1 1 2 3 KERR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' COURT 4 Special Session 5 Monday, October 5, 2020 6 9:00 a.m. 7 Commissioners' Courtroom 8 Kerr County Courthouse 9 Kerrville, Texas 78028 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 PRESENT: HARLEY BELEW, Commissioner Precinct 1 TOM MOSER, Commissioner Precinct 2(via phone) 24 JONATHAN LETZ, Commissioner Precinct 3 DON HARRIS, Commissioner Precinct 4 25 2 1 I-N-D-E-X 2 NO. PAGE 3 *** Commissioner's Comments. 4 4 1.1 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 5 action on request from Hill Country Crisis 5 Council to use the courthouse lawn for the month of October for Domestic Violence 6 Awareness Month. 7 1.2 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 7 action to approve the lease agreement 8 between Xerox Corporation and Kerr County for a copier/scanner/printer at the Tax 9 Office Annex. 10 1.3 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 9 action to declare various items as surplus 11 for the 198th District Attorney's Office, Extension Office, and Environmental Health. 12 1.4 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 9 13 action to declare various items as surplus for the 216th District Attorney's Office. 14 1.5 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 10 15 action to approve the engagement letter by Armstrong, Vaughan and Associates, P.C. as 16 presented for the audit of the financial statements for the period ending September 17 30, 2020, and authorize County Judge to sign same. 18 1.6 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 12 19 action to accept the Center for Tech and Civil Life grant in the amount of $34,771.20. 20 1.7 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 19 21 action regarding political signs on County property. 22 1.8 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 39 23 action to ratify and confirm the Kerr County Workers' Compensation Renewal 24 Questionnaire for Texas Association of Counties. 25 1.9 Passed. 48 3 1 I-N-D-E-X 2 NO. PAGE 3 1.10 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 48 action to approve job descriptions for 4 the Chief Public Defender of the Hill Country Regional Public Defender's Office. 5 2.1 Pay Bills. 53 6 2.4 Auditor Reports. 54 7 2.6 Court Orders. 54 8 3.2 Status reports from Elected Officials. 55 9 3.3 Status reports from Liaison Commissioners. 55 10 *** Adjournment. 56 11 *** Reporter's Certificate. 57 12 * * * * * * 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 4 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: All right, good morning 2 everybody. It is 9 o'clock, October 5th, 2020, and 3 we're at one of our Special Commissioners' Court 4 meetings. Remind everyone to turn off your cell phones, 5 and if there's any public input, we'll take it at this 6 time. 7 Due to the Judge not being here this 8 morning, we don't have his phone for call-in public 9 comments but certainly anyone that is here that would 10 like to speak is available. And we also have 11 Commissioner Moser on the phone this morning. 12 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Good morning. 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Good morning. 14 Commissioner's comments. Commissioner 1? 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: No. I don't have 16 anything to report. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Commissioner 2? Any 18 comments? 19 COMMISSIONER MOSER: I'll pass right now. 20 Thank you. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Commissioner 4? 22 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well, the wild game 23 dinner for the 4-H was the other day. I think they sold 24 like 150 drive-thru meals and so that's good. 25 The big thing to me is these fall mornings 5 1 feel awfully good. I think it makes everybody feel good 2 and puts a smile on their face. That's it. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I have a couple 4 comments. One, welcome back, Sheriff. He's back in 5 full force it looks like. He looks good. Glad to have 6 you back. 7 The second comment is just, you know, when 8 someone from this community excels and does something 9 really remarkable, I like to try to always point it out 10 and this is one that I wasn't aware of until last 11 Wednesday. Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby is a 12 graduate of -- I believe he graduated, I know he went to 13 Tivy, but I believe he's a graduate of Tivy. And that's 14 a pretty -- pretty impressive thing to become for a Tivy 15 graduate to become a Supreme Court Justice for the State 16 of Texas and he's on the ballot coming up. So keep that 17 in your thoughts. And, you know, I think that's about 18 it. That's the only comments I have this morning. So 19 we'll move on to the agenda. 20 Item 1.1 consider, discuss and take 21 appropriate action on request from Hill Country Crisis 22 Council to use the courthouse lawn for the month of 23 October for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Ms. 24 Tomerlin. 25 MS. TOMERLIN: Okay. Well, you're probably 6 1 all familiar with what we do. And we run the emergency 2 shelter for women and children that have experienced 3 domestic violence and needed a safe place to go. We 4 have the Kid's Advocacy Place where we work with child 5 abuse victims and we have offices in four counties now. 6 But yes, every year that I can remember, at 7 least ten years, we've decorated the courthouse for the 8 month of October. We put some bows on the trees. We 9 usually hang our banner on the gazebo. And we don't use 10 nails or anything. We have our system down with zip 11 ties. And then we put a few signs, kind of like the 12 political signs in the ground around a few places. 13 And this year, we may -- with your 14 permission, we're not sure how we're going to do it, but 15 we may hang a few T-shirts on the gazebo, but on kind of 16 like a clothesline wire that, again, wouldn't cause any 17 damage. But it would be like a black T-shirt that would 18 say, I did not survive. And then a gray T-shirt that 19 would say something like I'm trapped and hurting, and 20 then a purple T-shirt that would say I'm free. And 21 then, the purple/white, which we were so excited you 22 guys did last year for us. And someone helped me, it's 23 like an app on their phone now that they can just -- 24 Jody told me that, that they can just change the colors. 25 So that's what we have in mind. And it would probably 7 1 be done, if -- if you give permission, by the end of 2 this week. 3 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I move for approval. 4 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Second. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. Motion from 6 Commissioner Belew, second from Commissioner Harris to 7 approve the request from the -- for Domestic Violence 8 Awareness Month. Any further discussion? All in favor 9 raise your right hand. Say aye. 10 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Aye. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Thank you, Commissioner 12 Moser. 13 MS. TOMERLIN: Okay. Thank you so much. 14 You guys have a great day. By, Jody. Thank you. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Item 1.2 consider, 16 discuss and take appropriate action to approve the lease 17 agreement between Xerox Corporation and Kerr County for 18 a copier/scanner/printer at the Tax Office Annex. 19 Commissioner Reeves -- Tax Assessor Reeves. 20 MR. REEVES: Good morning, Commissioners. 21 Kerr County Tax Office Annex currently has a Xerox 22 copier/scanner/printer under lease. The lease actually 23 expired on September 1 of this year. The local Xerox 24 representative has submitted a proposal for the new 25 lease, and the rate quoted under the lease is $60.30 per 8 1 month for a five-year term. The lease that's under 2 proposal is currently approximately one dollar per month 3 lower than the previous lease, and will include 2,500 4 black and white pages per month. 5 I utilized an online service to try to get 6 bids from other companies and only one responded. This 7 company quoted a lease rate of $109.75 per month with 8 2,000 pages per month. Xerox is approved -- is an 9 approved vendor with the Texas Department of Information 10 Resources, or DIR. They provide government approved 11 contracts, which have been pre-approved by the 12 competitive bidding process. 13 Additionally, Xerox is -- the representative 14 is located in Kerrville and has been in business in Kerr 15 County for an extended period of time. The County 16 Attorney has reviewed and approved the lease agreement. 17 I respectfully request the Court to approve the lease 18 agreement and authorize the County Judge to sign. 19 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Move for approval. 20 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Looks like a no 21 brainer. I move for approval. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 23 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I'll second. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. Commissioner 25 Moser made the motion to approve the request, 9 1 Commissioner Harris had second. Any discussion? All 2 those in favor say aye. 3 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Aye. 4 MR. REEVES: Thank you. 5 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Good job, Bob. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: All right. Item 1.3 7 consider, discuss and take appropriate action to declare 8 various items as surplus for the 198th District 9 Attorney's Office, Extension Office, and Environmental 10 Health. Mr. Robles. 11 MR. ROBLES: Are we calling Item 1.3 and 12 1.4? 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And Item 1.4 as well. 14 Consider, discuss and take appropriate action to declare 15 various items as surplus for the 216th District 16 Attorney's Office. 17 MR. ROBLES: Yes. The 216th has seven 18 chairs that they're looking to surplus. And then the 19 198th has various IT equipment, scanners, computers, 20 laptops. The full detail is in your backup. And the 21 Extension Office is requesting to surplus a TV. 22 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Okay. I move for 23 approval. 24 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Motion by Commissioner 10 1 Harris, second by Commissioner Belew to approve the 2 items requested for surplus out of the 198th District 3 Attorney's Office, Extension Office, Environmental 4 Health, and the 216th District Attorney's office as 5 listed in the agenda item backup. Any further 6 discussion? All in favor say aye. 7 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Aye. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Thank you, Commissioner 9 Moser. 10 Item 1.5 consider, discuss and take 11 appropriate action to approve the engagement letter by 12 Armstrong, Vaughan and Associates, P.C. as presented for 13 the audit of the financial statements for the period 14 ending September 30, 2020, and authorize County Judge to 15 sign same. 16 MR. ROBLES: Yes. This is our External 17 Audit firm, Armstrong & Vaughan, be auditing Kerr County 18 claims and statements, and this is the engagement letter 19 that we'll need to get signed and back to Debbie Fraser. 20 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Move for approval. 21 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Second. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Motion from Commissioner 23 Belew, second from Commissioner Harris to approve the 24 engagement letter with Armstrong, Vaughan. 25 COMMISSIONER MOSER: A couple questions. 11 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 2 COMMISSIONER MOSER: A couple questions, 3 Jonathan. The -- where is the audit firm located? 4 MR. ROBLES: Universal City. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Universal City. 6 COMMISSIONER MOSER: In where? 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Universal City. North 8 of San Antonio. 9 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Okay. But they got -- 10 so the little -- the two and a half thousand dollars for 11 travel back and forth from San Antonio? It seems a 12 little bit high. 13 MR. ROBLES: They stay in a hotel up here 14 for a couple days. Several of their members. 15 COMMISSIONER MOSER: I can't understand 16 what's being said. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: James said they're -- 18 they stay in a hotel up here for several days when 19 they're doing the audit to keep from driving back and 20 forth. 21 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Oh, okay. Gotcha. 22 Okay. Now, how does that cost compare to last year's? 23 MR. ROBLES: I believe they were about 24 48,000 last year, 47, 48,000. 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: They were about 47 or 12 1 48,000 last year. 2 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Okay. All right. All 3 right. Thank you. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. Any further 5 discussion? 6 COMMISSIONER BELEW: They've done a good job 7 and easy to work with. 8 MR. ROBLES: Yes. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: All right. No further 10 discussion. And motion was from Commissioner Belew and 11 seconded from Commissioner Harris. All in favor say 12 aye. 13 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Aye. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Aye. Okay. Thank you. 15 Item 1.6 consider, discuss and take 16 appropriate action to accept the Center for Tech and 17 Civil Life grant in the amount of $34,771.20. Callie 18 Gargano. 19 MS. GARGANO: Good morning. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Good morning. 21 MS. GARGANO: So last week we applied for 22 the Center for Tech and Civil Life grant. It basically 23 helps ensure safe election and expand further education. 24 And we're going to -- we're going to partially use it 25 for the cost of reprinting ballots for this upcoming 13 1 election, and we were approved for $34,771.50. 2 COMMISSIONER MOSER: For some reason I can't 3 hear at all. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Callie's talking kind of 5 soft. 6 MS. GARGANO: Oh sorry. So we were approved 7 for $34,771.50. So for this grant we will need the 8 Judge's approval to sign it, and as I said, we would use 9 it for reprinting ballots and possibly other election 10 expenses. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: All right. Just to go 12 over it briefly, Commissioner Moser. It's a grant that 13 we applied for to help cover the cost of reprinting the 14 election ballots and some other unexpected election 15 expenses. And this grant will help pay for that. 16 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I did a little research 17 into this group and I didn't like what I saw about them. 18 I don't know what kind of strings there are attached to 19 this but if there are any, please tell us. 20 MS. GARGANO: It doesn't seem like there are 21 any strings attached. There's no match for this grant. 22 There was no fees paid up front for this grant and this 23 grant -- this organization is backed by the Texas 24 Association of Counties. So that was a positive sign. 25 From what I see, this looks like a good grant and the 14 1 categories are pretty loosely defined. 2 COMMISSIONER MOSER: At the right time I've 3 got a comment, Jonathan. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 5 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, I'm just going to 6 put it on the record, I do not like what I saw about 7 them. They don't seem to be fair and impartial and I 8 don't like hitting the tar baby so to speak. I prefer 9 to stay away from them. If we don't need the money, 10 then I don't think we should do it. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Commissioner Moser, your 12 comment? 13 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Yeah, I was wondering 14 what the obligations are by the County, or is there any 15 downside for the County on this? 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Did you hear 17 Commissioner Belew's comments? 18 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Not very clearly. No. 19 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I said I did some 20 research into this group. I don't like what I see. I 21 don't think they're fair and impartial based on research 22 I've done. And this just hopped up out of nowhere and 23 if we don't actually need it, I don't -- I'm wanting to 24 pass on this myself. I don't want to be holden anything 25 to anybody or having strings attached or any 15 1 associations with something that doesn't look like it's 2 fair and impartial. 3 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Well, thank you for 4 that, Harley. But still I have the question is there -- 5 is there an obligation or a downside to the County for 6 this grant? 7 MS. GARGANO: I don't believe there is. And 8 I think that this could be a good thing, because this is 9 for any elections expenses where it's a HAVA grant that 10 we had can only be related to COVID election expenses. 11 So this can cover any other election expenses that we 12 could possibly need, like for our poll workers and 13 stuff. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I guess the question I 15 have is where is the money come -- I know it's coming 16 from an entity called the Center for Tech and Civil Life 17 out of Michigan and Chicago. Where are they getting 18 their money? 19 MS. GARGANO: So they receive money for -- 20 kind of like we did from -- from the -- it's from the 21 CARES Act. They received money -- this organization 22 received 250 million, I think, from the CARES Act. 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So we could apply for 24 the same reimbursement from the CARES Act? 25 MS. GARGANO: No. 16 1 MRS. SHELTON: Because it's not -- it's -- 2 they don't cover COVID expenses for our voting expenses. 3 COMMISSIONER BELEW: There's gotta be -- 4 what do they want? That's my question. You have 5 somebody that has -- they were able to acquire $250 6 million based on what? We know nothing about them, 7 other than what I've read, and that threw up a red flag 8 for me and I don't want somebody in Michigan buying 9 their way into Kerr County. Or Minnesota or wherever 10 they are. I don't know where they're at. I don't 11 remember. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It says Chicago on 13 there. 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Okay. So Illinois. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: That's in Michigan. 16 Sorry. 17 MRS. SHELTON: We have already applied for 18 the grant. This is the one you all approved us applying 19 for last week, and it's -- the amount of money that we 20 have received is based on the number of voters that we 21 have. I have seen this on the County Auditor's list 22 serve, and we have not seen anything negative coming 23 down for it. 24 Again, the fact that TAC, Texas Association 25 of Counties, discussed it somewhat in one of the 17 1 articles I saw also, kind of helped relieve some of 2 those questions. I understand what you're asking, but 3 so far they haven't asked for anything -- 4 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So far. 5 MRS. SHELTON: -- outside of the ordinary 6 that you wouldn't normally asked for a grant. 7 MS. GARGANO: They haven't asked for our 8 banking information, they haven't asked for anything of 9 that nature, anything unreasonable. 10 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, I'm suspicious by 11 nature. When somebody shows up with a bag of money or 12 asks me if I want to buy watch or something, you know, I 13 tend to say no. And I -- I don't know anything about 14 this. Whether TAC likes them or not makes no difference 15 whatsoever to me -- 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: How about we -- 17 COMMISSIONER BELEW: -- because they never 18 saw a grant they didn't like. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: How about we pass, and 20 look at it in a week after we have a little more time to 21 look into the organization and where the funds are 22 coming from actually. I don't know if it's the CARES 23 Act, but how do they get the CARES Act and we can't get 24 the CARES Act is my question. 25 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. 18 1 MRS. SHELTON: It's -- it's not that they 2 got it. They -- they would have went through some other 3 request cycle. We do have money from the CARES Act. 4 That's our 1.5 million dollars. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 6 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Right. 7 MRS. SHELTON: And -- and so the CARES Act 8 went to many different organizations and there's, you 9 know, economic development grants that were given. So 10 it's probably on a different scale than any we saw here 11 at the County. 12 COMMISSIONER BELEW: You're comfortable with 13 this? 14 MRS. SHELTON: I am. 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: And then why do we need 16 it? Just because somebody's offering it doesn't mean we 17 need it. 18 MRS. SHELTON: That's true. What we were 19 looking to try to take care of on this is the ballot 20 expense. So when the ballots have to be reprinted 21 because of the Green Party was added to the ballot. And 22 so we'd already printed half of our ballots, I believe 23 it was at that time. I keep looking at the Tax Assessor 24 Collector. We had reprinted -- we had already printed 25 about half of ours at that time. And so we actually 19 1 have a cost involved with that reprinting now that 2 the -- 3 COMMISSIONER BELEW: How much is it? 4 MRS. SHELTON: It's somewhere around 5 $10,000. 6 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah, that's what Bob 7 said last week as I recall, about 10,000. 8 MR. REEVES: That's my estimate probably. 9 MS. GARGANO: And that's not an eligible 10 expense for the HAVA grant so that's what we were 11 looking to this for. 12 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Right. Well, I -- I 13 have deep reservations about it. 14 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well, I move for 15 approval. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We have a motion from 17 Commissioner Harris. I don't hear a second, so fails 18 for lack of a second. We can put it back on the next 19 agenda if you want, okay? 20 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 21 action regarding political signs on County property. 22 This is -- go from one to another. 23 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: This was brought up 24 last week. In fact, Bob Reeves and I and Jonathan 25 talked about it, about signage, especially with the 20 1 election next week, a week from tomorrow our early 2 voting starts and -- out at the Event Center. And 3 there's concerns about putting signage up on the fences, 4 as well as make sure that nobody does anything that 5 damages our parking area, our pavement and what have 6 you, so we looked at some other counties. 7 And I think actually Commissioner Letz found 8 something that was from a couple counties or at least 9 one that was very similar to our situation. And so we 10 just kind of looked at it and tweaked it a little bit. 11 And County Attorney has been involved with this. And -- 12 and so, each of y'all have gotten this document as far 13 as what they -- the other County has had, and with our 14 Kerr County twist on it. So what did you -- do you have 15 anything to say about it, Commissioner Belew? 16 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I don't -- you know, if 17 you're going to attach a sign -- the law is if you're 18 going to attach a sign to somebody's fence you get 19 permission from them. The County can give any 20 candidate -- all candidates permission to attach 21 temporarily. When you -- when we've had elections at 22 different places around town, we used to do it at the 23 Cailloux, you had to clear out all the signs every 24 night, come back the next day, so nothing gets damaged 25 and everybody's in charge of their own sign. 21 1 And as far as like trying to hold a pop-up 2 tent down in the parking lot with nails or something in 3 the parking lot, that's obviously destruction of our 4 property, our County property. But I don't -- I don't 5 have any other input. I don't see how it's harming 6 anything to have a sign on the fence if you're permitted 7 to do it during a certain short amount of time. During 8 voting hours only and then take them back down. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: The concern that I had, 10 is that the -- really, that the early voting at the AG 11 barn. There's a big parking lot there. And we don't 12 want -- from a safety standpoint, I don't want stuff 13 scattered all over that parking lot within a -- I think 14 it was a hundred feet you have to be from an area. So, 15 I mean, it can be a -- to me it's a safety hazard to 16 allow the candidates just to put stuff arbitrarily 17 around that parking lot. So I think it's much better to 18 confine it to a certain area. I'd rather not have it on 19 the fence. 20 You know, you have to do a lot -- 21 occasionally a sign on the fence for events, but if one 22 goes there, that whole fence is going to get covered in 23 signs. If we get a strong north wind, that fence is 24 coming over. So -- 25 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: And that and the 22 1 visibility. And we have so many people running, you 2 know, the -- we have the City races, our local races, 3 and this -- good grief. And if we don't limit it in 4 some capacity it's going to be a problem. And again, 5 the safety aspect. But, you know, they're going to want 6 to put signs everywhere. And visibility of driving 7 through the parking area could be a problem and what 8 have you. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And people standing 10 around. Because it's not like the Cailloux Center where 11 you have medians and clear parking. It's pretty much 12 just an open area of pavement. So to me, you know, you 13 designate an area and what makes sense is kind of 14 between the two gates, either 25 or 50 feet from the 15 fence into the property. And they can put -- 16 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Take up the last -- I 17 mean the first two rows of parking or up to -- about up 18 to the first row. Is that right? 19 MR. REEVES: Yeah. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. Probably 21 something like that. I haven't gone out to measure it 22 but that is a big enough area that they can be seen, but 23 it's in an area that it's not going to cause a -- I 24 don't think a safety hazard or a property damage hazard 25 or -- 23 1 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, is that going to 2 violate any State rules about campaigning. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, Jason has looked 4 at this so I'll -- let's hear from Jason. 5 MR. SORENSEN: My ears were starting to perk 6 up a little bit there at the end. So the guideline is 7 basically it's got to be a reasonable time, place and 8 manner restriction. And when you start talking about a 9 specific strip of land, it's gotta be -- it's gotta be 10 reasonable, it's gotta be big enough, and just from -- 11 it's the election cycle we're in. We want to make sure 12 tensions aren't going to get hot and somebody does 13 something dumb. So that's more of a practical decision, 14 though, based on the location about what that range 15 would look like. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: That area, I'm guessing, 17 is probably 200 feet by 50 feet, which is -- that's a 18 pretty big area. 19 MR. SORENSEN: Sure. 20 COMMISSIONER BELEW: But there's an entrance 21 and there's an exit. 22 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: What are you talking 23 about? 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: From inside -- from the 25 two gates on 27. 24 1 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Uh-huh. Okay. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: In between the two gates 3 and maybe go 25 or 50 feet into -- 4 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Where that -- yeah, 5 that hundred foot from the building comes. Bob, you 6 know about where it is, that hundred foot mark would be 7 from the building? 8 MR. REEVES: Based on -- excuse me, Jason. 9 Based on the runoff recollection and holding early 10 voting in July where we have to mark the 100 foot, which 11 that's the extent of my authority is what happens within 12 the hundred foot. It's about the middle of the parking 13 lot going out from the event center is about a hundred 14 feet, about the middle -- where the lower indention for 15 drainage is. That's roughly where it -- where 100 feet 16 is. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 18 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Ballpark. 19 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I don't think you 20 can -- 21 MR. REEVES: And which I will have -- 22 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I don't think you can 23 tell anybody to stay -- I'm sorry, Bob -- further back 24 than what the limit is. 25 MR. REEVES: No. 25 1 COMMISSIONER BELEW: The limit is the limit. 2 MR. REEVES: The limit -- 3 COMMISSIONER BELEW: A hundred feet is where 4 they're allowed to be. 5 MR. REEVES: Outside the hundred feet, 6 that's correct, from any exterior entrance to the 7 building. Which with curb side voting in the new show 8 barn, there's going to be a hundred foot that way as 9 well. From the west doors of the -- what we refer to as 10 the swine barn. So we've got to abide by that as well. 11 My -- as early voting part, my authority 12 ends at the hundred foot marker and then it falls into 13 the County law enforcement's part of it. My only reason 14 that I brought this up was there was confusion with the 15 runoff of where they could put them as far as on the 16 fence, off the fence. I visited with Commissioner Letz, 17 and we had agreed, more from a practical and safety 18 standpoint, that applying them to the fence could create 19 problems. Just -- 20 COMMISSIONER BELEW: You have to have 21 permission for that from whoever the -- whatever -- 22 whether it's the County or private landowner to hook 23 onto somebody's fence. That part I understand. 24 MR. REEVES: And the -- 25 COMMISSIONER BELEW: The restriction from 26 1 the building is the difficult part. 2 MR. REEVES: And the -- you know, Kerr 3 County -- 4 COMMISSIONER MOSER: I'll have a comment 5 whenever I get a chance. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 7 MR. REEVES: Kerr County only has one 8 polling place that is under our ownership. And then 9 depends on how you look at the agreement with Union 10 Church. But the only true polling place that Kerr 11 County owns will be the Event Center that we're using 12 for early voting. 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. Let's just -- 14 part of my concern is that it goes in -- we have other 15 events there that's going on. We've got people that are 16 in and out of the Extension Office, the people that work 17 in the facility, we just can't have people at random in 18 that parking lot. 19 COMMISSIONER BELEW: But I don't think that 20 legally, is what Jason was talking about, you can tell 21 them they have a certain area to -- to campaign in. 22 MR. SORENSEN: Well, I -- I should maybe 23 step back a little bit. And so that hundred feet, like 24 Mr. Reeves talked about, and you can't have any kind of 25 signage in there or whatever. 27 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 2 MR. SORENSEN: But the election code does 3 give the entity who owns or controls that property the 4 authority to control the time, manner and place of their 5 signage. Like the City, for example. Like you were 6 saying, well you have to take it down each night, that's 7 permissible. 8 And so when we're talking about something 9 that -- and we're just talking about County-owned or 10 controlled buildings. Private businesses, they can do 11 whatever they want based on -- I mean, subject to 12 municipal codes. That's not what we're talking about. 13 We're just talking about -- basically we're talking 14 about the Youth Center today. But so we -- we have the 15 authority to regulate that and including political 16 signs. And it's a political decision as to where you 17 want to allow the signage, if you want to allow it on 18 the fence, if you don't want to allow it on the fence. 19 As long as it's within -- just time, place, and manner 20 and we're not getting into content. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Commissioner Moser, 22 you've got a comment? 23 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Yeah, I do. I've got a 24 comment. My reaction -- and I read the proposed policy. 25 I think we're being overly restrictive. When I read 28 1 through that thing it looks like it's looking for 2 reasons to restrict people. It's the public's property 3 that we're putting it on. I think it's the importance 4 of the election is extremely important. I agree with 5 safety being a concern; I don't agree with all the 6 t-posts and all that other kind of stuff that's there. 7 I think that's a stretch. 8 What I think we -- what I'd like to see, if 9 it's -- and I had a hard time hearing some of the 10 discussion. But, if it's a safety concern and you need 11 to restrict the areas to do it, then identify that, only 12 the safety issues. I wouldn't go along -- or I don't 13 believe -- 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Are you there? 15 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I think we've lost 16 you. 17 COMMISSIONER BELEW: How much security is 18 on-site? 19 COMMISSIONER MOSER: I don't have a problem 20 with -- 21 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: There he goes. 22 COMMISSIONER MOSER: -- somebody -- I don't 23 know if you can hear me or not. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah, we -- we can hear 25 you. 29 1 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: We lost you for awhile 2 for about 30 seconds there. 3 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Okay. I just think 4 we're being overly restrictive. Safety things -- I 5 think if we just define an area where you can't put 6 signs for safety reasons, that's fine. But I think the 7 policy as written is way overly restrictive and -- and I 8 don't like it. 9 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. I think safety 10 is important. If -- are we going to have Sheriff's 11 deputies there? And how many? And what will they do? 12 Can we direct traffic? 13 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: The main answer is no, 14 okay, actually, and Bob and I had talked about some of 15 this and he got an opinion. As far as law enforcement 16 for the -- for an election, Bob's it. Okay. He has 17 full -- 18 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I'm talking about like, 19 say, to direct traffic? 20 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: No, not direct -- 21 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I mean if we need any 22 personnel or -- 23 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: When you start putting 24 uniformed officers carrying guns at an election poll 25 they consider that to be -- 30 1 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Intimidation. 2 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: -- you know, 3 intimidating, so we -- we try to stay away from it. If 4 Bob needs law enforcement to be there then we're going 5 to be there. If their election people call us, we'll 6 been there instantly. But otherwise, we may drive 7 through. 8 I like to make it a habit of just going over 9 and visiting with them at the polling place just to 10 make -- see how things are going. I may not stay five 11 minutes there. I'm not in uniform either. But we'll do 12 that and if they run short on ballots at that point 13 we'll run ballots to them, so you'll see officers coming 14 and going, but we're never going to be stationed at it. 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So what I was asking 16 for is for traffic. And we could have people from the 17 AG barn employees or volunteers directing traffic. 18 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Well, last -- the 19 runoff they had a very good system, I thought, with the 20 drive-thru and the cones and the way they had it marked. 21 And it didn't require law enforcement to be any part of 22 that traffic. I think it worked real well the way Bob 23 and them all set that up. And I don't -- wouldn't 24 expect anything different this time. Other than just to 25 be maybe a lot busier. 31 1 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: A lot busier. 2 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: But it's a lot busier 3 but you've also got an extended early voting time this 4 time, too, that's going to spread it out more. So it's 5 the same way. And I think that's -- 6 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I wouldn't think 7 traffic would be a problem during early voting because 8 it is spread out so much. 9 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, if that's not the 10 problem then visibility is the problem? 11 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: It can be. 12 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So if we don't give 13 anybody permission to put signs on the fence, but we 14 have cones and we have people -- volunteers directing 15 them which way to go if you're going to vote in your car 16 or go inside, then you're still going to have to, you 17 know, worm -- find your way through. 18 MR. REEVES: My only concern and question to 19 the Court is while I have no authority past that 100 20 foot marker, I will be the one getting the questions and 21 I would like some direction if you want it any way -- 22 you know, as many signs as you can put on the fence, 23 that's fine. Because as I said, I will be the one 24 getting the questions. I mean, Commissioner Harris 25 already called me where this comment started -- or this 32 1 discussion started about signs in a polling -- the early 2 polling place in Ingram, which is on school property, 3 which we don't have any control, we being the County. 4 But I certainly would like just direction so 5 when we are -- myself, Nadene or any of the election 6 workers are asked about where they can put signs, at 7 least we can give them a uniform decision from the 8 Court. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: How about would it work 10 if Bob, maybe Commissioner Harris, and Jake Williamson 11 designated several areas out there that are pretty large 12 and put them in areas that -- where people can put signs 13 and just leave it at that? 14 COMMISSIONER MOSER: I'm for that. 15 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I'm for that. But the 16 one thing that -- that, you know, addresses that there 17 will be no driving of a post into the pavement, that 18 kind of stuff that would harm, you know, our facility 19 and what have you. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think that goes -- 21 COMMISSIONER MOSER: I think people have got 22 common sense, they're not going to do that. 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I hope. But I think 24 that -- well, if someone damages the County property 25 they're going to be -- we have other ways to make them 33 1 compensate us or fix it. I think it's -- I'm more 2 concerned -- 3 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Hear, hear. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But I'm more concerned 5 about having locations where they can do it that doesn't 6 interfere with other County offices, being the Extension 7 Office, and people going in and out of that office all 8 day long. People that may -- you know, a lot of kids 9 and parents go back to the 4-H Farm. It's that kind of 10 stuff that I'm more concerned about. 11 So if we can designate -- and I don't know 12 if Commissioner -- or Commissioner Reeves -- 13 Tax-Assessor Reeves wants to be involved in that. But I 14 think that we can -- maybe just Maintenance and 15 Commissioner Harris, in consultation with the County 16 Attorney's office, designate some places on three sides 17 of the building. 18 COMMISSIONER BELEW: But I think the sign 19 issue will kind of take care of itself if you designate 20 where the parking is going to be. Because the 21 candidates are going to follow the voters. Even if you 22 had to park out in the rodeo grounds, that's where the 23 signs are going to go, before somebody gets in. Does no 24 good to have a sign at the exit, they've already voted. 25 So wherever people are going to come in and park, if 34 1 there's a designated parking area, that's where their 2 signs are going to go too. So if you figure that out, 3 you got the problem solved. 4 MR. REEVES: We try to encourage the voters 5 to park from that hundred foot marker to the building, 6 just for the ease of getting in and out, and all of 7 that. I agree with you, Commissioner, that I feel it's 8 not my place to designate political signs outside of 9 that hundred foot marker and leave it up to event staff 10 and this Court. 11 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Jonathan, I agree with 12 your approach. 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. I'll make a 14 motion that -- to have Jake Williamson, Commissioner 15 Harris, and Shane Evans, in consultation with the County 16 Attorney's Office, develop a plan to where we can -- 17 where candidates can locate their signs that will not be 18 a safety issue. 19 MR. SORENSEN: So just for clarification, 20 are we having a -- a County policy on election signs, or 21 is this just specific to the Event Center. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: This is specific to this 23 election and this event only. 24 MR. SORENSEN: Okay, understood. 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And that they will -- 35 1 and the best way to do that would be to get a plat, draw 2 it out on it and -- 3 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Sure. I'll get with 4 Shane. 5 COMMISSIONER MOSER: I'll second. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. We have a motion 7 and a second. Motion by myself, and second by 8 Commissioner Moser to have Commissioner Harris, Jake 9 Williamson, and Shane Evans, on consultation with the 10 County Attorney's Office, come up with a plan as to 11 where candidates may place signs at the Hill Country 12 Youth Event Center for this election only. 13 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I have a comment. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I'm not a fan of free 16 speech zones. And this comes dangerously close to a 17 free speech zone. For my money, the free speech zone is 18 from Canada to Mexico and from the Pacific Ocean to the 19 Atlantic. That's a free speech zone. I know we cannot 20 have -- we have rules about the hundred feet from the -- 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 22 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Everybody agrees with 23 that. So I just don't like the idea that we push 24 everybody into a little thing where they're, you know, 25 hustling around each other with their sign and yelling 36 1 with everybody. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, I would encourage 3 to make them as big as possible. I mean, I think you 4 can put a big one in the front and I think put a 5 drive-thru around one side. I think your point about no 6 reason to put them on the exits to give them a spot 7 there. But anyway -- 8 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: They'll have more room 9 than they'll need or want to utilize probably. 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: All right. All in favor 11 of the motion raise your hand or say aye. 12 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Aye. 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. Four zero. 14 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: One thing. Maybe I 15 should have spoke up a little bit quicker. Are they 16 able to leave them overnight there? 17 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Yes -- well no, let me 18 back off on that. 19 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Do we have other 20 events during early voting? 21 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Oh, yeah. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think they should 23 probably remove them at night. That would be my 24 feeling. At least that's -- 25 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Do we need to redo this 37 1 then? 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, we can do a second 3 motion on the agenda item. 4 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well, because that's 5 going to be important. That's going to be one of the 6 first questions because that's how they did it at the 7 Cailloux. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 9 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Now, I know in 10 speaking to Dr. Templeton at Ingram, he said it just 11 didn't matter there, you know, it's whatever we said. 12 But you know they don't have events like we do that 13 would -- 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: And again, that would 15 be another property. 16 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: It's not ours, so -- 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, we can be silent 18 on it and see how it goes, and if it starts being blown 19 all over the parking lot, we can change it Monday. 20 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah. True. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Either way. I mean, I'm 22 open to -- if anyone wants to make a motion on 23 limiting -- on taking them up -- 24 MRS. DOWDY: Can that be part of the plan 25 that Jake and Commissioner Harris can come up -- and 38 1 Shane can come up with? 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I don't believe that's 3 in the discussion. 4 COMMISSIONER BELEW: It would come into play 5 in offloading or bringing in stuff for the next day's 6 event. 7 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well, and it might 8 interfere with parking or an event in the evening, so -- 9 and some of the candidates on state and national events 10 aren't around, they don't know. Our local people 11 probably take care of their own, but sometimes those are 12 the ones that end up being left. 13 So since it is at the Event Center with 14 other events that will be held out there, during early 15 voting, as much as I hate it, especially when I was a 16 candidate to pick them up each evening and then put them 17 back the next morning, I'm going to move that we put a 18 policy -- make a policy where they are picked up at 19 night and then brought back the next morning. 20 COMMISSIONER BELEW: That would just be for 21 this. That's not really a policy. Just for this. 22 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah. Just for this, 23 with the early voting. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Second. So we have a 25 motion and a second to -- that the signs must be removed 39 1 at night. 2 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Do you have a time 3 frame on that? 4 COMMISSIONER BELEW: When the polls close. 5 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Well, just put a time 6 on it. 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: When the polls close? 8 The time being when the poles open and close -- or close 9 in the evening. They can put them -- 10 COMMISSIONER MOSER: You gotta give them an 11 hour before and after. 12 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Okay. That'll be 13 fine. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: An hour before and after 15 polls opening and closing. 16 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So do we need to amend 17 the last -- 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I just did a new motion. 19 It's easier. Any further discussion? All in favor 20 raise your hand or say aye. 21 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Aye. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. Four zero. 23 Passes. 24 All right, item 1.8 consider, discuss and 25 take appropriate action to ratify and confirm the Kerr 40 1 County Workers' Compensation Renewal Questionnaire for 2 Texas Association of Counties. 3 This is an annual renewal, which was held up 4 a little bit this year because we were trying to figure 5 out what to do with jurors and election workers, right? 6 Election workers, too? And went back and forth. We 7 talked about this last year. Y'all probably don't 8 recall it but -- I barely do. Anyway, it was $67.00? 9 MRS. DOSS: It's $67.00 for jurors. 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It cost $67.00 to add 11 them -- or we made the decision, talking with Jennifer, 12 myself and Tanya that for $67.00, it's probably worth 13 having workers' comp for those people in case they do 14 happen to fall. That would be the risk while they were 15 serving. So we -- that's the only change from last 16 year's renewal. 17 MRS. DOSS: And the other -- the other 18 change is removing election workers. That requires a 19 vote and I just visited with Bob and all of our election 20 workers and employees, and this covers volunteer 21 election workers, non-employees, and we don't have any. 22 MR. REEVES: Well, they're -- they're not 23 full-time employees of the County, but they are being 24 paid by the County for the -- for the work. 25 MRS. DOSS: But we're not paying volunteers. 41 1 Do we have any volunteers? 2 MR. REEVES: Well, what I'm saying is there 3 are election workers who are being paid by Kerr County. 4 MRS. DOSS: Right. It's -- 5 MR. REEVES: It's not just my staff. 6 It's -- right. 7 MRS. DOSS: Right. And they're employees 8 and they're covered. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And they're covered as 10 well. 11 MRS. DOSS: This is just for volunteers. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: The question that comes 13 in is whether they're employees or not and it's gray but 14 in talking with TAC, we can cover them and for $67.00, 15 it seems like a pretty good -- 16 COMMISSIONER BELEW: They're temporary 17 employees then. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. That's because 19 we're paying them. So anyway, it's just -- so the 20 questionnaire has been submitted. These are budgeted 21 funds. Any other comments, or anything, Jennifer? 22 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Hey, Jonathan, I've got 23 a question. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 25 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Some of the amounts in 42 1 there I don't -- and I don't know if it's significant or 2 not. But like at the airport it shows $85,000. What 3 does that mean? I mean, that -- that's not the -- that 4 doesn't cover the salaries of the people at the airport. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: What page are you on, 6 Tom? 7 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Let's see if I can find 8 it. It's -- it's page -- I can't see what -- I can't 9 see the page, but it's the line item -- just an example 10 07423. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: That does look low for 12 the airport salary. 13 MRS. DOSS: That's just for -- 14 COMMISSIONER MOSER: And same thing for -- 15 same thing for election personnel, It's $56,000. You 16 know, I just -- I don't have any issue with the whole 17 thing, but it's -- it's just those amounts in there that 18 I was -- that jumped out at me. 19 MRS. DOSS: The Airport is just for the 20 Airport Manager. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: That's what it looks 22 like. The Airport is only the Airport Manager. 23 MRS. DOSS: And the other person -- 24 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Oh. 25 MRS. DOSS: -- is clerical and she's in the 43 1 clerical section -- 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: The other people out 3 there are included under other line items, how it's 4 broken down. 5 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Oh, I see. So Jason 6 would be covered under something else. 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. 8 MRS. DOSS: Right. 9 COMMISSIONER MOSER: And the same thing for 10 election personnel, which is 56,000? 11 MRS. DOSS: Yes. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes. They're covered 13 under items like clerical and some of the other -- and 14 maintenance. 15 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Oh, okay. All right. 16 Thank you. 17 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Is the Airport Manager 18 not covered in some kind of Interlocal Agreement? 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes, it is. But the 20 Interlocal Agreement Kerr County picks up -- well, the 21 Airport Board -- it's paid for out of the airport funds, 22 which the City and the County jointly help. 23 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Right. So -- 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So we pay for their -- 25 the insurance -- it all goes back into that account. 44 1 COMMISSIONER BELEW: But would we pay the 2 full amount? 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We pay the full amount 4 and then reimburse ourselves internally, because we're 5 responsible under the Interlocal to carry -- they're 6 employees under our system and then we get reimbursed 7 partially back through -- or it's paid out of the 8 airport account. Correct, Tanya? I'm looking at Tanya 9 on this. 10 MRS. SHELTON: Yes. I'm looking at James. 11 MR. ROBLES: Yes. It's paid out of the 12 airport funds, and we -- as employees they are under our 13 system so we get paid for it. 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: A hundred percent out 15 of Kerr County? I thought these were all shared 16 expenses. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: They are. 18 MRS. SHELTON: They are. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We get -- 20 COMMISSIONER BELEW: And that is an expense. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But we have to -- they 22 can't be under -- the airport doesn't have a benefits 23 package, so they're all under Kerr County's benefit 24 package a hundred percent. And then the Airport Fund, 25 which the City contributes to, reimburses our general 45 1 fund. 2 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Okay. Well, I've not 3 read the Interlocal Agreement, so -- 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. Yeah. 5 COMMISSIONER BELEW: And if I had, I 6 wouldn't have looked at little details like that, so -- 7 MR. ROBLES: Well, the City pays for certain 8 types of insurance. This is the other types of 9 insurance that we pay for. So we kind of split it 50/50 10 between them. 11 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I've heard that before. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Sheriff? 13 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Just real quick. We 14 hadn't used it in a number of years and that's why I've 15 started to now, but there was always four approved 16 reserve deputy positions that were covered under the 17 workers' comp, too. And those weren't paid but they are 18 reserve positions such that the Court had approved years 19 ago. Now I've filled two of those, but normally we 20 don't. I just want to make sure that they're still in 21 there. 22 MRS. DOSS: We do cover 20 law enforcement 23 volunteers. Those are in our -- in the quote. 24 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: 20? 25 MRS. DOSS: 20, Yes. 46 1 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So that would be like 2 in an emergency situation. 3 MRS. DOSS: Any volunteers. 4 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Well, we have -- we 5 probably need to look at that then, because I don't know 6 which ones need to be covered. One, you have the search 7 teams now, which are the people that can go out and help 8 us do rescues and -- and things like that. That is an 9 organization we have. And so I think that's the main 20 10 she's talking about. 11 But now, we have a lot of other volunteers, 12 such as clergy-type people or people that come in and do 13 GED or different courses in the jail, you know, church 14 or -- I don't know, and they're volunteers. Now, I 15 don't know if they need to be covered or how that would 16 work under there. 17 MRS. DOSS: We have -- 18 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: And then you have 19 actual law enforcement, which is the four reserve 20 officers that I have. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: There's also all other 22 volunteers. There's emergency medical personnel 23 volunteers. There's a lot of categories of volunteers. 24 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Okay. I just want to 25 make sure that those are covered. 47 1 COMMISSIONER MOSER: And Jonathan, sort of 2 the bottom line on that. When I look at the total 3 number of people that are covered here, it's 1783. Wow. 4 That's -- that sounds like that covers everybody. 5 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: Somewhere. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It covers a lot. I 7 mean, we try to -- I mean -- 8 MRS. DOSS: Most of those are jurors. The 9 District Clerk guesstimates how many jurors we have in a 10 year. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Jurors are included 12 and -- 13 MRS. DOSS: 1400 of those. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- a lot of volunteers. 15 It's a lot of different groups. And we try to -- when 16 we go through it and submit the questionnaire, which is 17 what this is approving, we try to cover everything. And 18 I'm sure there's an adjustment made based on all the 19 workers' comp that I've had in my own business. They 20 adjust at the end of the year based on the actual number 21 of employees -- 22 MRS. DOSS: Right. 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- that you actually 24 have. This is kind of the going in number. If you have 25 more than this, they'll send you another bill. If you 48 1 have less, you get a rebate. 2 MRS. DOSS: Right. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So this is just a 4 questionnaire. 5 COMMISSIONER MOSER: I move for approval. 6 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We have a motion from 8 Commissioner Moser, second by Commissioner Belew to 9 approve the -- or to ratify and confirm the Kerr County 10 Workers' Compensation Renewal Questionnaire for TAC. 11 Anymore discussion? All in favor raise your right hand 12 or say aye. 13 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Aye. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 15 MRS. DOSS: Thank you. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Item 1.9 County Clerk 17 has asked that we pass. 18 Item 1.10 consider, discuss and take 19 appropriate action to approve job descriptions for the 20 Chief Public Defender of the Hill Country Regional 21 Public Defender's Office. 22 I believe everyone was handed out a -- the 23 most recent draft of this. But the process of this has 24 been, this has to be approved by the TIDC -- is that 25 what you call it? The TIDC. The local committee and 49 1 which I am part of, along with the Judge and the County 2 Attorney and others. We've gone back and forth with 3 this. And this is in the -- this form. I think it 4 addresses all the concerns we had locally, and has been 5 agreed to by TIDC as well for the job description. 6 I think the urgency on this is this is 7 critical to get this up and posted so we can start 8 receiving applications for this position. The other 9 four counties are also looking at the job description, 10 and most of them are -- I should not say most -- some of 11 them are appointing, of course, are appointing the 12 County Judge to finalize it. But since we're a little 13 bit more involved it's coming to our Court as a whole. 14 So if there's any questions? 15 I think it looks fine. But I think that any 16 motion to approve it probably should allow -- offer or 17 allow the County Judge to make any minor adjustments to 18 it, if needed, from the other counties. 19 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Ultimately now, 20 whatever we decide on they're going to have to hammer 21 out something between them anyway. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. This is the 23 public defender. The other thing, the Interlocal 24 Agreement between the five counties is being done and 25 will probably be before the Court next Monday. That's 50 1 probably even more important because it will -- it will 2 set up the oversight committee and who that membership 3 of that oversight committee is. 4 Last meeting it will be set up that the 5 oversight committee will have two representatives from 6 each County except Kerr County will have three 7 representatives, so it will be an 11-member oversight 8 committee. 9 The intent is that for the Commissioners' 10 Court to appoint one member that represents the Court, 11 and the County Judge or a Commissioner or in Kendall 12 County's case it will be their general counsel to be on 13 that, and then the other slot -- well, for Kerr County 14 it will -- the intent is the County Judge and then a 15 Commissioner serve on it. 16 And then the other slot is kind of an at 17 large which will help bringing -- kind of work amongst 18 themselves to bring in maybe somebody with HR experience 19 and somebody with audit experience and some other 20 different experience. And the legislation also provides 21 some guidance to people that they recommend. But that's 22 not on this agenda, that's next week. 23 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Y'all have had several 24 group meetings hammering this out for a while, haven't 25 you? 51 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes. And Heather has 2 been very involved, as is Judge Williams, myself, 3 Christine McEntyre. Who else is on that committee? 4 MRS. GRINSTEAD: Harpold. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Stephen Harpold and 6 Jennifer Doss have all been on there. And then, I will 7 tell you that this is nothing like the initial draft 8 that came from TIDC. 9 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I bet. And there's a 10 phrase in here that gives me -- that I have total 11 confidence now to vote for this because there's this one 12 thing that says, performs other duties as assigned. So 13 I'm good with whatever we did with this document. 14 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah. That's a 15 catch-all phrase. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I will say that there's 17 a couple of interesting things just to bring up. If you 18 go on the third page under special -- special 19 requirements and preferences. This is kind of a -- an 20 agreed settlement between TIDC and Kerr County is that 21 the intent -- or really the local counties for their's 22 wanted the person to be basically a State of Texas 23 attorney. TIDC, and we're not sure why, they really 24 wanted it to be opened up to people outside the State. 25 So it now says that there's a preference to be State 52 1 Bar, or will be from the State Bar soon. 2 And then they also recommend or 3 preference -- there's also the preference that they 4 live -- we couldn't require them we're told, to live in 5 the five counties, but we can put a preference in. So I 6 suspect that's going to be very hard for someone 7 living -- that doesn't agree to live in one of the five 8 counties or be licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas is 9 probably not going to get this job, but that's probably 10 why that's in there. 11 But I think it's pretty good. We spent a 12 lot of time on it, and I'd recommend it to be approved. 13 And with that, I make a motion to approve it and allow 14 the County Judge to make any minor changes that may be 15 necessary. 16 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Great. Second. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. There's a motion 18 from myself, and second from Commissioner Harris to 19 approve the job description and authorize the County 20 Judge to make any minor changes that may be needed. Any 21 further discussion? All in favor raise your right hand 22 or say aye. 23 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Aye. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. Unanimous, four 25 zero. 53 1 Onto the Approval Agenda. Pay the bills. 2 MRS. SHELTON: Just to kind of -- before I 3 get started. The Kerr County fiscal year end was the 4 end of September. And so we will start having the two 5 different designations on whether it was last year or 6 the current year that we're in right now. So for last 7 year, Kerr County invoice is $61,344.18. For this year, 8 $182,062.88. The Airport for last year, $1,679.70. For 9 this year, $100.00. Adult Probation for this year, 10 $1,477.54. For the Clean Water Act, it's -- for last 11 year was $1,500. For the 198th DA Forfeiture Fund for 12 last year, $449.32, and for this current year, 13 $1,456.00. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: All right. 15 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I move for approval. 16 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Motion by Commissioner 18 Harris, second by Commissioner Belew to approve the 19 disbursements of bills as presented. Any further 20 discussion? All in favor raise your right hand or say 21 aye. 22 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Aye. 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. Unanimous. 24 Budget amendments. 25 MRS. SHELTON: There are not any. 54 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: None. Late bills? 2 MRS. SHELTON: There are not any. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Auditor reports? 4 MRS. SHELTON: Yes. We had turned in to 5 you two audit -- internal audit reports that were 6 completed. One was for the County Clerk's office and 7 one was for the Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2. We're 8 just asking that you accept these. 9 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I move for approval. 10 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We have a motion from 12 Commissioner Harris, and a second from Commissioner 13 Belew to accept the Auditor Reports for the County Clerk 14 and J.P. 2. Any further discussion? All in favor raise 15 your right hand or say aye. 16 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Aye. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Unanimous. Monthly 18 reports? 19 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: None. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: None. And Court Orders. 21 We have the Court Orders from our September 28th regular 22 session. They're Court Orders number 38338 and 38361. 23 They all look to be in order. I make a motion to 24 approve. 25 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 55 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Second by Commissioner 2 Belew. Any further discussion? All in favor raise your 3 right hand or say aye. 4 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Aye. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Information Agenda. 6 Status reports from Department Heads. None. 7 Status reports from Elected Officials. 8 MRS. DOWDY: Today is the last day to 9 register to vote. 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Last day to register to 11 vote. Sheriff, nothing? 12 SHERIFF HIERHOLZER: (Shaking head no.) 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Status reports from 14 Liaison Commissioners? 15 COMMISSIONER MOSER: I have something, 16 Jonathan. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. Tom, go ahead. 18 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Yeah, let's see. Marty 19 Mistretta is back from her reserve duty. So that's 20 good. The other thing is on Friday there's a strategic 21 planning meeting with the Airport and I think that's -- 22 I think all Commissioners and the members of City 23 Council know about that. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Correct. Okay. 25 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: As far as Maintenance 56 1 goes, they put out the slab for that generator. And 2 it's kind of in a -- going to infringe on our 3 handicapped parking for vans. So we may have to tweak 4 some arrangements out there. I don't know what we're 5 going to do yet. But we're going to look at it, so -- 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 7 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: -- so that's to be 8 determined. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Anything else? I don't 10 have any. And we don't have any Executive Session, 11 correct, Jason? 12 MR. SORENSEN: I don't have anything. 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. All right. Well, 14 that being said I think that takes care of it, and we're 15 adjourned. Thank you. 16 COMMISSIONER MOSER: Thank you. 17 * * * * * * 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 57 1 STATE OF TEXAS * 2 COUNTY OF KERR * 3 I, DEBRA ELLEN GIFFORD, Certified Shorthand 4 Reporter in and for the State of Texas, and Official 5 Court Reporter in and for Kerr County, do hereby certify 6 that the above and foregoing pages contain and comprise 7 a true and correct transcription of the proceedings had 8 in the above-entitled Special Commissioners' Court. 9 Dated this the 9th day of October, A.D. 10 2020. 11 12 /s/DEBRA ELLEN GIFFORD Certified Shorthand Reporter 13 No. 953 Expiration Date 04/31/2021 14 * * * * * * 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25