Remarks by Jacqueline Ott
223 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 4 of 9
- Play at 3:48:37
“I don't know anything about his hours. I can't say that. He gave me a little blip to talk about if the court wanted detail and also asked that he could come address the court if it became an issue.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:48:53
“Okay. Well, then let me give the court... Oh, excuse me, Judge.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 3:49:40
“He is walking over currently. I can give you what I know for now. He says this is judicial training. This is part of what he needs to be on the teaching faculty for the National Judicial College. There are less than five judges in Texas that are on this faculty. He has received a full scholarship for this conference for tuition and fees. He would be asking for reimbursement for food and travel. and has attached the agenda and scholarship letter to the item and is on the way. So that's what I have at this time.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:00:14
“I want to tell the court just a little bit. With my experience as a lawyer, there are certain trainings and certain things that you can't get into until you have some sort of qualification that's certainly more applicable for judges. I do think the more qualified that we can have our attorneys and judges be, the better. This is something I would support if any of our attorneys attorneys wanted to do it or if any of our judges wanted to do it, if they could get into it. I also think that accolades received by our leaders are a positive thing for the county. I think it makes the county more…”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:01:52
“Motion to approve item E on the consent list.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:08:29
“No, no, no. I mean planned, like, construction-wise. Because to me, change order indicates unplanned.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:08:43
“So, you know, like, when we had that soil testing issue and we had to retest and there was a change order with that, too. Now, these were the people that ultimately were doing that testing, right? Correct. Except for that the change order came through someone else's name?”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:08:56
“There was somebody else's name on that change order, though. It was probably about five months ago.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:09:22
“This is kind of the fear and the concern that we had going into this is that, you know, we have this deadline, and then the change orders started coming in. I didn't really think that the first version of the dirt testing was... I didn't really agree with it. I didn't like it. I think it was a foreseeable thing that they should have not had to come back and ask for more money for it. But are we in a situation where we're on such a tight deadline with this funding that we really just have to move forward? I mean, how many more of these are they able to do?”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:10:28
“If this is something that we have to do to move forward with this thing or we're going to ultimately lose money because of the federal funding involved, then I guess we have to do it.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:31:44
“Yeah, I have a question. Yes, ma'am. For some of the things that Commissioner Wolverton is talking about, could they be used in lieu of some of these furnitures or fixtures?”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:51:17
“Two things really quick. One, Judge Terry wanted the audience in the court to know that he was unable to be here due to a doctor appointment. Two, please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Constable Springer indicated to this committee he did not want an additional raise, and they did not give him anything additional.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:51:51
“No, I'm talking about this grievance committee finding.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:52:02
“Right. They voted to not make a change. They did.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:54:09
“After a conversation both with Judge Terry and Constable Springer after the grievance committee meetings, they both did indicate to me that it was not It was more of the process that they disagreed with and not that either one of them wanted more money for themselves. They both wanted me to indicate to the court that they do not need this court to vote either one of them in for more money, but that they did not like that the elected officials overall did not want the, excuse me, did not receive the COLA same as everyone else. So I think that it is both of their desires as indicated to me…”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:55:20
“Well, I don't think I understand the question.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:55:47
“No, no. It's my understanding that we can't make any adjustments to any elected officials outside of those that file these grievances.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:57:55
“My understanding of the statute reading is that it applies to the office and not the person. So I think that the budget line would remain consistent regardless of who the person is in the chair.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:58:53
“We can put it back any year to anything. This is just for the remainder.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:59:03
“I'm inclined to not support any of these. I think that it would be, let me say it this way, the intent of the Commissioner's Court in making the decision to not give the elected officials the extra COLA was so that we could have more to either make the tax rate better for the public or to support the employees. And I think in that spirit, I will continue with that. I think it helps that at least two of the three have said that they do not want the raise, that they just disagree with the process. I hear them. I hear what they've said. I understand that they, you know, made a stand for…”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 4:59:49
“I appreciate the Grievance Committee for being present. However, I think that this is a very complicated budget year, and we were really unable within one session or even one day to explain to them the complexities of what we are having to go through for this. So I'm inclined not to support any of it, although I really appreciate them. But we didn't have enough show up to make it mandatory on the court. My thought is that we don't approve these.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 5:01:08
“OK, I'm going to move to deny the outcome of the Salary Agreements Committee public hearing and the recommendation of the Commissioner's Court regarding fiscal year 2027 salary and personal expenses for the following elected county and precinct officers. One, John Terry, Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3. Two, Teresa Keel, County Clerk. And three, James Springer, Constable, Precinct 1. Second.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 5:02:25
“Okay. Move to approve action item N, setting the salaries, expenses, and allowances of the elected county and precinct officers for the fiscal year 2026-2027 budget. Second.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 5:21:01
“What if we did 1,000 each for longevity?”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026
- Play at 5:21:10
“Right. Is that palatable? And then we have 700 for other things?”
Commissioners Court · Sep 1, 2026