Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting

July 1, we started getting reimbursed for uh medical treatment um mental health transports and site meds. Okay. From the region. We've seen about 12,000 already come in. That's Yeah, cuz I'm like, man, that just seems like we shouldn't have to pay for that. I agree. Part of the collections takeover that we're doing is we are now billing them for medical expenses too. So after them what was the what was the one in particular? Was it just the or uh you know what it was? Uh it could have been 25,000. Yeah, that was the one

I we do we we're getting re like Josh said since July we're getting reimbursed for those which most of them are are mental health drugs that they're getting in our jail. Okay. So, well that's that's encouraging that we'll be able to recoup that because that just doesn't that didn't sit well. I'm like we shouldn't have to pay for that. So, excellent. Thank you. Yep. That's the only question I have on the in case I didn't have anything. Did you have anything wrong on the claim? I do not I do not have anything. Okay. Can I get a motion to approve the claims? I'll make the motion. Second. All right. Call for a vote. I see an eye.

Bullseye. So that one in the side open in the blue. Not the one that's in the plane. Oh, okay. Yep. 905 discuss approve hiring part-time employees of land use health department.

Yes. So we had her introduced last week and we decided on a candidate she has a bachelor's in sustainability science from the University of Iowa has have experience with GIS mapping. So she's going to be able to help us catch up on our one-year backloss. Yeah, she's going to start on the 13th if approved at 20 an hour for 32 hours a week. Did you understand all that, Ron? Uh, the two says yes. 20.

So, the applicant is Martha Fay. She has a bachelor's in sustainability science from the University of Iowa um and has experience with GIS mapping. So, she'll be able to help us uh catch up on the one-year backlog that we have. Um, and she's going to be scheduled for 32 hours a week at 20 an hour starting April 15th, next month. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. This is all what we talked about with the new everything coming in the new part time. Yeah. Yeah. To get everything all lined up on the machine. Yeah. Yeah. and she's going to help with us as well. So, okay.

She's going to get us to speak with everything. Okay. Can I get a motion to approve to hire what was her name again? Martha F. F. Everywhere. I would make a motion to approve the hiring of part-time Martha Fay uh for the land use health department at $20 an hour for two hours a week. And that is that seasonal procedure. Bruce made a motion. The second a motion. Perfect. All right. Call for a vote. I seen I thank you.

We got a few minutes uh about discuss and approve VA quarterly report. I just she just gave them to me last night so I just put them in there. That's fine. Vincent's affair and general assistance is what that stands for. We give you copies of them. Veterans easy zero. F. So can I get a motion to approve the Veterans Affairs quarterly report which is all goose eggs? I'll make that motion. Second. Take off for a vote.

I And how about the general assistance quarterly report? They've had three claims drawn. I don't you probably haven't seen them yet. Uh funeral relief for $1,255. We have another relief cobblestone in for $105.28. and Urbana in uh for $287.84 with a grand total of 164812. I'll make that motion.

I'll second that. Okay. Call for a vote.

I seen I You want to pull it in thirds? All right. carrot. We'll go over that right away. 2662 motion 21st 26 62 number. No. get the resolution kind of speaks for itself. Um, he's full time, he's a full-time employee. He's aging out 66 on April 11. So, it's just basically a separation. as April 11th.

Pardon? Say 4 days. Yeah. And it's what the law mandates. Correct. Yeah. Okay. You can't work as a full-time peace officer past the age of the day he turned 66. Okay. Uh but he can work part time then possible. He could, but we're choosing not to retain it.

Okay. Can I get a motion to approve resolution 26-22? I would make a motion uh to uh acknowledge uh resolution 26-22. Do I need to uh go further into that or just No. No, that's good. Yep. We'll put the resolution. Okay. We have a motion. I'll make a second. Okay. Call for a vote. Demon eye.

Okay, your next one. Next one is just accepting the resation of Winnie Amos. She's been a part-time dispatcher, communication specialist. Um, she gave us a written resation effective April 1st, 206. Okay. We did not get a copy of that. That's fine.

I have a copy in our file. I told we didn't mean to do my resation. No, we did not. I'll make the uh motion to acknowledge the resignation of Whitney Amos effective 41 of 26. Okay. I'll second the motion. I'm going to call for a vote. I

thanks guys. Thank you. Good day. Thank you very much. Take care.

Okay. How about the liquor license? Class C liquor license. Reno for Watkins Community Athletic Association. That's their yearly one, too.

I'd make a motion to approve the class C retail uh alcohol liquid license for the Watkins Community Athletic Association. Okay. I'll second that. Call for a vote. I

high fourth of July, Right through this um reports the auditor's quarter auditor auditor's quarter number eight

I don't have a copy of it. Oh here she put all three in mine. My apologies. Whopping $14953.

Well, I guess we're doing the county auditor's report and fees collected. Copy fees of $7153. flat book fees of $78 with a grand total of $14953.

I will move to accept the order. I'll second. Okay. Call for a vote. I I was say having all that stuff scanned and stuff coming in copies and you just get it online. Did you ever say that? I did. I got it. Got everything I needed. Pretty slick, isn't it? Yeah. Okay. Now, how about reports? Go.

I have nothing.

Okay. I had two meetings. Uh I had the uh wellness uh meeting last Thursday maybe. Um they've come out with a couple of things. I've given you guys copies of it. Uh the 2026 wellness program. Um the uh as you can see it runs from January 1 through October 31st and it breaks down the structure of what that we have for as far as employee participation and how many points we get and 50% of the employees we get a 1% reduction all the way up to 80% we get four points. Uh if the online assessment is completed then we get a fifth point. uh we need 60% of employee uh constitution on that and I left my notes at home with where we're at right now. Um but they are working on that. So they're encouraging everyone doing some sufficiency.

Yeah. Yes. Yes. That was one of the things. So uh and then uh trying to get everyone to get into u to get their their exams with their doctors done. uh they have until the 31st of October to get those in for us to get so you get a day off and the incentives and all the drawings. Um there's going to be some drawings for u uh some cash prizes as well. Um but overall I think that the uh the wellness committee has done a tremendous job getting it out there and we're getting more participation as the word goes out. We discussed that uh when we do have the countywide meeting that we had last year in the courtroom in the courthouse that this we brought up and discussed again when everybody is there. That's when we're going to do the training as well.

Yeah. They asked me if we could do it a little earlier too just to give them that extra time to get that done to get this done. So we did it in September. I'm thinking maybe August then if that would work that would be really good. It'd be extremely helpful because then people would be really just make sure there's no court, right? Find out. It's kind of hard to judge that far ahead right now, but explosive,

but that's they're like I said, they're doing they're doing a great job. I've got mine to turn in. Um and then uh the second one I had was yesterday I had a Zoom meeting for the East Central Iowa Workforce Development uh CEO board. Um there's some things coming down uh out of Washington DC. There is a 27% reduction in funds uh that are available uh versus last year's budget. The uh uh director has resigned. Uh his position was about $160,000 a year. Uh because of all the reductions, and this is kind of a factor, the state says that you really should have a director, but there's no $160,000 to pay for it. So that's the same things that we always face. You know, this state says yeah, you don't have to have one, but they very heavily suggest that you do. So they're thinking now of possibly merging with another uh organization uh like East Central or Northeast. Uh but there's some they're not sure. So everything's been put on hold because they wanted the state wants it done by the beginning of the new fiscal year in July and they just this is just there's no way this can be done by July 1. So um we're having meetings actually every week now to try to figure out what's going to what's going to happen with this. So um that's all I have. All right. Good morning, sir. Morning. How are you?

I'm good. Sure. Thanks.

Just leave Ron. I'll make sure they'll get Yep. yellow. Perfect. Thank you.

Not a problem. Uh that time of the year when Iowa DOT requires their uh Secretary Rose budget and program submitts. Also, um, when the legislature changed the count county submitt dates for local budgets, let's say that a couple years ago, it really messed with the DOT's time frame. Um, and so because they were running into some tight deadlines and getting everything submitted after the DOT received everything from the county for approval standpoint, they turned the schedule around this year and they turned everything into the DOT first and the board's final approval was the final step. So what I have is what I have proposed to do for the next five years. uh construction program. Um I've got six maps stapled together for you. The first map is showing what I envision construction projects um potentially for this calendar year. Three different bridge locations. One's the box culbert. um the period skill coat that we're um scheduled to do down there uh south of Highway 30 and 32nd Avenue. Um, the city of Alana had bids due last week for the HMA project on 30th Avenue and I think they're going a public hearing later this week to uh read those bids and award that

project uh or potentially award that project. Um that is contractor construction work that I know at this point would likely at least be potentially going on this construction season. The second map which is during what the fiscal year program would be is bridge locations scattered around the county. Um, I got one, two, three, four, five, six different bridges or structures. I know some of them would uh likely be large single or twin cell box culverts. Some of them haven't gotten too far into design phase yet to know whether or not they will be a bridge or box culbert or proposing lady gates during fiscal year 27. Um resurfacing uh asphalt roadways south of Blerstown, north of Bel Wayne and north of Blue Hall and a concrete type project on what I call the Garrison pavement 4 and a half miles west of 218 go towards Garrison and potentially finding some rightway today do some shoulder lighting north of town. Amy, what questions bridges or proposed pavement improvements of fiscal year 27? Fiscal year 28. Um,

nine burdens identified. one of those kinds of just a um major rehab um or potentially a rehab, but replacement bridges scattered around the county. Um I have identified at least in 28. keep moving in a little bit because I was kind of hoping that we might find some additional federal program that might qualify for overlaying the Cedar River Bridge north of Mount Auburn as well as the shorter bridge just outside of Watertown. Um with funding other than just the bridge replacement money that the county gets a certain amount annually for. Um looking at doing some resurfacing, identify the landfill north, east, and west of Fltown. Um according to the DO's previous 5-year program, they were proposing to buy right away at the old railroad fight on 218 South Van Horn new corner. Um

check. Okay. All right. Okay, Ron. Good luck. Good luck, Ron. Yep. Bye. Bye.

Um, and then, uh, over there at Atkins on 32nd Avenue between Atkins and Highway 30, proposing to buy some additional rightway to widen the shoulders out and take care of some snow drill issues that we have on that two-m stretch. Um the DOT is also looking to buy right away and do some pavement replacement south of El Plain into Iowa County down along Iowa River facing most of that projects in Iowa County, but it does come up to about the dealership on the south side of any questions that pop into your head on 28 one on the Watkins flourish on the corner. Um, we talked about that how many months ago, but that will wipe out that that'll all be that all

perfect. They need some other maintenance between now and then, right? But that that'll be the real the big Yes. Thank you. My did you say the model of the bridge was scheduled or you are looking for? I'm working on it. I I

it would qualify for what the county the federal bridge replacement program we get so much money every year for that. Um that project on that Cedar River bridge is probably uh two$2.5 million project. That's a real rough guess at this point um to do what needs to be done there before it becomes a more expensive project. Um and we get oh what is it in the neighborhood of 7 $800,000 a year on this bridge replacement annually program. I'd like to use it on smaller bridges that need to be replacing and if the next federal bill that comes out has some bridge capabilities to it. I'm going to pursue that and see if it could be a separate federal funding than what we have available. Do you have to look at that every year? Um

that bridge gets inspected every two years at a minimum. Um and when the individuals that inspect it, when they see things that raise bigger concerns, they can shorten that inspection cycle time frame, but every structure has to be inspected at a minimum every 24 months. Um, and I have a few contractors that do patchwork and and sometimes they just drive across that and see that and take it upon theirelves to start looking at it and providing an estimate for some minor patching prolonging the time type of deal. That bridge is

it's either going to have to use this fund or pursue some others. And um certainly if you haven't been underneath that bridge in a while, it probably would be a good idea.

Um every about every 5 years we have hired a special piece of equipment so they could get underneath it and look at it real close. Um they also because the depth of the water uh a percentage of the year, it also requires an underwater inspection every so often. So the peers that are out there in in the stream bed as well as the underside of that bridge gets inspected routinely. Also um history over here 29 uh one two three four I think six bridges identified on the map. Um, uh, here again, if if a separate federal grant would be qualify for some overlay work, um, I might bundle some stuff together that Keystone or pavement has had some patches done on it. Might behoo us to put a deck overlay on it. um a pony trust bridge that is red circle yellow just west of Shellsburg. analyze at that time whether replacing that Pony Trust bridge where it's at makes the most sense or whether just removing it um and possibly tying not necessarily moving that road but maybe creating a quarter mile road that would line up with 29th Avenue

uh immediately south of that bridge. here again kind of the DOT's 26 to 35 year plan. They're showing that they're taking that over pass out on 218. Um they show an additional that because that was what was shown at that time. Um and then the county doing resurfacing county line uh what I call the high road or up past and then west of questions on fiscal year. So they're taking the bio out. I'm looking at a simple print out that has $2.38 million in a column in fiscal year 29 that says I think how it was worded, you know, uh old railroad uh structure type of deal. I think it was just short. I mean, I've got no plans, no information whatsoever. We're just reading off of the DOT's program.

Okay. I'm just making sure that they not going back. What they wanted to do is pack the dirt underneath it and build it up. A project location. All I got is some dollar amounts that are earmarked for at the moment. So, yes, I know that's been talked about amongst the property owners there. There was a meeting there with the DOT. Um, and I don't know where things are at. Yeah, I haven't heard anything.

And just like I'm doing today, the DOT is putting their five-year plan together that will go before the transportation board here in the next few weeks, and that'll be available online for the DO to see after that's approved too. And that numbers may change and years might change. That was just information more or less to show you what the DOT has going on. I know, you know, previously we had all of that highway 34 lane work going on. Seemed like the DOT had millions of dollars of work going on in that county for a while.

Okay. Certainly depending on what they do do with that vi if that timing is such whether or not looking at this last night was putting this back together reservicing that road in the new hall is a bad timing aspect whether or not it would be better suited to say tie that in with work the year before or something certainly just 30 when I moved to that map I was looking at giving us 5 miles of garrison. Um it might be better to tie those two projects together and have 9 miles of paving instead of five. Um three bridges identified in fiscal year 30. Um and then oh has had applied for and created the SCP regional money for redoing the pavement southeast of Norway. Exactly what would involve in that yet to be figured out. the time came whether or not the timing was perfect on that. I know that was paved in the very early 70s I think it is. So I mean it's 50 plus years old. Um we've done a lot of patching on it. It's not bad but I know driving nearly on a daily basis. I'm seeing a lot of joints right now that are getting bad again. Um, so it's reaching its life expectancy or has reached it and it may need to will need to be replaced in the future. Um, and certainly when we start getting four

or five years out, it's the DOT always asks me a question when I'm proposing more than three bridges a year, how we're planning that all and other things. We do have a a larger positive balance with the bridge replacement program, but I think the first three years in this program, we're going to give that back to where it pretty much annual a lotment. Um, and then fiscal year 31, fiscal year 2. Um, I've got four regions identified on the map. One of them being on Wind County program too. Um where that would be funded 50/50 between the two counties potentially funding some rightway and trying to improve 131 plane, excuse me. Um and widen the shoulders on that roadway. um or whether carrying that whole way out and rebuilding is also another question that poses my mindset uh replacing the concrete north of Watkins and depending Cedar River Bridge that is only what year and a half newer than the one at M Auburn but uh appears to be in better visual conditions. Um, but you talk 5 years down the road, I'm not quite sure what that one south and north of Schulzburg will look like at that time, too. But that's what I'm proposing. Uh,

few bridges that were added. um maybe Watkins North and Fiscal 31 new projects on last year's 5-year program, but uh little away at bridges that uh have embargos and conditions that warrant replacement and trying to use what funding we have available to try to keep the pavements rehabilitated as necessary. as I get uh feedback from the DOT on any concerns and any issues continue to proceed with their timeline and I'll need to come back at least for a final board approval but likely here locations and projects are going to be pretty much accepted with the 10 propos The Watkins road that's concrete right now. You correct?

Tear that out, regrind it, relay it or put it asphalt over top or what's the game plan?

All of that to be decided when that gets closer and analyze all of those options and what one feels might be the best. Um, we have done not everything that's available out there, but a number of things. I've been looking at some concrete overlays over old concrete roadways trying to figure out what whether that's a a suitable and ideal aspect of county roadways to be one that they had just done and weighing whether that would be a an option to consider. um kind of that goes west of the 218 to here. However, I think that'd be better off in that case to tear out what's there, grind it out, and you've got we've also been put asphalt on top of creek. That's what East Blown has as well as East M Auburn has. And if there's frozen both. So I at this point I don't have a suggestion recommendation on what I think you're going to do there. But it's another factory roadway that was put in in the early 70s and it's what did they do to to the airport road east of Walford? Did they? Because that seemed to be done fairly fast a couple years ago and it's because it's concrete now. I thought it was blacked out before.

Maybe I can't remember. I drove it every day. Um it seemed like all of a sudden there one day it was like, "Hey, this is all nice and smooth and neat. It's still doing well." But I don't I don't recall what they actually did do with that. But it the process was fairly fast. I'm not sure if that's just concrete over top of that asphalt, Bruce, or um whether how much asphalt that was for sure or not. I got you last county. Um supervisor, I know that they have done Hey, Mr. Gray, can you ask Myron if he can email that flyer or that handout you just handed out to the roads or do I got to stop and get a copy of it?

I can actually do that for you, Jerry. I think I have your email. So, I'll do that when I get back to the office. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome.

I was way over in the airport and I know that 5 years ago, but the segment you're talking about, I can't remember exactly how old that is, but there's there was few years and still going on to some degree. There's um a fair amount of concrete contractors and doing concrete work was very competitive with asphalt work. You know, a lot of roadway work is being done concrete um instead of as well. I just know that that it seems to be holding up and that gets a tremendous amount of ad traffic

and trucks and now with pulling all the dirt and everything because of the construction that's going on road there. Mhm. It'll be interesting to see just if it if it can hand it can handle all that traffic. It seems to be doing all right now, but I just recall it didn't take them a lot a long time to do that. Concrete paving industry has come up with ways to test concrete to shorten the closure time. Okay. and made that a lot more um acceptable from the public standpoint when you don't have to stay off the concrete for a week, right?

Um middle of the summer, sometimes with the way they test that, uh I've heard as short as 30 hours. They're opening that concrete back up from just place strength based on the testing they've done to help open it up. But I don't need any action from the board today. It was just kind of give you some information if nothing else uh since I have an appointment Thursday. questions.

Anything else?

They can I mean it I mean is fun. I mean they had questions. I think they did. I wasn't aware of any questions. I'll go back and read it.

I just know I'm going to conference next week back week away from work in April before I even want to think about it first. buildings and maintenance bridge county has 327 bridges I think trying to stay on top of it keep replacing them as funding comes available or and were available punched away at them. He punched away at them as I remember a former supervisor was member of four bridges so to speak change attack five but then two years later you know you've got five bridges that are now 60 years old and showing problem. So it's a ongoing circle that uh we're trying to stay ahead of at this point closing reviews on a permanent or semi permanent basis but that's always certainly a possibility come up. That's 327 bridges, not counting box covers. Correct.

327 structures. That's right. Structure being defined as an opening um from the outside wall, concrete, wood, whatever. the inside of the hardest wall to the inside of the harvest wall whether it's a twin box triple box or quad box or a bridge greater than 20 ft a structure put some box that's in that 327 and you won't be at the barn burial I will not be okay

you got those stats Yeah.

Well, looks good. You come had the rest. So, all right. All right. Thank you, thanks. Sure thing. Arlington.

Yeah. Hello, I'm James here and you probably know me from the last meeting um concerned citizens of Benton County regarding the um note to Morgan Valley Energy Center. So, I was just following up with you guys and seeing um where you are in responding to this. Well, we've been kind of working on it.

Yeah. I mean, we we played with some options. I know we came across the um I'll just say like an ordinance idea and then when we kind of looked at that if nothing else kind of like what Lynn Lyn County did is making it okay and a door open for companies like the power company to come in and that be rules that we have to follow and we didn't think that was the right avenue. And then of course I was performing legal analysis. I'm still in the process of it. I know we're reaching out to um other individuals that are more specialized in this field kind of get very on that and so I haven't heard anything back since that. Have you been able to have you talked to the incoming supervisors at all or

I reached I reached out uh to uh uh one of them and I got a a voicemail that they are open to talking uh to me about it. Um I had a meeting a Zoom meeting with one of the supervisors yesterday but that was completely different than than this. I reached out to that individual again with the phone call left a voicemail and not heard back yet. On a personal note, if you remember last week, I talked about the uh national right to congress. Uh I did access that

and I sent an email to uh everyone from the governor governor of the state Iowa all the way down to I sent out an email. I received one response so far and the response that I got was I agree 100%. I don't like this and we need to find some answers. That's what I was received. So, I'm still waiting to hear from hopefully from someone else and I can fire off another one. I mean, I can do it every day to do it until we find something. So, have you heard from Tom? That's who I did hear from. Okay.

Yeah. Yeah. He's the only one. So, um, with this, um, DOT road plan, I don't see anything about doing any kind of improvements to that part of the Lenton County line, which is what you guys are responsible for coming, right? So, if this plant were to move forward and work to be done, how does how does that work to update this plan to find the funding for that? Is that kind of a sticky point or how does that process work? Well, it comes like the pavements or anything like that or concrete road or anything that would be a shared cost,

you know, because we have a 28e agreement uh with Lynn County. So, I know like the bridge south of Walford that we did here a couple years ago. Uh Lynn County was the one that did the work, got the contractor to do the bridge work and then all Bett County did was pay for half of it. Okay? You know what I mean? So, but that's like I said, that's a bridge south of Walford. Now, on this deal here that there's nothing figured in in the budget as you seen the board, anything on that road?

Yes. So, uh, where that money would actually come from, you know, I don't know, you know, to me it'd have to be a project that Myers's willing to give up somewhere else in the county to help offset that. So, and then that would be up to us if we say, "Yeah, we're going to sacrifice this bridge to put that road in." Yes. Okay. All right. Um, just add one more thing. There was someone who didn't hear and um, he had a list of some ideas that he just wanted to share to make sure they were on your radar. Okay.

Thank you. read that right belong. I know I give a couple extra ones to

I'll just I would just read down this list. Um formally request cooperating or consulting status in the review process with county and any state agencies involved. Submit an official resolution expressing Benton County's concerns and expectations for cross-country impact analysis. Advocate for a joint public hearing that officially includes Benton County residents. Request comprehensive environmental traffic and emergency response studies that explicitly include Benton County impacts. And if needed, we would seek a pause or delay such as an injunction until the overview and public input. And this is from Jeffrey Hington. I just wanted to share that and his phone number is on there if you want to get in touch with him or follow up on that.

Yeah. Thank you for your time. Terry, you got something for us? Pardon? You got something for us? Well, I'm waiting till the end. Okay, I'll wait till the end. Okay. Go through your agenda first. Our agenda is done. Oh, your agenda is done. Yeah, we can do it right now. Okay. Your agenda. Your agenda is done. Yeah. Cuz otherwise at 10:00 we have another Okay.

Thank you for calling me and and uh address you guys. It's not a protest. I talked to you the other day, Tracy, and and so but I do need to uh repeat some of the things I said the other night because I know we got a tape recorder here. we need and I want to be on the members of the meeting and whatnot. Oh, starting out. I think you remember the other night I said it, not this past winter, but the winter before on Facebook, the Iowa islands for tax relief had a uh an article in on Facebook that it said that the board of supervisors budget is spiraling out of control. I never thought too much about it because I've done California and just let it go. But this when I paid my taxes here and my taxes now are over $24,000 a year. before kind of took notice a little bit about what's going on and what the islands for tax relief said that the auditor's office the treasur's office and reporter's office are pretty much in line with similar counties in area and I assumed it would been Iowa Tama and Buchanan counties. So I took it upon myself. I went down to I went up to Buchanan County. I went out to Tame County, talked to well KD mainly the numbers and u and I went down to county talked to Chris said what I asked for was the fiscal year 2526 budgets. What they what they said is your office. I said treasures office and and they were pretty much on in line. It was the public safety that was out of control and that would have been the that would be your sheriff's office,

legal services, which is the county attorney's office. So I went down to those other counties and found out what their budgets were for fiscal year 25 26 fiscal year 2627 and they gave them to me. They gave them to me. Got you guys. Coffee for you. Coffee for you. Coffee for you. Whoops. I'm sorry. Is there anybody else out here would like to have a copy? if you have an extra.

Now remember, now remember tax relief had no problem with the auditors, the treasures and recorder's office. What they had a problem was that it's quality of control as your public safety sheriff's office and your legal services with your county attorney. Okay, you have these numbers in front of you and I'll tell you again, I went to the Iowa County Daughters TA and Duchan County. Now, before we proceed, I didn't I don't have the Ben's numbers filled in for the simple reason I never got anything official. I believe the asking price asking budget for fiscal if I'm talking with sheriffs now was 6.7 million. Is that correct?

What I gave you was what we're what we went with the reports I sent you is what we published. But 6.7 was close enough. Yeah.

Yeah. Okay. 6.7 million. And your budget didn't last your 25 26 and I assume was on 62 because I had heard he was asking for $500,000 more. Is that correct? In a 6.2, right? Okay. As you can see guys, and I'm not going to mess with the uh what's already budgeted because that's been approved already. where I love to address you guys is on the asking for this coming this coming year's budget. You can see that the Wallace one or STEM counties are asked for $4.7 million. New Canon counties asked for 5.3 and Iowa counties asked for 5.3. You're ask for 6.7. Now that's that is quite a bit old. That's why the Iowa taxpayers, I mean Iowa taxers are sounding the alarm for your budget. I realize that probably you uh asking more because we're going to house what 20 additional presidents. Is that right?

That's the plan. Federal is that the average is that what you going to try? Yeah. Okay. Let's get let's get on board. Let's get on board here. Yeah. I got to get out the calculator. 20 prisoners and I think you're going to get $75 a day. 90 I think it's 85. Josh just said it's just not final. But they 85 85 give or take the give or take. Just a second. Okay. Go ahead. I'll look for it. 85. Yeah, I think it was 85 a day. It's not it's not nothing's signed yet, but that's what we were going with.

Okay, let's just take let's just take 85 for times 85 * 365 days a year. And I doubt very much you're going to have 20 every day, but we'll take 36 * 365 equals you're going to bring in another $620,500 roughly. And I doubt we'll bring that in because I don't think you'll have 20 every every day. But then we'll just go by $600,000. And I don't really think it's going to cost you guys $600,000 to house in terms. What would you suggest? An extra deputy or two would cost you wouldn't cost you much over $150,000 housing, would you? In other words, we could bring in another $500,000 probably that you think. Well, it it whether you got 20 prisoners or if you got two prisoners, you still have to have somebody there.

That's true. That's true. But my point is my point is that I understand that you're going to have maybe a little more expense there to house an extra prisoners. But even the you even don't even the 6.7 million there's still a million two million above similar counties that's Iowa TA and Buchanan County. I mean that's a lot of money. That's a lot of money to be over. I'm not I'm just informing you guys some information. Okay. But I do think that I do suggest encourage you guys even 6.2 million year last year. I encourage you guys do like Don Freeze and I did several years ago. proceeding budget. And I'm going repeat repeat this for the for the always sat in front of me.

I think it was fiscal 14 or fiscal 15 that when Randy Foresight finished up his legislator, he had a $2.9 million budget. He asked for $250,000 more. I know I'm repeating this, but I'm doing it for them. I told Granny, we we can't do it because I said, you mass kills it at all, that's an eight or 9% increase. And whenever you increase something eight or 9%. If it doesn't double itself in 10 years, it's almost. And I said, at that time, in 10 years, your budget's going to be double. Well, it is doubled. So apparently you guys, you and Gary Vershank and Rick Grimmer must have been given them guys an 8 to 9% increase because from 2014 to 15 to now that has doubled. That has doubled and you can't keep that up. You can't keep that up.

The Back to Blue, you guys were forced to increase their wages. Pardon? Back the blue bill was passed. So we were forced to increase their wages and their rates increased dramatically. So that's a lot of it I can say off the end.

But anyway, I I just I just think that um at the very least you should praise his budget like Don and I did. Like I said, he won $250,000 more. We did. What we did do though, and I think Jill suggested it that if we wanted to freeze it, we still gave him $100,000 more. and we budgeted for him, but we did not give him spending authority for for it. But I will say at the end of the year, he came and and he didn't need three new colors and we gave it to him. But my point is there is nothing wrong with praising the budget. There just just nothing wrong with that at all because you guys got to get in line with these other counties. Otherwise, islands for tax relief and that's the old Stan David Stanley group. I don't know where to get their funding, but they are watching the spending and I I just think the sheriff's spending is getting out of control. That's just my as a as a taxpayer concerned taxpayer, that's why I'm coming forward to you guys cuz I know you're going to do your budget in a week or two. You're in the final. So, I need I'm just as a taxpayer expressing my opinion. Okay. Go on the county attorney's budget. I You know me.

We have a timed item first. We have a timed item at 10:00 here now. But you can get you can come back to this. That's fine. That's fine. No problem. I want to address the county attorney, too. All right. So, uh, if you want to, I got to do a little speech first. Um, so we're at the point where we're selling another piece of property, uh, county property,

a Chevy and wildlife, um, property, and just doing it like I did last time, just making sure before we open up the sealed bids, everyone knows what the standard is. Um, you know, they're they're supposed to be sent in by envelope by a certain date. Each uh bid had to have a minimum acceptable bid of $2,000, which is what the board agreed on um to set this. Um it needs to be a clear um monetary value. So, I bid $1 more than the highest bid is not an acceptable bid and nor will the bidder be allowed to increase their bid at the meeting. Only specific dollar notes. Um if

any seal sealed bid forms not filled out in it entirely and not be accepted. Um property being sold as is. Now I do have to apologize. I forgot to get a resolution on the on the agenda and drafted. But the gentleman will still do a motion and I'll get a resolution making it official. But we can still go through with the sale um as is. It's just the resolution will be dated a week past. So I apologize for that. Um any acceptable sealed bid form and the person physically present can increase the bid after all the um bids are open so long as all the requirements are met. And if you're not the person who signed it and are not physically here present, you do not need to increase your vote. No proxies, no nothing. And if there's a business or a trust, you can say for this is more for the purposes of writing out the quick plane deed who it's supposed to be made out to, but also who's representing that business and trust. Um, that person would have to be the one to show up. So, any questions with that before we get started? Okay. And then the supervisors, do you reserve the right to reject any and all bids? So Cece, you get the honor that Shelby did earlier.

All right. See if I can slice any in too like Shelby did.

All right. First bid, um, Benton Land Company through Carrie Less. Okay. Carrie here. Okay. Thank you.

Uh, 2500. Second bid. Randy Patton $3,000. Is Randy here? Darren render $2,650. Scary dish. $2,250. All right. Now, if y'all watched last time, I do not have an auctioneer voice. I go very slow. Uh oh, yeah. So, anyway, so I we got two people here present and Randy has the current highest bid. So, Carrie, would you like to go higher than $3,000?

Yes. Okay. What would your bid look like? We'll go up to 3500. 3500. All right. It is says 3500 to carry. And Randy, would you like to go higher than that? Yeah, we'll go 4,000. Okay. 4,000. It's the next bid. All right. Carrie, it's just between you two. So, would you like to go higher than 4,000? Yeah, we'll go 45. 45. We got $4500 set for this piece of land. Randy, would you like to go higher than that? Go 55. Go 55. So, we got $5,500 is the current bid. Carrie, would you like to go higher than that? Yes, we'll go with six.

All right, we got $6,000 set um for Carrie. And Randy, would you like to go higher than that? 7,000. 7,000. All right, we got set for $7,000 to Randy. Carrie, would you like to go higher? Sure. Go to 75. All right, we have $7,500 um to carry. Randy, would you like to go higher than that? 85. 85. We got $8,500 set to Randy. Would you like to go any higher than that, Carrie? Yes, we'll go to 10.

Okay, we're going to make the jump to $10,000. Okay, we got $10,000 for Carrie. Randy, would you like to go higher than that? $11,000. $11,000. We got $11,000 to Randy. Um Carrie, would you like to go higher than that? I can. Okay. 115. All right. 11,500 is set for carry. Randy, would you like to go higher than that? 121.

All right. We got 12,000 set for Randy. Carrie, would you like to go higher than that? I'll go to 127. Okay, we got $12,700 to Carrie. Randy, would you like to go higher than that? 135. 135. $13,500 to Randy. Gary, would you like to go higher than that? Just discussing. Okay, you're good. Take You're fine. All right, we'll go 15.

Okay, go to $15,000 to carry. Randy, would you like to go higher than $15,000? 155 155 set for Randy Carrie. It's in your hands again. 156. Okay. 15,600.

Randy, the bids at 15,600. Would you like to go higher than that? 16. Okay. 16,000. It's back in your court hear,000.

Okay, we'll go to 20,000. 20,000 for carry. Randy, it's back to you with the high bid of $20,000. 20,500. Okay. Okay. 20,500. And Carrie, did I say you're through? We're done. Okay. We just wanted to clean it up. So,

okay. $20,500 is uh um highest bid to Randy and other bidder. Um it's not going to go any higher. And so board, I'd ask for a motion to accept that bid and then I'll get signed by Randy and go through the process there with the deed and get you guys resolution by next week. I'd make a motion to accept the bid from Randy Patton. Yep. $20,500. I'll second that motion and I will call for a vote. Human eye.

Human eye. Would you mind initially that change? Yeah. Or just buy the number. Don't matter. And then um good email to get you and stuff. Okay. I'll get that stuff as quickly as possible. And then once the money's transferred over, sound good. All right. You can stop in my office whenever. How long do I got again? I can't remember. Uh, two weeks to pay. Yep.

And so I stopped in your office with the payment. Yep. Thank you. And uh and the resolution will probably be the same fun like it was for conservation that we did last time. Okay. We need to mention that resolution. Um we'll do it next week. We'll do it next week. That that's that's on me. I don't know if we had to enter that next week. So motion motion works.

All right. You bet. Hey, Terry. Ready for me? Ready.

Yes. No. Oh, sorry. Go ahead. Behind Hill. over exactly. Okay. I addressed you I addressed you guys on the sheriff's budget and that's all on the on theord. Now I'd like to address you on budget. Hey Terry, now that we're here, can we go through that again? No, I don't want to go through it again. Oh, come on. Okay. You should have told us that if you were going to do that, we could have been here. Okay. Okay.

I mean, I'd like I'd like to be here to defend myself instead of just you getting to say what you want to say and I How about if I talk to you in person cuz it's already recorded on the count. I'll just But I think there's probably some things that I need to air out so people don't think I'm just out here. Okay, that's fine. That's fine, David. It's fine, David. Okay. What's your concern? We're going through We're going through it again. I'm going to go through it again. Okay. Okay, last winner on uh Facebook, not this past, the winner before, the winner before the um Islands for Tax Relief. Have you heard of that? The old David Stanley group. I've heard you talked about it last meeting. That's that's the first time I've ever heard that. Oh, really?

Yeah. Yeah, I think there's I think there's other they're apparently a watch group for um counties budgets and one that they put on the alarm to Benton County taxpayers that the Benton County budget was firing out of control comparing it to some counties which be Iowa County, Toma County and Buchanan County, ISO ISO and uh they said that on there that the aud 's office, the treasur's office, and the recorder's office were basically all the same in comparison. Well, was control of public safety. Now, this is what was on Facebook originally.

Must be true. Which I No, wait a minute. Which I just follow me on. Hey, Dave. Okay.

Which I um and and and but the public safety, which would be you and legal services would be the county attorney. That's the ones they singled out. And I, of course, more people know that I go to California for the winter and I was in it was in December when they went and um posted it. And so I didn't do anything much about it until this year. I paid my taxes. My taxes are $24,000 a year. So I did start think, well, wait a minute here. Maybe I as a tech need to investigate this a little bit. So on my own on my own money on my own net help I went to the aisle county talked to the auditor Chris and gave me some of those we'll go over those numbers a little bit and I also went to TA county and Karen emailed me their number I went to Buchanan County's auditors off to gave me their numbers okay so anyway I did not know Benton County's numbers until we was at That was a lovely meeting the other night there and I and I was listening reading on the papers and I asked Ron what your um asking was for fiscal 2627.

Yep. I was here for that meeting and it's around 6.7 million. Is that correct? Um similar. We went up about 500,000. Pardon? We went up about 500,000. That's correct. So then I assume assumed that your approved fiscal 2526 budget was 6.2 million. Am I in the ballpark? You mean approve the new budget? You're you're approved right there 6.2 and give correct. That's correct. And you're asking asking six around 6.7 which is $500,000 more. Correct.

Now, if you go and look at Iowa, we won't mess with the um fiscal 2526 budget because of simple reason that's already approved and not about that. But we got 2627 budget coming. Got 2626 budget coming. That's the asking. And you can see on here Iowa is Iowa County asked for no I got county attorney here. Uh what you call Iowa County is asking 5,333,67. Buchanan County is asking 5,340,269. Cayman County is asking for 4,718,38. Did you see that? Yeah. Follow me. Follow me, Dave. Okay. Like I said, you're asking for $6.7 million. The reason I really really kind of took a look at your 6.7 million because in fiscal 14, fiscal 15, I think I think that's you can look it up. When I was county supervisor, Randy Foresight came in with the following year the budget approved of $2.99 million plus dollars. He wanted $250,000.

Yep. You talked about that last meeting also. And you kept it and you said in case you need it.

No. What we did, we froze his budget. We we froze his budget. And what we did, we gave him we did budget him another $100,000, but we did not give him spending authority because just in case he needed and at the end, Randy did come to us say, "Hey, I I could use that money for three new cars and he didn't need three two new cars." And we did a lot. But what I told Randy in the beginning at $2.9 million, you ask for a quarter of a million dollar raise. Anybody with math skills know that's about eight or nine% raise. If you go eight eight or nine% raise or even 10, we know that in a 10 years if it doesn't double the budget it will. And I said, Randy, that $3 million is going to be over 5 million in 10 years for sure. I said we can't sustain that. So apparently Tracy and and uh and uh Greg Grimmer and Gary Bearshake must have allowed an eight or 9% raise because we got the B we got that budget up over $6 million a little over 10 years but if you keep that up you keep that up David in in 10 years it's going to be $10 million. Can we afford that? We got to put some restraints on us sometimes. Somebody's got to say, "No, we have and and we might even be cutting back services." That's what it's going to come down to. We since I've taken over, we have done nothing but try to save money. And I would love to sit down, have a conversation with you. We've saved money on wages, getting rid of messes that need to be cleaned up, insurance, anything we can think of. We've changed food vendors. we have done at ask anybody that's around that office. My biggest question is always can we do this cheaper? How can we do this cheaper? There's got to be a cheaper way. That's all my focus. I I pretend like it's my money, you know. Do you think it's I understand I know, but I'm talking about my

personal money. I'm I'm treating it like it's my own personal money and I'm I'm a cheap bohemian. So, I'm trying to save the county as much money as possible. Prescription meds. We were spending thousands of dollars in the last 8 years on prescription meds, thousands, and not get a single reimbursement for it. We are now getting reimbursed for that. It's unfortunate that just now since I've taken over that anybody is taking a look at somebody's budget. These budgets should have been looked at under a microscope for the past 20 years. Nobody cared. And now that we're in a budget crunch, and we can talk about that, too. not letting businesses come into the county, putting all the tax burden on the private citizen and not letting any businesses come in. I mean, there's a whole lot of problems here we can talk about. Farm ground is taxed pretty low as you know, right? Tax pretty low, right? The $40 an acre is not low. That's low. That's low. How is it even 40? Okay. And I'm not trying to open that can of worms. I'm just saying that we are trying to do everything to save money. If you look at my budget, there's about 1.2 2 million. That is operating expenses. That's it. The rest of it is wages. We are in a contract. I inherited a contract of 4%. Our wages went up 4%. IP goes up 4%. Everything. Tell me a business that you do business with that doesn't go up every single year. Tell me one, Casey. What if you're farming up 4%.

Not this year or last year. You're not your farm? Well, I I would say I would say I would say that um and I'm not again I'm not I'm not trying to perform here, but you need to get on your numbers, right? When you're comparing these counties, are they the same? Are they comparable to us? How many deputies do they have? How big is that? Hey, gentlemen, I know this is a nationalally agenda item and we normally keep our public comments minimum. So, just let you guys know. Right. Well, I I mean, David, I didn't come here to argue with No, I just don't I everything to When is this thing going to stop? When's this going to It's never going to stop. Are you ever going to stop spending money?

Yes. When I Well, this is a growing department because what it boils down to, David, we're not it's it's it's a what it boils down, David, it's about needs and we can't go with what we want. I need a new car, but I don't I would love I'd like to have a Cadillac. I would love to show you my budget that I have something in there that's a want and not a need. There isn't a single thing. Okay, that's okay, David. I mean, I think our conversation needs to come to an end because I just came here not to protest. I came here to advice. I get it. I don't like my taxes either.

I I told Tracy and and Bruce right away, I come here. I didn't come here to protest. They came to inform you what the uh what the numbers are compared to both. How can they do that for that kind of money? Okay. I'm sorry. I just want to make one key point here really quick. We're upset that the budget increased by about 500,000. Correct. That's what this is about from last year.

What people don't understand is what we did with the revenue side of that. Revenue increased it by increased by about 500,000 as well in the first year. Okay, we brought in this fresh money that's essentially a wash. What we're still stuck with is a 4% wage increase for the majority of our employees. So, if you think about it, we're actually losing out in the long run. Yeah, our budget went up. We offset that with the revenue. We're still stuck with the 4% wage increases for all the employees we have. We're trying the best we can.

Okay. You guys defended your budget. We need to move on. Okay. And I'd love to sit down and talk to you more in person about it cuz I think there there's a lot that you don't know. I feel like that's gone on the last 8 years that has made our budget the way it is. Okay. Let's talk. Okay. I'm going to give you Go ahead. Go ahead. I don't have the time. We don't have We don't have the time. You and I get together in person. I know where you live. You know where I live. Most people know where I live. Is that fair? I would love to enlighten you.

That's fair. Okay. I'd like to have that conversation with it. It's not going to change my mind that things are getting out of control. These budgets do everything we can to offset that employees at the rate they should be paid at. We're not giving them over. either my my point is when the islands actually said that the budget for Benton County is getting out of control because it's going out of it was going up faster than inflation and population growth. In fact, if I read it right, the population growth has even increased the last 10 years. Has anybody can anybody confirm that? It's about stayed the same.

Pardon? It's pretty much about 25,000. It went up. No, it just pretty much about saying the same. That's right. Okay. You got the You got the last word. What you guys need to do is get together, bring your budget, let him go over it. We need to see I've been looking at your budget for a month and a half trying to think, can we cut this out? Can we cut this out? You can't. You guys, the only thing we can do is lay people off. That's it. There's nothing else we can cut. We can't cut the light bill. We can't cut the water bill. We can't cut I mean costs of inmates

cost of I mean everything everything has a cost and like I tell people you tell me one business you get together I think you're very you're absolutely correct I can give you an education I will educate you and and I'm saying that in the most respectful way like I don't there's been a lot of things that have happened that nobody paid any attention to for a long time that's that's what I'm saying for tax was saying nobody's paid attention the Ben County budget.

I've been saying that for years. Look how many YouTube videos you get that watch this. You get 100 people to watch other counties been watching it because look at their budget. Iowa what's it so much different that we have a $2 million more budget. What are they doing that we're not doing or what are they not doing that we're doing? We're also a big county. Look how many cities we have in this county. You know, we contract with all these towns. This is this is a big county. It is. I don't think there's any other county that has as many towns.

Well, they told me it said somewhere county town. I assume and I assume I know we don't compare Lynn County or Blackto County. That's a no-brainer. And I assume to be Iowa County, King Cam. That's why I and you know in these past budgets, yes, the past budgets, they probably weren't raised to die hardly, but there was also things that weren't being done on the back side. So again, the last 8 years is not a good May I make one suggestion? Yeah. Would you go and visit with the Iowa County Sheriff, the Kun Sheriff, the Gan Gun Sheriff, and ask them how they're keeping their budget so low compared to ours? Would that be a fair?

I know I know all them guys. Yeah, I know them all. I'd say it's safe to say we have more employees here and that's probably We're bigger. We have a bigger jail. Taylor County, I think, can hold like five people. They have, you know, they form out their roommates. I I remember when Kenny's budget on one year, he he almost got beat by Gabe Ker by about 200 votes. But I defended Kenny because first of all, supervisors. Hey, this Jerry Gray. I got a couple comments if they're still talking about sheriff's budget.

Yes, Jerry. Uh couple things, you know, areas to cut. And I've complained about this before. You know, there's three counties in the state of Iowa where you have to go through security to get your driver's license to pay your taxes. Benton County doesn't need to be one of them. And these other counties around there, they probably did spend $350,000 on an armored vehicle that they didn't need. So, there's areas to cut. There's no doubt about it. You can't say that there's nowhere to cut it. That's all I got to say. Jerry, if we got rid of the bearcat, that's not going to cut my budget.

You guys just need to get up. I I agree 100%. You want me to come to your house? You want to come to my house? You got You got coffee on? You bet. Always. You tell me when we'll sit down, we'll chat. Okay. Okay. It's going to take a while. You got time for the county attorney. I can go back and Well, I think it would be best if wants to be here, too. I don't know. Yeah, he's in court all day. Before I go any further, I would like to have

what the county attorneys. What? 25 and 26. What did you budget for? That's already the proof budget for your 256. Do you have that for me? Yep. should be in that report. I

Okay. Expenses for fiscal year 25. I'm sorry. Pardon? I remember. Okay. Okay. So fiscal year 2526 the proof budget was like just 1.089 089 million what? 089 089 9998 and what are they asking for now? What did he ask? That was that is in two of his collections.

Just so you know the collection stuff that includ 27 he's asking for 1,112 and $51. Yeah. Oddward. Yeah. Okay. Okay. You have the sheet, Terry.

Um, I gave it to I just gave it to you, Terry. That's that sheet I told you put, too. I wanted to um I wanted to give thank Okay, I'll give you my email address, too.

That it down for him. Okay, wait a minute. South. Okay, Derek, you see here what the Iowa County is asking? 483,000, right? What is it? Um county's asking 834. That's double. But TA County is only asking 455 266. Why is there so much lower than uh especially Tay Island? Why is there

I realize you got a collection agency in there. I realize you got collection agency, but one thing I would you guys correct me if I'm if I said if I'm wrong that some of that extractor expense, you had to hire outside help because you had a conflict of interest with Ry. Is that correct? That's correct. Okay. Ethically,

that being said, that being said, I don't think that's right. Why it would be conflict? That'd be the same thing as David saying, you know what? We're going to go to we're going to go to Black or we're going to go to Strong County because I have to arrest my best friend or I've got to arrest my deputy or I got to arrest that's a con and and and and David was hired to sheriff to arrest people matter who it was whether he's you know in family or anything. And that same way with Ray, just because it has to conflict with somebody in his prior practice, that should make any difference. He should prosecute no matter who comes before him. I don't know whether there's any whether there's any should be any conflict of interest. There's something that you can

Well, I can comment on that. Okay, that's fine. I We are We are the lawyer industry per se. We have we're self uh regulated and we have our set of rules of ethics and it lays out the conflicts and if there's certain conflicts that conflict up the entire office and if we screw up those conflicts because a lot of it's because of personal knowledge gained I that could mean I lose my livelihood and cannot practice law. You were two different persons, Ry and Derek. Marsh, I think you two different persons.

If it conflicts with Ray's practice, why can't you do the prosecuting? Or if it or if it conflicts to you, why can't Ray do the prosecuting? Well, well, it depends on the situation cuz it because like it depends whether it's a relative. If it's a relative, then absolutely I'm not touching it. Okay. Because it's my boss.

Okay. But okay. Anyway, you again, Bruce Tracy, look at these. Look at that. I don't know. I even if you hire out hire out, I just think your budgets and I hope that Valerie and uh Jim uh Jim Ranger put these askings in in in in the paper because that is just I'm just sorry. We just got to start we just got to start doing something about this budget. As a taxpayer, I am pushing back. I there may be all the other taxpayers out there may disagree and say they say hurdle. You know what? This is just the way things are. We just got to continue paying stuff. I do appreciate the fact, David, that you tell me that you're doing your best. I I appreciate that fact.

But I can show you the money that we've saved. And like I said, I My point is I come up here not to protest. I come up here to encourage you guys to freeze the budget like Don Freeze and I did that year. We froze the budget just uh you know give a chance to realign this. Uh okay, one other question before I leave and I got really fixing. I give you I I I thank you guys giving me time. One other question is last year's fiscal year 2425. So the prior year Yeah. But that's that's all done. What was the um total budget for Benton County

for the reason I bring that up is because Don Freeze and I ran the budget on a 22 to $24 million. I know there's inflation involved and and as far as the county attorney buddies Don Freeze and I started the flex agency. So we had that in our budget too. So what was the here's our 2425 was the total spending. So the actual spending for 2425 the total expenditures were 33 million $7016 33 million

but with that we had all those non-t taxable dollars in there too cuz we had the ARPA funds which was 4.9 million so we had all all those that are non-t taxable entities funds too. So, it's not all tax dollars, but you can see you can see that you can see that it's still up considerably, but we brought in what we what our budget was. We had 36 over 36 million in revenues, guys. I don't like paying tax any better than you guys. That's why I'm here. But have you lent to the schools and other entities, too? Because it's not only the county levies, you know that? Yes, there's rural levies, there county levies, there's city levies.

Well, and the thing is with the rural people, not only do we pay the county levies, we pay the rural levies, we pay the city levies and then the school levies and the egg extension, the assessor. That's exactly right. You can't control all those other guys. You guys know much as know you know much probably even more about the budget. I I just came up here to express my opinion that hey, things are getting out of control. They are. They're getting high and we need to really get serious about our budget. And Tracy, Bruce, I thank you guys for your time. Doug, you got anything? Not a thing. How's that?

How about you? Welcome to a journey. I don't think that's right.