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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-09-04-10:00AM-PUBLIC HEARINGOJ -yes ~O ~ Y OF ~gP BRAZOS COUNTY< BRYAN, TEXAS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BRAZOS COUNTY BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING 30 SEPTEMBER 2009 4 SEPTEMBER 2008 THE BRA70S COi_JNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THURSDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2008 AT 10=00 A_M_ IN THE COMMISSIONERS COURTROOM OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, 200 SOUTH TEXAS AVENUE, SUITE 106, BRYAN, TEXAS. ~ FISCAL THE COURT WILL HEAR COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET F~"~VOR YEAR ENDING 30 SEPTEMBER 2009_ ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE l1VITED TO ATTEND SAID HEARING AND PRESENT THEIR CAUSE, IF ANY, FOR OR AGAINST THE PROPOSED BUDGET. THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS FILED WITH THE COUNTY CLERK AND WILL REMAIN ON FILE 1N THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING STATE STATUTES. ALL INTERESTED PARTIES ARE URGED TO ACQUAINT THEMSELVES WITH SAID BUDGET DURING THE TIME IT REMAINS ON FILE WITH THE COUNTY CLERK. FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET HAS ALSO BEEN PLACED ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE AND CAN BE FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING Li1VK= http c //co. brazo atx. us/information/financialReport.php (scroll to the bottom) 't'he Brazos County Courthouse is whcclchair accessible_ Handicap parking spaces are available. Any request for sign interpretive services must be made two business days before the meeting. To make arrangements, call (979) 361-4102. Office of the County Judges - 300 East 261^ St. Suite 114 j - Bryan, Texas 77803 - Fax: (979) 361-4503 t 1 t 4(p COMMISSIONERS' COURT PUBLIC HEARING September 4, 2008 The Commissioners' Court of Brazos County, Texas met in a Public Hearing in the Commissioners' Courtroom of the County Administration Building, 200 South Texas Avenue, Suite 106 in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas, beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday September 4, 2008, with the following members of the Court present: Randy Sims, County Judge, Presiding; Lloyd Wassermann, Commissioner of Precinct 1; absent. Duane Peters, Commissioner of Precinct 2; Kenny Mallard, Commissioner of Precinct 3; Carey Cauley, Commissioner of Precinct 4: Karen McQueen, County Clerk. Attached is a list of the citizens and officials in attendance. Attached is a transcript of the meeting. Vol l 1,,-k Page 147. 2 BRAZOS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2009 September 4th, 2008 Sims: Ok, ladies and gentlemen, it is 10:03 and I think this was supposed to start at 10:00 o'clock. I apologize for running a little bit late. Let me read this statement that was published in the paper; Brazos County will hold two public hearings on a proposal to increase total tax revenues from properties on the tax roll in the preceding tax year by 13.11%. Percentage by which the proposed tax rate exceed lower of the rollback tax rate or effective tax rate calculated under Chapter 26, the Tax Code. Your individual taxes my increase at a greater or lesser rate or even decrease depending on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property and the tax rate that is adopted. The first public hearing will be on September the 4th, 2008 at 2:00 o'clock at Commissioner's Courtroom, Suite 106 of the County Administration Building, 200 South Texas Avenue, Bryan, Texas. The second public hearing will be held on September the 9th, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. in the Commissioners' Court, Suite 106 of the County Administration Building, 200 South Texas Avenue, Bryan, Texas. The members of the governing body are Randy Sims, Duane Peters, Carey Cauley, Lloyd Wassermann, and Kenny Mallard. Ok. Today is a public hearing on the budget and that is to be held right as we speak and the first public hearing on the tax increase will be at 2:00 o'clock this afternoon. Yes ma'am? McLeod: Never mind. Sims: Ok. We will open up the public hearing on the budget. We do have Lane Thibodeaux that would like to speak, please. If you will, just step up. Vol I Page I~ 3 Thibodeaux: Good morning. Sims: Good morning. Thibodeaux: It is a privilege and pleasure to be able to be able to meet in Commissioners' Court; this is the first opportunity I've had to visit the new Administration Building (inaudible). Gallego: Oh, you know what happened; it's not on. None of these are on. Mallard: How about now. Gallego: I'm Sorry, I didn't have it on. Do yall have all of yalls on? Sims: Yes. Thibodeaux: I come today in two capacities; first as President of the Brazos County Bar Association. I am President of that organization for this year, 2008. 1 also come as a taxpayer and as a citizen of this community. I come to talk to you about one thing specifically regarding the budget items for fiscal year 2009. And that is the supplement that has been budgeted for District Court Judges. I come today speaking independently of the District Court Judges. As President of the Bar Association and as an individual I kind of looked into this, specifically. I have also received authorization from the Officers of the Bar Association to come to speak here today. Let me say, first, to you that the Bar Association of practicing lawyers in this County who appear in front of District Judges every day have an interest as well as the community, the community generally, and that is where I'll wear my hat as a taxpayer and a tax paying citizen; to make sure that we keep, retain, and motivate or encourage qualified individuals to serve on the District Court Bench. The District Court Judges in this County and around the State make huge decisions that not only impact citizens of this particular community and their community, but other individuals as well. On family law cases and on determination of criminal cases in which there is a possibility of incarceration for lengthy periods of time. All sorts of decisions that impact me as a citizen and impact this community generally. And as a citizen and as an attorney, making sure that we are able to attract individuals of a quality that will be able to make decisions on the Bench that will be studied and kept is absolutely critical. Vol l i ~k Page ~-I 4 Having said that, I understand that the State pays the lion's share of District Court Judge's salaries. But this County Commissioners' Court budgets supplements. And the supplements that I have seen in this proposed fiscal year, 2009, I submit to you is inadequate. As I look around the State and I survey ...and I've looked, I've crunched the numbers from similar situated Counties with demographics, and I'll just mention two; Jefferson County and Fort Bend County in particular are the Counties I'm familiar with ...those two Counties pay the statutory maximum. I think that it is critical as I (inaudible) started with that that District Court serves the public service, not becoming such a sacrifice that it discourages these individuals from staying on the Bench. Now, I understand that we're talking about a substantial amount of money that District Court Judges make. And I'm not minimizing by any stretch of the imagination. In comparison relative to the population, generally, the amount of money that these District Court Judges make is large. I understand that. But that is comparing apples and oranges. If you want to compare apples to oranges, you have to, I believe, take what these District Courts Judges could be making in the private sector. Now, I understand and I appreciate and certainly understand that you all are in a public service. Public service comes with sacrifice. But if that sacrifice becomes too large, it promotes a disincentive of qualified people to stay on the Bench or to think about making that leap into public service and serving. Giving the kind of quality decisions that we, as a County, demand. I would just respectfully request that this Court consider, that this Court consider... from my standpoint as an individual, as President of the Bar Association, I'd love to see the maximum paid. The maximum supplement. Now, I understand that you all as Commissioners have to make budgetary decisions that allocate scarce resources. I certainly appreciate that. But I would respectfully, respectfully, request that this Commissioners' Court consider those things that I've said here and budget a higher increase than what is currently budgeted for the supplement for the District Court Judges. I appreciate your time. I appreciate you attention. Normally at this point, I would answer questions but I understand that that is not applicable here. I certainly appreciate your time and attention. Thank you very much. Sims: Thank you very much Mr. Thibodeaux. Any other comments by citizens? We have Sheriff Kirk. Vol II Page 15D 5 Kirk: Thank you Judge, Commissioners. Good morning. I just wanted to revisit a couple of things from our budget hearings. Certainly need to make sure that we go back and clarify some of the things that we did actually discuss. As you recall, the transition team for our new facility, the discussions we had about staffing that. Of course, the transition team is a critical component to the construction and the opening of the new facility. And prior to our budget preparations, we consulted with the National Institute of Corrections and their experts. Their initial recommendation for that team was ten members. We knew that that was not very practical and a real number for us to attain so we, actually, through discussions with them, came up with an agreed minimum of seven. At our budget hearings, we made those comments and request of you at the same time. Now you, as a Court, suggested that we fund four positions for that team with the caveat that we knew we were going to have the NIC training coming up with the How to Open a New Facility the (inaudible) training that we went thorough for three days. We did have that training and I thought it was very good training. Our staff learned a great deal about what our mission is and how we're going to accomplish that. But in that presentation they were very clear about the responsibility and the needs of that team and how it should be made up. And we haven't gotten the final report yet but we expect that report in two weeks. But we did have a discussion with the team members that presented the (inaudible) program and their recommendation is still that that transition team be seven members. And in our discussions, again, we left the hearing rooms with the understanding that we would revisit that. So I offer to you that we do expect the final report to come back with a seven member recommendation. Sims: Ok. Kirk: Under the circumstances and understanding the goals of this Court that you set for this budget, we did have other request; the animal control officer, the warrant deputy, merit pay, and some other requests that were not included in the proposed budget. And understanding those goals, we will not continue our efforts to find support for those requests in this fiscal year. You may see those requests next year but for this year, we acquiesce. We do greatly appreciate the consideration that you've given for our budget and we appreciate those things that you have included. Thank you very much. Sims: Thank you, Sheriff. Appreciate it. Is there anyone else, public, that would like to speak on the budget? Seeing none and hearing none, I want to remind you that the first public hearing on the tax increase is at 2:00 p.m. today in this room; Tuesday, the 4th of September, second public hearing on the tax Vol I 1 a,, Page 151 6 increase at 2:00 p.m. on September the 9th. The date to vote on the budget and adopt a tax rate will be Friday the 19th of September at 10:00 a.m.. So we will be back in here at 2:00 o'clock this afternoon. End of tape. Vol 110-( Page ) 5aL 7of7 The foregoing minutes of the Commissioners Court Public Hearing held September 4th 2008, have been examined and approved in open Court this the )54-- day of , 20U in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas. Duane Peters Commissioner, Precinct No. 2 Carey C ley, Jr.~ Commis Toner, Precinct 4 Attest: Karen McQueen County Clerk 11-P / Lloyd Wassermann Commissioner, Precinct No. 1 Kenny Malla Commissioner, Precinct No. 3 Vol l l a Page 53 14 BRAZOS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING ON 49 ~OG7~ 2008 AT 61 Name (PLEA E PRINT) Organization/Department I cx V~ ,L c,~ r- J s c~ c... r "r t~ C SD " j0 . 1 co, yl t iJ &IW4r A~ iq r5~