[0:06] All right, good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

[0:09] We're going ahead and start the admin committee for the month of August 2026.

[0:13] Thanks everyone for attending tonight. Uh, first order of business is our roll call.

[0:18] Second item is the roll call, and, uh,

[0:21] let the record show that all members are present except for Commissioner Brandon

[0:25] Nutt. And so in his absence, Commissioner Scott Saunders is sitting in.

[0:30] Thank you for doing that.

[0:31] And that said, we'll go to our next item, which is the approval of the agenda.

[0:36] I need a motion to approve it. I have it from Mr. Grooms. I have a second from Mr.

[0:41] Miller. Any discussion on the agenda? Seeing none, we'll vote. All in favor say

[0:46] Seeing none, we'll vote. All in favor say aye.

[0:46] Aye.

[0:46] Any opposed? Okay, we have an agenda. Thank you for that.

[0:50] Next item on the agenda is the approval of the July 2026 meeting minutes.

[0:54] Unless there's any changes or additions, those will stand as presented.

[0:57] And seeing no lights, those will stand as presented. Thank you for that.

[1:01] Next item on the agenda is the legislative report.

[1:04] Mayor Butt, you have the floor, ma'am.

[1:06] Thank you.

[1:08] We had that report at the last full commission meeting, and in September,

[1:12] the county mayors across the state will meet and we will set our legislative

[1:16] meet and we will set our legislative agenda.

[1:16] So when that agenda is set, I will certainly come back and report to all of

[1:21] certainly come back and report to all of you.

[1:21] Thank you.

[1:22] All right, any questions for the mayor? Seeing none, we'll move forward.

[1:26] That's the public comment.

[1:28] Uh, anybody wishing to speak back public comment can come forward.

[1:32] Is there anybody signed up for public comment? All right, thank you.

[1:37] So in light of that, we won't read the statement unless somebody does.

[1:42] Next item on the agenda are the notaries, and that will go to Vice Chair Miller.

[1:47] You You have the floor, sir. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[1:51] This month's notary list includes Machen Nicholas Azar Jr.,

[1:56] Joseph Demarest Jr., Lisa Dyer, Natasha Inglett,

[2:01] Maria Mayta Fuentes, Anna Gabriela Gomez, Dora A.

[2:06] Gonzalez, Alicia G.

[2:07] Hickman, Demi Lamp, Kimberly Reed, Janet Ruiz,

[2:12] Paula Lee Thompson, And renewal applicants are

[2:16] Lamita S.

[2:17] Atkinson, Leslie Hazard, Mark Elliott Munkris,

[2:20] Lawrence Michael Nobles, Cassie Sisk, and Stephanie D.

[2:24] Webster.

[2:25] That is in the form of motion.

[2:26] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[2:27] Thank you. I have a motion. Does it have a second? I have a second from Mr. Grooms.

[2:30] I do have one light. Mr. Bridenbaugh, your light's on, sir. You're up.

[2:32] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[2:33] Just as an acknowledgment, one of the names on this list is an employee of our

[2:38] names on this list is an employee of our firm.

[2:38] Condition of her employment and any employment in our firm is to either be a

[2:42] employment in our firm is to either be a notary

[2:42] or get licensed as a notary.

[2:44] As that is a condition of employment,

[2:46] it's not any personal benefit to me in any way.

[2:48] I will not be recusing myself and will be voting on the motion.

[2:51] Understood. Thank you for that. Any other— I do have another light.

[2:56] Who's on the floor? Mr. Dobies.

[2:58] Thank you, Chairman.

[2:59] Yeah, I just wanted to say that that was all appropriate and correct, sir.

[3:02] All right.

[3:02] Thank you.

[3:03] Yep.

[3:04] All right. Seeing no other lights, we'll vote. All in favor say aye. Aye.

[3:07] Any opposed? All right. That passes. Thank you for that.

[3:10] Next item on the agenda is the library report, and our director is here. Come on

[3:14] report, and our director is here. Come on up.

[3:16] Good evening. You saw my report. Do you have any questions?

[3:20] Any questions for Meghan? Seeing none.

[3:24] We did wrap up our summer reading over the,

[3:26] over the weekend on Saturday at Murray County Park. We had a foam party.

[3:30] Quotes from kids were, best day ever. So they had a blast.

[3:34] We had 150 people show up for our event and we're killing it.

[3:37] So last fiscal year we had 700 programs, even with the closure,

[3:41] that we offered to the community. And we're ready to keep on going.

[3:45] So thank you for your support.

[3:46] All right.

[3:48] All right.

[3:48] What else you got?

[3:50] There's—

[3:50] I got a whole list on here.

[3:51] Uh, well, the next part—

[3:53] The next thing I've got is the library board application of, uh, let's see.

[3:58] I'm sorry, Mr. Strand, your light was on. Go ahead, sir.

[4:01] I just have a quick question. Um, I've had concern from some, some folks.

[4:06] When are we going to have our, uh, security guy back?

[4:09] He's, he's back.

[4:10] He's back now?

[4:11] Mm-hmm.

[4:11] Good.

[4:12] Thank you.

[4:12] He has been.

[4:13] Thank you, Chair.

[4:13] He's there for open hours.

[4:14] All right. The next item on my list is the library board application of Tonya

[4:22] Burgett. So I guess, does the chair want to come up and make that recommendation?

[4:29] And then we'll— of the board? I'm sorry? Okay, I'm looking at the document list.

[4:37] I'm sorry. All right, well, yeah, let me do that and go ahead and go back then,

[4:45] guys.

[4:45] So, um, we have an applicant that is here tonight, Tanya Burdette.

[4:51] All right, Tanya Burdette, and that is the name that the board— as far as,

[4:57] uh, that's the only application you have received? All right.

[5:02] The floor is open for any other additional nominations or to move her

[5:08] forward. I'm sorry?

[5:10] City.

[5:11] City. I need a motion to move her forward.

[5:17] So moved.

[5:17] I have a motion from Mr. Bridenbaugh. I'll second it. Any other nominations?

[5:24] No.

[5:24] All right. We'll vote to move her to the full commission. All in favor say aye.

[5:29] full commission. All in favor say aye. Aye.

[5:29] Any opposed? All right, that takes care of that. Thank you.

[5:32] Let me— now we will go back to item B here.

[5:35] I'm looking at a computer and a piece of paper.

[5:37] Approval of the amended library swap resolution.

[5:40] We do have the Mount Pleasant attorney and city manager here.

[5:43] Y'all come on up and tell us what we got going on.

[5:46] Finance director.

[5:48] I'm sorry, finance director. Sorry, finance director.

[5:51] Good afternoon, Mayor and commissioners.

[5:53] So This is the library swap that we negotiated last year,

[5:57] I think in November or December with the full commission.

[6:00] Um, and what's happening is Murray County is building a new library on what is

[6:05] Howard Field in Mount Pleasant.

[6:07] And then when that new library is built, then, uh,

[6:10] y'all give the current Mount Pleasant library back to Mount Pleasant.

[6:15] So that's what the existing MOU said. That came through kind of Quickly.

[6:19] Um, after that, we started ironing out the details.

[6:22] And so the new agreement and what has actually been approved in your budget is

[6:27] actually been approved in your budget is that

[6:27] Howard Field is a big property. It currently has a baseball field on it.

[6:32] So half of that, roughly half of that property would be deeded to Murray County

[6:37] property would be deeded to Murray County for

[6:37] the use of the library, for the construction and use of the library.

[6:41] And then on the other side,

[6:43] Murray County would build a softball field to replace the existing baseball field

[6:48] that's there.

[6:49] Okay.

[6:49] It also has a dog park that Mount Pleasant will continue to own.

[6:53] And so, like I said, y'all did pass the MOU.

[6:56] You've already had most of these items in your budget,

[6:59] but the MOU does not reflect the actual plan that's in place and already moving

[7:04] forward. So the first thing on y'all's agenda is an amended MOU.

[7:08] The changes to that document are that Howard Field will be split in half,

[7:13] and that's going before the Mount Pleasant Planning Commission this month.

[7:17] Yes.

[7:19] Um, like I said, one side will be for the library and a parking lot,

[7:23] and then any future improvements that y'all might want to do.

[7:26] The other side, the county—

[7:28] it says the county will build the softball field and then Mount Pleasant will

[7:32] maintain that softball field.

[7:34] Um, there's also a dog park will continue to be owned and maintained by Mount

[7:39] Pleasant. And then there's an existing restroom on that property that will be

[7:43] continually maintained by Murray County.

[7:46] Um, So that is the changes to the MOU that's there.

[7:49] And the second resolution is to accept the deed to the portion of the property that

[7:53] is going to have the library on it.

[7:56] All right. I'm assuming we're going to take these separately, but I need—

[7:59] I want to go to the attorney first. Mark, go ahead.

[8:01] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[8:03] I just want to make a very sort of 30,000-foot view comment, which is that

[8:08] 30,000-foot view comment, which is that I'm—

[8:08] this precedes me, but there's been a lot of due diligence and a lot of hard work

[8:13] from Prior county attorney and Corey, and they've coordinated a lot.

[8:17] So there's a lot of thought and blood, sweat into this one.

[8:21] So, you know, I looked over everything, and I think the documents look great.

[8:26] And, you know, from the standpoint of what we saw prior, I think this is, you know,

[8:31] I kind of bless it from my office standpoint.

[8:34] All right.

[8:35] Well, my question to you is, so we have multiple items here,

[8:38] the approval of the amended library swap resolution, the amended MOU,

[8:41] quitclaim deed, and the library deed CMP to Murray County.

[8:44] Do we take that all as one action or do everything as a separate action?

[8:48] Okay, so the first action is the approval of the MOU.

[8:51] I have a motion from Commissioner Sumner, a second from Commissioner Grooms.

[8:55] Any discussion on this? I do have a light on. Commissioner Strand, you're up, sir.

[8:59] Thank you, Chair.

[9:03] Say we're going to build a softball diamond. I, I've been out there.

[9:07] I know that the ground's flat. Should be fairly easy from that perspective.

[9:12] But when you say softball, softball diamond, does that mean bathrooms,

[9:16] refreshment stands, bleachers, and lighting?

[9:19] There is already a restroom there, so that restroom is staying.

[9:22] There's already been a site plan approved through Mount Pleasant.

[9:26] It looks small, but there is just a softball field.

[9:28] It really abuts up to the property right there.

[9:31] I don't think that there's anything else other than the softball field,

[9:35] but that was not— I think that would be what was in y'all's budget.

[9:41] Again, my question, lighting?

[9:43] I don't know.

[9:45] Well, but we're using half the field,

[9:48] so the lights aren't all on that part of the field.

[9:52] There's no refreshment stand except that little ghetto thing back in the

[9:57] corner. Is that included for us to build that as well?

[10:05] The removal of the baseball field and the adding in the softball field is all that

[10:09] the MOU states. I was not part of this, um,

[10:12] original discussion about the softball field.

[10:14] So I'm not sure what y'all have approved as far as what's in your budget to go

[10:18] forward. I don't think there's anything other than the softball field itself.

[10:23] Is that correct?

[10:24] Hang on, Mr. Grooms, let me turn on your light there.

[10:32] Go ahead.

[10:32] The softball field's in the GMP with bleachers,

[10:35] with everything that comes with a softball field.

[10:37] If you don't have bleachers, you don't have a concession stand,

[10:40] then it's not a softball field.

[10:41] Yeah, and they've got bleachers out there already.

[10:43] Yeah, so I mean, so all of that was in— is in the GMP, and all of that was—

[10:48] has already been discussed.

[10:50] Okay, okay, thank you. All right, Mr. Grooms, your light is on. You were up

[10:55] Grooms, your light is on. You were up next.

[10:56] Um, no, I was just going to be in response to Okay, that's all I got then.

[11:01] Yes, Commissioner Koslawinski, you're up, sir. Thank you, Chairman.

[11:05] Uh, just a real quick question.

[11:07] So I understand this, um,

[11:08] Mount Pleasant is going to maintain the softball field and the dog park,

[11:12] and so Murray County is just going to be just responsible for maintaining the

[11:16] bathrooms out there and the library? And the library.

[11:19] And another thing I forgot to mention is the parking lot will be on the library

[11:23] property, the one that's owned by Murray County.

[11:25] But it also says in the MOU that both Mount Pleasant and Murray County can use

[11:29] Mount Pleasant and Murray County can use that

[11:29] parking lot for the softball field and for the library.

[11:32] Okay.

[11:33] I don't know.

[11:34] It seems kind of odd to me to—

[11:35] for the county to take responsibility of the bathrooms if it's going to be for the

[11:39] softball field, but maybe I'm misunderstanding something there.

[11:43] It seems like— It's on our side of the line.

[11:45] It's on our side.

[11:45] Okay.

[11:46] Very good. Well, then that answers it.

[11:48] I don't think that's— I'm not sure that that's accurate.

[11:50] Yeah, I thought the bathrooms were Right there by the parking area.

[11:55] Oh, I'll have to look at the subdivision plat,

[11:59] but I believe that the softball—

[12:03] the line is drawn to where the restroom that exists is

[12:08] going to be on the Mount Pleasant portion.

[12:12] Oh, then I raise my question again.

[12:18] Thank you, Chairman.

[12:19] All right, uh, Commissioner Morrow, you're up, sir.

[12:20] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[12:22] Uh, does that— is that field even— does it even have lights?

[12:25] Uh, best I recall, that was a practice field.

[12:28] I don't know that it's even got lights.

[12:30] Okay. All right, I don't see any other lights.

[12:34] So from the motion for the approval of the amended library swap resolutions, uh,

[12:41] motion by Commissioner Sumner, seconded by Commissioner Grooms.

[12:46] All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? All right, then that one passes.

[12:52] Oh, yeah, that can go on the consent agenda. Is that correct, Mark?

[12:58] Or does that need to go to budget? I mean, or just does it need to be standalone?

[13:05] There's no money.

[13:06] Well, I mean, but can it be on the full commission consent agenda?

[13:11] Okay, well, we won't. All right, next item is the amended MOU.

[13:16] I need a motion to approve it. I have it from Commissioner, um, Grooms.

[13:22] I need a second. I have it from Commissioner Miller.

[13:26] Any discussion or questions on that? All right, seeing no lights, we'll vote.

[13:32] All in favor say aye.

[13:33] Aye.

[13:34] Any opposed? That passes. Item D, the quitclaim deed.

[13:38] I need a motion to approve and a second. I have a motion from Commissioner Grooms.

[13:44] I'll second it. Any discussion on that? All right, there's a light.

[13:49] Commissioner Bridenbaugh, you're up, sir.

[13:52] Mr. Chairman, just for clarity, I think there's, there's 2 documents related.

[13:57] One is the actual deed and one is a resolution.

[14:00] Are we voting on these 2 together or separate?

[14:03] The way the Agenda as written, Item D is the quitclaim deed.

[14:08] If this is— if we're talking about the deed itself, I do have a question on that.

[14:13] All right, go ahead.

[14:14] And just for clarification, in the last paragraph of the deed,

[14:18] in the reverter clause,

[14:20] it says that in the event the new library has not been completed within 2 years from

[14:25] the commencement of construction, and my question is,

[14:29] that's kind of a broad statement.

[14:31] What is considered completion What is considered commencement of construction?

[14:36] Is it when the equipment shows up? Is it when they first turn dirt?

[14:40] Completion is certificate of occupancy or unlocking the doors?

[14:44] That's a pretty broad statement for a reverter clause if Mount Pleasant is going

[14:50] reverter clause if Mount Pleasant is going to

[14:50] take it back.

[14:51] I agree with all of those comments.

[14:52] I copied that language directly from the existing MOU,

[14:55] so I didn't feel comfortable answering that question without guidance from this.

[15:00] And I don't know, it I admire your work, Corey.

[15:03] I mean, we know each other and, and, um, I don't want to overly detail it,

[15:08] but I do know things like that can come back to bite if they're not detailed.

[15:13] At least there's an understanding of what the start and finish identifiers are.

[15:18] I think a certificate of occupancy is a good finish line.

[15:21] I would agree with that statement. What about commencement?

[15:27] I think they're about to build, to move dirt here in a same permit, you know,

[15:32] a building permit or—

[15:33] And as long as the commission knows what timeline they're working under is what I'm

[15:37] concerned with.

[15:37] And we can revise that, you know, in—

[15:40] we can revise it in the deed without revising it in the MOU.

[15:44] But I just was tracking the language that we already have.

[15:47] I appreciate that. I'll leave that up to the county attorney.

[15:51] And Mark, your light was on.

[15:52] Go ahead.

[15:52] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[15:53] Yeah, I think that's a very good point.

[15:55] Is it something that we would do—

[15:57] is it too hasty to do a verbal amendment to change it now,

[16:00] or is it something we can do in a later committee to change?

[16:03] Do it now?

[16:04] Okay.

[16:05] Okay.

[16:05] So you wish to make an amendment to add language, or—

[16:08] Mr. Sumner is going to straighten it out.

[16:11] I would be more comfortable changing the language if I could work with the county

[16:16] attorney or let him work on his own and have it for the full commission.

[16:21] We don't have to rewrite it now,

[16:23] but I would like a definitive start and ending event, not necessarily a date,

[16:28] but event. Okay.

[16:29] Mr. Saunders, did you want to add to that?

[16:30] No, no, I just have a question about this.

[16:33] Go ahead, you're up.

[16:34] The attachment here that says library deed CMP to Murray County,

[16:39] that's just an attachment to the actual resolution, correct?

[16:43] Okay, so it's not— it's, it's the actual deed For the attachment to the,

[16:49] to the resolution. Okay. Thank you.

[16:52] You're passing.

[16:52] We're not, we're not voting on this twice.

[16:54] I think that's what you have. 2 resolutions. The first one was approving

[16:57] resolutions. The first one was approving the MOU.

[16:58] The second one approves the deed. Okay.

[17:00] And, uh, I mean, I don't know, does he do these things?

[17:05] Things need to go through budget.

[17:08] There's no money, anything monetarily there, but I mean, Okay. Thank you.

[17:15] Yeah, he just said no. He just— go ahead.

[17:18] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[17:19] Yeah, I mean, my, um, I'm with Commissioner Bridenbaugh on this,

[17:22] and maybe 3 of us can sort of get together and work out some language before full

[17:27] commission. It's okay, up to you, commission, of course.

[17:30] All right, I don't see any other lights.

[17:33] I have a motion from Commissioner Grooms, second from Commissioner Previti.

[17:37] All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? All right, that passes. Thank you.

[17:41] Next item is the library deed CMP to Murray County. I need a motion to move

[17:46] Murray County. I need a motion to move that.

[17:46] I have it from Commissioner Grooms. I need a second.

[17:49] I have a second from Commissioner Miller. Any discussion on that?

[17:53] No.

[17:55] All right, we have none. All in favor say aye. Wait a minute, I do have a light on.

[17:59] Commissioner Grody, you're up. I see you now.

[18:01] We got 3 attorneys in the room and I'm not one of them.

[18:04] And so I wanted to ask the question, When I see the word deed, I think it's forever.

[18:10] It's not a number of years. It's forever. When you move it over, it's ours.

[18:15] It's Murray County's. Is that correct?

[18:18] Yes.

[18:18] There's no timeline? There's no timeline. This deed is a little bit unusual.

[18:23] If you remember, this is a property that was originally owned by Murray County,

[18:28] and then y'all gave it to Mount Pleasant with a restriction on it that said it had

[18:33] to be used for recreational purposes only.

[18:35] Then sometime last year when y'all were contemplating the library,

[18:39] we realized that that language might not be broad enough to allow the library.

[18:44] So Mount Pleasant and Murray County amended that restriction and says that it

[18:48] amended that restriction and says that it has to

[18:49] be used for recreational purposes and/or a library.

[18:52] So that is always on there, that restriction.

[18:55] And so if that restriction were to be broken, then it would, I guess,

[18:59] go back to the other entity, but also we had that reverter that Mr.

[19:03] Bradenbaugh was talking about,

[19:05] that if the library is not constructed for some reason, it would come back.

[19:09] So those are the only things that would change the forever part,

[19:13] but it is an actual deed.

[19:15] So what y'all are actually approving with that resolution is acceptance of the

[19:19] property. So the restriction was filed? Yes, ma'am.

[19:22] Okay.

[19:23] It was approved by this board and also by Mount Pleasant.

[19:26] And then it was filed against the Property, you know,

[19:28] so if you pulled up a title search for that property,

[19:31] you would see this restriction? It's on the deed. Yes.

[19:34] Yeah.

[19:34] Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

[19:35] All right. Seeing no other lights, we'll vote. All in favor say aye.

[19:39] Aye.

[19:40] Any opposed? And that passes. That concludes the library business.

[19:44] Thank y'all for being here this evening.

[19:46] Next item on the agenda is the Visitors Bureau with Erin Jaggers and their monthly

[19:51] report. Over to Renee.

[19:57] Hi, everybody. So we gave you our report.

[20:00] We gave you the calendar of events.

[20:02] So I was wondering if y'all have any questions.

[20:05] No.

[20:06] And if not, the only thing I want to talk about is I know that y'all know about the

[20:10] brick sales for the courthouse.

[20:12] We want to make sure y'all are reminding people, getting people—

[20:15] we have a lot of people that are picking up the forms,

[20:18] but they don't know what they want to put on them.

[20:21] So we need to remind them, turn those in.

[20:23] So it's $100 for a 4x8 and it's $200 for an 8x8.

[20:26] So they have little boxes that they can fill in if you haven't bought one yet.

[20:30] Our office, we can run even a credit card. So just sell these bricks.

[20:34] We need to sell some bricks. The other thing is I have great news.

[20:37] Well, I'm excited about our group tour that's coming this Friday because they're

[20:41] that's coming this Friday because they're not

[20:41] just coming to Columbia, they're coming to Mount Pleasant.

[20:45] Spring Hill, and Columbia.

[20:46] So they're getting to see all Murray County, or as much as you can, you know,

[20:50] in one day. So it's going to be a great tour,

[20:52] and then they're even going to stay and do First Fridays.

[20:55] So should be a good group, it's like 42 people, so I'm excited about that.

[20:59] Otherwise, we're getting ready for the Tennessee State Fair,

[21:03] we're getting ready for the Murray County Fair,

[21:05] and we're getting ready for Fall Fest.

[21:07] So our office is a little busy, but y'all need anything?

[21:10] Kathy, you asked a question last night.

[21:14] The forms, there's not an online fill-out.

[21:18] You go pick one up.

[21:20] I was going to say, are you going to have them at First Friday, the brick forms?

[21:24] Oh, no, ma'am. We have them in our office, but we can email the form to you.

[21:28] Okay, that'd be great. Okay, thank you.

[21:31] Yes, ma'am. Mayor Butt, you're up, ma'am.

[21:32] I just have a question. When these 42 people come, where do they come from?

[21:37] How are they recruited? How do they decide to come here?

[21:40] It kind of depends on the travel group tour operator,

[21:44] but this particular group is coming from Lawrenceburg, actually.

[21:48] Okay.

[21:48] So they're not spending the night,

[21:50] whereas usually our group will spend the night because they're coming from Michigan

[21:54] or, you know, further away.

[21:55] A lot of times our group will come because they've traveled from Michigan,

[21:58] let's just say, to Alabama,

[22:00] and then we'll get them for half a day or something while they're traveling back,

[22:04] or we might get them overnight. So it just depends on that group.

[22:07] Okay, thank you very much.

[22:08] Can you get them to bring a couple of briskets up with them from Schaefer's?

[22:12] I sure wish I could.

[22:14] All right, uh, any other lights for, uh, them? Nope. Thank you guys.

[22:18] I know y'all have a fair board meeting to get to, so thanks for being here for that.

[22:22] Next item on the agenda is the building and zoning report.

[22:25] Robert is not here, but his report's been submitted.

[22:28] If you have any questions, reach out to him.

[22:31] Next item on the agenda, human resources and Dana. She's always here.

[22:35] Good afternoon. I have before you my monthly

[22:41] report. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

[22:48] Any questions for Dana on her report? Seeing no lights, go ahead, ma'am.

[22:53] The next item, requesting to approve the updated Title VI complaint

[22:58] procedures policy. All right,

[23:00] basically some addresses were changed on those.

[23:04] And those are in your packet, and hopefully everybody has taken a look at

[23:08] hopefully everybody has taken a look at that.

[23:08] I'll need a motion to move that forward. I have it from Commissioner Grooms.

[23:13] I need a second. I have a second from Commissioner Bridenbaugh.

[23:17] Any discussion on that? All right, seeing none, we'll vote. All in favor say aye.

[23:22] Aye. Any opposed? Okay, that passes. Okay, Dana.

[23:26] Parks and Rec Department is requesting to reclassify the park supervisor position to

[23:32] assistant park director.

[23:33] The job description for the assistant park director is—

[23:37] was attached and it's in my packet. This will require a budget amendment.

[23:42] And Al talked about that the other night,

[23:44] so we will need a motion to move this forward to the Budget Committee and a

[23:49] second. I'll make the motion. I need a second.

[23:52] I have a second from Commissioner Grooms. For discussion, any discussion on this?

[23:58] Yes, Commissioner Saunders.

[24:00] Commissioner Saunders, your light's on, sir.

[24:01] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[24:03] I'm just going to say this once for everything here on this— left on this

[24:08] everything here on this— left on this agenda.

[24:09] Item B through— excuse me, C through F. I've asked Ms.

[24:12] Gibson to Actually come up with a policy to help with this commission going forward

[24:18] to, uh, to stop these things from coming up during the, during the budget,

[24:23] during the normal, during a normal, uh, normal year instead of within the, uh,

[24:29] you know, when it's supposed to come up during the budget cycle.

[24:33] So, uh, I just want everybody to know that I've, I've asked her to work on that,

[24:39] and I think she's going to work with Mr.

[24:41] Dubbies on that going forward, but That's just how I feel about it.

[24:46] I think these things— I mean,

[24:48] we're a month into the budget and we're spending money like it's, you know,

[24:53] it's burning a hole in our pocket. So that's just my thoughts on it.

[24:58] But if it, you know, whenever she gets that done,

[25:01] she'll present it to this committee whenever that's done in this next month or

[25:07] whenever that's done in this next month or the

[25:07] month after or whenever. So I just want to let everybody know. Thank you.

[25:12] All right. I see no other lights on this.

[25:14] All in favor of moving this to budget, say aye.

[25:18] Aye.

[25:18] Any opposed?

[25:20] All right.

[25:23] Did you vote?

[25:25] Okay.

[25:25] Mr. Sumner voted no, so that passes 4 to 1. Next item on the agenda. Go ahead,

[25:31] 1. Next item on the agenda. Go ahead, Dana.

[25:31] Building Maintenance Department is requesting to increase the hours for the

[25:36] requesting to increase the hours for the building

[25:36] maintenance administrative assistant position.

[25:39] This position currently works 35 hours a week.

[25:42] Um, he is requesting for that position to work 40 hours a week.

[25:46] This will require a budget amendment of approximately $5,700.

[25:50] I'll need a motion and a second to carry this forward to go to the budget committee

[25:55] if it passes. I have a motion from Commissioner Bridenbaugh.

[25:59] I'll second it for discussion. Any discussion on this? Seeing none, we'll

[26:04] discussion on this? Seeing none, we'll vote.

[26:04] All in favor say aye. Wait, I'm sorry, it's grow down.

[26:07] Sorry, Lisa's getting a little slow on me here.

[26:11] I have a question between Scott and Dana.

[26:15] Go ahead.

[26:16] So why is this happening like the next meeting?

[26:20] I mean, why do these department heads wait to do this like when the next shoe drops?

[26:27] Do you have any idea about how that did— like, for example, I love Matt Hill.

[26:33] So did Matt not see this coming during the budget thing?

[26:38] I mean, why is this happening? I really can't answer for the department heads.

[26:44] Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just presenting. For Mr. Hill, I do know that

[26:51] presenting. For Mr. Hill, I do know that Mr.

[26:51] Hill, I think it was just an oversight for him.

[26:55] Okay.

[26:56] Suzanne retired, the previous employee retired,

[27:00] and I think the remainder of his staff works 40 hours,

[27:05] and I think it was just an oversight on him.

[27:09] When did Suzanne retire?

[27:12] In June.

[27:14] Okay, she just, she just retired. Okay, so sometimes you can't see that stuff.

[27:19] So we caught it that, yeah, that the new employee was working 40 hours,

[27:23] and I addressed it with Matt and told him, I said,

[27:26] if you've told her during the interview process that this was a 40-hour week,

[27:31] we can take it to the commission. to increase the hours to 40.

[27:35] Okay.

[27:36] It just seems like a trend with department heads.

[27:40] So I'm 100% behind the new policy to talk to department heads about not coming up

[27:45] with something brand new the first week we get out of the gate. Thank you.

[27:51] Thank you for that. I don't see any other lights,

[27:53] and I'll just say this before we vote.

[27:55] You know, the other committee meetings, these items were brought up and discussed,

[28:00] and so they're here.

[28:01] In this committee as a procedural thing, and, and, and if we pass them to budget,

[28:05] it goes to budget. But I definitely think the department heads had better be here

[28:10] when budget committee gets here to, to, to defend, uh, their ask.

[28:13] I know they, you know, that Al talked about it, and, and, uh, I don't— of

[28:17] about it, and, and, uh, I don't— of course,

[28:18] I don't remember. Matt wasn't here the other night to give his report, but,

[28:22] you know, they, they need to be here at budget if this all passes through.

[28:26] Uh, one more light.

[28:27] Commissioner Saunders, you're up, sir.

[28:28] Never mind.

[28:29] You're good? Okay. That said, we have a motion from Previti,

[28:32] a second from Grooms on that one, and— no, I'm sorry, that was— yeah,

[28:36] that's right.

[28:37] Bridenbaugh.

[28:38] I'm sorry, Bridenbaugh.

[28:38] Bridenbaugh made the motion, you seconded.

[28:41] Yeah, okay, Bridenbaugh and myself. All in favor say aye.

[28:44] Aye.

[28:45] Any opposed? I have 2 nos on that. Y'all need to speak up.

[28:50] Okay.

[28:50] All right, so that passes 3 to 2.

[28:53] The 2 nos were, uh, Grooms and Sumner's, if you need to know.

[28:57] Okay, next item. Go ahead, Dana.

[29:00] The trustee is requesting to approve, um, a new position.

[29:06] It's trustee senior accountant position.

[29:10] The job description was attached and is in my packet.

[29:15] This will require a budget amendment of approximately—

[29:21] for salary plus benefits of about $84,260 for 10 months for the

[29:28] remainder of the fiscal year. For a full year, it would be $112,351.

[29:35] All right, I need a motion and a second to move this for discussion and

[29:41] forward. I'll make the motion for discussion. Do we have a second?

[29:46] I have a second from Commissioner Miller.

[29:50] The floor is open for any discussion, and trustees here,

[29:54] if you want to come up and talk about this for a minute. Yeah, no, that's—

[30:01] thank y'all, and I'm not trying to butter you up.

[30:05] You all have a tough job, but I want to thank all of the commission.

[30:11] You all do have a very tough job. I think your job is tougher than ours.

[30:17] And as I say, I'm not trying to get a vote whenever I say that,

[30:22] but I don't know how many are leaving, but I value your friendship.

[30:27] And whether I get what I want or not tonight and next week, I appreciate you.

[30:34] To answer what Ms. Brody said and Mr.

[30:37] Sumner's, I can't speak for the others, but I can speak to mine.

[30:42] The timing is terrible. I agree.

[30:44] And I've actually talked to maybe all of the admin committee members,

[30:50] and I probably told each one of you that if I'm a commissioner,

[30:55] my first question is going to be, why now?

[30:58] Because we just finished our budget talks.

[31:02] My reasoning is Within the last few months— now, we've lost tons of knowledge,

[31:08] 60 to 70 years of knowledge, and I knew that going into budget season.

[31:14] But I still felt like we could make it. And I'm not saying we can't make it now.

[31:20] If you all vote it down, we're going to make it.

[31:24] But recently, we managed 19 accounts, 19 bank accounts.

[31:29] That's a lot.

[31:31] Recently we added 3, one for the archives, Mr.

[31:35] Price, animal shelter, and animal shelter archives in the building and zoning.

[31:41] And that's been within the last few months.

[31:45] And honestly, our office manager that reconciles the bank,

[31:50] she came to me and she said, I'm absolutely whipped. I I need help.

[31:55] I got it by just hearing that from her.

[31:59] So immediately, within the next few days, I went to sit down with Doug.

[32:04] I talked to Doug. But I said, Doug, what I want from you, if you don't mind,

[32:11] is for you to come downstairs.

[32:13] I want you to speak to our bookkeeper and our office manager by yourself.

[32:19] I'll be outside the door, outside the closed door.

[32:24] If you have any questions for me, I'll do my best to answer it.

[32:29] That's right.

[32:31] So he met with them and he pondered on that for a week or two,

[32:35] and then he and I talked again.

[32:38] And, and, and I'm not trying to throw Doug under the bus by no means,

[32:43] because I'm the one that asked for it.

[32:45] But he said, honestly, I think you're to the point that you need an accountant.

[32:51] Not just an accountant, he said a senior accountant.

[32:55] After that, Doug and I met with Dana.

[32:57] And she came up with the job description and, and all those types of things.

[33:03] Once again, we're going to be friends if you all approve it.

[33:07] We're going to be friends if you don't. But I just feel like that's where we are.

[33:13] The timing is terrible. It did not help on my part that we added 3 new accounts.

[33:18] That was totally my fault.

[33:20] Now, I did that because I want to help all 3 of the offices.

[33:24] But more so than the department heads in those offices,

[33:28] I did it to help the taxpayers of Murray County that go into those offices.

[33:34] They're the ones that pay our salary.

[33:36] And whether we get the money or the position or not,

[33:40] we'll continue to do everything we can to help each department because ultimately

[33:46] that's helping the taxpayers of Murray County, those people that pay us.

[33:51] So that, that's my reasoning.

[33:53] If I'm sitting in your seat, I'm not so sure I would approve it, just honestly,

[33:59] because the timing is not good. But I did— and I hope I'm not taking too much time.

[34:04] You're good.

[34:05] We have a great staff. The folks that retired, they left on good terms.

[34:11] 60 to 70 years of experience.

[34:13] I think I've heard some of you all say that's institutional knowledge.

[34:19] That's exactly right.

[34:21] But we're going to continue to do everything that we can to help the

[34:26] everything that we can to help the different

[34:27] departments. 19 bank accounts are hard to manage.

[34:31] Sometimes it's a challenge for me to manage mine,

[34:35] and I promise you mine is not that big, my personal account.

[34:40] But, you know, that's where we are.

[34:43] Thank you.

[34:44] I went back and I've done a little bit research to see what it would take to

[34:50] try to sell it to the best of my ability.

[34:53] 2018, when I came on board,

[34:55] the population was around 95,000 with the parcels of about 46,500.

[35:01] 2026 population, according to Google, well, you know,

[35:05] I always believe Google is around 120,000.

[35:08] Wow.

[35:09] Number of parcels, from what I understand, for 2026 is over 59,000.

[35:15] So, you know, that's more transactions in our office.

[35:20] But that's just a little bit of information. We did add 3 new accounts.

[35:26] I mentioned that. I went back and our earned interest that we got this year,

[35:32] I believe it was like $7.2 million.

[35:35] And we will continue to do our very best to move money around to earn the very best

[35:43] interest rates that we can get.

[35:45] That's pretty well it,

[35:47] and I'll be glad to answer any questions that you all might have.

[35:53] All right. I just want to add, Doug had to go to the school board meeting.

[35:57] Okay.

[35:57] And he really wanted to be here to address these items,

[36:01] and so I'm hoping that this will pass this committee and go to budget.

[36:04] And then Chairman Sumners and his group and Doug can have those discussions.

[36:09] I do have a light on. Commissioner Bridenbaugh, you're up, sir.

[36:12] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I did have a question, but it was answered.

[36:16] Thank you for that. And as you were talking about everything that you all go

[36:20] through, obviously I'm not an accountant.

[36:23] I know Kathy probably can answer this better than me. I know she's lived that.

[36:27] But my wife is, not only for her job, but for the church treasury.

[36:31] And I have seen her stressed out at night trying to balance the books and do

[36:36] everything else, and that's just when you invite mistakes,

[36:39] and we can't make mistakes for the public.

[36:42] Our job as the Admin Committee is to determine the validity of the request and

[36:46] determine the validity of the request and the

[36:47] policy side of it, not the budget side of it.

[36:49] That's the Budget Committee,

[36:51] and I agree with Chairman Previti that I think we need to pass this out of Admin

[36:56] because the need is there,

[36:57] and then let Doug come back with the Budget Committee and determine the

[37:01] Budget Committee and determine the feasibility

[37:02] of the actual—

[37:03] Thank you.

[37:04] But I know the stress that those folks are under, especially at this time of year,

[37:09] and I would agree that if the need is there, we need to serve the public,

[37:14] and the last thing we need to do is send out bad tax bills.

[37:18] Thank you.

[37:19] And I might add to that, if there's ever any doubt about anything,

[37:24] I reach out to our auditor.

[37:26] I mean, I've tried to be as open and transparent as To them as I am to you all.

[37:32] I don't think it— well, I don't know.

[37:35] I hope it's not a finding, but because we're working diligently now to fix that.

[37:41] And as you said, Ms. Rodye is an accountant.

[37:45] I don't know exactly how they did, how they go about doing that,

[37:50] but I always try to be as open and transparent to them as I possibly can be.

[37:56] Thank you.

[37:56] But I'll do my best to be here next week, and then if it gets through that,

[38:00] I'll do my very best to be here for the full commission meeting.

[38:04] Is that all you have, Jerry? That's all I have. All right.

[38:06] Chair recognizes Commissioner Summers, sticking with committee.

[38:08] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I got a couple of things.

[38:11] First, for you, Mr. McNiece.

[38:13] I wasn't supposed to be sitting right here tonight.

[38:17] You said you were not going to say a word.

[38:18] I wasn't, because I wasn't supposed to sit here.

[38:22] I'm here because of my colleague being out. That's why I'm talking.

[38:27] I wasn't going to say anything. I did tell you that.

[38:31] This isn't about sending out bad tax bills.

[38:35] This is about balancing the— balancing your books every month,

[38:40] reconciling cash and all that stuff, correct?

[38:43] We are balanced to the penny.

[38:44] You don't send bad tax bills out.

[38:46] Do what now?

[38:47] You don't send bad tax bills to people. You don't send errors.

[38:52] Oh, I certainly hope not.

[38:54] Okay, because I just mentioned Mr.

[38:55] Bridenbaugh said that, and it kind of threw me off a little bit.

[38:58] But this is about balancing your books monthly. Right.

[39:00] And we're balanced. Our office and Doug's office are joined at the hips.

[39:04] You know, if there's a problem on our end, we go to them.

[39:08] If they see something out of line, they're coming to us.

[39:12] Now, and I think Doug— I don't want to put words in his mouth,

[39:15] but I think this is something that he would say.

[39:19] You know, there are times that That someone from our office and his office

[39:23] someone from our office and his office have

[39:23] spent a lot of time together, but I know he's one short now.

[39:27] His assistant finance director, Ben, is out, so Doug is short,

[39:31] but we're balanced with them,

[39:33] but this is balancing or reconciling the bank statement,

[39:37] the 19 banker statements each month.

[39:39] Yeah, this has nothing to do with—

[39:41] but I didn't want people to be confused that they were getting bad, you know,

[39:45] tax bills, because I don't want people You know, I'm sorry,

[39:48] I didn't pick up on that.

[39:49] Reappraisals happen and, you know, people, yeah, you know, that whole thing.

[39:53] So just didn't want anybody to think that, but it is about balancing your check,

[39:58] pretty much your checkbooks and your accounts.

[40:00] Reconciling the records.

[40:01] Reconciling, yes.

[40:02] That's right.

[40:02] All right.

[40:03] Second thing, Mr. Previti, I, you know,

[40:05] I was sitting here thinking I don't really have the authority to ask Ms.

[40:09] Gibson to do anything. It comes from this committee or this commission.

[40:12] And so I, you know, I apologize for that, but I did talk to her about that.

[40:16] But if the committee wants that, that's fine. If not, that's fine.

[40:20] I just, just wanted to recognize that I do not have the authority to ask her to do

[40:24] something. Just, just I have the authority to ask her questions on that.

[40:28] So just want to make that clear. Thank you.

[40:31] All right, uh, Commissioner, uh,

[40:32] Chair recognizes the distinguished lady from the 6th District. Ms.

[40:35] Gerdau, you have the floor.

[40:36] Thank you. Um, I love it that you asked Doug.

[40:39] I love it that he sat down with 2 people,

[40:42] and I love it that he wants a senior accountant because this money You know,

[40:47] it's really smart money to spend this to balance our cash because that's going to

[40:52] help us not get an audit finding, which relates to lower interest— I mean,

[40:57] higher interest that we make or lower interest that we pay on our debt.

[41:01] So in the long run, it will come out in the wash,

[41:04] but we can't have losing employees and we can't have somebody stressed out trying to

[41:10] balance our cash, 19 different cash accounts. That's just a recipe for

[41:14] accounts. That's just a recipe for disaster.

[41:15] So I'm glad that we're hiring a senior accountant,

[41:18] and I'm glad we're putting the money where our mouth is to get this balance so that

[41:23] it won't be a finding,

[41:24] because that's the first thing a lot of auditors do is who are the new people,

[41:29] who are the new positions.

[41:31] They're going to go after those jobs and what those people are required to do,

[41:36] balancing cash. So they're going to be looking at that cash being balanced.

[41:41] Thank you.

[41:41] All right, I see no other lights.

[41:44] We have a motion, it has a second to pass this to budget.

[41:50] All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed?

[41:53] I have a single no from Commissioner Saunders. That passes 4 to 1.

[41:59] Next item, Dana, go ahead please.

[42:02] Pull your mic down a little bit please.

[42:06] Sorry.

[42:07] The Animal Services Director is requesting to make the veterinary position

[42:13] full-time at 30 hours per week.

[42:16] Um, the reason for this is to provide benefits.

[42:21] The current position is salary exempt,

[42:24] and it is working approximately 25 or a little more hours per week,

[42:30] so they are not requesting that the salary be changed.

[42:35] They are just requesting, um, for a benefit package,

[42:40] and for 8 months that would be around $16,641 to provide benefits for this

[42:47] position.

[42:48] All right, uh, in order to pass this to budget,

[42:50] I need a motion and a second to get it out of this committee. Do I have that?

[42:55] I'll make the motion for discussion. I have a second from Commissioner Miller.

[43:00] All right, the floor is open for discussion.

[43:02] No discussion.

[43:04] All right, that said, I do have a light. Mr. Grooms, you said that—

[43:11] thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[43:12] You said that was for 8 months.

[43:14] What is it for a year?

[43:15] All right, I didn't calculate that.

[43:18] The reason I did 8 months is because once she begins, if this is passed,

[43:24] Once she begins working 30 hours a week and becomes a full-time,

[43:30] our benefit package will not be available to her until the first of the month

[43:37] following 60 days. So, but I can send that to you.

[43:41] I'll calculate that and email that to you.

[43:45] Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[43:46] All right.

[43:46] Commissioner Strand, your light's on, sir.

[43:47] Thank you, Chair.

[43:50] Dana, how many part-time salaried people do we have? Working for the county.

[43:55] I believe this is the only position that is.

[44:01] One?

[44:01] Mm-hmm.

[44:03] Yes.

[44:03] So what would it be doing putting her in line with

[44:07] everybody else, every other—

[44:10] every other permanent employee?

[44:12] It would be. I suggested when Ms.

[44:16] Rafolph requested the position I wanted it to be full-time.

[44:22] I felt like it would be easier to recruit offering the benefit package,

[44:29] but at the time, I don't think she wanted to.

[44:33] Yeah, so actually the exception that we've made is,

[44:39] is we had a salaried employee that wasn't full-time.

[44:45] So should we just put her in line with everybody

[44:50] else?

[44:52] Right?

[44:53] I mean, this is not some unusual thing that we're doing,

[44:56] trying to save a job or trying to advantage somebody.

[44:59] I understand.

[44:59] Some situation has changed.

[45:01] I don't know what it is, but—

[45:04] There may be some fear that we would snowball and other part-time

[45:09] employees would want to take advantage of this situation.

[45:14] But I think most—

[45:16] am I right?

[45:17] Most part-time employees want to stay part-time employees.

[45:19] Correct. But she will become a full-time employee, right?

[45:23] She will need to work 30 hours a week.

[45:26] I think that's something that—

[45:28] I think that's something that has to be said out loud.

[45:30] Yes.

[45:31] This will require more hours.

[45:33] And she is aware of that, right? Ms. Rafaf is. Thank you.

[45:38] Thank you, Chair.

[45:38] All right. Seeing no other lights, we have a motion that's been seconded.

[45:43] All in favor to pass this to budget say aye. Aye. Any opposed?

[45:47] I have a no from Commissioner Saunders. That passes 4 to 1. All right.

[45:52] So the next item is the job performance review.

[45:55] So this is the part— this is the part of the meeting where we talk about Dana.

[46:00] So Dana and I met this past week, and of course I've worked with Dana the Thank

[46:05] course I've worked with Dana the Thank you.

[46:05] I've known Dana for the past 12 years on this commission as either vice chair or

[46:11] chair or chairman of the commission itself, and you are fabulous.

[46:15] And you got all-star ratings from this committee.

[46:18] And so keep doing what you're doing.

[46:21] You know, this is the last meeting for this commission to do this.

[46:25] And so I open the floor if anybody has any comments on Dana.

[46:29] But thank you for what you do,

[46:31] and I'll get you those copies to put in your permanent file.

[46:35] There were no— it's all 5 gold stars for you, Dana.

[46:38] So, uh, that said, I see no other lights. Again, thank you for your service.

[46:43] You get to start all over again next month, so have fun with that.

[46:48] Thank you.

[46:48] Yes, ma'am. All right, next item on the agenda is old business,

[46:52] and that is Murray County Clerk Joey Allen's request for his office employees,

[46:58] and he is present. Uh, come on up. You have the floor, sir.

[47:01] Well, I guess this is round 2.

[47:04] I was here in, I believe it was November,

[47:07] but since then a lot of things have changed.

[47:11] Reason I'm back, we now have a county clerk's office retention bonus policy.

[47:17] And I'll just— I'll go over it right quick.

[47:21] The purpose of this policy is to recognize employees' commitment and promote

[47:27] employees' retention within the clerk's office by providing a one-time retention

[47:33] bonus to eligible employees.

[47:36] Uh, policy upon approval by the County Commission is subject to the availability

[47:42] Commission is subject to the availability and

[47:43] appropriate funds. Employees of the county clerk's office who have completed at

[47:49] least 1 year of continuous employment with the County Clerk's Office shall receive a

[47:56] one-time retention bonus.

[47:58] To qualify for this retention bonus,

[48:01] an employee must be a regular full-time employee of the Clerk's Office,

[48:07] have completed a minimum of 1 year of employment with the Clerk's Office as the—

[48:13] as of the date of the County Commission approval.

[48:17] Be actively employed by the County Clerk's Office on the date the retention bonus is

[48:24] paid unless otherwise required by law.

[48:27] Bonus amount: each employee shall receive a one-time gross retention bonus of

[48:34] $2,700. The retention bonus shall be processed through the county payroll

[48:40] processed through the county payroll system and

[48:41] shall be subject to all federal payroll taxes,

[48:44] required retirement contributions and any other mandated reductions or withholdings

[48:51] required by law and authorized by the employee.

[48:55] Payment: the redemption bonus shall be paid through the county payroll system in

[49:02] paid through the county payroll system in the

[49:02] month following the county commission approval.

[49:06] Employees must remain actively employed with the clerk's office through the date

[49:12] with the clerk's office through the date The

[49:13] retention bonus is paid unless otherwise required by law.

[49:17] The clerk's office is—

[49:19] with the human resources department and finance department shall determine

[49:25] finance department shall determine employee

[49:26] eligible and administer payment in accordance with this policy and all

[49:32] accordance with this policy and all federal and

[49:33] state payroll laws.

[49:34] All right.

[49:40] The reason for my— my reasons for a bonus is, uh,

[49:45] these are things that's happened just since I was here, uh, in November.

[49:52] Uh, I've lost 2 employees, uh, in November.

[49:57] Uh, one went to Lister Hill for a better, better job, better pay, and,

[50:04] you know, we, we know we can't compete with the Public.

[50:09] But the other one left, stayed with the county, went to a better job.

[50:16] Said county clerk's office was basically driving her crazy,

[50:22] and that's understandable.

[50:25] It's a very difficult job, and it will and can drive you crazy.

[50:32] I know somebody said that a lot of people You know, said it wasn't fair,

[50:39] you know. Well, so I had 2 job openings, 60 applications.

[50:45] Everybody in the county knows that I fight for my employees' pay because it is

[50:53] a difficult job. But out of 60 applications, no one in the county No,

[51:00] applications, no one in the county No, nobody,

[51:00] no, from another department applied for the county clerk's job,

[51:07] and they never will.

[51:09] They know it's a— they know it's a bad, difficult, dangerous job.

[51:15] A lot of employees thank me for standing up for my employees and And thank me

[51:23] for trying to, to get them more money. Uh, circuit court starts at grade 8.

[51:31] We're grade 7. I don't understand that, uh, but, uh, I guess there's a reason.

[51:39] I have 15 employees, 6 of those being here 2 years or less.

[51:45] The job is difficult.

[51:47] Many laws, many policies from the state of Tennessee that change, I mean,

[51:54] just every month or two. So there's so many things you have to retain.

[52:01] I just can't tell you how hard a job working in a county clerk's office is.

[52:09] It's—

[52:13] just in the last few months,

[52:16] we've had customers call my employees I don't know whether to say these

[52:24] words or just— I won't say them.

[52:28] I'll just— bad words, spitting in our glass. You know, they're mad.

[52:35] They didn't bring something they needed, so they're mad.

[52:42] That's not what I meant. Guess who they're mad at?

[52:47] They're mad at the clerk waiting on them. They're mad at me.

[52:54] We've had to get the sheriff's deputy from upstairs to come down.

[53:01] Well, I'm going to thank Bucky for that.

[53:06] We've had the city police there in the last year at least I know of 3

[53:14] times. You know, The last time I asked for an employee was October of

[53:22] 2021. 2021, I hadn't asked for an employee.

[53:26] Now, we've had to replace a bunch that's left. They're gone.

[53:33] You know, we've had—

[53:35] y'all know how many people we've had move into the county?

[53:42] Just a tremendous amount. I hadn't asked for an employee.

[53:48] These women have stepped up, worked hard, worked—

[53:54] I can't tell you how hard they've worked.

[53:58] You know, we don't need a budget amendment for this.

[54:04] What I'm asking for, the money's already there.

[54:10] And it, it regenerates, uh, every month.

[54:14] I'm asking for right around $35,000.

[54:18] That money will be back in this fund in 3 months, 3 and a half months.

[54:26] So And, you know, we can, we can use the money anywhere we need to.

[54:34] And somebody said something about a kiosk.

[54:38] We've got kiosk machines in Spring Hill, Mount Pleasant.

[54:45] They do very well. We're about to have one in Walmart here,

[54:51] hopefully any day. It's ready, supposedly. And, you know, on its way.

[54:59] I'm not going to read the rest of this because it's all bad.

[55:06] It's people that's, like I said, that's, you know,

[55:11] Threatening our clerks.

[55:14] I'm going to come over this county and beat your— you know, the spitting,

[55:22] the cussing. You know, I get involved, ask them to leave,

[55:29] and if they don't leave,

[55:31] I get the deputy that's upstairs at the mayor's office.

[55:38] to come down and help us, and they have.

[55:42] You know, had just the other day had one say something.

[55:48] A clerk was trying to tell a customer something,

[55:54] and another one of my clerks was—

[55:57] just stepped in to try to defuse the thing,

[56:02] and he told her that you shut your mouth and fix your face.

[56:09] before I have to come across this counter. We've got a dangerous job.

[56:17] I don't know if any of y'all have ever thought about that.

[56:23] But I'm going to always fight for my employees.

[56:28] I don't know— I don't know what's going to happen in a few minutes,

[56:36] but however it goes,

[56:38] I'm going to always fight for my employees some money.

[56:44] Okay. This is—

[56:46] I'm trying to keep my employees. This job is way too hard.

[56:51] It takes a year to train them. It just— you know, they're leaving.

[56:57] You know, I've heard of another one that's— Looking for a job, and truthfully,

[57:05] they're all looking for a job. I think it's such a difficult job.

[57:11] I think this is a very minimal amount to give them for the good job that they do

[57:18] and stay with me. I appreciate them staying with me, and I try to tell them,

[57:25] and I try to tell them every day how good a job they do.

[57:30] Thank you.

[57:31] I speak to them every single morning as they come in and speak to them or say good

[57:38] night to them as they leave.

[57:40] They've took good care of me and I've tried to take care of them.

[57:46] I'd ask you to pass this on to the budget committee and that's all I got to say.

[57:52] All right. Thank you for that, Joey.

[57:54] Before I take any comments, I want a motion and a second to For discussion

[57:58] motion and a second to For discussion purposes,

[57:59] I have a motion from Commissioner Bridenbaugh.

[58:01] I have a second from Commissioner Miller. The floor is open.

[58:04] Commissioner Sumner, you're up first, sir.

[58:06] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I got a question for Ms.

[58:09] Gibson and you, Joey, but can I ask Ms. Gibson a question first?

[58:12] Yep.

[58:25] Ms. Gibson, do— does the county commission need to adopt this policy?

[58:28] That's an internal policy for his office.

[58:33] Is there anything that the commission can approve that would make it, I guess,

[58:39] more palatable for future commissioners to say, yeah,

[58:43] we've got a policy for the county clerk to do this?

[58:47] You know, and he can just do it instead of having to have the county commission have

[58:54] to approve it every year. It could just be a policy.

[58:58] I mean, instead of some internal policy, let the county commission, you know,

[59:04] adopt a policy for the county clerk. I mean, is that something that we could do?

[59:11] Resolution?

[59:14] I mean, it's, it's not, you know, anything—

[59:17] it's not a contract, so it wouldn't be like a yearly thing.

[59:21] Um, I mean, I— because I think if it's a policy, I mean, I mean, I, I get that,

[59:26] you know, it's a retention policy for the county clerk using— and I,

[59:30] I'd like for the policy, even his internal— but if it just stays an internal

[59:35] internal— but if it just stays an internal policy,

[59:35] I'd like for it to say— this is my second question—

[59:38] I'd like to say what fund it comes out of, you know, not just out of wherever,

[59:43] you know, any type of, you know,

[59:45] we're pulling it from the fund balance from the 101 one year because we don't

[59:50] from the 101 one year because we don't have

[59:50] enough in the other fund.

[59:52] I'd like for it to say where that, you know,

[59:55] those restricted funds are for the retention.

[59:57] I'm not— what fund does that come out of?

[1:00:00] It comes out of a restricted fund within the 101 fund balance.

[1:00:04] That's what I would like it to come from because it's the county clerk funds that

[1:00:09] they collect Title fees.

[1:00:10] Yeah.

[1:00:11] So I'd like it to— I'd like— if it stays inter— if it stays as an internal policy,

[1:00:16] that's fine, but I would like for your internal policy to say that it's going to

[1:00:22] come from those funds.

[1:00:23] I can support it if it says that it's coming from that internal fund, or that—

[1:00:29] excuse me— that line item in the 101 fund.

[1:00:35] Yes, please.

[1:00:36] Yes.

[1:00:38] Um, I'm kind of, I think it should be a county policy and here's why.

[1:00:45] Uh, anybody can create an internal policy.

[1:00:48] Okay. That's what I was thinking too.

[1:00:50] We've got a lot of elected officials.

[1:00:52] Yeah.

[1:00:52] We've got a lot of appointed officials.

[1:00:54] Next thing you know, as long as they create an internal policy and they

[1:00:58] create an internal policy and they identify it,

[1:00:59] it could, everybody's getting bonuses and we're wondering where the money went.

[1:01:03] future commissions would be like, where did that go?

[1:01:06] Or, yeah.

[1:01:06] So it should be a countywide policy.

[1:01:09] And this is something you see in other counties, you know, that it gets very

[1:01:14] counties, you know, that it gets very broad,

[1:01:14] uh, or it gets very specific.

[1:01:16] You know, we, we have treated it in the past and going forward as this is one

[1:01:21] organization. These are the policies that we have and everybody acknowledges and

[1:01:26] follows those policies. It's in my private act.

[1:01:29] Yeah.

[1:01:30] And so I think as long as, you know, all of those functions are consolidated,

[1:01:35] the policy should be consolidated too.

[1:01:38] And if there are special deviations of pay or bonus or whatever,

[1:01:43] that it should be included in a countywide policy so that, you know,

[1:01:48] folks just don't start—

[1:01:50] Yeah. Ms. Gibson, would you be okay with that as a county policy instead of an

[1:01:56] internal policy?

[1:02:02] Yes.

[1:02:02] I'll write it however you want.

[1:02:05] Basically, we just wanted to put something in place for his employees to

[1:02:10] know that it was a one-time bonus, that—

[1:02:13] Just one time only, or one time, or one time each year?

[1:02:16] No, I'm only— not each year, one time only, period. One time, one and done.

[1:02:22] Oh, okay. See, I thought it was going to be a retention year

[1:02:28] every That's about— that's okay,

[1:02:31] because I didn't read that all the way through, and Joey,

[1:02:37] you didn't read it either all the way. Yeah, sorry.

[1:02:42] You stopped at the effective date here, sir.

[1:02:47] I suggested the internal policy, okay,

[1:02:50] that his employees would Know that it is a one-time and that there would be some

[1:02:55] type of eligibility there and that it would— if you all pass it,

[1:02:59] it will be supported by resolution.

[1:03:02] Okay, that's fine. Okay.

[1:03:04] All right.

[1:03:05] So if he ever wants to do it again,

[1:03:07] he'd have to redo the policy another time, another year,

[1:03:12] another year. Okay.

[1:03:13] All right.

[1:03:15] Well, if I'm back I'm just going to bring this document back up and say this was a

[1:03:21] 1-year deal with Joey.

[1:03:23] No, uh, I, I, I can appreciate the, the policy, uh,

[1:03:26] on this as opposed to just saying, hey, I want to do this, you know.

[1:03:31] So I, you know, I can, I can appreciate that. So thank you. Thank you, Mr.

[1:03:37] that. So thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[1:03:37] All right, uh, Attorney Dobies, you had your light on.

[1:03:40] Yeah, I mean, based, based on the way the discussion goes,

[1:03:43] it sounds more like a Like a resolution thing rather than a policy thing. That's

[1:03:47] thing rather than a policy thing. That's it.

[1:03:47] All right, we're going to stick with committee first.

[1:03:49] Commissioner Grooms, you're up. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[1:03:52] Uh, Joey, the retention— why, why 1 year? Why wouldn't it be 3 years?

[1:03:59] That's a good question.

[1:04:02] I could have, uh, I could have just as well asked for 3 years?

[1:04:08] You talking about giving them something every 3 years if I wanted to?

[1:04:15] No, I'm talking about—

[1:04:16] you saying that they're eligible after 1 year of continuous employment

[1:04:23] with the county? Well, like I said, I'm trying to keep my employees.

[1:04:31] I want to do it now. I mean, they're leaving.

[1:04:36] I went— when I come 12 years ago, I had 200 years,

[1:04:41] over 200 years of combined experience.

[1:04:45] I don't have nowhere near that now. I mean, a fraction of that.

[1:04:52] I can't wait 3 years.

[1:04:59] It's—

[1:05:00] They're saying they got to be in the office.

[1:05:03] Yeah, I was— I'm not— I mean, I, I mean, one year, I mean, you know,

[1:05:10] how much turnover do you have?

[1:05:14] I mean, this $2,700, if you give it to,

[1:05:18] to an employee that's only been there one year, um,

[1:05:24] I understand you're trying to keep them, but I mean,

[1:05:30] shouldn't it be a little harder to attain is what I'm saying.

[1:05:36] I hear what you're saying.

[1:05:39] You think it should be longer,

[1:05:43] they should be there longer before I give it to them.

[1:05:49] Yeah.

[1:05:49] And I understand that, but 6 of them,

[1:05:54] it's 6 of them that's been there less than 2 years.

[1:06:00] All the other ones have been there, you know,

[1:06:06] longer than that.

[1:06:10] Yeah.

[1:06:10] Does he have anybody less than a year?

[1:06:11] It's—

[1:06:15] do you have anybody a year or less? No.

[1:06:18] These, yeah, the 2 that I'm training that I just replaced,

[1:06:22] The one that went to Lister Hill and the one that went to Randy's office.

[1:06:28] I'm training those now.

[1:06:29] And that's a good thing, because when I was here in November,

[1:06:34] there was 15 that I was asking for, and now it's 13,

[1:06:38] because they hadn't been here a year.

[1:06:42] So it's—

[1:06:45] Okay.

[1:06:53] I know that things are getting harder and harder and harder

[1:06:59] every single day, every month. I don't want to wait 3 years.

[1:07:06] I'd rather not wait 3 years.

[1:07:09] I'd like to give— you know, I didn't get it in November.

[1:07:15] I tried, tried my hardest, and, you know,

[1:07:20] if I don't get it tonight, I'll be back, you know,

[1:07:25] fighting again, you know. I understand what you're saying.

[1:07:32] I get it. Yeah.

[1:07:36] And, you know, I want to do everything I can for the employees.

[1:07:41] I always have.

[1:07:49] This, this, this is the problem I have with it.

[1:07:54] You're asking me to do something that I,

[1:07:57] that I know I can't do for the rest of the employees of this county.

[1:08:03] Well, I, I hear you, but I can't speak for the Yeah.

[1:08:08] The rest of the county and, uh, you know,

[1:08:12] the elected officials and the directors of, you know, their employees. Yeah.

[1:08:20] Um, that's, you know, that's not to say I'm not,

[1:08:24] I'm not going to support it and move it forward,

[1:08:29] Joette.

[1:08:30] Uh, that's just some of my concerns.

[1:08:35] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. All right, we're going to stick with committee.

[1:08:38] Commissioner Summers, you already spoke twice on this.

[1:08:41] I do have 2 other commissioners in the gallery that want to speak, so I'm going

[1:08:45] gallery that want to speak, so I'm going to—

[1:08:45] huh? Okay, well, go ahead, you have the floor,

[1:08:48] but then we're going to let the other ones talk.

[1:08:50] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[1:08:52] Uh, so I don't think he was saying you needed to wait 3 years to give the bonus.

[1:08:57] I think he was saying that Employee needs to have 3 years of service to get the

[1:09:03] bonus.

[1:09:03] Right.

[1:09:04] Okay. Doug, what's the account

[1:09:08] number for that line item in the

[1:09:12] budget?

[1:09:12] You know how our fund balance is $39,000 assigned?

[1:09:17] This one's like $34,525.

[1:09:19] I'm going to get you the exact one.

[1:09:22] Give me the exact one because I want to put on the— I want to amend this. Motion.

[1:09:57] It is 34515-52503.

[1:10:02] Say that again, please.

[1:10:03] 34515-52503.

[1:10:10] 0 what?

[1:10:11] 3.

[1:10:11] Okay.

[1:10:13] Mr. Chairman, I'd like to make an amendment to this motion that we,

[1:10:19] that we take the funds out of that 34515-525-03 line item.

[1:10:24] That's my amendment.

[1:10:26] All right, I have an amendment. It was seconded by Commissioner— Chairman Grooms.

[1:10:31] Yes, sir. All right, so that said, we have an amendment on the floor.

[1:10:35] I do have some other lights. We're going to stick procedurally with this.

[1:10:39] Is your remarks going to be on the amendment?

[1:10:42] I'd rather go ahead and pass the amendment and then get back to the discussion if

[1:10:47] everybody in the gallery is okay with that.

[1:10:50] Any discussion on the amendment that Commissioner Sumners has made a motion for

[1:10:55] Commissioner Sumners has made a motion for and

[1:10:55] Commissioner Grooms has seconded? Seeing none, we'll vote. All in favor say aye.

[1:11:00] Aye.

[1:11:00] Any opposed? Okay. So now we have an amended motion.

[1:11:03] We're going to go back to the lights. Commissioner Stovall, you're up, sir.

[1:11:07] Appreciate it.

[1:11:08] Thank you very much.

[1:11:13] My concern is, um, I'd like to

[1:11:20] make sure that Mr. Allen get what

[1:11:27] he needs, Mr.

[1:11:30] McNeese get what he asked for,

[1:11:32] and any other department head to come here and ask for

[1:11:36] something for their employees.

[1:11:39] Okay.

[1:11:39] I think that we ought to be concerned and try

[1:11:45] to make sure that we take care of the

[1:11:50] employees.

[1:11:51] I've been all over the county here campaigning.

[1:11:56] A lot of people ask, what's your platform? I don't have a platform.

[1:12:00] My platform is the people, the employees of this county.

[1:12:05] Thank you.

[1:12:05] Make sure that they get what they need.

[1:12:08] That's my platform.

[1:12:11] I'm a former employee myself from the City of Columbia,

[1:12:15] and I want to make sure that this county is taking care of their employees.

[1:12:21] I know we got to go through proper procedure,

[1:12:25] but we need to try to make sure we keep all employees that we have because a lot

[1:12:31] all employees that we have because a lot of

[1:12:31] employees are leaving this county going elsewhere and getting better pay.

[1:12:40] So my platform is— anybody listening and want to know,

[1:12:43] my platform is the employees of this county,

[1:12:46] and I think we should take care of them.

[1:12:50] That's all I have, Chairman. Thank you. All right, next slide.

[1:12:52] Commissioner Hessler, you're up, ma'am.

[1:12:54] Thank you, Chair.

[1:12:57] Pull your mic up, or hang on. No, you keyed up more on Oh, I'm sorry.

[1:13:03] Sorry.

[1:13:04] There we go.

[1:13:05] Thank you, Chair. It sounds like this is just a Band-Aid for the

[1:13:10] real problem of the employees not making enough. Is that right?

[1:13:14] It—

[1:13:18] yeah, partly it is. Yeah, they—

[1:13:20] Did you mention the bracket?

[1:13:23] It's just a token, I guess you'd say,

[1:13:27] of My appreciation. They don't make enough money for

[1:13:32] the job they do.

[1:13:36] It's—

[1:13:36] I just can't tell you, explain to you how hard a job they do and a dangerous job.

[1:13:43] Why the county clerk has never been robbed, it blows my mind.

[1:13:49] It generates a lot of money every single day.

[1:13:56] It's—

[1:13:57] I just— Yeah, it's just a token of my appreciation for what they do.

[1:14:04] I can't be constantly training,

[1:14:08] and nobody was cross-trained when I got there 12 years ago,

[1:14:14] and we're still cross-training because people come and And then they go

[1:14:21] and it's just an ongoing thing. It always will be.

[1:14:26] But yeah, it is about pay,

[1:14:29] but it's a token for my appreciation for them staying.

[1:14:35] I just don't think it's going to solve the problem.

[1:14:39] What would it take to put those employees in a higher income bracket?

[1:14:44] I don't know how these things are set up.

[1:14:49] Money?

[1:14:49] Well, yeah, but I mean, why?

[1:14:51] Like he said, you know,

[1:14:53] the other office makes more than those people do.

[1:14:57] Do they work longer?

[1:14:59] A salary study. Need to do another salary study.

[1:15:02] Okay. Well, maybe that—

[1:15:04] Yeah, it's been approved, so.

[1:15:06] I would really love to know that answer. I'm glad you asked it.

[1:15:11] Because this is a Band-Aid.

[1:15:13] It's not going to— it'll help a little bit, but I mean,

[1:15:16] a few thousand dollars doesn't go very far anymore.

[1:15:19] And then next year or next month, they'll have the same problem.

[1:15:23] And if they're not making enough— and I know we gave raises last year,

[1:15:28] and I definitely appreciate that because we,

[1:15:30] we can't continue to be lagging behind the other counties.

[1:15:34] It'll just end up being a revolving door and all that kind of stuff.

[1:15:38] And with more and more people moving out here, we want them to, to work out here.

[1:15:43] But—

[1:15:44] You're right, it is somewhat of a Band-Aid, but at least You got, well, my

[1:15:51] Band-Aid, but at least You got, well, my word,

[1:15:51] and I'd have to have County Commission approval to do this again.

[1:15:57] So, you know, so it's like we said before, it's a one and done,

[1:16:03] but it's something, you know.

[1:16:05] So who would do a salary study, Eric? How is all that done?

[1:16:10] That would be a Dana question.

[1:16:12] Okay.

[1:16:14] Or Doug question.

[1:16:16] Thompson Burris usually does it, but we put it out for bids.

[1:16:20] So a consultant comes, they compare our job titles and grades to other

[1:16:24] job titles and grades to other governments,

[1:16:25] and they also create those job descriptions and do those things.

[1:16:29] But that will be done by Dana.

[1:16:32] She'll basically put this out for competition and have someone come do a

[1:16:37] competition and have someone come do a salary

[1:16:37] study for us. The last one we did was more of a high-level salary study,

[1:16:42] not an in-depth one.

[1:16:43] This is an in-depth one that will be like the one we did in 2021 and will result in

[1:16:48] some positions changing grades,

[1:16:50] which changes the minimum and maximum of how much an employee could make.

[1:16:59] It is budgeted for, and we have the ability to move forward with it this fall.

[1:17:04] Move forward with another salary study? Okay. Well, that's good news.

[1:17:11] So there's a possibility that your employees could make more.

[1:17:17] Is that true?

[1:17:18] So there's a possibility that many employees could, not just my department.

[1:17:24] Mm-hmm.

[1:17:26] Yeah.

[1:17:29] Well, that sounds like it'd get more to the root of the problem.

[1:17:32] I mean, I know we're not just rolling in the dough around here,

[1:17:35] but This keeps coming back.

[1:17:38] And that's all.

[1:17:42] All right.

[1:17:43] Thank you.

[1:17:43] Before I take the next slide, I want to add something real quick on a side note.

[1:17:47] You have multiple times tonight said dangerous.

[1:17:49] And I've been to your office many times and we've talked a lot over the years.

[1:17:53] But this is the first time that I've heard that kind of language.

[1:17:56] So I would strongly recommend— and I'll use this as the example—

[1:18:00] we just built a new judicial center.

[1:18:02] They have to go through multiple deputies and a metal detector,

[1:18:05] and when they get up to Sandy's clerk office,

[1:18:07] there's still an inch-thick piece of glass separating them.

[1:18:10] I would strongly recommend you take some of this fund and build yourself some

[1:18:14] bulletproof glasses all the way across that front line and protect those people.

[1:18:18] So if danger is an issue, you've got funds to do that,

[1:18:21] and I would use some of those funds.

[1:18:23] And I know we've talked about renovating and using that fund for different things.

[1:18:27] But I would do something about the safety of that place and put up some bulletproof

[1:18:31] glass for those girls because you don't have deputies at the front door screening

[1:18:35] and all that. So that's my recommendation and we can talk about it at a later time.

[1:18:40] But Commissioner Morrow, you're up next.

[1:18:42] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[1:18:43] I think the cleanest way for Joey to get what he wants is for us to do some kind of

[1:18:49] study and upgrade his employees from grade 7s to grade 8s.

[1:18:53] That way you keep it by department.

[1:18:55] You— we can't do something across the board for the county.

[1:18:59] We just passed a 3% raise for them. That brings the total raises since 2000 to 28%.

[1:19:05] I've been in the workplace, in the workplace for over 50 years.

[1:19:09] I never had a job where I went up 28% over a 5 or 6 year period without either

[1:19:14] changing positions or increasing my skill level. They're not doing that.

[1:19:19] I understand the economy stinks right now.

[1:19:22] I understand fuel is ridiculous right now.

[1:19:25] I'm paying fuel just like everybody else is. I hate it.

[1:19:29] I love the county employees and I wish we could do more for them,

[1:19:33] but we just added $1 million to the budget for that 3% raise.

[1:19:37] That's every year going forward. That don't— that's not a one-time expense.

[1:19:43] That's a, that's $1 million going forward every year.

[1:19:46] You know, we, we can't keep doing that unless we want to raise taxes,

[1:19:51] and I don't want to raise taxes.

[1:19:53] Because we started this year with a $6 million deficit. We're in the hole.

[1:19:58] We're looking at firehouses. We're looking at, you know, land for a fire hall.

[1:20:03] We're looking at ball fields. We cannot keep doing this.

[1:20:07] Part of the trade-off for working for the government is job security.

[1:20:12] The government doesn't close. Murray County government will be here from now

[1:20:17] County government will be here from now on.

[1:20:17] I worked for a factory for 24 years,

[1:20:20] and one day corporate people from New Jersey walked in at 10 o'clock in the

[1:20:25] Jersey walked in at 10 o'clock in the morning.

[1:20:25] At 2 o'clock that afternoon, they said, 60 days from now, we're shutting her down.

[1:20:31] Didn't matter we'd been there 24 years. Didn't matter we'd had all that.

[1:20:36] They can do that in the private sector.

[1:20:39] They can't do that in government because you're not going to shut the government

[1:20:44] down. That's part of the tradeoff.

[1:20:46] My understanding from Dana, when she talked about retention,

[1:20:50] her retention's down around 1% or less turnover rate. That's where we were.

[1:20:56] That's why we have done the 28% over that period of years, is to get it up.

[1:21:01] We want— we want to retain our employees. I get that.

[1:21:04] But we can't keep doing this forever,

[1:21:07] and we can't keep doing countywide things forever. Now, Joey's got issues.

[1:21:12] I think we need to station a deputy in his office,

[1:21:15] let him get some bulletproof glass.

[1:21:18] And I think, you know, we need to look— if people need to be reclassified,

[1:21:23] let's do it by department.

[1:21:24] But this countywide raise business is going to have to slow down,

[1:21:29] or we're going to have to do tax increase. Now, I'm not in favor of that.

[1:21:34] To me, tax increase is a last resort kind of a deal.

[1:21:37] That's, that's the one thing you don't want.

[1:21:40] is to raise people's taxes because it's tough.

[1:21:43] You know, the people that are paying those taxes are suffering from the economy too.

[1:21:49] They're suffering from fuel prices. They're suffering from grocery prices.

[1:21:54] I don't know the answer,

[1:21:56] but I know that I don't think a countywide increase right now is a solution.

[1:22:01] We just did one that was another million dollars for every year going forward.

[1:22:06] But this is not a countywide—

[1:22:08] we're talking about a specific item for him out of a Out of a specific fund.

[1:22:12] We are for him out of a specific fund, but Doug was—

[1:22:14] when we were talking about the policy, Doug said no,

[1:22:17] he wanted to make it countywide.

[1:22:18] Well, if it's countywide, it applies to all employees.

[1:22:21] No, because this is a fund that is only for him. This is his fund.

[1:22:25] I'm fine with that for him.

[1:22:27] I would rather see him upgrade his people from 7 to 8 so that it's ongoing and it

[1:22:32] falls within the policy you get.

[1:22:34] But if he can do this out of a one— out of his fund, fine.

[1:22:38] I'm— it's What I'm talking about is going— is countywide increases.

[1:22:42] We've got to watch what we're doing countywide.

[1:22:45] Okay.

[1:22:46] Because like I say, we, we have done a lot in terms of raises over the years,

[1:22:52] and I'm probably making every county employee in the world mad,

[1:22:57] and I'll apologize for that. But I know, you know, I'm on Social Security.

[1:23:03] I feel the economy myself.

[1:23:05] But we can't keep— we just cannot keep going up and up and up and up forever.

[1:23:12] But I need to get us back on this topic.

[1:23:14] All right, that's fine.

[1:23:15] Well, see, that's what got me stirred up was when Doug said the countywide deal and

[1:23:20] he wants to make it a countywide policy.

[1:23:23] And I— that's what— that's what I'm against right now is doing a countywide

[1:23:27] against right now is doing a countywide deal.

[1:23:28] Okay.

[1:23:28] All right, thank you.

[1:23:29] Yes, sir. All right, Commissioner Bridenbaugh, you're up, sir.

[1:23:32] Keep it short and To the, to the motion.

[1:23:34] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Absolutely. Joey, thank you for being here again.

[1:23:38] You know, I supported you back in November.

[1:23:41] I wish we'd have done it then so we weren't back here tonight doing it all

[1:23:45] weren't back here tonight doing it all over

[1:23:45] again. You did, and I appreciate it.

[1:23:48] And I, like Commissioner Previti, I've been in your office a lot, and I've never—

[1:23:52] I've not seen the danger, but I've seen the crowds.

[1:23:55] And wherever you have that many people and there's frustration,

[1:23:59] Who knows what's going to happen, but this is,

[1:24:02] this is a fund that the state legislature granted to you.

[1:24:05] We, we had no say-so in that. We don't have anything to do about it.

[1:24:09] It'd be nice if they did it for every department, but they haven't.

[1:24:13] But that should not prevent you from being able to do with it what you feel

[1:24:18] necessary to reward your employees, and that's what this is. This is a

[1:24:22] that's what this is. This is a recognition.

[1:24:22] It is a, it is a reward to them for their service to you,

[1:24:26] and the long and the short of it is, that's what it is. It is your

[1:24:30] that's what it is. It is your appreciation.

[1:24:30] You have the ability to do that.

[1:24:32] The state legislature has given you the ability to do that.

[1:24:36] The other issues that have been discussed, those can,

[1:24:39] those can be addressed through the salary study or whatever else needs to be done,

[1:24:44] but the long and the short of it is, the question tonight is,

[1:24:47] are we going to let you do with the money that the state legislature has allocated

[1:24:52] to you through this fee to be able to reward your employees for a job well done.

[1:24:57] I will tell you this, I said it last November, I'll say it again.

[1:25:01] I have the opportunity from time to time to talk to other employees,

[1:25:05] and I would ask every one of them, what do you think?

[1:25:08] And all of them said, we're not offended,

[1:25:10] we think it's a great thing for Joey to have the ability to do that.

[1:25:14] I wish we could do it too,

[1:25:16] but our feelings are not hurt just because Joey can do it for his own people.

[1:25:20] They deserve it. And so I think,

[1:25:22] not even getting into the issue of fairness or anything else,

[1:25:26] you have the ability to do it.

[1:25:28] I support you in this,

[1:25:29] and I implore the commission to support you as well and pass this through the full

[1:25:34] commission later this month. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[1:25:37] Mr. Green, you're up, ma'am.

[1:25:38] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Out of this fund, can we put a security person in there?

[1:25:43] I mean, if we've got one at the library,

[1:25:46] I think he needs one more than even the library.

[1:25:49] Well, that's up to him and his fund. I mean, that's not part of this motion.

[1:25:54] But can that fund be used for—

[1:25:56] He can do whatever he wants. It's for whatever his need out of his office is.

[1:26:01] Well, I think—

[1:26:02] If he's using the county clerk's office, we can do—

[1:26:04] The security needs to be improved.

[1:26:09] Thank you.

[1:26:09] Yes, ma'am. Uh, Commissioner Kozlowski. You're up, sir. Thank you, Chairman.

[1:26:14] Uh, thank you, Joey.

[1:26:15] I, I can say I definitely appreciate your passion for your employees, uh,

[1:26:19] your fight for your employees.

[1:26:21] Um, I don't work in your office,

[1:26:23] but I was ready to quit after hearing your stories on there.

[1:26:26] Um, the bad behavior is obviously unacceptable, um, with, with all of that,

[1:26:31] that something's got to be done.

[1:26:33] I appreciate you standing up for them, doing what needs to be done on there.

[1:26:37] To be honest with you, when this conversation first started,

[1:26:41] I was kind of hesitant of being supportive of it just because of the timing of

[1:26:45] everything. The more you talk, the more I listen on this stuff.

[1:26:49] You know, I can understand that you've got those funds there available to do that.

[1:26:54] I can see both sides of all the arguments that are coming through here.

[1:26:58] One of the commissioners had brought up about the timeframe as far as whether

[1:27:02] employees should be there 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, whatever it is.

[1:27:06] From my understanding, you only have 2 people that won't get this bonus.

[1:27:10] Is that correct?

[1:27:11] That's correct.

[1:27:13] Okay. And besides those 2 people, everybody else has been there at least 2

[1:27:18] everybody else has been there at least 2 years?

[1:27:18] Yes.

[1:27:20] Okay. So I think that's where the confusion on the wording of that was, you

[1:27:25] confusion on the wording of that was, you know,

[1:27:26] was, hey, if we just made this for 2 years or whatever, either way, regardless,

[1:27:32] we do it for 1 year or 2 years,

[1:27:34] So this is going to include everybody except for those 2 people.

[1:27:39] Again, as it's been brought up, you know,

[1:27:42] this is very clear that it is a one-and-done bonus.

[1:27:46] And so for that, I can support this.

[1:27:49] I do hope that future security will come into play as well for that office,

[1:27:54] because I'll be honest with you,

[1:27:57] $2,700 would not keep me at a job if I felt like I was being threatened and in

[1:28:03] danger.

[1:28:03] Yeah.

[1:28:04] So I do appreciate you—

[1:28:05] Something I didn't say is I think a lot of this is caused by so many people that's

[1:28:10] moved in here from other states. And we hear this every day.

[1:28:14] Well, that ain't how we done it in Oklahoma or Nevada or California.

[1:28:18] And we have to tell them, but you're not in California anymore.

[1:28:22] You know, you're in Tennessee.

[1:28:24] I agree. And like I said, I appreciate your passion for your people.

[1:28:28] I think that's got to be commended, and hopefully this will go through.

[1:28:32] So thank you, Chairman.

[1:28:33] Thank you, Joey.

[1:28:34] All right. Seeing no other lights, we are going to move forward.

[1:28:37] Doug, you want to add something? Go right ahead.

[1:28:40] But otherwise, we're going to take a vote. Yeah. Okay.

[1:28:43] So we have a motion from Commissioner Bridenbaugh. It was amended.

[1:28:47] It was seconded by Commissioner Miller, and it was amended. That passed.

[1:28:51] All in favor say aye to pass this to budget. Aye. Any opposed?

[1:28:55] That passes unanimously to budget. Thank you for that. We'll move on.

[1:28:59] We're done, Joey. That's it.

[1:29:01] All right, thank y'all. Thank every one of you.

[1:29:03] All right, next item of business is the Historical Courthouse Committee.

[1:29:07] This is something that I brought to the mayor and to the county archivist,

[1:29:11] and we do have Tom Price here as well this evening.

[1:29:14] So several field trips over the past few years have been taken over to Rutherford

[1:29:19] County to look at their museum and how their old courthouse was turned into a

[1:29:24] museum. And they supplied us with the documentation and stuff on how their

[1:29:28] documentation and stuff on how their museums

[1:29:29] were created and everything.

[1:29:31] And so, you know, it says in the resolution itself that the Murray County

[1:29:35] resolution itself that the Murray County Commission

[1:29:36] and other historians deem it necessary, critical,

[1:29:38] and pertinent to tell the story of Murray County.

[1:29:41] And because Murray County Commission approved renovations of the historic

[1:29:46] approved renovations of the historic courthouse

[1:29:46] in 2022 under Chairman Eric Previti,

[1:29:49] for this reason and to keep the history of our county alive and ever-present,

[1:29:53] Murray County is creating the Courthouse Historic Museum Committee.

[1:29:57] Now, this is not the steering committee that has been working with the renovations

[1:30:02] of the courthouse, and this is not the operations of the, uh, of the museum

[1:30:07] operations of the, uh, of the museum either.

[1:30:07] This is just to create the committee to set the policy. It's an advisory

[1:30:12] set the policy. It's an advisory committee.

[1:30:12] There's no compensation. The mayor will appoint the members of the committee.

[1:30:17] The list of where that pool will come from is there.

[1:30:20] And I need to take a motion to pass this on to—

[1:30:23] there's no compensation for any of this.

[1:30:25] And so I just— I need a motion and a second to send this to the full

[1:30:29] second to send this to the full commission.

[1:30:30] The mayor has a point.

[1:30:32] The mayor, your light's on, ma'am. Go ahead.

[1:30:33] Yes.

[1:30:34] And we may talk about this in the full commission if you send it on,

[1:30:38] but I didn't view that as a policymaking committee.

[1:30:41] But as an advisory committee,

[1:30:43] because the museum will be under the auspice of the Archives.

[1:30:47] So I think the policy would come from the Archives,

[1:30:50] but this would be an advisory committee with a different role than setting policy.

[1:30:55] That's the way I understand it.

[1:30:57] Yes, ma'am. All right, I'll make a motion for discussion. Do I have a second?

[1:31:01] I have a second from Commissioner Miller. Any lights on discussion for this?

[1:31:05] Commissioner Sumner, is your light on?

[1:31:10] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can I talk to— can I ask Mr. Price a question?

[1:31:13] You sure may. That's why he's here. Thank you for waiting so late, Tom.

[1:31:16] Yeah, how you doing?

[1:31:22] Fine.

[1:31:23] Good evening.

[1:31:23] Good. I don't— I hate to put you on the spot here, but I'm going to.

[1:31:27] Uh, do you— I mean, do—

[1:31:29] does—

[1:31:30] does your department—

[1:31:32] do you feel like you need an advisory

[1:31:35] committee For the museum?

[1:31:38] So if you look at who the committee is composed of,

[1:31:41] they're people in the community that have a vested interest in the history of Murray

[1:31:46] County. I think it's always wise in a museum setting.

[1:31:50] I think it's typical within the museum world to have community input.

[1:31:54] So the folks that are going to be on this advisory role would meet intermittently to

[1:32:00] help really with content issue.

[1:32:02] So when we're talking about how we're going to develop this museum out,

[1:32:06] we basically have 2 galleries, right?

[1:32:09] I foresee one gallery being one that interprets the whole history of Murray

[1:32:13] interprets the whole history of Murray County

[1:32:14] using 3-dimensional objects as your, as your guide.

[1:32:17] Those objects can be traded out and changed over time.

[1:32:20] The other gallery I foresee as being a changing exhibit gallery where we'll do 3

[1:32:26] changing exhibit gallery where we'll do 3 or

[1:32:26] 4 exhibits a year that will be thematic-based.

[1:32:29] We want to do the history of Mule Day in Murray County or the history of James K.

[1:32:34] Polk in Murray County, you know, thematically.

[1:32:37] I think that's where that committee comes into play.

[1:32:40] They're members of the community.

[1:32:42] It brings community voice into the interpretation of the museum.

[1:32:46] I'm happy to have an advisory board for that.

[1:32:49] Okay.

[1:32:50] All right.

[1:32:50] Yeah. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[1:32:52] All right. I see no other lights.

[1:32:53] All in favor of moving this to the full commission say aye.

[1:32:56] Aye.

[1:32:57] Any opposed?

[1:32:59] All right.

[1:32:59] That passes. Next, let's see here.

[1:33:05] Hang on just a second.

[1:33:10] Next item on the agenda is public comment.

[1:33:13] Is there anyone that wishes to speak publicly? Tim, you're the only public

[1:33:19] publicly? Tim, you're the only public here.

[1:33:20] Okay. All right, uh, next is, uh, item 15, appointments and announcements.

[1:33:26] Excuse me. Item A, announce—

[1:33:28] announcement of 5 members' terms expiring on the Admin Committee.

[1:33:33] B, announcement of 3 members expiring on the Audit Committee.

[1:33:38] C, announcement of 2 members expiring on the Regional Planning Commission.

[1:33:44] Item D is the announcement of a public hearing for an amendment to the approved

[1:33:50] planned development, comma, let's see, that's Firefly located at 3071 Highway

[1:33:56] that's Firefly located at 3071 Highway 431.

[1:33:57] The meeting will be held in the Barner-Prym Commission Room Monday,

[1:34:02] August 17th at 6:00 PM.

[1:34:04] Item E, announcement that a public meeting will be held to develop a new Murray

[1:34:10] County Comprehensive Land Use Plan on Thursday, August 13th at 5:30 PM.

[1:34:16] The meeting will take place in the cafeteria at Battle Creek High School

[1:34:22] cafeteria at Battle Creek High School located at

[1:34:23] 130 Battle Creek Way, Spring Hill, Tennessee 37174.

[1:34:27] The purpose of this meeting is to establish a new comprehensive land use

[1:34:33] establish a new comprehensive land use plan which

[1:34:33] develops a planning guide for the most appropriate use of land in the

[1:34:39] appropriate use of land in the unincorporated

[1:34:40] county. And do I have any other lights for announcements?

[1:34:45] Commissioner Bridenbaugh, you had the floor, sir, for announcements.

[1:34:50] Is your light— no, it's not him.

[1:34:53] I'm sorry. Scott Saunders.

[1:34:55] Commissioner Saunders.

[1:34:56] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[1:34:57] The public meeting at Battle Creek is actually going to be taking place at the

[1:35:03] actually going to be taking place at the same

[1:35:03] time the I-65 corridor study is going to be taking place in Spring Hill, uh,

[1:35:08] for Murray County residents.

[1:35:10] That corridor study is going from Thompson Lane in Nashville all the way to Bear

[1:35:15] Creek.

[1:35:16] I've seen the map.

[1:35:16] Yeah, and so this couldn't be at a worse time.

[1:35:19] This meeting right here couldn't be at a worse time because I-65 is a,

[1:35:24] is a huge issue in Murray County. And of course, this is a critical issue too.

[1:35:28] And you can't— I'd love to be at both of them, but—

[1:35:31] Well, we talked to Robert and then we'll see how it goes.

[1:35:34] This involves the school building as well. He's already published it.

[1:35:38] Yeah, it's been published.

[1:35:39] So, I mean, it couldn't be at a worse time, but I was just, you know,

[1:35:44] there's an announcement here too that there is an I-65 corridor meeting at the

[1:35:49] Spring Hill Event Center at the same time as that, as that meeting.

[1:35:54] Thank you.

[1:35:55] All right, uh, Commissioner Vara, your light's on, sir.

[1:35:57] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[1:35:58] Do we know which members of the Planning Committee or Planning Commission are

[1:36:02] expiring which ones' terms?

[1:36:04] Not at this time.

[1:36:06] Not at this time. It's just an announcement.

[1:36:09] Okay, thank you.

[1:36:09] All right, all right.

[1:36:11] So that said, before we adjourn, um, again, as I did last night, you know,

[1:36:16] this is the last meeting for this committee.

[1:36:19] On this commission, and I want to thank everybody for allowing me to serve as

[1:36:24] chairman. I've been on this committee for the past 12 years,

[1:36:28] but I want to turn the spotlight over here on Miss Lisa,

[1:36:31] and I want to thank Miss Lisa because she has been—

[1:36:35] if you've ever chaired a committee with Lisa,

[1:36:38] she's like a professional ball catcher on the team here.

[1:36:41] She's got her hand signs that she signals the pitcher, and you know, you,

[1:36:46] you either get the swipe Or the point, or the point, or the nudge.

[1:36:50] You get the nudge, okay?

[1:36:52] And so I want to thank Lisa, you know, so much for you to— Patty,

[1:36:56] in my chair right there is a bag, if you'll run that over here to me.

[1:37:01] And so I've known you for a long time, and so Cindy didn't spill the beans, did she?

[1:37:06] No.

[1:37:07] Okay, good.

[1:37:10] Thank you, dear.

[1:37:11] So this is my gratitude and thank you Thank you for the years and everything.

[1:37:15] Thank you so much. You're welcome.

[1:37:17] And everybody, everybody give— I mean, because Lisa,

[1:37:20] Lisa keeps these committees flowing and she keeps the full commission flowing.

[1:37:24] And so, so that's, that's, uh, anyway, thank y'all so much.

[1:37:28] And you get to start all over again with a new group next month.

[1:37:32] And so, yeah, I can't wait.

[1:37:33] And And, um, and I know— and while I've got the floor here,

[1:37:37] I don't know if you're coming next to the Budget Committee or not,

[1:37:40] but I want to thank Chairman Grooms for serving as chairman because you're not

[1:37:45] serving as chairman because you're not going

[1:37:45] to be here at the full commission meeting this month. I'm going to be in Alaska.

[1:37:50] And so Vice Chairman Grooms, yeah, you're going to be in Alaska catching fish,

[1:37:54] brother. So I want to thank you for your service as chairman and, and all that.

[1:37:59] And with that said, seeing no other lights, I take a motion to adjourn.

[1:38:03] I have it from Miller and a second

Regular August Admin Agenda

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