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All right. Good afternoon. It is August 20, 4, 2020, 6, 6 o'clock PM, an act of kind of commissioner's quarters now in session. If you'll please rise for the invocation by commissioner Samantha Russell, pledge allegiance by commissioner Gregson.

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As with all meetings of the

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at the front table.

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Oh, we asked you to fill it out in its entirety and bring that forward to Jennifer Martin,

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who is our wonderful county clerk, and then she'll pass it along to me and record it into

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the minutes.

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You'll be afforded three minutes of time.

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Please adhere strictly to that time.

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We have some quite a few folks who would like to speak tonight.

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Also, audience members, we do have some Commissioner Court rules.

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We want to just discourage any loud cheering or anything of the sort.

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We allow it to some extent, but this is not your kid's tea bowl game.

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This is a court hearing, so please respect that.

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All right.

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We do have number one is to receive public comments on non-agenda related items.

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We do have five folks who wish to speak.

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And so we will call for Mr. Jeff Russell.

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Good evening.

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Judge Falsik, commissioners.

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I wanted to bring two things to that.

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Is that better?

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Yes.

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Okay.

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I wanted to bring two things before the court to not.

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To make sure you guys were aware of what was going on.

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I followed a public information request on April the 29th, where I requested communications

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of meeting records involving Judge Paulsett, his office Zachary Zal and New Air Energy,

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and Digital and Texas Critical Data Centers and the related entities.

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And instead of producing the records, I can even went to the Texas Attorney General and

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argue that the project communications should be withheld under the economic development exception

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section 552.131 of the Public Information Act. The county specifically argued that disclosure

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would harm ongoing negotiations involving this project. The attorney general has since ruled

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in that case, and has ordered the county to turn over those responsive information to me.

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Since twice requested, those documents be turned over to me. I have twice not seen them.

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So it's very important that the county, it's here to take his law that Attorney General

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has ruled, those documents should be delivered, and we need to get into why they have

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not yet been produced.

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Those have been produced?

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Yes.

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And we got the Attorney General letter about, I think, two weeks after Mr. Russell, we were actually

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trying to find it.

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We did get it, and those documents have been released, Mr. Russell, if you don't have them,

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please let us know.

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Okay.

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I have to see them as of this afternoon when they've been sent out, but thank you for that.

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Well, but we'll make sure we get him.

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OK, thank you.

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The second thing is I'd like to talk about the county,

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New County Cemetery.

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There was comment made during the budget hearings

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by Commissioner Simmons that kind of alluded

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to the fact whether he wondered aloud whether

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the county moving forward with a new cemetery

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was even legal under Texas law.

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I did some digging into it, and it sent over to Ms.

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Prentice, my research, but it looks very much like the county may be in violation of Texas

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law and building a new cemetery unless it's for the express and complete and only purpose

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of interning poppers, which the county is legally required to take care of, but I would

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really, really encourage the court to, until we get a written ruling out of our county

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attorney and more importantly, I think maybe a written ruling out of the Texas Attorney General's

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office to put a halt on that project until it is determined that that project can legally

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move forward. Thank you. Next we have Joanne Kies.

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I don't have a statement. I have some bullet points. I went back and did my homework

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as far as the county can and can control for data centers. I broke it down into two to what

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the city has power to do and what the county has power to do so that we can hit the right

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We've talked about tax abatements and negotiated agreements and how counties can leverage economic incentives.

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Chapter 312 tax abatements. Countries can contractually buying developers to specific local standards regarding noise mitigation,

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vegetative screening, water recycling and road repair.

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Temporary moratoriums, we've heard that didn't work in Hokeh County because those

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fakes faced strict legal scrutiny, and are meant to by time rather than serve as a permit

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ban, but I think we're all fine with Hokeh Temporary moratorium just so we can figure out

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how this is actually going to work.

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Rotant infrastructure regulation, county, county's maintain explicit authority over county

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road usage, overweight vehicle permits, and subdivision infrastructure.

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Commissioners can enforce strict bonding, weight limits, and repair mandates for heavy construction

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traffic.

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On site permitting counties have direct regulatory oversight regarding onsite sewage facilities,

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septic systems, and floodplain management, which would be an interesting question, I think,

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here as far as flooding.

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Commissioners can leverage new state-level audit pauses from the governor's office,

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coordinate with the Texas Association of Counties and Implement permitted local checklists for public safety noise and infrastructure.

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Permitting and development checklists adopt adopt objective local safety road use traffic and noise mitigation checklists that fall safely under existing statutory county road and public health authorities rather than band county zoning.

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joint county coalitions. That's a thing. I'm sort of learning about it now.

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Counties can engage with the Texas Association of Counties to participate in ongoing legislative

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round tables and coordinate joint pushes for statutory local authority for unincorporated areas ahead of the next legislative session.

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And then I have a little bit of information just a blurb without revenue impact. The Texas Controller

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of Public Accounts estimates tax exemption for data centers have caused, have surged past 3.3 billion.

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That's a lot of money worth throwing away. That was the only points I had. I'm happy to send

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my research if anybody's interested. Thank you.

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next up we have Justin Malcolm

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good evening I came here after work because I

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specifically was told that this is a more direct avenue to talk about date

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data centers and their harms on the environment and working population here. I have

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the privilege of doing deliveries in service of the low field and I get to meet a

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lot of faces a lot of people who love their families, love their work, work really

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hard. And as someone who has raised a Christian, you know, I believe that these data centers

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that support these new AI companies are costing families and will raise prices on energy

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on water, especially in this town where even West Odessa water is a dire need. And data

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centers

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costs two to three million gallons of water. They use two to three million gallons of water.

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like almost every day, and A.I. itself has,

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A.I. itself is, if you're a parent, you have a

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son, you have a daughter, A.I. you know, they use this phone every day, and they are able

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to access this app that connects us the internet, and can tell them things that, you know, as

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parents are concerning for us.

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And as a city, as a community, it's deeply

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concerning to me, and it should be deeply

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concerning to everyone in this room

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who is really profiting off of these AI data centers.

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And data centers will do nothing for this community

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to things that this community needs,

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especially in times of extreme cold and extreme heat,

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with our electricity sometimes going out,

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intermittent blackouts across town,

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Even if it's just a small house, it's deeply concerning and that's why if you're just just someone who's in this town, someone who's working, if you're in this town and you're someone who's working, this should be deeply concerning for all of us.

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Thank you.

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Next, we have Jesse Pores.

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Good evening.

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I'm here to acknowledge to ledger when no, my name is Jesse Pores.

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I'm running for County Commissioner of Peace and for.

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I'm running because I believe the community serves someone who is willing to listen to the people,

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work hard and also I am a public servant community organizer.

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I also am military veteran.

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At the time, I want to let people know that I'm here to hear the concerns.

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to do the best I can to acknowledge any of the problems that need to be resolved.

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I mean there are going to be some problems that I can't give a manager, but I will do my best to find the answer or find a person that can give me the answer to acknowledge to let people know what's going on.

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Other than that, I am running for a precinct for and I'm here to let people know. Thank you.

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Thank you, Ms. Forest. Next, we have Francisco Morales.

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Hello, my name is Francisco Morales, and I'm here to tell the people who don't know that they want to build AI data centers here in Ector County.

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Our elected officials have been meeting privately with these tech billionaires.

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They want to give them tax breaks, and they claim that the data centers are going to build jobs, but they're not.

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They make a small amount of jobs, and apart from that, AI is helping take away jobs.

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AI has taken thousands of jobs, so do we really want to help them take more?

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The data centers also release a ton of emissions, which are harmful, to breathe in, they are planning on making gas plants to create their own electricity, but at the cost of giving away our air.

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Pickles is already getting a massive data center. They are going to release more emissions than entire fucking countries.

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Like, this is fucking crazy, guys. What the hell?

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All right, and then no, hey, that's we don't let the ruck me. No, I will interrupt. I will interrupt. No, you will not. Yeah, this is my time. No, this is my time start. I'm sorry. You violated the rule for time any more.

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All that air is going to make us. Let's go. We're going to have to ask you to remove the room.

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Yeah, I haven't finished talking, and I still have more time. No.

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Okay, I'm one right now.

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We take my time.

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You for instance, you have your old language.

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I'm just said to call the First Amendment the right ages.

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You know about that, France.

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You can tell me?

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You can keep unwittingly.

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You can attempt to court and be fine.

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We really don't want to do that.

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Please step away.

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Please step away.

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He'll be held by you.

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I may finish my comment.

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No.

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I'm not going to let you finish, you violated those rules.

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Please leave it up.

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You're a public servant.

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Well, they're all the vines.

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Thanks, Cisco.

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I'll give you a step out here.

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We'll go in now.

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Talk.

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You're not talking you're done. No, I'm not you're done. I have my time. I'm on my time back. Sir

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Your Francesco, I'm in the right way. What's the Constitution they're not for the Constitution? Let's go

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It's done. Okay, Francisco. This is bullshit. No, sir. It's not. Come on. I'm not talking to me

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Come on. Why would I talk to you? Are you are you voting on tax breaks? No, I'm not the first

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But you're in here. You're disrupting a beating

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It's a violation of detectives.

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It's not. There's nothing. It's my public comment. It's my time.

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That is not disruption. I'm sorry sir. I'm sorry. You believe that.

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It is a disruption.

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So please people stay both.

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Sir, the people here.

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Don't just go.

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Look at Cisco. Please.

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Oh, great.

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How about my shit?

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I don't know.

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I don't know.

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Sir, jizzers.

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I'm not searchin' or see you.

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You're the group you clearly.

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My paper.

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That is mine.

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I know.

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It's a cool question.

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All right.

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Next we have Donald Rutledge.

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Good evening.

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Good evening.

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I'd like to see you in my

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future in the mind, thank you.

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We're good.

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All right.

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What has precinct one

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commissioner done for West

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Odessa?

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I've made numerous phone calls,

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lift messages,

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been up here numerous times,

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no response.

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Our roads are destroyed. Congratulations on getting trip after the redone. You got the insane of tenths.

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Are you of a traffic that knocks us? That road is destroyed. It's tearing people's vehicles up.

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It's not designed for semis, sand trucks. I think we were loaded to the guild of real pop. I'm tired of sand trucks going down my alley.

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And I've been front of my house.

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This is supposed to be a result of its ulary, but it's not handled that way.

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Rheast aspect of the last five years in Nigeria, which is considered a third-year-old country.

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West Odessa is rapidly becoming that third-year-old country.

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You have people, vagueness everywhere, where little pop-ups, stores, everywhere you look.

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I don't understand how we let this go.

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Recently, probably about a year and a half ago, my next door of neighbor has some

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sisters, more friend came over angry, he was strangling the girl, they called me to

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help.

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Of course, I'm not going with me, he quit, we call the shares, I don't have

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later they finally set up. We have no law enforcement. We have two million of the 18-wheeler

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drivers do not belong on a road at all. Just coming to this meeting on a knock-stop.

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Let's record them all from the interstate. I had a wait on a seven centrucks to start

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get them a service room.

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But this is just a quick ridiculous.

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Probably close to 20 years ago, I got a letter along with

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under arrest as my area from the county.

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If you give us $2,500 right now, when we install water lines,

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you don't have to pay for the hook-up.

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But you have to plug your water bill.

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You don't want to plug my water will.

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We still don't have water out there either.

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That's 20 years later.

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They talk about how water is precious.

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Yeah, it is.

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The main thing is I'd like to say some action.

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More than anything else.

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Thank you very much.

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Mr. Redless just for clarifying statement.

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You that letter did not come from the county that he came from me.

234
00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:44,960
Or the water supply company that was looking and getting started out there.

235
00:17:45,020 --> 00:17:45,940
We've heard similar stuff.

236
00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:47,100
With that $200.

237
00:17:47,620 --> 00:17:48,480
I'm supposed to.

238
00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,940
And I will say then, I look forward to hearing years and those folks who said,

239
00:17:52,140 --> 00:17:54,260
hey, men to more law enforcement to supporting our budget.

240
00:17:54,580 --> 00:17:57,220
We've put more money and law enforcement and more money and roads.

241
00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:02,260
We've put $8 million in road construction, $4 million in road maintenance and $2 million in funding

242
00:18:02,260 --> 00:18:07,300
additional road studies to expand roads like Moss Avenue, like Trip and like Knox.

243
00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:09,800
Moves to do great on trip.

244
00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:10,760
Nobody goes the home.

245
00:18:10,820 --> 00:18:14,460
And we should have some water coming down, uh, we don't want towards Knox.

246
00:18:14,700 --> 00:18:15,720
We don't want it.

247
00:18:15,780 --> 00:18:25,780
because when echo county you feel they just came in took over here by water rate doubled, not worth it.

248
00:18:26,460 --> 00:18:28,280
Thank you. Thank you for coming.

249
00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:32,200
All right, that concludes our public participation format.

250
00:18:32,360 --> 00:18:36,320
We will move on to item number two public hearing to consider discussing any

251
00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:41,820
serious action to conduct a public hearing on the proposed budget for fiscal year

252
00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:47,400
2026, 2027, we do have two members of the public who wish to participate. Mr. Jeff Russell.

253
00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:54,880
I must be your favorite judge. I get the first every time.

254
00:18:57,460 --> 00:18:58,960
You know, as we look at the budget,

255
00:18:59,180 --> 00:19:06,180
I think when we start as as as average citizens and we start looking at these numbers and we see hundreds of millions of dollars.

256
00:19:07,060 --> 00:19:14,400
I think a lot of times we have a hard time relating to that in our day-to-day lives. Those are numbers we don't typically deal with.

257
00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:18,720
But I want to give you a number tonight that I think, very some scrutiny.

258
00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:21,760
That number is $95,795.

259
00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:24,700
So roughly $96,000.

260
00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:30,480
That's what the county, when you take all the funded positions, and you look at their salaries

261
00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:37,400
and all the benefits that go with it, that's the average amount that county employees get

262
00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:47,960
funded position. So, $96,000. Of that, 44% of that comes in the form of benefits. So,

263
00:19:48,060 --> 00:19:54,700
retirement alone is about $10.5 million a year. Healthcare insurance is another 9.1 million.

264
00:19:55,580 --> 00:20:00,440
And it isn't simply because the county has hard dramatically more people. I looked at a five year,

265
00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:06,160
I went back over and did a pretty deep dive on last five years budget. And over those five budget

266
00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:14,100
years, funded positions increased about 10% but payroll has increased about 34% and total

267
00:20:14,100 --> 00:20:21,200
personnel costs increased nearly 29% or about 18 million dollars additional. Payroll itself

268
00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:27,860
just the payroll number, not the minimum, 34%. You know, as you look at that, so I said,

269
00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:31,940
okay, what is this compared to? So I looked at our school district. So the counties at

270
00:20:31,940 --> 00:20:41,520
In 1996, the school district is right at $20,000 per employee less in total FTE and in compensation

271
00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:45,780
about 26% less than the county.

272
00:20:46,860 --> 00:20:50,340
When you look at health insurance, a lot of this has been driven by health insurance.

273
00:20:50,900 --> 00:20:58,960
When you look at that, then county employees contribute a very small amount to their own employee coverage

274
00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:05,400
in their family coverage is really low at about $260 a month for a family coverage to give you

275
00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:06,200
a comparison of that.

276
00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:13,380
My wife just recently moved from East YCD to MISD in order to get me on her insurance.

277
00:21:14,340 --> 00:21:17,200
We had to add about $1,200 a month.

278
00:21:17,580 --> 00:21:18,380
Just for me.

279
00:21:18,620 --> 00:21:18,880
No kids.

280
00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:19,960
Just for spouse.

281
00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:24,880
$1,200 in the county that we cost me about 1,000 less if you were a county employee.

282
00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:32,400
So I think you can see how things have kind of gotten out of whack over time as we have moved to every budget cycle.

283
00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:35,380
We've been giving increases in some of them quite large increases.

284
00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,360
We've really kind of gone above that level.

285
00:21:39,500 --> 00:21:41,860
I think county employees ought to be paid fairly absolutely.

286
00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:47,420
But I think it ought to bear some semblance to what's going on in the product sector.

287
00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:48,980
We hear this discussion a lot.

288
00:21:48,980 --> 00:21:55,340
private sector brushes, public sector, but my best analysis, you know, county employees at

289
00:21:55,340 --> 00:22:01,780
96,000, they make more than about 65% of the taxpayers that are helping to fund those

290
00:22:01,780 --> 00:22:02,300
positions.

291
00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,660
So I think if there's a place to wrestle, yeah, I think if there's a place to cut, that might

292
00:22:06,660 --> 00:22:08,420
be one good place to live.

293
00:22:10,110 --> 00:22:15,890
Um, next we have Ms. Bobby, Bobby, Bobby Duncan.

294
00:22:17,390 --> 00:22:18,070
He's famous.

295
00:22:18,790 --> 00:22:20,150
I know she is.

296
00:22:21,150 --> 00:22:21,950
Thank you.

297
00:22:22,550 --> 00:22:23,370
I'll take you out.

298
00:22:32,950 --> 00:22:34,830
And I know how to use a microphone.

299
00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:41,000
Good evening. First of all, let me tell you, thank you for serving.

300
00:22:43,360 --> 00:22:49,540
You know, to ever get thanks. So thanks. Now I'm here to crucify you.

301
00:22:51,970 --> 00:22:53,890
I have a retired teacher.

302
00:22:56,010 --> 00:22:59,430
I have spent a hundred years in the highest rate.

303
00:22:59,550 --> 00:23:00,690
Really, 43.

304
00:23:02,030 --> 00:23:03,190
It is ECI-St.

305
00:23:04,250 --> 00:23:05,530
And I retired.

306
00:23:07,270 --> 00:23:15,050
I would be today, I get less take home pay than I did 25 years ago

307
00:23:15,050 --> 00:23:16,210
when I first retired.

308
00:23:16,750 --> 00:23:20,190
And that's because the state of Texas doesn't like us.

309
00:23:20,190 --> 00:23:25,190
And I hope you like your employees better than they like us.

310
00:23:26,430 --> 00:23:31,730
Because a 2% raise is 2% of nothing.

311
00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:35,760
It won't buy a bag of groceries.

312
00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:41,920
It certainly is not going to pay the proposed tax increase

313
00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:45,620
that you're going to impose for the Citizens Effect for County,

314
00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:47,120
or you hope to.

315
00:23:49,710 --> 00:23:58,250
It's going to affect everybody at free level if they pay $200 a month for a one-room

316
00:23:58,250 --> 00:24:03,710
shack that are rents going up and they won't be able to buy groceries.

317
00:24:04,490 --> 00:24:15,880
If they pay 10 like 3,000 a month, they might be able to afford a tax increase and still buy groceries.

318
00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:24,340
So please, 2% is a drop in the bucket of what people need to live.

319
00:24:25,620 --> 00:24:30,460
I don't know how many of you men go to the grocery store, but I know Miss Russell does.

320
00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:37,580
I walked out the other day with two bags of groceries that thought I was lucky, I just paid $50.

321
00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:44,760
It's pretty hard out there, folks, and your employees deserve a raise.

322
00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:52,700
But there's a special group of employees and one of our previous commentator, comment about it.

323
00:24:52,980 --> 00:24:59,880
Our sheriff's department is understaffed, overworked, and underpaid.

324
00:25:00,460 --> 00:25:05,300
You compare their salaries to that of Midland and those of Martin County.

325
00:25:08,180 --> 00:25:11,140
We can't get people. They're going to go there.

326
00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:26,440
A two percent raise for somebody who risk his or her life is like giving one peanut to me for a treat.

327
00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:28,640
That's about what it is.

328
00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,900
So let's look at the budget again, please.

329
00:25:35,180 --> 00:25:43,680
Get that raise up for those people who risk their lives for us for this county every single day.

330
00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:44,880
Thank you.

331
00:25:48,690 --> 00:25:51,830
So some notable numbers on the budget, again, thank you, Mr. Duncan.

332
00:25:53,130 --> 00:25:58,470
In regards to this budget of the 60 general fund accounts, we have 60 different departments

333
00:25:58,470 --> 00:26:01,890
and different accounts, some departments have multiple, like Ms. Martin over there in the kind

334
00:26:01,890 --> 00:26:02,850
of Claire, she has multiple.

335
00:26:05,210 --> 00:26:08,770
19 of those 60 saw decreases this year from last year.

336
00:26:09,050 --> 00:26:12,970
Overall, we're cutting about $5 million of the general fund and expenditures this year.

337
00:26:12,970 --> 00:26:19,290
19 of those 60 general fund accounts, or I mentioned, saw decreases 30 or half of the accounts,

338
00:26:19,670 --> 00:26:25,130
saw an increase under 3% and as Ms. Duncan mentioned, that's likely due to the 2% increase

339
00:26:25,130 --> 00:26:30,150
in salaries, just to keep folks working here in public service.

340
00:26:31,130 --> 00:26:38,190
And then 11 of those 60, again, saw over 3% and some of those were expanding the duties,

341
00:26:38,870 --> 00:26:41,070
expanding the offices, adding personnel where it was needed.

342
00:26:41,070 --> 00:26:44,370
Some of those notable functions are the county attorney,

343
00:26:44,610 --> 00:26:48,710
getting a public information officer to handle the public information request,

344
00:26:49,010 --> 00:26:50,070
as Mr. Russell mentioned.

345
00:26:50,750 --> 00:26:55,710
We had over 300 of those public information requests coming over a 45-day span,

346
00:26:55,890 --> 00:26:57,830
and one person is handling all of those.

347
00:26:57,830 --> 00:27:00,170
Each one of those require legal documentation,

348
00:27:00,970 --> 00:27:03,090
reductions, correspondence with the attorney general's office,

349
00:27:03,170 --> 00:27:04,770
correspondence with the county attorney's office,

350
00:27:04,950 --> 00:27:07,990
and we continue to be flooded by those.

351
00:27:08,810 --> 00:27:13,930
We did see a reduction in staff in the J.P. 3 and 4 offices who have been underperforming.

352
00:27:14,230 --> 00:27:27,090
The tax assessor collector did receive two additional staff because we are seeing an additional 1100 new registered vehicles from out-of-state registers coming to actor County per year.

353
00:27:27,450 --> 00:27:32,970
That's 1100 new vehicles from folks out of the state who knows how many from inside of the state we do not know.

354
00:27:33,230 --> 00:27:36,910
But we figured that we would add to Miss Lindy's office.

355
00:27:36,910 --> 00:27:50,810
And then another note we did cut a million dollars in the building maintenance fund we are preparing for new new facilities, and we did not think it just to continue to spend at those high levels whenever we are building new facilities.

356
00:27:51,010 --> 00:27:55,150
And I was part of the reason and that compact that we had with the citizens in building new facilities.

357
00:27:55,810 --> 00:28:02,410
So those are some important things. Again, our general fund expense this year is $80 million, $867,120.

358
00:28:02,410 --> 00:28:02,610
20.

359
00:28:03,390 --> 00:28:12,830
We will see a $1.8 million surplus, or add the norm levy in the general fund, is $67,268,777.

360
00:28:13,910 --> 00:28:18,890
Decrease of $1.4 million from $68,750,000 to $139.

361
00:28:19,590 --> 00:28:22,990
I'll go over the tax rate here in a minute, but I wanted y'all to understand those things

362
00:28:22,990 --> 00:28:24,470
that it takes a lot to fund government.

363
00:28:24,890 --> 00:28:27,270
You heard two different aspects of the employees.

364
00:28:27,390 --> 00:28:30,270
The county does do a 2% race across the board.

365
00:28:30,270 --> 00:28:34,370
We this year had very few that were outside of that 2% raise.

366
00:28:34,550 --> 00:28:36,670
We had a struggle with law enforcement.

367
00:28:37,190 --> 00:28:39,770
We did look at what Midland County is doing right now.

368
00:28:39,890 --> 00:28:46,150
We are well under $10,000 less than what Midland County offers their starting deputies.

369
00:28:46,870 --> 00:28:48,150
That is a challenge that we face.

370
00:28:48,410 --> 00:28:51,270
One of those things that we do offer is a tremendous benefit package.

371
00:28:51,770 --> 00:28:54,270
And we have a rich history and actor county of offering that.

372
00:28:54,270 --> 00:28:58,990
And that's a program that we discuss with our employees that we try to advertise.

373
00:28:58,990 --> 00:29:04,850
Now again to employees, it's hard to worry about the benefit package in your retirement package when you can't pay the bills

374
00:29:04,850 --> 00:29:07,210
And so we also know that that is a reality

375
00:29:07,210 --> 00:29:11,530
So that is something that this commissioners court ways every single time that we look at salaries

376
00:29:11,530 --> 00:29:18,710
We look at competitive markets and we look at those folks who we are employing. There's folks in the county in the county clerk's office in Jennifer morons office

377
00:29:18,710 --> 00:29:24,370
That as soon as five o'clock kids, they got to go run to their second shop and a lot of them are on a government subsidy

378
00:29:24,370 --> 00:29:30,910
because of those salaries, and it's just a challenge that we navigate, and so we do try to offer those competitive benefit packages.

379
00:29:31,790 --> 00:29:38,190
Again, this year, we'll talk about the tax rate here in a second. We did lower the tax rate, or we are proposing to lower the tax rate.

380
00:29:38,710 --> 00:29:50,990
And again, we did lower those expenditures as well, while still continuing to offer a well-funded actor county that is providing the services that we think is at par with what the community expects.

381
00:29:52,630 --> 00:29:58,270
Okay, we'll move on to item number three to consider discussed to gain a certain action

382
00:29:58,270 --> 00:29:59,970
to conduct a public hearing on the proposed-

383
00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:10,080
Add valorem tax rate. So I will talk about the tax rate briefly. So the proposed tax rate is 0.437469. That's a hard

384
00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:15,040
number to kind of comprehend per hundred dollar valuation. It is a slight decrease from last year

385
00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:20,000
where it was 0.43895. So it's a decrease of 0.001481.

386
00:30:20,700 --> 00:30:24,420
Judge, I'm sorry, real quick. We have to close out the first public hearing to the budget.

387
00:30:24,580 --> 00:30:28,840
Okay. All intertain emotion to close out the first public hearing on the budget.

388
00:30:30,380 --> 00:30:33,100
Motion by Commissioner, all second by Commissioner Gardner, and for the discussion.

389
00:30:33,780 --> 00:30:35,340
All the fair of the state and five by saying aye.

390
00:30:35,580 --> 00:30:35,780
All right.

391
00:30:35,780 --> 00:30:36,260
That's the same sign.

392
00:30:36,380 --> 00:30:37,420
Motion passes five zero.

393
00:30:37,500 --> 00:30:37,900
My apologies.

394
00:30:37,980 --> 00:30:38,820
Thank you, Ms. Prentiss.

395
00:30:39,620 --> 00:30:39,680
All right.

396
00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:40,880
Number three to consider discussing answer.

397
00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:42,380
Actually, I should conduct public hearing on the proposal.

398
00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:44,900
I have a long tax rate for fiscal year, 2026, 2027.

399
00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:49,860
So what does that mean for the average taxpayer whenever it comes to that decrease?

400
00:30:50,180 --> 00:30:55,540
Is it a massive decrease note, but it is one that we are able to do, and it is one that

401
00:30:55,540 --> 00:30:57,660
we want to be able to do.

402
00:30:57,660 --> 00:31:05,200
And so, on a $200,000 home, that is equivalent of $2.96, not a lot, but it's something

403
00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:11,340
and we're trying. Again, we're facing the same cost increase that you are at home. I know I have

404
00:31:11,340 --> 00:31:15,580
three children, groceries are a lot. Diapers are a lot. These things are expensive, but also

405
00:31:15,580 --> 00:31:21,400
so are government goods, road materials are arising increase. We have to buy paper and book,

406
00:31:21,660 --> 00:31:26,400
paper prices increase, postage increases, but we're still trying to stay within our limited

407
00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:30,240
means in our limited budget, as I mentioned before, half of our department stayed within

408
00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:34,240
that 3% metric in under 3%.

409
00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:39,420
And Governor Abbott is championing a deal statewide asking every single agency to stay beneath

410
00:31:39,420 --> 00:31:40,920
or have a 3% cut.

411
00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:43,940
And so we took that seriously and tried to stay within that 3% growth.

412
00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:49,640
So the tax rate, again, the MNO rate last year was .3295.

413
00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:54,340
We were keeping the same MNO tax rate this year, it's something that we have either maintained

414
00:31:54,340 --> 00:31:57,360
or continue to decrease Commissioner Gardner, yes, that question.

415
00:31:58,060 --> 00:32:03,220
We have found ways to operate government within the same tax rates since we've been in

416
00:32:03,220 --> 00:32:03,540
office.

417
00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:07,340
The only thing that has increased in last year was a tax increase.

418
00:32:07,660 --> 00:32:12,180
That was for the courthouse and for the juvenile justice facility, these large-scale

419
00:32:12,180 --> 00:32:14,820
facilities that weren't getting any cheaper ladies in gentlemen.

420
00:32:15,260 --> 00:32:19,940
This is basic infrastructure that, again, was taxing our building maintenance team that was

421
00:32:19,940 --> 00:32:23,820
costing taxpayers more and again, those were facilities that were going to need to be

422
00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:27,260
And the least expensive, it's not the cheapest.

423
00:32:27,380 --> 00:32:28,800
Promise me, it's not a cheap facility.

424
00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:31,640
We all know we've seen the amount of zeros tied to that

425
00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:34,020
courthouse and through the juvenile detention facility.

426
00:32:34,740 --> 00:32:36,340
But it was never going to go down and cost.

427
00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:40,680
And so this was the least expensive of the actions we could take.

428
00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:41,940
Again, we knew it was inevitable.

429
00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:43,260
But that was last year.

430
00:32:43,420 --> 00:32:45,160
This year, again, we lowered that tax rate.

431
00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:48,000
But that was only the INS that did see that increase.

432
00:32:48,300 --> 00:32:50,000
We lowered last year the M&O tax rate.

433
00:32:50,020 --> 00:32:51,520
This year, again, we left it the same.

434
00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:53,700
we lower the INS, which is our debt service.

435
00:32:54,420 --> 00:32:55,880
So that is what we did with our tax rate.

436
00:32:55,940 --> 00:32:57,260
That is at least what we are proposing.

437
00:32:57,700 --> 00:33:00,980
We will affirm both the budget and the tax rate tomorrow

438
00:33:00,980 --> 00:33:03,380
upon our official commissioner's court hearing.

439
00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:04,900
We invite you to participate.

440
00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:06,440
It is going to be a lengthy agenda.

441
00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:07,840
There's over 50 agenda items.

442
00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:12,080
So thank you all for coming here today and discussing that with us.

443
00:33:12,520 --> 00:33:16,480
With that being said, we will open it up now to discuss the tax rate.

444
00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:18,060
We do have some folks who wish to speak.

445
00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:20,720
And we will stick with the theme and bring forward Mr. Jeff Russell.

446
00:33:25,710 --> 00:33:54,470
Not often you get to be first and every time every time, but you know, I think when we look at our history of tax rights, not only with extra county, with our other taxing entities, what we see has been a steady trajectory upward over the last number of years and I know this is becoming an increasingly important part of what the legislature is proposing to look at this next year.

447
00:33:54,470 --> 00:33:59,430
I set on the legislative parties community for the Republican Party of Texas, and we heard

448
00:33:59,430 --> 00:34:06,290
so much testimony from local taxpayers saying, please can you help us somehow rein in

449
00:34:06,290 --> 00:34:07,530
our local governments?

450
00:34:08,830 --> 00:34:15,510
It doesn't matter how much money we have, and they always need more, and I get it.

451
00:34:15,810 --> 00:34:22,030
There's always needs, but you know, the other part that I would point out out of the

452
00:34:22,030 --> 00:34:25,190
I'll look at you that Judge Falsett gave on all that.

453
00:34:25,830 --> 00:34:30,630
What he doesn't talk about, too, is the huge amount of additional revenue that has come

454
00:34:30,630 --> 00:34:33,110
in to the county because of the tax assistance district.

455
00:34:34,190 --> 00:34:38,990
As far exceeded what was planned, which is about 15 million, now we're up to 30 million

456
00:34:38,990 --> 00:34:46,010
in climbing, that's great, that sells tax money, I like sells tax, much better than

457
00:34:46,010 --> 00:34:52,790
tax, it's much water dispersed, doesn't impact people who own homes, but some of that money

458
00:34:52,790 --> 00:34:59,170
needs to go to offset some of these things that are, and I understand the roles of how

459
00:34:59,170 --> 00:35:04,530
it can only be spent within the tax. But there can be a lot of shuffling of the shells in

460
00:35:04,530 --> 00:35:13,930
order to help cut our private tax rates. So I would really encourage this court don't go to the

461
00:35:13,930 --> 00:35:20,590
new new revenue tax rate at the very least. This year is you contemplate this year's tax rate.

462
00:35:21,290 --> 00:35:25,150
That will bring in the same amount of money. You'll still be taking in more money because

463
00:35:25,150 --> 00:35:30,510
it's the sales tax assistance district keeps growing. So you're going to have additional money.

464
00:35:30,750 --> 00:35:37,130
Also, you get the advantage of all the additional property values that have been added in

465
00:35:37,130 --> 00:35:43,290
new construction and whatnot. So I've really encourage you. Let's keep it up the new revenue tax rate.

466
00:35:43,290 --> 00:35:45,290
give everybody a small break. Thank you.

467
00:35:45,970 --> 00:35:47,170
Thank you.

468
00:35:48,030 --> 00:35:52,510
In additional note that I wanted to mention regarding some tax rates and again I like to add

469
00:35:52,510 --> 00:35:57,850
perspective in comparisons. Again we throw out a 43 and some change per $100 valuation.

470
00:35:58,150 --> 00:36:03,370
What does that mean? I broke out some similar counties. We know our neighbors in Tom Green County,

471
00:36:03,590 --> 00:36:09,230
which is San Angelo. Their tax rate is about 4 cents higher. So what does that mean? It's about

472
00:36:09,230 --> 00:36:17,470
a $66 more annually that they pay $60.56 on a $200,000 home, and so that's a good comparison

473
00:36:17,470 --> 00:36:25,710
Taylor County, which is Abelene, is at a $53.14 per $100 valuation, so you would actually

474
00:36:25,710 --> 00:36:32,390
be paying on a similar home $187.86 more, which is a talk county, which is which tough

475
00:36:32,390 --> 00:36:33,670
falls again similar in population.

476
00:36:34,570 --> 00:36:42,630
There's 53.0644, so you'd be paying $186 in 35 cents more on a $200,000

477
00:36:42,630 --> 00:36:43,070
home.

478
00:36:43,310 --> 00:36:46,250
And again, if your home is more or less, you can adjust those rates.

479
00:36:46,710 --> 00:36:52,150
And then, Potter County is proposing a 62.25 cent tax rate,

480
00:36:52,290 --> 00:36:55,370
and that would be $369.36.

481
00:36:56,210 --> 00:36:59,230
So again, just in perspective, we are aware that our neighbors

482
00:36:59,230 --> 00:37:03,730
to the eastern Midland County, have a much lower tax rate, but I'd like to remind folks that

483
00:37:03,730 --> 00:37:08,070
they have more in oil and gas minerals on their tax rules than our entire county all combined.

484
00:37:08,850 --> 00:37:13,730
So it is not a fair equilibrium, no county can really compare with Midland County's

485
00:37:13,730 --> 00:37:14,310
quite a challenge.

486
00:37:14,550 --> 00:37:19,190
But there are some equitable counties and so understand, and it's not one to say that taxes

487
00:37:19,190 --> 00:37:20,170
still are not high.

488
00:37:20,370 --> 00:37:24,770
We understand that, and again, that's why we try this good faith effort to lower your taxes.

489
00:37:25,710 --> 00:37:27,390
Next we have Jim Moody.

490
00:37:27,670 --> 00:37:28,650
No, I didn't plan.

491
00:37:29,050 --> 00:37:29,910
Okay, thank you, Mr. Moody.

492
00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:33,340
Thank you for coming. All right, we have Christina Samples.

493
00:37:50,270 --> 00:37:52,870
Thank you, Samantha Russell, for pushing for an evening meeting.

494
00:37:53,270 --> 00:37:54,910
You should block her phone, please.

495
00:37:57,450 --> 00:37:58,330
Can I hear me better?

496
00:38:00,910 --> 00:38:03,570
Thank you, Samantha Russell, for pushing for an evening meeting.

497
00:38:03,950 --> 00:38:08,190
And thank you everyone for your time for listening to myself and the other taxpayers to voice their concerns.

498
00:38:09,250 --> 00:38:11,570
I would like to take a moment and talk about the property taxes.

499
00:38:12,550 --> 00:38:18,750
Most of us have to work hard to own a home, to buy a home, and then harder to pay it off.

500
00:38:19,270 --> 00:38:26,390
We have to pay property taxes to stay in our pay off homes, or we can lose our home if we do not.

501
00:38:27,210 --> 00:38:31,190
Everyone in this area does not work in the old field, and we are not all making six figures.

502
00:38:31,850 --> 00:38:35,830
Most of us are making a list in 50,000 a year, and have to budget everything.

503
00:38:36,370 --> 00:38:38,190
Some of us are even working more than one job.

504
00:38:38,190 --> 00:38:47,190
We have many that are also secured into civilian and they're making around $1200 a month and they're having to decide what they're going to pay this month and what they have to put off.

505
00:38:47,850 --> 00:38:53,930
So yes, a few cents per hundred added on, you know, here or there doesn't matter.

506
00:38:55,230 --> 00:39:05,050
Okay, what has been happening is is, you know, those few cents per hundred get added and then if you months later our presals come around and the vagoner homes go up.

507
00:39:05,050 --> 00:39:11,130
so therefore now we're paying a little bit more. Along with that, and we all know our home insurance

508
00:39:11,130 --> 00:39:19,710
and everything else goes up as well. Okay. I do not think that some of you, personally, I have

509
00:39:19,710 --> 00:39:26,230
ever really had to worry about being in a funding patch. As I do think that maybe you would understand

510
00:39:26,230 --> 00:39:32,710
the more importance of a well-worked budget. I believe that everything needs to be re-looked at

511
00:39:32,710 --> 00:39:35,830
as you can start by dialing back the plans for the courthouse.

512
00:39:36,770 --> 00:39:39,690
Still, some of the 50 plus acres that we bought years ago,

513
00:39:40,250 --> 00:39:44,390
where they offered 285, where they wanted to build the courthouse along with a detention center,

514
00:39:44,890 --> 00:39:47,770
and we only ended up putting a detention center.

515
00:39:48,670 --> 00:39:51,410
Raw land right now is selling for over 80,000 dollars an acre.

516
00:39:52,130 --> 00:39:54,830
There's over 70,000 acres sitting over there.

517
00:39:55,630 --> 00:39:57,850
Extra, you know, that we could sell off.

518
00:39:58,150 --> 00:40:01,710
We could also look at other properties that extra county owns that we do not use.

519
00:40:01,710 --> 00:40:08,850
I also believe that when you get married at the courthouse minus the certification funds, that money

520
00:40:08,850 --> 00:40:15,070
right now that judges get into pocket that, maybe they should keep that there for some other funding.

521
00:40:15,550 --> 00:40:21,730
Unless they're doing this air money off the premises, we do not have money left in our budget.

522
00:40:23,510 --> 00:40:26,950
You know, if you don't have money then say next year they're going to take less out.

523
00:40:26,950 --> 00:40:28,430
Maybe they need to do the way with that.

524
00:40:28,490 --> 00:40:30,650
Look at the problem areas of all the spin in this going on

525
00:40:30,650 --> 00:40:34,610
in the last few months to find a sea where the problems are at.

526
00:40:35,630 --> 00:40:38,730
We do need to go back and check the crappy road work

527
00:40:38,730 --> 00:40:41,910
that's being done and prior to us paying them.

528
00:40:42,170 --> 00:40:46,730
Because most of the time, it's worse after they fixed it.

529
00:40:47,130 --> 00:40:50,190
And I know that there's also a new talks about $6 million

530
00:40:50,190 --> 00:40:54,150
fixed in the go to the health center that they're wanting to move.

531
00:40:54,150 --> 00:40:56,610
I think that we need to not do everything at once.

532
00:40:56,610 --> 00:40:58,230
We can't do it all. Thank you, ms.

533
00:40:58,670 --> 00:40:59,150
Thank you.

534
00:40:59,190 --> 00:40:59,890
Thank you.

535
00:41:00,290 --> 00:41:01,650
Next we have Bobby Duncan.

536
00:41:19,650 --> 00:41:21,810
Somebody stole part of our stuff.

537
00:41:22,230 --> 00:41:23,630
So I'm going to start right here.

538
00:41:26,380 --> 00:41:27,600
We're talking about taxes.

539
00:41:30,330 --> 00:41:32,710
I checked it for a clock to save food

540
00:41:32,710 --> 00:41:39,730
and the price of a barrel of oil is 83 dollars.

541
00:41:42,450 --> 00:41:43,750
There are all field trucks.

542
00:41:43,750 --> 00:41:51,210
those heavy dudes that we said at the traffic lights waiting to pass, who are ruining our

543
00:41:51,210 --> 00:41:55,850
county roads. I don't know if there's any way possible,

544
00:41:58,810 --> 00:42:00,370
but could we put up a toll road

545
00:42:00,370 --> 00:42:09,150
or something for the, just think, have any meetings? We would break them. I feel sorry for the

546
00:42:09,150 --> 00:42:14,470
people in maintenance who try to keep those roads going, because the streets are awful, because

547
00:42:14,470 --> 00:42:18,190
of them, or the roads they can travel on.

548
00:42:18,990 --> 00:42:25,290
A little more research and some math gave me this data.

549
00:42:26,210 --> 00:42:37,610
In April of 2026, Ector County produced 1.6 million barrels of oil.

550
00:42:37,610 --> 00:42:45,190
And if we take today's price 87 cents barrel, or 83, whatever,

551
00:42:47,470 --> 00:42:50,970
test with that was 140

552
00:42:53,120 --> 00:42:55,240
million.

553
00:42:56,340 --> 00:42:59,860
A hundred 40 million a month,

554
00:43:02,780 --> 00:43:05,820
I had to really have to zeroes, I don't count that high.

555
00:43:05,920 --> 00:43:07,640
I don't think you do either.

556
00:43:10,570 --> 00:43:15,850
And if we take a 12 month estimate, can you guess for it?

557
00:43:15,850 --> 00:43:26,480
1 billion $680,000 million dollars.

558
00:43:27,640 --> 00:43:28,620
Now, Billion,

559
00:43:32,960 --> 00:43:33,980
where's our cut?

560
00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:36,600
It's a good question.

561
00:43:36,600 --> 00:43:38,020
Where is the legislature?

562
00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:42,380
Those big corporations are eating us dry.

563
00:43:43,620 --> 00:43:46,060
They're taking every figure away from us.

564
00:43:46,380 --> 00:43:48,180
They're messing up the environment.

565
00:43:48,180 --> 00:43:54,720
But our environmental people work night and day trying to keep a bomb test to keep those

566
00:43:54,720 --> 00:43:57,400
drill sites clean and possible.

567
00:43:59,770 --> 00:44:04,170
I know a lot of the money goes to public schools.

568
00:44:04,790 --> 00:44:10,450
That's the Robin Hood law in her sector county, of course, tremendously.

569
00:44:11,630 --> 00:44:22,630
And I know that the state slush fund is billions and billions of dollars.

570
00:44:22,690 --> 00:44:24,310
Where is that to County?

571
00:44:25,470 --> 00:44:29,830
Why can't we get the money some way for these oil companies?

572
00:44:30,350 --> 00:44:34,810
And there are five of you up there to figure out a way to do it.

573
00:44:37,020 --> 00:44:38,620
May I have just a moment more?

574
00:44:38,620 --> 00:44:43,020
Okay, give the other lady the privilege, thank you.

575
00:44:46,990 --> 00:44:48,790
That data center is questionable.

576
00:44:49,830 --> 00:44:51,030
It likes the oil field.

577
00:44:51,250 --> 00:44:52,670
It's going to harm our citizens.

578
00:44:53,450 --> 00:44:56,010
Please do more research into it.

579
00:44:56,010 --> 00:44:59,970
I know that if a child lives within 200, go 2 and a half.

580
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:11,910
Miles of a data center, their mental development is questionable. And I got this data from the

581
00:45:11,910 --> 00:45:17,770
world's largest or not the world, the nation's largest organization, the National Education

582
00:45:17,770 --> 00:45:21,050
Association, and he does the research on that.

583
00:45:22,150 --> 00:45:23,350
Thank you, Mr. Duncan.

584
00:45:23,830 --> 00:45:25,550
Okay. Thank you.

585
00:45:25,570 --> 00:45:30,630
I will just answer a question regarding the oil and gas funds. The state does collect a seven

586
00:45:30,630 --> 00:45:35,850
tax and you are correct. It funds a majority of the state of funds, the ESF which is the

587
00:45:35,850 --> 00:45:39,750
economic stabilization fund, which is the slush fund that you represented. It does

588
00:45:39,750 --> 00:45:44,530
fund the permanent school fund that funds our schools, our school system public schools.

589
00:45:44,530 --> 00:45:49,530
It would give it to them. It also funds exactly the text in significantly.

590
00:45:50,870 --> 00:45:55,590
And as well as the permanent university fund, which funds are Texas A&M and UT systems.

591
00:45:55,590 --> 00:46:01,830
So, we've, I've worked with Representative Langrafe, he's authored some bills regarding bringing

592
00:46:01,830 --> 00:46:06,510
a percentage of that oil and gas severance tax back to counties in which it is produced.

593
00:46:06,770 --> 00:46:11,310
It has passed the House, several sessions it has failed in the Senate repeatedly.

594
00:46:12,130 --> 00:46:20,730
It is certainly a challenge, there are, there is some pennies that are out there regarding

595
00:46:20,730 --> 00:46:26,750
the County Transportation Infrastructure Fund, the C-TIF program and it is $500 million across

596
00:46:26,750 --> 00:46:30,870
the entire state to all oil and gas producing counties and over a five year peer

597
00:46:30,870 --> 00:46:36,450
doctor county was slated to receive a whopping $5 million. This past session, they scrapped

598
00:46:36,450 --> 00:46:40,450
that $250 million program, they didn't even fund it at $500. They scrapped the $250 million

599
00:46:40,450 --> 00:46:45,890
program despite the fact that the permit base and funds the entire state. So it is something

600
00:46:45,890 --> 00:46:50,210
that I've worked on, it's something that I'm passionate about. Unfortunately, it's something

601
00:46:50,210 --> 00:46:54,470
that our state legislature treats us like a mining colony and there is no oil and gas

602
00:46:54,470 --> 00:46:59,290
severance funds that come to this come to counties and it is a tragic scenario.

603
00:46:59,650 --> 00:47:00,010
No doubt.

604
00:47:00,090 --> 00:47:00,330
Good.

605
00:47:00,470 --> 00:47:01,350
I make one policy.

606
00:47:01,630 --> 00:47:02,030
We mark.

607
00:47:02,630 --> 00:47:03,030
One policy.

608
00:47:04,310 --> 00:47:05,390
All right.

609
00:47:06,350 --> 00:47:11,950
Leadership means stewardship and you are elected leaders for this county.

610
00:47:12,750 --> 00:47:21,150
So, that puts you in the responsible position of looking after your county and your constituents.

611
00:47:21,650 --> 00:47:22,590
Thank you so much.

612
00:47:22,590 --> 00:47:23,210
Yes, ma'am.

613
00:47:23,230 --> 00:47:24,170
Thank you, Ms. Duncan.

614
00:47:25,930 --> 00:47:27,770
Next, we have Robert Bailey.

615
00:47:40,260 --> 00:47:40,640
Good.

616
00:47:41,120 --> 00:47:41,140
Commissioner.

617
00:47:43,140 --> 00:47:44,360
Actually, I go by Bill.

618
00:47:44,400 --> 00:47:45,420
That's what Billy knows me.

619
00:47:45,680 --> 00:47:46,180
Okay.

620
00:47:46,940 --> 00:47:47,880
Legal, legalities.

621
00:47:48,080 --> 00:47:48,700
That's the first name.

622
00:47:49,840 --> 00:47:51,800
Along with the property taxes,

623
00:47:51,800 --> 00:47:58,760
The small increase on the actual tax rate is not what's killing the people in

624
00:47:58,760 --> 00:48:02,960
Ector County. Two years ago the appraisal district went through and

625
00:48:02,960 --> 00:48:10,580
re-appraised and we went from extremely low property by use, which I can

626
00:48:10,580 --> 00:48:15,460
understand bringing them up where they need to be. But instantly went to

627
00:48:15,460 --> 00:48:28,960
high market value property values, 2024 to 2025, my property tax increased 106%

628
00:48:30,370 --> 00:48:39,300
25 to 26, another 30% I'm not sure if you're aware of the way the

629
00:48:39,300 --> 00:48:45,400
cap extension laws with the state work, next year is the exemption goes away.

630
00:48:45,400 --> 00:48:57,600
Is that another 30% on top of it, bringing our taxes that we actually pay to the county up to almost 200% increase over a three-year period?

631
00:49:00,660 --> 00:49:03,220
Did you contest these with the appraisal district?

632
00:49:03,660 --> 00:49:07,920
Yes, that was the best, my second bullet point that I would like the commissioners to look into.

633
00:49:07,920 --> 00:49:08,120
Okay?

634
00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:17,240
They're hearing when you walk in and you sit down across from a board of realtors.

635
00:49:19,020 --> 00:49:20,720
That's who's hearing my case.

636
00:49:22,210 --> 00:49:24,050
That is a conflict of interest.

637
00:49:25,690 --> 00:49:30,110
They make more money if the property values are higher in their regular careers.

638
00:49:31,010 --> 00:49:35,970
So I would like you guys to look into that and see if we can come up with a way to fix that

639
00:49:35,970 --> 00:49:36,550
as well.

640
00:49:36,550 --> 00:49:40,830
where when we do go into those hearings, we have a chance at a fair trial.

641
00:49:43,370 --> 00:49:44,170
That's all I have.

642
00:49:44,770 --> 00:49:45,310
Thank you.

643
00:49:45,350 --> 00:49:46,070
Thank you.

644
00:49:46,270 --> 00:49:46,890
Thank you.

645
00:49:48,090 --> 00:49:50,550
I will say one thing on the appraisal district.

646
00:49:52,800 --> 00:49:55,500
I will say one thing on the appraisal district, the Texas legislature did make a

647
00:49:55,500 --> 00:49:56,700
modification in state law.

648
00:49:56,860 --> 00:50:01,240
They did add three elected positions to every appraisal district.

649
00:50:01,780 --> 00:50:04,340
Inector County, they had those three positions up.

650
00:50:04,360 --> 00:50:05,820
Nobody filed to run.

651
00:50:05,820 --> 00:50:08,260
I think that that would be a terrific one.

652
00:50:08,520 --> 00:50:11,780
I would love to see, since you care about this issue,

653
00:50:11,980 --> 00:50:14,920
which is, I think, everybody, run for those positions.

654
00:50:15,180 --> 00:50:16,860
It's kind of who draws the short straw

655
00:50:17,280 --> 00:50:18,960
and who gets appointed to that.

656
00:50:19,380 --> 00:50:21,400
So that is something that the legislature created.

657
00:50:21,740 --> 00:50:22,700
It was in a special session.

658
00:50:22,880 --> 00:50:27,300
It was in the middle of a non-typical legislative time frame,

659
00:50:27,500 --> 00:50:28,620
but they did add those positions.

660
00:50:29,360 --> 00:50:31,120
And so that is something that I would look,

661
00:50:31,600 --> 00:50:33,680
if you're interested in, you can always reach out to me

662
00:50:33,680 --> 00:50:35,060
and we can kind of punch in the right direction.

663
00:50:36,600 --> 00:50:37,640
Yes, absolutely.

664
00:50:38,260 --> 00:50:48,420
Okay, so for those that don't know, there are a lot of titles to a lot of entities and a lot of those titles could be actor county plus.

665
00:50:49,040 --> 00:50:57,940
So you see the actor county appraisal district, you see the actor county school district, you see the actor county us and other actor county utility district.

666
00:50:57,940 --> 00:51:04,980
We're not all associated. We're all different taxing entities. We don't have oversight or control over what they do.

667
00:51:05,860 --> 00:51:15,380
So sometimes the misinformation is assuming that we have any oversight over those other entities we don't.

668
00:51:15,700 --> 00:51:18,300
So I just wanted to make it clarifying statement.

669
00:51:18,740 --> 00:51:19,920
Thank you, Commissioner Hall.

670
00:51:20,760 --> 00:51:23,100
Okay. We do have Scott Johnson.

671
00:51:24,480 --> 00:51:25,900
Thank you, Mr. Johnson.

672
00:51:29,790 --> 00:51:31,690
That concludes our public participation.

673
00:51:32,530 --> 00:51:33,470
Would you like to say something?

674
00:51:33,550 --> 00:51:34,210
Yes, absolutely.

675
00:51:34,730 --> 00:51:38,690
First of all, I just want to say thank you for everyone that came tonight.

676
00:51:38,890 --> 00:51:39,550
I know you're tired.

677
00:51:39,790 --> 00:51:41,050
I know you came from work.

678
00:51:41,650 --> 00:51:43,170
Thank you for showing up.

679
00:51:43,970 --> 00:51:45,610
It's a pleasure to have you here.

680
00:51:45,690 --> 00:51:47,990
I know a lot of times you can't come in the day.

681
00:51:48,810 --> 00:51:50,170
It's great to have everyone here.

682
00:51:50,890 --> 00:51:54,770
Also, we'll say the judge made some points.

683
00:51:54,990 --> 00:51:59,870
I don't agree with them, 100% we did work very hard on the budget, but I do think that we

684
00:51:59,870 --> 00:52:04,530
can still make some cuts and I think that we can save more than the few dollars that we're

685
00:52:04,530 --> 00:52:05,390
looking at right now.

686
00:52:06,010 --> 00:52:10,930
So I hope tomorrow that we can do that and thank you again for showing us now.

687
00:52:11,910 --> 00:52:11,950
Okay.

688
00:52:14,780 --> 00:52:15,240
There you go.

689
00:52:16,540 --> 00:52:16,740
All right.

690
00:52:17,100 --> 00:52:20,140
I will entertain, oh, I'll entertain a motion to close the public hearing.

691
00:52:20,220 --> 00:52:21,000
Thank you, Ms. Prentice.

692
00:52:22,320 --> 00:52:23,640
Motion by Commissioner Russell.

693
00:52:24,140 --> 00:52:24,920
Second by Commissioner Simmons.

694
00:52:25,080 --> 00:52:27,360
And for the discussion, I'll as per person if I'm by saying aye.

695
00:52:27,640 --> 00:52:29,120
I'll as opposed to the same sound motion cast five zero.

696
00:52:29,280 --> 00:52:29,900
I'll entertain a motion.

697
00:52:30,000 --> 00:52:36,200
22 adjourned. Motion by Commissioner Gardner, second by Commissioner Russell and your further discussion. All in favor,

698
00:52:36,300 --> 00:52:39,980
say to five by saying aye. All in favor. That's the same sign. Motion passed by to you. Thank you folks.

699
00:52:40,460 --> 00:52:41,100
We appreciate you all.