[1. CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:06] GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR BUDGET HEARING UNDERWAY. OUR FALL BUDGET HEARING UNDERWAY. JUSTIN, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? JUSTICE DAVIS. JUSTICE DAVIS IS PRESENT. JUSTICE CAPPS. JUSTICE CAPPS IS PRESENT. JUSTICE KEITH IS IN VEGAS. JUSTICE MASSEY. HERE. JUSTICE MASSEY IS PRESENT. JUSTICE ROBINSON. HERE. JUSTICE ROBINSON IS PRESENT. JUSTICE MCCOY. HERE. JUSTICE MCCOY IS PRESENT. JUSTICE HOUSE. PRESENT. JUSTICE HOUSE IS PRESENT. MISS MEDLOCK. MISS MEDLOCK IS ABSENT. ONE. TWO. THREE. FOUR. FIVE. SIX MEMBERS PRESENT. MADAM CHAIR, YOU HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU. SINCE WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, WE WILL CONTINUE ON. [3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] CAN I GET AN APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING? SO MOVED. SECOND. BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND. THOSE IN FAVOR, CAN I GET AN AYE? YES. THOSE WHO OPPOSE? MOVING ON TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS. IS THERE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR TREASURER. [4. NEW BUSINESS] I'M SORRY. JUST A MOMENT BEFORE THE TREASURER COMES. YEAH. UNFORTUNATELY, MISS BUCKNER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT. HER HUSBAND, JOEL, IS NOT DOING WELL, AND SHE WANTED TO SPEND TIME WITH HIM, SO I WOULD LET BENTLEY, I GUESS, EXPAND UPON THAT IF HE WANTS, BUT I GUESS AT THIS TIME, JUST KEEP HER IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. THANK YOU. WE WILL HEAR FROM A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE TREASURER'S OFFICE. I'M FILLING IN FOR MISS BUCKNER, AND I'LL KEEP MY COMMENTS VERY, VERY BRIEF. WITH TREASURER'S OFFICE BACK HERE, WE'RE ALL KIND OF RUNNING ON FUMES. WE JUST, WITHIN THE LAST 30 MINUTES, GOT OUR BOOKS BALANCED AND GOT THE PENALTY AND INTEREST ROLLED IN SO WE CAN OPEN FOR BUSINESS TOMORROW. THE GOOD THING IS THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SHEET I THINK Y'ALL GOT A WEEK OR SO AGO, LAST WEEK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THE REVENUE PROJECTION THERE ON THE 4251 FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS GOING TO BE SPOT ON. IT'S GOING TO BE RIGHT WHERE WE THOUGHT IT WAS ON THE PROJECTION. SO THAT'S A GOOD POSITIVE THING THAT WE'VE HIT OUR MARK. AND IF YOU'LL NOTICE TOO, LIKE I THOUGHT SOME INTERESTING STATS YOU GUYS MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN. IF YOU LOOK UNDER THAT LINE, WE TOOK IN 152,000 ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS THIS YEAR. AND THAT NUMBER IS SKYROCKETING. WE'VE ALWAYS WONDERED WHEN THE TIPPING POINT, WHAT YEAR IT WOULD BE, WHERE THE MAIL REALLY DROPPED AND THE ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS SKYROCKETED, AND I THINK WE HIT IT THIS TIME. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN TRENDING THAT WAY, BUT THIS TIME IT REALLY FLIPPED. SO WE'RE KIND OF PROUD OF THAT BECAUSE WE TRY TO STAY ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF THINGS. AND FUNNY STORY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DOWNSTAIRS A WHILE AGO. WE REMEMBER THE FIRST YEAR WE PUT OUT ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS ON OUR WEBSITE. IT'S NOT BEEN AS LONG AGO AS YOU THINK. IT'S BEEN PROBABLY LESS THAN TEN YEARS, I THINK. DEBBIE. AND THAT FIRST YEAR, WE COLLECTED $5 MILLION AND WE THOUGHT WE'D CHANGE THE WHOLE WORLD. THAT $5 MILLION. AND NOW WE'RE UP TO $149 MILLION. WE ALWAYS GET ASKED ABOUT DELINQUENTS. AND SO OUT OF WHAT'S LEFT AS OF TODAY, WHAT WENT DELINQUENT WAS ACTUALLY $51 MILLION. AND THAT WILL BE 93,000 DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS AND $51 MILLION. AND THE FUNNY THING ABOUT THAT IS, AND I CAN SHOW YOU THE STATS FROM GOING YEARS BACK, OF THAT 93,000 DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS, 71,000 OF THEM WERE DELINQUENT PERSONAL. SO IT WAS KIND OF YOU. AND IT'S KIND OF CREEPY HOW THAT NUMBER STAYS CONSISTENT YEAR AFTER YEAR, WHICH TELLS YOU IT'S THE SAME PEOPLE THAT, IF YOU'VE GOT A NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY OR FEBRUARY CAR TAG, THEY'LL COME PAY. THEY JUST GO, THEY'RE GOING TO PAY LATE. SO ANYBODY IN HERE HAVE A LATE CAR TAG? BECAUSE I KNOW MOST OF YOU AND HELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK, SO. BUT ANYWAY, THAT NUMBER STAYS REALLY CONSISTENT. AND OUT OF THAT IN. AT $71 MILLION THAT WE DID NOT COLLECT ON PERSONAL, THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT $17 MILLION THAT WE DID NOT COLLECT. SO WITH THAT TOMORROW, LIKE I SAID, WE WILL BE OPEN FOR BUSINESS TOMORROW WITH PENALTY AND INTEREST ROLLED IN. THOSE ARE THE OCTOBER PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T PAY THEIR CAR TAGS THAT, YOU KNOW. ANYWAY, I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT IF YOU PAY BEFORE OCTOBER 30TH, YOU WILL NOT BE IN THE NEWSPAPER. ONCE THE 30TH GOES BY AND WE SEND THAT FILE TO THE NEWSPAPER, I CAN'T GET IT BACK. [00:05:03] SO IF ANYBODY CALLS YOU, PLEASE TELL THEM TO PLEASE PAY BY THE 30TH NEXT FRIDAY AND THEY WILL NOT BE IN THE NEWSPAPER. AND WITH THAT, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT, THE REVENUE ON THE PROPERTY TAX SIDE WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE GLAD TO TRY TO ANSWER THEM. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? JUSTICE HOUSE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WAS DOING SOME CALCULATIONS. I UNDERSTAND THE PROPOSED BUDGET HAS TO BE 90% OF PROJECTED REVENUES. AND I RAN THE FIGURES THREE TIMES. AND I FIND A $200,000 DISCREPANCY WHEN I MULTIPLY 118 MILLION AND CHANGE .TIMES 90%, AND ALSO BY 10%. AND I COME UP WITH A $191,000 DIFFERENCE. IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT? I'M NOT SURE WHERE HE'S LOOKING. YEAH. I MEAN, THERE'S MORE AFTER HIM. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A REPORT AND WE'RE GOING TO ANSWER A LOT OF THOSE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SURE. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU, JUSTICE HOUSE. ARE YOU DONE? OKAY. MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TREASURER'S DEPARTMENT. NOW MOVING ON TO THE COMPTROLLER REPORT. ALL I'VE GOT FOR YOU IS YOUR BOOK. SO IN YOUR BOOK IN THE FRONT POCKET ARE PROJECTIONS. THREE PAGES WITH THE PROJECTIONS. THEN THE FIRST PAGE, THIS ONE RIGHT HERE, IS GOING TO GIVE YOU THE REVENUES AVAILABLE MINUS WHAT THE COUNTY GENERAL BALANCE IS RIGHT NOW, WHICH MIGHT BE WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, THE DIFFERENCE IN THE. DID YOU SAY 191,200? AND WHATEVER YOU THE NUMBER YOU QUOTED. AND THEN BEHIND THAT ARE ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WITH WHAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR THIS YEAR. YOU'RE LOOKING AT, I THINK THERE'S SEVEN DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR INCREASES IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR A TOTAL OF $681,592. I WAS TALKING TO MISS MASSEY, TALKED TO HER A COUPLE OF TIMES OVER THE LAST MONTH WORKING ON THIS. YOU'VE GOT TWO OPTIONS. ONE, YOU START HAVING BUDGET HEARINGS AND WORKING YOUR WAY THROUGH THESE THINGS LIKE YOU NORMALLY DO. NUMBER TWO, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATION, WHICH PROBABLY MEANS THERE'S GOING TO BE A CHANGE IN WHAT DIRECTION THEY SEE THE COUNTY GOING. WITH THE INCREASES THAT ARE ASKED, ONE OF THE BIGGEST, AND IT'S EVERY YEAR, IT'S THE JAIL MEDICAL THAT'S BUILT INTO THE CONTRACT. IT'S $237,000 AND CHANGE. BUT THE REST OF THOSE ASKS ARE, THEY'RE NOT MAKE OR BREAK THAT HAVE TO BE DONE RIGHT NOW. SO TALKING TO MISS MASSEY, THE SUGGESTION HAD COME UP IS YOU CAN PASS THE 2026 BUDGET AGAIN. AND THEN WHEN YOU HAVE A NEW ADMINISTRATION AND PROBABLY A NEW FINANCE COMMITTEE, TAKE ON THESE INCREASED APPROPRIATIONS, OR WE START HAVING HEARINGS, Y'ALL CAN GO THROUGH THEM. Y'ALL JUST HAVE TO TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? JUSTICE DAVIS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. WHAT DO WE NORMALLY DO? DO WE NORMALLY WAIT OR DO WE NORMALLY GET IT GOING? ONCE WE HAVE. WE ALWAYS PASS A BUDGET, BUT ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEW ADMINISTRATION. HE'S 12, 13 YEARS. YEAH. HOWEVER LONG THAT'S BEEN. I KIND OF THINK WE SHOULD START GOING AND START. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. I KIND OF THINK WE SHOULD JUST START DOING IT LIKE WE ALWAYS DO. AND WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION COMES OVER, WHICHEVER ONE IT IS, WE GO FROM THERE. WE COULD DO THAT. BUT ME PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST APPROVE WHAT WE HAVE. AND THEN JANUARY, THE NEW ADMINISTRATION, CAN HANDLE THINGS HOW THEY WANT TO HANDLE THEM IN REGARDS TO FINANCES. I MEAN, PASSING IT NOW, WE CAN DO THAT. BUT I JUST DON'T SEE THE NEED TO SPEND EVERY DAY IN HERE. AND THAT MAY CHANGE IN JANUARY. A LOT OF THINGS MAY CHANGE. [00:10:02] NOT TO MENTION THERE ARE BUDGET REQUESTS FOR INCREASES THAT WE DON'T HAVE RIGHT NOW. SO THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. I MEAN, UNLESS YOU ALL VOTE TO DO IT AND FIND THE MONEY TO DO THAT, BUT. SO I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE LESS BURDENSOME TO DEAL WITH THIS IN JANUARY. WE'LL HAVE A NEW ADMINISTRATION, PERHAPS MORE FINANCES AND CAN GO FROM THERE. AND YOU ARE. I'M SORRY. YOU'RE DONE, JUSTICE DAVIS? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. OKAY. JUSTICE MCCOY, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, HUTCH. I THINK YOU SAID TO PASS THE 2026 BUDGET AGAIN. OKAY, SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. WE WOULD. YOU CALL IT THE 2027 BUDGET, BUT IT'S THE 2026 ONE. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE NOT ACCEPTING WHAT'S IN THIS BOOK NECESSARILY. SO I JUST WANT US TO BE CLEAR THAT IF WE PIVOT TO HANDLE THIS MORE SPECIFICALLY EARLY NEXT YEAR, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I'LL BE ON THE BUDGET, THEN THE NEW ADMINISTRATION WILL CHOOSE WHO'S ON THE BUDGET. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR THAT HE SAID THE 2026 BUDGET, WE WOULD NOT APPROVE THIS ONE AND THEN EDIT IT EARLY NEXT YEAR. WE'D APPROVE 2026. THAT'S ALL. I YIELD. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY? JUST. OKAY. JUSTICE ROBINSON AND THEN JUSTICE CAPPS. THANK YOU. BUT IF WE JUST DO THIS, DON'T WE NORMALLY DO OUR PERSONNEL AND EVERYTHING IN APRIL? SO IF WE PUSH THIS DOWN THE LINE TILL JANUARY, I MEAN, WITH OUR PROCEDURES THAT ARE SET IN PLACE, REALLY WE'LL BE PUSHING IT TILL APRIL. SO THOSE ARE YOUR RULES, IS THAT YOU ESTABLISHED THROUGH YOUR RULES THAT APRIL WOULD BE GENERALLY WHEN YOU WOULD HEAR PERSONNEL MATTERS. HOWEVER, IF THE COMMITTEE DECIDES THAT IT'S BEEN LONG ENOUGH AND AT ANY GIVEN TIME YOU DO WANT TO HEAR PERSONNEL MATTERS OUTSIDE OF THAT WINDOW IN APRIL, YOU GUYS JUST HAVE TO SAY BY A MAJORITY THAT, YES, WE WANT TO OPEN THIS UP FOR PERSONNEL. SO YOU COULD DO PERSONNEL IN FEBRUARY. YOU COULD DO IT IN JUNE, IF THE COMMITTEE DECIDES THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. OKAY. I JUST. IF WE WANT TO DO THIS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL BE ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE EITHER, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHOEVER IS THERE, WE'RE NOT BACKING THEM INTO A CORNER. WE TRY TO WRITE THE RULES SO THAT YOU DON'T PAINT YOURSELF INTO TOO MANY CORNERS. OKAY. THANK YOU, I YIELD. THANK YOU, JUSTICE ROBINSON. JUSTICE CAPPS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. SO. AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS TO YOU OR TO HUTCH, BUT ARE THERE ITEMS WITHIN THE 2026 BUDGET THAT WOULD NOT BE NEEDED TO BE FUNDED IN 2027, OR EACH ITEM WILL NEED TO BE FUNDED? ARE THERE ANY. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT'S EXPIRED OR WOULD NOT BE PERTINENT IN THE NEXT ROUND? I'VE NOT REVIEWED IT LINE BY LINE. I MEAN, YOU HAVE A FEW BUDGETS IN HERE. YOU'LL BE LOOKING AT THE SAME NUMBERS WHEN YOU GET THEM FOR 2027. YOU'LL BE LOOKING AT WHAT CHANGES WERE PROPOSED. AT THAT POINT, YOU'RE GOING TO AMEND A BUDGET WHETHER YOU RAISE IT OR LOWER IT. YOU HAVE A FEW IN HERE THAT WENT DOWN. AND THE REASON THEY WENT DOWN IS BECAUSE THERE'S. I MADE A NOTE. 9TH DIVISION AND 3RD DIVISION ARE SWITCHING FROM CRIMINAL TO CIVIL, CIVIL TO CRIMINAL. OKAY. IT'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SWITCHING. THOSE ARE ALL AMENDMENTS LIKE YOU DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. OKAY. I REMEMBER IN OUR LAST BUDGET CYCLE, THERE WERE A BUNCH OF COURT CHANGES AND THEN THEIR BUDGETS CHANGED. SO THERE ISN'T ANYTHING LIKE THAT COMING DOWN THE LINE THAT WOULD NOT MAKE THE PREVIOUS BUDGET APPROPRIATE CHANGES. IT'S NOT GOING TO BREAK ANYTHING BETWEEN THE FIRST OF THE YEAR AND PROBABLY OCTOBER. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I MEAN, IT'S NOTHING THAT'S GOT TO BE PAID IN FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, MAY. THERE'S ENOUGH MONEY IN THOSE BUDGETS TO COVER THAT STUFF. OKAY. AND THEN HOW WOULD WE DEAL WITH. I THINK IT'S STILL TURNING POINT. WOULD WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THAT SEPARATELY TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS ENOUGH IN THERE FOR THE INCREASE FOR THE JAIL MEDICAL. IT'S ONLY A $237,000 INCREASE ON A ALMOST $7 MILLION BUDGET. DECEMBER OF 2027? YES. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU, I YIELD. THANK YOU. JUSTICE CAPPS. JUSTICE MCCOY, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. SO YOU TOLD US THOSE TWO OPTIONS. ONE IS WE COULD GO THROUGH THE NORMAL HISTORICAL PROCESS. [00:15:07] BRING DEPARTMENTS IN HERE. OR WE COULD ADOPT A 2026 BUDGET AGAIN AND LET THE NEW BUDGET BE HASHED OUT EARLY NEXT YEAR. WHAT CONCERNS, ISSUES, BUMPS, HOLES IN THE ROAD, IF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE DECIDES TO DO A 2026 BUDGET, REFERRED TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE SHOULD EXPECT THAT MIGHT NOT BE PLEASANT, IF THAT'S THE SCENARIO? LISTEN, Y'ALL NOT LISTENING TO ANYTHING I'VE SAID SINCE APRIL. SO I DON'T KNOW. I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING DIFFERENT. IT'S NOT GOING TO MATTER. IT WOULDN'T BE ANY DIFFERENT THAN IF YOU WERE IN HERE ON A YEAR WHERE YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY AND YOU TOLD EVERYBODY, THEY HAD TO SAY, I HAVE THE SAME BUDGET, RIGHT? THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE IN THAT. OKAY. I YIELD. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE I WOULD SEE IS THE ADMINISTRATION AND POSSIBLY WHO'S SITTING IN THOSE CHAIRS. THAT'S THE ONLY DIFFERENCE. MCCOY. JUSTICE ROBINSON, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. SORRY, HUTCH. SO THE $35 MILLION THAT WE MOVED OVER FROM THE EMERGENCY FUND, SINCE I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THIS BOOK YET, IS THAT GOING TO SHOW THAT WE ARE $35 MILLION AHEAD? IS IT GOING TO SHOW THAT WE'RE. WE HAVE $35 MILLION. WHEN I LOOKED THIS MORNING. I DIDN'T LOOK THIS AFTERNOON. WHEN I LOOKED THIS MORNING, COUNTY GENERAL HAD A BALANCE OF $35 MILLION AND CHANGE. SO. MY CONTENTION IS STILL AND TREASURER'S OFFICE MIGHT DISAGREE, AND I REALLY DON'T CARE. BUT THE MONEY YOU MOVED IN APRIL WILL BE THERE AND WE'LL STILL HAVE A CARRYOVER. SO WE'LL TREAT THAT AS A CARRYOVER. WE DON'T NEED TO MOVE IT BACK TO THE EMERGENCY OR. HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN THE EMERGENCY FUND? RIGHT NOW? $10,023,510. CONTINGENCY FUND HAS $1,316,262. ELECTION EQUIPMENT RESERVE IS A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS. DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND TECHNOLOGY IS $83,939. AND PUBLIC SAFETY RESERVE IS 41,420. SO THE EMERGENCY THAT. THE $35 MILLION THAT WAS MOVED IN APRIL, IS THAT JUST IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT CAN BE USED FOR. WHATEVER. IT'S UP TO Y'ALL. Y'ALL PASSED AN ORDINANCE. THAT'S WHAT. IS THERE GOING TO BE A $35 MILLION SURPLUS? THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN THAT. SO. MY CONTENTION IS, AND NOT EVERYBODY AGREES, LIKE I SAID A FEW MINUTES AGO, WHAT YOU ACTUALLY MOVED IN APRIL WAS $42 MILLION. WHEN ALL THESE TAXES AND EVERYTHING GET PAID AND ALL THAT. AND I'VE LOOKED AT EXPENSES AND I'VE LOOKED AT WHAT THE BUDGETS ARE AND I'VE WENT BACK AND FORTH. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE YOUR $42 MILLION AND CHANGE BACK, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME MONEY ABOVE THAT. I MEAN, ME PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT MONEY BACK TO THE EMERGENCY FUND OR AT LEAST PART OF IT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAPPENS IN THIS SETTING, IF THAT HAS TO HAPPEN AT THE FULL QUORUM COURT. WHENEVER YOU WANT. IT'S NOT GOING TO MATTER. YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO MAKE THAT. YOU CAN MAKE THAT DECISION JANUARY 1ST WHEN YOU SEE WHAT YOUR TOTAL IS. THEY JUST TOLD YOU THEY CLOSED OUT THEIR BOOKS. THEY'VE GOT EVERYTHING ROLLED AROUND. WE'VE NOT SEEN THE FULL IMPACT ON THE REVENUE YET, BUT WE WILL. ON THE NEXT REVENUE REPORT, YOU'LL START SEEING THAT NUMBER JUMP UP BECAUSE THEY SAID THEY HIT THEIR MARK. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE WAITING ON. AND USUALLY IN OCTOBER THEY COLLECT ABOUT HALF THE MONEY IN THOSE TAXES. THAT'S WHEN MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE PAY. SO WHETHER YOU MOVE THAT MONEY TODAY OR YOU MOVE IT JANUARY 1ST, DOESN'T MATTER. IT'S STILL GOING TO BE SITTING THERE AND IT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET PROCESS. NOT WHAT I PUT IN FRONT OF YOU. OKAY. I MEAN, I JUST KIND OF CONCUR WITH WHAT JUSTICE DAVIS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE BEST TO MAYBE HEAR AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON INSTEAD OF JUST, YOU KNOW, PUSHING IT DOWN THE ROAD. BUT IF EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO THAT, I GUESS THAT'S FINE AS WELL. [00:20:05] I YIELD. THANK YOU, JUSTICE ROBINSON. I MEAN, I WILL SAY THIS, WE CAN HAVE A BUDGET PROCESS, BUT WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE HAVING ANOTHER BUDGET PROCESS STARTING THE FIRST OF THE YEAR AT SOME POINT WITH THAT NEW BUDGET COMMITTEE. SO IF YOU WANT TO DO IT TWO TIMES, I DON'T SEE THE SENSE IN THAT, BUT. JUSTICE HOUSE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO, QUORUM COURT APPROPRIATED A PRETTY GOOD CHUNK OF CHANGE TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO DEAL WITH HIS BOILERS AND SOME OTHER ISSUES DOWN AT THE JAIL. TIME, PURPOSE AND AVAILABILITY ARE THE THREE KEYS TO THE APPROPRIATION. IT'S GOING TO TAKE THE SHERIFF SOME TIME TO PROPERLY BID OUT HIS REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT WORK THAT HE'S GOT TO HAVE, WHICH MAY VERY WELL RUN PAST THE FISCAL YEAR. WILL THE 2026 BUDGET. I'VE GOT THE COPY OF THE BIG THING OVER HERE IN MY BRIEFCASE. WILL IT BE AMENDED TO REFLECT THOSE AMOUNTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROPRIATED TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, SO THAT HE CAN CONTINUE WITH HIS CONTRACTING PROCESS, THAT. BUDGET AS AMENDED THE PAST YEAR? IF YOU WANT TO PASS IT FOR THAT SPECIFIC THING, AS AMENDED. AND YES, WE WOULD PUT THAT IN THERE. I'M GOING TO ASK THE SAME QUESTION IN MAYBE ANOTHER WAY. DOES HIS MONEY THAT WE APPROPRIATED FOR HIM FOR THOSE PROJECTS, DOES IT EXPIRE 12/31 IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING? WE WOULD IN THE PAST, WE HAVE ENCUMBERED MONEY, WHICH THIS YEAR HAS TURNED INTO A HUGE DEAL. AND SO THIS COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE IS NOT ENCUMBERED ANY MONEY. THANK YOU, I YIELD. THANK YOU. AND LET ME SAY THIS. IF WE WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, I DON'T WANT TO COME OFF AS BEING RUDE, IN MY OPINION, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL ENTITLED TO OUR OPINIONS. BUT IF WE WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, FINE. I JUST BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AGAIN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. SO WHY WOULD WE DO IT NOW? AND THERE'S. I'M SORRY, JUSTICE ROBINSON. AND THERE'S NO BIG CHANGE BEING ASKED THAT WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON RIGHT NOW. RIGHT. THERE ARE REQUESTS, BUT THEY'RE NOT REQUESTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HONOR, I DON'T BELIEVE, RIGHT NOW. OR CAN HONOR RIGHT NOW. SO IT WOULD BE TAKEN UP AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR OR AT SOME POINT IN THE YEAR. I'LL SAY THAT. I WON'T SAY AT THE BEGINNING, I DON'T KNOW. BUT AT SOME POINT NEXT YEAR. NEXT ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, THOSE REQUESTS WILL BE TAKEN UP. SO I JUST. BUT IF YOU ALL WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT SYSTEM, PUSH SOME PAPER, WE CAN DO THAT. AND IF YOU ALL NEED TO THINK ON IT, IF WE WANT TO CALL ANOTHER MEETING TO VOTE ON IT, YOU KNOW, TO PONDER OVER THAT, THAT'S OKAY WITH ME ALSO. ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST. WE ARE NOT DOING RAISES, CORRECT? WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO THAT, DO WE? OR DO WE? HIS PRIORITY WAS HE WANTED TO GIVE THE EMPLOYEES A RAISE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE WAY THE ECONOMY HAS BEEN GOING AND ALL THAT. I DON'T SEE A WAY OF DOING THAT RIGHT NOW. YOU CONTACTED ME EARLIER TODAY AND ASKED ME ABOUT A ONE TIME PAY INCREASE. I RAN A FEW NUMBERS. IF. BECAUSE I THINK THE FIRST TIME YOU ASKED ME ABOUT THIS WAS ABOUT A MONTH AGO. IF YOU DID $1,000 PER FULL TIME EMPLOYEE, EXCLUDING ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHICH DOESN'T CHANGE IT A WHOLE LOT, BUT EXCLUDING ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE GENERAL FUND, THAT'S ABOUT $1.125 MILLION. [00:25:06] THAT INCLUDES THE THOUSAND DOLLARS PLUS THE TAXES ON OUR END. IT WOULD BE TAXED TO THE EMPLOYEE AS PAYROLL, NOT AS A CAPITAL GAINS. SO THAT'S CERTAINLY DOABLE WITH THE RESERVE FUNDS YOU'VE GOT. ALL THE OTHER FUNDS, THEY HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY FOR THAT. AND THAT'S ALL BROKEN DOWN HERE. THAT WOULD JUST TAKE AN ORDINANCE. THAT WOULD BE FOR JUSTIN, RIGHT? HE WOULD ENJOY THAT. YOU CAN DO THAT. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT, WE CAN CHANGE IT. I JUST NEED TO KNOW. OR DO YOU NOT DO ANYTHING? THANK YOU. BUT THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANYTHING IN WELL OVER A YEAR. TWO YEARS, I THINK. TWO YEARS. YEAH. THIS WILL BE YEAR TWO. YEAR TWO. SO I JUST THINK IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING FOR THE EMPLOYEES, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT. AND SO THAT'S MY THOUGHT. AND JUSTICE CAPPS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. JUSTIN, HAS THIS IDEA OF APPROVING THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S BUDGET BEEN FLOATED TO THE OTHER EXECUTIVE OFFICES? AND ARE THERE ANY CONCERNS, IF SO? MY RECOMMENDATION WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT UP TO ME, WAS THAT THAT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH THE OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE COMFORTABLE WITH ESSENTIALLY PASSING THIS YEAR'S BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, AT LEAST IN THE MID-TERM. OKAY. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT, BUT I DEFINITELY MADE THAT RECOMMENDATION THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDED TO BE DISCUSSED. AND I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OPPOSITION TO THAT. AND JUST BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE ISN'T, BUT. I HAVE. GO AHEAD. WELL, TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THAT, THE CLERK DOESN'T HAVE AN INCREASE. THE TREASURER DOESN'T HAVE AN INCREASE. THE ASSESSOR HAS AN INCREASE, BUT SHE HAS HER OWN FUND. SO THAT FUND IS SET UP TO PAY FOR WHAT THAT INCREASE IS. AND IT'S A SOFTWARE DEAL. SANITATION IS ONE OF THE ONES THAT HAS AN INCREASE IN ITS CONTRACT, AND IT HAS ITS OWN FUND TO COVER THAT. THE OTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT HAS AN INCREASE IS THE SHERIFF. AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT IN ENFORCEMENT FOR CLOTHING AND UNIFORMS FUEL, BUT NOTHING THAT'S NOT THAT'S. THAT'S GOING TO BREAK THEM COME JANUARY 1ST. AND THEN YOU HAVE THE INCREASE IN. EXCUSE ME. THE DETENTION MEDICAL, IT'S PART OF THE CONTRACT $237,000 ON ALMOST A $7 MILLION CONTRACT. SO THAT'S REALLY NOT A BIG DEAL EITHER. SOME MIGHT BE OPPOSED, I COULDN'T TELL YOU. BUT OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE INCREASES, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S PUTTING THEM IN A POSITION WHERE THEY CAN'T FUNCTION. NOT EVEN CLOSE. I CAN ANSWER TO SOME DEGREE. I DID SPEAK WITH THE SHERIFF BECAUSE I DO KNOW THAT HE HAS REQUESTS AND HE IS OKAY WITH US PASSING THIS BUDGET INTO NEXT YEAR. HE DEFINITELY WANTS TO DEAL WITH HIS REQUEST, BUT, YOU KNOW, HE'S OKAY WITH US JUST PASSING 26 BUDGET INTO 27 AND THEN GO FROM THERE, SO. AND THAT EQUALS ALMOST A LITTLE OVER 60% OF YOUR TOTAL BUDGET. HIS THREE DEPARTMENTS. JAIL, MEDICAL JAIL AND ENFORCEMENT. SO THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA RIGHT THERE. YEAH. I FEEL LIKE I WOULD AT LEAST LIKE TO KNOW THAT THE OTHER EXECUTIVE OFFICES ARE AGREEABLE. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO IT, BUT IT FEELS LIKE A COURTESY THAT SHOULD BE EXTENDED. AND THAT'S JUST MY OPINION. WELL, YOU'VE GOT. SHE SAID SHE TALKED TO THE SHERIFF. THE CLERK DOESN'T HAVE AN INCREASE. THE TREASURER DOESN'T HAVE AN INCREASE. AND THE SETS ARE SITTING RIGHT OUT THERE. OKAY, GREAT. CAN WE DO THAT? CERTAINLY. THANK YOU, I YIELD. JUSTICE. NOT JUSTICE. I'M SORRY. I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH IT. I'M NOT A GENERAL FUND. I DON'T HAVE A GENERAL FUND. IT'S JUST A SMALL AMOUNT, ABOUT 6.75% OF WHAT I NEED COMES OUT OF THERE. AND YES, WE CAN MAKE IT FINE. IT'D BE TIGHT, BUT WE CAN MAKE IT TILL THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. IN MY OPINION, I'VE BEEN HERE 32 YEARS. I SETTLED THROUGH A LOT OF THESE MEETINGS. WHOEVER THE NEW ADMINISTRATION IS NEEDS A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN ON THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THINGS THEY WANT TOO, [00:30:04] AND THERE MAY BE THINGS THEY WANT TO CUT OUT OF OTHER BUDGETS OF THEIRS. SO IF WE COULD JUST GET US TO THE END OF THE YEAR WITH THIS BUDGET, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY FOR ME. BUT I'M NOT GENERAL FUND. SO IT'S DIFFERENT WITH ME, BUT I'M FINE WITH IT. THANK YOU FOR ASKING. THANK YOU, MISS WARD. I ALSO SPOKE WITH THE CLERK. AND LET ME SAY THIS. I SPOKE WITH PEOPLE. I RAN INTO THEM. LET ME JUST PUT IT LIKE THAT. SO I DON'T WANT OTHER OFFICIALS TO FEEL LIKE I PERSONALLY TARGETED CERTAIN ONES. IF I SAW YOU AND IT HIT ME, OH, WAIT A MINUTE, I NEED TO TALK TO YOU. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS? SO MISS WARD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FOR COMMENTING AND AGREEING WITH THAT. AND JUSTICE CAPPS, I'M SORRY. I YIELD. JUSTICE HOUSE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. MADAM CHAIR, A QUESTION, IF YOU'D PLEASE. I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SHERIFF'S FUNDS EXPIRING. DID HE INDICATE TO YOU THAT HE WAS GOING TO FACE THAT SITUATION? BECAUSE WE VOTED FOR THAT MONEY FOR THAT PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AS I RECALL. IS HE. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN THERE WAS THE YOUTH SERVICES LAST MEETING. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY AMENDMENTS THERE HAVE BEEN TO THE BUDGET OVER THE PAST YEAR. THAT'S NOT GOING TO. BUT SHE STILL DOES HAVE TO HAVE AN APPROPRIATION, WHICH IS HER AUTHORITY TO SPEND IT. RIGHT. AND SHE WILL WHEN YOU PASS THAT BUDGET. OKAY. SO, TUESDAY. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU, JUSTICE HOUSE. AND JUSTICE CAPPS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. ALL RIGHT. JUST FOR CLARITY HERE, EVERY TIME WE AMEND THE BUDGET, IT BECOMES THE NEW BUDGET. SO IF WE VOTE TO EXTEND THE BUDGET, IT WILL BE AS IS. THANK YOU, I YIELD. THANK YOU. JUSTICE CAPPS. WELL, NOT ENTIRELY. IF I COME TO YOU THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND I SAY I NEED $25 FOR BUYING A NEW CAR AS A CAPITAL EXPENSE FOR A ONE TIME PAYMENT, THAT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY STAY IN THE BUDGET FOR THE NEXT YEAR. IN THIS CASE, WITH THE CAPITAL OUTLAYS THAT JUSTICE HOUSE IS TALKING ABOUT THE SHERIFF NEEDED, WE CAN LEAVE THAT IN THERE. AND THEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT COME JANUARY 1ST. SO. YOU STILL HAVE THE FLOOR? OH I'M SORRY. IF I CAME. SO I FEEL LIKE IT'S UNCLEAR BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WILL GO UNFUNDED IF WE DO THIS THAT WE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED? NO. OTHER THAN WHAT JUSTICE HOUSE WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE SHERIFF. IT'S NOT A HUGE DEAL THAT CAN GET DONE. THE LEAD TIME, THOUGH, IS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO RUN INTO PROBLEMS. OKAY. BUT IF YOU SAY, HEY, ON THAT SHERIFF ONE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AMENDED AMOUNTS IN THERE. WE PUT THAT IN THERE. WE ROLL THAT OVER. OKAY. THANK YOU. I YIELD. WHICH I THINK IS WHAT Y'ALL SAID. THANK YOU. JUSTICE CAPPS. SO. JUSTICE HOUSE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED SO MOVED. SO WAS THERE AN OFFICIAL MOTION TO AMEND THAT, TO EXTEND THAT, TO ENSURE THAT IT'S IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET? SO IF. AND THEN YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S IN THERE. SO MR. HOUSE, IF YOU COULD STATE THE MOTION. I MOVE THAT THE. WELL, I MOVE THAT WE RECOMMEND TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT THAT WE AMEND THE 2026 BUDGET TO INCLUDE THE FUNDS PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED FOR THE SHERIFF. OH, YOU'RE WANTING TO DO THE 2027 BUDGET? NO. IF WE'RE GOING TO PASS THE 26 OVER UNTIL 27 AND WORK ON IT, THEN IT'S THE 26 BUDGET THAT HAS TO BE AMENDED. THE 26 BUDGET'S ALREADY AMENDED. YOU AMENDED IT. YOU SAID IT HAD NOT. NO, SIR. WE WOULD NOT DO AN ENCUMBRANCE. WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO PASS IS THE 2027 BUDGET. YOU'RE GOING TO USE THE 2026 BUDGET TO DO IT. AND YOU WANT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET, AS AMENDED, TO BE IN THAT 27 BUDGET. YES. DID MY. THEN TO GET MY QUESTION CLEAR. JUSTICE CAPPS ASKED, WAS EVERYTHING AUTOMATICALLY AMENDED? AND YOU SAID YES, BUT AND THEN POINTED TO ME AND SAID, NOW THE SHERIFF'S APPROPRIATION IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. [00:35:07] SO THE QUESTION THEN IS. IT'S DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU POINTED THAT ONE OUT. NO ONE ELSE HAS THAT TYPE OF DEAL SITTING ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW. NO ONE ELSE HAS THAT KIND OF MONEY SITTING THERE. NO ONE ELSE HAD AN AMENDMENT LIKE THAT THAT'S GOING TO RUN INTO THAT TIME THAT THEY'VE NOT USED. OKAY, SO IT IS ALREADY AMENDED PART OF THE 2026 BUDGET. YOU DID THAT WHEN YOU PASSED THE ORDINANCE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE GOT A CLEAR ANSWER. WE'RE AGREEABLE. OKAY, THEN I'LL WITHDRAW MY MOTION. SO I THINK MAYBE I CAN HELP PROCEDURALLY WITH THIS, IS THAT IT WOULD BE TO PASS THE 2027 BUDGET TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT AT THE 2026 LEVELS, BUT INCLUDE THE MONEY THAT WAS APPROPRIATED PREVIOUSLY TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR THEIR PROJECTS. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO? YES. OKAY. SO I SECOND THAT. SO CAN I GET A MOTION? THAT MOTION. SO MOVED. SECOND. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND, THAT WE PASS THE 27 BUDGET AT THE 26 BUDGET LEVEL WITH AN EXTENSION FOR THE. OR THE AMENDMENT FOR THE. INCLUDE THE AMENDMENT MADE TO THE SHERIFF. TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. SO ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTION REGARDING THE MOTION ON THE TABLE? JUSTICE ROBINSON, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS THE 1.125, IF WE WANT TO INCLUDE THAT THOUSAND DOLLAR ONE TIME BONUS, I GUESS, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORD. THERE YOU GO. DO WE WANT TO INCLUDE THAT? DO WE. DO THAT SEPARATELY? THAT'S A SEPARATE ORDINANCE. YEAH. THAT'D BE SEPARATE ALTOGETHER? SO WE NEED TO PASS THIS FIRST AND THEN OKAY. THANK YOU. WELL THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS. WHATEVER WHERE YOU PASS THEM IS FINE. BUT I MEAN, IT'S WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. YIELD. THANK YOU, JUSTICE ROBINSON. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THERE BEING NONE. JUSTIN, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? ALL RIGHT, MADAM CHAIR. SO YOU ARE VOTING TO PASS THE 2027 BUDGET AT THE 2026 LEVELS WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THEIR INCLUDED FUNDS? YES. OKAY. GOOD. SEVEN AYES, ONE NON-VOTING NONE PRESENT. THIS WILL GO TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR FINAL APPROVAL. NOW, CAN WE POSSIBLY GET A MOTION ON. ON THE. YEAH. WHAT WAS THE. ARE YOU GOING TO PUT AN AS OF DATE ON THERE. SO NORMALLY WHEN. I'LL HELP OUT. I'M SORRY. NORMALLY WHEN YOU DO THIS IT'S ESSENTIALLY FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES THAT WERE HIRED BY A SET DATE. SO DO YOU WANT TO SET A SET DATE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE HIRED BEFORE DECEMBER 1ST. OCTOBER 1ST. NOVEMBER 1ST. THAT'S YOUR CALL. OH MY GOODNESS. JUSTICE MCCOY. I WANT TO GO BACK, THOUGH, IF I MAY, TO. WE MADE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN 1 AND 2 YEARS. IT'LL BE TWO YEARS SINCE A PAY INCREASE. WHEN IS THAT TWO YEAR PERIOD UP? IS IT UP AT THE END OF THIS YEAR? OKAY. OKAY. I WOULD SAY THEN IF WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT PAY INCREASES FOR EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR TWO YEARS AS OF THE END OF THIS YEAR, [00:40:02] THEN I WOULD SAY EMPLOYEES, PROBABLY AS OF SOMETIME LATE LAST YEAR OR EARLY THIS YEAR WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION. LET ME SAY. AND BEAR IN MIND, WHEN THOSE NUMBERS ARE CALCULATED TO GIVE YOU WHAT THE $1,000 PREMIUM PAY COST WOULD BE, THAT INCLUDES ALL POSITIONS IRREGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE FILLED OR NOT FILLED. SO ACTUALLY BE SAVING SOME OF THIS MONEY. YEAH. SOME OF IT WILL COME BACK TO YOU. SO IF YOU PICK A DAY OF YOU HAD TO BE EMPLOYED HERE BY JULY 1ST OF THIS YEAR OR EVEN NOVEMBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR, YOU PICK AN ARBITRARY DATE AND THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'LL PLUG IN WHEN WE DO THE, WHEN WE, WE'LL ADD THIS TO A PAYROLL AND THAT'S HOW WE'LL DO IT. WE JUST NEED TO KNOW FROM YOU ALL A DATE AS A CUT OFF DATE. AND THEN IF THIS PASSES THROUGH THE FULL QUORUM COURT NEXT WEEK THEN PAYROLL WILL TELL US WHEN THEY CAN WORK THIS IN, PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT TWO PAY PERIODS AND PUT THIS ON THERE. IF WE BACKTRACK A DATE TO SAY, LATE LAST YEAR, THEN THAT NUMBER OBVIOUSLY WOULD GO DOWN. YES. YEAH. I SAY WE, I SAY WE SELECT DECEMBER 1ST 2025. OKAY. NOW ARE WE AMEND? OH, NO. WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE DATE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TO THIS. I MEAN, THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE IS TO DO A ONE TIME PREMIUM PAY OF $1,000. YOU JUST NEED TO HAVE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF WHO YOU WANT TO INCLUDE AT THAT. SO I GUESS THE AMENDMENT TO THAT MOTION IS TO BACKDATE IT TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2025. IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? I SAID DECEMBER 1ST, BUT FIRST, 2025. SO IF THAT'S THE MOTION IT WOULD REQUIRE, THAT'S MY SUGGESTION. I HAVEN'T MADE A MOTION YET. OKAY. NO, I HAVE NOT MADE A MOTION YET. I YIELD. JUSTICE DAVIS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. I WOULD LIKE TO DO LIKE NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR SINCE IT'S OCTOBER NOW. WHY DO WE NEED TO BACKDATE IT FROM LAST YEAR IF IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS? THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR. I WOULDN'T LIKE TO DO IT THIS YEAR. THAT WOULD ELIMINATE EXCLUDE THE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE HIRED AFTER THAT DATE, CORRECT? YES. YES. IF THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT HIRED YET THOUGH. SO NOVEMBER 1ST, 2026. SO ANY EMPLOYEE HIRED BEFORE TWO WEEKS FROM NOW WOULD GET IT. CORRECT. ANYBODY WHO WAS HIRED AFTER NOVEMBER 1ST WOULD NOT. YEAH. THERE MAY BE. WELL, THEY THEY, THEY COME IN AND THEY GET AUTOMATIC $1,000 PAY INCREASE THAT THE JUSTIFICATION OF THE ONE TIME PAY INCREASE IS FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVEN'T HAD A PAY INCREASE FOR TWO YEARS. RIGHT. SO I FEEL LIKE WE, WE NEED TO DATE IT BACK TO SOMETIME LATE LAST YEAR. AND THERE'S NO WAY I'M GOING TO STRIKE THE MATCH. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY WAY WE'RE GOING TO STRIKE A MAGIC DATE THAT'S JUST GOING TO SATISFY EVERYONE. BUT I BELIEVE OBVIOUSLY OUR BUDGET SESSIONS HAPPEN USUALLY IN OCTOBER AND ARE FINALIZED BY END OF OCTOBER OR INTO NOVEMBER. WE SEND IT TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT. SO THAT'S WHY I KIND OF FELT LIKE DECEMBER 1ST LAST YEAR. THEY'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST A YEAR NOW. I MEAN, TO ME THAT, THAT THAT'S SOMEWHERE IN THE RIGHT NEIGHBORHOOD. I AGREE. SO THE WHEN DID THE 1000 WHEN THEY NEW HIRE WHEN DID THAT COME ABOUT? WHEN THEY BECOME A NEW HIRE, THEY GET $1,000. WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN? IS THAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID? NO, NO, THIS IS THIS IS A ONE TIME PAY INCREASE IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T HAD A RAISE. WAS SAYING THAT NEW HIRES GET 1000. YOU'RE TALKING THEY WOULD GET THIS $1,000 IS WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO, RIGHT? CORRECT. SO IF IF IF WE MADE YOUR SUGGESTION AND DID ANYBODY HIRE BEFORE NOVEMBER 1ST, 2026, I THINK WAS YOUR SUGGESTION SOMEONE WHO WAS HIRED OCTOBER 31ST OR THAT'S A SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30TH, THEY'D GET $1,000 ONE TIME PAY INCREASE AND THEY'VE ONLY BEEN HERE ONE DAY. OR THEORETICALLY, I THOUGHT YOU HAD SAID THAT THERE WAS ALREADY LIKE A KNOW A THING GOING ON. I WAS LIKE, WHEN DID THIS START? NO, NO. I'M SORRY. I THINK WE'VE DONE ONE. I WANT TO SAY WE'VE DONE A ONE TIME PAY INCREASE BEFORE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE QUORUM COURT. YEAH. YES, YOU DID SO. AND WE'VE, I DON'T RECALL HOW FAR WE'VE GONE BACK AS THE EFFECTIVE DATE. [00:45:01] IT WAS IT WAS PRETTY. I HAVE THIS CONVERSATION EVERY TIME WHEN YOU DID IT PREVIOUSLY, AND IT WAS PROBABLY 21, 22. YOU DID A COUPLE OF THEM, ACTUALLY. AND I THINK THE EFFECTIVE DATE WAS PROBABLY THE MONTH THAT YOU HAD PASSED IT. AND SPEAKING AS EMPLOYEE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MAYBE IT HELPS WITH THE LITTLE RECRUITING AND RETENTION TO GET SOME FOLKS IN HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. I CAN TELL YOU IT'S HARD TO FILL POSITIONS. YOU KNOW? YEAH. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. YEAH. SO YOU'RE SAYING NOT THAT. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. ARE YOU TELLING ME WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST? YES. JUST JUST ONE SECOND. JUSTICE DAVIS. ARE YOU DONE? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUSTICE. OH MY GOODNESS. IF I COULD FIND YOU HERE. MEDLOCK. AND I'M SORRY. I APOLOGIZE FOR OVER SPEAKING. I WAS JUST CURIOUS. THAT BROUGHT A THOUGHT TO MY MIND. I WAS JUST THINKING THAT I SAID IN THE PAST, WE DIDN'T BACKDATE IT. AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF NOW. WE LET THE NEW HIRES GET IN ON THE THOUSAND INCREASE BECAUSE YOU FEEL. I THINK YOU THINK YOU PASSED IT LIKE IN THE LAST TIME YOU DID IT. YOU PASSED IT IN LIKE JULY. IT WAS EVERYBODY WAS HIRED PRIOR TO LIKE JULY 1ST OF THAT YEAR. SO IT WASN'T IT WASN'T A HUGE BACKDATE. OKAY, I YIELD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUSTICE. JUSTICE STOWERS I MEAN, JUSTICE HOUSE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. I THINK THE WORD THAT MIGHT BE SEARCHING FOR IS CONTINUOUSLY EMPLOYED FROM A PARTICULAR DATE UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST, 2026. I THOUGHT ABOUT JANUARY THE 1ST, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF HIRING THAT'S USUALLY DONE IN JANUARY AROUND THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. SO MAYBE SINCE FEBRUARY, CONTINUOUSLY EMPLOYED FROM FEBRUARY THE 1ST UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST FOR THIS YEAR. I'M A LITTLE THERE'S A QUESTION IN MY MIND. THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THE NEWSPAPER A FEW DAYS AGO LEGISLATIVE AUDIT WAS BEATEN UP ON A CITY BECAUSE THEY PAID SOME PEOPLE MONEY FOR A FISCAL YEAR OUT OF THE FISCAL YEAR CYCLE. I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS. IT'S JUST IT'S UP HERE, AND I JUST KIND OF GLANCED OVER IT. BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE FISCAL YEAR PAYMENTS. NO YOU CAN'T. WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE USING IS THIS YEAR, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR ARBITRARY DATE. YOU SAID THEY WORKED HERE AT THAT TIME BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT PAYING THEM BACK PAY. WHAT YOU CAN'T DO IS TAKE THIS YEAR'S MONEY AND GO BACK AND PAY SOMEBODY FOR SOMETHING THEY DID LAST YEAR. WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS SETTING A CONDITION ON WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS ONE TIME PAY INCREASE. YOU CAN PICK ANY DATE YOU WANT. THAT'S THAT. THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS. SO IF WE HAVE A BEGINNING DATE OF ANYWHERE 2025, ARE WE NOT GOING BACK? NO. YOU'RE JUST SETTING A CONDITION ON WHEN YOU CAN GET THIS FOR THIS YEAR. BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE HERE. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE BEING REWARDED FOR IS BEING HERE NOW FROM AND TO. RIGHT. WELL IT'S ACTUALLY FROM AND THEY'RE STILL HERE. SO THAT THAT'S AN AUTOMATIC. YEAH. OKAY. SO WE HEY, HOW ABOUT WHAT'S APRIL FOOL'S DAY? SO APRIL 1ST, 2026. THERE YOU GO. SO WE HAVE A SUGGESTED DATE OF 12. WHAT WHAT WAS I'M SORRY, 12. WHAT DID YOU SAY, JUSTICE MCCOY? 12 1 OKAY. 12 1. I SAID 121 I MEAN. DO I HEAR 122? I THINK 122. I SAID 121. AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE FACT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ASSIST THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE AS OF TWO YEARS AT THE END OF THIS YEAR WHO HAVEN'T HAD A PAY INCREASE. TO ME, IT YOU KNOW, NEW HIRE COMES. SURE, EVERYONE CAN USE EXTRA MONEY, BUT IT JUST IF WE'RE TRYING TO HELP THOSE, I THINK WE'RE HELPING OTHERS WHO NECESSARILY AREN'T AS JUSTIFIED IN THE ASSISTANCE. JUSTICE LEWISON, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. MAY I SAY SOMETHING? HERE'S THE THING. WE HAVE ALL THESE EMPLOYEES. WE NEED TO HONOR THEM. I'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME, AND THEY DON'T EVEN MAKE A LOT OF MONEY. AND LOOK AT THE LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED. THE GAS, THE ELECTRICITY. [00:50:03] I MEAN, EVERYTHING'S GONE UP FOR THEM. THOUSAND DOLLARS. WHAT'S THAT GOING TO COME OUT THROUGH THE WHOLE YEAR? LIKE 100. NOT EVEN A HUNDRED A MONTH. AND I JUST THINK WE SHOULD JUST GIVE EVERYBODY THAT RAISE. THAT'S HOW I FEEL. BECAUSE I THINK WE SHOULD JUST HONOR THESE EMPLOYEES. THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION HERE. THE QUESTION IS THE DATE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO. WELL, THEN START GIVE EVERYBODY ONE AND HAVE NO DATE. JUST GO TILL DECEMBER 31ST. THANK YOU. JUSTICE. JUSTICE. CAPPS. I'M SORRY. YOU RECOGNIZE IT? I HAVE A MONKEY WRENCH IDEA. THAT MAY BE A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE, BUT I'M CURIOUS IF IT COULD BE EXECUTED. WOULD THERE BE A WAY TO SAY THAT IT WOULD BE A ONE TIME PAYMENT ON EXECUTION OF 12 CONTINUOUS MONTHS OF SERVICE AT THE COUNTY. SO IF PEOPLE ALREADY QUALIFIED FOR IT, THEY COULD GET IT THEN. BUT WHENEVER THE 12 MONTHS. WHEN WOULD YOU BE THOUGH? I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE, BUT ONGOING, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING IS DOING AN ONGOING ANNUAL ONE TIME. ONE TIME. YEAH. OKAY. THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE YOU TO COME BACK AND VOTE OR PUT THAT INTO A POLICY. THEN HOPE YOU HAVE THE MONEY AVAILABLE OVER AND OVER. AND THEN WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IS LIKE, WELL, WE HAVE A RACE. ARE WE STILL GOING TO DO THE OTHER? OKAY, JUST TRYING TO THINK OF A CREATIVE SOLUTION. ALL THE THINGS I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO DISCUSS TONIGHT. THIS DATE RIGHT HERE WAS NOT ON MY RADAR SCREEN IS WHAT WAS GOING TO BE THE HANG UP. I MEAN, PICK A DATE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT. I YIELD. THANK YOU. JUSTICE CAPPS JUSTICE ROBINSON. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. FROM WHAT I RECALL THE NUMBERS STICK IN MY HEAD. FOR SOME CRAZY REASON. THE SHERIFF WAS THE LAST ONE THAT ACTUALLY UTILIZED THIS, AND WHAT HE DID WAS HE GAVE, I BELIEVE IT WAS $500 IF YOU'D BEEN HERE SIX MONTHS AND THEN UP TO A YEAR, THAT WAS COVID, THAT WAS DURING COVID. BUT WHAT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO WAS WE DID APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR A SIGNING BONUS, AND THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDED JUVENILE DETENTION. AND I THINK OEM IT WAS CRITICAL CRITICAL SAFETY POSITIONS WHERE YOU GUYS DID A ONE TIME SIGNING BONUS TO HELP WITH RETENTION AND RECRUITING. AND THAT WAS SEPARATE AND DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE TIME PREMIUM PAY THAT YOU GAVE TO ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES DURING THE COVID KIND OF ERA TYPE THING. SO YES, THEY, THEY WERE ONE TIME PAYMENTS THAT WERE MADE TO EMPLOYEES AND THERE WAS SOME TIME FRAMES THAT THEY HAD TO BE THERE AS FAR AS TO RECEIVE THAT SIGNING BONUS. BUT THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE RECRUITMENT ASPECT OF IT, I BELIEVE. WHEREAS YOU DIDN'T WANT SOMEBODY TO COME IN, GET HIRED, SIGN ON, GET PAID AND THEN BOOGIE. THERE WAS SOME RESPONSIBILITY THAT THEY HAD TO HAVE TO STAY THERE FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY THAT BACK. WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS JUST LIKE WHAT YOU DID WITH THE ONE TIME PREMIUM PAYMENTS TO THE EMPLOYEES. YOU SAID THE FIRST TIME WE'RE GONNA GIVE EVERYBODY $500 IS A PREMIUM PAY. AND EVERYBODY THAT WAS ELIGIBLE RECEIVED A ONE TIME PAYMENT. IF THEY WERE HIRED PRIOR TO JULY 1ST OF THAT YEAR. AND THAT'S, THAT'S HOW YOU DID THE PREMIUM PAY, WHICH WAS AGAIN, DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU DID WHEN YOU SET UP THE SIGNING BONUSES WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. WELL, AND I, I AGREE WITH JUSTICE LEWISON ON THIS, THAT OUR, OUR EMPLOYEES NEED SOMETHING. THEY'VE GONE, A LONG TIME. AND I LIKE TO REWARD, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE. NOT THAT I DON'T WANT TO REWARD SOMEONE THAT STARTED LAST WEEK. TO HAVE THEM STAY. BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. WELL, OKAY, LET'S THINK ABOUT SOMETHING FOR A MINUTE. YOU HAVE CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS THAT DON'T HAVE VERY MUCH TURNOVER BECAUSE IT'S THE NATURE OF THE JOB. IT'S THE TYPE OF JOB. YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TURNOVER. YOU HAVE OTHER DEPARTMENTS SAY, I DON'T KNOW THE JAIL BECAUSE WHO WANTS TO? THAT'S A TOUGH JOB WORKING IN THAT JAIL, DEALING WITH THE PEOPLE THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH AND ALL THAT. HE HAS A HIGHER TURNOVER RATE AND SAY, MY ACCOUNTS PAYABLE OR PAYROLL OR THAT HE HAS A HIGHER TURNOVER RATE. SO THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE I'M GOING TO GUESS THAT IS AT THE JAIL THAT IF YOU SAID DECEMBER 1ST OF 2025, [00:55:06] YOU'RE GOING TO CUT THAT NUMBER WAY DOWN TO THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT JAIL THAT ARE GOING TO GET THAT ONE TIME PAY INCREASE. IF YOU PICK A DATE LIKE JULY OF THIS YEAR, MARCH OF THIS YEAR, THAT NUMBER, YOU'RE GOING TO REWARD A LOT MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE TURNOVER IS NOT THAT FAST. BUT THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE. AND I THINK HE WOULD AGREE HE HAS A HIGHER TURNOVER RATE IN THAT. THAT'S THE NATURE OF IT. THAT'S JUST PART OF THAT JOB. I HAVE A MUCH LOWER TURNOVER RATE THAN SOME OF MY DEPARTMENTS, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT WITH THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE. THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT. SO IF YOU'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND $1,000 IS A GOOD IDEA, ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS GET OUT YOUR MAGIC EIGHT BALL AND PICK A DATE, AND WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN. I WOULD I WOULD LIKE TO SAY NOT JANUARY. JULY 1ST. AND LET US GO WITH THAT. SECOND, I AGREE, BUT I DON'T NEED TO MAKE THE MOTION. I THINK SOMEONE ELSE NEEDS TO MAKE THAT MOTION. ALL RIGHT. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GIVE EVERYBODY THAT WAS HIRED AS OF JULY 1ST, 2026, A ONE TIME PAYMENT OF THE $1,000. OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND. OR DID WE HAVE TO AMEND WHAT WAS. NO, YOU SAID THE VOTE. OKAY. WE UNDID THE THE. NOT THERE. THE GORDIAN KNOT WAS INVOKED. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT. OKAY. JUSTICE CAPPS. HUTCH, CAN WE GET AN EXACT NUMBER ON THAT BEFORE THE FULL VOTE? SHOULD BE ABLE TO. OKAY. THANK YOU, I YIELD. I'LL GET WITH PAYROLL IN THE MORNING BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO. THIS IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE FAST BECAUSE THEY ARE MEETING NEXT WEEK. AND SO YOU GOT A LOT OF TYPING TO DO, BROTHER. YEAH. WE'LL PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THE MOTION? IF THERE BE NONE, JUSTIN, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? YES, MA'AM. SO YOU'RE VOTING ON THE MOTION TO PROVIDE A ONE TIME PREMIUM PAY UP TO A $1,000 TO ALL EMPLOYEES THAT WERE HIRED BY JULY 1ST OF 2026. AND YOU WANT THIS MONEY TO COME OUT OF THE CONTINGENCY FUND? YES. CONTINGENCY. YOU FORGOT THAT PART. NOW WE DO. OKAY. SEVEN AYES, ONE NON-VOTING. OKAY, THIS WILL GO TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR FINAL APPROVAL. WELL DONE, YOU GUYS. FINALLY, WE PICKED A DATE. SO ALL OF THIS WILL GO TO THE FULL QUORUM COURT FOR, AS I SAID, FINAL APPROVAL. THAT'S FOR THE ONE TIME PAY INCREASE AS WELL AS ADOPTING A NEW BUDGET FOR 2027. IF THERE BE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE US, WE ARE ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.