[00:00:02] GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. WE'RE ABOUT TO GET OUR BUDGET MEETING UNDERWAY. AMY, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? HERE. HERE. HERE. PRESENT. HERE. OH. OH. I'M SORRY. I'M SO SORRY. YEAH. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE WILL PROCEED WITH ITEM NUMBER THREE, APPROVAL [3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING (APRIL 29, 2025)] FROM OUR LAST MINUTE MEETING. BEEN MOVED. CAN I GET PROPERLY SECOND? THOSE IN FAVOR LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OR AMENDMENTS? THERE BE NONE. MOVING ON TO NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS AN UPDATE FOR OUR 2026 BUDGET FROM OUR CONTROLLER. [4. UPDATE ON 2026 BUDGET REQUESTS AND REVENUE PROJECTIONS: Mr. Mike Hutchens, Comptroller] OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS PRETTY QUICK AND EASY LIKE WE HAVE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. I'M GOING TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF TOPICS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PROBABLY HAVE TO ADDRESS DURING THIS PROCESS. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THIS BOOK RIGHT HERE, AND I'LL GO OVER THESE FEW PAGES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE CONCERNED WITH. I'M STILL WORKING ON THE PROJECTIONS, MASSAGING THOSE NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE WE HAVE A FEW THINGS GOING ON, LIKE WE HAVE ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE PART ON THE DEAL. WE RENEGOTIATED THE REFUNDS, AND SO WE GAVE UP OUR ROUGHLY $450,000 REBATE ON OUR X AND EXCHANGE IT FOR A $1.6 MILLION REBATE. SO THAT'LL BE A NET OF SOMEWHERE $1.1 MILLION ON REBATE THAT WILL GO. THAT'LL THAT'LL GO TOWARDS OUR HEALTH INSURANCE TO OFFSET SOME OF THAT. BUT THERE WAS A REVENUE THERE'S A POSSIBLE REVENUE CHANGE BECAUSE OF A LAW CHANGE BACK DURING LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH WILL COST US ABOUT 1.2 MILLION A YEAR. SO IT'S KIND OF GOING TO BE A WASH, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THERE. THAT'S SOME OF THE STUFF WE'RE WORKING ON. AND THEN I'M SURE SOME OF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN ASKED ABOUT SPOUSAL INSURANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I HAVE SOME NUMBERS FOR YOU WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT TO SEE WHAT KIND OF DECISION YOU WANT TO MAKE. WE'VE GOT GOOD RESERVES, YOU KNOW THAT. NOW WE'VE GOT SOMETHING COMING UP. I'M GOING TO BRING TO Y'ALL IT HAPPENS EVERY 11 YEARS, AND I DIDN'T REALIZE IT HAPPENED EVERY 11 YEARS. SO WE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT IT. BUT DUE TO THE WAY THE PAYROLLS FALL ON THE CALENDAR THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 27 PAYROLLS INSTEAD OF 26 BECAUSE YOU GET PAID ON THE FIRST AND ON DECEMBER 31ST. SO IT NEVER HAD THAT. WELL, I DIDN'T REMEMBER IT. IT HAPPENED 11 YEARS AGO. I DIDN'T REMEMBER IT. SO LEGISLATIVE AUDIT WAS HERE DOING THEIR AUDIT WENT AND GOT LEGISLATIVE AUDIT WHICH IS YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO PAY THEM PEOPLE TO VISIT. AND YOU SURE DON'T WANT TO START ASKING THEM QUESTIONS IF YOU AVOID IT BUT BROUGHT THEM IN. SIT DOWN WITH THE PAYROLL MANAGER. AND I SAID, LOOK, HERE'S THE DEAL. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE 26 PAYROLLS. BUT BY THE WAY, THIS WORKED OUT, IT'S KIND OF 27, YOU KNOW, JUST ON THE CALENDAR. AND THAT'S GOING TO SHOW US SHORT IN SOME OF THESE FUNDS. SO DO I RUN THE FUNDS IN THE NEGATIVE. YOU WRITE ME UP FOR THAT OR DO AN APPROPRIATION. HOW Y'ALL WANT TO DO IT? I LEFT IT UP TO AUDIT. SO I'M GOING TO BRING YOU AN APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO APPROPRIATE SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY. THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THAT IS YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF IT BACK THE NEXT WEEK AND CARRY OVER, BECAUSE THAT'LL BE ON DECEMBER 31ST. I'M NOT GOING TO FORCE PAYROLL TO TRY TO GET IT DOWN TO THE PENNY IN EACH DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE WE'RE CHASING GHOSTS AT THAT POINT BECAUSE OF TURNOVER OR SOMEBODY QUITTING, SOMEBODY RETIRING. SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO DO A PAYROLL AMOUNT. WE'LL GET THE ORDINANCE TOGETHER AND YOU'LL GET YOU'LL GET QUITE A BIT OF THAT MONEY BACK, LIKE I SAID, A WEEK LATER. AND IT HAPPENS EVERY 11 YEARS. IT WORKS OUT THAT WAY. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT WE DID 11 YEARS AGO. I COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING ON IT. THAT'S JUST A QUICK SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT. NOW, THIS BIG FOLDER RIGHT HERE, THIS BOOK, FLIP IT OPEN, AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT PAGES THAT HAVE A BUNCH OF YELLOW HIGHLIGHT ON IT. FLIPPED TO THE FOURTH PAGE. IT'S REALLY BRIGHT YELLOW BECAUSE MY COPIER WASN'T RUNNING OUT OF YELLOW AT [00:05:02] THAT POINT. FOURTH, IT'S THE GRANTS. SAYS GRANTS AT THE TOP. ALL THE WAY DOWN IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER, YOU'LL SEE A NUMBER 451864. EVERYBODY SEE THAT? PUT QUOTES AROUND IT. THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A NEGATIVE. I'VE LOOKED AT THIS PIECE OF PAPER FOR TWO WEEKS AND JUSTICE STOWERS SPOTTED IT. I LOOKED AT IT TOO MUCH. I HADN'T SEEN IT BECAUSE GRANTS WENT DOWN ABOUT 451,000 FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR, WHICH IS NOT AS BAD AS WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE WITH SOME OF THE STUFF THAT'S GOING ON ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND THE STATE LEVEL RIGHT NOW. JUST ONE MOMENT. JUSTICE STOWERS, YOUR LIGHT IS ON. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION NOW? OR YOU WANT TO WAIT TILL HE FINISHES? OR OKAY. WELL, OKAY. WHAT I'M GOING TO SUGGEST Y'ALL TONIGHT IS WITH THE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS ON THE, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING I ALWAYS TELL YOU. WITH THE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS WE HAVE ON PROJECTIONS AND WITH WHAT ELECTED OFFICIALS SUBMITTED FOR THEIR WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO IN 2026, YOU COULD PASS THOSE BUDGETS. NOW, SOME OF THEM HAVE SOME INCREASES. SO YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO CALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS IN. WHILE WHAT I WOULD ASK FOR Y'ALL TO DO TONIGHT, TO START WITH, IS TO BATCH THESE GRANTS AND PASS THEM AND LET'S GET THEM OFF THE TABLE. WE KNOW THAT MONEY WHERE THAT'S AT AND HOW THAT WORKS. THAT'D BE THE FIRST THING I'D ASK YOU. THEN ON THESE FIRST THREE PAGES, EVERYTHING THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED. I WOULD ASK YOU TO DO THE SAME THING WITH THEM. ANY INCREASE YOU SEE IN THOSE HIGHLIGHTED ONES HAD TO DO WITH THE RAISES WE GOT LAST YEAR. SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT'S NOT ANYTHING ADDITIONAL. THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DEPARTMENT THAT SAID, OH, I NEED 500 FOR SUPPLIES OR SOMETHING. THERE WASN'T ANYTHING MAJOR IN THEM. THE TWO EXCEPTIONS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IS ONE, THE ELECTION COMMISSION. NEXT YEAR IS AN ELECTION YEAR. YOU KNOW, IT ALWAYS GOES UP, AND THAT'S ALL THAT IS. AND YOU'LL GET THAT MONEY BACK THROUGH THE STATE. THE OTHER ONE IS SANITATION. FOR THE INCREASE IN THE CONTRACT WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT YOU COULD BRING THEM IN AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT, AND THEY'RE JUST GOING TO BRING YOU THE CONTRACT AND SAY, I HAVE AN INCREASE IN IT. THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE THEY HAVE INCREASES AT. IF YOU TAKE MY SUGGESTION AND DO THAT, THAT'S GOING TO LEAVE YOU 123456789. THAT'S GOING TO LEAVE YOU ROUGHLY NINE BUDGETS. YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO PULL IN AND MAYBE DRILL DOWN ON A LITTLE BIT. BUT I THINK WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THERE'S NOT ANY ANYTHING THAT'S REALLY OUT OF LINE. THERE MIGHT BE SOME STUFF WE COULD USE CONTINGENCY FUNDS FOR THE OFFSET, BUT THERE'S NOT REALLY A LOT IN THERE THAT THAT'S OUT OF LINE. THANK YOU. JUSTICE STOWERS. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU MA'AM. SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. NUMBER ONE WOULD BE IF YOU COULD LAY US OUT A LIST OF THOSE THAT COULD BE POSSIBLY MANAGED VIA CONTINGENCY FUNDS, SO WE WOULD KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE. WELL, I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT. I'VE GOT A. WELL. HANG ON. MAYBE I GOT THAT PAGE. THERE IS A THERE'S A COUPLE OF DEPARTMENTS. WELL SHERIFF MEDICAL, THE REALLY THE ONLY INCREASE THEY HAVE IN THAT IS THEIR CONTRACT. THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT YOU COULD. THE CONTRACT AMOUNTS, THE CONTRACT AMOUNT, THAT KIND OF DEAL. YOU CAN'T USE CONTINGENCY FOR THAT. BUT IF YOU GO INTO ENFORCEMENT, THEY HAVE SOME SOFTWARE ISSUES THEY WANT TO DO. YOU COULD PROBABLY DO THAT WITH CONTINGENCIES THAT CARVE SOME OF THAT OUT OF COUNTY GENERAL. SHERIFF DETENTION HAS AN INCREASE IN FOOD CONTRACT. YOU CAN'T REALLY DO THAT. BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME SOFTWARE AND SUPPORT IN SHERIFF'S DETENTION. YOU CAN DO THAT WITH YOU CAN ACTUALLY, EVEN BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE MONEY BACK, YOU COULD DO THE INCREASE IN ELECTION [00:10:07] DEPARTMENT IF YOU WANTED TO, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE MONEY BACK. ALTHOUGH THAT'S KIND OF A BAD PRECEDENT TO SET WHEN YOU DO THAT. AGREE. THERE'S A HUMAN RESOURCES IS ASKING FOR SOME TYPE OF EEO PLANNED DEVELOPMENT. THAT'D BE A ONE TIME DEAL IF YOU WANTED TO APPROVE THAT. THERE'S A FEW THINGS LIKE THAT WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT AND KIND OF SEE, OKAY. YOU KNOW, DID YOU WANT TO DO IT? OKAY. HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE LEFT IN OUR CONTINGENCY BUDGET. BALLPARK. I'M NOT. I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO THE PENNY. WELL, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU. $5,063,017. AND HOW MUCH DID WE START OFF WITH? ABOUT A YEAR AGO. 10 MILLION. OKAY, SO WE'VE ALREADY BURNT THROUGH ABOUT HALF OF THAT. AND I KNOW YOU GOT AN ORDINANCE COMING. THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE OUT OF THAT IF YOU ALL AGREE TO IT. OKAY. SO I MY MY FEELING IS THAT WE HAVE TO BE CAUTIOUS WITH THAT FUND. WELL, NOW, REMEMBER, THAT'S YOUR CONTINGENCY, NOT YOUR RESERVE. I GET IT. BUT. BUT STILL. YEAH. OKAY. SO MY NEXT QUESTION IS REGARDING SPOUSAL COVERAGE. WHAT PERCENTAGE OR HOW MANY OF THE 1200 OR SO COUNTY EMPLOYEES HAD SPOUSAL COVERAGE BACK IN 2016, 2017 WHEN WE ENDED THAT? 18. OKAY, SO 18 OUT OF 1200. WELL, TO BE FAIR, WE HAVE 980. SOME ODD THAT TAKE THE INSURANCE. SO 18 OUT OF 983 OR 86 OKAY. 18 THOUGH DID COST $1 MILLION BACK THEN. WELL, SO I WANT TO GET YOU ON THE RECORD ON, ON. THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION. WHAT WAS THE COST OF THOSE SPOUSES FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR BEFORE WE ENDED SPOUSAL COVERAGE? 1 MILLION, 1 MILLION? 1 MILLION. WHAT PRECIPITATED THAT CHANGE WAS THE INDUSTRY AT THE TIME, WHICH YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH UPS, FEDEX, THESE DIFFERENT, BIGGER COMPANIES TO KEEP THEIR INSURANCE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES. AND BY LAW, YOU KEEP IT FOR CHILDREN THAT'S OFFERED THAT. THAT'S THE LAW. WE MADE THAT MOVE TO REMAIN SELF-INSURED. RIGHT. OKAY. SO KIND OF A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON THE SPOUSAL COVERAGE IS THAT I DON'T CONSIDER IT PATENTLY FAIR FOR THE OTHER 90 TO 95% OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO HAVE TO HAVE THEIR PREMIUMS INCREASE FOR THAT 1 OR 2% THAT CHOOSES TO TAKE OUT SPOUSAL COVERAGE. SO I'M ONE OF 15 ON THIS BOARD, BUT I WOULD NOT BE IN FAVOR OF GOING BACKWARDS. WE'VE BEEN WHERE WE'RE AT FOR NINE YEARS. IT HAS WORKED OUT WELL FOR US. WE'VE NOT HAD AN INCREASE IN, WHAT, NINE YEARS? HUTCH IN, IN IN WHAT COMES OUT OF OUR EMPLOYEES POCKETS FOR HEALTH INSURANCE. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, IN THE INFLATION THAT'S IN HEALTH CARE TODAY THAT YOU'VE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB. MR. COMPTROLLER, DEALING WITH THE BROKER, DEALING WITH THE PAYER. WE'VE GOT AND THAT'S SOMETHING. BASED ON PHONE CALLS I'VE GOTTEN FROM JP REGARDING THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING Y'ALL MIGHT WANT TO TALK ABOUT AT. SOME POINT, MAYBE THAT'LL HELP. NO, I'M. I HAVE NUMBERS. WHEN THE TIME COMES, I ASK THE BROKERS TO RUN PROJECTIONS ON DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF SPOUSES THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED. OR TAKE IT. YOU KNOW HOW THIS WORKS. WHAT THEY DO IS THEY TAKE YOUR YOUR CURRENT CLAIMS, YOUR PAST CLAIMS. THEY TAKE THE CLAIMS OF WELL, YOUR CURRENT CLAIMS IS BASED ON A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT THAT COSTS, AND THEY PRETEND THAT YOUR SPOUSE IS GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR. HONESTLY, USUALLY IT'S WORSE. THAT'S WHY INSURANCE COMPANIES CHARGE MORE. WHAT THEIR THEORY IS, IS THAT YOU MUST NOT BE ABLE TO GET INSURANCE ANYWHERE ELSE. AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE ON THIS PLAN. THEY LIKE KIDS BECAUSE KIDS GO TO THE DOCTOR FOR EARACHES SORE THROATS, [00:15:01] RUNNY NOSE. THE KIDS MAKE THEM MONEY. ADULTS? NOT SO MUCH. I YIELD. THE GOOD NEWS IS OUR WORKFORCE AGE HAS WENT DOWN. WE WERE IN THE. OUR AVERAGE AGE WAS IN THE 50S. OUR AVERAGE AGE NOW I WANT TO SAY IS 44, 43, 44, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT'S WENT DOWN. SO WE ARE GETTING A YOUNGER WORKFORCE. THAT'S GOOD. YOU'RE WELCOME. I THINK FOR ME, I GET OLDER EVERY YEAR. SO I KNOW I'VE DUMPED SOME STUFF ON Y'ALL'S PLATE TO THINK ABOUT. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS FIRST MEETING IS FOR, IS TO TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED AND WHAT YOU CAN DO. AND I THINK YOU WILL HAVE SOME OPTIONS AND YOU'LL BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT SOME THINGS. WE DO HAVE SOME MORE LIGHTS ON, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE HEALTH INSURANCE. YES, MA'AM. NOT SAYING I'M FOR OR AGAINST, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THIS IS. IT'S BEEN NINE YEARS SINCE WE DID AWAY WITH SPOUSAL INSURANCE. HAVE WE HAVE WE DONE A STUDY TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE I MEAN? WELL, YES, MA'AM, I JUST, LIKE I TOLD HIM I HAD THE BROKERS RUN NUMBERS, AND SO I HAVE DOLLAR AMOUNTS OF WHAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY COST YOU. AND IT'S GOING TO DROP DOWN. IT'S GOING TO COST YOU ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT 1.2 MILLION TO ABOUT 5 MILLION, DEPENDING ON PARTICIPATION. OKAY. WELL I GUESS MY QUESTION IS DO PEOPLE WANT IT? I GUESS THAT THAT WAS MY QUESTION. THE JP'S THAT HAVE CALLED ME SAY THAT PEOPLE WANT IT. NOBODY'S CALLED ME AND SAID THAT. WELL, WELL, I GUESS WHAT? WELL, LET ME NOW, HERE'S THE THING. YOU'RE GOING TO ASK ME, DO WE KNOW HOW MANY? THAT'S A MOVING TARGET. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. CAN IS THERE ANY WAY TO DO A SURVEY TO ASK EMPLOYEES? YOU KNOW. YES. AND HERE'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SAY. WELL, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? WELL, I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT TILL YOU TELL ME HOW MANY PEOPLE I'VE GOT TO PLUG INTO IT. JUSTIN. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. IS THERE A WAY TO BALLPARK WHAT IT WOULD COST THE EMPLOYEE? LIKE IF YOU SAID, HEY, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SPOUSAL COVERAGE? IF YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO COST YOU AN EXTRA $500 A MONTH. WELL, I'LL CHECK. BUT THE PROBLEM YOU RUN INTO, AND THE REASON THEY GIVE US THE NUMBERS THEY DID, IS THEY BROKE IT DOWN BY PERCENTILE. IT'S 25% OF YOUR SPOUSES WANT THIS COVERAGE, IT'S GOING TO COST YOU ABOUT $1.2 MILLION. IF 100% OF YOUR SPOUSES WANT THIS, IT'S GOING TO COST ABOUT $5 MILLION. OKAY. NOW ALSO, THAT'S A VARIABLE BECAUSE WE OFFERED TO MY SPOUSE. AND MY SPOUSE HAS A HEART PROBLEM, HAS CANCER, HAS A KIDNEY PROBLEM. YOU HAVE REINSURANCE THAT KICKS IN ON THAT. BUT DO YOU ALL REMEMBER THE ONE YEAR THAT WE, WAS IT ONE YEAR OR TWO YEARS WE WENT FROM SELF-INSURED TO PAID. WE HAD WE HAD 11 PEOPLE THAT COST US $12 MILLION BY THEIRSELVES. NOW, THAT WAS BAD LUCK. THAT WAS. AND THESE PEOPLE CAN'T HELP GETTING SICK. BUT YOU'RE THE INSURANCE COMPANY LOOKS AT THAT. AND THAT'S HOW THEY'RE GOING TO QUOTE YOUR PRICE. SO YEAH, I CAN TRY TO RUN SOME NUMBERS AND GET AN IDEA AND TALK TO THE BROKERS. THEY'RE A GOOD GROUP. WE'VE WORKED WITH THEM FOR A LONG TIME, BUT IT'S STILL GOING TO BE A BALLPARK. I JUST THINK THAT IT WOULD BE. I JUST THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD DO. NOT SAYING THAT WE CAN AFFORD THEM. I'LL CALL THEM IN THE MORNING. BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED AT LEAST NEED TO WE NEED TO. WELL, I ALREADY TELL YOU THE, THE THE BOTTOM OF IT IS GOING TO BE THE MILLION, THE MILLION TWO. AND I'LL SEE IF THEY CAN RUN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, THE MEDIAN FOR WHAT THE INCREASE WOULD BE TO THE EMPLOYEE. NOW, ARE YOU COLD? YES. SO I'LL ASK HIM TO RUN THOSE NUMBERS. THANK YOU. JUSTICE CAPPS. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR HUTCH. ON OUR FOUR PAGES THAT YOU REFERENCED. I JUST HAVE THREE. AM I MISSING ONE, OR ARE THERE REALLY ONLY THREE? NO, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOUR PAGES RIGHT HERE. I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ARE MISSING. OH, WELL. I DON'T THINK I HAVE THAT SANITATION LINE ITEM. I DIDN'T HAVE ONE. DO YOU HAVE ONE THAT SAYS IT SHOULD BE TWO PAGES THAT SAY COUNTY GENERAL, [00:20:04] ONE PAGE THAT SAYS OTHER FUNDS, AND THEN THE GRANTS. I'M MISSING OTHER FUNDS. YEAH. I'LL GET IT FOR YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU. I WAS MISSING IT. YEAH. THEY'RE. ALL THE OTHER FUNDS ARE ALL. THE ONLY INCREASE ON THAT WAS SANITATION. EVERYTHING ELSE STAYED THE SAME. OKAY. THANK YOU. JUSTICE MCCOY YOU HAD YOUR LIGHT ON. DID YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND? I DID, BUT I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, ACTUALLY. OKAY. JUSTICE MCCOY. YOU ANSWERED MY OTHER QUESTION. HUTCH THE OTHER FUNDS IS THAT I FORGET THE TERMS RESTRICTED OR PASS THROUGH. YEAH. THEY'RE ALL, THEY'RE ALL. IT'S ANYTHING OTHER THAN COUNTY GENERAL. YEAH. AND AND THAT MONEY JUST PASSES THROUGH US. CORRECT? NO, NO, IT'S DEDICATED TO WHAT? IT'S. YEAH. LIKE. OKAY. SO ROAD AND BRIDGE RESTRICTED SPENDING ON ROAD RESTRICTED. OKAY. SEQUESTERED. THAT'S ALL FOR NOW. IT DEFINITELY DON'T PASS THROUGH. IT HANGS AROUND FOR A LITTLE BIT. THANK YOU. JUSTICE KEITH. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THIS IS FOR HUTCH. I KNOW HOW CONTINGENCY. WE HAVE JUST OVER 5 MILLION IN OUR RESERVE. $50,011,667. OKAY. AND AND I ASSUME WHEN YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU'RE STILL RUNNING THE NUMBERS FOR FOR OUR PROJECTIONS FOR THE INCOME PROJECTIONS, AND I SEE THE BUDGET AT JUST OVER 105 MILLION. EVERY PROJECTION THAT YOU'RE COMING UP WITH SHOWS YOU CAN COVER THAT. I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GRAVY. YOU'RE RIGHT. YEAH, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS CONSIDERING, THE GRAVY. YEAH. WHAT PART OF. THAT'S WHAT I'M. OKAY, BECAUSE I'M. WE HAD A COUPLE VARIABLES THIS YEAR WITH STATE LAWS THAT HAVE CHANGED UP, HOW MONEY IS DISTRIBUTED AND WHAT OUR SHARE IS. AND IT'S YOU'RE DEALING WITH SINCE THAT WENT INTO EFFECT AT THE END OF JULY OR AT THE END OF JUNE, YOU WON'T HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY. SO WE'RE WE'RE CARVING INTO THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT TO SEE I WANT TO COME WITH A GOOD NUMBER. OKAY. YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S FAIR. IN IN YOUR TENURE HERE, DO YOU EVER REMEMBER INCOME GOING DOWN IN THE LAST WHATEVER TIME YOU'VE BEEN HERE? THERE WAS ONE YEAR, BUT I WASN'T HERE. BUT IT HAPPENED STATEWIDE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. NO ONE EVER KIND OF FIGURED IT OUT. I WANT TO SAY IT WAS LIKE IN OH THREE OR OH FOUR. OKAY. EVERYBODY HAD A HAD A DIP, BUT, I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS A WEIRD ANOMALY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. OKAY. WE'VE NOT HAD ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE. WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE RUN INTO A LITTLE BIT NOW IS LIKE THE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THEY HAVE A GUY OUT THERE THAT'S DOING A GREAT JOB BUILDING THE CITY'S ON THE JAIL, SO. BUT YOU HAVE A CITY LIKE LITTLE ROCK. IT STAYS LIKE, SIX MONTHS BEHIND. WE SEND THEM LETTERS, WE THREATEN THEM, THEY DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE ANYMORE. AND THEY STAY, LIKE, SIX MONTHS BEHIND. WELL, THAT'S ABOUT $3 MILLION, SO WE KIND OF MISSED THAT $3 MILLION. SO YOU'RE PLAYING WITH THAT NEAR THE END OF THE YEAR. IT MAYBE DOESN'T LOOK THE BEST, BUT YOU KNOW THE MONEY'S THERE. THEY DID THAT LAST YEAR. AND THEN LIKE IN JANUARY THEY PAID UP. THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE A CERTAIN THING. BUT I'M, I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT ON THE RECORD, BUT, I MEAN, THEY PAID UP THEIR MONEY AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, AND THEN THEY KIND OF SLIP AND GET BEHIND. AND THEN WE HAD ONE CITY. THEY DON'T DO IT ANYMORE. WE HAD ONE CITY THAT YOU BILL THEM EVERY MONTH, BUT THEY WOULDN'T PAY US TILL THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. I MEAN, THEY DID THAT EVERY YEAR, OKAY. I MEAN, SO IT IT IT'S IT'S A LITTLE BIT AGGRAVATING DOING THE BOOKS AT THAT POINT. BUT IT ALL WORKS OUT. I I SEE ON THE, ON OUR CURRENT BUDGET BUDGETS, WE HAVE JUST A FEW DEPARTMENTS ACTUALLY INCREASES. AND YOU INDICATED THAT THEY MAY BE WE MAY BE ABLE TO USE SOME OF THE CONTINGENCY FUNDS. YES, SIR. HAVE YOU HEARD ANY, I GUESS, HAS ANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS EXPRESSED OF THE POTENTIAL THAT THEY WOULD COME IN FOR A SPECIAL PROJECT OR ANYTHING AFTER THE BUDGET? OKAY. NO. OKAY. NO. WHAT WE DO WITH I HAVE SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT WILL SAY, HEY, WE NEED TO UPGRADE THIS. WE'LL DO THAT IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. YOU DON'T WANT THAT BUILT INTO THE BUDGET, OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE GETTING IT EVERY YEAR. RIGHT. SO WE DON'T LET CAPITAL PROJECTS GET BUILT INTO THE INTO THE BUDGET. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I YIELD. THANK YOU. [00:25:02] I KNOW WE HAVE FOUR. THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED OR NOT HIGHLIGHTED? SHOULD I SAY. YEAH. ONE TWO. THREE FOUR. WELL, WE HAVE MORE THAN FOUR. SEVEN. YOU HAVE SEVEN. AND ARE THESE GOING TO ACTUALLY FALL UNDER CONTINGENCY? NOT ALL OF IT. LIKE I SAID, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT WHEN THEY COME IN AND EXPLAIN EVERYTHING WHAT THEY WANT. YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PULL SOME OF IT OUT, BUT NOT ALL OF IT. NO. I MEAN, YOU GOTTA KEEP IN MIND SOME OF ITS FUELS WENT UP. YOU GOT THAT OR A MAINTENANCE CONTRACT WENT UP. SOMETHING GOT OLDER. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE STUFF LIKE THAT. THERE'S NOTHING THAT I SAW THAT WAS THAT WAS CRAZY. BUT LIKE LIKE IN A PERFECT WORLD, IF IF WE COULD DO IT, I COULD SAY, HEY, YOU CAN PASS THIS BUDGET AND THEN WE CAN START WORRYING ABOUT INSURANCE AND ALL THAT. BUT TO DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO TALK TO THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE THE INCREASE. I GET IT. IF YOU SAID TONIGHT WE WANT TO PASS EVERYTHING EXCEPT THOSE ONES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED, THAT STILL LEAVES LIKE 7 OR 8 DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING IN. AND THAT'S ABOUT LIKE WHAT YOU DID LAST YEAR. AND SO THAT'LL BE A MEETING OR TWO. AND YOU KNOCK THAT OUT. AND THAT KEEPS US ON TRACK FOR HAVING 3 OR 4 MEETINGS. AND YOU'LL PASS A GOOD BUDGET. THANK YOU. JUSTICE STOWERS. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. NOW. SIDEBAR. WELL, THEY'RE. WHILE THEY'RE FIGURING THAT OUT, MISS BLACKWOOD PROBABLY LIKE THIS PART. SHE KNOWS ABOUT THIS ALREADY. THE SPAY NEUTER FUND, YOU'LL HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT'S NEXT. OR THIS MONTH. WE NEED ADDITIONAL MONEY IN THERE. WHICH. THAT'S THAT VOLUNTEER $5 THING. WE'RE DOING, LIKE, OVER 2000 DOGS AND CATS A YEAR. I DON'T KNOW HOW THERE'S ANY PUPPIES LEFT ANYWHERE, MAN. I MEAN, WE'RE. JUSTICE STOWERS. THANK YOU, MA'AM. SO I SEE A COUPLE OF LINES HERE THAT HAVE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASES THAT ARE NOT HIGHLIGHTED OR UNHIGHLIGHTED, AS YOU SAID. ONE WOULD BE DEPARTMENT 101, THE CIRCUIT COUNTY CLERK AN INCREASE OF 48 GRAND. REMEMBER, YOU DID SALARY INCREASES. THERE'S A LOT OF PAYROLL THERE. WELL, YES, THERE IS THE CLERK, THE TREASURER, THE ASSESSOR. EACH HAS ABOUT 100 EMPLOYEES. THE SHERIFF AND THE JUDGE HAVE ABOUT 500 A PIECE. BALLPARK. I'M USING ROUND NUMBERS HERE. SO WHY WOULD WE SEE THAT AMOUNT OF INCREASE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND YET NOT SEE THAT AMOUNT WHEN THAT'S 100 OF 1200 EMPLOYEES AND NOT SEE VERY SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE SHERIFF AND THE JUDGES DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE FIVE TIMES THE EMPLOYEES AS THE CLERK HAS. WELL, ON THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THEY DO HAVE ABOUT 400 PEOPLE OUT THERE, AND THAT'S SPLIT BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. THEN ON THE JUDGE, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HIS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT SPLIT BETWEEN, OH, MAN, THERE'S A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS THERE AND SOME OF THAT'S UNDER OTHER FUNDS. BUT THE CLERK'S OFFICE DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING THAT IS THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY INCREASES OUTSIDE OF THAT. OKAY. I CAN GO BACK AND CHECK, MAKE SURE THERE'S NOT A TYPO. I DO HAVE NEW STAFF, AND I DIDN'T EVEN CATCH THAT ONE ON THAT PAGE. SO WE'RE ALL LEARNING. OKAY. THAT'S GOOD. THANK YOU. HOW? WE'VE GENERALLY DONE IT WHEN WE BATCHED IT. IS THAT ANY IF YOU WANT TO PULL ONE INDIVIDUAL OUT OF THE BATCH AND HAVE THAT PRESENTED SINGULARLY WITH EVERYONE ELSE'S. THAT'S FINE. SO BEFORE YOU BATCH IT, IT'S GENERALLY, HEY, LOOK DOWN IT. IF THERE'S A DEPARTMENT THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE PULLED OUT OF THE BATCH AND SCHEDULED FOR ANOTHER DAY TO HAVE, AND THAT'S FINE. AND IT MAY JUST BE NO BIG DEAL, OR YOU JUST WANT TO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING. BUT THAT'S MY EXPERIENCE. WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT BATCHING IN THE HOUSE, THAT'S HOW THEY DID IT. THEY'D GIVE YOU A BIG LIST OF DEPARTMENT NUMBERS AND FUNDS, AND THEY'D SAY, JUST GO DOWN THERE AND SAY ANYTHING YOU WANT TO PULL OUT, AND YOU CAN PULL IT OUT AND VOTE ON IT SINGULARLY. SO IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, WE CAN DO THAT. I THINK ONCE I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THIS BOOK HOME TONIGHT AND STUDY IT UNTIL THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING, THAT THEN I'LL HAVE A BETTER OKAY, A BETTER OPENING AS TO WHAT MY QUESTIONS ARE. OKAY. THANK YOU. JUSTICE MCCOY. HUTCH, LOOKING AT LOOKING AT OTHER FUNDS, THE VERY BOTTOM LINE. [00:30:06] 3415 CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT. CAN YOU COMMENT ON WHAT'S THE STATUS? THE SAME THING IT WAS END OF JUNE. WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY. OKAY. SO WE'RE INTERESTED. SO WE'RE BUDGETING JUST IN CASE. BUDGETING ANYTHING BECAUSE THAT MONEY, IF THAT MONEY DOESN'T COME IN, THEN THERE'S NOTHING THERE. OKAY. YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE. YEAH. WE'RE NOT HOLDING THAT MONEY. IF SOMEONE GOES IN THERE AND WE SEND THE STATE AN INVOICE, THEN THAT MONEY GOES THERE. YEAH, OKAY. OKAY. WELL, ONE THING I THINK WE CAN POSSIBLY AGREE ON ARE THE GRANTS. CAN WE? IF SOMEONE WOULD MAKE A MOTION MOVE. BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND THAT WE MOVE OUR GRANTS, ALL OF THEM APPROVE THEM AND MOVE THEM ON TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR FINAL APPROVAL. AMY, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE, MISS DAVIS. MISS CAPPS. MISS MASSEY. AYE. MR. KEITH. YES. MR.. MCCOY. YES. MR.. STOWERS. YES. AND MISS MEDLOCK. SEVEN AYES. THANK YOU. THAT WILL GO TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR FINAL APPROVAL. CURRENTLY, ARE THERE ANY. WELL, THERE ARE SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE NOT. [5. CONSIDERATION OF ALL GRANT DEPARTMENT REQUESTS] THERE'S NOT ANY INCREASES. DO YOU ALL WANT TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THOSE TONIGHT? WELL, I SAW ONE THAT WASN'T. JUST. THOSE ARE COMING BACK TO YOU. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING FOR THOSE. THE ONE THAT'S NOT HIGHLIGHTED, ONES THAT AREN'T HIGHLIGHTED. YOU'LL HAVE ANOTHER MEETING FOR OKAY. SO LIKE THAT 300 WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THAT'S 56,000 INCREASE. WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER MEETING FOR THAT ONE THAT IS HIGHLIGHTED. THAT'S SHOULD NOT BE HIGHLIGHTED. YOU'RE ASKING THAT'S SECURITY. AND I'M GOING TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT, BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE REDUCED BACK TO WHAT THE ORIGINAL BUDGET WAS. OKAY. I YIELD THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUSTICE CAPPS. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ROAD AND BRIDGE INCREASE? THE 84,000. HOLD ON HERE. I CAN AS SOON AS I FIND THE PUBLIC WORKS TAB. ANY. CAN YOU. DO THAT? NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT LATER TOMORROW. IN THAT STORY THAT WE ALL HAVE, I'M GOING TO SEND THEM ALL. YEAH. WE'LL TRY. OKAY. I KNOW PUBLIC DEFENDERS. I MEAN, PUBLIC WORKS IS IN HERE. HERE IT IS. I KIND OF LOOKED. SORRY. WE SCREWED UP THE HEALTH INSURANCE MATCHING. THAT'S THE MAJORITY OF IT. AND SO THAT THAT WAS DIFFERENT FOR JUST THAT DEPARTMENT. THERE'S PROBABLY A COUPLE OF THEM THAT HAVE SOME INCREASES LIKE THAT IN IT. LOOKING AT WHAT THE ACTUAL EXPENSE WAS IN THAT DEPARTMENT FOR THE HEALTH INSURANCE MATCHING. PROBABLY NOT GOING TO NEED. IT MIGHT NOT NEED IT IN ALL OF THEM. BUT YOU GET THAT MONEY BACK. AND THAT'S HOW WE BUILD THAT RESERVE AND THE HEALTH INSURANCE. SO YOU DON'T HAVE AN INCREASE TO THE EMPLOYEE. OKAY. THANK YOU I YIELD. JUSTICE STOWERS. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU MA'AM. JUST AS ONE MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE, I WOULD PREFER, GIVEN THAT WE JUST GOT OUR BOOKS THIS EVENING TO BE ABLE TO GO HOME AND LOOK AT THAT AND NOT APPROVE ANYTHING THAT HAS ANY TYPE OF INCREASE OR IS NEUTRAL, BUDGET NEUTRAL. UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING. THAT'S NOT A MOTION. THAT'S JUST A PREFERENCE. [00:35:03] OKAY. THAT IS FINE WITH ME. SO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. THAT LOOKS LIKE AT OUR NEXT MEETING, WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THOSE THAT ARE BUDGET NEUTRAL. AND IF THERE IS AN INCREASE, IT'S AN INCREASE THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE APPROVED. I DON'T KNOW. WELL, I WOULD SAY AT YOUR NEXT MEETING, YOU'RE GOING TO BE YOU'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING LIKE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DIDN'T YOU DIDN'T DO TONIGHT. SO DEPARTMENT ARE WE INVITING DEPARTMENT HEADS IN? I DON'T THINK I WOULD YET BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF STUFF LAYING THERE THAT YOU STILL WANT TO TALK ABOUT. RIGHT. OKAY. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND. SO I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE SEEING WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE, LIKE IF YOU LOOK DOWN THAT LIST, YOU SEE A LOT OF INCREASES THAT ARE A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS, MAYBE $10,000 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT'S GOING TO BE THE TRUING UP ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE, OR IT'S GOING TO BE A CHANGE ON THE RETIREMENT OR WHATEVER LIKE THAT. IT'S GOING TO BE THAT KIND OF STUFF. CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION? YES. SO LET'S SAY LET'S FIRST OF ALL, LET'S SAY THE 16TH. THAT WOULD BE A WEEK FROM THURSDAY. IS THAT WORK? IT'S THE THURSDAY AFTER THE QUORUM COURT OR AGENDA. AGENDA. I'M SORRY. SO IF THAT'S COOL WE CAN NAIL THAT DOWN. SO. WE ALWAYS HAVE FUN WITHOUT YOU, LUKE I'M KIDDING. DUDE. SO WHY DON'T WE DO THIS IN BETWEEN NOW AND MAYBE NEXT TUESDAY? GO OVER THAT LIST. IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO PULL OUT OF THERE, LET ME KNOW. AND THAT WAY, WE CAN KIND OF HAVE AN IDEA OF, OKAY, NATALIE WANTS THIS DEPARTMENT PULLED OUT BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS OR THAT. PHIL HAS A DEPARTMENT HE WANTS TO PULL OUT, AND WE CAN EXTRAPOLATE THOSE FROM. WE CAN WE CAN PULL THOSE OUT OF THE BATCH, AND THEN WE'LL KIND OF KNOW WHAT OUR BATCH IS, AND THEN WE CAN SORT OF SET IT AS, OKAY, HERE'S YOUR HERE'S YOUR REVENUE NEUTRAL BATCH. AND THEN YOU CAN VOTE ON THAT ONE TIME AND NOT HAVE TO BRING ALL THOSE DEPARTMENT HEADS UP HERE. AND THEN FOR THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU DO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, WE CAN BRING THEM ALL IN AND HAVE THEM ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR YOU. IS THAT DOES THAT SEEM REASONABLE? AND ALSO KEEP IN MIND EVERY DEPARTMENT YOU'VE GOT THERE ON THAT PIECE OF PAPER IS TABBED IN THIS BOOK. IT HAS A COPY OF IT. SO YOU CAN GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT WHERE THEY'RE AT ON THINGS. JUSTICE MCCOY DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? YES. FOR HUTCH, IS THERE ANY DEPARTMENT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO DOWN THAT DIDN'T SUPPOSED TO GO DOWN? YEAH. LIKE IF THERE WAS A EXPECTED. I'VE NEVER EXPECTED ONE TO GO DOWN. OKAY. LIKE OBVIOUSLY SORT OF A MAYBE A GOOD BAD EXAMPLE WOULD BE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ELECTION COMMISSION. OH IT DOES ROLLER COASTER. WELL CORRECT FOR 2027. SO BUT IT'S GO UP THIS YEAR. IT'S THE ONLY ONE I EVER EXPECT TO GO UP. AND I'M NOT EXPECTING ROAD AND BRIDGE TO GO DOWN UNLESS I DON'T HONESTLY. BUT BECAUSE WITH THE INCREASES YOU'VE LOOKED AT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND THE WAY THE ECONOMY IS RUNNING AND EVERYTHING, I DON'T EXPECT ANY OF THEM TO GO DOWN. OKAY. IF I THINK IF I UNDERSTOOD JUSTICE STOWERS CORRECTLY I'VE LOOKED OVER THE JUST THESE FOUR SHEETS OR THE THREE SHEETS WITH THE COUNTY GENERAL FUND AND ALSO THE OTHER FUNDS, AND I SEE SEVERAL THAT ARE NOT GOING UP. SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO GO AHEAD AND SEND THOSE TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT WITH THE DUE PASS RECOMMENDATION. YOU'VE GOT BUDGETS THAT DON'T GO UP TO CLEAR. CLARIFY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YOU'VE GOT SOME ON HERE THAT JUST HAVE A DASH MARK, WHICH MEANS THERE'S NO CHANGE WHATSOEVER. AND YOU'VE GOT SOME OF THEM WITH THE PARENTHESES, WHICH MEANS IT WENT DOWN. YEAH. THOSE I MEAN, WHAT, IT'S WHATEVER Y'ALL WANT TO DO. I MEAN, I, I GET PAID THE SAME, SO IT'S OKAY. AND I'D LIKE TO REDO MY MOTION. SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO SEND EVERY COUNTY GENERAL 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET AND OTHER FUND 2026 BUDGET PROPOSALS THAT ARE BUDGET NEUTRAL OR GO DOWN TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT WITH THE DUE PASS RECOMMENDATION. SECOND. MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND. ALL BUDGETS THAT ARE BUDGET NEUTRAL OR HAVE GONE DOWN. THAT WE MOVE THEM ON TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? AND I KNOW WE HAVE SOME LIGHTS, SO LET'S SEE. JUST A MOMENT. JUSTICE STOWERS. I WOULD PREFER TO DISPENSE WITH MR. MCCOY'S MOTION BEFORE I HAVE A QUESTION. OKAY. [00:40:03] JUSTICE KEITH. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. OKAY. I'M. I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND REVENUE NEUTRAL HERE. DO. IS THERE A SPECIFIC AMOUNT THAT WE LOOK AT THAT THE COUNTY OR THAT YOU LOOK AT TO CONSIDER REVENUE NEUTRAL? WHAT HE MEANS BY NEUTRAL IS THE 2026 AND 2025 BUDGET ARE THE SAME. OKAY. SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT SO SPREADSHEET COMPARES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2020 2025 AND WHAT THEY WANT IN 2026. RIGHT. HE'S TALKING ABOUT PER DEPARTMENT OKAY. RIGHT. SO SO THAT WOULD BE ZERO INCREASE. NO MATTER NO MATTER WHAT THE LINE ITEM INCREASE WHEN IT WHEN WE GET TO THE BOTTOM LINE IT'S NO INCREASE. NO NO NO RIGHT. LIKE SOMEBODY CAN TAKE INSIDE THEIR BUDGET AND SAY I DIDN'T SPEND ALL MY MONEY ON OFFICE SUPPLIES, RIGHT? SO I TOOK 100 OUT OF OFFICE SUPPLIES, AND I PUT $100 INTO BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS OR SOMETHING. THE BUDGET IS THE SAME, RIGHT? RIGHT. SO. BUT NO, I GUESS THE WAY I'M LOOKING AT THIS IS, IS THE MAJORITY OF THESE BUDGETS GOT SOME TYPE OF INCREASE. SO THAT'S WHERE I'M TRYING TO GET GET AN UNDERSTANDING. YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. NOW STOP FOR A SECOND. SOME OF THEM YOU'LL SEE HAVE QUOTES. THAT MEANS THEY WENT DOWN RIGHT ON THE PAGE THAT APPARENTLY A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET, WHICH IS THE OTHER FUNDS PAGE. VAST MAJORITY OF THEM ARE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE WHATSOEVER. THOSE ARE OTHER FUNDS, RIGHT? THAT'S THE BOATING FUND AND THAT'S THE LIKE THE DASH. YEAH, IT'S A DASH. THAT MEANS THE NUMBERS ARE THE SAME, RIGHT? RIGHT. THAT'S REVENUE NEUTRAL, RIGHT? OKAY. SO NO. WELL, LET'S LET'S DO IT THIS WAY THEN. I'M LOOKING AT THE COUNTY JUDGE. I ASSUME THIS IS A $9,580 INCREASE. THAT'S NOT REVENUE NEUTRAL, BUT BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT IS SMALL, WE'RE CONSIDERING THAT AS NO, BECAUSE OF WHAT IT IS. IF IT FALLS UNDER PERSONAL SERVICES OVER SOMETHING YOU'VE DONE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. OKAY. DEPARTMENTS HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT, OVER SALARIES AND ALL THAT. WE PLUG ALL THAT IN. OKAY. SO WE'RE NOT SO WE'RE JUST WE'RE USING A BLANKET TERM AS REVENUE NEUTRAL. BUT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE IN SOME INSTANCES. WELL ON HIS DEFINITION OF IT IT IT IS. IF YOU. OKAY. NO I UNDERSTAND. TRUST ME I UNDERSTAND. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. I DON'T THINK SO. YES I DO. WHEN IT HAS THAT DASH OUT THERE, IT'S REVENUE NEUTRAL. I SEE. I SEE 103106I GOT IT. I SEE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO PROVE. SO THAT'S WHAT HE'S TRYING TO APPROVE RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU WHEN YOU TAKE THIS HOME AND STUDY IT. LIKE MR. STIER SAYS, HE'S GOING TO DIVE INTO IT AND DO THAT. WHEN YOU GO AND LOOK AT THAT, ONE OF THOSE, LIKE A LOT OF THOSE COURTS HAVE AN INCREASE OF LIKE, IS IT LIKE 9000 OR 11,000? I'M WORKING OFF MEMORY. YOU'RE GOING TO GO INTO THAT BUDGET BECAUSE YOU'RE YOU'RE DILIGENT. Y'ALL DO THAT JUST LIKE I DO. SO YOU'RE GOING TO GO INTO THAT BUDGET AND YOU'RE GOING TO GO, OH, THAT'S UNDER INSURANCE. THAT'S UNDER WORKMAN'S COMP. THAT'S UNDER WHATEVER. DEPARTMENTS DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THAT. RIGHT. SO IS THAT REVENUE NEUTRAL? NOT NECESSARILY. BUT THEY DID NOT ASK FOR AN INCREASE. RIGHT. BUT BUT HERE HERE'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT FROM, FROM HIS STANDPOINT. AND MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE ASKED HIM SPECIFICALLY. WE WERE LOOKING AT I THINK HUMAN RESOURCES WITH A 4300 INCREASE, AN INCREASE. BUT THE JUDGE HAD A 9580 INCREASE. BOTH OF THEM WERE INCREASES. BUT HE WAS WE WERE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE $4,800 NOT LOOKING AT SPECIFICALLY WHERE IT CAME FROM. SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE REVENUE NEUTRAL. I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WHAT WAS THE THRESHOLD THAT WE WERE CONSIDERING? YEAH, IT'S NOT A THRESHOLD. IT'S A CRITERIA. OKAY. THE CRITERIA THEN THE INCREASE IN HR IS SOMETHING EXTRA THEY'RE WANTING. RIGHT. YEAH. SO I SEE SO YEAH I UNDERSTOOD I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD SO AND THAT I MEAN AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU. YEAH. GO BACK AND READ ALL THOSE THINGS. IT'S IT'S EXCITING READING. IT'S THRILLING READING. IT'S IT'S AMAZING. LUKE. LUKE CLARIFICATION ON WHAT EXACTLY YOU'RE PROPOSING HERE. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I NEED OKAY. SO EVERYTHING WITH THE DASH IS WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TO PASS WITH THIS, RIGHT? OR IS IT EVERYTHING THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED? EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING WITH A DASH OKAY OR A DECREASE. CORRECT. YEAH. DO YOU HAVE. THE ONE WITH THE. IF ANYONE IS CONFUSED BY MY MOTION, I CAN WITHDRAW IT. RESTRICTED. OKAY, I THINK I CAN MAKE. THAT CHANGE. I SEE THAT. I'M SORRY. SO? SO, MR. MCCOY, YOUR MOTION WOULD BE TO PASS DEPARTMENT 103 [00:45:02] 106. 120. 108. I'M SORRY. YEAH. 108 IS A DECREASE. 435. 435. 801. OKAY. 2003 3000. 3001 3002 3006 3409. 3008. PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING FROM 3008 DOWN TO 3415. CORRECT. OKAY. THAT RECOMMENDATION. SECOND. MOVED IMPROPERLY. SECOND. AND I'M SORRY, WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT? BECAUSE I DIDN'T HEAR YOU, NOR DID I RECOGNIZE YOU, BUT I'M RECOGNIZING IT. ALL RIGHT. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO SEND TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT DUE PASS RECOMMENDATION BUDGETS 103, 106, 108 120. 435. 437. 801. 3409, 2003, 3000, 3001, 3002 AND ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THREE 3415. PRETTY PLEASE. COULD YOU BE A SECOND? OKAY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THE MOTION ON THE TABLE? IF THERE BE NONE. AMY, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE, MISS DAVIS. MISS CAPPS. MR.. KEITH? YES. MISS. MASSEY. AYE. MR. MCCOY. YES. MR.. STOWERS. YES, AND MISS MEDLOCK. I'M OUT ALL THAT WEEK. I GOT FAMILY IN TOWN. JUST ONE MOMENT. SEVEN AYES, ZERO NAYS. SO THIS WILL GO. THESE DEPARTMENTS WILL GO ON TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR FINAL APPROVAL. JUSTICE STOWERS. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MISS MASSEY. HUTCH, THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU. YES, SIR. SO IF WE WERE TO ACCEPT THIS BUDGET AS PRESENTED WHAT ARE YOUR PROJECTED 2026 REVENUES VERSUS THIS PROPOSED BUDGET? IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT IS OUR WIGGLE ROOM BETWEEN? AND IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, EVEN LIKE EXPANDING? I'M TALKING ABOUT GENERAL FUND ONLY. GENERAL FUND ONLY. WHAT? WHAT IS. IF YOU COULD GIVE US A NUMBER EVEN, I'D REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. WHAT IS YOUR ANTICIPATED GENERAL FUND REVENUE VERSUS THIS PROPOSED BUDGET? THAT'S WHAT I TOLD MR. KEITH. WE WERE STILL FINE TUNING. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PASS THAT NUMBER. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GRAVY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ON IT. WHEN DO YOU. WHEN? I MEAN, I GET NERVOUS, I GET NERVOUS MAKING DECISIONS WHEN WE DON'T. WELL, EVERY YEAR, IF YOU'LL THINK BACK, I GIVE IT TO YOU ABOUT THE SECOND MEETING OR MAYBE THE THIRD YEAR. I'LL GET IT TO YOU. OKAY? THANK YOU. I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO DO IT BLIND, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BRING YOU A NUMBER. IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. ABSOLUTELY. WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO FOR US. HUTCH. THANK YOU. JUSTICE MEDLOCK. YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, JUST FRIVOLOUS. BUT I'M JUST WONDERING, CAN WE GET A NEW PRINT OUT WITH ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS OUT? NO. WELL, I CHANGE THOSE EVERY. EVERY MEETING. YOU GET NEW, YOU GET NEW EVERYTHING. UPDATE. THANK YOU. I YIELD. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE US? MOVE FOR ADJOURNMENT. SO MOVED. HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR PUBLIC COMMENT? NO. WE'LL WE'LL RECONVENE. WE'LL MEET AGAIN ON THURSDAY THE 16TH, 06:00. [Announcements ] DOES THAT WORK FOR EVERYBODY? I'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT MY BOOK. I HOPE SO. THANK YOU. LUKE. YOU NEED TO BE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.