[00:00:09] KIND OF LIKE BAPTIST. THIS MORNING EVERYBODY WENT TO THE VERY BACK OF THE ROOM. WE HAVE LOTS OF SEATS UP FRONT, BUT I UNDERSTAND. WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE ON THIS TUESDAY, [CALL TO ORDER] MAY THE 12TH, 2026. THIS IS A TROUP COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUDGET WORK SESSION. SO WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE. SO AT THIS TIME, I AM GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE COUNTY MANAGER. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. APPRECIATE THE TIME THIS MORNING. CERTAINLY VERY IMPORTANT AT THIS TIME. I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO SONYA CONROY TO LEAD THE CONVERSATION. AND I THINK WE'LL START OFF PROBABLY ON PAGE 4 OR 5. THE [1. Discuss FY26 Proposed Budget ] DOCUMENTS, WHICH IS REALLY THE THE REVENUE AND EXPENSES THAT ARE LINE ITEM BY DEPARTMENT. AND THEN AGAIN, AS YOU SEE, IF YOU CAN GO BEHIND THAT AND YOU'LL SEE THE LINE ITEM BUDGET FOR REVENUE EXPENDITURES PER DEPARTMENT. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO SONYA. GOOD MORNING. YES. AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS JUST A DRAFT OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET. AND IT IS IT'S JUST A SUMMARY OF WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR. AND AS HE SAID ON PAGE FIVE, IT DOES SHOW YOU A SNAPSHOT OF AT THE TOP, IT IS REVENUE BY DEPARTMENT AND AT THE BOTTOM IT IS EXPENSE BY DEPARTMENT. AND SO AT THIS TIME, WHERE WE ARE NOW WITH FY 27 TOTALS FOR REVENUE FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS $68,763,950, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF A LITTLE OVER $3 MILLION FROM THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR FY 26. DO YOU WANT TO JUST MENTION AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THIS THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE'VE SEEN THE THE, THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE, WHICH WE OBVIOUSLY OPTED INTO LAST YEAR, WHICH HELD OUR HOMESTEAD REVENUES AT 2.76, I FORGET WHAT TOTAL AMOUNT. BUT AND AGAIN, IN ADDITION, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE UPTICK OF COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL AS WELL, THAT PACKAGE TOGETHER MAKES UP 3.88% TOTAL THAT WE'RE SEEING. SO WE CERTAINLY ARE SEEING A, A, A LESSENED REVENUE THAN WE'VE SEEN IN PAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES THE STATE LEGISLATURE MADE TO HOW AND WHAT WE CAN COLLECT REVENUES. SO AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT IS THE EXPENSES, AND THAT BUDGET IS $68,031,000, 300 AND LET'S SAY 367. I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT MY GLASSES, BUT THAT'S A 2.2 OR ALMOST A $2.3 MILLION INCREASE OVER THE FY 26 ADOPTED EXPENSE BUDGET. AND SO AT THIS POINT, WHERE WE ARE IS THAT THE REVENUES OVER EXPENSES ARE $732,583, AND THAT IS WHAT IS AVAILABLE FOR Y'ALL TO APPROPRIATE IF YOU SO CHOOSE. WE'LL WE'LL POINT OUT THAT A LOT OF THE THE INCREASE THIS YEAR IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS THAT WERE APPROVED LAST YEAR. WE APPROVED, I BELIEVE, 14 NEW POSITIONS, SIX, 16, 16, 16 NEW POSITIONS IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. AND SO OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST YEAR WE ONLY HAVE TO BUDGET HALF OF THAT POSITION. BUT THIS YEAR NOW IT'S OBVIOUSLY THE CHICKENS HAVE COME TO ROOST, AND NOW WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR COVERING ALL OF THOSE EXPENSES FOR THE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. 16 HOW MANY OF THEM WERE FILLED? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK MAJORITY OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ONES WERE FILLED. LET'S SEE WHO ELSE. JUST A NUMBER. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. I'M NOT SURE. OKAY. I THINK ALL OF THEM ARE FILLED EXCEPT FOR THE SHERIFF'S POSITIONS. AND HOW MANY IS THAT? AND I THINK HE GOT SIX LAST YEAR. AND THOSE WILL BE FILLED. OKAY. THAT. WE CAN WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SPECIFICALLY LATER ON IN THE CONVERSATION. BUT I THINK AS OF YESTERDAY, CENSUS REPORT, THERE ARE 21 OPENINGS CURRENTLY IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. SO IN THIS EXPENSE BUDGET IS A 5% RAISE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES IN JANUARY. SO IT'S A 2.5% INCREASE TO THE BUDGET. THOSE 16 POSITIONS, LIKE HE MENTIONED, AND WE WERE ABLE TO HOLD MEDICAL STABLE FOR THIS YEAR. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT IN THE EXPENSE BUDGET NOW ON PAGES SEVEN. THROUGH THE BACK OF IT IS THE DETAIL, EXCUSE ME, THE DETAIL FOR THE REVENUE BY DEPARTMENT, BY LINE ITEM, FOR [00:05:05] ALL OF THE REVENUE AND ALL THE EXPENSES FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT FOR YOU TO REVIEW THAT. AND AS YOU KNOW, WE MET WITH ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS TO DISCUSS THEIR BUDGETS WITH THEM AND ANY, ANY APPROPRIATIONS THAT WERE MADE. SO ON PAGE THREE OF THIS DOCUMENT SHOWS A BREAKDOWN OF AT THE VERY TOP ON PAGE THREE, IT SHOWS SOME OF THE REQUESTS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED OF PUTTING INTO THE BUDGET, WHICH INCLUDES THE REQUEST FROM THE PUBLIC DEFENDER, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AND THE COURT'S REQUEST FOR A PART TIME. SO DID YOU SAY THAT THAT PAGE IS IN THIS BOOK? THAT PAGE IS ON PAGE THREE. PAGE THREE IS THE THE COLOR OF WHEN SHOULD BE LIKE THE THIRD PAGE THREE. ON THAT PAGE. THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN DISCUSS TODAY ABOUT THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO INCLUDE IN THIS BUDGET, HOW YOU MIGHT APPROPRIATE THOSE $732,000 EXCESS FUNDS. WHAT? TELL ME SOMETHING, SONIA. IN THIS, WHEN WE GET DOWN TO THESE DEPARTMENTS, I KNOW OVER A FEW YEARS AGO, WITH THE FUEL PRICES LIKE THEY ARE, HAVE THESE DEPARTMENTS THAT USE FUEL AND GASOLINE, HAVE THEY ADJUSTED FOR THE PRICES? THIS YEAR WE HAVE BEEN OKAY WITH FUEL, SO MOST OF THEM LEFT. ARE WE GOING INTO WE'RE GOING INTO A BUDGET YEAR THAT'S FIXING TO BE JUNE THE 30TH IS GOING TO BE THE LAST DAY, AND WE'RE GOING IN JULY. THE ONE I CONTINUE TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE REVENUES AND THE EXPENSES. I CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THEM UNTIL I GET THE FINAL DOCUMENT READY TO PRESENT. BUT I FEEL LIKE AT THIS TIME, WE'RE OKAY ON FUEL. TYPICALLY, WE LOOK AT THE LIKE THE ANNUALIZED FUEL CAPACITY, FUEL CONSUMPTION AND COST OVER, OVER TIME. AND SO WE HAVE KEPT IT PRETTY STEADY EVEN IN SOME OF THE YEARS WHERE WE'VE SEEN LEANER YEARS WHERE THE GAS PRICES HAVE DROPPED, WE'VE KEPT THEM PRETTY FLAT BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE'S IT'S JUST SUCH AN UNSTABLE MARKET. AND SO WE REALLY HAVEN'T MADE A LOT OF REDUCTIONS IN FUEL OVER TIME BECAUSE AGAIN, AS WE I SAY, IT'S POPULATION GROWS, WE'RE GETTING BUSIER AND BUSIER. AND SO WE HAVE JUST REALLY PROVIDED A CUSHION IN OUR FUEL BUDGET. SO IN HARD TIMES LIKE THIS, WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF MONEY TO BE ABLE TO EXPEND THAT WAS ALREADY PUT INTO THE BUDGET. I HATE TO SAY WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF MONEY. WELL, YOU KNOW, WE YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK WHAT WE'VE DONE AND YOU'LL SEE IN OUR BUDGET OBVIOUSLY IS THAT DURING THE LEAN, DURING THE, THE GOOD YEARS, WE, WE PUT MONEY AWAY FOR THE BAD YEARS, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. SO WE HAVE ENOUGH IN THERE RIGHT NOW TO COVER 12 MONTHS IF THE PRICE STAYED WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW. YES, SIR. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I'M OKAY. WE DID LEAVE ANIMAL HOUSING FAIRLY FLAT FOR WHAT WE HAD THIS YEAR, WHICH WOULD BE AMPLE CONSIDERING THOSE SITUATIONS GOING ON WITH THAT. AND WE DID INCREASE INMATE FOOD TABLE SUPPLIES AND INMATE MEDICAL. MATCH THE AMOUNT OF INMATES THAT THEY'VE BEEN HAVING THAT HAS CAUSED OVERAGES IN THEIR CONTRACT. WELL, THE CONTRACT SAYS BASICALLY THAT IF IF IT'S IF WE HAVE MORE THAN 600 INMATES INSIDE THE JAIL, THEN THERE IS A THERE IS A COST INCREASE PER PER MEAL. AND SO WE ARE GOING ABOVE THAT. SO WE'RE ARE HAVING TO PAY THOSE ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES. SO. I WILL SAY AFTER THE FIRST LITTLE, I GUESS, PINK OR PURPLE ITEM, WHICH IS THE THE THREE REQUESTS THAT CAME BEFORE THE BOARD, THE D A PUBLIC DEFENDER AND CLERK OF COURT. I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE DA'S OFFICE AND I'LL. WE'LL SHARE THIS. THE CITY OF LAGRANGE HAS ALLOCATED AN ADDITIONAL 4000 TOWARD THEIR ALLOCATION TO TO THE PUBLIC, THE DA'S OFFICE, WHICH BRINGS THEIR TOTAL ALLOCATION TO 140. AND BASED ON THAT ADDITIONAL MONEY, I TALKED TO THE D A AND HE SAID THAT IF WE PROVIDED 200 000 HIM, HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH A MAJORITY OF THE PROMISES THAT HE MADE TO THE [00:10:01] BOARD OR PROMISE PLEDGES TO THE BOARD. IN OUR PREVIOUS MEETING, THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS ASKED, WHICH IS 78075 ACTUALLY IS DOWN FROM HIS ORIGINAL REQUEST OF ABOUT 130. AND SO OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD WOULD BE TO FULFILL HIS REQUEST AT THAT. 78075 WAS THAT NUMBER AGAIN? SEVEN. IT'S ON THE RIGHT ON TOP. THE LITTLE PURPLE 78075 WITH THE D A IS FROM 337 TO 200. YES, SIR. THAT'S THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION. AND WITH IN, IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE D A. AND I KNOW WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS THE OTHER DAY FROM THE CLERK OF COURT ABOUT THEIR REQUEST. AND I KNOW THAT WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT GOING OUT AND TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THOSE MAYBE SOME DISCUSSIONS. DID WE? SO IS THE NUMBER THAT'S UP THERE THE FINAL REQUEST OR THAT'S THE FINAL REQUEST? THAT IS JUST THE PART TIME POSITION EXPENSE. OKAY. THERE'S BEEN RESOLVED. ANSWER BETTER THAN I CAN, BUT HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE ANY POSITIONS YOU CURRENTLY HAVE IN YOUR OPEN IN YOUR DEPARTMENT? YES. I'M SORRY. YES. RIGHT NOW THERE'S GOING TO BE. AND ONE PART TIME. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY PART. YOU PLAYED YOUR PART TIME OPENING ALREADY. YEAH. OKAY. SO SHE CURRENTLY HAS TWO FULL TIME OPENINGS RIGHT NOW IN HER DEPARTMENT. HAVE THOSE POSITIONS BEEN HARD TO FEEL? NO. JUST. OKAY. TRANSFER. TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT. OKAY. MOVING DOWN THROUGH THAT PAGE. EXCUSE ME. PAGE THREE IS SOME OF THE OTHER OPTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED REGARDING EMPLOYEE RETENTION, PARTICULARLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND IN THE YELLOW IS AN A MAXIMUM ESTIMATE OF A MERIT ADJUSTMENT FOR THE DEPUTIES AND JAILERS. AND THAT COULD COST AS MUCH AS 600 000. THAT WOULD JUST DEPEND ON HOW THAT'S IMPLEMENTED. AND THEN BELOW IS THE POTENTIAL OF ELIMINATING EIGHT POSITIONS AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THAT WOULD BE A SAVINGS OF $581,000, WHICH WOULD ESSENTIALLY COVER THE MERIT ADJUSTMENT. AND THEN MOVING ON DOWN INTO THE GREEN, WE SEE THE TOTAL THAT'S EXPECTED TO PROVIDE ALL PUBLIC SAFETY WITH P O, A, B INSURANCE OR ANOTHER PENSION FOR THEM FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THAT WOULD BE AT A COST OF $109,000. AND THEN BELOW IN THE LIGHTEST PINK IS THE NUMBERS FOR BASICALLY STAYING HOW WE ARE WITH THE COUNTY PENSION FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, OR IF WE MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THAT, THERE'S SOME INFORMATION THERE THAT WOULD HELP SUPPORT THAT. AND WHAT PENSION PLAN IS THIS? WE HADN'T DISCUSSED THE PENSION PLAN. WELL, THIS IS THE SAME. THIS IS THE ONE WE DISCUSSED AT THE RETREAT. OH BUT WE DIDN'T. BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE THIS IS WHY WE'RE HERE DISCUSSING IT NOW. WE'RE WE'RE HOPE IS, IS TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT SO WE CAN GET SOME, SOME CLEAR DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD OF, OF WHERE WE WANT TO GO WITH PROVIDING ADDITIONAL RETIREMENT. AGAIN, WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS WE PROVIDED YOU WITH COST ESTIMATES BASED ON WHAT WE COULD OFFER. AND SO JUST WANTED TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATION WITH THE BOARD TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND KIND OF WHAT DIRECTION WE WANT TO HEAD IN. GOING BACK UP TO THE SHERIFF ON THE THE MERIT RAISE, AM I READING THAT RIGHT? THAT IT'S EIGHT POSITIONS TOTAL BEING USED TO BE ABLE TO DO THE MERIT, BUT THAT WOULD LEAVE SIX DEPUTY POSITIONS AND FOUR JAILER? AM I READING THAT RIGHT? I WAS TAKING FOUR POSITIONS. YEAH, FROM THE DEPUTIES AND THE JAILERS. JUST AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE COULD FUND THIS. AND HE COULD CHOOSE WHAT HOWEVER HE WANTED TO DO IT, AND IF HE WANTED TO DO MORE OR LESS. BUT THEY, LIKE WE SAID, WE THEY HAD 21 POSITIONS. THEY'VE HAD QUITE A FEW POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN OPEN FOR A LONG TERM TIME. AND THIS WOULD JUST BE ELIMINATING FUNDING FOR THOSE POSITIONS. [00:15:07] AND THIS DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR POTENTIALLY THE THE TWO OFFICERS THAT COULD COME WITH THE THE GRANT THROUGH GEORGIA STATE PATROL AS WELL, PUBLIC SAFETY. SO THAT THIS IS NOT I THINK IT INCORPORATES THEM. THEY'RE NOT IN THIS IN THIS. SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE SAYING IN THAT POSITION THAT YOU SHARED WITH US, THAT'S A REDUCTION OF EIGHT POSITIONS OUT OF 18 POTENTIALLY. YEAH. OKAY. YES. I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. BUT I, I WOULD HAVE SOME CONCERNS AROUND ELIMINATING THE POSITIONS FOR THE JAIL, RIGHT. GIVEN THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE AT THE JAIL, I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE SHORT STAFFED THERE. THAT LOCATION. IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM THE JAIL THAT CAN SPEAK ABOUT THAT? YES, SIR. IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING TO THE FRONT SO WE CAN SEE AND HEAR YOU. JUST A QUICK HOUSEKEEPING NOTE. I REALIZED A WHILE AGO THIS A LITTLE DIFFERENT MEETING THAN WE NORMALLY HAVE, BUT IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND ADDRESS, BECAUSE THIS IS BEING SHOWN LIVE, AND SO THAT PEOPLE OFTEN TEXT US AND SAY, TELL THEM TO SPEAK UP. SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, EVERYONE, PLEASE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. ACTUALLY, IT'S BEEN A MAJOR CONCERN OF MINE. YEAH. MORE STAFF VERSUS. YEAH, EXACTLY. YEAH. AND WE WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT THE OTHER MAJOR TAYLOR, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME ON UP, SIR. NO MAJOR TAYLOR I'M JUST KIDDING. ANYWAY, WE DISCUSSED THAT AND NONE OF THESE POSITIONS WOULD PROBABLY COME FROM THE JAIL. OKAY. BECAUSE WE. YEAH. AND I THINK THE THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE SHORT NOW IS A LITTLE OFF. I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT WAS PRINTED, BUT SO YEAH, WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED IT AND WE SAID ONE FROM POSSIBLY JUVENILE COURT THAT HAS NOT BEEN FILLED IN HOW MANY YEARS. IT'S BEEN A WHILE. YEAH. IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN SEVERAL YEARS THAT IT'S BEEN VACANT. AND WE'VE JUST KIND OF WENT AROUND EACH DEPARTMENT AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT CAN YOU DO WITHOUT? AND THE JAIL WOULD NOT BE PART OF THAT IF I HAD MY A LITTLE BIT ALREADY. YEAH, YEAH, I, AND I COMPLETELY THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. IT COULD TURN JUST TO JUST DEPUTIES, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S THREE POSITIONS IN COURTS THAT HASN'T BEEN FILLED YET THAT ARE NEW POSITIONS AND THREE IN PATROL THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FILLED FROM THEIR NEW POSITIONS AS WELL. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE WHILE WE HATE TO LOSE ANY POSITIONS AT ALL, YOU KNOW, AND, AND GROWING COUNTY, IF IT CAN HELP US RETAIN EMPLOYEES AND RECRUIT EMPLOYEES AND IT MAY BE BENEFICIAL TO THE OTHER DIVISION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT WE JUST COULD NOT AFFORD TO DO WITHOUT WAS OUR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION. THOSE ARE TWO PLACES THAT WE DID NOT WANT TO LOSE PEOPLE, IF ALL POSSIBLE. SO SO YEAH, GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. WE WENT TO ALL DEPUTIES. IT WOULD BE AT A HIGHER RATE, A HIGHER SALARY RATE FROM FROM 21 TO 27. SO MAYBE WE CAN GET BY WITH SEVEN POSITIONS INSTEAD OF EIGHT IS OUR HOPE. I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING FOR US IS THERE'S A LOT OF POSITIONS THAT JUST HAVE NEVER BEEN FILLED IN. AND I'M GONNA JUST USE THE TERM MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS, MAYBE YEARS, THAT SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS JUST NEVER BEEN FILLED. THEY'RE ON OUR BOOKS, BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FILL FILL THOSE. AND WE'RE JUST KIND OF MOVING THAT OVER. WE MAY SEE THAT CHANGE IF WE, WE, YOU. EXACTLY. YOU'RE NOT SAYING YOU'LL COME BACK, ARE YOU? THAT, THAT SO THAT I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR CONCERN. ALRIGHT. THANK Y'ALL. YOU KNOW, THAT'S STATE PENSION. SO TECHNICALLY ALREADY. BUT YEAH, YEAH THAT'S RIGHT. JUST SHIFTING SHIFTING A LITTLE BIT. YEAH. JUST THE, THE INCENTIVE PAY IS REALLY A NET ZERO ULTIMATELY TO THE COUNTY. OUR HOPE IS THAT WE CAN RETAIN OUR EMPLOYEES FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. AND AGAIN, HOPEFULLY, BECAUSE AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF EXPENSE IN THE BUDGET. I MEAN BULLETPROOF VEST ARE CUSTOM MADE AND UNIFORM AND SHOES AND TRAINING, AND THERE'S A LOT OF ONBOARDING COSTS FOR A DEPUTY OR FIREFIGHTER OR NINE ONE OR. AND SO THAT PRODUCE GOES DOWN AS WELL. AND AGAIN, IF WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE HERE AGAIN, HOPEFULLY WE CAN LESSEN OVERTIME AS WELL. AND AGAIN, I THINK IT'S OVER TIME, WE SHOULD SEE A LESSON OF EXPENSES THAT WE CAN THEN REINVEST BACK INTO OUR OUR COUNTY. SO SHORT SHORT TERM SOLUTION, LONG TERM GAIN WE HOPE. LET ME ASK YOU, IS THERE SOMEONE HERE CAN KIND OF MAYBE EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT OF THE THE. YEAH, POAPOAB WHAT THE BENEFIT OF THAT IS TO THE OFFICERS THERE. YEAH. ZACH, WHY DON'T YOU COME AS WELL? BECAUSE THIS INVOLVES THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TOO. THIS IS KIND OF A DUAL DUAL EFFORT. ANYWAY, THE POB IS A GUARANTEED PENSION. IT STANDS FOR PEACE OFFICERS BENEFIT ANNUITY AND UP IN. FOR SEVERAL YEARS IT WAS ONLY OFFERED TO CERTIFIED PEACE [00:20:06] OFFICERS. NOW THEY'VE EXTENDED THAT TO CORRECTIONS OFFICERS. I THINK NOW ONE DISPATCHERS GET IT. AND AND FIRE HAS THEIR OWN. BUT IT'S 30 IT'S UP TO $35 A MONTH. AND I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING SITTING ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK IF HE'S NOT SIGNED IT YET ABOUT ADDING TO IT THROUGH SOME KIND OF OTHER FEES OR SOMETHING TO DO WITH CELL PHONES. BUT ANYWAY, WHAT IT WOULD DO IS, IS $35 A MONTH. THE FIRST YEAR YOU RETIRE OR DRAW IT, YOU GET EVERY DIME YOU PUT BACK IN IT. SO IT'S VERY BENEFICIAL. AND IT IS A GOOD RETENTION BECAUSE IT OFFERS RETIREMENT FOR PEOPLE TO STAY IN PUBLIC SAFETY. THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE I WAS GOING TO GO AHEAD WHILE I'M THINKING, NO, YOU'RE GOOD ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SIDE, IT'S $25 PER MONTH FOR ANY OF THE CERTIFIED POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. YOU CAN RETIRE EARLY AT 15 YEARS, OR YOU CAN GO THE FULL 25. AND THERE'S DIFFERENT AMOUNTS YOU CAN DRAW. BUT EVEN GOING ON THE SHORT TERM ROUTE, YOU STILL, WITHIN A YEAR, DRAW THE EXACT AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU PUT INTO THAT PLAN. NO PROBLEM. I THINK THE CURRENT PAYOUT NOW, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. IT'S A LITTLE OVER $1,100 A MONTH AND THAT'S JUST PAYING $25 A MONTH, AND THAT'S 30 YEARS AND RETIRED AT 55. SO AND IF YOU AND WITH US, LIKE IF YOU GET OUT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, AS LONG AS YOU'VE GOT TEN YEARS IN IT, YOU CAN START DRAWING. IF YOU'RE 55 YEARS OLD, IF YOU'RE STILL WORKING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND YOU REACH THE AGE OF 55 AND YOU DON'T HAVE 30 YEARS IN IT, YOU CAN START DRAWING IT. BUT ONCE YOU GET THAT 30 YEARS MARK, THEY'LL CALL YOU AND SAY, DON'T SEND US ANY MORE MONEY, AND YOU CAN START DRAWING IT AND YOU CAN WORK FULL TIME AND STILL DRAW IT. SO IT'S, IT'S A VERY GOOD. SO THIS IS NO MATCH BY THE EMPLOYEE WITH THE 25 OR $35 PUTTING IN. SO IF THE EMPLOYEE LEFT, ALL HE'S LOSING IS $25 IS $35 A MONTH. YEAH. MONTH WHEN HE LEAVES, THAT'S NOT LIKE A FULL ONE K WHEN YOU LEAVE, YOU CAN TAKE IT WITH YOU. SO THAT'S RIGHT. YOU GET OUT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU CAN NO LONGER YOU CAN LEAVE IT IF IT GOES TO ANOTHER AGENCY. YEAH, IT KIND OF DEPENDS. LIKE ON THE FAR SIDE, YOU CAN PAY INTO THIS PENSION PLAN WHEREVER YOU'RE CERTIFIED. SO YOU CAN LEAVE TROUP COUNTY AND GO TO A MERIWETHER COUNTY WITH IT, OR MERIWETHER COUNTY TO A TROUP COUNTY. IF YOU GOT THIS, AS LONG AS YOU STAY AS A CERTIFIED FIREFIGHTER. AND OF COURSE, IF THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT PAYING FOR IT YOURSELF. THAT'S RIGHT. BUT A LOT OF POLICE AGENCIES ARE PAYING, ESPECIALLY THE CITY AGENCIES. ALL OF THEM ALSO INCLUDE FOR US, IF IF AS A RECRUITING TOOL FOR VOLUNTEERS AS WELL. SO, YOU KNOW, IF A VOLUNTEER WAS CERTIFIED, THEY COULD ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS. YEAH. THAT'S CORRECT. WE WOULD PAY THAT FOR THEM AS WELL. I THINK THE COST WAS 100,000 A YEAR, ROUGHLY 109. YEAH. AND THIS WAS PART OF THAT WHEN Y'ALL INITIALLY CAME TO US WITH THE INCENTIVE PLAN. YOU KNOW, IN THE BINDER WITHOUT EVERYTHING, THIS WAS ALL PARTS. AND AND I KNOW THE FIRE WAS ABLE TO PUT THE INCENTIVE LIKE THE SHERIFF'S TRYING TO DO NOW IS THAT I MEAN, CAN YOU KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE UPDATE ON, YOU KNOW, SINCE HOW MANY POSITIONS WERE THERE SINCE THE INCENTIVE RAISE WENT IN AND THINGS LIKE THAT? HOW, HOW IT YEAH, YOU PUT ME ON THE SPOT THERE. I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT I, I FEEL LIKE IT'S ABOUT 21, 22 POSITIONS HAVE BENEFITED FROM SORT OF A EMT LEVEL PROMOTION OR DIVE PROMOTION THROUGH THAT. AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S COST US SOMEWHERE IN THE 150 TO 160 RANGE JUST, BUT WE'RE FULL, FULLY STAFFED. WE ARE. I BELIEVE WE HAD SOME. WE NEVER SAID THAT OUT LOUD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW. YEAH. YES. SHANNON SAYS YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT IT. AND I GOT YOU. IS THAT BECAUSE I KNOW SHE JUST HAD ONE GO. BUT BUT WITH THAT GOING IN PLACE, LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THIS, THAT'S PART OF THE WHOLE PACKAGE. I PROMISE YOU, IF YOU DO A COST ANALYSIS ON RETRAINING PEOPLE AND YOU KNOW, THE MATH IS GOING TO, IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT FOR THE COUNTY, EVERYBODY WILL BENEFIT, I PROMISE YOU, IF YOU WAS TO DO A COST ANALYSIS. YEAH, I THINK THE UPFRONT INVESTMENT IN OUR PEOPLE IS REALLY GOING TO BE A LONG TERM PIECE OF RETENTION FOR THIS. AND WHEN YOU'RE RECRUITING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, SAY, HEY, THESE ARE THINGS WE OFFER, INCLUDING THIS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PAID FOR PUBLIC SAFETY RETIREMENT PLAN, WHETHER IT BE ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SIDE. THAT'S A BIG THING. WHILE IT MAY SEEM 25, $35 TO SOME PEOPLE, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOUR DISCIPLINE IS, IT IS A VERY GOOD RECRUITING TOOL, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU START CITING LIST ONE OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL THINGS WE OFFER. THIS IS WHY WE WANT YOU TO COME HERE, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION ON THAT. AND I THINK FROM FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY Y'ALL'S IS 1100. THERE'S ONLY 900. WELL, YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU GET. WE'LL GET INTO THAT. JUST WHAT IS THE 911. WHAT IS THE MARSHAL HAVE TO PUT INTO IT? THAT WOULD BE THE SAME THING THAT ONCE 35, ONCE 25. SO WHAT WOULD OUR FIRE, THE POAB IS $35 A MONTH. AND THAT'S WHERE THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, BECAUSE THEY'RE CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT. OKAY. OR 911 DISPATCHERS BECAUSE THEY CARRY A POSTER, I GOTCHA. OKAY. I BELIEVE IS THAT THAT'S THE WAY IT'S. YEAH. SO CORRECTIONS [00:25:05] JAILERS COULD GET IT. YEAH. SO REALLY THIS, THIS PLAN, THEY, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN RULES, REGULATIONS. ALL WE'RE BASICALLY DOING IS SENDING THEM A CHECK EACH MONTH FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS OR WHATEVER TO COVER. SO AS FAR AS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO GETS WHAT AND WHEN IT'S PAID OUT, THAT'S ALL BETWEEN THE EMPLOYEE AND THE THAT GROUP. RIGHT. BUT IT'S, IT'S ALL GOVERNED BY THE STATE OF GEORGIA TOO. SO I MEAN, IF WE WANT SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE, DAVID LUTHER, I THINK IS THE GUY'S NAME ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEY'LL COME IN AND GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THE INFORMATION. AND WE COULD PROBABLY DO THAT FOR YOU GUYS AS WELL. IF THERE WAS SOME MORE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED. DO YOU START OUT ON DAY ONE OR IS THERE A LITTLE WAITING PERIOD? DO YOU KNOW IF IT JUST HAPPEN TO KNOW IF YOU CAN TELL ME THE DAY I SIGNED UP FOR IT? IF I PASSED AWAY, MY WIFE WOULD HAVE GOT $5,000. NATHAN, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME TO FRONT. SINCE YOU HAVE A COMMENT. JUST CURIOUS, YOU KNOW. I JUST HAVE ONE COMMENT. ALL RIGHT. IT'S IT'S DAY ONE. AS SOON AS THEY COME IN, THEY GET THE PAPERWORK AND THEY SIGN UP FOR IT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR 45 YEARS OR SO. IT'S BEEN A IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME. AND IT'S, IT'S BENEFITED A LOT OF RETIREES. IT'S JUST A GOOD SUPPLEMENT TO THE RETIREMENT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE STARTED OUT AT LIKE $10. THAT'S IT. 35 BUT YOU CAN'T BEAT, I MEAN, PAY 35 A MONTH AND GET $1,000 BACK. DID YOU RETIRE? YEAH. EVERYTHING YOU PUT IN, IF YOU DO IT, IF YOU DO IT FOR 30 YEARS, EVERYTHING YOU PUT IN IT, YOU, YOU GET IT ALL BACK THE VERY FIRST YEAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, RIGHT? SO OKAY, IT'S VERY GOOD INCENTIVE. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. OKAY, SO THE NEXT ONE IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ONE IS FLYING. SO WHO'S GOING TO TACKLE THAT FOR US? WE PUT A REX. YEAH. YEAH. WE'LL TRY OUR BEST TO KIND OF MUDDLE THROUGH IT. SO WE VOTED FOR YOU TO TO BE THE ONE TO TALK ABOUT IT. TALK ABOUT THIS ONE. WHICH ONE IS IT? THIS IS THE DEFINED BENEFIT AND THE CONTRIBUTION. NO. I CAN TALK ABOUT SORT OF THE THE BUDGETARY SIDE OF THINGS. AND YOU GUYS CAN TALK ABOUT SORT OF THE, THE OBJECTIVE SIDE OF THINGS, BUT ULTIMATELY, AGAIN, OUR CURRENT RETIREMENT BUDGET, WHAT YOU SEE IS 5.564 MILLION. AND THEN SONIA, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE ESTIMATED DB CONTRIBUTION ESTIMATED, AND THEN YOU CAN KIND OF SHOW WHAT THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS ARE. SO THAT FIRST COLUMN DOES SHOW CURRENTLY WHERE WE ARE WITH THE CURRENT PLAN THAT WE HAVE. SO OUR DEFINED BENEFIT CONTRIBUTION IS GOING TO BE APPROXIMATELY $4.5 MILLION. I HAVE NOT GOT THE THE FINAL ON THAT. AND CONSIDERING RAISES AND ANY OF THESE POTENTIAL CHANGES IN MERIT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ABOVE OUR ESTIMATE, 2% CORE THAT WE GIVE TO EVERYBODY THAT'S ON THE DC PLAN WOULD BE ABOUT 400 000. AND THEN THE 4% MATCH COULD BE UP ABOVE 800,000. NOW THAT'S AN ESTIMATE BECAUSE AT THIS TIME, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY IS CHOOSING THE WHOLE 4%. BUT WHEN NEW PEOPLE COME ON THE PLAN AND THEY GET RAISES AND STUFF, THEY MAY CONSIDER MAKING THAT ADJUSTMENT. SO I HAVE JUST TRIED TO TOP OUT WHAT IT COULD BE JUST SO WE COULD SEE THAT. AND SO DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE AN ESTIMATED CONTRIBUTION TO REOPEN THE PLAN THAT CQG PROVIDED US AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT OUR CONTRIBUTION OR RECOMMENDED CONTRIBUTION WOULD BE THE FIRST YEAR, POSSIBLY IF WE REOPEN THE PLAN. AND THAT WOULD BE $5.5 MILLION. SO IT WOULD SEEM THAT WE WOULD BE IN IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE TO DO THAT THIS FIRST YEAR. SO IN COMPARISON, THE SECOND COLUMN SHOWS THAT IF WE KEPT EVERYTHING THE SAME AND THEN JUST ADDED A 2% INCREASE, THE 2% CORE TO A 4% CORE, AND THAT WOULD JUST BE AN ADDITIONAL $400,000 IF WE WANTED TO DO THAT THIS FIRST. THE MAIN REASON THAT YOU'RE SEEING THAT THERE'S THERE'S NOT AS MUCH OF A OF AN IMPACT. I THINK I WAS I WAS BLOWN AWAY WITH THE, I'LL SAY THE, HOW LOW THE COST WAS TO REOPEN. THE PLAN WAS THAT THEIR AMORTIZING THAT OVER A 30 YEAR PERIOD. AND SO IT SPREADS IT OUT OVER TIME. AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING IT NOT BE AS. IMPACTFUL, IMPACTFUL. THANK YOU. FIRST YEAR. THANK YOU. BUT WE ARE. WE DID TALK TO A G MONDAY. THAT WAS YESTERDAY. AND THEY ARE GOING TO UPDATE OUR VALUATION USING MORE CURRENT [00:30:02] NUMBERS BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A RAISE GIVEN SINCE THEN, JUST TO HELP US HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE CONTRIBUTION WOULD BE, WHAT IT MAY LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD IF WE SO CHOOSE. BUT THEY DID GIVE US A KIND OF JUST A SPITBALL NUMBER OVERNIGHT, JUST TO SHOW US WHAT THEY THOUGHT THAT THE 5% INCREASE THAT HAPPENED JUST THIS PAST JANUARY HAD, WOULD HAVE ON THE DEFINED PENSION DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN. AND IT WASN'T IT WAS A $100,000, A PRETTY SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY. SO IT LOOKS LIKE EVERY 5% WOULD INCREASE THE RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTION BY ABOUT 100 000. SO WHICH CERTAINLY ON THE SURFACE APPEARS TO BE THE MOST ECONOMICAL PLAN IN RELATION TO THE 2% CORE, WHICH IS ANOTHER OPTION THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE. SO AGAIN, THE THE, THE NEGATIVE TO THAT IS THAT IT IS IT IS FOREVER. AND SO ONCE YOU MAKE THE DECISION FOR THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HERE TODAY, THAT IT IS IT IS A IT IS A FOREVER DECISION AND YOU CAN'T BACK OFF. SO YOU COULD YOU COULD YOU COULD FREEZE IT AGAIN. BUT ANYONE WHO, WHO IS WHO WAS HERE AT THAT TIME, YOU WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING OUT THAT PENSION OR, OR A C, C, G WOULD AT THEIR RETIREMENT. YEAH. BUT AT THAT TIME IT WASN'T FROZEN. IT WAS CLOSED. SO NOW WE'RE THIS IS HAVING TO REOPEN, REOPEN, REOPEN THE WHOLE THING. AND I THINK I TALKED EARLIER ABOUT ZACH TALKED ABOUT EDUCATION. I THINK NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF EDUCATING OUR EMPLOYEES ABOUT THE POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE PLAN, EITHER EITHER EITHER IF WE ADD THE 2% CORE OR IF WE ADD A PENSION, I THINK WE DIDN'T DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF EDUCATING EMPLOYEES. THEY HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE IT IS A NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, IF YOU GO 2% CORE ADD OR THE DBE, BOTH ARE VERY STRONG RETIREMENT PLANS. THE. THE BENEFIT OF THE DBE IS, IS THAT IT'S. IT'S LESS TRANSFERABLE. IF YOU HAVE A 401 A OR 457, YOU CAN TAKE IT TODAY AND WALK OVER ACROSS THE STREET TO JUST ABOUT ANY PLACE IN AMERICA. AND YOU CAN PLUG IT IN WHERE YOU GO. AND THE ONE THAT IS WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW IS THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL, THAT 1.8% MULTIPLIER, CORRECT. SCENARIO TWO. AND THAT'S WITH THE BUY BACK IN IT. LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE NUMBER THAT THE $689,000 TO BE OFFSET BY 401 A FORFEITURE FUNDS. THAT IS A ONE TIME. YES. MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT ACCUMULATES OVER TIME. AND WE RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT ABOUT $340,000 OF FORFEITURE FUNDS THAT WE CAN PUT TOWARDS OUR MATCH. SO THIS FIRST YEAR, IF I'M OFF, I'M NOT CONCERNED BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT OFFSET. AND IT'LL IT'LL AS LONG AS WE'RE ON THAT PLAN, IT'LL ALWAYS ACCUMULATE AND WE'LL HAVE THOSE FORFEITED FUNDS TO TO HELP WITH THE MATCH. YOU SAY WE ALWAYS HAVE THOSE FORFEITURES. WE STAY WHERE WE ARE. THEN THOSE FORFEITED FUNDS WILL CONTINUE TO ACCUMULATE. AND SO TO REOPEN IS THAT IS THAT THAT 5.5? BUT YOU SAID THAT LOOKING AT 5% LIKE GOING INTO LIKE THAT, THAT'S FROM TO 24, RIGHT? SO IN 25, IF WE LOOK TO THAT, IT'S $100,000 POINT SIX IS PROBABLY WHAT THE COST WOULD BE. YEAH. BASED ON WHAT THEY SAID TO THIS MORNING, THEIR ACTUARIAL FROM CBIZ, WHICH IS OUR ACTUARIAL GROUP. THEY'RE THE ONES WHO PROVIDED THAT I'LL CALL IT SPITBALL REPORT. NOW THEY'RE STILL GOING TO COME BACK WITH THE WITH THE ACTUARIAL WITH SOME JUST SHOWS KIND OF A TIMELINE OF WHAT THE COST IS OVER MULTIPLE YEARS. AND AGAIN, EVEN IF WE DECIDE THAT WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE BEHIND THE SCENES BEFORE WE COULD REALLY KICK THIS OFF. AND SO THE PLAN HAS TO BE BUILT AGAIN, A LOT OF EDUCATION TO THE TO THE EMPLOYEES. AND, AND AGAIN, WE WOULD THINK THAT IF WE WERE TO ROLL OUT A DB, IT PROBABLY THE EARLIEST WE COULD DO IT PROBABLY IS SOMETIME IN THE FALL. AND PROBABLY THE MORE OPTIMAL LEVEL IS JANUARY THE 1ST. PROBABLY IT'S PROBABLY THE PREFERENCE WOULD BE JANUARY 1ST. SO WITH THAT, EDUCATION WAS WILL THE EMPLOYERS HAVE AN OPTION. I THINK THEY WOULD NOT HAVE AN OPTION. THEY WOULD THEY WOULD THEY WOULD. SO I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH WITH THEM JUST THIS JUST YESTERDAY. SORRY. IT FEELS LIKE IT WAS. WE'VE BEEN HERE A WEEK WORKING ON THE BUDGET, BUT JUST YEAH, IT WAS YESTERDAY WAS MONDAY. BUT IS THAT YEAR THE, THE FIRST YEAR THERE WOULD BE YOU'D HAVE AUTOMATIC ELIGIBILITY, BUT THEN AFTER THE FIRST YEAR IT WOULD BE A FIVE YEAR INVESTMENT PERIOD. AND SO YOU'D HAVE TO BE HERE FIVE YEARS TO GET THE FULL VESTMENT INTO THE RETIREMENT AS A WHOLE. SO BUT YEAH, ALL EMPLOYEES, LET'S JUST SAY THAT I'LL SAY ME, I'M A, I'M CURRENTLY HAVE A, HAVE A DEFINED COMPENSATION OR 401 A 457 THE MONEY THAT I HAVE, I HAVE COLLECTED OVER MY TENURE WITH COUNTY, I WOULD KEEP THAT AND I COULD CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE MY OWN MONEY. I [00:35:05] COULD PUT AS MUCH MONEY AS I WANTED TO BASED ON IRS, AND I COULD CONTINUE TO GROW THAT MONEY OVER TIME, BUT I WOULD ALSO THE COUNTY WOULD NO LONGER PUT ANY MONEY INTO IT, AND THEY WOULD ONLY PUT MONEY INTO THE DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN, THE PENSION. AND SO THE EMPLOYEE WOULD, WOULD CURRENT EMPLOYEES WOULD LEAVE WITH KIND OF TWO, TWO OPTIONS. AND SO NOW AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST ME. AND AGAIN, EVERYONE'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, CERTAINLY. MR. BAILEY, YOU HAVE A QUESTION COMMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT IT. NO. WHEN I STARTED HERE IN 1990, THAT'S THE ONE THING I LOOKED AT. YOU KNOW, WHEN I STARTED AT 20 YEARS OLD, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, IT WAS FIVE YEARS, THEN IT WENT TO TEN YEARS AND THEN IT WENT AWAY. I, I SEE NO PROBLEM WITH. SO, YOU KNOW, IT HAS NO CASH VALUE WHATSOEVER UNLESS YOU GET IN THE TIME WITH THE AGE LIMIT. SO THE NUMBER LIKE SO I HAVE 33 YEARS AND I'M 56. SO YOU AUTOMATICALLY HAD TO HAVE 55 YEARS AND 30 YEARS. AND WHAT THAT DOES, YOU KNOW, IS THAT MAKES SOMEONE THINK, HEY, YOU KNOW, IF I HANG IN HERE AND DO A GOOD JOB THAT I'M, YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M AT RETIREMENT, I MEAN, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, MY IDEA JUST I HAVE NO PROBLEM THAT YOU PUT LIKE A TEN YEAR MINIMUM ON IT. I DON'T SAY, YOU KNOW, ERIC AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS. I DON'T REALLY AGREE THAT SOMEBODY STARTING UP, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU MAKE THIS PLAN GO INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1ST, EVERYBODY'S HERE. I THINK YOU OUGHT TO PUT A MINIMUM. I MEAN, REX WORKED HERE FOR A LONG TIME. HE UNDERSTANDS IT JUST AS MUCH AS I DO. I MEAN, SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE ONLY. SO IF I STAY HERE, I MEAN, AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, AND I WANT TO RETIRE. YES. IT'S GOING TO START. IT'S A, I DON'T KNOW, 63, 64% OF WHATEVER YOUR SALARY WERE. SO IT'S NOT 100%, BUT IT'S JUST THE KIND OF, I THINK IN MY OPINION, ALL THE GUYS THAT I WORK WITH OVER THOSE YEARS, THAT THAT WAS REALLY THE BENEFIT FOR WORKING FOR THE COUNTY, THE CITY OF LAGRANGE. IF YOU IF YOU'RE THERE TEN YEARS, YOU FALL UNDER A PENSION PLAN. WE JUST DON'T THINK WHEN YOU TURN 55. SO IT'S IT'S MY ALWAYS BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING. IT'S 55 AGE. YOU GOT TO HAVE 30 YEARS, 60 IS LIKE 20 YEARS OR 25 YEARS, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU GOTTA MAKE AN INVESTMENT INTO IT AND THEY'VE GOTTA WORK HERE ALL OF THOSE YEARS. AND, AND SO IF SOMEBODY STAYS HERE FOR 2 OR 3 YEARS AND THEY LEAVE, IT'S GOING TO COST YOU NOTHING. IT DON'T COST YOU ANYTHING. IT'S JUST LIKE TALKING ABOUT, OH, MY DADDY, IT'S BEEN 35 YEARS FRIDAY THAT HE PASSED AWAY. SATURDAY HE WAS IN POABPOAB IS PROBABLY BEEN AROUND 50 SOMETHING YEARS. CITY LAGRANGE ALWAYS PAID IT. YOU KNOW, I WAS SITTING HERE TALKING TO CHIEF WHITNEY. I NEVER GOT IN IT. I HAD 26 YEARS. MY DADDY WOULD BEAT ME IF HE KNEW, YOU KNOW THAT I DIDN'T GET IN THERE. AND IT IT WAS LIKE 5 OR $10 WHEN IT FIRST STARTED. BUT STARTING OFF AT $7.61 AN HOUR AND TRYING TO RAISE A FAMILY, I DIDN'T HAVE $5. AND SO I'M SITTING BACK AND COULD HAVE DRAWED, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE YEARS AND NEVER GOT INTO IT BECAUSE I REALLY COULDN'T AFFORD IT. WHILE THE CITY THE WHOLE TIME IS ALWAYS PAID IT, YOU KNOW, I JUST SEE WAYS AROUND THAT. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I'M VERY BLESSED AND I'VE TRIED AND TRIED TO GET PEOPLE THAT COME TO WORK HERE TO INVEST THEIR LIFE. THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET THEM TO DO WHEN, WHEN A NEW PERSON COMES IN AND WORKS FOR ME, WHEN I WORKED AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR WHEN I WORKED AS A TAX COMMISSIONER, I TRY TO TELL THEM, YOU KNOW, AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE BEST THING THAT THE COUNTY HAD WAS THAT PENSION PLAN. I THINK THERE'S RULES TO IT. I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED IN THE IN THE 80S AND 90S AND STUFF AND ALL, IT WAS THAT FIVE YEARS, I DON'T REALLY SEE A PROBLEM WITH SOMEBODY INVESTING TEN YEARS TO WORK FOR THE COUNTY, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE WHEN THEY LEAVE, YOU'RE GOING TO AUTOMATICALLY WRITE THEM A CHECK. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WRITE THEM A CHECK. IF IT'S A TEN YEAR PLAN, YOU'RE GOING TO SET THE GUIDELINES UP. THEY GOT TO BE 62 YEARS OLD. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MY IDEA IS, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST BETTING ON THEM TO DIE. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT BENEFIT TO RETAIN. YOU KNOW, IF YOU DID PUT LIKE A TEN YEAR MINIMUM ON IT, I DON'T YOU KNOW, ERIC AND I AGREE AND DISAGREE ON STUFF AND I, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS TELL THEM THE TRUTH. I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR THAT SOMEBODY WALKS IN HERE THE FIRST DAY AND THEY'RE UP UNDER A PENSION PLAN. IS THAT IS THAT IS IS THIS PLAN AUTOMATIC PENSION PLAN? BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOU HIT IT DEAD ON THE HEAD. I WAS ONE OF THEM. WHEN YOU WALK IN AND I WANT MY SALARY, I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT RETIREMENT PLANS [00:40:05] AND I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT FOR ONE CASE, I NEED MY MONEY FOR MY FAMILY TO LIVE ON. SO IS THIS AUTOMATIC OR IS THIS WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH THIS? IT'S AUTOMATIC, BUT THERE'S A FIVE YEAR INVESTMENT PERIODS, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO YOU HAVE TO WORK YOUR FIVE YEARS BEFORE YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY OF THE MONEY. WELL, MR. BRADLEY HIT IT DEAD ON THE HEAD. COULD BE TEN YEARS, COULD BE TEN YEARS. I MEAN, RICK'S, YOU KNOW, YOU WORKED HERE. YOU KNOW, WE REMEMBER IT WAS FIVE YEARS, AND THEN IT WAS. I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS FIVE YEARS. I JUST THINK TEN YEARS IS A GREAT INVESTMENT. BUT DON'T THINK THAT IF THEY JUST. SO IF THEY'RE A 21 YEARS OLD, THEY START WORKING HERE AND THEY LEAVE AFTER TEN YEARS AND THEY'RE 31 YEARS OLD. THEY STILL GOTTA WAIT TILL 62 BEFORE THEY CAN EVEN START DRAWING IT. SO IT'S NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'VE JUST SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE. IT HAS ZERO CASH VALUE. SO IF I DO NOT STAYED HERE ALL THOSE YEARS, THEN I WOULD HAVE HAD TO WAIT 62 TO 65 TO DRAW SOMETHING. AND IT OBVIOUSLY GOES DOWN. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. SO IF I WANTED TO RETIRE RIGHT NOW WITH 33 YEARS AT 56, WELL, YOU KNOW, THE WAY ACG'S GOT IT WROTE UP AND YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A REDUCED BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING THAT MY PROJECTED RETIREMENT DATE IS 2035. SO I'M NOT EVEN GETTING THE FULL BENEFIT. AND I'VE PUT IN ALL MY TIME, YOU KNOW, AND BUT THAT IS WHAT IT IS. BUT JUST IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, I, I COULDN'T BELIEVE THE, THE LITTLE AMOUNT OF COST THAT IT WAS GOING TO COST TO START THIS BACK UP. AND THE BENEFIT THAT I FEEL LIKE BEING HERE ALL MY LIFE SINCE I WAS 20 YEARS OLD THAT I, I THINK IT'S WELL WORTH IT. AND I, I'M VERY COMPASSIONATE BECAUSE, LOOK, I DON'T HAVE TO SIT UP HERE AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT. I'VE GOT MINE. I CAN PULL MINE UP EVERY DAY, BUT I'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT 33. ELAINE'S GOT 41. I'VE GOT FOUR OTHER LADIES WITH OVER 21 YEARS. AND THEN I'VE GOT A LADY THAT'S GOT TEN YEARS. AND THEN THESE NEW ONES, YOU KNOW THAT THEY DON'T HAVE NOTHING. BUT I SEE THEM INVESTING. I DON'T EVEN SEE THEM LEAVING, YOU KNOW. AND AND NOW SOMEBODY WILL LEAVE OVER $0.25 AN HOUR. AND SO I, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WAS THE GREATEST BENEFIT FOR WORKING FOR THE COUNTY WAS HAVING A PENSION PLAN. BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, I GOT SOME BUDDIES. JAMIE, YOU'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS ALL YOUR ALL YOUR LIFE. IF YOU DIDN'T SAVE FOR IT, YOU DON'T HAVE NOTHING. I GOT BUDDIES I EAT LUNCH WITH EVERY DAY. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A PENSION PLAN NOW, YOU KNOW, AND AND I LOOK AT IT THIS WAY. NEVER MADE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY. NEVER MADE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY. BUT I PUT MY LIFE IN TO WORKING FOR TROUP COUNTY ALL MY LIFE. AND WILL IT PAY OFF? IT WILL PAY OFF AT THE END. IT'S NOT GOING TO PAY OFF 100%. GONNA PAY OFF IN THE 60S. YOU KNOW, THE 60 PERCENTILE OF WHAT YOU WORK FOR. BUT I THINK IF YOU TH0 YEARS OF YOUR HARD EARNED TIME AND YOU SAY, WHEN I STARTED OFF, I MADE $7.61 AN HOUR, YOU KNOW, I AND I COULDN'T AFFORD TO BE IN POAB. SO THAT'S JUST MY OPINION AND IT DON'T AFFECT ME. IT JUST AFFECTS THE PEOPLE THAT'S COMING TO WORK HERE. I AGREE WITH YOU BECAUSE I KNOW THIS DAY AND TIME THE WAY EMPLOYEE RETAINMENT IS, IT'S HARD. IT'S HARDER THAN WHAT IT USED TO BE 40 YEARS AGO. IF THIS IS ANOTHER TOOL THAT CAN BE USED TO RETAIN EMPLOYEES, GOOD EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S ALL GOOD. AND I DO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE YOUNGER, YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT. BUT IF THEY CAN GET IT, THEY'LL APPRECIATE IT ONE DAY. WHEN THEY DO GET AGE, WELL, YOU HOPE THEY WILL. YOU KNOW, I TRIED TO TELL MY BOYS, YOU KNOW, I GOT A 23 YEAR OLD SON, AND MY IDEA WAS THAT HE SHOULD GO TO WORK FOR THE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT AND START OFF $55,000 A YEAR. HE'S WORKING HALF A YEAR AND HE WORKS THERE TEN YEARS. HE'S GOT A PENSION PLAN, BUT IT'S HARD TO MAKE UNLESS YOU HAVE THAT VISION. AND LOOK, THAT VISION IS GONE WITH ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT WORK HERE. I MEAN, I WE ALWAYS TRY TO GET SOMEBODY THAT HAS GREAT EXPERIENCE AND STUFF LIKE THAT. I MEAN, HEY, IT'S GONE FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, I HATE IT. IT BREAKS MY HEART, MAN. THAT WAS WHAT I LIVED. EAT AND BREATHE EVERY SINGLE DAY, TAKING CARE OF THE CITIZENS, KNOWING THAT EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW, GOING OUT THERE EVERY TIME THERE WAS A FLOOD, EVERY TIME THERE WAS ICE STORM, EVERY TIME THERE WAS A MURDER, WE SIT OUT THERE FOR 2 OR 3 DAYS, YOU KNOW, WE WORKED AND YOU AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. AND IT'S SO SAD. I DON'T THINK WE EVER GIVE IT BACK. I REALLY DON'T I THINK IT'S A DIFFERENT GENERATION. IT'S JUST MY OPINION. I TELL YOU THIS, I HIRED I, I TRY TO GET SOMEONE THAT'S GOT EXPERIENCE IN TAG AND TITLE WORK. IT TAKES A MINIMUM OF YEAR TO YEAR AND A HALF TO TEACH SOMEBODY THAT THE LAST TWO HIRES, THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY, COULDN'T FIND SOMEONE BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY WERE MAKING LIKE 3 OR 4 MORE DOLLARS. SO YOU, YOU GET THEM FROM LIKE A CAR DEALERSHIP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT STUFF. IT'S PRIVILEGED INFORMATION. [00:45:01] YOU CAN'T GIVE IT OUT. I HIRED, I TOOK A CHANCE, HIRED A GIRL AT WORK FOR 4 OR 5 YEARS AT CHICK FIL A. MAN. WHEN I TELL YOU SHE'S GOT THE BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS YOU'VE EVER SEEN, WHEN I WALK OUT THERE, WHEN IT TOOK HER TO GO THROUGH AND YOU HAVE TO GET IN A SANDBOX AND YOU HAVE TO LEARN, AND THEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT SITS THERE AND TRAINED HER. AND I JUST TOOK A CHANCE ON SOMETHING LITTLE LIKE THAT. THE THE POSITION WE GOT LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, FIRST POSITION THAT WE KNEW OF IN 25 YEARS HIRED A GIRL THAT'S 20 YEARS OLD. SHE HAD BEEN WORKING AT UPS SINCE SHE WAS 14 YEARS OLD. THAT'S WHY I HIRED HER. I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? IF THIS GIRL IS DEDICATED AND WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL, WENT TO PART TIME COLLEGE, EVEN TRANSFERRED TO COLUMBUS WHEN SHE WENT TO COLUMBUS UNIVERSITY. MAN, THAT'S THAT'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING. YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY LOVE IT. I DON'T NEVER SEE THEM LEAVING, AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA. I'VE KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S IT WEIGHS HEAVY ON MY HEART. BUT MAN, IT WOULD IT WOULD PLEASE ME SO MUCH TO BE ABLE TO GO IN THERE AND TELL THOSE LADIES, LADIES, IF YOU PUT IN YOUR TIME AT THE COUNTY ONE DAY, IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. JUST MY OPINION. THANK Y'ALL FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. THANKS, SHANE. BARRY, LET ME ASK YOU THIS. DO WE HAVE A AVERAGE LENGTH OF I MEAN, OUR EMPLOYEES? WHAT IS THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF SERVICE FOR THE COUNTY? I KNOW THAT'S A. YOU DON'T WALK AROUND WITH THAT NUMBER. LET ME SAY THIS. HERE'S ONE JUST IN YOUR REPORT HERE. THIS IS JUST THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. SO WHICH I THINK IS IS VERY TELLING IS THAT 53% OF OUR OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS 2 TO 4 YEARS PAGE IS THAT THAT'S ON PAGE THREE. THE DOCUMENTS THAT HE'S ADDING UP THOSE YELLOW COLUMNS. YEAH. SO TWO, TWO, 2 TO 4 YEARS. OKAY. 53%. AND THAT'S JUST WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. YOU GOT MONEY INVESTED IN THEM AND GETTING TO THAT POINT, TRAINING THEM. AND THEN WHEN THEY WALK YOU OUT, YOU'RE OUT OF IT. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO HOLD THEM HERE. THAT'S WHY I THINK THE FIVE YEAR INVESTMENT TIME IS THE RIGHT NUMBER, BECAUSE THAT'S, TO ME, THAT'S WHERE WE START SEEING PEOPLE FALL OFF AFTER FIVE YEARS. BECAUSE YOU LOOK YOU LOOK DOWN THERE AT 5 OR 6, YOU GET 1179, YOU GET 11. IF YOU AGAIN, IF YOU CAN GET THEM PAST TEN YEARS, THAT'S WHERE THEY HOLD ON, OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY'RE BECAUSE THEY'RE THERE. BUT I THINK FIVE YEARS IS THAT PERIOD WHEN WE WHEN WE MET YESTERDAY WITH KALE HODGES FROM A CCG THE THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH 5 TO 10 IS IS MINIMAL OR REALLY NOTHING. THE COST OF THE PLAN REALLY DOESN'T CHANGE AT ALL. BETWEEN 5 AND 10 INVESTMENT. WHAT IS THE COST OF THE PLAN? IT SAYS YOU TAKE 100,000 TO TO CHANGE IT. WHAT WOULD BE THE COST OF THE PLAN AFTER THAT? JUST ESTIMATING. YEAH SHE'S GUYS ARE HERE. I MEAN SHE'S WELL I MEAN ESTIMATED AT 5.6 MILLION TO FOR THIS FIRST YEAR. RIGHT. BUT AFTER THAT WHAT WOULD IT DOES IT INCREASE AGAIN BASED ON WHAT WE WERE AGAIN OUR ACTUARIAL SPITBALL IS THAT RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 5.5 THIS FIRST YEAR. WE THINK NEXT YEAR IT'LL BE 5.6. AND THEN AGAIN DEPENDS AGAIN IT'S ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT RAISES YOU DECIDE TO GIVE. IF YOU GIVE A BIGGER RAISE, THEN OBVIOUSLY THE CONTRIBUTIONS MORE. OKAY. SO THEY APPLY ASSUMPTIONS TO THEM. AND SO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS A MAJORITY OF WHAT WE'D BE BRINGING ON THE PLAN ARE YOUNGER WITH LOWER YEARS OF SERVICE. SO IT'S A LOWER IMPACT TO THE PLAN. SO AS THEY AGE AND ARE HERE LONGER, THEN IT WOULD TREND UP. GOTCHA. WHEN THE COUNTY STOP, THE PENSION PLAN BEFORE THAT WAS BEFORE I CAME ON. WHAT WAS THE I MEAN, WHAT WAS THE REASONING? WHY AT THAT TIME THEY STOPPED IT. MAINLY THE COST. SO THE FIRST YEAR IT REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A IT DOESN'T HAVE A HAS A MINIMAL IMPACT. THE FIRST YEAR. THEN AFTER THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT SOME SOME INCREASES. NOT EXACTLY SURE, BUT SOME AMOUNT BECAUSE THEN INFLATION AND DIFFERENT ASSUMPTIONS WOULD FACTOR IN. AND SO SOME YEARS IT WOULD GO. WE WENT DOWN IN OUR RECOMMENDED CONTRIBUTION, BUT THEN SOME YEARS IT TURNS UP. AND IT DEPENDS ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THEY IT'S ON THE MARKET. I MEAN, THE DB BOARD, YOU KNOW, THEY INVEST THE MONEY FROM THE ALL THE COUNTIES INTO THE MARKET. AND AGAIN, YOU HAVE GREAT YEARS. AND OBVIOUSLY THEN THE THE MARKET PAYS FOR THE INCREASE, NOT THE NOT THE EMPLOYER, BUT EVEN THE CURRENT PLAN EVEN AT THAT, AS THE IS LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, WITH THE INCREASES IN WAGES OR SALARIES, IT'S GOING TO GO UP TOO. SO I MEAN, IT'S NOT JUST THAT. I MEAN, THEY [00:50:04] WOULD BOTH DO. YEAH. IT'LL ONLY EVER GO UP. THE CURRENT PLAN WILL ONLY EVER GO UP BECAUSE EVERYBODY THAT'S ON THE OLD PLAN THAT LEAVES IS GOING TO BE REPLACED BY SOMEBODY THAT COMES ON THE PLAN. AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO ADD PARTICIPANTS ON TO THE PLAN. AND THEY'RE ONLY EVER GOING TO GET INCREMENTAL RAISES. SO IT BUT IT'LL GO UP SLOW AND STEADY. EXPLAINING. I MAY HAVE MISSED IT OR MAY NOT UNDERSTAND IT. WHAT IS IT YOU SAY WE'LL BE LOCKED IN, BLOCKED IN OR WE'RE LOCKED IN? I MEAN, IN WHAT YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T GET OUT IS I MEAN, YOU CAN GET OUT, BUT THE BUT LET'S JUST SAY THAT LET'S JUST SAY I'M GOING TO USE ME AGAIN. IF IF IF IF I, IF I BECOME A MEMBER OF THE DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN, I HAVE ENTERED INTO AN IRREVOCABLE CONTRACT WITH TROUP COUNTY. I'M AN INDIVIDUAL INDIVIDUALLY. OKAY. AND SO AND YOU'RE REQUIRED BY THE, I'LL SAY THE POLICY OF THE DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN TO PROVIDE ME WITH RETIREMENT BASED ON, YOU KNOW, MY YEARS OF SERVICE, THE MULTIPLIER AND MY IN THE, IN THE COMPENSATION. AGAIN, YOU CAN FREEZE THE PLAN, WHICH MEANS THAT MOVING FORWARD AGAIN, VALERIE. SONIA. THEY'RE BOTH VALERIE WEST, THEY'RE IN THE THE OLD PLAN. AND SO EVEN THOUGH THE COUNTY DECIDED THEY WERE GOING TO DO AWAY WITH THE DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN, THEY ARE. THEY WILL THEY WILL GET A PENSION WHEN THEY RETIRE. THEY CONTINUE TO BE LOCKED IN THEIR. CORRECT. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. OKAY. SO SO THE OTHER OPTION THAT WE LOOKED AT WAS INCREASING THE MATCH THAT WE PUT IN. AND IF IF WE CONTINUE ON THE WITH THE CURRENT PLAN. SO THAT WOULD THE ADDITIONAL, WHAT YOU'RE SHOWING HERE IS THE ADDITIONAL 2% WOULD COST THE COUNTY ABOUT 416. YES, ABOUT 400. SO YOU WOULD JUST BE DOUBLING THE CURRENT CORE IF YOU WANTED TO INCREASE THE CORE. IF YOU WERE GOING TO INCREASE THE MATCH, THEN THAT WOULD BE THE MAX THAT IT WOULD COST, BUT IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T COST THAT MUCH BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T SELECT IT. I MEAN, WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT 50% THAT ARE GOING TO THE 4% NOW, BUT BUT INCREASING THAT 2%, A 2% MORE ON THE CORE WOULD ACTUALLY COST MORE THAN GOING TO THE DEFINE. I MEAN, YOU WOULD SPEND MORE MONEY. YES. CORRECT. YES. THIS YEAR. YEAH. SO THAT YEAH, FROM BUDGET STANDPOINT, THAT WOULD BE MORE MONEY. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT PAGE THREE. THAT THAT'S ALL YOU HAD PLANNED TO COVER. THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE PLANNED TO COVER TODAY, CORRECT. WELL, WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOME DIRECTION IN HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PREPARING A PROPOSAL TO COME TO Y'ALL IN JUNE AND PRESENT TO THE PUBLIC AND HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON. SO THAT IS THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO HEAR FROM YOU TODAY. AND SO BASED ON THE SCHEDULE THAT WE SENT OUT TO YOU GUYS IN FEBRUARY, THE THE THE FIRST BUDGET HEARING IS JUNE THE 2ND. AND THE SECOND WILL BE JUNE. THE TWO BOTH THE REGULAR MEETING. SO THAT'S LIKE THE 16TH, I THINK. RIGHT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE CALLED MEETINGS FOR THE BUDGET. WE'RE JUST GOING TO TRY TO DO THEM AT THE REGULAR MEETINGS. OKAY. SO LET ME ASK YOU, DO YOU TAKE ALL THESE COLORS ON THIS PAGE? YOU ADD THEM UP? WHAT? I MEAN, THAT'S IT. THAT IS MORE THAN THE 700 ZERO ZERO $0 THAT WE STARTED OUT TALKING ABOUT. YES. EXCEPT THE BLUE, EXCEPT FOR THE ITEMS ALREADY BUDGETED, RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S. YEAH, YEAH. ALRIGHT. SO THE BLUE IS IS IN THE BUDGET AND I WOULD NEVER EVER SUGGEST TAKING DEPUTIES OR JAILERS AWAY. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. RIGHT. WE'RE JUST SAYING THERE WAS A TIME MANY YEARS AGO WHEN TIMES WERE VERY MUCH LEANER, THAT WHAT WOULD BE DONE IS IF THEY KNEW THAT A DEPARTMENT HAD WERE GOING TO HAVE OPENINGS, THEY WOULD SHORT FUND IT. AND THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE VERY MUCH CARRY OVER. AND WHICH IS DEPLETES YOUR FUND BALANCE WHEN YOU DO THAT OR YOUR ACCRUAL OF A FUND BALANCE WHEN YOU DO THAT. AND SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE IS LIKE, I WOULD NEVER DO THAT WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION. IT'S ESSENTIALLY IT'S NOT SHORT FUNDING IT, BUT IT'S AGREEING THAT WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY FILL THESE UNFILLED POSITIONS IF, IF IT WAS FEASIBLE TO DO SO. WELL, LET ME ASK THIS. DOES THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AGREE WITH [00:55:06] THAT? DO WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE OKAY WITH THIS NUMBER? WELL, WE AGAIN, JEFF, COME UP HERE. WE MET WITH THE SHERIFF AND JEFF LAST WEEK ABOUT THIS PLAN. THEY SEEMED ACCEPTABLE TO THE IDEA THAT WE HAD PROPOSED. OKAY. JEFF IS DOING A LITTLE BIT OF DIGGING FOR ME AS WELL. A LITTLE RESEARCH AS WELL, STILL BEHIND THE SCENES ON BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE ONLY HAVE ACCESS TO THE CENSUS DATA, WHICH LETS YOU KNOW THE NUMBER OF YEARS FOR THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM. SOME OF THE OTHER INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE OFFERED, WHICH IS FOR ADVANCED TRAINING OR OTHER SKILL SETS, THEY WOULD ONLY HAVE ACCESS IT. AND SO I THINK IT'S WILL PROBABLY TAKE US ANOTHER WEEK OR SO BEFORE YOU ABLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION. SO, SO WHAT YOU NEED FROM US, SONYA, IS JUST TO GO DOWN EACH ONE OF THESE ITEMS AND VOTE ON IT. WELL, WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO VOTE, BUT WE'LL. YEAH, GIVE ME SOME DIRECTION. GIVE ME YOUR PLEASURE AS TO WE'RE WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY ACTION TODAY. TAKE ACTION. YES, SIR. INFORMATIONAL. WE CAN'T LEGALLY TAKE ACTION. THE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS RECOMMENDATION TO TAMMY ON THESE WHERE YOU GOT EACH DEPARTMENT LISTED IN HERE. DOES IT DOES IT HAVE THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT ARE LISTED IN EACH ONE OF THESE DEPARTMENTS? NO. LIKE WE WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, THAT IT DIDN'T SHOW THAT. NO, SIR. WE NEVER HAD THE BUDGET BEFORE. OKAY. BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HEARING YOU SAY THAT IN EIGHT YEARS. THAT'S PROBABLY. BUT IS IT SHOWING THE SALARIES AND THE BENEFITS TO THESE. OKAY, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW. I JUST BUT IT DIDN'T SHOW HOW MANY. LIKE IN THE CLERK OF COURTS THAT JACKIE SAID THAT SHE HAD TWO THAT THAT CAME OPEN JUST NOW, YOU KNOW, AND LOOKING FOR A PART TIME. IS ANY OF THESE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, ARE THEY ALL FULL OR WHAT'S THE DEAL ON THEM? THE LAST TIME I ASKED, AND VALERIE CAN SPEAK MORE TO THIS BECAUSE IT CHANGES EVERY DAY. I'M SURE IT DOES. BUT NO, THERE WAS. ONE IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THERE'S GOING TO BE TWO IN HR. YOU WANT TO COME TO THIS ONE IN JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION. I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE APPRAISER'S OFFICE. I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED. TWO ROAD WORKERS AND 21 SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES THAT MIGHT HAVE CHANGED ARE PEOPLE IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THAT MIGHT HAVE CHANGED SINCE THEN. WE GOT TO SHARE. WE WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. IT WAS A TOTAL OF 32 POSITIONS THAT WAS OPEN THIS DAY THAT I ASKED. IT'S PROBABLY DIFFERENT TODAY. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. 32 POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN TODAY COULD BE MORE OR LESS TOMORROW, BUT YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. BUT TO THE CHAIRMAN'S QUESTION A WHILE AGO ON THIS AMOUNT, IF YOU ADD UP ALL THESE RIGHT HERE AND THE SHERIFF AGREES TO THIS, IT'S ABOUT 400 000 ROUGHLY. AND THAT COMES FROM THE 732. SO WE COVER WHAT'S ON THIS SHEET RIGHT HERE. YEAH. LET ME I GOT ABOUT 555 50 YEAH, I'M I'M WHAT I'M DOING IS TAKING THIS SECTION. I'M GOING TO LEAVE OUT THE NEXT TWO AND THEN ADD THOSE RIGHT THERE. SO I'M GETTING ABOUT ROUGHLY FIVE 51ST OFF. SO ON THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, ARE YOU RECOMMENDING THE 200 000. WAS THAT IT THAT YOU RECOMMENDED? ERIC. THAT'S WHAT I RECOMMENDED. I TALKED TO HER JUST LAST WEEK, AND HE SAID THAT HE WOULD BE HAPPY WITH 200 ZERO ZERO. OH, OKAY. SO YOU'RE USING YEAH. YOU DROP THAT 1 TO 200. YEAH. THAT'S 200. YEAH. THAT'S 200. YEAH. OKAY. THEN THAT'LL BACK IT OFF TO OKAY. BECAUSE AGAIN, LAST YEAR, LAST YEAR WE GAVE HIM 150,000 ADDITION LAST YEAR. I SAY IT'S ABOUT 137. OKAY, SO PROBABLY THE ONLY NUMBER. WELL, YOU'RE WAITING TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM A COLLEAGUE ABOUT THE PENSION ACCOUNT. YES. OKAY. PRETTY GOOD ABOUT BASED ON THE EMAIL WE GOT LATE LAST NIGHT THAT WE DISCUSSED THIS MORNING, IS THAT IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT $100,000 MORE THAN WE'VE ESTIMATED, SO ABOUT 5.6. THE ONLY OTHER NUMBER WE'RE TRYING TO NAIL DOWN A LITTLE BIT IS WHAT THE ACTUAL COST WOULD BE IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. ONCE YOU GAIN ACCESS TO ALL THE ADD UP, ALL THE CREDENTIALS THAT PEOPLE HAVE ARE YEARS OF SERVICE. YEAH, THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS WE NEED. I HAVE FACTORED IN THE YEARS OF SERVICE. YEAH. YEAH, I DON'T KNOW. IS IT CREDENTIALS? YEAH. THE CREDENTIALS. RIGHT. YEAH. HERE'S THE SERVICE YOU SEE AT THE VERY BOTTOM ITEM UNDER UNDER THE YELLOW ITEM IS WE IT'S 5.5% INCREASE ON AVERAGE ACROSS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THAT'S JUST ONE YEARS OF SERVICE. AND SO USUALLY WE'RE DEPARTMENT HEADS PUT IN THEIR BUDGET REQUEST AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. AND I MEAN, I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN THAT LIST THAT PROBABLY DIDN'T MAKE MAKE IT ON HERE. CORRECT. I MEAN, THERE WAS OTHER THINGS, OTHER THINGS OUT THERE THAT WE [01:00:01] HAVEN'T BROUGHT FORTH TODAY. WELL, WE STARTED OFF WHAT WAS OUR HOW DEEP WERE WE THE HOLE WHEN WHEN I STARTED, OH, IT WAS LIKE OVER A MILLION RED PEN REGATTA WAY UP IN WAY OVER 1,000,000 MILLION. YEAH. 2 MILLION. AND SO WE, WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET AND EVERY DAY I GO TO SONYA. ALRIGHT, WHERE ARE WE AT? AND WE DWINDLE THAT NUMBER DOWN UNTIL WE WERE TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE A SURPLUS. SO AND I DID THE SAME THING WITH REVENUES. I, I WATCHED THOSE THINGS ARE SO VOLATILE RIGHT NOW THAT I'M KEEPING A WATCH ON THOSE REAL CLOSE. SURE. IF YOU ASKED FOR A HANDS WHO'S GOT THEIR BUDGET CUT THIS YEAR, I BET EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM WILL RAISE THEIR HAND. SO BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO EVERY YEAR, THE FACT IS IT ALWAYS EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS FINE. I MEAN, WE UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS. I DID JUST GET AN UPDATE. SO THERE ARE CURRENTLY 15 DEPUTIES AND TEN JAILER POSITIONS OPEN CURRENTLY AS OF TODAY. IS THAT PART OF THE 32? WAS THAT EXTRA EXTRA IN ADDITION TO I MEAN, NOT AGAIN, NOT 50 ADDITIONAL TWO, BUT THIS TOTAL, IT JUST IT JUST SORT OF. IT GOES UP AND DOWN EVERY DAY. THANK YOU FOR. 20 IF I ADDED IT RIGHT FOR 20. OKAY. IS THAT WHAT Y'ALL GOT? AND IT'D BE GREAT AGAIN. WE, WE, WE LOVE IT. WE HAVEN'T HAD IT IN TWO YEARS. WE'VE KIND OF GONE WITH THIS A FLAT ZERO BUDGET, BUT LOVE TO HAVE TO HAVE A CONTINGENCY FUND AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHAT IFS THAT DO COME UP FROM TIME TO TIME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WHICH ARE NICE TO HAVE. I WOULD LOVE IT. I WOULD LOVE IT. SONYA WOULD LOVE IT, WOULD LOVE IT. I'D LIKE TO KEEP HER ON THE EDGE OF HER SEAT. WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW. 0% BUDGETED FOR TWO. WE. OH YEAH, WE HAVE WE WE'VE, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A ZERO BUDGET. BUT I MEAN, I'M TALKING ABOUT. YEAH. 15. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS. I'M GOOD. I'M GOOD WITH IT. OKAY. ONE MORE THING BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT I'D LOVE TO DISCUSS AND I KEEP GETTING QUESTIONS ABOUT IT IS ABOUT SPLOST. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'VE WE'VE HAD, I'VE HEARD, I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS BEHIND THE SCENES WITH COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THIS, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE BORROWED MONEY FROM OURSELVES FOR SPLOST AND THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS THAT HAVE COME UP SINCE THEN THAT I THINK SOME COMMISSIONERS ARE INTERESTED IN FUNDING. AND WE'RE ABOUT WE'RE ALMOST TO THE POINT OF PAYING OURSELVES BACK, I THINK 11 MILLION THAT WE BORROWED FROM OURSELVES. WHAT WAS TEN. THAT'S WHAT I SAID YESTERDAY, 10 MILLION THAT WE BORROWED A LITTLE OVER TEN. AND WE HAVEN'T PAID OURSELVES BACK ANYTHING. I'VE BEEN LETTING IT ACCUMULATE IN, IN THE SPLOST SIX ACCOUNT AND IT'S EARNING INTEREST OVER THERE. WE CAN PAY OURSELVES BACK INCREMENTALLY OR AS OR NOT AT ALL IF Y'ALL DECIDE NOT TO. BUT WHEN WE DO THAT, IF WE DO PAY OURSELVES BACK, WE WOULD HAVE ABOUT 123 MILLION IN CIP IN THE CAPITAL FUND. AGAIN, THE CAPITAL FUND IS IS NEARLY IDENTICAL TO SPLOST. IT'S JUST A CAPITAL FUND AND IT'S THERE FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. BUT I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME INTEREST TALKING TO A COUPLE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT SOME PROJECTS AND SOME OF OUR CITIES MATCHING FUNDS. HOGANSVILLE AND WEST POINT ARE BOTH ASKED FOR SOME MATCHING FUNDS FOR SPECIFICALLY PARK AND RECREATION PROJECTS. AND SO JUST KIND OF WANTED TO OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION BEFORE WE GET OUT OF HERE. AGAIN, NO ACTION TAKEN, BUT I JUST WANTED JUST TO GET SOME DIRECTION. WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN WEST POINT? THEY'RE LOOKING AT, WELL, SKIP'S DRAWING SOME DRAWINGS FOR THEM. FOR THE OLD HIGH SCHOOL. THEY'RE LOOKING AT DOING SOME THINGS THERE, SOME OTHER PROJECTS THERE, AND THEY HAD LIKE 1.5 MILLION AND WAS LOOKING FOR A MATCH OF 1.5. THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT. AND JAMIE, I THINK YOU TALKED TO HOGANSVILLE. YEAH, THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO GET THE PARK DONE. THAT WAS JERKED AWAY FROM THEM BEFORE WHEN THE HOLLOWWARE PULLED AWAY FROM THEM. SO ALL OF THAT, THAT 10 MILLION IS ALL FROM RECREATION. IT'S NOT ALL RECREATION. NO. THERE'S NO IT WAS IT WAS A LOT OF REC. BUT IT WAS ALSO THE COURTROOM FOR THIS BUILDING. FIRE STATION? NO FIRE STATION. WE HAD MONEY FOR FIRE STATION FIVE AND WE HAD CAPITAL CITY. WE USED CIP, BUT WE'RE NOT PAYING IT BACK. THAT WAS HALF A CIP AND HALF OF THIS SPLOST FIVE STATION. WHAT I WAS GETTING IS THESE ARE RECREATION PROJECTS AT AT. COULD WE LEAVE THAT IN THE SPLOST RECREATION FOR SPLOST SIX AND JUST MOVE THE OTHER PART. YOU MEAN THE CAPITAL AND WHATEVER, BECAUSE SOME OF IT WAS AS. RICK. YEAH. HOW MUCH OF THE TEN DID ANY [01:05:01] IDEA. PROBABLY LIKE EIGHT OF IT. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO SAY MOST OF IT WAS MOST OF IT WAS WRECKED THEN. YEAH, MOST OF IT WAS. I THINK ONE OF THE PROJECTS WAS. WELL, LET ME ASK YOU THIS. THE FIRST TWO PROJECTS THAT WERE IN THE SPLOST WAS COUNTYWIDE PROJECTS. THE FIRST ONE WAS FOR THE RESURFACING OF KIA, THE ROADS AT THE KIA PLANT BOULEVARD AND PARKWAY. WE PAID OUT SOME OF THOSE FUNDS, 1.5 MILLION, BUT WE STILL GOT 2.5 THAT WE'RE HOLDING. BASED ON SOME OTHER PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THOSE ROADS. THAT IMPROVEMENTS PLANNED FOR THE BRIDGE OVER LONG CANE CREEK. OKAY, SO THAT 2.5 IS WE'RE IT'S STILL SITTING THERE IN THE NEXT PROJECT WAS COUNTY WIDE CAMERA SYSTEM. WE HAD 2 MILLION. SO HAVE WE PAID OUT. WE PAID ALL OF THOSE FUNDS OUT. RIGHT. SO YES. YEAH, OUR 900 000 IS SITTING THERE. WE'RE WORKING ON THAT PROJECT NOW. SO WE'VE GOT THAT THOSE THE 2.5 AND THE 900 ARE SITTING THERE. AND THEN THEN WE'RE TALKING REALLY ABOUT THE FUNDS THAT'S ABOVE THAT AMOUNT. OKAY. OKAY. FLOW IN HERE. OKAY. SO WHY DON'T YOU MAYBE IF YOU ONE MORE TIME, IF YOU SUMMARIZE THIS, WHAT WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT, POTENTIAL ACTION. ACTION TODAY. NO, NOT. JUST NEXT TUESDAY MEETING, PROBABLY JUST KIND OF CONSOLIDATE THIS WITH WHAT WE'RE, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO ASK US TO DO AT SOME POINT IS TO I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'D LIKE TO ASK LANCE IF THIS IS PARK AND REC STUFF WITH HOGANSVILLE AND WEST POINT. HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? OKAY. I JUST KNOW IT'S NEW TO US. OKAY, SO I SAID ABOUT THE BOARD. I MEAN, YOU TALKED TO HIM AS WELL, RIGHT? SO SO IT WAS ABOUT $1 MILLION, A LITTLE OVER $1 MILLION FOR THE STADIUM, ABOUT 7.1 FOR WHITES HILL ROAD, ABOUT 720 FOR THE COURTROOM BUILD OUT, AND A LITTLE BIT FOR PICKLEBALL, ONLY ABOUT 5000. AND THEN THE GRIGGS POOL WAS A LITTLE OVER A MILLION. THOSE WERE THE PROJECTS THAT THAT WE BORROWED. OKAY. SO SO BASICALLY THE, THE RESOLUTION WOULD BE TO LIKE, FORGIVE OURSELVES THE, THE DEBT, WHAT WOULD THE RESOLUTION BE? MARK WOULD NOT SAY ANYTHING THIS WEEK. WE'LL THINK ABOUT IT. OKAY. IF YOU DON'T MIND, GET CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE. WE'LL THINK ABOUT IT ON THE RECORD. SOMEBODY'S GOT TO PAY IT. ALRIGHT. AND SINCE THIS IS A BUDGET MEETING, I WANT TO MENTION ONE MORE THING. SORRY, I GOT YOU ALL HERE. AND WE'RE ALL YOU KNOW IS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON POTENTIAL THE POTENTIAL OF THE RELOCATION FOR STATION ONE. RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE WE HAVE THE PROPOSED DONATION OF PROPERTY. AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT PROJECT RIGHT NOW WITH HARRIS GRAY TO SEE IF IT DOES LINE UP CORRECTLY ON THAT PROPERTY. THIS WILL BE RELOCATION STATION ONE FROM HAMILTON ROAD OUT TO A PROPERTY IN KIND OF, I'LL SAY SOUTH, SOUTH CENTRAL TROUP COUNTY. WHAT'S THE ESTIMATED COST GOING TO BE ON THAT? IT SHOULD BE ALMOST EXACTLY WHAT WE HOPED TO BE, WHAT WE. SINCE WE SINCE WE JUST BUILT ONE A LITTLE UNDER 4 MILLION. ALL RIGHT. IS THAT COMING FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR IS THAT COMING. I THINK IT'LL HAVE TO COME FROM THE CAPITAL FUND. YEAH. SO THAT'S SO THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE THAT'S GOING TO BE. THAT'LL BE COMING OUT OF CAPITAL. YES. ALL THOSE. AND I THINK THAT'S GOOD. IF WE IF WE HAVE AN EXCESS LIKE THAT, I THINK THAT'S WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE PUT. AND ALL THOSE MILEAGE AND THE LOCATION HAS BEEN LOOKED AT. AND CERTAINLY. YES ACTUALLY CHIEF KNORR IN THE BACK, CHIEF, HE DID SOME WORK FOR US FOR ISO, AND WE WERE ABLE TO FIND THAT IT DOES REALLY HELP OUR RESPONSE CATEGORY VERY WELL. I THINK IT REACHES ALL THE WAY TO GRAY HILL. IT REACHES ALL THE WAY TO OAK GROVE. SO AND, AND ALMOST TOUCHES THE, THE, I THINK UP TO BARTLEY ROAD. I THINK OUR PLAN POTENTIALLY WOULD BE IS TO KEEP STATION ONE. WE KEEP IT THERE AS A FIRE STATION AS LONG AS LIKE A BACKUP STATION. AND SO ALL OUR, OUR, OUR BACKUP VEHICLES WILL BE THERE. AND WE COULD USE THAT AS A RESPONSE ZONE IF WE NEEDED TO, BECAUSE RIGHT UP, RIGHT UP THE HILL, YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, 5 TO 6 CERTIFIED FIREFIGHTERS RIGHT THERE AT THE STATION. SO I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD WIN FOR US. WELL, WHY DON'T WE IN THE BUDGET. I HAVE A I HAVE A CONCERN THAT WE IN OUR THIRD YEAR OF FINISHING UP OUR THIRD YEAR WITH MARTIN AND SANITATION, ARE WE PLANNING TO PUT THAT BACK UP FOR REBID OR HOW ARE WE, SINCE YOU SAID YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HERE [01:10:03] TOGETHER TO DISCUSS THAT, BECAUSE THERE'S STILL A LOT OF CONCERN OUT THERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AS YOU MIGHT SAY, WITH OUR SANITATION, WITH OUR CURBSIDE PICKUP. SO AFTER YOUR AFTER YOUR LAST OUR LAST CONVERSATION, YOU ASKED ME TO SEND OUT THE BID SPECS ON THE BOARD AND I DID. I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING BACK. OKAY, WELL, WE'RE HERE, WE'RE HERE TOGETHER. SO IF THERE'S ANY MORE CONCERN ABOUT IT, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST KNOW WHAT I'M HEARING OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT IT AND I'M JUST WANTING. ARE WE GOING TO LET THE CONTRACT ROLL OVER AGAIN LIKE WE'VE BEEN DOING? OR, OR HOW IS THAT? I THINK THE CONTRACT IS IT SAYS STATES NOW IS THAT AS LONG AS YOU GIVE A 90 DAY NOTICE, YOU CAN PUT IT OUT TO BID AT ANY TIME. OKAY. IT WAS A IT WAS ORIGINALLY A THREE YEAR OR WAS IT NOT? NO, IT'S IT'S THE CONTRACT IS A YEAR BY YEAR CONTRACT. IT JUST HAS AUTOMATIC RENEWAL. IF YOU JUST IF YOU TAKE NO ACTION, THEN IT AUTOMATICALLY RENEWS EACH YEAR. VERY SIMILAR TO THE CONTRACT WE CURRENTLY HAVE WITH AM WASTE AT THE LANDFILL. IT JUST IT'S AUTOMATIC RENEWAL EACH YEAR. IF YOU'RE SATISFIED, YOU KNOW, WITH WITH THE CONTRACT. SO. I'M JUST BRINGING IT UP FOR THE HOW LONG, HOW LONG DO WE NEED TO. I MEAN, WE JUST LET IT ROLL ON LIKE IT IS. OR SHOULD WE BE LOOKING AT A REBID ONE DAY OR. I MEAN, I THINK I MEAN, I THINK REGARDLESS, IN MY OPINION, EVERY FIVE YEARS YOU SHOULD BID IT OUT REGARDLESS. AND I, I JUST THINK THAT'S THE, THE BEST THING TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE HAVING THE BEST PRICE. THE ONE THING THAT AGAIN, IS THAT'S WHICH I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE A LOT SURPRISED WHEN WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT FUEL. IF WE WERE TO BID IT OUT TODAY, I THINK YOU'RE I THINK YOUR COST IS GOING TO GO UP PER PER CUSTOMER. THE GOOD NEWS FOR MARTIN IS THAT THEY'VE KEPT THEIR PRICE STEADY SINCE DAY ONE, AND THEY HAVE NO PLANS OF INCREASING PRICE IN YEAR FOUR. SO I THINK AGAIN, IF YOU DO IT TODAY, I THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THROW IN A FUEL SURCHARGE JUST BECAUSE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO. AND SO I THINK THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE YOU MAY SEE YOUR INCREASE IN PRICE. SO THERE WAS NOWHERE IN THE CONTRACT AT SO MANY YEARS. IT INCREASES TO NO PERCENT. IT WAS IT WAS NEVER THE IF IF IF IT'S IF IT'S INCREASES, THEY HAVE TO COME TO YOU AND ASK, OKAY, THE CONTRACT SAYS THAT. THEY CAN'T THEY CAN'T AUTOMATICALLY INCREASE IT BASED ON FUEL OR BASED ON ARBITRARY CPI. THEY HAVE TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD, AND THE BOARD HAS TO APPROVE THE ACTUAL PRICE. WELL, I JUST KNOW THAT PROBABLY THE PRICE IS IN LINE, BUT I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE SERVICE ALTOGETHER. IT WOULD WHAT PEOPLE ARE CONFRONTING ME ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE. AND THAT'S AND I MEAN, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST YEAR. THIS IS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT. I'M LOOKING AT THE SERVICE. I KNOW, I KNOW WE ARE WITH PEOPLE HIRING FOR PEOPLE TO WORK AND WHERE THE JOB OPPORTUNITIES ARE OUT HERE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK WHEN WE HAVE A COMPANY AND IT'S WORKING IN TROUP COUNTY, THEY SHOULD BE GIVEN A TOP NOTCH SERVICE TO THESE PEOPLE. WE DO. WE DO GET A LOT OF PHONE CALLS. TRUST ME, JAMIE AND I DEALT WITH ONE I THEY WEAR US OUT. YEAH, I, I GET THEM TRUST ME, I KNOW, I'M SURE MICHAEL'S HERE. MIKE MICHAEL IS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE IN TROUP COUNTY I THINK FOR MICHAEL DORAN. SO WE WE GET THEM. WE KNOW. BUT I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN OBVIOUSLY I'M CERTAINLY WILLING TO IF THE BOARD WANTS TO BUILD IT BACK OUT, WE'LL DO IT. RAMONA HAD HAD HAD THE CONTRACT PULLED UP. WE'RE READY TO DO IT. WHENEVER THE BOARD SAYS DO IT. YOU MAY JUST WANT TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO TAKE A TAKE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE BID SPECS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THEM AND YOU'RE HAPPY WITH HOW THEY LOOK. BECAUSE IF WE NEED TO TWEAK SOMETHING, WE CAN. AND THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS. OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S THAT'S A MAJOR EXPENSE FOR RUNNING TROUP COUNTY SANITATION. AND SO IF YOU TAKE ON CURBSIDE, YOU HAVE TO TAKE ON CONVENIENCE CENTERS. SPLITTING IT UP WOULD JUST, I DON'T THINK WOULD BE DISASTROUS. I DON'T THINK THAT'S NO ONE'S GOING TO NO ONE'S GOING TO WANT TO TAKE THE CENTERS ON WITHOUT THE CURBSIDE. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. GOT ANY OTHER RABBITS IN THE HAT YOU WANT TO PULL OUT THIS MORNING? I WILL SAY AGAIN JUST THIS IS JUST FOR WHAT I WHAT I'D LOVE TO DO IS WHAT WHEN WE WHEN WE PRESENT THE BUDGET AGAIN, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THE RETIREMENT IS THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO WE'RE JUST GOING TO BUDGET A NUMBER. AND, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, WE STILL NEED SOME DATA IN ORDER TO PRESENT TO YOU GUYS SO YOU GUYS CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION ABOUT A PENSION OR A DEFINED COMPENSATION. AND WE, WE DON'T KNOW HOW QUICKLY WE WILL HAVE IT. AND SO, AND AGAIN, MY THOUGHT IS, IS THAT EVEN IF WE WERE TO TAKE ACTION TODAY, [01:15:03] IT'S GOING TO TAKE MONTHS TO GET ALL OF OUR DUCKS IN A ROW AND DO THE EDUCATION TO BE ABLE TO PUSH IT OUT TO OUR STAFF. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IF NOTHING ELSE, THEN THANK YOU ALL * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.