Sep 20, 2021 Special Meeting

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:07]

>> OFFICIALLY CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER. THAT'S ALL THAT MEANS. WE'RE PUTTING THIS BABY ON. WE'RE A COURT OF RECORD SO WE RECORD EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS HERE, THAT'S WHAT

[1. Presentation from Counsel Regarding Salary Grievance Committee Procedures.]

MR. KENNEDY. >> GOOD, AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.

I'M MARK KENNEDY, GENERAL COUNSEL FOR HAYS COUNTY, HAVE BEEN IN THIS ROLE FOR 14 PLUS YEARS. AND UNDER VARIOUS TITLES, THANKS Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE. I'VE DONE A FEW OF THESE NOW AT THIS POINT, I'M SURE THIS IS PROBABLY YOUR FIRST AND PERHAPS YOUR LAST. OCCASIONALLY, BUT NOT EVERY YEAR, WE HAVE A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE FOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, THERE'S A DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SALARY THAT IS BUDGETED BY THE COMMISSIONERS COURT, WHICH IS FOUR COMMISSIONERS, NORMALLY THEY MEET HERE, FOUR COMMISSIONERS AND THE COUNT JUDGEMENT THERE'S A DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN WHAT WAS BUDGETED AND WHAT THE ELECTED OFFICIAL FEELS IS APPROPRIATE. AND IN THIS CASE, AND WE'VE HAD AS I'VE SAID SOME OF THESE IN THE PAST. IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE OUR FIVE CONSTABLES AND OUR SHERIFF WHO HAVE GRIEVED THEIR SALARIES. THIS IS A PROCESS UNDER CHAPTER 152 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, YOU COULD GOOGLE IT IF YOU WANT, LOOK IT UP. I'VE PUT SOME OF THE RELEVANT LANGUAGE IN FRONT OF YOU. BECAUSE THERE ARE NINE OF YOU TODAY, THAT WERE ALL DRAWN AT RANDOM FROM OUR LIST OF GRAND JURORS. AND THE NINE OF YOU WILL EVENTUALLY VOTE ON AN INCREASE OR NOT AN INCREASE AS YOU SEE FIT AFTER YOU'VE HEARD TESTIMONY. I EXPECT THAT THE SHERIFF, THE CONSTABLES, WILL SPEAK OR THEY WILL DESIGNATE SOMEONE TO SPEAK. WE HAVE ALSO SHERRY MILLER, OUR DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES OVER HERE WHO'LL SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION. THAT'S REALLY ALL YOU'LL HEAR FROM TODAY. THE REST WILL BE UP TO YOU. AND THE WAY THE STATUTE READS IS THAT IF YOU THINK ON INCREASE IN THE BUDGETED SALARY IS APPROPRIATE, THEN YOU SHALL VOTE ON THE INCREASE. AND IF 6-8 OUT OF NINE OF YOU FEEL THAT INCREASE IS APPROPRIATE, THEN YOU'LL SIGN A DOCUMENT SAYING WE FEEL THAT THIS IS APPROPRIATE. IF THERE ARE ANY NAY VOTES, THAT CAN BE MARKED "NAY" AND IF 6 TO 8 OUT OF 9 OF YOU SEEMS APPROPRIATE THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. IF NINE OF YOU UNANIMOUSLY AGREE THAT AN INCREASE IS APPROPRIATE T THEN YOU ALL SIGN THAT DOCUMENT AND THEY WILL BE MANDATORY ON THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO ENACT. WHICH WOULD HAPPEN TOMORROW, IT'S ON TOMORROW'S AGENDA. SO, WE GOT THIS ONE IN UNDER THE WIRE WITH YOU ALL. WE HAD SOME TROUBLE SCHEDULING WITH SOME OF YOU FIRST TIME, I THINK SOME OF YOU ARE NEW. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE T OFTEN TIMES IT'S A QUESTION OF WHAT IS THE INCREASE. HELP GUIDE ME ON THAT, WELL, ULTIMATELY IT'S UP TO YOU. AND WE HAVE TWO POLLS HERE, ONE THAT WAS BUDGETED BY THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. YOU'LL HEAR TESTIMONY ABOUT THAT AND THEN WE HAVE ON THE OTHER POLL WHAT WAS REQUESTED. WHICH MUSTING FILED IN THE GRIEVANCES FILED BY THE ELECTED OFFICIAL.

THAT INCREASE, PRESUMABLY COULD BE EITHER OF THOSE POLLS OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN IF YOU FEEL BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU HEARD THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S APPROPRIATE. THAT'S SORT OF THE RANGE THAT YOU ARE WORKING IN. AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I'M

HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM NOW. >> YES, SIR?

> >>

(INDISCERNIBLE) >> YES, YOU WILL KNOW THAT.

>> AND IT'S, A LITTLE EASIER THAN IT SOUNDS, BECAUSE FOR THE FIVE CONSTABLES IT'S THE SAME REQUEST FOR EACH AND THE SAME BUDGET FOR EACH. AND FOR THE SHERIFF, HE'S ON HIS OWN BU

BUDGETARY WISE AND REQUEST WISE. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION

(INDISCERNIBLE) >> YES.

>> I THINK YOU'LL HEAR FROM PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE WHO GETS UP, YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT MARKET SOURCES. YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THE

[00:05:08]

APPROPRIATE. >> YES, SIR.

>> HOW IS THE VOTING DONE IS IT PRIVATE OR PUBLIC? . SO, THIS

IS THE PUBLIC FORMAT. >> THE PLAN IS TO HAVE THE CONSTABLES AND THE SHERIFF SPEAK AND WE'LL ASK QUESTIONS.

WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AT THE PODIUM.

AND THEN AFTER THEY'RE DONE WITH THEIR PART, THEN I'LL ASK SHERRY MILLER, OUR DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES, TO PRESENT THE INFORMATION THAT YOU ARE ASKING ABOUT. IDEALLY SHE'LL HAVE TO TO YOU SOONER RATHER THAN LATER SO YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO LACK AT IT. THERE'S SOME FINE PRINT IN THERE. IT'S A RUNNING THING WITH US. [LAUGHTER]

>> IT'S JUST ALL SMALL PRINT, ANYWAY, YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW ALL OF THOSE AND YOU'LL SEE CLEARLY WHAT IT'S BEEN, I THINK SHE WENT BACK TO 2008, AND YOU'LL HAVE A ROAD MAP. MAP. IN THE VOTING PIECE, WE CAN DO, WHERE YOU GUYS, DEPENDING ON HOW THIS UNFOLDS, YOU CAN SEND ME THE NUMBERS, OR A YES OR NO DEPENDING ON HOW WE FORMAT THE QUESTION. OR WE CAN FORMAT THE QUESTION TO A DOLLAR AMOUNT. WE COULD DO 12 DIFFERENT WAYS, IT'S WHATEVER YOU FIND MOST USEFUL AND IT'S MY JOB IT FACILITATE THAT MOVEMENT.

>> THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES IN THE PAST WHEN I THINK COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVEN'T FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THE PUBLIC PROCESS. WE, ON THE OTHER HAND HAVE TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS WE CAN BE BECAUSE WE'RE THE GOVERNMENT, ULTIMATELY T WE'VE ALWAYS HAD IT WERE THERE'S A LOT OF DELIBERATION ABOUT THE INCREASE AND THEN PEOPLE WRITE THEIR NUMBERS DOWN. WE'VE HAD IT WERE THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND T SORT OF MORE IN LINE WITH ROBERT'S RULES IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THOSE, WHERE PEOPLE VOTE YES OR NO.

AND ULTIMATELY, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHERE THE CONSENSUS LIES, IF THERE'S CONSENSUS ON AN INCREASE OR ON NO INCREASE, AS THE CASE MAY BE. AND, IF YOU ALL REACH SOME CONSENSUS, OR AFTER TALKING ABOUT IT, YOU FEEL THAT YOU CAN'T, THEN THE STATUTE SAYS THAT'S FINE TOO, BECAUSE, IT ENDS UP BEING EITHER A RECOMMENDATION OR NOT. IF MORE THAN FIVE OF YOU CANNOT AGREE ON A NUMBER, THEN THERE'S NOTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SIGNED AT THE END OF THIS. IF SIX TO EIGHT OF YOU AGREE, THEN YOU SIGN THAT, COLLECTIVELY, MARKING THE NAY VOTES. AND IF IT'S UNANIMOUS THEN YOU SIGN THAT. SO, ULTIMATELY, THERE'LL BE A SHEET PRODUCED, PRESUMABLY ABOUT OUR CLERK HERE AND IF YOU ALL PROVIDE THAT TO HER, WE'LL PRINT A SHEET AND WE'LL HAVE YOU SIGN

IT. >> AS THE SHERIFF'S GRIEVANCE SEPARATE FROM THE CONSTABLE'S GRIEVANCE?

>> YES. >> YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SINGLE OUT THE SHERIFF'S, THESE ARE ONLY THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE GRIEVING, NO DEPARTMENT SHERIFF OR CONSTABLE, NOBODY IS DIRECTED IN THAT REALM BY THIS MOVE, MOTION, OR EFFORT IT IS

EXCLUSIVELY TO THOSE SEATS. >> THIS IS IT ESSENTIALLY SIX

POSITIONS, SIX SALARIES. >> THAT'S IT.

>> SO, IF IT HELPS. IT'S A UNIQUE SITUATION TO BE HERE.

AND I UNDERSTAND AND I'M LUCKY TO FEEL THE FRESHNESS OF IT IN MY MEMORY, THAT I DON'T WANT IT TO OVERBURDEN YOU THAT THERE'S A THOUSAND PEOPLE BEING EFFECTED. NO, SIX. POSSIBLY, SIX. WHAT ELSE, MR. KENNEDY, OTHERWISE WE'RE GOING TO START OFF.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. KENNEDY, THANK YOU FOR THAT ARTICULATED ROADMAPPING. SO, MY PREFERENCE WILL BE, BECAUSE I KNOW THESE ROOMS I MEAN, A LOT OF THESE THINGS ARE ALL SET UP BY DESIGN TO BE INTIMIDATING. AND WHEN I BECAME THE VERY FIRST DAY I CAME COUNTY JUDGE AND IT SAT HER, IT INTIMIDATED THE PERSON IN THE CHAIR, IT'S DESIGNED TO DO THAT. YOU GET USED TO IT LIKE ANYTHING. YOU GET USED TO HOT WATER, YOU GET USED TO ANYTHING. SO, IT IS MY GOAL THAT KEEPING THAT INTIMIDATION FACTOR BUILT IN AND DESIGNED INTO THIS PROCESS AND FACILITY AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IF YOU GUYS ARE OKAY WITH IT, I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU, UNLESS YOU SAY OTHERWISE, I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU, IF IT TAKES THIS ROUTE, I'LL HAVE YOU VOTE, IF IT'S AN AGREED UPON AMOUNT, YES OR NO OR PRIVATELY, AND I'LL DO THIS

[00:10:03]

IF YOU GUYS WANT IT OTHERWISE, I'LL DO THAT AS WELL. NEXT ON

[2. Hearing(s) regarding Grievances filed by elected officials in response the FY2022 budget.]

OPEN AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 2. >> YOU DON'T HAVE IT?

>> I DO NOT HAVE THAT VERSION OF THE AGENDA. NO.

>> NUMBER TWO, HEARING REGARDING GRIEVANCES FILED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS IN RESPONSE TO THE FY '20-22 BUDGET.

>> I DON'T SEE A PEN. >> HE NEEDS A PEN.

>> PERFECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. >> JUDGE: SO, WE'RE CALLING UP OUR GRIEVANCE. OKAY. FIRST WE HAVE ON THERE, MR. CUTLER. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME AND TITLE FOR THE PUBLIC. AND TELL US YOUR STORY.

>> THANK YOU, JUDGE. >> JUDGE: THANK YOU, SIR.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES TO BE A PART OF YOUR GRIEVANCE PROCESS IT'S IMPORTANT TO US THAT YOU ARE HERE. AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO HAND OUT SOMETHING TO EACH OF YOU. MAY BE GOOD BECAUSE SHERRY MADE ME GIVE IT TO YOU.

>> THANK YOU, SHERIFF. >> DO YOU HAVE ONE FOR THE

COUNSELOR? >> YES, MA'AM.

>> WHAT I PRESENTED TO YOU IS A MARKET SURVEY THAT WAS DONE BY THE HAYS COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCE DIVISION. HAYS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT NOR I HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS STUDY. WE APPRECIATE IT AND HAYS COUNTY, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, THERE WERE 15 COUNTIES THEY TOOK OUT OF 254 COUNTIES FOR THIS STUDY. AND IT'S A CROSS SECTION, I THINK IT'S VERY FAIR. SOME ARE BIGGER COUNTIES AND BIGGER POPULATIONS, SOME CLOSE TO OUR'S, SOME SMALLER. SO, I THINK IT'S A GOOD CROSS SECTION AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT, I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY BECAUSE I'M JUST UNDER 18% BELOW AVERAGE AS A RESULT OF THIS MARKET STUDY. THAT'S WHAT I COME TO ASK FOR FOR THE INCREASE TO PUT ME UP TO AVERAGE. SO, OUT OF THESE COUNTIES, WHEN THEY DO THESE STUDIES, HR CAN TELL YOU MORE ABOUT IT, BUT THEY DON'T ALWAYS INCLUDE MUNICIPALITIES AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, THEY GOT A GOOD REASON WHY. HOWEVER, A COUNTY SUCH AS HAYS WHERE YOUR HEAD LAUGH IS YOUR HAYS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE BY FAR, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION WITH YOU AS FAR AS WHAT THE SHERIFFS DO. ON THE WEST SIDE, WE HAVE THREE MUNICIPALITIES, NONE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OR POLICE CHIEFS THERE. THEY'RE PROVIDED WITH HOC POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CONSTABLES. ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY ALONG 35 THERE ARE THREE CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE POLICE DEPARTMENTS.

I'M GOING TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION THAT I THINK YOU'LL FIND QUITE INTERESTING. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BUDA POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOR NORTH END OF THE COUNTY, THEY HAVE 28 EMPLOYEES, THE BUDGET IS $3 MILLION, THE CHIEF MAKES $125,000 A YEAR.

COMING ON DOWN THE FREEWAY TO KYLE, KYLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, 97 EMPLOYEE POSITIONS, BECAUSE I'M NOT ALL, A VACANCY OR TWO, SO, I SAY EMPLOYEE POSITION. THEIR ANNUAL BUDGET IS $9.6 MILLION AND THE CHIEF MAKES $144,000. IN SAN MARCOS, THE LARGEST MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENT IN HAYS COUNTY, THEY HAVE 168 EMPLOYEES, THE BUDGET IS $18 MILLION, THE CHIEF MAKES $165,000 A YEAR. LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR HAYS COUNTY SHERIFF'S

[00:15:07]

RIGHT HERE IN THIS COURT ROOM AND IN DRIPPING SPRINGS. WE ALWAYS DEFER TO THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR JURISDICTION UNLESS THEY NEED HELP. WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR JAIL, I'VE GOT RIGHT AT 600 INMATES IN HAYS COUNTY JAIL. ALSO, ONLY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENT IN HAYS COUNTY THAT HAS A LICENSE BY THE STATE OF TEXAS ACADEMY. COVID HIT US LAST YEAR, BETWEEN COVID AND UP-TO-DATE THIS YEAR, WE'VE PUT OUT 137,000 TRAINING HOURS TO OFFICERS IN LAWYER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THE AREA. SO, WE HAVE SEVERAL IDENTICAL ROADS, ALMOST WITH MUNICIPALITIES, HOWEVER YOU THROW IN THE JAIL AND THE TRAINING ACADEMY AND THE OTHER ISSUESIOUS THEY'RE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT THERE. I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO GO TO AVERAGE. I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANYMORE, ANYTHING WOULD BE APPRECIATED. SO, THAT'S WHY I COME BEFORE YOU. SO, BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT US, I'LL SPEAK SOMETHING FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, BUT I KNOW THEY DON'T LIKE ME TO MAKE THAT COMPARISON, BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT THE OTHER POLICE CHIEFS THAT DO THE SAME THING AS US WHAT THEIR SALARIES ARE. ANY QUESTIONS?

>> THE COUNTIES YOU LISTED HERE, IS IT THE SAME LEVEL OF EMPLOYEES AS WELL, DO THEY HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF POLICE

OFFICERS WORKING FOR THEM? >> DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE COUNTY. THE COUNTIES ON OUR SIZE, HAVE A SMALLER NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES. LARGER COUNTIES HAVE LARGER NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES.

THIS IS BY FAR THE BIGGEST LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE COUNTY, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR TRAVIS COUNTY OR TRAVIS COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON, DALLAS AND THOSE AREAS, IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF

THE COUNTY. >> ON THE 15 YOU HAVE LISTED HERE, IS IT COMPARABLE, OR DO YOU KNOW OFF OF THE TOP IF ANY OF THESE ARE COMPARABLE TO THE SIZE OF THE EMPLOYEES YOU HAVE.

>> WHICH ONE ARE CLOSE? >> CLOSER TO HAYS, YES.

>> SHE CAN ANSWER THAT, SHE'S THE ONE THAT DID THE STUDY FOR US, AND I THANK YOU FOR DOING THE STUDY.

>> YES, MA'AM. >> I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE, WHERE HAYS COUNTY IS IN THE CITY, IN TEXAS ON THE PERCENTAGE OF GROWTH YEAR TO YEAR, FROM THE TOP. IS THAT A

LEADING QUESTION? >> THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU ALL THIS, YOU KNOW THIS WE'RE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTIES IN TEXAS AND I'VE GOT STATISTICS HERE I GOT OFF OF THE COMPUTER. BETWEEN 19, LAST 10 YEARS FROM 2018-2019. WE WERE NUMBER TWO IN THE NATION. SO WE CONTINUE TO GROW AND WE'RE STILL WAY HIGH IN THE NATION. I'M NOT SAYING ONE OR TWO IN THE NATION BUT WAY HIGH IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. THE JUDGE MAY KNOW BETTER ON WHERE WE RATE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS

NOW. >> .

>> JUDGE: I DO. WE ARE NUMBER ONE. AND IN POPULATIONS IN 100,000 PLUS WE'RE NUMBER ONE NATIONALLY, WE'RE A MAGNIFICENTLY SOUGHT AFTER COMMUNITY. ABSOLUTELY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OTHERWISE WE'RE GOING TO SLIDE

OVER TO THE CONSTABLES. >> ANY CONSIDERATION WILL BE

GREATLY APPRECIATED. >> JUDGE: THANK YOU, SHERIFF,

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. >> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, SHERRY MILLER HAYS COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR. OF THE MARKET COUNTIES THAT WE UTILIZED FOR OUR SALARY ANALYSIS WHICH I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT. SOME ARE LARGER THAN US AS COUNTY ENTITIES AND THEY DO HAVE MORE EMPLOYEES. SO, I DO HAVE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IF THERE'S A COUNTY THAT YOU ARE CURIOUS ABOUT. SOME ARE VERY EQUIVALENT TO OUR SIZE IN TERMS OF POPULATION, COUNTY BUDGET, NUMBER OF

[00:20:06]

>> THAT ANSWERED MY QUESTION. THANK YOU.

>> WHICH IS THE CLOSEST? JUST CURIOUS.

>> WHICH IS THE CLOSEST? >> CAMAL COUNTY. THEY HAVE 250 EMPLOYEES, WE'RE PUSHING 1,000. IN TERMS OF EMPLOYEES THAT WORK FOR THE COUNTY, THERE'S A COMB UPON NENT OF OUR EMPLOYEE BASE THAT WE PROVIDE PAY ROLL AND HEALTH INSURANCE SERVICES TO.

THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY EMPLOYEES, THEY'RE ADULT PROBATION, SO THEY'RE SERVING THE COUNTY IN THE PROBATION SERVICES THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING. BUT, CAMAL IS THE CLOSEST, NEXT TO THAT WOULD BE 225-230.

>> OKAY. >> YES, SIR.

>> QUICK QUESTION, IS MISS SHERRY SPEAKING AGAIN AND

PRESENTING? >> JUDGE: YES, AFTER THE CONSTABLES ARE DONE WITH THEIR PART, THEN MS. MILLER WILL TAKE OVER AND PROVIDE US WITH ALL THE NUMBERS AND STATS TO GIVE YOU

THE COMFORT. >> I WILL HOLD MY QUESTIONS.

>> JUDGE: OKAY. THANK YOU, THE CONSTABLE, IT'S WIDE OPEN, WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST. IF YOU WOULD JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND

TITLE. >> HI, MY NAME IS JOHN ELLEN AND I'M THE PRECINCT FIVE CONSTABLE IN HAYS COUNTY. FIRST OFF, YOU GUYS LOOK GOOD UP THERE. JUDGE, I DID A POWER POINT FOR YOU, BECAUSE I KNEW YU WOULD BE SAD IF I DIDN'T.

SO. >> HE DOES A GREAT POWER POINT.

>> I WISH I SPOKE AS WELL AS I DO POWER POINT. BUT, MARK KENNEDY ASKED ME BEFORE YOU GUYS GOT HERE HOW I WOUND UP SPEAKING FOR ALL THE CONSTABLES, AND I SAID I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU WE TOOK A VOTE ON THE MOST HANDSOME GUY, WHICH WAS ME. I MISSED A MEETING AND THAT'S WHAT THESE GUYS WILL DO TO YOU WHEN YOU MISS A MEETING. SO, I WILL BE SPEAKING FOR ALL OF THE CONSTABLES' OFFICES TONIGHT. THE REASON BEING, WE KNOW YOUR TIME IS VALUABLE, AND WE DIDN'T WANT YOU TO HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE SAME THING FIVE TIMES. SO, WE WHICH ONE OF THE -- SO WE STARTED OFF WITH, LET ME SAY ONE THING, WHEN I DID THIS PRESENTATION, MR. KENNEDY WASN'T GOING TO BE HERE. SO, THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS ASKED WERE REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS AND I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING THEM. THEY'RE COVERED IN MORE DEPTH IN MY PRESENTATION BECAUSE HE WASN'T GOING TO BE HERE. AND I KNEW THE JUDGE COULD DO IT, BUT, THE JUDGE AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER WITH HIS CRIPPLING SHYNESS, AND SO, I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT HIM ON THE SPOT TO HAVE TO DO IT, SO, I THOUGHT I WOULD MAKE IT PART OF MY PRESENTATION. BUT HE IS GETTING BETTER. YOU GUYS DON'T LAUGH AT THE JOKES IT'S GOING TO

BE A LONG NIGHT. >> OKAY. I'LL TAKE THAT.

OKAY. SO, FIRST OFF, WHAT IS A CONSTABLE?

>> THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION OF 1876 CALLS FOR THE ELECTION OF A CONSTABLE IN EACH TEXAS PRECINCT OF THE COUNTY. OKAY. NOTHING'S

HAPPENING. >> AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR

PRESENTATION. >>.

[LAUGHTER] .

>> THERE IT GOES, SORRY, WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE AWHILE. THE TEXAS CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, WHO ARE CONSTABLES, IF YOU LOOK AT NUMBER TWO, FIRST OFF IT'S THE SHERIFF AND SECOND OFF IS THE CONSTABLES. WE'RE THE PEACE OFFICERS. A PEACE OFFICE MEANS ANY PERSON ELECTED, EMPLOYED OR POINTED AS A PEACE OFFICER. THE SHORT ANSWER IS THAT CONSTABLES ARE PEACE OFFICERS. PLAIN AND SIMPLE. SO, WHO ARE YOUR CONSTABLES?

[00:25:07]

>> HI, GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MY NAME IS DAVID PETERSON AND I'M THE CONSTABLE FOR PRECINCT ONE IN SAN MARCOS TEXAS I'VE GOT 32 YEARS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE. I HAVE 10 DEPUTY CONSTABLES THAT INCLUDES MYSELF FOR HERE FOR SAN MARCOS. AND, I APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING HERE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, CONSTABLE.

>> I'M GOING TO GUESS CONSTABLE TORRES IS NEXT.

>> PRECINCT TWO IS KYLE AND MICHAEL TORRES IS THE CONSTABLE.

>> GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, I'M MIKE TORRES, I'M IN PRECINCT TWO LIKE KYLE, WE PICKED HIM BECAUSE HE'S A SPEAKER SPEAKER. I KNOW HE'S A BETTER SPEAKER THAN I AM. I'VE BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT SINCE 2001 AND HAVE 20 YEARS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE, AND TRAINING HOURS, I HAVE OVER 2500 TRAINING HOURS IN DIFFERENT FIELDS, NARCOTICS, AND TRAFFIC INVESTIGATIONS AND CURRENTLY HAVE SIX SWORN DEPUTIES AND A CLERK. AND THANK YOU Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL'S TIME.

>> THANK YOU, CONSTABLE. >> NEXT IS PRECINCT THREE, THAT'S WHIMBERALLY. DONE MONTH GU.

>> I'M DO IN, MONTH GU, I'VE BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT 38 YEARS, FORMER TEXAS. AND CURRENTLY CONSTABLE OF PRECINCT THREE. WE HAVE A JUSTICE CLERK AND I HAVE FIVE OFFICERS AND WE'RE IN THE RURAL AREA, AND I REALLY, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND CONSIDERING WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO YOU. THANK

YOU. >> PRECINCT FOUR WHICH IS

DRIPPING SPRINGS. >> GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS RON HOOD AND I'M THE CONSTABLE OF HAYS COUNTY PRECINCT FOUR AND THAT'S IN THE FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PRECINCT, THAT'S THE DRIDRIPPING SPRINGS AREA. I'VE ABOUT ELECTED CONSTABLE FOR 13 YEARS AND I HAVE 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF US, WHO HAD MUCH RATHER BE IN OTHER PLACES DOOR OTHER THINGS BUT THERE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND HOPEFULLY AFTER HEARING THE EVIDENCE TONIGHT YOU'LL AGREE WITH US AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR CONSTABLES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

IN HAYS COUNTY. THANK YOU. >> LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ME.

>> MY NAME IS JOHN ALLEN, AGAIN, I'M THE CONSTABLE IN PRECINCT 5 WHICH IS THE BUDA AREA. RON AND I STARTED IN DIFFERENT STATES BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE BOTH HAVE 44 YEARS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT TOTAL. I HAVE FIVE PEOPLE IN MY OFFICE. I'M JUST NOT GOING TO GIVE UP. I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE THIS UP. SO, I WOULD LIKE TO START THIS OFF BY BRIEFLY EXPLAINING THE HAYS COUNTY BUDGET PROCESS. THIS IS A VERY QUICK, DIRTY HIGH LEVEL EXPLANATION OF SOMETHING THAT TAKES MONTHS, OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR ACTUALLY WORKS ON IT ALL YEAR LONG. THE COUNTY JUDGE POURS MONTHS INTO IT, AND THIS IS A DECEPTIVELY SIMPLE EXPLANATION OF A COMPLEX AND TIME CONSUMES PROCESS. BUT, HOW IS WORKS IS, WE AS DEPARTMENT HEADS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS,

[00:30:03]

REALLY. >> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> THEY WILL HAVE THEIR FINAL DISCUSSION AND VOTE ON THAT BUDGET. OKAY. SO WHY ARE WE HERE? WELL, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE AS PART OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS WE INCLUDE SALARY MODIFICATIONS FOR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS AND STAFF NOT INCLUDING THE STAFF UNDER THE CBA. THE CBA IS SOMETHING THAT I'LL EXPLAIN TO YOU A LITTLE LATER IN MORE DETAIL, BUT...

>> JUDGE: WHAT'S IT STAND FOR? >> COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AREEMENT. SO, WHEN YOU THINK OF THAT, JUST THINK OF ALL HAYS COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FIVE CONSTABLES AND THE SHERIFF. WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT'S NOT IN IT. NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE HERE OR BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING MEAN FOR US, IT'S JUST NOT LEGAL FOR US TO BE IN IT. SO, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE NEITHER THE COUNTY JUDGE NOR THE COMMISSIONERS COURT APPROVED OUR REQUEST. SO, THIS IS THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS. SO, HOW ARE SALARIES DETERMINED? WELL, BASICALLY, THE ANSWER IS THAT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT SETS ALL OF THEM FOR ALL OF HAYS COUNTY. AND SECTION 152 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE IS WHERE THEY GET THAT AUTHORITY. BUT, SPECIFICALLY, HOW DO WE DO IT IN HAYS COUNTY? AROUND, AND SHERRY IS THE EXPERT HERE. SO, IF I SAY SOMETHING WRONG, PLEASE FEEL FREE. IF YOU GOT TO BELIEVE ME OR HER, BELIEVE HER. BECAUSE SHE'LL BE RIGHT. BUT AROUND 2008, HAYS COUNTY MADE THE DECISION TO SET THE SALARIES BASED ON THE MARKETA ANALYSIS REFERRED TO AS THE MAMARKET SOURCES SURVEY. SO, THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT SURVEYS USED TO DETERMINE SALARIES, ONE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES IN GENERAL, ONE FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ONE FOR THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. THEY DIFFER BY THE COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE SURVEY, AND SOMETIMES THE TOTAL NUMBER OF COUNTIES. BUT THE TWO WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY ARE JUST THE ELECTED OFFICIAL AND THE CBA SURVEY.

>> JUDGE: CONSTABLE, MAY I ASK A QUESTION?

>> YES. >> YOU SAID 2008, NOT 2018?

>> YES, 2008. THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR AWHILE.

>> OKAY. SINCE I MENTIONED THE CBA A COUPLE OF TIMES, I THINK WE COULD TRY AND EXPLAIN IT TO YOU. IN BASIC TERMS THE CBA IS A LEGAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN HAYS COUNTY AND HAYS COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAIN, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SIX PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM. SO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR DEPUTIES AND COMMAND STAFF IN YOUR ORGANIZATIONS. IT'S A WAY FOR THEM TO BARGAIN WITH THE COUNTY ABOUT MANY ASPECTS OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH, IS THEIR SALARIES. AS A RESULT, THE CBA MARKET SOURCES SURVEY AND CORRESPONDING PAY SCALE WERE ESTABLISHED. EVERY FOUR YEARS THEY RENEGOTIATE THIS CONTRACT IN IT'S ENTIRETY, EVERY TWO YEARS THEY RENEGOTIATION JUST THE SALARY PIECE. SO THEY STAY CURRENT WITHIN TWO YEARS OF WHAT THE MARKET IN OUR AREA'S ACTUALLY DOING. SO, YOU MIGHT WONDER WHY THIS HAPPENED, THIS AGREEMENT CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OUR STAFF HAVING NO OTHER LEGAL RECOURSE TO ADDRESS THEIR SALARY ISSUES, THEY CAN'T COME BEFORE THIS GROUP AND GRIEVE LIKE WE CAN BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE STATUTES. SO, WHAT THEY DID WAS PARTNER WITH A AN ASSOCIATION REFERRED TO AS CLEAT. THAT'S THE COMBINED LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATIONS OF TEXAS. JUST TO

[00:35:01]

SO, IF YOU LOOK HERE ON THE LEFT IS THE ELECTED OFFICIALS MARKET SOURCE SURVEY AND ON THE RIGHT IS THE CBA, YOU'LL SEE FOUR COUNTIES INVOLVED IN BOTH AND SHERRY CAN OBVIOUSLY TELL YOU WHY, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT, ONE'S GOT MORE AND ONE'S GOT LESS. BUT THERE'S MORE TO THE STORY. SO ONCE YOU GATHER THE INFORMATION FROM THESE COUNTIES AND YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE PAYING THEIR PEOPLE, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH IT? ALL YOU KNOW IS HOW MUCH BEXAR COAPT PAYS THEIR PEOPLE AND HOW MUCH TARRANT COUNTY BAYS THEIR'S. SO, THE COURT ADOPTED WHAT'S REFERRED TO AS A COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY.

THAT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A METHOD USED TO SET SALARIES BASED ON THE MARKET CHOSEN BY THE COURT. SO THE SALARY THAT THE SOUTH CHOSE, SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE COURT HERE NOW, I THINK THERE'S ONE MEMBER THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ON IT AT THE TIME, MAY BE TWO, I'M NOT SURE BUT. IT WAS INGALSBE IN PRECINCT ONE. IN 2008. AND (INDISCERNIBLE)

>> I DON'T REMEMBER IF MARK WAS THERE OR NOT.

>> I DON'T THINK MARK WAS HERE. >> I DON'T THINK COMMISSIONER WAS THERE (INDISCERNIBLE).

>> SO, JUST ONE OF THEM IS STILL HERE.

>> SO, THE COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY THAT THE COURT AT THE TIME CHOSE WAS FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD ONE OF AVERAGES.

MEANING THAT THE SALARIES WOULD BE PLACED MID-MARKET. IN THE MIDDLE, THE AVERAGE, NOT AT THE TOP OR THE BOTTOM BUT AROUND THE MIDDLE. SO, IN OUR BUDGETS WHAT WE ASKED THE COURT TO DO WAS TWO-FOLD. ONE, WE ASKED THAT THEY SET OUR SALARY USING THE CBA SALARY SURVEY RATHER THAN THE ELECTED OFFICIALS SURVEY.

AND TWO, BASED ON THE CBA SURVEY, WE ASKED THAT THE CONSTABLE SALARY BE SET THE $95,070, OUR REASONING FOR THIS WAS THAT THE CBA IS MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE CURRENT LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR MARKET THE ONE THEY USE FOR THE DEPUTIES, THAT WOULD ALSO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY OF THE COUNTY. AND WE WOULD BE MORE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER HAYS COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT. NOW, YOU MIGHT ASK YOURSELF, WHAT OTHER HAYS COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT? WELL IN THIS CASE WE'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT OUR OWN STAFF, OUR OWN DEPUTIES THAT WE SUPERVISE AND HIRE, TRYING TO STAY COMPETITIVE WITH THEIR SALARIES, BECAUSE THE CBA, BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT MARKET THAN WE'RE IN, AND THE FACT THAT IT'S RENEGOTIATIONED EVERY TWO YEARS DRIVES THOSE NUMBERS UP BASED ON THE MARKET. SO, JUST TO CLARIFY, WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO PUT US UNDER THE CBA BECAUSE WE DISCUSSED IT EARLIER, YOU CAN'T, IT'S NOT LEGAL IN TRUTH, THE COUNTY WOULD PROBABLY BE BETTER OFF IF WE DID, AND THEY WOULD PROBABLY PREFER THAT BECAUSE THAT NEGATES THIS KIND OF SITUATION. BUT WE ARE ASKING YOU TO UTILIZE THE NUMBERS FROM THE CBA. BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE IF THE CBA'S AN ACCURATE REELECTION OF THE CURRENT LAW ENFORCEMENT MARKET FOR OUR DEPUTIES, THEN IT ALSO ACCURATELY REFLECT IT IS THE MARKET VALUE OF THE CONSTABLES AND THE SHERIFF. SO, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CONSTABLE AND A DEPUTY CONSTABLE? ONE IS ELECTED. THAT'S THE REAL DIFFERENCE. SO, WHAT DOES THE MARKET SAY NOW? THIS IS THE CBA MARKET SOURCE'S SURVEY WITH THE COUNTIES THAT I SHOWED YOU BEFORE, IF YOU LOOK DWN TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, THAT'S HAYS COUNTY IN 7TH POSITION.

I'M SURE YOU'RE ALREADY DOING THE MATH AND YOU KNOW THAT 7TH POSITION IS NOT IN THE MIDDLE. 5TH POSITION IS IN THE MIDDLE,

[00:40:02]

FOR OUR CALCULATIONS WE USED THE LOWER OF THE NUMBERS BECAUSE AGAIN, WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS A FAIR SALARY AND BY DOING THAT WE LEFT $6,000 A PIECE ON THE TABLE. THIS IS THE CURRENT CBA SALARY SCALE. AND, I WAS RIGHT ON MY TOES LIKE THE SHERIFF WAS, BUT THESE LAST THREE SLIDES OR THE LAST TWO AND THIS ONE I HAVE FOR YOU: THAT WAY YOU'LL HAVE THE NUMBER THAT IS I TALKED ABOUT FOR YOU TO LOOK AT A LITTLE LATER. BUT, I JUST, PUT THIS IN THERE BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO SEE WHAT THE SALARIES ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WORK UNDER OUR COMMAND. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WE HIRED, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WE SUPERVISE, THESE REALTIME PEOPLE THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO EVERYDAY. AND SO, AGAIN, SHERRY CAN HELP YOU MAKE MORE SENSE OUT OF THAT, AND I'M SURE SHELL LATER. BUT JUST TO START, IF YOU LOOK ON THE LEFT WHERE IT SAYS MBS, LOOK AT THE ZERO, AND IF YOU LOOK UNDER DEPUTY, IT SHOWS THAT THEY START AT $57,876. GO ALL THE WAY TO THE OTHER SIDE UNDER DEPUTY CONSTABLE AND IT SAYS $55,120, IT LOOKS LIKE THE SHERIFFS DEPUTIES MAKE MORE THAN THE CONSTABLES DO. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR WHATEVER REASON WORKS EXTRA HOURS EVERY MONTH, SO, THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THAT ONSET.

THAT MBS INCIDENT LEAVES MERIT BASED STEP AND HOW THAT WORKS IS IF YOU CAME OUT OF THE ACADEMY BRAND NEW, AND YOU WENT TO WORK FOR A CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, YOU WOULD START AT A $55,120, EVERY YEAR, IF YOU DON'T MESS UP TOO BADLY AND GET THE RIGHT EVALUATION WHICH IS NORMALLY THE CASE, YOU'LL STEP UP EVERY YEAR BASED ON THE STEPS THAT YOU SEE THERE. AND BY THE 11TH YEAR, THAT'S WHERE EVERYBODY TOPS OUT NOW, WHAT HAPPENS AT THAT POINT IS YOU DON'T GET ANYMORE RAISES UNTIL THE CBA IS RENEGOTIATED.

WHERE YOU WERE GETTING A RAISE EVERY YEAR, NOW YOU'RE GETTING A RAISE EVERY TWO YEARS. ALSO, KEEP IN MIND, THOSE ARE BASE SALARIES THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE SOFT PAY OR LONGEVITY. AND WHEN WE REFER TO SOFT PAY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXTRA MONEY ON TOP OF THAT SALARY FOR THINGS THAT THEY ACCOMPLISH. FOR INSTANCE, WHEN A DEPUTY CONSTABLE RECEIVES THEIR CIVIL PROCESS PROFICIENCY IS WHICH IS VERY HARD TO DO, WHICH IS A WRITTEN TEST, YOU HAVE TO BE THERE THREE YEARS TO TAKE IT OR IF YOU'RE AN INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED OR MASTER PEACE OFFICER, IF YOU ARE ON THE S.W.A.T. TEAM OR ON A MOTORCYCLE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. IT'S VERY EASY, I'LL TELL YOU I HAVE ONE OF MY DEPUTIES IN MY OFFICE WHO MAKES ANOTHER $3,600 A MONTH OVER THE

[00:45:08]

AND THERE ARE OTHER THINGS LIKE BEING ABLE TO SPEAK A SECOND LANGUAGE AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO MOVE UP THERE AND THAT ALSO DOESN'T COUNT THEIR LONGEVITY. SO THE GUYS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE LONGER MAKE MORE MONEY, WHICH THEY SHOULD. SO, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, IF I HIRED TODAY, SOMEBODY GRAND NEW RECRUIT RIGHT OUT OF THE ACADEMY THAT DOESN'T KNOW WHICH END OF THE CAR KEY IS THE DANGEROUS END, HE WAS START AT $55,120. BY THE TIME HE'S BEEN HERE 11 YEARS AND IF NOTHING CHANGED, AND WE ALL KNOW, IT WILL, BUT IF MY SALARY DIDN'T CHANGE OR HIS SALARY DOESN'T CHANGE, EXCEPT FOR WHAT'S IN THE CBA NOW, IN 11 YEARS, HIS SALARY WOULD EXCEED MINE. SO, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN 11-YEAR OFFICER, AND ANY OFFICER WITH ANY TIME WILL TELL YOU, IT TAKES YOU A GOOD FIVE YEARS BEFORE YOU EVEN HAVE A LOT OF VALUE. I SHOULDN'T SAY VALUE, BUT BEFORE YOU GET GOOD AT YOUR JOB, VERSUS A 44-YEAR VETERAN, WHICH AT THAT TIME WILL BE A 55-YEAR VETERAN, WHICH HOPEFULLY WON'T HAPPEN, THAT'S JUST TOO LONG. ALSO, BEAR IN MIND, THAT THESE NUMBERS THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT, NEXT YEAR, THIS NEXT BUDGET YEAR THEY WILL START THE RENEGOTIATION AND GENERALLY SPEAKING FROM WHAT I LOOKED AT, AGAIN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, EACH TIME THEIR SALARIES ARE RENEGOTIATED, IT

GOES UP $300,000. >> THIS DEPENDS ON THE MARKET THAT'S USED. SO, NOT JUST THE SALARIES ARE RENEGOTIATED BUT THE MARKET SOURCES USED FOR THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BENCH MARKING ARE REVETED TO BE SURE THAT THEY'RE STILL THE RIGHT MARKETS THAT WE'RE COMPETITIVE WITH AND OR

(INDISCERNIBLE) >> AND SO THAT'S A NEGOTIATION AMOUNT THAT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TEAM, WHICH IS A GROUP OF EMPLOYEES THAT REPRESENTATIVES, FROM THE COUNTIES, GENERA COUNSEL (INDISCERNIBLE) COMMISSIONERS COURT THAT REPRESENT THE COUNTY. MYSELF FOR DAVID AND INFORMATION

(INDISCERNIBLE) >> IN THE PAST, SO THIS CURRENT SCALE WAS IMPLEMENTED IN FEBRUARY OF 2002 AND THE MARKET WAS RENEGOTIATED, AS WELL AS THE SALARIES AND WHERE THAT IS EQUALIZING THE DEPUTY CONSTABLES WITH THE DEPUTIES,

(INDISCERNIBLE) >> A LOT OF EMPLOYEES DID RECEIVE SIGNIFICANT PAY INCREASES.

>> OKAY. SO, THE NEXT SLIDE. SO, WHY ARE WE HERE?

>> AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE COURT DENIED OUR SALARY REQUEST.

WELL, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, SEEING THE PROBABILITY OF SUCH A SITUATION PROVIDED RECOURSE TO ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE FORM OF A GRIEVANCE PROCESS. THEY SAID EACH COUNTY IN THE STATE WOULD PUT TOGETHER A GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF COUNTY JUDGE, SHERIFF, COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR, COLLECTOR, AND FOUR OTHER PEOPLE WHO I THINK ARE NAMED UP THERE, AND THEN THREE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAKING NINE PEOPLE. AND THAT'S WHAT THE COURT HAS DONE AS FAR BACK AS I CAN REMEMBER, WHICH IS, NOT AS LONG ADS SHERRY'S BEEN HERE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THERE IS A PLAN B. AND THATS NINE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHICH IS WHAT THE COURT OPTED TO DO THIS TIME WHICH IS WHY ALL NINE OF YOU ARE HERE TODAY. SO, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 152 WHICH MR. KENNEDY MENTIONED TO YOU, EXPLAINS THE FUNCTIONS OF THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE. THE HIGHLIGHTED PART THERE IS REALLY JUST HOUSEKEEPING STUFF THAT THE CONSTABLES HAVE DONE AND THE SHERIFF HAS DONE AND THE COUNTY HAS DONE, TO GET US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. BUT, THE NEXT ONE THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN. SO,

[00:50:03]

ALSO, NO DEPARTMENT HEAD OR ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE COUNTY HAS SUBORDINATES PAID AT A HIGHER RATE EXCEPT FOR THE SHERIFF AND FIVE CONSTABLES. THE SHERIFF HAS SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HE IS SALARIES ARE HIGHER THAN HIS, I HAVE ONE. I KNOW ONE OF THE OTHER CONSTABLES DOES. WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO HAVING THREE OR FOUR. SO, ALSO, NO CONSTABLES OFFICE IN EITHER THE ELECTED OFFICIAL MARKET OR THE CBA MARKET OPERATES UNDER A CBA. WE MAY BE THE ONLY COUNTY WHERE CONSTABLES ARE ACTUALLY

[00:55:02]

JUROR BEFORE? >> OH, A BUNCH. SO, YOU KNOW EVEN IN THIS CASE, IF THIS IS WHAT YOU DECIDE TO DO, YOU CAN TAKE AN INITIAL VOTE AND SEE WERE YOUR, TEST THE WATERS IN WHATEVER MANNER YOU WANT TO DO THAT. IF YOU GOT ALL NINE, THEN YOU CAN SKIP RIGHT TO NUMBER THREE, BUT IF YOU DON'T, YOU CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION, YOU CAN TALK AMONGST YOURSELVES, YOU CAN WORK THAT OUT IN WHATEVER WAY YOU SEE FIT. IF YOU DO DECIDE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION, AND I EXPECT YOU WILL, AND IT'S JUSTIFIED, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO SAY, MAN THAT'S A BIG JUMP.

IF I WERE SITTING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS PODIUM, I WOULD SAY THAT VERY THING, WELL, IT'S A 22% JUMP. BUT, LET ME REMIND YOU THAT IT'S A 22% JUMP BECAUSE THE COURT HAS CONSISTENTLY, FOR YEARS, WAY BEFORE THIS COURT WAS SITTING HERE, FAILED TO STAY CURRENT WITH THE MARKET DESPITE THEIR OWN POLICY BASED ON THEIR OWN MARKET SURVEY. HAD THEY KEPT CURRENT OR AT LEAST CLOSE OR APPROVED OUR REQUEST IN THE PAST, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.

ALSO, I FAILED TO MENTION, THAT AT THE 11TH HOUR, AND I WASN'T HERE FOR THE DISCUSSION, SO, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT KNOWING ALL THE WHERE FOR'S, BUT THE COURT DID VOTE TO GIVE ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS A 4% RAISE THIS YEAR IN THIS BUDGET. THAT'S 4% DESPITE THE FACT THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS ALREADY FROM 9-OVER 20% BEHIND THE MARKET. INCLUDING THE JUDGE. BUT, THE BOTTOM LINE IS, THE COURT DIDN'T GIVE ITSELF A RAISE, WHICH PERSONALLY, I THINK IS ADMIRABLE, AS OPPOSED TO, IF ANYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON IN TRAVIS COUNTY, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. BUT THE FACT IS THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN GIVE THEMSELVES A RAISE AND WE CAN'T DO THAT AND I'M GLAD WE'RE NOT IN THAT SITUATION. SO, IN OUR CASE, THE $95,000 WE'RE ASKING FOR IS 17.5% OVER WHAT WE WOULD BE GETTING IN THIS NEXT BUDGET ANYWAY. FINALLY, MOST IMPORTANTLY, ONCE AGAIN, IF ONCE YOU GET TO ALL NINE MEMBERS, THE CONSENSUS THAT MR. KENNEDY TALKED ABOUT, YOU HAVE TO SEND A REPORT IN WRITING TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. IT SHOULD BE IF YOU DON'T PUT THE NUMBER ON THERE, YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE RAISE. SO, PUT THE ACTUAL NUMBER THAT YOU GUYS ALL AGREED TO, AND LASTLY, SIGN THE RECOMMENDATION. ALL OF YOU NEED TO SIGN IT. SO, I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SHARING THIS TIME WITH US AND BEING WILLING TO DO THIS. WE ALL UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROCESS WORKS. AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT YOU COULD HAVE SAID NO. YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE IT'S YOUR CIVIL DUTY, BECAUSE I KNOW NONE OF Y'ALL ARE BORED ENOUGH THAN

[01:00:01]

>> JUDGE: THANK YOU, CONSTABLE. I'LL OPEN TO OUR PANEL FOR QUESTIONS. ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE

CONSTABLE? >> IT'S A GOOD TIME FOR ME TO

SHUT UP TOO. >> REAL QUICK QUESTION, CONSTABLE. AND BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW. AND SO, EVERY TERM FOR THIS ELECTED POSITION IS FOUR YEARS, CORRECT?

>> YES, SIR. >> AND SO THIS RAISE WOULD BE FOR THE POSITION, FOR THE ELECTED POSITION, NOT NECESSARILY BY THE MERIT, LIKE YOU SAID, THE SOFT -- WHAT WAS IT CALLED AGAIN? THE SOFT PAY, THIS IS BASED UPON ANY OTHER PROFESS PROFESSIONAL ACCOLADES THAT YOU

WOULD BE ABLE TO COLLECT. >> WE GET LONGEVITY, BUT NOT SOFT PAY. BUT I THINK EVERY ONE OF US ARE MASTER PEACE OFFICERS.

>> CLARIFICATION, THAT PAY WOULD BE TO THE POSITION, NOT TO

THE PERSON. >> CORRECT.

>> SO, FUTURE CONSTABLES RUNNING FOR OFFICE WOULD CATCH

THAT SALARY. >> THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS

TRYING TO CATCH. >> OH, SORRY, I MISSED THAT.

>> OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE CONSTABLE?

>> I HAVE A QUESTION. HOW MANY, I KNOW YOU'RE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU ACTUALLY WORK A WEEK?

>> ANYWHERE FROM 50-60. >> OKAY.

>> AND YOU SERVE PAPERS, AND DO YOU ARRESTS, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> WE SERVE PAPERS, WE DO ARRESTS, WE SERVE WARRANTS, WE WORK TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, THANKS IN NO SMALL PART TO THE JUDGE WE HAVE A TRAFFIC UNIT AND MOTORCYCLE PARTNER THAT DOES THAT AND THE REASON WE DO THAT IS WHEN I WAS RUNNING MY CAMPAIGN, IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE PEOPLE. AND THAT'S A HUGE AREA IN KEEPING BUDA SAFE BECAUSE IF ONE OF US IS GOING TO GET HURT OR KILLED, THAT'S WHERE IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN YOUR HOME, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY, THAT'S SOMETHING WE TAKE

SERIOUSLY. >> I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.

>> JUDGE: YES, MA'AM. >> SINCE THIS IS NOT GOING TO INCREASE OUR TAXES, WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING TO COME FROM IN THE

BUDGET? >> I SEE YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD.

YOU THEFT THAT TOO. WELL, I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY BUT I DO KNOW I TALKED TO THE BUDGET DIRECTOR AND THEY WILL JUST MOVE THINGS AROUND. AGAIN, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THEY HAVE SET A BUDGET AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THAT NUMBER BY DOING ANYTHING. THEY'RE JUST GOING TO MOVE MONEY AROUND.

THERE'S ALSO EXTRA MONEY, I MEAN, WE DO THAT AT OUR HOUSES, YOU GUYS DO IT THE SAME WAY, IF YOU NEED $1,000, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO JUST HAVE $1,000, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE $1,200, OR $1,500, SO THERE'S ALWAYS MONEY BACK THERE FOR THINGS THAT JUST COME UP THAT YOU CAN'T BE READY FOR. AND HAYS COUNTY DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT'S THE CASE.

>> JUDGE: THE CONSTABLE IS A SUPER PERSON, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO EXPLAIN IT, BUT I'LL SAY IT IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY, IT

WILL BE CUT FROM SOMETHING ELSE. >> JUDGE: NOTHING ON YOU, BUT I WANTED TO BE MORE CONCISE. WE HAVE A QUESTION HERE?

>> IS THERE A CURRENT PROPOSED INCREASE, LIKE THIS IS THE INCREASE YOU GUYS ARE ASKING FOR, BUT IS THERE A CURRENT

PROPOSED INCREASED? >> WHAT'S BUDGETED?

>> 4%. >> I HAVE THE NUMBER RIGHT

HERE. >> THAT'S FOR ALL THE ELECTED

OFFICIALS. >> SO, I HAVE THE NUMBER HERE,

[01:05:01]

>> WHAT WAS THE ANNUAL PAY FOR THEM?

>> . >> JUDGE: SO, THE PAY IS 77,700 FOR THE CONSTABLES TO $80,808, AND ON THE SHERIFF FROM

$110,664 TO $115,091. >> A QUESTION OVER HERE?

>> ALONG THAT LINE, ARE THEIR SALARIES REVIEWED YEARLY AS PART

OF THE BUDGET PROCESS IN >> EVERY YEAR, I HAVE ACHIEVE BUDGET OFFICER FOR THE COUNTY AS THE COUNTY JUDGE, SO EVERY YEAR WE HAVE THE PROCESS WHERE EVERY YEAR WE REVIEW IT.

>> WHAT IS THE LAST TIME THEY HAD A RAISE?

>> THEY GOT ONE LAST YEAR. >> WHAT WAS IT?

>> JUDGE: I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME.

>> THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, THAT WILL BE PART OF.

>> THAT'S PART OF SHERRY'S PRESENTATION.

>> BUT, LAST YEAR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN COMMISSIONERS COURT DIDN'T GET A PAY RAISE. I HAVE THEIR HISTORY.

>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> THE FULL PRESENTATION ON

THAT SLIDE WILL BE AVAILABLE. >> ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE

CONSTABLE? >> AS ALWAYS, YOU WERE MAGNIFICENT, THANK YU FOR ALL OF YOUR WONDERFULNESS AND YOUR SLIDE SHOW AND YOUR JOKES, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR LAUGHING AT THEM.

>> JUDGE: YOU BET. >> SO, WHILE SHERRY'S HANDING THESE OUT, TO FURTHER ARTICULATE, THAT LAST COMMENT.

ON PAGE, ON THE SECOND SIDE OF THE FIRST PAGE THAT SHERRY'S HANDING OUT NOW, ON THE BOTTOM, IT TELLS YOU A LITTLE BIT OF PAY HISTORY, IN 2014, CONSTABLES HAD A GRIEVANCE, AND THEN THEY WERE RECEIVING $63,500, IN 2018, THEY WERE ASKING FOR 938 AND THEY

WERE MOVED TO $67,762. >> IT'S AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SECOND PAGE. I'M JUST GETTING AHEAD WHILE THEY'RE BEING HANDED TO YOU. TO THEIR PAY WAS MOVED IN 2018 TO $74,000, IN 2019, IT WAS MOVED TO $77,700. ALL YOUR'S.

>> THANK YOU, SHERRY MILLER, HAYS COUNTY HR DIRECTOR. FOR BACKGROUND, I'VE BEEN AN EMPLOYEE OF HAYS COUNTY FOR OVERLE 16 YEARS, ALL IN THE HR OFFICE AND HAVE OVER 30 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL LEVEL HUMAN RESOURCES EXPERIENCE. THIS HAPPENED TO BE SALARY ADMINISTRATION MY EXPERTISE AT THE TEXAS PRISON SYSTEM. SO, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I AM THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY FIELD OF EXPERTISE. CONSTABLE, ALLEN,

YOU DID AN AMAZING JOB. >> WE DID NOT COLLABORATE, BUT A LOT OF WHAT I'VE PREPARED IS EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID. SO, WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT EACH OTHER WERE GOING TO SAY, HE DID A FABULOUS JOB EXPLAINING A LOT OF OUR COMPLEX PROGRAMS IN HAYS COUNTY. SO, I'LL JUST, I WILL NOT REPEAT, TRY NOT TO REPEAT THINGS THAT CONSTABLE ALLEN TALKED ABOUT. BUT I DO WANT TO GO THROUGH THE MATERIAL THAT I PREPARED AS BACKGROUND AND

INFORMATION. YES, SIR? >> ARE YOU AN ELECTED OFFICIAL?

>> I AM NOT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.

>> THANK YOU. >> SO, THE HR DIRECTOR IS A DEPARTMENT HEAD THAT IS APPOINTED AND SELECTED AS AN EMPLOYEE BY THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. SO, I REPORT TO ALL FIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. THAT'S A HAT TRICK, SOME

DAYS. >> THANK YOU.

>> SO, THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, OR UTILIZES ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR SOME DEPARTMENTAL FUNCTIONS AND THEY UTILIZE WHAT WE CALL

[01:10:06]

AND JUST THIS YEAR, WE ADDED SEVERAL NEW COUNTIES TO ADD INTO OUR MIXTURE, SO, ON THE PAGE 2, WE ARE BENCHMARKING AGAINST THE CITIES OF KYLE, ROUND ROCK, GEORGETOWN, NEW BRAUN FELLS GAUDLUPE AND ENSON. IT'S A HUGE NUMBER TO GET DATA FROM AND IDENTIFY IF THE JOBS ARE SIMILAR OR NOT. A STAFF MEMBER AND I DO THAT WORK, WECK A RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH ENTITY AND WE ALL

[01:15:05]

A LOT OF OUR MARKET ENTITY ARE IN A CIVIL SERVICE AGREEMENT BECAUSE OF THEIR POPULATION SIZE AND THEIR CITIES AND COUNTIES DECIDED TO MOVE TO THAT DIRECTION, AND YOU HAVE TO REACH A CERTAIN POPULATION SIZE TO DO THAT, IT'S A SIMILAR, UNIONIZED TYPE PROCESS. SO, THERE'S REPRESENTATION FROM THE DEPUTY CONSTABLES AS WELL ON THAT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TEAM. THE MIXTURE OF ENTITIES THAT WE BENCH MARK AGAINST IS DECIDED BY THAT TEAM, SO, NOT JUST HAYS COUNTY IS DECIDING WHICH HE WANTIES WE WILL BENCHMARK AGAINST. AND THOSE ENTITIES ARE ON YOUR SECOND PAGE AT THE TOP. BEXAR, COLL LYNN, CAMAL, DENTON, TRAVIS AND WILLIAMSON. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BEXAR AND TRAVIS AND DENTON, THOSE WITH ONE THAT IS WE DON'T USE ON OUR BENCHMARKING. THEN WE BENCHMARK ON ELECTED OFFICIALS. IN 2008, THE COUNTY WAS DEVELOPING A NEW PAY PLAN, THE PLAN WE NOW USE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES ANDETTE NEED AROSE THAT WE NEEDED TO REVIEW ELECTED OFFICIAL'S SALARIES, SO, THE COMMISSIONERS COURT ALONG WITH HR STAFF UTILIZED ANENT TIE CALLED RAY ASSOCIATES TO CONDUCT A SALARY STUDY. WE USED A CITIZEN'S PANEL, BUT ALSO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COMMUNITY FROM, THERE WAS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM A CHAMBER, A COOL DISTRICT, A MANUFACTURING FIRM AND A CITY, AS WELL AS A FEW CITIZENS THAT WERE NOT EMPLOYED OR REPRESENTING ONE OF THOSE TYPES OF ENTITIES. AND SO, ALONG WITH REY AND ASSOCIATES WHO DEVELOPED THIS MATRIX METHODOLOGY ACTUALLY AND WE JUST CARRIED ON THAT PRACTICE

[01:20:01]

SO, THE COMMISSIONERS COURT CALLED OUT SOME OF THOSE ENTITIES AND WE RECALCULATED THE AVERAGE OF THOSE SALARIES AND THAT WAS WHAT WAS ADOPTED AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THAT TIME RECEIVED ANYWHERE FROM A 2 TO A -- AND THEY WERE PAID THAT AMOUNT, 2-14% SALARY INCREASE. AFTER THAT, WE HAVE GONE BACK TO THAT ENTIRE GROUP OF BENCHMARK SOURCES TO LOOK AT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AGAINST. THERE'S BEEN ONE OTHER SALARY ADJUSTMENT BASED ON THE MARKET AVERAGE. JUST BECAUSE OF MARKET AVERAGE SAYS 95, THAT ISN'T ALWAYS WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT APPROVES TO BE PAID AND THAT HOLDS TRUE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. SO, FOR MYSELF, THE HR DIRECTOR MARKET AVERAGE COULD BE 125, AND BECAUSE OUR PAY RANGES OUR PAY GRADE SYSTEM IS ARRANGE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT'S THE MINIMUM THAT SOMEONE'S GOING TO BE HIRED AT, BUT WE TRY TO TARGET THAT AVERAGE INTO OUR PAY RANGE SYSTEM AND GET IT CLOSE TO THE MINIMUM. SO WE HAVE A SYSTEMIC PAY GRADE THAT HAS A MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM OF A 50% SPREAD. SO WE HAVE A LONG ROOM FOR EMPLOYEES TO ADVANCE THROUGH THEIR PAY GRADE AND WE DO THAT THROUGH MERITS AND COST OF LIVING AND OR COST OF LABOR. THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION FOR COLA, WE UTILIZE IT AS COST OF LIVING, OUR INFLATION OUR GAS AND BREAD PRICES. SO, SINCE THEN, ELECTED OFFICIALS'S SALARIES HAVE BEEN ADJUST THE ONE OTHER TIME SOLELY BASED ON MARKET, AND ON THE LAST SHEET IN YOUR PACKET, THAT WAS IN FY '15, WHEN THE MARKET OFFICIALS WERE TALLIED, THEIR SALARIES WERE ADJUSTED TO THAT AMOUNT. NOT TO JUMP AROUND TOO MUCH, BUT I WANTED TO EXPLAIN THAT SINCE THEN AND I'LL TALK ABOUT IT AT THE END THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN ADJUSTMENTS TO EMPLOYEES, ELECTED OFFICIALS, SOMETIMES THE COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL VOTE THEIRSELF OUT OF ADJUSTMENTS THAT OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL RECEIVE. SOMETIMES AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, WILL, EVEN THOUGH ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS ARE GET AGO PAY RAISE, THEY WILL REMOVE THEMSELVES FROM GETTING A PAY RAISE, AND THEY CAN SUBMIT THAT TO THE CLERK. SO, IN THE CONSTABLE ARENA, THE CONSTABLES HAVE BEEN A PART OF THAT ELECTED OFFICIAL SALARY REVIEW, ALL OF THESE YEARS AND ARE NOT ELIGIBLE AS CONSTABLE ELLEN DESCRIBED TO BE A PART OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. SO THEIR WAGES ARE NOT BARGAINED FOR OR A PART OF THAT AGREEMENT WHERE WAGES ARE SET. THE DATA I GAVE YOU IS CORRECT, THE SALARIES OF THE DEPUTY CONSTABLES WILL MAX OUT CLOSE TO WHERE THEY ARE SALARIES ARE TODAY AND WITH CERTIFICATION PAY AND SOFT PAYS CANS, WE'RE ADDING NEW SOFT PAYS IN OCTOBER, THERE WILL OR MAY BE EMPLOYEES CLOSE TO OR MORE THAN WHAT THE CONSTABLES ARE EARNING. THE CONSTABLES DO NOT RECEIVE

[01:25:04]

SO, COURT DATA AND IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, WE CAN CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT THAT. I THINK THE CONSTABLE GAVE YOU FOR THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, RIGHT, SO YOU HAVE THAT DATA FOR THE COLLECTIVE SOURCES AND THAT AVERAGE IS $95,000, THE NEXT PAGE I'M GIVING YOU THE SALARY HISTORY, WHICH IS PUBLIC, IN THE PUBLIC ENTITY, SO I'M NOT GIVING NEW ANY SECRET FOR EACH.

GRIEVANCE TODAY. AND I'VE ALSO GIVEN YOU THEIR LENGTH OF SERVICE WHICH IS PHENOMENAL THAT WE HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS WILLING TO SERVE IN THESE CAPACITIES FOR SUCH LONG PERIODS OF TIME. BUT YOU COULD SEE OVER TIME, WHAT THEIR SALARIES HAVE BEEN AND WHAT THEIR SALARIES WILL BE WITH ANY SUPPLEMENTS THAT THEY WOULD GET. SO, THE NUMBERS ARE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT BECAUSE I INCLUDE THAT UNIFORM SUPPLEMENT

FOR THEM. >> IS THAT WHY IT SAYS 78420 IS BECAUSE OF THE ON FORM SUPPLEMENT.

>> THAT WOULD BE THE 777 THAT THEY'RE PAID NOW PLUS THEIR UNIFORM. AND THE NEXT PAGE IS WHAT'S PUBLISHED TO THE COMMUNITY. THERE'S A LEGAL REQUIREMENT TO PUBLISHED ELECTED OFFICIALS PROPOSED SALARIES BEFORE THE COUNTY ADOPTS A BUDGET, THIS SHOWS ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND WHAT THEIR SALARY WILL BE, INCLUDING LONGEVITY. THE COUNTY PAYS AFTER FIVE YEARS OF EMPLOYMENT A LONG LONGEVITY IS LISTED HERE

SEPARATELY. >> AND I WANTED TO CHIME IN QUICKLY, THE SHEET THAT YOU MAY BE LOOKING AT THAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT, DOESN'T HAVE EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL ON THERE BECAUSE THIS LIST IS ONLY THOSE THAT ARE GETTING A PAY INCREASE.

THIS, AS SHE SAID HAS BEEN PRINTED AND PUBLICIZED AND PUT IN THE PAPER, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WITH HE ALREADY COMMITTED TOO. BUT IT'S NOT EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL, FOR EXAMPLE, MY NAME'S NOT ON THERE BECAUSE I'M NOT GETTING A RAISE.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. SO, THE ELECTED

[01:30:03]

PLUG. IT'S HORRIBLE. >> SO, THE COUNTY COURTS OVER THE YEARS HAVE BEEN VERY GENEROUS TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND SO, YOU COULD SEE THAT IN THE TYPES OF RAISE INCREASES, WHETHER IT BE MERIT, COLA, IS THE ACROSS THE BOARD, MERIT IS DISTRIBUTED BASED ON FIELD POSITIONS. AND THERE ARE OTHER QUALIFIERS THAT EMPLOYEES MUST MEET TO RECEIVE MERIT AND THAT'S THEIR DEPARTMENT HEAD OR THEIR ELECTED OFFICIAL'S DISCRETION.

THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF TIMES THAT WE'VE DONE MARKET ADJUSTMENTS TO BOTH EMPLOYEES AND ELECTED FISHES, JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT HAS HAPPENED, FY '09 WAS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR CURRENT PAY PLAN AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS STUDY. SO, THERE WERE LOTS OF POSITIONS REALIGNED, RESTRUCTURED AND WAGES INCREASED. AND THAT WAS IN OCTOBER OF '08. AND I THINK THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL AFTER, SO THEY MAY NOT HAVE RECEIVED THAT ADJUSTMENT UNTIL 1/1/09. AND IN FY '16 WE DID A UNIQUE SALARY ADJUSTMENT, WHERE WE LOOKED AT WHERE THE SALARY WAS AT THE TIME TO THE MID POINT OF THE SALARY RANGE AND WE ADJUSTED UP TO 5% IF THEY WERE NOT CLOSE TO THEIR MID POINT GOAL. SO AVERAGE IS MID POINT, IT KEEPS US FROM BEING THE LEADER IN THE MARKET AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TERM YOU USED, I CALL IT THE LAGGER, BUT THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT WORD, BUT I'M AN AGGIE AND I CAN SAY THAT. WE ALSO DID MARKET ADJUSTMENTS FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS. SO, THIS WHOLE INFORMATION IS TO EXPRESS THAT WE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALL VERY AWARE OF. NOT EVERYONE'S GOING TO GET PAID EXACTLY WHAT THE MARKET SAYS OR EXACTLY MAKE WHAT THEY THINK THEIR WORTH WE HAVE A BUDGET TO OPERATE IN AND WE HAVE TO REMAIN COGNISANT OF THE BUDGET I REMEMBER INDICATIONS FOR REALLY BIG ADJUSTMENTS. NORMALLY, THE ADJUSTMENTS ARE THREE, FOUR, MAY BE FIVE PERCENT AND IN ADDITION, WE'RE KEEPING UP WITH OUR SALARY RANGES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND KEEPING THEM ON MARKET SO THAT NEW PEOPLE THAT WE'RE HIRING AREN'T BEING HIRED SO LOW WHEN THE MARKET IS A LITTLE HIGHER.

SO, EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'RE ASKING FOR OUR RANGES TO MOVE AND THAT HELPS US TO STAY COMPETITIVE.

>> SHERRY, YOU HAVE DONE A MAGNIFICENT JOB OF DISPLAYING THE INTRICATESIES, SHE'S GIVEN YOU A REALLY GOOD EXECUTIVE

[01:35:07]

AND, YES, EXACTLY, LIKE SHE SAID, ALMOST 2,000 EMPLOYEES.

ONE DECISION HAS CONSEQUENCES AND RIPPLES COUNT-WIDE AND THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ARE THANKSFULLY, CONSISTENTLY STAYING WITHIN THE RANGES, NOT EVERYTHING IS PERFECT EVERY TIME, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE TRYING TO BE GOOD FISCAL SPENDERS OF THE TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS. FOR ANYONE TO THINK THAT I DON'T FEEL THEY HAVE VALUE OR I'M MAD AT THEM. I HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH EVERY SINGLE GRIEVENT HERE RIGHT NOW. I HAVE NO PROBLEM SAYING YES, THEY ALL DESERVE A 40% INCREASE, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. IT'S ABOUT BAMMING, IT'S THE FISCAL STEWARDSHIP, AND IT'S ABOUT SEEING IF THROUGH THE LENS OF THE BUDGET OFFICE, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY, NOTHING AGAINST THEM, AS YOU COULD SEE, EFFORTLESSLY, THEY'RE GREAT PEOPLE AND I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST ANY OF THEM. I WANT TO BE SURE THAT YOU KNOW THAT. THERE'S NO BAD BLOOD BETWEEN US.

>> YES, SIR? >> HOW MANY DEPARTMENTS AND COUNTIES HAVE PEOPLE THAT MAKE MORE THAN THEIR LEADERS?

>> WE HAVE NO EMPLOYEES THAT ARE PAID MORE THAN THEIR DEPARTMENT HEAD OR ELECTED OFFICIAL.

>> OKAY, SO, THE DEPARTMENTS, SO, I'M THINKING, NOT THESE PEOPLE. SO, THE SHERIFF HAS LAW ENFORCEMENT CAPTAINS WHICH ARE HIS GO-TO PEOPLE. IT AND THE CHIEF DEPUTY, AND THE CAPTAINS, FOUR OR FIVE, FOUR CAPTAINS NOW. ARE COMPENSATED MORE AND THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR THE CHIEF DEPUTY, CERTIFICATION PAY. THAT POSITION IS NOT IN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, BUT THE CAPTAINS ARE, THEY'RE GETTING CERTIFICATION PAY AND THEY'RE ALL MASTERS OR JAILER, LAW ENFORCEMENT.

>> CHIEF DEPUTIES HAVE BEEN WITH US 30 YEARS, I MEAN WE HAVE

A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE. >> WE HAD ONE 47 YEARS.

>> SO, OF THE CONSTABLES, THERE ARE SOME LONG-TERM DEPUTY CONSTABLES THAT ARE MAXED OUT. AND I KNOW, CONSTABLE HOOD HAS

ONE, YOU HAVE ONE, I THINK. >> YES.

>> YOU'VE GOT ONE CLOSE TO 11 YEARS. SO, EMPLOYEES COME TO HAYS COUNTY AND IT'S A GOOD THING FOR THEM, THEY WILL STAY A LONG TIME. WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE, WE HAVE LOTS OF EMPLOYEES IN THE UPPER 20 PLUS YEARS, 15 OR MORE YEARS.

>> ONE QUESTION, I MAY HAVE MISSED THIS IN YOUR EXPLANATION, THE CONSTABLE IN HIS PRESENTATION SAID PART OF THE CONSIDERATION FOR LOOKING AT THE COUNTIES AND SALARIES AND AVERAGES, WAS TO PICK A MID POINT. DID YOU GUYS PICK A MID

POINT? >> WE AVERAGE THEIR SALARY, SO IN THE ELECTED OFFICIAL WORLD, THERE'S ONE RATE OF PAY, AND THERE'S NOT A CHANGE. SO, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL EARNS 777, SO THEY'RE NOT IN A PAY GRADE THAT HAS A MINIMUM AND A MAXIMUM.

>> OKAY, ONE MORE QUESTION, AND TO BE SURE I HAVE THIS CORRECT, YOU SAID THE 15 COUNTIES THAT YOU USED FOR CONSTABLES, FOR EXAMPLE, THE AVERAGE PAY WAS 86-SOMETHING AND HAYS COUNTY CURRENT IS 77, THAT'S A FAIR AMOUNT BELOW THE MID-POINT, I

DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DID. >> OUR SALARY IS BELOW THE AVERAGE OF THOSE COUNTY'S SALARIES. YES, SIR?

>> ANOTHER QUESTION, SO, IS THERE A PROPOSED PLAN IF THESE ARE ALLOTTED, THESE INCREASED ARE ALLOTTED TO THE CONSTABLES AND THE SHERIFF OF WHERE THEY MAY COME FROM THE BUDGET, OR IS THAT AN AFTERTHOUGHT AFTER GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS? IS THERE A PROPOSED PLAN OF WHERE THAT MIGHT COME FROM?

>> IF THE PAY GOES BEYOND WHAT WE'VE ALLOCATED, WE WILL BECAUSE WE HAVE IT BUTTONED DOWN ALREADY, READY FOR THE FINAL APPROVAL TOMORROW, THAT'S WHY WE'RE MEETING TODAY, WE WILL CUT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE. I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE, OH, I CAN'T TELL YOU WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT FROM, I COULD BE THEATRICICAL, I CAN'T

[01:40:08]

DO THAT. >> IT WILL BE UP TO THE FIVE OF US TO MAKE THE DECISION AS TO WHERE WE WOULD TAKE IT FROM.

>> THROUGH THIS MEETING HERE, IT'S YES WE AGREE WITH WITH THE AGREEMENTS OR WE DON'T. THAT'S GOING TO PSH YOU GUYS TO MAKE THE DECISION OF WHERE THESE CUTS WILL COME FROM.

>> WELL, YOUR DECISION WILL BE TO SAY YES OR NO TO THE RAISE, THAT'S WHERE IT ENDS. WHERE THE CUTS COME FROM, WILL BE US.

>> IT'S UP TO YOU FIES AS ELECTED OFFICIALS AS WELL.

ANOTHER QUESTION. IF I COULD ASK.

>> JUDGE: SURE, SURE. >> SO, BECAUSE WE'RE FOCUSSING ON NOT THE INDIVIDUALS BUT BY THE ELECTED POSITION, AND YOU'RE THE HR, AND YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS OR A COUPLE OF YEARS I'M ASSUMING, ASKING, PERSONALLY, PROFESSIONALLY, WITH AN INCREASE IN PAY AND BEING COMPETITIVE HOW DOES THAT EQUATE TO QUALITY IN THOSE POSITIONS IN THESE ELECTED? SO, I'M ASSUMING THAT WHENEVER WE INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF THAT POSITION IT WILL BE MORE FAVORED AND THAT POTENTIALLY LEAD TO BETTER QUALITY INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE ELECTED POSITIONS. I JUST WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY IN THAT REGARD.

>> SO, AN ELECTED OFFICIALS IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE CITIZENS, YOU THE VOTER, EITHER VOTES FOR IF THEY RUN FOR OFFICE AGAIN OR NOT, YOU VOTE FOR THE OPPONENT. SO, THEY'RE PERFORMANCE, EVALUATION REALLY IS THEIR ELECTION WETHER OR NOT THEY RUN AGAIN. BECAUSE THESE OFFICERS ARE ALSO CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICERS, THEY ALSO ARE HELD TO STANDARDS BY THEIR CERTIFYING AGENCY, THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT.

AND SO, THEY CAN'T JUST BE OUT THERE BEING YAHOOS, AND EXECUTING THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT RIGHTS EREASONIOUSLY, THEY'RE HELD TO STANDARDS BY THEIR LICENSING AGENCY AS WELL. NOW, THE CITIZENS CAN'T JUST, YOU CAN'T JUST BOOT SOMEONE OUT OF OFFICE THAT'S AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, THERE ARE MECHANISMS FOR THAT, IF CERTAIN THINGS HAPPEN. THAT WOULD COME TO PASS WHERE SOMEONE WOULD BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE. I'VE BEEN EMPLOYED BY HAYS COUNTY FOR 16 YEARS, AND YOU COULD NOT ASK FOR BETTER ELECTED OFFICIALS THAN THESE SIX GENTLEMEN SITTING HERE.

>> THANK YOU. >> IN TERMS OF PROFESSIONALISM, WORKING WITH, I'VE SEEN THEM WORK WITH COUNTIES OR DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY WITH ENTITIES ACROSS THE COUNTY

INTERNAL, EXTERNAL. >> YES, SIR?

>> BASED ON WHAT THEY ASKED, I BELIEVE IT WOULD TOTAL ABOUT $110,000 A YEAR, WHAT'S THE TOTAL COUNTY ANNUAL BUDGET THAT YOU ARE GETTING READY TO PUT FORTH?

>> WELL, THE FUNNY THING IS IT'S A BIG POT. AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TAKES A BIG PIECE OF THE PIE, AND SO, THIS IS A WELL-FUNDED PART OF OUR OPERATION YOU BUT WHAT ARE YOU

GETTING AT WITH YOUR QUESTION? >> I'M JUST CURIOUS OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WOULD GO TO THEM, VERSUS THE TOTAL BUDGET?

>> IT WOULDN'T BE WORLD CHANGING, NO. I DON'T WANT TO MISLEAD YOU EITHER, IT WOULDN'T BE WORLD CHANGING.

>> I UNDERSTAND IT WILL COME OUT OF SOMEWHERE ELSE.

>> JUDGE: BUT IT WOULDN'T BE WORLD CHANGING IN ANY WAY.

>> WOULD YOU MIND IF I JUMPED IN AND PARTIALLY ANSWERED THAT?

>> I THINK THE COUNTY'S BUDGET THIS YEAR IS JUST UNDER $176 MILLION, I BELIEVE. OUR, $167 MILLION, SO, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT I TOLD YOU WOULD BE THE BUDGET IMPACT, THE $89,000, THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT .05 OF THE ENTIRE BUDGET OR FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LIKE FRACTIONS 1/2000TH OF THE BUDGET. I MEAN, MONEY'S, MONEY, REGARDLESS, BUT TO PUT IT IN THAT PERSPECTIVE, I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE ASKING.

>> JUDGE: DID SOMEBODY HAVE A QUESTION HERE?

>> YES, I WAS WONDERING, I SEE IN THE SALARY INCREASE HISTORY CHART, FOR FISCAL, '17, '18, '19, THERE WAS NO ELECTED

[01:45:02]

BETWEEN '17, '18, '19. >> SO IN FISCAL YEARS '17, '18, AND '19 THERE WERE NO SALARY INCREASES TO ELECTED OFFICIALS.

IT WAS IN FY '20 THAT THE CONSTABLES WERE EQUALIZED WITH EACH OTHER. SO, THE THREE CONSTABLES HAD GRIEVED THE PRIOR

YEAR. >> RIGHT.

>> AND THERE WERE TWO THEN THAT WERE PAID LESS THAN THOSE THREE.

>> RIGHT. >> AND SO, IN FY '20, SO, IN

OCTOBER. >> BUT THERE WAS AN INCREASE FOR SOME OF THE CONSTABLES BETWEEN '17 AND '18 AND '20

>> YES. YES YES. YES. >> THAT'S NOT DOCUMENTED IN THE

SALARY INCREASE HISTORY. >> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> WAS THERE AN INCREASE OR OTHER DEPARTMENTS GRIEVING OR

THIS WAS THE ONLY ONES GRIEVING? >> THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE.

>> JUDGE: YES, MA'AM? >> I'M CURIOUS OF WHAT WE KNOW THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE OF INCOME TO THE COUNTY FROM LAST

YEAR TO THIS YEAR. >> THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE?

>> WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE OF WHAT TAXPAYERS

BROUGHT INTO THE COUNTY. >> WELL, THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO LOOK AT THAT, THE FIRST THING IS MY PROPOSED BUDGET LOWERED IT SO THAT YOU WOULDN'T, THEORETICALLY, IF YOU'RE HOUSE WAS WORTH $200,000, AND IF THE APPRAISER CAME BACK AT $200,000, YOU WOULDN'T PAY MORE TAXES. SO, NO NEW TAX RATE, THAT'S THE GOVERNOR'S WHOLE EFFORT TO BE VERY CLEAR ON THE TAXING PIECE.

BUT THAT DOESN'T SAY, IF WE'RE ABLE TO SPEND MORE MONEY, SPECIFICALLY, THE NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND SO, WE'RE NOT RAISING THE TAXES OF THOSE THAT ARE HERE, BUT ALL THE INCREASES ARE WHAT'S FUNDING THE GROWTH, THE NEW PEOPLE MOVING IN, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S WHAT'S BRINGING.

>> WHAT'S LIKE THE SALES TAX INCREASE, WHAT'S THE COUNTY BUDGET FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR?

>> WELL, I DON'T HAVE THAT FRONT OF ME.

>> IS THERE AN ESTIMATATION OF GROWTH FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS

YEAR AND THIS YEAR TO NEXT YEAR? >> JUST, I THINK, KIND OF TO ANSWER HER QUESTION, IF THERE'S A TRAJECTORY IF THERE'S A POTENTIAL GROWTH THERE IS, THAT'S POTENTIALLY HOW MUCH MONEY COMING INTO THE BUDGET THAT COULD EQUATE THE SALARY

GRIEVANCE HERE. >> THAT'S PERCENTAGE, POPULATION, GROWTH. (INDISCERNIBLE)

>> >> I TAKE THAT INTO ACT.

>> I DO HAVE A PROJECTION. I'M SORRY. GROWTH BY 2050, WILL

BE AROUND 374%. >> BY 2050?

>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> SO, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT WITH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE COMING IN THIS YEAR THAT THIS WILL BE ABLE TO COVER ALL THE COSTS HERE, BUT DEPENDING ON THE BUDGET AND PERCENTAGES AND AMOUNTS. THAT HAS TO BE

REBALANCED EVERY YEAR, RIGHT? >> EVERY YEAR.

>> WE ARE ABLE TO PROPOSE A DIFFERENT PERCENTAGE INCREASE,

CORRECT? >> YOU ARE.

>> AND YOU CAN ALSO, WHENEVER YOU ARE READY TO, DELIBERATE FURTHER AND I CAN ASK THE GRIEVENT TO STEP OUT AS WELL SO YOU COULD HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY IF YOU WANTED TO.

>> IF I COULD ASK ONE OF THE CONSTABLES TO SHARE, I WOULD LIKE ALL THE NUMBERS, THAT'S ALL GREAT, BUT I'M A WOMAN, SO I'M GOING TO GET INTO EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS, CAN YOU GIVE ME YOUR TOP THREE REASONS WHY YOU THINK YOU NEED A RAISE BESIDE COST OF LIVING, AND OTHER STUFF. WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE THINGS THAT YOU SEE EVERYDAY, DAY-TO-DAY THAT HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS IN THE COUNTY THAT YOU FEEL YOU NEED AN INCREASE.

>> I GET TIRED OF HEARING ME TALK.

>> WELL, FIRST OFF, YOUR CONSTABLES OFFICES HAVE CHANGED

[01:50:06]

SO, WE FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE YOU EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN FOR THAT MONEY. AND THAT'S THE REASON THAT WE NOW DO, WE THE SHERIFF WILL TELL YOU WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND IN MY CASE, HE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE PD? BUDA. WE DO CRIMINAL STUFF, AUTO MOBILE ACCIDENTS, WE UNLOCK CARS, SEVERAL OF MY DEPUTIES HAVE CHANGED FLAT TIRES. THAT'S WHY THE UNIFORM ALLOWANCE, I GUESS. WE JUST FEEL LIKE THOSE ARE THINGS THAT IT DOESN'T COST YOU ANYMORE BUT WE FEEL LIKE WE OWE YOU THAT FOR THAT MONEY. AND FRANKLY, THE MARKET HAS JUST CHANGED. I ALREADY PROBABLY SHOWED MY AGE, BUT WHEN I STARTED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, I GROSSED $864 A MONTH, THAT WAS IT. SOMETIMES, I THINK I HAD MORE MONEY BACK THEN THAN I DO NOW, BUT YOU KNOW, A LOAF OF BREAD DIDN'T COST $5 EITHER, SO, THAT'S TWO OF THE REAL REASONS. THE MARKET BEING THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THAT. AND IN TERMS OF I'M, NEVER ASKED FOR A RAISE IN MY LIFE. IT'S NOT A GOOD POSITION T BE IN. I DON'T LIKE IT, I MEAN, I'VE HAD FUN HERE WITH YOU GUYS DOING THIS. BUT I WOULD RATHER BE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE AND WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU IN THE FUTURE, BUT, IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE UP WITH THE MARKET, WITH OUR DEPUTIES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME ASK YOU GUYS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE LIKE BEING HERE PROBABLY LESS THAN YOU GUYS LIKE LISTENING TO ME.

SO, DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?

>> YES. >> AND WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION

HERE. >> I THINK IT'S JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT SHE GOT YOUR ANSWER AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING TO US. IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS AN INCREASE IN DUTIES AND AN INCREASE OF PRESSURES PUT ON

PUBLIC OFFICIALS. >> AND ALSO, WHAT WAS THE LAST ONE, JUST SIMPLE THAT NO OFFENSE TO ANY OF YOU, BUT YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE SOMEWHERE AROUND MY AGE, SOMEONE'S GOT TO REPLACE YOU AT SOME POINT AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT QUALIFIED LAW

ENFORCEMENT. >> ABSOLUTELY.

>> OKAY. >> SOME OF YOU STILL HAVE HAIR.

>> MY DAD'S BALD, SO I HAVE ALL THE BALD JOKES.

>> JUDGE: ANYONE ELSE FOR THE CONSTABLE?

>> I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THIS AS THIS DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING DO WITH GREED, IT ALMOST, I MEAN IT'S ABOUT MONEY, BUT IT ALMOST HAS NOTHING TO DO ABOUT MONEY, BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM WORKING CLOSELY WITH THESE GUYS AND I CAN CERTAINLY TELL YOU FOR MYSELF, IF WE WERE LIKE THE SHERIFF IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND HAD WON THE LOTTERY, WE WOULD DO

[01:55:02]

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT CLOSING REMARK. WHAT I WILL DO NOW IS I WILL ASK THE GRIEVENTS TO STEP OUT JUST FOR A MOMENT TO GIVE OUR PANEL THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS.

>> I HAVE THE NUMBERS, THE BUDGET.

>> FY '21 THIS IS GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE, WE HAVE A ROAD DIVISION THAT HAS A SEPARATE OPERATING BUDGET, SO THIS IS JUST GENERAL. THIS IS OPERATING EXPENSE, LAST YEAR, $97,758,231, THAT'S THE FISCAL YEAR WE'RE IN NOW.

PROPOSED FOR FY 22 IT LOOKS LIKE A 10% INCREASE. $107,000,459.

>> THANK YOU, SHERRY, I APPRECIATE IT.

>> SHOULD I EXIT OR STAY? >> JUDGE: YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

ABSOLUTELY. AT THIS TIME IF ANYONE WANTS TO TAKE A REST ROOM BREAK, YOU COULD DO THAT. BUT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO SIT AND TALK ABOUT IT, WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO.

JEFF >> I THINK IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE HOW A LOT OF THIS STUFF WORKS AND THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT I'M NOT AWARE

OF. >> JUDGE: IT'S REALLY TRICKY, AND THE HARD PART IS WE LIKE THESE GUYS. WE LIKE THEM TOO, THAT'S WHY WE PUT A RAISE IN, IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS. WE HAVE NOTHING AGAINST THEM, WE REALLY DON'T.

>> ALL RIGHT. I DON'T THINK YOU HAD ANYTHING AGAINST THEM, THEY'RE GETTING A BETTER RAISE THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE DOWN SIZING OF BUSINESSES, AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO SHIFT FROM ONE PART OF THE BUDGET TO ANOTHER, THIS IS BASED ON ALREADY WHAT'S BEEN TAKEN IN AND THE NUMBERS THAT YOU EXPECT TO COME IN.

>> JUDGE: RIGHT. EXACTLY. >> WE'RE STILL, AS CITIZENS PAYING MORE BECAUSE OUR HOUSE, DIDN'T STAY AT $200,000, THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR SOLD FOR TWICE THAT MUCH AND YOU'RE NOT

PREPARED TO. >> THE COUNTY'S PART OF THE BUDGET IS SMALL WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO THE ISD'S, IN BIGGER CITYS, THEY TAKE A BIG CHUNK OF OUR TAX MONEY.

>> BECAUSE EDUCATION IS 50%? >> WE AS A COUNTY, I'M DOING MY PART (INDISCERNIBLE)

>> SO, I WANT TO TELL PEOPLE AS BUTAL AS I CAN, I WANT TO DO THE BEST WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND I SAID THIS IN MY STATEMENT WHEN I OPENED A PROPOSAL, I SAID, I'M ENCOURAGING ISDS AND MUNICIPALITIES TO STEP UP TO THE CHALLENGE OF BEING AS -- BECAUSE OF THE HARDSHIP THAT WE'RE ALL SPEXPERIENCING TO BE FRUGAL AS YOU CAN. (INDISCERNIBLE)

>> . (MANY VOICES)

>> (INDISCERNIBLE)

>> CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION ON THE SHERIFF'S SALARY, IS THIS THE CURRENT SALARY OR THE ONE THAT'S PROPOSED?

[02:00:03]

>> WHICH ONE? >> THE ONE AT THE BOTTOM.

>> I DIDN'T SEE THAT, BUT I DID HAVE THE OTHER ONE. THE SHERIFF'S CURRENT SALARY IS (INDISCERNIBLE)

>> AND HIS PROPOSED, OUR COMMISSIONERS COURT PROPOSED BUDGET IS TO TAKE IT TO $115,091.

>> OKAY. >>

(INDISCERNIBLE) >>

(INDISCERNIBLE) >> AND THAT'S AT $1,000?

>> HE'S ASKING FOR ONE PERSON. >> WHICH IS THE AVERAGE.

>> SO WE'RE OFFERING 5 MORE AND HE'S SAYING 20 MORE.

>> AND THE FIVE MORE IS THE 4% INCREASE.

[3. Deliberation of Committee regarding Grievances filed. (Part 1 of 2)]

>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> AND THIS IS A TIME FOR YOU GUY TOSS TALK ABOUT IT AND FEEL AT EASE, THE BEST YOU CAN, BUT STILL IN A PUBLIC SETTING THAT I CAN DO. I WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS A PLACE TO GO TALK PRIVATELY, BUT I WAS ADVISED AGAINST IT.

ASK QUESTIONS AMONGST YOURSELVES.

>> IF I COULD JUST SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.

>> JUDGE: YES, SIR. >> THIS CONCEPT OF PEOPLE BELOW YOU NOT MAKING MORE THAN YOU, IS NOT NECESSARILY A BLANKET STATEMENT THAT WORKS. I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER HAD A JOB WHERE WHEN I TOOK THE HIGHER POSITION I DIDN'T MAKE LESS THAN THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED FOR ME. BECAUSE, NOW IF YOU DIVIDED IT BY HOUR, YES, BUT, I WOULD GO TO SALARY, AND I WASN'T MAKING THE OVERTIME BUT I WAS WORKING THE HOURS THAT THE GUYS WERE WORKING AND I KEEP THEM RUNNING AND MOTIVATED AND IT'S A POSITION THAT YOU TAKE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO. AND AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY TAKE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO. AND THEY RUN FOR IT AND THEY CONVINCE YOU THAT THEY'RE THE PERSON FOR THE JOB. SO, THAT, TO ME IS NOT A FACTOR, IT ME IT'S MORE OF WHAT IS THIS POSITION WORTH IN RELATION TO THE OTHER COUNTIES AND WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE MAKING AND TO COMPARE IT WITH SOME COUNTIES, I THINK IS A LITTLE BIT, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTIES, THE NATURE,

YES. >> JUDGE: I CAN TELL YOU ON SOME OF THESE, BECAUSE SOME OF THESE, I LOOK AT SOME OF THESE THINGS, I WILL TELL YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR WILLIAMSON COUNTY, IT IS WHAT IT IS. SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE WILLIAMSON COUNTY IS. WHERE IS IT, AND WHAT'S THEIR POPULATION, YES IT'S JUST NORTH OF AUSTIN, AND IT HAS ALMOST, ALMOST, NOT QUITE, DOUBLE OF POPULATION OF HAYS COUNTY.

>> IT'S A BIGGER COUNTY AND DON'T THEY HAVE A LARGE PRISON?

>> THE LARGEST PRISON IS IN WACO THAT YOU MIGHT BE REFERENCING. I DON'T KNOW HOW BIG THEIR PRISON IS, BUT THEY HAVE A VERY BIG ONE. ANOTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT, I MADE A FEW NOTES DO YOU GUYS WANT TO HEAR THEM. HERE'S MY UNIQUE SITUATION AND UNIQUE PLACE, I WANT TO GIVE THESE GUYS MORE, I DO, I PERSONALLY DO, BUT I FEEL THE HAMSTRING EFFECT OF TRYING TO BE A GOOD OFFICIAL STEWARD DURING COVID. I WAS THE GUY THAT PROPOSED THE RAISE, OF COURSE, THERE IT IS, BUT NOT AS HIGH, AND HAD IT NOT BEEN A COVID YEAR, I WOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IN THE MEANTIME, I WANTED TO MAKE SOME NOTES MY INTENTION IS NOT TO BE FOR OR AGAINST, TO BE AS INFORMATIVE AS POSSIBLY BUT THE DECISION IS YOUR'S. THAT'S MY

GOAL. >> WHY WAS COVID A FACTOR?

>> BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE HAVING FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS THROUGH IT AND ALL THE DECISIONS MADE HERE IN THIS COURT EFFECT PEOPLE'S PAYCHECKS ULTIMATELY IN THE PAYMENT OF ESCROW AND HOUSE PAYMENTS ET CETERA. THAT'S WHY I WAS IN PART LOOKING AT THAT.

>> I PERSONALLY FEEL $95,000 IS MUCH, I THINK WE SHOULD FIND SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE. I THINK IT'S A LITTLE TOO MUCH.

BUT, I THINK MAYBE WE CAN MAYBE GIVE THEM SOMETHING.

>> SO, IN THE SPIRIT OF, AS THE CHAIR OF THIS MEETING, BUT I WANT TO REMIND YOU I'M NOT VOTING. BUT I WANT TO KEEP THIS MOVING IN A PRODUCTIVE MANNER, BUT I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO FEEL RUSHED. SHOW OF HANDS IF THERE IS A SUPPORT FOR THE RAISE, I WANT TO TAKE. THERE'S A FORK IN THE ROAD FOR ME, IF THERE'S SUPPORT FOR A RAISE, GOOD, WE CAN GO THAT ROUTE, WHAT I'M

[02:05:02]

SUPPORT FOR A RAISE? >> OKAY. NO PROBLEM.

>> NOW, DOES SOMEONE WANT TO START, WE SHOULD BREAK THEM UP

INTO TWO, CONSTABLES? >> WAS THERE A NONE?

>> THERE IS A NONE. >> WELL, I'M NOT TRYING TO REDUCE YOUR RAISE TO 0% THIS YEAR. NO RAISE BEYOND WHAT

YOU'VE ALREADY ALLOCATED. >> GREAT POINT FOR CLARIFICATION, A NO OVER RAISE WHICH WOULD STILL KEEP THE RAISE IN PLACE WHICH FOR THE SHERIFF IS $5,000 Z YOU WOULDN'T CHANGE YOUR MIND FROM OUR CURRENT POSITION OF NO ADDITIONAL RAISE?

>> WE COULD VOTE FOR WHAT THEY ASKED FOR THEN.

>> THIS ISN'T GOING AWAY WITH HIS IDEA. THIS WOULD BE IN

PLACE STILL. >> THE 4%?

>> THE ORIGINAL RAISE WOULD STAY IN PLACE.

>> BUT THEN IF HE'S NOT WILLING TO NEGOTIATE ANYMORE, THEN?

>> WE CAN STILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.

>> SO, HERE'S WHAT I'M THINKING IT COULD THEORETICALLY BE DEAD RIGHT THERE, BUT IN THE SPIRIT OF MOVING ALONG IN A USEFUL MANNER, I'M GOING TO SAY, WHAT AMOUNT? SINCE YOU STARTED THE CONVERSATION, YOU COULD START THE CONVERSATION, CONSTABLES AND SHERIFFS TREATED SEPARATELY. I WAS THINKING CONSTABLES AT FIRST, BECAUSE THEIR RAISE SEEMS TO ME EXCESSIVE. I WAS GOING TO

FIGURE WHAT 6% WOULD BE. >> I AGREE 100%.

>> IT'S $84,784 Z AND I INK >> $84,784.70.

>> SO, JUST... >> MY POINT WOULD BE SINCE YOU GUYS, SOMEBODY PICKED THE 15 COUNTIES TO USE, AND THERE'S THE DISCUSSION AT THE MID POINT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE'S AN AVERAGE THERE, I WOULD SUGGEST WE USE THE AVERAGE WHICH IS NOT MUCH MORE THAN THAT, BUT IT'S $86,000, AND PARTLY BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY WOULD DESERVE IT, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE AND WE CAN GET THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THAT WE WANT OVER HERE OVER SOME OF THESE OTHER PLACES BECAUSE AT LEAST FOR NOW, WE'RE A MUCH BETTER PLACE. I HAVE NEW NEIGHBORS, I LIVE IN A NEW AREA IN DRIPPING SPRINGS, WE HAVE PEOPLE MOVING OUT OF AUSTIN. MY NEW NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR JUST MOVED OUT OF AUSTIN, THE OTHER GUY BEHIND ME MOVED OUT OF AUSTIN TO GET OUT OF HERE.

>> THESE ARE ELECTED POSITIONS, SO THEY MIGHT EVEN COME HERE TO SHOW THAT THEY CAN DO THE JOB AND DO A GREAT JOB AND THEN MOVE ONTO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN MAKE MORE MONEY. THIS IS NOT TRYING TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION AND IT'S NOT SKEWED SO FAR AWAY THAT IT'S RIDICULOUS FOR THEM TO CONSIDER RUNNING IN THIS, OTHERWISE, SHERIFF CUTLER WOULD HAVE GONE

SOMEWHERE ELSE A LONG TIME AGO. >> JUST FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE CONVERSATION, WHAT'S THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS FOR THE

$86,000? >> I THINK I SHOULD MAKE A RULE

FOR YOU, NO SMALL FONT. >> $86,828.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> SO, THAT'S THE AVERAGE OF THE MARKET COUNTIES THAT WE USED FOR EMPLOYEES.

>> JUDGE: OKAY. I HAD SOME OTHER COMMENTS --

>> IF HE USED THE MARKET COUNTIES IN THE PAST. $84,244.

>> SO, WE HAD A LITTLE CONVERSATION.

>> THE ONLY THING I WAS GOING TO ADD IS THAT NOBODY ON THIS LIST THAT YOU PROVIDED MAKES THE AVERAGE. IF WE PUT THEM UP TO THE AVERAGE, THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES ON THE AVERAGE SALARY, NOBODY ELSE IS THERE. SO, I LIKE HER RECOMMENDATION, BECAUSE IT'S STILL BELOW THE AVERAGE SO THAT NOBODY'S ABOVE THAT.

>> BECAUSE THERE'LL BE FUTURE GRIEVANCES, THOSE ARE THE RIPPLES THAT WE LOOK AT, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE GRIEVING, YOUR POINT IS EXACTLY WHAT IN PART THAT WE THINK ABOUT AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO SPLIT THIS INTO TWO, REMEMBER DON'T FEEL RUSHED BY MY DIRECTION. I HAVE TWO NUMBERS PROPOSED, BUT IT COULD STILL BE NO TO ALL OF IT, DON'T FORGET. THERE'S ONE OPTION FOR $84,784, WHICH IS 6%

[02:10:06]

>> AND THAT WAS MORE, CORRECT? >> THAT WAS THE MIDDLE ROAD.

>> SO, YOU'RE SPLITTING ON THAT FRONT RIGHT THERE.

>> . >> JUDGE: SO, WE COULD DO.

BUT, THE RIPPLES IS HOW I CALL IT IN COURT, AND YOU GOT TO COUNT THE RIPPLES AND THAT'S TRUE, WHAT YOU SAID. FOR JUST UNDER $2,000 A YEAR YOU'RE GOING TO CAUSE RIPPLES FOR OTHER

ELECTED BODIES AS WELL. >> I'VE BEEN ON FACULTY, PREVIOUS COMMITTEES AND MEDICAL SCHOOLS WHERE I'M STILL DOING THAT, TO ME THAT WAS NEVER AN ISSUE. IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT POSITION WAS WORTH, RELATIVE TO OTHERS.

>> JUDGE: VERY GOOD. OKAY. >> ARE WE LEANING TOWARDS THE

6%? >> IT'S TORN AND WE'RE GOING TO

RUN A VOTE. >> I THINK SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT FOR 6% OFF OF THE CURRENT 77.

>> I HAVE AN OLD CASIO. >> SO, IF I TAKE 77, THOUSAND $700 AND ADD 6% TO THAT, I GET $82,362,

>> BUT THEN THE 4% IS AUTOMATIC. WAS THAT XRAT.

>> ARE YOU THINKING 6% ON TOP OF THE 4%.

>> I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE 4% IS THERE.

>> I WAS THINKING STRAIGHT 6%. >> SO, SHE'S THINKING 2% ABOVE

THE 4 THAT WE WERE PROPOSING. >> YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS

THINKING. >> SO A TOTAL OF 6% RAISE FROM

THEIR CURRENT PAY. >> SO, WITH THEIR 4% ALREADY IN THE BUDGET WOULD BRING THEIR BASE PAY TO $80,808. FOR SIMPLE POLICITY, ADD 2% ON TOP OF THAT, YOU WOULD GET $82,424.

>> JUDGE: $82,424, OKAY. SO, NOW WE'RE GOING TO STRAIGHT OUT AND VOTE. SO, FOR A TOTAL OF 6% TAKING THEM FROM $77,077 TO $82,424, RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU SUPPORT THEM NUMBER?

>> A HIGHER ONE OF $86,828. >> SO, RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU SUPPORT FROM $77,000 TO $82,424, RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU SUPPORT

THAT NUMBER. >> I CAN CHANGE MY MIND FOR

THAT. >> OKAY. THERE'S 2.

>> NOW RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU SUPPORT $86,000 FROM $77,007 TO 86,828, RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU SUPPORT THAT NUMBER.

>> I'M CONCERNED THAT IF WE AREN'T UNANIMOUS, THEY WANT GET

A PAY RAISE. >> CAN WE PICK TWO NUMBERS AND

DISCUSS THOSE. >> I GOT AN ALTERNATIVE IN BETWEEN THOSE SOMEWHERE, I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT. MAY BE IF WE PICKED, THE 85 OR 84, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, MAY BE WE

COULD GET PEOPLE. >> SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE.

>> AND IT WOULDN'T STEP ON MOST TOES THAT YOU WERE MENTIONING.

MAY BE THE OTHERS WOULD GO ALONG WITH THAT.

>> SO, THE SUGGESTION IS AT $84,000 TO CAPTURE THE UNANIMOUS

SUPPORT. >> WHAT PERCENTAGE IS 84?

>> $84,000 IS 1 PERCENTAGE FROM $7,707?

>> IT'S, 8%. >> HANG ON, LET ME.

>> IT'S 8.2%. >> IT'S 8.2%.

>> $4,000. >> 777, IF ONE OF YOU VOTES

NOW, IT'S A RECOMMENDATION. >> RIGHT.

>> FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT BEFORE, WHEN YOU DON'T GET A RAISE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AN 8-10% RAISE ISN'T MUCH

BECAUSE YOU'RE ALREADY BEHIND. >> THAT'S TRUE.

>> SO, IT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN RAISES AND HAVE CONTESTED THOSE, BUT EVERY TIME YOU MISS A RAISE FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT IMPACTS YOU FOR A LONG TIME.

>> AND WITH THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS, I MEAN, I GUESS WITH THE PREVAILING WAGES IT CONTINUES TO INCREASE EVERY SO

[02:15:03]

>> IF IT'S VOTED ON OR APPROVED. BECAUSE LIKE AS A CIVILIAN, THINGS ARE GETTING EXPENSIVE, RIGHT, NO MATTER WHAT. SO, I CAN FEEL THE PAIN FOR ANYBODY MAKING A WAGE, ELECTED OFFICIAL OR NOT, THERE'S NO INCREASE, RIGHT, WITH EVERYTHING ELSE GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE. BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE, CAN I AFFORD TO LIVE HERE, RIGHT? AND THAT'S A HARD THING. PART OF MY DIFFICULTY HERE IS UNDERSTANDING HOW TO QUALIFY THIS, RIGHT? HOW TO QUALIFY, OKAY, THERE'S AVERAGE, AND THE CBA AND ALL THAT STUFF, THAT'S FAIR, RIGHT, FIND A GOOD AVERAGE AND MY FEAR HERE THAT'S PUSHING ME TO FIGURE OUT WHICH WAY TO GO, IS WE WANT QUALITY, RIGHT, WE WANT PEOPLE TO STICK AROUND. AND THESE GUYS HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME IT SEEMS LIKE, IT'S A GOOD SPEECH, RIGHT, AND WE'RE GETTING PRAISES, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE REALLY GOOD. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHERE WE PUT OUR MONEY, SCHOOLS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, SAFETY, I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN AUSTIN, AND I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT A TRAVIS COUNTY FEEL FROM A CRYING PERSPECTIVE TO BE HERE.

AND THAT'S MAY BE ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS, POTENTIALLY, IS OUR SAFETY. THE ORGANIZATION, HOW DO WE FEEL AND ARE WE PROUD OF OUR IT COUNTY THAT WE LIVE IN, I LIVE IN KYLE, RIGHT, AND IT'S NOT EXPENSIVE, OUR CITY MANAGER MAY BES $195,000 A YEAR WHICH IS CRAZY, AND WE THINK ABOUT THE GUYS ACTUALLY OUT IN THE FIELD, AND LIKE THE CONSTABLE'S SAYING, THEY COULD JUST SERVING PAPERS, AND THEY'RE DOING A LOT MORE

THAN THAT. >> SERVING PAPERS CAN BE

DANGEROUS. >> THAT'S WHY I'M HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. I WANT TO PUT EVERYTHING INTO PERSPECTIVE OF

WHY THEY SHOULD GET AN INCREASE. >> I SEE MY CONSTABLE OUT ALL THE TIME. HE'S IN OUR COMMUNITY ALL THE TIME. HE'S SHAKING HANDS, SAYING HI TO THE KIDS, CHANGING TIRES. HE'S PULLING PEOPLE OVER, HE'S AT EVERY WRECK I PASS BY.

>> IS CONSTABLE ELLEN YOUR CONSTABLE?

>> NO. CONSTABLE HOOD. >> DRIPPING SPRINGS, WE PAY

ADDITIONAL TAXES. >> I'LL STAY QUIET.

>> JUDGE: DID YOU HAVE A QUESTIN OR COMMENT?

>> YOU KNOW, WHATEVER NUMBER WE CHOOSE IS NOT JUST ABOUT THESE GENTLEMEN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY NOW BUT IT'S ABOUT WHO WE ATTRACT IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE THESE MEN, SHERIFF CUTLER IS IN HIS 60S, 70S, WHEN THESE MEN TAKE A LEAVE, WE WANT THE NEXT PEOPLE TO BE HERE. LET'S FACE IT WE'RE A DEMOCRATIC, CAPITALISTIC SOCIETY, IF WE GO FOR THE LEAST WE CAN GET A I WAY WITH, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE DOWN A RABBIT HOLE WE DON'T WANT

TO GO DOWN. >> WHAT I'M GOING TO DO NEXT, IS $84,000 WAS SUGGESED AS A MIDDLE OF THE ROAD TO CAPTURE THE SUPPORT. SHOW OF HANDS WHO SUPPORTS AN $84,000 RAISE.

>> I WANT TO GET UNANIMOUS WHATEVER WE CAN.

>> WHAT NUMBER WOULD TAKE YOUR SUPPORT?

>> $84,284. >> I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING UP

TO $86,000. >> WELL, BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING SOME, IT BECOMES A RECOMMENDATION.

>> SO, $84,000, IT'S NOT AN ALL OR NOTHING, BUT IT FEELS LIKE THAT. IT'S GOT TO BE EVERYONE SUPPORTING IT OR IT BECOMES A RECOMMENDATION. WHICH IT'S UP TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO YES OR NO. I DELIBERATELY CHOSE TO LIVE STREAM THIS, THERE'S NO TELLING HOW THESE CONVERSATIONS EFFECT. THERE'S NO TELLING. IF IT BECOMES A RECOMMENDATION, THERE'S NO AUTOMATIC ANYTHING,

JUST TO BE CLEAR. >> AND I TRUST THAT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE TRAINED TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY ESTABLISHING THE 4% RAISE THAT THEY DID IN THE FIRST PLACE WITH THE CONSIDERATION OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIKE AND ALL THE BUDGET THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH. MADE THE DECISION, YOU AND THE COURT, BASED ON SEEING THESE NUMBERS ALL THE TIME. WE'RE JUST LISTENING TO WHAT THEY SAY THEY'RE WORTH AND DESERVE. AND IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T THINK THEY DON'T DESERVE THIS, IT'S YOU'RE TRYING TO BALANCE ALL THE APPLES IN THE AIR.

>> THAT RIPPLING EFFECT IS INTERESTING TO THINK ABOUT, HOW IF ONE ELECTED OFFICIAL SAYS THRIX AND NOW, THEY'RE LIKE,

[02:20:03]

SO PAIMPORTANT. >> BUT, JUST REMEMBER, THEY'RE WELL CARED FOR AND WELL SUPPORTED. YOU'RE CONVERSATION

IS PURELY ON THEIR OWN. >> JUST SO YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT EFFECTING THAT PIECE OF THE CONVERSATION.

>> YOU WERE GOING TO SAY SOMETHING?

>> NOW I FORGOT WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.

>> THE GRIEVANCE FILING PERIOD IS OVER.

>> SO, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS TODAY, IF THE JPS DECIDE THEY HAVE A GRIEVANCE, THEY WON'T BE ABLE DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE NEXT TIME THE BUDGET IS CONSIDERED WHICH IS IN ANOTHER

YEAR? IS THAT CORRECT? >> SO WE'RE TALKING A YEAR FROM NOW IS WHEN THE NEXT PERSON WOULD BE ABLE TO SAY.

>> $84,000 IS AN 8.11% INCREASE.

>> 8.11 NOT 8.2%? >> CORRECT.

>> SO, WE'RE NOT THERE UNIFORMLY ANYWAY. SO, IT JUST BOILS DOWN TO YOUR IDEA THAT IT BECOMES AN AUTOMATIC KNOW IN COMMISSIONERS COURT TOMORROW, WHICH THERE'S NO GUARANTY THATLE BE A NO OR A YES BECAUSE AGAIN, PEOPLE ARE W AND THEY'RE GOING TO WEIGH IN ON, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE GREAT POINTS AND I'LL RECONSIDER. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IN ANY SETTING AND I DON'T WANT TO TILT OR TIP ANYTHING IN ANY DIRECTION.

>> ARE YOU SAYING ALL THE COMMISSIONER ARE WATCHING NOW?

>> NOPE. I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT ANYONE.

>> WHOSE TUNED IN? >> YOU JUST DON'T KNOW.

>> . >> JUDGE: I'VE LEARNED YEARS AGO TO SPEAK FOR SELF, AND THAT'S THE BEST THING I CAN DO.

>> LOOKING AT BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, LIKE, WHAT IS THE EFFORT OH OR FUNDING OR RESOURCES THAT GO INTO THAT IN THAT ELECTION? IN RUNNING? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, AS A SHERIFF OR A CONSTABLE, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, DO YOUHAVE TO GET A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONEY TOGETHER AND TAKE A WHOLE BUNCH OF TIME TO DO THAT, I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE EQUATION WITH AN ELECTED OFFICIAL UNLESS YOU'RE RE-ELECTED BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH TAE CAMPAIGNING PROCESS EVERY FOUR YEARS. ANY AVERAGE OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE?

>> NOPE, CAN'T GIVE YOU AN AVERAGE BECAUSE EVERY RACE IS UNIQUE. IF THEY'RE COUNTY WIDE LIKE A SHERIFF WOULD BE AND A CONSTABLE ISN'T. THERE'S NO TELLING. I HONESTLY FEEL BAD ABOUT SAYING IT THAT WAY BUT I PERSONALLY WOULDN'T PUT RACE EXPENSE INTO A SALARY, PERSONALLY,

>> BECAUSE IT'S CHALLENGED EVERY FOUR YEARS, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT. >> BEING A MERIT AND HAVING A MANAGER TO BE SURE THAT THEY DID EVERYTHING WELL, SAME THING IN THIS REGARD, BUT IT'S UP TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO MAKE THAT

DECISION AND THAT'S A LOT. >> SO, WE CAN SEND.

>> YES, MA'AM? >> SO, THE $10 MILLION INCREASE FROM FISCAL YEAR '21 TO 2022, THAT WAS THE EXPENSES, CORRECT?

>> THAT IS THE OPERATOR EXPENSES.

>> AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE A NUMBER OF THE AMOUNT OF INCOME

BRINGING IN BETWEEN '21 AND '22? >> FOR REVENUE, CURRENT YEAR IS $98 M $$98,007,974, PROJECTED REVENUE

FOR FJ '22 IS $10,682,302. >> AND NO ONE HAS THESE NUMBERS MEMORIZED, JUST TO BE FAIR. WE DON'T HAVE THESE NUMBERS MEMORIZED ALL THE TIME. AND SO, IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER, YOU COULD PULL THINGS UP AND THAT'S USEFUL. AND IT'S ALSO, I'LL REPEAT, IT WON'T BREAK THE BANK TO DO THIS, IT WON'T, BUT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LET ME CONTINUE THIS MEETING IN A WAY THAT'S PRODUCTIVE SO WE DON'T STAY UNTIL IT'S DARK. SO, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH A RECOMMENDATION SINCE UNANIMOUS DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, AND IF YOU ARE, THEN THAT MAY BE THE NEXT PART TO FOCUS ON A DOLLAR AMOUNT RECOMMENDATION SINCE UMNANIMOUS

[02:25:04]

>> I'LL JUST SAY, I WON'T GO HIGHER THAN 6% AT THIS TIME.

THAT'S WHERE I'M AT NOW. >> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE GROWTH OF THE COUNTY AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTICE THOSE NUMBERS JUST TOLD US TO US, THE FISCAL YEAR NUMBERS, LIKE YOU SAID IT'S NOT GOING TO BREAK THE

BANK. >> SO,

(INDISCERNIBLE) >> I DIDN'T GET TO HEAR WHAT

YOU SAID? >> EIGHT OF US ARE GOING FOR

$84,000, SO, 6% IS WHERE. >> BECAUSE IT'S MONEY. IT'S JUST MONEY. AND A LOT OF US ARE STUCK IN THE LOW INCREASES YEAR AFTER YEAR FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I TRIED TO FIGHT FOR MY GUYS TO GET MORE THAN 2.5% THIS YEAR AND WE'RE DOING OKAY

AS A COMPANY. >> SO, MY NEXT, JUST TO KEEP IT MOVING. SINCE, YOU'RE NOT GOING T GET UNANIMOUS, WHAT NUMBER DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE RECOMMENDING TO THE COURT?

>> DO YOU WANT TO RECOMMEND $86,000?

>> IS $84,000, THE LAST NUMBER WAS 3.11% INCREASE AND THAT WAS THE ONE THAT SEEMED MOST SUPPORTED. ARE YOU WANTING TO

JUMP UP HIGHER? >> IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET UNANIMOUS THEN IT BECOMES A CITIZEN'S RESPONSE TO WHAT'S GOING ON THAT EIGHT OF THE NINE OF US SAY THAT YOU SHOULD DO

SOMETHING. >> I'LL LET YOU THINK EIGHT,

[4. Vote of Committee for each Grievance. (Part 1 of 2)]

>> SO, NOW I HAVE TWO VOTES HERE, I'M GOING TO TAKE A VOTE FOR $84,000, AND I'M GOING TO TAKE A VOTE FOR $86,000. SHOW OF HANDS AS $84,000 AS A RECOMMENDATION. SHOW OF HANDS FOR $86,000 FOR A RECOMMENDATION. OKAY. I THINK

WE'RE DONE HERE. >> I HOPE IS THAT WE'RE

WATCHING. >> WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE

SHERIFF. >> OH DO WE HAVE AM GENERAL RECOMMENDATION, WHAT ARE THEY SEEING IN

>> WHAT I'LL DO IS TURN IN A PAPER THAT YOU'RE ALL GOING TO SIGN RIGHT NOW AND I WILL RECAP THIS MEETING ALONG WITH SHERRY'S HELP RIGHT NOW. I WILL RECAP THIS MEETING THE BEST I CAN.

AND MOST EFFICIENTLY AS I CAN. SO, IF WE CAN PASS AROUND THE

[3. Deliberation of Committee regarding Grievances filed. (Part 2 of 2)]

TO TALK ABOUT THE SHERIFF. >> CAN WE JUST SAY THE SAME PERCENTAGE INCREASE. IS IT THAT EASY.

>> HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE 6% INCREASE AS OPPOSED TO THE 4%

INCREASE? >> WHO SUPPORTS A 6% INCREASE INSTEAD OF THE 4% OF THE CURRENT PAY IS $110,664, THE 6% WHAT

DOES THAT PUT US AT? >> IS THAT THE SAME.

>> (INDISCERNIBLE)

>> 6% WOULD BE ABOVE THE SHERIFF'S CURRENT SALARY OF 110.

>> CURRENTLY, THE SHERIFF IS AT TUN HUNDRED $10,664 AND A 6% INCREASE WOULD MOVE HIM TO $117,303.

>> WHAT WAS THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE FOR THE CONSTABLES?

>> THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 8.311. >> NO, $86,000...

>> IS WHAT PERCENT? >> AND THAT'S IT, RIGHT, WHEN THAT'S PROPOSED TOMORROW, THAT'S IT.

>> YOUR JOB IS DONE HERE SOON. >> THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING.

>> 10.68%. >> NO, I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT MAY NEVER LOOK AT 86, BUT THEY MIGHT

HAVE LOOKED AT 84 THOUGHT. >> 10.68% IS WHAT'S GOING FOR THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CONSTABLES IN THE FORM OF

PERCENT. >> OKAY. SO, HOW DO WE FEEL ON

[02:30:01]

YOUR TEMPERATURE ON THAT. >> IF IT'S 10% IT'S NORTH OF

120, RIGHT? >> I'M SORRY, I THINK I KNOW.

>> WHAT'S 10% OF 110? >> $122,482.

>> AND HE'S ASKING FOR $130,000 TO HAVE THE AVERAGE.

>> WHICH IS A LITTLE LESS THAN THE MARKET AVERAGE.

>> JUST THINKING ABOUT TREATING EACH ONE FAIRLY PERCENTAGE WISE.

>> JUDGE: THAT'S A GOOD ASSESSMENT. SO, THE FLOATING CONVERSATION AT THIS MOMENT IS TO SAY, THE SHERIFF AT 110, BY PASSING OF 6% OF 117 AND MATCHING THE CONSTABLES RECOMMENDED 10.68. FROM $110,000, TO $122,482. SHOW OF

HANDS IF YOU LIKE THAT NUMBER. >> I THINK IT'S FAIR.

>> JUST AS A RECOMMENDATION. >> THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE PROBABLY

GOING TO END UP WITH. >> I DO HAVE A QUESTION RELATIVE TO THAT. BECAUSE IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THE DISCREPANCY FOR THE SHERIFF'S SALARY THAN THE CONSTABLE. THE SHERIFF SAID IT WAS 17.83%. SO, THE SHERIFF WAS SMALLER.

>> THE CONSTABLE IS LOOKING AT THE MIXTURE OF MARKETS THAT ARE

IN THE CBA. >> YEAH, THEY LOOKED AT

DIFFERENT MARKETS. >> BUT IF WE STAY IN THE ONES THAT THE COUNTY USES, THEN IT'S LESS THAN THE SHERIFF'S

DIFFERENCE? >> YEAH. 17.6%.

>> HOW MUCH MORE COMPLICATED IS THE SHERIFF'S JOB THAN THE

CONSTABLES JOB. >> ACTUALLY, A LOT MORE BECAUSE HE DOES HAVE TO MANAGE THE JAIL AND HE ALSO HAS A HUGE NUMBER.

YOU KNOW THE NUMBER OFF OF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD OF PEOPLE IN

THAT DEPARTMENT. >> HE HAS CLOSE TO 500 PEOPLE.

>> JUDGE: IT'S A MONTH THAT THE SHERIFF RUNS COMPARED TO A CONSTABLE'S OFFICE OF 4-6 PEOPLE. SIGNIFICANTLY.

>> BUT ALSO SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT.

>> THANK YOU. >> SO HOW ARE WE FEELING?

>> I WOULD SAY THE SAME AVERAGE.

>> SO, TO KEEP THE CONSTABLE'S 10.68% CONSISTENT TO THE SHERIFF'S RECOMMENDED WE'LL MOVE THE SHERIFF TO A $12,000 RAISE A

YEAR? >> EXACTLY, SITTING AT

$122,482. >> SO, JUST ONE LAST TIME, SHOW OF HANDS FOR A CONSENSUS VOTE FOR RECOMMENDING TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO MOVE THE SHERIFF'S PAY TO 10.68% TO MATCH THE CONSTABLE'S PAY FROM $110,664 TO $122,482 SHOW OF

HANDS. >> WHAT, NICE, YOU GOT THAT.

>> OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO FLOAT A PAPER AROUND FOR YOU TO

SIGN AS WELL. >> ALL RIGHT.

>> OKAY. >> AND ARE THERE ANY OTHER

QUESTIONS? >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS?

>> YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB. I CAN SEE THE PASSION, THE THINKING AND UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THE INFORMATION. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. THANK YOU, IT IS TIME TO ENGAGE IN THIS CAPACITY. I

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> CAN I EXPLAIN THE PROCESS?

>> OKAY. YOU'RE GOING TO GET A SHEET FOR EACH PERSON, EACH OF THE FIVE CONSTABLES AND THE SHERIFF, I PUT IN THE LINE, PLEASE GO DOWN TO WHATEVER YOUR NUMBER IS SIGN IT AND PUT YES OR NO ON THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO, THEY'RE

COMING AROUND. >> WILL SOMEONE WATCH THE PAPER

SO IT DON'T GET LOST? >> I STARTED RIGHT HERE.

>> THE CONSTABLES ARE COMING THIS WAY.

>> AND THE SHERIFF IS COMING THIS WAY.

>> I THINK YOU COULD LET THE SHERIFF AND THE CONSTABLES BACK

[02:35:01]

IN. >> DO YOU NEED THESE?

>> I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS OPTIONS. THAT WAS MY ONLY INTENT. WE SHOULD HAVE FIVE OF THESE, AM I RIGHT?

>> YES, SIR. >> I'M GOING TO WAIT UNTIL

THEY'RE ALL TOGETHER. >> ALL RIGHT.

>> THERE YOU GO. >> THANK YOU, GUYS.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT. >> I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.

>> REALLY NICE. SO, I WILL RECAP TO OUR FRIENDS IN BLUE WHAT TOOK PLACE WHILE YOU WERE DONE. YOU COULD ALWAYS REWIND IF YOU WANT TO BECAUSE WE LEFT THIS RECORDING. BECAUSE WE'RE A COURT OF RECORD. AND AS I DID MY BEST THAT I COULD TO NOT PUT MY THUMB ON THE SCALE IN ANY DIRECTION. BUT I TRULY DO VALUE AND APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS DO ON A DAILY BASIS. SO, HERE'S THE RECAP OF HOW IT'S GOING DOWN. THERE WAS NO UNANIMOUS, THE BEST WE COULD DO IS CONSENSUS, SO, THERE'S GOING TO BE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT ON THE CONSTABLE AND THE SHERIFF'S AND IN THE THE RECOMMENDATION. TO GIVE APP 10.68% INCREASE TO RAISE THE CONSTABLES TO $86,000, FROM $77,700 THE SLATED RAISE THAT WE HAD WAS $80,000, $80,808. BUT THIS BODY HAS ELECTED TO RECOMMEND TO COMMISSIONERS COURT TO DIAL IT UP, $6,000 MORE TO $86,000. I'M GOING TO REPEAT IT ONE MORE TIME BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE WATCHING AND I WANT TO BE SURE EVERYBODY GETS IT. BECAUSE I COULD BE CONFUSING IT AT TIMES. SO, THE CONSTABLE ARE CURRENTLY AT $77,700, THE ORIGINAL RAISE THAT WE HAD PUT IN TO OUR BUDGET WAS FOR $80,838, AND THIS BODY HAS RECOMMENDED A RAISE OF A LITTLE BIT HIGHER TO $86,000 WHICH IS A TOTAL OF 10.68% INCREASE.

>> THE SAME WAS DONE FOR THE SHERIFF, A 10.68% INCREASE WHICH TAKES THE SHERIFF FROM $1,106,468,000 TO $122,482. AND WE DID TALK ABOUT THE COMPLEXITIES AND WE DID TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT WORK AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE DIFFERENT OFFICES AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS SETTLED THAT WAY AS A THEY WERE TRYING TO BE AS FAIR AND EVEN-HANDED AS POSSIBLE AND THAT'S WHY 10.68% IS WHAT'S BEING SLATED FOR

EVERYONE. >> RECOMMENDATION NOT

UNANIMOUS. >> THE SHERIFF WAS UNANIMOUS.

>> THE SHERIFF WAS UNANIMOUS. >> THE SHERIFF WAS UMNANIMOUS.

[4. Vote of Committee for each Grievance. (Part 2 of 2)]

>> WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CONSTABLES, BUT I THINK WE

CAN MAKE IT LAW FOR THE SHERIFF. >> SHOW OF HANDS IF YOU SUPPORT $122,482 FOR THE SHERIFF TO GO FORWARD. AND IF IT'S A FULL RANGE OF HANDS FOR THE SHERIFF, ONE $122,482. THE SHERIFF IS NOT A RECOMMENDATION, THE SHERIFF IS GOING TO HAVE IT.

THERE YOU GO, RECOMMENDED FOR THE CONSTABLES 10.68% AND THE SHERIFF WILL BE SET FORTH AT $122,482, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. WE'RE GOING TO GET

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.