1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 KERR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT 9 Budget Workshop 10 Monday, August 28, 2006 11 4:00 p.m. 12 Commissioners' Courtroom 13 Kerr County Courthouse 14 Kerrville, Texas 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 PRESENT: PAT TINLEY, Kerr County Judge H. A. "BUSTER" BALDWIN, Commissioner Pct. 1 24 WILLIAM "BILL" WILLIAMS, Commissioner Pct. 2 JONATHAN LETZ, Commissioner Pct. 3 25 DAVE NICHOLSON, Commissioner Pct. 4 2 1 I N D E X August 28, 2006 2 PAGE 3 --- Workshop to consider and review FY 2006-07 budget, budget priorities and policies; review 4 of department budgets; consideration of matters having budgetary impact and other matters relating 5 to FY 2006-2007 budget 3 6 --- Adjourned 52 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 3 1 On Monday, August 28, 2006, at approximately 4 p.m., a 2 budget workshop 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 Tinley was not present at the beginning of the hearing.) 8 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We will now open a budget 10 workshop. The Judge is supposed to be back by now, but ... 11 What are we going to talk about on the budget? 12 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Well, Mr. Chairman, glad you 13 asked. What I understand -- 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Bow down, please. 15 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: No. The way I understood it, 16 that there was -- there was some elected officials that maybe 17 or maybe not had their opportunity to talk about their 18 budgets, and I'm assuming that this is -- is the time that -- 19 that they have that -- have the freedom to talk about their 20 budgets. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: That's fine. All right. Let's 22 start with that, and I'll be right back. 23 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Do you want me to keep 24 talking? 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Keep talking, just like the 8-28-06 wk 4 1 Judge told you to keep talking and he left. 2 (Commissioner Letz left the courtroom.) 3 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Well, it all started in a 4 corn patch. 5 MR. ALFORD: What year? 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: '46, two years before I was 7 born. And I was born at a very early age. (Laughter.) 8 (Commissioner Letz returned to the courtroom.) 9 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Okay, I've carried it as long 10 as I could. 11 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: And he wasn't very good at it. 12 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Not at all. 13 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Okay. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Any elected officials want to 15 make comments on the most recent run of the budget? 16 MS. NEMEC: I would. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay, let's adjourn. 18 MS. NEMEC: Okay. I received my budget Friday 19 afternoon, I believe it was. The recommended -- and I'd just 20 like to go down a few of the line items here. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Let's all get to your budget. 22 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Let me find it. 23 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: 13. 24 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Page 13? 25 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Tab 13. 8-28-06 wk 5 1 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: I don't have tabs. 2 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: You're talking about this 3 new printout? 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: On Page 31. 5 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I have the numbers backwards. 6 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 31. 7 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Okay. 8 MS. NEMEC: First of all, on postage, that was cut 9 to 2,400. I really don't know how I will be able to do that. 10 I think we've already done a budget amendment for that. Is 11 that what that means, Tommy, on these adjustments here? 12 That's been a budget amendment; is that correct? I've already 13 had to do a $500 budget amendment from the $3,000 that I was 14 working with this year, so I will not be able to work with 15 that figure on postage. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 17 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: You asked for 3,000? 18 MS. NEMEC: For 3,000 yes. And, like I said, I'm 19 already short 500 of that. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I won't speak for the Judge, but 21 I'm thinking that the reduction was due to -- 'cause of the 22 reduced scope in your office next year, that it wouldn't 23 require as much. Do you think it will still take the same 24 amount, basically? 25 MS. NEMEC: I think it will, 'cause most of my 8-28-06 wk 6 1 postage is for accounts payable. I don't really have too much 2 to mail for payroll, as far as payroll goes. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Is it 3,000? 4 MS. NEMEC: Let's try 3,000. Maybe the 500 will 5 make up for the COBRA letters and things like that that I've 6 been sending out. 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 8 MS. NEMEC: The other is office supplies. I'm still 9 by law required to be the distribution for payroll, so I'll 10 still need to order the envelopes and the checks. The checks 11 will still need to be printed in my office and have my 12 signature on them. 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So that needs to stay at 3,600? 14 MS. NEMEC: Yes. And, again, I had to do a budget 15 amendment this year for $700 of my 3,600 that I was working 16 with last year. And, let's see. The other is my salary. I'm 17 showing the recommended amount is 27,850, and I just was 18 wondering who came up with that figure. 19 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Wasn't me. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Wasn't me. I think the -- my 21 feeling is that salary is too low. And my thought would be 22 that I would put that salary -- I think there's a reduction in 23 responsibilities. It should be lower, I think. You know, I'd 24 either put it at a commissioner's salary or $5,000 reduction, 25 something along those lines. 8-28-06 wk 7 1 MS. NEMEC: With that being said, I'd like to know 2 why it's being reduced. There is a court order that I have 3 here from 1992 where I was appointed county personnel officer. 4 I never received extra help for that, and I did not receive an 5 increase in pay for that. Then I have a court order in 1999 6 that I was appointed safety officer. Again, I took on those 7 duties as a service to this community. I never received an 8 increase in pay for that, and didn't receive any extra help to 9 do that either. And then in 2003, I have a court order where 10 I was appointed HIPAA officer; the same thing about that. I 11 did not receive an increase in pay, nor receive extra help to 12 perform those duties, so those were duties that I was 13 providing as a service. And, to me, the increases that I have 14 gotten along with all the other elected officials have been 15 for my constitutional duties. And I also manage -- I'm chief 16 custodian of finances for over a $20 million budget, and I 17 think that my salary should stay at the same as it's been 18 right along with the other elected officials. 19 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: How much of Kerr County's 20 money do you manage? 21 MS. NEMEC: Well, just depending on what this budget 22 is going to be, but it's over $20 million. 23 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Reserves in the current 24 budget? Taxes? 25 MS. NEMEC: Right. 8-28-06 wk 8 1 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: What else? 2 MS. NEMEC: I don't know anybody that would -- 3 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: What other -- what other 4 constitutional responsibilities does the Treasurer have? 5 MS. NEMEC: Well, just receiving and disbursing all 6 the County's funds from all different departments and doing 7 state reports. And, you know, I'll still be in charge of the 8 distributing the paychecks and doing the 941 reports, paying 9 the retirement, all that. All -- anything that has to do with 10 money, I'm still going to be responsible for all that. The 11 only thing that y'all are taking away from me as far as 12 payroll is inputting the payroll, because by law I'm still 13 required to do everything else that comes after the input, and 14 then the human resource part of it. And also, I'd like to 15 remind this Court that when I gave y'all my notice, I also 16 informed the Court that I was willing to continue those duties 17 if I had the proper resources and personnel to continue them. 18 It was this Court's decision to take them out and perform them 19 elsewhere, and that is something the Court had been talking 20 about anyway. It's just that I needed to give you all a 21 deadline, because it was just dragging on and I did not know 22 what to do with the staff in my office. So, therefore, I'm 23 requesting that it stay at what the other elected officials -- 24 County Clerk, District Clerk, and Tax Assessor -- has been all 25 this time. 8-28-06 wk 9 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: My recommendation would be to 2 put it at the same as the Commissioners, which is 43,257 on my 3 calculations. I think -- and it's just -- and, Barbara, I'm 4 not -- you know, I just look at it as -- I think most elected 5 officials, if not all, do other things beyond their 6 constitutional duties. I think that the -- certainly, over 7 time, what I'd do is greatly increase, I think, a lot of other 8 people in the courthouse. And I think that the workload and 9 amount of people directly supervised by the other -- you know, 10 District Clerk, County Clerk, and Tax Assessor is larger than 11 I have or larger than you're going to have. And I think it is 12 appropriate to keep those more, you know, in line. 13 MS. NEMEC: I'd like a record vote, please, for the 14 record. 15 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: There won't be any voting in 16 here. 17 MS. NEMEC: Well, I'd like to know what the 18 consensus is from the other Commissioners. Are y'all in 19 agreement with that salary, or to leave it as what it is being 20 proposed? 21 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: My opinion is the 22 Commissioner's last recommendation makes good sense. 23 (Judge Tinley entered the courtroom.) 24 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Well, here comes the Judge. 25 This is the Judge's idea. Let's let him talk to the issue a 8-28-06 wk 10 1 little bit. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We're on the Treasurer's salary. 3 JUDGE TINLEY: Okay. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And I said that my 5 recommendation is that it should be the same as a 6 commissioner, which I might -- in my calculations, is 43,257. 7 JUDGE TINLEY: My rationale, gentlemen, is that 8 based upon all available information to me, with the remaining 9 duties to be performed in that office, which is essentially 10 going to be receiving/disbursing funds only -- excuse me, I'm 11 out of breath from running down the hall -- that it would take 12 a reasonably competent person half time or slightly more than 13 half time -- half time to perform that function. That being 14 the case, what I've done is allowed for a full-time person, 15 and I achieve that by reducing the request from two part-time 16 employees to one, and then subtracting that salary, which was 17 a part-time salary last year, brought it forward with a COLA 18 into this year -- into next year with a COLA, subtracted that 19 from what would otherwise be the proposed full-time salary of 20 the Treasurer, to give a full-time employee. I think that's 21 adequate for that office. 22 MS. NEMEC: I didn't ask for a full-time employee. 23 JUDGE TINLEY: Pardon? 24 MS. NEMEC: I didn't ask for a full-time employee. 25 JUDGE TINLEY: I understand you didn't. You asked 8-28-06 wk 11 1 for two part-time. 2 MS. NEMEC: Right. 3 JUDGE TINLEY: Mm-hmm. That's my rationale. 4 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: There seems to be a major 5 difference here in viewpoint as to what -- what is the makeup 6 of the job. What constitutes the constitutional, day-to-day 7 responsibilities of the Treasurer? 8 JUDGE TINLEY: I have requested that information 9 from Ms. Nemec as recently as last week, or week before last. 10 I think you gentlemen received copies of those memos. I have 11 yet to receive from her -- 12 MS. NEMEC: I wish you would have told me it was for 13 budget purposes. As you know, we're shorthanded in there, and 14 doing payroll and human resources keeps me very busy in there. 15 You give me deadlines on everything else; you could have given 16 me a deadline for that if this is what you wanted it for. I 17 had no idea until Friday that my salary was being proposed at 18 27,000. 19 JUDGE TINLEY: Ms. Nemec, I have been asking, as 20 well as this Court has been asking for constitutional and 21 statutory duties of your office -- 22 MS. NEMEC: They're in the Local Government Code. 23 JUDGE TINLEY: -- for some time. I have asked you 24 for them. 25 MS. NEMEC: You have not given me a deadline, as you 8-28-06 wk 12 1 do with other things, so that I -- 2 JUDGE TINLEY: I don't have to give you a deadline. 3 MS. NEMEC: I have to prioritize in my office with 4 the short staff that we have right now. 5 JUDGE TINLEY: Well, I'm sorry about that. 6 MS. NEMEC: And the extra duties. 7 JUDGE TINLEY: I should not have to give you a 8 deadline. I have been asking for that information -- 9 MS. NEMEC: Well, I'm -- 10 JUDGE TINLEY: -- for a long period of time, as well 11 as a lot of other information I've been asking for. 12 MS. NEMEC: You've been getting that. 13 JUDGE TINLEY: I beg to differ. You -- 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I don't think we need to get 15 into this. I mean, I think the -- you know, I have -- the 16 Judge has his opinion; I have my opinion. Nicholson said he 17 agrees with 43,257. You know, we need to put something in for 18 today. There's another budget workshop on Friday. 19 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I have a base reluctance to 20 cut an elected official's salary. That's a slippery slope. 21 I'll use the District Clerk as an example. If tomorrow she 22 says she's doesn't want to do the Law Library, for reasons 23 that are best known to her, are we going to propose to cut her 24 salary? 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes, 'cause she gets a stipend 8-28-06 wk 13 1 for that. 2 MS. NEMEC: That's the difference; she gets a 3 stipend for it. My salary has never been increased each time 4 these court orders went into effect -- three court orders went 5 into effect assigning me extra responsibilities. That was a 6 service I was being -- I was providing. My salary or my staff 7 was never increased. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think -- I guess -- and I 9 don't want to belabor this too much, but I do look at it -- I 10 think that there are -- the Commissioners are not the highest 11 paid elected officials by any means in the county, because we 12 don't directly supervise staff. I think that there's a -- an 13 amount of funds or responsibility that goes with a supervision 14 function, and I think that if you look at the overall pay 15 structure that this Court has established in the county, those 16 departments that -- where there is a lot more personnel 17 supervision, those people get paid more. On the -- talking 18 about elected officials -- or it's actually all departments, 19 but elected officials is what I'm really thinking about right 20 now. And I think that -- and I think that is a -- a fair way 21 to do it. It's just my personal feeling. I'm not trying to 22 ding you or anything. I just look at it in that light. 23 MS. NEMEC: I just want the decision to be one that 24 everybody makes in this court, not just one person. That's 25 why I'm asking. 8-28-06 wk 14 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I agree. 2 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I still don't think it's 3 clear what your constitutional duties are. You, a few moments 4 ago, made the statement that nothing really changes. As long 5 as it's dealing with the public money, you do it all. 6 MS. NEMEC: Exactly. The only thing that is going 7 to be done different as far as payroll is going to be the 8 input. Because the law prescribes that I distribute the 9 county funds. 10 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: "Input" meaning someone sits 11 down at a computer -- 12 MS. NEMEC: And input the hours. Input the payroll 13 changes. 14 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Payroll preparation. 15 MS. NEMEC: Right. 16 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Is that a -- is that a large 17 part of the whole process? 18 MS. NEMEC: Input is one part of the process. 19 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Is it a large part -- 20 MS. NEMEC: No. 21 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: -- in the process? 22 MS. NEMEC: No. Sometimes you have five changes, 23 sometimes you may have 20 in a payroll. I'll still have to do 24 everything else. When that distribution screen pops up on 25 payroll, there's still a whole day and a half of work that 8-28-06 wk 15 1 needs to be done to finish off that payroll that I'll still be 2 responsible for doing. Maybe two days. The input is a 3 four-hour job. 4 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: How much of your time each 5 day do you spend managing Kerr County's funds that are 6 invested or that must be moved from place to place? 7 MS. NEMEC: We do that all day. That's all we do. 8 Money comes in all day; money gets distributed all day. It's 9 not just during accounts payable. 10 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Invested, now? 11 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: She's in charge of investing 12 money. Am I correct? 13 MS. NEMEC: That's correct. 14 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: You mean like stocks and 15 bonds, that kind of thing? 16 MS. NEMEC: Right now, with the sweep accounts that 17 we opened at the bank, there hasn't been any need for that, 18 because we're getting a good return on them. And, so, anytime 19 I invest money, I consult with the Assistant Auditor and agree 20 that so much can be invested from a certain fund and whatever, 21 and go from there. 22 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: But you do that all day long? 23 MS. NEMEC: No, not all day long, but as far as 24 handling money all day long, that's the -- that's the job 25 there. 8-28-06 wk 16 1 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Right. 2 MS. NEMEC: You've got over a $20 million budget. 3 There's fines and fees that come in from every -- you know, 4 all the different departments. We get that. Probation 5 office, Environmental Health, Animal Control. All the money 6 that these departments collect eventually comes to me. 7 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: And that's your fiduciary -- 8 MS. NEMEC: That is. 9 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: -- constitutional 10 responsibility? 11 MS. NEMEC: Exactly. The receipt and disbursement 12 of those funds. 13 JUDGE TINLEY: Okay. Anything else? 14 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Well, I'll tell you again, I 15 have a base reluctance to cut any elected official's salary. 16 JUDGE TINLEY: Anything else, gentlemen? Thank you, 17 ma'am. 18 MS. NEMEC: No, sir, I need an amount to put in 19 there in my budget, so I need to know an amount. 20 JUDGE TINLEY: We cannot make any decisions here 21 today. This is a workshop that we're doing. 22 MS. NEMEC: So, when that will decision be made? 23 You have asked me to provide you the elected official's 24 salary, so at this time I cannot put anything on my salary. 25 Is that what you're saying? 8-28-06 wk 17 1 JUDGE TINLEY: Well, you -- 2 MS. NEMEC: Because they're not in agreement with 3 the 27,000 that you put down, so I need to know. 4 JUDGE TINLEY: You give me, to the extent that you 5 can, what I asked for. 6 MS. NEMEC: I'm not putting my salary at 27,000 if 7 the other commissioners are not in agreement with that. 8 JUDGE TINLEY: To the extent that you can, 9 Ms. Nemec, give me what you can. 10 MS. NEMEC: Okay. Well, you're supposed to provide 11 me in writing what my salary is, and you have not done that, 12 so I'll just put what I'm recommending if the other 13 Commissioners are not going to go with the other amount. 14 JUDGE TINLEY: You can put in whatever you like, 15 Ms. Nemec. 16 MS. NEMEC: When will I have a chance to -- when 17 will that amount be put in there? 18 JUDGE TINLEY: When the Court makes its final 19 decision. 20 MS. NEMEC: And when that will be? 21 JUDGE TINLEY: I'm not certain at this point. 22 MS. NEMEC: Okay, thank you. 23 JUDGE TINLEY: Any other budget issues, gentlemen? 24 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Gee, that was fun. 25 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: We've got a lot of library 8-28-06 wk 18 1 folks sitting out there. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: On the -- if I can find where it 3 is -- Tommy, where's the Trapper contract? 4 JUDGE TINLEY: County-Sponsored. 5 MR. TOMLINSON: County-Sponsored. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Do you know what page that's on, 7 about? 8 MR. TOMLINSON: Six -- I think 660 is the 9 department. 10 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Which one? 11 MR. TOMLINSON: 660 is the department number. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 660 is the -- 13 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Page 52. 14 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 52? 15 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: 52. 16 JUDGE TINLEY: Got it. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: The amount should be 31,4, I 18 believe. That included -- it's a -- 26,4 is the annual 19 salary, based on talking to that office, and I believe the 20 interlocal agreement is 5,000. 21 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Which -- are we talking 22 about Trapper? 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Trapper. 24 JUDGE TINLEY: 26,4 total. 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 26,4 plus 5 is 31,4. 8-28-06 wk 19 1 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 31,4. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I believe that's it. 3 JUDGE TINLEY: So, we're about 1,200 short there. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 5 JUDGE TINLEY: Okay. Any other issues? 6 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Yeah. I have -- 7 MS. BOLIN: Yes. On our bond -- on our bonds, Paula 8 wasn't aware of the amount at the time that she did the 9 budget, and there is a zero in there for next year's. It's 10 going to be $1,000 or 1,500. I couldn't find her figures. 11 So, that needs to be added to 2006-2007. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Bonds. What's it need to be? 13 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: What number, Jon? 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Page 32. 15 MS. BOLIN: I'm thinking it's supposed to be 1,500. 16 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 32. 17 MR. TOMLINSON: Diane, is that for current bond? 18 MS. BOLIN: No, this will be the one that starts 19 January 1. 20 MR. TOMLINSON: Okay. 21 MS. BOLIN: To the end of the term. 22 MR. TOMLINSON: Okay. 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So, it's under Bonds and 24 Insurance. It will be 1,500? 25 MS. BOLIN: Mm-hmm, yes. 8-28-06 wk 20 1 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: What is the line? Oh, 206? 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 206. 3 JUDGE TINLEY: 206, yeah. 4 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Bonds and Insurance, yeah. 5 What do you think -- what's it supposed to be? 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 1,500. 7 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Okay. 8 JUDGE TINLEY: Thank you, ma'am. 9 MS. BOLIN: You're welcome. 10 JUDGE TINLEY: You had a question, Commissioner 11 Williams? 12 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Yes, sir. The Parks budget. 13 Is Leonard in the room? Leonard? 14 MR. ODOM: Yes. 15 JUDGE TINLEY: What page are you on? 16 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Can you tell us where you 17 are? 18 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: On 31 -- on the left-hand 19 side, 31, Parks. Mine says Page 2, but that's got to be a 20 separate group of pages here. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: What fund? 22 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: 31. 23 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 31-662-486. It says Page 2, 24 but I don't know how it could be Page 2. 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, it's Fund 31. 8-28-06 wk 21 1 MR. TOMLINSON: The pages are numbered -- are 2 numbered by fund. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: By fund. 4 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Okay. Len, talking about 5 Flat Rock Lake Park -- 6 MR. ODOM: Okay. 7 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: -- and the bridge. 8 MR. ODOM: All right, sir. 9 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Restoration of the bridge, 10 and the -- the construction of a ramp that leads from the park 11 floor to Riverside Drive. 12 MR. ODOM: Right. 13 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: In this year's budget, we 14 have 25,000, which is not going to get spent before the 15 year's -- 16 MR. ODOM: I doubt it, before our budget year is 17 over with. It'll be pushing it. 18 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: And what we know about the 19 reconstruction of the bridge is that there are two phases, 20 both concrete work phases. 21 MR. ODOM: Right. 22 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: One of them's going to cost 23 us -- the initial phase is going to cost us about 30 to 32. 24 That's the drilling of the piers, correct? 25 MR. ODOM: Yes, sir. I've got a quote of 24, but 8-28-06 wk 22 1 the contractor's talking more money now. So -- 2 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: According to the 3 gentleman -- the contractor that -- 4 MR. ODOM: Mr. Butler talked to. 5 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: -- Mr. Butler solicited that 6 quote, he's saying it's going to be 30 to 32 to drill those 7 piers and do that work. 8 MR. ODOM: Okay. 9 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Then the abutment work on 10 top of those piers -- 11 MR. ODOM: Is another 30, I think. 12 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: -- is another 30. 13 MR. ODOM: And then we were talking about at least 14 another 3,000, 3,500 for rental of an excavator. 15 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: For what? 16 MR. ODOM: Excavator, or either a crane. 17 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: All right. So, what we're 18 looking at, we either need to roll the 25 forward into next 19 year's budget. That would be my recommendation. And then, 20 even that's not going to -- that would be 65, and that's not 21 going to get it done, is it? Plus the ramp? 22 MR. ODOM: Plus the ramp. But I -- my intent is to 23 try to build that within -- 24 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Within your allocated funds? 25 MR. ODOM: That's right. 8-28-06 wk 23 1 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: So, if we rolled it forward 2 at 65 and made it a total of 70, would that get the job done? 3 MR. ODOM: That will get me pretty close, I think. 4 I think so. 5 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Okay. If the Court is with 6 me. 7 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: 65 as opposed to 40? 8 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: We'll lose our -- let the 25 9 drift into surplus, but we got to go 65 or 70 on the bottom 10 number there to get the bridge restored. 11 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: 65 or 70. Which one? 12 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 70. You're comfortable with 13 70? 14 MR. ODOM: I'm comfortable with 70. 15 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Based on what the concrete 16 people are telling you? 17 MR. ODOM: Based upon my experience with concrete. 18 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: So, that needs to be -- 19 needs to change in order to restore that bridge. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So -- sorry -- 70, so Parks 21 needs to go to 70? 22 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 70. 23 MR. ODOM: And you're rolling that 25 that I don't 24 have this year into -- 25 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: That 25 will go back into 8-28-06 wk 24 1 surplus. 2 MR. ODOM: Right. 3 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: If we change the next year's 4 number to 70, that 25 will go back in surplus. 5 MR. ODOM: Right. 6 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Right? 7 MR. TOMLINSON: Mm-hmm. 8 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 70. 70 will do it, Judge. 9 That gets the bridge restored over Third Creek. 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Are we done on Parks? 11 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Mm-hmm. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Go to Page 54, Hill Country 13 Youth Exhibit. 14 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Which one? 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Page 54. 16 MR. ODOM: Are y'all through with me? 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: For the moment. Don't leave. 18 JUDGE TINLEY: Don't go too far. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Commissioner Williams and I have 20 visited on this a little bit, and there is a -- we have talked 21 about probably the need-slash-desire, and also it would assist 22 the River Star to move the outdoor arena. And we were 23 thinking -- I was thinking that -- and I don't want to fund 24 that totally, but I think if we put some seed money in there, 25 that would give us -- allow us to try to go out for grants, 8-28-06 wk 25 1 try to get some additional funds, whether it come -- who knows 2 what source. But I think the estimates that I've heard to 3 redo that outdoor arena is about 150,000, and moving it. And 4 just a ballpark number, I'd like to put something like in the 5 neighborhood of maybe 25,000, 30,000 here as seed money. That 6 would only get spent if we can find grants, and that would be 7 used as a match of some sort. Don't know if it's really 8 feasible or really if we'll get it done, but the other option 9 would be to leave nothing in here, and then go out and do it 10 later. But then you have to do a budget amendment, something 11 of that nature. We don't have anything really planned under 12 the Major Repairs category, which I don't know if it would go 13 into that or Capital Improvements, either one. But -- 14 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Two questions. Why do you 15 want to move it, and where are you going to move it to? 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It would move to the -- one of 17 the master plans that we put together a long time ago thought 18 a better location for that is kind of in the back corner 19 towards the east, along Riverside Drive. 20 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: By the horse barn. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Near the horse barn. So, the 22 horse barn would actually be able to be used in conjunction 23 with it. The reason is, one, the River Star is, I think, 24 looking at possibly joining or -- you know, I don't want to 25 get the cart before the horse here, but they're looking at -- 8-28-06 wk 26 1 and I've talked to Commissioner Williams a little bit about 2 coming to us with a proposal to build an outdoor facility -- 3 or I mean indoor facility, and that would be a good location 4 for it. So, it does two things. It fulfills a need. If that 5 does happen, that would be funded not by the County at all. 6 And it's an indoor banquet-type facility they're looking at 7 possibly proposing. 8 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: So, River Star would be 9 expanding out into the -- 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Either -- I don't know. Depends 11 whether they expand or you build it on County property and 12 they operate it. I mean, there's different functions there as 13 to how that would happen. 14 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Also, they need to -- they 15 see a need to cut the road through from the entrance, the 16 western entrance to the property straight through to Riverside 17 Drive. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think the -- I think River 19 Star has a desire to move the arena as well. They may be 20 willing to help pay for it from the standpoint I think it's -- 21 in their mind, it doesn't fit real well where it is next to 22 their facility. And I look at it as, you know, if -- it's not 23 a great location for it. It's not -- it's been in need of 24 repair off and on for as long as I've been on the Court. I 25 mean, there's been some repairs done to it, but if we could 8-28-06 wk 27 1 figure out a way to get it moved, get a better outdoor arena 2 which is really heavily utilized built, and not cost the 3 taxpayers much money, I would be in favor of it. It would be 4 the only condition I'd be in favor of in moving it. 5 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: And part of that cost -- I 6 saw the eyebrows go up when the Commissioner said that cost, 7 but part of that cost has to do with probably reconstructing 8 all those chutes and stuff. That's in pretty bad repair. 9 What exists is in a pretty bad state of repair. If you move 10 it, you start again. 11 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Yeah, it's -- that thing 12 probably is better off over near the horse stalls. Now, I 13 noticed this morning when we were talking about the rental of 14 the Union Church, I noticed on there that the County was 15 exempt from those charges. Is it the same with River Star? 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: They haven't even proposed a 17 facility yet. 18 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: In terms of our using their 19 facility? 20 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Yeah. 21 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I think -- I think the 22 answer is yes. 23 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: That makes it a little bit 24 better. 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Anyway, it's just an item -- 8-28-06 wk 28 1 it's just kind of, like, really more of a place-keeper in the 2 budget. You know, I don't -- I have no idea if we can raise 3 funds from outside sources to do that, but I think that it's 4 something that would be interesting to pursue. And, like I 5 said, it can be done as a budget amendment or -- certainly, I 6 don't think it would ever qualify as an emergency to expend 7 the budget, or -- so I think if it's something that may get 8 done, if we get the grants to do it, it's good to have that in 9 the budget. 10 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: So, put some in there and use 11 it as seed money to go get grants, and if you can't get the 12 grants, the money just rolls over? 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. And the design, 14 location, everything would still come back to the Court. I 15 mean, it's not approving anything. It's just putting money in 16 the budget for that purpose, and then that can be explored. 17 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Where do you see that, under 18 Major Repairs? 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think possibly Capital Outlay. 20 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Capital outlay? Okay. How 21 much? 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 25,000. 23 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I don't know. Would that be 24 a capital outlay, Tommy? 25 JUDGE TINLEY: Sure. 8-28-06 wk 29 1 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: To move a bucking chute? 2 MR. TOMLINSON: I think it would be a major 3 improvement, yes. 4 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: That's the way I see it, yes. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Major improvement. 6 MR. TOMLINSON: Where -- I mean, if it's for 7 Contingency, that's where I'd put it. 8 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Under Major Repairs? 9 MR. TOMLINSON: Yeah. 10 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Whatever you want. 11 MR. TOMLINSON: Or Contingency item or something. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think if it's in Contingency, 13 it's going to get used for something else. I'd rather mark it 14 as a capital outlay item or major repair item or a -- because 15 if it gets into some other item, it'll disappear. Where I 16 think if we put it as an item in a category like that, which I 17 think it qualifies -- 18 MR. TOMLINSON: Why don't you put it in -- in 19 Permanent Improvements fund? 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. It can go in Permanent 21 Improvements. I didn't know we had one. Where's that? 22 MR. TOMLINSON: It's the fund that we use for -- 23 like, for the Ag Barn when we put the roof on it. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. It's comparable to that, 25 in my mind. 8-28-06 wk 30 1 MR. TOMLINSON: We put the money in there and paid 2 for it out of -- 3 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I don't see that line. Did 4 you take that line out of there? 5 MR. TOMLINSON: No, it's Fund 70. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It's Fund 70? 7 MR. TOMLINSON: Yes. 8 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Tommy, in that budget, are 9 the -- are those items listed like you would a capital outlay 10 type thing? 11 MR. TOMLINSON: Yes. 12 JUDGE TINLEY: Mm-hmm. 13 MR. TOMLINSON: They're listed by name. 14 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Yeah. Okay, good. That's 15 where it goes. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: All right. It's way in the 17 back, Fund 70. 18 MR. TOMLINSON: At the very back of the -- 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. 20 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Okay. 21 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: How much? 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 25,000. And this also may get 23 tied in with -- I've been -- Roy Walston's talked to me 24 several times about the need for pens also. The kids -- the 25 4-H program and all possibly may get tied in with that at some 8-28-06 wk 31 1 point. But, anyway... 2 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: I'd like to talk about 3 Juvenile Probation. 4 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: What page? 5 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Page 44. We've seen the 6 benchmark data that shows Kerr County is an expensive county 7 government compared to other counties our size, and our per 8 capita spending is larger than any of our comparable counties, 9 and that our payroll is larger and that we have more people on 10 our payroll than other counties. Now, we also know that of 11 the 52 or so other counties that have juvenile detention 12 centers, that all but a couple of those run Juvenile Probation 13 and the Juvenile Detention Center with one position. Those 14 two positions are combined. We -- we continually lean on our 15 elected officials and department heads to be careful about 16 productivity, to find ways to combine jobs, to get more done 17 with -- with the same amount of people or fewer, but then we 18 appear to be willing to put two high-priced people in one job. 19 I propose that -- just as the recommendation that was made a 20 few months ago, that we eliminate the Juvenile Chief Probation 21 Officer and assign that work to the director of the Juvenile 22 Detention Facility. 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We don't have authority to do 24 that, do we? 25 JUDGE TINLEY: Commissioner, you mentioned 50-some 8-28-06 wk 32 1 where the Juvenile Detention Facility is under is the Juvenile 2 Probation Department. How many of those jurisdictions has the 3 Chief Juvenile Probation Officer as also the Facility 4 Administrator? 5 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: I believe it -- I'm relying 6 on my memory, Judge -- I believe it's 50 of the 52. 7 JUDGE TINLEY: I believe it's zero. 8 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: There's a big difference 9 between 98 percent and zero. 10 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: What's the difference, 11 Judge? 12 JUDGE TINLEY: The difference is, for a facility 13 administrator, you've got to have somebody on-site full-time, 14 and that doesn't allow you to utilize the chief probation 15 officer. In some instances, you've got someone who's in 16 charge of a juvenile probation department who also hires a 17 facility administrator, which is a little different from what 18 we have. The facility is directly under the Court and not 19 under the Juvenile Probation Department, so instead of the 20 Juvenile Probation Department hiring the facility 21 administrator, that's done by the Court. 22 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: This Court. 23 JUDGE TINLEY: Mm-hmm. 24 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Yeah. Well, that may be a 25 little bit like the definition of "is." My information is 8-28-06 wk 33 1 that one person does both of these jobs, and that they don't 2 hire a second person to do part of one of the other two jobs. 3 And the question I think Commissioner Williams had about our 4 authority, we don't have any authority to hire a Chief 5 Probation Officer. That's the -- that's the duty of the 6 Juvenile Probation Board. But we do have a statutory duty and 7 authority not to fund that job if it's not needed. And what 8 we're talking about here is, with salary, taxes, retirement, 9 health insurance and everything, probably around $90,000 a 10 year. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Is any -- are those funds in the 12 budget all Kerr County funds, or are they partially state 13 funds? Under the salary line. 14 MR. TOMLINSON: They're all state funds -- I mean 15 they're all county funds. 16 JUDGE TINLEY: Yeah, that's all county funds. Sure. 17 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Well, that was the position 18 we raised here a few months ago, and it didn't fly up the 19 elevator shaft to the second floor. I think it's a heck of a 20 valid point. 21 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Commissioner, that's -- 22 that was -- we're able to do that because the position was 23 already funded, so they had the capability of going ahead and 24 replacing -- hiring a replacement. If we don't fund the 25 position, then it's a different playing field. 8-28-06 wk 34 1 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: That's the distinction, in 2 your mind. 3 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: The question is, in my 4 mind, are we going to play by the same rules that we ask all 5 the rest of these people the play by? To be -- to not fill 6 jobs that don't need to be filled? That's all I've got on 7 that. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think my -- before we leave 9 that, the question I have is, it appears that both of them -- 10 or the people in those jobs are working all the time. They're 11 both working, and so a certain amount of work isn't going to 12 get done somewhere. And I think it -- I mean, in my mind, it 13 appears -- I'm not intimately involved with the Juvenile 14 Probation Department and their workload, you know, what they 15 do, but I presume they're busy. I know that Kevin stays 16 fairly busy out in his position. And I share some of your 17 sentiments that we can combine them into -- I don't know that 18 you can eliminate one entire job without losing some 19 productivity somewhere, though do I think you could combine 20 them and maybe add a second -- you know, get rid of an 21 administrator and add another officer, possibly. 22 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Probably the best person in 23 the best position to -- to address those issues is -- to 24 answer that question is the person that's had both of those 25 jobs. And I do recall that when Commissioner Williams asked 8-28-06 wk 35 1 Kevin Stanton if he could do both of them, the answer was 2 positive. "Yes, I do can do both of them." 3 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Well, back to what you said, 4 Judge, you talked about the need -- or the law requiring the 5 facility administrator to be on-site. I understand that. But 6 does the law preclude that person from taking the probation 7 work with them to that site? 8 JUDGE TINLEY: I think if you'll check, 9 Commissioner, you'll find that there are a lot of instances 10 where you have the Chief Juvenile Probation Officer, who is 11 also in charge of the Juvenile Detention Facility -- and 12 that's probably the vast majority of the structures here in 13 the state of Texas. You will find that in addition to that 14 Chief Juvenile Probation Officer, there is a Facility 15 Administrator that is a full-time employee that operates and 16 administers and has ultimate control over the facility. 17 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I understand. But is there 18 anything in the law that prohibits a sitting facility 19 administrator, qualified with all the tickets, from assuming 20 the responsibilities of the probation officer and moving them 21 to his office at the facility? 22 JUDGE TINLEY: I don't know that there's any 23 specific prohibition. You can't get both jobs done by the 24 same individual, though. That's my opinion. 25 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Okay. 8-28-06 wk 36 1 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Is there a difference, such as 2 from my position with my jail administrator? 3 JUDGE TINLEY: I don't know. That's totally 4 different regulations, Rusty. 5 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Major salary difference in 6 paying the two big salaries. 7 JUDGE TINLEY: Yeah, the regulations are a lot more 8 voluminous, I think, and probably more tightly drawn on the 9 juvenile side. I realize you -- that's not to say you don't 10 have a bunch of them over there. You do. Tommy? 11 MR. TOMLINSON: Yeah. There could be -- I'm not for 12 sure about this, but there could be some T.J.P.C. regulations 13 that require a county to have a chief probation officer in 14 order to receive state funds. 15 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: The County would have a 16 chief probation officer. He'd just have two hats. 17 MR. TOMLINSON: Because I know there's -- there's -- 18 there is specific rules as to the amount of funding that a 19 county funds -- that's county money that the County funds the 20 Juvenile Probation function. If -- if we -- if a county 21 decides to lower the amount of funding that it -- that it 22 provides for the function from a base year, then we're -- if 23 the amount we spend in '06-'07 is less than we expend, for 24 example, for '02-'03, then -- then we're ineligible for state 25 funding, so you have to be really careful about the level of 8-28-06 wk 37 1 the county funding for that function. 2 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: If you're through with that, 3 can I mention one item on the jail budget? That's just a 4 concern, and it may be taken care of. Medical. 5 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: What page, Rusty? 6 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: I really don't know in y'all's 7 -- I'm sorry, I don't have your copy. 8 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Tommy, do you know? 9 MR. TOMLINSON: It's the same as -- 10 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Mine says -- the printout you 11 ran? 12 MR. TOMLINSON: It's the same as what they have. 13 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Page 34. 14 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Page what? 15 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Mine says Page 34. It could 16 say 35 if it was the last printout, Tommy. 17 JUDGE TINLEY: Mm-hmm. 18 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Jail. This is more of a 19 question, maybe directed more to Tommy than anything else. 20 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: 35. 21 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: 35. Line Item 512-333, 22 Prisoner Medical. You can see I had requested 80,000. It's 23 been changed to 20. I don't have a problem with that. It -- 24 what we're paying is -- going to be paying is just that jail 25 doctor, 'cause remember, he asked for an increase of 1,500 a 8-28-06 wk 38 1 month, is what his total would be, which would be about 16,000 2 of that. I'm just concerned over my prescription meds, the 3 bills in my prescription meds. If this new deal takes care of 4 all that or it all goes into -- under Indigent Health, 5 especially prescriptions, okay, that may be all right. But as 6 I mentioned to some of y'all, the prescription deals went up 7 from last month, month before last, from $6,000 a month to 8 this month -- the one I got the other day was 11,000, and 9 that's 'cause the State's zinging us over M.H.M.R. patients 10 and M.H.M.R. prescriptions. And I don't know if those are 11 going to work in under the indigency with the state minimum, 12 because, as I said, I got one inmate that had one 30-day 13 supply of prescription medicine last month that was $997, and 14 I don't have any choices in that. Medical is out of control. 15 JUDGE TINLEY: The substantial reduction was done on 16 the basis that the Indigent Health Care program -- that this 17 was all going to be rolled over to the Indigent Health Care 18 program. That was my understanding. 19 MR. TOMLINSON: I think the Sheriff may have a 20 point, because there may -- there could be some procedures 21 in -- on meds that won't roll over into that program. So, 22 I -- I think he has -- probably has a concern. I think it's 23 legitimate, that that might not -- 24 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: It just -- 25 MR. TOMLINSON: -- that might not be enough. 8-28-06 wk 39 1 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: $900 for one prescription? 2 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: $997.50 for one 30-day supply 3 of a medicine that he probably won't touch when he gets out of 4 jail. 5 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Is that prisoner pretty 6 docile? 7 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Nope. 8 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: He is now. 9 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Well, that's only one of that 10 prisoner's medications. He has another medication that's 11 400-something. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, that's -- right now it's 13 at 20,000, so you think -- again, move it up to 40,000? With 14 a big unknown there? 15 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: I put it at 80, you know, 16 before all this started. What has happened to us is, state -- 17 M.H.M.R. has said -- they used to pay for the prescriptions 18 for any M.H.M.R. patient or person of theirs that was 19 incarcerated, all right? And now they're incarcerating -- you 20 know, half of them are getting incarcerated 'cause there's no 21 state mental hospitals available for them. And the State came 22 back and also said in the same breath that, "We're not paying 23 any more for their medications if they're in jail." So, in 24 the last few months -- and in one month it goes up $6,000. My 25 prescription medication alone was $11,000. 8-28-06 wk 40 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I understand that, but didn't -- 2 didn't the Court, a while back, declare all people in jail as 3 indigent? 4 MR. TOMLINSON: No, we haven't done that. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We haven't? Don't we need to do 6 that? 7 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: See, I haven't seen the 8 procedures, you know, how this new part's going to affect -- 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: If we declare them as indigent, 10 I don't see how the State can then, you know, -- 11 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: I don't see -- 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- deny it. But let's put -- 13 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: If you look at the law, there's 14 also a deal in there that -- that mental -- mental patients 15 are not supposed to be incarcerated in county jails. 16 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Yeah, but that got changed. 17 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: The law didn't, but they 18 changed what's happened because of reality. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Do we leave it the same, or 20 change it? 21 MR. TOMLINSON: I don't know. 22 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: That's just my concern. 23 JUDGE TINLEY: You ever thought about loading them 24 up and maybe turning them loose there at the front gate of 25 Kerrville State Hospital? 8-28-06 wk 41 1 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Taking them to the gate? 2 JUDGE TINLEY: Mm-hmm. 3 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Oh, I'd love to, but I'm afraid 4 it won't work. 5 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: County Attorney? 6 MR. EMERSON: I'm just waiting to jump on the podium 7 when y'all are through with him. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I thought you had a solution to 9 this. 10 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Let's put a number in here. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 30,000? 12 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: 30. 13 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Remember, 16 goes for the 14 doctor. 15 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: What's your number, Rex? 16 MR. EMERSON: I don't know, Buster, 'cause I left it 17 with my juvenile files. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: On Page 27. 19 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: We've been adding more 20 money to the budget. So far -- 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 75,000 so far. 22 JUDGE TINLEY: Is that what your total is? 23 MR. EMERSON: I have one request on the Assistant's 24 line item. 25 (Low-voice discussion off the record.) 8-28-06 wk 42 1 MR. EMERSON: There was a miscalculation. 2 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Pardon? 3 MR. EMERSON: I think it's the fourth line down, 4 where it says Assistants. 5 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: County Attorney, Page 27. 6 MR. EMERSON: Total amount showing on that line item 7 is 59,000-something. It needs to be 62,000 even. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Where are you? 9 JUDGE TINLEY: Assistants Salaries. 10 MR. EMERSON: Yes, sir. 11 JUDGE TINLEY: It's at 62. 12 MR. EMERSON: Okay. Well, it didn't show that on 13 mine. So, it's -- 14 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 62. 15 MR. EMERSON: Thank you. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 17 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Want to lower it? 18 MR. EMERSON: No, sir. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Judge, what's -- 20 JUDGE TINLEY: Miguel's seeking to be recognized. 21 He may want to check and see what the disposition level is up 22 here first. 23 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: He might want to put his 24 thumb up in the air and see the wind direction. 25 JUDGE TINLEY: You can't tell us what page you're on 8-28-06 wk 43 1 in a half a second. 2 MR. ARREOLA: Yes, sir. Page 50. 3 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 50? 4 MR. ARREOLA: 50, if it's the same one I have. I'm 5 not sure that's what I have. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 7 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Where are you? Oh, Page 50. 8 MR. ARREOLA: Okay. I just want to make sure -- I 9 did my presentation. I told you about the vehicle that is now 10 not running very well. It's going to require some money to 11 bring it up to 100 percent. And I requested to trade it in 12 for a newer vehicle, and that was on Capital Outlay, 570, 13 $6,000. But it got zero on my recommended. I want to make 14 sure it's not going to get approved. 15 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: That's the way it looks now. 16 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I think it needs to go back 17 in. 18 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 6,000? What are you going 19 to get for 6,000? 20 MR. ARREOLA: Well, that's just the -- 21 JUDGE TINLEY: Lease payment. 22 MR. ARREOLA: -- lease payment, one year. 23 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: For a new -- 24 MR. ARREOLA: New vehicle. I gave you the -- all 25 the information. It's an '07 hybrid vehicle. 8-28-06 wk 44 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: What was the -- 2 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Hybrid? Half electricity? 3 MR. ARREOLA: Half electricity, half gasoline, 37 4 mile per gallon, four-wheel drive. That's just what we need. 5 MR. ODOM: How many miles per gallon? 6 MR. ARREOLA: 37. 7 MR. ODOM: For a four-wheel drive? 8 MR. ARREOLA: Yes, sir. 9 MR. ODOM: You better give me one of those. 10 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: We're going to get you a 11 truck like that. You can push it away from stop lights. 12 MR. ARREOLA: That was the one. And double-check 13 again, my extra help requested for Solid Waste didn't get 14 approved. No? 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: No. 16 MR. ARREOLA: That was it. 17 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: But the truck's back in? 18 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: I did. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I did. 20 JUDGE TINLEY: You put it in? 21 (Commissioner Nicholson shook his head negatively.) 22 JUDGE TINLEY: Did you put it in? 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I might put it in, but it may 24 come back out. 25 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Mm-hmm. 8-28-06 wk 45 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We need to look at the new 2 budget run. We've added another 75 -- we've added another 3 100,000 in the budget today. 4 MR. ARREOLA: Okay, thank you. 5 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Pencil it in, see what 6 happens. Don't rush out to buy it just yet. 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Going back to the Judge's list, 8 where are we on the mowing at the airport? 9 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Well -- 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I don't see anything -- I don't 11 see a contingent person added that would -- would it be added 12 at a later date as a budget amendment if the County gets that 13 contract? 14 JUDGE TINLEY: We've got -- we've got a person in 15 Parks Maintenance. That's carried in Parks Maintenance. 16 That's what my thinking was. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It would go into Road and 18 Bridge. Switch that person. 19 JUDGE TINLEY: I talked to Leonard about that as 20 being a possibility. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So, it is in Parks Maintenance? 22 I thought we'd taken out one in Parks Maintenance. 23 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: I thought we took it out. 24 It's not a full-time person. It's about, what, 60 percent of 25 a person? 8-28-06 wk 46 1 MR. TOMLINSON: I think it got moved to the Ag Barn. 2 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Well, that -- yeah, that was 3 the proposal from Mr. Holekamp. 4 MR. TOMLINSON: Right. 5 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: But I think we want to move 6 it to Road and Bridge and consolidate mowing. 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I'd rather -- I'd rather put it 8 in Road and Bridge right now as a contingent -- you know, but 9 Leonard's aware that he can't hire that person unless some 10 other things happen. 11 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Right. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: That's where it needs to be. 13 I'd rather get it where it needs to be to start with. It 14 shouldn't be in Parks. 15 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Anybody know where that is? 16 JUDGE TINLEY: Parks Maintenance. 17 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Yeah, I just saw Parks. I 18 didn't see it. 19 JUDGE TINLEY: I just had it. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Next to all the Maintenance 21 ones, separate. Parks Maintenance, Page 36. Salaries there 22 is at zero. 23 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: 36. 24 JUDGE TINLEY: That was moved to -- 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: The Hill -- the -- 8-28-06 wk 47 1 JUDGE TINLEY: -- Courthouse and Related Buildings, 2 I think. No? 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, the Hill Country -- 4 JUDGE TINLEY: No, it was moved into -- 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Ag Barn is Page 54, but I don't 6 see -- 7 JUDGE TINLEY: Yeah. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It's hard to see it there, 9 because there's more than one person. 10 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Did we take that number that 11 was there, the 23,258, the year ending number? 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It appears to me that there's 13 three people assigned to the Ag Barn. 14 JUDGE TINLEY: Mm-hmm. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: One of those is this -- 16 previously a Parks person? 17 JUDGE TINLEY: No, that -- it didn't get -- there's 18 no additional person added to the Ag -- to the Ag Barn. Let's 19 see what we can find in Courthouse. There was an individual 20 added to -- at least one individual added to Courthouse. 21 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Just a second. 22 JUDGE TINLEY: Mm-hmm. That's where it was added, 23 at the Courthouse. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So, just take it out of 25 Courthouse and put it in Road and Bridge. 8-28-06 wk 48 1 JUDGE TINLEY: Just a transfer. We're not making 2 the number go up and down. 3 MR. ODOM: Sorry, how many people am I getting? 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: One, maybe. 5 MR. ODOM: One, maybe? 6 JUDGE TINLEY: What happened to the other one that 7 got added in, the 17-1 for Leonard? 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I didn't see it on your list. 9 JUDGE TINLEY: It made the second list. Should be 10 attached to the first list. You don't have a second list? 11 The -- the most recent run has that 17-1 added that Leonard 12 requested. 13 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: If you look at the '05-'06 14 position schedule, there was a person identified as working 30 15 hours per week at Parks, and that number -- and 10 hours per 16 week in support of our Building Repair and Maintenance, and 17 that number was 23,258. That's in the current position 18 schedule. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. So, that position gets 20 moved into Road and Bridge, maybe, and then Road and Bridge 21 has another spot, so you may get two if we get the airport 22 contract. 23 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Why don't we just move that 24 position? 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 8-28-06 wk 49 1 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: The funding of that 2 position. 3 MR. ODOM: I can utilize them. I can utilize two 4 positions. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Only if you get the contract at 6 the airport. That pays for this person. 7 MR. ODOM: Sir, I can't hear. What? 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: You only get that -- 9 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Come closer, Len. 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: You only get that person if we 11 take over mowing at the airport, and then the airport pays for 12 that slot. 13 MR. ODOM: That's fine. I'm sure I'll be low bid. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It's already in the airport 15 budget. The dollars are already in the airport budget. It 16 will just go to you as opposed to going to the City of 17 Kerrville. 18 MR. TOMLINSON: You're taking one person out of the 19 Courthouse Maintenance budget? 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Moving it to Road and bridge. 21 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Judge? Human Resource 22 Department. If all goes well, they're going to have to have a 23 couple of computers and some Crayolas and coloring books and 24 pencils and -- 25 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Exactly. 8-28-06 wk 50 1 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: On your thing, it says -- it 2 does not contain -- 3 JUDGE TINLEY: The most recent run which you got 4 today does contain a budget for Human Resources. 5 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Okay. Does it -- and, I 6 mean, is that -- 7 JUDGE TINLEY: What are we talking about, Tommy? 8 MR. TOMLINSON: I don't know what page it is, but 9 it's -- 10 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Is that this one? 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I saw it. 12 JUDGE TINLEY: Yeah. 13 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Okay. 14 JUDGE TINLEY: I think that's got a line item for 15 Crayolas, doesn't it? 16 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: It's got Operating Equipment 17 for 23, Software Maintenance for 28. Mr. Trolinger, at least 18 two workstations there? 19 JUDGE TINLEY: Mm-hmm. 20 MR. TROLINGER: Yes, sir. 21 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Do we have any workstations 22 out at the J.D.F. that are not being used? 23 MR. TROLINGER: No, sir, not usable. 24 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: There's furniture out 25 there. 8-28-06 wk 51 1 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: We got some furniture out 2 there. 3 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Crayolas. 4 COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS: Might even be a chalkboard 5 or two. 6 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: So, there's enough for a new 7 office to be set up, a couple of computers and pencils and -- 8 Tommy? 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, we're taking Brad's stuff 10 out of Collections; we don't need all that stuff. 11 MR. ALFORD: I'll give them my eraser. 12 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Let me ask Barbara if -- 13 are you going to have any surplus computer equipment or that 14 sort of thing when you give up -- 15 MS. NEMEC: I'll have one. Just a terminal, not a 16 printer or anything. I'll still have to use those. 17 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: How much have we spent? 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Probably 100,000. 19 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Probably 100,000. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It may come back out, some of 21 it. 22 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Let's see. Our strategy on 23 EMS is to wait and see what kind of response we get from the 24 City to our proposal to close the gap on revenues and costs, 25 and if we get a positive response, then we may be able to 8-28-06 wk 52 1 bring about a significant reduction in that expense. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right, but we plan for the worst 3 case and hope we get some money back. 4 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: Okay. 5 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Oh, good, let's spend some 6 more now. We're not going to hear from the library people? 7 Come on. 8 COMMISSIONER NICHOLSON: We got -- 9 JUDGE TINLEY: We've got Mr. Lipscomb here. He's -- 10 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Mr. Lipscomb, please. 11 JUDGE TINLEY: -- an interested observer today, 12 right? 13 MR. LIPSCOMB: Exactly. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: All right, I'm ready to get out 15 of here. 16 JUDGE TINLEY: Anything else on the budget, 17 gentlemen? We'll stand adjourned. 18 (Budget workshop adjourned at 4:52 p.m.) 19 - - - - - - - - - - 20 21 22 23 24 25 8-28-06 wk 53 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 5 capacity as County Clerk of the Commissioners Court 6 of Kerr County, Texas, at the time and place 7 heretofore set forth. 8 DATED at Kerrville, Texas, this 29th day of 9 August, 2006. 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 8-28-06 wk