[00:00:02]
ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO THIS MEETING OF WALLER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. TODAY IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 9 A.M. IN THE MORNING. THIS IS A SPECIAL SESSION OF WALLER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD FOR THE PURPOSE OF TAKING UP HOLDING OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET AND THEN TAKING ACTION ON THAT BUDGET. BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR AGENDA, LET'S GO AHEAD AND START AS WE USUALLY DO. SO IF EVERYBODY WOULD PLEASE RISE AND JOIN COMMISSIONER SMITH. AN INVOCATION FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE LED BY COMMISSIONER. MOTHER IN HEAVEN, WE GIVE THEE THANKS THIS DAY FOR MANY BLESSINGS THAT WE ENJOY AS A COUNTY AND AS A STATE, AND AS A COUNTRY. BLESS US AS WE CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE PEOPLE TODAY, THAT WE MIGHT BE MINDFUL OF THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY AND OF THE CITIZENS. AND THIS WE ASK YOU TO ALSO BLESS COMMISSIONER AMSLER, THAT HIS HEALTH MIGHT IMPROVE AND SAY THIS IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OUR STATE FLAG IS BLACK. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT. AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND BEGIN WITH NUMBER ONE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. MOTION. SECOND, HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED. AGENDA IS APPROVED.
[COUNTY JUDGE ]
ALL RIGHT. NEXT IT WILL BE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET. IT IS 9:02 A.M. AND THAT PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. BEFORE WE GET INTO, WE'LL HAVE A JUST A SHORT PRESENTATION TO GO OVER SOME OF THE CHANGES AND AMENDMENTS. SINCE WE FILED THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE'VE HAD SOME CHANGES, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THOSE. BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANT TO GIVE ANYBODY ELSE WHO MIGHT WANT TO MAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. WE DID NOT HAVE ANYONE THAT SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING. IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE HAVE OUR DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. OKAY, SO I DON'T KNOW. I KNOW Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN EMAILED A COPY OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. I THINK JUST WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COURT AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF FOLKS AT HOME. I'M GOING TO HAVE BOBBY JUST WALK US THROUGH THOSE AMENDMENTS BRIEFLY. THEN WE'LL TALK A LITTLE. WE CAN HAVE SOME DISCUSSION IF WE NEED TO, AND THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT UP. SO, BOBBY, WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND WALK US THROUGH. LET ME BEFORE HE DOES THAT, LET ME DO A FEW COMMENTS. FIRST OFF, AGAIN, I JUST HAVE TO EXTEND HUGE THANKS TO MY ENTIRE BUDGET COMMITTEE FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK AND EFFORTS IN THIS CYCLE. I WAS DOING THE MATH THIS MORNING. IT'S, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY ALMOST AN EIGHT MONTH PROCESS FROM WHERE WE BEGAN. THE BUDGET PROCESS TO TODAY. AND I CAN'T I CAN'T EXPRESS ENOUGH HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S TIME AND EFFORTS. MIKE ALLEN, JOAN, DEBBIE, JAMIE, ROBERT WHOM I MISS. OH, COMMISSIONER BECKENDORF WHO ALL PARTICIPATE AND AND MAKE THIS PROCESS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. BUT ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY STAFF AS WELL.JENNIFER AND MACKENZIE, FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK IN MAKING SURE WE DO, YOU KNOW, ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE, KEEPING THIS BUDGET ON TRACK. AND ALSO TODAY IS MACKENZIE'S LAST DAY AS MY CHIEF CLERK. SO THANK YOU, MACKENZIE, FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE. I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING FAR, BUT SHE AT LEAST SHE WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO WAIT UNTIL WE APPROVED THE BUDGET BEFORE SHE LEFT. SHE'S STAYING WITHIN MY OFFICE. BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOU AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR ME. SO WITH THAT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND JUST WALK THROUGH THE AMENDMENTS AND THE CHANGES THIS YEAR. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF BUDGETS WHERE WE REALLY HAD VERY LITTLE CHANGES. BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE LAST SESSION DECIDED TO AGAIN, THEY DO THIS ABOUT EVERY TWO YEARS. THEY CHANGE THE DEADLINES, THEY
[00:05:02]
CHANGE THE FILING REQUIREMENTS, THEY CHANGE THE POSTING REQUIREMENTS. SO WE HAD TO HAVE A PROPOSED JUDGMENT FILED. AUGUST 14TH 14TH, WHICH IS A LITTLE EARLIER THAN WE TYPICALLY ARE USED TO. PROBABLY IF WE HAD HAD MAYBE ONE MORE WEEK, WE PROBABLY A LOT OF THESE ARE JUST SMALL THINGS THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO HAVE AN AMENDMENT. BUT ONCE WE HAVE THAT PROPOSED JUDGMENT FILED, THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO CHANGE THAT BUDGET TO WITHIN THAT. SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND LET ROBERT WALK THROUGH THOSE, AND THEN WE CAN TALK DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, EVERYBODY WELCOME. SO YES, THE THE PROCESS DID CHANGE A LITTLE BIT. AUGUST 14TH WAS THE THE AUGUST 15TH IS THE DROP DEAD DATE, BUT AUGUST 15TH ON A SATURDAY THIS YEAR. SO AUGUST 14TH THAT WE HAD TO HAVE IT FILED. AND THEN STATUTORILY, TODAY IS THE THE DAY WHERE THE COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL APPROVE THE BUDGET. NEXT WEEK IS WHEN THE COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND TAKE ACTION ON THE TAX RATE. SO IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN PREVIOUS YEARS WHERE THEY WOULD GENERALLY DO THINGS ALL IN IN ONE MEETING. BUT WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE MORE THAN USUAL AMENDMENTS, AND THAT IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE BUDGET WAS FILED AND DONE SO EARLY DUE TO STATE LAW. SO A LOT OF THESE AMENDMENTS WOULD HAVE PROBABLY BEEN WORKED OUT. AS THE JUDGE SAID, IF WE WOULD HAVE HAD ANOTHER ANOTHER WEEK OR SO. SO I'LL GET RIGHT INTO IT. SO AMENDMENT ONE IS TO ADJUST THE SHERIFF'S SALARY AND BENEFITS, SHERIFF'S SALARIES BEING ADJUSTED UPWARDS TO $124,199. THERE WERE SOME STAFF SALARY ADJUSTMENTS, AND THE NUMBER OF $14,908. AND THAT ALSO IMPACTED SOCIAL SECURITY AND AND RETIREMENT. AND THEN THE JAIL NEEDED A NEW COPIER AND PRINTER THAT WAS $8,300 THAT WE DID NOT THAT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE. SO WE NEEDED TO ADD THAT. AND THEN ANIMAL, ANIMAL CONTROL, SALARY AND BENEFITS NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED UPWARDS $10,480 FOR FOR STAFF. AND THEN AGAIN, SOCIAL SECURITY AND RETIREMENT ADJUSTED AS WELL. THERE WAS A VEHICLE NEED OR FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, VEHICLE MAINTENANCE. SO THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL $45,000 TO, TO, TO THAT TO PURCHASE A CHEVY SILVERADO 1500. AND THEN MOVING ON TO, TO ROAD AND BRIDGE, WE REDUCED THE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT BUDGET BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE SOME PURCHASES THIS YEAR. SO THAT'S BEING REDUCED BY $550,000. AND THEN THERE WAS SOME SALARY ADJUSTING. ROSS IS GETTING A NEW ASSISTANT COUNTY ENGINEER, AND HE WAS ABLE TO TO BALANCE HIS BUDGET WITH THAT BY ELIMINATING AN OPEN PERMIT MANAGER POSITION. SO WITH ALL THOSE, HE WAS ABLE TO BALANCE OUT AND MAKE A NEW ASSISTANT ENGINEER POSITION. SO WE HAD TO ANNOTATE THAT IN THE BUDGET.COMMISSIONER JONES NEEDED HIS TRAVEL BUDGET INCREASE. HE'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INVOLVED WITH THE CONFERENCE OF URBAN COUNTIES. SO WE INCREASED HIS TRAVEL BUDGET BY $1,500. WE HAD POSTAGE FOR JP PRECINCT THREE THAT WE NEEDED TO INCREASE. AND THEN WHEN I'M DONE, I'LL LET THE JUDGE GO INTO THE CONSTABLE'S. WE HAD TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS FOR EACH OF THE CONSTABLE'S JUVENILE PROBATION. SO THE JUVENILE BOARD APPROVES THEIR BUDGET.
AND THEY DID SO AFTER OUR BUDGET HAD BEEN POSTED. SO WE NEED TO MAKE THE WE NEED TO MAKE THE AMENDMENTS TO THAT TO GET IN LINE WITH WHAT THE JUVENILE BOARD HAD APPROVED. SO THERE'S SOME INCREASES TO TO SALARIES THERE. AND AGAIN, WITH SOCIAL SECURITY AND RETIREMENT BEING BEING IMPACTED WITH THOSE. WE'RE ADJUSTING THE JP PRECINCT TWO STAFF SALARIES AS WE HAD COMMITTED TO JUDGE WOOLLEY LAST YEAR. SO THOSE ARE GOING TO BE ADJUSTED TO MATCH WHAT WHAT WHAT HAS BEEN AGREED TO. AND THEN THERE WAS SOME ADJUSTMENTS WITH THE DA'S OFFICE FOR SALARY INCREASES AS WELL. THEN WE GET INTO PROCUREMENTS AND THERE'S JUST MINOR, VERY, VERY, VERY
[00:10:01]
MINOR. YOU'RE TALKING UNDER $100 IN ADJUSTMENTS FOR SOCIAL SECURITY AND RETIREMENT. AND THEN THERE WAS AN INCREASE. THERE IS AN INCREASE OF $36,000 TO DEBT SERVICE. AND THE BIG SAVINGS THIS YEAR IS ADJUSTING THE MEDICAL INSURANCE BUDGET. AS THE COURT DISCUSSED LAST WEEK WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE, THIS TWO TWO SEPARATE ADJUSTMENTS, ONE FOR DECREASE OF $107,830 AND ANOTHER OF $656,710 IN INSURANCE. THIS IS INSURANCE SAVINGS BY THE BY, THE COUNTY SWITCHING INSURANCE PROVIDERS. AND THEN GOING ON TO THE FIRE MARSHAL. YOU HAD SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE APPOINTED OFFICIAL ON THE STAFF. AND DUE TO, I'M ASSUMING, IN THE COUNTY JUDGE BUDGET, MCKENZIE. GOING TO PROCUREMENT, WE HAD TO ADJUST FOR LONGEVITY AND SECURITY AND RETIREMENT IN THAT FOR THE FOR THE NEW STAFF PERSON, COUNTY AUDITOR SAW SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS IN SOCIAL SECURITY AND RETIREMENTS. AND THEN THERE WAS SOME INTER-DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS. GIVEN ALL THE ABOVE AMENDMENTS. AND THAT THAT PRETTY MUCH SUMMARIZES EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE ON HERE. SO IT'S 23 SEPARATE AMENDMENTS.AGAIN, A LOT OF THESE ARE JUST ADMINISTRATIVE THAT WE WOULD HAVE MADE ANYWAY IF WE WOULD HAVE HAD MORE TIME. SO I WOULDN'T SAY ANYTHING MAJOR ON THE UPWARD SCALE, DOWNWARD SCALE, WE'RE ABLE TO TO SAVE SOME MONEY BY MAKING SOME PURCHASES THIS YEAR FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY JONES WORK WITH THE THE INSURANCE WAS A NICE, A NICE DOWNWARD ADJUSTMENT. SO WITH THAT, I'LL SUMMARIZE EVERYTHING. WELL, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. I'M GOING TO TAKE JUST A SECOND ON THE CONSTABLE'S. ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER SO EVERYBODY IS CLEAR ON ALL THE CONSTABLE'S FOR EACH PRECINCT. WE HAD ORIGINALLY PUT A BUDGET IN THAT HAD A PROPOSED SALARY OF 73,000. SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL AT THE MEETING BEFORE LAST, I BELIEVE IT WAS CONSTABLE NOEL. WE HAD A BUDGET PRESENTATION AND CONSTABLE NOEL SPOKE, I THINK, ON BEHALF OF ALL THE CONSTABLES REGARDING THAT SALARY ISSUE. AND THERE WERE SOME POINTS THAT WERE WELL TAKEN BECAUSE ALL THE CONSTABLES HAD FILED A GRIEVANCE ON THEIR PROPOSED SALARIES. AND THE POINT WAS THAT WITH THE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PARITY SALARY INCREASES THAT WE'RE DOING TO TRY TO KEEP UP, YOU KNOW, WITH SOME WITH OTHER COUNTIES IN THE AREA, WHICH WE'RE PHASING IN OVER TWO YEARS. AND THAT'S GIVING BEING GIVEN TO ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT. THEY WOULD HAVE A CHIEF DEPUTY THAT, IN EFFECT, WOULD END UP MAKING MORE THAN THE CONSTABLE HIMSELF WOULD BE.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT THAT WAS A POINT VERY WELL TAKEN. SO THAT WAS BASICALLY IT DID GO TO WE DID HAVE A GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE HEARING, AND THOSE ISSUES WERE RAISED, AND IT WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE TO GIVE THE CONSTABLE'S SALARY TO SET THEIR SALARY AT 80,000, TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION TO COMMISSIONERS COURT. AND I WAS I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
AND THE CONSTABLES WERE AGREEABLE TO THAT. SO THAT THAT COVERS A LOT OF THE CHANGES THAT YOU HAVE ON PAGE TWO REGARDING THE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CONSTABLE'S SALARIES. I WASN'T HERE, UNFORTUNATELY, LAST WEEK, BUT I DO WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO JOAN ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE THAT THAT THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS FOR TAXPAYERS AND THAT WE WERE ABLE TO LOWER OUR HEALTH CARE COSTS BY ALMOST THREE QUARTERS OF BEING ABOUT THREE QUARTERS, ALMOST OF $1 MILLION. AND ACTUALLY, IN MY OPINION, IMPROVE THE COVERAGE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AT THE SAME TIME. SO I THINK THAT WAS A REALLY BIG, BIG PLUS ON THIS BUDGET. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I MEAN, AGAIN, IT WAS A VERY TOUGH BUDGET. I MEAN, WE HAD $12 MILLION PLUS IN REQUESTED SPENDING, WHICH IS NOT UNUSUAL WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT WE ARE THE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTY IN THE STATE, NUMBER TWO IN THE NATION, THE GROWING PAINS ARE GOING TO BE SUBSTANTIAL. LAW ENFORCEMENT, ESPECIALLY ON ROAD AND BRIDGE.
[00:15:03]
THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD DO THAT, OBVIOUSLY. SO WE DID THE BEST WE CAN WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT.AND I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, GIVEN THE PARAMETERS AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE STILL ABOUT A $6,000, THIS BUDGET REPRESENTS ABOUT A $6,000 INCREASE OVER THE LAST BUDGET. BUT I MEAN, AT LEAST WE'RE TRYING WHAT WE CAN TO TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE, MAKE SURE THE COURTS CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS EFFICIENTLY AS THEY CAN, CONTINUE TO TRY TO REPAIR AND REBUILD AS MANY ROAD MILES AS WE CAN PER YEAR. AND EVERYBODY'S WORKING TOGETHER.
SO AND WE'RE WE'RE MAKING SURE WE TRY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES AT THE SAME TIME. I MEAN, A 3% COLA, YOU KNOW, IS GREAT, BUT WHEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AN INFLATION RATE, 3.6, YOU'RE REALLY NOT KEEPING UP. IN FACT, AS A COUNTY, YOU ARE RESTRICTED ON YOUR BUDGET BY, YOU KNOW, YOU CANNOT INCREASE YOUR BUDGET MORE THAN 3.5% OVER YOUR LAST BUDGET. AND AGAIN, YOU HAVE AN INFLATION RATE OF 3.6. YOU'RE REALLY NOT KEEPING UP. AND THAT'S JUST TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE HAVE. BUT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN. AND IT WAS AGAIN, THIS PROBABLY WAS THE HARDEST BUDGET OUT OF 12 YEARS. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT ALL AND YOU CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE'RE DOING TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THIS AND, AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE VOTING ON THE 16TH ON THE TAX RATE, BUT FOR THE IMPACT TO BE ABOUT STILL ABOUT A PENNY ON CONSIDERED .002002. OKAY. SO, YOU KNOW, AND HONESTLY, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THIS AT PAST MEETINGS. YOU KNOW, THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT HAD AN ISSUE THIS CYCLE WITH THEIR COMMERCIAL APPRAISER KIND OF LEAVING MIDSTREAM WHILE THEY WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF APPRAISAL REVIEW. THE PROCESS. AND SO I THINK WE GOT HURT ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, WHICH, WHICH IS REALLY NOT, IS NOT GOOD FROM THE STANDPOINT, BECAUSE IF IF COMMERCIAL TAXPAYERS ARE NOT PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE, THAT SHIFTS THAT BURDEN OVER TO THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE. AND WE'VE WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS. I WILL SAY THIS, I HAVE MET WITH SOME OF THE FOLKS OVER THERE AT WALLER COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT. I THINK THAT THEY HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THIS FOR THE NEXT YEAR, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BECAUSE I THINK IF WE HAD GOTTEN WHAT I THINK PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN FAIR VALUE ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, YOU PROBABLY WOULD HAVE LOWERED THE TAX RATE WITH THIS. BUT BUT WE WE THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
WE GOT WE GOT TO WORK WITH WE DON'T CONTROL THAT PROCESS. SO WE DO WHAT WE CAN. BUT ANYWAY, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION. I ASK YOU ONE QUESTION ON THE EMPLOYEE SALARIES FOR THE CONSTABLES. IS THAT THE NEW STUFF REFLECTIVE OF WHAT THE SALARY ORDER THAT WE RECEIVED FROM JOAN LAST WEEK? SHOULD BE? I MEAN, THESE ARE THE UP TO DATE NUMBERS. TO BE HONEST, LAST WEEK SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME AGO. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT I SAID. WELL, IT ADDED BACK IN A PART TIME. YES. YEAH. WE. SO WITH EACH CONSTABLE NOW WITH THIS BUDGET YOU WILL HAVE TWO FULL TIME EMPLOYEES AND PART TIME MONEY. YES. I THINK THE CANDIDATE FOR JUSTICE, I THINK WE DID WELL ORIGINALLY HE WANTED IT A DIFFERENT WAY. BUT NOW YOU WANT IT SO THAT YOU CAN GET THAT. YEAH. NO, I'LL JUST REITERATE KIND OF WHAT JOE SAID. YOU'LL THINK. THANK YOU, JUDGE, FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. IT'S THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO THIS THAN JUST A FEW DAYS. WE HAVE THESE WORKSHOPS AND IT'S A LOT. AND IT'S WE'RE JUST TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH. I MEAN, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT WE ADD EVERY YEAR, WE HAVE TO ADD SO MANY LAW ENFORCEMENT. OUR THEIR WORKLOADS HAVE DOUBLED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS JUST ON THE NUMBER OF CASES THEY SEE. BUT IT'S ALSO ALL THE SMALLER DEPARTMENTS THAT I THINK BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE THINK COUNTY IS ROADS AND BRIDGES AND SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. BUT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO IT. I MEAN, BUY A NEW CAR, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE TAX OFFICE AND GET THE REGISTRATION STICKER FOR IT, YOU KNOW, LICENSE PLATES. YOU KNOW, DEBBIE KEEPS ALL OF THE RECORDS, YOU KNOW, BIRTH CERTIFICATES, DEATH CERTIFICATES. THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT THE COUNTY DOES THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T SEE EVERY DAY OR TAKE IT FOR GRANTED. AND AS WE HAVE MORE, MORE CITIZENS, THOSE
[00:20:05]
THOSE LOADS ARE BIGGER AND BIGGER. IF YOU WE'RE ADDING PEOPLE IN THE TAX OFFICE. SO IT DOESN'T TAKE YOU TWO HOURS TO GET A REGISTRATION STICKER. AND SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE GROWING PAINS. BUT I THINK THIS IS A VERY RESPONSIBLE BUDGET. AND SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT THE BUDGET COMMITTEE HAS DONE ON THIS. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, IT'S I WILL SAY THIS.OH, ANGELA, GO AHEAD. THE SHERIFF IN PARTICULAR WANTED US TO THANK THE BUDGET COMMITTEE.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE WHAT A BIG IMPACT, JUST INCREASING THE DEPOSITS FOR RETIREMENT TO 2.5. ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL WORKED THROUGH IN THE, THE, THE, THE MOVEMENT THAT IT TAKES TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HANDLE EVERYTHING THEY DID FROM THE INSURANCE PROPOSAL TO THAT TO INCREASING SALARIES, A TWO YEAR GAIN FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THERE'S A TWO YEAR ROLLOUT FOR INCREASES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. SO WE, YOU KNOW, WHILE EVERYBODY'S STRUGGLING, TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT, WE ARE EXTREMELY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE HARD WORK THAT EVERYBODY DID AND THE GOALS THAT WE'VE ACHIEVED AS A COUNTY. SO WE WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AND HOW APPRECIATIVE WE ARE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THAT. YOU KNOW, IT'S. KIND OF BIG PICTURE. IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I AM WATCHING THE NEWS THAT'S COMING OUT AND THE NEWS CYCLE, YOU HEAR LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, HARRIS COUNTY, I BELIEVE WITH THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET WOULD BE A RECORD TAX INCREASE. YOU'RE HEARING A LOT OF I'M I'VE GOT I'VE HEARD OF A LOT OF JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE PASSING BUDGETS WHERE THEY'RE TRANSFERRING FUND BALANCE INTO THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER THE SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED. AND THAT IS NOT GOOD, BECAUSE THEN THE VERY NEXT CYCLE, YOU FILLED THAT GAP WITH FUND BALANCE. WHERE WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO FUND? WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO FILL IT WITH ON THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE, YOU CAN CONTINUE TO USE FUND BALANCE AND REDUCE YOUR FUND BALANCE. ZERO. YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, TO USE OUR FUND BALANCE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE TO BUILD BUILDINGS. AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO. BUT THIS BUDGET DOESN'T DO ANY OF THAT. IT IS A BALANCED BUDGET AND IT ACCOMPLISHES ALL OF THAT. IT AGAIN FOCUSES ON LAW ENFORCEMENT, FOCUSES ON ROAD AND BRIDGE. ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE SEEING GROWTH AND HAVE NEEDS. WE'RE GOING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO ADDRESS THOSE. I'M GOING TO MAKE A STATEMENT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMING UP, AND I'VE ALREADY IN FACT, I SAW THIS MORNING AND THERE WAS IT WAS GOVERNOR ABBOTT ON ON TV TALKING ABOUT THE OUT OF CONTROL SPENDING OF GLOBAL OIL. WALLER COUNTY IS JUST IS NOT ONE OF THOSE JURISDICTIONS.
WHAT WHAT IS GOING TO BE SCARY, THOUGH, IS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AN EFFORT IN THIS NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO FURTHER RESTRICT OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE WHEN I FIRST BECAME JUDGE, WE HAD A BUDGET, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT MAYBE $43 MILLION ALL IN. AND WE HAD THE ABILITY AT ANY TIME TO PASS A BUDGET THAT WOULD BE AN 8.5% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR BUDGET. THAT IS NOW BEEN REDUCED DOWN TO 3.5%. BUT YET NOW WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT IS, I THINK THIS BUDGET IS $100 MILLION BUDGET, IS IT NOT? I THINK IT IS. SO WE THAT JUST SHOWS YOU OVER THOSE 12 YEARS HOW MUCH THE COUNTY HAS INCREASED. AND THE LONGER 200 PLUS EMPLOYEES TO 450 PLUS EMPLOYEES PROBABLY WON'T BE LONG. WE'LL HAVE 500 EMPLOYEES WITH THE LEVEL OF GROWTH. AND AND YOU HAVE A LEGISLATURE THAT'S TALKING ABOUT RESTRICTING IT TO A 1% INCREASE. I MEAN, A 1% INCREASE. IF YOU HAVE AN IF YOU HAVE INFLATION OF 3.5% PEOPLE IN THAT SCENARIO, WE WOULD HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT SERVICES ARE GOING TO GET CUT. HOW ARE WE GOING TO NOT WHAT WHERE ARE WE JUST NOT GOING TO PUT AS MANY OFFICERS ON THE STREET, ARE WE START. YOU KNOW, I JUST OUR BUDGET DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF FLUFF IN IT. IT REALLY DOESN'T. WE WE RUN A PRETTY TIGHT SHIP. YOU DON'T SEE STUFF THAT GOES INTO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS SUPPORT A HANDFUL OF CHARITIES, PROVIDE SERVICES THAT THE COUNTY DOES NOT, ARE FOCUSING FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, WOMEN'S SHELTERS. BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT. AND EVEN THEN, THOSE, YOU KNOW, WE WE GIVE THEM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, MEALS ON WHEELS, YOU KNOW, WE GAVE $70,000 TO, BUT WE, WE JUST
[00:25:06]
DON'T, DON'T, DON'T DO A LOT OF THAT KIND OF STUFF. AND WE REALLY TRY TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THE BALL. SO JUST LETTING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, HOPE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT A 1% RESTRICTION IS GOING TO BE VERY DAMAGING TO OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER THE SERVICES. WE ARE THE ONES THAT KNOW WHAT IS NEEDED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. TEXAS IF TEXAS GOES TO A ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH, IT IS NOT GOING TO BE GOOD FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS. TEXAS WAS FOUNDED ON LOCAL CONTROL. THAT IS WHAT HAS MADE TEXAS SUCH A GREAT PLACE, NOT JUST TO LIVE AND WORK, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR BUSINESSES. THAT'S WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE. BUT I DON'T KNOW. YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING WHEN YOU FINALLY REACH THE TOP IN TEXAS IS AT THE TOP.I MEAN, WE HAVE THE SIXTH OR SEVENTH, SEVENTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD. PROBABLY WILL BE SIXTH BEFORE TOO LONG. BUT THEN ONCE YOU REACH THE TOP, HOW DO YOU STAY THERE? THAT'S WHAT'S EVEN MORE CHALLENGING BECAUSE THE SUCCESS BRINGS A LOT OF PEOPLE AND A LOT OF PRESSURE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF STUFF. AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS BUDGET, FOR EXAMPLE, TECHNICALLY, YES, IT IS GOING TO RAISE A LITTLE BIT MORE REVENUE FOR EXISTING PROPERTIES THAN THE PRIOR BUDGET. BUT UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S CURRENT PROPOSAL, THEN THIS BUDGET WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY TWO THIRDS OF VOTERS AND JUDGES. FOR PERSPECTIVE, HARRIS COUNTY TAX RATE IS $0.12 HIGHER THAN OURS, 67% OR $0.67, AND THAT'S NOT INCLUDING ALL THE OTHER STUFF. WE'RE STILL FAR BELOW. WHEN I BECAME JUDGE, I THINK THE TAX RATE WAS IN EXCESS OF $0.58. I THINK WHEN I FIRST BECAME COUNTY JUDGE, OR MAYBE IT WAS IN THE 60S, I CAN'T REMEMBER. ANYWAY, WE'RE STILL LOW, LOW 50S. SO WHAT WHAT WITH THIS BUDGET, WHAT WOULD OUR TAX RATE END UP BEING? 52, 51, 55 SOMETHING? 055 OKAY, SO WE'RE STILL EVEN BELOW THE TAX RATE. WE CAN'T JUDGE. I SAID HOPEFULLY THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, GETS BETTER ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, WE CAN CONTINUE. I DO THINK APPRAISAL REFORM IS STILL BADLY NEEDED. I DON'T THINK THEY'VE GONE FAR ENOUGH IN THAT ARENA AS FAR AS THE LEGISLATURE IS CONCERNED, AND HOPEFULLY THEY CAN DO SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
BUT ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT, AND WE'RE TRYING TO BE AS PRUDENT AS POSSIBLE IN THE PROCESS. SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION BEFORE WE TAKE ACTION? AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY. THIS IS MY LAST BUDGET. I'M EXCITED.
ALL RIGHT. SO CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE BUDGET WITH THE AMENDMENTS? YEAH, WE'VE ALREADY OPENED IT UP. THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO MAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT. YEAH, WE'RE STILL IN THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE'LL CLOSE THAT HERE IN A SECOND. ALL RIGHT. IT IS 9:29 A.M. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED AND WE WILL MOVE TO NUMBER THREE MOTION SECOND. ALL RIGHT. THERE'S A MOTION TO AMEND TO APPROVE IT WITH THE AMENDMENTS AS PRESENTED. YES, SIR. OKAY. SO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE BUDGET. WITH THE AMENDMENTS.
EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE HANDOUT WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE ITEMIZED. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ATTACH THIS TO THE THE MINUTES. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT THEN. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE 2027 BUDGET, AS AMENDED. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED. 2027 BUDGET IS APPROVED. ALL RIGHT, GUYS, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME. AND WITH THAT, IN THE WORDS OF COMMISSIONER AMSLER, I MOVE TO ADJOURN. SECOND MOTION TO ADJOURN. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAN
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.