIGNS TO A 24 BY 24 IN SIZE, AND NO HIGHER THAN 48IN FROM THE GROUND. BY USING THAT STANDARD HEAVY GAUGE WIRE THAT ARE USED FOR YARD SIGNS, WE'RE ASKING THAT THERE'S NO METAL T POST OR THE LIKE INTO THE GROUND, AND THEN NO ONE ELECTIONEERING CAN OBSTRUCT OR IMPEDE ON THE VEHICLE OR PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC, KIND OF PUTTING THAT IN PLACE. 
          AND THEN NO VEHICLES MAY REMAIN OVERNIGHT ON COUNTY PROPERTY USED AS POLLING AS A POLLING SITE. SO WE'VE PLACED THOSE THINGS INTO THIS ORDINANCE NOT TO PROHIBIT ELECTIONEERING OUTSIDE THE REQUIRED 100 FOOT RADIUS OF THE ENTRANCE AND AROUND 20FT OF THE CURBSIDE. SO IT'S STILL ALLOWS ELECTIONEERING TO HAPPEN IN THE APPROVED AND ALLOWED UNDER THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE. THIS POLICY JUST HELPS US SET A REASONABLE TIME, PLACE AND RULES FOR CANDIDATES AND ELECTIONEERING, AND THEN IT LIMITS THE SIZE, PLACEMENT AND QUANTITY. AND THEN ESTABLISH ESTABLISHES A CLEAR TIMELINES OF WHEN THEY CAN BE PLACED OUT 
          [00:55:04]
THERE AND WHEN THEY NEED TO BE REMOVED. SO OVERALL, IT JUST HELPS WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE PROPERTY PROTECTION OF THE OF THE COUNTY PROPERTY. AND THEN IT POLICY PROVIDES A CLEAR RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT EVERYBODY CAN FOLLOW. SO I'VE BROUGHT IT TO YOU TODAY TO SEE IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS OR IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT WOULD LIKE TO PUT IN PLACE. YEAH. THANK YOU, JANA. AND COMMISSIONERS, I BELIEVE WHAT HAS KIND OF BROUGHT THIS SOMEWHAT MORE TO THE FORE IS THE PRECINCT TWO SUB COURTHOUSE, WHICH IS ON A DANGEROUS, VERY HIGH TRAFFIC LOCATION THERE ON ON BUSINESS 287 AND, AND FRANKLY, SOMETIMES AT SOME OF THE POLLING LOCATIONS, SO MANY SIGNS ARE PLACED THAT YOU REALLY JUST SEE A FOREST AND YOU DON'T ACTUALLY SEE AN INDIVIDUAL TREE. SO TO SOME DEGREE, LIMITING THE NUMBER AND SIZE OF SIGNS I THINK MAY CREATE MORE EXPOSURE. YOU KNOW, FOR CANDIDATE NAME RECOGNITION, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANY COMMISSIONERS, ANY THOUGHTS TO HAS ANYONE MEASURED THAT TO SEE WHERE THE 100 FOOT MARK IS, THE 100 FOOT MARK GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO LIKE RIGHT WHERE THE SIDEWALK IS, AND THEN YOU HAVE A SIDEWALK AND A LITTLE BIT OF LAND. AND THEN THERE IT IS, THE 287 BUSINESS. SO THERE'S A SIDEWALK BEHIND THE PARKING IN THE FRONT, ALONG FRONT ALONG 27. OKAY. YEAH. I HAVEN'T EVEN NOTICED. YEAH. BECAUSE IT'S WHEN YOU PARK, IT'S UP THERE. OKAY. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO GO UP SO THEY COULD PUT A SIGN RIGHT THERE NEXT TO THE SIDEWALK. BUT THEY REALLY THEY REALLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET SIGNS DOWN IN THERE ANYWAY BECAUSE IT'S WITHIN. AND IT'S NOT REALLY BY THE SIDEWALK EITHER, BECAUSE THAT'S IN KIND OF THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR. OH YEAH, BECAUSE IT'S OUTSIDE THE SIDEWALK. RIGHT. OKAY. SO IT WOULD BE FURTHER DOWN WOULD ALLOW IT BECAUSE THE 100 FOOT RADIUS DOESN'T TAKE THE WHOLE PARKING LOT SPACE. SO FURTHER DOWN THEY COULD PROBABLY PUT SOME SIGNS. ONE OF THE TERMS THERE WAS OBSTRUCTING TRAFFIC OR PEDESTRIAN VEHICLE OR PEDESTRIAN GRANTED OBSTRUCTING VEHICLE TRAFFIC. THAT WOULD BE A LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUE BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUT IN THE STREET. I MEAN, YEAH, I GUESS WE COULD ALSO PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC. WHAT WHAT DO WE MEAN BY OBSTRUCTING? ARE WE SAYING THEY CAN'T SPEAK TO SOMEONE WALKING UP, OR THEY JUST CAN'T GET IN THEIR WAY TO KEEP THEM FROM WALKING BY? I'M NOT THE LAW. DOES SOMEONE FROM LEGAL WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT? THAT OFFICIALLY OR SHERIFF'S OFFICE? BUT WE HAVE SEEN THAT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HAPPEN AT POLLING PLACES. BUT THEY CAN YOU CAN TALK TO ANYBODY, RIGHT. WHO WANTS TO WALK ON BY. YEAH, THEY CAN WALK ON BY. AND IF THEY GET IN THEIR WAY AND TRY TO KEEP THEM FROM WALKING ON AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT, THEN WE HAVE A PROBLEM. YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. SO TODAY'S POLICY JUST ADDRESSES SIGNS. YEAH. 
          IT'S TALKS ABOUT THAT. IT DOES TALK ABOUT PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC TOO THOUGH. RIGHT OKAY. BUT AS IT RELATES TO WHERE YOU CAN PUT SIGNS. WELL I DON'T THINK SHE'S TRYING TO SAY THE MAIN ISSUE IS ELECTIONEERING. OKAY OKAY. YEAH. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. JUST THE PLACEMENT OF THE SIGN AND A QUESTION. SO WE'VE FOOT TRAFFIC THE THE SIGNAGE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE WHAT? OVER AT THE SUBCOURT HOUSE. I THINK THERE'S SOME SIGNAGE. YOU WERE SAYING THAT WHEN YOU PULL IN AND OUT, IT MAKES IT HARD TO SEE THE ROAD. YES. SIGNS. RIGHT. YEAH. THE BIG SIGNS. SO IF YOU HAVE THE LOWER SIGNS, THAT'S NO NO TALLER THAN 48IN A VEHICLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE. YOU CAN'T SEE AS WELL. YEAH OKAY. PRETTY MUCH A LOT OF THE ELECTIONS WE ARE GETTING PHONE CALLS ABOUT THAT. THEY JUST THE SAFETY OF IT IN THIS POLICY IS REAL. SIMILAR TO WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN MIDLOTHIAN, RED OAK AND WAXAHACHIE OR NOT WAXAHACHIE, BUT THE WOMEN'S BUILDING. 
          WOMEN'S. WELL, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SIMILAR POLICY. YES. THEY JUST BRINGS US UP TO JUST KIND OF LEVELS IT OUT. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE THERE ARE PLACES IT LOOKS LIKE POLITICAL SIGNS JUST THREW UP ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND IT'S AND IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. SO I WOULD ASK FOR 1 TO 2 THINGS BEFORE WE APPROVE THIS. CAN YOU DEFINE OVERNIGHT. BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE. WHEN YOU SAY OVERNIGHT SOMEBODY'S JUST GOING TO STAY UNTIL MIDNIGHT AND SHOW UP. CAN WE BE MORE A LITTLE MORE SECURE OR MORE SPECIFIC IN WHAT OVERNIGHT IS? CAN WE COME UP WITH A A BETTER? IS THERE A LEGAL TERM THAT YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO STATE? WHAT STATE WE CAN ADD THAT WE WANT TO PUT A TIME FRAME. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE THINKING? SEE SOMEBODY SAY, WELL, IT'S OVERNIGHT. AS LONG AS I GET THERE BY 1 A.M. THAT KIND OF DEFEATS THE PURPOSE. THAT WOULD BE MY FIRST QUESTION, AND THEN WE'LL CONSIDER HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DO IT. THE SECOND QUESTION, HAVE WE NOTIFIED BOTH PARTIES? HAS THERE BEEN OR WILL YOU NOTIFY BOTH PARTIES WITH A MAP, OR WERE THEY DRAWING OR AT LEAST AN AERIAL SO THEY CAN SEE 
          [01:00:03]
THIS? THAT IS A VERY GOOD POINT. WE ALREADY HAVE A PAGE OF THEM. I HAVE A DESIRE TO DO THIS CLEANLY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY NEED A ROCK SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT HERE. YES, ABSOLUTELY. AND WE ALREADY HAVE A PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE THAT IS FULL OF THE ORDINANCES THAT WE KNOW OF FOR ALL THE CITIES AND ANY POLLING LOCATIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. SO IT WILL BE ADDED TO THAT PAGE FOR CANDIDATES TO VIEW. BUT YES, I WILL BE SENDING IT OUT TO THE PARTY CHAIRS TO LET THE. BECAUSE ONCE THIS IS IN PLACE, IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO SIGN IT TODAY, IT WOULD FROM TODAY FORWARD. SO ANY ELECTION COMING UP. AND SO I'LL BE SENDING IT OUT TO ALL THE ENTITIES, THE POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS I DO ELECTIONS FOR, AND THEN IT'LL BE POSTED UP ON OUR WEBSITE TO LET EVERYBODY KIND OF KNOW ABOUT THAT. BOTH I HAVE SPOKEN TO SOMEONE AT I'VE SPOKEN TO JUDGE MACON AT PRECINCT ONE, AND THEN CASEY WATERS AT PRECINCT TWO TO LET THEM KNOW THAT I WAS BRINGING THIS BEFORE THE COURT TODAY. AND THEY HAVE ALSO AGREED THAT THIS WOULD BE A VERY GOOD POLICY FOR THOSE POLLING SITES. SPEAKING ABOUT THE TIME FRAMES, I MEAN, ARE YOU WE LIKE TO DO LIKE NINE TO LIKE 9 P.M. IS THERE A SUGGESTION OR SUGGESTION? I MEAN, THE EARLY POLLING LOCATIONS OPEN IS 7 A.M. YES. THE EARLIEST IS 7 A.M. WOULD WE SAY LIKE 9 P.M. TO 5 A.M. OR 9 P.M. TO 6 A.M. DOES ANYONE HAVE THAT ALIGNS WITH THE SPIRIT OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, SO THAT SOMEBODY'S NOT WAITING UNTIL MIDNIGHT OR SHOWING UP AT 3 A.M. LET'S LET'S DO WHAT WOULD BE REASONABLE. I LIKE 9 P.M. TO 5 A.M. I THINK THAT THAT WORKS FOR ME. OKAY, OKAY. 
          LEGAL LIKE THAT. YEAH. OKAY. THAT WOULD BE REGULATION NUMBER SIX. THE PROPOSED THAT WOULD BE THE PARAGRAPH SIX IF I'M TAKING THAT OTHER WAS OTHER POLICIES DIDN'T HAVE A TIME FRAME TO DEFINE OVERNIGHT. WELL LET'S DO ONE UP ON THEM. WE'LL DEFINE THAT OKAY. AND THAT'S AGAIN FOR WHAT. NOW FOR JUST DEFINING OVERNIGHT. OVERNIGHT VEHICLES SHOULD NOT STAY THERE. THEY SHOULD BE GONE BY 9:00 PM. THEY CAN COME BACK AT 5 A.M. YEAH. JUST JUST FOR CLARIFICATION. SO THAT WOULD BE POINT NUMBER SIX OF THE PROPOSED POLICY. AND THE LAST SENTENCE OF POINT NUMBER SIX SAYS NO VEHICLES MAY REMAIN OVERNIGHT ON COUNTY PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS A POLLING PLACE. WE WOULD THEN JUST ADD CLARIFICATION THAT THAT MEANS NO VEHICLES MAY REMAIN OVERNIGHT FROM 9 P.M. TO 6 A.M. I'M SORRY, 5 A.M. 9 P.M. TO 5 A.M. I THINK THAT DEFINES IT. KEEP SOMEBODY WAITING DOWN THE EVERYBODY KNOWS BECAUSE YOU POLL FROM 7 TO 7, CORRECT? YES. 
          RIGHT. YEAH. IT'S TWO HOURS EITHER SIDE. SO I THINK THAT'S GREAT. YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. 
          SHERIFF, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK? YEAH. JUST JUST FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES, THIS POLICY SAYS POLICY. IS IT THE INTENTION OF THE COURT? THIS IS A POLICY OR IS THIS A COUNTY ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO ME. WE CAN'T MAKE AN ORDINANCE OKAY. OUR POLICY. 
          SO WHO'S ENFORCING THIS POLICY? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. WELL, I MEAN, I THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. 
          AND I'M NOT BEING TRYING TO BE ARGUMENTATIVE. I'M JUST I JUST NEED CLARIFICATION ON WHAT IT IS THAT, THAT THE COURT'S INTENTION IS I DON'T HAVE A DEPUTY I CAN SIT OUT IN FRONT OF, IN FRONT OF A POLLING LOCATION TO SEE WHAT TIME SOMEBODY COMES AND PARKS THEIR CAR THERE WITH A SIGN IN IT THE NIGHT BEFORE. RIGHT TO DO THAT WHATSOEVER. BUT WHAT WE CAN DO, IF IT'S OUR POLICY, WE CAN HAVE OUR OWN STAFF REMOVE ANYTHING THAT AFFECTS THE POLICY. I'M NOT SURE I DON'T WANT AND WE I DON'T THINK THE SPIRIT OF THE COURT TODAY WAS TO GIVE YOU ANYTHING ELSE TO HAVE TO ATTEND TO BY ANY MEANS. WE WOULDN'T WANT YOU TO DO THAT. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE CAN HAVE STAFF TAKE CARE OF THE HELP US. IS THAT IS THERE LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT SAYS THAT? OKAY. WELL LET'S I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS TILL, TILL TODAY. SO YEAH, GENERALLY SHERIFF, JUST KIND OF SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE. IF YOU PLACE MORE SIGNS THAN ALLOWED BY THE POLICY, THEY'RE REMOVED. NOW MIDLOTHIAN DID THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO. YOU CAN HAVE TWO SIGNS PER PER CANDIDATE AT MIDLOTHIAN STAFF. ACTUALLY YOU KNOW WHAT I DID THAT AND HE CALLED ME AND HE WAS GRACIOUS TO CALL ME. THAT'S WHY I'M HOPING WE COMMUNICATE WELL WITH THE PARTY CHAIRS. YEAH. BECAUSE I WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THE POLICY. GOT A NICE CALL FROM RANDY. RANDY SAID, YOU GOT YOU GOT THREE SIGNS OVER THERE. YOU GOT TO GO REMOVE ONE. SO I DID. SO I THINK IF WE IF WE COMMUNICATE WELL TO THE PARTY CHAIRS AND WE HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE THAT DOESN'T ENCUMBER YOU IN ANY WAY AND MAKE YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING YOU DON'T WANT TO DO, BUT CERTAINLY IF YOU'LL READ THAT LANGUAGE, I'M GETTING AHEAD OF YOU. YES, A STEP NUMBER EIGHT. SO ANY POLITICAL SIGN IN VIOLATION OF THESE REGULATIONS MAY BE REMOVED WITHOUT NOTICE BY AN ELLIS COUNTY STAFF AND PLACING IN TEMPORARY STORAGE THE OWNER OF THE POLITICAL SIGNS THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED MAY CONTACT THE ELLIS COUNTY MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT AT THIS NUMBER DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS TO ARRANGE A TIME TO PICK UP. IF THE OWNER OF THE POLITICAL 
          [01:05:03]
SCIENCE FAIL TO PICK UP ANY REMOVED SIGNS WITHIN 30 DAYS FOLLOWING THE VOTING PERIOD, ELLIS COUNTY WILL DISPOSE OF THEM. THAT'S PERFECT. AND THE ONLY OTHER REASON I WAS ASKING IS, IS POLITICAL SIGNS ARE A VERY CONTROVERSIAL DEAL. AND THERE'S I'M ALREADY DIRECTED IF I, IF I REMOVE A POLITICAL SIGN, THERE'S A WHOLE PROCESS THAT HAS TO GO BY WHERE IF TEXDOT, IF THERE'S ONE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, IF SOMEBODY'S GOT A SIGN ON THE RIGHT OF WAY, THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT OR SOME, SOME, SOME SUPPORTER PUT ONE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY. TEXDOT CAN REMOVE THAT WITH NO ISSUES. I CAN REMOVE IT BY LAW. IF I REMOVE IT, I'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE PROCESS FOR THAT SIGN AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I WAS LOOKING FOR CLARIFICATION. I DON'T THINK THE POLICY IMPOSES ANY DUTIES ON ON LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHETHER YOUR AGENCY OR THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT EITHER. NOT UNLESS THEY GET IN A FIGHT OUT THERE. WELL, THAT'S A DIFFERENT THAT'S A DIFFERENT CHARGE THERE. WE THANK YOU, SHERIFF, FOR LETTING US KNOW. YEAH. THANK YOU SHERIFF. VERY GOOD POINTS. BUT BY NO MEANS DID WE WANT TO BURDEN YOU WITH THAT TASK, RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH. JANA, DO YOU DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR JANA? I, I THINK THIS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR THE LAST YOU GOT. RANDY'S JUST ASKING ABOUT. YEAH. EXCUSE ME. AND I WAS JUST. 
          RANDY, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF YOU JUST GIVE. WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE, OKAY? RANDY ELLIS, COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIRMAN. WHAT I'M AFRAID IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 62 PICKUPS WITH SIGNS OUT IN THE PARKING LOT. AND IF YOU GO OVER TO THE END OF COURTHOUSE, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT MANY SLOTS. I MEAN, TRADITIONALLY, IF YOU KNOW, THERE'S MAYBE 1 OR 2 TENTS OUT THERE THAT MAYBE WILL TAKE 1 OR 2 SLOTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WHEREAS IF YOU'VE GOT. ALL THESE SIGN ORDINANCES WHERE THEY CAN PUT UP THEIR BIGGER SIGNS, THEY'RE GOING TO START POPPING THEM IN THE BACK OF PICKUPS AND PARKING THEM THERE. EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE RESTRICTED TIME, I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO START PULLING THIS OUT. EVEN IF THERE'S ONE SIGN PER CANDIDATE WE'VE GOT LIKE JUST LOCAL CANDIDATES. WE'VE GOT 27 LOCAL CANDIDATES, NOT INCLUDING ANY STATEWIDE RACES AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT. NOW THAT'S THE DOING THIS SO LATE, IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT FOR US TO TELL ALL THOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY COME IN HERE WITH A CREW AND THEY'LL FLOOD EVERY ONE OF THESE THINGS, AND YOU CAN'T GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO THEM AS EASILY. WE HAVE A HARD ENOUGH PROBLEM DEALING WITH OUR LOCALS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO I'M NOT AGAINST THE ORDINANCE PER SE, BECAUSE IF IT IT IS SOMEWHAT LIMITING. BUT I UNDERSTAND WHEN WE GOT THIS MANY RACES, WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH GREEN SPACE OUT THERE TO PUT THEM IN. EXACTLY. AND THAT'S THAT'S PART OF THE REASON I THINK THIS CAME UP AND I UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR IT. BUT I'M AFRAID WE COULD CREATE ANOTHER PROBLEM HERE. WELL, I THINK THOSE ARE GOOD POINTS. AND I, I WOULD SUGGEST WE GIVE IT A TRY AND BE OPEN TO MODIFICATIONS AS NEEDED, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE TRAFFIC SITUATION AT THE BUSINESS. 287 LOCATION. THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE PROBLEM. I AGREE. RIGHT. AND I WOULD HOPE WE MIGHT HAVE SOME HELP FROM THE CITY OR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OR SOMEBODY FROM TIME TO TIME, BECAUSE I'M AFRAID THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING IN AND OUT OF THAT WITH SCHOOL TRAFFIC AND HIGH SCHOOL TRAFFIC AND ALL. SO. RIGHT, RIGHT. YEAH. 
          WE AGREE. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT'S A GREAT POINT. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE FOR US, NOT JUST THE FULBRIGHT'S AT THE AT THE EGRESS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY ARE. THAT'S WHERE THOSE FOUR RATES WERE CAUSING PROBLEMS. AND THEN YOU GET IN, LIKE YOU JUST SAID, 27 CANDIDATES TIMES TWO. NOW THERE'S 60 SIGNS TIMES THREE. I MEAN, YOU SEE WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS. THERE'S HUNDREDS AND THERE'S AN OCEAN OF DISTRACTIONS. AND I'VE SEEN THE LOOKS ON THE FACES. WE'VE ALL ELECTIONEERED, WE'VE ALL SEEN IT, AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE IN FRONT OF THIS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THE PRECINCT TWO, THAT'S ALREADY A HIGH CONCERN FOR ALL OF US. AND TO ADD THOSE KIND OF SIGNS THERE, THAT'S THAT'S GOING TO BE DETRIMENTAL. SO I'M IN FAVOR AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE POLICY AS IT READS WITH THE CLARIFICATION ON WHAT IS OVERNIGHT. AND THAT WOULD BE TWO HOURS AFTER AN ELECTION, WHICH WOULD BE 9 P.M. RETURNING TWO HOURS BEFORE THE ELECTION, WHICH WOULD BE 5 A.M. SO CAN WE MODIFY THAT MOTION WITH THOSE TERMS? YEAH. SO WE HAVE THAT MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER GRAYSON TO APPROVE ITEM 3.4 WITH THE MODIFICATION THAT OVERNIGHT PARKING IN ITEM NUMBER SIX WOULD BE CLARIFIED TO DEFINE NO PARKING FROM 9 P.M. UNTIL 5 A.M. THE NEXT DAY, I'M CERTAIN THE LEGAL TEAM CAN COME UP WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDING FOR THAT. SO THAT WOULD BE THE MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER 
          [01:10:01]
GRAYSON, AS I UNDERSTAND IT. DOES ANYONE CARE TO SECOND THAT MOTION? SECOND, WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I. I. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION. ITEM 3.4 PASSES AS AMENDED PURSUANT TO THE MOTION. THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOU. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU COULD POST OUT TO? OH, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. 
          WHERE YOU CAN SAY, HEY, HERE'S HERE'S SOMETHING HERE TO MY COWORKERS ON THE ON CANNOT DO ANYTHING OUTSIDE THE 100 FOOT. SO POLL WORKERS ONLY LOOK AT THE 100 FOOT. BUT I'M TALKING TO THE JUDGES, JUDGE MACON, JUDGE MILLER AND STUFF LIKE THAT AT THE SITES THAT THEIR CONSTABLES AND STUFF CAN BE WATCHING THAT AS WELL, AND KIND OF LETTING CANDIDATES KNOW OR PULL THEM IF IT'S NOT IN THERE AND NOT IN THE RIGHT SPOTS. OKAY. YOU DID IDENTIFY STAFF AS MAINTENANCE. CAN YOU DO WE NEED TO EXPAND THAT BEYOND MAINTENANCE IN CASE IT IS A CONSTABLE'S OFFICE OR A JP'S OFFICE THAT THEY'LL BE THERE. SO I KIND OF GAVE THAT WAS KIND OF WHAT SOME OTHER COUNTIES HAD DONE, IS THEIR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT WAS KIND OF THE ONE PLACE OF A PHONE CALL, BUT IT'S STILL THERE. PEOPLE COME AND GO, BUT THEN ALSO WHOEVER'S AT THAT SITE CAN JUST PULL THEM UP AND JUST KIND OF LET THEM KNOW. IT DOES SAY THE SIGNS MAY BE REMOVED BY ELLIS COUNTY STAFF. SO IT'S IT SAYS IF YOU WANT TO RETRIEVE YOUR SIGN, CALL THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT. YES. OH I SEE OKAY. SO STAFF CAN DO IT. YES. ANY I GOT YOU I GOT YOU. 
          AND IF THEY PULL A SIGN, THEY'VE GOT A DUMPSTER WITH A DUMPSTER ENCLOSURE AND THEY STICK THE SIGNS INSIDE THE ENCLOSURE. DO WE HAVE THAT THAT THE PUBLIC CAN GET TO? I WILL FIND THAT OUT. I WILL FIND THAT THAT MIGHT BE THE AS OPPOSED TO MAKING THEM CALL STAFF JUST IF THEY HAVE TO PULL A SIGN, FIND THIS AREA AND THEN THEY CAN GO FIND THEIR SIGN, GRAB IT AND THEN PUT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. YEAH. SO I'M DEFINING THAT FOR EACH POLLING LOCATION AS IT STARTS, AS WE START GROWING AND HAVING IT OR HAVING THAT ONE TELEPHONE NUMBER IN THERE, AND THEN THEY CAN JUST ADVISE THEM SAYING IT'S IN THE DUMPSTER BEHIND THAT SITE AND JUST KIND OF KNOW THAT, NO, I'M JUST SAYING THAT IF THOSE TWO LOCATIONS HAVE A DUMPSTER THAT'S ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC WITH AN ENCLOSURE, RIGHT, SO SHOULD BE ABLE TO REMEMBER THIS, BUT I DON'T. THEY MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE. YOU COULD JUST STICK THEM OVER THERE. AND THEN IF SOMEONE CALLS YOU, IF SOMEONE CALLS, SAY IT'S INSIDE THE DUMPSTER. WOULD THE COURT LIKE TO REPHRASE THAT AS WELL WITH MY NUMBER ON IT WITH THE ELECTIONS? WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST, I THINK THE SPIRIT IS THAT THE COUNTY AND THE COMMISSIONERS COURT IS RESPECTFUL OF THE FACT THAT THE SIGNS ARE EXPENSIVE. SO WE WANT TO GIVE THE CANDIDATES AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETRIEVE THEM. AND THAT'S THE NATURE OF THE POLICY. AS YOU KIND OF BUILD THE MOUSETRAP AND DIAL IT IN. IF IF YOU FEEL LIKE THE WORDING IS TOO RESTRICTIVE, WE CAN CERTAINLY CHANGE IT. AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE ON THE STAFF OF THE COUNTY AS WELL. BUT I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A, YOU KNOW, LEARN AS YOU GO. AND I WAS PLANNING ON MAKING SURE IF THERE WAS THAT TO GET THAT COMMUNICATION TO THOSE THAT ARE ON COUNTY, ELLIS COUNTY STAFF AT THOSE TWO SITES AND THEN CORRESPOND WITH THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT. KEITH, ON WHERE IF WE CAN JUST KEEP THEM THERE, THAT'S GREAT. I THINK WE JUST KNOW WHERE. YEAH. SO THERE'S JUST ONE PHONE CALL AND THEN FOR MY OFFICE CAN STILL STAY POLITICALLY OUT OF IT. SO I WAS TRYING NOT TO PUT OUR TELEPHONE NUMBER ON THERE. HONESTLY, THE SIGN GETS PULLED. YEAH. WE'RE NOT IT'S NOT COMING. PICK UP THEIR SIGN. YES. THAT'S RIGHT. AND IF SOMEONE CALLS AND COMPLAINS ABOUT A SIGN BECAUSE THAT'S USUALLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY GET PULLED. SOMEONE CALLS AND COMPLAINS. IF THAT CANDIDATE CAN JUST GET A PHONE CALL, SAYS, HEY, YOU GOT TOO MANY SIGNS, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO PICK ONE UP OR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REMOVE IT KIND OF THING. RIGHT? THAT MAKES IT EASIER. THAT DOES. BUT I DON'T HAVE TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR ALL OF THE CANDIDATES AND STUFF. SO IT'S IT'S MORE IF THEY SEE IT'S PULLED THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE VOLUNTEERS WHO RIGHT, MAYBE DON'T KNOW IT, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW FOR THE PAST I GUESS SIX MONTHS OR SO WE'VE HAD ALL THESE ORDINANCES ON OUR WEBSITE. SO IT REALLY HAS HELPED THE CANDIDATES TO KNOW ONE PLACE. IT'S NOT ALL INCLUSIVE. YOU KNOW, THERE'S CHANGES THAT CITIES DO, BUT ALL THE CITIES KNOW IF THEY CHANGE THEIR POLICIES ON POLITICAL SIGNS, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO LET ME KNOW SO I CAN UPDATE MY WEBSITE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ONE PLACE WITH ALL OF THIS. SO WE'LL JUST CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THE ENTITIES THAT RECEIVE CANDIDATE FILINGS, THEY'RE TELLING THOSE CANDIDATES THAT, HEY, GO LOOK AT THE ELECTIONS WEBSITE SO THAT YOU KNOW WHERE YOU CAN AND CANNOT PUT UP POLITICAL SIGNAGE. OKAY, ONE MORE CLARIFICATION. WHEN YOU COMMUNICATE WITH THE PARTY CHAIRS, THERE'S A LITTLE CONFUSION ON HOW MUCH IS COUNTY PROPERTY. AT THE SUB COURTHOUSE, THERE'S TWO SECTIONS OF PROPERTY THAT'S MAINTAINED THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THAT PIECE IN THE MIDDLE IS ACTUALLY COUNTY PROPERTY THAT WOULD QUALIFY, OKAY. SO THAT THAT PARTICULAR NEEDS TO BE BUMPED 
          [01:15:01]
OUT AS WELL. SO IF YOU COULD SHARE THAT PROPERTY WITH THE PARTY CHAIRS, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. OKAY. AND I CAN PROBABLY FIND THAT PROPERTY LINE FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT OKAY. THEY GOT IT. OKAY. AND THE REASON I KNOW THAT KEITH NEEDED HELP WITH THE MOWING IT, I GOT STAFF TO HELP, AND I DIDN'T REALIZE WE HAD AS MUCH AS WE DID UNTIL. AND THEN I ENDED UP. NOW I GOTTA MOW IT, BUT THAT'S OKAY. I WAS GLAD TO HELP, BUT I GOT I GOT KEITH GOT ME ON THAT ONE. IS KEITH AROUND HERE? HE GOT ME ON THAT ONE. WELL VERY GOOD. I WILL DO THAT. 
          I'LL HAVE A VISUAL ATTACHED TO IT. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU 
          [3.5 Discussion, consideration, and possible action to fill the Maintenance Facility Director position. - County Judge John   Wray ]
SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY, WE'LL NOW TAKE UP AND CONSIDER ITEM 3.5 WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO FILL THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY DIRECTOR POSITION. I HAD HOPED TO HAVE BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO YOU THAT WE HAD MADE AN OFFER TO A CANDIDATE, AND THAT CANDIDATE WAS READY TO ACCEPT AND THEN TO GET YOU TO VOTE ON APPROVING THAT. BUT WE ARE NOT IN THAT POSITION YET. WE'RE CONTINUING TO NEGOTIATE AND SEARCH, SO WE WILL PROBABLY BRING ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM TO YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING. NO ACTION, NO ACTION. CORRECT. 
          [3.6 Discussion, consideration, and possible action to amend The Commissioners Court schedule in order to move the time of the February 17th Commissioners Court from 2:00pm to 8:00am; or change the Court date by cancelling the regularly  scheduled  meeting  and  setting  a  Special  Session  at  2:00pm  on  Friday  the  13th  of  February.  -  County Commissioner Precinct 3 Louis Ponder]
ITEM 3.5 IS NO. ACTION. ITEM THREE WILL NOW CONSIDER ITEM 3.6, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO AMEND THE COMMISSIONERS COURT SCHEDULE IN ORDER TO MOVE THE TIME FOR THE FEBRUARY 17TH REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING FROM 2 P.M. TO 8 A.M. OR TO CHANGE THE COURT DATE BY CANCELING THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING AND SETTING A SPECIAL MEETING AT 2 P.M. ON FRIDAY THE 13TH OF FEBRUARY. 
          AND I THINK COMMISSIONER PONDER'S GOING TO START. AND THEN I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS I'D LIKE TO MAKE AFTER COMMISSIONER PONDER. THANK YOU. SO THE REASON WHY THIS CAME UP IS, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE CONFERENCES WE HAVE TO MAKE. WE HAVE TO MAKE THEM EVERY YEAR. 
          AND THERE'S KIND OF LOOKING WITH THE CLARITY OF HINDSIGHT, WE REALLY SHOULD BE SETTING OUR DATES AROUND THOSE CONFERENCES. IF WE HAVE A CONFERENCE AND WE'VE GOT A COURT DATE, WE REALLY SHOULD BE SETTING IT AROUND SO WE CAN MAKE THESE CONFERENCES BECAUSE I KNOW WE ALL HAVE TO GO TO THEM. THIS ONE COMING UP IS ONE THAT I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO GO TO. I DID NOT WANT TO HAVE TO MISS COURT. I COULD END UP MISSING COURT IF WE DON'T ADJUST THE TIME. I ORIGINALLY WANTED TO DO IT ON THE MONDAY, BUT MONDAY WAS A HOLIDAY SO WE COULDN'T DO IT MONDAY. SO I SAID, WELL, HOW ABOUT LET'S DO IT AT 8 A.M. ON TUESDAY MORNING? THAT WAS THE THOUGHT. I TALKED WITH SOME OF THE JUDGE'S STAFF ABOUT DOING THAT. AND THEN IT WAS IT WAS SUGGESTED, WELL, WHY DON'T WE DO IT FRIDAY INSTEAD? SO WE'RE NOT RUSHING DOWN BECAUSE THE CONFERENCE ACTUALLY STARTS TUESDAY MORNING. AND SO I'M, YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE HAPPY WITH MAKING A MOTION TO DO IT FRIDAY. WE COULD DO IT FRIDAY AT TWO. OR IF THAT CREATES SITUATIONS FOR PEOPLE'S WEEKEND, IF WE WANT TO DO IT EARLIER THAN THAT, I'M GOOD WITH AN EARLIER TIME. 
          IN NO WAY WOULD I EVER RECOMMEND DOING THIS SO SOMEBODY CAN TAKE A VACATION, GET SOME SOME TIME OFF OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I WOULD ONLY WANT TO DO THIS, ONLY WANT TO DO THIS IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO GO TO, SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE AT. 
          AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS. IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, WHAT WOULD YOU WHICH WHAT DAY, WHAT TIME. HOW WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE TO SEE IT? I WOULD SAY THAT IN THE PAST WE'VE ALL HAD THAT CHALLENGE, EVERY ONE OF US, AND WE CAN ELIMINATE IT. WELL, YEAH. AND I'M JUST SAYING THE, THE ONLY, THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD SAY IS IF IT WAS JUST AFFECTING US, IT WOULDN'T BE SUCH A BIG ISSUE. BUT YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT SUPPORT THIS COURT THAT WOULD HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GET ON BOARD A LITTLE QUICKER AND HAVE TO CHANGE SOMETHING. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO CHANGING IN THE FUTURE IF YOU WANT TO. EVERY FEBRUARY IS FOR SURE. LIKE THE MAIN THING THAT WE GO TO, IF WE WANT TO LEAVE THAT OPTIONAL FOR A DATE WHEN WE SET THE SCHEDULE, RATHER THAN CHANGING AS WE GO ALONG THE WAY. THAT'S JUST THAT'S JUST MY OPINION. BUT I HAVE A COUPLE OF COUPLE OF THOUGHTS. COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER BUTLER. NO, I'M JUST I'M JUST SAYING IT'S WE WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN THE PAST AND IT'S NOTHING AGAINST YOU, COMMISSIONER PONDER. WE'VE ALL HAD THAT CHALLENGE, I GET IT. 
          AND WHEN WE WHEN WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE OF US, SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE TO DRAW THE STRAW, YOU KNOW, SAY, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO WE'LL BE HERE AND Y'ALL STAY. BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION TOO, AS FAR AS CHANGING, I THINK IF WE SET THE, THE YOUR SCHEDULE OF COMMISSIONERS COURT AND WE KNOW FOR SURE YOUNG AND MAYBE THE OTHER ONES IN OCTOBER OR SEPTEMBER, GALVESTON ONE DOWN THERE. AND THEN THERE'S THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO MAYBE THE MAYBE THE THREE. YEAH. YOU LEAVE OPTIONAL. SO SO THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS THEY DON'T ALWAYS FOLLOW WHEN WE HAVE. YEAH. YEAH. 
          WHEN THEY DO I THINK IF WE IN THE FUTURE IF WE'LL SET THAT SCHEDULE THEN YEAH. THEN WE CAN 
          [01:20:03]
AVOID HAVING TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION NOW. RIGHT. RIGHT. BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S, I THINK THERE'S AT LEAST THREE OF US THAT ARE PLANNING ON GOING TO THIS. YEAH, I'LL BE THERE. I PLAN ON GOING AFTER COURT. BUT I MEAN, I MEAN, IF THAT'S THE CASE, IF WE EITHER HAVE COURT IN THE MORNING SO WE DON'T MISS AS MUCH OR HAVE IT ON FRIDAY AND AGAIN, IF FRIDAY AFTERNOON IS GOING TO GET INTO PEOPLE'S STARTED THEIR WEEKEND AND YOU WANT TO HAVE IT EARLIER FRIDAY, I'M GOOD WITH THAT. I'D JUST LIKE TO HEAR SOME RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE I MAKE A MOTION BECAUSE I'M GOING TO MAKE ONE. WELL, LET ME LET ME GIVE A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS. FIRST OFF, FOR PURPOSES OF THE PUBLIC, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SET THE SCHEDULE SO THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS AND TO STICK WITH IT. THE INITIAL PROPOSAL OF THE SCHEDULE, OF COURSE, FALLS ON THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY JUDGE. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME FOR ME TO PRESENT THE SCHEDULE. IN RETROSPECT, IF I WERE MORE IN TUNE WITH THE FACT THAT THIS WAS SUCH AN IMPORTANT AND WELL ATTENDED CONFERENCE, I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE TAKEN THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. SO I WANT TO TAKE A BIT OF RESPONSIBILITY. YEAH. ME TOO. I THOUGHT ABOUT IT WHEN WE WERE SETTING THE SCHEDULE, AND I WILL THINK ABOUT IT NEXT TIME AROUND. ABSOLUTELY. AND I ENCOURAGE NO BLAME ON ANYBODY. I MEAN, NO ONE. RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. COMMISSIONER BUTLER SAID WE'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. WELL, SURE, SURE. AND I DO THINK IT IS UNUSUAL TO MOVE THE MEETING. 
          AND I KNOW THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT OPENING A CAN OF WORMS TO WHERE THERE'LL BE A LOT OF ATTEMPTS TO MOVE THE MEETING IN THE FUTURE. A COUPLE OF THINGS, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION. ONE IS THAT WE MY OFFICE HAS KIND OF RUN THE TRAPS ON THE ABILITY TO MOVE THE MEETING TO FRIDAY. 
          THAT APPEARS TO NOT CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS WITH SUBMITTING PAYROLL AND ACCOUNTS PAYABLE REQUESTS, AND THAT TYPE OF THING THAT APPEARS TO WORK. WE HAVE DISCUSSED IT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF PURCHASING, AND THE VARIOUS REGULAR PLAYERS THAT WE HEAR FROM, AND EVERYONE BELIEVES THAT IT WILL WORK TO MOVE THE COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING TO FRIDAY, IF THAT IS THE CHOICE. I'M SENSITIVE TO, TO THE FACT OF NOT SETTING OKAY, TO NOT NOT SETTING A PRECEDENT OF MOVING THE COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING AROUND. OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES HOLIDAYS LIKE JULY 4TH OCCUR ON TUESDAY, AND WE MOVE THE MEETING TO THE PRIOR DAY. SO HOLDING A MEETING OUTSIDE OF THE TUESDAY IS NOT UNUSUAL. WE JUST DIDN'T PLAN IT IN ADVANCE. IN THIS INSTANCE, CONTINUING EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT. I KNOW THERE'S SOME ADVANCED CERTIFICATION COURSES OFFERED AT THIS PARTICULAR EVENT THAT DO NOT ROLL AROUND, EXCEPT FOR MAYBE EVERY THREE YEARS, SO I'M SYMPATHETIC. IT'S A BIT OF A TOUGH CALL. I'LL LET YOU GUYS OFFER YOUR THOUGHTS. I JUST WANTED TO PUT MY TWO BITS IN, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IF THE COURT WANTS TO DO THAT, THAT'S FINE. WE CAN DO IT. I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK MOVING IN THE FUTURE. YEAH, I THINK WE NEED TO. REALLY. I AM A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED. WE MIGHT NOT HAVE A QUORUM IF WE HAVE IT AT 2 P.M. ON TUESDAY. FOR THAT REASON, I'M. I'M OKAY WITH MOVING IT TO FRIDAY. I'M JUST LETTING YOU ALL KNOW THAT. OKAY. THIS COURT IS. I'M OKAY. SO IF WE MOVE IT TO FRIDAY IS WOULD YOU GUYS RATHER IT BE EARLIER IN THE DAY OR WOULD TWO. WELL WE WE HAVE IT. THE WAY WE WORDED THE AGENDA ITEM IS TO MOVE IT TO 2 P.M. BUT I THINK WE CAN WE CAN ADJUST THAT. RIGHT? TWO I MEAN TWO IS FINE WITH ME. LEAVE IT AT TWO. IT'S OKAY. YEAH, I WOULD SAY TWO. IF YOU'RE JOINING US ONLINE, WE'LL ABSOLUTELY WE'LL WE'LL PUT NOTICE OF THIS OUT. BUT IF YOU'RE JOINING US ONLINE, IF WE DO MOVE THE MEETING, PLEASE NOTE IT WILL NOT OCCUR AT THE REGULAR TIME. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? KEITH. DO WE NEED DO YOU NEED DO WE NEED A MOTION TO CANCEL THE TUESDAY INSTEAD OF SPECIAL SESSION FOR FRIDAY? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? SAY I'M GOOD. ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO CANCEL THE. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH 17TH REGULAR MEETING. REGULAR MEETING AND SET A SPECIAL SESSION. MEETING FOR FRIDAY THE 13TH. YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT NUMBER FOR 2 P.M. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER TO CANCEL THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING FOR FEBRUARY 17TH AT 2 P.M. AND TO SET A SPECIAL SESSION MEETING OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT AT 2 P.M. ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER GRAYSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I, I. DOES ANYONE OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. HEARING NO OPPOSITION. ITEM 3.6 PASSES 
          [3.7 Discussion,  consideration,  and  action  to  hire  a  consultant  and/or  advisor  concerning  Ellis  County  Central  building   controls and systems or to take remedial actions. - County Judge John Wray ]
AS STATED. THANKS, GUYS. OKAY, WE'LL NOW TAKE UP ITEM 3.7 WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION TO HIRE A CONSULTANT AND OR ADVISOR CONCERNING THE ELLIS COUNTY CENTRAL BUILDING CONTROLS AND SYSTEMS, OR TO TAKE REMEDIAL ACTIONS. 
          COMMISSIONERS. WE ALSO HAVE A AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM RELATED TO THIS SAME ISSUE. 
          [01:25:06]
THIS RELATES TO THE RECENT FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM ACTIVATION AT ELLIS COUNTY CENTRAL, WHICH OCCURRED A WEEK AGO, AND THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE TO THE BUILDING. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL AS WELL. SO I WOULD ASK THAT WE HOLD ON ITEM 3.7 UNTIL AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO WE'LL NOW MOVE TO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION PORTION OF OUR AGENDA. WE FIRST HAVE ITEM 4.1 WHICH IS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, SUBSECTION ONE, A CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL BICKERSTAFF, HEATH DELGADO ACOSTA LLP VIA REMOTE CONFERENCE REGARDING PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION CONCERNING T-C-E-Q MATTERS, SPECIFICALLY PENDING TEXAS POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM PERMITS AND PENDING PETITIONS FOR CREATION OF MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICTS. AND WE ALSO HAVE ITEM 4.2, 
          [MOTION TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION]
WHICH RELATES BACK TO ITEM 3.7. AND 4.2 IS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.0711, A CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION REGARDING THE ELLIS COUNTY CENTRAL BUILDING AND RELATED BUILDING SYSTEMS. SO, COMMISSIONERS, DOES ANYONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ENTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION? SO MOVED. 
          SECOND, OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION TO ENTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION FROM COMMISSIONER GRAYSON AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. DOES ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION, THE COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL NOW STAND IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE TIME IS DUE TO. ALL COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE REASSEMBLED HERE IN THE 
          [ADJOURNMENT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION]
COURTROOM, AND I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO MOVED. 
          SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I. I IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION. THE EXECUTIVE SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED AND THE TIME IS 3:54 P.M. OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, TWO THINGS. ONE IS FIRST, I APPRECIATE THAT THERE WILL BE NO ACTION TAKEN AS TO ITEM 3.7. HOWEVER. HOWEVER, IF ONE OF YOU WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO RECALL ITEM 3.7 AND MAKE A MOTION, I'M HAPPY TO DO SO. BUT OTHERWISE THERE WILL BE NO ACTION ON ITEM 3.7. NEXT. 
          WE DO HAVE ONE OTHER POINT OF CLARIFICATION ON A POSTED AGENDA ITEM THAT IS ITEM 3.4. 
          SO I WOULD LIKE TO RECALL ITEM 3.4 WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION TO ADOPT A POLICY FOR POLITICAL SIGNS ON ELLIS COUNTY OWNED PROPERTY THAT IS BEING USED AS A POLLING PLACE. AND THIS WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WHO ASKED THAT WE WE OF COURSE, PREVIOUSLY PASSED THIS POLICY AS AMENDED IN OUR MINUTES. THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAS ASKED THAT WE FURTHER AMEND THE PROPOSED POLICY TO STRIKE SECTION 11. SECTION 11 SPECIFIES THAT IT IS IN FACT A CRIMINAL MISDEMEANOR TO VIOLATE THE POLICY. AND THAT'S NOT IN KEEPING WITH THE SPIRIT OF WHAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER. SO AGAIN, WOULD ANYONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO TO FURTHER AMEND THE POLICY TO STRIKE SECTION 11? WE HAVE THAT MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. SECOND, WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER GRAYSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I. I IS ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY. THE MOTION TO FURTHER AMEND THE POLICY SET FORTH IN SECTION 3.4 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WE'VE REACHED THE END OF OUR AGENDA. AND WITH THAT, I DO WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE WILL MEET AGAIN AT 2 P.M. ON FEBRUARY 13TH. SO IF YOU NEED TO SUBMIT AGENDA ITEM REQUESTS, WE WILL BE GETTING NOTICE OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE PROPERLY APPRIZED OF THE DEADLINE FOR GETTING YOUR NOTICE OR YOUR AGENDA ITEM REQUESTS IN GIVEN THE NEW MEETING DATE. IF YOU'RE JOINING US ONLINE, PLEASE MAKE A NOTE THAT OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON FEBRUARY 13TH AT 2 P.M. AND WE WILL NOT MEET ON FEBRUARY 17TH. AND WITH THAT IN MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE REGULAR MEETING. MOTION. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING FROM COMMISSIONER STINSON AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER GRAYSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I. I IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION. THE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.