[0:02] Out of town with his business parents and my kids show at the county fair, and the ultra-show was today, and so family comes first, and so that's why I smell like a chicken, but we're here to do the county's business, so I appreciate everybody working with us. Before we get started, it's normal. I'll ask Commissioner Jones, lead us in a prayer followed by the pledges, glad commissioners.

[0:27] Everyone, please bow your head. God, thank you for allowing us to come before you today for the guy. We ask that you order off.

[0:35] and watch over us as we carry out the county business, allow your light to shine within us for the guy we played for Commissioner Angela and his health.

[0:46] And that you give him God as far as the guy could see to watch over us leading God us in Jesus name for a man.

[1:22] Thank you for that.

[1:23] All right.

[1:24] So first up is going to be number one approval the agenda.

[1:28] Thank you.

[1:28] The motion is second to approve the agenda.

[1:30] Is there any discussion?

[1:32] Hearing none.

[1:33] All in favor, raise your right hand.

[1:35] I'm going to pose the agenda is approved.

[1:37] That will bring us to public comment.

[1:39] We have one person, Dr. Maddox.

[1:57] I have to say good afternoon, gentlemen.

[2:01] My name is Dr. Maddox.

[2:03] I am your duly elected chairwoman for the Wallah County Democratic Party.

[2:11] My job is to do elections.

[2:17] So, we're so into that job, first we have to have candidates.

[2:20] I put in a lot of time finding candidates.

[2:23] I also put in a lot of time getting people to work the polls,

[2:26] finding judges, finding co-workers.

[2:29] I also review the ballot count, go ahead and canvas that,

[2:33] and send that off to the Secretary of State,

[2:35] so our elections can be certified.

[2:37] I'm going to do a lot of things, but like I said, my job is to do elections.

[2:41] One of the things I also do is sign a subcontract on behalf of the Democratic Party with the

[2:47] county elections administrator, if we have one, and we do have one, Kristi-Eason.

[2:54] So I've been complaining, not complaining, but expressing my worries about our preparation

[2:59] for this election over the last few commissioners' court meetings.

[3:02] I would like us to be proactive rather than reactive, just in case there's problems with

[3:07] this election.

[3:08] And I don't know if elections administrator Eason is being as proactive as she can.

[3:14] I know that there are family things and situations and stuff but we still have to be proactive.

[3:20] We are a republic, we do have a representative democracy, we have to have elections, right?

[3:25] So because of that, right now, in my desire to bring candidates forward, I'm having a problem

[3:35] getting one of my candidates on the ballot, right?

[3:37] We had an unfortunate withdrawal, right?

[3:42] I believe in transparency.

[3:44] I don't believe the Democratic Party is a private men's club.

[3:47] So when there's some candidate who is not eligible, we're going to put that out there and

[3:51] we're going to say we need to find an eligible candidate.

[3:53] So in my transparency, I said the Democratic Party and Walla County has found a new candidate

[3:59] and I'm not getting the elections administrator to act on that.

[4:03] I don't want us to go through the expense of printing up a bunch of ballots that are won't.

[4:07] So I would like the elections commission who hired the elections administrator, Eastern,

[4:13] to have a meeting.

[4:14] As far as I can tell, we haven't had a meeting in five.

[4:17] Thank you.

[4:17] I'm eating in about five years to review the election's administrator work, right?

[4:25] Now I see here on the last page that this page of the agenda, an executive session you

[4:29] have annual review of the following departments, Chief of Staff, Procurement, County

[4:34] Engineer, Deliberate and Consideration of a Complaint, Evaluation of Employment, Duties,

[4:39] Discipline and Dismissal of the Public Officer employee, you do believe in that.

[4:43] So, I'm not understanding why my request for the Election Commission to get together and

[4:50] meet so we can evaluate the work of our Election Administrator.

[4:54] I would like to see that on schedule.

[4:58] I would like to see that scheduled by next Wednesday.

[5:00] I think the law allows for that five days.

[5:04] I would like to see that done and this is a formal request and if we can't get the judge

[5:09] to do it, then we can get the vice chair, which I think is Madame Clerk or the other three

[5:17] of us.

[5:18] Madame Taxicester Collector and the other party chair myself, we can call the meeting

[5:23] and we can evaluate her work because you clearly believe in that.

[5:26] How can anyone go in a job without getting the evaluation for over half a decade?

[5:31] Right?

[5:32] Let's get that done.

[5:45] Okay, I don't have anybody else sign up. Is there anybody else that may have should

[5:48] have played or make public comment? I'll just say again, you know, this is my favorite

[5:54] time here. It's kids county fair season. And I love going out there. They had the buddies

[5:59] day today where they have all the kids from across the county school districts come out and give

[6:04] them tours and they were showing kids how to rope and do all kinds of fun stuff and I encourage

[6:09] everybody to go out there. It's great fun. They've got the carnival. You'll see kids from eight

[6:15] years old to 18. They're all working together. All different kinds of backgrounds coming together

[6:21] and it's a fantastic ordeal. It helps the youth of the county. They've got fantastic rodeos every

[6:26] every night and they've got entertainment as well.

[6:28] So all the kids are showing right now, they're working hard,

[6:31] and they're going to sell their projects on Saturday.

[6:34] I think the sale is going to start at 12th.

[6:36] So I would encourage anybody and everybody to come out

[6:38] and let's support the good young folks of the county.

[6:43] Austin, do you want to say something?

[6:44] Yes, sir.

[6:46] Thank you, Commissioner, sorry, I had a quick comment.

[6:50] Regarding professional services procurement,

[6:52] we do have that posted on our website,

[6:54] And so there is an opportunity for the consultant community and professional services to get on the road and bridge website and fill out that form for a professional services.

[7:04] Just want to bring that to your attention. Thank you.

[7:07] Thank you, sir.

[7:08] Anybody else?

[7:09] All right, that's going to move us to the consent agenda.

[7:12] A motion is second to approve the consent agenda.

[7:15] Is there any discussion?

[7:16] Very none. All in favor raise your right hand.

[7:19] I suppose the consent agenda is approved.

[7:21] I very excited about the week.

[7:23] Are you sorry I have a phone number 28 can be discussed and I will be up the emotion.

[7:25] I will allow you to get the motions approved 28-23.

[7:33] I'm glad you do that.

[7:34] That's a lot.

[7:35] I have a motion second to approve 28-29.

[7:39] 30-31-32 and 33.

[7:41] Mr. Yolkman.

[7:43] Thank you, Commissioner Jones.

[7:44] Appreciate that.

[7:46] 28 and 29, we're terminating two agreements which are related to 30 and 31, we're terminating the two agreements due to timing and some rearranging of the projects, it was just easier to terminate and redo so those 20,

[8:00] 28, 29 are going to be this re-redone, it's 30 and 31, the other two are brand new spec buildings, these items 30, 31 and 32 are being done by Panatoni

[8:12] and 33 is being done by Geomolva. We're working with the City of Brookshire on that one.

[8:17] They've already approved the, I believe they've already approved their tax abatement.

[8:21] And certainly they've done the re-investment zones of that project.

[8:23] There's located city limits and we're supporting the City of Brookshire on that one.

[8:27] The ones that we're redoing, are they holding to the terms of the agreement as it is now?

[8:32] I'm sorry, what was that? The two that we're redoing, we're going to cancel two and then redo them.

[8:39] Are they abiding by the terms of the agreement now?

[8:42] Yes, yes.

[8:42] It wasn't a problem with the other two, it was just that with their development schedules and timing, it was just easier for us.

[8:49] Yeah, no, they've been great to work with, not a problem.

[8:54] Good.

[8:55] Does anybody have other questions for that?

[8:58] No, I don't know.

[8:59] Hearing no other discussion, all in favor?

[9:01] Raise your right hand.

[9:02] Not opposed.

[9:03] Thank you.

[9:04] Thank you, Vince.

[9:06] Next is going to be number 34.

[9:09] Motion.

[9:09] The motion is second to discuss and take action to approve the agreement with Thomas Rooters or West Law access in the amount of $4,694.5 per month for the first year with the possible of annual renewals each with 10% increase in discussion.

[9:28] We have to read it all.

[9:32] West Law is getting expensive.

[9:35] All right. Any other questions?

[9:36] We have none. All in favor raise your right hand.

[9:38] On the post, 34 is approved.

[9:41] Do I have a motion for 35 through 39?

[9:44] Motion.

[9:44] Yes.

[9:45] Do I have a motion to approve 35, 36, 37, 38, 39?

[9:49] Ms. Jamie?

[9:50] Sir, good afternoon, commissioners.

[9:54] 35 is a request to award to the Low-Bitter Texas Materials Group

[9:58] We've incorporated this project, receive five responses and the project is awarded under budget.

[10:06] Item 36 is a request for award to primary vendor, as well as a secondary vendor for the mowing services contract.

[10:18] Yes, sir.

[10:19] We've had issues, how are we evaluating to see if people will actually perform under the contracts?

[10:30] Yes, sir. So we're checking references. We're also checking the equipment and the company assets that they have to perform. Yes, sir, that they have capacity. Yes, sir.

[10:49] Is there is there a clause in there where if we have to cancel and go to the next bidder that they would absorb the cost of that or anything like that, like you would say, a construction project.

[11:04] I believe there's just the provision that we can notify them and then move on to the secondary vendor.

[11:14] This is the reason why we awarded it as a primary vendor as well as a secondary vendor.

[11:19] If the primary vendor is unable to perform the duties, we can cancel with them and move on to the secondary vendor.

[11:27] About how much difference is there between the two price wise?

[11:31] It's quite a bit. The primary vendor is a hundred and ninety nine dollars per estimated

[11:39] mall and the secondary, which is Yellowstone, is three hundred and twenty five dollars.

[11:45] Yeah, that's a red flag to me. Yellow, but also in this case, Yellowstone is commercial.

[11:53] We're correct. Yeah, but I'm just, you know, I have a small tractor and I'm thinking if

[11:57] I wrote that thing up and down the road for one mile,

[12:00] what I do that for a couple hundred bucks.

[12:02] Well, I'd have probably $50 worth of decently paid for.

[12:06] So is this something, you know, I mean,

[12:07] obviously we have the contractor,

[12:09] cancel on us back out.

[12:11] Is this something we'll probably re-bed again next year

[12:13] to have a primary, secondary, and tertiary or.

[12:16] So keep this.

[12:17] When the project expires,

[12:21] we will, there are renewal options in this.

[12:24] So we'll ask the department if they're willing

[12:26] to renew based on the performance and if they say yes, then I will go to the vendor asking

[12:33] if they would like to renew under the same terms in addition.

[12:36] Well, first bit sounds very good though.

[12:41] Anything else on those?

[12:43] Well, I mean to kind of retain the elevator and some other stuff.

[12:48] And number 35 of your sobering knows, that's part of our bond program.

[12:53] And you said it is under budget, Ross?

[12:56] Yes sir, it is under the engineered estimate.

[13:01] The estimated budget was 9.4 million, it came in at approximately 8.7.

[13:08] I hope that's a trend.

[13:10] It has been so far, don't jinx it.

[13:13] Right.

[13:14] No, just so you may at home, the bond stuff is starting to drop.

[13:19] All right.

[13:20] Hearing no other discussion, all in favor of 35 to 39 raised right hand.

[13:24] No opposed, the motions are approved, bring us to item number 40.

[13:29] Motion.

[13:30] Second.

[13:30] The motion is second to, for item number 40 of Jones here.

[13:36] This is just a renewal notice on the benefits.

[13:39] Confirmation.

[13:40] So, for our retirees, I don't think anything's changed.

[13:42] It's just a-

[13:43] These are retirees that left with the insurance benefit.

[13:45] Correct.

[13:46] Yes sir.

[13:47] So, that goes back how far eight years at that change to.

[13:53] and oh, when it changed, I think it was right away, it was back.

[14:00] Yeah, it was before I was on court.

[14:03] All right, just like I said, it's just a simple renewal.

[14:04] All right, no other discussion on favor of 40 raised right hand.

[14:07] On the post, 40 is approved.

[14:10] We're going to need 41.

[14:13] Is there a way that we could, I think at one point we adjourned the meeting

[14:18] while going into executive discussion?

[14:20] to come back and do the we didn't come back out that we did for the employee reviews

[14:26] you don't need to but I do believe Uriel's got items for executive session that I've

[14:32] separate from that oh okay okay

[14:38] what would do our reviews after what do you want to

[14:41] send them we need to do an executive session no sir I'm sorry okay yeah that's do you have

[14:49] motion for 41?

[14:49] Most.

[14:50] Okay.

[14:51] A motion second to discuss, take action, set the amount on which commissioners court must

[14:55] approve an expenditure by an incumbent county or precinct officer who-

[15:00] It has not been re-nominated or re-elected. And this is part of our policy. You're pointing

[15:05] this at me, aren't you? Yeah, yeah. Yes, just for you. So, now I think it's something

[15:11] that I don't know if we've really ever had a policy. We don't have any. You do it every

[15:16] election year, so anytime you have offices changing hands, it's basically meant to prevent

[15:23] office holders from expending their entire budget before they leave. Oh, an example, if I'm

[15:27] not reelected. I can't go in and buy all new furniture just to waste the money

[15:32] because I'm upset. Correct. I remember when a certain Harris County commissioner

[15:38] sold a bunch of his assets before the new one to take office. I hope they keep

[15:46] that craziness over there to the east. All right. Any other discussion on 41? All in

[15:51] favor raise your right hand. Not opposed. We want to approve. We will take up the

[16:00] I have a motion for number 44.

[16:02] Motion.

[16:02] Thank you.

[16:04] Well, no, it's not an action item.

[16:06] Oh, no, I'm sorry.

[16:06] This is item number 36.

[16:09] So, consult with district attorney related

[16:10] to advise for pending income litigation or some an offer.

[16:16] So, the time is 217, and we will turn into executive session.

Sep 30, 2026 Commissioners Court

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