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KERR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT
Special Session
Monday, September 19, 2005
9:00 a.m.
Commissioners' Courtroom
Kerr County Courthouse
Kerrville, Texas
PRESENT: PAT TINLEY, Kerr County Judge
H.A. "BUSTER" BALDWIN, Commissioner Pct. 1
WILLIAM "BILL" WILLIAMS, Commissioner Pct. 2
JONATHAN LETZ, Commissioner Pct. 3
DAVE NICHOLSON, Commissioner Pct. 4
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	I N D E X	
	September 19, 2005	
		PAGE
1.1	Consider, discuss, and take appropriate action	
	on the Library Contract between City of Kerrville	
	and Kerr County	3
1.2	Consider, discuss, and take appropriate action	
	on the Animal Control Contract between City of	
	Kerrville and Kerr County	33
1.3	Consider, discuss, and take appropriate action	
	on the Revision of Plat for Mosty Pecan Grove,	
	Vol. 7, Page 295, Fct. 2	35
1.9	Consider, discuss, and take appropriate action	
	on procedures for the payinq and reporting of	
	costs or charges incurred or expenditures involving	
	penalties, fees, interest or other costs associated	
	with late payment or other administrative system	
	failures	36
1.5	Consider, discuss, and take appropriate action	
	on authorizing Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce	
	to coordinate Kerr County Sesquicentennial (150th)	
	Celebration in combination and consultation with	
	Kerr County Commissioners Court, Kerr County	
	Historical Commission, and representatives of	
	the several cities and towns within the county	38
1.6	EBA Litigation (Executive Session)	39
10:00 a.m. Public Hearing on proposed FY 2005/2006	
	Tax Rate for Kerr County	40
---	Adjourned	49
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On Monday, September 19, 2005, at 9:00 a.m., a special
meeting of the Kerr County 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 TINLEY: Good morning, ladies and
gentlemen. Let me call to order this special meeting of the
Kerr County Commissioners Court scheduled for this date and
time, Monday, September the 19th, 2005, at 9 a.m. The first
item on the agenda is to consider, discuss, and take
appropriate action on the library contract between the City
of Kerrville and Kerr County. Commissioner 4?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Each of you have a
final, I think, contract for the library contract. The City
Attorney and the County Attorney and myself and -- and the
City Manager have met twice now, and we've got a contract
that we recommend that you approve and sign, and I'll just
briefly tell you a few -- what I think are minor changes
that we discussed in our earlier meeting. Under Item 4, the
board will consist of City Council member, Commissioners
Court member, two members appointed by Kerr County, two
members who shall be residents of the city and be appointed
by the City Council, and one board member shall be a member
of the Friends of the Library and appointed by that group.
So, we'll have a seven-person board with terms on a
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staggered basis, and they'll be representing the two
government entities. On Part 8, I don't think that's a
change. I just want to confirm that the -- the duty of the
Library Board will be to present a proposed operational
expense budget to the two entities each year by July 30.
And I'm hoping that next year that'll help us with -- to
avoid some of the difficulties we've seen this year.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Commissioner, before we
leave that point, the -- I think July 30 is the date we have
in some other contracts too, but I really -- I know the
airport's July 30th. I think that's too late.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I do too.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: I really think that we
need to move all of our joint contracts with the City to
June 30th. I just think that when we get to July 30th, we
are so far along in our budget process by then, and then --
as an example, I know with the airport situation, which is,
long-term, maybe similar to this, you get into a situation
where the boards have -- that board has to approve it, and
you start getting into having to wait for notices and
meetings, and it can get pushed two to three weeks after the
date real easily.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: I agree with you.
Let's ask them to change it to June 30th.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: If my memory serves
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me correctly, when we used to have the joint meetinq between
the City Council and Commissioners Court to discuss
budgetary items, that meeting rook place in June.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: I think that's
right.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: I wouldn't mind earlier
than that, but June -- I think we could live with June as a
date for all these contracts, or all these agreements. But,
anyway --
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: I'll ask them to
change that. Let me point out the last part of that. Part
8 there defines what expenses are eligible for consideration
in the budget. Part 9 spells out that we pay $300,000 for
this year.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Sorry, can we go back to
is again?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Yeah.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: On the part that's being
-- needed capital improvements expense for the library for
operating or capital improvement for the Hill Country -- or
for the History Center, is there anywhere defined "capital
improvement"? And the reason was, it seems there were some
unusual things -- I guess it was different. They had -- in
one of the drafts I saw, the library put books in there,
which --
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COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: We had a long
discussion of that, and I don't know; maybe governments
account differently than business does, but I don't think
books are capital. I think they're expense. But we have an
understanding that it does cover the purchase of books and
other learning materials.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: So I guess we're using
GASB rules or whatever that is for cities and counties?
Okay.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I'm not sure I
understood what you're trying to say, Commissioner 4.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: They -- the
library -- or the City includes the purchase of books. It's
around $100,000 as a capital item.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Yeah, okay.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: And I think -- maybe
under GASB it is, but it's not traditionally what you'd
think of as something that you depreciate.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I wondered about
that. I saw books and -- I guess books and manuscripts, or
something like that, listed as a capital item, and I
wondered about that.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Yeah. And the last
thing I want to do is discourage the purchase of new
learning materials. That's the reason we have a library.
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COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Well, should that be
just under a plain operating expense, or --
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: It's their
accounting system.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Okay.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: The -- is this a change
from the current agreement, or is the current agreement
silent on that point?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: It was silent.
We've had some concerns over the last two or three years.
We were going to do construction there.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: But the -- and this is
really to go in line with the -- not the practice; I guess
the reality that the City owns --
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Yes.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- all the capital
improvements.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Yes.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Okay. Part 9, let's
look at that a little bit. It spells out this year's
contribution of $300,000, and then it goes on to say that it
is the -- in future years, it's the intent of the two
parties to evenly participate in net operational expenses,
subject to approval by both City Council and Commissioners
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Court. Now, that goes on in 10, and 10 carries on to say
that if either party fails to approve by Or_tober 1, then the
parties agree that the budget for the previous fiscal year
shall be deemed approved and shall become the budget for the
current year. That takes a little good faith. I think it's
needed and necessary to assure our constituents and the
patrons that there will be some continuity at the library
operations. And then, of course, there's always the out
if -- if there's just a total meltdown, we can give notice
in writing by July lst that we terminate the agreement;
that's in Part 11. I think it's a good contract. I think.
it's a better understanding than we've had in the past, and
it could form the basis for a more productive relationship
in that regard. And, with the one change on the June 30
date, I move that we approve the library agreement.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I have a question,
Commissioner.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I'll second that
motion.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: In Paragraph 9, we
state the County's contribution. Why -- why are we only
stating the County's contribution and not the contribution
of the parties, plural?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Commissioner, I
think it's the nature of the agreement. It's -- I think you
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-- if you look at it as a service agreement, we're saying,
"Here's what we'll pay." Now, you -- except for the intent
that we stated that expenses be equally divided, I presume
that the City could unilaterally decide if they want to pay
something more than that.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Okay.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: We're not asking
them to agree with us about what they pay. They're asking
us to -- to contract to pay.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Is that number
referenced in Paragraph 9, is that a negotiated number, or
is that just a number that you picked up from what the
budget -- is in our budget as it exists today?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: That's our -- that's
what's in our budget. And learning from the Interim City
Manager, I understand that the City intends to pay $300,000,
and that's what's in their current budget.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think -- I mean, the --
I know I've had discussions with at least one City
Councilperson about possibly trying to raise that amount
something, that we look at this number.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: I think he's in the
audience.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: I see that one person in
the audience. And my comment has been, you know, I'd
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certainly be willing to look at it; however, I don't seP any
way under the County's current financial situation to get
back to the full amount that was requested. And the -- I
think I've said it several times; I think there is a little
bit of excess in the airport budget, and I wouldn't mind
using that excess if it can be -- you know, right now
there's $9,000, I think, excess in our budget versus what
the fundinq's going to require. I think there's additional
reductions that can be made without hurting the quality of
service at the airport, and if we could come up with a
larger number, I wouldn't -- I would have no objection at
all to putting that money into the library budget. And I
said that because of the term, "the contribution shall be
$300,000." That locks it in, that we can't change that
number without changing this agreement.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Unless we change it
now.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, that's what I'm
saying. Is there a way that -- you know, I don't have a
problem with saying 300,000, 'cause that's what's in our
budget, and our budget's, you know, been preliminarily
adopted. I wonder if we can modify the term -- the word
"shall" so there's flexibility to ~~hange that number during
the year if we so choose without having ro go back and
change the contract or do an amendment to the contract. The
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way I would read it right now, we rani give more unless we
amend the contract as well as the budget.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Well, you could
change it very simply by saying, "The parties agree that the
County's minimum contribution for fiscal year would be... "
That gives us the --
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Gives us the
opportunity to do something greater if we can find the
dollars to do so.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I had a similar
conversation with Mr. Benham, who's in the audience also,
and I notice he wants to speak on the subject, and maybe the
Councilman also wants to speak on the subject. But I'm kind
of like you, Commissioner; I'd like to see if we can, at the
very least, get back to the funding level that we were last
year. I don't know if that's possible, or whether we can do
more; I don't know.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Well, I don't -- I
don't know if I agree with you guys, because we've worked
this thing and we've -- we've whittled it and worked on it,
and we come up with a number, and we're pretty firm in
there, and the -- and the phenomenon in all of that is that
the City agreed. You know, we put in 300,000, and then they
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agreed that that is a good number. Or at least that's what
I'm seeing, that they budgeted 300,000. That means that
they think that that is a good number. So, I don't see any
reason to change it at a11.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I'm not sure that's
what they budgeted. I think that's what they approved; I'm
not sure that's what they budgeted. Maybe somebody else
could shed some light on this.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: They budgeted 400-some
thousand from -- 416.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I misunderstood, then.
I thought Number 4 said they budgeted 300,000.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: They budgeted 416, funded
300, as I understand what the City did.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Well, I -- again, to
me, they're agreeing with the 300,000. I mean, I -- and any
time we have an agreement with the City, I think that that's
a good thing.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: I guess my question is --
let me just go back. If there's some kind of a small
disaster or big disaster over there, for us -- under the
current wording, for us to do anything, we have to go back
and amend the contract as opposed to doing a budget
amendment. I'm just saying if we change that wording to
what Commissioner Williams suggested, to "minimum of
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300,000," all that's saying in my mind is that 300,000 is
what we're funding, but if we, during the year at some
point, choose to fund more, we can do it without going back
and having to amend the contract. That's all I'm saying.
JUDGE TINLEY: I was present at the Council
meeting ar which they considered this matter, and my
recollection was that what the Council had put $416,000 in
their budget, but they approved that they would expend an
amount equal to that expended by the County, but I'm willing
to defer to Councilman Coleman, who's here, who I think can
give us maybe a little bit more definitive read.
MR. COLEMAN: My name -- Judge, my name is
Chuck Coleman. I live at 309 Bobwhite. 7'm not really here
in an official Council position; I'm here as a concerned
citizen. I'm not authorized to be here. My -- my sense on
our vote was pretty much as you stated. It was more an
attempt to try to preserve our past cost-sharing basis and
give us more time to work with the Commissioners Court to
try to increase that if we could. I think the City does
feel that the library is incredibly important. Surveys
indicate that a lot of people, both city and county, use the
library, and I think the library is on -- obviously, on our
agenda next time, and I'm sure that the budget for the
City's portion or the approved funding will probably be
increased.
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JUDGE TINLEY: Thank you, sir. Mr. Benham,
you had forwarded a participation form. We'd be happy to
have you speak about this subject.
MR. BENHAM: Thank you, Your Honor. For the
record, I'm Joseph Benham. I live at 522 Rolling Green in
Kerrville, and I am in Commissioners Williams' precinr_t. I
think the most useful thing I can do this morning, rather
than go back over information I've given you in the past
about the financial contributions of the Friends to try to
further the library and many thousands of hours of volunteer
time that our members put in, is to respond to some specific
concerns that have come up in previous meetings of this
group that I've been able to attend. My health hasn't
allowed me to be here every time, but I come when I can.
And in conversations that I've had the privilege of having
with some of you individually, and with members of the City
Council -- I'm not authorized to speak for the City Council,
obviously. I am authorized to speak for the Friends of the
Library.
One of the things I wanted to say, first of
all, is I see -- unlike some of the people who've written to
the newspapers, I see nothing whatsoever wrong with you
gentlemen doinq some brainstorming on how best to spend the
County's money. If I were on that side of the bar, I would
be doing exactly the same thing. I commend you for that.
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Secondly, I have been distressed, both as a representative
of the Friends and as a concerned citizen, with the fact
I think that was
a mistake. I don't know that there's anything to be gained
by trying to play the blame game -- this isn't New
Orleans -- play the blame game, but I do think it was a
mistake. And I would urge you gentlemen, and I'm
encouraging the City Council to start having those meetings
again. I attended some of them. I remember one workshop at
Riverhill Country Club, for instance, in one of their
meeting rooms, where you took up not only the library, but
EMS and the airport and everything else that the City and
County do jointly. I think it was a terrible mistake to
discontinue that custom. I hope it'll be reinstated, but
the fact the that it -- that a mistake was made is not
something that I want to see hurt the library.
Now, a question was raised by someone about
the library not being secure enough in terms of what people
can -- and especially children can look at in there. We
spent $9,000 of -- of our reserves to hire one of the
outstanding -- we were assured he was one of the
outstanding, perhaps the preeminent expert consultant on
library information systems, and one of the questions that
was asked was about firewalls. How do you keep stuff off of
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the -- out of the hands or out of the -- off the screens
campaign to get us a new hospital. Tom, before he retired,
was the Chief of Information Services for the Chevron
Corporation, which is a fairly substantial outfit. And,
anyway, the bottom line was that you're wasting your money
if you -- if you spend money on those firewalls.
The -- the analogy I used was if they can't
keep these hackers out of the computers of places like NATO
and the Federal Reserve system, we're not going to keep them
out of the library in Kerrville. I'm -- I'm as disgusted as
anybody in this room at the sick people who put stuff on the
Internet that shouldn't be there, but the fact is that as
fast as you spend money on software to keep it out, they
figure a way to get around it. But I want to assure you
that it was addressed very seriously; that we recognize
there is a problem. The librarians do everything they can
to discourage it, but there's no foolproof solution to that
problem, in this library or any other.
Another question that came up was, why should
the library be exempt from the cuts that you folks were
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havinq to make for reasons that have already been stated,
your tar, freeze and so forth? Well, the fact is, the
library hasn't been exempt from those. This budget that's
been referred to already -- already called for the spending
on the library to be reduced by over 14 percent. Now,
that's a pretty hefty cut, but the Library Director says he
r_an live with it. The people on our board who understand
budgets better than I do, which is most of them, say that
the library could live with a 14 percent cut. What the
library can't live with, gentlemen, or can't function
effectively with is a cut of -- of a third, which is what
300,000 from you gentlemen and 300,000 from the City Council
would do. It would cut the library budget by one-third, and
that is a terrible prospect.
It's going to mean -- if it's implemented,
it's going to mean reduction in hours. It's going to mean
reduction in services. It's going to mean that the library
won't have as much money to spend on -- on books and
materials and so forth. It's just -- it's just terribly
dismaying prospect, and I would urge you to revisit it. The
-- as I say, the library was already looking at a 14 percent
cut in the -- in the budget which was proposed, so it wasn't
that the library was sitting up there untouched by the need
for economy. But, again, I have to say, 14 percent -- to
cut by 14 percent and then cut what's left by a full third

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is a terrible -- terrible policy decision, whatever you want
to call it. Okay.
The question was also raised, can't you get
money from elsewhere? The Friends are already making a
routine contribution of $20,000 a year. We have dipped into
reserves for the consultant I mentioned earlier on
computers. We're now funding a survey of analysis by a
group of library consultants whose -- whose preliminary
results have been made available to at least one member of
the Court, and I hope -- and I'm sure will be made available
to every member of the Court as soon as that work is
complete. We're paying for that, but that's about all the
money we have, frankly, except what's in our endowment, and
the endowment is re -- in -- I'm sorry, my morning pills are
interfering with my tongue. Our income from our endowment,
is what I intended to say, is restricted to capital
purposes. We cannot use that money for -- for operations.
Antonio came to us a couple of years ago and
asked us for some money to help out with a shortfall in -- a
need in the operations area, and we had to turn him down
because the -- and we'd be violating our -- our charter if
we did. Nuw, foundations. Foundations have been
er.traordinarily generous where the library is concerned. It
was private money that put up -- largely private money.
There was a little federal money that I understand Ladybird
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Johnson got for us; that was before I moved here, but it
was -- the building that's there was built largely with
private money. The Friends raised $350,000, mostly from
foundations, to purchase the building next door to the
library where the Cypress Grill used to be and travel agency
and so forth -- I'm sure you remember it -- for future
expansion, use by the library.
The foundations have been very generous in
makinq capital contributions, but they will not give us a
nickel for operations. That's just not the way they do
business, and we can't tell them how to do business. All we
can do is ask. And, as I say, they've come up with some
very generous gifts, and that -- that building -- the
funding for that building being the most obvious example.
But all of them have been for capital investment, not for --
not for operations. So, private sources. The Friends put
every penny into that library that we earn from book sales
and we get from dues and so forth, but that's -- that's
limited. We're just about at our limit as to what we can
contribute to the library. The foundations won't put in the
-- they will not put in money for operations.
Let me see. I believe those are all of the
questions that have come up in my conversations with -- with
members of the two government bodies. I'd like to reiterate
that we, the Friends, and I personally am very eager -- I'm
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at your disposition for anything I can do to be of help in
this. You gentlemen have been very patient in listening to
me in the past, and I would like to -- well, I'm going to
say this. I would like to do everything -- I am going to do
everything I can to improve the relations between the City
and the County. I think that -- again, I'm not going to
play the blame game. Just in the seven years-plus that I've
lived here, I've seen too many examples of irritation and,
on occasion, even enmity between the two branches of
government. That doesn't help anything.
Commissioner Letz and I had the privilege of
working together on a project, which we didn't quite succeed
in, to put up a new Ag Barn here, get the funding for a new
Ag Barn here. When we went to the City Council to ask them
to sign off on it, there was visible antagonism in the room
between a gentleman no longer on your Commission who spoke
for the County and some people who aren't on the City
Council any more, I don't believe, but were there then, and
it was just -- as I say, there was visible antagonism. That
doesn't help anybody. And I am delighted to hear
Commissioner Nicholson say that he wants a more productive
relationship. I want to see a more productive relationship.
Again, I'm grateful for your patience in letting me share
these thoughts with you. If I can answer any questions --
yes, sir?
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COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Thank you for your
comments. I appreciate that very much. And we can use all
your help in mending that fence. When we first started
having these conversations, I made the comment that I don't
qo to the library a whole lot any more, because the reason
that I used to go is -- is to read all the newspapers every
-- all the newspapers there; I used to read them. But now I
read them on -- on the Internet, so -- and by that simple
comment, I had some really ugly phone calls.
MR. BENHAM: Well, I regret that.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: You know, and that's
okay. That's -- I'm a big kid. But the question I'm going
to ask you is probably going to create some more ugly phone
calls, but I don't -- I don't mean -- this is a real --
real, live question, and I -- I can't get my brains wrapped
around what the problem is with this thing. One of the
comments I saw in the paper is, due to the cutback, the
hours at the library are going to have to go from 56 hours
open to 40 hours open. What is wrong with that?
MR. BENHAM: Well --
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I mean, and I'm asking
-- I'm asking a real question. I don't understand -- 90
hours is a long time.
MP.. BENHAM: Perfectly valid question,
Commissioner. The only -- in the first place, I haven't
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been involved in the analysis that produced that 40-hour
figure. Antonio has said that he definitely would be
looking at a reduction in hours. As I say, I wasn't in cn
that. Well, I would just say this. There is a lot of use
of that library on Sundays -- on Sundays and in the
evenings, and those are the -- those are the times that
would have to be cut back. If -- if you would take a recess
and go over to the library in about 15 minutes, you'd see
people already standing in line waiting to get into the
library at 10 o'clock. If you were in there at E o'clock in
the afternoon, as I frequently am, on days when the library
closes at 6:00 -- it's not open -- it's only open two
evenings a week. But if you were in there -- and I'm not
usually in there at 9 o'clock -- or 8 o'r_lock, I guess it
is, when they close for the night, but I'm frequently there
at 6:00. The librarians are having to go around and tell
people, "The library is closing; you have to leave."
The -- the answer is, that library gets used
during all of those 56 -- I thought it was 57, but SE --
~~uring all of those 50-plus hours. When you go in there --
when you go in there during the day, there is usually a
waiting list to use those computers. There's not a vacant
seat where those computers are concerned. And the library
is very intensely used, and it's used during those hours
that would have to be shut down. Some of those people are
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coming in after work. Some of them are students who come
down there after school in the evening to get information
for their -- for their homework projects. And not everybody
can come between 10:00 and -- 10:00 and 5:00. So, I -- I
think your -- your question is certainly valid. Why do we
need the hours -- the extra hours? All I can say is that
the library is used during those hours. It's not sitting
there empty by any means. Yes, sir?
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Joe, thank you for
your -- your remarks -- your comments, and thanks for
stopping by the other day to visit. This is a question that
probably should be directed to the Library Director, or one
that perhaps should be fleshed out if we had an opportunity
to address these topics line-by-line. I notice under
Charges for Services on the revenue side of the ledger, the
nonresident fees is sort of a meager $2,600. Would you have
any way of knowing how many library cards are issued to
people who live outside Kerr County?
MR. BENHAM: I can't give you a number, but I
can tell you where most of them come from. They come from
Gillespie County, Tierra Linda and some of the other
subdivisions over there. They're folks who find it more
r_onvenient to come to our library than to go into
Fredericksburg, and they're willing to pay the additional --
I think it's still $25 a year. At any rate, whatever the
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fee is, they pay that fee to be able to come to Kerrville
instead of going to Gillespie County. I'll be happy to get
that number for you, Commissioner, but I don't have it -- I
don't have it in front of me.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: That's roughly a
hundred --
MR. BENHAM: That's the principal source.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: That's roughly 110 or
120 uses. I was curious as to whether or not there were
more than that.
MR. BENHAM: We have a few -- we have -- I
know we get a few winter Texans who are not residents. They
come down here in the winter, park in one of the R.V. parks
for a while, but they don't take out residency in Kerr
County. And -- but they want to use the library, and
they -- they get one of those cards. But I can't quantify
that number, either. There are a few that I know of.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Okay. If I'm looking
at the budget that was given us correctly -- excuse me --
the numbers that were presented represent about a 5 percent
reduction in operations from last year. What I found
interesting, too, is that from the previous year, '03-'09
budget to the '04-'05 budget, there was a 14 percent
increase. So, you know, there's -- whatever.
MR. BENHAM: Okay.
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COMMISSIONER LETZ: Question I have -- and
a copy of the budget. We received this last week, as I
recall, so we do have -- finally we did get a copy of the
budget for the library. Question I have really isn't
You may or may not know. Several months ago, I made the
comment that I would really like to see explored as to
whether it is feasible to do an interlocal agreement with
Schreiner University and share some of the administrative
costs, primarily, and make joint use of that -- you know, I
know a lot of the public uses Schreiner University already;
I've heard up to h0 percent of the use out there is by the
general public. Do you -- to your knowledge, has anyone
looked at doing any interlocal agreement with Schreiner
University to share administrative costs and things of that
nature? Which, when I look at the budget, that seems like a
very high number, percentage-wise, out of the total budget.
MR. BENHAM: I don't know about any kind of
cost-sharing discussions. I know there were some
discussions with Dr. Summerlin after, I believe, you raised
that question in a previous meeting of this court, and he
simply said he didn't think it would be feasible, because so
many of their books are not the sort of thing the general
public is -- is looking for in a library. Now, whether --
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whether anybody from the City has talked to him or to Fred
Gamble, his finance man, or Mike Looney -- he's Director of
Development. Whether they've talked -- whether they've been
in on some discussions as to cost-sharing, I -- I don't
know. I haven't -- I know, as I say, Dr. Summerlin said he
didn't think it would be feasible from the standpoint of --
of usage. But whether anybody's gotten into it from a
financial standpoint, I really don't know. I wish I could
shed some light on it.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: I still have one further
comment. If it's something the Friends can look into, to
me, it would be interesting. Obviously, there are areas --
there are different charges -- different reasons for those
libraries and there are different types of books, but
administration of a library should be administration of a
library, so I think that's what I'm thinking of there. And
the other area would be computer use. Certainly, the use --
I know there's a lot of computer use at Schreiner, a lot of
computer use at our library. If that can be shared somehow
to make it more efficient. Maybe, you know, on the hours,
it just is something that really is worth exploring.
Clearly, I understand, you can't totally integrate the two,
but in areas there may be things that can be done on a
shared basis that would save both money.
MP.. BENHAM: Well, one -- if you allow me one
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more comment on that, I -- I have been very impressed, and
I've said so in print, since Dr. Summerlin became president,
of his desire to improve the interplay or whatever you want
to call it -- I'm told in the trade they call it "town and
gown" relations. The -- the university is inviting the
public to more things on campus than they had in the past.
I'm on the board of the symphony as well as the Friends, and
Dr. Summerlin has given us office space out there and done
everything he could to -- to encourage that and the other
arts, whereas not just to have stuff on campus, but to
have -- have the public involved in the arts, and at
Schreiner and vice-versa. I've been -- I've been directly
involved in those things, so I know about them. I'm sure he
would be open -- I know Dr. Summerlin pretty well. I'm sure
he would be open to discussions of what you're describing.
He's not a -- he doesn't stay in his office with the door
locked, by any means. But I can't -- obviously, I can't
speak for him.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. I was just
wondering if you had -- if those discussions had taken
place. They have, it sounds like, to a very limited basis,
but there may be something to pursue. And maybe it's really
more appropriate for the City to pursue it. I don't know
where that -- where it should come from, per se.
MR. BENHAM: If you will allow me one more
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thing, then I'll shut up. I was at the City Council meeting
at which they voted; and, again, I'm not authorized to speak
for them, but I -- I have talked to several of them since
that meeting. I know that they -- when I say they have
assured me that if the County can fund the library to a
greater extent, hopefully a significantly greater extent
than 300,000, they feel confident that the City will do the
same. They said at that meeting that -- there were
statements made at that council meeting that the City was
going to keep money in reserve in case the situation changed
to the point where they could preserve the fifty-fifty
split, but put more money into the library, 'cause that's
what they wanted to do. Now, again, I'm not authorized to
speak for them, but I have had those assurances individually
from the City Council members. So, again, I hope you
gentlemen can see fit to move further.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Let met me add one
more comment, Judge. The last thing you and I spoke about
the other day was a more permanent solution, as opposed to
what we're talking about now. What we're talking about now
is a temporary solution.
MR. BENHAM: Sure.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: It's this year and
perhaps next year. And the permanent solution would involve
the creation of a library -- a county-wide library district.
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And I just judge, from the fact that you as}:ed me the
question, that that was something that you would work for on
behalf of the Friends and support it, and I would work for
it too on behalf of Commissioners Court. I think that is
the permanent solution, and I think that we should all be
working for that.
MR. BENHAM: I totally agree. And before I
moved here, I was secretary and director of a -- a public
utility district that served a substantial part of north
Harris County, and -- I'm sorry, I should say unincorporated
areas in a significant part of north Harris County, and one
corner of Montgomery County. And I'm a great believer in
districts that can -- can handle their own finances and
don't have to continually be running to the -- I also had
the privilege of being president of a -- of the property
owners' association out there, and we -- it wasn't a
district, but we assessed ourselves as property owners to
provide the security for our subdivision, our community.
And, again, we had -- I'll say, frankly, we had better
police protection than the city of Houston -- than the
average city of Houston resident did, because we had control
of it at the local level. We financed it at the local
level. So, you and I are on the same wavelength on district
-- on the concept of district 100 percent. I will say tnis;
it's going to take a while, and therefore, I hope you can go
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ahead and put adequate funding into the library in the
meantime. But I will -- I will be the first one in this
room ro join you in working to create such a district. I
think it's a great idea, and I think it would be the
solution -- could very well be the solution to our needs
here.
JUDGE TINLEY: Thank you, Mr. Benham. We
appreciate you being here today, and we appreciate your
comments.
MR. BENHAM: Well, I'm grateful for your
time.
JUDGE TINLEY: Thank you, sir.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Thanks.
JUDGE TINLEY: We have a motion and a second
on the floor, Commissioners. Does your motion include the
two minor changes that were made --
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: It just --
JUDGE TINLEY: -- to the agreement, the
minimum and the June 30 change?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: It includes the
June 30 change. What language do you --
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Well, let me take a
whack at it, Judge. The motion on the floor, I'd like to
offer an amendment to the motion. I believe that's the
right way to do it. I'd like to offer an amendment that, in
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addition to the June -- Paragraph 8, the June substitution
for July, I'd like to offer in Paragraph 9 the parties agree
that the County's minimum contribution for the fiscal year
shall be -- I'm going to see if we can make this fly. There
is some money in the airport budget that we can drift over,
perhaps. I'm going to offer a substitute that the amount be
changed from 300,000 to $350,000.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: My comment is, I can't go
along with a change right now, 'cause I don't know where the
money's coming from. I mean, if we could -- you know, and
plus -- well, you know, I'd be willing to look at that when
we look at our budget again. But at this point, I can't go
along with raising it a number and decreasing the county
reserves, which, in my opinion, are already horrendously
low.
JUDGE TINLEY: Do I hear a second to the
amendment? Hearing no second to the amendment, the
amendment will die for lack of a second.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Judge, I'll make a --
offer an amendment, that we just add the word "minimum." So
it shall read, "The parties agree that the County's minimum
contribution for Fiscal Year 2005-2006 shall be $300,000."
COMMISSIONEP. WILLIAMS: I'll second it.
JUDGE TINLEY: Motion made and seconded for
an amendment. I'm gathering, Commissioner Nicholson, that
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we still have the June 30 in lieu of July 30 in your motion?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Yes, sir.
JUDGE TINLEY: Okay. Okay. We have a motion
and a second on the amendment. Any further question or
discussion on the amendment?
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Does the word "shall"
remain?
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Stays in?
COMMISSIONEP. LETZ: Yes.
JUDGE TINLEY: All those in favor of the
amendment, signify by raising your right hand.
(The motion carried by unanimous vote.)
JUDGE TINLEY: All opposed, same sign.
(No response.)
JUDGE TINLEY: The motion does carry. We're
back to the main motion now, to the approval of the
contract, which would include an additional change of
June 30 in lieu of July 30 in Paragraph 8, and otherwise
approve the contract as amended by the amendment just
passed. Any further question or discussion on that motion?
All in favor of that motion, signify by raising your right
hand.
(The motion carried by unanimous vote.)
JUDGE TINLEY: All opposed, same sign.
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(NO response.)
JUDGE TINLEY: That motion does carry. We'll
move to Item 2 on the agenda, to consider, discuss, and take
appropriate action on the Animal Control contract between
the City of Kerrville and Kerr County, Commissioner
Nicholson?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Again, the -- myself
and the County Attorney, Assistant City Attorney, and the
City Manager have met on this contract. And first I want to
clear up what could have been a misunderstanding earlier.
There was some question about whether or not the City had
adopted a new Chapter 18 of their Code of Ordinances, and
they have not. So, the purpose and the enforcement issues
in this contract are essentially the same as they have been
in the past; that we will enforce the Rabies Control Act,
Chapter 18 of the City, excluding certain enumerated
provisions there, and the Texas Health and Safety Code. It
goes on to exclude enforcement of zoning regulations. If we
turn to Page 3, that's item 5.C.8. County's not responsible
for collection of dead animals within the City. And then
Part 6 specifically describes the amount the City will pay
for county services and the formula for coming up with that
amount. That's $122,496.40, which includes the $6,000
administrative number. I move that we approve the Animal
Control contract --
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COMMISSIONER LETZ: Second.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: -- with City of
Kerrville.
JUDGE TINLEY: Motion made and seconded for
approval. Any question or discussion?
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Question. In a prior
discussion with you, there was the issue of -- of revenue
that was generated at the facility being split. Is that in
here?
JUDGE TINLEY: Yes.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: It's in here. The
amount they're going to pay is net.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: It is a net number?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Yes. We gave up --
sorry, I should have mentioned that. We gave up half of it.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: And that seems fair
to me.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay.
JUDGE TINLEY: Yeah. The -- I was asked to
give that information to Council at their meeting last
Tuesday. I furnished it to them the next morning, and the
number as I've computed is the previous gross amount we gave
them, less half the revenue, and it comes out on the money.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay, good.
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JUDGE TINLEY: Any further question or
discussion on the motion? All in favor of the motion,
signify by raising your right hand.
(The motion carried by unanimous vote.)
DODGE TINLEY: All opposed, same sign.
(No response.)
JUDGE TINLEY: That motion does carry. Thank
you. Let's go to Item 3, if we might. Consider, discuss,
and take appropriate action on the revision of plat for
Mosty Pecan Grove.
MS. HARDIN: I put this on the agenda for
last week. The wording was not correct. I did not have
another drawing to give you gentlemen, but I'd be glad to
answer any questions, if you have any.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: We've all seen the
drawing, and it doesn't -- I might refresh the Court's
memory. It does increase the right-of-way on J.J. Lane from
30 feet to 40 feet; is that correct?
MS. HARDIN: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: All the way up and
down from Highway 27 to the -- to the pump tract at the
bottom.
MS. HARDIN: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I would offer
approval of -- for the revision of plat for Mosty Pecan
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Grove, Volume 7, _'95 -- Page 295, Precinct 2.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Second.
JUDGE TINLEY: Motion made and seconded for
approval of the agenda item. Any question or discussion?
All in favor of that motion, signify by raising your right
hand.
(The motion carried by unanimous vote.)
JUDGE TINLEY: All opposed, same sign.
(No response.)
JUDGE TINLEY: The motion does carry. The
next item on the agenda is to consider, discuss, and take
appropriate action on procedures for the paying and
reporting of costs or charges incurred or expenditures
involving penalties, fees, interest, or other costs
asso~~iated with late payment or other administrative system
failures. Commissioner Nicholson.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: This is back on here
because the last meeting, the agenda item wasn't complete.
We've talked about a lot -- I think we all know what we're
trying to do here, to -- to bring some accountability to
unbudgered and unapproved expenditures. So, I'm going to
move we adopt a court order requiring that costs or charges
incurred or expenditures involving penalties, fees,
interest, or other costs associated with late payment or
other administrative system failures be reported to the Kerr
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County Auditor and the Commissioners Court.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Second.
JUDGE TINLEY: Motion made and seconded for
the court order as designated. Any question or discussion?
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I have a question.
Who actually does that reporting? The County Treasurer?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: In this instant
case, we're -- in 2002, it occurred three times. The County
Treasurer and the County Judge received a notice from the
State that they were being incurred, so yes, I would think
the -- the person responsible for the function would report
it to the Auditor and/or the Commissioners Court.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: And come in, like, on
a regular Commissioners Court and report it live and
unrehearsed, as opposed to a memo-type issue?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: The advantages of
that, Commissioner, it would give the Auditor and/or the
Court an opportunity to intervene to -- to try to put
something in place to stop the occurrences.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I'm with you.
JUDGE TINLEY: Any further question or
discussion on the motion? All in favor of the motion,
signify by raising your right hand.
(The motion carried by unanimous vote.)
JUDGE TINLEY: All opposed, same sign.
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(NO response.)
JUDGE TINLEY: That motion does carry. Let's
move to Item 5, if we might. Consider, discuss, and take
appropriate action on authorizing the Kerrville Area Chamber
of Commerce to coordinate Kerr County sesquicentennial
celebration in combination and consultation with Kerr County
Commissioners Court, the Kerr County Historical Commission,
and representatives of the several cities and towns within
the county.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: So moved.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Second.
JUDGE TINLEY: Motion made and seconded for
approval of the agenda item. Any question or discussion?
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Judge, where -- in the
back of my mind, I'm thinking that there's going to be a
function in 2005 in the month of March.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: April.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: April?
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: We designated some
dates in the month of April. Right?
COMMISSIONER LETZ: And I believe it was --
April was chosen because that's when the -- was it the
centennial?
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: That's tracked back
to the centennial. When we did the centennial was in April.
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COMMISSIONEP. LETZ: For weather reasons,
primarily.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Somebody had a memory
that went back 50 years. Do you believe that?
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: No. Cool. Cool. I'm
ready; I'm getting started here.
JUDGE TINLEY: It occurs to me that you're
trying to get a jump on it, Commissioner.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Yeah, I'm going to do
my part. It talks about the Commissioners Court being
involved; I'm going to quit shaving.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: You should be in good
shape by April.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Yeah.
JUDGE TINLEY: Any further question or
discussion on the motion? All in favor of the motion,
signify by raisinq your right hand.
(The motion carried by unanimous vote.)
JUDGE TINLEY: All opposed, same sign.
(No response.)
JUDGE TINLEY: The motion does carry. We
have one executive session item. Mr. County Attorney, do
you think it'll take much more than about five minutes if
we --
MR. EMERSON: No, sir.
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DODGE TINLEY: -- can do that right quick?
Why don't we go ahead and get that disposed of right quick.
We will go out of open or public session at 9:55, and we
will shortly go into closed session.
(Discussion off the record.)
(The open session was closed at 9:55 a.m.,
and an Executive Session was held, the
transcript of which is contained in a
separate document.)
JUDGE TINLEY: Okay, it is 10:04, and we will
come back into open or public session in the special
Commissioners Court meeting. Is there anything further to
be offered at the meeting? Hearing nothing, I will adjourn
that special Commissioners Court meeting.
(The regular Commissioners Court meeting was
adjourned at 10:04 a.m., and a public
hearing was held in open court, as follows:)
P U B L I C H E A R I N G
JUDGE TINLEY: I will now call to order a
public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2005-2006 tax
rate for Kerr County, as posted on the special Commissioners
Court agenda for this date, Monday, September 19th, 2005,
for 10 a.m. It is a few minutes past that. I apologize for
being somewhat tardy getting started, but the -- the public
hearing is now open, and if there's any member of the public
that wishes to be heard with regard to the proposed Fiscal
Year 2UU5-2006 tax rate for Kerr County, please feel
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privileged to come forward. And when you come forward, if
you'll give your name and address so that the reporter can
take it down.
MS. RACKLEY: Before
forward, I've come really prepared.
in the room, I've got stuff for him,
I don't do things without evidence.
auditors do, you know.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN:
- before I come
If there's a reporter
too. I have evidence
That's what forensic
How are you? Thank
you very much.
MR. BENHAM: Ma'am, there's a reporter there.
(Discussion off the record.)
DODGE TINLEY: Give your name, please, and
your address.
MS. RACKLEY: I will. Shirley Rackley, and
Rackley is spelled R-a-c-k-l-e-y. I live at 455 Pike's Peak
Road South, Kerrville, Texas. And I'm going to pretty well
stick to this paper and keep it as brief as possible. I'm
not certain we need a tax increase; however, I do recognize
that we need money to operate all the departments, you know,
especially the Sheriff's Department, the Road department and
so forth. But if our tax base really was increased to
10 percent, as it was stated in the newspapers, then you
wouldn't have to -- to increase the taxpayers of this county
and further burden them. There's -- we don't have industry
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here; that's in one of the -- the things to support the tax
base. But what it does is, it just makes some of the
seniors pay more and have a bigger burden. And some of the
people haven't had tax increases in 10 and 20 years, but I
didn't bring those. I only brought the ones that I could
absolutely prove in the last five years, they did not get a
10 percent increase. And one of them -- one of the
appraisers, he got an 18,900-and-some-dollar homestead
exemption, when a homestead exemption, everybody knows, is
$3,000. So, that's about what I have to say. You know, I
don't think there's any more needs to be said. I've got it
all in writing.
JUDGE TINLEY: Ukay.
MS. RACKLEY: I do think we need to -- to
investigate the appraisal process and the appraisal
department. I do think they need to be replaced.
JUDGE TINLEY: Thank you, ma'am. We
appreciate your comments, and we appreciate you providing us
with this information.
MS. RACKLEY: Thank you.
JUDGE TINLEY: Is there any other member of
the public that wishes to be heard with respect to the
proposed Fiscal Year 2005-2006 tax rate for Kerr County?
MR. BENHAM: Yes.
JUDGE TINLEY: Mr. Benham?
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MR. BENHAM: Thank you, Your Honor. Once
again, for the record, I'm Joseph Benham; I live at 522
Rolling Green, Kerrville. I'm in Commissioner Williams'
precinct. I support this action. My taxes went up this
year. Since I'm a senior citizen, I gather they won't go up
in the future, but the appraisal -- the appraisal on the
house where we live went up significantly. We were able to
get an adjustment on the value of the land, because we
showed them that our lot was the smallest one on our street
and had the highest assessment, so they agreed that that had
been an error, and they did give us a reduction in the value
of the land. However, the assessment on the improvements
went up significantly. So, I am not -- I want -- I'm
bringing that up because I want to make it clear, this tax
increase will apply to me, not just people who are younger.
I am satisfied that you gentlemen and the people who work
for you have done a very thorough job of assessing the needs
of the county and have come up with a figure which is high
enough to keep the wolf at least at bay temporarily, but
would not invite the expense and ill feeling, frankly, of a
rollback election. And, therefore, I am -- I am comfortable
with the work you folks have put in on this, and I do -- I
do support this increase. Thank you.
JUDGE TINLEY: Thank you, Mr. Benham, for
your comments. Is there any other member of the public that
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wishes to be heard? Please come forward, sir. Give your
name and address.
MR. HOLSTER: Yes, sir. My name is Ross
Holster; I live at 832 Earl Garrett Street here in
Kerrville. I'd just like to -- if you would just listen
just a few minutes, to make my views known from the senior
view. I'm 74 years old, and I started working when I was 12
years old. I started paying taxes and Social Security when
I was 14. My taxes now in Kerrville -- I moved here in
1992. Even with all my exemptions, my taxes are more than
double, and I depend on Social Security quite a bit. I have
a little bit of other income, not very much. I have trouble
maintaining my house. If it wasn't for my exemptions, I
couldn't stay in this house. And it seems to me like
seniors might be getting a kind of an unfair portion of the
blame for this budget. Not only from Commissioners Court,
from Daily Times; they had a write-up, too. And my
appraisal went up. I talked to the Appraisal Board. I was
informed I already had all the exemptions I deserved, that
they couldn't do anything for me. Well, that's all well and
good. If they need the money that bad, I'll try to figure
out some way to get it.
But I would like it understood from my point
of view, or from me personally and my wife; every dollar
that goes out, we have to budget somewhere else for that
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dollar, the same as you people do. So this is a -- it's not
a tit-for-tat. Actually, I think the tax is too high to
start with. I have to make my tares in payments, and when
you have to make them in payments, they're too high. And I
know you need money to run the government, but I do think
there's some place that can be cut. I don't know where at;
I'm not -- I'm not that familiar with your operations. But
I'm sure something can be done to relieve the people of this
county; not only the seniors, but the young people too.
And, really, about the average wage in Kerrville -- a
$10-an-hour job in Kerrville is a pretty good job, so most
of your employees and the people in government are really --
their salaries are pretty good, I think. That's from my
point of view only. I thank you for listening to me.
Appreciate it.
JUDGE TINLEY: Thank you, Mr. Holster. We
appreciate your comments. Is there any other member of the
publir_ that wishes to be heard with resper_t to the proposed
Fiscal Year 2005-2006 tax rate for Kerr County? Anyone else
who wishes to be heard? Seeing no one else coming forward
or otherwise seeking to gain my attention to be heard, I
will close the public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year
2005-2006 tax rate for Kerr County. I appreciate y'all
being here, and there will be another public hearing, as I'm
sure your notice indicated, this coming Friday. I believe
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that's at 10 a.m. Is that correct, Ms. Mitchell?
MS. MITCHELL: Yes.
JUDGE TINLEY: Friday, the 23rd, at 10 a.m.
So, if any of you folks wish to be heard again, you have the
privilege of being heard again. Or if anyone makes inquiry
of you that wants to be heard, we'll be happy to hear them
at that date and time also. Again, thank you for being
here. That'll conclude the business of the court today.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I have a question,
Judge, before you adjourn.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: I have some
discussion about tax rate that I want to get involved in.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Discussion or comments
isn't public hearinq.
JUDGE TINLEY: I'm not sure we ran engage --
the Court can engage in any discussion about the tax rate
today. The only thing concerning the tax rate today was the
public hearing, and that -- and that part has been closed,
as indicated.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Okay. Time's
running out. I've got a list of cost reductions that I want
to address that could amount to several hundred thousand
dollars. When am I going to get the opportunity to do that,
Your Honor?
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, we need to have
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a -- there'll be a --
JUDGE TINLEY: We will have the budget up for
adoption on the 26th, I believe.
MS. MITCHELL: Yes.
DODGE TINLEY: That's on the agenda for the
25th. And there will be another public hearing on the 23rd.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: The --
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: My question had to do
with process also. Your Honor, I know there's no more
action to be taken place today, but if we were to find some
ability to move some more funds to the library line, that
would take place on the 26th when we have the budget again
up for final review and adoption?
JUDGE TINLEY: Yes.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Okay.
JUDGE TINLEY: Yes.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: That was my question.
JUDGE TINLEY: Statute provides that -- that
the Court can make any adjustments to the budget that they
think are warranted or necessary under the law, I believe
what the language is. And --
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Okay, thank you.
That was my question.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Judge, I have a
question. Is the regular Commissioners Court -- or the
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special called Commissioners Court meeting still open?
J~JDGE TINLEY: No, we adjourned that.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: It's adjourned?
JUDGE TINLEY: That -- that meeting is
adjourned.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Is there any -- is
there any way you can take comments from an elected
official?
JUDGE TINLEY: I don't think so,
Commissioner.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, we have on our --
next Monday is our regular -- or our special regular
Commissioners Court meeting. (Laughter.)
JUDGE TINLEY: Regularly scheduled.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Full-time part-time.
COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. So, I mean,
anything can be put on that agenda still. We can discuss
any of these items next Monday.
CGMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Okay.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Okay.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I've got one more
question. I have in my little book that we have a
10 o'clock meeting tomorrow as well. Did that get scratched
and moved to Friday?
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COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I think so. This
Friday, the 23rd.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Nothing?
JUDGE TINLEY: I don't show it, Commissioner.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: We're going to skip a
day of meeting?
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: We'll miss each
other, right?
COMMISSIONER. BALDWIN: Well, not exactly.
JUDGE TINLEY: Thank you.
(The Commissioners Court Public Hearing was
adjourned at 10:15 a.m.)
STATE OF TEXAS
COUNTY OF KERR
The above and foregoing is a true and complete
transcription of my stenotype notes taken in my capacity as
County Clerk of the Commissioners Court of Kerr County,
Texas, at the time and place heretofore set forth.
DATED at Kerrville, Texas, this 23rd day of September,
2005.
JANNETT PIEPER, Kerr County Clerk
BY: ~°~ ---
Kathy B ik, Deputy County Clerk
Certified Shorthand Reporter
~-i~~-vs
ORDER NO. 29382
LIBRARY CONTRACT
Came to be heazd this the 19`h day of September 2005, with a motion made by
Commissioner Letz, seconded by Commissioner Williams. The Court unanimously
approved by vote of 4-0-0 to approve the Library Contract with the changes as discussed
to change item number eight to June, and change the wording to read, "The parties agree
that the County's minimum contribution for Fiscal Year 2005-2006 shall be $300,000."
ORDER N0.29383
LIBRARY CONTRACT
Came to be heard this the 19~' day of September 2005, with a motion made by
Commissioner Nicholson, seconded by Commissioner Baldwin. The Court unanimously
approved by vote of 4-0-0 to approve the Library Contract for the fiscal year 2005-2006.
ORDER N0.29384
ANIMAL CONTROL
Came to be heard this the 19`h day of September 2005, with a motion made by
Commissioner Nicholson, seconded by Commissioner Letz. The Court unanimously
approved by vote of 4-0-0 to approve the Animal Control Contract with the City of
Kerrville for the fiscal year 2005-2006.
ORDER N0.29385
MOSTY PECAN GROVE
Came to be heard this the 19s' day of September 2005, with a motion made by
Commissioner Williams, seconded by Commissioner Nicholson. The Court unanimously
approved by vote of 4-0-0 the Revision of Mosty Pecan Grove.
ORDER N0.29386
LATE PAYMENTS
Came to be heard this the 14`h day of September 2005, with a motion made by
Commissioner Nicholson, seconded by Commissioner Letz. The Court unanimously
approved by vote of 4-0-0 requiring that costs or chazges incurred or expenditures
involving penalties, fees, interest, or other costs associated with late payment or other
administrative system failures be reported to the Kerr County Auditor and the
Commissioners Court.
ORDER NO. 29387
KERB COUNTY SESQUICENTENNIAL (150TH) CELEBRATION
Came to be heazd this the 19`" day of September 2005, with a motion made by
Commissioner Williams, seconded by Commissioner Baldwin. The Court unanimously
approved by vote of 4-0-0 authorizing the Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce to
coordinate Kerr County Sesquicentennial (150a') Celebration in combination and
consultation with Kerr County Commissioners' Court, Historical Commission, and
representatives of several cities and towns within the county.