[OPENING COURT] [00:00:03] GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, AND I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND CALL TO ORDER THIS REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE ELLIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT. LEGAL NOTICES FOR THIS MEETING HAVE BEEN PROPERLY POSTED PURSUANT TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, WHICH IS FOUND AT TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, CHAPTER 551. UNLESS THERE IS AN OBJECTION, I WILL GO AHEAD AND DECLARE THE MEETING OPEN. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO CALL ON COMMISSIONER PRECINCT FOUR, KYLE BUTLER, TO LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE STAND. LET US PRAY. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, AS I ALWAYS LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BEING OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. LORD. PRAYERS GO OUT TO ALL THE GREAT MEN AND WOMEN THAT JUST WATCH OVER AND PROTECT THIS, THIS COUNTRY, THIS COUNTY. JUST WATCH OVER AND PROTECT THEM. LORD. FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW YOU, I PRAY THEY FIND YOU EVERLASTING LOVE AND AMAZING GRACE. LORD, I ASK YOU TO BE WITH THE COURT TODAY. THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE. LORD, JUST LET IT BE YOUR WILL. IN 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. PLEASE BE SEATED. AND AGAIN, WELCOME. WHETHER YOU'RE JOINING US HERE LIVE OR JOINING US ONLINE, OR PERHAPS PLANNING TO WATCH THE LIVE STREAM LATER AT A LATER TIME. THANK YOU AND WELCOME. ALL RIGHT. I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AN AGENDA ITEM TODAY, IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE FILL OUT OUR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION FORM. IT'S AVAILABLE OUT IN THE HALLWAY. IT'S BEHIND THE DOORS TO MY RIGHT. THAT WOULD BE THE DOORS TO YOUR LEFT. THEN IF YOU WILL HAND THAT TO OUR COUNTY CLERK, DEPUTY COUNTY CLERK. SHE WILL BE SURE TO PROVIDE THAT TO ME, AND WE'LL CALL YOU UP WHEN THAT AGENDA ITEM IS UNDER CONSIDERATION. WE DO ASK THAT YOU SIGN UP BEFORE THE ITEM IS CALLED UP FOR CONSIDERATION, AND THAT YOU LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO FIVE MINUTES, PLEASE, WHENEVER YOU DO SPEAK. OKAY. [CONSENT AGENDA] WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE AND NON-CONTROVERSIAL AND WILL BE CONSIDERED BY ONE MOTION. HOWEVER, ANY MEMBER OF THE COURT COMMISSIONERS COURT MAY ASK TO PULL AN AGENDA ITEM FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. I DO HAVE A REQUEST TO PULL ITEMS A SEVEN AND A 11. SO THOSE WILL BE TAKEN UP SEPARATELY. UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER REQUESTS. I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS A ONE THROUGH A SIX, A EIGHT, A NINE, A 12 THROUGH A A15 AND F1 THROUGH F7. JUDGE, I HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S ASKED TO SPEAK ON A7. YES WE DID. WE DID PULL A7. WE DID PULL IT. YES. SO AGAIN THE THE WE PULLED A7 AND WE PULLED A11 AND WE WOULD WE'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOTION AT THIS TIME TO APPROVE A ONE THROUGH A SIX, A EIGHT, A NINE, A TEN. I'M SORRY, A8 A9, A10 A 12 THROUGH A 15 AND F ONE THROUGH F SEVEN. SO MOVED. SECOND. OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ZIKE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION, THOSE ITEMS PASS UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY, I'LL NOW TAKE UP ITEM A7. IF YOU'LL GIVE ME JUST A MINUTE TO GET MY PAPERWORK IN ORDER. BY THE WAY, I DO HAVE A NUMBER OF REQUESTS TODAY, SO IF IF YOU THINK YOU'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING AND I DON'T CALL YOUR NAME IF YOU'LL PLEASE, JUST GET MY ATTENTION. THAT WOULD BE COMPLETELY INADVERTENT. IT'S JUST DIFFICULT AT TIMES TO KEEP THE PAPERWORK STRAIGHT. OKAY, WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM A7, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF A PRELIMINARY PLAT OF BEAR CREEK POLO RANCH PHASE TWO. [A.7 Approval Of a preliminary plat of Bear Creek Polo Ranch, Phase 2. The ± 34.415-acre site is located ± 1,327 feet northwest Of the intersection of Bent Trail and Batchler Road, Red Oak, Road and Bridge Precinct No. 1. — Department Of Development Director, Alberto Mares] THIS IS AN APPROXIMATELY 34.415 ACRE SITE THAT IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 1327FT NORTHWEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF BENT TRAIL AND BACHELOR ROAD, RED OAK ROAD AND BRIDGE PRECINCT NUMBER ONE. AND OUR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, ALBERTO MORRIS WILL SPEAK TO US ON THIS. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. THE APPLICANT HERE IS REQUESTING TO. FINAL PLAT PRELIMINARY PLAT 25 LOTS AND ONE DETENTION LOT FOR A TOTAL OF 26 LOTS. THIS WAS IN THE ETJ OF RED OAK, BUT THAT WAS WITHDRAWN BACK ON JUNE 13TH OF 2024. A ROCKET IS THE WATER PROVIDER STAFF IS APPROVING RECOMMENDING APPROVAL WITH 18 CONDITIONS. MOST OF THEM ARE MINOR AND TECHNICAL. THE BIGGEST ONES ARE RENAMING SOME OF THE PROPOSED ROAD NAMES, [00:05:05] ADDING A FLOODPLAIN STATEMENT, TAKING OUT TWO LOTS FROM THIS PRELIMINARY PLOT. IT WAS ORIGINALLY 28, INCLUDING THE THE DETENTION POND. IT'S 26 TOTAL NOW, ADDING SOME SIDE AND REAR SETBACKS, AND ALSO A NOTE INDICATING THAT THIS WAS. THIS IS NO LONGER IN RED OAKS, ETJ. I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE STAFF OR THE PUBLIC MAY HAVE. A QUARTER OF THE PUBLIC MAY HAVE. COMMISSIONERS. BEFORE WE CALL UP THE SPEAKERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ALBERTO? IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK? WE DO, AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND HAVE THEM UP NOW. THE FIRST ONE IS DESTINY. BOYD. MISS BOYD, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME UP AND SHARE YOUR NAME WITH US AND YOUR ADDRESS AND THEN OFFER YOUR COMMENTS. HI, MY NAME IS DESTINY BOYD. I LIVE DOWN A PRIVATE ROAD AND BOY, DO YOU MIND JUST STATING YOUR ADDRESS. WE KIND OF NEED IT. 0560 TEXAS 75154. THANK YOU MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. IT'S AN ADJOINING ROAD TO BENT TRAIL. WE HAVE TO GO DOWN BENT TRAIL TO GET HOME. OKAY. I OPPOSE AGENDA ITEM AYE SEVEN. THE PRELIMINARY PLAT REFERRED TO AS BEAR CREEK POLO RANCH DUE TO A SINGLE ENTRANCE EXIT SOLELY ON BENT TRAIL. THE ADDITION OF 28 MORE HOMES WOULD FURTHER CONGEST THIS TWO LANE ROAD AND IMPOSE A SAFETY RISK TO THE NEW HOMEOWNERS IN THE EVENT OF A QUICK EXIT. I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR GROWTH AND I SUPPORT THAT WITH PROPER CONSIDERATION OF EXISTING HOMEOWNERS AND THE NEW FAMILIES TO COME. THE NEED FOR A SECOND ENTRANCE EXIT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THIS FOR THIS AREA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS BOYD. OKAY. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. MR. CRAIG. MATTHEW. CRAIG. MR. CRAIG, YOU VISIT WITH US OFTEN, BUT. SO PLEASE SHARE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. YOU KNOW THE DRILL. ABSOLUTELY. MY NAME IS MATTHEW CRAIG. I LIVE AT 515 BENT TRAIL IN RED OAK IN UNINCORPORATED PRECINCT ONE. AND I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT AN ANIMAL SHELTER. ACTUALLY, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT A PLAT THAT IS ADJACENT TO MY TO MY HOME AND MY PROPERTIES. AND AS YOU HEARD FROM DESTINY AS WELL IN THAT LAND. SO I'VE LIVED AT THIS RESIDENCE ALMOST 40 YEARS, AND IT'S PART OF A ON PLATTED SUBDIVISION THAT WAS NEVER REALLY WELL UNPLANTED. SO IT USED A ROAD EASEMENT, NOT EVEN A DEDICATED COUNTY ROADWAY. SO BACK IN 95 ISH, WHEN THE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNER IS TRYING TO PLAT TODAY, 1 OR 2 PUT IN HIS POLO BUSINESS AND ASK THAT WE DEDICATE OUR HALF OF A 20 FOOT ROADWAY, 20 FOOT WIDE RIGHT OF WAY. AND HE WOULD DEDICATE THE OTHER HALF OF THAT ROADWAY, WHICH IS NOW BENT TRAIL. AND SO WITH THE THAT DEDICATION, IT WAS ONLY TO A 40 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY AND TO A 20 FOOT CHIP SEAL. AND AT THAT TIME, THAT WAS COMMISSIONER JAMES HARPER THAT ALLOWED TO SAY THAT, OKAY, WE AT LEAST BRING IT BACK TO THE GRANDFATHERED OLD STANDARDS. WELL, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS 30 YEARS AGO FROM A DEDICATION THAT WAS 30 YEARS BEFORE THAT. SO LET'S GO FORWARD 30 YEARS TO TODAY, RIGHT? AND HERE WE ARE ASKING FOR A ACTUALLY A PHASED PLATT THAT IS SHOWN FOR WHAT. BEAR CREEK RANCH ESTATES. WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THREE ITEMS THAT I THINK REALLY NEED TO COME TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT COULD BE IMPROVING THIS PLAT. NUMBER ONE IS FOR SAFETY. RIGHT NOW IT IS SHOWN AS TWO CUL DE SACS, DEAD ENDS AT THE MAXIMUM 1500 FOOT LENGTH THAT TIE INTO ANOTHER LONG CUL DE SAC CALLED BENT TRAIL. THAT IS A 3000 FOOT LONG CUL DE SAC. AND WHY DO WE NOT HAVE MULTIPLE COLORS? WHY DO WE HAVE SHORTER CUL DE SACS? IS FOR SAFETY PURPOSES. IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED ON ACCESS INTO THAT DEVELOPMENT, WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE LONGER THAN 1500 FOOT. SO A FIRE TRUCK OR AMBULANCE CAN GET TO THAT LOCATION IF THERE'S SOME INCIDENT THAT BLOCKS IT. SO I ASK THAT AT LEAST FOR THE PLAT, TO CONSIDER THAT THE THE ROADWAY THAT EXTENDS THROUGH IT, THAT DEAD ENDS NEEDS TO TIE TO BACHELOR ROAD. SO NUMBER ONE, THAT'S FOR SAFETY. AND THAT SHOULD FOLLOW THE GENERAL ORDINANCES FOR OUR WORK TO HAVE MULTIPLE ENTRANCES TO A SUBDIVISION. SECOND IS TRAFFIC. SO INSTEAD OF PUTTING ALL THAT 25 HOME DEVELOPMENT ONTO BENT TRAIL, WHICH AGAIN WAS BUILT SUBSTANDARD, IT WAS RECONDITIONED 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO AND IT'S GOTTEN BEAT UP BY THE TRUCK TRAFFIC ON IT AS WELL. [00:10:05] SO THAT'S THE THIRD POINT, IS THAT NOT ONLY DOES IT ADD MORE TRAFFIC ONTO A BENT TRAIL THAT WAS BUILT SUBSTANDARD 30 YEARS AGO, BUT ALSO THAT IT'S GOING TO BE MORE COST TO THE COUNTY BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL THOSE HOMES AND ALL THAT CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC ONTO AN OLDER SUBSTANDARD ROAD AS WELL. SO INSTEAD OF HAVING A 3200 FOOT BASICALLY A 3200 FOOT CUL DE SAC, WE ASK THAT THIS PLAT BE REVISED TO INCLUDE AN EXTENSION AND CONNECTION TO PROVIDE A SECOND ENTRANCE OFF OF BACHELOR ROAD DIRECTLY, AND THAT WE ALSO ASK THAT THIS BE DONE AS A REPLAT AND NOT AS A SECOND PHASE OF A 30 YEAR OLD PLAT. WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU, MR. CRAIG. THANK YOU. ALBERTO. ALBERTO, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO ADDRESS SOME OF WHAT THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAID OR COMMISSIONERS. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ALBERTO. YES. SECTION 232 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. AND IT'S A 232.0034 STATES THAT A SECOND POINT OF ACCESS IS ONLY REQUIRED ONCE YOU REACH A THOUSAND LOTS OR MORE. SO THAT'S I THINK THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED SOMETIME IN 2011 OR 2013. I GUESS DUE TO THE BASTROP FIRES THAT THAT HAPPENED DURING THAT TIME. I'M PRETTY SURE THAT NUMBER MAY HAVE STARTED OUT LOWER. AND BECAUSE OF THE OF THE HOMEBUILDER LOBBY, MAYBE THAT NUMBER GOT PUSHED UP IN THE THOUSAND IS WHAT ENDED UP BEING SETTLED UPON. ON THE 1500 FOOT REQUIREMENT, THE WAY OUR REGS READ IN VOLUME THREE, SECTION TWO C SEVEN, IT'S 1500FT, MEASURED FROM THE CLOSEST STREET INTERSECTION. BOTH CUL DE SACS. THINK OF IT AS A BARBELL. THEY COME TO A POINT. I GUESS THOSE ARE LESS THAN 1500FT. SO THEREFORE, IT DOES MEET OUR REQUIREMENTS THAT THE COURT ADOPTED ALBERTO AS I APPRECIATE IT, IF SOMEONE SUBMITS A PLAT AND IT COMPLIES WITH OUR REGULATIONS AND WITH STATE STATUTE, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A CHOICE OTHER THAN TO APPROVE IT. CORRECT. YEAH. IF IF WE DON'T APPROVE IT WITHIN THE 30 DAY SHOT CLOCK, THEN THE PLAT GETS APPROVED AS IS. SO IT COULD BE APPROVED WITH A VIBRATIONAL LAW WITH ERRORS IN THERE. AND THAT'LL BE THE ONE THAT GETS THAT GETS APPROVED. SO THAT'S WHY WE APPROVE IT I GUESS WITHIN 29 DAYS. AND ALONG WITH THESE CONDITIONS AS WELL. I SEE. WELL, AND I KNOW TOO THAT YOU, YOU ASKED FOR TWO IN AND OUTS BUT IT'S NOT REQUIRED. CORRECT. YEAH. TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, AS AS A GOOD PLANNING PRINCIPLE. YES. IT IS GOOD TO HAVE A SECOND POINT OF ACCESS. SOME DO IT ANYWAY WITHOUT IT. CORRECT. SOME. BUT NO, THEY DON'T HAVE TO, THEY DON'T. CORRECT. BUT THE SECOND POINT OF ACCESS IS NOT REQUIRED, I GUESS, UNTIL THE THOUSANDTH LOT PER STATE LAW. RIGHT? OKAY. BOTTOM LINE IS, IF WE DEVIATE EVERY TIME A PROPERTY OWNER NEXT DOOR OR DOWN THE STREET WANTS US TO DEVIATE FROM OUR REGULATIONS, WE'D BE CONTINUALLY BACK IN COURT DOING NOTHING BUT HAMMERING IT OUT. SO WE WOULD EVEN BE CONFUSED AS TO WHAT OUR REGULATIONS READ. WE DON'T MEET TEXDOT REGULATIONS. WE DON'T STOP OUR ROADS EITHER. AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT. IF YOU'RE DRIVING IN A COUNTY AND YOU'RE ON A STRIPED ROAD, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ON A STATE ROAD. IF YOUR ROAD'S UNMARKED AND YOU'RE ON A COUNTY ROAD, MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IT, BUT THERE'S NOT REALLY MANY ROADS IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE OVER 35 MILES AN HOUR, BUT THEY WANT A SPEED LIMIT SIGN ABOUT EVERY HUNDRED YARDS TO WHERE PEOPLE WILL KNOW HOW FAST THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DRIVING. BUT THOSE SPEED LIMIT SIGNS, NO MATTER HOW MANY I PUT ON THE ROAD, IT REALLY IS A SUGGESTION TO MOST PEOPLE IN ELLIS COUNTY, BUT I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE YOU. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'D HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN HERE THAT I'D BE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE WHAT THE REGULATIONS ARE. BUT. THAT'S REALLY ABOUT ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT IT. I CAN'T PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS OR WINNERS AND LOSERS. YEAH. AND THERE'LL STILL BE THERE'LL STILL BE SOME A CIVIL PLANS THAT THAT WILL NEED TO BE APPROVED. IT'LL BE BUILT BEFORE IT COMES BACK AS A FINAL PLOT. BUT THIS IS A PRELIMINARY. WE'RE RIGHT ON KEY WITH STATUTE. YEAH. I MEAN, WE CAN'T DO NO MORE, NO LESS THAN WHAT STATUTE SAYS. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. I MEAN, RIGHT AS FAR AS OUR RULES AND REGULATIONS, YOU KNOW. YEAH. I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, IF IT COMPLIES WITH OUR REGULATIONS AND STATUTES, THEN YEAH. AND, AND, AND WE TEND TO AMEND THE, THE, WE TEND TO AMEND IT OCCASIONALLY. JUST STAY UP WITH, WITH THE CHANGE. SO. RIGHT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WOULD APPLY OR NOT. I MAY NEED TIM'S HELP ON THIS. THE FIRE CODE STATES, I GUESS THE SECOND POINT OF ACCESS IS REQUIRED AT THE 30TH. ONCE YOU GET MORE THAN 30 HOMES I'M NOT SURE I GUESS THAT THAT WOULD APPLY OR NOT HERE, BUT IT'S A THOUSAND. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. WELL VERY GOOD. COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS? IF NOT, DOES SOMEONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION ON ITEM A7? MOTION. OKAY. MOTION TO APPROVE. COMMISSIONER. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM A7 FROM COMMISSIONER STENSON. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ZIKE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. [00:15:01] AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION ITEM A7 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [A.11 Approval of a final plat Of Heirloom, Phase IA. The ± 32.064-acre Site is located ± 6,050 feet west Of the intersection Of E FM 875 and McAlpin Road, partially located within the city limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction (E T J) of the City of Midlothian, Road and Bridge Precinct No 3. — Department of Development Director, Alberto Mares] WE'LL NOW TAKE UP ITEM A11. WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM A11, BUT I BELIEVE THAT ALBERTO HAD SOMETHING HE NEEDED TO CLARIFY ABOUT IT. SO ITEM A11 IS APPROVAL OF A FINAL PLAT OF HEIRLOOM PHASE ONE. A THIS IS AN APPROXIMATELY 32.064 ACRE SITE THAT IS LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 6050FT WEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF EAST FM 875 AND MCALPIN ROAD. PARTIALLY LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AND EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN ROAD AND BRIDGE. PRECINCT NUMBER THREE, ALBERTA. YES. JUDGE COMMISSIONERS. THE ONLY CHANGE ON THIS ONE IS THE. THE BOUNDARIES ARE CHANGING. SO INSTEAD OF 32 AND CHANGE ACRES, IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE 20.633 ACRES. THOSE 11.5 ACRES OR SO. WE, WE TOLD THE APPLICANT THAT THOSE WERE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS AND THIS AND THE CITY NEEDED TO PROVE THAT BEFORE IT CAME TO US. HE WANTED THE PLAT TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD. SO INSTEAD OF DELAYING IT, HE TOOK OUT THOSE 11.5 ACRES. AND NOW THAT'S THE ONLY CHANGE. THIS LOT HAS 36 LOTS. THAT'S IT'S A PROPOSED SUBDIVISION HAS 36 LOTS. MOST OF THE AREA THAT'S BEING REMOVED IS OPEN SPACE AND AND THE FUTURE RIGHT OF WAY. SO NO LOTS. SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL SUBJECT TO THE 25 CONDITIONS LISTED IN THE STAFF REPORT. OKAY. SO THE ONLY CLARIFICATION WAS JUST TO DECREASE THE THE VOLUME OF ACREAGE. CORRECT. OKAY. VERY GOOD. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. ANY SPECIFIC I MEAN ANY SPECIFIC CONDITIONS THAT NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT OR MOST OF THEM ARE TECHNICAL IN NATURE. JUST ADDING SOME PLOT NOTES AND LABELING SOME EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY LABELING SOME TURNAROUNDS AND SOME CALL OUTS, I GUESS DON'T MATCH UP WITH WHAT'S ON THE PLAT. SO THAT'S JUST TECHNICAL IN NATURE. ALL RIGHT. MOTION TO APPROVE WITH CONDITIONS. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM A 11 WITH CONDITIONS FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE, I IS ANYONE OPPOSED HEARING? NO. OPPOSITION ITEM A11 PASSES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO OUR DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT AGENDA. [1.1 Discussion, consideration, and action to release the maintenance bond and possibly accept the infrastructure for Ellis Ranch Estates North and South. The ± 246.358-acre site is located ± 5,050 feet west Of the intersection Of FM 878 and Rutherford Road, partially located within the extraterritorial jurisdictions (ETJs) of the cities of Waxahachie and Palmer, Road and Bridge Precinct No. 1.] OUR REGULAR DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT AGENDA. AND ALBERTO, IF YOU'LL REMAIN WITH US TO SPEAK TO US ON THESE THESE UPCOMING FOUR ITEMS, I DO HAVE A SPEAKER SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1.3, SO PLEASE HELP KEEP ME ON POINT FOR THAT. OKAY, THE FIRST ITEM IS ITEM 1.1, EXCUSE ME, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION TO RELEASE THE MAINTENANCE BOND AND POSSIBLY ACCEPT THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ELLIS RANCH ESTATES NORTH AND SOUTH. THIS IS AN APPROXIMATELY 246.358 ACRE SITE THAT IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 5050FT WEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF FM 878 AND RUTHERFORD ROAD, PARTIALLY LOCATED WITHIN THE EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTIONS OF THE CITIES OF WAXAHACHIE AND PALMER ROAD AND BRIDGE PRECINCT NUMBER ONE. ALBERTO. YES. SO THE COURT APPROVED THIS SUBDIVISION FOR 150 LOTS BACK ON AUGUST 8TH OF 2023. THE APPLICANT IS NOW REQUESTING THE RELEASE OF THE MAINTENANCE BONDS. THOSE BONDS ARE AS FOLLOWS. FOR PAVING IN THE AMOUNT OF 1.8 MILLION DRAINAGE FOR 611,000 AND FOR THE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION 927,000. STAFF ALSO RECOMMENDS APPROVAL TO ACCEPT ABOUT 20,553 LINEAR FEET INTO THE COUNTY'S ROAD MAINTENANCE SYSTEM. AND THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE BRIDGES ALONG ROPER AND BONFIRE DRIVE. OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MOTION TO ACCEPT. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 1.1 FROM COMMISSIONER STINSON. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ZIKE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO. OPPOSITION. ITEM 1.1 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'LL NOW TAKE UP ITEM 1.2, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION TO RELEASE THE MAINTENANCE BONDS FOR BISON MEADOWS AND NOT ACCEPT [1.2 Discussion, consideration, and action to release the maintenance bonds for Bison Meadows and not accept the maintenance Of roads, drainage, or Other related infrastructure within this subdivision, located in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of the City of Waxahachie, Road & Bridge Precinct No. 1.] THE MAINTENANCE OF ROADS, DRAINAGE OR OTHER RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THIS SUBDIVISION LOCATED IN THE EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF WAXAHACHIE ROAD AND BRIDGE PRECINCT NUMBER ONE. ALBERTO. YES, THE COMMISSIONERS COURT ACCEPTED THE MAINTENANCE BOND ON THE SUBDIVISION BACK ON AUGUST 22ND, 2023. THAT MADE THIS BOND FOR PAVING IS A LITTLE BIT OVER 1.3 MILLION. AND FOR DRAINAGE JUST UNDER 141 000. THE DEADLINE TO MAKE ANY CLAIMS ON THIS WAS APRIL 4TH OF 2026. THE STAFF DID REACH OUT TO THE DEVELOPER MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE, AND I'M SORRY, [00:20:05] BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE, EVEN NUMEROUS TIMES EVEN PAST THAT, TO LET THEM CORRECT THE DEFICIENCIES. OUR COMMUNICATIONS UNFORTUNATELY WENT UNANSWERED. THE REPAIRS EITHER DID NOT MEET THE COUNTY STANDARDS. IF THEY DID REPAIR IT AND SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS WERE NOT COMPLETE. WE'VE TOLD THE, THE DEVELOPER MULTIPLE TIMES THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COMPLETING THOSE REPAIRS DURING THE MAINTENANCE BOND PERIOD FELL ON THE DEVELOPER AND ITS REPRESENTATIVES. THE COUNTY SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN SUBSTANDARD INFRASTRUCTURE, AS DOING SO WOULD BE A DISSERVICE TO OUR TAXPAYERS. WE DID GIVE THE DEVELOPER ONE LAST CHANCE ON AUGUST 17TH TO GET COMPLY EVERYTHING. BRING EVERYTHING TO ORDER. ON AUGUST 24TH AT 9 P.M. THOSE THAT EMAIL WENT UNANSWERED AND IT WAS THREE, THREE ITEMS THAT WERE STILL MISSING. BUT YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T SIT AROUND AND WAIT. WE TOLD HIM THAT THE, THE COMMISSIONERS COURT CAN ACCEPT THE ROAD INTO THE COUNTY MAINTENANCE SYSTEM UNDER SECTION 251 OF THE TRANSPORTATION CODE. AND IT IS SOLELY THE COURT'S DISCRETION. AND IT IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY MULTIPLE AG OPINIONS. SO STAFF RECOMMENDS TO RELEASE THE BOND AND NOT ACCEPT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN BISON MEADOWS. OKAY. THANK YOU ALBERTO. COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR ALBERTO? WELL THERE'S ALWAYS QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS. THERE'S NOBODY HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS. NO. IN OTHER WORDS, PUT IT IN SHORT FORM. AS FAR AS WHAT ALBERTO IS SAYING IS, IS THE DEVELOPERS NOT COMPLETING HIS PART OF THE CONTRACT? HE HAS A ROAD BOND, BUT ROAD BONDS LAPSED. SO THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE IS, IS FOR ME AS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TAKE YOUR COUNTY FUNDS THAT YOU PAY YOUR TAX DOLLARS INTO AND GO OUT THERE AND COMPLETE THE DEFICIENCIES OURSELF AND YOU PAY THE DOLLAR. THE BAD PART OF IT IS, IS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BUYING HOUSES IN THERE, THEIR ROADS AND THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE WON'T BE ACCEPTED INTO OUR MAINTENANCE. I FEEL SORT OF BAD FOR THE HOMEOWNERS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I FEEL BAD FOR ALL THE TAXPAYERS THAT HAVE TO PAY THAT EXTRA MONEY TO GO OUT THERE TO COVER A DEVELOPER THAT'S NOT TAKING CARE OF HIS BUSINESS. SO AT THIS POINT, WITH THE LETTERS THAT WE SENT TO THEM, HAVE WE SENT LETTERS TO THE HOMEOWNERS? I KNOW WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO SEND LETTERS TO THEM. WE HAVE NOT. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REQUIRED, LIKE YOU SAID. SO, I MEAN, AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, HOMEOWNERS HAVE EVEN REACHED OUT TO THESE PEOPLE THEMSELVES. BUT I'M SORT OF STANDING ON THE FENCE HERE. I WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT MYSELF IF I WAS A TAXPAYER. SO AT THIS POINT, I WOULD SAY I'D HAVE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO RELEASE THE BONDS AND NOT ACCEPT THEIR ROADS. NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE THAT I COULD COME BACK IF THE DEVELOPER COMES BACK AND SAYS, HEY, I TOOK CARE OF ALL THESE, AND DODDS REPRESENTATIVES, GO OUT THERE AND LOOK AT IT AND SAY THE DEFICIENCIES ARE HANDLED. NOW, PART OF THESE DEFICIENCIES ARE TIED TO ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT THAT'S NEXT TO THAT ONE. SO I ASSUME LATER THEY'LL COME BACK AND THAT PART OF IT WILL HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE WE'LL LET THEM DEVELOP THAT OUT. BUT PART OF THIS WILL BE GONE. SO AT THIS POINT I'LL MAKE A THE MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT IT AS WRITTEN, DIDN'T I? YEAH. ACCEPTANCE OF THE OF THE ROBOT. IT IS A THE LETTER IS A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. YEAH. I THINK, AND I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT IN THE FUTURE IF WE, WE'D HAVE TO PUT SOMETHING THROUGH IT TO ALBERTO THAT WE WON'T. MAIL OUTS DONE TO EACH PERSON THAT LIVES IN THE SUBDIVISION TO WHERE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. I HAVE HAD THEM IN THE PAST WHERE I DENIED TO TAKE THE ROAD AND DENIED THE INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT THE RESIDENTS KNEW WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE IN THERE, AND IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WANTED THE DEVELOPER TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT IN THE REGULATIONS. HE DID IT AND THEN THEY DIDN'T WANT IT TOOK BACK OUT. SO NOW THE CITY DOESN'T OWN THAT BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S IN OUR INSIDE OUR ROAD STRUCTURE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO MAINTAIN. IF I ACCEPT IT AND I DON'T MAINTAIN STREET LIGHTS IN A SUBDIVISION BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO PAY SOMEBODY ELSE'S ELECTRIC BILL FOR LIGHTS IN THEIR SUBDIVISION. WELL, I DON'T BLAME YOU. YEAH. IT IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION. THAT IS PRIMARILY THE FAULT OF THE DEVELOPER. OKAY, WELL, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 1.2 AS WRITTEN. THAT WOULD BE TO RELEASE THE MAINTENANCE BONDS AND TO NOT ACCEPT THE MAINTENANCE OF ROADS, DRAINAGE OR OTHER RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE. WE HAVE THAT MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STENSON. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ZIKE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I, I IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO. OPPOSITION ITEM 1.2 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY. WE'LL NOW TAKE UP ITEM 1.3. AND AGAIN, WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER FOR THIS ITEM THAT IS DISCUSSION, [1.3 Discussion, consideration, and action on a variance request to Volume l, Section IV (A) regarding the minimum paved public road frontage requirements for Parcel ID No. 183342. This ± 81.95-acre site is located ± 1,300 feet east Of the intersection Of Grainery Road and FM 876, Waxahachie, Road and Bridge Precinct No. 3.] CONSIDERATION AND ACTION ON A VARIANCE REQUEST TO VOLUME ONE. SECTION FOUR A REGARDING THE MINIMUM PAVED PUBLIC ROAD FRONTAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR PARCEL ID NUMBER 183342. THIS IS AN APPROXIMATELY 81.95 ACRE SITE THAT IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 1300FT EAST OF THE INTERSECTION OF GRANARY ROAD AND FM [00:25:08] 876 WAXAHACHIE ROAD IN BRIDGE PRECINCT NUMBER THREE. ALBERTO? YES. JOSE COMMISSIONERS, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING 16 LOTS FOR THE SUBDIVISION. THE FIRST SEVEN LOTS WILL ACCESS OFF OF GRANARY. THE LAST EIGHT THROUGH 16 ARE GOING TO BE ACCESS OFF OF FM 876 AND COMMISSIONER. PONDER, I MAY NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE HERE WITH RECOLLECTION, BUT AT ONE POINT I GUESS GRANARY ROAD WAS PAVED AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED. I GUESS IT ENDED UP NOT BEING PAVED SOMEWHERE IN I GUESS BETWEEN THE PRELIMINARY AND FINAL PLAT. THAT'S WHEN THIS. I GUESS THAT HAPPENED AND THEREFORE THE NEED FOR THE VARIANCE. BECAUSE OUR REGULATIONS DO SAY PAVED ROAD FRONTAGE. OTHER THAN THAT THE, THE, THE PLAT MEETS ALL THOSE, ALL THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS. IT'S JUST THOSE SEVEN LOTS THAT NEED VARIANCE FOR THIS. WE DID SEND OUT NINE LETTERS. STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL SUBJECT TO FIVE CONDITIONS. THREE ARE STANDARD. ONE OF THEM IS TO ADDRESS THE CONDITIONS ON THE FINAL PLAT IF IT IS APPROVED. AND SHOULD THE PROPERTY BE FURTHER SUBDIVIDED, THE ROAD USE AGREEMENT SHALL BE APPROVED AND EXECUTED PRIOR TO THAT PLAT APPLICATION. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALBERTO. I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND CALL UP THE PERSON THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. THAT WOULD BE TOMMY NELSON. MR. NELSON? MR. NELSON, IF YOU DON'T MIND. IF YOU'LL JUST SHARE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS WITH US. AND THEN. THEN SHARE YOUR COMMENTS. MY NAME IS TOMMY NELSON. I LIVE AT 2177 FM 876. AND I JUST CAME JUST CONCERNED ABOUT NOT I HAVE NO NEGATIVE FEELINGS ABOUT PAVING FROM GRANARY ROAD FROM 876. I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR THEY WANT TO EXTEND IT ALL THE WAY TO 35 OR WHATEVER. I DO REMEMBER A FEW YEARS BACK WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED A CHIP SEAL IT AND IT DIDN'T WORK OUT. I MY TWO CONCERNS. IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING PAYMENT AND YOU WANT IT SOME LONGEVITY APPROXIMATELY 1500FT BEFORE YOU GET TO 35. A CATTLEMAN NAMED BUCKHOLTZ HE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY ON, I BELIEVE IT'S ON THE WEST SIDE. THEY HAVE AN ENTRY THERE. THERE'S NOT A CULVERT. AND ALSO WHEN YOU GET A LARGE RAIN, THE WATER SEEPS OUT OF THERE FOR A LONG TIME. I MEAN, DAYS AFTER THAT. AND I SAW THAT TEAR DOWN THE CHIP SEAL THAT WAS SO I THINK THAT ENTRYWAY, WHETHER CULVERTS OR WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. MY OTHER CONCERN IS AS YOU'RE GOING TOWARDS AGE 78, 76, AND YOU CROSS ACROSS THE BIG CULVERT DOWN THERE, THE, THE GROUND AROUND THERE DURING THE WET SEASON, YOU GET PRETTY BUMPY. AND THAT ALSO DEGRADED ON THE LAST SHIP SAIL TO. SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO PAVE IT, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR YOU'RE GOING TO PAVE IT, I WOULD ASK YOU TO JUST ADDRESS THOSE TWO CONCERNS THAT WOULD ADD TO THE LONGEVITY OF YOUR ROAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. NELSON. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO, YEAH, THAT ROAD WAS PAVED. IT WAS A 2 OR 3 YEARS PRIOR TO MY TAKING OFFICE AT PRECINCT THREE. IT HAD BEEN PAVED. AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE FOREMAN AT THE TIME, HE. I GUESS TRYING TO SAVE MONEY, JUST PUT ONE LAYER, ONE COURSE INSTEAD OF TWO. AND IT BROKE DOWN PRETTY RAPIDLY AFTER THAT. SO THEY JUST ROUNDED UP, BLADED IT AND REROLLED IT AND LEFT IT UNPAVED. THAT'S HOW COME WE ENDED UP IN A SITUATION WHERE WE HAD PLATTING GOING ON WITH IT PAVED, AND NOW IT'S NOT PAVED. AND, AND YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS REPAVING IT ANYTIME SOON, I'M NOT SURE WHEN WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT. I'LL DEFINITELY TAKE YOUR CONCERNS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE DO. BUT OTHER THAN THAT I MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT WITH CONDITIONS. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 1.3 FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I, I IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO. OPPOSITION ITEM 1.3 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [1.4 Discussion, consideration, and action on a final plat of Mable Meadows. This ± 81.95-acre site is located ± 1,300 feet east of the intersection of Grainery Road and FM 876, Waxahachie, Road and Bridge Precinct No. 3.] OKAY. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM 1.4, WHICH IS DISCUSSION CONSIDERATION. EXCUSE ME. AN ACTION ON A FINAL PLAT OF MABEL MEADOWS. THIS IS AN APPROXIMATELY 81.95 ACRE SITE THAT IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 1300FT EAST OF THE INTERSECTION OF GRANARY ROAD AND FM 876 WAXAHACHIE ROAD AND BRIDGE PRECINCT NUMBER THREE, ALBERTO. YES, THIS IS THE ASSOCIATED FINAL PLAT FOR THAT VARIANCE. LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, SEVEN LOTS OFF OF GRANARY, NINE LOTS OFF OF FM 876. THE THIS WAS REMOVED FROM ETJ ON DECEMBER 18TH, 2023. THEY ARE DEDICATING RIGHT OF WAY FOR BOTH THOROUGHFARES ALONG 878 AND GREENERY ROAD. [00:30:06] STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS. ONE THING I WILL ADD THE ALONG 876 THAT IS MAINTAINED BY TXDOT AND THAT WILL HAVE SHARED DRIVEWAYS. OKAY. COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 1.4. SO MOVED. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 1.4 FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I, I IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO. OPPOSITION ITEM 1.4 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. ALBERTO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, WE'LL NOW TAKE UP OUR ONE PURCHASING ITEM. [2.1 Discussion, consideration, and action to execute an agreement with LexisNexis adding the digital library for the Ellis County Law Library. This will be a three-year agreement beginning October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2029, in the amount of $59,961.] AND I WOULD ASK THE DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING, EJ HARTMAN, TO COME SPEAK TO US ON THIS ITEM, WHICH IS 2.1, AND THAT IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH LEXISNEXIS, ADDING THE DIGITAL LIBRARY FOR THE ELLIS COUNTY LAW LIBRARY. THIS IS A THREE YEAR AGREEMENT BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2029 IN THE AMOUNT OF $59,961. EJ. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE COMMISSIONERS. THIS WILL PROVIDE DIGITAL SERVICE RIGHT NOW. WE'VE HAD STANDARD SERVICE. THIS IS A THREE YEAR CONTRACT. YEAR ONE IS AT 19,202. YEAR TWO IS 19,970. YEAR THREE IS 20,789. FOR THE TOTAL THAT YOU MENTIONED OF 59,961. STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THIS. OKAY. COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR EJ ON THIS ITEM? NO, THIS IS A IT'S A STANDARD. YEAH. VERY STANDARD. YEAH. FACILITATES THE LAW LIBRARY. CORRECT? YES, SIR. YEAH. OKAY. IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 2.1. I'LL MAKE A MOTION. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 2.1 FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I. I. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO. OPPOSITION ITEM 2.1 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, E.J.. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE PORTION OF OUR AGENDA, [3.1 Discussion, consideration, and action authorizing the County Judge to renew a 12-month contract with Ellis County Coalition for Health Options, dba Hope Health in the amount of $440,000.00 to be quarterly payments of $110,000.00 following the schedule of October 1, 2026, January 1, 2027, April 1, 2027, and July 1, 2027. — Indigent Healthcare Director, Terri Klein] WHICH WILL CULMINATE. WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AFTER THAT TO INTERVIEW TWO CANDIDATES FOR THE FACILITIES DIRECTOR POSITION. BUT WE'LL JUST JUMP RIGHT IN WITH ITEM 3.1, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY JUDGE TO RENEW A 12 MONTH CONTRACT WITH ELLIS COUNTY COALITION FOR HEALTH OPTIONS DOING BUSINESS AS HOPE HEALTH IN THE AMOUNT OF $440,000 TO BE PAID IN QUARTERLY PAYMENTS OF $110,000 EACH FOLLOWING THE SCHEDULE OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2026. JANUARY 1ST, 2027. APRIL 1ST, 2027 AND JULY 1ST, 2027. AND OUR INDIGENT HEALTH CARE DIRECTOR, TERRY KLEIN, WILL SPEAK TO US ON THIS. YES. GOOD EVENING, GOOD AFTERNOON. NOT EVENING YET. AFTERNOON. EXCUSE ME. I'M OFF TODAY. TODAY IS ABOUT A ONE YEAR RENEWAL CONTRACT WITH HOPE HEALTH. WHO IS THE PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER FOR THE INDIGENT HEALTH CARE CLIENTS? THIS CONTRACT ENSURES THAT PATIENTS WILL RECEIVE THEIR BASIC MEDICAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE PREVENTATIVE, ACUTE AND CHRONIC CARE. THE $440,000 AGREEMENT IS PAID QUARTERLY. LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, AND THE AMOUNT OF $110,000 PAYMENTS ARE SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 26TH, JANUARY, APRIL AND JULY OF 27. THESE FUNDS ARE MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE 1115 WAIVER, WHICH ALLOWS THE STATE TO USE FEDERAL MONEY TO SUPPORT CLINICS THAT PROVIDE UNCOMPENSATED CARE TO LOW INCOME AND UNINSURED PATIENTS. THESE FUNDS ALLOW HOPEWELL TO SERVE ELLIS COUNTY RESIDENTS, WHICH INCLUDE THE INDIGENT PROGRAM, WHO ARE SEEN AT NO EXTRA COST TO THE COUNTY LOW INCOME, WHO ARE SEEN ON A SLIDING SCALE WITH AND WITHOUT INSURANCE AND EVERYONE IN BETWEEN. THEY HAVE A NEW CEO. HER NAME IS ROXANA VALENTIN. I THINK I SAID THAT RIGHT. OF HOPE HEALTH. AND SHE'S HERE AND SHE'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS. HI. COME ON UP, ROXANA. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU ALL. MY NAME IS ROXANA. I STARTED WITH HOPE HEALTH. IT'S BEEN A YEAR AS A CONSULTANT, BUT NOW I BECAME THEIR CEO. AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE IN WAXAHACHIE AND BEING. I'M SEEING SO MANY GOOD THINGS AND FAMILY ORIENTED TOWN AND ABOUT HOPE, HEALTH. HOPE, HEALTH STARTED IN 1999 AS A NONPROFIT, AND WE GET THE FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER STATUS IN 2009. AND SINCE THEN, WE HAVE BEEN SERVING THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE PLANNING TO ADD MORE PSYCHIATRISTS STARTING JANUARY. [00:35:07] AND AS TERRY WAS SAYING, WE'RE SEEING PATIENTS REGARDLESS IF THEY CAN AFFORD TO PAY OR NOT. SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A SLIDING SCALE THAT IS AT $35, WE INCLUDE LABS IN THAT AS WELL. AND WE HAVE WE'RE HIRING MDS, SO THE COST IS PRETTY HIGH. RIGHT NOW WE'RE BEING ONLY 15% IS BEING SUBSIDIZED WITH GRANTS. SO EVERYTHING ELSE. SO THE MORE INSURED PATIENTS THEY WANT TO JOIN US IN THERE, THE MORE PEOPLE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY HAPPY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ANOTHER YEAR. AND AS EVERYBODY KNOW, WE'RE NOT ONLY IN WAXAHACHIE, WE'RE ALSO AN ENNIS LOCATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. ROXANNE. WELCOME TO YOUR NEW JOB AS WELL. OKAY, TERRY. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR TERRY ON THIS ITEM? WE OF COURSE THIS IS A CONTINUATION. WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS A NUMBER OF YEARS AND EXACTLY THE SAME WAY. SAME PRICE, SAME PAYMENT STRUCTURE. ABSOLUTELY. SO IT'S A CONTINUATION OF WHAT WE'VE PREVIOUSLY BEEN DOING. ANY IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.1. SO MOVED. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.1 FROM COMMISSIONERS. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STENSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO. OPPOSITION ITEM 3.1 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU TERRY. OKAY. WE'LL NOW TAKE UP ITEM 3.2. [3.2 Discussion, consideration, and action to Order a Special Election to be held on November 3, 2026, for the purpose of filling the unexpired term Of State Senator, District 22, in accordance with Article Ill, Section 13(a) of the Texas Constitution and Section 203.002 of the Texas Election Code. — Election Administrator, Jana Onyon] AND I'LL ASK OUR ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR, JANET ONION TO COME UP HERE FOR THIS ITEM. IT IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION TO ORDER A SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 3RD, 2026. FOR THE PURPOSE OF FILLING THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 22. IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE THREE, SECTION 13 A OF THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION AND SECTION 203.002 OF THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE. JANA. HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON. SO I AM HERE BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR HAS ORDERED THIS ELECTION. BUT THEN ALL 12 COUNTIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS DISTRICT NEED TO ALSO GO AHEAD THROUGH COMMISSIONERS COURT ORDER THIS ELECTION. I JUST WANT TO SPEAK ON IT FOR JUST A MOMENT, BECAUSE THIS SENATE DISTRICT 22. IT WILL BE ON THE GENERAL BALLOT FOR THE FULL FOUR YEAR TERM. AND THEN AFTER THE GENERAL BALLOT, THIS SPECIAL ELECTION FOR THAT SAME RACE WILL BE ON THERE FOR UNEXPIRED TERM. THIS UNEXPIRED TERM, ROUGHLY, IS ABOUT TWO MONTHS WORTH OF WHAT THEY WILL BE FILLING. AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S CLEAR KIND OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, BECAUSE THIS IS THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION OF HAVING THE SAME RACE ON THE SAME BALLOT. THE TWO CANDIDATES I APPLIED FOR THE FULL FOUR YEAR TERMS ARE THE SAME TWO CANDIDATES APPLIED FOR THE UNEXPIRED TERM. SO THEIR NAMES WILL BE ON THE BALLOT TWICE. BUT I ALSO WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT DISTRICT 22 IS NOT OUR WHOLE COUNTY. WE ALSO HAVE DISTRICT TWO. AND SO IT'S ROUGHLY DOWN 35. THE WEST SIDE OF THE COUNTY WILL HAVE THIS RACE ON THEIR BALLOT. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S KIND OF CLEAR BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION. AND BUT I'M ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO TALK TO ANYBODY THAT HAS QUESTIONS THEY CAN CALL MY OFFICE. AND THEN ALSO PROBABLY ABOUT THREE WEEKS FROM NOW, WE ANTICIPATE HAVING THE SAMPLE BALLOT OUT ON OUR WEBSITE SO PEOPLE CAN START SEEING IT. AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY I'LL BE ON THERE TWICE. VERY GOOD. YEAH. SO IT IS KIND OF A UNIQUE SITUATION, BUT I THINK YOU EXPLAINED IT WELL. THIS PARTICULAR RACE WILL BE ON TWICE, ONCE FOR THE UNEXPIRED TERM, WHICH WILL BE ABOUT TWO MONTHS, AND THEN ONCE FOR THE FULL FOUR YEAR TERM THAT WILL BEGIN IN JANUARY OF 2027. RIGHT. OKAY. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR JANA? IF NOT, TRY TO MAKE IT MORE COMPLICATED. THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. YEAH. THANKFULLY, IT IS ON THE SAME BALLOT, SO THERE'S NO TWO LINES. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THAT. SO IT'S ON THE SAME BALLOT. IT'S JUST A UNIQUE. RIGHT? RIGHT. VERY GOOD. WELL, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.2. WE HAVE WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.2 FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. I DOES ANYONE OPPOSED HEARING NO. OPPOSITION ITEM 3.2 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JANA. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE'LL NOW TAKE UP ITEM 3.3 AND I'LL ASK THE INTERIM HR DIRECTOR, [3.3 Discussion, consideration, and action to appoint Zachary Gerich, Director of Engineering, as the Acting Facilities Director and temporarily increase his salary by 10% to reflect his additional responsibilities. This temporary increase begins September 1, 2026 and will remain in effect until a Facilities Director has been hired. — Interim Human Resources Director, Norma Luna] NORMA LUNA, TO COME SPEAK TO US ON THIS ITEM, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION TO APPOINT ZACHARY GARRICK, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING, AS THE ACTING FACILITIES DIRECTOR, AND TEMPORARILY INCREASE HIS SALARY BY 10% TO REFLECT HIS ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES. THIS TEMPORARY TEMPORARY INCREASE BEGINS SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2026, AND WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL A FACILITIES DIRECTOR HAS BEEN HIRED. NORMA. GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS MORE FOR LOGISTICS, HONESTLY. ZACH'S BEEN DOING THE JOB, BUT ALSO FOR STAFFING, SO WITHOUT SOMETHING IN PLACE, IT'S REALLY HARD FOR US TO RECOMMEND FOR HIM TO HIRE, [00:40:09] TERMINATE, MAKE, TAKE ANY STAFFING ACTIONS SINCE IT HASN'T BEEN DONE FORMALLY. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE JUST ASKING FOR THAT. 10%. WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST WHEN THERE WAS A SIMILAR SITUATION. SO WE JUST KIND OF LIKE TO KEEP THINGS SIMILAR. RIGHT. VERY GOOD. YES. THANK YOU NORMA. YEAH. SO AS COMMISSIONERS AS YOU KNOW, OUR PRIOR FACILITIES DIRECTOR, LUKE MEACHAM LEFT THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE COUNTY, I BELIEVE MID JUNE, I BELIEVE. YES, SIR. AROUND JUNE 15TH. SO WE THAT POSITION HAS BEEN VACANT FOR 60 DAYS, AND ZACH HAS BEEN PITCHING IN TO HELP TO MAKE SURE THAT'S ALL COORDINATED. THERE'S SEVERAL EMPLOYEES UNDER THAT DEPARTMENT, SO THIS WOULD FORMALIZE ZACH AS INTERIM FACILITIES DIRECTOR. HE'LL STILL BE THE COUNTY ENGINEER AS WELL. HE'S GOING TO WEAR MULTIPLE HATS. BUT DURING THIS, THIS TIME, AND WE ARE, OF COURSE, INTERVIEWING TWO PEOPLE TODAY AS WELL TO POSSIBLY FILL THE FACILITIES DIRECTOR POSITION. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, THOUGHTS WE CAN GET ZACH TO KEEP DOING IT? THAT'S CHEAPER THAN HIRING SOMEBODY, RIGHT? THAT'S A GOOD POINT. I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST AS A GOP SAID LAST MEETING WE HAD HERE OR AT THE THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE, THAT GOOD PEOPLE ARE HARD TO FIND AND BELIEVE. WE GOT A GOOD EGG WITH ZACH. AND I BELIEVE THAT WHAT YOU SAID WAS TRUE. IN THE EVENT HE FINDS OUT WHAT HE'S WORTH. WE MAY LOSE HIM. YEAH. KEEP YOU KEEP YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND AND KEEP DOING YOUR JOB RIGHT. ZACH IS DOING A GREAT JOB. SO WITH THAT, DOES ANYONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.3? SO MOVED. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.3 FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I, I IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO. OPPOSITION ITEM 3.3 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU ALL. OKAY. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM 3.4, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION TO REFUND THE CITY OF RICE. [3.4 Discussion, consideration, and action to refund the City Of Rice $4,040.46 for the Sunrise Circle project. The total refund amount covers the equipment, labor, and material cost associated with the TR-Fog Seal portion Of the project, which will no longer be completed. — Ellis County Commissioner Precinct 2, Matthew Zajic] $4,040.46 FOR THE SUNRISE CIRCLE PROJECT. THE TOTAL REFUND AMOUNT COVERS THE EQUIPMENT, LABOR AND MATERIAL COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOG SEAL PORTION OF THE PROJECT, WHICH WILL NO LONGER BE COMPLETED. COMMISSIONER ZACH, I THINK YOU HAD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. YEAH. THIS PROJECT WAS DONE BEFORE I TOOK OVER. THIS IS JUST SIMPLE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO AND DO THE FOG SEAL ON IT. THEY PAY US UPFRONT FOR THESE PROJECTS ON THESE AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE. SO WE'RE JUST SIMPLY GOING TO REFUND THEM, THEIR, THEIR MONEY BACK FOR THE FOG SEAL PORTION OF THE PROJECT. OKAY. VERY GOOD. COMMISSIONERS. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, DOES ANYONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.4? SO MOVED. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.4 FROM COMMISSIONER ZAJC. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STENSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. I IS ANYONE OPPOSED HEARING NO. OPPOSITION ITEM 3.4 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY. [3.5 Discussion, consideration, and action to appoint Lauri Hartley as the Ellis County Treasurer. — Ellis County Judge, John Wray] LORI, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP FOR THIS NEXT ITEM? ITEM 3.5. ITEM 3.5 IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION TO APPOINT LORI HARTLEY AS THE ELLIS COUNTY TREASURER. LORI'S COMING UP AND AS SHE DOES, I JUST I HAD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. WE'RE ALL STILL IN SHOCK BY THE SUDDEN DEATH OF OUR COUNTY TREASURER, CHERYL CHAMBERS. SHE WORKED HERE IN THIS BUILDING AND I, I GOT TO SEE HER PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY. AND I MET WITH HER ON FRIDAY BEFORE SHE PASSED AWAY. AND WE'RE ALL REALLY GRIEVING FOR HER HOWEVER, AND I WANTED TO EXPRESS THAT BECAUSE THERE WERE CERTAIN DEADLINES AND STATUTORY DEADLINES WHICH REQUIRED THE LOCAL REPUBLICAN PARTY TO PROCEED VERY QUICKLY. WE WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF CHERYL AND HER FAMILY AND OBSERVE AN A PROPER, A PROPER PERIOD OF MOURNING. BUT THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT WE JUST COULDN'T IGNORE DEADLINE WISE. SO THE LOCAL REPUBLICAN PARTY MET. OH, I GUESS IT WAS THE FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE. IT'S PROBABLY THE 18TH, I GUESS AUGUST 18TH. AND SELECTED LORI. LORI AS THE GOP CANDIDATE FOR THE NOVEMBER BALLOT FOR COUNTY TREASURER. AND SINCE SHE HAS BEEN SELECTED, SHE'LL BE UNOPPOSED ON THE GENERAL ELECTION AND SHOULD EASILY COAST TO A FOUR YEAR TERM BEGINNING IN JANUARY OF 2027. THE POSITION OF TREASURER IS CURRENTLY OPEN. THE UNEXPIRED TERM THERE'S 121 DAYS LEFT ON IT, I BELIEVE. NOT THAT ANYONE'S COUNTING, BUT. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND APPOINT OR I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE COURT TO GO AHEAD AND APPOINT LORI [00:45:03] HARTLEY AS OUR ELLIS COUNTY TREASURER FOR THE UNEXPIRED TERM. I WANT TO TELL YOU A FEW THINGS ABOUT LORI. SHE'S LIVED HERE IN ELLIS COUNTY FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 YEARS. SHE HAS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM STEPHEN F AUSTIN UNIVERSITY. SHE'S MARRIED TO HER HUSBAND, BRUCE HARTLEY. THEY'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR 38 YEARS. THEY HAVE ONE SON, PHILIP, WHO IS MARRIED TO THEIR WONDERFUL DAUGHTER IN LAW, HEATHER. AND SHE SERVED AS OUR CHIEF. SHE CURRENTLY SERVES AS OUR CHIEF DEPUTY TREASURER AND HAS WORKED IN FOR ELLIS COUNTY AND IN THAT OFFICE FOR FOR 20 YEARS, SINCE ABOUT TWO OR ALMOST 20 YEARS SINCE 2007. SHE'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE WITH ALL OF THE DUTIES OF THAT OFFICE. AND I THINK OUT OF THIS THIS TRAGIC SITUATION, WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE. SO THANK YOU, LORI. AND DOES ANYONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT LORI AS ELLIS COUNTY TREASURER TO FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM? I'LL MOVE. OKAY. I BELIEVE I BELIEVE THE ENTIRE COURT MADE THAT MOTION. I HEARD COMMISSIONER PONDER FIRST. SO COMMISSIONER PONDER MADE THAT MOTION, AND I'LL TAKE THE SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ZIKE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I, I IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION. CONGRATULATIONS. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LORI. WHY NOT? DO YOU MIND TAKING A. CAN WE GET A PICTURE WITH YOU? WOULD YOU BLESS US WITH TAKING A PICTURE WITH YOU BEFORE YOU LEAVE? YEAH. OKAY. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO ITEM 3.6, WHICH IS AN UPDATE AND DISCUSSION REGARDING TAX REVENUE RECEIVED FROM PAST BUDGET CYCLES [3.6 Update and discussion regarding tax revenue received from past budget cycles and outside audit. — Ellis County Judge, John Wray] AND AN OUTSIDE AUDIT. SO I THINK WE HAVE A SLIDE I'D LIKE TO PUT UP THERE, IF YOU DON'T MIND. SO AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LIMITED EXAMINATION OF CERTAIN ASPECTS RELATED TO THE, THE CURRENT YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET. AND WE RECEIVED A REPORT FROM OUR EXTERNAL AUDIT FIRM BACK IN APRIL. ONE OF THOSE FINDINGS WAS THAT OUR ADOPTED BUDGET IN FISCAL YEAR 2026 UNDERESTIMATED TAX REVENUE BY ABOUT $6 MILLION. AND I BECAME CONCERNED THAT PERHAPS THAT HAD OCCURRED OVER SOME PRIOR BUDGET CYCLES AS WELL. WE INITIALLY LOOKED AT THAT, AND THAT DOES APPEAR TO BE TRUE. HOWEVER I GOT OUR INTERNAL AUDITOR, STACEY PARR, AND HER TEAM TO GO BACK AND REEXAMINE A FEW OF THE NUMBERS OVER RECENT YEARS. SO SHE LOOKED AT ACTUAL TAX COLLECTIONS, NOT THE, YOU KNOW, NOT WHAT WAS ESTIMATED IN THE BUDGET. BUT SHE LOOKED AT ACTUAL TAX COLLECTIONS. SHE DETERMINED THAT WE DID, IN FACT, OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, COLLECT ABOUT $8.3 MILLION MORE THAN WE ANTICIPATED WE WOULD COLLECT IN THE BUDGETS AND MORE THAN WE ACTUALLY APPROPRIATED IN THE BUDGETS. BUT IT WAS CORRECT BY THE TAX RATE. YES, YES. JUST MAKE THAT CLEAR. THAT'S CORRECT. SO THE TAX ASSESSOR WOULD RECEIVE THE APPRAISED VALUE, AND HE WOULD APPLY THAT TAX RATE TO SEND OUT HIS BILLS HIS TAX HIS TAX BILLS. IN ADDITION THOUGH, OUR INTERNAL AUDITOR IDENTIFIED ABOUT $8 MILLION OF DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS OVER THAT SAME TIME PERIOD, PEOPLE THAT HAVE NOT PAID. SO IF YOU ADD THOSE TWO NUMBERS TOGETHER, YOU GET TO ABOUT 16.3 MILLION. ROUGHLY ABOUT HALF OF THAT IS ACCOUNTED FOR BY DELINQUENT UNPAID ACCOUNTS. THERE'S STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS. I KNOW YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. I HAVE QUESTIONS THE COMMISSIONERS DO AS WELL. WE HAVE CONTACTED ONE EXTERNAL AUDIT FIRM TO POSSIBLY DO A FORENSIC AUDIT FOR US. WE ARE GOING TO TALK. I HOPE TO AT LEAST TWO MORE. I'D LIKE TO HAVE THREE PROPOSALS. AND WE ARE SOMEWHAT DEPENDENT UPON, NOT DEPENDENT UPON. BUT WE WILL BE SEEKING GUIDANCE FROM THE AUDIT FIRM ITSELF AS TO THE SCOPE OF THE OF THE WORK THAT SHOULD BE PERFORMED. AND OF COURSE, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THIS HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. AGAIN, THERE'S NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS ANY MISAPPROPRIATION OR FRAUD. [00:50:06] IT JUST IT JUST APPEARS THAT WE COLLECTED MORE MONEY AND SPENT IT ON PROPER GOVERNMENT PURPOSES. BUT IT IT JUST WAS NOT PROPERLY BUDGETED IN THE BUDGET. SO AGAIN, IT'S A FLUID SITUATION. I WANTED TO UPDATE YOU. I WANT TO KEEP YOU INFORMED AND BE TRANSPARENT AND UPDATE YOU FREQUENTLY ON, ON THIS INFORMATION AS IT DEVELOPS. I WANT TO I HAD THIS SLIDE UP HERE BECAUSE IT'S ILLUSTRATIVE OF A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE IS IN OUR FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET, WE DID ESTIMATE ABOUT $100 MILLION OF PROPOSED TAX REVENUE THAT WE ANTICIPATED TO COLLECT. THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR RECALCULATED THAT TO SAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 106 MILLION. WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT WHAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY COLLECTED THIS BUDGET YEAR, OF COURSE WE HAVE 30 MORE DAYS TO GO, 29 MORE DAYS TO GO. BUT WE'VE ACTUALLY COLLECTED RIGHT AT RIGHT AROUND 104 MILLION. OUR BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 WAS ESTIMATING AN END OF THE YEAR FUND BALANCE OF 3.7 MILLION. WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING MORE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THIS 17.4 MILLION. THE 4 MILLION FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR WOULD THEREFORE BE IN THIS ADDITIONAL FUND BALANCE THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING. AND THEN THE REST OF IT COMES FROM UNSPENT FUNDS. SO THE COUNTY ALWAYS BUDGETS MONEY TO BE SPENT, AND IT'S NEVER ALL SPENT. THAT'S A GOOD THING. A LOT OF TIMES THAT OCCURS BECAUSE OF VACANCIES. THE BIGGEST THING THE COUNTY SPENDS MONEY ON IS PAYROLL. AND IF WE HAVE UNFILLED POSITIONS, SOMETIMES THOSE POSITIONS GO UNFILLED FOR WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS. THEN THAT MONEY DOESN'T GET SPENT AND IT GOES BACK INTO THE FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR. SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE AND WE WILL TRY TO GET SOME MORE UPDATES SOON. WE'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH OUR BUDGET PROCESS, OF COURSE, FOR THIS YEAR. AFTER THAT, IT WILL BE ALL HANDS ON DECK TO TRY TO LOCATE AN AUDIT FIRM. HOPE TO HAVE AN AUDIT FIRM ON BOARD WITH A PROPOSED SCOPE BY ROUGHLY OCTOBER 1ST. I DO EXPECT THAT THEIR WORK WILL CONTINUE PAST THE THE END OF MY TERM IN OFFICE, WHICH ENDS DECEMBER 31ST. SO. BUT I'LL TRY. I'LL DO MY PART TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE AN AUDIT FIRM LINED UP AND ON THE JOB AS SOON AS WE CAN. SO THANK YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH THIS. HEY JUDGE, CAN WE CONFIRM THAT THERE ABSOLUTELY IS NO $20 MILLION MISSING, WHICH IS THE STORY FLOATING AROUND? YEAH, IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE 20 AT ALL. IF YOU DO LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, OUR ESTIMATED REVENUE VERSUS WHAT IT REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ESTIMATED TO BE, IT COULD BE 20 MILLION. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT ACTUAL. YEAH, BUT NOT MISSING. NOT MISSING. THERE'S NO MONEY MISSING. IT'S NOT MISSING. AND IT'S, IT'S WHEN YOU LOOK AT ACTUAL TAX COLLECTIONS, IT'S MORE IN THAT $16.3 MILLION, WITH ABOUT HALF OF THAT BEING ACCOUNTED FOR AS DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS. OKAY. I'M GOING TO SAY MAJORITY OF YOU WENT TO ALL THE BUILD OUTS. YEAH, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T BORROW MONEY AGAINST IT. WE USED MONIES. YEAH. FOR JP TWO CONSTABLE FOR THE COURTROOM AND FOR CENTRAL BUILDING. I THINK THAT'S A I THINK THAT'S A LOGICAL CONCLUSION. BUT WE JUST NEED WE NEED A PROFESSIONAL AUDITOR. I AGREE THERE. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A POINT THAT EACH TIME A TREASURY BILL IS RUN THROUGH THE. WELL, THROUGH OUR TREASURER'S DEPARTMENT, THERE'S AN AUDIT DONE. RIGHT. AND FROM WHAT LORI TELLS ME, THAT'S ONCE A MONTH. YEAH. THERE'S AN AUDIT DONE ONCE A MONTH. AND THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE A COMPLETE AUDIT. WE HAVE EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. RIGHT. AND IT COMES UP TRIPLE A BOND RATING, EXCELLENT CONDITION, BLAH BLAH BLAH. SO THAT'S RIGHT. YOU KNOW, SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF AUDITS FOR DIFFERENT OUTSIDE AUDITORS THAT ARE GOING TO COME BACK AND PROBABLY TELL US THE SAME THING. THE ONLY THING THEY'RE GOING TO CLARIFY A FEW THINGS, BUT THAT THE MONEY WAS SPENT FOR COUNTY PURPOSES ON LEGITIMATE COST. NOW, WHEN WE BUILD A BUILDING, MOST CONTRACTORS TODAY WILL COME UP WITH A 5% CONTINGENCY. NOW I'M UNDERSTANDING IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE 9% CONTINGENCY. SO WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO ESTIMATE A BUILDING THAT YOU'VE GOT A SET OF PRINTS ON THAT YOU CAN BUILD A BUILDING OFF OF, AND YOU GO OUT FOR NUMBERS AND ALL THESE NUMBERS COME IN. AND WHEN YOU GET READY TO CLOSE IT UP, YOU'RE 5 TO 9% OVER BUDGET. THAT'S WHAT CONTINGENCY MEANS. STUFF YOU MISSED. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WITH, YOU KNOW, I'M SORT OF A COMMON SENSE GUY, BUT HOW DO YOU TAKE A BUDGET LIKE THIS RIGHT HERE WITH AS MANY DARTS BEING THROWN AT A DART BOARD, THAT IT'S HARD TO HIT THE MIDDLE OF IT WHEN IT'S $100 MILLION BUDGET OR $114 MILLION, [00:55:07] AND YOUR APPRAISALS ARE NOT ALL IN. THEY'RE STILL IN CONTEST OVER THERE. WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THROWN OUT. RIGHT. I'VE BEEN HEARING YEARS TO WHERE THAT WE LOST SUITS, WHERE THE APPRAISER WAS GOING AFTER PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE UNDERVALUED. WELL, WE LOST IT WHEN THAT WAS LOST. EVERYBODY LOST. THE COUNTY HAD TO SEND MONEY BACK. SCHOOLS HAD TO SEND MONEY BACK. CITIES HAD TO SEND MONEY BACK TO THESE CORPORATIONS. I'M SURE THAT WASN'T LIKE FLOATING IN THE AIR. JUST REACH UP AND PULL OUT LIKE, COTTON CANDY AND SEND IT BACK TO THEM. IT HURT ALL OF US IN OUR BUDGET. YEAH. BUT TO SAY THAT WITH WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT THINGS RIGHT NOW, IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT WE STAY AS TIGHT AS WE ARE ON BUDGETS, BUT WE'RE FIXING TO TALK ABOUT ADDED COST BECAUSE OF HOW I GET PEOPLE SENDING ME STUFF. WHY ARE MY TAXES POSSIBLY GOING UP? WE GOT ONE OF THE LOWEST TAX RATES OF A COUNTY OUR SIZE IN IN TEXAS. AND OUR RATE THAT WE'RE AT, WE'RE FAR BELOW WHERE WE WERE WHEN MOST OF US STARTED ON THIS COURT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU LOOK AT STUFF LIKE YOU GOT SOME KIND OF AN INKLING AS TO WHAT THESE AUDITS ARE GOING TO COST US. I HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. BUT I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS GET A PROPOSED SCOPE FROM THE AUDITOR, FROM THE AUDIT FIRM. AND THEN WE HAVE THAT BUDGETED AND THEN THE RIGHT SIDE, RIGHT SIDE BUDGETED IN HERE. THERE IS IN THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL PORTION OF THE BUDGET, THERE'S THERE'S ALWAYS SOME CONTINGENCY FUNDS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. YES. YEAH. AND WHEN I FIRST COME IN AS A AS A COURT MEMBER, THE FIRST THING WOULD HAPPEN IS SOMEONE COME ACROSS THE COURT, DON'T COST US MONEY. AND THE FIRST THING I'D ASK IS, IS THAT IN THE BUDGET JUDGE? WELL, NO, I SAID, HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT? WELL, WE HAVE A CONTINGENCY. 140 YOU KNOW, BLAH BLAH BLAH. 141 40 SO FROM THEN ON, SEVERAL MONTHS I KEPT HEARING. 141 40. I FINALLY MADE THE COMMENT, YOU PROBABLY SCROLL BACK YEARS AGO AND LOOK. AND I SAID, THERE MUST BE A TON OF MONEY IN THAT ONE. 40. AS MUCH AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS UNBUDGETED STUFF, RIGHT? SO WHEN THE AUDITS COME OUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, SOMETIMES YOU END UP SPENDING MORE MONEY THAN YOU HAD BUDGETED. BUT WE HAVE RESERVES AND THAT'S WHERE THAT MONEY COMES OF OUT OF THE RESERVES. WELL, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT RESERVE GETS LOW? YOU LOOK AT THAT NUMBER YOU HAD UP THERE, THAT 17.4 MILLION. WHAT THAT REALLY SHOULD READ IS 27 MILLION TO ACTUALLY COVER US FOR THAT RESERVE THROUGHOUT THE END OF THE YEAR. OUR OBJECTIVE AS A COURT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE YOU SEE HERE THAT ARE GOOD WORKERS THAT WORK FOR ELLIS COUNTY GET PAID. WE'RE NOT OUT HERE TO BEAT PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR MONEY OR ANYTHING SUCH AS THAT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME. THESE ARE GOOD PEOPLE. EVERY PHRASE THAT WE GAVE THIS YEAR. I BELIEVE IN THEM. BUT WITH WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW. I BELIEVE JUDGE RAY HAS DONE A GOOD JOB SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T THINK HE HAS, BUT THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE OCCURRED HAVE BEEN IN THE YEARS PRIOR TO HE GOT HERE. AND I 100% AGREE WITH GOING OUT FOR NEW AUDITS TO GET THEM DONE. IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT'S THAT'S POLITICAL. I'M NOT A POLITICAL PERSON. NEVER HAS BEEN. I HATED IT WHEN MY KINFOLKS TOLD ME I WAS A POLITICIAN. SO YOU GOT TO BE A LIAR. THAT HURTS. BUT NOBODY ON THIS COURT THAT I KNOW OF IS A LIAR. AND I'M DEFINITELY NOT THAT PERSON THAT'S GOING TO JUDGE BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS AFRAID OF BEING JUDGED MYSELF. SO BUT I DO APPROVE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AS FAR AS GOING OUT ON THIS JUDGE. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER, I REALLY I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT I DO COMMISSIONERS IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, THIS REALLY ISN'T AN ACTION ITEM. IT WAS JUST AN UPDATE ITEM. WHEN WE CAN WE CAN MOVE ON. THE NEXT WOULD BE ITEM 3.7, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, [3.7 Discussion, consideration, and action on the recommendation(s) Of the Salary Grievance Committee. — Ellis County Judge, John Wray] AND ACTION ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SALARY GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE. WE HAD THIS THERE'S NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN HERE. COMMISSIONERS. WE HAD THIS ON THE AGENDA AS A POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM BECAUSE IF THE SALARY GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE DID NOT MAKE UNANIMOUS DECISIONS, THEN THE COMMISSIONERS COURT MIGHT HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT DECISION TO AFFIRM IT. THE ELLIS COUNTY SALARY GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE DID MEET THIS LAST THIS PAST FRIDAY. WHAT WAS THAT, THE 25TH, I GUESS OF OF, OF AUGUST AND HEARD NINE DIFFERENT GRIEVANCES. THE COMMITTEE DID REACH A UNANIMOUS THE NINE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE REACHED A UNANIMOUS, [01:00:03] UNANIMOUS DECISION AS TO ALL NINE OF THOSE GRIEVANCES. SO WE DO NOT NEED TO TAKE ACTION. AND ESSENTIALLY THE THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE VOTED TO GIVE THE COLA TO THE THE VARIOUS ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO FILED THE GRIEVANCE. OKAY. SO NO ACTION REQUIRED THERE. WE'RE NOW GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT WE'RE GOING TO FIRST TAKE UP ITEM 3.8. [3.8 Discussion, consideration, and possible action on the proposed FY2027 Budget. — Ellis County Judge, John Wray (Part 1 of 2)] NOT FOR NOT FOR ACTION. JUST WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE PRESENTATION FROM ERIC TEST ON ITEM 3.8, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET. AFTER HE GIVES HIS PRESENTATION, WE WILL THEN GO INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. ERIC. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. I WANT TO BEGIN BY TALKING ABOUT THE PRIORITIES THAT GUIDED THIS YEAR'S 2027 BUDGET. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, JUDGE RAY ASKED THAT WE FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON THE FOLLOWING FUNDING LAW ENFORCEMENT, FUNDING THE DEA AND COURTS. FINDING A WAY TO MAKE ELLIS COUNTY OPERATE MORE EFFICIENTLY, PROVIDING THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES WITH A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT AND CUTTING WASTEFUL SPENDING. THE FY 2027 BUDGET ADDRESSES EVERY ONE OF THESE PRIORITIES IN A MEANINGFUL WAY. I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU A NEXT SLIDE IS GOING TO BE A TEN YEAR SNAPSHOT. AND THIS IS GOING BACK EACH YEAR AND SHOWING A THE PERCENT INCREASE IN SPENDING FROM ONE FISCAL YEAR TO THE NEXT. AND FOR, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN, IN, IN A DECADE, THIS BUDGET CUTS SPENDING IN THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. AND THEY WERE, THEY WERE CUT BY APPROXIMATELY, I THINK, $340,000. NOT A LOT, BUT IT IS A CUT IN SPENDING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A DECADE. TOTAL GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES FOR FY. DO YOU MIND JUST ADDRESSING FISCAL 2122? THE THE THE AMOUNTS BY WHICH FUNDING INCREASED. ARE YOU ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT FROM THE FISCAL FISCAL YEAR 21 THE COUNTY'S EXPENDITURES WENT UP 10.9%. FISCAL 22 COUNTY EXPENDITURES WENT UP 11.5%. FISCAL 23 COUNTY EXPENDITURES WENT UP 33.3%. FISCAL 24 COUNTY EXPENDITURES WENT UP 14.7%. THIS. THIS IS THE. THIS YEAR, WE'RE PROPOSING A 3/10 OF A PERCENT DECLINE IN COUNTY EXPENDITURES. YES, SIR. AND TO BE FAIR, THESE BIG CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS LIKE ELLIS CENTRAL AND SUB COURTHOUSE TWO WERE GOING ON DURING SOME OF THESE YEARS. BUT. YEAH. BUT AND THIS IS REALLY LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUND. SO SO MOST MOST OF THOSE EXPENSES WEREN'T COMING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, BUT IN SOME YEARS COMING FROM PERMANENT IMPROVEMENT. YEAH. OKAY. PLEASE PROCEED. YEAH. YES, SIR. SO THE TOTAL GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES FOR FY 27 WILL BE OR PROPOSED TO BE $113,000,693 AND 7 OR $693,775. TOTAL GENERAL FUND REVENUES ARE ESTIMATED TO BE $131,758,554. THAT LEAVES THE COUNTY WITH AN APPROXIMATE END OF YEAR FUND BALANCE RESERVE OF $18.1 MILLION, WHICH IS A PRETTY LARGE INCREASE FROM FY 26, WAS, I THINK, A 3.7 MILLION. RIGHT. IT'S STILL NOT QUITE AT THE 90 DAY RESERVE, BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW YOU CAN'T REALLY COUNT THIS IN THE BUDGET, BUT THERE ARE HISTORICAL DATA YOU CAN LOOK AT TO TELL YOU THAT THE, AT THE END OF FY 28 OR FY 27, BEGINNING 28 FROM UNUSED BUDGETS, YOU SHOULD BE AT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN AN ENDING YEAR BALANCE OF 30 AND 35 MILLION. THAT'S IN PART DUE TO WHAT I MENTIONED EARLIER. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE OUR BUDGET ANTICIPATES EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE POSITION WILL BE FILLED FOR THE ENTIRE 12 MONTHS. BUT THAT JUST NEVER HAPPENS, RIGHT? NEVER DUE TO ATTRITION. IT TAKES A WHILE TO I THINK THIS IS THE LOWEST YEAR EVER. AND IT'S. THERE WAS STILL ALMOST 14 MILLION THAT CAME BACK IN. OKAY. PLEASE GO ON. ALL RIGHT. THIS BUDGET FUNDS THE CRITICAL PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS OF THE COUNTY. IT MAKES INVESTMENTS IN THE DA'S OFFICE AND THE COURTS. THIS BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES FUNDING FOR PENDING CAPITAL MURDER CASES. IT TAKES STEPS TO ADDRESS THE GROWING JAIL POPULATION THROUGH ADDITIONAL DETENTION OFFICERS AND FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AT THE JAIL. [01:05:07] AND IT PROVIDES EMPLOYEES WITH A 3% COLA. AND IMPORTANTLY, WE ALSO TOOK A LOOK AT HOW ELLIS COUNTY IS MANAGED. AS ELLIS COUNTY GROWS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE GOVERNMENT BE RESPONSIVE TO ITS RESIDENTS, AN EFFICIENT AND PROFESSIONAL MANNER. THAT BRINGS UP TO THE TO THE HOT TOPIC ITEMS, WHICH ARE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE COUNTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND THE COUNTY BUDGET OFFICE. FIRST, LET ME MAKE CLEAR, THESE ARE NOT IDEAS THAT OVER APPEARED OVERNIGHT. THESE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE SCENES IN THE BUDGET PROCESSES. FOR MANY YEARS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND PART OF THE THE KEY TO ALL THIS, WHEN WE STARTED TO BEGIN BEGINNING THE DUE DILIGENCE PHASE OF LOOKING WHETHER THESE DEPARTMENTS WERE FEASIBLE AT ALL. ONE THING THAT JUDGE RAY ASKED WAS THAT ANY COSTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE DEPARTMENTS THAT IT NOT BE NEW MONEY. SO WE, WE HAD TO SHOW CUTS OR REALLOCATIONS. AND THAT WAS ONE OF HIS PRIORITIES WHEN LOOKING AT THIS. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE DONE, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE. AND THIS ISN'T EVEN ALL THE CUTS, BUT THIS IS, I JUST WANT TO, I'D LIKE TO JUST JUST BRIEFLY HIT A FEW OF THOSE. YOU'VE GOT THE, THE BUDGET OFFICER AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DEPARTMENTS OVERALL COMBINED FUNDING FOR THOSE WOULD BE $1,037,795. BUT WE ARE. WE IDENTIFIED REALLOCATIONS AND CUTS OF 1.7 MILLION, RESULTING IN A NET SAVINGS OF 712 $394. CORRECT. YEP. AND A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE ELIMINATING THE GRANT WRITER POSITION THAT'S NEVER BEEN FILLED, WHICH IS $120,000 PER YEAR POSITION, ELIMINATING THE CIVIL ATTORNEY POSITION UNDER THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. THAT'S A $200,000 POSITION THAT'S NEVER BEEN FILLED OVER SEVERAL BUDGET CYCLES. WE ARE REALLOCATING THE BUDGET OFFICER POSITION FROM THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE TO THE BUDGET OFFICER OFFICE, REALLOCATING THE PIO POSITION FROM THE COUNTY JUDGE OFFICE. CORRECT, BUT STILL ALSO ALLOWING FOR THREE POSITIONS IN THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE AND THEN WE IDENTIFIED OTHER WASTEFUL SPENDING AND DOUBLE A DOUBLE BOOKED INSURANCE LINE ITEM. IS THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEP. PLEASE. PLEASE PROCEED. YEAH. SO EVERY DOLLAR ASSOCIATED WITH THESE TWO DEPARTMENTS CAN BE TRACED BACK TO EITHER A REALLOCATION OF EXISTING POSITIONS OR THE ELIMINATION OF IDENTIFIED WASTE AND INEFFICIENCIES IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET. THERE ARE NO NEW TAX DOLLARS BEING REQUESTED TO FUND THESE POSITIONS. AS I SAID EARLIER, THE PROPOSED BUDGET ACTUALLY IS CUTTING SPENDING. SO THE QUESTION YOU GUYS HAVE TO ASK IS, YOU KNOW, NOT DO YOU WANT TO SPEND MORE MONEY? THE QUESTION IS, CAN THE RESOURCES WE ALREADY HAVE BE USED IN A BETTER WAY TO IMPROVE THE WAY THE COUNTY OPERATES? AND THIS IS ABOUT STRUCTURE, NOT MORE GOVERNMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS A MISCONCEPTION ABOUT WHAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE WOULD DO. THIS IS NOT ABOUT CREATING ANOTHER WAY OF GOVERNMENT. IT'S ABOUT CREATING A STRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS THE COURT AND FUTURE COURTS TO GOVERN MORE EFFECTIVELY. ELLIS COUNTY IS CURRENTLY ORGANIZED PRIMARILY AROUND INDIVIDUAL ELECTED OFFICES AND DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND THOUGH THAT STRUCTURE HAS SERVED THE COUNTY WELL, AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW, WE JUST ARE BECOMING MORE WE'RE BECOMING LARGER AND MORE COMPLEX. AND THAT STRUCTURE BECOMES BEGINS TO DETERIORATE. AND AS YOU CAN KIND OF SEE FROM THIS SLIDE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF THE TRUTH OF HOW IT OPERATES. SO HOW INFORMATION FLOWS FROM THE GOVERNING BODY DOWN THE DEPARTMENTS TO THE ELECTEDS. THAT IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY. AND I'M SURE MANY OF US HAVE HAVE SEEN EXACTLY THAT FIRSTHAND. AND THE THE SLIDE ON THE RIGHT IS WHAT THAT STRUCTURE WOULD MOVE TO. AND I DO KNOW YOU. NOTE THE COMMISSIONERS COURT OVERSEES POLICY, BUDGET OVERSIGHT. RIGHT. AND THE NEW STRUCTURE WOULD JUST REALLY BE ABOUT COORDINATION, INFORMATION SHARING, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EFFICIENCY. YEP. OKAY. VERY GOOD. PLEASE. PLEASE CONTINUE. ELLIS COUNTY IS CURRENTLY THE 304TH LARGEST COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES. [01:10:06] AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO GROW. WITH THAT GROWTH COMES MORE EMPLOYEES, MORE FACILITIES, MORE CONTRACTS, MORE INFRASTRUCTURE, MORE TECHNOLOGY, MORE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES, AND MORE SERVICES TO MANAGE. THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE HAS TO GROW WITH THE ORGANIZATION. NATIONWIDE, APPROXIMATELY 43% OF COUNTIES UTILIZE A FORM OF CENTRALIZED ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE. SO THIS IS NOT A RADICAL OR EXPERIMENTAL IDEA. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE MOST COMMON APPROACH TO MANAGE LARGE ORGANIZATIONS. NOT ONLY IS IT A COMMON APPROACH, BUT IS THE BEST PRACTICE, WHETHER IT BE IN PRIVATE BUSINESS OR GOVERNMENT. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE LARGE COMPANY IS SET UP EXACTLY IN THIS MANNER. AND THE BASIC PRINCIPLE OF THIS GOVERNANCE IS SIMPLE. BOARDS GOVERN AND MANAGERS MANAGE. THE COMMISSIONERS COURT ROLE IS TO ESTABLISH POLICY, SET PRIORITIES, APPROVE THE BUDGET AND HOLD THE ORGANIZATION ACCOUNTABLE. ADDITIONALLY, IN ELLIS COUNTY, THE FOUR COMMISSIONERS HAVE VERY EXTENSIVE RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE ROAD AND BRIDGE AREAS OF THE COUNTY. THE SOLE MISSION OF ANY PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE IS TO MAKE SURE THE POLICIES OF THE GOVERNING GOVERNING BODY ARE IMPLEMENTED CONSISTENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION. THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR THE AND THE COUNTY BUDGET OFFICER WORK FOR THE COURT. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND THE BUDGET OFFICE WILL REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE COURT. THEY DO NOT REPLACE ELECTED OFFICIALS. THEY DO NOT TAKE AWAY STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS. THEY WOULD PROVIDE THE COURT WITH THE MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL CAPACITY NECESSARY TO COORDINATE THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE. AND THAT KIND OF BRINGS UP THE THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF, OF A CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE. THAT'S INFORMATION. A COMMISSIONERS COURT CAN ONLY MAKE GOOD DECISIONS WHEN IT HAS COMPLETE AND UNBIASED INFORMATION. THE COURT SHOULD AT ALL TIMES HAVE ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION IT NEEDS TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE COUNTY'S FINANCES, PERSONNEL, FACILITIES, CONTRACTS, OPERATIONS AND LONG TERM PLANNING. TOO OFTEN, INFORMATION WITHIN A LARGE ORGANIZATION CAN BECOME FRAGMENTED OR SILOED WITHIN INDIVIDUAL OFFICES. THIS IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE SILO EFFECT IN GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS. THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE FAULT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL ELECTED OFFICIAL OR DEPARTMENT HEAD. IT IS SIMPLY A CONSEQUENCE OF HOW THE ORGANIZATION IS STRUCTURED. BUT THE RESULT CAN BE THE SAME. DECISIONS ARE MADE WITH INCOMPLETE INFORMATION, DELAYED INFORMATION, BIASED INFORMATION, AND OFTENTIMES NO INFORMATION AT ALL. A CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE CHANGES THAT DYNAMIC. THE ROLE OF THE OFFICE IS TO LOOK ACROSS THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION AND MAKE SURE THE COURT HAS THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED AND IMPORTANT DECISIONS. THE BUDGET OFFICE PROVIDES THE SAME CENTRALIZED APPROACH FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE. INSTEAD OF SIMPLY LOOKING AT WHAT INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS ARE REQUESTING, THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE A DEDICATED FUNCTION FOCUSED ENTIRELY ON THE FINANCIAL PICTURE REVENUES, EXPENDITURES, LONG TERM OBLIGATIONS, DEPARTMENT TRENDS, CAPITAL NEEDS, AND FUTURE FINANCIAL PLANNING. THIS IS ABOUT PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE. WE CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN THE SAME WAY WE ALWAYS HAVE, OR WE CAN MAKE A DELIBERATE DECISION TO BUILD THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY FOR THE COUNTY WE ARE TODAY. AND AGAIN, THIS BUDGET IS NOT PROPOSED ASKING TAXPAYERS FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY. WE ARE TAKING EXISTING RESOURCES AND USING THEM DIFFERENTLY, WITH THE GOAL OF CREATING A COUNTY GOVERNMENT THAT'S MORE COORDINATED, MORE ACCOUNTABLE, MORE EFFICIENT AND BETTER INFORMED. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS PROPOSAL IS NOT ABOUT CREATING TWO MORE OFFICES. IT IS ABOUT GIVING THE COMMISSIONERS COURT THE TOOLS TO GOVERN ELLIS COUNTY MORE EFFICIENTLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ERIC. COMMISSIONERS, I DON'T KNOW. WE'LL DO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. AND THEN ERIC AND EMIL CAN COME BACK UP, OR YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS. NOW THAT WE. IT'S HOWEVER YOU WANT TO PROCEED. WHY DON'T WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND ENTER THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TAKE THE COMMENTS. SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP ITEM P ONE, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET. [P.1 Public hearing regarding the proposed FY2027 Budget.] I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOTION TO ENTER THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ENTER THE PUBLIC HEARING FROM COMMISSIONER STINSON IS THERE, AND WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. [01:15:03] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I, I IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. OKAY. WE DO HAVE SIX PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO, TO SPEAK IN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND YOU'RE ALL WELCOME. AND I, I KNOW I AM, AND I'M SURE ALL COMMISSIONERS ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR COMMENTS. SO THE FIRST PERSON I'D LIKE TO CALL UP IS JOHN JENKINS. MR. JENKINS, IF YOU WOULD COME UP AND GIVE US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS. AND THEN WE DO HAVE A. ACCORDING TO OUR DECORUM POLICY, WE HAVE A FIVE MINUTE LIMIT ON SPEAKING. OUR COUNTY CLERK OR DEPUTY CLERK WILL SET A TIMER. AND IF YOU HEAR IF YOU HEAR THAT, GO OFF. IF YOU'LL JUST PLEASE ASK YOU TO WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS AS SOON AS YOU HEAR THAT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. MY NAME IS JOHN JENKINS, 106 BROOKWOOD COURT OVILLA, TEXAS, 75154. I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, SAY THAT I'M NOT REALLY IN FAVOR OF A NEW ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION. I'D RATHER, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE NEW ELECTED JUDGE COME IN. NO OFFENSE TO YOU, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE NEW JUDGE, I THINK, SHOULD HAVE SOME INPUT ON THAT. RIGHT. ALSO, I WANTED TO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE TRUTH AND TAXATION NUMBERS AND I'VE CALCULATED OUT FOR ELLIS COUNTY. IT'S 8.35%. RIGHT. THAT'S GOING TO HIT MY HOUSEHOLD. RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT I LOOK AT, LOOK AT. AND I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU GUYS TO YOU KNOW, DO YOUR BEST TO BE AS CONSERVATIVE AS POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BUDGET. SO AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. JENKINS. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU. OKAY. MR. GRIFFIN, DO YOU WANT TO COME UP NEXT, DON GRIFFIN? MR. GRIFFIN, IF YOU'LL I THINK YOU KNOW THE DRILL. BUT IF YOU'LL JUST TELL US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS AND THEN PLEASE SHARE YOUR COMMENTS. I'M DON GRIFFIN, 1002 WEST RED OAK ROAD IN RED OAK. I'D LIKE TO READ TO YOU. I WAS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE LAST BUDGET DISCUSSION, AND I FEEL THAT YOU CLEARLY HEARD THE OVERWHELMING DISAPPROVAL OF CONSTITUENT RESIDENTS AT THAT TIME. I CANNOT BEGIN TO THINK TODAY WILL BE ANY DIFFERENT, AND I AM NOT SURE WHY THIS WAS CALLED OR THIS MEETING WAS CALLED. WHEN I BELIEVE THAT YOU KNOW, THE CONCERNS AND WISHES OF YOUR PRECINCT MEMBERS. BUT ALL THAT TO SAY, I WILL STATE MY REQUEST. PLEASE HOLD THE LINE ON RAISING ANY PORTION OF THE TAX BURDEN YOUR VOTING RESIDENTS HAVE TO PAY. WE NEED A RATE THAT WILL NOT IN ANY WAY INCREASE THE TAX AMOUNT OF OUR COUNTY CITIZENS. I REALIZE THAT THERE ARE MANY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COUNTY, BUT I ALSO FEEL THAT THERE ARE AREAS THAT COULD BE, COULD AND MUST BE REDUCED IN ORDER TO COVER NECESSARY PRIORITIES OF THE COUNTY. DIFFICULT OR NOT, THIS MUST BE DONE. PLEASE ADOPT THE NNR RATE FOR NEXT YEAR. PLEASE ADOPT THE NNR RATE FOR NEXT YEAR. I ALSO HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT ADDING REQUESTED SALARIED, ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETED POSITIONS. AT THIS TIME, THE COUNTY DOES NOT YET APPEAR TO HAVE A CLEAR AND RELIABLE UNDERSTANDING OF ITS FINANCIAL POSITION, AS REFLECTED IN THE CONFUSION SURROUNDING THE FINANCIAL NUMBERS, PROPOSED TAX RATES AND RELATED ISSUES. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE TROUBLING AND UNRESOLVED QUESTION OF THIS MISSING MISSING REVENUE MUST BE ADDRESSED BEFORE ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS ARE ADDED TO THE BUDGET. FOR THESE REASONS, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU TABLE THIS PROPOSAL UNTIL THE FINANCIAL ISSUES ARE FULLY RESOLVED AND THE NEWLY ELECTED COUNTY JUDGE IS SEATED AND ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE DECISIONS. ALSO, I MUST STATE THAT I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE LEADERSHIP PROPOSALS BEING SET FORTH AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE AN INTERIM COUNTY JUDGE WHO THANKFULLY STEPPED UP TO TAKE ON THE TEMPORARY JOB, AND FOR THAT I'M GRATEFUL. HOWEVER, I SIMPLY BELIEVE THAT WE DO NOT NEED TO MAKE CHANGES UNTIL WE HAVE OUR ELECTED JUDGE IN PLACE. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU'RE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE AND YOUR ACTIONS ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THEM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. GRIFFIN. THANK YOU. MIKE ROGERS. MR. ROGERS, YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, BUT IF YOU'LL JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS. THANK YOU. MIKE ROGERS, 107 NORTH FIFTH STREET, MIDLOTHIAN, TEXAS. JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY. I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BUDGET, AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT PENNIES. MY CALCULATIONS COULD BE OFF A LITTLE BIT, BUT I BELIEVE EACH PENNY SOMEWHERE AROUND $1 MILLION. AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS ABOUT THREE PENNIES. [01:20:02] I CAN'T ENCOURAGE YOU ENOUGH. AFTER KNOWING WHAT IT IS TO LOOK AT LARGE BUDGETS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR ABOUT ONE AND A HALF TO 2%. IT IS THERE. IT IS THERE. IT'S POSSIBLY GOING TO MAKE SOME UNHAPPY AT THE CHOICES YOU'LL HAVE TO MAKE, BUT I CAN'T ENCOURAGE YOU ENOUGH TO LOOK IN THE HARD PLACES AND FIND THOSE DOLLARS. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU STRONGLY TO STRONGLY CONSIDER PUTTING OFF HIRING A NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR UNTIL A NEW COURT IS SEATED. I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU THAT, IN MY VIEW, THIS IS NOT A WISE DECISION AT THIS POINT DUE TO THE SIZE OF THIS COUNTY. FROM MY STUDY, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH ROUGHLY 15 TO 20 COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS OUT OF 254 COUNTIES HAVE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS. I DON'T FIND THAT THIS COUNTY IS AT THAT POINT YET, AND I WOULD RATHER LEAVE THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO THE NEXT ELECTED OFFICIALS TO COME INTO OFFICE TO DECIDE UPON THAT SEAT. WHILE A COUNTY BUDGET DIRECTOR WERE MUCH CLOSER TO HAVING TO MAKE THAT DECISION NOW, DUE TO THE SIZE OF OUR COUNTY, AS YOU WELL KNOW, I WOULD ALSO CONSIDER STRONGLY. LET'S WAIT UNTIL A JUDGE IS SEATED. LET'S LOOK AT OUR BUDGET AND LET'S FIND THOSE THREE PENNIES. LET'S FIND THAT $3 MILLION, OR AT LEAST LET'S GET A START. MAYBE WE CAN'T GET THERE. MAYBE WE CAN COME UP WITH A THREE YEAR PLAN OF HOW TO GET TO THE N AND R, BUT LET'S START. IF YOU DON'T DO IT NOW, TRUST ME, YOU'RE JUST GOING TO START GOING IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. IT'S GOING TO BE TOO HARD TO GET BACK. WE ONLY NEED TO WAIT ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF TO FIVE MORE MONTHS FOR A NEW GROUP OF FOLKS TO BE SEATED. LET'S CONSIDER THAT STRONGLY. AND I WOULD LEAVE YOU LAST WITH LOOK FOR ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF REVENUE. NOW, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO TELL ME YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. THE LEGISLATURE'S PASSED IT DOWN THAT WE CAN ONLY DO SO THERE THERE IT TAKES LOOKING AT IT OUTSIDE THE BOX, BUT ADDITIONAL FORMS OF REVENUE FEE STRUCTURES WORKING WITHIN DEVELOPMENT SIDE, HOW TO ATTRACT DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROPER PLACES IS CORRECTLY TO GET THOSE DEVELOPMENT STAGES IN PLACE WITHOUT ABATEMENTS, TO START TAKING AN ADDITIONAL TAX DOLLARS, THAT CAN BE IMMEDIATELY TURNED BACK TO THE FOLKS. THAT'S SOME THINGS WE CAN IMMEDIATELY BE DOING AND WE SHOULD BE DOING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MR. ROGERS. NEXT WOULD BE ANTHONY CRISMAN. MR. CRISMAN. MR. CRISMAN, IF YOU WOULD JUST STATE YOUR NAME WHEN YOU GET TO THE MICROPHONE AND YOUR ADDRESS. THANK YOU. I AM ANTHONY CRISMAN. I LIVE AT 508 STONE LAKE AND HERE IN THE CITY OF WAXAHACHIE. AND I DON'T KNOW WHO MY PRECINCT COMMISSIONER IS. ARE THEY PRESENT? NO. 508 OVER OFF OF PARK SCHOOLHOUSE. THAT'S, I THINK, 87 PARK SCHOOLHOUSE, CEDAR MAYOR STINSON. YEAH, WE SPLIT THEM. WE'RE SPLIT ABOUT RIGHT THERE. I AIN'T GOT NO COMMISSIONER. OKAY, WELL, LET ME. I'M. I'M. I'M NORTH OF 879. YOU'RE YOU'RE. YEAH. I'M SOUTH. YEAH. YOU CAN TALK TO THIS MAN CLOSER TO YOU. YOU'LL PROBABLY BE ME. CAN I GET SOMEBODY TO OWN ME TODAY? ANYBODY? LET LET ME SAY, I'VE BEEN IN WALKS OF HATCHEE SINCE 2019, AND I'M. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT TALK ABOUT THE INCREASE OF, OF, OF PROPERTY TAXES. AS SOON AS SOON AS MY WIFE AND I GOT HERE, THE FIRST THING WE MET WAS COVID AND WE WERE LOCKED DOWN. ALL OF US REMEMBER WHAT COVID DID TO US. AND THEN AFTER COVID, AND I'M SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY FROM, FROM A CITIZENS PERSPECTIVE. AFTER COVID. WE EXPERIENCED ONE OF THE WORST ICE STORMS I EVER LIVED THROUGH. WE WERE EIGHT DAYS IN SUBZERO TEMPERATURES BUYING HIJACKED GAS TO RUN GENERATORS TO COOK ON HOT PLATES. EIGHT DAYS. NO POWER. THE. SOLAR PANELS AND THE GENERATOR FOLKS WERE LIKE SHARKS IN BLOODY WATER. BEFORE THE ICE MELTED. GOOD. CONVINCING US THAT WE GOTTA GET AHEAD OF THE NEXT STORM. [01:25:11] WE SURVIVED THAT. AND NOW WE'RE HERE. AND ALL OF THE THE NOISE AROUND US. LET ME SAY I, I AGREE WITH THE OTHER GENTLEMAN. I THANK YOU GUYS FOR HEARING ME TODAY. I DON'T KNOW ANY OF YOU PERSONALLY, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO JUDGE YOUR INTEGRITY. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT $20 MILLION. WE BREATHE THE SAME AIR. ALL OF US LIVE ON GOD'S SAME EARTH, AND WE'RE IN A. WE'RE IN A PLACE NOW WHERE OUR NATION IS UNDER SIEGE. I'M NOT SAYING UNDER SIEGE BY SOMEBODY. WE'RE UNDER SIEGE OF THE NOISE. ALL OF US. WE OPEN THIS SESSION WITH A PRAYER. WE NEED TO INVOKE GOD ON ALL OF OUR DECISIONS. I UNDERSTAND BUDGETS. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR FOR THE COUNTY. AT SOME POINT, SOMEBODY HAS TO STAND UP AND SAY, LET'S LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER. I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO SAY THAT THAT THAT AN INCREASE WOULDN'T BE NECESSARY. WHAT I'M APPEALING TO IS THE WISDOM, THE COURAGE. THE INDEPENDENCE. OF EVERY COMMISSIONER SITTING HERE TO CONSIDER FOLK LIKE ME GOING THROUGH WHAT WE'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, AN INCREASE. AS SIMPLE AS IT SOUNDS, OR HOWEVER MUCH IT IS TO. SOMEBODY LIKE ME LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY ELSE JUST PILING ON. TO WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE TO US. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WAITING TILL WHATEVER, WHATEVER TO DO WHATEVER WITH APPOINTING NEW PEOPLE NOW. MAN, Y'ALL HAVE A YOU CAN DO IT RIGHT NOW. I DON'T KNOW THE WISDOM OR THE PROCESS THAT WENT INTO HEARING ABOUT HOW THE THE FOLK WHO WOULD END UP PAYING IT WOULD FEEL ABOUT IT. WE'RE BEYOND THAT NOW. WHAT I WILL SAY NOW IS THIS, THAT I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE IN THE BEST WISDOM TO DO IT RIGHT NOW. I LOVE WAXAHATCHEE FROM THE TIME I'VE BEEN HERE, I REALLY DO. I'VE ENJOYED MY STAY HERE. AN INCREASE AND I HEAR IT. AN INCREASE WOULD, WOULD, WOULD BE LIKE, YOU GUYS ARE PILING ON US RIGHT NOW AND LOOKING IN THE FACES OF EACH OF. I I DON'T SEE IT. I DON'T SEE THAT IN ANY OF YOU. YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. I JUST ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER US AS YOU DO IT. GOD BLESS YOU. MAY GOD KEEP YOU. THANK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU, MR. CHRISTIAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. MISS COLSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP NOW? YES. MISS COLSON, I KNOW YOU KNOW THE PROCESS. SO IF YOU JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. SYLVIA COLSON, 1315 DIXIE LANE, WAXAHACHIE. GOOD AFTERNOON, GENTLEMEN. JUDGE COMMISSIONERS MATH IS MY FAVORITE. TWO PLUS TWO ALWAYS EQUALS FOUR. WHAT IS THE NNR RATE? I AM FLUMMOXED BY THE NUMBER OF NUMBERS THAT I'VE HEARD FOR THIS. TWO PLUS TWO EQUALS FOUR EQUATION UP UNTIL THIS YEAR. FOR ALL ENTITIES, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ONE NUMBER. NOW IT'S NOT THE TIME TO ADD TWO NEW DEPARTMENTS AT OVER $1 MILLION. MORE ON THAT IN A MOMENT. I ASKED CHATGPT HOW MANY COUNTIES IN TEXAS HAVE A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR POSITION? THE EXPERT CHATGPT. THE REPLY WAS, IF YOU'RE ASKING THIS IN RELATION TO THE ELLIS COUNTY'S PROPOSED COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, I WOULD SAY SIX OTHERS HAVE ADMINISTRATOR IN THEIR TITLE, BUT THEY'RE FOR COORDINATING SPECIAL PROJECTS, ETC. IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF POSITION. SO SIX ACCORDING TO CHATGPT, WHICH WE KNOW THAT'S AS GOOD AS IT IS AS IT IS. BUT USUALLY I GET PRETTY GOOD INFORMATION FROM CHATGPT. I USE IT FOR MEDICAL THINGS AS WELL. I CHALLENGE EACH OF YOU TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND FOLLOW THE LEAD OF TARRANT COUNTY AND GIVE US AN IN IN [01:30:02] OUR TAX RATE WITHOUT INCREASING OUR BUREAUCRACY. I THINK MR. TEST SAID THAT 1 MILLION OF THE NEW REVENUE IS COMING FROM EXISTING TAXPAYERS, AS HE WAS SAYING, THAT'S THERE. AND THESE TWO NEW POSITIONS ARE OVER 1 MILLION. SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE COULD GET TO THE GNR RATE BY JUST ELIMINATING THOSE TWO NEW POSITIONS, SOMETHING THAT 225 PEOPLE SIGNED A PETITION FOR, SOMETHING THAT FILLED UP THIS COURTROOM TWO WEEKS AGO. THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE ARE SAYING NO TO THESE TWO NEW POSITIONS. I HEAR TODAY A NO TO THAT. AND IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IT, AT LEAST WAIT TILL WE HAVE THE ELECTED COUNTY JUDGE. TO PARAPHRASE RONALD REAGAN, MY FAVORITE PRESIDENT. THE PROBLEM IS NOT THAT WE TAX TOO LITTLE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE SPEND TOO MUCH. THANK YOU GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS COLSON. ALL RIGHT. AND OUR LAST PERSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS KATHY OLSON. WHICH DOES SOUND LIKE COULSON. I NOW REALIZE. I'M SORRY. NO NO NO NO. I CALLED UP YOU, MISS COULSON. I JUST DIDN'T REALIZE YOUR NAME SOUNDS A LOT LIKE COULSON. GOOD AFTERNOON, KATHY OLSON, 611 NORTH GRAND AVENUE, WAXAHACHIE. 751. SIX FIVE. SO I'M SPEAKING TODAY IN SUPPORT OF OUR PROPOSED 2027 BUDGET. EVERYBODY GROWL, INCLUDING THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES REQUESTED WITH A FEW SUGGESTIONS. ERIC, I'M GLAD YOU WENT FIRST. THAT'S GREAT INFORMATION. I'M GOING TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF THAT. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT. YOU HAVE SPENT MONTHS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'VE BEEN, WHERE WE'VE BEEN, WHERE WE ARE, AND RESPONSIBLY PLAN WHERE WE NEED TO GO. ALL WHILE OPERATING ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTIES IN THE COUNTRY. I APPRECIATE YOU, JUDGE RAY. YOU WERE NOT ELECTED. YOU VOLUNTEERED, YOU WERE APPOINTED AND YOU STARTED DURING THE BUDGET SEASON. THEN THE PERSON MANAGING THE BUDGET PROCESS LEFT WITHOUT TRANSITIONING THAT RESPONSIBILITY. QUESTIONS AROSE. THIS COURT AUTHORIZED OUTSIDE AUDIT, AND THE FINDINGS, AS WE KNOW, WERE ALARMING AND UNTHINKABLE. YOU COULD HAVE SAID, I'M DONE, I QUIT, BUT YOU DIDN'T. DESPITE CRITICISM AND CONTINUOUS ATTACKS, YOU HAVE STAYED COMMITTED TO THIS COUNTY AND TO PROVIDING OUR NEXT COUNTY JUDGE A SMOOTH TRANSITION ON JANUARY 1ST. WE APPRECIATE YOU AND THANK YOU. NOW, LET ME BE CLEAR. IN SUPPORTING THIS BUDGET, I DON'T WANT MY TAXES INCREASED. I'M RETIRED. I DON'T WANT TO PAY ANY TAXES. BUT I GET IT. WITH GROWTH WE HAVE. IT COSTS MONEY. PUBLIC SAFETY, MANDATORY STATE REQUIREMENTS WITH OUR. OUR JAIL SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE COST MONEY. SO MY POSITION IS NOT DON'T SPEND. IT IS SPENT ONLY WHAT WE TRULY NEED. AND TO DO SO EFFICIENTLY AND RESPONSIBLY AND COUNT FOR EVERY DIME OF IT. I DON'T WANT TO LOWER TAXES AT THE EXPENSE OF AN UNDERSTAFFED SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR AN UNSAFE JAIL, WHERE OUR DEPUTIES ARE AT RISK AND COME TO HARM OR PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES NECESSARY TO PROPERLY MANAGE TAXPAYER MONEY. THAT'S NOT FISCAL CONSERVATISM. FISCAL CONSERVATISM MEANS GETTING THE BIGGEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK IN SUPPORTING THIS BUDGET. THAT'S WHAT I EXPECT FROM MY COMMISSIONERS COURT. LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE TWO PROPOSED CHANGES. FIRST, THE BUDGET OFFICER, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG FOR WHAT I UNDERSTAND AND YOU'RE NOT AWARE THIS POSITION CURRENTLY EXISTS, FTE EXISTS IN ANOTHER COST CENTER. WE'RE GOING TO SIMPLY MOVE IT TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT IS SOMEONE THAT WILL BE DEDICATED TO KNOWING THE BUDGET, FOLLOWING THE PROCESS, AND IDENTIFYING DISCREPANCIES. IT ALSO REMOVES A DAILY BUDGET MANAGEMENT FROM THE CHIEF OF STAFF, WITH A POPULATION EXCEEDING 225,000. THIS ALSO MEETS THE TEXAS STATUTORY REQUIREMENT OF HAVING A BUDGET OFFICER. I'M ASKING YOU TO APPROVE IT. TRANSITION IT NOW. THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. THE INTENT OF THIS POSITION IS NOT TO USURP THE AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY JUDGE. THE ADMINISTRATOR IS HIRED BY THE COURT REPORTS TO THIS COURT AND IS TERMINATED BY THIS COURT IF NEEDED. IN REVIEWING OPERATIONS OF COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, IT'S IDENTIFIED THAT SOME OF OUR COUNTY DEPARTMENTS OFTEN OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY AND MAYBE NOT AS EFFICIENTLY AS THEY SHOULD. I THINK ERIC ADDRESSED THAT A LITTLE BIT. I'M IN THE HOSPITAL WORLD. IMAGINE A HOSPITAL WHERE LAB AND X-RAY AND SURGERY DEPARTMENTS DON'T COORDINATE YOUR CARE. YEAH, DON'T GO THERE. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO CONNECT THE PIECES. AND HERE IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR COUNTY JUDGE. BUT LIKE THE HOSPITAL CEO, THE COUNTY JUDGE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO OVERSEE EVERY DAY TO DAY OPERATIONAL PIECES OF A COUNTY OF 250,000 PEOPLE. AND GROWING. THE ADMINISTRATOR BECOMES THE MAYPOLE, CONNECTING DEPARTMENTS AND CREATING ACCOUNTABILITY BETWEEN THEM. PRECINCTS, PROJECTS, CONTRACTS, VENDORS REPEAT REPORTS TO THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT. THE ADMINISTRATOR FREES THE JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS TO DO WHAT WE'VE ELECTED YOU TO DO PRESIDE OVER THIS COURT. OUR CHIEF BUDGET OFFICER, POLICY AND TAX, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS. I COULD GO ON AND ON. INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAYBE EVEN GO HOME WITH YOUR WIVES AND CHILDREN AT A DECENT HOUR. SO COST WE GOT TO BE CREATIVE AND THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX. [01:35:06] COVID TAUGHT US ONE THING, AND THAT'S THE ADVANTAGES OF WORKING. REMOTE PROFESSIONALS DO NOT HAVE TO SIT IN A GOVERNMENT OFFICE 40 HOURS A WEEK WORKING REMOTE WITH ZOOM TEAMS, CELL PHONES, REMOVING CONSTANT INTERRUPTIONS, AND THE COFFEE ROOM CHATTER HAS STATISTICALLY SHOWN INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY IN A CORPORATION BRINGING A 40 HOUR WORKWEEK TO 30. SO CONSIDER STARTING A PART TIME HYBRID OR REMOTE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, IF NOT THE ADMINISTRATOR, ANOTHER GOVERNMENT ROLE. THIS ALSO ELIMINATES THE EXPENSE OF ANOTHER FULLY EQUIPPED OFFICE OR OFFICES BY THE THOUSANDS. MAYBE THERE'S OTHER COUNTY POSITIONS WHERE WE CAN DO WORK REMOTE. THIS MAKES SENSE. LOOK AT IT. I'M ASKING YOU TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. THAT'S THE EFFICIENCY THAT TAXPAYERS EXPECT. LAST THING WE'RE GOING TO STOP COMPARING ELK COUNTY TO DALLAS, FORT WORTH AND HOUSTON. JUST END THE MADNESS. WE'RE GOING TO WE WANT TO COMPARE US TO COUNTIES THAT ARE SAME AND SIMILAR SIZE, SUCH AS MCLENNAN, SOUTH OF US, WHO HAS SUCCESSFULLY OPERATED WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OVER THE PAST DECADE. I'M NOT SAYING COPY THEM, BUT LEARN FROM THEM AND BUILD WHAT WORKS BEST FOR ELLIS COUNTY. AND IT'S OKAY THAT THERE'S ONLY SIX OTHERS IN TEXAS. IT'S OKAY FOR ELLIS COUNTY TO BE A LEADER IN HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR COUNTY. WE'RE GROWING AND CHANGING. THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO CHANGE WITH IT, NOT BY BECOMING BIGGER AND BECOMING MORE ORGANIZED AND ACCOUNTABLE AND EFFICIENT AS WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR. THAT'S WHY I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS BUDGET BECAUSE IN RETURN, I EXPECT ACCOUNTABILITY. I EXPECT EFFICIENCY AND FULL TRANSPARENCY FROM THIS COURT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISS OLSON. THANK YOU. OKAY, MR. RAYBURN, JUST JUST ONE MINUTE. SO OUR OUR DECORUM RULES REQUIRE SUBMISSION OF THE PARTICIPATION FORM TO THE COUNTY CLERK PRIOR TO THE TIME PRIOR TO THE TIME. THE AGENDA ITEM IS ADDRESSED BY THE COURT. I RECEIVED YOUR PARTICIPATION FORM WHILE MISS COULSON WAS SPEAKING. I HAVE CONSISTENTLY APPLIED THE PRIOR TO THE AGENDA ITEM PORTION OF THE RULE. DURING EVERY PUBLIC SPEAKING MATTER THAT'S COME UP BEFORE BEFORE THE COURT. SO I DON'T WANT TO DENY YOU YOUR CHANCE TO SPEAK, BUT YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW THE PARTICIPATION DECORUM POLICY. TO BE CLEAR, THAT'S THE POLICY FOR INDIVIDUAL ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION. THE STATE WILL NOT ALLOW THAT. WHEN THERE'S A NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING THAT EVERYONE IS PROVIDED, WHETHER OR NOT A REQUEST FORM IS COMPLETED OR NOT. WELL, LET ME LET ME ASK THE ATTORNEYS THAT QUESTION. SINCE WE'RE IN A PUBLIC HEARING. YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO YOU KNOW WHAT? UNLESS A COMMISSIONER OBJECTS, YOU CAN SPEAK. SO COME ON UP. I'LL SPEAK, BUT I HAVE NO. I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO YOU SPEAKING. WHY DO YOU SIGN UP LATE? WHY? WHY CREATE A CONTROVERSY? WHY NOT JUST COME IN HERE AND SIGN THE PAPER AND SPEAK? MR. RAYBURN, I CAN. AND I CAN TELL YOU THE REASON FOR THAT POLICY IS, IS THAT PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE MIGHT HEAR SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE SAID, AND THEN THEY WANT TO COME UP AND SPEAK, AND IT COULD JUST NEVER END. SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THAT POLICY. BECAUSE ONCE SOMEBODY'S SPEAKING, SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT GO, OH, I WANT TO GET UP AND DISAGREE WITH THAT, OR I WANT TO GET UP AND, AND THEN IT JUST SNOWBALLS AND GETS OUT OF CONTROL. SO THE YOU'RE GOING TO BE UP HERE MANAGING THIS. SO IF YOU WANT TO VIOLATE THAT RULE IN THE FUTURE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE UP HERE MANAGING THIS. SO IF YOU WANT TO LET THAT DECORUM POLICY ERODE. THIS IS YOUR MEETING AND I WILL DO WELL. I AM GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO COME UP AND SPEAK. OKAY. AND BUT I DO INTEND HENCEFORTH THAT ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK NEEDS TO SUBMIT THE PARTICIPATION FORM BEFORE THE ITEM IS CALLED UP TO BE ADDRESSED. ARE WE SETTING A PRECEDENT? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? SO NOW FROM NOW ON, EVERY TIME SOMEBODY COMES AND WANTS TO SPEAK AFTER THE OFF PERIOD, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ACCEPT IT. IF I GIVE ONE PERSON A VARIANCE, RIGHT, AND I'M SETTING A SETTING, A SETTING, A SET OF SCALES FOR THE NEXT PERSON COMES IN A VARIANCE BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO DO ONE FOR ONE AND ANOTHER FOR ANOTHER. I AGREE, AND SO I TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S NOT REALLY IT'S NOT MY DECORUM POLICY. IT'S THE COMMISSIONERS COURT'S DECORUM POLICY. SO I THINK THAT I REALLY WOULD LIKE THE ADVICE OF THE ATTORNEY THAT WOULD REQUIRE US TO WALK THE LINE ON THIS ONE. OKAY. I WANT A YES OR A NO, NOT A MAYBE. WELL, HE WANTS TO GIVE IT TO YOU IN PRIVATE. IT'S AN ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE COMMUNICATION. HE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU THAT ADVICE. GIVE IT TO THE COURT IN PRIVATE SO WE CAN WE CAN CONVENE INTO A QUICK [01:40:06] EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DO THAT. OKAY. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS? ALL RIGHT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MR. RAYBURN, COME ON UP AND JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS. AND IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE IF YOU COULD TRY TO LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO FIVE MINUTES, PLEASE CONFIRM THAT THIS IS IN LINE WITH STATE LAW. I BELIEVE IT IS IN THIS SITUATION DUE TO IT BEING A PUBLIC HEARING. YES. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CAMERON RAYBURN. 1008 HOYLAKE COURT, ENNIS, TEXAS, 75119. AND RESPECTFULLY, COMMISSIONER STINSON, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED. I DID NOT SUBMIT IT INITIALLY BECAUSE I DID NOT INITIALLY INTEND TO SPEAK, BUT I DID NOT INITIALLY INTEND TO GET UP AND SPEAK. BUT AFTER HEARING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD, I DID FEEL CALLED TO COME AND SPEAK. LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. EXCUSE ME. LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I CAME TO A GRIEVANCE HEARING FRIDAY. I DIDN'T SIGN UP TO SPEAK. NOW, AFTER I HEARD EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID, IF I'D HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, PROBABLY THE COURT WOULD HAVE VOTED DIFFERENTLY ON WHAT THEY VOTED ON. BUT THAT'S OVER WITH, AND IT'S GONE. BUT THAT'S WHAT I DON'T WANT TO SET A PRECEDENCE. PRECEDENCE OF. I WASN'T AWARE WHAT WAS ALL WHAT I WAS GOING TO BE ON THAT DOCKET BECAUSE I HADN'T SEEN THE AMENDMENT, WHICH CAME IN AT 1030 AT NIGHT. BUT AFTER I WALKED IN HERE AND SEEING WHAT WAS GOING ON, THEN I FIGURED IT OUT. BUT IT WAS TOO LATE FOR ME TO SIGN UP THEN. SO THAT WAS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY MISSED. AND THAT'S WHY I DON'T WANT TO SET A PRECEDENCE TO WHERE IN THE FUTURE, WHEN SOMETHING COMES UP, THAT THIS COURT'S GOT TO YIELD ITSELF TO THE POINT THAT WE CAN SIT HERE ALL NIGHT LONG. WHEN THEY KEEP CALLING PEOPLE COMING IN THE BACK DOOR TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING, BECAUSE I GOT SOMETHING THAT MIGHT EX THAT OUT. SO IT'S NOTHING AGAINST YOU AS FAR AS ME SPEAKING ON THIS, BUT THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE COURT AND THE DA TO MAKE THE DECISION ON THAT. BUT LOTS OF TIMES I DON'T GET A FIRM ANSWER ON IT. THAT'S WHY THE DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE AND WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, AND YOU'RE GETTING TO SPEAK AND APPRECIATE YOU. WE WON'T PENALIZE YOUR TIME. NO, YOU. I'LL YIELD MY TIME. PLEASE GO AHEAD. JUDGE RAY COMMISSIONERS, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW THAT FOR THE PAST DECADE, I HAVE SERVED AS A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER. I HAVE A DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON. AND IN THE ENGINEERING PROCESS, WE HAVE TO TAKE IN ALL OF THE FACTS, ALL OF THE DETAILS, AND WE HAVE TO TAKE OUR TIME TO ASSESS THE SITUATION BECAUSE THE THINGS THAT WE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT CANNOT FAIL. THIS COUNTY IS AT A CROSSROADS. WE ARE GROWING. WE ARE GROWING VERY QUICKLY AND WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES BEFORE US. ONE THING THAT IS CLEAR IS THAT ELLIS COUNTY CANNOT FAIL. IS MY BELIEF THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE IN ALL OF THE FACTS, ALL OF THE DETAILS. WE HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. PERFORM A STUDY. IF YOU LOOK AT EVERY COUNTY ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT HAS IMPLEMENTED A SYSTEM WHERE THERE IS A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. IN FACT, MOST OF THOSE COUNTIES HAVE ALSO MOVED TO USING A UNIT ROAD SYSTEM WHERE THEY HAVE ALSO CENTRALIZED THE ROAD AND BRIDGE PRECINCTS IN THE COUNTY. I DON'T THINK THAT'S A STEP THAT YOU GUYS WANT TO TAKE. THAT'S NOT A STEP THAT I THINK IS RIGHT AT THIS TIME FOR ELLIS COUNTY EITHER. BUT WHAT I DO THINK IS IMPORTANT IS THAT WE HAVE TO PROJECT STABILITY TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY, TO THE EMPLOYEES OF THIS COUNTY. AND THE CITIZENS HAVE TO KNOW THAT ELLIS COUNTY IS GOING TO BE PUT FIRST. YOU MAY NOT HAVE VOTED FOR ME. YOU MAY NOT WANT ME TO BE SITTING IN THAT SEAT ON JANUARY 1ST. [01:45:02] BUT THE CARDS HAVE FALLEN WHERE THEY HAVE. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND SERVING ELLIS COUNTY AS YOUR NEXT COUNTY JUDGE. AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK OF EACH OF YOU THAT YOU GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS A TRADITIONAL COUNTY JUDGE. AND IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED IN THE FUTURE, WE TAKE THE TIME. WE DO IT RIGHT. WE PERFORM A STUDY, WE GET THE INPUT FROM THE CITIZENS, AND WE DON'T MAKE A HASTY DECISION. SO I THINK THERE'S ONE THING THAT IS VERY, VERY CLEAR HERE, AND THAT IS THERE'S A LOT OF DISAGREEMENT ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD. I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE ON THAT. BUT I ASK YOU GUYS TO COME TOGETHER, TAKE ALL THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION, AND LET'S MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR MOVING FORWARD AND FOR MOVING ELLIS COUNTY FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. RAYMOND. THANK YOU. AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, I JUST WANT TO BE REAL CLEAR ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE ONE OF THESE DEVICES IN OUR HAND. AND PART OF THE REASON THAT WE ASK YOU TO SIGN UP BEFORE THE ITEM IS CALLED IS BECAUSE IF, IF ALL OF YOU OUT THERE DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING AND YOU WANT TO START TEXTING AND CALLING YOUR FRIENDS TO SHOW UP. THINGS COULD JUST REALLY SNOWBALL IF WE JUST KIND OF KEEP ALLOWING. REBUTTAL, REBUTTAL, REBUTTAL REBUTTAL. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THAT'S ABOUT. IT'S DESIGNED TO ALLOW AN ORDERLY MEETING. IT'S DESIGNED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WHO CAME HERE INTENDING TO SPEAK OR WANTED TO SPEAK GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. SO I'M CERTAINLY TRYING TO APPLY THAT RULE FAIRLY. IT HAS A RATIONAL BASIS BEHIND IT, AND I'M TRYING TO FAIRLY APPLY THAT. SO I HOPE YOU APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. ALL RIGHT. WE'VE HEARD FROM EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FROM COMMISSIONERS IKE AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I, I IS ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, WE WILL MOVE BACK TO ITEM 3.8, WHICH IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR [3.8 Discussion, consideration, and possible action on the proposed FY2027 Budget. — Ellis County Judge, John Wray (Part 2 of 2)] 2027 BUDGET. AS WE HEARD EARLIER, THE THE BUDGET THIS YEAR ACTUALLY DECREASES REVENUE, I'M SORRY. DECREASES SPENDING, DECREASES EXPENDITURES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TEN YEARS. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONTROVERSY AROUND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE BUDGET OFFICER. I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO QUOTE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. THE FACT THAT WE NEED A COUNTY BUDGET OFFICER IS WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT. RIGHT? I THINK EVERYONE HAS SEEN A COMPLAINT. I'VE RECEIVED VALID, LEGITIMATE, REASONABLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOW SOME OF THE NUMBERS DON'T MATCH AT TIMES. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT'S ABSOLUTELY THE SILO EFFECT THAT ERIC TEST SPOKE OF EARLIER IN WHAT I DO HERE AT THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS REALLY FOUR DIFFERENT SILOS THAT IT GETS INFORMATION FROM, AND TRYING TO PREPARE A BUDGET AND ESTIMATE TAX REVENUE. ONE OF THOSE SILOS IS THE ELLIS APPRAISAL DISTRICT. THE SECOND SILO IS THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR'S OFFICE. THEN YOU HAVE THE COUNTY AUDITOR'S OFFICE AND YOU HAVE THE TREASURER'S OFFICE. EACH OF THOSE IS AN INDEPENDENT SILO. THEY DO NOT WORK. NONE OF THOSE PEOPLE REPORT TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. THEY DO NOT WORK FOR THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. SOMETIMES THEIR NUMBERS DON'T MATCH. WHEN YOU GO AND ASK THEM WHY THEIR NUMBERS DON'T MATCH. THERE'S A LOGICAL REASON FOR IT, TYPICALLY, BUT IT IS KIND OF EXASPERATING AT TIMES. AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHAT THIS COUNTY BUDGET OFFICER IS SUPPOSED TO RESOLVE ON. THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, LEAH, WILL YOU PLEASE PUT THAT ONE SLIDE UP THAT I HAVE? THIS HAPPENED YESTERDAY AND I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY TIMELY. THE SLIDE WITH THE EMAIL. I GOT THIS EMAIL AT 2:28 P.M. YESTERDAY. I I, I DIDN'T DISCLOSE WHO IT'S FROM. IT'S FROM A COUNTY WIDE ELECTED OFFICIAL. I THIS PERSON DID NOTHING WRONG AND I'M NOT PUTTING THE EMAIL UP THERE TO SHAME THIS PERSON IN ANY WAY. I'M JUST TRYING TO SHOW YOU THAT ME AND ERIC TEST SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF OUR WORKDAYS DEALING WITH THINGS LIKE THIS, AND I DON'T MIND GETTING THE TOILET FIXED AT ALL, AND NEITHER DOES ERIC. BUT THAT REALLY STEALS AWAY TIME THAT WE HAVE TO, IN THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO DEVELOP POLICY AND TO IMPLEMENT POLICY [01:50:06] TO ENGAGE IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, SUCH AS GOING OUT AND TALKING TO OUR CITIES ABOUT COLLABORATING ON AN ANIMAL SHELTER, OR GOING TO THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COG MEETINGS TO TRY TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE GRANT MONEY TO HELP REPAIR ROADS OR BUILD NEW BRIDGES. AND INSTEAD, THE COMMISSIONERS COURT AND THE COUNTY JUDGE AND THE COUNTY JUDGE CHIEF OF STAFF SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME DEALING WITH VEHICLE ISSUES, BUILDING MAINTENANCE ISSUES. AND I'M TALKING DEEP IN THE WEEDS, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS RIGHT HERE. WE HAVE A STRONG CULTURE IN OUR COUNTY TO DIRECT A LOT OF THESE TYPES OF INQUIRIES TO THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. SO WHENEVER I'VE PROPOSED, A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IS TO TAKE THESE TYPES OF BURDENS OFF HIGH LEVEL DECISION MAKERS SO THAT THOSE HIGH LEVEL DECISION MAKERS CAN DO THE REAL THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO DO TO KEEP OUR COUNTY ON TRACK. I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. AND AGAIN, THE THE PERSON WHO SENT ME THIS DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG. AND, AND I, AND I AND ERIC CERTAINLY DON'T MIND DEALING WITH IT, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY ILLUSTRATIVE AS TO WHAT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE ELLIS COUNTY JUDGE IS LIKE, OKAY. COMMISSIONERS DO YOU HAVE ANY ANY THOUGHTS OR CONCERNS OR. WELL, LET ME LET ME KIND OF SET THE STAGE HERE. SO WE HAVE THE PROPOSED BUDGET. WE'VE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT. THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOES HAVE THE POSITIONS FOR THE BUDGET OFFICER AS WELL AS THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. SO TODAY WE COULD PASS THAT BUDGET. IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION AND THREE MEMBERS OR MORE OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT VOTE ON IT, THAT BUDGET WHICH YOU HAVE REVIEWED, WHICH HAS BEEN POSTED ONLINE AND WHICH DOES HAVE THOSE TWO POSITIONS AND SUB POSITIONS IN IT, WE CAN PASS THAT TODAY. OR IF THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IS TO NOT PASS THAT BUDGET BECAUSE THERE IS A, A LACK OF SUPPORT FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR BUDGET OFFICER. THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING NEXT TUESDAY, AND WE CAN MAKE SOME TWEAKS AND CHANGES TO THE BUDGET DURING THIS WEEK. GET IT REPUBLISHED AND TAKE IT UP AGAIN NEXT TUESDAY. WE ALSO HAVE NEXT TUESDAY, WE WOULD BE CONSIDERING THE TAX RATE FOR THE BUDGET TO SUPPORT THE BUDGET. I BELIEVE TEXAS LAW REQUIRES US TO ADOPT A BUDGET BEFORE WE ADOPT A TAX RATE. SO THERE IS SPACE WITHIN THE BUDGET TO TO DECREASE THE TAX RATE. SO SHOULD THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. SO DECIDE AND I'M NOT SAYING BY WHAT AMOUNT THAT WE WILL TAKE THAT UP NEXT TUESDAY, BUT I HAVE AS YOU KNOW I'VE SENT YOU SOME PROPOSED SCENARIOS ON THAT AS WELL. OR LEAH SENT THAT OUT ON MY BEHALF TO YOU WITH A COUPLE OF SCENARIOS FOR DIFFERENT TAX RATES. AND THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT OFF THE TABLE IF THE BUDGET WERE TO BE ADOPTED TODAY. SO COMMISSIONERS, I'M SURE YOU HAVE SOME THOUGHTS, SO I WILL JUST GO AHEAD AND STOP TALKING AND LET YOU TALK. WELL, CAN YOU COME UP HERE, ERIC? YES, SIR. EXCUSE ME. SO AS FAR AS THE BUDGET OFFICER GOES, OTHER THAN TAKING THIS RESPONSIBILITY OUT OF THE HANDS OF OF THE COUNTY JUDGES, CHIEF OF STAFF AND PUTTING IT IN THE HANDS OF OF A PROFESSIONAL. DOES THIS TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE? NO. I MEAN, OTHER THAN. SO YOU'D HAVE TO I THINK, AND KEITH HAS WORKED US A LITTLE BIT, BUT YOU JUST BASICALLY VOTE IN A NEW SUBCHAPTER OF THE TAX CODE THAT YOU WORK UNDER, WHICH. BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THE COUNTY JUDGE DOESN'T LOSE ANY AUTHORITY IF WE APPOINT A BUDGET OFFICER. NO. OKAY. SO WITH NOW REALLOCATING THE, THE, THE PIO POSITION THAT DOES REMOVE THE PIO FROM THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. BUT IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, THERE WASN'T ONE PRIOR TO JUDGE LITTLE OR WAS THERE PRIOR TO JUDGE WHITTLE? NO, SIR. OKAY. SO AND ALSO, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A LOT OF SUSPICION THAT THE PIO WAS KIND OF SOMETIMES BEING USED KIND OF HAPHAZARDLY FOR CAMPAIGN STUFF. NOT EXACTLY, BUT MAYBE KIND OF. AND THE PIO ANSWER WOULD ONLY ANSWER TO THE COUNTY JUDGE AT THE TIME. [01:55:04] IF WE MAKE THIS CHANGE WITH THE MOVING THE PA POSITION, THAT WILL PUT THAT PERSON UNDER ALL THE COURT. SO IF ANY OF US COMMISSIONERS NEED SOMETHING PUT OUT FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION, WE CAN GO TO THE PIO OURSELVES. WE DON'T HAVE TO ASK THE COUNTY JUDGE TO ASK THE PIO TO DO IT. YES, SIR. CORRECT. YES, SIR. COUNTY JUDGE CAN STILL ASK THAT SAME PIO, JUST LIKE THEY WOULD HAVE BEFORE, TO PUT SOMETHING OUT THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE PUBLIC. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION, IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION THAT TAKES ANYTHING AWAY FROM THE COUNTY JUDGE? THERE ARE THEORETICALLY NO BUT BUT BUT AGAIN, THAT WOULD COME TO YOU GUYS AS A AS A WAITER MINUTE ORDER TO APPROVE THOSE EXACT DUTIES. BUT YEAH, I MEAN, AS IT GOES TO THE STATUTORY DUTIES, HE CAN'T TAKE AWAY THOSE STATUTORY DUTIES. THE COUNTY JUDGE WILL HAVE NO LESS AUTHORITY IS MY QUESTION. NO. SO RIGHT NOW THE COUNTY JUDGE THEIR AUTHORITY OVER DEPARTMENT HEADS IS OVER. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND THEIR IMMEDIATE STAFF. IS THAT IT? YES, SIR. OKAY. SO THEY DON'T HAVE AUTHORITY OVER HR. THEY DON'T HAVE AUTHORITY OVER DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT. THEY DON'T HAVE AUTHORITY OVER ANY OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. NO, SIR. OKAY. SO. NO MORE THAN THE REST OF US. RIGHT. WE WOULD ALL WEIGH IN. WE WOULD ALL WOULD ALL WEIGH IN. SO. RIGHT, RIGHT NOW, IF WE DO SOMETHING, IF WE HAVE TO TAKE A DISCIPLINARY ACTION OR HIRING ACTION OR WHATEVER WE HAVE, THREE OF US HAVE TO AGREE ON SOMETHING. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. BUT IF IT'S A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, I MEAN, BARRING SOMETHING, WE WOULD STILL WANT THEM TO CONFER WITH US. BUT THEY CAN THEY CAN TAKE ACTION MORE READILY SO THINGS DON'T GET DELAYED IF YOU EMPOWER THAT PERSON TO EMPOWER. YES, SIR. WE CAN GIVE THEM BASED ON THREE PEOPLE OF THIS COURT. WE CAN GIVE THEM THE POWER WE WANT TO GIVE THEM. AND THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEEN. IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT. THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEEN WITH JUDGE LITTLE IS THAT I'VE SEEN SOME MODELS THAT DO IT BOTH WAYS. YEAH. YES, SIR. WE CAN, WE CAN WE CAN CHOOSE. AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN UP TO THE COURT TO CHOOSE HOW MUCH AUTHORITY IS AWARDED. TO WHO? YES, SIR. THAN OTHER ELECTEDS. BECAUSE WE CAN'T CONTROL OTHER ELECTEDS. YES, SIR. OKAY. AND THEN. WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO GO INTO. I'M JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS. WE, WE KEEP HEARING THIS APPOINTED, NOT ELECTED. WELL, CURRENTLY MR. RAYBURN'S NOT ELECTED YET EITHER. HE HAS TO GO THROUGH THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. SO HE IS NOT YET ELECTED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE THE REASONING BEHIND THINKING THAT BECAUSE SOMEONE'S APPOINTED, THEY'RE NO LESS IMPORTANT OR THEIR THEIR THOUGHTS, THEIR ABILITIES ARE ARE NOT AS GOOD AS SOMEONE WHO GETS ELECTED THAT HE WAS APPOINTED BY THIS COURT. MR.. RAY WAS TO DO WHAT A COUNTY JUDGE WOULD DO. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DELAY THE COURT'S WORK. THE COURTS, THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY, BECAUSE MR. RAY JUDGE RAY WASN'T ELECTED. I DON'T THINK THAT WHEN I WAS APPOINTED THAT WE NEEDED DELAY THE COUNTY'S BUSINESS UNTIL I GOT ELECTED. NINE MONTHS LATER OR SIX MONTHS LATER. I DON'T THINK WE NEEDED DELAY THE COUNTY'S BUSINESS BECAUSE MR. ZAKIR WAS APPOINTED UNTIL AND WAIT UNTIL AFTER HE'S BEEN ELECTED. I DON'T THINK THAT'S. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THAT MAKES SENSE. BUT BUT BY LAW, YOU ALMOST CAN'T YOU CAN'T MOVE ANY OF THIS ANY OF THIS BUDGET PROCESS. I MEAN, THESE ARE ALL PRETTY. YEAH. I MEAN, WE GOT DEADLINES. WE WE WOULD BE WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO EVEN SET A BUDGET IF WE WERE GOING TO BASE OUR ACTIONS ON WHETHER OR NOT EVERYONE HERE ON THIS COURT WAS ELECTED, WHO WE WOULD BE DEAD IN THE WATER, WE'D BE STUCK. WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING. WE HAVE TO ADOPT A BUDGET BY OCTOBER 1ST, AND WE HAVE TO REPORT A TAX RATE TO MR. ROSIER, WHO HAS TO MAIL TAX BILLS IN OCTOBER. SO, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THIS COURT DOES WHAT'S BEST WITH THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR JOB. THAT'S WHAT THE TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING US TO DO. AND WE AND WE, WE DO IT. AND IF THAT MEANS WE APPOINT AN ADMINISTRATOR OR WE AT LEAST CREATE A POSITION WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO APPOINT TODAY, WE CAN WAIT UNTIL JANUARY TO APPOINT. IF WE CREATE IT AN ADMINISTRATOR AND OR BUDGET POSITION, WE CAN WAIT IF WE WANT TO. YES. OR WE CAN CHOOSE TO GO AHEAD AND FILL IT. YES. THAT WOULD, I BELIEVE, WOULD COME. IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A BUDGET TODAY, WE HAVE TO DECIDE DO WE WANT TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE BUDGET? NO, THAT THAT WOULD COME AT A LATER DATE VIA THE PASSING OF A MINUTE ORDER. RIGHT. I AGREE WITH YOU ON ON HALF OF IT. BECAUSE BECAUSE LAST YEAR WHEN WE STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE BUDGET, ALL OF US UP HERE SIT UP HERE AND SAID, HEY, LOOK, WE NEED A BUDGET OFFICER. [02:00:04] WE NEED SOMEBODY IN THE MIDDLE THAT WILL COMMUNICATE WITH US, NOT JUST STRICTLY WITH THE JUDGE'S OFFICE. BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS WE DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL WE HAPPENED TO WRITE ONES. TELL US, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND IT GETS TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S IT'S NEARLY TOO LATE WHEN YOU FIND THAT OUT. AS FAR AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING IN THAT DIRECTION. I FEEL LIKE WE ARE GOING TO NEED IT. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO START AT A PHYSICAL, GENUINE. I'M NOT PHYSICAL YEAR, BUT SAY JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND, AND SCOPE THIS THING OUT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WOULD BE MY WOULD BE MY PLAN TO SEE IN ACTION. I GUESS THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WOULD BUY IN THE COMMUNITY, WOULD BUY IN THE COURT, WOULD BUY IN. AND THEN WHEN WE DID FLIP A SWITCH, IT GO. THERE SHOULDN'T BE A LOT OF HICCUPS WITH IT RIGHT NOW. WE GOT EVERYBODY FIGHTING IT. WE AIN'T HAD GOOD COURT IN A YEAR AND A HALF UNTIL A JUDGE STEPPED ON BOARD. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? WE'VE HAD ISSUES AFTER, ISSUES AFTER ISSUES THAT IT IRRITATES ME TO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE DON'T TRUST THE COURT TO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE DON'T. DON'T ENCOUNTER WHAT WE ENCOUNTER DAILY AND HAVE TO MAKE TOUGH, TOUGH DECISIONS. I MEAN, VERY TOUGH DECISIONS. I THINK REGARDLESS OF WHO SAYS WHAT, THIS STILL COMES FROM THE COURT. WE YOU DO HAVE AN INPUT ON WHAT WE WHAT WE SAY, BUT WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE. THE WHOLE PICTURE. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON THIS? I'M SORRY. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON THE BUDGET? REALLY? SINCE APRIL. BUT APRIL? YEAH. THAT'S WHEN. AND HERE WE ARE. HERE WE ARE. WE SHOULD BE NARROWING IT DOWN RIGHT NOW TO WHERE WE WANT TO BE. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE COURT'S GOING TO VOTE. I KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO VOTE. I KNOW WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE. CAN CAN WE PUT THIS OFF A LITTLE WHILE? SURE, WE CAN. PUT IT OFF AND GET A FULL GOOD COURT IN THERE. WE GOT A GOOD COURT NOW, BUT I'M NO OFFENSE TO YOU, JUDGE. I MEAN, NO, NO, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. YOU KNOW HOW I FELT ABOUT THIS WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT. IT'S NOTHING AGAINST YOU PERSONALLY. NO, NO, NOTHING. I THINK THIS IS A WORTHWHILE DEBATE. AND I, YOU KNOW, JUST BASED UPON MY EXPERIENCES OF THE LAST 15 MONTHS I FEEL IT IS TIME FOR A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. IF I IF I WERE CONTINUING IN THIS OFFICE, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY WELCOME IT AND WOULD APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO YOU KNOW, REALLY DO MORE IMPACTFUL THINGS TO MOVE THE COUNTY FORWARD, WHICH I THINK HAVING A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WOULD ALLOW THAT. I THINK IT WOULD ADDRESS SOME OF THE IT CERTAINLY WOULD HELP WITH THE SILO EFFECT ISSUE THAT WE DEAL WITH ACROSS VARIOUS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND I THINK IT WOULD. I THINK IT WOULD CAUSE THE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO BE MORE ACCOUNTABLE. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THIS POSITION COULD HOLD THOSE FOLKS MORE ACCOUNTABLE, WHICH WOULD INCREASE EFFICIENCIES, I THINK. BUT, YOU KNOW, I GET IT. I, I AGREE WITH YOU, BUT THE, THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS, IS WE KIND OF TIME IT OUT A LITTLE BIT, JUST A LITTLE BIT. YEAH. I, YOU KNOW, IF YOU PUT IT IN THE BUDGET, YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF DOING IT AT SOME POINT OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS. IF IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVER THE THE FISCAL YEAR 27. I, YOU KNOW, I'M FINE WITH IF YOU GUYS WANT TO WAIT UNTIL JANUARY TO FILL THESE POSITIONS, THAT'S, THAT'S FINE WITH ME OR, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF THAT. I, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M LITERALLY TRYING TO DO WHAT I FEEL IS BEST FOR THE COUNTY AND NOT. I DON'T HAVE ANY ULTERIOR MOTIVE. OKAY. COMMISSIONERS. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? OR ARE YOU DOING WHAT YOU THINK IS POLITICALLY CORRECT? NO. WHAT I KNOW IN MY HEART TO BE CORRECT. OKAY. IF YOU IF YOU HAVE A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT, YOU CAN. YOU CAN KNOW THAT I'M NOT DOING I'M TAKING BULLETS AND ARROWS BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. WELL, AND THIS, THIS HAS BEEN MY STANCE FROM DAY ONE. Y'ALL. Y'ALL ALL KNOW IT. SO MY, MY, ANYBODY SAYING ANYTHING OUT THERE DIDN'T CHANGE MY MIND. THIS WAS YEAH, THIS WAS ALREADY HERE. SO I THINK I WOULD TEND TO AGREE WITH WITH KYLE AS WELL. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS TALKED ABOUT EARLIER THAT, THAT WHEN YOU, THIS IS A STRUCTURE LIKE ANY BUSINESS THAT'S OUT THERE FORTUNE 500 COMPANY WHAT HAVE YOU, THEY ALL HAVE SOMEBODY THAT WOULD BE THEIR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR CEO OR PRESIDENT OR WHATEVER, BUT I THINK I THINK WHAT I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WE FORGET IT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON THIS COURT FORGETS IT. BUT I THINK WHAT IS EASY TO OVERLOOK IS THAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT THAT CEO OR THAT PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY OR THAT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HAVE YOU WORKS [02:05:07] FOR. THEY GOT A BOSS TOO. AND IT'S THE SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY. WELL, OUR SHAREHOLDERS ARE THE PUBLIC. AND WE'VE GOT TO DO, IN MY OPINION, WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS US TO DO IN A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. YOU ALL TELL US WHAT TO DO, AND THEN WE DO THAT. WE DON'T INTERJECT OUR OPINIONS IN THERE. WE OF COURSE, WE GOT TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS FROM TIME TO TIME. THAT'S THAT'S PART OF THE JOB. IT'S WHAT Y'ALL PUT US IN THIS CHAIR TO DO. BUT WHAT YOU ALSO PUT US IN THIS CHAIR TO DO IS TO LISTEN TO Y'ALL. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THAT'S WHERE MY HEAD'S AT ON THIS. AND, AND THAT'S HOW I'LL VOTE ON THIS. DO YOU REALIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN ELLIS COUNTY. I DO, AND I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE. HAVE YOU HAD EMAIL YOU? IT'S HOW MANY OF YOU HAD SHOW UP IN HERE? DEFINITELY NOT. HOW MANY SIT OVER TO GOPU SEEING ONLY A FEW PEOPLE ABSOLUTELY DECIDE WHAT WE DO. HOW MANY PEOPLE ELECTED YOU, HOW MANY ELECTED YOU? HOW MANY ELECTED YOU AND ME? THEY PUT IT IN OUR POWER, RIGHT TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS. I AGREE, THAT'S WHY THAT MAN SITTING RIGHT THERE. OH, I AGREE THAT MAN SITTING RIGHT THERE BECAUSE GOP DECIDED TO PUT HIM IN POWER. IS THAT NOT CORRECT? UNTIL 20,000. AND THEN YOU WERE VOTED IN BY THE PUBLIC. SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO ASK WHO ARE THEY LOOKING TO? ARE YOU GOING TO ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY? SAY THEY'RE LOOKING TO ME, NOT TO A FEW PEOPLE THAT SHOW UP HERE AND COMPLAIN. I AGREE, OR A FEW PEOPLE THAT SEND ME EMAILS ON FACEBOOK, I CAN ADD AND I CAN SUBTRACT. I'VE BEEN THIS IS MY, MY, I'M WORKING ON MY THIRD PERIOD IN THIS. I'M FROM THE DAY ONE. I COME IN HERE. I WAS TOLD YOU WILL NOT BE ELECTED AGAIN. IT DIDN'T BOTHER ME IF I GOT ELECTED OR NOT. I'M GOING TO DO JUST LIKE HE SAID HE WAS DOING. I'M NOT GOING POLITICAL WITH ANYBODY. I'M GOING TO VOTE MY CONVICTIONS TO THE PUBLIC. AND WHEN THE PUBLIC STEPS UP AND TELLS ME, HEY, WE'RE READY FOR YOU TO GET OUT, AND THAT'LL BE AT THE NEXT ELECTION, NOT SOMEBODY COMING IN HERE AND TELLING ME, OH, WELL, YOU WON'T BE ELECTED AGAIN. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT UNTIL I'M NOT ELECTED. AND IF I'M NOT, I'M GLAD TO FADE ON OFF INTO THE SUNSET. I'M 71 YEARS OLD, AND I DON'T PLAN ON SPENDING MY LIFE IN THIS COURT AND SPEND THE LAST FEW MONTHS KNOWING I'M DYING, SITTING OVER THERE LIKE COMMISSIONER PERRY, AND THEN GET NO APPRECIATION WHEN YOU LEAVE. I WENT TO HIS FUNERAL. I DIDN'T MAKE IT TO OUR TO OUR OUR TREASURER'S FUNERAL. BUT I SEEN THE STUFF THAT WAS PUT ON FACEBOOK THAT WAS PUT ON A, A A A ELECTED, AN ELECTED STATE OFFICIAL. ON HIS WEBSITE STATING THINGS THAT I WOULD THINK UNIMAGINABLE. UNIMAGINABLE FOR SOMEBODY TO PUT ON THERE ABOUT A TREASURER BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUSPICIONS. WHEN YOU'RE IN PUBLIC OFFICE, PEOPLE CONVICT YOU BEFORE YOU ARE EVEN TRIED. AND BROTHER, I PRAY FOR YOU EVERY DAY. I AIN'T JUDGED YOU ONE TIME. I AGREE. I'M GOING TO LEAVE THAT UP TO THE JUDGES. I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO CONDEMN ANYBODY. I'M NOT A JUDGE HERE, BUT I FEEL SORRY FOR ANYBODY THAT THAT IN THEIR FUTURE THEY WORK THEIR WHOLE LIFE AND THEN SAY, HEY, I THINK I CAN DO SOMETHING. I THINK I CAN DO SOMETHING FOR OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE WILL SEE WHAT I WENT THROUGH IN MY LIFETIME AS FAR AS SEEING YOUR BUSINESS DESTROYED, BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN THE GOVERNMENT FORGETS THAT ILLEGAL WORKERS OR ILLEGAL WORKERS. SO DO I BREAK THE LAW AND KEEP MY COMPANY RUNNING, OR DO I SHUT IT DOWN AND KEEP WHAT MONEY I GOT BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT FIGURES OUT, HEY, THIS IS OUT OF CONTROL AND NOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FIXING IT? THAT'S CONSERVATISM. THAT'S PATRIOTISM. I'VE BEEN TOLD I WASN'T CONSERVATIVE. I'VE BEEN TOLD I'M NOT A PATRIOT. BUT THAT'S JUST IN A FEW PEOPLE'S MINDS. AND IF I BELIEVE THAT, I WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I'VE NEVER WORKED FOR ANYBODY THAT DIDN'T WANT ME WORKING FOR THEM. I'VE NEVER I'VE NEVER ASKED FOR A RAISE IN MY LIFE, BUT YET I GOT DENIED ONE THIS TIME. EVERY ELLIS COUNTY WORKER, EVERY ELECTED ELLIS COUNTY OFFICIAL GOT A RAISE. SOME OF THEM GOT A LOT MORE. BUT THIS COURT DIDN'T GET ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE JUDGE. AND THAT WAS AT THE REQUEST OF A PERSON THAT DOESN'T EVEN WORK FOR THE COUNTY. SO WHAT I THINK ABOUT THE BUDGET, I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE CAN'T ADD WHAT WAS THE TAX RATE WHEN I CAME IN HERE? KYLE, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE HERE BEFORE ME. IT WAS NEARLY $0.42. 41.5 CENTS. $0.42. WE'VE DROPPED. WHERE ARE WE AT TODAY? 27.39992. YEAH. AND YET WE'VE OVERTAXED THE PEOPLE. [02:10:05] I GET THAT TAX STATEMENT TOO. AND THEY CHARGE ME PRETTY GOOD. BUT I DON'T THINK I, I GET MY COUNTY. I GET WHAT I WHAT SERVICES THE COUNTY GIVES ME. I PAY FOR IT. AND I FEEL LIKE I'M BEING TREATED FAIR. WHAT IS IT ABOUT $2.50 A DAY? $2.50 A DAY. NOW ADD UP WHAT YOUR SCHOOL TAXES ARE. AND SOMEBODY TOLD ME LAST NIGHT THEY WERE WATCHING MIDLOTHIAN ISD TRYING TO SET THEIR RATE THIS YEAR. THREE PEOPLE SITTING IN THE VENUE, THREE PEOPLE. NOW WHERE'S YOUR TAX MONEY GOING TO? I DON'T FAULT THE ISD FOR IT EVERY TIME. EVERY TIME A DATA CENTER COMES IN HERE. I MEAN, WE'RE REAPING THE HARVEST FROM IT RIGHT NOW. YOUR TAXES WOULD BE A LOT HIGHER IF THEY WEREN'T FUNNELING MONEY TO THE COUNTY TO KEEP US FROM HAVING TO RAISE THOSE TAXES. THERE WAS THREE PEOPLE AT THAT MEETING LAST NIGHT. YOU KNOW WHAT? I THINK THEY KNOW. I THINK THEY KNOW THAT THAT AIN'T WHERE OUR PROBLEM AT. OUR PROBLEM IS IN AUSTIN. THOSE PEOPLE AREN'T SETTING THE TAX RATE. THEY SET THE TAX RATE. BUT THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY CAN'T OBEY THE DATA CENTER. SO IF THAT SCHOOL IS GETTING $15,000 A STUDENT PER YEAR, WHEN ALL THAT MONEY ROLLS IN 15,000 PER STUDENT, THE REST OF THAT MONEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK IT GOES TO? Y'ALL EVER HEARD OF ROBIN HOOD RAINY DAY FUND? TEXAS ISD FUND. IT'S FLOWING DOWN THERE LIKE A FLOWING RIVER, AND NOBODY'S SAYING NOTHING ABOUT IT. BILLIONS OF DOLLARS SITTING THERE. WELL, WE GOT THE WINE IN HERE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. SO WHAT THEY DO, THEY THROW SOME CRUMBS OFF THE TABLE TO US AND SAID, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXTRA $100,000 HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION THIS YEAR. AND EVERYBODY JUST EAT THEM CRUMBS AND WENT ON AND GOT REAL HAPPY. WELL, THAT'S FIXING TO GO AWAY AFTER THIS NOVEMBER ELECTION. WE WANT A LITTLE TOWN LIKE HILL COUNTY GOES DOWN THERE AND AND, AND DOES WHAT EVERYBODY'S TELLING THEM. YOU CAN STOP THIS. YOU CAN STOP IT. COMMISSIONERS. YOU CAN STOP THIS. WELL, IGNORANCE IS BLISS SOMETIMES. BUT YEAH, WE GOT ATTORNEYS THAT TELL US YOU CAN'T GO OUTSIDE YOUR ROOM. IF YOU DO, THE FIRST THING GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU, THEY'RE GOING TO SUE ELLIS COUNTY, AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO TURN RIGHT AROUND AND SUE EVERY COMMISSIONER THAT VOTED FOR IT. WE SAID THAT I HAD ATTORNEYS FROM HILL COUNTY CALLING ME, ASKING ME MY OPINION OF IT BEFORE IT WENT DOWN. BUT IT WENT DOWN HILL COUNTY GOT SUED. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THOSE HAVE BEEN DROPPED YET OR NOT, WHETHER THEY'RE STILL BEING SUED. I DO KNOW ONE THING. IF IT GOES DOWN, THOSE COMMISSIONERS GOING TO BE BROKE. OVER SOMETHING THEY THOUGHT WAS RIGHT BECAUSE PEOPLE SHOWED UP AT COURT AND TOLD THEM THEY COULD DO IT. NOW, THAT MONEY THAT'S FLOWING OUT OF ALL OF THIS BASE THAT WE GET EVERY YEAR, THE SCHOOL CAN ONLY KEEP A SMALL AMOUNT OF IT. THE REST IS FLOWING RIGHT DOWN THERE. AND THEN THEY COME IN HERE AND COMPLAIN TO US ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TAXING PEOPLE. I'M SORRY, BUT, YOU KNOW, I MAY NOT BE IN OFFICE ANYMORE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I GOT 15 GRANDKIDS, TWO GREAT GRANDKIDS, AND A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT ARE DYING EVERY DAY THAT I COULD BE SPENDING TIME WITH. AND I DO FULLY EXPECT THE PEOPLE OF ELLIS COUNTY TO EITHER VOTE FOR ME OR VOTE AGAINST ME. AND I AGREE THAT IS THE VOICE OF ELLIS COUNTY. NOT THINKING THAT YOU'VE GOT SOME PHONE CALLS OR THAT YOU'VE GOT A FEW EMAILS OR FACEBOOK. I MEAN, FACEBOOK IS GREAT IF IT'S USED FOR WHAT IT'S USED FOR, LET ME KNOW THAT MY THAT THAT SOMEBODY PASSED AWAY. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR. IT'S NOT FOR SPURRING ON SPEWING THE STUFF THAT WE'VE GOT IN COURT GOING ON. EVERY TIME YOU TURN UP AND COME IN HERE, IT AIN'T NO WONDER PEOPLE DIE WHEN THEY'RE ONLY SITTING ON A ON A COURT OR SITTING IN AN ELECTED POSITION. I GO HOME AT NIGHT. I CAN'T, I, I CAN'T SLEEP, I GET FOUR HOURS OF SLEEP. AND THAT'S WITH WITH THE SLEEPING PILL. COMMISSIONER. SO I'LL SHUT UP FOR A WHILE. BUT Y'ALL PONDER WHAT I'VE SAID. LOOK AND THINK ABOUT IT. WE'RE PEOPLE TOO. WE PAY THESE TAXES. I'M RETIRED. I'VE BEEN RETIRED 13 YEARS, BUT I STILL PAY THEM TAXES. WONDER WHY WE'RE GOING. WHY WE EVEN ENTERTAIN GOING TO. INDIGENT DEFENSE. JUDGES. COURTS. OUR COUNTY IS CONSUMED. MOST OF THE MONEY IS GOING TO OUR JAILS, TO OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, OUR RESPONDERS. [02:15:01] IT'S GOING TO THE COURTS OVER HERE. IT AIN'T GOING TO STOP. THESE MUD DISTRICTS START FLOWING. PEOPLE GET CLOSER. WE'RE RUBBING SHOULDERS. MORE ARGUMENTS START. WE GOT DALLAS TO US. AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO COVER THAT? IT'S $1 BILLION FOR A JAIL. I CAN'T EVEN FATHOM GOING OUT FOR A BOND FOR $1 BILLION AND PAYING IT AT OUR TAX RATE. THINGS DON'T GET CHEAPER. THEY AIN'T GOING TO GET CHEAPER. BUT I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER. AND I GUESS I'VE USED MY FIVE MINUTES. NO, NO. WELL, LOOK, I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. I KNOW YOU HAVE GREAT COMMENTS. ALL OF YOU HAVE GREAT COMMENTS. AND IT CERTAINLY IS A TOPIC ABOUT WHICH WE CAN DISAGREE. BUT THE AMENDED BUDGET YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU DOES CREATE THESE THESE TWO ROLES WITH THE SUBORDINATE POSITIONS FOR UNDER COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR KITSAP COUNTY AND FUNDS, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE SUBORDINATE POSITIONS. AND IT CREATES AND FUNDS THE POSITION OF BUDGET OFFICER AND SUBORDINATE POSITIONS. THERE IS SOME FLEXIBILITY TO CONSIDER TO HAVE SOME OPTIONS WHEN WE MEET AGAIN NEXT WEEK ON ON TUESDAY ABOUT THE TAX RATE. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED BUDGET AS PRESENTED. JUDGE ONE THING REAL QUICK. THERE'S TWO THINGS IN THE BUDGET THAT NEED TO BE DISCUSSED REAL QUICK, I THINK. SURE. ONE OF THEM, I KIND OF THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE DO PROPOSE THAT WE GO OUT FOR A TEN NOTE, YOU KNOW. RIGHT. WHICH WOULD BE PART OF THIS TAX RATE, CURRENT BUDGET. RIGHT. RIGHT. AND I THINK THE INDICATION I'VE GOT IS, IS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT THIS TIME, BUT WE WANT TO MAYBE DO IT LATER. RIGHT. RESERVE THAT. RIGHT. SO SO IF THAT'S KIND OF WHERE EVERYBODY'S AT, THEN I'LL JUST I THINK YOU'LL HAVE TO NOTATE THAT. WE'LL REMOVE ANY FUNDS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE, WITH THE TAN IN THE BUDGET. RIGHT. AND THEN SECOND, WE STACY CAN MAYBE HELP ME ON THIS REAL QUICK, BUT THERE'S, THERE WAS ONE FUND AND IT WAS THE 048 FUND. THE D A SEIZURE THAT SHOWED A FUND BALANCE OF. IT SHOWED THAT THEY HAD A FUND BALANCE OF 970,976, BUT IT SHOULD BE REDUCED TO 405,000. SO FOR 405 EVEN. YEAH. OKAY. I THINK THAT'S IT. OKAY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO WITHDRAW MY PRIOR MOTION, BUT AND SUBMIT A NEW MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED BUDGET AS PRESENTED WITH TWO MODIFICATIONS, ONE BEING REMOVE ANY REFERENCE TO OR RELY UPON RELIANCE UPON FUNDS FROM TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE. AND THEN SECONDARILY, ON THE 048 DAY SEIZURE FUND, THAT THE BALANCE WOULD BE REDUCED TO $405,000. SO COMMISSIONERS, THAT'S THAT'S MY MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AS PROPOSED, INCLUDING CREATION AND FUNDING OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR POSITION AND SUBORDINATE POSITIONS, AND THE BUDGET OFFICER POSITION AND SUBORDINATE POSITIONS, AND SUBJECT TO THOSE TWO ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT I REFERENCED. SO THAT'S MY MOTION. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR CARE TO MAKE A SECOND IN THIS BUDGET? YES. THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO VOTE ON. NO COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CAN FIRE ANYBODY THAT WORKS FOR ELLIS COUNTY WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THIS COURT. THAT CAN CERTAINLY INCLUDES WHOEVER THE JUDGE IS SITTING IN YOUR SEAT. YEAH, THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DISCUSSED. WHAT I WOULD ANTICIPATE IS IF WE PASS THIS BUDGET AT A LATER MEETING, WE WOULD CONSIDER A SPECIFIC MINUTE ORDER THAT CLARIFIES THAT LINES OUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS. AND WE AND IF WE APPROVE TO DO A BUDGET ADMINISTRATOR AND A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. I DON'T WANT TO DO A KNEE JERK REACTION AND PUT SOMEBODY IN THERE THAT I'M NOT 100% CONFIDENT OF THAT. I THINK I, I, I THINK THAT'S, I THINK YOU OR AN INCOMING JUDGE WOULD WANT THAT TO HAPPEN EITHER. BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT PEOPLE WOULD SHOW UP AND SAY, WELL, IT'S GOT TO HAPPEN. [02:20:06] I'M I'M NOT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WAITING UNTIL THE NEW JUDGE IS IN. BUT I DON'T LIKE SAYING, WELL, NO, IT'S ALL GOING TO BE FIXED WHEN THE NEW JUDGE COMES IN, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THREE JUDGES SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND THERE WERE PROBLEMS THE FIRST TIME. DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TIME? AND THE THIRD TIME? I REALLY HAVE SEEN NO PROBLEMS WHEN YOU COME IN THAT WERE NOT TRANSPARENT AND BROUGHT FORWARD. RIGHT? IF WE WERE STILL IF WE WERE WHERE WE WERE A YEAR BEFORE YOU CAME IN, I'M NOT SURE THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO LIGHT THIS YEAR. THAT'S MY PROBLEM. WHEN A JUDGE COMES IN, HE CAN BE A JUDGE THAT IS TRANSPARENT, OR HE CAN BE A JUDGE THAT IS NOT TRANSPARENT. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU ARE OR NOT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T DEALT WITH YOU. I KNOW SOME OF YOU KINFOLKS GREAT PEOPLE. SOME OF THOSE FRIENDS OF MINE ARE DEAD. THEY WERE MY BEST FRIEND. WAS ACTUALLY YOUR STEPDADS BROTHER? GREAT PEOPLE. AND PEOPLE THOUGHT OF ME AS FAMILY. SO THAT'S WHERE I'M GIVING YOU GRACE. BECAUSE I'M HOPING ALL THAT RUBBED OFF ON YOU. BUT I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT YOU TO DECIDE WHETHER THAT'S GOING TO BE TRUE OR FALSE. I'M EXPECTING YOU TO SHOW THAT TO ME. EVERYBODY LOOKED AT ME LIKE A CALF LOOKING AT A NEW FENCE WHEN I CAME IN. AND I FULLY UNDERSTAND WHY A PLUMBER, AN AIR CONDITIONING MAN, AN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR IS GOING TO COME IN HERE AND TELL US HOW TO RUN A BUDGET. I WAS WORRIED TO DEATH THAT I HAD TO RUN A BUDGET, BUT LO AND BEHOLD, I DON'T. THAT'S WHAT WE GOT A JUDGE FOR AND THE BUDGET ADMINISTRATOR. BUT I THINK THIS IS TAKING IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL. THAT JUDGE IS STILL GOING TO BE ADMINISTRATING CLOSER ON THIS BUDGET THAN ANY OF US ARE, BUT HE'S GOING TO HAVE A SOURCE HE CAN GO TO. THAT'S NOT BIASED. HE'S JUST TRYING TO DO A GREAT JOB FOR THE COUNTY. AND I PRAY THAT'S WHAT YOU DO, CAMERON, WHEN YOU COME IN. SO I JUST WANT TO CLEAR UP RIGHT NOW, THIS BUDGET IS GOING TO WORK BECAUSE NOTHING'S SET IN STONE. THE BUDGET IS SET IN STONE. THAT'S RIGHT. BUT AS FAR AS WHEN WE HIRE AND WHO WE HIRE. RIGHT. IT MAY NOT HAPPEN EVEN IN THIS NEXT BUDGET CYCLE MAY ROLL OVER AND WE GO RIGHT ON. IT MIGHT ROLL OVER. YES. SO THERE AGAIN, I DONE USED ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES. THAT'S OKAY. WE DO HAVE I'M NOT TRYING TO SQUELCH ANY DISCUSSION. I DO HAVE THE PENDING MOTION. COMMENTS ARE WELCOME OR SECOND IS WELCOME. AND IF WE GET A SECOND, WE'LL MOVE TO A ROLL CALL VOTE. DO YOU? SECOND MOTION? YEAH, I MADE THE MOTION. COMMISSIONER PONDER JUST SECONDED IT. I'LL VOTE. OKAY. IS IT A ROLL CALL? WE NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL. VOTE? YEAH. OKAY. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WILL, PLEASE SHOW IN YOUR MINUTES THAT THE COUNTY JUDGE VOTES. I, COMMISSIONER STINSON IF YOU CARE TO VOTE NO, PLEASE SAY NO. COMMISSIONER ZEKE. NO. COMMISSIONER PONDER. I COMMISSIONER BUTLER. NO. OKAY. THE BUDGET IS ADOPTED 3 TO 2. JUDGE, I THINK KEITH MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU REAL QUICK. I THINK YOU ALL HAVE TO HAVE A A SECOND VOTE REAL QUICK. OKAY. CAN YOU USE THE MIC? YEAH. COME UP TO THE PODIUM. YEAH. DO YOU MIND COMING UP TO THE MICROPHONE THERE? SO TO ADOPT A BUDGET, YOU HAVE TWO VOTES. THE FIRST YOU HAVE IS THE ROLL CALL VOTE OF WHETHER YOU WANT THIS BUDGET. AND THEN A SECOND ONE IF IT REQUIRES RAISING ANY NEW REVENUE TO MEET THIS BUDGET. AND SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN. OKAY. CAN YOU TELL ME, CAN YOU TELL ME THE WORDING OF THE MOTION AND THEN I'LL JUST SAY SO MOVED. YEAH. SO THIS SAYS ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET WILL REQUIRE RAISING MORE REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES THAN THE IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR REQUIRES A SEPARATE VOTE OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO RATIFY THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET. A VOTE UNDER THIS SECTION IS IN ADDITION TO AND SEPARATE FROM, THE VOTE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET OR A VOTE TO SET THE TAX RATE REQUIRED BY CHAPTER 26 TAX CODE OR OTHER LAW. SO IT'S JUST A VOTE SAYING WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS BUDGET, AS PRESENTED AND PASSED, WOULD REQUIRE RAISING NEW REVENUE TO MEET. OKAY. I, I MAKE THAT MOTION. DOES ANYONE CARE TO SECOND THAT MOTION? SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER STINSON, AND WE DO NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS ONE AS WELL. NEED A ROLL CALL? OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I. I. DOES ANYONE CARE TO VOTE NO? PLEASE SAY NO. NO. OKAY. THE MOTION CARRIES 3 TO 2. COMMISSIONERS ZAJC AND BUTLER VOTING NO. OKAY. [02:25:05] ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA WILL BE A NO ACTION ITEM. [3.9 Public Hearing and discussion on the proposed 2026 tax rate will be postponed to the September 20261 meeting. This item will not be discussed. and no action will be taken,] THAT'S THE PUBLIC HEARING AND DISCUSSION ON THE PROPOSED 2026 TAX RATE. WE ARE POSTPONING THAT UNTIL NEXT TUESDAY DURING OUR MEETING. THAT'S REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING FOR 2 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 8TH. WE WILL TAKE UP THE TAX RATE, EXCUSE ME AT THAT TIME AND HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THAT TIME. AND OF COURSE, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND. OKAY. THE ONLY REMAINING ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 310. AND I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO THAT ITEM AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. ITEM 310 IS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE FACILITY DIRECTOR POSITION. WE DO HAVE TWO CANDIDATES WHO ARE WITH US HERE TODAY TO, TO INTERVIEW WITH THE FULL COMMISSIONERS COURT IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING THE OPENING OPEN FACILITIES DIRECTOR POSITION. SO I'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM 4.1, WHICH IS POSSIBLE EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT IS PURSUANT TO TEXAS [MOTION TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION] GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION IN 551.07 FOR A ONE THAT IS DELIBERATION OF THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT EVALUATION, REASSIGNMENT DUTIES, DISCIPLINE OR DISMISSAL OF A PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE, ESPECIALLY REGARDING SPECIFICALLY REGARDING THE FACILITY DIRECTOR POSITION. SO, COMMISSIONERS, DOES SOMEONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ENTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION? SO MOVE. OKAY. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO ENTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I. I. DOES ANYONE VOTE? NO. HEARING. NO. OPPOSITION. THE COMMISSIONERS COURT IS NOW IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE TIME IS 4:26 P.M.. SO? SO COMMISSIONERS WERE BACK IN THE COURTROOM, AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. [ADJOURNMENT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION] MOTION MOVE. WE HAD A MOTION TO CLOSE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION FROM COMMISSIONER STENSON AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED? HEARING NO OPPOSITION, THE EXECUTIVE SESSION IS NOW CONCLUDED. IT IS 5:31 P.M.. AND IF YOU'LL JUST BEAR WITH ME, WE'RE GOING TO JUST KIND OF STAND IN RECESS FOR A MOMENT WHILE MR. ADKISSON LOOKS AT SOMETHING. OKAY. WE'RE BACK HERE IN OPEN COURT. AND REGARDING ITEM 310, WHICH WAS DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, [3.10 Discussion, consideration, and possible action regarding the Facility Director position. — Ellis County Judge, John Wray] AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE FACILITY DIRECTOR POSITION. WE, OF COURSE, INTERVIEWED TWO CANDIDATES, CANDIDATES IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THAT POSITION. AND I BELIEVE WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY ACTION IN ON ITEM 310 AT THIS TIME. COMMISSIONERS CORRECT ME IF ANYBODY FEELS LIKE THAT'S AN ERROR, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY ACTION ON ITEM 310 THEN. MR.. TEST, DO I NEED TO RECALL A PRIOR ITEM OR DO YOU JUST YOU HAVE A STATEMENT? NO. YEAH, I THINK I WAS JUST GOING TO CLARIFY A COUPLE THINGS. SO THE THE BUDGET THAT YOU GUYS ADOPTED IN THE EARLIER AGENDA ITEM IS THE BUDGET THAT EACH ONE OF YOU GUYS HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU. YOURS IS BEHIND YOU. MINUS RIGHT NOW AMY WAS DOWN MAKING THE CHANGES FROM THE MOTION THAT YOU GUYS MADE CONCERNING THE TAN NOTE, BECAUSE THAT DOES HAVE A DOMINO EFFECT OF OTHER THINGS. AND THEN THE D A SEIZURE FUND. AND THE THING I REALLY WANT TO CLARIFY BETWEEN WHEN A PROPOSED BUDGET IS PUT OUT IS ADOPTED BUDGET. Y'ALL SEE TODAY THERE ARE MINOR CHANGES THAT ARE MADE IN THAT BUDGET, RIGHT? I'M GOING TO GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS APPROACHED ME AND SAID, HEY, WE WE THINK ALL OF OUR SALARY WISE SHOULD BE THE EXACT SAME. THAT CHANGE WAS MADE BETWEEN THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND WHAT YOU SEE TODAY. SO EVERY COMMISSIONER SALARY LINE IS THE EXACT SAME AS THE ACTUALS. AND MOST OF THE OTHER CHANGES THAT ARE MADE ARE BASED UPON AS YOUR ACTUALS GET BETTER. YOU KNOW, YOU GET A MUCH BETTER OF OF TIME TO SEE WHAT WAS SPENT. SO IF SOMEBODY REQUESTED ANOTHER EXAMPLE $15,000 IN A GAS LINE, RIGHT. AND THEIR ACTUALS SHOWED THAT ON AUGUST 31ST, THEY SPENT $6,000. WELL, FROM THE PROPOSED TO THE WHAT'S ADOPTED TODAY PROBABLY DOWNGRADED THAT TO 10,000 OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER SEEMED REASONABLE. TELEPHONES WAS ANOTHER ONE, AND AUTO INSURANCE WAS THE OTHER ONE WHERE SOME LINE ITEMS [02:30:07] WERE REDUCED BASED UPON ACTUALS. AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CHANGED WOULD HAVE BEEN SOME, SOME SORT OF ERROR THAT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION AT SOME POINT. RIGHT. BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE BUDGET YOU GUYS ADOPTED IS THE BUDGET THAT YOU GUYS HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, MINUS THE TWO ITEMS THAT WERE MADE IN YOUR MOTION. OKAY. VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. SO NO ISSUES. ANY QUESTIONS? NO ISSUES. NO, I DO NOT HAVE ANY. OKAY. COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE CONCLUDED OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY. AND WOULD ANYONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN FROM COMMISSIONER PONDER. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BUTLER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I. I. DOES ANYONE CARE TO VOTE? NO, I HEARING NO OPPOSITION. THE MOTION PASSES AND THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.