[00:00:03]
          SORRY, CHAIRMAN. 
          [CALL TO ORDER]
ALL RIGHT, GOOD MORNING. IT IS JUNE 9TH AND TIME IS A.M. ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT AND, WE'RE GOING TO START BUDGET HEARINGS. 
          WELCOME. 
          NO, MAYBE THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD. NO SALUTING THE FLAG, STEPH. 
          OKAY, SEAN O'HARA ASKED IF HE COULD SING THE NATIONAL BECAUSE WE'RE CONTINUING FROM YESTERDAY. 
          ALL RIGHT, GOOD MORNING, CHAIR KELSER, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          ERIN BERTANE, DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER. I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET FOR THE 26-27 FISCAL YEAR. I'D LIKE TO START BY THANKING THE DEPARTMENTS AND STAFF IN THE CAO'S OFFICE AND THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK DURING THIS BUDGET PROCESS. 
          THE BUDGET PRESENTED TO YOU IS A GROUP PROJECT THAT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT THE ENTIRE TEAM. 
          TODAY'S PRESENTATION WILL INCLUDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET PROCESS AS WELL AS THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET AND SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT IS PROPOSED FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE GIVING PRESENTATIONS ON THEIR DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR AND GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. 
          THIS FORMAT INCLUDES SPECIFIC BLOCKS OF TIME WHERE EACH DEPARTMENT WILL PRESENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 3 DAYS. THE SCHEDULE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE AGENDA TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO DETERMINE WHICH PART OF THIS PROCESS THEY WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND. THE BUDGET HEARINGS WILL OPEN ON DAY 3 AFTER ALL DEPARTMENTS HAVE PRESENTED, AND PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE HEARD AT THAT TIME. THIS YEAR, TWO DEPARTMENTS HAVE APPEALED THEIR BUDGET. THE COUNTY CLERK, ROV, IS APPEALING HIS BUDGET FOR ELECTIONS, AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IS APPEALING HIS BUDGETS FOR BUILDING AND PLANNING. THE APPEALS FOR BOTH DEPARTMENTS WILL BE PRESENTED AS PART OF THEIR SCHEDULED PRESENTATIONS. 
          THIS SLIDE INCLUDES A FEW OF THE MAJOR TIMELINES ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS, WHICH TAKES NEARLY HALF THE YEAR. 
          THE FISCAL YEAR '26-'27 BUDGET PREPARATION PROCESS STARTS FOR CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS WHO PROVIDE RATES AS WELL AS THE CAO'S OFFICE AND THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE WELL BEFORE BUDGET KICKOFF. 
          BUDGET KICKOFF REPRESENTS THE OFFICIAL START OF THE BUDGET FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS AND IS HELD IN FEBRUARY, AFTER WHICH, THEY PREPARE THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO SUBMIT BY THE DUE DATE IN MARCH. THE CAO'S OFFICE SPENDS THE MONTH OF APRIL REVIEWING THE BUDGETS, MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS, AND FACILITATING THE APPEALS PROCESS AS NEEDED. THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE WORKS TO COMPILE THE SUMMARY SCHEDULES, AND STAFF IN THE CAO'S OFFICE WORK TO EDIT NARRATIVES AND CREATE THE BUDGET BOOK WITH THE FINAL BUDGET BOOK BEING POSTED ONLINE AND HARD COPIES HAVING BEEN PROVIDED TO THE BOARD MEMBERS ON MAY 15TH. TODAY'S BUDGET HEARINGS ARE THE CULMINATION OF THIS PROCESS AND INCLUDES PRESENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET TO THE BOARD AND A TIME FOR INPUT FROM THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC. 
          FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF THE BUDGET HEARINGS, THE FORMAL ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET IS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 23RD. TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR '26-'27 ARE AT JUST OVER $658 MILLION, WHICH REPRESENTS A DECREASE OF JUST OVER $27 MILLION, FROM THE 26 25-26 ADOPTED BUDGET. OF THIS REDUCTION, THE BUDGET'S CONSIDERED GENERAL FUND DECREASED BY $7.3 MILLION, OR JUST OVER 3%. OF THE TOTAL REQUESTED APPROPRIATIONS, THE MAJORITY ARE IN SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, WHICH INCLUDE CHILD SUPPORT, ROADS, SEVERAL OF THE HOUSING BUDGET UNITS, AND MOST OF THE BUDGET UNITS WITHIN THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY. INCLUDED HERE IS A COMPARISON BY DEPARTMENT FOR TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS BETWEEN THE FISCAL YEAR 25-26 ADOPTED BUDGET AND THE IN THE FISCAL YEAR '26-'27 RECOMMENDED BUDGET. BUDGETS ARE ASSIGNED TO DEPARTMENTS BASED ON THOSE THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPARING. NOT INCLUDED HERE ARE THE BUDGETS FOR GENERAL RESERVES AND THE ONES FOR THE MISCELLANEOUS CSAS AND PRDS. THIS CHART IS SORTED BY THE HIGHEST DIFFERENCE TO THE LOWEST DIFFERENCE, WITH THE CAO AND AG REPRESENTING THE TOP TWO INCREASES. IN BOTH CASES, THESE INCREASES ARE SPECIFIC TO CAPITAL PROJECTS, WHICH WILL BE ONLY ONE-TIME INCREASES. 
          ALTHOUGH HHSA RANKS THIRD, THEIR INCREASE IS LOW IN COMPARISON TO THEIR BUDGET AND REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF LESS THAN 1%. THE SUBSTANTIAL DECREASES TO THE SHERIFF AND PUBLIC WORKS ARE ATTRIBUTED TO REDUCED CAPITAL AND ROADS PROJECTS. OVERALL, DEPARTMENTS WORK VERY HARD TO PROVIDE BUDGETS THAT ARE NOT INCREASED FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, AND THEIR EFFORTS ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. AS I DISCUSSED DURING MY MID-YEAR REPORT, FISCAL YEAR 24-25 ENDED THE YEAR WELL OVER BUDGET AS A RESULT OF INCREASED PROPERTY TAX AND INTEREST EARNED. GENERAL REVENUE, REVENUE IN THE CURRENT YEAR IS PERFORMING WELL AND IS CURRENTLY BEING PROJECTED EVEN HIGHER THAN WAS PROJECTED AT MIDYEAR. INCREASED REVENUES ANTICIPATED FOR FISCAL YEAR '25-'26 INCLUDE INCREASED PROPERTY TAX AS WELL AS CONTINUED INCREASED INTEREST. 
          THE REVENUE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR '26-'27 IS A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE AS THE ECONOMY CONTINUES TO BE AN UNKNOWN AND CHANGES COMING FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL ARE PROVING CHALLENGING TO PREDICT. THE REVENUE WILL LIKELY COME IN BETTER THAN PROJECTED, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMAIN CAUTIOUS DURING THESE CHANGING AND UNPRECEDENTED TIMES. PROP 172 IS A 1/2 CENT SALES TAX THAT CAN ONLY FUND PUBLIC SAFETY. PUBLIC SAFETY 
          [00:05:01]
REVENUE IS PERFORMING SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN BUDGETED. 
          OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THIS FUNDING STREAM HAS FLUCTUATED SIGNIFICANTLY. 
          REVENUE IS COLLECTED AT A STATE LEVEL AND DISTRIBUTED TO COUNTIES BASED ON THEIR TOTAL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALES TAX COLLECTED. 
          DURING THE PANDEMIC, SHASTA COUNTY'S PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL STATEWIDE SALES TAX COLLECTED INCREASED, WHICH INCREASED OUR CALCULATED PERCENTAGE FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISTRIBUTING PROP 172 REVENUE. AS THE STATE BEGAN TO OPEN UP AFTER THE PANDEMIC, OUR PERCENTAGE DECREASED. 
          ADDITIONALLY, THE OVERALL COLLECTIONS OF SALES TAX WERE INCREASED AS A RESULT OF INFLATION, BUT THIS INCREASE HAS ALSO BEGUN TO SUBSIDE. IN ORDER TO BETTER ALIGN BUDGETS WITH THE INCREASED REVENUE, DEPARTMENTS RECEIVING PROP 172 FUNDS WERE DIRECTED TO ADJUST THEIR PROJECTED REVENUE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. 
          THE DIRECTION FOR FISCAL YEAR '26-'27 WAS TO HOLD THE BUDGET FLAT TO ENSURE CONSERVATIVE BUDGET AND ALLOW FOR FLUCTUATIONS IN THE ECONOMY. GENERAL REVENUES ARE TRULY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS AVAILABLE TO THE COUNTY. AS YOU CAN SEE, PUBLIC SAFETY RECEIVES WELL OVER HALF OF ALL THE DISCRETIONARY REVENUE AVAILABLE TO THE COUNTY. THIS NUMBER WOULD BE EVEN HIGHER IF FIRE WERE TO BE INCLUDED WITHIN PUBLIC SAFETY. FIRE IS SEPARATED OUT ON THIS GRAPH TO ALLOW A MORE DIRECT COMPARISON TO GENERAL REVENUE GRAPHS PRESENTED IN PRIOR YEARS. THIS CHART SHOWS THE GENERAL FUND FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDE BUT IN A DIFFERENT MANNER AND COMPARES THE USE OF GENERAL-PURPOSE FUNDS AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR EACH AREA. SHOULD BE NOTED THAT NOT ALL BUDGET UNITS IN THE COUNTY BUDGET ARE REPRESENTED IN THIS CHART. THE BUDGETS INCLUDE ONLY THOSE THAT ACTUALLY RECEIVE GENERAL FUND. 
          A COUPLE OF THINGS TO NOTE IN THIS SLIDE: PUBLIC SAFETY HAS BEEN BROKEN OUT BY DEPARTMENT, WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAVING THE LARGEST PERCENT OF THEIR BUDGET COVERED BY THE GENERAL FUND. ALTHOUGH THE PERCENTAGE OF THEIR BUDGET IS HIGHER THAN THE SHERIFF, THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF FUNDS THEY RECEIVE IS LOWER, WITH THE SHERIFF RECEIVING $46.4 MILLION AND THE DA $11.3 MILLION. GENERAL GOVERNMENT INCLUDES SERVICES REQUIRED TO KEEP THE COUNTY RUNNING, LIKE THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, SUPPORT SERVICES, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE, AND CLERK OF THE BOARD. IT ALSO INCLUDES DEPARTMENTS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC, LIKE THE ASSESSOR-RECORDER'S OFFICE, VETERAN SERVICES, COUNTY CLERK, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE MISCELLANEOUS SMALLER BUDGET UNITS WHERE THE COUNTY DOESN'T DIRECTLY PROVIDE SERVICES, BUT THEY DO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR CERTAIN SERVICES LIKE THE LIBRARY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. ALTHOUGH HHSA HAS BY FAR THE LARGEST OVERALL BUDGET, THE GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTES IN A VERY MINIMAL WAY. THE GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTION REPRESENTS JUST OVER 2.5% OF THEIR BUDGET. IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THIS PERCENTAGE IS BASED JUST ON THEIR BUDGET UNITS THAT RECEIVE GENERAL FUND. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE OTHER BUDGET UNITS THAT ARE SUPPORTED ENTIRELY BY REVENUE OUTSIDE THE GENERAL FUND. IF THOSE BUDGET, UNITS WERE INCLUDED, THEIR PERCENTAGE WOULD BE 2.36%. 
          WHEN FUNDING IS RESTRICTED FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE, WHICH CAN HAPPEN BECAUSE OF LAW, ACTION BY THE BOARD, OR REQUIREMENTS BY THE AGENCY FUNDING A PROJECT OR FUNCTION, THEY ARE SET ASIDE IN RESTRICTED FUND BALANCES. 
          INCLUDED ON THIS SLIDE ARE A FEW OF THESE FUNDS THAT I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT. ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL FUNDS CAN BE FOUND ON SCHEDULE 4 IN THE BUDGET BOOK ALONG WITH OTHER TYPES OF FUNDS. 
          JUST UNDER $21.2 MILLION WILL REMAIN IN THE COMMITTED FUNDS THAT WERE INITIALLY SET ASIDE FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING A NEW JAIL. THE BOARD HAS DISCRETION OVER SPENDING THESE FUNDS AS THEY SEE FIT AND HAVE APPROVED FUNDING SEVERAL CAPITAL PROJECTS WITH THESE FUNDS, INCLUDING THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THE CORRECTION AND REHABILITATION CAMPUS. GENERAL RESERVES ARE PROJECTED TO BE AT JUST OVER $32.8 MILLION BY THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 26-27. THE COUNTY HAS ADOPTED A POLICY THAT INCLUDES A TARGET OF 17 TO 25% OF PROJECTED GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. THIS IS NOT A LEGAL REQUIREMENT, BUT IT IS THE, THE DIRECTION THE COUNTY HAS CHOSEN TO PURSUE. BASED ON THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET, THE RESERVES WILL BE AT 14.8% OF GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. 
          HISTORICALLY, A FUND WAS SET UP ACCORDING TO CODE TO ALLOW CASH FLOW FOR CSAS WHEN COMPLETING PROJECTS. THAT CODE HAS SINCE BEEN REMOVED, AND WE NOW FUND THESE CASH FLOW ISSUES BY ALLOWING THE CSAS TO DIP INTO NEGATIVE CASH WHILE AWAITING REIMBURSEMENT. WE ARE RECOMMENDING THESE COMMITTED FUNDS ROLL INTO THE GENERAL RESERVES RATHER THAN BE COMMITTED SEPARATELY. WE CONTINUE TO SPEND DOWN THE REMAINING IMPACT FEE RESTRICTED FUNDS. AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 26-27, JUST OVER $1.5 MILLION IS PROJECTED TO REMAIN. NEARLY ALL OF THIS BALANCE IS IN THE FUND THAT MUST BE USED FOR TRAFFIC IMPACTS. THE DEPARTMENT HAS IDENTIFIED A PROJECT THAT CAN BE USED THAT CAN USE THESE FUNDS AND IS WORKING ON SPENDING THESE DOWN AS WELL. I'VE INCLUDED HERE THE 4 MAIN FUND BALANCES FOR HHSA TO NOTE THE SUBSTANTIAL ANTICIPATED DECREASE IN THE MENTAL HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND SOCIAL SERVICES FUNDS. 
          ALTHOUGH THE DRAW ON EACH OF THESE FUNDS IS SIZABLE, I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THE SOCIAL SERVICES FUND IS ACTUALLY PROJECTED TO BE HIGHER THAN IT WAS IN LAST YEAR'S ADOPTED BUDGET, AND THE WORK TO IMPROVE THE STATUS OF THIS FUND IS INCREMENTAL, BUT THE CHANGE IS, IS EVIDENCE OF THE HARD WORK BEING DONE BY THIS DEPARTMENT. WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO SPEND THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT DOLLARS. THE AMOUNT SHOWN HERE ARE SUBSTANTIALLY, SUBSTANTIALLY 
          [00:10:02]
LESS THAN WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED. OPIOID SETTLEMENT DOLLARS ARE RECEIVED IN TWO CATEGORIES: ABATEMENT AND SUBDIVISION. THE ABATEMENT REVENUE, WHICH REPRESENTS THE MAJORITY OF THE REVENUE RECEIVED, IS REQUIRED TO BE HELD IN AN UNEARNED REVENUE ACCOUNT AND IS NOT RECOGNIZED UNTIL ACTUALLY SPENT. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE UNEARNED REVENUE ACCOUNT WILL HAVE ABOUT $2.7 MILLION BY THE END OF 26-27. 2027, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 7.3. INCLUDED ON THIS SLIDE IS THE BALANCE OF THE UNRESTRICTED GENERAL-PURPOSE DOLLARS IN GENERAL FUND AS OF THE END OF 26-27. THIS BALANCE, WHICH IS JUST UNDER $1.8 MILLION, REPRESENTS WHAT WOULD BE LEFT IN THE TRULY DISCRETIONARY GENERAL FUND SHOULD WE REALIZE THE PROJECTED FUND BALANCE DRAW FOR FISCAL YEAR 25-26, AS WELL AS THE RECOMMENDED FUND BALANCE DRAW FOR 26-27. THE COUNTY HAS ALWAYS REALIZED SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS YEAR TO YEAR AND COUNTS ON THIS SAVINGS IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO RUN SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND. THIS TREND IS SOMETHING WE WILL WATCH CLOSELY TO ENSURE WE ARE ABLE TO AFFORD OPERATING AT CURRENT LEVELS. SHOULD WE START SEEING A DIFFERENT TREND IN SPENDING, THE BOARD WILL NEED TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT CHANGES TO FUTURE SPENDING AND BUDGETS. 
          THIS SLIDE LISTS ALL OF THE ITEMS IN THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET TO BE FUNDED USING OPIOID FUNDS. THE TOP SECTION NOTES ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN A PORT APPROVED BY THE BOARD. NEW ITEMS INCLUDED IN THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET ARE IN THE JAIL BUDGET FOR MEDICALLY ASSISTED TREATMENT IN THE JAIL, THE PROBATION BUDGET FOR YOUTH AND ADULT TREATMENT, AND IN THE VICTIM WITNESS BUDGET FOR A VICTIM ADVOCATE. 
          ADVOCATE. 
          ALL THESE ITEMS OFFSET EXISTING APPROPRIATIONS AND WILL SAVE GENERAL FUND AND OTHER LESS RESTRICTIVE FUNDS. INCLUDED HERE IS A COMPARISON OF POSITIONS AS ADOPTED DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR PRIOR YEARS AND AS RECOMMENDED FOR FISCAL YEAR 26-27. I DO WANT TO NOTE THE GRAPH DOES NOT INCLUDE POSITION CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT ARE APPROVED BY THE BOARD. SO CURRENT IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, 02,085 POSITIONS WERE INCLUDED IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, BUT AS OF MAY 14TH, 2,083 POSITIONS WERE APPROVED BY THE BOARD. 
          ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE 02,083 POSITIONS APPROVED BY THE BOARD AND THAT 327, OR 15.7%, WERE VACANT AS OF MAY 30TH. LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, THE VACANCY RATE WAS LOWER, AS WAS THE NUMBER OF VACANT POSITIONS. TOTAL POSITIONS INCLUDED IN THE, INCLUDED IN THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET FOR 26-27 ARE 2,046, WHICH IS A DECREASE OF 39 POSITIONS FROM THE 25-26 ADOPTED BUDGET. 
          IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, DEPARTMENTS HAVE WORKED TO DETERMINE THE POSITIONS THEY ACTUALLY NEED AND HAVE BEGUN DELETING UNNEEDED POSITIONS. 
          AS OUR BUDGETS CONTINUE TO GET LEANER, OUR OFFICE WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY EFFICIENCIES AND REDUCE THE TOTAL WORKFORCE. 
          COURSE. 
          INCLUDED HERE IS A LIST OF CAPITAL PROJECTS IN THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET. 
          NEARLY ALL THESE PROJECTS ARE ONGOING FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. 
          DEPARTMENTS 1 AND 2 ARE BEING REMODELED TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR PROGRAMMING, TRANSPORTATION, AND VIDEO ARRAIGNMENT. THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED USING ACCUMULATED CAPITAL OUTLAY ALONG WITH SOME REMAINING ARPA FUNDS. A PROJECT TO EXPAND THE LOCKHEED CAMPUS TO INCLUDE STORAGE FOR EQUIPMENT THAT IS BEING STORED IN OUR RENTED STORAGE SPACE THIS PROJECT WILL SAVE THE COUNTY MONEY IN THE LONG RUN AS WE WILL NO LONGER BE PAYING FOR LEASE SPACE. AS WE KNOW, THE OLD COURTHOUSE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING DEMOLISHED. THIS PROCESS PROJECT INCLUDES THE DEMOLITION, RELOCATION OF OUR IT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND A POTENTIAL PARKING LOT. 
          INITIAL WORK ON THE CORRECTION AND REHABILITATION CAMPUS IS ALSO ANTICIPATED IN THIS UPCOMING YEAR. 
          OF THESE MAJOR PROJECTS, 3 OF THE PROJECTS WILL USE $9.3 MILLION OF THE FUNDS SET ASIDE FOR THE JAIL. AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO TURN THE PRESENTATION OVER TO THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER WHO IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT UNFUNDED LIABILITIES. 
          GOOD MORNING, CHAIR KELSTROM AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          NOLDE SHORT, AUDITOR CONTROLLER. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES TALKING ABOUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE TOPICS, WHICH IS UNFUNDED LIABILITIES. 
          AND SO, I ALWAYS START WITH THE GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROCESS, SHOWING KIND OF WHAT'S AFFECTING OUR UNFUNDED LIABILITY AND WHAT'S KIND OF GOING INTO THE FUND, AND THEN WHAT KIND OF THINGS WOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF THE FUND. AND SO, YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS CHART THAT WE HAVE MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS THAT GO INTO IT. WE ALSO HAVE THE EMPLOYER, THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTIONS THAT GO IN. AND THEN DEPENDING ON THE YEAR AND HOW OUR INVESTMENTS COME OUT, SOMETIMES THEY SHOW AT THE TOP WHERE WE'RE ADDING TO THE PLAN BECAUSE WE HAD A GOOD RETURN, WHICH WAS THE CASE THIS LAST YEAR, AND THEN OTHER TIMES YOU WILL SEE THAT AT THE BOTTOM IF WE HAVE INVESTMENT LOSSES IN THOSE YEARS. THANKFULLY, THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE YEARS. THINGS LEAVING THE PLAN WOULD BE PAYMENTS THAT WE ACTUALLY MAKE TO RETIREES, SO BENEFIT PAYMENTS, AND THEN ALSO THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR THE PLAN. AND THEN WHAT YOU SEE IN THE MIDDLE IS THE ACTUARIAL ASSUMPTIONS, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE ON THE NEXT SLIDES. THOSE ALSO AFFECT OUR FUNDING LEVELS, AND THOSE ARE DETERMINED BY THE ACTUARIES. AND SO, THE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE HERE FOR THE GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION 
          [00:15:01]
ARE FOR PERS ON THE OUTER AREA, AND THEN IN THE CENTER WE LISTED WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY FUNDED FOR BOTH ITEMS. SO, SOME EXAMPLES OF ACTUARIAL ASSUMPTIONS THAT MAY CHANGE OUR FUNDING LEVEL WOULD BE ESTIMATED INFLATION, ESTIMATED GROWTH IN WORKFORCE. SO, THE ACTUARIAL MAKES A LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS WHEN THEY DETERMINE WHAT OUR FUTURE LIABILITY IS, AND IF ANYTHING DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PAN OUT THE WAY THAT THEY ESTIMATE, THAT CAN CHANGE OUR FUNDING LEVELS. AND SO, CHANGES TO ASSUMPTIONS IMPACT THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY. FOR EXAMPLE, IF PEOPLE LIVE LONGER, IF INTEREST RATES DON'T MATERIALIZE, OR HEALTHCARE COSTS INCREASE MORE OR LESS THAN ANTICIPATED. THESE THINGS ARE KIND OF REALLY OUT OF OUR CONTROL AT THIS POINT. 
          BUT THOSE THINGS ALL DO AFFECT THE RETURN. AND SOME YEARS IT CAN AFFECT IT SIGNIFICANTLY. 
          SO, FOR PENSION LIABILITY, SPECIFICALLY FOR PERS, SO THIS IS WHERE WE SIT CURRENTLY. 
          SO, WE DO HAVE A $1 BILLION LIABILITY. YOU WILL HEAR THAT FLOATING AROUND IN THE NEWS SOMETIMES. THAT IS A TRUE STATEMENT. HOWEVER, THE IMPORTANT PART IS THAT WE HAVE $791 MILLION IN ASSETS THAT ARE ALREADY SET ASIDE WITH PERS TO MEET THAT FUNDING. AND SO THAT LEAVES US WITH $322 MILLION IN UNFUNDED LIABILITY, WHICH RESULTS IN US BEING ABOUT 71.28% FUNDED FOR PENSION. AND WE DO HAVE A SECTION 115 TRUST NOW THAT THE BOARD APPROVED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. WE HAD A TRUST THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR OPEB AND WE DEVELOPED A COMBINED TRUST SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN EXTRA PLACE TO PUT ASIDE EXTRA MONEY FOR PENSION. AND SO, WE HAVE ABOUT $3 MILLION IN THERE NOW. AND SO, WE, BECAUSE THESE NUMBERS ARE KIND OF OLD, BY THE TIME WE GET HERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE USING THE LAST FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND THE LAST ACTUARIAL. KIND OF A YEAR AND A HALF TO 2 YEARS OLD AT THIS POINT. SO, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING THOSE INTO THE CALCULATION SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF HAVE A MORE UPDATED NUMBER. 
          ALTHOUGH I WOULD SAY THAT THE ACTUARIAL NUMBERS ARE NOT UPDATED, SO SOME OF THOSE MAY CHANGE IN THE FUTURE, BUT IT GIVES US A MORE AS CURRENT OF A NUMBER AS WE CAN HAVE TODAY. 
          SO, WE DID INCLUDE THAT IN THE FIGURES THAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY. AND ON AVERAGE, BECAUSE IT WAS ASKED LAST YEAR, COUNTIES ON AVERAGE ARE ABOUT 70 TO 80% FUNDED. SOME OF THE MORE WEALTHIER COUNTIES, IF THEY HAVE A STRONG COUNTY SYSTEM, ARE LIKE 85 TO 95. 
          MARIN COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS 94%. AND THEN YOU HAVE RIVERSIDE, WHICH WAS AT 75%, WHICH IS ON THE LOWER END. 
          SO, I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF ON THE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT THE LOWEST. THERE ARE SOME COUNTIES THAT ARE REALLY STRUGGLING, BUT WE'RE AT THE LOWER END OF THE AVERAGE, I WOULD SAY. 
          SO, THIS IS A 6-YEAR HISTORICAL CHART SHOWING OUR LIABILITY FOR THE LAST 6 YEARS. YOU CAN SEE OUR FUNDING LEVEL. WHERE IT IS. YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT AT SOME POINT, LIKE IN 2021, OUR LIABILITY INCREASED. YOU CAN SEE US TRYING TO I MEAN, WE MAKE GOOD EFFORTS TOWARDS IT, BUT AS, YOU KNOW, THINGS CHANGE, AS THE INVESTMENTS, WHICH I THINK HAS BEEN A BIG THING FOR US OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, 5 YEARS, IT'S GOING UP. AND THEN WHEN YOU SEE IT GO UP SIGNIFICANTLY, YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO KIND OF SEE IT NORMALIZE IN THE NEXT YEAR. WE'RE PRETTY STABLE AT THIS POINT. TRYING TO MAKE HEADWAY ON THOSE THINGS. THIS IS OUR ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS. SO, IN '26-'27, OUR ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS WILL BE $46 MILLION, WITH $14 MILLION BEING YOUR NORMAL COST, WHICH IS THE PORTION THAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR ONGOING RETIREE PAYMENTS, AND THEN $31 MILLION GOING TO TRY TO FUND THAT UNFUNDED LIABILITY. SO, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE LARGEST PORTION OF IT IS REALLY TRYING TO CHIP AWAY AT THAT UNFUNDED LIABILITY. 
          THOSE ARE NOT AMOUNTS THAT WE CAN CHOOSE. THOSE ARE SET BY PERS. WE GET THOSE WITH OUR ACTUARIAL. WELL, THEY ARE SET BY THE ACTUARIAL AND WE ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS. 
          AND THEN EMPLOYEES CONTRIBUTE $11 MILLION, SO THERE IS AN EMPLOYEE SHARE IN RETIREMENT. AND SO, YOU CAN SEE THE PERCENTAGE FOR EMPLOYEES VERSUS COUNTY IN MEETING THOSE RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS. THIS CHART IS JUST THE PERS FUNDING HISTORY, AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE ACCRUED LIABILITY AND KIND OF THE CHANGES TO THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S BROKEN OUT BETWEEN SAFETY AND MISCELLANEOUS, WHICH, BY THE WAY, I FAILED TO MENTION ON ONE OF MY OTHER SLIDES, SAFETY MAKES UP ABOUT 69% OF THE LIABILITY. OH, NO, SORRY, BACKWARDS. 
          MISCELLANEOUS MAKES UP 69% OF THE LIABILITY AND SAFETY MAKES UP 30% OF THE OVERALL LIABILITY. AND SO, WHAT YOU WILL NOTE IS THAT IT, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS WE ARE KIND OF CHIPPING AWAY AT THIS, THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY IS CONTINUING TO GROW EVERY YEAR AND THE ANNUAL COVERED PAYROLL IS CONTINUING TO GROW EVERY YEAR. SO, IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO KIND OF EAT AWAY AT THIS WITHOUT MAKING ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS. SO, WE ARE STAYING PRETTY STEADY, BUT THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS FOR. 
          [00:20:06]
THIS ONE IS HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS AS A PERCENT OF PAYROLL SO THAT YOU CAN SEE ANNUALLY WHAT OUR AMOUNTS ARE. 
          AND I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE THING TO NOTE, IF YOU SEE THE LINE THAT SAYS IT'S REALLY SMALL, I'M SORRY CONTRIBUTIONS AS A PERCENTAGE OF COVERED PAYROLL FOR MISCELLANEOUS AND THEN CONTRIBUTIONS AS A PERCENTAGE OF COVERED PAYROLL FOR SAFETY. SO, FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND, IT'S ANOTHER 64 0.97% JUST TO HAVE THOSE PEOPLE IN PERS. 
          AND SO, IT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO COVER RETIREE BENEFITS. AND OF THE 30.3% IN THE MISCELLANEOUS, EMPLOYEES PAY APPROXIMATELY 8 TO 9.5% OF THAT. AND OF THE 64.97% FOR SAFETY, EMPLOYEES PAY APPROXIMATELY 12.75 TO 15%. POINT 75% OF THAT. THESE ARE OUR PROJECTED ANNUAL OBLIGATIONS. 
          SO, IN PERS, THERE'S A PENSION OUTLOOK TOOL THAT YOU CAN USE. 
          OF COURSE, THESE ARE JUST ESTIMATES, AND IT ASSUMES THAT THIS LAST YEAR, IT'S ASSUMING THAT WE HAD AN 11.6% RETURN FOR '24-'25, WHICH WE DID, SO THAT'S AN ACTUAL NUMBER, AND THEN IT'S ASSUMING THAT WE MEET THE DISCOUNT RATE OF 6.5% 0.8% GOING FORWARD. 
          AND SO THAT MAY HAPPEN, MAY NOT HAPPEN. AND SO, WE'VE REALLY HAD A LOT OF FLUCTUATIONS IN THE LAST 5 YEARS. SO, THIS IS KIND OF WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT GOING. SO, YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE NEXT 2 YEARS PARTICULARLY, WE WILL BE GOING UP A LITTLE BIT. THESE ARE THE PERS PROJECTED CONTRIBUTIONS AS A PERCENT OF PAYROLL. AND YOU CAN SEE WE SPLIT IT OUT FOR BOTH MISCELLANEOUS AND SAFETY, SO YOU CAN SEE THOSE FOR EACH YEAR. SO, THEY'RE STAYING PRETTY STEADY. IN ABOUT 5 YEARS, IF NOTHING CHANGES, WE COULD SEE SOME OF THOSE DROP, BUT WE'LL SEE WHERE WE'RE AT WHENEVER WE GET THERE. SO NOW TALKING ABOUT OPEB. SO OPEB IS OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, WHICH IS JUST RETIREE HEALTHCARE. AND SO, WE ARE CURRENTLY, IF YOU JUST USE THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE FROM THE LAST ACTUARIAL, WE'RE 53% FUNDED. HOWEVER, WE PUT IN, YOU WILL SEE THE MIDYEAR ESTIMATE THERE, SO WE PUT IN WHAT OUR PLAN ASSETS ARE. 
          AGAIN, THE NUMBERS THAT WE ARE USING IN THE GRAPH ARE ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OLD, SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE EARNINGS AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THEN. SO, I WOULD SAY THAT WE ARE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 53% AND 71% FUNDED. SO PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT. BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD EARNINGS IN THIS PLAN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AND WE ARE NOT TAKING MONEY OUT OF THE PLAN. I'M CHECKING MY NOTES TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T MISS ANYTHING. SO, THIS IS A 6-YEAR HISTORY FOR OPEB. AND SO, YOU CAN SEE THAT IN 2022, WE DID HAVE A DIP. WE AND ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT ADDING NEW MEMBERS TO THIS PLAN BECAUSE WE NO LONGER PROVIDE RETIREE HEALTHCARE IN THE SAME WAY, NOW WE PROVIDE A 401 TO EMPLOYEES THAT WERE HIRED AFTER 2017. 2017 AND 2018, WE DO A MATCH CONTRIBUTION INTO A 401 THAT IS INTENDED TO BE USED FOR THEIR RETIREE HEALTHCARE. 
          OF COURSE, WHEN THEY GET THERE, THEY CAN USE IT FOR WHATEVER THEY WANT. SO, WE DON'T DIRECTLY PROVIDE RETIREE HEALTHCARE ANYMORE. SO, YOU SHOULD SEE THIS CONTINUING TO GO DOWN EVERY YEAR. WE HAD SOME INCREASES BECAUSE WE CHANGED THE FORMULAS FOR WHAT THE COUNTY WAS PROVIDING FOR HEALTHCARE VERSUS WHAT THE EMPLOYEES WERE PROVIDING FOR HEALTHCARE. SO,H WHEN WE TOOK ON THAT LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THAT, WE ALSO TOOK ON THAT LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THE LIABILITY, CREATING THAT INCREASE, AND THEN WE SHOULD SEE IT GOING BACK UP AGAIN. SO ANYWAYS, CURRENTLY BETWEEN 53% AND 71%. AND I THINK THE ONE GOAL THAT WE STILL HAVE IS RIGHT NOW SOME OF OUR CALCULATIONS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE COURTS AND THE COUNTY ARE STILL COMBINED IN PERS. SO THAT IS STILL ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO WORK WITH THE COURTS. IT IS VOLUNTARY, SO THEY DID WRITE IT INTO CODE THAT WE CAN SPLIT THE COURTS IN THE COUNTY IN PERS, AND THERE IS A FORMULA FOR PERS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, BUT IT IS VOLUNTARY FOR THE COURTS, SO WE HAVE TO GET THEM TO AGREE TO DO IT, AND THEN WHEN WE SPLIT IT OUT, OUR NUMBERS WILL BE A LOT MORE ACCURATE. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO DO LIKE A PERCENTAGE SPLIT TO TRY TO REMOVE THE EFFECTS OF THE COURTS IN ALL OF OUR ACTUARIAL DOCUMENTS. 
          ANY QUESTIONS ON THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY? SUPERVISOR LONG. 
          THANK YOU, NOLDA, FOR THE PRESENTATION. A COUPLE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PERS. 
          THE INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN IS HOLDING ABOUT 6.8% IS WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S THE DISCOUNT RATE THAT THEY'VE SET. 
          THE DISCOUNT RATE. AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS NEGOTIABLE OR WE 
          [00:25:02]
HAD ANY EFFECT ON IT. I THOUGHT THAT WAS SET BY PERS. BASED ON THEIR PROJECTIONS FOR FUTURE. SO IS THAT, IS THAT NEGOTIABLE? THAT'S CORRECT. SO IT IS NOT, IT'S NOT NEGOTIABLE. IT, IT DID DECREASE A FEW YEARS AGO. AND SO RIGHT NOW IT'S SET AT 6.8, BUT WHAT WE DO FIND IS THAT ALTHOUGH THAT'S USED IN, IN ESTIMATING OUR FUTURE LIABILITY, YOU KNOW, THEY, EVERY YEAR WE KIND OF HAVE LIKE A TRUE-UP, IF YOU WILL. 
          WHEN THEY DO THE NEXT ACTUARIAL, THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT DID WE ACTUALLY EARN, AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS OUR INVESTMENT RATE OF RETURN. AND SO YOU CAN SEE FOR OUR CALCULATIONS, IT WAS 11% LAST YEAR. SO WE USED THAT IN THE CALCULATION THAT WAS IN THE ACTUARIAL. 
          BUT GOING FORWARD, I WOULDN'T WANT TO PROJECT ANYTHING HIGHER THAN THAT. AND IN SOME YEARS IT'S LESS THAN THAT. IT'S CLOSER THAN WHAT IT USED TO BE WHEN IT WAS AT 7%. 
          IT FELT LIKE WE NEVER REACHED IT. AND SO WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF YEARS RECENTLY WHERE WE HAVE REACHED 6%. AND THEN WE'VE HAD AN 11, SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT AN AVERAGE, THEY ARE LOOKING AT THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THEN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY AT 71% OR FUNDED WE'RE FUNDED 71%, SO UNFUNDED 29%, I GUESS. HOW DOES THAT MATERIALLY AFFECT RATES GOING HOW DOES THAT MATERIALLY AFFECT OUR SOLVENCY IN OUR PERS PROGRAM FOR RETIREES? AND FER? WELL, I MEAN, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO HAVE EVERYBODY RETIRE ALL AT THE SAME TIME. I MEAN, SO I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD HAVE TO REALIZE THAT WHOLE UNFUNDED LIABILITY OF THE $1.1 BILLION, EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE TO RETIRE TODAY ALL AT THE SAME TIME. AND ALL THE MONEY WOULD HAVE TO BE DUE AND PAYABLE TODAY ALL AT THE SAME TIME. SO I DON'T FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT IN TIME AFFECTS OUR SOLVENCY. 
          WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM MAKING PAYMENTS TO RETIREES INTO THE FUTURE. 
          AND AS LONG AS WE KEEP CHIPPING AWAY AT THAT UNFUNDED LIABILITY, WE'LL HAVE CERTAINTY FOR FUTURE RETIREES THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT MONEY'S THERE AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN ISSUE. 
          THAT'S MY CONCERN, IS I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE EFFECT WOULD BE ON THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS WITH THE FUNDED LIABILITY VERSUS THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY. 
          BUT I IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE PAYMENTS TO ALL OF OUR RETIREES. AND I KNOW BACK IN THE DAY THERE WAS A SUPER-FUNDED STATUS AND WE WERE ACTUALLY OVER 100%, BUT THOSE DAYS ARE LONG GONE. 
          SO YEAH, AND I WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHART THAT HAS THE ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION, THE EMPLOYER NORMAL COST OF $14 MILLION, THAT IS WHAT WE'RE PAYING TO ACTUAL RETIREES WHO ARE RETIRED TODAY. AND SO THAT'S REALLY AND THEN WE'RE PAYING ANOTHER $31 MILLION TO CHIP AWAY AT THAT UNFUNDED LIABILITY. SO THE ANNUAL ONGOING COST IS ABOUT $15 MILLION RIGHT NOW FOR THAT PORTION OF IT. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THE LAST QUESTION I HAD WAS WHEN YOU MENTIONED OPEB, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A 401 PROGRAM, AND, I, I THOUGHT RETIREES HAD HEALTH CARE, BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE HEALTH CARE AND THAT IT'S GOING INTO A 401 TO HELP THEM SUBSIDIZE THEIR HEALTH CARE? RETIREES PRIOR TO 2017-2018 HAVE RETIREE HEALTHCARE IF THEY STAYED WITH IT AND DID NOT OPT OUT WHEN WE DID THE CONVERSION, AND THEY ARE REFLECTED IN YOUR OPEB LIABILITY NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE HERE. THAT'S PRIMARILY WHAT THAT'S FOR, IS ALL THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT HAD RETIREE HEALTHCARE PRIOR TO 2017-2018, THAT IS THE LIABILITY FOR THOSE PEOPLE. PEOPLE WHO WERE HIRED AFTER THAT, THERE'S NO LIABILITY FOR THE COUNTY. WE ARE PAYING IT KIND OF AS AN AS-YOU-GO BASIS BY US FUNDING A 401 AND PUTTING MONEY ON AN ONGOING BASIS INTO THE 401, THEN WE'RE KIND OF GIVING EMPLOYEES THAT MONEY UPFRONT, WHICH IS INTENDED FOR THEM TO USE WHENEVER THEY HAVE RETIREE HEALTHCARE LATER. 
          I WOULD TELL YOU THAT LIKE RIGHT NOW FROM OUR WORKFORCE, I BELIEVE, LET ME LOOK AT MY NUMBERS, 69% OF EMPLOYEES ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SUCH HIGH TURNOVER, BUT ONLY ABOUT 30% ARE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN THAT. SO THEY HAVE THAT BENEFIT AVAILABLE TO THEM, BUT NOT, NOT EVERYBODY'S PARTICIPATING IN THAT. BUT YES, AFTER 2017, 2018, RETIREE HEALTHCARE IS PAID FOR BY THE COUNTY IN A 401 MATCH PROGRAM, AND IT'S ON A PAY-AS-YOU-GO BASIS. 
          SO NICE, THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. 
          YES, THANK YOU, NILDA. THE, ONE QUESTION WAS YOU MENTIONED IN TERMS OF OUR CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THOSE ARE REQUIRED. IS THAT A REQUIRED MINIMUM OR I MEAN, SO WE COULD GIVE MORE THAN THAT THEORETICALLY, OR NO? YES, WE CAN, WE CAN GIVE MORE THAN THAT. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND WE GIVE MORE THAN THAT TO PERS. IF WE WERE GOING TO IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PENSIONS, LET'S TALK ABOUT PENSIONS SEPARATELY, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WE SET UP THAT 
          [00:30:01]
SECTION 115 TRUST. 
          WITH US AND THE COURTS COMBINED IN CALPERS, IF WE CONTRIBUTE MORE MONEY IN THERE, WE ALL REALIZE THE BENEFIT OF IT, INCLUDING THE COURTS. 
          SO, AND I WOULD SAY THAT WITH OUR SECTION 115 TRUST, OUR RATE OF RETURN IS HIGHER THAN IT IS WITH PERS. AND SO IF WE WERE GOING TO CONTRIBUTE MORE MONEY FOR PENSION, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE CONTRIBUTE IT IN THE SECTION 115 TRUST AND NOT GIVE IT TO PERS. SO, BUT YES, IN EITHER SCENARIO, WE CAN CONTRIBUTE MORE. 
          OKAY, AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE SHOULD CONTRIBUTE MORE. 
          I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THAT WAS A LEVER THAT WE HAD CONTROL OVER. IS, IN TERMS OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SECTION 115 TRUST, IS THAT WAS THAT MENTIONED HERE? I KNOW YOU MENTIONED $3 MILLION AS AN I THINK THAT WAS THE BALANCE. 
          BUT ARE WE CONTRIBUTING TO THAT THIS YEAR AS WELL? WE ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO IT FOR PENSION. SO WHAT HAPPENS IS WE CAN PREFUND PERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND THEN WE CAN EARN SOME INTEREST ON THAT. SO WE DO. WE PREFUND PERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WHAT OUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE, NORMAL CONTRIBUTIONS. AND THEN WE, WHEN WE ARE DOING THAT, WE HAVE INTEREST EARNINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND THEN WE CHARGE DEPARTMENTS AN ESTIMATE THROUGH THE YEAR AND THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR WE DO A TRUE-UP AND IF THERE IS ANY VARIANCE IN THERE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE ARE TAKING THAT AND PUTTING IT INTO THE PENSION TRUST. SO THAT IS THE ONLY CONTRIBUTION THAT IS BEING MADE TO THE PENSION TRUST RIGHT NOW. 
          FOR OPEB, THERE IS 4% BEING CHARGED TO DEPARTMENTS THAT WE ARE PUTTING IN THERE AS A PERCENTAGE OF PAYROLL AND THEN WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS WE HAD WITH EMPLOYEES A COUPLE YEARS BACK WHERE THE EMPLOYEES ARE CONTRIBUTING AN EXTRA 1% IN EXCHANGE FOR THE CHANGE IN HEALTHCARE. THAT 1% IS ALSO GOING INTO OPEB. SO WE HAVE FOR OPEB, WE HAVE 5% OF PAYROLL GOING IN. 
          OKAY. AND WITH OPEB, IT LOOKS LIKE IN 2019 IT WAS 31% FUNDED. 
          THE LAST YEAR YOU HAVE DATA, 53% FUNDED. SO WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING MORE AND MORE FUNDED BECAUSE THERE'S NOT NEW EXPENSES ESSENTIALLY GOING INTO THAT. DO YOU HAVE A PROJECTION ON WHEN THAT WOULD BE FULLY FUNDED AND WHEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO STOP THAT 5% THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED? I DO NOT HAVE THAT READY, BUT I CAN DO THAT AND CERTAINLY SEND IT TO ALL 5 BOARD MEMBERS. 
          OKAY. AND THEN IN TERMS AND THAT WOULD BE AS LONG AS WE DON'T CHANGE THE HEALTH FORMULAS AGAIN. SURE. YEAH, SO IT'S YOUR EXPENSES, BUT IT'S ALSO CHANGING THE FORMULAS OR ANY OF THE ACTUARIAL ASSUMPTIONS IN THAT AS WELL. OKAY. 
          AND THEN WITH PERS, THAT ONE CHART THAT YOU SHOWED OF IT GOING UP A BIT AND THEN IT IT SEEMED LIKE IT PEAKED IN '28-'29 AND THEN STARTED TO GO DOWN. YES. WHAT IS LEADING TO I MEAN, IT'S OBVIOUS WHY IT GOES UP. 
          WHAT WOULD LEAD IT TO GO DOWN AT THAT? IS THAT NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT, AS AARON SHOWED WITH FTES GOING DOWN, OR WHAT CAUSES IT TO GO DOWN AFTER THAT YEAR? I THINK IN THOSE YEARS IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE OUR UNFUNDED LIABILITY PORTION, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT OUR ANNUAL PAYMENT, THE LARGEST PORTION OF THAT IS FOR UNFUNDED. SO THE MORE FUNDED WE GET, THEN WE NO LONGER HAVE TO PAY AS MUCH FOR THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY. SO IT STARTS DROPPING DOWN. 
          BUT NO, OUR WORKFORCE IS NOT GOING TO GO DOWN. OUR WAGES ARE NOT GOING DOWN. SO IT'S REALLY THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY PORTION THAT'S GOING DOWN. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR HARMON. 
          GOOD MORNING, NELDA. GOOD MORNING. JUST A QUICK QUESTION. 
          THE, THE IF WE WERE TO GET INTO WELL, LET ME BACK UP. 
          HAVE WE EVER BEEN IN A SUPERFUND POSITION? NOT AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A POINT IN TIME WHERE THE COUNTY WAS, BUT I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK ON THAT. 
          WHEN WE WERE, OR IF WE WAS TO GET IN A SUPERFUND POSITION, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO PUT THAT BACK FOR A RAINY DAY, OR WOULD WE BE FORCED TO PAY THAT OUT? I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD STOP CONTRIBUTING BEFORE WE GET TOO SUPERFUNDED, ESPECIALLY WITH OPEB. WE HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER OPEB. MY RECOMMENDATION IS NOT THAT WE ARE 100% FUNDED FOR OPEB. MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WE ARE 95% FUNDED FOR OPEB. BUT THEN AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THE COUNTY CAN DECIDE, DO THEY SAVE IT THERE OR DO THEY START USING IT TO MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS? AND THEN WITH PERS, WE HAVE LESS CONTROL OVER THAT. SO THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE US BE FULLY FUNDED AT SOME POINT. THE ONLY WAY WE WOULD BE OVERFUNDED IS IF WE HAVE REALLY GOOD INVESTMENT RETURNS AND THE AMOUNT THAT WE ARE EARNING ON IT IS LESS THAN THE AMOUNT THAT WE ARE PAYING OUT OF THE PLAN. AND SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL OVER PERS, BUT AT THAT POINT WE SHOULDN'T BE CONTINUING TO CONTRIBUTE TO PERS IF EVERYTHING'S FULLY FUNDED OR SUPER FUNDED. WE SHOULD STOP OUR CONTRIBUTIONS. 
          SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THAT IF IT WAS TO GET INTO CLOSE TO A SUPER FUND? YES. 
          ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT, I THINK SUPERVISOR CRYE AND I HAVE THIS IS OUR FOURTH BUDGET, SO, WHEN IT COMES TO YOU AND AARON, WE REALLY HAVE NO QUESTIONS. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          I DID HAVE A QUESTION, AARON, FOR YOU ON YOUR, ON YOUR PRESENTATION, AND TWO QUESTIONS. ONE WAS THE MONEY 
          [00:35:01]
AND PROPERTY REVENUE THAT YOU SHOWED. IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS I FORGET WHAT THE FIRST YEAR WAS, BUT IT WAS LIKE $2 MILLION, THEN IT WENT UP TO $4, THEN $6, AND THEN BACK TO $4, AND NOW IT'S BEING BUDGETED AS $2. 
          WHAT IS DRIVING THAT, VARIATION. 
          SO, THAT'S RELATED TO INTEREST. SO MOST OF THE MONEY THAT GOES INTO THAT PARTICULAR OBJECT LEVEL IS RELATED TO INTEREST, AND OUR INTEREST HAS BEEN DOING VERY WELL FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. 
          I MEAN, THE SORT OF SIDE BENEFIT TO COUNTIES IS THAT WHEN WE INVEST MONEY AND INTEREST RATES ARE HIGH, THEN OUR INTEREST RETURNS ARE HIGH AS WELL. AND SO I DON'T EVER AS WE'VE SEEN THESE COUPLE OF HIGH YEARS, I DON'T EVER PREDICT THAT TO CONTINUE IN THE NEXT YEAR BECAUSE IT'S TOO MUCH OF AN UNKNOWN. AND SO I MAKE SURE TO KEEP THAT CONSERVATIVE. 
          OKAY, AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE UNRESTRICTED GENERAL FUND, I KNOW YOU SHOWED THE $1.79 MILLION. LAST YEAR IT WAS $2.5 MILLION THAT WE HAD BUDGETED. 
          AND I KNOW WHEN WE TALKED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, YOU WERE ESTIMATING THAT WE WOULD END THIS FISCAL YEAR AT, I THINK IT WAS 37. IS THAT STILL THE ESTIMATE THAT WE'RE EXPECTING BY THE END OF THIS YEAR? YES. 
          OKAY. YEAH. 
          AND IF, AND IF HISTORY CONTINUES, IF WE CONTINUE THE WAY THAT WE HAVE AND DEPARTMENTS HAVE PROJECTED CONSERVATIVELY AS THEY WERE DIRECTED, THAT NUMBER SHOULD ACTUALLY MATERIALIZE HIGHER. 
          BUT WE CAN'T COUNT ON THAT. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          SEE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. 
          THERE'S NO ELDERBERRY MITIGATION BANK, BEETLE. 
          THAT HAS BEEN CLOSED. 
          I KNOW, I SAW THAT. 
          THAT WAS THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO BUDGETS THAT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT. THEY JUST GO AWAY. 
          SO CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS THAT WORK TO KEEP THE GENERAL BUSINESS OF THE COUNTY RUNNING AND WORK WITH DEPARTMENTS TO ASSIST THEM IN GENERAL BUSINESS FUNCTIONS BILL BACK, THEIR COST TO DEPARTMENTS VIA COST PLAN CHARGES. THESE CHARGES ARE DETERMINED THROUGH A COST-WIDE, COUNTYWIDE COST ALLOCATION PLAN AND ARE BILLED 2 YEARS IN ARREARS. THE COST FOR FISCAL YEAR 26-27 USE THE ACTUAL COST FOR 24-25 AS THE BASE ESTIMATE. 
          ADDITIONALLY, ANY COSTS NOT RECOVERED IN FISCAL YEAR 24-25 ARE ROLLED FORWARD AND RECOVERED IN 26-27. 
          DEPARTMENTS THAT SERVE IN THIS WAY AND ARE BILLED THROUGH THE COST PLAN CHARGES ARE THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER, THE CAO, COUNTY COUNCIL, PERSONNEL, PURCHASING, AND A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE TREASURER. DEPARTMENTS WHO PROVIDE SERVICES DIRECTLY TO DEPARTMENTS BASED ON NEED ARE RUN THROUGH INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS. 
          INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS WORK MORE LIKE A SEPARATE, SEPARATE BUSINESS, AND THEY BILL FOR THEIR SERVICES IN REAL TIME. THEY HAVE A REQUIRED WORKING CAPITAL RESERVE FOR CASH FLOW PURPOSES. THEIR RATES ARE DRIVEN BY THEIR ACTUAL COSTS AND ARE ADJUSTED TO KEEP THE WORKING CAPITAL RESERVE WITHIN THE ACCEPTABLE LIMIT. 
          THE DEPARTMENTS THAT BILL AS AN ISF ARE FACILITIES, FLEET, IT, THE MAILROOM, AND RISK MANAGEMENT. FOR BOTH THE CENTRAL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AND THE ISF DEPARTMENTS. ANY INCREASED COSTS LIKE HEALTHCARE INSURANCE AND SALARY INCREASES ARE ALSO REALIZED, WHICH IN TURN INCREASES THE AMOUNTS BILLED TO DEPARTMENTS. THIS CHART SHOWS A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE ISF CHARGES, WHICH IS IN ORANGE, COST PLAN CHARGES IN BLUE, AND A COMPARISON TO THE OVERALL COUNTY BUDGET IN GREEN. BOTH THE ISF AND COST PLAN CHARGES ARE MEASURED IN $5 MILLION INCREMENTS VIA THE AXIS ON THE RIGHT, AND THE BUDGET IS MEASURED IN $100 MILLION INCREMENTS VIA THE AXIS ON THE LEFT. NOTE THE COST PLAN CHARGES REMAIN FLAT FOR A SIGNIFICANT PERIOD OF TIME, WHICH BEGAN TO INCREASE IN FISCAL YEAR 2022-23, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN REFLECTIVE OF INCREASES IN 2021. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH INCREASES REALIZED IN THE COUNTY BUDGET AS A WHOLE AND ISF CHARGES IN 2021. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE INCREASES IN ALL THE ISF BUDGET UNITS DURING THIS TIME, FOLLOWED BY A SHARP DECREASE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THE LARGEST DRIVER OF THESE CHANGES WAS THROUGH RISK AND THE INSURANCE RATES. 
          JUST A FEW AREAS THAT WE'LL PLAN ON FOCUSING ON IN, 26-27. SO AS YOU KNOW, THE DEMOLITION OF THE OLD COURTHOUSE IS UNDERWAY AND EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED DURING THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR. 
          THIS WILL SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE MAINTENANCE COSTS IN THE FUTURE YEARS AND LIABILITY FROM MAINTAINING AN EMPTY BUILDING. 
          THE CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION CAMPUS IS MOVING FORWARD. AS I DISCUSSED IN AN EARLIER SLIDE, THIS BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES COSTS FOR THE EARLY STEPS OF THAT PROJECT. ALL ARPA FUNDS MUST BE SPENT BY DECEMBER OF 2026. WE WILL BE WORKING HARD TO ENSURE WE SPEND THE REMAINING FUNDS. SIGNIFICANT AREA FOR CONCERN, AS IT HAS BEEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS, IS RISING COSTS FOR STAFF. 
          ALTHOUGH WE'VE KEPT THE COST OF LIVING INCREASES MINIMAL, THEY STILL INCREASE OVERALL EXPENDITURES. ADDITIONALLY, THE COST OF HEALTHCARE INSURANCE CONTINUES TO RISE WITH NO REAL END IN SIGHT. 
          THIS COST IS AN INCREASE FOR BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE EMPLOYEE, CURRENT AND RETIRED. AS THE COUNTY HAS EXPERIENCED INCREASED LITIGATION 
          [00:40:01]
IN RECENT YEARS, SO HAVE THE COSTS FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL. INCLUDED HERE IS A CHART SHOWING THE TREND IN RECENT YEARS. COSTS INCLUDED FOR FISCAL YEAR 25-26 DO NOT INCLUDE THE ENTIRE YEAR AND ARE TRACKING LOWER THAN LAST LAST YEAR, BUT STILL HIGHER THAN MANY OF THE PRIOR YEARS. I'VE BROKEN THIS CHART OUT BY CATEGORY, THIS TO NOTE A COUPLE OF THINGS. 
          DURING FISCAL YEAR 24-25, CONTRACT FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICES WAS ISSUED TO ASSIST WHILE STAFFING WAS LOW. 
          THIS WAS IN ADDITION TO THE CONFLICT PUBLIC DEFENDER CONTRACT. I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT THE RISK MANAGEMENT ATTORNEY FEES HAVE LEVELED OFF LAST YEAR AND ARE TRENDING LOWER FOR THIS YEAR. 
          COSTS FOR PERSONNEL INVESTIGATIONS, OTHER COUNTY COSTS WHICH INCLUDE LITIGATION, CONTINUE TO EXCEED MANY PRIOR YEARS BUT APPEAR TO BE DOWN FROM LAST YEAR. HR1 IS A BIG AREA OF CONCERN AND UNKNOWN FOR ALL COUNTIES. THIS SHIFT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO STATES AND COUNTIES WILL BE IMPACTFUL, ESPECIALLY IF THE STATE DOES NOT STEP IN AND BEAR SOME OF THE BURDEN. STATE BUDGET IS CURRENTLY BEING NEGOTIATED, SO THE LEVEL OF CONTRIBUTION IS UNKNOWN. 
          THE GOVERNOR'S MAY REVISE, HOWEVER, ONLY INCLUDED MINIMAL AMOUNTS TO HELP REDUCE THE IMPACT COUNTIES. THE HHSA PRESENTATION WILL INCLUDE DETAILS ABOUT THESE POTENTIAL IMPACTS. HHSA CONTINUES TO BE AN AREA OF CONCERN AS THE AGENCY CONTINUES TO MAKE CUTS AND CHANGES TO BEGIN TO REBUILD THEIR SOCIAL SERVICES FUND BALANCE. 
          SOME COSTS, LIKE ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS, CONTINUE TO RISE. PART OF THE EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN THE SOCIAL SERVICES FUND BALANCE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE INCLUDED REALIGNMENT TRANSFERS FROM PUBLIC HEALTH AND A COST SHIFT FOR THE CCSB PROGRAM FROM SOCIAL SERVICES TO PUBLIC HEALTH. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH THE PUBLIC HEALTH FUND TO ENSURE IT IS ABLE TO WITHSTAND THIS ADDED PRESSURE. 
          THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AT HHSA HAVE MADE SOME HARD DECISIONS AND WORKED HARD TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES FINANCIALLY IN THEIR ORGANIZATION. THEIR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN FRUITFUL AND ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO PAUSE FOR A DISCUSSION BY THE BOARD PRIOR TO STARTING ANY OF THE DEPARTMENT PRESENTATIONS, OR FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. 
          SUPERVISOR CRYE. 
          MR. PERTAIN, THANK YOU. I HAD A QUESTION. 
          I WAS I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS PART I BRING THIS UP, IT WAS A PUBLIC WORKS, BUT THE IMPACT FEES. 
          YES, WE SUSPENDED THOSE IN '24. CAN'T ELIMINATE THEM OBVIOUSLY UNTIL THAT. SO WHY ARE WE STILL SO FAR OUT OF EXHAUSTING THOSE? AND THOSE, THOSE HAVE BEEN COLLECTED OVER I DON'T REMEMBER THE DATE AT THIS POINT, BUT IT WAS YEARS. 
          YEAH. 
          SO LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT PROBABLY SPENT THE MONEY FOR THOSE IMPACTS PROBABLY DON'T EVEN LIVE IN THE COUNTY ANYMORE. SO WHAT WHAT HELP ME OUT, BECAUSE I MEAN, THIS IS OUR THIRD BUDGET, CORRECT? SO I WILL SAY THAT IT'S THE THE AREA THAT'S THE HARDEST TO SPEND IS THE ONE FOR THE TRAFFIC IMPACT, BECAUSE THERE WAS AN INITIAL PROJECT THAT WAS ANTICIPATED THAT I BELIEVE WAS AN OVERPASS THAT IT WAS DETERMINED IT WAS NOT NEEDED. AND NOT ONLY THAT, WOULD COST FAR MORE THAN WAS COLLECTED IN IMPACT FEES. IT WOULD TAKE YEARS TO ACCUMULATE THAT AMOUNT. SO PUBLIC WORKS HAS IDENTIFIED ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WOULD STILL QUALIFY UNDER OUR CURRENT PLAN, BUT IT TAKES PARTICULARLY WITH ROADS PROJECTS, IT TAKES SOME TIME TO GET IT UP AND GOING. SO THEY HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT $1.4 MILLION. IT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT OF THE CATEGORIES TO TO SPEND JUST BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF WHAT IT HAS TO BE SPENT ON. YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT EASIER, LIKE, FOR THE LIBRARY TO BUY ADDITIONAL BOOKS, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN A ROAD PROJECT. 
          YEAH. 
          ALL THOSE THINGS. 
          AND SO IT'S BEEN IT REALLY IN THE RECENT I MEAN, I WOULD SAY THE LAST YEAR OR SO THAT THEY REALLY DETERMINED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THE PROJECT THAT WAS THAT THEY HAD SPECIFICALLY PLANNED ON AND THEN REALLY WORKED TO FIND ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WOULD QUALIFY SO THAT WE COULD GET THAT MONEY OUT THE DOOR. 
          AND I'LL PROBABLY ASK PUBLIC WORKS MORE ABOUT THAT. 
          BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          SUPERVISOR LONG. 
          THANK YOU, AARON. YOU MENTIONED ARPA FEES THAT HAVE TO BE SPENT BY THE END OF THE YEAR. I'M JUST CURIOUS, ARE THOSE CATEGORIZED? AND SO, I'VE, I'VE GOT SOME CLEANUP PROJECTS THAT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT BALANCE IS ALLOCATED TOWARD THAT PURPOSE? YEAH, SO THE THING WITH ARPA, THE ARPA REVENUE, IT HAD TO BE FULLY OBLIGATED, BY NOT THIS LAST DECEMBER BUT THE ONE BEFORE. SO, WE HAD TO OBLIGATE EVERYTHING, AND TO OBLIGATE WE HAD TO HAVE A CONTRACT. 
          FOR THE MOST PART, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT WAS, AND THEN ONCE WE HAD IT OBLIGATED, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE COULD SPEND IT ON. SO, WE DID OBLIGATE SOME MONEY FOR PROPERTY CLEANUP, SOME OF IT BELONGS TO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND THEN THE REST OF IT IS IN THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR. SO WE USE THAT MONEY, YOU'LL SEE WHEN THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR GETS UP HERE AND THEY TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE KIND OF MAJOR CLEANUPS THAT THEY'VE DONE. IF THE OWNER IS DECEASED, THEN WE CAN DO IT THROUGH PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR, AND IT'S ACTUALLY LESS EXPENSIVE BECAUSE THEY'RE OPERATING ON BEHALF OF THE DECEASED. IN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, WE PAY PREVAILING WAGE, 
          [00:45:01]
AND WE DO THAT, AND THEY'VE DONE QUITE A BIT OF CLEANUPS AS WELL. AND SO THEY CAN TALK TO YOU, LIKE, YOU CAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT MONIES THEY HAVE LEFT. I BELIEVE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT HAS MOST OF THEIRS PLANNED OUT, AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR, IT'S REALLY ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. 
          DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE STILL HAVE LEFT IN ARPA? I AM NOT SURE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BECAUSE WE HAVE EXPENDITURES THAT HAVE HAPPENED, SOME PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL ONES, AND I HAVEN'T DONE THAT. 
          REPORTING. OKAY. AND THEN HR1, REAL QUICKLY, YOU MENTIONED THAT HR1 MAY REVISE FOR GOVERNOR'S BUDGET, AND BASED ON SOME SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE TO PUSH BACK ON THAT, WE'RE GETTING SOME MODIFICATIONS. DO YOU MAYBE CHRISTY WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS AND WHAT, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS TO THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING WITH HR1 PUSHBACK. AND I WOULD ANTICIPATE CHRISTY TO ADDRESS THAT. 
          I WILL, HOWEVER, CAUTION US WHEN WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, EVEN WHEN THE STATE ACTUALLY ADOPTS THEIR BUDGET, THERE WILL BE CONTINUED NEGOTIATIONS THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER. SO EVEN WHAT WE COME UP WITH, OR WHAT THE STATE COMES UP WITH THIS MONTH, THAT'S NOT WHAT THE FINAL BUDGET WILL END UP BEING. THEY'LL CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER. THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. 
          ON THE ACCUMULATED, CAPITAL OUTLAY, AND, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME TO, TO BRING THAT UP, BUT I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT THE COURTHOUSE PROJECT, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S BEING SLOTTED AT $7.9 MILLION FOR THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR. 
          DOES THAT INCLUDE WHAT WE'VE ALREADY SPENT THIS PAST YEAR, WHICH WAS DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF THAT, THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR? OUR CURRENT WHAT WE'RE CLOSING? I THINK IT'S CLOSER TO LIKE IT'S LESS THAN A MILLION DOLLARS, I BELIEVE, FOR THAT ONE. I'D HAVE TO GET MY SPREADSHEET OUT FOR THAT ONE. 
          THAT'S FINE. I WAS THINKING IT WAS SOMETHING IN THAT BALLPARK, BUT JUST WANTED TO SO, BECAUSE WHEN WE ORIGINALLY TALKED ABOUT IT, I THINK THE ESTIMATE WAS AROUND $7 MILLION. SO NOW IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSER TO $9 MILLION TOTAL WITH WHAT WE'VE SPENT. 
          AND THEN THE AND I WILL I, I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT SOME OF THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT TOO IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS. 
          WE HAVE THE COURTHOUSE DEMOLITION, BUT A SORT OF A SIDE THING FROM THAT IS OUR IT DATA RELOCATION. SO IT'S NOT TECHNICALLY DEMOLISHING THE COURTHOUSE, BUT IT'S A RESULT OF US HAVING TO DEMOLISH THE COURTHOUSE BECAUSE OUR IT INFRASTRUCTURE RUNS THROUGH THE OLD COURTHOUSE, AND SO THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES THERE. 
          AND WAS THAT AND, AND I KNOW THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY YOUR FOCUS AREA, BUT WAS THE IT PART NOT INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE? I WOULD ASK THAT QUESTION OF PUBLIC WORKS. 
          OKAY. AND THEN, ALSO ON THE JAIL, THE JAIL TRANSPORTATION AND COURTROOM REMODEL, AND THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR PUBLIC WORKS OR FOR THEM, I KNOW THERE'S ANOTHER $2.2 MILLION IN THERE. WHAT IS IS THAT GOING TO BRING THIS TO A CLOSE, OR IS THERE STILL MORE? I KNOW THAT IS THE PLAN. 
          OKAY, AND THAT WILL THEN BE A TOTAL OF WHAT OVERALL? DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF THAT? WE'RE AT THE $12 TO $13 MILLION RANGE ON THAT PROJECT. OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT, I SEE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, MS. BERTANE. AND, ONCE AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AND TELL YOU THAT YOU NEVER FAIL TO AMAZE ME, AS DOES ALL THE STAFF THAT'S IN HERE. AND I KNOW YOU GUYS ALL WORKED VERY HARD ON THE BUDGET, AND YOU'RE ALL HERE TODAY, SO IT'S A VERY GOOD BUDGET. 
          USUALLY I HAVE A LOT MORE QUESTIONS THAN I HAVE, BUT, THANKS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. 
          THANK YOU. WAITING. THERE WE GO. AS DISCUSSED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, DEPARTMENT HEADS WILL EACH BE PRESENTING ON THEIR BUDGETS AND PROGRAMS. ONCE AGAIN, THE PRESENTATIONS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED IN BLOCKS. IF WE COMPLETE A MORNING BLOCK PRIOR TO NOON, WE WILL STILL BREAK AND START THE NEXT BLOCK ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE. IF A BLOCK IS NOT COMPLETE BY NOON, THAT BLOCK WILL BE CONTINUED INTO THE AFTERNOON UNTIL IT'S COMPLETED, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY THE AFTERNOON BLOCK. 
          SUPERVISORS WILL BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS OF EACH DEPARTMENT HEAD DURING THEIR SCHEDULED PRESENTATION, BUT THERE WILL NOT BE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT UNTIL THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE OPENED ON THE THIRD DAY. FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'LL RETURN TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION, AND EACH SUPERVISOR WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT SUGGESTED CHANGES. I WILL TRACK ALL OF THESE ITEMS AND CONFIRM THE LIST ONCE EVERY SUPERVISOR HAS HAD OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT. I WILL SUBMIT THIS LIST TO THE CLERK OF THE BOARD IN AN EMAIL, AND FOLLOWING CONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. 
          AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, WE WILL ENTERTAIN MOTIONS AND VOTES 
          [00:50:01]
ON EACH ITEM ON THE LIST. EACH OF THE ITEMS ON THIS LIST FOR WHICH A MOTION IS MADE AND A SECOND IS RECEIVED WILL BE SUBJECT TO A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE FOR APPROVAL. I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS ADDED AFTER THE BUDGET HEARING CLOSES, THOSE ARE ALL SUBJECT TO A FOREFIST VOTE. I HAVE PREPARED A DOCUMENT FOR YOU THAT REFERENCES THE PAGES IN THE BUDGET BOOK FOR THE BUDGETS OF EACH DEPARTMENT HEAD. THERE ARE ALSO COPIES IN THE BACK AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC. WITH THAT, WE WILL GET STARTED THIS MORNING WITH PRESENTATIONS FROM OUR OFFICE, FOLLOWED BY COUNTY COUNCIL. SO THE CAO'S OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BUDGET AND GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OF SEVERAL PROGRAMS AS LISTED ON THIS SLIDE. STAFFING FOR THE BUDGETS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE CAO'S OFFICE INCLUDE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AT 5 POSITIONS, COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AT 12 POSITIONS, CLERK OF THE BOARD AT 4 POSITIONS, AND THE VSO AT 8 POSITIONS. THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET INCLUDES DELETING ONE POSITION FROM THE PRIVACY TEAM. THE PRIVACY TEAM TRANSITIONED TO THE CO'S OFFICE AT THE BEGINNING OF '25-'26. 
          THE INITIAL STAFFING INCLUDED 3 STAFF. AS THE PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT ONLY 2 STAFF WERE NEEDED FOR THIS PROGRAM. A VACANCY ON THE CLERK OF THE BOARD TEAM PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO RIGHT-SIZE, AND ONE OF THE TEAM MEMBERS WAS TRANSITIONED TO THE CLERK OF THE BOARD. 
          THIS DELETION FINALIZES THAT DECISION. THE FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND THE CLERK OF THE BOARD ARE VARIED. STAFF ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE COUNTY AND SUPPORT FOR ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS. 
          STAFF REVIEW CONTRACTS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK. THE OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COUNTY BUDGET AND WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS TO DEVELOP THEIR BUDGET AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ON THOSE REQUESTED BUDGETS. 
          STAFF ASSIST COUNTY DEPARTMENTS WITH A VARIETY OF ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS AND ARE FORCE MULTIPLIER AS NEEDED. 
          WHEN DEPARTMENTS HAVE VACANCIES IN LEAD FISCAL OR ADMINISTRATIVE, ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, OR WHEN UNANTICIPATED EVENTS REQUIRE ADDITIONAL STAFF, THIS OFFICE STEPS IN TO ASSIST. COUNTY LEASES ARE INITIATED AND REVIEWED BY STAFF IN OUR OFFICE. 
          ADDITIONALLY, THE CAO'S OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A VARIETY OF BUDGET UNITS NOT ASSIGNED TO ANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND FOR GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES FOR THE VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE. THIS TRANSITION WAS IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL FISCAL YEARS AGO AND CONTINUES TO BE SUCCESSFUL. SUCCESSFUL IN RELIEVING THE VETERAN SERVICE OFFICER OF ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION TO ALLOW HIM TO SPEND MORE TIME SERVING CLIENTS. 
          ADDITIONALLY, WHEN A PROJECT OR FUNDING STREAM AFFECTS THE ENTIRE COUNTY OR MULTIPLE AREAS OF THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE WILL, WILL COORDINATE THE EFFORTS. 
          SOME EXAMPLES INCLUDE BOTH ARPA AND OPIOID LITIGATION. THE OFFICE PROVIDES SUPPORT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND A VARIETY OF OTHER AGENCIES. 
          THIS SUPPORT INCLUDES DEVELOPING AND PREPARING AGENDAS, PREPARING LETTERS OR OTHER DOCUMENTS AS REQUESTED BY THE BOARD, PROVIDING CLERK SERVICES AT MEETINGS, AND PREPARATION OF THE MINUTES, AMONG OTHER DUTIES. OUR OFFICE RECEIVES A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUESTS FOR ACTIVITIES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OUR OFFICE. 
          IT TAKES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO PROCESS THESE REQUESTS AS REQUIRED BY LAW. 
          THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SETS POLICY FOR THE COUNTY, AND THE CAO'S OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THAT POLICY. 
          THIS CAN INCLUDE PRODUCING ITEMS LIKE ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, AND LETTERS TO LEGISLATORS. 
          LARGE SPECIAL PROJECTS GENERALLY HAVE PARTICIPATION FROM OUR OFFICE AS WELL. OUR OFFICE IS CURRENTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSITIONING BOARD MEETINGS TO COMPLY WITH SB 707, WHICH REQUIRES VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION FROM THE PUBLIC, AND IS REG AND OUR OFFICE IS ALSO REGULARLY INVOLVED WITH OTHER LARGE CAPITAL PROJECTS LIKE THE REMODEL HAPPENING IN THE JAIL AND THE WORK TOWARDS A CORRECTION AND REHABILITATION CAMPUS. THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER POSITION WAS ADDED IN FISCAL YEAR 21-22. 
          IN FISCAL YEAR 25-26, WE REVAMPED THIS POSITION TO AN ANALYST POSITION AND ADJUSTED THE DUTIES. DUTIES STILL INCLUDE TRADITIONAL PIO DUTIES LIKE PRESS RELEASES AND SOCIAL MEDIA, AND DUTIES RELATED TO THE COUNTY'S LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM HAVE BEEN ADDED. THIS ADJUSTMENT WILL FACILITATE MORE INPUT FROM SHASTA COUNTY ON PROPOSED LEGISLATION AND EVENTUALLY TO SHASTA COUNTY BEING INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING NEW LEGISLATION THAT BENEFITS OUR COUNTIES AND OTHERS LIKE US. 
          IN FISCAL YEAR 26-27, THIS POSITION WILL ALSO FACILITATE ONE TOWN HALL MEETING IN EACH DISTRICT IN COORDINATION WITH THE SUPERVISOR FOR THAT DISTRICT. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO INCREASE PUBLIC TRUST AND ENGAGEMENT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH SUPERVISOR, TOWARDS MAKING THIS EFFORT A SUCCESS. 
          INCLUDED HERE ARE GOALS THAT WERE SET DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 25-26 BUDGET PROCESS. WE CONTINUE TO PLAN TO TRANSITION TO A BUDGET BOOK SOFTWARE. 
          THIS PROJECT WAS ONCE AGAIN POSTPONED AS THE PROGRESS MADE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION. THE STRATEGIC PLAN WAS COMPLETED AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD IN MAY, AND THE AUDIOVISUAL SYSTEM TRAINING AND IMPLEMENTATION WAS COMPLETE BUT ULTIMATELY EXTENDED DUE TO ACCOMMODATION OF SB 707. 
          SHOWN HERE IS THE AVERAGE TIME SPENT IN BOARD MEETINGS BY FISCAL YEAR, STARTING WITH 2018-19. AS YOU CAN SEE, 
          [00:55:01]
THE AVERAGE MEETING TIME INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY DURING AND AFTER COVID, AND THAT AVERAGE TIME HAS BEGUN TO DECLINE LAST FISCAL YEAR AND HAS CONTINUED TO DECLINE THIS FISCAL YEAR, THOUGH NOT NEARLY TO THE PRE-COVID LEVEL. 
          PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUESTS CONTINUE TO INCREASE SUBSTANTIALLY EACH YEAR. 
          INCLUDED HERE ARE JUST THOSE PRAS MANAGED BY THE CLERK OF THE BOARD. FISCAL YEAR '25-'26 ONLY INCLUDES A PARTIAL YEAR BUT IS ALREADY NEARLY 30% HIGHER THAN LAST FISCAL YEAR. 
          INCLUDED HERE ARE JUST SOME OF THE BOARD INITIATIVES IMPLEMENTED BY THE CO'S OFFICE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS. AS I DISCUSSED A MINUTE AGO, THE STRATEGIC PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY THE BOARD IN MAY AND WILL PROVIDE DIRECTION FOR THE PRIORITIES OF THE COUNTY. NEXT YEAR, WORK WILL CONTINUE TO REFINE THE STRATEGIC PLAN AS IMPLEMENTING IMPLEMENTATION BEGINS, AND A REPORT ON PROGRESS WILL BE PRESENTED. 
          THE COUNTY HAS ESTABLISHED A LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM THAT WILL BE MAINTAINED AND UPDATED. 
          WORK TO INCREASE ADVOCACY FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR COUNTY AND OTHERS LIKE US WILL CONTINUE. THE FOUNTAIN WIND PROJECT WAS SUCCESSFULLY DEFEATED, AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR SOME OF THOSE COSTS IS EXPECTED. 
          THE VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE CONTINUES TO WORK HARD TO BRING BENEFITS TO SHASTA COUNTY TO VETERANS IN SHASTA COUNTY. IN FISCAL YEAR 24-25, 5 $5.8 MILLION IN RETROACTIVE CLAIMS, AND TOTAL VETERAN PAYMENTS OF $253.4 MILLION WERE A RESULT OF OVER 1,500 CLAIMS FILED. 
          $313 IN FEDERAL BENEFITS WERE RECEIVED FOR VETERANS FOR EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED BY THE COUNTY. ALTHOUGH FISCAL YEAR 25-26 IS NOT FULLY COMPLETED, 1,700 CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED, RESULTING IN OVER $4.9 MILLION IN RETROACTIVE CLAIMS FOR SHASTA COUNTY VETERANS. 
          IN FISCAL YEAR '25-'26, THE VSO WORKED WITH THE CAO, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CALIFORNIA LEGISLATORS, AND OTHER STATE ORGANIZATIONS TO SUCCESSFULLY LOBBY AND PASS SB 694, KNOWN AS THE CLAIM SHARK BILL, TO REGULATE AND ULTIMATELY BAN UNACCREDITED AGENCIES CHARGING VETERANS TO FILE DISABILITY CLAIMS WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. THIS LANDMARK LEGISLATION PROTECTS VETERANS FROM BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY BAD ACTORS AND IS HAVING A RIPPLE EFFECT AS OTHER STATES AND THE U.S. SENATE ARE NOW LOOKING TO PASS SIMILAR LEGISLATION. 
          THE VSO CONTINUES TO WORK WITH THE SHASTA COUNTY JAIL STAFF TO COORDINATE BENEFITS FOR INCARCERATED VETERANS. THE VSO NOW HAS A DIRECT SERVICE REQUEST PORTAL FOR THE VETERANS TO REACH OUT TO THE OFFICE DIRECTLY. THE COLLABORATION CONTINUES TO IMPROVE THE ABILITY TO DO DIRECT RELEASE TO A NONPROFIT SERVICE PROVIDER, OUR HEROES DREAMS, TO MEET THE VETERAN EXITING INCARCERATION TO HOMELESSNESS UPON RELEASE AND ESTABLISH SERVICES IMMEDIATELY. THEY ALSO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE COC ADMINISTRATOR, HHSA, OUR HEROES DREAMS, AND NATION'S FINEST ON THE HOMELESS VETERANS INITIATIVE. THE VSO IS NOW AN AUTHORIZED USER OF THE HOMELESS MAINTENANCE INFORMATION SYSTEM, OR OTHERWISE KNOWN AS HMIS. 
          TO DATE, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ISSUES IDENTIFIED IN THE TRACKING SYSTEMS AND DEFINITIVE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE DATA QUALITY AND ACCURACY. 
          ACCURACY OF TRACKING. UPDATED FIELDS ADDED TO THE SYSTEM ARE NOW IN PLACE TO ASSIST THE INDIVIDUAL'S VETERANS AND SUCH DISCHARGE STATUS, VIEWABLE BY ALL AGENCIES PARTICIPATING IN HOMELESS ASSISTANCE. THE VSO WILL BE ENTERING INTO AN MOU WITH SHASTA COLLEGE VETERANS SUCCESS CENTER, RECENTLY APPROVED BY COUNTY COUNCIL AND RISK MANAGEMENT, FOR SITE USE TO SERVE STUDENT VETERANS ON CAMPUS AND ACCOMMODATE THEIR NEED FOR SERVICES WITHOUT HAVING TO LEAVE CAMPUS DURING SCHOOL HOURS. LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR, WE PLAN TO PURSUE IMPLEMENTING A BUDGET BOOK SOFTWARE ONCE AGAIN. 
          ADDITIONALLY, WE PLAN TO INCREASE OUR LEGISLATIVE PRESENCE, SPECIFICALLY IN THE AREA OF NUMBER OF BILLS WE RAN WITH, ON WITH OUR LEGISLATORS. AS YOU ARE AWARE, AND I'VE DISCUSSED IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES, SB 707 REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE THE ABILITY FOR REMOTE PARTICIPATION FROM THE PUBLIC. WE WILL IMPLEMENT A SOFTWARE THAT WILL ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THESE REQUIREMENTS. WE WILL ALSO LOOK TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THE PRIVACY TEAM TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS BESIDES HHSA. THE VSO WILL PURSUE ESTABLISHING A VETERANS COURT IN SHASTA COUNTY AND ENLISTING NEW PARTNERS IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR VETERANS. THE CIO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING 18 DIFFERENT BUDGET UNITS THAT SERVE A VARIETY OF FUNCTIONS. 
          FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING OVERALL APPROPRIATIONS AND REVENUES BY OBJECT LEVEL, I'VE BROKEN THE INFORMATION BROKEN DOWN TO 3 CATEGORIES. THE FIRST OF WHICH IS FOR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS. 
          THIS INCLUDES BUDGETS FOR THE KIND OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE, THE CLERK OF THE BOARD, BOARD SUPERVISORS, AND THE VSO. 
          TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS INCLUDE $4.7 MILLION IN SALARY AND BENEFITS. OVERALL APPROPRIATIONS IN THE CO'S OFFICE ARE OFFSET BY COST APPLIES, WHICH APPEAR AS A NEGATIVE APPROPRIATION IN THE CAO BUDGET. THERE ARE VERY FEW REVENUES IN THESE BUDGET UNITS AT JUST OVER $227,000, MOST OF WHICH CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE VSO BUDGET. THE SECOND CATEGORY IS OTHER AGENCIES, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE 
          [01:00:01]
INTERMOUNTAIN FAIR, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE GRAND JURY, AND THE LIBRARY. THESE BUDGET UNITS FUND OPERATIONS OR PORTIONS OF OPERATIONS IN OTHER AGENCIES WHO PERFORM A FUNCTION, AND APPROPRIATIONS PRIMARILY INCLUDE PAYMENTS TO OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WHICH CAN BE FOUND IN THE OTHER CHARGES CATEGORY. 
          THERE ARE NO REVENUES ASSOCIATED WITH ANY OF THESE BUDGET UNITS, AND 100% OF THEIR COSTS ARE COVERED BY THE GENERAL FUND. THE FINAL CATEGORY IS OTHER, WHICH INCLUDES THE BUDGET, IN WHICH GENERAL FUND REVENUES ARE DEPOSITED IN CUMULATIVE CAPITAL OUTLAY, GENERAL RESERVES, MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE, TOBACCO SETTLEMENT, TRIAL COURTS, CONFLICT PUBLIC DEFENDER, OPIOID LITIGATION, STATHAM ROBBINS, AND RESERVES FOR FOR CONTINGENCY. 
          APPROPRIATIONS CONSIST OF OTHER FINANCING USES, WHICH ARE TRANSFERS OUT TO OTHER BUDGET UNITS, WHICH ARE PRIMARILY IN ACCUMULATED CAPITAL OUTLAY. 
          SERVICES AND SUPPLIES REPRESENT THE OTHER MAJOR AREA FOR APPROPRIATIONS, WITH THE COST FOR THE GENERAL FUND PAYMENT FOR COUNTY FIRE AND FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE COURTHOUSE ACCOUNTING FOR THE MAJORITY OF THIS, OBJECT LEVEL. REVENUES IN THESE BUDGET UNITS ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN APPROPRIATIONS, PRIMARILY BECAUSE THE BUDGET UNIT WHERE GENERAL FUND REVENUE IS RECEIVED IS IN THIS CATEGORY. 
          TAXES AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE ACCOUNT FOR THE VAST MAJORITY. THE STATHAM ROBBINS CRIMINAL CONSTRUCTION FUND CONSISTS OF A VARIETY OF FINES AND PENALTIES THAT ARE RECEIVED AND CAN BE USED TO FUND A VARIETY OF IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING TO IT SYSTEMS FOR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE PURCHASES FROM THIS FUND TEND TO BE ONE-TIME IN NATURE. 
          BECAUSE OF THIS, THE FUND WILL BUILD TO A CERTAIN POINT AND THEN BE DEPLETED BY A PURCHASE, AS DID HAPPEN IN FISCAL YEAR '25-'26. THE CHART DEPICTING THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND BALANCE IS AS EXPECTED, AS IT HAS CONTINUED TO BUILD SINCE ESTABLISHED IN '24-'25. AS DISCUSSED EARLIER IN MY PRESENTATION, WE HAVE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL OPIOID FUNDS NOT INCLUDED IN THE FUND BALANCE, AS THEY ARE IN UNEARNED REVENUE. CUMULATED CAPITAL OUTLAY INCLUDES 3 MAIN SEPARATE FUND BALANCES. THE GENERAL FUND INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE ARE THOSE WE DISCUSSED EARLIER THAT SET ASIDE FOR THE JAIL, SOME OF WHICH HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO SPECIFIC PROJECTS. THE BLUE LINE IS THE FUND THE GENERAL PURPOSE FUND BALANCE. THE FUNDS IN THIS PORTION OF THE FUND TYPICALLY INCLUDE TRANSFERS FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND ANY INTEREST EARNED. OUR GENERAL RESERVES HAVE REMAINED FAIRLY STEADY. THE INCREASE FROM FISCAL YEAR 22-23 TO 23-24 WAS THE RESULT OF TRANSFERRING BACK $10 MILLION THAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY TRANSFERRED OUT OF GENERAL RESERVES INTO THE COMMITTED FUNDS. 
          SHOWN HERE ARE THE BUDGET UNITS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND THE GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTION. OVERALL, THE GENERAL FUND, FUND CONTRIBUTION, IS INCREASING BY JUST UNDER $7,000. THE BULK OF THIS INCREASE IS IN THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND IS A FUNCTION OF THE COST PLAN REIMBURSEMENTS BEING 2 YEARS IN ARREARS, AS DISCUSSED IN EARLIER SLIDES. 
          EXPENDITURES PRIOR TO OFFSETS FOR COST APPLIED FOR BOTH THE COST PLAN AND THE PRIVACY TEAM HAVE INCREASED BY JUST OVER $14,000, OR 0.46%. THE GENERAL FUND COSTS IN THE TRIAL COURTS BUDGET HAVE DECREASED AS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS TAKEN OVER TRANSPORTATION OF INMATES FROM THE COURT, WHICH RELIEVED COSTS IN THIS BUDGET UNIT. 
          WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, OR I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNTY COUNCIL. 
          MY ONLY QUESTION IS, IT LOOKED LIKE THAT, STATHAM ROBBINS FUNDS BUT THERE WASN'T MUCH LEFT IN THERE, LIKE A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR SOMETHING. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? COULD THAT BE USED FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE COURTHOUSE? I KNOW THAT'S JUST A DROP IN THE BUCKET, BUT IT WOULD PUT SO IT REALLY HAS TO BE USED TO IMPROVE, LIKE, IT CAN BE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, BUT IT HAS TO BE FOR, LIKE, CRIMINAL JUSTICE PARTNERS. 
          GOTCHA. AND SO WE TEND TO USE IT FOR, LIKE, AND TO INCLUDE IT SYSTEMS, AND SO WE'VE USED IT FOR, LIKE, THE PUBLIC DEFENDER UPGRADED THEIR CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. 
          WE FUNDED THAT. SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS A SYSTEM THEY'RE FUNDING. 
          WE'VE PAID FOR LIKE RADIOS OUT OF THAT, SOME TECHNOLOGY STUFF, BUT TAKING THE SHERIFF'S MONEY FROM ONE BUCKET INTO ANOTHER I WAS JUST TRYING TO KEEP RIGHT, A LITTLE ACCESS TO THE SHERIFF'S MONEY AS POSSIBLE. 
          SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. YES, A FEW SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. THE, IN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BUDGET, I WAS NOTICING WITH THE COST PLAN CHARGES THAT IT WENT WAY UP IN '25-'26, AND THEN, AND IT'S STAYING UP PRETTY HIGH. AND I WAS CURIOUS, AND I KNOW THERE'S THE WHOLE 2 YEARS IN ARREARS SITUATION, BUT WAS CURIOUS KIND OF WHAT DROVE THAT PARTICULARLY FROM, AND IF WE EXPECT THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO STAY HIGH OR IF THAT'S GOING TO GO DOWN. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, I LOOKED INTO THIS LAST YEAR, AND REALLY WHAT IT EQUATED TO IS ADDITIONAL USE OF COUNTY COUNCIL'S TIME. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS COUNTY COUNCIL DOES TIME STUDIES, AND EACH DEPARTMENT IN THE COST PLAN DOES KIND OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF TIME STUDIES. AND SO THEY TIME STUDY TO WHEREVER THEY'RE SPENDING THEIR TIME. SO WHEN ADDITIONAL REQUESTS ARE 
          [01:05:02]
RECEIVED BY BOARD MEMBERS OR ADDITIONAL DIRECTION, THEY TRACK THEIR TIME ACCORDINGLY, AND THEN THAT PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL COST GETS DISTRIBUTED. 
          AND SO WHEN WE HAD, YOU KNOW, THE 2 YEARS PRIOR, WE HAD A HIGHER CONTRIBUTION, RIGHT, WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED SO WE SEE THAT BECOMES OUR NEW BASE, PLUS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE WOULD HAVE PAID 2 YEARS PREVIOUS TO THAT, THAT IS ALSO ADDED TO THAT TO MAKE UP FOR WHAT WASN'T RECEIVED IN THAT YEAR. SO IT'S DOWN THIS YEAR, WHICH JUST SORT OF FOR ME INDICATES A FUNCTION OF THOSE COSTS MAYBE LIKE LEVELING OUT AND NOT HAVING TO MAKE UP AS BIG OF A DIFFERENCE AS WE DID LAST YEAR. 
          OKAY, THAT'S HELPFUL. 
          AND THEN THE IN THE CLERK OF THE BOARD BUDGET, I NOTICED THAT A FEW YEARS AGO FOR PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL SERVICES WE WERE AT $16,000. 
          OBVIOUSLY WE'VE DONE A LOT OF AV UPGRADES THIS YEAR. I BELIEVE IT'S LIKE $92,000, AND I'M WONDERING IF NOW THAT WE'VE DONE THE UPGRADES IF THAT WILL GO BACK DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, A SMALLER AMOUNT, OR IF WE'RE EXPECTING IT TO STAY ELEVATED OFF OF WHAT IT USED TO SO IT SHOULD GO DOWN. 
          SO, THIS YEAR WE HAVE THAT INCREASED IMPLEMENTATION COST FOR SB 707, AND THEN, AND THAT PAYS FOR BOTH IMPLEMENTATION COSTS AND I THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A YEAR OF THE ACTUAL, LIKE, SOFTWARE COSTS. AND SO WE SHOULD SEE THAT LEVEL OUT. 
          IT'LL STILL BE HIGHER THAN IT WAS IN PREVIOUS YEARS BECAUSE WE'VE HAD TO ADD THAT FUNCTIONALITY, BUT IT WON'T BE AS HIGH AS THIS YEAR. 
          YEAR. OKAY, GREAT. AND THEN ONE JUST, COMMENT, AND IT'S LESS RELATED TO THE BUDGET, BUT GIVEN THE EMPHASIS, OF THE GOAL AROUND TRACKING LEGISLATION, ONE THING THAT I THINK, OR AT LEAST I WOULD FIND HELPFUL, IN WHATEVER CAPACITY, IS FOR US TO DO A REPORT AT SOME POINT OF HERE'S ALL THE LEGISLATION THAT WE'VE TAKEN ACTION ON, AND THEN HERE'S WHAT ACTUALLY CAME OF THEM. I KNOW IT'S HARD FOR MYSELF AT LEAST TO KEEP TRACK OF THEM AND THEN GO BACK AND SAY, DID THAT ONE END UP PASSING THAT WE OPPOSED OR SUPPORT? SO I THINK AS WE'RE INVESTING MORE IN THAT, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW THE FRUIT OF THAT EFFORT. 
          YEAH, AND I BELIEVE THE PLAN IS TO ACTUALLY TRACK THOSE AND KIND OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE. AND THEN AS WE BRING, SAY, ANOTHER GROUP OF LEGISLATION TO THE BOARD TO APPROVE, THAT REPORT, IT WILL BE OUR LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM, WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE ONES WE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED OR, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTED OR OPPOSED. THE STATUS OF THOSE, WHETHER THEY HAVE BEEN APPROVED, WHETHER THEY ARE IN SUSPENSE, OR KIND OF WHEREVER THEY LIVE, AND HAVE THAT COME EVERY TIME WE BRING THAT KIND OF BIG GROUP OF LEGISLATION FOR THE BOARD TO APPROVE. PERFECT. THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR LONG. THANK YOU, ERIN, FOR ALL THE INFORMATION. 
          APPRECIATE IT. 
          IN THE CAO'S BUDGET, THERE WAS ONE ITEM THAT I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT. THE NET COUNTY COST COMES IN AT 1.6 AND IT JUMPED TO 1.8, SO IT WAS A HUGE PERCENT JUMP. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED THERE? YEAH, SO THAT'S REALLY A FUNCTION IF YOU LOOK IN THE BUDGET WHERE YOU HAVE IT'S IN INTRA-FUND TRANSFERS, SO THAT'S COST PLAN CHARGES AND HHSA, WHICH ARE BUDGETED AS A NEGATIVE EXPENSE. THOSE ARE THOSE REIMBURSEMENTS BACK FROM DEPARTMENTS THAT I TALKED ABOUT THAT COME 2 YEARS IN ARREARS. OKAY. SO REALLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SO IF COSTS HAVE INCREASED, RIGHT, THEN THAT SETS A NEW BASE, AND THEN WE HAVE TO MAKE UP FOR THE YEAR THAT THAT INCREASED. WELL, THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS IF YOU THEN DECREASE THE BUDGET, WHICH WE DID DO IN THE CAO'S OFFICE WE HAD SEVERAL POSITIONS THAT WE DELETED WHEN YOU DECREASE THE COST, THEN IN THOSE YEARS YOU'VE NOW RECEIVED MORE REIMBURSEMENT, RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU NOW HAVE THE BASE PLUS THE MAKEUP FROM A COUPLE YEARS PRIOR, AND NOW THE BASE IS HIGHER THAN YOUR EXPENDITURES. AND SO THEN YOU ALSO SEE THAT SAME ADJUSTMENT IN THIS YEAR. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS YEAR, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS AN ADJUSTMENT FROM 2 YEARS AGO WHERE WE DECREASED OUR COSTS AND WE RECEIVED THAT HIGHER LEVEL OF BASE. SO IT'S JUST THAT FLUCTUATION IN THE COST PLAN, AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE, LIKE, UNLESS THE BUDGET STAYS EXACTLY THE SAME EVERY YEAR TO THE END OF TIME, WHICH IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU'LL ALWAYS SEE THAT FLUCTUATION FOR 2 YEARS FROM NOW, RIGHT? IF WE WERE TO SPEND MORE MONEY THIS YEAR, 2 YEARS FROM NOW WE WOULD SEE AN INCREASE IN THAT COST FUND REIMBURSEMENT, WHICH THEN WOULD INCREASE OUR OR DECREASE OUR NET COUNTY COST BECAUSE WE'RE RECEIVING REVENUE FROM 2 YEARS PRIOR. SO THAT DECREASE IS A REFLECTION OF US ACTUALLY DECREASING OUR COSTS IN OUR BUDGET. 2 YEARS AGO. 
          WOW, IT'S KIND OF INVERSELY RELATED. 
          IT IS, YEAH, AND IT'S COMPLICATED. AND YOU SEE IT THE OTHER WAY TOO, RIGHT? IT'S KIND OF ACTUALLY WHERE WE SAW IT, RIGHT, IN COUNTY COUNCIL, AND THAT WE KIND OF SAW THAT INCREASE IN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM 2 YEARS BEFORE, AND NOW THAT'S KIND OF LEVELED OFF BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MAKING UP FOR THAT BASE. 
          GOT IT, THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT, I SEE NO ONE ELSE 
          [01:10:01]
IN QUEUE. OKAY, LOOK AT THE BOARD. IS THAT NEXT? NO, I COVERED CLERK OF THE BOARD. YEAH, BUT COUNTY COUNCIL'S NEXT. OH, GOTCHA. 
          SO FIRST OF ALL, LIKE EVERY YEAR, I WANT TO LEVY MY COMPLAINT ABOUT HAVING TO FOLLOW NOLTE AND AARON, WHO LIVE AND BREATHE BUDGETS, WHICH I DO NOT. SO AT THE PODIUM IS KELLY MICRANS FROM MY OFFICE. SO IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT NUMBERS, KELLY'S GOING TO BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU. SO I'LL GO THROUGH THIS AND PROVIDE A LEVEL OF DETAIL ON DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS. AND IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NUMBERS, KELLY WILL HAPPILY HELP YOU WITH THAT. SO OBVIOUSLY OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE TIMELY, RESPONSIVE, AND EFFECTIVELY LEGAL COUNSEL TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THE GRAND JURY, AND ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS. 
          MUCH LIKE WHAT AARON WAS SAYING, THE, THE NEED FROM EACH DEPARTMENT THROUGHOUT ANY GIVEN YEAR VARIES, SO WE, WE MOVE AND, AND WITH THE NEED. OUR STAFFING, THE POSITIONS HAVE REMAINED STABLE, BUT STAFFING LEVELS HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE. WE WORKED THROUGH, DIFFERENT RECRUITMENTS, AND, MONICA'S STAFF HAS BEEN AMAZING. WE'RE CURRENTLY RECRUITING FOR A LEGAL SECRETARY. WE HAVE A LEGAL SECRETARY WHO IS COMPLETING A PROGRAM TO BECOME, PARALEGAL. SHE'LL BE BACKFILLING THE PARALEGAL POSITION WHO, IS TRANSITIONING INTO AN ATTORNEY POSITION. AND SO THAT WILL MAKE TWO FULL-TIME, 2 ATTORNEY ADDITIONS AND 1 PART-TIME ATTORNEY ADDITION TO HELP US TO MEET OUR STAFFING LEVELS. 
          LET ME GET THIS THING TO WORK. ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL, I'LL GO BACK TO THIS FOR A SECOND. WE, LET YOU KNOW THAT DUE TO THE LOW STAFFING LEVELS, COUNTY COUNCIL HAS REQUIRED SOME ASSISTANCE FROM OUTSIDE COUNSEL. SO THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR, CHILD WELFARE, AND PRAS IS ONE THAT WE'VE LISTED THIS YEAR THAT THAT WE HAVEN'T IN YEARS PAST. SO THE TREND WITH PRAS HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIAL, AND IT DOESN'T JUST AFFECT OUR DEPARTMENT. YOU, YOU HEARD FROM ERIN THAT HER DEPARTMENT'S EXPONENTIALLY CLIMBING TOO. BUT WHAT I'LL SAY IS ALL PRAS HAVE TO PASS THROUGH MY OFFICE. SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF THAT, LAST YEAR, FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, WE HAD 01,360 PRAS. NOW, EACH ONE OF THESE PRAS, WE HAVE OUR PARALEGAL OVERSEEING IT. AND UNFORTUNATELY, OUR PARALEGAL HAS BEEN PULLED FROM THEIR NORMAL DUTIES AND ALMOST FULL-TIME TO PRAS. JUST TO TODAY'S DATE, FROM JANUARY, WE HAVE 1,207 REQUESTS. SO WE ARE ON TRACK TO DOUBLE. AGAIN. AND EACH ONE OF THESE REQUESTS, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE RESOURCES SO THEY COME INTO COUNTY COUNCIL THROUGH THE PROGRAM, WE REACH OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT WHO HAS ASSIGNED STAFF, THEY PULL TOGETHER THE DOCUMENTS, HOWEVER LONG THAT TAKES, THEY, THEY WILL DO THE INITIAL REDACTION, AND THEN SOMEBODY FROM MY OFFICE WILL GO THROUGH THOSE REDACTIONS TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE PROTECTED INFORMATION HAS BEEN REMOVED AND THAT WE'RE LEGALLY COMPLYING WITH, CONFIDENTIALITY OF THOSE THINGS, AND THEN THEY'LL FINALLY GO OUT. SO THE FACT THAT THAT'S DOUBLING AGAIN, IS AN ISSUE WHERE WE ACTUALLY MAY NEED TO AUGMENT THE STAFF THAT'S WORKING ON THAT IN MY OFFICE. BUT WE ALSO, BECAUSE WE, WE HAVE BEEN LOW ON ATTORNEYS, WE HAVE AN OUTSIDE LAW FIRM WHO IS HELPING US DO THE FINAL PROCESS OF THOSE PRAS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, LARGE COSTS THAT WE USED TO NOT INCUR. WHEN WE FILL ALL OF OUR POSITIONS, THE INTENT IS THAT THAT WILL COMPLETELY GO AWAY. WE'VE STARTED TO REDUCE THE NUMBER THAT THEY'RE SEEING, AND AS OUR STAFFING LEVELS COME UP, WE'LL ALSO BE TRYING TO BRING BACK IN-HOUSE THE SECOND POSITION FOR CHILD WELFARE. 
          THAT CREATES SOME REVENUES FOR THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH REQUIRES LESS OF A POOL FROM THE GENERAL FUND. THE SAME WITH THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR, WHICH IS A REVENUE FOR THE DEPARTMENT. AND THOSE WERE ESSENTIALLY PUSHED OUT BECAUSE IT WAS THE ABILITY TO HAVE OUTSIDE COUNSEL WORK ON SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY DRAW FROM GENERAL FUND. THE EXCESS EXPENDITURES, TO TRY TO KEEP THEM FROM SHOCKING DEPARTMENTS THROUGH OUR, UNFILLED POSITIONS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THOSE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY'LL GET THOSE THROUGH THE NORMAL COST PLAN RATHER THAN HAVING 
          [01:15:01]
TO PAY AN ATTORNEY DIRECTLY, AND SHOCK THEIR BUDGETS. 
          COUNTY COUNCIL HAS IMPLEMENTED A NEW CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT HAS STREAMLINED THE EFFICIENCIES IN TAKING AND DOCUMENTING LEGAL MATTERS. 
          ATTORNEYS ARE ABLE TO VIEW CASES CLEARLY, EFFICIENTLY, MANAGE CHANGING CASELOADS PROVIDES A MEANS FOR GREATER DAILY OUTPUT OF LEGAL WORK. WE WERE WORKING WITH A VERY ANTIQUATED SYSTEM. 
          THAT SYSTEM REQUIRED THAT WHEN WE WERE WORKING FROM HOME, ESPECIALLY WITH LOWER STAFFING LEVELS RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPERATIVE THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO PUT IN SOME EVENINGS AT HOME, AND THAT SYSTEM REQUIRED THAT YOU SIGN IN THROUGH A REMOTE. IT WAS A SLOW SYSTEM ANYWAYS, AND SO BY THE TIME YOU TRIED TO WORK WITH IT AT HOME, IT WAS ALMOST FRUITLESS. THIS NEW PROGRAM IS A WEB-BASED PROGRAM. ALL THE ATTORNEYS CAN ACCESS IT THROUGH AT THE SAME SPEEDS THAT THEY ACCESS IT THROUGH THE COUNTY, LIMITED ONLY BY THEIR, THEIR OWN INTERNET. AND THE EFFICIENCIES THAT IT'S CREATED IN THAT REGARD HAVE BEEN HUGE, BUT ALSO THE SYSTEM IS MORE DEVELOPED FOR THE INTAKE PROCESS. THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE A PAGE THAT THEY CAN ENTER THEIR REQUEST. 
          IT COMES IN, IT'S LOGGED. IT DOESN'T REQUIRE A SECRETARY IN OUR OFFICE TO TAKE THE PHYSICAL DOCUMENTS, ENTER IT INTO THE SYSTEM, CREATE A MATTER. AND SO THAT'S CREATED SOME EFFICIENCIES IN OUR LEGAL SECRETARIES TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THEM TO SOME OTHER ITEMS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WITH STAFFING HAS BEEN REALLY A NEEDED THING. 
          AND THOSE, THOSE PROGRAMS TAKE A LONG TIME TO IMPLEMENT, BUT THAT, THAT PROGRAM IS DONE. SO THERE WERE SOME ONE-TIME EXPENSES ON THOSE THAT WE WON'T, WE WON'T HAVE IN OUR, IN OUR SUBSEQUENT BUDGETS, AND THE EFFICIENCIES WILL CONTINUE FORWARD. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS TO BECOME FULLY STAFFED AND ELIMINATE ANY RELIANCE ON OUTSIDE COUNSEL. WE'RE MAKING GOOD STRIDES IN THAT DIRECTION. 
          LIKE I SAID, OUR, OUR PARALEGAL, JUST RECENTLY, GOT HIS LICENSE TO PRACTICE. 
          WE'RE WORKING ON THE TRANSITION FROM MOVING HIM TO PARALEGAL INTO AN ATTORNEY. AND THEN WE HAVE A SECRETARY THAT WILL BE MOVING FROM SECRETARIAL TO PARALEGAL TO CREATE A TRANSITION THERE THAT'S GOING TO BE, BENEFICIAL FOR THE OFFICE. AND SO WE THINK THAT WE'LL PROBABLY, MEET THOSE GOALS HOPEFULLY IN THE BEGINNING OF, OF THIS FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR. AND THEN THAT WILL SAVE THE ADDITIONAL COSTS OF CONTRACTING WITH OUTSIDE COUNSEL. 
          OF COURSE, THAT EXCLUDES LITIGATION. WE SIMPLY DON'T HAVE THE POSITION ALLOCATION TO CREATE A LITIGATION TEAM WITHIN OUR OFFICE, AND BASED ON THE SELF-RETAINED INSURANCE NUMBERS, THOSE WOULDN'T PENCIL OUT. 
          ANYWAYS FOR THE COUNTY. 
          BUT WHAT I CAN SAY ABOUT OUTSIDE COUNSEL IS WE HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES TO OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL. WE'RE PAYING VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THEIR BILLED AMOUNTS. AND SO EVEN THOUGH THE LITIGATION THE NUMBERS OF LITIGATION HAVE GONE UP, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE THOSE OVERALL BILLS AND START TO, TO DROP THOSE DOWN. WE HAD SOME SOME, WE HAD SOME CASES WHERE THEY WEREN'T BEING EFFICIENTLY HANDLED, AND THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN RESOLVED. ALL RIGHT, SO THESE ARE THE NUMBERS, AND AGAIN, WHEN WE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE REVENUES AND GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTIONS, THOSE NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THEY WERE LAST YEAR. BUT AGAIN, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE RELATED TO THE FACT THAT ITEMS THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE REVENUES. WE HAVE OUTSOURCED ONE OF THE TWO ATTORNEYS FOR CHILD WELFARE THROUGH TITLE IV-E. THOSE ARE REVENUES INTO THE DEPARTMENT, AND INSTEAD THEY ARE BEING REDIRECTED TO AN OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR THOSE PAYMENTS. AND AGAIN, THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR IS IN THERE AS WELL. AND THE WAY WE ACHIEVE THOSE IS WHEN WE ADMINISTER ADMINISTER THE ESTATE OF SOMEBODY WHO HAS NOBODY ELSE TO DO THAT, WE'RE ENTITLED TO A STATUTORY FEE FOR, FOR DOING THAT. AND IF THERE ARE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON THESE NUMBERS, KELLY WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE. SO THIS IS OUR TOTAL GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTION, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF $159,000 COUNTY COUNCIL IS A GENERAL FUND OFFICE WHEREBY LITTLE CAN BE DONE TO LIMIT THE GENERAL FUND NEEDS. THE WAY THAT WE LIMIT THOSE GENERAL FUND NEEDS IS TO ESSENTIALLY TRY TO KEEP THOSE REVENUES AS HIGH AS WE CAN, AND WHEN WE BRING THOSE POSITIONS BACK IN, 
          [01:20:02]
IT WILL BE OUR GOAL TO RESTORE IT BACK TO THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAD IN PRIOR YEARS. SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR OPERATIONAL QUESTIONS, AND KELLY'S HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR FINANCIAL QUESTIONS. 
          THE ONLY ONE I HAD IS, CEO RECOMMENDED THAT YOU TAKE OUT $75,000 OUT OF THE EXTRA HELP. IS THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT PERSON AN EMPLOYEE, OR SO WE ACTUALLY, WE HAVE AN EXTRA HELP PERSON, AND WE INTEND TO UNDERFILL A FULL-TIME POSITION WITH HER POSITION, AND SO ULTIMATELY THE NEED FOR EXTRA HELP ISN'T THERE. 
          OKAY, THANKS. SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. 
          YES, I WAS CURIOUS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUTSIDE COUNSEL WHERE THOSE COSTS SHOW UP, IF THOSE ARE IN THE DIFFERENT BUDGET UNITS OF THE DEPARTMENTS, WHERE BECAUSE LIKE I SEE IN HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES WAS IT LOOKS LIKE LAST YEAR, WE SPENT ALMOST $1 MILLION, AND THIS YEAR IT'S BUDGETED FOR $30,000. 
          BUT IS THAT SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN THIS BUDGET, OR SO I CAN GIVE YOU A GENERAL OVERVIEW, AND IT MAY BE, SOMETHING THAT AARON WANTS TO LOOK INTO. BUT YES, LITIGATION, RELATED TO DEPARTMENT-SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES ARE BILLED TO THE DEPARTMENT. I BELIEVE THAT THE WAY THAT HAPPENS IS IT'S BILLED THROUGH RISK MANAGEMENT, AND THEN EACH DEPARTMENT IS GIVEN A NUMBER OF WHAT THEY NEED TO PAY EACH YEAR. 
          SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE ITEMS THAT ARE BILLED TO THE BOARD, AND AN EXAMPLE OF THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN FOUNTAIN WIND, WHERE NO DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR IT AND THE BOARD CHOOSES TO DO. SO YES, IT'S BROKEN OUT BY DEPARTMENT. OKAY. ERIN, IF YOU WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE SPECIFICS. 
          SO, SO HISTORICALLY WE WOULDN'T REALLY SEE ANY OF THE OUTSIDE LEGAL COSTS WITHIN THE COUNTY COUNCIL BUDGET SPECIFICALLY. AND COUNTY COUNCIL IS CORRECT IN THAT THEY WOULD GENERALLY BE BILLED DIRECT TO THE DEPARTMENT IF IT WAS A DEPARTMENT-SPECIFIC, AND OTHERWISE IT'D BE BILLED TO THE MISCELLANEOUS GENERAL BUDGET IF IT WASN'T SPECIFIC TO AN APARTMENT DEPARTMENT. 
          IN THIS YEAR, THE BUDGET IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE, AS JOE TALKED ABOUT IN THE BEGINNING OF OF HIS PRESENTATION, THEY'VE SHIFTED COSTS FROM SALARY AND BENEFITS DOWN TO PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES TO COVER THOSE OUTSIDE COUNSEL CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE NOT LIKE SPECIFIC TO A SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT, BUT REALLY TO A FUNCTION THAT SHOULD COUNTY COUNSEL BE FULLY STAFFED, THEY WOULD BE DOING IN-HOUSE. 
          AND SO THEY'RE PAYING FOR THOSE DIRECTLY THIS YEAR FROM SALARY SAVINGS, AND IT'LL BE BILLED TO DEPARTMENTS VIA COST PLAN. 
          WHEN YOU SAY THIS YEAR IN WHAT YOU JUST SAID, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE FISCAL YEAR THAT WE ARE CLOSING? I AM TALKING ABOUT THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR THAT WE ARE EXISTING IN RIGHT NOW. IT IS THAT WAY. SHOULD I AM GOING TO SAY THAT JOE IS GOING TO HAVE ALL HIS STAFF UP AND HE IS NOT GOING TO NEED THOSE. 
          BUT SHOULD HE NEED SOME OF THOSE NEXT YEAR, THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS YEAR AND THAT THEY WOULD MOVE COSTS FROM SALARY AND BENEFITS DOWN TO INTO THAT PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES LINE TO COVER THOSE PARTICULAR COSTS. OKAY, GOT IT. 
          THAT MAKES SENSE. AND THEN I'M ASSUMING THE ONE LINE ITEM THAT, THE I THINK IT'S SPECIAL DEPARTMENT XP ONLINE DATA SUBSCRIPTION. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IN TERMS OF THE BECAUSE THAT'S GONE, THAT'S THE NEW ONLINE ACCESS, WEB ACCESS THAT NOW ATTORNEYS CAN ACCESS FROM HOME? YES. OKAY. AND I, AND I THINK THAT NUMBER AND KELLY CAN CORRECT ME THAT, THAT'S THE IMPLEMENTATION COSTS. SO THAT, THAT NUMBER WILL ACTUALLY DROP. 
          OKAY. 
          THAT WE'VE PAID ALL THE LEGAL SERVER FEES FOR THE YEAR SO FAR. 
          SO, OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR CRYE. THANK YOU, CHAIR. 
          JOE, REALLY QUICK, QUESTION I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT A WHILE AGO WAS, THE CONDENSING OF MAYBE POSITIONS AND OFFERING A HIGHER WAGE JUST IN TERMS OF WHAT OTHER COUNTIES PAY, OR WE TALK ABOUT THE LEVEL OF ATTORNEY. WE HAVE PHENOMENAL ATTORNEYS, BUT IS THAT SOMETHING YOU LOOKED INTO ANYMORE, OR? YEAH, SO WE DID, AND I'M NOT AND I'M STATING THIS, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT I CAN'T TALK TO MORE THAN ONE PERSON, SO I JUST WANT TO GET IT OUT HERE. 
          SO ONE OF THE THINGS AFTER WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION THAT I LOOKED AT, AND ACTUALLY THIS IS SOMETHING FORGOT TO MENTION, THE BOARD AUTHORIZED US TO CREATE THE CHIEF DEPUTY COUNTY COUNSEL POSITION TO TRY TO ATTRACT THAT, HIGHER LEVEL, MORE EXPERIENCED ATTORNEY. THAT REALLY HASN'T HAPPENED. SO PROBABLY AT, MIDYEAR, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO, BRING THAT BACK DOWN TO BEING A, A COUNTY COUNSEL POSITION. SO AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT CREATING, LESS HIGHER PAID POSITIONS WOULD DRAW PEOPLE IN, BASED ON OUR RECRUITMENT FOR THE 
          [01:25:02]
CHIEF DEPUTY COUNTY COUNSEL POSITION. I'M JUST NOT SURE THAT THAT WOULD BE THE RESULT. 
          YEAH, HOWEVER, AND YOU'RE STILL GETTING, THE, THE OUTCOMES WITH THE ATTORNEYS YOU HAVE. 
          SO EVEN THOUGH WE TALKED ABOUT THAT POSITION, YOU'RE STILL MEETING AND EXCEEDING WHAT PAST COUNSELS HAVE DONE. 
          WELL, FINANCIALLY, YEAH, I, I MEAN, I, I CAN'T REALLY SAY WHAT THE PAST COUNTY COUNSELS HAVE DONE, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS I CAN THROUGH, THROUGH A LOT OF, ESSENTIALLY, WE'VE HAD TO MAKE A LOT OF MOVES TO COVER EVERYTHING, BUT TO ENSURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S WORK IS MOVING THROUGH IN A TIMELY MANNER, YOU KNOW, ENSURING THAT UNLESS IT'S A SPECIAL PROJECT, THAT WE SEE EVERYTHING MOVE THROUGH IN LESS THAN 3 WEEKS. 
          YEAH. ALL RIGHT, YEAH, AND THE CULTURE SEEMS GREAT BECAUSE EVERYBODY SEEMS VERY CONTENT, HAPPY, AND FULL. SO THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. SORRY, I'M JUST, I WAS LOOKING AT THE, THE INFOGRAPHICS IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT, AND I WAS THE ONE THAT SAYS TOTAL HOURS GENERAL LAW AND THEN TOTAL HOURS CHILDREN'S, RIGHT? IS THAT REFERRING TO INTERNAL ATTORNEY HOURS THAT WE'RE SPENDING ON CASES RELATED TO THAT? YES. SO WE HAVE A CHILDREN'S ATTORNEY DEDICATED. 
          THOSE ARE THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT HE SPENT IN THE FISCAL YEAR. 
          AND IS THE IN '24-'25, THERE'S NO DATA FOR THE GENERAL LAW. IS THAT WAS THAT A DATA ERROR OR, MISHAP IN THE SYSTEM? OUR FORMER CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM JUST DIDN'T WASN'T RELIABLE, AND SO THE TIME WASN'T ABLE TO BE ENTERED. OKAY. 
          YEAH, WE HAD A ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THAT PROGRAM HAD TO GO WAS IT WAS INCONSISTENT AND EVEN ALLOWING THE ATTORNEYS TO ENTER THEIR TIME. AND SO THAT'S BEEN RESOLVED, AND YOU SHOULD SEE THOSE NUMBERS RISE. 
          IT'S HELPFUL HEARING, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC RECORD REQUESTS TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT ON THE WORKLOAD. IT WOULD BE, I THINK, ALSO HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND THE NUMBER OF WHETHER THAT'S NUMBER OF CASES, LITIGATION AS WELL, TO GAUGE KIND OF HOW THAT WORKLOAD IS INCREASING. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THAT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, BUT SO I DON'T, AND THERE'S, THERE'S REALLY MULTIPLE CATEGORIES WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT. SO THERE'S EXTERNAL LITIGATION, WHICH IS WHERE WE HIRE OUTSIDE COUNSEL. AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT A LOT OF MY TIME IS SPENT OVERSEEING THAT, ENSURING THAT THOSE ARE MOVING IN THE DIRECTION THAT THE BILLING IS CORRECT. THEN WE HAVE INTERNAL LITIGATION, WHICH IS THOSE THAT AREN'T GOING TO CREATE SO MUCH STAFF TIME THAT WE NEED OUTSIDE COUNSEL. AND THEN WE, WE HAVE LITIGATION THAT IS CHILD WELFARE, AND CHILD WELFARE IS, LIKE I SAID, THAT ONE IS A DIRECT PAY THROUGH TITLE IV-E FUNDING. 
          AND SO THAT REALLY HELPS OUR BUDGET RATHER THAN HARMS IT. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, CHAIR. COUNCIL, I JUST HAD A QUESTION, A LITTLE BIT OF A FOLLOW-UP TO WHAT SUPERVISOR CRYE WAS ASKING ABOUT. WHY ARE YOU HOPEFUL THAT WE'RE GOING TO COME UP TO FULL STAFFING BY THE NEXT 6 MONTHS WHEN PAY ISSUES ARE ON THE TABLE AND YOU'RE HAVING TO REDUCE ONE OF THE POSITIONS FROM A SENIOR SUPERVISING POSITION DOWN? HOW AND I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE TRANSITIONS FOR PARALEGALS INTO FULL ATTORNEYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND WHY ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME UP TO FULL STAFFING? I WOULD SAY THAT THE TREND IS SHOWING IN THAT DIRECTION. 
          WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FILL 2.5 POSITIONS WHERE WE REALLY WEREN'T GETTING ANY APPLICATIONS BEFORE. WE'RE GETTING APPLICATIONS, WE'RE INTERVIEWING PEOPLE, SO I HAVE AN EXPECTATION THAT WE WILL FILL THOSE POSITIONS. 
          OH, OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR CRYE. I WAS GOING TO SAY, SUPERVISOR LONG, GREAT QUESTION. AS YOU KNOW, AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT, CULTURE PLAYS SO MUCH A PIECE OF PEOPLE WANTING TO WORK PLACES. AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE THROUGHOUT THIS IN DIFFERENT, HR COMPONENTS OF THE STAFF, AND PEOPLE WANTING TO WORK IN A CERTAIN ENVIRONMENT VERSUS THIS IS THE OPPOSITE. SO GREAT QUESTION. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. 
          OKAY, I SEE NO ONE ELSE IN QUEUE AND NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCILOR LARMOR. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. 
          AND ARE WE ACTUALLY BREAKING FOR LUNCH NOW UNTIL BOY, YES. SO AT THIS POINT WE'LL BREAK UNTIL 1 O'CLOCK. SO WE PUBLISH THE WE PUBLISH THE SCHEDULE VERY INTENTIONALLY SO THAT WAY WAY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE INTERESTED IN A SPECIFIC TOPIC, THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT TIME TO BE HERE. 
          SUPERVISOR HARMON, YOU WANT TO RUN UP TO MOUNT SHASTA FOR LUNCH? OKAY. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, AARON. APPRECIATE 
          [01:30:03]
IT. AND I GUESS WE WILL SEE EVERYBODY BACK HERE AT 1 O'CLOCK. ALL RIGHT. OKAY, RETURNING FROM LUNCH, WE WILL GET RIGHT BACK INTO BUDGET TALKS. I BELIEVE WE ARE ON THE ASSESSORS. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR KELSTROM, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. AMBER TAIN, DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER. THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE DEDICATED TO TWO GROUPS. THE FIRST GROUP WILL BE THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, EXCLUDING PUBLIC SAFETY, WHO WILL PRESENT ON DAY 3, AND WILL INCLUDE ASSESSOR-RECORDER, AUDITOR-COMPTROLLER, COUNTY CLERK AND ELECTIONS, AND THE TREASURER, TAX COLLECTOR, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR. ALSO BEING HEARD TODAY ARE THE REMAINING GENERAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, WHICH INCLUDE CHILD SUPPORT, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND SUPPORT SERVICES. 
          SERVICES. AND WITH THAT, WE'LL GET STARTED. 
          I'M STILL A LITTLE OLD SCHOOL. 
          I LIKE PAPER. CHAIR KELSTROM, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LESLIE MORGAN. I'M THE SHASTA COUNTY ASSESSOR-RECORDER RUNNING TWO DEPARTMENTS THAT I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT WITH YOU TODAY. 
          GET MY EYEGLASSES ON SO I CAN SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. SO AS THE AND I DON'T READ THE, THE CHARTS. I'LL LET YOU READ THAT PART AND I'LL READ MY PART. AS A RECORDER, WE ARCHIVE DOCUMENTS AND VITAL RECORDS INTO PERPETUITY. THE RECORDINGS ALONE DON'T ESTABLISH THE LEGAL OWNERSHIP BECAUSE THAT'S A LEGAL SUFFICIENCY WITHIN THE DOCUMENTS. 
          HOWEVER, WITH THE PUBLICLY RECORDED DOCUMENTS ARE USED WHEN ESTABLISHING A CHAIN OF TITLE SO THE HISTORY OF OWNERSHIP OWNERSHIP ON A PROPERTY CAN BE VERIFIED. 
          VITAL RECORDS ARE SAFELY MAINTAINED FOR REPLACEMENT, ESSENTIALLY BIRTH, DEATH, MARRIAGE CERTIFICATES, AND USED TO ESTABLISH THE IDENTITY, CONFIRM WHO YOU ARE, AND FOR, FOR PURPOSES OF VERIFICATION OF DEATH. THE ASSESSOR ENROLLS THE TAXABLE VALUE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONSTITUTION AND APPLICABLE LAWS. EVERYTHING IS TAXABLE UNLESS SPECIFICALLY EXEMPTED. 
          THAT'S ALWAYS A FUN PART OF WHAT WE DO IN EXPLAINING TO TAXPAYERS, BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING IN CODE THAT SAYS THIS SPECIFICALLY IS ACCESSIBLE. IT SAYS EVERYTHING'S ACCESSIBLE UNLESS IT'S IN THIS LIST OF EXEMPTIONS OVER HERE. SO THAT INCLUDES HOMES, BUSINESS EQUIPMENT, BOATS, TRACTORS, POSSESSORY INTEREST ASSESSMENTS. WE EXAMINE THE DOCUMENTS TO DETERMINE THE OWNERSHIP FOR ASSESSMENT PURPOSES AND HAVE A SERIES OF DISCOVERY PRACTICES TO LOCATE AND ENROLL THE ASSESSMENT VALUE FOR EACH YEAR AS OF JANUARY 1ST. WE'VE BEEN MANAGING THE STRUGGLES OF FINDING QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR OUR AUDITOR APPRAISER POSITION AS WE CONTINUE TO LOSE RECRUITS AND NEW HIRES TO JOBS THAT PAY BETTER. LAST YEAR WE DECREASED OUR OVERALL FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE COUNT BY REMOVING VACANT POSITIONS AND ADDING A SENIOR SPECIALIST AUDITOR APPRAISER. WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT POSITION IN A COUPLE SLIDES HERE. THIS WILL SAVE US MONEY AND BETTER STAFF THE DEPARTMENT TO MEET THE ASSESSMENT NEEDS. 
          OOPS. 
          ADVANCE. GO THERE. 
          ACCOMPLISHMENTS GENERALLY REVOLVE AROUND EFFICIENCIES TO KEEP UP THE WORK. UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY AS APPROPRIATE AND ENSURE THAT THE TAX DOLLARS ARE MANAGED PROPERLY. AS NOTED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, LAST YEAR WE MADE STAFFING CHANGES TO BETTER ALIGN TO THE EMPLOYEES TO THE NEEDS. IT WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY REDUCING A SPECIALIST POSITION AS WELL AS AN APPRAISER AIDE POSITION IN ORDER TO ADD ANOTHER AUDITOR APPRAISER. THE PROGRAM CHANGES MADE TO MORE EFFICIENTLY INTERPRET VALUES AND SHIFTING SOME OF OUR MORE HOMOGENEOUS VALUE REVIEWS INTO THE DIRECT ENROLLMENT PROGRAM ARE ESSENTIALLY HOW WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE REDUCTION OF THOSE TWO POSITIONS. 
          TO ULTIMATELY SAVE DOLLARS WITH THE ADDITION OF THE AUDITOR APPRAISER. THE WORKLOAD IN THE AUDIT APPRAISER STAFF HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE LAST 5 YEARS, AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT PUSHED US INTO REVIEWING THAT SO THAT WE COULD GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, LITERALLY RIGHT NOW IN OUR OFFICE, WE HAVE KIND OF AN ALL HANDS ON DECK SUPPORTING THE, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THIS VACANCY THAT, THAT WE WERE HOPING TO GET FILLED. THE RECORDER MUST ENSURE THAT DOCUMENTARY TRANSFER TAX IS COLLECTED AND DISTRIBUTED CORRECTLY. WE COLLECT FUNDS SUCH AS THE DA FRAUD FEE TO SUPPORT THE DA'S EFFORTS AND CAPACITY TO INVESTIGATE REAL ESTATE FRAUD, AS WELL AS SB2 FUNDS DISTRIBUTED TO THE STATE FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSING, AND WITH A PORTION OF THOSE FUNDS COMING BACK TO THE COUNTY AS WELL. I WOULD NOTE THAT THE RECORDER STATISTICS WE TYPICALLY REPORT ON A CALENDAR YEAR AS FAR AS OUR RECORDED DOCUMENTS AND, AND ALL OF THOSE ITEMS. THE ASSESSOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON WAYS TO ENSURE FAIR AND ACCURATE ASSESSMENTS, LOOKING FOR EXEMPTIONS AND EXCLUSIONS THAT MAY APPLY TO A PROPERTY OWNER, AND REACHING OUT TO GATHER THE INFORMATION ALLOWING US TO APPLY THOSE EXEMPTIONS OR EXCLUSIONS. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT BALANCE WHICH ALLOWS OUR APPRAISERS TO MAINTAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR APPRAISAL AREAS AND THE 
          [01:35:01]
TRENDS AND MARKET EVALUATIONS. 
          PAST UPGRADES AND, AND RESTRICTED USE PROPERTIES, MOBILE HOMES, POSSESSORY INTEREST ASSESSMENTS HAVE ALL ASSISTED IN KEEPING WITHIN OUR BUDGET GOALS WITHOUT ADDING STAFF. 
          DURING 25-26, THE DIRECT ENROLLMENT MODULE HAS BEEN INCORPORATED FOR SIMPLE, MORE HOMOGENEOUS AREAS, WHICH WILL ALLOW AN APPRAISER MORE TIME TO ANALYZE THE MORE COMPLEX APPRAISALS. APPRAISERS CONTINUE TO ANALYZE THE RECORDS ON THESE PROPERTIES TO ENSURE THAT PHYSICAL PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE UPDATED AND SITE VISITS ARE DONE AS NEEDED. 
          THIS WILL ENSURE THAT THE MODULE WILL MAINTAIN A HIGHER DEGREE OF ACCURACY FOR PROPERTIES THAT HAVE CHANGES MADE AND ARE THEN USED AS COMPARABLE TO OTHER PROPERTIES. PROPERTY TAXES ARE THE MAIN PORTION OF TAXES AVAILABLE TO THE COUNTY FOR DISCRETIONARY USE. 
          HOWEVER, THE TAX DOLLARS ARE NOT OUR FOCUS. WE STRICTLY REVIEW THE ACCURACY OF THE VALUES AND THE PRACTICES IN PLACE TO GET THE JOB DONE IN THE MOST MOST EFFICIENT MANNER SO TAXPAYERS AND THE CAO CAN ALL FEEL ASSURED THAT THE ROLL VALUES ARE ACCURATE. ALTHOUGH THE ONGOING GOALS MAY SEEM SIMPLE IN PRINT, THE EFFORTS OF STAFF TO ENSURE THAT EACH DOCUMENT, CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP, BUSINESS LICENSE, BUILDING PERMIT, HOUSING LIST, DMV LIST, FAA LIST, CHANGE OF ADDRESS, EXCLUSION FROM REAPPRAISAL, PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION, AND ANNUAL PROPERTY STATEMENT IS ANALYZED APPROPRIATELY TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF OUR RECORDS IS AN EVERYDAY PRIORITY. EVEN WHAT WOULD SEEM LIKE A SIMPLE TASK OF CHANGING AN ADDRESS REQUIRES A REVIEW OF THE SUBMITTER, CONSIDERATIONS OF OUTSTANDING BILLS, RESEARCH FOR OTHER, FOR OTHER PROPERTIES, AND OUTREACH WITH THE TAXPAYER TO MAKE SURE THE APPROPRIATE PROPERTIES, SUPPLEMENTAL ASSESSMENTS, BUSINESS RECORDS, AND EVEN BOATS OR AIRCRAFT RECORDS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED OR EXCLUDED AS APPROPRIATE. 
          FOR '26-'27, OUR MAIN GOAL WILL BE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SB 255 FOR THE RECORDER. SB 255 REQUIRES A NOTIFICATION BE MAILED OUT ON EACH DEED, QUITCLAIM DEED, MORTGAGE, OR DEED OF TRUST WITHIN 30 DAYS OF RECORDING. THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WAS STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN SOME OF THE LARGER COUNTIES LIKE LA WHO HAD THE ABILITY TO CHARGE FOR IT. SOME OTHER COUNTIES IMPLEMENTED IT, BUT THIS NEW BILL NOW MAKES IT A REQUIREMENT AND ALLOWS FOR THE FEE. SO YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE HEARING FROM ME IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS AS WE GET OUR HEAD WRAPPED AROUND THAT. 
          WE HAVE TO GO FORWARD WITH OUR PROCESSES IN THE OFFICE AS WELL AS ESTABLISHING WHETHER OR NOT WE'LL NEED A FEE FOR THAT. THE SYSTEM WILL REQUIRE THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE DATA FROM OUR TYLER RECORDING SYSTEM AND THE DATA OUT OF OUR MEGABYTE PROPERTIES TAX SYSTEM. IT PASSED ON AS PART OF THE LEGISLATURE'S EFFORTS TO PREVENT REAL ESTATE FRAUD, OR AT LEAST MAKE A PROPERTY OWNER AWARE THAT ONE OF THESE DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE TYPICALLY BEEN USED IN REAL ESTATE FRAUD HAS BEEN RECORDED. IF THE OWNER WAS UNAWARE OF THE DOCUMENT, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO REACT QUICKLY AND ALSO POTENTIALLY USE THE DA STAFF WHO RECEIVED SOME FUNDING THROUGH THE DA FRAUD FEE MENTIONED EARLIER. 
          THIS SLIDE IS A ROLLED-UP SUMMARY OF THE BUDGET SUBMITTED FOR THE ASSESSOR AND RECORDER'S OFFICES. FOR THE ASSESSOR, THE VALUATION OF PROPERTIES FOR TAX PURPOSES IS CONSIDERED THE BURDEN OF THE COUNTY, WITH THE STATE PAYING A PORTION OF THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH SUPPLEMENTAL BILL AND THE AUDITOR BILLING FOR ADMINISTRATION COSTS TO SPECIAL DISTRICTS. THE RECORDER COLLECTS FEES FOR SERVICES. HOWEVER, NEARLY ALL OF THESE FEES ARE SET BY CODE AND CAN ONLY BE UPDATED THROUGH LEGISLATIONS. THERE ARE MANY RECORDINGS THAT ARE FREE TO GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, AS WELL AS BIRTH CERTIFICATES THAT ARE FREE TO THE HOMELESS. 
          THESE COSTS AND ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OUTDATED FEES ARE THE BURDEN OF THE COUNTY. I'LL BE DISCUSSING THE RECORDER VIA RECORDING FEE BILL CURRENTLY IN THE SENATE IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES. THE RECORDER HAS 4 SPECIAL FUND ACCOUNTS THAT CAN BE ONLY, ONLY BE USED FOR PURPOSES ESTABLISHED BY CODE. THESE ARE OUR ELECTRONIC RECORDING FEE, OUR MICROGRAPHICS MODERNIZATION, AND VITAL HEALTH. OKAY, THE ASSESSOR'S NET COUNTY COST IS COVERED ENTIRELY BY GENERAL FUND. AS REQUESTED, THE $5 MILLION IS AN INCREASE OF $16,078, OR 0.32%, COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR '25-'26. THIS INCREASE IS DUE TO LAST-MINUTE ADDITION OF COSTS OF $25,352 FOR THE, THE, SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUILDING. WE WERE ABLE TO FIND ROOM IN THE BUDGET TO COVER JUST OVER $9,000 OF THOSE ADDITIONAL COSTS, AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL ULTIMATELY HAVE THE SAVINGS WITHIN OUR BUDGET TO OFFSET, OFFSET ANY OF THAT REMAINING PORTION THAT SHOWS US OVER CURRENTLY. THE CALIFORNIA COUNTY ASSESSORS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 
          [01:40:02]
AUTHORITY WAS CREATED IN 2022 FOR ASSESSORS TO MANAGE AND ALLOCATE FUNDS DISTRIBUTED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
          THAT'S THAT $30 MILLION YOU SEE THERE. THE FUNDING WAS DISTRIBUTED OVER 3 YEARS TO PERMIT THE MEMBER AGENCIES TO JOINTLY DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS TO ASSIST IN THE STANDARDIZATION OF STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES. 
          THEY'VE UTILIZED THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS FROM COUNTIES AS WELL AS A CONSULTANT TO ENSURE THAT THE FOUNDATIONAL BASIS FOR A STATEWIDE SYSTEM IS ESTABLISHED WELL THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN RFP. SHASTA COUNTY STAFF ASSISTED WITH THE PROOF OF CONCEPT PROGRAMMING REVIEW, AND CADA IS IN THE FINAL STAGES TO SELECT A VENDOR AND BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROP 19 MODULE AS WELL AS THE EXEMPTION MODULE. THE RECORDER'S NET KIND OF COST FOR '26-'27 IS $537,979. THE GENERAL FUND SUPPORT BEING REQUESTED IS $468,179 AFTER THE USE OF FUND BALANCES FOR DESIGNATED COSTS WITHIN THE BUDGET. THOSE ARE THOSE FUND BALANCES I JUST DISCUSSED IN THE PRIOR BASED ON EACH FUND'S RESTRICTED USE, THE NET COUNTY COST IN 25-26 WAS $559,604, WHICH WAS DOWN $22,425, WITH THE GENERAL FUND SUPPORT SPECIFICALLY COVERING $432,172, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF $36,007. RECORDER FEES ARE ALMOST ENTIRELY ESTABLISHED BY CODE, AS MENTIONED, AND A COUPLE OF FEES HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD AS ALLOWED. AS ALLOWED, THE MAIN RECORDING FEES WERE INCREASED IN 2010 AND SET SPECIFICALLY BY GOVERNMENT CODE 27361, WHICH CAPPED THE FEE AT $10 BASED UPON A FEE STUDY. THE BOARD APPROVED THE FEE STUDY SHOWING THE COST AT THAT TIME AS $11.91. SO EVEN IN 2010, WHEN THAT FEE WAS APPROVED, WE WERE ALREADY BEHIND THE BALL, AND IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT THIS NEW FEE BILL IS LIKELY TO JUST BRING US CLOSER TO FILLING THAT GAP AND NOT NECESSARILY CATCH IT UP ALL THE WAY. CURRENTLY, WE'RE OVER $10 SHORT PER DOCUMENT ON AVERAGE. EXAMINING DOCUMENTS FOR RECORDING REQUIREMENTS CANNOT BE AUTOMATED DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE LIST OF RECORDING REQUIREMENTS NEEDED FOR EACH TYPE OF DOCUMENT. IN ADDITION, CHANGES TO DOCUMENTS THAT AND REQUIREMENTS HAS INCREASE THE ANALYSIS NEEDED FOR DOCUMENT REVIEW. THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR THE ENTIRE STATE, AND THE COUNTY RECORDERS ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA HAS SPENT THE LAST 3 YEARS WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND LEGISLATORS TO UPDATE THE RECORDING FEES. AB 1430 WAS VETOED BY THE GOVERNOR IN 2025. HOWEVER, CRAC HAS WORKED WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, BIPARTISAN AUTHORS NOW WE HAVE, OUR OWN HEATHER HADWICK AS ONE OF OUR AUTHORS ON THIS BILL AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO MAKE UPDATES TO THIS YEAR'S AB 2224. THAT BILL HAS HAD UNANIMOUS SUPPORT IN EACH COMMITTEE TO DATE, HAS NO LISTING OPPOSITIONS, AND THE BILL HAS RECEIVED THE SUPPORT OF RCRC AND CSAC WITH MANY OF OUR OTHER STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS CLTA, CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS, CAR. WE HAVE THOSE LETTERS THAT WE'RE AWAITING IN THE STAGE. IT'S IN THE SENATE NOW, AND WE'RE AWAITING SOME OF THOSE OTHER SUPPORT LETTERS FROM THESE PARTNERED STAKEHOLDERS. 
          OOPS. 
          OH, THAT WAS ME. I'M ALL DONE. 
          I JUST KEEP FLIPPING PAGES. I'M GOING TO START OVER. DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? THANK YOU, MS. MORGAN. NO QUESTIONS IN QUEUE. THERE WE GO. MATT PLUMMER. 
          SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. YES, THANK YOU. SO I HEARD YOU DESCRIBING THE FEES, BUT I, I DON'T THINK I QUITE HAVE MY HEAD WRAPPED AROUND IT. WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE, THE REVENUE FROM THE FEES OVER THE LAST, SAY, 8 OR SO YEARS, IT'S PRETTY FLAT. YEAH, WHICH IS SURPRISING CONSIDERING THAT OUR COSTS HAVE GONE UP DRAMATICALLY. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME ARE STATE REGULATED, SOME ARE NOT. 
          WELL, THE MAJORITY OF ALL THE FEES THAT WE HAVE IN THE RECORDER'S OFFICE ARE SET IN A CODE SOMEWHERE. SOME OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN UPDATED. SOME OF THEM HAVE AN ADJUSTMENT. 
          BUT THE RECORDING FEE ITSELF, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH THE HEART AND SOUL OF WHAT WE DO, THE MAJORITY OF ALL OF OUR OUR WORK IS ABOUT RECORDING DOCUMENTS THAT GET BROUGHT IN. AND RIGHT NOW, WHEN I FIRST STARTED, THAT WAS $3 WAS THE RECORDING FEE. IN 2010, AS MENTIONED, IT WENT TO THE $10. AND THEN NOW, RIGHT NOW, IT'S FINGERS CROSSED GOING TO GO TO $15 FOR THE FIRST PAGE AND $4 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL PAGE. THE ADDITIONAL PAGE CHARGE RIGHT NOW IS $3. SO IT'S $10 FOR THE FIRST PAGE, $1,000 
          [01:45:01]
FOR THE ADDITIONAL PAGES. SO YEAH, THAT'S STILL, STILL GOING TO PUT US WELL, DEPENDING ON THE ADDITIONAL PAGES, BECAUSE WE GOT THAT DOLLAR ADJUSTMENT IN THOSE ADDITIONAL PAGES, IT MIGHT MAKE UP THE REST OF THE GAP FROM OUR EARLY PROJECTIONS AS TO WHAT OUR RECORDING FEES ARE GOING TO COST. EITHER WAY, IT'S GOING TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN HOW MUCH GENERAL FUND ASSISTANCE WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET TO HOPEFULLY HIRE IN ANOTHER PERSON TO TO HELP US MAINTAIN THAT. AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'VE WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE TO CUT STAFF IS YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OTHER PROJECTS AREN'T GOING TO GET DONE. AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE THINGS LIKE THE FRAUD NOTIFICATION PROCESS COMING, THESE ARE ALL GOING TO TAKE MORE TIME. 
          SO THAT'S SET BY THIS, THE STATE, YOU'RE SAYING? THAT WAS THE LEGISLATION YOU'RE TALKING THAT YOU'RE TALKING WITH ASSEMBLYWOMAN HADWICK ABOUT? YEAH. OKAY. AND WE WERE HOPING TO GET AN INDEXER BUILT INTO TO IT, BUT THE, THE TITLE AND ESCROW INDUSTRY PUSHED BACK ON AN AUTOMATIC CPI ADJUSTMENT. 
          SO IT'S BECOME ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT THEY'VE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'LL JUST LET YOU BRING IT BACK EVERY 5 YEARS OR SO AND FIGURE OUT IF YOU STILL HAVE COST INCREASES THAT NEED TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR. SO WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. 
          AND ARE THERE, RECORDER FEES THAT ARE SET AT THE COUNTY LEVEL? YOU MENTIONED IN CODE SOMEWHERE, OR ARE THESE ARE ABOUT THE THE WE BROUGHT OUR FEES, WE UPDATED OUR FEES, WE HAVE COPY FEES. OH MY GOSH, NOW I'M NOT GOING TO REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. YEAH, I'M NOT GOING TO REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF FEES THAT GET ADJUSTED THROUGH THE BOARD'S RESOLUTION. 
          WITH THE FEES THEMSELVES. AND WE DID THAT TOO LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE. 
          AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THAT THE WORKLOAD IS INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY. WHAT'S DRIVING THAT? SO, MOST OF THE WORKLOAD I WAS REFERENCING THERE HAS TO DO WITH OUR, I'LL SAY OUR BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY SECTION. AND SO WHEN I FIRST CAME INTO THE OFFICE, THAT WE HAD 5 AUDITOR APPRAISERS. I WAS HIRED AS AN AUDITOR APPRAISER AT THAT TIME. THE, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SOME ADJUSTMENTS MADE NOT LONG AFTER THAT TO ADJUST THE LIEN DATE. IT PUSHED IT FORWARD AND IT ADJUSTED OUR MANDATORY AUDIT WORKLOAD. SO OVER TIME, WE WERE ABLE TO GO DOWN TO 5 OR 4 AUDITOR APPRAISERS INSTEAD OF 5. BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S HAPPENED IS FROM THE TIME I, I'LL SAY, TOOK OFFICE AS THE DEPARTMENT HEAD, WE'VE GONE FROM MAILING OUT ABOUT 8,000 PROPERTY STATEMENTS EACH YEAR THAT HAVE TO BE WORKED BETWEEN BASICALLY FEBRUARY AND RIGHT NOW, JUNE, MID-JUNE. SO NOW WE'RE ABOUT 12,000 SENDING OUT EACH YEAR. SO IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES THEMSELVES. IT COULD BE JUST PROPERTY OWNERS THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE HEAVY MOBILE EQUIPMENT, TRACTORS AND STUFF THAT ARE JUST REQUIRED TO GET ASSESSED EACH YEAR. OUR AIRCRAFT HAVE ASSESSED ANNUALLY. SO ALL OF OUR BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY SECTION IS IT'S REQUIRED THAT THEY GET REVALUED EACH AND EVERY YEAR, AND THAT'S THE WORKLOAD THAT'S GONE FROM THE 08,000 TO 9,000 TO THE 12,000 RANGE. AND THAT'S WHERE IT'S HARD TO GET THAT MANY MORE DONE WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF PEOPLE, WHICH IS WHY WE JUST DID THE REORG WE DID IN WITH THE OCTOBER PERSONNEL AMENDMENT. 
          AND THAT INCREASE IN WORKLOAD IS DRIVEN BY STATE REGULATIONS IN TERMS OF OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO ASSESS WHEN PRIMARILY, OR? NO, A LOT OF THAT'S JUST THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES, BUSINESS RECORDS WE HAVE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH ALL THE BUSINESS LICENSES, FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAMES, ANY OF THOSE NEWSPAPERS TO FIND THEM. AND IT'S JUST THROUGH THE MORE EFFICIENT YOU ARE AND EFFECTIVE YOU ARE AT DISCOVERING BUSINESSES, THE MORE BUSINESS FILES YOU HAVE SET UP, AND THE MORE THAT YOU'RE SENDING OUT EACH YEAR. 
          AND THEN ONE LAST QUESTION. 
          THE GRANT FOR THE TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU MENTIONED, THE $30 MILLION GRANT, DO WE KNOW WHEN THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND WHAT THE PROJECTED, YOU KNOW, EFFICIENCY SAVINGS WILL BE THROUGH THAT? YEAH, SO A LOT OF THESE FIRST TWO PROJECTS THAT THAT'S GOING TO DO, WHICH OBVIOUSLY ISN'T GOING TO USE THE WHOLE ENTIRE $30 MILLION, BUT THROUGH OUR EFFORTS OF THAT JPA WITH THE STATE, THEY WANTED US TO FOCUS ON A COUPLE PROJECTS INITIALLY AND THEN EACH YEAR ADD THEM. SO WE FOCUSED ON THE PROP 19 REPORTING BECAUSE WHAT THAT IS, IS IT'S THE BILL THAT CHANGED A FEW YEARS AGO TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO TRANSFER THEIR BASE YEAR VALUE FROM ONE COUNTY INTO ANOTHER. AND THERE WAS THE, THE SHIFTING IN THE TAX BASIS. SO FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEBODY WHO SELLS THEIR MILLION-DOLLAR TWO-BEDROOM HOUSE IN THE BAY AREA AND THEY CAN COME UP HERE AND BUY A MILLION-DOLLAR, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER MANY-BEDROOM HOUSE UP HERE, AND WE BRING THE BASE YEAR VALUE THEY HAD, WHICH MIGHT BE $300,000. SO WE HAVE TO DO REPORTINGS TO THE STATE 
          [01:50:01]
ABOUT THOSE ADJUSTMENTS WITH THE BASE YEARS. 
          FOR A COUNTY LIKE US, BECAUSE WE DON'T GET, I'LL SAY, QUITE AS MANY BAY AREA TRANSFERS, AND WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT TRANSFER TO OTHER SMALLER COUNTIES, WE'VE BEEN SOMEWHAT MORE OF BREAK EVEN ON THAT. BUT THE FACT THAT THERE'S SO MANY MORE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE NEEDING TO FILE THEM, NEEDING TO FILE INFORMATION ON THEIR FAMILY FARM TRANSFERS, NEEDING TO DO THE INTERGENERATIONAL TRANSFERS ARE HANDLED DIFFERENTLY. SO IT'S THE IT'S A PORTAL TO ALLOW US TO, TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH OUR REPORTING BETWEEN COUNTIES BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH TRANSFERRING BACK AND FORTH, AND FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO BE ABLE TO FILE MORE EFFICIENTLY. AND THEN SAME THING WITH THE EXEMPTIONS. RIGHT NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON LIKE DISABLED VETERANS EXEMPTIONS, STUFF LIKE THAT, SO THAT THEY CAN DO THEIR FILINGS. SO THOSE ARE OUR TWO MAIN FOCUSES RIGHT NOW. AND THERE WAS A MEETING LAST WEEK, AND THEY'RE KIND OF IN THE FINAL PHASES OF THAT LAST SELECTION. 
          THEY'VE GOT EVERYTHING READY, AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. AND WE'RE HOPING THIS START SEEING SOMETHING BY OUR NEXT REPORTING PERIOD. 
          WE'VE DONE ONE REPORTING PERIOD WITH PROP 19, AND I THINK THE NEXT ONE IS NEXT YEAR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS. SO THE PERSONAL EXEMPTION, OR YOUR BASELINE SO I MEAN, I HAD A FRIEND THAT HAD A HOUSEBOAT AND A SKI BOAT, AND LORI SCOTT WAS ALWAYS GETTING THE BLAME FOR IT BECAUSE SHE SENT OUT THE BILLS. 
          BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF BOATERS THAT WERE UPSET BECAUSE THEIR BOAT WAS, YOU KNOW, ASSESSED AT A HIGHER VALUE EVERY YEAR. 
          BUT WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE ON THAT? SO OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, HOUSEBOAT, SKI BOAT, BASS BOAT IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERED A LUXURY OR GET CONSIDERED THAT 1% TAX, 1% RIGHT TO LATE PROPERTY TAX, I BELIEVE. CORRECT. 
          THE STATEWIDE TAX RATE IS 1%, AND THEN IT'S ADJUSTED BY ANY VOTER-APPROVED BONDED INDEBTEDNESS. SO IF, IF THE AREA WHERE THE BOAT IS KEPT HAS SCHOOL BONDS ITEMS OF THAT NATURE, THOSE ARE GOING TO IMPACT THAT. 
          BUT WHERE DOES SO WHERE DOES THAT LINE GO DOWN TO? IN OTHER WORDS, I MEAN, OKAY, SO NOW IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE OLD ALUMINUM FISHING BOAT, I MEAN, IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, OR A RUBBER RAFT, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PAY THE TAXES ON THE RUBBER RAFT. 
          SO OUR MINIMUM ASSESSMENT VALUE IS $1,900 IN VALUE. OKAY, THAT WAS, YEAH, THAT ONE WAS JUST SET, IN THE FALL LAST YEAR. IT WAS REVIEWED. IT WENT FROM $2,000 TO $1,900 FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY. 
          BUT OTHERWISE, ESSENTIALLY, FOR THE MOST PART, ONCE WE GET A BOAT, AND I'M GOING TO SAY JUST A GENERIC BOAT ON THE ASSESSMENT ROLL, THOSE FACTORS, WE DO FACTOR CALCULATIONS FOR INDEXING THE DOLLAR DEPRECIATING OUT. SO THEY TEND TO DROP, BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE'LL SEE LIKE AN INCREASE. AIRCRAFT ARE THE SAME WAY WHERE SOMETIMES THE BLUE BOOK ANALYSIS, THEY ACTUALLY KIND OF SHIFT UP. BUT IN THE LONG TERM, THOSE VALUES ARE GOING TO KEEP DEPRECIATING UNTIL SUCH POINT THAT THEY FALL BELOW OUR MINIMUM ASSESSMENT VALUE, AND THEN WE MAKE THEM INACTIVE AFTER THE CLOSE OF ROLL. 
          AND THE SAME THING AS HEAVY EQUIPMENT. I'M SURE MR. HARTMAN IS ALL AWARE ABOUT HEAVY EQUIPMENT. HE GETS PROBABLY TAXED ON THAT. AND I KNOW TRACTORS AND IMPLEMENTS HOPE YOU FILED YOUR PROPERTY STATEMENT. AND I KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, TRACTORS AND IMPLEMENTS, THEY GET TAXED. SO I MEAN, HOW ABOUT LIKE A RIDING LAWNMOWER? IF YOU HAD A $5,000 RIDING LAWNMOWER, WOULD THAT BE WOULD YOU HAVE TO BE PAYING THE TAX ON THAT? YES, TECHNICALLY EVERYTHING'S TAXABLE UNLESS SPECIFICALLY EXEMPTED. PERSONAL HOUSEHOLD FURNISHINGS ARE EXEMPTED, BUT RIDER MOWERS ARE NOT. SO IF WE ARE AWARE OF A RIDER MOWER THAT IS OF A VALUE, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, $5,000, THEN WE WOULD PLACE IT ON THE ASSESSMENT ROLL. WE HAVE A UNIQUE FORM SO THAT WE'LL SEND OUT THAT INFORMATION AND TELL CITIZENS POINT IT DEPRECIATES OUT. 
          JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, HOW WOULD YOU BE MADE AWARE? BECAUSE I KNOW MY EX-WIFE WAS SELF-EMPLOYED, SO WE WOULD WRITE OFF, YOU KNOW, HER OFFICE IN THE HOUSE, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE OFFICE CHAIR AND THE FAX MACHINE SHE BOUGHT THAT YEAR, AND THE WHATEVER, THE PRINTER. AND AT ONE POINT SHE FINANCED SOME SOFTWARE THAT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE, AND IT WAS LIKE EVER SINCE SHE FINANCED THAT SOFTWARE, ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE GETTING TAXED FOR THE OLD OFFICE CHAIR. 
          YEAH, YOU KNOW, SHE'S NOT THERE ANYMORE, SO I DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT. 
          YEAH, I GOT RID OF THE OFFICE CHAIR. 
          TECHNICALLY SOFTWARE IS EXEMPT, SO IT WOULD BE THAT MAYBE IT'S THE UCC FILINGS. THAT IS ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE WE'LL DISCOVER A LOT OF THE KIND OF FINANCE TYPES OF THINGS THAT MIGHT NOT BE USED IN A BUSINESS. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF OTHER RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, AND UNLESS WE HAPPEN TO CATCH A, YOU KNOW, HEY, DO YOU WANT SOME TRACTOR WORK DONE? BUT TECHNICALLY THAT'S A BUSINESS AS WELL. SO, BUT IF WE'RE JUST PERSONAL WHEN THEY'RE PERSONALLY OWNED ITEMS THAT SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE WALKED IN AND PAID CASH FOR, UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S NOT A LOT OF MECHANISMS IN PLACE FOR US TO FIND THAT. WHEN THEY'RE FINANCED, WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION FOR THOSE UCC FILINGS, AND WHEN WE GET THAT, WE FOLLOW UP ON IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR LONG. THANK YOU, LESLIE. 
          THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INFORMATION. MY QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH PROP 8 CHALLENGES, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ONE PROPERTY IN 
          [01:55:01]
PARTICULAR. I'M JUST CURIOUS THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT ACROSS THE COUNTY, AND ARE WE SUCCESSFUL IN DEFENDING VALUES, OR ARE THEY MORE SUCCESSFUL IN ARGUING UNDER PROP 8? SO, IT'S KIND OF TWO DIFFERENT THINGS IN THAT QUESTION. PART OF OUR WORKLOAD WITH OUR REAL PROPERTY APPRAISERS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE VALUE EVERYTHING AT CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP OR NEW CONSTRUCTION. BUT BEYOND THAT, WHAT PROP 8 ENTITLES PEOPLE TO IS THE LESSER OF THE CURRENT MARKET VALUE OR THEIR BASE YEAR VALUE THAT'S BEEN INFLATED BY NO MORE THAN 2% PER YEAR. 
          SO IN 2008, WHEN THE MARKET CRASHED, WE STARTED RECOGNIZING THAT. 
          THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS WE HAD, YOU KNOW, 05,000, 8,000, 10,000 PROPERTIES. BY 2010, WE HAD 33,000 PROPERTIES. 3,000 PROPERTIES THAT WE PROACTIVELY QUERIED AND DID REDUCTIONS ON. 
          PROPERTY OWNERS, BY DOING THAT, PROPERTY OWNERS DIDN'T HAVE TO REACH OUT TO US AND SAY, HEY, I THINK MY VALUE IS TOO HIGH. 
          WE DID THAT PROACTIVELY. THE OTHER PART OF THAT QUESTION IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE WHETHER IT'S A PROP 8 VALUE OR JUST THEIR ASSESSED VALUE ANY AND EVERY YEAR, A PROPERTY OWNER, WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE ENCOURAGE THEM TO REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE TEAM WE HAVE. WE HAVE AN APPRAISER WHO'S ASSIGNED TO THAT AREA, GENERALLY IS THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE. THEY'RE GOING TO GATHER NEW INFORMATION. BUT THEY CAN ALWAYS FILE THEY ALWAYS HAVE A RIGHT TO APPEAL. WE TEND TO GET AROUND 200 APPEALS FILED PER YEAR. THIS YEAR I THINK 2 WERE HEARD BECAUSE OF THE ONES THAT GET FILED. 
          SOME OF THEM WILL JUST POSTPONE. 
          SOME OF THEM WILL GET US MORE INFORMATION. EITHER WE'LL EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY THE VALUE IS WHAT IT IS, OR WE'LL GET NEW INFORMATION AND WE'LL WORK WITH THEM TO GET THE VALUE ADJUSTED. 
          BUT WE HAD 2 HEARINGS THIS YEAR AFTER THE FILING OF A COUPLE HUNDRED APPEALS, AND WE'RE STILL WAITING ON ONE OF THOSE TO COME BACK. I MEAN, BUT YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY THE PROCESS IS WHAT IT IS. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR HARMON. WELL, YOU KIND OF TOOK ALL MY FUN WHEN YOU STARTED TALKING ABOUT APPEALS. 
          OH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROPERTY STATEMENTS. 
          I WAS JUST GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE FUN WITH YOU. I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK, IS THERE SUCH THING AS A REVERSE AUDIT WHERE WE CAN AUDIT WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO US AS THE TAXPAYER? OH, WELL, I MEAN, WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT WE HAVE A STATE AGENCY WITH THE STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION THAT OVERSEES OUR OFFICES. SO, YEAH, I MEAN, THEY COME IN, THEY DO SAMPLES AND SURVEYS OF OUR OFFICES. IF THEY DO A SURVEY, THEY'RE ANALYZING THE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES IN THE OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT YOU SEEM TO BE DOING IT CORRECTLY. WHEN THEY DO A SAMPLE, THEY ACTUALLY PULL FILES, THEY PULL A SAMPLING OF OUR RECORDS, THEY HAVE THEIR INDEPENDENT APPRAISERS DO THOSE ANALYSIS, AND THEN THEY GIVE US THAT GRADE. SO, YES, AS THAT'S THE SHORT ANSWER. DON'T SIGN ME UP FOR THAT, OKAY? OKAY. YOU HAVE TO GET A JOB AT THE STATE BOARD. 
          AND THEN THAT, THAT $1,900, LEVEL I MEAN, $1,900 THRESHOLD THERE IT CAN THAT BE CHANGED? WHAT IS THAT BASED ON? DOES THAT COME FROM THE STATE, OR DOES THAT JUST IS THAT LIKE A NUMBER THAT WE WE WENT FROM $2,000 TO $1,900. I'D KIND OF SO IT'S BASED ON A COST STUDY. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR. WE WERE ON THE COUNTY LEVEL. 
          IN OUR OFFICE. WE DID ANALYSIS OF, OF THE COST IT TAKES TO BECAUSE IT HAS TO DO WITH THE CREATION OF THE ASSESSMENT. SO, SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE TIME, THE TIME PERIOD RIGHT NOW FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR ASSESSMENTS IS GENERALLY WE HAVE DISCOVERY THAT GOES INTO IT. SO WE DID ANALYSIS ON DISCOVERY AND THEN THE ANALYSIS ON THE VALUATION PROCESS, BUT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE PROCEDURES LIKE OUR AUDIT PROCESS PROCESSES BECAUSE AUDITS ARE DONE ON A WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL OF PROPERTY OWNERS, ETC. 
          BUT THE DISCOVERY, THE, THE ANNUAL ASSESSMENT PERIOD LIKE WE'RE DOING NOW IS ALL PART OF THAT COST. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR CRYE. 
          YEAH, I ACTUALLY WASN'T DONE UNTIL YOU INTERRUPTED. 
          I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT YOU WERE DONE. 
          THERE'S QUITE A HESITATION THERE. NO, YEAH, NO, I WAS ACTUALLY DONE, BUT YOU, YOU MADE ME THINK OF SOMETHING. NO, DO YOU EVER SEND OUT LETTERS THAT DON'T HAVE AN INVOICE IN THEM? WELL, I DON'T GET TO SEND BILLS. OH, LORI HAS TO DO THAT. SO SHE'LL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THE BILLS. WE SET THE VALUES. 
          THEY TURN INTO IT. OKAY. SHE GETS THE MONEY. 
          I'M JUST HAVING FUN. YEAH, NO, NO, NO. 
          HAVE FUN. I THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD JOB THAT YOU DO. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          ARE YOU DONE? YOU'RE STILL IN QUEUE. NO, GO AHEAD. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT JUMPING THE GUN. SUPERVISOR CRYE, QUICK QUESTION, JUST TO CLARIFY. 
          SO ANYBODY THAT DOESN'T SELF-REPORT A TRACTOR, BIG RIG, WHATEVER, YOU DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO GO OUT AND DO THAT OR TO GO OUT AND FIND PEOPLE THAT MAYBE HAVE RIDING LAWNMOWERS IN SHINGLETOWN OR LAKEHEAD OR 
          [02:00:01]
WHATEVER. 
          WELL, I GUESS THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT WAYS IT COULD BE DISCOVERED. WE DO HAVE APPRAISERS WHO ARE IN THE FIELD FOR OTHER REASONS, AND IF THEY SEE ITEMS, THEY WILL DO REFERRALS TO OUR BUSINESS SECTION TO SEE IF WE'RE AWARE OF THEM. 
          BUT AS THE SHORT, SHORT ANSWER IS NO. IF, IF SOMEBODY PAYS CASH FOR AN ITEM THAT IS BROUGHT IN, UNLESS WE GET AN ANONYMOUS REPORTING, WE DON'T HAVE A MECHANISM TO JUST SCOUR PEOPLE'S HOMES AND SEE IF THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE ACCESSIBLE MOWERS IN THEIR BACKYARD. NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO. 
          SO NOT EVEN IN THEIR BACKYARD, I MEAN, LIKE OUT EVERYBODY ELSE'S DISTRICT ESSENTIALLY OTHER THAN MINE, THERE'S BIG SWATHS OF LAND WHERE IT'S IN THE FRONT YARD BECAUSE CODE ENFORCEMENT WHEN WAS THAT, SOMEBODY, OR CHAIR KELSTROM, THAT WE IT WAS KIND OF SWITCHED WHERE CODE ENFORCEMENT BECAME YEARS AGO. 
          SO ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE FIRST ON THE BOARD, WE REALLY PUSHED TO HAVE THE GESTAPO OR NOT THE GESTAPO, SORRY, STAFF GOING OUT AND FINING PEOPLE FOR HAVING THINGS ON THEIR PROPERTY, 20 ACRES, ETC. SO WE MADE SURE THAT IT WAS ONLY COMPLAINT-DRIVEN, AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLAINT-DRIVEN CODE ENFORCEMENT, BUT THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS NECESSARILY STILL HAPPEN TO SOME DEGREE, RIGHT? SO IF SOMEBODY WERE TO SAY, GO OUT TO A PROPERTY AND THEY SEE A RIDING LAWNMOWER AND THEY SAID, I WONDER IF THAT PERSON IS ACTUALLY REPORTING THAT, WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR THAT? SO IF THEY TURN THAT INTO YOU, IS THERE WELL, ANONYMOUS REPORTS ARE A LITTLE BIT HARDER FOR US TO FOLLOW UP ON BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THE FINGER-POINTING ASPECT THAT MIGHT BE INVOLVED. 
          IT MAY BE IF SOMEBODY WAS TO ANONYMOUSLY REPORT, MAYBE WE COULD POTENTIALLY SEND SOMEBODY OUT THERE. I CAN'T REMEMBER A TIME WHERE THAT'S BEEN SPECIFICALLY THE CASE. MOST OFTEN WHAT WE FIND IS SOMEBODY COMES IN FOR A BILL FOR THEIR OWN TRACTOR, AND I'M GOING TO SAY TRACTORS BECAUSE RIDING MOWERS, UNLESS THEY, UNLESS THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, A MORE SIGNIFICANT VALUE, WHICH A LOT OF THEM CAN BE NOWADAYS, THE DEPRECIATION THAT'S GOING TO APPLY TO THEM, HOW MANY YEARS ARE WE REALLY GOING TO LOSE BY THE TIME THEY DEPRECIATE OUT? BUT USUALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS SOMEBODY COMES IN BECAUSE OF THEIR BILL AND THEY GO, WELL, MY NEIGHBOR HAS IT. AND WE GO, WELL, IF YOU WANT TO TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOR, WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT AND SEND THEM A QUESTIONNAIRE AND ASK THEM TO TELL US WHAT, WHAT THEY GOT. AND THEY GO, OH NO, I, I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT. SO I MEAN, I MEAN, YEAH, IT'S A CATCH-22. 
          I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE I MEAN, I KNOW OUR PROPERTY TAX STATEMENT FROM OUR BUSINESS FILINGS. I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE YOURS, SUPERVISOR HARMON. 
          IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU HAVE A RIDING LAWNMOWER. 
          NO, THERE'S NO RIDING LAWNMOWER. NO, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I'M REALLY INTERESTED AS TO HOW THAT I MEAN, I JUST APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS NO, LIKE, ABSOLUTELY, LIKE, TATTLE ON YOUR NEIGHBOR KIND OF THING. 
          YEAH, IT BECOMES YEAH, NO, WE, WE DON'T HAVE A REPORTYOURRIDERMOWER.COM WEBSITE FOR ANYTHING. NO, THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          ALL RIGHT, I DON'T SEE ANY MORE QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU, MISS MORGAN. 
          APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THAT'S OKAY. NO COMMENT. 
          WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A COMPLAINT? I DON'T PERSONALLY HAVE ONE. 
          HOW ABOUT THAT? THAT'S MY HUSBAND'S DEPARTMENT. YEAH. 
          OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR KELSTROM, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND ALL THE SHORT AUDITOR CONTROLLER. I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET FOR THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, AND I'LL START WITH OUR MISSION. I PUT IT ON HERE FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD. 
          I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT WE DO, BUT THERE'S A FEW FUNCTIONS THAT I THINK PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE OF. WE HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS THAT WE DO. ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WE DO IS WE PROCESS ALL TRANSACTIONS FOR ALL AGENCIES WHO KEEP THEIR FUNDS IN THE COUNTY TREASURY. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THAT INCLUDES SCHOOLS, COLLEGE, SPECIAL DISTRICTS AS WELL. WE HAVE A PART IN THE PROPERTY TAX PROCESS, SO WE DEVELOP THE RATE AND WE ALLOCATE FUNDS AFTER THEY'RE COLLECTED BY THE TAX COLLECTOR. WE DO HAVE A PROCESS IN THE BUDGET WHERE WE'RE INVOLVED IN THE COMPILATION OF THE BUDGET. WE DO BUDGET AMENDMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. 
          THAT'S FOR THE COUNTY AND FOR SPECIAL DISTRICTS AS WELL IF THEY ARE DOING THEIR BUDGET THROUGH THE COUNTY SYSTEM. WE DEFINE OR WE PREPARE THE COUNTYWIDE COST ALLOCATION PLAN. SO YOU HAVE THE CENTRAL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE HERE TALKING ABOUT THEIR BUDGETS TODAY AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY GET THROUGH THE COST PLAN AND HOW THEY RECOVER THAT. THE COST PLAN IS DONE, DEVELOPED BY OUR OFFICE. WE HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF REPORTING THAT WE DO. WE'RE DOING FINANCIAL TRANSACTION REPORTS TO THE STATE. WE DO THE COUNTYWIDE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, EXCISE TAX REPORTING, VLF REPORTING. 
          THERE'S A LOT OF REPORTING, GRANT AUDITS FOR A LOT OF THE GRANTS THAT THE COUNTY GETS, SALES AND USE TAX REPORTING. 
          AND THEN THERE'S A WIDE VARIETY OF AUDITS THAT WE'RE DOING, INTERNAL AUDITS, CASH AUDITS, RETENTION RETENTION AUDITS AND SO FORTH. SO THERE'S, THERE'S JUST A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS IN ADDITION 
          [02:05:03]
TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, EDUCATING DEPARTMENTS. WE'RE TRYING TO DO MORE TRAINING UP FRONT, WHICH WILL HELP US IN THE LONG RUN FOR COMPLIANCE AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. STAFFING CHANGES. 
          SO IN THE LAST 2 YEARS, WE RESTRUCTURED 3 POSITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN COST SAVINGS. WE REMOVED 2 EXTRA HELP POSITIONS. SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE 26 FULL-TIME POSITIONS. NO, NO EXTRA HELP. WE WERE WE DROPPED THOSE. WE HAVE 2 VACANCIES WITH 1 PENDING RETIREMENT JULY 1ST, AND WE HAVE 1 PERSON ON A LEAVE OF ABSENCE. SO WE HAVE NO INCREASE TO OUR NUMBER OF STAFF IN THE OFFICE FOR '26-'27 OR ANY YEAR IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, FEW YEARS. AND THEN AS FAR AS PROGRAM CHANGES, WE DID HAVE 1 UPGRADE TO THE COUNTYWIDE FINANCE SYSTEM WHICH FINALLY WENT LIVE IN MAY, SO JUST LAST MONTH, WHICH WAS SUPER EXCITING BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR A FEW YEARS. A LOT OF WORK AND EFFORTS WENT INTO THAT, INCLUDING IMPLEMENTATION, TESTING, TRAINING, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE SUPPORTING DEPARTMENTS AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND THE SCHOOLS AS WE GO LIVE. AND IT WAS SUCCESSFUL AND WE'RE SUPER EXCITED. IT WAS DELAYED A COUPLE OF TIMES BY THE VENDOR. AND WE HAVE NO CAPITAL ASSET CHANGES. SO OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR '25-'26, I WANTED TO PUT THESE UP FIRST BECAUSE MY NEXT SLIDE IS GOING TO HAVE OUR GOALS THAT WE HAD LAST LAST YEAR AND WHETHER WE ACCOMPLISHED THEM OR NOT. I THINK AT TIMES DURING THE YEAR, WE GET DIVERTED OFF ON OTHER THINGS WHICH TAKES US AWAY FROM OUR INITIAL OBJECTIVES, BUT I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PUT UP SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THIS YEAR, THERE WERE A LOT OF LEGISLATIVE CHANGES RELATED TO PAYROLL THIS LAST YEAR. 
          SOME OF THEM RESULTED FROM HR1. WE HAD SOME SECURE ACT 2.0 CHANGES, A LOT OF OTHER THINGS. SO EVERY TIME WE HAVE THOSE CHANGES, WE HAVE TO IMPLEMENT THEM THROUGH THE PAYROLL PROCESS, FIGURE OUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO REPORT ON THEM. RECENTLY WE JUST DID THE WHOLE OVERTIME REPORTING AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE THOSE NOTICES TO EMPLOYEES AND HOW WE GATHER THAT INFORMATION IN THE SYSTEM. SO IT IS ONE ITEM, BUT EVERY ONE IS LIKE AN IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT, AND THEN VALIDATING THAT DATA BEFORE WE PUT THOSE NOTICES OUT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WE ALSO HAVE GASB IMPLEMENTATION CHANGES EACH YEAR, AND IT FEELS LIKE WHEN I FIRST STARTED, YOU KNOW, THE GASB TEAM, WHICH IS THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD, THEY WOULD HAVE ONE EVERY FEW YEARS, EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, AND NOW WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE EVERY YEAR, OR WE SOMETIMES HAVE MULTIPLE IN ONE YEAR. AND SO THAT'S HELD TRUE. LAST YEAR WE HAD TWO GASB IMPLEMENTATIONS. AND SO AGAIN, THAT'S HOW DO WE GET THAT INTO OUR FINANCIAL DATA? HOW DO WE REPRESENT THAT IN OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS? HOW DO WE GATHER THAT DATA? AND SO WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THOSE. WE HAD AB 2640, WHICH IS A BILL THAT IS IS SPONSORED BETWEEN CALSACA, AND I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WORK ON THAT BILL AS WELL, SO I'M LISTED AS A CO-SPONSOR ON IT. AND IT IS BEING CHAMPIONED BY HEATHER HADWICK, WHICH IS SUPER EXCITING. IT'S MADE IT THROUGH THE ASSEMBLY. THIS BILL IS FOR SB 90 RECOVERY FOR LOCAL AGENCIES, AND BASICALLY IT ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO, WHENEVER WE OWE MONEY BACK TO THE STATE, TO BE ABLE TO TAP INTO THE OLD MONIES. 
          THAT THEY OWE US. AND SO, PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AND IS CURRENTLY PENDING WITH THE SENATE, SO THAT'S REALLY EXCITING. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE A VARIETY OF INTERNAL AUDITS, WHICH I ALREADY MENTIONED, AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON PRAS. AND THEN THIS LAST YEAR, WE ALSO WORKED ON A LOT OF COUNTYWIDE PROJECTS, SUCH AS THIS COUNTYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE CONTRACTS LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE, THE BUDGETING SOFTWARE. SO WE GET INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THOSE THINGS ALSO. SO, AS FOR OUR GOALS ON THE LEFT, YOU'LL SEE THOSE ARE THE GOALS THAT WE HAD LISTED LAST YEAR. 
          IN THE MIDDLE, WHETHER WE COMPLETED THEM OR NOT, AND THEN ON THE RIGHT, ANY ISSUES. AND SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, DUE TO STAFFING VACANCIES, WE'VE HAD SOME EXTENDED EMPLOYEE ABSENCES ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION OVER THE LAST YEAR AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COUNTYWIDE FINANCE SYSTEM THAT, YOU KNOW, WE BASICALLY HAD TO PIVOT. AND SO THE REMAINDER OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE STILL, GOING TO BE GOALS FOR US GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR. SO THESE ARE OUR GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR, WHICH ARE LARGELY THE SAME AS PREVIOUS YEAR. ANYTHING WE DIDN'T ACCOMPLISH, WE JUST ROLL FORWARD. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SPEND TIME ON IS TRAINING. I THINK THAT THE COUNTY HAS A HUGE TRAINING NEED, AND THE MORE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT TRAINING UPFRONT, WHETHER THAT'S FEE DEVELOPMENT, HOW TO TIME STUDY APPROPRIATELY, DOING GL TRAININGS. WE ARE WORKING WITH SOME DEPARTMENTS TO GO BACK AND DO SOME REMEDIAL TRAININGS ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS, RUNNING REPORTS IN THE SYSTEM. THE BETTER OFF WE ARE, BUT IT IS ABOUT FINDING TIME TO BE ABLE TO GO AND DO THOSE THINGS. I WOULD SAY THAT AT THIS POINT WE ARE AT MAX CAPACITY WITH THE STAFFING THAT WE HAVE. 
          IT IS ALWAYS A GOAL OF MINE. 
          IT IS GOING TO STAY A GOAL OF MINE, BUT WHETHER WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT OR NOT, WE HAVE 5 YEARS IN A ROW, SO. 
          YEAH. 
          WE DO MAKE PROGRESS EVERY YEAR, SO THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART. 
          OKAY, SO THIS IS JUST OUR BUDGET BY OBJECT LEVEL. 
          FOR ME, I DON'T FIND THIS SNAPSHOT TO 
          [02:10:01]
BE PARTICULARLY USEFUL BECAUSE THE WAY THAT A DEPARTMENT IN THE COST PLAN WORKS, WE HAVE THIS NICE INTRA-FUND TRANSFERS WHICH REDUCES OUR EXPENSES AND BASICALLY, FOR ME, WHEN I LOOK AT THAT $4.2 MILLION, I VIEW THAT THAT'S BASICALLY REVENUE RECOVERY THAT'S REQUIRED TO BE POSTED AS AN OFFSET TO OUR EXPENSES BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL STATEMENT PURPOSES. 
          AND SO I ALWAYS LIKE TO, WHEN I'M LOOKING AT MY EXPENSES, I LIKE TO DROP THAT OUT AND LOOK AT MY EXPENSES, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ON THE NEXT SLIDE, BEFORE THAT COST FUND RECOVERY, AND THEN VIEW THAT AS KIND OF A REVENUE INSTEAD. OKAY, SO THE TOTAL EXPENSES THAT YOU SEE THERE, THAT'S OUR EXPENSES BEFORE COST PLAN RECOVERY. AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO MORE DETAIL ON THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE. AND THEN YOU SEE THE COST PLAN RECOVERY, WHICH IS BASICALLY COMING TO US THROUGH THE COST PLAN. 
          YOU'LL SEE REVENUE RECOVERY THAT WE RECEIVE. AND SOME OF THAT DOES COME THROUGH THE COST PLAN, SOME OF IT DOES NOT. AND SO DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF AGENCY IT IS THAT'S GIVING US MONEY FOR COST PLAN RECOVERY, DEPENDS ON WHETHER WE HAVE TO RECORD IT AS A REVENUE OR AS AN OFFSET TO OUR EXPENSE. SO WHEN WE COLLECT IT FROM THE COURTS OR WE COLLECT IT FROM THE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE REVENUE VERSUS COST PLAN, THE, OR THE OFFSET TO THE EXPENSE. IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT OUR COST PLAN RECOVERY AMOUNTS ARE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE WAY WE DO AN ESTIMATE FOR THE COST PLAN. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IN '26-'27 WAS BASED ON 23-24 ACTUALS. AND SO AT THE TIME THAT WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE IT NEXT YEAR, IT'S ALREADY OLD. WE KNOW THAT OUR SALARIES HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THAT TIME PERIOD. WE KNOW THAT INFLATION HAS HAPPENED IN THAT TIME PERIOD, BUT THE STATE SETS WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO CHARGE AS AN ESTIMATE THROUGH THE COST PLAN. AND SO THERE'S NO OTHER METHOD THAT WE CAN USE. SO WE'RE GOING INTO NEXT YEAR CHARGING AN OLD AMOUNT. AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE, IN MOST CASES, THIS KIND OF AMOUNT THAT THE COUNTY IS GOING TO FUND THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND UNTIL WE TRUE IT UP 2 YEARS FROM NOW AND GET THE REST OF THAT MONEY. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE CYCLE OF THE COST PLAN. YOU'LL SEE SOME DEPARTMENTS HAVE DO HAVE A NEGATIVE WHERE THEY HAVE AN AMOUNT GOING BACK. SO YOU COULD HAVE IN A SINGLE YEAR SOME MAYBE OVERINFLATED COSTS WHERE MAYBE I HAD A LOT OF COUNTY COUNCIL COSTS THIS YEAR, THEN THAT'S USED AS MY ESTIMATE FOR 2 YEARS. NOW WHAT I COLLECT IN 2 YEARS IS TOO MUCH, AND THEN I GOT TO GIVE IT BACK AGAIN. AND SO SO YOU DO SEE THIS KIND OF UP AND DOWN SWING WITH THE COST PLAN DEPARTMENTS. 
          IT IS A LITTLE BIT INTERESTING. 
          BUT I THINK THAT THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT IS WHATEVER THE SHORTFALL IS, WE WILL RECEIVE IT. WE ARE JUST NOT GOING TO RECEIVE IT FOR 2 YEARS. AND UNTIL THEN, THE GENERAL FUND IS GOING TO COVER IT. 
          BUT I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS WITH JUST THEIR EXPENSES TO SEE HOW ARE THEIR EXPENSES GROWING FROM YEAR TO YEAR BEFORE YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE COST PLAN RECOVERY OR ANY OTHER. AND THEN ON THE BOTTOM, AS FAR AS THE $1.2 MILLION FOR US THAT'S STILL GOING TO BE DUE TO US 2 YEARS FROM NOW, I KIND OF DID A BREAKDOWN OF HOW WE EXPECT THAT TO PLAY OUT AND WHETHER THOSE WILL BE GENERAL FUND COSTS OR NON-GENERAL FUND COSTS IN THE FUTURE. SO THE FIRST, THE $657,000, IS A NON-GENERAL FUND, AND THEN WE HAVE THE GENERAL FUND COSTS THAT WILL BE SPREAD, AND THEN WE HAVE SPECIAL DISTRICTS, WHICH THE BOARD AT SOME POINT IN TIME DECIDED THAT WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS AT NO COST. SO WE ARE NOT ABLE TO CHARGE THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS AT THIS POINT. AND THEN THE SCHOOLS, BY LAW, WE CANNOT CHARGE THEM. SO THOSE ARE ALSO A GENERAL FUND COST. 
          SO THIS IS OUR BUDGET. IF YOU LOOK AT THE SECOND TO LAST LINE, YOU'LL SEE THE $5.86 MILLION THAT WE JUST SAW ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE. AND I LIKE TO TAKE THIS AND BREAK IT DOWN BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A GOOD SNAPSHOT FOR US OF WHAT THINGS WE CAN CONTROL IN OUR BUDGET AND WHAT THINGS WE CAN'T CONTROL IN OUR BUDGET. SO THE THINGS IN THE TOP HALF ARE THE THINGS THAT I FEEL LIKE I CAN CONTROL IN MY BUDGET. SO THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE OFFICE EXPENSE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. WE DID GO THROUGH AND CUT AS MANY OF THOSE AS WE CAN FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW. 
          AND THEN ON THE BOTTOM HALF, THOSE ARE REALLY THINGS THAT I CAN'T CONTROL. I'M NOT ADDING NEW STAFF. I'M NOT ADDING NEW CAPITAL ASSETS. I DON'T HAVE NEW COMPUTERS. I DON'T HAVE NEW A NEW BUILDING, ADDITIONAL SQUARE FOOTAGE. SO JUST THE SHEER FACT OF INFLATION IS CONTINUING TO INCREASE THOSE COSTS EVERY YEAR, AND WE'RE ABSORBING AS MUCH AS WE CAN BECAUSE WE DID RECLASS A POSITION THIS LAST YEAR WITH A LOWER CLASSIFICATION. 
          WE DID HAVE SOME SALARY SAVINGS IN THERE, BUT YOU CAN'T SEE IT BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF OFFSET WITH THE JUST YOUR GENERAL COLAS AND YOUR INCREASES. AND SO WE EFFECTIVELY WERE ABLE TO CUT $44,995 OUT OF OUR BUDGET IN THIS LAST YEAR. 
          BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THERE'S VERY LITTLE THAT WE CAN DO IN OUR BUDGET. AND OVERALL, OUR INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR TO THIS YEAR IS $158,000. THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT BROKEN DOWN BY OUR FUNCTIONAL AREAS IN THE DEPARTMENT. AND SO THE LARGEST PLACES WHERE WE SPEND MOST MONEY IS AP, AR, CLAIMS. THAT SECTION ALSO HOUSES OUR 
          [02:15:02]
COUNTY FINANCE SYSTEM. SO IT'S ALL OF OUR COSTS FOR IT FOR THAT FINANCE SYSTEM, TO THE VENDOR FOR THE FINANCE SYSTEM, AND THEN THAT GETS BILLED OUT TO ALL THE PARTICIPATING DEPARTMENTS PROPORTIONATELY. 
          PAYROLL, AND THEN FINANCIAL REPORTING. SO THOSE ARE REALLY KIND OF OUR LARGEST AREAS. 
          YOU'LL NOTICE SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS WE MARKED UNRECOVERABLE. THAT'S AN UNRECOVERABLE COST. PROPERTY TAX, ALTHOUGH THERE IS A PROPERTY TAX ADMIN FEE, THE WAY THAT THAT'S CALCULATED, WHICH IS IN STATE LAW, THERE'S ONLY WE'RE ONLY RECOVERING ABOUT 32% OF OUR COST TO ADMINISTER THE PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM. AND SO THE REST OF THAT BECOMES GENERAL FUND COSTS. 
          AND THEN ANYTHING WE DO FOR ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS OR SPENDING TIME IN BOARD MEETINGS ARE ALL UNRECOVERABLE AS WELL. 
          AND THOSE ARE JUST GENERAL FUND COSTS. WE DO TRY TO KEEP OUR ADMIN COSTS REALLY LOW. AND SO MOST OF OUR ALL OF OUR MANAGERS, NOT MOST OF OUR MANAGERS, ALL OF OUR MANAGERS ARE WORKING MANAGERS. 
          AND SO THEY ARE REPORTING THEIR TIME DIRECTLY TO THE FUNCTIONS THAT THEY ARE SPENDING TIME ON. 
          SO JUST CHECKING MY NOTES. 
          OOPS, SORRY. THIS IS OUR ORG CHART. I PUT IT UP FOR TWO REASONS. ONE, THOSE ARE THE THREE POSITIONS THAT WE ADJUSTED OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. 
          AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT YOU CAN SEE OUR FUNCTIONAL AREAS IN THE OFFICE THAT WHEN WE HAVE VACANCIES, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 3, WELL, WE HAVE ONE THAT WILL BE HAPPENING JULY 1ST. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. SO OUR PEOPLE CAN'T USUALLY FUNCTION ACROSS THE AREAS BECAUSE OF INTERNAL CONTROLS. AND SO YOU CAN'T BE SOMEBODY WHO AUDITS AN INVOICE AND ALSO PRINTS THE CHECKS AND DOES THOSE THINGS. AND SO IT MAKES IT REALLY DIFFICULT. 
          DIFFICULT. IF WE LOSE A PERSON IN PAYROLL AND WE HAVE 4 PEOPLE IN PAYROLL, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO BACKFILL ON SOME OF THOSE. 
          SO OUR BIGGEST AREA THAT WE'RE KIND OF STRUGGLING WITH RIGHT NOW IS OUR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, OUR SYSTEMS AND ACCOUNTING AREA. AND I WOULD ALSO SAY, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD IT MENTIONED, WELL, CAN YOU BRING IN EXTRA HELP PEOPLE? BUT THE WORK IS SO TECHNICAL AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO BRING IN EXTRA HELP PEOPLE AT THAT LEVEL AND JUST HAVE THEM KIND OF HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND HAVE IT BE OF VALUE WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO USE THEM FOR A MONTH OR TWO MONTHS WHILE YOU'RE TRYING TO FILL SOMETHING. SO TYPICALLY WE DON'T END UP DOING EXTRA HELP UNLESS IT'S ONE OF THE AP POSITIONS AT THE BOTTOM. I JUST LIKE TO PUT THIS IN THERE. THIS IS OUR COMMITMENT TO FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY. I FEEL LIKE WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB WITH THIS, SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT WAYS TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND MAXIMIZE OUR RESOURCES, AND WE'RE ALWAYS EVALUATING OUR EXPENDITURES AND LOOKING AT THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS. 
          WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THAT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND, WE'RE CAREFULLY MANAGING OUR SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO SCHOOLS, SPECIAL DISTRICTS, AND PROPERTY TAX. 
          SO THOSE ARE OUR THREE KIND OF WHERE WE'RE NOT EITHER CAN'T RECOVER ANY COST OR WE'RE ONLY RECOVERING, YOU KNOW, 32% OF IT. AND SO WE WANT TO PROVIDE GOOD SERVICES, BUT WE ALSO DON'T WANT TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICES THAN WE LEGALLY HAVE TO PROVIDE BECAUSE THOSE ARE GOING TO BECOME GENERAL FUND COSTS. 
          SO WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT WE CAN AND BALANCE THAT. WE'RE LOOKING AT TRAVEL AND TRAINING EXPENSES, AND ALL THE MANAGERS WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE AS WORKING MANAGERS, BALANCING THEIR SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES WITH OPERATIONAL DUTIES TO MAINTAIN A LOW ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD. AND THEN THESE ARE OUR CONCERNS, WHICH I TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THEM. STAFF WORKLOAD REMAINS AT CAPACITY. 
          WE'VE REDUCED OUR EXPENDITURES PRETTY MUCH AS FAR AS WE CAN. I DON'T ENVISION THAT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS WE WILL BE COMING BACK, REDUCING MORE. THERE JUST ISN'T ANYWHERE LEFT TO CUT. AND A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET IS DRIVEN BY MANDATED RESPONSIBILITIES AND FIXED OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS. SO THINGS WE CAN'T REALLY CONTROL. AND THE SAD PART IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE ARE LEGALLY MANDATED TO DO. AND IF WE END UP HAVING ISSUES WITH OUR RESOURCES, THEN THE ONE FUNCTION THAT WILL PROBABLY GO WILL BE INTERNAL AUDIT BECAUSE IT'S THE ONE THING THAT WE'RE NOT MANDATED TO DO. AND THAT IS ALL THAT I HAVE. 
          AWESOME. THANK YOU, MISS SHORT. AND, TELL YOU, I WAS NEVER HAPPIER TO SEE A CAMPAIGN SIGN IN MY LIFE THAN WHEN I SAW YOURS GO UP. SO I'M GLAD YOU'RE GOING TO BE HERE ANOTHER 4 YEARS. THE SB 90, I HAVE JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION. IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF GETTING US GETTING SOME OF THAT WILLIAMSON ACT MONEY BACK THROUGH SB 90? I MEAN, THAT'S A THAT'S SOMETHING THEY HAVEN'T PAID US FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. 
          NO. OKAY, WELL, IF WE GET SOMETHING BACK FROM THE STATE, I'LL BE HAPPY. 
          SUPERVISOR CRYE. THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND THIS IS ACTUALLY AN SB 90 QUESTION THAT WE'VE HAD WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MULTIPLE TIMES. AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING THE I KNOW YOU'RE NOT THE AUTHOR, IT'S, ASSEMBLYWOMAN HADWICK, BUT AB 2640, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE A SPONSOR OF AND YOU'VE BEEN ONE OF THE KEY CONTRIBUTORS FOR THAT. THIS GOES BACK TO 2015, CORRECT? THE SB $90? YES, THE OLDER SO IN 2015, LEGISLATION CHANGED, AND SO GOING FORWARD, THE STATE HAS TO PAY US IF THEY'RE GOING TO MANDATE US TO DO THINGS. 
          THEY'RE PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAVE SOME OLD MONEY THAT THEY HAVE NOT PAID US BACK YET. SO WE HAVE $2.2 MILLION THAT THE STATE STILL OWES SHASTA COUNTY OF OLD MONEY, 
          [02:20:01]
BUT THEY ARE STAYING CURRENT ON ALL OF OUR CURRENT CLAIMS. AND THEN THAT, THAT THIS DECISION OUT OF LA, THE STATE'S TRACKING THAT. I'M SURE ALL THE AUDITORS COULD YEAH, SO THE ONE THING THAT PROMPTED THIS IS WE HAD A DA SB 90 CLAIM THAT WAS AUDITED, AND THEY BASICALLY DISALLOWED 100% OF IT. AND SO EVEN THOUGH WE DID THE WORK, THEY, YOU KNOW, EITHER DIDN'T APPRECIATE THE WAY THAT WE, YOU KNOW, TRACKED THOSE COSTS OR WHATEVER, BUT WE DID THE WORK. AND INSTEAD OF SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T SUBSTANTIATE ALL OF IT, THEY JUST DISALLOWED ALL OF IT. AND THEY DID THAT ALSO FOR LA. SO FOR US, THAT WAS $1.1 MILLION THAT THEY WANT US TO PAY BACK. SO MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, USE THIS OLD MONEY. I MEAN, YOU, YOU OWE US MONEY, SO INSTEAD OF TELLING US TO PAY YOU BACK, USE THE MONEY THAT YOU STILL OWE US. SO THAT'S HOW THE BILL CAME ABOUT. 
          BUT LA CONTESTED THEIRS RECENTLY, AND THEY WON THEIRS. SO I, I'LL BE GOING BACK AND SUBMITTING THAT BACK TO THE STATE CONTROLLER AND ASKING THEM TO RELOOK AT OUR CLAIM TO SEE IF WE CAN HAVE THEM REVERSE THE $1.1 $2.1 MILLION. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE THAT ATTEMPT. 
          AND THAT GOES BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE THAT WAS PAID BY THE GENERAL FUND. SO EVEN THOUGH IT WAS FOR THE DA'S OFFICE, OKAY, IT GOES BACK. AND THEN I KNOW ELECTIONS THAT'S TRUE FOR ANY SB 90 CLAIMS. SO IN ANY DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE THE GENERAL FUND FUNDS YOU IN THE YEAR YOU HAVE THE EXPENSE, WHEN THE REVENUE COMES IN, IT GOES BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND. 
          AND I KNOW ELECTIONS IS STILL SOMEWHERE AROUND $900,000 OR A MILLION. 
          YEAH, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT, BUT I THINK A LARGE PORTION OF THE $2.2 BILLION WAS FOR ELECTIONS. 
          GREAT. HOW LONG, IF, IF 2640 PASSES, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE UNTIL COUNTIES WOULD SEE THAT MONEY BACK? WELL, THE ONLY WAY THAT THEY CAN TAP INTO THE OLD MONEY AND, AND THE WAY THAT IT READS, OR ON A BALANCE SHEET, MEANING IT WOULD JUST BE CREDITED EITHER WAY. WELL, IT WOULD DEPEND ON HOW MANY AUDIT FINDINGS YOU HAVE, BECAUSE THE ONLY THING THAT IT'S ALLOWING US TO DO IS IF THERE'S AN AUDIT FINDING AND THEY'RE ASKING US TO PAY BACK MONEY, WE CAN TAP INTO THE OLD MONIES. BUT THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS IMPOSED ON THEM TO HURRY UP AND PAY US BACK THE REST OF IT. OKAY, A COUPLE LITTLE HOPEFULLY WE DON'T HAVE FINDINGS, SO MAYBE IT'LL TAKE US A LONG TIME, BECAUSE I WOULD PREFER THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY FINDINGS, AND THEN UNFORTUNATELY THAT MONEY'S GOING TO SIT OUT THERE. BUT AT LEAST IF IT'S IF WE DO HAVE FINDINGS, WE CAN TAP INTO IT. 
          YEAH, THERE'S A LINE OF CREDIT, OR THERE'S A CREDIT THERE. AND I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS AND YOU GUYS STILL HAVE IT, NO NEW OBVIOUSLY NO NEW EMPLOYEES, SO YOU ARE STILL RUNNING THAT IN THE TIME YOU'VE BEEN THERE SINCE THE YEAR 2000, YOU HAVEN'T ADDED ONE POSITION. 
          WE HAVE NOT ADDED ONE POSITION. 
          I WOULD SAY IN THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WENT DOWN FOR A COUPLE YEARS AND THEN WE WENT BACK UP FOR A COUPLE YEARS, BUT WE ARE RIGHT NOW WHERE WE WERE IN THE YEAR THAT I STARTED. 
          THAT'S AWESOME. THE AUDITS, EVERY YEAR THE BOARD WAS IT 3 YEARS AGO OR 2 YEARS AGO WE BROUGHT THE 15 FEES FORWARD? THOSE ARE ON PACE TO COME COME BACK OCTOBER, NOVEMBER-ISH, ROUGHLY? YEAH, THERE'LL BE 5 FEES. 5 FEES. 
          OH YEAH, NOT NOW. 
          I ONLY AGREED TO 5. 
          YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. GOING FORWARD, YES. 
          WE'LL HAVE A HARD TIME FITTING THAT INTO OUR WORKLOAD THIS YEAR WITH THE VACANCIES WE HAVE, BUT WE WILL BRING THEM BACK. 
          OUR GOAL IS TO BRING THEM BACK AND PROVIDE THEM TO DEPARTMENTS BEFORE THEY DO THEIR NEXT SET OF FEES IN CASE THEY NEED TO CORRECT SOMETHING. 
          THAT'S GREAT. AND YOUR BUDGET, YOUR DISCRETIONARY BUDGET'S $300-SOME THOUSAND, SO YOU'RE 44-SOME, IT'S LIKE 15%. I MEAN, SO THERE YOU GO. YOU CUT 15% WITHOUT CUTTING ANY POSITIONS. 
          ROCK STAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR CRYE. 
          SUPERVISOR LONG. NO, MINE IS NOT A QUESTION, BUT IT'S MORE OF A STATEMENT. 
          BUT I GUESS IT'S KIND OF A QUESTION. 
          BUT YOU RECEIVED AN EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING, AND I CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT THAT SO WE ALL KNOW THE GOOD JOB YOUR DEPARTMENT DOING. 
          YEAH, SO WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT AWARDS THAT WE GET. ONE OF THEM IS FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING FROM THE STATE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE. WE'VE GOTTEN THAT FOR 20-SOMETHING YEARS. WE HAVE THE PLAQUE ON THE OFFICE. IT'S ALSO ON THE BACK OF OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. 
          BUT, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS FROM THE GFOA FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING. IT HAS TO DO WITH LIKE TRANSPARENCY AND KIND OF, AND SINCE WE CONVERTED TO AN ACFR AND WE'RE PUTTING ALL THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE AND EVERYTHING FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE TRANSPARENCY, THEN WE'VE BEEN GETTING THAT AWARD FOR, I BELIEVE THIS IS THE 10TH YEAR IN A ROW, MAYBE 11. IT'S ON THE BACK OF THE BOOK, BUT THAT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR LONG. 
          SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. 
          YES, THANKS, NELDA. THE A FEW QUESTIONS. ONE WAS REGARDING THE COST PLAN CHARGES. ONE, I APPRECIATE YOUR POINT OF BOTH REMOVING IT OUT WHEN IT'S A NEGATIVE EXPENSE TO SEE WHAT THE ACTUAL EXPENSE OF OF THE DEPARTMENT IS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT CAN BE A LITTLE MISLEADING IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE TOTAL. AND ALSO, IT FEELS LIKE IT CAN CONSTRAIN US IN SOME WAYS IF THE COST PLAN CHARGE IS LIKE, WELL, 2 YEARS AGO THAT HAPPENED, WE DON'T HAVE ANY ABILITY TO CONTROL IT NOW. I'M ASSUMING THE ANSWER IS NO TO THIS, BUT I FIGURED I WOULD ASK ANYWAY, WHICH IS, IS THERE ANY WAY TO HAVE THE COST PLAN CHARGES TRUE UP MORE QUICKLY? SO RATHER THAN WAITING 2 YEARS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WOULD DO IT EVERY EVERY AFTER A SINGLE YEAR? YEAH, THE PROBLEM IS, IS SO IF 
          [02:25:02]
YOU IMAGINE RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO FINISH '25-'26, WE WON'T FINISH THIS YEAR UNTIL DECEMBER, WHICH IS HALFWAY THROUGH THE NEXT YEAR. THEN THOSE AMOUNTS, WHEN WE FINISH THAT, ARE GOING TO BE USED IN THE FOLLOWING BUDGET YEAR. 
          THERE'S NO WAY TO DO IT FASTER. YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR A YEAR TO FINISH AND THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO BE ISSUED. NO MORE CHANGES ARE MADE. WHICH DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL DECEMBER, MAYBE EVEN A MONTH OR TWO LATER THAN THAT, LIKE THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE HAD TWO GASB IMPLEMENTATIONS, SO WE WERE A LITTLE BIT LATER ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THIS YEAR. THE SOONEST YOU CAN USE IT IS IN THE NEXT FULL BUDGET THAT YOU WOULD SUBMIT. 
          OKAY, THAT MAKES SENSE. I MEAN, I HATE IT. I HATE THE 2-YEAR SPAN, AND I'M ALWAYS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'LL MAYBE BE THE NEXT THING I TACKLE. LIKE, HOW DO WE GET THOSE NUMBERS TO BE CLOSER TO REALITY WHEN WE DO AN ESTIMATE? YOU KNOW, BUT THAT WOULD REQUIRE LEGISLATION. 
          LIKE, I'VE OFTEN THOUGHT, LIKE, COULD WE USE THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S NUMBERS AND THEN INFLATE IT BY 2%? BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'VE HAD 2 YEARS OF COLAS AND WE'VE HAD 2 YEARS OF INFLATION, AND BUT BECAUSE WE'RE KIND OF FLOATING THE STATE IN THAT SENSE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, RIGHT? EXACTLY. THAT WOULD TAKE LEGISLATION TO CHANGE THAT. 
          OKAY, IT'S ON MY MIND. NO, THAT'S INTERESTING. THE OTHER THING THAT YOU MENTIONED WAS THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS, AND IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, YOU WERE SAYING THAT THE BOARD HAS CHOSEN NOT TO CHARGE SPECIAL DISTRICTS FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO ON THEIR BEHALF. THAT'S CORRECT. AND IF I WAS READING THE CHART CORRECTLY, THAT'S ABOUT $66,000 A YEAR, OR IS THAT MORE? NO, THAT'S THAT WAS A DIFFERENT THAT'S THE ROLL FORWARD AMOUNT. 
          OKAY. SO IT'S ABOUT A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND, ANNUALLY. 
          LET ME LOOK AT YEAH, THAT WAS JUST THE PRIOR ROLL FORWARD AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS. I DON'T HAVE IT BROKEN OUT, BUT IT'S, IT'S $498,000 FOR SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS COMBINED, AND I BELIEVE THEY'RE PRETTY CLOSE BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM. I THINK WITH SPECIAL DISTRICTS BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE, FOR SOME REASON 268 IS STANDING OUT IN MY MIND. 
          $268,000. 
          $268,000. OKAY. AND DO YOU KNOW IF OTHER COUNTIES DO CHARGE THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS FOR THAT WORK? SOME DO AND SOME DON'T. YEAH. 
          OKAY. IT'S, IT'S A MIX. 
          GREAT. 
          AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I HAD WAS, I NOTICED IN THE GOALS, AND I DON'T THINK YOU EXPLICITLY MENTIONED THIS, BUT YOU SAID FOCUS ON FOCUSED ON WASTE AND ENSURED CONTINUED PROGRESS COUNTYWIDE BY CREATING A MANDATORY WASTE FRAUD AND ABUSE TRAINING FOR ALL PROGRAM AND FISCAL STAFF. WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING THERE AND KIND OF WHEN YOU SAY FOCUS ON WASTE, WHAT YOU WOULD POTENTIALLY SEE AS WASTE OR WHERE, WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF WHERE WASTE MIGHT SHOW UP IN A WAY THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING YOU WOULD IDENTIFY? WASTE IS KIND OF ALREADY DEFINED. YOU KNOW, WE DEFINE IT WHEN WE SEND IT OUT THROUGH OUR WHISTLEBLOWER FLYERS. AND SO WASTE CAN BE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS. 
          IT COULD BE HOW YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND. IT COULD BE NOT DOING YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR 3 QUOTES. 
          IT COULD BE OVERSPENDING. IT COULD BE BUYING MORE MATERIALS THAN YOU NEED AND THEN THEY EXPIRE AND THEY CAN'T USE. SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WASTE CAN HAPPEN. AND THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, PART OF I THINK, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T KIND OF LOOK AT IT, YOU KNOW, IN THAT REGARD, BUT WAYS THAT THEY CAN SAVE AND KIND OF FOCUS ON WASTE AT THE SAME TIME. YEAH, IT WOULD WE WOULD HAVE TO DEVELOP THAT AND BRING THAT FORWARD, AND WE WOULD DO THAT WITH SOME OF THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE HAVE GOING ON THROUGH THE WHISTLEBLOWER. 
          BUT JUST MAKING PEOPLE AWARE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS WASTE CAN HAPPEN. WASTE CAN ALSO HAPPEN WHEN YOU PUT HOURS ON A TIME CARD AND YOU DIDN'T ACTUALLY WORK IT. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN IN THE COUNTY. 
          SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE ISN'T SOME KIND OF REPORT NECESSARILY WHERE YOU COULD SAY, OKAY, LET ME PULL THIS AND THIS WILL GIVE US A SENSE OF HOW MUCH WASTE, SO TO SPEAK, IS HAPPENING. IT WOULD BE MORE REPORTING ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND TRAINING EMPLOYEES TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT MAY OCCUR OR NOT. 
          YEAH. WELL, I THINK THAT THE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE WHISTLEBLOWER PROGRAM. SO WHEN WE'RE FOCUSING ON WASTE, WE'RE PUTTING THAT MESSAGE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, AND REMINDING PEOPLE, BUT THOSE THINGS ARE PRIMARILY COMING TO US THROUGH THE WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINTS, AND THEN WE ARE FOCUSING ON THOSE. WE ARE GOING OUT AND LOOKING AT THOSE, YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF IT WE HAVE TO DEFER BACK TO DEPARTMENTS. 
          SOME OF IT IS KIND OF SUBJECTIVE, LIKE IT IS A MANAGEMENT DECISION. IT IS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE WAS A MORE COST-EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO IT, BUT MAYBE THERE WAS A REASON THAT THE DEPARTMENT SO SOME OF IT CAN BE A LITTLE SUBJECTIVE TOO, BUT WE ARE DOING MOST OF THAT THROUGH THE WHISTLEBLOWER PROGRAM. 
          AND DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD OF ROUGHLY HOW MANY COMPLAINTS WE RECEIVED THROUGH THAT WHISTLEBLOWER PROGRAM? OH, THIS LAST YEAR? YEAH, A LOT. A LOT. 
          I DON'T KNOW. LIKE OVER 100 OR UNDER? NOT OVER 100, NO. THAT'S JUST BALLPARK. 20, WHICH DOESN'T SEEM LIKE VERY MANY, BUT A LOT OF THEM COME MULTIFACETED WITH MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS IN ONE. AND SO THEN IT'LL END UP GOING TO LIKE 3 DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. YOU KNOW, WE'LL HANDLE ABUSIVE AT HR'S HANDLING A PIECE OF IT, COUNTY COUNCIL MIGHT BE HANDLING A PIECE OF IT. 
          THERE'S JUST, YOU KNOW, YEAH, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF STUFF. 
          AND EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, 
          [02:30:01]
IF YOU'RE DOING IT, YOU CAN'T JUST LOOK AT IT AND THEN MAKE A RULE. 
          THERE'S AN INVESTIGATION THAT GOES WITH EVERY ONE OF THEM. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. I WOULD SAY A LOT OF THEM THIS LAST YEAR HAVE BEEN DEFERRED TO HR AS WELL. A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN EMPLOYEE RELATED, SO HR HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH BEING ABLE TO DO THOSE INVESTIGATIONS. SO THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR HARMON. WELL, MATT, IT'S HARD TO FOLLOW YOU BECAUSE I ONLY I'M, I'M, I'M REALLY SIMPLE. SEE, THIS IS GOING TO BE EASY FOR YOU, BUT, I DID WANT TO SAY GOOD JOB CAMPAIGNING. 
          YOUR CAMPAIGN IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING ALL THE YEARS BEFORE. 
          YOU SAY I DIDN'T CAMPAIGN? YOUR DATE COMES UP AND NOBODY CAMP I'VE SEEN ONE SIGN. 
          WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT THAT HERE. 
          I DID SEE ONE SIGN. I YEAH, BUT NO, I, I BUT THAT SAYS A LOT TO THE PEOPLE OUT THERE, TO EVERYBODY, TO ME, THAT, NOBODY CONTESTED YOU. NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S A BAD THING, THAT'S PART OF OUR PROCESS, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THAT I DON'T HAVE TO THINK TOO MUCH OR WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT ANYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO OUR AUDITOR CONTROLLER, BECAUSE I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO AND, AND I TRUST EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING. AND, AND I JUST WANT TO TELL THANKS FOR DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB. AND I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION. SO THE, AND IT'S KIND OF, I KNOW IT'S A TOUCHY QUESTION OUT THERE, BUT, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO MAINLY NOT HIRE BY PEOPLE RETIRING OR WHATEVER. 
          SO YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF KEEPING YOUR COSTS DOWN YOUR DEPARTMENT IN, IN THE, IN THIS INFLATION ERA, YOU'RE STILL KEEPING ALL THE COSTS DOWN. AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT WHAT, THE TOUCHY QUESTION IS, AND I, YOU MADE A LITTLE BIT OF A COMMENT ABOUT YOUR COMPUTER, YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEMS, ARE THEY FAIRLY, YOUR PROGRAMS, ARE THEY FAIRLY ANTIQUATED? NO, WE JUST, WE JUST DID AN UPDATE IN MAY. 
          OH GOOD, THE COUNTYWIDE FINANCE SYSTEM. 
          OKAY, BUT IT WAS ABOUT OUR FINANCIAL REPORTING SOFTWARE IS A LITTLE ANTIQUATED AND PROBABLY OUR FINANCIAL REPORTING MANAGER WOULD LOVE SOMETHING NEW. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW EITHER. 
          SO SHE'S GOING TO KEEP STRUGGLING WITH IT FOR A WHILE. 
          AI, IS THAT SOMETHING IN YOUR FUTURE TO HELP? WE'VE STARTED USING IT TO, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT INTERNALLY TO REDUCE LIKE WHAT WE CALL COGNITIVE OVERLOAD. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL EVER BE ABLE TO USE IT TO FULLY AUDIT SOMETHING. 
          THERE'S SO MANY PIECES. EVEN WHEN YOU THINK OF A SINGLE INVOICE, WE'RE NOT USING A SINGLE DOCUMENT OR A SINGLE POLICY TO AUDIT THAT ONE INVOICE. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AT THE STATE CONTROLLER'S GUIDE FOR COST CENTERS AND ACCOUNTS, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO CALCULATE SALES TAX AND MAKE SURE IT ADHERES. BEING REPORTED CORRECTLY FOR 1099 REPORTING. I MEAN, THERE'S SO AND THEN IF IT'S TRAVEL, IT HAS A TRAVEL POLICY. I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY PIECES TO A SINGLE INVOICE THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE EVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO AUTOMATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT WE CERTAINLY ARE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, ASSISTING WITH THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, HELPING TO WRITE LANGUAGE IN AN EVALUATION, OR, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN KIND OF SPEED UP MEMO WRITING AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT CAN THEN FREE UP SOMEBODY TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON SOMETHING ELSE. BUT IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT I'M INTERESTED IN. I THINK IF WE WERE DOING DATA ENTRY IN OUR OFFICE, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO SCAN AN INVOICE AND THEN HAVE IT INPUT IT FOR YOU. IT WOULD BE FANTASTIC. WE DON'T DO ANY DATA ENTRY IN OUR OFFICE. WE ARE ALL I MEAN, EXCEPT FOR, YOU KNOW, OUR 20 INVOICES WE PAY IN A MONTH OR 10 WE PAY IN A MONTH. WE DON'T HAVE VERY MANY INVOICES. BUT MOST OF OURS IS AUDITING, LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE DONE. 
          AND THERE'S WAY TOO MANY ANY POLICIES, I THINK, TO BE ABLE TO WRITE THAT INTO SOMETHING THAT AN AI COULD AUDIT FOR US. 
          YEAH, IT'D BE MORE LIKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD POP UP RED FLAGS FOR YOU. 
          YEAH, YEAH. AND WE'RE DOING SOME OF THAT NOW WHERE WE CAN WITHIN THE COUNTY'S POLICY. 
          YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE, IT'S A LITTLE TOUCHY TOO. YOU GOTTA, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA LOOK AT LIKE MAKING SURE YOU'RE NOT PUTTING PROTECTED INFORMATION OUT THERE AND YOU'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE ALWAYS KIND OF LOOKING AT THINGS THAT KIND OF LIKE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW. OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          WE, WE WILL KEEP CONSIDERING THAT AND LOOKING FOR OPTIONS. 
          AND IT IS NICE BECAUSE WE DO GO TO THE AUDITOR'S CONFERENCE. 
          IT HAS BEEN A BIG TOPIC AT EVERY CONFERENCE, AND PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE WAYS THAT THEY'RE USING IT, AND NOBODY'S QUITE GOTTEN THERE YET. BUT IF THERE IS EVER SOMETHING THAT'S INTRODUCED, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR IT AT THOSE CONFERENCES, AND THEN HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE A TOOL THAT WE CAN BRING FORWARD. BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT REALLY KIND OF IS TAKING THE PLACE OF THAT AT THIS POINT. 
          RIGHT, WE'RE ALL SCARED OF IT. I THINK I AM, BUT I'M NOT SCARED OF IT. 
          BUT I THINK IT'S YEAH, IT'S THE FUTURE, RIGHT? YEAH. 
          ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT, SUPERVISOR HARMON, YOU SAID AI. IT'S LIKE SOMEBODY SAYING WOLF IN FRONT OF YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. YEAH, SORRY, ONE MORE QUESTION. I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE IN THE INFOGRAPHIC SECTION OF THE BUDGET DOCUMENT, 
          [02:35:01]
AND THAT LAST BOTTOM RIGHT CHART, WHICH IS, I BELIEVE IT'S RECOVERABLE REVENUE FROM TOT AUDITS. AND THERE, I WAS IS THAT ONE OF I KNOW THAT I HEARD THAT THE CITY OF REDDING, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS SOME SOFTWARE OR SOMETHING THAT GOES ON AND SEES LIKE IF THEY'RE POSTED ON AIRBNB BUT THEY DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE TOT LICENSE SET UP. IS THAT KIND OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE? SO THOSE FUNCTIONS ARE DONE BY THE TREASURER. OR BY THE TAX COLLECTOR, ACTUALLY. SO THEY HAVE CONTRACTED WITH US TO PERFORM THOSE AUDITS FOR THEM, BUT THE TOT PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY THEIRS. SO THEY'RE DOING, YOU WOULD HAVE TO ASK HER HOW ARE THEY IDENTIFYING THOSE PEOPLE AND FINDING THEM. 
          BUT THEY PROVIDE TO US A LIST OF, YOU KNOW, WHO THEY WANT TO AUDIT, OR WE CAN RANDOM SAMPLE AS WELL. 
          OKAY. SO WE'RE NOT DOING THAT INVESTIGATIVE PART OF IT. 
          WE'RE JUST AUDITING THE ACTUAL TAX RETURNS. OKAY. I WAS JUST NOTICING THAT THE AMOUNT THAT'S RECOVERABLE IS REALLY SMALL, AND SO I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME WE WERE ALLOCATING TOWARDS THAT IF IT'S NOT PRODUCING, IF WE'RE NOT RECOVERING MONEY. 
          WE DO HAVE TIME. WE DO HAVE OUR TIME RECORDED TO TOT, SO WE COULD LOOK AT THAT. SOME YEARS IT'S MUCH LARGER, AND THEN OTHER YEARS IT'S SMALLER. 
          AND SO IT KIND OF DOES GO BACK AND FORTH. AND THAT REVENUE, THE REASON I LIKE TO PUT THAT NOTE ON THERE ALSO IS IT DOESN'T GET RECORDED IN OUR BUDGET. THE REVENUE GOES TO THE TREASURER, SO IT NEVER SHOWS UP OR THE TAX COLLECTOR NEVER SHOWS UP IN OUR BUDGET. 
          SO DO YOU, DO YOU BASICALLY, THROUGH COST PLAN CHARGES, CHARGE THE TAX COLLECTOR FOR THAT WORK? YEAH, WE RECORD OUR TIME DIRECTLY TO THEM. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. INDIVIDUAL SERVICES. ALL RIGHT. 
          AND DID YOU HEAR ME SAY THAT, MARIPOSA'S TOT WAS $24 MILLION? YES, I DO. WE NEED TO BUILD A BUNCH OF LIKE LODGES AND HOTELS OVER BY LASSEN SOMEWHERE. SO, THIS IS THIS IS A QUESTION I HAD FOR YOU 3.5 YEARS AGO, SO IT'S NOT REALLY A QUESTION FOR YOU NOW, BUT IT'S JUST INFORMATION FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. SO I HAD ASKED YOU 3.5 YEARS AGO, WE'VE ALL HEARD THE HORROR STORIES OF THE BASELINE BUDGETING WHERE THIS TIME OF YEAR, END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, THERE'S, WHETHER IT'S THE CITIES OR COUNTIES OR STATE, AND ESPECIALLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS OUT JUST BLOWING MONEY TO GET IT OUT OF THEIR BUDGET SO THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT THE NEXT YEAR. AND I REMEMBER ASKING YOU 3.5 YEARS AGO, DO WE DO THAT? AND YOU ASSURED ME WE DON'T, WHAT WE DON'T, AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS THAT EVEN DURING TIGHT BUDGETS LIKE THIS ONE, YOU'RE ABLE TO KEEP US IN THE RUNNING IN THE BLACK. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BUT LIKE I SAID, I JUST WANT THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO KNOW WE'RE NOT ONE OF THOSE ENTITIES THAT IS OUT BLOWING MONEY RIGHT NOW TO GET RID OF IT SO THAT WE GET MORE IN OUR BUDGET NEXT YEAR. SO COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WITH YOU, NOLDA. YOU IMPRESS ME EVERY DAY. SO LIKE I SAY, BEST CAMPAIGN SIGN I EVER SAW GO UP WAS THAT ONE, FIRST ONE FOR YOU. SO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE. ALL RIGHT, NO MORE QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, NOLDA. NOW I THINK WE ARE MOVING ON TO COUNTY CLERK ELECTIONS. 
          OKAY, WHAT DO I DO TO USE THIS THING? JUST UP OR DOWN? OH, WE FOUND IT. THAT'S NICE. WE HAVE ADMINISTERED THE ELECTIONS. THE, THE ONE IS COMPLETELY DONE. THE ONE WE DID IN NOVEMBER, THE ONE WE'RE DOING NOW, WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF. WE FINISHED IT, I'M TOLD, FASTER THAN SHASTA COUNTY HAS EVER FINISHED AN ELECTION. IT WASN'T A RACE. 
          THAT'S WHAT THE RULES REQUIRE BECAUSE THEY HAD A REALLY SHORT TIME WHEN THEY ADDED CD1 IN THERE. SO THAT ACTUALLY HAS TO BE CERTIFIED ON THE 11TH. 
          SO WE HAD TO COUNT EVERY BALLOT AND EVERYTHING IN 5 DAYS, AND WE DID. KIND OF PEOPLE GOT ALL DONE. SO DID A GOOD JOB. IT'S LOOKING GOOD. 
          I'M NOT NECESSARILY HAPPY WITH SOME OF THE OUTCOMES, BUT THAT IS WHAT IT IS, RIGHT? WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO STILL IS TO GET A LARGER FACILITY SO THAT IT CAN BE EXPANDED AND ACTUALLY PROPERLY DO IT. NOW, MY SUCCESSOR HAS WANTED THIS SAME BUILDING, SO IT'S NOT JUST ME ASKING. THE BUILDING IS INADEQUATE, THE ONE WE HAVE. YOU CAN NEVER PUSH IT ANY FARTHER THAN IT ALREADY IS. IT DOESN'T HAVE PARKING, IT DOESN'T DOESN'T HAVE ADA ACCESS. IT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH OF ANYTHING. AND SO BY GETTING A LARGER FACILITY, YOU WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE ELECTION DEPARTMENT CAN PROCEED INTO THE NEXT DECADE BECAUSE THE BUILDING IS LARGE ENOUGH TO DO IT. WE WANTED TO IMPLEMENT IN-HOUSE PRINTING. I HAVE NO IDEA IF SHE DOES OR NOT. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE COULD SET IT UP, BUT IF YOU APPROVED IT, I COULD HAVE IT ALL SET UP BY NOVEMBER, AND THEN YOU GET IN-HOUSE PRINTING, YOU'D SAVE $150,000 JUST ON THE BALLOT PRINTING. YOU PROBABLY SAVE THE SAME ON THE, THE VIGS, AND IN-HOUSE MAILING GIVES YOU A LOT MORE CONTROL. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THE BALLOTS GO, WHO MAILS THEM OUT, OR WHERE THEY'RE GOING. IF YOU GO IN-HOUSE WITH IT, YOU CAN CONTROL ALL THAT AS WELL AS THE COSTS. SO WHILE IN THE LONG RUN THAT WILL COST I MEAN, SHORT RUN, IT'S GOING TO COST ANOTHER $946,000. IF YOU HAVE 3 ELECTIONS IN A YEAR, YOU HAVE PAID FOR THE ENTIRE THING, AND THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE MAKING A 
          [02:40:01]
PROFIT. IN ADDITION, YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE THOSE PRINTERS TO HELP PRINT OTHER SMALL COUNTIES AND TURN IT INTO A REVENUE SOURCE. SO IT WILL NOT ONLY REDUCE YOUR BUDGET, IT WILL ACTUALLY GIVE YOU A REVENUE SOURCE TO ACTUALLY DO IT BECAUSE MOST OF LIKE THE SMALL COUNTIES, THEY'RE USING RUNBECK, AND THE COST OF THAT IS KIND OF EXPENSIVE. WE DID IT HERE, WE COULD PROBABLY DO THEIR PRINTING FOR ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE PAYING FOR SHIPPING BECAUSE IT'S GOT TO GO TO ARIZONA. LET'S SEE, REVENUES ARE $225, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF THAT COMPARED TO 2025. THAT'S ESSENTIALLY FOR THE ADDITIONAL EXPENSE OF THE BUILDING BECAUSE THE BUILDING IS $28,000 AND WE'RE PAYING $17,000 AND I THINK $7,000 HERE. BUT IT'S, IT'S AN ADDITIONAL, IT'S $1.10 PER FOOT, WHICH IS MUCH LOWER THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN SHASTA COUNTY. EVERY OTHER BUILDING LOOKED AT IS BETWEEN $1.25 AND $1.50 A FOOT, SO IT'S ACTUALLY A PRETTY GOOD DEAL. THE OTHER INCREASE IS FOR THE PRINTERS, SO YOU CAN GET THE PRINTERS IN-HOUSE AND ACTUALLY GET YOUR BUDGET UNDER CONTROL. LET'S SEE, RESTRICTIVE FUNDS, WE DON'T HAVE ANY RESTRICTIVE FUNDS, SO THE NET COST WOULD BE THROUGH GENERAL FUNDS AN INCREASE $744,983, 16%. 
          BUT THAT'S ONLY THE FIRST TIME. 
          AFTER THAT, YOU HAVE THE PRINTERS AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY OFFSET BOTH YOUR COST OF YOUR BUILDING AND YOUR COST IN YOUR ELECTION. ASSUMING YOU HAVE 3 ELECTIONS A YEAR, THEN YOU'LL MAKE IT UP THE FIRST TIME. PROJECTED BALANCE RESTRICTED FUNDS END OF IS ZERO. ALL OF OUR POSITIONS ARE FILLED. 
          WE HAVE NO VACANCIES. WE ADDED NO NEW POSITIONS. EVERYTHING IS PRETTY MUCH FLAT. THAT'S THE APPROPRIATIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND. 2025-26, YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS AND THE GENERAL FUND USE. IT'S FAIRLY CLOSE TO 2024-25. THE ISSUE YOU MOSTLY IS THAT YOU HAVE A DEPARTMENT THAT IS STUCK IN A LITTLE TINY BUILDING AND CAN NEVER REALLY GET ANY BETTER UNLESS YOU MOVE IT TO SOMETHING ELSE. CLERK TRANSACTIONS. THESE ARE THE CLERK TRANSACTIONS. THEY'RE UP. 
          OUR REVENUES ARE UP. I THINK MOST OF THAT, A LOT OF THAT IS FROM PASSPORTS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T RAISE THE FEES, SO WE STAYED COMPETITIVE WITH EVERYONE ELSE. AND SO WE'RE GETTING A LOT MORE PASSPORTS, SO THE MONEY ACTUALLY WENT UP. 
          IF WE RAISE THE FEES, OF COURSE THAT WILL DROP DOWN. 
          RIGHT NOW WE'RE COMPETITIVE AND WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF THEM. 
          THERE'S 4 OR 5 A DAY NOW. 
          THERE USED TO BE 1 OR 2. AND THAT'S NOT ME. ANY QUESTIONS? NO, WE HAD QUITE A FEW ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR BUDGET, I SEE. THAT'S THE ONE THAT STANDS OUT TO ME. THE ONLY ONE I SAW THAT REALLY I MEAN, I CAN SEE WHERE SOME OF THE OTHER ONES ARE COMING IN FROM AND I CAN GUESS WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT, BUT THE UTILITIES WENT FROM $115,000 REQUESTED TO $51,000, A CUT OF $64,000. IS THAT WAS THAT PLANNING ON A NEW BUILDING, A NEW BIGGER BUILDING? THAT WAS THE ESTIMATION FOR THE NEW BUILDING. OKAY, ALL RIGHT. 
          SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. YES, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          ON THE IN-HOUSE PRINTING, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT OTHER COUNTIES ARE DOING IN CALIFORNIA? ARE THERE OTHER COUNTIES WHO ARE, ARE PRINTING IT IN-HOUSE? LA. 
          LA DOES IT, AND THEY CUT THEIR BUDGET IN HALF WITH IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LA'S BIG, SO THEY COULD IF YOU DO IT IN-HOUSE IT'S COSTING YOU, PROBABLY ABOUT 25 CENTS A BALLOT AS OPPOSED TO $1.17 THAT YOU'RE GETTING OUT OF RUNBACK. SO, AND THEN IF YOU PRINT OTHER THINGS, HOW MUCH YOU SAVE DEPENDS ON THE KIND OF PRINTER YOU GET. BECAUSE OTHER THING, IF YOU, IF YOU CAN HAVE MULTIPLE STOCK, IF YOU CAN PRINT NEWSPRINT AS WELL AS JUST PAPER, THEN YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL SAVINGS AS WELL, BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN PRINT YOUR BIGS ON NEWSPRINT LIKE THE STATE DOES. WE PRINT OURS RIGHT NOW ON HARD STOCK, SO IT COSTS MORE. SO YOU'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, $2, $3 A BOOK TO GO OUT THERE, WHICH IS NOT REALLY COST-EFFECTIVE WHEN YOU'RE SENDING THEM OUT TO 112,000 PEOPLE, AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T READ THEM. 
          SO, OKAY, SO, IS THAT IS LA JUST ONE EXAMPLE, OR ARE THERE IS THAT THE ONLY ONE THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT DOES IT? THAT'S THE ONLY ONE I STUDIED. 
          OKAY. THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR PROBABLY ABOUT 4 OR 5 YEARS, SO IT WAS EASIER TO SEE HOW THEY DO THEIRS THAN TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. 
          I MEAN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, IF THE SAVINGS YOU SAID WAS IT $150,000 PER ELECTION? JUST THE BALLOTS. 
          ON THE BALLOTS ITSELF? ON THE BALLOTS. IF YOU PRINT YOUR OWN ENVELOPES, IF YOU PRINT YOUR OWN VIGS, YOU CAN DOUBLE THAT. OKAY. 
          I MEAN, IT'S AN INTERESTING PROPOSAL IF IT DOES SAVE THAT MONEY. I'M AND I'D BE 
          [02:45:02]
INTERESTED TO KIND OF LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT. WHY DO YOU THINK OTHER COUNTIES HAVEN'T DONE THAT? IF THEY'RE BECAUSE SOMETIMES US DOING TRYING TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF LA COUNTY IS IS THERE'S REASONS WHY THEY'RE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO HERE, GIVEN THE DIFFERENCES. SO IF THERE WERE OTHER EXAMPLES OF, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR SIZE COUNTIES, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP. 
          I'VE BEEN TOLD THERE'S 2 OR 03, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE. 
          MOST OF THE SMALL COUNTIES THAT DO NOT DO THAT, EVERYTHING IT'S GENERAL WAY THEY DO THINGS IS THEY DEPEND ON THE VENDOR. SO THEY VENDOR EVERYTHING OUT. SO EVERYTHING GOES OUT. SO YOUR BALLOTS GET PRINTED BY A VENDOR, YOUR MACHINES ARE ADMINISTERED BY A VENDOR, YOUR DATABASE IS CONTROLLED BY THE VENDOR. SO IF THE VENDOR IS DOING EVERYTHING, YOU CAN'T REALLY PRINT IN-HOUSE AND YOU CAN'T REALLY MAIL IN-HOUSE. SO PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, A GOOD STUDY WOULD BE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE TREASURER DID, BECAUSE SHE TURNED IN SHE DID HER OWN PRINTING AND STARTED DOING THAT IN-HOUSE. SO, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT ONE, THAT'S SOMETHING LOCAL. ABOUT THE SAME NUMBERS-WISE. I THINK SHE'S A LITTLE BIT SMALLER, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, THROW OFF THE METRICS. 
          SO, YOU COULD GO THROUGH THAT, LOOK AT IT, AND FIGURE IT ALL OUT. 
          AND WHEN WOULD YOU NEED TO START THAT PROCESS FOR THE TO DO THAT IN ADVANCE OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTION? IT'S REALLY NOT THAT TOUGH. 
          THE HARDEST THING WOULD BE TO GET IT CERTIFIED BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF CERTIFICATION, AND THAT'S THE STATE SETTING IT UP. WE COULD PROBABLY SET IT UP IN 2-3 WEEKS. I'M KIND OF A TECHIE, SO THAT'S NOT REALLY A PROBLEM. 
          BUT, THEN WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH CERTIFICATION, SO EVERYTHING HAS TO BE LOCKED UP SO IT CAN'T BE TAMPERED WITH. THAT WAS THE PROBLEM WHY WE COULDN'T USE THE TREASURER'S, BECAUSE SHE OFFERED OFFERED TO LET US USE HERS TO HELP, BUT ACCORDING TO CALIFORNIA LAW, IT HAS TO BE SOLE USAGE. 
          SO ONLY WE COULD HAVE USED THAT PRINTER, WHICH DIDN'T SEEM REAL FAIR TO THE TREASURER, RIGHT? SO THAT DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE. 
          AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE SERVICES FOR THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, I, I THINK THE CHART YOU WERE SHOWING US DIDN'T HAVE 25-26 DATA FOR THIS THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO END. DO YOU HAVE PRELIMINARY DATA ON THAT? IF IT'S NOT ON THE CHART, I DON'T HAVE IT ON ME. 
          NO. OKAY. AND THEN I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE PASSPORT, FEE, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME BEFORE THIS BOARD. AND I BELIEVE, IF I'M REMEMBERING CORRECTLY, YOU ASKED THE BOARD TO APPROVE HAVING IT BELOW WHAT THE COST STUDY SHOWED AS BEING THE COST TO DELIVER IT. 
          YES, I THINK THEY SAID THE COST TO DELIVER WOULD BE LIKE $60, WHEREAS EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE WHOLE COUNTY IS AT $35. 
          PHOTO PORTION, PASSPORT PHOTO. 
          BUT THAT WAS MORE OF A GUESS. I DON'T THINK THEY'D ACTUALLY DONE A STUDY. IT WAS KIND OF LIKE JUST A, A GUESSTIMATE. SO WE WILL WE CAN DO AN ACTUAL ESTIMATE IN-HOUSE AND FIND OUT WHAT THE REAL NUMBERS ARE. 
          PLUS, WE'VE REPLACED SOME OF OUR OLDER EMPLOYEES WITH NEW EMPLOYEES, AND THEY ARE AT A SMALLER RATE, SO THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL AS WELL. 
          I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE IF WE ARE SEEING THOSE SERVICES INCREASE AND IF THAT COST STUDY WAS ACCURATE, WHICH I DON'T KNOW, BUT IF IT WAS ACCURATE AND WE'RE CHARGING BELOW THAT, THEN THAT WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE'RE LOSING MONEY ON EACH ONE, RIGHT? SO THAT WE'RE AND AS THE SERVICES GO UP, IF WE'RE NOT CHARGING WHAT IT COSTS US TO DO THAT. SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD IF WE'RE SEEING A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THAT, THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO TO, TO LOOK AT. 
          OKAY, I'LL ASK HER TO HELP ME WITH A STUDY. 
          THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR YOU OUT? SUPERVISOR CRYE? I, I OH, OKAY. SUPERVISOR LONG. WELL, I LOOKED UP AND YOUR NAME'S NOT THERE ANYMORE. 
          HELP ME UNDERSTAND THIS NEW BUILDING CONCEPT, BECAUSE IT, IT SAYS LEASE PMT STRUCTURES FACILITY ORIGINALLY REQUESTED AT $340,000. SO YOU'RE NOT PROPOSING BUYING A NEW BUILDING, YOU'RE PROPOSING LEASING IT? RIGHT, JUST LEASING IT. AND SO WHERE WOULD THAT BE? THAT WOULD BE JOANN'S FABRICS. SAME ONE WE SHOWED YOU BEFORE, THE BUILDING OUT THERE? THAT WOULD BE THAT ONE. OKAY, OKAY, YEAH, I COULDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THESE NUMBERS SEEM REALLY LOW COMPARED TO WHAT NUMBERS WE WERE FACING BEFORE IN THIS DISCUSSION. 
          WELL, THEY WERE TRYING TO BUY THE BUILDING, SO THEN YOU'RE SPENDING LIKE $6 MILLION AND YOU'RE ALSO STUCK WITH ALL THE REPAIRS AND THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO IT'S PROBABLY BETTER TO RENT UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD NEW. THAT'S JUST MY OPINION THOUGH. OKAY. 
          OH, THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR CRYE. THANK YOU, MR. CURTIS. SO AGAIN, THIS BALLOT THING, IT'S, YOU KNOW, 
          [02:50:02]
5/23/23. SO I WAS WORKING ON THIS WITH, KATHY DARLING ALLEN, THEN IT WAS, TOM TOLLER AND JOANNA THROUGHOUT BOTH OF THOSE, AND THEN WE OF COURSE, STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT. AND I MEAN, I, I CAN'T I'VE SAID THAT FROM THE FIRST FEW MONTHS I WAS IN OFFICE WHEN I STARTED LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT, DEPARTMENTS. AND, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, WE, WE PRINT, I DON'T KNOW, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF STUFF WITH MY PERSONAL COMPANY. AND IT'S LIKE, YOU GO TO OFFICE DEPOT, YOU SHIP IT OUT, IT MIGHT BE 3 CENTS OPPOSED TO DOING IT 8 CENTS IN-HOUSE. 
          BUT WHEN YOU'RE DOING 2 MILLION COPIES, IT MATTERS. SO THE FACT THAT I APPRECIATE YOU'RE STILL WORKING ON IT. I KNOW THE BUILDING IS PART OF THAT. SO I JUST WANT TO KEEP I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, I WOULD APPRECIATE EVEN REACHING OUT POSSIBLY TO, AS YOU MENTIONED, YOUR SUCCESSOR ABOUT GETTING THAT DONE, BECAUSE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A VERY SHORT WINDOW AND IT'S A LONG TIME BECAUSE WITH ALL THE RUNBACK ISSUES AND EVERYTHING EVERYTHING ELSE, THERE'S A LOT OF RED TAPE AND BUREAUCRACY YOU GOT TO GO THROUGH. IT TAKES TIME. AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE STILL PLUGGING FORWARD ON THAT BECAUSE THAT PENCILS, AND IT JUST COMES DOWN TO HAVING THE SPACE AND THE BUSINESS WHEREWITHAL TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO HOPEFULLY I KNOW YOUR SUCCESSOR WAS IN FAVOR OF IT PRIOR, BUT PEOPLE COULDN'T MOVE IT ALONG BECAUSE IT WAS WORKING AT THE SPEED OF GOVERNMENT. 
          KEEP WORKING AT IT. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. SUPERVISOR LONG. 
          OKAY, I, I PROBABLY DIDN'T CLARIFY COMPLETELY. SO WE'RE TALKING $340,000. IS THAT ANNUALLY? YES, I THINK IT'S WELL, IT'S 28,000 SQUARE FEET, $1.10 PER FOOT, AND THEN IT'S I THINK IT'S $300,000 MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE PAYING NOW ON MARKET STREET, BECAUSE MARKET STREET I THINK IS AT $17,000 A MONTH, AND THE OTHER WOULD BE RIGHT AROUND $30,000. OKAY, OKAY, THANKS. 
          ALL RIGHT, I DON'T SEE ANY MORE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, ROV CURTIS. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD. I'M LORETTA SCHROEDER FOR THE WITH THE TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR. WELCOME. AND, OUR MISSION AT THE TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR IS TO PROVIDE QUALITY SERVICE IN PERFORMING OUR DUTIES AS THE OFFICE, WHICH INCLUDE RECEIVING, SAFEGUARDING THE MONIES THAT BELONG TO THE TO THE COUNTY AND OTHER AGENCIES IN OUR TREASURY, AND TO COLLECT ALL SECURED, UNSECURED, AND SUPPLEMENTAL TAXES. WE HAVE MAINTAINED OUR FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT AT 13.4 EMPLOYEES, WHICH WE ANTICIPATE BEING FULLY STAFFED THIS YEAR, AND CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THE REVENUE TAXATION CODES AS REQUIRED. WE, SORRY, OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS YEAR WERE MAINLY, IN THE FACT OF PARTNERING WITH VENDORS TO ADD PRODUCTS THAT WOULD HELP BOTH THE TAXPAYERS AND THE COUNTY SAVE TIME AND MONEY. SO OUR FIRST ONE WE HAVE IS THE AMERICAN FINANCIAL CREDIT SERVICES, WHICH RECOVERS THE UNSECURED TAXES THAT ARE OVER 3 YEARS OLD. AND THIS VENDOR WE'VE USED FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, AND WE'VE COLLECTED $18,000 FISCAL YEAR TO DATE ON VERY OLD ACCOUNTS THAT NORMALLY WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO COLLECT AGAINST. AND THIS HAS SAVED THE COUNTY MONEY. 
          THIS IS ALSO NO CHARGE TO THE COUNTY. THIS IS A SERVICE THAT THEY PROVIDE FOR FREE. WE HAVE AUTOAGENT AND ESCROWCLOUD, WHICH ARE BOTH COMPANIES THAT DO SERVICES FOR THE COUNTY WHERE THEY TAKE MASS ENTITIES LIKE MORTGAGE COMPANIES AND THEY COLLECT THE TAXES FOR THEM, AND IT PREVENTS ERRORS AND INVALIDATES THE PAYMENTS, AND IT SO IT'S ALL THE CORRECT AMOUNT. SO WHEN IT COMES TO US, WE HAVE THE EXACT AMOUNT THAT WE NEED. THE AUTO AGENT SENDS REMINDER NOTICES AND ESPER CLOUD PREVENTS APPROXIMATELY 700 ERRORS THAT WE WOULD HAVE NORMALLY HAD TO REFUND MONEY ON THIS YEAR. 
          SO THAT WAS REALLY GREAT HELP FOR US. THE FIRST INSTALLMENT THAT WE'VE HAD, THEY USED 27,621 ASSESSMENTS FOR $48 MILLION. SO THAT WAS A REALLY 
          [02:55:02]
GREAT AMOUNT THAT WE KNEW WERE ACCURATE. EASY SMARTPAY AND PAPER LIST BILLS. THEY ARE FOR THE TAXPAYERS MAINLY. THEY ARE THEY ALLOW YOU TO MAKE MONTHLY OR THE EASY SMARTPAY ALLOWS YOU TO MAKE MONTHLY PAYMENTS, AND THAT HELPS THE PEOPLE WITH ON FIXED INCOMES. BUT WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE USING THEM THAT HAVE LARGE PROPERTIES TOO. AND THEN THE COMPANY SENDS US THE TOTAL PAYMENT AT THE END WHEN THE TAXES ARE DUE. THERE WERE 400 AND 43 PROPERTIES ENROLLED IN THIS PROGRAM, AND WE, THE PAPERLESS BILLS, THEY HAVE BEEN USED WITH THE FREE TRIAL. IT ALLOWS US TO GET THEIR TAX BILLS EARLIER. 
          THEY GET TIMELY REMINDERS THAT TAXES ARE PAID. THERE'S A TAXES BEING ABLE TO PAY IN A LINK SO THEY CAN PAY RIGHT FROM THAT LINK. THE PRODUCT SAVES ON PAPER, ENVELOPES, POSTAGE, AND TIME, AND WE HAVE OVER 400 PROPERTIES SIGNED UP CURRENTLY. TO CONTINUE THIS, WE ARE ABLE TO, TO MAKE THIS PRODUCT AVAILABLE. 
          WE ARE REQUESTING A CAPITAL ASSET OF $25,000 THIS YEAR. 
          IT'S A ONE-TIME FEE FOR US TO HAVE THAT PROGRAM ASSOCIATED WITH MEGABYTE. ANOTHER WAY THAT WE'VE SEEN SAVINGS FOR TAXPAYERS IS WE HAVE RETURNED DUPLICATES AND SHORT CHECKS. 
          PREVIOUSLY, WE WOULD TAKE THAT CHECK AND DEPOSIT IT, SEND OUT LETTERS AND REMINDERS, AND THEN EVENTUALLY, IN MOST CASES, WE'D HAVE TO REFUND MONEY TO THEM. THIS WOULD THIS WOULD SAVE US TIME AND MONEY BY SENDING THE CHECKS BACK TO THEM, ALLOWING THEM TO GET US THE CORRECT AMOUNT. 
          WE SENT BACK 1,120 CHECKS WITH LETTERS AND RECEIVE THEM BACK CORRECTLY. IN MARCH OF '26, OUR POINT AND PAY, WHICH IS OUR CREDIT CARD VENDOR, THEY, I'M SORRY, THEY HAVE CHANGED THEIR DESCRIPTORS SO THAT THE PEOPLE KNEW THAT WHERE THE MONEY WAS COMING FROM. BEFORE, IT JUST SAID POINT AND PAY. NOW IT SAYS SHASTA COUNTY, SO THE VENDORS, THE TAXPAYERS THAT ARE USING THAT TO GET THAT OUT OF THEIR CHECKING ACCOUNT KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT MONEY WENT. SO THEY'RE TRYING TO HELP PREVENT FRAUD SO THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF WHERE IT IS. WE ALSO HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE WE'RE PINGING THEIR CHECKS TO VERIFY THE INFORMATION ON E-CHECKS, AND THIS IS REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF RETURNED E-CHECKS THAT ARE COMING BACK, SAVING US TIME AND MONEY. 
          EVERY YEAR WE HAVE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE USING, THE CREDIT CARD SYSTEM IN ORDER TO AND THAT GOES STRAIGHT INTO MEGABYTE, WHICH SAVES US ALL TIME AND MONEY. I FORGOT TO CLICK MY SLIDE. I'M SORRY. 
          THE GOALS FOR 26-27 ARE THAT WE CONTINUE TO OFFER THESE SERVICES AND MAKE MORE TAXPAYERS AWARE OF THEM AND ENCOURAGE THEIR PARTICIPATION. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PASSED A RESOLUTION AB 2026-37, WHICH ALLOWS TAX COLLECTOR TO SELL NON-RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL PROPERTY 3 YEARS AFTER THE PROPERTY HAS BECOME DEFAULTED. 
          WE HAVE IDENTIFIED 3 PROPERTIES THAT QUALIFY TO BE SOLD, AND WE INTEND TO TRY TO SELL THOSE IN FEBRUARY OF '27'S AUCTION. THE TREASURY STAFF, IN COOPERATION WITH RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, CONTINUES TO IDENTIFY UNLICENSED SHORT SHORT-TERM RENTALS, AND AS A RESULT HAS OPENED 50 NEW TOT PARTNERS THIS YEAR, WHICH BRINGS ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE COUNTY. AND I WANTED TO CLARIFY, BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TOT, THAT, THE FUNDS GO DIRECTLY INTO THE GENERAL FUND. THEY DID NOT GO INTO THE TREASURY THAT WE COLLECT FOR TOT. AND WE ARE WORKING WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT ON THEIR SYSTEM. THEY HAVE A GRANICUS SYSTEM. WHICH WE ARE COMMUNICATING BACK AND FORTH, HAVING MEETINGS ON, TRYING TO COLLECT AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN THAT AREN'T PAYING OR ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE. THIS IS JUST OUR BUDGET THAT WE'VE PROPOSED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR BY CATEGORY, AND IT WE HAVE IT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO THE SAME AS LAST YEAR. OUR REVENUES ARE FOR THE TAX THE TREASURE TAX COLLECTOR ARE MAINLY ALL FROM FEES THAT WE'VE COLLECTED, THAT WE'VE CHARGED PEOPLE, THAT ARE APPROVED BY THE BOARD. AND, 
          [03:00:01]
IN '24-'25, THE CALIFORNIA STATE AVERAGE OF COLLECTING SECURED TAXES WAS 98.4%. AND SHASTA COUNTY IS AT 98.3%, SO WE'RE VERY, VERY CLOSE TO THE STATE AVERAGE. AND THE STATE AVERAGE FOR UNSECURED COLLECTIONS WAS 94.4%, AND SHASTA COUNTY WAS 98.1%. SO WE'RE COLLECTING AS BEST WE CAN ON EVERYTHING WE HAVE. THIS SLIDE IS REPRESENTS THE, THE GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WE'VE REQUESTED AND WE'VE ACTUALLY USED, AND THE FUND BALANCE THAT WE'VE RETURNED BACK. A LOT OF THIS THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT KNOWN WHAT THE, BANK CHARGES ARE GOING TO BE, AND THE INTEREST RATES HAVE GONE UP. SO THE INTEREST RATES GIVE US REVENUE, AND THE INTEREST RATES ALSO GIVE US OFFSET AGAINST OUR BANK FEES. 
          AND SO THE BANK FEES ARE LOWER IN OUR EXPENSES AND OUR REVENUES ARE HIGHER IN OUR INTEREST COLLECTIONS FOR THE FIRST AND SECOND QUARTERS OF THE SECURED TAXES ARE AT 97.17% OR $285 MILLION AND OUR UNSECURED TAXES ARE AT 95.41% WHICH IS ABOUT $15 MILLION. THAT WAS IN MAY, WILL BE MORE BY THE END OF JUNE. 
          THE NET COUNTY COST, WE HAVE THE SLIDE, BUT THE ACTUAL INCREASE, THERE WAS AN INCREASE BECAUSE OF THE GENERAL FUND, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, THE CO RECOMMENDS. 
          SO THE, THE ACTUAL AMOUNT IS $1,431,544, WHICH IS INCREASE OF $34,000 OR 2.44%. I MEAN, OUR DEPARTMENT IS VERY CONSCIENTIOUS, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE SLIDE, THAT WHERE WE'VE RETURNED BACK GENERAL FUND MONEY IS THAT WE, WE ONLY SPEND WHAT WE ACTUALLY NEED, NECESSARY TO SPEND. WE ARE MANDATED BY THE REVENUE AND TAXATION CODE, AND WE HAVE NO GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR. 
          PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR SIDE, THE MISSION OF IT, THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR, IS TO PROVIDE QUALITY SERVICE IN PERFORMING DUTIES OF ADMINISTRATING THE ESTATES OF DECEDENTS. THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR MUST PROTECT THE DECEDENT'S PROPERTY FROM WASTE, LOSS, THEFT, AND MAKE APPROPRIATE BURIAL ARRANGEMENTS, CONDUCT THOROUGH INVESTIGATIONS TO DISCOVER ASSETS, PAY DECEDENT'S BILLS AND TAXES, ENSURE THE ESTATE IS ADMINISTERED ACCORDING TO THE DECEDENT'S WISHES, AND LOCATE AND DISTRIBUTE TO PERSONS ENTITLED TO INHERIT FROM THE ESTATE. WE HAVE 3.6 PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY WORK IN OUR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION SIDE, AND WE ARE EXPECTED TO USE EXTRA HELP FOR INVENTORIES THAT ARE LARGE IN ESTATE SALES. THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR ANTICIPATES TO BE FULLY FUNDED, FULLY STAFFED AS BUDGETED. OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN '25-'26 ARE THAT WE HAVE ASSIGNED OUTSIDE WE HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL, WHICH HAS BEEN ASSISTING US IN HELPING US WITH MORE COMPLEX LEGAL PROCESSES. WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CLEANED 16 PROPERTIES WITH ARPA FUNDS, WHICH HAVE HELPED ELIMINATE NEIGHBORS' BLITHE AND INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES. WE HAVE OPENED 13 NEW CASES, CLOSED 31 CASES, AND RESEARCHED APPROXIMATELY 100 CASES FOR OUTSIDE AGENCIES LIKE THE CORONERS, MORTUARIES, THAT KIND OF THING. WE ARE WE HAVE DIRECT ACCESS WAREHOUSE, WHICH IS WE'VE HAD FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT IT CONTINUES TO BE VERY EFFICIENT FOR OUR WORK. WE WE'RE ABLE TO HOLD ESTATE SALES THERE AND IT'S VERY CONVENIENT. WE PLAN TO CLEAN AT LEAST 4 MORE PROPERTIES WITH OUR ARPA FUNDS BEFORE THE END OF THE PROGRAM IN DECEMBER. THE ARPA CONTRACT WE HAVE IS FOR $1,125,000 AND WE'VE USED $446,601.25 AND WE REIMBURSED THE FUND $95,421.55. FOR A TOTAL USAGE OF $351,179.70, AND WE ANTICIPATE THE OTHER 4 PROPERTIES USING ABOUT $200,000. WE WERE ABLE TO REIMBURSE BECAUSE IN OUR CONTRACT IT SAYS THAT WE WOULD REIMBURSE BEFORE WE WOULD DISTRIBUTE TO ANY OF THE HEIRS. SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO CLEAN THEM UP, WE'RE ABLE TO SELL THEM FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE, WHICH MEANT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REIMBURSE THE FUNDS. THIS IS 
          [03:05:12]
OUR BREAKDOWN FOR THIS YEAR'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET, AND THE TOTAL REVENUES ARE FROM THE PA FEES THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE, THAT WE ANTICIPATE RECEIVING FOR THE PROPERTIES THAT WE WOULD CLOSE THIS COMING YEAR, AND FOR OUR INTEREST THE REST OF IT IS JUST OUR REGULAR EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE FOR SALARY AND SUPPLIES. THIS SLIDE IS OUR GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTIONS AND WHAT WE'VE REQUESTED, WHAT WE ACTUALLY USED IN OUR FUND BALANCE. AND THIS IS UNLIKE THE TREASURE TAX COLLECTOR SIDE, WHICH IS A LITTLE MORE EVEN. 
          THIS ONE FLUCTUATES OFTEN, AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW KNOW WHAT CASES ARE GOING TO COME IN AND WHAT CASES WHAT THEY'LL NEED, WHICH EACH CASE WILL NEED. SO THE KIND OF EXPENSES BUT WE, IF WE DO NOT NEED TO USE THE EXPENSES, WE DO NOT USE THEM. WE ONLY USE THEM AS NECESSARY. THE BUDGET UNIT 299 IS FULLY FUNDED BY THE GENERAL FUND. THE NET COST OF THE COUNTY REQUEST IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THAT BECAUSE OF THE, COB RECOMMENDS IT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE, THE, $498,802 WITH AN INCREASE OF $6,274, AND IT'S AN INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR OF 1.27%. THE PROGRAMS FOR 299 ARE ALL MANDATED BY THE PROBATE CODE AND ARE FUNDED BY THE GENERAL FUND. THE JOB OF THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR IS MANDATED BY THE STATE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC, AND THERE IS NO GRANTS FOR THIS PURPOSE. I HAVE SOME SLIDES TO SHOW YOU ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS WE WERE ABLE TO DO WITH OUR FUNDS, AND WE'RE JUST SO GLAD TO HAVE THEM. THIS IS A PROPERTY ON VALLECITO COURT IN SHASTA LAKE CITY. AND, WE GOT THIS PROPERTY, FROM THE TAX COLLECTOR. IT WAS, CLEANED UP AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THIS. IT'S JUST A PIECE OF LAND. IT'S REALLY GREAT. WE HAVE IT FOR SALE RIGHT NOW FOR $35,000 IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED. THIS PROPERTY IS ON JULY WAY IN REDDING AND WE GOT THIS FROM THE CITY OF READING CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND WHEN WE IT HAD BEEN THIS WAY FOR A LOT OF YEARS. A LOT OF TRANSIENTS WERE LIVING IN IT OFF AND ON, AND IT WAS A VERY BIG PROBLEM FOR THEM. SO WITH THIS MONEY, BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A SMALL LITTLE PROPERTY, WE'RE ABLE TO CLEAN IT UP, AND WE DID SELL THIS ONE ALREADY, AND WE WERE ABLE TO PAY BACK PART OF THIS MONEY TO THE, TO THE ARPA FUND FOR THIS BECAUSE WE DID GET MORE MONEY THAN WE EXPECTED FOR IT. THIS PROPERTY IS ON WONDERLAND, AND IT WAS CONSIDERED BY CODE ENFORCEMENT AS BEING THE WORST CODE ENFORCEMENT PROPERTY OUT THERE. AND WE IT HAD LOTS OF TRANSIENTS. WE HAD LOTS OF POLICE, LOTS OF CODE ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE GOING OUT THERE ALL THE TIME. 
          WE HAD SEWAGE GOING INTO A CREEK. IT WAS JUST A TERRIBLE PLACE. IT DID THE, THE OWNER'S CHILDREN WERE LIVING ON THE PROPERTY, AND IT DID TAKE US OVER A YEAR TO GET THEM EVICTED FROM THE PROPERTY. THEY HAD NO, DESIRE TO CLEAN IT UP OR TO PAY THE TAXES OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, BUT THEY DID FINALLY LEAVE THE PROPERTY, AND IT HAD LOTS AND LOTS OF LIENS ON IT. IT'S A FEW MORE PICTURES OF DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE HOUSE IN THE CREEK. 
          BUT WE CLEANED IT UP, AND WITH THE ARPA FUNDS, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO PAY BACK ARPA, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO PAY BACK MOST OF CODE ENFORCEMENT LIENS AND ALL THE OTHER LIENS THAT WERE AGAINST THIS PROPERTY, THANKS TO THE STATE, LIKE SENIOR CITIZENS POSTPONEMENT AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WERE OUT THERE AGAINST IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH, LORETTA. AND I WAS GLAD TO SEE YOU THREW YOUR HAT IN THE RING. YOU GOT SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL, BUT YOU'RE THE PERSON TO DO THE JOB. SO I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. THE BUDGET UNIT 299, IS THAT THE ONE WHERE IT'S REVOLVING ACCOUNTS? SO WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED AND OBVIOUSLY I WAS A LITTLE NAIVE TO GOVERNMENT AND WE HAD A PROBLEM PROPERTY UP THERE IN SHINGLETOWN, I THINK LORI AND YOURSELF HELPED ME WITH THAT ONE. AND AT THE TIME I WAS LIKE, WHY CAN'T WE JUST SEND IN PUBLIC WORKS, CLEAN THE THING UP AND THEN PUT IT UP FOR SALE AND THEN WE'LL PAY OUR THEMSELVES BACK, AND IT'S LIKE, THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS. SO I BELIEVE WE SET UP A FUND TO DO JUST THAT, TO WHERE WE CAN PULL OUT OF THAT FUND, CLEAN UP SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES, 
          [03:10:01]
AND THEN AS THEY SELL, WE CAN PAY BACK INTO THAT FUND AND WE CAN HAVE MULTIPLE PROPERTIES. IS THAT STILL IN EFFECT? THAT FUND HAS NEVER BEEN IN EFFECT, BUT THAT FUND IS A DREAM AND A WISH AND ONE OF LORI'S MAJOR THINGS THAT SHE'D LIKE TO SO WE'RE JUST USING ARPA FUNDS AND WE NEVER DID SET UP THAT FUND, RIGHT? OKAY, BUT WE BUT LORI, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS ON LORI'S LIST THAT SHE'D INTENDS TO DO. 
          THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS ON MY LIST TOO, SO WE WILL, SEE IF WE CAN'T MAKE THAT HAPPEN. 
          SUPERVISOR LONG. 
          THANK YOU, LORETTA, FOR, FOR THAT PRESENTATION. MY QUESTION IS A COUPLE THINGS, ONE FROM EACH SIDE. ONE, THE TAX TREASURER COLLECTOR SIDE, AND IS THERE A MECHANISM I'VE HAD SEVERAL ABATEMENT HEARINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED RECENTLY, ONE IN KESWICK, ONE ON AIRPORT ROAD. AND I KNOW THAT PROPERTY IS A INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AND IT'S WELL WORTH MORE THAN WHAT THE FINES, ASSESSMENTS, AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THAT PROPERTY. IS THERE A MECHANISM OR HOW DOES THAT ACTUALLY TRIGGER INTO GETTING THAT UP ON THE SALE BLOCK? LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WITH SOME PROPERTIES. 
          YES, THAT'D BE 3 THE 3 YEARS. 
          BUT, THERE'S SOME THAT ARE UNSECURED AND SOME THAT ARE SECURED. SO THEY HAVE TO BE THE UNSECURED FOR THE 3 YEARS. SO IF THEY AND I BELIEVE LORI TALKED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE ONE ESPECIALLY OUT, BY THE AIRPORT THAT WERE DON SYLVIA, SYLVIA LANE. 
          SYLVIA LANE. 
          SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT AND TRYING TO GET THAT ONTO THE I DON'T BELIEVE IT CAN BE BECAUSE, IT'S PART, UNSECURED AND PART SECURED. 
          LIKE, IT'S PART ZONED RESIDENTIAL, PART NOT ZONED COMMERCIAL. AND SO THE STATE CONTROLLER SAID THAT IF THERE'S ANY PART OF IT AS RESIDENTIAL, THAT IT COULDN'T BE PART OF IT COULDN'T BE PART OF THIS. 
          SO, AND, AND HOW DO WE RECOVER OUR COSTS THEN? BECAUSE THEY WERE LIKE $160,000 FOR CLEANUP AND THE ONLY YOU THE CODE ENFORCEMENT CAN PUT LIENS AGAINST THE PROPERTY THROUGH THE PROPERTY TAX, BUT THEN THE PROPERTY WON'T BE ABLE TO BE SOLD, OR IT WOULD BE WIPED OUT WHEN LORI WOULD SELL IT AT TAX SALE AUCTION WHEN THE NEXT TAX SALE AUCTION WOULD COME UP. THOSE, THOSE FEES ARE NOT RECOVERABLE DURING THAT PROCESS IF SHE SELLS IT. 
          OKAY, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE LORI TALKED TO US ONCE BEFORE AND SHE SAID WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF CREATING ZOMBIE PROPERTIES. 
          RIGHT. AND I'VE KIND OF RESEARCHED THAT A LITTLE BIT AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE COUNTY CAN REMOVE SOME OF THOSE LIENS, FINES AND ASSESSMENTS IN ORDER TO SELL THE PROPERTY THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE TAKEN OFF. 
          WE MIGHT HAVE TO ASK NOLDA FOR SURE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT YOU CANNOT TAKE THEM OFF ONCE THEY'RE ON THE TAX ROLL. IS THAT CORRECT? THE LIENS? OH, NOT RICH TOLD US THAT ONCE. RICH TOLD ME THAT ONCE, THAT ONCE THAT IF THE IF, IF CODE ENFORCEMENT PUT THEM ON THE TAX ROLL, THAT THEY CAN BE RELEASED. 
          BUT I DO NOT KNOW THAT FOR SURE. 
          YEAH, I THINK THERE'S A POSSIBILITY ANYWAY, BASED ON MY RESEARCH, THAT THOSE COULD BE PULLED OFF FOR THE PURPOSE OF A SALE. SO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THESE PROPERTIES OFF AND RECOVER AS MUCH AS WE CAN, I THINK THAT'S A, A GOOD MEASURE. 
          IF THE AMOUNT IS NOT PUT ON THE TAX ROLL, THERE, THERE IS A WAY THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT CAN COME AND ASK FOR A RELIEF OF SOME OF THE FUNDS IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE SOLD. 
          OKAY, OKAY. YEAH, THAT, THAT'LL BE AN ONGOING DISCUSSION MAYBE WE CAN HAVE. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS, WE HAD A FIRE OUT IN OLD SHASTA, AND A GENTLEMAN DIED, AND IT WAS A BLIGHTED PROPERTY, AND THERE'S MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF CLEANUP THAT ARE NECESSARY. 
          THEY'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY LOCATING A NEXT OF KIN, SO WE'RE I WOULD BE GLAD TO HELP YOU WITH THAT. 
          I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR ROUTE THAT YOU'VE JUST TALKED ABOUT CAN ATTACH TO THAT AND HELP FACILITATE THAT CLEANUP PROCESS. 
          OKAY, WE CAN SIGN THE RIGHTS OF ENTRY. WE CAN POSSIBLY DO IT WITH ARPA. WE CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS. OH, I'M SORRY. 
          NO, I, I, I HEARD WHAT YOU SAID. SO NO, THAT'S GREAT. SO IF THAT THE OLD SHASTA, IF WE COULD GET THAT ON THE RADAR, IT'S ON SECOND STREET. AND, AND, A GENTLEMAN DIED IN THE, IN THE FIRE. SO JUST TRYING TO, TRYING TO GET THAT RESOLVED AND, AND FOR THE NEIGHBORS AND, AND, AND THE SITUATION. WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY. THE NEXT OF KIN LIVE ACROSS THE STREET IN ANOTHER BLIGHTED PROPERTY 
          [03:15:02]
APPARENTLY, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE RUNNING INTO SOME DIFFICULTIES WHEN I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE FIRE CHIEF AND SOME OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          SO GLAD TO HELP YOU RESEARCH THAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOUR PREVIOUS QUESTION, SUPERVISOR LONG, THERE WAS SOMEBODY IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM THAT STARTED TO GET NO? OKAY, I SAW YOU START TO GET OUT OF YOUR SEAT AND I THOUGHT SHE HAS AN ANSWER, SHE'S GOING TO GO HELP. SO OKAY, ALL RIGHT, BE CAREFUL IF YOU STAND UP. 
          THANK YOU, LORETTA. 
          SUPERVISOR CRYE. HELLO, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE PROMOTION. 
          DOES THAT MEAN NO MORE HAZMAT SUIT? OH, NO MORE HAVING TO GO OUT INTO THE PROPERTIES YOURSELF, OR YOU THINK YOU'RE STILL GOING TO DO THAT? I STILL DO IT WHEN I NEED TO. 
          YEAH, IT'S AWESOME. 
          I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE EXPECTATION IS NOT FOR YOU TO WORK FOR THE COUNTY FOR 49 MORE YEARS. 
          YEAH, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          I DON'T THINK I'D MAKE IT. 
          I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE MISS SCOTT STARTED AT THE COUNTY THE YEAR I WAS BORN, AND WE ALWAYS JUST JOKE ABOUT IT. SO, SHE ALWAYS WE ALWAYS KNEW LIKE HOW LONG SHE'D BEEN THERE. 
          SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. 
          YES, THANK YOU. WHEN YOU WERE SHOWING THE FUND BALANCE FOR THE DIFFERENT ON THE ONE SIDE WHERE IT HAD REQUESTED GENERAL FUND, GENERAL FUND REQUESTED, THEN GENERAL FUND ACTUAL, THEN FUND BALANCE IS THAT IS THERE A DESIGNATED RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE FOR EACH OF YOUR TWO BUDGET UNITS, OR WERE YOU REFERRING TO MONEY THAT'S ESSENTIALLY ACCRUING IN THE GENERAL FUND? YES, IT'S JUST GENERAL FUND MONEY THAT WE'VE REQUESTED FOR REASONS THAT WE BELIEVED THAT WE WOULD NEED, BUT WHEN WE BUT WE DON'T TRY TO OVERSPEND. I WAS JUST TRYING TO REPRESENT THAT WE, WE DO ONLY SPEND WHAT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO AND GIVE BACK WHAT WE, WHAT WE DON'T SPEND. 
          OKAY, AND THEN A SIMILAR QUESTION, WHEN YOU SAID THE MONEY IS BEING REIMBURSED TO THE, I GUESS, ARPA FUND, THAT I KNOW THE ARPA FUND ARPA MONEY NEEDS TO BE SPENT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, BUT THE MONEY BEING REIMBURSED, I GUESS, IS NOT IT DOESN'T HAVE THOSE SAME KIND OF CONDITIONS ATTACHED TO IT, CORRECT? NO, I WOULD THINK IT DOES. I THINK, I THINK ERIN HAS TO REPORT EVERYTHING BY THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          IS THAT SOMETHING I'M WONDERING IF THAT MONEY IS BEING IS IT ACTUALLY BECAUSE TO SUPERVISOR KELSTROM'S POINT TOO, IS THAT MONEY BEING RESTRICTED THEN SOMEWHERE, OR IS THAT JUST GOING WHEN, WHEN WE'RE BEING REIMBURSED, IS THAT GOING BACK INTO OUR JUST BIG POT OF OUR GENERAL POT, GENERAL FUND? SO, WITH THESE ONES, IT'S ACTUALLY GOING BACK INTO THE ARPA MONEY. SO, WE'VE TRANSFERRED REVENUE OUT AND THEN WE'RE REVERSING SOME OF THAT. SO, WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN THEY SELL THE PROPERTY, IF THEY GET MORE ON THE PROPERTY THAN ALL OF THE BILLS THEY HAVE TO PAY, THEN THEY HAVE TO SEND THAT REVENUE BACK FROM ARPA THAT THEY USE BECAUSE THEY'VE RECEIVED OTHER REVENUE TO OFFSET IT. OKAY. WHICH JUST MEANS SHE'S RETURNING IT TO KIND OF THE ARPA POT. I WILL SAY, AND ALTHOUGH LIKE WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ABOUT ARPA REVENUE, WE DID IN THE CASE OF PROPERTY CLEANUPS, WE ESSENTIALLY OVER-OBLIGATED BETWEEN THE TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. SO THAT WE COULD HOPEFULLY KIND OF MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF ARPA MONEY THAT WE HAD. 
          SO, THERE'LL BE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO OFFSET THE MONEY THAT THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR DOESN'T SPEND. 
          OKAY, THAT'S HELPFUL. AND I THINK YOU SAID DID YOU SAY THAT $461,000 HAD BEEN SPENT OUT OF THE ARPA CURRENTLY? YEAH. 
          OKAY, SO OUT OF WHAT WAS THE TOTAL AGAIN? WAS THAT NEAR A MILLION? IT WAS OVER A MILLION. IT WAS $1.1 $125 MILLION. 
          OKAY, SO WE STILL HAVE A GOOD PORTION THAT WE ARE TRYING TO SPEND DOWN IN THE NEXT 6 TO 7 MONTHS, IDEALLY? YES. 
          OKAY. PUBLIC HEALTH ENFORCEMENT CAN HANDLE PART OF THAT. OKAY. AND THEN THE OTHER THING I NOTICED IN TERMS OF A NUMBER OF THE FEES, AS WELL AS THE PROBATE FEE, IT LOOKS LIKE SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN EITHER PRETTY FLAT OVER THE LAST 5 OR SO YEARS OR EVEN GONE DOWN. AND I THINK THERE WAS A STATEMENT IN THE TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR BUDGET NARRATIVE SAYING THAT THE FEES WERE LIKELY TO BE INCREASING. 
          IS THAT AM I REMEMBERING THAT CORRECTLY? AND I GUESS WHAT I'M WONDERING IS WHY HAVE THEY BEEN PRETTY FLAT AND EVEN IN SOME CASES GONE DOWN? AND BECAUSE I WOULD EXPECT, YOU KNOW, WITH INFLATION THINGS ARE GOING UP. 
          THE FEES THAT ARE COLLECTED BY THE TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR ARE DONE ANNUALLY THROUGH ALL OF WITH ALL OF THE OTHER FEES THAT COME TO THE BOARD, AND THEY ARE CALCULATED ON THE, THE ALL OF THE EXPENSES, EVERYTHING. 
          THEY'RE REGULARLY CALCULATED FOR ALL OF THAT. AND SO THAT IS THE ACTUAL OF WHAT THAT IS WHAT THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE CHARGING IS THE ACTUAL. THE FEES FOR THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR HAVE GONE DOWN SOMEWHAT BECAUSE IN CERTAIN YEARS, BECAUSE SOME 
          [03:20:01]
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION CASES ARE VERY COMPLEX AND TAKE LONGER THAN A YEAR. THE GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN, ESPECIALLY EVEN TO THE COURTS, IS THAT A YEAR TO IT TAKES TO RUN A WHOLE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION CASE. 
          AND SO, WHEN WE DO THAT, THE COURT REQUIRES US TO COME AND TELL THEM WHAT OUR STATUS IS. SO THAT'S OUR GOAL, WAS ALWAYS TO BE THERE. 
          BUT LATELY WITH EVICTIONS, PEOPLE FORGING WILLS, COMPLICATED ISSUES, THEY HAVE TAKEN LONGER, UP TO 2 YEARS OR LONGER. SO SOMETIMES WE ANTICIPATE REVENUE FOR THOSE FEES THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO MEET BECAUSE OF THESE OBSTACLES THAT ARE IN OUR WAY. SO THAT'S WHY. 
          OKAY. AND THEN ONE LAST QUESTION, IN THE DEPUTY PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR POSITION, WAS THAT THAT WAS ADDED LAST YEAR? YES, BUT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN YEAH, AND IT'S BEEN VACANT SO FAR. 
          THERE WAS, WE DID HIRE SOMEONE AND, THEY, SHORTLY AFTER THERE WENT OUT ON LEAVE, AND SO IT WAS NOT FILLED FOR A LONG TIME. 
          IT IS FILLED CURRENTLY. OKAY, AND I THINK IN THE NARRATIVE THERE IT SAID THAT THAT WILL LIKELY LEAD TO INCREASED REVENUE AS WELL THAT WILL OFFSET SOME OF THE COST OF THAT POSITION, CORRECT? OKAY, YEP, THAT'S THAT WAS WHEN WE, WHEN WE ASKED FOR THAT POSITION, THAT WAS THE GOAL. IT JUST WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THOSE THAT REVENUE BACK UP YET, LIKE I SAID, BECAUSE OF THE TIME IT TAKES TO HANDLE A WHOLE CASE. 
          GREAT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. 
          SUPERVISOR HARMON. 
          THANKS, MATT. THAT WAS ALL THE QUESTIONS I WAS ABOUT TO ASK. I'M JUST HAVING FUN. 
          THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR EXPERIENCE. OH, THANK YOU. 
          HOLY SMOKES, HOW MANY YEARS? I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE 20-SOMETHING, 24. HOW MANY? 23, 24. NICE. 
          YEAH, HE'S, HE'S BARELY HE, HE WAS, CUTTING TEETH BACK THEN. 
          ALL RIGHT, BUT THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          AND THANK YOU, RETTA, YOU DID GREAT. WERE YOU NERVOUS AT ALL? YEAH, YEAH. WELL, YOU, YOU SHOULDN'T BE. THE STUFF YOU DO WITH THE HAZMAT SUITS AND EVICTIONS AND OUR MULTIPLE FRIENDS THAT WE'VE HAD TALKED ABOUT IN PREVIOUS THINGS, THIS, THIS SHOULD BE A BREEZE FOR YOU. BUT YOU DID GREAT, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON, WE ARE AT CHILD SUPPORT. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR KELSTROM, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. JENNA RICHARDSON, DIRECTOR OF CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES. THANK YOU. 
          OUR MISSION IS EMPOWERING FAMILIES BY DISCOVERING THEIR NEEDS, PROVIDING EDUCATION, AND COLLABORATING WITH PARTNERS TO BRIDGE THE GAP TO AVAILABLE RESOURCES FOR THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN. OUR PURPOSE IN CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES IS TO ESTABLISH PATERNITY AND OBTAIN CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS. THE PROGRAM KEEPS RECORD OF ALL CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS, SERVES AS A NEUTRAL ENTITY BETWEEN PARENTS, HELPS PARENTS AVOID COURT, AND ASSISTS WITH NAVIGATING THE CHILD SUPPORT SYSTEM. SO, THIS CHART SHOWS OUR FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS, FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 49 FTE, 49 POSITIONS. I'M REQUESTING TO DELETE ONE LEGAL PROCESS CLERK POSITION BASED ON A REDUCTION IN OUR ALLOCATION PREVIOUSLY NOTED IN OUR 2-YEAR CUT. THIS POSITION WAS HELD VACANT FOR OVER 12 MONTHS DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS DECREASE. WE HAVE 3 VACANCIES AT THIS TIME, BUT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A RECRUITMENT. SO HERE IS SOME INFORMATION REGARDING SOME OF THE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR PROGRAM THIS YEAR. SO, AB 747 AND SB 85 REGARDING SERVICE OF PROCESS ARE A PART OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY REFORM AND EQUITY ACT. SO, THIS BILL IMPACTS OUR CURRENT PROCESS WITH PERSONAL SERVICE OF SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT. THIS IS THE INITIAL LEGAL ACTION TAKEN ON CASES TO ESTABLISH PATERNITY, ESTABLISH CHILD SUPPORT, MEDICAL ORDERS FOR CHILDREN. 
          THIS NEW LEGISLATION REQUIRES A PROCESS FOR A PHOTOGRAPH, A DATE STAMP, AND THEN GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM COORDINATES WITH THE PROOF OF SERVICE. SO THE CHANGES INCLUDE NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR SERVICE ATTEMPTS AND PUBLIC AVAILABILITY AS FAR AS REGISTERED PROCESS SERVERS WITH THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE. 
          THIS BILL REQUIRES UPDATES TO OUR PROCESS SERVER CONTRACT, ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR CHILD SUPPORT STAFF WHO SERVE PARTICIPANTS LOCALLY, AND THEN THERE ARE SEVERAL, TECHNICAL NEEDS ASSOCIATED TO THE PHOTOGRAPHS. SO, ALL 
          [03:25:02]
OF THESE CHANGES NEED TO TAKE PLACE BY JANUARY OF '27. WE ALSO HAVE ASSEMBLY BILL 247, AND THAT'S THE INMATE FIREFIGHTERS BILL. THE BILL IMPACTS CHANGES IN WAGES ASSOCIATED TO INMATE FIREFIGHTERS AND THEIR ABILITY TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT. SO, IF THEY'RE INCARCERATED FOR LONGER THAN 90 DAYS, THE UPDATES WILL BE MADE TO THE GARNISHMENT PROCESS AS WELL AS THE MODIFICATION OF CURRENT CHILD SUPPORT. SO, THIS AFFECTS OUR FAMILY CODE 4007.5, AND SO THIS BILL WILL HELP THE DEPENDENTS CAN BE SUPPORTED BY THEIR PARENTS WHILE THE PARENT IS INCARCERATED. THESE CHANGES ARE ALSO EFFECTIVE JANUARY OF 2027. SENATE BILL 1055 HAS ADDITIONAL IMPACTS ON THE LICENSE SUSPENSION PROCESS. 
          THIS IS THE SECOND PHASE OF A BILL WHICH LIMITS DMV FROM SUSPENDING PROFESSIONAL DRIVER'S LICENSES FOR PARTICIPANTS WHOSE HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS AT OR BELOW 70% OF THE MEDIAN INCOME THE COUNTY OF RESIDENCE. THIS INCLUDES CLASS A LICENSES AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSES ISSUED BY CONSUMER AFFAIRS. SO, WE'RE REQUIRED TO RELEASE LICENSES, AND SUPPRESS ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS, MEETING THIS CRITERIA, BY JANUARY OF 2027. AB 207 IMPACTS OUR FULL PASS-THROUGH OF CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS. 
          SO, THE BILL CONTINUES TO IMPLEMENT CHANGES RELATED TO CHILD SUPPORT COLLECTIONS RECEIVED FOR GOVERNMENT-ASSIGNED DEBT TO BE PASSED THROUGH TO OUR CALWORKS FAMILIES. CURRENTLY, FORMERLY ASSISTED PAST-DUE CHILD SUPPORT IS PASSED THROUGH, SO THIS BILL IS LOOKING TO INCREASE THE PASS-THROUGH FOR CURRENTLY ASSISTED FAMILIES IN A PAYMENT FROM $50 TO $100 FOR FAMILIES WITH ONE CHILD AND THEN $200 FOR FAMILIES WITH TWO OR MORE CHILDREN. 
          THIS YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT IS ADDRESSING CHANGES ASSOCIATED TO FULL PASS- PASS-THROUGH FOR FAMILIES WHO ARE CURRENTLY RECEIVING CALWORKS MONIES. 
          SO, FOR OUR '25-'26 ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WE HAD THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR FINAL RULE PHASE 2, AND SO THAT INCLUDED CHANGES IN OUR GUIDELINE CALCULATOR. 
          AND SO, THE CHANGE IN THE LAW IS THE FIRST MAJOR UPDATE TO THE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS REGARDING CHILD SUPPORT SINCE THE 1990S. THIS GUIDELINE CALCULATOR CHANGE ALSO INCLUDED THE HR-1 CHANGES. DESPITE THE MAJOR CHANGE, OUR DEPARTMENT EXPERIENCED MINIMAL INTERRUPTION IN OUR PROCESSES DUE TO OUR HIGHLY DEDICATED STAFF. 
          SHASTA COUNTY ALSO RANKED NUMBER 6 IN CALIFORNIA IN CHILD SUPPORT FEDERAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES REGARDING THE COLLECTION OF CURRENT SUPPORT. SO, WE MOVED UP IN OUR RANKING FROM NUMBER 8 LAST YEAR TO NUMBER 6 THIS YEAR. OUR DEPARTMENT COLLECTED $11,863,760 IN CURRENT SUPPORT. OUR DEPARTMENT ALSO ACHIEVED 100% COMPLIANCE IN CASE OPENING FOR QUARTER 4 OF THE FISCAL YEAR. 241 CASES WERE OPENED WITHIN THE 20-DAY COMPLIANCE TIMEFRAME. ONE GOAL FOR FISCAL YEAR 25-26 WAS TO IMPROVE IN ALL 5 OF OUR FEDERAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES. 
          SO, WE IMPROVED IN THE AREA OF PARENTAGE ESTABLISHMENT, SEEING AN INCREASE OF 0.61%. 
          AND THE CHANGES IN CALIFORNIA LEGISLATION REGARDING ENFORCEMENT TOOL HAS IMPACTED OUR PROGRAM, BUT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR CHANGES THAT WILL HELP IN ALL OF THESE AREAS, INCLUDING OUR COST-EFFECTIVENESS. SO, OUR RECENT BUILDING CHANGE IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR IS THE AMOUNT OF LEASED SPACE ASSOCIATED TO THE COST SUCH AS UTILITIES IS HELPING OUR AGENCY TO REDUCE COSTS AND INCREASE OUR COST-EFFECTIVENESS. SO EVEN THOUGH THE EXPENSES INCREASED FOR THE INITIAL COSTS ASSOCIATED TO THE YEAR, MOVING INTO OUR NEW BUILDING HAVE INCREASED A LITTLE BIT, AND WE PLAN TO START SEEING THE BENEFITS OF HAVING THIS MORE EFFICIENT, SMALLER SPACE, AND PAYING LESS UTILITIES IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR. 
          SO, OUR GOALS FOR '26-'27: WE PLAN TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP PROGRAM EFFICIENCIES IN ALL OF OUR TACTICS TO IMPROVE ON OUR CHILD SUPPORT FEDERAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES TO BETTER SERVE OUR FAMILIES AND POSITIVELY IMPACT OUR FEDERAL, FEDERAL INCENTIVE FUNDING. 
          SO, THESE CHARTS SHOW OUR CONTINUED EFFORTS TO INCREASE PARENTAGE ESTABLISHMENT, OUR ESTABLISHMENT OF ORDERS, CURRENT SUPPORT COLLECTED, AS WELL AS THE ARREARS COLLECTED. 
          WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING OUR ATTENTION ON THE CURRENT SUPPORT AND ARREARS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING AS MUCH MONEY AS WE CAN OUT TO THE FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO, THE EFFORTS MADE IN ASSISTING US IN OBTAINING MORE EFFICIENT 
          [03:30:01]
BUILDING SPACE WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR COST-EFFECTIVENESS IN THE COMING YEARS. SO, THESE ARE JUST SOME CHARTS SHOWING, OUR EXPENSE AND REVENUE BREAKDOWNS BY OBJECT LEVEL, IN OUR RECOMMENDED BUDGET. 
          AND THAT IS IT FOR ME. WE DO NOT USE ANY GENERAL FUND MONIES, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE FOR ME. 
          MY ONLY QUESTION IS THE FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONE DOWN QUITE A BIT IN THE LAST 4 YEARS FROM LIKE ALMOST 60 TO JUST BETWEEN 45 AND 50, AND YET THE SALARIES ARE ABOUT THE SAME. WERE THOSE UNFILLED POSITIONS, OR YEAH, WE DID HAVE SEVERAL UNFILLED POSITIONS THAT WE'VE DELETED IN THE, IN THE PAST FEW YEARS. AND SO, OUR CASELOAD HAS GONE DOWN. 
          SO, BETWEEN '21 AND THIS YEAR, WE HAD A CHANGE IN LAW REGARDING FOSTER CARE AND HAVING FOSTER CARE CASES. SO, WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF FOSTER CARE CASES. WE DON'T RECRUIT OR RECOUP ON FOSTER CARE ANYMORE. SO THAT WE HAVE ABOUT 7,950 CASES RIGHT NOW. NOW. PREVIOUS TO THAT, WE HAD 9,850 CASES. AND SO, OUR, OUR FTES ARE REALLY NEEDING TO BE IN LINE WITH OUR CASE COUNT. 
          BUT STILL, JUST SALARIES AND BENEFITS HAVE GONE UP IN THE LAST FEW YEARS TOO, BUT WE HAVE NEEDED TO DELETE A FEW POSITIONS BASED ON OUR CASELOAD COUNT. 
          OKAY, GREAT PRESENTATION. AND THEN MY ONLY, MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION IS THE, THE CASES THAT ARE IN ARREARS, ARE THE IS THE COUNTY SUPPORTING THOSE FAMILIES OR PAYING THOSE FAMILIES, AND THEN WE'RE TRYING TO COLLECT THE MONEY FROM, YOU KNOW, THE SPOUSE THAT'S NOT PAYING, OR DO THEY JUST NOT GET PAID AND WE'RE TRYING TO COLLECT IT? YEAH, SO THERE'S IT'S JUST, THE MONEY THAT GOES TO THE FAMILIES IS THE MONEY THAT WE RECOUP. SO, IF SOMEONE OWES MONEY AND THAT ACCUMULATION IS BUILDING THERE IN ARREARS, THERE'S NO MONEY LIKE CASH AID THAT GOES OUT TO PAY IT UNTIL IT GETS PAID. 
          THE FAMILIES ARE WAITING FOR US TO GET THOSE ARREARS PAID THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT TOOLS THAT WE HAVE. WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROCESSES THAT WE CAN USE. WE DO INTERCEPT TAXES. WE DO LOOK AT LIENS. WE HAVE DIFFERENT REAL PROPERTY LIENS. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS OF TRYING TO GET THAT, GET THAT MONEY OUT TO FAMILIES. FAMILIES. AND THEN, BUT ALL OF THE IF IT WAS AN ASSISTED FAMILY, ALL OF THAT MONEY IS GOING STRAIGHT OUT TO FAMILIES ONCE IT IS ACTUALLY PAID. BUT THERE'S NOT A FUND THAT'S PAYING. 
          SO, IF THERE'S A DEADBEAT SPOUSE THAT'S NOT PAYING, THE OTHER SPOUSE AND THE CHILDREN AREN'T GETTING ANY MONEY FROM JUST NO, NOT UNLESS THEY'RE CURRENTLY AIDED AND RECEIVING ACTUAL, LIKE, CURRENT AID. 
          THAT ARREARS BALANCE STAYS UNTIL IT'S PAID. 
          OKAY, ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. 
          YES, THANK YOU. I WANTED TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT SUPERVISOR KELSTROM WAS SAYING BECAUSE I HAD LOOKED BACK A LITTLE FURTHER AND SAW THAT IT SEEMED LIKE ABOUT 7 YEARS AGO YOU HAD ABOUT 84 FTS, AND SO, WHICH NOW YOU'RE ALMOST HALF OF THAT. YOU MENTIONED, AND I MISSED THE CASE NUMBERS, BUT YOU SAID NOW YOU USED TO HAVE 9,500 AND SOMETHING, AND NOW IT'S 7,000, CORRECT? SO THAT WAS IN 2021. WE HAD AROUND 9,850 CASES. PREVIOUS TO THAT, WE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SYSTEM CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. SO, WHEN WE CONVERTED OVER TO THE STATE DISBURSEMENT UNIT, AND THAT CHANGED A LOT OF THINGS. SO, THE STATE DISBURSEMENT UNIT IS THE ONE WHO GETS THE FUNDS FROM WAGE GARNISHMENTS AND THEN THEY'RE THE ONES WHO SEND OUT THE CHECKS. PREVIOUS, IT WAS SOMETHING WE DID, SO WE HAD A HUGE ACCOUNTING GROUP. I THINK WE HAD, 85 PEOPLE IN OUR ACCOUNTING GROUP, AND NOW WE HAVE 3 PEOPLE IN OUR ACCOUNTING GROUP. SO, TECHNOLOGY AND SYSTEM CHANGES HAVE CHANGED THAT AS WELL. AND THEN THE STATE RUNS THE STATE DISBURSEMENT UNIT FOR ALL OF THAT, WHICH IT USED TO BE RUN WITHIN THE COUNTY. 
          THAT'S HELPFUL. AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE STATE REVENUE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEEN PRETTY FLAT, WHICH I'M GUESSING COULD MAKE SENSE IN THAT IF WE HAVE THE REVENUE PER CASE HAS PROBABLY GONE UP AT A REASONABLE AMOUNT, BUT BECAUSE OUR CASES HAVE GONE DOWN, THAT REVENUE HAS STAYED FLAT. 
          IS THAT A FAIR EXPLANATION OF THAT? BECAUSE AT FIRST I WAS CONCERNED THAT, OKAY, WE'RE GETTING THE SAME MONEY FROM THE STATE THAT WE WERE, SAY, 5 YEARS AGO, OR SO, BUT IF OUR CASES HAVE GONE WAY DOWN, THEN THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THAT, RIGHT? YEAH, SO WE HAVE OUR ALLOCATION HAS GONE DOWN A LITTLE BIT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. I THINK IN '22-'23 WE HAD A DECREASE OF ABOUT $550,000 OF OUR ALLOCATED AMOUNT, AND THEN WE HAD A 2-YEAR CUT THAT WE'RE NOT GOING 
          [03:35:01]
TO GET BACK BASED ON THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET THIS YEAR. 
          AND SO, WE HAVE HAD A FEW, BUT THE CHILD SUPPORT BUDGET FOR THE STATE HAS BEEN FLAT. 
          OKAY. AND THEN ON THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT YOU MENTIONED HERE, WHICH I LOVED SEEING THE QUANTITATIVE MEASURES, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS UNDERSTANDING THEM CORRECTLY IN TERMS OF SO THE PARENT ESTABLISHMENT, WE WANT A HIGHER SCORE, IS THAT YES. OKAY. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, THE OTHER 3 PERCENTAGES, YOU ACTUALLY WANT A LOWER SCORE, IS THAT CORRECT? NO, WE WANT HIGHER ON EVERYTHING. 
          WE WANT TO INCREASE IN ALL OF OUR AREAS. WE WANT TO CONTINUE COLLECTING MORE AND ARE TRYING TO WORK ON DIFFERENT TACTICS TO DO THAT. 
          OKAY, BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE FOR THE I THINK THE, THE NEXT WELL, TWO OF THE NEXT THREE, THE OR NO, ALL THREE, THE '25-'26 NUMBER, ARE THOSE ACTUALS OR THOSE WERE GOALS? I GET ON THE ONE SLIDE WHERE THAT WENT DOWN SLIGHTLY. I GUESS THAT'S THAT COULD BE ACTUALS, BUT OR JUST WORK IN PROCESS NUMBERS FOR OUR FISCAL YEAR. 
          SO, WE'RE RUN ON A FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT WE DID RUN THE NUMBERS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, SO, WE HAD THAT INFORMATION THERE. 
          BUT YES, YOU'RE CORRECT, THOSE ARE ACTUALS. OKAY. 
          AND THEN WHAT IS COST-EFFECTIVENESS IN TERMS OF WHAT DOES THAT REPRESENT? OKAY, SO COST-EFFECTIVENESS IS JUST LOOKING AT OUR ALLOCATION, OUR CASELOAD SIZE, AND THEN HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH WE NEED TO SPEND PER, PER CASE. SO, WITH ALL OF THE SALARIES AND EVERYTHING THAT COMES ALONG WITH THAT, HOW MUCH ARE WE SPENDING WITH ALL OF OUR OPERATIONAL COSTS? AND SO, OUR OPERATIONAL COSTS HAVE BEEN HIGH AND OUR BUILDING SPACE AT PARK MARINA IS REALLY EXPENSIVE. THE UTILITIES ARE EXPENSIVE. SO, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS FOR SOME CHEAPER SPACE. WE WERE ABLE TO FIND THAT. WE WEREN'T ABLE TO MOVE ALL OF OUR STAFF. WE HAVE LIKE A LITTLE BIT IN EACH LOCATION, BUT IT IS GOING TO DECREASE OUR LEASE PAYMENT. HHSA IS TAKING OVER THAT OTHER PORTION OF THE BUILDING AND TAKING ON A LOT OF THAT LEASE PAYMENT. AND SO THAT'S HELPING US BECAUSE WE'RE REDUCING OUR COSTS AND OPERATIONS. 
          OKAY, GREAT. ONE LAST QUESTION IN KIND OF THE DETAILED LINE ITEMS HERE. I DID NOTICE THAT THE COST AROUND TRANSPORTATION AND TRAVEL AND TRAVEL AND TRAINING IS GOING UP QUITE A BIT THIS YEAR. IS THAT SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO UPDATING THE STAFF ON NEW REGULATIONS OR THOSE BILLS THAT YOU SHARED UP FRONT? OR YEAH, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THE BILLS, AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF JUST REGULAR TRAINING AT SHASTA COLLEGE OR SOMETHING TO BE A CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST. 
          WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE TRAININGS RELATED TO OUR FIELD AND THEN FIND MORE WAYS THAT EITHER OTHER STATES ARE USING THAT WE CAN LOOK TO INCREASE OUR COLLECTIONS, DIFFERENT TACTICS TO INCREASE OUR COLLECTIONS. A LOT OF IT IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING IN LINE WITH ALL OF THE FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS. 
          AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE ATTORNEYS ON STAFF THAT ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE TRAINING AND WITHIN THE CHILD SUPPORT PROGRAM AS WELL REQUIRED TO TAKE THOSE TRAININGS AND THE EXPENSES REGARDING TRAVEL SEEM TO KEEP GOING UP. WE'RE TRYING TO DO SOME VIRTUAL TRAININGS WHICH HAS BEEN HELPFUL BUT WE ARE REQUIRED ALSO FOR OUR ATTORNEYS TO COMPLETE ALL OF THOSE TRAININGS TO FOR THEIR CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR CRYE. 
          THANK YOU, GREAT PRESENTATION. 
          I HAVE TO THIS IS LIKE A NEW TEST FOR ME WITH CHEMO. I'M REALIZING NOW THIS IS THE, THE MARK OF HOW LONG I CAN SIT BEFORE LIKE I LOSE TOTAL FEELING IN MY LEGS. SO I LISTENED TO THE ENTIRE THING BACK THERE IN THE CAUCUS ROOM. SO QUICK QUESTION: AT THE BEGINNING YOU TALKED ABOUT THE GREATEST SYSTEM CHANGE FROM THE 9 TO THE 7 WHAT WOULD YOU PINPOINT AS THE GREATEST SYSTEM CHANGE IN THAT? YOU SAID THE STATE MADE CHANGES, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS. OH, YEAH. 
          WHAT WAS THE SINGLE JUST TO PINPOINT IT, IF YOU THE SINGLE BIGGEST CHANGE I THINK IS OUR GUIDELINE CALCULATOR CHANGE. SO, AND THAT'S BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE STATE. THAT'S THEIR MAIN MANDATE TO COMPLETE THAT CHANGE, BUT IT IMPACTS IT IMPACTS OUR CUSTOMERS. IT IMPACTS THE COURT. 
          THAT'S FINE. IT JUST THAT HELPS ME. AND THEN ANOTHER ONE IS THE PARENTAGE ESTABLISHED THE WHEN BECAUSE OF THE CONFUSION IT CAUSES, LIKE, WHAT DO YOU THINK THEIR SOLUTION'S GOING TO BE TO FIX THAT PERCENTAGE? OR LIKE, DO YOU HAVE ANY INKLINGS OF WHAT YOU THINK THAT'LL WIND UP BEING? I JUST THINK IT'S MORE EDUCATION FOR PARENTS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO ESTABLISH PARENTAGE. SO, ESTABLISHING PARENTAGE CAN GIVE PARENTS AND CHILDREN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. SO, IF THERE'S VA BENEFITS INVOLVED, YOU HAVE 
          [03:40:01]
TO HAVE PARENTAGE ESTABLISHED FOR A CHILD TO RECEIVE VA BENEFITS, SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS, ANY OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. SO, I THINK IT'S JUST REALLY EDUCATING PARENTS AND THEN KIND OF MAKING IT TO WHERE IT'S NOT SCARY TO HAVE GOVERNMENT COME IN AND ESTABLISHED FOR YOU, BUT ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT COME WITH ESTABLISHED PARENTAGE. 
          I WAS JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING WHEN IT SAYS THAT THE STATE IS AWARE OF THE CONFUSION AND THEY'RE WORKING ON IT. 
          AND THERE'S ISSUES WITH THE WAY THEY ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS OF HOW IT'S ESTABLISHED. I THINK A COUPLE YEARS AGO, OUR PERCENTAGES, THE WAY THE STATE WAS REVIEWING WE HAD LIKE 103%. AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, LIKE 3 YEARS LATER, THEY TELL US WE HAVE 98%. SO, THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES AT THE STATE LEVEL TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT. AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, THERE'S 2 DIFFERENT WAYS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT YOU CAN CALCULATE IT. AND CALIFORNIA GOES WITH SOME CRAZY WAY. 
          YEAH, SOME WONKY FORMULA. 
          YEP. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR CRYE. SUPERVISOR HARMON. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT. JUST I JUST WANT A LITTLE EXPLANATION ON THE, ON THE RANKING. SO, WHERE YOU SAID YOU MOVED FROM NUMBER 6 TO NUMBER 8, YOU MOVED FROM NUMBER 8 TO NUMBER 6, OR SORRY, I SAID IT BACKWARDS. 
          YES. AND, AND THAT'S BY COUNTY IN CALIFORNIA? IN CALIFORNIA, 58 COUNTIES. AND IS IT WHAT IS IT, OUR RANKING? IS IT BY SOME KIND OF SCORE, OR IS TELL ME, EXPLAIN THAT. IT'S OUR PERCENTAGE OF COLLECTIONS OF CURRENT SUPPORT. SO, IN COMPARISON TO ALL THE OTHER COUNTIES WITHIN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, BASED ON THE FEDERAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES, BASED ON OUR CASELOAD SIZE, AND, OUR CASELOAD SIZE AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE NEED TO BRING IN, WE HAVE, WE'RE IN 6TH PLACE WITHIN THE STATE OF COLLECTING CURRENT SUPPORT. 
          OUR STAFF, ARE REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE NEWER CASES. AND SO CURRENT SUPPORT ARE CASES WHERE IT'S A DEPENDENT, IT'S A NON-EMANCIPATED CHILD, A MINOR CHILD. SO, THESE ARE NEWER CASES. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THAT VIEW OF THE PROGRAM FROM YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS KIND OF MORE OF A HEAVY-HANDED PROGRAM. AND I THINK NOW PEOPLE AND PARENTS ARE UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY CAN COME IN, TALK TO OUR STAFF, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HELP THEM FIGURE IT OUT, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS. SO, OUR STAFF HAVE BUILT THESE RELATIONSHIPS AND ARE REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT WORKING WITH YOUNG PARENTS FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF PAYING THEIR SUPPORT. THE ARREARS COLLECTIONS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE CASES HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN 60 AND 85 YEARS OLD AND HAVEN'T EVER REALLY PAID, AND TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT FROM A DEBT THAT'S OLD CAN BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT, AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE WAY THAT THE PROGRAM WAS RUN PREVIOUSLY, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF THE HARDER HAND, OR, YOU KNOW, YOU COME INTO THE OFFICE BACK THEN, AND YOU COULD HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, HAD A WARRANT, AND BEEN TAKEN IN. NOW IT'S MORE, LET'S GET YOU TO COURT, LET'S GET THIS FIGURED OUT, HOW CAN WE GET YOUR PAYMENTS MADE? SO, THEY ARE JUST REALLY, REALLY GOOD WITH OUR NEWER CASE PARTICIPANTS. THANK YOU. 
          THANKS FOR THAT. AND THANKS FOR THE WORK YOU DO. 
          THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY ELSE IN QUEUE. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. RICHARDSON. WE APPRECIATE THAT. 
          NEXT UP IS IT SERVICES. 
          WELCOME. AFTERNOON, CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. TOM SCHREIBER, CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER. LET'S SEE. THERE WE GO. THE IT DEPARTMENT IS AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND PROVIDING CENTRALIZED IT SERVICES TO ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS OUTSIDE AGENCIES. OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE A COMPLETE RANGE OF HIGH-QUALITY, COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS EITHER INTERNALLY OR THROUGH PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS THAT ENABLE OR ENHANCE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS' ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY SERVE THE PUBLIC. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PLANNING, MANAGEMENT, COORDINATION, OVERSIGHT, AND SECURITY OF CORE TECHNOLOGY, DATA, COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          WE PROVIDE DESKTOP EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES, NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT COUNTY LOCATIONS, GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS, AND TECHNICAL SYSTEMS PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, INSTALLATION, AND ONGOING SUPPORT. PROGRAM CHANGES. WE DON'T REALLY HAVE PROGRAMS LIKE MOST DEPARTMENTS, SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ENTERPRISE-LEVEL STUFF WE IMPLEMENTED THIS YEAR. IT IMPLEMENTED A MANAGED DETECTION AND RESPONSE MDR SOLUTION AS PART OF OUR CYBERSECURITY ROADMAP. MDR PROVIDES A 24/7 MONITORING THREAT DETECTION AND HUMAN-LED INCIDENT RESPONSE. 
          IT STRENGTHENS THE COUNTY'S SECURITY POSTURE, REDUCES OPERATIONAL RISK, AND SUPPORTS CYBER INSURANCE AND COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS. ALL RIGHT, REQUESTED CHANGES 
          [03:45:01]
FOR NEXT YEAR AND STAFF. SO, WE'RE REQUESTING TWO 2 FULL-TIME POSITIONS NEXT YEAR, A DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR AND AN INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT ENGINEER. THESE TWO ARE TO CLOSE SINGLE POINT FAILURE GAPS IN CRITICAL POSITIONS. WE ARE REQUESTING TO DELETE 2 EXISTING POSITIONS TO OFFSET THE COST OF THE 2 NEW ONES WE'RE ASKING FOR. THE NEXT COST CHANGE IS ABOUT $72,000, WHICH WILL BE COVERED IN IT RATES. OVER 5 YEARS, IT HAS REDUCED 1 POSITION. SO, WE'RE CURRENTLY AT A TOTAL OF 55 STAFF. WE HAVE 8 VACANCIES AND 1 ON EXTENDED LEAVE. FISCAL YEAR '25-'26 ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I'M NOT GOING TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THEM, BUT THERE'S A FEW I'LL PICK OUT. IMPLEMENTING A NETWORK ACCESS CONTROL POLICY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO SECURE WIRED AND WIRELESS DEVICES. 
          THIS CONTROLS EACH DEVICE CONNECTION TO VERIFY IT HAS PERMISSION TO CONNECT TO THE COUNTY NETWORK AND IT'S A KNOWN DEVICE. ENFORCEMENT OF A HIGH PRIVILEGE SERVER ACCESS CONTROLS WITH MULTI-FACTOR IS TO SEPARATE THE ADMIN ACCOUNT FROM A USER'S INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNT AND ADDS EXTRA SECURITY. WE HAVE DISCOVERED AND RESOLVED 8 WEB SECURITY VULNERABILITIES. A FEW OTHER STATS THAT AREN'T LISTED HERE, I'LL GIVE YOU TO YOU. WE'VE HAD 178 SEPARATE SECURITY INCIDENTS IN THE LAST YEAR. WE HAD 42 LAST YEAR. SO, THERE'S QUITE AN INCREASE. WE HAD 42 SPEAR PHISHING CAMPAIGNS LAST YEAR, WE'VE AND THIS YEAR, AND LAST YEAR WE HAD 67. SO, THERE'S BEEN A REDUCTION IN THOSE. THOSE PARTICULAR TYPES OF CYBER EVENTS. THE BIG ONE HERE IS WE HAVE 87,315 PHISHING ATTEMPTS TOWARDS THE COUNTY, AND WE WERE AT 71,000 LAST YEAR. SO THAT HAS INCREASED AS WELL. GOALS FOR FISCAL YEAR '26-'27, LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THESE. 
          SOME OF THEM ARE STANDARD, BUT ONE OF THEM HERE IS ADVANCING STAFF TRAINING AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS TO SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES. AI IS ONE OF THOSE, TO SEE HOW THAT WOULD FIT WITHIN THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, POSSIBLY HELP SOLVE SOME ISSUES. WE HAVE, WE'RE GOING TO BE INITIATING REVIEW AND COST OPTIMIZATION OPPORTUNITY WITH THE CAO'S OFFICE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAYBE REDUCE SOME OF OUR COSTS. THAT'S GOING TO BE HARD IF IT, SINCE WE'RE A SERVICE FUND, IF THE DEMAND FOR SERVICES IS THERE, THEN WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES. 
          SO, WE'LL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO REDUCE, WHAT CAN DEPARTMENTS, OR WHAT, WHAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO REDUCE THAT THEY NO LONGER NEED. WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THAT EXERCISE. 
          CONTINUE ON IMPLEMENTING THE COUNTY'S ZERO TRUST CYBERSECURITY INITIATIVES WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE THREAT DETECTION AND THE IDENTITY ACCESS MANAGEMENT. 
          IDENTITY ACCESS MANAGEMENT IS LIKE THE SINGLE SOURCE FOR IDENTITY, WHERE SINGLE SIGN-ON TYPE THING, RIGHT? SO, YOU HAVE TO LOG INTO THIS SYSTEM AND THEN YOU HAVE TO LOG INTO THAT SYSTEM. WE WANT TO TIE THOSE TOGETHER SO THERE'S A SINGLE IDENTITY FOR INDIVIDUALS, FOR USERS TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT TO THOSE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE EXPENSE BREAKDOWN. 
          SO, THE REQUESTED BUDGET FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS $16,275,568. OUR EXPECTED REVENUES FOR NEXT YEAR ARE AT $15,974,831. SO, THERE IS AN OFFSET THERE, AND WE TYPICALLY HAVE THAT OFFSET THAT'S COVERED BY RETAINED EARNINGS. THAT HELPS KEEP OUR RETAINED EARNINGS IN BALANCE WITH THE STATE REQUIREMENTS. 
          SO JUST THERE WAS OTHER STUFF IN OUR RATES THAT ARE IN OUR BUDGET THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RATES. WE HAVE SOME PASS-THROUGH MONEY AND STUFF FOR DEPARTMENTS WHEN THEY ORDER THINGS. WE JUST PASS THAT THROUGH FOR THEM AND WE GET RECOVERY ON THAT. IT DOESN'T HAVE A FUND BALANCE. WE HAVE RETAINED EARNINGS. BELOW IS A CHART THAT SHOWS THE LAST 5 YEARS OF RETAINED EARNINGS. 
          WITH 24-25 AT $1.4 MILLION. 
          RETAINED EARNINGS WILL FLUCTUATE FROM YEAR TO YEAR BASED ON OUR FISCAL YEAR-END NET POSITION AND OUR NET INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL ASSETS. RETAINED EARNINGS ARE UNDISTRIBUTED GAINS IF POSITIVE OR LOSSES IF NEGATIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT. IT TARGETS KEEPING ENOUGH TO FUND ABOUT 2 MONTHS OF OPERATING EXPENSES FOR POTENTIAL DISASTERS. 
          [03:50:02]
THAT'S IT. ANY QUESTIONS? NOPE. YOU GOT ME IN A FISHING EXPEDITION A COUPLE YEARS AGO. 
          YOU HAVEN'T GOT ME SINCE. SO, YOU USED A VERY SIMILAR IT LOOKED LIKE A LEGITIMATE ORGANIZATION, VERY SIMILAR TO ONE THAT I WAS, AWARE OF. 
          SO GOOD JOB THERE. AND, SUPERVISOR LONG. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, TOM, FOR THAT PRESENTATION. YOU MENTIONED I THINK EXPENDITURES ARE AT 16.1, THEY'RE GOING UP BY 661, AND REVENUES WERE GOING UP BY MORE. IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU JUST SAID THAT THEY WERE KIND OF REVERSED, THE REVENUES WERE LESS THAN THE EXPENDITURES. 
          SO, I WAS THINKING DEFICIT SPENDING, AND IS THAT A PROBLEM OR BEING ADDRESSED? YEAH, WHAT I'M LOOKING HERE IS THAT THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET IS $16 MILLION. AND OUR EXPECTED REVENUES IS ACTUALLY LOWER THAN OUR EXPECTED BUDGET. IT TYPICALLY IS EVERY YEAR. AND WE COVER THAT WITH OUR RETAINED EARNINGS TO KEEP THAT US WITHIN THAT 2-MONTH REQUIREMENT. 
          AND WHAT REPLENISHES RETAINED EARNINGS? GRETCHEN? I'M NOT SURE WE ACTUALLY IT DEPENDS ON THE FISCAL YEAR, LIKE I SAID, THE FISCAL YEAR END AND HOW IT'S CALCULATED. 
          OKAY. TELLS US WHAT BALANCE WE CAN HAVE. SO, WE DON'T REALLY REPLENISH THAT. IT JUST FLUCTUATES FROM YEAR TO YEAR BASED ON THE CAPITAL ASSET INFORMATION AND THEN OTHER COSTS THAT GO INTO THAT. IT'S NOT REALLY A FUND THAT WE PUT MONEY INTO TO TRY TO REPLENISH. OKAY. 
          IT'S JUST HOW IT ENDS AT THE YEAR END. 
          OKAY. YOU CAUGHT MY ATTENTION A LITTLE BIT WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT AI BECAUSE WE'VE JUST HAD CONSIDERABLE DISCUSSION ABOUT AI. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT, WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH AI? AND, AND, YOU SAID DEPARTMENTS, LIKE, YOU'RE ARE YOU, ARE YOU LOOKING AT INTEGRATING IT INTO THE ENTIRE COUNTY WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, OR WHAT? NOT NECESSARILY. IT'S KIND OF A DIFFICULT THING. I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS FROM A, A SOFTWARE TOOL PERSPECTIVE. 
          IT'S VERY, VERY POWERFUL SOFTWARE TOOL. I CAN'T SAY EXACTLY WHERE IT WILL FIT. I MEAN, PEOPLE USE IT TO HELP THEM WRITE LETTERS. 
          THEY USE IT TO HELP THEM, LIKE, SUMMARIZE DATA, THAT KIND OF THING. BUT THE COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DATA. 
          THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNAL DATA SOURCES. 
          ONE, WE'RE LOOKING AT OPTIONS OF WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO DO THAT, WHAT ARE THE SAFEGUARDS AND SECURITY THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT? HOW WOULD WE MAKE SURE THERE'S NOT DATA LOSS INCLUDED WITH THAT, ESPECIALLY FOR HIPAA AND CGIS-TYPE DATA? RIGHT. AS AN IT DEPARTMENT, WE KIND OF LOOK AT THIS AS A IT'S A SOFTWARE TOOL, RIGHT? AND FROM A DEPARTMENT PERSPECTIVE, IS IT, IS IT A TOOL THAT WILL HELP THEM SOLVE A PROBLEM? FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM THEY'RE TRYING TO SOLVE, AND IS THIS TOOL SOMETHING THAT COULD DO THAT FOR THEM? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IT LIKE THIS. AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING COUNTYWIDE, THAT TAKES FUNDING, RIGHT? THAT'S LICENSING COSTS. THERE ARE SOME LICENSES THAT GO WITH OUR OFFICE 365 LICENSE ALREADY. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR US. AND I'VE USED IT A BIT. 
          I'M NOT IMPRESSED WITH WHAT I'VE SEEN SO FAR. WE AREN'T NECESSARILY PAYING FOR THE HIGH-END LICENSES THAT HAVE ALL THE CAPABILITIES EITHER. 
          SO, A LOT OF THE AI TOOLS THAT I THINK THAT WE'D BE LOOKING AT IN THE FUTURE ARE EMBEDDED WITHIN THE SYSTEMS THAT THE DEPARTMENTS USE. SO, THEY MIGHT HAVE A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND THAT VENDOR'S IMPLEMENTING AN AI SOLUTION WITHIN THAT SYSTEM. I SEE MORE OF THAT THAN US DOING A COUNTYWIDE AI TOOL, FOR DEPARTMENTS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE. 
          EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT. STAND BY FOR ONGOING DISCUSSION. THIS, THIS WILL BE A TOPIC FOR THE FUTURE, DEFINITELY. 
          AND THE LAST, THE QUESTION I HAD, YOU HAD MENTIONED THE PHISHING ATTEMPTS AND HOW THEY HAD GONE UP DRAMATICALLY FROM LIKE 40 TO 178 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, RIGHT? 42 TO 178. YEAH, THOSE ARE SECURITY INCIDENTS, NOT PHISHING ATTEMPTS. OH, THOSE, THOSE ARE INCIDENTS THAT ACTUALLY TOOK SOME KIND OF MITIGATION. SO, IT COULD HAVE BEEN MITIGATION THROUGH OUR SOFTWARE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE THAT ISSUE, OR TO A POINT OF US HAVING TO CHANGE PASSWORDS ON ACCOUNTS, OR TO ACTUALLY HAVE TO REBUILD THE MACHINE FROM THE GROUND UP BECAUSE OF AN ISSUE. 
          SO, SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE CONFIDENT THAT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN MITIGATED IN THE REAL-TIME AND SO THERE NEVER WAS ANY THREAT TO OUR, OUR SYSTEMS? CORRECT. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT OUR SOFTWARE TOOLS ARE THERE FOR, AND THAT'S WHY WE PAY FOR THOSE LICENSES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. THEY CATCH THEM AND THEY STOP THEM, AND THEN WE END UP MITIGATING THEM. 
          [03:55:03]
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. 
          WOULD IT SAVE THE COUNTY ANY MONEY IF WE ONLY HAD TO UPDATE OUR PASSWORD LIKE ONCE A YEAR? I JUST HAD TO UPDATE MINE YESTERDAY. I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM WOULD AGREE WITH ME ON THAT ONE. ALL RIGHT, SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. 
          YES, THANKS, TOM. THE ONE QUESTION WAS ON THE, THE, THE NEW SERVERS, THE 4 THAT'S BEEN PREVIOUSLY I KNOW THAT'S BEEN PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, BUT I WAS CURIOUS WHAT'S DRIVING THE NEED FOR THE ADDITIONAL SERVERS. 
          OH, FOR NEXT YEAR? YEAH, YEAH, THE 4 THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO COME I THINK LAST YEAR OR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BUT NOW HAVE ROLLED OVER BECAUSE OF THE LEAD TIMES. THAT'S CORRECT. 
          THOSE ARE FOR THE VIRTUAL, SERVER MACHINES. SO, WE HAVE ESX VMWARE VIRTUAL SERVER MACHINES THAT HAVE, I WOULD SAY, ABOUT 60 TO 70% OF OUR ACTUAL SERVERS THAT ARE ON THE ENVIRONMENT ON THEM. 
          AND THESE ARE TO UPGRADE THOSE MACHINES BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT THEY'RE ON ARE END OF LIFE. THAT'S WHAT THESE ARE FOR. 
          OKAY, SO IT'S REPLACING EXISTING ONES, NOT EXPANDING CAPACITY. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. AND THEN I HAD A FEW SPECIFIC KIND OF LINE ITEM QUESTIONS. THE ONE WAS LOOKING AT THE EXTRA HELP LINE. YEP. 
          IT LOOKS LIKE LAST YEAR WE BUDGETED AROUND THE SAME AND THEN IT CAME IN WE BUDGETED $111,000. 
          WE CAME IT CAME IN AROUND $32,000. WE'RE BUDGETING $116,000. WHAT IS THE EXTRA HELP FOR IN, IN YOUR CONTEXT, AND HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT THAT? IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEEN THE ACTUAL COST COMING IN QUITE A BIT LOWER. 
          SO, WE, WE BUILD OUR BUDGET BASED ON EXPECTATIONS AND BASED ON WHAT DEPARTMENTS ARE TELLING US AS FAR FROM A PROJECT PERSPECTIVE AND THE NEED. AND SO, WE HAVE A LIST OF, YOU KNOW, 40-SOME PROJECTS THAT ARE ON NEXT YEAR'S DOCKET. AND SO, WE HAVE PUT EXTRA HELP IN THERE TO HELP PROJECT MANAGE THOSE PROJECTS. THEY DIDN'T ALL HAPPEN THIS YEAR, RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHY THE COST IF WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T EXPEND ALL THAT MONDAY MONEY. AND SO NEXT YEAR, BUT IF EVERYTHING GOES AS PLANNED, THAT WOULD BE USED. 
          THAT NEVER GOES AS PLANNED. 
          YES, THAT MAKES SENSE. AND THEN, SIMILARLY FOR PROFESSIONAL AND SPECIAL SERVICES, IS THAT CONTRACTING FOR OUTSIDE HELP? IT LOOKS LIKE A COUPLE YEARS AGO $64,000, NOW WE'RE BUDGETING AROUND $650,000, OR IS THAT RELATED TO A SPECIFIC PROJECT THAT'S HAPPENING IN A TIME-LIMITED FASHION? SOME OF THAT IS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR WE HAVE SOME CONTRACTS FOR SERVICES WITH LOCAL OR CABLE AND WIRE FOR CAMERA WORK, THAT KIND OF THING. THAT MONEY'S IN THERE. WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IN THERE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO UPGRADE OR CHANGE OUR CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. SO, WE HAD MONEY IN THERE TO HELP WITH THE CONSULTANT OR THE COMPANY TO HELP US MIGRATE OUR DATA AND MOVE THAT STUFF OVER THERE LIKE THAT. AND SO, A LOT OF THAT IS THAT KIND OF WORK, MONEY, BASED ON STUFF WE KNOW ABOUT. 
          AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION, THERE'S A FEW LINE ITEMS AROUND, AROUND MINOR EQUIPMENT. IS THAT ARE WE REFERRING TO COMPUTERS THERE? AND YEAH, IT WOULD BE COMPUTERS, NETWORK SWITCHES, PRINTERS, VARIOUS THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. 
          SUPERVISOR CRYE. 
          CHIEF SCHREIBER, THANK YOU SO MUCH. ONE THING, AS YOU'RE LOOKING INTO AI, YOU MAY LOOK INTO A BUDGET LINE ITEM 16100, WHICH IS A CAPITAL, ACCUMULATED CAPITAL OUTLAY. 
          THERE MAY BE SOME FUNDS THERE, BUT YOU COULD LOOK INTO THAT AND BRING THAT BACK TO ONE OF US MAYBE DURING THIS WEEK IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANTED TO MAKE A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO TRY AND FIND SOME MONEY FOR AI OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF LICENSE. BUT THERE MAY BE A LINE THERE. SO, YOU DID A GREAT JOB, MAN. I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S TOUGH WHEN SUPERVISOR KELSTROM'S CLICKING ON LINKS HE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO, BUT I KNOW ONE TIME, ONE TIME. 
          YEAH, SO OUT OF 178 THOUGH, I MEAN, I REMEMBER LAST YEAR I THINK YOU GAVE US THE ATTEMPTS. 
          DO YOU EVEN HAVE THE ATTEMPT NUMBER THIS YEAR OF, I MEAN, IT WAS IN THE THOUSANDS. 
          NO, I DON'T HAVE THAT. YEAH, I MEAN, IT WAS WE'RE TALKING IN A LOT OF CASES THERE'S, LIKE WE HAD TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, BEFORE THAT WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HITS AGAINST OUR ENVIRONMENT ANNUALLY. 
          PEOPLE JUST PROBING. DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBER THAT SUPERVISOR CRYE HAS DONE? I WOULD APPRECIATE GETTING THAT. I HAVEN'T EVER CLICKED ON ONE OF THOSE THINGS. I LEARNED THAT IN LIKE, YOU KNOW, WITH AMERICA ONLINE OR YAHOO MAIL LIKE IN '98. 
          SO, ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, CHIEF TREIBER. 
          NO MORE QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE SUPPORT SERVICES. 
          ALL RIGHT, GIVE ME JUST A SECOND HERE. 
          GOOD. 
          I FOUND THE CARD AS SOON AS YOU GOT THAT ONE. 
          OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR KELSTROM, MEMBERS 
          [04:00:01]
OF THE BOARD. MONICA FUGATE, DIRECTOR OF SUPPORT SERVICES. 
          OUR DEPARTMENT OF SUPPORT SERVICES CONSISTS OF 4 MAIN BUDGET UNITS: PERSONNEL, PURCHASING, RISK MANAGEMENT, AND MAIL SERVICES. PERSONNEL IS OUR LARGEST UNIT, CONSISTING OF 25 FULL-TIME POSITIONS. 
          THROUGH THAT PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT, WE STRIVE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN COMPETENT, COMMITTED STAFF AND PROVIDE PERSONNEL SUPPORT TO ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS. WITHIN THE PERSONNEL UNIT IS THE TALENT ACQUISITION TEAM WHO PERFORMS RECRUITMENT FUNCTIONS AND EMPLOYEE ONBOARDING, THE OUTREACH TEAM WHO IDENTIFIES AND ENGAGES WITH POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES AND ATTENDS VARIOUS COMMUNITY EVENTS, OUR CLAIMS TEAM WHO ASSISTS WITH PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, DISCIPLINE, AND LEAVES, AND OUR ANALYST TEAM WHO MANAGES THE PERSONNEL DATABASE, PROCESSES CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION STUDIES, REORGANIZATIONS, AND MORE. OUR PURCHASING UNIT IS RESPONSIBLE TO PROCURE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR THE COUNTY THROUGH FAIR AND OPEN COMPETITION, AND SPECIFICALLY COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENTS IN AN EFFORT TO ACHIEVE BEST VALUE FOR THE COUNTY. THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH COUNTY DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY THEIR NEEDS AND DRAFT FORMAL SOLICITATIONS AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND GUIDANCE ALSO REGARDING INFORMAL PROCUREMENTS AND PURCHASING POLICIES AND BEST PRACTICES. 
          THEY ALSO MANAGE OUR SURPLUS DISPOSAL, PROCESS PURCHASE ORDERS, AND ADMINISTER COUNTYWIDE AGREEMENTS FOR VARIOUS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. 
          OUR RISK MANAGEMENT DIVISION ADMINISTERS INSURANCE AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ENSURE THE SAFETY OF EMPLOYEES AND OF THE PUBLIC AND CONSISTS OF TWO SUBUNITS: LOSS PREVENTION AND LIABILITY AND WORKERS' COMPENSATION. OUR LOSS PREVENTION AND LIABILITY UNIT MANAGES THE COUNTY'S PARTICIPATION AND VARIOUS RISK COVERAGE INSURANCE PROGRAMS AND WORKS WITH OUR COUNTY DEPARTMENTS IN RESPONSE TO SAFETY INCIDENTS AND REPORTED HAZARDS. THEY PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE IN MITIGATING LOSSES AND MAINTAINING COMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY REGULATIONS, AND THEY REVIEW CONTRACTS TO ENSURE THE COUNTY COUNTY'S INTERESTS ARE PROTECTED CONTRACTUALLY. THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION UNIT ADMINISTERS WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS FOR THE COUNTY AND WORKS CLOSELY WITH INJURED WORKERS AND MEDICAL PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE CARE. OUR MAIL SERVICES UNIT TRANSPORTS AND DELIVERS INTERDEPARTMENTAL MAIL, OUTGOING METERED MAIL, AND FACILITATES THE SHIPMENT OF PACKAGES THROUGH VARIOUS CARRIERS. 
          YOU'LL NOTE ON THIS SLIDE OUR STAFFING LEVELS HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST 5 BUDGET YEARS. PRIOR TO 23-24, HHSA HAD AN HR UNIT WITHIN THEIR ADMINISTRATION BRANCH. 
          IN 23-24, WE ABSORB MOVED SEVERAL POSITIONS INTO SUPPORT SERVICES, TAKING OVER THOSE FUNCTIONS, AND ALSO TOOK OVER THE MAIL SERVICES PROCESSES DUE TO THE CLOSURE OF THE OPPORTUNITY CENTER. THIS RESULTED IN A NET INCREASE AT THAT TIME OF 15 BUDGETED POSITIONS, AND SINCE THAT TIME WE HAVE CONTINUED TO REDUCE OUR TOTAL FTES FROM 23-24 TO TODAY AS WE CONTINUE TO EVALUATE OUR BUSINESS NEEDS AND RIGHT-SIZE THE STAFFING TO THE OPERATIONS. 
          FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR, WE PROPOSE NO POSITION CHANGES. 
          YOU WILL NOTE A SHIFT OF ONE POSITION THAT MOVED FROM RISK MANAGEMENT TO THE PERSONNEL BUDGET UNIT, AND THAT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A MID-YEAR PERSONNEL AMENDMENT APPROVED BY THE BOARD IN DECEMBER. HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN PERSONNEL OVER THE PAST FISCAL YEAR, WE REACHED AGREEMENT FOR SUCCESSOR MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDINGS FOR ALL LABOR GROUPS THAT WERE OPEN, MULTIPLE OF WHICH HAD BEEN OUT OF CONTRACT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. OUR CLAIMS TEAM THAT HANDLES PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT ISSUES HAVE BEEN FULLY TRAINED AND ARE CERTIFICATE HOLDERS WITH THE ASSOCIATION OF WORKPLACE INVESTIGATIONS. THIS WILL ENSURE THEY HAVE THE SKILLS NECESSARY AND THE EDUCATION NECESSARY TO HANDLE INVESTIGATIONS IN-HOUSE. WHILE THIS DOES NOT COMPLETELY ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR EXTERNAL INVESTIGATORS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, WE INTEND TO TRY AND HANDLE AS MANY INVESTIGATIONS IN-HOUSE AS POSSIBLE TO REDUCE COST TO THE DEPARTMENTS. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT LENGTH YESTERDAY, BUT OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE FULLY IMPLEMENTED THE ATTRACT MODULE OF THE NEO-GOV SOFTWARE AND ARE UTILIZING CAMPAIGNS, PAGES, AND OTHER TARGETED ADVERTISING FEATURES TO REACH QUALIFIED CANDIDATES TO FILL OUR POSITIONS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE HARD TO FILL. OUR OUTREACH TEAM OVER THE PAST YEAR HAS ALSO INCREASED THEIR ATTENDANCE AT EVENTS AND SHIFTED THEIR FOCUS IS PRIMARILY TOWARD COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. I WANT TO CALL OUT SOME KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS FOR PERSONNEL. THE CHARTS AND GRAPHS THAT I'M GOING TO GO OVER HERE IN THE SLIDES THAT FOLLOW HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PERFORMANCE MEASURES, BUT IT IS ALSO WORTH MENTIONING THAT THERE'S MANY OTHER TASKS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY CAPTURED HERE THAT ARE ALSO IMPORTANT. I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY THAT OUR CLAIMS THIS TEAM HANDLES PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS ACCOMMODATIONS AND LEAVES. 
          EACH CLAIM, AS WE CALL IT, OR PERSONNEL MATTER, IS LOGGED SO THAT WE CAN MONITOR WORKLOADS AND TIMELINES. 
          YOU'LL NOTE THAT IN '23 EXCUSE ME, '24-'25, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MATTERS HANDLED INCREASED FAIRLY 
          [04:05:01]
SIGNIFICANTLY. REVIEWING OUR NUMBERS TODAY, WE ARE AT ALMOST 200 WITH STILL A MONTH LEFT IN THE FISCAL YEAR. SO, THIS NUMBER IS ONLY GROWING. IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT LOOKING AT JUST THE COUNTS DOESN'T GIVE YOU A GOOD PICTURE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THOSE MATTERS, WHICH HAS DEFINITELY INCREASED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. ADDITIONALLY, WITH MORE INVESTIGATIONS BEING HANDLED IN-HOUSE, EACH OF THOSE COUNTS ALSO REPRESENTS AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT BY MY STAFF THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE HANDLED BY EXTERNAL INVESTIGATORS. WE ARE MONITORING THESE TRENDS, AND SHOULD THE TRENDS CONTINUE, IT MAY AT SOME POINT BECOME NECESSARY TO ADD A POSITION TO MANAGE THE WORKLOAD, OR TO JUST RECOGNIZE THAT THE TIMELINES FOR HANDLING THOSE MATTERS MAY EXTEND. WE TOUCHED ON OUTREACH ACTIVITIES IN YESTERDAY'S PRESENTATIONS AS WELL, BUT I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT AGAIN THAT OVER THE PAST YEAR, OUR STAFF HAVE ATTENDED 45 EVENTS, AND THEIR EFFORTS HAVE RESULTED IN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS AND QUALIFIED CANDIDATES RESULTING FROM THOSE EVENTS. OUTSIDE OF THIS, THEY ALSO USE CAMPAIGNS TO GENERATE ADDITIONAL INTEREST AND APPLICATIONS FROM EXISTING CANDIDATE POOLS WITHIN NEO-GOV. LOOKING AT RECRUITMENT STATISTICS, YOU'LL NOTE OUR APPLICATION NUMBERS DIPPED SLIGHTLY IN FISCAL YEAR '24-'25. THE NUMBER OF RECRUITMENTS HAS HELD FAIRLY STEADY, WITH NEARLY 400 APPLICANTS BEING ONBOARDING ONBOARDED INTO COUNTY EMPLOYMENT IN '24-'25. SHIFTING GEARS TO OUR PURCHASING UNIT, NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE PAST FISCAL YEAR INCLUDE FACILITATING THE PROCESS OF RELEASING RFPS RPS AND SELECTING VENDORS TO PROVIDE A STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FIRM, AS WELL AS JAIL MEDICAL SERVICES. 
          DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR, OUR TEAM HAS ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CAO'S OFFICE, IT, AND COUNTY COUNCIL AND OTHER STAFF ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF A NEW COUNTYWIDE CONTRACTS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT IN FISCAL YEAR 26-27, DEVELOPMENT WILL BE COMPLETE AND WE'LL MOVE TOWARD ROLLING IT OUT TO COUNTY DEPARTMENTS. 
          ADDITIONALLY, EACH YEAR WE LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE EFFORTS OF THE COUNTY SURPLUS PROGRAM, WHICH RETURNED $95,000 TO THE COUNTY AND REPURPOSED 605 ITEMS THROUGH THE ELECTRONIC SURPLUS CENTER. 
          REPURPOSING ITEMS BY DOING SO, WE THOSE ITEMS ARE ITEMS THAT WE MAY HAVE EITHER HAD TO PAY TO DISPOSE OF AND/OR OTHERWISE PURCHASED FOR THE USE OF ANOTHER DEPARTMENT. SO, WHILE IT'S DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY THOSE SAVINGS, WE ARE REALIZING SOME SAVINGS AS A RESULT. KEY INDICATORS OF PERFORMANCE AND WORKLOAD FOR PURCHASING INCLUDE REVIEWING NUMBERS OF PURCHASE ORDERS ISSUED, CONTRACTS EXECUTED, AND SOLICITATIONS ISSUED. 
          PURCHASE ORDERS HAVE SEEN A GRADUAL DECLINE. THIS IS LIKELY ATTRIBUTED TO AN INCREASE IN THE PURCHASE ORDER THRESHOLD FROM $2,000 TO $3,000 IN 2023. 
          FORMAL SOLICITATIONS HAVE SEEN A SLIGHT INCREASE IN FISCAL YEAR '24-'25. AND REVIEWING CONTRACTS AND AMENDMENTS THAT WERE EXECUTED, YOU'LL NOTE THERE WAS A LARGE SPIKE IN '23-'24. 
          WITHOUT DIGGING INTO THE DETAILS, IT'S DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY SPECIFICALLY WHAT THE CAUSE WOULD BE, BUT IT COULD BE DUE TO AN UNUSUALLY HIGH NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS IN THAT FISCAL YEAR OR AN INADVERTENT ALIGNMENT OF SEVERAL CONTRACT EXPIRATIONS IN THE SAME YEAR. MOVING TO RISK MANAGEMENT, ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE SHARING CLAIMS LOSS DATA WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW TO HELP THEM IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE LOSS PREVENTION EFFORTS COULD BE TARGETED. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN CLAIMS-RELATED EXPENSES TRENDING DOWNWARD. WHILE REPORTED THROUGH RISK AND ATTRIBUTED TO OUR CLAIMS, IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THIS DOWNWARD TREND IS LARGELY ATTRIBUTED TO THROUGH COUNTY COUNCIL'S EFFORTS TO PROVIDE CLOSE OVERSIGHT OF LEGAL SERVICES. THIS IS WHAT COUNTY COUNCIL LARIMER WAS MENTIONING THIS MORNING, AND IT DOES FLOW THROUGH INTO OUR RISK MANAGEMENT CLAIMS AND OUR RATES. 
          DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHILE HAVING COVID CLAIMS ISN'T NECESSARILY A GOOD THING OR AN ACCOMPLISHMENT, IT IS NOTABLE THAT WE RECEIVED A $473,000 REIMBURSEMENT FOR COVID-19 WORKERS' COMPENSATION LOSSES, AND THAT WILL OFFSET LOSSES TO THE IMPACTED DEPARTMENTS AND REDUCE THEIR RATES. LAST, A COUNTYWIDE WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN WAS CREATED, ESTABLISHED, AND POSTED ON THE INTRANET DURING THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR AS REQUIRED BY LABOR CODE. TOUCHING BRIEFLY ON MAIL SERVICES, THE MOST IMPORTANT ACCOMPLISHMENT OVER THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR IS JUST THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE TOWARD REPAYMENT OF THE GENERAL FUND LOAN THAT WAS ESTABLISHED WHEN THE THAT BUDGET UNIT WAS CREATED UNDER SUPPORT SERVICES. WE ARE ON TARGET TO REPAY WITHIN OUR REQUIRED TIME FRAMES. CLAIMS ARE THE BEST INDICATOR OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR RISK MANAGEMENT, AND YOU'LL NOTE THAT THEY'RE BROKEN INTO 3 CATEGORIES: GENERAL LIABILITY, AUTO LIABILITY, AND WORKERS' COMPENSATION. 
          WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS GENERALLY ARE GOING TO BE OUR WORKPLACE INJURIES. 
          AND YOU'LL NOTE THE NUMBER 
          [04:10:02]
OF OPEN, REPORTED, AND CLOSED CLAIMS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS HAS HAVE BEEN PRETTY FAIRLY STABLE. ANY CLAIMS NOT RELATED TO WORKPLACE INJURIES GENERALLY ARE GOING TO FALL UNDER GENERAL LIABILITY, AND AUTO LIABILITY IS REALLY A SUBSET OF OUR GENERAL LIABILITY PROGRAM AND REFLECTS THE CLAIMS SPECIFIC TO VEHICLE ACCIDENTS. YOU'LL NOTE THAT FOR ALL THREE CLAIM TYPES, WE ARE SEEING THE NUMBER OF CLAIMS CLOSED IN FISCAL YEAR 24-25, UP AS COMPARED TO 23-24. GOALS FOR OUR UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR INCLUDE AN INCREASED FOCUS ON TRAINING ACROSS ALL THE UNITS. 
          FOR PERSONNEL, WE HAVE DONE SOME INFORMAL TRAINING OVER THE PAST FISCAL YEAR. WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING BACK IN-PERSON TRAINING BY OUR PERSONNEL MANAGERS TO HELP BETTER EQUIP OUR MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS FOR MANAGING THEIR EMPLOYEES. 
          ON OUR OUTREACH TEAM, WE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP ON INTEREST FORMS WE HAVE COLLECTED OVER THE PAST YEAR, SPECIFICALLY THOSE WHO IDENTIFIED A SPRING OR SUMMER GRADUATION DATE, AND REMIND THEM OF WHAT CHESTER COUNTY HAS TO OFFER AND TRY AND ENTICE THEM TO JOIN US. THIS TEAM WILL ALSO OVER THE NEXT YEAR WORK WITH DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY EXTRA HELP AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES OR INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN HELP PROMOTE AND LEVERAGE THROUGH THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS. 
          PURCHASING AGAIN, WE TOUCHED ON THIS IS EXPECTED TO COMPLETE ITS CONTRACTS LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, WORKING CLOSELY IN COORDINATION WITH CAO AND OTHER DEPARTMENT CONTRACT STAFF. THEY ALSO TARGET FALL OF '26 TO SPEARHEAD A CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT TRAINING TO COUNTY EMPLOYEES WHO MAY NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND PROCESS CONTRACTS REGULARLY. 
          AND THAT WOULD BE IN COORDINATION WITH COUNTY COUNCIL AND RISK MANAGEMENT. 
          RISK MANAGEMENT OVER THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR INTENDS TO INCREASE PROPERTY SITE VISITS TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS POTENTIAL HAZARDS, AND THEY WILL WORK WITH PURCHASING TO PREPARE THAT SAME CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT TRAINING WITH A FOCUS FROM THEM ON INSURANCE AND INDEMNITY LANGUAGE IN CONTRACTS. LAST, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO AUDIT AND BUILD TRACKING TO ALLOW US TO CENTRALIZE AND ADDRESS WITH DEPARTMENT AND STAFF THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH LEGALLY MANDATED TRAININGS. OUR MAILROOM IS A SMALL UNIT WITH A VERY NARROW FOCUS, BUT OVER THE NEXT YEAR WE INTEND TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE OPERATIONS FOR EFFICIENCIES, AND IF VACANCIES OCCUR, WE WILL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE WHETHER IT'S NECESSARY TO FILL THOSE OR TO USE EXTRA HELP OR PROVIDE OTHER SUPPORT. 
          IN REVIEW OF OUR FISCAL YEAR '26-'27 BUDGETS BY OBJECT LEVEL, YOU'LL NOTE THAT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF RISK MANAGEMENT, SALARIES AND BENEFITS ACCOUNT FOR THE GREATEST PORTION OF OUR BUDGET UNIT'S EXPENSES, FOLLOWED BY SERVICES AND SUPPLIES. 
          FOR RISK MANAGEMENT, THE HIGHEST CATEGORY OF EXPENSE IS OTHER CHARGES FOLLOWED BY SERVICES AND SUPPLIES, AND OTHER CHARGES REFLECT OUR INSURANCE PREMIUMS THAT ARE BEING PAID, AND THOSE HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. 
          SERVICE AND SUPPLIES WOULD INCLUDE TYPICAL OPERATING COSTS SUCH AS EQUIPMENT, OFFICE EXPENSES, AND MORE, BUT IS ALSO PARTICULARLY HIGH IN THAT BUDGET AS IT INCLUDES CLAIM-RELATED EXPENSES SUCH AS LEGAL EXPENSES, MEDICAL EXPENSES, AND MORE. REVIEWING REVENUES, YOU'LL NOTE THAT THE CENTRAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT'S PURCHASING AND PERSONNEL RECEIVE NO REVENUES. THEY RECEIVE ONLY COST PLAN CHARGES, WHICH ERIN AND NELDA HAVE BOTH DISCUSSED, AND OFFSET OUR EXPENSES IN THOSE BUDGET UNITS. NAIL SERVICES AND RISK MANAGEMENT ARE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS, AND THEIR REVENUES ARE RECEIVED IN THE FORM OF CHARGES TO DEPARTMENTS FOR THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE. 
          ANNUALLY, THOSE RATES ARE REVIEWED AND SET AND ARE REVIEWED AGAIN DURING MID-YEAR, AND IF NECESSARY, REFUNDS COULD BE ISSUED OR RATES COULD BE ADJUSTED. 
          FOR RISK MANAGEMENT, THOSE CHARGES FOR SERVICES ARE DRIVEN BY LOSS EXPERIENCE AND LOSS EXPOSURE, WITH DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE GREATER LOSS HISTORIES RECEIVING A LARGER PORTION OF THOSE CHARGES. 
          FOR MAIL SERVICES, THE CHARGES ARE BILLED OUT BASED ON A VARIETY OF FACTORS SUCH AS POSTAGE AND SHIPPING CHARGES, NUMBER OF PICKUPS, AND THE PIECES OF MAIL HANDLED. IN '26-'27, THE FUND BALANCE, OR RETAINED EARNINGS FOR MAIL SERVICES AND RISK MANAGEMENT ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN A GOOD POSITION. MEAL SERVICES IS ON TARGET TOWARD REPAYMENT OF THE GENERAL FUND LOAN AND ESTABLISHING A 60-DAY WORKING CAPITAL RESERVE. 
          ONCE THAT LOAN IS PAID AND THE WORKING CAPITAL RESERVE IS WHERE IT SHOULD BE, DEPARTMENTS WILL SEE MEAL SERVICE CHARGES GO DOWN. FOR RISK MANAGEMENT, THERE ARE OFTEN LARGE FLUCTUATIONS DUE TO INSURANCE COSTS, LOSS EXPENSES, AND LEGAL FEES. 
          WHILE WE DO OUR BEST TO PROJECT THOSE COSTS OUT AND TO SET RATES EACH YEAR, IT IS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT WITH ACCURACY WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH LOSSES IN AN UPCOMING YEAR. WE USE HISTORICAL INFORMATION AND PROJECTIONS TO ESTABLISH THOSE RATES, AND ANNUALLY AT MID-YEAR, WE REVIEW AND ADJUST THEM AS NEEDED. IN FISCAL YEAR 25-26, WE DID ISSUE A REFUND TO THE DEPARTMENTS, AND WE HAVE REDUCED OUR RATES FURTHER IN 26-27 IN AN EFFORT TO DRAW DOWN THE EXCESS AND EXCUSE ME AND KEEP OURSELVES WITHIN THE 
          [04:15:04]
ALLOWABLE 60-DAY WORKING CAPITAL RESERVE. YOU'LL NOTE THE PROJECTION FOR FISCAL YEAR 26-27 BASED ON BUDGET LOOKS LIKE WE ARE PROJECTING TO END UP IN A NEGATIVE POSITION. 
          HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO JUST RECOGNIZE THAT OUR BUDGETED EXPENSES ARE HIGH. 
          THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON IN RISK MANAGEMENT. WE HAVE SEEN THAT IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR WE HAVE REDUCED SOME OF OUR EXPENSE LINE ITEMS TO BETTER REFLECT THE ONGOING TRENDS, BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON AND WILL NOT MATERIALIZE AT THE LEVEL YOU SEE THERE. WE WILL ALSO BE CONTINUING TO EVALUATE THAT WITH MID-YEAR AND ADJUST THOSE RATES. WE WOULD NEVER ALLOW THE FUNDS TO GO INTO A NEGATIVE POSITION. SO, WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. 
          THANK YOU, MISS FUGATE. MY ONLY QUESTION IS, TERMINATION SPECIAL PAY AND PERSONNEL, YOU HAD BUDGETED $10,000 AND IT WAS TAKEN OUT. 
          THAT'S USUALLY FOR RETIREMENT. ARE WE NOT LETTING SOMEBODY RETIRE THIS YEAR, OR NO, THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE WENT AND DID A REVIEW THROUGH OUR BUDGET TO TRY AND TIGHTEN UP AND CUT A LITTLE MORE THROUGH WORKING WITH OUR CO'S OFFICE. AND, TYPICALLY THERE ARE SALARY SAVINGS AT THE OBJECT LEVEL THAT CAN ABSORB ANY TERMINATION OR SPECIAL PAY, SO WE PULLED THAT OUT AND I DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT DOING SO. 
          I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT, OKAY. 
          SUPERVISOR LONG. 
          THE ONLY THING THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION REALLY WAS THE RISK CLAIMS, THE ACTUALS. THEY WENT FROM 4 TO 7 TO 12-ISH. HAVE WE, HAVE WE FIGURED OUT WHAT'S CAUSING THAT SPIKE, AND IS THERE, ANY ANALYSIS TO TRY TO MITIGATE AND BRING THAT BACK DOWN, OR IS IT JUST WE'RE SUBJECT TO WHATEVER COMES IN? HOLD ON ONE SECOND. LET ME GET MYSELF WHERE YOU ARE. ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE PRESENTATION? YEAH. 
          YOU MENTIONED 4 TO 7 TO 12. 
          OKAY, YEAH. 
          SO, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THERE IS THE BALANCE IN THE RISK MANAGEMENT FUND. 
          SO, WE ARE ESSENTIALLY OVERFUNDED, RIGHT? SO THAT IS WHY THAT'S A BALANCE, NOT A CLAIM LEVEL. CORRECT. 
          WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THERE IS THE TOTAL THERE. 
          AND SO, WE REFUNDED IN THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. 
          WE'VE ALSO ADJUSTED OUR RATES, AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARD BRINGING THOSE RATES DOWN SO THAT THAT'S AT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL. 
          EXCELLENT. 
          THANK YOU. YEAH. SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. THANK YOU, MONICA. A FEW QUESTIONS. THE FIRST ONE, GOING BACK A LITTLE BIT, AND MAYBE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE CONTEXT, THAT'S FINE, BUT WHEN YOU SHOWED THE PERSONNEL HEADCOUNT GOING UP TO 28, WHICH I KNOW YOU SAID WAS YOU ABSORBED SOME THAT WERE IN HSA, AND THEN IT DROPPED TO 24 THE NEXT YEAR. WHAT WAS THAT A RESULT OF? HOW DID THAT HAPPEN IN TERMS OF GOING FROM THE 28 TO 24? SO REALLY, WHEN THOSE POSITIONS WERE ADDED, THEY WEREN'T ALL FILLED AT THE TIME THEY TRANSITIONED POSITIONED OVER TO OUR DEPARTMENT, AND EVEN OVER TIME, AS POSITIONS VACATED, WE CONTINUED TO EVALUATE, OKAY, DO WE REALLY NEED AS MANY POSITIONS AS HHSA DID TO CONTINUE TO PERFORM THE FUNCTIONS THAT THEY WERE PERFORMING IN ADMINISTRATION? SO, REALLY, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ECONOMIES OF SCALE OF BEING IN HR AND HAVING STAFF WHO ARE WELL TRAINED AND DO CERTAIN THINGS LIKE PROCESSING FMLA PAPERWORK OR COMMUNICATING WITH, WITH APPLICANTS ABOUT JOB OFFERS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO WITH LESS STAFF THAN HHSA WAS ABLE TO. 
          AND ARE THERE ANY DEPARTMENTS CURRENTLY THAT ARE HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONNEL STAFF? SO, MOST DEPARTMENTS HAVE A PERSONNEL LIAISON, I'LL CALL IT, NOT NECESSARILY A PERSONNEL ASSISTANT OR SOMEONE WHO'S COMPLETELY DEDICATED TO PERSONNEL. BUT MOST DEPARTMENTS DO HAVE SOMEONE WHO WILL COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH APPLICANTS AND HANDLE SOME OF THE LOWER-LEVEL TYPE OF PERSONNEL TASKS. SO, IT'S A THAT'S DEFINITELY A RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE DEPARTMENT CONTACTS BETWEEN OUR OFFICE AND THEIRS, BUT THEY DON'T OTHER DEPARTMENTS DO NOT HAVE A WHOLE UNIT THAT'S JUST DEDICATED TO DOING HR FUNCTIONS. 
          AND THE LIAISONS ARE STAFFED WITHIN THOSE DEPARTMENTS OR WITHIN OKAY. AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THE INCREASE IN THE PERSONNEL MATTERS THAT ARE GOING UP, AND YOU SAID THAT THE COMPLEXITY IS INCREASING. DO WE HAVE ANY DO YOU HAVE ANY THEORIES ON EITHER WHY, WHICH I KNOW MIGHT BE HARDER TO SPECULATE, OR WHAT CAN BE DONE TO MITIGATE AND TRY TO REDUCE THOSE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL MATTERS? YES. I MEAN, IT IS A LITIGIOUS STATE, SO WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF LITIGATION ALSO AROUND SOME OF THESE PERSONNEL MATTERS. I 
          [04:20:05]
THINK WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE COMPLAINTS OF HARASSMENT, DISCRIMINATION, RETALIATION, THINGS OF THOSE NATURE, AND, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT LESS JUST THE BLACK AND WHITE PERFORMANCE-BASED ISSUES. SO, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T GET A LOT MORE SPECIFIC THAN THAT. I WILL JUST SAY THAT ANY TIME THERE'S ANY SORT OF COMPLAINT THAT, THAT'S GOING TO ALLEGE UNLAWFUL TYPE OF ACTIVITY TOWARDS OUR EMPLOYEES, THE COMPLEXITY, THE AMOUNT OF LEGAL REVIEW, THE COORDINATION WITH COUNTY COUNCIL, AND JUST THE STEPS WE TAKE ARE GOING TO BE A LOT MORE CAREFULLY APPROACHED BECAUSE OF THE LIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. SO HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION. YOU HAD A SECOND PART TO THAT QUESTION. WHAT DID I MISS? NO, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT'S WELL, I WAS SAYING, WHAT CAN WE DO TO REDUCE THAT NUMBER? I THINK TRAINING FOR MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS IS REALLY OUR BEST EFFORT TO DO THAT, BECAUSE WHERE WE'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, LITIGATION AND WE'RE SEEING CLAIMS, A LOT OF TIMES THOSE SITUATIONS CAN BE HEAVILY MITIGATED BY WHETHER OR NOT A SUPERVISOR OR MANAGER DEPARTMENT HANDLES THE SITUATION APPROPRIATELY. 
          OKAY, AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THE NEW CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, THAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED. 
          WHAT WILL BE THE BENEFITS TO THE COUNTY OF THAT SYSTEM? LIKE, WHAT MAYBE THIS CONVERSATION HAPPENED BEFORE I WAS HERE, BUT I'M CURIOUS, KIND OF JUST THE, THE ADVANTAGES OF THAT MOVING TO THAT NEW SYSTEM. 
          YEAH, SO IT WILL CENTRALIZE EVERYTHING INTO ONE SYSTEM, SO ALL CONTRACTS WOULD HAVE TO PROCESS THROUGH THAT SYSTEM, RIGHT? RIGHT NOW, COMMUNICATION IS HAPPENING IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS. THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT REALLY COUNTY COUNSEL'S OFFICE WAS REALLY PROMOTING WHEN JOE FIRST CAME ON BOARD BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING THINGS IN EMAIL AND MAYBE THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE COMING OVER IN PAPER AND IT'S THERE'S NOT CONSISTENCY IN HOW THEY'RE BEING HANDLED. 
          AND EVEN HHSA HAD THEIR OWN SYSTEM BUT IT WAS JUST FOR HHSA. SO, YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO, I THINK, BE MORE CONSISTENT IN HOW THESE THINGS ARE BEING HANDLED ACROSS THE COUNTY. 
          AND IS THAT SOMETHING AND, THINKING BACK TO THE IT PRESENTATION JUST BEFORE IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING IN-HOUSE, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE HAVING AN OUTSIDE VENDOR PRODUCT THAT WE'RE USING? SO, PURCHASING, CAO, IT, COUNTY COUNCIL, ALL OF THEM ARE WORKING TOGETHER THROUGH WITH AN EXTERNAL VENDOR. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THEN YOU MENTIONED WITH MAIL SERVICES THE GENERAL FUND LOAN THAT I DIDN'T I DON'T KNOW IF I I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH IS THE LOAN CURRENTLY. 
          IS THAT ON THAT LAST CHART THERE WHERE THE FUND BALANCES ARE SHOWN? ONE SECOND. SO, THE LOAN WAS, $160,000, AND IT'S 5-YEAR REPAYMENT. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE PROJECTING TO BE AT APPROXIMATELY $85,000 IN 26-27, BUDGETED TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL $40,000, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE REMAINING TO PAY OFF IN THAT FINAL FISCAL YEAR. 
          SO, WE'RE, WE'RE ON TARGET. 
          WE'RE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THAT, BUT IT TOTALS $160,000. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. AND THEN LAST QUESTION AROUND THE RISK MANAGEMENT FUND BALANCE. I KNOW YOU, YOU SAID THAT IT WON'T BE REALIZED, WHICH I KNOW IS COMMONLY THE CASE WITH OUR BUDGET OVERALL. IF YOU WERE TO GO NEGATIVE, WHAT WOULD WE HAVE TO LOAN FROM THE GENERAL FUND, OR IS IT MIGHT BE IN THE GENERAL FUND, SO IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY JUST LOAN THE MONEY AUTOMATICALLY? NO, I MEAN, WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO IS WE'D HAVE TO RAISE RATES TO THE DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? SO, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT COULD MEAN A BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT HAS TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE, BUT, IT WOULD WE WOULD NEED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION TO ADJUST THOSE RATES AND CHARGE THE DEPARTMENTS AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT TO RECOVER THOSE COSTS. SO, IT WOULD NOT COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND. I MEAN, THROUGH THE IMPACTS TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS, SURE, EVENTUALLY IT COULD TRICKLE THROUGH IT'S THE GENERAL FUND, BUT IT'S NOT A DIRECT GENERAL FUND. 
          SO, IS THERE A REASON NOT TO CHARGE THOSE RATES NOW TO HAVE IT BE BALANCED VERSUS GIVING ESSENTIALLY BUDGETARY AUTHORITY TO GO NEGATIVE EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT GOING TO REALIZE IT? IT FEELS A LITTLE I KNOW, IT LOOKS REALLY WEIRD. 
          THOSE FUND BALANCE WORKSHEETS ALWAYS LOOK REALLY STRANGE FOR RISK MANAGEMENT. SO, I MEAN, THE SHORT ANSWER IS THAT RIGHT NOW WE'RE OVERFUNDED, RIGHT? AND WE JUST DID A REFUND IN '25-'26, SO WE HAVE TO REDUCE THOSE RATES IN '26-'27 TO BRING THAT FUND BALANCE DOWN WITHIN THAT WORKING CAPITAL RESERVE OF 60 DAYS, RIGHT? SO, IF WE WERE TO BUDGET IN A WAY THAT 
          [04:25:03]
WOULDN'T REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, NEGATIVE AS YOU'RE SEEING ON THAT, ON THAT SLIDE, THEN THAT WOULD MEAN THAT POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, IF IT IF, AS I EXPECT IT WILL BE, IT DOESN'T MATERIALIZE IN THAT WAY, WE MAY STILL BE OVERFUNDED AND THEN NEXT YEAR HAVE TO CONTINUE TO ADJUST THOSE RATES. SO, WE COULD BE LESS AGGRESSIVE IN DOING THAT. YES, THAT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE AN ISSUE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERN THAT WE TALK ABOUT OFTEN WITH THE CAO AND AUDITOR'S OFFICE IS THAT ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITH STATE PROGRAMS, IF THEY SEE THAT WE'RE OVERFUNDED AND WE'RE NOT TAKING QUICK ENOUGH STEPS TO ADDRESS THAT, THEN THAT COULD BECOME AN ISSUE IN AN AUDIT. SO, WE JUST TRY TO BE PROACTIVE. IT, IT DOES DO THIS SWING THOUGH EVERY FEW YEARS WHERE WE END UP OVERFUNDED AND THEN WE'RE UNDERFUNDED AND HAVING TO INCREASE RATES. SO, IT'S JUST A REALLY DIFFICULT RATE TO SET. 
          AND WHAT'S THE CAP THAT WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO GO ABOVE IN TERMS OF FUND BALANCE WHERE WE'RE OVERFUNDED? OH GOSH, I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME. IT'S A, YOU KNOW, IT'S A 60-DAY WORKING CAPITAL RESERVE, SO IT'D BE 60 DAYS OF ESSENTIALLY OPERATING EXPENSES FOR RISK MANAGEMENT. IT'S A CALCULATION THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE DOES FOR US EVERY YEAR. 
          SO, THAT'S OKAY, I DON'T NEED IT RIGHT NOW, BUT I WAS JUST, YEAH, CURIOUS. 
          BUT THANK YOU. YOU BET. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PLUMMER. 
          SUPERVISOR CRYE. 
          JUST REALLY QUICK, GREAT JOB, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE AGAIN YOUR WHOLE STAFF'S EFFORTS ON WORKPLACE CULTURE AND THE DRESS-UP DAYS. EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T PARTICIPATE TODAY, I WILL TOMORROW. BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH 2,000, ROUGHLY 2,000 EMPLOYEES, STARTS OBVIOUSLY IN YOUR GUY'S DEPARTMENT. 
          SO, THANK YOU. WELCOME, SUPERVISOR HARMON. 
          JUST A QUICK QUESTION. I TRIED TO LOOK BACK THROUGH HERE AND I COULDN'T, I COULDN'T QUITE I CAN'T FIND IT, BUT IN MY BUSINESS INDUSTRY, MAYBE IT'S DIFFERENT, PUBLIC WORKS OR WHATEVER, BUT OUR INSURANCE IN THE LAST 02, 3 YEARS HAS DOUBLED, TRIPLED. AND I WAS TRYING TO FIND WHAT, HOW MUCH THE INCREASES IS. IS IT AS BAD HERE AS IT IS? THEY'VE ALL GONE UP. 
          OH YEAH, I KNOW THEY'VE ALL GONE UP. 
          I DON'T THINK IT'S DOUBLED. 
          WE'VE SEEN THEM START TO KIND OF LEVEL OFF A BIT. BUT HOLD ON ONE SECOND, I CAN TELL YOU. 
          SORRY, I WAS TRYING TO FIND IT AND I COULDN'T SEE IT. THERE'S PROBABLY SO IF YOU LOOK AT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE YOUR BUDGET BOOK IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT 409 IN THE BUDGET BOOK, THAT UNDER OTHER CHARGES IS WHERE MOST OF OUR INSURANCE PREMIUMS LIVE. 
          AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE, YOU KNOW, GRANTED IT ONLY GOES BACK TO '24-'25, BUT YOU CAN SEE '24-'25 WHERE THOSE PREMIUMS WERE, WHERE IT ENDED IN '25-'26, AND WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING. 
          SO, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST LOOKING AT THE GENERAL LIABILITY PREMIUMS, IT WAS $7.3 MILLION IN '24-'25, $8.6 MILLION IN '24 '25-'26, AND PROJECTED AS $9.5 IN '26-'27. YOU KNOW, YOU START LOOKING AT OTHER PREMIUMS MALPRACTICE, $650,000 IN '24-'25 TO $1 MILLION TODAY. SO YES, WE ARE SEEING SOME OF THE SAME THINGS ON OUR END. 
          THAT WAS ALL I NEEDED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          OF COURSE. 
          ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR HARMON. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR FUGATE. GOOD JOB. 
          VERY MUCH. AND I THINK THAT WILL BRING US TO A CLOSE TODAY, SO WE WILL RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.