1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 KERR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT 9 Special Session 10 Wednesday, August 30, 2000 11 9:00 a.m. 12 Commissioners' Courtroom 13 Kerr County Courthouse 14 Kerrville, Texas 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 PRESENT: FREDERICK L. HENNEKE, Kerr County Judge H. A. "BUSTER" BALDWIN, Commissioner Pct. 1 24 WILLIAM "BILL" WILLIAMS, Commissioner Pct. 2 JONATHAN LETZ, Commissioner Pct. 3 25 LARRY GRIFFIN, Commissioner Pct. 4 2 1 I N D E X August 30, 2000 PAGE 2 3 1.1 Approve proposed FY 2000-2001 budget 3 4 --- Set cost of budget copy for public at $10 71 5 1.2 Set date and time for public hearing on proposed FY 2000-2001 budget 72 6 1.3 Approve proposed increases in elected 7 officials' compensation for FY 2000-20001 74 8 1.4 Set date and time for public hearing on proposed increases in elected officials' 9 compensation for FY 2000-2001 74 10 --- Adjourned 75 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 3 1 On Wednesday, August 30, 2000, at 9:00 a.m., a 2 special meeting of the Kerr County Commissioners Court 3 was held in the Commissioners' Courtroom, Kerr County 4 Courthouse, Kerrville, Texas, and the following proceedings 5 were had in open court: 6 P R O C E E D I N G S 7 JUDGE HENNEKE: Good morning. It's 8 9 o'clock on Wednesday, August the 30th. We'll begin this 9 special meeting of the Kerr County Commissioners Court. 10 First item for consideration is to consider and discuss 11 approval of proposed Fiscal Year 2000/2001 budget. Tommy, 12 you've handed out to us a revised budget summary. Do you 13 want to go over that briefly for us, please, sir? 14 MR. TOMLINSON: The expenditures that you -- 15 that you have in the summary -- oh, it was in your box, 16 Commissioner -- match the printout that you have, which is 17 the -- is the budget as we've printed it after -- after we 18 loaded the salary schedule, which -- which was done 19 yesterday. I do -- let me find my notes here. The budget 20 also, besides -- besides the salary changes, includes, in -- 21 in this schedule here, where it has "Must Fund" and 22 "Recommended," I've -- I have included Item 4 under the Must 23 Fund at $60,000. That is, at -- at this point right now, 24 that -- that's -- that item could be moved to -- to this 25 year. 4 1 I found out -- I found out yesterday that the 2 Software Group is a certified vendor under the General 3 Services Commission, and all -- all of their products and 4 services have been approved and certified by -- by them. 5 So, there's -- I visited with Commissioner Griffin about 6 that, and -- and at this point, we see no need to -- to go 7 to do an RFP for that. So -- and we could save 30 days on 8 that issue, and -- and move that to -- to this year. 9 JUDGE HENNEKE: Do you think we can find -- 10 cobble together funds somewhere? 11 MR. TOMLINSON: I think we probably can. 12 I'll have -- I was too busy yesterday to -- to deal with it, 13 but -- but I'll have time to do that. And -- but, for the 14 main -- I mean, for this purpose, we could -- you know, we 15 can leave it in. I added $75,000 for additional funds for 16 the Annex renovation. And if you'll look at your -- your 17 budget summary, you'll see tax revenue for Permanent 18 Improvement of $135,000, and 75 is for this purpose, for -- 19 for the additional $75,000. The -- the other 60 is for the 20 build-out of the Annex. That may be a mistake on my part. 21 I heard in Friday's meeting two numbers. One was 60 and one 22 was 100, and so I -- what's in the budget is 60. If 23 that's -- if that's wrong, then we can -- 24 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: That hinges on -- 25 hinges on whether we utilize Sheriff Hierholzer's' hotel 5 1 guests as workers. 2 MR. TOMLINSON: So, I mean, that -- that's 3 the issue that, you know, we'd have to decide before we put 4 this to bed for -- 5 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Are the numbers right? 6 Is it 60 if we have the work -- 7 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Well, I don't know 8 anything about the 60 number; I didn't work on that. But 9 that's just a -- really, a rough estimate, I'm sure. But 10 the 100 is a pretty good number. 11 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: If we don't? 12 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Because we have actual 13 square feet, and we're looking at $50 a square foot, which I 14 believe is a little bit high and all that. 15 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: The discussion, I 16 think, last time was that if we use the Sheriff's work crew, 17 we might save up to 40 percent off that 100. 18 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: That's what Glenn 19 said. I don't know where those numbers come from, 20 personally. 21 MR. HOLEKAMP: I think that's a pretty close 22 number, based on the square footage that we decided -- or 23 discussed as to closing out. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We can also, on that -- I 25 mean, we can -- there's basically three components down 6 1 there, and we can prioritize them and start on the most 2 important, and -- you know, which, to me, I guess I'd put 3 them in order of County Attorney, Juvenile Probation, and 4 then Treasurer. And if we had to do them -- I mean, start 5 running short, we just may have to cut -- Barbara may have 6 to wait till next year. 7 MS. NEMEC: No problem. 8 JUDGE HENNEKE: I would probably reverse the 9 priority. County Attorney's office has been functioning 10 down there with three attorneys in the same space for a 11 couple years. Juvenile Probation -- Juvenile Probation 12 Department is out of space, plus we pay rent for the 13 Juvenile Probation Department. So, I might -- let's switch 14 those two. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 16 JUDGE HENNEKE: Flip-flop the priorities. 17 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: That's a good talk, 18 but I think -- and then again, it goes back and hinges on 19 whether we fund the extra -- what do you call that? 20 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Work Release Officer. 21 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: -- Work Release 22 Officer for the Sheriff's office. If you don't have that 23 person, that police officer over here, I mean, you can't 24 have prisoners over here working without that. 25 MR. TOMLINSON: That -- my understanding, 7 1 that person is budgeted. 2 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Okay. 3 JUDGE HENNEKE: That person is in the numbers 4 that Tommy's presented. 5 MR. TOMLINSON: Right. 6 JUDGE HENNEKE: Which we still have to 7 balance. 8 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: So, I think 60 is 9 probably a good number, then. 10 MR. TOMLINSON: All right. Well, I just 11 wanted you to know the difference, and -- and it could have 12 been my misunderstanding of -- of the number that should 13 have been there. 14 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: So that -- I'm sorry. 15 Just to reiterate, then, if we decided not to do all of the 16 build-out, there could be some savings in that number. If 17 we could put any one of those three off a year, we would 18 have some savings, no matter which work force we used in -- 19 to do that. So, there may be some savings still. 20 JUDGE HENNEKE: I would also remind everyone 21 that Keith Longnecker's recommended budget number for 22 finishing the Annex was $50,000. We, ourselves, added the 23 additional $25,000. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 25 JUDGE HENNEKE: This is -- this is the 8 1 opportunity to go back and revisit that number. 2 MR. TOMLINSON: The -- the amount of 3 expenditures for Permanent Improvement, I show $400,000. 4 The way I arrived at that is the $265,000, which is the 5 balance -- estimated balance, is what I have estimated as 6 the -- the unused portion of the proceeds at the end of this 7 year, and that's -- that's based on -- on the monthly draw 8 requests that have -- that have -- that we've seen before, 9 and the amount of construction left. Then, I -- I believe 10 that that's probably a high estimate of maybe what we might 11 have left, just to -- just to make sure we have enough 12 budgeted, that I -- I -- I think $400,000 is probably 13 adequate. The next item is Item Number 6 for $160,000. 14 That's included. And then, in the next column, the 15 Recommended for Funding, Item Number 1, the Computer 16 Specialist's included. That is in Nondepartmental under 17 Systems Administrator. 18 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: That is included? 19 MR. TOMLINSON: Yes, it is. It's not -- it's 20 included at that gross amount. I have not anticipated any 21 breakdown as far as what the actual salary is, apart -- with 22 or without benefits. 23 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: The estimate that was 24 based on this included FICA and all the other? 25 MR. TOMLINSON: Right. 9 1 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: This will be the total 2 cost of that person? 3 MR. TOMLINSON: That's correct. 4 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: And it would -- it 5 would have to fit. There would be no additional costs, the 6 way this was estimated? 7 MR. TOMLINSON: Right. That's exactly right. 8 Item 2, the Collections Department person, that number, 9 $27,840 also in there, is gross. I did, however, look at 10 that budget individually, and that request was for a 17-1, 11 and so I included that in that -- in that department as -- 12 as a 17-1, and then calculated the difference accordingly to 13 come up with whatever the benefits would be on a 17-1. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Was that your request, or 15 was that in line with -- 16 MR. TOMLINSON: That's what's requested, and 17 it matches this number. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Does it? 19 MR. TOMLINSON: I didn't -- I didn't take 20 them -- I mean, I didn't determine, myself, what that person 21 should be. I just used that amount. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Ask Barbara. Is 17-1 23 about where -- I mean, for creating a new position, what 24 should that person be? I mean, do we have anything 25 comparable in the county right now? 10 1 MS. NEMEC: The Administrative Clerks are all 2 17-1's. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: That's about comparable, 4 I would say. 5 MS. NEMEC: I would -- I would think if 6 you're going to fund that position, that would probably be a 7 good start. We don't have it on the position schedule, but 8 if you're going to fund it, we can add it. 9 MR. TOMLINSON: Next is -- Item 3 is $11,000 10 for training and ammo, and that is included in Training in 11 the Sheriff's budget. 12 (Discussion off the record.) 13 MR. TOMLINSON: Number 4 is included. We've 14 already discussed 5. Okay. Now, down to Number 8. Number 15 8 is included at $13,753, gross. I didn't have the time to 16 look to see what -- what step and grade that was. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Is that -- was that a 18 full-time? 19 MS. NEMEC: What is Number 8? I don't -- 20 MR. TOMLINSON: It's a kennel worker. 21 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Proposed full-time. 22 MS. NEMEC: Okay. See, we -- 23 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Proposed full-time, I 24 believe. 25 MS. NEMEC: -- we didn't include those 11 1 yesterday in the position schedule, so I don't -- I'm sorry, 2 what step and grade? 3 MR. TOMLINSON: I don't know. 4 MR. HOLEKAMP: 8-1. 5 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 8-1? 6 MR. HOLEKAMP: Yes, sir. Does the 8-1 -- is 7 that a gross number? I mean, it seems -- 8 JUDGE HENNEKE: That's the gross number that 9 was reported in the Department's budget, I believe. 10 MR. HOLEKAMP: I think it was 8-1, wasn't it? 11 MS. NEMEC: An 8-1 is $14,028 for salary. 12 That's not including the FICA and retirement. 13 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: So that's not a good 14 number, then. 15 MR. TOMLINSON: It may not be. The reason I 16 did that is I understood that the Court wanted to look at 17 the budget as a whole with this in it. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 19 MS. NEMEC: Let me just say, we don't have 20 anybody at an 8-1. 21 MR. HOLEKAMP: That's right. 22 MS. NEMEC: They all start at 9. I mean, the 23 lowest is 9, a 9-1. 24 MR. HOLEKAMP: Custodian. 25 JUDGE HENNEKE: It's going to be either an 12 1 8-1 or it won't be. 2 MS. NEMEC: Okay. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But I don't know -- we 4 need to look at this, 'cause we have an agreement with the 5 City -- interlocal agreement with the City. If we can't 6 provide the services, we have to go back to the City, and 7 the City's paying part of that. 8 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Oh, wait a minute. 9 Is this a net number because the City is giving it -- 10 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: We pay 60 -- 11 JUDGE HENNEKE: This is before we did our 12 share, correct? 13 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: This is what we're 14 going to have to fund. We get $5,000 from the City. 15 MR. TOMLINSON: We have to budget the gross 16 amount. 17 MR. HOLEKAMP: Gross amount. 18 JUDGE HENNEKE: This is the gross amount? 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But, I mean, the City -- 20 JUDGE HENNEKE: This is what the -- the 21 department head requested, was at this level. I think it -- 22 before we made the 2 percent raise, it might have -- may 23 have been -- 13,7 may have been an 8-1. 24 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: He proposed this 25 number based on his knowledge that the City would -- 13 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 2 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: -- would pay us 3 $5,000. So he, in effect, put a net number in, not 4 realizing he had to have a gross number there. This is the 5 net expense to us. 6 MR. TOMLINSON: That's probably right. 7 JUDGE HENNEKE: I don't think so. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But -- well, I'm not -- I 9 think I -- I think it's a gross number, but I think that 10 it's probably an old gross number. 11 JUDGE HENNEKE: Yes. I think -- 12 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Apparently, it is. 13 JUDGE HENNEKE: -- a comparable gross number 14 would be that 14-whatever. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. I was just saying, 16 I mean -- excuse me. I think it's a net number from the 17 standpoint, as Barbara said, the salary's at 14-something, 18 that that doesn't include any FICA and all the rest, so 19 we're probably looking at a net figure. This is an old net 20 number. Probably come up to $15,000 or $16,000 if we do it 21 as gross. 22 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I think Commissioner 23 Letz is right; we have an obligation to fund this position 24 to get the job done. 25 JUDGE HENNEKE: The job's getting done now. 14 1 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Well, I'm not sure. 2 MR. TOMLINSON: Okay. This process of -- of 3 changing the salary schedule was far more complicated than 4 anybody acknowledged. 5 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Oh, yeah. 6 MR. TOMLINSON: And -- and I didn't start 7 working on this till 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, so -- 8 MS. NEMEC: We didn't get it to him till 9 4 o'clock, that's why. 10 JUDGE HENNEKE: Thea and I spent all 11 afternoon Monday going line item by line item, changing 12 positions, and then Barbara came in and made -- 13 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: And I stayed up all 14 Saturday night doing it. 15 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: What were you doing? 16 JUDGE HENNEKE: Okay. Let's go on, then. 17 MR. TOMLINSON: So we may be lucky that 18 it's -- that it's as close as it is. Okay. Number -- 19 Number 9 is included. Number 10 is included. Number 3 is 20 included, which is the Sheriff's Department deputy. The 21 District Clerk Records Preservation and the County Clerk 22 Records Preservation is in Fund 28, which is the county-wide 23 Records Management Fund. The County Law Library, the 24 $6,600, is also included, and it's funded by the Law Library 25 fees, so it's not a tax consequence. 15 1 JUDGE HENNEKE: Tommy, in your -- in your 2 summary, the Records Management line item, you don't show 3 any expenditures. Should there be a transfer in for the 4 expenditures or -- 5 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Which one? I'm sorry. 6 JUDGE HENNEKE: Records Management. 7 MR. TOMLINSON: You're right. I don't -- 8 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: So there will be a 9 transfer in, right? 10 MR. TOMLINSON: That must have been before I 11 drank a Coke, cup of coffee. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So we had -- 13 JUDGE HENNEKE: We had -- 14 MR. TOMLINSON: It's midway down in the 15 section starting with Road Districts. I show zero as 16 Records Management. 17 JUDGE HENNEKE: So, what should it be? Ten 18 or -- 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Or 16? 20 MR. TOMLINSON: It should be 10. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Ten. 22 JUDGE HENNEKE: Are we going to offset that 23 with a transfer in, then? 24 MR. TOMLINSON: No. I think the -- the fund 25 balance is sufficient to -- 16 1 JUDGE HENNEKE: Okay. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: The Law Library number, 3 does it include the $6,600? Do you know? Or is that -- 4 JUDGE HENNEKE: He said it did. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: He said it did. I know 6 it's included. I was wondering if -- 7 MR. TOMLINSON: Yes, it's included. It's 8 included in the 23,269. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 10 MR. TOMLINSON: There is also another problem 11 in the next line item for Parks. 12 JUDGE HENNEKE: Mm-hmm. 13 MR. TOMLINSON: I'm showing $2,500 for 14 expenditures, but I don't have a revenue source. 15 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Don't have what? 16 MR. TOMLINSON: A revenue source. I'm going 17 to recommend that we move that department to the M & O 18 section of the budget, just to fund it with tax dollars. 19 It's -- it doesn't generate a revenue, so the only source is 20 taxes. So, there's no reason to transfer money from one 21 section to the next, if that's okay with you to do that. 22 Okay. The next -- the next item -- 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Barbara? 24 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Only thing I would also 25 say on that last one, the number -- Number 6 and Number 8 is 17 1 actually included, because it worked out in the -- the new 2 lease deal on the next six cars. 3 JUDGE HENNEKE: Okay. 4 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: So it's not an addition, 5 you know, but it got included in that, so it's not like it's 6 not getting funded. 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 8 MR. TOMLINSON: Okay. The last item -- and 9 I'm -- this may be an error of mine too, but I understood 10 that -- from Friday's meeting, that we wanted to look at an 11 additional $2,400 of for mental health hearings for the 12 J.P.'s. 13 JUDGE HENNEKE: That's correct. 14 MR. TOMLINSON: And so that -- that $2,400 is 15 also included. 16 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Is included? 17 MR. TOMLINSON: Yes. 18 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Okay. 19 JUDGE HENNEKE: And that leaves us a little 20 short. 21 MR. TOMLINSON: Now, another thing that I'd, 22 you know, like to bring to the Court's attention, is that I 23 visited with our representative from our third-party 24 administrator yesterday concerning health insurance. His 25 feel is that the -- the national average for health -- 18 1 health costs alone is about 12 or 13 percent. He said he 2 did not -- he did not see any reason -- I mean, 3 experience-wise in our -- in our experience, to cause any -- 4 any additional increase. I mean, above what -- above what 5 the national average is. I -- I did an estimate of what 6 13 percent would be on the -- on the number of employees 7 that are -- that I -- that I thought were insured, and 8 it's -- I would -- my best estimate is $80,000 to $90,000. 9 JUDGE HENNEKE: That's included in this? 10 MR. TOMLINSON: No, that is not included. 11 JUDGE HENNEKE: It's not included in what 12 you've given us? 13 MR. TOMLINSON: Right. 14 MS. NEMEC: Tommy, is that -- is that 15 starting in January, that $80,000 to $0,000? 16 MR. TOMLINSON: Yes. 17 MS. NEMEC: January? 18 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: January. 19 MR. TOMLINSON: Because he thinks -- he 20 thinks the minimum will be 12, and it could be more. So, 21 I'd rather err on the -- on the high side of this estimate 22 than -- than on the low. So, I -- I applied that 13 percent 23 to that over the year, is what that is. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: That just gets added to 25 the general -- under general? 19 1 MR. TOMLINSON: Well, part of it -- part of 2 it would go to Road and Bridge, because they -- they do have 3 employees. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 5 MR. TOMLINSON: Looking at -- at the fund 6 balances, after 9/30/01, which will be the end of this -- 7 this fiscal year -- next fiscal year, three months operating 8 capital on eleven gave you 66,4 for the M & O part of it, or 9 a third of that is $3 million. So that, you know, the 10 $3,507,000 gives us that amount, plus -- plus a cushion 11 of -- of $500,000. I do recall that -- that when we 12 received our tobacco monies, we -- we put -- I think it was 13 $420,000 in the General Fund to hold for -- in fund balances 14 for an unidentified future need. So, that's -- to my mind, 15 that $400,000 is a part of this -- this $3 million, five. I 16 don't -- I don't know if y'all caught that or not, but 17 that's what -- 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah, we already caught 19 it. The thing that would fit that, in my mind, would be, 20 like, the T-hangars, and that's kind of a one-time 21 expenditure for a capital-type improvement. 22 MR. TOMLINSON: So, that's -- you know, 23 that's one place that -- that the sur -- one reason the 24 surplus is there. I will tell you up front that -- that the 25 non-tax revenue, my projection of that is conservative, and 20 1 in the 10 years that I've been here, I have never 2 overestimated that number. I would say there's a -- 3 probably a 2 to 3 percent cushion in there, so I think -- I 4 mean, I believe that -- you know, I think that we will do 5 better than that. But I -- for planning purposes, I just 6 don't think it's a good idea to stretch the number. Also, 7 I've -- you know, I've -- as far as expenditures go, my 8 history in this county has shown that -- that almost all 9 departments always give money back at the end of the year. 10 You know, our public officials do not have the "spend it 11 because they have it" attitude toward their budgets. Never 12 have. And also, you know, this Court has never had -- had 13 the -- the attitude that "spend it or lose it" either. 14 They've always been fair with -- with every department. 15 And, for that reason, I think that -- that each -- you know, 16 each public official has always been a good steward of the 17 budget. So, for that reason, also, I feel like that -- that 18 we'll be given some money back at the end of the year. It 19 hasn't failed yet. 20 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: That's kind of the 21 nature of county government, really, across the -- across 22 the state. 23 MR. TOMLINSON: You know, I -- I know all of 24 us have visited with our peers in different parts of the 25 state, and my conversation with -- in talking around the 21 1 state is that this is not the case in a lot of places. And, 2 so, I think -- I think we're fortunate to have the situation 3 that we do. 4 JUDGE HENNEKE: I agree. Okay. 5 Mr. Williams, you want to let Mr. Martinez -- 6 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I think so, Judge. 7 Antonio Martinez, director of the library, has been invited 8 to present to the Court the budget numbers that he has run 9 by the City Council, which we are obligated to fund 50 10 percent, and I think the Court should have some idea what's 11 in that budget. Antonio? 12 (Discussion off the record.) 13 MR. MARTINEZ: Judge, Commissioners, on 14 August 18th, the proposed City of Kerrville budget was 15 presented to the City Council at a special meeting. I have 16 been gone out of town since then, and this is the first time 17 I've seen this document myself, so bear with me if I 18 struggle a little bit in answering any of your questions. 19 My quick evaluation of it is it's a status-quo budget. 20 There's no growth. Some significant items that were 21 introduced were salary package, as you've seen in the media 22 coverage. The City hired a consultant, received a 23 recommendation, and has carried that recommendation forward 24 to Council to upgrade salaries and make the municipal 25 employee market a little more competitive. We're lagging 22 1 behind on that market. 2 At any rate, this proposed budget 3 incorporates that salary package. That has not been 4 approved by Council yet. The first public hearing on this 5 budget will be September 12th, and we will not see a 6 finalized City -- overall City budget and the library 7 component until late September, more than likely. Other 8 significant items, we have carried over some funds related 9 to the building projects that you've been aware of since 10 '98. We have also received funding from E.I.C. and propose 11 to join or merge those two funds, the carryover, and that's 12 reflected in Line Item 502, I believe. So, that carryover 13 of $80,000 would be combined with the E.I.C. money of 14 approximately $228,600 to create a fund of about $309,000 to 15 carry forward with the proposed building projects. 16 And, by the way, we did take the list that 17 had been submitted by Judge Henneke and used that as our 18 priority list for the projects we would like to accomplish. 19 We have had some reductions in some of our line items in 20 order to accommodate the salary package, so it's a very 21 lean, very trim budget. There's, like I said, no growth. 22 We had to cut some significant items; for instance, 23 computers that were needed. We had requested approximately 24 four computers. I have been fortunate enough to have 25 applied for a grant, and we have received approval to 23 1 receive four free computers, so we're hoping to get by. We 2 still need additional ones, but, you know, we'll get by this 3 current -- or this coming fiscal year with the free grant 4 computers. I have also applied for and received a subsidy 5 for telecommunication and internet costs. So, again, there 6 we cut the City budget by that amount. 7 I'll be glad to answer any questions. Those 8 are some of the significant items. You know, we thank the 9 Commissioners Court for the support we've had in this past 10 year, and in trying to get some of these building projects 11 going. I anticipate that we have the Request For Proposal 12 documents currently being written, and I would hope that by 13 early to mid-October, we would release those documents and 14 get started on the construction. 15 JUDGE HENNEKE: I'm a bit confused. 16 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Me, too. 17 JUDGE HENNEKE: Let me ask a couple 18 questions. 19 MR. MARTINEZ: Sure. 20 JUDGE HENNEKE: Does the library budget 21 summary, the first page -- is that everything? 22 MR. MARTINEZ: That includes the carry-overs, 23 so that's why those numbers look so different. Yes, that is 24 everything. 25 JUDGE HENNEKE: Does that include -- 24 1 MR. MARTINEZ: Minus the History Center. 2 JUDGE HENNEKE: Does not include anything 3 related to the History Center salaries? 4 MR. MARTINEZ: The History Center is a 5 separate package. 6 JUDGE HENNEKE: Pardon? 7 MR. MARTINEZ: The History Center is a 8 separate package, halfway through here. 9 JUDGE HENNEKE: The front page does not 10 include any History -- 11 MR. MARTINEZ: I do not believe it would 12 include the History Center. I haven't added up the numbers. 13 You know, like I said, I just received this this morning. 14 But, if you'll look -- let's see, one, two, three, four, 15 five, six pages into this package, there's a History Center 16 section there. All of the History Center money, by the way, 17 is private money. There is no City money budgeted, so there 18 would be no expense to -- to the County in relation to the 19 History Center. 20 JUDGE HENNEKE: And all expenditures that are 21 shown on the front page are operating expenses? 22 MR. MARTINEZ: Do you mean the top -- I'm 23 sorry, the -- 24 JUDGE HENNEKE: Yes. 25 MR. MARTINEZ: That's what it's indicating 25 1 there. I would assume that's correct. 2 JUDGE HENNEKE: So, the Capital Outlay that's 3 found one, two, three, four, five pages in, $168,000 is not 4 included in the operating budget? 5 MR. MARTINEZ: Let me look at the numbers 6 here real quick. Now, the $80,000 definitely would not, 7 since you had already previously funded that. No, the books 8 and records line item, 57128, should be part of operating 9 and expenditures. 10 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: What does that 11 entail? 12 MR. MARTINEZ: That's the books that are 13 purchased for the library collection. 14 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: I'd like to back up 15 here and ask a question. If the -- if the total transfers 16 in budget requests is $350,926, as shown on Page 1, then why 17 does our recommended equal almost that same number? 18 JUDGE HENNEKE: That just means that they 19 haven't gone up much. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: He means we're paying 100 21 percent. 22 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Looks like we're 23 paying 100 percent rather than half. 24 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: What is the City's 25 portion? 26 1 MR. MARTINEZ: If you look on Page 2, I think 2 there's a better explanation there. Intergovernmental 3 revenue, the $350,926 is only the County portion. 4 JUDGE HENNEKE: Oh, so this is a -- a 5 County -- for the County portion? 6 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: So, the front sheet is 7 not the total library budget? 8 MR. MARTINEZ: Well, it's revenue in, but the 9 only revenue in is the County subsidy. 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: From the City's point of 11 view. 12 MR. MARTINEZ: From the City's point of view, 13 right. 14 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Okay. Okay, now I'm 15 getting it. 16 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: So, this is our share? 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 18 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Salaries, Antonio, on 19 page -- 20 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: About three -- maybe. 21 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I was looking at the 22 percentage. 23 MR. MARTINEZ: Are you looking at this 24 9.5 percent increase? 25 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm looking on 27 1 whatever page, Departmental Budget Worksheet, looking at a 2 7.5 cent -- 7.57 percent salary increase for your staff; is 3 that correct? 4 MR. MARTINEZ: Let me find the page you're 5 on. 6 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I'm on -- 7 MR. MARTINEZ: Oh, I see. Now, that is one 8 department within the whole library division. If you'd like 9 to see the whole library impact, that's on Page 4, in terms 10 of salaries. That figure you're looking at would be purely 11 for the administrative function. 12 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Okay. Page 4 is the 13 entire -- 14 MR. MARTINEZ: Entire library operation would 15 be Page 4. 16 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: So, that's even 17 higher; it's 9.75. 18 MR. MARTINEZ: 9.75 percent. 19 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: That -- has that been 20 approved? 21 MR. MARTINEZ: No, that has not been approved 22 yet. 23 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: So, bottom line is 24 that we currently have $346,626 in our recommended budget at 25 this point, and the numbers that the City are working with, 28 1 but not yet approved, would indicate that number should be 2 some $4,000 higher; is that right? 3 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: That's what I see, 4 yes. 5 (Discussion off the record.) 6 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: We've got a $4,000 7 difference between what the City is currently working with, 8 but has not yet approved, and what our original budget -- 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes. 10 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Okay. 11 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: This does not show 12 those E.I.C. monies in that budget. 13 MR. MARTINEZ: No, sir, those would not be 14 reflected here. 15 (Discussion off the record.) 16 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I don't have any 17 questions. 18 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: What did y'all decide 19 about the elevator? 20 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: It's cranked into the 21 list of priority projects that Antonio referenced. It will 22 be done, and the priority list is the one that the Judge and 23 I worked on and submitted for funding, most of which is 24 going to come from E.I.C., but our $80,000 is in there for 25 the elevator and will be there. 29 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: All right. 2 MR. MARTINEZ: My goal would be to try to do 3 the roof first, in case we need to punch holes through the 4 roof. You know, we need to analyze the roof first. We 5 don't want to build a roof and then the elevator and punch 6 new holes through the roof, so we need to be real careful 7 with those two projects. 8 JUDGE HENNEKE: Okay. Thank you, Antonio. 9 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Antonio. 10 MR. MARTINEZ: Mm-hmm. 11 JUDGE HENNEKE: Okay. 12 MR. TOMLINSON: There is one other issue. 13 This is probably insignificant, but Judge Brown's salary is 14 set by statute, and it's $1,000 under the District Judges' 15 salary. I don't -- we would have to call the Office of 16 Court Administration to find out what that is, but I don't 17 think it changed, because the Legislature had no opportunity 18 to change it. So, I will call them and find out what it is, 19 but my -- my guess is that it's the same as last year. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Tommy, on the -- the 21 summary sheet, where are the T-hangars? 22 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Capital Improvement? 23 MR. TOMLINSON: They're in fund -- they're in 24 General Fund. 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: In the -- 30 1 MR. TOMLINSON: In the General Fund. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: In the General? 3 MR. TOMLINSON: Yeah, under City/County 4 Operations. With -- along with the -- where the Airport 5 Operations budget has been all along. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Its just stays, because 7 it's a -- it's a permanent improvement; it doesn't go into a 8 separate spot? 9 MR. TOMLINSON: No. I don't -- it's not our 10 permanent improvement. I mean, in my opinion. So -- 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We own half. 12 MR. TOMLINSON: We don't insure it, and -- 13 and as far as for County purposes, I don't think we're -- 14 that we would -- we would include it in our inventory. 15 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: That's right. 16 Because -- because we do -- our agreement with the City is 17 that they do the operations piece of it. We provide -- and 18 I think that's the way we want it. We don't want to get 19 into the day-to-day operations of it, so I think that's 20 probably the reason for the accounting decision that says, 21 handle it as just an operating cost that we're giving to the 22 City and let them administer it. 23 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Same with the 24 library. 25 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Same way with the 31 1 library, yeah. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, with the library 3 it's a little bit different, because the building, as I 4 understand it, was -- the County was just asked to help fund 5 it. 6 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Right, the operation. 7 MS. NEMEC: But we never were given that 8 building; we don't own that building. 9 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: No. 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Where at the airport, we 11 do own half that property. 12 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Right. 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So, I mean, it's a 14 pretty -- it's -- I mean, if we're going to start doing more 15 things to the airport, I just want to make sure that it's -- 16 you know, it's kind of, to me, misleading to have it, but 17 I'm not an accountant, so I don't know. I'll go with Tommy, 18 but it just seems that we start doing permanent improvements 19 at the airport, that that ought to be listed as a permanent 20 improvement. 21 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Well, we can look at 22 that. We can carry half of the capital value on the books. 23 It won't affect the budget. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right, it's not -- it's 25 just where you put it, but I agree with you, we don't want 32 1 to take over. 2 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: That's right. 3 (Discussion off the record.) 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I just wanted to make 5 sure it was in here. You answered that question. 6 MR. TOMLINSON: Yeah, it's in there. 7 JUDGE HENNEKE: Okay. That's the overview. 8 By my rude calculations, we need to find almost $900,000, or 9 find some additional revenue sources. 10 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: And can you -- can 11 somebody explain, sort of, what criteria that would give us, 12 as far as reserve and -- and -- 13 JUDGE HENNEKE: Well, Tommy and I talked 14 earlier this morning, and he's certainly welcome to jump in 15 here anytime I get out of my league, which is almost 16 immediately. Tommy believes that the fund balance -- the 17 projected fund balance at Road and Bridge at the end of next 18 year is healthy. 19 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Is that the -- that 20 $3 million, five? 21 JUDGE HENNEKE: No, the $1,477,722, Road and 22 Bridge. 23 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Oh. 24 JUDGE HENNEKE: He sees that as a potential 25 source for moving -- basically moving some tax base up into 33 1 the General Fund. Is that correct, Tommy? 2 MR. TOMLINSON: That's a possibility, yes. 3 JUDGE HENNEKE: And, as he told us earlier, 4 you know, there's $3,507,595 in the projected General Fund. 5 Fund balance is perhaps a little healthier than it might 6 have to be, but it's not much; we don't have a lot there. 7 MR. TOMLINSON: Well, you know, the Road and 8 Bridge fund balance is one of those things that was -- I 9 mean, if you have -- you know, if you have a big problem 10 with a -- with a flood, that's not enough. So -- so it's 11 just, I think, really arbitrary. I mean, as far as what you 12 actually keep there. I mean, at minimum, I think you need 13 the same ratio of -- of operating capital to -- to your 14 expenditures as you would in any other fund. But -- 15 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Did that million, 16 four -- is that a three-month operating -- 17 MR. TOMLINSON: Oh, no, that's almost 18 60 percent. 19 JUDGE HENNEKE: Three, four-month operating 20 would be about $750 thousand, approximately. 21 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: So, this, in effect, 22 is almost twice the amount that's required for three months 23 of operation. 24 JUDGE HENNEKE: It's not required, as Tommy 25 will tell you, but it's prudent accounting to have a 34 1 three-month operating revenue -- reserve. 2 MR. TOMLINSON: The nature of our -- our 3 revenue stream is seasonal. It's concentrated in -- in 4 December, January, and February. So, you know, you don't 5 want to have to borrow operating money, so that's -- the 6 Comptrollers' Office says that -- the three months is a 7 recommendation from the Comptrollers' Office, as a guideline 8 for the County's vaults. 9 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Tommy, back up. In 10 the General Fund, that 3.5, that's a 3-month operating, and 11 you said something about some additional. How much? 12 MR. TOMLINSON: Well, a third -- a third of 13 the 11 million, six would be $3 million, approximately. So 14 -- so you have -- if it turns out to be $3 million 5, then 15 you have the $500,000 amount on top of that, which I think 16 is pretty -- 17 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Let me ask the 18 question a slightly different way. And -- because I don't 19 know. The -- your calculation, Judge, of a $900,000 20 shortfall is based on what? I mean, how do you get to do -- 21 to maintain the same fund levels? 22 JUDGE HENNEKE: No, it's to balance the 23 budget. It's very simple, 'cause I tend to be a simple 24 person. I add the estimated tax revenue and the estimated 25 non-tax revenue together. Then, to the expenditures, I add 35 1 the things that we've identified here this morning that are 2 not included, which is principally the $90,000 for 3 additional insurance costs, $4,300 for the library, and we 4 come up -- I come up with $895,353, which is the amount that 5 our expenditures exceed our revenues. Just based on tax 6 revenues and non-tax revenues. So, if you add everything 7 in -- 8 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Well, it -- 9 JUDGE HENNEKE: Fourth line exceeds the total 10 of the second and the third by $895,000. 11 MR. TOMLINSON: That's to have a balanced 12 budget. I mean, as it -- as it is right now, you have a 13 deficit -- 14 JUDGE HENNEKE: Right. 15 MR. TOMLINSON: -- budget. Because -- 16 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: And to do that, if you 17 were to execute the budget as currently -- before doing 18 any -- any cuts, then the $900,000 would be coming from the 19 fund balance that we started with. Is that -- 20 MR. TOMLINSON: That's correct. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: If we didn't do anything 22 else, it would all come out of that -- 23 MR. TOMLINSON: Four million, three. 24 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: So, what we would end 25 up with, we would end up with everything funded, but we 36 1 would have reduced our fund balance at the end of the 2 following year by that amount. 3 MR. TOMLINSON: That's correct. 4 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: And how do we set the 5 required fund balance? We do that on how many months of 6 operating -- 7 JUDGE HENNEKE: Well, we get Tommy -- Tommy's 8 preference, which I think we have to respect that, is to 9 have a third operating balance in the General Fund. 10 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Yeah. And -- 11 JUDGE HENNEKE: And between 25 percent and 12 33 percent in the Road and Bridge. 13 MR. TOMLINSON: Also, you have to consider 14 as -- as part of your fund balance, he -- any other 15 expenditures out of the future that you might want to have 16 fund balances there for. 17 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Sure. 18 MR. TOMLINSON: So, that's above and beyond 19 what it takes to operate for -- for a 3-month period. So, 20 you know, if there's -- if there's a project out there 21 that -- that's a priority, then maybe you need the fund 22 balance to -- to have -- to be able to -- to fund that at 23 some point. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: In recent years, I think 25 the way the Court has operated -- this was before I was even 37 1 on the Court -- was that the -- you build the fund balance 2 up and then you build a building like, you know, the Ag 3 Barn, or help with some of the renovations we've done, 4 Animal Control. I mean, a lot of these things. All -- 5 almost all new buildings, other than the courthouse 6 renovation, was done out of the fund balance by building it 7 up a little bit and then taking it down to a comfortable 8 level again. So, that might be a good spot for T-hangars. 9 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: That's exactly my 10 point. In this year's budget, we have several -- in the 11 requested budget, we have several items, to me, that fall 12 into that category. 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I agree. 14 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Like T-hangar, Annex 15 finish-out, like some of the other things that we want to 16 do. To me, drawing down prudently -- drawing down the fund 17 balance, you know, in a particular year to cover some of 18 those kind of items is not necessarily a bad thing. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: No. 20 JUDGE HENNEKE: It's not a bad thing. 21 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: I don't look at it 22 particularly as a deficit, because that's the reason the 23 fund balances were built up. 24 JUDGE HENNEKE: We did that last year, if you 25 recall. We took approximately $200,000 out of the projected 38 1 end of fiscal year fund balance and moved it into fiscal 2 year spending. So, it's -- as Jonathan says, that's the way 3 it's been done, and that's the way it is done. The question 4 for the Court is, do we want to fund everything -- 5 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: How much? 6 JUDGE HENNEKE: -- we've talked about here? 7 And, the result of that is, how much do we need to take out 8 of the fund balance? That's our decision. 9 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: In the past, to the 10 best of your recollection, have we ever pulled down some of 11 that surplus out of the Road and Bridge? 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes. 13 JUDGE HENNEKE: We did last year. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We did last year and the 15 year before. 16 MR. TOMLINSON: We have. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We're getting to the 18 point with Road and Bridge that -- I mean, I'm -- we're 19 getting close to the limit that I think we should withdraw 20 or lower their funds. I think part of that's because 21 Leonard is undertaking a change, as he advises us, going 22 from a 5-year to 7-year -- from a 7-year to a 10-year 23 maintenance program, and I personally have doubts whether we 24 can do that and keep the quality of our roads up. Because, 25 I mean, we have some roads that were done two years -- in my 39 1 precinct two years ago that are already showing significant 2 signs of wear, and -- and I don't -- I just don't see how 3 those roads can make it eight more years. So, I mean, I 4 think we need to be real careful about taking Road and 5 Bridge, you know, too much lower. But, you know, I'm not 6 saying there's not room there for some of it, you know. I 7 mean, there -- that was built up through the registrations 8 and other monies that go into the Road and Bridge. That 9 fund got built up more than it needed to be, so I don't have 10 a problem with lowering it. We just need to be careful we 11 don't go too far in the future. 12 MR. TOMLINSON: Or you could always move it 13 back. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 15 MR. TOMLINSON: I mean, if you change a -- if 16 you shift tax rate from -- from one to the other, I mean, 17 you can -- you can move it back. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 19 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: What if we did cut the 20 Road and Bridge back to a 3-month -- just a 3-month 21 operating cost, and then there's some overage in there -- 22 did you say $700,000? 23 JUDGE HENNEKE: About 750. 24 MR. TOMLINSON: About 750. I'd be 25 comfortable with a million, one. 40 1 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Comfortable with 2 what? 3 MR. TOMLINSON: A million, one. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: With 377 now. 5 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 377. 6 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Okay. 7 MR. TOMLINSON: I mean, that would help us 8 if -- if we -- if we ever get that flood. 9 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Yeah, 377 left over if 10 we cut it back to the 3-month operating expense; is that 11 what you're saying? 12 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Plus, cut it to -- 13 1477 to 1.1. 14 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: To 1.1. 15 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: The 377 out of 1477. 16 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Do the same thing on 17 the General Fund? 18 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Down to three. 19 JUDGE HENNEKE: A bit more than that. 20 MR. TOMLINSON: Well, that will move three -- 21 almost $400,000 to the General Fund, so that will increase 22 that to almost four -- almost $4 million. 23 JUDGE HENNEKE: Leave us about 620 -- no, 24 520. 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Then if we lowered the -- 41 1 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: I'll go on record 2 right now as saying I don't think there's any problem 3 with -- with taking some of that General Fund balance to 4 fund some of these requirements. Not all, necessarily, but 5 if -- I'm not sure this is the way to look at it, but if 6 that's what it takes, then I think if we have funding 7 priorities that are high enough, that we don't want to zero 8 on, that spending down that balance is okay. 9 JUDGE HENNEKE: Well, let's talk for just a 10 second about the spending of the revenues. Tommy seems to 11 think that we can, perhaps, do the mainframe this year, and 12 I think that $60,000 was included in this summary; isn't 13 that correct? 14 MR. TOMLINSON: That's correct. 15 JUDGE HENNEKE: So, we give ourselves back 16 $60,000. Is there anything else we want to consider? 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: The Annex and the 18 build-out are two areas that are -- 19 JUDGE HENNEKE: Right. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- potential sources. 21 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: The computer 22 specialist. I've talked with Tommy, I've talked with the 23 Judge. We could make that a mid-year hire, struggle along 24 for six months. We can cut that in half. That's $20,000, 25 so we can save doing that. 42 1 JUDGE HENNEKE: If we do that, we've picked 2 up 60 for the mainframe, 20 for the computer specialist, 3 approximately 25 for the Annex, and I don't know what-all 4 for the finish-out. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: If we went -- if we took 6 25 from the Annex, I probably wouldn't want to take any in 7 the build-out, so we could have a little built of cushion, 8 switch from one to the other if we start getting in trouble 9 on the Annex. 10 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: So, we've talked about 11 roughly $100,000. 12 JUDGE HENNEKE: Yeah. 13 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: And that's just in 14 straight budget cuts, in essence. One is a savings, 'cause 15 we pulled the $60,000 back into this year. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I don't know -- 17 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Let me just say this. 18 I'm getting pretty close to saying as long as we don't 19 affect the tax rate, I'd fund the rest of it. And there's 20 some puts and takes in there we can look at and scrub some 21 stuff, but I don't see any reason not to fund those higher 22 priority items. We set out at the first of the year saying 23 we're going to make the employees' compensation right, and I 24 think we've done that in this budget. And I -- and that is 25 a big impact. I think we're going to see things get better 43 1 next year on the revenue side, for several reasons, and I 2 think that this is a -- will be a prudent approach, because 3 now we need to go through here and scrub everything out we 4 can, like -- 5 JUDGE HENNEKE: Let's just go through the 6 rest of them. We've talked about the computer specialist, 7 taking it from 40 to 20 by basically making it a mid-year 8 hire. Okay. Deputy Collections Manager, Collections 9 Department. Is there anybody who's interested in scrubbing 10 on that one? 11 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: That could be a 12 mid-year hire. 13 JUDGE HENNEKE: Well, that's an operation, 14 though, that really affects revenue, and putting that off is 15 going to have an impact upon the bottom line. To me, 16 that's -- that's kind of pound-foolish to put off the guy 17 who brings in the bucks for half a year. 18 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: And major bucks. 19 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: And I feel -- and my 20 thought on that, again, is that if there is something that 21 produces a revenue that's more than the cost, leave it in. 22 Let's fund it. 23 MR. DUNCAN: Your Honor? 24 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: You have to 25 remember -- just a second, Mr. Duncan. You have to 44 1 remember, if these guys -- Mr. Duncan and his associate here 2 do their job, they should be out of a job -- 3 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Pretty soon. 4 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: -- at some near future 5 point. 6 MR. DUNCAN: Honorable Judge, Commissioners, 7 I hear you talking about budget money needs. If -- if I 8 take your charge that you've given me and collect the money 9 that needs to be collected, and I do my job properly with my 10 assistant, we should be able to help your revenue monies, 11 not hurt your revenue monies, because fines go directly into 12 roads, that's where the fines go. Court costs mostly goes 13 to the State, with a little bit of it staying here, but if 14 we do our job properly, we should give you some positive 15 numbers, and I intend to do that, very much so. So, what 16 I'm looking at here is, I take my commitment seriously, as 17 you all know, and I'm going to take it even more seriously 18 now and do better for y'all, because the need is there, and 19 so I'll let the program speak for itself. 20 JUDGE HENNEKE: We appreciate your efforts, 21 Russ. I think the seminar last week spoke for itself. I 22 want to say, too, that the suggestion that I have is, since 23 the -- well, no, that's a different thing. Sheriff's 24 Department Training and Ammunition. Can we whittle on that 25 any? 45 1 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: If -- if I can make a 2 suggestion there, I can't -- and I've looked at that. We're 3 already going to have to take some donations to help get up 4 to that amount. I can't whittle on that. But, looking at 5 y'all's capital expenditures that you've approved, the only 6 thing I can do on that is, under the Jail part of it, you 7 have $1,875 for five radios in the jail. I pretty well 8 committed to purchasing those radios out of that grant money 9 we have, so that $1,875 can be cut back out of there if you 10 want to do that, but that's -- I've looked at our budget and 11 looked at it, trying to find a place we can cut things. 12 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: We'll take it. 13 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: I figured you would. 14 JUDGE HENNEKE: Sold. 15 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: I can't do anything with 16 that training. 17 JUDGE HENNEKE: Court Maintenance is 18 something that we've already really talked about. Annex 19 finish-out. Jonathan, you suggested we take the renovation 20 down to 25, but leave the -- down to 50, but leave the Annex 21 at 60? 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I really look at those -- 23 I mean, between those two, they're kind of the same. I 24 mean, it's all the construction under this. 25 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: We could move money -- 46 1 what you're saying is use one -- leave the 60 in there, 2 'cause it's got some reserve, but cut the other to what we 3 really think is a good estimate, and -- and perhaps use that 4 reserve against both? 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right, and use that 6 extra, basically, with moving the Treasurer -- do that later 7 in the year. 8 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Right. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And, you know, if we have 10 funds there, we do it; if not, we push it off until next 11 year. And then -- sorry, Barbara. 12 MS. NEMEC: That's okay. 13 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: How does that sound to 14 you? Buster? 15 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: That sounds good. I 16 just don't like the thought of putting the 60 in there and 17 knowing that we're going to move it. 18 JUDGE HENNEKE: Well, we may not. 19 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I know. 20 JUDGE HENNEKE: As I told y'all before -- 21 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I just want to have 22 real numbers. 23 JUDGE HENNEKE: -- Keith -- Keith was very 24 comfortable with the 50. 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Fifty was the number he 47 1 gave us, and we upped it. So -- 2 JUDGE HENNEKE: Okay. Animal Kennel Control 3 Worker. 4 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Excuse me just for a 5 second. What is the real number there, then? 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 60. 7 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: It's not 200? 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 60. 9 JUDGE HENNEKE: Animal Kennel Control Worker. 10 Anyone have any discussion on that one? 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think we need to do 12 that. 13 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: We ought to do that. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: To me, it's a -- one, we 15 have a contract with the City. We also -- it's a community 16 health and safety issue, and I think it's -- that's one of 17 the primary things that we need to fund. I think that 18 number's low, though. I think that that is probably -- I 19 don't know. If we -- Barbara, if we did it -- put it at a 20 9-1 -- 21 MS. NEMEC: That would be $14,739. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And that's the salary, or 23 does that include everything? 24 MS. NEMEC: No, that's just the salary. Then 25 you add your 7.65 and 7.62 retirement. 48 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Add 15 percent to that. 2 MS. NEMEC: And insurance. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Fifteen, three? 4 JUDGE HENNEKE: Pretty comfortable. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Fifteen, three is a good 6 budget number. $15,300. 7 MS. NEMEC: So, we're going to move it to a 8 9-1? 9 JUDGE HENNEKE: Well, I mean, I think we 10 ought to talk to Marc about that, because Marc's request was 11 for an 8-1. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We can put it at 8-1. 13 What's an 8-1 at now? 14 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: We don't have it. 15 MS. NEMEC: Well, an 8-1 on the Step and 16 Grade Schedule -- which we don't have any employees at an 17 8-1, but on the Step and Grade Schedule, is $14,028, which, 18 if you want to break it down by hourly rate, it's $6.70 19 versus $7.09. 20 JUDGE HENNEKE: This is a very unskilled 21 worker. 22 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: What's the 23 comparable -- is there another employee in the same capacity 24 out there? What is it? 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: There -- there isn't 49 1 anyone even close. 2 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: There's not another 3 one out there? 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think the closest would 5 be some of the custodian -- the beginning custodian. 6 MS. NEMEC: And they're at 9-1's. 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Would be closest, but, 8 you know, this could also -- I don't have a problem with 9 doing it 8-1. 10 MS. NEMEC: I want to say the custodian's job 11 is probably more -- 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: More responsible? 13 MS. NEMEC: Mm-hmm. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I don't have a problem 15 with 8-1. 16 MS. NEMEC: Of course, I don't know; I'm not 17 out there. 18 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: That's what he 19 requested. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 21 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: I recommend we cost it 22 at 8-1, put it in the budget. 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 8-1, whatever that turns 24 out to be. 25 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Whatever that total 50 1 impact is. 2 JUDGE HENNEKE: The other major -- next major 3 item is the Sheriff's Department deputy for the work 4 program. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think that's a must if 6 we're going to do -- it kind of fits in with a lot of other 7 things. 8 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: That's the linchpin in 9 several things we've just talked about. That has to be in 10 there, I think. 11 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Did you change that 12 salary to the regular deputy's in here? You got it at 21; 13 that's the old schedule. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It will be whatever the 15 new position -- I mean -- 16 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: What -- 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- whatever that is. 18 JUDGE HENNEKE: And then, finally, we have an 19 increase in the -- in additional compensation for the J.P.'s 20 for going out to the State Hospital to do the probable cause 21 hearings. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: They wanted an increase 23 from $300 to $500, is that what it is. 24 JUDGE HENNEKE: Bring the total from $3,600 25 to $6,000, which would be $500 a month. Not each -- 51 1 whichever J.P. does the service. 2 MS. NEMEC: I understand that. But, how much 3 time does that entail, usually? 4 JUDGE HENNEKE: Oh, it's an average of three 5 to four hours a week. 6 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Maybe 15 hours a 7 month? 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Fifteen hours a month? 9 Probably, we can cut it back some. I can see they need an 10 increase, but possibly cut it back to $5,000 total. 11 JUDGE HENNEKE: Well, if I -- 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Or -- 13 JUDGE HENNEKE: My unpopular take on that is 14 that we addressed all elected officials as a whole. 15 Everyone got the same raise. J.P.'s got the same $2,000 16 as -- plus the 2 percent COLA. None of the other elected 17 officials who carry additional duties or who do additional 18 duties also got increased for those additional duties. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I agree. 20 JUDGE HENNEKE: So -- 21 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: You say that's your 22 unpopular stance? 23 JUDGE HENNEKE: That's my unpopular standing. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Unpopular with them. 25 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Makes you popular with 52 1 us. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I don't have any problem 3 with doing it that way, either. I think that we were going 4 to -- as part of the -- I think the goal for next year is to 5 look at elected officials statewide and see if they're -- 6 you know, try to do a comparison, see if we're where we 7 should be with that. Probably may be more appropriate to 8 do -- to do them at the same time as everybody else, which 9 is essentially what that is, and look at it in light of all 10 other elected officials and their responsibilities and what 11 they're doing. And I think with those that do have -- you 12 know, get paid for doing certain functions additionally 13 should be part of that mix. 14 JUDGE HENNEKE: You know, part of that, the 15 elected officials got together and they all decided 16 collectively that they would ask for a $2,000 17 across-the-board salary increase. That's what the 18 collective wisdom of the group was. The J.P.'s have those 19 additional duties and they came in, but a lot of other 20 people with some additional duties didn't come in for 21 increases. So, I personally believe, as a matter of equity, 22 and also to keep us on the track we start out on, that we 23 should leave the J.P.'s as they are. 24 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Back on -- back on the 25 extra duties, I mean, any time -- any time the Legislature 53 1 meets, people like the County and District Clerks always get 2 new duties. And there's always something new that is -- 3 that's passed down that creates new work for everybody. 4 That always happens. So, it's the same thing. Well, we 5 can't do it this year, but we'll do it next year. Let's 6 look at it next year. 7 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Look at it next year? 8 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: I think we should, 9 because we did an elected officials increase this year 10 already. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 12 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: And what was that 13 number? I'm sorry? 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: $2,400 reduction. 15 JUDGE HENNEKE: Rusty gave us back $1,875. 16 Sheriff? 17 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Yes, that's what that 18 is. 19 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Gave us 1,800. 20 Anybody want to beat the Sheriff's number out there? 21 Thanks. I said anybody else want to try to beat the 22 Sheriff's number? We'll take anything we can get. 23 MR. TOMLINSON: I have one question. I may 24 have forgotten the explanation of this, but I noticed going 25 through the budget that in Courthouse Security, we -- we do 54 1 have a full-time person in there as a bailiff, but there is 2 nothing in there for a part-time person. If -- I mean, if 3 we have two courtrooms, I'm -- what are we going to do when 4 we need another bailiff? 5 JUDGE HENNEKE: As I recall, the Sheriff made 6 a commitment to me that he would cover any overflow bailiff 7 responsibilities. Is that correct? 8 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: That's correct. 9 MR. TOMLINSON: Okay. Well, I just I saw 10 zero there. 11 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: I know one thing we 12 talked about because of the funds -- that's a totally 13 different budget line item, Item 28, or whatever the fund 14 is. If we send people over, regular deputies, that we have 15 to have one of our warrant guys or whatever serve as a 16 bailiff or -- or come over and do some security work, 17 itself, then we will turn in a separate time card for that 18 person that will come out of that 29 line item and not out 19 of our Sheriff's salaries line item. 20 JUDGE HENNEKE: Courthouse Security. 21 MR. TOMLINSON: Okay. I wanted to make sure 22 that -- 23 JUDGE HENNEKE: Yeah. 24 MR. TOMLINSON: I didn't understand that. 25 Another thing. Friday, the District Judges were out of 55 1 town, and I forgot that this issue was on the table, but I 2 would like to mention it, and that's that -- that the two 3 courts had asked for a receptionist to share with -- the 4 cost with -- with the other eight counties in the two 5 districts. And, their -- I think their feeling is that, 6 with two courts now in our courthouse, that -- that they -- 7 they need some additional help. At this point, they have -- 8 they have gotten an agreement with all the other eight 9 counties in the two districts to share in this. On the 10 other side of the coin, if -- if we wait a year to do this, 11 it -- it might be that we might have another court 12 coordinator. 13 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: A what? 14 MR. TOMLINSON: A court coordinator for both 15 courts. And, if that happens, then -- then our share of -- 16 of a court coordinator for the 198th District goes up, 17 because our share -- the share that Kerr County pays on -- 18 on those salaries is based on population. And, so, our -- 19 our share with -- with Kimble, Mason, Menard, and Concho 20 County is small -- I mean McCulloch County. So, our share 21 is going to be large if we -- if we potentially go to a 22 court coordinator for both courts. And also, if we wait a 23 year, we might lose the -- the 198th District's share of -- 24 of this receptionist. I mean, if we wait. So, both judges 25 you know, asked me to bring that before you, and -- and for 56 1 your consideration. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: On most of that, I mean, 3 we can't budget for things that might happen. We -- you 4 know -- 5 MR. TOMLINSON: That's true. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. We just have to 7 kind of -- if it does, we'll have to react. If they, you 8 know, change something, inform us mid-year, we'll just have 9 to figure what to do with them. And the first thing was a 10 receptionist? Was that the first thing you were talking 11 about? 12 MR. TOMLINSON: That's what they're asking 13 for right now, in lieu of a court coordinator. I mean, each 14 court has -- can have a court coordinator. And -- 15 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Question. When 16 would -- when would the court coordinator thing be known, 17 next year? 18 MR. TOMLINSON: Well, it may never -- 19 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: May never happen? 20 MR. TOMLINSON: I mean, they have done 21 with -- they have shared one for the last, like, 10 or 12 22 years, however long they've had a court coordinator. 23 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Twelve. 24 MR. TOMLINSON: They have -- they have the 25 opportunity, if they desire, to have a court coordinator for 57 1 each court. So, I mean, we -- we've gotten by these 12 2 years with one for -- for the two courts. Potentially, we 3 could have two court coordinators for -- for both courts. 4 The tariff on that will be much greater than -- than our 5 share of a receptionist. That's the point I'm making. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Our share of the 7 receptionist is -- 8 MR. TOMLINSON: It will be -- 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- 75? 10 MR. TOMLINSON: The $7,900. 11 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I have a couple 12 questions, Tommy, of you or of Linda. How are the 13 receptionist's responsibilities being handled now, and what 14 will the responsibilities be in the new setting? 15 MR. TOMLINSON: Well, the court coordinator 16 is -- is the only contact, at this point, for anybody 17 that -- that deals with courts. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think it -- one of the 19 things that's real difficult with both of the courts is that 20 they work in so many counties that a lot of that -- I mean, 21 they get a lot of activity that we don't see in this county. 22 At least that's my perception. That's what the judges have 23 told me and the staff up there has told me. And that 24 they -- you know, I mean, their current working conditions 25 are probably about as bad as anywhere else in the county; 58 1 probably even worse than Linda's, because they're both in 2 one little office, you know. 3 JUDGE HENNEKE: The other way we could look 4 at this would be to take the position that we probably can't 5 hire somebody until January 1st. 6 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: That was my genesis of 7 my question. When does this -- 8 JUDGE HENNEKE: Perhaps fund three-quarters, 9 because I'm not sure at what point, you know, things will be 10 able for them to occupy. That may be a little lower. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I mean, I think, to me, 12 it makes sense to increase the staff some in that area. 13 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: The question is when. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: A receptionist is 15 probably the -- the least costly of the options, by far. 16 And I would say that if you started at -- on January 1 or 17 February 1, would probably be realistic, as to probably 18 January 1, I imagine. Hopefully we'll be in before -- in 19 time for that. 20 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Take our share down 21 to around $6,000 then? 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Something like that. 23 JUDGE HENNEKE: Sheriff? 24 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Change in subject, just 25 a little reminder. We applied -- and this is something 59 1 that's one of those unknowns. I don't -- I don't exactly 2 recall the difference. When we applied for the S.R.O. 3 officer grant, if they approve that, which we're supposed to 4 hear in the next couple of weeks, then that's those three 5 officers we figured in at the little bit lower salary than 6 what the officers will be getting now, so there may be -- 7 even though we qualify that the grant pays for pretty well 8 everything, we don't have to have a matching fund, because 9 of this salary level it still could be several hundred 10 dollars each officer if that's approved over the year; that 11 the County's going to have surplus to get them up to the 12 same as other officers. See what I'm getting at? 13 JUDGE HENNEKE: We can take that up as an 14 amendment if we hear that within the next couple of weeks. 15 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: If that comes in. And 16 the only other thing that I have that I was really wanting 17 to kind of clarify, back when we were doing some of the 18 changes in the amendments under the part-time deputy 19 position, I have Don Gray's -- to speak of a person, Don 20 Gray's position, our dog handler. They were going to take 21 it up during the budget process, whether he's going to be 22 able to keep his benefits, medical benefits, because that's 23 going to be a real key to whether I'm going to get to keep 24 him. 25 JUDGE HENNEKE: We'll have to take that up at 60 1 a different time. 2 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Okay. 3 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Scoot back to the 4 receptionist. I can't exactly picture in my mind what a 5 receptionist is. Is that -- are we talking about when 6 people get off the elevator in the new facility, that they 7 immediately -- there is a desk with a person there? Is 8 that -- is that what we're talking about? 9 MS. UECKER: No. The plan is -- is there's 10 two -- two bailiff's offices in the new facility, one in 11 front of courtroom and one to the side of Courtroom 2. And 12 the one that's in front of Courtroom 1 has windows in it, 13 and that -- and it's right at the entrance to the hallway 14 that goes down to the Court Coordinator and the Judges. 15 It's my understanding that that is where the plan would be 16 to put that receptionist. So that when you get off the 17 elevator and go to the right to head to the -- to the 18 Judges' offices, and Court Coordinator's, the first person 19 you're going to meet is the receptionist, and they can 20 either, from that point, let you in or not let you in. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: How does that work when 22 we need the bailiffs? 23 MS. UECKER: I think the bailiff is going to 24 be -- according to what the Sheriff has told me, that he 25 decided that he wanted his full-time bailiff or the person 61 1 assigned over there in the other office anyway, 'cause he 2 could see directly at the elevator and could see either way. 3 So, it was fine with him. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So, this person is a -- a 5 true receptionist, not just a -- I mean, not just a -- 6 MS. UECKER: And I'm just speaking from 7 hearsay now, because, you know, Becky's not here, but from 8 what I understand -- I mean, I -- I'm not sure what that 9 person is going to do. They do receive an awful lot of 10 phone calls, because they do -- I mean, they handle, what, 11 10, 11 counties, and the person would be taking the phone 12 calls in addition to typing orders and doing whatever needs 13 to be done, pulling cases. 14 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Secretary. Secretary. 15 JUDGE HENNEKE: We could almost look at it, 16 if we wanted to, in the nature of a grant, and we're putting 17 up our share of the match. We're putting up the match. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 19 JUDGE HENNEKE: Because the other eight 20 counties, nine counties, are -- 21 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Sharing. 22 JUDGE HENNEKE: -- are putting up the balance 23 of funds. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Probably -- I mean, 25 it's -- I don't have a problem with it. 62 1 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: No, I -- that sounds 2 reasonable to me. 3 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Let's go. 4 JUDGE HENNEKE: Okay, Tommy, you got that? 5 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: We're going in the 6 wrong direction now. 7 JUDGE HENNEKE: Okay. 8 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Rusty, come up with 9 something else. 10 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: I gave you everything. 11 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Something else in the 12 minus column. 13 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: If the Tivy football 14 team would give me a couple helmets, we could cut the $500 15 for protective helmets. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We can probably work that 17 out. How much is that worth? 18 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Well, the helmets we had 19 on the Capital Improvement, actually, and these are for 20 inmate protectors. They're padded a little bit better, but 21 I can remember years ago we did use football helmets, and if 22 we had to, we could give you that $500 and find some helmets 23 somewhere. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Under Nondepartmental, I 25 had a couple questions. The first item is the Systems 63 1 Administrator, as I understand, goes to you, Tommy, for the 2 computer work. Will that be needed after mid-year when we 3 hire the computer specialist? 4 MR. TOMLINSON: Now it is. 5 (Discussion off the record.) 6 MR. TOMLINSON: I visited with Commissioner 7 Griffin some about that, and -- and also the Judge. I feel 8 like that -- that we need someone that's knowledgeable of 9 the software, itself, for -- for the -- to -- to maintain 10 relationships with the Software Group. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: For the first year, 12 anyway. 13 MR. TOMLINSON: And I have developed that 14 relationship. 15 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Yeah. I would state 16 this; I think we would have -- particularly if we don't pick 17 up this person till halfway through the year, the computer 18 specialist, we'd probably want to leave this number in there 19 for this year. And I think we could review it, but we need 20 to see if we can -- if we can consolidate some of that. 21 But, if we're going to wait, particularly for mid-year hire, 22 I was seeing some overlap anyway, even if we had an 23 October 1st hire. And -- but, certainly, if we're going to 24 wait till mid-year, I think we probably ought to leave that 25 covered by Tommy. 64 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 2 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: And we can look at, in 3 the process next year, seeing what kind of combining we 4 might be able to do. We could -- we might be -- it's going 5 to depend a lot on the individual we get and so on. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. That's fine. 7 MR. TOMLINSON: I mean, I -- I have a really 8 good working relationship with those people. And I have -- 9 not to pat myself on the back, but I have managed to get the 10 County some -- some really rock-bottom deals on -- on some 11 acquisitions with them before, and so I -- I just think 12 that -- that something might be lost there. 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I don't have a problem. 14 I mean, you were talking yourself out of a computer being -- 15 or computer gurus, and you wanted us to hire a specialist. 16 I was just wondering how far you wanted -- but I don't have 17 a problem for this year to leave it in here and look at it 18 next year. 19 MR. TOMLINSON: That's fine also. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Next item down is 21 passports -- I'm on Page 8, Passport Services. That was 22 taken out. Is that going -- is Linda going to get that 23 additional amount, or is Linda doing it -- I presume -- 24 aren't you going to do it, Linda? 25 MS. UECKER: I'm planning on it, yes. 65 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But for no additional 2 stipend? 3 MS. UECKER: I'm sorry, what? 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: No additional funds? 5 MS. UECKER: I don't think so. The only 6 thing is -- and Russ and I have talked about it, is maybe 7 the purchase of a camera. But, other than that, no, there 8 shouldn't be any additional. 9 JUDGE HENNEKE: You don't want a camera. You 10 don't want to be taking the pictures. 11 MS. UECKER: Well, in -- from what I've 12 spoken to other clerks that are doing the passport photos, 13 that's where they're making the money, because there was 14 legislation passed -- 15 JUDGE HENNEKE: Okay. 16 MS. UECKER: -- that increased the fee for 17 photos, and that's why a lot of the clerks are now doing it, 18 is 'cause there is a -- their revenue comes from photos. 19 JUDGE HENNEKE: Okay. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Linda, then on the also 21 related passport expense, did you include an amount in your 22 budget for Passport Expense, or would this be under Office 23 Supplies? 24 MS. UECKER: No, I did not include an amount 25 for passport expenses. 66 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: In the past, the amount 2 was $250. 3 MS. UECKER: I think we'll be all right. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 5 MS. UECKER: I was going to try it this year 6 and see. 7 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: So these two 8 numbers -- are we saying those two numbers would come out? 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, they're out 10 already. 11 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: They're out. 12 JUDGE HENNEKE: We appreciate your 13 willingness to step up and take that on, Linda. 14 MS. UECKER: Well, it's a service that I 15 think is necessary for this county. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. And the other one 17 was -- I think we've discussed this -- Census Expense. We 18 pushed that off to the following year. Assuming that we're 19 not going to get the information, Census Expense is listed 20 as zero, number -- Fund 487 under Nondepartmental. 21 JUDGE HENNEKE: We don't have any census 22 expense, per se. Now, we should have a redistricting 23 expense in there. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Was that under 25 Professional Services? 67 1 JUDGE HENNEKE: No, we're -- maybe under 2 Commissioners Court. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I didn't see it under 4 Commissioners Court, but -- 5 JUDGE HENNEKE: There it is. It's 475 under 6 Commissioners Court. 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 8 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Redistricting. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: All right, that answers 10 my question. 11 JUDGE HENNEKE: On Commissioners Court, 12 Tommy, we need to add $355 for bonds. 13 MR. TOMLINSON: Where? 14 JUDGE HENNEKE: Commissioners Court, Line 15 Item 206. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Thank you, Judge. 17 JUDGE HENNEKE: Anything else? 18 MS. NEMEC: I think Road and Bridge had 19 requested an extra employee, that 14-1, and we didn't 20 include it in the position schedule. Was that approved or 21 not? 22 JUDGE HENNEKE: My -- I do not believe it's 23 approved, no. 24 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Did you take care of 25 Mr. Holekamp's request under Parks? 68 1 MS. NEMEC: Yes. 2 JUDGE HENNEKE: Okay. Commissioners, are we 3 ready to approve the budget? 4 MR. TOMLINSON: That's what I was going to 5 add; that in order to do the 15-day, we need to approve the 6 proposed budget, you know, as-is, with exceptions as 7 mentioned, and I would like to have something definite to 8 attach to -- to the budget, you know, that -- that's 9 concrete, so I'll know exactly what to do. 10 JUDGE HENNEKE: Well, in my -- my planning, 11 particularly in talking with Paula, because we have another 12 phase of this exercise to do, we're talking about scheduling 13 the public hearing on adopting the budget -- adopting the 14 tax rate and having the public -- the public hearing on the 15 tax rate and the budget on September the 19th, which means 16 this document would have be to be on file with Jannett's 17 office not later than September 4th. It has to be on file 18 with the County Clerk's office at least 15 days prior to the 19 date of the hearing. So, since that's a holiday, it 20 probably means it has to be on file -- 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: The 4th. 22 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Public hearing. 23 JUDGE HENNEKE: -- Friday. 24 MS. RECTOR: Will that be the discussion of 25 the proposed tax rate? 69 1 JUDGE HENNEKE: No, the discussion of the 2 proposed tax rate will be the 11th -- 3 MS. RECTOR: The 11th. 4 JUDGE HENNEKE: -- is what we talked about. 5 That gives you time to post your notice for seven days. 6 MS. RECTOR: Seven days. 7 JUDGE HENNEKE: Have a hearing on the 19th, 8 and we'll actually adopt the tax rate on the 25th. Which 9 means we really only have to have one additional meeting. 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We can handle most of it 11 in regular meetings? 12 JUDGE HENNEKE: Yes. And then we can adopt 13 the budget either after we have the public hearing on the 14 19th, or we can wait to do it on the 25th, but we have to do 15 it before we adopt the tax rate. 16 MS. RECTOR: Right. And it can be no less 17 than 3 and no more than 14 days from my second publication. 18 JUDGE HENNEKE: Which gives us from the 19th 19 to the 25th to get that publication. So, I think 20 timing-wise, we're -- we're coming in in pretty good shape. 21 So, if -- if we are ready, I would entertain a motion to 22 approve the proposed budget and direct that it be filed 23 with the County Clerk not later than September the 1st. 24 Actually -- 25 MR. TOMLINSON: Today. 70 1 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: So moved. 2 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Second. 3 JUDGE HENNEKE: Moved by Commissioner 4 Williams, seconded by Commissioner Griffin, that we approve 5 the proposed budget and direct that it be filed with the 6 Kerr County Clerk not later than September the 1st. Any 7 further questions or comments? 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: This budget as we 9 adjusted it? 10 JUDGE HENNEKE: Right, as adjusted. Yes, 11 that's correct. 12 MS. LAVENDER: How much? 13 JUDGE HENNEKE: Well, we don't know yet. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We adjusted it. 15 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: It's adjusted. 16 JUDGE HENNEKE: Could be about -- almost 17 17,2. 17 -- between 2 and 3. Any further questions or 18 comments? Gentlemen? 19 MS. PIEPER: Can you set an amount for the 20 draft copy if someone comes in? 21 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Not in this order. 22 JUDGE HENNEKE: Let's do this order first; 23 then we'll get to that, okay? Any further questions or 24 comments? If not, all in favor, raise your right hand. 25 (The motion carried by unanimous vote.) 71 1 JUDGE HENNEKE: All opposed, same sign. 2 (No response.) 3 JUDGE HENNEKE: Motion carries. Do I have a 4 motion to set the cost of the full budget for the public? 5 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I move we charge $10. 6 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Second. 7 JUDGE HENNEKE: Moved by Commissioner 8 Baldwin, seconded by Commissioner Griffin, that the Court 9 establish a charge of $10 per copy for the approved proposed 10 fiscal 2000/2001 budget. Any further questions or comments? 11 If not, all in favor, raise your right hand. 12 (The motion carried by unanimous vote.) 13 JUDGE HENNEKE: All opposed, same sign. 14 (No response.) 15 JUDGE HENNEKE: The next item for 16 consideration -- oh, well, let's have a -- either an 17 understanding or another motion that the proposed budget 18 includes the general conditions and the holiday schedules. 19 Do we want to do that as a separate motion, or just do that 20 as part of -- 21 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I'd just as soon that 22 it was part of -- 23 JUDGE HENNEKE: Well, let's just make it 24 specific, then, that the budget, as approved, includes the 25 general conditions and the property -- the personnel 72 1 schedule and the holiday schedule. Okay? 2 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Okay. 3 JUDGE HENNEKE: The next item for 4 consideration is to consider and discuss setting a public 5 hearing on the proposed budget. My suggestion is that we 6 have a public hearing on September the 19th, which is a 7 Tuesday, preferably in the afternoon. Do I have a motion to 8 that effect? 9 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Yes. I move we have a 10 public hearing on the 19th at 2 p.m. 11 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Second. 12 JUDGE HENNEKE: Moved by Commissioner 13 Griffin, seconded by Commissioner Williams, that we set a 14 public hearing on the proposed fiscal 2000/2001 budget for 15 September the 19th at 2 o'clock p.m. here in the Kerr County 16 Courtroom. Any questions or comments? If not, all in 17 favor, raise your right hand. 18 (The motion carried by unanimous vote.) 19 JUDGE HENNEKE: All opposed, same sign. 20 (No response.) 21 JUDGE HENNEKE: In order to increase elected 22 officials' compensation, we must have a public hearing on 23 the compensation at a regular meeting. Notice must be 24 published at least 10 days prior to that meeting. So, do I 25 have a motion to publish notice of the proposed increase in 73 1 elected officials' compensation and have a public hearing on 2 September the 11th, at -- during our regular meeting, at a 3 specific time? 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So moved. 5 JUDGE HENNEKE: What time, Jonathan? 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 10 o'clock. 7 JUDGE HENNEKE: 10 o'clock? 8 MS. PIEPER: What time? 9 JUDGE HENNEKE: 10 o'clock. 10 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Second. 11 JUDGE HENNEKE: Moved by Commissioner Letz, 12 seconded by Commissioner Griffin, that the Court have a 13 public hearing on proposed increases in elected officials' 14 compensation for 10 o'clock a.m. on Monday, September the 15 11th, Year 2000, here in the Kerr County Courthouse. Any 16 further questions or comments? If not, all in favor, raise 17 your right hand. 18 (The motion carried by unanimous vote.) 19 JUDGE HENNEKE: All opposed, same sign. 20 (No response.) 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Actually, we didn't 22 really vote to approve the -- 23 JUDGE HENNEKE: Oh, I'm sorry. Okay, we need 24 to back up. I got ahead of myself. First of all, let's 25 have a motion to approve the proposed increases for Kerr 74 1 County elected officials in the amount of $2,000 per 2 official, plus a 2 percent cost-of-living increase. 3 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: So moved. 4 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Second. 5 JUDGE HENNEKE: Moved by Commissioner 6 Baldwin, seconded by Commissioner Griffin, that the Court 7 approve a -- an increase for elected officials' compensation 8 in amount of $2,000 per elected official, in addition to the 9 2 percent cost-of-living increase. Any further questions or 10 comments? If not, all in favor, raise your right hand. 11 (The motion carried by unanimous vote.) 12 JUDGE HENNEKE: All opposed, same sign. 13 (No response.) 14 JUDGE HENNEKE: And then, just to get it in 15 the right order, let's go back and do the hearing order 16 again. Who made that motion? 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I did. I move that we 18 set the public hearing for proposed increases in elected 19 officials' compensation for fiscal 2000/2001 for September 20 11th at 10 a.m. 21 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: Second. 22 JUDGE HENNEKE: Moved by Commissioner Letz, 23 seconded by Commissioner Griffin, that we set a public 24 hearing on the proposed elected officials' increases for 25 10 o'clock a.m., Monday, September 11th, year 2000, here in 75 1 Kerr County Courthouse. All in favor, raise your right 2 hand. 3 (The motion carried by unanimous vote.) 4 JUDGE HENNEKE: All opposed, same sign. 5 (No response.) 6 JUDGE HENNEKE: Motion carries. Is there 7 anyone who can think of anything we need to do? 8 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: You've got to be 9 joking. 10 COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN: What was your -- 11 MS. PIEPER: We did it. We took care of it. 12 JUDGE HENNEKE: Okay. If not, we stand 13 adjourned. Thank you all. 14 (Meeting adjourned at 10:42 a.m.) 15 - - - - - - - - - - 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 76 1 STATE OF TEXAS | 2 COUNTY OF KERR | 3 The above and foregoing is a true and complete 4 transcription of my stenotype notes taken in my capacity as 5 County Clerk of the Commissioners Court of Kerr County, 6 Texas, at the time and place heretofore set forth. 7 DATED at Kerrville, Texas, this 6th day of September, 8 2000. 9 10 11 JANNETT PIEPER, Kerr County Clerk 12 BY: _________________________________ Kathy Banik, Deputy County Clerk 13 Certified Shorthand Reporter 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25