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[1. CALL TO ORDER ]

[00:00:07]

HERE. MCMULLEN.

HERE.

MISS GREEN IS ON HER WAY.

ROBINSON HERE, MR. PRESIDENT. MISS ELLIOTT.

HERE.

WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.

CAN WE GET APPROVAL ON OUR MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING.

[3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]

SECOND. BEEN MOVED AN PROPERLY SECOND.

THOSE IN FAVOR LET IT BE KNOWN BY JUST SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

WE'RE GOING TO SKIP OVER I 43.

WE WILL COME BACK TO THAT.

[5. UPDATE ON 2025 BUDGET REQUESTS AND REVENUE PROJECTIONS: Mr. Mike Hutchens, Comptroller ]

WE WILL NOW HEAR UPDATES FROM OUR COMPTROLLER, MIKE HUTCHENS, ON OUR 2025 BUDGET REQUEST AND REVENUE PROJECTIONS.

EVERYBODY HAS THEIR BINDER IN FRONT OF THEM.

YES. I DID A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.

YOUR MONEY SITUATION FROM WORKING WITH THE ASSESSOR AND THE TREASURER LOOKS GOOD FOR NEXT YEAR.

REVENUE PROJECTIONS LOOK GOOD.

WHAT YOU HAVE IS A SPREADSHEET THAT SHOWS YOU THE 2024 BUDGET, THE 2025 PROPOSED, AND THE DIFFERENCE, JUST LIKE WE DO EVERY YEAR. NOW WHAT I DID DIFFERENT THIS YEAR THOUGH, IS I THINK YOU HAVE 11 DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE INCREASES, AND I HIGHLIGHTED THEM IN YELLOW.

ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS YOU SEE THERE THAT HAVE INCREASES ARE INCREASES BECAUSE OF THE RAISE YOU GAVE.

THAT'S THE ONLY REASON THAT'S THERE.

THEY'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY MORE M&O.

ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

YOUR REQUESTS THIS YEAR ARE ABOUT 3 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT THEY WERE OR OVER BUDGET THAN WHAT THEY WERE LAST YEAR.

YOU HAVE THE VERY LAST PAGE, WHICH IS GRANT'S SMALL DIFFERENCE IN GRANT'S COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST IS BATCH THE GRANTS AND APPROVE THEM TONIGHT.

YOU'VE ALSO BATCHED ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT DIDN'T HAVE INCREASES AND APPROVED THOSE.

AND THEN THAT LEAVES YOU TO FOCUS ON THE 11 DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ASKING FOR M&O INCREASES OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND WHEN YOU GET INTO THAT PART OF IT, WHEN YOU START READING THE JUSTIFICATIONS, I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT WE CAN DO SOME OF THOSE INCREASES OUT OF ONE TIME MONEY.

YOU HAVE A CONTINGENCY FUND THAT WILL COVER SOME OF THAT, AND THAT WILL LOWER YOUR IMPACT ON THE REVENUE STREAM FOR NEXT YEAR. IS THAT CLEAR AS MUD? THANK YOU.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU. CHAIR. I'M SORRY.

JUSTICE STOWERS YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU HUTCH FOR THAT INFORMATION.

SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND YOUR LAST STATEMENT, WHICH WAS ABOUT THE ONE TIME.

YES. WELL IF YOU GO THROUGH WHAT SOME OF THE REQUESTS ARE LIKE THERE'S AN INCREASE I BELIEVE IN JAIL FOR.

THEY NEED NEW PRISONER UNIFORMS. I BELIEVE I'M WORKING OFF MEMORY.

YOU CAN DO THAT OUT OF ONE TIME MONEY.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AN ONGOING EXPENSE.

THERE'S A FEW THINGS LIKE THAT IN THERE THAT YOU CAN SEPARATE OUT, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE WHICH WHEN THEY COME UP AND PRESENT THEIR BUDGET THEY MAY NEED IT IN THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR.

THEY MAY HAVE THAT IN THE JUSTIFICATION, BUT THINGS LIKE THAT YOU CAN PULL OUT.

WE TRY TO SEPARATE THE ONE TIME EXPENSE, LIKE WE HAD A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT NEEDED SOME CAMERAS OR COMPUTERS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE PULLED THOSE OUT, TALKED TO THE DEPARTMENTS, PULLED THOSE OUT, AND WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THOSE IN ONE TIME MONIES.

RIGHT. SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT BUILDING THAT INTO YOUR BUDGETS.

WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE OF IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY ONGOING EXPENSES THAT ARE FUNDED BY MONIES THAT ARE NOT COMING.

RIGHT? NO, I DON'T WANT YOU TO HAVE THAT EITHER.

OKAY. THANK YOU SIR.

[00:05:04]

THANK YOU. ARE YOU FINISHED, JUSTICE STOWERS? YES I YIELD.

OKAY. NOW, I DO SEE THAT WE HAVE THE GRANTS ON HERE, AND I'M ASSUMING WE CAN GET A MOTION TO JUST PASS THOSE AS ONE.

I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD BATCH THOSE.

AND, LIKE YOU ALWAYS DO, PASS THE GRANTS AS ONE.

AND THEN IF YOU, UNLESS YOU HAVE SOME HEARTBURN OVER IT ON THE OTHER FUNDS AND THE COUNTY GENERAL DEPARTMENTS THAT DIDN'T THAT AREN'T IN THE YELLOW, THAT AREN'T HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY INCREASES OTHER THAN THE RAISE YOU ALL GAVE.

SO THEY'RE BASICALLY FLAT.

AND YOU USUALLY APPROVE THOSE TWO.

AND THAT'LL PROBABLY LEAVE YOU WITH PROBABLY TWO ADDITIONAL MEETINGS.

OKAY. START, YOU KNOW, START GOING THROUGH STUFF.

SO DO WE NEED TO CAN WE PUT THEM TOGETHER OR DO WE NEED TO SEPARATE THEM, LIKE DO THE GRANTS AND THEN DO THE.

SO WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST, MADAM CLERK, IS THAT YOU DO THESE, IF THAT'S WHAT THIS COMMITTEE WANTS TO DO, IS TO DO THEM IN TWO SEPARATE BATCHES.

OKAY. AND I THINK AS WITH, AS ALWAYS YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO PULL OUT FROM THE BATCH YOU KNOW, TAKE A SECOND TO LOOK OVER IT.

AND IF YOU WANT TO VOTE ON IT INDIVIDUALLY, THAT'S FINE.

IF NOT, THEN I WOULD JUST DO IT AS ONE VOTE WOULD STAND FOR ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS FOR THOSE GRANTS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. JUSTIN. JUSTIN STOWERS YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.

THANK YOU. MA'AM.

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SEND THE GRANTS THAT HAVE NO IMPACT ON GENERAL FUND ON TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT WITH A DUE PASS RECOMMENDATION.

SECOND. THE MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED.

IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTION OR DISCUSSION REGARDING THIS MOTION? IF THERE BE NONE JUSTIN, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? YES, MA'AM. SO YOUR ONE VOTE WILL BE RECORDED FOR ALL OF THE GRANT FUND DEPARTMENTS GOING FROM 3048 DOWN TO 3808. SO YOUR ONE VOTE WILL BE FOR ALL OF THOSE FOR APPROVAL.

MR. ELLIOTT? YES. MR. STOWERS? YES.

MR. ROBINSON.

AYE. MS. GREEN AND MR. KEITH. YES.

MISS MASSEY. AYE.

MISS MCMULLEN.

AND MISS LEWISON. YES.

ALL RIGHT. GRANTS ARE TAKEN CARE OF.

OKAY. THEY WILL GO TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR FINAL APPROVAL.

WE ARE NOW MOVING ON.

[6. NEW BUSINESS]

CAN WE GET A MOTION FROM SOMEONE FOR COUNTY GENERAL FUND? THOSE AND DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE NO NO INCREASE TO LUMP THEM TOGETHER.

I'M SORRY. AND GENERAL AND NON GENERAL.

GENERAL AND NON GENERAL.

OKAY. SO MOVED.

BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND THAT WE MOVE GENERAL AND NON GENERAL FUNDS OR DEPARTMENTS APPROVE THOSE THAT HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE GENERAL FUND ON TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR FINAL APPROVAL.

IS THERE ANY QUESTION OR DISCUSSION IN REGARDS TO THAT MOTION? IF THERE BE NONE JUSTIN, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? YES, MA'AM. SO ONCE AGAIN, YOUR VOTE WILL BE RECORDED FOR ALL OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE SUBMITTED BUDGETS THAT DO NOT HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INCREASES ABOVE THE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED PAY RAISES.

SO ONE VOTE COUNTS FOR THEM ALL.

MISS LEWISON.

YES, MS. MCMULLEN. AYE.

MISS MASSEY.

AYE. MR. KEITH. YES.

ROBINSON. AYE. MR. STOWERS. YES.

YES. AND MR. ELLIOTT. VERY GOOD.

YOU JUST GOT A VAST MAJORITY OF YOUR BUDGET DONE THERE, GUYS.

IN YOUR BOOK ANY DEPARTMENT THAT HAS ANY INCREASE, IF YOU FLIP TO THEM IN YOUR BOOK, IT'LL HAVE THEIR JUSTIFICATION LETTER WITH IT.

I PUT SOME NOTES OUT TO THE SIDE OF SOME OF THEM TO SAVE YOU SOME RESEARCH.

BUT EVERYTHING, JUST LIKE EVERY YEAR, SHOULD BE IN THAT BOOK.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THE REST OF THIS WEEK, I'D LIKE TO SAY CALL ME, BUT I'M LEAVING FOR CANADA AND I'M GOING WHERE MY PHONE DOESN'T WORK.

OF COURSE.

MAYBE INTENTIONALLY, MAYBE NOT.

BUT I'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK.

OKAY. OKAY.

DULY NOTED.

WE ARE NOW DOWN TO ITEM OR BACK UP TO ITEM I 43.

[4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS]

[00:10:04]

YES, MA'AM. 24 I43 AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE GROWTH OF PERSONNEL POSITIONS IN PULASKI COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AND TO ESTABLISH AN EVALUATION PROCESS FOR PERSONNEL POSITIONS.

AND I BELIEVE YOU DO HAVE TWO AMENDMENTS ON THE TABLE, MADAM CLERK.

YOU'RE RECOGNIZED, MR. BLAGG. WE FIRST NEED TO GET THIS ITEM ON THE TABLE IN ORDER TO AMEND IT.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.

THANK YOU. SO I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SEND THIS ITEM TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT WITH A DUE PASS RECOMMENDATION.

SECOND. BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED.

SO NOW. TO THE AMENDMENTS.

JUSTIN, WOULD YOU. OH, YEAH.

I MEAN, THAT'S FINE.

SO OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS FIRST INTRODUCED I THINK BACK IN AUGUST.

I KNOW SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS HAD SOME, SOME QUESTIONS AND WANTED TO WORK THROUGH SOME THINGS.

AND I BELIEVE OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, ADAM FOGLEMAN, HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF SITTING DOWN WITH THOSE FOLKS.

AND FINDING SOME, SOME RESOLUTION AND SOME MIDDLE GROUND THAT, THAT THEY COULD ALL AGREE TO.

AND SO THIS IS WHAT THESE, THESE TWO AMENDMENTS SHALL ACHIEVE.

SO I DON'T I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OPPOSITION TO THESE AMENDMENTS.

SO I MEAN, IF THERE IS, I'M SURE THEY'LL LET THEMSELVES BE KNOWN.

BUT I THINK THAT THEY MAKE A GOOD ORDINANCE BETTER, AND I THAT'S JUST MY $0.02.

JUSTICE OH, OKAY.

I'M SORRY. JUSTICE ELLIOTT YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.

I WAS JUST TELLING YOU TO PUNCH THAT.

THE SOUND, I MEAN.

OKAY. OKAY.

I'M SORRY I WASN'T COMING HOME.

OKAY. NO. GO AHEAD.

YOU GOT YOURS.

JUSTICE STOWERS YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.

OKAY. I WOULD LIKE THERE ARE TWO AMENDMENTS ON THIS ITEM.

WOULD IT BE INAPPROPRIATE TO CONSIDER BOTH OF THEM TOGETHER? AS FAR AS A MOTION IS CONCERNED, OR SHOULD WE.

SO A MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT ONE AND AMENDMENT TWO.

YES, I THINK THAT'S FINE.

IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.

YOU KNOW, AS THE LEAD SPONSOR ON THIS ITEM I BELIEVE THAT WHAT AMENDMENT ONE AND AMENDMENT TWO HAVE DONE IS THE ADMINISTRATION HAS LISTENED TO THE CONCERNS OF THEIR COLLEAGUES AND, WITH THE HELP OF OUR ESTEEMED COUNTY ATTORNEY, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THIS A MORE PERFECT DOCUMENT.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT BOTH AMENDMENT ONE AND AMENDMENT TWO TO ITEM 24 I 43.

SECOND. MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND.

ANY QUESTION OR DISCUSSION IN REFERENCE TO THE AMENDMENTS? THANK YOU FOR THIS.

I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TO EXPLAIN BOTH AMENDMENT ONE AND AMENDMENT TWO.

I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO ESCAPE THERE FOR A MINUTE.

ARE YOU ON? ADAM FOGLEMAN, PULASKI COUNTY ATTORNEY.

I'LL BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.

SO IN AMENDMENT ONE.

YES. CAN YOU GET A LITTLE BIT LOUDER? WE CAN'T HEAR YOU. I'LL DO MY BEST.

HOW ABOUT THAT? I'LL LEAN INTO THE MIC.

AMENDMENT ONE ADDRESSES ARTICLE ONE TO THE ITEM, AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT PROVIDES A LITTLE LATITUDE FOR SMALLER DEPARTMENTS.

SO IT RECOGNIZES THAT YOU CAN INCREASE A DEPARTMENT SIZE BY.

WAS IT 2%, JUSTIN? 2%? YES. 2%.

OR YOU CAN INCREASE THE WORKFORCE UNDER THAT ELECTED OFFICIAL BY TWO POSITIONS, WHICHEVER IS GREATER. AND SO IT PROVIDES SOME ACCOMMODATION FOR SMALLER OFFICES.

AND THAT'S THE BULK OF AMENDMENT ONE, AMENDMENT TWO IN LARGE PART IT STREAMLINES SOME OF THE

[00:15:03]

LANGUAGE. THE THERE WAS A PROVISION IN THE PREVIOUS VERSION OR I GUESS IN THE CURRENT VERSION THAT WOULD BE AMENDED.

IT CREATED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HR AND THE ELECTED OFFICIAL TO ACTUALLY DISAGREE ON WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN A JOB DESCRIPTION, THAT BOTH OF THEM WOULD GET SENT TO THE COMPENSATION CONSULTANT, AND THEN IT WOULD KICK IT BACK TO THE QUORUM COURT TO MAKE THE HARD DECISION. AT THE REQUEST OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, IT ACTUALLY REMOVES THAT KIND OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION, AND IT JUST REQUIRES THAT BONA FIDE QUALIFICATIONS BE INCLUDED AND GIVES THE THE ELECTED OFFICIAL THE AUTHORITY TO DECIDE, SO LONG AS THE QUALIFICATION IS BONA FIDE, WHETHER THE QUALIFICATION SHOULD BE REQUIRED OR PREFERRED.

ULTIMATELY, OF COURSE, THE DECISION STILL REMAINS WITH THE QUORUM COURT ON WHETHER TO ACCEPT THE POSITION AS WRITTEN BECAUSE IT RESULTS IN A BUDGETARY DETERMINATION.

AND THAT'S THE BULK OF IT.

IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON THE PROCESS.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.

JUSTICE STOWERS, ARE YOU.

YES. I YIELD, AND THANK YOU, MR. FOGLEMAN, AS ALWAYS, FOR YOUR ARTICULATE MANNER OF EXPLAINING TO US EXACTLY WHAT YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS IS.

YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. JUSTICE STOWERS.

JUSTICE KEITH, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

AND I ASSUME THIS CAME OUT ON A BUDGET AT A BUDGET MEETING SOMEWHERE THAT PROBABLY THAT I WAS.

AND BECAUSE I WAS NOT AT THAT BUDGET MEETING, CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME JUST A HISTORY? I THINK, PHIL, YOU SAID YOU WERE THE LEAD SPONSOR.

I GUESS I'M TRYING TO SEE WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS.

OBVIOUSLY IT'S A PURPOSE, BUT I GUESS BECAUSE I WASN'T PRIVILEGED TO THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM.

I CAN FEEL THAT.

I MEAN, WHOEVER, SO I COULD TAKE THAT, BUT I'M GOING TO.

OH. ALL RIGHT.

I MEAN, I THINK IT'S TWO PRONGED, MR. KEITH. I THINK WITH ONE AMENDMENT, ONE REALLY ORIGINATED OUT OF THIS BODY AS FAR AS TRYING TO MAKE A REASONABLE LIMIT UPON THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS AND UPGRADES THAT WERE BEING REQUESTED.

OKAY. YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD OVER 100 REQUESTS THIS YEAR.

AND AGAIN, THERE'S A MECHANISM IN THERE THAT IF SOMETHING WAS NEEDED TO BE CREATED, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMITTEE COULD SAY, OKAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, ALLOW THAT BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE.

OKAY. YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANTED TO START A NEW DEPARTMENT OR WHATEVER.

SO IT REALLY PUTS SOME GUARDRAILS ON THERE TO HOPEFULLY LIMIT SOME OF THOSE AND TO MAKE THOSE REQUESTS MORE TARGETED AND, AND PRECISE.

THE SECOND PART OF IT, I'LL DO MY BEST.

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A PROCESS FOR THERE'S NO WRITTEN PROCESS FOR HOW JOB DESCRIPTIONS ARE SUBMITTED AND EVALUATED. THE DEADLINES ARE BASICALLY SET VERBALLY.

SO, OKAY.

I THINK HAVING AN ACTUAL PROCESS DRAFTED AND WRITTEN DOWN THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ABLE TO BE READ AND UNDERSTOOD BY EVERYBODY MAKES IT MUCH MORE FAIR AND CLEAR, AND IT ALSO TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF THE ONUS OFF OF THOSE OF US WHO GET STUCK IN THAT POSITION OF HAVING TO CREATE OUT OF THIN AIR DEADLINES AND PROCESSES.

OKAY. AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS SOME CONSULTATION WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO ARRIVE AT WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US AT THIS POINT.

YES. I MET WITH THE MAJORITY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS IN ONE MEETING AND THEN INDIVIDUALLY SAT DOWN WITH THE REMAINDER AND, VISITED AND THEN SENT THIS OUT TO JUSTIN.

ALL OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WERE COPIED ON THAT.

OKAY. AND SO THAT WAS AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF REVIEW.

BUT I SAT DOWN WITH EACH ONE AND ASKED WHAT THEIR CONCERNS WERE AND, WORKED AS BEST I COULD TO SATISFY THOSE CONCERNS.

AND I'M ASSUMING THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

JUSTIN, THE ROUTE IS THAT IT'LL GO TO THE FULL.

WE'LL DISCUSS IT TONIGHT.

IT'LL GO TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR FINAL VOTE.

SO IF THERE WAS ANY OBJECTION, THEN THE OBJECTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN THESE WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO YOUR BUDGET CONTROLS, MR. KEITH. RIGHT. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

BUT I'M SAYING SO WHEN YOU PASS YOUR FINAL BUDGET.

YEAH. THEN YOU CAN DISCUSS THE BUDGET CONTROLS AT THAT TIME.

[00:20:03]

BUT THIS WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE 2025 BUDGET AND THE BUDGET CONTROLS HERE IN.

NO, NO, I MEAN, IF THERE WERE ADDITIONAL OBJECTIONS TO THIS TONIGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE NIGHT FOR THEM TO.

YEAH. AND THAT OKAY.

AND THEY COULD BRING IT UP IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY.

I MEAN AT ANY GIVEN TIME I MEAN YOU CAN ALWAYS MAKE ADJUSTMENTS BUT OKAY.

YEAH THAT'S. YEAH OKAY.

THANK YOU I YIELD.

THANK YOU, JUSTICE KEITH.

JUSTICE STOWERS YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.

YEAH. I JUST WANT TO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE.

AND WITH WHAT MR. FOGLEMAN SAID. AND THAT IS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF HARD WORK.

I SIT IN A TWO HOUR MEETING MYSELF WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, NOT JP'S AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, AND WE TALK THROUGH AND WE WALK THROUGH MANY OF THE CONSTERNATIONS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE.

AND I FEEL THAT THE COUNTY, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN VERY FAIR AND HAS LISTENED. WE'VE HAD TWO AMENDMENTS.

THE REASON WE HAVE HAD TWO AMENDMENTS IS BECAUSE THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, BROUGHT FORWARD CONCERNS ABOUT THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE OF THIS ORDINANCE.

AND MR. FOGLEMAN WAS WILLING AND READY TO WORK WITH THEM TO BALANCE OUT SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS.

SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE LANGUAGE AS IT WAS WRITTEN THEY BROUGHT IT FORWARD AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD FROM HERE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. JUSTICE STOWERS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? JUSTICE MCMULLEN, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.

YES. THANK YOU. I WASN'T AWARE OF A MEETING THAT WAS BEING HELD ON THIS, SO OF COURSE I WOULD HAVE SOME CONCERN.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH. YEAH.

WASN'T AWARE.

OKAY. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THE TALK BACK AND FORTH.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.

MISS MASSEY, CAN I JUST.

JUST ONE SECOND.

LET HER FINISH, AND THEN I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

AND SO MY PRIMARY QUESTION AT THIS.

ANYWHERE THAT'S DONE AND TAKEN CARE OF.

SO MY PRIMARY QUESTION WOULD BE IF THIS IS AT ALL RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ORDINANCE, WHAT IS THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE THAT IT IS RELATED TO? IT'S 24 I 43 AND DO YOU HAVE THAT WHERE YOU CAN READ THAT TO US AT THIS TIME? WELL, I MEAN, IT'S LITERALLY ALL RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU BETWEEN THE IF YOU STICK THIS ON TOP OF THIS.

OH, OKAY. THAT'S THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE.

OH, OKAY.

SO IT'S NOT AT ALL REALLY RELATED TO THE SO-CALLED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE? NO. AT ALL.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

TOTALLY SEPARATE ISSUE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. JUSTICE MCMULLEN.

JUSTICE STOWERS.

THANK YOU MA'AM. JUST A QUICK EXPLANATION.

I DID NOT INVITE MYSELF TO A MEETING.

MISS BUCKNER, WHO IS OUR TREASURER AND COLLECTOR, INVITED ME TO A MEETING IN WHICH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY WAS ALSO PRESENT.

THERE WERE NO OTHER JP'S PRESENT IN THIS MEETING, AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU, JUSTICE STOWERS.

I BELIEVE MAYBE OTHER JUSTICES WERE INVITED.

THEY JUST COULD NOT MAKE IT.

I'M ASSUMING I THINK THAT WAS THE CASE.

I'M UNAWARE OF IT, SO.

I MEAN, THAT'S YOU GUYS ARE FREE TO MEET INDEPENDENTLY WITH.

YES, WITH THOSE EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.

THAT'S FINE. CORRECT I AGREE.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS IN REFERENCE TO I 43.

SORRY, BUDDY. IF THERE BE NONE JUSTIN, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? YES, MA'AM. SO THIS IS TO PASS OR TO ADOPT AMENDMENTS ONE AND TWO INTO 20 I 43.

SO YOU'RE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENTS? OKAY, SO LET'S GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY.

ALL RIGHT, MISS LEWISON.

YES. MISS MCMULLEN.

WELL, I'M GOING TO VOTE YES.

BECAUSE I AM ASSUMING THAT ALTHOUGH THERE, SINCE THERE IS NO OTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL HERE TO CONTEST THIS, APPROVED BY POINT OF ORDER, I DON'T.

I THINK WE JUST NEED A.

KEITH. I WANTED TO EXPLAIN WHY, IF I'M ALLOWED.

[00:25:01]

NO, WE JUST WANT THE YES.

MR. KEITH.

YES. MS. MASSEY.

AYE. MISS GREEN.

AYE. MR. ROBINSON. YES.

MR. STOWERS. YES.

MR. ELLIOTT? YES.

IT'S EIGHT YESES, ZERO NO'S.

SO THE AMENDMENTS ARE BOTH ADOPTED, AND SO YOU WOULD GO ON TO 24 I 43 A, AS AMENDED.

CAN WE GET A MOTION FOR 24 I 43 AS AMENDED.

SO MOVED. SECOND.

MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THERE BEING NONE. JUSTIN, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? YES, MA'AM. MR. ELLIOTT.

YES. MR. STOWERS.

YES. MR. ROBINSON. AYE.

MR. GREEN. AYE.

MR. KEITH. YES.

MISS MASSEY.

AYE. MISS MCMULLEN.

YES. AND MS. LEWISON. ALL RIGHT, EIGHT AYES.

WE WILL PUT THIS INTO THE BUDGET CONTROLS FOR THE 2025 ANNUAL BUDGET.

AND I DO HAVE A LETTER WHEN WE GET TO IT.

OR WE'RE NOW DOWN TO OTHER BUSINESS.

WOULD IT FALL THERE OR WOULD THIS BE UNDER ANNOUNCEMENTS? NO. I THINK THIS IS FROM MISS BUCKNER.

I THINK SHE JUST WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON TAXES THAT THEY COLLECTED.

OKAY. SO WOULD THIS BE APPROPRIATE, WE'LL READ THIS IN 1015 2024 SUBJECT UPDATE ON TAX COLLECTIONS.

DEAR BUDGET COMMITTEE. I WANTED TO SHARE AN UPDATE ON OUR TAX COLLECTION PROGRESS.

SINCE TODAY IS THE DEADLINE.

SO FAR, WE'VE COLLECTED 518 MILLION, WITH 882 MILLION STILL OUTSTANDING AS OF 215 TODAY.

BASED ON HISTORICAL DATA, WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 42 MILLION BEFORE PENALTIES ARE APPLIED LATER IN THE WEEK.

WE ALSO ANTICIPATE THAT MORE THAN HALF THE DELINQUENCIES WILL BE COLLECTED BY YEAR END, INCLUDING PENALTY.

TO DATE, WE HAVE COLLECTED 106.6 MILLION THROUGH ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR 113,000 TRANSACTIONS.

THIS IS A 20% INCREASE OVER 2023.

THIS MARKS 24TH TAX YEAR OF MY ADMINISTRATION, AND I AM PROUD TO NOTE THAT OUR COLLECTIONS HAVE CONSISTENTLY INCREASED EVERY YEAR.

THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED TO GIVE YOU THE GOOD NEWS AND WE LOOK TO THE UPCOMING 2025 BUDGET.

ALTHOUGH I REGRET NOT BEING ABLE TO BE THERE IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT IN PERSON, I WILL BE PERSONALLY AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

COMPTROLLER HUTCHENS, HUTCH, AND I ARE IN GOOD COMMUNICATION AND ALL OF OUR ABOVE NUMBERS.

ON BEHALF OF THE TREASURY TEAM, WE APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DO FOR STAFF AND THE PULASKI COUNTY CITIZENS.

BEST REGARDS, DEBORAH BUCKNER, PULASKI COUNTY TREASURER.

THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS? IF THERE BE NONE, CAN WE GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. SECOND.

ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR PUBLIC COMMENT?

[Announcements ]

WELL, WE PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT REAL QUICK, PROBABLY WHEN WE WANT TO MEET AGAIN.

AND I THINK WITH HUTCH BEING OUT THE QUORUM COURT AND NOT REALLY WILD ABOUT MEETING ON HALLOWEEN.

BE? YEAH.

BETWEEN YOU AND THE COMPTROLLER HOW MANY BUDGET MEETINGS DO YOU ANTICIPATE THIS YEAR? HOPEFULLY NO MORE THAN TWO MORE.

AND THE ONLY REASON I ASK THAT IS I KNOW WE LIKE TO TRY TO PASS THE BUDGET IN NOVEMBER.

I MEAN, I WOULD PREFER TO GET THIS DONE PASSED AND GET IT IN AT THE END.

WE HAVE. YEAH.

PASS IT TO THE QUORUM COURT IN NOVEMBER.

SO I'D LIKE TO SAY MAYBE THE 7TH AND 14TH.

SEVENTH. YOU KNOW THE RULES.

YOU KNOW YOU DON'T. MADAM CLERK.

YES, YES.

I'M SORRY. SO, TRYING TO ESTABLISH OUR NEXT MEETING OR AT LEAST TWO MEETINGS THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. OKAY.

OKAY. SO DOES THE SEVENTH AND 14TH WORK FOR THIS COMMITTEE.

ESPECIALLY YOU, MR. KEITH.

I KNOW YOU'RE A BUSY MAN. DOCTOR.

DOCTOR KEITH. SORRY.

THANK YOU.

IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SAME.

NOVEMBER. NOVEMBER? YEAH, WE WOULD DO 6:00, NOVEMBER 7TH AND 14TH.

DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU, HUTCH? WHENEVER Y'ALL SAY THE

[00:30:03]

OH, THAT'S THE THURSDAY.

YEAH. OKAY. THOSE WILL BE THURSDAYS.

SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OFF THE NORM, BUT.

OKAY, WE'LL DEFINITELY SET THE SEVENTH.

WE'LL TENTATIVELY SET THE 14TH IN THE EVENT THAT WE CAN KNOCK EVERYTHING OUT ON THE SEVENTH, WE'LL JUST ASSUME THE 14TH DOESN'T HAPPEN.

BUT I WILL ANTICIPATE A SEVENTH AND 14TH AND WE'LL GET IT SCHEDULED AND GET IT OUT AND GIVE NOTICE TO EVERYBODY THAT HAS BUSINESS STILL PENDING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.

SO OTHER THAN THAT, I DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND THAT IS DONE FOR ME.

FOR A COMMENT.

ALL RIGHT THEN I WOULD I AM RELUCTANT TO COMMENT BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, I DON'T WANT TO BE TOLD THAT IT IS INAPPROPRIATE.

AND I THINK YOU HAVE AN IDEA THAT I AM CONCERNED AND WHAT IT IS THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.

WHEN YOU ASKED TO BE RECOGNIZED AND YOU PUSHED THAT BUTTON I RECOGNIZED YOU.

ALL RIGHT NOW. AND I DO THAT.

SO THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO DISCUSS.

DONNA DON'T THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO DISCUSS IN REGARDS TO THAT.

I'M NOT.

I ASKED YOU A QUESTION.

AND WHAT I'M SAYING IS, SINCE YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT IT IS THAT I WANT TO BRING UP, YOU CAN TELL ME NOW THAT MAYBE I SHOULDN'T BRING IT UP HERE, BUT WE CAN MAYBE DISCUSS IT.

OKAY. PERSONALLY.

OKAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. I THINK YOU HAVE AN IDEA.

I DON'T.

OKAY. WELL, WHAT I DO NOTICE IS THAT AND ACTUALLY, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HOW PEOPLE ARE RECOGNIZED, AND I SEE DISPARITIES HERE.

SO NOW, IF YOU WOULD RATHER I HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH YOU AND THE JUDGE AND WHOMEVER, AS OPPOSED TO IN FRONT OF THOSE WHO ARE HERE.

I WILL DO THAT LATER.

SO DON'T PUT.

OH, NO. NO, BABY.

IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT I'M SIMPLY SAYING IS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE.

DON'T CALL THE CHAIR BABY.

ALL RIGHT, SO THERE WE GO.

WE CAN LEAVE. WE'RE DISMISSED.

I THINK YOU SPOKE OUT OF TURN.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.