1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 KERR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT 9 Special Session 10 Thursday, January 8, 2015 11 9:00 a.m. 12 Commissioners' Courtroom 13 Kerr County Courthouse 14 Kerrville, Texas 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 PRESENT: TOM POLLARD, Kerr County Judge H. A. "BUSTER" BALDWIN, Commissioner Pct. 1 24 TOM MOSER, Commissioner Pct. 2 JONATHAN LETZ, Commissioner Pct. 3 25 BOB REEVES, Commissioner Pct. 4 2 1 I N D E X January 8, 2015 2 PAGE 3 1.1 Consider/discuss, take appropriate action to approve issuance of Certificate of Substantial 4 Completion of General Contractor on Event Hall at Hill Country Youth Event Center 3 5 1.2 Consider/discuss, take appropriate action 6 regarding plaques for the planters and trees at Hill Country Youth Event Center 5 7 1.3 Consider/discuss, take appropriate action 8 regarding South Texas Blood and Tissue doing a blood drive February 4, 2015, in courthouse 9 parking lot from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 11 10 1.4 Approve application(s) to appoint deputies or assistants of all other elected officials 11 whose terms of office continue or commence on January 1, 2015 12 12 1.5 Consider/discuss, take appropriate action to 13 set salaries of newly elected officials 13 14 1.6 Consider/discuss, take appropriate action regarding vacant 4-H Coordinator position at 15 Kerr County Agrilife Extension Office (Executive Session as needed) 14 16 --- Adjourned 19 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 3 1 On Thursday, January 8, 2014, at 9:00 a.m., a special 2 meeting of the Kerr County Commissioners Court was held in 3 the Commissioners' Courtroom, Kerr County Courthouse, 4 Kerrville, Texas, and the following proceedings were had in 5 open court: 6 P R O C E E D I N G S 7 JUDGE POLLARD: Okay. It's about 9:02 or -3 a.m. 8 on January 8th, 2015. Kerr County Commissioners Court is in 9 session. I think -- I think you're up. 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay, sure. 11 (Prayer and pledge of allegiance.) 12 JUDGE POLLARD: Well, this is a special setting, 13 and I don't see that we've got the public speaking portion of 14 it, so we'll proceed -- are there any comments by any of the 15 Commissioners? Okay. We'll proceed to the first item, 1.1. 16 Consider, discuss, and take appropriate action to approve 17 issuance of Certificate of Substantial Completion of General 18 Contractor on Event Hall, Hill Country Youth Event Center. 19 Commissioners Letz and Reeves. 20 COMMISSIONER REEVES: I think -- I believe we're at 21 the point that the architect will issue the certificate, and 22 I believe all punch lists have been completed. And -- and 23 any signatures, I would say to authorize the County Judge to 24 sign on behalf of the County. 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Is that a motion? 01-08-15 4 1 COMMISSIONER REEVES: That is a motion. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I'll second, once -- 3 assuming -- or when we receive that signed by the architects, 4 that they are recommending -- 5 JUDGE POLLARD: Conditioned upon that? 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes, conditioned upon their 7 recommendation. But that document should be forthcoming, as 8 I understand. 9 JUDGE POLLARD: Do you accept that condition? 10 COMMISSIONER REEVES: That's fine. 11 JUDGE POLLARD: All right. It's been moved and 12 seconded that we accept the substantial completion of the 13 general contractor on the Event Hall, Hill Country Youth 14 Event Center, conditioned upon receiving the document from 15 the architect saying that it's appropriate, that all punch 16 lists have been completed, et cetera. Is there further 17 discussion? 18 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Is there a sign-off place? 19 Does the Judge sign it? 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes. And as I understand, this 21 is a contractual issue as much as -- from a liability 22 standpoint. As soon as this is signed by the Judge, the -- 23 the liability of all that shifts from -- to the County. 24 JUDGE POLLARD: That's right. 25 COMMISSIONER REEVES: I will say Mrs. Lantz and I 01-08-15 5 1 have been texting and e-mailing back and forth. She has the 2 insurance ready to go from builder's risk to just -- as soon 3 as this is approved, she can call TAC. 4 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Okay. 5 JUDGE POLLARD: All right. Is there further 6 discussion of any kind? There being none, those in favor of 7 the motion, signify by raising your right hand. 8 (The motion carried by unanimous vote, 4-0.) 9 JUDGE POLLARD: It's 4-0, unanimous. And 10 congratulations, folks. 11 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Good job. 12 JUDGE POLLARD: All right. 1.2; consider, discuss, 13 and take appropriate action regarding plaques for the 14 planters and trees at Hill Country Youth Event Center. 15 Commissioner Reeves. 16 COMMISSIONER REEVES: We've been discussing this 17 back and forth. These are the trees that are being planted 18 in memory of Commissioner Oehler, Commissioner Williams, and 19 Judge Tinley, and something to recognize who -- who donated 20 them. Mr. Bollier and Jody and myself went by TNT Engraving 21 last week. The pictures didn't come out that clear, but 22 there's two sizes. One's 5-by-7; one's 6-by-8. They're 23 designed to be kept outside. The plaques themselves were 24 going to cost -- 25 MS. GRINSTEAD: I think he said $30 to $40. 01-08-15 6 1 COMMISSIONER REEVES: -- $30 to $40. Now, there's 2 -- they make a stand, which is a wire tubing that's put in 3 the ground, comes up about 3 foot at an angle where you can 4 read who it is. They wanted, I believe, around $100 for the 5 stand. 6 MR. BOLLIER: $150. 7 COMMISSIONER REEVES: $150. I went to Center Point 8 ag mechanic shop yesterday. They will build them for the 9 cost of the materials, for about $10 per stand. 10 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Sounds like a good deal. 11 COMMISSIONER REEVES: And Mr. McMahon said he'd be 12 more than happy, and he'd get on them pretty quick, as soon 13 as we gave him the go-ahead on it, and it would just be the 14 cost of the materials of it. 15 COMMISSIONER MOSER: It's going to have the names 16 of the people who donated? Or the names of the people 17 that -- 18 COMMISSIONER REEVES: The ones we saw would be, 19 like, "In memory of." 20 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Right. 21 COMMISSIONER REEVES: And then "given" or 22 "donated," whatever wording we wanted to use, "by," and it 23 fits on -- it's a 5-by-7 plaque. 24 COMMISSIONER MOSER: The reason I ask that -- and 25 I'm having trouble contacting the Williams family, so what 01-08-15 7 1 I've asked for is people in Precinct 2 that wanted to donate 2 to that, and I just said $300 -- I think that's what we 3 mentioned -- and to let Jody know, and if they don't do it, 4 I'll just pay for it. But I don't -- that may be a whole 5 list of names, so that's the reason. 6 COMMISSIONER REEVES: Former Judge Henneke was in 7 here earlier this morning, and he said he would cover it. 8 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Oh. 9 COMMISSIONER REEVES: The cost. 10 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Of what? 11 COMMISSIONER REEVES: The tree. 12 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Of Williams? 13 COMMISSIONER REEVES: Of Williams. 14 COMMISSIONER MOSER: So we've got -- okay, so we've 15 got that covered. And I've already asked other people to do 16 that before he came in today, that -- 17 COMMISSIONER REEVES: He said if nobody else will, 18 he will. 19 COMMISSIONER MOSER: So we'll have enough money, 20 and if nobody else will do it, I'll do it. So, we got Fred 21 and myself; we got it covered. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Question. 23 COMMISSIONER MOSER: But I don't necessarily want 24 my name there, okay. 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I don't think Fred would want 01-08-15 8 1 his -- I don't know; maybe he would. 2 COMMISSIONER REEVES: And those can be -- you know, 3 if you don't want a name, don't put a name. 4 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Okay. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I mean, to me, it would be more 6 appropriate maybe just to put, "Donated in memory of," and 7 not say who it was from. 8 COMMISSIONER MOSER: That's what I think. 9 COMMISSIONER REEVES: That's totally -- you know, 10 we can come up with the wording however you want. 11 COMMISSIONER MOSER: And not put the people who -- 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Not put the people who donated. 13 COMMISSIONER MOSER: 'Cause that's the important 14 thing, is "Donated in memory of." Okay. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 16 COMMISSIONER REEVES: On the examples, they just 17 had who donated, but, you know, you can do it how you want. 18 COMMISSIONER MOSER: That's what I would go for. 19 MS. GRINSTEAD: The ones we saw basically are -- 20 the few of them that we saw were, "In memory of," donated by 21 family and friends. It didn't necessarily list their names, 22 but "family and friends." 23 COMMISSIONER MOSER: And I think for 300 bucks, you 24 don't need to say "donated by." 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think we've probably spent 01-08-15 9 1 way more time on this than we need to. To me, it just makes 2 more sense to say, "Donated in memory of Pat Tinley, County 3 Judge," and the dates he was County Judge. 4 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Right. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And "Bill Williams, 6 Commissioner," and then the dates. 7 COMMISSIONER MOSER: There you go. Done deal. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: That way it explains a little 9 bit of the reason. People should be able to think a little 10 bit; say, okay, during the construction phase while they're 11 here. 12 JUDGE POLLARD: Do I hear a motion in that regard? 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I'll make a motion to that 14 effect. 15 COMMISSIONER REEVES: I'll second. 16 COMMISSIONER MOSER: So, what's the motion? 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: The motion is to just put, 18 "Donated in memory of," the name, and then whether 19 Commissioner or County Judge, and the dates they were in 20 office. 21 COMMISSIONER REEVES: And authorize Center Point 22 F.F.A. to build the stands, and purchase the plaques. 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 24 JUDGE POLLARD: And attach the plaques to the 25 stands. 01-08-15 10 1 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Correct. 2 COMMISSIONER REEVES: Maintenance -- 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Maintenance can do that. 4 COMMISSIONER REEVES: We figured out a way to do 5 that. 6 JUDGE POLLARD: All right. That's the motion 7 that's been restated. 8 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: And who's paying for it, the 9 plaque itself? Excuse me, I get choked up about these kind 10 of things. The plaque itself, who's paying for it? 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It's included in the price of 12 the trees, the donations that are coming in from the 13 families. 14 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Okay. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We're not paying for it. 16 COMMISSIONER MOSER: 300 bucks or whatever. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We'll be reimbursed. I mean, 18 let me clarify that. We may be paying for it, but we'll get 19 reimbursed. 20 JUDGE POLLARD: Yes, ma'am? 21 MS. GRINSTEAD: We also talked about doing a plaque 22 on the rocks by the planter, that the rocks are from the 23 first courthouse or wherever they are coming from; I don't 24 really remember. Now, that, I assume -- do we want to order 25 that now? And then the County would pay for that, I believe. 01-08-15 11 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think -- why don't we do that 2 one later? Just -- we have enough we're trying to get done 3 out there. 4 MR. BOLLIER: Like what Jody's talking about, I 5 think we can do that later and just get little plaques, and I 6 think that we can go on those rock beds, if that's what the 7 Court wants, and we can put them on the rocks that's already 8 there. 9 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Later. 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 11 JUDGE POLLARD: All right. Let's -- let's vote on 12 the motion. Those in favor of the motion that's been made 13 and seconded, raise your right hand. 14 (The motion carried by unanimous vote, 4-0.) 15 JUDGE POLLARD: It's 4-0, unanimous. Let's go to 16 1.3; consider, discuss, and take appropriate action regarding 17 South Texas Blood and Tissue doing a blood drive February 4, 18 2015, in the Kerr County Courthouse parking lot from 11:00 to 19 5:30 p.m. Dawn? 20 MS. LANTZ: Good morning. I was contacted by the 21 South Texas Blood and Tissue Center. They're running low on 22 donations, so they had requested to see if they could do a 23 drive in February. Usually during the holidays, their stock, 24 or whatever you call it, is low, so they requested to set up 25 in the courthouse parking lot to possibly get donations. 01-08-15 12 1 They usually do that twice a year, and it's usually in 2 February and then in August. 3 COMMISSIONER REEVES: Motion to approve. 4 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Second. 5 JUDGE POLLARD: Been moved and seconded that the 6 South Texas Blood and Tissue you be allowed to use the 7 courthouse parking lot from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on 8 February 4, 2015. Any further discussion? There being none, 9 those in favor, signify by raising your right hand. 10 (The motion carried by unanimous vote, 4-0.) 11 JUDGE POLLARD: It's 4-0, unanimous. 1.4; approve 12 applications to appoint deputies or assistants of all other 13 elected officials whose terms of office continue or commence 14 on January 1, 2015. All right. Are there any that we need 15 to appoint today? 16 MS. GRINSTEAD: We've received one from Robbin 17 Burlew, and then Judge Harris. 18 JUDGE POLLARD: All right. It's in the agenda 19 packets. Do we want to do them all at once? 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes. 21 JUDGE POLLARD: All right. Is there a motion? 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I'll move that we approve the 23 applications from Judge Harris and District Clerk, Robbin 24 Burlew. 25 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Second. 01-08-15 13 1 JUDGE POLLARD: Any further discussion? If not, 2 those in favor, signify by raising your right hand. 3 (The motion carried by unanimous vote, 4-0.) 4 JUDGE POLLARD: It's 4-0, unanimous. Consider, 5 discuss, and take appropriate action to set salaries of newly 6 elected officials. Commissioner Baldwin. 7 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Yes, sir. I was asked by 8 the personnel lady to do this. She -- 'cause you can -- I 9 don't know if you got the note; I'm sorry, we got it in a 10 little bit late, or I asked her to do it a little bit late, 11 so -- to give official record into the payroll records. And 12 it's just -- it's just a tool for her, and proof that we've 13 done it, and guidance for her and her books and records, et 14 cetera, et cetera. That's all it is. And in the agenda 15 item, you see the position schedule that this thing is 16 talking about. So, with that description, I move for 17 approval. 18 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Second. 19 JUDGE POLLARD: Been moved and seconded for 20 approval of that agenda item. Is there any discussion? 21 There being none, those in favor, signify by raising your 22 right hand. 23 (The motion carried by unanimous vote, 4-0.) 24 JUDGE POLLARD: It's 4-0, unanimous. 25 COMMISSIONER BALDWIN: Thank you. 01-08-15 14 1 JUDGE POLLARD: Let's do 1.6; consider, discuss, 2 and take appropriate action regarding vacant 4-H Coordinator 3 position at the Kerr County AgriLife Extension Office. Looks 4 like we need to go into executive session about that; is that 5 correct? Or not? 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Maybe. 7 MR. WALSTON: We just need y'all to open it up, 8 and -- 9 JUDGE POLLARD: Well, why don't you approach and 10 tell us what you think. 11 MR. WALSTON: Okay. What it is, we do have an 12 opening in our 4-H position. It came open the first of 13 December, and we just need to announce that and get that 14 on -- on the website so that we can get some applicants in. 15 Basically, we've been doing it by word of mouth here lately, 16 and so I've got four applicants already. But we can open it 17 up and see what else we get between now and then. 18 COMMISSIONER MOSER: So, your recommendation is 19 just to open it up and post it? 20 MR. WALSTON: Yes, sir. 21 COMMISSIONER REEVES: How long do we need to post 22 it for, Mrs. Lantz? 23 MS. LANTZ: Five days. 24 COMMISSIONER REEVES: Is that five business days or 25 five days? 01-08-15 15 1 MS. LANTZ: Five working days. 2 COMMISSIONER REEVES: And when are you hoping to 3 fill this position? 4 MR. WALSTON: It's -- you know, this time of year, 5 we're already in the midst of it, so hopefully in the next 30 6 days. So, it's not something that we have to be in a big 7 rush, but we need to go ahead and get it done as soon as 8 possible. 9 COMMISSIONER MOSER: So, does this take 10 Commissioners Court action to post it? 11 MR. WALSTON: From what I've been told, yes. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It's also -- well, I think it 13 just needs to be done, but also, there's a -- I talked to Roy 14 about this. There's some question on salary, on -- on 15 flexibility, and that may be really more of a discussion when 16 he decides who he'd like to hire. 17 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Sure, okay. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: With stock show -- or where we 19 are with stock show season upon us, I presume you have a plan 20 to handle it for the next 30 days? And, you know, I guess to 21 me, it seems, you know, 30 days would be -- if it takes that 22 long, it takes that long. But if we could get someone in 23 quicker, 'cause I know that it's going to be -- I don't know 24 how you can do it by yourself. 25 MR. WALSTON: Ideally, the biggest -- the biggest 01-08-15 16 1 conflict is in about the middle of February, with San Antonio 2 and San Angelo. But I've worked with ag teachers and 3 parents, and we can make it work either way. But, yes, it 4 would help to have somebody on-hand, but it's -- it's going 5 to be a training process for them as well. So, I'm going to 6 have to rely a lot on my ag teacher partners and a lot of 7 volunteers to -- to be sure everything's done the way it 8 needs to. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Do you -- if you post it, I 10 presume today, so that would put it in the middle of next 11 week, applications would have to be in, and you can go 12 through the interview. And if we need to do a special 13 meeting, I would support doing that for this item, because I 14 think it is really important to get this person on board. 15 COMMISSIONER REEVES: It's too important a 16 position, and you've got too much on you coming up, so we've 17 got to get our I's dotted and our T's crossed. I'd say let's 18 get busy with it. And you can say the salary we can discuss 19 at the time when we hire. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. And the reason I say -- 21 it appears -- and I'm not sure how long the interview process 22 would take; I know you've talked to some already. But if we 23 post it today, by the end of next week, you should have a 24 pretty good idea of who you're going to want to go with, I 25 would think, and that's going to put us right between 01-08-15 17 1 Commissioners Court meetings. That's why I say if we need to 2 do a special meeting the following Monday or Tuesday, I'm in 3 support of doing that. 4 MR. WALSTON: We could -- 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But that's up to -- you know, 6 we just need three days once you look at your schedule, but 7 we can figure that out. 8 MR. WALSTON: Okay. I mean, latter part of next 9 week, we could, if you'll want to, unless -- unless I have 10 some more interviews that show up that I need to interview. 11 That's something we could try to schedule -- 12 JUDGE POLLARD: Just for the record, -- 13 MR. WALSTON: -- next Friday. 14 JUDGE POLLARD: -- this vacancy occurred for what 15 reason? 16 MR. WALSTON: She found a job back in Midland, 17 closer to home. And a lot less weekends, a lot less nights. 18 JUDGE POLLARD: I see. 19 MR. WALSTON: A lot less hours. Probably better 20 money. 21 JUDGE POLLARD: All those? 22 COMMISSIONER MOSER: All those reasons. 23 JUDGE POLLARD: Is that all? 24 MR. WALSTON: Yeah. (Laughter.) But she's not 25 getting to work with kids, and she's not getting to live in 01-08-15 18 1 Kerrville, so -- 2 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Okay. 3 JUDGE POLLARD: Basically, she got homesick, -- 4 MR. WALSTON: Yeah. 5 JUDGE POLLARD: -- wasn't it? Yeah. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I would -- if next Friday would 7 work -- we do have some other functions that day, but if -- 8 if it can be done on Friday, either Friday or Monday -- 9 either Friday, Monday, or Tuesday. As soon as -- we just 10 need to hire this spot. 11 COMMISSIONER REEVES: Next week, Roy's going to be 12 kind of busy. 13 MR. WALSTON: Yeah. 14 COMMISSIONER REEVES: So, either Friday, or you'll 15 have to wait till our regular scheduled meeting on the 26th. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I'd say we do it on Friday, 17 schedule a meeting for Friday. And then if, for some reason, 18 you decide that you want to take more time, we can always 19 cancel the meeting. 20 MS. GRINSTEAD: What time? 'Cause we got the 21 cowboy breakfast, the ribbon-cutting. Are you talking an 22 afternoon meeting? 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I don't think it will take very 24 long. I'd do it after the cowboy breakfast. 25 COMMISSIONER REEVES: 8:30? 01-08-15 19 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 8:30. 2 MR. WALSTON: That'll work. 3 JUDGE POLLARD: All right. Is there a motion that 4 we go ahead and post it, and hopefully have a meeting on 5 Friday, if we can, and if not, then on the 26th? Is there a 6 motion to that effect? 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes, sir. I move so -- such. 8 JUDGE POLLARD: Is there a second? 9 COMMISSIONER REEVES: I'll second. 10 JUDGE POLLARD: All right. Is there any further 11 discussion? There being none, those in favor, signify by 12 raising your right hand. 13 (The motion carried by unanimous vote, 4-0.) 14 JUDGE POLLARD: It's 4-0, unanimous. Is there any 15 further business for the Commissioners Court today? There 16 being none, is there a motion to adjourn? 17 COMMISSIONER MOSER: So moved. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Second. 19 COMMISSIONER MOSER: That's a record, 18 minutes. 20 JUDGE POLLARD: Those in favor, signify by raising 21 your right hand. 22 (The motion carried by unanimous vote, 4-0.) 23 JUDGE POLLARD: We are adjourned. 24 (Commissioners Court adjourned at 9:20 a.m.) 25 - - - - - - - - - - 01-08-15 20 1 STATE OF TEXAS | 2 COUNTY OF KERR | 3 The above and foregoing is a true and complete 4 transcription of my stenotype notes taken in my capacity as 5 official reporter for the Commissioners Court of Kerr County, 6 Texas, at the time and place heretofore set forth. 7 DATED at Kerrville, Texas, this 8th day of January, 8 2015. 9 10 REBECCA BOLIN, Kerr County Clerk 11 BY: _________________________________ Kathy Banik, Deputy County Clerk 12 Certified Shorthand Reporter ` 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 01-08-15