[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
THAT YOU'VE BESTOWED ON EACH ONE OF US. WE ASK FOR WISDOM TODAY AS WE DEAL WITH THIS BUSINESS.FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR EACH ONE THAT'S AGREED TO SERVE HERE AND ALL THOSE IN OTHERS.
HELP US REMEMBER, FATHER, THAT SERVING OTHERS IS OUR GREATEST CAUSE.
WE LOVE YOU AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR BLESSINGS. IN CHRIST'S NAME.
AMEN. HOW MAY WE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? 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.
MR. ROSS, WOULD YOU LEAD US IN THE TEXAS? YES, SIR.
HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE.
TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
THANK YOU. CAN BE SEATED. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA TODAY THAT NEEDS TO COME UP AT THIS POINT? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA. RECEIVE A REPORT, HOLD A DISCUSSION, AND TAKE ACTION ON
[Minutes: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion, and Take Action on Approving the Minutes from the Board Meeting Held on July 30, 2025. (Sharla Allison, Administration) ]
APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM THE BOARD MEETING HELD ON JULY 30TH, 2025.YOU HAVE A COPY OF THOSE IN YOUR PACKET. AFTER YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THOSE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THEM. IF NOT, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THAT MEETING.
I MOVE, WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. AND A SECOND.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER TWO ON OUR AGENDA IS THE B.
[BIM26-01 — Informational Memorandum: Review of NG911/ESINet Project Progress - Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion, and Acknowledge Overview of NG911/ESINet Project Progress. (Troy Swanson, Administration) ]
I'M 2601 INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM REVIEW OF THE NG9 ONE ONE SENATE PROJECT PROGRESS. RECEIVE A REPORT, HOLD A DISCUSSION AND ACKNOWLEDGE OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT.AND I BELIEVE MR. SWANSON IS GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS.
AND BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO CARLA TO PRESENT US SOME OF THE DETAILS, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO JOIN ME IN THANKING FOR CARLA, ALL OF HER EFFORT ON THIS PROJECT. WE'RE COMING TO A CONCLUSION, BUT IT HAS BEEN AN ADVENTURE OVER A YEAR, AND I THANK YOU, CARLA, AND SOLICIT THE BOARD'S APPROVAL AS WELL.
GOOD JOB CHARLOTTE. YOU HAVE LEARNED A LOT. A LOT OF NEW TECHNOLOGY.
ALL VENDORS, MAINLY THE MAIN VENDORS BEING MOTOROLA AND AT&T WILL BE ON SITE DOING CONFIGURATIONS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH THE 16TH THROUGH THE 20TH, AND THEN THE 23RD THROUGH THE 27TH.
THEY WILL BE DOING REMOTE CONFIGURATIONS MARCH 30TH THROUGH APRIL 10TH THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, AND THEN APRIL THE 13TH. STARTING THAT MONDAY THROUGH THE 17TH WAS WHEN WE WILL ACTUALLY GO LIVE.
SO MONDAY THEY WILL PRETTY MUCH FLIP THE SWITCH.
AND WE'RE HOPING MAYBE AT THE BEGINNING OF JUNE.
WE'LL PROBABLY ACTUALLY BE THE ONE AFTER THAT ONCE WE ACTUALLY HAVE CONFIRMATION OF OUR POINT TO POINT INSTALLATIONS, WHICH ALSO HAS A LOT TO DO WITH OUR LOCAL AT&T TECHS HERE.
AND THEN THAT IS WHEN THAT WILL BE A FEW MONTHS OUT, BUT THAT IS WHEN WE WILL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF ACTUAL NEW EXPENSES ONCE WE CAN DISCONNECT ALL LEGACY SERVICES. AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, BUT WE WILL ACTUALLY STAY ON. WE WILL HAVE TWO. WE WILL BE PAYING DOUBLE FOR A FEW WEEKS
[00:05:06]
JUST TO VERIFY THAT ALL SERVICES ARE CLEAR AND GOOD.AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S ROLLING ALONG BEFORE WE DISCONNECT LEGACY SERVICES.
BUT HOPEFULLY BY JULY ISH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE A LOT OF THEM DISCONNECTED AND HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF ACTUAL EXPENSES THEN WITHOUT DUPLICATED SERVICES. BUT RIGHT NOW, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR THE APD.
DATES IS THE ONLY THING PENDING. AND THEN TO GO LIVE FOR TAYLOR COUNTY.
ARE WE GOING TO LEARN ANYTHING FROM GOING LIVE WITH TAYLOR COUNTY TO HELP APD? PROBABLY. I'M HOPING NOT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE THEM THE GUINEA PIGS BY.
NO, BY NO MEANS, BUT THEY WERE THEY'RE POINT TO POINTS WERE ALREADY READY.
SO WE JUST WENT AHEAD AND WE LOST THE OTHER SET OF DATES THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE FOR JANUARY JUST BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE POINT TO POINT. AND SO WE KEPT THE ONES FOR MARCH. STARTING IN MARCH FOR TAYLOR COUNTY BECAUSE THEY'RE POINT TO POINTS ARE ALREADY READY.
THEY'RE FULLY READY TO GO. OKAY. BEFORE I QUIT EXPLAINING, EXPENSES WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED.
SO I'M WITH YOU, BUT JUST RE RE INFORM US ABOUT HOW THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
OKAY. SO RIGHT NOW ON THE LEGACY. SO WITH THE DUPLICATED SERVICES WE WILL LEAVE THE LEGACY CIRCUITS.
STILL ACTIVE AND CONNECTED WITHOUT DISCONNECTING.
WE'VE ALSO PORTED THEM OVER TO A NEW SYSTEM THAT'S BASED ON FIBER, NOT COPPER.
AND IT'S IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. SO COPPER IS WHAT, 35 TO 50%? IT IS SUPER. I MEAN, OUR OUR BILL IS ABOUT 12,000 A MONTH.
IT WILL NOW BE ABOUT $1,500 A MONTH ONCE WE CAN FULLY.
BUT WE CAN'T DISCONNECT UNTIL WE'RE FULLY OVER.
AND ONCE WE DO THAT, THE, THE EXPENSES ARE GOING TO BE.
I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE AN ESTIMATE JUST YET, JUST BECAUSE I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ALSO CONSOLIDATE SOME SERVICES INTO ONE AND TWO, NOT ONE ACTIVE BILL, BUT WE WILL HAVE SEVERAL.
BUT WITHOUT PAYING FOR DUPLICATE. I DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE AN ESTIMATE JUST YET, BUT IT WILL BE IT WILL BE AT LEAST 50% CHEAPER AVERAGE MONTHLY OR ANNUALLY. FOR ONCE WE GET FULLY MIGRATED AND CAN DO AWAY WITH ALL THE LEGACY COPPER.
IT'S PRETTY MUCH COPPER AND THEY CHARGE TO KEEP ON OLD SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE. THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CHARLIE.
VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. I ENJOY MY JOB. I'M ON BOARD WITH THAT.
UNLESS YOU GET ME SICK TODAY AND I CAN'T MAKE ANY PROMISES.
I STUDIED TECHNOLOGY, NOT HEALTH. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT ONE IS THE BIM 2602 INFORMATION MEMORANDUM.
[BIM26-02 — Information Memorandum: _ Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion, and Acknowledge the FY2026 proforma. (Troy Swanson, Administration) ]
THIS IS A REVIEW OF NG9 ONE ONE. I'M SORRY. THIS IS.RECEIVE A REPORT, HOLD A DISCUSSION, AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE FY ANY TO 20 2026 PRO FORMA TROY SWANSON.
IN THE FIRST FIVE PERIODS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
WE'VE REALIZED THE REVENUE NOTED THERE UP THROUGH THAT 1 MILLION AND APPROXIMATELY 5000 SOMETHING ON THE LEFT PERCENTAGE COLUMN, THAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF PROGRESS IN TIME ACROSS A YEAR.
AND IN THE RIGHT COLUMN OF PERCENTAGES IS THE PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET AT THAT POINT IN THE YEAR.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE PROJECTING WELL UNDER OUR PERCENTAGE THERE.
IF IT'S 41% IN THE FIFTH PERIOD, WE'RE ONLY REALIZING REVENUE IN THAT 28% RANGE.
AND THAT'S A FAIRLY GOOD, FORECAST. OUR REMITTANCE IS RELATIVELY PREDICTABLE.
THE THE BUDGET WAS APPROXIMATELY 3.5 MILLION IN REVENUE.
IT IS A RECOVERY OF ONLY ABOUT 65% IN GENERAL.
[00:10:03]
AND IT'S PREDOMINANTLY AROUND THE WIRELINE REMITTANCE.WHAT WE FORECASTED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS IS THAT WIRELINE REVENUE WAS GOING TO DECLINE BECAUSE BUSINESS CLIENTS ACROSS THE TAYLOR COUNTY ENVIRONMENT ARE BASICALLY WALKING AWAY FROM WIRELINE SERVICE.
THEY'RE ENGAGING IN WIRELESS SERVICES OR ALTERNATIVE SERVICES.
AND IN THE FOUR AREAS RESIDENTIAL BUSINESS, VOIP AND PBX.
WE'RE SEEING THE DECLINE PREDOMINANTLY IN THE BUSINESS SECTOR, WHICH WOULD BE THOSE LATTER THREE.
THROUGH OUR RATE CHANGE, WE DID LOWER THE RATES A LITTLE BIT.
THAT HAS AFFECTED IT, BUT NOT NEARLY AS DRAMATICALLY AS THE REDUCTION IN WIRELINE SERVICE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT.
PREVIOUSLY WE FORECASTED THIS KIND OF DECLINE ACROSS FIVE YEARS.
WE'RE SEEING THE SAME DECLINE FORECASTED THEN ACROSS PREDOMINANTLY TWO YEARS.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WATCH AS A BOARD AND AS DISTRICT ON A GO FORWARD BASIS.
AND I PROPOSE THAT IN THIS CASE, AS WE PROPOSE A BUDGET PROCESS THAT WILL CULMINATE IN MAY, WHERE WE FINALLY APPROVE A BUDGET, THAT IN THE PERFORMA, WE AGAIN REVIEW THIS PERFORMANCE AND SEE WHERE WE'RE AT AND USE THAT TIME THAT'S PASSED TO INCREASE THE FIDELITY OR THE PRECISION OF OUR FORECAST.
IT IS DECLINING. THERE'S NO NO GETTING PAST THAT.
WE'RE MOVING WE'RE SEEING THE INDUSTRY MOVE TO FIBER, BUT NOW THERE'S NEW ALTERNATIVES.
THEY HAVE CELLULAR DEVICES AND INTERNET SERVICES THAT COMPETE IN THIS SPACE, AND THOSE AREN'T COVERED THE SAME WAY AROUND OUR TAX, OUR TAX REVENUE FOR THOSE SERVICES. SO AS BUSINESSES ARE ENCOURAGED TO EMPLOY NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THE DECLINE IN WIRELINE SERVICE. SO IT IS A MODEL PROBLEM.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN AROUND THAT. MOST OF THE BIGGER DISTRICTS IN COGS ARE ABLE TO LEAN ON THE WIRELESS REVENUE THAT THEY RECEIVE. AND BECAUSE THEY'RE SO LARGE AND THEY HAVE SO MUCH WIRELESS SERVICE IN THEIR AREAS, THEY SEE, THEY RECEIVE TYPICALLY ENOUGH REVENUE TO COVER THEIR PROGRAMS. IN THE SMALLER ONES, WE'RE SEEING THE BASIC IMPACT, THE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE SMALLER COGS AND DISTRICTS.
THERE'S BEEN PROPOSALS TO DOUBLE THAT TO $1, BUT WE'VE NOT SEEN THAT GAIN TRACTION AS OF YET.
WE HAVE THE FIRST FIVE PERIODS IN ON EXPENSES, AND WE'RE FORECASTING THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.
OUR EXPENSES OR OUR PROGRAM WAS APPROXIMATELY 1.6 MILLION.
SO THAT'S THE REDUCTION IN SOME OF THESE EXPENSES THAT WE'VE STARTED TO REALIZE.
WE'LL SEE SOME MORE. SO AS WE GET THROUGH THE YEAR, WE'LL BE ABLE TO LEND MORE PRECISION TO THIS.
IF WE CONTINUE TO PROCEED AS IS AND WE MAKE NO CHANGES, WE WOULD COME IN APPROXIMATELY $800,000 OVER OUR REVENUE STREAM, AND THAT WOULD HAVE US WITHDRAW APPROXIMATELY 800,000 FROM OUR FUND BALANCE TO MAKE ENDS MEET THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE ON THE THE PRO FORMA FOR 2026.
WE HAVE A FEW MORE DETAILS IN YOUR PACKET. WE HAVE SEEN SOME REDUCTION IN SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTIONS.
[00:15:04]
WE'VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF INTERNET INCREASES.THE DATA SERVICES ARE COSTING US MORE. YOU SEE, THAT WENT FROM 4300 TO 64,000.
BUT OUR PHONE HAS BEEN REDUCING FROM 490 TO 350.
THIS IS AKIN TO WHAT CHARLOTTE IS ALLUDING TO.
ANY QUESTIONS? JUST TO MAKE A NOTE ON LIKE THE INTERNET.
SO A LOT OF IT'S NOT NECESSARILY IT WILL BE AN INCREASED FEE, BUT WE ARE ALSO MOVING A LOT OF THE TO THE CORRECT ACCOUNTING CODES BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS JUST IT'S ALWAYS BEEN HISTORICALLY CODED TO PHONE SERVICES, AND I'M SPLITTING BETWEEN ACTUAL PHONE SUCH AS ADMIN LINES FOR NON FOR BOTH APPS AND THEN INTERNET. LIKE A LOT OF THE CIRCUITS ARE GOING TO BE CONSIDERED INTERNET NOW.
SO I JUST APPLICABILITY AND PUTTING THOSE IN THE CORRECT ACCOUNTING CODE AS WELL.
SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY INCREASING. DOES THIS.
NOT ENTIRELY. THAT'S CORRECT. SO THAT WOULD TAKE A LITTLE OF THE STING THAT WOULD HELP.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PERIOD FOUR AND PERIOD FIVE.
THERE'S ONLY A $4,200 INCREASE IN EXPENSES. IS THAT JUST KIND OF HYPOTHETICAL, OR IS THAT.
THAT'S BECAUSE PERIOD FIVE IS FEBRUARY NOW, AND WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY GOT ALL THE EXPENSES REALIZED.
WE DID TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT WITH THE FORECAST THOUGH.
SO IT WAS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THAT THAT'S MORE OR LESS A SHORT MONTH.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE JUMP FROM THE FIFTH PERIOD TO THE SIXTH PERIOD.
YEAH. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS USING A MOVING AVERAGE THERE.
OKAY. FAIR ENOUGH. I DON'T KNOW. IF I HEARD YOU EARLIER.
YES, ON THAT ONE. NOW, I HAVE MULTIPLE MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS RIGHT NOW.
AND ONCE WE CAN CONSOLIDATE THEM, THAT IS ALSO A SAVINGS AS WELL, CONSOLIDATING SOME OF THEM.
BUT AND NOT DOING IT TOO SOON. AND WHEN? AND WHEN? YES. I'M HOPING BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR WE'LL HAVE A REALLY GOOD IDEA.
YOU KNOW, STARTING IN THE NEW FISCAL YEAR 27 OR OCTOBER.
WE'LL HAVE A REALLY GOOD IDEA OF EXACTLY WHAT CAN BE COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED AND SAVINGS.
YEAH, THAT'LL HELP A LOT. AND LIKE I MENTIONED, OUR PROGRAM COSTS OUTSIDE OF THE ALLOCATIONS FOR DISPATCH WAS ABOUT 1.6 PREVIOUSLY, AND WE'RE ALREADY FORECASTING APPROXIMATELY ONLY A MILLION HERE.
SO WE GOT SOME OF THAT BUILT IN, BUT NOT THE PRECISION THAT CHARLES IS TALKING TO.
BUT IT SHOULD COME IN UNDER A MILLION IS THE GOAL.
OTHER QUESTIONS. SO WE'RE GOING TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE FY 2026 PROFORMA AS AS A BOARD. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION WHATSOEVER.
I WELL I THINK WE'LL GET TO THAT. MY QUESTION IN THE NEXT.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE THIRD ITEM. BIM 2603 INFORMATION MEMORANDUM.
[BIM26-03- Information Memorandum: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion, and Acknowledge the proposed FY2027 budget. (Troy Swanson, Administration) ]
RECEIVE A REPORT, HOLD A DISCUSSION, AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROPOSED FY 2027 BUDGET.TROY, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN IS A OPPORTUNITY TO PROPOSE HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR FISCAL YEAR 27. AND IN THAT PROPOSAL, WE'VE OUTLINED THREE ALTERNATIVES.
AND I WOULD LEAVE IT UP TO THE BOARD TO HELP PRIORITIZE THOSE POTENTIALLY, OR TALK ABOUT WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR GOALS HEADED AS FAR AS THE BUDGET PROCESS GOES. SO WITH THAT SAID, THE THREE ALTERNATIVES WE HAVE ARE OUTLINED HERE ON THE THIS FIRST SLIDE AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE FIRST ONE IS A ROLLOVER WHERE WE BASICALLY JUST KIND OF STATUS QUO AND SEE WHERE THAT LANDS US.
THAT GIVES US KIND OF A SENSE OF THE IMPACT OF THAT REVENUE DECLINE, ETC..
[00:20:03]
ALTERNATIVE TWO IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT IF WE JUST ADDRESS THE DISPATCH ALLOCATION EXPENSE, AND WE JUST PICKED A NUMBER OUT OF THE AIR AND TRY TO RUN THAT THROUGH THE NUMBERS SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT THAT IMPACT HAS.AND THAT'S A FAIRLY LARGE NUMBER, I WOULD ADMIT, AND WE LIKELY AREN'T GOING TO GET THAT KIND OF AGREEMENT FROM EITHER THE CITY OR COUNTY FOR THAT KIND OF DECLINE IN THE INITIAL PHASE OF THIS.
BUT WE COULD STRIVE FOR THAT IF THAT BECOMES THE GOAL. ALTERNATIVE THREE IS A HYBRID WHERE WE TALK ABOUT A SMALLER DISPATCH ALLOCATION REDUCTION AND A REDUCTION IN RATES, AND WE WANTED TO SHOW WHAT THAT MODEL ACHIEVES AS A RESULT OF THOSE NUMBERS TOO.
SO IF WE MOVE ON TO THAT FIRST ALTERNATIVE, THE NEXT SLIDE, WE BASICALLY HAVE A.
FORECASTED REVENUE. REMEMBER IT WAS FORECASTED THIS NEXT YEAR IS ABOUT 2.2 2.3 MILLION.
AND IF OUR EXPENSES WERE STILL PLANNED OUT AT 3.5.
AND REMEMBER, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT A REDUCTION IN THAT AREA. OUR PROJECTED SHORTFALL WOULD BE 1.5.
NOW, IF THAT EXPENSE COMES DOWN TO SAY, 3 MILLION, OUR PROJECTED SHORTFALL WOULD BE THEN A MILLION.
IF WE WERE TO RUN WITH THAT CURRENT FORECASTED FUND BALANCE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THIS YEAR AT 3.2, THAT 1.5 REDUCTION WOULD LEAVE US WITH A FUND BALANCE OF 1.7 MILLION.
THAT WOULD GO UP. THAT BALANCE WOULD REMAIN HIGHER.
AND SO THAT WOULD MAKE THAT FUND BALANCE APPROXIMATELY 2.2 MILLION.
AND WE REALIZE JUST THE SAVINGS IN TELCO, IF WE GO TO THE SECOND ALTERNATIVE.
IF WE KIND OF RUN DOWN THE BULLETS A LITTLE BIT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS IS, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, IS TRYING TO ESTIMATE THE CONSUMPTION OF THE FUND BALANCE BASED ON THAT REDUCTION IN ALLOCATION, 25% IS OF 2.2 MILLION IN ALLOCATION WOULD REDUCE THAT EXPENSE BY 550,000 TO THAT 1.65 MILLION.
SO OUR OBLIGATION AND ALLOCATIONS FOR DISPATCH WOULD THEN BE ABOUT 1.6.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ABILENE OR THE PROPORTIONAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ABILENE CITY AND TAYLOR COUNTY WOULD BE THOSE NEXT TWO NUMBERS, $375,000 REDUCTION TO CITY 175 TO THE COUNTY.
THE ALLOCATION WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 1.12 5,000,005.25, RESPECTIVELY, TO THE CITY AND COUNTY. AS A RESULT, THE EXPENSE BUDGET WOULD, IF IT REMAINED AT 3.5, WOULD REDUCE TO 2.95 MILLION. THAT WOULD REDUCE ANOTHER 500,000 IF THOSE SAVINGS COMING THROUGH LIKE CHARLOTTE AND I ARE FORECASTING.
BUT IN GENERAL, THAT WOULD BE A FORECASTED AGAINST THAT 2.1 MILLION IN REVENUE TO BASICALLY EXCEED THE REVENUE BY 950,000 500,000 LESS THAN THAT IF WE DO THAT SAVINGS.
BUT OUR OUR 3.2 MILLION FUND BALANCE WOULD REDUCE BY 2.25 MILLION.
AGAIN, IF WE DO THE MENTAL GYMNASTICS, OUR FUND BALANCE MIGHT REMAIN AT 2.75 IN THIS MODEL, GIVEN THE SAVINGS WE'RE FORECASTING. THE THIRD MODEL IS THE HYBRID.
A LITTLE BIT MORE MENTAL GYMNASTICS MATHEMATICS IS IS THAT IF WE REDUCE THE DISPATCH ALLOCATIONS BY 10% AND LOWER RATES TO THE TWO NUMBERS WE SEE THERE. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT $14 ON THE BUSINESS SIDE, WE WOULD RUN THROUGH SOME SIMILAR NUMBERS AND BASICALLY THE EXPENSE BUDGET IN ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE WOULD REDUCE FROM THAT 3.5 MILLION TO 3.28, AND THEN WE COULD RECOGNIZE THAT 500 PROPOSED SAVINGS THAT WOULD BRING US DOWN ABOUT 2.78.
THE PROJECTED REVENUE OF 2 MILLION WOULD THEN REDUCE BECAUSE OF THAT RATE CHANGE TO 14 FOR BUSINESS, IN PARTICULAR FROM 2.8 MILLION, IT'S ABOUT A 300,000 REDUCTION FOR EVERY $2 IN PROPORTIONATELY IN RESIDENTIAL OF REDUCTION IN BUSINESS LINE FEES.
[00:25:07]
NUMBERS AND WE HAVE THE THE REALIZED EXPENSES AND REVENUE THAT WE HAVE HERE ON THIS PAGE, OUR FUND BALANCE WOULD REDUCE FROM THAT 3.2 FORECASTED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR TO 1.62, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, $500,000 IN SAVINGS, THAT MIGHT COME OUT TO BE AROUND 2.12 MILLION.SO THOSE ARE THE THE MODELS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO THERE ARE ABOUT 1.6, 1.6 IN MODEL COMPARISON.
SO I WOULD OFFER UP AND RECOMMEND THAT SOME DISCUSSION REVOLVE AROUND THIS HYBRID APPROACH WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THE REDUCTION OF EXPENSE ON DISPATCH ALLOCATIONS, AS WELL AS A RATE CHANGE THAT'S MORE FAVORABLE TO THE INDUSTRY BY REDUCING OUR RATES.
THERE IS A SIDE NOTE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IS, IS THAT THE REVENUES DECLINING AT SUCH A RATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS THE DISPATCH ALLOCATION EXPENSE? ULTIMATELY, WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT GOING FORWARD.
IT'S QUICKLY BECOMING A TWO YEAR ISSUE TO ADDRESS.
AND WE'LL LEARN THINGS OVER TIME, OF COURSE. SO 28 IS GOING TO BE MORE INFORMED THAN 27.
BUT AT THE BOOKSHELF ENDS WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE PROBABLY TO LOOK AT DISPATCH ALLOCATIONS AS ONE OF OUR LEVERS AND OUR CONTROLS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. AND AS WE LOOK AT THAT LEVER IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET PROCESS THAT ULTIMATELY COMES TO A CLOSE IN MAY, WHERE WE APPROVE THE FINAL BUDGET, THAT WE NEGOTIATE AND TALK WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ABOUT THIS ALLOCATION, AND THE BOOKSHELF ENDS REALLY BECOME, YOU KNOW, DO WE TAKE A SMALL BITE OF THAT PIE THIS YEAR AND THE BIGGER CHUNK OF IT IN 28, OR SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE, OR SOMETHING A LOT LESS OR MORE AGGRESSIVE TO THE POINT OF EVEN BIGGER CUTS IN DISPATCH ALLOCATION.
I THINK WE CAN ALL FORECAST THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ARE GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR A MORE PROGRESSIVE OR SOMETHING SMALLER ON THE FRONT END, AND SOMETHING EASIER TO ABSORB IN 28, THE LARGER CUT.
SO THE SAVINGS WE'VE REALIZED HAS GIVEN US ROOM POTENTIALLY TO TALK ABOUT SMALL DISPATCH ALLOCATION OPPORTUNITIES, BUT IT'S LIKELY GOING TO HAVE TO BE INFORMED IN THAT 28 TIME FRAME FOR PLANNING.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE VARIABLES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
SO I GUESS I WOULD ADVOCATE AND ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION ON A HYBRID MODEL.
PROBABLY A LOW PERCENTAGE REDUCTION IN DISPATCH.
AND BASICALLY IF WE RECEIVE THAT INPUT WE NEGOTIATE THAT.
AND WITH THAT, I'D TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER AN ALTERNATIVE FOR OKAY, AM I GOING.
LET ME LET ME GO THROUGH THIS. IF WE REDUCE THE ALLOCATION TO THE COUNTY BY 10% AND REDUCE THE ALLOCATION TO THE CITY BY 25% AND KEEP THE CHANGE THE RATES FROM DOWN TO THE 175 AND 14 AND WHERE I'M GOING WITH THAT IS WITH THE ENORMOUS UPTICK IN SALES TAX REVENUE THE CITY'S RECEIVING FROM ALL THE ACTIVITIES HAPPENING, I FELT LIKE IT MIGHT BE EASIER FOR THEM TO ABSORB THAT SORT OF A CUT THAN IT WOULD BE FOR THE COUNTY.
THE WAY I SEE THAT THE COUNTY HAS INCURRED A LOT OF ADDITIONAL EXPENSES WITH ROAD REPAIR DEPUTIES WORKING CAR WRECKS AND SO FORTH AND SO ON. AND THEN I'M SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING A LOT MORE CUSTOMERS AT THE JAIL DOWN THERE, TOO, DUE TO THE 8000 WORKERS BEING INFLUXED IN.
[00:30:02]
OBVIOUSLY NOT RUN THE NUMBERS OUT ON THAT, BUT I'D LIKE TO KIND OF GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.AND IF IT WOULD MAKE SENSE. ANY THOUGHTS FROM ANYBODY ON THAT? YES. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE SALES TAX THAT YOU'RE SEEING IS REALLY GOING TO BE A FLASH IN THE PAN BECAUSE OF SENATE BILL TWO. WE'RE GOING TO BE LIMITED ON WHAT WE CAN DO LONG TERM.
IT IS A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE. AND YES, WE ARE RECEIVING ADDITIONAL MONIES, BUT FOR SOME TYPE OF SUSTAINABLE PLAN, WHICH REALLY IS WHAT THE BUDGET IS, WHAT DO WE DO? NOT JUST ONE YEAR BUT THE YEARS AFTER THAT? THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO IMMEDIATELY.
SO I'D JUST LIKE FOR YOU TO TALK ABOUT SENATE BILL TWO AND KIND OF HOW THAT IMPACTS OUR BUDGET PROCESS, IF YOU DON'T MIND. SURE. MARJORIE KNIGHT, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE FOR THE CITY. SO SENATE BILL TWO IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY IS ALSO EXPERIENCING, WITH JUST THE LIMITATION OF THE PROPERTY TAX RATES WERE LIMITED TO 3.5% OF GROWTH OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
ONE OF THOSE ONE OF THE INTERESTING STATISTICS ABOUT THAT IS THAT FOR THE CITY, THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT A 1.4% INFLATIONARY RATE WHICH AS WE KNOW, INFLATION TENDS TO BE MORE IN THE TWO AND A HALF, 3% RANGE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
WHILE WE DO HAVE AN INFLUX OF SALES TAX REVENUES AVAILABLE, IT IS ONE IT IS ONE TIME MONEY.
SO. YEAH. SO THE THING THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS NOT WHAT DO WE DO FOR THIS NEXT YEAR? BUT IF TROY'S PROJECTION IS CORRECT AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A TWO YEAR REDUCTION WHERE THE WIRE LINES GO AWAY, THEN WHAT DO WE DO? BECAUSE WE CAN DO A 10% REDUCTION.
WE CAN DO 25% REDUCTION. BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF WE HAVE TO THEN FINISH THAT WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR.
THEN BASICALLY THE NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE 75% OR 90% REDUCTION IN THAT ALLOCATION.
IF THERE'S ENOUGH WIRELESS FEES TO COVER OUR OPERATING EXPENSES.
AS THOSE EXPENSES KIND OF STABILIZE AND WE KIND OF SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
I THINK TODAY IT'S GOOD FOR US JUST TO HAVE A DISCUSSION.
WHAT I REALLY WOULD LIKE IS FOR TROY TO ACTUALLY REACH OUT TO BOTH ENTITIES AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ON WHAT BUDGET REDUCTION CAN THEY ACTUALLY ABSORB, KNOWING THAT AT SOME POINT IT MAY ALL GO AWAY BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE A CHOICE? SURE. AND IT MAY BE THAT IT'S NOT 10%, 25%, IT MAY BE SOMETHING ELSE, BUT IT IS GOING TO AFFECT A BIGGER PROCESS.
AND WHILE IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR US, IT ALSO IS A BIG DEAL FOR THE DISPATCHERS.
THEY'RE GOING TO GET PAID ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER TAX, WHETHER IT COMES THROUGH PROPERTY TAX, SALES TAX OR THROUGH YOUR TELEPHONE BILL.
AND THERE IS A MULTITUDE OF OPTIONS AVAILABLE.
BUT I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE HAVING MORE INPUT FROM THE ENTITIES TO GIVING US SOME TYPE OF GUIDELINE, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS AN ALTERNATIVE.
YES, SIR. AND ONLY BECAUSE I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT THE COUNTY HAS INCURRED A LOT MORE OF AN UNRECOGNIZED EXPENSES DUE TO THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AROUND THAT. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY COULD COULD REALLY HAVE FORECASTED WHAT WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE WITH ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION COMING TOGETHER AND THE ROAD, THE DAMAGE THAT THE TRUCKS ARE DOING TO THE ROADS AND.
YES, SIR AND ALL OF THAT. BUT YEAH. AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU.
I JUST THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A DEEP DIVE.
WE REALLY NEED FOR THEM TO WEIGH IN, TO GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE. YEAH, I UNDERSTAND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT ON THE WE JUST GOT THE NEW ESTIMATED POPULATIONS FROM CSEC BASED FOR THE WIRELESS REVENUES OR THE WIRELESS POPULATION.
THEY DID INCREASE OUR POPULATION BASED ON THEIR OWN STATISTICS AS WELL, BUT THEY DID INCREASE IT.
AND THEY HAVEN'T NOW INCLUDED THE 5500 APPROXIMATE PEOPLE IN THE JONES COUNTY OR POPULATION THERE.
AND SO WE WILL GET A LITTLE MORE WIRELESS REVENUE.
[00:35:03]
I MEAN, TREMENDOUS, NO, BUT WE CAN COUNT ON MAYBE AN ADDITIONAL 120 OVERALL, FOR ANNUALLY THE WIRE LINE, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR SUPER HIGH RATES, IS SOONER OR LATER, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO COUNT THAT REVENUE.I DEFINITELY I MEAN, DECLINING REVENUE AT THE MOMENT, BUT THE WIRELESS HAS BEEN INCREASED A BIT, WHICH WAS A GOOD I MEAN, IT WAS A GOOD SIGN THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
AND THEN ONCE THEY'LL DO THAT, THEY'LL FINISH UP THAT SURVEY THE 911 ALLIANCE.
AND WE'LL HAVE A LOT MORE INFORMATION BASED ON ALL THE OTHER ENTITIES IN TEXAS, BASED ON THEIR POPULATIONS AND THEIR REVENUES AND STUFF AS WELL. CHARLOTTE, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT JUST THE WIRELESS REVENUE IS THAT WE EXPECT? SO IT'S STILL BASED. IT'S STILL BECAUSE THEY THEY CHARGE A 2% ON OUTRIGHT PURCHASES, MEANING IF YOU'RE NOT ON A CONTRACT WITH AT&T OR VERIZON, YOU JUST GO AND PURCHASE THE LIKE A TRACK PHONE.
BUT ITS AVERAGE ABOUT 95,000 A MONTH. NOW, SOMETIMES WE'VE GOTTEN UP TO 170,000.
SOMETIMES WE'VE GOTTEN DOWN TO 80,000. IT'S RARELY LOWER THAN 80.
OKAY. SO LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, PROJECTED REVENUE, WE ESTIMATED $800,000 SHORTFALL.
WE BELIEVE ALL THAT TO BE BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF WIRE SERVICE, CORRECT? YES. CAN WE EXPECT THE SAME TYPE OF LOSS NEXT YEAR, ANOTHER 800,000 REVENUE LOSS BECAUSE OF ADDITIONAL WIRE LOSSES? AND I KNOW THAT'S A WILD GUESS. YEAH. THAT'S WHAT WE FORECASTED WAS 2.2 MILLION IN REVENUE.
THE PREDOMINANCE OF THAT LOSS DOWN TO THE 2.0 THAT WE FORECASTED IS IN WIRE LINE.
SO $200,000 REDUCTION IN WIRELINE REVENUE AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
AND THE 1.1 REALLY IS JUST THE WIRELESS FEE ONLY.
THAT'S THAT'S WHERE WE THINK WE'LL FINALLY LAND. YEAH.
$0.50 PER LINE. COLLECTED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS AND DISTRIBUTED TO US IN A MATHEMATICAL FORMULA, RIGHT, PROPORTIONAL TO OUR SERVICE AREA. SO AND THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT CHARLES WAS MENTIONING.
ABILENE, TAYLOR COUNTY, 911 155,000. IT'S JUST A FEW SHY OF THAT, INCLUDING JONES COUNTY NOW AND SO I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT WITHIN THE NEXT 2 TO 3 YEARS YOU WANT ALLOCATIONS FOR DISPATCHERS TO BE A NON-ISSUE HERE.
YEAH. WE NON-ISSUE DOESN'T MEAN ZERO. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS THAT'S WHAT I'M WANTING TO KNOW.
WHEN DO WE WANT TO ZERO THAT OUT AND ALL OF THAT GO TO THE CITY OR THE COUNTY.
RIGHT. I THINK WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS RIGHTSIZE IT TO THE REVENUE MODEL THAT WE HAVE AT THE TIME.
AND SO WE'RE WAITING FOR THIS STABILIZATION. WHAT WE'RE PLAYING OUT HERE IS A GAME OF STABILIZATION.
THERE IS CHANGE AFOOT. CAN'T IGNORE THAT. AND BOTH IN WIRELESS AND WIRELINE I WOULD PROPOSE IT'S LOOKING LIKE UNLIKE LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE FORECASTING THAT CHANGE TO PLAY OUT OVER FIVE YEARS, THAT IT'S LIKELY GOING TO PLAY OUT OVER TWO YEARS IS WHAT IT'S COMING DOWN TO.
SO IT'S A FANCY WAY OF SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE REAL NUMBERS MONTH TO MONTH, AS WE GO INTO FISCAL YEAR 28 AND MAKE A GOOD SET OF DECISIONS ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO BRING OUR MODEL INTO ALIGNMENT.
I WOULD PROPOSE THAT THERE'S VERY LIKELY OUR ABILITY TO ACHIEVE SAVINGS IN THE EXPENSES OF THE PROGRAM AND REDUCE THAT TO POTENTIALLY UNDER $1 MILLION ANNUALLY, WOULD POSSIBLY LEAVE ROOM IN THE NEW REVENUE MODEL THAT WE WOULD ACHIEVE IN THAT TIMELINE, THAT THERE STILL IS SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR DISPATCH ALLOCATION.
BUT I COULDN'T PROMISE TO WHAT DEGREE. AT THIS POINT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEGUE, PLEASE, TO THE CHAIR BACK TO RESPOND TO MEMBER KING'S REQUEST.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN DISCUSSION. IS IT OKAY TO APPROACH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WITH DISPARATE PERCENTAGES? TRADITIONALLY WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THE SAME PRORATED DISPATCH ALLOCATION TO BOTH ORGANIZATIONS.
[00:40:05]
IF WE CAN PURSUE, LIKE YOU, YOU PROPOSED 10% VERSUS 25%.I THINK WE WANT TO REDUCE THAT DISPATCH ALLOCATION TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
BEST OF OUR ABILITY MIGHT MEAN INDEPENDENCE IN THOSE DECISION MODELS FOR BOTH ORGANIZATIONS, AND I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN ANY DISCUSSION IF THAT'S PALATABLE TO THE BOARD.
THE MORE PAINFUL IT IS THIS YEAR, THE LESS PAINFUL IT'LL BE IN 28 AND VICE VERSA.
IF WE'RE LESS PAINFUL NOW, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE PAINFUL THAN 28.
SO I IF I REMEMBER FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS, WE'RE THE ONLY WE'RE ONE OF THE ONLY DISTRICTS THAT SUBSIDIZES DISPATCHERS AND WE'RE BY FAR THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO WE HAVE THE HIGHEST RATES IN THE STATE OF OUR DISTRICT.
SO THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK FOR VERY LONG, OBVIOUSLY.
AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO I THINK WE'VE GOT TO RIP THE BANDAID OFF AT SOME POINT IN RESPONSE TO THAT.
YOUR STATEMENTS ARE CORRECT. WE ARE THE LARGEST RATE BY FAR.
AVERAGE RATES ARE FOR BUSINESS LINES ARE IN THE $1 $2 RANGE.
THERE ARE A FEW $5 COGS AND DISTRICTS, BUT BY FAR IN THE $2 RANGE.
SO AT $16 CURRENTLY WE'RE SOME MULTIPLIER. MORE THAN THAT.
WE'RE ONLY ONE OF THREE. ONE WAS A LARGER ENVIRONMENT.
THEY DEFINITELY HAD THE REVENUE TO SUPPORT IT. ONE WAS A SMALLER AND WE'RE SUFFERING BECAUSE OF IT.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE A HIGH ENOUGH RATE. SO YES, WE ARE AN ANOMALY THAT WAY.
I GUESS ANOTHER STATEMENT I'D MAKE IS THIS A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, THE JUDGE CROWLEY OVER AT THE COUNTY WAS OF A MIND TO RIP THE BAND AID OFF, SO TO SPEAK, FOR HIS ORGANIZATION.
AND I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING IS IF IF I GET ONE KIND OF NEGOTIATION GOING WITH THE JUDGE AND THE COMMISSIONERS OVER THERE AND A DIFFERENT ONE OVER HERE, WOULD THAT BE ACCEPTABLE AS LONG AS I'M CONTINUING TO PURSUE THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF BRINGING REVENUE INTO EXPENSES, INTO A KIND OF A NET POSITIVE BALANCE. AND SO IF WE'RE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN THAT, I WOULD PROCEED IN THAT MANNER.
WE SHOULD ACTUALLY BE MANAGING TO A TARGET. WE'RE NOT BACKSTOPPED BY ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION, SO WE NEED TO MAINTAIN A POSITIVE FUND BALANCE THAT ALLOWS US TO AFFORD CERTAIN EXPENSES IN AN EMERGENCY OR SOME INVESTMENTS, LIKE THIS PROJECT UPGRADE THAT WAS FUNDED BY GRANTS THIS TIME AROUND.
BUT MAYBE THE NEXT PROJECT ISN'T. AND SO I THINK WE SHOULD, AS WE MOVE INTO THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, BE ENTERTAINING A FUND BALANCE THAT WE ACTUALLY SEEK AS A SPECIFIC GOAL AND KEEP THE MODEL IN MIND FOR THAT? NO, THAT COULD BE A NUMBER THAT WE PICK OUT OF A HAT.
IT COULD BE SIX MONTHS OF EXPENSES TALLIED UP, AND WE COVER THAT.
AND THEN IF WE GET EVERYTHING ALIGNED PROPERLY, WE CAN MANAGE EXPENSES AND THEN TALK ABOUT RATES IN LIGHT OF A MODEL WHERE THERE'S ONLY 1 OR 2 LEVERS, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THAT FUND BALANCE PURPOSEFULLY, AND IT'S PROBABLY IN THAT MILLION SOMETHING RANGE WITH A MILLION AND A HALF, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE PURSUING THAT AS WELL.
OKAY, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. SURE. SO RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE PAY THE DISPATCHERS FOR TAYLOR COUNTY.
WE PAY SEVEN 727,075 $75. IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
OKAY. HOW DO WE COME TO THAT NUMBER? WHAT'S HOW DOES THAT NUMBER COME? COME TO BE? IT WAS IT WAS ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED FROM BASED ON 63% OF THE
[00:45:07]
ANNUAL TOTAL THAT FOR 17 FOR 19 DISPATCHERS FOR THE COUNTY AND 38 FOR THE CITY.AND THAT AND THAT CAME AND THEY SENT US JUST ONE OVERALL AMOUNT.
AND THEN IT'S HE SIMPLY JUST TOOK 63% OF THAT FROM EACH TOTAL.
HOW MANY DISPATCHERS DOES THE CITY HAVE RIGHT NOW? I CURRENTLY HAVE 30 EMPLOYEES, SO THEY'RE 31 OF US, 31 DISPATCHERS, AND WE'RE PAYING FOR HOW MANY? 38 OR 38. 38 WAS THE CALCULATION 63% OF THAT? AND HOW MANY DISPATCHERS DOES TAYLOR COUNTY HAVE? RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 1515.
AND WE'RE PAYING FOR HOW MANY 18 OR 18 IT IS.
IT'S 1960 63% OF 18. OKAY. AND IF YOU BREAK THOSE DOWN, THE COST PER DISPATCHER, IS IT THE SAME WITH THE COUNTY AND THE SAME WITH THE CITY? THE AMOUNTS THEY SUBMITTED. OH, SHE IS STILL IN HERE.
WE DID THOSE AMOUNTS. IT WAS THERE AS AN OVERALL ANNUAL SALARY.
YES. ALL. ALL PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL WITH BENEFITS AND EVERYTHING.
YES. OKAY, SO DOES THE CITY DISPATCHERS MAKE MORE THAN THE COUNTY DISPATCHERS? LIKELY? NO. THEY DO. YES. OKAY. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.
OKAY. SO AND THIS MAY JUST BE A DROP IN THE BUCKET, BUT.
WHY? WHY DON'T WE JUST PAY FOR THE DISPATCHERS THAT THEY HAVE? IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT. YEAH. TROY HAD MADE THAT I THINK ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.
SO ACTUALLY USE THE BUDGET FOR LABOR AND DISPATCH AND THEN A PERCENTAGE OF THAT.
BUT THAT WERE THAT REFLECTS OLD MODEL CONVERSATIONS.
AND WE BASICALLY ABANDONED THAT PATH OF ANALYSIS BECAUSE IT WAS TOO MUCH OF A MOVING TARGET.
THEIR DISPATCH NUMBERS CHANGED, THEIR BUDGET CHANGES, TOO MUCH OF A MOVING TARGET FOR WHO? FOR US TO ANALYZE OUR ALLOCATION AGAINST THEIR MOVING CHANGE IN LABOR EXPENSES VERSUS BUDGET.
GOTCHA. SO I'M A BIG ADVOCATE FOR TO SUPPORT OUR DISPATCHERS.
DISPATCHERS HAVE SAVED MY BACON MANY, MANY TIMES.
BUT AT THE SAME POINT IN TIME, I'M NOT A BIG ADVOCATE FOR JUST GIVING A CHUNK OF MONEY HERE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING IT FOR DISPATCHERS.
AND THEN IT'S NOT ALL USED FOR DISPATCH. WE CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? BUT BUT I DO WANT TO BE ABLE TO, AS A911 BOARD, SUPPORT OUR DISPATCHERS, BOTH THE CITY OF ABILENE AND AND TAYLOR COUNTY.
AND I GUESS WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME IS JUST TOO MUCH OF A HASSLE TO TO COMMUNICATE.
AND NOW THAT MONEY'S NOT GOING TO COME UNTIL YOU REPLACE THAT.
THAT'S TOO MUCH TROUBLE. IT WOULD INTRODUCE A LEVEL OF DYNAMIC CHANGE IN IN ALLOCATION.
THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO BUDGET FOR. AND IT WOULD DIFFICULT TO TRACK THE EXPENSE OF WITH REGARD TO THE EXPENSE CAUSE, YOU KNOW, COST CAUSER. AND THAT TROUBLE IS WORTH THE THE EXTRA AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE PAY EVERY YEAR.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK TIMES HAVE CHANGED SUCH THAT THEIR LABOR EXPENSE EXCEEDS THESE NUMBERS TODAY BECAUSE AS TIME TO MOVE ON, WE'VE NOT DONE ANY KIND OF CPI OR ANY ADJUSTMENTS OF THESE VALUES.
THESE VALUES WERE LIKELY CALCULATED 4 TO 5 YEARS AGO.
SO WHILE WE CAN TALK ABOUT PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYEES AND 63%, IF WE WERE TO GO BACK AND CALCULATE THESE NUMBERS, THESE SAME NUMBERS WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE IN VALUE THAN THESE RIGHT NOW.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY IN MY BRAIN. AND I'M JUST OLD DUMB HICK COUNTRY BOY.
SO I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS, BUT IF WE PAY THE ACTUAL COST THAT WE COME UP WITH OR THAT Y'ALL COME UP WITH AND TELL US FOR EACH DISPATCHER THAT'S WORKING, WOULD WE SAVE MONEY IN THE LONG RUN? AND WOULD THAT MONEY THAT WE SAVE BE WORTH THE EFFORT TO DO IT? SO YEAH, I THINK A SIMPLIFIED AMOUNT OR PERCENTAGE FOR BUDGET.
[00:50:01]
I THINK IT WOULD BE EASIER. PLUS THEY HAVE A PRETTY HIGH TURNOVER RATE AND THAT'S A LOT OF TURNOVER.AND GOD BLESS THEM. I'M SORRY THAT THAT THAT'S HAPPENED TO Y'ALL.
BUT I THINK AS A SMALL PERCENTAGE IT WOULD BE I'M ALL ON BOARD FOR HELPING THE DISPATCHER.
I'M I'M ALL ABOUT HELPING. I JUST THINK TO GET OUR RATES DOWN FOR OUR ACTUAL WIRE LINE SO THAT THE CITIZENS ARE NO LONGER PAYING SUCH A HIGH RATE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. WE HAVE TO REDUCE THAT BY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT, BUT I'M ALWAYS ON BOARD, EVEN EVEN IF WE ARE THE ONLY ONES HELPING OUT, DISPATCH, YOU KNOW, SALARY REIMBURSEMENTS OR WHATEVER.
AND WE WILL SOON HAVE THE THE NEW SURVEY SO WE CAN TELL EXACTLY HOW MUCH OTHER ONES ARE DOING IT.
SO MY THOUGHT IS WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SETTLED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT'S COMING IN.
THINGS ARE. SO I THINK WE SHOULD CUT THE DISPATCH THIS YEAR 10% BECAUSE THAT'S THE THE LOWEST AMOUNT THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO ME. I THINK WE SHOULD CUT THAT 10%. BUT I THINK DURING YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COUNTY AND WITH THE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET THIS DONE BEFORE WE NEED OUR 2027 BUDGET DONE. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK HARD TO ACCOMPLISH.
BUT YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND IF YOU COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER DURING YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THOSE PEOPLE, THAT'S OKAY WITH ME. BUT WE NEED IF WE'RE GOING TO CUT DISPATCH, LET'S, LET'S LET'S CUT. WHAT'S LET'S GET RID OF WHAT'S OVER AND THEN CUT THE MINIMUM AMOUNT THAT WE CAN FOR THIS NEXT BUDGET SEASON.
THAT'S MY THOUGHT. YEAH. IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN TALK ABILENE INTO TAKING A 50% CUT, I'M ALL FOR THAT OR 25% CUT OR WHATEVER. MR. RICE EXPLAINED THE THINGS THAT THEY GOT GOING ON AND THAT SB, WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE GOT TO DEAL WITH.
BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE MY THINKING IS GOING RIGHT NOW.
HARDY, I UNDERSTOOD YOU CORRECTLY. YOU SAID WE'RE PAYING 63% OF THE DISPATCHER SALARIES RIGHT NOW.
SO APPROXIMATELY CIRCA 20, 21 AND 2022. THEY DID AN ANALYSIS.
AND THESE TWO NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE IN THE PACKET ON PAGE EIGHT OF 1.49 MILLION IN DISPATCH ALLOCATION TO THE CITY AND 727075 TO THE COUNTY WERE 63% OF THE SALARY LOADED.
THAT WOULD INCLUDE RETIREMENT BENEFITS. SECOND THING OF 63% OF THE 38 COUNT FOR CITY AND 18 COUNT FOR COUNTY. SO THOSE AS WE MIGHT REALIZE, SALARIES HAVE INCREASED SINCE THEN, AND WE'VE SWITCHED IN 2023 TO A FLAT RATE, WHICH WERE THESE TWO NUMBERS. AND WE JUST HAVE BEEN RUNNING WITH THOSE NUMBERS SINCE WE'VE NOT EVER RECALCULATED THAT PERCENTAGE ALLOCATION.
SO I WOULD CONTEND THAT THESE TWO NUMBERS ARE SOMETHING QUITE A BIT LESS THAN 63% AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE CITY, ARE ALREADY MAKING UP.
THEY HAVE COVERED THE INCREASES IN SALARIES IN THAT SAME TIME LINE.
AND THAT'S A GOOD THING. THAT'S NOT A BAD THING.
THAT'S A GOOD THING BECAUSE THAT THAT WAY THEY'RE GETTING MORE AND MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT.
CORRECT. PER BECAUSE SUPERVISOR LEVEL. THAT'S THAT BALLPARK.
JUST BALLPARK. DO WE PAY $20,000 PER DISPATCHER EVERY YEAR? 4727 DIVIDED BY 15? YEAH, IT WAS ABOUT 40,000 TO 40,000.
AND SO WE SUPPLEMENT A SALARY OF I DON'T KNOW WHAT A DISPATCHER STARTS AT.
STEVIE, WHAT'S A DISPATCHER START AT 2250 FOR AP AND WE PAY 40.
I'M SORRY, $22.50 AN HOUR AND A CALCULATOR. NOT 22,000.
SO ABOUT 46,000 FOR THE CITY OF ABILENE. YES, SIR.
AND WE PAY 40, IS THAT CORRECT? BASED ON JUST SIMPLE MATH, ON WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS THAT I'D RECEIVED IN THE EMAIL, AN HOURLY SALARY IS JUST THE HOURLY SALARY. IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE BENEFIT COST.
[00:55:02]
SO THERE'S SOME PERCENTAGE INCREASE FOR THE WHAT WE CALL THE LOADED RATE.SO SAY THAT'S ONE AND A HALF. SO 46,000 QUICKLY BECOMES 60,000 SOMETHING.
SO, SO BASICALLY BASICALLY 50% OF THE SALARY OR EVEN POSSIBLY TWO THIRDS.
I'M SO GLAD YOU HAVE TO TAKE THOSE CALLS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO ANYMORE.
THAT WOULD BE ME. YEAH. AND HOW MANY OF YOU HAD THIS YEAR? QUITE A FEW. A LOT. AND? AND I KNOW THE COUNTY JUDGES HAD A LOT OF THOSE KIND OF CALLS.
SO I THINK I THINK OUR GOAL IS TO GET THAT RATE DOWN, AND WE CAN DO IT INCREMENTALLY, INCREMENTALLY.
AND SO IT LOOKS LIKE I'M LOOKING AT THE OPTION THREE THAT YOU GAVE US.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WROTE DOWN IS UNLESS YOU CAN NEGOTIATE BETTER THAN OPTION THREE.
YEAH, RIGHT. WE'RE YOU KNOW, I HATE TO USE THE WORD AGGRESSIVE, BUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TRY TO APPROACH THIS IN A REVENUE EXPENSE NEUTRAL MODEL THAT ACHIEVES A FUND BALANCE TARGET. THAT'S THE VISION OR MISSION OBJECTIVES ALONG THAT LINE IS, IS REDUCE OUR EXPENSES. ONE GOAL IS GET THE DISPATCH OBLIGATION ALLOCATION UNDER CONTROL.
ANOTHER OBJECTIVE IS, IS TAKE A LOOK AT OUR REVENUE MODEL AND DETERMINE, WITH SOME FIDELITY, WHAT OUR LONG RANGE FORECAST FOR THIS. OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO ESTABLISH A FIVE YEAR REVENUE MODEL SUCH THAT WE CAN SURVIVE THE EXPENSES THAT WE PROPOSE.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SIT DOWN WITH THE CITY. I'VE ALREADY STARTED THAT PROCESS. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO VISIT THE THE JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS VERY LIKELY AND HAVE SOME OF THE SAME CONVERSATIONS OVER THERE. AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS OR SO BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO LEAD THAT WITH TO MAKE OUR MAIN TIMELINE.
AND I'M JUST I'M JUST SAYING THAT. A 2,530% CUT THIS YEAR, NOT KNOWING WHERE WE'RE STANDING WITH ALL THE OTHER STUFF.
IT WOULD JUST IT JUST THAT WOULD BE HARD FOR ME TO, TO, TO DEAL WITH.
BUT IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN DO THIS TEN AND IN THIS NUMBER THREE AND THEN SEE WHERE WE STAND NEXT YEAR.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS, THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE PREDICAMENT THAT THE BOARD IS IN.
YES. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE A VERY SIMILAR BRIEFING.
THAT'S WHERE THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. I AGREE. I AGREE WITH YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I WOULD ONLY SAY THAT I'M NOT SURE THAT 10% IS AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH, BECAUSE IF WE DO ACTUALLY FOLLOW THE TWO YEAR MODEL WHERE WE'RE GOING TO LOSE ALL OF THE WIRELINE REVENUE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE A $2 MILLION CUT THE FOLLOWING YEAR, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE TOO MUCH FOR EITHER THE CITY OR THE COUNTY TO ABSORB A GREATER REDUCTION IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED IN 28. ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN, CUTTING OUT A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS FOR THIS NEXT BUDGET YEAR IS NOT ENOUGH.
I DON'T THINK BECAUSE IT'S TOO BIG OF AN APPLE TO EAT IN ONE BITE IS NOT GOING TO GET US THERE.
THIS IS WHY THERE HAS TO BE A ROBUST CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY AND A ROBUST CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM BECAUSE THIS IS EVERYBODY'S PROBLEM, NOT JUST THE BOARD'S. ARE YOU SUGGESTING MAYBE A 25% ACROSS THE BOARD? I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE NEED TO BE AGGRESSIVE, AS IF WE CAN IN 25%.
PROBABLY OUGHT TO BE THE BEGINNING POINT, IF NOT GOING UP.
THE PROBLEM IS WE'VE GOT TO FIND THAT MONEY IN THE OTHER BUDGETS TO COVER THIS.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT IN 24 MONTHS. IF THE MODEL IS WHAT IT IS.
WE WILL KNOW MORE AS WE MOVE ALONG. BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THE WORST IF YOU DON'T.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT YEAR IN 12 MONTHS. I AGREE.
AND I WOULD POINT OUT THAT WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE THE WAY IT IS.
SO WE NEED TO TREAT THAT CAREFULLY TOO. IT IS OUR CUSHION.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS AIM THIS TO LAND SOFTLY WITH THE FUND BALANCE THAT WE WOULD DESIRE.
[01:00:03]
SO WE'VE GOT TO I REMEMBER WHEN OUR FUND BALANCE WAS $8 MILLION, $10 MILLION.IT WAS EASY. WELL, AND THAT'S WHY WE PAY FOR DISPATCHERS BECAUSE WE HAD SO MUCH MONEY.
SO I WILL TAKE ALL THIS INPUT AND PROCEED AS WE'VE DISCUSSED.
I HATE TO USE THE WORD AGGRESSIVE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO ENTER INTO IT AS A POSITION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE A VERY NEUTRAL BUDGETING EXPENSE PROCESS THAT THE BOARD. YEAH. THE DISTRICT DETROIT ALSO RECOMMEND THAT YOU HAVE EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM AT THE SAME TIME TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA. ANY MORE DISCUSSION OR I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY WE WILL INCLUDE THE, THE JUDGE AND WHOEVER ELSE HE HAS AND THEN THE SHERIFF AND THEN IT'S SAME HERE.
WE WILL INCLUDE OUR CITY MANAGEMENT CITY ADMINISTRATION AND APD'S CITY OR DISPATCH AND THE APPROPRIATE CHIEF. THAT WAY, THEY'RE DEFINITELY AWARE OF THE AGGRESSIVE REDUCTION, IF THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO GO.
AND THEN. AND THEN WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE ONE TOGETHER. I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO GO TO A SEPARATE AND THEN DO TOGETHER. MAYBE JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE, AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK WITH IT AS AN ACTION ITEM BECAUSE THE FINAL VOTE IS IS OUR BOARD.
Y'ALL ARE OUR FINAL. THEY IT IS A YOU KNOW BY CSX I MEAN BY OUR TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE.
WE DO HAVE TO SUBMIT A BUDGET TO THE CITY AND TO THE COUNTY.
AND THEY ARE TO PUT IT ON AS AN ACTION ITEM ON THEIR AGENDA, AND THEY APPROVE IT.
HISTORICALLY, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT AFTER IT WAS APPROVED HERE, BUT THAT WAY WE KNOW THAT CITY COUNCIL AND COMMISSIONERS ARE ALL ALREADY AWARE OF IT, AND THEY CAN AND THEY CAN APPROVE IT IN THEIRS, AND THEN IT'LL BE THE FINAL APPROVAL WHEN IT COMES HERE TO OUR BOARD APPROVAL.
SO THAT WILL BE HOPEFULLY BY MAY WE CAN GET IT ALL DONE.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE DISCUSSION.
AND WE APPRECIATE THE INPUT. ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SO MOVED. SECOND. GOT A MOTION IN THREE SECONDS.
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. WE'RE ADJOURNED. THE THIRD.
OKAY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.