Feb 17, 2026 Caroline County Commissioners Meeting

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GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. WE WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. I'M PINCH-HITTING TODAY FOR COMMISSIONER BREEDING, WHO IS ON HIS WAY HOME FROM A WELL-DESERVED TRIP AWAY, SO BEAR WITH ME TODAY. WE WILL HAVE OUR CALL TO INVOCATION

[Call to Order: Invocation— Doug Morley, Greater Impact of Greensboro, Pledge of Allegiance; Agenda Review]

SCRIPTURE SAYS, BLESSED IS THE NATION WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD, THE PEOPLE HE CHOSE FOR HIS INHERITANCE.

FROM THE HEAVEN, THE LORD LOOKS DOWN AND SEES ALL MANKIND.

FROM HIS DWELLING PLACE, HE WATCHES ALL WHO LIVE ON EARTH. HE WHO FORMS THE HEARTS OF ALL CONSIDERS EVERYTHING THEY DO. FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BOW BEFORE YOU AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR BLESSING UPON THIS GREAT COUNTRY OF OURS AND ALSO UPON THIS COUNTY AND THIS COMMUNITY.

WE ASK, OH GOD, THAT YOU WOULD BE WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS TODAY AS THEY EXERCISE BOTH THE PRIVILEGE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SELF-GOVERNANCE. AND WE ASK, LORD, THAT YOU WOULD WATCH OVER AND KEEP EVERYTHING THAT IS SAID TODAY. FATHER, WE PRAY THAT YOU'D BE WITH, THOSE WHO FOSTER GROWTH AND UNDERSTANDING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WHO GUIDE AND INSPIRE US AS WE CELEBRATE NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH. AND WE PRAY, LORD, FOR YOUR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE AS WE REVIEW AUDITS AS WE PREPARE BUDGETS AND AS WE PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. LORD, WE ENTRUST THIS MEETING INTO YOUR HANDS, KNOWING THAT YOU WATCH EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AND THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF ALL THAT WE ARE. MAY WE OPERATE WITH DISCERNMENT, CLARITY, INTEGRITY, AND HUMILITY. WE PRAY IN CHRIST'S NAME.

AMEN.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU, PASTOR. AT THIS TIME I'LL DO THE CLOSED SESSION REPORT OUT. DURING THEIR FEBRUARY 10TH, 2026, MEETING,

[President’s Closed Session Report Out]

ATTENDEES WERE THE COMMISSIONERS KATHLEEN FREEMAN, STUART BERYL, DANIEL FOX, AND JENNIFER RILEY. THE NEXT ITEM HERE IS A PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH. DO WE HAVE THOSE PEOPLE HERE TODAY? NO ONE, NO ONE FROM BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS? SKIP IT. OKAY, WE NOW, WE, NEXT ITEM IS ROY GEISER FROM OUR AUDITOR,

[Roy Geiser, UHY LLP]

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ROY, THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU. YOU WANT ME UP HERE? YES, SIR, THAT'D BE GREAT.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME. YOU KNOW, SO I, I BROUGHT SOME BOUND COPIES. I BELIEVE YOU HAVE, THE, THE THICKER OF THE TWO COPIES IS WHAT WE'LL START OFF, WITH. I AM, ROY GUY'S PARTNER WITH UHY. I DO WANT TO THANK DANNY AND HIS TEAM FOR ALWAYS BEING READY FOR US. WE APPRECIATE IT. THIS AUDIT, GENERALLY GOES VERY SMOOTH, AND, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. AND I DID WANT TO SAY THIS WAS, THE 21ST YEAR IN A ROW THAT YOU GOT THE CERTIFICATE, DFOA CERTIFICATE. SO, PRETTY BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT. THAT'S THE HIGHEST, KIND OF HONOR IN, IN OUR NERD WORLD OF AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING, YOU KNOW. BUT, YEAH, WHERE IT'S A TIP YOUR HAT TO AND KUDOS TO, TO THE COUNTY FOR OBTAINING THAT. STARTING ON PAGE 14 IS THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT. I LIKE THESE TO BE KIND OF INFORMAL, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AS WE GO ALONG OR WANT ME TO EXPLAIN SOME AT THAT TIME, JUST FEEL FREE TO ASK.

BUT I WANTED TO SPEND SOME TIME IN THE AUDIT REPORT THIS YEAR. I'VE KIND OF ALWAYS JUST SAY, HEY, IT'S THE OPINION, THUMBS UP.

JUST WANTED TO ALSO EXPLAIN SOME OF THE KEY PIECES IN HERE.

JUST, IT'S A NICE REMINDER TO EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC. SO WHEN, ON 14, YOU'LL SEE THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT.

THE THING YOU PAY US FOR IS THE OPINION, RIGHT? IN OUR OPINION, THESE FINANCIALS AS PRESENTED ARE FREE OF ANY MATERIAL MISSTATEMENT.

SO HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE WE CAN GIVE YOU, THAT'S CLEAN, IT'S A CLEAN OPINION. THEN IT GOES ON TO SAY BASIS OF OPINION. WHAT THAT PARAGRAPH IS TALKING ABOUT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW ARE THE AUDITING STANDARDS GENERALLY ACCEPTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THEN WE ALSO FOLLOW THE GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS.

SO THERE'S TWO BIG STANDARDS THAT WE FOLLOW WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR WORK TO BE ABLE TO OPINE ON THESE FINANCIAL SETS. OUR BASIS OF THE OPINION. THE EMPHASIS OF A MATTER PARAGRAPH IS, THAT'S NOT IN THERE EVERY YEAR, AND THAT'S USUALLY SOMETHING THAT WE, THAT'S BY CHOICE BY THE AUDITOR TO PUT SOMETHING IN THERE. AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE FLASHING RED LIGHTS FOR THE USER TO SAY, IS THERE ANYTHING IN HERE THAT YOU WANT TO NOTE THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT? THIS YEAR THERE WAS TWO ACCOUNTING STANDARDS, GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS, GASB 101, COMPENSATED ABSENCES, THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED. AND INCORPORATED IN THESE. THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF CHANGE, NOT A LOT, BUT THERE WAS SOME. AND THEN STATEMENT 102 WAS IMPLEMENTED, BUT NEITHER OF THESE HAD A BIG IMPACT ON OUR OPINION FOR THIS YEAR.

THEN THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGEMENT FOR THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

YOU HAVE TWO RESPONSIBILITIES.

ONE IS THE PREPARATION, FAIR PRESENTATION OF PREPARATION OF THE FINANCIALS. AND THE SECOND IS HAVING AN INTERNAL CONTROL DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTED THAT HELPS YOU TOWARDS THAT PROCESS OF FAIR PRESENTATION.

SO JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER, HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. I THOUGHT I'D GO OVER IT, BUT THE KEY TAKEAWAY IS CLEAN OPINION, TWO THUMBS UP. MOVING ON TO PAGE 35, THIS IS STATEMENT OF NET POSITION. THIS IS ALL YOUR FUNDS COMBINED, YOUR GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES, BUSINESS-TYPE ACTIVITIES. I ALWAYS LIKE TO FOCUS ON THE NET POSITION. SO NET INVESTMENT CAPITAL ASSETS IS $56.9 MILLION, RESTRICTED IS ABOUT $6 MILLION, AND UNRESTRICTED IS $35.8 MILLION, FOR A TOTAL OF $98.7 MILLION. WE STARTED THE YEAR WITH $85.2 MILLION. THAT INCREASED BY $13.5 MILLION DURING THE YEAR, AND THEN ENDING THE YEAR WITH $98.7 MILLION. THE REASON I FOCUS ON NET POSITION IS BECAUSE IT'S SO YOU'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT AS A TREND, NOT SO MUCH YEAR TO YEAR. THIS YEAR WE WENT UP BY $13 MILLION, BUT YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. AND SINCE 2016, IT WAS $35.7 MILLION. AND HERE, 10 YEARS LATER, WE'RE AT $98.7 MILLION.

SO CONSTANT TREND UPWARD. AND LATER ON IN THE FINANCIALS, I'LL SHOW YOU A PAGE IN THE STATISTICAL SECTION THAT JUST KIND OF NICE GRAPH THAT JUST VISUALIZE THAT. JUMPING OUT TO PAGE 63, JUST YOUR CAPITAL ASSETS. I ALWAYS LIKE TO TOUCH ON THIS, JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SITTING IN ONE OF THEM, YOU KNOW. YOU ALWAYS WANT TO SEE WHAT'S, THIS IS WHAT CITIZENS SEE AROUND TOWN BEING WORKED ON.

BUT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE HAD ABOUT $77.9 MILLION IN ASSETS THROUGHOUT THE TOWN, AND THAT'S A NET OF DEPRECIATION. WE INVESTED ABOUT $9.6 MILLION INTO THE DEPRECIATED ABOUT $5 MILLION, AND WE HAD A NET DISPOSAL ABOUT $405 MILLION. SO WE STARTED THE YEAR AT $77.9 MILLION AND ENDED THE YEAR AT $81.6 MILLION. PAGE 67 IS THE

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BUT BONDS PAYABLE TOTALED ABOUT $33.5 MILLION.

COMPENSATED ABSENCES, WHICH DID HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN IMPACT, WITH THE GASB 101, THAT WAS $1.7 MILLION. WE HAD ACCRUED LANDFILL LIABILITY OF ABOUT $3 MILLION, AND WE HAD THE DAYSPRING TOWNHOME, OBLIGATION OF ABOUT $2.5 MILLION. SO TOTAL LONG-TERM DEBTS IS ABOUT $40.7 MILLION. THAT'S A NET DECREASE OF ABOUT $2.7 MILLION FROM THE PRIOR YEAR OF $43.4 MILLION. THEN I'LL JUST TOUCH ON A COUPLE, SO THE COUNTY HAS A COUPLE PENSION PLANS. YOU HAVE THE COUNTY PENSION PLAN.

THE NET PENSION LIABILITY THERE IS $5.9 MILLION. SO REMEMBER, THAT'S THE, WE SEND A BUNCH OF ACTUARIAL STUFF TO AN ACTUARIAL, CENSUS DATA TO AN ACTUARIAL. THEY CALCULATE A LIABILITY. WE OFFSET THAT WITH ANY MONIES IN THE TRUST.

THAT'S THE NET PENSION LIABILITY. SO THE COUNTY PENSION'S $5.9 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 85% FUNDED.

THE MARYLAND PENSION, THAT'S THE PIECE OF YOUR PIE THAT GOES TO MARYLAND. THEY DO THE SAME THING AND THEN SEND US OUR PIECE BACK. THAT PENSION LIABILITY IS ABOUT $10.3 MILLION, AND THAT'S 72% FUNDED. IT'S BEEN HOVERING BETWEEN 70 AND 80% FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.

THEN WE HAVE OUR OPEB OBLIGATION. WE HAVE A NET OPEB ASSET OF $2.8 MILLION. WE'RE ACTUALLY OVERFUNDED IN THAT, AND THAT'S 146% FUNDED. THAT'S VERY UNUSUAL, WHICH IS GREAT.

AND THEN THE LOWEST LIABILITY, IT'S A NET PENSION LIABILITY OF $875,000, AND THAT'S ABOUT 60 FUNDED. NICE THING ABOUT THE OPEB BEING OVERFUNDED IS IT'S REALLY NOT COSTING THE TAXPAYERS ANY MONEY TODAY. YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. IT'S KIND OF HANDLING ITSELF.

LIKE I SAID, ON PAGE 47, I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU, THIS WAS YOUR NET POSITION OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS. VERY VISUAL, THE CHART AT THE BOTTOM. YOU CAN SEE A GENERAL TREND UPWARD. SO WHEN WE SEE THAT, THAT GENERALLY MEANS FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE COUNTY. IF YOU WOULD SEE A GENERAL TREND DOWNWARD, THAT WOULD BE FINANCIAL DETERIORATION. SO IF WE TOOK THIS CHART BACK TO LIKE '07, '08, '09, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A DOWNWARD SPIRAL. WE'RE NOW ON AN UPWARD TREND. AND ON PAGE 151, THIS IS JUST YOUR GENERAL FUND, BUT SAME, YOU'LL SEE THE SAME TREND THERE. THIS IS A GENERAL TREND UPWARD, WHICH TENDS TO MEAN FINANCIAL HEALTH. SO THAT'S A LOT OF HOURS, A LOT OF WORK BROKEN DOWN TO ABOUT AN 11-MINUTE PRESENTATION. SO, ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? AND THEN I CAN JUMP INTO THE AUDIT COMMUNICATIONS.

COMMISSIONER BRADY, QUESTION? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.

COMMISSIONER BREEDEN, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ROY? NO, I DO NOT.

OKAY. OUR PLAN, I JUST HAVE A QUICK ONE. OUR PLAN AS FAR AS LOW SAP SEEMS TO BE WORKING. WE'RE MOVING TOWARD, YOU KNOW, INVESTING THAT AND GETTING IT FUNDED. I THINK IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

YEAH, THERE'S A CHART HERE. I CAN TELL YOU WHERE WE STARTED AND WHERE WE ARE. LET ME FIND IT REAL QUICK.

YEAH, SO BEGINNING IN, WHAT PAGE ARE YOU ON? I'M ON PAGE 122. SO IN '22, WE REALLY HAD NO PLAN ASSETS SET ASIDE. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE IN '23, IT WAS 59% FUNDED, AND IN '24, IT'S 68% FUNDED. SO WE'RE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THERE.

BUT THAT PAGE GENERALLY SHOWS YOU THE LAST SINCE 2018, WHICH IS WHEN WE, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A 10-YEAR THING, BUT '18 IS WHEN IT WAS IMPLEMENTED, THAT GASB.

RIGHT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DAN? OKAY. SO THE AUDIT COMMUNICATION IS THE SMALLER OF THE TWO PACKAGES. THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT I, AS AN AUDITOR, REMEMBER THE STANDARDS WE TALKED ABOUT, THE GAAP, THE GOVERNMENTAL GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS, AUDITING STANDARDS.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I'M REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE TO YOU GUYS. WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, BUT EVERY AUDIT ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS GETTING SOME SORT OF LETTER LIKE THIS FROM THEIR AUDITORS. SO A COUPLE KEY THINGS, I'LL KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS QUICK. NEW ACCOUNTING PRACTICES, THIS IS ON PAGE 2 OF THE AUDIT

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THOSE ARE ESTIMATES THAT ARE VERY LONG-TERM LIABILITIES THAT THE ACTUARIAL STUDIES. THEN WE HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-USE ASSETS FOR LEASE RECEIVABLE, WHICH IS A MUCH SMALLER PIECE.

WE HAD NO DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED IN PERFORMING THE AUDIT. WE HAVE JOURNAL ENTRIES IN HERE THAT DANNY AND HIS TEAMS MAKE. NO DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT. WE DO ASK FOR A MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATION LETTER, WHICH BASICALLY SAYS MANAGEMENT TELLS US THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH. AND THEN, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, MANAGEMENT DID NOT CONSULT WITH ANY INDEPENDENT, OTHER INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS ON TECHNICAL TOPICS. SO REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS THERE.

NEXT IS ON PAGE 7. THESE ARE THINGS COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE. ANOTHER NEW GASB COMING. I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING FOR JOB SECURITY UP THERE.

BUT GASB 103, FINANCIAL REPORTING MODEL, THIS WILL HAVE SOME IMPACT THIS YEAR. SO WE WILL GET UP WITH DANNY AND HIS TEAM PROBABLY IN MAY AND DISCUSS WHAT THOSE WILL BE AND HOW THAT WILL IMPACT THE FINANCIALS. I DON'T THINK IT'S EARTH-SHATTERING, BUT IT WILL HAVE SOME CHANGES.

AND IN GASB 104, CERTAIN DISCLOSURE OF CAPITAL ASSETS, THERE WILL BE SOME CHANGES THERE. I THINK WE'RE PRETTY MUCH IN LINE WITH WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ANYWAY, BUT I GOT TO DIVE INTO IT A LITTLE MORE. AND BUT THAT'LL BE A MAY PROJECT, MAY-JUNE PROJECT WITH DANNY AND HIS TEAM TO CHAT ABOUT THAT.

ALTHOUGH NOW IS A VERY GREAT AUDIT. WE APPRECIATE YOU HAVING US OUT HERE AND APPRECIATE YOU TRUSTING US AS YOUR AUDITORS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR. WE'LL BE OUT HERE AGAIN SOON. WHAT'S IT, FEBRUARY? SO I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE HERE SOONER.

YEAH, TAKE LIKE A MONTH OFF.

WELL, I DON'T YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK WE CAN BE AUDITED ENOUGH, HONESTLY.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE TAXPAYERS' MONEY, AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE TAXPAYERS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE MONEY'S BEING HANDLED AND SPENT CORRECTLY. I'M REALLY PLEASED ABOUT THE ACCOUNTS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, GENERATING. I KNOW WE'LL HAVE SOME DEBT FALLING OFF '27, AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY ONE OF THOSE WILL BE THE ENCUMBRANCE FOR THE DAYSPRING PROJECT. WELL, WE HOPE. AND, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP. SO THANK YOU. WE ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO YOU COMING IN AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE CAN DO, BUT CERTAINLY WE'RE AT YOUR DISPOSAL HERE.

SO, WELL, WE APPRECIATE IT.

AND, YEAH, I MEAN, JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS HOW IT WORKS IS WHEN WE COME IN WE CHAT AND, WE ANALYZE, THE FINANCIALS, WE LOOK AT CONTROLS, AND WE REALLY DIG INTO THE MOST RISKY AREAS THAT WE LOOK AT. SO IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY A RISK-BASED AUDIT.

THANK YOU, ROY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS EVERY YEAR. I WISH MORE, COUNTY GOVERNMENTS AND MUNICIPALITIES WOULD TAKE THIS MORE SERIOUS THAN WHAT IT IS.

BUT I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THIS. THANK YOU, DANNY.

THANK YOU, STACY, AND YOUR TEAM FOR, I KNOW, DANNY AND HIS TEAM TAKE IT VERY SERIOUS AS WELL.

AND, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT IT'S 21 YEARS STRAIGHT THAT WE, YOU KNOW, HAD A GOOD RATING. THAT'S, THAT'S VERY REASSURING.

SO THANK YOU. THAT'S A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.

YEAH, IT IS. RUNNING OUT OF WALL SPACE UP FOR THE, YEAH, THEY'VE QUIT SENDING US THE PLAQUES AND THEY JUST GIVE US LITTLE EAR BADGES NOW.

YOU WOULD THINK THE PLAQUE WOULD GET BIGGER AS YOU GO ON.

YEAH. COMMISSIONER BREEDING, ANY COMMENTS? NO, I THINK, YEAH, I THINK EVERYBODY'S COVERED IT. THANKS TO EVERYBODY THAT GOT THE INFORMATION IN. THANK YOU, ROY, FOR GETTING IT DONE ON TIME.

I THINK IT'S GOOD TO, YOU KNOW, GOOD TO GET THESE THINGS DONE ON TIME SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO OTHER ISSUES AND GET THIS BEHIND US. SO THANK YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING IT DONE ON TIME IS A GOAL OF OURS BECAUSE THEN IT GIVES YOU GUYS TIMELY AND ACCURATE INFORMATION. IT'S ALL ACCURATE ANYWAY, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.

WELL, THE OTHER THING, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALWAYS DEALING WITH STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND I KNOW ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS ALWAYS IS AUDIT STANDINGS, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE YOU? AND I MEAN, IT'S ALWAYS COMFORTABLE TO BE ABLE TO SAY, YEP, COME LOOK AT IT, WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY FOR YOU TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

SO, BUT YEAH, I THANK YOU, DANNY AND STACY AND THE WHOLE STAFF. I MEAN, I CAN'T EVEN, YOU KNOW, ON, ON, I CAN'T EVEN HARDLY, BUT ON TOP OF PUTTING THIS BUDGET,

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THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL JUST ADD, THE AUDIT IS AVAILABLE ON OUR COUNTY WEBSITE. SO I KNOW WE HAD TO POST A WEEK OR TWO AGO ON FACEBOOK. SO ANYBODY THAT'S HERE IN THE ROOM OR LISTENING, IT'S FULLY AVAILABLE IN A PDF FORMAT ONLINE, ALL THE HISTORICAL ONES BACK.

AND I GUESS JUST THANK YOU TO STACY AND THE STAFF IN THE FINANCE OFFICE THAT MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.

SO YEP, IF YOU WANT SOME LIGHT READING, PUT YOU TO SLEEP, THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU, ROY.

THANK YOU, GUYS.

THANK YOU. OKAY, THE NEXT ITEM HERE IS THE FISCAL YEAR 2027

[Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request]

GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

GOOD MORNING.

A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT CHAIR THAN WE'RE USED TO.

YEAH, STACY, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, YOU GLADLY COME ON UP.

JEN, AM I ABLE TO AIR TEAM TO PUT THE, DON'T MIND, BEAR WITH ME ONE SECOND AND I WILL PUT THE TYPICAL EXCEL SHEET THAT EVERYBODY IS USED TO SEEING WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGET. CAN WE GO INTO THIS ON THE SCREEN? YEP, WE'LL GO TO THOSE AND IT'LL BE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING THAT WE'LL HAVE.

SO, GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. IN LINE WITH OUR BUDGET CALENDAR THIS MORNING, WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT THE FY 2027 BUDGET REQUEST. SO STACY AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR PROBABLY THE PAST MONTH, IF NOT TWO, GOING BACK TO JANUARY ON OUR FY 2027 BUDGET.

I KNOW IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT SHOULD BE HERE, BUT WE'RE CLOSING OUT '25 THIS MORNING AND MOVING ON TO '27. SORRY, TRYING TO GET HOOKED UP AND IT'S GIVING ME.

SO ONCE I GET THIS PUT ON THE BOARD, WE WILL START ESSENTIALLY WITH OUR FY27 CAPITAL REQUEST.

SO, THE COMMISSIONERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE A PRINTOUT IN LEGAL FORMAT. THIS ONE HAS THE LITTLE MORE COLORFUL SIDE TO THE EXTERIOR, AND WE'LL START WITH CAPITAL.

SO, JUMPING TO ESSENTIALLY THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE CAPITAL REQUEST. SO THE CAPITAL BUDGET IS FUNDED OUT OF TWO PORTIONS, ONE BEING A FUNDING ALLOCATION FROM THE GENERAL FUND. SO WHEN WE JUMP INTO THE GENERAL FUND NEXT, YOU'LL SEE THERE WILL BE A ONE LINE ITEM TRANSFER OVER TO FUND THE CAPITAL BUDGET.

THIS YEAR WE ARE STARTING THAT LINE AT $9 MILLION, AND THEN THE SECOND SMALL PORTION IS CONSIDERED CAPITAL RESERVE, WHICH IS DERIVED FROM TRANSFER TAX THAT IS COLLECTED RIGHT OUTSIDE THIS DOOR AT THE CLERK'S OFFICE WHEN THERE ESSENTIALLY IS A TRANSFER OF PROPERTY OR RECORDING OF, ANY BORROWING. SO PUTTING THOSE TWO TOGETHER WE HAVE A CAPITAL BUDGET ALLOCATION STARTING OUT AT AROUND $9.8 MILLION. SO FAR THIS YEAR, WE HAVE RECEIVED JUST OVER $10.5 MILLION IN REQUESTS. SO JUST QUICK MATH, THE DELTA BETWEEN THAT IS ABOUT $710,000, IN DIFFERENCE. WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AND START LOOKING THROUGH THE CAPITAL REQUESTS, WE CAN KIND OF START AT THE TOP. WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY OUR LARGER DEPARTMENTS MAKING, EQUIPMENT, BUILDING, FACILITY REQUESTS THAT ARE IN LINE WITH OUR CAPITAL STANDARDS AND WHAT WE MUST CAPITALIZE. SO I'LL GO THROUGH A REALLY QUICK READ OF THIS, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE JUST STOP ME AND WE CAN DIVE INTO THINGS A LITTLE MORE. BUT WE HAVE THE CIRCUIT COURTHOUSE REQUESTS COMING THROUGH, JUDGE PRICE, ESSENTIALLY BEING A PARKING LOT CONSTRUCTION OUT BACK THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT THE PAST COUPLE YEARS.

THE CORRECTIONS, WE HAVE UPDATED CAMERA MAINTENANCE AS WELL AS FUTURE REPLACEMENT OF DETENTION CENTER. IF YOU TAKE A LOOK, THAT LINE ITEM IS ESSENTIALLY BLANK. WE REALLY ARE IN THE VERY EARLY IMPLEMENTATION OF RESEARCHING THE DETENTION CENTER, BUT THERE'S NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT TO START SAVING FOR A PROJECT LIKE THAT. DIVING FURTHER IN, WE HAVE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES. 2 VEHICLE EQUIPMENT ASKS, ONE BEING PARAMEDIC 10 AND THEN THE SECOND BEING AN AMBULANCE. AS YOU RECALL, WE HAVE BEEN ON JUST ABOUT A YEARLY REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE WITH THE AMBULANCES. THIS ONE IS NOTED AS A NEW AMBULANCE, BUT IF YOU LOOK IN THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN, THIS YEAR WE'RE REQUESTING FOR THAT FUNDING TO COME OUT OF THE BLS FUND, SO IT WOULD HAVE NO IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION THAT YOU SEE HERE TODAY BUT WOULD NEED TO BE AUTHORIZED AND APPROVED BY BOTH THE BLS COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD SITTING HERE TODAY.

YEAR 2 OF THE RADIO REPLACEMENT,

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THEY'RE REQUESTING THAT THIS BE DISCUSSED AND ESSENTIALLY BE FUNDED OUT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MONEY. AND AGAIN, WE CAN GET INTO THE MERITS AND DETAILS OF EACH REQUEST AS WE GO FURTHER IN. FACILITIES, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A LENGTHY LIST THERE OF JUST OVER $1 MILLION IN FACILITY REQUESTS.

IN THE SECOND COLUMN, LOOKS LIKE ON B, C COLUMN ON THE EXCEL SHEET, YOU CAN SEE THE LOCATION THAT THE REQUEST IS BEING MADE FOR AND THEN WHAT ITEM IS BEING REQUESTED AT THAT LOCATION.

IN THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN, WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY SOME PRIORITY ORDER TO THAT IN 1 TO 7. I KNOW THE PRINTOUTS THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT, BUT WE WILL GET UPDATED SHEETS FOR THAT. JUMPING IN, WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS IS REALLY BRIDGES, ROADS, THE LARGER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.

SO WE HAVE PATCHING, RESURFACING, AS WELL AS FUTURE ENGINEERING OF BRIDGES. JUMPING INTO PUBLIC WORKS EQUIPMENT, YOU KIND OF HAVE TWO SIDES OF THIS. YOU HAVE ROADS AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE FACILITIES.

JUST LIKE THE FACILITIES REQUEST, BUILDING NEEDS, ROBIN HAS PUT THESE IN PRIORITY ORDER AS WELL AS ADDED SOME NOTES ABOUT THE REASONING FOR THE REQUEST. DROPPING FURTHER DOWN, WE HAVE REC AND PARKS, 4-H. I KNOW WE HAVE THE HUMANE SOCIETY HERE TODAY WHO HAS ALSO MADE TWO ASKS, WHICH THEY PRESENTED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO SHORTLY, DISCUSSED ABOUT THE MOBILE SPAY AND NEUTER. NEW CLINIC, AND THEN SOME WAREHOUSE UPDATES. BELOW THAT, WE HAVE THE BOE. ONE THING I WANT TO CALL OUT HERE IS PRETTY MUCH THE SOLE ASK FOR THE BOARD OF ED IS THE LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO WE HAVE OUR LOCAL SHARE FOR FY27 COMING IN ABOUT JUST OVER $1.4 MILLION, WHICH WE'LL NEED.

BUT WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO, JUST LIKE THE DETENTION CENTER, IS THE SECOND LINE THERE, AND THAT IS OUR 28 AND 29 ALLOCATIONS THAT MUST BE MET.

IF WE TAKE A LOOK, 28 IS JUST OVER $8 MILLION AND 29 IS $15.5 MILLION AS IT CURRENTLY SITS. THESE ARE TWO BIG NUMBERS THAT WE'LL NEED TO ESSENTIALLY HAVE FUNDED WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR THAT. SO I THINK IT WOULD BE STACY AND I'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THERE, THERE'S ANY WAY TO SAVE DOLLARS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET TO GO TO THOSE PROJECTS, WE WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.

NEXT, WE HAVE IT, WHICH JUST HAS 3 SERVER REPLACEMENTS. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS WELL AS ANIMAL CONTROL FOR A TOTAL OF 4 VEHICLES REQUESTING TO BE REPLACED. AND AGAIN, THERE ARE NOTES WITH EACH ONE OF THOSE ASKING ABOUT CURRENT MILEAGE AND CONDITIONS. SO AGAIN, I KNOW THAT'S A LOT, $10 MILLION WORTH OF STUFF SUMMARIZED IN PROBABLY 2 OR 3 MINUTES, BUT THIS IS REALLY OUR FIRST TIME TO SIT DOWN WITH THE BOARD, PRESENT YOU WHAT EVERYBODY HAS REQUESTED, AND THEN WORK WITH ALL THE AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS TO FACILITATE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON THESE. SO WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE NOW, BUT AGAIN, I KNOW IT'S A LOT TO DIGEST AND GO THROUGH.

OKAY, GOOD. SO COMMISSIONER BARTZ, I'M THINKING RIGHT NOW.

YES, DIGESTING.

THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING.

HISTORICALLY, WE'VE TAKEN THIS DAY AS REALLY JUST BEING A PRESENTATION. WE'RE NOT REALLY, I DON'T THINK, LOOKING FOR A LIST OF QUESTIONS. JUST WANT TO GET IT IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY SO YOU CAN START GOING THROUGH AND FIGURING OUT WHAT YOU MAY. SO, THE PROJECT, THE ESTIMATED, PROJECT ON THE DETENTION CENTER WOULD BE ABOUT $40 MILLION, OUR SHARE? YES, SIR.

PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS, WITH SOME ENGINEERS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO FOCUS IN THAT AREA, THE NUMBER OF $40 MILLION KEEPS COMING UP. AND AS I'VE NOTED ON THERE, IT'S A NICE ROUND NUMBER.

EXACTLY. I'M SURE AS WE GO THROUGH PART 1 AND PART 2 APPLICATION WITH THE STATE AND START GOING THROUGH THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING, THAT NUMBER WILL TRIM TO SOMETHING A ACCURATE, BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, WE FEEL SAFE IN PUTTING THE $40 MILLION NUMBER THERE.

IDEALLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO GO AGAIN THROUGH THE PART 1 AND PART 2 APPLICATION WITH THE STATE AND GET THIS FUNDED ESSENTIALLY 50/50 BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT. SO AGAIN, NICE EASY NUMBERS, $20 MILLION COUNTY SHARE THAT WE'LL END UP HAVING TO REACH. AND I THINK THE TIMELINE FOR THE APPLICATION AND JUST THE PROCESS TO BUILD A BUILDING OF THAT MAGNITUDE, WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING ANYWHERE TO 5 YEARS FROM NOW.

BUT AS I SAID, THERE'S A BIG NUMBER, AND BEING ABLE TO SAVE OR PUT MONEY ASIDE FOR THAT OR LOCK THEM IN THE MIDDLE NOW WOULD BE A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT.

[00:30:02]

COMMISSIONER BARKER? NO, I'M GOOD.

COMMISSIONER BREEDING? DANNY, IS THERE, ANY, ANY, MONEY PUT OR REQUESTS PUT IN FOR, CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS ON THE EXISTING DETENTION CENTER? HAS ANYBODY DONE A THOROUGH LOOK AT THAT BUILDING TO SEE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO TO GET US THROUGH THE NEXT 5, 6 YEARS AT OUR CURRENT LOCATION? NOT CURRENTLY IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET.

OBVIOUSLY, THE FACILITY BUILDING MAINTENANCE, NOT FACILITIES, THE CORRECTIONS BUILDING MAINTENANCE LINE IS A LARGER NUMBER IN THEIR BUDGET WHERE THEY TYPICALLY TAKE THOSE YEARLY UPDATES TO.

BUT I DO THINK, TO YOUR POINT, THAT IS A BIGGER CONVERSATION WE SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE WITH THE WARDEN AND DEPUTY WARDEN ABOUT, WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET THEM THROUGH THE NEXT 5 OR 6 YEARS.

I THINK THEIR BIGGEST, FROM WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, IS HEATING. THE HEATING SYSTEM IS WHAT, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS THAT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, TO GET IT THROUGH.

YEAH.

AND THEN THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THE RISK VERSUS REWARD ASPECT OF THAT, OF HOW MUCH DO WE WANT TO PUT INTO THE FACILITY KNOWING WE ARE GOING TO POSSIBLY VACATE AT SOME POINT. BUT I THINK IT'S WELL WORTH THE CONVERSATION TO HAVE WITH THE WARDEN. ONE, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, COMMISSIONER BRADY? NO, THAT'S IT. OKAY. WELL, I SEE LESLIE BACK THERE. LESLIE, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU. ONE OF THE LEGISLATIVE BILLS THAT'S BEING INTRODUCED RIGHT NOW IS REQUIRING THE COUNTIES TO PURCHASE SOFTWARE FOR PERMITTING FOR SOLAR. I KNOW YOU, I GET DINGED ON THAT EVERY DAY. DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THAT IS? NO.

CRYSTAL CAN PROBABLY PROVIDE BETTER INFORMATION, BUT THEY STARTED REQUIRING IT LAST YEAR, AND I KNOW THE CURRENT BILL I THINK APPLIES TO ROOFTOP SOLAR INSPECTIONS.

NO COUNTIES THAT WE'RE AWARE OF HAVE EVEN DONE WHAT WAS FLOATED 2 YEARS AGO, LET ALONE RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S UNIVERSAL OPPOSITION FOR THE SAME REASON WE OPPOSED IT ORIGINALLY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, TENS OF THOUSANDS I THOUGHT THEY OFFERED GRANTS ORIGINALLY.

YEAH, WELL, THEY ALWAYS DO.

YEAH, BUT EVEN THOSE I DON'T THINK WERE 100% FUNDED, AND THEY WERE REALLY TARGETING THE TOWNS MORE THAN THE COUNTIES.

SO, BUT I WOULD ESTIMATE TENS OF THOUSANDS.

YEAH, WELL, WE'RE NOT DOING IT, SO, I, DON'T HAVE ANY. I, I SEE AMANDA, I KNOW YOU YOU GUYS ARE HERE. I, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY? OR, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE YOU SIT THROUGH ALL THIS. I MEAN, I'M HAPPY NOW TO, YOUR, YOUR REQUESTS ARE HERE. I, I DID HAVE A QUESTION, I THINK I ASKED THE LAST TIME.

THE MOBILE UNIT, WILL THAT SAVE MONEY? I MEAN, WILL IT, WILL IT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, IF WE, IF WE DO THAT, WILL IT SAVE MONEY ON THE OTHER SIDE? YEAH, SO ONE, JUST KIND OF SOME QUICK NUMBERS IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SPAYING AND NEUTERING, ESPECIALLY FOR THE COMMUNITY CATS, WHICH IS STILL A PRETTY BIG ISSUE.

WITH A MOBILE UNIT, IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT SO WE CAN DO, YOU KNOW, 5 TIMES AS MANY CAT NEUTERS OR 3 TIMES AS MANY CAT SPAYS AS WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT TRANSLATES INTO TRANSLATES INTO LESS CATS COMING INTO THE BUILDING. IT TRANSLATES INTO, YOU KNOW, LESS TIME SPENT FOR ANIMAL CONTROL DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, NUISANCE CALLS ON, ON, YOU KNOW, FERAL CATS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S JUST SORT OF ONE PIECE OF IT.

BUT RIGHT, OKAY, THANK YOU.

WELL, FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC LISTENING IN HERE, THE PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH WITH THESE BUDGETS IS, IS PRETTY SIMPLE. YOU'LL, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOKED AT THESE SHEETS AND YOU LOOK AT THIS BOOK, WE GO THROUGH A LINE-BY-LINE EVALUATION OF EACH CAPITAL REQUEST AND EACH BUDGET REQUEST, AND WE HAVE TO REACH AGREEMENT BETWEEN 2 OF THE 3 OF US FOR AN ITEM TO BE APPROVED. IT'S A LONG PROCESS, BUT IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S THE EASIEST WAY WE FOUND TO BE ABLE TO DO IT. THERE USUALLY ISN'T A WHOLE LOT OF, YOU KNOW, BLOOD ON THE FLOOR, BUT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE DO DISAGREE ON SOME THINGS, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. SO THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WE USE. AND SO I THINK IT'S WORKED PRETTY WELL

[00:35:03]

THANK YOU FOR THE BOOKS. I GOT ANOTHER THING TO CARRY AROUND WITH ME.

AND YEAH, IF YOU, WHAT, DO YOU WANT ME TO HIT ON OPERATING? SURE. OH YEAH, I'M SORRY. NO, YOU'RE FINE.

NO, WE'RE TRYING TO SPEED HIM UP.

HEY, I'M FINE WITH IT. IT'S A LOT. SO UP ON THE BOARD AND TO THE OPERATING HANDOUTS, WE HAVE REALLY THE GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET. AS COMMISSIONER PORTER, REALLY IS GETTING INTO. THIS REALLY DERIVES ALL DOWN TO THIS 3-4 INCH BINDER THAT ESSENTIALLY OVERVIEWS EVERY DEPARTMENT AND AGENCY IN THE COUNTY AND THE BUDGET REQUESTS THAT THEY MADE.

SO THE CONDENSED VERSION, THE EXCEL VERSION THAT YOU HAVE PRINTED OUT THAT'S ON THE BOARD, IS REALLY THE, THE NUMBERS IN THEMSELVES AS WELL AS A SMALL NOTE. SO A LOT OF TIMES STACY AND I WILL GO THROUGH AND PUT A SMALL SUMMARY OF WHAT WE PERCEIVE THE REQUEST TO BE IN OUR OWN WORDS, AND THEN YOU CAN REFER BACK TO THE BOOK AND ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHAT THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE PUBLISHED IN A LETTER OR ANY TYPE OF COMMUNICATION THAT THEY HAVE.

SO AGAIN, WITHOUT DIVING INTO THE HUNDREDS OF LINES IN THE BUDGET, I'LL REALLY TRY TO SUMMARIZE. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET IN GENERAL, WE REALLY START WITH REVENUE.

SO THE TWO MAIN REVENUE SOURCES FOR THE COUNTY ARE REAL PROPERTY TAXES AND INCOME TAX.

WE RECEIVED THE CONSTANT YIELD FILE TO LET US KNOW WHAT PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING TO BE FRIDAY, SO STACY AND I HURRIED UP REAL QUICK, PUT THAT IN, AND ESSENTIALLY LEAVING THE TAX RATES CURRENTLY THE SAME THAT YOU SEE THEM TODAY, WE WOULD TAKE IN ABOUT $34,786,000, WHICH IS UP FROM THE YEAR PRIOR DUE SOLELY TO ASSESSMENTS INCREASING.

JUMPING DOWN TO INCOME TAX, YOU'LL SEE AS I HAVE ON THE SHEET IT HIGHLIGHTED WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR SOME OF OUR LARGEST QUARTERLY DISBURSEMENTS OF INCOME TAX, REALLY FEBRUARY'S BEING THE NEXT ONE, BEFORE WE KIND OF NARROW DOWN THAT NUMBER. SO WE HAVE AT THE TIME WHAT WE FEEL IS OUR BEST GUESS, BUT THIS NUMBER MAY CHANGE DEPENDING ON WHEN WE RECEIVE, OR WHAT THE NUMBERS LOOKS LIKE.

SO AGAIN, JUST JUMPING DOWN, WE'RE PROJECTING ABOUT $84.8 MILLION IN REVENUE, AND FLIPPING TO THE OTHER SIDE WITHOUT GOING THROUGH EACH DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE ABOUT $85,600, JUST SHY, IN REQUESTS. SO ABOUT $761,000 MORE IN REQUESTS THAN WE HAVE IN PROJECTED REVENUE. SO COMBINE THAT WITH THE $700,000 AND SOME ODD THOUSAND WE HAVE IN CAPITAL, WE HAVE ABOUT $1.

$1.4, $1.5 MILLION IN BUDGET THAT WE WILL NEED TO ESSENTIALLY TRIM AND FIND HOW TO GET DOWN TO, TO ZERO.

SO AS I NOTED, COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK, WE HAVE THE REQUEST IN THE ORANGE COLUMN, THE ABOVE FLAT NOTE TO THE RIGHT, AND THEN ANY NOTE THAT WE FELT WAS PERTINENT TO THE BUDGET TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REQUEST MAY BE. A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL SEE I'LL PICK ON ELECTIONS HERE. THEY HAVE KIND OF A LARGER NUMBER, AND WE'VE NOTED INCREASE IN VOTING REGISTRATION SERVICE LINE, BUT ALLISON HAS DONE A GOOD JOB AND PROVIDED A LETTER ESSENTIALLY EXPLAINING WHAT THE STATE IS REQUIRING THEM TO BUILD INTO THEIR BUDGET FOR THAT YEAR, AND YOU CAN REFER TO THE BOOK FOR THE DETAILED NOTES ON THAT. SO AGAIN, WITHOUT GOING THROUGH HUNDREDS OF LINE ITEMS AND NOTES, WE REALLY JUST WANT TO GET IT OUT THERE. MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. BUT THE, THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF IT IS WE HAVE ABOUT $1.5 MILLION BETWEEN THE TWO BUDGETS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TRIM.

GOOD.

COMMISSIONER BARTZ? I'M JUST TAKING IT ALL IN, LARRY. COMMISSIONER BREEDEN? YEAH, I'LL JUST ADD TO WHAT DANNY SAID. YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO TRIM OUT THE $1.5 MILLION, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH ENOUGH SAVINGS OUT OF BOTH PROPOSED BUDGETS, YOU KNOW, TO SAVE MONEY FOR OUR FUTURE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, BOTH IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND IN THE NEW DETENTION CENTER.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO REMOVE A LOT OF STUFF OUT OF, POTENTIALLY OUT OF BOTH BUDGETS IN ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, PUT ENOUGH MONEY AWAY TO HANDLE THOSE EXPENSES COMING DOWN THE ROAD.

SO THAT'S IT. OKAY, DANNY, LET ME GO TO BOARD OF EDUCATION.

YES, SO OUR, IT LOOKS LIKE OUR BLUEPRINT NUMBER 497, IS THAT, YES, 497-398 IS THE MSD'S PRELIMINARY CALCULATION. AS YOU'VE

[00:40:01]

AND, THE PENSION, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE UNDER TEACHER RETIREMENT? YES, BECAUSE WE DON'T, THERE IS NOT AN INCREASE, BUT I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE AN INCREASE IN TEACHER PENSION. THAT'S THE, THERE IS 205, THERE IS THE 205 PORTION THERE. SO ESSENTIALLY THERE'S THE PIECE THAT WE PAY TO THE BOARD OF ED, WHICH IS THE 1.3 NUMBER YOU SEE, TOWARDS THE TOP, RIGHT? AND THEN WE HAVE THE STATE DIRECT BILLING, WHICH WAS NEW TO LAST YEAR. SO YOU'LL SEE WE HAD ABOUT $509,000 BILLED TO US FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST YEAR TO COVER THE STATE'S OBLIGATION FOR TEACHER PENSION, RIGHT? THIS YEAR IT'S LOOKING TO GO UP ABOUT $205,000.

THERE'S ALSO A PIECE THERE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE RETIREMENT, AND THEN NEW FOR THIS YEAR, WE HAVE LIBRARY. LIBRARY. SO, AGAIN, I THINK WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET, AND AS WE'VE NOTED THROUGH HERE, THROUGH THE BIRFA, THERE ARE NOTES OF THE STATE CUTTING COSTS, BUT IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, THIS IS ABOUT $36 MILLION STATEWIDE BEING PUSHED ON COUNTIES. YEAH, STATE'S NOT CUTTING COSTS, THEY'RE PUSHING IT TO THE COUNTIES. SO, I, THANK YOU. I THINK THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, I'VE LOOKED AT A LOT OF BUDGETS. I THINK THIS IS A, ONE OF THE DOABLE ONES THAT, I MEAN, THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR BUDGET FOR THE GOVERNOR. SO THIS IS A, I THINK A MORE, MORE REASONABLE BUDGET. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IN THE FUTURE, BUT, FRANK, SORRY.

SO, THE STATE IS ON DELMARVA COMMUNITY SERVICE, THE STATE IS INCREASING THEIR SHARE 15% OR PASSING MORE ON TO US FOR THAT TOO? YES, FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING, FROM THE BUDGET SUBMITTED BY DELMARVA COMMUNITY SERVICE, THERE IS ESSENTIALLY A CHANGE IN THE FORMULA FOR THE REQUIRED LOCAL SHARE AND FROM, AGAIN, OUR READING, THE $171,979 ALLOCATION WOULD ESSENTIALLY REMAIN AT THE SAME SERVICE THAT WE'RE RECEIVING TODAY.

CORRECT.

WHICH WE STILL HAVE NO CLUE.

I'VE BEEN HERE 3 YEARS, SO WE STILL HAVE NO CLUE WHAT SERVICE WE REALLY GET, RIGHT? YEAH. AND THEY FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING, THEY DO HAVE A NEW DIRECTOR.

ANDY HOFF IS NO LONGER AT MARVA, SO I ASSUME YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET THE NEW DIRECTOR WHEN WE HAVE THE BUDGET ROUNDTABLE AT THAT POINT, BUT I THINK ALL GOOD QUESTIONS TO RELAY TO THEM AT THAT TIME.

RIGHT.

OKAY. SO WE HAVE THE VERSIONS OBVIOUSLY PRINTED FOR YOU IN THE BOOKS. PROBABLY POST THIS MEETING, WE'LL SEND THEM IN EXCEL SO YOU CAN GO PLAY AROUND IN THEM. PLEASE STOP IN ANYTIME BETWEEN STACY AND I, EMAIL US, TEXT US, STOP IN.

WE'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE OR GET THE ANSWERS IF WE DON'T HAVE THEM. AND JEN, DO YOU KNOW RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD THERE WHEN THE BUDGET ROUNDTABLES ARE, THE DATES? YES, NEXT WEEK IS THE BUDGET ROUNDTABLE.

WE JUST HAD ONE. WE'RE NOT DOING, WE'RE DOING INTERNAL, NOT EXTERNAL.

I KNOW YOU WON'T. OKAY, SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE'LL BE DOING BOTH, WE'LL BE ATTENDING, BUT I THINK FOR INTERNAL, IF THERE IS NO REQUEST ABOVE THAT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THEM TAKE THE 10 MINUTES TO, RIGHT. OKAY, TELL YOU FLAT. SO HOPEFULLY TRY TO SPEED THAT PROCESS UP ALONG FOR THOSE THAT HAVE ATTENDED IN YEARS PAST.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. I MEAN, I HOPE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH WORK GOES INTO THIS FROM THE STAFF AND HOW, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE, IT IS, IT IS A LOT EFFORT AND THOUGHT TO WHITTLE THIS DOWN, BUT THE INFORMATION IS ALWAYS THERE RIGHT AT OUR HANDS. AND I MEAN, THEY WILL GET TIRED OF SEEING US AND HEARING FROM US, BUT IT'S A, WHAT, $85 MILLION, $84 MILLION? SO IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK TO, TO GET TO, YOU KNOW, TO GET TO THE ZERO PART. BUT, SO WE'LL, WE'LL GET IT DONE.

THANK YOU, DANNY.

I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, STACY, FOR HELPED TO GET US TO THIS POINT. YEP.

STACY SEES ME, GOES, OH MY.

[2026 State Legislative Bill Discussion]

NO, THAT, SORRY, HE DOESN'T HAVE THAT. HE'S LOOKING AT THE BILL DISCUSSION.

[00:45:02]

YEAH, WE DON'T NEED TO GO. WE DON'T NEED TO GO. TALKING ABOUT THE BILLS. ALL RIGHT, THE SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR LEGISLATIVE BILL, SO THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.

YOU'RE SORRY, THAT WAS ON YOUR BRIEFING ON THE AGENDA.

WE HAD TO EDIT THAT.

WE'RE NOT DOING THE LEGISLATIVE AT ALL. OKAY, WE'RE DOING A LEGISLATIVE BILL DISCUSSION FROM MAKO. OH, OKAY. OKAY, SO YEAH, IT'S BEEN A, BUSY TIME.

WE DISCUSSED 58 BILLS LAST NIGHT. THERE ARE A COUPLE THAT I THINK ARE, ARE THAT I'M GOING TO MENTION VERY QUICKLY.

NUMBER ONE IS WE STILL HAVE THE REDISTRICTING BILL THAT'S HANGING OUT THERE. AS FAR AS I KNOW, WE ARE STILL IN THE, IT'S BEEN PASSED BY THE HOUSE PHASE, BUT THE SENATE IS STILL, HAS NOT ACTED ON IT AT THIS POINT. I HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE THAT THE SENATE IS SEEKING TO EXTEND THE PERIOD OF TIME FOR A CONGRESSIONAL FILING DATE, WHICH WILL GIVE THEM MORE TIME TO DEBATE THE BILL IN THE SENATE. SO I GUESS IT'S LIKE MAKE UP YOUR, YOUR RULES AS YOU GO ALONG.

BUT, THE OTHER ONE IS, THERE, WELL, THERE, THERE ARE SOME THAT I'LL TALK ABOUT MORE NEXT WEEK. WE'RE REACHING THE POINT WHERE THE BILLS NEED TO BE DROPPED. SOME OF THESE ARE NEVER GOING TO GO ANYWHERE, BUT THEY'RE THE SAME ONES OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I'LL HAVE A MORE DETAILED BREAKDOWN. WE WILL MEET ON OUR CALLS ON THURSDAY. JEN, DO YOU KNOW OF ANY, HAVE YOU COME ACROSS ANY THAT YOU THINK ARE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MENTION? I'VE GOT SO MANY PAPERS HERE THAT NO, I MEAN, I GAVE YOU THE LIST OF ALL THE ONES WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING.

ABOUT THE ONE THIS MORNING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PROCUREMENT CONTRACTS.

BUT OTHER THAN THE VOTING ON, YES, THERE'S A BIT, THERE IS A VOTING BILL, 255, I THINK SENATE BILL 255, THAT WOULD IN, IN SO MANY WAYS WOULD BE KIND OF, AND I DON'T WANT TO, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS, BUT I WANT, IT WOULD KIND OF REQUIRE VOTING BY DISTRICTS AND NOT AT LARGE, AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD SUPPORT. BUT, THAT'S ABOUT WHAT I HAVE AT THIS POINT. I, IT JUST TAKES A WHILE TO GO THROUGH THESE AND KIND OF FIGURE OUT THE ONES. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME FARM BILLS THAT I LOOKED AT THAT WE WILL EVALUATE AS WELL.

BUT I THINK THAT'S ABOUT THE BEST I CAN DO AT THIS POINT WITH WHAT'S GOING ON. SO, SO THAT'S IT. ALL RIGHT, THE ACTION AGENDA,

[Action Agenda:]

I MAKE A MOTION WE APPROVE THE RENEWAL CONTRACT FOR 2026-27, WHAT, COUNTYWIDE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.

I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.

AYE.

SO MOVED.

YOU WANT TO NOTE THAT? COME COMMISSIONER BREEDING, YOU'RE RECUSING? YES. OKAY, THANK YOU.

YEP. OKAY, CONSENT AGENDA.

[Consent Agenda]

OKAY, ME EITHER.

I'M FINE. I MAKE A MOTION WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR FEBRUARY 17TH, 2026.

I'LL SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE.

[County Administrators Report]

WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THE DAYSPRING SALE, AS YOU'VE KIND OF BEEN BRIEFED OUT ABOUT. WE'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH DHCD

[00:50:01]

BUT STILL CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH THAT AND TRYING TO CONVINCE THE STATE THAT COMPLIANCE IS OKAY TO BE SIGNED.

I'M GOING TO SAVE SOME OF THIS FOR THE CLOSED SESSION.

YEAH. YEP.

OKAY.

OTHER THAN THAT, NO ADDITIONAL REPORTING. ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER COMMENT? COMMISSIONER OPEN DISCUSSION PERIOD? COMMISSIONER BARTZ? I JUST HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS, ROBIN, ON, TRUNKLINE ROAD. I TALKED TO DANNY, AND I GUESS TO GET THAT TARRED, CHIPPED RIGHT, WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE PIPES, RIGHT? BEFORE THE DEADLINE? WELL, WHAT'S THE DEADLINE? MARCH 15TH.

SO SOME OF THE PIPES, DO THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED? HAS ANYBODY PUT EYES ON THEM? AND SECOND QUESTION, TWO-PART QUESTION, HOW MANY PIPES ARE ON THE ROAD? CAN YOU COME UP HERE? MY, WHY I'M ASKING IS I REALLY WANT TO GET THIS DONE. I MEAN, WE PROMISED THESE PEOPLE THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET IT DONE.

WOLF ROAD, WE PROMISED IT WAS GOING TO GET IT DONE. AND I KNOW IT'S NOT ALL, I KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEM LIES, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BUT I JUST FEEL THAT WE NEED TO JUST DO WHAT WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO.

SO WE HIRED AN ENGINEER, PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL. YEAH, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE WORKING ON IT, AND THEY ARE BRINGING THE STATE IN TO LOOK AT VARIOUS THINGS.

AND JUST LAST WEEK WE GOT A NOTE THAT THEY MISSED SOMETHING THE FIRST TIME THEY WERE OUT.

LANE'S PUTTING THEIR EYES ON THE PIPES. I'M PERSONALLY GOING TO PUT MY EYES ON ALL THE PIPES MYSELF.

OKAY.

IT'S JUST I DON'T WANT TO LOOK FOOLISH BY TAR AND CHIPPING, AND NEXT YEAR WE'RE IN THERE REPLACING PIPES AND RETAR AND CHIPPING. SO, BUT IF IT'S YOUR DESIRE TO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE ARE THOSE TIME FRAMES OF MARCH TO JUNE 15TH, WHEN WE CAN DO CERTAIN WORK WHEN IT COMES TO WETLANDS AND STREAMS. AND YEAH, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOME OF THE STUFF'S OUT OF STATE.

YOU KNOW, WOLF ROAD WAS A DESIGN OF WHERE THEY DESIGNED THAT PIPE REPLACEMENT AND AT AN $80,000 COST TO DO THAT, PLUS CRANE, LIKE, AND, YOU KNOW, WE END UP WITH A PROJECT THAT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY JUST TAR AND CHIPPING THE THING WOULD HAVE COST US A LITTLE OVER $100,000. NOW WE GOT $100,000 JUST TO REPLACE A PIPE.

YEAH.

YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE THERE'S A DIFFERENT PLAN TO ADDRESS THE DIRT ROADS, BUT YEAH, RIGHT NOW WHAT WE GOT IS LANE INVOLVED AND STATE INVOLVED, AND WE'VE GOT TO, I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING, IF WE DON'T REPLACE THE PIPES, WE DON'T REPLACE THE PIPES.

THERE'S, YEAH, I MEAN, I JUST THINK WE JUST NEED TO GET OUR EYES ON THEM. LIKE, WHAT'S FRUSTRATING IS THAT WE HAVE A PERMIT FROM THE STATE BLANKET PERMIT THAT ALLOWS US TO REPLACE PIPES IN KIND. AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, FOR THESE PROJECTS, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWING THAT. WE HAVE TO DO EACH INDIVIDUAL PIPE AS A PERMIT, SEPARATE PERMIT.

SO THAT'S BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING TOO. YEAH, LIKE THESE 3 DIRT ROADS ARE GOING TO BE THE DEATH OF ME.

WHERE IS THAT COMING FROM? IS THAT COMING FROM THE STATE? COMES FROM THE STATE. YEP. AND THEN WE FIND OUT THE ONE, AGAIN, I KNOW THIS ISN'T TRUMA, BUT LIKE THE ONE ON STAFFORD JUST THE OTHER DAY, THAT THE ONE'S WETLANDS, AND YOU HAVE LIKE, HEY, IF YOU WANT TO DO IT YOU GOT TO DO IT BY MARCH 1ST.

AND OH, WE MISSED THIS ONE LAST TIME, AND NOW YOU HAVE TO DO IT BY MARCH 1ST.

CORRECT.

AND LIKE, GOT TO WAIT TILL JUNE 15TH OR FEBRUARY 17TH.

AND YEAH, SO IT'S, SO WHAT'S THE, SO IT'S MARCH 1ST TO WHAT, JUNE 15TH? OKAY, SO ABOUT AFTER JUNE YOU CAN, YES.

YEAH, IT'S JUST LIKE RIVER ROAD WITH THE RIVER ROAD PROJECT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT AS WELL.

YOU STILL DO IT AFTER JUNE? YEAH, THROUGH PAVING SEASON.

YEAH, DEFINITELY. YEAH, BUT YOU CAN'T REPLACE THE PIPES BETWEEN MARCH 1ST AND JUNE.

YES.

OKAY.

YEP, IT HAS TO DO WITH FISH, HABITAT AND SPAWNING.

LIKE I SAY, IF YOU REMEMBER, RIVER ROAD WAS THE SAME.

WE COULDN'T START IT. PLENTY OF, PERCH SPAWNING UP ON TRUCK LINE. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

SO YEAH, DEFINITELY. SO YEAH, SOME OF IT IS, WE'RE NOT DOING THIS BACK IN THE '80S BEFORE ALL OF THIS, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUFF

[00:55:01]

SO MY THING IS JUST GETTING EYES ON THE PIPES, SO WE CAN JUST GET OUR EYES ON THEM, I MEAN, AND GET THEM CHECKED OUT. SO, SO IS THE PROBLEM THAT, I MEAN, LET'S JUST CUT TO, IS THE PROBLEM THE ENGINEERING? I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT'S THE ENGINEERING. I MEAN, THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY'RE ASKED, OR THEY TYPICALLY WOULD DO IN THIS TYPE OF PROJECT. AND I THINK IT'S KIND OF LIKE JUST PEELING IT BACK. SO EVERY TIME WE HAVE A COMMUNICATION, IT'S 2 WEEKS GOES BY. YEAH, HEY, THE STATE'S KIND OF PAYING US NOW ON THIS ONE.

YEAH, BUT YES, BY THE TIME THE COMMUNICATION FROM THE ENGINEER TO US AND BACK TO THE ENGINEER WITH DIRECTION, BACK TO STATE, THEN BACK TO THEM, I MEAN, IT'S A MONTH, IT'S 2 MONTHS.

I MEAN, IT'S RIGHT. SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE INITIATIVE TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

IN SOME CASES, YEAH.

OR, YOU KNOW, ELAINE WILL REACH OUT LIKE, HEY, WE COME ACROSS THIS AND YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO THIS, AND HOW DO YOU WANT US TO HANDLE THIS, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING BECAUSE IF YOU KNEW THIS WAS ALL GOING TO HAPPEN, YOUR TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER SERVED TO GO ON TO ANOTHER DIRT ROAD, RIGHT? I WOULD AGREE.

I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION.

I KNOW YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.

I THINK THESE ARE PROBABLY WHICH WE CAN LOOK AT IT EITHER WAY.

THESE ARE PROBABLY SOME OF THE MOST ENVIRONMENTAL DIRT ROADS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE COUNTY, WHEREAS OTHERS AREN'T. SO WE CAN GET THEM OUT OF THE WAY EARLY AND, AND LEARN OUR LESSONS, AND ALSO ON THE OTHER ONES NOT HAVE AS MUCH OF AN ISSUE.

YEAH, SO DEFINITELY LIKE WOLF, AND I MEAN, PROBABLY ONE OF THE LONGEST ONES THAT WE'VE HIT.

YOU GOT A STREAM, YOU GOT A CREEK THAT RUNS BESIDE IT. YOU GOT THE TREES THAT, BECAUSE OF THE WIDTH OF THE ROAD, ONCE WE, IF WE WANTED TO WIDEN THE ROAD, THEN YOU GOT TREES YOU'RE TAKING DOWN. THEN YOU GOT TO, YEAH, I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED THAT, BUT THAT WAS, SLOWED US DOWN EARLY ON IN THIS IS, ARE WE WIDENING IT OR NOT WIDENING IT? YEAH. AND IF WE DO, THEN, WELL, LET ME GO BACK TO THE COMMUNICATION. WHERE IS THE COMMUNICATION BREAKING DOWN? WE'VE ALL GOT PHONES, WE'VE ALL GOT EMAILS, EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S GOT COMMUNICATION? I MEAN, WHERE IS IT? WHERE ARE WE DELAYING? I DON'T THINK SO MUCH COMMUNICATION.

WELL, I MEAN, IT JUST, IT GETS TIED UP AT THE STATE FOR SO LONG. YEAH, IT JUST GETS TIED UP AT THE STATE FOR SO LONG. I MEAN, THERE'S COMMUNICATION GETS, GETS SENT OFF AND IT COULD TAKE 2 MONTHS FOR THEM TO RESPOND TO YOU, AND YOU ASK 3 TIMES IN THAT 2 MONTHS, AND WHOEVER, WHOMEVER, I MEAN WE HAD SOMEONE SIGN A DOCUMENT THAT HAD CHANGED POSITIONS, SO WE HAD TO SEND A DOCUMENT BACK BECAUSE THE WRONG PERSON SIGNED IT.

EVERYTHING GETS TIED UP AT THE STATE.

DAYSPRING, THE ROADS, I MEAN, IT'S JUST… WELL, IF I COULD JUMP IN, I THINK THE PROBLEM PROBABLY IS OUR BLANKET PERMIT ALLOWS FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE PIPES, YOU KNOW, AS, LIKE, AS AN EMERGENCY OR TO MAINTAIN THE, THE ROAD, YOU KNOW, TO KEEP THE ROAD OPEN.

AND MY GUESS IS BY HIRING THE ENGINEER, THE ENGINEER HAS, HAS WENT TO THE STATE AND ASKED THEM, YOU KNOW, TO ISSUE INDIVIDUAL PERMITS AS IF THIS WERE NOT AN ONGOING MAINTENANCE OR AN ONGOING, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY SITUATION TO KEEP THE ROAD OPEN. SO I THINK THE QUESTION IS TWOFOLD.

ARE WE REPLACING THESE PIPES JUST TO REPLACE THE PIPES, WHICH I DON'T THINK ANY OF US WANT TO DO THAT. I MEAN, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT PAVING THESE ROADS, WE'RE JUST TAR AND CHIPPING THEM. SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S A HUGE EXPENSE TO GO BACK AND REPLACE THE PIPES IN 10 YEARS, IF, IF THAT NEED BE. YOU KNOW, IF THEY HAVE 10, 15 YEARS OF LIFE LEFT IN THEM, LET'S NOT REPLACE THE PIPES JUST TO REPLACE THEM. AND I'M, I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING, YOU KNOW, HOW OUR ENGINEER APPROACHED, YOU KNOW, THIS SUBJECT WITH THE STATE.

DID THEY GO TO THE STATE AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO REPLACE THESE PIPES NOT AS AN EMERGENCY, WE WANT TO REPLACE THEM JUST TO REPLACE THEM BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO TAR AND CHIP THE ROAD.

I THINK THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO WORK THROUGH AND UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO THEM, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE EVEN GO DOWN THE PATH OF HIRING AN ENGINEER IN THE FUTURE AND HAVING THE ENGINEER DESIGN CONVERSION OF DIRT ROADS TO, TO TAR AND CHIP, I THINK FIRST OF ALL WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE PIPES AND PROBABLY DO THE PIPES INTERNALLY, ON A BASIS, OR AT LEAST HAVE A CONVERSATION AT THE COMMISSIONER LEVEL ABOUT, HEY, THIS PIPE HAS 10 YEARS OF LIFE LEFT IN IT. WE KNOW YOU THREE WANT TO TAR AND CHIP THIS ROAD, YOU KNOW, DO YOU WANT TO REPLACE THE PIPE NOW OR DO YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, LET IT RUN ITS LIFE CYCLE AND REPLACE

[01:00:01]

SO YEAH, I WOULD AGREE.

I WOULD AGREE.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, INTERNALLY THERE'S A DIFFERENT PLAN MOVING FORWARD, AS WELL AS, I MEAN, THERE'S TECHNOLOGIES THAT LOCAL CONTRACTORS ARE STARTING TO USE. I MEAN, WHERE THE PIPES THAT ARE EXISTING CAN BE LINED.

I MEAN, SO, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A TIME WHERE YOU, THAT'S A COST ANALYSIS OF CAN WE JUST LINE IT AT A COST OF NOT TEARING THE ROAD UP AS OPPOSED TO TEARING THE ROAD UP, AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT COST ANALYSIS IS. SO I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT THAT FAR AWAY FROM THAT, BEING ABLE TO LINE THESE PIPES, YOU KNOW, AS THEY GO BAD IN THE FUTURE.

SO THOSE ARE ALL OPTIONS MOVING FORWARD, BUT, WELL, WHO DO WE NEED TO CONTACT AT THE STATE TO SPEED THIS STUFF UP? BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO WAIT 2 MONTHS TO GET AN ANSWER. I'LL GET YOU, I MEAN, AS OF LATE IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT QUICKER. WE HAVE A LOCAL PERSON WHO'S BEEN OUT ON SITE. UNFORTUNATELY, HE'S OUT ON A MATERNITY LEAVE STARTING FRIDAY, SO WE DO HAVE A SECOND CONTACT NOW, BUT, I'LL GET THAT TO YOU. YEAH. WE CAN DO A FULL UPDATE WITH KIND OF WHAT'S HOLDING UP EACH ONE BETWEEN THE 3 ROADS WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WHERE THE PINCH POINTS ARE.

AND IF WE NEED TO, I'M JUST AS FRUSTRATED AS YOU GUYS ARE.

I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT ON THERE. YEAH, THEY'RE UP ON MY BOARD IN MY OFFICE AND THEY'RE PROBABLY THE 3 THINGS THAT ARE LEFT FROM WHEN I STARTED.

EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF OF THAT LIST. YEAH, WE GET, WE GET ASKED ALL THE TIME, LIKE, HEY, WHEN ARE YOU, OH, I THOUGHT YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS, I THOUGHT YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT. AND IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK LIKE IF ANYBODY DRIVES DOWN THE ROAD WITH A SEAL ON, THEY GET STOPPED.

I MEAN, YEAH, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAD WAS, I WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PLANS MOVING FORWARD TO ADDRESS THIS DIFFERENTLY.

OKAY. YEAH, SOUNDS GOOD.

THANK YOU, ROB.

COMMISSIONER BREEDING.

THE ONLY THING I HAD WAS, ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO I WAS APPROACHED BY A MEMBER AT ST.

LUKE'S CHURCH THERE IN DENTON, AND THEY WANTED US TO SIGN, OR WANTED ME TO SIGN, AN MOU ABOUT THE USE, SHARED USE, OF THEIR PARKING LOT. I GUESS RIGHT NOW RECREATION AND PARKS USES ST. LUKE'S PARKING LOT.

AND THAT DOCUMENT, I JUST SHARED IT WITH JEN THIS MORNING. I WILL HAVE HER SHARE WITH YOU GUYS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK SO THAT WE COULD GO AHEAD AND SIGN IT. I MEAN, WE BASICALLY, WHAT IT SAYS IS THAT WE WILL GIVE THEM 30 DAYS NOTICE BEFORE WE HAVE A MAJOR EVENT AT THE FREDERICK CENTER. JUST TO NOTIFY THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ALSO DON'T HAVE AN EVENT SCHEDULED. I GUESS THERE WAS OVERLAPPING EVENTS BETWEEN RECREATION AND PARKS AND ST. LUKE'S, AND THERE WASN'T ENOUGH PARKING BECAUSE OF THOSE EVENTS. SO I THINK THERE'S SOME CONCERN THERE.

IT'S NOT OUR PARKING LOT. I THINK IT'S A REASONABLE MOU.

SO I DON'T REALLY SEE WHERE WE HAVE ANY NEGOTIATING POINT, YOU KNOW, WITH THEM. THEY ARE AGREEING TO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO USE THE PARKING LOT. THEY JUST WANT NOTICE AND THEY WANT THE ABILITY TO TELL US NO SHOULD AN EVENT AT THE CHURCH COME UP.

SO, OKAY, THAT WAS IT. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL LOOK TO HAVE THAT ON THE AGENDA NEXT WEEK.

GOOD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THE ONLY THING I'VE GOT IS ATTENDED THE QUEEN ANNE HILLSBOROUGH BANQUET ON VALENTINE'S DAY. SO MY WIFE GOT TO GO TO DINNER. AND WE ALSO ATTENDED THE TASTE OF THE EASTERN SHORE, WHICH WAS A, YOU KNOW, GOOD FUNCTION TO GO TO. A LOT OF, A LOT OF DELEGATES THERE. WE HAD A LOT OF CHANCE, HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. SO THAT TURNED OUT TO BE A GOOD EVENT. SO WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.

PUBLIC COMMENT.

[Public Comment]

GOOD MORNING. SANDRA PITTS, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE HANNAH HILL ASSOCIATION. AND MY QUESTION TO YOU GUYS FROM SOME

[01:05:03]

AND I KNOW EVERY VOICE COUNTS, THEY CAME TO ME YESTERDAY AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR HOUSING FOR THEIR CLIENTS. AND I TOLD THEM I HAD NO CLUE ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH DAY SPRINGS, WHERE IT'S ACCEPTING TENANTS. BUT THE STREET COMMITTEE IS SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOW TAKING TENANTS. SO I'M HERE TO FIND OUT FROM, SO FROM YOU, FROM EVERYONE, TO MAKE SURE SO YOU'RE THE HANNAH HENRY ASSOCIATION? YEAH, WE JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS, WHOSE CLIENTS ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WE HAVE EVERY VOICE COUNTS.

SHE HAS, YOU KNOW, CLIENTS THAT SHE'S TRYING TO FIND HOUSING FOR, AND THEY CAME AND ASKED ME YESTERDAY BECAUSE THEY HAD HEARD FROM THE STREET THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE MOVING INTO DAY SPRINGS. WHICH MYSELF, ON SUNDAY, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE MOVING IN OR OUT BECAUSE WHEN I GOT HOME FROM CHURCH, I JUST SAW THE U-HAUL LEAVING.

OKAY, SO THAT'S MY QUESTION.

ARE THEY ACCEPTING TENANTS? I WILL LEAVE. CURRENTLY, NO, THEY ARE NOT. IF I HAD TO TAKE A WILD GUESS OF WHAT YOU SAW WITH THE PEOPLE GOING IN AND OUT, WE DID HAVE A SLIGHT PIPE BUST AND LEAK, AND I KNOW THEY WERE MOVING PEOPLE GROUND FOR THAT. SO IT MAY HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH, THE PIPE AND MOVING THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD A LITTLE BIT OF FLOODING OCCUR. BUT, THEY ARE NOT ACCEPTING NEW TENANTS AT THIS TIME. OKAY, BECAUSE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD, AND AGAIN, I'M HERE TO GET IT FROM NOT THE STREET, THAT THERE IS SOMEONE THAT'S ACTUALLY GETTING AN INTERVIEW ON WEDNESDAY TO BE MOVING IN. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TRUE THAT IS, BUT YEAH, THAT WOULD BE NEWS TO ME. I STAY IN CONTACT WITH THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY PRETTY, OKAY, REGULAR ON THAT. NOW THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT IT UP, I'LL CERTAINLY ASK THEM TO SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING ON. BUT, WITH THE IMPENDING SALE, THEY WERE NOT, OKAY, RIGHT NOW. AND I'LL LET EVERY VOICE COUNTS KNOW. THAT'S AN ORGANIZATION IN EASTON THAT'S LOOKING FOR HOUSES. YOU KNOW, THAT'S HARD TO FIND HOUSING.

YEAH, DEFINITELY DIFFICULT.

OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. YOU HAVE A CONTACT OKAY, WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AFTER HE, AFTER DANNY TALKS TO THE MANAGEMENT.

OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? PUBLIC COMMENT? MATT? NO? OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, WE WILL NOW WE, WE

[Closed Sesson General Provisions Art. § 3-305 (b): (7) & (8) To consult with staff, consultants, or other individuals about pending or potential litigation”. We are closing the meeting to discuss this topic because public discussion of any theories of imposing liability or interposing defenses, and next steps, would adversely affect the County’s position in litigation. Further, the Commissioners do not want to waive the attorney-client privilege.]

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. WELL, MOTION, MOTION, MOTION TO GO IN CLOSED SESSION.

YEAH, OKAY. SECOND. SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. I THINK IT HAS TO BE A VOICE VOTE.

AYE. AYE.

COMMISSIONER BREEDING, AYE.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.