8 COMMZSSIONERS COURT 9 September 1, 1998 10 1:30 p.m. 11 Commissioners Courtroom 12I Kerr County Courthouse 13 Kerrville, Texas 1 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 PRESENT: ROBERT A. DENSON, County Judge H. A. "BUSTER" BALDWIN, Commissioner Pct. 1 24 T. H. "BUTCH" LACKEY, Commissioner Pct. 2 JONATHAN LETZ, Commissioner Pct. 3 25 BRUCE OEHLER, Commissioner Pct. 9 Filed Z Dayof~AD.1~giIME~ BiLL1E G. MEEKER Clerk Courdy Court Kerr County, TMrY B,r ~.-.R ~ avwy On Tuesday, September 1, 1998, at 1:30 p.m., a special session of Commissioners Court was held in the Commissioners Courtroom, Kerr County Courthouse, Kerrville, Texas, and the following proceedings were had in open court: P R O C E E D I N G S JUDGE DENSON: Good afternoon. It's about 1:30, 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 29 25 per my watch. We have a posted meeting today to consider and discuss approving the proposed budget for fiscal year 98/99, set dates for the various public hearings, adoption of the budget, and establishing a tax rate. Before we get started into each of those matters specifically and setting dates for same, let me mention that after visiting with the Auditor today about our final reserve balances, we're looking -- and this has been something that this entire Court has been conscious of and very concerned with. I know every year since I've been on, and last year since Buster and Jonathan have been on the Court, is watching our reserve balances, where they were moving. I've been told about some horror stories of other counties and Kerx back a few years back, before I came on the Court, about some deficit spending, and about those reserve balances moving into a -- an area that it's just poor -- a real risky balance. When you talk with your Tax Assessor/Collector, she starts setting out tax bills on October the 1st, and for -- 2 and there's a period of time there that you don't collect on these tax statements. Conceivably, people can wait until February the 1st of the following year before they have -- before they're considered delinquent, and so there is a -- a quarter of the year where the County more or less has to fund its own expenditures out of reserves. And if you don't have that reserve balance, you can be in serious -- in a serious situation. This leads me to say that I'm real happy to report the 101 Auditor informed me this morning, I think as a result of his 111 and the Tax Assessor/Collector's conversation and 12' number-crunching, that we look to be in real real good shape. 13I Our -- our fund balances, as we move through this budget 14 beginning October the 1st, '98, and projecting what our 15~ revenues will be and expenditures will be, we will have, by 16 9-30-99, increased our reserves by half a million dollars. 17 This -- this excites me a great deal, and I know there 18 have been a number of members on the court that have talked 19 in the past about, if at all passible, we should have some 20 kind of raise for County employees, particularly COLA or a 21 cost-of-living type raise, just keeping abreast of the 22 increases in the cost of living. And I think, again, after 23 visiting with the Auditor, that we do have enough money in 29 our revenues n ow to give a cost-of-living, which will be a 25 two and a half percent raise, if the Court would -- 3 Commissioners agree with that, and I'd like to throw that open for discussion. I know I've talked with a couple of Commissioners about it before, and this is something that y'all have always wanted to do. Looks like we have the ability to do it. COMMISSIONER LETZ: I'm in favor of it. 2 mean, everyone's looking at me. I'm in favor of the adjustment, but would I like to make a comment; that while we are 9 increasing our reserves -- well, I just looked at this. 10 We're doing it because of the tobacco settlement. I mean, 11 without that money, we'd have a deficit this year, a budget 12 deficit of a couple hundred thousand. So we are -- because 13 of the settlement, which is a $630,000 one-time payment, 14 which we anticipate getting, I believe, January or February, 15 we're building into reserves. But the actual -- or actual 16 rest of the budget is at a slight deficit this year. But, 17 you know, that money is here, and I -- you know, I'm in favor 18 of doing this cost-of-living adjustment. And, as I said -- I 19 think previously have said, I would like to have more the 20 lion's share of that settlement money for capital improvement 21 and for structure improvement-type items. 22 COMMISSIONER OEHLER: The comment I'd like to make, 23 too, is a lot of the elected officials came in and cut their 29 budgets in order to save money, prioritize like they were 25 asked to do, and it's the first time since I've been on the 9 Court, almost eight years, that I remember that happening. And they did it willingly. There was nobody who went out of here mad. We haven't had any bad publicity over the thing, and it's been a really good budget year, and I do appreciate the elected officials and department heads coming in and making that effort to cut where they could cut and, therefore, now being able to fund a small pay increase. JUDGE DENSON: Let's talk about another subject. Just today, Tommy, I got a fax from Alamo Workforce 1 Development, and they're talking about in this -- I know this 1 catches you cold and catches Buster cold also, but they're 12 talking about -- they notify me of "... amendment to your 13 Child Care Local Initiatives Agreement for the Alamo 19 Workforce Development Area. This amendment will provide for 15 the reimbursement of all allowable expenses incurred under 16 this agreement for the period September 1, 1998, to August 17 31, 1999." But they go on to say, "In addition, if you elect 18 to continue performing eligibility and related services, you 19~ will be required to automate your record keeping system by 20 obtaining equitable software and reporting systems to provide 21 data to the State. The costs for acquiring these systems 22 shall be paid from your contract." Did you understand this? 23 MR. TOMLINSON: I think it means that that money 24 comes from -- from local contribut ions. In other words, they 25 -- the Kerr County Day Care Center and Suns hine Day Care 5 Centers, under this agreement with -- with the Texas Workforce Commission, match State funds to -- I think it's 37 percent. So they get -- they get contributions from the private sector -- JUDGE DENSON: Right. MR. TOMLINSON: -- throughout the year to provide child care under -- under this program. So I -- I see it as 8 they -- they would be the ones -- that's where the equipment 9 needs to be. And I think that they will be the ones that -- 10 the vendors will be the ones that provide that automation. 11 That's the way I interpret it. 12 JUDGE DENSON: Okay. 13 MR. TOMLINSON: That will be -- I was going to say 19 that I think that would be the only way that I would want to 151 renew the contract. 16 JUDGE DENSON: Exactly. I know we've been doing 17 that. While this is a very good service, beneficial service 18 to many people in the community, that we're providing the 19 audit functions, recordkeeping function, and all more or less 20 on a courtesy basis -- and I know it's creating a lot of work 21 on your part -- but, you know, if they tell us that in 22 addition to providing those services, we have to bring in 23 some equipment, computer systems and all, or something that 29 we don't presently have, we need to review it. 25 MR. TOMLINSON: Well, I think there's -- that 6 program services approximately 70 kids a month. It has -- it has increased my workload, you know, to some degree; some heartburn with the Texas Workforce Commission. But -- but I 9 think probably that it's worth the time. Su if, you know, we want to continue to do it, that's fine with me. 6 JUDGE DENSON: Let me move into another subject 7 matter. And, men, this isn't anything intentional on my part 8 to bring up these -- these last-minute items, but last week, 9 last Thursday or Friday, I received a letter from Jim Brown, 10 U.G.R.A. General Manager, and -- and it talked in sort of 11 generalities about their administering the floodplain and the 12 on-site sewage facility program for the County and the cost 13 of doing that, as well as doing other things within their 14 organization, and the amount of revenues that they've 15 received. I think we're all aware of -- based on the joint 16 meeting that we had with them, that they've been running a 17 deficit here in the recent past, last year or so, and they 18 can't continue by operating in a deficit. 19 His letter speaks to -- it's a letter dated August the 20 27th, and speaks to the County continuing to subsidize, based 21 on our contract, their program or their organization by 22 $30,000. And they will be getting $5,000 from Ingram, I 23 believe, and 52,500 from Center Point. Also, to generate 24 additional revenues, he says in his letter, that they're 25 going to increase or adjust their fee structure. And this is 7 something that we all, of course, are aware of, again, and we had a committee. And based on a telephone conversation I had with Mr. Brown today, that committee actually never did get off the ground. And so I said -- I asked of Mr. Brown, just what is this adjustment in the fee structure? I said I -- one, I'm going to have to talk to the Court this afternoon in the context of our budget and that $30,000 that's already provided for in there per the contract. But, also, the County has automatic authority to approve or disapprove the 10 fee structure. And they're counting on this adjusted fee 11 structure as providing the revenues so they can exist over 12 there and continue to administer our programs. 13 And so I -- based on that telephone conversation, he 14 wrote me this other letter and faxed it over, which you have 15 a copy of, and it does have the fee structure, itself. While 16 we are not in a position to approve this today, I wanted to 17 discuss it with y'all in the context of what money we are 18 providing them per the contract and in our budget. And 19 should we -- I presume, should we not agree with the fee 20 structure, there may need to be some kind of an adjustment to 21 whatever we're providing for in the budget. So -- 22 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Well, I just had the 23 opportunity to glance at it. I didn't get to look at it 24 closely, and I'm sorry, I don't have it in front of me, but 25 it looked like a good fee structure to me. There was a 8 couple of areas in there that actually doubled the cost of permits, one thing and another, but I'd much rather see the revenue come from that area than from the taxpayers, from us subsidizing the program with more of the taxpayers' money. So I'm in. Without really directing the -- his fee structure, I'm willing to say that it looked like a good -- goad piece of paper to me, goad document. S JUDGE DENSON : Yeah. And I'll echo your comments. 9 Theory being, have the user pay rather than the taxpayers in 10 general. And then he has a comp arative or a comparison of 11 various counties' fee structures as the last exhibit on that 12 set of papers, and it does like look like Kerr is on the low 13 end of things. And I know that I had voiced -- several of us 14 had voiced, I believe, an opinion at that joint meeting that 15 any increases should be toward new development, new systems, 16 as opposed to increasing fees on repairs or existing systems. 17 And it seems like there's some attempt to do that. But I did 18 want -- we're not in a position where we can approve this 19 today, but I did want to discuss it, show it to y'all in the 20 context, again, of our overall budget. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think it's reasonable. The 22 only question I have, and I have to ask Jim about it, is to 23 -- under floodplains, Elevation Certificates. I mean, there 24 was a -- we're charging currently $15. I don't see that 25 that's even addressed under the new proposal. But that's 9 okay, he may have left it off. But I think he increased all of his floodplains a fair amount. They should be. I mean, that was a real -- they have a lot of work, and S15 was a flat fee for anything they did floodplain. New fees are a little bit more in line for that type of work, which is pretty important. But overall, it looks pretty good. JUDGE DENSON: Okay. Let's see. Are there any other comments, questions on this subject of discussion and all before we -- 10~ MR. TOMLINSON: One thing I'd like to tell you -- 11 JUDGE DENSON: Yes, sir? 12 MR. TOMLINSON: -- and I didn't get it till today, 13 a copy of this. And it may -- I may have had it longer than 14 I thought I did, but it's a letter from AACOG on the approval 15 of that solid waste grant. And I did not -- that -- those 16 grant proceeds are not in this budget, I want ed y ou to know. 17 And it's -- 18 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: They need to be. 19 MR. TOMLINSON: -- $91,982. So, I -- I didn't have 20 the numbers or the budget to put in here, so just for your 21 information, it's not there at this time. 22 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: It needs to be, because it's 23 one of those that is a reimbursable grant. 29 MR. TOMLINSON: I know, but I didn' t -- I really 25 didn't have -- I really didn't know for sure it h ad been 10 approved. And I didn't want to -- and I don't have the budget to -- to add it. I didn't know where to -- so I was at a loss as to what to do with it, so I didn't include it. COMMISSIONER LETZ: But you will add it? MR. TOMLINSON: I can now. We'll add it. But I just wanted you to know it's not -- it's not there in the budget. 8 COMMISSIONER HALDWIN: We approved it -- the AACOG 9 Executive Board approved it last Wednesday, and then it goes 10 back to T.N.R.C.C. for final approval. And those things 11 hardly ever bog down once it leaves AACOG Board, so it's 99 12 percent sure. And it's 41 thousand and a few dollars? 13 MR. TOMLINSON: Yeah. If you want it -- if you 14 want me to explain changes I've made in this, I'll be glad 15 to. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Have you done any of the -- the 17 tax rate adjustments that we talked about? 18 MR. TOMLINSON: Yes, I have. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: They're built in? 20 MR. TOMLINSON: Mm-hmm. And the -- $900,000 of 21 settlement money is -- is in the general fund. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: In the general fund? 23 MR. TOMLINSON: In a line item by itself. 29 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 25 MR. TOMLINSON: And I named it Tobacco Settlement 11 1 Fund, is what I named it. So it's -- it's there by itself, 2 and the remainder of it is in -- is in Indigent Health Care. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. Thank you. One other 4 comment I'd like to make is that -- and I don't know that 5 we've -- I know we've always published the budget per the 6 requirements of the law, but I've had a lot of people, just 7 in visiting with them, that would like to see us publish it 8 in the paper in a little more detail. 9 JUDGE DENSON: The entire budget? 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: No, just -- I mean basically 11 this page or -- or a summary of the general -- I think we can 12 certainly -- it can be consolidated, but there are certain 13 areas that we're spending a tremendous amount of money on 14 that I don't think the public is aware of, such as Indigent 15 Health Care, such as the trials and all that the courts -- 16 that we -- that are in the 198th and 216th. I visited with 17 them; they're all very much aware they pay that much money 18 for an appeal. It cost 550,000 for that appeal for -- for -- 19 what's that guy's name? 20 COMMISSIONER OEHLER: Reneau. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: That Reneau case, and things 22 like that. And there's some of these larger categories that 23 I think it will be real beneficial to show that. And also, 24 there are areas -- I mean, Bruce mentioned that some of the 25 budgets went down. Well, there are some, like Law 12 1 Enforcement, that went up, went up quite a bit. Again, I 2 think the public needs to know that. Because -- especially 3 with some of the things that were in the paper recently, that 4 we've cut that budget, which isn't true; we've increased the 5 Sheriff's Department budget by more than any other budget. 6 We did -- certainly more than any other budget. So, I think 7 it's important to get some of the information out to the 8 public. And I don't know, you know, how we go about it. 9 I'll be glad to get with Tommy, come up with some kind of 10 idea as to format, and put on the next agenda. But I just 11 think it would be a good public service to get that 12 information out. 13 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I agree. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Tommy doesn't like it. 15 MR. TOMLINSON: No, I -- I was -- I was thinking 16 about that as you you were talking, but I -- the first thing 17 that comes to mind is I do a -- a report to the Department of 18 Commerce every year, the U. S. Department of Commerce. And 19 it's, like, a 10-page thing that -- that I sweat over. And 20 what I've done, I've -- and the way it's reported is by 21 function. In other words, by administration, courts, law 22 enforcement, juvenile services, those kind of things. And 23 it's a functional type -- type of expenditure reporting, is 24 what it is. And I've built a model in my PC that I go -- 25 that I can go in and input the -- the expenditures of each 13 1 department, and then it accumulates those -- those 2 departments into one function. So, all I'd have to do is 3 take the budget and load it on that model and come up with -- 9 with what each function costs. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Just any kind of a -- 6 MR. TOMLINSON: That would be as close as I can 7 get. S COMMISSIONER LETZ: Sure. Well, this is pretty 9 close to what I think you're talking about. 10 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I wouldn't know how to go 11 about doing it. It would be kind of neat to have some kind 12 of notice in the San Antonio paper, too, to let our neighbors 13 and friends around central Texas know just how nice we are. 19 JUDGE DENSON: Would this -- and I applaud your 15 intent of informing those people out there in the public that 16 don't choose to come down here and -- and read the posted 17 budget that we'll have down at the Clerk's office, as 18 required by law. This doesn't, I don't think, give the 19 information -- the detailed information that you're looking 20 fox. For example, for law enforcement. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. It -- but this has some 22 things, and they can be -- like, Indigent Health Care is at 23 the top; I think it needs to be split out. Some of things -- 29 other things, the whole bottom section could almost be 25 combined. Road and Bridge, you could have operating and then 19 other. And and the general -- I know Tommy did a report for us earlier that splits out the general fund only. And, you know, you can kind of push those two together. I certainly don't want Tocnmy to have have to do a whole lot more work than he already does, but between the two reports that we currently get, I think we could combine them pretty easily and have something informative. JUDGE DENSON: Okay. What we need to do -- are we 9 through with that? 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes. 11 JUDGE DENSON: We need to set a public hearing. 12 We need to approve the proposed budget for inspection, and 13 set public hearing on same for September the 21st, 1998, at 19 10:00 a.m. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So move. Do you want a motion? 16 JUDGE DENSON: Yes. That's a motion, but that 17 motion is including making adjustments to the existing 18 proposed budget by about a two and a half percent COLA. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Correct. 20 JUDGE DENSON: And that solid waste grant. 21 MR. TOMLINSON: Yes. I need -- we need -- in 22 calculating the COLA, we do need some direction, something 23 more definitive as to who is included. 29 JUDGE DENSON: Right. Is it across-the-board? 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I mean -- M 15 1 JUDGE DENSON: Everybody? Or -- 2 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Yes. 3 JUDGE DENSON: -- employees only, no elected 9 officials? There are certain options, gentlemen. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: What's the difference if we 6 include elected officials or not? 7 MR. TOMLINSON: The estimate I made was -- the 8 difference is about $10,000. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: About 510,000? I'd say 10 everyone. I mean, it's cost-of-living, not really a raise; 11 you're trying keep it in the same spot. For everyone, all 12 employees. Elected officials and other employees. 13 JUDGE DENSON: Everyone. All right, is that 19 definitive enough? 15 MR. TOMLINSON: That's definitive enough. 16 JUDGE DENSON: All right. Do you have that, Tammy? 17 MS. MARQUART: Yes, sir. 18 JUDGE DENSON: The date and all? 19 MS. MARQUART: Yes, sir. 20 JUDGE DENSON: This date comes from the 21 Administrative Assistant from the text Tax Assessor/ 22 Collector. I didn't fill in these dates on my own. Okay. 23 All right. 24 COMMISSIONER OEHLER: Have we got a second to the 25 motion? I'll second the motion. 16 JUDGE DENSON: You'll second. Okay, all in favor? (The motion was carried by unanimous vote.) JUDGE DENSON: Okay, that's unanimous. And then we need to set a public hearing date for the tax -- for the increased tax revenue. And that -- that is a result of additional revenue coming in, even though we're going to, theoretically, have the same tax rate. And that hearing needs to be on September the 14th, 1998, at 10:00 a.m. COMMISSIONER LETZ: So moved. 10A COMMISSIONER OEHLER: So it's on the 10th and 21st? 11 JUDGE DENSON: It's the 21st at 10:00 a.m. and the 12 19th at 10:00 a.m. Tho se have to be put in the paper. 13 COMMISSIONER OEHLER: Okay. It just sounds 14 backwards for you to pu t the 1 4th second and the -- 15 JUDGE DENSON: I'm j ust going down my sheet. 16 COMMISSIONER OEHLER: Administrative Assistant got 17 it backwards or somethi ng. 18 JUDGE DENSON: Yeah. Okay? 19 COMMISSIONER OEHLER: Second. 20 COMMISSIONER LACKEY: Second. 21 JUDGE DENSON: I've got a motion and a second. 22 COMMISSIONER OEHLER: Did I make the motion or did 23 you make the motion? 29 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I did. 25 COMMISSIONER OEHLER: Too late, then. 17 1 JUDGE DENSON: All in favor on that? 2 (The motion was carried by unanimous vote.) 3 JUDGE DENSON: Okay. And then we need to set a 9 date for adoption of the tax rate, and that will be September 5 21st also, at 10:00 a.m., following the budget hearing -- 6 public hearing. 7 COMMISSIONER OEHLER: So move. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Second. 9 JUDGE DENSON: Further discussion? Comments? Yes, 10 Vance? 11 J. P. ELLIOTT: Judge, I -- 12 JUDGE DENSON: Gentlemen, J. P. -- Justice of the 13 Peace, Precinct 1, as of this morning. 14 MR. ELLIOTT: Are you on item 2.1 on that agenda 15 that y'all had posted? 16 JUDGE DENSUN: Right. 17 J. P. ELLIOTT: For this new budget? 18 JUDGE DENSON: Right. 19 J. P. ELLIOTT: Due to the fact that I'm very new 20 to the position, I believe last week there was some 21 discussion about some individual budget items that we wanted 22 to be put in for the next next year, and we were pleased to 23 receive funds for funding a PC for our office. I wanted to 29 make sure that after looking at the office and going through 25 things and accommodating a computer, we would like to request 18 1 2 3 9 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 29 25 -- J. P. 1 would like to request an amendment to our capital outlay of an additional $1,000 for office furniture. JUDGE DENSON: Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, we've been sitting here talking about all this. Let's see. What do you need, specifically? J. P. ELLIOTT: A desk and a credenza. JUDGE DENSON: Don't you have a desk and credenza in there? J. P. ELLIOTT: There is an old desk that has contact paper holding the front of it together. And, we're -- we're requesting that our office furniture be in the same condition as the office, as far as the operating flow of J. P. 1. COMMISSIONER OEHLER: Don't we have some other desks around? I think -- weren't there some extra ones in your office, Mrs. Meeker? MS. MEEKER: I don't think so. COMMISSIONER OEHLER: You don't think so? MS. MEEKER: I don't think so. COMMISSIONER OEHLER: There were some at one time. J. P. ELLIOTT: Used office furniture will be fine, but we just haven't been able to come up with it. COMMISSIONER OEHLER: It's somewhere. COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Road and Bridge office, seems like there's three or four sitting out there doing 19 nothing. 2 COMMISSIONER OEHLER: It'll be multiple choice; you 3 can take your choice of what's out there. 4 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Or you can get rid of that 5 contact paper and get y ou some good duct tape, some baling 6 wire. 7 JUDGE DENSON: Okay. I'm starting to see a 8 consensus here. 9 MS. RECTOR: I was going to offer -- I hav e a metal 10 desk that you're welcom e to if you -- I mean, it's not in 11 very good shape, but it 's functional. 12 MR. ELLIOTT: That's fine. 13 MS. RECTOR: You're welcome to it. 14 COMMISSIONER OEHLER: You said the magic word. 15 It's all functional; th at didn't include new. 16 MS. RECTOR: It has all the drawers. 17 JUDGE DENSON: Okay, let's see. I don't think we 18 had a vote on that last item. 19 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: What was it? 20 JUDGE DENSON: It was setting a date for adoption 21 of the tax rate, which would be September the 21st, '98, at 22 10:00 a.m. 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We had a motion and a second. 29 JUDGE DENSON: Did we have a motion? 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes, and a second. 20 1 JUDGE DENSON: And second. Further discussion on 2 this? All right, all in favor? 3 (The motion was carried by unanimous vote.) 9 JUDGE DENSON: Okay. Did I get them all, Paula? 5 MS. RECTOR: We ll, I'm a little bit confused. This 6 is the meeting now where you're to be discussing the proposed 7 tax rate and voting on a proposed rate? So I need for's and 8 against's and abstained, and -- 9 JUDGE DENSON: Okay. With our budget, as proposed 10 -- and maybe I didn't mak e that specific -- it's the 0.3513, 11 same thing as last year. 12 MS. RECTOR: Ri ght. 13 JUDGE DENSON: Okay? And -- 19 MS. RECTOR: An d everyone is in agreement with that 15 proposed rate? 16 JUDGE DENSON: Right. That's a unanimous vote. 17 MS. RECTOR: Ok ay. Okay. 18 JUDGE DENSON: That's part of the very first 19 motion. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Part of the first one, the 21 original motion. 22 JUDGE DENSON: Okay. 23 J. P. ELLIOTT: Could we have an amendment to the 24 J. P. budget to include - - 25 JUDGE DENSON: You're not even going to be 21 recognized the rest of the meeting. Anything further? (Off-the-record discussion.) JUDGE DENSON: You want to make a comment about your new J. P.? COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: No, sir. MR. TOMLINSON: I have -- COMMISSIONER OEHLER: You're going to make a comment about the new J. P.? 9 MR. TOMLINSON: No, I have a budget amendment. 10 JUDGE DENSON: We do have scheduled, and let me 11 mention this, on our agenda this morning -- or this afternoon 12 to pay bills or make any budget amendments that are 13 necessary. Yes, Mr. Auditor? 19 MR. TOMLINSON: The budget amendment is for J.P. 1. 15 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Oh, no. 16 J. P. ELLIOTT: Imagine that. 17 MR. TOMLINSON: But he's requested $980 to have a 18 part-time person come in to train for a full-time position, 19 effective -- that will be effective October the 1st, when 20 Beulah leaves. And to be able to pay that person, I need to 21 transfer the $980 into part-time salaries; $300 of it from 22 photocopy supplies out of his budget, and $667 in conferences 23 to come out of his budget, and $13 from miscellaneous. 24 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Mr. Auditor, just to get off 25 on the right foot here, did J. P. 1 recommend those 22 particular changes? Did he go into his budget and find the monies sitting there and then recommended them to you? MR. TOMLINSON: It was a combined effort. 9 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I see. Y'all met out here in the hallway? 6 JUDGE DENSON: It sounds like to me that J. P. 1 7 has got a mind-set that talks in terms of, I need a thousand 8 for this or a thousand for that. Now, is this training -- is 9 this training money for the month of September? 10 J. P. ELLIOTT: That's correct. 11 MR. TOMLINSON: Yes. 12 JUDGE DENSON: Yes, as opposed to October. 13 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: One full month? 19 J. P. ELLIOTT: Three weeks. 15 MR. TOMLINSON: Three weeks. 16 JUDGE DENSON: Have you -- I'm not trying to get in 17 your business; I certainly don't want a name, but have you 18 been successful in finding a clerk? 19 J. P. ELLIOTT: Yes, sir. 20 JUDGE DENSON: Good. Terrific. 21 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I move that we approve the 22 amendment. 23 COMMISSIONER LACKEY: Second. 24 JUDGE DENSON: I've got a second, Commissioner 25 Lackey. Further questions or comments on this? All in 23 11 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13, 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 favor? (The motion was carried by unanimous vote.) JUDGE DENSON: Okay. Tommy, anything further? MR. TOMLINSON: Yes. I have two late bills that we need hand checks for, and both of them are to Guadalupe Electric. One's for $955.37. The other one is $1,138, and it's for installation of school zone signs on Skyview Drive for Ingram High School, and it's to come out of the Road and Bridge -- Road and Bridge's budget. COMMISSIONER OEHLER: I couldn't hear what he said. JUDGE DENSON: Comes out of Road and Bridge. MR. TOMLINSON: It's school zone signs. COMMISSIONER OEHLER: Oh. Oh. Oh, at Ingram. MR. TOMLINSON: At Ingram, yes. COMMISSIONER OEHLER: So moved. COMMISSIONER LETZ: Second. JUDGE DENSON: I've got a motion and a second. Further questions, comments? All in favor? (The motion was carried by unanimous vote.) JUDGE DENSON: And that brings to mind Ingram. COMMISSIONER OEHLER: Yes, sir. JUDGE DENSON: And the Tax Assessor/Collector. COMMISSIONER OEHLER: I will be in Ingram and on their agenda for the council meeting this afternoon at 5:30 to discuss the use of office space in the new City Hall. And 24 I think they're asking $300 a month rent. I am going to try to negotiate that downward, or maybe to zero. We will see how successful I am. JUDGE DENSON: Yeah. Just let them know that they work with us on a lot of things and we work with them, and everything is reciprocal. COMMISSIONER OEHLER: That's kind of what I 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 thought. JUDGE DENSON: If they want $300, if they insist -- COMMISSIONER OEHLER: For us to provide a really good community and for our Tax Assessor/Collector do so, then we may have to renegotiate some of our contracts. JUDGE DENSON: Every contract we have with them. Okay. That's it? Anything further? J. P. ELLIOTT: J. P. 1 would like to thank the Court for its continued effort to make sure that all County employees are well-trained. Thank you. JUDGE DENSON: Okay, we're in recess. (Commissioners Court was adjourned at 2:10 p.m.) 25 C E R T I F I C A T E The above and foregoing is a true and correct transcription of my stenotype notes taken in my capacity as Official Reporter of the Commissioners Court of Kerr County, Texas, at the time and place heretofore set forth. Dated at Kerrville, Texas, this 2nd day of September, 1998. 1 1 1 1 19 1 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 29 25 K~~ ~. Kat~nik Certified Shorthand Reporter 26