County Commissioners - Regular Meeting

liberty and justice for all. Please remain standing as we pray. Dear Lord, I just want to take just a moment to say thank you. There's so many things things to be thankful for. And God, we want to take this moment to ask that you give us the wisdom that we need to do the business of the people of this great county. We thank you for all of your many blessings. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Amen.

So let my friend go to church missionary again. Thank you J for coming tonight. That's pres to Amen. Do we need to add anything or table anything or pull anything tonight? If not, offer a motion to adopt. So move a second. Second. I don't have time consider I I have it. Mr. Hy, Commissioner Har is on line tonight. He was out of town. Harry, you sir, I can't see us. Yes, sir. We can't see you.

All right. Thank you buddy. We can move on. Okay. Consent uh A through F5. Anybody have any concern or issues of those? If not, I'll ask ask a motion to approve. Mr. Chairman, so move a second. Second. Second. All in I I have it. Thank you, Miss That. You got a page for us tonight? Yes, I do. What you got? Good evening.

Good evening. Okay, we're going to start with the collector's report. Total collected for the month of July current year was 1,857,91.90 at a 4.82% rate compared to a 4.76% rate last year. Prior years collected was $118,11949 at a 69 point at a 6.68% rate compared to a 6.17% rate last year. Total collected for the month of July was 1,976,21.39.

Okay. Then I have um as you know tax bills went out first of about the 15th of July. So with that comes a lot of corrections. People realize that we build them for things that they we shouldn't have or things they forgot to report that they did not have. We have some DOT changes on here. Total adjustments are $5,77625 that I'm asking either to be released or refunded to the individual. That's B. Daffany. Yes. Do I have a motion to approve that amount for B? Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to approve the amount of $5,766.25. A second.

Second.

All I have. Thank you. And then the next thing I have for you, I have three um properties that were um either the application came in late and the individuals are asking for their application to be granted for this 25 tax year. So the first one I have it belongs to a Charles Jacob. He's the owner of a 40 46.25% 46.25 acre track. And during the discussion, there was a lot of different things that were going on with Mr. Jacobs in previous with previous people. So, I'm asking that his application be granted um for his 46.25 acres for 2025 and I listed the parcel number for him. Do

I have a motion? We should vote. I move to approve. Second. Second. Motion second. My time consider all here with I oppos. I have it. Thank you. Next one is Turnber's homeowners association located in Hope County. They have a spot that is reserved with the HOA. The general statute does allow for this type of property to be exe exempt and I'm asking for their late application to be granted for the 2025 tax year as well. Okay. Motion. So this is property held in the HOA. Is that correct? Okay. Mr. Gentlemen, I'll make that motion to release

a second. Second. All had time to consider. All in favor with I. I opposed. I have it. Thank you. And the last one is a a Juan Balilia. He states that he turned his application into the office and we've searched and we could not find it. So, we're not sure what happened with his application, but he submitted proof where he turned it into the VA and everything in time enough. So he's asking that his application as well be granted for a late tax exemption for the disabled vets for 202025. I agree. Whatever your recommendation to approve it to approve. Okay. I agree. Whatever we can do by I'll make that motion. Mr. Chairman being a veteran I'll make that motion.

That second motion second time consider all in favor with I I oppose. I have it. That's all. Thank you Mr. Adam. Be good. Thank you M. on appointment to the hope county as you judge crimerevention council board. Your business is Jackie McLean here. She's not here with you tonight. Okay. Good evening. Um it's real simple. JCPC is asking for these six names to be reappointed for another two-year term. I can read them real quick for the record. Do you need me to read them out loud? Yes, ma'am. Please.

Uh Miss Taylor Thompson from Parks and Wreck, Eley Cotton and Susan Lynch are both appointees by um the commissioners. Sergeant Jan um John France is a designate for the police chief, Mr. Donwoods from DSS and Mr. Ronald Flippen from the school system. Okay. Where should the board? My board I'd love to have all pointed back. Well, I'll make that motion, Mr. Chairman. All right. I might need you later. All right. Second. I second. Motion second time. Consider all with I have it. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. All righty. Number five. Tish James.

James McQueen. Oh, come on. Whoever. Yeah. Yeah. Come on up. My name is Jordan Jackson. I work for North Carolina Rural Water Association. Okay. This spring I had the pleasure of working with the Hoke County Public Utilities. We worked on a wellhead protection plan. Okay. These plans are not required by the state, but it's a wonderful thing that systems have in place to protect our water systems. Um, so I'm recognizing them. I have a nice award. I'd love for them to come up. Mr. James McQueen, Randy, Randy, all the mutual department.

Yes. These plans focus on education. Our Hope County, it comes from groundwater and these guys do a great job managing that water supply. So that we have a good a good water supply there for us for county. Fresher fresher water. We got somebody right here. Right here. Oh, wonderful. Got a smile. Yes. Get her phone, too.

Okay. I got good water, folks. Told you we were number one. Hey, we number one, big boy. Yes, sir.

Keep drinking water. Keep drinking water. All right. It's good to know that we got a good award by outsider independent decision wasn't by I said from outside they come in saying that uh water and the program they did was very good and that what make it so much greater that it was done from individual outside of us. So can't say that we did anything that they did for us. Number six um m Mr. Chairman I'd like to speak to this issue. Um, I had u a few restaurants come to me and talk to me about this issue. And um, the state through the general statute allows counties to adjust the time of sale for alcohol on Sundays. And our surrounding counties have all done that for their businesses uh, for them to open up and have brunch and things like that. Um, and what is happening is we have a couple of our restaurants that want to were trying to open up at that time. And when they were opening up at that time, quite a few of the people would come in, but when they would find out that the alcohol sales would have to be after 12, they would leave and go to other restaurants right over in Cumberland County out on 41 or whatever. This is totally about economics and business. Um, we want to recruit businesses in the Hope County. And if we're going to recruit businesses in the Hope County, we have to be competitive with what

other counties are doing. And um, I've always said you can't legislate morality. If somebody's want to go take a drink on Sunday morning, they want to go wherever they want to go to do it, you know. And so, um, I would like to, um, entertain to our commissioners that we make this adjustment to the ordinance, uh, for these folks that are, you know, uh, trying to have their businesses here in the county and be competitive and and for future businesses that are looking to come to Hope County. I mean, you know, um, you know, and and like I said, it it's purely economics is what it is. And for those folks to be able to be, uh, competitive with other with other businesses around us, our county is growing uh, tremendously, uh, especially over in the eastern part of our county, and it's starting to do it in the western part of our county, too. and those restaurants over in those areas that want to do this and they've tried to do it can't compete with these other restaurants. So, I'm going to ask the board tonight if we will um do what the general statute allows us to do, what other counties have done, you know, and uh that we'll pass this ordinance uh to allow these folks um you know, to do what other businesses are doing right in our backyard. So, uh Mr. Chairman, if there's any if there's not any other questions or anything, I'll be I'm ready to make a motion. Nobody else has anything.

Okay. And probably know that my vote would probably have no vote on it. I won't be able to support it. So, my vote would be no, but whatever's on the floor. Okay, Mr. Chairman. Yes, sir. Are there anyone in attendance that's in agreement to it or opposing it? I know according to statute that we're not required to public hearing per se, but I I was curious if that was the case this evening. Well, Mr. Chairman, may I speak?

Well, Mr. Chairman, I do know that there's a couple of restaurants that I spoke to, the owners, that they are here prepared to speak if they need to speak. If there's any questions that anybody wants to ask them, uh, they're here and they're prepared to speak. Um, but if we didn't if we didn't leave them to, we we don't need them to. But if if you want them to come up, they're certainly here, Mr. Chairman. I think a couple other folks if you if you want to hear them. If you want to hear them, y'all have to open it for a public hearing, but they can speak on both side of it. Is that what you're saying, Mr. H? Well, we've not advertised it for a public hearing. We didn't have a Yeah. So, so technically we shouldn't open it up to the public. Okay.

If you go one side, you got to go both. Okay. Okay. All right. No, I couldn't hear you. Take your mic. No. Grady so he can hear you. So So that's saying that by general statute obviously we don't have to have a public hearing but if you open it up we've not technically advertised it for a public hearing. So you don't have to have a correct No, you don't. Okay. Okay.

Right. All right. So Mr. Chairman, I'm ready to make a motion that we pass adopting this ordinance 153A-145.7. Okay. A second motion and second that they adopt 3.3A 14 57 motion to second. All in favor I I decline P. I vote no. So So what'll have to happen? It wasn't defeated. So it come because there's not a unanimous vote, put it on the agenda for the next meeting and vote a second time on it that way.

So is that does the ordinance call for that? Well, that's the general statute is that's what the general statute says ordinance. If it's not unanimous on the first reading, then you just come back for a second reading. Okay. All right. So this comes back at the September first meeting in September for a second reading. And if it's 32 then we're good. Passed. Okay. All right. Thank you, Mr. Tony. Thank you, Mr. I didn't know that part about it. Thank you. That's why we got you up here. Yeah. Early money tonight. Yeah.

Thank you, Tony. All right. The land use plan. I think someone is here to show us and talk to us about some of the results of it. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Again, Von Hansen with Benchmark Planning and uh glad to be here this evening to present the results from the Hope County uh land use plan community survey that was carried on through uh through the month of July. So again, um during the process of uh surveying the community, we got almost 900 uh responses from folks that were interested in uh participating. Uh during that time, we also got 373 individual emails that we used to communicate uh with folks that have been participating in the in the planning process and will continue to do so as we move forward. We also had a lot of great uh support from the community at large and helping to get the word out about the survey and making sure their friends and neighbors and colleagues at work uh participated and shared their uh opinions and ideas with us and with you.

Uh 94% of the respondents actually live in Hope County, which is great. Uh there are a few folks that didn't live here. They might be business owners or property owners that have some other kind of interest in the county. Um, a lot of the responses came from two of your townships where you probably probably have the highest population around the Rafford uh township and Mclofflin Township. And you can see a little bit more of a breakdown of that there with the other townships as well. Just so we have a good uh understanding of the geographic distribution of where uh the survey participants uh in the community live. Uh we had a great distribution of folks that have been here for a short amount of time, a medium amount of time, as well as a long amount of time. A lot of times we do these community surveys and only the folks that have lived in a community for a long time are the ones that uh participate in a process like this, but we have a really great distribution of answers from folks that have been here a varying amount of times. Also, these uh surveys tend to be usually answered by a larger number of people who are older. uh some of that having to do with their lengths of time in the community, but you have a really great distribution of ages as well of community members who decide to participate in the survey. So, it's not just not just the very longtime residents or the folks that are are older that tend to be um again more interested in those uh types of processes that answered, but we have a lot of a lot of representation from throughout the age spectrum. We asked for people who were employed. Uh, interestingly, uh, we had a lot of participation by people who worked in and around the city of Rayford. Uh, on Fort Bragg was about the second, uh, highest option there, as well as throughout Favville. Some from over in the Southern Pines, Aberdine area as well. Moving on into the opinion uh, portion of this. Essentially, uh, we asked the first question there, what people uh, like most about Hope County, what's their favorite thing, having that rural lifestyle? about almost 90% of the folks

that answered uh said that was their their their number one choice for for what they like most about living here. Followed by cost of living, the sense of community, proximity to Fort Bragg, and housing affordability. Uh fewer um fewer responses for some of those options were more about recreation, infrastructure, and employment. We asked about the pace of growth. How do people feel about pace of growth for residential, commercial, industrial development of the county? Uh as you can see there over 91% of the respondents said that they thought the pace of residential growth in the county had been too high uh over the past 10 20 years. Uh for commercial development uh there wasn't really a a a definite uh answer in there. It's really split between people that thought it was too fast and then combined between people that have been just right or too slow. So it's kind of an even breakdown. that probably has a little bit more to deal with where you live in the county and what you might be expecting in terms of what what kind of new new businesses you see. Uh industrial development, there wasn't again a clear majority there. Uh but about a third of the folks said that they didn't think that industrial development had proceeded uh fast enough. They wanted more. Uh but we also had about a quarter of the people that responded that they didn't really have an opinion about industrial development. uh things that are most important to them uh in terms of you know the future of the county uh number one preserving working farms and open open space uh maintaining a rural lifestyle but also expanding employment opportunities and so that kind of dovtales back into people that might have thought that industrial development hadn't been coming along fast enough. Uh, interestingly though, uh, the number four that didn't receive a ton of responses, but expanding the housing supply, I think that probably has to do with having different offerings of different types of housing available in the community, followed by more parks, recreation, trails, things of that nature and improving public infrastructure. But again, preserving

working farms and open space and maintaining that rural lifestyle were the the top preferences there in terms of responses to that question. Uh when we asked a question about other types of development people would like to see in the county, the number one response we got essentially was we would not like to see really any other development in the county. Um more commercial development, more industrial development, but the number one choice was essentially uh it was it was an open-ended option for response there that people, you know, would like to see development slowed down at least uh or or a uh or no development occurring. We asked uh from a you know geographic perspective where people thought that uh new residential development was most appropriate to go in the county. Uh just over half thought it should only go in those areas that had the you know the public water and public sewer infrastructure uh to support it. And then a distribution really around the county um in and around Rayford uh 211 uh north and sa and south of Rayford uh 401 east and west but not a real clear distinction other than you know areas that have the that that public utility infrastructure to support it. We asked that same question about commercial development. Uh a major uh majority emerging from that, but 41% again saying uh that where public water and sewer infrastructure exist to support it. Um we see probably from the the folks in the eastern part of the county wanting to see some more commercial development over out that way east east on 401 when you're getting back towards Cumberland County as well as around in and around the city of Rayford. Um and so a a good distribution there as well. But it gives us some idea when you take those two questions together that people are really looking for uh development to be occurring in areas where you do have that public infrastructure available to support it. We asked a question about uh you know when major subdivisions these are where

you're installing new new roads, new new new water lines, new sewer lines that those are those larger subdivisions where what kinds of um things people would like to see associated with that in terms of how they're regulated in the future. Uh the top two answers there were one preserving more trees in the pace of development as well as making sure that you know the developer demonstrates the adequacy of the public infrastructure that's there to support it. that be whether it be water, sewer, uh fire response, schools, uh road capacity, what have you. Um just that those things are available. Then followed by people want to see larger lot sizes uh to theoretically reduce density. There's some trade-offs there in terms because your demand's going to be there. Uh but they want to see larger lot sizes. And then limiting the number of lots that could be created through the major subdivision process. And that could be something that's done through a requirement for something like phasing or just setting a limit a lower limit per acre uh that you're allowed to build. Um requiring more open space and maybe only allowing major subdivisions in certain zoning districts. Uh over in Moore County, for instance, for instance, they only allow major subdivisions in certain zoning districts. There are some districts where you can't do it and there may be moving in some different directions on that, but they actually restrict it that way there. um not a lot of appetite uh for allowing smaller lot uh smaller lots to preserve more open space. Um and uh only about 2% of folks think that your current subdivision regulations are adequate to to manage the development you're seeing. Uh concerns about development impacts. Um uh you you see there that those top eight all had over 70% of people responding. You could choose as many of these as you wanted to when you respond to the survey. Uh but there are concerns about wildlife habitat, road capacity, agricultural lands, school capacity, utility capacity, groundwater, streams and lakes, forest lands, and then over

half uh concerned about wetlands, air quality as well. Not as much concerned about impact on historic resources or on military operations at Fort Bragg. But there was, you know, a pretty healthy uh number of responses to each of those uh issues that we listed where things could be impacted by development. Folks that were expressing, you know, some opinion that they did have a concern about the the impact of development on those. And then we asked, you know, what what is a a vision for the future? Uh just to kind of get an idea, just open-ended responses and these. So we, you know, extracted the words that, you know, came most often and the ideas that came most often out of that. And so slowing down growth, uh, maintaining a rural atmosphere, maintaining the agricultural heritage of Hope County, uh, really stood out most, uh, along with protecting natural lands, improve making improvements to infrastructure. Um, and so those are the those are the words there that are associated with the vision that people have for the future of their community uh, here in Hook County. And, uh, that's the gist of the survey. Um, you know, the results are used. They're not the only data point that goes into uh working with the planning board to uh develop the draft of the land use plan, but they help inform them. They help inform you uh of the community's sensibilities about what they'd like to see in terms of growth and land use and development in the county in the future. And we'll certainly incorporate those into our ideas and recommendations for uh working with the planning board to develop that draft plan. And happy to take any questions from the the commissioners this evening that you'd like to ask. We certainly glad to see the input of the citizen and we ask that you continue to give those and involve them as much as possible into information details as you and the plan board continue to work in favor of what's best for the whole county and what changes we need to make and what we need to do to move forward. So I say so far you're getting good input but it's going to be very

important when we come down to the end to adopt our ordinance. So that reason I say go back to work. What's your timeline on actually having the product completed? Yeah, we got back to the commissioners. Yeah, we got started a little bit later than we thought we were going to. And so we're probably looking at having a a draft plan for recommendation by the planning board around February or so. Okay. And then something I you'd probably be looking at adopting it sometime in the early spring.

Okay. All right. Thank you. And so we will be having add like ch mentioned additional opportunities for public input as we go through this process including some some inperson events. We'll be coordinating with you all on um as we you know develop some of the initial ideas and recommendations for the plan. Have an opportunity for folks to come out and talk to us about those before we get too far along. Get as much information you can get from the public. We'll do. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. I hope county sheriff he in the building tonight. Is that him? Is that the sheriff? Is that the sheriff? Good afternoon.

Good afternoon commissioners, citizens of U. I stand here before you today with the um item that we've been working on uh prior to budget, the uh the armored vehicle. uh we talked about how we wanted to uh acquire that um and years prior it was outright buying it or whatever. So we see that it was a very large expense. So we've worked together and we seen that where we could end it to a lease agreement. We've discussed that, we've talked about it. Um Brady, he looked over the the contract and I don't know if he wants to expound on it or whatever before we go any further. Yeah, I mean it's a it's a lease, but at the end of the term it's just a $1 buyout. So nothing out of the ordinary. There were a couple things that they had there that uh we changed uh and they removed uh from the contract, but otherwise I mean it's a lease agreement that's pretty standard.

I like that one dollar.

Yep. And what and what we talked about um and I know some of this is a little uh rhetorical or whatever, but what we talked about was the the the eight cars at the time that you guys said that you would uh look forward to giving the sheriff's office a year that we would substitute one vehicle uh for that payment. Uh the thing was like 87,000 and per vehicle is 64,000 to include upfit and everything. So that would uh put us at maybe going to the uh another vehicle borrowing like 20,000 from that. So that would still leave us with seven vehicles total because with the 40,000 that would be remaining off of that second budgeted vehicle, we could buy a civilian car as we spoke about before. Um, but I I had a little concern because on Friday when I got the email about our budget was going to be cut or had been cut. I don't want to start I told everybody to just stop the process. Stop it and let's have a conversation so we'll know what we need to do. How do we need to move forward because I don't want to start planning and talking with vendors and trying to get things into motion and we don't really know what the solid budget is yet. So that's what I guess we need to figure out either tonight or or soon.

But there was a FYI and so there's nothing that's going to happen on that tonight. Just a plain FYI and you told us already you have nothing to give and man nothing to give. We ain't nothing to take. Okay. So this we find that we move on. Right. Right. Right. I'm just saying just based off the email that I got Friday said that our budget has been reduced.

Yeah. you know, and and I don't want to I don't want to get the sheriff's office in the position to where if we get this armored vehicle that I'm not going to be able to get my cars on next year because in the email by Garvin, it plainly stated that if you get this armored vehicle, which I thought we had already worked out of how we were going to acquire it because it is a need, number one. Number two, during the budget retreat, we sat here and I showed you a video on, you know, the need. It's not it's not a want, it's a need because of things that have been going on around the community. So, I thought we had it worked out, but whenever the email came through about our budget was going to be cut. So, now I'm back to the drawing board like, how do we move forward with this? Um, along with the overtime and everything like this, and this is why they're here, guys. This is why my people are here because when they hear that we're looking at cutting overtime and comp time, we've been down that road before. And it's not it's it's not going to be pretty. these people gonna start walking out the door. So, so this budget stuff, we need to get on the same sheet of music. We're here to work together, not work against one another. So, um and and I know and I know what you're saying in your head. You know, he's a young sheriff. What does he know? But I'm a young sheriff that has a heart for my community and everything that you guys have supported me with so far. Um the county is it's a need. It's a necessity and and we greatly appreciate it. But what I am asking, please, please work with us. Please don't cut our budget. You know, please don't, if you see my eyes red now, that's not because I ain't been crying. It's just ever since I got that email Friday, my blood pressure has been extremely through the roof. And my folks have been telling me to stay home because I have a heart for this county. I love all these people that are in this room. And Hope County is, and you say it all the time, it's one of the it's one of the best counties because it is.

Say it one more time. It's one of the best counties. It is. And we but we want to make sure that we're in the same sheet of music and we keep it that way 100% because public safety, you know, man, so many and I don't want to talk about other counties or whatever, but

Hulk County, you don't hear a lot that goes on this county as far as like crime like you do surrounding. You don't because you guys have been excellent in supporting the sheriff's office thus far, giving us what we need to keep this crime down. And I appreciate it. What I'm saying is don't stop. I understand that you guys handle the money. I get it. I tell you what we need. You give it to me or you don't. And we try to make do. But please, when it comes to the livelihood of my people, please please don't take the overtime because these guys, they rely on that. U we we we we're sitting at the hospital with inmates 24/7. They got jailers here. You know, they're dealing with stressful work environment or whatever. and to for someone to receive comp time,

you know, uh, working long hours, it's not it's not really it's not really worth it to be honest with you. But anyway, I didn't really want to go on that tangent, but since we talked about budget, I just felt like that it was appropriate just, you know, let's go ahead and get it out in the air and let's just move forward with it. That's what I'm saying.

Mr. Sheriff, let's take it step by step. I uh I'm not aware of any budget cuts. So, for a budget to be cut, it has to come through this board. And so I'm not aware of of of what has taken place. Um I know that we as a board have been looking around at different departments uh as we anticipate some some cuts to some very important programs uh and and I apologize if there's been some communications that may not be on behalf of the this board, the full board. Uh but I want to go ahead and if the board is in support uh make a motion uh that we exempt the sheriff's office from any cuts any budget cuts in this budget year. We just approved our budget uh before June 30th a couple months ago. And so it's not necessary to go back to the sheriff's office and bring out any cuts when the sheriff who has has been elected to serve the people and protect the people of this county is saying that the money isn't there to cut. So, uh, my motion is to exempt the sheriff's office from any potential budget cuts moving forward.

Okay. Second, Mr. Chair. Yes, sir. Let Let me ask a question right quick.

So, so that we're clear about what we've got here. So, what we have what we asked the manager to do, we told the manager to go back and what would it look like with every department if 10% was cut out of every department. That's what she was instructed to do by the commissioners. Okay. So what we got was that report back from her. Okay. She can't change the budget. All she can do back do is come back with what we asked her to do. The the bug stops here with these five is where it stops at. And you know, so what we what we need to understand is is that if we communicate through the manager and and and talk about these things, we'll we'll understand what we're trying to do. And I there's several on here that I would not uh vote to take 10% from them because of what they're doing to be honest with you, Sher. And you're on that list. I mean, you're on that list, but there's others on here that I would that's the reason it's FYI and it's not anything that we're going to vote on tonight. I don't have any objection to Mr. Thomas's motion, but I just want to clear the error that this was sent. This was given to us by our manager because she done exactly what we told her to do. She gets beat up sometimes because she's doing what we tell her to do and then she gets run over by the bus and we're standing over on the sidelines. But this this this document is what we asked her to do because of what we thought some of the federal cuts were going to be. Since then, some things have changed. There's some good news that the Senate marked up their bill on budget and they marked up and they put Light Heat, the big energy program, $4.2 billion back in their budget. The House is coming back into

session the 1 of September. and we've got all ideas that the house is going to mark up and put that item back in the budget. And if that happens, then that's going to help us with our DSS department on the big need that they would void they would have down there. So, a lot of things it's like a moving target with this budget because until you get the federal budget, you just really don't know everything that's going to be there. So what this was, this was planning ahead of time to have some recommendations, you know, and I know I'm going on a tangent, too, and I need to go, but anyway, you know, we want everybody to know that every department know that we have not approved this. This is just a report that the manager has brought back to us and that's been given to us and that we'll have to sit down and go through each department with. And you're right, you know, there there's there's two places in this county that I know are very important to me. And for the last 20ome years, I've tried to support it as heavy as I can. And one has been our education department and one's been our sheriff because I know you protect us. You you your deputies do a great job. You do a great job at what you're doing. If I didn't think you was going to do a great job, then all that I heard about you, I wouldn't have voted for you to be a sheriff to start with. So, I want you to know I got confidence in you. Even though we we ain't going to agree on everything now, right?

Me and this man has been on the board together for over 20 years and we don't agree on stuff. We just disagreed tonight. But the point I'm trying to make is I'm wanting folks to know our manager is not she's not recommending this. She's saying this is what you asked for from me and that's what she gave us. So she gave us this document but we're the only ones we approved this budget just a month or so ago. We're only the ones that contains a know so you know I don't know what is being put out there to you but understand we're I'm in support of you. I'm just saying this, you know, just, you know, prior to the budget, we were all working together. Yeah.

Because of the terrorists, the anticipated terrorists and the economy. Exactly. You know, we our budget team worked really hard to keep everything pretty much where our numbers were before. And so to come back and have to reduce um even by $40,000 is still a blow because we're still operating under a a a previous budget. But we're we were able to finagle that because again, you guys have given me the things and I and I'll say it till I'm blue in the face that I've been asking for that we need to get us in a position to where we're comfortable and we can function. But because of just everything that's going on, the demand and personnel, you know, having having to trade two cars to get personnel, I have a problem with that because you guys have given me a decent amount of cars to get situated, but I need I need personnel. I know you said that you guys wasn't giving personnel this year. Totally understand that. Me and the manager worked together. I said, "Well, how can I how can I fix that, you know? Well, can I trade two or three cars to get two people?" And we worked and we got it done. We're still in a decent situation with our cars, you know. But when it comes to like the overtime and, you know, having to cut our budget in other areas, especially jail, that that they didn't set too well with me. And the only thing I can do is just have a discussion like I'm doing now and ask and you say yay and nay. But again, the message the email that I received on Friday plainly stated that our budget has been reduced. That's what the email said 100%.

If I if I don't if I'm not telling the truth, somebody please speak up. That's what the email said. Did my Did my motion have a second? I want to discuss it, but we haven't made the discussion yet. Mr. Chair, I'll I'll I'll second your motion lonely. Yeah, I I'll I'll set your motion lonely, but I think Miss in discussion. In fact, Miss Hard is right. We uh That's okay. We a lot goes out and the manager do what we ask her to do, right? I respect that. She bring it back to us and we all look at it and we don't want to throw her under for it. We look back to her. It goes through this system and you know how it works,

right? We look at it and then we Tony said earlier the field don't look like they're going to cut as much as we did thought right and there's some very important all department important to us that we definitely don't want to have any impact of cutting on right um because you mess with my seniors you got a good fight right you mess with my children you got a pretty good fight and you mess with the sheriff department and others you got a pretty good fight all our departments are important to us we're not just nameing a few right right all of them is important to her. So certainly you asked the question we saying tonight that we this was a FYI and this is a recommendation that we asked her to get and she did and that none of this has been made law.

Okay.

And it's also a part of discussion. I just want to clarify, make sure you're on the same page. My comments are not uh in criticism of the manager. My comments to to be clear is that we do have a FYI with budget cuts. uh not budget cuts. Um areas that we believe that could be uh potentially allotted for budget cuts if we deem the need. But for for no reason should you have that at this point because we haven't cut it. We haven't cut anything. We we haven't talked about cutting anything. So a member of you having something that we've cut it when we didn't. That's what I take issue with. And so I just want to be on the same page and I'm not blaming the manager about anything because I know the manager didn't send it and and I I you know even our staff who sent it. I don't know why they sent it. I don't know. But I just want to be make sure we're on the same page that my issue is not the fact uh that the county manager did did what we asked because we had to make some difficult decisions. Every day we come to work, we make difficult decisions. It doesn't matter what we do. We get people who on both sides of the decision. Upset, happy. Upset, happy. We that comes with this job, you know, but but I think we can do a better job with communication, especially when it's to an elected official. We need to make sure that we're on the same page uh with something so sensitive. And so I think that's the least that we can do. Uh also moving forward, I think we need to be on the same page as a board moving forward. How are we going to because a lot of department heads have these potential budget cuts. When are we going to release them from it or make a decision to make a cut? because I I can't imagine what it's like for them to have this lingering for another week, would it be for another month, would it be for another two months? You know, we as a board at some point, this is not the proper venue at this time, but we need to make sure that we're on the same page about how long is reasonable as we make a decision if we need to re reallocate money in our budget.

Just could we be ready not next week week after Mr. Chairman, I would suggest to us that we at least wait somewhere to the middle of September. The reason that I'm going to ask for this is because the House

is coming back the 1st of September to do their markup. So, what they'll do, they'll come in, they'll take the president's budget, they'll go through it the and they'll make any changes to that that they want to make, any additions, any subtractions, or whatever they want to make. And then they'll go into conference with the Senate and they'll work those numbers out. And then after that, we'll know where the numbers are going to kind of fall at. and that'll give us a better uh view of what the federal funding's going to look like. So, I I say if we do a workshop uh you know somewhere around the middle of September or whatever

and you know and then we can move on with this process. But everybody, every department needs to know this is just an FYI is all it is. Yeah, I support that and and I've second his motion unless anybody else has got anything. Mr. Chairman, I'll call. You want to set?

Yeah. I just want to say uh I do think it is a communication issue because I was not aware of that either. And I just heard um Commissioner Hunt say there was some more on here that he definitely didn't want to cut those. So, a workshop is going to be much needed. Uh we know that safety is the top of the line. So, we got to make sure that we available. Uh you know what you need and you ask us for what you need. So I think we are in that position that we got to give you what you need. It's not always what you want but definitely what you need. So a workshop uh Commissioner Hunt I think will be feasible.

Tony the week of the 15th uh the week of the next of the of the uh 22nd able to check. Do you want to do this the first meeting? We can do we can do it first meeting in September. First meeting in September. We picked up we said first meeting September. Harry's not here because Okay. Um, M. There's a motion and second on the floor that we uh go ahead uh exempt the sheriff's office from exempt the sheriff's office from any cuts. Motion second. Anybody had a comment? All in favor with I. Those I have it. Okay. We good. We need to talk about your car now. Right. Um, so so so

Mr. Chairman, this the vehicle we're talking about, right? We've got all the paperwork worked out. Everything's fine. We've got the amount of money set up, but we know that we're gonna have to commit to it every year, right? And everything and no payment this budget year. So, and it starts next year. Yeah. And it starts next. So, we we've we've we've been with this quite some time. And Sheriff I can see even though I've been against it at the beginning, you've been persistent and you ain't let me off the hook. So, I tell you what I'm going to do. I'm I'm going to go ahead and I'm going to make that motion. go ahead and get your armored vehicle. I'm going to make donation tonight to to get your armored vehicle. And uh

Wow. And I and I I think I think um you know, you're you have been persistent that it will help protect our people that have put their lives on the line every day. And you know, the more I think about that, you know, I want to I want to be mindful of that that I go to work in the morning. The only danger I have is riding to work. Y'all have danger the whole time you're at work. And I understand that. So, I'll make that motion, Mr. Chairman. A second. I'll second it. I have discussion. But before we do second, uh, we got a second. Having discussion?

Yes. Uh, so so Sheriff, you definitely were persistent about this one. Uh and and I know this has come up in years past. Uh thank you for bringing creative ways to get it done. You know, um I see other sheriffs and county commissioners are not able to work together like we do. You know, you said, you know, we have enough cars. You took some of us out there to see the cars that you have uh and show that that the cars that we budgeted, you could do away with a car and a half in order to get this vehicle. Uh you are an elected official. you know, is under no circumstance do we tell you what to do under no circumstance. But when it comes to giving you money, if you have enough money in your budget to do something like what you're asking, I support that because I'm going be honest with you. You know, if if if there's somebody in a house barricaded, I'm not walking up to that house. I'm going to be I'm I'm being 100%. I don't care how much I make. I don't care if they have a hostage. I have a family. and and to think that you have people under your command who's willing to go into that house to try to protect someone else who's an innocent vehicle, innocent victim. If this uh armored vehicle would allow your officers to to be safer, to be able to when they kiss their loved ones have a have uh you know much more confidence that they have everything that they need in order to come back home. This is an easy vote for me because once again, you're not increasing your budget. You make the decisions for your department. It's all under your command to make sure they're safe and they have what they need. And so, uh I'm I'm proud to second I I wanted to make the motion, but uh Commissioner Hunt, you beat me to it. You beat me to it.

We're we're just trying to grow with the county. That's all. We just don't want to be behind. That's it. Well, Sheriff, I said yes from the first time, so um I have to say yes again. Yeah. Change of mind. So motion second that we approve the numbers that worked out with the with the attorney with the uh manager and finance department along with the attorney we sign the uh lease. Great to get it ready. Uh when lease get ready we was able to sign the lease as the manager and the finance department will got the numbers and you said uh we'll be good to go. We have a motion to second. I have time to consider. All in favor? I oppose. Clap your hand. [Applause] Let me do Let me do one thing. I want to do one one thing. Let me do one thing, folks. Where my Where my people at?

Where my people at? I got Show your people, Sher. My employees, stand up. If you work for the sheriff's office, are there anybody else out there? Okay. Thank them. Thank them. Thank these guys up here. Thank you. Hey Sheriff Sheriff, you know we need to send him too. We sh No sir. I ain't going. I'll sit outside. All right, Tony. Make good time. You going to make it out here by 8:30? Chairman to go ahead.

What's this close session? We got close session. If it if it is much about one economic we don't economic. Yeah. All righty. U board. Um the only thing I have for the board tonight is I put together um customer service training for the county. Okay. Um, and they'll be holding customer service training at the Robert Wright building. This is for all employees. Um, and it's going to be tomorrow. Oh, tomorrow. And then it will be next Monday and Tuesday. What's the time tomorrow? Um, tomorrow is 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. And that's the first session. And then it'll be 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. tomorrow.

Yes. And all employees will will be required to go to that. Um and um that will be tomorrow and then it will be next Monday and Tuesday and then they will also be holding the class September 9th. We've been doing three or four days because you can't get them all in. Can't get them all in. But I I set it up so it would be sessions so that we will shut down the county to do it. I wouldn't have to shut down the county and departments won't have to close but people can pick the sessions to go to. Okay. And that's good because you can never get enough of that. No. And I just I just want to you know reput people into customer service and and trying to make sure that people start serving our citizens and we go back to basics of doing that for the employees of Hope County

because our citizens are those are those our customers they pay the bills. Yes. And we treat we're nice. Okay. Thank you. That's it. That's it for me. I have nothing. We have a close session on Grady. Yes. What says on grading? It's on our economic development. Aaron, give me that motion. I move we go into close session pursuant to uh general statute 15 143 311 143 311 uh in dealing with economic development. All right, motion second. Second old session folks. Have a good one.

the road. You might want to send someone out. You want to go over the bridge? Yes. I've been saying it. Yeah. Where's it at? Go over the bridge. The bridge at McDonald's. If it comes from McDonald's, come back down this way. If at McDonald's, come back over the bridge. Is there anything like like as far as mutual aid we can do to help? Because if it tear the road up, then there be I tell you what happened. Someone tore down that house and I think they tore up some lines. Lines. That's what happened. They need to go back and find out who tore the house down for. But we need to find out right now. How can we stop that? What a leak. Yeah, it's a bad one. It's been there for two weeks. Been there two weeks. Two weeks.

We don't have mutual aid and we go do it, then we are responsible for whatever happens out there. And I don't think y'all want to do that. I mean, y'all may want to do it, but y'all be But whoever tore down that house for for the people, that's Minister Commissioner. They tore down that house and they had to tear up some water lines. They need to go back on that country. Cross some rockfish. Which house? House there. Yeah, the house across the rockfish across the field. Rock fish, right? Somebody tore the house down with a big bord. That's where the water that's where the water that's where they start where the water come from. That lot. But a lot of it. It is. Did we get anywhere with the loan? They h Well,

I mean this is I haven't seen the water, but the way they describe it, this could be the bridge. This could be a this could cause a million dollar uh issue with the road. Is the water running across the road? Yeah. We got to figure They need help cuz they they got even a little punch in some of them houses. We got to figure something out. I don't know how bad it is over there. I know it's a problem, but they come they become looked at it. It looked I mean it's running across the road. So you called I mean I I want this is what I would recommend to the board. You guys can send somebody there but if send people there then you guys responsible for it and I need y'all to understand that. Can't they sign some type of uh release?

Yeah. You talking with us? I'm I'm sure the lawyer can get some type of release. What are you talking about doing? So So she the manager's concern is liability for the work. Yeah. Can't Can't they sign some type of release releasing us from that liability? So, because they need help folks to do the work. Uhhuh. Look at it.

Look at it, Brady. Because I mean, they couldn't come after your insurance and come after our insurance and everything else if y'all do that. So y'all, we I I'm putting it that and I'm saying this to the board right now that if y'all send our employees there to do that with our equipment and our work, then you are putting us on the line for anything that goes wrong with it. And I'm putting that out there and I'm putting that to the lawyer to make sure that if y'all go out there and do that work, you're putting us on the line for that. And then anything that goes wrong from then on out, they're going to say that it's us that did it. I just think we need to be very careful about what we do.

Well, of course, I don't want that. So, I want the attorney to see if if he can have a release because they're desperate. They they will sign it. Oh, yeah. They they'll sign it. You know, if if there's a legal release that can prevent what the county manager is concerned with, which is a valid concern. And it may not be that bad. All I know to that house when it started, right? It may not be that bad. I maybe the busted meat over there. I don't know. You don't go on people's property, digging, without permission. Oh, absolutely not. I won't go there and look, but you can't go on folks property without permission. All right. Can I have a motion to adjourn? Oh, I ain't ready to go.

You ready to go? But you stay here then. I move. Is that second? All I have