>> [BACKGROUND] I THINK WE STILL HAVE ENOUGH. [1. CALL TO ORDER ] [00:00:04] WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND BEGIN. CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? >> YES, MA'AM. [BACKGROUND] THERE WE GO. MS. LEWISON. >> HERE WE GO. >> MS. MCMULLEN. >> PRESENT. >> MS. MASSEY. >> HERE. >> MR. KEITH. >> HERE. >> MS. GREEN IS ON HER WAY. MR. ROBINSON. >> HERE. >> MR. STOWERS. >> PRESENT. >> MR. ELLIOTT. >> HERE. >> WE CURRENTLY HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS PRESENT, ONE ABSENT. >> CAN WE HAVE AN APPROVAL ON THE MINUTES? [3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ] WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE WILL CONTINUE ON. CAN WE GET APPROVAL ON THE MINUTES? [BACKGROUND] FROM OUR LAST MEETING? >> SECOND. >> SECOND. >> SECOND. >>SECOND. >> SECOND. >> MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND. THOSE ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> ANY NEYS? WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ONTO OUR NEW BUSINESS, [4. NEW BUSINESS:] OUR UPGRADES OR DOWNGRADES, NON-GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS. FIRST UP IS OUR ASSESSOR, AND WE'RE GOING TO HEAR ALL OF HER DEPARTMENTS. I THINK IT'S 1801 THROUGH 105 AND 3011 THROUGH 105, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WELCOME. >> THANK YOU. I'LL NEVER HEAR ANYMORE BEFORE WE GO. [LAUGHTER] [NOISE] >> GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. >> THANK YOU ALL FOR HEARING OUR BUDGET. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO KARLA. SHE'S DONE A LOT OF THE HARD WORK ON IT, AND YOU ALL KNOW HER. [LAUGHTER] WE'VE BOTH BEEN AROUND FOR WHAT? GOING 30 YEARS NOW. [LAUGHTER] WE'RE 12. [LAUGHTER] I'M 12, [BACKGROUND] SHE'S 11. [LAUGHTER] >> GO AHEAD. >> WE WERE HERE IN OCTOBER WITH SOME NEW POSITIONS AND WE'RE ASKED TO DELAY THE UPGRADES UNTIL APRIL, SO THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF A BIT OF A REORGANIZATION IN OUR OFFICE JUST TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND ENSURE THAT OUR SALARIES ARE ACTUALLY COMPETITIVE WITH THE MARKET. IT'S BEEN THROUGH THE JOHANSON GROUP. THEY'VE STUDIED IT, THESE ARE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THE TOTAL COST TO THE GENERAL FUND THIS YEAR IS UNDER $5,000. [BACKGROUND] BUT THAT'S BOTH DEPARTMENTS. >> WELL, AWESOME. WE HAVE SOME LIGHTS ON. JUSTICE KEITH, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. >> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT PROMPTS AN UPGRADE IN GENERAL? WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT DIRECTOR OF IT. WE'RE GOING FROM A U23 TO A U26. WHAT PROMPTED THAT? >> MY DIRECTOR OF IT WAS THE LOWEST-PAID IT DIRECTOR IN PULASKI COUNTY. WE LOOKED AT THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT THEIR IT DIRECTORS WERE BEING PAID. THE GRADE THAT IS GIVEN TO A JOB DEPENDS LARGELY UPON WHO THEY SUPERVISE AND THE DUTIES OF THE JOB. DURING COVID, WE DID INCREASE THE NUMBER OF COMPUTER STATIONS. WE ALMOST DOUBLED THE HARDWARE THAT HE WAS HAVING TO OVERSEE. WE'VE ALSO OVER THE YEARS SINCE THE ORIGINAL STUDY WAS PERFORMED ADDED FUNCTIONS TO THE IT DEPARTMENT LIKE A DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT'S MAINTAINED BY THAT DEPARTMENT. SO NOT ONLY WAS HE NOT BEING PAID COMPARABLY WITHIN THE COUNTY, BUT THE DUTIES OF THE JOB HAD INCREASED AS WELL. >> I GUESS TO SUMMARIZE IT, JOB DUTIES AND COMPARABLE TO OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THAT POSITION? >> YES. >> I ASSUME THAT ALL OF THESE DIRECTOR POSITIONS ARE CURRENTLY FILLED? >> YES. [OVERLAPPING] TRYING TO KEEP THEM THAT WAY. THE STATE IS TRYING TO POACH MY PEOPLE. [LAUGHTER] >> THAT WOULD PRETTY MUCH BE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR UPGRADES, BE IT COMPARABLE SALARIES OR INCREASE IN JOB DUTIES? >> YES. ACTUALLY, I HAD A DIRECTOR'S POSITION THAT WAS SUPERVISING. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WAS ORIGINALLY GRADED OR THE GRADE IT WAS AT BECAUSE IT SUPERVISED PEOPLE THAT WERE GRADED HIGHER THAN IT WAS. THIS IS JUST TO CORRECT [OVERLAPPING] A FEW OF THOSE THINGS. >> THEY WANTED TO CORRECT IT. >> THAT GIVES ME SOME INFORMATION. THANK YOU, I YIELD. >> THANK YOU, JUSTICE KEITH. JUSTICE ELLIOTT, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. [00:05:01] >> MA'AM, COULD YOU TELL ME ABOUT WHAT THE SALARY WOULD BE STARTING AT? >> FOR WHICH ONE? >> IT. >>THE DIRECTOR OF IT? THE SALARY WILL TOP OUT AT $101,497. >> HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE DOES SOMEONE HAVE? >> HE HAS WORKED IN MY OFFICE FOR 20 YEARS. >> I KNOW SOME PEOPLE THAT WORKS IT AND I JUST GETTING THERE. >> ACTUALLY, HE JUST TURNED DOWN A JOB OFFER FOR 125,000 A YEAR. >> BESIDES, WITH FULL BENEFITS. WE BEGGED HIM AND WE TOLD HIM YOU ALL WE'RE FAIR AND WE GO THROUGH JOB BENEFITS, JUST HANG ON. [LAUGHTER] PLEASE, DON'T [INAUDIBLE] >> THANK YOU. >> WE REALLY ARE JUST TRYING TO STAY COMPETITIVE AND RETAIN OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES. >> I KNOW. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, JUSTICE ELLIOTT. JUSTICE LEWISON, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. >> THANK YOU. I DON'T EVEN READ ANY OF THIS STUFF BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE TELLING THE TRUTH. BUT I JUST WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU AND [NOISE] EVERYBODY THAT WORKS FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU DO A REMARKABLE JOB AND ESPECIALLY GOING OUT WITH ALL THESE TORNADO VICTIMS' HOUSES AND CHECKING ALL THAT. I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE YOU'RE GETTING IT DONE THAT FAST, BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU. >> LET ME SAY THIS FOR THE OLD HANDS THAT ARE UP HERE. I'VE BEEN UP HERE FOR ALL THESE YEARS AND ASK YOU ALL FOR MONEY. I DIDN'T ASK FOR BIG AMOUNTS, BUT WE'VE UPGRADED. THANKS TO YOU ALL. I WANT YOU TO KNOW WITHIN THREE DAYS, WE HAD A FLOW OVER THE NEXT DAY, WE HAD LAYERS OF MAPS, AND THEN WE KNEW IT WAS ABOUT 5,500 PARCELS ALL THE WAY FROM A FEW SHINGLES TO DEMOLISHED 157 SQUARE MILES OF DAMAGE, AND WE HAD THAT IN THREE DAYS AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR OLD HANDS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE AND HELPED US ALL THESE YEARS AND LET US HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY FOR MAPPING. I THANK YOU BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO RESPOND. WE ARE GOING TO PUT BOOTS ON THE GROUND, BUT WE'VE GOT BEAUTIFUL LAYERED MAPS AND THEY'RE NOT BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE YOU'LL CRY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN NORTH LITTLE ROCK AND BARNES PARK IS VIRTUALLY GONE. I LIVE WITHIN A HALF-MILE OF IT AND IT'S GONE. HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF OLD GROWTH GONE. IT BREAKS MY HEART BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY OUR TAXPAYERS AND WE'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD STAFF AND IT'S BECAUSE YOU ALL FUNDED US DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS AND HELPED US GET THE TECHNOLOGY. WE'VE BEEN SMART WITH OUR MONEY AND WE TRY TO BE SMART. WE DON'T COME UP HERE EVERY MEETING AND TRY TO GET MONEY BECAUSE YOU ALL BEEN GOOD TO US. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT. WE'RE GOING TO GET EVERYTHING HANDLED, BUT WE'VE GOT ALL THE GOOD MAPS AND WE'VE LAYERED THE PARCELS ON THERE AND EVERYTHING'S GOOD. >> THANK YOU. >> JUSTICE LEWISON DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE BUDGET? >> NO, I JUST WANTED TO THANK HER. [LAUGHTER] >> WELL, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE. THANK YOU. JUSTICE STOWERS. >> I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET A MOTION ON THE TABLE THAT WE SEND ALL OF THE ASSESSORS' REQUESTS HERE TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT WITH A DO-PASS RECOMMENDATION. >> SECOND. >> SECOND. >> THEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON DISCUSSIONS, OR ANY QUESTIONS RATHER? THERE BE NONE, JUSTIN, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? I'M SO SORRY. >> IT'S FINE. GUYS, YOU'RE BATCHING THE ASSESSORS' DEPARTMENTS 1801 AND WAS THAT RIGHT? 3011. ASSESSOR AND ACCESSORY APPRAISAL, YOUR ONE VOTE WILL BE RECORDED FOR ALL OF THESE REQUESTS. MS. LEWISON. >> YES. >> MS. MCMULLEN. >> YES. >> MS. MASSEY. >> AYE. >> MR. KEITH. >> YES. >> MS. GREEN. >> AYE. >> MR. ROBINSON. >> AYE. >> MR. STOWERS. >> YES. >> MR. ELLIOTT. >> YES. >> THANK YOU ALL. THIS WILL GO TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR FINAL APPROVAL. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. [BACKGROUND] >> EIGHT AYES, ZERO NOS. >> I'M SORRY. [LAUGHTER] MOVING ON TO OUR TREASURER. WELCOME. [BACKGROUND] I THINK IT WAS JUST TWO DAYS AGO OR A DAY AGO I SAW YOU. [BACKGROUND] YOU'RE ON NOW. >> THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. DEBRA BUCKNER, PULASKI COUNTY TREASURER, TAX COLLECTOR. I'LL SAY FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS OF WHICH MOST COUNTIES, AS YOU KNOW, HAVE A COLLECTOR AND A TREASURER. BUT THIS WAS CONJOINED AS AN OFFICE IN 1995 BEFORE MY TIME, [00:10:01] BUT THAT RAN MS. TEDFORD OFF. [LAUGHTER] SHE TOLD ME SHE NEVER WANTED TO BE THE TAX COLLECTOR, BUT SHE BECAME ONE. BUT THE JOHANSON STUDY HAS GIVEN US OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'VE APPRECIATED BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE A REGULAR AND ROUTINE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT WHAT NEW TECHNOLOGY HAS COME UPON ALL OF OUR PEOPLE AND HERE WE ARE WITH FOLKS LEARNING ALL OF THE NEW WAYS TO PAY US, WHICH BENEFITS YOU GUYS. WE LOOK AT THIS AS NOT WAY OVERDUE, BUT AT LEAST BRINGING US UP TO WHAT WE MIGHT HAVE HAD EARLIER. BUT COVID SLOWED EVERYTHING DOWN IN OUR FUNCTIONING EXCEPT THAT IT DOUBLED EVERYTHING WE HAD TO DO BECAUSE ALL 57 OF US HAD TO WORK FROM HOME. THAT'S COMPUTERS, AND PRINTERS, AND PHONE BANKS, AND ALL THESE THINGS, SO WE USED OUR AUTOMATION MONEY TO GET THE EQUIPMENT AND WE'RE STILL ROTATING PEOPLE IN AND OUT. I'LL JUST SAY THIS, I'M REAL PROUD OF WHAT THEY ACCOMPLISHED. I WON'T SAY WHO WE WERE AHEAD OF BECAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA, BUT ANYWAY, THAT WAS OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY. BUT THESE UPGRADES AGAIN HAVE GONE THROUGH JOHANSON, THEY PICKED THE RANGES, WE DID NOT. THEY DID THE MARKET WIDE STEADY AND SO I WOULD ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT I COULD. I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTATION HERE, BUT I HAVE I THINK IN FRONT OF ME WHAT YOU HAVE. I WOULD ASK FOR A FAVORABLE VOTE, THESE POSITIONS. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS, THESE ARE FOR THE POSITIONS, NOT THE PERSON. JUST LIKE MR. KEITH SAID, IF WE'RE SOMEONE, IF WE HAD TO REPLACE THEM, THESE ARE THE SALARIES WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO OFFER. [LAUGHTER] IT'S NOT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL HUMAN BEING, IT REALLY IS THE POSITION IN OUR CONSIDERATION. I ASK FOR A FAVORABLE VOTE. >> I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. THESE ARE NON GENERAL FUND POSITIONS OR? >> CORRECT. >> DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE COST IS TO THE COUNTY IF THERE BE ANY MINIMAL COST? >> I DO, AS IT TURNS OUT. LOOK AT THAT, IT'S A NUMBER, SO YES, I DO. THE COUNTY PAYS 7.5% AND ON THE TREASURY SIDE IT'S $319. ON THE COLLECTOR SIDE, PROGRESS THIS YEAR IT IS $1,929. FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, WE'RE ASKING FOR THESE FOLKS IN THEIR CURRENT POSITIONS TO GET AN INCREASE THAT TOTALS $2,248. I'VE BEEN HERE ASKING FOR A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN THAT, SO ANYWAY, THAT'S THE TOTAL MADAM CHAIR. >> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A QUESTION. JUSTICE STOWERS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. >> I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SEND TREASURER BUDGET 103 AND COLLECTOR BUDGET 104 TO THE REQUEST TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT WITH THE DO PASS RECOMMENDATION. >> THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND, IT IS NOW A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. WE DO HAVE SOME LIGHTS ARMS, AND JUST AS KEITH, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. >> I PROMISE YOU I FORGOT TO ASK THIS QUESTION EARLIER, BUT I'M ASKING OF YOU. >> OKAY. >> ARE ANY THESE POSITIONS VACANT? JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY. >> NO. >> THE UPGRADE, AND I ASSUME THE UPGRADE, THE EXPLANATION I GOT EARLIER IS BASED ON NEW JOB DUTIES OR THE MARKET STUDY WHERE COMPARABLE RAISES? >> YES, FOR THE MOST PART, IT'S THE SAME. >> I THINK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE GAVE A 10% RAISE. HOW DID THAT 10% RAISE FACTOR INTO THE FINAL UPGRADED SALARY FOR THAT POSITION? DOES IT MAKE SENSE? >> I THINK I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION AND THAT MAY BE A HUSH QUESTION TOO. BUT I REALLY THINK THAT'S MORE ON THE WHOLE EXPENSE SIDE. >> WELL, THIS NUMBER THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR [INAUDIBLE] >> OKAY. >> IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UPGRADED AT THE AT THE PREVIOUS OR THE CURRENT JOB DESCRIPTION. >> THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU, I YIELD. >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU. JUSTICE KEITH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF THERE BE NONE, JUSTIN WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? >> YES, MA'AM. I'M ENCOURAGED TO SEE THAT MS. BUCKNER HAS SO OPENLY EMBRACED THE JOHANSON STUDY, THAT'S GOOD NEWS. [LAUGHTER] >> IT WORKED FOR US. IT REALLY HAS. [LAUGHTER] >> YOUR ONE VOTE WILL BE RECORDED FOR THE REQUESTS FOR DEPARTMENT 0103, TREASURER'S OFFICE, AND 0104 THE COLLECTOR'S FUND. MS. LEWISON? >> YES. >> MS. MCMULLEN. >> YES >> MS. MASSEY. >> AYE. >> MR. KEITH. >> YES. >> MS. GREEN. >> AYE. >> MR. ROBINSON. [00:15:02] >> AYE. >> MR. STOWERS. >> YES. >> MR. ELLIOTT. >> YES. >> EIGHT AYES, ZERO NOS. >> THANK YOU, THIS WILL GO TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR FINAL APPROVAL. MOVING ON WE'RE NOW DOWN TO ROAD AND BRIDGE. DEPARTMENT 0200. GOOD AFTERNOON, WELCOME. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M SHANE RAMSEY. I WAS GOING TO SAY GOOD EVENING, BUT I GUESS IT'S STILL AFTERNOON. I AM BASICALLY GOING TO REPEAT EXACTLY WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID. I HAVE ONE POSITION, A C114, WHICH IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TECHNICIAN, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO UPGRADE THAT TO A C117. THAT POSITION ACTUALLY MIRRORS PULASKI COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE C119. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME DEPARTMENT BUDGET, STAFF MANAGEMENT, AND INMATE POLICIES THAT THIS DEPARTMENT DOESN'T DEAL WITH THAT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DOES. WE'RE SIMPLY ASKING TO UPGRADE THAT FROM C114 TO A C117, WHICH IS ABOUT $6,872.84 INCREASE. >> COULD YOU REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME? THE INCREASE. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> I'M SORRY. >> GO AHEAD. >> DID YOU SAY 6,000 SOMETHING? >> YES $6,872.84 INCREASE. THIS POSITION IS OUR INTERNAL HR THAT TAKES IN ALL NEW APPLICANTS. WE HAVE A NEW HIRING PROCESS, IT'S ALL ONLINE SO WE GET WALK-INS OFF THE STREET TO APPLY. WE CAN SIT THEM DOWN, THIS POSITION ACTUALLY COACHES THEM THROUGH. THEY HAVE TO SET UP AN EMAIL ACCOUNT, NOT TO MENTION TIME, PAYROLL, VACATION, SICK TIME, ALL FMLA WORKERS COMP CLAIMS. EVERYTHING IS DONE BY THIS POSITION. >> THANK YOU. >> YES, MA'AM. >> JUSTICE STOWERS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. >> YES, MA'AM. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THESE TWO GENTLEMEN, SHANE, STEVE. I REPRESENT A DISTRICT THAT'S PRIMARILY RURAL, AND YOU ALL DO A PHENOMENAL JOB OF TAKING CARE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT WAS SEEN IN NO GREATER FASHION THAN THE HARD WORK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS. I WANTED TO START BY SAYING, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SEND YOUR ITEM OR YOUR BUDGET, 200 REQUESTS ONTO THE FULL QUORUM COURT WITH THE NEW PATCH RECOMMENDATION. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CONCERNS? IF THERE BE NONE JUSTIN, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? >> YES, MA'AM. MR. ELLIOTT. >> YES. >> MR. STOWERS. >> YES. >> MR. ROBINSON. >> AYE. >> MS. GREEN. >> AYE. >> MR. KEITH. >> YES >> MS. MASSEY. >> AYE. >> MS. MCMULLEN. >> YES. >> MS. LEWISON. >> YES. >> EIGHT AYES, ZERO NO'S. >> THIS WILL GO TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR FINAL APPROVAL. THANK YOU FOR COMING. >> THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. >> THANK YOU. >> WE ARE MOVING ON. NEXT UP IS DEPARTMENT 0700, SANITATION. >> WELL, SANITATION. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M KATHY BURTON WITH THE SANITATION DEPARTMENT AND WHAT WE'RE WORKING TO DO IS WE HAVE THREE VACANT DRIVER POSITIONS AND WE'VE GOT A LITTER PROBLEM IN THE COUNTY AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARD TAKING THESE VACANT POSITIONS AND CHANGING THEM TO LITTER CREW. A LITTER CREW THAT CAN PICK UP LITTER ON THE COUNTY ROADS, WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, WORK WITH A DR. ROAD PROGRAM, WORK WITH COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND ADDRESS THE LITTER PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE ON THE COUNTY ROADS. >> JUST FOR THE RECORD, THESE ARE DOWNGRADES. >> THAT'S RIGHT, THE LITTER CREW PERSON WOULD NOT NEED [00:20:04] A CDL THAT THE CURRENT POSITIONS OR CDL POSITIONS, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO NEED THAT SO THESE ARE DOWNGRADES TO THOSE POSITIONS. >> AWESOME, JUST ESTABLISH A RECOGNIZED. >> YES. ONCE AGAIN, MS. BARTZ VERED. THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS YOU DO YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT DO A WONDERFUL JOB AND I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SEND THIS BUDGET, 700 REQUESTS TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT, BUT THEY DO PASS FOR RECOMMENDATION. >> THEY'RE MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF THERE BE NONE, JUSTIN, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? >> MS. LEWISON. >> YES. >> MS. MCMULLEN. >> YES. >> MS. MASSEY. >> AYE >> MR. KEITH. >> YES. >> MS. GREEN. >> AYE >> MR. ROBINSON. >> AYE. >> MR. STOWERS AND MR. ELLIOTT. >> YES. >> EIGHT AYES, ZERO NOS. >> THIS WILL GO TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR FINAL APPROVAL THANK YOU FOR COMING. >> THANK YOU. [BACKGROUND] >> WE ARE NOW DOWN TO OUR LAST DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICES, DEPARTMENT NUMBER 3718 AND 0805, COMMUNITY SERVICES MANAGEMENT INFO SYSTEMS. >> WELL, THIS IS A GRANT-FUNDED POSITION, SO THEY'RE JUST DOWNGRADING IT OR UPGRADING A GRANT-FUNDED POSITION. >> THE POSITION DOES BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE ANYBODY IS FROM MY DEPARTMENT. >> ON BEHALF OF MY GOOD FRIEND FREDERIC CLAVER, [LAUGHTER] I WOULD APPRECIATE A GOOD VOTE ON THIS. AGAIN, IT'S A GRANT-FUNDED POSITION, NO IMPACT ON THE GENERAL FUND. >> JUSTICE STOWERS YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SEND 3718 TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT, WITH THE DO PASS RECOMMENDATION. >> SECOND. >> THEY'RE MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THERE ARE NONE. JUSTIN, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? >> YES, MA'AM. MR. ELLIOTT. >> YES. >> MR. STOWERS >> YES. >> MR. ROBINSON. >> AYE. >> MS. GREEN. >> AYE. >> MR. KEITH. >> YES. >> MS. MASSEY. >> AYE. >> MS. MCMULLEN. >> AYE. >> MS. LEWISON >> YES. >> EIGHT AYES, ZERO NOS. >> WILL YOU LET YOUR GOOD FRIEND KNOW THAT THIS CAN GO TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR FINAL APPROVAL? >> I WILL THANK YOU AND I'M SURE HE'S VERY APPRECIATIVE. >> NOW WE'RE DOWN TO PROPOSED ITEMS AND LAST ACT, HERE'S OUR LUSTROUS COMPTROLLER. >> YEAH, THAT'S IT. IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY I'M SORRY. WE GOT TO CARRY OVER FOR YOU, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF YOU. I WANT TO CAUTION YOU, YOU'VE READ THAT NUMBER, AND I CAUTION THE OTHER NIGHT, THAT'S PROBABLY THE LAST TIME YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A $30 MILLION CARRYOVER. WILL PROBABLY NEXT YEAR BE BACK TO OUR NORMAL CARRYOVERS OF THE FIVE MILLION, THE SIX MILLION, MAYBE SEVEN, BUT THIS IS A RESULT OF US REDUCING THE EXPENSE WITH THE ARPA, DOING WHAT WE COULD DO THERE. THAT BEING SAID, I'VE ALSO GOT ON THAT AN APPROPRIATION ON MY ASKING FOR TO FINISH SOME PROJECTS AND YOU HAVE YOUR ROUGH LIST OF THOSE, LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE THINKING. THEN JUST PARKING THAT MONEY SOMEWHERE UNTIL SOMETHING ELSE COMES UP. YOU PUT IT IN YOUR RESERVE UNTIL SOMETHING GOES WRONG, IT WILL EVENTUALLY. BUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO, SOME OF THE SMALL ONES WHO ARE BUYING ADDITIONAL AEDS FOR THE COURTHOUSE, THAT'S THE AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS, PUTTING THEM ON ALL THE FLOORS. WE'VE GOT TO DO SOME WORK WITH SOME CARPET IN A COUPLE OF BUILDINGS THAT HAVE HAD SOME PLUMBING ISSUES REPEATEDLY. INSURANCE IS PAID FOR SOME OF IT, WE NEED TO FIX THAT CARPET. WE'VE GOT TO PUT SOME VENTILATION AROUND OUR CHILLERS OUT HERE, THESE ARE THE SMALL THINGS. THE BIG TICKET ITEMS IS WE'RE ABOUT TO MAKE A LOT OF CHANGES IN SECURITY. WE'VE MADE SOME, SOME YOU CAN SEE SOME YOU CAN'T. SOME OF THE STUFF WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO, YOU CAN SEE IN SOME OF IT, YOU CAN'T. WE'RE PUTTING MORE CAMERAS FOR THE JUDGE'S PART, [00:25:02] WE'RE PUTTING A FENCE AROUND ALL THAT, AND HAVING TO CHANGE OUT THE GATES. WHICH SOUNDS FAIRLY SIMPLE EXCEPT THE WAY THAT BUILDINGS MADE THAT FANS IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE FUNKY WHERE IT CONNECTS ON. WE'RE PUTTING A SPECIFIC CAMERA ON THE BACK DOOR. THE COURTHOUSE AT THE JUDGES USE IT WHEN THEY WALK UP TO THAT DOOR, THEY CAN SEE WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT. FOR SAFETY, WE'RE PUTTING MAGLOCKS ON ALL THE JUDGES' DOORS, WHETHER THEY WANT THEM OR NOT, IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO USE THEM. THE NEXT JUDGE MAYBE WILL BUT I THINK ALL OF THEM ARE GOING TO USE THEM. WE ARE INCREASING SOME MORE OF THE CAMERAS AT THAT. I'M ALSO CONTRACTING WITH A SECURITY FIRM THAT'S GOING TO COME IN AND DO THE THREAT ASSESSMENT FOR THE COUNTY. THEY WILL THEN WHAT WE'VE ASKED FOR IS THEY'LL DO A THREAT ASSESSMENT OF ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS, GIVE US A REPORT, TELL US HOW TO MAKE IT BETTER, THAT'S HOW TO TRY TO MAKE IT SAFER. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT 100%, BUT YOU GOT TO DO WHAT YOU CAN DO. THEN THEY WILL ALSO TEACH CLASSES TO THE EMPLOYEES IF THEY CHOOSE TO ATTEND, AS IN WHAT TO DO DURING AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION, HOW TO REACT, WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO SIT THROUGH THAT, THAT'S FINE TOO. WE'LL HAVE THE VIDEOS, WE OWN THEM, YOU CAN WATCH THEM ON THROUGH HR. THEY WILL FILM THEIR VIDEOS IN OUR BUILDINGS, SO MR. ROBINSON'S WATCHING THAT VIDEO INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT A BLANK ROOM, HE'S GOING LIKE, OH, THAT'S THE QUORUM COURTROOM I SIT IN. IT'LL BRING IT HOME. WE'VE CHANGED SOME OF THE SECURITY AND BUILDINGS WHERE EMPLOYEES NOW GO THROUGH THE SECURITY SYSTEM JUST LIKE THE PUBLIC AND WE'RE ABOUT TO MAKE THAT CHANGE IN THIS BUILDING. IF YOU LOOK AT SHOOTER SITUATIONS THAT ARE GOING ON, IT'S USUALLY SOMEBODY THAT BELONGS IN THE BUILDING, IT'S NOT SOMEONE WHO JUST SHOWS UP. THESE ARE SCARY THINGS WE HAVE TO ADDRESS AND IT'S EXPENSIVE, BUT WHILE WE HAVE THE MONEY THAT WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU APPROVE IT, THEN WE CAN DO IT. THE OTHER THING A FEW WEEKS AGO, YOU APPROVED SOME MONEY FOR THE SHERIFF FOR US TO GO OUT AND FIND SOME SOFTWARE FOR HIM THAT WORKS. WELL, WE'VE TALKED TO THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY AND HIS SOFTWARE GOES BACK TO THE '90S AND IT WON'T TALK TO THE SHERIFF SOFTWARE OR THE COURTS. THE STATE IS GETTING READY TO DO AWAY WITH COURT CONNECT IS WHAT THE CLERK'S OFFICE USE AND ALL THAT STUFF AND THAT'LL BE PROVIDED TO THE COURTS OFFICE, BUT WE'RE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY TO PUT IN JUST TO PUT BACK BECAUSE WE WANT TO FIND AN UPGRADE FOR THE PROSECUTOR. HE'S PUTTING TOGETHER HIS SPECS AND WE'RE GOING TO SEND THAT OUT BUT WE'RE ALSO ADDING IN THERE WITH A LOT OF TALK TOGETHER AND WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT MAYBE WHATEVER THE STATE IS GOING TO COME WITH, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO YOU. SO WHEN SOMEBODY GOES TO THE CORE, THEY'RE NOT PASSING ON A NOTE CARD OVER SAYING THIS CASE 572 AND MR. ELLIOTT RAN OVER HOODS IN PARKING LOT AND IT'S ON THE SCREENS. IT'S SEAMLESS, IT'S MODERN. RIGHT NOW THEY USE NOTE CARDS FOR THIS JUST NOT VERY CONDUCIVE TO A FESTIVAL ATMOSPHERE. SOME OF THESE NUMBERS ARE ESTIMATES BECAUSE I'M NOT ALLOWED TO GO OUT AND GET A SOLID QUOTE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU A SOLID QUOTE ON SOMETHING THAT BIG BECAUSE THAT INVEST A LOT OF TIME ON THEM UNLESS YOU HAVE THE MONEY, AND IT'S ILLEGAL FOR ME TO TAKE APPEAL WITHOUT HAVING THE MONEY. AS ALWAYS, IF WE DON'T SPEND THE MONEY, YOU GET IT RIGHT BACK. WE JUST WANTED THERE FOR AN OPTION SO WE CAN TRY TO DO A FEW THINGS. THEN THAT LEAVES YOU $22 MILLION. I JUST SUGGEST THAT YOU PUT IT IN YOUR RESERVE FUND UNTIL SOMETHING GOES WRONG WHERE IT COMES UP. HAVE A PLEASANT PARTY. THERE YOU GO. AS A LOT OF BEERS TO GO. THERE'S JUST NOT A WHOLE LOT TO IT. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY AND THAT'S A GOOD THING AND THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY AND THAT'S A BAD THING. I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS. YES, SIR. >> JUSTICE STOWERS. >> SORRY. >> GO AHEAD. >> JUSTICE STOWERS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. >> I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SEND THE ITEM ON, [00:30:04] EXCEPT IT HAS NOT BEEN READ BY TITLE YET. DOES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN, JUSTIN? >> I WILL BE HAPPY TO READ THAT, 23 OUT OF 29, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 22 OR 45 2023 ANNUAL BUDGET PULASKI COUNTY, ARKANSAS TO RECOGNIZE RESERVE FROM CARRYOVER INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND THE EMERGENCY RESERVE FUND INTO APPROPRIATE GENERAL FUND CARRYOVER INTO A GENERAL COUNTY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT. >> LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SEND THE ITEM TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT WITH THE DO PASS RECOMMENDATION. >> SECOND. >> MOTION PROPERLY SECOND, WE ARE NOW READY FOR DISCUSSION. ARE YOU DONE, JUSTICE STOWERS? >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. >> JUSTICE KEITH, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. >> FOR WHAT? [LAUGHTER] >> YOU DON'T KNOW. I CAN'T TELL YOU. >> ACTUALLY THE FIRST THING I WAS ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIND OUR BUDGET AND I THINK I FINALLY FOUND IT, 92 MILLION 235, THAT'S OUR BUDGET. >> YES. >> FOR 2023. >> YES, SIR. >> TWENTY TWO MILLION FAR EXCEEDS THE 10% THAT WE TRY TO SET ASIDE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE ON SAVINGS. THAT MEANS, IF WE APPROVE THIS, THEN ANYTHING THAT COMES AFTER TODAY, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO, CORRECT ME. >> I'LL ALWAYS LEAVE YOU-ALL SOME EXTRA MONEY TO WORK WITH AND UNAPPROPRIATE IT. >> WHERE? >> THAT ORDINANCE YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS GOING TO BE USELESS AFTER TONIGHT BECAUSE THIS CHANGES IT. ONCE YOU START DOING BUSINESS DURING THE YEAR, THAT'S THE ORDINANCE WE HAVE TO PUBLISH. IT'S TRUE THAT, WHAT DID YOU SAY? IT WAS 92. >> NINETY TWO TO 35. >> THAT PART IS CORRECT BUT AS SOON AS YOU START MAKING ANY CHANGES IN HERE, ALL THAT CHANGES, THAT'S WHAT YOU DO EVERY MONTH. THAT BUDGET BOOK MAKES AN AMAZING DOORSTOP. THEY'RE PRETTY GOOD ABOUT KILLING FLIES AND STUFF, BUT AS SOON AS YOU ALL START PASSING ORDINANCES, ALL THAT CHANGES. >> WHAT IS THE, AND I GUESS I WAS LOOKING FOR THE UNAPPROPRIATE. >> YOU DON'T HAVE THAT IN THAT BUDGET BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING TONIGHT. >> ABOUT 400,000 UNAPPROPRIATED. >> AGAIN, THAT MAKES SENSE. ANYTHING AFTER TONIGHT, IF WE HAVE $400,000 UNAPPROPRIATED, THEN IN ANY UPGRADES OR ANYTHING AFTER TONIGHT, WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO INTO THE RESERVE TO ACTUALLY FUND. >> YOU'RE GOING OUT OF COUNTY GENERAL. >> YES, IT'S GOING TO COUNTY GENERAL. >> KEEP IN MIND, IN THE LAST LAST YEAR, YOU ALL USED ABOUT 50,000 OUT OF YOUR OWN APPROPRIATED. THAT'S ALL YOU USED. A BIG YEAR FOR YOU-ALL IS MAYBE 150,000 OUT OF YOUR OWN APPROPRIATED. YOU ALL REALLY DON'T GO TO THE WILL THAT MUCH. HERE'S THE THING, YOU'VE GOT TO PARK THE MONEY SOMEWHERE. IT HAS TO HAVE A FUND TO GO TO THAT'S JUST A COUNTY, WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT. >> WELL, I GUESS THE PURPOSE OF THIS DISCUSSION IS, AS YOU SAID EARLIER, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE LAST YEAR THAT WE HAVE THIS BIG BUCKET OF MONEY THAT WE CARRY OVER. >> UNLESS THE FEDS DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. YES, SIR. I CAN'T SEE US HAVE ON ANOTHER BIG ONE LIKE THIS. >> ANYTHING WE DO AFTER TONIGHT WE NEED TO BE CONSIDERATE I GUESS OF WHAT THE FUTURE YEARS IS JUST GOING TO LOOK LIKE. >> I WOULD SAY YOU ALWAYS NEED TO DO THAT [LAUGHTER] TO BE HONEST. YOU ALL ALWAYS ARE THOUGH. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN HERE ANY YOU-ALL KNOW, WE WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE THAT CARRY OVER BEFORE I TOLD YOU. YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN CAREFUL. WE SEE THE CROWD WE'VE GOT, UNLESS SOMEBODY RESIST [LAUGHTER] BUT YOU ALL ARE ALWAYS PRETTY CAREFUL. >> THANK YOU. I YIELD WITH THAT. >> I HAVE A QUESTION. IF WE HAVE A PROJECT IN REFERENCE TO ARPA THAT WE WANT TO FIND WHAT IT WILL COME OUT OF? >> IT WILL COME OUT ARPA. >> IT WON'T COME OUT OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE. >> COUNTY GENERAL. NOTHING TO DO WITH ARPA, THIS IS COUNTY GENERAL. >> THAT'S EVEN MORE AMAZING. [LAUGHTER]. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> YES YOU LOWERED YOUR GENERAL FUND EXPENSE. >> THANK YOU. JUSTICE STOWERS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. HE WAS. [00:35:02] >> MR. ELLIOTT IS CHOMPING AT THE BIT. >> I'M SORRY. JUSTICE ELLIOTT, YOUR RECOGNIZED. YOUR LIVE WAS ON. >> I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT HEATING THERE. >> WHAT ABOUT IT? IT'S HOT AND IT'S COLD. >> WELL, IF THERE'S SOMETHING GOES OUT OR WHATEVER. >> IT BETTER NOT BECAUSE THIS STUFF'S BRAND-NEW. >> THAT'S WHAT I WAS REMEMBERING. OR YOU GOT WARRANTY WITH THAT, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN. >> I KNOW WHERE THEY LIVE. WE WILL GET THERE. [LAUGHTER] >> I JUST WANTED TO ASK, APPRECIATE IT. >> THERE MIGHT BE A UNIT SOMEWHERE THAT GOES DOWN, BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING THAT MONEY. NO. >> I JUST WANTED TO ASK THEM. >> IF YOU REMEMBER FIVE YEARS AGO YOU DID ALL THE BUILDINGS EXCEPT THIS ONE IN THE PAST YEARS. >> I REMEMBER IS LOWER. >> WE DID THIS ONE AND NOTHING BETTER GO WRONG. >> APPRECIATE IT. THAT'S IT. >> THANK YOU, JUSTICE ELLIOTT. JUSTICE CURRY, WHO I DON'T SEE ON THE [INAUDIBLE] , BUT HER LIGHT ISN'T ON. JUSTICE MCMULLEN. >> THAT THREW ME FOR A LOOP THERE TO LOOKING FOR OUR GIRLS. >> YES, THAT'S EVEN MORE AMAZING TO REALIZE THAT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ARPA FUNDS, BUT IT IS ACTUALLY IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE LESS SPENDING. HAVING SAID THAT, I WOULDN'T LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE MOVE THIS FOR APPROVAL TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT. WE ARE VERY EXCITED THAT YOU WANT TO DO THAT. THAT MEANS THAT'S A YES VOTES. A MOTION IS ALREADY ON THE FLOOR. >> ALL RIGHT. I'M SORRY. >> NO WORRIES. >> ARE YOU DONE, JUSTICE MCMULLEN? >> YES. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS IN REGARDS TO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR? IF THERE BE NONE, JUSTIN WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? >> YES, MA'AM. MS. LEWISON. >> YES. >> MS. MCMULLEN >> YES. >> MS. MASSEY. >> AYE. >> MR. KEITH. >> YES. >> MS. GREEN. >> AYE. >> MR. ROBINSON. >> AYE. >> MR. STOWERS. >> YES. >> MR. ELLIOTT. >> YES. >> EIGHT AYES, ZERO NOS. >> THIS WILL GO TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT AS WE ALREADY KNOW, FOR FINAL APPROVAL. MOTION TO ADJOURN. DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR PUBLIC COMMENTS? >> I DO. >> IS IT ABOUT THAT TORNADO? >> IT'S LILLY'S BIRTHDAY. >> HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILLY. >> HAPPY BIRTHDAY. >> HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR LILLY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. >> YES. I DO HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT. >> THERE IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT. SORRY, JUSTIN. >> GUYS, YOU DO HAVE A MEETING NEXT TUESDAY SCHEDULE THE 18TH. I WOULD MAKE SURE YOU EAT DINNER BEFORE YOU COME TO THAT ONE OR BRING A SNACK. IT COULD BE A BIT LONG. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.