[1. Call Meeting to Order]
          [00:00:07]
          GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. FIRST OF ALL, BEFORE WE GET STARTED. IF YOU'RE GOING TO TALK, YOU GOT A MICROPHONE THERE IN FRONT OF YOU. YOU NEED TO TURN IT ON WITH A LITTLE GREEN BUTTON IF YOU WANT TO TURN IT OFF WHILE YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING, THAT'S FINE BECAUSE WE ARE BEING SENT OUT ON THE AIRWAVES. SO UNLESS YOU HAVE YOUR SPEAKER ON, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU. PURSUANT TO OUR CHAPTER TO 551 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, OFFICIAL NOTICE WAS GIVEN FOR THIS SALARY GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE HEARING HERE AT THE SAN PATRICIO COUNTY ANNEX BUILDING, 1301 EAST SEVENTH STREET. SUITE C. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE BEGIN THE OFFICIAL HEARING? OKAY. HEARING NONE, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GO ON INTO 
          [a.  County Constable, Precinct 1, Steve Hutchins]
CONSIDERATION, DETERMINATION AND ACTION OF THE SALARY GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE FOR ELECTED OFFICIAL. 
          2.3 A IS GOING TO BE THE COUNTY CONSTABLE. PRECINCT ONE STEVE HUTCHINS, YOU DO HAVE SOME INFORMATION THERE. HISTORY OF THE SALARY GOING BACK ALL THE WAY TO 2021. AND YOU DO HAVE IN YOUR FOLDER THERE A REQUEST LETTER FOR THIS SALARY GRIEVANCE HEARING. SO IF YOU WANT TO GLANCE OVER THAT REAL QUICK, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST GO AHEAD AND RAISE YOUR HAND AND I'LL ALLOW YOU TO GO AHEAD AND ASK QUESTIONS OF THE CONSTABLE. OKAY. IF YOU HAVE NO QUESTIONS, GO AHEAD. MA'AM, IS HE GOING TO SAY SOMETHING? IS HE GOING TO SAY SOMETHING? YES YES, YES. 
          YEAH I'LL LET Y'ALL READ THE INFORMATION FIRST AND THEN I'LL ASK MR. HUTCHINSON TO COME UP. 
          THANK YOU. OKAY. NO QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE. QUESTIONS? ARE YOU GOING TO SPEAK FIRST? YES, YES. SO I'LL WAIT TILL HIS COMMENTS FIRST. OKAY. THANK YOU. STEVE. YEAH, I MEAN JUDGE. I'M CALLING YOU JUDGE. SURE. I MOVED YOU UP TODAY. OKAY. MR. HUTCHINS, IF YOU'LL COME UP REAL QUICK. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HELLO. THERE YOU ARE. HELLO. MY NAME IS STEVE HUTCHINS. CONSTABLE. PRECINCT ONE, HERE IN SAN PATRICIO COUNTY. ALL OF THE CONSTABLES HAVE ASKED FOR A SALARY INCREASE. THE AMOUNT ASKED FOR WILL BRING OUR SALARIES UP TO 73,000. I WAS ELECTED AS CONSTABLE PRECINCT 1ST NOVEMBER OF 24. TOOK OFFICE JANUARY 1ST, 25 AS CONSTABLE. MY PRIORITIES ARE TO SERVE THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE COURT. I BELIEVE I'VE IMPROVED THE OFFICE OF CONSTABLE BY COMING TO WORK EVERY DAY, BEING AVAILABLE ANYTIME THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE SCHEDULES COURT. THIS INCLUDES CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURT. ALSO, EVERY MORNING I ACCOMPANY THE JUDGE TO THE JAIL TO MAGISTRATE THE PRISONERS WHO COME IN OVERNIGHT. 
          SHE READS THE PRISONERS OF THEIR RIGHTS, TELLS THEM WHAT THEY'RE CHARGED WITH, AND SETS A BOND FOR THAT CHARGE. I BELIEVE I'VE MADE THE JUSTICE COURT MORE EFFICIENT BY SERVING THE JUSTICE COURT PAPERS AS SOON AS I RECEIVE THEM, THEN ALSO RETURNING THEM TO COURT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THE CASE CAN BE SCHEDULED FOR COURT. I TRY TO MAKE IT ON THE EASY ON THE PERSON I'M SERVING, BY OFFERING CONVENIENT TIME AND PLACE TO MEET THEM. THAT INCLUDES EARLY MORNING BEFORE THEY LEAVE FOR WORK, AND AFTER HOURS AFTER THEY COME HOME FROM WORK, AND SOMETIMES ON SATURDAYS. I SERVE SMALL CLAIMS, EVICTIONS AND WARRANTS OUT OF THE JUSTICE COURT. ALSO RECEIVE PAPERS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE, INCLUDING CHILD SUPPORT AND TAX PAPERS. 
          ALSO ESCORT THE JUDGE TO DEATH CALLS IF SHE NEEDS IT. I ALSO HAVE ASSISTED THE DISTRICT COURT BAILIFF FOR JURY TRIALS WHEN THEY'RE SHORTHANDED. WHEN I DO GET CAUGHT UP ON SERVING PAPERS, I DO PATROL MY PRECINCT. I'VE ASSISTED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH LIVESTOCK CALLS AND OTHER CALLS. WHEN SCHOOL IS IN SESSION, I PATROL THE SCHOOLS AND SITTING AREA. THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE WAS PREVIOUSLY LOCATED AT THE COUNTY EVENT CENTER. AFTER I WAS ELECTED, I WAS ASKED IF I WOULD BE WILLING TO MOVE TO THE OFFICE TO THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE ANNEX TO ACT AS SECURITY FOR THAT BUILDING. I SAID I WOULD, AND THAT'S WHERE MY OFFICE IS LOCATED NOW. A LITTLE HISTORY. I WAS BORN IN SINTON, BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ALL MY LIFE, WORKED FOR THREE DIFFERENT SHERIFFS, FOR COUNTY JUDGES, 38 YEARS AS A LICENSED PEACE OFFICER, HAVE A 
          [00:05:05]
MASTER'S PEACE OFFICER LICENSE. I WORKED FOR 33 YEARS FOR SAN PATRICIO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE DISPATCHER, PATROL OFFICER, INVESTIGATOR, AND BAILIFF. I WOULD ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THIS INCREASE IN SALARY. SHERIFF, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES. APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY PAPERS DO YOU SERVE? DAILY, I MEAN, MONTHLY, I SERVED APPROXIMATELY 120 SINCE INTO MAY. I HAVE A RECORD I KEEP OF THEM. OKAY. AND DO YOU HAVE ANY DEPUTY CONSTABLES WORKING FOR YOU? NO, SIR. OKAY. ARE YOU AWARE OF OTHER AGENCIES AROUND YOU THAT HAVE DEPUTY CONSTABLES? YES. 
          ANYONE THAT PARTICULAR THAT COMES TO MIND IN THIS COUNTY? NO. IN IN IN OTHER COUNTIES AROUND US? NO, SIR. NO, SIR. OKAY. JUST FOR THE RECORD, HERE, THAT NUECES COUNTY CONSTABLE'S OFFICE MAKES AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 60, $67,000 A YEAR. AND EACH PRECINCT HAS AN AVERAGE OF 17 TO 20. DEPUTY CONSTABLE'S, HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY YOUR REQUEST HERE TO COURT TO MAKE 73,000 WHEN YOU HAVE NO DEPUTY CONSTABLES TO SUPERVISE THEIR AGENCIES, SUCH AS NUECES COUNTY, PAY 67,000 AND VICTORIA MAKING $58,000 A YEAR. COMPATIBLE COUNTIES. GONZALEZ, 55, GOLIAD 33, LIVE OAK 11. JIM WILL, 53, KLEBERG 47, MCMULLEN, 54, REFUGIO 23, UVALDE 43. VICTORIA, VICTORIA AND RANCHES 56. SO YOU BEFORE A GROUP THAT'S ASKING HOW DO WE JUSTIFY THIS? WELL, WE ALSO DO OUR OWN. WE DON'T HAVE A SECRETARY, SO WE HAVE TO DO OUR PAPERWORK, ALL THAT STUFF. I STAY CONSTANTLY BUSY TRYING TO SERVE ALL THESE PAPERS AND THEN ANY OTHER CALLS I GET CIVIL MATTERS. PEOPLE WANT TO TALK. SO. AND I DO AGREE THAT IT BECOME A BIG CHANGE FOR PRECINCT ONE SINCE YOU TOOK OFFICE. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. YEAH. THAT'S ALL. YES, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. OKAY. NEXT QUESTION. OH SORRY. GOOD MORNING CONSTABLE. GOOD MORNING. SO DUE TO THE FINANCIAL PREDICAMENT THE COUNTY IS IN RIGHT NOW, ARE YOU WILLING TO NEGOTIATE OR CONSIDER THE COLA THAT WILL BE GIVEN TO THE EMPLOYEES? WHATEVER THE COUNTY DECIDES, A 3 OR 4%. THAT'S WHATEVER WORKS FOR THE COUNTY. WORKS FOR ME. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? I DO OKAY, I WAS WONDERING. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE EMPATHY FOR CONSTABLE HUTCHINSON BECAUSE YOU'RE THE FIRST UP HERE, AND NOW THEY'RE ALL GETTING TO LISTEN TO RIGHT QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS. AND YOU DID ANSWER WHAT VALUE YOU BRING TO YOUR PRECINCT. AND I SEE THAT YOU DO BRING A LOT OF VALUE. THIS YOU KNOW, I SEE THAT YOU DO BRING A LOT OF VALUE TO YOUR PRECINCT. 
          AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU. I DO HAVE A QUESTION, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE ON THESE ONE AT A AT A TIME. FIRST OF ALL, HOW COULD EVERYBODY ARRIVE AT THE SAME ASKED FOR A VALUE OF 73,000? AND WHY IS EVERYBODY NOT BEING PAID THE EXACT AMOUNT CURRENTLY LIKE YOU'RE PAID $600 MORE A YEAR THAN THE OTHER CONSTABLES? I BELIEVE JUST BECAUSE IT WAS JP ONE, IT DOES THE JAIL AND THAT THAT'S EVERY DAY MORE ACTIVITY THERE. SO YOU'RE ACTUALLY REQUESTING A LOWER PERCENTAGE INCREASE AT 16.52%. AND I DO HAVE A QUESTION. IS THIS NEGOTIABLE CLOSER TO THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE AS OPPOSED TO JUST A RANDOM. LET'S JUST SET IT AT 73,000 WITH THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT GRANT, THE COLA. AND EVERYBODY SO FAR IS INCLUDED IN THE COLA FOR 2026. SO THIS IS AN ADDITION TO THE SALARY THEY'RE 
          [00:10:07]
NOT ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN THEIR ELECTED OFFICIAL. THE ELECTED ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE COLA, ARE INCLUDED IN THE 2026. YOU WILL HAVE THE OPTION OF EITHER TAKING IT OR NOT. I THOUGHT WE ALL HAD VOTED THAT THE ELECTED WERE NOT, BUT WE INCLUDED IT JUST TO SEE IF ANYBODY CHANGES THEIR MIND. BECAUSE I'VE HEARD THAT. OH, I HAVEN'T HEARD AND THAT CORRECT. PATRICK. ALL EVERYBODY'S INCLUDED. YEAH. YES. SO I THINK IN THE FIRST BUDGET MEETING THAT WE HAD, IT WAS DISCUSSED. EXCUSE ME, I DON'T REMEMBER ABOUT THE VOTE, WHAT WE VOTED ON FOR SURE, BUT THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT NO ELECTED OFFICIALS GETTING THE COLA. AS WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS. AND I HOPE I MENTIONED IT ON MONDAY. BUT IN THE BUDGET, THE 4% IS ACROSS THE BOARD TO SHOW IN THE BUDGET. AND THEN I WAS GOING TO BE DISCUSSION COMING UP THIS NEXT MONDAY AS WELL. AGAIN, BRINGING IT UP AT COMMISSIONERS COURT. BUT IT IS ALL BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW IN THE BUDGET, 4% IS ACROSS THE BOARD, INCLUDING ELECTED, INCLUDING ELECTED OFFICIALS. 
          Y'ALL JUST SAID 3.4%. BUT COMMISSIONERS COURT DID CONDUCT A VOTE TO DENY A COLA FOR ALL ELECTEDS. AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS. IT CAN CHANGE LATER ON. I'LL HAVE TO RESCIND THAT MOTION. AND THEN AND THAT WAS THE BASIS OF THIS YEAR'S SALARY THAT WAS PROVIDED AS THE COMMISSIONER COURT VOTE WITH NO COLA INCREASE. SO IT'S BASED ON WHAT LAST YEAR'S SALARY. SO THE COURT APPROVED A COLA FOR ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS ACROSS THE BOARD. CORRECT? CORRECT. SO THAT'S PROBABLY THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE IS BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING INCLUDED FOR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS ORIGINALLY, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. I THINK AT THE TIME AT THE AT THE VERY FIRST MEETING WE HAD, I THINK WE DID, WE WERE DISCUSSING ANYWHERE FROM 3 TO 5%, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT HAS BEEN DONE SOMEWHAT HISTORICALLY, I BELIEVE. AND SO EVEN WITH THAT, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, I GUESS LOWER THAN WHAT THE WHAT THE GRIEVANCE IS RIGHT NOW. CORRECT. I'M. I'M JUST A TAXPAYER IN THE. COUNTY. I'M NOT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OR ANYTHING. SO I DO HAVE QUESTIONS. WHEN YOU WERE ELECTED AND STARTED YOUR SERVICE IN JANUARY OF 25, YOU ACCEPTED THIS 62,648, BUT A YEAR LATER, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A 16% INCREASE. THE GROUP IS. YES. YEAH, BUT EVERYBODY THAT WORKS IN THIS DISTRICT OR COUNTY IS GOING TO GET A 4% INCREASE, RIGHT? POTENTIALLY. WE DON'T KNOW THAT THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE, BUT THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS. THE ELECTED OFFICIALS SALARY INCREASE IS WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR. YEAH. THEY WILL GET THE TOTAL. NO. THIS GRIEVANCE WAS ENTERED IN UPON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE A COLA INCREASE FOR ELECTED OFFICIAL STANDS UNTIL WE RESCIND THAT USED TO US. IT WON'T BE COLA. I THINK WHAT THE COURT DOES, BUT THIS IS STRICTLY SALARY INCREASES. WHAT HE'S ASKING FOR. QUESTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU. IS THE INCREASE PERCENTAGE NEGOTIABLE? I MEAN, ARE WE FIXING TO VOTE ON THIS ONE PERSON AND THEN WE GO TO THE NEXT ONE? CORRECT? CORRECT. SO WE EITHER CAN ACCEPT THE 16.52%, EITHER VOTE YAY OR NAY. OR WE COULD SUGGEST AN ALTERNATIVE AMOUNT, AS THE COUNTY TREASURER HAD BROUGHT UP TO. I'M WONDERING THAT MYSELF IS IF IT'S NEGOTIABLE AND HOW WE WOULD ARRIVE AT THAT NUMBER. THAT'S WE JUST. WE CAN MAKE A MOTION TO CHANGE IT AFTER. AFTER WE REJECT THAT PARTICULAR NUMBER, THEN YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION FOR A DIFFERENT NUMBER AND VOTE ON THAT. IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE COULD TABLE OKAY, WHAT TABLED THE VOTE SO THAT WE CAN HEAR THE OTHER CONSTABLES WHO ARE ASKING FOR THE SAME AMOUNT AND THEN GO BACK FOR A VOTE? I YOUR HONOR, I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE METHOD IF YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM EVERYBODY AND THEN VOTE AT THE END ON ON ONE AT A TIME, I THINK THAT'D BE APPROPRIATE. OKAY, I FEEL SORRY. DO YOU NEED A MOTION TO 
          [00:15:05]
TUNEFULNESS? NO YOU DIDN'T. OH, WE JUST MOVE ON AND MOVE ON. PLEASE MOVE ON. YEAH. AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND ASK FOR INDIVIDUAL. OKAY, EVERYBODY AGREE? OKAY. THANK YOU. THANKS, STEVE. OKAY. OKAY. NEXT IS PRECINCT TWO, FRANK CANTU. GOOD MORNING. COMMITTEE PUBLIC. MY 
          [b.  County Constable, Precinct 2, Frank Cantu Jr.]
NAME IS FRANK CANTU. PRECINCT TWO CONSTABLE AND ODOM. COVERS EDROY, OLDHAM, WEST SINTON AND A LOT OF COUNTY MILES. COUNTY ROAD MILES. WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TRY TO GET A PAY RAISE FOR MYSELF AND MY CONSTABLE FRIENDS HERE IN SANPETE COUNTY. OUR WORK IS FIXED TO INCREASE HERE IN A FEW MONTHS BY TIME LIMITATIONS ON A BUNCH OF RIGS. HAVING TIME LIMITS AND GETTING THEM SERVED TO NOW, WHICH IS WHENEVER YOU CAN FIND A PERSON TO IT IS COMING TO FOR 5 TO 7 DAYS TO GET THEM SERVED. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ON A TIME FRAME HERE IN A FEW MONTHS. AND WE'RE WE'RE CONSTANTLY OUT THERE TRYING TO GET IT DONE, WHETHER EARLY MORNING OR IN THE EVENING. AND SOMETIMES WE MAKE TRIPS TO THE HOUSE 4 OR 5 TIMES A DAY. I MEAN, IF, IF MY IF MY WRIT MONTHLY IS 30 OR 40. BUT MAN, WE GO TO THESE RESIDENCES 3 OR 4 TIMES, YOU CAN TRIPLE THOSE TRIPS FOR THE AMOUNT OF RENTS THAT THAT'S THERE. AND LIKE CONSTABLE HUTCHINS SAID, WE TRY TO ACCOMMODATE HIM AND MAKE PHONE CALLS TO THEM AND TRY TO GET TO THEM IN A NICE AND EASY MANNER. YOU TRY TO GO TO THEIR HOUSE AND EVERY EVERYBODY AROUND THERE IS ON THEIR WINDOWS LOOKING AT WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON, AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE THEIR, THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEM SAFER FOR THIS. AND I JUST DOES, YOU KNOW, WE, WE THE CONSTABLES ARE THE ONES THAT SERVE THE PAPERWORK'S WHICH WE COVER A LOT OF TERRITORY. WE DEAL WITH PAPERWORK THAT'S REALLY SERIOUS IN NATURE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. WE AS CONSTABLES HELP EACH OTHER OUT. FOR INSTANCE, IN EMERGENCIES, WE COVER WHEN WE ARE NEEDED IN THE COUNTY BY OTHER J. WHEN THOSE CONSTABLES ARE OUT, DAYS OFF OR VACATION. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN FROM ONE END OF THE COUNTY TO THE OTHER HELPING OUT EVERY JP HERE. WHILE I'M ON THE TOPIC OF JP'S, I WORK FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR 32 YEARS. I HELP OPERATE THE COUNTY JAIL AS A JAIL SERGEANT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. I DEALT WITH PAPERWORK. BIG TIME, BIG, BIG TIME AND SHERIFF CAN ATTEST TO THAT. A FEW OTHERS CAN TOO. AND THESE JP, EVERYBODY THAT'S ON BOARD NOW IS A JP IN THIS COUNTY. THEY GOT A LITTLE HELP FROM ME WHEN I WAS WORKING AT THE JAIL. I MEAN, THEY ASKED ME CONSTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT BONDS, EPO'S, DETAINERS, OTHER AGENCY HOLDS, AND THEY WOULD ASK ME BECAUSE I HAD BEEN THERE FOR THE LONGEST AND I WAS TRYING TO MAKE THEIR JOB EASIER. AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE THESE JP'S, THEY CAN ATTEST TO THAT. ALL THESE CONSTABLES IN THESE ROOMS, IF I'M IF I'M I CAN GUARANTEE YOU WE'RE ALL MASTERPIECE OFFICERS HERE. AND AMONGST ALL THE COMBINED EXPERIENCE AMONGST ALL OF US, I CAN GUARANTEE IT'S 180 YEARS OR PRETTY DARN CLOSE TO 200 BETWEEN ALL OF US AND YEARS EXPERIENCE. EVERY DAY. EVERY DAY WE LEARN SOMETHING NEW IN CIVIL PROCESS. 
          THINGS CHANGE A LOT. LEGISLATURE, LOCAL, AND WE JUST GOT TO BE ON TOP OF IT. WE ARE HERE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY. WE'RE PROFESSIONALISM AND THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR ALL CITIZENS. YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THIS GROUP OF CONSTABLES YOU GOT. NOW, I CAN SAY I WORK WITH THESE GUYS FOR THE PAST 35 YEARS, PLUS JUST ABOUT EACH ONE OF THEM. THEY'RE PROFESSIONALS AND THEIR JOB. AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING. AND I GUARANTEE YOU THIS GROUP OF GUYS WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN EVER, AS LONG AS THEY'RE IN OFFICE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? CONSTABLE. DO YOU STILL DO PART TIME WORK OR THE HIGHWAY? YES, SIR. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. YEAH. IS THAT WITH A COUNTY VEHICLE? YES, SIR. OKAY. 
          HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU THINK THAT DO YOU SPEND DOING THAT? MAYBE ONE DAY A WEEK, SOMETIMES TWO, 
          [00:20:02]
SOMETIMES NONE AT ALL. OKAY, THAT'S JUST WHEN IT'S NEEDED. AND IT'S DANGEROUS UP THERE, YOU KNOW. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING CONSTABLE. I JUST HAVE THE SAME QUESTION AS I DID FOR CONSTABLE PRECINCT ONE. WITH THE FINANCIAL PREDICAMENT THAT THE COUNTY IS IN, ARE YOU WILLING TO CONSIDER THE COLA THAT WILL BE GIVEN TO THE EMPLOYEES? THE 4%, MA'AM, IF THAT HAPPENS, I GUESS IT'S ALL ACROSS THE BOARD. YES. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. MR. CANTU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR KEEPING OUR ROADS SAFE. AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT IT IS A DANGEROUS JOB THAT YOU. HAVE AND THAT YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL. AND $73,000 IS NOT REALLY ALL THAT MUCH FOR A PROFESSIONAL OF, WHAT DO YOU SAY, 37 YEARS? SEVEN YEARS? YES, MA'AM. AND I GOT CERTIFIED IN 1989 THROUGH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND WHAT HAVE YOU. I'M ALSO A MASTER PEACE OFFICER AND A MASTER JAILER FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND FIVE YEARS AGO, YOU WERE MAKING ALMOST HALF THAT AT 43,000. YES, MA'AM. I'M IN THIS COUNTY JAIL IS. IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE JAIL FOR THE SHERIFF. AND I WAS GLAD TO HELP OPERATE IT FOR SO MANY YEARS. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU JUST. I WAS ABLE TO RETIRE, AND I DID, AND I RAN FOR CONSTABLE, AND I GOT THE JOB, AND. AND I'M HAPPY, YOU KNOW, LESS PAPERWORK, BUT NOT TOO MUCH LESS. SO THIS IS YOUR SECOND CAREER? YES. THANK YOU. 
          YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY? YOUR QUESTION. OKAY, HERE WE GO. THERE'S A STEP BETWEEN PRECINCT TWO AND FOUR. SO IS THERE A PRECINCT THREE? NO. OKAY. AND IS THERE A PRECINCT SEVEN? NO. SEVEN. OKAY. GOOD TO KNOW. USED TO BE. YEAH. MANY, MANY YEARS AGO. AND THEY GOT THEY WERE REMOVED. THEY WERE CONSOLIDATED AND THEY PUT TWO AND. RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH. 
          THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT CONSTABLE 2.3 WILL BE CONSTABLE 
          [c.  County Constable, Precinct 4, Paul Good]
PRECINCT FOUR. PAUL. GOOD. GOOD MORNING Y'ALL. HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY? MY NAME IS CONSTABLE PAUL. GOOD WITH THE JP FOUR OFFICE IN PORTLAND. I'M NEW TO THIS JOB. I JUST RAN THIS YEAR AFTER 34 YEARS AT THE PORTLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT AND RETIRED THERE AND THEN DECIDED I WANTED TO CONTINUE ON IN MY LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER. BEING THE CONSTABLE OF PORTLAND IS DIFFERENT THAN OTHER COUNTIES OR OTHER CONSTABLE'S OFFICE AND PATRICIO COUNTY, WE ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC, PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS, BUT KNOWING ALL THE OTHER CONSTABLES, I KNOW THEY BRING A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE, YEARS OF SERVICE AND DEEP RESPECT FOR THE OFFICE AND THE COUNTY THEY SERVE. I ALSO KNOW THAT THEY STRIVE TO MAKE THEIR OFFICES JUST AS UPDATED AS I WANT TO MAKE MY OFFICE. I COME FROM AN OFFICE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY A PART TIME OFFICE THAT JUST HAD A PART TIME CONSTABLE, AND I'M TRYING TO BRING IT UP TO A FULL TIME. WELL, I AM FULL TIME, AND SO I TRY TO PUT IN A LOT MORE HOURS AND EVERYTHING. I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER BRINGING UP THE PAY SCALE, THE CONSTABLE SALARY. I'M NOT JUST ASKING TO JUST FOR NO REASON. I TRY TO BASE MY REQUEST OFF OF SOME INFORMATION IN MY AREA, WHICH IS THE PORTLAND AREA. BASICALLY, THE CITY OF PORTLAND IS MY PRECINCT. LET'S SEE. I'M SORRY, THERE'S SOME OTHER INFORMATION I CAME UP WITH AS A. THE CURRENT POPULATION OF PORTLAND IS 23,210. THAT'S ABOUT A 4.6% RAISE OVER THE LAST YEARS FROM THE 8512 HOMES WITH AN 80% OCCUPANCY RATE. THIS IS NOT INCLUDING THE APARTMENTS IN OTHER HOTELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THERE IN PORTLAND, ACCORDING TO PORTLAND'S INFORMATION. WELL, THAT WOULD BE LIKE I SAID, IT'S A 4.6 
          [00:25:01]
INCREASE. THAT'S PORTLAND HAS GROWN 10% IN THE LAST YEAR, ACCORDING TO THEIR LAST OR THIS LAST POLICY OR WHATEVER YOU CALL IT. ECONOMIC INDICATORS REPORT THAT THEY GOT. LET'S SEE. I'M SORRY. ALSO, ACCORDING TO THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY, THEY HAVE A 9% RATE OF INCREASE OF POPULATION. 
          ALSO, PORTLAND HAS A 800 HOME BUILDING PROJECTS IN THE PROCESS. OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. HAS 16 MAJOR BUSINESS BUSINESSES POSSIBLY GOING IN ONE OF THEM LIKE TARGET AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT'S ALREADY IN NOW, BUT THEY HAVE A 16 PLUS ANOTHER NINE THAT THEY'RE HOPING TO GET. WHICH MEANS LET'S SEE. I'M SORRY. AND THEN ALSO YOU NOTICE PORTLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GROWING BUILDING WHICH WILL INCREASE THE DEMAND FOR PEOPLE TO BRING THEIR KIDS TO A GOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE POPULATION OF PORTLAND EVEN MORE. AND SAN PATRICIO ALSO. HOW IS THIS AFFECT? THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE DECREASES THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, BUSINESS MEANS AND THE NUMBER OF INCREASE IN CIVIL ACTIONS BROUGHT TO THE JP. THIS BRINGS MORE CIVIL SERVICE OF PAPERS, WHICH IS I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR AND A RESPONSIBILITY ON MY OFFICE TO PROVIDE A QUICK AND ACCURATE SERVICE OF THOSE PAPERS, AND WHICH ALSO BRINGS IN FUNDS FOR THE SAN PATRICIO COUNTY, BECAUSE THEY GET THEIR PERCENTAGE OFF THAT. ALSO. I ALSO FEEL THAT WE NEED TO BRING UP THE AT LEAST THE BASE PAY FOR THE CONSTABLES TO COMPARABLE DEPARTMENTS IN OUR AREA SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO KEEP A INTEREST IN THE JOB AND NOT HAVE TO, WELL, I GUESS NOT COMPETE SO MUCH AGAINST OTHER AGENCIES FOR PEOPLE, QUALIFIED PEOPLE. THAT'S THE ONE THING I NOTICED IS THE YOUNGER OFFICERS NOWADAYS WANT TO BE SECURE IN A SENSE, AND IF YOU'RE SO LOW BELOW THEM, THEY'RE GOING TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND IT'S HARD ENOUGH IN LAW ENFORCEMENT TO EVEN THE BIG DEPARTMENTS OR EVEN THE HARD TIME, BUT PAY VERY WELL, OR HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING OFFICERS NOWADAYS. SO I FEEL WE NEED TO BRING OURS UP TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE AT LEAST COMPATIBLE. SUCH AS LIKE IN PORTLAND. IT'S THEIR BEGINNING. STARTING PAY IS 64,500, SO AT LEAST $2,000. I'M SORRY. THAT'S FOR WHAT, 64,000? BEGINNING THE BASE PAY FOR STARTING OFFICER IN PORTLAND. A ROOKIE CONSTABLE? NO, FOR A POLICE OFFICER. I'M JUST SAYING. YEAH. POLICE IN THE CITY OF PORTLAND IS 64,500 WITH A $5,000 SIGN ON BONUS AND THEN A $2,000 MOVING FEE. THAT'S JUST TO GET SOMEBODY INTO THE DOOR. SO I WOULD I'M ASKING PLUS THE 2%, 7% INCREASE IN COST OF LIVING THAT'S BEEN PROJECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT. SO I'M JUST BASING IT OFF THAT. AND LIKE I SAID, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTION, I, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. KIESCHNICK OVER THERE. THE CONSTABLE'S ARE THE LOWEST PAID ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE COUNTY, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. YES, MA'AM. I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT. 
          OKAY. AND WHO IS WHO IS THE NEXT LOWEST PAID? MAYBE THE JP'S. I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AND SEE. I THINK IT IS THOUGH. OKAY. AND WHAT IS THEIR SALARY? DO YOU KNOW, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, AROUND 80,000. OKAY. SO THE CONSTABLES ARE BELOW. YES, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. JP'S IS AROUND 80. YES, MA'AM. I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT FIGURE, BUT IT'S AROUND THERE. YES. CORRECT. 
          80,004 81. OKAY. 25,000. OKAY. THANK YOU. MR. GOOD. SO I JUST HAVE THE SAME QUESTION I'M GOING TO ASK EVERYBODY WITH THE FINANCIAL PREDICAMENT THE COUNTY IS IN RIGHT NOW, WOULD YOU 
          [00:30:04]
CONSIDER THE COLA THAT WILL BE GIVEN TO THE EMPLOYEES, THE 4%? I MEAN I'M ALWAYS YEAH. I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO COMPLAIN. I MEAN, IT'S WHATEVER'S BEST FOR THE COUNTY. I MEAN, I FEEL WE ALL ARE TRYING TO WORK FOR THE BEST OF OUR COUNTY AND OURSELVES, SO I. YEAH, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL QUESTIONS ON THIS END. WELL THANK YOU. MR. YES. HOW MANY RICH DO YOU SAY YOU SERVE? RICH? WELL, IN THE LAST SINCE I STARTED THIS YEAR, I'VE HAD. PROBABLY ABOUT 25 WRITS. I'VE SERVED 25 FOR THE YEAR. YEAH. I MEAN JUST ACTUALLY LIKE A OR ARE YOU TALKING EVICTIONS AND EVERYTHING OR. OH, I'M PROBABLY AT LEAST. 200 OR MORE I HAVE, I HAVE USUALLY ABOUT 2 TO 3 EVICTIONS OR WRITS PROBABLY AT LEAST EVERY WEEK AND MINIMUM. HAVE YOU EVER REFERRED SOME OF THOSE ROUTES BACK TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE? NO, I HAVEN'T YET. I HAVE NOT YET. I'VE I HAD ONE THE OTHER DAY. I WISH I HAD, BUT I STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO ALL THAT. BUT AS A CONSTABLE'S OFFICE Y'ALL MAKE ANY ARRESTS? I HAVE NOT I HAVE NOT MADE ANY ARRESTS YET. NO I DON'T THEY'RE NOT REALLY. I'M JUST BUSY ENOUGH KEEPING UP WITH THE PAPERWORK ON THE. WE HAVE A LOT OF APARTMENTS AND PLUS THE SCHOOL NOW IS STARTING TO DO SOME TRUANCY STUFF WHICH IS PULLING IN A LOT OF MY TIME, BUT MOSTLY MY STUFF IS EVICTIONS AND REPOSSESSION STUFF TYPE STUFF ARE EVICTIONS FROM HOUSES AND STUFF. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE USED TO THIS? ME TOO. YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER HAD A. ANY ACTIONS WITH CONSTABLES. I GUESS THAT'S GOOD. HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE IN YOUR OFFICE? I'M THE ONLY ONE. SO YOU'RE IT? I'M IT. YOU ARE THE OFFICE. I'M THE OFFICE. YEAH, THAT'S GOOD. 
          THAT'S GOOD FOR ME. OKAY. OKAY. WELL, CLEAR ON QUESTIONS. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, 
          [d.  County Constable, Precinct 5, Sean Orsak]
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. 2.3 IS A CONSTABLE PRECINCT FIVE. SHAWN, ASK. COMMISSIONER. 
          MORNING. YOUR HONOR. COMMITTEE MEMBERS, OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS IN THE BUILDING COMMISSIONERS, I THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING US TALK THIS MORNING. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. SO I HAD SOME THINGS I PLANNED OUT, BUT LET ME GO BACK AND TRY TO FILL IN SOME GAPS ON ON OUR JOBS. SO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US HAS DIFFERENT DYNAMICS IN OUR AREA. GIVE YOU A PRIME EXAMPLE. WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE CHILD WITH THE WALMART DEAL THAT HAPPENED IN IN CLAIBORNE COUNTY, THAT INDIVIDUAL LIVES DIRECTLY BEHIND THE JP'S OFFICE. THAT'S WHERE I'M AT IN MY PRECINCT, DIRECTLY BEHIND. SO IT'S DIFFERENT DYNAMICS AS FAR AS EVICTIONS GO. LET ME TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT. I'VE ALWAYS SERVED PROFESSIONALLY WITH COURTESY AND COMPASSION, BECAUSE ONE THING, IF YOU'VE NEVER DONE IT, IF YOU'VE NEVER DONE IT, TO GO TO A FAMILY AND SAY YOU'RE OUT, YOU NO LONGER HAVE A HOME. 
          SO THAT'S STRESSFUL TO US AS WELL. I'VE HAD ONE WHERE I BACKED UP AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'LL BE BACK TOMORROW BECAUSE THAT PERSON WAS THAT WAS A TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR HIM. HOW DID I KNOW THAT? BECAUSE THAT COMES WITH THE EXPERIENCE. WHEN SOMEBODY APPOINTS YOU OR YOU WIN FOR THE FOR A CONSTABLE'S POSITION, CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU THINK, THERE'S NO HANDBOOK OR THERE'S NO TRAINING THAT SAYS, OH, THIS IS HOW YOU HANDLE IT. A, B, AND C YOU LEARN BY CALLING UP OTHER CONSTABLES, WHETHER IT'S IN OUR COUNTY OR OTHER COUNTIES. NETWORKING. I CALL CHIEF RODRIGUEZ ALL THE TIME. HEY, SIR, CAN YOU GIVE ME AN IDEA ON THIS? SO IT'S ABOUT WORKING AS A TEAM. WHEN ONE OF US IS GONE, WE FILL IN FOR EACH OTHER. WE TRY NOT TO IMPOSE ON THE DEPUTIES TO WATCH OUR JUSTICE COURTS. THEY WILL, NO QUESTIONS ASKED. BUT WE TRY NOT TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT IS OUR JOB. SO I KNOW THAT KIND OF WENT LEFT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF CLARIFY THAT UP BECAUSE OUR JOBS ARE VERY DIFFERENT, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE THE SAME. FOR INSTANCE, YOU TALK ABOUT WRITS THAT WE SERVE. ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT'S CHRONIC IN MIND IS TRUANCY IN IN WEEKS TIME. IN A WEEK WHEN SCHOOL IS GOING, I MAY SERVE ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO 45 PIECES OF TRUANCY PAPERWORK, WHICH FOR MATHIS IS 20 TO 45. AND THAT'S NOT TO COUNT. FOR 
          [00:35:03]
EXAMPLE, ON AUGUST 12TH, I HAVE SHOW CAUSES FOR TRUANCY THAT WERE FROM LAST YEAR. SO IT'S JUST NOW COMING UP FOR THIS YEAR FROM THIS LAST SCHOOL TERM THAT JUST THAT JUST FINISHED IN MAY. 
          SO IT'S KIND OF ALWAYS GOING GOING. THERE'S NO ONE TO PAY THE BILLS. THERE'S NO ONE TO HELP ME OUT. WHEN I GOT AUDITED BY DPS IT WAS NO FAULT OF MINE. IT WAS JUST MY OFFICE WAS DRAWN ALONG WITH FIVE OTHERS IN THE AREA. I DIDN'T HAVE A PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANT TO SAY, HEY, CAN YOU MAKE COPIES OF THIS? CAN YOU DO THAT? IT'S ON ME TO KEEP THOSE. I'M STILL SORTING THROUGH FILES FROM CONSTABLES FROM 20 YEARS AGO, BECAUSE I GOT TO MAKE SURE I CAN EITHER DESTROY IT OR IT NEEDS TO GO. FILED. BUSY. DON'T HAVE TIME. NO EXCUSE, NO PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IT'S JUST AN EXPLANATION. TO CLARIFY, THERE'S MORE THAN WHAT WE THINK. I TRY TO AUGMENT THE DEPUTY, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO HELP THEM WHEN THERE'S CALLS. FOR INSTANCE, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, SITTING IN MY OFFICE, MY PHONE IS CONSTANTLY RINGING. HEY, THERE'S A FIRE OUT HERE ON COUNTY ROAD 350. LET DISPATCH KNOW AND TOOK OFF OUT THERE. AND SURE ENOUGH, BY THE TIME WE GOT OUT THERE, WE HAD FULLY ENGULFED STRUCTURE. THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WRITS, BUT THE DEPUTY WAS BUSY DOING TRAFFIC CONTROL, SO I GOT OUT THERE AND HELPED HIM. SO HE WAS ABLE TO GET OUT THERE. SO WE AUGMENT A LOT. WE REALLY DO. SO. IT'S NOT FAIR TO COMPARE WHAT ONE PERSON DOES. 
          FOR INSTANCE, WHEN I HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, IT WAS THE FIRST PERSON I CALL. I CALL CODY BECAUSE HE'S A RESOURCE FOR ME AS A DEPUTY BECAUSE AND I KNOW THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT UTILIZES HIM AS WELL. WE NEED HELP SOMETIMES GET THE BEST TO DO IT. ALWAYS GET THE BEST TO DO IT. JUST LIKE IF SOMEONE NEEDS HELP WITH ME, THERE'S NO IN OUR JOB. THERE'S JUST NO PLAIN OH, THIS IS HOW IT IS. YOU LEARN EVERY DAY. I LEARN EVERY DAY. I'VE BEEN A POLICE OFFICER FOR 27 YEARS. I DID 23 OF THOSE WITH CORPUS, TWO WITH MATHIS PD BEFORE I WENT TO CORPUS, AND I GOT BLESSED OR I COULD. I WAS APPOINTED FOR MY PRECINCT FIVE, WHICH RUNS GEOGRAPHICALLY, RUNS FROM 888 ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SAN PATRICIO ALONG THE RIVER BACK TO JUST NORTH OF EDROY, BACK TOWARDS THE COTTON GIN ON 359 AND COMES BACK ACROSS TO 888. IT'S A BIG AREA AND I PATROL THAT. I DON'T GO SIT IN MY OFFICE IF I DON'T HAVE PAPERWORK. THE LAST TWO MONTHS, IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN KIND OF SLOW FOR ME, AND I ENJOY IT BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING COME AUGUST WITH TRUANCY AND EVERYTHING PICKS UP. SO WHEN I'M OUT GOING AND MAKING MY ROUNDS AND YOU DISCOVER THINGS, YOU MEET PEOPLE, TALK TO DEPUTIES, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL ABOUT TEAMWORK. WHEN WE ASK AND THIS IS KIND OF AND SO SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY I'M CONFRONTATIONAL. I DON'T MEAN IT THAT WAY, BUT I UNDERSTAND. OH, JIM WELLS COUNTY, KLEBERG COUNTY, BEE COUNTY. OR SAN JACINTO COUNTY OR SAN PATRICIO COUNTY, THEY DO WHAT THEY DO. NUECES COUNTY, THOSE CONSTABLES, THEY MAY MAKE LESS, BUT THEY ALSO DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND SERVE WRITS. THEIR DEPUTIES DO THAT IN REFERENCE TO ARREST. I DON'T MAKE ARRESTS, SHERIFF. I DON'T HAVE A UNIT THAT'S OUTFITTED FOR THAT. ONE THING I WILL NEVER TRANSPORT WITHOUT A CAGE. I'VE HAD TO DO IT ONE TIME ON A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. BUT THAT'S JUST OFFICER SAFETY NUMBER ONE. I MEAN, I WOULD BE NAIVE TO GO OUT AND DO THOSE THINGS AND PUT MYSELF IN THAT PREDICAMENT BECAUSE NOT JUST FOR MY SAFETY BUT AS A LIABILITY TO THE COUNTY. YOU KNOW, I WOULD EXPECT IF SOMETHING WENT BAD, I WOULD EXPECT THE SHERIFF AND THE INVESTIGATORS COME UP AND SAYS, WHY DID YOU TRANSPORT THAT GUY WITHOUT A CAGE? SO THAT'S WHY I DON'T ARREST. I ASSIST ON ARREST WITH MATHIS PD DEPUTIES. SOMETIMES THE PARK POLICE, THEY HAVE AN ISSUE ONE TIME. I DO HAVE A COUPLE FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT REACH OUT TO ME THAT I HELP THEM. MORE OF INTEL STUFF FOR MY AREA, BUT. IT'S WELL ROUNDED. SO I AM A MASTERPIECE OFFICER. I ALSO CERTIFY THE MAJORITY OF NARCOTIC CANINES IN THE COASTAL BEND. I'M A CERTIFIED OFFICIAL AND I CERTIFY THOSE DOGS FOR NATIONAL NARCOTIC DETECTOR ASSOCIATION. THAT'S MY PASSION. THAT'S WHAT I DO ON THE SIDE. I DON'T GET PAID FOR THAT. I DO NOT WORK OFF DUTY TRAFFIC CONTROL. I PERSONALLY DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A LIABILITY OF THE COUNTY. THAT'S WHY I DON'T DO THAT. YES, IT'S DANGEROUS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT'S JUST IF IT'S THAT DANGEROUS AND NEED TO BE OTHER AVENUES TO WORK WITH IT. AND I DON'T MEAN TO IMPEDE ON ANYBODY FOR THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL ASPECT. SO WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN UP TO ANY QUESTIONS. I JUST HOPE I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON THOSE THINGS AND CLARIFY AND ELABORATE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE. ANY QUESTION? QUESTION. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. WHAT A GREAT HUMANITARIAN. THANK YOU. AND I GIVE YOU MY WORD, I ALWAYS WILL REPRESENT THIS COUNTY WITH DIGNITY AND HONOR AND PROFESSIONALISM. I ASSURE YOU THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT TO. 1356 CODY. GOOD MORNING JUDGE. GOOD MORNING, COMMITTEE MEMBERS. 
          [e.  County Constable, Precinct 6, Kody Farenthold]
          [00:40:14]
HOW ARE Y'ALL? SO I'M CODY, I'M THE PRECINCT SIX CONSTABLE. MY AREA IS ARANSAS PASS. INGLESIDE. 
          INGLESIDE ON THE BAY. THE FURTHEST EAST YOU CAN GET IN THE COUNTY. THAT'S. THAT'S WHAT I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR. OUR PRECINCT IS VERY HEAVILY POPULATED. ONE THING THAT I CAN SAY ABOUT MY PRECINCT. WE ARE THE BUSIEST WHEN IT COMES TO CIVIL PROCESS. AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR, WHAT I DO IS I USUALLY GET WITH THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, AND I. I LOOK AT HOW MUCH REVENUE THE CONSTABLES HAVE GENERATED IN MY PRECINCT EVERY YEAR GENERATES THE MOST REVENUE. ON THE CIVIL SIDE. WE DO STAY VERY BUSY WITH THAT. WE'RE CONSTANTLY GETTING WRITS ON A SLOW WEEK, JUST ON WRITS ALONE, 5 TO 10. BUT AS FAR AS OVERALL CIVIL PROCESS, WE'RE 20 TO 30 A WEEK. SO AND THAT'S JUST ON THE CIVIL SIDE OF IT. WE HAVE COURT. OUR JUDGE HAS COURT EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY. SO WE HAVE TO BE THERE TO BAILIFF COURT. SO WE GET IN THERE AND WE GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF. I AM FORTUNATE I'M ONE OF THE ONLY OR I'M THE ONLY CONSTABLE IN THE COUNTY THAT HAS DEPUTY CONSTABLES. I HAVE TWO, BUT THEIR FOCUS IS ON MENTAL HEALTH AND WE DO MENTAL HEALTH FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. WE TAKE CARE OF ALL OF THE MENTAL HEALTH WARRANTS FOR THE COUNTY. THAT INCLUDES PICKING PEOPLE UP OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND CONVINCING THEM THAT THEY HAVE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE A JUDGE SIGNED A WARRANT. WE PICK THOSE PEOPLE UP AND WE TAKE THEM TO WHEREVER THAT WARRANT SAYS. MOST OF THE TIME IS USUALLY DOWN IN THE VALLEY OR IN SAN ANTONIO. WE DO GET SOME OCCASIONALLY FROM THE VA HOSPITAL OR FROM THE VA CLINIC IN CORPUS. IF THEY'RE A RESIDENT OF SAN PATRICIO COUNTY, WE'LL GO PICK THEM UP AT THE VA CLINIC IN CORPUS AND TAKE THEM TO THE VA HOSPITAL IN SAN ANTONIO. THOSE ARE RARE, BUT WE STILL DO THEM. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH COASTAL PLAINS. WE GO WITH COASTAL PLAINS. ANYTIME THEY CALL TO ANY OF THEIR CRISIS CALLS. WE'RE STARTING TO GET A LOT MORE OF THE CRISIS CALLS, CALLING OUR OFFICE DIRECTLY TO GO DEAL WITH IT, BECAUSE THE CRISIS WORKERS FOR COASTAL PLAINS COVER 11 COUNTIES, SO THEY'RE NOT HERE MOST OF THE TIME. SO THAT FALLS ON US AND WE GO AND WE TAKE CARE OF THAT. 
          WHEN THERE IS A GAP SOMEWHERE THAT NEEDS TO BE FILLED, WE ALWAYS TRY TO FILL IT AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT IS. CONSTABLE HUTCHINS SAID THAT HE LEFT US DISTRICT COURT. WE'VE DONE DISTRICT COURT. WHENEVER HE'S NOT AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH DISTRICT COURT, WE'LL GO HELP WITH DISTRICT COURT WHEN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS REALLY, REALLY BUSY OR THEY'RE SHORTHANDED. WHATEVER. I TRY TO FILL IN THE GAPS IF THERE SHORT ON NIGHT SHIFT, I WORK DAYS, NIGHTS, HOLIDAYS AND WEEKENDS. AND THAT'S JUST BECAUSE I. I LOVE MY JOB, I ENJOY IT AND IT'S FUN. I, I CAME FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. EVERYBODY THAT YOU'VE TALKED TO HAS OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE. I'M THE ONE WITH THE LEAST POSSIBLE EASILY. AND I WENT TO THE ACADEMY TOGETHER. WE HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE AT 15 YEARS. BUT I CAME FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I GOT TO WORK UNDER SHERIFF. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL ON SOME THINGS. I HAVE A I HAVE A POLICY MANUAL. IF YOU PUT MY POLICY MANUAL IN HIS POLICY MANUAL SIDE BY SIDE, THEY'RE ODDLY THE SAME, BECAUSE I TOOK HIS POLICY MANUAL AND COPIED IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WORKED UNDER. THAT'S WHAT I KNOW. SO WE GET OUT THERE AND WE ARE BUSY. I WORKED LAST NIGHT AT A I'M USUALLY I'M A LITTLE SHARPER THAN THIS, BUT I WORKED LAST NIGHT. I MAKE ARRESTS. WE I MADE AN ARREST AS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY NEEDED SOMEBODY ARRESTED A FEW MONTHS AGO. I WENT BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH THIS GENTLEMAN. I WENT AND PICKED HIM UP, CALLED THE SHERIFF AND SAID, HEY, CAN WE TAKE THIS GUY? IT'S CLASSY CHARGES, BUT WE'RE HAVING SOME ISSUES. HE'S LIKE, ABSOLUTELY, GO GET HIM. I WENT AND FOUND THE GUY. I ASSIST NOT ONLY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, I ASSIST BOTH. I HAVE ARANSAS PASS AND INGLESIDE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          I FILL IN THE GAPS FOR THOSE DEPARTMENTS, TOO, WHENEVER THEY NEED IT. THERE'S NOT MUCH THAT I'M NOT WILLING TO DO. I MAKE TRAFFIC STOPS. I DON'T MAKE A LOT OF TRAFFIC STOPS, BUT I STILL MAKE TRAFFIC STOPS. I PATROL EVERY PART OF MY PRECINCT. I KNOW ALL OF MY 
          [00:45:02]
PEOPLE. I TRY TO STAY BUSY. I CAME INTO OFFICE JANUARY OF 21, AND THE OTHER CONSTABLE'S THAT I GOT TO WORK AROUND WEREN'T WORKING VERY MUCH, TO PUT IT LIGHTLY. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I WASN'T GROUPED IN WITH THE ONES THAT WEREN'T WORKING VERY MUCH. SO I TRIED TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND AND WORK AS MUCH AS I COULD TO REALLY CHANGE THE FACE OF THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE. AND I FEEL LIKE I'VE I'VE DONE A PRETTY DECENT JOB OF THAT, ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. AND I'M CONSTANTLY WORKING ON THAT, TRYING TO MAKE THINGS A LITTLE BIT BETTER. SO THERE'S A LOT THAT WE DO AS FAR AS OUR END OF THE COUNTY. THE TWO THINGS THAT WE KIND OF SPECIALIZE IN THE MENTAL HEALTH, WE DO THAT FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY, NOT JUST OUR PRECINCT. I ALSO HAVE THE DIVE TEAM FOR OUR COUNTY. SO ANYTIME THERE'S A DROWNING SOMEWHERE, WE GET CALLED TO GO TO THAT AND WE PUT ON OUR GEAR AND WE GO INTO PITCH BLACK WATER AND WE GO AND WE FIND THAT PERSON AND BRING THEM BACK TO THEIR FAMILY. SO THAT'S JUST ANOTHER SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE, SOMETHING THAT WE DID AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO STOP DOING. AND WHENEVER THE SHERIFF CALLS AND NEEDS HELP WITH SOMETHING, I, I JUMP. IF MY COMMISSIONER CALLS AND SAYS THAT HE NEEDS HELP WITH SOMETHING, I GO HELP MY COMMISSIONER. ANY OF THE CONSTABLES CALL, I GO AND HELP THEM. WE TRY TO WORK TOGETHER AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE THE COUNTY A BETTER PLACE. AS FAR AS THE PAY INCREASE. KIND OF JUST BRINGING US UP TO UP TO PAR. THERE IS A PAY DISPARITY BETWEEN THE CONSTABLES AND THE JAIL. 
          THERE'S THERE IS A PRETTY BIG GAP THERE. BUT UNDERSTAND TO THE JP'S HAVE HAVE A STAFF SO I DON'T HAVE AN ADMIN ASSISTANT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT'S ON ME TO ANSWER MY PHONE. SO MY PHONE RINGS ALL DAY. AND IF I IF I ALLOWED IT TO RING ALL NIGHT TOO. AND THAT'S JUST MY OFFICE PHONE. EVERYBODY HAS MY CELL PHONE. SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE CALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, I'LL SHOW UP JUST BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO TIE UP. YOU KNOW, THE DEPUTY THAT'S WORKING MY END OF THE COUNTY, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT. YEAH, I'LL. I'LL GO HANDLE THIS. THAT WAY HE DOESN'T HAVE TO. I'LL GO AND TAKE CARE OF IT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE COUNTIES AROUND US, I THINK YOU COULD LOOK AT WHAT WE DO HERE IN THIS COUNTY. AND THERE'S NOT REALLY A COMPARISON WHENEVER IT COMES TO WHAT OTHER COUNTIES ARE DOING. A LOT OF OTHER COUNTIES ARE NOT UP TO NOT UP TO SPEED LIKE THIS COUNTY IS. NUECES COUNTY, IS THEY THE CONSTABLES THERE? THEY THEY HAVE A PRETTY BIG STAFF. AND THE CONSTABLES OVER THERE DO AN AMAZING JOB. BUT IT'S NUECES COUNTY WHERE WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, ALMOST 500,000 PEOPLE IN NUECES COUNTY, AND THEY'RE BUSY. 
          AND IF YOU COMPARE THE PAY OF DEPUTIES, CONSTABLE'S AND NUECES COUNTY AND COMPARE THEM. SO NUECES COUNTY IS CIVIL PROCESS. SO DEPUTY CONSTABLES AND DEPUTY SHERIFFS GET PAID THE SAME. IF YOU LOOK AT IT IN HERE IN OUR COUNTY, WE'RE NOT CIVIL PROCESS. IF YOU TOOK FOUR OF OUR CONSTABLES, ALL THE ONES THAT CAME AND PRESENTED TO YOU BEFORE I DID, IF ALL OF THEM QUIT TOMORROW AND THE SHERIFF HIRED THEM, YOU WOULD BE PAYING THEM PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT EVERYBODY'S ASKING FOR BASED OFF OF THEIR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL OVER 30 YEARS. I WOULDN'T GET PAID THAT MUCH. AND THAT'S THAT'S OKAY. IF YOU LOOK AT ARANSAS COUNTY AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY'RE NOT AS BUSY AS AS WE ARE. IF YOU GO TO OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE, IF YOU LOOK AT HOOD COUNTY. HOOD COUNTY HAS A POPULATION OF ABOUT 50,000. THEIR CONSTABLES MAKE ABOUT 80,000 A YEAR. AND IF YOU LOOK AT LOVING COUNTY, THERE'S 68 PEOPLE IN THAT COUNTY. AND THE GOSPEL THERE MAKES 100,000 A YEAR. BUT THAT'S ALL OIL MONEY. SO THERE'S ONLY ONE, AND THERE'S ONLY ONE CONSTABLE IN. BUT EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL IN LOVING COUNTY MAKES $100,000 A YEAR. 
          BUT THERE'S 68 PEOPLE THERE. THAT'S NOT A GOOD COMPARISON, BUT I'M KIND OF A HISTORY NERD, SO I LIKE TO PASS THAT STUFF OFF. I'M INVOLVED IN A LOT OF STUFF. I'M ON THE SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMITTEE FOR OUR SCHOOLS. I MAKE SURE THAT I'M IN OUR SCHOOLS. I'M THERE IN THE SCHOOL ZONES. I TRY TO BE THERE IN THE MORNING AND IN THE EVENINGS, BUT I'M I'M CONSTANTLY 
          [00:50:05]
ON THE MOVE. I DON'T SIT IN MY OFFICE AND WHEN PEOPLE SAY, HEY, I WENT BY YOUR OFFICE THE OTHER DAY, YOU WEREN'T THERE. I'M LIKE, WELL, THERE'S NO CRIME GOING ON IN MY OFFICE. THERE'S CRIME OUT IN THE STREET. THAT'S WHERE YOU GOT TO FIND ME. AND I REALLY ENJOY WHAT I DO. PAY RAISE OR NO PAY RAISE, I'M GOING TO KEEP DOING WHAT I DO. SO IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THEM. SORRY I'M SO LONG WINDED. CONSTABLE. HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND WITH DEL MAR COLLEGE TEACHING AT DEL MAR? IT DEPENDS ON THE TIME OF THE YEAR. SO I'M. I TEACH ALERT LEVEL ONE. WE ALWAYS TEACH THAT ON THE WEEKENDS. AND THEN I TEACH SIT AND THAT TAKES FIVE DAYS. SO I USUALLY TEACH IT ONCE IN THE SPRING SEMESTER, ONCE IN THE FALL SEMESTER. OH, YOU'RE TEA IS MENTAL HEALTH. DO YOU ASSIST WITH THAT? IN OTHER AGENCIES? WE DO. THE WAY THAT WE KIND OF LOOK AT IT IS IF YOU CALL US, WE'RE GOING TO COME HELP YOU. WE'VE GONE TO BEE COUNTY AND HELPED. WE'VE GONE TO ARANSAS COUNTY AND HELPED. JIM WELLS COUNTY HAS CALLED AND ASKED US SOME SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME THINGS, AND WE'VE GONE OUT OF OUR WAY TO HELP THEM. WE'RE HERE FOR WHOEVER NEEDS US, BUT STATEWIDE, IF SOMEBODY CALLS OR HAS A QUESTION, WE'LL BE GLAD TO HELP THEM AND WALK THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS. YOU'RE NOT RETIRED, ARE YOU? I AM NOT RETIRED. I, I, I LIVE ON ON MY CONSTABLE PAYCHECK. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. I DIDN'T GET TO ASK. CONSTABLE FIVE, BUT WITH THE FINANCIAL PREDICAMENT THE COUNTY IS IN RIGHT NOW, WOULD YOU CONSIDER THE COLA THAT IS GOING TO BE GIVEN TO THE EMPLOYEES OF THE 4%? I'D CONSIDER IT, BUT IF YOU WANT MY HONEST ANSWER, I DON'T NEED ANYTHING. I'M. I'M GOOD. 
          OKAY. I THINK THERE IS A PAY DISPARITY. AND I THINK THE PAY DISPARITY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. 
          BUT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I'M NOT REALLY WORRIED ABOUT IT. SO WHEN YOU SAY DISPARITY BETWEEN YOU AND THE J. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER THAT, BUT. OR WHO CAN ANSWER WHO BROUGHT UP THE J AT THE SALARY THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, OR WHAT MAKES THEM GET MORE OF A SALARY THAN THE CONSTABLE? IS IT BECAUSE THEY MAGISTRATE OR THEY HAVE DIFFERENT LICENSE CERTIFICATIONS OR JP'S ARE BUSY? I KNOW ALL OF THE JP'S IN OUR COUNTY ARE BUSY, AND DO I THINK THEY'RE GETTING PAID WHAT THEY'RE WORTH? ABSOLUTELY. THEY GOT TO WHERE THEY ARE CURRENTLY AT BASED OFF OF THEM GOING TO THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE AND GOING FROM THERE. AND ONE THING I CAN ADDRESS FOR YOU IS THE PAY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRECINCT ONE AND THE REST OF US. SO I'LL GIVE YOU SOME SOME BACK HISTORY. I'VE BEEN WITH THE COUNTY OVER TEN YEARS. MY DAD RETIRED FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. MY GREAT UNCLE USED TO BE THE PRECINCT ONE CONSTABLE WAY BACK IN THE DAY. SO I LIKE TO FOLLOW HISTORY. 
          PRECINCT ONE GETS PAID MORE BECAUSE OF MAGISTRATION. AND PRECINCT ONE USED TO DO ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT FOR THE COUNTY. THAT'S WHY PRECINCT ONE GETS PAID A LITTLE BIT MORE. 
          AND THAT WAS TOLD TO ME BY NOT THE PREVIOUS PRECINCT ONE CONSTABLE, BUT THE ONE BEFORE THAT. IT GOT THAT MONEY. AND YOU ARE CORRECT, IT WAS THROUGH A GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE MEETING HERE THAT WAS THAT WAS DISCUSSED IN MY COMPLAINT AT THE TIME WAS WE HAD JAIL SUPERVISORS THAT WERE CALLING YOUR HONOR, YET MAKING MORE MONEY THAN THE JUDGES THAT ARE OUT THERE, MAGISTRATE AND OUR FOLKS. AND I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS FAIR AT THE TIME THAT THAT WAS THE CASE, AND IT WAS LOOKED AT BY THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE. AND THAT'S HOW THAT CAME ABOUT. ABOUT HOW LONG AGO WAS THAT? THAT WAS TWO YEARS AGO, MAYBE 20, 23. HOW LONG AGO WAS IT THAT IT'S BEEN 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO NOW. 
          SO THE JP'S GOT THE RAISED 80,481 THREE YEARS AGO. NO, THEY WENT THROUGH GRIEVANCE ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO AND GOT MOVED UP AT THAT TIME TO WHATEVER THAT SALARY WAS AT THAT TIME. BUT THEY'VE HAD THEY'VE HAD THE COLA SINCE THEN. OKAY. WERE THEY EQUAL AT THE TIME? I CANNOT, I MEAN I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TELL YOU. OKAY. ONE CONSTABLE ONE HAVE ALWAYS MADE A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT THE OTHER JP'S AND THE CONSTABLE'S, WERE THEY AT THE SAME PAY. NO. OKAY. OH, THEY'RE ALWAYS LOWER. THANK YOU. YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO VOTE ON PRECINCT ONE WITHOUT HEARING ABOUT ALL THAT YOU DO, BECAUSE 
          [00:55:01]
I'M. AND ALL THAT Y'ALL DO BECAUSE I'M EXTREMELY NEW TO THIS. I AM A TAXPAYER IN THIS COUNTY, THOUGH. OKAY? DO YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTY? I DO, I HAVE TO WE ALL OF US, ALL OF US HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN OUR PRECINCT TO BE IN THE POSITIONS THAT WE'RE IN. I LIVE IN ARANSAS PASS TOO, SO I REALLY, REALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. I'M, I'M I'M ALL YOURS. SO THANK YOU. YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING THAT YOU GENERATE THE MOST REVENUE IN THE COUNTY. HOW DO YOU GENERATE REVENUE? SO THE WAY THAT WE GENERATE, THE WAY CONSTABLES GENERATE REVENUE IS ANYTIME WE GO OUT AND WE SERVE ANY TYPE OF CIVIL PROCESS, THERE'S A FEE ATTACHED TO IT THAT THE PLAINTIFF HAS TO PAY. AND THAT'S HOW WE ARE ABLE TO GENERATE REVENUE. AND THAT'S ANYTHING THAT SOMEBODY GOES IN AND FILES AT THE JP COURT, WHETHER IT BE AN EVICTION, A SMALL CLAIM, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THERE'S A SERVICE FEE ATTACHED TO IT. AND THAT'S HOW WE GENERATE THE REVENUE BY GOING OUT AND SERVING PAPERS. DO YOU GET TO DETERMINE THOSE FEES? I DO NOT, THAT'S DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT. AND THERE'S USUALLY SOME INPUT RIGHT AROUND BUDGET TIME AS FAR AS TO WHAT THOSE FEES ARE. AND USUALLY THE, YOU KNOW, THE SHERIFF, THE SHERIFF HAS CIVIL PROCESS PEOPLE TOO. SO THE SHERIFF IS VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS. AND THE SHERIFF ACTUALLY GENERATES MORE REVENUE THAN PROBABLY ALL OF US COMBINED, BECAUSE HE DOES THE TAX SALES AND ALL THAT STUFF. SO WE ARE ABLE TO GENERATE REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY BASED OFF OF CIVIL PROCESS. ONE THING THAT I DO, AND I DO IT FOR THE LOCAL ATTORNEYS. WE HAVE PRIVATE PROCESS SERVERS THAT CAN GO OUT AND SERVE STUFF. I GO TO MY LOCAL ATTORNEYS AND SAY, HEY, INSTEAD OF USING A PROCESS SERVER, PAY ME TO DO IT. AND OUR PRIVATE PROCESS SERVERS, THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE BEEN. OR OUR LOCAL ATTORNEYS. THEY'VE BEEN COMING TO US OVER PROCESS SERVERS BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY CHEAPER TO GO OUT AND SERVE THINGS THAN IT WOULD BE TO SEND IT TO A PROCESS SERVER. SO THAT'S JUST MY WAY OF TRYING TO BRING IN SOME EXTRA MONEY FOR THE COUNTY. 
          I HAD. NO MEANS DOES IT OFFSET THE COST OF OUR OPERATIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING. AND THEN THOSE FUNDS THAT YOU GENERATE, WHERE DO THEY GO? GO BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND. GENERAL FUND. AND I YOU SAID THAT YOU HAD TWO DEPUTY CONSTABLES. YES, MA'AM. 
          ARE I GUESS THEY'RE ON A DIFFERENT PAY SCALE FOR SURE. RIGHT NOW THEY'RE GETTING 48, 49,000. I PUT IN FOR A RAISE FOR THEM. SO BUDGET PROCESS. WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW THAT GOES. 
          HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THEM ON THE SAME PAY SCALE AS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THAT IS THE CASE. BOTH. 
          SO BOTH OF THE DEPUTIES THAT WORK FOR ME HAVE OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE. IF THEY FELL ON THAT SAME PAY SCALE, THEY WOULD BE TOPPED OUT. SHERIFF, WHAT WHAT ARE YOUR PEOPLE YOUR REGULAR DEPUTIES TOP OUT AT WHEN YOU BRING THEM ON, THEY STARTED 47. AND BUT BECAUSE OF YEARS OF SERVICE, $500 FOR EVERY YEAR OF SERVICE, SERVICE THEY HAVE. SO WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE SUCH AS CONSTABLES THAT ARE THAT GOT 30 YEARS ON. IT COULD BE TAPPING $85,000. EASY. SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THEY COULD BE MAKING MORE MONEY THAN YOU. IT IS A POSSIBILITY. AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, I DON'T CARE. YOU KNOW, AND WE WELCOME YOUR DEPUTIES ANY TIME WE NEED THE HELP. WE'RE WE'RE EIGHT SHORT. WE'LL FILL IN THE GAPS FOR YOU. WELL, ONE OF THEM CAME FROM US BEFORE HE RETIRED. SO. AND ARE THEY ELECTED AS WELL OR. THEY'RE APPOINTED UNDER ME. AND YOU SAID THAT YOUR FOCUS IS MENTAL HEALTH. ARE THERE FUNDING OR GRANTS THAT YOU APPLY FOR. SO WE INITIALLY GOT THAT PROGRAM STARTED WITH ARPA FUNDS. THE FIRST YEAR OF IT DIDN'T COST THE COUNTY ANYTHING. THERE IS SOME MONEY THAT COMES IN FROM COASTAL PLAINS TO PAY FOR OUR FUEL. SO THAT KIND OF A SAVINGS THERE FOR THE COUNTY. WE DID APPLY FOR A GRANT, BUT I THINK THERE WAS SOME ISSUES COUNTYWIDE FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD, THE GRANT DIDN'T GET APPROVED OR ADDITIONAL POSITIONS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE RUNNING MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 8 TO 5, AND IT ACTUALLY BLEEDS OVER INTO THE EVENINGS MOST OF THE TIME, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS END UP CATCHING A MENTAL HEALTH WARRANT AT LIKE 3:00. AND WHEN YOU CATCH IT AT 3:00, WELL, IT'S THREE HOURS FROM HERE TO EDINBURG OR MCALLEN AND THREE HOURS BACK. SO THEY END UP RUNNING OVER. BUT THERE THERE CAN BE FUNDING SOURCES FOR IT. I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THEM. I'M ALWAYS FINDING THEM AND TRYING TO SEE 
          [01:00:05]
WHAT THE PARAMETERS ARE FOR IT. BEING THAT WE'RE ALREADY AN ESTABLISHED TEAM, THAT IS HELPFUL ON OUR END, BECAUSE THE STATE TENDS TO LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, OKAY, WELL, YOU ALREADY HAVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE. YOU'RE ALREADY SET UP. IT'S EASIER FOR THEM TO PUT MONEY ON US THAN IT IS FOR SOMEBODY TO FORM SOMETHING, BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY ESTABLISHED AND WE RECEIVE A LOT OF HELP FROM COASTAL PLAINS AS FAR AS TRAINING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THEY TEND TO FOOT THE BILL MOST OF THE TIME. WELL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING MY MONEY, TRYING TO LIKE OUR OUR DIVE TEAM STUFF. I, I PUT MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR THAT. HOPEFULLY I CAN GET THAT APPROVED FOR THE DIVE TEAM EQUIPMENT YOU KNOW AND BUDGET PROCESS. YOU KNOW THINGS GET CUT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T GET CUT TOO MUCH. BUT WE ARE GOING TO LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SOME HIGHER END STUFF THAT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE. BUT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO EXPAND AND MAKE THINGS BETTER AND NOT COST THE TAXPAYERS ANYTHING. NOT OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND ANYWAY. I SEE NOW THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING $2,000 MORE A YEAR THAN THE OTHERS. I FORGOT HOW MUCH WE ASKED FOR. SO I. I WOKE UP REALLY EARLY ONE MORNING AND SENT THE EMAIL, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE NUMBER. BUT 73, RIGHT? 73. THAT'S MY FAULT. SO YOU 73 OR 75? WHATEVER. Y'ALL WANT TO DO IT? GIVE ME. I WANT TO GIVE ME ANYTHING. THAT'S FINE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? HERE? NONE. WELL, THANK YOU, MR. SIR. OKAY. LAST ONE IS 2.3 F JAMES 
          [f.  County Constable, Precinct 8, James Easley]
EASLEY FROM PRECINCT EIGHT. 
          GOOD MORNING. I'M JAMES EASLEY, CONSTABLE, PRECINCT EIGHT. I CAN'T TOP ALL THEM STORIES. I DON'T HAVE 20 YEARS OF FILES TO GO THROUGH ANY OF THAT. WHEN I TOOK OVER IN JANUARY, I WALKED INTO AN OFFICE THAT WAS BASICALLY WIPED OUT. THERE WAS NOTHING IN IT. NO FILES, NO, NO HISTORICAL DATA, STATIC FILES, NOTHING. SO. PRECINCT EIGHT IS PROBABLY THE LEAST PRODUCTIVE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE IN ALL OF SAN PATRICIO COUNTY, AND IT'S PROBABLY GOT THE WORST REPUTATION OF ANY CONSTABLE'S OFFICE IN SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY. I STARTED RUNNING FOR THIS POSITION IN 2012. MY WIFE THINKS I'M NUTS BECAUSE I NEVER GAVE UP, BUT I DID FINALLY WIN IT IN 2024, AND I CAME IN WITH THE MINDSET THAT WE WERE GOING TO CHANGE THE OUTLOOK ON NOT JUST PRECINCT EIGHT, BUT ALL OF THE CONSTABLES IN SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY. I WAS ACTUALLY TOLD BY AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AFTER I WON THE ELECTION THAT THE CONSTABLES WERE LIKE THE BLACK SHEEP OF ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS. AND IT REALLY COMES ACROSS THAT WAY AT TIMES WHEN WE TRY TO DO THINGS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT MY PREDECESSOR DID. I KNOW IT WASN'T A WHOLE LOT AS FAR AS CIVIL PROCESS GOES, I PROBABLY SERVE THE LEAST AMOUNT. I THINK SINCE I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE, I MIGHT HAVE SERVED 50 TO 60 WRITS. TRUANCY, ON THE OTHER HAND, LIKE SEAN, YOU KNOW, I PROBABLY RUN NECK AND NECK WITH TRUANCY. AND TAFT AND GREGORY, THOSE THOSE THOSE PEOPLE OVER THERE HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET THEIR KIDS UP FOR SCHOOL, SO THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO DO IT. BUT WE STAY BUSY. I MEAN, I'M CURRENTLY WORKING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS WITH THE TEXAS RANGERS. I WENT IN JUNE, MIDDLE OF JUNE. WE DID GRAND GRAND JURY PRESENTATIONS, WERE SUCCESSFUL AND GOT ALL OUR INDICTMENTS WE WERE ASKING FOR. WE'RE STILL CURRENTLY WORKING THESE INVESTIGATIONS AND THEY'LL PROBABLY BE ONGOING FOR SOME TIME. I DO GO OUT AND ASSIST TAFT P.D. IF THEY'RE BUSY AND CAN'T TAKE A CALL. I GO OUT. IF I HEAR A CALL AND BACK UP THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN CASE THEY 
          [01:05:08]
NEED HELP. I DO RESPOND TO FIRE CALLS TO ASSIST TAFT VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, SO WE TRY TO STAY PRODUCTIVE. I DO NOT DO ANY OFF DUTY ROADSIDE WORK. NOTHING AGAINST THOSE THAT DO. WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO CHANGE THAT MINDSET. AND I THINK MAYBE A LITTLE, LITTLE BUMP IN PAY WOULD, WOULD GET SOME OF THESE FOLKS OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE IT IS DANGEROUS. IT IS A LIABILITY FOR THE COUNTY. SOME OF YOU ALL HERE HAVE KNOWN ME FOR A LONG TIME. I'VE KNOWN THE SHERIFF FOR A LONG TIME. I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR A LONG TIME. I'M. I'M A BLACK AND WHITE KIND OF GUY. THERE ARE NO GRAY AREAS FOR ME. WE DO EVERYTHING BY THE BOOK. I DO DO HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME AS CODY. WE DID GO TO THE ACADEMY TOGETHER, BUT I SERVED IN THE MILITARY FOR 24 YEARS BEFORE THAT. SO WHILE WE WENT TO THE ACADEMY AT THE SAME TIME, I'M, I'M PROBABLY TWICE HIS AGE, SO NOT TO GIVE THAT UP, BUT I'M DEFINITELY OVER THE HILL. BUT WE STAY BUSY. I DON'T THINK REALLY ANY OF THIS. REQUESTED THIS PAY RAISE IN THINKING IT WOULD ACTUALLY GET APPROVED, BUT I THINK THE HOPE WAS THAT MAYBE WE COULD ALL MEET SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE. AND LIKE CODY, I'M THE SAME WAY. REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF THIS, THIS HEARING, WE'RE STILL GOING TO GET UP EVERY DAY AND DO THE JOB, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE JOB ASKS OF US, WHETHER IT'S SERVING CIVIL PROCESS, ASSISTING THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, PUTTING OUT FIRES, ASSISTING THE COUNTY, THE CITY. WE'RE GOING TO ANSWER THE CALLS REGARDLESS. AS I SAID, I DID SERVE 24 YEARS IN THE NAVY. I DID SOME INTELLIGENCE, TWO WARS, DESERT STORM AND IRAQI FREEDOM. SO I'VE HAD MY SHARE OF. THINGS IN MY LIFE THAT I REALLY DIDN'T ENJOY. AND ACTUALLY, WHEN I RETIRED IN 2005, I THOUGHT I WOULD PROBABLY NEVER GET INTO ANY TYPE OF PROFESSION CARRYING A GUN OR DEFENDING PEOPLE. AND I, I LIVED IN PORTLAND AT THE TIME FOR A WHILE, AND I MADE A LOT OF FRIENDS OVER THERE. PARNELL, HAINES AND SOME OF THOSE GUYS, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE ONES THAT TALKED ME INTO GETTING INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT. SO AFTER ABOUT A FIVE YEAR BREAK, AFTER I RETIRED, I WENT TO THE ACADEMY, OLDEST ONE IN THE ACADEMY, SO BUT I DID IT. AND HERE WE ARE 15 YEARS LATER, I DID TAKE ANOTHER SHORT PAUSE. IN 2017, I GOT INJURED IN THE LINE OF DUTY. I AM A MEDAL OF VALOR RECIPIENT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. SO IT IS THERE. THERE IS KIND OF WE ARE THE LOWEST PAID ELECTED OFFICIALS. AND I UNDERSTANDABLY, BASED ON WHAT MY PREDECESSOR DID, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO COME UP HERE AND ASK FOR A BUMP IN PAY BECAUSE WE ARE LIVING UNDER THOSE BLACK CLOUDS. BUT I THINK IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS, I THINK MOST OF US HAVE ALREADY SHOWN THAT WE'RE WILLING TO STEP UP AND DO THE JOB, NO MATTER WHAT THE JOB ASKS OF US. 
          I AM AVAILABLE ON CALL 24 HOURS A DAY. I DON'T WORK 8 TO 5. CURRENTLY WORKING ON GETTING EQUIPMENT TO DO TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT SO THAT WHEN I'M NOT SERVING CIVIL PROCESS, I'M STILL OUT THERE DOING THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT THE COUNTY. SO I HAVEN'T MADE ANY ARRESTS YET, BUT IT'S COMING. I MEAN, SO. AS FAR AS THE COAL ALLOWANCE GOES, YEAH, WHATEVER YOU GUYS DECIDE TO DO, WE'RE GOOD WITH IT. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OTHER QUESTIONS. COMMENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. NO THANK YOU OKAY. THANK YOU MR. OKAY. SO SHOULD HAVE GONE OVER THIS I GUESS BEFORE WE GOT STARTED. BUT LET ME GIVE YOU WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VOTE INDIVIDUALLY, OKAY. 
          IF THERE'S SIX OR MORE. VOTES. THIS THE INCREASE IS RECOMMENDED. JUST INCREASE OKAY. 
          IF 6 TO 8 MEMBERS OF THIS PANEL RECOMMEND A YAY, IT WILL GO TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. AND THE 
          [01:10:10]
COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THE RECOMMENDATION. OF COURSE, WE HAD NINE COMMITTEE MEMBERS. WE DID NOT HAVE NINE. IF WE WOULD HAVE HAD NINE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND ALL NINE WOULD HAVE SAID YES. THE INCREASE IS AUTOMATIC. SO IF Y'ALL VOTE EIGHT, 6 TO 8, WE WILL TAKE IT TO COMMISSIONERS COURT. THE NEXT MEETING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE MONDAY, TO DECIDE WHAT WE'LL DO WITH Y'ALL'S RECOMMENDATION. THEY CAN ACCEPT IT, THEY CAN ADD TO IT, BUT THEY CANNOT TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM. OKAY, I KNOW WE'RE GETTING I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THESE INDIVIDUALLY, BUT COULD WE MAKE A MOTION TO FOR ALL OF THEM AND THEN VOTE ON THAT MOTION? NO, I'VE ALREADY TRIED THAT IN ACCORDING TO THE STATE STATUTE, WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THEM INDIVIDUALLY. BUT IF WE CAN. BUT IF WE DO ONE MOTION AND SAY FOR CONSTABLE ONE, TWO, THREE, ONE, IF Y'ALL WANT TO DISCUSS THEM, FINE. I JUST NEED A MOTION FOR EACH ONE OF THEM. WELL, I'M. I'M READY, I'M READY. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS. WELL, I DO HAVE A QUESTION. SO WE MISS GARCIA ASKED ABOUT THE A DIFFERENCE IN THE 17.62 TO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENCE. 
          HOW WOULD WE HANDLE THAT. YOU JUST HAVE TO COME UP WITH A MOTION AND THEN PUT IT ON THE MOTION. IN THE MOTION, HOW YOU WANT TO HANDLE IT. RIGHT AFTER VOTING. NO, NO. RIGHT. WE HAVE TO ALL VOTE NO. AND THEN WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND MAKE A MOTION. YEAH. AND THEN THAT WOULD GO TO THE COMMISSIONERS. RIGHT. WELL I DON'T THINK I THINK Y'ALL CAN I THINK Y'ALL CAN MAKE THE MOTION TO EITHER INCREASE IT. TO CHOOSE ANOTHER AMOUNT. CORRECT. THEN WE WOULD VOTE ON THAT. AND THEN THAT WOULD GO TO THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WOULD GO TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. SO CALL FOR CONSTABLE ONE. WE'RE READY TO GO WITH CONSTABLE ONE OKAY. LET ME GET MY SHEET. CHEAT SHEET OUT HERE JUDGE. SO I THINK YOU HAVE TO DENY IF Y'ALL WANT TO DENY THE REQUEST, YOU HAVE TO DENY THE REQUEST AND THEN MAKE THE MOTION TO AN ALTERNATE. AN ALTERNATE? YEAH. INDIVIDUALLY? YEAH. INDIVIDUALLY AS A WHOLE, WE COULD DISCUSS AND ARRIVE AT THAT. IT'S. WHAT? YES. BUT INDIVIDUALLY. SO WE'RE GOING TO PRECINCT ONE. IF WE DENIED IT, WE WOULD HAVE TO VOTE ON ANOTHER AMOUNT AND THEN GO TO TWO. SOUNDS UNNECESSARILY COMPLICATED TO ME. IT DOES. BUT BUT THAT'S THAT SEEMS TO BE THE RECOMMENDED PROCEDURE. RIGHT. BUT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A DISCUSSION TO ARRIVE AT SOMETHING TOGETHER PRIOR TO THIS INDIVIDUAL VOTES. AND THE ONLY THING I WAS GOING TO SAY IS I HAD DONE SOME RESEARCH AND THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE SALARY FOR CONSTABLES IN TEXAS IS $66,000. SO I THINK THAT'S NOTABLE. I MEAN, THAT INCLUDES SOME COUNTIES THAT ARE VERY, VERY LARGE AND MAKE QUITE A BIT MORE, BUT IT INCLUDES ALSO THERE ARE SOME SMALLER COUNTIES THAT CONSTABLES ARE MAKING FAR, FAR LESS. SO I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THAT AVERAGE IS 66,000, WHICH IS MORE THAN WHAT THEY'RE MAKING NOW BELOW AN AVERAGE. AND THAT WOULD BE BELOW NUECES COUNTY AT 67. AND I'M THINKING A 10% INCREASE WOULD PUT THEM A LITTLE BIT ABOVE THAT 68. OKAY. SO I HAVE CALCULATIONS FOR 4% AND THEN A 10%, WELL, A 6% AND THEN A 4% COLA. IF THAT PASSES, IF NOT 10%, 8%. OKAY OKAY. CAN I CAN I MAKE A COMMENT. MAKE A MOTION TO DENY OKAY, I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION FOR CONSTABLE ONE TO DENY THAT REQUEST OF 73,000. A SECOND, A SECOND. NOW I'M GOING TO MAKE A NEW MOTION. SORRY. WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT. JUDGE. 
          JUST. SO YOU THUNDER. THERE YOU GO. SO THE REASON WE'RE HAVING Y'ALL DO EACH INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE THERE'S A DIFFERENT REQUEST THAT'S INVOLVED. SO WHEN YOU DO ONE YOU DO EVERYTHING FOR THAT 
          [01:15:07]
ONE PARTICULAR. YOU DO THE VOTE FOR EVERYTHING. AND THEN THAT'S FINAL. THEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE. IF IT'S A DENIAL, YOU HAVE TO VOTE ON THE DENIAL, THEN COME BACK, MAKE A MOTION WHAT YOU'RE WANTING TO REQUEST FOR EACH POSSIBLE, EACH CONSTABLE INDIVIDUALLY, AND THEN REALIZE THAT Y'ALL ARE JUST LOOKING AT THE SALARY BECAUSE IN COLA IS SEPARATE FROM THEIR SALARY THAT Y'ALL ARE APPROVING, AND THERE'S NO GUARANTEE IN COLA YET. EXACTLY. BECAUSE THE COLA IS NOT BEING PRESENTED TILL MONDAY IN COMMISSIONERS GET A TEN, THERE'S POSSIBLY ANOTHER FOUR ON TOP OF THAT. EXACTLY. BUT THAT WASN'T. DO YOU WANT TO SHARE? YEAH. THAT'S SECOND TO DENY. CONSTABLE ONE REQUESTED FUNDS OKAY. OKAY. LET'S GO AHEAD AND HAVE THE VOTES LIKE THIS ON IT. OKAY. 
          SHERIFF. YEAH. WHAT? HEY, WAIT. WHAT WHAT WHAT MOTION? WE'RE VOTING THE 73,000. YES. NO. FOR ME? YEAH. YOU'RE VOTING NO TONIGHT? I'M VOTING YES TO DENY. OKAY, THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO KNOW. SO, COUNTY ATTORNEY. YAY! MR. CLERK. YES, TAX ASSESSOR. COLLECTOR. YES. MISS. USED VOTING TO DENY. VOTING TO DENY. YES. TO DENY THE REQUEST OF 73,000. YES. OKAY. DOUBLE NEGATIVES. MUSIC. OKAY. WELL, YEAH, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE IT TO. KNOW. SO YOU VOTING? YES. 
          YES. OKAY. COUNTY CLERK. YES. TREASURER. YES. OKAY. OKAY. UNANIMOUS. OKAY. IS THERE ANOTHER MOTION? WE NEED TO DISCUSS? I DID WANT TO MAKE A I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO. 6%. 
          CAN WE DISCUSS THAT AMOUNT? DO WE NEED ANOTHER MOTION 6% SALARY INCREASE. YES. OKAY. I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. CAN WE DISCUSS? YES, YES. HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT THE 6% OR ARE WE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION YET, YOUR HONOR? YES. OKAY. I'M A NUMBERS MAN, AND I WANT TO MAKE BE QUITE FRANK ABOUT HERE THAT WE INCREASED CONSTABLE'S SALARY 15% IN 2024 IS VERY HARD FOR ME TO LOOK AT 17% WHEN THE PROFILES OF THIS COURT, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE JUDGE AND THE AUDITOR ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR BUDGETS REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS COMING YEAR, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO FULFILL A 4% INCREASE FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES THAT THAT DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE TO TAKE THEM TO WORK, AS OPPOSED TO ALL OF US ELECTED OFFICIALS HERE IN FRONT OF YOU, MADE THE DECISION TO RUN FOR OFFICE KNOWING WHAT THE SALARY WAS. AT THE SAME TIME, IN MY 50 YEAR CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT HERE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE EVER SEEN WORKING CONSTABLES IN OUR COUNTY, AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SAY THAT THEY DON'T DESERVE SOMETHING, BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE EVER SEEN ACTIVE GROUP OF OFFICERS SHOWING UP. YES, THEY ALL HAVE THEIR INDIVIDUAL TRAITS AND THEY ALL MOST OF THEM ARE RETIRED. YES. BUT THEY TOOK A PROFESSION HOPING THAT THEY CAN COME BEFORE A COMMITTEE SOMEDAY AND BE ABLE TO GET SOME TYPE OF A DEAL. IT'S JUST HARD TO SWALLOW 17% AT THIS POINT. SO AT THIS POINT, I'M SAYING THAT WE JUST NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. BUT WHAT PERCENTAGE WE WANT TO SET UP AS A GOAL. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THESE FOLKS HERE HAVE DONE A REMARKABLE JOB, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEM. I WANT TO COMMENT, TOO. I'M SORRY. I HAVE FOUR OFFICES, SO I HAVE AN OFFICE IN MATHIS, THE OFFICE HERE, THE OFFICE IN PORTLAND AND THE OFFICE IN ARANSAS. AND SO 
          [01:20:01]
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, WE'VE HAD A LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE IN THE OFFICES THEMSELVES. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT OTHER THINGS TO DO, AND SO DO THE CONSTABLES, BUT THEY'RE THERE. AND SO THEY HAVE THEY HAVE HELPED MY OFFICES, ESPECIALLY THE PORTLAND OFFICE, A LOT MORE HAVE. WE'VE ALWAYS GOTTEN HELP FROM THE CONSTABLES AT THE MAIN OFFICE DURING TAX SEASON, WHEN WE HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, THINGS HAPPENING. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND SO THEY ARE WORKING CONSTABLES AND I DO AND I APPRECIATE PRECINCT ONE COMING TO THE ANNEX AS WELL. SO I DID WANT TO MAKE THAT COMMENT. 
          THEY ARE WORKING CONSTABLES AND I'M SO PROUD THAT WE HAVE WORKING CONSTABLES IN OUR COUNTY NOW. AND I THINK PROBABLY ALMOST EVERYONE OF YOU, WE'VE HAD INTERACTION BECAUSE YOU'VE WORKED IN SUPPORT OF MY OFFICE AS WELL. AND SO THAT WAS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. AND NOT ONLY THAT, WE COULD ASK FOR HELP AND GET IT, BUT THAT IN SOME CASES I'VE HAD YOU COME TO ME AND SAY, CAN I HELP YOU WITH THAT? AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND I'M SO PROUD THAT WE HAVE THESE CONSTABLES IN THIS ROOM THAT THAT'S BEEN REALLY HUGE. SO THANK YOU ALL. LOOKING AT 6%, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IF 6% INCREASE I THINK WOULD BE $65,787 WOULD BE THE RESULT THERE. IF THEY HAD A COLA ADDED TO THAT, IT WOULD END. IT WOULD END UP BEING 68,000, A LITTLE OVER 68,000. YEAH. FOR 19. I'M GOING TO LET THE TREASURER CHECK MY MATH ON THAT. YES, I CAME UP WITH. SO I'M WONDERING, SHOULD WE DO A PERCENTAGE OR AN AMOUNT BECAUSE THEY ALL ASK FOR THE SAME AMOUNT EXCEPT ONE. SO IF WE DO, I DON'T KNOW, WE COULD DISCUSS THAT EXCEPT THE ONE WHO WILL GET MORE IF WE DO A PERCENTAGE. THAT'S THAT'S POSSIBLE. ONE BECAUSE HE HAS MORE. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ALL WANTED SOME LEVEL OF PARITY OR THEIR INTENTION WAS THAT THAT PARITY. AND I DON'T KNOW I DON'T I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WHAT THE RIGHT SOLUTION IS ON THAT. SO WHAT IS THE I'M SORRY PER STATUTE. IS THERE A REASON CONSTABLE ONE GETS MORE THAN THE OTHERS? NOT PER STATUTE. IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WHERE THEY ADMINISTRATED EVERY DAY. SO THEY WERE THERE EVERY DAY. SO TODAY WE COULD VOTE FOR ALL OF THEM ACROSS THE BOARD TO GET THE SAME AMOUNT. OKAY. YEAH. YOU COULD. YES. SO BECAUSE THEN THEY WOULD GET, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A COLA 4% COLA, THEN THEY ALL WILL GET THE 4% AND IT WILL MAKE IT ALL THE SAME AMOUNT AGAIN. SO THE MATH WOULD BE DIFFERENT FOR CONSTABLE ONE. 
          YES. YES OKAY. YEAH. AND WELL OKAY. YES CONSTABLE. IF YOU NOTICE THERE THOUGH LIKE THEY SAID, WE THE CONSTABLE ONE WAS ASKING FOR THE SAME AMOUNT THAT EVERYBODY ELSE WAS. HE WASN'T GOING OVER. CORRECT. SO WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE THE PERCENTAGE ON THAT ONE TOO. YES. YEAH. LESSER MOTION FOR A AN ANNUAL SALARY AMOUNT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO DO AN AMOUNT OR THE SAME NUMBER. IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING CORRECT. WHAT IS 6% ADDED TO. TO LOWEST ONE, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE 62 ZERO 64, WHICH IS WHAT THEY WERE ELECTED AT. SO THAT ONE WOULD BE THE 65, SEVEN, 87, 84. SO THAT WOULD BE 6% OF WHAT THEY WERE ELECTED AT AT THE LAST ELECTION FROM THIS YEAR 2025 SALARY. IS THERE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AT THIS TIME, YOUR HONOR? YES, THE MOTION WAS 6%, 6%, PERCENT. I CAME UP WITH THAT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE MORE THAN FIVE, BUT NOT QUITE AT TEN. 
          WELL, IF WE DO 6% ON CONSTABLE ONE, IT'S GOING TO BRING THEM UP TO THE 66,406 88, BECAUSE WE'RE ON CONSTABLE ONE RIGHT NOW. 66,406 88. DENIED MOTION TO GO BACK TO THE. AND A SET AMOUNT. 
          THE SALARY AMOUNT. YES THAT'S FINE TWO. NEED TO VOTE ON THIS TOPIC. QUESTION. MOTION OKAY. 
          MOTION IN A SECOND OR I CAN WITHDRAW THAT. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. WELL WE DON'T HAVE WHAT IS THE MOTION. THIS MOTION THAT WE'RE VOTING ON IS FOR 6% OKAY. COUNTY ATTORNEY NAY. NO. 
          [01:25:08]
NO. SHE SAID NO. I'M SORRY. NO, NO. MR. CLARK. NO, IT'S ASSESSOR COLLECTOR. WE'RE VOTING FOR 6%. 
          YES. THANK YOU. NO, NAY. MR. SO, YES. YES. COUNTY CLERK. YES. 6%. YES. SHERIFF. FOR THE 6%. YES. 
          YES. TREASURER. OKAY. I'M SO SORRY. ARE WE TRYING TO GET THEM ALL ON THE SAME OR WAS THERE OKAY? NO. OKAY. SO. SIX, SIX, EIGHT, SIX. OKAY. SO NOW YOU'RE DOING YOU BACK TO SQUARE ONE. 
          YES. I'D LIKE I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO. RAISE THE SALARIES FOR, FOR THIS ONE. AND I'M GOING TO MAKE IT ON ALL THE OTHER ONES TOO. TO MAKE IT AT 68,000 ACROSS THE BOARD. BUT FOR PARTICULARLY FOR PRECINCT ONE, FOR 68,000. SECOND, WHAT PERCENTAGE IS THIS 68,000? IT ACTUALLY NOT A PERCENTAGE. WHAT I DID WAS IT'S KIND OF LIKE SOMEBODY ASKED ABOUT MEETING HALFWAY. THIS IS ABOUT THE HALFWAY MARK. AND THAT'S HOW I BASED IT. IT'S CLOSER TO NINE ACTUALLY. IT'S RIGHT AT 10% ALMOST. YES. YEAH. AND THEN THEY MIGHT GET THE THREE ON TOP OF THAT. ON TOP OF THAT. 3 TO 4. YEAH. I HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT. DO WE HAVE A SECOND YET. YEAH. OKAY. WELL MY QUESTION IS TO THIS IS GOING TO BE IF THE COLA COMES ABOUT DOES THAT MEAN THEY'LL BE MAKING 11% INCREASE. WOW. NO THEY DON'T 13 1313 YES. SO THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE CONSIDERED. I HAVE A SECOND ON THIS ONE. NO, NO. THEY ASKED WHAT I WAS THINKING THAT YOU HAVE A SECOND ON THE MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND. ON MOTION. SECOND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SET THEIR SALARIES AT $66,000. EVEN. I WOULD LIKE TO SECOND. BECAUSE IF THEY GET 66% BASED ON 6% THAT IT WAS DISCUSSED AND SUGGESTED, $67,000 SHOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT TO CONSIDER ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL THE CONSTABLES, EXCLUDING THE COLA. YOU SAID 66 OR 67%, 66% WOULD MAKE IT 66 AND CHANGE. SO $67,000 IS I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO $67,000. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND, OH, THERE IT IS. OKAY, I DIDN'T HEAR A SECOND. 6566 OH 66,000. YES, SIR. 6000. OKAY. 
          WITHOUT A COMMENT, VOTE ON THE MOTION. AND THE SECOND SALARY OF $0.66. OKAY. COUNTY ATTORNEY. 
          YES. MR. CLARK? YES. TAX ASSESSOR. COLLECTOR. YES. ISSUES. YES. EXCUSE ME. YES, 
          [01:30:06]
YES. AND THE CLERK. YES, SIR. YES. TREASURER. YES. THAT MOTION IS. YAY! NO NAYS. THAT MOTION PASSED 66. OKAY. 
          OKAY. IT'S GOING TO BE, I THINK, TWO, MR. CANTU. OKAY. I MAKE A MOTION. WE DENY THE REQUEST. 
          ORIGINAL REQUEST. I SECOND IT, I SECOND IT. OKAY. MOTION IN A SECOND. COUNTY ATTORNEY. YES. MR. CLARK? YES. MR. YES. MISS. YOU. YES. TO DENY THE 73,000. OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          YES. SIR. YES. PLEASURE. YES. AND NO WAY THAT MOTION PASSED. SO MY MOTION IS TO AUTHORIZE 66,000 YEARLY SALARY FOR CONSTABLE, TWO FRANK AND TWO I SECOND THAT MOTION. THANK YOU. 
          THANK. THE ATTORNEY. YES. YES. TAX ASSESSOR. COLLECTOR. YES. THANK YOU. YES, YES. COUNTY CLERK. YES, SHERIFF. YES. TREASURER. YES. MOTION. 
          OKAY. ALL GOOD PRESENTS FOR. THE MINUTE. I MOVED TO DENY THE REQUEST, THE REQUESTED AMOUNT FOR PRECINCT FOUR OF 17.62% SALARY INCREASE. SECOND. OKAY. COUNTY ATTORNEY. YES. MR. SIR. YES. TAX ASSESSOR. COLLECTOR. YES. MAY BE. YES. YES AND YES. YES. YES. SIR. YES. 
          YES. MOTION PASSES AT THIS TIME I'D MOVE TO SET THE SALARY FOR PRECINCT FOUR CONSTABLE AT 66,000 PER YEAR A SECOND. SHE MADE A SECOND. OKAY. OKAY. COUNTY ATTORNEY. YES, SIR. YES. 
          [01:35:05]
YES. AND SHE IS. YES. YES. MR. THANK YOU. YES. COUNTY CLERK. YES. SHERIFF. YES. TREASURER. 
          YES. PASSES EIGHT DAYS. NO. DAYS PAST. OKAY. COUNSELOR. CHERYL ASKED. CONSTABLE. PRECINCT FIVE. 
          I MOVE TO DENY THE REQUESTED AMOUNT OF 17.62% FOR PRECINCT FIVE CONSTABLE'S ANNUAL SALARY. 
          SECOND. SECOND. OKAY. COUNTY ATTORNEY. YES, SIR. YES. THANKS. ASSESSOR. COLLECTOR. YES. 
          ISSUES. YES. MR. MCADOO. YES. COUNTY CLERK. YES, SIR. YES. TREASURER. YES. THANK YOU. NO WAY. MOTION PASSES AND I MAKE A MOTION TO SET THE SALARY FOR CONSTABLE PRECINCT FIVE AT AN ANNUAL AMOUNT OF 66,000 PER YEAR. I WILL SECOND IT. MR. OKAY. COUNTY ATTORNEY. YES. MR. CLARK? YES. ASSESSOR. COLLECTOR. YES. THIS IS. YES. NEGATIVE. YES. YES, SIR. YES. TREASURER. 
          YES. MOTION PASSES ALSO EIGHT. DAYS. NO. NAYS PASSED. SALARY 66 K. OKAY. TOBY. CONSTABLE, PRECINCT SIX. THIS TIME I MAKE A MOTION TO DENY THE REQUEST OF A SALARY INCREASE. I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S 75,000 OR 73,000, BUT IT'S A 17.62%. ALSO FOR PRECINCT SIX. CONSTABLE. I SECOND. IT'S 20. 
          IT'S A HIGHER AMOUNT. JUST DENYING THE AMOUNT THAT WAS REQUESTED. YES. I HAVE A QUESTION. SECONDED. OKAY. HERE WE GO TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. YES, MR. CLARK? YES. TAX ASSESSOR? YES. MISUSED? YES. MR. NEGATIVE. YES. COUNTY CLERK. YES, SIR. YES. TREASURER. YES. 
          NO. NAYS. MOTION PASSES TO DENY ORIGINAL TEST. I MOVE TO RECOMMEND THAT THE SALARY ANNUAL SALARY BE SET FOR PRECINCT SIX. CONSTABLE AT 66,000 PER YEAR. SECOND. 
          ANY ATTORNEY. YES, MR. CLARK? YES. TAX ASSESSOR. COLLECTOR. YES, SIR. MISS HUGHES. YES. YES. 
          MR. MACADOO. YES. COUNTY CLERK. YES. SIR. YES. TREASURER. YES. MOTION PASSES EIGHT DAYS. NO. 
          NAY, 66,000 A YEAR. OKAY. COUNTY CONSTABLE. PRECINCT EIGHT. I MOVE TO. DENY THE REQUEST. THE REQUESTED INCREASE OF 17.6% OR 73,000 PER YEAR. PER YEAR FOR CONSTABLE PRECINCT EIGHT. OKAY. COUNTY ATTORNEY. YES, MR. CLARK? YES. TAX ASSESSOR. YES. THANK YOU. YES. 
          [01:40:09]
THANK YOU. YES. COUNTY CLERK. YES, SIR. YES. PLEASURE. YES. A OF MOTION PASSES TO THE ORIGINAL REQUEST. I MAKE A MOTION TO SET THE ANNUAL SALARY OR RECOMMEND THE SETTING OF THE ANNUAL SALARY FOR PRECINCT EIGHT. CONSTABLE AT 66,000 PER YEAR. SECOND. SECOND. HEATHER. OKAY. COUNTY ATTORNEY. 
          YES, MR. CLARK? YES. THANK YOU. YES. THANK YOU. YES. MR. MCADOO. YES. COUNTY CLERK. YES. YES. 
          TREASURER. YES. A OKAY MOTION PASSES THE SALARY OF 66,000 A YEAR. I MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN AT THIS TIME. OKAY. I GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADJOURN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.