1 1 2 3 KERR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' COURT 4 Regular Session 5 Monday, August 28, 2023 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: ROB KELLY, Kerr County Judge HARLEY BELEW, Commissioner Precinct 1 24 RICH PACES, Commissioner Precinct 2 JONATHAN LETZ, Commissioner Precinct 3 25 DON HARRIS, Commissioner Precinct 4 2 1 I-N-D-E-X 2 NO. PAGE 3 *** Commissioner's Comments. 7 4 1.1 Information and update on extreme drought 10 conditions. 5 1.2 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 19 6 action on request from Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District to place Drought 7 Awareness banners on the fences at the Hill Country Youth Event Center and the Kerr County 8 Road & Bridge Department, as well as yard signs in the courthouse lawn. 9 1.3 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 23 10 action to rescind Court Order No. 40066 approving the purchase of two Dodge Ram 11 pickups for the Environmental Health and Animal Control Services Department. 12 1.4 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 24 13 action to ratify and confirm the Open-End (Equity) Lease Rate Quote for two 2024 14 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickups for the Environmental Health and Animal Services 15 Department. 16 1.5 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 24 action to authorize Animal Services Director 17 to change adoption fees to $80.00 for dogs and $55.00 for cats. Current fees are $50.00 18 for each. 19 1.6 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 27 action regarding the Alara Creative monthly 20 maintenance fee for expenses related to the maintenance of the Kerr County website. 21 1.32 Update regarding the Hill Country Regional 28 22 Public Defender's Office. 23 1.33 Consider, discuss, and take appropriate 30 action to approve the Interlocal Cooperation 24 Agreement between Counties and Cities Associated with Operation Lone Star for Law 25 Enforcement Services to include Kerr County Sheriff's Office. 3 1 I-N-D-E-X 2 NO. PAGE 3 1.34 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 32 action to approve a two-year agreement 4 beginning October 1, 2023 between the Kerr County Sheriff's Office and Ben E. Keith 5 Food Distributors, who is under contract to provide equipment, products or services to 6 Sourcewell participating entities that access Sourcewell's cooperative purchasing contracts. 7 1.7 Consider, discuss, and take appropriate 33 8 action on request from residents to close Limestone Ridge in Kerrville Country Estates 9 on Monday, April 8, 2024 from 4:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for a block party. 10 1.8 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 38 11 action regarding any changes to the proposed Kerr County budget. 12 1.9 Public Hearing on proposed Kerr County 47 13 Budget for FY 2023-2024. 14 1.10 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 63 action to adopt the Elected Officials 15 Salaries. 16 1.11 Consider, discuss, and take appropriate 65 action on request from appointed and elected 17 officials to appoint clerks and assistants for their offices pursuant to Local 18 Government Code Chapter 151. 19 1.12 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 66 action to approve FY 2023-2024 Kerr County 20 wage adjustment. 21 1.13 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 79 action to approve the grade and step 22 schedule for FY 2023-2024. 23 1.14 Consider, discuss, and take appropriate 81 action to adopt the Position Schedule. 24 25 4 1 I-N-D-E-X 2 NO. PAGE 3 1.15 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 85 action to accept the order setting the 4 salaries for the County Auditor and Assistant County Auditors pursuant to Texas Government 5 Code Section 152.031, and that the effective date be October 1, 2023. 6 1.16 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 92 7 action to accept the order setting the salaries for the 198th District Court 8 Reporter and 216th District Court Reporter. 9 1.17 Passed. 10 1.18 Passed. 11 1.19 Passed. 12 1.20 Passed. 13 1.21 Passed. 14 1.22 Passed. 15 1.23 Passed. 16 1.24 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 109 action regarding the optional $1.50 child 17 safety fee and the optional $10.00 County Road & Bridge fee for 2023 vehicle 18 registration per request from Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, and authorize 19 the Tax Assessor Collector to submit the approval to the Texas Department of Motor 20 Vehicles. 21 1.25 Public Hearing for a revision of plat for 112 Theodore and Dorothea Oehler Estate 22 Subdivision Tract 6. 23 1.26 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 112 action regarding a revision of plat for 24 Theodore and Dorothea Oehler Estate Subdivision Tract 6. 25 5 1 I-N-D-E-X 2 NO. PAGE 3 1.27 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 114 action regarding a developer's request for 4 the Court to accept Cashier's Check #0501979267 from First Citizens Bank in 5 Raleigh, North Carolina in the amount of $45,081.00, as financial guarantee for the 6 remaining construction associated with The Hideout Ranch, and release Bond Number 7 L256051-2131 in the amount of $1,828,024.00. 8 1.28 Consider, discuss, and take appropriate 116 action for the Court to set a public hearing 9 for 10:00 a.m. on October 10, 2023 for a revision of plat for Treasure Hills Ranch 10 Tracts 17R, 19A, and 19B. 11 1.29 Consider, discuss and take action to 118 approve list of surplus items from the 12 Road & Bridge Department. 13 1.30 Consider, discuss and take action to 118 approve an auction agreement with Trey 14 Garrett, Garrett Realty & Auction. Auction date will be October 21, 2023. 15 1.31 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 119 16 action to approve a general contract with Maxey Energy for Fuel Tank Replacements 17 at Road & Bridge Spur 100 Yard. 18 1.35 Consider, discuss, and take appropriate 124 action to approve the quote presented by CML 19 Security to replace the existing house card access control system with a Vicon card 20 access control system. 21 1.36 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 125 action to approve the expenditure to 22 Guardian Security Solutions for security enhancement, operational efficiency, and 23 public safety by completing the following five projects: Courthouse Project #11426, 24 Annex Project #11414, Earl Garrett Project #11573, Cameras at Courthouse Project 25 #11577, and Courthouse Badge Printer Project #11577. 6 1 I-N-D-E-X 2 NO. PAGE 3 1.37 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 128 action to approve an Employee Funded 4 Supplemental offered by SWBC, Hospital Indemnity. 5 2.1 Budget Amendments. 130 6 2.2 Pay Bills. 130 7 2.5 Monthly reports. 131 8 2.6 Court Orders. 132 9 3.1 Status reports from Department Heads. 132 10 3.2 Status reports from Elected Officials. 135 11 1.18 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 145 12 action to take a record vote on the proposed 2023 Kerr County tax rate. 13 1.19 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 149 14 action to set the date and time to hold a public hearing for the 2023 tax rate for 15 Kerr County and Lateral Roads. 16 1.20 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 151 action to set the date and time for adoption 17 of the 2023 tax rate for Kerr County and Lateral Roads. 18 1.21 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 153 19 action to take a record vote on the proposed 2023 Lake Ingram Estates Road District 20 tax rate. 21 1.22 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 154 action to set the date and time to hold a 22 public hearing for the 2023 tax rate for Lake Ingram Estates Road District. 23 1.23 Consider, discuss and take appropriate 154 24 action to set the date and time for the adoption of the 2023 tax rate for Lake 25 Ingram Estates Road District. 7 1 JUDGE KELLY: Court will come to order. It 2 is Monday, August the 28th, 2023. It's 9 o'clock in the 3 morning and the Kerr County Commissioners' Court is now 4 in session. If you would, please rise for the prayer 5 and pledge, which will be led by Commissioner Belew. 6 (Prayer and pledge.) 7 JUDGE KELLY: Please be seated. I'm going 8 to ask everyone to turn your phones off or to vibrate so 9 they don't interrupt the proceedings. And the first 10 order of business would be public input. We may have a 11 crowd today. I don't know how many people are going to 12 talk to us. But if you would try to keep your remarks 13 limited to three minute or less. And this will be -- 14 everybody will speak from the podium. Do we have 15 anybody for public input? 16 MRS. DOWDY: It looks like everything has 17 been filed for items on the agenda and if I'm wrong, 18 somebody needs to let me know. 19 JUDGE KELLY: If the item is on the agenda, 20 we ask that you wait until your agenda item is called 21 and address it at that time. So with that, we'll move 22 on to the Commissioners' Comments. Precinct 1. 23 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Sure looked like it was 24 going to rain yesterday. I could smell it. Somebody 25 got it somewhere, so God bless them if they did. 8 1 COMMISSIONER PACES: We didn't. 2 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. 3 COMMISSIONER PACES: That's it? 4 COMMISSIONER BELEW: That's all I got. 5 COMMISSIONER PACES: Well, we got a few 6 drops and barely wet the surface, but didn't last. So 7 obviously, the burn ban remains in effect, actually for 8 all the precincts. Be careful out there. We're 9 getting -- the fire departments had a number of fires to 10 respond to. And we are, of course, in drought stage 11 four. So we're having to scratch our heads where we get 12 the water to fight the fires. 13 All right. Center Point sewer project. 14 Very little work has progressed. Very disappointing 15 that we still don't have Lift Station H connected. 16 Powered up. Hopefully that will happen this week. 17 Okay. Well, some of you may be aware we had 18 a very successful election integrity town hall meeting 19 on the 22nd. Last Tuesday. We had Senator Bob Hall, 20 Tina Peters, Mark Cook, Dr. Walter Dougherty, Captain 21 Seth Keshel, Lori Gallagher, and Jarrett Woodward. And, 22 of course, we also gave a demonstration of the 23 Chapter 65 hand count method. 24 We had three hundred people or so in 25 attendance. And out of those, 89 new folks signed up to 9 1 volunteer to hand count on election day. So that brings 2 our total number of volunteers so far to about 400. So 3 it would make sense to try hand counting ballots on 4 November 7th for the constitutional amendment election. 5 The turnout is expected to be much lower than the 6 general election and only 14 propositions to count. 7 It'll be much easier and go a lot faster, so it 8 represents a great opportunity to relearn hand counting 9 without the pressure of a big presidential election. 10 And, of course, anybody who missed the event can watch 11 it. It was recorded. Just send me an e-mail and I'll 12 forward you a link. 13 Also, I did raise some questions for the 14 Secretary of State election staff, and I got some 15 answers on Friday. So that was good. Otherwise, just 16 heard an awful lot of complaints, feedback from 17 constituents about the budget and the tax increase. And 18 except for one, they were all pretty opposed to what 19 we're planning to do today. So it's a quandary, but 20 anyway. That's it for me. 21 JUDGE KELLY: Three. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Just need rain. Very 23 dry. That's it. 24 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: That's it? I dumped 25 some dust out of our rain gauge out here this morning. 10 1 Yeah, it -- like Harley, it was all around us yesterday. 2 I was watching the radar, and it looked like the 3 eyeball, we missed it. That's all I got. 4 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Before we go into the 5 Consideration Agenda, if you look over it, you're going 6 to see that there are 24 timed items. And what that 7 means, folks, is we have to take those items as close to 8 that time as we possibly can. And so this is going to 9 be one of those days where the agenda gets all jumbled 10 up because we're going to have to move around to try to 11 take care of these timed items. I just want to let -- 12 want everybody to know that. 13 So we'll start with item 1.1, which is 14 information and update on extreme drought conditions. 15 Commissioner Harris. 16 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah, I wanted to put 17 this on the agenda to bring awareness to the situation 18 we're in. And it's dark in my opinion, and I invited a 19 couple people in here to talk to help give us a little 20 awareness. One from a historical standpoint, and then I 21 have Headwaters here to just kinda go over Stage 4 22 again. And -- and Aubrey Henderson from the historical 23 standpoint, this guy, he knows -- he's born and raised 24 here on Johnson Creek. He knows the situation over the 25 years. He can relate. The information -- I don't want 11 1 to steal his thunder, but anyway. Who wants to start 2 out? You guys want to talk, I know. Aubrey, thank you. 3 MR. HENDERSON: I'll be brief. I'm Aubrey 4 Henderson. My family come here in 1857. So we've been 5 here awhile. We've seen the droughts. We've seen the 6 floods. And Judge Kelly, before we talked about flood. 7 So here we are again, now we're talking about the 8 drought. But anyway. 9 In the 1930's there was a severe drought. 10 We'll move on to '51 through '57, Jonathan knows and we 11 talked about that earlier. It was a severe drought and 12 the water at Ingram to -- the Guadalupe River from 13 Ingram to Hunt, you could walk. There were just puddles 14 of water. We're not there yet but we're close. East 15 Kerr County, already there. No water flowing. Center 16 Point, no water. I'm hauling water to Center Point. So 17 I know it's no fun hauling water. 18 So anyway, going on further back up west 19 into Kerr County at Mo Ranch. Good friend of mine just 20 drilled a brand new well. It was $50,000. He is 21 pulling a half a gallon in the lower Trinity. Not the 22 upper, the lower Trinity. We always talk Trinity -- oh, 23 you're in the Trinity. You have an ocean of water. You 24 have nothing. The well drillers are now saying that the 25 Trinity is in trouble. 12 1 We are in a drought that we have never seen 2 before. If it does not rain in 60 days, by November the 3 1st -- Jonathan, you know what I'm talking about because 4 you live here. You know what I'm talking about. We 5 will see things in Kerr County and all the other 6 counties around here that are our neighbors, but you 7 will see things that you have never seen before. I have 8 not witnessed it. 9 I asked Jonathan awhile ago, have you ever 10 seen the water as low as it is? I have never seen it 11 like that. Johnson Creek, where I live, still running. 12 But in the 50's, the Guadalupe River quit running. 13 Johnson Creek, with the big spring at Bethesda, which is 14 up by the game and fish place, that place there, the 15 State of Texas owns that spring. That never quit 16 running. But in the 50's, Kerr County only had seven to 17 nine thousand people. Right now, Don, I think you said 18 the other day 53. 19 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah. 20 MR. HENDERSON: But we don't really know, 21 53 to 60 thousand people, who knows, trying to get 22 water. And there was a saying a long time ago, Judge, 23 when the cattle arrives from south Texas to Dodge City, 24 I'll buy you a drink of whiskey but we'll fight over 25 water. We don't want to get to that point. You know. 13 1 We don't want to be down at the AG barn, the tankers' 2 giving people water. So we've got to conserve now. So 3 that's kinda just -- I don't want to speak a long time, 4 'cuz I could, but that's just the brief history of west 5 Kerr. We are keepers of the water. There's a point at 6 Garven Store, the water goes to the Frio, the water goes 7 to the South Llano that feeds to the Llano and into 8 Austin. The other water comes our way. So that table 9 is -- there's only so much water out there. So anyway. 10 I think it's a big concern for Kerr County right now. 11 Thank you. 12 JUDGE KELLY: Thank you. 13 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Aubrey, thank you -- 14 MR. HENDERSON: Thank you. 15 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: -- for taking time out 16 of your day. 17 MR. JONES: Gentlemen, I'm Tom Jones with 18 Headwaters. And for some reason I feel younger when you 19 said he was speaking on historical. So thank y'all. 20 MR. HENDERSON: Yeah. 21 MR. JONES: I gave y'all -- if you don't 22 mind -- a small handout that Monica had put together for 23 us. And no matter what we show you in this, it comes 24 down to what he said. 25 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. 14 1 MR. JONES: It doesn't matter what we show 2 you scientifically or anything else, it all comes down 3 to the fact that they're stopping, the water is stopping 4 to some degree. And if we don't get rain, like he said, 5 it's going to get even worse. 6 But this shows you on the front page some of 7 the mitigating factors on why we declared drought Stage 8 4. The things we include. The reason that we had a 9 difference of opinion the way the City was operating 10 versus what we do. Because we looked at the index, the 11 river flow, and the aquifers. And a combination 12 thereof. And we -- Gene did an excellent job of putting 13 together this list on the front of that page that shows 14 all of this. We are not showing that we're going to be 15 getting out of this anytime soon. 16 NOAA has a new drought map out that now 17 classifies Kerr County in the severe category they can 18 create and now it's the entire county. A week ago it 19 was two-thirds of the county. And it's now increased to 20 encompass the entire county. That -- and that's showing 21 nothing new in sight. Okay. 22 On that front page, if you'll look 23 Gillespie has even gone -- or every place I've ever even 24 considered before, and they're looking at a ground water 25 depletion Area 1 declared. Now, one of the first things 15 1 I learned over at Headwaters is we don't use the word 2 depletion, right? Because when you do that, it scares 3 people. But depletion is a pretty serious word. And 4 that's on that Ellenberg. So it's -- it's not just us, 5 it's our entire surrounding counties around us. Every 6 county, Stage 4, Stage 5. They're all very critical. 7 Every one of them is -- is praying like we are. You've 8 got probably the most prayerful area in the state of 9 Texas right now and the counties that surround us, and 10 that's all we can do at this point. And do our part 11 towards conservation. 12 We have got to be strong on conservation 13 right now. If we're not, we are going to be in a 14 serious place. I think we can help prevent it if we 15 slow things down on uses. But unless we're willing to 16 do that, we're going to be in a lot of trouble. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I have a question. 18 MR. JONES: Yes, Sir. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Are the drought stages 20 the same everywhere? I mean -- 21 MR. JONES: No. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So every entity creates 23 its own system? 24 MR. JONES: Pretty much. Yes, sir. They're 25 given that authority. If it's through -- if it's 16 1 through a groundwater, they're given that authority in 2 Chapter 36 to create their own drought contingency plan 3 and cities generally have their own. Depending on how 4 they are supplied their water. But it's different in 5 every one. Drought Stage 3 in Beaumont. I noticed the 6 other day they declared Drought Stage 3, and their 7 Drought Stage 3 is worse than our 4. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It would be nice if 9 everyone would use the same system. 10 MR. JONES: I would agree with that. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It's just -- just -- 12 JUDGE KELLY: Use a more centralized power 13 in Austin. 14 MR. JONES: Yeah. And some people have a 15 drought Stage 5 and 6. We do not. We stop at 4. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Thank you. 17 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, some of it has to 18 do with how long an area -- we're in a city area, 19 period. We can't go as long without rain as, say, 20 Houston and East Texas. 21 MR. JONES: Right. Yeah. 22 COMMISSIONER BELEW: You know, they can go 23 longer without rain than we can. It means something to 24 us right away. 25 COMMISSIONER PACES: Our problem is 17 1 development. We keep growing, we keep developing, we 2 keep drilling more wells and we're depleting our aquifer 3 at a much faster rate than we were 10, 20 years ago. 4 MR. JONES: Yeah. I didn't print the whole 5 map on that -- that NOAH map, but if you'll look, even 6 that area Harley's referring to, they're in -- they're 7 in the same drought area we are. You gotta remember. 8 They're -- they're different than us. You think they 9 have a lot of water. If they pump their water, they 10 have subsiding(phonetic), so they -- they start sinking. 11 They literally can't -- so they hit a drought, they have 12 to shut it down. 13 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: How high -- and I'll 14 relate it to you and Aubrey just a minute ago, and 15 Monica a little bit ago -- my wife and I took a little 16 boat out and spent a couple hours off fishing about a 17 month ago. We put in that ramp by the lake house. It's 18 one thing driving over that bridge and looking down. 19 You pull into that boat ramp. It takes your breath 20 away. 21 MR. JONES: Yes, sir. 22 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: We fished that. It's 23 down, I'd say, four to five foot now. Where'd that 24 water go? 25 MR. JONES: Yeah. Yeah. I had a -- the 18 1 lady at the City Council meeting last Tuesday night and 2 she swims that lake every day and she said she had to 3 get somebody to pull her out because she couldn't climb 4 out of it because of all the mud. It's -- it's bad. 5 It's real bad, so -- 6 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: And the City's on 7 board with y'all now as far as Stage 4? 8 MR. JONES: They are. Yes. They -- and 9 reasonably, that's -- that's a very unique system. They 10 use usage against capacity as a measure to determine 11 their drought stage. Well, all you have to do is 12 increase your capacity and put in two or three more 13 pumps and you'll never get out of the drought stage. 14 You'll stay in the drought stage. And they don't look 15 at availability. And that's what we look at. 16 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Sure. 17 MR. JONES: So it's good. You know, I think 18 we're going to work together fine. 19 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Good. Thank you. 20 MR. JONES: Okay. Thank you. 21 JUDGE KELLY: Thank you. 22 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, I want to say one 23 thing. I got a call last week from the folks at Mini 24 Mart. And there are people that buy their water, they 25 fill up big tanks, because they have wells that have 19 1 gone dry. Aqua Texas told the Mini Mart folks they 2 can't sell that water that way anymore. So got on the 3 phone and started trying to find ways to either pump 4 water someplace or find water. Found out that the First 5 Baptist Church over here on Washington Street will bring 6 people big tanks of water if they don't have the means 7 by which to move it themselves. So Fredericksburg doing 8 the same thing for people who had wells that went dry. 9 With City water. 10 But they -- some people can go and pick it 11 up at the City yard here if you have a tank for it and 12 if you got a dry well. But if you don't have the means, 13 you call them at the First Baptist Church and talk to 14 Chad over there and they will bring you water. So 15 that's what it may come to, not just the First Baptist 16 Church over here, but a whole bunch of different 17 organizations and people and folks outside our county 18 bringing water here if we need it. So if it's that 19 critical for a lot of your neighbors, just consider that 20 before you water your grass. Please. 21 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Moving on to Item 1.2 22 consider, discuss and take appropriate action on request 23 from Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District to 24 place Drought Awareness banners on the fences at the 25 Hill Country Youth Event Center and the Kerr County Road 20 1 & Bridge Department, as well as yard signs in the 2 courthouse lawn. 3 COMMISSIONER PACES: I move for approval. 4 MS. THIBODEAUX: Okay. I'll just sit down. 5 COMMISSIONER BELEW: No, we want to hear 6 from you. 7 MS. THIBODEAUX: Okay. 8 COMMISSIONER PACES: No doubt in my mind 9 where it's going though. 10 MS. THIBODEAUX: Okay. 11 JUDGE KELLY: Please state your name so the 12 Court and public knows who you are. 13 MS. THIBODEAUX: Yes, sir. My name is 14 Monica Thibodeaux. I'm the assistant general manager of 15 the Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District. And I 16 know Tom has spoken about drought. I'm up here to talk 17 about the communications of it. We are requesting your 18 assistance with some ways to get the message out there 19 for the use of your fences at the Road & Bridge Office 20 and the AG barn, as well as here in center stage and the 21 middle of Kerrville with some yard signs. 22 We worked -- we've got Hunt ISD helping us. 23 We've got Ingram ISD helping us. Mini Mart has 24 graciously offered us the use of what little grass they 25 have to put up yard signs. Actually kind of difficult 21 1 to get them in the ground -- 2 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. 3 MS. THIBODEAUX: -- but we did it. We've -- 4 we're getting awareness out there. We've got it on our 5 website but we need all the help we can get. So we 6 would like your assistance if it is possible. 7 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, I want to second 8 the motion and add that I'd like for them to have the 9 corner out here that we give to people for -- 10 COMMISSIONER PACES: Sure. 11 COMMISSIONER BELEW: -- for these kind of 12 signs. 13 COMMISSIONER PACES: Whatever they want. 14 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: If they have an 15 appropriate banner or sign -- signage for that. 16 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Right here on this -- 17 on this corner right out here at -- 18 MS. THIBODEAUX: I'm thinking -- 19 COMMISSIONER BELEW: -- Sidney Baker and -- 20 MS. THIBODEAUX: -- both sides -- 21 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. 22 COMMISSIONER PACES: Sure. 23 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Okay. 24 MS. THIBODEAUX: -- of Sidney Baker and 25 Junction Highway. I'll make them as big as you'll let 22 1 me. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, I'll just comment. 3 As I drove by today, there's banners across from the 4 AG barn, that Little League field, and that fence blew 5 over. 6 COMMISSIONER PACES: It's blowing over. 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Or is blowing over. 8 It's at about a 45 degree angle right now. So we need 9 to be careful how big they are and how strong the posts 10 are on the fence where you put them. 11 MS. THIBODEAUX: Okay. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I mean, there ought to 13 be places where we can do it but just be aware of wind. 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, are you having 15 them done professionally? 16 MS. THIBODEAUX: Yes. 17 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Okay. 18 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: And I know a lot of 19 them they'll put those "U-cuts" in them. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah, so the air can go 21 through them. 22 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: You know what I'm 23 talking about? 24 MS. THIBODEAUX: Uh-huh. 25 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Okay. That would sure 23 1 help the one on our fence. 2 MS. THIBODEAUX: Okay. I'll work that in. 3 JUDGE KELLY: Thank you. Oh, we need -- we 4 got a motion and a second. We need to vote. Those in 5 favor say aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. 6 MS. THIBODEAUX: Thank you. 7 JUDGE KELLY: Next item is 1.3 consider, 8 discuss and take appropriate action to rescind Court 9 Order No. 40066, approving the purchase of two Dodge Ram 10 pickups for the Environmental Health and Animal Control 11 Services department. Reagan Givens. 12 MR. GIVENS: Good morning. I just got word, 13 I guess it was last week really, that they're not taking 14 any orders for Dodges at the time that we thought they 15 were. So that -- that would be the next item what we 16 need to do. 17 JUDGE KELLY: Is there -- we need to take 18 action to rescind the order? 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. They had to get 20 an order to buy them. I guess we have to rescind. 21 We're not buying them. So, so move. 22 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 23 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 24 rescind the purchase orders for the two Dodge Ram 25 pickups for the Environmental Health and Animal Control 24 1 Services Department. Any discussion? Those in favor 2 say aye. Opposed? There being none, motion carries. 3 Item 1.4 consider, discuss and take 4 appropriate action to ratify and confirm the Open-End 5 Lease Rate Quote for the two 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 6 1500 pickups for the Environment Health and Animal 7 Services Department. 8 MR. GIVENS: Yes, sir. This is a 9 continuation of the last item. It's just we can get 10 Chevys right now. They're a little bit cheaper. And my 11 apologies, I thought I had my paperwork with me but I 12 don't and I don't know the exact numbers but they are -- 13 they're a little bit cheaper than the Dodges were. 14 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I move for approval. 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Second. 17 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 18 approve or to ratify and confirm -- because we've 19 already done it, this is the forgiveness part -- an 20 open-end lease rate quote for the two 2024 Chevrolet 21 Silverado 1500 pickups as presented. Any discussion? 22 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: This day in age it's 23 harder to stick with the brand that you like. 24 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Those in favor say aye. 25 Opposed? Motion carries. 25 1 Moving on to Item 1.5 consider, discuss and 2 take appropriate action to authorize Animal Services 3 Director to change adoption fees to $80.00 for dogs and 4 $55.00 for cats. Current fees are $50.00 for each. 5 Reagan Givens. 6 MR. GIVENS: Yes, so this has been kind of a 7 long conversation that we've had in our advisory board, 8 which it was pretty much unanimous or was unanimous, 9 that everybody decided that we should probably raise 10 those fees a little bit. 11 COMMISSIONER BELEW: What's the purpose, 12 Reagan? 13 MR. GIVENS: Well, you know, number one, 14 you're looking at our voucher basically. This goes 15 to -- Nicole, could you come in here, please? I believe 16 it's five -- I believe it's five -- 17 MS. GOLDEN: Out of the $50.00 adoption 18 fee -- 19 (Going to podium.) 20 MS. GOLDEN: Out of the $50.00 adoption fee 21 that we currently have, $40.00 of it actually goes to 22 the vets' offices, 35 is to help cover the cost of the 23 sterilization, which is spaying and neutering, and then 24 $5.00 goes to the rabies vaccine, $10.00 stays in-house 25 at our facility. Five of that is for the City/County 26 1 registration which is required by law, and then the 2 other $5.00 is for the microchip which is implanted at 3 the time of the adoption. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So the bottom line is, 5 the cost is -- vets don't want to -- aren't going to do 6 it for $35.00 -- 7 MR. GIVENS: Right. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- so we need to raise 9 the fee. The County's not getting any more money, it's 10 going to the vets to get -- pay neutering and still it's 11 a bargain based on what local vets are charging to spay 12 and neuter. So it's a good deal. 13 MR. GIVENS: It will help a little bit. 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: It's a good opportunity 15 to say everything's going up. Everything. 16 MR. GIVENS: This is also a little more in 17 line, too, with what other counties are doing as well. 18 We were lower than -- than most everywhere. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I move for approval. 20 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Second. 21 COMMISSIONER PACES: The only question I 22 have, Reagan, do we do this for every one of these dogs 23 and cats or do we -- do we wait until somebody has said 24 I want them? 25 MR. GIVENS: No, we -- this is whenever 27 1 somebody adopts them, yes. 2 COMMISSIONER PACES: Okay. That's good. 3 JUDGE KELLY: So we have a motion and a 4 second to approve the change in adoption fees as 5 presented. Any discussion? Those in favor say aye. 6 Opposed? Motion carries. 7 Next item is 1.6 consider, discuss and take 8 appropriate action regarding the Alara Creative monthly 9 maintenance fee for expenses related to the maintenance 10 of the Kerr County website. Commissioner Harris. 11 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah, I was going to 12 have Quinn Mars come in and speak to this but -- is 13 Bruce here? Bruce, you want to step up? Bruce and I 14 corresponded on this last week. And I think Quinn 15 originally started cost three and a half, $350.00 to 16 $400.00 a month maintenance fee, and he said it's going 17 to be about 300 now. Part of that savings is because we 18 have full-time Lisa Walter working, doing a lot of the 19 stuff, taking that on since she's gone full-time from 20 part-time. And so that's a savings there. And then, 21 Bruce, you got a place for that? 22 MR. MOTHERAL: Yes. We've got a place to 23 put it. 24 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Okay. So I move for 25 approval. 28 1 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 2 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 3 approve -- what's the new fee, $300? 4 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: 300. 5 JUDGE KELLY: The new maintenance fee with 6 Alara Creative as presented. Any discussion? Those in 7 favor say aye. Opposed? Motion carries. 8 Okay. It's not quite 9:30 so we're going to 9 switch over and go to item 1.32 on the last page, which 10 is an update regarding the Hill Country Regional Public 11 Defender's Office. Commissioner Letz. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I just wanted to update 13 everybody that I've been talking with Vanessa over 14 there. The Public Defender Office has signed a lease 15 with a pretty large facility in Boerne, and they are 16 going to be moving the majority of their attorneys, like 17 all of their attorneys out of Kerrville and some out of 18 Medina to Boerne. It'll be -- they're going to keep 19 their staff, there clerical and investigators that staff 20 here and they're going to keep a couple offices because 21 the attorneys will be using the facility but may not be 22 a full-time office. There are some of -- I think three 23 of them are part-time here and part-time in Boerne. 24 And the reason for it is primarily they've 25 had a very hard time keeping young attorneys. Most of 29 1 them want to live in the Rim area. So it's -- they feel 2 that it's probably more efficient for them to locate in 3 Boerne rather than have a larger office in -- both in 4 Hondo or here. 5 And the other thing is -- 6 JUDGE KELLY: Go ahead. 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- that those that don't 8 know, John Bull has resigned as Chief, for basically 9 he's going to -- he needs to handle some family 10 business, and the PDO is in the process of putting out 11 for interviews and going through the process of hiring a 12 new chief. 13 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Who's in charge right 14 now? 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, Bull is now. He's 16 still here. But Charlie, the assistant. 17 COMMISSIONER BELEW: They're not going to 18 have an interim? 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think Carly, who's -- 20 will be the interim. She's the Number 2 right now. 21 She'll fill in. They're not going to bring in an 22 interim, no. The office space that they're going to 23 keep at the PDO, they wanted to move down to the first 24 floor on the -- you walk in the doors, on the right 25 side. I said no, I think they need to stay on the 30 1 second floor on the right side. But this will give us 2 the entire first floor and half of the second floor to 3 use for growth and expansion and whatever. So we will 4 put that on a future agenda. 5 They plan to move -- I believe they're going 6 to move September 7th. Anyway, that's just an update 7 where they are. 8 JUDGE KELLY: And the only thing that I 9 would add that -- for people to be aware, the problems 10 we've had -- part of the problems we've had with the PDO 11 have been that we don't have affordable housing in Kerr 12 County. And we hired these lawyers and they can't find 13 a place to live. And that's why a lot of them -- we 14 moved the office -- they have the headquarters of the 15 office in Medina County because it was closer to 16 San Antonio. And now that's -- that's really the issue, 17 is how expensive it is here in Kerr County. 18 Anything else? 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: No, that's it. Just 20 kind of where they are. 21 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Maybe we can squeeze in 22 one more before we start the 9:30 show. 23 1.33 consider, discuss, and take appropriate 24 action to approve the Interlocal Cooperation Agreement 25 between Counties and Cities Associated with Operation 31 1 Lone Star for law enforcement services to include Kerr 2 County Sheriff's office. Captain Waldrip. 3 CAPTAIN WALDRIP: Yes. This is just an 4 additional MOU under the Local Government Code. It 5 allows sheriff's offices and police departments to 6 perform basically as a collective team so we can work 7 hot spot areas throughout our region or our county. 8 This is just another opportunity where the Sheriff's 9 Department and Medina County, Sutton County, Gonzales 10 County, it's just -- we see hot spots as these drug 11 crime related to the border moves from region to region. 12 It just allows us to help each other out when we need 13 to. 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Are you saying that 15 they move around based on where they find resistance? 16 CAPTAIN WALDRIP: Yes. 17 COMMISSIONER BELEW: That's basically what 18 it is? 19 CAPTAIN WALDRIP: Yes. So we'll -- we'll do 20 search operations. We've done them here in this County. 21 And it's us helping each other out. 22 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I move for approval. 23 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 24 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 25 approve the Interlocal Cooperation Agreement between 32 1 Counties and Cities associated with Operation Lone Star 2 as presented. Any discussion? Those in favor say aye. 3 Opposed? Motion carries. 4 Okay. Item 1.34 consider, discuss and take 5 appropriate action to approve a two-year agreement 6 beginning October 1, 2023, between the Kerr County 7 Sheriff's Office and Ben E. Keith Food Distributors, who 8 is under contract to provide equipment, products or 9 services to Sourcewell participating entities that 10 access Sourcewell's cooperative purchasing contracts. 11 Sheriff. 12 SHERIFF LEITHA: Yeah, just looking for the 13 Court's approval to continue to use Ben E. Keith as a 14 Sourcewell provider. 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I move for approval. 16 COMMISSIONER PACES: Second. 17 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and second to 18 approve the renewal of the contract with Ben E. Keith 19 Food Distributors. Any discussion? 20 COMMISSIONER BELEW: How much has the cost 21 gone up in this department? 22 SHERIFF LEITHA: It's actually staying the 23 same as last year. The last year was the big jump. But 24 it's kind of staying the same. 25 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Okay. So pretty 33 1 steady. 2 SHERIFF LEITHA: Yeah. 3 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Got a motion and a 4 second. Any other discussion? All in favor say aye. 5 Opposed? Motion carries. Thank you, Sheriff. 6 Okay. 9:30 docket. Item 1.7 consider, 7 discuss, and take appropriate action on a request from 8 residents to close Limestone Ridge in Kerrville Country 9 Estates on Monday, April the 8th, 2024 from 4:00 a.m. to 10 4:00 p.m. for a block party. Yes, ma'am. 11 MS. GEORGE: Good morning, Members of the 12 Court. And thank you for your time. I'm Janet George 13 and this is my neighbor, David Just, and we live on 14 Limestone Ridge. And we're just asking the Court 15 permission to close our county road, Limestone Ridge, 16 for that time period. It is a cul-de-sac. It's a 17 little less than a mile long. We have seven residents 18 on that road who have -- all have drives on the road and 19 wish to participate. 20 And we're really doing it for safety 21 reasons. We have concerns that the public might come up 22 and want to park on the easement, and then we could 23 conceivably have a problem if someone had an emergency 24 and needed to get out of the area or if we had any 25 service vehicle that needed to come up. So that's why 34 1 we're requesting the closure. 2 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, I move for 3 approval. 4 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Second. 5 COMMISSIONER BELEW: It's a cul-de-sac. 6 Close it off. 7 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. We got a motion and a 8 second. Discussion? 9 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I just don't -- you 10 know, there's not really any reason for anybody being 11 there other than emergency vehicles. And you clear the 12 path for them. 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, I mean, to me it's 14 a precedent issue. I mean every other cul-de-sacs going 15 to want to do it and who's closing it? Is the Road & 16 Bridge involved at all? They're going to actually close 17 the road, Road & Bridge has to go put up barricades. 18 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, every time we 19 have an eclipse we'll have to talk about it. 20 (Laughter.) 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I just don't think 22 that -- I mean, it's a bad precedent. 23 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I understand. I get 24 it. 25 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Is Kelly available? 35 1 You want to come give your two cents on that? Were you 2 listening? 3 MS. HOFFER: Yes. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And just -- while 5 Kelly's walking up there -- never mind. We don't have 6 to do that. I was thinking we have to do a public 7 hearing on it but it's -- no, we don't. 8 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I don't think for that. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. 10 JUDGE KELLY: Miss Hoffer. 11 MS. HOFFER: My biggest concern is that 12 we'll have an influx of everybody wanting to close their 13 road. And as far as barricades, I probably will have 14 enough to help the Sheriff's Department as far as 15 anything like that. So I just am afraid everybody's 16 going to want to close their roads. And I understand 17 why. But those are the concerns that I have. 18 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, they didn't state 19 that in the ask. Are you folks asking for barricades 20 from the County? 21 MS. GEORGE: No, sir. We were planning to 22 just put up a traffic cone and a sign. And the 23 neighbors were on a rotation. They're going to go down 24 and somebody's going to stay with it and make an 25 explanation if somebody comes by. 36 1 MR. JUST: We call it the -- 2 COURT REPORTER: The what? Can you speak 3 up? 4 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Can you speak up, 5 please? 6 MR. JUST: Yeah. I contacted the streets 7 and they didn't have a barricade they would loan out 8 anyway, so we just thought we'd do cones and signs. 9 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I would suggest that 10 people are going to do this anyway. And we can decide 11 that we don't want to vote for it. They're going to do 12 it anyway. 13 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Right. 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: And I would encourage 15 you to do it anyway. Regardless of what we vote on up 16 here. 17 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I agree. 18 COMMISSIONER BELEW: It's your neighborhood. 19 JUDGE KELLY: I wouldn't say that. 20 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, the Judge 21 wouldn't. 22 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I think the Sheriff's 23 Office will be busy with other things anyway. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I don't have any 25 problem. I like that approach a lot better. 37 1 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Okay. Well, then we 2 can just vote against it and y'all can do what you want. 3 How's that? It's a homemade venture anyway, so. 4 JUDGE KELLY: You can't make this stuff up. 5 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah. I wouldn't 6 agree to getting materials from Road & Bridge for this 7 'cuz they're going to need them in other places. So 8 y'all kinda -- just take the bull by the horns. 9 JUDGE KELLY: Well, the eclipse on the 8th 10 is going to be manageable. The one in the spring is 11 going to be chaos. 12 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So this is -- 13 JUDGE KELLY: This is the one they're 14 talking about. 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: This is the biggie. 16 COMMISSIONER PACES: This is the big one. 17 JUDGE KELLY: Well, people are going to be 18 everywhere anyway. 19 COMMISSIONER PACES: Well, whether they're 20 successful in keeping them out is a whole different 21 issue. But that's -- 22 COMMISSIONER BELEW: You can -- you can put 23 a sign out like they are or you can sit on your porch 24 with a shotgun. So I'd rather them put a little sign 25 out there. 38 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I'm good with the sign. 2 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. 3 JUDGE KELLY: Do you withdraw your motion? 4 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I withdraw my motion. 5 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: But I want to make 6 clear that -- you know, there's a lot -- I'll say this. 7 We're talking about a cul-de-sac. You can't be doing 8 that on through streets and stuff. 9 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. 10 JUDGE KELLY: But a mile long cul-de-sac is 11 a long cul-de-sac. Okay. We'll pass on that item. 12 Thank you very much. 13 MS. GEORGE: Thank you. 14 JUDGE KELLY: The next item, timed item at 15 9:30, is 1.8 consider, discuss and take appropriate 16 action regarding any changes to the proposed Kerr County 17 budget. Miss Shelton. 18 MRS. SHELTON: Yes. From the last budget 19 that was before y'all, today's budget shows estimated 20 property taxes of 31.8 million, non-taxable revenues of 21 23.3 million. Total expenditures are approximately 62.7 22 million. Estimated expenditures over revenue are 23 approximately 7.6 million, which basically means we're 24 projecting to spend savings to pay for 1.5 million of 25 Road & Bridge expenses, 5.6 million for Animal Control 39 1 facility, and 500,000 for other capital projects. 2 The property rate is -- that we're looking 3 at today that we're going to talk about is 43 cents 4 and -- 5 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Will you repeat that, 6 please? 7 MRS. SHELTON: It's 43 cents and it is 8 expected to bring in the percentage of expenditures in 9 the fund balance to 26.2 percent. The minimum is 25 10 percent. Expenditures being funded by the property tax 11 increase include the animal shelter -- Animal Control 12 shelter debt, the new debt of IT, Road & Bridge 13 equipment, and volunteer fire department's boat, the 14 Sheriff's Office and jail operating expenses, election 15 year expenses, fire protection, new staff moving from 16 Step 1 to Step 3, and full-time -- and part-time to 17 full-time in the current budget year for vet services 18 and the Public Information Officer, and a five percent 19 adjustment for all staff. 20 Expenditures that were increased from the 21 proposed budget talked about last time were $575,000. 22 And that's mainly due to the lawsuit that we filed 23 against the County. Other changes include health/dental 24 insurance projection updates, and adding $500.00 back to 25 the training budget of Constable Precinct 3. Revenues 40 1 that were increased from last time, we did go in and 2 look at the projection for sales tax revenues and we 3 increased it by 100,000. 4 COMMISSIONER PACES: Tanya, do you have a 5 new summary sheet for us? 6 MRS. SHELTON: It's heading your way. 7 COMMISSIONER PACES: I was getting ready to 8 ask for it. 9 MRS. SHELTON: One thing to think about in 10 this is what's not listed and what the current rate pay 11 for is the one million dollars approximately in salaries 12 and payroll related expenditures for the Road & Bridge 13 incentive and the Sheriff's Office incentive. And we 14 will have to plan on those being paid for by general 15 fund and the Road & Bridge fund. And once the ARPA fund 16 are put -- you know, exhausted. And so that's -- we're 17 looking at probably one to two more years of being able 18 to use those funds. 19 As stated earlier in the budget process, one 20 cent of property taxes is approximately 500,000 and 21 changes the fund balance by one percent. 22 COMMISSIONER PACES: So the revenue went up 23 primarily. There's been a change with the appraisal 24 district and the appraised property value, 25 MRS. SHELTON: Thank you. Yes. This is 41 1 based on the projection as of one day last week, I 2 believe, or could have been like the Friday of the week 3 before, where the -- is where we're at right now. As 4 far as the fair market values that are no longer under 5 appraisal review, board review. 6 COMMISSIONER PACES: Well, I'll tell ya. 7 I've been hearing all kind of complaints about how much 8 property values have gone up. I'm thinking we need to 9 bring the Appraisal District and the Appraisal Board in 10 here for a bit of an education and explanation for us. 11 JUDGE KELLY: Well, the education is they 12 don't report to us. 13 COMMISSIONER PACES: I know but we can ask. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: The issue -- but I can 15 just say the issue is, I'm sure do it, because I know -- 16 it's the Comptroller that does it. 17 JUDGE KELLY: Yeah. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And Kendall County has a 19 lot higher increases than Kerr County and it's across 20 the board and the reason was -- and what's happened was, 21 the Comptroller said if you don't get your values up 22 we're coming in and taking over your appraisal district. 23 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah. And they have 24 that in other places. 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And so, you know, 42 1 there's still -- they're still doing that in Kendall 2 County. But it's -- the appraisal district is between a 3 rock and a hard place. And if the Comptroller then 4 comes in and keeps saying you've gotta raise your rates 5 because your values too low. But I don't -- you know, 6 it's a -- we have a strange process. And I think -- 7 JUDGE KELLY: We've -- 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- Harley said it this 9 morning. 10 JUDGE KELLY: -- we've invited them to come. 11 Sharon Constantinides has come, and she's been very, 12 very forthcoming and helpful. But she answers to the 13 Comptroller. 14 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Along what Jonathan 15 was saying is -- I don't know if it was three, four 16 years ago -- they came down from the Comptroller's 17 Office and met with the City headquarters over here, and 18 I went and they basically said that Texas land values 19 are undervalued. Now whether you believe that or not, 20 that's their -- their thinking and why it's not just us, 21 it's across the State, they're pushing to get land 22 values up. 23 JUDGE KELLY: That's why all of California 24 is moving here, isn't it? 25 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well, we got some 43 1 representatives here. But they came here for the right 2 reasons. They're refugees. So anyway. That's the push 3 from the State to get -- I wish they'd get -- their 4 title didn't start out Kerr County Appraisal District. 5 People think we're tied with it and we're not. They're 6 a separate deal and, you know, that's why we've been 7 able -- 8 JUDGE KELLY: If -- if we could do 9 something, we would. 10 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah. 11 JUDGE KELLY: But we can't. 12 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: That's why we've gone 13 with the no new revenue rate the last three years, which 14 is what we can do and have done. So -- 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Tanya, a question. What 16 tax rate is this -- is the new sheet based on? 17 MRS. SHELTON: It's 43 cents. 18 COMMISSIONER PACES: So that's gone up from 19 the last time we looked at this. 20 JUDGE KELLY: We put a half million dollars 21 in the budget in anticipation of the attorney's fees 22 that we're paying in this Twin Creeks litigation. It is 23 enormous. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But the -- so the 25 reason -- the reason the revenue went up almost 800,000 44 1 is because the tax rate went up? 2 MRS. SHELTON: Correct. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: That answers the 4 question. 5 COMMISSIONER PACES: It wasn't -- okay. So 6 their numbers didn't really change significantly, it's 7 just because we raised our tax rate? I mean, compared 8 to the no new revenue, now we're looking at an 18 9 percent tax increase. Is that correct? 10 MRS. SHELTON: It is 17 -- rounded 1748. 11 COMMISSIONER PACES: 1748. 12 MRS. SHELTON: This does use -- just also 13 about seven cents of the increment rate that had been 14 saved over the past three years from going with the 15 no new revenue rate. So the way the Tax Code or laws 16 read now is that we can save those rates that we do not 17 go up to use in the future year. And you can do this 18 for three years. 19 JUDGE KELLY: And that's what we did the 20 last three years. 21 MRS. SHELTON: Yes. 22 JUDGE KELLY: By law we were limited to 23 increasing it a maximum of three and a half percent? 24 MRS. SHELTON: Correct. 25 JUDGE KELLY: And we've banked I think 10.5 45 1 for the three years. 2 MRS. SHELTON: It shows us 8.5 I believe on 3 the previous taxation -- 4 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. 5 MRS. SHELTON: -- for the increment rate. 6 This will leave us about a cent for next year's leftover 7 from that. 8 COMMISSIONER PACES: And Tonya, just for the 9 benefit of the public, I mean how much of this tax rate 10 increase is associated with Proposition C and the new 11 Animal Control shelter? 12 MRS. SHELTON: Well, the tax rate is -- it 13 would be -- it's the one cent. 14 COMMISSIONER PACES: Is it one or two? 15 MRS. SHELTON: Because only the debt is 16 what's being used to pay off the Animal Control 17 facility. So the new debt was about one cent. 18 JUDGE KELLY: But we don't have any choice 19 on that. 20 COMMISSIONER PACES: I know. 21 MRS. SHELTON: We do not. And another cent 22 of this -- 23 COMMISSIONER PACES: But it's a higher chuck 24 of it, though. 25 MRS. SHELTON: -- was the new debt that we 46 1 projected where we moved -- we're moving things and 2 going to take out a tax anticipation note to cover the 3 Road & Bridge capitol request this year. Among other 4 stuff. So that was about another cent. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I mean, the problem we 6 have as I see it -- I mean, I -- to me there's room to 7 lower it slightly, you know not substantially, but next 8 year does not look good. I mean because as we go down 9 the road, we're using ARPA funds for part of these 10 salary increases and at some point the ARPA funds are 11 going to run out and we've gotta be -- 12 COMMISSIONER PACES: Well, do we need to 13 reconsider the salary increases then? This is going to 14 kill a lot of people. We're making it unaffordable -- 15 we were just complaining about how unaffordable housing 16 is here and we're making it worse. Quite a bit. 17 JUDGE KELLY: That's the plan to me. That's 18 what happened to us. We priced ourselves out of the 19 market. We have an action item on 1.17, Tanya, which is 20 the record vote on the budget. What action is it that 21 we're actually -- that you're requesting that we take 22 right now for this -- this particular agenda item? 23 MRS. SHELTON: And I believe this just calls 24 for the presentation. I'd have to look at the agenda 25 item again, Judge. 47 1 JUDGE KELLY: It says consider, discuss and 2 take appropriate action, but I -- I don't know what 3 action to take right now. We're going to have a public 4 hearing in just a second. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 6 MRS. SHELTON: True. 7 JUDGE KELLY: So why don't we go ahead and 8 we'll carry this and handle it with Item 1.17, which 9 would be the record vote on the budget. 10 MRS. SHELTON: Okay. 11 JUDGE KELLY: So with that we'll move on to 12 Item 1.9, which is a public hearing. I'm now convening 13 a public hearing. And I have a list of five people at 14 least that want to speak. And I'm calling people in the 15 order that these were received. First person is Robert 16 Dameron. 17 MR. DAMERON: Good morning, everybody. My 18 name is Robert Dameron, I live at Guadalupe Ranch 19 Estates across the river from Mo Ranch. I thank you for 20 opening up with prayer this morning. I hope that that 21 is heartfelt, that y'all received in your own 22 relationship with our creator. Our creator made this 23 universe with spoken word. I think it's important that 24 scripture tells us if we turn from our worldly ways that 25 he will hear our prayers and heal our land. That has a 48 1 lot to do with rain, too. I thank y'all for letting me 2 speak. Thank you, Judge Kelly, Commissioners. 3 I'm up here to speak about the budget. My 4 wife and I, Rev(phonetic), who's my wife, when we were 5 raising our seven daughters, I wished that I could have 6 gone to the employer and told him, hey, I need a new 7 truck, I need more money to pay for this or pay for 8 that. Unfortunately, the employer would have looked at 9 me and laughed me out of the building. 10 I'm not saying that everything should be cut 11 off. Sheriff's Department, all for that. We need law 12 and order. But as far as balancing our budget or our 13 checkbook, in my family household if one person couldn't 14 handle the checkbook and couldn't do what we needed to 15 get done with the money that we got in, the checkbook 16 got handed to the other spouse. Because it's real nice 17 to be able to -- and we are your employers. Y'all know 18 that. 19 And so my position on this is no on the 20 property taxes. The reason why is because the State 21 Legislature and Governor Abbott just passed property tax 22 relief. What good does that do if all the counties go 23 in and raise the appraisal rates? All it is is optics. 24 Nothing is actually being done. You're not helping us 25 out. We're hurting. Okay. 49 1 My wife and I are retired. We're on a fixed 2 income. It's not like we can say, okay, last year we 3 got a five percent raise, this year we're going to get a 4 five percent raise. Who in this room in the last two 5 years has got a ten percent raise. Raise your hand. 6 Nobody. 7 So your constituents, all of you 8 Commissioners, I'll guarantee you are giving you the 9 same spoken word that you're getting from me right now. 10 Tax relief does nothing is if you get tax relief here 11 and then somebody over here raises values of properties 12 and all of a sudden we're -- we're not getting any tax 13 relief at all. It's all talk. 14 And so, I -- I pray for you all, each one of 15 you Commissioners, Judge Kelly, that you pray for wisdom 16 and discernment on how to treat the constituents in 17 whatever your -- your portions of your County, your 18 district, your precinct. Wisdom is liberally given from 19 our creator. All you have to do is ask for it. And the 20 discernment to understand what to do. I pray that you 21 guys get that, it's important. It's really important. 22 This is a great place to live. People are 23 coming here because of the people are great, the County 24 is great, let's not screw it up. Let's do the best we 25 can for the people of this County. To think about what 50 1 we're actually doing to the people at arm. Because we 2 don't get pay raises like everybody else does. I wish 3 that I could go to Social Security and say, I want 4 another ten percent. They're going to laugh at me. 5 So I thank you for my time that you've given 6 me to speak and I pray that you guys think about this 7 and look at it. And look at places where there's fat. 8 One of the places I could bring up automatically, is if 9 we're contributing any money to the ALA Association for 10 the library, get rid of it. Okay. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We're not. 12 MR. DAMERON: So I'm just saying. That's a 13 big deal, too. I thank you for giving me the time. 14 JUDGE KELLY: Thank you. 15 COURT REPORTER: How do you spell your last 16 name? 17 MR. DAMERON: How do I say it? 18 COURT REPORTER: How do you spell it? 19 MR. DAMERON: D-A-M-E-R-O-N. Thank you. 20 JUDGE KELLY: Next is Roger Hall. I'm going 21 to go ahead and call them, some of them are downstairs. 22 Terri Hall -- 23 MR. HALL: I'll have my wife, Terri, go 24 first. She's got a conference call coming up. 25 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. 51 1 MS. HALL: Good morning, y'all. My name is 2 Terri Hall. I live at 118 Independence in Ingram. And 3 I am speaking on behalf of We the People Liberty in 4 Action this morning. We adamantly oppose the proposed 5 tax increases. We can't imagine why Tarrant County, 6 Kerrville ISD, and many others can figure out how to do 7 a no new revenue budget that lowers taxes to actually 8 bring tax relief, yet Kerr County doesn't seem capable 9 of doing the same. 10 Families are hurting. Inflation is at eight 11 percent, some estimate even higher. Housing costs are 12 through the roof as we just discussed. High interest 13 rates. Massive consumer debt. Food and gas prices 14 exploding with no end in sight, and incomes are not 15 keeping pace with all that. We don't have more to give. 16 So to pour salt on an already gaping wound, homeowners 17 then experience double digit appraisal increases this 18 year. That's a big difference from last year. Double 19 digit increases this year. 20 And this time -- and now is the time you're 21 choosing to gouge Kerr County residents with yet higher 22 taxes? Mostly for salary increases for a second year in 23 a row? That -- that's just -- I don't have words for 24 it. According to data analyzed by the Texas Tribune, 25 Texas pays some of the highest property taxes in the 52 1 nation. And you, with these local decisions, it's real 2 easy to blame the Legislature. Trust me, I have done 20 3 years of giving solace to the Legislature on property 4 taxes in Texas. 5 So this -- you can't just keep playing the 6 blame game and pointing fingers back and forth. You 7 have a responsibility for our local County. And the 8 decisions you're responsible for making right now are 9 increasing the cost of entry level housing for our young 10 people and for young workers. 11 And yet, what are we going to do to solve 12 that problem? You just keep giving them auto pilot, 13 just let all the appraisals get out of control, then 14 you're going to come in and ask us for more money for 15 low income housing subsidies, like they're trying to do 16 over in Fredericksburg. This is the MO of the 17 government. We see where this is going. We're not 18 stupid. And we don't want it here. 19 Then, property tax relief is at such a 20 feverish pitch, like this other gentleman so eloquently 21 shared, literally speaking that Governor Abbott made one 22 of his top priorities during his reelection campaign for 23 the session -- and for the session and he revealed one 24 of my top goals this session is to reduce property taxes 25 substantially and that will reduce the cost of doing 53 1 business and reduce the cost of living. 2 The property tax burden is directly tied to 3 the cost of living and has our standard of living. 4 We're not only getting -- not getting substantial 5 relief, from the Legislature, we're not getting it 6 locally now either. Yet here you are, all of you with 7 your own property taxes frozen, asking the rest of us -- 8 COMMISSIONER BELEW: My property taxes are 9 not frozen. 10 MS. HALL: All right. Well, but you're only 11 65 and the tax rate -- 12 COMMISSIONER BELEW: That's my decision and 13 I did not freeze my taxes -- 14 MS. HALL: I understand. 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: -- just because I 16 could, because of exactly what you're talking about. 17 MS. HALL: Yes. 18 COMMISSIONER BELEW: The young people -- 19 MS. HALL: That's right. 20 COMMISSIONER BELEW: -- and everybody that 21 does that I'm against it. I don't agree with it. And 22 I'm not going to be a participant. 23 MS. HALL: I appreciate that. Very much. 24 But to vote yourself a second pay raise in as many years 25 is just an outrage. And frankly, y'all should be 54 1 ashamed of it. And that is not what we elected in all 2 the County Commissioners' Court to do, to increase our 3 taxes, especially now in the Bidenomic train wreck. 4 Outside of public safety and roads, every 5 other job and line item in the budget should be subject 6 to scrutiny and cuts. You cannot adopt this as-is. The 7 GOP platform calls for reducing spending in order to get 8 tax relief. Fund 75 says it clear. We believe in the 9 principles of constitution limited government based on 10 federalist principles. 11 To this end, we encourage our elected 12 officials at all levels of government, that includes our 13 local government, to reverse the current trend expanding 14 government and growing tax and debt burden to be placed 15 on We the People. Government spending is out of 16 control, and action to reduce spending and therefore 17 taxation at all levels. 18 Point number 91 and -- 19 JUDGE KELLY: Thank you, Miss Hall. 20 MS. HALL: -- 92 also say -- 21 JUDGE KELLY: Ms. Hall. 22 MS. HALL: -- the replacing of the property 23 tax system should be our goal. 24 JUDGE KELLY: Miss Hall. Thank you. 25 MS. HALL: So in other words, we should be 55 1 eliminating it, not raising it. So we all should get a 2 no new revenue budget. Please. 3 JUDGE KELLY: Thank you. Mr. Hall. 4 MR. HALL: I'm Roger Hall. I live at 118 5 Independence Lane in Ingram. I'm very upset about this 6 budget and proposed tax increase. I'm a hard working 7 father of ten children, with six still at home. We home 8 schooled them all, saving tax payers over 1.3 million 9 dollars in taxes, educating my own children K through 10 12. 11 I represent many small business owners who 12 cannot be here today. Many barely survived COVID and 13 like me are struggling to survive the Biden economic 14 disaster. I'm appalled at the way that the very concept 15 of across the board pay increase for a second year in a 16 row for simply showing up to do a government job. 17 In every other sphere outside of government, 18 an employee has to earn a raise and undergo an actual 19 performance review. I can't think of any business that 20 just hands out across the board pay raises in a down 21 economy. None that do that would keep their doors open 22 very long. 23 This is our only first opportunity to speak 24 about these proposed tax hikes. And I'm having to take 25 valuable time and money away from running my own 56 1 business to get myself down here to protest yet more tax 2 to pay for government I cannot afford. I want y'all to 3 hear me. 4 I cannot afford to cut anything more from my 5 household budget so y'all can vote to yourselves a pay 6 rise. We're struggling to keep food on the table and 7 shoes on my kids' feet. And working families are having 8 to make gut wrenching decisions about which necessity to 9 cut in order to keep gas in the car and food on the 10 table. Inflation is out of control. Gas prices are 11 soaring. Every bill has exploded. Especially to hang 12 on to any type of insurance. 13 And the biggest hit we're taking is in food. 14 You can't imagine our food budget with a household of 15 eight, including two teenage boys. Many prices have not 16 just gone up, they've doubled. Tripled. Just for 17 basics. There aren't words to describe the outrage of 18 the idea and I'm being forced to pay for other people to 19 live better than I can afford to provide for my own 20 family. 21 Other than public safety and roads, every 22 other County department employee is subject to the same 23 cuts I have had to make to keep the lights on. Much of 24 this has been brought on by the bond debt taken on by 25 the pet shelter, which I didn't support, and as citizens 57 1 stood here and asked you not to bother even putting it 2 on the ballots, y'all chose to do that. Especially 3 during Biden's horrible economy. You did it anyway and 4 here we are. Putting animals above people. It's 5 offensive. 6 And you need to scratch this budget, dig 7 deep, find the cuts and get to a new -- a no new revenue 8 budget. It's completely unsustainable to have property 9 taxes double every ten years. What good would it do to 10 have our family out in the street? We serve our 11 community as volunteers in 4-H, Trail and American 12 Heritage Girls, our church, and serve multiple other 13 non-profits. We love this community and love calling 14 this place our home. We cannot afford one more penny 15 from the government at the risk of hurting our own 16 family. Do not approve anything but a no new revenue 17 budget. Thank you. 18 JUDGE KELLY: Alicia Bell. 19 MS. BELL: I'm Alicia Bell, I live in 20 Precinct 1. I'm not sure what I'm going to say here. 21 But, yeah, you need to go through the budget every 22 single line. Maybe you need to cut stuff that you 23 should not even be doing. How many times we have 24 governments doing stuff that they have no business 25 doing? Cut those budgets. Cut them. You know what I 58 1 mean? How many people are in jobs that maybe, you know, 2 maybe are doing those things that we shouldn't even be 3 doing in the first place. Cut them. 4 And what happens when people say when you 5 can vote yourself a raise, you're going to always vote 6 yourself a raise, right? Maybe some people need to get 7 a part-time job, as a second form of income. Do not 8 raise the budget. And I -- I agree with Roger to scrap 9 the budget and start line by line and cut out what's not 10 necessary. 11 JUDGE KELLY: Greg Rising. 12 MR. RISING: I'm Greg Rising, 116 Nimitz 13 Drive, a California refugee. I didn't expect to be 14 doing this. I expected to come here, escape the 15 California politics and relax. Well, I don't get to. I 16 have to put my two cents worth in. 17 We're talking about the tax rate and the 18 budget and all that. I just want to mention the 19 integrity -- election integrity issue that we attended 20 the workshop. 21 JUDGE KELLY: We can't talk about that on 22 this agenda item. 23 MR. RISING: Wrong agenda item? 24 JUDGE KELLY: Wrong agenda item. 25 MR. RISING: I mentioned on my form 59 1 elections. Maybe they got overlooked. 2 JUDGE KELLY: Well, we don't have it on the 3 agenda is what I'm tell you. 4 MR. RISING: Okay. 5 JUDGE KELLY: Anyone else? 6 COMMISSIONER BELEW: We have one more. 7 COMMISSIONER PACES: One with a hand up. 8 JUDGE KELLY: Ma'am? Please identify 9 yourself. 10 MS. HOLCOMB: I'm Connee Holcomb, and I live 11 at 50 River Front Drive South in Kerrville. Today I 12 would like to discuss the budget and the money that is 13 proposed to operate the facilities in the County. After 14 looking over the agenda, today's court will be deciding 15 on items that could be bought for the County, fees that 16 will be raised, additional expenses that will be needed 17 to keep our roads safe to drive on, and raising salaries 18 to the employees of the County are just a few of the 19 items that will result in an increase in the 20 neighborhood of 16 percent, and now I heard someone else 21 was saying something about 18 percent. 22 I know the importance of these items, but I 23 also know the importance of keeping things in proper 24 perspective. We are stressing to keep our spending in 25 line with what we have in our family budget. The COLA 60 1 increase this year for the population of Kerr County 2 that are on Social Security will be about three to four 3 percent. The average increase for those in the business 4 of education is two to four percent. I understand the 5 increase in Kerr County employees is somewhere between 6 four and five percent. 7 Gas prices have gone up over 22 and a half 8 percent in the last year and are still on the rise. 9 Food prices have gone up over 11 percent in the last 10 year. I am concerned there will be members of our 11 community if this tax rate goes into effect that will 12 have to make the decision between either buying food or 13 medications with the money that they have remaining 14 because they have to pay higher taxes and appraisals. 15 I know a lot of this is not what the County 16 wants to hear. But the fact of the matter is the County 17 cannot continue to raise taxes in order to keep up with 18 the inflation rate of this country. This county's 19 business owners and everyone that has employees and 20 business expenses, need to stay within their budget to 21 do as we as homeowners and families do. But we cannot 22 raise taxes to supplement our salaries and income. We 23 have to live within our means. 24 The truth is, we cannot afford everything we 25 want. I would propose that the Commissioners take a 61 1 hard look at what's important versus fluff. Because if 2 you raise taxes above the means of the taxpayers, they 3 will not be able to pay their taxes and sustain life. 4 Something will have to give. Thank you for your 5 attention. And God bless you in your endeavor to make 6 things right. 7 JUDGE KELLY: Thank you. And then Miss 8 Rising, would you like to speak? 9 MS. RISING: Yeah. My name is Cathy Rising, 10 I live at 116 Nimitz Drive in Kerrville. We moved here 11 three years ago. As my husband said, we escaped 12 California. And we're very happy to be here, by the 13 way. I know we didn't bring all the junk with us, 14 because people worry about that. Okay. 15 But regarding this tax increase. 16 16 percent. Now I'm hearing it's possibly 18 percent. 17 That's incredibly high. We talked about high taxes in 18 California. They weren't that high. I paid half the 19 property tax in California that I pay here. Now one of 20 the reasons for that is I believe it was in 1978 when 21 tax -- Howard Jarvis, I think he's gone now but -- and a 22 couple other people, got a proposition. Prop 13. And 23 you might want to pull it up and take a look at it. And 24 that made a huge difference for people. 25 What was happening before Prop 13 was past, 62 1 as people were -- you know, they had modest homes. 2 There's a lot of older homes in the older parts of San 3 Diego County, which is where we're from. It was to the 4 point where a lot of people could not afford to stay in 5 their homes anymore because the values were going up. 6 And yes, values of property in California are higher 7 than here, but this is kind of going up. 8 But what it did is it rolled back -- it was 9 always your property taxes were based on the value of 10 your property when you bought it and it was only allowed 11 to go up a very small increment like a quarter of a 12 percent each year thereafter. So, for example, we 13 bought our home, the last home we lived in for 28 years, 14 bought it in '92 and -- it was kind of a down time in 15 property. So that's why our property tax was half, half 16 of what it is here. And okay, could we afford to pay 17 it, yes. 18 Now, I know you don't have state income tax 19 and California has state income tax. But they get a 20 little break there. But this is going up really high 21 and this is a concern, and I feel a very valid concern, 22 that there are a lot of people that are not going to be 23 able to afford these taxes. And what you're going to 24 see, you're going to see the State owning a lot of this 25 property. In California I believe it's five years. You 63 1 don't pay your property taxes in five years, the State 2 takes it. Plain and simple. They don't provide you 3 with any housing. You're just done. You've gotta 4 figure it out yourself. And you don't want to see those 5 things happening. They're not right. 6 We have some rental properties and I was 7 concerned about my tenants. I think about them because, 8 you know, they're hard working. And they don't have the 9 upper level jobs and they can't afford all this. Thank 10 you. 11 JUDGE KELLY: Thank you, Ms. Rising. 12 Anyone else wish to address the Court in 13 this public meeting? Okay. Then we'll adjourn the 14 public meeting and we'll move on to Item 1.10, which is 15 a timed item at 9:45. Consider, discuss and take 16 appropriate action to adopt the Elected Officials 17 Salaries. Miss Hernandez. 18 MS. HERNANDEZ: Good morning, Judge and 19 Commissioners. This is to present the change that was 20 done for the Treasurer to include what was voted on 21 before. 22 COMMISSIONER PACES: Rosa, before you go too 23 far. I'd like you to take the five percent off my 24 salary. I've heard from our constituents. I can't 25 justify it. 64 1 MS. HERNANDEZ: Okay. So what I'll do -- 2 COMMISSIONER PACES: You can adjust mine. 3 MS. HERNANDEZ: -- is I will send you an 4 affidavit for you to sign where we can put it in your 5 file. 6 COMMISSIONER PACES: Okay. 7 JUDGE KELLY: Is there a motion? 8 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Move for approval. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Second. 10 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 11 approve the Elected Officials salary schedule as 12 presented. Any discussion? 13 COMMISSIONER BELEW: This thing about the 14 Treasurer's Office, it's all been adjusted so that if 15 there's any changes in that department, the money 16 follows it. That's what you were talking about. You 17 didn't really explain it. 18 MS. HERNANDEZ: Right. That is what it is 19 about. Uh-huh. 20 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Okay. All right. 21 COMMISSIONER PACES: Well, what about agenda 22 Item 1.16? It looks like we're still going to be 23 talking about other salaries, so is that factored in 24 or -- I mean what -- what are we doing here? 25 JUDGE KELLY: Well, 1.16 is the district 65 1 court reporters. We do these in bite-size pieces. 2 COMMISSIONER PACES: Okay. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Just elected. 4 COMMISSIONER PACES: Okay. 5 JUDGE KELLY: Any other discussion? Those 6 in favor say aye. Opposed? 7 COMMISSIONER PACES: Aye. 8 JUDGE KELLY: And abstain? 9 COMMISSIONER BELEW: No, I said aye. 10 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Four, one. Thank you. 11 Item 1.11 consider, discuss, and take 12 appropriate action on request from appointed and elected 13 officials to appoint clerks and assistants for their 14 offices pursuant to Local Government Code. 15 We do this every year. Bob's office has 16 submitted recommendations. Jackie has submitted her 17 request. That needs to be approved by the Court. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I move for approval. 19 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 20 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 21 approve allowing the appointed and elected officials to 22 appoint their clerks and assistants. 23 COMMISSIONER PACES: The only one I had a 24 question on was Bob's. He -- he had -- I forget, I 25 don't have it here in front of me. It was either ten or 66 1 eight. So I just want a clarification. Your statement 2 on some of your clerks, I think. Where is it? I'll 3 pull it up here in a second. 4 MR. REEVES: I believe I listed ten, then I 5 submitted a corrected one that there was eight clerks 6 and two senior clerks. So I didn't get it properly 7 changed. I don't have the copy that I submitted to Jody 8 with me. 9 COMMISSIONER PACES: Yeah. Here it is. 10 Yeah, you said ten clerks, but in brackets you put 11 eight. So I just wanted clarification whether it's 12 eight or -- 13 MR. REEVES: It should be eight clerks 14 and -- 15 COMMISSIONER PACES: Well, that's -- I mean 16 that's already there. I just wanted to correct that one 17 line. 18 MR. REEVES: My error. 19 COMMISSIONER PACES: No problem. 20 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Any other discussion? 21 Those in favor say aye. Opposed? Motion carries. 22 Item 1.12, which is also a timed item, 23 consider, discuss and take appropriate action to approve 24 the FY 2023-2024 Kerr County wage adjustment. 25 Ms. Hernandez. 67 1 MS. HERNANDEZ: This is in regards to the FY 2 2023-2024 Kerr County wage adjustment of five percent. 3 It is requested in the position schedule as well as the 4 grade and step. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I'll move for approval. 6 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Second. 7 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 8 approve wage adjustment as presented. Any discussion? 9 COMMISSIONER PACES: I'm just going to say I 10 tried during the workshops to suggest a lower adjustment 11 of three percent. Something I could support. The five, 12 I just can't. That's all. 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But you support law 14 enforcement getting 20 percent? 15 COMMISSIONER PACES: That I do. Yes, sir. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And Road & Bridge? 17 COMMISSIONER PACES: The 10 percent. Yes. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I just -- I can't treat 19 certain employees -- I support for law enforcement to 20 get it and Road & Bridge. 21 COMMISSIONER PACES: Well, those are market 22 corrections. You know. 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But they're also getting 24 a five percent on top of it. So -- 25 COMMISSIONER PACES: Well, and what I'm 68 1 suggesting is they shouldn't. 2 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Here's -- here's what's 3 been talked around today. What we talked about is the 4 inflation that's going on and how difficult it is for us 5 all to make our ends meet. That includes the County 6 employees. And recruitment and retention is what we're 7 up against right now. 8 If we don't -- if we can't pay these folks 9 that work for the County, and when you give -- when you 10 bolster and give a pay increase to the Sheriff's 11 Department employees, the support staff that goes along 12 with that, you guys don't think about. You see the guy 13 out there in the cruiser, and you see the gal that's 14 making the arrest, but you don't see all the other 15 people that do the paperwork, all the way upstairs, the 16 Court, the clerk, everybody else, all that support staff 17 must be in place, and you have to have them. If you get 18 short of those then you get a backlog of all kinds of 19 things and problems. So there's a lot of paperwork. 20 Every time they make an arrest, there's 21 paperwork. There's -- somebody has to go to Court over 22 that. So that is part of this. It's included that you 23 have to have it. So yes, we have enough staff to drive 24 around and make sure we're all safe. Do you have the 25 staff to make sure the paperwork is done and that these 69 1 people are prosecuted? Do we have the staff for that? 2 Do we have the staff for the jail? All of these things 3 are -- go together like hand and glove. You can't raise 4 one and expect that everybody else is going to be happy. 5 These guys got a big raise over here. They're going to 6 have attrition. You got that anyway. 7 So if we can't pay the same kind of salary 8 that they pay in Gillespie County, Kendall County, Bexar 9 County, people are just going to leave. Now where are 10 we? Now we're trying to recruit at the same pay scale 11 that we already have, the reason that we lost those 12 people. 13 So I understand exactly what you guys are 14 talking about. And as far as the faith part of it, God 15 has always provided for me. Regardless of how expensive 16 gas was. 17 VOICE: Did you cut somewhere else though? 18 COMMISSIONER BELEW: You can cut wherever 19 you want. I remember hearing a preacher many years ago 20 saying gas just went to 50 cents a gallon. But God 21 provided for me when it was 19 cents a gallon. And I 22 remember that because I thought it doesn't matter. I'm 23 going to be okay. We're going to be okay. I don't like 24 it anymore than any one of you. But I've always 25 survived. God has always provided. So that's my 70 1 sermonette. 2 But what I want to say about your -- the 3 Judge pointed it out earlier, that we're mixing the 4 appraisal district with the County. We are separate 5 entities. What they do with appraisals we have no 6 control over. We can't call them up and say cut it out. 7 And as Commissioner Letz mentioned, if they don't do it 8 right the Comptroller's Office comes down on them. 9 VOICE: Why is it even on the agenda then? 10 JUDGE KELLY: Please don't interrupt. 11 VOICE: Sorry. 12 COMMISSIONER BELEW: We don't change the -- 13 and we set the rate and that's -- that's where we come 14 in. We set the tax rate. But the appraisals is up to 15 the appraisal district. All right? 16 JUDGE KELLY: Now we're getting off topic. 17 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well -- 18 JUDGE KELLY: We need to -- 19 COMMISSIONER BELEW: But I want everybody to 20 understand. No, we're not really, because it's been 21 brought up repeatedly. And we're mixing apples and 22 oranges here. So the folks that -- that staff this 23 place, and not just here but the other -- the west Kerr 24 annex and all the rest of it, they have to buy groceries 25 and gas just like the rest of us. And if we don't pay 71 1 them right, they're going to leave. They're going to 2 leave. We've already lost a lot of them. So if -- if 3 they'll pay them more down the road. And you know what, 4 I talked to a guy at the grocery store this weekend and 5 tried to encourage him to come to Road & Bridge. He's 6 old enough, he gets it. He understands that benefits 7 mean something. 8 You take these young guys in their twenties 9 and thirties, they don't care about the benefits we have 10 here. That's been one of our ways to entice employees 11 here. A lot of people couldn't care less about that 12 now. Especially the young ones. We have good benefits 13 here. We don't have as good a pay as the surrounding 14 counties. We have now given a pay raise with ARPA funds 15 for law enforcement. That's good for now. That's not 16 going to be good in two or three years. We've got to 17 also try to ramp up and keep those salaries steady. And 18 then the -- if we continue to have inflation, we'll have 19 to raise them again. 20 So it's the same for all of us. There 21 are -- there are reasons why we have to do the things 22 we're doing. You mentioned Animal Control. We must, by 23 law, have Animal Control here. We don't necessarily 24 have to have a new facility. But do you know inspectors 25 come in and look at our Animal Control facility and they 72 1 say it's subpar? And now are we going to keep patching 2 it forever like they have been and have inspectors come 3 back and say you didn't do it right, or are we going to 4 build a facility and just move on? So we put that to 5 the voters. We didn't just decide to do it. 6 So there's a lot of these things that are 7 inter-connected that maybe you don't see and understand. 8 We've gone over this budget repeatedly. I suggested to 9 the shudder of most the Department heads in here, 10 they -- they look like somebody stuck them in the butt 11 with a pin when I said you oughta clean your staff out. 12 So there may be people you have in your staff that's not 13 absolutely essential. I don't think anybody got fired 14 over that, but I did suggest it. So at least everyone's 15 looked at it. 16 Everybody does the same thing. We all try 17 to figure out what can we take out of our budget. We 18 have looked at it repeatedly. And it's a huge shock to 19 have a 17.5 percent increase. I'm with you. I pay 20 taxes. I have not taken the tax freeze. Part of the 21 problem in this County is so many people have taken the 22 tax freeze. That's part of the problem right there. 23 COMMISSIONER PACES: That's up to this -- 24 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I'm not part of that 25 problem. Just for my part of it. I didn't take the pay 73 1 increase the whole time I've been up here. But that 2 doesn't help cover anything in the budget. It eases my 3 conscience. It doesn't help people. 4 So everybody sitting here that has taken the 5 tax break, the tax freeze, how many of you want to 6 confess to that? So that's part of the problem, too. 7 There's enough blame to go around. I'm just saying we 8 are with you. We're not -- it's not us and them. We 9 are part of this community. 10 JUDGE KELLY: We need to cut to commercial. 11 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, look, I've -- 12 I've heard everybody else talk about it. And I'm trying 13 to clear the air here. 14 JUDGE KELLY: I understand. 15 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: And you did a good job 16 and I'm just going to add a little bit. Not as lengthy. 17 But I saw a Facebook post of local group that I agree 18 with 95 or more percent of the time, and they said that 19 if County employees can't -- don't like what they're 20 making they should go someplace else. Well, I know a 21 lot of small business people out there that say when 22 they lose an employee and hire somebody else, they have 23 to re-train them. They've lost a lot when they lose 24 people with years of experience. And that's our 25 position. And it's recruitment and retention. We want 74 1 to keep these people. We don't want to have to keep 2 retraining. 3 I came from the education world. In the 4 last three or four years I was there, I steadily having 5 to hire a new person fresh out of college and re-train 6 them, re-train them, and then they go off for more 7 money. And then I'd have to start all over the next 8 year. The students suffer. The students are the ones 9 that suffered. So that's the end of my -- 10 COMMISSIONER PACES: I'm going to make just 11 one last comment. Because I'm new, new to government, 12 never done this before. Gotta lot of experience in the 13 private sector and what I'm used to is, you know, you do 14 a market survey. You address problems. 15 If you're losing people, and we have, we've 16 lost a lot of people in Road & Bridge and in the 17 Sheriff's Department. Well, then we have to correct 18 those salaries to retain people. So I'm all for what 19 we've already discussed and put in the budget for Road & 20 Bridge and the Sheriff's Office in terms of those 21 corrections. But, you know, the fact is we're not 22 losing people anywhere else. And that's all I'm going 23 to say. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Great comment. 25 MRS. DOWDY: Not true. 75 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: You did an excellent 2 summary, Commissioner. 3 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Thank you. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah, I appreciated 5 that. And I think that your point on law enforcement 6 just isn't the officers. It goes to the other staff, it 7 goes to the County Attorney's Office, it goes to the 8 District Clerk's Office, it goes to the County Clerk's 9 Office. It goes to the Probation Department. Both 10 adult and juvenile. 11 So I mean, if you're going to be for law 12 enforcement, you're for a whole lot more than just the 13 deputies who are out on the street. Because it is all 14 very interrelated and the point you made was excellent. 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Thank you. 16 JUDGE KELLY: Any other discussion? 17 MS. EWELL: May I say something, please? I 18 just wanted to say -- 19 JUDGE KELLY: You need to go to the podium. 20 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Will you go to the 21 podium, please? 22 MS. EWELL: This is the first time -- 23 JUDGE KELLY: Please identify yourself. 24 MS. EWELL: I'm Lydia Ewell. I live at 209 25 Skyview Drive in Kerrville. My husband is a local 76 1 pastor. And I've never come to any of these meetings 2 because I try to focus on another kingdom. But as a 3 public servant, and I get this because that's what my 4 husband and I are, we're public servants in a sense, 5 right? There's a lot in the scripture about the 6 shepherds of the people doing well off of the backs of 7 their sheep, okay. And that's all I want to say. I 8 understand. 9 Look, my husband's out -- I understand. 10 It's tight for everybody. But these economic times, I 11 mean is it right for people who are doing a desk job to 12 expect the same kind of compensation for somebody who's 13 on the street facing the danger of the border crossing, 14 all of the other things. I do think there is a 15 difference. 16 And I understand -- I understand that we 17 don't want to have bad feelings, and to have it be 18 equitable, and I totally understand all the red tape and 19 the -- you know, that we have to have clerks and we have 20 to have people be -- you know, the administrator. 21 But I'm just saying the spirit of the thing 22 is, is this the right time? We are all hurting. 23 Everybody is hurting. And it seems like those that are 24 in the position of public service ought to be able to 25 listen and say, well, maybe we delayed it. Maybe we're 77 1 not saying no, never. But maybe this is not the right 2 time for that. And that's what I'm just asking. 3 Because I do a lot of things for free. 4 My husband -- we have one income. But that 5 time that I have, I'm home schooling my own children. 6 I'm saving taxes that way. But I'm not only doing that, 7 I offer free classes to other home schooling families so 8 that their wives can stay at home and help home school 9 too, and they're not having to pay me to teach their 10 kids. 11 If something like this happens, my husband 12 and I aren't going to be able to afford to pay the taxes 13 on our property. We might have to move and leave this 14 community and other people might be the same way. And 15 so you're talking about attrition trying to keep people 16 here for that side, but what about the people who are 17 supporting them and who are doing it in countless little 18 ways that never get paid, right? That never even get 19 recognized and we take that somewhere else. I'm not 20 wanting to do that. I love this community. But that's 21 all I'm going to ask is I would just ask you to please 22 reconsider. Thank you. 23 JUDGE KELLY: Any other discussion? Clay? 24 MR. LAMBERT: Clay Lambert, 673 Town Creek 25 Road, Kerrville. I'll be very brief. Very much support 78 1 the increase for Road & Bridge and the Sheriff's 2 Department. Before I form an opinion on something, I 3 like to be well informed in all the facts. 4 So I do have a question, which is with 5 regard to the other folks that you're proposing a five 6 percent increase to. Do you have a significant 7 attrition problem within that group, and has there been 8 a study done to find out if their salaries are way out 9 of whack with other surrounding counties? 10 JUDGE KELLY: We did do a study a couple 11 years ago. 12 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Year before last. 13 JUDGE KELLY: Yeah. 14 MR. LAMBERT: Okay. So that has been taken 15 into consideration. 16 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Right. 17 MR. LAMBERT: Thank you. 18 JUDGE KELLY: Any other discussion? 19 Okay. We're back to -- this is Item 1.12, 20 which is a motion to approve the wage adjustment as 21 presented. Those in favor say aye. Opposed. 22 COMMISSIONER PACES: Aye. 23 JUDGE KELLY: Motion carries. Let's take a 24 break. We'll come back at 10:35. And we will have a 25 lunch break. We're not going to go to 1:30. 79 1 (Recess.) 2 JUDGE KELLY: Court will come back to order. 3 We're still on timed items for 9:45. Next item is 1.13 4 consider, discuss and take appropriate action to approve 5 the grade and step schedule. Miss Hernandez. 6 MS. HERNANDEZ: Should be one for each of 7 you. What you have before you is going to be the 8 position schedule. It's really, really small because 9 there's so many steps to incorporate these additional 10 steps for the Sheriff's Department. So we went up to 11 Step 30. And like I said, you might need a magnifying 12 glass for this, but it does have the five percent 13 increase in this. 14 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: This is -- basically 15 all of this is reflected in the budget. Yes? 16 MR. HERNANDEZ: Yes. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We've got to figure out 18 a way to simplify this thing. 19 JUDGE KELLY: Yeah, I know. 20 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. Or to be able to 21 just read this one. It's so tiny I can't -- 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: One of the -- what has 23 happened throughout this was a lot on this one thing is 24 that we used to limit the number of steps that went out. 25 And when the Sheriff -- to make it work and say 20 80 1 percent is basically four steps, they you've got to bump 2 everything out four steps because of longevity, people 3 are out here, you know. So it's -- 4 COMMISSIONER BELEW: A ripple effect. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. It's a ripple 6 effect. Exactly. 7 MS. HERNANDEZ: Yeah, it is. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So you have to start 9 increasing the number of steps all the way out. Because 10 we increased it -- the options for next year that need 11 to be looked at, in my opinion, is maybe putting the 12 Sheriff's Department on a separate schedule and maybe 13 some -- you know, maybe Road & Bridge on a separate 14 schedule. 15 I mean, I think we had looked at it but 16 it's -- that may make it worse. I don't know. Auditor 17 says yes, it would make it worse that way. I know a lot 18 of counties do have the Sheriff that way on a separate 19 schedule. But to me this -- we've gotten so complicated 20 with our step and grade that it sure would be nice to -- 21 I don't think if it's hard to understand, and that's bad 22 government. 23 MS. HERNANDEZ: And in the past it has been 24 to where the Sheriff's Department was on their own grade 25 and step. And then everybody else has a different grade 81 1 and step as well. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But anyway, that's a 3 topic for another time. But I'll make a motion that we 4 approve the step and grades as presented for this year. 5 COMMISSIONER PACES: I'll second. 6 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 7 approve the step and grade schedule as presented. Any 8 discussion? Those in favor say aye. Opposed? Motion 9 carries. 10 Item 1.14 consider, discuss, and take 11 appropriate action to adopt the position schedule. 12 MS. HERNANDEZ: Okay. So along with that, I 13 gave you guys a position schedule that shows everyone's 14 position on there. 15 JUDGE KELLY: That's this one, right? 16 MS. HERNANDEZ: Yes. 17 COMMISSIONER PACES: So is this based on the 18 new proposed salaries? 19 MS. HERNANDEZ: Yes. 20 JUDGE KELLY: And the public didn't know it, 21 but this is the position schedule that's attached to the 22 end of the budget. 23 COMMISSIONER PACES: So this has the five 24 percent built into it? 25 MS. HERNANDEZ: That is correct. 82 1 COMMISSIONER PACES: Plus the 10 and 20 2 percent for the Road & Bridge? 3 MS. HERNANDEZ: That is correct. 4 MRS. SHELTON: Senate Bill 22. 5 MS. HERNANDEZ: That is correct, yes. 6 JUDGE KELLY: Yeah. Senate Bill 22 is an 7 issue. 8 MRS. SHELTON: Yes. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: How many employees do we 10 have right now? 11 MS. HERNANDEZ: The last count -- well, it's 12 kind of fluctuating. This is a live document. The last 13 count that I had, it was -- we did two weeks prior to 14 that, was 321. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 321. 16 MS. HERNANDEZ: Uh-huh. 17 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Is that positions or 18 employees? 19 MS. HERNANDEZ: Actual people. 20 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Positions would be -- 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Probably closer to 350, 22 I bet. 23 MS. HERNANDEZ: Yeah. 24 COMMISSIONER PACES: Yeah, because we have a 25 lot of unfilled positions. 83 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. Maybe more. 2 COMMISSIONER PACES: Road & Bridge. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I make a motion to 4 approve the, what, the Position Schedule? 5 JUDGE KELLY: Position Schedule. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I do have a question 7 later on for approving some salaries that are in here. 8 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I have reservations 9 myself. 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Judge, the question I 11 have is the Auditor's salary has gone up a lot. And I 12 know that came down from the district courts upstairs. 13 But that's the next item. That's my question. So I can 14 ask it on this one because it's included in here. And I 15 cannot remember exactly how that worked. 16 I know that the Auditor's Office works 17 straight for the district courts and they set the 18 salaries and we received a letter this is the salaries. 19 So pretty much that's the salaries, correct, Judge? 20 JUDGE KELLY: Right. 21 COMMISSIONER BELEW: They -- they tell us. 22 JUDGE KELLY: The public may not understand 23 that but that's -- that's the way it works. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. 25 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: But what I see is it 84 1 looked like 25 to 30 thousand dollar increase. Boom. I 2 don't remember discussing that. 3 JUDGE KELLY: We have to approve the budget 4 but they set the salaries of the Auditor. 5 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: And don't get me 6 wrong, I love our Auditor. She does a fantastic job, in 7 fact I've told her that. 8 MRS. STEBBINS: Are y'all going to call that 9 item? Are y'all going to call that item to discuss 10 that? 11 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well, we're still on 12 salaries and that's -- 13 JUDGE KELLY: We're on position schedule is 14 what we're on. 15 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: And that's -- the 16 salary is a position schedule. 17 JUDGE KELLY: Yeah. 18 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: So I'm glad she's on 19 our team. But -- 20 JUDGE KELLY: Well -- 21 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Now, if they decide 22 this -- 23 JUDGE KELLY: It sets the rate limiting 24 step. Let me go ahead and call the next agenda item so 25 we can have a discussion. 85 1 COMMISSIONER BELEW: All right. 2 JUDGE KELLY: The next item that we consider 3 jointly with 1.14 is 1.15 which is to consider, discuss 4 and take appropriate action to accept the order setting 5 the salaries for the County Auditor and Assistant County 6 Auditors pursuant to the Texas Government Code effective 7 October 1, 2023. 8 (Phone ringing.) 9 JUDGE KELLY: What is that? 10 COMMISSIONER BELEW: That's the new phone 11 system. 12 MS. DOWDY: Would you like me to answer 13 that? 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: They're calling from 15 upstairs. 16 COMMISSIONER PACES: That was a little red 17 button. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Two things. One, I 19 mean, we have an order -- so the public -- we have an 20 order signed by both District Judges setting the salary. 21 So the salaries are what they are. It's a large 22 increase in my opinion for the Auditor; however, it's in 23 line with what that position should get paid. 24 COMMISSIONER BELEW: This comes out of their 25 budget or ours is the question. 86 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Our budget. 2 JUDGE KELLY: We pay for it all. 3 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So they decide what 4 we're going to pay. 5 JUDGE KELLY: They do. 6 COMMISSIONER PACES: That doesn't seem 7 right. 8 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Unfunded mandate. 9 JUDGE KELLY: They -- they do that with 10 their employees, they do that with their court 11 reporters, they do that with their attorneys and we have 12 no say. And we are required by a constitutional mandate 13 to provide a reasonable amount of money for them to be 14 able to conduct their offices. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But when we get -- 16 JUDGE KELLY: That's what most mandamus 17 cases are about. Not giving them enough money. 18 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But when we get an 19 order, it's an order. 20 MRS. SHELTON: There are -- like we used the 21 tax salary survey for -- that came out I think the last 22 one was out in 2022, and looked at it and then looked at 23 the different websites for that salary. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I mean -- 25 COMMISSIONER BELEW: And I -- 87 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- but when it's an 2 increase, I mean to be honest -- 3 COMMISSIONER PACES: How much did the 4 Assistant County Auditors salaries go up? 5 MRS. SHELTON: They would see raises that 6 were more in line with the market last year. They're 7 still under quite a bit. I lost somebody this year 8 making about 20,000 more. 9 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Did their salaries 10 just reflect the COLA? 11 MRS. SHELTON: Yes. They received extra 12 last year. 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But I would say that 14 it's my knowledge of that market, the Assistant Auditors 15 are probably pretty low. 16 JUDGE KELLY: Yes. And the Auditor -- the 17 Auditor's not out of line. It's a big increase but it's 18 not out of line. 19 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: It's a huge increase. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. I agree. But 21 it's -- 22 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: About a grand. 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- but it's something 24 that we don't have -- we've been ordered. So that's 25 what it's going to be. 88 1 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: We've dug our heels in 2 on the Treasurer for ten percent of that. 3 COMMISSIONER BELEW: This is the part about 4 government that's hard for people to understand. That 5 you have something mandated or you have -- for example, 6 the Judge and the County Attorney get part of their 7 income from the State. We don't have any say-so about 8 that. That's the way it's set up. The state 9 legislature did that. That's the way it runs. I don't 10 know if they get two checks, I don't know if they get 11 one check. It's none of my business. I just know how 12 they get paid. So that's law. 13 This other thing -- the guys upstairs, what 14 they think is not much money is a lot different than 15 what I think is much money. And their view of how much 16 we spend and how easy it is to spend it is not at all in 17 line with what I think -- or any of us, I think, on 18 this -- this Court. 19 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well, when the Judge 20 and I came into office, that department was -- Auditor's 21 Office was in disarray. And Tanya has been a Godsend 22 for us, to tell you the truth. Because to ride the ship 23 and, like I said, I'm tickled to death she's on our 24 team. My goodness she does a great job. But sitting up 25 here looking at $30,000 raise, it's tough to swallow. 89 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: All that being said, 2 I'll make a motion to approve the position schedule back 3 on 14, I think. 1.14. 4 JUDGE KELLY: And I'll second it so we can 5 get -- 6 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Does everybody 7 understand what just happened? It's out of our hands. 8 I hate saying that 'cuz it sounds like it's being a 9 weenie. 10 JUDGE KELLY: The first motion is to 11 approve -- adopt this position schedule. That's what we 12 have before the Court right now, is adopting the 13 position schedule. 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. 15 JUDGE KELLY: Any other discussion? Those 16 in favor say aye. Opposed? 17 COMMISSIONER PACES: I have to be consistent 18 and say opposed. 19 JUDGE KELLY: Motion carries. 20 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: And I'm going to 21 abstain. 22 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. So it's three, one, 23 zero -- three, one, one. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Three, one, one. 25 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. 90 1 COMMISSIONER PACES: Now is that for 1.14 or 2 1.15? 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: One-four. That was 4 1.14. And I'll make a motion to -- under 1.15 to accept 5 the County Auditor and Assistant County Auditors per the 6 order sent down from the district judges. 7 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 8 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 9 approve the -- to accept the order of the district 10 courts on the salaries of the County Auditor and 11 Assistant County Auditor. Any discussion? Those in 12 favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? 13 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Aye. 14 COMMISSIONER PACES: You're telling me I 15 can't oppose it, though. Right? There's nothing I can 16 do about it? 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We can all vote against 18 it and it still happens. 19 COMMISSIONER PACES: Yeah. So -- 20 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, let's all vote 21 against it. And see what happens. 22 COMMISSIONER PACES: Send a message anyway. 23 JUDGE KELLY: We've got a lawsuit with those 24 guys. 25 COMMISSIONER PACES: No. You're right. I'm 91 1 going to abstain. 2 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I'm just curious what 3 would happen. It would just happen anyway, so -- 4 JUDGE KELLY: Well, no, they'd probably -- 5 COMMISSIONER BELEW: They'd want to know 6 what -- 7 JUDGE KELLY: They'd probably order us. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: To accept it. 9 JUDGE KELLY: Yeah. And if we don't, 10 then -- then there would be a mandamus action to make us 11 do it. 12 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well, I would have 13 liked to have seen it stair-stepped up a little bit. 14 JUDGE KELLY: I know. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I don't disagree. 16 COMMISSIONER PACES: I think I would like 17 for them to come and explain it. 18 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Again, Tanya, this is 19 not against you, believe me. Because you do an 20 fantastic job. 21 COMMISSIONER BELEW: But you could end up on 22 the front page of the paper. 23 COMMISSIONER PACES: I've wanted to change 24 mine but -- 25 JUDGE KELLY: Let's take a vote again on 92 1 1.15 so we know what the count is. This is to accept 2 the order from the District Courts setting the salaries 3 for the County Auditor and Assistant County Auditor. 4 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Why don't you do a 5 hand count. 6 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Those in favor raise 7 your hand. Opposed. Abstain. 8 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Abstain. 9 JUDGE KELLY: Three, one, one. 10 Okay. Item 1.16 consider, discuss and take 11 appropriate action to accept the order setting the 12 salaries for the 198th District Court Reporter and the 13 216th District Court Reporter. Same drill. 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: They decide. We accept 15 it. 16 COMMISSIONER PACES: How much did they 17 change? They don't show what the increment is. 18 MRS. SHELTON: These also followed the five 19 percent wage adjustment and I believe both of them are 20 receiving COLA's this year. Or I'm sorry, the market 21 adjustment, the 2.5 market adjustment this year. 22 COMMISSIONER BELEW: This is to accept it, 23 and so I'll move that we accept it. 24 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Second. 25 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 93 1 accept the order setting the salaries for the Court 2 Reporters in the 198th and 216th District Courts. Any 3 discussion? Those in favor say aye. Opposed. Motion 4 carries. 5 Item 1.17 consider, discuss and take 6 appropriate action to adopt FY 2023-2024 Kerr County 7 budget and take a record vote. 8 MRS. SHELTON: Judge, we can do this. I 9 will say that I received a position schedule late on 10 Friday afternoon. And I have not checked to see if the 11 amount showing on the position schedule that you're 12 looking at or what's actually in the budget. The budget 13 was done off an estimate and there has not been time to 14 look at it. 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So what's our -- what's 16 our drop dead date? 17 JUDGE KELLY: September 11. 18 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Okay. 19 JUDGE KELLY: That's the drop dead date. 20 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So if we're going to go 21 back into this thing and review, then we could also 22 decide that we're going to change the -- change some 23 things. We don't have any final limit. 24 COMMISSIONER PACES: I could see that 25 happen. 94 1 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So there is that, that 2 possibility. 3 JUDGE KELLY: Do y'all want to take a vote 4 today? 5 MRS. DOWDY: Do we have to republish? Do we 6 have to do that? 7 JUDGE KELLY: Republish? 8 MRS. DOWDY: Republish the budget hearing if 9 they don't take a vote today? 10 MRS. STEBBINS: It'll have to be posted. 11 I'm not sure about the publication. I can look. 12 MRS. SHELTON: I think we had the hearing 13 and what it -- just a second. I've got both the 14 government pages. 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: You can't change it 16 after the fact. 17 JUDGE KELLY: Well, it's been posted for 18 today. 19 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: What exactly -- 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: To verify -- 21 JUDGE KELLY: The position schedule that we 22 just approved -- 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- matches the salaries 24 on the budget page. 25 JUDGE KELLY: Or was not available for 95 1 review prior to today. 2 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Can we -- can we do it 3 contingent on that being correct? 4 JUDGE KELLY: Can we adopt it subject to 5 verifying the position schedules? 6 MRS. STEBBINS: Verifying the position 7 schedule? 8 JUDGE KELLY: Yeah? 9 COMMISSIONER PACES: I mean, Commissioner 10 Letz, you suggested there could be a little bit we could 11 trim out of here. Is there? I mean -- 12 MRS. STEBBINS: You probably could. I'm not 13 answering your question. I mean you probably could, 14 Judge. 15 COMMISSIONER PACES: I'd love to have one 16 more bite of it. 17 MRS. STEBBINS: You probably could, Judge. 18 Today you're just required to take some action on the 19 budget, and if that action is setting it for the next 20 meeting, that's action. If the action is also adopting 21 the budget contingent on the accuracy of the numbers 22 that are included in the budget based on the salary 23 schedule, that's also action that you're authorized to 24 take. 25 JUDGE KELLY: Well, we've already adopted -- 96 1 we've already -- 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We've adopted the 3 position schedule. 4 JUDGE KELLY: Yeah. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So let's -- 6 JUDGE KELLY: Well -- 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It is what -- 8 JUDGE KELLY: -- we've -- we've adopted -- 9 what we adopted was going back to the elected officials' 10 salaries, the appointed and elected officials -- that's 11 not relevant -- the wage adjustment. The step and 12 grade. The position schedule. And then the stuff from 13 the District Judges. 14 MRS. SHELTON: Just to clarify a little bit. 15 The part that's kind of in question is the part that's 16 going to be paid for by ARPA and by Senate Bill 22. So 17 that's where the majority of the changes may take place 18 at. I'm not sure if -- 19 JUDGE KELLY: But that's really more than -- 20 MRS. SHELTON: The way I did the estimate is 21 the same way that she did the position schedule. 22 JUDGE KELLY: Wouldn't that be more of an 23 allocation change rather than -- 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: A number thing. 25 JUDGE KELLY: -- a total number change? 97 1 MRS. SHELTON: You're using different funds 2 though. So you're using Fund 30. And again, mine was 3 done off the estimate and -- and hers is exact. 4 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, we can't change 5 the rate, though, if that came out differently. 6 MRS. SHELTON: The rate of what? 7 COMMISSIONER BELEW: What we're voting on 8 here. On the budget and the tax rate, if that were -- 9 you're not saying that that could possibly change 10 anything. If you have a set budget and you're saying 11 this is how much is going to the Sheriff's Department 12 coming from ARPA, then that's what you're stuck with. 13 MRS. SHELTON: Yes. Yes. 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: That's what you're 15 saying. 16 MRS. SHELTON: Once you pass that budget -- 17 I mean, there's rules that we can use in order to make 18 the changes, but it -- it won't be an emergency. We've 19 known about it ahead of time. And so it'd be hard to 20 make those changes. You would be pulling it out of your 21 non-contingent funds right now to true up all of those 22 numbers. 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Shall we go back to the 24 County Attorney? We can -- 25 MRS. STEBBINS: You have to take action 98 1 today. So that's what the Local Government Code says 2 where action -- you have to take action following the 3 public hearing. And that action could -- could be to 4 adopt the budget, you've got to do that by a record 5 vote, and we could do that -- 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Subject to revisions 7 that may be required due to the final position schedule 8 that was adopted? 9 MRS. STEBBINS: Yes, so that the budget 10 matches the position schedule that you adopted under -- 11 under -- 12 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: 1.14, 1.15? 13 MRS. STEBBINS: Yes. 14 JUDGE KELLY: 1.14. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And -- and what it's 16 going to do is change -- may and probably will change a 17 little bit, the changes of the ARPA funds versus the 18 general fund. 19 COMMISSIONER BELEW: But if that's a 20 revision -- if it's just a revision, if you're just 21 moving money from one account to the other one, then 22 it's legitimate. But if it's not, if it's going to 23 really change things, I don't want to -- 24 MRS. SHELTON: Mine are estimates. What 25 we've talked about so far, because the position schedule 99 1 was behind, is we used estimates in order to bring 2 y'all's numbers to y'all. And so we -- we usually wait 3 for the final position schedule and at that point we 4 true up the numbers. That step has not been taken. 5 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, we should put 6 this off. 7 MRS. SHELTON: There shouldn't be material 8 differences, I would not think, but I have not reviewed 9 it. 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But there would be some 11 difference. I mean there's no -- there's no chance it's 12 going to be exactly the same. I mean -- or the odds are 13 against it being exactly. 14 JUDGE KELLY: Well, what I'm concerned 15 about, do we know -- if we put it off, what are we 16 limiting the review to be? Rather than -- 17 COMMISSIONER BELEW: How much time? 18 JUDGE KELLY: -- opening the whole budget 19 process back up, I mean, I'm not in favor of that. 20 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: The perimeters. 21 JUDGE KELLY: So I'm looking to the Auditor. 22 What -- what's your recommendation? 23 MRS. SHELTON: I need time to review the 24 position schedule in order to make sure the numbers 25 showing on the position schedule are what's in the 100 1 budget. 2 JUDGE KELLY: So that means you'd like for 3 us to pass it then. 4 MRS. SHELTON: Whatever you wish to do. So 5 I think there's two or three different options that 6 y'all can do. 7 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Are we going to have 8 to have a special meeting? 9 JUDGE KELLY: I'm looking at our attorney. 10 COMMISSIONER PACES: Why not? 11 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Let's not put the 12 brownies on the table before they're baked, okay? Let's 13 finish this thing up and come back and do it later. 14 COMMISSIONER PACES: I agree. 15 MRS. STEBBINS: You can do that. And that 16 can be your action today, is setting it for -- 17 JUDGE KELLY: I understand. 18 MRS. STEBBINS: Okay. 19 JUDGE KELLY: I understand. But I'm 20 looking -- I'm trying to get recommendations on as to 21 what we oughta do. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: How long will it take to 23 reconcile the position schedule to the budget? Is that 24 like a week, ten days or today? 25 MRS. SHELTON: I don't know the answer to 101 1 that. We've attempted it in the past. And we've 2 changed it some. And so it just depends on how fast it 3 goes. It -- it's -- 4 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, it's a priority. 5 MRS. SHELTON: I'm sorry? 6 COMMISSIONER BELEW: It's a priority. 7 MRS. SHELTON: It has been my priority all 8 along. 9 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. Okay. I'm just 10 stressing that for everybody. It is priority. So -- 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: But it's not going to 12 be -- 13 COMMISSIONER PACES: Can we do it in 72 14 hours? That's the bottom line. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, not with -- 16 MRS. SHELTON: I can't do it in 72 hours. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. Okay. 18 MRS. SHELTON: I don't see me getting it 19 ready before September the 11th. Again, the goal was to 20 have it done today. 21 JUDGE KELLY: Well, I'm not happy that we're 22 not ready. 23 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. 24 JUDGE KELLY: And so we have to repost and 25 repost? 102 1 MRS. STEBBINS: I don't know that you have 2 to republish, but you can take action today to set the 3 vote on the final budget at a later date. That can be 4 your action. 5 JUDGE KELLY: How -- how do we get that 6 notice to the public? We had -- we had a large turnout 7 today. 8 MRS. STEBBINS: It's the same way that you 9 publish -- or same way you publish for all of your 10 public meetings. 11 JUDGE KELLY: Just in the agenda? 12 MRS. STEBBINS: Yes, sir. 13 JUDGE KELLY: Is that what y'all want to do? 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: That's what I want to 15 do. 16 COMMISSIONER PACES: That's what I want to 17 do. 18 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Then the action would 19 be to pass this item and revisit it again on September 20 the 11th. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Someone make a motion. 22 JUDGE KELLY: Yeah, I think we oughta have a 23 motion on it. 24 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I'll make the motion. 25 COMMISSIONER PACES: I'll second. 103 1 JUDGE KELLY: We've got a motion and a 2 second to pass a record vote on the budget until we 3 reconcile the position schedule estimate on 4 September 11th. That will be the next time we take this 5 up. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. 6 Opposed? It carries. 7 Okay. Item 1.18 consider, discuss and take 8 appropriate action to take a record vote on the proposed 9 2023 County tax rate. Mr. Reeves. 10 MR. REEVES: With the -- Gentlemen, with the 11 action that was just taken, I question without further 12 legal consultation whether you can propose a tax rate 13 without a budget. 14 COMMISSIONER PACES: I think you're right. 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I think you're right. 16 COMMISSIONER PACES: Go ahead and tell us 17 what it would be if there was no significant change. Is 18 it the .43? 19 MR. REEVES: It would be based on what Miss 20 Shelton has worked so hard on to come up with at this 21 point. But until that happens, I would question whether 22 you can propose a rate. I would caution September 11th 23 probably is as far as we can extend it out because that 24 is a publication requirement for the tax rate before 25 adoption. 104 1 JUDGE KELLY: I know. 2 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: But you can get it 3 done if everything clicks on September 11th? 4 COMMISSIONER BELEW: It gives you the time? 5 MR. REEVES: We will get it done, but I 6 could describe it better if we were out at the barn and 7 not here. But we can get it done. 8 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Understood. 9 JUDGE KELLY: So you would recommend that we 10 pass this to September 11th also? 11 MR. REEVES: Without firm legal -- 12 JUDGE KELLY: I agree. 13 MR. REEVES: -- from our attorneys -- 14 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I do too. 15 MR. REEVES: No disrespect to the County 16 Attorney, but I'll probably have to go to outside if we 17 were to do it. I'd rather wait until the budget was 18 proposed. 19 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. And I will entertain a 20 motion. 21 COMMISSIONER PACES: Do we need a motion to 22 pass on this? 23 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well, go ahead. We 24 can -- 25 COMMISSIONER PACES: Yeah, I know. But do 105 1 we need that, or do we just pass? 2 MRS. STEBBINS: You can just pass on them. 3 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah, I think we can 4 pass on all of Bob's. 5 JUDGE KELLY: We'll pass on Item 1.18 -- 6 COMMISSIONER PACES: Or all of them, I 7 guess, hu? 8 JUDGE KELLY: -- and Item 1.19, pass on 9 that, too? 10 MR. REEVES: Yes, sir. 11 JUDGE KELLY: Item 1.20? 12 MR. REEVES: Yes, sir. 13 JUDGE KELLY: 1.21? 14 MR. REEVES: 1.21, we could do that. But we 15 could also do it at the 11th. Because I know that's -- 16 we would want to do them at the same meeting. 17 JUDGE KELLY: Right. Yeah. 18 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. I agree. We 19 oughta pass on all of them. 20 MRS. STEBBINS: So on 19 is setting the 21 public hearing. 22 JUDGE KELLY: Oh, 19 is to hold a public 23 hearing. That public hearing -- go back to Item 1.19, 24 which is to consider, discuss and take appropriate 25 action to set the date and time to hold a public hearing 106 1 for the 2023 tax rate for Kerr County and Lateral Roads. 2 MR. REEVES: We could do that -- 3 JUDGE KELLY: We need to do that. 4 MR. REEVES: -- at this time, or we can wait 5 until the 11th. I will not be able to publish until 6 there's something to publish, as far as what the 7 proposed rate is. So we can do it at the next meeting 8 and just have them all in line. Because in theory, if 9 you were to go back to the no new revenue rate, then we 10 don't have to hold a public hearing. 11 JUDGE KELLY: So if we come back on 12 September 11th, when are we going to have a public 13 hearing? September 11th? 14 MR. REEVES: No. If we came back 15 September 11th -- in order to publish, I have to have 16 the proposed rate and I have to have the names of the 17 people that voted for the rate, against the rate, that 18 were absent. It's a record vote. So there's no 19 information I can publish now. So if the proposed rate 20 was set on 9-11, it -- counting my days -- probably the 21 meeting of the 25th, which is absolutely the last 22 meeting we could do it. 23 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yes. 24 MR. REEVES: And I will say that by doing 25 that, will slow down the progress of getting the tax 107 1 statements out. 2 JUDGE KELLY: Say that again. 3 MR. REEVES: It takes quite awhile to get 4 everything prepared to send out the tax statements. I 5 try to get them as close to October 1st as possible. So 6 it could slow it down. And just as Miss Shelton 7 couldn't give me an estimate on figuring that, I don't 8 know how long it may take on the rate. But I'll do 9 everything in my power, and my office will, to get them 10 as timely as possible. 11 JUDGE KELLY: And so I want to make sure the 12 Auditor and County Attorney listen to my question. What 13 all are we going to have to do if we put this off to 14 September 11th? Are we going to have to take action on 15 the 25th? Because I'm not going to be here. 16 MRS. STEBBINS: We need you to be here. 17 Well, we need four of you to be here. 18 JUDGE KELLY: I know. But if we decide this 19 on the 11th -- 20 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Let's take a time out 21 and say this. Tanya, you think there's any way the end 22 of next week or something you could have your numbers if 23 we have a special meeting to kind of -- 24 MRS. SHELTON: I really apologize but I've 25 got something already planned for next week. 108 1 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Okay. That was just 2 my question. 3 MRS. GRINSTEAD: And a lot of these have to 4 be done at a regular meeting. 5 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Oh, okay. 6 MRS. GRINSTEAD: Other budget stuff cannot 7 be done in special meetings. 8 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Okay. Just trying to 9 find a loophole here to speed things up. 10 MRS. STEBBINS: If y'all could pass on 1.18 11 for a little bit and give me a few minutes to visit with 12 Bob and come back to you, and then develop a better plan 13 for y'all. 14 MR. REEVES: After we get through with some 15 of the appropriate actions I do have a report of elected 16 officials and I will try to call our outside legal 17 counsel and see if I can get any word on the proper part 18 of that. 19 JUDGE KELLY: How long a break should we 20 take? 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Why don't we just move 22 on to -- skip down to the 10 o'clock items? 23 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah. 24 MR. REEVES: You can do that one. Because 25 there's -- the last one that I have there, gentlemen, 109 1 regarding child safety and -- that must be approved or 2 disapproved prior to September 1. 3 MR. REEVES: So we must hear that one today. 4 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. So everybody look at 5 your agenda. We are passing on 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 6 and 23. And moving on to Item 1.24, which is consider, 7 discuss and take appropriate action regarding the 8 optional $1.50 child safety fee and the optional $10.00 9 County Road & Bridge fee for the 2023 vehicle 10 registration per request from the Texas Department of 11 Motor Vehicles, and authorize the Tax Assessor Collector 12 to submit the approval to the Texas Department of Motor 13 Vehicles. Mr. Reeves. 14 MR. REEVES: Yes. Thank you. Section 15 402 -- or 502.403 of the Transportation Code allows the 16 County to charge a fee not to exceed $1.50 when 17 registering a vehicle. This fee is dedicated to the 18 child safety fund. The fee must be approved prior to 19 September 1 of each year, becomes effective on 20 January 1st of the follow year. 21 We began collecting this fee on January 1st, 22 2021, and then this current calendar year our office has 23 collected approximately $58,452.00. In your backup is a 24 documentation from the Transportation Code. This 25 portion of the optional fees is divided according to 110 1 population between the two municipalities of Kerr County 2 as well as Kerr County, and that's by statute. 3 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Move for approval. 4 MR. REEVES: Well, the second part of that, 5 if I may, Commissioner, is Section 502.401 of the 6 Transportation Code allows a County to charge a fee not 7 to exceed $10.00 when registering a vehicle. This 8 $10.00 is dedicated to the County Road & Bridge fund. 9 According to the Texas Department of Motor 10 Vehicles, during the 2022 calendar year, Kerr County 11 collected $581,960.00. To date, during the current 12 calendar year, we have collected $389,680.00. This fee 13 must also be approved prior to September 1st and it 14 becomes effective January 1st of the following year. 15 At this time, I request the Court to take 16 action on either approving or disapproving both of these 17 fees. After their -- the action of the Court is taken, 18 I will notify the DMV with the appropriate language. 19 JUDGE KELLY: And I understand it was your 20 motion? 21 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yes. 22 JUDGE KELLY: And it's your second? 23 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Second. 24 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 25 approve the child safety fee and the Road & Bridge fee 111 1 for vehicle registration as presented. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Quick question. On the 3 $1.50 child safety, does that -- what is that money used 4 for? 5 MR. REEVES: It can be used for like 6 painting crosswalks in our schools that are out in the 7 County. Some counties use it for CASA. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So it's a dedicated. 9 It's a dedicated -- 10 MR. REEVES: It's a dedicated fund. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 12 MR. REEVES: I send the money to the 13 Treasurer, And it's placed in a dedicated fund, just 14 like the money from the Road & Bridge fee is placed in a 15 dedicated fund. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: That answers it. Thank 17 you. 18 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Did you -- I don't 19 know if it's a question for you or Kelly. Do you know 20 if we -- what we've used that money for so far? 21 MR. REEVES: Once I send the money, I don't 22 know, Commissioner. 23 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Any other discussion? 24 Those in favor say aye. Opposed. Motion carries. 25 MR. REEVES: Guys, with your permission, 112 1 I'll try to get the answer today. 2 JUDGE KELLY: Please do. 3 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: You're going to take a 4 lunch break at some point anyway. Just give them a 5 little time. 6 JUDGE KELLY: I'm going to let them go right 7 now and we'll go on with the agenda. We'll take a break 8 about noon. I brought a snack. I can't go without 9 eating like we've been doing. 10 Well, let's move on to Item 1.25, which is a 11 timed 10:00 o'clock item. It looks like we running a 12 little over an hour late. This is a public hearing that 13 I'm convening for the revision of plat of the Theodore 14 and Dorothea Oehler Estate Subdivision, Tract 6. 15 Charlie. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It's a public hearing? 17 JUDGE KELLY: It's a public hearing, yeah. 18 So is there anyone here that wants to address the Court 19 on this before we hear from the County Engineer? 20 Okay. There being none, I'll adjourn the 21 meeting and we'll move on to Item 1.26, which is to 22 consider, discuss and take appropriate action regarding 23 a revision of plat for Theodore and Dorothea Oehler 24 Estate Subdivision, Tract 6. 25 MR. HASTINGS: Thank you, Judge. This 113 1 proposal revises Tract 6, it's 57.68 acres as platted, 2 into four lots. Each proposed lot will be over 10 acres 3 with frontage on FM 479. Access and driveways must be 4 permitted through TxDOT. TxDOT has signed the plat. 5 County Engineer requests the Court consider, 6 discuss and take appropriate action regarding a revision 7 of plat for Theodore and Dorothea Oehler Estate 8 Subdivision, Tract 6, Volume 4, Page 27, Precinct 4. 9 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I move for approval. 10 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 11 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second, 12 discussion? 13 MRS. DOWDY: Yes, I have a question. Is 14 this is an old one? In the old rules or did they pay 15 their engineering fee? 16 MR. HASTINGS: This is in the new rules. 17 MRS. DOWDY: Okay. I'd like to make sure 18 that engineering fees have been paid. That's all. 19 MR. HASTINGS: Okay. 20 MRS. DOWDY: I'll send you an e-mail. 21 MR. HASTINGS: All right. 22 MRS. DOWDY: Thank you. 23 JUDGE KELLY: We have a motion and a second. 24 Any other discussion? Those in favor say aye. Opposed. 25 Motion carries. 114 1 Item 1.27 consider, discuss and take 2 appropriate action regarding a developer's request for 3 the Court to accept a Cashier's Check Number 0501979267 4 from the First Citizens Bank in Raleigh, North Carolina 5 in the amount of $45,081.00, as a financial guarantee 6 for the remaining construction associated with 7 The Hideout Ranch and release Bond Number L256051-2131, 8 in the amount of $1,828,024.00. 9 MR. HASTINGS: Two weeks ago we looked at 10 this and the Court approved the request to reduce that 11 bond amount. They've come back with a check instead of 12 a different bond. And we knew we would be coming back 13 with either a bond or some other form of financial 14 guarantee. 15 Again, the final plat for the -- just the 16 history on this, The Hideout Ranch was approved 17 January 10th, 2022. It consists of property located in 18 both Kerr and Gillespie County. It includes four 19 newly-constructed private roads. The roads have been 20 constructed. Since most of the construction has been 21 completed, the developer requested reducing the amount 22 of the financial guaranty from $1.8 million to roughly 23 $45,000, as we've read into the record. 24 And like I mentioned, the Court two weeks 25 ago approved this request to do that. The developer has 115 1 submitted a cashier's check No. 0501979267 from First 2 Citizen's Bank in Raleigh, North Carolina in the amount 3 of $45,081.00 as a financial guaranty for the remaining 4 construction. 5 County Engineer requests the Court consider, 6 discuss, and take appropriate action regarding the 7 developer's request for the Court to accept cashier's 8 check No. 0501979267 from First Citizen's Bank in 9 Raleigh, North Carolina in the amount of $45,081.00 as a 10 financial guaranty for the remaining construction 11 associated with The Hideout Ranch, and release Bond 12 No. L256051-2131 in the amount of $1,828,024.00. 13 Precinct 4. 14 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Move for approval. 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 16 JUDGE KELLY: We got a motion and a second. 17 But before we do that, Deb raise your hand. Take a bow. 18 COURT REPORTER: (Indicating.) 19 JUDGE KELLY: Charlie, do you have any idea 20 how fast you were going? 21 MR. HASTINGS: You want my agenda bill? 22 JUDGE KELLY: Hats off to our Court 23 Reporter. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: The question is, Judge, 25 do they know something -- they're talking about the 116 1 successor. I mean hopefully they'll be done in the next 2 two years. 3 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Any other discussion? 4 I'll say this very slowly, Deb. Those in favor say aye. 5 Those opposed? Motion carries. 6 Item 1.28 consider, discuss, and take 7 appropriate action for the Court to set a public hearing 8 for 10:00 a.m. on October 10, 2023 for a revision of 9 plat for Treasure Hills Ranch, Tracts 17R, 19A, and 19B. 10 Mr. Hastings. 11 MR. HASTINGS: Thank you, Judge. This 12 proposal revises three tracts into two. Tract 17R 13 (8.53 acres), Tract 19A (5.0 acres), and Tract 19B 14 (5.4 acres) will be revised into Tract 17S (7.23 acres) 15 and Tract 19R (11.28 acres). 16 A portion of Tract 17R was granted to the 17 owners of Tracts 19A and 19B sometime last year, and 18 this proposed plat revision will complete the process of 19 going through a revision of plat process. Both tracts 20 will now have frontage on Treasure Hills Road and on 21 Highway 16. 22 County Engineer requests the Court set a 23 public hearing for 10:00 a.m. on October 10, 2023 for a 24 revision of plat for Treasure Hills Ranch, Tract 25 17A,(sic) 17B,(sic) and 18B(sic), Volume 5, Page 397, 117 1 Precinct 1. 2 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Move for approval. 3 MR. HASTINGS: I'm sorry. That -- I might 4 have read that wrong. 5 JUDGE KELLY: I believe you did. 6 MR. HASTINGS: That was Tract 17R, 19A and 7 19B, Volume 5, Page 397, Precinct 1. I apologize. 8 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Second. 9 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 10 approve. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Question. This is just 12 a public hearing, I'm aware. But is -- when is 13 Headwaters going to address the provision of plat issues 14 that y'all can't sign it the way it is right now. 15 MR. JONES: Yeah, we haven't talked about 16 that yet at all. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. Because this is 18 another one because it's less than ten acres. 19 JUDGE KELLY: I thought it was combining it. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It's still one of these 21 lots is less than ten acres. 22 COMMISSIONER BELEW: This is -- this is the 23 one with two wells on it. So -- 24 MR. HASTINGS: We've -- we've had those kind 25 of discussions with -- when they got processed. We 118 1 said, hey you, one of these lots is less than ten acres, 2 have you worked anything out with Headwaters? And they 3 are working things out with Headwaters. And so we said, 4 well, we'll put it on for a public hearing but you've 5 gotta have those things worked out. 6 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. Good. That's my 7 question. 8 JUDGE KELLY: So those in favor of setting 9 this for public hearing say aye. Opposed? Motion 10 carries. 11 Item 1.29 consider, discuss and take action 12 to approve a list of surplus items from the Road & 13 Bridge Department. Ms. Mendoza. 14 MS. MENDOZA: Hi, good morning. Road & 15 Bridge has 24 items to surplus. They will be auctioned 16 off. Models range from 1984 to 2014 trade-ins. 17 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Move for approval. 18 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 19 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 20 approve a list of surplus items from Road & Bridge. Any 21 discussion? Those in favor say aye. Those opposed? 22 Motion carries. 23 1.30 consider, discuss and take action to 24 approve an auction agreement with Trey Garrett and 25 Garrett Realty & Auction. The auction date will be 119 1 October 21, 2023. Ms. Hoffer. 2 MS. HOFFER: Submitted for your approval is 3 an auction agreement with Trey Garrett of Garrett Realty 4 & Auction. This will be for an auction to be held on 5 October 21st, 2023 at the Hill Country Youth Event 6 Center. All vehicles, equipment, and materials that 7 will be placed for auction have been surplused through 8 the Commissioners' Court. 9 The County Attorney has reviewed this 10 agreement. At this time, I ask the Commissioners' Court 11 for their approval of the auction agreement with Trey 12 Garrett of Garrett Realty & Auction. 13 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I move for approval. 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 15 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second. 16 Any discussion? Those in favor say aye. Opposed? 17 Motion carries. 18 Next item is 1.31 consider, discuss and take 19 appropriate action to approve the general contract with 20 Maxey Energy for fuel tank replacements at Road & Bridge 21 Spur 100 Yard. Ms. Hoffer. 22 MS. HOFFER: Submitted for approval is a 23 general contract with Maxey Energy for replacement of 24 the three fuel storage tanks at the Spur 100 yard. The 25 County Attorney has reviewed this agreement. And at 120 1 this time, we ask the Commissioner's Court for their 2 approval of the general contract with Maxey Energy and 3 have the County Judge sign the same. 4 I just kind of wanted to give you a little 5 background. The tanks that are there right now, I had 6 asked one of the guys that has been there for awhile. 7 He thought that those tanks were installed probably in 8 1994 or 1995. They say for above-ground fuel storage 9 tanks you usually want to replace them about every 20 10 years. 11 It's just one of these days we're going to 12 suck up some stuff from the inside of one of those tanks 13 into those diesel motors, and so we had a little bit of 14 money leftover and we thought we would get those tanks 15 replaced and move forward. 16 I know last year, I think it was, or the 17 year before JI Specialties asked us to do a tank 18 integrity test before they would approve doing the 19 insurance on the fuel tank. So we had that done and it 20 was about $2,700.00. It passed. But my understanding 21 from the mechanics in the shop that they've changed the 22 specs on above-ground tanks and the ones we currently 23 have, I mean they're grandfathered, but they are not the 24 cell tanks that you would put in today. 25 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah, I asked a lot of 121 1 questions about this. I called Kelly on Friday. 2 Because farm and ranch, I know tanks have lasted 3 forever. And I just assumed that the filters would -- 4 what your stop gaps were. 5 MS. HOFFER: Yeah. They replaced the 6 filters on all three of the tanks. One's off-road and 7 one's gasoline. But they're steel tanks. And like I 8 said, when JI Specialty asked us, first time we've ever 9 been asked to do a tank integrity test. 10 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I wasn't aware of that 11 part of it, but that we had hoops we had to jump 12 through. 13 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well my question is, 14 what are the new regulations on the new tanks? And how 15 difficult is that going to be? 16 MS. HOFFER: Actually it's not. They meet 17 the regulations. But some of the physical requirements 18 for each compliant tank includes secondary containment, 19 which we already have, overfill production, leak 20 detection, standard emergency vent. The venting system 21 on the current tanks is not what they're doing today. 22 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Right. 23 MS. HOFFER: Level gauge, clock-type 24 preferred. We do not have any gauges on the tanks so 25 they're done when they're dispensing the fuel. Adequate 122 1 lighting for nighttime detection of leaks. But the 2 walls of the tanks are different. I think there -- I 3 think it's a double or triple wall on the new tanks as 4 opposed to what we've got. I think it's a single or a 5 double on these tanks. 6 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So there's more upkeep? 7 MS. HOFFER: Yeah. 8 COMMISSIONER BELEW: A lot more equipment on 9 it? 10 MS. HOFFER: Yes. 11 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Not just the tank 12 sitting there. 13 MS. HOFFER: No. 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. So that's my 15 concern. Every time you update -- when you said the 16 word grandfather the light goes off. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: New rules. 18 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. So here's the 19 question. I know you can reline a lot of tanks, I don't 20 know if you can reline these. Have you looked at that? 21 MS. HOFFER: I have not. 22 COMMISSIONER BELEW: That might be the 23 cheapest way to go. I'd explore that before we start 24 buying in to some new EPA regulations. 25 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Do we have time? 123 1 JUDGE KELLY: Yeah. 2 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I guess we could pass 3 on this and take a look at that maybe? 4 COMMISSIONER BELEW: See if that's -- yeah, 5 if there's anybody around here that does it. There may 6 be a company that specializes in it. 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I was going to say our 8 tanks have rusted out. They do get -- most of the fuel 9 tanks get water on the very bottom and -- they do rust 10 out at some point. '94, that's -- is it 20 years? 11 JUDGE KELLY: 29. 12 COMMISSIONER LETZ: 29, almost 30 years. 13 Yeah. But relining them may work. I've never tried 14 that. 15 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. I've had that 16 done on, you know, like a car tank. I don't know if 17 they do it as big -- on a -- on this big of a tank. Or 18 if it's -- 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah, but the cost of 20 new tanks is pretty reasonable. It's like $3,500 21 apiece? 22 MS. HOFFER: Yeah. 23 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah, but that's the 24 beginning of the cost. 25 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well -- and you 124 1 brought up issues that I hadn't thought about. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well, you know, see if 3 there's -- you know, I'm -- I'm good with waiting and 4 seeing if you can get them relined. 5 MS. HOFFER: Okay. I'll have my mechanics 6 take a look at that. 7 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And if you can, how does 8 that extend their life? 9 JUDGE KELLY: So we'll pass it for this 10 reason -- 11 MS. HOFFER: Okay. 12 JUDGE KELLY: -- and then come back for it. 13 COMMISSIONER BELEW: And then Jonathan wants 14 the business card. 15 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. So I can fix all 16 mine. 17 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. I think that takes us 18 to Item 1.35, which is consider, discuss, and take 19 appropriate action to approve the quote presented by CML 20 Security to replace the existing house card access 21 control system with a Vicon card access control system. 22 Sheriff. 23 SHERIFF LEITHA: Yes, Judge. If you mind, 24 can you call also 1.36 and we'll talk about them 25 together and then vote separate? 125 1 JUDGE KELLY: Item 1.36 we'll call also, 2 which is consider, discuss and take appropriate action 3 to approve the expenditure to Guardian Security 4 Solutions for security enhancement, operational 5 efficiency, and public safety by completing the 6 following five projects: Courthouse Project No. 11426, 7 Annex Project No. 11414, Earl Garrett Project No. 11573, 8 Cameras at Courthouse Project No. 11577, and Courthouse 9 Badge Printer Project No. 11577. Sheriff. 10 SHERIFF LEITHA: Thank you, Judge. Okay. 11 To start with, all this was going to be in the bond 12 which, of course, we know didn't pass. So we were going 13 to kind of completely upgrade the security system in all 14 the County facilities. But now what we're faced with is 15 several of them are starting to go out. So what I did 16 is I got y'all a package. 17 I don't want to get into a whole lot of 18 detail because it is a security issue, but what we can 19 start with is the CML Security. It's basically what's 20 in the jail. And this came from when the remodeling of 21 the jail happened. So we have that system and then we 22 have Guardian for the rest of the County. So my 23 recommendation is to just pass both these and we need 24 them. 25 CML System is the system I spoke about, has 126 1 to do with the security of making the cards to get in 2 and out of the jail and to change the codes. Currently, 3 for a couple weeks now, we have haven't been able to do 4 that so obviously the Judge can't -- the new Judge can't 5 get in and out. We've gotta let her in and out. So 6 that's one system. 7 And then the Guardian System which is -- you 8 know, we got a quote that says 68,149.08, is to kind of 9 start here at the courthouse, the place with the brains, 10 and then in addition to that we can do the Annex, and 11 Earl Garrett, doing some work at Earl Garrett, and then 12 also the Annex for here so we can make the badges. 13 So basically what I'm requesting y'all's 14 approval to be able to do this which I don't know if it 15 will be paid out of, you know, contingency or this 16 year's funds. Somewhere. 17 And this will also give us the ability to 18 expand to the City of Ingram. 19 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So this is not in your 20 budget? 21 SHERIFF LEITHA: No. No. It's -- it 22 started going out, actually one of our systems has been 23 out for awhile. This, like I said, was in the bond 24 election but it's starting to go out so, you know, 25 we're -- we've got some issues. Security issues. 127 1 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: What's the grand total 2 of both of them together? 3 SHERIFF LEITHA: 68,149 and 22,294. 4 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Around 90. 5 JUDGE KELLY: Do we take this out of 6 contingency? Is that what you're asking? 7 SHERIFF LEITHA: If possible. Or if there's 8 some other place in the budget, this is all I know right 9 now. 10 MRS. SHELTON: Contingency has a balance of 11 about 400,000 right now. We've hit it pretty hard this 12 year. 13 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I mean that'll do it. 14 So I'll make a motion to approve the contract and take 15 the funds out of our contingency line item. 16 COMMISSIONER PACES: I'll second. 17 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 18 approve both of these security measures, one with CML 19 and the other with Guardian, as presented, and pay for 20 it out of our contingency fund. That's the motion. Any 21 discussion? 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Should we do two 23 different motions since there are two different agenda 24 items? 25 SHERIFF LEITHA: Probably so, yeah. 128 1 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Let me go back. Let's 2 do Item 1.35. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Make a motion that we 4 approve the CML Security replacement system as 5 presented. 6 COMMISSIONER PACES: And I'll second. 7 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion to approve the 8 CML Security System to replace the existing house card 9 access control system with a Vicon card access control 10 system as presented and pay for it out of the 11 contingency funds. Any discussion? Those in favor say 12 aye. Opposed? Motion carries. 13 And on 1.36, this is to approve the 14 expenditure of the Guardian Security Solutions to the 15 various projects as presented and pay for it out of the 16 contingency funds. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. Move for 18 approval. 19 COMMISSIONER PACES: Second. 20 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second. 21 Any discussion? Those in favor say aye. Opposed? 22 Motion carries. 23 JUDGE KELLY: Item 1.37 consider, discuss 24 and take appropriate action to approve an Employee 25 Funded Supplemental offered by SWBC Hospital Indemnity. 129 1 Miss Hernandez. 2 MS. HERNANDEZ: This is a product that is 3 going to be employee funded. It's not going to cost the 4 County anything. And it does have benefits to it for 5 employees. So, for instance, if somebody gets 6 hospitalized, they can turn in a -- for a covered 7 expense under your medical. They are able to put in a 8 claim and receive for hospital admission, a thousand 9 dollars per admission, and hospital confinement a 10 hundred dollars per day for the room, ICU admissions 11 it's 2000. The list goes on. 12 And there is a breakdown for the proposed 13 rate for option one. There are two options. Option one 14 is the basic plan and then option two is a buyout plan. 15 JUDGE KELLY: I understand these are 16 insurance products? 17 MS. HERNANDEZ: Insurance products that are 18 driven by -- 19 JUDGE KELLY: And paid for by the employees? 20 MS. HERNANDEZ: Yes. No cost to the County. 21 JUDGE KELLY: So what we're going to do is 22 just -- 23 COMMISSIONER PACES: And it's optional, 24 right? 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Making it optional. 130 1 MS. HERNANDEZ: Yes. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I move for approval. 3 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Second. 4 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Got a motion and a 5 second to approve the Employee Funded Supplemental 6 offered by SWBC, which is a hospital indemnity policy. 7 Any discussion? Those in favor say aye. Opposed. 8 Motion carries. 9 Moving on to the Approval Agenda. 2.1 10 budget amendments. 11 MRS. SHELTON:: Yes. You have in front of 12 you nine budget requests. 13 JUDGE KELLY: It's that time of year. 14 MRS. SHELTON: That time of year. The last 15 one is just truing up the group insurance projections 16 where they'll be by the end of the year. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I move for approval. 18 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 19 JUDGE KELLY: We've got a motion and a 20 second to approve the budget amendment as presented. 21 Any discussion? Those in favor say aye. Opposed? 22 Approved. 23 2.2 pay bills. 24 MRS. SHELTON: Yes. Invoices for today's 25 consideration $1,245,555.90. 131 1 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Move for approval. 2 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Second. 3 COMMISSIONER PACES: Second. 4 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 5 approve the bills as presented. Any discussion? Those 6 in favor say aye. Approved. 7 2.3 late bills. 8 MRS. SHELTON: There are not any. Oh -- 9 yes. There are not any. 10 JUDGE KELLY: And 2.4 Auditor reports. 11 MRS. SHELTON: There are not any. 12 JUDGE KELLY: Thank you. 13 2.5 monthly reports. 14 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yes. For July 2023. 15 Treasurer's monthly report, Tracy Soldan. Kerr County 16 Animal Control Services, Director Reagan Givens. 17 Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Mitzi French, as 18 amended. Precinct 4, Bill Ragsdale. Treasurer's 19 Payroll approval report, Tracy Soldan. I move for 20 approval. 21 COMMISSIONER PACES: Second. 22 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 23 approve the monthly reports as presented. Any 24 discussion? Those in favor say aye. Opposed? Motion 25 carries. 132 1 2.6 court orders. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: We have the court orders 3 from our August 14th regular meeting, numbers 40130 to 4 40165. And we have court order 40166 from our 5 Wednesday, August 16th special meeting. All look to be 6 in order. Move for approval. 7 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Second. 8 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 9 approve the Court Orders as presented. Any discussion? 10 Those in favor say aye. Opposed? Motion carries. 11 Information Agenda. 3.1 status reports from 12 department heads. Shane. I see you here. 13 MR. EVANS: Yes, sir. Good morning, 14 gentlemen. This is just an update from a couple weeks 15 ago when we were talking about getting the Youth Exhibit 16 Center parking lot striped. We just needed to get some 17 bids for that or y'all wanted to hear some bids. There 18 was one company that had done it nearly two years ago. 19 And they redid their bid $1,500 higher than it was two 20 years ago. 21 And I did have another company come out and 22 take a look at it and get a bid. They did a very 23 detailed report of the job they were going to do but 24 they didn't put any dollar amount on it. So I don't 25 have an actual dollar amount for them to do the job at 133 1 this point, so -- 2 JUDGE KELLY: Did you follow up with them 3 and ask them how much? 4 MR. EVANS: I did. I contacted them this 5 morning and he has not called me back. So -- he's still 6 out on a job and not called me back. 7 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Hopefully this is 8 something we can put on the next agenda then? 9 MR. EVANS: Yes. 10 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: So we can look at it. 11 JUDGE KELLY: Good. Thank you. 12 MR. EVANS: And then there was one other 13 thing about the -- what me and Commissioner Harris were 14 talking about earlier today, this morning. There was 15 also a little project that the Youth Event Center was 16 wanting to get done. An entrance way. And to get this 17 entrance way done, they would have to move a power line 18 pole and the guideline wire. So that bid to do that 19 from KPUB was $3,132.00 to move that power line pole. 20 JUDGE KELLY: And this is to do what? 21 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: We're moving the 22 entrance way -- 23 JUDGE KELLY: For Road & Bridge? 24 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: No. For River Star. 25 JUDGE KELLY: Youth Event Center. 134 1 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: River Star. 2 JUDGE KELLY: Oh, River Star. 3 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: And you have to look 4 at it. 5 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Next to the AG office? 6 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yes. And move it to 7 where the entrance is off the pavement. Right now it's 8 off dirt and what have you. If you haven't been out 9 there lately -- 10 JUDGE KELLY: Oh, I know what you're talking 11 about. 12 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah. And -- and 13 they've always wanted a nicer entrance than what we got. 14 JUDGE KELLY: When you tell me the dirt I 15 know where it is. 16 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah. Exactly. And 17 if y'all hadn't noticed out there, the youth exhibit -- 18 I mean the extension office put in a privacy fence right 19 there, and so it -- it just goes along. And we got rid 20 of an old building that was in the way right there, that 21 was falling apart, and we had a -- Roy Walston took it. 22 Thank heavens. He basically hauled it off. I don't 23 know what he could do with it. But one man's junk is 24 another man's treasure, I guess. 25 Anyway -- so that's something else we can 135 1 probably put on next agenda but we need to be looking at 2 that. 3 JUDGE KELLY: Yeah. And is that $3,000 -- 4 how much? 5 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: 3,100. 6 MR. EVANS: Yes, sir. The exact price is 7 $3,132.61. 8 JUDGE KELLY: Got it. 9 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Pretty reasonable for 10 moving a power pole. I moved one and it was like ten 11 thousand. 12 MR. EVANS: And not only that, we also got 13 an expiration date for moving that power pole was 14 November 4th of 2023. 15 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: For that price? 16 MR. EVANS: Yeah, for that price. 17 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Limited time offer. 18 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well, it's 19 understandable. 20 JUDGE KELLY: Yeah. 21 COMMISSIONER BELEW: It's a good price. 22 JUDGE KELLY: Thank you, Shane. 23 MR. EVANS: Sure. 24 JUDGE KELLY: Any other department heads? 25 Okay. Move on to 3.2 status reports from 136 1 elected officials. Bob. 2 MR. REEVES: This -- first of this month, 3 myself and most of my election staff attended the annual 4 election law seminar that was held in Austin. It's put 5 on by the Texas Secretary of State's Office. And it was 6 a very informative meeting regarding a number of 7 different law changes and procedures. 8 If any of you have ever attended 9 conferences, you know very often whatever office you're 10 in, you'll break out into a round table discussion based 11 on size of your County. Ours was from 40,000 to 12 200,000. That's the break up of it. And it became very 13 evident in the round table discussions that Kerr County 14 is not the only one having questions about hand-counting 15 possibilities. 16 What I -- was evident was that the other 17 counties had complete support of their Commissioners' 18 Court. I'm not saying any of you gentlemen are not 19 entitled to your opinion and how to govern from up 20 there, but I do feel in today's society we're going to 21 end up in the courtroom one way or another over vote 22 counting. 23 Having experienced that before, it's not a 24 fun place to be. And I would have to be the one that 25 would get up there and not only defend the method that 137 1 we're doing, but I would have to explain why the court's 2 not in total support of me. And that would not be a 3 fun -- fun option that I'm looking to. It would make a 4 very bad day. 5 Full disclosure, I sat down with Judge Kelly 6 last week about this. Subchapter C of Chapter 31 7 outlines the transfer of election duties. And the 8 County Clerk is the statutory officer to conduct 9 elections. My job is voter registration. And I believe 10 at the beginning of this fiscal year, it should be moved 11 back to those two separate offices. I will keep the 12 voter registration. 13 Without 100 percent of the Court's support, 14 I cannot continue to do this. With that, we're in the 15 middle of budget. While, it may take some minor 16 amendments between the two offices, I would like to 17 stress to you and the people in the public that I 18 receive no stipend to conduct the elections. My 19 predecessor did not take one, nor did -- I believe it 20 was two predecessors before Miss Dowdy, take a pay cut 21 when it was moved. We just moved and kept on going. 22 So therefore, with the beginning of the 23 fiscal year, my office will only conduct voter 24 registration, which is my statutory requirement. 25 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Sounds like we need a 138 1 workshop, Judge. 2 JUDGE KELLY: Ms. Dowdy, what do you think? 3 MS. DOWDY: I'm really not in a position to 4 respond at this time. 5 JUDGE KELLY: Fair enough. 6 JUDGE KELLY: Well -- 7 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Statutorily, you're in 8 charge of registration you're saying, Bob? 9 MR. REEVES: Yes. 10 COMMISSIONER BELEW: And that's all. 11 MR. REEVES: In the absence of an election 12 administrator, the County Tax Assessor is the voter 13 registrar. 14 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So what will Nadene's 15 position be? 16 MR. REEVES: She is my Chief Deputy. 17 COMMISSIONER BELEW: She would basically be 18 doing -- 19 MR. REEVES: She will be my Chief Deputy. 20 Prior to moving -- consolidating the offices back in 21 '08, '09, whenever, I was not here at the time, there 22 was two in voter registration and Nadene -- excuse me, 23 my Chief Deputy moved from the County Clerk's Office. 24 My Chief Deputy's position includes more than voter 25 registration. I'll need at least one of my staff, and 139 1 probably two to do voter registration. 2 COMMISSIONER BELEW: You didn't get into any 3 particulars really, so -- 4 MR. REEVES: Pardon me? 5 COMMISSIONER BELEW: You didn't get into too 6 many particulars of why you chose this. 7 MR. REEVES: I feel I have to have the 8 support of all of y'all. And believe that as the 9 election officer, I have researched the best methods of 10 accounting for the votes, ensuring the security, and if 11 I cannot have that support, then it does not do anybody 12 any good. 13 The voters or -- having -- if I had to get 14 on the stand and defend hand counting, I could not do 15 it. But if I had to get on the stand and defend the 16 means of our equipment, I then would have to answer to a 17 cross-examination of why not all of my court supports 18 what I'm doing. I've been placed in a no-win situation. 19 Your Honor, you -- you cross examined an attorney. 20 JUDGE KELLY: Yes. 21 MR. REEVES: And not -- not attorneys, but 22 witnesses that you'd probably love to cross-examine 23 something like this if you were on the other side. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So I mean if -- from 25 what I understand, if the Court -- and I presume it's 140 1 going to be on the agenda pretty soon. If the Court 2 unanimously approves to not go to hand counting, we keep 3 the status quo? Or does this change regardless of what 4 the Court -- 5 MR. REEVES: Unanimous approval and support, 6 Commissioner, in all due respect might be two different 7 things. 8 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, you're kind of 9 getting ahead of yourself, aren't you? Nothing has 10 happened. 11 MR. REEVES: I don't believe I have because 12 I couldn't defend it either way, Commissioner. If I got 13 called up on one side, I don't have the support. All 14 I'm asking is for your support. You put me in this job. 15 The voters put me in this job. I do the best I can to 16 operate a secure election. And for the past seven or 17 eight months, whether you want to say so or not, that 18 has been -- it's been called in to question. 19 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Not by I. 20 COMMISSIONER PACES: The equipment's been 21 called into question. 22 MR. REEVES: It is. 23 COMMISSIONER PACES: Not your integrity. 24 JUDGE KELLY: And to clarify, Bob, in our 25 discussion, you did agree to stay on to help with this 141 1 upcoming election. 2 MR. REEVES: Oh, absolutely. I would never 3 leave anybody left blind. I wouldn't do it to anybody. 4 Especially the elected official that we share the break 5 room with. I wouldn't want to do that. 6 JUDGE KELLY: We'll make it a smooth 7 transition and -- 8 MR. REEVES: I want it smooth. 9 JUDGE KELLY: -- have everybody up to speed. 10 MR. REEVES: I want it as smooth as can be. 11 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Any other elected 12 officials? Any liaison commissioners? 13 COMMISSIONER BELEW: This -- this kind of -- 14 just to make a little point. To underscore something 15 that I said recently about the Treasurer's Office. 16 These kinds of things happen. And so you move something 17 from one office to another one, which is why I wanted 18 the money to follow the position. Just to underscore 19 that. 20 As far as what's happening now, I'd like to 21 know the history of what we did prior to me being on the 22 court and -- 23 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Exactly. And numbers 24 of employees. 25 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. Right. 142 1 MR. REEVES: Well -- 2 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I can tell you this, 3 Bob. I don't have the full support of all my 4 constituents but I keep on plugging away, you know, 5 so -- 6 COMMISSIONER REEVES: I understand, 7 Commissioner. 8 COMMISSIONER PACES: Nor do I. 9 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Okay. 10 MR. REEVES: My heart's not feeling it. 11 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I mean, Judge. I think 12 this needs to be on our next agenda to the point of what 13 we're -- where we're going with elections. I mean -- 14 JUDGE KELLY: I agree. 15 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Without a doubt. 16 COMMISSIONER BELEW: I don't think that we 17 have a consensus, you know, with what all of -- we 18 probably have five different opinions on how to -- you 19 know, status quo is one. Tweaking it from another. 20 Completely upsetting the apple cart with another and so 21 on down the line. I know what my position is. And I -- 22 I saw part of what was at the election integrity. I 23 liked -- 24 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well -- 25 COMMISSIONER BELEW: -- I liked having the 143 1 paper ballot and scan. And then you save the paper 2 ballot. If it's ever called into question, you count 3 them. That seems like to me a happy medium. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: The State Law requires 5 that. That is State Law. 6 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Well, you don't have 7 that. People can vote electronically. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Well -- 9 COMMISSIONER BELEW: You have -- 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: If you're disabled you 11 are. 12 COMMISSIONER BELEW: The State law is going 13 to change soon. And I'm looking at the County Attorney. 14 The State law is going to change soon and -- and require 15 paper printout. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: That's what I'm saying. 17 So it's changed -- I think this is -- we need to put it 18 on the agenda. 19 MRS. STEBBINS: Put it on the agenda? 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah, exactly. 21 COMMISSIONER PACES: There's a lot of issues 22 associated. Hard to believe the certificates aren't 23 valid on the machines as it is. 24 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well, needs to be on 25 the agenda. 144 1 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Now, what are we going 2 to put on the agenda? 3 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Well, I don't know. I 4 assumed that Commissioner Paces was going to put 5 something on. 6 COMMISSIONER PACES: I'm planning on it. 7 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: And then I would say 8 maybe put Mr. Reeves' concerns on there. And Miss 9 Dowdy's as well maybe. 10 MRS. DOWDY: No. 11 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: No? But anyway. 12 That's down the road. We -- I think the first hurdle is 13 your agenda item. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I think we have two 15 agenda items. 16 COMMISSIONER PACES: Yeah. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I'll crash one. 18 JUDGE KELLY: Well, don't put it on the 19 agenda for September 25 because I will be absent. I'd 20 like to participate. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: No, but the 11th is our 22 next meeting. 23 COMMISSIONER PACES: Yeah. Yeah. 24 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Right. 25 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah. 145 1 JUDGE KELLY: Anything else from liaison 2 commissioners? 3 Okay. There being none, then we go into 4 recess and come back in Executive Session. And what, 5 about five, ten minutes? 6 MRS. STEBBINS: Judge, will you recall the 7 items 1.18 through 23? 8 JUDGE KELLY: Yes. 9 MRS. STEBBINS: Great. 10 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. We're not recalling 11 1.17, right? The record vote? 12 MRS. STEBBINS: On the budget, no, sir. 13 Because y'all took action to set that and -- 14 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: We passed the 15 September 11. 16 MRS. STEBBINS: -- revisit on the 11th. 17 JUDGE KELLY: Right. 18 MRS. STEBBINS: So the next action is to -- 19 JUDGE KELLY: 1.18 is consider, discuss and 20 take appropriate action to record a vote on the proposed 21 2023 Kerr County tax rate. This will be a combined tax 22 rate for Kerr County and Lateral Roads. 23 MRS. STEBBINS: This you don't have to pass 24 today. But if you propose a tax rate for Kerr County 25 and Lateral Roads and it has to change, it can only 146 1 reduce it to something lower. It can't be increased. 2 So if something changes over the next couple of weeks, 3 you can only reduce that tax rate instead of increase 4 it. 5 MR. REEVES: We were not able to get in 6 touch with my outside counsel; however, after discussing 7 with the County Attorney, the proposed rate, the best we 8 can tell from Local Government Code and the Property Tax 9 Code, we could propose the rate, this rate would -- as a 10 cap. 11 JUDGE KELLY: Is that what you want us to 12 do? 13 MR. REEVES: And another -- I would suggest 14 to do that -- if we didn't -- we're not able to hear 15 from outside counsel. If we hear and find out we can't, 16 then we'll just have to -- 17 JUDGE KELLY: Rescind? 18 MR. REEVES: -- rescind and propose it again. 19 We will barely have enough time to get it published by 20 the last meeting of the month. September 25th. If we 21 do it on the 11th. 22 JUDGE KELLY: Everybody good with this? 23 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yeah. If it can only 24 go down, sure. 25 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. So -- 147 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: They have a total rate 2 of 40 -- 43 -- .43, but we need to -- don't we 3 actually -- 4 MR. REEVES: Yes, sir. 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: -- set it up or make the 6 motion -- 7 MR. REEVES: From this rate, if -- and I 8 believe I've concurred with Miss Shelton, the rate would 9 consist of .3556 per one hundred dollars for maintenance 10 and operations, .0518 for interest and sinking fund as 11 we refer to as debt. And the lateral road fund would be 12 .0226. Now this rate is above the no new revenue rate 13 of .3636 per 100 dollars valuation, and a record vote on 14 the proposed is required. 15 COMMISSIONER PACES: That's the 17.5 percent 16 tax increase. 17 JUDGE KELLY: So it's a total of .43? 18 MR. REEVES: .43 or 43 cents per 100 dollars 19 valuation. 20 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I'll make a motion we 21 set the tax rate at .43 for the total rate, MNO rate at 22 .3556, INS rate and the debt rate at .0518, and the 23 lateral road tax of .0226. 24 COMMISSIONER PACES: Second. 25 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and second to set 148 1 proposed 2023 Kerr County tax rate as stated by 2 Commissioner Letz. 3 COMMISSIONER LETZ: What's the current tax 4 rate, total? 5 MR. REEVES: The current tax rate for last 6 year is .3798 per one hundred dollar valuation. A 7 combined rate. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Thank you. 9 MRS. SHELTON: For last year? 10 MR. REEVES: Oh. I'm sorry. That was only 11 the County. And then the total rate was .4051. 12 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: .4051. 13 MR. REEVES: The balance is Lateral Roads. 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yeah. So it's a two and 15 a half cent increase. 16 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Just as stated, Bob, 17 what's the max we -- that we can go to with voter 18 approval? 19 MR. REEVES: The voter approval rate, we 20 could go up to .4874. Anything above that would require 21 a ratification election and it is passed that time to 22 call for the election. 23 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I just wanted it 24 stated so we're not getting anywhere near that thing. 25 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Got a motion and a 149 1 second. Any other discussion? Those in favor say aye. 2 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And it's a record vote, 3 isn't it? 4 JUDGE KELLY: Oh, it's a record vote. Yeah. 5 Precinct 1? 6 COMMISSIONER BELEW: It nearly sickens me, 7 but I think it has to be done. I say yes. 8 JUDGE KELLY: Precinct 2? 9 COMMISSIONER PACES: And it does sicken me. 10 MRS. DOWDY: What did you say? 11 COMMISSIONER PACES: I think it's too high 12 so I'm going to say no. 13 JUDGE KELLY: 3? 14 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I know, but it's 15 something I think we need to do. So aye. 16 JUDGE KELLY: 4? 17 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yeah. I'm proud of 18 what we've done the last few years of not raising it, 19 but this couldn't go on forever. And I don't like it, 20 but yes. 21 JUDGE KELLY: And I'll vote yes. So the 22 vote is four, one. 23 Moving on to Item 1.19 consider, discuss and 24 take appropriate action to set the date and time to hold 25 a public hearing for the 2023 tax rate for Kerr County 150 1 and Lateral Roads. 2 MR. REEVES: Yes, sir. Based on the 3 previous vote, the public hearing will be required prior 4 to adopting the rate. The Court will need to set the 5 date and time to hold a public hearing for the 2023 6 combined tax rate. 7 JUDGE KELLY: And we had that set for 8 September 11, is that right? Before we adopt the tax 9 rate? 10 MRS. SHELTON: (Shaking head yes) 11 MR. REEVES: At what time, please? 12 JUDGE KELLY: What time? 13 MS. GRINSTEAD: If we pass on -- well, we 14 passed on it, the adopting the budget for 9:45. So just 15 has to be 9:50, 10:00. It's gotta be after 9:45. 16 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Move for approval. 17 COMMISSIONER BELEW: So 10:00 o'clock? 18 MS. GRINSTEAD: Uh-huh. 19 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Or it could be 9:45, 20 whatever. 21 JUDGE KELLY: The budget was set at 9:45, 22 right? So your motion is to set it for -- 23 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: 9:45 as well. 24 JUDGE KELLY: No, it's need to be after. 25 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Oh. 9:50. 151 1 JUDGE KELLY: At 9:50, Bob. 2 MR. REEVES: Thank you. 3 MRS. DOWDY: Need a second. 4 JUDGE KELLY: Second? 5 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Second. 6 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 7 set the public hearing for September the 11th at 9:50 8 to set the tax rate. Any discussion? Those in favor 9 say aye. Those opposed. Unanimous. 10 1.20 consider, discuss and take appropriate 11 action to set the date and time for adoption of the 2023 12 tax rate. 13 MR. REEVES: Yes, sir. The previous item 14 was to set the public hearing. At this time, I would 15 ask the Court to set a time and date to adopt the tax 16 rate for the 2023 tax year. 17 COMMISSIONER LETZ: It would be on the 11th? 18 JUDGE KELLY: Uh-huh. 19 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Okay. 20 MR. REEVES: You may adopt at the same 21 meeting. 22 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Make a motion to set the 23 date for September 11th at -- did you say 9:40 or -- 24 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: 9:50. 25 COMMISSIONER PACES: It has to be after -- 152 1 COMMISSIONER LETZ: So 9:55. 2 JUDGE KELLY: 9:55. There's a motion to set 3 the day and time for the adoption of the tax rate. 4 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Did I get a second? 5 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I second. 6 JUDGE KELLY: I'm sorry. So you second? 7 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: I second. 8 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second. 9 Any discussion? Those in favor say aye. Any against? 10 It carries. 11 1.21 consider, discuss and take appropriate 12 action to take a record vote on the proposed 2023 Lake 13 Ingram Estates Road District tax rate. 14 MR. REEVES: Yes, sir. This rate is only 15 for the road district in Lake Ingram Estates. The 16 proposed rate, which is also the voter approval rate, is 17 .1151 per 100 dollars valuation. And in this instance, 18 the voter approval rate is lower than the no new revenue 19 rate. The rate proposed of .1151 is the amount needed 20 to service the debt. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: I move to set the rate 22 for the Lake Ingram Estates Road District at .1151. 23 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Second. 24 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and second to set 25 the Lake Ingram Estates Road District tax rate at .1151. 153 1 MR. REEVES: I will need a record vote, too, 2 Judge. 3 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Precinct 1. 4 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Yes. 5 JUDGE KELLY: Precinct 2. 6 COMMISSIONER PACES: Yes. 7 JUDGE KELLY: Precinct 3. 8 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Yes. 9 JUDGE KELLY: Precinct 4. 10 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Yes. 11 JUDGE KELLY: And I vote yes. Unanimous. 12 1.22 consider, discuss and take appropriate 13 action to set the date and time to hold a public hearing 14 for the 2023 tax rate for Lake Ingram Estates Road 15 District. 16 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Make a motion that we 17 set it for 10:00 o'clock on September 11th. 18 MR. REEVES: Commissioner, since the tax 19 rate did not exceed the no new revenue rate, a public 20 hearing is not required unless the Court desires one. 21 COMMISSIONER LETZ: Then I recall my motion. 22 COMMISSIONER PACES: No action required. 23 JUDGE KELLY: We don't have to take any 24 action on 22 at all? 25 COMMISSIONER REEVES: Right. Unless you all 154 1 desire to hold one. 2 JUDGE KELLY: Less is better. Let's do 3 Item 1.23 consider, discuss and take appropriate action 4 to set the date and time for the adoption of the 2023 5 tax rate for Lake Ingram Estates. 6 MR. REEVES: Yes, sir. At this time, I 7 request the Court to set a date and time for adopting 8 the proposed tax rate for Lake Ingram Estates Road 9 District. 10 COMMISSIONER LETZ: And I'll make a motion 11 to set it for September 11th at 10:00 o'clock. 12 COMMISSIONER HARRIS: Second. 13 JUDGE KELLY: Got a motion and a second to 14 set the tax rate for Lake Ingram Estates Road tax on 15 September 11th at 10:00 a.m. Any discussion? Those in 16 favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed? Unanimous. 17 And I think that closes out your items. 18 MR. REEVES: Thank you, gentlemen. 19 COMMISSIONER BELEW: Thank you. 20 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. So we will be in recess 21 for five minutes and reconvene in Executive Session to 22 discuss attorney-client related matters. 23 (Recess.) 24 (Executive Session.) 25 JUDGE KELLY: Okay. Court is back in 155 1 session. It is 12:55 and we are adjourned. 2 * * * * * * 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 156 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 Regular Commissioners' Court. 9 Dated this the 8th day of September, A.D. 10 2023. 11 12 /s/DEBRA ELLEN GIFFORD Certified Shorthand Reporter 13 No. 953 Expiration Date 04/30/2025 14 * * * * * * 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25