County Commission - Regular Meeting

Want

to call the county commission work session to order. Sheriff Eid, would you lead us in prayer? Sure. Mayor pray with me. Dear heavenly father, we thank you for another day. Thank you for a beautiful weekend. Uh thank you for our family and friends. to be with their loved ones and friends that are uh not well or have lost family members. Um thank you for this body of elected and appointed officials. Lord bless them. Uh give them discernment, wisdom as they conduct the county's uh business and look over our citizens. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Everyone stand for the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. M clerk, call roll, please. Yes, sir. Mr. Simpkins here. Mr. Ledger here. Mr. Mane here. Mr. Batty here. Mr. Dawson here. Miss Spicer here. Mr. Buckner here. Mr. Brit here. Mr. Kendall here. Mr. Williams, Mr. Grove, Miss Gray here.

Good to see you all here tonight. First order of business is approval of the minutes of the February 2nd, 2026 work session. Open floor for motion. Motion by Commissioner Buckner, second by Commissioner Petty. Any questions or discussion? Hearing none. All in favor of stating I

opposed. Thank you. Item number two, committee reports. Any committees to report? Seeing none, next item is appointments on this is economic development director. As you know, Terry Malone has been with us for three years as economic development officer. Uh we're at a point now because of the work she's done and along with the work that Shay Schrader's doing as our tourism director, we'd like to I'd like to propose y'all we make that a director where it changes nothing other than Miss Malone who's in the back there tonight. uh she will have the title of director which that requires your approval to do that and then she'll be the director of uh economic development and tourism and then that way Miss Sha Miss Shay Shrader will work for her instead of them both working for Star More and it kind of cleans that up. So that's what we're proposing to do tonight. And I think y'all met and talked to Terry before, but if you'd like to hear from her tonight, uh she likes when I put her on the spot to speak. So ask her any questions you may like. But if not, uh, I'm asking for a motion to be this director. Second motion by Commissioner Ledger, second by Commissioner Mane. Any questions or discussion? Hearing none. All in favor of vote up stating I.

Opposed? Thank you. Next item of business is new business quarterly financial reports. All funds except school. Mr. Hall,

I hope you received these uh by email I think last Thursday. Has anybody got any questions to start with? I didn't receive any emails from anybody. These are through December 31st of 25. So, these uh be for six months of the year. I've looked over these right here. Each fund I've looked at looks pretty good. Um the only department, and this is not to throw the sheriff under the bus, he's got the biggest two departments and and that's the most money. There are some items that are fairly high in his department right now. I'll get with him between now and next time and see if we can come up with some reasons that are they're running a little high in some spots, but he does have the most money. At least half the budget really comes through his two departments. So, I'll look at those with him and see if there's some kind of thing we can help him out with to get those under control a little bit. But everything else looks pretty good throughout the all the funds from general fund 101 down through community development industrial park 172. So it be all funds except schools. If nobody has any questions on anything, we'll ask for you to approve these.

Any questions for Mr. Hall tonight? Hearing none. I'll open the floor for a motion. Motion by Commissioner Petty, second by Commissioner Gray. Any questions or discussion? Where we at on our sales tax revenue for the year? Are we off a little bit? I'm just looking at the numbers across. Are we projected where you want to be or are we down or we are we keeping pace? What's our growth look like on sales tax? Well, it for the half the year it's right about where it should be. So, we're 50% of the year. So, that leaves us about a month behind, right? It's showing 42% right there. About 45% would be about a half a year with one month being missing. So, it's not far off right there at all. Right. Well, good. Yeah. So, it's pretty close right there.

Good. And last year it came through great. So, I don't see a reason why it shouldn't be the same this year. Just for reference, Commissioner Grove, does that reflect what y'all are getting in burns right now? We're off a little bit, but I I've come to find out the reason why is I believe the rock core has been shut down for all winter long for maintenance and repairs. So, that's why I've been a little bit concerned, but I had a meeting with the rock core last week. They're fixing to fire back up. So yeah, we've been off because of that I believe is is where our differences come through. Thank you. Any other question, Mr. Hall? We have a motion, a second. There's no other discussion. All in favor of stating I opposed. Thank you. Item number two, amendments. Mr. Hall.

Okay. The amendments. We only have three funds right now. I may come back with some or send you some out before the next meeting, but right now only 101 general fund 101 131 fund highway and 172 fund industrial park is the only three that we're amending right now. And basically in the 101 fund is some grants reserves we're spending out of and some loans where we've the loans that we just did. Heck, and you may have to help me here, mayor, but uh the agricultural loan 775,000 and then some equipment purchase for emergency management and ambulance service. So, that's basically all we got right there in the amendments and I have those two to go over later on.

Okay, so he's going to cover those, but those are the items that we're taking and amending here for the general fund. And then in his highway department, we uh we have safer a state grant for what we're calling safer streets and roads for all. That's $100,000 for there. And that's the only thing that's amended in the highway. And then for community part um community development industrial park, we have a state grant also calling Tennessee 250 program grant with the 250 years here. It's $8,800 grant that we're getting there and it have offset expenditures also. Those are the only three items we're amending right now unless we come up with something to send back out between now and the next meeting. But that's all we have right now.

Any questions, Mr. Hall? Hearing none. Open the floor for a motion. Motion by Commissioner Grove, second by Commissioner Brett. Any other questions, discussion? Hearing none. All in favor vote saying I. opposed. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. T. Yeah. Thank you. Next item, Homeland Security Grant for $16,339. Mr. Fiser,

thank you, sir. Um, this is the grant that we receive every year. Uh, it's a 100% reimbursement grant. Uh, we purchase the equipment, send in the receipts, and um, federal government reimbures us for that grant. It was for $16,339. Uh they're pretty tight on what we spend that money on. It has to be spent on some type of u response equipment and we were replacing uh one of our UTVs uh for search and rescue with that money.

That's to be this request to move this on to regular session. Have a motion by Commissioner Groves, second by Commissioner Spicer. Any questions or discussion for Mr. Mr. Fiser? Hearing none. All in favor vote by stating I opposed. Thank you. Item number four, state fire marshall's office grant for $11,130. Mr. Fiser, uh this is the same type of a grant. We applied for this grant back in the spring. Um it is a 100% reimbursement grant. Uh and we're required to purchase uh turnout gear for our volunteer and paid firefighters with this. And he'll wind up buying about three sets when it's all said and done.

Open the floor for a motion. Motion by Commissioner Petty, second by Commissioner Brett. Any questions or discussion? Hearing none. All in favor with stating I

opposed. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Fischer. Item number five is unresolved collectible debt for solid waste management. Uh we do as we know that the Dixon Electric has they do the collections for solid waste fee. There is no policy in place right now for charge offs. uh even when things they're they remain trying to be collected but the Dixon Electric needs to get them off their books and show them where they're not a current asset that they're trying to still collect that we're sending on to another collection agency. So what we're asking tonight is uh to allow the solid waste board to come up with a policy so they can move those debts off in an annual basis or semianual basis much like my banking days after debt was uncollectible after 90 or 120 days you would set it off you'd take it off the books it'd be over in a profit and loss account where you'd still try to collect it but they got to get it all clean off the books for them and that's basically what Dixon Electric's request for us to do is be glad to answer any questions.

Mr. Gro, what is the policy now? I know I hear it all time different things, but but how long does it take them to collect and when do they go to court on it and go before general sessions?

Yeah, it varies by account. Uh we do trunches of those uh about every 3 or 4 months where we'll send over a large bucket of the ones that are not paying. And so I can't give you an exact aging on that, but uh I know that there's a large volume of those that go over every three or four months, starts a whole new cycle of lawsuits. Typically those get paid, they get settled. It's a very small number where anybody ever shows up in court on those and those that do usually get resolved at the courthouse with some type of an agreement. So I guess my question for them to write it off, how long would you need, do you recommend before you would take it over if the write off? If they're writing it off, then where does it go to another debt collection before the county attorney picks it up?

No. So right now what happens is the all of the delinquencies get reported to our office to initiate the process for collection. And I don't recall Mr. Vandervort's the one handling in our office and I don't recall what the aging is on those before they get sent over to our office. Uh but we're we're handling all of those as they come to us. What's your recommendation?

We we need to set up a policy and that's what this request is for the very reason you're asking questions. So th those are questions need to be answered. M and of course Mr. Vandervart as he said he he handles the collection on that. He needs to work with solid waste board to do that. I don't feel like I'm qualified or let's try to do as agree. We need something more technical done. So, tonight our motion needs to be what? Are you going to be able to get it done two weeks? If we make a blank motion that way, we'll have a motion ready for two weeks with the with clear understanding. Well, no, that's my goal, but it may not be. But but basically, I'm asking permission for them to start where they can start working on that process. Okay.

That way, if you have questions from the solid waste board or Miss Fet over there, we've got time to ask them. If this shows back up in two weeks or a month or whatever, we just need to start the process. I'll make the motion. Thank you, Commissioner Gre. Do I have a second? Second by Commissioner Mane. Commissioner, do you have a question? Commissioner Dawson, what does it actually cost the county to pursue the loss on the med? I mean, what does it actually I mean, try to collect $1,000. What does it actually cost the county to do that?

I think Mr. Vandervort would have to break that down because once they as Mr. Reagan said they put that in tranches so we're not just carrying individual cases over there. They're carrying a whole handful of cases to do at one time. Uh our relationship with Chancery Court Miss Collins over there it's easier for them to do it that way where they can focus on one group. So I can't tell you what the direct cost is but we can get you an answer to that. Okay. All right. I thank you. Thank you. Any other questions? We have a proper motion and second. There are no other questions. This is move this on a regular session if completed. Uh all in favor of stating I

opposed. Thank you. Uh next item says Pittney Bose's me postage meter contract for Dixie County Administration building. This has my name on it, but I don't have anything on that. Mr. Hall, are you aware of this Penny Bose contract? We did we did contract like January or something like that. Well, I don't know about it. So, we're going to move this to next to one month from today. So, thank you. Uh, next item is school facilities plan board of education representative. There's a bunch of you here. So, does that mean I can put it off here? If you want to.

Two weeks ago, we presented a resolution where we're requesting approval to spend up to $47 million made up of $17 million from school fund balance and 30 million from county funds for significant project facility upgrades. And we presented you with the list of the items. They are in no particular order and we're here to answer your questions. I'll just uh use good manners and take your turn. I you know call on each one of you. I'm going to start tonight. Surprise. Yeah. Right. Because I' I've got I do have a couple questions. What is y'all's fund balance right now?

The fund balance after the audit came in at 36.9 million. So, I mean, I think we've kind of set the precedence over the last two or three years. What's that number about 14? We're not going to go under. Mayor, this is a good question. U we don't feel comfortable going under 18. And we left it at 20. I'm sorry I jumped in. No, no, feel free. Apparently, we're not be in the debate with you. So,

okay. uh because we left 2 million buffer because we knew there may be some things that were that we know are going to come up onetime expense things like buses and some instructional things that we may be back asking for. So we were leaving it at 20 million. I I pondered this over my head for a while now and I I've decided how I want why I'm going to vote or or way I want to vote is the one thing I have a problem with the school board under is and it's the way the law is set up. It's not y'all's fault in general, but we are the governing body of the county and it seems like when we give y'all a blank check, y'all come up here and tell us what you want to do. Then we never hear a report back on it and y'all spend it on how bid, whatever you want. So, I'm against just writing a blank check for borrowing 30 million and and giving y'all 17 million. Um, I would I would be more comfortable because we got constituents we got to answer to, too. And and I I get tired of people asking me, "What's going on over here? What's going over there?" Well, I don't know. We voted to give them the money, then it's out of our hands. Well, really, it's actually it's not out of our hands because we, like I said, we still the governing body and sometimes it gets lost in translation the way the law is. Uh, the only way I feel comfortable from now on of giving y'all that kind of money or approving that loan is with the stipulation of draws. So, I won't I would like updates, regular updates, and uh, that's just my opinion on it. So, if it comes, I don't know how they feel about it, but I will probably vote no if it's just a blank check for 45 million. U, I want to be updated better and I want to be more informed as a legislative body and I just don't want to write a check and say, "Okay, we're done." and we agree. And so, um, it would be up to the mayor as to how we and this body presents. I shared with you a week ago to get your opinion on this Google

spreadsheet um that we give possibly at our quarterly report and you can see how these funds have been spent. I have Yes, that's okay. I'm reading mine.

This is a Google spreadsheet that Miss Valerie Underhill, my finance director and I along with the board will share and then I can print this off and if that is what you would like and the mayor for me to present quarterly, I can do that. uh with the funds that you that we get and the spending. So what would be first project 47 million go through and wide open hit everything or you going to attack this project that project this project

or you just like I know we proved several million dollars several years ago and it just kind of sat there for a few years before you before I don't even remember maybe I don't remember but it was like a few years it just sat there in limbo then y'all started the projects later and I think that was because it was the field and there were some law changes to where we had to wait from the process we were using to do the turf field. So there was some holdups on that one. So that's why that money sat there and we got started on some of the others. My guess would be on this that the roofing projects would be the first things to start.

So is there an estimate on the roof all the roofing projects? We don't have um numbers to go specific numbers to go with all of those like I would be willing estimates but we don't have um we got pictures too often then where you see it shaded those are um And I will defer to uh Gerald to speak. What has been current on the roofs of these schools?

So I guess my question would might be for Gerald. Do you would 17 million fix all the roofs? Mr. Jeff, Gerald, y'all might want to come answer. Can I defer that to Mr. That's all I'm Amen. Yes, you may. You are the expert. I'm Brad Martin, L Cook, Martin Architects. Uh Jeff Coru works with us. We're

we're uh partners in this, so to speak. So, only early cost projections have been put together so far. Uh my my former partner who founded my firm, Lane, is a roofing expert, uh recognized with the state of Tennessee as an expert in roofing design. He's already worked on the Dixon High School uh current project. He's studied that one very well, and we have that is a $5 million project to com finish and complete and re-roof that building completely. Now, that's I'm calling that an early projected budget. And then the other one that we've looked at includes more than roofing. The William William James Middle School, which uh Gerald will testify, that's an extremely difficult roof. If you could look on Google, you'll see all the stuff on top of that building, mechanical systems with refrigerant lines and piping and water line. You name it, that thing is riddled. So that project early projected budget is $4,500,000. Now that includes in that number about 2 million dedicated to mechanical systems, heating, ventilating, air conditioning systems, which we feel should probably be a phase one or a separate first project followed by the roofing afterwards. So [cough] now as far as my notes are concerned, those are the only two roofing projects that we have looked at. Um I won't say extensively, but with some level of detail to date.

I mean, like I said, I'd like to hear somebody else's opinion. That's $10 million y'all got y'all want 17 out of your budget reserve. I don't see a problem right now with approving $10 million. That takes care of them two projects. That's a long deal. We're not borrowing money and paying interest on it while it sits in a account somewhere. That money's going with these other projects as this Charlotte Middle. Yeah, we're going to do them all at one time. That's why I was asking, is it one big project where every day we're going to start building stuff and it's going to be like a mass school project or is this going to drag on several years?

It won't all happen immediately just because of human power. Um, we you would have to enlist the largest firm in New York to do everything at one time, architectural firm. So, we have to uh you know, separate projects and conquer them. We feel like the roofing is I won't say emergency, but it's the closest thing you have to emergency. Is that fair to say? So, I've heard several people in in in board meetings and all say, "Why renovate a building if you can't fix the roof first?" Because you don't want it raining inside your renovation work. Um now in addition to all those and we've put very very early numbers together, you know, Charlotte Middle School needs roofing. The whole thing needs to be roofed if that's if that's one of the concentration areas we're going to renovate. Um so that that's a big deal. Then also uh one of the one of the the projects we're looking at too is Dixon Middle School and there will be some element of roofing to that one too. That's about 2,500,000 estimate

for Dixon Middle. Just the middle. Okay. That's just roof. Okay. So, we're at 12.5 right now and that takes care of three schools roofing. That's three huge projects, right? And you got 17 million you want to take out of your fund balance. So, to me, I don't understand why y'all want to go ahead and process the loans, a $30 million loan for us to pay interest on if it's not even an issue for the next year. what you got boxed out here. That's the part that's going to be addressed. The highlighted areas that's on these pictures. No, sir. The highlighted areas are what has been addressed. What has been?

Yes, sir.

I would like to speak to Dixon Middle. Dixon Middle, as all of you know, is the first school that sets the impression for what the county uh says about the school system. It's that main vein going into our district. Uh Dixon Middle needs upgraded windows. The gym needs to be um they call it they blow it out because the paint is chipping everywhere. that needs to be fixed. There are places in the gym floor that are buckling just due to um years of leaking. Um there are um places on I wrote a list the theater which that theater host many school events. Uh Burns Middle School drama uses Dixon Middle. Dixon Middle were so lucky to have such a theater that was built in that school. Um, it needs theater repair. It needs um places on the stage repaired. It needs painting uh throughout. We did paint on the outside of Dixon Middle this year. Looks very nice. We want to continue to do that. The old Oakmont that sits in the back of Dixon Middle really needs to come down and um that is I forget when that was built but it needs to come down. Um Dixon Middle also needs um sound panels in the theater. It needs

lighting in the theater, windows, loading dock doors need to be replaced, housing floors. Um, again, there's multiple projects for Dixon Middle to be done and those would be prioritized uh with the needs of that school. So, as we alluded to, the roofs would come first because you can do all these nice things in the inside, but if you have roofs that leak, then you're just constantly going back to fix the inside interior. So, Dixon Middle is on the list. Um, also Charlotte Middle School. Charlotte Middle School is at 417 with the capacity of uh 450. We know that through growth this the Charlotte area is growing faster. And so we want to make sure that we have room for students at Charlotte Middle School. But if you've ever been in Charlotte Middle School, that school needs attention. It needs attention in the foyer, in the cafeteria, in the gym. It needs to be blown out, repainted. The floor probably will need after all of that work is done, um, floor repair on the gym. Uh, we need to add eight new classrooms to that school to bring it up to future growth, around 200 more seats. And I think we looked at that project. A new school is too costly. For a new middle school, you're looking at 47 to $52 million at $450 a square foot. And so we know that we

can take that campus and renovate it and make it beautiful for this community and the students and family that go there. Um there's lots of things that we know that through these projects and I know that I am telling you probably most of the knowledge that you already know but there are things that could be unearthed that we don't know um is a part of what we can't see that we need to fix. We know that we need to look at the HVAC system at Charlotte and maybe uh Dixon Middle School. Uh but we won't know until we get in there. And one thing, Mr. Grove, that I just want to say, you wanting to push it down. We don't want to invest the money on the things we need for Charlotte Middle until we know we have your approval because we did that before and we got started and then we didn't get the money. So, there are some things we did before that we could still use.

Yeah, that mean that you're exactly right. Charlotte Middle, you know, down the road. So, we know we've got to do something to fix that. It's at 92% capacity.

Yeah. I I I don't know. But I do get an economic report every month from uh Terry Malone in the mayor's office. And I don't believe Charlotte's by what they give me is the fastest growing area in the county. It's Dixon and Burns, the south end of the county. So, I don't I don't see that reflected on the numbers of report I get every month from the economic development department. But I understand it might be a redistricting or resoning issue. But I do understand that Charlotte needs to be fixed. I mean, I'm not saying that that they don't need to be fixed, but if the growth is not by the reports that I've get on the north end of the county, I get it from the I get straight numbers every month from the department that that says the opposite of that. So, it might be a re a redistricing issue with the school board if it's growing that fast. I would have to look at the numbers. And again, like you said, we did authorize at one time when I first was elected a quarter of a million dollars that just pretty much went to design and fuse and reviews and this and that that never was used. I understand a quarter million dollars and 47 million is not a extraordinary number. But when you're talking about a4 million dollars, to me it's a lot of money that was wasted. And I that's the reason why I want to direct this money now with oversight so we don't waste a quarter of million dollars. And it is accounted for and somebody's going to stand here and account for it if it's wasted again. If that makes sense. But like I said, I'm one of 12. There's there's there's 11 more guys up ladies got opinions. This is just what I've been stewing on for the last month and the questions that I've come up with. And if you want to put new roofs on the building, and I agree with you 100%. That the the roofs are the main thing. If you ain't got a good roof, you don't have nothing. Well, you you've told you've told me hard numbers are 12.5 million, which I'm I'm ready to approve tonight on a motion myself. I don't know how the rest of them feel. But that that still leaves y'all out of your 17 million, plenty of money until you come back with hard numbers on something else. And we're not going into the a situation of drawing money out and paying interest while it just sits there in y'all's account and y'all decide how you want to spend it when you want to spend it. is that if that makes sense.

Any other questions? I'm cutting him off. So, [laughter] please I I guess I would like to hear from the mayor. I know since I've been here for six years, you you've been talking about and I think we're [clears throat] about two years behind from where you had the 30 million set aside. I know. Um and at that time we y'all had a different administration and y'all and the whole plan was different. And then by the time we got ready to make to approve something, then the y'all's board changed. Yes.

And then now this board's fixing to change. So it's like it just keeps it the can just keeps getting kicked down the road. And the last time I was here, uh, like I guess the last time that or y'all were here that we discussed this is like I want a plan. And I I I said that many times. is like, "Bring us a plan over here that the board has approved." And they brought a plan over here. It's unanimous. It's six to nothing that they have voted for a project that we've asked for. And so, um, I want to hear what the mayor I know the mayor has set this money aside and and I would like to hear some of his ideas on the funding as far as it's my understanding that you wouldn't draw that money all at one time that it's that it's dro it's drawn down at increments and the interest is paid. So, I'd love for you I'd love to hear your comments on that.

No, I'll be glad to and I'll give you a little bit now and I I want I've got something here. on the last one. I want to follow up and let them make their presentation, but you've got a couple of things in general here because one, uh, let's let's make the assumptions that we've been talking about that the school applies $17 million from their fund balance and we borrow $30 million. Um, that when we we borrow $30 million, it's set up, you know, compared to your home construction loan. Uh, we're on we set it up where you're on two years interest only just as that money's being drawn down. So you don't make start amateurizing that loan until two years in. So that saves money there. So I know that's a vital concern commissioner Grove has because you don't want to start amateurizing that debt on the first day when the money's not being used. So it would be two more fiscal years for it started being amateurized. So and I'll have you I'm going to make you a presentation here on that. The other portion of my concern is and it's something I've talked with uh school board members on uh the when you borrow money like anyone, it needs to be for something strategic that we'll be paying a 20-year debt. So, if we're buying things or doing things that need to be done that have less than a 20-year lifespan, we don't need to borrow the money. So from what Commissioner Grove said earlier, we need to define this down to various parts of the projects where their 17 million pays for the shorter term projects and our 30 million pays for longer term projects because being old bank loan officer, somebody getting debt problem, not that they're in debt problem, but you get into a debt issue and they want to consolidate all their debts. Well, it was always odd that you could put there do a debt consolidation for 10 years, but that old station wagon only has three more years in life. So, you're paying for it for seven more years after that vehicle. So, that that's my man on the street comparison. So, I don't want

us to do that with county money. So, uh, that's why we need to find out each project and make sure that the county portion is for long-term where theirs is more shortterm and that's going to take a little manipulating and, uh, that would be with cooperation of the school board, uh, the next county commission and the next county mayor. So, we can leave a blueprint on there, but uh, that's how we need to handle it. And I'll also walk you through the debt capacity on my presentation after done. But I don't answer Commission your question, Commissioner Williams. I'll be glad to answer anything else you have.

So I guess I guess my question and and you did answer that the way that the loan is drawn down that it's not, you know, it's not all taken out at one time. We're paying interest uh only on the money that we borrow. But I guess for the school board to proceed on, it's like what Commissioner Grove said earlier. You know, a couple years ago, we approved the money for them and they drew and the architectural firm drew. They drew plans and nothing ever happened. And that's what I'm afraid of that we're [clears throat] fixing to do again is that we're just going to say, well, we're going to fix these roofs and then, you know, where's Charlotte Middle going to be? You know, where's Dixon Middle going to be? and then it's 2 years down the road and they got a new board and there's a new commission and then nothing never gets resolved. I guess that's what I'm saying. I guess I asked for a plan and they brought us a plan, you know, before us. And so that's Well, Commissioner Williams, I agree with what you said and I and again it's your level of comfort all of y'all because of course you're the decisions makers on this. uh if you're comfortable what they're presenting to you tonight and that y'all can work hand in hand to get the all this done going forward because again go back to Bob the construction lender you know it's you have to have faith in people to do it to some extent because what I the difference between a nail and a and a PVC pipe I could hardly tell when I got started in construction uh lending but so you have to have some level of trust each other but it's the old Reagan trust but you got to verify and I think that's what y'all are asking because there needs some be some level on that because again, we're proud of what we do and even all the funding we do for school that we see in the school budget, the county's always taken on school debt. And so that's something that's unseen in school budget. And again, we're sitting there with $35 million left on the Burns Middle School and the work on that. We're talking about another $30 million. So, uh, on day one or after it's built, you know, we'll probably be at a total debt for school 60 million. That's not

out of line, but where I live, that's a lot of money. And that's the responsibility that this commission and the next mayor will have to have to monitor and working hand in hand with school board and school administration. You know, Mayor, I have a problem with it. It's just like there's there's no uh transparency as far as I mean, these are flat roofs. Why don't we trust them? Why don't we try to save money instead of just taking the maximum of what a flat roof cost? I mean, the building would it would substantiate trustes, right? Has anybody ever checked in on that? I mean, thought about that. You mean to create a trust roof?

Just do a trust. Go to a trust company and buy the trustes, put them up there. Guarantee you could save million dollar by doing that. Why would we keep putting a flat roof on something that would cost that much money? Well, none of them are flat roofs. They're low slope roofs. I mean, we don't do flat roofs anymore. But the problem I mean, you sound like you, you know, construction. I don't want to correct you or anything. We're The construction we're dealing with is non-combustible school construction. We got to get it through the state fire marshall's office. So, to put a wooden truss on it is normally not going to going to work.

Well, they make steel trusses. They do. But the only thing you get into is most of these schools are huge. They've got huge footprints. So by the time you do something like that, you're building a monster on top of the roof. Yeah. A lot of them won't handle it. Yeah. And it's not necessarily gravity loads, but upload wind load pulling them back up is is what you're saying can be done in some c some instances for sure, but on some of these big [clears throat] schools, I would not recommend it. I just wouldn't. Well, you talking about a fire hazard. Isn't that Didn't that flat roof, that rubber roof a fire hazard and then all your wooden trusses and stuff you sing joist and everything? Wouldn't that be a fire hazard? It's not. Uh

I mean,

what we have to do most of what you have with commercial work like this is it's type two construction, typically sprinklered, and that's non-combustible construction. There are some wood framing parts and pieces in some of your facilities, but with this many children, occupancy levels and so forth. We we don't do that with with the state fire marshall's office. If you've got some wood construction in your projects, most likely it's grandfathered in from way back when and we start manipulating that to, you know, a certain degree. They won't let us do that anymore. That's generalized, but that's that's what we're into because anything you do has got to go through the state fire marshall's office for review and um they don't they they're pretty tough. They're difficult and they're consistently difficult and that's okay because life safety is what they're all about.

When y'all look at that building, do y'all y'all got a structural engineer there to look at it? Yes, sir. And and everything. Do we do we ever get a a copy or anything of that? I mean, when you guys do that do this, do we do do you ever want to make a little old like like uh every little deal? Give us something to to look at and and uh we can make of course like a detail, but we can we can give the school board we do give them reports as we go through projects. So, we give progress reports and so forth. U yes is the answer. we can give reports. Thank you.

Any other questions? Because our goal here tonight is to get these questions answered. Um again, moving it down two weeks possibly for a vote if that's what you're comfortable with or kicking it into April for a special meeting on the 1 of April for a on that. We But this is a request that has been made to school board to get get you some get you some details and to move it forward. So, here we are. And again, I know you'll be able to answer questions after tonight, but I want to leave this open as long as y'all think you have any kind of question. Let we we've got them all here tonight. So, let's ask away. I just want to make a few comments. I do know Dixon Middle School needs a lot of work done to it. My wife taught there for 15 years. She taught in the classroom that every time the wind blew hard, it sound like somebody was whistling in the classroom. She actually sent me a video of it one day. I I I was shocked at how loud it was. The windows are just They're very, very old at that building. They need to be replaced. Every time it rains hard, they have to put trash cans all throughout the building. I know this. I've been in the building when it was raining. I've seen them have to put trash bags over electrical panels in that building. The building needs a lot of work done to it. We sure can't afford to tear it down, build a new one. I know all these other roofs that need to be done probably need to be done. Uh should have been done years ago on a lot of them. And I know Charlotte Middle School, we've talked about in the past it's at 95% capacity. We even went as far as looking at spending 40 something million dollars on tearing most of it down and rebuilding a lot of it. I believe eight classrooms, if I did my calculations right, will put them somewhere around 70% capacity, which should make all of

our middle schools at have plenty of capacity for many, many years to come. Uh, for whatever reason, we know that the population in our school system is not really not changed much. If nothing has went down in the past 10 years, probably a lot of that's due to homeschooling and private schools. We asked you for a plan. You brought one. I've sit in the meetings. Y'all, some of the meetings I've at 10:00 I told you I had to go home. They were there. They worked very hard on this. What I do know is is mo all this work needs to be done. How we get it done, we'll see. But but I appreciate the work and effort that the school boards put in on this.

Thank you, Commissioner. Any other questions or comments? And just to clarify, I know that you presented this before and if we borrow this money, there's there's no tax increase, right? That's built in the debt service. It is. And I'll make that presentation to you to you here whenever y'all are comfortable with their information. Any other questions or comments? Thank you.

Thank you. We appreciate y'all. Now for my little presentation. Don't put the head.

[laughter]

Everybody knows how much I like to do a spreadsheet and everybody knows how bad at them, too. So, uh, but this is the long-term debt service projection. I kind of had to cut it down a little bit, but I think you'll see what we're going on on page one. Whenever Mr. Paul does this. This is multiple lines and multiple pages of interest and debt and all this stuff broken up. But what I did was reduce it. And I want you to look initially at this green column. That's the fiscal year we're in right now. FY25, FY26. U that is our total estimated revenue uh in this year. That's what we budgeted on this year. That's your total estimated expenditures which you can see we went in the negative. And I think Mr. Hall. That was the purchase of the Eubank property because we had excess funds in there to do that. Also below it, during this fiscal year, y'all approved $775,000 two months ago for us to purchase the a center property. But as you move on down, uh the we'll get to the more interesting numbers. It shows our total debt and what our u debt is at the bottom where we started with a fund balance of $15 million in debt service. We're ending the ending the fiscal year with $11 million, but the number that we always have to watch below that is the 92 that is 92%. The goal on debt service budget is never to let that fall below uh 20%. That's your magic number. But what and also in this debt, the $142,500 debt that starts next fiscal year, you see that under the EMS EM EMA equipment, that's what we approved two weeks ago. So that 1425 we had I had to add that in there because that was not budgeted either. So the 775 and the 850,000 is the 1425 which is a 7-year loan. So as you follow across the bottom here, this is the debt where we are today. This is what you've approved. Nothing else has

been added. So if you followed that bottom line across there, let's look at the percentage where our percentage of debt service budget goes from 150% to 177% all the way up. If we don't do any more borrowing by the year 203435, we'll have a 600% debt service fund balance in there. So that's where we are today. What we've done historically, and I kind of went into it last month, we have overfunded debt service in anticipation of having to borrow. So, we've been pretty static on these numbers. Uh the the estimated revenues uh has been pretty historic, but you can look at that and see that we've done that very very conservatively on what our debt should be uh or what our revenue should be. If you'll notice the line below it with estimated expenditures, uh it drops off years because we're paying debt off and that's on Mr. Hall's debt schedule. So, we're confident those numbers are 100% correct where the re revenues are estimated, but we're, as you can see, we're not showing a large jump in those. We have historic numbers that tell us uh we average 3% growth in revenues all the way back to somewhere in the mid 2000s, well before I was elected. Uh so, these numbers, you can pretty much take these to the bank. Uh so they're very conservative, but if you follow that debt across there, at the end of fiscal year 35, if we take on no more debt, we'll have $26,800,000 in the bank. So that's where we are today. Do y'all have any questions on that? Because again, I sit and look this stuff all day and when I come back to it, I get confused. But are y'all following me on this? I'll be glad to answer any questions. All right. Well, if you flip it over to page two, it's the same, but the only addition is is a $30 million barn for schools. So, you what you'll see is uh once again, we're the green year is where we are today in

this estimated budget that we're working off of. What it does additionally on here, it adds it begins adding debt and it's what Commissioner Grove, Commissioner Williams asking about the first year. here. I can pretty much estimate on the draws on that it'll be about $375,000 and then about $750,000 in interest. But the amateurized amount from there going forward is $2.4 million for the next 20 years on on that 20-year amortization. But again, what what's our canary in the minehaft? You go back down to the bottom there, look at those percentages again. Uh remembering the goal is never to go below 20%. uh the first year 138% 144%. We dip down to 82% in 2030, but some debt pays off and it starts moving back up until you get to 2035. That's with no other barring of consequence. Now, we may have some small borrowings like capital outlay notes, but they don't move the needle on this that much. This is the longer term debt that makes all this move. So if you borrow $30 million in what the number requested right now, as you can see, it requires no increase and it also gives you latitude to borrow more money anywhere during this time. U I went on and stuck another debt in there just to but I didn't want to get it confused tonight, but I put a dead end in for a center. Uh it does the same thing. uh it you get never get below like 65% and by the year 2035 it starts heading back up because debt's paying off. So these are two examples of what Mr. Hall and I have been doing for I've been here 15 years for about 13 years now. We've used this once we got our our long-term debt situation under control. So th this is what Mr. Hall keeps the the one we call it the holy grail. He sends me one and it's Bob's holy grail. So if it gets messed up, we can always go back to his numbers. If these numbers are really messed up and it was his

fault because I got them from him. So [laughter] we like to keep that clear. Bob the banker versus Bob the accountant. And just on the very last page, it's just some uh debt some standards what you might use. These are used in government and because the question is how much is too much debt and uh because being able to afford it it's one thing but you look at the one all this oh the per capita debt that's for all the people in Dixon County here's how much debts owed to each person that's $1,181 presently you're supposed to be and typically they think between $1,200 and $2500 per capita safe if we take on this debt we only go from 1,181 to 1,687 per capita debt. Uh debt to assessed property value. Uh that is simply all the assessed properties in Dixon County where you take your total debt and divide that by the total assessed values. Uh the taxable portion because we have over almost $9 billion in and property assessed this county. But at the 25 and 40% we uh we base our taxes on two $2.4 4 billion. So if you take the total debt where we are today, roughly around 70 million, we're at 29. If you add uh $30 million to that, it'll carry up to 100 million totals dollars in total debt, and that still has you at 4.16 where you don't want to be more than 8% on that figure. And then debt services percent expenditures. You take all the expenditures in the county uh that we and all of our budgets and uh we're presently at 5.13. You don't want to be le less than 15% is considered healthy. If we take on this additional debt, we'll be at 6%. And then the last one we use on here amort amortization and maturity profile. This is looking at the debt we have now when

it will be paid off and the and will 50% of your principal be retired in 10 years? Well, the answer to that is yes. not only on because this is a 20-year loan, but also on all of our other debt will be in that situation. So, again, I know it always makes county commissioners and mayors nervous when you start talking barring about money, but from a credit from a credit risk standpoint, which we have a double A3 credit rating for a county our size, that's pretty impressive. We are creditw worthy. So, if you went in to see once again Bob the banker with these kind of numbers and a credit report, I would lend you money. So, and in fact, you can figure this out on the 8% portion based on $2.47 trillion. In theory, we could borrow up to 197 million before we became unsafe. So, I'm not recommending that by any means. So, want to make sure that's online where everybody sees that, but you kind of you kind of work worst case scenarios uh on this. We're in really good financial shape. These are the numbers to back it up. And again, when it comes to borrow money, it's your decision to do it. It's up to me to sign the note. But, um, I just wanted to let you know that we did a lot of analysis on this and feel very strongly that we're in good shape to borrow this money and other monies and not put a dent in anyone. And I go back to the beginning of time because I had that discussion, I guess, a month ago or two weeks ago. all the times run together. But we inherited this in 2010 where they opened a jail where there was no money to pay the debt and there was no money to staff the jail. And my promise to you to the citizens of the county was I would never do this to the to the commission or the citizens again. Before we spend money, we know we need to know how we can pay for it. And I keep going back to banker Bob because when Jones car is paid off, Bob's getting him a new car. Not before, not after. And if y'all know my truck,

you know why I need a new car bad. So, uh, but you we we're playing it just like you would your household income. Sometimes you get caught these long-term numbers and ratios, uh, you know, it starts sounding all fancy and stuff. It's nothing more than a Dave Ramsey course. And these are our envelopes. And you have a debt service envelope right now that's full of money. So, if you want to use that to borrow $30 million, you're in a good position to do that. Be glad to answer any questions.

Yes, sir. Mayor, if you had a crystal ball you could look into from here out to 35, what would you see that we would probably may need in that period of time that would be, you know, we would amount to a lot of money.

The only things and again because of the decisions y'all made and allowed me to do is buildings are completely updated. is, you know, this building um with easy numbers. We've got 30 years left in this building. Uh the county government building in Dixon, it's in good shape. Probably going to get a little tight at some point in the county clerk's office, but that would be probably the time UT might need to find another home. But I'm guessing it in my guess, I'm thinking probably 10 years before that ever shows up. uh with the moving uh the finance office over the old health department uh and uh making a place for our veteran service officers and more storage, they they will never need space. And I don't know who the youngest person in the room is, but they won't be alive when they need more space. So, uh that that's a forever building. So, I'm I'm telling y'all that the only things that I see as being an issue of building is more the these larger convenience centers that's taken that takes a bit of money. Both these the one we built in Burns and the one we built in Charlotte that was both about a $1.2 million total cost on that. It we need that because of the efficiency it builds in. Uh the next place we need to find one is in White Bluff from a capacity standpoint. That would be the next and only expense I see. But I've, you know, I get a little few questions from our friends in White Bluff about that. But we tried to find property down there, but every time we did, somebody would thump us and like we don't want it here there. So I told the city administration a couple of years ago, you find two acres where you want us to put one and that's what we'll do. That's the only next thing I see coming up of consequence. The rest of it is really going to go back to school building. We've been very fortunate because I think we all know in 20ou class of 2009 we had 8,400 students in school and I think you know this number keeps floating. I don't know the exact number

today but 7700 7500

about 7,500. So when we built the school in Burns plus the additions at White Bluff Elementary and at Steuart Burns and the redo of the air system at Oakmont that added 1,000 seats. And as y'all may recall the y'alls over here when commission when m Dr. Weeks was here that was my question to him one day if we're tight why are we tight after adding a thousand seats and with fewer students. So that's why I appreciate your due diligence by going through this uh plan to make sure when it comes to space. We know that Charlotte is tight, but there's a lot of room in other places. But I see the the biggest thing coming forward when this population growth catches up with us because right now the census shows that it's old folks moving to town. And I can say that cuz I am one. Uh in which they're they're good. They bring their money, they bring their tax dollars, but they don't press services. And the biggest service obviously we pay for is schools with their $91 billion budget that we pay uh over well over $30 million about 30 $33 million is local county funds. So but just pure building from a county standpoint. We did do the fire station at Wide Oak Flat. U that's about $135,000 cost. There's a couple of other things we're looking like that to provide public safety, but the the million-doll cost other than the two convenience convenience center, uh, I don't see that out there.

One other question is usually and I think we've been very fortunate over the years and I want to commend the sheriff on this. We used to be the jail was always a problem when I first came here years ago and seemed like it just get worse. We do this and we do that. We never could fix it. But it looks like we've got it under control now. What is your outlook on the jail?

I know the sheriff has some issues now with fire alarms and some things we're going to have to work on. I know he's having to do a fire watch right now. We have to look at that. The other thing that kind of hit me and it's part of, you know, me being old is the fact that uh a couple of months ago or probably about six months ago, people kept coming in talk about air conditions, air units failing at the sheriff's department at the jail. And I'm like, that's ridiculous. That building's new. And they point out, no, it's been here as long as you. It's 15 years old. So, air systems start to fail. So, our emphasis on this coming budget that Mr. Hall and I've already talked about it is going to be putting more money in our capital outlay portion for repairs because th this building we've got some work that we you've already budgeted to be done. Uh but the jail in particular some of that that's going to start costing some money because it's going to quickly become a 16y old building.

One other question I'll hush let other people have speak. Sheriff, what is your capacity? Is it running normal or do you see peaks and lows or how is it actually operating right now?

Uh we have a 397 bed capacity. TCI which is the governing licensing for the jail. If we're 80 85% they consider us overcrowded but they won't penalize us. Uh when I got here the ADP was averaging before COVID about 350 daily average population. Uh through some stuff with CASS and working in conjunction with the courts. Our ADP is averaging about 250s 260 somewhere. So we're feeling good about the numbers because you think schools are expensive to build. It's $800 to $1,000 square foot for a jail. So, plus I've got some other programs. You know, we just got uh if you don't mind, the jail just got accreditation through the state, which ups our uh money we get back from the state. So, we get $4 a day more per prisoner now. But with programs and and I think publicly thank uh Commissioner Britt for being on that board. So, we're working at that. If we can keep recidivism down, it's cheaper to run programs than it is to build. So, we have a strategic plan at the jail to keep that population down. So, we don't our biggest worries is as the mayor just told you, stuff gets old and it breaks, including us. And so, that's our right now. Some stuff we're dealing with is just equipment gets old and it's expensive and you have to fix it. But it's certainly no million-dollar project, right, Mr. Mayor?

Yes. it's manageable and like you said, we're planning strategically for uh maintenance issues that are creeping up on on us all, not just the jail, but this building and others. But that's I feel pretty good and positive that that you know, we've got different strategies in place to to to hopefully no sheriff in the future in anytime soon, we'll have to come ask this board to uh build uh more jail space. So, Thank you. Thank you, Jared. I got Mayor. I got a couple questions. Be glad. You said that um that you you projected a 3% growth in the county. Is that is that in this revenue?

Yes. Okay. All right. When do the when when does the state come down and do the next appraisal? We do. We have one three years ago. We're on a fiveyear. How long's it been? Is it five years? Okay. Did the taxes not go up uh when they come down done the appraisal? Well, we raised taxes. I know. But did not the cess value the the cess value went up and then plus their insurance went up. People's dead. That's what I got a problem with all the spending. See, so we know it's coming and we How do you sit there and say that we ain't going to have no new taxes? I mean, I don't understand. Uh

I mean in three years from now they come down and they raise everybody's houseund 100 more thousand dollar and and it goes up on their taxes and they got the insurance goes up. How's that not raising taxes?

I don't know if I can explain that the way you ask it. But I mean my statement would be that we're discussing the debt service budget with that's segregated from the general fund budget. I'm speaking I spoke to you tonight on debt service and those revenues are consistent on there. Now you get over operational costs. That's why the last tax increase we had for that. But you know, you get pay raises, you pay for more, things get more expensive, that happens. So again, I I really don't know how to answer that question. I don't know. I can't tell you we won't have a tax or y'all will need to increase taxes in two or three years. I know next year we can, but I can look at the general fund at the debt service budget and with uh from my life experience and 15 years county mayor, you can carry that one to the bank. Now, it's up to you if y'all want to get pay raises or not, that's up to y'all. But that that's an operational budget and we I'll speak to that next time.

Yeah. Also, you got insurance costs going up this year. You got you don't have a cost of everybody have a raise. I mean, it's going to be all kind of costs. I don't know how you I mean we sit there and say we don't raise no taxes. Didn't say that. I mean play back the tape. No tax no tax increase is what you said. Not not for this year. I will not be presenting you a budget.

I agree with you. Yeah, I agree with you. And we're not and and I don't see a need for a tax increase for debt service unless you choose to do something outside of what I suggested earlier and that's borrow $30 million or I'm not even going to say a figure for the a center but you can borrow a lot more money and you will not have to raise taxes on debt service budget. I can only speak to the debt service budget. I that's best I can do tonight because operational budget when because every year you give a give a 4% pay raise. They have to find 700,000 new dollars just to give a 4% pay raise. And so that's where growth goes. That's where that money goes. So when people move in here and things get better, we're doing that. So $700,000 equates to about three cent property tax increase. But we're able to do that about five years in a row without everything going back to the taxpayer. And uh so no, I'm confident these numbers and u I know what I'm doing and these numbers are right. You got any other questions?

Yes. About the egg center, Bob? What do we have? Just somewhat of of a projected number. We do, but if I say it out loud, there's somebody's watching and that's how much it'll be. I'm reminded you, we had a conversation with uh myself and Commissioner Brit one time with the school board about three years ago and we told him we had $32.5 million and amazingly they the people came back at that time said, "You know, this project will probably be between 32 and 33 million." He and I had to burst out. We burst out laughing. It's like

we own we actually own the the uh 84 lumber building for the emergency service because there was a commissioner sitting here 20 years ago and he said we shouldn't pay more than $800,000 for it. By God we paid $800,000 for it. So we'll be careful. But y'all can catch me oneonone. I'll be glad to catch you up to date on anything. Yeah. I just want to be clear. I'm not against the money. I'm just more for oversight. I agree with that. I agree. And that's up to y'all. I just I'm just y'all make decisions. I carry out uh carry out those. Yes.

And I think I asked I asked that question back I think a year or two ago to to Mr. Reagan and there was some there was some I think comments on how we control that, you know, and I think you said the only way that could be controlled is that if the bids come back before us, [clears throat] but is there is there another way? Because I mean my biggest concern from what I hear from everybody is they want these projects bid. They want them publicly bid, advertised, no construction management, no guaranteed maximum price, all this hard bids, you know. And I've told multiple school board members that I understand these projects are complex and sometimes you have to pre-qualify the contractors to make sure that they're qualified to do the job. You don't want to give a contractor, you know, a $30 million job that's only ever done a $2 million job. And so I guess is there a way in the motion to make sure that they follow, I guess, our concerns is that they're going to bid these jobs out.

Yeah. So that gets a little more difficult because once you approve the funds and it's in their budget and you know they can make a commitment to you that they're going to bid it out, but you don't really have a way to reach back into their budget and take the money back if it's been appropriated. So, you know, you can do partial appropriations where we're going to appropriate funds for you to do the necessary front-end work and then you can come back to us after you've bid it and give us your recommendation for uh the cost of the project and who you want to use for it and then you can further amend the budget at that time to provide the additional funds for them to do it. And so you certainly can do that in increments to whatever degree that you want to to maintain the control. And so it just comes down to what parts are you comfortable with just believing that they're going to come back and present it to you versus what do you want to make it be a trigger where they have to have your vote and amend their budget to do it. And I know like the mayor talked about his funding. Um you know if he borrows the $30 million he's going to do the draws as the funding is necessary. So if he puts $30 million on the books and we're going to draw it as needed and you do this in a a phased approach to approve it. Then when you appropriate the money, the mayor can draw the money from the loan and it goes into their budget. So it's it's there is a way to do it. You just have to decide what approach you want to take.

And I think I think that could should be discussed here because I feel like what the school board has done recently has been very forthcoming. They've brought the projects over here. They've told us what they're going to do. We've they've used their fund balance. You know, this last I think was six or seven million. They told us what they were going to do. They've come over here every quarter. They've hand us out paperwork said we done this, this, and this. And so, but I think the biggest thing I hear is that they want these jobs, you know, bid in this administration the last couple years. They've not used the, you know, I don't even the [clears throat] guaranteed maximum price or whatever, but I know they've been using uh the funds, you know, they've been been bidding this out. So, I guess we could discuss that. I'll wait till I get Nobody's listening.

Don't let the roach up. Go ahead. No. So, but also I mean I mean me personally, I trust the school board that that that we've got the administration that that if if we say, "Hey, we want you to bid it out," they're going to beat it out. But what I don't want to do is do like we did we done two years ago. We we give them the appropriations and they went and spent $200,000 in plans and now we we ain't got nothing. We're two years down the road and that's what I'm afraid of if we just keep doing that. So I would like some more decision or some more discussion and it may be that we come back in a couple weeks whatever but that's just some of my thought process of you know Commissioner Buckner did you have a question? I think I missed your hand.

Yeah. Uh this is uh on a different subject if that's permissible. Well this was more just a capacity presentation. So what I just did requires no vote. So, uh, feel free to bring it up on anything you may have.

Uh, we talked about building, uh, a new fireh hall over White Oak Flats and, uh, building some more in the county. Uh, I know it's supposed to drop our ISO, you know, throughout the county. Well, we've built a couple of new fire halls in the last three or four years. the ISO was dropped, but the insurance company don't recognize them. So, is there anything as a governing body that we can do to maybe contact these insurance companies and and uh maybe get some recognition for for what we've done.

Well, I know that's something Mr. Fishers we've had discussion on and again it's really up to individual homeowner to reach out and do that and shop their insurance. Uh I don't know if the department of commerce and insurance has any sway over that or not and I know that ISO is not uh treated as has been in the past. Is there anything you can add that Mr. Fischer? the the conversations that I've had with the insurance [clears throat] companies, um, they they see our ISO, but it's up to their insurance company to recognize that and drop the the ISO of the of that homeowner rate. We do our due diligence with building the stations and the equipment and putting the the staff out there, but at the end of the day, it's still up to that insurance company to reduce that ISO rate. U and I've had several conversations with them and I've actually sent on behalf of clients or or citizens in that area of what the ISO rating is. The home office of that insurance company has to reduce that ISO rating for the community.

Thank you. I don't think that gave you the answer you wanted, but that's that's the most professional answer we have. At least it's out there. It is. [cough] But I would certainly suggest anyone that has a new fire department open near them, they I would call you good neighbor like State Farm or Good Hands or whoever you deal with. We kind of moved over another business. I'll be glad to answer your questions on anything. We figure out what we're going to do here. We're going to send We going to sit here. We ain't took a motion or a vote on the school yet. No, we didn't, did we? Uhuh. Thank you. You want to make a motion?

I don't know. Maybe. I mean, I said what I said. I'm for the projects. I'm for the money, but I'm for oversight. So, I mean, if we if we're going to go ahead and send it on and try to figure it out in two weeks, I I I'll move the motion for that. But, uh I I still think there's some things to hammer out to how we're going to actually release the funds. I'm not saying I'm not against the the money. I just want more direction on each project. Like I said, if they want 12.5 million right now per roofs on the building, I'm for it. Let's go for it. But if you want me to go 45 million and print the county in debt 30 million, not tell me exactly what prices are, I'm up for it. I'm with you. Uh, that's a motion. Do we have a second? Cuz I I want to ask a question.

Why did I make a motion for it? I don't even know what you said. I can repeat it. I can do it verbatim. [laughter] We're going to talk about this. We need to go move to next meeting if something to that effect. And I'm for that. So, you want to move to the next meeting for discussion or vote? Move forward. You know, let's go ahead and get it moving forward, I guess. That way we're not dragging our feet in two weeks. That's a motion.

Do Thank you. We have a second. Second by Commissioner Williams. My question to the my my building friends back there. Um we're going to get into there'll be a time issue on this. How much time do y'all need to plan? If this was approved in two weeks, I want to say for instance, how much time does it take y'all to get your plans drawn, get it bid out? When would you be back to see us? I guess for lack of better word to borrow the money. That's a good question.

I think it depends on what level. If we start out doing roof work or we start out Charlotte Middle, but some of the ground work on the high school has already been done. Generally speaking, we won't just do one project at a time. Obviously, in the design phase, we'll work on several things at the same time. So, Jeff, just kind of put some added months together. As far as a first wave of work, we think we'll be coming to you in August.

Okay. So, if you come to us in August, and that comes back down to the us narrowing down the project of what you're actually spending on, and back to what I think I stated earlier, is this long-term money or short-term money? We need to determine that because at some point, you need some direction for them. I guess what I'm getting out of this, they need to approve the fact that y'all need to spend money to draw the plans up. that needs to be done if they agree and approve your plans and then they need to at some point with that the assumption is or it have to be actually the motion is to borrow money at the appropriate time to fund this work. So, you know, if it got approved in two weeks, I'm not going to go borrow the money in two weeks. it would be August and very well could be the next mayor have to sign that note on that if so kind of need to work with y'all on some kind of Gant chart to kind of figure out where the timing is when we need to go to market to borrow money and if it's long term work being done or short-term being work being done if it comes out of the 30 million or comes out of the 17 million I think we've got to define it down to that and if they're happy with the project in general so we've got the overall scope of the project and and the nuts and bolts how we put it together. So there, yes, there's a lot of moving parts here. I agree. So,

and mayor, you ought to take charge to make sure everything's done right, you know. Hey, and hey, well, seriously, I mean, somebody needs to be in charge, project manager or somebody to make sure because when when the school board, whatever, they say they're going to do something, they'll jump over somewhere else, do something else, you know, just like the CD building down there at Creekwood, it ain't even finished. They go out and put a do a field and then do a big Metron sign, it's going to cost the county $50,000 a year. See, so that ain't right for the taxpayers. I mean, you know, any way you look at So I I mean, I was serious when I said that. You or you appoint somebody or do a committee to study that, you know,

we'd be glad to do it. Then and our maintenance department after Mr. Batty left is it's managed by a maintenance team where everybody on that fivep person team has some expertise and it will be good for them to that'll be something they can be the overseers for county government if y'all if that's fine with y'all. That sounds good. And I need somebody that's going to transcend my term because uh they're going to be here after I'm gone. So I'd rather that committee handle it and I'll be with them until we have the change in mayor. Yes, sir. Commissioner Mane. How long a project is this $47 million deal? Are we talking three years? I don't I don't know. I'm asking.

I think the discussion was and the question, how long once the project starts will it take? And and I remember from our initial discussion, we were talking about a two-year window to get everything done. Is that still so let's say if Charlotte Middle is given standalone project that's going to be probably a two-year construction project after we get it all designed. So you got multiple projects kind of going at the same time or staggered. So it's a several year project. I think we should work together on like you say a Gant chart, a schedule of every project we think we want to include in this with budget numbers associated with it. So you can see that in front of

I think it's a good idea and it comes back to how we draw the money. Even you spending your 17 million us 30 because frankly and again without complete detail and August may not be the time for us to borrow money. maybe January of 27 if you're doing short-term projects out of your 17 million, which of course will save the county unnecessary interest cost over that time. But I that is a good question. There's a final day that we're going to draw our last dollar and somebody's going to hand the schools the key and that we kind of need to see what date that is and be it two years from August 1st or three years. It'd be important for us to know that. It's a good question. Thank you. Yes. Does it make sense if we sat down with you and kind of went through with hand in hand schedules and so forth?

I'm okay meeting with you, but I'm going to have some smart people sitting the room, too. Okay. Well, thank you.

Good. Any other questions? Y'all got good questions. Yes, sir. I just think I think we have to be careful when you discussing what you think something's going to cost in a public meeting. Cuz if I'm a contractor and you telling me, "Well, this roof I think at such and such school is going to cost about $3 million." Well, if I'm bidding on it, I know I can at least bid 3 million cuz you're going to you think it's going to cost that. And if you come back and say, "Well, I think the Charlotte Middle School project's going to cost this much. I need y'all to give me this much money for it. Then it's probably going to cost that much. It's I I've actually I mean I've seen it happen. Me and Bob [laughter] sit over in the meeting when they said this school is going to cost was it 32 or 42 million where it was it come out to exactly what they said we had.

Yeah. I just think there has to be some discretion made or we're going to wind up spending more money than we have to. Agreed. Thank you. Any other questions? Yes, Commissioner.

One thing you probably help out with is a committee, formal committee, and the committee members of three or how many you want to put on it would know that number and could work with with the contractors and the engineers and all that and keep it ongoing and not open it up right here in front of everybody and the committee members could keep the members briefed on it. Well, and I I appreciate and approve your idea other than we're going to have to watch the sunshine law. If we get more than one of y'all in a room together, it's a public meeting and then we'll have to swing the doors open to everybody. So, well, well, again, you and I know you mean in the vein and I know if somebody's watching on TV, they're like they're trying to hide something. No, trying to be you don't go to the car lot and tell them I'll pay sticker price plus 10%. You know, we're going to stand out here in the argue and get mad at each other and know I know what you're saying. Uh, any other questions or comments? We do have a proper motion in a second. Thank you for everybody bringing me back to that. If everybody's in favor of moving this on to the regular session, vote by stating I

opposed. Thank you. So, we did number eight. We're all done with that. Uh, any other other business hearing? None. Nobody has a birthday for a while. I hope everybody had one. We'll we'll hang on for you, Mr. Buckner. We'll get you get you in a couple of weeks. I have one next week. You Mr. Reagan told himself, "Thank you. I don't want you sard." It's I don't I think actually think we've gotten better. I mean, I my feelings are hurt about that. No. Any announcements? Anybody got anything fun going on we need to know about?

No. All right. The final announcement will be the next work session meeting will be on Monday, April 6, 2026. I do have an announcement. You were all invited to a candidates function Thursday night at the Dixon County government building in the training room. If you ever go in the government building, go away in the back next door on your right. I'm going to have some cheap food to eat. We're going to it won't be expensive. I'm paying for it. And uh we're going to uh she knows and we're going to uh basically little reception for everybody, but going to go over some of the basics for the mayor, county commission, and school board. uh I offer that opportunity because I don't want anyone to say they hadn't had opportunity to hear from us and ask questions and again I'll meet with y'all individually. The one thing I would ask, and I will bring this at the meeting, uh, is if you're calling as a candidate and want to meet with a director, uh, work that through my office because they've got real jobs during daylight hours and they're getting some calls, which we don't mind answering questions, uh, to a candidate or anyone, but they they've got work hours and so I I want to schedule that through my office so they can continue to work. I don't want to get them drugged into that puts them in the same situation. Well, you talked to this candidate, but you didn't talk to me. I want to kind of organize that. So I appreciate that. So look forward to seeing you on that. So I'll finish up with our next work session be Monday, April 6, 2026 at 7 p.m. in the Beaverdale booty junior county commission chamber the county administration building four court square Tennessee say. How have much journ Thank you.